Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

150

Materia Medica

Tonics

and it can be taken longer without any inconvenience.

Artemisia Absinthium. Or Wormwood is an intense bitter, the milk of cows, and flesh of mutton become impregnated from eating it. It has a strong and peculiar smell, the leaves are more bitter than the flowers, the oil contains no bitterness, some assert that it is a narcotic, Linder and his followers assert it strongly, but there appears as cullen says to have been a peculiar Idiosyncrasy in the case they mention. Linneus informs us that persons have used it for six months without experiencing any such effect, Ale in which wormwood is infused is thought to be more intoxicating, this is owing to its volatile properties. Haller used it in large doses. Our Writers assures us that the Juice mixed with the oil of cloves cured a fever when the bark failed, it has been used in nephritis and it is said with advantage. I have heard the oil was a good anthelmintic, Dr Haller used it frequently.

Aristolochia Longa. Or Birthwort, the root of this plant is a verry warm bitter, it received its name from its supposed power of relieving child birth. Dr Cullen says he found it usefull in chlorosis but not in suppression of menses, it has been