(seq. 15)

6

Introduction

Botanical Affinity

doctrine of Signatures which supposes medicines to act by
their resemblance to the part to which they are applied. In
origin is to be traced to the oldest ages, the Indians
suppose that if the seed of the melon, pumpkin and other
creeping plants were put for a time in a decoction of
Mitchella ripens sooner which is a remarkable running plant,
it imparts a greater disposition in them to spread and run
over the earth, the Indians supposed people are more
swift, and active, while they live upon venison because
the Deer is so in a remarkable degree. An Italian
Physician Porta recommends Tentaria in tooth aches,
from its resemblance to the tooth, the genus Orchides
are recommended, as aphrodiacs, from their resemblance
to the pudenda. Sanguinaria in Jaundice from its
yellow colour. Botanical Affinity. Different
Authors have arranged the articles of the Materia Medica
according to their botanical affinity. Boerhave arranged
his according to his botanical System, but as this is
deserted, his arrangement of course falls, the fifteen classes
of Linneus have all resemblance to each other, with