COMMON TANSY.

397

instrument) to the skin. To prevent the surrounding parts being burnt by sparks,Larrey recommends them to be previously covered with a wet rag, perforatcdin the centre, to admit the base of the moxa. If the combustion flag, it may bekept up by the breath, blovv-pipe, or bellows. After the combustion is over,Larrey recommends the immediate application of liquor ammonia, to repressexcessive inflammation and suppuration.

8. TANACETUM VULGARE, Linn. ».—COMMON TANSY.Sex.. Syst. Syngenesia, Polygamia superflua.(Folia, D.)(Tanacetum, U. S.—See. List.)

Histoht ----Tansy was ordered to be eultivated in gardens by Charlemagne.

(Sprengel, Hist, Hei Herb.)

Botajjy. Gen. ch»r.— Iieacls either homogamous or heterogamous ; namely,florets of the ray female, in one row, usually three to four-toothed. Receptaclenaked, convex. Invoüwre campanulate, imbricated. Coroüas of the disc fourto five-toothed. Achene sessiie, angular, smooth, with a large epigynous disc.Pappus either none, or membranous, coronet-shaped, rninute; either entire orequally toothed, or somewhat unequal, being more evident on the external side.(De Cand.)

Sp. char.— Stern herbaeeous, erect, smooth. Leaves smoothish, bipinnali-partite, therachis and lobes inciso-serrate. Corymbus many-headed. Internalscales of the involucre obtuse, scariose at the apex. Pappus short, equal, five-lobed. (De Cand.)

Root moderately creeping. Sterns li to 2 feet high. Leaves dark green.Florets golden yellow; the marginal ones ofien wanting.—There are threevarieties of it,—the common, the curhd (generally preferred), and the variegated(chiefly for Ornament).

Hal>.—lndigenous; hilly pastures, hedges, road-sides. Cultivated in gardensas a medicinal or pot-herb, or for ornament.

Descripttox. __The herb and flowers (herba et flores tanaceti) have a dis-

agreeable, aromatic odour, and a nauseous, streng, aromatic, bitter taste. Theinfusion is rendered dark green and turbid (tannate of irori) by sesquichlondeof irou.

Composition.— Both leaves and flowers have been analyzed by Fromherzand by Peschier. (Gmelin, Handb. d. Chem. ii. 1200.) The constituents ofthe leaves, aecording to Peschier are volatile oil,fatty oil, ivax or Stearine, chlo-rophylle, bitter resin, yellow colouring matter, tannin ivith gedlic aeid, bitter ex-traclive, gum, ivoody fibre, tanacetic aeid.

Has the peculiar odour ofbut, aecording toWitha

1. Volatile Oil (Oleum Tanaceti). —Teltow, soraetimes greenthe plant; and a wann, bitter taste. Its sp. gr. is 0-952.

2. Bitter. Matter. —Thia is a substanee usually denominated extractivePeschier, it is in part resin. ,,_,_,_ , tj .,

3 Tanacetic Acid. —Crystallizable. l J rceipitales lime, baryta, and oxide ot lead.Solution of acetatc of copper it causes a preeipitato.

Physiological Effects. —Tansy produecs the usual eiTecls of the aromaticbitter tonics (vol. i. p. 139). " A fatal case of poisoning with half an ounce of oilof tansy is recorded in the Mcdical Magazine for Nov. 1834. Frequent andviolent clonic spastns were expenenced, with much disturbance of respiration ;and the action of the heart gradually became weaker tili death took place fromits entire Suspension. No inflammation of the stomach or bowels was disco-vered upon disseclion." [Vnited States Disp. from the Am. Journ. ofthe Med.Sciences, xvi. 256.)

Uses. —The young leaves are occasionally employed by the cook to givecolour and flavour to puddings, and in omelets and other cakes. In medicine