66

The Materia Medica.

kaftwkhin tlie year. (Pharm. Chan.) Dr. Lyfons direcfethe decoftion to be reiade by boiling ^ iv of the bark next theWood, taken frelh from the tree, — in ipring from the fmall,not (mallelt, branches,—in autumn from the branchlng roots,—in Wiv of water to fcij,—dofe ftfs twice a day, orthrice.He was commonJy obüged, he fays, to give purging medi-anes wich it. (See bis account in Med. Tranf. of the Land.Gl. My experience can add little to the foregoing evidencein its favour. For, though I havc for many years employ-ed a decoöion of § iv, of the dried bark, in the fame quan-tity and dofe,—and I think with advantage, — yet I nevertrußed it without the affiftance of other remedies ;—fmartpurgativesj in partkular, were fcarce'.y ever omitted.

r

Urtica,

Stinging Nettle,the Herb,

Urtica dicica, L. S. P.

This fpecies of Stinging Nettle is perennial, and growswild on ditch-bänks, dunghills, and manured ground. Theleaves are oppofke, heart-fhaped, ferrated. It putt forthßowersin July,which are fertiie and barrenon diftincl planes.(With.) The juice, depurated and gentiy infpihated, difco-vers a confiderafole tafle of the fubfaSine k'md. L. M. M.

This plant, however it may be defpifed, is not withoutmedicai Utility,— if the teftimonies of irany are to be be-liered. (Murray-, App. Med. Vol. 4.) The juice, drunkfrom ^ij to ^iv, is commended in nephritic complaints,(Spits de Herb, anümph.) in internal htemorrhages, (Cha-nnel,)