Sett. 9".

Of Sternutatories.

211

where this Motion roufes and en-livens, as it were, the Spirits, andby fhaking the moft remote Fibres,altifts their proper Juices in Circu-lation, which before feem'd to Mag-nate, or not to irritate the Fibresenough to maintain their naturalElasticity. And of fuch great effi-cacy is this Convulfion, that it isfometimes procur'd on purpofe toaffift the Expuliion of the foetus,and with good Succefs.

How far the Cuftom of takingSnuff, as it now prevails, is fer-viceable or detrimental, is not di-rectly to our purpofe to determine;but thus far it may not be amifs toinform thofe who comply lb muchwith it as a Faihion, that they putit out of their power to receiveany benefit from it as a Medicine,whenfoever there may be occafionfor fuch helps : for continually fti-mulating thofe Parts with hot pun-gent Snuffs, makes them by degreesgrow as it were callous, and muchlefs fenfible ; which all Snuff-takersexperience, being not provok'd toftieezing, if they take ever fo much,when one Pinch of the fame wouldimmediately operate upon a ftrangerto it. There is another Inconve-niency alfo from this Practice, andthat is lpoiling their Appetites : formoft of the common Snuffs areTobacco, of one kind or other ¿whereof lome will pafs down theThroat into the Stomach, efpeciallyin thofe who take much ; which dc-ftroys the natural Appetite, as manycontéis they find by Experience,»Itho they cannot be pievail'd withto leave it off. For fuch who ima-gine the continual taking of Snuffto be neceffary or beneficial tothem, many things in liquid Formswould much more properly anfwertheir Intention ; firch as Sal VolatileOleofum, diluted with fcmething

proper, where it is too ftrong byit lèlf. But 'tis, to be fear'd no fa-lutary regard can obtain fuch a Re-formation, unlets that Idol, Fa-fliion, would vouchiàfe its Sanc-tion.

Folia, Herbs or Leaves of,

480. Primula Veris, Prim-rofe, called Verbafctdum Sylvarummajus, fingularißore, hyC.Sauhine.This flowers very early in the Spring.Both the Flowers, Leaves, andRoots, are mention'd by Schroder inlèverai Forms for fame medicinalIntentions, but chiefly Paralyticand arthritic Complaints; but theRoots only are in any ufe now,and thofe but feldom. Their Juiceis generally expreflèd ; and after itis fined fer Subfidentiam, made ufeof to provoke Sneezing, in iuchCafes as the Drain which that pro-cures, is imagin'd to do fervice.

481. As Ait 1, Afarabaca. Thi*is become a mighty Snuff of late.The Leaves are common in the Phy-tic Markets.; and to dry and reducethemtoPowder,is all that is requir'din making them into Snuff. SomeEmpyrics, or Traders in phyticalMitters, haveput off a Snuff by theName of Royal at a good roundPrice, which is little elfe than this,decorated with fome Ltaf-GolJ.This has antiently been much inufe as an Zmetic and a Cathartic ;and in fome Authors we find aSuperftition in gathering it : forthey alledge, that pulling forwardmakes it work moil by Vomit ¿but pulling backward, moft by Stool.Rulandus frequently prefcribes theRoot as a Diuretic ; as alfo doesFermliui, in whofe Works wemeet with an Fleñuary, in whichthat is the chief Ingredient. ItsOperation is very black, and there-fore commended in Conftitutions

P a that