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The London Dispensatory, containing : 1. the Elements of Pharmacy ; 2. the botanical Description, natural History, chemical Analysis, and medicinal Properties of the Substances of the Materia Medica ; 3. the pharmaceutical Preparations and Compositions of the Pharmacopoeias of the London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Colleges of Physicians ; the Whole forming a Practical Synopsis of Materia Medica, Pharmacy, and Therepeutics
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254

Materia Medica.

part II.

pochondriacal and nervous affections ; but it is now used onlyin the form of tea, as a grateful diluent in fevers.

MENTHA. 1 Spec. Plant Willd. iii. 74.CI. 14. Ord. 1. Didynamia Gymnospermia. Nat. ord. Verticillatae

Linn. Labiatae Juss.G. 1102. Corolla not quite equal, four-cleft ; the broader segment

enaarginate. Stamens upright, distant.

* Spiked.

Sp.7. M. viridis. Spearmint. Smith (spec. 3.) Flora Brit. 612.

Med. Bot. 2d edit. 338. t, 121.** Capitate.Sp. 13. M. piperita. Peppermint. Smith {spec. 4.) Flora Brit. 613.

Med. Bot. 2d edit. 336. t. 120. Eng. Bot. 461.

* * * Verticillate.

Sp. 20. M. Pulegium. Pennyroyal. Smith {spec. 12.) Flora Brit.

624. Med. Bot. 2d edit. 342. t. 122.

1. Mentha viridis. 1Officinal. Mentha viridis. Lond. Mentha sativa; folia. Dub.

Spearmint.

Syn. Baume verte (F.) Frauenmnrze (G.) Menta Romana (7.) Menta (S )

This is an indigenous perennial plant, growing in marshyplaces, and flowering in August. For medicinal purposes, itis cultivated to a considerable extent. Dr. Smith enumeratesfour varieties of the species, the first of which is our plant. Theroot is creeping; the stem quadrangular, and foliaceous, risingabout two feet in height, erect, smooth, and branching. Theleaves are opposite, nearly sessile, lanceolate, about two inchesand a half long, and an inch broad; of a deep green colourabove, paler beneath, pointed, serrated, smooth, and sometimesa little hairy underneath : the flowers are supported on smoothpartial flower-stalks, verticillated, in long pointedpanicledspikes;furnished with setaceous, ciliated, lanceolate bractes, longer thanthe flowers: the calyx is cylindrical and furrowed, with fivenearly regular teeth: the corolla funnel-shaped, tender, smooth,and of a purple colour : the stamens are varying in length, withroundish anthers; and the style, which is filiform, with a bifiddivaricated stigma, rises from a four-cleft germen: the seeds arefour, small, and generally abortive, owing to the viviparous na-ture of the roots.

For medicinal use, spearmint is generally cut just as theflowers appear; but for obtaining the essential oil, the flower-ing plant is preferred. It should be cut in very dry weather.

Qualities. — Spearmint has a strong aromatic odour, and awarm slightly bitter taste; neither of which qualities is impair-ed by drying. Both alcohol and water extract its virtues ; andin distillation with water an essential volatile oil is obtained.

1 iiWx Dioscoridis.

- Haec species dignoscitur pedicellis semper glabcrrimis.

Smith fivr. Brit. 613.

 
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