Family Herbal - Electric Scotland

xviii.
INTRODUCTION.
Infusions arc the fittest forms for those liczbs
whose qualities
are light, and whose virtue is
easily extracted ; in this case, hot water poured
upon them fa; s up enough of their virtue, and
none is lost in the opeiation; olhers require to be
boiled in the water. From these are thus made
what we call decoctions : and as these last would
not give their virtues in infusion, so the others
would lose it all in the boiling.
It would go
olf with the vapour. We know very well, that
the distilled water of any herb is only the vapour
of the byiled herb caught by proper vessels, and
condensed to water : therefore, whether it be
caught or let to fly away, all that virtue must be
lost in
boiling.
It is from this, that some plants
are fit for decoctions, and some for infusion*.
There are some which, if distilled, give no virtue
to the water, and these are tit for decoctions,
which will retain all their virtue,, as bistort, and
tormentill roots, and the like. On the contrary,
an infusion of mint, or pennyroyal, is of a
strong taste, and excellent virtue ; whereas, a
decoction of these herbs is disagreeable or good for
nothing:.
There are herbs also, which have so little juice,
that it would be impossible to get it out ; and
others whose virtue lies in the husks and buds,
and this would be lost in the operation. An infusion
of these is the right way of giving them.
Thus mother of thyme is a dry little herb, from
winch it would he hard to get any juice, and when
gotten, it would possess very little of its virtues :
tut an infusion of mother of thyme it
possesses
entirely.
Infusions arc of two kinds. They
are either
prepared in quantity, to be drank cold ; or they
re drauk us thev are made, in the manner of tea.