Family Herbal - Electric Scotland

xx. INTRODUCTION.
commodiously by infusion, may be account d
many of those which are pectoral, and good in
coughs, as colts-foot, ground-ivy, and the like ;
the light and aromatic, good in nervous disorders,
as mother of thyme, balm, and the like ; the
bitters are also excellent in infusion, but very
disagreeable in decoction ; thus boiling water
poured upon Roman wormwood, gentian root,
and orange peel, makes a very excellent bitter.
It need only stand till the liquor is cold, and may
be then poured off for use.
It is often proper to add some purging ingredient
to this bitter infusion ; and a little fresh
polypody root excellently answers that purpose>
without spoiling the taste of the medicine.
Several of the purging plants also do very well
in infusion, as purging flax, and the like ; and
the fresh root of polypody alone is a very good
one : a little lemon juice added to the last named
infusion does no harm ; and it takes off what is
disagreeable in the taste, in the same manner as
it does from an infusion of sena.
Thus we see what a great number of purposes
may be answered by infusions, and the are the
most familiar of all preparations. Nothing is re-
quired, but pouring some boiling water upon
the plants fresh or dried, as already directed, and
when cold.
pouring it off again
Decoctions are contrived to answer the purpose
of infusions, upon plants which are of so firm a
texture, that they will not. easily yield forth their
useful parts. In these the ingredients are to be
boiled in the water, as in the others, the boiling
water was to be poured over them. In general,
leaves, flowers, and entire plants, whether fresh
or dried, are used in infusions ; the roots and
barks in decoctions.
An earthen pipkin, with a close cover, is the