Family Herbal - Electric Scotland

FAMILY HERBAL. 3:>5
tame with it, but that is an error : the kernels of
the fruit of that tree, are indeed of the shape
of the vomic nil's, but they are not half so
big.
the branches
The tree is large and : spreading
are numerous, and the leaves are : large they stand
in pairs opposite to one another ; and are oblong,
jbi-oadest in the middle, and rounded or blunt at
the end, and of a very bitter taste ; the flowers
are small, and stand iu clusters at certain parts
of the young branches : the fruit is of the bigness
of an apple, and is yellow when ripe. The
kernels in this are what we call mix vomica ;
there arc fifteen of them in each fruit, and they
are lodged in three divisions.
These kernels arc the only part used ;
our druggists
keep them ; they are round, flat, and of a
whitish colour, very firm, and tough. They
have been used as poison to dogs, cats, and other
animals ; but there are those who give them to
the human species, in small doses, without mischief,
and with very good effect. Quartan agues that
have stood it against the bark, have been cured
by them ; but if the dose be too large, they
bring on convulsions, and there is great reason to believe,
that in very large ones they would kill.
At present we have choice of so many medicines
for every disorder, that it is almost unpardonable
to give such as are suspicious. Some people
have ventured to give even ratsbane, as a medicine,
mixed with other things, and in the twentieth
part of a grain for a dose ; but reason condemns
this rash way of practice, and doubly, as
there is no necessity to authorize it.