Family Herbal - Electric Scotland

FAMILY HERBAL. 37
r.nd notched about the edjres. The flowers are
inconsiderable ; the fruit is a little scaly globule,
preceding the leaves in 1
. spring
The juice of the birch-tree, procured by boring
a hole in it in is
spring-, diuretic, and good against
the
scurvy. The leaves, fresh gathered, and boiled
in water, afford a decoction, which acts in the
same manner, and is good in : dropsies
cutaneous disorders, outwardly
and in all
used.
ROUND-ROOTED BlRTHWORT. Aristolocllicl TV-
t uncia.
A WILD plant in Italy, and the south of
Fiance ; but with us found onlv in the gardens of
the curious. It has no great beautv, or even singularity
in its till appearance, examined. The
stalks are a foot and a half long, but weak ;
they are square, and of a duskv green
colour. The
leaves are short, broad, and roundish, of a dusky
green ; also the flowers are long, hollow, and of
ati odd form, not resembling the flowers of other
plants : they are of a duskv greenish colour on
the outside, and purple within : the fruit is fleshy,
and as big as a small walnut. The root is large
and roundish.
The root is the only part used in medicine,
and that we have from countries where the plant
is native ; it is a rough and disagreeable medicine ;
it often offends the stomach, but it is an excellent
'hug for promoting the necessary
evacuations after
deliverv.
There are two other kinds f birthwort, the
root of which are also kept in the shops ; the one
illed the lone: birthwort ; the other the climbing
!
,-i ribwort. They possess the same virtues with tbs