Introduction and Background

A NEW FAMILY HERBAL: OR POPULAR ACCOUNT oF’ THE NATURES AND PROPERTIES © OF THE VARIOUS PLANTS “ USEDIN MEDICINE, DIET, anp tHe ARTS. BY ROBERT JOHN THORNTON, M.D. LECTURER ON BOTANY AT GUY’s HOSPITAL, &c. &c, ‘THE PLANTS DRAWN FROM NATURE, BY HENDERSON: AND ENGRAVED ON WOOD, BY THOMAS BEWICK. ————=s London: : PRINTED FOR RICHARD PHILLIPS, BRIDGE-STREET, BLACKFRIARS 5 . AWD MAY BE MAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS, 1810. To ANDREW DUNCAN, M.D. Gc. Fc. a Dear Proressor, Tus University of Edinburgh, of which you are ‘a distinguished member, like the city of Thebes ‘during the life of Epaminondas, has emerged from obscurity into a splendour unparalleled in literary ‘history, and has spread its fame by a glorious suc- cession of men of the highest eminence in Science -and general Literature. 2 The names of Mowno, Coxntex, Buacx, Rv- ¢mnerrorpD, Hore, that of your illustrious FATHER, and your own, will be inscribed in the records of science to the remotest posterity, and future ages will admire those labours which have advanced the honour of the healing art, and thereby been the means of saving more than the sword has destroyed. ‘When we examine the state of medical know- ledge before this epoch, we find nothing that can compensate for the labour of reading volumes, now vi justly doomed to moulder on the shelf. Pharmacy in particular was a jumble of the most heteroge- neous compounds. Your father’s, and then your own Pharmacopeia* formed after his model, ap- peared, and all became clearness and precision. “Herpats especially, as parts of the Pharmacopeia, were at this period a disgrace to medicine, and highly dangerous to the community. A desire to become acquainted with the virtues of Plants seems to have been coeval with the first dawn of knowledge ; but the figures contained in the books treating of these subjects are so inac- curate, and the descriptions so vague, credulous, and, in every sense, so gross and vulgar, that mis- takes were unavoidable, and false. properties were - bestowed on the most common and trivial Plants. The Medical Botany of the ingenious and able Woopviire cleared much rubbish from this Au- gran stable, but the expensive mode of its publica- tion deterred many practitioners, and families in general, from the purchase ; there was, therefore, wanted for general and ordinary use a companion to your useful and perfect Pharmacopeia. Nothiog more was required than simply to tread in your foot- steps, adding Figures by such an Artist as Bewicx, and correct Descriptions, with the addition of some general Prescriptions, combining at the same time * The Eoinsurca New Dusrensatony, by De. Axpaew Duncan. vii fronr all authors whatever related to the subject: This could not be accomplished in a Pharmaco- pocia ; the present Work, therefore, is presented .to. the world as a more complete and perfect HerBaL than has hitherto appeared ; and as intended to unite the various advantages that have been derived to science from your “ Edinbuigh New Dispensatory.” 1 take this opportunity, therefore, to acknowledge the source of much of my information, which I would not, indeed, disfigure by a change of words, but have generally transcribed from your work, so that considerable part of. the merit which may be found in this Hersat must in justice be ascribed to your industry and intelligence; and I hope, and trust, that the very superior Engravings of Bewicx will render it in every respect a useful in- troduction to Pharmaceutical Science. I have necessarily had frequent occasion to de- scribe the culinary properties of many vegetables, and on this subject my obligations have been consi- derable to the best book on this art, namely, that by Duncan Macdonald. .Kt is presumed that the reader will here find, for the first time, many valuable properties of Plants ascertained, which are either wholly néw, or have hitherto been locked up in large, expensive, and in- accessible works of British growth, or in scarce books on Botany published in foreign countries. Whatever may be the merits or defects of this. viii New Heeaat, they are now before the public ; for myself, I shall honestly declare that, if it tend to advance the Sciences of Medicine and Botany, and is honoured with your approbation, I shall enjoy the fall reward of my labours. I have the honour to be, Sir, With perfect respect and esteem, Your obliged and devoted Servant, Rosert Jony THORNTON. Hind-street, Manchester-square, January 1, 1810. a N.B. Those persons’ who desire to possess a com- plete and familiar Introduction to the Science of Bo- tany, will find one in the “ Gramaar or Borany,” just published, a work written expressly, by the Author of this Herbal, for the use of botanical and medical Students, ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. oglish Name. Agrimony, Common Alkanect =~ Almond Tree Allpice = - Anise - Aromatic Melaleuca Articheke - Arum, Common Asarabacca, Common Ash, Flowering ‘Asb-coloured Liverwort Avens, Common Balm, Common Balsam of Gilead Balsam of Tolu Tree Barberry - Barley - Basil, Common Bastard Cabbage Tree Bastard Dittany Bear Berry a Latin Name. Auchusa Tinctoria = - Amygdalus Communis Myrtus pimenta” =~ Pimpinella Anisum = - ‘Melaleuca Leucadendron Cynara Scolymus = - ‘Arum Maculatum + - Avarura Europoeum - Pratious = Lichen Caninus © - - Geum Urbanum ~~ - Melissa Officinalis - - Anyris Gileadensis = - Toluifera Balsamo Barberis'Vulga Hordeum Distichon Clinopodium Vulgare Geoffrea Inermis - “- Dictamaus Albus - - Arbutus Uva Ursi ~~ Benjamin, or Benzoin Tree Styrax Benzoins - Bitter Cucumber Bitter Quassia Black Currant Black Hellebore, or Christmas Rose Black Mustard, Common Black Blue Cardinal Flower Brooklime Broom, Common Buckbean Buckthorn Cucumis Colocynthis - Quassia Amara ++ Ribes Nigram- - Heleborus Niger = - Sinapis Nigra =~ Piper Nigrum- Lobela Siphilictica - Veronica Becabunga - Spartium Scoparium = - Menyanthes Trifoliata Bhamaus Cathurticus » xiv. I xvii. 4 nol x 1 x 1 xxi. 10 x 1 yw I Class, Order. Page, 470 cy a 419 305 6i¢ om 150 466 871 384 506 580 372 451 812 AAT 155 554 614 126 21 651 49 x English Name. Bugloss, Common - - Butchery Broom - - Cajeput Tree. | Calamint =- = - Camomile, Common Camomile, Spanish - - Camphor Tree - = - Caper Bush, Common Caraways = = Cardamon > = + Cascarilla see Catechu Mimosa - | - Chaste Tree =e Chinese Smilax = - Cherry Laurel Chian, of Cypr Cinnamon Tree. > | - Cinquefoil, Common - leavers, > | = Climbing Birthwort Clove Pink - - = Clove Tree = = | Coffee Tree - ee Colisfoot = = Common Great Plantain Contrayerva - = = Copaiva Tree. - Coriandeg = + - Cor Poppy + + Cowhage ‘ a Crack - >. . Creeping Bugle - - - Creeping Water Parsnip Ctetan Cistus Cuckow Flower -- Caltivated Garlic, fom mon. = i Gultivated Oat - - Damask Rose so Dandelion _ Prunus Lauro Cerassus CONTENTS. Latin Name, Borago Officinalis - - Arctium Lappa ~~ , Ruscus Aculeatus MelaleucaLeucadendron Thymus Calaminta =~ Anthemis Nobilis = - Anthemis Pyrethrum Laurus Camphora - - ee ee Ce ee ae ao Capparis Spinosa ~~ Carum Carui - + Amomum Cardamomum i, Clutia Eluteria - - Mimosa Catichu - Vitex Agnus Castus | - Smilax China - , - Pistacia Terebinthus - Laurus Cinpamomum_ Potentilla Reptans Galium Apaine ~~ Aristolochia Clematitis Dianthus Caryophylus_ 2 Caryophylus Aromaticu 1 Coffea Arabica - + v. 1 ‘Tupsilago Farfara > - xix. 2 Plantago Major - - iv. 1 Dorsetnia Contrayerva iv. - 1 Copaifera Officinalis - x. 1 Coriandrum = - = ve 2 Papaver Rheas - - 1 Dolichos Pruriens = - 4 Salix Fragilis - + 2 Ajuga Reptins ~~ 1 Sium Nodiflorum - - v. 2 Cistus Creticus =~ 1 Cardimine Pratemis .- xv, 2 Allium Sativam - ~~ 1 Avena Sativa. - + 2 Rosa Centifolia - - 5 Leontodgn Taraxacuns = xix. I 579 TT 720 381 302 CONTENTS. xi Dyers Madder = © -- Rubia Tinctorum - - iv. Egyptian Mimosa - - Mimosa Nilotica - - Elder = Sambucus Nigra - = ve 323 Elecampane - - Inula Heleneium - - xix. 2 719 Elm, Common - - UlmusCampestris - - v. 2 241 Elm-leaved Sumach = - Rhus Coriaria + + v) 3 329 Eringo-leaved Lichen - Lichen Islandicus - - xxiv.2 885 ‘Baglish Name. Latin Names Class. Order. Page. Deadly Nightshade - - Atropa Belladonna- - ve 1 176 Dittany of Crete - - Origanum Dictamnus - xiv. T 581 Dog Rose - - - RomCanimg = - 3 500 Dagon’s Blood Tree - Calamus Rotang - - 1 35h Dwarf Elder - - - Sambucas Ebulus - - ve 3 327 Dyers Bugloss - - - Auchusa Tinctoria - - v. 1 96 1 ran 3 Buropean Olive - - Olea Purpowa - - 13 Byebright, Common - EuphrasiaOfficinalis - 38g ‘Trigonelle Feenum ‘s Fenugreek = - - = { eae xvii, 3 653 Fig-tree, Common - Ficus Carica. «= «== xxiii 3 876 dee : ee } PhellandsiumAquationm v. 2 310 Florentine Iris - Plax - 2 = Iris Florentina + + 1 - Lintum Usitatissimum =v. 5 Feetid Helebore - = Helleborus Feetidus - xiii, 6 Fox glove -* - - Digitalis - - - xiv. $ 596 Fumitory, Comnion - Fumaria Officinalis - xvii. 2 Garden Carrot - + Daucus Sativa - 2% 2 Garden Thyme, Common Thymus Vulgaris - - xiv. 1 Gigantic Fennel - - Ferula Assafetida - v. 2 578 Ginseng = =. =| Panax Quingue folium 874 Goats Thor - - Astragalus Tragacanthia xvii. 3 654 Goose Grass - © - Galium Aparine - - iv. 1. 94 Great Broad-leaved } —Verbascum Thapsus = ¥. 1 237 Greater Bistort - - Polygonum Bistorta - 379 Greater Celandine - - Chelidoniyn Majus .- 548 Groundivy - ~~ Glecoma Hederacea a2 Grounsell, Common - Lithospemum Offcinale 168 Guinea Pepper - - Capsicum Annum - - 46 Harts'-Tongue - —-_Asplenium Scolopendrum 43 Bedge Hyssop -, - Gratiola Officinahs 23 Hedge Mustard =- - Erysimum Officinale - ” 619 b2 ati English Name. Hemlock,Common = - lock, Water-Dr Hagin WaterDrore Henbane - = - Holy Thistle - - Holly - = Hop - - - - Horehound, Common - Horse Chemut - - Horse Radish = = Todian Cress, Greater - Indian Pink == = Indian Rubber = - Inula, Common ~~ Ipecacun - - - Jalap Bindweed = - - Juniper = - = ‘Ladies Smock, Common Laurel-leaved Canella Jemon - - Lavender - - - Liquorice, Common = - ,Long-rooted Birthwort - Long-rooted Turmeric ~ Lovage-leaved Bubon - Langwort, Common - - Lycian Juniper = + + Mahogany Tree - - MaleFen - - - Masterwort, Common - Mastich Tree - : Male Orchig = - - Mandrake - - - Marshmallow - + Meadow Anemony, or Pasque Flower } ‘Meadow Saffron, Com- } CONTENTS. Latin Name. Conium Maculatum - Enanthe Crocata = Hyoscyamus Niger - Centaurea Benedicta - Eryaguim Maritimum Humulus Lupulus - - Marrubium Vulgare - Haculus Hip;ocastanum Cochlearia Armoracea Tropaolum Majus — - Spigelia Marilandica - Siphonia Elestica - - Toulg Helenium =~ ViolaIpecacuanha = - Convolvulus Jalopa - Juniperus Communis - Cardamine Pratensis - Canella Alba == - Citrus Medica =~ Lavendula Spica, = Glycyrrhiza Glabia - Heematoxylum Cam. Aristolochia Longa - Turmeric, L. P. Cur- { cuma longa, P. L. Bubon Galbanum =—- Palmonaria Officinalis Juniperus Lycia z Swietania Mahagoni - Polypodium Vulgare Imperatoria Ostruthiam Pistacia Lentiscis =~ Orchis Mascula - — - Atrosea Mandragora - Althea Officinalis’ = Anemone Pratensis Colchicum Aptumnale v. ve xix. xxi. xiv. viii. xvii. v wren & pee eb BL AMnoeK eee wi ot xxii. 12 oe | xxiv. 1 wi 2 xxii, 5 xx 1 wi ot xvi. 9 xiii, 6 vie 3 Class, Order, Pages 317 312 181 72k 280 84 513 367 612 3IT 102 868 112 732 110 845 619 661 161 849 437 878 298" 838 740 ° 173 625 560 361 ' English Name. Mezeron = - : Milk Vetch - : Milkwort = + Misletoe = - - Mother of Thyme - - Mountaiu Arnica ~~ Mugwort - - . Mulberry, Common - Narrow-leaved Ginger - Nettle, Common = - Norway Spruce Fir Tree Nutmeg Tree - Qak,Common -— - Officinal Bugloss .. Officinal Guaiacum - Officinal Squill =. Officinal Storax = - Officinal Swallow-wort - Officinal Valerian, E. P. Orange - 5. Palma Christi, Common Palmated Larkspur - Pansie - - Pareire Brava - - Parsley, Common - Peach Tree, Common - Pennyroyal Mint - - Peony,Common - - Peppermiat = - - Perforated St.John’sWort Peruvian Bark Tree} Common Pimento, or Jamaica Poison Nut - - Pomegranate Tree - Prickly Saltwort - Prune, Common, or i Plum Tree i CONTENTS. Latin Name. Daphne Mezereum—- Astragalus Tragacanthia, Polygala Senega : Viscum Album - Thymus Serpyllum Arnica Montana - Artemisia Valgaris Morus Nigra - Amomum Zingiber Urtica Divica - Pinus Abies - Myristicn Moschate Quercus Robur - Anchusa Offcinalis Guaiacum Officinale - Scilla Maritima Styrax Officinale Ascelpias Vincetoxicum ValerianaOifici lis, EP, Citrus Aurantium - Ricinus Commuais — - Delphinium Staphisagria Viola Tricolor - Cissampelos Pareira Apium Petrosetinum Amygdalus Persica Mentha Pulegium Peonia Officinalis Mentha Piperita Hypericum Perforatum Cinchona Officinalis Myrtus Pimenta - Strychnos Nux Vomica Punica Granatum - Salsola Kali - Prunus Domestica Class. Order. Page. 1 viii. xix, 2 xix. 2 xxi, 6 i. 1 xxi. 4 xxi, xxi, 10 xxi. 6 yoo1 x o1 vi. 1 x oo. 2 1 xxii 12 vy. 2 xii, 1 1 2 1 4 woot xii, 1 360 654 629 832 5i7 14 690 155 153 118 834 762 165° 426 444 QT 657 802 Sat 130 853 307 418 571 xiv CONTENTS. English Name. Purging Cassin = = Purple Gentian - Quince Tree, Common Raspberry Bush Rattlesnake Root - Red Currant ~ - Red Peruvian Bark Tree Red Saunders Treo - Rhubarb - - Rosemary, Common -- Rough Parsnip, - = Round Kempferia’ Rice, Common - — - Saffron = se Sarsaparilla = Sassafras Tree ~~ Sauce Alone, or Stinking i Hedge Mustard Savin, Common =~ Saxifrage - = - Scammony Bindwoed — - Scotch Fir = Scurvy-Grass, Common Sea Eryngium Maritimum Sea Onion - . Sea Wormwood - - Senna, or Egyptian Cassia Silver Fir Tree =< Simarube Quagsia - Bloe Tree - ~~ Small Burnt Saxifrage - Smaller Centaury z Snake-Root - . Snakeweed - = Soapwort * « Socotrine Aloe - = - Sorrel, Common - — - Southernwood =~ Spearmint - - Splenwort - + + Latin Name. Cassin Fistula. Gentiana Purpurea = Pyrus Cydonia - - Rubus Ideus =~ Polygala Senega - Ribes Rubrum ~~ Cinchona Rubra - Pterocarpus Saantalinus Rheum Palmatum = - Rosmarinus Officinalis Opoponax = - Zedoary,P.L..Kempfe- ria rotunda, P. L. Ruta Graveoleus Crocus Sativus =~ Smilax Sarasaparilla - Laurus Sassafras . Juniperus Sabina ~ Saxifraga Granulate - Convolvulus Scammonia Pinus Sylvestris ~~ Cochlearia Officinalis - Scilla Maritima " Artimesia Maritima Pinus Picea =~ Quassia Simaruba Prunus Spinosa ~~ Chironia Centaurjum - Aristolochia Serpentaria Polyzonum Bistorta - Saponaria Officinalis - Aloe Perfoliata Socotrina Rumex Acetosa - Artemisia Abrotanum - Mentha Viridis - - Aspleniam Tricomanes Class, Orcer. Page x v. < eH bone HeuUEoe i. 1 1 1 6 1 xv. 2 xxii? xm 2 ‘xix. xiv. xxiv. 1 423 243 493 501 629 152 127 650 402 aT 300 434 38 841 315 622 $51 456 105 781 603. 280 334 107 AT 116 449 482 304 147 143 379 469 344 366 686 562 982 CONTENTS. fi plish Name. Squinting Cucumber ~ Stinking Goose-foot SugarCane SS Sweet Bay, Common - Sweet Fennel : Sweet Flag, or Acrous - Red Officinai Rose - Sweet Marjoram - Tamarind Tree - Taoty, Common ¢ Tea 2 Thorn-Apple- 2 - Three coloured Violet - Tobacco. = = Tormentil, Common - Touchwond, or Agaric Trailing Arbuius - urpentine Tree - Upright MeadowCrowfoot Upright Virgin's Bower Vine, Common - Vidlet, Sweet - - Vomic Nut. - Wake-Robin = Walnut Tree, Common Wall Pellitory - - all Stone OF “Wy all Pree : ¢ Water-Cresses 5 Water Dock = - : Water Germander Water Hemloek a Water Trefoil - Waybread - White Bryony Root - White Hellebore - White Fraxinella : White Learch, Common White Lily - = White Poppy - - Latio Name. Momordica Elaterinm Chenopo-'ium Festidam Saccharum Officiiarum Laurus Nobilis - Arlethem Graveolens - Acrous Calamus” - Rosa Gallica = = Origanum Marjoranum Tamarinda Indica - Tanacctum iis - Thea : : Datura Stramonidm Viola Tricolor ~~ - Niovtiana Tabaccum - Tormentilla Erecta ~~ Boletus Igniarius ~~ Arbutus Uva Ursi Pistachia Terebinthus Ranunculus Aeris = a mali Recta - Viola Odorata - Strychaos Nux Vomica Arum Maculatun — ~ Juglans Regia ~~ Parietaria Oficinalis - Sedum Acre - - Sisymbrium Nasturtium Rumex Hydrolapathum Tencrium Scordium — Cicuta Virosa - ‘Menyanthes Trifoliata, Plantago Major ° Bryonia Alba - Verateum Album Dictamous Albus = PlinusLansx = =~ Lilium Candidum Papaver Somniferum x Class. Order. Page. xxi, 10 ¥ 2 2 1 bd 1 5 1 2 1 ! xix, 6 1 5 4 1 & 6 6 v 1 6 1 5 6 1 x. 3 xv. 2 vii 3 xiv. Lb Ye 2 1 1 0 pd x. 1 xxi, 9 . od ma 315 856 172 337 508 xvi CONTENTS. English Name. Latin Name, Class. Order, Prete White Saunders + Santalum Album - iv. 1 92 Wild Angelica = © - Angelica Sylvestris - v. 2 279 Wild Carrot == + Daucus Carote =v. 2 183 Wild Lettuce’ - Lactuca Virosa - xix, 1 682 Wild Marjoram = Origanum Vulgare - xiv. 1 575 Willow Leaved Croton - Croton Cascazilla - - xxi. 9 805 Wild Succory + = Cichorium Jutybus - xix. 1 680 Wild Valerian, L.P. - Valeriana sylvestris, P-L. 1 34 Willow, Common White Salix Alba - - 2 830 Willows, various a 2830-831 Winter's Bark Tree = Wintera Aromatica - 4 502 Winter Cherry, Common Physalis Alkckengi- 1 17 Winter Wheat + Triticum Hibernum - iii, 2 16 Wolf'sBane,or Monk's} Aconitum Napellus = xiii, 3 549 Wood Betony = Betonica Officinalis - xiv. 1 584 ‘Wood-Sorre! = Osalis Acetosella - x 5 461 Woody Nightshade = Solamam Dulcamara - v. 1 1a. Wormseed - - Artemisia Santonicum = xix. 2 710 Wormwoed - + Artewisia Absinthium xix. 2 688 Yarrow, Common + Achil'ea Millefolium - xix. 2 122 -Flowered. ho l- ba na er a ‘Yellow Gentian + Gentiana Lutes =v. 2 943 Errarom. Page 762 for Class xxx, read Class xxi. NARROW-LEAVED GINGER. AMOQMUM ZINGIBER. Class 1. Monandria, Order J. Monogynia. RssenriacGenenic Cuaracters. Calys trifid, unequal, cylindric: Corolle three-parted, anequal, spreading: Nectary two-lipped, almost erect. Brsciric Caaractens. Scape middle-sized : Spike ovate: Leaves linear lanceolate. ———— DESCRIPTION. ‘Tras plant has two kinds of stalks; one of which bears only the leaves, (which resemble thase of reeds, common in Jadja, and closely wound round each other at the base,) and rises to a foot or two in height: the other kind bears the flowers, and does not ine beyond ten or twelve inches in height, terminating at the top by a kind of ear of very beautify! cylours, formed of mem- branous scales, amongst which the flowers proceed, which are z “2 NARROW-LEAVED GINGER. composed of fiveirregular petals, which have somewhat the ape pearance of being lipped, and are succeeded by a capsule con- taining three cells, and a great number of seeds. ‘HISTORY. Grnaer is a perennial plant, indigenous in the East Indies, but now introduced into the West India islands. It is cultivated there very much in the same manner as potatoes are here, aud is fit for digging once a-year, unless for preserving in syrup, when it should be dug at the end of three or four months, at which time it is tender and full of sap. ‘It is a hot-house plant, flowers with us in September, and was first cultivated in 1731, by Mr. Milter, i in the physic-gardens at Chelsea. Gincer is distingnished into two sorts, the black and the white. The former is rendered fit for preserving by means of boiling water, the latter by insolation ; and as it is necessary to select the fairest and roundegt sorts for exposure to the sun, white ginger is commonly one third dearer than black. Black Ginger consists of thick and knotty roots, internally of an orange or brownish colour, externally of a yellow-gray. White Ginger is less thick and knotty, internally of a reddish-yellow, and externally of a whitish-gray or yellow. It is firm and re- sinous, and more pungent than the black. Pieces which are ‘worm-eaten, light, friable, or soft, and very fibrous, are to be rejected. Candied Ginger should be prepared in India, from the young and succulent roots. When genuine, it is almost transparent. ‘That manufactured in Europe is opaque, fibrous, and hard, and not to be compared to the other. Gincer has a fragrant smell, and a hot, biting, aromatic taste. Neumann