The Correspondence of John Ray; Consisting of Selections from the Philosophical Letters Published by Dr. Derham, and Original Letters of John Ray in T (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1848 edition. Excerpt: ... Dr. Vaughajj and Dr. Wood to Mr. Ray. Sir, --I shall add a few observations concerning the Tithymalus hibernicus Ascyron supinum villosum paluslre, &c. Euphorbia hiberna, Linn.] I ordered an Irish chirurgeon to make a decoction of the root and a few leaves of the Tithymalus hibernicus, but its exhalations were so very acrimonious, that, he holding his head two or three times over the decoction to see how it proceeded, his face and hands were blistered most sadly. Some of the Irish use this root boiled in milk as a cathartic, whose direful effect there was a melancholy instance of, about three years ago, eight miles hence. A brisk young Irishman, who complaining of a dull pain in his left side, which I suppose was an inveterate obstruction of his spleen, a countryman quack of his gave him a dose of the above decoction, which occasioned a violent hypercatharsis, dreadful convulsions, and death before ten o'clock that night; but I believe that an extract might be prepared with the addition of spiritus vitrioli, which might be of excellent use in chronic distempers of robust bodies. I was by your 'Historia Plantarum, ' induced to make an extract of Trifolium paludosum Menyanthes trifoliata, Linn.], which I found an excellent remedy in vomitu, imbecillitate ventriculi, cruditatibus acidis, scorbuto, chlorosi, and question not but that it is an extraordinary universal deobstruent: I have used several pounds of it this last year, and shall make greater use of it for the future. I have also used it as an injection (in sordid ulcers) dissolved in fountain water, and think it has as good mundifying effects as tincture of myrrh and aloes; but then you must dissolve as much of the extract as the water will well contain. I much wonder that the...