'lli; *'ddM ,r--T..*cj hi'.V :;3} .: . -y>: ■ ; ■'' :^dd wdms m '.Tr, ^^ ■j 'w— '-. - THE FARMER'S CONTAINING A LIST OP THE MOST USEFUL MEDICINAL VEGETABLES INDIGENOUS TO THE UNITED STATES, WITH THEIR QUALITIES. WITH AN APPENDIX, i Containing some Observations on Fevers, and Symptoms of various Disease*, together witfuttfany other Remarks and.Observations. t' t J M*V i V jL BY JOHN C. MERWIN. PRINTED BY W. WOODWARD. 1825. I Northern District of Nczc-York, to zvit .- Be it remembered, That on the twen- ty-ninth day of August, in the fiftieth year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1825, John C. Mer- win, of the said District, hath deposited in this office, the title of a hook, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit : Th( Farmer's Materia Medica ; containing a list of the most useful Medicinal Vegetables Indigenous to the U. States ' with their qualities. 'With an appendix, containing som< observations on fevers, and symptoms of various didf eases, together with many other remarks and observa tions. By JOffN^C. MERWIN. In conformity to- the act of the Congress of the Unitel States, ^entitled " An |j»ct for the encouragement c learning by securing »he copies of maps, cb«Srts, anl books* ]U> the authoyand proprietors of such copie; durmfthl times therein meojJiipied ;'' and also, to tl| act entitled " An act, supgkjm«ntary to an act* entitle1 " an act for the encourage|S|^it of learning, by securi|i the copies of maps, charts*,-find books, to the author and proprietors of such copies during the times jiherei mentioned," and extending the benefits thereof to th< arts of designing, Engraving and etching historical am "other prints." ^ R. R. LANSING, Clerk of ike Northern District of New-York. INTRODUCTION. The first column will contain the most familiar names, in English. The latin, or scientific names will succeed in rotation, so that those wishing to become acquainted with both, will be enabled to acquire that knowledge. The qualities of each ar- ticle, manner of exhibition and preparation, will follow in succession as far as practicable and deem- ed necessary, but as the latin of some, and English of others, are sometimes doubtful, an omission may be expected. \ The utility of such a volume as this is too obvious ! to need elucidation, as it will enable almost every *nan to discover the medicinal herbs and roots grow- ing in the country where he resides, and reap the blessings of that God, who ha3 made the wise and salutary arrangement. It will also enable every at- tentive enquirer to administetfthe necessary draught to his own family, without thevexpense of those ex- orbitant physicians, who deal so profusely in pois- onous minerals and exotics, which are better calcu- lated to drain the purse and ruin the constitution, than extirpate the threatening malady. It has long been believed and generally admitted, that the United States afforded medicinal plants * sufficient to cure the diseases incident to the inhab- itants, (if they could be cured by medicines of the vegetable kingdom.) There might have been an ex- ception, as no doubt minerals are sometimes bene- ficial. It has also been much lamented by many, A 2 n.5 some persons can bear ten times as much as oth- ers, and what may agree with some would be most detestable to others. As habit renders medicines inert, the quantities must be increased or others of the same class given. Herbs and flowers should be gathered when in full bloom, dried as soon as possi- ble, and kept so. As good a place, perhaps, for drying herbs, is in an upper loft, under the roof of a house next to the shingles, where they should be spread thin. As soon as sufficiently dry, they should be pressed together in a compact body. This may be done in a press made for that use or even a common cheese press. Roots should be dug early in the spring, before they begin to shoot, or late in the fall when the stalks and leaves are decayed. They should not be washed, but dried near a stove, and kept from moulding. If the inside consists of a woody sub- stance, the outside should be stripped off and pre- served entire. Roots that loose by drying, should be preserved in dry sand ; such as smellage, blue flag, angelica,., calamus or sweet flag; &c. &c. '. '.*" HM I NAMES AND QUALITIES OF ROOTS. Allum Root.—Hcuchera Vicidn. An astringent, may be used in dysentery, diarrhoea or looseness of the bowels, sore mouth ; an infusion may be used. Alder, Black—Prinos Verticilatus. Said to be a tonic, a substitute for the Peruvian Bark ; good for worms—may be given in decoction. Angelica Tree—Aralia Spincsa. Stimulating and tonic ; good in chronic rheumatism, veneral, colic, &c. best in an infusion. Aval's Root—Geum Rivale. Astringent; good to check bleeding at the stomach or lungs, strengthen- ing to the nerves; may be used instead of tea or • offee in the morning. Arrow Root—Maranta Arundinacea. Nourish- ing; good in dysentery; may first be wet with cold water and made into porridge, similar to gruel; a large spoonful makes a quart. Balm of Gillead (tree)—Populus Balsamifera.— The bark makes a good bitter ; six buds beaten to a pulp, with an ounce of loaf sugar and as much permaceti. and in doses of a tcaspoonful, is good for a cough and spitting of blood. Bain-:, (garden)—Monarda Didyma. A cordial diaphoretic, or an article which will sweat a little, j but rather heating whe'e the pulse is high. j Balsam of Fir---Abies Canadensis. Good for ' .icshcuts; may be applied on a little lint. If taken inwardly to the amount of 15 or 20 drops 3 times a . day. loosens the bowels and operates in the urine. * *Ti? good in some kinds of cough and weakness o* the breast, kidneys, Lc. Barberry—Barberis Canadensis. The bark of the root makes a healthy bitter in case of weakness, jaundice, &c. Baybcrry—Myrica. The bark pulverized makes a snuff that will cause violent sneezing; email doses promote perspiration, large ones puke. Much used by the patent doctors, (so said.) ' Br.rcli Drops—Oribanche Virginiana. Good to fcpp'y to cancerous affections, ulcers, sore mouth, suflaiued eys; good in dysentery—maybe used in an i'::fusion or decoction. Bia-jcr Tree, Swamp Sassafras, Elk Bark—Glau- ci. A species of Magnolia. Stimulating, tonic, laxative or loosening to the bowels when used ex tensively; good in chronic rheumatism,, debility,&c. a decoction is best. Made into an ointment with !ard or fresh butter, cures the salt-rheum, ('tis said.) Benjamin Tree, Hard Hack.Downy Merdow,Sweet Spina—Tomentosa. Astringent; good in diarrhoea, bleeding at the stomach, spitting blood, flooding,&c. vircii in a Ua, cold for discharges of blood, warm 1.W fhsxes or laxative bowels. BUizlvg Star, Stanccrt, DcviPs Bit, Colic Root.— Kelouins 'bioica. The root given in an infusion or powder, is excellent for sickness at stomach, espe- cially for pregnant women. It is said to sweeten (he breath by cleansing the stomach. Blood Root—Sanguiuaria Canadensis. A large dose nukesT small ones nauseate or sicken, and promote the Datural evacuations, carry off bilious matter, cure iaundice, loosen plilegm; good for A 5 coughs, croup or hives (call'd the rattles by many.) It lessens the frequency of the puhe, and may be used for liver complaints. Blue Flag—Iris Virginica. An active purge when recently dug, given in small doses ; good in chronic rheumatism, piles, dropsy, veneral, < ascs of the kidneys. Corchum Poke. Garget Phytolacca Decandra, An ointment made of the roots, good for rheumatic joints and limbs. The berries, infused in brandy, often cure the most inveterate rheumatism. Cohosh, white, blue and red. All good for the rheumatism, where no fever. Coclcup Hat. Stilingia. Sylvatica. A good pur- gative ; excellent for dropsy, yaws, veneral, rheu- matism, &c. &c. May be given in decoction. Cohosh, black. Cimicifuga Serpentaria. Good in chroic rheumatism, cough^nd hysterics ; best fresh dug; may be given in an infusion. Coltsfoot. Asarum CanadShse. A warm, stimu- lating medicine. If pulverized end taken in snuff, it purges the head and causes sneezing. Cattail—Coltstail—Fireweed. Powdered fine and taken in the last stage of dysentery, will frequently cure in rt short time. A decoction good in gravel and dropsy. Continental Tea. Ceonothus Americanus. The bark of the root is a powerful astringent. Powder- ed and taken in the last stage of dysentery, will fre- quently check it instantlv; good in diarrhoea and sore mouth, if made into a decoction. Cotton (the wool.) Gossipeum Hcrbaceum.— Good applied to burns, when the skin is not broken. Crane's BUI. Geraneum Maculatum. An in- tense astringent. The root, 'educed to a powder, is highly esteemed for fluxes, discharges of blood, flooding, &c. Dose, half a tea spoon full. It may also > e -iven in decoction. 13 Cucumber Tree. Magnolia Acuminata. Stimu- lating tonic ; good in chronic weakness, rheumatism, ague and'fever; may be given in an infusjon. Daffy Daffodil. Narcissus Pseudo. The roots are excellent for pukes; good in whooping cough, and rising of the lungs. Daisy. Chrysanthemum Leucanthemurn. A decoction good in night sweats, where a person is consumptive. Dandelion. Leontodon Taraxacum. Good in obstructions of the liver, costiveness, &c. DeviPs Bit—Stargrass—Unicorn. Aletris Alba. An excellent tonic. Good for a sick stomach, es- pecially for pregnant women. DeviPs Guts. Green Briar. An infusion or de- coction purges. Good in eruptive complaints, chronic rheumatism, &c. Dewberry. Rubus Triviallis. Good in fluxes and gravel. May be given in decoction. Dill, seed. Anethum semen. A carminative; expels wind. Dock, broad leaved. Rumex Obtusifolium. The dried root, purges; a dose is two tea spoon fulls; powdered fine and mixed with lard, is said to cure the salt rheum. Dock, narrow. The root, boiled and applied 42 physic "and clysters, as soon as possible, castor ail is good; as soon as the bowels aie sufficiently drenched, apply a large blister, but do not forget to bleed largely before giving physic or any thing else ; use a light diet for some days after the disease has abated. Injlamation of the Kidneys. Symptoms, an acute pain and heat in the small of the back ; numbness along the thigh; inchnationto vomit; discharges of urine in small quantities ; sometimes pale, at others high colored. Cure.—Bleed largely and often, if the pulse and strength will admit of it, keep the bowels loose, foment the part with bitter herbs, such as mayweed, camomile, &c. &c. Give a tea of flax seed, ma- lows, dulcified spirits'of nitre, a teaspoon full four or five times a day. After the inffamation has aba- ted, a little laudanum may be given. Acute Rheumatism.—Symptoms, wandering pains, shifting from place to place; sometimes, however, fixed on the larger joints, and along the muscles connected with them ; worse towards nigh,t, and in damp or cold weather, &c. Cure.—Bleed, sweat and bathe in warm water. If, after bleeding a few times, the joints continue to swell, and are much inflamed, use the cold bath. Rheumatism, Chronic.—Symptoms. This dis- ease is generally of long standing, is attended with little fever, the joints become stiff; wandering, dull, but disagreeable pains, sometimes shifting from one place to another. Cure—Use Dr. Merwin's rheumatic powders and ointment. 43 St. Anthony's Fire.—Symptoms, an iafiamation on the surface of the body, which affects sometimes one part, at other times other parts, with pain, heat, and an intolerable itching, scaling of the skin like bran, sleepiness, aud other symptoms. Cure.—Keep the bowels loose by small doses of creamof tartar and sulphur, a teaspoon full three or four time? a 6rj ; sprinkle fine flour over the body; bleed if the pulse will admit. Use the specifics prepared by John C. Merwin. Spitting cf Blood.—Use a tea of bugle weed, or half a teaspoon full of yellow dock root, in powder, three or four limes a day; Roman wormwood, call- ed in latin Mel is.: i Etatior; cat's tongue, (the herb) crane's biM, called Geraneum Maculatum. If the puke is full, bleed. Use a light diet, keep the bo-.vi Is loose, avoid straining. Consumption.—Symptoms. This disease, when fairly sealed, admits of no radical cure. A confirm- ed consumption is attended with a pain in the breast, one or both side-, a cough, difficulty of breathing, or shortness of breath, more or less expectoration of matter, sometimes mixed with blood, night sweats, heats in the palms of the hands, chills, flushes oT i eat, debility, Lc. ^c. The only chance is a long vovivo to sea, a change of climate, or the skill of whit is called a root doctor, though it may be miti- gated by prudence, diet, &:c. Oiubetis.—Apply to Dr. Merwin, as he is sworn to the secret, which is not by the use of vegetables. Symptoms.—This disease is marked by making too*much water, and a weaknesss across the small of the back. Cl 41 Suppression, or difficulty of making water,—The symptoms are known. Cure.—If the pulse be high and full, bleed plen- tifully and repeatedly ; open the bowels with castor oil, salts, butternut physic, or any mild purgative ; give a tea of parsley roots, asparagus, flaxseed, low mallows, gum arabic, or peach cherry tree gum or the like. Warm bathing is sometimes necessary. Piles.—Symptoms, painful tumours about the fundament, or lower gut; sometimes bleeding.— Nothing so sure a cure as Mcrwin's pile ointment, and keeping the body regular by the use of diet and proper laxatives. A decoction of dandelion is of great use. Dysenter>/, or Bloody Flux.—Symptoms, a dis- charge of mucu1- by stool, sometimes bloody; vio- lent iirpings, pain in the bowels and back, a con- stant inclination to go to stool without being able to void much. Cure.—Give half a teaspoon full of rhubarb, and a quarter of the quantity of sal soda in half a gill of vinegar and as much water, and repeat the dose till ' the bowels and stomach are well cleansed; then yjjpe a tea of equal parts of blue vervian, thorough- wort, colewort, and yarrow roots. Adoseoflau- dnum may also be given, when painful. Eat as many black berries as you please; avoid fresh meat; u?e salt pork., Arrow root, boiled in milk and wa- ter, ought always to be used. A tea of water scabi- ous is excellent. In the last stage give a strong tea of' aborted hyson tea. Dysp psia, or Indigestion. Symptoms.—Want of appetite: sickness at stomach ; sometimes nausea, 4 j or vomiting; heartburn, distention of the stomach, par;ieularly after eating, eructations of wind, and sometimes acidity at the stomach. Cur<.—Lec-'s dyspeptic remedies are the best and most certain, to be used according to the printed directions ; but when they cannot be had, a vomit of American Ipicac; afterwards good strong bitters made of asclepias, iucarnata root, American colum- bo Oi' unicorn, v.ith a small portion of aloes in the same, taken in quantity sufficient to keep, the bow- els loose, and a teaspoon full of prepared charcoal four or five times a day will mitigate the disease, *uul sometimes almost cure. Asthma. Symptnmy.—The symptoms are gene- " rally too well known to need description. Treatment.—A cure is seldom effected. If the pulse i-s full, bleed and give an emetic of ipecac or lobelia inflata or Indian tobacco; afterwards use Anderson's cough drops, prepard according to the recipe in this book. Should they fail, add plenti- fully of camphor, and take a teaspoon full in a glass * of vjn, whenever the wheezing is troublesome. Cholera Morbus. Symptoms.—A violent dis- charge of billious and acid matter, both by stool and vomiting. Cure.-—Give large and repeated doses of chicken soup, water gruel or rice water, beef tea, barley water, &c. &c. After the stomach and bowels are cleansed, give a teaspoon full of ether or laudanum, in a cup of mint tea, and repeat the dose every hour or oftener if the evacuations should not cease, or pain should continue. Diarrhoea, or looseness <~f the bozvels. Symptoms, Co 40 —A purging without sickness, succeeded by loss of appetite. Give medicines for worms. Oak of Jeru- salem seeds bruised and given in molasses, are good. Essence of cinnamon, with a little laudanum, often repeated, is excellent, while they drink a tea, made of thoroughwort, (very weak.) Dropsy.—The symptoms are too well known to need elucidation, as it always consists of water, col- lected or lodged in some part, or over the whole body. Cure.—The greatest skill is in keeping up all the natural evacuations. If the pulse is very full, bice- ding is necc sary. If a stoppage of water, give the j articles reeommended for that purpose, called diu- retics ; if obstructed perspiration, give diaphoretics, &c. h. or sec the recipe. Eruptions, or breaking out.—There is such an in- timate relation between the internal and external parts of the human body, that few diseases affect the inside but they show themselves upon the sur- face. Diseases of the skin are consequently nu- merous. The cure, therefore, depends on general remedies, or something to cleanse the blood. Local applications, composed of mineral poisons, arc therefore to be avoided as dangerous, as by driving the disease from the surface it might easily light up- > on the vitals, or some organ essential to life. Cur..—Use gentle laxatives and alteratives. The first may consist of a tea made of white ash bark that bears the key, dandelion roots, cream of tartar and sulphur. The latter consists of a tea made of scabious, or upland scabious, continental tea and small doses of poison hemlock, called Comium Mac- 4? ulatum. This requires more skill than a farmer of ordinary talents can possess, therefore ought to be referred to a skilful practitioner, who understands botany well. Scrophula, or King's Evil. Symptoms.—This disease is known by hard tumours of the lymphatic glands, especially about the neck and under jaw, be- hind the ears and under the chin. Cure.—Tho c tumours may sometimes be. dis- persed by constantly washing them in a strong solu- tion of salt and water. It should be applied five or si\ times a day. But the only certain cure is the use of the rattlesnake's violet. A tea must be used a long time, while the bruised root and herb is bound on the parts affected. This has never failed me in one instance for twenty years. Jaundice. Symptoms.—A yellowness of the skin, especially the white of the e)es. high colored urine, anviety an I uneasiness at the pit of the stomach. Cure.—If the pulse is full, bleed, give pukes and nauseating doses. After the stomach is cleansed, give bitters composed of black cherry tree bark of the root, barberry, and a little blood root. Some few more diseases might be described, but some are considered too intricate for the ordinary character, and others too trifling to notice, such as curing warts, chilblains, &c. »^c. 48 A few more observations for the benefit of my readers. There is certainly as much wisdom in avoiding evil as in extricating ourselves when overtaken, therefore we ought to shun the causes if possible. As I have stated in a preceeding page, th.it diseases resulted from s mie irritating power lurking in the organized system, and that this irritating power resulted from an obstruc- tion of some natural evacuation, poison, contagion, dis- sipation, &c. Without some farther explication, my readers, perhaps, might not comprehend the extent of my meaning ; therefore, I have thought best to render the ficts more plain if possible. The learned Doctor ISrown, has judiciously observed, that life was a forced 9tate ; that food, diink, &c. consisted of exciting powers, acting upon excitability, producing excitement that con- stituted life, health, &c. This is certainly too obvious to admit a doubt, much more a refutation ; this position being admi ted, in order to continue our existence, a consiint stimuli is requisite, and unless the first reple- tion should continue to act with equal force, a repeti- tion is necessary, (which we find by daily experience) for one meal of victuals and drink, serves for a short time,, only while it becomes not only inert, but pro- duces uneasiness, unless it can make its escape by some of >he natural evacuations ; a retention also beyond the limits affixed by the author of our existence, produces Irritation constituting some disease. Another intolera- ble evil would accompany our cases, provided we con- tinued to lake in stimuli without evacuation ; we should increase in bulk beyond calculation, therefore it is of the utmost importance to keep up all the evacuations, a proper choice of diet is also necessary ; in this last ar ^ir.le, nothing but experience and strict observation wil: 49 teach the necessary lesson. As we are not nourished according to the quantity or quality of food taken into the stomach, it follows of course, that a person eats such diet as his stomach can digest, for what he eats more interrupts the digestive powers, impairs the sto- mach and vitiates the nutrition, and instead of obtaining health and vigor, he becomes a victim to disease and his own folly. Exercise.—Nothing perhaps has a greater tendency to promote the natural evacuations, than exercise ;— hence it is the most conducive to health ; every person ought to take as much exercise in the open air, as his strength will bear without fatiguing, or overdoing, (as some call it.) Early rising is generally very beneficial to health. After being thrown into perspiration by ex- ercise, or exposure any way whatever, a person oudit to be exceedingly careful in taking cold, nor shot.id they expose themselves to a cooler situation until pers- piration subsides. A person should never dnnl. cold water while sweating or very warm ; how many thous- ands, by this imprudent act, have either lost their liv. s, or become victims to disease during the remainder of their days. One thing I would suggest to my readers, i.e. that they form Botanic Societies in their respective neigh- borhoods, be united and meet as often as other avoca- tions will admit, endeavor to promote the interest of the establishment and each other, by an accurate statement of their discoveries ; by this means they will soon be- come acquainted with the prolific garden of nature, and the use of those vegetables more choice than gold ; as they will be calculated to preserve them from the jaws of death, and those sons of Esculapias, who have so long made a harvest of their ignorance, sport of their lives, and a slaugter of thousands. Be no longer itn- 50 posed on by that tyrannical club, who boast so much in their bloodshed, strew their poisons and wield their infamy, to crush the aspiring botanist, who is honestly searching for the cordial balm of gillead, strewed in lux- urious effusions, unsullied by art or decomposition, cal- culated to soothe your pains, relieve your distress and eradicate your diseases. A Recipe for Anderson's Cough Drops.—Take one gallon of acohol, add two drachms of nkeeovlghrvey trnkilw Ikiso, one ounce of nbokrgffhays, two ounces of eycbilrkobusqdicl tsoowr, bruised fine, half an ounce of the dried sheovkaeyl of ailyekbsoel, one ounce of ekvnoclmglxwolif, infused in a moderate heat ten days ; strain, squeeze all the liquid from the articles, return the acohol into the bottle again ; add two ounces of the mkaystlnalb uelboyt, digest ten days, shaking the bottle 5 or 6 times in a day ; decant, add cwimrkoqgleorsolp rkisxkiotye, one pound or pint; it is then fit for use, and will answer the purposes of the best ever made, being much improved from the original, yet containing every ingredient as the former composition. A Recipe to cure the Quinsey in ffteen minutes I ! !— Trim two goose quills leaving a little of the feather ends' about an inch long; first dip one into a little luigo of Jxolirxtwisv, and touch the tumor on the inside of the throat, immediately after dip the. other into tyeeawks lxibo3|, and apply as the first; this removes the tumor instantly, and may be repeated. It is always necessary to keep the bowels loose, to sweat, bathe the feet, apd bleed as largely as the constitution will bear. A Recipe to cure the Itch, as easy as to wash "with cold T&aler, at a small expense.—Dissolve 18 grains of Exv- jiwsyoerrwolc Eotea3mlirHb3ujs in a gill of Swtxior- kirpus Ernxixtxneepjrkuyt; rub a little on the parU broken out at bed time unci morning, until the itch is cured j the person however should take a tea-spoonful of the flour sulphur, night and morning, after using the wash six times, and not before ; he should continue the sulphur a day or two after using the wash ; clean the clothes well, and keep as clean as possible. A Recipe for the Dropsy.—Take six quarts of good wrought cider, add 4 ounces of mgauxnykirl aestnixv, one gill of dxrwaptrskufm dweeys, ground fine, four ounces kjcyoldxrunb dweeys, two of the roots, four ounces of wild tsoyrrwabc dreegs, and 4 ounces of the sreylvawcys from a srhwtyiomxsykmcalyb pworhys; infuse 2 days as warm as may be without boiling ; strain, add an ounce of the salts of owccraxbtoyt ; begm with a spoonful three times a day, increasing the dose as the stomach will bear ; if costive, throw in a few mandrake roots ; if the water should not be free enough, use a tea made of milkweed roots, dwarf elder, parsley roots. or queen of the meadow ; use fresh diet. Eye-water.—Make a weak infusion of lobela inflata. and wash the eyes five or six times a day. Another.—Take white vitriol and sugar of lead, each a tea-spoonful ; the same quantity of gun-powder, ton quart of boiling water ; shake five or six times a day for three days ; let it stand half a day, strain without shaking, add a tea-spoonful of laudanum ; wash the eyes six times a day. ' Opodeldoc.—Take two quarts of alcohol, one pound of Windsor soap, four ounces of gum camphor, digest in a moderate heat in a jug, well stopped until all be dis- solved, then add oil of rosemary and origanum, of each half an ounce; shake and mix well together; bottle and cork tight. Anderson's Pills.—Take gum ecammony, two ounces; aloes, IVur ; colocyath, two ; reduce to a fine powder ; mix with a saturated solution of gum arabic, and form into pills of a common size ; take from one to three for a dose. b-2 Hopper's Female nils.—To a mass of Anderson's pills, add a third as much in weight of salts of steel, and form into pills ; these are for female weakness, where there is an obstruction ; they look pale, have a palpi- tation of the heart, but no fever, but the pulse low ; they are good in a costive habit ; two at night and two in the morning, if the first do not move the bowels. Red Salve. — The best salve ever made, except Led- ran's ; take flax-seed oil, one pint ; sweet oil, half a pint; red lead, one pound; hoes-wax, two ounces; ro- sin, half an ounce ; warm gently until they are all mix- ed ; this salve cures almost any sore. If it should not be thick enough, add more bees-wax. Piles.— This is said to be infallible. Make an oint- ment of may-weed, parsley, sage, and burdock ; simmer them in fresh butt°r or sweet oil ; oint the parts affect- ed night and morning, and drink half a gill of tar-water, three times a day, and as much essence of fir as the sto- mach will be ir ; if the body should be costive, use a tea of blue-flag root, enough to keep the bowels re- gular. Whites.—Make a tea of knot-grass, yarrow, plantain, roots and tops, hemp tops also ; boil in G quarts of wa- ter to three ; strain, add a pint of good rum, two pounds' of lo if smjar ; take a small glass three times a dav. Sore Nipples.—When the child stops sucking, apply balsam of firr; it will generally cure in three or four days. Salt Rheum.—Make a strong decoction of the bark of swamp sassafras ; wash the part affected ; make an oint- ment by adding lard to some of the decoction, and boil- ing down ; oint the parts with the same ; it is said to be infallible. Rheumatic Medicine.—Put 4 ounces of flour of sul- phur into a quart of gin ; drink a spoonful night and morning, for on<», omit it the next, and drink a strong 53 tea of sweet ferm ; the next week take of the gin and sulphu , and so on interchangeably till well ; wear flan- nel next to the skin. For the Canker and Canker Rush.—Make a strong de- coction of the roots and tops of blue stalk and gargle, drink, &.c. This cures all kinds of sore mouth. Put ' the roots into good French brandy, and drink freely, cures the chronic rheumatism. Rheumatic Ointment.—Take an ounce of lwiko of rkeobjmha, red raeodjekc, one and an half spirits tur- pentine, one of aycrnoejs lyioko, one of rxayt, and one of Lyiko of Sbayrefhaxssjays. Put all into a quart of alcohol, shake frequently for four or five days, add a quart of skunk's grease, cork tight, shake when you use it. This will cure the most obstinate rheumatism, of a longstanding, stiff joints and contracted limbs. Strengthening Pills.—Good for weakness of the lungj, breast, back &c. They are also good in rheumatism, (chronic) Take an ounce of tamerack gum, black spruce, hemlock, one of white pine turpentine, half an r ounce of balm of gilead buds, four ounces of loaf sugar, beat well together in a mortar, make pills of a common , size. If too hard add honey ; if too soft, add pulveri- zed gentian. Two or three may be taken at a time, three times a day. They stop spitting blood, coughs, &.c. &c. For the Dropsy.—Take half a pound blue fligg roots, as much milkweed, half the quantity of oxbqlm, one pound of elecampane, half a pound of smullage roots, one pound of Scotch cap, one pound of burdock of the roots, beat, cut or scrape till they become tine. Put all into a vessel that can be covered tight, pour on a gal- ^ Ion of boiling water, steep twenty-four hours, sferain and squeeze out the liquid, add a quart of gopd. gin and a, pint and half of West India molasses, put into a jug. 51 Take half a gill or more three times a day. This is al- so good for the gravel. The best salve for women's breasts ever discovered.— Take tobacco, one pound, spikenard one, comphrey half a pound, boil in three quarts of chamber lye till almost dry, squeeze out the juice, add pitch and bees- ^ wax of each half a pound. Simmer to the consistency of salve. Apply to the part affected, and it will soon effect a cure. Corns.—Infallable-keep a poultice of fresh dug blood root to the corns, and repeat until they are cured. To cure a Fellon.—Take two ounces of tobacco, cut fine, a spoonful of fine trlwaji and one of soft prawols, simmer well together, and apply ; one application gen- erally cures, otherwise repeat the same. * Another.—if the fellon has proceeded too far to be scattered, apply the following, which will make it break | soon ; Take ekaxrlob gkaxlyf swtyoojr, a handful, as much wild sypsejnorkuxt, stew in half a pint of lard and a pint of water, until the water evaporates ; strain, add a spoonful of rwaxt; as soon as it breaks apply some of i Le Dran's ointment if possible, it is the best thing to heal any sore ever discovered ; if you cannot obtain it/ use any healing salve, the red salve is very good. Sore Legs.—Said to be infallible ; make a strong de- ' coction of nxrkexvyajc woods, wash the parts twice a day, and drink a tea of the same ; boil down some to a salve and apply constantly. Dropsy.—Take sassafras, spikenard, prickley ash, horse radish, burdock, dwarf elder, mandrake, of each ' four ounces, bruised or scraped fine ; infuse in a gallon of pure water 21 hours, as hot «:s may be without boil-1 ing, covered tight, strain, add a quart of good gin and three hatf pints of molasses, keep tight in a jug, dose half a gill three ti.i.es a day. 55 Jaundice Bitters.—lake two drachms of blood root, four of black ash bark of the roots, as much smoothe white ash bark of the roots (that bears the key,) two ounces of mandrake roots, two of black cherry bark, four of butternut bark of the roots, cut or bruise fine, put into two gallons of water, boil down to three quarts, strin, add a quart of good whiskey and a pound of loaf sugar or three half pints of molasses. Take a large .spoon full three times a day, on an empty stomach, and more if the stomach will bear it. This keeps off the colic, and even cures the piles many times. Bots, (in horses.)—Dissolve an ounce of indigo in a quart of milk, sweetened well with molassee. It never fails, if given seasonably. Founder—a certain cure.—First bleed your horse largely, then drench with glauber salts, say half a pound dissolved in a quart of water ; if necessary, repeat the dose ; then give a pint of sunflower 9eeds three times a day. It is good to let the horse stand in mud or cold water up to his knees. This mode of treatment will r cure any founder, if any thing whatever will. Heaves, (almost infallible.)—Give your horse in his , feed, a gill of Ilyextwskaxlup, ground as fine as possi- ble, three times a day, till well. Pole Evil and Fistula (o certain cure.—Dissolve two drachms of Ekvxiyskogrrxolc Ertxasmriolxbxues in a quart of water, wherein half a ounce of the muriate of ammonia has been dissolved. Inject with a syringe once or twice in 24 hours, till the pipe is eaten out, and it will heal of itself 50 ERRATA. Page 3, 1st line, for vicida, read viscid a ; page If, 1st line, for rananculus read ranunculus ; pa. 12, 4th line from top, for corchum, read coakum ; pa. 11, 3d line, for deogs, read dogs ; pa. 1-1, 8th line from bottom, for inulia, read inula ; pa. 14, 6th from bottom, for gna- ' phalum, read gnaphalium ; pa. 15, 4th line from top, for perfolitum, read perfoliatum ; pa. 15, 8th line from bottom, for erostrium, read triostium ; pa. IG, 5th lino from top, for trifolias, read trifolia ; pa. 17, 1st line, for hycegamus, rend hyosciamus ; pa. 17, 11th line from bottom, for alcohols, read alcohol; pa. 18, 2d line from bottom, for piperata, read piperita ; pa. 19, 12th from bottom, for pokoselinum, read petroselinum ; do. 8th * from bottom, for diopirus, read diospyrus ; do. 3d from bottom, for umbettata, read umbellata ; pa. 2G, 20th from bottom, for vittala, reaiT vittatae j^p.i. 20, 6th from bottom, for euplarium, read eopatorium ; do. 4th from bottom, for ray weed, read ragweed ; pa. 40, 15th from top, for irth, read birth ; pa. 21, 1st line, for squarvo- \ sa, read ^quarrosa; do. 11th, for deobstruens, read deob3truent; do. 14th from bottom, for aromatit, rend; aromatic ; do* 16th from top, for lauras, read lauijis ; pa. 22, last line, for rocemosa, read racemos* 0^7-The price* qnlhis book is one dollar, not to be lent without a forfeiture often dollars, ancTthe violatifta of a solemn promise. 'Aid. 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