The Dublin College has ordered the Aconitum Neomontanum, which is not common in this country [Footnote:  In plants of so very poisonous a nature as the Aconite, it is the duty of every one who describes them to be particular.  Here seems to have been a confusion.  The A. Neomontanum is figured in Jacquin’s Fl.  Austriaca, fasc. 4. p. 381; and the first edition of Hortus Kewensis under A. Napellus erroneously quotes that figure:  but both Gmelin in Syst.  Vegetabilium, p. 838, and Wildenow in Spec.  Plant. p. 1236, quote it under its proper name, A. Neomontanum.  Now the fact is, that the Napellus is the Common Blue Monkshood; and the Neomontanum is altogether left out of the second edition of the Hortus Kewensis for the best of all reasons, it is not in this country; or, if it is, it must be very scarce, and, of course, not the plant used in medicine.].

160.  ACORCUS Calamus.  Sweet Rush.  The Root.  L.—­It is generally looked upon as a carminative and stomachic medicine, and as such is sometimes made use of in practice.  It is said by some to be superior in aromatic flavour to any other vegetable that is produced in these northern climates; but such as I have had an opportunity of examining, fell short, in this respect, of several of our common plants.  It is, nevertheless, a sufficiently elegant aromatic.  It used to be an ingredient in the Mithridate and Theriaca of the London Pharmacopoeia, and in the Edinburgh.  The fresh root candied after the manner directed in our Dispensatory for candying eryngo root, is said to be employed at Constantinople as a preservative against epidemic diseases.  The leaves of this plant have a sweet fragrant smell, more agreeable, though weaker, than that of the roots.—­Lewis’s Mat.  Med.

161.  Aesculus Hippocastanum.  Horse-chesnut.  The Bark and Seed.  E. D.—­ With a view to its errhine power, the Edinburgh College has introduced the seeds into the Materia Medica, as a small portion of the powder snuffed up the nostrils readily excites sneezing; even the infusion or decoction of this fruit produces this effect; it has therefore been recommended for the purpose of producing a discharge from the nose, which, in some complaints of the head and eyes is found to be of considerable benefit.

On the continent, the Bark of the Horse Chesnut-tree is held in great estimation as a febrifuge; and, upon the credit of several respectable authors, appears to be a medicine of great efficacy.—­Woodville’s Med.  Bot. 615.

162.  Agrimonia Eupatoria.  Common agrimony.  The Herb.  D.—­The leaves have an herbaceous, somewhat acrid, roughish taste, accompanied with an aromatic flavour.  Agrimony is said to be aperient, detergent, and to strengthen the tone of the viscera:  hence it is recommended in scorbutic disorders, in debility and laxity of the intestines, &c.  Digested in whey, it affords an useful diet-drink for the spring season, not ungrateful to the palate or stomach.