313.  Bellis perennis.  Daisies.  The Leaves.—­They have a subtile subacrid taste, and are recommended as vulneraries, and in asthmas and hectic fevers, and such disorders as are occasioned by drinking cold liquors when the body has been much heated.

214.  Berberis vulgaris.  BERBERRY.  The Bark and Fruit.—­The outward bark of the branches and the leaves have an astringent acid taste; the inner yellow bark, a bitter one:  this last is said to be serviceable in the jaundice; and by some, to be an useful purgative.

The berries, which to the taste are gratefully acid, and moderately restringent, have been given with good success in bilious fluxes, and diseases proceeding from heat, acrimony, or thinness of the juices.

315.  Betonica officinalis.  Wood betony.  The Leaves.—­These and the flowers have an herbaceous, roughish, somewhat bitterish taste, accompanied with a very weak aromatic flavour.  This herb has long been a favourite among writers on the Materia Medica, who have not been wanting to attribute to it abundance of good qualities.  Experience does not discover any other virtue in betony than that of a mild corroborant:  as such, an infusion or light decoction of it may be drunk as tea, or a saturated tincture in rectified spirit given in suitable doses, in laxity and debility of the viscera, and disorders proceeding from thence.

316.  Betula alba.  Birch tree.  The bark and Sap.—­Upon deeply wounding or boring the trunk of the tree in the beginning of spring, a sweetish juice issues forth, sometimes, as is said, in so large quantity, as to equal in weigth to the whole tree and root:  one branch will bleed a gallon or more a day.  This juice is chiefly recommended in scorbutic disorders, and other foulnesses of the blood:  its most sensible effect is to promote the urinary discharge.

317.  Borago officinalis.  Borage.  The Flowers.—­An exhilarating virtue has been attributed to the flowers of borage, which are hence ranked among the so called cordial flowers:  but they appear to have very little claim to any virtue of this kind, and seem to be altogether insignificant.

318.  BRYONIA alba.  White bryony.  The Roots.—­This is a strong irritating cathartic; and as such has sometimes been successfully exhibited in maniacal cases, in some kinds of dropsies, and in several chronical disorders, where a quick solution of viscid juices, and a sudden stimulus on the solids, were required.

319.  Calendula officinalis.  Marigold.  The Flowers.—­These are supposed to be aperient and attenuating; as also cardiac, alexipharmic, and sudorific:  they are principally celebrated in uterine obstructions, the jaundice, and for throwing out the small-pox.  Their sensible qualities give little foundation for these virtues:  they have scarcely any taste, and no considerable smell.  The leaves of the plant discover a viscid sweetishness, accompanied with a more durable saponaceous pungency and warmth:  these seem capable of answering some useful purposes, as a stimulating, aperient, antiscorbutic medicine.