Some Attempts Made to Prove That Herbs of the Same Make or Class for the Generallity, have the Like Vertue and Tendency to Work the Same Effects. In a Discourse Made before the Royal Society, by Mr. James Petiver Apothecary, and Fellow of the Said Society

VII. Some Attempts made to prove that Herbs of the same Make or Class for the generality, have the like Vertue and Tendency to work the same Effects. In a Discourse made before the Royal Society, by Mr. James Petiver Apothecary, and Fellow of the said Society. Having by some Persons been asked what Method might be best proposed towards the discovering of the Vertues of Plants, amongst others I thought this might not prove an altogether unsuccessful conjecture, Viz. That Plants of the same Figure or Likeness, have for the generality much the same Vertues and Use. Especially if we consider, that the Organs or Structure of all Plants of the same Family or Class, must have much the same Vessels and Ductus's to consummate that Regular formation, and consequently the Juices Circulated and strained thro' them cannot be very Heterogeneous; and that as for the most part, the Scent and Taste have great affinity, so of course their Vertue likewise cannot be very dissonant. 1. As for Instance, the Herba Umbelliferae or Tribe of Umbelliferous Herbs. These the Learned Mr. Ray hath accurately Treated of in the 9th Book of his excellent History of Plants, pag. 406. and his Synopsis p. 63. and in his 2d Edition, pag. 101. as hath Mr. Dale also in his Pharmacologia, pag. 202. It's the property of these Herbs to have the Position of their Flower-branches to proceed from one Basis or Center, which expand themselves into an Umbel, whose Flowers consist of Five irregular or rather unequal, (that is, differing in shape and bigness) pentapetalose Leaves, from whence their Seed are produced, which are naked or double, or by their splitting seem so. This Genus I generally observe to be endowed with a Carminative Taste and Smell, are powerful expellers of Wind, and are therefore good in all flatulent Diseases, and of great use in the Cholick, &c. To instance a few for Example, as Anise, Caraway, Cummin, Angelica, Smallage, Parsley, Lovage, &c. Here is to be noted, that the Seed of Umbels are most used, as in all those just mentioned, and the Roots also of some are no less prevalent, Viz. the Angelica, Fennel, Parsley and Smallage, and the Leaves of some few, Viz. these last recited. 2. Let us now look into another Class, Viz. the Planta Galeatae and Verticillatae, Raii Hist. Plant. lib. ii. pag. 508. Synops. 77. and Ed. 2. 122. The Medicinal ones of this Tribe are also Treated of in Mr. Dales Manuductio ad materiam Medicam, pag. 230. These are a Family of Plants which bear their Flowers in Roundels or Whorles, at more or less distances round the Stalk, whose Monopetalose Flowers, if we may so call them, being such at the bottom, being Tubulose, contrary to the last, and are generally divided into Five unequal Segments as the Umbels, but with this distinction, that the two greater petala or Flower leaves in this Tribe are sometimes above, and other times below; whereas the others are constantly the same, that is always lie in the same place, being expanded on a flat or plain Surface: The Flowers of our Verticillated Plants from the different Position of their Petala, are therefore distinguished under the Flore Galeateae seu Labiatae. The Calyx or Case to the lower, or Tubulose part of each Flower serves also for its Seed Vessel, in the bottom of which is contained, in all I have yet observed, 4 Seeds set close together upon a Plain, which Nature lets fall out when ripe, ripe, the Husk being always open, and commonly divided into Five Points, Adequating the Segments of each Flower. Now whereas the greatest Vertue of the Umbelliferous Tribe, were specified to lyce in the Seed, and next to them the Roots, there are few or none as I have yet observed in this Genus famous for any extraordinary Vertues or Effects in these parts, but the Sovereign balm of these chiefly consist in their Leaves and Husks, rather than the Flowers; which last, especially all Authors has hitherto given the preference to; as for Example, in the Flowers of Rosemary, Lavender and Sage, particularly the first, as the only part from which our best Queen of Hungary's Water is extracted. I will therefore take this occasion to give my Reasons, for preferring that part which by all others has been hitherto neglected and slighted, or if used, has been by accident only or casually by being contiguous to the Flower. I would not be thought to propose this Hypothesis for Cheapness sake, for if my assertion holds good, as I doubt not to prove it, I fear they will quickly sell the Husks as dear as the Flowers, if they find a great vend or a frequent demand for them. My Reasons for giving the preference to the Husks of this Tribe, before the Flowers, are, because I commonly observe the Calyces are the chiefest, if not the only part on which I find it's Viscous or Sulphureous Particles to adhere, this you may very easily perceive, not only by it's much stronger and penetrating smell, but by the Clamminess of this, far beyond the other parts, as is very apparent, particularly in the Husks of Sage and Clary, and if with Spirit of Wine you make a Distillation of these alone, you will find them much stronger than from a greater quantity of Flowers only, which being of finer and more Volatile parts, are only capable of retaining what the vicinity of the stronger and thicker Texture, which the Calyces are composed of, and can without prejudice easily communicate to them. I look upon the generality of this Tribe, to be a degree Warmer than the last, and their Heat consequently to approach nearer to the Aromate or Spices, then the Carminatives, and the Effects therefore to be more peculiarly appropriated to such Nervous Diseases, as are more intense, and the Umbellifere cannot so quickly reach, Viz. Apolexies, Epilepsies, Palsies, &c. in which cases our Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, Stachas, and some others, are Simples which all our antient Physitians (in these stubborn Diseases) have very much applauded. Yet at the same time we must not forget the many Celebrated Effects that are owing to some others of this Family, as Mint, Bawm, Pennyroyal, Savory, Time, Hyssop, Marjoram, Basil, Origanum, Dittanny of Creet, Marum or common Mastick-time, with Marum Syriacum and some other, no less Noble Herbs of this Family, that I have lately received both from the East and West-Indies, which I have also Experienc'd in some Cases with very good success. 3. We proceed next to those herbs which have a Tetrapetalose Regular Flower, (by Regular I mean, such as have Four equal petala in each Flower), these Mr. Ray Treats of in his Sixteenth Book of his History of Plants, and in his Synopsis Stirpium Britannicarum pag. 108. and in his Second Edition, p. 164. under the Title of Herbe Flore Tetrapetalo uniformi and by Mr. Dale in his Pharmacologia, under the same Character pag. 292. these in Relation to their Seed-Vessels, are sub-divided under two Heads. Viz. Siliquose vel Capsulace, being such as have their Seeds contained in long or short receptacles as Pods or Capsules. The known Herbs of this Genus that are most commonly used in Physick, are the following, Viz. The Sinapi, Raphanus, Eruca, Alliaria, Paronychia or Whitlow grass, Sophia Chyrurgorum, Erysimum, Nasturtium, Cochlearia utriusq; with some others. The most Essential Vertue and use of the Herbs of this Class I observe are more particularly in the Leaves and Seed, and next them the Roots, and if any parts are slighed, it's the Flowers and Podds. The Leaves are more particularly used in the Water and Garden Cresses, Sea and Garden Scurvy-grass, Hedge-Mustard, Iberis, or Sciatica Cresses, Lepidium seu Piperitis Officinarum, Cardamine, Bursa pastoris, &c. To which may be added our Cabbage, Coleworts, Savoys, Sprouts, &c. which are of this Tribe also; and tho' they are of no great Reputation in Physick, yet for some Ages past they have got no small esteem in the Kitchen. Others of this Family that are more peculiarly eminent for the Vertue contained in their Seed, are the Common Mustard and Rape, the Thlaspi Dioscoridis or Treacle Mustard, the Eruca or Rocket, and Sophia Chyrurgorum or Flixweed, the Seed of which last I am informed, by a very Worthy Member of this Society, hath for some Years past been used by several People in the North of England, for the Stone and Gravel with with very good success. The like hint, if I mistake not, Signior Paul Boccone gives us in his late Italian Book, Intitled Museo di Fisica. We come now to the Roots, Two or Three of which have gained no small repute, as well in Diet as Physick, Viz. The Radishes, both Garden and Spanish,(which is the large Black-rooted;) as also the Wild or Horse Radish, and to these the round and long Rooted Turnep must be added. Most of this Tribe I find, tho' they are not like the two last, viz. the Umbelliferae and Verticillatae, yet they exert their power in a much different manner, to wit, by a Diuretick volatile Salt, and are found most prevalent and effectual in Chronick Diseases, as the Scurvy, Dropsy, Gout, Jaundice, and other ill habits of the Body, where the Blood is vitiated, rather in its Particles, then irregular Motion, carrying off its impurity by a Diuretick Diuresis or discharge of the offending Heterogeneous Salts therein contained, and consequently by purification, disposing of it to a better, or more sane disposition. Whether these conjectures agree with the opinion of some Practitioners of Physick, I know not, but I am certain the effects of many of these Herbs, as Water-Cresses, Garden and Sea Scurvy-grass, with Mustard seed, and Garden and Horse Radish, which are all of this Family, are by most, if not all Physicians, as well Ancient as Modern, allowed to be extraordinary Diureticks and Anti-scorbuticks. Something more might be said on these Heads, and some other Classes, which at another time I shall endeavour to illustrate, if what I have here already humbly offered, may be thought Worthy the acceptance of so Illustrious and Learned a Society May the 10th. 1699.