CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

SCAMONY

Description. This a pernicious weed for the gardener and planter, who are both interested in its extirpation. As it is a species of the bindweed already described in its proper place, we shall say little here of its manner of growth, only observe, that it is the bane of young plantations and hedges: it will even suffocate the quick growing poplar-tree in tis embraces; its roots creep under the earth, extending a great distance; they are larger than those of couch-grass, and would be more easily destroyed were they not so brittle. The flowers are of a snowy whiteness, though frequently some are found of a flesh and rose-colour, with a tint of purple.

Place. It grows most frequently in the oil of Wight, but is found also near town.

Government and virtues. This is the plant which produces the scammony. But it grows not so large here as abroad, where the juice is obtained by incision. The concrete juice of the root is the scammony of the shops, whereof the best comes from Aleppo; that which comes from Smyrna being fuller of dross and sand. The best scammony is black, resinous, and shining, when in the lump, but of a whitish ash-colour, when powdered, of a pretty strong smell, but of no very hot taste, turning milky when touched with the tongue.

The smallness of the root of our sepium prevents its juice from being collected in thesame manner; but an extract made from the expressed juice of the roots, or any other preparations ofthem, have the same purgative quality only in a lesser degree.