tabilis. This work was printed in 1787. The author arranges the articles according to the sexual system of Linnæus. This, though an objection, is not the greatest. He has given us nothing from his own experience. He ascribes active powers to plants which are nearly inert, and appears to me to be, in some measure, governed by the old notion of Signatures: one of the tyrants of the ancient schools. He discovers none of that infidelity, or, if you please, scepticism, which ought ever to be attached to physicians: I mean not an infidelity relative to religion; but an unwillingness to acquiesce, without good proofs, in the truth of every tale concerning the powers of medicines. This pliant, this credulous disposition, has been one of the causes which have obstructed the regular march of medical science. But as the effort of Schoepf is the best of the kind, so we ought to tread lightly on his work. He is at least a man of learning; and learning should always claim indulgence from the lovers and cultivators of science.

I AM far from supposing that it is in my power, especially on this occasion, to supply all the defects of Schoepf's book. It would be easy to point out its faults. I aim at a rude sketch of our materia medica. It is so extremely unfinished, that I have no objection to its being called by any inferior name. I confine myself entirely to vegetables.

MATERIA ALIMENTARIA.

YOU are all acquainted with the great general division of the materia medica into two parts: that which relates to the aliments, or nutrientia, of mankind, and the medical part, more strictly so called. Each of these is highly important; but I mean in this address to confine myself almost entirely to the latter branch. Yet the former should claim some of our attention. Much may be expected from a country which has blessed us with the maize, the potatoe, &c. I could readily furnish you with a long list of the indigenous nutrientia of this country; but such a list would be very uninteresting. On this subject, however, an useful work might be written. He who shall undertake to examine the subject extensively will find, that Providence has, in the gift of esculent vegetables, been as liberal to the countries of the United-States, as to any other countries of the world, of equal extent.

UNDER this head of the nutrientia, I shall content myself with mentioning two native articles, which deserve the attention of physicians and others. Perhaps they may even supersede, on many occasions, the use of some other articles, which are purchased at a pretty dear rate.

THERE grows upon the river Mobile a species of palm, which is but little known to naturalists, but which promises to be an important article of food to man. It has no stalk or stem above ground. The leaves spread regularly all round, and when fully expanded are flabelliform. In the centre of these leaves is produced the receptacle of the fruit, which is of the form and size of a common sugar-loaf. This receptacle consists of a vast number of drupes, or berries, of the size and shape of common plumbs: each is covered with a fibrous, farinaceous, pulpy coating of considerable thickness. This substance is said to resemble manna in texture, colour and taste; or, perhaps, it still more resembles moist brown sugar, with particles of loaf sugar mixt with it. It is a most delicious and nourishing food, and is diligently sought after in the places where it grows. Upon first tasting it, it is somewhat bitter and pungent.*

THE large tuberous roots of the Smilax China afford our southern Indians a nourishing food. The fresh roots are well macerated in wooden mortars. The mass is then put into vessels nearly filled with clear water, where it is well mixed with paddles. It is decanted off into other vessels, where it is left to settle, and after the subsidence is com

From the information of Mr. William Bartram. MS penes me. Vol. i.

pleted, the water is cast off, leaving the farinaceous substance at the bottom. When this is taken out and dried, it is an impalpable powder of a redish colour. Mixed with boiling water, it becomes a beautiful jelly, which, when sweetened with honey or sugar, affords a most nourishing and pleasant food for children or aged people. The Indians sometimes use it mixed with fine corn-flour, and fryed in fresh bears' oil.*

THE chemical history of the maize, or Indian corn, the blessing of our country, deserves to be farther investigated. Its importance as an article of diet is sufficiently established by the experience of whole nations.

MATERIA MEDICA.

I AM not very anxious, on this occasion, about my division of the materia medica. I have attempted, in my lectures, to make some improvements upon the arrangement of Dr. Cullen; and, if I live, I hope to publish, in a few months, my strictures on the late arrangement of the ingenious Dr. Darwin. At present, in possession of only a small collection of original facts immediately relative to the materia

From the information of Mr. William Bartram. MS penes me. Vol. i.

medica of the United-States, I shall content myself with disposing of these facts under the nine following heads, viz. 1. ASTRINGENTS; 2. TONICS; 3. STIMULANTS; 4. ERRHINES; 5. SIALAGOGA, or SALIVATING MEDICINES; 6. EMETICS; 7. CATHARTICS; 8. DIURETICS; 9. ANTHELMINTICS.

SECT. I. ASTRINGENTS.

I THINK it proper, in the present state of our knowledge of medicines, to give place to a class of ASTRINGENTS. There is the more propriety for the adoption of such a class, because we see more readily, than with respect to many other medicines, their direct mode of operation. Our vegetable astringents, I mean the purer and more unmixed astringents, are numerous. The barks of all our oaks are of this kind. But I may here particularly mention three or four native astringents, which seem to be more especially entitled to your attention.

THE first is the Geranium Maculatum, or Spotted Geranium, which grows very plentifully about this city: it flowers in the spring. The root is used: this boiled in milk has been found an excellent medicine in the cholera of children. It is not necessary to be very nice about the dose. I imagine it would also prove useful in old diarrheas, where