Barton, Benjamin Smith, 1766-1815. Benjamin Barton Smith notebook on materia medica circa 1796-1798. B MS b52.1, Countway Library of Medicine.

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Introduction

Introduction

I shall begin this course of Lectures by first pointing out the best, and most easy method of acquiring the knowledge of the virtues of vegitables. There are four 1st Chimical Analogy 2d Their sensible qualities 3d Botanical Affinity 4th Experience; the first mode is extremely fallacious and not to be rely'd on, as the product by analysis is often the same from plants and substances of verry different and opposite properties; thus the Abe Fontana found the base of Gum Arabic a verry mild bland substance, to be the same, with the venom of the viper; the sensible qualities are taste, smell, and colour; taste and smell are extremely natural but liable to some exceptions, some of the most powerfull are destitue to of both; Dr Cullen lays it down as a general rule that all bodies that are bland or mild ought to be rejected from the Materia Medica. The Abe Fontana tells us the venom of the viper, is insipid with water; this is extremely doubtfull, his experiments do not coincide with mine, made on the venom of the rattle snake on my tongue, and diffused it finely through my mouth, the effect was contrary to that of Fontana's, it imparted a peculiar indiscribable sensation,

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Introduction

"Colour"

a penetrating sensation and redness, though I frequently washed my mouth with water. The Cobelia Sypbuletia has a taste like the Nicotianum Tobacum and is found to have a similar effect. Smells. We can derive but little advantage from this. Linneus supposed the odiferous particles of bodies to act on the nerves, and the Sapid on the muscles; to this there are many exceptions a nemium ne ende sapori aut odori. Colour. Linneus has taken in this property as varying the virtues of plants, his aphorisms are these Color pallidus insipidum, viridis crudum, luteus amarum, ruber acidum, albus dulce, niger ingratum indicat. These are worth remembering, but not unexceptionable, Viridus crudum, is applicable to fruits, Luteus amarum, to flowers these two are generally correct, Ruber accidum to this there are many exceptions Viz Some flowers Niger ingratum, such as the berries of the deadly nightshade, but black is not always ungratefull, as in the black cherry, and colour is therefore fallacious, but perhaps like some other fallacious things worthy of some notice. It is proper that I take some notice of the

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Introduction

Botanical Affinity

doctrine of Signatures which supposes medicines to act by their resemblance to the part to which they are applied. In origin is to be traced to the oldest ages, the Indians suppose that if the seed of the melon, pumpkin and other creeping plants were put for a time in a decoction of Mitchella ripens sooner which is a remarkable running plant, it imparts a greater disposition in them to spread and run over the earth, the Indians supposed people are more swift, and active, while they live upon venison because the Deer is so in a remarkable degree. An Italian Physician Porta recommends Tentaria in tooth aches, from its resemblance to the tooth, the genus Orchides are recommended, as aphrodiacs, from their resemblance to the pudenda. Sanguinaria in Jaundice from its yellow colour. Botanical Affinity. Different Authors have arranged the articles of the Materia Medica according to their botanical affinity. Boerhave arranged his according to his botanical System, but as this is deserted, his arrangement of course falls, the fifteen classes of Linneus have all resemblance to each other, with