Description. This has a small stringy creeping root, from which spring a great many square hairy stalks, about a foot high, beset with two oblong, round pointed, somewhat wrinkled and hairy leaves at a joint, without foot-stalks, having roundish indentures about the edges. The flowers come forth among the leaves in thin whorles, of a reddish colour; they are set in hairy five-pointed calyces, at the bottom of which grow four small seeds. The whole plant has a strong aromatic scent, but with somewhat of the garlic.
Place. It grows in marshy, fenny places, as in the isle of Ely, in great plenty.
Time. It flowers in July. The leaves are used.
Government and virtues. Like the former it is under Mars, and is sudorific and alexipharmic, of use both as a preservative, and a remedy against all pestilential diseases, and putrid fevers; it resists putrefaction, destroys worms, and is good against the bites of all venomous animals. It is an excellent alexipharmic, and of great use in all malignant fevers, where it exerts both its cordial and diaphoretic power. It is one of the principal ingredients in that medicine which is called diascordium: there is likewise a compound water of great efficacy, which derives its name from this plant. The smell of this herb which is none of the most grateful, parcipitating of that of garlic, with an aromatic mixture, betokens it to be proper ingredient in medicines designed for hysteric cases. It may be taken in decoction, infusion, and even in powder, either by itself, or made up into a bolus; in which last form, it shews itself likewise a destroyer of worms of the intestines. Outwardly, it is a good cleanser of ulcers.