this head except Paulus and Alexander, but quotes the opinions of several Arabians, all of whom agree in recommending hermodactylus in gout and foul ulcers. An anonymous authority makes it to be aphrodisiac. (Cont. l. ult. 362.) See also Haly Abbas (Pract. ii, 43.) It is particularly to be remarked that the Arabian authorities all notice three varieties of the hermodactyl root, the white, the red, and the black; and restrict the medicinal use of the H. to the first of these, and condemn the two others as being deleterious. Nicholaus Myrepsus (i, 1) and Actuarius (De Compos. Med. i), however, prescribe also the red, which the learned Fuchsius, in his annotations on the former, sets down as being the _behen rubrum_. We know not what are his grounds for this opinion. It is the white variety which has been always used medicinally. See Boerhaave, Quincy, and Pereira. We would beg particularly to refer our readers who wish to obtain the modern literature of this subject, to the Materia Medica of Pereira (p. 949.) Ἕρπυλλος, Serpyllum, _Wild Thyme_, is heating, so as to promote the urinary and menstrual discharge. * * * * * COMMENTARY. All agree that the _Thymus Serpyllum_ is possessed of diuretic and emmenagogue powers. Dioscorides recommends it in tormina, convulsions, &c., and as an alexipharmic. The others, like our author, treat more briefly of it in general terms. Serapion and Avicenna borrow freely from Dioscorides. The _Serpyllum_ held a place in our Dispensatory with its ancient characters down to a very recent date. See Quincy and Rutty (Mat. Med.) The latter, however, questions its identity with the ancient _Serpyllum_. Ἐρυθρόδανον, Erythrodanum, _Madder_, is the Rubia Tinctorum. Being sour and bitter, it purges the spleen, liver, and kidneys, so as to occasion a discharge of bloody urine. It acts as an emmenagogue, and cleanses the sordes of the skin. * * * * *