Mandragora, _Mandrake_, belongs to the third order of cold medicines. But its apples have a certain share of heat and humidity, and hence they are possessed of a soporific power. The bark of the root of it being stronger is not only cooling, but also desiccant; but the inner part of it is weak. * * * * * COMMENTARY. Waiving disputed points regarding the ancient Mandragora, we shall merely mention in this place that we believe the _M. Mas_ of Dioscorides to have been _Mandragoras vernalis_, Bertolin, and the M. Femina _M. autumnalis_. The ancient authors make frequent mention of its narcotic and soporific powers. Celsus directs its apples to be placed below the patient’s pillow in cases of obstinate insomnolency. (iii, 18.) Dioscorides, in like manner, says, its apples are narcotic when smelled to, and also their juice; that if persisted in, they will deprive the person of his speech. He mentions mandrake as an ingredient in anodyne collyria and pessaries, and says that in an enema it induces sleep. He recommends the wine of mandragora to be given to patients before they are subjected to the operation of cutting or burning. He gives minute directions for making the various preparations of mandragora. He concludes his chapter on it by giving from information an account of another species of mandragora, called morion, which he represents as being powerfully narcotic; and hence as being administered by medical men when about to operate by cutting or burning. This plant we agree with Dodonæus and Cordus in thinking must have been the M. of Theophrastus, namely, the _Atropa Belladonna_. Considering the diligence of the ancient herbalists, it is not likely that they should have wholly overlooked so prominent and important an article as the _Belladonna_. The objections stated to this opinion by Parkinson (Theatre of Plants, 344) do not appear to us of much force. The account of mandragora given by Pliny is mostly taken from Dioscorides. (H. N. xxv, 94.) Our author and Aëtius borrow almost word for word from Galen. Isidorus says of it, “Cujus cortex vino mixtus ad bibendum iis datur quorum corpus propter curam secandum est, ut soporati dolorem non sentiant.” Serapion in like manner describes it as a powerful narcotic, and says that it was administered before the performance of amputation to diminish sensibility. (c. 333.) Avicenna particularly commends the narcotic and soporific powers of this medicine. He says that it exerts its action in a suppository. The milky juice of it, he adds, evacuates phlegm and yellow bile. He states that if a young person, by mistake, partake of its berries, they bring on vomiting, purging, and perhaps death. The seed mixed with sulphur vivum, is said by him to stop menorrhagia. Like Dioscorides, he says, that mandrake evacuates the stomach and bowels like hellebore. (ii, 2, 357.) Averrhoes briefly says of its apples, that they are soporific, and