8 DR. BENJAMIN ALLEN, OF BRAINTREE.
expressed, generally introducing his name with some such phrase
as "the learned Mr. Ray, author of So-and-So, my friend and
neighbour."
Right at the beginning (p. 15), we meet with this note:—
" Mr. Ray, the famous naturalist, told me he knew a gentleman that
had no child could live with him, but all dy'd epileptic at, perhaps, a year
or two years old at farthest, till he was directed to purge the child in the
mouth with Oyle of Sweet Almonds and Syrup of Violets and give [a pill]
the bigness of a pea of Mithridat every night or every other night for
some time, to keep out the red gum; but they began to give it in 4 or 5
nights after the birth, before the red gum, which comes not out under a
fortnight."
Elsewhere (pp. 111-112), Allen tells of some relative who was
cured of "An Obstruction of the Breast [? stomach]" by taking a
"Conserve of Common Wormwood," that plant being, he adds,
"the right Roman Wormwood, as Mr. Ray inform'd' me, who
found it growing plentifully about Rome, and none of that wch
passeth for it. The Common Wormwood is a plant of virtue,
[but] the Roman [Wormwood] of the shops hath none."11
In discussing "Ey Water," Allen says (p. 303):—"Mr.
Ray sayd [that], for pin and web or rhumes, the best is made
with a little Roman Vitriol, which he had seen cure them; but
it is too sharp, I think."
Of greater interest than trifles such as these are notes regard-
ing illnesses for which Ray and various members of his family
were treated by Allen at different times.
Towards the end of the volume (p. 288), we find a note con-
cerning "Mr. Ray's Case of Peripnewmonia, March 6, 1689-90,"
the symptoms of which were" pain, heat at lungs, and difficulty
of breathing, and cough, and feaverish heat." For these,
Allen prescribed a number of medicines, which he enumerates.
The treatment continued until the 10th, Allen apparently seeing
11 Mr. J. C.Shenstone, F.L.S., who has been good enough to investigate this matter
writes me:—There was much confusion in plant-names at the period when Allen wrote
The Roman Wormwood of Ray (Hist. Plantarum, i., p. 367, n. 5) and of Dale (Pharmacologia,
1690) was Artemisia pontica, Linn. The "Common Wormwood," referred to by Allen as "a
plant of virtue," is, probably, Artemisia absinthium, Linn., which was grown in herb-gardens
all over Europe and still occurs frequently as an escape in waste places near villages and
old buildings, both in England and throughout Europe. It is believed to be indigenous in
some of its maritime stations in England and Scotland. It was largely used in medicine
until quite recent times, and would still be supplied by druggists or herbalists if "worm-
wood" were ordered. Miss E. Willmott, F.L.S., states that she has seen Roman Worm-
wood (A. pontica) growing near old buildings in Switzerland—no doubt an escape from
herb-gardens. It would be impossible to identify with certainty the Roman Wormwood
"of the shops," which Allen tells us had" no virtue." The mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris.
Linn.), formerly known as wormwood, is common by English waysides. Ambrosia
artemisia has also been known as Roman Wormwood. Either of these plants might have
been sold as Roman Wormwood in the apothecaries' shops in Allen's day.