Purging Flax

Purging flax is a pretty little herb which grows profusely in hilly pastures, in parks, and warrens, about eight inches high. The stalk is round, firm, and at the top divided into small branches. The leaves are little, oblong, and obtuse, two at each joint. The flowers are small and white, and the plant much resembles chickweed; but the seed vessel, on examination, indicates it to be of the flax kind. The root is small and thready.

It makes a strong but safe purge; owing its activity to a peculiar drastic principle, called linin, and which is afforded by the plant after the flower has fallen. The country people boil it in beer, and take it as a remedy for rheumatic pains, for catarrhal affections, as coughs, etcetera. And dropsy.

It has also yielded great relief in biliary disorders. It is useful in all cases where a brisk purgative is required. Extract, from 4 to 8 grains two or three times a day;athe dried herb, 2 drachms or more, has been found very useful in obstinate rheumatism.