St. John's Wort

St. John's wort grows a foot and a half high. The stalks are round, thick, firm, upright, and at the top divided into several branches. The leaves are a little like those of the lesser , but narrow, short, and obtuse at the end, and if held up against the light, they appear full of small round holes. Large and bright yellow flowers abundantly grow at the tops of branches, full of yellow threads, which, when rubbed upon the hand, stain it red, like blood. The seed is black, and smells like rosin. It grows in meadows, woods, and copses.

A decoction of the flowers is very diuretic, promoting the flow of urine, is good for gravel, and inflammation of the ureters. It has been used as a vulnerary, both externally and internally, and has been considered useful in hysterics, intermittent fevers, dysentery, hemorrhages, chest complaints, worms, and jaundice. For wounds, the tops gathered fresh and bruised are used.

Boiled in wine it is excellent for inward wounds and hurts. It is a first-rate wound herb, made into an ointment; it soon closes cuts, wounds, etcetera. The decoction of the plant and flowers, and especially of the seed, with the juice of , relieves vomiting, spitting of blood, and obstructions of urine. Two of the powdered herb drank in a little broth, expels choler and congealed blood from the stomach.

A warm decoction of the leaves and seeds taken before fits of ague, relieves, and, eventually, drives them away. The decoction of the seed, frequently and continuously taken, will cure sciatica, falling sickness, and palsy.