The Universal Herbal: Artemisia Abrotanum; Southern wood.

The Universal Herbal;
or botanical, medical and agricultural dictonary.
Containing an account of All the known Plants in the World, arranged according to the Linnean system. Specifying the uses to which they are or may be applied, whether as food, as medicine, or in the arts and manufactures.
With the best methods of propagation, and the most recent agricultural improvements.
collected from indisputable Authorities.
Adapted to the use of the farmer - the gardener - the husbandman - the botanist - the florist - and country housekeepers in general.
By Thomas Green.
Vol. I
Liverpool.
Printed at the Caxton Press by Henri Fisher.
Printer in Ordinary to His Majesty.
1824Leaves setaceous, very branching. — It seldom rises above three or four feet high. Common Southernwood, which is merely a variety of this species, is bitter and aromatic, with a very strong smell. It is not much in use, but promises considerable effects, outwardly, in discussing contusions and humours; in wardly, for destroying worms, and in disorders peculiar to the female sex. It may have great efficacy in catarrhal malignant fevers, by its quality of promoting perspiration, which it possesses in a very high degree. A table-spoonful of the expressed juice may be given, half an ounce of the decoction, or a whole ounce of the infusion of the herb. In the present practice it is seldom used, except as an ingredient in discutient and antiseptic fomentations. A strong decoction of the leaves destroys worms; but it is a very nauseous medicine. The leaves are also esteemed as a good ingredient in founentations, for easing pain, dispersing swellings, and stopping the progress of gangrenes. The top of the young branches, beaten into a conserve with three times their weight of sugar, are rendered less unpleasant to take, and in this form are good for all nervous disorders, and in all hysteric complaints. Culpeper says, that the distilled water was formerly given for the stone. It is held by all writers, ancient and modern, to be more offensive to the stomach than wormwood. The branches of it dye wool a deep yellow.