HEMLOCK, a genus of the digynia order, belonging to the pentandria clas of plants. The species are three; 1. The maculatum, or greater hemlock, grows naturally on the sides of banks and roads in many parts of Britain. It is a biennial plant which perishes after it has ripened its seeds. It hath a long taper root like a parsnip, but smaller. The stalk is smooth, spotted with purple, and rises from four to upwards of six feet high; branching out toward the top into several smaller stalks, garnished with decomposed leaves, whose lobes are cut at the top into three parts; they are of a lucid green, and have a disagreeable smell. The stalks are terminated by umbels of white flowers, each being composed of about 10 rays or small umbels, and have a great number of flowers, which spread open, each fitting upon a distinct footstalk; the seeds are small and channelled, and like those of annied. It flowers in June, and the seeds ripen in autumn. 2. The tenuifolium, with striated seeds, differs from the first in having taller stalks, which are not so much spotted. The leaves are much narrower, and of a paler green; and this difference is constant. It is a biennial plant, and grows naturally in Germany. 3. The africanum, with prickly seeds, is a native of the Cape of Good Hope. The Connaught plant rarely grows above nine inches high; the lower leaves are divided like those of the small wild rue, and are of a greyish colour; those upon the stalk are narrower, but of the same colour; these are terminated by umbels of white flowers, each of the larger umbels being composed of three small ones; the involucre hath three narrow leaves situated under the umbel. This flowers in July, and ripens seed in autumn, soon after which the plants decay.

MEDICINAL USES. The first species is sometimes used as a diuretic; and for this purpose is an ingredient in some plasters. It has generally been accounted poisonous when taken internally; and certainly is so when taken in a large quantity. Dr Stork, however, found, that in small doses it may be taken with great safety; and that without disordering the constitution, or even producing any sensible operation, it sometimes proves a powerful resolvent in many obstinate disorders.