fox-glove: A genus of the angiospermia order, belonging to the didynamia class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 28th order, Lurida. The calyx is quinquepartite; the corolla campanulated, quiquifid, and ventricose; the capsule ovate and bilocular. There are six species; five of which are hardy, herbaceous, biennial, and perennial plants, and the sixth a tender shrubby exotic. The herbaceous species rise two or three feet high, crowned with spikes of yellow iron-coloured or purple flowers. The shrubby sort rises five or six feet high, having spear-shaped rough leaves, four or five inches long, and half as broad; the branches being all terminated with flowers growing in loose spikes. All the species are easily raised by seeds. An ointment made of the flowers of purple fox-glove and May-butter, is much commended by some physicians for scrophulous ulcers which run much and are full of matter. Taken internally, this plant is a violent purgative and emetic; and is therefore only to be administered to robust constitutions. The country people in England frequently use a decoction of it with polypody of the oak in epileptic fits. An infusion of two drams of the leaf in a pint of water, given in half-ounce doses every two hours or so, till it begin to puke or purge, is recommended in dropsy, particularly that of the breast. It is said to have produced an evacuation of water so copious and sudden, in affections by stool and urine, that the compression of bandages was found necessary. The plentiful use of diuretics is ordered during its operation. The remedy, however, is inadmissible in very weakly patients. But besides being given in infusion, it has also been employed in substance. And when taken at bed-time to the extent of one, two, or three, grains of the dried powder, it often in a short time operates as a very powerful diuretic, without producing any other evacuation. Even this quantity, however, will sometimes excite very severe vomiting, and that too occurring unexpectedly. During its operation it has often very remarkable influence in rendering the pulse slower; and it frequently excites very considerable vertigo, and an affection of vision. Fox-glove has of late also been employed in some instances of hemoptysis, of phthisis, and of mania, with apparent good effects; but its use in these diseases is much less common than in dropsy.