medicine, an unnatural collection of water in any part of the body. See (the Index subjoined to) Medicine.

Dropwort, in botany. See Filipendula.

Water Dropwort, in botany. See Oenanthes.

Drosera, ros solis, or Sun-Dew, in botany: A genus of the pentagynia order, belonging to the pentandra class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 14th order, Gruinales. The calyx is quinquefied, the petals five; the capsule unilocular, and quinquevalved at top; the seeds very numerous. There are three species, which grow naturally in boggy places in many parts of the kingdom. They seem to receive the name of sun-dew from a very striking circumstance in their appearance. The leaves, which are circular, are fringed with hairs supporting small drops or globules of a pellucid liquor like dew, which continue even in the hottest part of the day and in the fullest exposure to the sun. The whole plant is acid, and sufficiently caustic to erode the skin: but some ladies know how to mix the juice with milk, so as to make it an innocent and safe application to remove freckles and sun-burn. The juice that exudes from it unmixed, will destroy warts and corns. The plant hath the same effect upon milk that the common butterwort hath; and like that too is supposed to occasion the rot in sheep.