much from the garden chickweed, that if a person were acquainted only with the latter, he would with difficulty recognize it in the woods. On account of its upright flowers, which blow from March to October, it may be considered as a natural barometer: for, if they are closed, it is a certain sign of approaching rain; while, during dry weather, they are regularly open, from nine o'clock in the morning till noon.
This species affords a striking instance of what is called the sleep of plants. Every night the leaves approach in pairs, so as to include, within their upper surfaces, the tender rudiments of the new shoots: and the uppermost pair, but one, at the end of the stalk, is furnished with longer leaf-stalks than the others, so that it can close upon the terminating pair, and protect the end of the branch.
Swine are extremely fond of chickweed, which is also eaten by rows and horses, but is not led by sheep, and is refused by goats. It likewise furnishes a grateful food to small birds, and young chickens: its tender shoots and leaves, when boiled, can be scarcely distinguished from early spinach, and are in every respect as wholesome. They are reputed to be refrigerating and nutritive food for persons of a consumptive habit.
CHILBLAIN, in medicine, is a small tumor, or ulcer, in the hands, feet, heels, &c. It is occasioned either by exposing warm parts too suddenly to a cold temperature; or holding the hands, or feet, when extremely cold, too precipitately to a considerable degree of heat. Such affections always have a great tendency to mortification, in which they frequently terminate.
Children of sanguine habits, and delicate constitutions, are most liable to chilblains; which may be prevented by such remedies as invigorate the system; by wearing flannel socks, from the beginning of September to the latter part of spring, and occasionally taking gentle laxatives, when they are disposed to become costive. All these precautions, however, will be attended with no benefit, if young people are suffered to repair to the fire, immediately after coming from the most severe external cold.
In the commencement of this painful complaint, the cure is easy: immerse the part affected, several times a day, for a few minutes, into cold water, and guard against sudden vicissitudes of heat and cold; as either are equally hurtful. But, if simple water procure no speedy relief, dissolve an ounce of salt-petre in half a pint of vinegar and an equal quantity of water, and foment with it the part affected every night. When the tumors will not yield to these applications, and still remain in a swelled and painful state, without producing ulceration, a few drops of the pure tincture of benzoin may be rubbed occasionally on them; and the parts should be defended against the external air, by soft linen cloths: from this simple treatment, we have experienced the best effects.
CHILD, a term of relation to parent; but also metaphorically applied to adults, expressing either simplicity, or imbecility. We shall consider it only in the former sense.
