Prunus cerasus (Rosaceae)
Cherry tree.

Chaumeton’s five volume medical herbarium is one of the most exquisite botanical works of the early nineteenth century. It contains 349 delicately hand-colored engravings. Flore médicale provides variant names followed by the description of the plant and its “virtues” or medicinal use.

A good example is Chaumeton’s recipe for an astringent tonic made from the bark and the roots of the cherry tree, useful in all cases of obstinate diarrhea and dysentery. The effectiveness of the tonic was assured by adding “two quarts of good brandy” to it.

CHAUMETON, F.; POIRET, J. L. M.; CHAMBERET DE TYRBAS, J. B. J. A. C. FLORE MÉDICALE.
Paris: C. L. F. Panckoucke, 1831-33.
(Washington University, Becker Library)