Culpeper's complete herbal ... To which are ... annexed his English physician enlarged, and Key to [Galen's Method of] physic ... to which is also added ... receipts selected from the author's Last legacy / Nicholas Culpeper.

  • Nicholas Culpeper
Date:
1814
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Culpeper's complete herbal ... To which are ... annexed his English physician enlarged, and Key to [Galen's Method of] physic ... to which is also added ... receipts selected from the author's Last legacy / Nicholas Culpeper. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    say the flowers never open but when the wind bloweth. Pliny is my author; if it be not so, blame him. The seed also (if it bears any at all) flies away with the wind. Place and Time.^ They are sown usually in the gardens of the curious, and flower in the Spring-time. As for description I shall pass it, being well known to all those that sow them. Government and virtues.^ It is under the dominion of Mars, being supposed to be a kind of Crow-foot. The leaves provoke the terms mightily, being boiled, and the decoction drank. The body being bathed with the decoction of them, cures the leprosy. The leaves being stamped and the juice snuffed up in the nose, purgeth the head mightily; so doth the root, being chewed in the mouth for it procureth much spitting, and bringeth away many watery and phleg- matic humours, and is therefore excellent for the lethargy. And when all is done, let physicians prate what they please, all the pills in the dispensatory purge not the head like to hot things held in the mouth. Being made into an ointment, and the eye- lids anointed with it, it helps inflammations of the eyes, whereby it is palpable, that every str(3nger draweth its weaker like. The same ointment is excellent good to cleanse malig- nant and corroding ulcers. GARDEN ARRACH. Called also Orach, and Arage; it is cultivated for domestic uses. . Descript,'] It is so commonly known to every housewife, it were labour lost to de- scribe it. Time.] It flowers and seeds fi’om June to the end of August. Government and vhiues.] It is under the government of the Moon; in quality cold and moist like unto her. It softeneth and looseneth the body of man being eaten, and fortifieth the expulsive faculty in him. The herb, whether it be bruised and applied to the throat, or boiled, and in like manner applied, it matters not much, it is excellent, o'ood for swellino;s in the throat: the best way, I suppose is to boil it, and having drank the decoction inwardly, apply the herb outwardly: the decoction of it besides, is an excellent remedy for the yellow jaun- dice. ARRACir, WILD AND STINKING. Called also Vulvaria, from that part of the body, upon which the operation is most; also Dogs Arrach, Goats Arrach, and Stink- ing Motherwort. Descript^ This hath small and ahnost round leaves, yet a little pointed and with- out dent or cut, of a dusky mealy colour growing on the slender stalks and branches that spread on the ground, with small flowers set with the leaves, and small seeds succeeding like the rest perishing yearly, and rising again with its own sowing. It smells like rotten fish, or something worse. Place.] It grows usually upon dunghills. Time.] They flower in June and July, and their seed is ripe quickly after. Government and virtues.] Stinking Arrach is used as a remedy to Avomen pained, and almost strangled Avith the mother, by smelL ing to it; but inwardly taken there is no better remedy under the moon for that dis- ease. I would be large in commendation of this herb, were I but eloquent. It is an herb under the dominion of Venus, and un- der the sign Scorpio; it is common almost upon every dunghill. The works of God are given freely to man, his medicines are common and cheap, and easily to be found. I commend it for an universal medicine for the Avomb, and such a medicine as will easily, safely, and speedily cure any disease thereof, as the fits of the mother, disloca- tion, or falling out thereof; it cools the Avomb being over-heated. And let me tell you this, and I Avill tell you the truth, heat of the Avomb is one of the greatest causes