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.

    51/500 (page 31)
    niorphew, leprosy, foul scars, or other de- formity whatsoever; also all running scabs and inanginess are healed by the powder of the dried root, or the juice thereof, but especially by the fine white hardened juice. The distilled water of the root works the same eftects, but more weakly; the root bruised and applied of itself to any place wdicre the bones are broken, helps to draw them forth, as also splinters and thorns in the flesh; and being applied with a little wine mixed therewith, it breaks boils, and helps whitelows on the joints.—For all these latter, beginning at sores, cancers, &c. apply it outwardly, mixing it with a little hog’s grease, or other convenient ointment. As for the former diseases where it must be taken inwardly, it purges very violently, and needs an abler hand to correct it than most country people have. BROOK LIME, OR WATER-PIMPERKEL. Descript.This sends forth from a creeping root that shoots forth strings at every joint, as it runs, divers and sundry green stalks, round and sappy, with some branches on them, somewhat broad, round, deep green, and thick leaves set by couples thereon; from the bottom whereof shoot forth long foot-stalks, with sundry small blue flowers on them, that consist of five small round pointed leaves a piece. There is another sort nothing different from the former, but that it is greater, and the flowers of a paler green colour. P/r/ce.] They grow in small standing waters, and usually near water cresses. 7V;«e.] And flower in June and July, giving seed the next month after. Gox enmienf and vuiues.^ It is a hot and biting martial plant. Brook-lime and water-cresses are generally used together in diet-drink, with other things serving to purge the blood and body from all ill humours that would destroy health, and are helpful to the scurvy. They do all (4.) provoke urine, and help to break the stone, and pass it away; they procure women’s courses, and expel the dead child. Being fried with butter and vinegar, and applied warm, it helps all manner of tumours, swel- lings, and inflammations. Such drinks ought to be made of sundry herbs, according to the malady. I shall give a plain and easy rule at the latter end of this book. butcher’s broom. It is called Ruscus, and Bruscus, Knee- holm, Kneeholly, Kneehulvei’, and Betti- gree. Descript.] The first shoots that sprout from the root of Butcher’s Broom, are thick, whitish, and short, somewhat like those of asparagus, but greater, the}^ rise up to be a foot and a half high, are spread into divers branches, green, and somewhat cressed with the roundness, tough and flex- ible, whereon are set somewhat broad and almost round hard leaves and prickly, pointed at the end, of a dark green colour, two for the most part set at a place, very close and near together; about the middle of the leaf, on the back and lower side from the middle rib, breaks forth a small whitish green flower, consisting of four small round pointed leaves, standing upon little or no foot-stalk, and in the place whereof comes a small round berry, green at the first, and red when it is ripe, Avhereiii are two or three white, hard, round seeds contained. The root is thiek, white, and great at the head, and from thence sendeth forth divers thick, white long, tough strings. Place.] It grows in copses, and upon heaths and Avaste grounds, and oftentimes under or near the holly bushes. Ti?ne.] It shoots forth its young buds in the Spring, and the berries are ripe about September, the branches ot leaves abiding green all the Winter. Government and virtues^ ’Tis a plant of K