¶ The Vertues.
This seed, as Galen saith in his booke of the Facul∣ties [ A] of nourishments, is good to season bread with; but the white is better than the black. He also addeth, that the same is cold and causeth sleepe, and yeeldeth no commendable nourishment to the body; it is often v∣sed in comfits, serued at the table with other iun∣ketting dishes.
The oile which is pressed out of it is pleasant and [ B] delightsull to be eaten, and is taken with bread or any other waies in meat, without any sence of cooling.
A greater force is in the knobs or heads, which doe [ C] specially preuaile to mooue sleepe, and to stay and re∣presse distillations or rheums, and come 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in force to Opium, but more gentle. Opium, or the condensed iuice of Poppie heads is strongest of all: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (which is the iuice of the heads and leaues) is weaker. Both of them any waies taken either inwardly, or outwardly applied to the head, prouoke sleepe. Opium somewhat too plentifully taken doth also 〈◊〉〈◊〉 death, as Plinie truely writeth.
It mitigateth all kinde of paines: but it leaueth behinde it oftentimes a mischiefe worse than [ D] the disease it selfe, and that hard to be cured, as a dead palsie and such like.
The vse of it, as Galen in his 11. booke of medicines according to the places affected, saith, is so [ E] offensiue to the firme and solide parts of the body, as that they had need afterwards to be restored∣
So also colliries or eie medicines made with Opium haue beene hurtfull to many; insomuch [ F] that they haue weakned the eies and dulled the sight of those that haue vsed it: what soeuer is com∣pounded of Opium to mittigate the extreeme paines of the eares bringeth hardnesse of hearing. Wherefore all those medicines and compounds are to bee shunned that are to be made of Opium, and are not to be vsed but in extreme necessitie; and that it is, when no other mitigater or asswager of paine doth any thing preuaile, as Galen in his third booke of Medicines, according to the places affected, doth euidently declare.
The leaues of poppie boiled in water with a little sugar and drunke, causeth sleep: or if it be boi∣led [ G] without sugar, and the head, feet, and temples bathed therewith, it doth effect the same.
The heads of Poppie boiled in water with sugar to a sirrup causeth sleepe, and is good against [ H] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and catarrhes that distill & fal downe from the brain into the lungs, & easeth the cough.
The greene knops of Poppie stamped with barley meale, and a little barrowes grease, helpeth S. [ I] Anthonies fire, called Ignis sacer.