Anatomia sambuci, or, The anatomy of the elder cutting out of it plain, approved, and specific remedies for most and chiefest maladies : confirmed and cleared by reason, experience, and history / collected in Latine by Dr. Martin Blochwich ...

Amulets.

There is likewise set down a singu∣lar Amulet, made of the Elder grow∣ing

on a Sallow. If in the month of October, a little before the full Moon, you pluck a twig of the Elder, and cut the cane that is betwixt two of its knees, or knots in nine pieces; and these pieces being bound in a piece of linnen, be in a thred so hung about the neck, that they touch the spoon of the heart, or the sword-form'd Carti∣lage; and that they may stay more firmly in that place, they are to be bound thereon with a linnen or silken roller wrapt about the body, till the thred break of it self. The thred be∣ing broken, and the roller removed, the Amulet is not at all to be touched with bare hands, but it ought to be ta∣ken hold on by some instrument, and buried in a place that no body may touch it. Petraeus Nosilog. Harmon. l. 1. dissert. 6. Finkius Ench. Harm. c. 5. The cause of which is not abso∣lutely hid, seeing the Elder and its grains help this disease. These are the words of Petraeus in the mention∣ed place.

There are some that ascribe the same effect to the Bore tree, growing on the Tylia or Linden tree, seeing both by a peculiar property are anti∣epileptick; some hang a cross made of the Elder and Sallow, mutually in wrapping one another about the chil∣drens neck, Petr. Loco Allegat.

Albeit there be some that deny all specifick operation to Amulets of the Elder growing on the Sallow and Lin∣den tree, and to all other Amulets. Nevertheless their reasons are not of such weight, that they satisfie the mind of a desirous learner; 'tis not impossible that so little a piece of the Elder bound to the skin should break the force of so stubborn a disease: for though it do not draw out sensibly the vitious humors, yet it may act against the morbifick cause, and rout it some other way, by alluring, and some other way expugning those vitious humors, and that malignant Miamse, most noisom to the brain, it having in little bulk great force; which being

or removed, 'tis likely the Epilepsie will cease, though the humors re∣main; if they be not altogther corrupt: which humors are to be purged, according to the diversities of consti∣tutions, before you use such Amulets. Read Sennert. l. de Cons. & dissen. Gal &. Chymic.

Whereas they object, That in all these Amulets do not hold: This will not prove that they are not indewed with an Anti-epileptick faculty; o∣therwise many famous Medicaments should be called in question, seeing many times they are disappointed of their actings in some subjects; because it may be they are not used in fit quantity, time, or after due prepration, or some other errours are committed, which may hinder the best, and most approved Medicine to take effect; nei∣ther is it in the power alwaies of the Physician or Medicine, that the dis∣eased should be releived: some times the evil excels the cunningest art.