The English physitian, or An astrologo-physical discourse of the vulgar herbs of this nation being a compleat method of physick, whereby a man may preserve his body in health, or cure himself being sick for three pence charge, with such things only as grow in England ... / by Nich. Culpeper.

Vertues and use.

The Leavs and Bark of the Oak, and the Acorn Cups, do bind and dry very much: The inner Bark of the Tree, and the thin Skin that covereth the Acorn, are most used to stay the spitting of Blood,* 1.1 and the Bloody Flux: The Decoction of that Bark and the Pouder of the Cups, to stay Vomitings, spitting of blood, bleeding at Mouth, or other Flux of Blood in man or woman, Lasks also, and the involuntary Flux of Natural Seed. The A∣corns in Pouder taken in Wine, pravoketh U∣rine, and resisteth the Poyson of Venemous Creatures. The Decoction of Acorns and the Bark made in Milk and taken resisteth the force of Poysonous Herbs and Medicines, as also the Virulency of Cantharides, when one by eating them, hath his Bladder exulcerated, and pisseth Blood.

Hippocrates saith, he used the fumes of Oak Leavs to Woman that were troubled with the strangling of the Mother; and Oalen applied them being bruised to cure green Wounds. The Distilled water of the Oaken Buds before they break out into Leavs, is good to be used

either inward, or outwardly, to asswage Infla∣mations* 1.2 and stop all manner of Fluxes in man or woman: The same is singular good in Pe∣stilential and hot burning Feavers, for it re∣sisteth the force of the infection, and allayeth the heat; it cooleth the heat of the Liver, breaketh the Stone in the Kidneys, and staieth womens Courses: The Decoction of the Leavs worketh the same effects. The water that is found in the hollow places of old Oaks, is very effectual against any foul or spreading Scab.

The Distilled Water (or Decoction which is better) of the Leavs is one of the best Re∣medies that I know for the Whites* 1.3 in Wo∣men.

Jupiter owns the Treo.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Dry, Bind, Spitting Blood, Bloody Flux, Vomiting, Venerious Acts, Disury, Poyson, Venemous Beasts, Cantha∣rides, Ulcers of the Blad∣der, Mother, Wounds,
• * 1.2

  Inflama∣tion, Flux, Pestilen∣ces, Epidemi∣cal Disea∣ses, Liver, Stone, Terms stops, Scabs.
• * 1.3

  Whites