Adders Tongue. ☽
Description.
THis small Herb hath but one Leaf; which grows with the Stalk a fingers length above the ground, being fat, and of a fresh green colour, broad like the Water Plantane (but less) without any middle Rib in it: from the bottom of which Leaf on the inside, riseth up (ordinarily) one, somtimes two, or three small slender: stalks, the upper half wherof is somwhat bigger, and dented with smal round dents of a yellowish green, colour, like the Tongue of an Adder or Serpent (only this is as useful as they are formidable) The Root continues all the year.
Place.
It groweth in moist Meadows, and such like places.
Time.
And is to be found in April and May, for it quickly perisheth with a little heat.
Vertues and use.
It is temperate, in respect of heat, but dry in the Second Degree. The Juyce of the Leaves drunk with the distilled Water of Horstail is a singular Remedy for all manner of wounds in the Breast, Bowels,* 1.1 or other parts of the Body, and is given with good success un∣to those who are troubled with Casting, Vo∣miting, or bleeding at the Mouth or Nose, or otherwise downwards. The said Juyce given in the distilled Water of Oaken Buds is very good for Women who have their usual Courses, or the Whites flowing down too abundantly. It helps sore Eyes. The Leaves infused or boy∣led in Oyl Omphacine, or unripe Olives set in the Sun for certain daies, or the green Leaves Sufficiently boyled in the said Oyl, is made an excellent green Balsom, not only for green and fresh Wounds, but also for old and invererate Ulcers, especially if a little fine clear Turpentine be dissolved therin: It also stayeth and represseth all inflamations that a∣rise upon pains, by Hurts, or Wounds.
It is an Herb under the Dominion of the Moon in Cancer, and therfore if the weakness of the Rententive Faculty be caused by an evil influence of Saturn, in any part of the Body governed by the Moon, or under the Domini∣on of Cancer, this Herb cures it by Sympathy: It cures those Diseases before specified in any part of the Body under the influence of Sa∣turn, by Antypathy.
What parts of the Body are under each Pla∣net and Sign, and also what Diseases may be found in my Astrological Judgment of Dis∣eases, and for the internal Work of Nature in the Body of Man, as Vital, Animal, Natural, and Procreative Spirit of Man, The Appre∣•••• Judgment Memory. the external Sences, viz. Seeing, Hearing, Smelling, Ta∣sting, and Feeling; the Vertues, Attractive, Retentive, Digestive, Expulsive &c. under the Dominion of what Planets they are, may be found in my Ephemer••s for the yeer 1651. in both which you shall find the Chaff of Au∣thors blown away by the Fame of Dr. Reason, and nothing but Rational Truths left for the Judgment of the Ingenious to feed upon.
Lastly, To avoid blotting Paper with one thing many times, and also to ease your Purses in the price of the Book, and withal to make you Studious in Physick, you have at the latter end of the Book, the way of preserving all Herbs either in Juyce, Conserve Oyl, Oyn••∣ment, or Plaister, Electuary Pill or Troches.