Pharmacopœia Londinensis, or, The London dispensatory further adorned by the studies and collections of the Fellows, now living of the said colledg ... / by Nich. Culpeper, Gent.

In the 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Euphotbium.

Gum Arabick is cold.

Colophonia and Styrax soften.

Gum Arabick and Tragacanth, Sandarack or Ju∣niper Gum, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bind.

Gum of Cherry trees, breaks the stone.

Styrax provokes the terms.

Opopanax gently purgeth flegm.

Because I was brief in the vertues of these before, I shall supply here what was wanting there.

From the prickly Cedar when it is burned comes forth that which with us, is usually known by the name of Tar, and is excellent good for unction eithor, for scabs, itch, or manginess, either in men or 〈◊〉〈◊〉; as also against the leprosie, Tetters, Ring∣worms, and Scald-heads.

All sorts of Rozins fill up hollow ulcers, and re∣lieves the body ore, pressed with cold griefs.

The Rozin of pitch tree, is that which is common∣ly called Burgony-pitch, and is something hotter and sharper than the former, being spread upon a cloath is excellent good against old aches coming of former bruises or dislocations.

Pitch mollifies hard Swellings, and brings boyls and sores to suppurstion, it breaks carbuncles, disperseth Aposthumes, clenseth ulcers of corruption and filleth them with flesh.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 heats and mollifies, and that very tempe∣rately, being mixed with any convenient Oyntment or Plaister, it helps kernels in the neck and throat, Scrophula, or that disease which was wont to be cal∣led the Kings evil, because people dream'd waking that the Kings of England could cure it by touching, which to me is as credible as the History of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and the Dragon.

Inwardly taken in any convenient Medicine, it pre∣vokes urine and the terms, and breaks the stone; it helps coughs and the bitings of venemous beasts, it helps windiness of the Spleen, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the sides thence coming; both outwardly applied to the place & inwardly taken, it helps ruptures or such as are burst, it softens the hardness of the womb, dties up the moi∣sture thereof, and expels the dead child.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 Judaicum is a certain dry pitch which the dead Sea, or Lake of Sadom in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cast forth at certain times, the Inhabitants there about, pith their Ships with it. It is of excellent use to mollifie the hardness of swellings and discuss them, as also against Inflamations; the smoke of it burnt is excellent good for the fits of the mother, and the falling-sickness; Inwardly taken in Wine it provokes the terms, helps the bitings of venemous beasts, and dissolves congea∣led blood in the body.

Ambergreese is hot and dry in the second degree; I will not dispute the case whether it be a Gum or not: It strengthens nature much which way soever it be taken; there are but few grains usually given of it at a time, I suppose rather for fear it should be too heavy for the purse than too hot for the body; mix∣ed with a little Oyntment of Orrenge flowers, and the temples and forehead anointed with it, it easeth the pains of the head and strengthneth the brain ex∣ceedingly; the same applied to the privities helps the fits of the mother, inwardly taken it strengthens the brain and memory, the heart and vital Spirit, warms cold stomachs, and is an exceeding: strengthener of nature to old people; adding vigor to decayed and worn-out spirits, it provokes lust, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 barren women fruitful, if coldness and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or weakness be the cause impediting.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 being smelled to, is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 known to repress the fits of the mother; a little 〈◊〉〈◊〉 into an aching tooth, presently easeth the pains; ten grains

of it taken before dinner walking half an hour after it, provokes appetire, helps digestion, strengthens the stomach, and takes away loathing of meat, it pro∣vokes lust exceedingly, and expels wind as much.

Borrax, or Borrace as some cal it, besides its vertues it hath to sodder Gold, Silver, and Copper &c. In∣wardly given in smal quantities, it stops fluxes, and the running of the reins; being in fine pouder, and put into green wounds it cures them at ounce dres∣sing.

Cambuge, which out of many names, which every Country bestows upon it, the Colledg are pleased to call Gutta Gamba: Authors are extreamly different, both about its being, what is is, whether a juyce or not; If a juyce, of what, and about its operation, whether it work violently or not: for my part I care not for medling with an unknown medicine my self, neither would I advise my Country men.

Caranna outwardly applied, is excellent for aches, and swellings in the nerves and joynts; If you lay it behind the ears, it draws back humors from the eyes, applied to the temples as they usually do Mastich, it helps the tooth-ach.

Gum Elemi Authors apropriate to fractures in the skull and head. See Arceus his Liniment.

Gum Lacca being well purified, and the quantity of half a drachm taken in any convenient liquor, strengthens the stomach and liver, opens obstructi∣ons, helps the yellow jaundice and dropsie, provokes urine, breaks the stone in the reins and bladder.

Liquid Amber is not much unlike liquid Styrax; by unction it warms and comforts a cold and moist brain, it easeth all greifs coming of a cold cause; it mightily comforteth and strengtheneth a weak sto∣mach, being anointed with it, and helps digestion ex∣ceedingly, it dissolves swellings. It is hot in the third degree, and moist in the first.

I think it would do the Common-wealth no harm, if I should speak a word or two of Manna here, al∣though it be no Gum; I confess Authors make some flutter about it, what it is, some holding it to be the juyce of a tree; I am confident it is the very same condensated that our honey-dews here are, only the Countryes whence it comes being far hotter it fulls in greater abundance: Let him that desires reasons for it, be pleased but to read Butler his book of Bees, a most excellent experimental work, where he shal find reason enough to satisfie any reasonable man. Chuse the dryest, and whitest, it is a very gentle purger of choller, quencheth thirst, provokes appetite, easeth the roughness of the throat, helps bitterness in the throat, and often proness to vomit; It is very good for such as are subject to be costive to put into their drinks in stead of Sugar, it hath no obnoxious quali∣ty at al in it, but may be taken by a woman with child, without any danger, a child of a year old may take an ounce of it at a time, dissolved in milk, it wil melt like Sugar, neither wil it be known from it by the tast.

Mirrh is hot and dry in the second degree, excee ding dangerous for women with child; It is bitter, and yet al Authors hold it to be good for the rough∣ness of the throat and wind-pipe; half a drachm of it taken at a time, helps rhewmatick distillations upon the Lungues, pains in the sides, it stops fluxes, pro∣vokes the terms, brings away both birth and after∣birth, softens the hardness of the womb: being taken two hours before the fit comes, it helps Agues, Malhi∣plus saith he seldom used any other medicine for the quartan ague, than a drachm of Mirrh given in Muskadel, an hour before the fit usually came; if you make it up into pills with Treacle, and take one of them every morning fasting; it is a soveraign pre∣servative against the pestilence, against the poyson of serpents and other venemous beasts, a singular reme∣dy for a stinking breath, if it arise from putrifaction of the stomach, it fastens loose teeth, and staies the shedding off of the hair, outwardly used, it breeds flesh in deep wounds, and covers the naked bones with flesh.

Olibanum is hot in the second degree, and dry in the first: you may take a drachm of it at a time, it stops loosness and the running of the reins, it streng∣thens the memory exceedingly, comforts the heart, expels sadness and melancholly, strengthens the heart, helps Coughs, Rhewms, and pleurisies; your best way (in my opinion to take it, is to mix it with conserves of Roses, and take it in the morning fa∣sting.)

Tachamacha, is seldom taken inwardly, outward∣ly spread upon leather, and applied to the navil, it staieth the fits of the Mother, applied to the side, it mitigates speedily, and in little time quite takes away the pain and windiness of the spleen; the truth is whatsoever ach or swelling proceeds of wind or cold raw humors, I know no better Plaister coming from Beyond Sea then this Gum; it strengthens the brain and memory exceedingly, and stops al such de∣fluxions thence, as trouble the eyes, ears or teeth, it helps the gout and Sciatica.

Gum Coopal, and Gum Anime are very like one a∣nother, both in body and operation, the former is hard to come by, the last not very easy, it stops de∣fluxions from the head, if you persume your Cap with the smoke of it, it helps the headach and Me∣grim, strengthens the brain, and therefore the Sin∣news.

Gum Tragaganth, which the vulgar call Gum dra∣gon, being mixed with pectoral Syrups (which you shall find noted in their propper places,) it helps coughs and hoarceness, salt and sharp distillations up∣on the Lungues, being taken with a liquoris stick, being dissolved in sweet Wine, it helps (being drunk) gnawings in the bowels, sharpness and fret∣ting of the urine, which causeth excoriations either in the reins or bladder, being dissolved in milk and the eyes washed with it, it takes away wheals and scabs that grow on the eye lids, it is excellent good to be put in pultisses to sodder wounds, especially if the nerves or sinnews be hurt.

Sagapen. dìssolved in juyce of Rue and taken, wonderfully breaks the stone in the bladder, expels the dead child and after-birth, cleers the sight, dissol∣ved in Wine and drunk, it helps the cough, and distil∣lations upon the Lungues, and the fits of the mo∣ther, outwardly in Oyls or Oyntments, it mightily helps such members as are out of joynt or overstret∣ched.

Galbanum is of the same operation, and also taken from the same plant, viz. Fennel, Giant.

Gum Arabick, thickneth and cooleth, and cor∣recteth Chollerick sharp humors in the body, being dissolved in the white of an Egge well beaten, it helps burnings, and keeps the place from blistering.

Mastich staies fluxes, being taken inwardly any way: Three or four small grains of Mastich swal∣lowed down whol at night going to bed, is an excel∣lent remedy for pains in the stomach: Being beaten

into pouder, and mixed with conserves of Roses, it strengthens the stomach, stops distillations upon the lungues, staies vomiting and causeth a sweet breath, being mixed with white Wine and the mouth washed with it, it clenseth the gums of corruption, and fasteneth loose teeth.

Frankinsence being used outwardly in the way of a Plaister, heats and binds, being applied to the tem∣ples, stops the Rhewms that flows to the eyes, helps green wounds, and fills hollow ulcers with flesh, stops the bleeding of wounds, though the Arteries be cut, being made into an Oyntment with Vineger and Hogs-grease, helps the Itch, burnings, ulcers in the head, pains in the ears, inflamations in womens breasts, commonly called the Ague in the breast; be∣ware of taking it inwardly, least it cause madness.

Turpentine is hot in the second degree, it heals softens, it discusseth and purgeth, clenseth the reins, provokes urine.

Styrax Calamitis is hot and dry in the second de∣gree, it healeth, mollifieth, and concocteth; being taken inwardly helps the cough, and distillation of the Lungues, hoarceness and losse of voice, helps the hardness of the womb, and provokes the terms; if you take ten grains of it at a time made up in the form of a Pill.

Ammoniacum, hot and dry in the third degree, softens, draws, and heats; being dissolved in Vine∣ger, strained and applied plaister-wise, it takes away bunckles and hardness in the flesh, it is one of the best remedies that I know for infirmities of the spleen, being applied to the left side; being made into an Oyntment with Oyl, it is excellent good to anoint the Limbs of such as are weary; a scruple of it being taken in the form of a Pill losens the belly, gives spee∣dy delivery to women in travail, helps diseases in the spleen, the sciatica and all pains in the joynts, such as piss blood, and have any humor afflicting their Breast.

Camphire, it is held by al Authority to be cold and dry in the third degree, it is of very thin and subtil parts, insomuch that being beaten into very fine pou∣der it will vanish away into the air, being beaten into pouder and mixed with Oyl, and the temples anoin∣ted therewith, easeth head aches proceeding of heat, al inflamations whatsoever; the back being anointed with the same, cools the reins, and Seminal Vessels, stops the running of the reins and whites in women, the moderate use of Venery, the like it doth if it be drunk inwardly with Betony Water, take but a smal quantity of it at a time inwardly, it resists poyson and bitings by venemous beasts; outwardly applied as before and the eyes anointed with it, stops hot rhewms that flow thither.

Opopanax purgeth thick flegm from the most re∣mote parts of the body, viz. the brain, joynts, hands and feet, the nerves and breast, and strengthens all these parts when they are weak, if the weakness proceed of cold as usually it doth; it helps weakness of the sight, old rotten coughs, and gouts of all sorts, drop∣sies, and swellings of the spleen, it helps the strangury and difficulty of making Urine; provokes the terms, and helps all cold afflictions of the womb, have a care you give it not to any women with child. The dose is one drachm at most corrected with a little Mastich, dissolved in Vineger and outwardly applied helps the passions of the Spleen.