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.

PURGING SYRUPS.

Syrupus de Cicborio cum Rhabarbaro. Page 67. Or, Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb.

The Colledg. TAke of whol Barley, the Roots of Smal∣lage, Fennel and Sparagus of each two ounces, Succory, Dandelyon, Endive, smooth Sowthistles of each two handfuls, Lettice, Liver∣wort, Fumitory, tops of Hops, of each one handful, Maiden-hair white and black, Cetrach, Liquoris, Winter Cherries, Dodder of each six drachms; to boyl these take sixteen pound of spring water, strain the liquor and boyl in it six pound of white Sugar, adding towards the end six ounces of Rhubarb, six drachms of Spicknard bound up in a thin and slack rag, the which crush often in boyling, and so make it into a sy∣rup according to art.

Culpeper] A. This Receipt (without a name) was borrowed from Nicholaus Florentinus; the diffe∣rence is only in the quantity of the Rhubarb, and Spike, besides the order inverted, whose own aproba∣tion of it runs in these terms.

A. It clenseth the body of venemous humors, as Boyls, Carbuncles, and the like; it prevails against pestilential Feavers, it strengthens the heart and nu∣tritive vertue, purgeth by stool and urine, it makes a man have a good stomach to his meat, and provokes sleep.

A. But by my Authors leave, I never accounted purges to be proper Physick in Pestilential Feavers; this I beleeve, the syrup clenseth the liver well, and is exceeding good for such as are troubled with Hypo∣condriack Melancholly. The strong may take two ounces at a time, the weak one; or you may mix an ounce of it with the Decoction of Senna.

Syrupus de Epithymo. Page 67. in the Latin. Book. Or, Syrup of Epithimum.

The Colledg] Take of Epithimum twenty drams, Mirobalans, Citron, and Indian of each fifteen drams, Emblicks, Bellericks, Polypodium, Liquoris, Agrick, Time, Calaminth, Bugloss, Stoechas of each six drams, Dodder, Fumitory, of each ten drachms, red Roses, Annis seeds and sweet Fennel seeds of each two drachms and an half,d 1.1 sweet Prunes ten, Raisons of the sun stoned four ounces, Tamarinds two ounces and an half; after twenty four hours infusion in ten pints of spring water, boyl it away to six, then take it from the fire and strain it, and with five pound of fine Sugar boyl it into a syrup according to art.

Culpeper] A. It is best to put in the Dodder, Stoe∣chas and Agrick, towards the latter end of the De∣coction.

A. This Receipt was Mesue's, only instead of five pound of Sugar, Mesue appoints four pound of Su∣gar and two pound of Sapa (the making of which shall be shewed in its proper place) and truly in my opinion the Receipts of Mesue are generally the best in all the Dispensatory, because the Simples are so pertinent to the purpose intended, they are not made up of a mess of Hodgpodg as many others are: but to the purpose.

A. It purgeth Melancholly, and other humors, it strengtheneth the stomach and Liver, clenseth the body of addust choller and addust blood, as also of salt humors, and helps diseases proceeding from these, as scabs, itch, tetters, ringworms, leprosie &c. and the truth is, I like it the better for its gentleness, for I never fancied violent Medicines in Melancholly dis∣eases. A mean man may take two ounces at a time, or ad one ounce to the Decoction of Epithimum.

Syrupus è Floribus Persicorum. Page 68. in L. Book. Or, Syrup of Peach-flowers.

The Colledg] Take of fresh Peach-flowers a pound, steep them a whol day in three pound of warm water, then boyl it a little and strain it out, repeat this infusi∣on five times in the same 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in three pound of which dissolve two pound and an half of Sugar [and boyl it into a syrup.

Culpeper] A. It is a gentle Purger of choller, and may be given even in feavers to draw away the sharp chollerick humors according to the opinion of An∣dernacus, whose Receipt (all things considered) dif∣fers little from this.

Syrupus de Pomis Purgans. Page 68. in the L. Book. Or, Syrup of Apples, purging.

The Colledg] Take of the Juyce of sweet smelling Apples two pound, the juyce of Borrage and Bugloss of each one pound and an half, Senna two ounces, Annis seeds half an ounce, Saffron one drachm; let

the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be sleeped in the Juyce's twenty four hours, and after a walm or two strain it, and with two pound of white sugar boyl it to a syrup according to art, the Saffron being tyed up in a rag, and often cru∣shed in the boyling.

Culpeper] A. Mesue appoints Senna Cods, and so do the Augustan Physitians, viz. the husk that holds the seeds; and the Colledg altered that, and added the Annis seeds, I suppose to correct the Sen∣na, and in so doing they did well.

A. The syrup is a pretty cooling purge, and tends to rectifie the distempers of the blood, it purgeth choller and melancholly, and therefore must needs be effectual both in yellow and black Jaundice, madness, scurf, Leprosie, and scabs; It is very gentle, and for that I commend both the Receipt, and Mesue the Au∣thor of it. The dose is from one ounce to three, ac∣cording as the body is in age and strength. An ounce of it in the morning is excellent for such children as break out in scabs.

Syrupus de Pomis Magistralis. Page 68. in L. Book. Or, Syrup of Apples Magisterial.

The Colledg] Take of the Juyce and Water of Ap∣ples of each a pound and an 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the Juyce and Water of Borrage and Bugloss of each nine ounces, Senna half a pound, Annis seeds, and sweet Fennel seeds of each three 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Epithimum* 1.2 of Creet two ounces, Agrick, Rhubarb, of each half an ounce, Ginger, Mace of each four scruples, Cinnamon two scruples, Saffron half a drachm; Infuse the Rhubaib and Cinnamon apart by it self, in white Wine and Juyce of Apples, of each two ounces, let all the rest, the Saffron excepted, be sleeped in the Waters above mentioned, and the next day put in the Juyces, which being boyled, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and strained, then with four ounces of white Sugar boyl it into a syrup, crushing the Saffron in it being tyed up in a linnen rag, the infusion of the Rhubarb being added at the latter end.

Culpeper] A. Out of doubt this is a gallant syrup to purge addust Choller and Melancholly, and to re∣sist madness. I know no better purge for such as are almost, or altogether distracted by Melancholly, than one ounce of this mixed with four ounces of the De∣coction of Epithimum, ordering their bodies as they were taught.

Syrupus de Rhabarbaro. Page 69. in the Lat. Book. Or, Syrup of Rhubarb.

The Colledg] Take of the best Rhubarb and Senna of each two ounces and an half, Violet Flowers a handful, Cinnamon one drachm and an half, Gin∣ger half a drachm, Betony, Succory and Bugloss Water of each one pound and an half; let them be mixed to∣gether warm all night, and in the morning strained and boyled into a syrup with two pound of white su∣gar, adding towards the end four ounces of syrup of Roses.

Culpeper] A. It clenseth choller and melancholly very gently, and therefore is fit for children, old peo∣ple, and weak bodies. You may ad an ounce of it to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Epithimum or to the Decoction of Senna. It is a very pretty Receipt made by the Au∣gustan Physitians.

Syrupus Rosaccus Solutivus. Page 69. in L. Book. Or, Syrup of Roses Sclutive.

The Colledg] Take of spring water boyling hot four pound, Damask Rose leaves fresh as many as the Water will contain, let them remain twelve hours in insusion, close stopped; then press them out and put in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Rose leaves, do so* 1.3 nine times, in the same li∣quor, encreasing the quantity of the Roses as the Li∣quor encreaseth, which will be almost by the third part every time; Take six parts of this Liquor and with four parts of white Sugar boyl it to a syrup ac∣cording to art.

Culpeper] A. It loosneth the belly, and gently bringeth out choller and flegm, but leaves a binding quality behind it.

Syrupus e Succo Rosarum. Page 70. in the Lat. Book. Or, Syrup of the Juyce of Roses.

The Colledg] It is prepared without steeping, only with the Juyce of Damask Roses pressed out, and clarified, and an equal proportion of Sugar added to it.

Culpeper] A. This is like the other.

Syrupus Rosaccus Solutivus cum Agarico. Page 70. Or, Syrup of Roses Solutive with Agrick.

The Colledg] Take of Agrick cut thin an ounce, Ginger two drachms, Sal-Gem one drachm, Polypo∣dium bruised two ounces, sprinkle them with white wine and steep them two dates over warm oshes, in a pound and an half of the infusion of Damask Roses prescribed before, and with one pound of sugar boyl it into a syrup according to Art.

Culpeper] A. You had better ad twice so much su∣gar as is of the infusion, for fear the strength of the Agrick be lost in the boyling.

A. It purgeth flegm from the head, relieves the sences oppressed by it, it provokes the terms in wo∣men, it purgeth the stomach and Liver, and provo∣keth urin. Some hold it an universal purge for all parts of the body: a weak body may take an ounce at a time, and a strong, two ounces, guiding himself as he was taught in Decection of Epithimum.

Syrupus Rosaccus Solutivus cum Helleboro. Page 70. Or, Syrup of Roses Solutive with Hellebore.

The Colledg] Take of the bark of all the Myroba∣lans of each four ounces, bruise them grosly and steep them twenty four hours in twelve pound of the infusi∣on of Roses before spoken; Senna, Epithimum, Poly∣podium of the Oak, of each four ounces; Cloves an ounce, Citron seeds, Liquoris of each four ounces, thef 1.4 bark of black Hellebore roots six drachms; let the fourth part of the Liquor gently exhale, strain it, and with five pound of Sugar and sixteen drachms of Rhu∣barb tyed up in a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rag, make it into a syrup ac∣cording to Art.

Culpeper] A. You must not boyl the black Helle∣bore at all, or but very little, if you do you had as good put none in; me thinks the Colledg should have had either more wit or honesty, than to have left Receipts so woodenly penned to posterity, or it may be they wrote as they say only to the Learned, or in plain English for their own ends, or to satisfie their covetousness, that a man must needs run to them eve∣ry time his finger akes.

A. The syrup rightly used, purgeth melancholly, resisleth madness. I wish the ignorant to let it alone, for fear it be too hard for them, and use them as coursly as the Colledg hath done.

Syrupus Rosaccus Solutivus cum Sena. Page 70. Or, Syrup of Roses Solutive with Senna.

The Colledg] Take of Senna six ounces; Caraway

and sweet Fennel seeds of each three drachms, sprin∣kle them with white Wine and infuse them two daies in three pound of the infusion of Roses aforesaid, then strain it, and with two pound of Sugar boyl it into a Syrup.

Culpeper] A. It purgeth the body of choller and melancholly, and expels the relicts a disease hath left behind it; the dose is from one ounce to two: you may take it in a Decoction of Senna, it leaves a bin∣ding quality behind it.

Surupus de Spina Cervina. Page 71. Or, Syrup of Purging Thorn.

The Colledg] Take of the Berries of Purging Thorn, gathered in September, as many as you will, bruise them in a stone Mortar and press out the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, let the fourth part of it evaporate away in a bath, then to two pound of it, ad sixteen ounces of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sugar, boyl it into a Syrup, which perfume with 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Cinnamon, Nutmegs, Annis seeds, in fine pouder of each three drachms.

Culpeper] A. Tragus and Pena commend it much against the Dropsie, I know nothing of it by experi∣ence, and I am confident the Colledg when they writ it knew as little, and therefore I hold it modesty to let it alone, as an upstart Medicine appointed to try experiences upon poor mens bodies, and if it kill them, their friends by Law cannot question a Colle∣giate.

Notes

• d 1.1

  Would I ould see them: tru∣ly if ye would hav them, I doubt you 〈◊〉〈◊〉 go to Arabia where Me∣sue dwelt.
• * 1.2

  and why of Creet? there grew most Time upon Hi∣mettus in Greece, & Hybla in Sycilia, & so by con∣sequence most Epi∣thimum.
• * 1.3

  God re∣joyceth in odd num∣bers, quoth one of their Patriarks, I should have said a Poet.
• f 1.4

  Take the Roots themselves for if the Bark be to be had, it is very rare.