The compleat herbal of physical plants containing all such English and foreign herbs, shrubs and trees as are used in physick and surgery ... : the doses or quantities of such as are prescribed by the London-physicians and others are proportioned : also directions for making compound-waters, syrups simple and compound, electuaries ... : moreover the gums, balsams, oyls, juices, and the like, which are sold by apothecaries and druggists are added to this herbal, and their irtues and uses are fully described / by John Pechey ...

Scurvy grass, in La∣tin Cochlearia.

'Tis hot and dry, and abounds with a Volatile Salt: Upon

which Account, it renders the fix'd and crude Hu∣mours more Spiritous and Volatile. It cures those Diseases that proceed from too great a quantity of fix∣ed Salts, but especially the Scurvy; upon which Ac∣count it is call'd in English, Scurvy-grass. But, because the Parts wherein the chief Virtue of this Plant con∣sists are very Volatile, and soon dissipated by boyling, the Juice, or an Infusion of the Herb, is much more effectual than the Deco∣ction. The Scurvy is a Disease very frequent a∣mong those that live on the Sea-shore, especially in the North; and among such as feed chiefly upon Salt-fish. Solenander says, such kind of Plants grow in every Region, by the Appointment of God Al∣mighty, which most agree with the People and Ani∣mals that are there bred. Nay, he says, he could tell what were the Diseases of any Country, by seeing the Herbs that were most common in it. As, Among the Danes and Dutch, with whom the Scurvy is ve∣ry frequent, Scurvy-grass grows plentifully. Take of Conserves of Scurvy-grass, Roman Wormwood, and Fumatory, each two Ounces; of the Powder of the Winteran-bark, and of the Root of Angelica, and of Wake-Robin, each two Drams; of the Species of the three Sanders one Dram and an half, of Crabs-eyes powder'd one Dram, of Salt of Wormwood two Drams; make an Electu∣ary with a sufficient quan∣tity of Syrup of Citron-bark: Take the quantity of a Nutmeg Morning and Evening, for the space of three Weeks, drinking pre∣sently after it a quarter of a Pint of the following An∣ti-scorbutick Wine: Take of the Leaves of Scurvy-grass four Handfuls, of Horse-Radish sliced four Ounces, of the Winteran-bark half an Ounce, the outward Rinds of four O∣ranges, and four Limons; put them all into a Glass well stop'd, add to them six Quarts of White-wine; keep the Bottle in a cool place, and pour the Li∣quor out as you use it.

Provide four Gallons of Small Ale, and, instead of Hops, boyl three Handfuls of Pine-tops: When the Beer has done Working in the Vessel, hang in the Ves∣sel a Canvas-bag, with three Handfuls of Scurvy-grass in it, four Ounces of the Roots of Sharp-pointed Docks prepar'd, and the Rinds of four Oranges; when it is clear, drink of it for your ordinary Beer; you must put Stones or Bullets into the Bag, to make it sink: But before you begin to take of these Medicines, you must bleed once, and purge twice. The Spirits of Scurvy-grass, Golden and Plain, as they are called, are much used by some Coun∣try-people; but they are not near so effectual as the Anti-scorbutick Wine a∣bove-mention'd; for in∣deed, the best parts of the Scurvy-grass, I mean the the Volatile Salts, fly away, and are lost, in preparing the Spirit; so that scarce any thing remains, but Flegm, and an empty Name. See Dr. Willis of the Scurvy, pag. 263. Says he there, The Virtue evapo∣rates by Boyling.