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The Bal∣sam of it, called Opobalsa∣mum, has been famous in all Ages for curing of Wounds: And so effectual has it been accounted, that other Vulnerary Oyls and Ointments have taken their Names from it: And therefore Quacks and Mountebanks grace their Medicines with the Name
of Balsam, to make them more acceptable to the Peo∣ple. There are many Ob∣servations of dangerous Wounds that have been cured in a short time by the use of this Balsam. It cleanseth sordid Ulcers. It doth much good in the Bi∣tings of Serpents and Scor∣pions, inwardly taken, or outwardly applied. Half a Dram of it taken every Morning, is good in the Plague, and a good Pre∣servative against it. Two Scruples, or a Dram of it is very good in Chronical Fevers, occasion'd by crude and cold Humours, or by Obstructions of the Bow∣els. It clears the Sight, and is good in Diseases of the Ears. Besides, 'tis use∣ful in Convulsions that pro∣ceed from Cold and Moi∣sture; also for Giddiness, Falling-sickness, Palfies, and the like; for Coughs that proceed from a cold Hu∣mour; for Difficulty of Breathing, and Catarrhs; for Crudities, and Wind in the Stomach; for a moist and cold Intemperies of the Womb; for Barrenness, the Whites, Difficulty of Urine, occasion'd either by Wind or Gravel. Women also make use of it to beau∣tifie the Face. Lobelius wrote a whole Book of the Virtue of it. It grows on∣ly in the Land of Judea.
'Tis of great Virtue in out∣ward and inward Diseases. 'Tis hot and dry. It dis∣solves, digests, and discus∣ses. Some Drops of it ta∣ken in a Morning fasting, is good in an Asthma. 'Tis good for the Intemperies of the Stomach, and Weak∣ness of the Bowels. It o∣pens Obstructions, and takes off the Chilness of the Breast, and Hypochon∣dra's, being anointed with a warm Hand. By rub∣bing of it on the Head, it strengthens the Brain, and prevents Convulsions, and the Palsie, and strengthens all the Nerves. When a Nerve is prick'd, it takes off the Acrimony of the Sa∣nies, from whence pro∣ceed Pains and Convul∣sions. When Animals are wounded, or bit by Ve∣nomous Creatures, by In∣stinct
of Nature they rub themselves on the Bark of this Tree, and so are pre∣sently reliev'd. 'Tis com∣monly used by Dr. Willis, and others, in making of Purging Pills. It comes from Peru and New-Spain, in Earthen Jars. 'Tis of a very dark Colour, and of a fragrant Smell.
'Tis of the Consistence and Smell of distill'd Oyl of Turpentine. The Bark be∣ing cut at Full-Moon, it di∣stils in such a quantity, that in the space of three Hours it drops six Quarts. 'Tis not only excellent for heal∣ing and cleansing Wounds, especially of the Nerves, and for curing the Biting of Serpents; but it is also very beneficial taken in∣wardly: For three or four Drops taken in an Egg, twice or thrice in a Morn∣ing, cures a Dysentery, and other Fluxes of the Belly, the Whites, and a Gonor∣rhaea. The Jews experience the Salutary Virtue of it in Circumcision; for they stop the Blood, flowing from that cruel Wound, with it, which before was deadly to many of them. This Tree is wont to be much rub'd by Animals that are bit by Serpents, or hurt by Wild Beasts; to which they run for Cure by natural In∣stinct. It grows plentifully in the Island called Maran∣how.
The Tree from whence this Balsam drops is like a small Pine-tree: The thin and tender Bark is cut when the Sun is at its full heighth: for it will not drop at all in the Night, by reason of the Cold. The Liquor flowing out is receiv'd into Spoons, made of black Wax. 'Tis of a Golden Colour, and of a moderate Consistence. 'Tis very glu∣tinous, tastes pleasantly and well, and hath a curious Scent. It hath the same Virtues with the Peruvian Balsam. It comes from To∣lu, and is better than that which is brought from New Spain. It heats and dries, attenuates, resolves, is vul∣nerary, and purges the Breast. 'Tis chiefly used
in an Asthma, and for a Consumption, and also for Crudities and Pains in the Stomach. 'Tis outwardly used for all Pains that pro∣ceed from a cold Cause, for Defluxions upon the Eyes, the Palsie, the Weakness, Pain and Wind of the Sto∣mach. Used with Nard-Oyl, it cures the Weakness of the Spleen; and is good for all Edematous Tumors, for Swellings under the Ears, and for the King's-Evil. But it is much com∣mended for curing Wounds, especially if the Bones are broken; for it draws forth the Splinters. 'Tis also of good use in Wounds of the Joints, and when the Nerves are cut or prick'd, and for Contusions, and the like. Take of the Bal∣sam of Tolu, of Mecha, or, for want of it, of Copaiba, of Calamite-Storax, of Belzion the best, of Oni∣banum, Mastich, Myrrh, Ammoniacum granulated, Taccamhac, of Gum-Ele∣mi of Chios-Turpentine, of the Roots of Florentine-Orris, each half an Ounce; of the Pectoral-water made in the following manner, one Pint and an half: Take of the Leaves of Ground-Ivy, Colt's-foot, Oak of Jerusalem, each three Pounds; Hysop, Rosema∣ry, Penny-royal, Hore∣hound, of each one Pound and an half; of the Roots of Elecampane and Liquo∣rish, each one Pound and an half; of Florentine-Or∣ris twelve Ounces, of Figs sliced three Pounds, of the best Saffron, of the Seeds Annise, and Sweet-Fennel, each half an Ounce; of Spirit of Wine five Quarts, of Fountain-water four and twenty Quarts; infuse them, and distil from a Limbeck twelve Quarts: Take, as I said, one Pint and an half of this Pecto∣ral-water, and boyl the In∣gredients above-mention'd in it, in a Circulatory Ves∣sel, well stop'd, and placed in hot Sand for some Hours; strain it, and add a sufficient quantity of White Sugar to make a Syrup. This is excellent for Coughs, and Consum∣ptions; and for the Stone in the Kidnies and Blad∣der.
is good for Pains that proceed from Cold or Wind. It helps Digestion, creates an Appetite, and strengthens the Stomach. 'Tis good for Ulcers in the Kidnies, Womb, Lungs, or Breast. It stops Spitting of Blood; is good for Coughs, and an Asthma, and other Diseases of the Lungs. 'Tis useful in Diseases of the Head and Nerves; as, Apople∣xies, Lethargy, Palsie, Con∣vulsions, and the like. It cures Bursten Bellies, and kills Worms, and expels Gravel. It cures Deafness, being drop'd into the Ear. 'Tis good for a Fistula and Ulcers; for Bruises, and Aches of the Limbs. It opens Obstructions of the Liver and Spleen, and pro∣vokes Women's Courses. It grows in America, in the Province of Chili.
They are the Flowers of the Wild Pome∣granate; some of them are as big as a Damask-Rose, others much less. They corroborate the Stomach; are drying, binding, cool∣ing, and astringent. They stop Catarrhs, a Loosness, the Bloody-Flux, a Gonor∣rhaea, and the like. They settle the Teeth when they are loose, and cure Bursten Bellies. They are brought from Turky, and Spain, and some other Places. Take of the Roots of Bistort, Tormentil, of Pomegra∣nate-peel, each one Ounce; of the Leaves of Plantane, Knot-grass, Shepherd's-purse, and Horse-tail, each one Handful, of Cypress-Nuts, Balaustians, Pome∣granate, Myrtle, and Shu∣mach, each one Ounce; boyl them in Smith's Wa∣ter, and rough Wine; strain it, and make a Fo∣mentation. This is a good astringent Fomentation. Ba∣laustians are also an Ingre∣dient of the Syrup of Myr∣tles in the London-Dispensa∣tory.
It mollifies, discusses, opens, and clean∣ses. But it is to be noted, when it is fresh, it mollifies most powerfully; when it is old, it discusses and clean∣ses best. 'Tis chiefly used inwardly, for a Cough, and
an Ulcer of the Lungs, and to expel Gravel, and to provoke Urine, and the like. Outwardly used, it discusses Hardness and Knots of the Nerves. Take of Bdellium, Gum-Ammoniacum, and Opo∣ponax, each two Drams; dissolve them in White-wine, strain them, and boyl them; then add of the Confection of Hamech and Diaphoenicon, each two Ounces; of the Catholicon Duplicatum half an Ounce, of Faetid Pill two Drams; make an Opiat; of which take half an Ounce, adding to it twenty Grains of Mer∣curius dulcis: Continue the use of it several Days toge∣ther, and it will take off the Hardness and Swelling of the Spleen.
'Tis one of the five Emollient Herbs. 'Tis used chiefly in Clysters, and other Pa∣regoricks, of whatsoever kind they are; and most commonly in Pultises. The Roots made into Pultises, and applied, are good for Burns, and Luxations. Be∣ing taken inwardly, they force Urine, and stop a Loosness. They are good for Consumptive People, and such as spit Blood, and for Contusions. It grows in Italy, and Sicily. 'Tis one of the Ingredients of the Majesterial Water of Worms, in the London-Dis∣pensatory; which is made in the following manner: Take of Worms well cleans'd three Pounds; of Snails, with their Shells, cleans'd two Gallons; beat them in a Mortar, and put them into a convenient Vessel; adding of the Leaves of Stinging Net∣tles, with their Roots, six Handfuls, of Wild Angeli∣ca four Handfuls, of Bears-breech seven Handfuls, of Agrimony and Betony, each three Handfuls; of Common Wormwood two Handfuls, of the Flowers of Rosemary six Ounces, of the Roots of Sharp-pointed Docks ten Ounces, of Wood-Sorrel five Oun∣ces, of Turmerick, of the Inner Bark of Barberries, each four Ounces, of Fe∣nugreek-seed two Ounces, of Cloves powder'd three
Ounces, of Hart's-horn grosly powder'd▪ of Ivory powder'd, each four Oun∣ces; of Saffron three Drams, of Small Spirit of Wine four Gallons and an half; after they have been infus'd four and twenty Hours, distil them in Glass Vessels, in B. M. The first four Pints that distil is to be kept by it self, and is called the Spirit: The rest is called the Majesterial Water of Worms.
It attenuates: 'Tis hot and dry. 'Tis used for Coughs, Rheums, and Obstructions of the Lungs. It comes from Su∣matra, Surat, and several other Places. Flowers and the Oyl of Benjamin are made in the following man∣ner: Take an Earthen Pot, high and narrow, with a little Border round it; put into it three or four Oun∣ces of clear Benjamin, gros∣ly powder'd; cover the Pot with a Coffin of Pa∣per, and tye it round a∣bout, under the Border; set the Pot into hot Ashes, and when the Benjamin is heated, the Flowers will sublime; take off the Cof∣fin every two Hours, and fix another in its place; stop up quickly, in a Glass, the Flowers you find in the Coffins; and when those which afterwards sublime do begin to appear Oyly, take the Pot off the Fire, put that which remains in∣to a little Glass Retort; and fitting a Receiver to it, distil in a Sand-heat a thick and fragrant Oyl, until no more comes forth; and there will remain in the Retort nothing but a very spungy Earth. The Flow∣ers are good for Asthmati∣cal Persons, and to fortifie the Stomach. The Dose is, from two Grains to five, in an Egg, or in Lozenges. The Oyl is a Balsam for Wounds and Ulcers. Tin∣cture of Benjamin is made in the following manner: Take three Ounces of Ben∣jamin, and half an Ounce of Storax; powder them grosly, and put them into a Pottle-Matrass, half em∣pty; pour upon them a Pint of Spirit of Wine; stop your Vessel close, and set it in warm Horse-dung;
leave it in Digestion for a Fortnight; after which, fil∣trate the Liquor, and keep it in a Vessel well stop'd. Some do add to it five or six Drops of Balsam of Pe∣ru, to give it a better Smell. 'Tis good to take away Spots in the Face. A Dram of it is put into four Oun∣ces of Water, and it whi∣tens like Milk: This Wa∣ter serves for a Wash, and is called Virgin's Milk. Take of Fat Ammoniacum, dissolv'd in Vinegar of Squills, one Ounce; of Ex∣tract of Aloes half an Ounce, of Crystal of Tar∣tar one Dram, of Myrrh, and Saffron, each half a Dram; of Mastich, Benja∣min, and Salt of Ash-tree and Wormwood, each one Scruple; with Oxymel of Squills make a Mass for Pills. The Dose is, half a Dram, twice a Week; Purging being used betwixt whiles. These Pills are good for a Scirrhus of the Spleen.
Disco∣rides, and others of the An∣cients, attribute many Vir∣tues to it. It purges up∣ward and downward, and evacuates Choler and Flegm. It has an Acrid Moisture, whereby it sub∣verts the Stomach, occa∣sions Nauseousness, and moves the Belly. It purges gross and clammy Flegm by Vomit and Stool; wherefore it is good for a Flegmatick Cholick. Mix∣ed with Hony, it resolves hard Swellings, and the King's-Evil. Made up in∣to a Pultis with Barly-Meal and Hony, it doth good in cold Diseases of the Nerves. Mix'd with Meal of Lupines, it takes off Ob∣structions and Hardness of the Liver and Spleen. The Oyl drop'd into the Ear, cures Deafness, and the Noises of it. It cleanses the Skin from Spots. That which is old is better for inward use than the fresh, because by Time the Moi∣sture is evaporated, which so much disturbs the Body. The like may by observ'd in the Roots and Leaves of Asarabacka; which purge violently upward and downward when they are green, by reason of such an
Acrid Moisture; for when they are dry they lose that malignant and violent force. The same is also to be ob∣serv'd in Orris; which, when green, burns and pricks violently; but when it is dry it doth not do so. The same is to be observ'd in the Roots of Wake-Ro∣bin, which lose their Acri∣mony when they are dry. Take Bdellium, Ammonia∣cum, and Galbanum, of each equal parts; beat them in a Mortar, with the Oyl of Ben and Lillies; then add the like quantity of the Mucilage of the Seeds of Fenugreek, and Figs: Make an Ointment. 'Tis of great use in the Scirrhus.
The Root is hot and dry. Both discuss, attenuate, o∣pen, and cleanse: But the Round is of finer parts, the long of grosser: Both are Cephalick, Epatick, and Pulmonick. They are good to open the Obstructions of the Lungs, to provoke the Courses, to break inward Tumors, and to expel Poi∣son. The Infusion of the long Root is frequently u∣sed to cure the Itch, and to cleanse Wounds. 'Tis good for Pains in the Sto∣mach, and for the Hickups. But the chief use of both is, to purge the Womb af∣ter Child-birth, and to force the Courses. Take of the Roots of Round Birth-wort half a Dram, of the Leaves of dried Sa∣vin one Dram and an half, of Dittany of Crete, of the Troches of Myrrh, of Asa Foetida, each one Dram; of choice Cinnamon two Drams, of White Sugar two Ounces; make a fine Powder of them all: Take two Drams in the Morn∣ing, for some Days, in the Broth of Red Vetches, wherein two Drams of Cinnamon and half a Dram of Saffron have been boyl'd. Birth-wort grows every where in the Hedges, in Italy, France and Spain.
The Seed of it is one of the four Lesser hot Seeds. It incides, o∣pens, and dries. 'Tis good for the Gripes, Difficulty
of Urine, and the Biting of Venomous Creatures; and also forces the Courses. 'Tis mix'd with Blistering Plasters to prevent Difficul∣ty of Urine, which usually comes upon the use of such Medicines: But the use of it, as of Cummin, are Cau∣ses of pale Colour. 'Tis of excellent use for Barren∣ness, a Dram of it pow∣der'd, being taken in Wine, or fresh Broth, every other Day, three Hours before Meals: But it ought not to be given above four or five times. 'Tis an excel∣lent Medicine in this Case, and has often been found successful. But the Hus∣band must not be concern'd with his Wife on the Days she takes the Seed. To which End, and also for the Whites, an Uterine Clyster being first used, says Simon Paulus, I have given the following Pow∣der to many barren Wo∣men; whereby they prov'd with Child, and were freed from the Whites. The Description of the Uterine Clyster is as follows: Take of the Roots of Long and Round Birth-wort, each two Drams; of Gentian, and Zedoary, each one Dram; of Ground-Ivy, the Lesser Centory, of Birth-wort, and Rosemary, each one Handful; of Balm, and Red Mug-wort, each half an Handful; of the Lesser Cardamoms half an Ounce; cut and beat them for a Decoction for an Ute∣rine Clyster. The Descrip∣tion of the Powder is as fol∣lows: Take of Speed-well, of the Seeds of Bishop's-weed, each half an Ounce; of the Lesser Cardamoms, of sharp Cinnamon, each two Drams; of Sugar-Candy a fourth part of the weight of all the rest: Make a Powder according to Art. Take of the Roots of Elecampane, Smallage, Fennel, and Orris dried, each one Ounce and an half; of the Roots of Va∣lerian, Gentian, Asarabac∣ca, Squills, each one Dram; of the inner Bark of the Elder, and Saxifrage, each six Drams; of the Leaves of Wormwood, Agrimony, Germander, Maiden-hair dried, each two Drams; of the Tops of the Lesser Centuary, and Broom-Flowers,
each one Dram; of the Seeds of Parsley, Bi∣shop's-weed, and Dill, each one Dram and an ha••••; of Cinnamon two Dram•••• of Spikenard half a Dram; mix them together, and in∣fuse them in two or three Measures of White-wine: Let the Sick drink of this Wine every Morning. This is good for a Dropsie. The Seed of Bishop's-weed is al∣so an Ingredient of the Compound Syrup of Beto∣ny in the London-Dispensa∣tory. It comes from Ale∣xandria.
A Water di∣still'd from it, breaks and expels the Stone in the Bladder. The Root of it is good against Poisons, and the Strangury. The Plant bruised, and applied hot, eases the Pain of the Side. It grows about Geneva; and frequently in the Woods in Germany.
'Tis a large and vast Tree; and so ve∣ry thick sometimes, that three Men, with their Arms extended, can scarce com∣pass it. The Wood is cold and dry; it mitigates Fe∣vers; 'tis Binding, and Strengthening. Infus'd in the Cold, with Eye-water, it cures Inflammations of the Eyes. The Wood is much used for making Handles for Knives and Swords, and Drum-sticks. 'Tis very dense and pon∣derous, and may be po∣lish'd. Take of Sarsaperil∣la, of Crude Antimony, and of the Shells of Nuts, each six Ounces; of the Roots of China one Ounce, of Brazile-wood a little, of Water nine Pints; boyl half away; the Antimony, and the Shells powder'd, must be hang'd in a Rag, so that they may not touch the bottom of the Vessel; strain it: Take a large Draught in the Morning, three Hours before Din∣ner; and in the After∣noon, four Hours after Dinner; and three Hours after Supper, for fifteen Days; Bleeding and Pur∣ging being first used. This is commended in the Gout.