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 ...

E.

EBony, in Latin Ebe∣nus.

The Wood is as black as Pitch, and as smooth as polish'd Ivory. 'Tis good for the Diseases of the Eyes. Many sorts of things are made of it; as, Cases, Chests, Combs, Frames for Pictures and Looking-glasses, and the like. An English Man that was frequently seiz'd with Flatulent Convulsions, was cured by using a Decoction of Ebony for the space of

forty Days; whereby he did sweat much.

White Ellebore, or Hel∣lebore, in Latin Helleborus albus.

The Root of White Hellebore, which is only in use in Physick, purges ve∣ry violently upward and downward; yet it may be used, says Tragus, being in∣fus'd twenty four Hours in Wine or Oxymel, and af∣terwards dried: Half a Dram of it, so prepar'd, may be given in Wine to Mad and Melancholy Peo∣ple. But either of the Hel∣lebores, says Gesn••r, may be used inoffensively, being boyl'd to a Syrup with Ho∣ny and Vinegar; and are very useful for many Fleg∣matick Diseases, especially of the Breast and Head; as, an Asthma, Difficulty of Breathing, and the Falling-sickness. They wonderful∣ly purge the Belly, the U∣rine, and all the Passages. In the Use of White Helle∣bore two Things are chiefly to be minded: First, That the Diseases are very obsti∣nate: And Secondly, That the Patient hath sufficient Strength to bear the Ope∣ration. Wherefore the Root ought not to be given to Old Men, Women, or Children, or to such as are weakly, and costive in the Body: And the Hellebore ought to be well prepar'd. The old Way of giving of it was, with Horse-Radish, which they used three Ways; for, either they stuck the Roots into Horse-Radish, and continu'd them in it twenty four Hours; and afterwards, the Roots being taken out, they gave the Horse-Radish: Or they infus'd the Horse-Radish, stuck with the Roots, in Oxymel, in B. M. and gave only the Oxymel: Or, they left the Horse-Radish so prepar'd all Night, and in the Morning infus'd it in Oxymel, having first cast away the Hellebore; and then they gave the Oxymel. But Parkinson says, the best Way of preparing it is, to infuse it in the Juice of Quinces; or to roast it un∣der Ashes, in a Quince. If, upon taking Hellebore, there is danger of Suffoca∣tion, the eating of Quinces, or the taking the Juice or Syrup of it, is a present

Remedy. The Root boyl'd in Vinegar, and retain'd a while in the Mouth, takes off the Pain of the Teeth. A Decoction of it made in Lee kills Lice, aad cleanses the Head from Scurf, it being wash'd with it: And mix'd with some Ointment, it does the same, and cures the Itch, and other Vices of the Skin. Made up in∣to a Paste, it kills several Animals; as, Moles, Mice, Weaslles, Birds, and the like. The Powder of it blown up into the Nostrils, occasions Sneezing; where∣fore it is called in English Sneez-wort. Parkinson says, the Spaniards make a Poy∣son of the Juice of the Root, being fermented in an Earthen Pot; where∣with they anoint their Ar∣rows, that the Wounds in∣flicted by them may be ren∣der'd incurable. 'Tis very strange that this Poyson ta∣ken into the Body should not be deadly, and yet that the Wound touch'd with it should be so. But the same may be said of the Poyson of Vipers; which being ta∣ken inwardly, occasions no deadly Symptoms; but be∣ing mix'd with the Blood▪ through the Orifice of a Wound, or Puncture, soon kills, unless the Party is im∣mediately reliev'd by pro∣per Remedies. To con∣clude, both Hellebores were formerly used for Me∣lancholy and Mad People, and now they are only used in great Diseases; as, for the Falling-sickness, Giddi∣ness, Madness, Dropsie, Hip Gout, Convulsions, and the like. The Extract of Hellebore of the London-Dispensatory is made in the following manner: Take of the Roots of White Hel∣lebore cut one Pound, of Fountain-water six Quarts; infuse them three Days, then boyl it half away, and press it out strong∣ly; to the strain'd Liquor add three Pounds of Hony, and boyl it to the Consi∣stence of Hony, and keep it in a Glass for use. It grows in hilly and rough Grounds, not only in Greece, and Italy, and o∣ther hot Countries, but al∣so in Germany.

True Black Ellebore, or Hellebore, in Latin Hellebo∣rus

niger.

It purges strong∣ly melancholy Humours, and therefore consequently is a good Medicine for all those Diseases which take their Rise from thence; as, Madness, Hypochon∣driacal Passion, and Ele∣phantiasis, Herpes, Cancers, Giddiness, Falling-sickness, Apoplexy, and the Itch. But it is to be noted, that it ought to be given only to strong People. There is less danger in the Deco∣ction of it. 'Tis corrected with Mastich, Cinnamon, Annise-seeds, Fennel-seeds, and the like. Some say, that Black Hellebore, right∣ly prepar'd, is a very inno∣cent Medicine; and that it may be given to Women and Children, and to weak∣ly People. The Dose of it, in substance, is, from fif∣teen Grains to half a Dram, or two Scruples: Those that are very strong may take a Dram. 'Tis given in Infusion, or Decoction, from a Dram to two Drams. When it is taken in sub∣stance, the form of it is a Powder; as, Take of Black Hellebore two Scruples; of Ginger, Mastich, Red Roses, Cinnamon, and An∣nise-seeds, each four Grains; mingle them in Broth: Chil∣dren may take a Scruple. 'Tis also made up into Pills, with some convenient Sy∣rup. The Virtue of the Root is wholly in the Fi∣bres, and the Bark. 'Tis best corrected with Cloves. Hartman commends, for an immoderate Flux of the Courses, a Girdle made with the fresh Leaves of Black Hellebore, and worn about the Loins. Take of Black Hellebore two Scru∣ples, infuse them in a suffi∣cient quantity of Rose-Vi∣negar, or in Whey, for twenty four Hours, then dry it, and reduce it to a Powder, and add to it of Annise-seeds and Cinna∣mon, each half a Scruple; mingle them, and make a Powder. This is com∣mended by Margravius, as a fit Purge for melancholy People.

Euphorbium.

'Tis a concreted Juice, that is ve∣ry acrid. You must chuse that which is pure, yellow, and acrid; which being just touch'd by the Tongue,

heats the Mouth a long while after; but it grows milder by Time; and therefore, when it is fresh, it ought to be used with great Caution. It wonder∣fully purges Watery Hu∣mours from the whole Bo∣dy: But it is a churlish Medicine; for, besides the malignant Propriety of its Substance, it has an infla∣ming Faculty. Take of Euphorbium dissolv'd in Vinegar, and thicken'd a∣gain, eight Grains; of the Seeds of Purslain fifteen Grains: Make Pills with Rose-Vinegar. Or, Take of Euphorbium infus'd in Oyl of Almonds for the space of a Night, and af∣terwards roasted under Ashes, in a Citron, ten Grains; of the Seeds of Lettice one Scruple: Make Pills with the Juice of Ci∣tron. Or, Take of Eu∣phorbium prepar'd four Grains, of Cassia fresh drawn half an Ounce; with Sugar make a Bolus. These Preparations of Eu∣phorbium, Maggravius rec∣kons up amongst his Fleg∣magoges. But Hoffmannus is of the Opinion, that Eu∣phorbium ought not to be taken inwardly. 'Tis much used for the Caries of the Bones, and for Wounds: See our Wiseman, and Fa∣bricius Hildanus. But Care must be taken that it be not sprinkled upon Ulcers of the Jaws, Nostrils, Pa∣late and Tongue; or upon those Places where Ten∣dons or Nerves are expos'd naked; lest by velicating and biting them, it should occasion dangerous Sym∣ptoms.