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 ...

Gum-Ammoniacum.

Chuse that which is with∣out Sand, that is pure, yellow without, and clear within; which burns clear when it is fired, and soft∣ens, and sticks to the Hands when handled, and flies in∣to many shining pieces when it is knock'd with an Ham∣mer: It will dissolve in Water; it smells stronger than Galbanum, and hath a bitterish Taste. It atte∣nuates, and resolves, and draws violently, and moves the Belly. 'Tis chiefly used for Pains of the Gout, to resolve the viscid and thick Mucilage of the Lungs, and Mesentery; and for obsti∣nate Obstructions of the Li∣ver, Spleen, and Womb; and for the Stone. 'Tis used outwardly for a Scir∣rhus, for the King's-Evil, and to dissolve other hard Swellings. Gum-Ammo∣niack is distill'd in the fol∣lowing manner: Put a Pound of Gum-Ammoni∣ack into an Earthen Retort, or a Glass one, luted, big enough for two thirds to remain empty; place this Retort in a Reverberatory Furnace, and fitting to it a Receiver, begin the Distil∣lation with a very little Fire, to warm gently the Retort, and drive forth, Drop by Drop, a little Fleg∣matick Water; when the Vapours begin to appear, throw out that which is in the Receiver; and re-fit∣ting it, and luting close the Joints, increase the Fire by degrees, and continue it until all is come forth; then let the Vessels cool, and unlute them; pour out that which is in the Re∣ceiver, into a Tunnel lined with Brown Paper; the Spirit will pass through, and leave the thick, black Oyl in the Filter: Keep it in a Viol. 'Tis good for the Palsie, and Hysterical

Diseases; the diseas'd Parts are rub'd with it: And it is given Women to smell to. Put the Spirit into a Glass-Limbeck, and rectifie it by distilling it in Sand: 'Tis a good Remedy against the Plague, and all sorts of Malignant Diseases. 'Tis used in the Scurvy, and all manner of Obstructions. The Dose is, from eight to sixteen Drops. The Spirit of all other Gums may be drawn after the same man∣ner. The Plaster of Am∣moniacum of the London-Dispensatory is made in the following manner: Take of Ammoniacum, of Bran well sifted, each one Ounce; Ointment of Marsh-mal∣lows, Compound Mellilot-Plaster, Roots of Briony and Orris powder'd, of each half an Ounce; Geese, Ducks and Hens Fat, of each three Drams; of Bdel∣lium, and Galbanum, each one Dram and an half; Resin of the Pine, and yel∣low Wax, of each five Ounces; Oyl of Orris and Turpentine, of each an Ounce and an half; boyl the Fats and Oyl, with Mucilage of Linseed and Fenugreek, each three Oun∣ces, to the Consumption of the Mucilage; strain it, and add the Wax, Resin and Turpentine, the Ointment of Marsh-mallows, with the Plaster of Melilot; when it begins to be cold, put in the Ammoniacum dissolv'd in Vinegar, then the Bdel∣lium powder'd, with the rest of the Powders, and so make a Plaster according to Art. It asswages and mollifies hard Swellings, and discusses the Peccant Hu∣mour: It softens the Spleen when hard, and eases the Pain of it. The Plaster of Hemlock, with Ammonia∣cum, of the London-Dispen∣satory is made in the fol∣lowing manner: Take of the Juice of the Leaves of Hemlock four Ounces, of Vinegar of Squils, and of Gum-Ammoniacum, each eight Ounces; after due Infusion, strain it, and re∣duce it to the Consistence of a Plaster, according to Art: It eases Pain, and al∣lays Inflammations. Am∣moniacum is also used in some other Plasters of the London-Dispensatory: Take of Gum-Ammoniacum dis∣solv'd

in Vinegar one Ounce; of Ladanum and Mastich, each two Drams; of Oyl of Wormwood, and of Wax, each a sufficient quantity: This is used for an Inflammation and Ab∣scess of the Liver. Syrup of Ammoniacum of the London-Dispensatory is made in the following manner: Take of Maudlin and Ce∣trach, each four Handfuls; of Common Wormwood one Ounce; of the Roots of Succory and Asparagus, and of the Bark of the Roots of Capers, each two Ounces; make an Infusion of them for twenty four Hours: After due Prepara∣tion, in three Ounces of White-wine, and of Simple Radish-water, and Fuma∣tory-water, each two Pints; boyl them to a Pint and an half, let the strain'd Liquor stand till it is clear; dis∣solve a-part, in four Oun∣ces of the strain'd Liquor, when it is warm, two Oun∣ces of Gum-Ammoniacum, dissolv'd first in the sharpest White-wine-Vinegar; boyl the rest to a Syrup, with a Pound and an half of Fine Sugar, adding the Dissolu∣tion of the Gum towards the End. This Syrup o∣pens Obstructions, and is good for Diseases of the Skin: An Ounce of it, or somewhat more, may be taken at a time.