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 ...

Galbanum.

'Tis a fat Juice, but cannot be dis∣solv'd with Oyl; in Water it may. 'Tis of a middle Nature, betwixt a Gum and a Resin; for it will burn like Resin, and dis∣solve in Water like a Gum. 'Tis of a yellow Colour,

and of a soft Substance, like Wax. It tastes bit∣terish and acrid, and smells very strong. The chief use of it is, to mollifie and di∣gest. 'Tis used inwardly to provoke the Courses, to hasten Delivery, to expel the Secundine, and a dead Child. 'Tis also outward∣ly used in Child-bearing, for the Courses, for Mo∣ther-fits, and for Giddiness. The Fume of it is good in the Falling-sickness, for Mother-fits, and for Faint∣ing, and the like. 'Tis said by some of the Ancients, that he that washes his Hands with a Solution of it, may safely handle Serpents: But the Truth of it may be well doubted. Take of Galbanum, and choice Myrrh, each one Dram and an half; of Castor six∣teen Grains; with a suffi∣cient quantity of the Bal∣sam of Peru: Make twelve Pills of each Dram: Give three at Bed-time, drink∣ing upon them three or four Spoonfuls of Compound-Briony-water: Continue the use of these Pills thirty Days. These Pills are ve∣ry proper in Hysterick Dis∣eases. Take of Galbanum dissolv'd in Tincture of Ca∣stor, and strain'd, three Drams; Tacamahaca two Drams; mingle them; make a Plaster to be ap∣plied to the Navel. This Plaster is very proper in Hysterick Diseases. 'Tis an Ingredient of several Pla∣sters of the London-Dispen∣satory; as, of the Plaster of Ammoniacum, Barbarum Magnum; of the Plaster of Cinnabar, and of the Com∣pound Diachylon; of the Plaster of Mucilages, of the Divine Plaster, and some others. The way to puri∣fie it is, to dissolve it in Vinegar; then passing it through a Cloth, all the Moisture is to be evapora∣ted away over the Fire. By this means it is cleans'd, indeed, from Straws, and some other Impurities that are contain'd in it: But then, part of its Volatile Spirits is evaporated at the same time, and in them consists its greatest Virtue; while some others are fix'd by the Acid, which always hinders the Motion of Vo∣latiles. Wherefore I would never advise this Purifica∣tion:

I had rather, after chusing it as clean as may be, only powder it in a Mortar, to mix it with what may be thought fit; for, tho' there should be some little Straws in it, they would never be able to alter the nature of the Remedy, or diminish its Virtue so much, as does the Destruction of its Vo∣latile Salts by the Vinegar. But because it is too moist to be powder'd, you must first cut it into little Slices, and dry it in the Sun. 'Tis a Tear of the Herb called Faerula.