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 ...

J.

JAlap, in Latin Jalapium.

The Root of it is like Mechoacan, but it is co∣ver'd with a black Bark, and is brownish within. It comes to us sliced from In∣dia. It tastes gummy, but not unpleasant. 'Tis strong∣er than the common White Mechoacan, for it purges Watery Humours better. A Dram of the Powder of it may be given at a time. The Purgative Quality re∣sides in the Resin. Resin, or Magistery of Jalap is made in the following man∣ner: Put a Pound of Jalap, grosly powder'd, into a large Matrass; pour upon it Spirit of Wine Alcoho∣liz'd, until it be four Fin∣gers above the Matter; stop the Matras with ano∣ther, whose Neck enters into it; and luting the Jun∣ctures with a wet Bladder, digest it three Days in a Sand-heat; the Spirit of

Wine will receive a red Tincture, decant it, and then pour more upon the Jalap, proceed as before; and mixing your Dissolu∣tions, filtrate them through Brown Paper; put that which you have filtrated into a Glass-Cucurbite, and distil in a Vaporous Bath two thirds of the Spirit of Wine, which may serve you another time for the same Operation; pour that which remains at the Bot∣tom of the Cucurbite, into a large Earthen Pan, fill'd with Water, and it will turn into a Milk, which you must leave a Day to settle, and then separate the Water by Inclination; you will find the Resin at bottom, like unto Turpen∣tine; wash it several times with Water, and dry it in the Sun, it will grow hard, like common Resin; pow∣der it fine, and it will be∣come white; keep it in a Viol. It purges Serosities: 'Tis given in Dropsies, and for all Obstructions. The Dose is, from four to twelve Grains, mix'd in an Ele∣ctuary, or else in Pills. The Resins of Turbith, Scammony and Benjamin may be drawn after the same manner. If you use sixteen Ounces of Jalap, you will draw an Ounce and six Drams of Resin. You must observe to give the Resin of Jalap always mix'd with something else, that may separate its Parts; for if it be taken alone, it will be apt to adhere to the Membrane of the Intestines▪ and so cause Ulcers by its Acrimonious Quality. Moreover, Apothecaries should observe to mix it in a little Yolk of an Egg, when they would dissolve it in a Potion; for it sticks to the Mortar, like Tur∣pentine, when it is moist∣en'd with any Aqueous Li∣quor. It may be likewise incorporated with some E∣lectuary, and then it easi∣ly dissolves. Twelve Grains of this Resin work as much as a Dram of Jalap in sub∣stance: But I have always observ'd in my Practice, that the Powder of Jalap works better and surer than the Resin. Take of Lenetive Electuary two Drams, of the Cream of Tartar half a Dram, of

Powder of Jalap two Scru∣ples; make a Bolus with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Buck-thorn; add three Drops of Oyl of Juniper. This purges strongly Wa∣tery Humours. For weak∣ly People use the following Medicine: Take of Leni∣tive Electuary one Dram, of Cream of Tartar half a Dram, of Powder of Jalap one Scruple, of Rubarb powder'd ten Grains; with a sufficient quantity of Sy∣rup of Roses Solutive, and three Drops of Oyl of Ju∣niper' make a Bolus.

Ierusalem-Artichoak, in Latin Battata Canadensis.

It frequently grows in Gar∣dens here in England. The Root of it tastes well, and is eaten with Butter and Ginger, and sometimes ba∣ked in a Pye: But how∣ever it be dress'd, it is windy, and offensive to the Stomach.

The Iesuit's-Bark, in Latin China-China, Arbor Fe∣brifuga Peruviana, Pulvis Patrum, or Pulvis Cardinalis.

A noted Merchant, and an honest Man, who liv'd ma∣ny Years in Peru, and pub∣lish'd an Account of this Tree, written in Italian, says, it grows in Regno Qui∣tensi, in a peculiar Place; which the Indians call Lo∣ca, or Loia. The Powder of the Bark, given in a due quantity, is the most cer∣tain and safe Remedy for the Cure of an Ague. The incomparable Physician, Dr. Thomas Sydenham called it the only Specifick for A∣gues: Says he, (treating of the Cure of Agues) When I had found the Inconvenien∣ces that proceed from Eva∣cuations, and well weighing the Matter, I suppos'd that Jesuit's-Powder would be the most certain Cure. And, indeed, I can truly affirm, notwithstanding the Preju∣dice of the Common Peo∣ple, and of some few of the Learned, that I never found any Injury by the use of it, nor can imagine any; only they that have used it a long time, are seiz'd some∣times with a Scorbutick Rheumatism, but this hap∣pens rarely; and when it does, 'tis easily cured by the following Medicines: Take of Conserve of fresh

Garden-Scurvy-grass two Ounces, of Wood-Sorrel one Ounce, of the Com∣pound-water of Wake-Ro∣bin six Drams; with a suf∣ficient quantity of Syrup of Oranges, make an Electua∣ry: Take two Drams of it three times a Day, for the space of a Month; drink∣ing upon it six Spoonfuls of the following Water: Take of Garden-Scurvy-grass eight Handfuls; of Water-cresses, Brook-lime, Sage and Mint, each four Handfuls; the Bark of six Oranges, of bruised Nut∣meg half an Ounce; infuse them in six Quarts of Bruns∣wick-Mum, distil them in a common Still, and draw off three Quarts of Water. Be∣ing called to a Patient that has a Quartan-Ague, sup∣pose, for Instance, on a Monday; and if the Fit be to come that Day, I do then nothing; only, to en∣courage the Patient, I tell him he will have no more Fits than that. To which End, I give the Bark in the following manner, on Tues∣day and Wednesday: Take of Jesuit's-powder one Ounce, make an Electuary with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of July-flowers, or of dried Roses, to be di∣vided into twelve Parts; whereof, let him take one every fourth Hour, begin∣ning presently after the Fit is off, drinking upon it a Draught of any Wine. But if the Patient can take Pills best, Take of the Jesuit's-powder one Ounce, with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of July-flowers, make Pills of a moderate bigness; whereof, let him take six every fourth Hour. But it is less troublesome, and full as good, that an Ounce of this Powder be mingled with a Quart of Claret, and that eight or nine Spoonfuls of it be taken at the same times above-mention'd. On Thursday, which is the Fit-day, I order nothing; be∣cause, most commonly, no Fit comes then; the Re∣licks of the Feverish Matter being put off by the usual Sweats which come to∣wards the End of the pre∣ceding Fit, carry it off; and the Provision for a new Fit being intercepted by the repeated Juice of the Pow∣der, on the Days betwixt

the Fits. But▪ lest the Ague should return again, eight Days exactly from the time wherein the Sick took the last Dose, I give the same quantity of the Powder; namely, an Ounce, divided into twelve Parts, accord∣ing to the Method above-describ'd. But tho' the Re∣petition of it once does ve∣ry often cure the Disease, yet the Sick is not wholly out of Danger, unless his Physician repeat it the third or the fourth time, at the same distances above-men∣tion'd; especially if the Blood has been weaken'd by fore-going Evacuations, or if the Patient has un∣warily expos'd himself to the cold Air. But, tho' this Remedy has no Purga∣tive Quality in it, yet, by reason of the peculiar Tem∣per of some Bodies, it often happens, that the Sick is as violently purg'd by the use of it, as if he had taken some strong Purge: In this Case it is necessary to give Laudanum with it; and therefore I order ten Drops of Laudanum to be put in∣to Wine, and to be taken after every other Dose of the Powder, if the Loos∣ness continues. The above-mention'd Method cures al∣so Quotidian and Tertian-Agues. But tho' Tertian and Quotidian-Agues seem wholly to intermit after a Fit or two, yet many times they appear like Continual Fevers; and there is only Remission of the Fever on the Days the Fit should in∣termit; especially when the Sick hath been kept a∣bed altogether, or has been punish'd with an hot Me∣thod and Medicines, that are design'd to drive out the Fever by Sweat. In this Case we must lay hold of the least Remission, and give the Powder every fourth Hour; left, whilst we attend on the Fit, there should not be time enough for the Powder to work upon the Blood. But see∣ing there are some that can∣not take the Bark, neither in the form of a Powder, nor of an Electuary, or Pills, I give to these an In∣fusion of it made in the Cold: I infuse for some time two Ounces of the Bark, grosly powder'd, in a Quart of Rhenish-wine;

and four Ounces of the said Infusion seems to contain the Virtue of one Dram of the Powder; and because it is not unpleasant, nor does oppress the Stomach, it may be taken as often again as any other Form of this Medicine; namely, till it has cured the Ague. Sometimes it happens, that before this Disease forms it self into Regular Fits, the Sick, by reason of continual Vomiting, cannot contain the Bark in the Stomach, in what Form soever it is taken. In this Case, the Vomiting must be first stop∣ped, before the Bark is given: To which End I order, that six or eight times, in the space of two Hours, the Sick take one Scruple of Salt of Worm∣wood, in one Spoonful of the Juice of Limons fresh press'd out; afterwards six∣teen Drops of Liquid Lau∣danum, in a Spoonful of strong Cinnamon-water; and soon after, if the Vo∣miting be stop'd, let him take the Jesuit's-powder. For Infants, whose tender Age can scarce bear this Remedy in any other Form, at least, so much of it as may be sufficient to cure the Disease, I prescribe the following Julap: Take of Black-Cherry-water and Rhenish-wine, each two Ounces; of the Jesuit's-powder three Drams, of Syrup of July-flowers one Ounce; mingle them, and make a Julap; give a Spoon∣ful or two, according to the Age of the Child, every fourth Hour, till the Dis∣ease is cured; dropping in∣to every other Dose, if there be a Loosness, a Drop or two of Liquid Laudanum. As to Diet, let the Sick eat and drink what his Sto∣mach craves, Summer-Fruits and cold Liquors on∣ly excepted; and let him drink Wine moderately, for his ordinary Drink; by which alone I have reco∣ver'd some, whose Bodies, by reason of the frequent Returns of the Ague, have always eluded the Saluti∣ferous Virtue of the Bark. The Disease being taken off, all manner of Evacuations are carefully to be avoided; for the gentlest Purge, nay, a Clyster only of Milk and Sugar, will be apt to occa∣sion

a Relapse. But this excellent Bark does not on∣ly cure Agues, 'tis also fre∣quently used, by the best Physicians, for Continual Fevers, in the Gout, and for Hysterick Diseases, and the Fever that accompanies Consumptions, commonly called the Hectick Fever, the Bark being given in In∣fusion, and sweeten'd with Syrup of Rasberries. But if, with an Hectick Fever, the Consumptive Patient be also afflicted with a Loosness, which commonly ends the Tragedy, the fol∣lowing Pills are of excel∣lent use: Take of the Lem∣nian Earth half a Scruple, of Bole-Armoniack twelve Grains, of the Pill de Sti∣race one Dram and an half, of the Jesuit's-powder half an Ounce, of Syrup of Ju∣ly-flowers a sufficient quan∣tity; make fourscore Pills; let him take five every six Hours, during the Loos∣ness; dringing upon them seven Spoonfuls of the fol∣lowing Julap: Take of the Aqua-lactis Alexiteria twelve Ounces, of Cinna∣mon-water hordeated three Ounces, of Dr. Stephens's Water, and Epidemick-water, each two Ounces; of Diacodium three Oun∣ces. The following Medi∣cine is commended for a Consumption: Take of the Peruvian Bark one Ounce, of the Balsam of Tolu three Drams, of Cochinel one Scruple; boyl them in a Pint of Carduus Benedictus-water; strain it, and add of Syrup of Rasberries and Epidemick-water, each two Ounces: Take four Spoon∣fuls twice a Day. Some adp to the Infusion of this Bark, the Lesser Centory, Wormwood, Charvil, Juni∣per-berries, the Bark of the Alder-tree, Saxifrage, Salt of Tartar, and divers other Ingredients; but the Basis of all is the Peruvian Bark, the rest of the Ingredients do no great Good. Tin∣cture of the Peruvian Bark is made in the following manner: Put into a Bolt-head four Ounces of good Bark, grosly powder'd; pour upon it Spirit of Wine, four Fingers high above the Matter; fit to it another Matrass, in or∣der to make a double Ves∣sel; lute well the Jun∣ctures,

and place your Ves∣sel to digest in Horse-dung, or in a Vaporous Bath, four Days; stir it from time to time, the Spirit of Wine will load it self with a Red Colour; unlute the Ves∣sels, filtrate the Tincture through Brown Paper, and keep it in a Viol well stop∣ped. 'Tis a Febrifuge to be given in Agues, three or four times a Day, after the Fit; and to be continued for a Fortnight: The Dose is, from ten Drops to a Dram, in some proper Li∣quor; as, in Centory-wa∣ter, Juniper, Wormwood-Water or Wine. If you put new Spirit of Wine to the Matter which remains in the Matrass, and set it in Digestion, as before, you will draw more Tin∣cture, but it will not be so strong as the other; where∣fore you must give it in a larger Dose. Extract of Peruvian Bark is made in the following manner: Put to infuse warm twenty four Hours eight Ounces of Pe∣ruvian Bark, in a sufficient quantity of distill'd Water of Nuts; afterwards boyl the Infusion gently, and strain it, make a strong Ex∣pression of the Residence, put it to infuse in new Water of Nuts, boyl it and strain it as before; mix together what you have strain'd, let them settle, and decant the clear Liquor, and evapo∣rate it in a Glass, or Earth∣en Vessel, set in a Sand∣heat, unto the Consistence of thick Hony: It has the same Virtues as the former. The Dose is, from twelve Grains to half a Dram, in Pills, or dissolv'd in Wine. Sir Robert Tabar was the first that found out the true Dose or Quantity of it for curing Agues; for he did not stand upon Scruples, but gave Drams and Oun∣ces of it; and so it an∣swer'd his End, and ren∣der'd him and the Bark fa∣mous. Being once requir'd by some Physicians to de∣sine what an Ague was, he answer'd, That an Ague was a Disease that he could cure, and they could not. 'Tis to be noted, that the Bark, when it is old, is as effe∣ctual to cure Agues, as when it is fresh; and, in one respect, much better; for the Purgative Quality,

which is observ'd to be in the fresh Bark, goes off in time. Spon. in his Book of Observations, Sur les Fievres, & les Febrifuges, says, That by diligent Search he had found, that the Peru∣vian Bark did not come from the Trunk or Branches, but from the Root; for he had tried some of the Bark of the Trunk and Branches, that was sent to him, and it was not at all bitter. Which Observation may be of some use to those in our World, who endeavour to find a Succedaneum for it. I, says he, have made some Trials in this Matter: The Bark of the Root of the Peach-tree is very rough, and a little bitter; upon which Account it is, undoubtedly, very proper for a Loosness, The Bark of the Roots of the Ash is also rough, and pun∣gently acrid, by reason of abundance of Salt contain'd in it, which gives it its Fe∣brifuge Virtue. Lastly, The Bark of the Roots of the Black-Cherry-tree is rough, and bitter; and therefore the Powder of it given in a Quartan-Ague, lessens the Fits, but does not quite take them off: Yet, says he, I do not question but that it will cure Fevers, being given or∣derly, and in a due quan∣tity.

Florentine-Iris, in Latin Iris Florentina.

The Root of it hang'd in Wine or Beer, keeps the Beer sweet, and imparts a pleasant Smell to the Wine, and makes it taste as if Rasber∣ries were mix'd with it. 'Tis also much used by Ba∣kers, to make Leaven for Wheaten Bread. Many Virtues are attributed, by Ancient and Modern Au∣thors, to this Plant. 'Tis chiefly used for Obstructi∣ons of the Lungs, for a Cough, Asthma, Obstru∣ctions of the Courses, and for Children's Gripes. Out∣wardly used, with Helle∣bore and Hony, it cleanses the Skin from Spots. 'Tis frequently used in Sweet Powders, for the Hair. 'Tis also good for the Dropsie, and the Jaundice; it purges Water powerful∣ly. The Juice of the Root is given for this purpose, from half an Ounce to an Ounce and an half. A

Gentlewoman cured seve∣ral People of Dropsies only by giving the Juice of this Root: She order'd them to take four Spoonfuls every Morning in six Spoonfuls of White-wine. An Ounce of the fresh Juice has been used with good Success in a desperate Obstruction of the Belly. It purges Flegm, Water and Choler: But it is now-a-days only used for Dropsies. Take of the Roots of Florentine-Iris and Hermodactiles powder'd, each six Drams; of the Plaister Oxycroceum, and of the Mucilages, each two Ounces; of the Resin of Pine one Ounce; mix them, and moisten them with Oyl of Worms, and make a Plaster: This is used for the Gout. Take of the Roots of Florentine-Iris twelve Ounces, of the Wood of Rhodim two Oun∣ces, of the Leaves of Mar∣joram three Drams, of Cloves one Ounce, of Li∣mon-peel five Drams, of Cyperus-root one Ounce, of Sweet-smelling Flag six Drams, of Damask-Roses four Ounces, of Red Roses two Ounces; of Benzoyn, Styrax and Calamit, each one Ounce; of Labdanum half an Ounce; make a gross Powder. This is a sweet Powder, and is very proper to sprinkle amongst Clothes▪ to preserve them from the Moth. If all the aforesaid Ingredients are distill'd with Strong Beer, in a common Still, six Grains of Musk being tied up in a Rag, and hang'd in the Receiver, you will have a Perfum'd Water, that is very fit for Funerals.

Jujubs, in Latin Juju∣bae.

They are moderately hot and moist: They at∣temperate the Sharpness of the Blood, and are good for Diseases of the Breast and Lungs, for Coughs, Difficulty of Breathing, for Diseases of the Reins and Bladder, and for Heat of Urine. The Syrup of Ju∣jubs of the London-Dispen∣satory is made in the follow∣ing manner: Take of Ju∣jubs number Sixty, of the Flowers of Violets five Drams, of Liquorish rasp'd and bruis'd, of the Leaves of Maiden-hair, and of French-Barly, each one

Ounce; of the Seeds of Mallows five Drams; of the Seeds of White Pop∣pies, Melons, Lettice, and of Quinces and Gum-Tra∣gacanth tied up in a Rag by themselves, each three Drams; boyl them in three Quarts of Fountain-water, till half is consum'd; strain it, and clarifie the Liquor, and with two Pounds of White Sugar make a Syrup. 'Tis a good, cooling Syrup, and proper for Coughs, Pleurisies, and for Ulcers of the Lungs and Bladder. 'Tis an Ingredient in the Lohoch Sanans of the Lon∣don-Dispensatory, and of the Pectoral Decoction.