Blagrave's supplement or enlargement to Mr. Nich. Culpeppers English physitian containing a description of the form, names, place, time, coelestial government, and virtues, all such medicinal plants as grow in England, and are omitted in his book, called, The English-physitian, and supplying the additional virtues of such plants wherein he is defective : also the description, kinds, names, place, time, nature, planetary regiment, temperature, and physical virtues of all such trees, herbs, roots, flowers, fruits, excrescencies of plants, gums, ceres, and condensate juices, as are found in any part of the world, and brought to be sold in our druggist and apothecaries shops, with their dangers and corrections / by Joseph Blagrave ... ; to which is annexed, a new tract for the cure of wounds made by gun-shot or otherways, and remedies for the help of seamen troubled with the scurvy and other distempers ...

Myrobolans.

Kinds, Names.] THere are brought unto us five sorts of fruits of the Myrobolan, well known in the Apothecaries Shops; called Cytrine, Chebul, Bellericks, Emblick, Indian; They are also called Indian purging Plums.

Descript.] 1. The yellow Myrobolan, or purging Indian Plum, Myrobo∣lanus Citrina; Is said to grow on a Tree as great as a Plum Tree; ha∣ving many branches and winged leaves like unto the leaves of the Service-tree; The fruit is for the most part as big as an ordinary Plum, some∣what long, having many fair ridges on the outside, especially when it is dryed, shewing it to be five-square though round; of a yellower colour on the outside than any of the rest: The flesh or substance being of a reasonable thickness, the stone is white, thick, and hard to break; with ridges also therein, and a very small long kernell in the middle, of an astringent taste as the dryed fruit is, but much more than it.

Descript.] 2. The purple Myrobolan, or purging Indian plum, Myro∣bolanus chebula. This kind groweth in bigness and branches like a Plum-tree, having leaves like unto Peach-leaves; the fruit thereof is the grea∣test, and longest of all the five sorts, of a blackish purple colour on the out∣side while it is fresh, which it holdeth in the dry fruit, (which, as saith Mathiolus, is the best,) being five square as the former; of a more thick and fleshy substance than any of the other, and with the smallest stone in it, not so hard to break as the former; but with the smallest kernell therein.

Descript.] 3. The round Myrobolan or purging Indian plum, Myrobo∣lanus Bellerica. This is like the rest for growth, but hath leaves like the Bay-tree; but of a paler green colour, the fruit is of a mean bigness round and smooth, yet in many being as it were three square; of a pale rushetish co∣lour when they are fresh, but of a dark or dusty colour on the outside, when they are dry, of the thinnest substance of any of the sorts; the stone is thick and greater than any other kind, very hard to break, and having within it a pretty big kernell.

Descript.] 4. The bearded or six square Myrobolan, or purging Indian plum. The tree is for height and growing like a Plum-tree; the leaves are about an hand-breadth long, finely cut in about the edges, the fruit appears round, but will separate or break into six parts, without any stones, as may be observed in the dry fruit; but more plainly in the fruit preserved: which is many times brought over to us, and which will be divided into many parts, the stone whereof within it is six-square, with three greater ridges, and three lesser lying between them, and bearded at the head of the three greater ridges, the kernell within it is parted into, three equal divisions, having each of them two Cauls, wherein the parts of the kernells do lye almost three square.

Descript.] 5. The black Myrobolan or purging Indian plum, Myrobo∣lanus Indica. The tree hereof is like the rest, the leaf like unto a Willow-leaf, (as saith Garcias) and the fruit is eight square, (as he also saith.) but they cannot be plainly discerned to be so in those that are brought over unto us dry, the fruit is the smallest and blackest of all the rest, somewhat long, and altogether fleshy, having no stone therein.

Place and Time.] All these Plum-trees grow in the East-Indies wild, and not manured; but in divers Provinces, as Goa, Batecula, Mala∣var, and Dabul, Cambaya, Bisnagar, Decan, Surrate, and Bengala. The time of their flowring and hearing fruit we have no relation of.

Government and Vertues.] All these sorts of Myrobolans are under the particular influence of glorious Sol. They are all indued with a gentle purging quality, in some more powerfully than in others, some also purge Choler, some Flegm, and some melancholy; and have also in all of them an astringent nature more than is in Rubarb; the Ci∣trines and Bellericks, that is, the yellow and round Myrobolans do purge Flegm, and yellow Choller gently.

The Chebules and Embelici, that is, the purple and six-square My∣robolans, do purge Flegm, and the Indian or black one Melan∣choly.

But generally the Decoction or infusion of them all together do purge better than any other wayes; so gently evacuating the humours, that they strengthen the Stomach, Liver, and heart; but given in powder they bind more than purge, the binding quality being most predominant in them all, especially in the dryed fruits; And Garcias saith, that the Indians wholly use them for that purpose. Therefore they are good to be mingled with Scamony and other violent purgers to cor∣rect them.

The Bellericks and Emblicks purge the stomach from rotten Flegm, strengthen the brain and Joynts, the heart, and Liver, and are very effectual for the trembling of the heart, to stir up appetite, stay vo∣miting, and belchings of Choller: it fortifies the Spi∣rit, qualifies the heat of the inward parts, & quencheth thirst; easeth the pains of the Hemorroides, or Piles, they are good for all hot constitutions, and hot A∣gues where there is no obstruction; but where there are obstructions they are to be corrected with Wormwood, or the juice of Fumiterry, or with Rubarb, Agarick, Spiknard, and with o∣ther opening and diuretical things.

The Chebules especially do purge Flegm, sharpen the memory, cleer the eye-sight, cleanse and strength∣en the Stomach, and are available against the Drop∣sie, and all old Agues.

The Indian or black Myrobolans, do in special purge melancholy, and black or adust Choller, and therefore are effectual in Quartane agues, Leprosie, and paralytick diseases.

The Emblicks and Bellericks in a special manner purge Flegm, and comfort the brain heart and Stomach, stay vo∣miting, and stir up an appetite to meat, generally they are all of special use to stay all Fluxes of the Stomach and belly, by gently purging the malignity of the humours, and strengthening and binding the parts afterwards; The Chebule myrobolans, broken and steeped in Rose-water, or in the clarifi'd Juice of Fennel for two or three days, and strained, this water dropped into the eyes doth clear the sight; and a fine cloth wet therein and often applyed, ta∣keth away the heat and inflamation in them, and stayeth Rheums and distillations that fall into the eyes. The powder of any of the Myrobolans and Mastick put into running Ulcers and Sores, dryeth up the moisture thereof, and consolidateth them. The Chebules and Emblicks are often brought over hither preserved; whereof the Che∣bules are physically used for the forementioned purposes, but the Em∣blicks are only eaten as other Sweet-meats.

There is an excellent Receipt composed of the Myrobolans, very effectual to stay any Flux, looseness of the Belly, or old continued lask. It is prepared in this manner.

Take a pynte of Clarret-wine, and burn it with a little Rosemary and Sugar, then steep in it all night one Dram of Rhubarb, first sli∣ced and toasted at the fire, and half a Dram of Chebul Myrobolans; which let stand by the fire all night, and strain it out in the mor∣ning, and let the Patient take it at twice, a draught in the morning fasting, which if it help not the first time, being renewed and taken two dayes more, it will stay the Lask wholly, if the malignity of the humours have not so prevailed over the body that no medicine can Cure it.

Myrobolans are also a substitute in a noble and excellent Pill, a∣gainst all Agues, putrid Feavers, Jaundice, and Cachexia or the ill habit of the body, and are effectual in the beginning of the Dropsie.

Take of the Citrine and Chebule Myrobolans of each half in ounce, Turbith one ounce, Agarick, Aloes, Rubarb, the best, of each half an ounce, Leaves of Mint, Wormwood, Egrimony each two drams, Ginger, Anniseeds, Mastick, Pepper, Spiknard, Raisins of the Sun stoned, Li∣quorish, each one dram; Oxymel of Squils asmuch as will serve to make them into a mass, the Dose is from one dram to two, if any would have them purge more strongly he may add Esula prepared, and Diagridium, of each two drams, or three;

Notes

• Stomach, Li∣ver, Heart.
• Stomach from Flegm, Brain, Joynts, Heart, Liver, appetite, Vomiting, Chol∣ler, Quench thirst, Piles, hot Agues.
• Flegm, Memo∣ry, Sight, Sto∣mach, Dropsie.
• Melancholly, Quartane A∣gues.
• Brain, Heart, Stomach,
• Sore eyes.
• Ʋlcers. Sores.