Page 193
Experiment III.
Matthiolus, Fuchsius, and many other Herbarists, declare, that Sage unwash't is very hurtful to such as eat it; yea, Mizaldus saith, that some by eating it have immediately fallen down dead: The Cause they impute to I know not what Toads poysoning the roots with their breath. But as for me, I have discovered another Cause of this Mat∣ter; for, while I examined more curi∣ously the constitution of this Plant, by the help of my Microscope, at length I observed in those leaves which were more rough than the rest, that their whole Superficies was covered with somewhat like a Spider's Web, within which appear'd Animals exceeding small, and which were perpetually at work therein, and certain round Things as it were Eggs were spred upon the Su∣perficies, which as it is doubtless a certain Breed or Spawn of that sort of petit Ani∣mals, so by their virulent humor they may do a man a deal of mischief: But wipe a leaf with your finger, or wash it with water, and they allpresently disappear;