, AND COMPLETE HERBAL Eq 
ifi2 “a | \ : 
vitieadits Wat dah ou sared ed es i ae 8 
CALLED alfo dead-wort and. wall-wort, 
Descriprion. This herb fpringeth frefh from the ground every fj pring, its leaves 
and ftalks perifhing at the approach of winter. It is like the common elder béth in 
form and quality, rifing up with a fquare, rough, hairy ftalk, about four feet high, 
though fometimes higher; the winged leaves are fomewhat narrower than of that 
aforementioned, but in other refpects not unlike them; the flower®areahite dafh’d — 
with purple, ftanding in umbels, refembling thofe of the former pep in {mell, 
thefe being the moft pleafant ; after the fowers come finall blackifh berries; full of 
juice whilft they are frefh, containing fmall hard kernels, or feed. The root doth 
creep under the upper cruft of the ground, {pringing in divers places, and. being in 
general about the fize of a perfon’s finger. , 
Prace. It groweth wild in many parts of the ined and is with any 
erazed from the place where it once takes root. : 
Time. Moft of the elder trees flower in June, and eee fruit is ripe in Augutt, 
but the dwarf kind or wall-wort flowereth fomewhat later, and its fruit is not ripe 
till September. . : 
GoveRNMENT AND Virtues. Both thecommon and 1 dwarf elders are under the 
dominion of Venus. . The firft fhoots of the common elder boiled like afparagus, 
or the young Jeaves and ftalks boiled in fat broth, expelleth phlegm and choler ; 
the middle or inward bark boiled in water, and drank, purgeth exceedingly ; and 
the berries, either green or dry, are often given with’ good fuccefs for the dropfy : 
the Bark of the root boiled in wine, or the juice thereof drank, hath the fame virtue, 
though more powerful in its operations, he juice of the root doth ftrongly pro- 
voke vomiting, and purgeth the watery humours of the dropfy. The decoétion of 
the root cureth the biting of a mad dog, as alfo that of the adder ; it mollifieth the 
: hardnefs of the mother, and bringeth down the courfes; the berries boiled in wine, 
performeth the fame effect, and the hairof the head wafhed therewith, is made 
black. Thejuice of the green leaves applied to the hot inflammations of the eyes 
-affwageth them, and. being fnuffed up the noftrils, purgeth the tunicles of the brain. — 
The juice of the berries boiled with honey, and dropped into the ears, cureth the 
pains. thereof; by drinking a decoétion of the berries in wine, urine is provoked ; 
the diftilled water of the flowers is very ferviceable for cleanfing the {kin from fun- 
burning, freckles, morphew, &c.. It cureth the head-ach by wafhing it these eS: Z : a 
and being: ufed as a bath, it is a certain cure for ulcerated legs ; it - n 
acne of ike and helpeth thofe whe: are afilicted with the pally. 
