246 CULPEPER's ENGLISH PHYSICIAN, 
of the ftalks and branches, come forth, at every joint, in the male mercury, two 
fmall, round, green, heads, ftanding together upon a fhort footftalk, which, when 
ripe, are the feed, not bearing any flower. In the female, the ftalk is longer, {pike 
fathion, fet round about with fmall green hufks, which are the flowers, made like 
fall branches of grapes, which give no feed, but remain long upon the ftalk with- 
out fhedding, The rootis compofed of many fmall fibres, -which perifheth every 
year on the approach of winter ; it rifeth again of its own fowing, and, where it is. 
once fuffered to fow itfelf, the ground will never be without it afterwards, e ven of 
both forts, male and female. | 
French mercury helps conception. otis. in his book of the nature of plants, 
- fays, that the juice of mercury, holyhock, and purflain, mixed together, and the 
hand. bathed therein, defendeth them from burning, if they are thruft into boiling 
lead. This is what fhew-men and merry-andrews bathe their mouths with, when 
they pretend to eat fire. 
FS vows MERCURY. 
HAVING defcribed that which is called French mercury, we come now to 
~ that which is known by the defignation of Dog’s mercury. 
Description. This is likewifeof two kinds, male and female, having many ftalks, 
flenderer and lower than mercury, and without any branches at all upon them. The 
root is fet with two leaves at every joint, fomewhat greater than the female, but 
more pointed and full of veins ; fomewhat harder in handling; of a darker green. 
colour, and lefs dented or fnipped about theedges. Atthe joints, with the leaves, 
come forth longer ftalks than the former, with two hairy round feeds upon them, 
twice as big as thofe of the former mercury. The tafte thereof is harfh, and the 
et felt iinewhat ftrong and virulent. The female has much harder leaves, ftanding 
longer foot-{talks, and the ftalks are alfo longer. Fromthe joints come forth 
‘of flowers fimilar tothofe of the French female mercury. The roots of both 
ere ae and full of {mall fibres, =. run under aiegs and mat them- 
the kingdom : pai 
~ county of. Kent. 
The dog’s mercury is to oe Seat in various parts of Kent, and elfewhere 5 but 
the female is more feldom to be met with than the male. 
; ay at awelaic called Brookland, in seas , inthe 5 
TIME. 
. 
