AND COMPLETE HERBAL. 333 
bacco-pipe, either by itfelf or with fome dried turpentine, cure a cough ; 5 it is putinto — 
baths for womien to fit in, alfo in glifters to eafe pains. 
{tis ufed in mollifying oils and plaifters, that ferve to ripen hard impofthumes, as 
alfo for the {weet {cent thereof. Galen faith, it being of a temperature moderate, be- 
tween heat and cold, and fomewhat aftringent, and having a very little acrimony, it 
is profitably ufed amang other things that help the liver and ftomach, doth provoke 
urine, is ufed with other things in fomentations for inflammations, and gently to 
move the courfes. Diofcorides faith, that the fweet flag is good to provoke urine, if 
the decoction thereof be drunk. It helpeth to eafe pains in the fides, liver, and 
breaft, as alfo to eafe the griping pains of the cholic and cramp, and is good againft 
ruptures; it waftes the fpleen, helps the ftranguary, amd bitings of venomous crea- 
‘tures. It is alfo good in baths for women to fit in, for diftempers of the womb. 
The juice, dropped into the eyes, drieth rheums therein, and cleareth the fight, tak- 
ing away all films that may hurt them. 
The root is of much ufe in all antidotes againft poifon or infeCtion; it is a good. 
remedy again{t a ftinking breath, to take the root fafting every morning for fome 
time together. The hot fumes of the decoction made in water, and taken in at the 
~ mouth through a funnel, are good to help thofe that are troubled with a cough. A 
drachm of the powder of the roots, with as much cinnamon, taken in a draught of 
wormwood wine, is good to comfort and ftrengthen a cold weak ftomach: the de- 
coction thereof is good again{ft convulfions or cramps, and for falls and inward 
bruifes. An oxymel or fyrup made hereof in this manner is effectual for all cold 
fpleens and livers : take of the roots of acorus, one pound ; wafh and pick them clean, 
then bruife them, and fteep them for three days in vinegar, after which time let them 
be boiled together to the confumption of the one half of the vinegar, which, being 
{trained, fet to the fire again, putting thereto as much honey as is fufficient to make 
it into afyrup; an ounce of this fyrup in the morning, in a {mall draught of the de- 
coétion of the fame roots, is fufficient for a dofe; the whole roots, preferved either 
in honey or fugar, are effectual for the fame purpofes ; but the green roots, preferved, 
are better than the dried roots, which are firft fteeped and then preferved. It like~ 
: wife ‘mollifieth hard tumours in any part of the body. 
UI SAFFRON. ea hte : a 
THE herb needs no Aefcription, it being known generally where it grows. 
» Pracey It grows frequently at Walden in Effex, and in Cambridgefhire:) |» 
-.GoveRNMENT AND Virtues. Itis an herb of the Sun, and under the Lion, and. 
“therefore ftrengthens the heart exceedingly. Let not above ten grains. be given at. 
one: 
