xxxit: introduction. 



A 



wort, pour upon them a quart or olive oil, et 

 let them stand together till the oil is of a reddish 

 colour. Oil of elder is made of a pound of elder 

 flowers, which are to be put into a quart of olive 

 oil, and boiled till thev are crisp, and the oil is to 

 be then strained off. 



3. What is called the green oil, is thus made, 

 "bruise in a marble mortar three ounces of green 

 chamomile, with the same quantitjf of bay leaves, 

 sea-wormwood, rue, and sweet marjoram ; then 

 boil them in a quart of oil of olives, till they are 

 a little crisp. The oil is then to be poured^ off, 

 and when cold put up for use. 



These oils are used to rub the limbs when there 

 is pain and swellings ; their virtues will be found 

 hi l^rge, under the several herbs which are the 

 principal ingredients : and after one or other of 

 these methods, may be made the oil by infusion, or 

 by boiling of any plant, or of any number of plants 

 of like virtue. 



, though herbs are now left out of the 

 position of plaisters, even the melelot being now 

 made without the herb from which it was first 

 named : it may be proper to add the way of pre- 

 paring a few that are most useful, and ought to be 

 kept in families. • 



1. The common plaister is (bus made ; boil 

 together a gallon of oil, fi\e pounds of powdered 

 litharge, and a quart and four ounces of water. 

 When the water is boiled away, the rest will be 

 united into a plaister, but it must be stirred all the 

 time : this used to be called diachylon. To make 

 diachylon with the gums, add to a pound of the 

 last described, two ounces of galbanum, and an 

 ounce of common turpentine, .and the same quan- 

 tity of frankincense. Mell them all together, the 

 gums firjt, and then add the plaister. 



