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THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
83. Such as violently thrust it out of 
doors. 
Such as strengthen nature against poison, 
either do it to the body universally, or else 
strengthen some particular part thereof. 
For many times one particular part of 
_ the body is most afflicted by the poison, 
suppose the stomach, liver, brain, or any 
other part: such as cherish and strengthen 
those parts, being weakened, may be said to 
resist poison. 
Such as strengthen the spirits, strengthen 
all the body. 
_ Sometimes poisons kill by their quality, 
and then are they to be corrected by their 
contraries. . 
_ They which kill by cooling are to be 
remedied by heating, and the contrary; 
they which kill by corroding, are to be 
cured by lenitives, such as temper their 
acrimony. 
Those which kill by induration, or coa- 
gulation, require cutting medicines. 
Also because all poisons are in motion, 
neither stay they in one till they have seized 
and oppressed the fountain of life, there- 
fore they have invented another faculty to 
stay their motion, viz. terrene and em- 
plastic. 
For they judge, if the poison light upon 
_ these medicines, they embrace them round 
with a viscous quality. 
Also they say the ways and passages are 
stopped by such means, to hinder their pro- 
ceeding; take Terra Lemnia for one. 
Truly, if these reasons be good, which I 
_ leave to future time to determine, it may be 
done for little cost. 
_ Some are of opinion that the safest way 
is to expel the poison out of the body, so 
soon as may be, and that is done by vomit, 
or purge, or sweat. 
- You need. not question the time, but do 
as soon as may be; for there is no parly- 
Let vomiting be the first, purging thenext, 
and sweating the last. This is general. But, 
If thou dost but observe the nature and 
motion of the venom, that will be thy best 
instructor. 
In the stomach it requires vomiting, in 
the blood and spirits, sweating, if the body 
be plethoric, bleeding, if full of evil hu- 
mours, purging. 
Lastly, The cure being ended, strengthen 
the parts afflicted. 
—_—————__—_. 
CHAPTER XIV. 
Of purging Medicines. 
Much jarring hath been amongst phy- 
sicians about purging medicines, namely, 
whether they draw the humours to them by 
a hidden quality, which in plain English is, 
they know not how; or whether they per- 
form their office by manifest quality, viz. 
by heat, dryness, coldness, or moisture: 
it is not my present scope to enter the lists 
of a dispute about the business, neither 
seem it such an hidden thing to me that 
every like should draw its like, only to 
make the matter as plain as I can, I sub- 
divide this chapter into these following 
parts. 
1. Cautions concerning purging. 
2. Of the choice of purging medicines. 
83. Of the time of taking them. 
4. Of the correcting of them. 
5. Of the manner of purging. 
Cautions concerning purging. 
In this, first consider diligently, and be 
exceeding cautious in it too, what the matter 
offending is, what part of the body is af- 
flicted by it, and which is the best way to 
bring it out. 
Only here, by the way, first have a care of 
giving vomits, for they usually work more 
violently, and afflict the body more than 
purges do, therefore are not fit for weak 
bodies; be sure the matter offending lie in 
