10 NATURAL HISTORY. 



lie deeper : so that if you infuse rhubarb for an hour, 

 and crush it well, it will purge better, and bind the 

 body less after the purging than if it had stood 

 twenty-four hours ; this is tried ijbut I conceive like 

 wise, that by repeating the^ infusion of rhubarb 

 several times, as was said of violets, letting each stay 

 in but a small time, you may make it as strong a 

 purging medicine as scammony. And it is not a 

 small thing won in physic, if you cannnake rhubarb, 

 and other medicines that are benedict, as strong 

 purgers as those that are not without some malig 

 nity. 



20. Purging medicines, for the most part, have 

 their purgative virtue in a fine spirit ; as appeareth 

 by that they endure not boiling without much loss 

 of virtue. And therefore it is of good use in physic, 

 if you can retain the purging virtue, and take away 

 the unpleasant taste of the purger ; which it is like 

 you may do, by this course of infusing oft, with little 

 stay, for it is probable that the horrible and odious 

 taste is in the grosser part. 



21. Generally, the working by infusions is gross 

 and blind, except you first try the issuing of the 

 several parts of the body, which of them issue more 

 speedily, and which more slowly ; and so by appor 

 tioning the time, can take and leave that quality 

 which you desire. This to know there be two ways ; 

 the one to try what long stay, and what short stay 

 worketh, as hath been said; the other to try in 

 order the succeeding infusions of one and the same 

 body, successively, in several liquors. As for ex- 



