THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 77 



if it chance that in a tender body it causeth any itchings 

 or inflammations, by bathing the place with a little vine- 

 gar, it is helped. 



Another ill-favoured trick have physicians got to use 

 to the eye, and that is worse than the needle ; which is 

 to take away the films by corroding or gnawing medi-> 

 cines; this 1 absolutely protest against. 



1. Because the tunicles of the eyes are very thin, and 

 therefore soon eaten asunder. 



2. The callus or film that they would eat away, is sel- 

 dom of an equal thickness in every place, and then the 

 tunicle may be eaten asunder in one place, before the 

 film be consumed in another, and so be a readier way to 

 extinguish the^'ght than to restore it. 



Also 1 have read (and it seems to be somewhat proba- 

 ble) that the herb, being gathered as I shewed before, and 

 the elements drawn apart from it by the art of the alchy. 

 mist, and after tbey are drawn apart rectified, the earth- 

 ly quality, still in rectifying them added to the Terra 

 damnata {ds Alchymists calls it) or Terra sacratissima (as 

 some philosophers call it) the elements so rectified are 

 sufficient for the cure of all diseases, the humours oflend- 

 ing being known, and the contrary element given. It is 

 an experiment worth the trying, and can do no harm. 



The Lesser Celandine, usually known by the 

 name of Pilewort and Fogwort. c?. {h. d. 2.) 



I w^oNDER what ailed the ancients to give this the name 

 of Celandine, which resembles it neither in nature or 

 form ; it required the name of Pilewort from its virtues, 

 and it being no i^reat matter where 1 set it down, so I 

 set it down at all, I humoured Dr. Tradition so much, 

 as to set him down here. 



Descript.'] Tiiis Celundine or Pilewort (which you 

 please) doth spread many round pale green leaves, set on 

 weak and trailing branches, which lie upon the groun(!, 

 and are flat, smooth and somewhat shining, and in some 

 places (though seldom) maikedwith black spots, eaclx 

 standing on a long footstalk, among which rise small yel- 

 low flowers, consisting of nine or ten small narrow leaves, 

 upon slender faot-stalks, very like unto Crowsfoot, 

 E 3 



