160 THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



splinters, or the like, do abide in the flesh, it will notaLIy 

 draw thcni forth ; and thus you sec the thorn. f;ivcs a 

 medicine for his own pricking, and so doth almost every 

 thing else. 



Hemlock. Tj . (c. i. d. 3.) 



The whole plant, and erery part, hath an ilUfavOured 

 scent, much ofl'ending the sensfs. 



Desatpt.^ The common great Ilcnilock groweth np^ 

 with a green stalk, four or live feet high, or more, full ot 

 rod spots sometimes, and at the joints very large winged, 

 leaves set at them, which arc divided into many other 

 •winged leaves, one set against the other, dented about the 

 edges, of a sad green colour, branched towards the top,, 

 ■where it is full of umbels of white flowers, and afterwards 

 with whitish flat seed ; the root is long, white, and some- 

 ■what crooked, and hollow within, 



Place.'] 1 1 groweth in all counties of this land, by walls 

 and hedge-sides, in waste grounds and untilled places. 



Time.'] It flowereth and sccdcth in July, or there- 

 abouts. 



Government and f^irtu€S.~\ Saturn claims dominion over 

 this herb, yet 1 wonder why it mav not be applied to. 

 the privities in a priapism, or continual standing of the 

 yard, it being very beneficial to that disease ; I suppose, 

 my author's judgment was first upon the opposite dispo- 

 sition of Saturn to Venus in those faculties, therefore 

 he forbad the applying of it to those parts, that it might 

 not cause barrenness, or spoil the spirit procreative •. 

 which if it do, yet applied to the privities, it stops its 

 lustful thoughts. Hemlock is exceedingly cold, and very 

 dangerous, especially to be taken inwardly. It may safely, 

 be applied to inflammations, tumours and SAvellings ia 

 any part of the body, (save the private parts) as also io 

 St. Anthony's fire, wheals, pushes, and creeping ulcers 

 tha.t arise of hot sharp humours, by cooling and repelU 

 ing the heat : the leaves bruised and laid to the brow 

 or forehead are good for the eyes that are red and swol- 

 len ; as also to take away a pin and web growing in 

 the eye; this is a tried medicine. Take a small handful 

 of this herb, and half so much Bay salt, beaten toge- 



