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THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 277 



dropped into the ears, taketh away the pains ; gargled ia 

 the mouth, taketh away the tooth-ach, and being drank, 

 healeth the jaundice. The seed thereof taken, easeth the 

 gnawing and griping pains ol" the stomach, and taketh 

 away the loathings thereof unto meat. The root thereof 

 helpeth the ruggedness of the nails, and being boiled ia 

 wine, helpeth the swelling of the throat, commonly called 

 the king's-evil, as also the swellings of the kernels of the 

 ears. It helpeth them that are troubled with the stone, 

 provoketh urine, and helpeth the dimness of the sight. 

 The roots of this Bastard Rhubarb are used in opening 

 and purging diet-drinks, with other things, to open the 

 liver, and cleanse and cool the blood. 



The properties of that which is called the Englislt 

 Rhubarb, are the same with the former, but much more 

 effc6tual, and hath all the properties of the true Italian 

 Rhubarbs, except the force in purging, wherein it is but 

 of half the strength, and therefore a double quantity must 

 be used ; it likewise hath not that bitterness and astric- 

 tion ; in other things it worketh nlmost in an equal 

 quantity, which are these: It purgeth ihe body of cho- 

 ler and phlegm, being either taken of itself, made into 

 powder, and drank in a draught of white wine, or steeped 

 therein all night and taken fasting, or put among other 

 purges, as shall be thought convenient, cleansing the 

 stomach, liver, and blood, opening obstrudtions, and 

 helpeth those griefs that coxe thereof, as the jaundice, 

 dropsy, swelling of the spLeen, tertian and daily agues, 

 and pricking pains of the sides ; as also it stayeth spitting 

 of Wood. The powder taken with cassia dissolved, and 

 washed Venice Turpentine, cleanseth the reins, and 

 strengtheneth them afterwards, and is very effe(StuaI 

 to stay the running of the reins, or gonorrhea. It is also 

 given for the pains and swellings in the head, for those 

 that are troubled with melancholy, and helpeth the sci- 

 atica, gout and cramp. The powder of the Rhubarb 

 taken with a little mummia and madder roots in some 

 red wine, dissolveth clotted blood in the body, happening 

 by any fall or bruise, and helpeth burstings, and broken 

 parts, as well inward as outward. The oil likewise 

 wherein it hath been been boiled, worketh the like effefls, 

 being anointed. It is used to heal those ulcers that 



