CITLPEPEK'S C0MFL£TS HEKBALi 58 



DjuTow leaved bistort groweth in the north, in Lancashire, 

 Yorkshire, and Cumberland. 



Time, — Thej flower about the end of May, and the seed 

 is rijDe about the beprinniug of July. 



Oavemment and Virtues. —It belongs to Saturn, and is 

 in operation cold and dry : both the leaves and roots have 

 a powerful faculty to resist all poison. The root in powder 

 taken in drink expelleth the venom of the plague, the 

 small-pox, measles, purples, or any other infectious disease^ 

 driving it out by sweating. The root in powder, the de- 

 coction thereof in wine being drunk, stayeth all manner 

 of inward bleeding, or spitting of blood, and any fluxes in 

 the body of either man or woman, or vomiting. It is also 

 very available against ruptures, or burstings, or all bruises, 

 or falls, dissolving the congealed blood, and easeth the 

 p&ins that happen thereupon ; it also helpeth the jaundice. 



The water oistilled from both leaves and roots, is a 

 singular remedy to wash any place bitten or stung by any 

 venomous creature ; as also for any of the purposes before 

 spoken of, and is very good to wash running sores or ul- 

 cers. The decoction of the root in wine being drunk, 

 hindereth abortion or miscarriage in child-bearing. The 

 leaves also kill the worms in children, and is a great help 

 to them that cannot keep their water ; if the juice of the 



Elantain be added thereto, and outwardly applied, much 

 elpeth the gonorrhoea, or running of the reins. A dram 

 of the powder of the root taken in water thereof, wherein 

 some red hot iron or steel hath been quenched, is also an 

 admirable help thereto, so as the body be first prepared 

 and purged from the offensive humours. The leaves, seed, 

 or roots, are all very good in decoctions, drinks, or lotions, 

 for inward or outward wounds or other sores ; and the 

 powder strewed upon any cut or wound in a vein, staveth 

 the immoderate bleeding thereof. . The decoction of the 

 root in water, whereunto some pomegranate peels and 

 flowers are added, inject^ into the matrix, stayeth the 

 immoderate flux of the courses. The root thereof with 

 Pellitory of Spain and burnt alum, of each a little quan- 

 tity, beaten small and made into paste with some honev. 

 and a little piece thereof put into a hollow tooth, or held 

 between the teeth if there oe no hoUowness in them, stay- 

 eth the defluxion of rheum upon them, which causeth 

 pains, and helps to cleanse the head, and void much offen- 

 id re water. The distilled water is very eff'ectual to wash 



