386 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



tioned amongst the cordials to repel melan- j such, that they abhor all binding medicines. 

 choly vapours from the heart, such temper 5 because they cause stoppage of urine. 

 and assuage the malice of Atra bilis. Take notice, that the reins and bladder 



2. Those medicines are also splenical, | being subject to inflammations endure not 

 by Avhich melancholy humours are cor- * very hot medicines. 



reeled and so prepared, that they may the j Because the bladder is further remote 

 more easily be evacuated : such medicines I from the centre of the body than the kidnies 

 are cutting and opening, and they differ $ are, therefore it requires stronger medicines 

 from hepaticals in this that they are no \ than the kidnies do, lest the strength 01 

 ways binding; for the spleen being no ways \ the medicine be spent before it be come to 

 addicted to concoction, binding medicines * the part afflicted. 

 do it harm, and not good. 



3. Sometimes the spleen is not only ob- 



. rWAPTFR VTTT 



structed, but also hardened by melancholy unAJrl^Ji Vlll. 



humours, and in such cases emolient medi- 

 cines may be well called splenicals, not 



Of Medicines appropriated to the womb. 

 These, physicians call Hystericals, and to 



such as are taken inwardly, for they operate | avoid multiplicity of words, take them in 

 upon the stomach and bowels, but such as j this discourse under that notion, 

 are outwardly applied to the region of the J Take notice that such medicines as pro- 

 spleen. | voke the menses, or stop them when they 



til 1 ! ** i 1 * 1.1 II t * 



And although sometimes medicines, are ; 

 outwardly applied to hardness of the liver, 

 yet they differ from splenicals, because they 

 are binding, so are not splenicals. 



CHAPTER VII. 



Of Medicines appropriated to the reins and 



flow immoderately, are properly hystericais, 

 but shall be spoken to by and by in a chap- 

 ter by themselves. 



As for the nature of the womb, it seems 

 to be much like the nature of the brain and 

 stomach, for experience teacheth that it is 

 delighted with sweet and aromatical medi- 

 cines, and flies from their contraries. 



bladder. For example : a woman being troubled 



The office of the reins is, to make a 

 separation between the blood and the urine ; 



with the fits of the mother, which is draw 

 ing of the womb upward, apply sweet things, 



to receive this urine thus separated from ! as Civet, or the like, to the place of concep- 

 the blood, is the bladder ordained, which | tion, it draws it down again; but apply 

 is of a sufficient bigness to contain it. | stinking things to the nose, as Assafoetida, or 



Both these parts of the body officiating! the like, it expels it from it, and sends it 

 about the urine, they are both usually af-jdown toils proper place, 

 flicted by the vices of the urine. ==== 



1. By stones. PHAPTFH TY 



2. By inflammation. CHA^ ^ K 1A< 



3. By thick Jntmoiirs. Of Medicines appropriated to the joints. 

 Medicines appropriated to the reins and 5 The joints are usually troubled with 



bladder are usually called Nephriticals, and j cephalic diseases, and then are lo be cure 



are threefold; some cool, others cut gross j by cephalic medicines. 



humours, and a third sort breaks the stone, j Medicines appropriated to the joints, are 



In the use of all these, take notice, that j called by the name Arthritical medicines, 

 the constitution of the reins and bladder L \ The joints, seeing they are very nervous, 



