390 



THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



discussing. The difference then is only j 



this; that discussive medicines are hotter! PRAPTFR VT 



than attractive, and therefore nothing else} 



need be written of their nature. Of repelling Medicines. 



Use. Their use may be known even from | Repelling medicines are of contrary 

 their very name ; for diseases that come by I operation to these three last mentioned, viz 

 repletion or fulness, are cured by evacution : attenuating, drawing, and discussive medi- 

 or emptying; yet neither blood nor gross Icines: It is true, there is but lil tie difference 

 humours are to be expelled by sweating, or | between these three, some hold none at all ; 

 insensible transpiration (as they call it) j and if you Avill be so nice, you may oppose 

 but the one requires blood-letting, the other | them thus. And so medicines making 

 purgation, but scrosus or thin humours and \ thick, correspond to attenuating medicines, 



filthy vapours, and such like superfluities, 

 are to be expelled by sweat, and be wary 

 in this too, for many of them work violently, 

 and violent medicines are not rashly to be 

 given. 



Caution 2. Besides,swellingsaresometimes 

 made so hard by sweating medicines, that 

 afterwards they qau never be cured ; for 

 what is thin being by such medicines taken 

 away, nothing but what is perfectly hard 

 remains : If you fear such a thing, mix 

 emolients with them. 



Caut. 3. Again, sometimes by using dis- 

 cussives, the humours offending (which 

 physicians usually call the peccant humours) 

 is driven to some more noble part of the 



or such as make thin, repelling medicines 

 are opposed to such as draw, and such as 

 retain the humours and make them lough, 

 are opposite to such as discuss, some hold 

 this niceness needless. 



2. The sentence of authors about repul- 

 sive medicines is various. 



For seeing an influx ion may be caused 

 many ways, a repulsive hath got as many 

 definitions. 



For such things as cool, bind, stop, and 

 make thick, stay influxions, and therefore 

 repulsives are by authors opposed, not only 

 to attractives, but also to attenuating, and 

 discussing medicines. 



But properly such things are called re- 

 pulsives, which do not only stay influxions, 



make thick) but such as drive the humours 

 flowing to, or inherit in the place, to some 



body, or else it draws more than it dis- 



cussseth ; in such cases, concoct and at- (for so do such medicines which stop and 



tenuate the matter offending before you go 



about to discuss it. 



From hence may easily be gathered at { other place, 

 what time of the disease discussive medi- j The truth is, binding is inherent to repul- 

 cines are to be used, viz. about the declin-lsives, so is not coldness nor making thick : 

 ing of the disease, although in diseases j Yet such as are binding, cold and thin in 

 arising from heat of b.ood, we sometimes j operation, are most effectual, 

 use them in the encrease and slate of them, i Your taste will find repulsives to be, tart, 



They are known by the same marks and i or sharp, or austere, with a certain binding 

 tokens attenuating medicines are, viz. by \ which contracts the tongue, 

 their burning and biting quality, they being i Use 1. Their use is manifold, as in hoi 

 hot, and of thin parts, void of any j tumours, head-aches, or the like. 



very 



biting quality, therefore they contract not! Use 2. By these in fevers are the vapours 

 the tongue in tasting of them. 



| driven from the head, Vinegar of Roses is 



\ notable. 



* Time of giving. 



Thev are most roimno- 



