394 



THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



3. Such as violently thurst it out of* If thou dost but observe the nature and 

 doors. motion of the venom, that will be thy best 



Such as strengthen nature against poison, { instructor, 

 either do it to the body universally, or elsei; In the stomach it requires vomiting, in 



K\ rpmrrttion crimp njirMf'lllar Hurt tnprpnf I tJir> lilnnrl -inrl crvii-ito e ur^o 1 1 .-. /- if tl I 1.. 



strengthen some particular part thereof. 



For many times one particular part of 

 the body is most afflicted by the poison, 



the blood and spirits, sweating, if the body 

 be plethoric, bleeding, if full of evil humours, 

 purging. 



suppose the stomach, liver, brain, or anyJ Lastly, The cure being ended, strengthen 

 other part : such as cherish and strengthen Uhe parts afflicted, 

 those parts, being weakened, may be said to i 

 resist poison. 



Such as strengthen the spirits, strengthen t 

 all the body. 



Sometimes poisons kill by their quality, 

 und then are they to be corrected by their 

 :ontraries. 



They which kill by cooling are to be 

 remedied by heating, and the contrary; 

 they which kill by corroding, are to be 

 cured by lenitives, such as temper their: 

 acrimony 



CHAPTER XIV. 



Of purging Medicines 

 Much jarring hath been amongst phy- 



sicians about purging medicines, namely, 

 whether they draw the humours to them by 

 a hidden quality, which in plain English is, 

 they know not how ; or whether they per- 

 form their office by manifest quality, viz. 

 Th7se J which kill by induration, or coa- b /. heat ' dryness > coldn ess, or moisture ] 



*f i r i o n r\T m \r r\?oc<ari r c"*-*s\r^r\ *-^-v *-*- I , , .. 4-1, . t. _ 



gulation, require culting medicines. 



Also because all poisons are in motion,; 

 neither stay they in one till they have seized ; 

 and oppressed the fountain of life, therefore 



it is not my present scope to enter the lists 

 of a dispute about the business, neither 

 seem it such an hidden thing to me that 

 every like should draw its like, only to 



CtUU \JLJ\Ji ^oow^a tLAU jwu.il Ldiii \Ji iiiv/ LAiv,i \_iir i^ 11 , i r -w 



they have invented another faculty to stay k( f tl 'f - niat er f s R lam a f l ca " J Sl .' b - 

 their motion, viz. terrene and emplastic. j ***? tms cha P tcr mto these following 



For they judge, if the poison light upon 



parts. 



1. Cautions concerning purging. 



2. Of the choice of purging medicines. 



3. Of the time of talcing them. 



4. Of the correcting of them. 



5. Of the manner of' purging. 



Cautions concerning purging. 

 In this, first consider diligently, and be 



these medicines, they embrace them round 

 with a viscous quality. 



Also they say the ways and passages are| 

 stopped by such means, to hinder their pro- 1 

 reeding ; take Terra Lemnia for one. 



Truly if these reasons be good, which 1 j 

 leave to future time to determine, it may be | 

 done for little cost. 



Some are of opinion that the safest way | exceeding cautious in it too, what the matter 

 is to expel the poison out of the body, so* offending is, what part of the body is af- 

 soon as may be, and that is done by vomit, 1 flicted by it, and which is the best way to 

 or purge, or sweat. '} bring it out. 



You need not question the time, but do j Only here, by the way, first, have a care of 

 it as soon as may be ; for there is no parly- j giving vomits, for they usually work more 

 ing with poison. | violently, and afflict the body more than 



Letvomiting be the first, purging the next, j purges do, therefore are not fit for weak 

 and sweating the last. This is general. But, * bodies ; be sure the matter offending lie in 



