390 



THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



discussing. The difference then is only | 

 this; that discussive medicines are hotter 

 than attractive, and therefore nothing else! 

 need be written of their nature. 



Use. Their use may be known even from j 

 their very name ; for diseases that come by j 

 repletion or fulness, are cured by evacution ; 

 or emptying ; yet neither blood nor gross \ 

 humours are to be expelled by sweating, or) 

 insensible transpiration (as they call it) [ 

 but the one requires blood-letting, the other 

 purgation, but scrosus or thin humours and 

 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 can 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. 



Cant. 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 

 body, or else it draws more than it dis- 

 cussseth ; in such cases, concoct and at- 

 tenuate the matter offending before you go 

 about to discuss it. 



From hence may easily be gathered at 

 what time of the disease discussive medi- 

 cines are to be used, viz. about the declin- ' 

 ing of the disease, although in diseases 

 arising from heat of b.ood, we sometimes 

 use them in the encrcase and slate of them. 



They are known by the same marks and i 

 tokens attenuating medicines are, viz. by 1 

 their burning and biting quality, they being i 

 very hot, and of thin parts, void of any 1 

 biting quality, therefore they contract not | 

 the tongue in tasting of them. 



CHAPTER VI. 



Of repelling Medicines. 



Repelling medicines are of contrary 

 operation to these three last mentioned, viz 

 attenuating, drawing, and discussive medi- 

 cines: It is true, there is but little difference 

 between these three, some hold none at all ; 

 and if you will be so nice, you may oppose 

 them thus. And so medicines making 

 thick, correspond to attenuating medicines, 

 or such as make thin, repelling medicines 

 are opposed to such as draw, and such as 

 retain the humours and make them tough, 

 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 influxion 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 slay influxions, 

 (for so do such medicines which stop and 

 make thick) but such as drive the humours 

 flowing to, or inherit in the place, to some 

 other place. 



The truth is, binding is inherent to repul- 

 sives, so is not coldness nor making thick : 

 Yet such as are binding, cold and thin in 

 operation, are most effectual. 



Your taste will find repulsives to be, tart, 

 or sharp, or austere, with a certain binding 

 which contracts the tongue. 



Use 1. Their use is manifold, as in hot 

 tumours, head-aches, or the like. 



Use 2. By these in fevers are the vapours 

 driven from the head, Vinegar of Roses i* 

 notable. 



Time of giving. They are most romino- 



