392 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



Also they are mixed with other medi- taste, for many things grateful to the taste 

 cines, that they may the better be brought | provokes vomiting, therefore why may not 

 into the form of an emplaster, and may j the contrary be? 



stick the better to the members. The most frequent use of suppuration is, 



=== ^ = ; to ripen Phlegmorue, a general term physi- 



PH \PTT7R TY jcians give to all swellings proceeding of 



| blood, because nature is very apt to help 

 Of suppunng Medicines. | such cures, and physic is an art to help, 



These have a great affinity with emolients, j not to hinder nature. 



like to them in temperature, only emolients > The time of use is usually in the height 

 are somewhat hotter. ? of the disease, when the flux is stayed, as 



Yet is there a difference as apparent as! also to ripen matter that it may be the 

 the sun when he is upon the meridian, and j easier purged away, 

 the use is manifest. For, = ^^ =5 



Emolients are to make hard things soft, j 

 but what suppures, rather makes a genera- : 

 tion than an alteration of the humour. Of Medicines provoking urine. 



Natural heat is the efficient cause of The causes by which urine is suppressed 

 suppuration, neither can it be done by any 

 external means. 



Therefore such things are said to suppure, 

 which by a gentle heat cherish the inbred 

 heat of rna-n. 



are many. 



1. By too much drying, or sweating, it 

 may be consumed. 



2. By heat or inflammation of the reins, 

 or passages whereby it passes from tlx 



This is clone by such medicines which j reins, it may be stopped by compression, 

 are not only temperate in heat, but also by ; Urine is the thinnest part of blood, sepa- 

 a gentle viscosity, fill up or stop the pores, i rated from the thickest part in the reins, 

 that so the heat of the part affected be not* If then the blood be more thick and vis- 

 scattered. ; cous than ordinary, it cannot easily be sepa- 



For although such things as bind hinder J rated without cutting and cleansing medi- 

 the dissipation of the spirits, and internal \ cines. 



heat, yet they retain not the moisture as j This is for certain, that blood can neithei 

 suppunng medicines properly and especially j be separated nor distributed without heat, 

 do. Yet amongst diureticks are some cold 



The heat then of suppuring medicines is [things, as the four greater cold seeds, Win* 

 like the internal heat of our bodies. i ter-cherries, and the like. 



As things then very hot, are ingrateful j Although this seem a wonder, yet it 



either by biting, as Pepper, or bitterness : 



For reason will tell a man, that such things 

 hinder rather than help the work of nature 



be, and doth stand with truth. 



in suppuring medicines, no biting, no bind- i ; For cool diureticks, though they further 

 ing, no nitrous quality is perceived by the : not the separation of the blood one jot, 

 taste, (I shall give you better satisfaction j: yet they cleanse and purge the passages of 

 both in this and others, by and by.) ' the urine. 



Diureticks then are of two sorts : 



1. Such as conduce to the separation oi 



in maturation. 5 the blood. 



Yet it follows not from hence, that all 1 2. Such as open the urinal passages, 

 suppuring medicines are grateful to the The former are biting (and are known bjr 



