Si Salmon V Herbal. Lib. I 
CHAP. LVIII. 
BEARS BREECH. 
1. h ffHE Karnes. It is called in Greeks "a^Q©- 
I k, "Ayjtida. -• in Latin , Acanthus , Acantha , 
Branca l J rfina : and in Englijh , Brank Urfine , or 
Bears-hreecb. 
II. The KinJs.lt is twofold } *• The Garden kind, 
called in Greek a^6©- -mih f©- 5 u. c -hf.$vh'hQr i 
’EpTra'^ria, : in Latin, Acanthos Sativus, Acantha Hor- 
ienfis, P<cderos, Mclamphyllos, and Hcrpacantha , A- 
canthus verus & Levis, Branca Urftna Uvis : and in 
Enghjh, Garden Brank Urfine, or Bears Breech. 
2. The Wild Kind, is called in Greek, * y j.v 9 @- ayei©-, 
in Latin, Acanthus Sylvef ris, and Aculeatus, Acan- 
tha Spincfa & aculeata, Herbacantha : in Englifh, 
the Wild or Prickly Bears-breech. Acanthos is the 
common name for all Thirties, hut here it is ufed 
by the figure, Antonomafia , qua loco proprij nominh 
ponitur Appellativum, ut Civitas pro Londino. 
III. The Defcription. Garden Bears Breech has 
a Root thick and long, with many long firings fpread- 
ing fir and deep in the ground, of a blackifh or 
dark colour on the out fide, and white within , full of 
a very clammy Juice, more mucilaginous than the 
Leaves, fo full of life, that if a fmall piece be but 
left in the ground, it will fpring up again, and bring 
forth the whole Plant, but requires a fhelter or de- 
fence from the extremity of the Winter. From this 
Root there fjoots forth many large, thick, fmooth, fad 
green Leaves upon the ground, with a thick middle 
rib, divided into many parts, with great and deepgajhes 
on the edges, from among which ( after it has flood 
long in a convenient place ) rifes up a reafonable 
great Stalk, three or four foot high, without either 
joint or branch thereon, fet with Jome Leaves • and 
from the middle upwards, fet with a fpike, as it 
were, of white hooded or gaping Flowers, funding in 
browmfh Husks, fomewhat fharp at the points, and 
a fmall long undivided Leaf under each Flower : af- i 
ter which come ( in more hot Countries, but not in 
ours that I know of ) broad, flat, round, thick, brown- 
ijh yellow Seed. Dodoneus fays, that the Leaves 
are great, large, of a fad green colour, thick, grofs 
Smooth and deeply cut in by the fide s, like the leave s 
of Rocket. 
IV. Wild Bears Breech has a Root not fpr ending 
fo deep, or fo far as the former, nor fo great in mag- 
nitude, but more tender, as lefs able to endure the 
Winters cold. * From this Root rifes up f ever al long 
Leaves lying upon the ground, but much narrower, 
and more divided on the edges into f mailer parts, 
ani each part with fmall incifionsffet with very 
Jbarp white prickles ; from among which a lejfier and 
lower Stalk arifes , with the like fpikei heads of 
Flowers , and a few prickly Leaves thereon , in their 
way coming up , funding in more Jharp and prick- 
ly husks than the former ; after which comes Seed , 
jmall as a little Pea, hard , black, and round. Ge- 
ati faith, that this Thiflle is in Stalk , colour of 
Leaves, flowers and Seed much like the firft kind 
but the Plant is Shorter and lower, and the Leaves 
pretty large, dented or jagged with many cuts and 
incifions, not only in fame few parts of the Leaves, 
as fame other Thiftles, but very thickly dented or 
cloven, and having many fharp, large, white and bard 
prickles, about the Sides of the divifions and cuts, not 
very eafie to be handled or touched, without danger 
to the hands and fingers . 
V. The Places. They naturally grow in Greece, 
Italy Spain, and France 5 but with us, and in Hol- 
land, Germany, and other cold Countries, it is only 
to be found nouiifhed up in Gardens. Dufi, 'corides 
fays it grows only in moift and ftony places. The 
Wild grows in many places of Italy near the Sea, 
and Pena fays, he found it in moift and gravelly 
places near to the Walls of Montpelier ; but with us 
it is only in Gardens. 
VI. The Times. The Root keeps alive in Winter 
in hot Countries, and io with us, but fometimes it 
dies, if the weather is too cold : but in England that 
is rare in the Garden kind. The former flowers in 
June and fometimes in July ; but yields no perfeS 
Seed with us : the latter flowers later ; feldom or 
never giving with us any ripe Seed : but in thofe 
Countries where the Seed comes to perfeSion, it is 
always in Autumn, or latter end of Summer. 
VII. The Qualities. They feem to be Temperate 
in refpeft of heat, and drying in the firft degree. 
They are Arthritick, and whilft green, Digeitive 
afterwards Aftringenr, Drying, Reiterative andAl- 
terative. 
VIII. The Specification. They are peculiar againft 
Confumptions and Spitting of Blood. 
IX. The Trepanations. The Shops keep nothing 
of it: but you may make thereof, i. An Infpijfate 
Juice, or Liquid. 2. An E fence. 3. A DecoUion in 
Wine. 4. A Syrup, y. A Clyfter. 6 . A Cataplafm . 
7. A Saline Tinflure. 
The Vertices. 
X. The Liquid, or Infpijfate Juice, prevails againft 
fpitting of Blood, pilling of Blood, and the Phthi- 
fick, being laid to cure Confumptions, meaning thole 
of the Lungs. Dole of the Liquid, one or two 
fpoonfuls of the Infpiffate one or two drams, dirt 
folved in Red Wine, or Tent, and fo either of them 
to be taken. 
XI. The EJfence. It has the Virtues of the for- 
mer, befides which it flops Fluxes, and the Courfes in 
Women, and is prevalent againft Ruptures in Chil- 
dren, and vehement Coughs. Dofe one Ipoonful in 
Red Wine or Tent, Morning and Evening. Applied 
it is good againft burnings. 
XU. The 
