Chap; 98. TLnglijh Herbs. 
CHAP. XCVIII. 
Of BURDOCK Great. 
I.'T' H E Names. It is called in Greek , ’Afww, 
X sreeaumov, xj neynnit : In Latin , Arc mm. Pro- 
(opium, Projopis, Perfonata, Lappa and Bardana, 
in Shops : In Englijh, Burdock, and C/ot Bur. 
II. The Kinds. There are feveral Kinds hereof, 
as, 1. ’Aexii-.i riip.c. Lappa major, Bardana major vul- 
garis, The Common Burdock. 2. Lappa Virgini- 
ana. The Virginian Burdock. 3. Lappa feu Barda- 
na languinofis capitulis , The woolly headed Bur. 
4. Bardana major Rofea, The Rofe Bur : OF all 
which we Ihall treat in this Chapter. 6 . Lappa 
minor Jive Xanthium , The i'mall Burdock. 5. Pe- 
tafites. The Butter Bur, of which two laft, in the 
two following Chapters. 
III. The Defcription. The Common Greater Bur- 
dock, has a Root great and thick, black on the out- 
Jide, and whilijh within, fweet and pleafant in tafie 
at firfi, but fomething bitter afterwards : from 
whence fpring forth many large , hard, green Leaves, 
feme what like to the Butter-Bur, or Wild Dock, but 
more crumpled, and of a darker green color on the 
upper fide, but greyijh underneath : among which 
rife up hard and rough green Stalks, two or three 
feet high, with many Branches from them, having 
many the like, but lejfer Leaves on them, bearing at 
their Tops feveral rough heads or burs, with crooked 
pointed Prickles , apt to flick on Goths, or other things 
which they touch ; out of the tops of each of which 
come forth many hard purplijh threads , which are 
the Flowers -, which being faded and paft, turn to 
Town in the Heads-, and opening themfelves,Jhed 
their Seed, which is grayijh, fomething like to the 
Knap-weeds, which together with the Wind, is often 
1 3 1 
carried away, and many times falls " down to the. 
ground, in the place where it grows, by which it 
multiplies itjelf. 
\V. The Virginian Kind, is a kind of the former 
having like Roots -, but its Leaves are rounder and 
[mailer : the Burrs are alfo fmaller and harder, and 
jurmjhed with very [harp , crooked points, which 
jttek very fajl to every thing they lay hold on. 
V. The woolly headed Bur, it differs little from 
the jifjt, but only that the Leaves grow not altoge- 
ther Jo great -, and the heads being fmaller, are wool- 
ly all over, and the Prickles, not Jo Jharp or flicking. 
Gerard yi/yr, that the Leaves and whole Plant are 
fomewhat lej's than the frjl or common kind , and 
that the Heads are hairy or downy , but otbcrwfe 
hke to it. Lobel calls this Arction. Monranum, and. 
happa minor Galeni : but it is indeed the Lappa 
minor altera Matthioli. 
The Rofe Bur, differs little or nothing from 
the frit kind, but in the head, which injlead of the 
prickly Burs, has many fmall green Leaves, fet to* 
gether like a fmall Rofe Plantane, and not much 
prickly at their ends. 
VII. The Places. The firjl of thefe grows plenti- 
fully with us every where, by Ditch fides. Water 
Jides, Wajl places, and High ways. The Virginian 
is found in Virginia, Maryland, New England, and 
m other Provinces upon that Coaft. The third is 
not fo frequent with us, as is the firft, yet I have 
: ; ouni it in feveral places of England ; Lobel found 
it growing in Somerfet-Jhire , about three Miles 
from Bath, near the then Houfe of Mr. John Colt : 
alfo in the High way leading from Draiton to lver, 
two Miles from Co/ebrook. The lajl grows not 
with us, but near Lipfwick in Germany. 
VIII. The Times. They Head, Flower, and Seed 
i n June, July ana Auguji - the Seed being ripe in 
a few Weeks after the Flowers are gone. 
IX. The Qualities. They are all cooling and dry- 
ing in the firft Degree ; yet Gerard fays, that the 
Roots are moderately hot : They are Aftringenr, 
Difcuflive, Digeftive, and Trauma tick 5 Cephalick 
Neurotick, Nepbririck, and Hyfterick ; Alterative, 
and Alexipharmick. 
X. The Specif cation. The Burdock is peculiar 
againft thePoilon of Serpents and ObftruUiohs of 
the Reins, Bladder and Womb. 
XI. The Preparations. You may have hereof 
I. The Leaves. 2. The Juice. 3. The EJfencei 
4. The Saline Tinffure. ;. The Oily Tmlhtre. 
6 . The Deception. 7. A Ponder of the Root. 8. A 
Ponder of the Seed. 9. A Confeive of the Roots. 
io. A mixture. 11. A Cataplafm. 12. A 
The Virtues. 
XII. The Leaves. Being applied either dry or 
green, they cool, moderately dty, and difeufs withal, 
as Galen fays whereby they are good to heal old 
Sores and Ulcers, and help the Cramp, or fhriukiug 
of the Sinews. 
XIII. The Juice. The Juice of the Leaves mixt 
with Honey, provokes Urine, and takes away the 
Pains of the Bladder : and mixt with Wine, it is 
wonderfully good againft the bitings of Serpents, 
Mad Dogs, and other Venomous Beafts. The Juice 
of the Root taken to the quantity of three or four 
ounces, and drank with a good draught of Ale, is 
an excellent thing againft Wind, and cold'nefs of the 
Stomach. 
XIV. The Effence. It has all the V irtues of the 
Juice, belides which it is excellent againft Poifon 
inwardly taken ; and is good, being given Dieteti- 
cally, againft Venereal Difeafes, as the Pox, Gonor- 
rhsa. 
