734 Salmons Herbal. Lib. I. 
XVI. The Acid Tintture. It Stops Vomiting, 
Itrengthens the Stomach , creates an Appetite, 
and caufes a good Digeftion. It opens obftruftions 
of the Reins, Ureters and Bladder, and expels the 
Morbifick caufe of Fevers by Urine. It opens alfo 
obftru&ions of the Lungs, and caufes free breathing -. 
Dofe fo many Drops in Ale, Beer, or Wine, as to 
make it gratefully Acid ^ and to, be repeated as often 
as the Sick drinks, till the Difaffe&ion is removed. 
XVII. Kota. Any of thel'e Herbs, (but chiefly 
the firft of them) being laid inChefts among Cloaths 
it keeps them from Moths ^ and from thence came 
the Name of Moth-wort. 
MOTHER of TIME, fee Time Wild, Chap. 
CHAP. DIL 
Of MOTHER - WORT. 
I. Hp H E Names. I do not find that this Plant 
JL was known to the Ancient Greeks , or 
Latines : Our Moderns call it Cardiaca (from com- 
forting and ttrengthning the Heart ) and might very 
well be called Matricis Herba and Matricaria altera 
(Bom its curing of Difeafes of the Womb : ) The 
prime Matricaria , being that which we call Parthe- 
non, , or Featberfew. And in Englifh we call it 
Mother-wort , from its curing Fits of the Mother. 
II. The Kinds. Moft of our Eotanifts have made 
but one Species hereof, and a Angular Plant of its 
Kind: But Mr. Ray has added many more, but 
they being all Strangers to us, and not poflible to be 
met withall here, we fhall wholly pafs them by. 
That which welhall here Delcribe is Cardiaca vulga- 
ris , or Matricaria altera , Our Common Mother- 
wort. Thefe, viz. 2 . Cardiaca Crifpa , Curled or 
Crifped Mother- wort. 2 . Cardiaca Americana annua 
Nepeta folio , Annual American Mother-wort with 
Nep or Cat-mint Leaves. 4 . Cardiaca Americana 
minor Nepeta folik , The lelfer American Mother- 
wort with Nep or Cat-mint Leaves- Thefe 1 fay, 
are the chief of thofe which he has added, befides 
which he has enumerated about feven other Kinds, 
all which being Foreign' ( as the Plants them- 
felves are) to our defign , we fhall pafs them all 
over. 
T be Defcriptions. 
III. Our Common Mother-wort has a flender Root 
which fends forth and is compait of a great Number 
of ( mall Fibres or long J, lender Strings , which are of 
a dark yellowijh or brownifb color , taking Jjrong 
hold in the Ground , and pcnfhes not , but well 
abides the coldnefs of the Winter. From whence 
rifes up a hard fquarc brownifb , rough, firong 
Stalk , rifing to be fometimes three or four Feet 
high , and f treading into many Brunches , on 
which grow Leaves on each fide upon long foot 
Stalks , two at every Joint , which are Jomcthing broad 
and long , and as it were rough , or crumple d, with 
many great V fins which Jhm thsmf elves therein , of a 
9C 0 T9C G 9 0 & 
fad green color ,' and deeply dented in about the edges . 
and almojl torn or divided. From the middle of the 
Branches up to the tops of them , which are very long 
and fmall , grow the Flowers round about them at di- 
fiances , infharp pointed , rough, hard Husks , which 
are more purple or red , than in any of the Bawm’s^ 
or in any Hore-hound j but in the fame manner , form, 
and rot/ghnefs ns thofe of the Hore-hound arc-, after 
which come fmall , round , blackifb Seed in great, 
plenty. 
IV. Gerard has another kind of Defcription of 
this Plant, which fomething better pleafes me, and it 
is this. Its Root is com pad of many fmall Strings^ 
which fends forth a Stalk four J'quare , thick, hard, 
and about two, Cubits high, of an obfeure , or over- 
worn red color. The Leaves are fomewhat black like 
thofe of Nettles^ but greater and broader than the 
Leaves of Hore-hound, deeply indented, or cut in on 
the edges. The Husks are hard and pricking , which 
do encopipafs the Stalks like \Vl:arles, or little Coro- 
nets, out of which grow purplijh Flowers , not unlike 
to thofe of Dead-Nettles , but lejfer. The whole 
Plant has a bitter Tafie and rank Smell. 
V. The Places. It grows among Rubbilh and by 
the Tides of Walls, and Hedges, and Banks of 
Ditches, in many places beyond Sea.' And Parkin- 
fon fays, he never knew or heard that it grew with 
us any where but in Gardens where it had been once 
Sown or Planted. But Gerard fays, that it joys only 
in Rubbilh, Stony, and other Barren places „ and 
has been found in lome places about Oxford'. 1 my 
fell' in Travelling about England , have fometimes 
found it growing Wild, in leveral places. 
VI. The Tunes. It Flourifhes, Flowers, and 
Seeds from June to September yielding a plentiful 
quantity of Seed. The Root endures all Winter , 
though the Leaves and Stalks dye away and perifb. 
VI I. 'The Qualities. It is hot and dry in the 
fecond Degree, Abflerfive, Allringent, Diuretick, 
Vulnerary, Cardiack, and Hyfterick. 
VIII. The Specification, it prevails againit Faint- 
ing£ and. Swoouings x as alfo fly.llerick. Fits , Con- 
* vulfipoS 
