TR IB E.J. The 7 heaterof Tlants. Chap. 
quickly pcrifh with the firft approach thereof, and therefore to be kept fafe in thefe cold climates, it require* 
dome vault, or ftove, or other fuch convenient place.The fecond groweth in Candy as Alpimu faith. The third 
is frequent in fiindry places of the Land, growing by the hedges (ides and running thereon. The fourth groweth 
necre the Sea fide, as well by Mompelier, as the kingdome of Valentin in Spaine, where C lu f ms faith he found 
it: and the lafl in Virginia. 
The Time. 
They flourifh in thefe Countries inlune, Iuly, andAugnft, butthefirlf, and two Iaft, doe feldome perfeiS 
any feede with us. 
The Names. 
The firft, is called in Greeke and in Latmc alfo Scammonia: the dryed juyce which is mod in ufe, is 
called Sea.ii.uien;r Scammonium, both in the Druggifts, and Apothecaries fhoppes, as alfo with moil writers, yet 
Lome call the plant fo too : the fame being prepared, that is, bakeJ in a quince, under the embers, or in an Oven: 
or any other way, is called of the ancient writers Tiagridmm, which (hould onely be ufed in medicines, accor- 
dingto the appointment of all Phyfitians, who are led by the tradition of their elders: but all Apothecaries 
ingenerall, doe ufe the Scammonye itfelfe, asir commeth, without any other prepiration, fo as it be of the pu- 
rcft,andbeft, which by their dayly experience, they finde to worke more certainely, and more fafely, than the 
Diagridium, which is much dulled in the baking or other preparation: and befides, whereas the ancient writers 
doe appoint it to be diffolved, and fo mixed with their medecines, or to be boyled in the Eleftuarie, fotobec 
diffolved, wherein it is appointed tobe put •• the dayly experience of Apothecaries, who are chiefe maftersin 
their profeffions, or fliouid be, if they be worthy of their name, doth teftifie there againftjfinding that if Scam- 
monie come to never fo little heatealmoft in the mixing thereof, it will curdle together and lye In knots in the 
medicine, beate yee it almofl: never fo long after it is mixed; and therefore they alwayes in their Scamoniate 
medicines, rubbe it finely into powder of itfelfe, without other preparation, and 1b put it laft of all other things 
into any medicine, that hath beene boyled or heated, and that when it is almoft cold, for feare of curdlin»or 
gathering together in knots, as I fayd before; and being thus mixed,the medicine (hall worke more fafely with¬ 
out perturbations of the ftomacke, ftc. and more furely without tedioufnefie or procraflinatibn, than if r DiaqrV 
dium, were put into it: let not this be imputed as an errour in our profeflion, or a fetlcd wilfulneffe to contra¬ 
ry fo great and ancient authority, for we know that true experience hath maftered reafon and antiquitie, and we 
alfo know, that the experience and diligence ofour times, hath in many more things, not onely taught us to vary 
from the Methode and order, appointed by the ancient writers of Phyfickeandhearbes, but to contrary themal- 
fo, when we have found either by reafon or experience, that there iscaufe fo to doe, as in the dofeof this Scam- 
monie is plainely to be obferved. Y os T> iofeorides appointetli a dramme to be given at once, when no Phyfitian 
with us, dare fcarfe give halfe a fcruple, or not above. The fecond A/pimu fo calleth, asisin the title, and that 
is as much as can be fayd of it: the third is called Volubilis major & Convolvulus major,by diverfe,as alfo Smi/ax 
levis major by others, Helxine Cijfampelos by Cordns on Diofcorides, and Malacociffiu Damocratis by Anguila* 
ra : the fourth Gefner in hortis calleth Scammonia Mor.fpcl , and Label Scammonium Monjpelienje , but C Inf us 
who in his Spanifh obfervations, firft calleth it Scammonea Valentinas doth in his hiftory entitle it, Apocrnum a, 
latifolium. yetreferrethitto that of Mompelier as both one : Camerarins and Lugdunenjis doe call it Scammoma 
mar luma Monffeliacaas the learned of Mompelier doe, and ufe it accordingly : the laft isremembred onely bv 
my felfe,who fuppofc it by being like in forme to the laft, to be neere alfo in quality thereunto. 
The Vertues. 
_ Scammonye being the bajis as I may fo call it, of thofe medecines wh; rein it is put, there bad neede of efpe- 
ciallcarctobe taken in the choife thereof, that onely that which is fincere and pure, without droffe or adulterati¬ 
on be nfed in Phyficke; which may be knowne if itbenot heavie,orclofecompadl together,but that it be mo¬ 
derately light, with fome imall holes or hollownefle heere and there therein; and that it be fmooth and plaine in 
the breaking, and not in grumes or knots, or having fmall ftickes or (tones in it; fomewhat dec re andblackifii 
alfo, but not of a deadifb darke or evill favored colour, and that will be made quicktly info a very fine and white 
powder : this I mention comparatively, for it will be a very hard matter, for any to know the bed; by relation, 
but by infpeffion; and chiefely by companion of the good and bad together, that fo you may learne to know ci¬ 
ther of them at the firft fight. The dofis hereof as it is appointed by D iofeorides and others, doth fo farre exceede 
the proportion of our moderne Phyfitians, that it hath made Vena to doubt, that the Scammonye i nT> iofeorides 
time, was more corrupt, and encreafed with other things than ours is, becaufe he gave fo much, and we doe give 
fo little; and UlVatthiolns on the otherfide to doubt, whether wee have any fincere Scammonye brought unto us 
at all, orelfe that the text of V iofeorides is corrupt, where he appointetli a dramme or foure obolos, that is, two 
fcruples to betaken at a time; and he fetteth downe alfo, that ifa purging medicine be required to be effebtuall; 
you fhould take 3 oboli, that is halfe a dram, of Scammonye, 1 oboli, that is one fcruple of blacke Hcllcbor,and one 
dram of Aloes,all thefe to be taken together at one time:but the greateft dofis now adayes.exceedcth not halfe an 
cbolns to aftrong body, and leffe to the weaker, or more tender. Pena in hisdilfgcnt obfervations, and declara¬ 
tions hereof fet downe in his Adverfaria, hath caufed all whom it may concerne,borh to underhand the choyfe 
ofthis Scammonye, as alfo thereby to bethinke them of the fincerity of other drugges; and that as he guefieth 
the quantity of Scammonye is fo great, that is (pent in all countries, which is made onely in one, that unleffe the 
quantity were augmented by mixture,there could not be fufficient fincere and pure juyce.to ferve them by much: 
and although in former ages, and even in our former times, there hath beene much falfeand corrupt Eragges, 
brought into Europe , and all the countries thereof farre and neere: yet the skill and curiofitie of thefe times is 
fuch, that our Merchants taking onely the beft for us of all forts, and refilling the courfe,hath 1 thinke leffened, if 
not worne out, that fophifticating art in the matters thereof, when they fee that none but true and fincere is 
affedted and bought: the word: to lye on their hands untill it grow^ better: It purgerh both flegme, 
yellow choler, and watery humors very ftongly: but if it bee indifcreetly or careleffely given with¬ 
out due refpeft, it will not onely trouble the ftomacke more than any other medecine, but will alfo"fcowre, fret 
and rale the gutts in working too forceably, oftentimes unto blood, and oftentimes caufing faintings and fwou- 
nings ; Our Phyfitians therefore doe feldome give,to any tender and gentle body any Scamihoniate Elefluary, 
i<55 
