Pharmaco-botanologia: or, An alphabetical and classical dissertation on all the British indigenous and garden plants of the New London dispensatory : In which their genera, species, characteristick and distinctive notes are methodically described; the botanical terms of art explained; their virtues, uses, and shop-preparations declared ... / By Patrick Blair.

  • Blair, Patrick, -1728.
Date:
1723[-28]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Pharmaco-botanologia: or, An alphabetical and classical dissertation on all the British indigenous and garden plants of the New London dispensatory : In which their genera, species, characteristick and distinctive notes are methodically described; the botanical terms of art explained; their virtues, uses, and shop-preparations declared ... / By Patrick Blair. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    and do not amount to different Species, fince the Difpofftion and Fa- fhionofthe Flower never alters. Virtues and Ufes of the Suthernwood and Wormwoods. All thefe confift of tenuions and fnbtle Particles, are powerful Attemit¬ ters > difeutient, Referaters of ObfiruSHons, as well internally given, as exter¬ nally apply’d. . Suthernwood by the Unpleafantnefs of its Smell and difagreeable Taffe is not much ufed. It’s a potent Vermifuge, and may be inwardly given along with frefh Rue-Leaves, mixed with frefh Butter, form'd into Imall Balls, to be (wallowed by Children for the Worms , but for any other in¬ ternal Ufe, as is obferved, the Lavender Cotton is to be preferred. Exter¬ nally it may be apply’d in Fomentations and Cataplafms. It may alfo be mixed in the Cataplafm made with an Ox Gall, Taffy, &c. and apply’d to the Navel for Worms. They ufe itefpecially in hot Weather to ffrow in Rooms, where is a dead Corpfe, or lay it upon the Coffin, for its pre¬ dominant ffrong Smell. Tar agon, which I have joyn’d with the Suthernwood., has a pleafant, hot, aromatick Tafle, andtho’butof fmall Ufe in Phyfck, yet its Leaves may be very well eat with frefh Butter, in the Spring,as they do Sage,for a Stoma- chick or in a Sallad, along with Purflin, and other efteemed cold Sail ads, which is very much ufed in Holland and Flanders. It may be alfo ap¬ ply’d externally in dfeutient Fomentations, &c. Wormwood is a Plant of the greateft Ufe of many in Phyfck *, it’s a po¬ tent Vermifuge, febrifuge, ftomachick, Antifcorbutick, &c. In a Word, there is no Cafe nor Difeafe which proceeds from too grols a Blood, or from ObftruUions in any of the Capillaries, but as an Attenuater it may be effectual in referating of them. It’s a moll powerful Stomachick, by cutting and dividing that tough and vifeid Phlegm, which obduces the in¬ ner Surface of the Stomach *, and obtunds the fubrle Particles in the Saiiva, ieparated by the Glands in the Stomach } which a£ls upon its nervous Coat, and ffirs up the Appetite. Its moft active Principle is a great Quan¬ tity of fix'd Salt, by which it corrects too great an Acidity or Acrimony in the Blood, which may be one of the principal Caules of thofe inter¬ mittent Fevers, and Agues, fo very epidemical in low and maritime Places. It’s likewife by the Activity of thefe [aline Parts that it diffolves the tender Texture of the fmall Maggots, with which the Inteftines of Chil¬ dren are fo much afflifted, before their Stomachs are fo flrong as to concoft and digeft their Food, .and the Ova of Inlefts conveyed along with it. Tho’ it may feem to have but few volatile Parts, becaufe fcarce difcernable by theAfcent in Diffillation, yet this Virtue may proceed . from