The following herbs, their uses and preparations are discussed in The English Physitian.[8]
Anemone as a juice applied externally to clean ulcerations, infections and cure leprosy or inhaled to clear the nostrils
Bedstraw boiled in oil and applied externally as a stimulant, consumed as an aphrodisiac, or externally raw to stimulate clotting
Burdock crushed and mixed with salt, useful in treating dog bites, and taken inwardly to help pass flatulence, an analgesic for tooth pain and to strengthen the back
Cottonweed boiled in lye can be used to treat head lice or infestations in cloth or clothing. Inhaled, it acts as an analgesic for headaches and reduces coughing.
Dittany is as an abortifacient, to induce labour, as a treatment for poisoned weapons, to draw out splinters and broken bones, and the smell drives away "venomous beasts". One species of dittany, Dictamnus albus, is now known to contain alkaloids, limonoid triterpenoids, flavonoids, sesquiterpenoids, coumarins, and phenylpropane.[11]
Fleabane helps with bites from "venomous beasts", and its smoke can kill gnats and fleas. It can be dangerous to pregnant women.
Hellebore causes sneezing if ground and inhaled, kills rodents if mixed with food. Hellebore is now known to contain poisonous alkaloids,[12] cardiac glycosides in the roots and ranunculin and protoanemonin, especially in the leaves and sap.[13][14] Hellebore poisoning is rare, but can occur.[13][15]
Mugwort induces labour, assists in birth and afterbirth and eases labour pains.
Pennyroyal strengthens the backs of women, assists with vertigo and helps expel gas. The active constituent of pennyroyal is now known to be pulegone.
Savory helps expel gas and is excellent mixed with peas and beans for this reason.
Wood Betony helps with "falling sickness" and headaches, anti-anoretic, "helps sour belchings", cramps, convulsions, bruises, afterbirth and gout, and kills worms.
https://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:618898#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=78&xywh=0%2C-9%2C3637%2C4492
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/189434#page/7/mode/1up
The British herbal and family physician : for the cure of diseases incident to the human frame /
By: Culpeper, Nicholas, - Royal College of Physicians of London.
Publication info: London :Willam Nicholson & Sons,[1870]
Holding Institution: Royal College of Physicians, London (archive.org)
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/195962#page/7/mode/1up
The British herbal and family physician. : To which is added, a dispensatory for the use of private families /
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/207301#page/10/mode/1up
The English physician enlarged ...
Nicholas Culpeper was an English apothecary and physician. Inspired by the work of medical reformers such as Paracelsus, who rejected traditional medical authorities, Culpeper published books in English, giving healers who could not read Latin access to medical and pharmaceutical knowledge.
Culpeper was a political radical who wrote pamphlets against the king, all priests and lawyers, and licensed physicians. He dedicated himself to serving the sick, the poor and the powerless. In 1644 he set up his own shop in east London and started to translate medical books into English. In doing this, he not only made them more accessible but also threatened the monopolies of university-trained physicians.
Culpeper wrote and translated many medical books. But his biggest success was The English Physician of 1653 (now known as Culpeper’s Herbal), which was one of the most successful publications of early modern Britain and North America. Culpeper’s Herbal was an attempt to integrate ideas of the doctrine of signatures and astrology into herbal medicine. It also included a translation of a description of plants and their medical uses issued in Latin by the College of Physicians. The college protested against the publication, but the book has been in print ever since.
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