The Complete Herbal / To which is now added, upwards of one hundred additional herbs, with a display of their medicinal and occult qualities physically applied to the cure of all disorders incident to mankind: to which are now first annexed, the English physician enlarged, and key to Physic.

by Nicholas Culpeper

PURGING SYRUPS.

Syrupus de Cichorio cum Rhubarbaro.
Or Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb.

College.] Take of whole Barley, the roots of Smallage, Fennel, and Sparagus, of each two ounces, Succory, Dandelyon, Endive, smooth Sow-thistles, of each two handfuls, Lettuce, Liverwort, Fumitory, tops of Hops, of each one handful, Maiden-hair, white and black, Cetrachs, Liquorice, winter Cherries, Dodder, of each six drams, to boil these take sixteen pounds of spring water, strain the liquor, and boil in it six pounds of white sugar, adding towards the end six ounces of Rhubarb, six drams of Spikenard, bound up in a thin slack rag the which crush often in boiling, and so make it into a Syrup according to art.

Culpeper.] It cleanses the body of venemous humours, as boils, carbuncles, and the like; it prevails against pestilential fevers, it strengthens the heart and nutritive virtue, purges by stool and urine, it makes a man have a good stomach to his meat, and provokes sleep. But by my author’s leave, I never accounted purges to be proper physic in pestilential fevers; this I believe, the Syrup cleanses the liver well, and is exceeding good for such as are troubled with hypocondriac melancholy. The strong may take two ounces at a time, the weak, one, or you may mix an ounce of it with the Decoction of Senna.

Syrupus de Epithymo.
Or Syrup of Epithimum.

College.] Take of Epithimum twenty drams, Mirobalans, Citron, and Indian of each fifteen drams, Emblicks, Belloricks, Polypodium, Liquorice, Agrick, Thyme, Calaminth, Bugloss, Stœchas of each six drams, Dodder, Fumitory, of each ten drams, red Roses, Annis-seeds and sweet Fennel seeds of each two drams and an half, sweet Prunes ten, Raisins of the sun stoned four ounces, Tamarinds two ounces and an half, after twenty-four hours infusion in ten pints of spring water, boil it away to six, then take it from the fire and strain it, and with five pounds of fine sugar boil it into Syrup according to art.

Culpeper.] It is best to put in the Dodder, Stœchas and Agarick, towards the latter end of the Decoction. It purges melancholy, and other humours, it strengthens the stomach and liver, cleanses the body of addust choler and addust blood, as also of salt humours, and helps diseases proceeding from these, as scabs, itch, tetters, ringworms, leprosy, &c. A man may take two ounces at a time, or add one ounce to the Decoction of Epithimum.

Syrupus e Floribus Persicorum.
Or Syrup of Peach-flowers.

College.] Take of fresh Peach-flowers a pound, steep them a whole day in three pounds of warm water, then boil a little and strain it out, repeat this infusion five times in the same liquor, in three pounds of which dissolve two pounds and an half of sugar and boil it into a Syrup.

Culpeper.] It is a gentle purger of choler, and may be given even in fevers to draw away the sharp choleric humours.

Syrupus de Pomis purgans.
Or Syrup of Apples purging.

College.] Take of the juice of sweet smelling Apples two pounds, the juice of Borrage and Bugloss of each one pound and an half, Senna two ounces, Annis seeds half an ounce, Saffron one dram, let the Senna be steeped in the juices twenty-four hours, and after a boil or two strain it, and with two pounds of white sugar boil it to a Syrup according to art, the saffron being tied up in a rag, and often crushed in the boiling.

Culpeper.] The Syrup is a cooling purge, and tends to rectify the distempers of the blood, it purges choler and melancholy, and therefore must needs be effectual both in yellow and black jaundice, madness, scurf, leprosy, and scabs, it is very gentle. The dose is from one ounce to three, according as the body is in age and strength. An ounce of it in the morning is excellent for such children as break out in scabs.

Syrupus de Pomis magistralis.
Or Syrup of Apples magisterial.

College.] Take of the Juice and Water of Apples of each a pound and an half, the Juice and Water of Borrage and Bugloss of each nine ounces, Senna half a pound, Annis seeds, and sweet Fennel seeds, of each three drams, Epithimum of Crete, two ounces, Agarick, Rhubarb, of each half an ounce, Ginger, Mace, of each four scruples, Cinnamon two scruples, Saffron half a dram, infuse the Rhubarb and Cinnamon apart by itself, in white Wine and Juice of Apples, of each two ounces, let all the rest, the Saffron excepted, be steeped in the Waters above mentioned, and the next day put in the juices, which being boiled, scummed, and strained, then with four ounces of white sugar boil it into a Syrup, crushing the saffron in it being tied up in a linen rag, the infusion of the Rhubarb being added at the latter end.

Culpeper.] Out of doubt this is a gallant Syrup to purge choler and melancholy, and to resist madness.

Syrupus de Rhubarbaro.
Or Syrup of Rhubarb.

College.] Take of the best Rhubarb and Senna of each two ounces and an half, Violet flowers a handful, Cinnamon one dram and an half, Ginger half a dram, Bettony, Succory and Bugloss Water of each one pound and an half, let them be mixed together warm all night, and in the morning strained and boiled into a Syrup, with two pounds of white sugar, adding towards the end four ounces of Syrup of Roses.

Culpeper.] It cleanses choler and melancholy very gently, and is therefore fit for children, old people, and weak bodies. You may add an ounce of it to the Decoction of Epithimum or to the Decoction of Senna.

Syrupus Rosaceus solutivus.
Or Syrup of Roses solutive.

College.] Take of Spring Water boiling hot four pounds, Damask Rose leaves fresh, as many as the water will contain; let them remain twelve hours in infusion, close stopped; then press them out and put in fresh Rose leaves; do so nine times in the same liquor, encreasing the quantity of the Roses as the liquor encreases, which will be almost by the third part every time: Take six parts of this liquor, and with four parts of white sugar, boil it to a Syrup according to art.

Culpeper.] It loosens the belly, and gently brings out choler and flegm, but leaves a binding quality behind it.

Syrupus e succo Rosarum.
Or Syrup of the Juice of Roses.

College.] It is prepared without steeping, only with the juice of Damask Roses pressed out, and clarified, and an equal proportion of sugar added to it.

Culpeper.] This is like the other.

Syrupus Rosaceus solutivus cum Agarico.
Or Syrup of Roses solutive with Agarick.

College.] Take of Agarick cut thin an ounce, Ginger two drams, Sal. Gem. one dram, Polipodium bruised two ounces, sprinkle them with white Wine and steep them two days over warm ashes, in a pound and an half of the infusion of Damask Roses prescribed before, and with one pound of sugar boil it into a Syrup according to art.

Culpeper.] It purges flegm from the head, relieves the senses oppressed by it, provokes the menses, purges the stomach and liver, and provokes urine.

Syrupus Rosaceus solutivus cum Helleboro.
Or Syrup of Roses solutive with Hellebore.

College.] Take of the bark of all the Myrobalans, of each four ounces, bruise them grossly, and steep them twenty-four hours in twelve pounds of the infusion of Roses before spoken, Senna, Epithimum, Polypodium of the Oak, of each four ounces, Cloves an ounce, Citron seeds, Liquorice, of each four ounces, the bark of black Hellebore roots six drams, let the fourth part of the liquor gently exhale, strain it, and with five pounds of sugar, and sixteen drams of Rhubarb tied up in a linen rag, make it into a Syrup according to art.

Culpeper.] The Syrup, rightly used, purges melancholy, resists madness.

Syrupus Rosaceus solutivus cum Senna.
Or Syrup of Roses solutive with Senna.

College.] Take of Senna six ounces, Caraway, and sweet Fennel seeds, of each three drams, sprinkle them with white Wine, and infuse them two days in three pounds of the infusion of Roses aforesaid, then strain it, and with two pounds of sugar boil it into a Syrup.

Culpeper.] It purges the body of choler and melancholy, and expels the relics a disease hath left behind it; the dose is from one ounce to two, you may take it in a Decoction of Senna, it leaves a binding quality behind it.

Syrupus de Spina Cervina.
Or Syrup of Purging Thorn.

College.] Take of the berries of Purging Thorn, gathered in September, as many as you will, bruise them in a stone mortar, and press out the juice, let the fourth part of it evaporate away in a bath, then to two pounds of it add sixteen ounces of white sugar, boil it into a Syrup, which perfume with Mastich, Cinnamon, Nutmegs, Anni-seeds in fine powder, of each three drams.