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

As for what appertains to the constitution of the eyes themselves, seeing they are exact in sense, they will not endure the least inconvenience, therefore such medicines as are outwardly applied to them (for such medicines as strengthen the visive virtues are always given inwardly) let them neither hurt by their hardness nor gnawing quality, nor be so tough that they should stick to them. Therefore let ocular medicines be neither in powders nor ointments, because oil itself is offensive to the eyes, and how pleasing powders are to them, you may perceive yourself by just going into the dust.

Medicines appropriated to the mouth and nose.

Apply no stinking medicine to a disease in the nose, for such offend not only the nose, but also the brain; neither administer medicines of any ill taste to a disease in the mouth, for that subverts the stomach, because the tunicle of the mouth and of the stomach is the same: and because both mouth and nostrils are ways by which the brain is cleansed, therefore are they infected with such vices as need almost continual cleansing, and let the medicines you apply to them be either pleasant, or at least, not ingrateful.

Medicines appropriated to the ears.

The ears are easily afflicted by cold, because they are always open, therefore they require hot medicines. And because they are of themselves very dry, therefore they require medicines which dry much.

Medicines appropriated to the teeth.

Vehement heat, and vehement cold, are inimical to the teeth, but they are most of all offended by sharp and sour things, and the reason is, because they have neither skin nor flesh to cover them, they delight in such medicines as are cleansing and binding, because they are troubled with defluxions and rheums upon every light occasion; and that’s the reason the common use of fat and sweet things, soon rots the teeth.

CHAPTER II.
Of Medicines appropriated to the breast
and lungs.

The medicines appropriated to the breast and lungs, you shall find called all along by the name of [pectorals] that’s the term Physicians give them, when you heat them talk of pectoral Syrups, pectoral rows, or pectoral Ointments.