The new family herbal : comprising a description, and the medical virtues of British and foreign plants, founded on the works of eminent modern English and American writers on the medical properties of herbs: to which is added, The botanic family physician; valuable medical receipts; and important directions regarding diet, clothing, bathing, air, exercise, &c., &c. / by Matthew Robinson.

  • Robinson, Matthew.
Date:
[1863?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The new family herbal : comprising a description, and the medical virtues of British and foreign plants, founded on the works of eminent modern English and American writers on the medical properties of herbs: to which is added, The botanic family physician; valuable medical receipts; and important directions regarding diet, clothing, bathing, air, exercise, &c., &c. / by Matthew Robinson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    But if the humidity be exhausted already, then those consume the natural strength. XII. Such as are dry in the first degree strengthen ; in the second degree bind ; in the third, stop fluxes, but spoil the nourishment, and bring consumption ; in the fourth, dry up the radical moisture, which being exhausted, the body must needs perish. Xm. Moist medicines are opposed to drying; they are lenitive, and make slippery. These cannot exceed the third degree; for all things are either hot or cold. Now heat dries up, and cold congeals ; both which destroy moisture. XIV. Such as are moist in the first degree, ease coughs and help the roughness of the windpipe ; in the second, loosen the belly ; in the third, make the whole habit of body watery and phlegmatic ; filling it with dropsies, lethargies, and such like diseases. XV. Thus medicines alter according to their temperature, whose active qualities are heat and cold, and whose passive are dryness and moisture. XVI. The active qualities eradicate diseases, the passive are subservient to nature. So hot medicines may cure the dropsy, by opening obstruc- tions : and the same may also cure the yellow jaundice, by its attractive quality in sympathising with the humour abounding; and contrary wise cold medicines may compress or abate a fever by condensing the hot vapours, and the same may stop any defluxion or looseness.