Chap. 004. Of Water Agrimony the Male Kind.

I. The Names. It is called in Greek, Ευπατόρειον ένυδρον τό αρρενικόν γένος, In Latin, Eupatorium aquaticum mas, Eupatorium Cannabinum mas, Agrimonia aquatica mas: In English, Water Agrimony Male, also Agrimony Hemp-like,ds and by Gerrard, Dutch Agrimony.

II. The Kinds. It is of the third Species of Agrimony; and of the Water Kind it is the first, which is the Male, of which it is the Genus to three other Kinds, viz.
1. Our English Male Water Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum. -Henriette).
2. The New-England, or Hemp-like Agrimony (Eupatorium maculatum. -Henriette).
3. The Virginian Kind (Acnida cannabina / Amaranthus cannabinus? -Henriette).

III. The Description. The Root is full of thready strings of a mean Bigness; from whence spring up long round Stalks and somewhat reddish, about a Yard high or more, which are beset with long green Leaves, indented about the edges; whereof you shall commonly see five or seven, hanging upon one Stem, like Hemp Leaves, but yet softer. The Flowers are Little, of a pale reddish Colour, consisting of Round soft Tufts, which stand upon the top of the Sprigs, and at length vanish away into Down.

IV. The New-England Kind, is like the former, but has a hairy brittle Stalk, and narrow Leaves, some dented, and some not, two, three, or four Inches long a Piece, and half an Inch broad, or less: the Flowers consist of Mossie pale Threads on every Branch, out of small green Husks or Heads, which with the Seeds is almost insensibly carried away with the Wind, so that one would think it to have no Seed at all.

V. The Virginian has a great, hard, solid, brown, round Stalk, of three, four, or five foot high, is wonderfully full of Long Branches, from the bottom, set with Joynts, spotted red, on the younger green ones, with large green Leaves on them, having below five Leaves on a Stalk, those upwards but three, yet larger than the former; the Flowers and Seed are also larger, not rough but smooth, blackish, and flat, without sharpness of Taste.

VI. The Places. The English grows about the brinks of Ditches, and in Plashes, as also on the edges of wet Grounds, and standing and running Waters, almost every where.

VII. The Times. It Flowers in July and August; and in Winter the Stalks and Leaves wither away, but the Root is said to continue.

VIII. The Qualities. It is hot and dry in the first Degree: Is Aperitive, Abstersive, and Vulnerary: It is by appropriation Hepatick and Splenetick; and of the number of Alteratives. But the Root as Gesner thinks is Emetick. (I would think that the amaranth differs, in its uses, from the Eupatoriums ... -Henriette)

IX. The Specification. I am Informed by a Worthy Gentleman, that it particularly cures the Kings-Evil, and all sorts of Ulcers and Fistula’s: which peculiar properties he knew it had by Experience.

X. The Preparations. The Shops keep nothing hereof; but you may Prepare therefrom,
1. A Juice.
2. A Pouder of the Herb.
3. A Decoction.
4. A Balsam.
5. A Sulphureous Tincture.
6. A Saline Tincture.
7. An Oily Tincture.
8. An Essence.
9. A Fixed Salt.
10. A Wine of the Root.

The Virtues.

XI. The Juice. It attenuates and makes thin gross Humors, cleanses and purifies the Blood, is good against the Scrophula in Men, and the Rickets in Children. Dose from j. Ounce to iij. mixt with Ale or Wine, in the Morning Fasting: It is also good against Tertian Agues.

XII. The Pouder. It has the same Virtues, and may be given from j. dram to ij. drams, Morning and Evening, in a Glass of new Beer or Wine.

XIII. The Decoction. It is Traumatick, more especially if to every Pint of it ij. or iij. ounces of strong Cinnamon Water be added; and then be drunk Morning and Evening from iv. ounces to viii. ounces.

XIV. The Balsam. The Juice being Inspissate to the thickness of new Honey, is mixt with an equal quantity of Turpentine, and Incorporated with a little Oil, over a gentle Fire. It is Vulnerary, and cleanses and heals Wounds, either inward or outward, admirably.

XV. The Sulphureous Tincture. It is a singular Traumatick, and effectual against Poyson and Malignity, Dose from j. dram to ij. drams.

XVI. The Saline Tincture. It is an extraordinary thing against the Kings-Evil, and all Scrophulous Symptoms, as also against the Cachexia, Dropsie, and Rickets in Children, and opens obstructions of the Viscera, expelling gross Humors by Urine. Dose from j. dram to iij. drams, in White Wine.

XVII. The Oily Tincture. It cleanses Wounds, helps Lameness, strengthens the Sinews, and is of good use against Palsies, Numness, Pains and Aches from a Cold cause, being anointed on the part afflicted, Morning and Night. Inwardly taken from x. drops to xij. or xv. in Wine, or Parsley, or Arsmart Water.

XVIII. The Essence. It has all the former Virtues, cleanses the Blood, and is of good use to such as have scabby and filthy Skins; it takes away hardness of Liver and Spleen, and prevails against the Jaundice: Dose from j. ounce to ij. Wounds and Ulcers being washed therewith, it heals them.

XIX. The Fixed Salt. It opens the obstructions of the Reins and Urinary Passages and causes a reparation of the Morbifick matter of a Struma, sending it forth by Urine. Dose in Arsmart Water or Wine, from viij. grains to xx.

XX. The Wine. Gesner in his Epistles, affirms that a Pugil of the Fibres of the Root, boiled in Wine, and the Wine Drunk, gave him in an hours time one Stool, and afterwards ten Vomits, whereby he cast out much Flegm; that it works (says he) like white Hellebor, but much more easily and safely, and that it did him much good.

Botanologia, or The English Herbal, was written by William Salmon, M.D., in 1710.
This chapter has been proofread by Lisa Haller.