Chap. 023. Of the White Archangel.

I. THE Names. It is called in Greek, (greek): Lamium album, Urtica iners Alba, Urtica mortua alba: and in English, White Archangel, or Dead Nettle.

II. The Kinds. Of Archangels there are three special Kinds, viz.
1. The Red.
2. The White. (Lamium album. -Henriette)
3. The Yellow.

This then which we Treat of in this Chapter is the second Species, to wit, that of the White Kind.

III. The Description. It has a Root White and Thready, not perishing every year, from whence rises divers four square Stalks somewhat hairy, about a Foot and a half, or two Feet high, and sometimes more, as the ground on which they grow is in fatness and goodness, leaning this way and that way by reason of the Weight of its Head and Leaves, Branches and Flowers: at the Joynts whereof stand two Leaves larger and more pointed than the Red almost in shapelike Nettles, but not stinging, and dented about the edges; greener also than the Red, and somewhat soft, as it were, and hairy and downy. At the Joints with the Leaves stand larger and more gaping flowers than those of the Red, in Husks, and encompassing the Stalks at certain distances, like as those of Horehound do (of which Gerard will have this to be a Species) but not having such a bush of Leaves and flowers, so closely set at the Tops, as they are in the Red: These flowers are white in Colour, and shaped like to little gaping Hoods, or Helmets; after the flowers in the same Husks grow small roundish Seed, which, when ripe, becomes black, or of a blackish Colour. Its Root grows not downward, but spreads and encreases under the upper Crust of the Earth, and abides many Years, still encreasing: The whole Herb has a smell pleasant enough, and much differing from Galeopsis, or the Stinking Kind.

IV. The Places. It grows by old Hedges, and Ditch sides, and in some places by the Highways, and borders of Fields, almost every where through the whole Kingdom; and many times in Gardens ill Husbanded.

V. The Times. It Flowers from the beginning of the Spring, almost all the Summer long and the Seed ripens thro' all the same Seasons.

VI. The Qualities. It is hot and dry in the second Degree: it is Attenuating, Inciding, Discussive, Resolutive, Astringent, Vulnerary, and Alterative, and is appropriated to the Head, Nerves, Liver, Spleen, Womb, and Joints.

VII. The Specification. It cures Wounds and Ulcers, stops Fluxes, and, in particular the Whites in Women.

VIII. The Preparations. The Shops keep,
1. The Herb.
2. A Conserve of the flowers.

But you may also prepare therefrom,
3. A Pouder of the Seed.
4. A Juice of the Plant.
5. An Essence.
6. A Spirituous Tincture,
7. A Saline Tincture.
8. An Oily Tincture.
9. A Distilled Water of the whole Plant,
10. A Decoction.
11. An Oil.
12. An Ointment.
13. A Cerote or Emplaster.
14. A Cataplasm.

The Virtues.

IX. The Virtues of all these Preparations are the same with those of The Red, in the Chapter foregoing, from Sect. 14. to Sect. 26. and may serve in all the same Cases, there not being much difference in their strength and goodness; but if any should be supposed, these of the White may be said rather to excel in Virtue: but this difference there is between them in the Flower, that as the Red seem to be specifick to stop the Reds, or overflowing of the Terms, and Loches in Women; so the Flowers of the White are said to be specifick in stopping the Whites, or White Flux in the same Sex; for which reason the Shops in many places keep the Conserve of the Flowers in a readiness, upon any occasion.

X. The Conserve of the White Flowers. It is given for the purposes aforesaid, and to strengthen the Womb, from vj. drams to an ounce and half, Morning, Noon, and Night. And it will be more effectual, if the Pouder of boiled Turpentine is added to it, iv. ounces to every pound of the Conserve: thus Prepared, it is truly an excellent thing for the purpose intended.

Botanologia, or The English Herbal, was written by William Salmon, M.D., in 1710.
This chapter has been proofread by Nick Jones / Peppercat.