CHAP. XV.Of Plague Water.
Thereare several Receipts for making Plague Water; but the following are much the best.
Take of the Roots of Masterwort and Butter-burr, of each one Pound and a Quarter,VirginiaSnake-root andZedoary, of each ten Ounces, Angelica-seeds and Bay-seeds of each fourteen Ounces, and of the Leaves of Scordium one Pound and a Half. Cut or bruise these Ingredients and put them into the Still, with twelve Gallons of clean Proof Spirit, and two Gallons of Water; digest the whole for twenty-four Hours, and draw off ten Gallons.
Or,
Take of the Leaves of Celandine, Rosemary, Rue, Sage, Roman Wormwood, Dragons Agrimony, Baum, Scordium, the lesser Centory, Carduus Benedictus, Betony, and Mint, of each twenty Handfuls; of dried Angelica-root, Zedoary and Gentian, of each ten Ounces, and ofVirginiaSnake-root five Ounces; digest these twenty-four Hours, in twelve Gallons of clean ProofSpirit, and two Gallons of Water; and then draw off ten Gallons as before.
Or,
Take of Rue, Rosemary, Baum, Carduus Benedictus, Scordium, Marigold-flowers, Dragons, Goat’s-rue, and Mint, of each ten Handfuls; Roots of Masterwort, Angelica, Butter-burr, and Peony, of each one Pound and a Quarter; and of Viper-grass ten Ounces; digest in twelve Gallons of Spirit,&c.as before.
Or,
Take of the Roots of Masterwort, Gentian, and Snake-root, of each seven Ounces; green Walnuts bruised eighty; Venice-treacle and Mithridate of each three Ounces; Camphire six Drams; of the Roots of Rue and Elecampane, of each three Ounces; Horehound six Ounces; Saffron six Drams; Proof Spirit twelve Gallons; digest,&c.as before.
Or,
Take Dragons, Rosemary, Wormwood, Sage, Scordium, Mugwort, Scabious, Baum, Carduus, Angelica, Marigold-flowers, Centory, Betony, Pimpernel, Celadine, Rue, and Agrimony, of each three Pounds; of the Roots of Gentian, Zedoary, Liquorice, and Elecampane, of each twelve Ounces; twelve Gallons of Spirits; digest,&c.as before.
Or,
Take of green Walnuts, five Pounds; of Angelica-root two Pounds; of the Leaves of Angelica, Rue, Sage, and Scordium, of each ten Handfuls; of Nutmegs, Long Pepper, Ginger, Camphire, and Gentian-root, of each five Ounces; of Snake-root, Contrayerva, Elecampane, Zedoary, and Viper’s Flesh, of each thirteen Ounces; Venice Treacle and Mithridate of each thirteen Ounces; White-wine Vinegar seven Pounds; Proof Spirits twelve Gallons; digest,&c.as before.
You may either dulcify your Plague-water, or not, as you see occasion.
All the above Receipts for making Plague Water are in use; but the first the most elegant, containing nothing but what is proper in the Intention, and at the same time adapted to give its Virtues by Distillation; which cannot be said of any of the rest, several of the Ingredients adding no Virtue at all to the Water. Of this Kind are the Celandine, Carduus, Centory, Gentian, Walnuts,&c.
Plague Water is a noble Alexipharmic, and a high Carminative Cordial in malignant Cases, and of great Use in Lowness of Spirits, and Depressions.