Gerard's Herbal - Part 3
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| Fig. 1124. Small Leopard's Bane (1) |
Fig. 1125. Great Leopard's Bane (2) |
The Description.
1. Of this plant Doronicum there be sundry kinds, whereof I will only touch four: Dodonĉus unproperly calleth it Aconitum pardalianches, which hath happened through the negligence of Dioscorides and Theophrastus, who in describing Doronicum, have not only omitted the flowers thereof, but have committed that negligence in many and divers other plants, leaving out in many plants which they have described, the special accidents; which hath not a little troubled the study and determination of the best herbarists of late years, not knowing certainly what to determine and set down in so ambiguous a matter, some taking it one way, and some another, and some esteeming it to be Aconitum. But for the better understanding hereof, know that this word Aconitum, as it is a name attributed to divers plants, so it is to be considered, that all plants called by this name are malignant and venomous, as with the juice and root whereof such as hunted after wild and noisome beasts were wont to imbrue and dip their arrows, the sooner and more surely to dispatch and slay the beast in chase. But for the proof of the goodness of this Doronicum and the rest of his kind, know also, that Lobel writeth of one called John de Vroede, who ate very many of the roots at sundry times, and found them very pleasant in taste, and very comfortable. But to leave controversies, circumstances, and objections which here might be brought in and alleged, assure yourselves, that this plant Doronicum minus officinarum, (whose roots Pena reporteth to have found plentifully growing upon the Pedemountain hills and certain high places in France) hath many leaves spread upon the ground, somewhat like Plantain: among which rise up many tender hairy stalks some handful and an half high, bearing at the top certain single yellow flowers, which when they fade change into down, and are caried away with the wind. The roots are thick and many, very crookedly crossing and tangling one within another, resembling a scorpion, and in some years do grow in our English gardens into infinite numbers.
2. The second kind of Doronicum hath larger leaves than the former, but round, and broader, almost like the small leaves of the Clot or Burr; among which riseth up a stalk scarce a cubit high: the flowers are like the former: the root is longer and bigger than the former, barred over with many scaly barks, in colour white, and shining like white marble, having on each side one arm or fin, not unlike to the sea shrimp called Squilla marina, or rather like the ribs or scales of a Scorpion's body, and is sweet in taste.
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| Fig. 1126. Crayfish Wolf's-Bane (3) |
Fig. 1127. Winged Wolf's-Bane (4) |
3. The third kind of Doronicum, growing naturally in great abundance in the mountains of France, is also brought into and acquainted with our English grounds, bearing very large leaves of a light yellowish green, and hairy like Pilosella, or Cucumis agrestis. The stalks are a cubit high, having at the top yellow flowers like Buphthalmum, or Consolida media vulnerariorum; all the root is barred and welted over with scales like the tail of a Scorpion, white of colour, and in taste sweet, with some bitterness, yielding forth much clamminess, which is very astringent.
4. The fourth kind hereof is found in the woody mountains about Turin and Savoy, very like unto the former, saving that the leaves are somewhat rougher, the flowers greater, and the stalks higher. But to be short, each of these kinds are so like one another, that in show, taste, smell, and manner of growing they seem to be as it were all one: Therefore it were superfluous to stand upon their variety of names, Pardalianches, Myoctonum, Thelyphonum, Camorum, and such like, of Theophrastus, Dioscorides, Pliny, or any of the new writers, which names they have given unto Doronicum; for by the opinion of the most skilful in plants, they are but synonyms of one kind of plant. And though these old writers speak of the hurtful qualities of these plants; yet experience teacheth us that they have written what they have heard and read, and not what they have known and proved; for it is apparent, that Doronicum (by the consent of the old and new writers) is used as an antidote or certain treacle, as well in the confections de Gemmis Mesuĉ, as in Electuario Aromaticum. And though Matthiolus disclaimeth against the use thereof, and calleth it Pardalianches, that is, Wolf's-bane; yet let the learned know, that quantitas, non qualitas, nocet ["the quantity, not the nature, causes harm"]: for though Saffron be comfortable to the heart, yet if you give thereof, or of musk, or any such cordial thing, too great a quantity, it killeth the party which receiveth it.
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| Fig. 1128. Narrow-Leaved Wolf's-Bane (5) |
Fig. 1129. Large-Flowered Wolf's-Bane (6) |
5. To these four formerly intended by our author, may we fitly add some others out of Clusius. The first of these hath a stalk some foot high, soft, rough, and crested: the leaves are few, thick, narrow, long, very green and shining, yet hairy on their upper sides, but smooth on the lower sides, and of a lighter green; yet those that adorn the stalk are narrower: there groweth commonly at the top of the stalk one single flower of the shape and bigness of the common Doronicum described in the second place, but of a brighter yellow: the seed is little and blackish, and is carried away with the wind: the root is small, blackish, and jointed, having somewhat thick white fibres, and an aromatic taste. This flowers in July and August, and grows in rocky places upon the highest Alps. Clusius (the first and only describer thereof) calls it Doronicum 2 sive austriacum 1.
6. This grows somewhat higher than the last described, and hath much broader and rounder leaves, and those full of veins, and snipped about the edges. The knots and offsets of the roots deecend not down, but run on the surface of the ground, and so send forth fibres on each side, to fasten them and attract nourishment. The flower is like that of the former, but much larger. This groweth in the high mountainous places of Styria, and flowers at the same time as the former. Clusius calls this Doronicum 4 Stiriacum.
Fig. 1130. Greatest Wolf's-Bane (7)
7. This is the largest of all the rest, and hath a stalk two cubits or more high, of the thickness of one's little finger, crested, rough, and towards the top divided into sundry branches. The leaves next to the root are round, wrinkled, hairy, and fastened to a long stalk: those towards the top of the stalk are longer and narrower, and engirt the stalk at their setting on. The flowers are large and yellow, like to the other plants of this kind: the seed also is carried away with the wind, and is longish, and of a greenish colour: the root is knotty or jointed like to a little shrimp, and of a whitish green colour. This flowers in June or July, and grows upon the like places as the former. Clusius calls this Doronicum 7 austriacum 3.
The Place.
The place is sufficiently set forth in the description; yet you shall understand, that I have the two first in my garden; the second hath been found and gathered in the cold mountains of Northumberland, by Dr. Penny lately of London deceased, a man of much experience and knowledge in simples, whose death myself and many others do greatly bewail.
The Time.
They flower in the months of June and July.
The Names.
Concerning their names I have already spoken; yet sith I would be glad that our English women may know how to call it, they may term Doronicum by this name, Crayfish Piss-a-Bed, because the flower is like Dandelion, which is called Piss-a-Bed.
Our author certainly at the beginning of this chapter did not well understand what he said, when he affirms, That the reason of the not well knowing the Doronicum of the ancients was, [through the negligence of Dioscorides and Theophrastus, who in describing, Doronicum, &c.] Now it is manifest, that neither of these authors, nor any of the ancient Greeks ever so much as named Doronicum: but that which he should have said, was, That the want of exact describing the Aconitum thelyphonon in Theophrastus, and Aconitum pardalianches in Dioscorides, (which are judged to be the same plant and all one with our Doronicum) hath been the cause, that the controversy which Matthiolusi and others have of late railed cannot be fully determined; which is, Whether that the vulgar Doronicum, used in shops, and described in this chapter, be the Aconitum pardalianches? Matthiolus affirms it is, and much and vehemently exclaims against the use thereof in cordial electuaries, as that which is of a most pernicious and deadly quality because that (as he affirms) it will kill dogs: now Dodonĉus also seems to incline to his opinion: but others (and not without good reason) deny it; as Gesner in his Epistles, who made often trial of it upon himself: part of his words are set down hereafter by our author (being translated out of Dodonĉus) and some part also you shall find added in the end of the virtues: and these are other some: Plura alia nunc omitto, quibus ostendere liquido possem, nec Doronicum nostrum, nec Aconitum ullo modo esse venenatum homini. Canibus autem letiferum esse scio, non solum si drachmarum 4 sed etiam si vulnus pondere sumant. ["Now I leave out many other things, whereof I could speak at length, but neither our Doronicum, nor Aconitum is in any way poisonous to men. To dogs however, I know even as little as four drachms is deadly."] And before he said, quasi non alia multi canibus sint venena, quĉ homini salubra sunt; ut de asparago fertur. ["there are not many other things which are poison to dogs, which are healthful for men, such as asparagus"] Of the same opinion with Gesner is Pena and Lobel, who, in the Adversaria p. 290 & 291 do largely handle this matter, & exceedingly deride and scoff at Matthiolus, for his vehement declaiming against the use thereof. Now briefly my opinion is this, That the Doronicum here mentioned is not that mentioned and written of by Serapio and the Arabians; neither is it the Aconitumn pardalianches of Dioscorides, nor of so malignant a quality as Matthiolus would have it; for I myself also have often eaten of it, and that in a pretty quantity, without the least offence.
The Nature and Virtues.
A. I have sufficiently spoken of that for which I have warrant to write, both touching their natures and virtues; for the matter hath continued so ambiguous and so doubtful, yea and so full of controversies, that I dare not commit that to the world which I have read: these few lines therefore shall suffice for this present; the rest which might be said I refer to the great and learned Dodonĉus, and to your own consideration.
B. These herbs are mixed with compound medicines that mitigate the pain of the eyes, and by reason of his cold quality, being fresh and green, it helpeth the inflammation or fiery heat of the eyes.
C. It is reported and affirmed, that it killeth panthers, swine, wolves, and all kinds of wild beasts, being given them with flesh. Theophrastus saith, That it killeth cattle, sheep, oxen, and all four-footed beasts, within the compass of one day, not by taking it inwardly only, but if the herb or root be tied unto their privy parts. Yet he writeth further, That the root being drunk is a remedy against the stinging of scorpions; which showeth, that this herb or the root thereof is not deadly to man, but to divers beasts only: which thing also is found out by trial and manifest experience; for Conrad Gesner (a man in our time singularly learned, and a most diligent searcher of many things) in a certain epistle written to Adolphus Occo, showeth, That he himself hath oftentimes inwardly taken the root hereof green, dry, whole, preserved with honey, and also beaten to powder; and that even the very same day in which he wrote these things, he had drunk with warm water two drams of the roots made into fine powder, neither felt he any hurt thereby: and that he oftentimes also had given the same to his sick patients, both by itself, and also mixed with other things, and that very luckily. Moreover, the apothecaries instead of Doronicum do use (though amiss) the roots thereof without any manifest danger.
D. That this Aconite killeth dogs, it is very certain, and found out by trial: which thing Matthiolus could hardly believe, but that at length he found it out to be true by a manifest example, as he confesseth in his Commentaries.
E. I have (saith Gesner) oft with very good success prescribed it to my patients, both alone, as also mixed with other medicines, especially in the vertigo and falling sickness: somtimes also I mix therewith Gentian, the powder of Mistletoe and Astrantia: thus it works admirable effects in the Epilepsy, if these thereof be continued for some time.
