Of Tabaco or Henbane of Peru.
The kindes.
There be two sorts or kindes of Tabaco, one greater, the other lesser; the greater was brought into Europe out of the prouinces of America, which we call the west Indies: the other from Trinidada an Ilande neere vnto the continent of the same Indies; some haue added a thirde sort, and others making the yellowe Henbane for a kinde thereof, although not properly. | 1 Hyoscyamus Peruvianus. | 2 Sana Sancta Indorum. | | :--- | :--- | | Tabaco or Henbane of Peru. | Tabaco of Trinidada. |
The description.
1 Tabaco or Henbane of Peru, hath very great stalkes of the bignesse of a childes arme, growing in fertill and well dunged ground, of seauen or eight foote high, deuiding it selfe into sundrie braunches of great length, whereon are placed in most comely order verie faire long leaues, broade, smooth, and sharpe pointed, soft, and of a light greene colour, so fastned about the stalks, that they seeme to embrace and compasse it about. The flowers grow at the top of the stalks in shape like a bel flower, somwhat long and cornered, hollow within, of a light carnation colour, tending to whitnesse toward the brims. The seede is conteined in long sharpe pointed cods or seede vessels, like vnto the seede of yellow Henbane, but somewhat smaller and browner of colour. The roote is great, thicke, and of a wooddie substance, with some threddie strings annexed thereto. 2 Trinidada Tabaco hath a thicke, tough and fibrous roote, from which immediately rise vp long broade leaues, and smooth, of a greenish colour, lesser then those of Peru, among which riseth vp a stalke diuiding it selfe at the grounde into diuers braunches, whereon are set confusedly the like leaues, but lesser: at the top of the stalks, stande vp long necked hollow flowers of a pale purple, tending to a blush colour; after which succeede the cods or seede vessels, including many small seeds like vnto the seede of Marierom. The whole plant perisheth at the first approch of winter.
The place.
It was first brought into Europe out of the prouinces of America, which is called the west Indies, in which is the prouince or countrey of Peru: but being now planted in the gardens of Europe, it prospereth very well, and commeth from seede in one yeere to beare both flowers and seede. The which I take to be better for the constitution of our bodies, then that which is brought from India; and that growing in the Indies better for the people of the same countrey; notwithstanding it is not so thought nor receiued of our Tabackians; for according to the English prouerbe; Far fetcht and deere bought is best for Ladies.
The time.
Tabaco must be sowen in the most fruitefull grounde that may be founde, carelesly cast abroade in the sowing, without raking it into the grounde or any such paine or industrie taken, as is requisite in the sowing of other seedes as my selfe haue found by proofe, who haue experimented euery way to cause it quickly to growe: for I haue committed some to the earth in the ende of March, some in Aprill, and some in the beginning of Maie, bicause I durst not hazard all my seede at one time lest some vnkindly blast should happen after the sowing, which might be a great enimie thereunto.
The names.
The people of America call it Petun: others Sacra Herba, sancta Herba, and sana sancta Indorum, L'Obely and Pene, and some Hyoscyamus Peruuanus, or Henbane of Peru: Nicolaus Monardis nameth it Tabaco: that it is Hyoscyami species, or a kinde of Henbane, not onely the forme being like to yellowe Henbane, but the qualitie also doth declare: for it bringeth drowsinesse, troubleth the sences, and maketh a man as it were drunke by taking of the fume onely; as Andreas Theuctus testifieth, (and common experience sheweth:) of some it is called Nicotiana: the which I refer to the yellowe Henbane for distinction sake.
The temperature.
It is hot and drie, and that in the second degree, as Monardis thinketh: and is withall of power to discusse or resolue, and to clense away filthie humours, hauing also a certaine small astriction and a stupifieng or benumming qualitie, and purgeth by the stoole: and Monardis writeth that it hath a certaine power to resist poison. And to prooue it to bee of a hot temperature the biting quality of the leaues doth shewe, which is easily perceaued by taste: also the greene leaues laid vpon vlcers in sinewie parts may serue for a proofe of heate in this plant; bicause they do draw out filth & corrupted matter, which a cold simple would neuer do. The leaues likewise being chewed draw foorth flegme and water, as doth also the fume taken when the leaues are dried: which things declare that this is not a little hot: for what things soeuer being chewed or helde in the mouth bring foorth flegme and water, the same be all counted hot, as the roote of Pellitorie of Spaine, of Saxifrage, and other things of like power. Moreouer the benumming qualitie hereof is not hard to be perceiued, for vpon the taking of the fume at the mouth there followeth an infirmitie like vnto drunkennesse kennesse, and many times sleepe: as after the taking of Opium, which also sheweth in the taste a biting qualitie, and therefore is not without heate; which when it is chewed and inwardly taken, it doth forthwith shewe, causing a certaine heate in the chest, and yet withall troubling the wits: as Petrus Bellonius in his thirde booke of singularities doth declare; where also he sheweth that the Turkes do oftentimes vse Opium, and take one dram and a halfe thereof at one time; without anie other hurt following, sauing that they are thereupon taken with a certaine light drunkennesse as it were. So also this Tabaco being in taste biting, and in temperature hot, hath notwithstanding a benumming qualitie. Heereupon it seemeth to follow, that not onely this Henbane of Peru, but also the iuice of poppie otherwise called Opium, consisteth of diuers parts, some biting and hot, and others extreme colde, that is to saie, stupifieng or benumming: if so be that this benumming qualitie proceede of extreme colde (as Galen and all the olde phisitions holde opinion:) but if the benumming facultie doth not depende of an extreme colde qualitie, and that in the fourth degree, but proceedeth of the essence of the substance; then may Tabaco be both colde and also benumming; of temperature hot and benumming, not by reason of his temperature, but through the propertie of his substance; otherwise then a purging medicine, which hath his force not from the temperature, but from the essence of the whole substance.
The vertues.
Nicolaus Monardis saith that the leaues hereof are a remedie for the paine in the head called the Megram or Migraime that hath beene of long continuance: and also for a colde stomacke, especially in children; and that it is good against the paines in the kidneies. It is a present remedie for the fits of the mother: it mitigateth the paine of the gout if they bee rosted in hot embers and applied to the greeued part. It is likewise a remedie for the toothach, if the teeth and gummes bee rubbed with a linnen cloth dipped in the iuice; and afterward a rounde ball of the leaues laid vnto the place. The iuice boiled with sugar in forme of a sirupe and inwardly taken, driueth foorth woormes of the bellie; if withall a leafe be laide to the nauell. The same doth likewise scoure and clense olde and rotten vlcers, and bringeth them to perfect digestion as the same author affirmeth. In the low countries it is vsed against scabs and filthinesse of the skin, & for the cure of wounds: but some holde opinion that it is to be vsed onely to hot and strong bodies: for they say that the vse is not safe in weake and olde folke: and for this cause, as it seemeth, the women in America (as Theuetus saith) abstaine from the herbe Petun or Tabaco, and do in no wise vse it. The weight of fower ounces of the iuice hereof drunke purgeth both vpwards and downwards, and procureth after a long & sound sleepe, as we haue learned of a friend by obseruation, affirming that a strong countrieman of a middle age, hauing a dropsie, tooke of it, and being wakened out of his sleepe, called for meate and drinke, and after that became perfectly whole. Moreouer the same man reported, that he had cured many countriemen of agues with the destilled water of the leaues drunke a little while before the fit. Likewise there is an oile to be taken out of the leaues that healeth merrie galles, kibed heeles and such like. It is good against poison, and taketh away the malignitie thereof, if the iuice be giuen to drinke, or the wounds of venemous beasts be washed therewith. The drie leaues are vsed to be taken in a pipe set on fire and suckt into the stomacke, and thrust foorth again at the nosthrils against the paines of the head, rheumes, aches in any part of the bodie, whereof soeuer the originall doth proceed, whether from Fraunce, Italy, Spaine, Indies, or from our familiar and best knowne diseases: those leaues do palliate or ease for a time, but neuer performe any cure absolutely: for although they emptie the bodie of humours, yet the cause of the griefe cannot be so taken away. But some haue learned this principle, that repletion requireth euacuation; that is, fulnesse craueth emptinesse, and by euacuation assure themselues of health: but this doth not take away so much with it this day, but the next bringeth with it more; as for example, a Well doth neuer yeelde such store of water as when it is most drawne and emptied. My selfe speake by proofe, who haue cured of that infectious disease a great many; diuers of which had couered or kept vnder the sicknesse by the helpe of Tabaco as they thought, yet in the ende haue beene constrained to haue vnto such an hard knot, a crabbed wedge, or else had vtterly perished. Some vse to drinke it (as it is tearmed) for wantonnesse or rather custome, and cannot forbeare it, no, not in the middest of their dinner, which kinde of taking is unholsome and very daungerous: although to take it seldome and that Phisically is to be tolerated and may do some good, but I commende the syrupe aboue this fume or smokie medicine. It is taken of some phisically in a pipe for that purpose once in a day at the most, and that in the morning fasting against paines in the head, stomacke, and griefe in the brest and lungs: against catarrhes and rheumes, and such as haue gotten colde and hoarsenesse. Some haue reported that it little preuaileth against an hot disease, and that it profiteth an hot complexion nothing at all: but experience hath not shewed it to be iniurious to either. They that haue seene the proofe heereof, haue credible reported, that when the Moores and Indians haue fainted either for want of foode or rest, this hath beene a present remedie unto them to supplie the one, and to helpe them to the other. The priests and inchaunters of the hot countries do take the fume thereof untill they be drunken, that after they haue lien for dead three or fower howers, they may tell the people what woonders, visions or illusions they haue seene, and so giue them a propheticall direction or foretelling (if wee may trust the diuell) of the successe of their businesse. The iuice or distilled water of the first kinde, is very good against catarrhes, the dizzinesse of the heade and rheumes that fall downe the eies, against the paine called the migram, if either you applie it unto the temples or take one or two greene leaues, or a drie leafe moistned in wine, and dried cunningly upon the embers and laid thereto. It cleereth the sight, and taketh away the webs and spots thereof, being annointed with the iuice blood warme. The oile or iuice dropped into the eares is good against deafenesse; a cloth dipped in the same, and laide upon the face, taketh away the lentils, rednesse, and spots thereof. Many notable medicines are made heereof against the olde and inueterate cough, against asthmaticall or pectorall griefes, which if I shoulde set downe at large, woulde require a peculiar volume. It is giuen to such as are accustomed to swoune, and are troubled with the collicke & windinesse, against the dropsie, the woormes in children, the piles and the sciatica. It is used in outward medicines either the herbe boiled with oile, waxe, rosin and turpentine, as before is set downe in yellow Henbane, or the extraction thereof with salt, oile, balsame, the distilled water and such like, against tumours, apostemes, olde ulcers, of hard curation, botches, scabs, stinging with nettles, carbuncles, poisoned arrowes, and woundes made with guns or any other weapon. It is excellent good in burnings and scaldings with fire, water, oile, lightning, or such like, boiled with hogs greace in forme of an ointment, which I haue often prooued and found most true, adding a little of the iuice of thorne apple leaues, spreading it upon a cloth and so applying it. I do make heereof an excellent balsame to cure deepe wounds and punctures, made by some narrowe sharpe pointed weapon: which balsame doth bring up the flesh from the bottome very speedily, and also heale simple cuts in the flesh according to the first intention, that is, to glewe or soder the lips of the wound togither, not procuring matter or corruption unto it, as is commonly seene in the healing of wounds. The receit is this, take oile of roses, oile of Saint Iohns woort, of either one pint, the leaues of Tabaco stamped small in a stone morter two pound, boile them togither to the consumption of the iuice, straine it and put it to the fire againe, adding thereto of Venice Turpentine two ounces, of olibanum & masticke of either halfe an ounce, in most fine & subtill powder, the which you may at all times make into an unguent or salue by putting thereto waxe and rosin to giue unto it a stiffie bodie, which worketh exceeding well in maligne and virulent ulcers, as in woundes and punctures: I sende this iewell unto you women of all sorts, especially to such as cure and helpe the poore and impotent of your countrie without rewarde. But unto the beggerly rabble of witches, charmers, & such like couseners, that regarde more to get money then to helpe for charitie, I wish these fewe medicines far from their understanding, and from those deceiuers whom I wish to bee ignoraunte heerein. But curteous gentlewomen, I may not for the malice that I doe beare unto such, hide any thing from you of such importaunce: and therefore take one more that followeth, wherewith I haue done very many and good cures, although of small cost, but regarde it not the lesse for that cause. Take the leaues of Tabaco two pounde, hogges grease one pound stamp the herbe small in a stone morter, putting thereto a final cupful of red or claret wine, stir them well together, couer the morter from filth and so let it rest vntill morning; then put it to the fire and let it boile gently, continually stirring it vntill the consumption of the wine; straine it and set it to the fire againe, putting thereto the iuice of the herbe one pounde, of Venice Turpentine fower ounces; boile them together to the consumption of the iuice, then adde thereto of the rootes of round Aristolochia or birth woort in most fine powder two ounces, sufficient waxe to giue it a body, the which keepe for thy wounded poore neighbour, as also the olde and filthie vlcers of the legges and other parts of such as haue neede of helpe.
Text in Gerard's own spelling (the long s is printed as s), transcribed by the Source Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). A chapter may run onto pages not yet transcribed. Gerard wrote within Galenic medicine; nothing here is advice.