days together.  Purges come last, “which must not be used at all, if the malady may be otherwise helped,” because they weaken nature and dry so much, and in giving of them, [4252] “we must begin with the gentlest first.”  Some forbid all hot medicines, as Alexander, and Salvianus, &c. Ne insaniores inde fiant, hot medicines increase the disease [4253]"by drying too much.”  Purge downward rather than upward, use potions rather than pills, and when you begin physic, persevere and continue in a course; for as one observes, [4254]_movere et non educere in omnibus malum est_; to stir up the humour (as one purge commonly doth) and not to prosecute, doth more harm than good.  They must continue in a course of physic, yet not so that they tire and oppress nature, danda quies naturae, they must now and then remit, and let nature have some rest.  The most gentle purges to begin with, are [4255]senna, cassia, epithyme, myrabolanea, catholicon:  if these prevail not, we may proceed to stronger, as the confection of hamech, pil.  Indae, fumitoriae, de assaieret, of lapis armenus and lazuli, diasena.  Or if pills be too dry; [4256]some prescribe both hellebores in the last place, amongst the rest Aretus, [4257]"because this disease will resist a gentle medicine.”  Laurentius and Hercules de Saxonia would have antimony tried last, “if the [4258]party be strong, and it warily given.” [4259]Trincavelius prefers hierologodium, to whom Francis Alexander in his Apol. rad. 5. subscribes, a very good medicine they account it.  But Crato in a counsel of his, for the duke of Bavaria’s chancellor, wholly rejects it.

I find a vast chaos of medicines, a confusion of receipts and magistrals, amongst writers, appropriated to this disease; some of the chiefest I will rehearse. [4260]To be seasick first is very good at seasonable times.  Helleborismus Matthioli, with which he vaunts and boasts he did so many several cures, [4261]"I never gave it” (saith he), “but after once or twice, by the help of God, they were happily cured.”  The manner of making it he sets down at large in his third book of Epist. to George Hankshius a physician.  Walter Bruel, and Heurnius, make mention of it with great approbation; so doth Sckenkius in his memorable cures, and experimental medicines, cen. 6. obser. 37. That famous Helleborisme of Montanus, which he so often repeats in his consultations and counsels, as 28. pro. melan. sacerdote, et consil. 148. pro hypochondriaco, and cracks, [4262] “to be a most sovereign remedy for all melancholy persons, which he hath often given without offence, and found by long experience and observations to be such.”

Quercetan prefers a syrup of hellebore in his Spagirica Pharmac. and Hellebore’s extract cap. 5. of his invention likewise ("a most safe medicine and not unfit to be given children”) before all remedies whatsoever. [4263]

Paracelsus, in his book of black hellebore, admits this medicine, but as it is prepared by him. [4264]"It is most certain” (saith he) “that the virtue of this herb is great, and admirable in effect, and little differing from balm itself; and he that knows well how to make use of it, hath more art than all their books contain, or all the doctors in Germany can show.”