The English Physician: OR An Astrologo-Physical Discourse of the Vulgar Herbs of this Nation

About the author:
Nicholas Culpeper (1616 – 1654) was an English botanist, herbalist, physician, and astrologer. His published books include The English Physician (1652) and the Complete Herbal (1653), which contain a rich store of pharmaceutical and herbal knowledge, and Astrological Judgement of Diseases from the Decumbiture of the Sick (1655), which is one of the most detailed documents we have on the practice of medical astrology in Early Modern Europe.

Culpeper spent the greater part of his life in the English outdoors cataloging hundreds of medicinal herbs. He criticized what he considered the unnatural methods of his contemporaries, writing: "This not being pleasing, and less profitable to me, I consulted with my two brothers, DR. REASON and DR. EXPERIENCE, and took a voyage to visit my mother NATURE, by whose advice, together with the help of Dr. DILIGENCE, I at last obtained my desire; and, being warned by MR. HONESTY, a stranger in our days, to publish it to the world, I have done it."

Culpeper came from a long line of notable people including Thomas Culpeper, the lover of Catherine Howard (also a distant relative) who was sentenced to death by Catherine's husband, King Henry VIII.

The following herbs, their uses and preparations are discussed in The English Physitian.
Anemone, as a juice applied externally to clean ulcerations, infections and cure leprosy or inhaled to clear the nostrils.
Bedstraw, boiled in oil and applied externally as a stimulant, consumed as an aphrodisiac, or externally raw to stimulate clotting.
Burdock, crushed and mixed with salt, useful in treating dog bites, and taken inwardly to help pass flatulence, an analgesic for tooth pain and to strengthen the back.
Cottonweed, boiled in lye can be used to treat head lice or infestations in cloth or clothing. Inhaled, it acts as an analgesic for headaches and reduces coughing.
Dittany, as an abortifacient, to induce labour, as a treatment for poisoned weapons, to draw out splinters and broken bones, and the smell drives away 'venomous beasts'.
Fleabane, helps with bites from 'venomous beasts' and its smoke can kill gnats and fleas. Can be dangerous for pregnant women.
Hellebore, causes sneezing if ground and inhaled, kills rodents if mixed with food.
Mugwort, induces labour, assists in birth and afterbirth and eases labour pains.
Pennyroyal, strengthens the backs of women, assists with vertigo and helps expel gas.
Savory, help expel gas, excellent mixed with peas and beans for this reason.
Wood Betony, helps with 'falling sickness' and headaches, anti-anoretic, 'helps sour belchings', cramps, convulsions, bruises, afterbirth and gout, and kills worms.

Partial list of works by Culpeper include:

A Physical Directory, or a Translation of the London Directory (1649) - translation of the Pharmacopoeia Londonesis of the Royal College of Physicians.
Directory for Midwives (1651)
Semeiotics Uranica, or (An Astrological Judgement of Diseases) (1651)
Catastrophe Magnatum or (The Fall of Monarchy) (1652)
The English Physitian (1652)
The Complete Herbal (1653)
Astrological Judgement of Diseases from the Decumbiture of the Sick (1655)
A Treatise on Aurum Potabile (1656)

This pre-1923 publication has been converted from its original format for the Kindle and may contain an occasional defect from the original publication or from the conversion.