Book 2
7
Courses of Hellebore:—White hellebore is purgative of the upper intestines, but the black of the lower; and the white is not only emetic, but of all purgatives the most powerful, not from the quantity and variety of the excretion—for this cholera can accomplish—nor from the retching and violence attending the vomitings, for in this respect sea-sickness is preferable; but from a power and quality of no mean description, by which it restores the sick to health, even with little purging and small retching. But also of all chronic diseases when firmly rooted, if all other remedies fail, this is the only cure. For in power the white hellebore resembles fire; and whatever fire accomplishes by burning, still more does hellebore effect by penetrating internally—out of dyspnœa inducing freedom of breathing; out of paleness, good colour; and out of emaciation, plumpness of flesh.
