Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
An Irish Materia Medica (Author: Tadhg Ó Cuinn)

subsection 207

207. Nenufar: i.e. the flower of the water lily; cold and wet in the second degree; the roots of the same herb are called ungula cabalina. The flowers of the same herb should be gathered in the month of July and dried in a cool place, and they will retain their efficacy for two years. If the flowers of this herb be boiled in water of liquorice, it will serve well against excessive heat of the respiratory organs; the same water is the right thing against the acute fevers, such as intermittent tertian fever, causon, and the likes. Furthermore, the face, temples, and pulses generally should be washed in that water in cases of acute fevers. If a plaster of the foliage of the same herb be put over the liver, it will stop the jaundice and the excessive heat of the liver. To thicken the hair which is falling out because of hot matter, pound the roots of this herb, put them into a bath, and wash the head in it; this herb is better in the hot countries than in


p.593

the cold countries; the syrup of this flower serves well in the acute illnesses. This is how it is made: boil a quantity of the flower of this herb in water, strain it, and put sugar in it, and this will make a syrup. If the flowers of this herb be put in cold water for a night, and applied the following morning, without being pounded, to the forehead, it will induce sleep in the acute fevers, and it will stop the headache; if it be applied to the pulses, it will stop the heart from beating too fast.


p.594