Arsesmart

Polygonum hydropiper.athe hot arsesmart is also called water-pepper, or culrage. The mild arsesmart is called dead arsesmart, persicaria, or peach-wort, because the leaves are like the leaves of a peach-tree; it is also called plumbago.

It has broad leaves set at the great red joint of the stalks, with semi-circular blackish marks on them, either bluish or whitish, with such like seed following. The root is long, with many strings. It has no sharp taste (as another sort hath, which is quick and biting) but rather sour like sorrel, or else a little drying, or without taste. It grows in watery places, ditches, and the like, which are for the most part dry in summer. It flowers in june, and the seed is ripe in august.

It possesses great virtues. It is of a cooling nature, and effectually cures putrified ulcers, kills worms, and cleanses putrified places. The juice is good for cold swellings, and it softens and removes congealed blood of bruises, by strokes, falls, etcetera. A piece of the root, or some of the seeds bruised, and held to an aching tooth, takes away the pain. The leaves bruised cure the felon. It destroys worms in the ears. If the hot arsesmart be strewed in a chamber, it will soon kill all the fleas; and the herb or juice of the cold arsesmart, put to the sores of cattle, will drive away the fly in the hottest time of summer. The mild arsesmart is good against all and inflammations at the beginning, and to heal green wounds.

The hot arsesmart grows not so high or tall as the mild, but has many leaves like peach leaves, seldom spotted; in other particulars it is like the former, but may easily be known from it by breaking a leaf of it across your tongue, for the hot will make your tongue smart, but the cold will not. If you see them both together you may easily distinguish them, because the mild hath broader leaves. It effectually cures obstructions of urine, in gravel and stone, and in the jaundice and dropsy it has wrought great cures. Dr. Eberle considers this plant one of the best promoter of menses we have. Use the cold watery infusion. Never boil or scald it.