Lily of The Valley

It is also called malelily, and lily confancy. The root is small, and creeps far in theground, as grass roots do. The leaves are large, long, and broad, of a dark green colour and full of very thick ribs and veins, from which rises a stalk half a foot high, with many white flowers, like little bells with turned edges, of a strong, though pleasing smell; the berries are red, not much unlike those of asparagus.

A decoction of the flowers is said to be useful in removing obstructions in the urinary canal. Powadered, they are serviceable in headache, earache, and apoplexy. But they must not be used when there is a tendency to inflamamation of the brain. Mixed with lard it strengthens the spine. Equal quantities of the leaves, and of the leaves of marjoram, and 12 drops of the essential oil of marjoram, form an excellent cephalic snuff.

The distilled water dropped into the eyes, helps inflammations there, as also that infirmity which they call pin and web. The spirit of the flowers distilled in wine, restores lost speech, helps the palsy, and is exceeding good in the apoplexy, it comforts the heart and vital spirits.

Gerrard says, that the flowers being close stopped up in a glass, put into an ant-hill, and taken away again a month after, you shall find a liquor in the glass, which being outwardly applied, helps the gout.