White Saxifrage

The common white saxifrage has a few small reddish kernels of roots covered with skin, lying among small blackish fibres, which send forth round, yellow green leaves, greyish underneath, lying above the ground, unevenly dented about the edges, and hairy, each upon a little foot- stalk, from whence rise brownish, hairy, green stalks, two or three feet high, with round leaves, rather branched at the top, on which stand pretty large white flowers, of five leaves apiece, with yellow threads in the middle, standing in a brownish green husk.

After the flowers comes a round hard head, forked at the top, containing small black seeds. The grains of the root are usually called the white saxifrage-seed, and so used. It grows in the dry corners of meadows, and grassy sandy places. It usually flowers in may.

It is said to expel stone and gravel from the bladder, to relieve strangury. The decoction of the herb or roots in wine, or the powder of the small kernel root in wine. The distilled water of the whole herb, root and flowers, is most familiar to be taken. It cleanses the stomach and lungs from thick tough phlegm. There are not many better medicines to break the stone than this.