Examination of Officinal Medicines

...to be collected: Goat horns and hair, hare's fur, partridge feathers; eggshells, not to mention those of oysters and shellfish; the husks of chestnuts and walnuts; the pits of cherries, dates, and medlars A small fruit resembling a crabapple, eaten when overripe; the berries of barberry and wild rose; the seeds of citron, lemons, and oranges. Likewise, these most common things found everywhere: duckweed, horsetail herb, leaves of oak, linden, ivy, willow, ash, wild plum, mulberry, dogwood, peach, currant, medlar, quince, vine, and boxwood; the leaves and tops of hops; the leaves and bark of birch and walnut trees; and oak acorns—the food of pigs—along with their caps. Since lakes, fields, forests, or almost every little garden produces these and similar things so that they can be obtained for free even in large quantities, I would prefer they be omitted at the very least from the Catalog of Official Medicines original: "Catalogo Medicamentorum officinalium", lest both the Pharmacist and the Physician gain a bad reputation. For the physician is thought to have little wisdom beyond the most well-worn experiments of empirics, root-cutters term: rhizotomi (ancient Greek term for herbalists who gathered roots, often viewed as less scientific than physicians), or old wives if he values such common things; and the pharmacist seems to be gathering every bit of rubbish merely to carry away a greater profit from them.

Nor will the opinion be different regarding domestic items that enter the kitchen daily. Does anyone ask a pharmacist for Lettuce, Endive, Escarole, common or Spanish Sorrel, Parsley, Chervil, Fennel, Dill, Dittander, Scurvy-grass, Watercress and Garden-cress? Indeed, these are more pleasing to everyone when prepared by a Cook in salads, sauces original: "embammatibus", and other ways. Who is not delighted by the roots of Parsnips, Pistachios, and Pine nuts? Likewise Plums and the fruits of the wild rose, which are not infrequently served among foods; just as Hazelnuts—especially the Lambertian variety—Water-caltrops, Spanish and Marseille Figs, Dates, and sweet Almonds (especially the Ambrosian kind) with raisins are served among the desserts. Who would not more willingly take pottage made from Starch, Rice, or Millet, or broths of Lentils, Barley, and Oats prepared according to the laws of food, rather than barley-waters term: ptisanas (medicinal barley water) or the "Decoction of Saint Ambrose" A traditional medicinal brew, likely named for the saint but here used to contrast culinary enjoyment with medicinal dosing prepared according to the rules of the pharmaceutical art?