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Parsley Piert, or Parsley Breakstone
Description. The root, although it be very small and thready, yet it continues many years, from whence arise many leaves, lying along on the ground, each standing upon a long small foot-stalk, the leaves as broad as a man's nail, very deeply dented on the edges, somewhat like a parsley leaf, but of a very dusky green colour. The stalks are very weak and slender, about three or four fingers in length, set so full of leaves that they can hardly be seen, either having no footstalk at all, or but very short; the flowers are so small, they can hardly be seen, and the seed as small as may be. Place. It is a common herb throughout the nation, and rejoices in barren, sandy, moist places. It may be found plentifully about Hampstead-Heath, Hyde-Park, and in Tothill-fields.
Time. It may be found all the summer-time, even from the beginning of April to the end of October.
Government and virtues. Its operation is very prevalent, to provoke urine, and to break the stone. It is a very good sallad-herb. The whole plant is to be made use of, and it is best when fresh gathered. A strong infusion of it is good against the gravel, for it operates powerfully by urine, and cleanses the kidnies and urinary passages from all sabulous concretions in a short time. It is likewise good in jaundice, and other complaints arising from obstructions of the liver or any other viscers; and many people fancy that it has the power of dissolving the stone in the bladder, but this is supposing too much. No medicine has ever yet been found that has that effect, and it is much to be feared there never will; those substances being of too firm and compact a nature ever to be dissolved by any thing that the bladder can bear, without being irreparably injured. They may also keep the herb dry, or in a syrup, if they please. You may take a drachm of the powder of it in white wine: it would bring away gravel from the kidnies insensibly, and without pain. It also helps the stranguary.