From the earliest times there have been two schools of opinion about the elder. Pliny put faith in decoction of its leaves as a febrifuge, and in his day malaria was a terrible scourge in Italy. In 1644 appeared a book entirely devoted to its virtues--_The Anatomie of the Elder_, translated from the Latin of Dr. Martin Blockwich by C. de Iryngio; and thirty years later John Evelyn burst into a coruscation of italic type in praise of this humble tree. "If the _Medicinal_ properties of the _Leaves_, _Bark_, _Berries_, &c., were thoroughly known, I cannot tell what our _Country-man_ could aile for which he might not fetch a _Remedy_ from every _Hedge_, either for _Sickness_ or _Wound_. The inner _Barke_ of _Elder_, apply'd to any _burning_, takes out the _fire_ immediately. _That_, or in season the _Buds_, boyl'd in Water-grewel for a _Break-fast_, has effected wonders in the _Fever_; and the _decoction_ is admirable to asswage _Inflammations_ and _telrous_ humors, and especially the _Scorbut_. But an _Extract_ or _Theriaca_ may be compos'd of the _Berries_, which is not only efficacious to eradicate this _Epidemical_ inconvenience, and greatly to assist _Longevity_ (so famous is the story of _Næander_), but is a kind of _Catholicon_ against all infirmities; and of the same _Berries_ is made an incomparable _Spirit_ which, drunk by itself or mingled with _Wine_, is not only an excellent drink, but admirable in the _Dropsy_.... The _Oyntment_ made with the young _buds_ and _leaves_ in _May_ with _Butter_, is most soveraign for _Aches_, shrunk _Sinews_, _Hemorrhoids_, etc." And so on and so on, much in the strain of modern advertisement of patent medicines. The boot is on the other leg now, for although hot elder-berry wine glows comfortably in memories of boyhood, I know not where I might now get a glass thereof, were I to perish for want of it.[15] Thoughtful housewives still provide elder flower water on the toilet tables of their guests, and methinks the ointment may be found in some conservative nurseries.