These hopes often went to absurd lengths, such as the following prophecy by the renowned 18th century colonial botanist, John Josselyn, proclaiming: “The vertues of Tobacco are these, it helps digestion, the Gout, the Tooth‑Ach, prevents infection by scents, it heats the cold, and cools them that sweat, feedeth the hungry, spent spirits restoreth, purgeth the stomach, killeth nits and lice; the juice of the green leaf healeth green wounds, although poysoned; the Syrup for many diseases, the smoak for the Phthisick, cough of the lungs, distillations of rheume, and all diseases of a cold and moist cause, good for all bodies cold and moist taken upon a full stomach it precipitates digestion, immoderately taken it dryeth the body, enflameth the bloud, hurteth the brain, weakens the eyes and the sinews.”