Juice of things taken into the Body be past into the Blood for the Vessels being emptyed will draw hastily into them the Chymus not only crude but often disagreeing with or disproportionate to the Blood whence not only its Motion is disturb'd but also the Vital flame is sometimes in danger of being overwhelm'd I have known some who upon Bleeding shortly after large Drinking or pouring in of Vinous Liquors have fell into dreadful swounding Fits which continued a very long time till the Vital Spirit half overwhelm'd happen'd at length to recover 5. As to the quantity of Blood to be taken besrdes the manifest errour of those who are sparing or profuse of it in the greatest extreams there is likewise an errour of no small moment committed within the moderate Limits whilst in some cases the Blood is taken too sparingly and in others in a greater quantity than is fitting In a burning Fever the Pleurisie Peripueumonia Squinancy Frenzy Apoplexy and other great Diseases rising from the Turgescency or Inflammatory Incursion of the Blood a spare Bleeding always does more hurt than good For besides that it does not remove the Antecedent cause of the Disease viz. the Plethora it moreover encreases its Conjunct causes viz. the Inflammation or Irruption of the Blood For it 's a constant observation that after a spare Emission of Blood it s whole Mass presently boyls in a high measure and makes new Sallyes into the part affected The reason of which is that in a great Plethora many Portions both of the Blood and Serum being driven into strait and by receptacles are forc't to reside there which upon the Vessels being a little emptied rush back hastily into the Mass of Blood and trouble it mightily driving it here and there in a violent manner As a spare Bleeding in some cases is not only useless but hurtful so in others a too large Effusion of Blood is seldom without danger and sometimes proves mighty prejudicial to Health For if at any time there be a failing of strength or the Body labours under a great Cachexia we must be spare of Bleeding and it is either forbidden or being indicated by reason of some accident it must be allow'd but in a small quantity Wherefore in Men of a tender weak or cold Constitution and in Consumptive Persons and such as are affected with a long or Malignant Fever also in those that the Hydropical or very Cacochymical we must not lightly open a Vein at least being open'd we must not let forth much Blood The quntity of Blood to be drawn being agreed upon the next care must be that a large Orifices being made it flows forth equally mixt in as short a space as may be For otherwise if it issue forth at a slender Orifices either by Drops or in a small stream the Mass of Blood fermenting will separate into parts and what is most Subtle and Spirituous will spring forth the thicker and more dreggy Portion remaining behind Hence it is to be observ'd that if at any time the Blood being let out of a large Orifice with a full stream be stopt a little by putting the Finger on it and in a short while after be let run again the Blood issuing forth the Second time will be much purer and brighter than the former because in the interval of its running the more subtle Particles having got free of the thicker and gatered themselves together in a Body prepar'd themselves for flying forth CHAP. II. Instructions and Prescripts for stopping an Eruption of Blood There being various and manifold kinds of Haemorrhagies or Eruptions of Blood Physick is not needful to all of them If a great Effusion of Blood happens through a Wound c. Chirurgery undertakes to stop it Moreover an Eruption of Blood if it be Critical ought not to be disturb'd by any Medicine but to be left wholly to the governance of nature so she be free and enjoys her power nay in Symptomatick Bleeding so long as it is but small or not very prejudicial Physick is not required But then chiefly and in a manner only it is needsul if at any time the Flux of Blood be either immoderate or breaks forth in improper places Bloody Eruptions of the latter kind require help chiefly if haply the Blood be cast forth upwards by coughing or vomiting or be voided downwards by the Fundament or the Urinary passages for in these cases though the quantity of Blood voided be not commonly much fear'd yet because a dangerous or pernicious Ulcer often follows the Solution of Unity so made in the Lungs or in the Stomack or Intestines or in a Vein therefore we must diligently take care of those Haemorrhagies from their very first appearance and therefore such Bloody Excretions are ranged amongst the Diseases of those parts and we have already delivered elsewhere the Theories and Cures of Blood-spitting and the Bloody Flux so that there is no need for us to repeat them here no more than that of Pissing Blood which belongs to the Pathology of Nephritick affects wherefore I shall pass to those Passions in which there being an immoderete Fffulx of Blood there is a particular necessity for Medicines to stop it The chiefest kinds of those sorts of affects are these three viz. an Eruption of Blood from the Nostrils and of the Menses and immoderate Fluxes of the Haemorrhoides The Cure of this latter belongs rather to Chirurgery than Physick and we have thought fitting to refer the consideration of the other to the Pathology of the Womb An Effusion of Blood by the Nostrills is the most general kind of those sorts of Passions and what I shall here deliver for the Cure of this Eruprion of Blood may be apply'd to all other Haemorrhagies whatsoever Therefore concerning the Cure of an excessive Bleeding at the Nose there are three primary Indications viz. Curatory Vital and Preservatory The two former have regard to the immediate sptopping of the Symptom as often as it presses and the later undertakes to remove the cause of the Disease that the returns of the Eruption of Blood may abate of their violence or wholly cease Again this Eruption of Blood must be manag'd one way if without a Fever and somewhat after a different manner if joyn'd with it If at any time therefore without a Fever much Blood flows from the Nostrils presently as there will be need of Remedies to stop the Blood there will be three chief intents of Curing all of them to be put in Practice together viz. the Turgescency of the Blood must be so allay'd that it be not prone to make disorderly Sallyes We must farther take care that its Fluxion being withdrawn from the Nostrils be diverted eisewhere and that the gaping Mouths of the Vessels within the Nostrils be clos'd For which ends a great many Remedies both External and Interna and of divers kinds are wont to be administred we shall speak of the former in order and briefly First therefore
Ounces Turbith Mechoacan of each an Ounce and a half Epithymum yellow Saunders of each an Ounce Coriander-seeds an Ounce and a half let them be slic'd and bruis'd and put in a Bag according to Art for four Gallons of Ale the Dose is from twelve Ounces to a Pound either every Morning or twice or thrice a Week CHAP. IV. A Cure for Over-purging or of Medicines that stay too much Purging or a Looseness Also the Cure of the London-Flux with Instructions in each Case TO prevent over-purging upon giving any Purging Medicine we must proceed thus Before we give a Purge we must first consider well the Constitution Strength and Custome of the Body to be Purg'd as also the Nature Dose manner of Working and ordinary effects of the Medicine to be given and then by comparing the one with the other we must proportionate the vertue of the Agent according to the bearing of the Patient Secondly whilst the Medicine is working let the Viscera where digestion is perform'd the Blood and the Animal Spirits be kept free from any other perturbation Wherefore during that time let not the Patient eat gross or viscous food or too great a plenty of any food which may offend the Stomach let him carefully avoid the admittance of any outward cold by which the Pores of the Body are shut up also let the mind be kept calm and undisturb'd free from all Cares and toilsome Studies Thirdly The Operation of the Medicine being ended we must appease the angry rage of the Animal Spirits and allay the effervescence of the Blood and Humours for which ends let an Anodine Medicine or a gentle Hypnotick be given according to the following forms Take Water of Cowslip Flowers two Ounces Cinnamon-water hordeated Syrup of Maeconium of each half an Ounce Pearls half a Scruple make a draught to be taken going to rest Or Take Conserve of red Roses vitriolated two Scruples Diascordium half a Dram Pearls half a Scruple Diacodium what suffices make a Bolus to be taken going to sleep In case this Provision be either omitted or does not hinder a Purging Medicine from working to excess let the Patient presently be put into a warm Bed and be ordered as follows First Let either a Plaister of Mithridate be apply'd to his Stomach and to the whole upper Region of the Belly or let those parts be fomented with warm Linnen Cloaths dip'd in a decoction of Wormwood Mints and Spïces in red Wine and so wiung forth presently upon it let him take inwardly either a Bolus of Venice Treacle or a Solution of it in Cinnamon-water Moreover let him drink every now and then a spoonful or two of Burnt-wine diluted with a little Mint-water if he be troubled with Gripes give him a Glister of warm Milk with Treacle dissolv'd in it and warm frictions must be us'd to the remote parts and sometimes Ligatures to draw the Blood outwards and so keep it from too great a Colliquation and from discharging it self into the Cavities of the Viscera then in the Evening if there be strength and a pretty good Pulse let him take a Dose either of Diacodium or of Liquid Laudanum with some fit Vehicle As to other kinds of excessive Purging which are wont to happen without the Administration of a Purging Medicine for the most part they are meerly Symptomatical depending on other Diseases and their method of Cure is wholly the same as of those Diseases whose off-spring they are Nevertheless sometimes a Looseness or Flux seems to be a Disease of it self and because this kind of Distemper Raging almost yearly in the City of London is commonly accounted Endemious or a Disease peculiarly attending Inhabitants I shall here set down its method of Cure I have often and long observ'd that there are two and that very different kinds of that Flux usually call'd the Griping of the Guts which happens here almost yearly about Autumn In one of them the Stools are watry and in a manner cleer with a sudden failing of the strength in the other they are bloody but tolerable withal In the Year 1670. about the Autumnal Equinox a World of People here were seized with a most dangerous Flux though without Blood and joyn'd with a cruel Vomiting which presently caus'd great faintings and a total decay of strength For the Cure of this Disease no Evacuation did good nay Bleeding Vomiting and Purging always did hurt only Cordials and those of the hottest nature to wit such as abounded with Spirit and Sulphur or a Volatile Salt prov'd commonly of good effect insomuch that Brandy burnt a little with Sugar was a Popular and as it were Epidemick Remedy and in that sort of Flux was seldome given without success though in the other sort of Flux which carry'd Blood with it having been us'd without due regard it has often been found to be hurtful The method of Cure which I then took successfully enough with many and am wont still to take in the like case is after the following manner Take Venice Treacle from a Dram to a Dram and a half let the Patient take it in Bed and drink after it seven or eight spoonfuls of the following Julap and let him repeat this Dose every third fourth or fifth hour Take Mint-water Cinnamon-water hordeated of each three Ounces strong Cinnamon-water Plague-water Treacle-water of each two Ounces Powder of Pearls a Dram Sacchari Crystalin half an Ounce mingle them and make a Julap At the same time take a piece of Bread spread some Treacle on it and dip it in Sack or Red-wine warm'd and let it be apply'd to the Stomach as hot as it may be suffered and change it every now and then In the Evening if the Pulse and Breathing seem strong enough to bear it let the Patient take of Liquid Laudanum Cydoniated twenty Grains in a draught of Plague-water Take Diascordium a Dram Liquid Laudanum half a Scruple Compound Powder of Crabs Claws a Scruple Cinnamon-water what suffices make a Bolus to be taken going to sleep To those to whom Treacle or Mithridate prove nauseous or disagreeing give a Dose of the following Powder or Spirit of Treacle every third hour with the Julap Take Compound Powder of Crabs Claws Roots of Contrayerva or Serpentaria Virgin of each a Dram Cinnamon Roots of Tormentil of each half a Dram Saffron Cochinele of each a Scruple make a Powder the Dose is from half a Dram to two Scruples Take Spiritus Theriacalis Armoniacus three Drams the Dose is a Scruple with the Julap every fourth hour or give that and the Doses of the Powder interchangeably one one time and the other the other After the same manner the Spirits of Harts-horne or of Soot may be given let the persons Drink be Ale or Beer with a Crust of Bread Mace add Cinnamon boil'd in it and sweeten'd or let it be Burnt-wine diluted with Mint-water let his Food be Chicken-broth Gruel or Panada with the shavings of Ivory Hartshorn
enlightens each part of the Soul and disperses all the Clouds of every function But on the contrary those who being thin and of a Bilious or Melancholick temperament have a sharp or burnt Blood a hot Brain and the Animal Spirits too much stirr'd and restless ought to forbear this Drink altogether as being apt to pervert both the Spirits and humours in a greater measure and to render them wholly unfit and unable to perform any functions For I have observ'd many not having a sufficient plenty of Spirits and being also subject to the Head-ach Vertigo Palpitation of the Heart and a trembling or numbness of the Limbs who presently after drinking Coffee became worse as to those Affects and suddenly found an unusual Languor in their whole Body THE LONDON PRACTICE OF PHYSICK Contained in the Second Part of the Pharmaceutice Rationalis of Dr. WILLIS THis Second Part of the Pharmaceutice Rationalis is divided into three Sections whereof the First treats of Medicines that regard the Thorax the Second of Medicines that regard the Viscera of the Belly the third of outward Medicines viz. Phlebotomy Vesicatories Issues Cutaneous Affects c. SECT I. Of Medicines that regard the Thorax CHAP. I. Instructions and Prescripts for the Cure of the Phthisick and Consumption of the Lungs WE must observe the divers states of this Disease or the distinctive Marks which belong to it As First when it is meerly a Cough Secondly when it begins to degenerate into a Phthisick or Consumption Thirdly when the Phthisick is consummated or past recovery 1. And First as to a new Cough from what Cause soever it arises it is never free from suspicion of danger if it happens in a Body predispos'd to a Phthisick though in other robust Persons it be not presently to be fear'd For if at any time it be rais'd from some great evident cause and being without a Fever and an indisposition of the whole Body it proves not very troublesome then it is said to be only a cold taken and is either wholly neglected or soon Cur'd without much ado Again if it be accompanied with a small Feaver Thirst and loss of Appetite there is hope that the Blood being restor'd to its due temper the Cough will also cease of its own accord but if drawing in length and not easily submitting to vulgar Remedies it produces much Spitting and that discoloured it ought no longer to be neglected but must be dealt withal with a method of Cure and fit Remedies and an exact Form of Diet For then it may be suspected that the Lungs having receiv'd some prejudice in their Conformation do not transmit the Blood entirely but with a deposition of the Serum or Lympha and often the nutritive Juice and likewise that those humours there deposed do putrify and consequently that by a reciprocal injury they taint the Blood whereby it still offends the Lungs the more 2. But if to a Cough daily growing worse and worse with much and thick Spitting there be added a Languor and falling away of the whole Body a loss of Appetite difficult breathing thirst and a boiling of the Blood there is great cause to suspect that a Phthisick is at least begun if not well advanced Wherefore we must then use all our endeavours both to free the Lungs from the offensive load of matter already gather'd together in them and to fortifie them against the continual Incursion of the same and at the same time to cleanse the Mass of Blood of its dregs and to restore it to a good Crasis whereby it may duly contain its Serosities and other humours within its own texture or convey them to some other place than the Lungs 3. But if beyond the state ev'n now describ'd of this Disease the Spittle daily increases and becomes more discolour'd and all other things still growing worse and worse there be join'd to it a total decay of strength and a Hectick Feaver with a continual thirst Night Sweats a dying Countenance with a falling away of flesh ev'n to the drought of a Skeleton then there is no room left for Physick but only for a sad Prognostick or at least all hope of Cure being laid aside we have nothing left to insist on but Anodines which may help towards an easie death Wherefore according to the said three states of this Disease its method of Cure must be in a threefold manner viz. First we must prescribe what is to be done for Curing a Cough whilst being not entred the limits of a Phthisick it has only the name of a Cold taken Secondly what is proper in a beginning Phthisick Thirdly what is to be done when it is consummated and desperate 1. Men of a tender constitution or such as are inclin'd to a Consumption from their birth or have sometimes formerly been us'd to be endanger'd by a Cough ought immediately as soon as they find it coming to stand on their guard and betake themselves to the Rules of Physick according to which to proceed methodically in a way of Cure the Therapeutick Indications must chiefly be these three 1. To appease or take away the disorder of the Blood whence the Fluxions of the Serum proceed 2. To derive from the Lungs to the Pores of the Skin or Urinary passages and other Emunctories the dreggy Excrements of the Blood and all superfluities apt to depart from it 3. To corroborate the Lungs themselves against the reception of the Serum and other humours and likewise to fortify them against the invasion of outward Cold from which they are wont to receive a farther prejudice We shall speak of each of these a little more at large 1. The first Indication regards both the Effervescency of the Blood in that it grows over hot and boils in its Vessels by reason of the Effluvia's being restrain'd within it as also its dissolution in that being loosen'd in its Texture it lets fall too much the Serum and other Humours from its embraces to remove both a thin form of Dyet must be ordered and the person being careful to avoid all injury from outward Cold a pretty free transpiration must be procur'd or at least the wonted transpiration must be restor'd For these ends let the Patient presently be thicker cloath'd and let him keep himself in Bed or within his Chamber at least let him not go forth of Doors Evenings and Mornings let a gentle Sweat be rais'd by giving him Posset-drink with Rosemary or Sage boil'd in it If notwithstanding the Cough grows worse Bleeding proves often of good effect so his strength and constitution bear it after which Hypnoticks generally do well inasmuch as they retard the motion of the Heart and consequently the overhasty Course of the Blood Moreover they cause it to pass the Vessels of the Lungs gently and with moderation without casting off any great quantity of Serosities and to send forth what is superfluous either by Sweat or by Urine For this purpose also Pectoral Decoctions must be given
Nervous Liquor A Boy about ten years of Age subject from his Infancy to be often troubled with a Cough has undergone of late years some great and tedious fits of that Distemper that is to say he is wont at times to fall ill of a hollow and shrill sounding Cough without Spitting which almost continually toyls him Day and Night and so tormenting him for many Days nay and Weeks it brings him to a very great weakness Afterwards the Course of the Disease being pass'd over which happens not till the store of Morbid matter be consum'd in a short time he becomes well enough again and as free as may be from any Distemper of the Thorax till the Morbifick matter as it seems being heap'd together again to a fullness without any evident cause the same affect returns and acts over its Tragedy again with its wonted severity About the time it first seizes the Cough usually troubles him only Mornings and Evenings afterwards the Distemper growing worse by degrees he often Coughs whole Days and Nights almost without ceasing and if at any time Sleep either happening of it self or being procur'd by Anodines gives some truce presently upon his waking a more violent fit of Coughing comes upon him After this manner Coughing very frequently and most vehemently without Spitting he continues ill for three Weeks or a Month till he be brought to a mighty leanness and an extream weakness and then the Distemper remits by degrees so that he Coughs somewhat more seldom and Sleeps indifferently shortly afterwards growing very hungry he soon becomes full of Flesh and vigorous and recovers in a short time his former Health These fits seldom trouble him in the Summer but in the rest of the year they return sometimes three or four times and put the Patient in great danger of his Life The cause of this Distemper is not the same as of a vulgar Cough in which a Serous humour distilling either slowly or in a plentiful manner from the Vessels of the Trachaea or of the Lungs into the Vesiculae or little Pipes of the Trachea induce the Symptoms that attend that affect for it plainly appears that in this the Ductus's of the Aspera Arteria are wholly free from any Serum or thick humour because the Cough which is always deep and sonorous throws forth nothing Nor does this Cough arise from the Blood forc'd into the Membranes of the Lungs because in this there is no Feaver Thirst nor Pain as in a Peripneumonia neither does its Morbifick matter seem to stick to the Nerves or Muscles ordain'd for breathing because then besides the Cough Asthmatick or Convulsive fits with a sense of choaking would sometimes follow which do not happen to our Patient I guess therefore that a certain Serous and sharp matter full of a Scorbutick taint falling from the Head by the conveyance of the Nerves enters the Nervous Fibres and Membranes of the Lungs or of the Trachaea and throughly cleaving to them increases by degrees to a fulness and at length growing angry and turgid through its perpetual irritation creates so troublesome a Cough When this affect once seizes it is wont to hold on its Course for a very long time in despite of all Remedies Pectoral Medicines commonly so called as Syrups Linctus's Eclegma's did little or nothing towards the Cure of this Disease though sometimes I have thought good to use them for making the Lungs slippery and to moisten them lest hap'ly they should be endangered to be torn asunder by the violence of the Cough and their Vessels to be broken for sometimes in a violent fit our Patient used to Cough forth a little Blood though no thick Spittle A gentle Purge in the beginning of this Disease has often done good as also in its declination Opening and Diuretick Medicines always work a good effect of both which he uses what suffices throughout the whole Course of his Distemper for his ordinary drink Evenings and Mornings he takes some drops of the Tincture of Sulphur with the Water of Snails lacteated I was forc'd sometimes to give late at Night a Dose of the mixture of Diacodium or of Liquid Laudanum In two of his fits he was Blooded from which he receiv'd no good In the last fit which beginning about the Autumnal Equinox pass'd over somewhat more lightly and gently the following method of Cure was observ'd First of all this Cathartick was given him and repeated after four days Take Calamelanos half a Scruple Rosin of Jalup four Grains Mix them make a Powder let it be taken in a spoonful of Syrup of Violets Take China Roots slic'd a Dram Grass Roots three Ounces Chervil Roots an Ounce Candied Eringo's six Drams shavings of Ivory and Hartshorn of each three Drams Raisins of the Sun ston'd three Ounces Boil it in three pounds of fountain water to two pounds strain it and let it be us'd for ordinary drink Take Syrup of Jujubes two Ounces Diacodium an Ounce Spirit of Sal Armoniack with Gum Ammoniacum a Dram Mix them the Dose is a spoonful going to Bed and early in the Morning He was much reliev'd by this Remedy though he took it only every other or every third day and sometimes in its stead a Dose of the Tincture of Sulphur with Syrup of Violets was given him The Disease declining he was purg'd twice and afterwards recovering by degrees he grew well enough within a fortnight But finding him subject not only to frequent relapses of Coughing but that each fit when it came upon him was irresistible and that its stay notwithstanding any use of Remedies was of long continuance and threatned nothing less than a Consumption I advis'd him that as well for preservation and in case the affect return'd as for Curing it he should Travel to a Region hotter than ours He took my advice and about the beginning of November went to Montpellier where passing half a year he had only two slight touches of illness Since being return'd to England he enjoys thanks be to God a perfect Health quite free from his Cough CHAP. II. Instructions and Prescripts for the Cure of Spitting Blood THe Indications for Curing a Spitting Blood are chiefly these two viz. First presently to moderate and stay the Flux of Blood And then in the Second place to heal the dissolution of Unity without leaving a Consumptive Putrefaction in the Lungs In reference to the First These two things are chiefly to be procur'd First That the Blood do not flow to the part affected Secondly That withal the Aperture of the Vessel be some way clos'd 1. To keep the Blood from flowing to the part affected many intentions of Curing must be set upon together viz. We must lessen the quantity of Blood moderate its fervent boiling alter its ill temper retard its motion or divert it another way For which ends Blooding Ligatures and Frictions most commonly do well Moreover Julapes Decoctions Emulsions and Juicy expressions of Herbs ought to be given
long time by such as Spit Blood Chymists and some famous Women cry up above all things a Balsamick Oyl drawn by distillation which they call Mother of Balsam I shall now illustrate this Method of Cure by a Story A famed young man falling from a Scorbutick Cachexia into a Palsey and for the Cure of this Disease having try'd Remedies not only great but likewise disproportionate to his Blood and Spirits viz. Salivation and the use of hot Baths happened to be seiz'd with a Spitting of Blood and its fits of all I ever knew that were not presently mortal seem'd the most dreadful The First appearance of this Blood Spitting was after the operation of Hews's Powder by which having for some time undergone a Salivation though without Curing his Palsey he was brought to a great weakness Then being afflicted with a Catarrh and a very troublesome Cough he began to cast forth a discoloured Spittle and sometimes ting'd with Blood sometimes sprinkled with it But this Disease being mild at First soon vanish'd by the use of Medicines and afterwards the Person going into the Country and breathing a purer Air grew better and in a while seeming to be sound enough in his Brest he went to Bath to Cure his Palsey Where Bathing every day for six Weeks in the hot waters he got his Cough again and soon after fell into a terrible Spitting of Blood so that in twenty four hours space Counghing up Blood almost continually and in a large measure he threw forth a vast qantity Going to see him the First time in this Condition provision being made for the whole I presently ordered Bleeding for Revulsion though after its Administration both then and ever after his Blood Spitting either return'd a fresh or was provok'd more by it Moreover I gave Julapes Lohoch's Decoctions and even Hypnoticks which doing little or no good I ordered Ligatures about his Arms and Thighs which first of all gave a check to the Tyranny of this Disease And as now and then the Evil burst forth again I perswaded him at length that forbearing the use of Beer he should drink constantly a Decoction of Sarsa and China with Pectorals By the almost continued use of this observing likewise an exact Form of Diet and abstaining wholly from Wine hot Aliments and Salt and Sugar he had his health well enough for above two years But afterwards being very much heated in a Crowd he fell again into a terrible Spitting of Blood A Physician being call'd he was presently Blooded in his Arm after which his Blood Spitting became more violent and when on the Second and Third days after he was Blooded again the Evil encreas'd upon him each time At length Ligatures being us'd as before and a Pectoral Decoction and a Lohoch carefully taken the Disease presently abated and in a short time wholly ceas'd Nevertheless he continued the use of his Pectoral Decoction and thin Diet viz. without any Flesh above six Weeks and thereby obtained truce from his Enemy for three years And when afterwards sometimes after drinking Wine or too plentiful a Diet the Blood growing turgid began to burst forth of the Lungs presently by the Ligatures together with the use of the Decoction and Linctus and the thin Diet the force of it was always allay'd Nevertheless he became not so secure but was forc'd to keep in a manner always watch and ward against that lurking Enemy For not long since through the Distemper of the Season he was seiz'd with a very troublesome Catarrh accompanied with a Cough and much Spittle which was now and then Bloody and then the former Medicines did not do Whereupon of his own head he betook himself to new things and First of all he took Evenings and Mornings a spoonful of the Syrup of the Juice of ground Ivy and found thereby great good but that Syrup by reason of the Sugar growing in a short time loathsome to him he took twice a day in a spoonful of some Liquor to half a Dram or a Dram of the Powder of that Herb well prepar'd which Remedy being us'd a long time he became much better as to his Catarrh and Cough but his Blood Spitting breaking forth now and then though it were in a small quantity he chang'd his Medicine again and took twice a day a Powder of the Tops and especially of the hairy Excrescencies of the sweet Bryar Tree Which Medicine alone a certain Physician formerly renown'd for the Cure of Spitting Blood had us'd with great success Nor did our Patient receive a less prosperous effect from that Remedy For by it he presently got wholly free from his Cough Catarrh and Blood Spitting and so continued for a very long time till at length thinking this Disease of his Brest wholly conquer'd and therefore to be slighted he took up arms against the other more ancient viz. the Palsey Wherefore whilst neglecting his Spitting Blood he took daily to overcome that Distemper a large Dose of hot Medicines viz. Magistral waters distill'd with Wine Spirit of Hartshorn of Sal Armociack Aromatick Powders and Confections and indulg'd himself likewise to a more plentiful Diet drinking Ale and Wine moderately the roaring Lion which seem'd before a sleep rous'd himself again viz. he had not long continued that Antiparalitick Method but the Blood Spitting return'd with a very great violence so that in the space of twenty four hours he Cough'd forth above three pounds of forthy Blood and afterwards when a Physician being call'd he was presently Ordered to be Let Blood after bleeding the Blood Spitting beginning to be abated as it was always wont before was provok'd a fresh Which nevertheless after the Application of the Ligatures and the diligent taking of the Linctus and Pectoral Decoction was presently mitigated and in a short time wholly ceas'd And when afterwards he had us'd above Three Months the Pectoral Decoction and an entirely thin Diet viz. without Flesh and of meer Herbs Corn and Milk Meats he revocered in a short time his former health and now lives in that state triumphing over that cruel Disease This Person always found the use of the Pectoral Decoction to do him good Wherefore though he chang'd now and then his other Medicines he always retain'd the same Composition of that and recommended it to many other Persons seiz'd with a Blood Spitting with success The Form of the Prescript is thus Take all the Saunders of each six Drams Infuse them for twelve hours in seven pounds of fountain water then let it boil till a third part be wasted after add of the Leaves of Coltsfoot Maiden hair Mous-ear Speedwel Flowers of St. John's-wort of each two handfuls sweet Fennel-seeds six Drams Licorice slit half an Ounce Raisins ston'd half a pound boil them to four pounds then strain it and use it for your ordinary drink Moreover when the Blood Spitting was upon him or was coming he took thrice or oftner in a day the quantity of a Nutmeg
of the following Electuary drinking after it seven spoonfuls of the Julape Take Conserve of red Roses three Ounces Conserve of Hipps and Comphrey of each an Ounce and a half Dragons Blood a Dram Species of Hyacinth two Scruples red Coral a Dram with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of red Poppies Mix them and make a soft Electuary take at Night and early in the Morning a Dram and a half drinking after it a draught of the following Julape at other times let him take it with a stick of Licorice Take of the Waters of Plantain and of the Spawn of Forgs of each six Drams Syrup of Coral and of dry'd Roses of each an Ounce Dragons Blood two Scruples Mix them made a Julape CHAP. III. Instructions and Prescripts for Curing a Peripneumonia THe Peripneumonia is an Inflammation of the Lungs with an Acute Feaver a Cough and a difficulty of Breathing it is caus'd by a rushing of the Blood into the Ductus's of the Lungs and its being there inflam'd and obstructed The Primary Indication in order to the Cure of a Peripneumonia is that the Blood forc'd into the Vessels of the Lungs and causing there an Obstruction with an Inflammation be thence discust and restor'd to its former Circulation which if it may not be done the Second Indication will be that that matter be duly Concocted or Suppurated and with all expedition voided by Spittle 1. Whilst the former Indication holds good the Intentions of Curing will be these following In the First place That the excessive current of the Blood to the part affected be cut off or some way hindred Secondly We must endeavour that the matter stagnating in the Lungs or extravasated be suck'd up again by the Veins into the rest of the Mass and restor'd to its Circulation Which the better to effect Thirdly The Blood must be freed of its clamminess or viscous nature whereby its fluidity is hindred And Fourthly We must obviate by fit Remedies those Symptoms that are very pressing viz. the Feaver Cough Watchings and difficulty of Breathing But if notwithstanding all this the other Indication must be pursued we must add to the Remedies before mentioned such as they commonly call Maturating and Expectorating Medicines 1. To satisfy the First and Second Intentions together Blooding is requisite almost in every Peripneumonia nay sometimes it ought to be often repeated For the Vessels being emptied of Blood they do not only withdraw the matter which maintains the Disease but likewise drink up again what was forc'd into the part affected Wherefore if the strength holds and the Pulse be of a sufficient vigour its good to bleed freely at the very beginning but otherwise you must do it in a moderate quantity and repeat it now and then as occasion requires In this Distemper the Vein should always be open'd with a large Orifice and the Blood should not only Issue forth in a full stream but its running should be continued for otherwise if in the midst of bleeding whilst the vitiated Blood flows forth the Orifice be stop'd with the Finger as some are wont to do to prevent fainting when it s open'd again a pretty good Blood will Issue forth next the vitiated Blood if any such be remaining being fallen back and not presently returning to the Orifice Besides Bleeding many other Remedies are here to be us'd viz. such as repress the turgid motion of the Blood and empty its Ductus's whereby the Morbifick matter may be drank up again Wherefore a very thin Diet is prescrib'd consisting almost meerly of Barley and Oat-meats And though Catharticks are wholly forbidden because they strongly exagitate the Blood and force it more violently into the part affected Nevertheless Glysters ought to be daily Administred which gently ease the Belly and draw the dreggy Excrements of the Blood downwards Moreover qualifying Julapes and Apozemes which allay the fervour of the Blood and pleasantly lead off its superfluous Serosities and likewise gently open the passages of the Brest are taken with good effect The Third Intention of Curing which has regard to the takeing away of the obstructing clamminess or viscous nature of the Blood it perform'd wholly by those Remedies which loosen its over-close Texture and dissolve the Combinations of its Salts And truly those Remedies which Reason and Analogy might dictate in this respect are us'd even at this time after a long expeperience For Powders of Shells the Tusk of a Boar the Jaw-bone or a Pike and other things endow'd with an Alkalisate Salt also Sal Prunella are prescrib'd by all Practitioners both Ancient and modern I have known Spirit of Sal Armoniack and of Hartshorn to have done great good in this Disease And for the same Reason it is viz. Because of the good effect of the Volatile Salt that an Infusion of Horse-dung though a vulgar Remedy has often given great relief Fourthly As to the Symptoms and their Cures a great many Remedies appropriated to these are Coincident with the former For the same Julapes and Apozemes which appease the fervour of the Blood and also restore the Animal Spirits are in most common use against the Feaver To which also in respect of the Cough and the diffculty of Breathing temperate Pectorals are joyn'd The greatest difficulty is what must be given against want of sleep it at any time the Person be very much molested by it For Opiats adding to the prejudice of Respiration which is under some stress from the beginning of this Disease may scarce be taken with safety nay sometimes they become pernicious Wherefore Laudanum's and the stronger preparatious of Opium must be utterly avoided in a Peripneumonia though in the mean time Anodines and the more gentle Hypnoticks as especially the Water and Syrup of red Poppies are not only allow'd but accounted Specificks in this Disease and in the Pleurisy Moreover we may sometimes use Diacodiats so the strength holds and the Pulse be strong and in a good temper For the pain of the Brest if at any time it proves troublesome its proper to use sometimes Oyntments Fomentations and Cataplasms The Secondary Therapeutick Indication whereof the Intentions are to Concoct and to discharge by Spittle the matter sticking in the Lungs since it cannot be discust or drank up again requires Medicines commonly call'd Maturatives and Expectoratives but they must both be temperate to wit such as rather appease than exasperate the Thirst and Feaverish heat We have given you before in the Chapter of the Cough the kinds of these Medicines which are properly call'd Pectorals We shall now set down the choicest Prescripts and most proper for this affect Prescripts of Medicines 1.2 Medicines Conducing to the First and Second Intention are prescrib'd according to the Forms following TAke Water of Ladies Thistle ten Ounces of red Poppies three Ounces Syrup of the same an Ounce Pearl prepar'd a Dram Make a Julape the Dose is six spoonfuls every fourth hour Take the Waters of Black-Cherries Carduus Benedictus
happens that the Vessells having this ill Conformation are likewise affected with Convulsions so that the Muscular Fibres of the Vessels being disorderly contracted cause sudden and violent Sallyes of the Blood somtimes upwards and somtimes downwards and consequently Eruptions For I have observ'd in some when the Current of the Blood has been slender enough with a low and weak Pulse that the Convulsions of the Vessells beginning in some place and carried forward as a Wind running here and there in the Body have driven the Blood vehemently though never so low of it self and forc't it into violent Eruptions And in these cases when opening a Vein and Medicines cooling and qualifying the Blood have done no good we have found the greatest relief from Narcotick's Anticonvulsives and Ligatures To speak now of Bleeding by Art we generally observe that Physick in some cases imitates nature in others exceeds it and often regulates it and reduces it when it acts amiss though there are some cases in which nature far exceeds the efficacy of Art in Excretions of Blood I shall speak briefly of each of these First therefore in whatever affects Spontaneous Eruptions of Blood use to do good if at any time these fail Physick the Handmaid of nature aptly suplys its place by Phlebotomy therefore if haply the Blood by reason of its Sulphur being too much at liberty and exalted is kindled too much upon opening a Vein the superfluity of that Inflammable fuel will issue forth So likewise immoderate Turgescencies of the Blood by Reason of some unsubduable substance gotten into it are allay'd by this means Wherefore Bleeding is presently ordered both against continual Fevers which proceed from the former cause and against such as intermit whose fits are from the latter And so as often as an accustomed Evacuation at set times which is stopt or a humour struck back from the outward parts or a sudden stoppage of the Pores or if a Surfeit Drinking of Wine and other Accidents of this nature by crowding the Blood with Heterogeneous Particles cause a Turgescency in it Phlebotomy is usually a most present Remedy Secondly Physick does not only imitate nature in letting forth of Blood but often exceeds it nay and frequently aids it and reduces it when it labours and acts amiss For if at any time the Blood taking a Head rushes in a Body to one part and there either presently breaks forth in a disorderly manner or being gather'd together in a large quantity causes an Inflammation a Vein being open'd in some remote part stops that Praeternatural Salley of the Blood and often puts an end to the Eruption or Inflammation Wherefore in the Plurisie Sqinancy Perpneumonia in Spitting or Vomiting Blood when nature either yields it self overcome or bing sturck as it were wiht a Rage seems to lay violent hands on it self Chirurgery withdrawing the Blood to some other place and letting it forth restores all things when almost in a loft Condition Moreover Physick often moderates or reduces nature when too profuse or extravagant in the Effusion of Blood for in Truth all immoderate Eruptions of Blood must be stay'd rather than promoted Again in regard in the Plague Small-Pox and Meazles broken forth and in Malignant Fevers a Spontaneous Eruption of Blood always foreboads ill Therefore in those affects Stiptick Medicines restraining the Eruption of Blood are more proper than breathing a Vein Nevertheless there are some cases of an Effusion of Blood by nature which Physick can no way imitate nor supply by Phlebotomy if haply they fail In Fevers about the Crisis of the Disease viz. after the Digestion of the matter that is its preparation for Separation a Spontaneous Eruption of Blood in regard it comes in a due nick of time is far better than any Bleeding by Art the due season for which is unknown And so a flowing of the Menses and Haemorrhoides hapening by the Instinct of nature is much more Advantageous than if Blood be caus'd to flow thence by Art There is this notable difference betwixt Blceding by opening a Vein and a Spontaneous Eruption of Blood that in this the Blood flows in a manner wholly out of the Arteries and in the other Evacuation it 's drawn only out of the Veins So far of Phlebotomy compar'd with a Spontaneous Eruption of Blood I shall now shew its use and effects both good and evil in the Practice of Physick Therefore in the first place let us shew in general what sort of alteration this Evacuation causes in the Mass of Blood and then to what Diseases either of the whole Body or of particular parts it most immediately has respect to Concerning the first it 's obvious that the Blood after Breathing a Vein is altered both as to its quantity and as to its Temper and Crafis and as to its Motion The first and most common Indication for Breathing a Vein is that by this Administration the Mass of the Blood be lessen'd Hence even the vulgar growing to an overful habit of Body cause themselves to be let Blood to remove that Plethorick Disposition but though the evils of that affect are remov'd or prevented by nothing better yet the necessity or this Evacuation ought to be avoided as much as may be Because the Blood is rendred by it more Sulphureous and less Salt and consequently it disposes Men to a Feverish habit and to grow Fat Moreover the great Remedy Bleeding if made common on every slight occasion will become of no effect in grand Distempers when it is needed To which we may add that according to the observation of the vulgar the more familiarly any one uses Bleeding the oftner he will want it For the Blood being let forth to avoid an overgreat fullness the rest of the Mass soon rises again to a Plenitude though it 's worse in its Crasis For by this means being much berest of its Balsamick Salt which preserves it from Putrefaction Instead of it it 's more fill'd with a Fatning and Inflammable Sulphur 2. Phlebotomy amends the Mixture and Temperament of the Blood in sundry respects First if any Heterogeneous thing be gotten into its Mass which can neither be mastered nor easily separated and sent forth upon opening a Vein the Blood flowing forth carries with it often a great Portion of that matter So again the Blood declining from its Temperament is often restor'd by Phlebotomy for when its Mass upon the exaltation of the Sulphur or fixt Salt of both of them together is degenerated into a sharp Salt or Salino-Sulpureous nature a Portion of the Blood being drawn out presently it ferments anew and often there is such a change made of all those kinds of Particles that thence forwards the Spirits with the Volatile Salt begin to rise again and recover their Dominion keeping he Sulphur and fixt Salt under as they ought to be Hence Bleeding gives often great relief not only in Fevers but likewise in the Scurvy Jaundise and even in a beginning
Praecordia threatens a sudden Destruction the best way not only of a general Evacuation but likewise for a Revulsion is to let forth the Blood in a full current by opening a Vein in the Arm with a large Incision But if without any great Plethora the Blood be to be Evacuated from the whole Body and to be withdrawn from the Superiour Region of the Body to the Inferiour as in suppressions of the Menses or Haemorrhoids it 's more propper to draw Blood from the Foot or from the Haemorhoid Veins by Leeches And if after an Evacuation of Blood from the whole it must also be deriv'd from some particular place where it is gathered together let it be taken near the place affected Hence in Cephalick Diseases we open the Vein of the Forehead Temples or Thorat To Cure Tumors and Pains hapning in the Joynts we either open a Vein beneath or near them or draw froth the Blood by applying Cupping-glasses or Leeches there And so in affects of the Thorax and of the Belly either Cupping-glasses are apply'd to the Region Distempered or Leeches to the Vessells of the Fundament As to what is said that some Vessels have a peculiar respect to some of the Viscera in particular as the outward Vein of the Arm to the Head the inward to the Liver c. All this is a meer vnlgar errour grounded on no reason or Anatomical observation Therefore assoon as it is agreed on for opening a Vein and of the place make choice of some large Vessel and very fair to the sight that it may be more easily open'd and let it not have any Artery Nerve and Tendon near it that it may be Lanced more securely Wherefore the middle Vein of the Arm is most commonly made choice of though the Exteriour call'd the Cephalick be more safe being less crowded with other Vessels The Jugular Vein so generally open'd in Beasts is most safely and easily lanc't and is as proper as any other what soever for a general Evacuation of Blood from the whole Body besides its excellent Derivation from the Head If you open the Vein above or near the Ancle you must take a mighty care lest you hurt the Tendon which sometimes happens through the unskillfulness or rashness or Chirurgeons to the great prejudice of the Patient Moreover you must take care of opening a Vein near its Anastomosis with an Artery For if this be done the Blood springs forth violently all of a Scarlet colour and its stream is not easily stopt nor the Orifice of the Vessel soon clos'd As to the ways or Instruments with which Blood is drawn forth it 's done either by opening a Vein with a Lancet or by Suction with Leeches or by Cupping-glasses after Scarification It 's known by sad experience that in Lancing a Vein sometimes an Artery is prickt whence either Death or a cutting off of the Member sometimes follows the reason is that an Artery ought incessantly to vibrate and beat in like manner as the Heart it self its Fibres iterating the perpetual charges of Systole's and Diastole's wherefore a hole made in its Ductus becomes as it were incurable by reason of the continual Motion of the Vessel and the Efflux of Blood It is far otherwise in a Vein whose Aperture presently closes again of its own accord there being little stress of contraction lay'd on its Tunicles and indeed only so that its Fibres being a little dilated on occasion the Blood flowing back may be gently driven forwards If at any time a Physician of Patient are fearful of opening a Vein an Extraction of Blood by Leeches or Cupping-glasses with Scarification will aptly enough supply its defect and often with the like Advantage nay these Administrations for removing the Conjunct cause of a Disease where there is need rather of a Partial Derivation or Evacuation than a general one are often preferr'd to Phlebotomy The due season for letting Blood is often of so great moment that whereas this Evacuation does good at one time at another it proves mighty prejudicial There are various respects of times to be considered concerning Bleeding but chiefly these four viz. the time of the Disease Age Year and Day the First of these chiefly concerns the Cure of the Patient and the rest his Preservation First therefore if we ought to let Blood in any Disease the fittest time for it will be about the beginning of it or in its encrease but not at all or very cautiously in its height or Declination For in the former whilst nature endeavouring a Crisis is extreamly busied so that the Spirits labour mightily and the Blood ferments very much that its last effort ought not to be disturb'd and when a Disease is upon remitting either nature being conqueress does not stand in need of that Aid or belng conquered will not bear such Evacuation Secondly if at any time we deliberate of Bleeding for prevention Infants Children and aged Persons are exempted from it by the general Practice of all Nations This Evacuation also heretofore was forbidden to Women with Cnild but now it 's very ordinarily prescrib'd Men of a strong Constitution and of a middle Age herr Bleeding well encugh and want it very often but ought not to admit it the first and second time without great occasion for once begun and then repeated it soon passes into an Inevitable custom Hence those who use to Bleed Spring and Fall cannot afterwards omit this Evacuation without danger But those for whom it is good or necessary to be let Blood once or twice a Year the most seasonable times for it will be about the beginning of the Spring and Autumn when the Blood being apt to Ferment anew is in danger of changing its Crasts Bleeding in season prevents the exaltation of the Sulphur and Salts and consequently keeps the Blood from any Feverish Scorbutick or otherwise vitious Distemper And likewise from susing it self and pouring its Serous and other dreggy Excrements on the Brain Lungs or Viscera of the Belly About the Solstices when our Bodies are very cold or hot the Blood â—as also the Juices of all Vegetables being in a fixt State and unapt for any Turgid Motion ought not to be let forth unless some urgent cause requires it 3. Whereas some religiously or rather ridiculously observe in Bleeding the Position of the Heavens and the Aspects of the Moon and Stars it 's altogether Frivolous 4. As to the time of the Day in Acute Diseaes when immediate Bleeding is indicated a Physician being call'd after the Body is prepar'd may order that operation at any hour of the Day or Night But if there be room for delay then it 's more proper to Bleed rather in a Morning when the Stomack is fasting and the Vessels are emptyed by the Night Perspiration so that the current of the Blood is then in a very great Calm and free from Serous Excrements Nay though necessicy presses let it be delay'd a little till the fresh
filtred through Cap-paper becomes clear a Ragg or Feather being dipt into this let the Face be gently done over with it once in a Day or two This Medicine is of great efficacy against all foulness of the Skin for it clears the Humours sticking in the little Pores and Orifices though never so strait and dissolves the obstinate and inveterate Combinations of the Salts and Sulphurs and as to any ill Conformation of the Pores it restores the whole Skin and makes it freely perspirable Wherefore it is not only good for cleansing the Stains or Blemishes of the Face but likewise for removing Pushes and the redness of it and Erysipelous affects Moreover it sometimes happens that many parts of the Face but especially the Nose and Forehead are thick beset with blackish Specks as though burnt by Gunpowder which nevertheless proceeds from hence that the Sudatory Pores are fill'd sometimes with a black thick Humour sometimes with little Worms having black head which little insects being squeez'd forth of the Pores and laid in the Sun are easily perceiv'd to live and to move themselves and in such an affect of the Skin no Washes or Ointments but Mercurial are wont to do good Nevertheless a too severe Sting often goes a long with this Honey For the Particles of the Quicksilver together with the Salts with which they are minutely divided and quickn'd being apply'd to the Face discuss thence the offensive and defiling Matter from the Pores and drive it away and being struck inward they follow it and soon insinuate themselves with ease into the Blood and Nervous Liquour whose Crasis they injure and through their means very frequently pass their Venom often not to be rooted out afterward into the Brain and sometimes into the Praecordia and other parts Hence it 's frequently observ'd that Men or Women using long and much a Mercurial Ointment become subject to the Vertigo and Convulsive or Paralytick affects and that their Teeth turn black and sometimes grow loose CHAP. VI. Instructions and Prescripts for the Cure of the Psora or the Scab with the Itch. AFter the more simple affects of the Skin which hapning without any Tumour or Sore soil it only with Filthy Spots I shall now speak in order of the greater affects dissolving continuity And in the First place of the Psora or Scab which molests the Skin in most places of the Body with small Pushes or breakings forth being sometimes dry and often scally without much Itching as in persons of a Cholerick or Melancholick Constitution sometimes moist and dispos'd for Ulceration with a mighty troublesome Itching as in Persons of a moist Temperament with a foul Blood And this affect is most peculiarly a Disease of that part seeing that it often has its beginning in the Skin it self by outward Contagion and is frequently Cur'd by certain Remedies apply'd only to the Skin at leastwise the reason of both holds good so far that it 's seldom perfectly gotten or Cur'd by other means This Scab or Itch is commonly describ'd to be a breaking forth of Pushes here and there through out the whole Body proceeding from a sharpe and salt Humour gather'd together within the Pores of the Skin and by reason of its mighty Itch causing a necessity of scratching to discuss it thence I conceive the Morbifick matter of the Itch to be the Lymphick Humour constantly residing in the Glands of the Skin but degenerated from its Genuine viz. Salino-volatile Disposition into an Acid or otherwise vitiated Temper That Lymphick Humour is wont to be depraved these three ways and consequently falls into a Coagulative and Vitious habit with the Serum newly supply'd from the Blood viz. First the Blood it self being very impure and withal dissolv'd leaves a great store of its corrupted and Filthy Dreggs in the Glands of the Skin which becoming there a Leaven more Corruptive strongly ferment and are coagulated with other adventitious or transient Juices and so bring forth not only Scabby affects but Leaprosies of divers kinds hence frequent and continual feeding on Shell-fish and others and on Salt Meats and such as have been dry'd in the Smoak or Sun Also improper Drinks and Venemous Medicines taken into the Body cause breakings out all over the Skin and those often very dreadful Secondly the Humour gathered together within the Glands of the Skin sometime putrifying by meer Stagnation does not only breed Scabs but also frequently Lice Wherefore not only Persons long Imprison'd but likewise such as leading a Sedentary Life use themselves withal to Stench and Nastiness are still subject to the said affects Thirdly if haply those causes are wanting that the Glandulous Humour of the Skin be neither desil'd through the fault of the Blood nor its own Stagnation yet a Virulent infection from without disposes it as readily to produce those Diseases as it 's daily manifested to us the Effluvia flowing from the Pushes of a Scabby Skin being of no less efficacy than Barm or Yest whereof if a very small Portion be put into new Ale unfermented it presently ferments the whole Mass be it never so great and changes it into the nature of the Liquour whence it was taken Therefore the Itch as to its Origine either is taken by Contagion or by reason of an ill Dyet its Incentive and Fuel is communicated from the Chyle and Mass of Blood being vitiated or through nastiness and want of Perspiration it 's generated in the Skin it self To which we may add that Infants sometimes get this evil Hereditarily contracted from their Parents Though this Disease be never Mortal or very dangerous of it self but always easy of Cure yet it has often an ill issue because being long continued it mightily vitiates the Blood and the Nervous Liquour and if Cur'd on a sudden the Matter whioh is driven from the Pores being inwardly receiv'd brings a pernicious Taint on the Praecordia and Brain or on other Noble parts The greatest danger from the Itch threatens Children and Cachectical Persons because in both these the Taint of the Cutaneous Humour is more easily sent into the Noble parts which after the outward Contagion of the Itch is taken away remaining within cannot be throughly overcome but by a great deal of Physick which neither of them can well bear wherefore such persons ought to be preserv'd with all care and diligence from the Itch as from the Plague it self Concerning the Cure of the Itch there are two primary Indications and both of them twofold viz. the First being Curatory has regard to these two things that the Glandulous Humour its Corruptive ferment being wholly extinguisht be restor'd to its due Crasis And then Secondly that the Pores and Passages of the Skin it self being freed from those Concretions of Ichor recover their Ancient Conformation or free Perspirability The Second Indication being Preservatory provides against these two things viz. First that the Impurities and Corruptive Miasms of the Itch which are driven
Disease For the corrupted Taints of the Blood after that upon long continuance they are become wholly Heterogeneous and unsubdueable gather to themselves at length the Saline Particles with which growing together in that Tartarous Concretion and driven to the Skin they produce Eruptions of the running Scab Concerning the Crue of the running Scab there are two primary Indications viz. the Preservatory which regards the cause of the Disease and the Curatory which has regard to the Symptom viz. the breaking forth of Pushes The Vital has seldom place in this case unless grown altogether desperate where there is a deficiency of Sleep and Strength The Method of Cure ought always to begin with the Preservatory Indication which removes the causes of the Disease by inward Remedies for otherwise outward things are scarce ever administred to any purpose as in the Itch but the roots of the Disease being cut off within the Blood the Cutaneous Pushes soon dye away Though for removing them we must proceed one way when the running Scab begins of it self and somewhat a differing way when it comes after an inveterate Scurvy or the French-pox ill or not Cur'd We shall consider each of these cases severally and distinctly by themselves When therefore this Disease is simple and primary and fresh coming let the evident and external cuases be remov'd let the ill Diet and the Unwholesomeness of the Air be corrected therefore let persons who have been long and too much us'd to feed on Salt Meats Pork or Fish betake themselves to a Diet of good Juice and easy of Concoction Moreover if they live by the Sea side or in Marshy places let them remove to a more dry and clear Air and withal let them be as careful of their Drink avoiding thick and dreggy Beer and thin and acid Wines which are too much fill'd with Tartar Finally let them take care that their Drink or Food be not prepar'd of Mineral waters apt to petrify 2. In respect of the Conjunct and Procatarctick cause viz. a Saturation of the Blod with Saline Particles of a differing Disposition and Nature there are two chief intents of Curing to wit that the Blood and Humours be forthwith cleans'd of their impurities and that the Acido-saline Discrasies of the Blood and Nervous Liquour be altered for the better to keep them from engendring a Tartarous matter For which ends both evacuating Remedies of divers kinds and altertives are wont to be prescrib'd Nevertheless because not all but in a manner only great Remedies are here proper therefore those that are chiefly in use and found to do most good are Catharticks Bleeding Whey Mineral waters coming from Iron Juicy expressions of Herbs Decoctions of Woods Chalybeat Medicines and Salivation We shall set down certain Forms of each of these and the manners of ussing them In the Frist place therefore a general Purge and Bleeding as in the Cure of the Itch being premitted let the following Cathartick Infusion or Tincture be prescrib'd whose Dose is from six Ounces to eight to be repeated whithin six or seven Days Take Roots of sharp pointed Dock dryed of Polypody of the Oak of each half an Ounce Sena ten Drams Epithymum six Drams Rhubaru Mechoacan of each half an Ounce yellow Saunders two Drams Celtick Spike half a Dram Salt of Tartar a Dram and a half put them in a Glass with three Pounds of White-wine and a Pound of Elder-flower water let them stand close covered in a cold place for three Days then use it pouring forth daily a sufficient quantity of the clear Liquour Secondly to sweeten the Blood and cleanse ti from its Salts drink every Morning to two or three Pounds of Whey by it self or with Fumitory preparations of Cichory and with sharp pointed Dock infus'd in it and let this Drink be continued for twenty or thirty Days if it agrees with the Stomack and withal in the Evening and early in the Morning let a Dose or the following Electuary be taken Take Conserve of the Roots of sharp pointed Dock six Ounces Crabbs Eyes Coral prepard of each two Drams Ivory a Dram Powder of Lignum Aloes yellow Saunders of each a Dram and a half Sal Prunella two Drams Vitriol of Mars a Dram and a half Syrup of the Juice of Wood-sorrel what suffices make an Electurary the Dose if two Drams Thirdly for the same reason as Whey also Mineral waters coming from Iron are prescrib'd against this Disease and often do great good For when all other Medicines have prov'd of no effect I have sometimes Cur'd a great and almost Leaprous running Scab with this alone Moreover to add to their efficacy we may fitly joyn the use of Sal Prunella or of Vitriol of Mars or of the Electuary before written Fourthly in some persons having much Serun and a Watery Constitution where drinking of Whey or Mineral waters is not proper it is good for them to take constantly a Decoction of Woods at Physical hours and likewise for their ordinary Drink Take Raspings of Willow-wood half a Pound Roots of Sarsaparilla eight Ounces white Saunders Wood of the Mastick-tree of each two Ounces Shavings of Ivory and Harts-horn of each six Drams Shavings of Tin crude Antimony of each four Ounces both tyed in a Rag Licorice an Ounce let them infuse according to Art and boil in sixteen Pounds of fountain water of half keep the straining for use Fisthly Chalybeat Medicines because generally accounted of among the more excellent Remedies are seldom omitted in this Disease though they as seldom prove successful For a gret many preparatious of Iron in which the Sulphurous Particles predo minate for as much as they ferment the Blood and put it upon Excretory Effervescencies encrease rather than diminish the Eruptions of the running Scab Nevertheless Vitriolick Salts Syrups Tinctures and Infusions in regard they fix the Blood and somewhat restrain the Exorbitant excesses of the Salts answer aptly enough to the intention of Curing now propos'd but being too weak cnnot master so Herculean a Disease Wherefore Sixthly these and a great many other Remedies doing no good many reommend Salivation as the stoutest Champion and only fit to contend with so potent an Enemy Yet the event does not always answer this mighty expectation for I must own to have try'd this Remedy my self in four persons afflicted with a greivous running Scab not yielding to other Medicines but without any benefit some of these were put in a very high Salivation by a Mercury Unction others by Pills of the Solar Praecipitate which Salivation they lay under for about twenty Days after which time all the Scaly breakings forth and clusters of Pushes vanisht Nevertheless for perfecting the Cure a Diet Drinkd ordered of the Decoction of Sarza with frequent Sweating under a Cradle and deu Puring betwixt while was continued for a Month Yet this course being ended when no footsteps of the running Scab seem'd to be left behind within the second Month a
when green Herbs are scarce we may prescribe after this manner Take Leaves of Scurvy-grass four handfuls tops of Broom of the Pine-tree and of Juniper of each three handfuls the Middle-bark of Elder and Ash of each four Ounces Roots of Horse-raddish and of Polipody of the Oak of each three Ounces the Rinds of four Oranges and of as many Limons Winters-bark four Ounces being slic't and bruis'd pour to them of White-wine or of Cider or of Whey made with either of them eight Pounds let them be distil'd The simple Water of the Leaves of Aron distil'd in the Spring time is an efficacious Remedy against the Scurvy if three or four Ounces are given twice a day with another Medicine The simple Water of Scurvy-grass pour'd again on fresh Leaves bruis'd and distil'd and so iterated by frequent Cohobations becomes an efficacious Remedy Moreover a hot Spirit of Scurvy-grass is prepar'd after this manner Take Leaves of Scurvy-grass what suffices being bruis'd let it be made into Balls such as are made of Woad for Dying Then let those Balls be kept in a Glaz'd Pot for three or four days very close stopt in a cold place either Water of Scurvy-grass or Wine of the same being pour'd to them and covering them over above four fingers deep Then an Alembick being put on let the whole matter be distill'd Let the distill'd Water being put into a Cucurbit be rectified the hot Spirit will come off first whereof let fifteen or twenty drops be taken in a fit Vehicle 6. Antiscorbutick Wines and Beers I Use to prepare a simple Antiscorbutick Wine of excellent use after this manner In the Spring or Summer-season Take Leaves of Scurvy-Grass gathered in clear and dry Weather what you think good being bruised let the Juice be prest forth and let a Vessel containing three or four Gallons be fill'd a spoonful or two of Yest being put to it let it ferment for two Days then the Vessel being close stopt let it be plac't in a Wine-Cellar for six Months and then let the clear Liquor which will be of an Amber colour like Spanish Wine be drawn out into Bottles and be kept for use it continues good many years The Dose is three or four Ounces twice a Day Physick Wines whereof a Glass or two may be daily taken at Physical Hours or also at Dinner may be prepar'd after this manner Take Leaves of Scurvy-Grass four handfuls Raspings of Horse-radish four Ounces Winters-bark bruised half an Ounce the outward Coats of four Oranges and of so many Limons Let them be put in a Glass with twelve Pounds of White Wine or Rhenish or small Spanish Wine The Vessel being stopt let it be kept in a cold place Let the Wine be pour'd off clear as often as you use it It 's more usual to prescribe a Physick Ale or Beer to Scorbutical persons to be drank constantly for their ordinary Drink Let Beer be prepar'd to fill a Vessel of four Gallons instead of Hops let three Handfuls of Pine or Fir-tops be boiled in it After it has wrought in the Vessel put into it Leaves of Scurvy Grass three Handfuls Roots of sharp pointed Dock prepared four Ounces the Rinds of four Oranges After it has stood a Week to clear let it be expos'd to Drink These kinds of Physick Drinks with other Ingredients may be variously prepar'd according to the Temperament and Affect of the Patient by which kind of Remedy in regard the Physical Particles altering the Dyscrasy of the Blood are forthwith convey'd into its Mass together with those of the Food often much good is done in removing the Cause of the Scurvy But since we have shewn the cause of this as also the Nature of the Disease to be twofold and since the Medicines hitherto proposed regard in a manner only the Salino-sulphureous Distemper of the Blood we must next direct Medicines which are proper in the other viz. the Sulphureo-saline Dyscrasy of the Blood CHAP. III. Of Medicines of each kind of the foregoing forms which have regard to the Scurvy raised in a hot Constitution and in a Sulphureo-Saline Dyscrasy of the Blood IN certain Scorbutical persons the use of Scurvy-grass Horse-Radish Winters-bark and of other smart things and such as are greatly endow'd with a volatile Salt is found to be very offensive wherefore in those kinds of cases where the Morbifick Cause consists in a hot Dyscrasy of the Blood resembling over-fretted Wine temperate Medicines and such as do not exagitate the Particles of the Humours which are apt to boil too much of them selves are indicated Wherefore we shall set down Forms after the same order and running as it were parallel with those before and in the first place we shall give you solid Medicines Electuaries Take Conserve of Brooklimes and Cuckow-Flower made with an equal part of Sugar of each three Ounces Species Diatrion Santalon Diarrhodon Abbatis of each a Dram and a half Ivory powdered a Dram Pearl half a Dram Salt of Wormwood and of Tamarisk of each a Dram with a sufficient quantity of syrup of Coral make an Electuary Take Conserve of Wood-sorrel and of Hips of each three Ounces or Conserve of the Roots of sharp pointed Dock and of the Roots of Cichory of each three Ounces Troches of Rhubarb two Drams Species Diamargariti Frigidi a Dram and a half Bark of Tamerisk a Dram Sal Prunella a Dram and a half Myrobalanes condited in number two with a sufficient quantity of the syrup of the Confiture of Mirobalanes make an Electuary For poor people I use to prescribe this easy prepar'd Electuary Take Leaves of Brooklimes six Ounces of Wood-sorrel two Ounces double refined Sugar eight Ounces let them be pounded adding Powder of sweet Fennel-seeds half an Ounce Ivory powdered two Drams Sal Prunella a Dram and a half with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of the Juice of Brooklimes make an Electuary Confections TAke Powder of the Roots of China and of the Male Peony of each a Dram white and yellow Saunders of each three Drams Ivory a Dram and a half Pearl half a Dram Crabs-eyes a Dram Coral moistened with Juice of Oranges and ground on a Marble two Drams white Tartar a Dram and a half double refined Sugar dissolved in a sufficient quantity of compound Scordium Water six Ounces Make a Confection Take Roots of Eringo and Scorzonera preserv'd of each three Ounces Powder of Aron-roots compound half an Ounce Species Diatrion Santalon two Drams Sal Prunella a Dram and a half with a sufficient quantity of syrup of Clove-Gilli-flowers Make a Confection Powders TAke Powder of the Leaves of Ground-Pine of Aron-roots Compound of each an Ounce and a half Ivory powdered red Coral prepared with Juice of Oranges of each two Drams Tablets of Oranges two Ounces mix them Make a Powder The Dose is a Spoonful twice a day Pills TAke Species Diatrion Santalon and Diamargariti Frigidi of each two Drams Seeds of Citrons and of Carduus
of Physick she took only Empirical Remedies with which sometimes the Fits of the Ague were driven away but often presently return'd mean while the Diseas'd being pale unable for motion and wanting Breath continued swol'n and blown up about the Ventricle and Hypochondres About the third Month of her being sick she began to have Gripes and bitter Tortures in her Belly with which shooting sometimes to the Back sometimes to the Stomach she was afflicted almost continually day and night Moreover she was affected with a frequent Vertigo and sometimes with Fits as it were Hysterical Also being troubled with a frequent Vomiting she daily threw up a viscous and froathy Phlegm Within a Months space this Disease passing to its highest pitch rais'd pains in the Back and Loins and so afterward in all the parts of the Body Besides at this time she complain'd of a mighty straitness of her Brest and a great contraction of the Viscera Mean while the habit of the Body fell away to a mighty Leanness so that the Bones being destitute of Flesh scarce stuck to the Skin the Urine was little and very ruddy on the surface of which grew a little thin Film garnish'd with various colours like the Tail of a Peacock A short while after this a Numness and Formication was perceiv'd sometimes in the Belly sometimes in the Limbs and afterward the Gripes and Pains began to remit nevertheless in their stead a Palsey succeeded which within a weeks space so pervaded all the Members of the whole Body that she was not able to bend or any way to stir from its place either Hand or Foot or any other part It is obvious that those severe Symptoms proceeded from a Scorbutick Root for by reason of the taint principally fixt on the Blood the Spontaneous Latssiude the difficult Breathing nay and the intermitting Fever hapning at random and often returning and the Bickerings of other Symptoms previous as it were and light were caus'd Again the Lixivial Urine and that diversified colour of it plainly shew'd the Blood to be seis'd with a Sulphureo-saline Discrasie which kind of Urine I have observ'd to be so mark't in many others affected with the like Disease Moreover when in this sick Lady the Morbid Seminal Root being increast in its store and flowing into the Mass of Blood came to spread it self on the Confines of the Brain and Genus Nervosum the other more violent affects arose This Lady living far hence by the advice of a Neighbouring Physitian took Medicines usual against the Collick which doing no good and the Disease growing worse the Patient being brought to Oxford tryed a great many Remedies both Antiscorbutick and Antiparalyticks almost of every kind and form though without any benefit Since therefore any ordinary Method of healing seem'd not sufficient for this Disease it was thought good to proceed to great Remedies and truly such as were not wholly void of danger Wherefore we gave this sick person as weak and worn away as she was a Mercurial Medicine for raising a Salivation which effect ensued according to our desire for a Flux arising within two days and gently continuing for many days without any ill Symptom gave a very great relief to the noble Lady For the Pains being mitigated she began in some measure to move her Limbs to have a better Stomach and to digest here Food better and to enjoy a quiet Sleep The Salivation being over she took a Decoction of Sarza and China with Antiparalytick Ingredients for a few days Afterward being carried to Bathe and having there us'd the temperate hot Baths for some time she recover'd an indifferent state of Health The whole Winter she constantly took Medicines against the Scurvy and the Palsey And upon her renewing the use of the hot Baths the year following she grew perfectly well and since is become the joyful Mother of many Children A Man forty years of Age of a Melancholick Temperament troubled with the Scurvy for many years is wont to find at various times of the year manifold and diversified Symptoms of it About his Legs spots and large black marks like those caus'd by a stroke appear Belly-achs and a Looseness frequently trouble him his Urine for the most part appears Lixivial a Spontaneous Lassitude a languishing of the Strength a want of Appetite almost constantly attend him besides these ordinary as it were accustomed evils he lives moreover obnoxious to violent Fits of sickness and those of various kinds Above two years since when I first went to see him he sorely complain'd of a difficult Breathing as though he were in danger of being choak't with a Trembling of the Heart failings of the Spirits and a frequent danger of Swooning Moreover of any thing of these passions in the Praecordia a little remitted for the most part he was assail'd with a cruel Scotomia and a Vertigo he seem'd to have perfectly recover'd of these affects after that he had taken for sometime Anticonvulsive Remedies complicated with Antiscorbuticks Butafterwrad within a few weeks he was affected with a Nauseousness and a Heart-burning and with an Inflation of the Hypochondres His Urine was little and very lixivial his Belly swel'd in a short time moreover his Feet and Legs growing mighty oedematous shew'd the marks of an invading Dropsie Afterward the like kind of Tumour seis'd the Thighs also the Flesh of the Back and Arms which affect nevertheless though it seem'd without hope was easily cur'd with Antiscorbutick Remedies Catharticks and Diureticks being join'd with them Notwithstanding this worthy Man though restor'd to his Health did not continue so long For half a year being scarce over he began to complain of a violent Head-ach with a Vertigo and an obstinate Watching afterward without any evident cause he was seis'd with a horrible Vomiting In a short time after the Asthmatick Fits return'd with a trembling of the Heart and failings of the Spirits At this time also when he seem'd almost past hope he recover'd again in a short while by the use of Antiscorbutick Remedies From this case it clearly appears how great evils the Scorbutick Miasm lying hid like a ferment both in the Blood and in the Nervous Juice and displaying its Venom according to occasion may cause Which kinds of affects nevertheless how dreadful and terrible soever they seem so they depend only of the Humours being vitiated in their Crasis and not on the Viscera injur'd in the whole or in their conformation for the most part they are wont to be Cur'd with little ado viz. by an Antiscorbutick Method aptly ordered according to the condition of the Patient as well as of the Disease A Renowned Lady about Twenty five years of Age of a Sanguine Temperament and a thin habit of Body fresh colour'd and handsome had been ill of a Scorbutick Affect of a long time For besides broad Spots and red Pushes breaking forth in divers parts of the Body she had been wont to undergo for a long time
is in a Tertian it comes to be less sharp but more watery and weaker in its Crasis the increases of the fermentative matter are more quick and the accesses return daily but when it turns austere and pontick the increases of the matter being more slow the fit comes but on the fourth day Certain Symptoms are wont to happen upon a Tertian Fever which are vulgarly accounted for the Crises of this Disease and in truth sometimes those appearing the affect either clearly ceases or begins to remit of its wonted fierceness those Symptoms are chiefly these three viz. a breaking forth of the Lips a Jundise and a Phlegmon suddenly raised in any part of the Body tho I have sometimes observed that notwithstanding such breaking forth of the Lips the Fever has continued obstinate for a long time wherefore I think it must be said that that eruption of Pimples denotes only a fuller Diaphoresis in the whole whereby the gross as well as the subtle recrements of that adust Blood evaporate forth for I have known in some that in a Tertian Fever pushes have broke out all over their Body as tho they had the small Pox and if by this free ventilation as by a purging the Blood is so freed that it recovers its ancient Crasis the Fever is come to a Crisis but if as it sometimes happents some recrements tho the more gross break forth and others remain within and still foment the feverish Disposition those sores argue only a greater taint of the Blood and an obstinacy of the Disease therefore it is to be observed if upon sore Lips the Fever does not remit it will prove of long continuance and severe Sometimes a Jaundise happens upon a tertian Fever and puts an end to it the reason is because when the Blood has gottne a sharp or bilous Disposition that thereby it perverts the nutritive Juice and so heaps together an excrementitious matter it is often freed from that Discrasy when by a sudden excretion the recrements of the adust Salt and Sulphur are freely purged the Gall-vessels being irritated by a Medicine or spontaneously and so plentifully clearing forth the Choer from the Blood often perform this for vomiting purging and especially a Diarrhaea conduce very much to the cure of this Disease nay sometimes the Blood alone exerting it self of its own accord throws off its bilous Recrements as its refuse and deposes it in the Skin in circulating and so the Jaundise cures the Fever When a Phlegmon as it sometimes is wont happens upon this affect it is commonly said that the Ague is fallen into the place swoll'n Now it seems not strange that the Disease is determined by such an abscess because the Blood by this means continually severs from its body the store of the degenerated nutritive Juice and conveys it to the Part affected wherefore a Belly continually loose has freed some by degrees because by this means the Blood has presently cast forth its unprofitable Burthen still growing upon it nor has allowed it a full increase and sometimes also a deafness hapning on a sudden the tertian Fever has presently ceas'd viz. by reason of the continual Metastasis of the febrile matter from the mass of Blood to the Head But if a tertian Fever neither declines by degrees of its own accord within a short time so as to cease wholly within seven or ten returns nor is brought to a Crisis by any of the ways above-mentioned nor is remov'd by the help of Physick but after ten or twelve fits continues still sorely to afflict the Diseased it will prove a very difficult thing to cure it for the Blood by the continual he aping together of the febrile Matter and by its frequent being inflam'd becomes at length so depraved that it concocts nothing rightly for nourishing the Body and supporting its strength nor is it able wholly to shake off the impurities and Excrements from its mass that it may make a Crisis of the Disease but the same daily prevailing the Blood besides its dyscrasie begins to be somewhat injur'd in its mixture wherefore the Flts return more frequently nor does a perfect intermission come between but the Diseased being very weak and faint are in a manner always feverish with a thirst and heat When the thing is brought to this pass unless Art affords a Remedy or the change of the place of aboad or the revolution of the Year bring relief this Affect often is terminated in Death As to the Cure the Method of healing commonly is directed to this only scope viz. that the Minera of the Disease be extirpated and that the febrile Matter be eradicated out of our Body without any remaining fomes or fear of a Relapse wherefore we diligently insist on Vomits and Purges whcih when they do little towards a Cure but the strength of the Diseased is very much broken they are left by the Physicians and the whole business is committed to Nature The Intentions as it seems to me ought to be these First the restoring of the Blood to its natural temper Secondly the prevention as much as may be of the depravation of the nutritive Juyce Thirdly the stopping of the feverish fermentation for keeping off the Fit And these Indications have place not only in a Tertian Fever but in every intermittent Fever besides which nevertheless are not to be perform'd by the same wayes or Remedies but by one sort and another according to the diversity of the Disease the condition of the sick and the symptoms chiefly pressing howsoever in the Cure of this Disease there is more to be imputed to Nature and to a well regulated form of Diet than to Pharmacy 1. Concerning the first Intention viz. that the Blood may be reduc'd to its natural temper Vomits bleeding and purging are of great Use especially if they are used in the beginning of the Disease Vomits do good inasmuch as they purge the Stomach that the first concoction may be better perform'd and that thereby a purer nutritive Chyme may be supplied for the Matter of the Blood and chiefly inasmuch as by forcing the Choler plentifully from the meatus choledechus they empty the Gall-bladder that thereby the Choler may be more copioussy clear'd from the Blood and so the Blood may be cleans'd from the recrements of the adust Sulphur and Salt Opening a Vein cools and ventilates the Blood that thereby it is less torrified or parch'd and is circulated more freely in the Vessels without danger of being burnt Purging also draws plentifully the Choler from the Gall-vessels and consequently from the mass of Blood and by irritation them forces it forth For this end viz. the reducement of the Blood Digestives conduce being sharp qualifiers inasmuch as tey fuse and alter the Blood and allay its fervour Sometimes also the change of the place of abode and of the Air egregiously corrects the evil constitution of the Blood above any other Remedies The second Intention is excellently perform'd
Haemorrrhagy or only a small Pain happen in the beginning of the Disease if the Urine be thick and troubled the Pulse unequal and weak if a Convulsion or Frenzy présently follow if the Vomitings or Stools are livid black or very stinking if the Pushes at first red afterward turn black and blue if the Carbuncles are numerous if the Buboes first arising disappear if the Strength be cast down on a sudden if the Countenance looks dismal or turns black and blue if with a cold Stiffness of the extream Parts there be a burning of the Viscera especially if these or most of them happen in a Body very cacochymical or in an unwholsome Season On the contrary the be lighter and lefs dangerous if the Disease happens in a sound and robust Body with a Fortitude of Mind if Remedies are seasonably administred before the Disease has seised the whole Mass of the Blood also if the Course of the Disease goes on with a constancy of the Strength a Vigour and Evenness of the Pulse a Suppuration of Buboes and a large Discharge of Pus and with the absence of horrible Symptoms mean while tho we may hope here all good yet it is not free for us to be secure because sometimes with a laudable Appearance of Signs Ambushes are privily laid for Life and as srom a reconciled Enemy we suffer most severely when we seem'd to have escap'd his raging Threats In the Cures of most Diseases the chiefest Work is committed to Nature to whose Failure Physick gives a helping hand and the Office and Science of a Physician chiefly consists in this To wait fit Occasions of giving Aid to her when she is at a Fault But the Plague has this peculiar that the Cure of it is not to be left to Nature but we must fight against it always with Remedies taken from Art nor must we be here sollicitous of a more seasonable and as it were a milder Time but we must get Medicines assoon as may be and insist on them at all Hours and almost Minutes But because when a Plague reigns there is need of no less care for driving away the Contagion than that the Contagion receiv'd be cured therefore a Physician has a double Task to wit both that he take care for the Prevention of this Disease and for its Cure Prophylactick Cautions either regard the Publick and belong to the Magistrate or private Persons by which it is taught what must be done by each Man when a Plague is feared The publick care in a time of the Plague chiefly consists in these things That Divine Worship be duely observed that all Matters maintaining Putrefaction be taken away that Filth Dunghils and all stinking Things be removed from the Streets and every occasion of Contagion be most diligently avoided that Commerce with insected Places be forbidden and that a wholsome kind of Diet be constantly kept to by the Citizens let the Poor who have not a plenty or choice of Provisions be fed at publick Charges If the Plague be already grown rife let the venemous Force of the Air be corrected as much as may be which will excellently be purg'd by a frequent burning of sulphureous things let the insected be separated from such as are sound and let these keep from their Carkasses or Houshold-stuff Lastly let skilfull and meet Physicians and Attendants be gotten to supply the Wants both of those that are in Health and of the Diseased The Rule of a private Prophylaxis is wont to be concluded in these three things viz. Diet Pharmacy and Chirurgery The Deit regards the six non-natural things amongst which those of chiefest Note are the Air and the Passions of the Mind as to the rest the Precept of Hippicrates suffices viz. that Labour Meat Drink Sleep and Venus all keep a mean let the Pestilential Air either be avoided by removing into another place or let it be corrected by sulphureous things duely kindled or let it be refresh'd in breathing by Fumes and odoriferous things frequently help to the Nostrils As to the Passions of the Mind Fear and Sadness whilst a Pestilence reigns are as a second Plague for by these the seeds of the venemous Contagion which lye on the Superficies of the Body as it were in the outmost Margin of the Vortex are violently drawn inward and deliver'd to the Heart wherefore a cheerful and confident Mind is better than the most exquisite Antidote I have known many who were wont to say in the Words of Helmont That by fortifying the Archeus with Wine and Coufidence and using no other Alexipharmicks they past their Time among infected Persons without any injury by Contagion and those who liv'd otherwise imbib'd the Seeds of the Pestilence as tho deriv'd from the Stars Among Chirurgical Things to be used for Preservation Blooding Cauteries and Amulets are usually recommended where there is a Plethora with a great Turgescency of the Blood or when by a long Usance Persons have accustom'd themselves to be let Blood opening a Vein agrees with them for by how much the less the Blood boyls and is circulated in the Vessels without trouble by so much the slower is it infected with the venemous Contagion Issues made by Cauteries are so much approved of by the Suffrages almost of all Men for Preservation against the Plague that their use is Generally receiv'd among the Vulgar for these constantly drain the assiduous encrease of the excrementitious matter and if any Miasms of the Pestilence are inwardly admitted they cast them forth by their open passage Amulets hung about the Neck or worn about the Arm-Wrists are thought to have a wondersul Force against the Pestilence of these the most excellent are accounted by some which consist of Arsenick Quicksilver the Powder of Toads and other venemous Things that the same do good in some Cases besides the Observations of Physicians this Reason seems somewhat to convince the Effluvia or atomous Corpuscles which sometimes flowing from certain Bodies sometimes settling on others fly about the whole Region of the Air these being diversly figur'd some of them excellently close with others but if they jut against Corpuscles of another Form they enter a Conflict with them and subvert them hence the Particles of the pestilent Miasm which are contrary to our Spirits excellently agree with those Corpuscles of the Poyson coming to them and readily close with them wherefore Amulets made of Poyson do this to wit they gather into themselves the Seeds of the Pestilence coming against us by reason of a Simiiitude of Parts nay and by drawing the same from our Body to their Embraces they in some sort free the Infected from the Malignity The Pharmaceutick Prophylaxis has a double Scope first That the assiduous Increase of the excrementitious Matter or Humours be remov'd by a gentle Furge as often as there is need secondly That by Alexipharmicks daily taken the Spirits and our Bodies be fortified against the Incursion of the Venom by the
mightily dread this Disease fall more readily into it for by Fear the Particles of the Miasm are convey'd from the Surface of the Body inward at the time that the Contagion is rife and the Small Pox is Epidemick all other Diseases in a manner degenerate into this 3. As to the Conjunct Cause of this Disease to wit what is the formal Reason of it or its way of coming to pass the thing seems a little more intricate It is vulgarly wont to be compared to the Effervescence of new Wine or of Ale when they are depurated in a Vessel being put in a Fermentation by the mixture of some heterogeneous Substance but if the thing be narrowly considered a great difference will here appear for the Miasm of the Small Pox is as a Ferment but corruptive and forces the Flood to ferment not towards a Perfection but a Depravation for when the venemous Particles of this Miasm light on a capable Subject they presently stir up Corpuscles like themselves and innate to us with which being joyn'd they pervade the whole Mass of Blood and make it grow mighty turgid and boyl and after some Effervescence to separate into Parts and to be coagulated to wit the dispers'd Seeds of the Venom dissolve the Mixture of the Blood presently subvert the more pure Spirits and afterward gather to themselves the more gross Particles of it and congeal them as it were by their Adhaesion The Portions so coagulated together with the Seeds of the Venom mingled with them being left by the rest of the Blood in its Circulation in the Extremities of the Vessels are fix'd on the Skin after which manner if Nature being strong enough sends off the whole Venom with the congeal'd Blood the rest of the Mass of the Blood tho depauperated is nevertheless good and capable of continuing Life but if the Blood being too much coagulated cannot be cleansed after this manner or if the Portions of the Blood closing with the Venom do not fully break forth they either restagnate inward again and wholly corrupt the Liquor of the Blood or fixing themselves on the Viscera and especially the Heart they destroy their Crasis and Strength The Portions of the Blood congeal'd with the Venom about the fourth day sometimes sooner sometimes later begin to break forth for the Coagulation is caused not presently but after some time that the Venom displays it self and by its Effervescence ferments the Blood first light Portions of the Blood being desil'd and those but few in number are fix'd in the Skin like Flea-bites soon after these more appear and those which brake forth first by the access of new matter and by the continual Appulse of the congealed Blood grow bigger and are rais'd into a Tumour afterward these Pushes which at first are red being encreased by degrees at length turn white to wit the Blood extravasated with the Venom by reason of the Heat and Stagnation is chang'd into a Pus About the seventh day after the Eruption the white Tumours turn to a dry Scab for the more subtle Part of the Matter being evaporated the rest grows hard which at length the Scarf Skin being eaten off and broken falls from the Skin When the Miasm of the Small Pox is once gotten into the Spirits and Mass of Blood it is very seldom that it can be destroy'd or clear'd off by Medicines or Bleeding but the latent Disposition will break forth into Act wherefore first it diffuses it self gently and inspires the Mass of Blood as it were with a Ferment hence an Ebullition and Effervescence are produced in the whole Body the Vessels are extended the Viscera are irritated the Membranes are twitch'd till the Seeds of the Contagion by fusing and coagulating the Blood at length being involv'd in its congeal'd Portions are thrust forth The Essence of this Disease will be the better known if I set down the Signs and and Symptoms which are observ'd in the whole Course of it and give you in order the Reasons of them and the Causes on which they depend Now these are either such as indicate the Disease present or such as fore-shew the height of it and its event As to the Diagnostick of this Affect whereby it may be known whether any one at first falling sick will have the Small Pox or not There must be considered at that time the force of the Contagion and the Concourse of the Symptoms first appearing for if by reason of the malignant Constitution of the Air this Disease generally reigns no one is then seised with a Fever without a suspicion of the Small Pox especially if the Person never had it before but if this Disease be more rare and there be no Fear of Contagion yet its unexpected Invasion in a short time discovers it self by these kinds of Signs and Symptoms 1. There is an inconstant Fever coming at random sometimes intense sometimes more remiss observing no set form of Increase or coming to a height so that the Diseas'd one while are mighty hot by and by without an evident Cause they are without any Fever the Cause of which is That the sermentative Seeds are not agitated with an even motion but like Fire half extinct one while they have an extraordinary Flash another while they lye quiet and dye as it were till the Burning spreading it self the Flame breaks forth every where 2. A Pain in the Head and Loins is so peculiar a sign in this Affect that it alone in a continual Fever signifies an imminent Small Pox the Cause of which is vulgarly imputed to the great Vessels being very much extended by the Effervescence of the Blood tho it does not appear why the same Pain should not be as well caused in other Parts by reason of the like Extension of the Vessels and why those kinds of Pains are rife in the Small Pox rather than in the Causon or other Fevers where the Blood boyls more Again you may observe that mighty Pains are pressing sometimes in the Head sometimes in the Brains when the Blood not being turgid the Vessels are not enlarg'd viz. in the beginning of the Disease when the Feverish Distemperature is not yet conspicuous while the Diseas'd are yet walking abroad and have a good Stomach the imminent Small Pox first discovers it self by these Pains wherefore it seems that the Cause of these kinds of Pains subsists rather in the Genus Nervosum to wit that those Pains arise in the Brain and spinal Marrow by reason of the Membranes and Nervous Parts being twitch'd by the Particles of the Venom for it is likely that the innate Seeds of the Small Pox are chiefly stored up in the Spermatick Parts and that the first Contagion of the Miasm for the most part seises the Animal Spirits hence the first Effervescence is raised in the Juice wherewith the Brain and nervous Parts but especially the spinal Marrow are irrigated and thence the taint is communicated to the Mass of Blood wherefore
temperate it is usual in the Spring and Fall for certain Diseases to reign epidemically to wit because at this time the blood being renewed displays it self as it were anew and therefore intermittent Fevers and sometimes the Small Pox grow every where rife at this time wherefore it is no wonder after a very uneven Constitution of the Year and differing from the natural when in this Spring the Blood boiling strongly within the Vessels by reason of a letted Transpiration was not able to be circulated freely and to be enough eventilated if thence great Diforders follow and a very epidemick Affect be raised from this very general Cause As to the Symptoms joyned to this Disease the feverish distemperature and the things depending of it the burning of the Praecordia the Thirst spontaneous Lassitude the great pain in the Head Loyns or Limbs were caused by the Bloods boiling too much and not being enough eventilated Hence in many the thinner part of the Blood being heated and the remaining Liquour being only troubled a Synochus simple or of many dayes was caused but in some having a vitious Diathesis of the Blood or an ill habit of the Body this kind of Fever being arisen through the same cause soon passed into a very dangerous and often mortal putrid The Cough accompanying this Fever with the Catarrh draws its origine from the serous humour heapt together along time in the Blood by reason of Transpiration being letted and afterward an effervescence arrising distilling in a great plenty from the little Arteries gaping inwardly for when the Pores are constringed the superfluous Serosities in the Blood wont to evaporate outwardly are poured on the Lungs by a nearer way of purifying the Blood Wherefore upon taking cold as it s vulgarly said that is upon Transpiration being outwardly letted a Cough for the most part is raised and in the Procatarxis for this affect a redundancy of Serum in the Mass of Blood had almost the first Place for from the long continued cold stopping the burning of the Blood or the encrease of Cholor and hindring the Transpiration of the watery Latex of necessity a great deal of serous Humour was heapt together in the Blood wherefore when the Blood displaying it self in the Spring fell into an Effervescence the overflowing of the Serum and its discharge on the inward Parts was wont to bring first a Cough as a proper Symptom of this Disease and in whom the Blood being much diluted by the mixture of Serum were very obnoxious to the Cough and rheumatick affect those came more lightly off with the Feverish Distemper The Prognostick of this affect as to private Persons for the most part is easy that presently from its first invasion it discovers the event For if this Sickness be raised in a robust Body and sound before and the feverish Distemperature be moderate and without any severe and dreadful Symptom the Case is free from Danger and the affect is reputed of so light Moment that commonly it is only called a Cold taken and for the most part neither a Physician nor Remedies are sought after unless some that are very common and of an easy Preparation are used But if this Affect happens in a weak and unhealthy Body with an ill Apparatus and either the Fever be raised to a putrid or the Cough growing strong causes a difficult Breathing and a kind of consumptive Constitution the event of the Disease is very much suspected and often is terminated in Death The common Prognostick which is taken hence concerning the future state of the Year contains nothing very much to be feared or threatens mighty ill by reason of the uneven Intemperies of the Year as great excesses of Heat and afterward the Cold we may fear Diseases arising from the discrasy of the Blood but from the present state we neither suspect the Air mightily depraved nor infected with venemous Breaths that we may hence ground a Judgment of a Plague or malignant intermittent Disease As to the Method of Cure when this Disease seises lightly its cure for the most part is left to Nature for this Fever being only a simple Synochus is wont to be determined within a few dayes by a Sweat Wherefore after a copious Sweat for the most part about the third or fourth day the heat and Drought the lassitude and great Pains are appeased then the Cough protracted longer afterward remits by little and little and at length the Diseased recover by degrees If at any time this Disease has taken deeper root there is need of fit Remedies and an exact Method of Cure let the Fever growing strong be cured according to the Rules to be observed in a putrid tho with this difference that because a letted Transpiration and the discharge of the serous Humour on the Lungs are chiefly in the fault therefore let Diaphoreticks and the Remedies called Thoraciks be of frequent use for these restrain the great flowing of the Serum from the Vessels inward and either by opening the Pores convey it outward or by precipitating it from the Mass of Blood send it away by the urinary Passages therefore let the Method of cure for this Disease raised to a worse state regard both the feverish Distemperature for curing which you may direct according to the Intentions used in a putrid Fever and the Rheumatick Affect Which nevertheless must be the second Indicant and does not admit any evaporating Remedies indifferently or such as are usual against a Cough but only of that kind which does not intend the Fever Let the Forms of these and the fit times of healing be taken from the Precepts every where delivered for the cure of the putrid Fever and of the Cough the Aides which now by a frequent Experience are vulgarly said to have given a chief relief in this Disease are a Diaphoresis or a procuring of a Sweat and a letting Blood for the Vessels being emptied this or that way both the immoderate Effervescence of the Blood and the redundancy of it are moderated A Description made the first day of September of an Epidemick Fever arising about the beginning of Autumn An. 1658. THE Vernal Fever even now described scarce lasted above six Weeks that it plainly seemed only a light Effervescence of the Blood which growing turgid in the Spring and withall being straitned in its room for want of Ventilation boiled violently like new Wine stopt in Bottles and afterward ceased of its own accord but thenceforward as the Year did not recover its due Temper so neither did our Blood and so a second fewel was soon heaped together for a new Fever for after the Summer Solstice the North-wind still blowing the Season continued cold a long time so that the Husbandman feared that the Fruits and standing Corn would scarce be brought to a Maturiy this Year but after this a little before the beginning of August a most intense heat followed for many dayes and in the Dog Dayes the Air was mighty
and more and withall the Spirits being continually consum'd is become poor we may declare the Life of the Diseased to be in a dangerous Condition If besides these the nervous Juyce be faulty that being altered from its due Temper or being dull and vapid as it were it does not actuate the Brain and Genus Nervosum or being more sharp than it ought it continually irritates the same into Cramps and Distractions and if besides vapory Effluvia continually departing from the Blood or adust Recrements wont to be voided forth by a critical Sweat are convey'd to the Head and there cause Lethargical or Maniacal Affects the well-doing of the Diseas'd stands very ticklish and we may fear a very fatal Event Concerning the method of Cure of this Disease three chief curative Intents come under Consideration First A speedy Reducement of the Blood and nervous Juyce to their natural Crasis as much as may be or at leastwise a Prevention of a too great Depravation of them Secondly A due Management of the Diseased as to their Fits which ought to procure first that less of degenerate Juyce be heap'd together for a Matter of the Fit secondly that the store of that which is heap'd together be wholly blown off every Access that the Diseased may be better in the Intervals Thirdly That the Body being altered for the better the Fits be stopt with antifebrifuge Remedies the third Intent regards the Symptoms chiefly pressing which must be seasonably obviated whereby Nature being not hindred may reduce whatsoever intemperate is contain'd in the Viscera may subdue and clear forth what is extraneous and may soon recover its former Strength and Vigour First therefore for the Reducement and Correction of the Blood and nervous Juyce divers kinds of Evacuations about the beginning of the Sickness are wont to be us'd in this Disease with good Success It is maifest by modern Practise that Vomitories are very much more useful in this Affect than in a common Tertian wherefore in a robust Body and prone to Vomit about the beginning of the second or third Fit an Emetick Medicine is wont to be given The Operation of this seems to do more good in this Fever both in as much as it plentifully evacuates the filth from the Ventricle and the yellow Choler from the Vasa Choledocha and because it copiously expresses the Serous Latex from the Emunctories of the Genus Nervosum plac'd about the Pancras and Intestines and draws it forth by stirring them wherefore we observe after a Vomit given the Diseased are better as to the Affects of the Head Let Purging where Vomiting is not proper be ordered the day following the Fit as a Succedaneum to the other also tho a Vomit be premitted it may do well after a Fit or two but let it be perform'd only with a mild and gentle Medicine which does not trouble or exagitate the Blood It is usual with us in these Fevers all Aloetick or diagridiated Medicines laid aside to give only the Infusion or Powder of Sena Rhubarb and yellow Saunders with Tartar and Salt of Wormwood and to use this kind of Purging a little after the beginning the Disease but at other times to make the Belly soluble by a frequent use of Clysters That Blooding in this Disease is very good frequent Experience has sufficiently taught us for since by reason of the Pores being more clos'd than usual in all the Blood boyling in a Fever wants a Ventilation letting Blood supplies the Place of a more free Transpiration and prevents the Effluvia restrained from being so readily discharged on the Brain and Genus Nervosum But this Remedy is chiefly indicated by a very hot Blood and a hot Temperament nor ought it to be used indifferently by old Persons such as are flegmatick and others very weak unless haply it be in a small Quantity that the Mass of Blood may be somewhat eventilated and that the Translation of the febrile Matter into the Brain may be stopped If it be proper to open a Vein let it be done about the beginning of the Fever or at leastwise before the fourth or fifth Access to wit before the Blood be rendred very effaete by a frequent Deflagration and too impure by the Mixture of an adust Matter for if Blooding be used when the Blood is mightily vitiated the vital Spirits and the Strength of the Diseased are thereby more debillitated nor is there any thing withdrawn from the Power of the Disease or its Cause There remains another Evacuation famous in this Fever to wit by Blistering Plaisters applyed to many Parts of the Body these are so vulgarly observed to give Relief that such as are against them and have a great Aversion for such a Remedy being led by the Example of others growing better thereby easily admit of it After what manner they separate the skarfe Skin from the Skin and raise it as it were into a Bladder full of Water whether they fetch the watery and limpid Humour from the Arteries or out of the Nerves this is not the Place to enquire but that they are used with benefit in this Disease besides Experience this Reason seems somewhat to convince to wit because a large Discharge of this kind of serous Humour does in some sort recompence the Defect of a free Transpiration Moreover this kind of Remedy opens as it were the Doors and Gates at which the Blood and nervous Juice may presently void forth the extraneous Matter mixt with them by a nearer way of Purging wherefore in the Plague and malignant Affects Vesicatories are esteemed very profitable Also it is manifest by common Observation that in this and other Fevers hapning in the same Season they prevent the severe Affects of the Head and are wont to relieve them being caus'd before wherefore in Men that are flegmatick aged and of a cold Temperament Epispastic Plaisters may be apply'd about the first Invasion of this Disease for Preservation and in any others troubled with a Drowsiness a Vertigo or a violent Head-ach they are wont to be advantagiously used for the Cure of those Affects But in very hot Constitutions where with a Defect of Serum the Blood is too much burnt and if those that are in Fevers with an intollerable Burning are obnoxious to Watchings or a Frenzy Vesicatories do not seem fit to be used For correcting the Crasis of the Blood and the Tone of the Viscera qualifying and digestive Remedies have place in intermediate times when the Sick have rested a little from the Evacuations ev'n now mention'd being such as fuse the Liquor of the Blood and separate its Foeculencies and drive them towards the Emunctories as it were by precipitating them for those kinds of Intents are wont to be giv'n cooling Juleps and Decoctions acidulated with Spirit of Vitriol of Salt with Tamarinds the Juyce of Oranges or of Limons whereof neat Forms enough are vulgarly to be sound and for this end conduce acetous saline and testaceous Powders
viz. such as are prepared of Tartar Sulphur the fixt Salts of Herbs of burnt Harts-horn also of the Claws or Eyes of Crabs For Example Take Cream of Tartar three drams Salt of Wormwood a dram and half the Dose is half a dram in an aperient Decoction twice a day out of the Fit Or Take Cream of Tartar two drams Powder of Crabs-eyes a dram Nitre purified half a dram mix them let it be giv'n after the same manner Or Take burnt Harts-horn two drams Spirit of Vitriol as much as the Powder will receive by imbibing the dose is a Scruple It is of excellent use when those that are in the Fever are troubled with Worms These kinds of Remedies promote the Secretion of the febrile Matter and restore the almost lost Ferments of the Blood and Viscera The second Intent to wit the due Management of the Diseas'd in the Fits comprehends many things first a neat Form of Dyet ought to be ordered that a large heaping together of the degenerate Juyce for a Matter for the Fit may be hindred wherefore let the Diseased feed only on a thin Food let them wholly abstain from Flesh or Broth made of it from Eggs generous Wine and all rich Fare being content only with Barley or Oat Broths Panada Whey and small Ale in regard a more plentiful Dyet is not concocted or assimilated but it oppresses the Stomach and being mixt with the Blood it troubles its Liquour and forces it to boyl vehemently as the Fit comes on and during the while it lasts unless it be for quenching Thirst let no Food be taken but for qualifying the Heat and Drought cooling Juleps and Decoctions and especially small Ale and Whey ought to be allowed Secondly a little before the feverish Access is expected let a gentle Medicine be given which either may keep off the Fit by preventing it or may render it easie by procuring an easie Sweat For this Use the febrifuge Potion of the Learned Riverius does well made of Carduus Water with Oyl of Sulphur and Salt of Wormwood Or take Cream of Tartar Salt of Wormwood Nettle Seeds of each a Scruple let it be given in a Decoction of the Roots of Sorrel When the Fever begins to decline and the Fits are a little more remiss Febrifuge Epithemes outwardly apply'd often stop the febrile Accesses tho in the mean while as long as the Fits return let the Diseased be so managed that every Access the feverish Matter heap'd together in the Blood may be wholly blown off wherefore when a Sweat happens with difficulty let it be a little raised with temperate Medicines also let the Diseas'd be kept in Bed with a gentle Sweat for many hours nor let them be permitted to rise too soon for I have often observ'd that the Diseased have still grown worse because being impatient of lying in Bed they put on their Cloaths before the watery Effluvia were exhal'd enough Thirdly as to the Symptoms and particular Accidents with which the Diseased are wont to be troubled in this Fever a great many of them are sufficiently provided against with the Remedies and Method of Cure hitherto deliver'd against the Thirst Burning the Roughness of the Mouth and Tongue Vomitings the Loosness a Swooning or danger of Fainting the Prescripts commonly used in other Fevers may aptly enough be transferr'd hither But the Things which in this Disease seem to require a peculiar Method of Healing are chiefly the Affects of the Head and Brain with the Genus Nervosum by which unless seasonably obviated the Diseased are soon brought into a great danger of Life Concerning these kinds of Evils of the Head the Indications are of two kinds If it appears by a Drowsiness a Sleepiness a Vertigo or a Head-ach that the nervous Juyce is too dull and as it were vapid and therefore that it does not vigorously enough actuate the Brain and nervous Bodies besides the Remedies above deliver'd and especially the Vesicatories Medicines full of a volatile Salt excellently conduce in this Case wherefore Spirit of Harts-horn of Blood also the Salts of the same are of excellent Use but if the nervous Liquor be too sharp or the Effluvia sent from the boyling Blood drive the Animal Spirits into Distractions those kinds of Remedies of volatile Salt are given with benefit in somewhat a less quantity Moreover a frequent Letting Blood and Medicines allaying its fervour do good as Emulsions Whey pure Water plentifully drank let Opiates be used in this Fever with great Caution for the Frenzy appeas'd by them is oftentimes chang'd into a Lethargy or a deep Stupor FINIS THE TABLE A. AChes in the Head see Headach Ach in the Belly see Belly Aches or Pains in the Limbs hapning by Night their cure p. 361. Ague see Fever Alexipharmicks see Cordials Anasarca its Description p. 167. Whence it proceeds ibid. The least dangerous of Dropsies ibid. The two chief Scopes of curing it ibid. Hydragogue Medicines of good use in curing it p. 168. How Catharticks work in this Disease ibid. Lixivial Medicines the best Diureticks in this Disease p. 169. Some Praescripts of them ib. Diaphoreticks of use when the swelling begins to abate p. 170. A Praescript of them ib. p. 171. Outward Administrations to be used in this Disease ib. p. 172 173. Medicines for Preservation against this Disease p. 174 175. An Instance of a Person falling into this Disease and recover'd of it p. 176. Antidotes see Cordials Apoplexy where seated p. 420. What the Word Apoplexy imports p. 421. Two kinds of it ib. The various Invasions of the Apoplexy and the causes of them ib. p. 422. The Subject of this Disease ib. Its Prognosticks ib. p. 423. The Therapeutick Method for removing the Fit ib. p. 424. The prophylactick or preservatory method with Praescripts of Medicines p. 425 426. Instances of Persons seis'd with the Apoplexy ib. p. 427. Ascites its Description and whence it proceeds p. 150. what to be considered in order to its Cure ib. Catharticks often do well in it p. 151. An Enumeration of hydragogue Emeticks and Purgers and Prescripts of them ib. p. 152 153 154 155. Diureticks when proper in an Ascites ib. p. 156. What Diureticks proper ib. Diaphoreticks of little or no use in an Ascites p. 157. The best Remedies when we will not proceed to an Incision are Clysters and Plaisters ib. An Incision in whom to be admitted p. 158. An Instance of a Woman cur'd of an Ascites ib. p. 159. Asthma or difficulty of Breathing its description p. 126. Two primary Indications in the method of Cure ib. What to be done in the Fit ib. p. 127 128. What to be done out of the Fit for Preservation ib. p. 129 130 131. Two Instances of Persons troubled with the Asthma and the Methods used with them ib. p. 232. Asthma Convulsive see Cough Asthmatick Fits hapning in the Scurvey their Cure p. 353 354. Atrophia Scorbutick its Cure p. 363 364. B. BElly-ach in the
chief of them together with the Remedies The Emetick matter subsisting in the Ventricle is either brought into it from elsewhere or what for want of digestion or because it is vitiated is engendred there in either respect the present offensive load is first of all to be carried off and then care must be taken to prevent any farther supply of it To cleanse the filthy Mass of viscous matter forth of the Stomach prescribe a gentle Vomit of Carduus Posset-drink or of Oxymel or Wine of Squills or of a Decoction of the Flowers of Chamomil or of the Roots of Eupatorium or give a Solution of the Salt of Vitriol or such like then let the remainder be gently carried off by Glisters or by a Purge of Pilulae Mastichin or Pil. Stomach cum Gummis Tinctura Sacra or an Infusion of Rhubarb Moreover when an impure or rank Blood conveying ever and anon new Stores of offensive matter to the Stomach either by the Arteries or by the Gall-Vessels which often overflow causes a disposition to Vomit Bleeding frequently affords relief and therefore Women with Child troubled with Vomiting are often Cur'd by this means those things also do good which so temper the Blood that they keep it free from breeding adust Excrements Hence Whey Mineral Waters Juices of Herbs Sal Prunella and such like for as much as they fuse the Blood and convey its dreggy Particles some other way often remove Vomiting dispositions These sorts of Remedies may also be us'd in case a frequent and daily Vomiting proceeds as some think it may from the meetings and contest of the Bilous and Pancreatick humours and from their regurgitation into the Ventricle The more frequent Vomiting and harder to be Cur'd is that which proceeds from a disagreeing matter and consequently Emetick engendred within the Ventricle to wit by reason of the vitiated ferment of the Stomach whatsoever is taken into it degenerates into an irritating Mass of Corruption wherefore in this case after that the filth of the Stomach is cleans'd forth by gentle Evacuatives Remedies commonly call'd Digestives are generally us'd which according as the fermenting Juice of the Stomach being for the most part of a Saline Nature and sometimes of a Sulphurous is in a various state of fixtness flowing or adustion are variously prescrib'd and sometimes these sometimes the others do most good In Belching and Acid Vomiting these following Medicines may be try'd and you may fix upon your method of Cure according to what you find agrees best Take Powder of Aron Compound an Ounce and a half Salt of Wormwood two Drams Sugar of Roses three Drams make a Powder give a Dram of it in the Morning and at five a Clock in the Afternoon in a little draught of Beer boil'd with Mace and a Crust of Bread or give it in the distill'd Water or Tincture of Roman Wormwood Take the Powders of Ivory Crabs Eyes and red Coral of each two Drams Calcind Coral one Dram red Saunders Cinnamon of each half a Dram make a Powder the Dose is half a Dram after the same manner Take the Powders of Lignum Aloes yellow Saunders Winters Bark of each two Drams of white Chalk six Drams Sugar-Candy half an Ounce with the Solution of Tragacanth in Mint Water as much as suffices make a Past and let it be form'd into Troches weighing half a Dram let the Patient take three or four of these thrice or oftner in a day Take Tincture of Salt of Tartar an Ounce the Dose is from a Scruple to half a Dram twice a day in some proper distill'd Water In hot and sharp or tartish Vomiting Medicines endow'd with a sharp or tartish and vitriolate Salt are more proper The famous Medicine of Riverius in this case does well Take Salt of Wormwood a Scruple give it in a spoonful of Juice of Limmons Take prepar'd Coral two Drams Salt of Wormwood a Dram and a half Juice of Limmons four Ounces let all stand in a large Glass add to it of strong Cinnamon-water two Ounces give a spoonful or two twice a day first shaking the Glass Take Powders of Ivory and Coral of each two Drams Vitriol of Steel a Dram Sugar-Candy a Dram mix them then divide the whole into six or eight parts of which take one part twice a day in some convenient Vehicle In this case Purging Mineral Waters which have much Nitre in them also Waters that come from an Iron Mineral and likewise our Artificial Chalybeate Waters prove of notable effect When at any time the Stomach perverts the most part of what comes into it into a bilous and bitterish Mass of filthy corruption as it often uses to do and for that reason is prone to frequent Vomitings then both acid and bitter things are proper Take Elixir Proprietatis an Ounce the Dose is a Scruple twice a day in some fit Vehicle Take Rhubarb Powdred twenty five Grains Salt of Wormwood a Scruple Cinnamon-water half an Ounce Juice of Limmons an Ounce let it be taken alone or with some other Liquor Take Powder of Aron Compound an Ounce and a half white Christals of Tartar three Drams Vitriol of Steel a Dram Sugar half an Ounce make a Powder the Dose is half a Dram or two Scruples every Morning drinking after it a draught of the Tincture of Roman Wormwood or some Coffee Take Powder of Crabs Eyes half an Ounce Chalybeat Tartar two Drams Sugar-Candy a Dram make a Powder the Dose is half a Dram with a fit Vehicle twice a day Oftentimes the cause of a frequent and habitual Vomiting is not so much the matter irritating the Ventricle as the extream debility of its Nervous Fibres which are neither able to Concoct what is taken into the Stomach nor to endure the weight or burthen of it but are presently irritated by any thing lying upon them and stir up the Carnous Fibres to Excretory Convulsions There are two principal causes of this sort of Affect viz. either the debility of the Stomach arising from the Fibres themselves is gotten by disorder in eating and drinking so that those Fibres for as much as they are beyond measure extended or over-heated and as it were scorch'd are not capable of admitting or containing a sufficient plenty of Animal Spirits Or Secondly These Fibres though they may be well enough dispos'd of themselves yet for that the Nerves are in some other place obstructed they are destitute of a due Afflux of Spirits whence becoming languid and flaxid they cannot bear what is taken in but presently finding themselves over-charged throw all forth by Vomiting In the former Affect those Remedies are indicated which by their Styptick force cause the too much distended and tenuated Fibres to corrugate and contract themselves into a shorter space also such as by their most grateful refreshment enliven their languishing Spirits and allure others more plenteously to them Take Mynsicht 's Elixir of Vitriol an Ounce give from ten Grains to fifteen twice
began to nauseate him I prescrib'd after the following manner Take Powders of Tormentil Roots of Contrayerva Bole Armenick Alexiteriated of each a Dram Pearl Red Coral prepar'd White Amber of each half a Dram make a Powder the Dose is half a Dram in the following distill'd water Take Tops of Cypress and Myrtle of each four handfuls Leaves of Meadow-sweet Burnet St. Johns-wort Avens of each four handfuls Roots of Tormentil Bistort of each six Drams Red Rose-flowers four handfuls Kermes Berries four Ounces Cinnamon Mace of each one Ounce Being all slic'd and bruis'd together pour to them Red Florence Wine and Red Rose water of each four pounds distil all in a common Still let the whole Liquor be mingled and sweetned with Syrup of Coral He took also three or four times a day of the following decoction three or four Ounces Take Roots of Avens and Scorzonera of each an Ounce of Tormentil two Drams Hartshorn burnt and powdred six Drams shavings of Ivory and Hartshorn of each two Drams Tops of St. Johns-wort a handful Flowers of Red Roses and Balaustiae of each a pugil Boil all in three pounds of fountain water till it comes to two adding towards the end of the boiling of Red Lisbon wine four Ounces let it boil close cover'd for an hour then let it be strain'd through Hippocrates Sleeve Every night he took a Scruple of Liquid Laudanum in three Ounces of the Bloody Flux water ev'n now describ'd with three Drams of Syrup of Clove Gilly-flowers in it His common drink was a decoction of burnt Hartshorn with Barley a Crust of Bread Mace and Cinnamon to a Pint and a half of which a Pint of new Milk was added He took the Purging Infusion a second time by the use of which and the things before mentioned within ten days the Feaver left him and the Flux became much more gentle which though without Gripes or much Blood yet still continued with the little pieces of Flesh the fragments of Membranes and a bloody Phlegm or Gelly which daily came from him Therefore to strengthen and heat the intestines the following things were given Take Tops of St. Johns wort Leaves of Perwincle and Mousear of each a handful Red Rose Flowers two pugils Boil them in the Broath of a Sheeps Guts To a pound of the Liquor strain'd add Oyl of St. Johns-wort two Ounces Honey of Roses an Ounce and a half mingle them for two Glysters whereof one was given him in the Morning the other at five a Clock in the Afternoon He wore Emplast de minio Paracelsi upon him Belly He took moreover twice a day three Ounces of Juice of Plantain wrung forth with water of Scordium and Plague water He eat also every day a Quince made hollow and fill'd with the Powders of Olibanum Mastick and Balsam of Tolu and so rosted in the Embers By the constant use of these Remedies he grew perfectly well within a Month. About the same time another robust young man fell into a dreadful Bloody Flux from the first day he was seiz'd frequent stools and very bloody presently brake forth with violence being accompanied with a Pain and Gripes Moreover a strong Feaver with a cruel Vomiting Thirst and Wakings molested him These Symptoms being a little mitigated with Opiats a Delirium and a Vertigo with an intermittent Pulse and horrible extensions and contractions of his Limbs presently seiz'd him this hapning because the malignant matter which was inwardly restrain'd presently flow'd into the Brain and Nerves Nevertheless as often as the Looseness and Vomiting return'd these affects were presently appeas'd On the fifth day Vomiting up a bloody matter he complain'd of a great torture in his Stomach and of a Pain as though it were Ulcerated and in truth I suspected that there might be a beginning of some Inflam'd Blisters or Ulcers in it as it usually happens in the Intestines but by giving him Emollient Broths with Milk in them his Vomiting and the tortures of his Stomach soon ceased his Flux in the mean time encreasing He took that night of Diacodium an Ounce Cowslip water and small Cinnamon water of each an Ounce and a half by which Medicine he was so much reliev'd that in twenty four hours space his Vomiting and Pains left him and he was only troubled with a few Stools and having a good indifferent Pulse and frequent Sleeps he was pretty well yet the following night though he took again the same Opiate his Flux return'd and that with very frequent Stools and bloody as before The next day after he took an Infusion of Rhubarb with Mirobalans Red Saunders and Cinnamon He often voided Bilous and very sharp Excrements but without the least of Blood then in the Evening he took Liquid Laudanum Cydoniated twenty five Grains in a good spoonful of Cinnamon water hordeated he had moderate and quiet Sleeps Afterwards loathing any more Medicines he took only an Opiate every Evening sometimes of one sort and sometimes of another and in a short time grew very well CHAP. V. Instructions concerning Diuretick Medicines or such as work by Vrine with Diuretick Prescripts THe chief Scopes or ends of Diuretick Medicines are as follows First If at any time the Blood becomes so compact and tenacious from a fixt Salt Sulphur and Earth fermented together and mutually combin'd in it that the Watery Particles do not easily separate from the rest Diureticks fit to loosen its Texture and to fuse the Serum must be such as excel in a volatile or acid Salt for such Particles chiefly dissolve any coalitions caus'd by a fixt Salt But in regard this disposition is common both to a Feaver and the Scurvy in the former affect the most proper Diureticks are the temperate Acids of Vegetables also Sal Nitre the Spirits of Sea-Salt of Vitriol c. And likewise such as have a Volatile Salt as the Spirits of Hartshorn of Sal Armoniack Salt of Amber of Vipers and others of this kind which we have also rang'd amongst Diaphoreticks In a Scorbutick disposition when the Urine is but in a small quantity and thick the Juices of Herbs and preparations both of a sharp or tart and acid nature are of excellent use also Salt and Spirit of Vrine of Sal Armoniack of Tartar c. Secondly Sometimes the Blood does not retain the Serum long enough within its Body but either being obnoxious to Fluxions or rather Coagulations it deposes it here and there in a great abundance even more than enough whence it breeds Catarrhs or Tumours in many places Or the Blood being become of a weak habit and withal of a depraved constitution to wit inclining to a sourness its apt to coagulate as to its more gross Particles so that the more subtle Particles being every where thrown off in circulating and falling on the weaker parts cause sometimes distempers of the Head or Breast sometimes an Ascites or Anasarca And we shall hereafter shew how a Diabetes happens from
the like cause And in truth many difficult Diseases which are falsly imputed to the ill constitution of the Viscera arise from hence viz. that the Blood being distemper'd and obnoxious to coagulations when it cannot continue its full course of circulation deposes the Serum in many places this being too apt of it self to recede from it The Diureticks to be given in these cases are such as do not fuse the Blood but make void its coagulations of this kind are those things that are endow'd with a fixt Volatile and likewise Alkalisate Salt and they must be such as restore and strengthen the Ferment of the Reins which is done by certain Sulphureous and Spirituous things For these ends are given Sulphureous and mixt Diureticks Lixivial Salts of Herbs Powders of shells Salt and Spirit of Vrine c. Millepedes Horse-Raddish Parsly-seed Nutmegs Turpentine and preparations made of it Spirit of Wine The vertues of all which are not to fuse the Blood and to precipitate serosities from its Mass these things are chiefly done by Acids and in those cases do commonly hinder any Purging by Urine but to dissolve the coagulations of the Blood so that its Body recovering a perfect mixture and being more readily circulated through the Vessels drinks up the Serum every where extravasated or depos'd and finally delivers it to the Reins to send it forth Now we shall shew after what manner according to both these as it were opposite ends of Curing Diureticks of all kinds operate and in what forms they are chiefly prescrib'd The Kinds and Prescripts of Diuretick Medicines FIrst then as to Saline Diureticks we say that any Salts whatsoever of a differing nature being put together lay hold of each other and are presently join'd in one and that whilst they are so combin'd other Particles freed from the mixture separate from each other or fly away This is plainly seen when a fluid or Acid Salt is put to a fixt or Alkalisate Salt and so when a fluid or fixt Salt is put to a Volatile or a sharp Salt and indeed on this only disposition of Salts depends the whole business of Solutions and precipitations of what kind soever Wherefore since the Blood and humours of our Body very much abound with Salt which Salt is also wont to be variously chang'd from one state to another and so to cause a Morbid disposition and likewise since Saline Diureticks are of divers kinds to wit consisting of fixt fluid nitrous volatile or Alkalisate Salts it will always require a great discretion and judgment in a Physician to see that the Saline Particles in the Medicine differ from those in our Body We shall shew after what manner this ought to be done by running through each Species of Diuretick Salts Amongst Diureticks containing an Acid Salt Spirit of Salt or of Nitre also Juice of Limmons of Sorrel Whitewine Rhenish and Cyder are of chiefest note amongst the vulgar and pretty often perform that intent for these things without the help of others fuse the Blood and precipitate it into serosities as when an Acid is dropt into boiling Milk but this does not happen equally to all persons nor to every one alike In a sound constitution or not very far from it the Salt of the Blood is partly fixt partly nitrous and partly volatile also in some Scorbutical and Hydropical persons it becomes for the most part fixt In every of these cases Diureticks containing an Acid Salt are given with success but in Catarrhous affects and in some Hydropical and Scorbutical distempers when the Salino-fixt Particles of the Blood are exalted to a state of flowing and the volatile are deprest as it often happens Medicines of an Acid nature commonly rather do hurt than good insomuch as they more pervert the Blood already degenerated from its Crasis and Medicines containing a fixt or volatile Salt are more proper to be us'd by such persons Prescripts of Diureticks that have an Acid Salt for their Basis TAke choice white Tartar powder'd Crystal Mineral of each a Dram and a half Powder of Crabs Eyes a Dram Make a Powder the Dose is from half a Dram to two Scruples in a fit Vehicle repeating it every sixth or eighth hour Take Tartar vitriolated or nitrated two Drams Powder of Egg-shells a Dram and a half Seeds of Parsly or of wild Carrots half a Dram Make a Powder the Dose is half a Dram after the same manner Take of the best Spirit of Salt two Drams Hartshorn burnt and powdred what will suffice to imbibe it Make a Powder the Dose is from a Scruple to half a Dram. Take Juice of Limmons two Ounces Radish water Compound an Ounce and a half Syrup of the five Roots three Drams Make a Potion Take Juice of Sorrel two Ounces Whitewine six Ounces Mingle them for a Potion Take Radish water Compound two Ounces Water of Pellitory of the Wall four Ounces Spirit of Salt a Scruple twenty five drops Salt of Tartar fifteen Grains Syrup of Violets half an Ounce Make a Potion That Medicines containing a fixt or Lixivial Salt move Urine it plainly enough appears from the Vulgar and Empyrical Practice of Physick which commonly gives them for Curing Hydropical persons For it s a usual thing in an Anasarca and sometimes in an Ascites when the Viscera or Fleshy parts are very much swollen by a loading of Waters To give a Lixivium made of the Ashes of Wormwood or of Broom or of Bean-stalks with Whitewine whence it frequently happens that a very plentiful evacuation by Urine follows and that the Disease is taken away Nevertheless I have observ'd that this Medicine has not prov'd Diuretick to some persons and rather to have encreast the Hydropical disposition than to have cur'd it The reason of which if we enquire into we shall find by what is said before that Lixivial Salts neither fuse Milk nor Blood or precipitate them and therefore that they are not Diuretick in their own nature though that effect sometimes follows because that a fixt Salt taken in a good plenty destroys the Energy of the Acid and coagulative Salt predominating in the Blood so that the said Blood which before being too apt to fusion and unable to contain its Serum did cast it off from it self in divers places now by the intercession of the fixt Salt recovers its due Crasis and therefore drinking up again its extravasated Serum and constantly carrying it to the Reins causes a large Evacuation by Urine Prescripts of Diureticks which have a fixt Salt for their Basis TAke Salt of Tartar or of Wormwood two Drams Coral calcin'd to a whiteness a Dram and a half Nutmegs half a Dram Make a Powder the Dose is from half a Dram to two Scruples Take Tincture of Salt of Tartar from a Dram to a Dram and a half Radish water Compound an Ounce and a half Mingle them give it in a draught of Posset drink which has had the Roots and Seeds of the great Bur-dock
parts Let one be taken in a convenient Liquor thrice a day Take Sal Prunella two Drams Salt of Amber a Dram Make a Powder the Dose is half a Dram thrice a day Take Sal Prunella Crabs Eyes Salt of Wormwood of each two Drams Mix them the Dose is half a Dram thrice a day It s also well known that Powders of Shells and of certain Stones containing an Alchalisate or Petrifying Salt sometimes promote an evacuation by Urine For Powders of Egg-shells of the Claws and Eyes of Crabs have been to some a present Remedy in great suppressions of Urine and if we enquire into their manner and way of working we shall soon find that these Medicines do not fuse the Blood nor sensibly precipitate it wherefore it must be said that these things in a fourish Dicrasie of the Blood and Humours sometimes prove Diuretick inasmuch as closing with the Acid Salts they bind them and keep them under so that the Blood being free from fluxions and coagulations drinks up again the extravasated Serum and conveys it to the Reins Prescripts of Diureticks that have an Alchalisate Salt for their Basis TAke Powder of Egg-shells from half a Dram to a Dram Give it in a draught of Whitewine or of Posset drink or of a Diuretick decoction twice a day Take Powder of Crabs Claws or of Crabs Eyes two Drams Salt of Amber Sal Nitre of each a Dram Nutmegs half a Dram Make a Powder the Dose is from half a Dram to two Scruples in a fit Vehicle Or let the said Powder be mixt with as much Venice Turpentine as will suffice and make it into small Pills The Dose is three or four Evening and Morning Not only Saline but likewise some Sulphureous and Spirituous substances justly take place amongst Diureticks these often producing the like effect Many substances of the Larix Tree as chiefly Turpentine and things prepar'd from them the Oyls drawn by distillation from Juniper Nutmegs Wax and other Pinguous substances taken inwardly move in many persons a large Evacuation by Urine and this carrying a smell like Violets I have known that in some Hydropical and Scorbutical Persons Brandy and Strong waters nay and strong Wine freely drank have caus'd a Purging by Urine The reason of all which is that when the Blood being weak or turning sour or what for want of fermentation or through the predominancy of an Acid and Coagulative Salt in it has not so sprightly and continued a Circulation that it can contain the superfluous Serum within it self till it delivers it to the Reins The afovesaid Remedies forasmuch as they preserve the mixture of the Blood entire or restore it when faultering conduce to the promoting of that evacuation by Urine Take Ivy Berrys Juniper Berrys Laurel Berrys fresh gather'd of each half a pound wild Carrot-seeds four Ounces Nutmegs two Ounces all of them being bruis'd together put to them in a Glass Retort of Venice Turpentine one pound Rectified spirit of Wine four pounds distill all in a sand Furnace with a moderate heat till it grows dry carefully avoiding an Epyreuma and you will have a spirit and a yellow Oyl both of them egregiously Diuretick The Dose of the Spirit is from a Dram to two or three Drams of the Oyl from half a Scruple to a Scruple in a fit Vehicle To the remaining faeces in the Retort pour Tincture of Salt of Tartar one pound let them digest for many days close luted in the sand Furnace that a red Tincture may be drawn from it The Dose of which is from a Scruple to two Scruples or a Dram in a fit Vehicle Take Millepedes prepar'd three Drams Nutmegs one Dram being bruis'd pour to them the purest Spirit of Turpentine and Tincture of Salt of Tartar of each six Ounces distill it with a gentle Bath heat and you will have a Spirit Oyl and deliquium of Salt of Tartar each of them notably endow'd with a Diuretick force CHAP. VI. Instructions and Prescripts for Curing too much Purging by Vrine and particularly the Diabetes or Pissing Evil. IN a Diabetes as in most other affects there are three Primary Therapeutick Indications viz. Curatory Preservatory and Vital The first of these regarding the Disease and attempting to stay the too great Effusion of Urine cannot be accomplish'd without the second which aiming at the cause of the Disease endeavours to preserve and restore the mixture and due Crasis of the Blood Wherefore as to the Cure of this Disease the chief intentions of healing must be to keep the Blood from fusion and in case that happens to take it away First the fusion of the Blood is prevented so its gross and aqueous parts reciprocally contain each other and do not readily and abruptly sever themselves which thing is effected by Incrassatives commonly so called whose viscous and glutinous Corpuscles being admitted into the Mass of Blood strongly adhere to its Active Particles and so part them from each other and hinder them from mutually combining betwixt themselves or with Saline Particles coming from elsewhere as might otherwise happen through fluxions In this respect Rice Amylum Mucilaginous Vegetables also Gumms and some Rosins are wont to give relief in this Disease Secondly To restore the Blood after fusion those sorts of Remedies are indicated which dissolve the concretions of Salts so that all the Elementary Particles in it coming again to be at liberty recover their former places and so restore the Crasis of the Blood to its first vigour Now it s well known that this effect is produc'd in coagulated Milk by the addition of a fixt volatile or a nitrous Salt to it also by the infusion of Spirit of Hartshorn of Sal Armoniack and the like The reason of which doubtless is that whilst the Salino-fixt volatile or nitrous Particles being in a sufficient quantity put into the Milk meet with the Acid or Precipitatory Particles and are combin'd with them the other Saline Particles which before were bound being now freed and diffus'd through the Mass of the Liquor loosen the Sulphureous and Earthy Parts combin'd betwixt themselves and disperse them every way so that all the Particles being again equally mixt mutually contain themselves and are contain'd yet because Saline Medicaments are accounted by many to be always Diuretick We do not give them lightly or without consideration for the Cure of a Diabetes though in this Disease I have prescrib'd the Tincture of Antimony with good success And a water of the Solution of quick Lime with the Raspings of Sassafras Aniseeds Raisins and Liquorish according to the vulgar Receipt is highly commended by some The Vital Indication is made good in this Distemper by a thickning and gently cooling Diet and by temperate Cordials and chiefly by apposite and seasonable Hypnoticks A Nobleman in the vigour of his Age became very prone to an excess of Pissing and when for many Months he had been us'd at times to undergo this great Flux of Urine
he fell at length into a confirm'd Diabetes as it seem'd and almost past hope of recovery For besides that in the space of twenty four hours he voided near a Gallon and a half of clear water and wonderfully sweet as though Honey were mixt in it He was moreover affected with a cruel Thirst and a Fever seemingly a Hectick with a mighty Languor of the Spirits a fall of strength and a Consumption of the whole Body I then prescrib'd him the following Remedies by the use of which he seem'd in a short time to recover Take Cypress Tops eight handfuls Whites of Eggs beaten two pounds Cinnamon half an Ounce being cut small pour to them of new Milk eight pounds distill it in an ordinary Still taking care of an Empyreuma Let him take six Ounces thrice a day Take Gum Arabick and Gum Tragacanth of each six Drams Penids an Ounce Make a Powder let him take about a Dram or a Dram and a half twice a day with three or four Ounces of the distill'd water Take Rhuba-b powdred fifteen Grains Cinnamon six Grains Make a Powder let him take it in the Morning and renow the Dose within six or seven days Take Cowslip water three Ounces Cinnamon water hordeated two Drams Syrup of Meconium half an Ounce Make a draught to be taken every Evening His Diet was only Milk which he took pretty often in a day sometimes crude or diluted with the distill'd water or with Barly water sowetimes boil'd with White-bread or with Barly Growing daily better by the use of these things within a Month he seem'd to be almost Cur'd As he began to grow a little well his Urine which was Insipid did not much exceed the quantity of Liquids he took and afterwards turning a little Salt it became less in quantity than what he drank and so by degrees recovering the wonted tone of his Spirits and a good strength he took to his former Diet. Nevertheless the disposition to this Disease did not so throughly cease but afterwards being apt frequently to Relapses upon disorders in Living and haply upon changes according to the seasons of the year he first made Water in a greater measure than ordinary which by degrees grew clear and sweetish a Thirst and Fever with a Languor of the Spirits accompanying it But by the use of the same Medicines he us'd in a short time to recover again Not long since after a large interval of health a little before he fell into a Flux of Urine he found great irregularities and failings in the Genus Nervosum viz. He was seiz'd with a dull numbness of his Brain and a Vertigo and was taken with sudden Cramps in his Limbs and felt little Leapings of the Tendons and various runnings about him as though it were of a wind creeping here and there And when by the use of fit Remedies the aforesaid Symptoms seem'd to be Cur'd the Diabetes after its wounted manner burst forth afresh viz. the matter flowing forth in abundance from the Fibres and solid parts into the Blood and thence to the Reins and the Urinary Passages In this Juncture the same Remedies were prescrib'd again by the use of which when within a few days he began to grow bettr he was ordered to take thrice a day Water of quick Lime to five or six Ounces Having continued this Remedy four days he made water in a moderate quantity well ting'd and somewhat salt and as to other things he seem'd well as he was before By the same method and chiefly with the Water of quick Lime I Cur'd another of a Diabetes who was look'd upon as past recovery The Kinds and Prescripts of Medicines that stop Vrine flowing in excess A Stringent Medicines properly so call'd to wit such as are austere acerb and stiptick do little or nothing in stopping a Diuresis for the vertue of those things has no effect on the Mass of Blood nor does it reach to the Reins and Bladder But the Remedies that chiefly do good in the Diabetes are of two kinds as we have hinted before viz. First those that hinder the combinations of the Salts and consequently the fusion of the Blood such as the Incrassatives before mentioned Secondly Those that dissolve the Concretions of the Salts and consequently restore the mixture of the Blood of which kind are Saline Remedies of a contrary nature which are apt to cleave to the Acid Salt and so withdraw it from the combinations it has entred into within the Blood as chiefly Medicines endow'd with a fixt volatile or alchalisate Salt Besides these two Primary kinds of Medicines that restrain Urine there rests a Secondary kind to wit Hypnoticks which putting some stop to the Animal Aeconomy cause the vital function to be perform'd with more calmness and consequently with less fusion of the Blood or precipitation of the serous and nutricious humours It remains now to set down some Select Forms of each kind of these Medicines I. The first Scope of Curing to wit by which we endeavour by thickning the Blood to prevent its fusion or to take it away is effected by the Medicines following Take Gumm Arabick and Tragacanth powder'd of each an Ounce Sugar Penids half an Ounce Make a Powder divide it into sixteen parts Take one part thrice a day dissolving it in the distill'd water or in the docoction of the Roots of Comphry in fountain water or Milk Take of the Resumptive Electuary three Ounces Species Diatragacanthi frigidi an Ounce Red Coral prepar'd two Drams Confection of Hyacinth a Dram and a half Gelly of the cast Skins of Vipers what will suffice Make an Electuary of which let the Patient take twice a day the quantity of a Wallnut Take white Amber Mastick Olibanum powdred of each an Ounce Pulvis Haly two Ounces Balsam of Tolu half an Ounce Make a Subtle Powder the Dose is half a Dram twice or thrice a day Take Roots of great Comphry and Water Lillies of each three Ounces Dates slic'd two Ounces Seeds of Maliows Cotton-plant Plantain Fleawort of each half an Ounce Boil them in four pounds of fountain water till half be consum'd to the straining add Syrup of Water Lillies two Ounces The Dose is four Ounces thrice a day Take of the decoction of Barly with Water Lilly-roots a pound and a half Sweet Almonds prepar'd an Ounce and a half Seeds of white Poppies Purslain Lettice of each half an Ounce Make an Emulsion according to art the Dose is four Ounces thrice a day Take Cypress Tops six handfuls Clary Leaves four handfuls Flowers of blind Nettles Comphry Water Lillies of each four handfuls Roots of Water Lillies and Comphry of each half a pound Mace an Ounce all being small slic'd together pour to them of new Milk eight pounds distil them in an ordinary Still The Dose is four Ounces thrice a day with the Powder of Electuary above written II. In the second place though Saline Medicines of every kind and condition are accounted Diuretick
and every of them in certain cases inasmuch as they fuse the Blood and cause a copious separation of its Serosities are in some sort Diuretick Nevertheless for the reason above-mention'd to wit for that meeting with the Acid Salt when it is predominant in the Blood they prevent and take away its fusion and dissolution I do not doubt but sometimes they may be given with good success to stop Fluxes of Urine And I have heard for certain that one was Cur'd of a Diabetes by an Infusion of quick Lime Now in regard the Saline Medicaments which we suppose to take away the predominancy of the Acid Salt and to fetter it as it were contain either a fixt volatile or Alchalisate Salt I shall give you some Forms of Diureticks which have each of these for their foundation 1. First then when a fixt Salt by it self or join'd with Sulphur is requir'd for a Basis Take Tincture of Salt of Tartar or its Deliquium what suffices Give it thrice a day in a draught of the decoction or distilld water before describ'd Take Tincture of Antimony let it be taken after the same manner thrice a day I have found by frequent experience the use of this to be very profitable in this Disease Take Tincture of Salt of Coral a Scruple let it be taken after the same manner Take of the Infusion of quick Lime a pound The Dose is three or four Ounces thrice a day giving before a Dose of the Electuary or Powder above prescrib'd Take Conserves of the Flowers of blind Nettles and of the great Comphry of each four Ounces of the reddest Crocus of steel half an Ounce Coral calcin'd to a whiteness two Drams Syrup of Comphry what suffices Make an Electuary the Dose is two Drams thrice a day Take Lapis Specularis calcin'd an Ounce The Dose is from half a Dram to a Dram twice or thrice a day Country People with this Medicine successfully Cure their Cattle that piss bloody water Take Coral calcin'd to a whiteness and powdred three Drams Powder of Gumm Arabick and Tragacanth of each a Dram Make Powder divide it into ten parts let one part be taken thrice a day with a fit Vehicle to wit with the decoction or the distill'd water Take the reddest Crocus Martis six Drams Gumm Lac powdred half an Ounce red Saunders a Dram Make a Powder divide it into twenty parts whereof let one be taken thrice a day Take Hartshorn burnt and powdred half an Ounce boil it in four pounds of the water of a Smiths forge till half be consum'd adding towards the end a Crust of Bread Roots of great Comphry and water Lillies dry'd of each an Ounce and a half Sacchari Perlati two Ounces let him take four Ounces thrice a day 2. Medicines containing an Alchalisate Salt such as Coral Pearl Cuttle-bone Hartshorn Ivory Powders of Shells and the like as they are commonly us'd against Rheumatick affects so likewise for a Diabetes And inasmuch as they imbibe the Acid Salt abounding in the Blood and so free the Mass of Blood from fusion we may justly expect a benefit from them Take red Coral ground to a great subtlety Cuttle-bone of each half an Ounce Hartshorn Philosophically calcin'd three Drams Pearl Ivory Crabs Eyes of each a Dram Mix them make a Powder the Dose is half a Dram thrice a day with a fit Vehicle Take of the said Powder three Ounces Species Diatragacanth frigid two Ounces Sugar Candy two Ounces Make a Powder and with a sufficient quantity of the Solution of Gumm Arabick make a Paste and let it be form'd into Troches weighing half a Dram let three or four be taken thrice or oftner in a day Take of the said Powder two Ounces of the Resumptive Electuary four Ounces Conserve of the Flowers of water Lillies three Ounces Syrup of the same what suffices Make an Electuary let him take the quantity of a Chesnut thrice a day drinking after it a draught of the Apozeme or of the distill'd water above prescrib'd 3. For the same reason as Medicines endued with a fixt and Alchalisate Salt seem proper in Curing the Diabetes for the same reason do such as have a volatile Salt For these as well as those lay hold on and draw of the Acid Salt by which the Blood is fus'd and dissolv'd into Serosities so that its Liquor recovers its due Crasis Take the Solar Tincture prepar'd as I readily do it with Sal Armoniack an Ounce The Dose is twenty Drops thrice a day The Spirits of Blood Soot and Hartshorn may also be try'd in this Disease Take Salt of Amber a Dram the reddest Crocus Martis two Drams Mix them divide it into twelve parts the Dose is one part thrice a day III. As to the third kind of Remedies in the Diabetes to wit Hypnoticks which by putting a stay to the Animal Spirits retard the course of the Blood and so hinder in some measure its effervescency and fusion I use to prescribe to some persons Diascordium to be taken every Evening and when that does not do I give sometimes every Night and sometimes every other Night Liquid Laudanum Cydoniated or Tartariz'd and that with good success Take the decoction of Barly with the dry'd Roots of Comphry six Ounces white Poppy-seeds two Drams sweet Almonds prepar'd in number six Make an Emulsion according to art let it be taken every Night going to sleep Take of the Magistral distill'd water above prescrib'd four Ounces Solution of Tragacanth two Drams Diascordium from half an Ounce to six Drams Give it going to sleep Take Conserve of the flowers of water Lillies two Drams Laudanum Tartariz'd or Cydoniated a Scruple Tincture of Saffron six Grains Make a Bolus to be taken going to sleep CHAP. VII Instructions concerning Sweating and Diaphoreticks or Medicines causing Sweat with Prescripts of them FOr a ready and plentiful eruption of Sweat these three things are requir'd First that the Blood boiling more than its wont circulates with a more rapid motion Secondly That its Latex abounds with many watry Particles and those loose that is apt to be separated from the rest of the Liquor and to be resolv'd into Vapours for if there be a deficiency of Serum or if it be not easily separable from the Blood through its too great compactness or incrassation by reason of Faeculencies strongly mixt in it scarce any sweat at all will follow though the intense heat of a burning Fever presses for it and most powerful Diaphoreticks are given at the same time Thirdly The Pores of the whole Body must be set wide open for a free passage of the Sweat Therefore Sweating Medicines to be taken inwardly must be such as make the Blood boil more than ordinarily and consequently cause it to evaporate Also such as somewhat loosen and fuse its often too compact and incrassated Mass that its Serosities may more readily depart from it and be separated and they must be such as at the same
to be found amongst Authors Moreover Tinctures of Vegetables which are of very great effect in a small Dose are made after this manner Take Roots of Contrayerva a pound being bruis'd and put into a Matrass pour to them Spirit of Wine three Pounds Let them digest to draw forth a Tincture then strain it and draw it off in Balneo to the consistency of Honey Keep the Spirit first drawn off apart from the rest pour it again to what stays behind and draw the Tincture again The Dose of which is from half a Dram to a Dram in a fit Vehicle 5. Diets whose foundations are decoctions of Woods design'd for the Cure of the French Pox and other Cronick Affects deeply rooted in the Blood and humours For indeed a very intense and frequent Sweating viz. continued for a long time day by day is requir'd for the Cure of some Diseases to wit that not only the Impurities and Corruptions of the Viscera and humours may be purg'd forth but ev'n the Morbifick Taints deeply Imprinted in them may be wholly abolish'd or as it were eradicated To effect this it will not be enough to give a Sudorifick Powder or Bolus now and then at times but an entire Diet must be ordered for this purpose Wherefore let all the drink the Person takes be a Diaphoretick Decoction after a Dose of which taken each Morning let a copious Sweat be promoted by adding to it the heat of a Bath or of a Hot-house and after that by this means the Pores of the Skin are open'd and Nature is inclin'd to Seeat let the Recrements of the Blood and Nervous Juice for that whole day evaporate by perspiration which must be still maintained by the use of the said Drink By this method not only the French Pox is most safely and for the most part most certainly Cur'd but also some other most difficult Diseases are sometimes easily overcome Take the Raspings of Guaiacum four Ounces Sarsaparilla six Ounces Chinna two Ounces all the Saunders of each an Ounce Shavings of Ivory and Hartshorn of each half an Ounnce Antimony powdred and tied in a rag six Ounces Let them Infuse and Boil according to Art in sixteen pounds of founntain water till half be consum'd and strain it to the remaining Magma add the like quantity of water let them infuse and boil till a third part be consum'd adding to it Raisins a pound Licorice an Ounce Let the straining be kept for a common drink In case of a Bilous Temperament and a sharp and hot Blood leave out the Guaiacum and augment the quanntities of the China and Sarsa Diaphoreticks which consist of the Integral parts of the whole mixt and are easie to be gotten for poor people may be prescrib'd according to the following forms In Malignant Fevers Take Conserve of Wood Sorrel a Dram Mithridate two Scruples and a half mix them Let it be taken drinking after it a draught of Posset-drink that has the Leaves of Carduus Scordium or of Camomil Flowers or Marigolds boil'd in it Take Powder of the Roots of Virginia Serpentary from half a Dram to a Dram Give it with a fit Vehicle or give Powder of the Root of Butter-burr a Dram after the same manner In ordinary cases give the Decoction of Gromwel of the Roots of Butter-burr or Virginia Serpentary or of the Roots and Seeds of the great Burr-dock In the French Pox a Decoction of Soap-wort or of the Raspings of Box and the like may supply the place of the Decoction of Woods which are of greater price 2. Sweating Medicines prepar'd from the Elementary parts of a mixt have for their Basis either a Spirit or a Salt sometimes simple sometimes combin'd with another Salt or with Sulphur Let Spirituous things be prescrib'd according to the following forms 1. Let the Spirit of Treacle Camphorated be given from half a Dram to a Dram or a Dram and a half in a fit Vehicle After the same manner many other Spirits distill'd from the Juices of Vegetables maturated by fermentation and appropriated to certain Distempers may be given to provoke Sweat when it is Indicated Of which kind are the Spirits of Black-cherries of the Berries of Elder Ivy and Juniper with many others the Spirits of Hartshorn Soot Blood and the like ought rather to be numbred in the rank of Salts 2. Diaphoreticks whose Basis are Spirits with other Elementary Particles combin'd may be prescrib'd after this manner Take of the simple mixture a Dram give it in a convenient Vehicle To this place also may be referr'd those things that consist of a Spirit fixt Salt or a Sulphur combin'd Of which kind are the Tincture of Salt of Tartar and Antimony The Dose of which are from a Scruple to two Scruples in some other Liquor Moreover distill'd waters in which the Spirituous Particles are diluted with watry ones are often given to provoke Sweat with good success Take Roots of Butter-burr and Valerian of each two Ounces of Zedoary Contrayerva Virginia Serpentary of each an Ounce and a half Flowers of Butter-burr four handfuls Saffron two Drams being slic'd and bruis'd pour to them four pounds of Sherry Sack distil it according to Art Let the whole Liquor be mixt the Dose is from two Ounces and a half to three Ounces Or take Roots of Angelica and Master-wort of each four Ounces of Zedoary Ele-Campane Swallow-wort low-wort Gentian the lesser Galingal of each an Ounce Tops of Carduus Rue Angelica of each three handfuls the middle Bark of the Ash six Ounces being slic'd and bruis'd add Mithridate Venice Treacle of each two Ounces Mix them and pour to them of Canary six pounds distill'd Vinegar two pounds distil it according to Art The Dose is three Ounces The Doses of the aforesaid Waters may be actuated by the addition of Chymical Liquors or Salts These sorts of Medicines endow'd with a Vinous Spirit are proper chiefly and in a manner only for old people and such as are of a cold temperament and are subject to the Plasy and Dropsy But in a hot constitution and when there is a fervent heat of the Bowels and a Feverish boiling of the Blood by scorching those and enflaming this too much they usually rather do hurt than good Diaphoreticks whose Basis is Saline as they are of a various nature viz. according as the Salt is volatile fixt Acid or Nitrous so they are of a different use and operation and hence in certain cases these and in others those and those are most propper to be given as we have before observ'd in Diureticks 1. Fixt and volatile Salt is most propper for those whose Blood very much abounds with a serous humour Moreover when at any time the Juice which Irrigates the Viscera and the Genus Nervosum begins to turn sharp as it usually happens in Hydropical and Cacochymical persons and in such as are subject to Convulsive Distempers those Medicines are most effectually give to cause a Sweat because that whilst they
unless the Patients resolve to take courage so as to attempt to go abroad to set forth their strength to their utmost and accustome nature daily to inure it self to hardship all medicines prove useless Wherefore a plentiful and cheerful way of living are no less necessary than Physick that thereby the stock of Animal Spirits may be daily renew'd and increas'd and so confirm'd in strength by greater practices now and then insisted on for which ends strong Wines with good Dishes of meat are very proper Moreover all Studies and Cares with which the Soul is deprest being laid aside let the time be past in idleness and recreatious or in moderare exercises As by such a kind of living duly ordered the Animal Spirits are greatly refresh'd so it repairs the decay and depauperations of the Blood For the same ends also the following Medicines may be given with good effect Take Spirit of Amber Armonicacated what suffices fifteen or twenty drops be taken in the Evening and the next Morning in aspoonful of the following distill a water drinking after it nine spoonfuls of the same Take Leaves of Sage Rosemary Time Savory Marjoram Costmary of each four handfuls Roots of Angelica and Master-wort of each six Ounces of Zedoary the lesser Galingal Calamus Aromaticus Florence Orris of each an Ounce and a half Cubebs anOunce and a half Nutmegs Cloves Cinnamon of each an Ounce the outward Coats of twelve Oranges and of six Limmons being slic'd and bruis'd pour to them of Whitewine and Canary of each four pounds Distil it in common Organs let the whole liquor be mixt and sweetn'd with Sugar perlated In the distilling hang in the head of the Alembick a Nodulus with a Scruple of Amber-greece in it and half a Scruple of Musk. Take Tincture of Antimony or of the Balsam of Tolu an Ounce let fifteen or twenty drops be taken in the Morning at Nine a Clock and at Five in the Afternoon in a spoonful of the water before prescrib'd drinking after it three Ounces of the same or rather in the Morning drink after it a Dish of Tea or Cofee or Chocholate prepar'd of a Decoction of Sage A little before Dinner drink a Glass of Sherry Sack When these things have been used some time and you think good to intermit them take the following things in their place Instead of the Spirit take a Dose of the following Electuary in the Evening and early in the Morning with the distill'd water or Viper Wine Take of wet preserv'd Citron Pills an Ounce and a half Mirobalans Condited an Ounce Nutmegs Ginger Candied of each half an Ounce Confection of Hyacinth Alchermes of each three Drams Pearl prepar'd red Coral prepar'd of each a Dram and a half with the Syrup of the Juice of Kermes make an Electuary Let the ordinary drink be a Physick Ale made after the following manner viz. into a vessel of four Gallons put the following bag Take an Old Cock half boil'd and mash'd Leaves of Sage and Harts-Tongue dry'd of each two handfuls six Dates slic'd Raspings of Sassafras two Ounces being slic'd and bruis'd mix them put them in a little bag and hang it in a Vessel after it had done working The second intention which undertakes to correct the Dyscrasies or depraved dispositions of the Blood and Spirits is perform'd by the same Remedies as in the Hypochondriacal distemper and Melancholy Wherefore the prescripts which I formerly gave for the Cure of those affects may serve here As to the third intention which for keeping the Pores in a due State ordains a meet way of Government as to cloathing the Air the Fire c. there is little left for a Physician to do for commonly every Patient will be his own Councellour as to these things There is only one kind of advice which they are apt to receive and is wont to do them good viz. that they change their habitation by which often the Mind is also chang'd for those that are never so much addicted to keep themselves pen'd up in a Chamber or in Bed when they travel into foreign Countries where they breath a warmer and more serene Air It 's almost incredible in how short a time they recover So much concerning this depraved Perspiration which has not been touch'd by others There remains yet a third kind of this immoderate Sweating which is not as the first the Symptom or effect of another present or past Disease but it self first beginning is either a Disease of it self or the parent of some Morbid affect To the first sort chiefly belongs the Pestilential Sweat which was heretofore call'd Sudor Anglicus But I shall not now go about to prescribe Medicines for a Disease which I hope will never return CHAP. IX Instructions concerning Cordial Medicines and Alexipharmicks or Preservatives against Venome with Prescripts of them IF the thing be duly considered the notion of Cordial Medicines was not well introduc'd but is a meer vulgar errour for since it is not the Heart which is the Subject of Life but chiefly and in a manner only the Blood and in regard the Soul it self on whose existence and act in the Body Life depends is founded partly in the Blood and partly in the united stock of Animal Spirits it plainly sollows that Medicines which preserve Life entire or restore it when in danger do rather and more immediately regard these parts of the Soul to wit the Blood and Animal Spirits than the Heart which is a meer Muscle serving for the Circulation of the Blood and as often as it slackens in performing this duty or gives it off This does not happen through its own fault but through that of the Blood and Animal Spirits by which it is actuated Therefore to know the ways and manners of working of those Medicines which are call'd Cordials we must consider these two things viz. First how many and particularly what ways the Blood being ill dispos'd and often endangered either as to its accension or mixture requires Physical helps which may preserve or correct it Secondly after what manner by reason of a defect or delinquency in the Animal Oeconomy the Heart is hindred or perverted from its due motion so that Medicines are Indicated which encrease the stores of the Spirits and better compose them To be well instructed concerning these things read Dr. Willis at large The Kinds and Prescripts of Cordials A Ccording to what is said before we distinguish Cordial Medicines commonly so call'd into two kinds some of them chiefly and more immediately affect the Blood others the Animal Spirits In the first rank of those that are design'd for regulating the accension of the Blood we place those which by encreasing or exalting its Sulphureous Particles cause its over-cold and slow moving Liquor to boil more to be more freely kindled and to burn with more life of which kind are good Wines Compound Strong-waters distill'd the Spirit and Tincture of Saffron Quercitans Elixir of Life
propose that known Medicine Take Salt of Wormwood a Scruple Carduus water three Ounces Spirit of Vitriol or Oyl of Sulphur a Scruple Syrup of Violets three Drams Make a draught to be taken three or four hours before the Fit Take the waters of whole Citrons and of Wood Sorrel of each half a pound Salt of Tartar a Dram and a half Juice of Limmons two Drams Sugar half an Ounce mix them make a Julape the use of it is in Anomalous Fevers which though always burning have daily returns of sharp fits The Dose is three Ounces twice a day The last rank of Cordials and truly in some respect the chiefest is of Alexipharmicks because these are more vital than the rest But Alexipharmicks being either for preservation or for Curing In the first place we shall set down Select Medicines to be given to persons whilst yet in a state of health against the Infection of the Plague or any Malignity whatsoever omitting in the mean time what is usually ordered concerning the alteration and rectifying of the Ambient Air And then in the second place we shall give you Select Forms of Prescripts to be used after the Contagion is taken 1. Antidotes for Preservation TAke Conserve of the Leaves of Rue four Ounces Mithridate and Confectio liberantis of each an Ounce Confection of Hyacinth two Drams Salt of Wormwood two Drams and a half Pulvis pannonici rubri half an Ounce Bezoartick Vinegar what suffices Make an Electuary the Dose is the quantity of a Chesnut thrice a day Take Powder of the Roots of Virginia Serpentary Contrayerva Zedoary Species liberantis of each two Drams Camphire two Scruples Sugar dissolv'd in Bezoartick Vinegar and boil'd to a consistency for Tablets six Ounces Make Tablets according to art each weighing half a Dram let one or two be eaten often in a day Take Roots of Virginia Serpentary three Ounces boil them in three pounds of fountain water till half be consum'd to the straining add of the best Honey two Ounces Venice Treacle an Ounce dissolve it warm and close cover'd and strain it The Dose is two or three spoonfuls three or four times a day Take Flowers of Sulphur four Ounces melt them in a Crucible then put into it by spoonfuls one after another Salt of Wormwood four Ounces stirring them together 'till the whole Mass grows red then add the Powders of Aloes Myrrh Olibanum of each a Dram Saffron half a Dram stir them again for a quarter of an hour till they are incorporated the Mass being cool'd and put on a glass plate let it stand till it dissolves into an Oyl like a most beautiful Ruby The Dose is from ten drops to twenty in an Ounce and a half or two Ounces of the Bezoartick water twice a day Or pour to the said Powder some spirit of Wine rectified on the Roots of Contrayerva and Virginia Serpentary till it cover them three fingers over draw forth a Tincture The Dose is from twenty drops to thirty in a fit Vehicle Or Take of the same Powder half an Ounce pour to it of the best Canary two pounds let it dissolve close cover'd and warm The Dose is a spoonful twice or thrice a day After the Contagion is receiv'd and the Crasis of the Blood is vitiated and begins to corrupt the same Medicines are still proper to be taken but in a greater Dose and oftner Moreover the Vinegars and fixt Salts of Herbs are very often added with good success to Alexipharmicks because by them the Coagulations of the Blood are resolv'd and then all Heterogeneous Particles evaporating and the other being brought into a due mixture its liquor at length recovers its former state and keeps it There being innumerable Medicines in the Books of Physicians for this end I shall here only set down a few Antidotes for Curing TAke of the Bezoartick water two Ounces and a half Bezoartick Vinegar half an Ounce Venice Treacle a Dram mix them by shaking them in a Glass Make a draught let the person take it and sweat upon it Take Gascoins Powder Roots of Contrayerva and Virginia Serpentary of each from a Scruple to twenty five Grains Make a Powder give it in a spoonful of Treacle water drink after it a little draught of the same or of a Cordial Julape Take Powder of Teads prepar'd Powder of Crabs Claws Compound of each half a Dram Make a Powder give it after the same manner Take Bezoartick Mineral half a Dram Venice Treacle a Dram Camphire six Grains Bezoartick Vinegar what suffices Make a Bolus to be taken after the same manner Take the waters of Wood Sorrel and Dragon-wort of each four Ounces Water of Scordium Compound two Ounces Treacle water and Bezoartick water of each an Ounce Powder of Pearl a Dram Syrup of Clove-Gillyflowers or of the Juice of Citrons two Ounces spirit of Vitriol twelve drops Make a Julape the Dose is three Ounces often in a day sometimes by it self sometimes with other Medicines CHAP. X. Of the Passions of the Heart and their Remedies AFter Cordial Medicines vulgarly though improperly so call'd it now follows for us to treat of the Passion of the Heart in which the Heart is really ill affected and therefore requires true Cordial Medicines Under that name two affects somewhat differing betwixt themselves are commonly denoted to wit The trembling of the Heart and its panting In both affects the motion or beat of the Heart seems to be disorderly and in a manner Convulsive but the irregularity of the first consists in the frequency of its Vibrations and of the other in their vehemency As to the Cure of the panting of the Heart since its Causes are various and manifold its Cure also must be various for what some affirm that those sorts of Remedies vulgarly call'd Cordials which are reputed to revive the Heart and to relieve it when ill affected are proper in any of all these Cases it is contrary both to reason and common experience We say then that the palpitation or panting of the Heart proceeds either from the fault of the Blood or of the Arteries belonging to the Heart If it happens through the fault of the Blood the chief intent of Curing must be to raise the Blood to a better Crasis it being then become too watery and unmeet for accension and fermenting and to exalt or encrease its active principles which are then depress'd or diminish'd for which end spirituous Medicines also saline Medicines of all kinds Sulphureous and especially Chalybeates conduce And to this place may be referr'd those things which are wont to be prescribed in the Pica or longing Disease in the Leucophlegmatia and in the cold Scurvy Take Conserve of Sea Wormwood the outward yellow Coats of Oranges and Limmons of each two Ounces Powder of Winters Barke two Drams Species of Diacurcuma a Dram Steel prepar'd with Sulphur three Drams Salt of Wormwood a Dram and a half with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of
and impurities by Sweat and Urine Respiration not only as it is urgent but moreover as the same is interrupted Convulsive or otherwise variously irregular often requires a Narcotick Medicine In a violent or very frequent Coughing always troubling us this uses to give relief before all other Remedies Again in fits of the Asthma when the Organs of Respiration are so laboriously exercis'd that the Person affected seems to be brought to the Agony of Death a Dose of some proper Opiat makes all things presently serene and calm Moreover in horrible Vomiting in excessive or violent Purging this usually gives great ease Fluxes can scarce be Cur'd without Opium not that this Medicine fixes the boiling and raging Juices and Humours but stops the Excretory Convulsions of the Fibres and that partly within the Cavities of the Viscera themselves it stupifying by its meer contact the Spirits there Implanted and partly by suppressing the Spirits within the Cerebellum which continually flow to those parts whereby the others being destitute of supplys from them readily remit of their Convulsive rage Fifthly In Catarrhs and Defluxions of all kinds we often fly to Opiats as to our last refuge they powerfully stay excretions of Blood and moderate and restrain serous Evacuations when at any time they are excessive and tend to a Colliquation They repress the Immoderate Ebullition of the Blood in a burning Feaver and lessen its excessive Accension Briefly they most readily appease all turbulent commotions in our Body from what cause soever they arise and let the Blood be never so much disturb'd they most commonly reduce it to a calm and quiet state Opiats where they agree most commonly fuse the Blood and after the manner of Alexipharmicks powerfully provoke Sweat and move Urine as Dr. Willis gives us here an Instance of a Person troubled with the Dropsy and severely tormented with Night-pains caus'd by the Pox who by the constant use of Laudanum fell at length into great Sweats and Evacuations of Urine every Night and so was Cured A Lady who for many years was subject at times to cruel pains of the Colick as often as she fell ill of that Disease and found the pains grow intolerable could get no ease from any Remedy but from Opium Wherefore she took a Dose of this each Night till the Morbifick matter being consum'd by degrees she became at length free from all grief and pain Of the evil Effects of Opium with cautions concerning its Vse WE have found by sad experience in many the Use of Opium to be sometime hurtful and destructive for that some presently after taking it have fallen into a perpetual sleep and others by taking a Dose of it too great or unseasonably have either shortn'd their Lives or by injuring their principal faculties have rendered it afterwards uneasie and burthensome I have known some who upon taking a Pill of Laudanum have fallen presently into so profound a sleep that they could never be rais'd from it they liv'd indeed for three or four days and as to their Pulse Respiration and Heat were pretty well but could never be brought again to sense and waking by any Remedies or tortures I have observ'd others who after taking Opium have slept but moderately nay sometimes little or scarce at all but as to their Pulse Respiration and Heat presently grew worse so that incontinently after the Medicine they began to have a failing of strength and then growing short and thick Breath'd to decay more and more nor could their vigour be renew'd by any Cordials but fainting by degrees they died I have elsewhere related a story of a robust man kill'd by Opium who had no sleep at all after it till his last and mortal sleep viz. Death it self following it this Man presently after he had taken the Medicine complained of a great heaviness upon his Stomack and of Cold then he was taken with a great Languor and a Consternation of all his Spirits with a coldness of his extream parts and within some hours complaining that his Eyes grew dim and at length that he was quite blind he died I shall now relate what evils from the improper or unseasonable use of Opium sometimes happen in the Head what in the Brest and what in the Belly As to the first it 's well known that the principal functions of the Soul viz. the Memory the Reason and the Acuteness of the understanding are very often extreamly injur'd by Narcoticks A frequent use of them weakens the Memory in many persons I knew a person who by taking a great Dose of it in a Feaver wholly lost the use of that faculty and after some weeks when the use of it began to return he remembred only things done within a peculiar tract of time and nothing of those that were done before or after I have known some that have grown dull and stupid by this Medicine and others that have grown mad And it 's observ'd that those Turks that eat much Opium though they seem to be well and not injur'd by it yet they are rendred more cold and their functions become worse they appear always as though they were drunk and besotted and are affected with a Coma or a continual inclination to sleep being stupid and unconstant sometimes affirming a thing and sometimes denying it so that they are unfit to deal or converse with men Secondly We find that Opiats are sometimes hurtful to the Precordia and Brest because they depress and lessen the Pulse and Breathing sometimes also as we have said before they make them faulter and by degrees wholly to cease Wherefore in Feavers when the Blood being mightily deprav'd seems to admit of no Crisis or not a good one and that at the same time it furnishes but very few and weak Spirits to the Animal Oeconomy Narcoticks are in a manner always destructive and as it were poysons For though in the Plague and Malign Feavers whilst the Pulse and Respiration are strong Treacle Mithridate and Diascordium nay and Laudanum are often given with good effect yet if at any time in those Diseases and in other Feavers that do not carry so much malignity the vital faculty languishes those famous Antidotes must be us'd but very sparingly and the stronger Opiats not at all Moreover in a violent Cough the Phthisick Plurisy Empyema and other Diseases of the Brest viz. in what ills soever nature is stirr'd up to discharge it self on a sudden of that which is offensive and oppresses the Brest and lifts at it with its greatest effort and at the same time the Organs of Respiration being destitute of a sufficient plenty of Spirits faulter and perform their work with great pain and difficulty we must in such a case forbear Opium no less than poyson for then Narcoticks increase and fix the weight to be remov'd and lessen the strength of the parts that labour to throw it off Thirdly As to the parts within the Belly we find that Narcoticks often taken
Heterogeneous Particles may be subdued and soon evaporate the Operation of a Narcotick intervening puts a stop to these endeavours of the Praecordia and consequently retards the Purification of the Blood and sometimes disappoints it As to other Excrementitious humours usually heap'd together in the Ventricle or the Intestines these also must be purg'd forth by Vomit or Seige before an Opiat be given For otherwise being there fixt they will stick more pertinaciously For the Fibres of those parts being stupified by the Medicine are not irritated as before nor do they readily set upon excretory Convulsions for expelling those drossy superfluities or perform it with any vigour Wherefore according to the ancient Precept If any thing be to be Evacuated let it be done before a Narcotick be given The Kinds and Prescripts of Opiats THe safest Narcotick and which is generally approv'd of by long experience is the Poppy and preparations of it Wherefore as often as we endeavour effectually and safely to provoke sleep the whole stress of the Medicine is Plac'd in Opium or Diacodium As to the Heads of white Poppies with the Seeds out of which Diacodium also Decoctions Emulsions and other Hypnotick Confections are made it plainly appears that these have much less of a Narcotick Sulphur in them than the concreted Juice of Opium and what they have of it is much more pure and innocent Wherefore we give oftner and with more safety Medicines made of these nor ought we to use Laudanum but when through the violence of Symptoms Diacodiats will not serve Again since these have in them less of virulency they do not want much preparation but either a simple Decoction or Infusion or Expression being made of them they may be apply'd to Physical use Now Opium is seldom prescrib'd simply and by it self but is wont to be corrected and compounded after a various and diversifyed manner of preparation that it may become a safe Anodine The wild Poppy has a certain Hypnotick vertue but much more mild and gentle than that other wherefore in certain cases it agrees excellently well and we may be more secure as to its use Of this a Syrup and a distill'd water is always ready prepar'd in Apothecaries Shops which in many continual Feavers are often given with good success and they are judg'd to have a certain specifical virtue in Curing the Pelurisy because they take away pains and by putting some stay to the Pulse abate the Feaverish boiling of the Blood Moreover a Tincture is made of its Flowers Infus'd in Brandy which is a famous Medicine amongst Empiricks and good Women and is averr'd to be good against Surfeits The reason of which effect seems to be that the Spirit of Wine frees the Contents of the Stomack from putrefaction and the Narcotick force of the Flowers prevents the Invasion of the Feaver I shall now set down certain Select Forms of Narcoticks which I shall also digest into certain Classes according as the Opiats have for their Basis either the Syrup or distill'd water of the wild Poppy or Diacodium or Laudanum Extractum or Liquidum or Pilul de Styrace or de Cynoglosso or lastly Philonium Take the water of wild Poppies and Cowslip water of each six Ounces Syrup of red Poppies two Ounces Sal Prunella half a Dram mix them Make a Julape the Dose is three or four Ounces thrice a day in the Pleurisie Pains watching without a Feaver or any manifest Cause Take of Poppy water from four Ounces to six Let it be taken now and then by it self twice or thrice a day for the same intent Take Diacodium from half an Ounce to an Ounce Cowslip water three Ounces Treacle water three Ounces Make a Potion Take Carduus water three Ounces Diacodium half an Ounce Spirit of Hartshorn from half a Scruple to a Scruple Make a draught for procuring sleep and sweat Take Diascordium half a Dram Gascoins Powder a Scruple Diacodium two Drams mix them Let it be taken in a spoon Take Diacodium three Ounces Snail water an Ounce mix them It s proper in the Cough and Phthisick The Dose is a spoonful going to Rest and if need be take it again after Midnight Take London Laudanum a Grain Powder of Claws Compound from half a Scruple to a Scruple with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Clove-Gillyflowers Make three Pills to be taken going to Rest Take Laudanum a Grain Stomack Pills with Gumms half a Dram Make four Pills to be taken going to rest in the Colick Take Laudanum from a Grain to a Grain and a half Diascordium a Scruple Make a Bolus instead of Diascordium you may put the Confection of Alkermes or of Hyacinth Take Laudanum a Grain dissolve it in a spoonful of Treacle water add of Cowslip water two Ounces Make a draught Take of our Liquid Laudanum tartariz'd twenty Drops give it in a spoonful of Aqua Mirabilis or of Cinnamon water or of any other fit Vehicle It s proper in Colick Nephritick or Gouty pains Take Species of Hiera half a Dram of the foresaid Laudanum twenty drops Make four Pills let them be taken going to rest for Purging and easing pains of the Colick at the same time Take Liquid Laudanum Cydoniated from fifteen Drops to twenty Give it in a spoonful of small Cinnamon water for the Flux Take Conserve of red Roses an Ounce Venice Treacle Confection of Hyacinth of each two Drams Pulvis Pannonici Rubri a Dram Laudanum Cydoniated two Drams Syrup of Coral what suffices Make an Electuary the Dose is a Dram every fourth or fifth hour in a violent Bloody Flux with Gripes Take Pilul de Styrace from five Grains to six Lac Sulphuris half a Scruple Oyl of Anniseeds a Drop Balsam of Peru what suffices Make three Pills to be taken in the Cough Asthma c. Take Pilul de Cynoglosso from six Grains to eight Make two Pills to be taken going to rest for the same intents Take Philonium Romanum from one Scruple to two Conserve of Clove-Gillyflowers half a Dram mix them Make a Bolus to be taken going to rest It s proper for the Colick in a cold temperament I shall now say something concerning the Effects of the great Anti-Hypnotick Coffee Coffee though in some cases it be very profitable and Physical in others it is hurtful and unwholesome for we see that great Coffee-drinkers become lean and are very often subject to be Paralytick and grow impotent for generation Yet as to Affects of the Brain and the Genus Nervosum I very often prescribe this Drink for them For indeed in very many Cephalick Diseases and Infirmities viz. in Head-aches Giddiness the Lethargy Catarrhs and the like where with a full habit of Body and a cold temperament or one that is not hot and a watery Blood there is a moist Brain with a sluggishness and dullness of the Animal Spirits Coffee has often a very good effect for being daily drank it wonderfully clears and
Spirit of Vitriol of Mars half a Scruple take it after the same manner Take Barley water with madder Roots boil'd in it a pound and a half Put into it when grown pretty cold of red Rose Leaves a handful Add Spirit of Vitriol a Scruple let there be a close and warm infusion for three hours Make a Tincture to the straining add Syrup of the Juice of St. Johns wort an Ounce and a half Take three or four Ounces thrice or four times in a day Take of the Decoction of the Roots of fresh Nettles a pound and a half Seeds of white Poppies and of Henbane of each two Drams Melon seeds pill'd six Drams Make an Emulsion according to Art sweetned with Sugar Penids The Dose is three Ounces three or four times a day 3. Juices of Herbs and Juicy Expressions TAke Juice of Plantain Leaves half a pound Let two or three Drams be taken thrice a day with three Ounces of the distill'd Water above written and sweeten it at pleasure Take Leaves of fresh Nettles Plantain the lesser Daisy of each three handfuls being bruis'd together pour to them of Purslain water six Drams Wring it forth hard take it as the former 4. Powders and Pills TAke Powder of Blood-stone of Dragons Blood ground on a Marble with Rose-water and of Pearl of each a Dram Bole Armeniack Terra Lemnia of each half a Dram Troches of Winter Cherries two Drams Make a Powder divide it into twelve parts let one part be taken thrice a day with the distill'd water above written Take of the Seeds of Henbane and white Poppies of each ten Drams Terra Sigillata red Coral of each five Drams Sugar of Roses three Ounces Make a Powder the Dose is a Dram Morning and Evening This Composition brought into a soft Consistency with some proper Syrup is call'd Helidaeus's Electuary so Famous heretofore in Germany The foresaid Powders may also be made into convenient Pills and Tablets by adding the Solution of Tragacanth or some fit Syrup The spungy Excrescency usually growing to the fruit of the Dog-Rose Tree made into Powders and given twice a day to the quantity of half a Dram is a very good remedy in spitting Blood Take Yarrow bruis'd and dry'd in the Summer Sun what you think good Make it into a fine Powder and keep it in a Glass for Vse The Dose is from half a Dram to a Dram twice a day in a fit Vehicle The Powder of Julius Caesar Scaliger or rather of Serapion is mightily commended The Dose is four Drams twice or thrice a day 5. Lohoch's and Electuaries TAke Conserve of red Roses and of the Dog-Rose of each two Ounces Powder of the Seeds of the white Poppy and of Henbane of each two Drams Species Diatragacanthi frigidi a Dram and a half Blood-stone Sanguis Draconis prepar'd of each half a Dram Syrup of red Poppies what suffices Make an Electuary let the quantity of a Chesnut be taken Evenings and Mornings and at other times suck it with a stick of Licorice Take Conserve of the Flowers of great Comphrey and of Water-Lillies of each an Ounce and a half Troches of Winter Cherries and Diatragacanthum frigidum of each a Dram and a half Syrup of Jujubes what suffices Make a soft Lohoch of which take often with a stick of Licorice Take of the White of an Egg well beaten two Drams Lucatellus's Balsam half an Ounce Troches of Winter Cherries two Drams Syrup of red Poppies what suffices Make a soft Lohoch take the quantity of a Chesnut Morning and Evening The Second Indication being for preservation suggests to us those Remedies which keeping the Blood in a just temper and the Lungs in a due Conformation provide against a relapse of Spitting Blood and an ensuing Consumption such as regard the Blood are either gentle Evacuatives by Seige Urine and Sweat or meer Alteratives Every one of these are wont to be prescrib'd either in the Form of a Drink Powder Electuary or Pills We shall set down some Select Forms of some of the chief of them 1. As to Evacuatives a gentle Purge may sometiems be ordered after this manner Take of the best Sena three Drams Cassia bruis'd with the Fistula an Ounce Tamarinds three Drams Coriander-seeds a Dram and a half Boil them in a sufficient quantity of fountain water to fix Ounces to the straining add Syrup of Cichory with Rhubarb an Ounce Clarify it with the White of an Egg. Or Take Gereons Decoction of Senna four Ounces Purging Syrup of Apples an Ounce Mix them and make a Potion For preserving the Blood in a good temper and that its dreggy Excrements deriv'd from the Lungs may be continually discharg'd by Sweat and Urine the following Alteratives or some of them must be constantly taken which being also of a healing Nature relieve Lungs that are infirm or dissolv'd in their Unity For ordinary Drink let it be pure Water especially in a hot Constitution or water a little ting'd with Claret Wine Those with whom this Drink does not agree may use with as good success a Bochet of China and Sarsa with the shavings of Ivory Hartshorn and white Saunders in it or sinall Beer or Ale with the Leaves of Harts Tongue Oak of Hierusalem and the like infus'd in it Let Pectoral Decoctions or Hydromels with temperate Traumatick Herbs be taken twice or thrice a day to six or seven Ounces Take Roots of fresh Nettles and Chervil of each an Ounce Leaves of Harts Tongue Speedwel Mous-ear Ground Ivy St. John's-wort of each a handful Boil them in three pounds of fountain water to two pounds adding Raisms stone'd an Ounce and a half Licorice two Drams to the straining add Syrupus Byzantinus two Ounces Clarifie it with the White of an Egg Make an Apozem to be taken to four or six Ounces twice or thrice a day for a Month. In a cold or Phlegmatick Constitution the Licorice and Raisins being omitted with the Syrup add towards the end two Ounces of the best Clarified Honey strain it and keep it for use The Dose is the same as the former Let these things sometimes be taken betwixt whiles with a distill'd water appropriated to the same end which also may be more frequently taken by some Persons to whom Apozems are nauseous and loathsome Take Cypress Tops Leaves of ground Ivy of each six handfuls Snails half boil'd a pound and a half All the Saunders bruis'd of each an Ounce Being slic'd and bruis'd pour to them of new Milk eight pounds distil it with common Organs The Dose is three or four Ounces with a spoonful of Syrup of the Juice of ground Ivy twice a day 2. In respect of the Lungs viz. that the Union of its parts and the due Conformation of the whole may be preserv'd without any obstruction or opening of its Vessels temperate Balsamicks are of chiefest use For this end Lucatellus Balsam is perscrib'd even by the vulgar to be taken constantly and for a
or Alkalisate Salt destroy the Combinations entred into by the Acid sixt and otherwise Morbifick Salts with other more gross Particles In which respect the Eyes and Claws of Crabs the Tusk of a Boar the Stone of Carps the Jaw-bone of a Pike the Bone in the Heart of a Stag the Pisle of a Deer Sal Prunella Salt of Coral the Volatile Salt of Urine or of Hartshorn Powder of Goats Blood Infusion of Horsedung Spirit of Hartshorn of Sal Armoniack Spirit of Tartar Mixtura Simplex Bezoartick Mineral Antimony Diaphoretick Flowers of Sal Armoniack are very famous Remedies in the Pleurisie The Third and Vital Indication which takes care that the strength and Vital heat be preserv'd in their due Tone and State during the Course of the Disease prescribes principally a fit Diet and likewise Cordial Remedies and Anodines and things which seasonably afford Relief to other Symptoms if haply they present First in a true Pleurisie you must order a most thin Diet viz. consisting of meer Oat and Barley-meats and for ordinary drink Ptisan or Posset-drink is more proper than Beer alone though in a mignty thirst this also may be allow'd in a moderate quantity Moreover to quench thirst Julapes Apozemes and Emulsions may be taken at set times to all which let Sal Prunella be added Secondly let only temperate Cordials be given which may gently refresh the Animal Spirits and not add to the Accension of the Blood which burns before too fiercely For these intents the Waters of Ladies Thistle Carduus Benedictus Bawm Borage Cowslips and Black-Cherries are usually given with good success to which the Powders of Pearl and Coral may be added Thirdly Anodines must be used both inwardly to procure sleep if at any time it be very much wanted as also outwardly to ease the pain of the side The most usual things of the former kind are the distill'd water Syrup and Powder of the red Poppy which are accounted Specificks in the Pleurisie as well as in the Peripneumonia Moreover when a very acute pain and watchings press very much we may give also Diacodiats Against Pains Oyntments Fomentations Cataplasms and sometimes the warm Inwards of Animals newly kill'd are proper to be applyed I shall now give you Select Forms of Medicines adapted to each of these Indications First Therefore about the beginning of the Disease to take away the Inflammation Julapes Apozemes Powders Glysters and gentle Purges are wont to be prescrib'd Take Water of Ladies Thistle eight Ounces Water of red Poppies four Ounces Syrup of the same an Ounce Sal Prunella a Dram Make a Julape the Dose is two or three Ounces every third hour Take Grass Roots four Ounces Barley half an Ounce parings of Apples a handful Raisins of the Sun an Ounce Licorice two Ounces boil them in three pounds of fountain water to two pounds To the cleer straining add Syrup of Violets an Ounce and a half Sal Prunella a Dram and a half Make an Apozeme the Dose is two or three Ounces often in a day Take Sal Prunella two Drams Flowers of Nitre a Dram Powder of the Flowers of red Poppies two Scruples Sugar Candy four Scruples Make a Powder the Dose is half a Dram three or four times a day Take of the Decoction of Mallows Roots and all together with sweet Prunes a pound Syrup of Violets three Ounces Sal Prunella a Dram Make a Glyster Take of whole Cassia bruis'd two Ounces Tamarinds an Ounce white Rose Flowers a handful Coriander-seeds two Drams boil them in a sufficient quantity of fountain water to a pound To the straining add Syrup of Cichory with Rhubarb two Drams Clarify it with the White of an Egg the Dose is five or six Ounces in the Morning for two or three days one after the other Secondly To dissolve the clamminess or coagulating Viscousness of the Blood the following things are of use viz. in the Form of a Drink Powder and Spirit Take fresh Horsedung four Ounces Carduus water a pound and a half make a close and warm Infusion for two hours then filter the Liquor to which add Syrup of the Juice of Dandelion or of Cichory two Ounces Spirit of Sal Armoniack a Dram give five or six spoonfuls three or four times a day For this end Water of Horsedung does admirably well Take Horsedung four pounds Leaves of Carduus Benedictus Ladies Thistle Scabious Pimpernel of each three handfuls being slic'd and mixt together pour to them of fresh Milk six pounds distil them with common Organs The Dose is two or three Ounces either alone or with other distill'd Waters in the Form of a Julape For the same use the Tinctures or Solutions of other Dungs are given by some Physicians and are highly magnifyed by them Helmont deservedly commends in the Pleurisie the Dung of an Ox Panarolus Pidgeons Dung others the White of Hens Dung Epiphanius Ferdinandus usually gave with good success in the Pleurisy the Decoction of Tobacco macerated in new Wine Valeriola used the Decoction of the Flowers of red Poppies as a try'd and familiar Remedy Sylvius prescribes the following mixture to be taken one spoonful after another by little Intervals of time Take the waters of Stone-Parsly and Hyssop of each two Ounces Fennel-water an Ounce simple Treacle water half an Ounce Laudanum Opiatum four Grains Sal Armoniack half a Dram Syrup of red Poppies an Ounce Mix them To this composition Frederick Deckers adds Powder of Crabs Eyes and Bezoartick Mineral of each a Scruple Medicines very efficacious for this use are wont to be given in the Form of a Powder for Example Take Powder of Crabs Eyes two Drams Sal Prunella a Dram and a half red Poppy Flowers half a Dram Mix them make a Powder the Dose is half a Dram three or four times in a day with a fit Vehicle Instead of Crabs Eyes you may use the Powder of the Jaw-bone of a Pike or of a Boars Tusk or of a Stags or Bulls Pisle and if these do not succeed you may try what follows Take Antimony Diaphoretick or its Ceruse or Bezoartick Mineral two Drams Volatile Salt of Hartshorn half a Dram Powder of red Poppy Flowers two Scruples Make a Powder the Dose is a Scruple or half a Dram thrice or oftner in a day It is for the same Intention of Curing that Riverius gives Powder of Chimney Soot from half a Dram to a Dram and that others give the Powder of Pigeons or Hens Dung Nay farther according to this Analogy by which the Dungs of Animals stor'd with a Volatile Salt give relief in this Disease its probable that the Dung of a Dog may prove no less successful in Curing the Pleurisie than in the Squinancy and so much the more likely because these Diseases often interchange their Types and the one assumes the likeness of the other Chymical Liquors endow'd with a Volatile Salt sometimes also work great effects in the Pleurifie Take Spirit of Blood two Drams Red
Poppy water three Ounces Syrup of the same an Ounce Mix them give a spoonful of it every other while Take Spirit of Sal Armoniack distill'd with Olibanum three Drams the Dose is from twelve drops to fifteen or twenty three or four times a day in a fit Vehicle After the same manner you may give Spirit of Vrine of Soot or of Hartshorn Take Spirit of Tartar three Drams The Dose is a Scruple in a fit Vehicle Take Mixtura Simplex three Drams The Dose is from a Scruple to half a Dram. 3. As to the Third Indication besides a thin Diet Cordial Remedies and Anodines are prescrib'd Forms of the former kind may be supply'd by the Julapes and Apozemes prescrib'd for the first Indication and by the Spirits and Powders for the Second Inward Anodines to be given in Watchings and in a very Intense pain are prescrib'd according to the Forms following Take red Poppy water two Ounces Syrup of the same six Drams Spirit of Hartshorn twelve drops Make a draught to be taken going to Bed If we must go higher Take Carduus water two Ounces Diacodium from three Drams to half an Ounce or six Drams Spirit of Sal Armoniack with Frankincense half a Scruple Make a draught Sometimes though rarely its necessary to rise to Laudanum's which being seasonably given have a mighty good effect inasmuch as they procure Sleep and move Sweat and Vrine Take water of Cowslip Flowers two Ounces Laudanum Tartariz'd from sixteen drops to twenty Spirit of Blood half a Scruple Syrup of Violets two Drams Mingle them make a draught Outward Anodines are usually prescrib'd in the Form of an Oyntment Fomentation and Cataplasm Take Oyntment of Marsh-Mallows two Ounces Oyl of sweet Almonds an Ounce Album Graecum two Drams Mix them by braying them together Take of the Emplaister of Mucilages two Ounces and a half Malax it with Oyl of Linseed and let it be apply'd upon Lawn Paper Take the tops of Both Malbows Leaves of Mercury and Beets of each three handfuls Boil them in a sufficient quantity of fountain water let the straining be us'd for a Fomentation Take the remaining faeces of the Herbs after the Liquor is wrung forth and being bruis'd add to it of Oat-meal six Drams Linseed Fenugreek-seeds of each two Ounces Oyntment of Marsh-Mallows two Ounces Make a Cataplasm I need not go far for Stories and Instances of persons troubled with the Pleurisie for I have a notable Example of this Disease now under Cure viz. a very fine young Woman subject most frequently and as it were habitually to that affect is committed to our care This Virgin who is very fair of a Sanguine Complexion but of a weakly Constitution has been wont for many years past upon every slight occasion viz. upon taking Cold or by errours in any of the six nonnatural things nay sometimes upon the meer change of the Season or of the Air to fall into a Feaver presently accompanied with pains of the Pleura a Cough and a difficulty of Breathing and for the most part horrible Convulsions following them She has been taken so very ill formerly of this Distemper that she has been often forc'd to keep her Chamber six Months or more every year but of late though she be not freed from this affliction yet she is seldomer tormented with it The last year she was pretty well all the Summer and well near all the Autumn about the beginning of Winter she fell sick of that Disease and now towards the end of it is fallen ill again The Pleuritick pain constantly possesses the right side where the Blood sticking and being extravasated in its passage about the Intercostal Muscles the Irritated Fibres commence a most tormenting pain together with a Convulsive motion of Coughing which they reiterate almost perpetually In the mean time the Lungs being found enough and open in their passages readily convey the Blood as clammy as it is without any lett or stay which often is the cause of a Peripneumonia No Remedies are wont to do good to this person without Bleeding which is always so particularly necessary that every time she is ill we are forc'd even whether we will or no to repeat it two or three times nay sometimes oftner The Blood emitted has constantly a Viscous and whitish Film on its surface This Disease was always a simple Pleurisie without any Peripneumonia and for its Cure she constantly us'd the following method with success Take Spirit of Sal Armoniack with Gum Ammoniacum three Drams give from fifteen drops to twenty thrice a day with the following Julape Take Carduus water Black-Cherry water of each six Ounces Hysterick water a Dram Sugar six Drams Betwixt whiles she took a Dose of Powder with three Ounces of an Apozeme Take the Powders of Crabs Eyes of a Bores Tusk of Sal Prunella of each a Dram Make a Powder divide it into six parts Take Grass Roots three Ounces Candied Eringo's an Ounce shavings of Ivory and Hartshorn of each two Drams parings of Apples a handful Raisins of the Sun an Ounce Boil them in three pounds of fountain water to two pounds add to the straining Syrup of Violets an Ounce Sal Prunella a Dram Mix them make an Apozeme Glisters of Milk with Syrup of Violets were administred sometimes every day and sometimes every other day if at any time Opïats though never so gentle were given her to allay pain commonly afterwards an aking and heaviness of the Head and Convulsive Affects most sorely tormented her CHAP. V. Instructions and Prescripts for the Cure of an Empyema BY the word Empyema according to its usual acceptation is denoted a Collection of Pus or corrupted matter within the Cavity of the Thorax by which the Organs of Respiration are opprest That Pus commonly flowing thither either from a Pleurisie or a Peripneumonia and sometimes haply from a Squinancy suppurated and broken As to the Cure of an Empyema we must in the First place consider whether the signs of this Disease as to the reality of its present Being be certain or doubtful if certain there will not be much need of Physick but only the Body being prepar'd you may presently proceed to open the side Therefore if after a Pleurisie or Peripneumonia not rightly Cur'd or after an inward effusion of Blood occasion'd by a stroak fall or wound there be perceiv'd a floating of Pus or of corrupted or bloody matter within the Cavity of the Thorax and this with little or no Spitting we need no longer think of Maturating or Expectorating Medicines but the Belly being loosen'd and the Blood and humours duly qualified by Julapes Apozemes and Anodines either order a bare Incision or in tender and timorous persons First let a Cautery be apply'd betwixt the sixth and seventh Vertebrae and after the Eschar being rais'd let the Incision Knife be entred obliquely towards the hinder and upper parts and that leisurely and by little and little till it penetrate
Preservatory The First teaches what is to be done in the Fit to free the Patient from present danger the other what out of the Fit to take away the Cause of the Disease 1. In the Fit there are two chief Intentions of Curing viz. First That care being taken as well of the Air as of the Lungs a more free Breathing be procur'd at least as much as may suffice to support Life And Secondly That the Organs of Respiration be reclaim'd and made to cease from the Convulsions they are fallen into and which are wont to be continued with obstinacy As to the former in the First place let the Patient be set in an upright Posture of Body in a pretty open place somewhat Airy and free from Smoak and the Breath of By-standers then endeavour that the Lungs being freed of all inward stuffing and oppression as well as outward compression may be able to draw and return the Breath deeper For these ends lest the weight of the inferiour Viscera press down and straiten the Praecordia let the Belly be loosen'd by a Glister and let the Garments and all other things covering or binding the Thorax be slacken'd Moreover since in this case the Lungs are usually opprest either from the Blood growing too turgid within the Pneumonick Vessels or from the Serum distilling forth of the Arteries and Glands into the Ductus's of the Trachea the Sallies and Impetuosities of both humours ought to be restrain'd and appeas'd Hence if the strength will bear it and the Pulse be strong enough Bleeding is often proper Again let those things be carefully given which discharge the Serum and the superfluities of the inflamed Blood by Urine and Sweat For which end Julapes Apozems and Pectorals commonly so call'd are of excellent use Moreover Powders of shells preparations of Millepedes Volatile Spirits and Salts are taken with good effect In the mean time let there be likewise given things that open the Ductus's of the Trachea and make them slippery and provoke expectoration and such also if need be as stop the Catarrh distilling on them for which ends Linctus's Lohoch's Pectoral Decoctions and Suffumigations are proper As to the other intent of Curing in Fits of the Asthma viz. That the Organs of Respiration being reclaim'd from the Convulsions they are fallen into return calmly to their ordinary Functions unless this follows of its own accord after that the turbulent boiling of the Blood and Serum within the Lungs is appeas'd We must use Anti-Convulsive and Anodine Remedies for Medicines wont to be given in Hysterick passions are also proper in a Convulsive Asthma The Spirit of Hartshorn of Soot and especially Spirit of Sal Armoniack distill'd with Gum Ammoniacum also the Tincture of Gum Ammoniacum of Sulphur Castoreum Assa-foetida the Syrup of Ammoniacum of Sulphur Oxymel of Squills and the like which being of an ungrateful tast or smell dissipate the Spirits as it were and withdraw them from tumultuary Efforts prove sometimes of notable use But if the raging Spirits cannot be appeas'd by this means we must come to Narcoticks that some of them being destroyed the rest may return into order For Opiats sometimes are mighty beneficial unless a stopping of the Lungs and a great oppression of the Praecordia forbid their use In horrible sits of this Disease when other Medicines have availed nothing I have often given Diacodium nay Laudanum Tartariz'd with good success Nevertheless these may not be taken without great caution for Respiration which is difficult and clogg'd before being hindred more and that very much by them they often put the Patient in danger of Life Moreover to reclaim the Pnenmonick Spirits from their Convulsions its good sometimes to put the Spirits to torture in some other part for when some of them are any where tormented all the rest for the most part being in a concern at it quit their disorderly motions Wherefore Vesicatories Cupping-glasses Ligatures and Painful Frictions give relief Nay for this reason Vomits taken in the midst of the fit do good I shall now set down certain Select Forms of Remedies appropriated to each of those ends First therefore to restrain the Fluxions of the Blood and Serum and to discharge their superfluities deriv'd from the Lungs by Sweat and Urine let the following things be prescrib'd Take Leaves of ground Ivy eight Ounces Rue Penny-royal and Dragons of each two Ounces Sal Prunella a Dram and a half Srrupus Byzantinus Syrup of red Poppies of each an Ounce Mix them make a Julape let three or four Ounces be taken thrice or oftner in a day Take Grass Roots three Ounces Roots of Butchers-Broom two Ounces Candied Elecampane an Ounce and a half Barley half an Ounce Raisins of the Sun an Ounce Boil them in three pounds of fountain water to two pounds to the straining add of Sal Prunella a Dram and a half sweeten it if it be needful with a sufficient quantity of Syrupus Byzantinus or of Syrup of Violets Take Tincture of Sulphur three Drams The Dose is from six drops to ten at Night and early in the Morning in a spoonful of the Syrup of the Juice of Ivy or of Violets Take Feculae of Aron and Briony of each a Dram and a half Flowers of Sulphur a Dram Flowers of Benzoin half a Dram Sugar Candy half an Ounce Licorice two Drams Make a Powder to be taken to half a Dram or two Scruples twice a day with the foregoing Julape or Apozeme Or Take of the foresaid Powder two Ounces Honey or Oxymel what suffices Make a Linctus take at Night and early in the Morning about half a spoonful at other times take it with a stick of Licorice Take Syrup of Hore-hound and of Garlick of each an Ounce and a half Tincture of Saffron and of Castoreum of each two Drams Mix them take about a small spoonful in the fits Take Spirit of Sal Armoniack with Gum Ammoniacum three Drams the Waters of Snails and of Earth-worms of each three Ounces Syrup of Horehound two Ounces Mix them take a spoonful once in four or five hours Take Powder of Hedg-mustard or of ground Ivy gathered in the Summer Sun an Ounce Oxymel simple what suffices Make a Linctus So much concerning the Medicines and method requisite in a fit of the Asthma The other Indication which is for preservation undertaking to remove the Morbifick cause and the whole Morbid Root has two parts or distinct Intents of Curing which for the most part are both set upon together one of these endeavours to amend the Conformation of the Lungs if it be any way prejudiced or faulty and the other to take away the Irregularities of the parts for motion and of the Spirits appointed for them Both these Intents will very well be answered if Pectoral Remedies commonly so call'd are joyn'd with Anti-Convulsives and are us'd interchangeably with other Medicines which have regard to the preparation of the whole Body and to Emergent Symptoms for which
injur ' Moreover when a Sweat is thus unduly rais'd the Blood being forc'd to a fusion and precipitation of Serum discharges more yet into the watery Mass of the Ascites therefore when some prescribe Fomentations and Liniments to be apply'd to the swollen Paunch and order Bathing for the most part it falls out for the worse to the Patients for besides Feverishness a Head-ach Vertigo faintings of the Spirits and other ill Symptoms of the Heart and Brain most frequently caus'd by such means the Belly also swells the more by it because the Blood being agitated and dissolv'd deposes the Serum there in a larger measure Nay and the Mouths of the Vessels are thereby made more loose and open so that they distil forth waters faster they being now dispos'd to part from the Mass of Blood The Remedies which are wont to be Administred with most success when we will not proceed to an Incision are Glisters and Plaisters The former draw the Serum out of the Vessels and Glands of the Intestines and Mesentery without fusing the whole Mass of Blood which strong Catharticks will do which being so emptyed receive into them some of the extravasted Lympha For this end the following Glister usually prescrib'd by us in the like case is mighty proper in regard at the same time it irritates the Fibres of the Intestines and draws the Serum imbib'd by the Blood or before contain'd in it to the Reins Take Vrine of a sound Man that drinks Wine one pound Venice Turpentine dissolv'd with the Yolk of an Egg an Ounce and a half Sal Prunella a Dram and a half Make a Glister repeat it daily Plaisters sometimes do good in an Ascites but let them be such as strengthen the Viscera by some restringent and comforting vertue and help to close the Mouths of the Vessels that they do not dicharge the Serosities in too great a plenty For this end I usually apply Emplastrum Diasaponis to the swollen Belly with good success Or Take Emplastrum de minio and Paracelsi of each what suffices Make a Plaister to be apply'd to the Belly If at any time this Disease be complicated with a Tympany other sorts of Epithems are proper as we shall decalre hereafter The great and most present Remedy for an Ascites is to make an Inision and draw forth the water tho this practice as often Kills the Patient as Cures the Disease wherefore there is need of great caution in what Persons and in what time of the Disease this ought to be attempted In Cachectical Persons and such as have been long ill in whom the Conformation and temperament of the Viscera are generally vitiated it cannot prove of any good effect to let forth the waters by piercing of the Belly for presently upon it the Spirits faint the strength is dissolv'd nay and a fresh inundation of the Morbifick humour soon succeeds it But those who before having a good constitution of the Viscera and being sound enough as to all other parts fall into an Ascites upon some great evident cause as they need not presently at first attenmpt an Incision so they ought not to defer it long if it be judg'd requisite For upon a long delay the Viscera which are immerg'd in the waters and as it were sodden in them become incorrigibly vitiated It s besides my purpose to describe here the Administration of this Incision whether it be perform'd the ordinary way or according to the way of Sylvius with a Perforated Needle As physicians seldom prescribe this operation they looking upon it as dangerous so Quacks and Empiricks never consulting them attempt it very often inconsierately and uprosperously For conclusion I shall here give you a relation of a true and terrible Ascites lately Cur'd without an Incision A young Woman tall and slender an Merchants Wife giving Suck to her Child drank both by day and by night to increase her Mild an immoderate quantity of Ale sometimes plain and sometimes made into Posset-drink after having us'd this ill way of Diet for six Weeks she feel suddenly into a cruel Ascites the beginnings of which she never had minded for her Abdomen being full of waters floatig within it swell'd mightily and its Bulk when she turn'd her self from one side to the other fell without the Ilia and the borders of the rest of her Body in the mean time the Flesh of all her Members was mightily consum'd and she seem'd not less Consumptive than Hydropical The Child being wean'd and better Diet ordered she entred upon Physick and in the first place took gently Hydragogues both Purging by Siege and Urine but without any benefit nay after all Purging she was worse Afterwards being Committed to our care and almost in a desperate condition I proceeded with her after the following method Having wholly forbidden her the use of Ale and all other drinks but what were Physical I prescrib'd these things Take Leaves of Plantain Brooklimes Clivers of each four handfuls being bruis'd together pour to them water of Earth-worms and Radish-water Compound of each three Ounces wring ti forth she took it twice a day viz. at eight of the Clock in the Morning and at five in the Afternoon she continued the use of this Medicine a long time but altered now and then the Composition changing sometimes the Herbs sometimes the Liquor to be poured to them Take of the reddest Tincture of Salt of Tartar an Ounce and a half she took twenty Drops going to Bed and early in the Morning in two spoonfuls of the following Julape drinking after it seven spoonfuls Take of the reddest Tincture of Salt of Tartar an Ounce an da half she took twenty Drops going to Bed and early in the Morning in two spoonfuls of the following Julape drinking after it seven spoonfuls Take water of the Flowers of Elder and of Saxifrage of each six Ounces the waters of Snails Earth-worms and Radish Compound of each two Ounces On her Belly she wore a Plaister made of Empl. de Minio Oxycroceo The following Glyster was given her first every day afterward every other or third day Take Vrine of a sound Man a pound Turpentine dissolv'd with the Yolk of an Egg an Ounce and a half Sugar an Ounce Sal Prunella a Dram Make a Glister By the constant use of these things in six Weeks time the swelling of her Belly came down but her flesh daily falling away a Consumption was fear'd Wherefore to prevent it she went into the Country and drank Asses Milk and by the benefit of this nourishment and of the fresh Air taking continually the above mention'd Medicines she recover'd perfectly within three Weeks or a Month and lives still and is in good health CHAP. IV. Instructions and Prescripts for Curing the Tympany A Tympany may be thus defin'd or at least describ'd viz. that it is a fixt and continued tumour of the Abdomen equal hard stiff yielding a sound upon striking taking its rise from a sort of
Prunella or Sal Armoniack from a Dram to a Dram and a half Make a Glister Take of the Vrine of a sound Man a pound Sal Prunella a Dram Venice Turpentine dissov'd with the Yolk of an Egg an Ounce and a half Make a Glister 2. Dinreticks If any other Remedies premise help in this Disease Take live Millepedes cleans'd three Ounces one Nutmeg slic'd being bruis'd together pour to them of the following Diuretick water a pound express it strongly The Dose is from three Ounces to four twice a day Take of the green Berries of Juniper and Elder of each six pounds Firr tops four pounds green Wallnuts two pounds Winters Bark four Ounces the outward Rinds of six Oranges and four Limons the Seeds of Ameos Rocket and Water-cresses of each an Ounce and a half Dill-seeds two Ounces being slic'd and bruis'd pour to them of Whey made with Whitewine eight pounds distil it with common Organs Let all the Liquor be mixt Take Crystal Mineral half an Ounce Volatile Salt of Amber two Drams Powder of wild Carrot-seeds a Dram Venice Turpentine what suffices Take small Pills take three at Night and in the Morning drinking after it of the foresaid water three Ounces Take sweet Spirit of Salt half an Ounce give from eight drops to twelve twice a day with a Draught of the same water adding Syrup of Violets a spoonfull Take Spirit of Salt of Tartar an Ounce give from a Scruple to half a Dram twice a day after the same manner So also Spirit of Nitre and Tincture of Salt of Tartar may be given Take Leaves of Plantain Chervil and Clivers of each four handfuls being bruis'd together pour to them of the former distill'd water a pound express it strongly The Dose is three Ounces twice or thrice a day with some other Medicine Take Grass Roots three Ounces Roots of Butchers-broom two Ounces Chervil and Candied Eringo's of each an Ounce shavings of Hartshorn and Ivory of each two Drams burnt Hartshorn two Drams and a half Burdock-seeds three Drams boil them in three pounds of fountain water to two pounds In the warm straining put Leaves of Clivers and Watercresses bruis'd of each a handful adding of Rhenish Wine six Ounces let there be a close and warm Infusion for two hours then strain it again and add of the Magisterial water of Earth-worms two Ounces Syrup of the five Roots an Ounce and a half make an Apozeme the Dose is four Ounces twice a day with some other Medicine Whilst these things are taken inwardly let Topicks also and outward applications be carefully Administred not such as are hot and discussing but such as are endow'd with Particles of a Volatile and Nitrous Salt which destroy the combinations of the other Salts and make void the efforts of the Spirits for which ends we propose the following things If Fomentations ought to be us'd at all let them not be apply'd too hot and let them not be prepar'd of the vulgarly call'd Carminatives but chiefly of Salts and Minerals Cabrotius quoted by Helmont says he Cur'd a Person eighty years of Age whose Belly he somented twice a day with a Lixivium in which he boil'd Salt Allum and Sulphur and after apply'd Cow-dung for a Cataplasm I use to prescribe as follows Take Flowers of Sal Armoniack an Ounce Crystal Mineral two Ounces small Spirit of Wine containing much Phlegm in it two pounds Mix them and dissolve them in a Glass Let a Woolen Cloath dipp'd in this warm be apply'd on the whole Abdomen and be chang'd now and then dipping it afresh Let it be done twice a day for half an hours space afterwards let there be apply'd either a Cataplasm of Cow-dung with the Powder of Dogs-turd or the Plaister following Take Emplastrum Diasaponis that is of Minium with Venice Soap what suffices Let it be thin spread on thin Leather and apply'd to the whole Belly renewing it within ten or twelve days The Second Indication requires chiefly altering Medicines viz. such as put a stop to the Fermentations of the humours in the Viscera of the Belly and to the wild Efforts and irregular excursions of the Spirits and which likewise procure the even mixtures and due motions of the Chyle and Nervous Juice For which ends Chalybeats are principally us'd and truly not only for this Disease but for many others belonging to the Viscera of the Belly it 's usual to have recourse to Steel Medicines though in the mean time many Empyricks confidently prescribing them do not consider after what manner such Medicines work or what alterations for the better may be expected from them And indeed it very often falls out that nature her self is destroyed and not the Disease when Chalybeats of which there is a great variety and of diversified Operations are given without any distinction or choice or without respect to the Temperament Constitution and state of the Disease in Patients We have treated elsewhere ex professo concerning Medicines prepar'd of Iron and Steel and of their vertues and manners of working so that it 's needless to repeat the same here As to this Disease if any of them are proper for it certainly they are not all For those in which the Sulphur still remains and being free predominates over the other principles after that the texture of the mixt Body is open'd must be wholly excluded from this number for by their powerful fermentation they greatly ferment the Juices of the Viscera and put the Blood and Spirits in such a Commotion that the whole Region of the Belly is puft up in a greater Bulk as though some Spirit rush'd violently into it Nor are those more proper here from which the Sulphureous Particles are wholly driven away with the Saline as in Crocus Martis prepar'd by a very strong and long Calcination for as this Medicine is good to stay all fluxions so it sixes more any Impactions of Spirits and humours and renders them more obstinate But there remains a Martial Remedy of a middle kind in which the Sulphur being wholly or for the greatest part expell'd the Vitriolick Salt remains and has for the greatest part the Predominancy as it has in a Solution of the Filings of Iron or in its Infusion either simple or in Mineral waters in Salt or Vitriol of Mars in our preparation of Steel with many others preparations and compositions of which have been often found by experience to have done great good in some cases for these destroy the Exotick and restore the Genuine Ferments of the Viscera open their Obstructions fix the Blood and keep its Texture from much dissolution Wherefore Chalybeate Medicines as also some other Alteratives have haply some effect against the Procatarctick and more remote Causes of a Tympany but do little or no good at all against its Conjunct Cause Take of our Steel ground very fine two Drams of the Distill'd water above written two Pounds Syrup of the five Roots two Ounces mix them in a Glass
Dropsie I say that in an Anasarca the Morbifick matter which is a Lympha resieds partly in the Mass of Blood and partly in the habit of the Body within the Pores and empty Spaces lying betwixt the Vessells Wherefore a strong Cathartick being given it presently Exagitates the Mass of Blood fuses it and moves it to an Excretion of any supersluous or heterogeneous thing And at the same time irritates the Mouths of the Arteries which lye open towards the Cavityes of the Intestines that the water cast out of the Blood may find a way forth rather by these Emissaries Hence in the fust place the waters floating within the Mass of Blood are clear'd forth in a plentifull manner and then the Vessells being drain'd soon drink up the waters betwixt the Flesh and the Skin and presently send them forth partly by seigh and partly by Urine or Sweat There is no fear in the mean time lest as in an Ascites the Morbifick matter being Exagitated and put in Fusion by the Medicine be driven from the Blood into the places affected whence it cannot easily get out again or lest as in a Tympany the Viscera by reason of the Fibres of the Ventricle and Intestines being too much irritated are mov'd into Convulsive Extensions for whilst the Viscera are sound and in a good state the Particles of the Medicament do them no hurt but being carryed thence into the Blood do not only fetch waters from it but by Exagitating its Mass raise up its Active Particles before opprest and dispose them for recovering their power of Fermentation Secondly I have also set down before the Hydragogues operating by Urine both simple and compound and have given you Forms of Medicines prepar'd of both and the ways of giveing them Wherefore I shall not repeat them here But because all Medicines of this kind do not good alike in all affects we must here observe that Lixivials as I have often found by experience far exceed the rest of Diureticks in Curing the Anasarca And now it 's a much us'd and common Remedy for any one who has his Members swell'd to Purge first and then to take twice or thrice a Day six or eight Ounces of a Lixivium made of White-wine with the Ashes of Wormwood or of Broom and to continue its use for some Days This Medicine as I have observ'd in many powerfully provok's Urine nay sometimes in such Abundance that the Patients within the space of twenty four hours making above a Gallon and a half of water have presently recover'd almost to a miracle The reason why Medicines containing a fixt and lixivial Sal expell Urine more in an Anasarca than such as are endow'd with an Acid or Alchalisate or Volatile Salt is that in this Disease the watery Homours which upon failing of the Fermentation of the Blood and of its sanguifying Vertue are gathered together as well within its Mass as in the habit of the Body upon stagnating there some time are turn'd somewhat sharp Wherefore the Lixivial Particles of the Medicine entering the Blood presently grow in a heat with the Acids of the waters which as they exagitate and ferment they cause a mighty Fermentation in the whole Mass of the Blood and a following excretion Take of the Ashes of Broom or of Wormwood or of the Prunings of Vines calcin'd to a whiteness and sifted four Ounces put them in a Glass-bottle with two Pounds of White-wine let there be a close and warm Digestion for three or four hours then strain it the Dose is from six Ounces to eight twice a Day Take white Tartar calcin'd with Nitre and after melted in a crucible till it look blew three Ounces small Spirit of Wine a pound and half water of Snails and Earth-worms of each four Ounces let them digest close luted in a sand-furnace for two Days the Dose of the clear Liquor is two or three Ounces with four Ounces of the Decoction of the Roots of Butchers Broom and Burdocks made in Ale For Ordinary Drink TAke white Ashes of Broom cleans'd two Pounds put them in a Bag with Raspings of Sassafras three Ounces Roots of the lesser Galingal an Ounce Juniper berryer and wild Carrot Seeds of each an Ounce and a half make a Bag for four Gallons of Ase after seven or eight Days begin to draw it Diaphoreticks often do excellently well in a Leucophlegmatia which begins or concludes an Anasarca and they usually agree better in this Disease when confirm'd than in other kinds of the Dropsie And though at the beginning they are not able to move Sweat because the habit of the Body is invested with a deal of waters however by exagitating the Blood they are a means that the active Particles implanted in it which were dull'd before and almost overwhelm'd are rais'd up again and dispos'd to a Fermentation and that all the dreggy Excrements especially such as are Aqueous are put in Motion so that presently breaking forth of their Receptacles in a plentiful manner they readily pass off by Seige or Urin and often in some measure by transpiration But after that the waters being well clear'd by Purging the Morbifick matter is so far diminisht that the bulk of the Body and the swelling of the Members begin to abate the remainder of the Humour is excellently consum'd by moderate Sweats and by a constant perspiration We have given you before a List and Forms of Hydroticks but as to our present purpose for the Cure of an Anasarca those things are most proper which are given in somwhat a large Dose for as to such as are prescrib'd in a small quantity their active Particles being immerg'd in the waters are overwhelm'd before they can be diffus'd in the Blood so as to exert their force wherefore Spirits whether Armoniack or Vinous also Tinctures and Elixirs nay and Powders seldom come in use against this Disease because in a small Dose they do little and if it be made very large they often offend the bowels by their excess in operation therefore let those things rather be made choice of which being taken in a full Draught and warm may be able to pass the whole Blood uncorrupted as chiefly the Decoctions of Woods and Roots whose Particles agreeing well enough with the Blood but being not to be mastered by it pass through its whole Mass and exert an Elastick force putting all the Humours in a Commotion Take Raspings of Guaiacum six Ounces Sassafras two Ounces all the Saunders of each six Drams shavings of Ivory and Harts-horn of each three Drams let them infuse according to Art and boyl in eight Pounds of fountain water till half be consum'd addïng Roots of Calamus Aromaticus the lesser Galingal Burdocks and Butter-burr of each an Ounce Leaves of Woodsage and Germander dryed of each two handfulls let the straining be kept for use the Dose is from eight Ounces to ten twice a Day warm to each Dose may be added Spirit of Sal Armoniack
succinated or of Soot from twenty to twenty five Drops Or Tincture of Salt of Tartar from half a Dram to a Dram. So much of Hydragogue Medicines to be taken inwardly which cause waters to be evacuated either by drawing them inwardly towards the Intestines or by driving them out to the Reins or to the Pores of the Skin Moreover there are certain outward Administrations us'd by which waters gather'd together within the habit of the Body are put in motion and so dispos'd either generally to pass off by Sweat or Urine or particularly are presently let forth a Vent being made in some peculiar places In the first rank we place Frictions Liniments Fomentations Baths both dry and moist And particular things to evacuate waters are Vesicatories Escharoticks and prickings by a Needle I shall speak of each of these or at least of the chief of them as far as they regard this Disease Frictions prove often of good effect in a Leucophlegmatia and an Anasarca For as the habit of the Body is not only so charg'd with a Glut of filthy waters there heapt together that nothing can breath through them but even the outward parts grow cold upon the Blood 's being hindred of an access to them frequent and strong Frictions give a motion to the stagnating waters and in some measure dissipate them from thence and by opening the passages call again the Blood into those parts whence it was banisht wherefore it is good not only to rubb the swollen Member but even the whole Body once or twice a Day with a course Cloath or with a little brush now commonly made for that purpose In rubbing or after it Liniments and Fomentations are somtimes proper They are prepar'd either of Salts and other Minerals dissolv'd or of hot and discussing Vegetables boil'd with Lees of Wine in water and being apply'd hot open the Pores give a farther motion to the accumulated Waters and discuss them and enlarge the compass of the Blood 's circuit the watery Mass being in some measure dissipated The Liniments consist of Sulphur and Salts of divers kinds or of Quick-lime and other Minerals which being powdred and mixt with the Mucilaginous extracts of Smart Herbs are made into an Ointment To which for their better consistency let a fit quantity of Oyl of Scorpions be added Nay this Oyl apply'd by it self so it be right gives often great relief I knew a Boy swollen very much with an Universal Anasarca who was Cur'd by this only Remedy For his Mother I know not how advis'd anointed his whole Body Mornings and Evenings with Oyl of Scorpions chafing well the parts with her warm hand Upon which within three Days he began to make a vast quantity of water and having continued to make water so for some Days the swelling vanishing by degrees he grew well Baths are scarce proper for any Dropsie but an Anasarca nor for this but in the first Disposition to it or as it goes off For since by the heat of Baths encompassing the whole Body the Blood being made very hot and instigated puts the waters every where in motion which were stagnating before and drinking them into it self conveys them sundry ways there is danger lest as it frequently happens receiving them from the habit of the Body into its Mass it presently deposes them in the Praecordia or the Brain for there is nothing more usual than that the affects of those parts viz. an Asthma or Apoplexy happen to Hydropical persons after bathing But when the conjunct cause of the Disease viz. the swelling is moderate or not very great a Bath of water impregnated with Salts and Sulphur or also a hot-house promoting a gentle Sweat are often us'd with good effect Instead of a hot-house it 's better that the Patients be plac't in some convenient Cells in a Salt-house near the Furnaces in which the Mineral water is boil'd into Salt which often proves of mighty benefit to them Vesicatories let forth the waters betwixt the Flesh and the Skin in a plentiful manner and somtimes too profusely these are to be apply'd to Hydropical persons with very great caution for such an Epispastick apply'd to swollen places makes a vent too wide upon the opening of which the water first breaking forth often draws after it from the whole Neighbourhood a great Glut of it whence presently follows a great Consternation of the Spirits Moreover somtimes the place so drain'd on a sudden being depriv'd of Heat and Spirits in a short time becomes mortifyed Wherefore this Medicine is seldom apply'd to the Leggs or Feet of hydropical persons where the neat is weak and the swelling very great but somtimes to the Thighs and Arms with security when need requires Escharoticks are apply'd somwhat more safely to the swollen Places than Vesicatories because the Flux of waters out of this Vent is not so violent and in such Abundance presently at first But beginning moderately it grows after by little and little to a great Current which nature after being accustom'd to it by degrees bears better Moreover there is less danger of a Gangrene after an Escharotick than after a Vesicatory because in that Application the part whose Union is dissolv'd is fortify'd by the Eschar against the loss of heat I knew an illiterate Empyrick who often by an Echarotick successfully evacuated the Members of Hydropical peasons though never so much swollen after the following manner viz. First he fomented their Leggs Morning and Evening with a Decoction of Dwarfe-elder Wormwood Camomill and other hot Herbs the Lees of Wine or Ale being added to them and betwixt the times of fomenting he apply'd a Cataplasm made of the Faeces of that Decoction with Bran After these things had been us'd three Days he covered both Leggs and Feet with a Plaister of Burgundy-Pitch leaving only a small hole on each Calf to the bigness of a small Nut in which places he put an Escharotick of the Ashes of Ashen Bark to the naked Skin which being remov'd after twelve hours a small Eschar was left out of whose Pores the Matter first Sweated gently then daily distill'd forth somwhat more freely and at length the Eschar falling off it flow'd forth in a plentifull Stream as from an open Source till it was drawn from the whose Legg both above and beneath There remains yet another way of drawing forth waters from betwixt the Flesh and the Skin not inferior to the former though less in use viz. by the pricking of a Needle Which also much be done very cautiously and by little and little lest a head-strong and excessive Flux of waters be rais'd by it Take an ordinary Needle such as Taylors use and prick the Skin over with it in the place most swell'd but let it not enter so far as to draw Blood and so make six or seven little holes at a time about an inch distant the one from the other The water will Issue by drops forth of each little hole
told him that unless he would abstain from Drink he must die in a short time upon which he promis'd so I could save his Life that he would Drink no more in a Weeks time and was as good as his word for though very Thirsty he scarce took any Liquid thing into him but Physick for six or seven Days And during that time by carefully taking Hydragogue Catharticks and Diureticks and all other things Prescirb'd he grew much better and afterwards a Method as above Prescrib'd being somtime followed he was restor'd to his perfect Health and now lives a sound Man after five years past There remains certain other affects of the Viscera of the Belly of the Remedies of which according to a due Method I should have treated here but I have already perform'd this Task for the greatest part elsewhere for we have deliver'd most of the Medicines that concern the Reins amongst Diureticks and those that concern the Stomach and Intestines among the number of Emeticks and Purgers As for what respect the Spleen and the Womb we have fully set them forth in our Hypochondriack and Histerick Pathology As for what regards the Genital parts and their Diseases and Cure we have thought fit to reserve it for another time and place It concerns us next after having treated hitherto of inward Pharmacy to discourse somwhat of outward Medicines which we shall do in the next Section beginning with the great Remedy Phlebotomy SECT 3. Of Outward Medicines CHAP. I. Of Phlebotomy TO Discourse Methodically of this great Remedy we must first consider how many ways and for what causes and ends an Emission of Blood happens either of its own accord or is indicated by Physick Then Secondly we shall acquaint you with the good and ill effects or with the Advantages and Prejudices of this Evacuation and shall give you likewise certain rules and cautions to be observ'd in the due Administration of Phlebotomy As to the first Spontaneous Eruptions of Blood being manifold and of divers kinds are usually reduc't to these two heads or orders viz. either they are Critical nature endeavouring somthing good and for the Advantage of Health or Symptomatical which happen for the most part when she is put by of her Government and all things are in Confusion The Eruptions of Blood of the first kind are again distinguisht that either they come without a Fever and are either Periodical which often happen at set times as the Menses of Women and in some the Flux of the Haemorrhoides and in others yearly Bleedings at the Nose or otherwise customary which commonly happen upon the great changes of the year or of the Air Or they are erring and uncertain as when the Blood breaks forth for our good from those places and from many others somtimes in this part of the Body somtimes in that Moreover Excretions of Blood somtimes happen in a Fever and often determine it In all these cases the Blood breaks forth because growing Turgid within its Vessels and being very much rarifled it requires a larger space Now the Blood grows thus Turgid on two accounts viz. both as its Liquor is Inflammable and as it is Fermentative 1. As to the First that the Blood may have a due Accension for the preservation of Life and the due performance of its Functions its Innate Sulphureous Particles must be proportion'd to the Nitrous Particles coming to it from the Air Therefore as often as the Blood growing very hot and being highly rarified is much open'd and loosen'd in its Texture so that the Sulphur being at freedom is kindled more than ordinary a quick and toylsome Breathing follows to draw the Nitre also in a fuller measure than usually Now if the abounding Sulphur cannot spend it self after this manner by burning briskly nor the vital flame be thus regulated presently the next course for lessning the fuel of the Sulphur is that some part of the rarified Blood breaks violently forth Hence not only in Fevers but after Drinking Wine Bathing being in the Sun and other Accidents upon which the Blood grows very Turgid either Eruptions of Blood happen of their own accord or it 's often necessary to supply the defect of such Spontancous Evacuation by opening a Vein Secondly the Blood also as it is a Fermentative Liquor is apt to break forth of its Vessels for if at any time some Heterogeneous thing which will not mix with it comes into its Latex it strongly Ferments as Wine in a Hogs-head and boyls in its Vessels to expell that disagreeing substance which seeing it can neither conquer nor send forth by Sweat Urine or other ways the Blood it self throws off some portion of its own substance as a Vehicle to carry forth that matter with it hence divers Eruptions of Blood variously happen both in Fevers and without them which are all rais'd by nature for some good intent though it often happens otherwise through various Accidents and Circumstances but for the most part there is a failing in Spontaneous Haemorrhagies critically intended either First because the Blood in boyling knows no measure in flowing forth or Secondly because the mouths of the Vessels being once open'd do not presently close or cannot presently be shut or Thirdly because nature endeavouring an Excretion of Blood does it by places which are most open though often improper as when it happens by the Lungs Reins Intestines and other Viscera which therefore from being critical becomes Symptomatical and often Malignant Nor only these ways but likewise for many other Failures or Impediments of nature Symptomaticall Haemorrhagies happen in all which either the Blood it self or the Vessels containing or both of them together are alwarys chiefly in the fault First the Blood besides the ways above mention'd is apt to extravasate when its Latex being some way corrupted is not able to retain its due mixture but being apt to coagulate or putrifie runs Into parts whereof some break forth into Wheals or Pushes or shew themselves in Spots others plainly make Bloody Eruptions where they can first find a Vent as it 's generally seen in the Plague Small-pox Meazles and in Malignant Fevers and in some measure in Scorbutick Affects Secondly The Vessels conveying the Blood are many ways the cause of its Symptomatical Eruption as first if some of them are in any place obstructed as often as the Blood is put in a Rapid Motion it 's forc't to burst forth either there or near the place and somtimes also in parts far distant from it hence upon a suppression of the Menses or Haemorrhoides a Bleeding at the Nose often follows Secondly the little Mouths of the Vessels have somtimes al ill Conformation for that the fleshy Fibres with which they are guarded are grown Lax or resolv'd so that when the ends of the Arteries gape too much the Mouths of the Veins close by reason of this affect Scorbuticall and Cachectical persons are very subject to Eruptions of Blood Thirdly It oftens
Phthisick For the Blood after the Vessells are emptyed as the Stomack when discharg'd Concocts and Assimilates all Humours that come into it better and more easily separates any Heterogeneous thing and sends it away But if the mixture of the Blood begins to be much dissolv'd or wholly to sink as in the Plague and Malignant Fevers we must utterly abstain from Bleeding for upon taking away of Blood the provision of the Spirits whose only business it is to preserve the Mass of Blood from Putrefaction and Corruption is diminisht So that all things presently tend to a pernicious Dissolution Moreover if the Discracy of the Blood be such that the more noble Principles viz. the Spirits Volatile Salt and Sulphur being deprest or spent the watery and earthy Particles have the Praedominancy the Blood must by no means be let forth but be preserv'd as the Treasure of Life Hence in a Dropsie Cachexia Consumption and other affects where the active Principles are mightily deprest you had as good cut a Mans Throat as open a Vein In the foresaid cases where the Crasis of the Blood is consider'd it 's easy to determine whether Bleeding be proper or not but in certain other cases as especially in a Putrid continual Fever when Life and Death depend on this point there is need of great Deliberation Now in this difficult case we must consider the State of the Blood the tendency of the Morbifick Matter and the strength of nature First as to the former if in a Putrid Fever the Blood boyling very much canses a mighty heat with Thirst Watchings and a parching heat of the Jaws and no free Sweat or Eruption of Pushes appears or is expected in any short time Bleeding is so plainly indicated that it were a crime to omit it But on the coutrary if in a weak Body a slow and remiss but continual Fever arises with a weak Pulse forbear taking away any Blood and let it be cleans'd by Transpiration Urine and Blistering In a middle State of the Blood let Bleeding being of it self indifferent be determined by other things Therefore in the second place we must consider the Tendency of the Morbifick matter or its Propension which matter if it lies dull in the Mass of Blood and unapt to separate and so as it frequently falls out a Translation of it to the head instead of a Crisis hapning it threatens the Brain and the Genus Nervosum Bleeding ought to be seasonably Administred for the prevention of these evils But if that matter mov'd with a sudden Impetus and either rushing inwards to the Viscera of the Belly causes a violent Vomiting or Flux or driven outwards brings forth the Small-pox Meazles or other Pushes every such Impetus of nature of good ought not to be disturb'd if evil must not be rendred worse by Phlebotomy For to let Blood in these cases is not only dangerous but very often also Extreamly Ignominious Thirdly concerning Bleeding in a doubtful case we must consider the strength of the Patient for in a sound Constitution a Vigorous Age the beginning of a Disease and whilst the Functions both Vital and Animal are in a vivid or indifferent State we may with confidence order Bleeding unless somthing indicates the contrary but when it is otherwise as to those conditions we must not inconsiderately proceed to that Evacuation Thirdly the disorderly Motions of the Blood viz. when being struck as it were with a Rage it either rushes violently or conveys offensive matter somtimes into one part somtimes into another it is excellently moderated or reduc'd by Phlebotomy wherefore for violent Head-aches all Convulsive or Sleepy Fits for Catarrhs Inflammations of the Eyes and for the Cough Asthma Fits of the Gout and of the Stone in the Kidneys or for Phlegmons Erisipela's and for many other affects caus'd by the Fluxions of the Blood or Serum Bleeding is commonly prescrib'd and that with good success for upon draining the Vessells the Blood getting a more free passage is Circulated calmly and undisturb'd Moreover whatsoever of this or of the Serum is extravasated is drunk up again and brought into its due course Having thus shewn you the effects both good and evil which happen to the Blood in its different State upon Breathing a Vein we must now enquire to what chief Diseases either of the whole Body or of some particular part that kind of Remedy had a most immediate regard to it And first as to general affects it 's well known that Bleeding is indicated by a hot and dry Distemper and forbidden by a cold and moist In every Fever it 's usually propos'd never in the Dropsie Next if we consider particular Diseases there is no region or part of the Body but some time may require it The Headaking the Brain opprest with Blood or Serum whence a world of evils spring the Inflammation of the Eyes Face Mouth and Throat all Diseases of the Brest and Praecordia to each of which the disorder of the Blood gives a Rise or affords Fuel also obstructions or inflam'd affects of the Liver Spleen and other Viscera so likewise both the overgreat fulness and athletick habit of the whole Body and the Tumours and Painful or Convulsive Passions of each particular Member seem to accuse the Blood as the Author of all the evil and require its Emission as it were by way of satistisfaction If at any time in these and may other affects Bleeding be manifestly indicated before we set upon it we must consider of these four things viz. in what place after what manner and by what instrument at what time and in what quantity the Blood ought to be let forth 1. As to the First though according to the Laws of the Circulation of the Blood there be little difference from what Vessel it be drawn so it be large enough yet because besides a general Evacuation of Blood somtimes a partial Derivation properly so call'd as when the Blood is to be drawn from some particular place where it is gatered together and likewise a Revulsion when it is to be withdrawn into this or that part are intended therefore in the Body of Man various limited precincts as it were are assign'd out of which Blood may be let according to occasion and for most necessary uses somtimes out of this somtimes out of that or the other If therefore at any time a general Evacuation of Blood be indicated the common or middle Vein of the Arm is best to be open'd for this being of a good largeness easily admits the Lancet and the Blood flows equally from the whole Body to its wide Orisice upon the free Emission of which not only the Plethorick Disposition is taken away but the greater Vessells being every where emptyed by this means the Bloood stagnating in any place is restor'd agin to Motion and if extravasated is drank up agin into the Veins Wherefore in great affects where the Blood gathered together in the Brain or about the
let the Patient keep himself quiet with his Head in an upright posture then let the Joynts of his Arms and Thighs many of them together but not all of them be bound with strait Ligatures which must now and then be loosn'd and remov'd to other parts for upon their being bound all at once and so continued a long time I have known that terrible Swoundings have happen'd by reason of the Bloods being detain'd in the outward parts and kept too much from the Heart Though otherwise this Remedy being prudently administred gives often relief For since by this means the Blood which passes into the Members by the Arteries is hindred from its quick return by the Veins its violent taking to the head is stay'd Moreover by the painful Ligatures of the Joynts the Muscular Fibres of the Carotide Arteries from whose Branches the Blood issues at the Nostrils are freed from the Convulsion which they often fall into 2. To withdraw the course of the Blood from the Nostrils sometimes it 's proper to open a Vein in the Arm or Foot for the more Blood is carried by the Arteries to the place where a Vein is open'd the less will flow to the Nostrils Yet this Administration does not always prove so successful but its contrary effect sometimes happens as we have observ'd before where we treat of Spitting Blood The reason whereof is that the Vessels being suddenly and not sufficinetly emptryed draw into them again the disagreeing Homours before ejected and stagnating within the Pores by which the Blood is presently stirr'd up again to a greater Turgescency for Eruption 3. Cold things apply'd to the Forehead and Temples also to the Nape of the Neck where the Vertebral Arteries ascend constringe the Vessels and somewhat repress or repel the Flux of Blood But it is ill done of some who advise topical coolers to be apply'd to the Jugular Veins for this retarding the course of the Blood in its return causes it to flow more plentifully out at the Nostrils Moreover as to the usual way of applying a Linnen-cloath or a Spunge dipt in Vinegar to the Share and Genitals it gives relief only as a Ligature of the Members viz. in as much as it hinders the return of the Blood of the Veins A sudden and unexpected Sprinkling of cold water on the Face by striking a Terrour often stops an Eruption of Blood 4. Cupping-glasses applyed to the Hypochondres Flanks inward parts of the Thighs and to the Soles of the Feet have been accounted both by Ancient and Modern Physicians a famous Remedy for withdrawing an Eruption of Blood from the Nostrils 5. Frictions of the extream parts are commended in this affect by some Practitioners which nevertheless we judge not so very good nay scarce safe For though they cause a greater confluence of Blood to the Hands and Feet yet they so accelerate its return that it endangers a more violent Sally of it to the Nostrils 6. Zacutus Lusitanus among Revulsory Remedies proposes an actual Cautery to be apply'd to the Soles of both Feet and Crato the bending of the little Finger of the same side which last you may do well to try in regard it is done easily Though I do not advise so of the other Remedy unless the Cure by it were more certain which might recompence the Pain and Lameness that will ensue 7. A Swounding by what means soever caus'd stops presently for the most part an Eruption of Blood be it never so refractory Wherefore when persons seiz'd with an Eruption of Blood and grown weak by it are pull'd out of Bed or if Blood be taken from them though in a small quantity by opening a Vein they apprehending a danger in it or if their Members are long bound or they are suddenly put in a fright with some feigned Rumour and upon any other occasion fall into a Swound or a Fainting Fit the Eruption of Blood from the Nostrills presently ceases The reason whereof it evident enough because as soon as the Motion of the Heart fails both the Blood and Spirits presently rush thither so that all outward Effusion is incontinently stopt and that which before was immoderate does not begin afresh 8. In the last place we must take a view of those Remedies for repressing an Eruption of Blood from the Nostrils which are said to work after an Occult manner and by Sympathy and Antipathy Of which kind chiefly are the Sympathetical Powder made of Roman Vitriol Calcin'd to whiteness by the Sun in the Summer Also a piece of the Wood of a Maiden or young Ash cut about the moment that the Sun enters Taurus The efficacy of which Remedy is attested by many credible witnesses to have been prov'd in stopping Eruptions of Blood in wounded Souldiers during the late Civil Wars So a dry'd Toad sewed up in a Silk Bag and worn on the Pit of the Stomack is said to stop any Flux of Blood and to prevent its return There are many other famous Medicines for stopping Blood whose operation is wont to be referr'd to Occult causes and to some secret Vertue As Neck-laces of the Blood-stone worn about the Neck also Vsnea or the moss of a Mans Skull carried in the hand Epithems of the Leaves of Netles stampe and apply'd to the Soles of the Feet and the Palms of the Hands which Empirical Administrations being to be try'd without trouble or charge we have no reason to reject them especially since in a dangerous case we ought to leave nothing unattempted and in regard that those applications may do good sometimes in this respect that they fortify the imagination of the Patient Whilst these outward Administrations are us'd for repelling or withdrawing the Flux of Blood from the Nostrils let Topicks also be put into the Nostrils to close the Gaping Mouths of the Vessels for which use Injections of Liquid things Pledgets Powders to be blown in and Fumes are wont to be prescrib'd which failing of effect we must come at last to Escharoticks 9. Amongst Liquids a Solution of Vitriol made in fountain water is accounted not only the chief but as good as all the rest Some boast of this as of a great secret and an infallible stopper of Blood Indeed the same apply'd to a fresh Wound for as much as by corrugating the extremities of the cut Vessels it closes them it keeps back the Flux of Blood and powerfully stops it But in regard in an Eruption of Blood from the Nostrils where the Blood is convey'd to the gaping Mouths of the Arteries and ought to be receiv'd by the Veins this application closes these as well or rather than those it does here little or no good at all as I have often known it try'd This Medicine is prepar'd of green Vitriol viz. the Hungarian or of that of our own Country also of the Factitious Vitriol of Mars dissolv'd in a sufficient quantity of fountain water I know some commend a Solution of Roman Vitriol which they
intimated before As to others that are not so weak we say thus those whose Blood has not an easy Transpiration by reason of the Constipation of the Pores and upon its being put in a stronger Motion by the heat of the Bed is dispos'd to greater Turgescencies and to Eruptions it will be good for them not only to stay out of Bed while Bleeding but likewise sometimes to be cool'd by outward Applications in the whole habit of the Body or at leastwise in most of its Members Wherefore Fabritius Hildanus relates how he presently Cur'd one of a violent Bleeding at Nose after many ordinary Remedies try'd in vain by putting him into a Vessel of cold water with the like success also Riverius having ordered another affected in like manner to be taken forth of his Bed and laid on a Woolen Rugg in the Floor fomented his whole Body with Linnen-cloaths wetted in an Oxicrate Yet this method is not generally proper for all Persons and at all times But on the contrary those whose Blood being of a free Transpirable disposition and enjoying open Pores readily evaporates and is wont upon any moderate ambient heat to be resolv'd into Sweat and consequently to become more calm it 's good for such to continue in Bed not only whilst Bleeding but as long as that Eruption is in danger of returning in a short time after For this reason it is that many Persons subject to violent Eruptions of Blood live free from that Distemper during the Summer whilst they have a free Transpiration but when the cold of the Winter presses them their Pores being stopt they undergo more frequent and dreadful Fits of it 3. The third Indication being for Preservation which regarding the removal of the cause of the Distemper either hinders the Eruptions of Blood or renders them less frequent or less considerable suggests to us these two chief intents of Curing viz. First that the Blood being restor'd to its due Temperament and Mixture be quietly circulated within its Vessels without Turgescencies and Eruptions And Secondly that the Blood Vessels be kept in their due State as to their Conformations of their little Months and the Tones of their Muscular Fibres so that those Vessels neither cause those disorderly Sallyes of the Blood to the Head or give way to its Eruption from the Nostrils For both these ends in the first placelet the Redundancy of the Blood and its great foulness be provided against by a seasonable Administration of Phlebotomy and Purgation and then forprocuring and preserving its right Temperament let the following Alteratives be given in fit seasons for Physick Take Conserve of red Roses and of the wild Rose of each three Ounces Powder of all the Saunders of each half a Dram of Coral prepar'd a Dram of the reddest Crocus of Mars two Drams Sal Prunella four Scruples With a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Coral make an Electuary take early in the Morning and going to Bed the quentity of a Chesnut either by it self or Drinking after it of the following distill'd water three Ounces Take of the tops of Cypress and Tamarisk of each eight handfuls tops of St. John ' s-wort and of Horse-tayl of each four handfuls all the Saunders bruis'd of each an Ounce Pith of White-bread two Pounds being slic't very small pour to them of New-milk eight Pounds distill it with common Organs Sweeten each Dose as you take it with a sufficient quantity of the Syrup of the Juice of Plantain Take Leaves of Plantain Brooklimes and stinging Nettles of each four handfuls being bruis'd pour to them of the foregoing water half a Pound small Cinnamon water two Ounces express it strongly the Dose is three or four Ounces in the Morning at nine of the clock and at five in the Afternoon Let Medicines of this kind be taken Spring and Fall for twenty or thirty Days giving sometimes a gentle Purge between whiles But in the Summer let Mineral Chalybeat waters be Drunk for a Month than which there is not a more excellent Remedy in this case I shall now give you an example of one Cured of an Eruption of Blood whose case was somewhat particular I was lately sent to for advice for a Gentleman living far off who had been troubled a good while with frequent and violent Eruptions of Blood sometimes from the Nostrils sometimes from the Heamorrhoids this person had been often let Blood by the advice of his friends but found no good thereby nay most commonly after opening a Vein falling into cold Sweats and Swounding Fits and still as liable to Eruptions of Blood he was wont to be much worse To this Person not having seen him I prescrib'd Julapes and cooling Decoctions and Anodyns also Juicy expressions of Herbs and other things to cool the Blood but these things also as though all yet were far from the makr had nothing a better success at length being call'd into the country to see him I found the affect with which he was seiz'd to be meerly or chiefly Convulsive for the Blood breaking forth daily his Pulse was weak his Extream parts cold and all the Vessels were fallen as though too much emptied Moreover the Patient was troubled with a continual Giddiness and a Trembling of the Heart and was taken now and then with Swounding Fits or with the apprehension of it Truly it was so far from it that the Blood should break forth of the Vessels by reason of any Redundancy or Turgescency that rather on the contrary its Current was so extreamly low and small that it seem'd scarce able to maintain the Stream of Circulation But the thing was that often in a Day he sensibly pervceiv'd somewhat on a sudden to pass privately sometimes up and sometimes down his Body like a wind and for the most part an Eruption of Blood from the Nostrils or Haemorrhoids followed the Tendency of that Motion So that it was easy hence to conclude that the moving Fibres of the Blood Vessels by which they are contracted being seiz'd with Convulsions drew suddenly every way in a disorderly manner the Stream of the Blood as small and low as it was and forc't it now and then to an Eruption Which also was the easier done because the Lax and Gaping Mouths of the Vessels permitted the Blood driven to them to flow forth without any due stay A Method of Cure ordered pursuant to this Aetiology confirm'd it by its good success For Bleeding and the use of Blood-stopping Medicines being thenceforwards omitted I prescrib'd the use of the following Powder whereof he took a Dose every sixth hour with a proper Julape Take Powder of the Roots of Male Peony red Coral and Pearl of each a Dram Ivory Crabbs Eyes Blood-stone of each half a Dram Sal Prunella a Dram make a Powder the Dose is half a Dram. Take black Cherry water eight Ounces Balm water and small Cinnamon water of each two Ounces Treacle water an Ounce Syrup of Coral an Ounce and
irritated a Watery Humour fill'd with Fiery Particles and therefore rejected both from the Blood and from the Nervous Juice is voided in a great abundance That Lympha because it cannot pass through the Scarf-skin separates it from the Skin and raises it into a Blister Hence it will be easy to understand after what manner Vesicatories perform their operation viz. Cantharides and so all other things of the same vertue being outwardly apply'd and coming to be made warm by the Effluviz's of the part they lie on and so stirr'd up to exert their force emit from them a great plenty of Smart and Fiery Particles as it were which penetrating the Scarf-skin without breaking it strongly fix themselves in the Skin Where sirst they act on the Spirits and then by their means on the Humours and Solid parts Those Particles very much irritate the Spirits and make them cause painful Convulsions of the Fibres and they fuse the Humours and make them separtate into parts so that the Watery part being mightily fill'd with those Smart and as it were Venemous Particles is thrown off on every side by the rest of the Latex And the extremities of the Vessels and Fibres being either in the mean time Eaten away by Burning or open'd and emulg'd as it were by Twitching that Ichor is voided in a plentiful measure from their little Mouths carrying with it the offensive Particles Which Ichor afterwards separates the Impervious Scarf-skin from the Skin and raises it into a little Blister And after this is broken and remov'd is plentifully voided for some time from the Ulcerated Skin But this is not only so done because the Serous Latex inbibing the Smart Particles of the Medicine and conveying them forth does not always carry them back all the same way that they came in but sometimes being imbued with those Particles it regurgitates into the Mass of Blood and afterwards being circulated with it and voided with its offensive Load by other Emunctories it offends in its passage or as it goes forth certain weak or tender Ductus's Hence many after the use of great or many Vesicatores having their Urinary passages thereby affected with an Acrimony or Erosion get a Strangurie which in some is most sharpe and intolerable Again in others troubled with the Stone that application sometimes causes Bloody Urine Hence also it may be suspected that tender Lungs or such as are inclin'd to a Consumption may be much endangered by the outward application of this Medicine Which nevertheless I have not hitherto known happen to any but rather on the contrary I can testifie by frequent trials that it rather proves to their advantage than to their prejucice For the smart Particles of the Catharides upon long application being sometimes plentifully imbib'd by the Blood infect its whole Serum which Latex nevertheless so aculeated as long as it is mixt with the Balsamick Blood offends no part but being separated from it by the Reins it sometimes hurts them and often not only twitches the Neck of the Bladder with its Acrimony but sometimes Corroding it fetches thence a Mucus and little Schims and even Blood it self But in the Mass of Blood those same sharpe Salino Volatile Particles often do great good because they destroy the fixt and acid Salts in it and likewise open the too close Texture of the Blood and so cause its Serous and other Morbifick Particles before fast bound in it to be separated from it and to be readily sent forth by Urine and Sweat hence in Fevers Vesicatories long apply'd cause a large Evacuation by Urine and a free Sweat Moreover the same open the Obstructed passages and stir up the Portions of the Blood and Serum stagnating in any place or extravased and restore them to Circulation Wherefore they are wont to do good not only in Distempers of the Serum but also of the Blood nay in the Pleurisie Peripneumonia and in any other Fevers whatsoever Hitherto having shewn after what manner Vesicatories work first on the Spirits and then on the Humours and Solid parts I must next set down their effects both good and evil also the manner of using them That they work first on the Spirits it is plain from hence that they exert no power on the Dead And it s an ill Omen in very weak persons when Vesicatories do not work because it 's a sign that the Animal Spirits are mightily dejected or lessen'd in their store Therefore to explain well the Energy or Vertue of this Medicine we must consider what Humours it evacuates or alters immediately or mediately And then in what Diseases and in Bodies how dispos'd it does good or hurt As to the first the Humours immediately let forth by a Vesicatory partly issue from the Pores and Glands of the Skin and partly from the Mouths of the little Arteries and partly from the extremities of the Nervous Fibres haply some little of the Juice fresh receiv'd may be cast back again from the little Mouths of the Veins though much of it cannot The Humours mediately voided by a Vesicatory are those which the foresaid parts being emptied receive from elswhere and convey forth 1. The Scarf-skin being remov'd by a Vesicatory from the Skin a Serous Humour is drawn from the Glands and Pores and this not only from the place Blistered but those Pores being pervious to others a Portion of Serum coming from other Pores sometimes succeeds in the Cells of the first drain'd and thence also distill forth wherefore in an Anasarca the little Ulcers rais'd by a Vesicatory empty waters on every side in great plenty and derive them from all the Neighbouring parts nay sometimes from those that are very remote 2. The Mouths of the Arteries do not only Spew forth the Portion of Serum brought to them according to common course but the Serous Latex being imbued with the irritative force of the Medicince in the whole Mass of Blood is thereby separated from the Blood in a more plentiful manner and carried forth by the said Mouths of the Arteries and with it other Excrements and sometime the Morbid matter it self in a large measure Hence in Malignant Fevers nay and in some Putrid Fevers of a difficult Crisis when the Refuse and Corruptions of the Blood unapt for separation threaten the Praecordia or Brain-vesicatories deriving it forth continually and by degrees often give great relief To which may be added that the same also as we have hinted before alter and restore the Blood degenerated or deprav'd as to its Salts and likewise by opening or rarifying its Texture dispose it to a Eucrasy Wherefore this kind of Remedy often agrees excellently well not only in a Feverish State of the Blood but likewise when it is otherwise vitiated or Cacochinical 3. Reason and Experience convince us that Vesicatories draw from the extremeties of the Nerves and Nervous Fibres the Latex contain'd within their Ductus's and free it from Stagnation and that they exagitate the
Heterogeneous Particles mixt with the Latex and deriving them from the Brain convey them forth whence they are found of excellent use in Convulsive affects From these things we may gather for the Cure of what Diseases this kind of Remedy is chiefly conducing for in order to an Evacuation from the Pores and Glands of the Skin as often as a Serous sharpe or otherwise offensive Humour is gathered together in or near them and being excluded from Circulating with the Blood obstinately sticks there certainly there is no readier or easier way of clearing the same forth than by applying a Vesicatory on or beneath the place affected wherefore it is not only indicated in an Anasarca and all Cutaneous foulnesses and breaking forth but a Vesicatory is likewise requir'd in Pains either of the Gout or Scurvy any where sixt in the outward habit of the Body or in some Member Secondly Vesicatories are always us'd in Malignant Fevers in respect of the Blood both to Purge it by degrees from all Heterogeneous and Morbifick matter and to alter it from its two Acid or Salt or otherwise vitiated Disposition into a due Temperament Nay they are of most excellent use in all Putrid Fevers threatning ill and of a difficult Determination Therefore also in the Scurvy Leucophlegmatia the Longing Disease of Maids and in any other Cacochimia that kind of Remedy does often great good Again Vesicatories are generally apply'd with good success not only for correcting the Blood it self but likewise as often as being deprav'd it pours its Corruptions on the other parts and so gives a beginning to Diseases and cause Fits of them in the Head Thorax Belly or Members Wherefore in Head-aches Vertigo's and Sleepy affects this is a known and vulgar Remedy and so in a Catharrh and any Defluxion either into the Eyes Nose Palate or Lungs every ordinary Man Prescribs Cantharides for a Revulsory without advising with a Physitian I must own that my self having been often seiz'd with a violent Cough accompanied with much and thick Spittle to which I am Originally inclin'd have not found more good from any Medicine than from Vesicatories therefore I am wont when that Distemper presses first to apply Blistering-plaisters on the Vertebrae of the Neck then those little Ulcers being heal'd I apply them behind the Ears and afterwards if need requires on the Shoulder-blades for so the Serous Filth breaking forth in abundance from the dissolv'd Texture of the Blood is deriv'd from the Lungs nay and the mixture of the Blood sooner recovers its Crasis its irregular Salts being by this means destroyed 3. In respect of the Humour to be evacuated or deriv'd from the Genus Nervosum and the Brain it self Epispasticks as they are of most common use in Sleepy Convulsive and Pain-causing affects so they often prove mighty beneficial Was ever any one seiz'd with a Lethargy Apoplexy or Falling-sickness but presently his Freinds or Attendants though never so ignorant flead his Skin with Cantharides In strange Convulsive Motions usually ascrib'd to no less than Witchcraft I have apply'd Vesicatories with great success to many parts of the Body together and by renewing them now and then in fresh places I have continued them above a Month Again fixt and cruelly tormenting Pains in the Membranous parts are seldom Cur'd without this AdminiAstration For sometimes Humours and Morbifick Particles which being throughly radicated yield not at all to Catharticks or Medicines working by Sweat or Urine seem to be utterly rooted out by Vesicatories laying hands as it were on the Disease Yet this Remedy though very general does not work so readily and successfully in some Diseases and Constitutions wherefore we must not use it inconsiderately or indifferently to all persons for those that have the Stone and are subject to frequent and great Fits of the Strangury scarce ever undergoe its application without prejudice Wherefore in persons so affected we must not use Vesicatories but in Malignant Fevers or in Acute Diseases of the Head to prevent a greater Mischeif As to the various Temperaments and Constitutions of Men in respect of which Vesicatories agree or dissagree more or less Concerning these things this threefold notable difference presents it self fiirst some in a manner always bear the use of this Medicine well and the little Sores made in the Skin by it distill forth the Excrementitious Humidities plentifully enough without any Disury or great Inflammation of the place Blistered and then heal of their own accord Which effect happens only in a Blood of a good Temperament where the Salt and Sulphur being in a moderate quantity and in a due state there is a good plenty of Serum whos 's Latex receding readily and in a copious manner from the rest of the Blood takes with it the smart Particles of the Medicine imbib'd and partly distills them forth by the place Blistered and partly conveys them out by the Urinary passages without offending them On this account also those good effects before mention'd are puoduc't in the Mass of Blood But Secondly this Medicine does neither agree nor work well with others for it makes the place on which it is apply'd mighty red or rather excoriats it with a violent Pain and a great Inflamation And yet the little Sores there made though they torment the Patient a good while cast forth but a very little Ichor or scarce any at all Moreover in those to whom Blistering always proves so torturing a cruel Stangury for the most part succeeds it This troublesome and withal unprofitable use of Vesicatories happens very frequently to Men of a hot and cholerick Temperament whose Blood contains Salt and Sulphur in a great plenty and but a little Serum which is wholly tainted with the others Wherefore when its Latex which ought to carry off the smart Particles of the Medicine does not part readily nor in a plentiful manner from the rest of the Blood to wà sh them away presently those Particles still sticking in the Skin Taint and Poyson as it were the Blood in its passage and being thereby hindred in its Circulation they cause it to gather together and stagnate within the extremities of the Vessels whereby they are inflam'd Moreover the Serous Latex at length separated by the Reins being but in a small quantity and sharpe of it self and made more sharpe by the Particles of the Medicine irritate the Neck of the Bladder and often corrode it with its Acrimony There remains a Third though more rare case of persons Blistered in whom the little Sores rais'd in the Skin presently pour forth the Serous Humour in such abundance that there is streight way need of repelling Medicines and such as close the Mouths of the Vessels otherwise upon the too great Efflux of waters a Dissolution of the strength and a failing of the Spirits are endanger'd to ensue I have known this to have happen'd so constantly in some that they were forc't for the time to come to abstain from
requires the Judgment of a Physician or skilful Chirurgion For we must be very careful that a Cautery or Incision be not admitted over or too near the Tendons or greater Vessels Nor must an Issue be made in the very Body of a Muscle but in the Space or Interstice betwixt the Muscles where the hole must pass the whole Skin and so much farther till the little Membrane of the Muscle underneath be penetrated wherefore this operation is not to be committedindiscreetly to Quacks and others ignorant of Anatomy for upon an ill performance herein there ensues not only a Frustration of all good but often great prejudices thence arise nay sometimes eveâ— to the hazard of Life It 's needless for me here to describe the way of preparing and compounding a Cautery or the figure and uses of the Incision Instrument for making Issues for these are commonly known yet it will not be amiss to discourse somewhat here after what manner we must deal with the Symptoms which happen to those Emissaries after they are made and hinder or pervert their Energies There being many and sundry sorts of affects hapening to Issues a Cure is not requir'd for them all but only for those of greatest moment Therefore in the first place it is needed whenever an Inflammation happens to the part or place where it is Secondly if the Orifice voids more or less Ichor than it ought Thirdly if the Sore be apt to dry up of its own accord and now and then to be covered with a little Skin or to grow rank with a Spungy Flesh growing up in its Circumference As to the lesser defaults as when the Sore bleeds often or if changing its place it gets by little and little into a worse with many others in which it 's wont to prevaricate it will not be worth while to mind them here 1. An Inflammation sometimes happens to an Issue and that sometimes so great that it threatens a Spacelus or Mortification of the part nay and sometimes brings it Now such an affect comes either upon the fresh making of the Orifice or happens afterward by reason of the Blood and Humours being upon some occasion put in a Commotion and rushing in a throng to that place When an Issue is first made presently by reason of the Solution of continuity and consequently the Blood 's being somewhat letted in its Circulation in that part some Inflammation and Soreness happen to all persons But in some who have a very hot Blood and little diluted with Serum this proves much more violent there hapening sometimes a Mortification of the part inducing a Spacelus Or Secondly the Blood there stagnating is chang'd into a Pus to be evacuated by an Abscess Or Thirdly which more frequently happens and ought to be always procur'd in our case the Blood causing an Inflammation is return'd again into the Vessels and restord to its Circulation by other Ductus's into which it is forc'd But that it be convey'd back these two things are necessarily requir'd viz. First that it be much diluted with Serum there plentifully abounding or rather protruded into the part And then Secondly that the emptied Vessels behind the Tumour Drink up again the Blood diluted by the Serum and driven back For the Blood driven toward the Tumour when it can go no farther forward yet at least that upon lessening its Bulk it may go back discharges Serum plentifully from it self and drives it into the places obstructed which entring into the stagnating Blood dilutes it and getting into tis place drives it into the Ductus's of the Vessels and that Serum in the mean time passing forward exhales through the Pores and so the Blood which was extravasated being diluted and sent back by the Serum and the Serum it self evaporated the Tumour with the Inflammation vanish by degrees But in case as it often happens in hot Temperaments the Blood extravased and driven into the Pores be not diluted with a plentiful access of Serum it will not only stick there with obstinacy but will cause a violently Inflamed Tumour with a Fever and sometimes other dreadful Symptoms Not long since a great Divine whose Blood was thick and hot having an Issue made in the inside of his Legg though the Skin only was cut an Inflammation shortly followed which grew so violent within a few Days that it could scarce be hindred from turning to a Gangreen by the use of any Remedies whatsoever Wherefore when the Blood extravasated through a Solution of Unity and wanting an access of Serum for diluting it and carrying it back tends to a violent Inflammation Fomentations and Cataplasms of Emollient things outwardly apply'd often do much good because the moist and mild Parricles parting from them enter the stagnating Blood and dilute it and so giving it a gentle motion cause it to return more readily into its Vessels so that those moist applications outwardly us'd supply the defect of the inward Serum requir'd for diluting the Blood Nevertheless that the Blood so diluted and put in motion be restor'd to Circulation it 's farther necessary that the Vessels which are to receive it be fufficiently emptied for which end besides a slender Diet Bleeding and Purging are often of necessary use and indeed it is usual to Purge and often to Bleed Cacochymical and Plethorical persons a little before or after an Issue is made Nor are these Remedies only proper to prevent or remove an Inflammation in case of a fresh Issue but are likewise good whenever that affect happens to an Issue of a long standing For if at any time the Blood being very impure and withal Feverishly boiling enters upon an Excretory Turgescency it often falls out that it deposes its Excrements and Filthy Dreggs about the Issue being hardly to be Purg'd elsewhere and that it being there hindred from its Circulation upon their being heapt together is extravasated and so causes a violent Inflammation Such an affect lately hapening in an Ancient Nobleman and at first neglected soon turn'd to a Gangreen from which nevertheless by the help of proper Medicines carefully administred both inwardly and outwardly he escapt not without great danger of his Life 2. If at any time an Issue discharges too much Ichor which for the most part is thin and of a very ill Smell and sometimes discoloured so that such vast Spendings of Humour and withal it 's intolerable Stench requires a Cure In such case there are two chief Therapeutick intentions viz. First to strengthen the mixture of the Blood that its Texture be not too prone to a Dissolution and Fusion of Serum And Secondly to preserve the place Ulcerated by the Issue and to keep it free from any Coruptive Ferment so that no Noysome Filth there lodg'd may defile the Blood as it passes through in circulating whereby being infected it may presently run into parts and be forc't to depose the Serum there in such abundance The former scope of Curing orders scarce any thing
Persons both Men and Women Diseas'd after this manner who being ill of a Head-ach an oppression of the hinder part of the Head or a Vertigo perceiv'd in their sleep presently Convulsive motions in the Praecordia or Bowels or in both of them together Which happens from the Salley of the tumultuary Spirits reflected from the Brain into the Origines of the Nerves And as an Opiate gave the Patient before mention'd a quiet sleep without the wonted Sequel of Convulsions so I have often successfully Cur'd terrible Convulsive Fits both Asthmatical and as it were Hysterical by giving Opiats 1. A Woman sixty seven years of Age having still a florid Countenance and being of a gross habit of Body and who first had liv'd long subject to a Swelling of the Face and great Fits of the Head-ach upon the Weathers growing very cold in the Winter fell into a very grievous Vertigo with a Trembling of the Heart a Fainting of the Spirits and a frequent striving to Vomit Being put to Bed if she open'd her Eyes or was turn'd from one side on the other she was presently seiz'd with a mighty Scotomia a danger of Swooning and moreover with a cruel Vomiting As I was to see her I did not doubt but the cause of the Disease was the Convulsive Matter convey'd from the outward Region of the Head to the inmost Recesses of the Brain by the ill Breath or Heterogeneous Combination of which the Animal Spirits being struck they rais'd the Vertiginous affects as they made their disorderly sallyes towards the Brain and when they tumultuarily rusht into the Roots of the Nerves they caus'd the Scotomia the disorders of the Praecordia and the striving to Vomit The Cure of this was perform'd within a few days by the application of large Vesicatories to the Nucha and behind the Ears the dayly injection of Clysters and by a frequent use of Spirit of Harts-horn and a Cephalick Julape Dr. Willis gives Instances of Persons in whom some portion of the Morbifick Matter which besets the Origine of the Nerves descending from the Head often enters deeper into the Ductus's of the Nerves and so about their middle and extream Processes and Plexus's makes a fomes of an explosive matter as it were of Gun-powder But for brevity sake I omit them It is observ'd that when a Convulsive Fit begins within the Brain at the Origine of the Nerves presently the remotest Spirits residing in the extremities of the Nerves as many as are predispos'd for that Symptom fall upon Explosions and so convey upwards the Convulsive affect there more strongly begun which happens for this reason that when some whole Series of Spirits is disturb'd those which are in the extream parts are first destitute of their Original Influx wherefore those before others begin to grow in a tumult and to be irregularly dispos'd as when a Nerve of the Arm or Thigh is constring'd by lying on it so that it is hindred of its wonted influence of the Spirits a stupor with a sense of pricking is first perceiv'd in the Fingers or Toes of the hands or Feet whence it creeps upwards by degrees towards the places affected And hence it is we find that if whilst the outmost Spirits are exploded a strong Ligature or Compression intercepts the succession of others into the same space or their progress towards the parts the Convulsion is usually hindred from ascending upward Wherefore as Physical Histories testify when a stupor beginning at the top of a Finger or Toe of a hand or Foot creeps to the upper parts with a sense of Formication or like a cold wind and at length taking to the Brain causes terrible Convulsions If presently at the first seizure the Arm or Leg be strongly bound about the Convulsion being not able to pass that place is hindred from getting to the Head Nay and it s an usual thing for Hysterick Women assoon as a Swelling of their Belly or an ascent of a heavy lump is first perceiv'd in their Abdomen to bind about hard the Trunk of their Body with Swathes and so commonly the Praecordia and the Region of the Head are kept from being affected with the Convulsive Fit It 's likewise observable that if Blood be let forth of a Vein in the midst of a Covulsive or Apoplectical Fit it presently seems to be congeal'd so that being receiv'd in a Bason it does not keep an even and plain Surface like Liquids but accumulating it self drop upon drop it rises in a heap like Tallow melted and distill'd into a cold Vessel Yet as to what some conclude hence viz. that Convulsions depend wholly on the thickness obstructed motion and stagnation of the Blood we must not allow of it For Blood drawn from Persons that are subject to Convulsions a little before the Fit is diluted with Serum and fluid enough Wherefore we may opine that that Congelation is caus'd by the Fit it self To wit because in Convulsive motions from the excessive Contractions of the Muscles and Viscera the Blood passing bet wixt them its Spirit and Serum exhaling is a little solv'd in its mixture and therefore is somewhat coagulated just as when Milk by reason of its too great agitation and Separation of parts one from another hardens into butlter wherefore this kind of Coagulation of the Blood seems rather to be the effect of Convulsions than their cause The Therapeutick Method AS to the Cure of these kinds of Convulsive affects which in Men or Women proceed from a Morbifick cause besetting the Origines of the Nerves The first Indication will be to withdraw the fuel of the Disease viz. to hinder the Blood from discharging on the Head the Heterogeneous Particles either engendred in it self or receiv'd from elsewhere from the Bowels For this purpose an Evacuation ordered both by Purging and Bleeding unless somewhat indicates the contrary is wont to be administred with good success Vomiting very often gives relief wherefore let Vomits of the Infusion of Crocus Metallorum or of Salt of Vitriol or of Wine of Squills be given in the first place Then in a few days let Blood be drawn either by opening a Vein in the Arm or by Leeches applyed to the haemorrhoid Veins then afterwards let a gentle Purge be ordered either of Pills or of a Purging Apozeme and let it be repeated in due and convenient time Take Crato's Pills of Amber or Bontius's Pills of Tartar two Drams Rosm of Jalap sixteen Grains Castoreum a Scruple Oyl of Rosemary or of Amber half a Scruple Gum Ammoniacum dissolo'd in a sufficient quantity of Hysterick-water make sixteen Pills let four be taken every sixth or seventh day Take Roots of Polypody of the Oak sharp pointed Dock prepar'd and of Chervil of each six Drams of Male Peony three Drams Leaves of Betony Germander Ground-pine Vervain Male Fluellin of each a handful Seeds of Carthamus and Burr-dock of each three Drams let them boil in four Pounds of Fountain-water
Conserve be made of the Leaves of the Tree of Life with an equal part of Sugar the Dose is from half a Dram to a Dram twice a day Take Powder of Millepedes prepar'd three Drams Ameos-seeds a Dram make a Powder divide it into ten parts let a Dose be taken twice a day Or twelve Millepedes being bruis'd with White-wine pour'd on them let the Juice be exprest make a draught let it be taken twice a day In the mean while that these Remedies are taken inwardly it is proper sometimes to raise Blisters by applying Vesicatories on the Nucha or behind the Ears for so the Serous and sharp Humours are very much deriv'd from the Head Moreover Sneezing-powders and Apophlegmatisms often give great relief The drawing of Blood from the Haemorrhoid Veins or from the Foot ought to be sometimes repeated And during the Fit Plaisters or Cataplasms are applyed to the Soles of the Feet with good effect It is good also to apply Epispasticks about the Legs and Thighs CHAP. IV. Of Convulsive motions whose cause lyes about the Extremities or within the Plexus's of the Nerves THat Convulsive affects sometimes without any fault in the Head arise from the Irritation and Explosion of the Spirits lying about the extremities of the Nerves it plainly appears even from this because when Medicines smartly twitch the Coats of the Stomack or Intestines or when Worms gnaw them Convulsions do not only follow in those parts but likewise Convulsive motions are sometimes retorted on the Members and outward Limbs For as we have shewn elsewhere when a sense of great pain torments any part and is communicated from that to the Primum Sensorium presently upon it the Spirits being there irritated an involuntary and irregular motion is wont to be thence reflected and that not only by those Nerves by which the sense of pain was brought but sometimes the Convulsion is reciprocated also by others either of the same pair or belonging to a pair wholly differing Thus a Stone fixt in the Ureter causes Convulsions not only in the Vessel affected but in a manner in all the Viscera of the Belly and cruel vomitings for the most part follow upon it Wherefore it is not to be doubted but Convulsive Diseases also and some such Symptoms are often caus'd by reason of some outward offence offer'd the extremities of the Nerves within the Membranes Muscles or Viscera Nay and if at any time in Hysterick Hypochondriack and certain other passions Convulsive motions are rais'd through the fault of the Womb Spleen or some other of the Viscera the Head being without hurt truly those arise and are propagated on every side into various Regions of the Body only this way viz. by the annoyances of the rest of the parts by the Way of the Nerves and not at all by vapours convey'd to the Head I shall now give you some instances and observations of Convulsions arising from the Extremities of the Nerves A delicate Virgin about the sixteenth year of her Age falling from a Horse and dashing her self against a rough Stone sorely hurt her left Brest whence a Swelling with a pain arose which Symptoms nevertheless at first seem'd to be mitigated by the use of Remedies and afterwards for a long time to pass indifferently well but after three years upon taking cold and having us'd a very ill Diet all things began to return a new the place hurt swelling up in a greater bull was affected with a most acute and almost continual pain so that the Diseased through the mighty torment passed many days and nights without sleep nor could she indure that the Glandules of her Brest then become more swollen shonld be toucht or handled nay nor any noise or concussion to be made in her Chamber When to this Tumour degenerating towards a Cancer Fomentations and Cataplasms of Hemlock and Man-drake and other stupifying things and Repercussives were apply'd the noble Lady began to undergo certain Convulsive affects which often molested her In the first place as often as a violent pain came in her Brest she felt there prickings and likewise Convulsions and Contractions shooting in and out Presently after the Ventricle and Hypochondres and after that the whole Abdomen were wont to be blown up and mightily distended with a rumbling and a straining to Vomit By and by the same affect being convey'd by degrees to the upper parts took away her Senses and shortly upon it so strong Convulsions followed in her whole Body that the Diseas'd could scarce be heal'd by three or four robust Men. These kinds of Fits at first came at random and were only rais'd occasionally viz. they ensued as often as the pain of the Brest was rendred more intense by some evident cause Afterward those Convulsions more frequently molested her and at length becoming periodical and habitual they return'd twice a day viz. constantly justsomany set hours after Meals And when Diseas'd had been miserably afflicted after this manner for six Months at length she began to be troubled with a certain Vertiginous affects which continually followed her For which evil when a Fomentation of Aromatick and Cephalick Herbs had been for some time applyed she grew better as to her Vertigo but from thenceforwards she was continually molested with a new and very wonderful Symptom viz. a violent dry Cough following her day and night unless when she was fallen asleep After this noble Virgin had tryed divers sorts of Remedies prescrib'd by several Physicians without much benesit at length vpon the use of the Baths of a moderate heat at Bathe she was reliev'd and being marryed presently upon it after conception and her being delivered of a Child she recovered by degrees As to the violent Cough above mention'd it seems that that Symptom depended on the Origine of the nerves being affected and not on any stuffing in the Lungs for she spit forth nothing with the Cough we say therefore that the Morbifick matter depor'd near the Origint of the Nerves being rarified and mov'd by the Fomentation entred deep in at the Mouths of the Nerves that go to the Lungs and stirr'd up perpetual Convulsions in the Fibres and Filaments thereof A noble Matron Fifty years of Age after that her Menses had ceas'd to flow for a year and a half first began to complain of a pricking pain in her left brest then afterward that affect ceasing she was taken ill about the Stomack To wit a hard and as it were schirrous Tumour arose there with an oppressing pain this was presently followed by an inflation of the Ventricle with a difficult Breathing a Nauseousness and frequent Vomiting Then the Disease growing worse and worse with a more acute pain and shooting in and out every way she fell into Conulsive affects of the Ventricle To wit the Convulsions shooting in that place several ways she was almost continually in such a torment as though the Stomack were torn in several pieces Moreover a continual Perturbation of mind
Appetite very much dejected his Spirits so faint and his Strength so fall'n that he could not keep himself from his Bed To this Person I gave often in a day Milk distill'd with Snails and temperate Herbs Moreover instead of ordinary drink I ordered him daily to take an opening Decoction such as is us'd in the Rickets By the help of which Remedies he seem'd to be restor'd to his health within a Months space This Fever in a certain Noble Mans Family prov'd very fatal amongst his Children who had been originally subject to Cephalick affects About the Vernal Equinox a Boy of about Eleven years of Age began to fall sick In the first place without an intense heat or drought a loss of Appetite and failing of Strength came upon him Moreover an almost continual Vertigo molested him with a frequent inclination to Fainting so that he often thought himself ready to fall in a Swoon To this Person by the advice of some Nurse that attended him Glysters were daily given And afterward when from the foulness of his Tongue and Mouth the manifest signs of a Fever appear'd that Empirick gave him a Vomit of the Infusion of Crocus Metallorum And the seventh day giving him a Cordial Powder and covering him over with Cloaths she made him Sweat His Skin no sooner began to be moist but presently speaking Light-headed he complain'd that his Cap was fall'n into water soon after becoming Speechless he dyed whilst I was sent for within four hours Shortly after the same Disease seiz'd his Sister who was younger whose sickness nevertheless because it was accompanied with a frequent Coughing and Spitting was first thought to be only a cold taken But within a few days that Cough became manifestly Convulsive for in Coughing the Diaphragm being rais'd upward and so held for some time by a repeated Systole a mighty Shrill noise as though she were suffocated came from her Afterward this little Girl growing more manifestly Feverish and complaining of a thirst and heat past the nights without sleep with a mighty tossing in her Bed and after a while speaking Light-headed she complain'd as her Brother had done before that her Cloaths were fall'n into the water and as all things grew worse she began to be troubled with Convulsive motions first in the Limbs shortly after in the Face and then in the whole Body The Fits returning frequently viz. twice or thrice within an hour very sorely pursued her so that this poor Wretch dyed within the space of twenty four hours after the greater Convulsive affects had seiz'd her the 〈◊〉 of the Animal Spirits being wholly subverted Whilst the Convulsive Fits prest upon her the Pulse was very much disordered and often intermitted and she was affected with a frequent Vomiting Because this Fever seizes some Persons predispos'd for it almost yearly and haply hereafter may at some time become Epidemical by reason of the ill Constitution of the year I think it may not be amiss to delineate some method in order to its Cure The Therapeutick Method COncerning which in the first place you may note that Critical days are by no means to be observ'd in this Fever as in the vulgar continual Fever For in this the Blood assoon as it begins to boil presently discharges from its Embraces on the Head or Thorax a part of the Morbifick Matter crude as it is and not digested Wherefore it would be to no purpose to expect that the Blood should permit its Heterogeneous Particles to be gathered together in its Mass and then that an Excretory effort arising at set intervals of times should purge forth the same being subtilised Nay rather the said Blood when boiling Rises not to a great and open flame but like a fire covered with Turf emits a moist Smoak or Breath rather than a Flame Yet so that from thence by reason of the Nervous Juices being presently depraved in its Crasis and often by reason of the Lungs being stuft with a Morbifick Matter Convulsive or Ptizical Symptoms are particularly pressing throughout the whole course of the Disease I must set down the Curative intentions according to the various times of the Disease and the diversities of Symptoms that are chiefly pressing About the beginning of this Fever letting Blood seem'd to agree in a manner with all I have often found this Remedy of good effect in Children For by this means a Breathing place as it were is open'd for the Mass of Blood which tacitely and covertly lies a boiling and obtrudes its foul smoak on the more noble parts and consequently its impure Efflorescencies are withdrawn from the Head and Lungs Therefore though this ill dispos'd Fever be said in some sort to be Malignant yet in as much as the Blood is not apt presently to be coagulated but to be fus'd too much and to discharge its Serosities on the noble parts viz. the Head and Lungs therefore Bleeding so it be us'd in the beginning of the Disease agrees in a manner with all Persons For the same reason of Curing Cathartick Medicines and especially Vomits are given presently at the beginning of the Disease for these do not only empty the Vessels of Concoction and so withdraw both the first and as it were original fuel of the Disease but likewise draw Serosities from the Blood and so cause its filth rather to be discharg'd in the Stomack and Intestines than on the Head or Lungs Moreover in as much as the Glands which receive the Lymphaeducts are twitcht and strongly shaken by Emeticks the Superfluities of the Nervous Juice are thereby press'd forth into the lower Viscera that they cannot offend the Brain and its Appendix And for this end let the Belly still be kept soluble by the frequent use of Glysters In the mean time while the Blood being defil'd with the taint of this Disease threatens ill to the Brain or Praecordia it will not be safe to attempt any thing with Diaphoreticks or Diureticks or also with strong Catharticks For these sorts of Medicines greatly fusing the Blood and driving its Serosities into the places most open to receive them easily obtrude on the Brain or Lungs if at any time they are of a weak Constitution any dreggy filth which is apt to depart from the Mass of Blood So in the Youth above mention'd a Sweat being unseasonably rais'd it was followed by a loss of Speech And I have known that Sudorificks in like manner as Chalybeats have brought a Consumption in a Morbid Disposition of the Lungs Therefore Bleeding and if need be a Vomit or Purge viz. one of them or both being presently ordered at the beginning of the Disease the other intentions will be to divert the Morbifick Serosities of the Blood which are apt to flow to the Head and Brest and to derive them off gently by other ways of Evacuations and to clear them forth For this end Vesicatories ought to be applyed on the Nape of the Neck or behind the Ears near the Arm-pits
also Elixir Proprietatis sometimes also Spirit of Harts-horn for many days afterward at long run upon taking that Powder daily for some space she began to find help Inthe mean while that this Method of Cure was followed her Hair being Shav'd off her Head was cover'd only with a thin Dress she wore the Hysterick Plaister with a mixture of Galbanum on the Abdomen She drank for her ordinary drink a Boâ—het of Sarsa and China with the Roots of Male Peony and other appropriated things infus'd and boil'd in Fountain Water Within a Month the Fits remitted a little Afterward becoming more mild by degrees and lesser at length they ceas'd in a manner altogether unless that near the time of her Menses she was wont to be troubled with an assault or two of that disease Moreover she was troubled almost with a constant Giddiness and a loathing of Meat in the midst of Summer the drank Astrope Waters for six weeks and grew perfectly well As to the way of Cure to be us'd in general for such Marvellous Convulsions it is not an easie thing to assign Remedies equal to so Hereulean a Disease or a certain method of its Cure confirm'd by frequent experiments For besides that cases like those seldom occur we may likewise observe that the same Medicine which did good to this sick person at one time gave not the least relief to another person or the same when given at another time the reason of which seems to be that the cause of the Disease seems to consist in the Discrasy of the Nervous Juice Which liquor is not always perverted after one and the same manner But from the manifold combination of the Salts and Sulphurs gets a Morbid disosition of a various kind and condition and often changes it Wherefore in those difficult affects we must not prescribe vulgar Medicines taken from Apothecaries Shops but Magisterial ones as occasion requires according to the appearances of the Marvellous Symptoms A Gentle Vomit a Purge and Bleeding ought in the first place to be us'd and sometimes to be repeated as it shall seem convenient And as to Specifick Medicines and such are appropriated in those cases since the chief Indication will be to amend the Crasis of the Nervous Juice we may try a great many things and sift their vertues from the effect Therefore we may try what things endued with a Volatile or Armoniack Salt will do For this purpose let the Spirits and Salts of Harts-horn Blood Soot the Flowers and Spirits of Sal Armoniack be taken These giving no relief we must come to Chalybeats let the Tinctures and Solutions of Coral and Antimony be given which sort of Medicines must be given in such a Dose and form and for so many times that some alteration may be made by them in the Blood and Nervous Juice Again if these have not success we must proceed to Alexipharmicks which are good against Poyson and a Malignity gotten into the Humours viz. of these we must order Decoctions Destillations Powders Conserves and other Preparations of Vegetables and we must variously compound them the one with the other and administer them several ways It seems likely that those sorts of Medicines which being inwardly taken are wont to do good to such as are bit by a Viper or by a Mad Dog and likewise against Wolfs-bane and Napellus may also be of use in the above mentioned Convulsions We may here after the example of Gregor Horstius in his Tracts of the Malign Convulsive disease prescribe also Magisterial Remedies in form of a Purging Electuary also of a Powder and Convulsive Antidote for these Marvellous Convulsions and variously Compound the same of Simples partly Alexipharmical and partly Antiepileptical CHAP. VIII Of the Affects which are vulgarly call'd Hysterical IF at any time an unusual sort of Sickness or of a very Secret Origine occurs in the Body of a Woman so that its Cause lies hid and the Therapeutick Indication be wholly uncertain presently we accuse the evil influence of the Womb which for the most part is guiltless and in any unusual Symptom we cry out that there is somewhat Hysterical in it and consequently the Physical intentions and the uses of Remedies are directed for this end which often is only a starting hole for Ignorance The passions which are wont to be rank't in this number are found to be various andmanifold which seldom agree in divers Women or happen wholly after the same manner the most common of them and which are vulgarly said to Constitute the formalstate of an Hysterick affect are these viz. A Motion in the lower part of the Belly and an Ascent as it were of some round thing there then a Belching or Straining to Vomit a distention of the Hypochondres and a Rumbling with a Belching forth of Wind an uneven and for the most part a letted Respiration a Suffocation in the Throat a Giddiness an Inversion or Rotation of the Eyes often Laughing or Weeping a Talking Idly sometimes a Speechlesness and Immobility with an obscure or no Pulse and a Cadaverous aspect sometimes Convulsive Motions rais'd in the Face and Limbs and sometimes in the whole Body But universal Convulsions seldom happen and not unless the disease be raised to its worst state for the Tragedy of the Fit is acted through for the most part without any contraction of the Members only in the Belly Breast and Head viz. one of them or successively in all Women of all Ages and Conditions are obnoxious to these affects to wit Rich and Poor Virgins Wives and Widows I have observed those Symptoms in Girls before the time of Puberty and in old Women after their Menses ceast to Flow nay and men are sometimes troubled with such kind of Passions instances of which are not wanting The cause of these Symptoms must not be imputed to the Ascent of the Womb and to vapours rais'd from the same nor to the Impetuous rushing of the Blood into the Lungs as the Learned Highmore has Judg'd But we say that the affect call'd Hysterical chiefly and primarily is Convulsive and depends principally on the Brain and Genus Nervosum being affected and is produc't wholly by the exposions of the Animal Spirits as other Convulsive Motions And whatever disorder or irregularities happen else about the Motion of the Blood they are only secondary and depending on the Convulsions of the Viscera The way of the difference whereby the kinds of this disease both differ from each other and from the other Convulsive affects is taken from the various Origine and chiefly from the extension of the Morbisick Cause for the Origine of this as of many other Convulsive affects sometimes resides in the Head the Womb being wholly without fault Though sometimes this affect happens through the fault of the Womb and sometimes through that of other parts As to the extension of the Disease from whatever Origine it proceeds for the most part it chiefly affects the Interiour
about the thirty fifth year of his Age the Disease growing worse he began to get Sleep with difficulty or very seldom by night and so in the day time to be troubled with a Fervency and Inconstancy of thoughts to be suspicious of all things and persons and to be Scar'd at every thing that came in his way the Praecordia seem'd to be very much Constring'd and Straitn'd and to fall in as though the Heart it self were deprest into the Belly which Symptom pressing him he became very sad and dejected in mind Yet afterward those affects of the mind remitting he plainly felt at once both the heart to be a little rais'd and the Praecordia to be Relax't and Dilated Moreover he had very frequently Pains and Contractions variously rais'd about the Muscles of the Viscera and Membranes and passing from one place to another He us'd a great many Remedies and Physical Administrations a long time for the Cure of this Affect but without any great good at length being somewhat relieved by the use of Mineral Waters and afterwards growing better by degrees he became free from those severe Symptoms tho' he still continues obnoxious to the Hypochondriacal Affect The Therapeutick Method to be us'd against Hypochondriacal Affects requires chiefly these four general Indications viz. First that the Impediments of the Cure be remov'd which intention chiefly regards the cleansing and keeping of the first Passages Secondly We must endeavour to correct the Obstructions or other disorders of the Spleen Thirdly we must see that the excrementitious Dregs of the Mass of Blood be Purg'd forth and that its due Crasis be restored Fourthly that the Irregularities of the Brain and Genus Nervosum and also of the Humour and Spirits residing in them contracted through the fault of the Blood and Spleen be amended or abolish't Since we must drive at many of these Intents together or at all of them let fit Seasons be chosen in which we may satisfie each of these purposes without any prejudice to or neglect of the Rest 1. As so the first Indication since a great Mass of crude or adust matter is wont to be heapt together in the first passages and since the Tone of the Stomack uses to be weaken'd and its Ferment to be variously perverted let us seasonably obviate these Evils of each kind with fit Remedies therefore mild and gentle Evacuations both by Vomit if it comes easily and by Seige ought to be given I advise those whose Stomack easily discharges its Contents upwards that once in a Month by taking the Liquor of Squills or Salt of Vitriol and drinking good store of Posset-drink or warm Water they cause themselves to Vomit several times In the interval of time let a gentle Purge and only lenitive be often given For this end the Pilul Tartareae Bontii or Stomac cum Gummis or our Solutive Pills may be used Take of the best Senna an Ounce Rhubarb six Drams Epithymum three Drams Yellow-Saunders two Drams Salt of Wormwood two Drams Celtick-spike a Dram being sliced and bruised let them digest in White-wine and Fumitory-water of each ten Ounces for twenty four hours let the clear straining evaporate by a gentle Bath-heat to the consistency of an Extract adding toward the end Powder of Senna Rhubarb and Cream of Tartar of each two Drams let them be bruised together in a Glass Mortar and reduced to a Consistency for Pills The Dose is from half a Dram to two Scruples or a Dram. The Remedies that regard the Tone and Ferment of the Stomach since they are manifold and of divers kinds let such as are most proper for the Constitution of each Stomach be chosen for with one Person bitter things with another Salt with others sharp or haply smart things best agree Of the number of these Medicines which are vulgarly called Digestives are Elixir Proprietatis Tinctura Sacra the Compound Powder of Aron Roots Salt of Wormwood Cream of Tartar Tartar Vitriolate Vitriol of Mars with many others Besides these inward Remedies outward applications also often give help For to a Stomach ill dispos'd a fomentation of White Wine with Wormwood Centory and other bitter Plants boil'd in it also Liniments or Plaisters often give relief of which it will not be needful to discourse particularly and to prescribe forms of those Medicines 2. The Indication that undertakes to amend the Faults of the Spleen whether the same be an Obstruction or a Tumour or Pain or a simple Dyscrasy is wont to be perform'd or at leastwise attempted by Remedies both inward and outward those that are of the former kind are coincident with those that are indicated in the third place to wit with which the purifying of the Blood is intended for since the chief or in a manner all of that which is brought into or carried out of the Spleen is by the conveyance of the Blood the Irregularities both of the blood 's Latex and of that Entral ought to be cured by an associated Operation the vertues of the Medicines being joyn'd together and we shall presently shew after what manner meanwhile some outward applications in the form of a Plaister or Liniment or Fomentation have a more near and immediate regard to the body of the Spleen and often give a mighty relief viz. in as much as they discuss the Tumours restore to Circulation the melancholy Filth there stagnating nay and appease and restrain the Corrugatious and Convulsive Affects of the Fibres There is a mighty store of these outward Medicaments to be found every where amongst Authors the choice of which in regard it ought to be ordered according to the various passions of the Spleen and the differing Constitutions of Patients it will not be expedient in this place to deliver particular forms of them 3. The Remedies indicated in the third place viz. such as take away the Dyscrasies of the Blood contracted by the Spleen and withal cleanse the primary taint of the Spleen are manifold and of a differing kind and condition the choice of which ought to be made according to the various taint of this and of the other Of these some are more compounded to be prepared according to the prescript of a Physician as Electuaries Powders Apozems Tinctures Infusions and the like others are more simple as Whey Asses Milk Spaws and hot Bath Waters There are two chief Cases of sick persons in which Magisterial Remedies ought to be accommodated according to their strength and qualities viz. either the Blood is thick coldish and earthy with an Obstruction of the Spleen which requires hot fermenting and especially chalybeat Medicines or the Blood being manifestly adust and intensely hot ferments above measure and withal the Hypochondres are in a great trouble and the Blood and Vapours boyl in them in which state only temperate Remedies are indicated for appensing the fervency and immoderate Fermentation of the humours where Chalybeats are altogether to be shun'd When therefore to a cold
Stomach cold Dyscrasies also of the Blood and Spleen are joyn'd I use to prescribe according to the following forms Take Troches of Rhubarb Powder of Aron Roots Winters bark of each two Drams Roots of Virginia Serpentary Contrayerva Diatrion Santalon Crabs-eyes of each a Dram Extract of Gentian and Centory of each a Dram and a half Ammoniacum dissolved in Water of Earth-worms what suffices make a Mass for Pills let four Pills be taken in the Morning and at four a Clock in the Afternoon drinking after it a little Draught of Wormwood or Chalybeat Wine with a moderate Exercise Take Conserve of the Yellow Coats of Oranges and Lemons of each three Ounces Myrobalanes Condited in number two Species Aromatici Rosats Winters bark of each two Drams Salt of Wormwood two Drams Vitriol of Mars a Dram or Steel prepar'd three Drams with a sufficient quantity of the Juice of Citron-Pills make an Electuary let it be taken twice a day drinking after it a Draught of Wormwood-wine or of Wine in which the Bark or Flowers of Tamarisk are infus'd To those that like none but nice Medicines and in a small quantity you may properly give the Tinctures of Antimony of Coral also of Steel prepar'd with Spirit of Wine the Body being first open'd by fit Menstruums and brought to a Calx nay and I have known that Spirit of Soot also of Blood or of Harts-horn taken twice a day to twelve drops more or less in an appropriated Liquor have proved mighty beneficial above any other Medicines Again the assiduous drinking of Coffee and of Tea has done some very much good But if a Fervency and over-great Fermentation of the Blood be joyn'd to the Hypochondriacal Affect with a fervent heat of the Spleen and a restlesness of mind Take Conserve of Hips six Ounces or of Flowers of Tamarisk and Leaves of Wood-sorrel of each three Ounces Species Diarrhodon Abbatis the Confection of Alkermes of each a Dram Ivory Powdered a Dram and a half Pearl half a Dram Salt of Tamarisk and of Wormwood of each a Dram with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of the Juice of Citrons or of Clove Gilliflowers Make an Opiate let the quantity of a Nutmeg be taken twice a day Take Ivory Powdered two Drams Pearl powdered a Dram Species Diarrhodon Abbatis and Diamargariti frigidi of each a Dram and a half make a subtle Powder add of double refined Sugar dissolved in Baulm Water and boiled to a Consistency for Tablets six Ounces Make Tablets according to Art Take from a Dram and a half to two Drams twice a day Or to other Medicines of the like kind let the use of Spaw-waters be joyn'd which indeed in either nay in any cases of Hypochondriack Melancholy are in a manner always taken with good Success For waâ— of these Waters let our Artificial Spaw Waters be taken in thâ—â— stead nay and let Whey and if there be a considerable Atrophia let Asses Milk be daily taken Besides these inward Remedies and the other outward Applications above mentioned let Bleeding or Drawing of Blood from the Vessels of the Fundament by Leeches be frequently used nay and it is proper sometimes according to the Prescripts of the Antients to open the Salvatella Vein Moreover Cauteries and Issues which continually derive forth the Recrements of the adust Blood and discharge them by little and little are wont to do good to all 4. The Fourth Indication having regard to the Affects or Convulsive Symptoms of the Brain and Genus Nervosum which ensue upon the former is seldom put in practice by it self and apart from the others but the Remedies appointed for this end are complicated with those above written Liquors endowed with a volatile or Armoniack Salt as Spirit of Harts-horn of Soot are very proper for this intent and often likewise for the others even now mentioned Wherefore let such Remedies unless somewhat indicates the contrary be daily given at a seasonable hour Moreover when the Spaw Waters are Drunk let Tablets or Pills such as are above prescrib'd for Convulsive Affects be taken at least twice a day In a frequent giddiness and Scotomia also in Passions of the Heart Faintings of the Spirits with a fear and a dread as it were of present Death I have known a mighty Cure often performed by the use of Chalybeat Medicines Of Chalybeate Medicines SInce mention is here made of Chalybeate Medicines it seems expedient to enquire into the various Preparations of them and consequently into the divers sorts of Affects which they are wont to produce in the Body of Man that hence it may appear by what means and on what accounts these or other Preparations of Iron mightily benefit some Hypochondriacal persons and very much injure others Steel or Iron consists chiefly of Salt Sulphur and Earth it has very little of Spirit and Water and the Particles of the former Elements especially the Sulphureous and Saline in the mixt combin'd together with the Earth remain wholly fixt and without Action but being loosed and divided from each other they have a very efficacious Energy The foresaid Particles are dissolv'd and set at Liberty for Action two ways viz. either by Art when Medicines are prepared or by Nature after they are inwardly taken We shall consider both 1. The Filing of Iron inwardly taken is dissolved by the Ferment of the Stomach as by an acid Menstruum and upon the Iron 's being dissolved within the Viscera of Concoction the active Particles both Sulphureous and Saline plentifully display themselves and mixing with the nutritive Juice are carried into the Blood and as they are of a differing virtue often both of them as it were by joint Forces conspire for the good of the Diseased The Sulphureous Corpuscles passing into the Blood furnish it with a new and more plentiful stock of Sulphur so that its Mass if it were before depauperated and effaete ferments more sprightly within its Vessels and being more kindled in the Heart acquires a Heat more intense and a deeper colour Thus many troubled with a Leucophlegmatia and the longing Disease whose Countenance is pale and whose Blood is cold and watery after the use of Steel soon become of a more florid Aspect the Blood being given a more intense Tincture and Heat Again upon the Filing of Iron being dissolved in the Stomach the Saline Particles also are displayed and often produce good effects both in the solid parts and the Humours for being of a vitriolick and stiptick nature they astringe and corroborate the over Lax and weaken'd Fibres of the Viscera and so restore their broken Tone Moreover they stop the Impetus of the Blood repress it s over boiling and rising to a Froth and keep it in an even Circulation And again which is their greatest Virtue they straiten and close the over lax open and gaping Mouths of the Arteries so that neither the Serum nor bloody Latex may distil forth or break off the thread of Circulation
bruised of each a Dram and a half Roots of Bastard-Dittany and of Male-Peony of each a Dram and a half Salt of Tamerisk two Drams with a sufficient quantity of the Gelly of Harts-horn or of the cast skins of Snakes Make a Mass Tablets TAke Species Diatrion Santalon and Diamargariti Frigidi of each a Dram and a half Pearl powdered red Coral prepar'd Ivory powdered of each a Dram Sugar dissolved in Scordium-water and boiled to a Consistency for Tablets six Ounces Make Tablets according to Art But if with those kinds of temperate Antiscorbuticks the use of Steel be indicated to the Electuary or to the Confection or also to the Mass of Pills let two Drams of Mynsicht's Magistery of Mars or of Extract of Steel of our preparation be added In some cases about two Drams and a half or three Drams of Crocus Martis may be added to such a Composition though it is often better to make the Liquors which are drank after solid Medicines Chalybeate than the foresaid Compositions It remains for us now to prescribe forms of Liquors Decoctions IN a Scurvy raised after a long Fever these kinds of Decoctions which purifie the Blood and plentifully move Urine are given with good effect Take Roots of Chervil Scorzonera Sorrel Stone-Parsley of each an Ounce Leaves of Agrimony and Harts-tongue of each a Handful burnt Harts-horn two Drams Parings of three Apples Corinths two Ounces Liquorice three Drams Let them boil in four Pounds of Fountain Water till a third part be consumed add Sal Prunella two or three Drams The Dose is four Ounces twice or thrice a day Take Eringo Roots preserv'd six Drams of Grass two Drams Leaves of Clivers two handfuls Agrimony and Liverwort of each a handful Raisins two Ounces white Saunders a Dram Liquorice two Drams let them boil in four Pounds of Fountain Water till a third part be consumed The Dose is six Drams after a solid Medicine To Rusticks and poor People lest after a Fever they fall into the Scurvy I use to prescribe That twice a day they take the following Draught viz. That they boil a handful and a half of the Roots and Leaves of Dandelion in a Pound and a half of Posset-Drink till a third part be consumed Strain it for two Doses Or take Roots of Dandelion half a handful Seeds of Citrons and of Carduus of each a Dram let them boil in Posset-drink made with Apples or a Pound and a half of Cyder till a third part be consum'd Infusions The Apozems even now prescrib'd will become more excellent against the Scurvy if being prepar'd without Licorice they are strain'd into a Flaggon into which are put Leaves of Brook-limes and of Water-cresses or Cuckow-flowers of each a handful then make a warm and close Infusion for six hours the Liquour being strain'd again let it be kept in stopt Vessels The Dose is six Ounces twice or thrice a day Also let Whey with the Roots of Dandelion and the Leaves of Fumitory boil'd in it be strain'd into a Vessel wherein are Leaves of Brook-limes and of small Celandine of each a handful make an Infusion c. Chalibeat Infusions are wont to be frequently in use viz. the Salt Magristery or Extract of Steel are infus'd in some Decoction or distil'd Water Moreover as natural Spaw-waters so also Artificial ones of our preparation of Steel dissolv'd in Fountain-water and impregnated with the Infusion of Antiscorbuticks are drank with great benefit Juices and Expressions TAke Leaves of Brook-limes and Water-cresses of each four handfuls of Wood-sorrel two handfuls being bruis'd let the Juice be prest forth being stopt in a Glass it will soon become clear by subsiding The Dose is from an Ounce and a half to two Ounces with a fit Vehicle Take Leaves of Brook-limes four handfuls stalks of English-rhubarb two handfuls being bruis'd let the Juice be prest forth Take Leaves of Brook-limes Garden-cress Cuckow-flower the lesser Celandine Wood-sorrel of each two handfuls being bruis'd let the Juice be prest forth add Juice of Oranges a fourth part let it be kept in a Glass Syrups AS often as a Syrup is requir'd to be added to any other Composition we use either Syrup of the Juice of Wood-sorrel or of Fumitory or of Coral compound Or also a Magistral Syrup may be prepar'd of the Juice of Brook-limes after the same manner as is prescrib'd above concerning the Juice of Scurvy-grass Distil'd Waters TEmperate Distil'd Waters are prepar'd by changing either the Ingredients or the Menstruum or both of them together As to the former we proceed after this mnner Take Leaves of Brook-limes Garden-cress Fumitory Harts-tongue Liver-wort Bawm tops of Tamarisk and of Cypress of each three handfuls all the Saunders bruis'd of each half an Ounce Roots of sharp pointed Dock of Polipody of the Oak of each two Ounces the outward Coats of four Oranges Snails cleans'd two Pounds being slic't and bruis'd pour to them Whey made with Cider six Pounds let them be distil'd in a common Still 2. When the Menstruum is weak let the Ingredients be moderately hot Take Leaves of Scurvy-grass Brook-limes Cuckow-flower Garden-cress of each three handfuls Rinds of four Oranges Snails a Pound being slic't small pour to them common Whey or fresh Milk six Pounds distill them after the vulgar manner 3. In a Scorbutick Atrophia and Consumptive Disposition where nothing hot that may stir the Blood and Humours and Spirits ought to be admitted let both the Ingredients and Menstruum be temperate and lenifiers of the Blood Take Leaves of Brook-limes Cuckow-flower Harts-tongue Maiden-hair Liver-wort Speedwel Agrimony of each two handfuls Snails cleans'd a Pound and a half or the Pulp of a Capon or of a Sheeps-heart slic't all being half boil'd and slic't pour to them of fresh Milk or Water of Fumitory six Pounds let them be distil'd the common way Physick-wines and Beers Though the use of Wines may not seem proper in a Scurvy rais'd by reason of a hot or Sulphureo-saline Dyscrasie of the Blood nevertheless if at any time the Stomach either being weak or a long accustomance require the drinking of Wine at leastwise being diluted with Water a Eiquour of that kind being both temperate and in some measure Physical may be prepar'd For especially small Wines diluted with Water and impregnated with the Infusion of Bawm Borrage or of Burnet or other things ought to be allow'd Moreover let Wines be prepar'd of the Juice of English Corinths Cherries and other horary Fruits which when they are brought to a ripeness by Fermentation are very grateful to the Stomach and purifie the Blood Again Cider the familiar and genuine Wine as it were of our Country so it be clean mellow and pleasant without any sharpness does very much good in the Scurvy Moreover in this Liquour drawn from the Lees and put in small Vessels Ingredients of various kinds may be infus'd Of which kind are tops of the Pine-tree or of Fir
the first scope of Curing which we must first and chiefly have respect to we say that the matter or Humours that are wont to be heap'd together about the parts of the Head predispos'd for a Head-ach and to raise the fits of the Disease are the Blood or its Serum or the nutritive or nervous juice Moreover with all these vapours and effluvia also excrements sometimes bilous sometimes melancholick sometimes acid salt sulphureous and others of various kinds being receiv'd into the Blood from the Viscera sometimes these sometimes others are convey'd along with it to the Head against the salleys and incursions of all which let Physical defensatives be ordered 1. And first if the Procatarxis or disposition for pains being plac'd about the Membranes of the Head the Blood as being hot and apt for turgescencies rushes now and then all of a sudden into the Membranes of the Head and upon it s not easily passing them stretches the Vessels above measure and severs from each other the nervous Fibres and so raises fits of this disease a sign of which are a sanguine temperament heat and a suffusion of redness in the Head about the Face also a high and vibrating Pulse with Veins stroutting with Blood we must presently endeavour both that the Blood being rendred more calm be not so readily put upon turgescencies and also that when stirr'd and boyling it be not carried with a greater salley to the Head than to other Parts nor be not forc'd there to stagnate by reason of the Sinus's of the Meninges being too much fill'd Wherefore if the fit continues long let the Person be blooded in the Arm or in the Jugular Vein out of the Fits it is sometimes proper to draw Blood from the Vessels of the Fundament by Leeches to wit that by this means the Blood haply boyling may be drawn downward towards that place whither it often tends of its own accord Let Oxyrhodinums or other Epithems be applied to the Head moreover let Juleps Emulsions or Decoctions which allay the fervour or fury of the Blood be taken Let the Belly be cooled and kept soluble by the use of Clysters Morever for prevention Whey or the use of Spaw-waters is convenient also drinking of Water a thin and cooling dyet do good You must order a forbearance of Wine Spices Bathing Venery any violent motion of the Body or Mind and all hot things Moreover for fixing the Blood and preventing its effervescencies let distilled Waters expressions of Heerbs or Decoctions Electuaries Powders and especially Crystal Mineral be frequently us'd It will not be needful to subjoyn here a method or particular forms of Medicines because in this case almost every Person that is ill being taught by frequent experience from things that do him good or hurt is wont to be his own Physician 2. It is seldom that the Blood is in the fault alone or only by it self Other Humours oftner being carried to the Head by the conveyance of the Blood and there depos'd cause the Evil If at any time therefore a filthy glut of Serum breaking forth in abundance from the Blood causes frequent Head-achs the signs whereof are Catarrhs at the same time infesting the other parts viz. the Nostrils Mouth or Trachaea then abstinence and rest being commanded and the Belly being emptied by a Clyster let the fluxion of the Serum be permitted to appease it self and the matter discharg'd on the Membranes of the Head to evaporate Which if they do not follow of their own accord and in a short time in a hot constitution Bleeding often is proper viz. inasmuch as the Vessels being emptied of Blood suck in again the extravasated Serum But in cold Persons Vesicatories applied to the Neck or behind the Ears are of excellent use Then after that the Belly is emptied by a Clyster let the fluxion be appeas'd by the use of an Anodyne or gentle Opiat and that being appeas'd it is proper to give a gentle Cathartick and then Medicines that operate by Urine or Sweat or together by both and so gently evacuate the superfluous Serosities Medicines fit for these ends are every where to be found in Books which nevertheless may not be us'd rashly and indifferently by Empiricks but they ought to be chosen compounded or altered nay and sometimes to be prepared Extempore as occasion requires according to the judgement and discretion of a prudent Physician respect being always had to the Constitution Temperament Idiocrasis and other accidents and circumstances of the Patient Wherefore in regard it would be superfluous to heap together here a great many Receipts I have rather thought fit to rpopose here only a form or two of the Medicines of each kind viz. of such as regard the chief Intents Take Pills of Amber half a dram Rosin of Jalap four grains Balsam of Peru what suffices make four Pills let three be taken going to Bed and the next morning if the former do not work enough Or Take Scammony sulphurated half a Scruple Ceruse of Antimony fifteen grains Cream of Tartar eight grains make a Powder let it be taken in a spoonful of Panada early in the morning Take Sulphur of Antimony four grains Rosin of Jalap five grains Cream of Tartar six grains let them be bruis'd together and with a sufficient quantity of Conserve of Violets make a Bolus to be taken early in the morning with Governance Take roots of Butchers-broom the great Bur-dock Chervill Avens of each an ounce preserv'd Eringo's an ounce and a half Florentine Orris three drachms the lesser Galingal a drachm and a half Bur-dock-seeds three drachms dryed leaves of Betony Sage Vervain Fluellin of each half a handful Raisins ston'd two ounces boyl them in four pounds of Fountain Water will a third part of it be consum'd then add of White-wine half a pound strain it let it be sweeten'd if need be with Syrup of the five roots two ounces let six ounces be taken warm twice or thrice a day a good while after meat For such as have a Cold and Flegmatick constitution let a Decoction be prepar'd of the Wood Guiacum Sassafras Sarzapar With the addition of the foresaid Ingredients make an Apozeme whereof let six or eight ounces be taken twice or thrice a day warm For Poor People and often to the Rich I use to prescribe with good Success a Decoction of the dryed Leaves sometimes of Sage sometimes of Betony Vervain or of Rosemary made in fountain Water and then impregnated with the Tincture of the Powder of Coffee-berries to be taken twice a day warm to six or eight Ounces 3. But if with the abounding Serum Particles also saline acid bilous or otherwise infesting are violently carried into the Membrances of the Head either wholly from the Mass of Blood or by the Mediation of this as receiv'd from the Viscera and there being fix'd cause more acute and lasting Pains then it will be proper sometimes to repeat a spare Bleeding and also a gentle
Purging to apply Anodyne and mitigating Epithemes to the Places affected and also often to give gentle Hypnoticks by frequent changes Apozemes also and Juices and Expressions of Herbs that allay the Fervour of the Choler and gently carry it off by Seige and Urine are of excellent use but in the mean time let smart or strong Medicines whether they operate by Seige Urine or Sweat in regard they too much fuse and exagitate the Blood and Humours be carefully avoided I have often observ'd in Persons troubled with an acute and obstinate Pain of the Head that the Serum swimming on the Blood when let forth have been ting'd with a Yellowness or with bilous excrements incocated in it and that also in this Case a spare and frequent Bleeding and afterward a free drinking of Whey and Spaw-Waters have given a notable Relief and beyond other Remedies 4. Moreover if the Parts of the Head suster through the Fault of some one of the Viscera as of the Stomach Liver Spleen Womb or any other by reason of the Transmission of the ill Ferment then in the Cure of the Disease let such Remedies as regard the Viscera be administred together with Cephalicks hence to certain Persons troubled with the Head-ach whose Stomach also is in a Fault Elixir Proprietatis Mynsichts Elixir of Vitrol Tinctura sacra Vitriolum martis the compound powder of Aron Roots and other things vulgarly accounted for Stomachals often do good to others whose Heads participate of the evils of the Spleen Chalybeats often give help Some Women sometime find ease of their Head-ach by hysterick Remedies in like manner when the Faults of other Parts contribute to the Head-ach let the coindicated things taken from those Parts be joyned with the first things indicated 5. Sometimes the nutritive Juice is the Cause of a periodical Head-ach viz. in as much as being mix'd with the Blood and not duely assimilated it causes a Turgescency in it by reason of its disagreeing Particles so that the Blood boyling to the Head throws off its Refuse in its Meninges or certain Parts of them predispos'd for it and so irritates the Fibres to painful Convulsions For this Reason I have known many to have been obnoxious to a daily Head-ach after the Measles Small-Pox and other Fevers or Sicknesses with which the Mass of Blood is wont to be vitiated viz. so many Hours after Meals sometimes sooner sometimes later first a flushing of Blood in the Face then a Plentiude and Pain in the Head infested them moreover after drinking of Wine or eating of turgid Food they were more severely punish'd The Access of the Distemper is wont to happen sooner or later after they have eat or drunk according as the Chyle begins to grow turgid either a little after its first entrance into the Blood or after it has stay'd some while in it This affect is free from Danger and for the most part is easily enough cur'd After a Provision being made for the whole a gentle Purge and sometimes blooding being ordered Remedies which restore the Crasis of the Blood such as are chiefly antiscorbuticks and Chalybeats prove mighty beneficial Take Conserve of Fumitory Tansey Wood Sorrel of each two Ounces compound Powder of Aron Roots three Drams Ivoy Crabs Eyes Coral prepar'd of each a Dram and a half powder of yellow Saunders Lignum Aloes of each half a Dram Vitriol of Mars a Dram salt of Wormwood a Dram and a half syrup of the five Roots what suffices make an Electuary let the Quantity of a Chesnut be taken in the Morning and at five a Clock in the Afternoon drinking after it three ounces of the following Liquor Take Water of the Leaves of Aron Vervain and of the Flowers of Elder of each six Ounces magistral Water of Snails and Earth-worms of each two Ounces Sugar on Ounce mix them Various Medicines wont to be us'd against the scorbutick Diseases of the Blood may be rang'd here and giv'n with good Success for Head-aches which are so familiar in the Scurvy oftentimes proceed from the Fault of the Blood perverting the nutritive Humour and discharging its Recrements in the Membranes of the Head wherefore the Remedies mention'd by me elsewhere against that affect claim a place also here 6. There remains yet another Humour to wit the nervous Liquor which being carried into the Fibres of the Meninges and other parts of the Head sometimes becomes disproportionate to the Fibres by its own disagreeing nature as it is sharp or otherwise degenerate sometimes twitches the containing Parts and irritates them into Convulsions or painful Distentions as it strongly ferments with some other humour viz. the nutritious or serous Humour flowing thither The nervous Humour where it is thus morbifick either being vitiated in its whole Mass brings a very great Injury on the Brain predispos'd for it or being faultless of it self is perverted within the Fibres affected and so becomes morbifick secondarily the Cure of which then depends on the Restitution of the containing Parts viz. If the Weaknesses of the Fibres or their injur'd Conformations be amended the Humour irrigating them will presently be free from Fault With what Remedies the Defaults of the Parts predisposed for Head-achs are remov'd we shall presently acquaint you Mean while if the nervous Humour being degenerate in its whole Mass causes a great Offence to the Head predispos'd for Pain let those kinds of Medicines and that method be us'd with which being reduc'd to its due Crasis and gently passing through those Fibres it may irritate them little or not at all for which end neither strong Purging nor large or frequent Blooding are proper in regard they exagitate the Blood and Humours and impair the Strength and consequently give a greater Acrimony and Rage to the nervous Humour which was faulty before But gentle Loosners and a spare Bleeding will now and then be of use whereby the Viscera may be cleans'd and the Mass of Blood be somewhat purg'd and a way be prepar'd for other Medicines which will succeed the better afterwards Now the Medicines that render the nervous Liquor more friendly and benign to the Membranes of the Head which are wont to be offended by it are those which are vulgarly call'd Cephalicks viz. whose Particles being active enough and withall fine and subtle pass the Blood without any Turgescency or Tumult and then insinuating themselves into the nervous Liquor gently actuate it and cause the Ductus's of the Nerves so to open themselves that thereby the animal Spirits more freely irradiate all Bodies both sensible and motive and inspire them without Swoonings Convulsions or anomalous Distentions These kinds of Remedies tho not always efficacious nevertheless often remove some Head-achs that are not very inveterate and in others tho never so obstinate they frequently do good moreover those things that are prescribed against Pains of the Head are also given against Affects of the Brain and Genus Nervosum and on the contrary the things
the excretory Vessels gape into the cavity of the mouth certainly by this way chiefly the envenom'd Latex of the Blood will find its passage forth which it cannot readily do elsewhere Wherefore upon a Salivation being rais'd the Blood long fermenting like Wine or Beer purging it self throws off by the Ductus Salivales and the innumerable Meatus every where gaping into the Mouth whatsoever extraneous and degenerate substance it may either contain within it self or can drink up or receive from elsewhere be it from the Viscera or solid Parts or from other humours Moreover it is likely that as the off-scowrings of the Blood so also those of the Liquor that irrigates the Brain and Nervous Appendix being stirr'd upon the entrance of the Mercury are voided forth also this way viz. by the Ductus Salvales Therefore a Salivation caus'd by Mercury if haply it succeeds well removes sometimes difficult and indeed Herculean distempers and such as will not be mastered by any other Remedies viz. forasmuch as this operation by a long expurgation throughly cleanses the Blood and nervous Juice and other humours destroys all exotick serments quells the enormities of Salts and Sulphurs and also exagitates the morbifick matter sticking any where or stagnating and often leads it forth Nevertheless this Medicine is not always free from danger viz. because the Mercury being become exorbitant and carrying with it a mighty store of most sharp and as it were envenom'd Serum and rushing violently into the noble Parts and especially the Brain with the appendixes both medullary and nervous or into the Lungs and Praecordia brings upon them an indelibel and sometimes a mortal prejudice Wherefore in an ancient and fore Head-ach there is danger lest the indispos'd Fibres be more irritated by the Mercury pervading them with much and Corrosive Serum and be put upon greater Convulsions and painful Corrugations And also lest upon the mighty recourse of Humours to the Head the Brain be invaded and consequently which happens too often lest the sleepy or Convulsive affects be caused I would have discoursed more concerning these things because it is of a great concern but that we daily expect an exact method of Salivation and a full account of it as to its ways and effects advantages or disadvantages to be set forth by the Leanred Physician Dr. Needham From Chirurgery there remains yet another famous remedy for curing inveterate Head-achs viz. the opening of an Artery Some of the moderns use this and very much extoll it it being greatly accounted of amongst the Ancients Nevertheless as far as it has appeared to our observation success has often been wanting to that so much cryed up operation Nor is it a wonder because that ground on which the Ancients relying blam'd the Arterious Blood as differing from that of the Veins and more exorbitant and therefore advised it to be let forth does not hold good Nor indeed is thereany other reason wherefore Blood drawn from an Artery rather than from a Vein near the place grieved should give ease but rather on the contrary we may expect a greater help from the opening of a Vein because an Artery being emptied receives and draws away nothing from the part affected but a Vein being opened in the place of the Blood issued forth draws from the whole Neighbourhood and often drinks in again and restores to circulation the Blood and other humours heaped together and Stagnating near the seat of the Disease However lest we recede too far from the practice of the Ancients attributing nothing to Arteriotomy we grant that sometimes haply it gives help tho not immediately and causally but only by way of consequent and per accidents viz. forasmuch as the ends of a cut Artery grow together so that the passage for the Blood that way is stopt for the time to come hence in regard somewhat a less store of Blood is brought towards the place by the Arteries and an equal quantity is still carried away by the Veins therefore it sometimes happens that the fuel of the morbifick matter is diminished and that its flock is consumed by degrees For this reason that administration has often succeeded well in distempers of the Eyes Moreover Farriers use a practice not unlike this for curing malignant tumours in Horses Legs to wit they take and bind the Artery by which the matter flows to the part affected mean while that which was there sticking partly evaporates and partly is drunk up again by the Vein I have heard that in a manner the same method was successfully tryed by our Harvey for curing strumous and schirrhous tumours also in the Body of man I might here set down many other kinds of Remedies and also Prescripts and forms of Medicines which are wont to be used both by Physicians and by Empiricks for curing Head-achet but the Books of Physicians abound too much with these I shall now give you some rare cases of Persons troubled with the Head-ach and first some examples of a most severe continual Head-ach which also the cause being invincible has often proved fatal A Woman fifty years of age after that she had been ill for about six months with a very great pain of her Head troubling her almost continually under the Sagittale Suture and yielding to no Method or Medicines fell at length into a Lethargy with a Partial resolution of her Limbs from which nevertheless being in a short time recovered by remedies seasonably administred she had again the violent pain in her Head as before and afterward within a fortnight or three weeks falling into a sleepy affect she departed this life The Scull being opened on the side of the third Sinus a schirrhous tumour three fingers broad grew to the Membranes by the mediation of which the Dura Menix also for some space grew to the Pla and the Blood Vessels which ought there to open into the cavity of the Sinus were stopt moreover both the outward Anfractus of the Brain and â—its inward cavity were filled with clear water From these observations the invincible and at length mortal cause of that Disease may plainly appear I remember formerly to have observed by Anatomy a case like to this in a certain other Person Moreover in regard I judge that in many Persons troubled with the Head-ach the Disease depends on such an invincible cause I shall here give you one instance that is quite fresh of that kind of affect Some few years since I was called to see a Lady of Quality troubled for above twenty years with a Head-ach which at first was intermittent but of lat eis almost continual She was endowed with admirable gifts both of body and mind so that she was excellently skilled in the Liberal Sciences and all Learning above the condition of her Sex but as tho Nature thought it too much for her to enjoy so great endowments without some affliction she has suffered very sorely from this disease Before she was eight years of
age upon her recovery from a dangerous Fever she became obnoxious to pains of her Head which were wont to arise sometimes of their own accord but oftner on some light occasion offered the disease being not limited to one place or part of the Head sometimes infested the right side sometimes the lest and often its whole circuit During the access which seldom ending within the space of twenty four hours often infested her for two three or four days she could not endure light speech sound or any motion but sitting upright in her Bed in a darkned room she was able to speak with none nor to take any rest or food at length as the Fit declined she used to fall into a deep and troubled sleep from which awaking she was wont to be better and then by degrees to recover and during the time of intermission to be indifferently well Formerly the Fit being raised only occasionally seldom returned within twenty days or a month and then afterwards much more frequently but of late she is seldom free from them Moreover through many occasions or rather evident causes such as are the changes of the Year and of the Air the great Aspects of the Sun and Moon violent passions and errours in diet she is sorely tormented with them Now tho this affect having sorely afflicted this noble Lady when I went to see her above twenty years and pitching its Camp near the Confines of the Brain had so long besieged its Royal Fort however it had not yet gotten possession of it But the diseased being free from a Vertigo Scotomia Convulsive affects and any sleepy symptom had still the chief Faculties of her Soul whole and sound In order to the obtaining or rather endeavouring a Cure throughout the whole progress of the Disease a great many Remedies prescribed by most skilful physicians as well of our Country as Foreigners were used without any success or ease She tryed all the Great Remedies of every kind and form but always in vain a great many years since she underwent a long-continued and most troublesome Salivation by a Mercury Ointment so that she incurred a great danger of Life Afterward a Cure was twice undertaken by a Flux tho to no effect by a Mercury Powder which the famous Empirick Charles Huis generally gave She tryed hot Baths and drank Spaw-waters almost of every Country and Nature with the like success as the rest She was frequently blooded and once in an Artery she went with many Issues made sometimes in the Sinciput sometimes in the hinder part of the Head She took the Air in divers Countreys viz. besides her Native that of Ireland and France She took Medicines of all kinds whatsoever to wit Cephalicks Antiscorbuticks Hystericks all famous Specificks nay and Empirical Remedies given both by the learned and unlearned by Mountebanks and old Women yet she declared that she had not received any where from any remedy or method of Cure the least help or relief But the refractory and obstinate Disease being deaf to all inchantments of Medicines would not be mastered Moreover having possessed so long the precincts of the Brain tho it could not enter its recesses yet when I went to see her extending its limits into certain other parts of the Genus Nervosum it began to raise violent pains in the Limbs also in the Loyns and Abdomen such as are usual in a Rheumatism and in a Scorbutick Cholick A worthy man about forty years of age robust and sound when upon riding a whole day in the rain he had gotten cold by reason of the hinder part of his Head being continually wet soon began to feel a pain in that Part which in a short time being very much encreased miserably afflicted the Diseased both day and night and kept him in a manner always without sleep Blooding Purging Clysters Vesicatories Hypnoticks nay and a great many Remedies of all kinds diligently administred by the joint advice of a great many Physicians did little or nothing towards the Cure of this affect When the Disease notwithstanding all these daily grew worse after six weeks Glands preternaturally swoln and painful arose all over the Neck the Hemicrania in the mean while abating nothing Moreover the Tendons of the Neck being very much distended and stiff proved very tedious to him to which in a short time Convulsive motions and leaping of the Tendons succeeded in various Parts with a Delirium and at length the Diseased being worn out with pains and watchings yielded to Death As in the foregoing cases the Head-aches proceeded from Nodes and tubercles of the Meninges so sometimes mortal and incurable Head-achs arise from a Phlegmon and Abscess A while since a University Scholar after he had complained for a fortnight of a very great Head-ach afflicting him almost constantly at length the Fever becoming stronger presently Watchings Convulsive motions and a talking light-headed ensued at which time a Physician being called Blooding Clysters Playsters Revulsives Vesicatories also inward Remedies for withdrawing the course of the Blood and Humours from the Head being carefully administred he could do no good but Death in a short time followed The Scull being opened the Vessels spread over the Meninges were filled with Blood and very much distended as tho the whole mass of Blood had flown thither so that the Sinus's being dissected and opened above half a pound of Blood flowed forth Moreover the Membranes themselves being affected throughout with a Phlegmonous tumour appeared discoloured These coverings being taken away all the Anfractus of the Brain and its Ventricles were full of clear water and its substance being too much irrigated was moist throughout and nothing firm For the Blood being there heaped together when it could not circulate threw off from it self a plentyof Serum by which the whole Head was soon floated so that the Disease curable haply at the beginning by Phlebotomy afterward became mortal I remember another University Scholar who after being constantly and very sorely afflicted with a Hemiâ—â—ania under the temporal Suture for three weeks fell at last into a fatal Apoplexy The Head being opened a Phlegmon had grown in the Meninges near the place paining from which at length suppurated and broken the Sanies falling on the Brain had affected its substance with a lividness and corruption But tho a continual Head-ach especially if it be drawn in length for many weeks without intermission be not without danger nevertheless we must not presently despair of its Cure because the cause of this how fixed and immovable soever it may seem is often cured by a long use of Remedies nay sometimes without them by Time and Nature tho in a case that is almost desperate there is need of some Physick lest the present affect pass into a worse viiz into a sleepy or Convulsive distemper So much of the continual Head-ach it now remains for us to propose some Examples and some rare Instances of an intermittent Head-ach Therefore not
to set forth here cases of the Head-ach whose Fits being erring and uncertain proceed from the Blood or Serum rushing into the places affected in regard that these are very frequent and vulgarly known I shall now set before you certain choice Observations of this Disease being either periodical or seeming to arise from some one of the Viscera per Consensum As to the Former the periodâ—â—â— invasions of the Head-ach are produced either from the nutritive Humour or from the nervous Juice I shall now give you example of both A venerable Matron in the forty fifth year of her age being of a thin habit of Body and a bilous temperament after having liv'd for a long time obnoxious to Head-achs wont to be occasionally rais'd about the beginning of Autumn she began to be troubled with a periodical Head-ach This affect seizing her about four a clock in the Afternoon was wont to hold her almost till midnight till the diseased being tired with watchings and tortures was forced to fall asleep then after a pretty prosound sleep upon her awaking in the morning she was well The Diseased having undergone daily Fits of this Disease for three weeks after this manner delay'd the use of Physick which she very much abhorr'd but at length her appetite being dejected and her strength worn away she was forc'd to desire a method of Cure and after a gentle Purge and blooding she took twice a day for a week or a fortnight the quantity of a Chestnut of the following Electuary and grew perfectly well Take Conserve of the Flowers of Cichory and Fumitory of each three ounces compound powder of Aron Roots two drams and a half Ivory a dram and a half yellow Saunders Lignum aloes of each half a dram Salt of Wormwood a dram and a half Vitriol of Mars a dram Syrup of the five Roots what suffices make an Electuary The cause of this periodical Head-ach doubtless was that the assimilation of the Chyme or nutritive Humour into Blood was hindred For when its store received into the mass of Blood could not be overcome it was wont after a little stay to fall at odds and ferment with its particles Therefore presently the Blood falling into a turgescency that it might shake off that incongruous mixture depos'd its recrements as on other Parts so chiefly and with a greater sence of offence on the Fibres of the Meninges being before weak or injur'd in their conformation so that the pain lasted till the heterogeneous particles boyling by their mutual congress either were subdued or did exhale A handsome tall and slender Woman long and sorely obnoxious to cephalick affects was wont to be infested sometimes for many days nay weeks with a violent Head-ach which seiz'd her daily at her awake early in the morning and afflicted her for three or four hours In the mean space she was also affected with a heaviness of the whole Head a deadness of the Senses and a stupidity of Mind which affects vanishing together with the pain before Noon like Clouds disperst left all things calm and serene Till the next morning they possest again the Brain like a sogg and dark mist For curing these distempers I prescribed parging Pills a spare Bleeding Vesicatories also and the use of Spirit of Harts-horn or of Soot with Cephalick Juleps or Waters In this Gentlewoman the pains of the Head rather followed sleep than was cur'd by it because in this morning Head-ach the morbifick matter resided in the nervous Juice whose greatest curdity and aggravation about the Head happen presently after sleep but the other evening fit of this disease in regard it depended on the plenitude and turgescency of the nutritive liquor within the mass of Blood therefore hapned so many hours after dinner and was not mittigated but after sleep which appeases the disorders of the Blood Tho the Experience and Complaints of sick Persons manifestly shew that Fits of the Head-ach sometimes arise by consent from the other Parts viz. the Womb Spleen Stomach c. Nevertheless it as clearly appears from the accounts of them and the Phoenomena being duely considered that this is done by another means than by Vapours rais'd from the Viscera affected to the Head And first as to the pains of the Head seeming to be rais'd from a Womb nothing occurs more frequently than for violent Head-achs to ensue upon the suppression of the menses or lochia moreover tho the menses observe their due course yet some Women are wont to be afflicted with a violent pain of the Head just as they are coming others as soon as they are past But yet tho at the same time that the Head is affected the Womb is also yet it does not follow that the Injury is convey'd immediately from this to that but it is the Blood it self which fixes the morbifick matter on the Head viz. it sometimes perversly conveys it being engendred within its own bosom and design'd for the Womb into the Meninges of the Brain and sometimes withdrawing it from the Parts of the Womb it delivers it to the Head with a greater mischief This Aetiology agrees also with the Head-ach vulgarly imputed to the Stomach Spleen and other Parts A beautiful young Woman of a thin habit of Body and a hot Blood having been obnoxious to an hereditary Head-ach was wont to undergo frequent Fits of it and those coming at random to wit some happening on a light occasion and others arising of their own accord that is without any evident cause On the day before the spontaneous access of the Disease being very hungry in the Evening she greedily eat a plentiful Supper with a hunger-starv'd not to say Canine appetite most certainly fore-knowing by this sign that a pain of the Head would seize her next morning which sign never fail'd of Event for as soon as she awak'd being afflicted with a most cruel torture throughout the Sinciput she was affected likewise with a vomiting of a humour sometimes acid and as it were vitriolick sometimes bilous and extremely bitter it hence seeming to appear that that Head-ach had its rise from the fault of the Stomach To undertake to give the reason of this in the first place it is known that a vomiting ensues upon the Head's being injur'd viz. after a stroak Wound or a fall from an high place nevertheless a pain of the Head seldom or never follows a vomiting Cardialgia or the Stomachs being otherwise troubled unless an effervescency of the Blood happens Wherefore in the foresaid case of the Person diseas'd since it plainly appear'd that the Meninges of the Brain were predispos'd for Head-aches and that its Fits had raised an agitation of the Blood hence it will be obvious to conceive when the heterogeneous Particles by reason of the fault of Chylification were heap'd together in the mass of Blood to a fulness presently upon its beginning to flow in order to the expulsion of that which was offensive they being severed
through their own fault in as much as being spent or affected with a stupefactive force they are congeal'd as it were or because their Paths or tracts are obstructed in the outward part of the Brain and are possess'd by a strange guest so that they have not a space granted them fit for their expanson The chief Symptoms of this Disease are Sleep and Forgetfulness a cessation of every other knowing or spontaneous function an uneven and slow respiration a Fever and often the affect growing worse Cramps leapings of the Tendons and lastly universal and mortal Convulsions The prognostick of the Lethargy is included in very narrow bounds for the Fit of the Disease being for the most part acute is soon terminated in Death or a Recovery and most commonly is wont to give more cause of fear than hope If it happens upon a Fever that is malignant or of a difficult determinations or if upon other cephalick or convulsive Diseases as the Head-ach Frensy Mania Epilepsy or also if on a long continued or severe Cholick or Gout the Physician can prognostick nothing but ill nor is it less to be fear'd if it happens in a cacochymical Body or in one long subject to sickness and in old age In like manner it is an ill Omen if the Diseas'd being presently overwhelm'd with a great deadness and becoming almost Apoplectical cannot be awak'd if he breaths unevenly and flowly or with great snoarings Moreover if the Disease growing worse and worse the sick Person be affected with Tremblings Cramps leapings of the Tendons and lastly with convulsive motions he is to be look'd upon as in a desperate condition But if the affect without any great Procatarxis be rais'd by an evident Cause alone as from over-eating drunkenness the use of Narcoticks or from a stroak or wound of the Head that are not very dangerous we may expect a less fatal event Moreover if the affect arising on such an occasion happens to a Body which was sound and robust before if at the first invasion it does not wholly take away the Sense and Memory and after a little time the symptoms begin to remit we may not despair of such a sick Person In any Lethargy if the cause of the Disease seems somewhat to be shaken and mov'd so as plentiful and laudable evacuations by Sweat Urine or Seige happen by the help of Medicines or by the instinct of Nature and give ease if upon the application of Vesicatories a great glut of filthy Waters flows forth if inflamed swellings or great pushes arise behind the Ears or in the Neck if a great sneezing with a dropping at the Eyes or Nose shall happen we may thence conceive some hope of recovery And sometimes an Empyema hapning upon a Lethargy puts an end to it viz. inasmuch as the morbifick matter which was fix'd in the Head and first caus'd the Lethargy being afterward drank up again by the Blood and depos'd in the Breast produces the Empyema In the description of the Epidemical sleepy Fever which reign'd An. 1661. we have observed that this hapned to many Concerning the Cure of this Disease since it allows no truce we must not be long deliberating After the injection of a smart clyster presently let a Vein be open'd for the Vessels being emptied of Blood more readily drink up again the Serum or other humours depos'd in the Brain Moreover I advise in this case the Jugular Vein to be open'd rather than a Vein of the Arm because by this means the Blood very much heap'd together and haply stagnating within the Sinus's of the Head will be more easily reduc'd to an even circulation After Bleeding other Remedies of every kind are presently to be applied to use let large Visicatories be applied to the Neck and Legs the Faces and Temples are to be anointed with Oyl of Amber or Cephalick Balsams let Cataplasms of Rue Pepperwort or Crowfoot well pounded together with black Soap and Sea-Salt be applyed all over the Feet let smart frictions be us'd to the Limbs let Salt of Vrine or Spirit of Sal Armoniack be frequently held to the Nostrils In the mean while let Cephalick Remedies be now and then taken Take Water of Peony Flowers Black Cherries Rue Walnuts simple of each three ounces compound Peony Water two ounces Castoreum tyed in a Nodulus and hung in the Glass two drams Sugar three drams mix them make a Julep let four or five spoonfuls be taken every third or fourth hour moreover to each dose of this add from twelve to fifteen drops of Spirit of Harts-horn Amber or Sal Armoniack or a paper of the following Powder Take Powder of Male Peony Roots Mans Scull Roots of Virginia Serpentary Contrayerva of each a dram Bezoar Pearl of each half a dram Coral prepar'd a dram make a Powder divide it into twelve parts Moreover it is here to be considered whether a purging by Vomit or Seige ought not to be ordered just at the beginning I know that this is variously controverted amongst Authors and I have known it us'd in practice with a various success which being considered and compared betwixt themselves I shall briefly declare what is my opinion If a Lethargy has arose from a fresh over-eating or being drunk or if from taking improper and narcotick things presently let a vomit be raised Wherefore let Salt of Vitriol be given with Wine and oximel of Squils or in robust Persons an infusion of Crocus Methallorum or Mercurius Vitae with Black-Cherry Water and afterward unless it works of its own accord let a Vomit be provoked by thrusting a Quill into the Throat But if the invasion of the Disease happens upon a Feaver or other Cephalick affects or if it be raised primairly or per se by reason of a Procatarxis first laid in the Blood or in the Brain Vomits and Purges given presently at the beginning whilst the matter is flowing are wont oftner to do more hurt than good to wit inasmuch as whilst the humours are in motion those Medicines more exagitate them and since they are not yet able to subdue them and lead them forth they drive them into the part affected On the second day if the dead sleepiness be not yet remitted let bleeding in case the Pulse indicates it be repeated or in its stead let Blood be taken away in the Shoulder-blades by Cupping-glasses after Scarification Then a little afterward let an Emetick Medicine if nothing prohibits it or a Cathartick be given Take Sulphur of Antimony five grains Scammony sulphurated eight grains Cream of Tartar six grains mix them make a Powder let it be given in a spoonful of the Julep prescribed Or Take Scammony sulphurated twelve grains Cream of Tartar fifteen grains Castoreum three grains make a Powder give it after the same manner Mean while let the same or the like altering or deriving Remedies be still continued On the third day and afterward those things which at the beginning of the Disease were
straitned than in the Corpus Striatum What before we said in the Apoplexy we affirm now in the Palsey that the morbid Particles are not only opilative but sometimes narcotick and extinguish the Spirits thus the steams of Antimony Mercury and Auripigment cause weaknesses tremblings and often resolutions of the Members to some using amongst furnaces of Metals In like manner we may imagine that in certain scorbutical and very cacochymical Persons heterogeneous Particles and seemingly of a vitriolick nature enter the Ductus's of the Nerves and subvert certain files of the Spirits or suppress their motion hence stupors or resolutions suddenly arise in the Members or Muscles sometimes in these and sometimes in those they often removing from place to place and sometimes a fixt Palsey is settled And in every Palsey caused by obstruction the morbifick matter is not a gross and viscous phlegm as Galen and many Physicians affirm for such does not pervade the Brain much less the Ductus's of the Nerves but seems to consist of subtle and very active particles tho injurious to the animal oeconomy for the Palsey happens to men as a blight or rust does to Plants for some Winds endued with Vapours more than cold viz. of a vitious or vitriolick Spirit when they blow upon young tender Plants presently cause them to wither viz. in as much as the tender stamina interwoven every where like Nerves in the Leaves and Branches are so throughly constring'd by the blast of the malignant Air that they no longer admit the Juice sent from the Trunk and Root through defect of which they wither after the like manner extraneous and as it were vitriolick Particles admitted within the Organs of Sense and Motion in as much as at the same time they stop the Pores and deject the animal Spirits or restrain them from Motion bring as it were a blast on the respective Parts As to the evident causes of an habitual Palsey viz. through what occasions those that are disposed to this Disease contract it sooner or being already seized with it are more severely troubled with it I say all such things make for this which add to the vitiating of the Blood also which fill the Brain and its nervous Appendix or raise suffusions of a morbifick matter in it those things likewise wich affect the Spirits with a Stupefaction or diminish their Stores in the number of these first occur disorders in the six non natural things an ill form of Dyer a drinking of strong Wines or hot Waters too much or unseasonable Sleep Idleness and a sedentary Life immoderate Venery too great losses of Blood a moist and marshy Air houses fresh plaistred metallick Fumes and Vapours frequent use of Narcoticks or Tobacco an excess of Cold Heat or Moisture vehement and long continued Passions of Sadness and Fear with many other things which I shall not here stand to relate There is another kind of this Disease depending on the scarcity and fewness of the Spirits in which tho motion fails wholly in no Part or Member yet it is performed but weakly only or depravedly by any to wit the affected tho not become without Motion yet they are not able to move their Members or to sustain any Burthen with strength moreover in any moving effort they are troubled with a trembling of the Limbs which is only the effect of Weakness or a broken strength in the moving Faculty Persons become subject to this affect by reason of an extream or valetudinary old age also through immoderate losses of Blood or Seed and likewise by reason of being very scorbutical or cacochymical and many recovering with difficulty and slowly from a chronick distemper are troubled with a languishing of the Limbs and a great resolution of the Members from their due Vigour and Strength so that tho their Stomack holds good and their Pulse and Urine be well disposed yet being enervated as it were and without Strength they scarce dare to set upon any local motion and if they begin it they cannot hold it long nay some without any considerable sickness keep their Beds for a long time as Persons ready to dye whilst they lye undisturbed they discourse with their Friends and are chearful but they neither will nor dare be raised up or walk about nay they abhor all motion as some dreadful thing Doubtless in these tho the animal spirits in some sort actuate and irradiate the whole Genus Nervosum yet their Stores are so slender and loosly set together that when many Spirits ought to be gathered together somewhere in it for motion there is great danger lest presently in the Neighbourhood their Continuity be broken off and consequently the tension in the Nervous Parts ber esolv'd Wherefore in regard the Spirits residing in the Brain are conscious of the Weakness of the others plac'd in the Members they refuse to impose local motion on their Companions as being a task too difficult for them for which cause the affected are scarce led by any perswasion to try whether they are able to go or not but those who being troubled with a scarcity of Spirits will force them as much as they may to local Motions are able at their first rising in the Morning to walk move their Arms this way and that or to lift up a weight with strength but before Noon the store of the Spirits which influenc'd the Muscles being almost spent they are scarce able to move Hand or Foot I have now a prudent and honest Woman in cure who for many years has been obnoxious to this kind of bastard Palsey not only in the Limbs but likewise in her Tongue This Person for some time speaks freely and readily enough but after long hasty or laborous speaking presently she becomes as mute as a fish and cannot bring forth a word nay and does not recover the use of her Voice till after an hour or two In a certain species of the Palsey the sensitive faculty is hurt by it self motion being still entire this is obvious enough concerning the Organs whose Nerves are only relating to Sense as of the Sight Hearing Tast and Smell and the Reason is plain enough But that in the uttermost habit of the Body or the Members sometimes the touch perishes the locomotive Power being without hurt as it is every where seen in Persons affected with the Leprosie Elephantiasis and in some troubled with the Mania who are wont to go naked and to lye on the Ground and who are become so insensible in the Skin and the Flesh of the Muscles that they do not feel the cuts of a Pen-knife or Needles any where thrust into them This I say is very difficult to be explained But concerning this it must be said that the same Nerves haply convey forward and backward the instincts of Motions and the Impressions of sensible things but that the same Fibres which are locomotive are not alway or chiefly sensible We have shewn elsewhere that the muscular and
damm that obstructs the ways of the Spirits and therefore if they do not force it asunder they drive it more firmly into the places obstructed And it is in some sort for this reason that Vomitories often do egregious service in Curing the Palsey to wit that they withdraw the fuel of the Conjunct Cause and do not drive only forward the matter sticking in the Nerves but revulse it mightily shake it and often break it into minute parts so that when the Continuity of the damm is broken the animal spirits themselves easily dissipate the Particles of the Morbifick matter sever'd from each other we have intimated before another reason concerning the relief of Emeticks in the sleepy affects which has also in some sort place in the Palsey So very many Examples and Instances of Paralyticks daily happen every where that the various Types and Histories of them if they were described would fill a mighty Volume wherefore I shall only set down here some of the more rare viz. one or two with which each chief species of that Disease may be illustrated and since it would be to little or no purpose to give a Relation of Resolutions of Members hapning by reason of some outward Accident as a fall from an high Place a Wound or a Stroke I shall insist only in describing those Cases where the Palsey arises either by it self after a previous Disposition or follows upon some other Disease Some time since a certain Gentleman Robust well in Flesh and above forty years of Age having been in a manner always in health at length giving himself to a sedentary Life and Idleness and afterward becoming more dull than usual refused any exercise and vigorous motion of the Body moreover being melancholy and sad on any light occasion nay sometimes without any manifest cause he was wont to break forth into a weeping and tears this Person a short while after which I have also observed of many others was affected with a Weakness and a Trembling of all the Members and afterward with a Resolution of the lower Parts by which Disease being melancholy and soon a weary of Physick yielding himself overcome and growing weaker by degrees he dyed within six months I remember many others but especially two committed to our care being as to the first part of their Life mighty Ingenious and well Learned who afterward in their declining Age partly by reason of a Cacochymia of the Body and partly through a trouble of mind growing dull and forgetful at length notwithstanding the use of Remedies in the beginning of the Disease became Paralytical A young man of a sanguine temperament clear spirited and for the most part Healthy sitting in a Chair after a plentiful Supper and an immoderate Drinking of Wine was so affected with a stupidity in his right Hand that his Glove which he happened to hold fell down against his will afterwards standing up and endeavouring to go he perceived a resolution in the Leg and Thigh of the same side falling a little afterward into a certain dulness of Mind and a stupidness tho without an Apoplexy for he was always present to himself answering aptly enough tho slowly and with some trouble to things asked and doing things that were commanded him a very skilful Physician being presently called Blooding Vomiting Purging were used in order Cupping-Glasses a Scarification Liniments Frictions and other fit Administrations were diligently applyed nevertheless the Palsey increas'd so that besides Motion almost taken away from the Members of the right side he lost also the sight of that Eye yet tho dull and sleepy being still Compos mentis he knew his Friends and being conscious of his Infirmity and sollicitous for the recovery of his Health he took all Remedies offered but notwithstanding this the animal functions daily fail'd more and more and through a consent with them at last the vital so that about the seventh or eighth day falling ever and anon sometimes into a Delirium sometimes into Convulsions and other distractions of the Spirits at length his strength being gone he yielded to Death A certain Noble-mans Bayliff about forty years of age having a sharp Blood and a bilous temperament and long obnoxious to a Vertigo as he rode through a certain Village in the Country being seiz'd on a sudden with a Scotomia fell head-long on the ground where being presently taken up by the Inhabitants and put to Bed he lay for many hours insensible and dead as it were but afterward awaking he found all the members of both sides resolv'd into a Vniversal Palsey going to see him the next day after I presently drew about twelve ounces of Blood and forthwith prescribed other Remedies both as to outward administrations and inward Medicines to be diligently us'd and indeed with good success for after five or six days he began to stretch forth or bend his feet nay to move them from their place this way and that tho slowly afterward by the constant use of Remedies he was able within two months to raise himself stand on his feet and go a little with Crutches then having us'd at his house an artificial Bath for some time he daily gain'd in the motion of his members and his strength at length assoon as the season of the year was fit going to Bathe and by the use of the hot Baths perfectly recovering within six weeks he returned sound leaving there his Crutches The following Relation will manifestly shew that the Palsey does not only follow upon Cephalick affects but also on the Colick and Scurvy A handsome Woman and young after Child-birth fell into a Tertian Ague this afterward becoming a Quotidian and the cure protracted brought a very violent Cholick and of long continuance Pains first raged only in the Abdomen with a vomiting and most bitter tortures being long tormented and almost worn away with these at length she began to be troubled with a stupor and a sense of pricking such as arises in members lain on Nor was it long after but a Palsey which that other affect very often fore-runs followed in the whole Body In this state being brought to Oxford she was committed to our care another famous Physician D. D. Lydall being called to joyn with me Not only all the greater Members of this Diseased but even the lesser of each Limb were so wholly resolved that she was not able to stir from its place either Hand or Foot or any finger of either hand Moreover she was so far affected with an Atrophia that the flesh being wholly vanished the Skin scarce stuck to the Bones yet she still had a good Pulse and vivid Aspect from which alone we gathered somewhat of hope After that we had given this Person for many Weeks the choicest Medicines both Antiparaliticks and Antiscorbuticks almost of every kind and according to various Methods without any success at length we proposed to her self and her Friends a Salivation as a Remedy more powerfull than any
sometimes it being often needful Wherefore we must take a great care lest whilst we go about to eradicate the Discase by Purging and frequent Bleeding we on a sudden weaken the Vital function if this begins to waver neglecting the Frensy and allowing a more nourishable Food we must cheifly use Cardiacks Take Tincture of Coral half an ounce let twenty grains be taken twice or thrice a day with a dose of a Cephalick or cordial Julep or let the milkly solution of Coral made with the Juice of Oranges be given to a spoonful often in a day Take Rob or Conserve of Rasberryes and Barberryes an ounce Pearl prepared Magistery of Coral of each a dram Confection of Hyacinth two drams Syrup of the Juice of Kermes what suffises make a Confection let the quantity of a Nutmeg be taken three or four times a day drinking after of the following Julep three ounces Take Waters of the Flowers of Nymphaea red Roses and of the Leaves of Medow-sweet of each three ounces Syrup of Coral two ounces Aqua Cordialis Saxoniae a dram mix them Take Conserve of the Flowers of Nymphaea of Violets of each an ounce Lettice Stems condited half an ounce Powder of red Coral ground on a Marble with the Juice of Oranges and dryed two drams Species Diamargariti frigidi a dram white Poppey Seeds a dram and a half with a sufficient quantity of Syrup of the Juice of Wood-sorrel make an Electuary let the quantity of a Nutmeg be taken often in a day In the Phrensy not only the Belly but likewise the Bladder when unmindful of its Office ought frequently to be moved or irritated to it Wherefore the diseased are to be admonisht and a Chamber-pot being presented to be entreated to make water which if they do not obey Let the Region of the Share be fomented with a Decoctionof Pellitory of the Wall Elder Flowers the Seeds of Parsly and wild Carrots with a Spunge and after the Fomentation let it be anointed with Oyle of Scorpions and Vnguentum Dialthaea in a long Suppression of Vrine you must put a wax Candle into the Vrethra So many and so various Cases and Stories of Persons troubled with the Frensy are written by Hippocrates in lib. Epidem that it may seem to little purpose to add others here especially because it would be a thing of an immense Labour and Tediousness to relate the various Conditions and Gestures of Franticks mean while as to the event of the Disease no great diversity occurs For for the most part either the Fever being determined the Frensy ceases by degrees or that having no Crisis or an ill one either death or a long raving ensues Nevertheless for the Illustration of our Hypothesis concerning the Inflammation of the Spirits I shall here set before you one rare instance Soime time since I was called to cure a robust Maid servant who being in a Fever and very much distracted was continually kept bound in her Bed to this Person I ordered Blood to be drawn in a plentiful manner and afterward the blooding to be repeated the Belly to be frequently loosned by a Clyster and all other Administrations usual in this case to be performed in order mean while I gave her Emuslions Juleps Hypnoticks but these doing little or no good she continued still for seven or eight dayes without Sleep and extreamly raving howling and crying out contintually for cold Drink wherefore it being allowed her to drink her fill of cold Water she became not at all the more appeased or less dry Therefore it being Summer I ordered that in the midst of the night being taken up by Women and led forth she should be put into a Boat then her Cloaths being taken off and the Cords with which she was bound being untyed she should be dipt in the deepest part of the River only a Cord being bound about her middle to keep her from drowning but there was no need of that support for she swam of her own accord almost as well as a man that had well learned after the third or fourth part of an hour she was taken out of the Water sound and sober then being put to bed she slept and sweated freely and afterward grew well without any other Remedy This Cure hapned so suddenly and successfully in as much as the excesses both of the vital and animal flame being increased to a vast height together were taken away by the proper Remedy of an intense Fire viz. a Humectation and Infrigidation CHAP. X. Instructions and Prescripts for the curing of Melancholy AS the Frensie arises from the burning of the animal Spirits or from the inflammation of their Substance so other affects of raving proceed from their Substance being altered after other manners and its being changed from its genuine disposition viz. spirituo-saline into an acetous or sharp nature resembling aqua stygia or into a flatness or deadness which therefore are either Melancholly or a Mania or Madness or a Morosis or fatuity of which we shall now speak ion order and in the first place of Melancholy Melancholy is commonly defined a Raving without a Fever or Fury joyn'd with fear and sadness whence it follows to be a complicated affect of the Brain and Heart for that melancholick Persons rave it proceeds from the fault of the Brain and the disorder of the animal Spirits residing in it but that they are sad and timorous this is attributed to the Passion of the Heart There are various and sundry kinds of the Imagination'sbeing depraved in Melancholly concerning which we may observe in general that the affected either rave concerning all things or at leaswise concerning most so that they pass a right judgment in a manner concerning no subject or they imagine amiss only in one or two particular cases but of most others form notions not altogether absurd First we shall enquire concerning this affect as it is more Universal how the Imagination is prevaricated concerning most things to wit for what Causes and with what difference of Symptoms this is wont to be done afterward we shall speak of the particular raving Tho the delirous affect of universal Melancholy contains manifold symptoms yet they consist chiefly in these three things first that the affected are almost continually occupied in thinking so that their Fancy is scarce ever idle and at rest Secondly in thinking they comprehend fewer things in their mind than they were wont before so that they often roul in their mind the same Object day and night being nothing follicitous of other things which sometimes are of far greater moment Thirdly the Ideas of Objects or Conceptions appear often deform'd and like frightful Apparitions as it were and they are alwayes represented in a greater Species so that every small thing seems to them great and most difficult and by reason of this horrid and unusual appearance the Image once conceived is not easily nor soon let go The Indisposition of the animal Spirits in this
affect is wont commonly to be described after this manner to wit that whereas they ought to be transparent subtle and light in Melancholy they become obscure opake and darkish so that they represent the Images of things covered as it were with a Shadow or obscurity But I conceive the state of the animal Spirits in raving is most aptly explicated according to the Analogy they bear with certain chymical Spirits as it will appear from what follows 1. Liquours chymically distilled are of divers kinds according as the active Elements are combin'd in them after various manners the most excellent of these by the consent of all is said to be in which the Spirit united to the Salâ—â—olatizes it and is again acuated and recieves somewhat of a firmness from it of this nature are conceived to be the great Elixir and the Liquour Alkahest and in truth in some sort are the Spirits of Blood of Harts-horn of Soot and the like they being very subtle volatile and penetrating and yet not inflamable or apt to be soon dissipated And indeed the animal Spirits enjoying a sound and meet disposition seem in some sort to be as the spirituous Liquour filled with a volatile Salt which is distilled from the Blood unless it be that to this a mighty Acrimony and Empyeuma are caus'd by the Fire of which the Liquour which is in the Brain and Nerves is wholly free 2. Other Chymical Liquours are too sulphureous and burning as Spirit of Wine and of Turpentine which consisting of Spirit and Sulphur combin'd together are easily inflamed and readily separate from others and take this way and that as they find a Passage of which kind of nature the animal Spirits in some sort participate in the Phrensy 3. Some Liquours or Spirits are produc'd by Chymistry in which the fixt salt being raised to a flowing has the Dominion of which kind are those which are distilled from Vinegar ponderous Woods and certain Minerals by a gentle Fire whose particles are very movable and restless but of a shorter activity so that the effluvia do not flow far from them and if they are distilled in Baleno nothing but an insipid Phlegm is raised into the Alembick And indeed we conjecture that the animal Spirits have such a kind of acetous Nature with the dominion of the fluid Salt in melancholy Affects as we shall by and by shew more at large 4. Some Liquours spagyrically drawn are sometimes extreamly sharp in which the wild Particles of a fluid Salt and of an arsenical Sulphur combin'd together are exalted as are the Stygian Waters distilled from Nitre Vitriol Antimony Arsenick Verdigrease and the like all which are of a wild very penetrative and invincible Nature so that their diffuse themselves to a great wideness and these kinds of Liquours aptly enough resemble the Disposition of the animal Spirits acquir'd in a Mania as we shall declare beneath But at present that we may deliver the formal nature and Causes of Melancholy we may opine that the Liquour distilled from the Blood into the Brain which filling and irrigating all the Pores and Passages of the Brain and its nervous appendix is both the Vehicle and Vinculum of the animal Spirits has degenerated from its mild benign and subtle Nature into an acetous and corrosive Disposition such as that of the Liquours drawn from Vinegar Box and Vitriol and that the animal Spirits which dispersing their Rayes from the Meditullium of the Brain both into its globous Substance and into the Systema Nervosum produce all the Functions of Sense and Motion both inward and outward are disposed in like manner as the Effluvia passing from those acetous Chymical Liquours Concerning which we may observe these three things viz. First that they are in perpetual Motion secondly that they do not flow far thirdly that they are not only carryed by open Passages but make new prosities in neighbouring Bodies and insinuate themselves into them From the Analogy of these Conditions concerning the animal Spirits it happens that melancholy Persons are always thoughtful that they comprehend only a few things that they form their Notions concerning them amiss you may find this fuller explained in Dr. Willis at large So much of the primary melancholy Affect viz. a Delirium raised through the faults of the Spirits residing in the Brain whose beginnings tho cheifly and often in a manner only proceed from the acetous Disposition of the Spirits yet afterward the conformation of the Brain it self is frequently taken in as a part of the cause viz. In as much as the Recrements of the melancholy Blood continually sent into it renders its substance more gross and opake and the primary Tracts or Paths of the animal Spirits being almost defac'd new oblique and devious Tracts are made so that tho there be a supply of the better sort of Spirits they cannot easily irradiate the Brain or presently recover their former Passages Melancholy is not only an affect of the Brain and Spirits residing in it but likewise of the Praecordia and of the Blood there kindled and thence sent forth into the whole Body and as it produces in the former a Delirium so here a Fear and Sadness but after what manner let us now see In Sadness in the first place the flamy or vital part of the Soul is straitned as to its circuit and is restrained within a less space and then consequently the animalor lucid part of the Soul contracts its Sphere and has less vigour but in Fear both are suddenly represt and made to stagger as it were and to contain themselves within very small spaces in both affects the Blood does not circulate and burn lively and with a full flame but being apt to be heapt together and to stagnate about the Precordia it causes there an oppression or fainting and in the mean while the Head and Members being destitute of its plentiful efflux languish Now that those Passions become habitual in melancholy Persons the cause is partly in the Blood and partly in the animal Action of the Heart for the Blood by reason of saline Particles exalted becomes less inflamable whence it is neither sufficiently kindled in the Lungs nor does it burn within the Ductus's of the Heart and Vessels with a flame sufficiently clear and plentiful but such as is apt to be represt and almost blown out by any puff of Wind hence in regard the vital Flame is so slender and languishing that it staggers and trembles at all Motion it is no wonder if a melancholy Person the Soul as it were subfiding and being half overwhelmed is always sad and tlmorous By reason of this saline discrasie of the Blood melancholy Persons are seldom troubled with a Fever but being seised with it they are more dangerously ill by reason of the irregular burning of the Blood Nor does it happen less through the fault of the Heart that melancholy Persons by reason of the course of the Blood being retarded or
appropriate Electuary such as above-described with a Cephalick Julep Within two months he was m uch better and afterward came to himself by degrees Whilst I was writing these things a young man of Quality lately returned from travelling beyond the Seas and being become sickly committed himself to our care This Person being formerly of a sanguine and chearful temperament of a gay behaviour also of an acute wit and a clear disposition as he travelled through Foreign Countries and being in a certain Summer in Spain he felt in himself a great alteration from the intense heats of that place For first he became obnoxious to frequent effervescencies of the Blood with sudden flushings of heat in the palms of his Hands and the soles of his Feet and to prickings often wont to arise in his whole Body and presently to go away again Afterward finding himself worse as to his Appetite and Sleep and likewise growing dull and somewhat sad he began to affect less and sometimes to shun any business or delights nay and conversation with his friends At length this indisposition daily growing worse without any manifest cause or real trouble of mind he became Melancholick so that always being thoughtful fearful and sad he took delight in nothing For Studies Exercises Travelling Conversation with learned men and all other things which before he delighted in were then wont to be a trouble or terrour to him Being affected after this manner for two years he was so much changed from himself as tho he were another man In order to a Cure he consulted the most skilful Physicians of Spain France Holland and of late in England and tryed various methods of Curing tho scarce with any benefit To wit that melancholy Discrasy of the Blood first contracted by the distemper of the Air continuing still caused Spirits of an acetous nature as it were to be supplied to the Animal oeconomy In the first place I thought good to commend to this Person the following Remedies Take Gerion's decoction of Senna with Tamarinds half an ounce four ounces Purging Syrup of Apples an ounce Aqua mirabilis two drams mix them let him take it with governance repeating it within nine days afer Purging let Bood be drawn with Leeches to three ounces Take of our Syrup of Steel six ounces let a Spoonfull be taken in the morning and atfive of the Clock in three ounces of the following Liquor walking upon it for an hour or two Take leaves of Baum Borrage Buglosse Burnet Meadow-sweet Harts-tongue Water-cresses of each four handfuls roots of Borrage half a pound Clove-gilliflowers Marygold flowers of each three handfuls the outward rinds of eight Oranges and four Lemmons Mace half an ounce being sliced and bruis'd pour to them of Whey made with Cyder eight pounds distill it with common Organs Take Conserve of Clove-gilliflowers the flowers of Betony and Borrage of each one ounce and half Pearl powdred two drams red Coral prepared a dram and a half Species of the Confection of Hyacinth two drams Syrup of Coral and red Poppyes of each what suffizes make an opiat let the quantity of a Chesnut be taken every Evening drinking after it two or three ounces of the water of Cowslip flowers After sixteen or twenty dayes the method of alteratives being changed instead of these let him take the following Take powder of Ivory Pearl red Coral prepared of each two drams Roots of male Peony a dram and a half Lignum Aloes half a dram Orange Tablets four ounces a solution of Tragacanth made in Baum-water what suffises make Tablets weighing half a dram let four be eaten in the Morning and at five of the Clock drinking after it a draught of Tea Take of the same Powder without Tablets half an ounce Flowers of Sal Armoniack Salt of Coral of each a dram with Chios Turpentine six drams make amass let half a dram be taken Morning and Evening drinking after it three ounces of the distilled Water Let him feed only on Food of a good Juice and of an easie Concoction let him drink small Ale with the Leaves of Harts-tongue infused in it he may sip a little now and then of Wine with Water in it or of Cyder Let him lead his Life continually occupied sometimes in easie Employs sometimes in moderate Exercises or Recreations of various kinds So far of universal Melancholy in which the diseased are in a manner indifferently affected by any Object so that in every place by any Accidents and Circumstances they are continually perplext with a multitude of Thoughts with a Raving Fear and Sadness A Melancholy is said to be Special when the diseased have regard to some particular thing or to some certain kind of things of which they in a manner alwayes think and by reason of all the Powers of the Soul being continually spent in this one thing they live always pensive and sad Moreover they have absurd and incongruous Notions not only concerning that Object but also concerning many other Accidents and Subjects In this affect the corporeal soul being altered from its proper Species assumes a certain new one and being not conformable to the rational Soul or to the Body or to it self it undergoes a certain Metamorphosis There are two kinds of occasions from which a particular Melancholy chiefly and most frequently arises viz. first if at any time some severe pressure of an Evil present or at hand whether it be true or imaginary lyes upon the Soul or secondly if the privation of a good before obtained or the despair of that which is desired happen In these opposite Cases the corporeal Soul either being allur'd outwardly omits all domestick care of it self or of the Body or of the rational Soul or being inwardly compress'd it leaves or perverts the offices both of the Reason and of the Vital and Animal Function It were a thing of an immense Labour to enumerate the various Cases and wayes of affecting in both kinds among the mighty store of them those which being of greatest moment seem chiefly to require a physical help are a furious Love Jealousie Superstition despair of eternal Salvation the imaginary Metamorphosis of the Body or of its Parts or the fantastical Goods or Evils of Fortune we shall speak briefly of each of these It is a vulgar and most common observation that if any one once being taken with the Aspect and Conversation of a Woman begins inwardly to be love-sick for her and to desire her earnestly and for his most devoted affection gets nothing but denials and Contempt unless he be upheld by a very strong Reason or being seized by other affections be turned another way as it were there is great danger lest he fall into a Love-melancholy with which Passion if he happen to be affected presently he seems transformed from himself into a living Statue as it were he thinks or speaks of nothing but his Mistris he seeks to put himself upon any of the greatest dangers of Life and Fortune
the animal Spirits being very exorbitant and vehemently moved both fortifie the Imagination that no Object seems greater or more terrible to it than usual and actuate the Praecordia with Vigour so that they strongly and swiftly convery the Blood and briskly drive it into the outmost bounds of the Body In this affect the Soul strives to outgoe and to springit self as it were beyond the circumference of the Body and so making an effort every way it bears it self undaunted against any incursions of exteriour things 2. The Reason why mad Persons are strong to a miracle is that Particles as it were nitrosulphureous or otherwise very sharp or as it were Stygian ar contained in their Blood and nervous Juice whence the animal Spirits excell in a stupendous and incredible elastick or explosive force far above the natural 3. It is to be observed that mad Persons are hardly ever wearied for tho by raging and striving they strongly exercise their Limbs for many dayes and Nights and in the mean while live without eating and sleeping they scarce at all faulter nor desist from their strugling through a failure of Strength which doubless so happens for as much as the animal Spirits tho very movable and elastick yet are not volatile and easily dissipable but by reason of the saline Particles depress'd from their volatility into a flowing state and being combin'd with the sulphureous ones become firm and fixt and therefore hold out veryling in their Activity 4. Almost for the same reason many Persons how much soever they suffer or are afflicted are not hurt but endure Cold Heat Watchings Fastings Stripes and Wounds without any sensible dammage because the Spirits being strong and fixt do not faulter nor flye away Moreover the Blood having got a nitrosulphureous dyscrasy is incapable of any other change wherefore tho insensible transpiration be stopt and other solemn evacuations are supprest or supplyes of te nutritive Juice are deny'd neither a Catarrh nor Feaver nor an Atrophia or Cacochymia lightly ensue upon Madness for in this affect tho the Particles of the Blood are grown very turgid yet by reason of the store of Salt they do not take to a feverish Flame As to the prognostick of Madness since the affected are never obnoxious to a Fever nor to oter Diseases besides nor are easily hurt by outward Accidents it is not a mortal Disease of it self but is very of Cure because a great alteration is to be made in the Blood and Spirits and the Diseased are refractory to any method of Cure being Enemies both to the Physicians and themselves If the Madness be inveterate or hereditary or be caus'd by the bite of a mad Dog it admits of a perfect Cure with difficulty or not at all that which is rais'd through some occasion whether it be from an evident cause alone or comes upon a Fever also on which the Itch Small Pox Hemorrhoids or Varix's happen is more easily Cured Those that are obnoxious to this Disease at times are very much in danger about the Summer Solstice or in the Dog days also in great changes of the Air as when long colds or heats are changed into opposite constitutions of the Heavens Since there are two kinds of Madness to with a continual and intermittent one the method of Curing also ought to be twofold 1. The Therapeutick method to be used in a continual Mania suggests to us the three primary Indications so vulgarly known viz. the first Curatory which regarding the Disease if self endeavours to correct or appease the furies and exorbitancies of the Aniaml Spirits The second preservatory which levelling at the causes of the Disease undertakes to remove or amend the sharp and nitrosulphureous Dyserasies of the Blood and the Nervous juice and the Stygian disposition as it were of the Spirit The third Vital which directs such a way of Dyet and resumptive nourishment that both the nutritive and vital functions may be able to be carried on and maintain'd as is barely necessary in this Disease The first Indication viz. Curatory requires Discipline viz. threats bindings or stripes as well as Physick and therefore the mad Person being put into a House fit for that purpose let him be so managed both by the Physician and prudent attendants that he be kept in a manner always in his due behaviour and in meet gestures and motions either by advice chiding or by punishments now and then inflicted on him and indeed there is nothing more efficacious or necessary for curing mad Persons than that they always dread and stand in awe of certain Tortures as it were for by this means the Corporeal Soul being somewhat deprest and restrained is forced to remit of its haughtiness and exorbitancy and therefore afterward grows mild by degrees and is reduced to order Wherefore mad men are sometimes sooner and more certainly cured by punishments and tortures in a pent up room than by Physick or Medicines But withal such a course of Physick also ought to be us'd which may restrain and bring down the haughtiness of the Corporeal Soul Wherefore in this Disease Blooding Vomitories and Catharticks how strong soever they are and given at rovers and boldly very often do good Which indeed manisestly apperars because Empyricks only with this kind of Physick together with governanace and a severe discipline often successfully cure Mad-men Tho this rough way of handling does not so well agree with all mad persons but chiefly with such as are raving mad oters being more remissly mad are often cured by fair usage and gentle Medicines But in most mad persons it is both the common voice and general practice to bleed plentifully about the beginning of the Disease and indeed it will be good now and then to repeat it as far as the strength will bear and sometimes to perform the operation in the Arm sometimes in the Jugular Vein Forehead or Foot and sometimes to open the Hemorrhoid Vessels by Leeches For these evacuations being seasonably made both the exorbitancies of the Spirits and te haughtiness of the Soul are excellently supprest and likewise the Dyscrasies of the Blood are corrected in regard that a new and more mild springs up in the place of that which was taken away being sharp and corrosive That Vomits also do great good in curing mad persons it is past even into a Proverb so that all Hellebore nay all Anticyra is assign'd to them After what manner Emeticks often do good in Cephalick Diseases we have shewn before Quacks in this case giving a large dose of Stibium tho it be rashly and dangerously yet have often success In truth Chymical things best agree here both because they move more powerfull and because the Disased may be deceived more easily by them Take sulphur of Antimony from eight grains to ten Cream of Tartar half a scruple mix them by grinding them together make a Powder let it be given in a spoonful of Panada or if it must be
let a gentle purge sometimes and letting blood in a small quantity if the strength will bear it frequently be used for the same pursose and likewise for deriving Faeculencies from the Brain Issues are proper in the Arm or in the Leg or together in both in gross Bodies and such as have a moist Brain it is good sometimes to cut two by the Shoulder blades Moreover it is on this account that some mightily extoll trepanning to wit whereby the Brain may transpire and evaporate the more freely let the diet belight and attenuating the Habitation in a free and dry Air the Sleep moderate After that these things have been used for some time and in a solemn manner if there be found no change it will be in vain to waste any more physical Oyle and Labour but if after the use of those things signs of benefit or some hope appear sometimes it seems proper to add altering Remedies to be taken daily at Physical hours for a long time Forms of these may be taken from our curatory part of Physick before delivered for removing the Procatarxes of most Cephalick Diseases Moreover I have thought good to add here besides some Magistral Receipts which particularly regard this case Take Spirit of Armoniack succinated six drams give from fifteen drops to twenty in the Evening and early in the Morning in three spoonfuls of the following distilled water drinking after it seven spoonfuls of the same Take fresh leaves of mistletoe growing on Apple-trees six handfuls Sage Rosemary Savory Wild-time Calamint Penny-royal Marjoyam the greater Rochet of each four handfuls roots of Angelica Master-wort of each six ounces Zedoary the lesser Galingal Calamus Aromaticus Winters bark of each two ounces Cloves Nutinegs Mace Cinnamon Ginger of each an ounce Cubebs Cardamums Grains of Paradise of each six drams all being slic'd small and bruised pour to them of the best Canary wine twelve pounds let them digest cold and in a close Vessel for three dayes then distill them according to Art let the whole Liquor be mixt and sweeten it with Sugar as you use it the Dose is two or three ounces After the use of Spirit of Armoniack for fifteen or twenty dayes let other Medicines have their turns for about the same space of time such as are the Spirits of Soot Harts-horn mans skull the tincture of Coral Antimony Castoreum Amber Quercitan's Elixir of Life Elixir Proprietatis Spirit of Lavender c. Or Take Conserve of the flowers of Lillies of the Valley six ounces roots of Aromatick-reed preserv'd six drams Ginger condited in the Indies Nutmegs condited of each half an ounce Species Diambrae two drams Lignum Aloes yellow Saunders roots of choice Zedoary Cubebs Jamaica Pepper of each a dram and half Coral prepar'd two drams Syrup of the Preserve of Ginger what suffices make an Electuary the Dose is two drams morning and evening drinking after it three ounces of the distill'd Water Let those whose Brains abound with too much moisture drink every morning a draught of Coffee with the leaves of Sage first boyled in it to those whose animal Spirits are effaete and depauperated the drink of Chocolate such as before describ'd seems profitable For ordinary drink prepare small Ale or Beer and in a Vessel of three or four Gallons let the following Bag be put after it has wrought Take leaves of Salvia acuta dried four handfuls Cubebs an ounce Cloves Nutmegs being slic'd and bruis'd mix them according to art Outward Applications have place here or which kind are a Cucupha or Cap Plaisters and Liniments and sometimes let these sometimes those or the others be us'd Take Flowers of Lillies of the Valley Rofemary and Staechas of each a handful Celtick spike two drams Roots of Cyperus the lesser Galingal Florentine orris of each three drams Labdanum Benzoin Balsam of Tolu Amber of each two drams Nutmegs Colves Mace Cinnamon of each a dram and a half make of all a jubtle powder and sew it into a cap interlacing it with Cotton Take of the Plaister call'd Flos Vnguentorum two ounces Tachamahacha Ceranna Balsam of Tolu of each three drams powder of Amber and Myrrhe of each two drams Cloves Nutmegs Mace of each a dram being melted together let them be made into a mass of which let a Plaister be made to be spread on Leather and to be apply'd to the Head shav'd Take Oyle of Palm half an ounce oleum Capivii three drams Balsam of Peru a dram oyl of Nutmegs by expression two drams oyl of Amber half a dram make a liniment for the Head I could add here many other Medicines and wayes of Administrations but let these suffice in a Case almost desperate where most commonly no Remedies do good and the Cure is never perfected CHAP. XIII Instructions and Prescripts for curing the Gout AMong the Diseases of the Head and Genus nervosum we justly rank also certain Affects which are wont chiefly to infest the Feet and Belly to wit the Gout and Colick For we may conclude from the primary symptom viz. Pain that the Seats of both are in the nervous parts I shall speak in the first place of the for mer. The Gout most commonly is wont to arise about the Internodia of the Bones of the Feet tho often it happens in the Joynts of the Hip Knee Elbow Shoulder Wrist Ancle and of other Parts The Fits of this Affect which in a manner is always intermittent either seize at random or periodically which ending sometimes sooner sometimes later good lucid Intervals ensue presently upon the first invasion Pains for the most part arise without any swelling tho afterward about the height of the Disease the Part affected often swells the Pains about the beinning scarce yield to any Remedies but are wont to be very much exasperated by Catharticks and not presently to be driven away or asswag'd by Topicks the Fits most commonly seize on a sudden and without a precious affect tho sometimes it has a fore-running effervescence in the Blood or a little Fever The Disposition to this Disease sometimes is Hereditary sometimes acquir'd through an ill Diet the Occasions or Causes which being wont to actuate the Disposition raise the Arthritick Pains are some violent alterations or Passions inflicted on the Humours and Spirits Hence Surfeiting immoderate drinking especially of acid and thin Wines Transpiration letted Anger immoderate Venery Sadness also the Revolutions and great changes of the Year and Air every where bring Fits of this Disease those that are obnoxious to this are also in danger of being sometimes troubled with the Stone or Gravel in the Kidneys and on the contrary moreover the Gout increasing gathers together every where about its chief Seats to wit the Joynts a calculous matter and there raises a tophous mass The Parts affected upon the twitching of whose Fibres the Pains are raised for the most part are the Periostia or the Membranes covering the heads of the Bones also the Tendons and
sometimes they are troubled more than usually of their own accord for when by a long digestion the sulphureous part of the Wine is exalted too much it falls into an effervescence greater than it ought and unless it be presently appeas'd it perverts the crasis of the Liquour by its Turgescency the same thing altogether seems to be in the feverish Effervescence rais'd in the Blood which is wont to be introduc'd for those kinds of causes The third observation or comparison of the Blood with Wine is this Wines as many other Liquours have their times of Crudity Maturation and decay the same thing being to be observ'd in the Blood concerning which sec Dr. Willis as large So far of the comparison of the Blood with wine what follows its similitude with Milk consists in the diversity of its parts and their parting from each other which is chiefly seen in it when it is let out of the Veins and grows cold in a Vessel For when the heat and vital Spirit which preserve all in a mixture are fled away the remaining parts depart from each other and there is made a separation of the thin from the thick of the Serum from the fibrous Blood c. After having considered the Blood we may observe that the nutritive Juice supply'd from the Blood and sever'd from its mass for the nutrition of the solid parts sometimes by reason of its depravation and irregular motion causes many symptoms in Fevers This nutritive Juice which is supply'd from the mass of Blood by a certain circulation after it has past the nervous parts what remains of it being effaete and Poor as it were is sent again by the Lymphick Vessels to the Blood CHAP. II. Of the Motion and Effervescencies of the Blood WE must next enquire concerning the Bloods motion both natural viz. by the help of what ferments and by what fort of turgescency of the parts it is circulated in a continual motion through the Vessels and preternatural viz. for what causes and by the efforts of what parts sometimes it boyles above measure in its Vessels and falls into feverish Effervescencies Concerning the natural Motion of the Blood we do not here enquire concerning its circulation viz. by what knid of structure of the Heart and Vessels as it were in a Water Engine it is carried round in a constant course but concerning its Fermentation viz. by what kind of mixture of the Parts and their mutual Action on each other like Wine fermenting in a Vessel it continually boyles and this kind of motion depends both on the Heterogeneity of the parts of the Blood it self and on the various ferments which are inspir'd into the mass of Blood from the Viscera As to the first those things which have altogether the like Particles do not ferment wherefore neither distill'd Waters chymical Oyles Spirits of Wine or other simple Liquours are stir'd at all but the Blood consisting of various Elements of a contrary nature and working on each other continually ferments and his all its Particles in a perpetual Motion It is an Argument that Ferments are requir'd for Sanguification because when they fail by nature they are supply'd by Art with good success for fixt Salts Alchalies Extracts Digestives and especially Chalybeat Remedies give help only in this respect that they restore a new the ebullition of the Blood either weak or almost extinct As to what concerns natural Ferments certainly many may be form'd and stor'd up in divers Parts or Viscera for any Humour in which the Particles of Salt Sulphur or Spirit being very much exalted are contain'd indues the nature of a Ferment After that manner Yest and Leaven come to be such with which new Beer and a mass of Bread are excellently fermented In like manner an acetous Humour in the Stomack participating of an exalted Salt helps there Concoction and in the Spleen the Dreggs of the Blood by reason of the Salt and Earth exalted in them turn to a ferment How great a Vigour comes to the Blood from the Womb and genital Parts appears hence because from the Privation or Discrasie of these in Virgins a Green-sickness in Men a want of Beard a weak Voice and an amission of Virility follow but the cheif ferment which ferves for Sanguification is lodged in the Heart for here is the greatest scat of heat in which the more crude Particles of the Chyme are kindled as it were and acquire a volatility Therefore the Motion and heat in the Blood depend chiefly on two things viz. partly on its proper Crasis and Constitution whereby being plentifully compos'd of the active Principles of Spirit Salt and Sulphur it grows turgid of its own accord in its Vessels as Wine in a Hogs-head and partly on the ferment implanted in the Heart which very much rarifles the Liquour passing through its Sinus's and forces it to spring forth with a frothy Effervescency Let thus much suffize concerning the natural Motion Heat and Fermentation of the Blood in the even tenour of which the state of our Health consists to speak now of its preternatural or over great Effervescency on which the Types and Fits of Fevers depend I call an over-great or preternatural Fermentation when the Blood like a Pot boyling over the Fire boyles above measure and being rarified with a frothy Turgescency swells the Vessels raises a quick Pulse and like a sulphureous Liquour taking fire diffuses on all sides a burning heat This kind of Motion or Fermentation of the Blood is excellently illustrated by the example of fermenting Wines for Wines besides the gentle and even fermentation whereby they are first depurated at certain times boyl so mightily that they work over the Vessels and if they are close stopt they make them flye in pieces after this manner being put upon an effort as it were unless they are presently drawn off from the Tartar or their Lees into another vessel they cease not to boyl till the Spirit being very much spent and the Sulphur or Salt too much exalted they either become over-fretted or degenerate into Vinegar Such an Effervescency is wont to be raised chiefly for two Causes first when any thing extraneous and immiscible is put into the Vessel so some drops of Tallow or of Fat dropt into the vessel produce this Motion or secondly when Wines having too much Lees or Tartar by reason of the sulphureous parts exalted above measure fall into an Effervescence of their own accord and boyl vehemently for in whatsoever substance Sulphur abounds and its Particles being loosned from their mixture joyn with one another and are kept close together there such immoderate Effervescencies are procur'd After the like tho not wholly the same manner as Wines ferment the Ebullition of the Blood is caused viz. either some extraneous and heterogeneous thing is mixt with the Blood which in regard it is not assimilated is wont to cause a perturbation and Effervescence till the heterogeneous thing be either subdued or
subdued and subtiliz'd together with the adust Recrements remaining after the Deflagration and joyning with the Serum they evaporate by Sweat or insensible Transpiration Thirdly from what is said it will be easy to shew the Causes of the Intermission and of the Set Returns viz. the Intermission follows because the Morbifick Matter is all clear'd at one fit and so till a new be brought in place an intermission follows of necessity Now a new matter begins to be engendred from the time that the last Fit ceas'd and when the Blood is filled again to a Turgescency it boyles and comes to a flowing As to the Set Returns of the Fits these happen because for the most part the nutritive Juice is supplied from the Viscera to the Blood passing in the Veins in an even measure and quantity tho sometimes if the Persons who have intermittent Fevers gorge themselves too much or are very abstemious the Fits happen sooner or later than usual If it be ask'd wherefore the Set Returns of Fevers are not of one kind and of the same distance but that some come every day some every third or fourth day the cause is the different constitution of the Blood whereby it is perverted from its due temper into a sharp sometimes an acid or austere disposition According to this differing Dyscrasy the nutritive Juice fresh brought falls more or less from its maturation and is perverted into a matter sooner or later apt to Ferment The Procatarctick Causes of this Disease plainly shew its Origine from the temper of the Blood being chang'd For intermitting Fevers are chiefly rife in that Season and those places in which the Blood receives the greatest alteration from the Air. The same thing is made out by the Cure of intermittent Fevers whether it be natural and critical or artificial and be perform'd by the help of Medicines As to the first Intermittent Fevers are wont to be terminated after a two-fold manner the first is when the temper of the Blood is altered by the Fits themselves and it is brought to its natural state the other way is when the change of the Air or Place of abode brings a mighty alteration of the Blood for so Fevers begun about the Equinoxes are terminated about the Solstices also the Diseas'd travelling into another Country often recover As to the Cure to be perform'd with Medicines it is undertaken either Empirically or Dogmatically and in this Disease Empyrical Remedies taken from Mountebanks or old Women are more esteem'd and often effect more than the Prescripts of Physicians given according to an exact method of Curing The Empyrical Remedies which are said to cure intermittent Fevers are such as without any evacuation keep off the invading Fit and are either taken inwardly or are outwardly apply'd where the Pulses chiefly beat viz. they are bound for the most part to the Region of the Heart or to the Hand-wrists or to the Soles of the Feet now it is worthy to be enquired into after what manner these work and by what means they stop the feverish accesses It is manifest in the first place that the vertue and action of these things which are outwardly applyed are communicated to the Blood and Spirits immediately and in regard they drive off the Fit by way of prevention without the evacuation of any humour or matter of necessity the reason of this effect must consist only in this that by the use of these kinds of Medicines the Turgescency and Fermentation of the Blood with the Febrile matter are stopt that is to say from the Medicine bound about the Vessels certain Corpuscles or Effluvia are communicated to the Blood which greatly fix and constringe its Particles or also by fusing and exagitating precipitate them as it were after both wayes the spontaneous Effervescence of the Blood is hindred like as when cold Water is put into a boyling Pot or as when Vinegar or Allum is put into new and working Beer presently the fermentation ceases and the Liquour acquires a new tast and consistency and is as fit for drinking as if it had been ripened a long time Now that these Febrifuges operate after this manner it seems plain enough because those that are of chiefest note excell in a styptick and astringent or also in a precipitating Virtue hence Sea-salt Nitre Sal Gemm the Juice of Plantain Shepherds pouch all astringent Herbs bruised with Vinegar and the like things bound to the Wrists the roots of Yarrow Tormentill also Camphire hung about the Neck are said to remove this Disease Moreover the things that are taken inwardly are of the like sort the Juice of Plantain red Rose-water Allum in as much as they fix and constringe the Blood a Decoction of Pepper Sal Armoniack or of Wormwood Spirit of Vitriol also a sudden Passion of Anger or Fear in as much as by fusing and exagitating the Blood they precipitate it often hinder the feverish access like as a concussion and exagitation of any Liquour or an infusion of astringent things in it hinder a spontaneous Effervescence or Effort It is usual with some Empiricks for the cure of intermittent Fevers to make a hard Ball of Flax or Paper rowled up and to bind it so colse to the Wrist where the Pulses beat that the circulation of the Blood in that place is in some manner stopt and by this means the invading fit of the Fever is driven away I have certainly known many cured after this manner of a long continued Disease the reason of which seems to be that whilst the Blood is stayed in its Motion in any part it stirrs more violently in the rest and so from that trouble raised in the whole Blood the spontaneous Effervescence of its Liquour which was to follow a while after is stopt and upon the Fits being put off twice or thrice Nature takes to the digestion of the matter and to its ancient regularity The dogmatical cure for the most part is undertaken by Vomits and Catharticks also by letting Blood with which the Diseased are miserably tormented and the Disease is seldom brought to an end tho sometimes Tertian Fevers are taken away by a Vomit given a little before the Fit which happens because by this means the Blood is pretty fully cleansed of its bilous Humour tho its worthy observation that Vomits do no good in a Quartan Ague and seldom in a Tertian unless they are given presently at the beginning when the febrile Disposition is yet light and not fully confirmed Concerning intermitting Fevers in general there remain yet to be explained certain irregularities of them in which they alter from the common way first therefore the fits are wont sometimes to be without cold or shivering an intermittent Fever was rise this Autumn whose accesses troubled the diseased only with heat and that very intense in many there was a violent vomiting but no cold or sweat after four or five returns had hapned as the fit invaded the diseased were wont
by a Diet and an exact form of Food which in this Disease ought to be thin and spare wherefore Hunger is commonly said to be the best Remedy of this Disease and we find by common Experience that by a spare feeding the feverish access is most commonly put off beyond it usual time There are two things chiefly to be observ'd concerning Dyet first that the Aliments be thin let nothing be given sulphureous or spirituous for so the conflagration of the Blood is lessened then secondly that when the Fit is a coming or has seized no Food be taken wherefore in fasting Persons the Fit is more mild and is sooner over What was propos'd in the third palce a stopping of the feverish access is undertaken by Remedies which stop the fermentation of the Blood and tho this Remedy be look'd upon by Physicians as Empyrical Immethodical and Deceitful yet I have found by experience that these Fevers have been oftentimes cured this way when Medicines did nothing at all tho you must observe that the use of these after bleeding and purging if there be need of them will do most good and unless these are duely premitted those others seldom stop the Fit and Vomiting Purging and Blooding unless they are used presently and at the beginning do little good nay are oftner wont to do hurt wherefore if the Choler about the beginning be plentifully cleansed forth or the Blood be ventilated by breathing a Vein it is reduced to its due Crasis but afterward in the progress of this Disease the Spirit being very much exhausted and the Salt and Sulphur being too much exalted if these evacuations are us'd they weaken the Crasis of the Blood more and therefore it is found by observation that a Tertian Fever is seldom or never cur'd and often passes into a Quotidian where these Medicines are us'd very late I have known my self in the Spring-time that certain Persons enjoying a good entire health have fallen presently into a Tertian Fever after having taken a Vomit for prevention-sake which caused a violent evacuation and that others who have been cur'd for some time of this Fever have presently undergone a relapse upon taking a strong Purge for carrying off the remainder of the febrile matter it may readily be said that the Minera of the Disease lying quiet before is rous'd up by this means by the Medicine and brought into act but if you consider this thing rightly it seems rather to be said that by a strong Purge the Crasis of the Blood is very much injur'd and whereas before it was prone to a bilous Discrasy so that it assimilated with difficulty the nutritive Juyce upon this evident cause it presently degenerates more and that it forthwith perverts the Nutriment into a fermentative matter and so incurrs the feverish disposition An Opinion has vulgarly prevail'd that a Tertian Fever can scarce be cured without a Vomit wherefore some Medicasters are wont under the pretext of necessity to give an Emetick Medicine to any Persons whatsoever troubled with this Disease tho weak and infirm not without great danger of Life and those whom they judge wholly unable to bear this Remedy they leave to Nature as not easily curable But as I am well satisfied by having often try'd the contrary that this kind of Practise is ill founded and I rather think that Vomits are seldom or never requir'd for the Cure of a Tertian Fever unless it be in a robust Body and readily inclin'd to vomit and when it happens that the Stomach is loaded with an excrementitious matter but instead of this that a gentle Purge may be more properly us'd for a Purge in this case does the same thing as a Vomit to wit it evacuates the Vessels containing the Choler that this being plentifully exhausted from the blood the feverish Dyscrasy may be corrected Now when the Humour of the Gall emptied in the Stomach is drawn forth upward a great offence is thereby brought on the Stomach and a mighty perturbation is raised in the whole body but if by a gentle Cathartick that Humour is allur'd downward it is sent forth without any trouble Moreover if to a gentle Purge repeated once or twice a very thin Diet and without any meat be added it will often answer the Preservatory indication that there will not be need of other Remedies for removing the cause of the Disease but these things being duely premitted let those things be used which either inwardly taken or outwardly applyed stop the access of the Fever By this plain and easie form of Physick viz. by purging with an infusion of Senna and Rhubarb a thin diet and a topical febrifuge applyed to the Brest or Wrists I have oftentimes known tertian Fevers cured in a short time without the use of any other offensive Medicine Nay a thin diet alone with Periapts seasonably applyed has cur'd very successfully a Woman with Child aged Persons and such as were very weak whose strength would not bear purging I have so frequently experienc'd the wished success of that method that I do not doubt but a tertian Fever if it be mannag'd this way from the beginning to wit before the temper of the Blood be more injured by an ill form of diet or by Physick ill administred it will be caured as easily as any other Disease for proof of this I shall give the following relation A certain noble Youth of a cholerick Temperament was seised with an intermittent tertian Fever as the fit came on him he vomited very much yellow and grenish Choler afterward for many hours he was sorely troubled with a most intense Heart-burning a heat and a drought The day of intermission on which it was my chance to be present eight ounces of Blood were drawn by my order from this Person and in the Afternoon an emollient Clyster was injected he used also a very thin diet viz. only of Barly Meats he took every Night going to rest this Opiate viz. Conserve of Roses vitriolated half a dram Diascordium a scruple and every Morning a Scruple of Salt of Worm-wood in a spoonful of the Juice of Oranges but these things not succeeding for the fit returned somewhat more remiss but with a violent vomiting as before and likewise in regard this sick Person greatly dreaded a Vomit because upon taking a very gentle Emetick not long before he had vomited about thirty times even till being seiz'd with a Cramp and Convulsions he was brought to a great failure of strength with danger of Life therefore the day following the said fit I gave him a potion of the infusion of Senna Rhubard and yellow Saunders with Salt of Wormwood in Fountain Water by which he purg'd ten times with relief the next Morning three hours before he expected the fit I applyed febrifuge Epithems to his Wrists and blooded him again to six onnces from which time he had no fit of his Fever and afterward being purg'd again after the same manner he grew
or seven accesses of which her strength was so cast down that she was not able to rise from her bed or scarce to be rais'd up in it nor could she take ever so little food tho very thin but it caus'd great disturbances in her Stomach Moreover the Region of the Stomach and of the left hypochondre was all beset with a hard Tumour and violently paining By reason of the strength being extremely cast down there was no place here for evacuation besides the use of Clysters and the Stomach being mighty weak refus'd all other Remedies unless they were pleasing and in a small quantity In this difficult case and pent up within narrow limits of Curing I advis'd these few things viz. that she should take twice a day this mixture viz. Magistral water of Earth-worms two ounces Elixir Prprietatis six drops moreover I ordered a fomentation to be apply'd to the Stomach of the Leaves of Pontick Wormwood Centory Southernwood boyl'd in White-wine with the roots of Gentian the Vessel covered and that after the somentation a toast dipt in the same Liquor should be worn on the Stomach besides I had febrifuge Epithems bound to her Wrists and by these Remedies alone on the third day she mist her Fit and continued free from the same afterward and then by the use of Chalibeat Remedies she grew perfectly well within a short time CHAP. VI. Of the Quartan Fever or Ague IN a Quartan Fever the time for the return of the Fit is longer than in the rest it being extended to the fourth day inclusively and it 's wont to be of longer continuance and more difficultly cured for this Disease is protracted for many Months and often Years and seldom or searce at all yields to Medicines The Fit for the most part begins with cold and a shaking which are followed with a pretty troublesome heat but more remiss than in a Tertian Sweat for the most part concludes the access If the Disease sticks long it brings the Scorbutick or hypochondriack affect and involves men in an unhealthy habit of body The Causes which dispose to this Disesse are first the constitution of the Air and of the Season for the time of Autumn is always proper for this affect that you shall seldom observe a Quartan Fever to arise but about the Fall also in certain places especially about the Sea-coast this affect is wont to be endemious seizing any that live there or come thither as strangers for this also makes a declining age also a melancholy temperament and which by reason of an ill form of Diet is obnoxious to the hypochondriack affect moreover Fevers of another kind that are of a long continuance and Chronick Diseases often pass into a Quartan Fever These things being confidered it seems that it must be said that a Quartan Fever even as other Intermittents depends on the vitious disposition of the Blood for the nutritive Juyce conveyed by degrees into the Vessels is perverted into a fermentative Matter and the effervescency of this heapt together to a plenitude of turgescency makes the Fit of a Quartan Fever But since in this Fever there are some things peculiar from the rest we must enquire what sort of dyscrasie of the Blood there is in this Disease distinct from the rest and after what manner it raises the most observable Symptoms I say therefore that in this Disease the Liquor of the Blood has pass'd from its sweet spirituous and balsamick nature to be acid and somewhat austere like Wine turning sour That is to say there is a scarcity of Spirits and the earthly or tartarous part which consists chiefly of Earth and Salt is exalted too much and being raised to a flowing brings a sourness to the mass of Blood the Blood degenerated after this manner from its native Disposition does not duely concoct and assimilate to it self the nutritive Juice but perverts it into an extraneous matter wherewith when it is saturated to a sulness in the Vessels and the nervous parts are irrigated with the Juice thence arising there follows a flowing and as it were a spontaeous Esfervescence of this Matter whereby the feverish access is wont to be caused with a shaking and a heat as in a Tertian In a Quartan Fever the returns have longer Intervals because the Discrasy of the Blood being toward an acid and therefore less smart and hot it perverts the nutritive Juice without a contest and tumult wherefore somewhat of it is assimilated and the depravation of the rest does not recede so far from its natural state as in a Tertian and hence its heaping together to a plenitude is slower and it rises to a Turgesency in about as much time again and a half as in a Tertian The reason why this Disease is of so difficult a cure and so obstinately infests the Diseased is the melancholy Constitution of the Blood which is nor easily removed and yields scarce to any Medicines for there being in it a scarcity and defect of Spirits and the Salt and Tartar being too much exalted as when Wines turn sour it is extream hard to restore it and it is in a manner of the same labour and difficulty as to renew the vinous Spirit and Vigour in Vinegar because for restoring the Blood depraved after that manner there is need that its whole mass be volatiz'd and that it spiritualises as it were anew Wherefore in this case evacuatives do not the least good nay by depauperating the Blood more without remedying it they often impair the Strength but there is need of those things which may exalt and volatise that which is fixt and may promote a Pneumatosis in the whole mass of Blood thence it is that in this disease the change of the Air and of the Soil most commonly give relief before any other Remedies whatsoever For Quartan Fevers arising about Autumn are often cured by the following Spring which doubtless happens because the changed quality of the Air is wont to alter the evil habit of the Blood for the better and for the same reason the change also of the place of aboad most commonly cures this Affect when it will not yield to any Medicine The Autumnal Season is most proper to produce this severish habit of the Blood because when very much of Spirit and Sulphur has past away by the Summer heat and that which remains begins to be prest upon by the Cold the Liquor of the Blood as Wine turning sour after too much Effervesence easily degenerates into a pontick and sharpish Nature this also is provur'd by the Air of the Sea infecting the Blood with saline Vapours which fix the Spirits Moreover the affinity of this Disease which the Scurvy and the Hypochondrial affect plainly shews that the evil Disposition of the Blood is in fault whereby it is become salt and earthy with a defect of a Pneumatosis The last year towards the end of the Summer which had been very hot an Epidemick Fever arose then
Autumn coming on when that Disease ceased a Quartan Fever began to be very rife so that in many places well near the fourth part of man-kind was seis'd with the same and those of all Ages and Temperaments which plainly shew'd that this affect did not take its rise from a melancholy Humour heapt together through the fault of the Spleen as some have thought but from the Discrasy of the Blood caused through the distemperature of the Year Tho many Physical Apparatus's were ordered against this evil yet very few were cured within the compass of the Autumn In some about the first beginnings of their Sickness before the Disease had taken root Vomits gave relief tho in most Medicines purging any ways tho repeated a hundred times did not the least good at all those in whom the evil was deeply rooted received not any relief from the most exactly devised Remedies used throughout the whole Autumn when at this time I saw the vulgar Methods of Physick put in practise in vain To a certain noble Virgin who desired a sudden Cure to be performed by any manner of means I propos'd that if she would undergo a Salivation for some dayes by a mineral Medicine she might thence hope a speedy conquest of her Disease she readily agreeing to this I gave her a gentle and very safe Medicine by which only a gentle spitting was raised and that ended within twelve dayes from the time the salivation began she presently mist her fits but at the times they were wont to come she found a disturbance in her whole Body with an oppression of the Heart and a danger of Fainting but afterward the spitting being ended she seem'd throughly recovered and when after two Months time she had again certain slight accesses of this Disease an Emetick Powder being given her twice or thrice she was perfectly cured without a relapse After the Winter Solstice this Disease was not so violent but began to grow mild in some of its own own accord and to be more easily overcome in most others by the use of Medicines for at this time the discrasy of the Blood contracted by the Summer heat is wont to be removed by degrees by the cold of Winter and the inveterascent mass of the Blood to depose its old taint and to return towards its natural state but those who were of a melancholy Temperament or had the Viscera and especially the Spleen ill affected or those that used an ill form of diet received no change from this Tropick but held their Disease to the next period of the Year to wit to the Vernal Equinox and then in a great many this affect was seen to be overcome the Blood either being renewed of it self or its Distemperature being more easily amended by the use of Medicines but in the mean time many aged cachochymical and otherwise weakly Persons died every where of this Disease in this whole tract of time and some there were who having past the Summer Solstice had not yet shaken it off now tho many were troubled with this as it were Epidemious Fever almost for a whole Year yet none that I knew of contracted it first in the Spring and very few recovered of it during the Autumn that I cannot doubt but the Discrasy of the Blood was really the cause of it and that its cure consisted in its change The Remedies which oftentimes gave relief at least as far as it agreed with our observation were such as stopt the fit of the Fever for the evil habit of the Blood being somewhat amended upon the change of the Season of the Year in case the habitual usance of the fits be broken off Nature recollects her self and easily recovers her ancient state of Health by her own endeavour And this kind of intent viz. the stopping of the Fits tho it be sometimes performed by Vomits given a little before the access for these often stop the feverish Motion of the Blood by raising another contrary to it yet this indication is far more certainly and indeed more successfully performed by the use of those kinds of Medicines which do not at all evacuate from the Viscera but cause in the Blood a certain fixation or precipitation of the feverish Matter for a time Wherefore those whom I undertook to cure as the Spring came on and thence forwards I managed with this Method and in many with good success a provision being made for the whole by a Medicine sometimes Vomiting sometimes Purging three hours before the fit I was wont to order Epithemes to be applyed to the Wrists and withal a febrifuge Powder to be taken in Sack and the diseased to be kept in Bed in a gentle sweat It seldom happen'd but at the first or second time the access of the Fever was stopt after this manner and afterward the same Remedy being sometimes repeated at length the Disease wholly ceased this kind of Practise besides what I have found by experience seems to be made good by the use of the Powder of a certain Bark lately brought from the Indies which is said most certainly to cure this Disease whereas the Virtue or operation of this without any Evacuation consists only in this that it stops the invading fits of Fevers Concerning that Peruvian Bark because of late it begins to be in daily use these few things which occur to common observation are to be said the vulgar way of giving it is to infuse two drams of this being made into a Powder in White-wine or Sack for two Hours the Vessel being close covered and then as the fit approaches to let the Diseased lying in Bed drink the Liquour with the Powder This Drink often removes the imminent access tho many times that coming after its usual manner it prevents the next ensuing howsoever whether the fit be stopt at the first or at the second or third time of return and the Disease seem to be cured yet it oftentimes it wont to return within twenty or thirty dayes and then this Powder being given again the Invasion of the Disease is again put off for the space of about the same time and after this manner I have known many troubled with a Quartan to have undergone only a few accesses of it during the whole Autumn and Winter and so to have held the Enemy foreguarded till the Spring coming on by the help of the Season of the Year and of other Medicines the Disposition of the Blood was altered for the better and so that affect vanisht by degrees those who by this means procured frequent times of truce of the Quartan being cheerful and sprightly liv'd prompt for all business whereas otherwise being enervated and pale they were brought to a Languour and a vitious habit of Body scarce one of a hundred tryed this Remedy without effect nay if it be taken in a half quantity or less viz. to the weight of half a dram or a dram it oftentimes takes away the accesses and suspends the
Motion of the Body or Perturbation of Mind from an ambient heat as that of the Sun or of a Stove by hot things inwardly taken as drinking of Wine eating of peppered Meats and the like for the Spirits of the Blood easily wax very hot of their own accord and being violently moved are not presently appeased but exagitate variously confound and force to a rapid and disorderly Motion other Particles of the Blood also by this Motion of the Spirits the Sulphur or the oily part of the Blood is more boyled a little more dissolved and somewhat more freely kindled in the Heart whence an intense heat is raised in the whole Body but for as much as the Sulphur is heated and inflamed only by minute Parts and not throughout the whole that fervour of the Spirits is soon allayed and ceases Wherefore the Fever which is raised after this manner is terminated for the most part within twenty four hours and therefore is called an Ephemera And if by reason of a greater heat of the spirituous Blood it be prorogued longer it seldom exceeds three dayes and it is called an Ephemera of many dayes or a Synochus not putrid but if it happens to be extended beyond this time this Fever readily passes into a putrid to wit from the long continued ebullition of the spirituous Blood at length the grosser Particles of the Sulphur fall a burning and involve the whole mass of Blood in this Effervescence An Ephemera Fever and a simple Synochus seldom begin without an evident Cause besides the things before-mentioned immoderate Labour Watchings a sudden Passion of the Mind a constriction of the Pores Surfeiting also a Bubo or Wound in Child-bearing Women an increase of milk are wont to bring these the procatarctick causes which dispose to them are a hot temper of Body an Athletick habit a Sedentary Life and a Disuse of Exercise The first beginnings of this Disease depend on the presence of an Evident Cause for either the Corpuscles of an extraneous heat mixt with Blood make it boyl like Water on the Fire or a Fever is brought by motion or by reason of Transpiration being letted even as when Wines being heated or stopt close in a Vessel are set in a strong working after what manner soever the inflammation be first rais'd presently the Spirits make an effort and moving hither and thither force the Blood to boyl and to inlarge it self in a greater space with a frothy rarefaction wherefore the Vessels are stretcht and the membranous Parts are vellicated hence a Pain especially in the Head and Loyns a spontaneous lassitude and an inflation as it were of the whole Body ensue But if with the Spirit of the Blood some sulphury Part withall be somewhat kindled a smart heat is diffus'd through the whole the Pulse becomes high and quick the Urine ruddy also Thirst Watchings and many other offensive Symptoms arise Concerning the Solution or Crisis of an Ephemera Fever and of a Synochus not putrid there are three things chiefly requisite viz. a removal of the evident Cause secondly a severing or difflation of the depraved or excrementitious matter from the Mass of Blood thirdly an appeasing of the parts of the Blood and their restitution to a natural and even motion and site According as these things happen sometimes sooner sometimes slower and with more difficulty this Disease is ended in a shorter or longer time 1. The Evident Cause which for the most part is extrinsecal is easily remov'd and Diseased Persons as soon as ever they perceive themselves injur'd by any thing are wont to avoid the presence of or continuance with that thing no Person being in a Fever upon drinking Wine continues still to drink it when any Person grows more hot than usual by the heat of a Bath or of the Sun it is irksome to him to continue in it longer 2. As to the excrementitious matter which ought to be separated and blown off from the Blood this is either brought from without as when by surfeiting drinking of Wine standing in the Sun or bathing in hot Water the Blood is infected with hot and fermentative effluvia's or Corpuscles or that matter is ingendred inwardly as when upon the deflagration of the Blood its Liquor is stuff't with adust Recrements or Particles both these Matters must be separated and blown off from the Blood and be sent forth either by Sweat or insensible Transpiration before the Fever is appeas'd wherefore when the Pores are clos'd and Transpiration is hindred the Ephemera Fever continues a longer time and passes from a simple Synochus into a putrid Fever 3. The Evident Cause being remov'd and this degenerated Matter blown off for a cessation of the burning heat there is required an appeasing of the Parts of the Blood and a reducement of them to order for a rapid and disorderly motion begun in the Blood is not presently stopt but ought to be allay'd by degrees also the divers Particles of the Blood disorder'd after this manner and being driven this way and that by reason of the feverish effervescence do not presently take to their former order of site and position but it is necessary that they be extricated by degrees and restored to their due mixture by little and little Tho this Disease after the removal of the Evident Cause ceases for the most part of its own accord yet some Physical Remedies are advantageously applied to Use especially where there is danger lest the Ephemera Fever passes into a putrid The chief Intentions must be to allay the fervour of the Blood and to procure a free Transpiration to which chiefly conduce blooding a very thin Diet or rather abstinence cooling Drinks a withdrawing the excrements of the Belly by Clysters but above the rest Sleep and Rest do most good which if wanting they must be seasonably procur'd by Opiats and Anodines A renowned young man about twenty years of age of an athletick habit of Body by an immoderate drinking of strong Wine fell into a feverish distemper with a drought heat and a mighty trouble of the Praecordia being blooded he drank a vast quantity of fountain-water and thereupon a copious sweat presently ensuing he soon recovered An ingenious young man of a sedentary Life and withall very much addicted to the study of Learning when of late he had exercis'd himself above measure in the Summer Sun began to complain of a Head-ach a want of Appetite a trouble of the Praecordia and a feverish distemperature over the whole Body To whom in regard he loathed all Physick I ordered a total Abstinence unless it were from small Beer and Barley-meats On the second day and again more on the third the Symptoms remitted by little and little at length on the fourth he became free from his Fever without any Medicine CHAP. IX Of the Putrid Fever A Putrid Fever is when the oily or sulphureous part of the Blood being too much heated grows turgid above measure and
vehemently by parts at length like Hay laid together wet after a long incalescence bursts forth all together into a flame through the violent boyling of the Blood at this time the Diseased complain of an intollerable thirst Moreover a head-ach obstinate watchings often also Deliriums a Phrensy and convulsive Motions molest them they loath all Food or cast it forth by Vomit or if happily it be retain'd being parcht by the too much heat it turns to a febrile matter there is also a bitterness in the Mouth an ungrateful savour a roughness of the Tongue a vehement and quick Pulse a Urine very ruddy for the most part troubled filled with contents without an Hypostasis or laudable sediment the Blood at this time being in a manner wholly kindled it engenders by its deflagration a mighty quantity of adust matter like the ashes remaining after a Fire whereby both the Serum being mightily fill'd yields a Urine that is thick and full of Contents and the Blood being loaded with it to a Turgescency is irritated into critical Motions wherewith that febrile mater if it may be being subdued and separated may be sent forth and this brings the height of the Fever in which judgment is given betwixt Nature and the Disease the contest being brought as it were to a tryal and therefore the evacuation which thereupon ensues is called a Crisis Therefore the height of a putrid Fever is that time of the Disease in which Nature attempts the expulsion of the adust matter remaining after the deflagration of the Blood to this are requir'd first that the Blood for the greatest part has past burning for in the midst of it Nature is not at leisure for a Crisis nor ever attempted it prosperously nor is it procur'd by Art with good success Secondly that the Spirit first in some manner subdue this adust matter of the Blood and separate it from that which is good and render it fit for expulsion Thirdly that this matter be heapt together in so great a plenty that by its Turgescency it irritates Nature to a critical Expulsion when either of those things is wanting the Crisis for the most part is of no effect and not to be relied on and seldom puts an end to the Disease A Crisis in a continual Fever is in a manner the same as the fit of intermittents for as in these when the mass of Blood is saturated to a fulness of Turgescency with the Particles of the nutritive Juice depraved and unfit for Maturation there happens a flowing secretion and expulsion of that matter so in a continual Fever after the deflagration of the Blood and nutritive Juice a great many Corpuseles of adust matter are heapt together with which the Blood being opprest when it is a little free from burning it subdues and separates them by degrees and then a flowing being raised endeavours to send them forth Wherefore as the fits of intermittents do not happen but at a set time and after so many hours so also critical Motions happen from the fourth day to the fourth or haply from the seventh to the seventh for in such a kind of space the Blood burns off and by its burning makes a heap of adust matter as it were of Ashes which being offensive to Nature causes critical Motions by its irritation Therefore as to what some say that the Crises depend altogether on the Influences of the Moon and Stars and that they follow their Quartile or opposite Aspects or their Conjunctions it is not true because critical Evacuations are determined only by the heaping together and Turgescency of the adust matter whose Particles if they can easily be separated from the Blood and the Pores of the Skin are open enough being involved in the Serum they are sent forth by sweat and this is the best way of a Crisis which if it succeeds well it often at one bout puts a perfect end to the Disease without fear of a relaps to this next succeeds that crisis which is attempted by an haemorrhagie for this matter as an Efflorescence arising with the Blood if by reason of an unfree perspiration it be not sent forth by sweat it is conveyed into some part remote from the Heart and is frequently sent into the Head by an impetuous sally of the Blood where if there be an open passage from the Sinus's spreading into the Nostrils the morbifick matter springs forth together with a portion of the Blood but otherwise often sticking in the Brain it brings a Delirium Frensy or other sore and lasting Diseases of the Head and it is to be observed that in almost any continual Fevers if at any time they come to an imperfect or difficult crisis so that the Blood is corrupted for a long time with a feverish matter or adust Recrements thereby the nervous Juyce as it seems comming to be tainted obstinate Affects viz. Watchings also Deliriums Tremblings Conlvulsive Motions and long sticking Weaknesses of the nervous Parts follow There are other wayes of Crisis's in which Nature endeavours to expell the febrile matter not at once and entirely but by little and little and by parts sometimes by Urine sometimes by Vomit or Seige sometimes by Pushes or Buboes which way soever it be done that it may be with good success it is requir'd that the deflagration of the Blood preceeds it and that the adust matter be concocted and rendred apt for separation Therefore the Height of the Disease is not one and simple nor always happens after the same manner but with a various diversity of Symptoms and with a tendency to events far differing now a prudent Physician must give his Prognostick in what space of time the Disease will come to its height and what event it will have If the Fever from the beginning be vehement and on a sudden pervades the whole mass of Blood with a burning if with the fierceness of Symptoms it presses in a constant and even manner without remission for the most part the Blood will so much burn off within four dayes that the adust matter which is to make a Crisis rises by that time to a plenitude of Turgescency but if the beginnings are slow and the accension of the Blood be often interrupted the Fever will come to its height about the seventh day if it begins yet more remisly the height of the Disease is wont to be protracted to the eleventh or fourteenth mean while it is to be noted that as the fits of intermittent Fevers return at set times so do critical Motions in such as are continual and for the most part they observe the fourth day for tho a perfect Crisis be prorogued to the fourteenth or seventeenth or haply to the twentieth day because all things requir'd to a full determination of the Disease do not concur yet in the middle space light motions happen with which the febrile matter rising by degrees to an increase is a little emptied and cut off as it were by parts till
Nature is able to set upon a more full discussion of it and since upon the Blood 's burning a mighty store of adust matter is heapt together in the Vessels within four dayes Nature unless it be otherwise disturbed every fourth day being provok'd with the store of matter endeavours to shake off a part of its burthen with a certain Turgescency wherefore for the most part on the fourth seventh eleventh and fourteenth dayes critical Motions happen not through a direction of the Planets but through a necessity of Nature As to the event whether the Crisis will be good or no certain fore-knowledges are taken from the Strength of the Diseased the Pulse Urine and other signs and the concourse of Symptoms if the burning of the Fever pressing the diseased holds his strength in some measure has a strong and even Pulse if the Urine be of a middle Consistency with some Hypostasis a Separation of Contents and an easie subsiding if the Disease makes its progress without violent Vomiting Watchings a Phrensy convulsive Motions and the Suspiscion of Malignity the height of it may be expected to be laudable with a good Crisis if the contrary to these things happen viz. that the strength be presently cast down and the Diseased be subject to a frequent Fainting Convulsions or a Delirium with a weak intermittent or uneven Pulse if obstinate Watchings an intolerable Thirst and a Vomiting continually molest the Diseased if the Urine be thick and troubled without an Hypostasis or a subsiding of the parts if whilst the burning still presses Nature be stimilated to critical evacuations the extremity or height of the Disease will be dangerous nor is any good to be hop'd of the Crisis Concerning the Crisis of a putrid Fever I shall here subjoyn a particular prognostick in which tho the things that appear at the begining promise a wished for event a very sad one is at hand I have oftentimes observed in a putrid Fever which begins slowly and with a small burning if the Urine be ruddy and when it is made be presently troubled and opake which is neither precipitated by the cold nor deposes a sediment of its own accord and if at the same time the Diseased lye for many Nights without Sleep tho they are quiet and without tossing their state is very dangerous and there will be a greater suspicion if in the mean time they are not prest with an intense Fever nor with a Thirst and a Heat very troublesome for those that are affected after this manner about the height of the Disease for the most part fall into Deliriums convulsive Motions and often into a Mania from which they are in a short time precipitated into Death and when these Symptoms appear the Urine is altered from being thick and ruddy to be thin and pale Melancholy Persons are most obnoxious to these kinds of Fevers to wit in which the Exorbitancies of the Sulphur are little restrained by the Salt and earthy Dregs troubled together with it and all which being raised by little and little break forth afterward with a greater destruction When the Disease is come to the height either the thing is brought to a stress at one conflict and thence forward there is a manifest tendency to Health with a Declination or to Death or there are frequent Bickerings betwixt Nature and the Disease and critical Motions are often attempted before the Victory falls to either fide As to the first if with a good fore-running of Signs and Symptoms after that the Blood has burnt enough and its burning has remitted the adust matter being evenly subdued and subtiliz'd rises with a full increase to a Motion of Turgescency and Nature being free from any impediment or depression is of strength sufficient for a conflict the feverish matter is exterminated for the most part at one motion of Efflorescence and the Blood being become free from its Contagion and Fellowship recovers in a short time its ancient Vigour 2. But if Nature be irritated to a critical Motion before the Blood has perfectly burnt off or that adust matter be prepar'd for excretion tho as to the rest affaires are in an indifferent state yet none but an imperfect Crisis follows hence whereby somewhat of the Burthen or Load wherewith the Blood is opprest is diminisht but in its stead presently another springs afresh from a new burning and at set times afterward haply in the space of four or seven dayes as the fits of intermittents critical Motions return haply the second or third time before that the conflict being divided the advantage plainly inclines to this or that side 3. But when an ill apparatus of Signs and Symptoms preceeding the burning of the Blood still pressing without any concoction or subduing of the feverish Matter a critical Motion is stirred up Nature is sometimes overthrown at the first conflict nor does she recover her self again but yielding her self conquered by the Disease is precipitated into Death nor are things in much a better state when a Crisis at first being imperfect and of no effect comes without any relief of the Diseased and afterward the next to this happens to be worse and then by another or haply another conflict the Disease prevails till the strength being wholly broken and prostrated there is no hope left of recovery So much of the height or Crisis of the Disease By the Word Declination I understand the Condition of the Diseased and of the Disease which follows the height of it whether it tends to a Recovery or to Death whether the Fever or the Life it self of the Diseased at this time declines As to the times of the declining state it will be necessary for us to enquire what the temper of the Blood is and what alterations it undergoes as often as a progress is made from a good Crisis or an evil to a Recovery or Death The vice or depauperation which the Blood contracts from a feverish effervescence consists in these things the Spirit very much evaporates and is lost the sulphureous Part is too much scorcht and is much spent by the deflagration and after its burning an adust matter is left as a caput mortuum with whose Particles the mass of Blood is loaded and weak'ned mean while the Saline and Earthy Parts are too much exalted even as it is wont to happen in Wine or Beer too much fermented The Blood being tainted after this manner ill assimilates the stock of nutritive Juyce nay and not duely fermenting or being inflam'd in the Heart by reason of the scorching or defect of the Sulphur it ill distributes the Vital Spirit mean while by reason of the adust Matter and the Salt too much exalted it boyls more than it ought and destroys it self more 1. After a good Crisis the Spirit tho become weak still bears the sway wherefore it subdues by degrees and expells what there is remaining of feverish matter and concocts and assimilates the nutritive Juyce so a
thin juyce be administred whence the mass of Blood is refresh'd with a genuine Spirit and Sulphur 2. After an evil Crisis the thing is otherwise the Liquour of the Blood like Wine too much fermented wholly loses its strength its Spirit is greatly diminisht what there is remaining of it for the most part is involv'd and as it were overwhelm'd with Particles of adust matter whence a continual Effervescence remains still in the Blood tho without coction or assimilation of the nutritive Juyce or a separation of that which is useless from what is good the benign Sulphur and Food of the vital Flame is much consum'd so that the Blood is kindled in the Heart less than it ought mean while through adust Recrements and raised to too great a height with Salt and Earth it continually boyles in the Vessels with a Drought and a Heat and because it is daily depauperated upon the continual spending of the benign Spirit and Sulphur and is more tainted with the Salt and earthy Faeculencies too much exalted its Liquour in a short time grows vapid and becomes unfit for circulation and accension in the Heart for upholding the vital Fire wherefore Life must necessarily fail 3. After an imperfect and doubtful Crisis when the Diseased being broken by a long continued Weakness recover not but after a long time the case stands thus the Spirituous and Sulphureous parts of the Blood are very much consum'd by their long burning the remaining Liquour being not purg'd from the adust Recrements and Feculencies is rendred very impure and there remaining still somewhat of Oyle for the vital Flame and the Spirits not ceasing wholly from working upon the febrile Matter the Blood is still circulated and tho in a small measure is kindled in the Heart nay and the Spirits recover themselves by little and little and begin to set upon the matter remaining after the Fever and at length wholly subdue it and restore a sprightly Fermentation de Novo in the Heart CHAP. IX Of the most observable Symptoms and Signs in a Putrid Fever THE accidents which a Physician ought chiefly to consider in giving a true Diagnostick and Prognostick of this Disease may be reduced to three Classes as it were or common Places that is to say they have regard to the Viscera of Concoction viz. the Ventricle and Intestines with their Appendixes or secondly to the Humours flowing in the Vessels to wit the Blood in the Arteries and Veins and the thin Liquor in the nervous Parts together with the first sources of both viz. the Heart and Brain or lastly those Symptoms regard the habit of the Body with the various constitution of the Pores and the firmness or pining away of the solid Parts those who will exactly observe the course of the Disease and aptly draw the Curative Intentions must mind these three heads of Symptoms and diligently observe what alterations happen in these distinct Regions as it were according to the differing times of the Fever 1. Concerning the Ventricle and first Passages in the whole course of this Fever tedious affects and Disorders as a Nauseousness a Vomiting loss of Appetite Indegestion a Diarrhoea a roughness of the Tongue and Mouth a bitter savour are wont to molest them these things for the most part are attributed to the Humours first heap'd together in the Stomach and there putrifying but besides that the Recrements of the Chyle being burnt with too much heat degenerate into an offensive matter often those kinds of accidents happen because the off-scourings and filth of the Blood and nervous Juyce whilst they ferment are carried inwards and being depos'd within the Membranes of the Viscera cause Contractions and make a filthy heap of a vitious and very infesting Humour I have often observ'd that about the beginnings of Fevers the Blood vehemently boyling still depos'd its recrments in wardly to the benefit of the Diseas'd where tho some tedious affects hapned about the first Passages yet the effervescence was thereby more mild the Pulse moderate and the Urine laudable and after this manner those that were ill of a Fever with a thin Diet and the use of gentle carriers forth of Excrements recovered in a short time but if in this case I gave a violent Cathartick for extirpating the Humours that natural purging of the Blood being letted presently the Fever became intense with a ruddy and troubled Urine a high Pulse Watchings and other horrid Symptoms also often after the height of the Disease the adust and excrementitious matter is sever'd from the Blood by this kind of inward lustration hence sometimes a loosness sometimes crusty breakings forth of the Mouth and Throat happen wherefore concerning the accidents which happen in the first passages there is need of caution lest while we obviate those we pervert the Motion of Nature and lest whilst we fortifie these Parts against the incursion of the morbific Matter we perversly keep the same shut up in the mass of Blood The Symptoms chiefly to be considered in reference to the Mass of Blood are a heat diffus'd through the whole a great trouble of the Praecordia a ruddy Urine a spontaneous Lassitude a Swooning from which being duely considered these following things may become known viz. what the degree of heat is or according to what tenor the inflamed Blood burns what times of remission or exacerbation its effervescence observes whilst it burns whether it retains its Crasis or its mixture entire what strength of the Heart suffises and what space the Vessels afford for its burning and the circulation of it being kindled in what store the Blood whilst it boyles heaps together adust Recrements after what manner it subdues and severs them or at leastwise endeavours to sever them in fine what way of Crisis it endeavours and with what success The Accidents which regard the thin Liquour with the Brain and the nervous Appendix are disorders about Sleep and Watching a Weakness of the whole Body a Trembling a Tetanus Pains convulsive Motions Contractions of the Viscera a Stupor a Phrensy and the Observation of which will suggest to us what is the Temper and Constitution of that thin Liquour after what manner it irrigates and influences the Nervous parts and circulates through them how the animal Spirits perform the Functions of the Viscera what is the state of the Brain whether it continues free from the incursion of the feverish matter whether it be not in danger of being overwhelm'd by reason of its critical Metastasis Concerning the Habit of the Body we must consider the manner of its Perspiration and the degree of it whether it be only by vapory Effluvia or by Sweat or also by Pushes whether the flesh falls on a sudden from its wonted bulk or whether it retains it a long time what is the colour of the Face and the Vigour or dulness of the Eyes from these things being duly compared together we excellently measure the Course of the Fever at what
time it will come to the height whether Nature will prevail over the Disease or not with what way of Excretion and with what success it endeavours the expulsion of the febrile matter by these signs also we are taught by what degrees the Blood fermenting and often being coagulated tends towards a Putrefaction or Corruption whether it any wayes concocts the nutritive Juyce mixt with it or whether or no it does not forthwith cast forth its whole store by Sweat as it often happens in the declining state of this Disease From the foresaid Symptoms and Signs a fuller instruction yet is had if it be first known on what causes each kind of them depends and in what orderly course they are wont to be raised in our Body Wherefore I have thought it expedient particularly to set down the chief of these and to explicate the Reasons of them and their ways of coming to pass Now in a putrid Synochus or continual Fever the Symptoms chiefly to be observed are a heat in the whole Body a spontaneous Lassitude a great trouble of the Praecordia an intolerable Thirst a burning and roughness of the Tongue and Jaws a pain of the Head and Loyns obstinate Watchings a Phrensy convulsive Motions a Swooning a Cardialgia a Vomiting Nausecousness loss of Appetite a Loosness a Dysentery with which not all of them together but sometimes these sometimes the others this Disease is wont to be attended Amongst the signs the Pulse and Urine give the greatest light I shall observe a few things concerning each 1. The heat which is perceiv'd in the whole Body to be sharp and piercing depends on the too great Effervescence of the Blood and its accension in the Heart for the Sulphureous or Oily part of the Blood being exalted and falling a burning is kindled at least in a double portion more than its wont in the Heart When the Sulphur is not duely dissolved in the Blood and kindled in the Heart as in the longing Disease of Maids the Leucophlegmatia c. The heat fails in the whole 2. A spontaneous Lassitude is felt in the whole Body to wit by reason of the Vessels being extended with the boyling Blood also the muscular Flesh is much siuft with Blood and a copious Vapour so that it is not fit for Motion as those who are troubled with an Anasarca have their Limbs less free by reason of the Redundancy of the serous Humour Moreover in Fevers by reason of the inflammation of the Blood the Juyce which is suppsyed to the genus Nervosum falls from its due Temper so that it is less fit for actuating Bodies 3. The great trouble of the Pracordia happens by reason of the Blood being copiously kindled in the focus of the Heart which boyles thence with a great inflammation into the Lungs wherefore the nearer this Region is to that Focus of heat by so much it is affected with a greater burning 4. The almost unexstinguishable Thirst is caused both by reason of the growing inflammation in the Praecordia and by reason of the sharp and hot Particles of the febrile matter fixt in the Ventricle by the Blood in circulating which require to be washt off even as salt and pepper'd Food eaten in a plenty or as sharp things kept sometime in the Mouth or Throat for this kind of affect suggests a free taking in of Drink as a Member too hot does a pouring of cold Water on it 5. The burning and roughness of the Tongue and Throat and often also the growing of a certain white yellow or black Lee upon it doubtless happen by reason of the Heat and Fumes breathing from the Ventricle and Lungs strongly burning and the Tongue grows white as often as that Moisture wherewith it is naturally much imbued grows dry the Saliva then growing too thick and viscous but if it happens that the Tongue be inwardly fill'd or outwardly ting'd with a bilous Humour as it comes to pass in Vomitings of Choler then its Villi in regard they are spongeous imbibing the yellow matter present also a like Colour and if the Heat becomes so intense that it burns the Blood and kindles a Fire more ardent than usual it follows that Fumes are raifed from the Focus of the Heart through the breathing Pipes of the Lungs they scarce sufficing for ventilating so great a Blast which coming to the Roof of the Palate strike the Tongue as it were by Reverberation and tinge it with a blackness 6. Sometimes in Fevers and especially about the time of their declining it happens that the Tongue Palate Gums nay the Cavity of the whole Mouth and Throat are covered with a Viscous Matter resembling some whitish Crust which being often cleans'd presently a new succeeds and unless by diligently rubbing and washing the Mouth this crusty Mtter be frequently clear'd the Diseas'd often incur danger of Suffocation that kind of Affect very often happens to Infants newly born for they are wont for the most part within fourteen days an outward Efflorescence to be bedeck'd with large and red Spots all their Skin over and if this over-spreading of Redness does not break forth freely or disappears sooner than it ought for the most part that whitish Crust ensues in the Parts of the Mouth This Symptom when after this manner it molests Infants is wont to be ascribed to the fault of the Milk in feverish Persons the same is vulgarly attributed to thick and fuliginous Vapours rais'd from the Stomach but it seems more likely to me that in both this Affect arises from the Impurities of the whole Blood and haply in some measure of the nervous Juice depos'd about these parts for as often as in the Mass of both Humours somewhat extraneous inwardly mixt with them is contain'd which is neither to be blown off by Sweat nor is easily sent away by Urine that very often is fix'd about the Mouth with a serous Filth whence catarrhous Affects Tumours and troublesome Spittings are rais'd for in regard for the Mastication of Food the salival Humour ought to be plentifully discharg'd in this Place Nature often endeavours to send forth here what is superfluous or otherwise troublesome by these open and accustomed ways of Excretion hence after Mercury is given when both the Blood and nervous Juice are abundantly fill'd with its Particles most minutely divided and endeavour to send them forth involv'd in the Serum because they are not able to exterminate these mercurial Corpuscles inwardly mix'd with them neither by Sweat Urine or other way what remains they strive to expell the same mixt with the Serous Latex by the Arteries and other Ducturs's which convey the Spittle to the Mouth In like manuer also in Fevers when after a long Deflagration of the Blood the adust Matter is much heapt together whereof a good part remaining after the Crisis is still mixt with the Blood and nervous Juice or being fix'd on the Brain or other place is again drank up by the same
exprest from the Meatus Choledochus into the Intestinum jejunum by reason of an inverted and as it were convulsive Motion of the Intestine is cast up into the Stomach The loss of Appetite also happens by reason of the Ventricle being filled with vitious Juices and because the acid Ferment is wholly perverted by the scorching Heat These kinds of Affects of the Ventricle and Viscera sometimes arise from an excrementitious matter viz. the Alimentary degenerated whilst it was concocting heapt together in the first Passages a long time before the Fever which often is the occasional Cause of the Fever it self but sometimes the Nauseousness Loss of Appetite Vomiting Cardialgia c. are the immediate Products of the Fever for when the day before the falling sick the Affected had a Stomach good enough assoon as the immoderate Effervescence is brought on the Blood whilst that boyls above measure both the Effluvia and Recrements wont to be evaporated outwardly and the bilous Humour flowing from the Vasa Choledocha are pour'd into the Stomach with which its Crasis is perverted and the Relicks of the Chyle and other Contents in the Viscera are mightily depraved whence the foresaid Affects draw their Origine 13. Nor is a Loosness a less frequent symptom in Fevers which sometimes happens about the beginning of the Disease and arises for the most part either from the Choler flowing from the Vasa Choledoca into the Duodennm or from the Recrements of the Blood and Nervous Juyce pour'd from the Arteries and Ductus of the Pancreas into the Intestines Sometimes also about the height of the Disease and in its declining state a loosness is raised and so either Nature being conqueress the grosser off scourings of the Blood are this way Critically voided or the same being overcome the loosness is an effect and sign of the Viscera being wholly dissolv'd in their strength and firm tone Sometimes it happens in a Fever that the Belly is alwayes bound and unless irritated by a Medicine it discharges nothing and tho the Diseased have taken only liquid things for many dayes the stools are alwayes of a solid and hardish consistency and this seems for the most part to be done when the Blood burning greatly with a smart heat consumes the moisture lying in any part like Fire and by a copious emission of stems draws the watery matter from the Viscera into it self and presently causes it to evaporate outwardly wherefore the grosser part left in the Intestines is thickned by the parching heat as the Caput Mortuum remaining after distillation 14. The bloody Flux is an affect so frequent in continual Fevers that in certain years it becomes Epidemious and being as bad as a Plague it kills many the cause useally is not a humour produ'd inwardly in the Viscera which corrodes the Intestines with its Acrimony as some assert but some Miasm past into the Blood and so in wardly mixt with it that it cannot be forc'd from the Blood under the form of a Vapour or sincere Humour wherefore being driven toward the Intestines it opens the Mouths of the Arteries and causes little Ulcers and Distillations of Blood there as when from a feverish Blood taking toward the Skin Pushes and inflamed Swellings break forth outwardly and it is likely that those affects of the bloody Flux which accompany malignant or epidemious Fevers may airse from a certain coaulation of the Blood The pulse and Urine bring up the rear of the Symptoms and Signs in a putrid Fever which are chiefly to be minded for knowing both the state of the Disease and the strength of the Diseased for there being two things by which our Life is supported viz. Heat kindled in the heart and Coction to be perform'd in the Viscera and Vessels because the Pulse and Urine excellently shew the alterations caused in both by the Fever therefore hence a most certain Judgment is taken of the affect whether it will terminate in Death or a Recovery First we consult the Pulse as a Thermometer constituted by Nature for measuring the heat kindled in a Fever which if it be intense and raises a great ebullition of the Blood the Artery has a vehement and quick beat as long as the Spirits hold a good Vigour afterward the same being somewhat exhausted the strong Pulse remits which nevertheless is recompens'd by quickness and becomes quick and small If the Fever be mild and be attended by a less burning the Pulse also declines less from its natural state and in the whole course of the Disease the moderation of this denotes a truce of Nature nor does the Pulse only discover the strength of the Fever as it were of the Enemy but plainly shews also the sktrength of Nature and its ability of resisting as long as the Pulse is laudable things are in safety and it gives very good hope but from the evil state of this a very ill omen is given and a despair of doing well So that without a srequent and diligent examining of the Pulse the Physician can neither make a due prognostick nor safely order a Medicine 1. As to the first he ought to know as far as he may what sort of Pulse a Person has according to his natural Constitution for in some it is strong in others weak again in each change of Fevers he must weigh by what degrees it differs from its natural state for one while it is more vehement than it ought and argues the Fever to be intended another while it 's deprest lower than usual and denotes the Spirits and Strength to be dejected Those whose Artery has a weak and languid beat in their state of Health when they are taken with a Fever it is not so very ill with them to have a small and weak Pulse that we must presently despair of their well doing those who have naturally a strong and vehement Pulse if after the Crisis of the Disease it scarce holds a mean Vigour tho it be not altogether weak it argures the state of the diseased to be suspected and not safe If at the beginning of a Fever before the Blood has much burnt or if after a Crisis when part of the burthen is diminisht or if at another time the Pulse becomes weak without an evident cause it fore-bodes ill but if after long Watchings or after a great Evacuation the Pulse becomes somewhat weaker we may not therefore despair of a Recovery because Strength dejected or impair'd by these means may be again restor'd and the Spirits may be refresht When the Pulse on a sudden is altered for the worse tho the Diseased as to the rest of the Symptoms seems to himself to be better you may give a sad prognostick of Death and on the contary tho horrid Symptoms are pressing if notwithstanding the Pulse be laudable we may still hope for a Recovery If in a robust man being in a Fever the Pulse becomes very small and formicating Death is near at hand 2. In giving Medicines
Cautions and Rules of no small moment are taken from the Pulse Purging and Vomiting are prohibited by an over quick and violent Pulse also by a low and deprest one for when the Blood boyles too much an evacuation does little good both because that which is offensive is not separated and also for that by that Perturbation the strength is more debilitated And when the Spirits are broken and the Strength dejected a Purge casts them do wn more and sometimes wholly resosves them Wherefore when a Physician thinks of an evacuation upward or downward first let him try the Pulse and let him set upon this work only when Nature is strong and in a calm that it may both be at leisure for the Operation of the Medicine and have Strength enough to bear it Nor is there need of less Circumspection in Diaphoreticks and Cardiacks which if they are given in the feverish fit they too much intend the motion of the Heart which before was violent and very often break its strength and when the Pulse is very faint if hot and strong Cordials are given Life is easily extinguisht as when a small Flame is prest with a strong blast of Wind wherefore it s a vulgar observation that Cordials often accelerate Death for that by too much exagitating the Blood they sooner consume the Strength There is yet need of the greatest Caution and Direction of the Pulse in giving Narcoticks for those because they perform their Operation by exstinguishing and fixing the over fierce vital Spirits if they are used in a weak or wavering Pulse either by diminishing the vital Spirits they render them wholly insufficient for the Disease or by suffocating them too much they bring a perpetual sleep wherefore in a languid unequal or formicating Pulse let Opiates be shun'd of all things The uneven and intermittent Pulse have an ill name in the writings of Physicians yet tho they are lookt upon as ill they do not so certainly portend Death as a weake Pulse for I have known many with those kinds of signs to have escapt who were condemn'd to the Grave for the disorder of the Blood and Spirits may much more certainly and easily be restrain'd or appeas'd than their dejection be restored 2. The inspection of Urines in Fevers has more of certainty than in any other Diseases and is of very great use for hence the states of the sick Person and of the Disease are excellently known and the physical Intentions concerning things to be done are hence best directed some of the chief Observations and Rules concerning this matter are as follows Concerning the Urines of Persons in Fevers the things chiefly to be observed are the Colour Consistency Contents and setling the colour of the urine shews the degree or excess of heat in the Blood which as it is increast or is more remiss the Urine also is more or less ruddy Nevertheless the Urines of some are mighty ruddy when they are but lightly feverish and on the contrary the Urines of others troubled with the burning heat of a Fever are less coloured Those who abound with a vigorous heat and a very hot Blood or are obnoxious to the Scurvy Ptysick or the Hypocondriack affect when upon taking cold or through a Fulness Surfeiting or drinking Wine they are set upon by any small Fever they make an intensly ruddy Urine because the Particles of the Salt and Sulphur are exalted and half dissolved in their Blood before wherefore of necessity when the Fever presses they are more incocted in the Serum on the contrary those who having a cold Temperament and a weak Pulse are taken with a Fever tho they have a greater Effervescence of the Blood void a Urine less coloured The Consistency Contents and Setling of Vrines being places as it were in the same Rank depend altogether on the adust and recrementitions Matter which remains in the Blood after the burning of the Fever if there be a plenty of this the Consistency of the Urine becomes somewhat thick and after it has stood it is troubled by the Cold if either the quantity of this be less or it be derived elsewhere than to the Reins to wit if it be withdrawn by Sweat or by a critical Metastasis into this or that part the Consistency becomes more thin and the Liquor remains clear And the Particles of this matter furnish the Contents of the Urine which are diversly disposed according as the nutritive Juyce is one while somewhat concocted and assimilated by the Blood another while is wholly perverted and turns to a mass of Corruption Some signs of Coction and Assimilatiturns to a mass of Corruption Some signs of Coction and Assimilation are given in the Urines of Persons in Fevers sometimes by a laudable Hypostasis sometimes by certain Rudiments and Foot-steps of the same A Privation of an Hypostasis and a confusion and troubled state of the Parts of the Urine denote Coction to be vitiated and as this matter is more or less parched in the Blood the Contents are sometimes pale sometimes of a yellowish Colour like oker According as the Recrements mixt with the Blood either the Spirit prevailing begin to be subdued and separated or the same being too much deprest are less able to be separated also the Contents of the Urine are wont more or less sooner or later to be separated from the rest of the Urine and to subside towards the bottom As to the Prognosticks to be taken from the Urine we observe That somewhat a remiss Colour of the Urine a mean Consistency a sew Contents subsiding of their own accord or readily gathering together into a little Cloud portend Good on the contrary an intense Redness a thick and troubled Consistency gross and opake Contents which slowly or scarce at all subside towards the bottom denote a great Effervescency a plenty of adust Matter and its subduing and separation to be difficult or frustrated As to Physical Directions the thing consists in this that by a frequent Inspection of Urines we attend to the Motion of Nature and readily follow it nor must we move by Purging or Sweat but when some Hypostasis shews signs of Coction and Separation in the Urine CHAP. X. Of the Signs and Cure of the putrid Synochus or continual Fever BEsides what is said before of the putrid Synochus in general there are moreover certain Varieties or Irregularities not to say Species of this Disease by which this Fever somewhat declines from this common Rule and by reason of certain accidental Affects gets new Names and Distinctions First therefore a putrid Synochus is wont to be divided into a symptomatick and an essential one That is said to be symptomatick which draws its Origine from some other Affect or Disease first raised in the Body so that the Fever is only the symptome coming upon that other Affect as that is accounted which depends on a Squinancy Plurisie Wound Vlcer c. in or near some principal Part of which
day sometimes every other or fourth day resumes its febrile accension as it were the reason of this which seems to me most likely is as follows In a continual Fever there are two chief things as we have hinted above which for the most part cause the Effervescence of the Blood viz. an exaltation and acsion of the sulphureous part in the Blood and then consequently a heaping together of the adust matter remaining after the deflagration of the Blood to a Turgescency on the former the continuity of the Fever on the other its height and critical Perturbations depend to these sometimes a third thing is added to wit a fulness and turgescency of a crude Juice from Aliments fresh gathered together which at set intervals of times causes a greater effervescence in a continual Fever as in the fits of Intermittents Concerning the Cure of putrid Fevers of what kind soever there are four general intentions on which the whole stress of the Business lies First that the Blood if it may be be freed from its burning and that the Flame or Fire kindled in its sulphury part be wholly supprest which often happens to be done about the first beginnings of this Disease Secondly that when the Blood being set a burning cannot presently be extinguisht it may go on with it at least mildly and with as little dammage as may be Thirdly that the burning being over the Liquour of the Blood may be clear'd of the Recrements of the burnt and adust Matter and be restor'd to its natural Vigour and Crasis Fourthly that the Symptoms chiefly pressing be seasonably obviated without the removal of which the attempts both of Nature and Physick will be in Vain As to the particular Remedies with which those intentions are answer'd there are various Prescripts and Forms of Medicines every where in use not only amongst Physicians but likewise old Women and Empricks from which nevertheless in regard they are us'd like a Sword in a blind Mans Hands without differences and an exact Method of Healing more dammage than benefit often accrues to the Diseased It will not be needfull for me to repeat in this Place the Forms of Purgers Cardiacks or other Medicines neatly enough delivered in many Authors I shall briefly set down some of the chief Indications and Physical Cautions which ought to be observed in the course of this Fever according to the various Seasons and divers Symptoms of it 1. About the first Invasion of this Disease you must endeavour that the Fever be forthwith supprest and that the inflammation of the over-heated Sulphur may be stopt to which breathing a Vein chiefly conduces for by this means the Blood is ventilated and the hot Particles too much crowded together and even ready to fall a burning are dissipated from each other as when Hay being apt to take on Fire if it be expos'd to the open Air its kindling is prevented Moreover let a thin diet be ordered in which nothing spirituous or sulphureous ought to be us'd let the Viscera and first Passages be freed from the Load of Excrementious Matter Wherefore Clysters will be of necessary use sometimes also Vomits and gentle Purges which being now and then given seasonably and with judgment the Fever presently at the beginning its Fuel for accension beig withdrawn is extinguisht But if notwithstanding this Method the burning gets Ground and daily more and more lays hold on the sulphureous Particles of the Blood let it be procur'd as far as may be that the deflagration goes on gently without any great Commotion 2. Wherefore when the Fever is in its Increase if the Blood boyls too much and very much extends the Vessels with a strong and vehement Pulse if Watchings a Frenzy or Head-ach violently press bleed a second time and let as free a Transpiration as may be be procur'd wherefore let the Diseas'd for the most part lye in Bed let the Diet be sare of very thin Food also let the Drink be small and plentiful that the burning Blood may be freely diluted with Serum Clysters are given with Safety and indeed with good Effect but let Medicines whether Catharticks or Diureticks and which too much exagitate the Blood be avoided with the same Industry as Blasts of Wind are where Houses are on fire nay rather Opiates and Anodines which fix and constipate the Blood and Spirits are to be used also Juleps and Decoctions which cool the burning Bowels qualifie the Blood and refresh the Spirits are frequently to be given Acetous Liquors of Vegetables or Minerals also Nitre purified because they restrain the burning of the Blood and quench Thirst agree well let hot and spirituous Waters cordial and Bezoartick Powders so the Disease be without Malignity be let alone In case the Blood circulates unevenly and be carried more violently toward the Head than the Feet Epithemes of the warm Flesh or Inwards of Animals applyed to the Feet do well 3. When the Fever is at its height let the motion of Nature be diligently minded whether it be about to make a Crisis or not wherefore nothing is to be attempted rashly by a Physician breathing a Vein or strong Purging are wholly forbidden but aftenward when the burning of the Fever is in some measure remitted after the Deflagration of the Blood and signs of Concoction appear in the Urine in case the Motion of Nature be sluggish a Sweat or gentle Purge may be procured which nevertheless are performed better and with more Safety by a Physician when Nature before by a critical motion has set upon a seclusion of the morbifick matter But if all things are crude and in a Perturbation the Urine be still troubled without a Sediment or a Separation of Parts if the Strength be faint the Pulse weak if no Crisis or only a fruitless one has preceded any Evacuation either by Sweat or Purging is not attempted without manifest Danger of Life but we must expect longer that the Spirits of the Blood may recover themselves and in some measure subdue the recrementitious and adust Matter and afterward by degrees separate them mean while let the Strength be refresh'd with temperate Cordials let the immoderate Effervescence of the Blood if it be so be stopt and let its due Fermentation be upheld which in truth is excellently performed by Coral Pearl and those kinds of Powders which are dissolv'd by the Ferments of the Viscera and afterward ferment with the Blood and greatly restore its weak and wavering Motion Mean while whilst Nature labours let all Obstacles and Impediments be removed and especially let the store of Excrements heapt together in the first Passages be withdrawn by the frequent Use of Clysters 4. After what way or method the Symptoms chiefly pressing ought to be handled it is not an easie thing to prescribe by certain Rules because the very same sometimes require to be forthwith restrain'd and appeas'd sometimes to be moved on faster and those that have somewhat greater in them haply ar
on her Back in the Bed settling her self to sleep on a sudden she complained that the same Symptoms pervaded her whole Body together and presently upon it fell into a Delirium all the night without sleep howling and crying she talkt light-headed on the day following she lay with her Eyes open without Motion or Speech in the Evening again as the Fever increast the Diseased grew raving that she could scarce be kept in her Bed and so for three dayes sometimes she lay delirous orying and howling sometimes stupid as it were without Motion or Speech but still she was troubled with convulsive Motions about the Tendons of the Muscles on the tenth day she feteht her Breath deep and short with a weak and as it were formicating Pulse in the middle of the night she dyed A Learned Young Man of a thin habit and a pale Countenance in the beginning of the Spring not being conscious of any errour in Diet began to complain of a Lassitude and a Debility in walking also of a Drowsiness of his Head and a Sleepiness on the second day he was withall tormented with a Thirst a loss of Appetite and a burning of the Praecordia on the third day a Physician being called he took a Vomitory after which when he had thrice vomited and had voided five times by Seige hot and bilous Excrements he became somewhat more cheerful and the following Night slept indifferently well on the fourth day he bled a little at Nose afterward the Thirst and Heat were very much increas'd the Urine was ruddly with a copious Sediment and somewhat of an Hypostasis but because after signs of Concoction in the Urine there appear'd an effort of Nature opprest as it were for voiding something without a sufficient Evacuation therefore seven ounces of Blood were taken away and thereupon he seemed to be very much relieved Nevertheless in the Evening all things grew worse and thence forward for three dayes the Fever seemed still to be rendred more intense on the seventh day he complained of a great Drowsiuess in his Head and of a Dimness in his Eyes in the After-noon a very large Haemorrhagie happened that through the vast loss of Blood the strength of the Diseased was almost wholly spent and there was an extream need of physical aid for stopping the Blood for this purpose when Blooding in the Arm Ligatures Evithems applyed both to the Head and the lower part of the Belly and a great many other Remedies the instantancous occasion of Cure pressing for it prescribed by all Persons were tryed in Vain at length by the persuasion of a Woman being there by chance a red hot Iron was held to the Nose as it dropt and on a sudden upon the receiving of the Fume of the burnt Blood into the Nostrills its Flux was stopt I have known this Remedy used since in many others with good success by that copious Haemorhagy the contrinual Fever came to a Crisis tho an intermittent Quotidian followed it which afterward was soon cur'd according to the Merhod above delivered A Matron sixty years of Age lying a certain night in Sheets not well dryed began to be ill first she was affected with a suffocating Catarth that through the serous Mass of filth distilling on the Larynx she could soarce breath much less fleep the next day after she had a Nauseousness and a want of Appetite with somewhat of a Thirst and an Excess of Heat on the third day an acute Pain seized her fide with a Cough and an increase of the Fever the Urine was ruddy and clear with a laudable Hypostasis the Pulse was uneven and intermitting A Phyfician being called ten Ounces of Blood were taken away also on that day a Clyster being giv'n she purg'd freely about night the Pain vanish'd and she slept indifferently the Urine then was ruddy troubled and filled with Contents On the fourth day the Fever was somewhat more increast in the Evening the Cough was very troublesome being followed with an acute Pain in the same Side as before the Urine was again with an Hypostasis the Pain upon letting Blood again soon ceas'd On the fifth Day the Fever was somewhat more remiss yet the Night was restless with a Heat and a Tossing of the Body but without Pain the next Morning she sweated freely and was relieved afterward by a thin Diet used for some Days and being once pnrged she recovered without a Relapse It is worthy to be observ'd that the Pain pressing the Urine was clear and with an Hypostasis nor was it troubled by the Cold which nevertheless the same being appeased presently grew thick and more ruddy and fill'd with Contents A robust Young-man and well in Flesh about the Summer Solstice after immoderate Exercises and then a sudden Cold coming upon the Heat fell ill First he was affected with a loss of Appetite a Nauseousness a violent Pain of the Head also with a Thirst and a Heat more intense than usual On the second day an acute Pain in the Right-side with a Cough and a difficult Respiration seized him Blood presently being plentifully drawn from the Arm of the same Side that Pain somewhat remitted which nevertheless returned more violently in the Evening with a Cough and a spitting Blood the night past without sleep and very restless On the third day Blood was taken away again and moreover Liniments and Fomentations were applyed to the Side pained Antipleuritick Powders Juleps and Decoctions were inwardly taken about night the Pain in a manner wholly ceas'd presently after the Diseased was affected with a violent Head-ach and a Vertigo On the fourth day he bled two ounces of Blood at the Nose after which that Affect of the Head clearly ceased but in the Evening the Pain returned in the Side first affected with a greater Fierceness mean while the Pulse was low and weak that when it was consulted concerning letting Blood there was danger lest the dejected Strength would not admit of such a Remedy wherefore Blood being taken only in a small quantity it was prescribed that a Fomentation and Cataplasmes should be diligently applyed to the Side moreover that twenty Drops of Spirit of Harts-horn should be given in a Spoonful of a Cordial Julep and that the same should be still repeated every six Hours he sweated plentifully that Night and the Pain very much abated the Spittle was but little sprinkled with Blood which wholly ceas'd within a Day the Pain also vanishing by Degrees the Diseased took twice a day a Scruple of the same Spirit of Harts-horn and perfectly recovered within a few Days without a Relapse CHAP. XI Of the Malignant or Pestilential Fever in general BEsides the Continual Fever such as above describ'd and which arises by reason of some Principle in the Blood exalted too much and disproportionate with the rest there is another Species of it which is raised by reason of the Blood being tainted with some venemous Miasm and thereupon ready to incur
be given for I have diligently observ'd that an over-hasty eating of Flesh or of a rich Food has oftentimes brought these Fevers For Women in Child-bed ought to be managed not only as Persons sorely woulded but as having gotten a feverish Indisposition from a troubled Crasis and Distemperature of the Blood for in them the Blood being for a long time too much exalted and inspired with an impure Miasm presently upon the Access of any sulphureous Fuel takes a light Flame The second Care after Diet must be that the Pores be not clos'd or the Lochia stopt upon the unwary Admission of an outward Cold for upon the lightest occasion the way of the Transpiration being chang'd the Blood before fermenting falls into Disorders also the Womb being touch'd with the breath of the Air contracts it self and closes the Mouths of the Vessels that the Lochia do not flow wherefore in any wise Women ought to be kept in Bed five days after Child-bearing I know its the vulgar way to take Women out of Bed the third day but I have known many to have fall'n into Fevers thereby and in truth if we will have Child-bearing Women secure from danger the safest way will be to keep them in Bed longer There remains a third Scope concerning Preservation that in Women in Child-bed by giving somewhat gently to stir the Blood we continue a flowing of the Lochia for this end Midwives are wont if at any time after a difficult Child-birth that Evil be fear'd to give Sperma coeti Powder of Irish Slate or Saffron steep'd with White-wine moreover to prepare Broths that they may fuse the Blood more of Water mixed with White or Rhenish Wine in which or also in Whey they boyl Mary gold-flowers Penny Royal or Mugwort There are a great many other kinds of Administrations in use for Women in Child-bed which I willingly pass by as being valgarly known The Cure of the Fever following Child-birth far differs from the Method used in Putrids for in that it is not to be expected that the Blood being struck with a Febrile Burning should burn on by degrees and then should subdue the adust Recrements heap'd together by degrees in its Bosom and should separate the same by a Crisis but rather as is best done in a malignant assoon as the Blood boyls immoderately it is good to exagitate it and to send forth its haeterogeneous and impure Mixtures by Remedies gently promoting Sweat wherefore it is usual among the Vulgar and that not amiss to give presently Sudorificks to Women in Child-bed that are feverish by this means the Blood being eventilated its Effervescence is appeased also by reason of its Agitation the Lochia apt to be restrained are stimulated to a flowing It is much disputed among Authors whence the Beginnings of these kinds of Fevers ought to be computed to wit Whether from the Birth it self or from the first Sense of the Feverishness but it little matters whether it be concluded this way or that for since this Fever does not justly observe the wonted Stages of Putrids nor is to have a Crisis nor at all admits the use of a Cathartick Remedy there is no cause for us to be any ways sollicitous concerning its Period or Mensuration as to days but it will be only useful for us to distinguish concerning its curative Indications of what things are to be done in the Beginning Encrease and End of this Disease what also we ought to attempt while the Strength holds somewhat good and what in the same being depressed and greatly dejected When therefore any Woman brought to Bed is first affected with this Fever whose Invasion is distinguished from the Lacteal because it begins for the most part with a cold Shivering presently we must endeavour that the Fewel be plentifully withdrawn from the burning Blood and as I have advised above let the Flesh of Animals or Broths made of the same be wholly forbidden for these fix the Blood and constipate it too much and hinder its purging which is very necessary both by the Lochia and by cutaneous Transpiration and rather tho the Fever be pressing let Decoctions Powders and Confections be given of moderately hot things of this kind as I said before are the Decoctions or distilled Waters of the Flowers of Marygolds of the Leaves of Penny-royal of Mugwort of the Roots of Scorzonera also bezoartick Powders Spirit of Harts-horn the fixed Salts of Herbs c. If the Lochia are stopt we must try all ways to move them to flow again for promoting these Frictions conduce and Ligatures about the Thighs and Legs also in the Soles of the Feet sometimes cupping Glasses or Vesicatories about the Thighs or Hips also in the Soles of the Feet sometimes also Blooding in the Ancle is good mean while let a Fomentation of an hysterick Decoction be applyed about the Share or let a Weathers Caul taken forth warm be laid on the lower Part of the Belly it has been found by Experience that Pessaries and uterine Injections have sometime done good if the Belly be costive let it be gently loos'ned by the Violet Suppository or an emollient Clyster We must beware of a too strong Irritation because it is known that in Child-bed the Strength is suddenly cast down with a Swooning by a copious Purging even as in a Malignant Fever If at any time with a Suppression of the Lochia there be a mighty Perturbation of the Blood with a Vomiting a Thirst and Watchings I have often known Laudanum mix'd with Saffron given with good Success Instead of a cooling Julep this kind of Mixture may be proper viz. Take Water of Penny-royal and of Bawm of each three ounces Histerick-water two ounces Syrup of Mugwort an ounce and a half Tincture of Saffron two drams Castoreum tyed in a Rag and hung in the Glass a Scruple Mix them Let three or four Spoonfuls of this be taken divers times in a day 2. If notwithstanding the use of these kinds of Remedies the Fever still grows worse and is increased by degrees with a worse Apparatus of Symptoms so that besides the Disorders of the Blood the Brain and nervous Parts begin to be affected Medicines tho a great many of them of every kind are tryed oftentimes can do nothing nay in this ease the Indications are in a manner coincident with those that are to be made use of in the Plague it self for the Lochia being a good while supprest they cannot easily or searce at all be brought again in a great Confusion of the Blood and Humours therefore it is good quickly to raise a Sweat to wit That the Corruptions made in the Blood and nervous Juice and restagnating from the Womb may in some sort be sent forth by Sweat and insensible Transpiration wherefore here Bezoartck Powders and Confections Spirit of Harts-horn or of Soot Tinctures of Coral or of Pearl conduce I have sometimes seen that by the help of these kinds of Medicines in a desperate
of the other Disease be omitted and let the fierceness of Symptoms be restrain'd only by lenifying things The Indications of the Small Pox do not only differ from those ev'n now above described but are attended by some Contrary to themselves for they require the Flowings of the Lochia to be alittle stopr as is said before tho withal that the Efflorescence of the Blood and a gentle Sweat be continued for since in this Disease there is a double venemous Ferment and the corrupted Particles of the Blood are carried forth two ways Care is tob e taken that the less and narrower Passage do not draw to it self all the Matter or more than it can let forth therefore lest the Lochia too copiously flowing draw inwardly the Venom which is apt to make an outward Efflorescence the form of Dyet must be somewhat chang'd and in the first place let things be boyled in the Broths of the Diseased which have an Alexipharmick together with an astringent Vertue as the Roots of Tormentil and of Bistort also it is good to give at due Intervals of time Powders Juleps and Opiates endowed with such a kind of Vertue moreover in this Case let it by no means be allowed Women to feed on Flesh and Broths made of it or to rise from bed but a quiet both Mind and Body being procured by what means we may and a Diet being ordered of those things which do not exagitate the Blood let the business in a manner wholly be committed to God and Nature It were an easie thing to illustrate wlth Stories and Observations what is said above concerning the acure Diseases of Women in Child-bed ut the Examples which may be brought in this kind are for the most part deplorable and of an ill Event for those Fevers generally are terminated in Death Now to describe these kinds of Sicknesses will neither confirm the Endeavour of a Physician nor at all recommend the method of Physick used in them however since the Knowledge of these makes for the better Diagnostick of that Disease I shall here propose certain singular Cases and Varieties of Symptoms of Women after Delivery in which tho Forms and ways of curing seldom occur at leastwise you will have certain Rules of Precaution of no contemptible use A renowned Woman about twenty fix years of Age was delivered of a sixth Child with great difficulty and not without danger of Life On the second day she are a whole Chicken On the third being taken up from her Bed she sate for four hours in a Chair The night following she was ill at which time the Milk sprang into her Breasts which nevertheless soon disappeared upon the Application of the Diachylum Plaister The next Morning she complained of a Lassitude and a Pain like a Soreness of her whole Body also of a Vomiting a Nauseousness and a Plenitude about the Ventricle and Hypochondres a very troublesome Night followed On the fifth day she was more openly severish and felt sometimes a Shivering sometimes a Burning all about her She nauseated all things had an Oppression of the Stomach moreover being restless and without Sleep the Lochia flowed but little but a whitish Humour vulgarly call'd a flowing of Milk flow'd from her In the Evening she had a heaviness about the Fore-head and Temples as tho she were sleepy and began to sleep a little after an hour and a half awaking with a troubled Fancy she complain'd of her Head being increas'd as it were to a mighty Bulk also of her Jaws being closed that she could not open her Teeth and of her Fifts being closely contracted moreover in her whole Body she seemed to perceive a pungitive sort of a Stupor the Ventricle and Hypochondres continued still distended and puffed up To this Person Frictions Ligatures cupping Glasses and other Remedies both inwardly and outwardly were applied for recalling the Lochia and deriving the Recrements of the Blood from the Head the weak and disorderly Pulse did not admit Blooding Powders and Juleps for gently moving a Sweat and fusing the Blood and nervous Juice and hindring them from Restagnations were diligently given Moreover Fomentations sometimes of linnen Cloths dipt in an emollient Decoction sometimes of the tepid Viscera of Anirnals were applied to the lower Part of the Belly mean while stinking things as is wont to be done to Persons troubled with hysterick Fits were held to the Nostrils for hindring the impetuous flowing of the Blood and Spirits to the Head Now these things and others being carefully plyed for many Hours she seemed to perceive some ease tho she still dreaded of closing her Eyes or preparing her self for Sleep for her Eye lids being closed a thousand Phantasms came into her Head with a noise and a ringing in her whole Head She passed the Night almost without Sleep assoon as she began to slumber presently being frighted and being opprest in the Praecordia she awaked On the sixth day about Noon she had a cold Shivering with a strong Concussion of the whole Body to which as in the Fit of an Intermittent Fever presently a Heat afterward a copious Sweat succeeded tho no Relief hapned to the sick Person thereby for presently after the Sweat the feverish Heat renewed and convulsive Affects more infested her The Night following when also the other Symptoms grew worse a Palsie was raised first in the Tongue and then presently in the Throat that she could not speak and scarce at all swallow On the seventh day about the same Hour a cold Shivering again with a Heat and a Sweating scised her and thenceforward the Pulse was far weaker and uneven also a difficult Respiraion with short Breath seised her she knew not the Standers by On the eighth day she dyed Many Occasions concured to the Death of this Woman predispos'd to a Fever by reason of her Ingravidation they greatly increasing the Malignity of the Disease for the hurting of the Womb through the difficult Delivery the sudden striking of the Milk from the Breasts the eating of Flesh and the too quick rising from Bed all concurred as tho conspiring together for a greater Mischief The Blood taken with a feverish Burning began Disorders it drew the Lochia and haply other Corruptions of the Womb into it self and thence acquir'd a greater Taint and a wholly venemons Disposition the Membranes of the Viscera whether upon their being fill'd with a degenerate nervous Juyce or upon Contractions being communciated to them from the Womb were struck with convulsive Motions for those kinds of Inflammations and Distensions about the Abdomen are really the Effects of Convulsions for tho the direct Fibres contracting that Member often compress it yet when the Fibres both streight and transverse and others placed in a various Site are convulsed together in the Membrane compassing about the Cavity part of it swells like a blown Bladder into the Vacuity of which the Air secundarily passes it self So far it is from what is ulgarly said viz.
the Fever by its Deflagration but the continual Ebullition which happens to this Intermittent Fever depends wholly on the Confusion of the Matter not miscible and the difficult Secretion of it from the Blood A Synochus happens as Wine naturally fermenting by reason of its Richness the other like the same Wine when it falls a working by reason of some haeterogeneous thing mixt with it wherefore we observe that when our Fever has pass'd into a continual yet it comes not to a Determination neither by a Sweat nor by a Loosness tho happening in a plentiful manner and frequently because depending on the Blood depauperated rather than being inflam'd it continues a very long time and disposes the Diseased towards a Cachexia The third way of difference wherein this Fever differs from the common Rank of Intermittents is plac'd in this that it is oftentimes readily propagated by Contagion into others the reason of which is because here a great many Bodies are predispos'd after the same manner to the same Affect which at another time does not happen wherefore the mere Effluvia from a morbid Body are able to stir up the like Affect in a Subject easily capable even as certain Rays of a Flame kindle a Flame in a Matter which is very combustible mean while all do not contract the taint of this Fever alike but some not prepar'd for it converse with the Diseas'd without hurt There is another Symptom which does not constantly attend this Fever but only happening in some Places which distinguishes it not only from a common Fever but changes its own proper Type to wit it sometimes happens that dyssenterick Affects accompany this Disease in some bilous Vomitings and Seiges are very troublesome as in the cholerick Disease and in others bloody Stools happen with a violent Pain and Gripes of the Belly I have often observ'd the former in this our Neighbourhood and the reason of it may be deduced from a mighty bilous Temperature for by reason of this the adust Matter not to be blown off by Sweat is copiously separated in the Liver afterward by reason of the Vasa Choledocha being over-fill'd it is sent to the Ventricle and Intestines the other Affect of the Dysentery is found only in some Places and there being sporadical rather than common it has seised only some sick Persons The Origine of it can be ascrib'd only to the peculiar Crasis or vicious Predispositions of some Bodies also to the Scituations of Places or the nature of the Air. Moreover it may be suspected that the Disease is now and then conveyed to others not without the Communication of a certain Miasm Concerning this Disease there ought to be a double Prognostick first of the Fever it self in general what kind of end it will have and when what it does threaten to our Land whether it be not a Fore-runner of the Plague or Pestilential Diseases as it is vulgarly feared Secondly We ought to give the Signs by which we are wont to presage a Well-doing or Danger in the various Cases of the Diseased As to the first because we have shewn that the Origine of this Affect is not to be taken from the Air infected with a Contagion or venemous Miasm nor from a malignant Seminium of Vapours diffus'd through the Air but only from a mighty bilous Temperature or Diathesis of our Bodies with a Blood which is adust and mightily scorch'd by reason of the Summer Heats I think there is no cause of Fear here whereby we may dread that this Fever being rais'd to a worse state through the fault of the Air may grow at length to be Malignant or Pestilential but rather what the Change of the Season of the Year and the Alteration of our Blood may make us expect we ought to fear lest this Fever which at first imitates the Type of a Tertian may pass into a Quartan which I observe has already happened to some and think it is greatly to be fear'd lest hereafter Autumn drawing to an end it may happen in many As to the particular Prognostick the Signs which happen in the course of this Fever most remarkable and which in some manner foretell its Issue and Event are these If the Disease happens in a sound Body well-temper'd and easily perspirable if a Vomiting with a well-bearing ensues and the Belly be loose if the Fit begins with a light Shivering and after a moderate Heat ends in a Sweat and the Interval of it be with an Apyrexia or a well-bearing if the Pulse be strong the Urine of a flame colour clear with a laudable Hypostasis we predict that the Disease will end in a short time without danger but if this Fever be raised in a fat Body and of a vicious Habit if with a troublesome Vomiting an exorbitant Heat and an intolerable Thirst long torment the Diseased if the Heat be succeeded by a difficult partial often interrupted Sweat and interlac'd with frequent Vomitings and does not end in an Apyrexia we declare this Disease to be long and liable to Danger but if the Diseased holds his Strength and the Urine shews signs of Concoction we do not despair of well-doing especially if after four or five Returns the Disease as it is usual remits of its wonted fierceness Thirdly we observe if this Disease happens in a Body which is cold or broken with other Diseases or weaken'd if besides horrible Vomitings and a violent Heat a frequent Fainting Swoonings Deliriums or Lethargick Affects happen if after many Accesses the Strength of the Diseas'd falling the Disease remits nothing but a continual Effervescence troubles the Blood and very much dissipates the vital Spirits if a dejected Appetite obstinate Watchings convulsive Motions with a weak Pulse a troubled or thick Urine happen we declare the Case to be full of Danger but it is protracted to a good length and it gives Time and Occasions for Nature to recollect her self and to the Physician for giving Remedies The Therapeutick Indications which have place in the Cure of this Fever are chiefly four First that the Blood being becom burnt and too bilous be reduc'd to its due temper Secondly that the depravation of the Nutritive Juyce and its alteration into a fermentative matter be stopt or at leastwise be lessen'd Thirdly that about the declination of the Disease the Blood being depauperated by a frequent Deflagration and rendred impure by the mixture of the morbifick or adust matter be restored and be rendred volatile as it ought Fourthly that we obviate with Remedies the Symptoms which are chiefly infesting in the Course of the Disease To answer these Intentions I advise the following Method to be used About the first beginnings of the Disease if a bilous Humour flowing from the Vasa Choledocha and sent into the Ventricle the Diseased be inclin'd to Vomit when the Fit is at hand let a plentiful Evacuation of the same be raised by a gentle Emetick Blooding and Purging ought not to be used
Medicines according to the various Intents ib. p. 108 109 110 111. Instances of Persons troubled with it and the method us'd with them ib. 112. Peruvian Bark see Jesuits Powder Pestilential Fever see Fever Pestilence see Plague Phlebetomy how many Ways and for what Causes and End an Eruption of Blood happens of its own Accord p. 177 178 179. how many Ways and for what Causes and Ends it is indicated by Physick ib. p. 180. the Uses and Affects both good and evil of Phlebetomy in Physick p. 181. certain Rules and Cautions to be observ'd in the due Administration of Phlebetomy p. 183 184 185 186 187 188. Ptisick and Consumption of the Lungs p. 71. the divers States of this Disease ib. p. 72. a threefold method of Cure ib. the method of curing a new Cough hapning upon taking Cold ib. p. 73 74. Praescripts of Medicines for it ib. p. 75 76 77 78 79. the Chin-Cough in Children its Cure ib. p. 80 81 82. the method of curing an inveterate Cough when it begins to degenerate into a Consumption ib. p. 83 84. Praescripts of Medicines for this inveterate Cough p. 85 86 87 88 89. the method to be us'd in a great confirm'd Ptisick which is commonly past Cure ib. p. 90. Praescripts of Medicines in it ib. An Instance of a Person troubled with a single Cough and free from the Suspicion of a Ptisick and the method us'd with him p. 91 92 93. An Instance of a Person troubled with a Cough proceeding chiefly from the nervous Liquor and the Method us'd ib. p. 94 95. Pissing Evil see Diabetes Plague it 's Description p. 592. Signs which foreshew that it will happen ib. Signs which shew its Presence in a Body diseas'd p. 593. Signs of Recovery or Death in it p. 595. Prophylactick Cautions against it p. 596 597. its Cure p 598 599 600. see Fever Pestilential Pleurisie its Description p. 113. the method of Cure ib. p. 114. Praescripts of Medicines adapted to the Indications p. 115 116 117. An Instance of a Person troubled with it and how proceeded with ib. p. 118. Poysons in general how they affect our Bodies p. 583 584 585 586 587. Poysons causing Convulsions p. 268. Pox see French Pox. Psora see Itch. Pulse intermitting see Heart Purging three Degrees of it 〈◊〉 All Purges not to be us'd inâ—â—â—â—rently ib. when improper ib. 〈◊〉 Praescripts of purging Potiâ—â—â— Pills Powders Bolus's Eleâ—â—â—ries some of each kind being 〈◊〉 gentle others of a mean and â—â—â—ers of a strong Operation toâ—â—â—her with some Purges of each â—â—â—d of an easie Preparation for 〈◊〉 Poor p. 9 10 11. purging â—â—â—blets Wines and Ales p. 12. 〈◊〉 prevent over-purging upon giâ—â—â—g a Medicine what to be conâ—â—â—ered ib. p. 13. how cur'd if â—â—â—ning ib. excessive Purging â—â—â—ning without giving a Mediâ—â—â—e for the most part symptoâ—â—tical ib. two kinds of Fluxes â—â—â—ning almost yearly in London â—â—â—ally call'd the Griping of the â—â—â—uts p. 14. the proper method of â—â—â—ire in that which happens withâ—â—â— Blood ib. p. 15. the method 〈◊〉 Cure in the other which is â—â—â—ody ib. p. 16. the therapeutick â—â—â—ications into which the said â—â—â—thod of curing the Bloody Flux â—â—â—y be resolved ib. Instances of â—â—â—sons cur'd in the Bloody Flux 〈◊〉 17 18 19. Q. QVartan Fever or Ague see Fever Quotidian Fever or Ague see Fever R. RAving see Delirium Rheumatism cur'd p. 367. Rickets Medicines for curing it p. 147. Ring-worm see Running Scab Running Scab or the Leprosie of the Greeks its Description as it is understood by us p. 227. its material Cause p. 228. whence this Disease takes its Rise ib. the method of Cure ib. 229. Praescripts of Medicines ib. p. 230 231. how to proceed with it when it arises from the Scurvy p. 232 233. how to proceed if it arises from the French Pox p. 234. topical Remedies to be apply'd outwardly ib. p. 235. An Instance of a Person troubled with the running Scab and how proceeded with ib. p. 236. another Instance p. 237. S. SCab see Itch and running Scab Scurvy the Signs of it in all the Parts of the Body p. 326 326. the evident Causes of it ib. p. 328. its material Cause p. 329. the Prognostick of it p. 331. Instructions in order to its Cure p. 332 333 334. Purgers to be us'd in a hot Scurvey or in a sulphureo-saline Dyscrasie of the Blood p. 335 336. Purgers to be used in a cold Scurvy or in a salino-sulphureous Disposition of the Blood ib. p. 337. Preservatory Medicines for rooting out the Cause of the Disease in a cold Scurvy or in a salino-sulphureous Dyscrasie of the Blood p. 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346. Medicines for rooting out the Cause of the Disease in a hot Scurvy or in a sulphureo-saline Dyscrasie of the Blood p. 347 348 349 350 351 352. the Curatory Indication of the Scurvy whereby we obviate the Disease it self and the Symptoms that are chiefly pressing p. 353. the Cure of a difficult Breathing and Asthmatick Fits hapning in the Scurvy ib. p. 354. the cure of the ill Affects of the Ventricle hapning in the Scurvy ib. p. 355. the scorbutick Cholick cur'd ib. the Cure of the Diarrhoea and dysenterical Affects hapning in the Scurvy p. 356. the Cure of the Vertigo Swooning and other Affects usually joyn'd with them in the Scurvy p. 357. the Cure of Hoemorrhagies hapning in the Scurvy p. 358. the Cure of Distempers of the Mouth hapning in the Scurvy p. 359 360. the cure of night pains in the Legs and Limbs in the Scurvy p. 361. the Cure of the scorbutick Gout p. 362. the Cure of convulsive and paraltick Affects hapning in the Scurvy p. 363. the Cure of the scorbutick Atrophia and Fever ib. p. 364 365. the Cure of the Rheumatism in the Scurvy p. 365. the Cure of the Dropsie hapning in the Scurvy p. 366 367. the crackling of the Bones in the Scurvy p. 367 368. the vital Indication in the Scurvy where Cordials Opiates and a fit Diet are ordered p. 369 370 371 372. Instances of Persons troubled with the Scurvy and the Methods us'd with them p. â—â—â— 374 375 376 377. the Meâ—â—â— of Cure to be us'd in some 〈◊〉 of the Scurvy p. 379. Skin its Affects see cutanâ—â—â—â— Affects Sleep Medicines to procurâ—â—â— see Opiates Sleepiness continual the Seâ—â—â—â— this Disease and the Differâ—â—â— from the Coma and Lethâ—â—â— p. 396. its method of Curâ—â—â— p. 397. An Instance of a Pâ—â—â— troubled with it and the metâ—â—â— us'd ib. p. 398. Sleepy Coma wherein differâ—â—â— from the continual Sleepiness 〈◊〉 the Lethargy p. 398. the seâ—â—â—â— this Disease ib. sometimes bâ—â—â—ning of it self and sometimeâ—â—â—suing upon other Distemperâ—â—â—â— p. 399. the Method us'd in 〈◊〉 mary Coma ib. the method 〈◊〉 when hapning upon other â—â—fects ib. Sleep wanting see Watchâ—â—â— Evil. Small Pox whence Man 〈◊〉 â—â—clin'd to it p. 614. the eviâ—â—â— Causes of it ib. p. 615. the â—â—â—junct Cause of it ib. the Diaâ—â—â—
and likewise moderate Hypnoticks especially Diacodiats are taken with good success For these by putting a stay to the motion of the Heart allay the fervour of the Blood 2. To close the Aperture of the Vessel Astringent Remedies and Agglutinatives are most proper The chief of these are usually given in the Form of a Linctus so that some of its Particles in swallowing falling on the Aspera Arteria may more immediately communicate their vertue to the part affected But the way of this Operation seems to be of no great moment because the Efficacy of the Medicines reaches chiefly and in a manner only by the way of the Blood to the Root of the Disease Wherefore not only Lohoch's but likewise Decoctions Powders and Pills of Traumatick and Balsamick Ingredients are successfully prescrib'd The Second Indication which is for preservation having regard to the Cure of the dissolution of Unity without leaving any blemish in the Lungs ought to provide against two sorts of evils viz. That the Spitting Blood to which the Persons affected will be always subject does not return at times and that the Consumption which threatens all those that Spit Blood does not follow it For which ends in order to the prevention of this Disease we must take an assiduous care of or use a constant method of Cure to the Blood and Lungs 1. As to the Blood its Mass ought always to be kept in a due quantity a just temper and a gentle and continued motion Hence lest it abound too much or being affected with an evil temperament grows turgid or deposes impure dregs in the Brest we must sometimes use Bleeding and a gentle Purge an exact Form of Diet is always necessary Moreover drinking of Asses Milk or of Mineral Waters contribute sometimes egregiously to the purifying and sweetning of the Blood Again Decoctions Distill'd Waters Juices of Herbs which take away the Dyscrasies of the Blood and derive the Serum and other Impurities from the Lungs and carry them forth by Sweat or Urine must be diligently taken Issues also mightily conduce for this end 2. Nor must less care be taken of the Lungs themselves that their whole frame and especially the place affected be preserv'd in a due Conformation and right Tone Hence all violent motion by which Unity is farther dissolv'd or its restauration hindred is carefully to be avoided Let the Person live in a clear and brisk Air though it must not be too sharp and piercing Let him abstain from gross Food long Sleeps large Suppers and other errours in Diet which cause a Repletion or Obstruction in the Praecordia Besides this let Remedies be us'd which are said to Cure the Lungs by a peculiar or certain Specifick Vertue Having given you the method of Curing Blood Spitting I shall now set down some Select Forms of Medicines answering to each of the Therapeutick Indications and to the various intentions of Curing that belong to them And we justly give the precedency to those which encountring the most urgent Symptome presently stop the flowing forth of Blood cast out of the Lungs by a Cough or otherwise In the First rank of these Medicines we place those which hinder the Blood from flowing to the part affected and have a certain Astringency together with an Agglutinative Vertue by which the Aperture of the Vessel is clos'd and after a Glyster and Blooding unless the weakness of the Pulse and a deficiency of heat forbid it they are presently given in the form of a Julape Decoction Emulsion Juicy Expression Powder Pills and Lohochs I shall give you some of the choicest and most efficacious prescripts of each of these as also of Hypnoticks which nevertheless must not be us'd at random and indifferently but every of them methodically and seasonably according to the various Constitution of the Patient and Nature of the Disease as a prudent Physician shall direct 1. Julapes and distill'd Waters TAke the Waters of Purslain and red Poppies of each six Ounces Dragons Blood finely Powdred half a Dram Syrup of red Poppies two Ounces Spirit of Vitriol of Mars half a Scruple Mix them the Dose is three Ounces repeating it within five or six hours Take Plantain water a pound the Gums Tragacanth and Arabick Powdred of each half a Dram mingle them and dissolve them then add Syrup of dry'd Roses an Ounce and a half Make a Julape the Dose is three or four Ounces every third or fourth hour Take the Waters of Oak-buds red Roses and Nymphaea of each four Ounces Blood-stone very finely Powdred Bole Armeniack Powdred of each half a Dram Syrup of Nymphaea two Ounces Mingle them the Dose is three or four Ounces three or four times a day Take of the Dew or insipid Phlegm of Vitriol a pound Syrup of Myrtles two Ounces Mix them the Dose is two or three Ounces often in the day or in the night Take Cypress tops eight handfuls Willow Leaves or Flowers six handfuls Roots of the greater Comphrey and Nymphaea of each half a pound Balaustia two handfuls all being slic'd small together pour to them of fresh Milk eight pounds distil them in Common Organs The Dose is three or four Ounces thrice or oftner in a day Take of this distill'd water and of Plantain water of each half a pound the Gums Tragacanth and Arabick of each two Drams Dissolve them the Dose is three Ounces every third hour The following Mixture is prescrib'd by Frederick Deckers to be taken a Spoonful at a time and seems to be a good Medicine Take Plantain water two Ounces Cinnamon two Drams Confection of Hyacinth a Dram and a half distill'd Vinegar half an Ounce red Coral prepar'd half a Dram Balaustia Dragons Blood of each half a Scruple Laudanum Opiatum three Grains Syrup of Myrtles an Ounce Mingle them Take the Waters of Plantain red Roses and Purslain of each four Ounces Blood-stone and Dragons Blood reduc'd into a fine Powder of each half a Dram Sugar Candy six Drams Make a Julape A Solution of common Vitriol or of Vitriol of Mars made in fountain water and apply'd to a Wound with a rag excellently stops all Fluxes of Blood but it is not proper to be given inwardly 2. Decoctions Tinctures and Emulsions TAke Leaves of Blood-wort Perwincle Mous-ear Plantain Wood-sorrel both sorts of Daisies of each a handful Flowers of red Roses half a handful Barley half an Ounce Raisins two Ounces boil them in three pounds of Water in which red hot Iron has been quench'd till it comes to two pounds add to the straining Syrup of St. Johns wort two Ounces or of Mous-ear Make an Apozeme the Dose is four or six Ounces thrice a day Take Leaves of St. Johns wort Roots and Leaves of Tormentil great Burnet Meadow-sweet of each a handful Seeds of Purslane Plantain and Sorrel of each a Dram Conserve of red Roses half a pound fountain water four pounds Let them boil close in B. M. for twelve hours to the straining add
but now and then a moderate Purge and a good Diet viz. that the person keep himself from all Surfeits and irregularity as to the quantity quality and seasons of taking his Food and particularly from thin Wines Cider and other Acid Liquors with which the Blood is wont to be fus'd and driven to flowings of Serum For Persons so affected most surely pay for any errour or irregularity committed in Diet a Pain presently being rais'd about the Issue For the due Preservation of the Tone of the place where the Issue is made and for keeping it free from Putrefaction you must take a particular care that for avoiding all Nastiness both the Solids to be put into the Orifice and the Coverings be they either Plaisters Ivy Leaves or Oyl-cloaths be chang'd twice a Day For in some each of these soon gets an ill savour and presently causes the Ulcer of the Issue to stink In case this tends to Putrefaction presently instead of a Pea or Woodenpill let a Pill of Virgin-wax incorporated with red Saunders and Verdigrease be put into it and likewise let a Fomentation of the Decoction of St. John's Wort Yarrow Centory c. be apply'd Morning and Evening 3. Sometimes it happens that an Issue even as a dryed Fountain discharges no Humour The reason whereof usually is either because the hole being not deep enough does not penetrate the whole Skin which is easily Cur'd by making it deeper or the Sore though large and deep enough yet still continues dry because the Serum does not readily nor freely separate from the Mass of Blood this having too close a Texture and then the only Remedy is to wear within the Orifice Solids more irritating and working more strongly on the Mouths of the Vessels For which purpose Pills are made of the Wood of Ivy of Box or of the Roots of Gentian or of Hermodacts and are often us'd with good success 4. It often falls out that the Orifice of an Issue being too small and distilling forth little Ichor is covered over with a thin Skin with the Pea included in it and that with the hole it is heal'd up For which default there is scarce a proper Remedy to be apply'd wherefore rather than still to fret the Skin to no purpose it 's better to let such an Issue close up or to transfer it to some other place 5. The Sore of an Issue inclining to heal and being hindred from it has very often about its edges and sometimes in its Cavity a Spongy Flesh growing up the reason whereof is that the Nutritive Juice convey'd to the ends of the Arteries and Nervous Fibres and not presently washt away by the Serous ichor sticks there and beginning to be assimilated extend both those Vessels to fill the Cavity with Flesh and the Blood in the mean while brought thither Forms within that Mass little Sprouts of Veins for its return nevertheless that Flesh as yet rough and shapeless being kept from the greatest part of the Orifice grows up above its Brim and when it is risen so high that it can be no longer veiled and covered with the Skin it continues still Naked and Spongeous This Excrescency is easily enough Cur'd by sprinkling on it Escharotick Powders of burnt Allom Colcothar or Mercury Praecipitate for these sorts of Medicines with their Acrimonious and Stiptick force eat away the Flesh thus Luxuriant repel the Nutritive Juice and shut close the Mouths of the Vessels When that superfluous Flesh grows continually and increases about the edges of an Issue it 's a sign that the Nutritive Juice abounds more there than the Excrementitious Humour and consequently that in persons so affected that Emissary is not so very beneficial wherefore under the pretext of this reason many are mightily averse from that Remedy which certainly is inoffensive in most though it be not equally advantageous in all There is now an unperswadable opinion which has taken footing amongst many here in England I know not if it be so in other Countries that an Issue or Issues dipose to Barrenness wherefore to all married Women and desirous of Children this sort of Remedy though otherwise never so conducing to their Health is Religiously forbidden though no reason is yet given for this strick Prohibition only stories are told of certain Women having Issues who are Barren when it is as easy to shew more Barren Women without Issues and many fertile with them And truly I use to retort this as a chief Argument against that opinion there being no need of any other CHAP. V. Instructions and Prescripts for Curing Cutaneous affects IN the First place the Cuticle or Scarf-Skin being void of Life and Sence has scare any Diseases belonging to it This sometimes being too compact hinders Transpiration sometimes also by reason of some Accidents it becomes too gross and callous in some places But of it self being absolutely insensible it is not Distempered though it be the cause that some affects to be past off haply by Transpiration stick about the Superficies of the Skin because the Recrements and Filthy Dreggs of the Blood and Humours being driven outward and having pasT the whole Skin when by reason of the close Texture of the Scarf-skin they are not able wholly to breath away fixing on the outward part of the Skin they produce various discolourations and foul affects thereof Of which sort chiefly are those we call Summer Spots also Scorbutical and Malignant Spots and likewise Spots and any other Stains whatever bedecking the Skin or Scarf-skin with any Marks or Specks without any tumour or unevenness As to the affects of the Skin it self in general in regard they are various and of sundry sorts they are wont to be distinguisht in a various respect and first of all that they are either with or without a Tumour We took notice of these latter even now Cutaneous affects with a Tumour are either universal disperst through the whole Body or particular rais'd in these or other Members at random and as it were by chance The former either happen in a Fever as chiefly the Small-pox Meazles and other Malignant Pushes to which also may be added the Flitting breaking forth of Children which soon vanish or they come without a Fever as especially the Itch the running Scab and Leaprous affects Particular outward Tumours hapning sometimes in one part and sometimes in another for the most part are not only belonging to the Skin but also to the parts under it viz. sometimes to the Flesh Membranes or Glands and consequently are of a various Nature and a differing Form It would be too long to treat of all these here particularly therefore at present I shall briefly speak meerly of Cutaneous affects such as before mention'd First as to Summer Spots it's a sign that they proceed from Choller and other yellow Recrements of the Blood because they ave most familiar to those that are yellow Hair'd again they happen to the Fairest Complexions and in
Case somewhat of Hope has shewn it self the Pulse and other Symptoms promising a little better tho the Cure has seldom succeeded but when that use of Cordials was remitted the Diseased fell headlong into Death with a weak Pulse and a Loosness forthwith arising 3. When still the case of the Diseased grows worse and worse that the Fever being increased the Pulse is weak and uneven and frequent Shiverings and convulsive Motions infest the whose Body with a Delirium or a Stupor then let the Physician first giving a Prognostick of Death insist on fewer Remedies and those in a manner only Cardiack and let him wholly abstain from Blooding Scarifying Vesicatories or the use of Cupping Glasses for such Administrations bring only an ill-will and Disgrace that thereby we are accounted by Women hard-hearted and cruel The Symptomatick Fevers of Women in Child-bed THE acute Diseases of Women brought to bed do not only follow the Type of the foresaid Fever but are sometimes attended with some notable Symptom to wit the Quinsey Plurisie Peripneumonia Dysentery Small Pox or of some other kind and then they are call'd by the Names of those Affects It is not proper to repeat in this Place what belongs to the Natures and Essences of each of them at large but I shall briefly set down what those Diseases complicated with the Affects of Women in Child-bed have peculiar to them as to their Causes or Cures We judge that all those Symptoms proceed from a certain Coagulation of the Blood and afterward its Extravasation now while the Blood is extravasated in one part every natural nad critical Effiux of it is restrain'd in another wherefore there is danger lest while the Blood begins to be coagulated either in a particular and usual Focus of Congelation or universally in its whole Mass presently the flowing of the Lochia be stopt which in reality happens for the most part and therefore those Affects are most commonly mortal to Women in Child-bed nevertheless the Cause of their Death for the most part happens with some difference to wit in the Small Pox the flowing Lochia call inward the Malignity began to be sent forth outwardly and wholly poison with their Taint the Mass Blood and the Heart it self and therefore in the Small Pox those uterine Purgations ought to be stopt but in the Pleurisie Quinsey and the rest when the Stimulus of the Disease fix'd here or there in a particular Place calls to it self and wholly derives from the Womb the Impurities of the Blood which ought to be voided by the Lochia thereby it increases the Taint of the BLood the Lochia restrain'd in the Small Pox might be sent forth by a more general way of Excretion with the venemous Particles of the Disease with indeed does not succeed in the rest by reason of the small and more spare way of Excretion Among these the Quinsey Plurisie and Peripneumonia by reason both of the great likeness of their Cause and the Analogy of their Cure may be considered together When a Woman in Child-bed is affected with either of these it is to be judg'd that besides the Miasms heaped together during the time of Ingravidation there happens a certain acid disposition of the Blood by the means of with whilst it feverishly boyls certain Particles of it being imbued with a sharpness fall into a Congelation in this or that place like Milk turning sour and consequently coagulated the Blood letted there and hindred in its Circulation hinders the Passage of the rest now the Blood being obstructed in its Motion butts against its dam and so being heaped together round about and driven out of its Vessels grows into a Tumour thence presently whatsoever haeterogeneous and separable is contained in its Mass is deposed in the Part affected as in a Sink wherefore the Corruptions of the Blood which ought to be purg'd forth by the Womb are deriv'd thence toward the Seat of this Disease which since they cannot be purged forth sufficiently this way both the Liquor of the Blood is more notoriously corrupted and a Crisis of that particular Affect to wit of the Quinsey Plurisie or some other is rendred more difficult For the Cure of these kinds of complicated Diseases presently from the very first beginning it must be endeavoured that the Blood fixt any where and begun to be extravasated be restor'd to Circulation and do not make an Impostume because it is very rarely that Women in Child-bed seised with those symptomatick Fevers are cured by an Abscess or spitting forth of the Matter wherefore inward Remedies which fuse the Blood and free it from Coagulation are to be used of which kind are chiefly Diaphoreticks filled with a volatile Salt as Spirit of Harts-horn of Soot of Urine and the Salts themselves also testaceous and bezoartick Powders Sal Prunella Decoctions and Juleps of Vegetables promoting the menses or the Urine in all which those things ought to be mixt which by Experience are found to be appropriated to uterine Affects moreover discussing Remedies which drive away and expell the Matter stinking in the Part affected of which kind are Liniments Fomentations and Cataplasms are carefully to be applyed to it Mean while let the violent Motion and immoderate Effervescence of the Blood be removed far from thence and let its Excretions of Filth be conveyed still to the lower Parts by what ways we may for this end Frictions Ligatures Epispasticks and if need be cupping Glasses may be applyed to the Feet or Legs in case the Affect growing very much worse blooding be indicated unless there be a great Plethora in the whole Body and a very acute Inflammation in the Part affected it will be best to breath a Vein in the Foot or to open the haemorroid Vessels with Leeches but if necessity presses for it to be done in the Arm after Blooding there let another Bleeding if it may be admitted follow in the Leg nevertheless we must give a Hint that opening a Vein ought to be very cautiously ordered in these Cases for unless it gives Relief which I have seldom known to happen presently the Pulse being rendred more weak the State of the Diseased becomes worse A Dysentery takes its Rise in a manner from the like Cause as the foresaid Affects but because in this the extravasated Blood is presently poured forth nor being restrain'd in the Body creates a mischief there and is still more corrupted and since this way of Excretion is performed near the uterine Efflux and does not derive it afterward another way hence less danger is feared from this Disease than from the others before mentioned tho oftentimes this Affect is mortal to Women in Child-bed and that the rather because by a Dysentery things that qualifie and gently astringe the Blood are indicated and these are found too apt to stop the flowing of the Lochia wherefore in this case till Women delivered are in a manner purg'd enough by a long flowing let the Cure