and found a multitude of Worms in his Liver which were the cause of his unknown Disease But we have Examples of Worms not only in the Principal parts of Mans Body as the Heart Liver Brain Lungs Reins Spleen Bladder Stomach c. But in these Channels of the Blood the Veins and Arteries but few do imagin that we carry about with us an Off-spring of Animals begotten out of our own Blood and Bowels The aforesaid Author saith he hath with his * An Instrument so made and fitted with Glasses at each end as the smallest thing will be presented by it in so considerable a bigness that the Frame and Composure of its parts may be discerned MICROSCOPE examined the Blood of Men Sick of Fevers which has satisfied him over and over of the Business for viewing the Blood an hour or two after opening of Veins I have saith he found it full of Worms that it made me almost Astonished so that we may with Job I said to Corruption thou art my Father and to the Worm thou art my Mother and my Sister Kircherus a Famous Man Living at Rome Writ a most Learned Piece in the Year 1658. The Subject of which was That there are a sort of invisible Worms or Vermiculars which were discovered in the last Plague at Naples and at Rome by the help of a Microscope And he saith these Worms are so fine that they insinuate themselves not only into Cloths Ropes and Linnen but into other Bodies less Porous as Cork Wood Bones yea into those which are least Porous and most Compact as Mettals Money c. This he in another place tells us They had daily experience in the Great Plague Time where no Money was Receiv'd in payment but was first well soaked and washed in Vinegar if it came from an Infected place Cardan saith The great Plague that fell out in his time at Millain which Unpeopled that City not only the Air being filled with them but the very Dust of the Earth Animated into such kind of Virmiculars Georgius Agricola Writes That in his time a great Plague came by Eating of Fruit so that the Eaters Died in few Days after which Fruit swarmed with multitudes of Indiscernable Worms which were no more than the Animated Corpuscles or Particles flowing from Contagious Carcases and fastning upon Trees and Plants being carried through the Air But these Indiscernable Vâ—â—niculars had been still hid from our Eyes had it not been for that Rare Invention of the Microscope We see that the Earth out of I know not what Putredinous Matter in its own Bowels doth produce not only Insects of all sorts but also various Monsters of Venemous Creatures as Serpents Toads Dragons in Dens and Caves of Mountains which have their Original from Moisture and a various mixture of Virulent Drags and Slime and the like are produced out of Ponds Lakes and Marshes by the Heat of the Ambient Air working upon a Conflux of the Terrestial Parts Yea Water it Self kept in a close Vessel and exposed to the Sun is quickly animated into Worms as is seen by daily Experience both in Voyages at Sea and within the Walls of our own private Houses At Beverly in Yorkshire on the 28th of August 1660. there was seen in the Maketplace and other places innumerable company of young Frogs and Toads the people not knowing from whence they came but are supposed to come out of the Air in the night by reason the tops of their Houses were covered with them Prodigies pag. 41. Moreover Water Elevated by Vapour Air Hail Snow are full of Worms Pliny saith so of Snow in his Book de Divinis Nat. Charact. And Cornelius Gemma of Hail In Lib. de Arte Metallica As much is said of Air by Georgious Agricola and the sudden Generation of Worms Frogs and Insects which have come down with Rain upon the Earth doth confirm it There is also scarce a Stick or Fruit or any other mixt Body which doth not produce some Animal which disposeth that to Destruction which Begat it according to that of Lecretius Obnoxia Cuncta putrori Corpora putrores Insecta Animata sequuntur And that the Reader may more fully behold the admirable Power of Nature what hath hitherto been said may be manifested by Irrefragable Experiments as followeth Experiment I. TAke a piece of Flesh and expose it by Night to the moisture of the Moon till early the next morning then view it diligently with a Microscope and you shall find that all the Putrefaction contracted by the Moon is degenerated into innumerable Vermiculars differing in bigness but when you remove the Microscâ—pe you cannot discern any by the Eye alone unless perhaps some few be among them that are grown to a sensible magnitude You may try the same in Cheese Milk Vinegar and the like Bodies abounding with Putrefaction yet think not 't is to be done by any slight Microscope but one made by a Skilful Hand Experience II. IF you take a Serpent cut into small pieces and putting it into Rain-water expose it for some Days to the Sun then Bury it in the Earth for the space of a Day and a Night and afterward taking out the Parts grown flaccid with Putrefaction and examine them with a Microscope you will see all that 's putrified swarming with little springing Serpents which Experiment may be performed in all kind of Serpents and sometimes in dead Putrified Serpents you will find some of them discernable by the Eye alone The Putrifaction of Serpents will not produce Worms as other dead flesh doth unless they be kill'd by Lightning that purges 'em of their poyson and their corrupt flesh will be animated into Worms of strange and various shapes Experience III. MAtthiolus Euchsius and many other Herbalists declare That Sage unwasht is very hurtful to such as Eat it But I have discovered the Cause examining more curiously the Constitution of this Plant by the help of a Microscope at length I observed in those Leaves which were more rough than the rest that their whole Superficies was covered with somewhat like a Spider's Web within which appeared Animals exceeding small and which were perpetually at work therein and certain round things as it were Eggs were spread upon the Superficies which as it is doubtless a certain Breed or Spawn of that sort of petit Animals so by their Virulent Humour they may do a Man a deal of mischief but wipe a Leaf with your Finger or wash it and they will Disappear From whence I collect the true Cause of the Pernicious Quality of Sage that is not washed Experiment IV. IF with the Microscope you examine the Powder of any Rotten Wood you will find a prodigious number of Vermiculars some armed with Horns some set out as it were with Wings and others not unlike those Worms that have many Feet their Eyes also you may discern like black Points and that they have a long Snout so that it appears
Vermiculars make to Carolina c. And all sorts of Wild-Fowl to the Sea Fauconers use the Dung of Sparrows to kill VVorms in their Hawks and Pulvis Buso to kill 'em in their Feathers So VVorms on Plants are destroyed by the Fumes of Sulphur Garlick Galbanum Goats Claws c. Whoever will give themselves the trouble of opening a mad Dog will find him full of VVorms which is the occasion of his madness and are bred by eating corrupted meat especially in the Dog-Days These VVorms take away their Appetites Worms the cause of Madness in Doggs and makes them fear the water They wander about hang down the Tail bark hoarsly foam at the mouth and look angerly They are cured by giving them Horse-Aloes and Common-Salt mixed with Water give it in a Drenching-Horn and in half an hour you will see the Vermin come up and the Dog be well Thus man finds out Remedies to destroy them in Birds and on Plants and shall he forget himself This is a narrow and a fruitless Principle Umbraided by Neglect and Folly Our Livâ—s divided into Seven Ages Rhodeginus divides our Lives into seven Ages alluding to the seven Planets we may fitly compare our Infancy with the Moon in which we seem only to live and grow as Plants and abounds with Humours The second Age to Mercury wherein we are under Tuition Taught and Instructed The third to Venus the time of Pleasure Amorous Love-sick-Toys Vanity c. The fourth to the Sun the Summer-time of our Lives Strong Beautiful and flourishing The Fifth to Mars in which we seek Honour Victory and have Ambitious Ends designing to accomplish somewhat Praise-worthy or act what may redown'd to our Glory The Sixth to Jupiter where we judge of our selves and others of former Actions and take an account of Times arrive to the perfection of our Judgments Understanding Reason c. The Seventh and Last to Saturn the Winter of our Days wherein our Spirits Lives and Souls are obfuscated overcast and clouded all fraught with a multitude of Cares Sorrows Fears and Anxieties a Burthen to our selves a Trouble to others over-spread with innumerable Aches Pains Infirmities and Weakness fit for no Society nor Imployment but only to keep our Heirs from inheriting our Possessions which by how much the greater they are by so much the more is our End and Dissolution hoped and wished for even by those which drew Life and Being from us which is Vanity in the abstract and a great Evil if not the greatest and this the End of all our Labours under the Sun and in all these Ages we are or may be Mascerated with Worms As to the first six we have Examples daily therefore I shall only speak of the last Valescus de Taranta attests he often had seen Old People have Worms And Gabucinus mentions an ancient Man The last Age Macerated with Worms who evacuated a Monstrous Black Worm Brasavorius reports of a Patient of his a Man of above Fourscore Years of Age which voided above Five Hundred Worms And Doctor Ramesey had a Patient within Two Months of Fourscore a Woman that voided such a company of Worms by a Medicine he gave her that they were innumerable and adjudged to be some thousands of divers sorts and magnitude especiaâ—ly Teretes and Ascarides And I my self have had several Patients of above Threescore that have voided not only the Common Worms but Vermiculars of strange and various Shapes Various Causes of Worms SUpernatural causes Supernatural causes are from God and his Angels The Devil and his Imps Magicians Conjurers Witches and Wizards Universal Natural Causes Vniversal Natural Causes are from Heaven Stars and Planets which some deny who think the Stars were made only to adorn the Heavens and Fools to gaze on Parents a cause Air a cause Meat a cause Drink a cause Plethora a cause which is a redundancy of fulness of Blood and other Humors in the Body Too much sleep a cause Preturbation a cause Over-watching a cause Too much rest a cause Imagination a cause Sorrow a cause Anger a cause Fear a cause Cachochymia a cause which is an Excess in either Quality or Quantity of Natural or Preternatural Excrementitious Humours A bad Nurse a cause Natural and Preternatural Flegm a cause Cholar a cause Melancholly a cause Serum a cause which is a waterish thin Humour proceeding from the other Humours Sublata Causa Tollitur effectus I have met with some Opposition as to Supernatural Causes but whether there be or be not I shall not dispute it here however Christians ought to believe it from the Testimony of St. Luke Acts the 12. and the 23. And immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the Glory and he was eaten of Worms and gave up the Ghost So Job complains That his Flesh was cloathed with Worms Job 7.5 And Cornelius Gemma gives us an Example of a Wench who was as if she had been possessed of the Devil and at some times would not be held by three Men such were her strong Convulsive Passions who Evacuated by Vomit Twenty Four Pounds of Stuff of all Colours twice a day for Fourteen days together and afterwards great Balls of Hair pieces of Wood Pidgeons Dung Parchment Coals c. and after all this two pound of pure Blood and then again Coals and Stones strange fits of Laughing Weeping and Extasies and at length voided a live Worm by Stool like unto an Eel of a Foot and a half long the which he says he not only saw but felt and this I suppose sprung from a Supernatural Cause which sometimes destroys Life and all as appears by that most remarkable Story in Verstegan and of the Pied Piper that carried away an Hundred and Sixty Children from the Town of Hamel in Saxony on the 22d of July Anno Dom. 1370. a Wonderful Permission of God to the Rage of the Devil Nicholaus Monardus speaks of a Worm that a Lady Evacuated above a Foot long with a double forked Tail Fallopius speaks of a Worm all over hairy black having two Heads It weighed Nine Ounces Dr. Edward May our Country-man hath written a Book of a very strange Worm whitish about a Span long and the thickness of a man's Finger having towards the Tail two Branches divided into divers Fibers or Strings of a fleshy Colour the Head bloody and in Shape like unto a Serpent or Snakes It was taken from the Heart of one John Pennant in St. Giles's The Four Figures of which is to be seen in the following Page Anguilla Pedalis Bifurcatus Helminthocardia Dodroncalis A Patient of mine 1687 who lived in Shoreditch a Woman above Sixty who had a continual Trembling about her Heart so that she could not rest Day nor Night and withal was strangely tempted to cut her Husband's Throat without any Reason for she protested she lov'd him intirely having been married many years during which Time he had always been very
respective to her and never gave her any occasion to entertain such Diabolical Thoughts Hearing this I advised her to make her Address to a Divine for such in this case were more proper than a Physician The Woman still insisted on my Powder I gave her a Paper four or five days after she came for another affirming she was much better but not returning to me again I sent to see what was become of her the Person that went found her in good Health and those wicked Fantastick hellish Temptations subdued and vanished Now whether this sudden Change was caused by the powerful Vertue and Effect of the Medicine ay or no you may Conjecture as you please for I never will attest what I am altogether uncertain of She voided no Worms visible to the Eye but abundance of strange stuff Diagnostick Signs of Worms Paleness of the Face itching of the Nose hollowness of the Eyes unusual defluxion of Spittle grating of the Teeth when asleep â—ulness pains and heaviness in the Head a dry Cough an itching in Ano white and thick Vrine a universal Trembling over the whole Body a shining about the Eyes unquiet Sleep often starting lost Appetite unreasonable Appetite driness of the Tongue and Lips Extension and swelling of the Belly a gnawing and biting about the Stomach frightful Dreams Extream Thirst the Body decayed and lean Fits in Children often Vomiting stinking Breath Signs of Health The Complexion fresh or clear Moderate Appetite Quiet Sleep The Mind cheerful Excrement yellow Vrine well Coloured The Body open The Flesh firm c. These are the Signs of Health of which Temperance is the chief Pillar and consists most in Meat Drink Sleep and Exercise after which all prudent Parents ought to cast an Eye But on the contrary I have seen People force or perswade their Children to eat against Appetite which as Ramesâ—y say is very pernicious for if there be little or no Appetite it is an infallible Sign the Meat formerly eaten or the Crudities thereof lies yet in the Stomach or in the Veins And to fast too long is as injurious for thereby the Stomach is fill'd with abundance of Humours which will not only endanger Worms but divers other Evils for empty Veins draw deepest and what they first receive good or bad that they mix with the Blood Therefore Children by reason of their growing ought to eat often but not too much at a time nor of many Dishes for many Dishes breed many Diseases and Distempers with care are easier prevented than cured Yet we see many by over-eating wilfully murther themselves dig their own Graves with their Teeth and all to please that devouring Gut of theirs which is a pernicious Sink and the Fountain of all Diseases it subverts and perverts the good Temperature of the Body stifles the Senses and Wits strangles Nature being not able to digest the Meat throughly whence ensue Crudities and the Ground and Seeds of many Diseases yet it is impossible to prescribe any exact Rule as to a Quantity for all Ages Sexes and Constitutions when we see by Experience That one and the same Man cannot live in Health with the same Food that sufficeth for quantity at another time that what will suffice in Summer is too little in Winter That what will satisfie one and less than that will surfeit another should he eat as much therefore it is not only an idle Conceit but a Madness Since there is such Variety in mens Bodies Strength Constitutions Dispositions and manner of Living the quantity of Food then ought to be proportioned by no other Rule but the quality and condition of the Stomach and that measure is exactly proportioned we may conclude which the Stomach hath so much Power over as perfectly to Concoct or Digest in the midst of any Imployment either of Body or Mind and then the Body will be thereby more lightsome and refreshed So that I would have all observe the old Rule that is To rise with an Appetite considering we have two Guest to entertain the Body and the Soul and that therefore we have a Care that we destroy not the Power of the one nor the Faculties of the other for tho the Belly have no Ears yet it hath Intelligence to beg its due and Wisdom to discern when it hath enough The same may be said by too much Wine that brave Heroick Elevator of the Spirits which drags the Soul out of its solitary and inmost Room adorning it with vigorous cheerful and aspiring Thoughts Yet soon is this great work unravel'd by the dull sluggish power of drowsie Sleep And all are Metamorphosed our Souls are the same they were only they had been drest in various Figures And to conclude Wine 's but a delusive Bliss a shortning to our days the introducer of all Quarrels and Mischiefs the Exhauster of our Estates the Trouble and Sorrow of our Friends all which Temperance prevents which is its own Reward were there no greater I Shall now speak of such as cannot hold their Water or have a Diabetes In this Disease with my Powder I have often brought away Worms by Vrine though the Medicine never did effect a Cure which is apparent Worms are not the cause of that Distemper Yet by reason it is a Disease that often proves fatal and brings Children into Consumptions and so to the Grave I have collected and set down such Remedies as the best of Physicians made use on Hoggs Bladder in Powder Marcellus The Claws of a Sow in Powder Plinius The dry'd Combs of Hens in Powder Rhases The Throats of Hens in Powder Galenus Galen chiefly used this for the Cure of a Diabetes The Spectacle-Stone call'd in Latin Specularis being burnt Alâ—rovandus the Powder is given with great success against flux of Vrine Fistula's and Hemorrhoids The Blood of a He-goat in Powder Dioscordes The Bones of a Water-Rat in Powder Aeâ—culapis A Flea'd-Mouse dried and beatâ—n into Powder and given at a time for three days together Any of these aforesaid being prepared in fine Powder may be given in a little Clarit or Plantane-water the Quantity according to the Age of the Patient give it in the Morning some take it Night and Morning If you purge first it will be the better For this Disease is occasioned by the fulness weakness and heat of the Kidneys and Reins which causes such a swift Passage of that which is drunk throw the body that the Drink is hardly altered Worms in the Face Worms in the Face are animated of corrupt Humours lodg'd between the Skin and the Flesh and cannot be destroy'd quickly without injuring the Face But those who have patience may destroy them with Oyl of Myrrh mix'd with Vinegar of Squills and when you use it let it dry into the Skin Freckles taken out The said Oyl mixt with the Blood of a Vine will take out Freckles if not too deep in the Skin or mix it with
it in the Distill'd water of any of these Herbs Centaury the Less Wormwood Betony Carduus Tansie these are all enemies to Worms and are hot in the second Degree yet so it be taken it matters not much in what for it will do the work for which it is designed X. If the Child be Fevâ—rish you may â—ive it in the Distilled Water or Syrup of either Purslain Plantane Succory In what taken if Fevorish or Endive for these are no friends to Worms and are cold only in the second Degree XI Some Physicians approve of sweet Vehicles to â—ive their Anti-verminous Medicines in as Milk Honey Syrup Of taking it in sweet vehicles c. which are very proper when Worms affect the vital parts and lie remote from the Stomach by reason they tempt them from those parts to the Medicine and such who suspect Worms in those parts ought to take their Medicines in sweet Vehicles XII It must be taken early in the Morning What taken in the working and fast two or three hours after it then give warm Broth or Water-Gruel this liberty I give to Children by reason of their often craving for Victuals but elder persons must fast till Noon and if they drink any thing in the working let it be warm Purl Confinement in taking it XIII Children the morning they take it must keep the house but if the weather be fair and warm after Dinner they may play abroad or go to School Elder persons may go about their occasions provided they go warm and keep their feet dry To hasten the Operation XIV If the Dose taken work not to answer your expectation boil a little Senna in some Ale and drink the Ale warm and it will hasten the operation Of viewing the Stools XV. Besure you view the Childs Stools in the taking of it and three or four days after it has done taking for sometimes Worms come away dead at that distance of time The Vertues of Pulvis Benedictus XVI Pulvis Benedictus the Great and Lesser Composition are much alike in operation only the greater is more searching and active in his business and sooner obtains a victory and is more powerful in destroying Worms in the Bladder of which it never fails They are both â—â— Gentle in their operation that they seldom make the youngest Child sick unless the Stomach abounds with Crudities They Purge and sweeten the Blood carry off all gross corrupt putrid Humours Creates a fresh and healthful Complexion in such as are defective by any Wormatick matter And so pernicious are these Vermin that there is hardly any Age Sex or Constitution but are subject to them nor part of us but they do affect For there is no Blood or Humours but may putrifie one time or other which putrid matter retaining a vital principle having a humid kind of heat apt for Generation produceth Worms which if not Putrifaction hath certain Seminals or Seeds within it self that are as pernicious â—s Worms can be and causes the same Diseases as Worms actually existent But this precious Medicine destroys not only Worms but all manner of Vermiculous matter for where no Worms appear it effects a Cure if taken any time And in a word is the only Specifick yet known It is a great Diuretick cleansing the Reins of Slime Sand or Gravel It expells Wind and is a Soveraign Medicine in the Cholick and Griping of the Guts It opens all Obstructions of the Stomach Lungs and Liver Causes a good Appetite and helps Indigestion In Rheumatisms Ptisick Asthma or shortness of Breath it has been found very successful It mightily prevails in the Rickets and hath straitened the Bones tho the venom in that Disease is lodged in the Spinal marrow from whence it is called Rhachitis It is an Antidote against the Plague Spotted Fever and all Pestilential Diseases 〈…〉 The chief Ingredients in these admirable Powders being parts simple and parts Chymical of the Juniper Orange and Wallnut-Trees I do confess it is something bitter But a Diadem will not cure the Apoplexy or a Velvet-slipper the Gout And I hope all ingenious Persons are satisfied that those Medicines which work upon such Humours will almost reach any Distemper if not too far gone Since corruption and putrifaction are the fore-runners and introducers of all Diseases Therefore no better Physick can be taken for all Ages Sexes and Constitutions from the Womb to the Tomb. The Vse and Virtues of my Night-Powder I. THis Powder is taken at Night going to Bed in a Spoonful or two of Beer Wine or any Liquid thing Take the same Quantity as you do of the Purging Powder as well Children as elder Persons II. It has no ill Tast nor will it Purge yet it is a powerful enemy to Worms and by taking this at Night you give the Vermin no rest And if it were taken those Mornings you omit Purging it were the better III. It is an admirable Medicine in the Green-sickness it sweetens the whole mass of Blood and may safely be given in any Malignant Fever being a great Diminisher of the Preternatural heat and taken with the Purging-Powder will reach most Diseases incident to Youth or Old Age. IV. And whoever begins the taking of these Powders I only desire they would be so wise and kind to themselves as to go thâ—ough with it and not leave off at the taking a Dose or two do but this and you will find the effect to answer your expectation The Vse and Virtue of the Aromatical Plaister I. THis Plaister must be laid to the Stomach hot the point downwards and bound on let it remain ten or twelve days unless it be in case of Life and Death then you must have a fresh Plaister every two or three days II. It is a great enemy to Worms and Wormatick matter discharging the Stomach of cold waterish Humours and gross corrupt Flegm which is apt for the Generation of Worms III. In Consumptions its effects has been proved to the satisfaction of many applying a fresh Plaister once a week for it revives the Spirits and strengthens the Stomach and all the vital parts giving them a true natural heat not at all superfluous IV. Some that have layn speechless by this Plaister have Recovered to the great wonder of all their Acquaintance it being a friend to all the Spirits natural Vital and Animal and is without doubt one of the greatest Cordials yet known of an outward application It retains its vertue forty years and when left off is a rich perfume to burn in your House My Ointment against Worms IT is to be rubbed and chaffed in with your Fingers by the Fire on the Stomach or Belly of the Child or both if there be occasion Night and Morning and a piece of Brown Paper bound on Of all External Remedies against Worms this is the chief and exceeds my Plaister but is of no other use Pulvis Benedictis the Great and Lesser Composition Each Paper Two Shillings My Night Powder Two Shillings My Aromatical Plaister Two and Six-pence My Ointment the Pot Two and Six-pence Each Paper contains Nine Doses Sealed with a Cheveron between Three Crescents Prepared by R. Clark Chymist Living at the Golden-Ball in Devonshire-Street without Bishopsgate Where in my absence is a Gentlewoman will furnish you with any of the aforesaid Preparations ADVERTISEMENT I Am very sensible many People are averst against Medicines that are publish'd by the way of Bills yet several Ingenious Men and some Colledg-Physicians have done and still do the same by Medicines that have been successful for many years though I must confess there are a great many sad Tools take the same Method which may well put People in a Consternation For since I have published these Powders which has not been many yearâ— every one has a rare Medicine for the Worms I am informed there is a Tooth-drawer living in Holborn that calls himself a Physician who has publish'd a Powder for the Worms and put out Tables with the Cuâ—â— of the very same Worms as are in mine and what he writes relating to Worms is all taken out of this Book Now every Man's ignorance ought to be his greatest Secret then what can you think of him that exposes his own weakness in Print But Ignorance and Impudence are as inseparable as heat from fire With care and pains I have collected from the best Authors what I thought might be useful as to Worms in which I design to proceed till I have made this Book six Sheets which I hope will be acceptable to all that love themselves and their Children as well as a help to the Tooth-drawer FINIS Latus Teretes Ascarides Cucurbitini