OBSERVATIONS ON THE Venereal Disease With the True way Of Curing the Same By CHARLES PETER Chyrurgeon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non nobis nati Sumus Licensed according to Order London Printed by D. Mallet and are to be Sold by the Author at his Bathing-House in St. Martins-Lane near Long-Acre 1686. THE PREFACE THere will be some Readers that are Strangers to me and it may be not amiss to inform them that in my juvenile years my inclinations led me to Chirurgery in which I took so great delight that I never thought my self so happy as when I was a Spectator of some or other Chyrurgical Operation in pursuance of what I so much delighted in I was put Apprentice to a Master of Anatomy by reason of which I was always present at Dissections both publick and private at which t is hard for me to say whether I took more Pains or Pleasure Having thus laid a Foundation in order to attaining to the Art of Chirurgery and having several years seen many very good manuall Operations performed in and about the City of London and elsewhere I was sent in Company of several Eminent Chyrurgeons to Dress the wounded Men in the Hospitals of Harwich and Ipswich where much pains I took during the time of the War between us and the Dutch Anno. 1665. Returning to London the Plague soon grew to a great height I stayed in Town and had much business and great success in Curing of it The great Fire of London hapned soon after and my Apprenticeship being expired I applied my self to my Study reading the best of Authors I could meet with I likewise indeavoured to read Men as well as Books and therefore sought out the most ingenicus practicers of Physick and Chyrurgery with whome I daily Conversed making daily Observations of my own and other Mens Practices I ever had since I first fancied the medicinal way an earnest desire to the true knowledge of the Venereal Disease I have by the Dissecting of many Bodies observed the nature and variety of the Distemper and have been most curious in observing the accidents that many times attend the Disease the different operations that I have observed in Medicines made me first take the trouble and be at the charge of preparing several and the profit besides my own satisfaction hath made me continue my Labours and t is well known with how great pains and care I have attained to the knowledge of preparing such excellent Medicines as my Antivenereal Pill c. Besides no small charge in my ordering those various ways of Sweating and Bathing with which persons are accomodated at my House I am the first English Chyrurgeon that ever prepared Baths of all sorts and I thank God I have as convenient Bathing Rooms in my House as any in England and I think no Man in his way has been more laborious than my self the following Treatise I am sure contains most certain Truths if thou dost question any thing therein I shall be willing to satisfie thee From my House in St. Martins-Lane near Long-Acre The Contents Chap. 1st OF the Original of the Lues Venerea and several names of it Chap. 2d The Causes of the Lues Venerea and several ways of infecting Chap. 3d. The Signs of the Lues Venerea Chap. 4th The dangerous effects of the Lues Venerea Chap. 5th Of the mischeifs caused by ignorant Pretenders Chap. 6th Of several ways of Curing the Pox. Chap. 7th The true way of Curing the Pox. Chap. 8th The true way of Curing the Gonorrhaea Chap. 9th The Conclusion CHAP. I. Of the Original of the Lues Venerea and several Names of it COncerning the beginning of this Disease Authours are various and I find that it hath had variety of names in several times and places but my opinion is that the Disease is very ancient and may challenge almost as much Antiquity as the Sin of Uncleanness for the names of it I will set down but these few the Italians call it Morbus Gallicus the French call it Scabies Hispanica and Morbus Italicus in Spain they call it Morbus Neapolitanus in England we call it Morbus Gallicus and Lues Venerea by the last name I intend to treat of it CHAP. II. The Causes of the Lues Venerea and several ways of Infecting THe causes of this Distemper are twofold the first of an occult quality being as a scourge laid on Mankind by the Almighty to restrain our too wanton Lusts the other is by an impure touch or contagion especially in Copulation a Man receiving of an infected Vapour or filthy Sanies into the Pores of the Skin or into the Vrethra as well before the ejecting of the Seed as after the Woman having either a Gonorrhaea or else an Ulcer or perhaps only the foul Seed of some infected Person left in her some small time before which being lodged in the wrinckles of the Womb may be drawn in by the pores of the extended Penis so that t is possible for a Man to get this Disease by a Woman that was never infected her self for the oleaginous moysture that is ever in the neck of the Womb doth many times defend it from being infected besides in Women the parts being not so strait nor yet so hot the infection is not so nourished and fomented as t is in men besides the admirable cunning that Women of the Town use is not a little to be observed There be many persons that will not believe any hurt can be gotten any other way than by Copulation with an infected person but I will prove the contrary by common experience as for example A Gentleman about 25 years of age having lain with a young Lass about 19 or 20 years old was so excessive in the use of Venery with her that having kept her company three days a violent Fever seized them both with great pains in the Back and Head I was sent for to let them Bloud but when I came and had inquired into the causes of their Distemperature I would by no means take any Bloud away for the Fever being caused by the diminution of the Spirits bleeding must have increased the Fever rather than abated it I therefore ordered each a Glyster of the Decoct Com. cum Sy Violar and two hours after the Glyster an Emulsion of the cool Seeds dulcisied with Syr. Citrini and a little Diacodion to refrigerate the parts and cause sleep in two or three days the Fever left them the Woman was very well but a Gonorrhaea attended the man without its usual symptoms and it was carried off with much ease for I verily believe it was caused only by too much forcing of the spermatick Vessels and heating of the parts especially the Prostate Glandules t is not impossible for this Disease to be gotten by Kissing especially if either party have an Ulcer in the Throat or Ulceration in the Mouth from which a slimy juice proceeding and the Lips being moistned thereby may very
damage by a too sudden flux of humours but after the Vlcers are once Cured the general Cure may more safely be performed the same observation ought to be made in Ozena's nor do the Vlcers of the Throat threaten less than the fall of the Nose where they are neglected for the matter that flows from the Vlcer doth often foul the Os Spongiosum Cribriforme where the matter once lodged soon becomes an inveterate Enemy I know some persons who have often large Vlcers in the Throat which soon disappear but I never think any Patient Cured in such a case until they undergo the Salivation ☞ The preparation of Bodies is very material in the cure of this Difease for suppose a Patient in years of a cholerick temperament emaciated by the Disease having missed of his Cure two or three or more times this Patient any man must believe would be hard to cure every man would say nothing but a Salivation could help him yet it would be dangerous to Salivate such a person without the due preparation viz. First Let him be sed with fresh-Meats that breed flegmatick Juices such are New laid Eggs Cream Almond-Milk Veal Pullet the whitest Bread sweet and nourishing Wines pleasant Tisans fresh-Fish and all sorts of Pulse that may breed a quantity of humours which may create matter for the Salivation nor will it be amiss to treat such a Patient in the beginning of the Salivation with nourishing Broaths adding now and then the yelk of a new laid Egg Endive or Succory are most properly put into Broath for such a person by reason they cool and abate the sharpness of the humours and moderately loosen the Belly Glisters of Chicken-Broath are proper in this case one in four or five days by reason they nourish the Bowels which would be subject to Tortions the Acrimonious humours some times slipping downwards Moreover after the Salivation a nourishing Restorative Diet drink is proper wherein care be took to avoid all things that exsiccate and great care ought to be in giving of Nutriment that easily digests for it must be took often it being requisite to get such a Patient in strength as fast as Nature can give leave ☞ But on the contrary if a Patient be Young and Robust of a Sanguine or flegmatick Constitution then must another course be taken if Salivation be intended and it may be convenient to purge this Patient four or five times to Bleed and Bathe to abate and prepare the humours least the Salivation should rise too fiercely A moderate Diet is convenient of such things as breed good but little Juices such are Partridge Larke Rabbets Mutton c. Diet-drinks or Tisans that gently exsiccates are convenient in the preparation In the beginning of the Salivation use no Broath but Posset-drink or thin Water-Gruell and so continue and it may be observed that a Patient of this Constitution may be expected to Spit six or seven Pints in twenty four hours whereas in the case before mentioned four Pints is as much as can be expected after the Salivation a Diet-drink may be given that exsiccates powerfully and moves Sweat observing to purge the Body well by this you may observe how much more bold you may be with a person of a Plethorick Constitution and consequently succulent than with a Body Emaciated where Juices are wanting and let none omit to observe that in Salivations there will happen to some Fainting Fits for which there is no better Cordial than a small Glassof Clarret which comforts sufficiently and sencibly doth precipitate the Medicine The manner of defending the Mouth and curing the Vlcers caused by the Saliva is so common I need not mention it ☞ The Venereal Astma which is but seldom Cured for where the Lungs are affected the Party is generally brought so low before the Cure is attempted that Nature can assist but little and here no Salivation can be admitted the Cure must be attempted by Restoratives such as Sarsa China with Pectoralls with moderat Sweats and large Fontanells in the Shoulders Asses-Milk or Cows Milk mixed with the Diet-drink very moderate purgatives and those mixed with Pectoralls untill strength be attained and then hauing a fit time of the Year and all needfull supplies a gentle Flux may be raised but not continued too long least while thou goest about to cure thy Patient of the Pox you Bury him of a Consumption ☞ Many other Accidents may happen which having their Original from the Pox will admit of no other Cure for we many times find a Venereal Opthalmia a Venereal Fistula some time on the Lacrymal Glandule that fouls the Bone and makes Mad-work and often the Pockey Fistula in Ano in many the Venereal Scorbute in others a Venereal Itch to all which may be added the foul Ulcerous Sores which are taken for the Kings-Evil but will with the fore-named come within compass of the Pox and therefore must be attacqued as it ☞ Tumors of the Prepuce of which are several sorts viz. Crystallines which are transparent swellings of the Prepuce and are to be discussed by somentations or by Bathing the part Paraphymosis which is a swelling of the Prepuce occasioned by some Vlcer on the Glans or Prepuce or perhaps by Warts on the Glans which becoming Raw do Ulcerate Inflame and swell the Prepuce to that degree that it will no way strip by which means the Vlcer being hid doth become more inveterate and by the Venereal Salts cause so great a humour that many times Mortification happens and from thence the Death of the Patient in this case the part must be Fomented or Bathed to draw out the Salts that have swelled the Prepuce or if that will not do Amputation must follow I mean to cut off so much of the Prepuce that the Glans may be bare and consequently the better to come at the Vlcer for it may be observed that 't is impossible to cure the Vlcer unless you can come fairly at it and therefore those persons that attempt by a Syringe to cleanse between the Glans and Prepuce make their Patients too dearly to buy their Experience nor is this all for if the remaining part after Amputation be found hard it will be convenient not only to digest it but to salivate the Patient gently to make Revulsion of humours and timely to correct the Malignity of the Vlcer which too often doth infect the whole Mass of Bloud He hath had but little experience of this Disease who doth not know from how small a matter this Accident doth happen particularly in those men who have naturally contracted Prepuces ☞ Warts and Excressencies on the Privities happening to either Sex must not be neglected for they are as so many Land Marks to assure the Pox confirmed and although many people take little notice of them where ever I see them I know all is not well and therefore take care not only to remove them by Causticks or else by Binding but
are of themselves not able to overcome the malignity of this Disease however necessary for all persons who labour under the Pox excepting those who are to undergo the Salivation and those I always advise to dry up their Ishues upon the beginning of a Salivating Course it being then no way proper to dry the Body least juices be wanting to maintain the spitting its proper time CHAP. VII The true way of Curing the POX NOw since so many ways are or may be used for to cure this Disease t is the Duty of every honest Artist rightly to consider the Patients case and justly to weigh what sort of cure may be most fit for them for as there is great variety in the Disease so must there be in the cure some persons must of necessity keep up others have not nay cannot have the conveniency of retirement some Bodies will admit of the most rough ways of cure others must have more gentle means used First Observe there is degrees of the Pox that no internal Medicine can reach no Fume no Salivation no Diet Purgation Sweating c. can help what 's then to be done where Medicine cannot reach manual Operation must for where ever the Pox fouls a Bone nought but exfoliating can avail therefore if the Cranium or any other Bone be foul lay it bare so far as is convenient and with detergent and exsiccating Powders keep the part as dry as possibly you can that the Bone may scale in the Arms and Shins lay open all foul Bones nor ever attempt the cure any other way for every mans reason will direct that nought but laying open can be proper where a Bone is foul and t is wonderful to observe how Nature will help to discharge the malignant matter so that the Patient being aptly dressed once or twice in 24 hours there will be little more to do unless you will make use of a good Sarsa-Drink which if the Patient can be at the charge of will accelerate the cure and restore the strength by amending the habit of body and indeed I never missed in this sort of cure for I have made it my resolution where ever I begin to go through with my work and therefore in this case especially will take care that the Patients Poverty be not my Disgrace for if good Nutriment and conveniency of place c. be wanting it will be hard for Nature to support it self in this sort of cure ☞ Chankers or Vlcers on the Glans or Prepuce require a careful head and hand to manage rightly and I am most certain that the major part of mankind which have suffered by the Pox may date the Original of their miseries from the neglect of these Sores but let no man mistake me nor yet his own case for I do not mean Excoriations of either Glans or Prepuce for these are cured in a few hours but venemous Chankers require both time and care such as carry a hardness all round the Sore for though they appear never so small yet must they be esteem'd as particular Poxes from which confirmed Poxes too often proceed the true cure consists in being well digested all repelling Medicines being avoided for t is an inhumane Cruelty to make slight of such Sores as too many do assuring the Patient they are but slight matters a few dressings and as few Purges will secure all as they pretend thus lulling the party into a dangerous Pox as six Months or may be less will shew I say therefore that all Chankers must be strongly digested the Patient ought to Purge and sweat often and a good Diet-drink would confirm the Cure but if upon healing the Chankers the hardness remain you must be forced to salivate before you can be safe I have seen Chankers that nought but salivation could Conquer whose callous Lips no corrosive could consume for suppose a Patient who hath a sharpness of Bloud from a venereal cause you will find to your no small trouble how difficultly such a mans Chankers will admit of Cure On the contrary a Patient of a good habit of Body whose very Bloud is a Balsom from him you shall have more easie Digestion and all your Medicines more success but care must be taken in all that you repell not ☞ Caruncles commonly called Carnosities these lie in the Vrethra which is the passage of the Yard and some time at the very neck of the Bladder I have seen some persons so stopped up they could not make one drop of Urine but by the help of a Catheter This sort of Pox requires great care for you must by the use of Corrosives consume and eat away all that you can come at of the Carnosity at the same time duly considering to avoid Defluxion of humors therefore must the Patient use a convenient Diet-drink relating to his Age and Constitution for you must observe that you may treat a man of Forty or Fifty in this case differently from one of half his Age and you must not omit to observe that all the Durity be Consumed Sweating and Bathing is of great use in this Cure for it relaxes and softens the part and prevents inflamation which in men of years doth often happen In cases of this nature after I have done what is possible by my Candle if I feel or suspect the least hardness to remain I salivate my Patient or if I omit that I am sure to give a good Diet-drink and to purge so often as need requires and many times I order a Milk-Diet to finish the Work ☞ Bubo's or Poulaines as the French call them in the Cure of these all sorts of Evacuation is to be avoided let the Patient Eat Drink and be Merry let him Eat plentifully of the hottest-Meats and Drink the Strongest Liquors to incourage the Natural Heat to throw out the Malignant Matter let the swelling be anointed with some Supparative keep a strong Suppurating Cataplasme on it it may not be amiss once in twenty four hours to apply a large Cupping-Glass to help forward the humour great care must be taken that the Matter do not return and caution used not to open the part until it be suppurate and then so opened that it may not become Fistulous for though no sort of Pox is so easie to cure as this yet many Patients miscarry by wanting such Surgeons as rightly understand the method of curing Buboes and I have met with several persons who have had their Buboes so ill treated that they have become Cancerous and difficultly admitted of Cure these Sores ought to be well digested and kept running so long as possible with convenient Purging and Sweating towards the end of the Cure and when all is healed a good Diet drink would make sure Work ☞ Vlcers in the Throat or Mouth must be cleansed by strong detergent Medicines nor must any Salivation be performed upon persons so affected until the particular Cure be first performed least the parts already weak should suffer