THE COUNTRY-MANS Physician WHERE Is shew'd by a most plain and easie manner how those that live far from Cities or Market Towns and cannot have the advice of Physicians may be able of themselves by the help of this Book to Cure most Diseases happening to the Body of Man A Work very useful and necessary for all that understand not the Learned Languages LONDON Printed for Richard Chiswel at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard 1680. TO THE READER I Am not Ignorant that there are several Practices of Physick already Published in the English Tongue but truly they are almost all of them so stuft either with hard terms of Art and difficult Descriptions and Definitions or the Receipts the chief thing design'd indeed for the Buyer all in the Latine Tongue that I cannot at all perceive any or very little difference from their being continued in the Learned Languages they were written in so that they must necessarily be something of Scholars to understand those Books and so of little or no use to those that are none Whereupon taking the Premises into serious Consideration I thought I should do a very acceptable piece of Service to my dear Country-folks that understand no more than their Mother-Tongue if I should write a very plain method for them whereby they might be able by the help thereof to Counsel and Administer to themselves and their friends and neighbours fitting and pertinent Remedies for all manner of Curable Diseases when and where they cannot conveniently have the advice of the Learned Physician or Chyrurgion living perhaps remote from any Market Town or City where such commonly inhabit For the Book it self I can say that as the old Proverb is good Wine needs no Bush so I am confident thou wilt find it will be able to commend it self it being a choice Collection of almost infallible experiments from the most Famous Printed Authors and curious Manuscripts and I have for the Reasons before specified made it so plain and easie that any though no Scholars nor at all vers'd in the Learned Languages cannot erre in following these directions in this Book A TABLE OF THE DISEASES CURES Treated of in this BOOK CHAP. I. OF the Diseases of the Head whether caused from Heat or Cold where likewise of the inveterate pain of the Head Page 1. CHAP. II. Of the Diseases and Pains of the Eyes where of the Chataract p. 2. CHAP. III. Of the Diseases of the Nose as stinking Vlcers thereof where of the bleeding at the Nose p. 13. CHAP. IV. Of the Diseases of the Ears viz. Vlcers Wormes noise in the Ears and Deafness where also how to Cure the Pain in the Ears p. 19. CHAP. V. Of the Diseases of the Mouth as the Vlcers thereof where of a stinking breath of too much and too little spitting likewise of the Diseases and Pains of the Teeth and of the Cure of the Quinsey p. 22. CHAP. VI. Of the Diseases of the Breast as the Coughs shortness of Breath Spitting of Blood and of the Ptysick p. 27. CHAP. VII Of the Diseases of the Side as the Plurisie and of the Pains of the Side p. 33. CHAP. VIII Of the Diseases of the Heart as the feebleness thereof and the beating of the Heart and swooning away p. 35. CHAP. IX Of the Diseases of the Stomack and first of the weakness thereof whether from a hot or cold cause of nauseating meats and loss of taste and appetite where of the Wind in the Stomack whether before or after eating and of the Hiccop Of staying Vomiting whether from an hot or a cold cause and of provoking Vomit if there be occasion and to comfort the Stomack after Vomiting and lastly of the pains of the Stomack p. 37. CHAP. X. Of the Diseases of the Belly and first of the Diseases of the Liver whether from hot or cold causes viz. from Choler or Phlegm c. Where of its obstruction 2. Of the Spleen of the Diseases where of its obstruction likewise and also of the Cure of the three sorts of Jaundies that is yellow green and Black 3. Of the Cholick and Iliac passions 4. Of the pain in the Kidneys and difference between that and the Colick as also of the Cure of their Gravel and Stone and likewise of the Cure of the Stone in the Bladder and difficulty and heat in voiding of Vrine 5. Of the Cure of the Three sorts of Fluxes of the Belly viz. Lientery Diarrhaea and Dissentery 6. Of the Dropsie and Wind and Gripings of the Belly 7. Of the both sorts of Hemorrhoids viz. inward and outward p. 42. CHAP. XI Of the Diseases belonging to Women as of the stopping and provoking their Monthly Courses and of the Curing of the Fits of the Mother as also of the falling down of the Womb Of their Barrenness likewise and of how to prevent miscarriage and how to cause easie Delivery of Women in Child-birth and to ease their Pains after Travel and lastly how to cause plenty and scarcity of Milk in Women that give Suck p. 52. CHAP. XII Of breeding of Wormes and Teeth in Children p. 59. CHAP. XIII Of the Cure of Feavers whether continued Quotidian Tertian or Quartane p. 61. CHAP. XIV Of the Cure of the Pestilence and its Symptoms p 64. CHAP. XV. Of the Cure of the Gout whether in the Hands or Feet or Knees or Hipps p. 66. CHAP. XVI Of the Cure of outward pains in any part of the Body p. 68. CHAP. XVII Of the Cure of bruises in any part of the Body p. 70. CHAP. XVIII Of the Cure of Green Wounds and old Vlcers in any part of the Body p. 71. CHAP. XIX Of the Cure of all sorts of swellings in any part of the Body whether they be hot or cold hard or foft p. 78. by excessive heat or cold and often from the infirmities of other Members in which is contained the Cause of the pain in the head as the Stomach the Kidneys Liver Spleen Womb c. Now the pain is greater in the forehead than elsewhere when it proceeds from Blood behind when from Flegm when from Choler the pain is most on the right side the head and on the left when from Melancholy whereupon Medicines are to be imploy'd to the purpose by opposing hot Remedies to the cold as Flegm and Melancholy and cold to the hot Causes as Blood and Choler The manner to cure the pain from a hot Cause is first to let Blood in the Arm then to apply Linnen Cloaths dipt in Plantain and Rose Water and Vineger or in the Juice of Lettice with Rose-water and Vineger Or Oil of Roses and Poppies and make a Pultis of Bole-Armenac white of Eggs a Roasted Apple and Vineager and apply it to the head and forehead and temples and wash the head with warm water wherein have been boiled Sage Leaves Roses and water Lilly-Flowers and wash the feet with the same if he have no motion of the rheum or a
for a cure if possest therewith The most assured way of preservation is not to communicate with the infected but dwell in a sound place the air cold and dry rather than moist and hot and to remember the commands of our Ancestors citò longè tardè that is to go quickly from the place infected and to go a long way to a healthful place from whence to be slow in returning till all danger be past But if they must remain in an infected place then to prevent if possible the Disease you must Bleed and Purge and Sweat and keep all things sweet and clean and good Diet keep Fires by night if in Summer and all day in Winter burn Frankincense and Benjoin and Storax never go out fasting Take Pill Ruffi 3 or 4 or 6 Pills going to Bed for cure and prevention and Mitridates his Remedy composed only of one Figg and Walnuts and Rue six Leaves and a little Salt beaten together comfortable Wines and Waters and Brandy are good having a care there be not a great Feaver then you must give Juice or Syrrup of Lemmons with Barley-water c. in Bleeding you must have a care not to Let Women Blood in their last Moneth or newly Delivered or weak and decrepid Folks or those that have Swellings In lieu of Bleeding may be used Cupping-glasses to the Shoulders and Thighs after Bleeding give Cassia or Manna the next day Now for outward applications you must here use no repercussive Medicines After Bleeding apply to the Bunch a Pultis made of Figgs Raisins stoned and Leven beaten together with Oyl of Camomil or Bread and Milk and Lilly Roots boiled together or Diachilum cum Gummi or Paracelsus Plaister or Ammoniacum or Galbanum and open the Aposteme before it be quite ripe then dress it with Vnguentum Basilicum with Tents from first to last CHAP. XV. Of the Gout FOr the Gout whether in the Hands or Feet or Knees or Hips the chief remedy is to Let blood in a hot cause more than once if occasion be purge gently as you have been taught before if they be Feaverish and give Clysters and then cool drinks as in Fevers then use Ointments to appease the pain and Cataplasms and Plaisters and Oyl of Roses and Lillies a Pultis of Whitebread and Milk and Oyl of Roses and to boil Hemlock and Henbane in Milk and make a Pultis with Whitebread and Vnguentum Populeon Vnguentum Anodynum and bathe with Milk and warm Water and apply Diapalma Plaister softned with Oyl of Lillies or Roses and Emplastrum de Ranis or if from a cold cause use Paracelsus Plaister and Oxycroceum Diachylon cum gummi cicuta Ointments and Plaisters of Tobacco are excellent in all Gouts and Sciatica's so is Oyl of Exeter and Oyl of Spike and Turpentine CHAP. XVI Of the Cure of outward pains in any part of the Body FOr pain o' th Members the Oyl of Dwarf-elder is very proper anointing the place first therewith if it be from a cold cause and then apply hot Emplaisters as Paracelsus c. as before in the Gout Also Brandy and fresh Butter or Porkgrease never forgetting if the Patient have need to Let blood i' th Arm more than once if there be occasion and to purge gently two or three times together as you have been taught before sufficiently if you be ingenious The Oyl of Elder-flowers and Earth Worms mixt together are excellent good and this following take Pitch and Rosin new Wax of each half an Ounce fresh Butter half a Pound melt them gently over the Fire in an Earthen Glazed Vessel all but the Rozin which is to be cast in in small pieces when the other have boiled a little or begin to boil then stir them well with a Wooden stick to incorporate them with this composition being warm anoint your parts pained and rub them as long as they can endure it then lay an Emplaister of the same thereon and so roul it up if it be in a place that may be rouled after it hath lain on twenty four hours take the Plaister off and anoint and rub it again and lay it on again and do so every twenty four hours till they be well The Ointment and Plaister of Tobacco hath done great good to many CHAP. XVII Of Bruises in any part of the Body FOr Bruises whether from blows or falls or any other cause these remedies following are very good Lupine-meal boil'd a little in Wine to the consistence of a Pultis Bean-meal boil'd in Vinegar Radishes beat with Hony takes away the marks of the Bruise The leaves of Consound mixt with Oyl of Saint-Johns-worth dissolves the clotted Blood in any part of the Body that comes from Bruises This Oyl following is excellent good for all Bruises and shrunk Sinews also Take a young fat Fox take off his Skin then open him and take ouâ— his Garbage then boil him whoâ—… in common Oyl with Bay-berries and Sage-leaves and Marsh-mallow-roots till the Flesh part from the Bones and after you have broke the Bones put them into the Vessel again to boil the Marrow out and let them boil a little then press all hard out and keep it in Earthen Glazed Vessels for your use CHAP. XVIII Of green Wounds and old Sores FOr Wounds from what cause soever you have several cheating Mountebanks that go up and down the Country promising you Infallible Cures by their Balsomes forsooth But if the Wound be of any moment you 'll find them most commonly deceive you and so you have work made for the Chirurgion and that which perhaps if at first artificially handled might with ease have been Cured becomes it may be desperate or difficult with hazard of Life or Limb So that I thought good to give you this caution and withal to give you the most approved way of Curing green Wounds and Ulcers and old Sores First Then if any one happen to be wounded be sure to have in a readiness always i' th house that most incomparable Balsom called by the name of Linimentum Arcei to be had at the Apothecaries and if the wound be not hallow spread some of it upon Lint and apply to the wound and bind it up but if it be hollow you must melt it in a Spoon and pour it warm into the wound or dissolve some in Oyl of Turpentine and pour it in or inject it in with a Syringe or you may make this Sovereign Balsome your self thus Take Gum Elemi and Turpentine of each an Ounce and a half Rams Suet old and tried two Ounces old Hogs Fat tried one Ounce the manner of making this Liniment is this dissolve the Gum in Sack and let the Sack cimmer away gently over the fire then put in the Fat 's and lastly the Turpentine Others make great esteem of Tobacco in the Cure of green Wounds and old Sores either boiling the Leaves or Juice alone thereof in Wine and Oyl or by adding Turpentine Wax and Gum and
made Another singular Unguent for preservation of the Eyes is thus made Take two Ounces of fresh Porks Grease steep it in Rose-water six Hours then wash it again twelve times in the best white-Wine for the space of five or six Hours then add to this Grease Tutty well prepar'd and very finely Poudred one Ounce Lapis Haematites well washt one scruple Aloes well washt and Poudred twelve Grains Pearles Poudred three Grains Incorporate them all well together with Fenel Water and make an Unguent whereof put a little into the corners of the Eyes The last Remedies to divert the importunate Humor from falling from the Brain upon the Eyes are Cauteries and Setons which must be done by the Surgeon by advise of the Physician or you may try Blisters drawn behind the Neck or behind the Ear make them with Leaven Pigeons Dung Spanish-flies and Brandy mixt well together Now to Cure the pain of the Eyes and redness that follows come from a blow Apply a rotten Apple thereto the Blood drawn from the Wing of a Pidgeon Also the Decoction of Fenel Camomile and Melilot made with Water and white-Wine Applyed with Linnen Cloaths But above all other Remedies Agrimony alone as hath been Authorized by often Experience rubb'd between the Hands and put upon the Eye hurt and roul it on Cures it in a short time though very red with bruised Blood and the sight darkned it brings it again For want of the Herb take the Water Distilled in the season of the year To abate the redness of the Eyes the first time that you drink every Day it must be a full Glass of clear Water and so continue till you be Well CHAP. III. Of the Diseases of the Nose THe Diseases of the Nose are divers likewise inward and outward as for the inward you must alwayes remove the Cause by the Advice of a Learned Physician and for the outward employ these Remedies following The ill scent of the Nose is Cured by washing it with a Decoction made of white-Wine Ginger Penny-Royal Cloves Calamus Aromaticus of each equal parts and after put Pouder of Pellitory into the Nose or drawing up the Nose often Wine wherein Nutmeg hath been steeped four Hours or Anointing the Nostrills Night and Morning with Oleum Nardinum wherein have been Boiled Clove-Gilliflowers wood of Aloes with a little Musk or with this Composition or else to make Tents thereof and put them in the Nose to wit Ginger dryed Roses wood of Aloes of each two Ounces Myrrh Calamus Aromaticus of each one Dram mix them well with good Wine and reduce them to a Paste adding thereto six Grains of Musk and make Pills of the bigness of a Pea dipping it in Oil of Nard when you use it The Nose being stopt by some Humor that hinders Breathing is opened with Juices of Beets and Marjoram incorporated in Oil of bitter Almonds and drawn up the Nose also by the smoke of Tobacco only taken at Mouth and make it go out at the Nose To provoke sneezing blow up the Nose Pouder of Pepper Pellitory and Orris Roots or mix the Pouders with some Liquor and anoint the Nostrils therewith To stay the sneezing scratch the Soles of the Feet and Palms of the Hands rub the Eyes and Ears smell to white Lilly and Bath your hands in warm Water To Cure the Ulcers and Itchings of the Nose take the Juice of Ivy and sour Pome-granates mixt together also the Anointment made of Ceruss Ashes of wake Robin and Honey of Roses The Phlegm that runs from the Nose like Snot is stay'd by proper Remedies for the Cure of the Brain whereby the Spring of such Noisome Humors is dryed Imploy then to this end Frictions Perfumes Caps as before and beside use some proper Syrup to correct the ill scent of the Snot's abundance and thinness as Syrup of Poppies Diacodium c. Also to this purpose you must hold in your mouth little Pills made of Bole-Armenac Terra-Sigillata Amber Dragons Blood Cloves and Musk. The Blood flowing disorderly from the Nose is stopt by a Frontal made of the Pouder of Sanderac made into Paste with the whites of Eggs and applyed with a Linnen Cloath by the Juice of Onions mixt with Vinegar put into the Nostrils with Cotton by drinking Mint Water by Anointing the forehead with an Ointment made of Dragons Blood Mastich Frankincense and whites of Eggs by Camphor mingled with the Seeds of dead Nettles Juice of Plantain and House-Leek put into the Nostrils by Pouder of red Coral or Terra Sigillata drank by Bathing the palms of the Hands and soles of the Feet with Cloaths dipt in Vineger of Roses and Plantain water by Bathing a mans Stones and a womans Breast with Fountain or Common water this is of great efficacy according to experience You may stay the Bleeding at Nose also by putting to the nuque of the Neck a Bag wherein is Toads Pouder which must be made of a great Toad that is Bred upon the Earth not the Water the which you must put in an Earthen Pot alive and put it into the Oven with Bread and then Pouder it And the same Pouder will serve in the Bloody-flux or Womens Fluxes and to stay the Bleeding of Wounds applying it to the opposite of the hurt part The like Virtue hath the Seed of Flixweed Poudred and taken a Dram thereof either in Wine or with an Egg or Broth it serves also to loosen the Belly and to make great Bellyed Women gayly bear their Burthen But contrarywise the Herb Millefoil put into the Nose provokes Bleeding it being sometimes necessary for discharge of the Brain But this by thrusting it in the Nose the point formost for the contrary happens if you put the Stem first in The Smelling corrupted or almost lost is regained by the often handling and smelling of Mint also a Perfume made of the Leaves of Southernwood Rue Juniper mingling Gith-seed therewith CHAP. IV. Of the Diseases of the Ears FOr the pain in the Ear put into it some drops of Oil of Roses and Vineger or the juice of Henbane besides it will be convenient to apply thereto a Bag stuft with Camomile and Melilot Flowers the juice of dwarf Elder and Rue is very good making the inward part of the Ear first clear from filth The water of Honey Distill'd Milk with a little Saffron The like Virtue hath the Perfume of the Decoction of Camomile Dill and Stechas made in Water wherein hath been put warm Vineger wherein burnt Nitre and Sal-gemm have been dissolved put in the Ear with a Funnel The Vlcers of the Ear are Cured by Instilling Oil wherein have been boiled white Leeks and Earth Worms to the Consumption of the third part or by the Oil of Eggs alone Against the Wormes in the Ears the Milk of the Fig-tree and the figs alone are very proper also the juice of Capers of Wormwood Calamint Centaury Germander juice of the Peels of Walnuts or the Bark of