by the corruption or fault of the Milk or by meats and drinks that are hot salt or other things that heat the Liver The Signs are manifest The Cures are 1. By attemperating the humours with the Whey of the Milk of Goats and the Syrrup of Fumitory 2. In evacuating the humors Take a Dram of Rhabarb infuse it all night in a little Water strain it and add three Ounces of Whey and two Ounces of the Syrrup of Roses solutive 3. Mitigation of the pain and discussing of it by Baths of Water in which are Mallowes Cammomile or Pellitory So much of External Diseases The Second Book Of Universal Diseases in CHILDREN CHAP. I. Of Feavers in Children in Generall HItherto have been considered External Diseases Internal are either Universal which affect the whole body or perticular which affect some parts A Feaver is an Universal Disease so is the Small Pox and a Consumption which three Diseases will be considered in this Book Although Feavers and their Causes are common to all Ages yet in regard Infancy is most obnoxious to them and hath peculiar considerations in the Cure of them Limiting the strength quality and quantity of the remedy it will not be altogether improper to call Feavers Childrens Feavers Children are subject to Diseases that are accidental and Symptomatical proceeding from other Diseases as in breeding of the Teeth Inflamation of the Gums c. and also to Feavers essentiall and of their own accord and to all sorts of them but especially a Synoche Feaver in regard their bodies are hot and moist their temperament sanguine and their bodies dense by which transpiration of the heat is hindered which increases and produces a Feaver Children may have a Quartan Feaver though their natural temper be contrary to it because 1. Humours partake aswell of the matter as of the Agent and Temperament of the body wherefore as Humours and Excrements of the body do not shew the Temperament for old men are cold and dry of temper yet they abound with Phlegme so do they not only depend on it but on Diet likewise which in Children is very often grosse and unorderly eaten and so Crudities and very thick humours are made 2. If the Mother was elderly and of a Melancholy temper the menstruous blood with which the Child was nourish'd may much alter the temper of the Child 3. A Quartan Feaver is not always made from Melancholy but may be made from any humour that is thick The Internal Causes are the humours of the body The External Causes are chiefly 1. The Air If the Winter be cold and dry and the Spring hot and moist bodies cannot be cooled in the Summer but burn and cause Feavers besides in the Summer Childrens bodies are more thin and spare 2. Unseasonable and immoderate exercise being full or empty 3. Immoderate and ill Diet whence are Crudities Obstructions and Putrefying and so Feavers Presage All Feavers in Children for the most part are not dangerous because the natural Faculty is strong and active in them and can resist powerfully the Causes of Feavers Children sometimes by Feavers have an Hectick Feaver not by the difficulty of the Curing it or the greatnesse of the Feaver but by the morosity of the Child that will not be govern'd The Cure is If the Child suck the Nurse is to be cur'd with such things that alter and purge as the kind of Feaver seems to require It is much doubted how blood is to be lessened in Children that have Feavers Some think that after the Fifth Month Cupping-glasses may be applied and blood drawn out by them Others think not before a year which opinion is most safe because this Age is wont greatly to be overcome by pain and trouble and Cupping glasses are painful but after a year Cupping glasses may be applied but only to sanguine and strong Children And then not to the part above but on the Thighs because the Spirits and strength are not so wasted from those parts as from above And only to the taking away an Ounce of blood and no more Besides these remedies others may be added Inwardly may be taken the Juice of Granates which is highly praised with Oxymel and Citron It may be made thus Take of the Juice of Granates one Ounce of Simple Oxymell half an Ounce you may give the Child a Dram at a time unto half an Ounce but it is better to mixe the lesse quantity of Oxymel because the Childs Nerves are very infirm and Oxymel and all sower things hurt the Nerves wherefore the Syrrup of Maidenhair Syrrup of Red Poppies are good If the Child is bound in his belly you may not use purging Medicaments because the Childs body is hot naturally and is more heated by the Feaver so it is dangerous to add the heat of a purging Medicament wherefore it is better to use a more gentle Clyster or Suppository Take of Whey half a pint of Hony half an Ounce of Salt half a Dram mingle them make a Suppository of Flesh and Hogs grease or the common Suppository for strong Suppositories are dangerous Outward remedies may be used 1. Things very gentle may be applied to the head or Feet to provoke sweat as the Root of a Reed if the Childs body which is Dense be opened by Sweat the heat and putrid vapours will go forth 2. Cloths dipped in Cichory Endive Plantane or Rosewater applied to the Breast Side or Back for cooling The Liver and Stomach ought to be helped in Concoction in all Feavers much more here which is done by cooling and binding remedies applied to them Take of the Oil of Mastick half an Ounce powder of Red Corall Sanders and Red Roses of each two Scruples of Wax a little make an Oyntment of it but if the Child be between seven and fourteen years he must be handled in another manner which shall be set forth in the following Chapter CHAP. II. Of a Synoche Feaver EVery Synoche putrid Feaver in Children is from obstruction made by gross humours in hot moist and sanguine bodies and the putrid matter is in all or the greater veins The Cure of it in a Child between 7. and 14. years will be in removing the obstructions and tempering the Febrish heat which will be done by 1. A convenient Diet let the Air be cold motions of the body and mind avoided if the belly move not use a Clyster or Suppository let the Drink be water or Barly water the Diet sparing only Barly broth or Broth of Meat But because this will be accounted too strict and hard to indulge you may add to the Broth bread and sometimes the Yelk of an Egge but be careful you do not nourish too much because the strength and the Disease are nourish'd together The time of eating let it be as it was when the Child was well 2. Blood-letting Some think that Blood-letting ought not to be before the Child is 14. years old because that which the opening of a Vein ought
of Mastick and Tormentill of each half a Dram mingle them and make a Liniament the senting of the Clothes with Fumes of things that are binding are also convenient If Leannesse arise from the drynesse of the whole body use Bathing with fresh water in which are boyled Mallowes Lettice Water-Lillies or Endive and a Liniament may he made of the Oyl of Roses Violets Butter without Salt and Hogs grease Clysters are also good in these cases made of Milk or Bread boyled in broth or made of Eggs because they may nourish Children being they are next to Generation that is the state which they had in the womb in which they were nourish'd by the Navil without the Concoction and preparation of the Stomach Observe that Plaisters to draw nourishments to the parts are not convenient for Children because their bodies are as Wax and that sort of remedy by the heat of it doth enervate and wast the flesh of Infants If the Child is bewitcht a Saphir or Carbuncle hung about the Childs Neck is conceived good so is Hartsthorn hung in the house and many more which I omit as superstitious or false If the Child doth not suck but is nourish'd with solid Meats then the Cure is by removing 1. The External Cause or the Internal Disease if it be the cause of it caused by proper remedies to it Afterwards by procuring a good Nourishment distributed and assimulated which is done by a convenient Diet. Let the Air be temperate and moist heat hurts and be careful the Child is not Clothed too hot Let the sleep be long the mind quiet the Exercise moderate and that which is slow fatness and swift exercise consumes the Belly moderately loose Baths used seasonably Wine that is thin thick Wine obstructs and is not vehicle for the meat Odoriferous somewhat sweet not sharp but very moderately used The Meat nourishing somewhat fatty Juicy neither salt nor acide unless it be to provoke a Stomach as the Flesh of Fowl Veal c. Eggs the Brains of a Calf or Hog-bread boyled in Broth Rice boyled in Milk Parsnip steep'd in Milk Raisins and Almonds Besides these there are meats that fatten either by a quality 1. Manifest by helping concoction as Spices by being gratefu to the Stomach and increasing the native heat of it as Cinamon Cloves and Nutmegs Take the Pulpe of a boyled Capon and Patridge of each half an Ounce of the Pine Kernell Pistack Nut steep'd in Mallagoe Wine half an Ounce of Sweet Almonds an Ounce Cinamon Clove and Nutmegs of each an Ounce and an half Fine Sugar as much as suffices make Lozenges they are pleasant and fatten much or by apposing and fastning the meat as all Diureticks and Diaphereticks do which opens the wayes and carries the nourishment to the parts So doth Drinking likewise between Meals or by apposing and fastning the meat to the parts by their tenacious and viscid humidity which humidity in hot and drye bodies is to be cold and in cold bodies hot 2. By a Propriety and an occult quality as Sarcocolla now the Indian Nut is in great use the Marrow whereof being finely bruised an Ounce or two or half an Ounce is mix'd with broth Take of sweet Wafers and Sarcocolla of each one pound make a past with Butter and drye them then powder it and use five Ounces in cold water Observe cold water is praised by many and cold meats but this is by a manifest quality and good where Leanesse is by the great heat of the Liver The Third Book Of Inward DISEASES of several parts CHAP. I. Of the Epilepsy or Falling-Sicknesse IN the two precedent Books you have the External and Universal Diseases in this Book you have Inward Diseases belonging to particular parts of the body but in regard Children especially before 7. years of Age have not the use of reason reason being as it were drowned and drunk with moisture and humours which made one say the Souls of Children differ nothing from the Souls of Beasts for whilst we are Infants we all live the Lives of Beast using only the faculties of the Vegetative and Animal Souls therefore the faults of the Actions of the rational faculty as Phrenzy and Madness are not considered by Physicians amongst Childrens Diseases which likewise I omit in this Book The Epilepsy hath several Names I shall only mention three of them here It is called 1. A Childs Disease because Children are most frequently troubled with it by the cold distemper and large moisture of the Brain 2. An holy and divine Disease so divers of the Ancients testifie in their Writings 3. Lunatick 26. Matth. the Lunatick there was the same with this because as one excellently says they who are conceived in the change of the Moon when the Moon is in conjunction with the Sun without Light they have the Falling Sicknesse The Falling Sicknesse is a preternatural involuntary and intermitting contraction and retraction of all the Muscles and Nerves The mediate cause of an Epilepsy by consent is a Vapour raised from the lower parts to the head which some think is but seldome whether it be from fear corrupted Milk in the Stomach Worms breeding of Teeth the Small Pox Meazles or Feavers The immediate Cause of the Falling Sickness when the Brain is primarily affected is a thin humour or vapour because it is made and gone quickly therefore the matter of it must be such as may go away and return quickly which cannot be in a thick humour which must be dissolved by concoction which is done in time and not suddenly which vapour or thin humour by a peculiar vertue doth prick the Membrane of the Brain and part where the Nerves begins causing a Constriction of the passages and exciting the sensible parts to an Expulsion of what is hurtful thence is the shutting out and Retraction of the sensique Spirits and by a defect of them follows a diminution or cessation or abolition of the Actions of the mind and thereby all the parts of the body have a convulsive motion A cold and moist temper of the Body hereditary Disposition and the Nativity being in the Eclipse of the Moon are Dispositions to this Disease The external Causes are 1. Things which administer matter as grosse and vaporous meat as old Pigeons Sparrows Eales c. 2. Things that excite it as Moon-shine the smell of stinking things also great fear and tickling Signs of the coming of it in children are because the Child is born of Parents that have the Falling Sicknesse in those that are elder Pains of neck back heart fears and inordinate motions in the sleep often spitting Signs of the Paroxysme and when it is upon the Child are as 17. Matth. a noise crying out falls in the fire foames out of his mouth and is without sense so was the Child cur'd by Christ in the Chapter aforesaid but that Child was Epileptick and possest with a Devil as one learnedly sayes or as another sayes the
Ounces of it with a little Sugar the Stomach being empty Outwardly are useful the rubbing and compressing the hands being annointed with the Oyl of Scorpions If it help not boyle the Pellitory of the Wall in the Oyl of Rue and make a Plaister and lay it to the parts about the neck of the Bladder or Take a Cruce Glass in which Oyl hath been kept a long time put it in hot water then put the Yard of the Child into the Mouth of the Cruce Glass and it is very effectual CHAP. XVII Of the Stone of the Bladder CHildren are very obnoxious to the Stone of the Bladder and are often troubled with it by their much eating causing much crude humours which stay not in the Reyns but is expelled into the Bladder Female Children are seldome troubled with it because they have the Channel of the Bladder broad straight not contorted and crooked The Stone of the Bladder which is immediately made in the Bladder is more often made in Children then in old men because Children are great Eaters thereby abound with much crude humours which is the matter of the Stone and falls into the Bladder besides Childrens native heat is strong which easily hardens the matter into a Stone old men although they abound with crude and earthy humours because their heat is weak in the Bladder the Stone is not made to which may be added the strength of the expulsive faculty the narrowness of the passage and the tenuity of the humour in Children The Stone which is first made in the Reins is in old men more often then in Children as is proved by experience because old mens expulsive faculty is infirm and the Ureters wide so that the thickest and grosse matter is detained in the Reins and consequently turn then into a Stone The material causes are humours thick petuitous and tenacious the efficient cause is the greatnesse of the heat The immediate internal causes are chiefly the narrownesse and straightnesse of the passage or Channel then the hereditary disposition and propriety from parts and the Milk of the Nurse being bad either from Diet or temper for when the Child doth suck impure Milk if the Child hath large Veins from the Stomach to the Bladder the impure matter is carried to the Bladder where it settles with the Urine as muddy water shak'd together in some Vessell and then resting makes a Sediment in the middle which Sediment of the Urine afterwards is conglobated and made round by Phlegme like a little hill and is hardned as Iron in a Furnace The External Causes are the same as in the Strangury The Signes are 1. Groaning and pain in making water 2. The making water by drops 3. The Blood is often mix'd with the Urine 4. The water is somewhat white crude sometimes with a slimy sometimes with a Sandy Sediment 5. Inflamation of the Bladder 6. Itching of the Preputium and foreskin and frequently scratching of the Privities Prog. The Stone of the Bladder is very dangerous and difficult by reason of the pain and in curing Suppression of the Urine which often happens The Stone if it cannot be cur'd by cutting it is mortal for the most part because the Stone growes in Children so great that as the years increase Nature cannot sustain it The Cure is If the Stone be Small and newly begun by such things that break and diminish the Stone by a quality that is either 1. Manifest as by Goats Blood Restharrow Ceterach Saxifrage the Root of Parsley and Fennell Lapis Spongia Lapis Judaicus the Stone that is found in the Call of an Oxe powdered and drank in White wine or a Decoction of Restharrow Take 2. or 3. drams of Turpentine wash'd and melted and mingle it with two Ounces of the Water of Restharrow it is much commended 2. Or an Occult quality and propriety as the Throat of a Hen burnt and powdered and given in Wine So Eryngoes boyled breaks the Stone by propriety Before the use of these remedies the Child is to be put into a Bath Water for some dayes in which Mallows are boyled that the matter may be somewhat softned and more easily and safe done in Children in Men. CHAP. XVIII Of Costivenesse and being bound in the Belly COstivenesse is a preternatural disposition in Children by which they discharge not the filfth and Ordure of the Body either in a due hour and time or in a due measure The Filth ought every day to be expelled and if much be eaten or that is not nourishing the greater the quality of the Excrements ought to be expelled The Causes are the offending the Guts either not by sending the expulsive faculty to them by a resolution of some Nerve or Muscle by a distemper or obstruction or because Choller is not sent to the Guts by which the Guts are stimulated and excited to an Expulsion Or the Expulsive faculty of the Guts is hurt by some Tumor or Skin or some distemper The Guts are offended also by some Errors within by viscid and thick humors wrapp'd and mix'd with the Filth and so gather the Filth together that they fasten them to the Guts that they cannot go forth or with great difficulty or Externally by the coldness of the Air for it is certain that Costivenesse is more in the Winter than Summer much sleep idleness great Meditations they drye the Belly drink that is thick and binding and sparingly used the same Errors also in meats as also preposterous eating taking first astringent things afterwards liquid and they that are accustomed to dine and omit it are bound in their Bellies The Signs are the Child 's not discharging his Belly every day and complaining and if the Child is somewhat great it is troubled in the head and when the Child empties it self it is with pain groaning If it proceed from a cold distemper the body consumes is pale windy and belching if from gross and viscid humours they will appear in the Filth if from the want of Choller sent to the Guts the Colour of the body will be muddy and the Filth of the Guts white or somewhat Ash-coloured Prog. The Astriction of the Belly in most are dangerous especially in Children which great eaters for which Diseases are generated in them in time and in the Time of breeding of Teeth cause Inflamation Feavers and Convulsions the body being full The Cure is 1. In moving the Belly in sucking Children that the Nurse use meat that loosen the Belly as Mallows Dry Figs Raisins and the Broth of Coleworts and all such meats which can loosen the Belly for as the Milk is made out of Blood and it out of meat so it is not to be doubted that the Milk is affected with such meats as the Nurse eats The remedies that are to be used to the sucking Child ought raiher to be External then Internal The External are Suppositories made out of hard Hony or the roots of Mallowes Garlick roasted in Ashes and put
Tumor of the Head caused by the Collection of Waterish humours in some part of the Members constituting the head The immediate cause is either 1. A Wind which is seldome in regard of the rarity and purosity of the head which appears by the hairiness of it and the Thumes and Tenuity of the Wind made of a very thin humour and so easily dissolved and dissipated 2. Thin and Waterish humour which is sometimes thick and coloured by the mixture of the Ichor of other humours with it This humour is collected more often in the Womb then out of it and in the head then other parts because 1. Of the great moisture of the Brain 2. The plenty of Vapours which ascend to the head and by its coldness turne into Water 3. It being the seat of Waterish humors for the Head is placed over the Belly as the Head of a Still over the body of it 4. The Density of the Skull which retains the Vapours The Signes by which this Disease is known relate to the Cause or Place If Wind be the Cause the head lightly struck will sound like a Drum and the Tumor prest by a Finger yeilds to it and leaves a Dent which presently fills up again If an humour be the cause and not within the Skull the Tumor is soft clear if prest it slowly returns to its former fulnesse the Colour of the Skin is unchang'd and there is crying and want of sleep If the humour be within the Skull the Infant hath an heaviness of the head cryes and cannot sleep and in those of elder years the eyes are prominent and stand out weeping and can hardly be shut and sometimes the fancy is hurt The Presage If the Tumor is within the Skull some think it incureable others think it cureable by Cauteries and by Diaphoreticks If it is on the outside of the Skull it is dangerous because of the Dignity of the Head and the tenderness of it in an Infant for every Disease of the head is dangerous especially in an Infant whose tenderness cannot endure a Disease or Remedy and if the humor should move inwardly there is great danger of a Lethargy or Apoplexy The Cure is by discussing and extenuating the wind and evacuating the humour insensibly or sensibly by purging or manual Operation for the doing whereof a convenient Diet is necessary which ought to be directed to the Nurse if the Child suck otherwise to the Child Wherefore let the Air be hot and dry where the Nurse and Child is kept if it be not so naturally by the season of the year prepare it so by good fires and fumes of sweet and hot woods If the Child suck let the Nurse watch much and if it is wean'd let it sleep lesse then if it was sound because watching doth much dry the body as sleep softens it Moderate Exercise and a soluble belly is very convenient which if need let it be help'd by a Suppository made of Hony The Nurse and Child both are to abstain from Wine and in the place of it a Drink is to be made of Water with Coriander seed prepared and Anniseed let the Meat be such as discusses and breaks wind and dissipates humours wherefore let the Bread have a little Coriander seed in it and the Flesh be rather of Wild Fowl and roasted rather then boyled a Moderate use of spice is profitable and Coriander canded with Sugar All Herbs and Waterish Fruits are to be avoided If the Nurse be sound avoid purging her lest you hurt the Milk if she be unsound purge her as the quality and nature of the humour require External Remedies only belong to an Infant for Purges and other Remedies are to be used to the Nurse and very carefully least they hurt wherefore this Fomentation will be convenient Take of Pennyroyal Maryroom Savory of each an handful Cumminseed and Aniseed of each an Ounce boyl them together in a pint and an half of Water to a Pint in which wet a Spunge and apply it to the head afterwards anoint the head with the Oyl of Cammomile salted if this prevails not the Oyl of Anniseed may be added and to the two Oyles without the Salt you may add a little of the Powder of Anniseed and Fennel-seed It will be convenient for the Nurse to use the following Electuary which will make the Milk discusse wind Take the Conserve of Bettony and of Rosemary of each an Ounce the Powder of Coriander and Anniseed of each an Ounce mixe them and take Morning and Evening half an Ounce In a Child of some years that can endure Medicaments Purge the Child first gently with two Ounces of the Hony of roses solutive mixe it with a little Broath Afterwards prepare the humour thus Take of Mugwort Savory Staccados Celandine of each half an handful boyl them in a pint and half of water to a Pint. Take two or three Ounces of the said Decoction of the simple Hony of Roses of the Syrrup of Staccados of each half an Ounce mingle them and give it the Child 3. or 4. days together then purge the humours so prepared Take of the Pills called Pillula Aurea one Dram and a half of Castor two Grains of the Root of Ireos finely powdred half a Dram mingle them with the Hony of the Syrrup of Roses solutive and make thereof for one Doss or quantity to be taken at once five little Pills If the Child refuse Pills Take an Ounce of the root of Ireos of Raisins of the Sun half an Ounce the Seeds of Fennel and Coriander of each half a Dram boyl them according to Art Take of the Decoction an Ounce and a half of the Trochische of Agarick two Drams infuse them all Night then strain them strongly and add an Ounce and an half of the Hony of Roses solutive After sufficient Purging the use of the Electuary directed before for the Nurse and the External Remedies will be convenient to which may be added this following Lixivium Take of Figtree-wood two pound of Salt or common water twenty pints make of it a Lye according to Art when it is strained add to it Coriander-seeds and Anniseeds of each a Pugill of Bran one Pugill the Leaves of Penny-royal Maryroom and Mugworth one handful and an half boyl them away to a fourth part then strain and use them In the same manner you may prepare a Lye of Brimstone beaten and applied to the head with a drye woollen Cloth it dries the head very much stronger driers are dangerous There may be made Plaisters of the aforesaid Herbs being boyled and bruised to the form of a Plaister and laid upon the head a Plaister made of Snails bruised and applied to the head untill they fall of themselves is an approved of remedy The following Ointment doth very much discusse the water or wind in the head Take of the Oyl of Ireos and Cammomile of each two Ounces of the Powder of Sulphur and Ireos of each two
the Filth and slimy humour from it which is requisite also to be done 2. Retaining it in its place after it is put into it which is done by astringent remedies which ought not to be very strong because they exasperate cause pain and want of sleep to which use serves Terra Lemnia Sanguis Draconis Frankinsence and Cerusse which are to be sprinkled upon the part apply to the Fundament a Spunge dipp'd in an Astringent Decoction of Sanicle Herb-robert Acornes or Leaves of Oake or the greater Comfrey CHAP. IX Of the Galling of Children THe Galling of Children are certain Ulcers in the Skin or Excoriations which happen to Children between the Thighes sometimes they are in the Feet Lips and between the Thighes in those of elder years The Cause is 1. External sharp Urine especially in fat Children sharp and cholerick Filth of the Belly and Foulness of Cloaths walking rough Cloathing and violent motion drawing the sharp humours to the Skin or exasperating the humours in the Skin 2. Internal and immediate a sharp and corroding humour which is either generated in the part exulcerated or it flowes from the body into those parts 3. Antecedent the fault of the Milk if the Child suck In elder ones an ill Diet especially meats that are hot sweet salt or corroding The Signs are obvious because the part is red and pain'd especially if it be touch'd and rubb'd Presage If they are neglected they turn into ill Ulcers and are dangerous otherwise they are easie to cure The Cure is if the Child suck let the Nurse use a good Diet and abstain from Motion Watching Anger Wine and all meats that are sharp salt and corroding If she be of an unhealthy blood let her purge The Child is also to be often wash'd and clens'd from his filth and excrements and his Cloathes are to be clean and not hard If the Child doth not suck the like Diet is to be used as is advised for the Nurse and the same remedies for preparing and purging of the humours and outwardly to be applied are convenient which are advised in the Fourth Chapter to which I refer you To them may be added Dear-Suet or the Suet of a Goat Take a Turnip make a Hole in it then fill it with the Oyl of Roses and Roast it of which make a Liniament CHAP. X. Of Chilblanes and Kybes CHilblanes usually follow Tumours and Swellings and the matter of it is dry sharp and corroding and makes an Ulcer which for the most part is dry and no matter or humour issues of it It happens to Children chiefly because they lesse feel the cold and defend themselves against it and so are most frequently hurt with the cold It happens to he hands and Feet and not other parts of the body because 1. The hands and feet are farthest from the fountain of heat the heart 2. They are without Flesh and have no defence from outward injuries and do abound with Nerves and Bones whereby we have great pain and are more cold in these parts then in other parts insomuch that these parts many times corrupt and putrefie with cold by what is said Chilblanes may be defined A dry Ulcer in the hands and feet chiefly in Infants The Cause is cold or shoes that hurt being too straight rough or hard The Signs are An Inflamation more or lesse sometimes Pustules afterwards exulcerations a little pain but the Itching greater a purulent Ichor comes from it that seems to be like ripened or thin matter The Presage It is not dangerous if it be not neglected if it be a Mortification of the Feet may happen and so Death The Cure is in 1. Preservation from it wherefore avoid straight and hard shoes defend your feet from the cold Air and rub your feet with salt and hony mingled which is good in the begining when the swelling only appears so is the washing your feet with salt water or with a Decoction of Betes And when there is only a Swelling these are good as Turnips boyled and applied in the manner of a Plaister Bran boyled in Wine Take of the Gumme Ammoniacum one Dram of Resin two Drams dissolve them over the fire add thereto six Drams of Common Oyl of Wax half a Dram let the Wax be dissolved then add Flower of Fengreek Frankinsence and Mastick of each two Drams mingle them 2. In curing the Ulcer Aloes alone or mix'd with sweet wine cures it being laid to it if the Ulcer be sordid clense it with the Ointment called the Ointment of the Apostles when it is clensed that no filth is left then skin it with the Plaster called Diapalma CHAP. XI Of the Scab THE Scab is a Swelling with a distemper and exulceration of the Skin The Cause is a corrupted blood mixt with salt Phlegme and burnt Choler either generated in the womb of the Mother by the menstruous blood or after the Child is born by the corruption of milk or fault of Diet by which the Liver chiefly is intemperately hot or the blood is corrupted by contagion which being expell'd to the Skin there sticks exulcerates it and makes it sore The Signs are manifest and are in the Definition The Cure is in 1. A convenient Diet the meat ought to be boyled not roasted of an easie Disgestion not salt hot or having ill qualities unclenliness and unseasonable exercise are to be avoided 2. Tempering and purging the humors as in the fourth Chapter 3. By provocation of Sweat with a Decoction of Scabius Harts-horn Fumitory and Cardus benedictus 4. External Remedies which gently clense and drye Quicksilver is much commended but it is only convenient if the Scab be contumacious and in the oldest Children Unguentum Enulatum is profitable but be careful it be without Mercury Take of the Oyl of Roses four Ounces live Brimstone one Ounce the Juice of Limons two Ounces the Resine of Pine-tree one Ounce mixe them and make an Oyntment of them Take of Turpentine four Ounces wash'd in-Rose-water the Juice of four Oranges the Yelks of four Eggs and an Ounce of the Oyl of Roses mingle them all and make an Ointment of them which is excellently good if the Scab be old and dry Elecampane powdered and with Hogs grease made into an Oyntment is highly praised so is Brimstone finely powdered and annointed with Milk Also Garlick beaten very smal and mix'd with Hogs grease is very good CHAP. XII Of the Itch. THe Itch is a pain exciting a desire of Scratching without the unevennesse or exulceration of the Skin The Itch is sometimes in the whole body but most frequently in the Soles of the Feet by reason of the hardnesse and thicknesse of the Skin hindering the humours to evaporate The Cause is Choller or salt or thin Phlegme thereby insinuating it self into the smallest pars but it is viscid and clammy that it may adhere and cleave tenaciously to the parts It is caused in the Womb of the Mother by the Menstruous blood or
Teeth and also for Speech and Sucking so that they being chopt they cause pain and hinder Sucking This Disease is a certain Division of the Lips with Pustules and breakings out and sometimes without them The immediate cause is a salt sharp and cholerick humour or sharp biting and exulcerating vapours proceeding chiefly from the whole body as in Feavers many times from the Head Stomach Lungs or other principal part of the Body These humours and vapours produce the Cleavings and Ulcers of the Lips chiefly in Children because of the frequent motions of the skin which draws them to the mouth and in regard of the tenderness of them which makes them apt to receive The External Causes are the use of hot things hardness of Dugs kisses of many people but chiefly an intemperate Air in heat and cold but most frequently the coldness and driness of the Air for though Lips may be so dried by the Air that they may exulcerate yet not so frequent as from the coldness and driness of it because heat cleaves and divides that which is moist by consuming the moisture Cold by compressing and repelling and it is easier to repell and press moisture out of a thing then to consume it especially in soft parts to which humours continually flowe as it is in the Lips The Signs are manifest as little Ulcers and pains in the Lips there is also pain Itching and crying of Children If a Vapour is the Cause then the Child hath an Inflamation or a great Feaver If humours then there is Catarrhs and Distillations and the Ulcers are moist and an humour passeth out of them The Presage is this Disease is not mortall unless malignant Ulcers are made by Unskilfulnesse Ulcers made in a Feaver or afterwards are a sign of Health for they shew the humours generating a Feaver are dissipated and dissolved The Cure is if the Choppings of the Lips proceed from an internal cause a gentle purge is convenient and Diet that corrects the humours If from the Sharpnesse of the Milk let the Nurse use cooling Diet and things correcting the Milk If from the hardness of the Nibble soften it Medicaments for the Childs Lips are Oyl of Roses with the white of an Egge Oyl of Eggs Oyl of Wax which is most excellent Ointment of Roses of Cerusse Camphorer Pomatum Take an equal quantity of Turpentine Hony and Goose-grease mix them to which you may add half an Ounce of Cerusse or Litheridge more or lesse as you would have it drye If there be extraordinary pain you may mixe a grain or two of Opium with a little of the Nurses milk You need not fear here the use of Opium because it is only used outwardly CHAP. VI. Of the Inflamation of the Navill THe Inflamation of the Navil is an hard and hot Tumor with pain and Pulsation It is caused in Children presently after the cutting of the Navil-string which paining the Navil the blood is drawn thither and there heats and so makes this Inflamation The Signs are hardnesse swelling rednesse heat pulsation and a Feaver The Cure is 1. Let the Nurse use a Diet that is cold and moist 2. Then use such things as may asswage the pain and repell the humours as the Oyl of Roses the white Oyntment or the Oyntment of Poppies these are to be used untill the beginning of the Inflamation is past then use the Oyl of Cammomile and the Oyl of Roses and the more distance there is from the beginning the more use Discutients but have a care of strong Discutients as the Oyl of Anniseeds or Cammomile Lumbricated 3. Suppuration and ripening it which is to be avoided if you can help it Bread or Mallowes boyled in Milk ripen gently such as ripen more vehemently are painful and torment the Child CHAP. VII Of a Rupture and Broken Belly A Rupture is a falling down of the Guts from their place The Cause is the breaking or relaxing the Inner rine of the Belly that joyns to the Caul the latter cause is most frequent in Children in regard of their Moisture The External Causes are vehement motion extraordinary Crying holding of the Breath abundance of Wind and a strong Endevour of disburthening the Belly The Signs of the Causes are thus If the Peritonation be broken the Tumor was caused and increased suddenly and the Gut descends to the bottome but if it be relax'd the Tumor grew by degrees neither doth the Gut descend to the bottome The Cure is by 1. Putting the Gut up into the belly if it hath wind in it which is known by the noyse and sending wind out of it then use Discutients anoint it with the Isle of Cammomile or Anniseeds if it hath its ordure hardned in it soften it by Poultesses Clysters and Bathings if it hath Phlegme in it evacuate it by degrees with Clysters and Suppositories and use things that are hot and dry and attenuating 2. The keeping it in its place after it is put into it that it fall down no more which is done by a Trusse and inward and outward Medicaments The Internal are the Powder of Mouse-eare used at Meals taken in Water Rupterwort taken from the New of the Moon to the full Decoctions of great Comfrey St. Johnswort and Saniclé The internal Medicaments profit little but the External are more certain and the only hope is in them The Seed of Ameos with the white of an Egge is highly praised The Emplasters called Emplastrum ad Herviam and Emplastrum Caesaris will serve in the place of all other Medicaments 3. In cutting it if it be not cur'd by the Medicaments above which is easie and without danger CHAP. VIII Of the Falling of the Fundament THe falling of the Fundament is a going forth of the right and streight Gut called the Pudding Gut with the Sphyncter Muscle The Cause is 1. A weakness of the Muscle by coldness of the humours or outwardly as when Children sit on Stoves or by a loosness of the Belly 2. A great Endevour and striving in disburthening the Belly 3. A great irritation and frequent desire of emptying the belly which comes from a Dysentery or Tenesme The Signs are manifest to sight The Presage This Disease is hard to cure because all Diseases of the Fundament are very difficult to cure because 1. The part is very sensible and cannot endure sharp Medicaments 2. The passing of the Filth which if it be hard it exasperates the part 3. Medicaments are not easily applied to this part nor are kept long enough by the passing of the Filth 4. The Place is hot and moist which requires remedies that are cooling and drying which irritate and exasperate and therefore scarcely endur'd That which is without an Inflamation not inveterate but new is more easily cur'd The Cure is 1. By putting it into its place which is done by a gentle hand if it be swell'd bath it with a Decoction of Mallowes before you put it up which will likewise cleanse
to do nature doth it of its own accord which consumes daily much of the Childs substance by insensible transpiration therefore it needs not evacuation lest the strength be dejected Others are for Blood-letting because if a Child can endure a disease from fulnesse why not the remedy which is Blood-letting otherwise as often as a Disease begins with the imbecility of strength especially which happens out of a natural dissipation and resolution so often will that Disease be certain and necessarily mortal Besides they which are against Blood-letting allow purges which are contrary to nature and is worse then Blood-letting moreover they bring notable examples for it as Avenzoar's letting of his son blood at three Months old In this Feaver because evacuating blood is an excellent remedy you may in the place of Blood-letting use Leeches which with ease open a vein and do not wast the Spirits they will be most safely safe applied to the Thighs and also to the Arms Or you may use Cupping-glasses which are not to be used in the upper parts because they draw humours from the whole body to the heart wherefore it is safer to apply them to the Loyns or Hips and then they must be oblonge and a narrow mouth because to draw from profound parts If you apply them to the Thighes they are to have a broad mouth which draws from the parts which are next and remote according to Latitude If the Belly be not loose use a Clyster or Suppository before you use Cupping-glasses or Leeches afterwards endevour to remove obstructions by internal and external remedies that attenuate and deterge without any notable heat Take Barly half a Pugil the Leaves of Hyssop half an handful boyl it according to Art Take of that Decoction two Ounces and an half of Simple Oxymel five Drams mingle it and drink it when you have thus prepared the humours Purge gently Take of Sebestens two Drams of Raisins the Leaves of Hyssop the Flowers of Borrage of each one Pugill make a Decoction according to Art take thereof three Ounces of the Hony of Roses solutive and of Manna of each an Ounce and a half mingle them the Purgative Medicaments may be lessened or increased as the body requires Outwardly things that open obstructions are convenient Such as are gentle as meal of Barly rubb'd upon the Skin Barly-water and a little Oyl of Almonds cool and moisten the Breast and prevent the increase of the heat of the Breast A Bath of fresh Water is very convenient This way may be observed also in a Tertian or Quartan Feaver respect being had to the humour that is faulty CHAP. III. Of the Small Pox and Meazles THE Small Pox is a Disease formerly unknown to the Ancients having neither writ any Book of it nor described it and it is not improbable it had a Beginning in our Northern Countries as it had in the West-Indies in which parts it is said by Historians that in that time in which we were infected by them with the French Pox they took from us the Small Pox and Meazles It is a Disease belonging only to Mankind and not to Beasts not is the Murrain or Leprosie in Hogs the same Disease with it as is supposed by some The Small Pox and Meazles have the same matter cause and Cure but the Meazles are made of the thinner matter and they differ from the Small Pox in that 1. The Meazles have little swellings or that the rising of them can hardly be seen 2. The matter of them is more dry and subtile 3. They trouble and affect the eyes lesse then the Pox. 4. The Small Pox for the most part terminates into an Abscessus and Collection of ripened matter which lasts many days and blemishes the body but the Meazles scarce passeth the seventh day either then they vanish or are almost wasted and leave no deformity The Cause as I conceive is not the Impurity of the maternal blood as by most is supposed because 1. The Small Pox proceeds for the most part from the fault of the Air and Stars 2. The fault of the menstruous blood was ever since the Sin of Eve and therefore this Disease should have been always but before the time of the Arabick Physicians no Author was found that writ of the generation of this Disease or clearly explain it which if they had done they would not have concealed it from us it being a great and dangerous Disease in regard they communicated in their Books small Diseases 3. There is scarce any man but some time or other hath a greivous Disease which makes an Ebullition or boyling of blood and putrefaction until the body is clensed and purified divers ways and so the fault from the menstruous blood would be expelled but it is otherwise for it follows immediately other Diseases and the sanguine man who is most healthy is most troubled It is granted that the seed of a Disease may lye in part of the body for many years but the whole blood infected cannot stay long and resist so many injuries and if as some think the menstruous blood infected should ferment and turn into other ill Diseases as pestilential Feavers then the rest of the time they would be free from this Evill 4. Sanguineous Beasts that have menstruous purgation would have this Disease as Bitches Asses and Mares having the matter of the Disease as menstruous Purgation and the Agent Heat 5. Natures care and wisdome for Preservation in seperating the Excrements from Nourishment in the Womb the excrements are past into the Tunicles in which the Child is wrapt and immediately after it is born it purges by stool plentifully and more then is fit for its bigness which is sometimes bloody black and white and afterwards it hath Sores in the head which purgeth the ill humours contracted in the Womb and though natures care may fail in some it cannot fail in all Nor is the cause of this Disease the fault of the Air as some conceive it to be because 1. This Disease arises from the Pravity of matter 2. The quallity of the Air that produces the great effects that follow the Small Pox would be very strong and powerful and so young men would not be free from it The true cause is a paternal propriety in the blood and Ichors of it boyling by heat which Ichors may be excited in the body divers ways That the Ichors is the matter is seen by the 1. Breaking of it out into the Skin 2. All Synoche Feavers arise out of the boyling of the Ichors of blood which Feaver is always in the Small Pox. 3. They are the Ichors or thin and serosous part of the blood because they are not sharp if they were there would be a concussion of the body and shaking when they are expelled That the Disease is made by the Ichors or thin and serosous and waterish humidity is manifest because the humor that goes forth is not a Pus and thick matter but
an Ichor thin waterish humour and that it is by Ebullition appears in the heat colour and Accidents that happen By this we may resolve our selves 1. That in our dayes scarce any man but hath this Disease because it is hereditary which came first by the fault of the Stars which affected all or almost all and now is propagated As Indians now generate children with long heads which in former Ages they endevoured to make by Art and now is become a natural disposition 2. This Disease is mortal to some and not to others by the abundance and badness of humours and ill constitution of body that the blood and Ichors boyling causes an unquenchable Fire and remedilesse putrefaction besides the badnesse of the Air and errors in the ordering of the person 3. They happen most to Children because they are full of blood and thin waterish humidity and abound with heat being nearest to the principle of Generation besides they are given much Motion 4. They that have most thin and waterish humours have most breakin gs out and the thicker and more tenacious the humours are the worse the marks and deformities are 5. The face is most troubled because of the Ebullition of the blood the vapours ascend to the head and so impetuously that neither the Spirits of the head or face or the Air to which the face is exposed can resist besides the face is moist and rare and apt thereby to receive them 6. The Feet and hands next to the face are chiefly troubled notwithstanding the Skin is hard because of the Sympathy between these parts and the Liver which is seen in a hot Liver by the burning of the hands and feet 7. The Small Pox troubles the eyes more then the Meazles because the matter is thicker and can be lesse resisted and repelled 8. The Small Pox is contagious and infectious by the boyling of the blood which sends vapours at a great distance which enter into other persons and infect them as it is in those that have sore eyes and by the Hereditary Propriety so that consanguineous persons are more easily affected in regard of the Similitude of their temper and for that reason whole Families in a Plague are destroy'd 8. Some have this Disease twice very rarely thrice almost all once because this Hereditary Disposition only disposes and continues as long as the Seminary parts in which it is implanted doth remain which most commonly is consum'd the first time the Blood is inflam'd and set on fire especially the second time when the Blood Ferments 9. Scars and blemishes are left chiefly in the Face Lips and Foreskin because the Skin of them is without Flesh or hath but very little and therefore difficult to heal The mediate causes of the Small Pox are 1. Internall hot and moist temper soft and fat habit of body and tendernesse of Age. Boys are more dispos'd to it then Girles by the disparity of heat in them boys being hotter 2. External hot and moist Air Southern constitution Spring time and an hot and moist region or Contagion or other things that move or corrupt the thin and waterish part of the Blood By what hath been said the Small Pox may be defin'd to be a disease having Pustules in an outward part of the Skin with a continual Feaver by the peculiar Effervessency and Ebullition of the Ichorous Blood excited by the expulsive faculty The Signes that this Disease is Imminent and coming which either immediately accompany the Disease or proceed it are Pain in the Neck and Breast with a heavinesse of the Eyes Itching of the Nose Shortnesse of Breath Suddain trembling and starting Often Sneesing Urine sometimes muddy sometimes sound weepings of the Eyes and tears falling of their own accord from them a continuall Feaver The Signes of the Disease present are manifest being little swellings and spots in the Meazles they are Red and not high in the Small Pox they first appear as the head of an Needle or Pin immediately after they are greater and red and daily increase untill they are ripen'd grow white are made an Ulcers and Soars and are dryed up Presage If the Small Pox and Meazles are White and a few appear without any other accident or if many appear and the Feaver is diminish'd and other accidents and the breathing easie there is no danger If the Small Pox are black or green or if few or many appear and the other accidents are worse and exasperated and the breathing difficult then it is pernitious and Mortall They who dye of the Small Pox dye either with a Sounding an Inflamation with which they are strangled or a looseness of the Belly which destroys the strength of the Child The Cure is in 1. Preserving the inward and outward parts the outward are call'd so because they are seen and they are the Eyes Ears Nose and Mouth The internall are Liver Lungs and chiefly the Guts the eyes are frequently troubled with heat and a tenacious Ichor that Exulcerates them whereby the Children cannot sleep which is helpt by cooling and moderately binding Medicaments as the water of Roses or Plantain mix'd with Sumach Take of the water of Roses and Plantain of each five Ounces Sumach half an Ounce infuse them all night and with a little white of an Egge mix them wet a little Cotten in it and wet the eye often with it if there be pain and Itching take the water of roses and milk and add a little Myrrh to them the scratching of the Eyes are to be avoided If the Ears be pain'd itch and run let them be kept open if the pain be great dip a Spunge in hot water with the Oyle of roses and lay it to the Ear the scratching whereof is very hurtfull The Nose is defended from Ulcers if Roses or Plantain be boil'd in water and the steam taken in at the Nosthrills The Mouth is helpt by this Gargarisme Take of the water of Barly one Pint and an half the leaves of Plantain and Flowers of Roses of each one Dram to which you may adde the Juice of Barbaries or Orange and wash the mouth with it 2. In helping of nature in expelling the humour which is perform'd by 1. Dyet that is convenient The Air is to be temperate or rather somewhat hot that the Pores may be opened and the coming forth of the Small Pox promoted therefore let the child be kept in a close room that the cold Air by no means may come in by the opposition of the Air many Children have dyed with a Benigne and gentle Small Pox the matter of the Disease being repercuss'd to the interior Parts let a red cloth be laid next the Skin which is conceiv'd by divers to be helpfull by a similitude it hath with the boyling Blood Be carefull your cloathing be not too much lest the Child be Smothered and Swound and so provide that the outward Parts are rather hot then cold but that neither the heat of the Air
Scabs drye not of themselves fast enough use Aloes Litharidge Cerusse and Sanders and wash them in salt water in which Plantain Roses or some other drying thing is that may take away the acrimony of the Salt If they do not ripen fast enough boil Figs and Mallowes together and dip a Cloth in it and touch them often with it being warm it mitigates pain and ripens them In the end of the Disease the Scabs sometimes turn into Ulcers which are cur'd with the Ointment of Litharidge and Cerusse and an ill colour is left which is taken away thus Take of Lupine Barly and Beans of each two Drams bruise them and boil them in a convenient quantity of water until it is thick and with it wash morning and evening the Childs hands and face until the Scales fall off The Scars and holes left by the Pox is hardly cureable the fat of a man and the Oil of Egs is very much commended Chap. IV. Of the Consumption A Consumption is called Leanness Gracility and Tenuity If it be considered as an habit and a certain durable and permanent state of the body and as hurting the Actions of the body it is a Disease if as it depends on a vitiated Nutrition and as a simple Disposition then it is rather to be called a Symptome and an effect of a Disease A Consumption is an Extabescency and Exiccation of the whole body arising from a want of nourishing of the body The Subject is the whole body the harder part whereof may be dried and diminish'd the Veins and Nerves may be so extenuated that they may seem to be much lesse that a great vein may seem to be a little vein c. but these parts cannot be so lessened as that the whole body should decrease wherefore the whole body is said to be extenuated in respect of the more soft parts as the fat and flesh the fat is first consumed because it is caused by cold and whatsoever is concreted by cold unlesse it be vehement is easily dissolved by heat Moreover fat hath scarce any other use but to preserve the natural heat After the fat the flesh is consumed which is as a bond of the Constitution of mans Body but not necessary to Life but the seminary parts as Veins Nerves Arteries c. are the foundation of Life and cannot be consumed with the preservation of Life as the flesh can be which is not necessary for Life and it is of three sorts 1. Musculous which consists of Veins Membranes and Arteries 2. Glandulous as that of the Breast anp Testicles 3. Pure Flesh as that which is between the Teeth and in the top of the Yard These three sorts of Flesh consume in this order First the the Musculous Flesh. Secondly the Glandulous and last of all the pure flesh The immediate cause of this Disease is the frustration of nourishing either by the fault 1. of the Aliment being deficient and too little or vitious that it is not assimilated or attracted by the parts of the Body 2. or fault of the Nutritive faculty when the naturall heat and radicall moisture is Defective The nourishment and food is too little when the appetite in the Stomach and other parts is wanting as in an Universal weaknesse or when it is not distributed the Meseraick Veins by their drynesse are often so shut and close that the Chile cannot passe from the Stomach into the rest of the Body and so the parts are extenuated So likewise as often as the meat is prepar'd and sent another way there is Leannesse as in Vomiting and Fluxes so it is by worms consuming the nourishment that ought to be turned into flesh The Blood is faulty cause of Leanness when it is too Melancholical for where the Spleen flourishes the rest of the body growes Lean and where the rest of the body consumes the Spleen growes So likewise when the Blood is too Cholerick for then it is offensive to nature for no blood can be turn'd into the substance of the body that hath Choler mixt with it or if it be waterish whereby bodies also consume as in Dropsies so likewise if the blood be Salt leannesse is caused for Salt things are Earthy Dry and contrary to nourishment and dry the body and is not assimilated and therefore consume and extenuate directly and naturally by accident Salt may conduce to nourishment by exciting an Appetite and distributing the Food but naturally it is contrary to nourishment insomuch that some have Writ that Fishes are not nourish'd with Water or Juyces that are Salt but with sweet things or other things that are found in the Sea Nourishment is also hindered by the fault or distemper of the Part that should assimilate the nourishment when it is too dry so it happens to old walls to which Lime cannot be agglutinated by reason of the great drynesse of it Moreover Leanness is also made by causes that dissolve the fat and flesh as great Feavers do but in Children it is caused for the most part by the defect of nourishment being either too little or vitious and unusefull proceeding from the fault of the milk wherefore it is that Children by one Nurse fattens and consume by another or Worms destroying their nourishment and sometimes by a distemper of some principall part as the Stomach Liver or Heart and it is observ'd that an old and contumations and native consumption cannot be without the Liver be affected and the temperament dry but that which is new may be from any one of the causes aforesaid The external causes of a Consumption are a hot or dry Air hence it is that most Aethiopians are lean and most men consume in Summer Watching and Care consumes a Body and as it were eats it Meditation Grief Study Immoderate Venery natural Bathes that drye Scarcity of Food and feeding once a day consume men and Children of which quality are sharp things It is also conceived that Children by reason of the softnesse and tendernesse of their body grow lean and consume by Fascination proceeding from their touching unhealthy bodies or the unwholsome vapours out of the Eyes or Mouthes of Women not well which truely is not Fascination for Witchcraft is rather the work of the Devil then by any proper power of the Sages The Signs of a Consumption are manifest for the Flesh and Fat are visibly consum'd the face like one that is dead and the figure of the whole hody deprav'd If it is from a cause that melts and dissolves the Fat and Flesh there was or is a violent Feaver If from want of food it is known in elder Children by their not taking what is necessary in Sucking Children by the Flagginess and Emptiness of the Nurses Breast the ill dyet of Nurses the Child pisses little and doth not wet his Cloaths cryes and Sucks eagerly If the want of food is the cause because nourishment goes into other parts it is known by the loosness of the Belly
Wine that is hot A long use of Mithridate with a Decoction of Paeony cures any Epilepsy as some think so doth a little fine Mosche given twice or thrice a day Take of the Oyle of Amber the Spirit of Vitriol of each two or three Graynes with the water of Betony and it presently frees the Child from the Fit CHAP. II. Of Convulsion CHildren often fall into a Convulsion by the weakness of the Nerves plentiful use of thick Milk Crudities and by breeding of Teeth The matter of it is the same as is in the Falling Sicknesse and it is very like to it so that an Eminent Physician said a Convulsion was an Epilepsie of a part and an Epilepsy a Convulsion of the whole body both being a Contraction of the Muscles but they differ one from another because in an Epilepsy the Internal and External senses are hurt but in a Convulsion the Brain is not so affected and the sense is not lost in the Epilepsy the matter in the Muscles is quickly discuss'd in the Convulsion not which is only also a contraction of the part but the Epilepsy is a Convulsion of the whole body A Convulsion is a preternatural Contraction of one or many parts of the body If it be a Contraction of the Anteriour parts of the Neck towards it is called Emprostonos or a Contraction of the parts before us If the hinder parts Opistotonos if both the hinder and anterior parts are contracted it is called Tetanos The Cause of a Convulsion by consent is when the knawing or pricking of the Mouth or Stomach or any other part hurts the beginning of the Nerves The Cause of an essential Convulsion is either repletion or exiccation for as strings fil'd with too much humour or are too much dryed they are contracted and break so it is with the Nerves if they imbibe too much humor they grow broader and shorter and so contract and if to drye they shrink up Repletion is from a Phlegmatick humour the exiccation and dryness is from a great peculiar Feaver which doth not universally dry the whole body but wast the Nerves more then the flesh and that violently So that though a Hectick Feaver doth very much drye the body yet it produces no Convulsion in regard the dryness is made leisurely and easily in all parts so that the Nerves are not dryed with any great vehemence Some saye that this dryness proceeds from any immoderate evacuation or things that vehemently heat and dry The External Causes are a moist Air wherefore Children have the Convulsion most often in the full of the Moon the Air being the most moist hurting the Nerves of the Child Watching Fear which making the Spirits retire the Nerves are contracted Bathes Costiveness and binding of the Belly Drinking of strong Wine Milk plentifully taken or thick crying the ill Diet of the Nurse and from other parts Signs are manifest if it be made by consent it is in a moment if by essence it is always if from repletion it is made suddenly and in a small time if by dryness and inanition it is caused by degrees and in a longer time Prog. The Convulsion that begins from the back is mortal 2. Children â—hat have the Convulsion perish for the most part before the seventh day from their Nativity 3. Convulsions in Children are more easily cur'd then in men because their humidity is Airy and is easily overcome 4. Convulsions from a perfect and consummated drynesse is incureable but that which is not from a perfect dryness is cureable which as the dryness is more or lesse is easier or with more difficulty The Cure of a Convulsion from repletion and moisture is the same as in an Epilepsy The Members and parts contracted are to be restored gently by hands to its straightnesse then annoint and rub the part with a convenient Oyl as of Lillies or Cammomile The Syrrup of Betony and Staecados with the Spirit of Black Cherries may be used Carduus Water is very good If the Convulsion is from drynesse the Cure is by moistning of the body by Diet and Medicaments a Bath that is hot and moist is convenient and annointing the part with the Oyle of sweet Almonds sweet Butter and such things that soften and moisten CHAP. III. Of a Palsy IN the two preceeding Chapters were considered the depravation of Motion in this place the Abolition and diminution of motion will be discoursed of not abolition of the whole body for Children are never troubled with a universal Palsy and privation of sense and motion in the whole body which is called an Appoplexy appears by experience and observation and Apoplexies are made for the most part from 40. years to 60. Although Children have often the Falling Sicknesse which hath the same matter and part affected as the Apoplexy and differs from an Apoplexy because it is a Privation of motion and an Epilepsy the Depravation Nevertheless a Child is not troubled with the Apoplexy not because it proceeds from a Melancholy humour as some think which a Child hath not which is untrue for a Child may have a Quartan Ague which is caused by Melancholy as you may see in the Chapter of Feavers but because the matter in the Epilepsy is not so thick as that which makes the Apoplexy being only Phlegme besides the Phlegme of Children is Airy and flatulent Moreover the expulsive faculty of the Brain is strong in Children so that it more effectually expells the humour that it stop not the Ventricles of the Brain which happens not in those Ages in which the humour is thick and lesse flatulent and the expulsive faculty more weak A Numness and Palsy is a distemper of the same kind and differ only in degree for a Numness is but as it were an imperfect Palsy and a Palsy is as it were a certain great Numness The cause is a pituitous humour which by coldness moistness thickens obstructs the Nerves that they cannot receive the animal Spirits or Influence of thea nimal faculty as this obstruction and condensation of the nerves and ways of the faculties is more or lesse so it makes numnesse or weak motion or want of motion In a Palsy there is no motion because the wayes of the faculties are totally stopt in a numnesse they are not stopt completely therefore the faculty operates and there is a weak motion The external causes are compressions by falls blowes binding tumours or other causes which can compresse and condensate the nerves that a free ingresse of the faculty is hindered Signs if a part is affected with the Palsy it cannot move and is called the Dead Palsy if with numnesse the party can move but weakly and with difficulty If the Disease be in the Spinalis medulla the Arms and all the inferiour parts are hurt if the right part of it is affected all the parts on the right side if the left the left parts If in the Osse sacro the parts above it are
Ear are very nerveous Note the outward part of the ear is fleshy and cartilaginous The humidities of the ears are reckoned amongst Childrens Diseases by some but not the humidities of the Nose or Palate because the Expurgation by the Nose and Palate is natural to men and Children but the expurgation by the Ears is not natural The Cause of it is the great humidity of the Brain which cannot be all evacuated by the Mouth and Palate so that excrementitious humours which abound are evacuated by all Passages wherefore many will not drye up this humidity unlesse it ulcerate or threaten obstruction or deafnesse The Cause of the pain in the ear are the humours especially Choller Ichorous matter Wind or Worms Prog. The Pain of the Ear is very dangerous The Cure is 1. The mitigation of the Pain with luke warm milk or Water and the Oyl of Roses mix'd and a Cloth dipp'd in it and laid upon the Ear a Decoction of the heads of Poppy and as the Causes of the Pain are so ought remedies to be for the taking them away If the pain is from hot humours the part is red and hot and cur'd by cold things if from cold by luke-warm things if from Wind the Diet ought to be such as discusses Wind for which purpose Coriander is good for the Nurse to use and that the Child sleep upon the ear which pains him thereby natural heat is augmented and dissipates the Wind the Oyl of Cammomile or Anniseeds poured into the Childs ear is very good if the pain be from an Ichorous matter wipe and clense continually the Ear with Hony or Hony and water if from Worms put into the Ear bitter things that kill the Worms as the Oyl of bitter Almonds See the Chapter of Worms If there be humidity of the Ears and the Child old enough to be purged let him take three dayes this drink Take of the Leaves of Mirtles Bettony Staecados Violets of each half a handful let a Decoction be made according unto Art then take thereof two Ounces and an half of the Syrrup of Wormwood and Staecados of each two drams mingle them afterwards purge the head thus Take of the Pills of Agarick half a dram of Castor one grain two Cloves mingle them and with the Hony of Roses solutive make five little Pills The head being purged for the drying up of the humidity if it be cold infuse into the Ears the Oyle of Irnie or Rue If hot the Oyl of Roses with the Oyl of Cammomile Observe in the use of remedies that they be always lukewarm when you use them neither hot nor cold not in a great quantity but by drops and that the Child lye on the Ear that pains and observe the moisture flowing out of the Ears is not to be stopp'd CHAP. IX Of the inflamation of the Glandules in the mouth call'd the Almonds of the Ears THe Inflamation of these Glandules is reckoned by some amongst Childrens Diseases but onely in Children after breeding of Teeth Others say this Disease may be in Infants but in them it would then be very mortall by the plentifull flowing of humours which often strangles If the Gums are inflamed in Infants and the Glandules ulcerated before breeding of Teeth why may they not be inflamed what should hinder that an infant may not have this disease sometime and not be choak'd as I conceive The inflamation of these Glandules is an Intumescency of them made by a flux of humours The internal cause are all the humours especially Phlegm The external causes are a hot or extreme cold Air violent exercises hanging down the head vociferations strong drink and meat that heat the blood The Signes are if the mouth be opened heat pain rednesse and Swelling near the root of the Tongue difficulty in breathing and swallowing Prog. This Disease usually causes the Quinzey and inflamation of the Lungs and divers other dangerous Diseases 2. If a loosenesse of the belly happen upon this Disease the Flux cures it The Cure is 1. in a good Dyet avoiding any excesse of the air smoak the Sun all exercises of the body vehement motions of the mind especially anger bathing if the belly be bound move it with a gentle Clyster or suppository not by a remedy at the mouth for it is dangerous abstain from wine and use Barly water with the Juyce of Granates and Mulberries and Quinces let the meat be such as may be supt as Barly Broth bread boyled in broth with the Juice of the Seeds of Limmon the Yelks of Eggs in broth with the Juice of Granates 2. In revulsion of the humour by daily rubbing Ligatures especially Cupping-glasses applyed to the Loins and lower parts not the upper parts lest it draw the humor to the part affected 3. Repelling the humour by cooling and astringing remedies as the Sirrup of Mulberry Granate Mirtle with Barly water Rose water Plantain or Oak-bud water and wash the mouth with it to which purpose may be red Roses powdered finely and other astringent powders 3. Dissipating evacuating the humour with remedies that by a moderate heat attenuate and turns the matter into a wind Take the leaves of Dill Flowers of Camomile of each half a handfull of Bran half a Pugill the leaves of Marjarome six Drams of Common water a pint and an half boil it according to Art strain it and add three ounces of clarified Hony gargarize with it being Lukewarm If the matter cannot be discust but it begins to ripen help it with annointing the neck with the Oyle of Almonds or by applying a plaister of Diachilon The ripening of it is helpt inwardly by the roots of Mallowes or Figs boyled and Gargarizing and washing the mouth with it CHAP. X. Of the Sorenesse of the mouth THe Ulcers of the mouth in Children are Ulcers of the Superficies of the mouth that is the whole internal part of the mouth with a fiery heat They are easily caused in Infants by reason of the tendernesse and softnesse of the Palat of Children they being unaccustomed to meat being newly born and by their greedinesse and sucking more then they can digest wherefore it is a great fault in Nurses that whensoever the Child cryes to quiet them with giving the Breast for it is a rule amongst Physicians that milk should not be given not above three or four times in a day The cause is whatsoever is corroding or accrimonious or sharp whether the humours of the body meat or medicaments In Children they are chiefly caused by the sharpnesse and corruption of the Milk whereby ill vapours are sent from the Stomach into the mouth The external causes are whatsoever may heat the head of the Child as the air being hot the use of hot meats immoderate exercises and drinking of strong Wine The Signes are Swallowing with pain and difficulty if they are malignant they for the most part follow ill and pestilentiall Feavers besides they are fetid black or livid causing pain and