Juniper and Bays of each two ounces Brimstone six pound Salt Niter two pound let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in twenty Gallons of Fountain-water till a third part be boiled away Let the sick be well bathed in it as often as strength will permit and let them sit therein as long as they may well bear the same Then let them be rub'd dry and remov'd into a Bed and let the affected parts be well anointed with this or the like fragrant Ointment Take Oil of Earth-worms Ointment of Ointment Orange-flowers Jessamy of each three ounces Oil of Mace by expression one ounce Oil of Juniper Bricks of each two drachms mix it As often as the Body is costive let a Suppository or carminative Clyster be administred to make it soluble Let the weakned parts be fortifi'd with the aforesaid unguent upon which apply a Plaster of Sylvius's carminative Emplaster spread on Leather which you may remove once in twenty four hours using warm frictions to the pained parts and apply the Plaster again and over it you may apply a Fox-skin drest which will keep the parts warm and conduce to the cure which course may be continu'd 'till strength be restor'd to the grieved Limbs CHAP. XI Of the Yellow Iaundice THE Yellow Jaundice is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab avicula quoe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur Icterus quod ea oculos flavi vel aurei coloris habet It is also called Icterus in Latin it being a spreading of a yellowish Colour over the whole body It was the common received opinion of the Ancients that the chief cause of this Disease is an obstruction of the Cystick passage to the small Gut so that Choler is thereby wholly hindred in its natural descent wherefore it doth ascend to the Liver and so to the Bloud with which it is transfer'd to the habit and superficies of the body where it doth shew it self in its colours But it may be manifested from many observations and experiments both Anatomical and Practical that the Jaundice may be produc'd without an obstruction of the passage of Choler Although I suppose that the Jaundice may probably be raised by an obstruction of the Meatus Hepaticus for if there should be a great stoppage in this Vessel by any glutinous or lapidescent matter the Choler that is generated in it may possibly regurgitate there being no Valves to hinder it and thereby become mixed with the Blood by which means it may in a short time be conveyed over the whole Body But if the Meatus Cisticus should be stopped by a small stone c. as I have sometimes seen in dissecting Icterical Patients where I observed that the Excrements were not dyed so yellow as usual yet it is impossible that there should be any regurgitation of Choler to the Liver out of the Gall by reason of the three Valves looking from without inwards which do potently hinder the recourse of it and although the Meatus Hepaticus is without Valves yet seldom in a Jaundice is either that passage or the Ductus Communis obstructed but many times wider as the most ingenious Salmon hath accurately observed Wherefore that we may the better judge Cause I. of the true Cause of this Disease let us first consider that Man's Body abounds with an Animal salt which doth circulate with the Blood through the whole Body so that not onely the internal but superficial parts are replenished therewith 2. Secondly it is the Nature of Volatile and Animal salts to sublime and upon their mixture with other fit Bodies to excite or stir up new appearances of Colours according to the Nature of the Salt for if a solution of Salt of Tartar be mixt with a solution of sublimate in fair Water it gives in a moment a reddish yellowish or orange tawny Colour although both the solutions be as clear as Cristal and with Armoniack salts in proper liquors may be made many Colours to appear From whence we may judge that if the Animal salt of Man's Body become too volatile or be too much sublimed which may be done either by the biting of an enraged Viper or by the power of poyson or from the over heating of the Body by violent exercise or by exceeding sorrow of mind or great passion or by excessive drinking of hot liquors or from burning Feavers whereby the universal Body comes to be inflamed the Spirits vehemently agitated and thereby the Volatile saline Principle to be violently moved out of its Place or Domicil to the Circumference of the Body but meeting with the viscous Juice of the Cutis is there hindred from flying away and being dissolved and mixt with the Cutaneous Humidity it excites the Jaundice whether yellow black or greenish according to the Colour of the Poyson which the Patient hath casually taken or predisposition of the Body to so notable a mutation Hence it is that many who have been in perfect health have been suddenly invaded with this Disease some by the biting of an enraged Viper others by running a race c. who immediately after were all over as yellow as if they were dipt into the Juice of Saffron and yet notwithstanding it could not be judged that the Gall-juice was either affected or disaffected in the least measure for it cannot in reason be supposed that the Venome or Poyson of the Viper should be so particularly directed to the Gall to work such an effect in so short a time as to distribute that viscous heavy Juice so universally over the whole Body much less can any one imagine that either the drinking of strong liquours or any violent exercise c. should any ways so operate upon the cholerick Humour as to volatize it and so immediately disperse it universally over the whole humane Frame for it is impossible that the glutinous Substance of Choler should be dispersed in so short a time to all the superficial Parts of the Body Therefore it is more probable that the volatile Animal salt of the Body being moved and carried out of its Domicil by the extream heat of the internal Parts and violent Motion of the Spirits and being mixt and dissolved with the cutaneous Juice as is before mentioned doth not onely excite the Jaundice but may possibly be the Cause of Purple Spots in the Spotted Feaver as also of many other sudden and great Changes in the Bodies of humane kind The Jaundice invading a Patient in a Fever before the seventh viz. the Critical Progn day is dangerous if it comes upon an Inflamation of the Liver or a Schirrus and the Cure be not hastned a Dropsie Cachexy or deadly pining will in a short time succeed If it be critical upon acute Feavers nature Cure effects the Cure if it be symptomatical the Cure depends upon the Cure of the Disease by which it comes If it be essential from the obstruction of the Meatus Hepaticus the obstruction must be opened If
natural Constitution also all the Functions being in time vitiated For the spinalis medulla being primarily affected all the Nerves which proceed from it in its passage through the spina Dorsi must of necessity be stupifi'd and vitiated with a loose Feebleness hence also all the nervous membranous and fibrous parts through which those Nerves are carried or inserted into must consequently be vitiated with an inward weak Slipperiness so that the very ends of the bones as well as all the Faculties of the Body bear a share in this Distemper When the Rickets is confirm'd in Infants it seems to have some affinity with divers other Diseases viz. a Chronical fever an extenuation or leanness of the Body and an Hydrocephalus and many more which are frequently complicated with this affect And indeed not onely this but most other Observatio Diseases in process of time do unite unto themselves other affects of a different kind and therefore for the most part there is a complication of Chronical diseases before Death The Causes are either external or internal Causes The external may be any of the Non-naturals exceeding either in excess or defect All things cold and moist do powerfully contribute to this Disease especially an over cold and moist Air which is most frequent in the Spring the Air being then cloudy thick rainy and full of vaporous Exhalations Hereupon the Children of those which inhabit near the Banks of the Sea or great Rivers Ponds or Marshes that are obnoxious to too much Rain or are fed with a great Number of Springs are more or less subject to this affect for by the Continuance of such cold and moisture the Bloud and Humours becomes too slippery and therefore in their Circulation they must unavoidably cause a softness and looseness in all the parts Also experience testifieth that those Children which are born and nursed near the Lead-mines in Derby-shire c. are generally affected more or less with a languidness of the Limbs For the Air being infected with noxiousmetalline Exhalations which for the most part fight against the inherent Spirits of the parts by a kind of venemous malignity by which the spirituous pulsificative Force of the external parts is extinguished and the strength of the Limbs and whole Body much weakned and diminish'd Hither we may also refer fine soft Linen applied actually cold and moist being not well dried by reason of the moistness of the weather to the Spine of the Back which is near the Original of the Nerves the use thereof being too long continu'd it cherisheth the Roots of this Disease in that tender Age. Likewise Aliments of any kind which are too moist and cold or too thick viscous and obstructive do manifestly cherish this Distemper And I am induced to believe that Ebriety in English people especially the Gentry and eating of much Flesh and not using frequent labour or exercise may be a reason why this Disease is more common and natural to Children in England than in other Regions perhaps far exceeding it both in cold and moisture as Scotland Holland c. wherein this affect hath not been observ'd to be very common And therefore ebriety and eating of much Flesh and defect of motion and want of exercise doth most frequently and most effectually concur to the production of it because the inherent heat in stupid and sluggish People is not sufficient to resist and expell the superfluous moisture by a due transpiration By which means the Circulation of the Bloud is become slow and lesned and the production of the vital heat very feeble and weak so that nature is thereby forced to permit all the parts of the Body to be affected with a certain softness looseness and internal lubricity more than is meet which do sufficiently evince that this is an efficacious cause and a part of the essence of this Disease Hence we may easily infer that the Children of such Parents are more inclined to this distemper than others who drink moderately and eat less Flesh and are more active and lively The internal Causes are excrementitious Humours luxuriant in the Body especially Phlegm and serous humours retained and vitiated being naturally cold and moist and little spirituous and affected with an internal slipperiness wherefore upon a superfluous accumulation of these humours the production of this affect succeedeth because thereby a Colliquation of the parts and a dissipation of the inherent Spirits will be easily introduced whereby all the parts will afterwards be rendred obnoxious to this cold and moist Distemper Many diseases preceding this affect may be the cause of it especially those which do extenuate and much weaken the Body as all Fevers c. And also all cold and moist phlegmatick and cachochymick Distempers which will induce a stupour and dulness in the affected parts and cause obstructions Also any great Pain Inflammation Tumour Fracture Luxation or any other preternatural affect that hinders the standing and playing of the Child may be some cause of this Disease Presently after the beginning of the Disease Signs a kind of slothfulness and numbness doth invade the Joints and by little and little is increased so that daily they are more and more averse from motion besides in the beginning of this affect there is usually observ'd a certain laxity softness and flaccidity of all the first affected parts after which followeth a great debility languidness and enervation of all the parts subservient to motion so that for the most part they speak before they walk which is vulgarly held to be a bad Omen and if it vehemently increase they do not onely totally lose the use of their Feet but can scarce sit with an erected posture and their weak and feeble Neck can hardly sustain the Burthen of the Head In the progress of the Disease the Head and Face increaseth in bigness but the fleshy parts below the Head are daily more and more worn away There is also observ'd in this affect certain swellings and knotty excrescencies about some of the Joints these are chiefly conspicuous in the Wrists and somewhat less in the Ancles and in the tops of the ribs the Bones in the Armes and Legs and sometimes the Thighs and Shoulder-bones wax crooked the Teeth come forth slowly and with greater trouble than usual and at length the Breast becomes narrow and the Abdomen swollen with an extension of the Hypochondriacal parts which hindreth the free motion of the Diaphragma downwards and by consequence doth somewhat interrupt the breathing so that respiration becomes difficult accompanied with coughing the Pulse being also weak and small and in the increase of the Disease all these signs become more intense and evident and many and more grievous are daily accumulated 1. If this Disease be light and gentle the Progn Children affected therewith may be easily restored to health sometimes by the sole benefit of Age the vital heat being increased and summoned forth to the external parts by
it hath also acquired that Name in which they cannot stir nor call for help though they have a great desire and do strive very much to cry out but are possessed with a panick fear The cause of this distemper is most commonly Cause intemperance in eating and drinking especially in the Night whereby crude halituous Vapours are bred in such plenty that nature cannot disperse nor dissolve them before sleep and therefore they are raised up to the Ventricles of the Brain by which imagination sense and motion are all depraved The giddy motion is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. obscuritas oculorum In Latin 't is called Vertigo ex vertendo quod Caput vertere videtur Vertigo In this disease the Animal spirits are wrong mov'd which makes the sick believe that not onely all things they look on go in a Circuit about but their Head and other parts seem to turn round which many times causeth them to be in danger of falling or tumbling headlong The cause of the giddy motion is either Cause external or internal The external are either an intent looking at any object that turns round or about especially if very remote or a frequent turning about of the Body it self The internal cause is the ascent of flatuous Vapours to the Head together with the spirituous part of the Bloud and carried with the Animal spirits into the passages of the Brain and Cerebellum by which the motion of wheeling about is communicated to the Animal spirits and anon carried to the Cristalline humour of the Eyes by the Optick nerves and so a Giddiness seems to be produc'd For the Cure of these diseases seeing they are the Forerunners of the Apoplexy and Epilepsie I refer you to those excellent Medicines prescrib'd for the Cure of them Let such as are subject to these distempers be very sparing in their diet let them avoid all Herbs Roots and Fruits that are windy and all viscous and gross diet such as is of hard Concoction Let the external Causes be remov'd and the internal causes corrected Sublata causa tollitur effectus CHAP. V. Of the Lethargy Coma Carus and Catalepsie or Catocus THE Lethargy is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est ab oblivione Lethargus inertia Because in this disease the sick is very forgetfull and slothfull In this distemper there is a very great Signs propensity to sleep accompanied with a Symptomatical Fever and sometimes with the Hiccough with difficulty of breathing dulness of the Head and many times a deprivation of the Senses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sopor altus is an insatiable inclination to sleep the sick being called unto Coma. they open their Eyes and answer but presently fall a sleep again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called in Latin crapularis redundantia because it is sometimes caused Carus by surfeiting end drunkenness It is deep and profound sleep whereby imagination sense and motion are all depraved In these there is no Fever in which they differ from the Lethargy Catalepsis vel Detentio is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a with-holding or restraining because in this distemper the mind with the senses and motion are all suddenly surprized so that the sick remain stiff and immoveable in the very same posture in which they were taken with their Eyes open The causes of these diseases are either Causes external or internal The external causes are gross food idleness spirituous wine or any other inebriating liquour taken in excess and sometimes by the Air inspir'd which is defil'd by the Smoak of Coals or other mineral Fumes by which the Air may be infested The internal cause is a Narcotick force mix'd with the Animal spirits bred by degrees in the Body by the frequent use of opiats not well corrected which not onely dulls the mind but causeth a sluggishness of the whole Body for the Animal motion being deprav'd the external as well as internal senses will be thence soon infected and defil'd These diseases are all very dangerous and except they are speedily cur'd they will soon Progn hurry the sick into the Boats of Acheron or devouring Jaws of Death But if a Phrensie cometh immediately after any of them it cureth the Patient with little help of medicine To cure these diseases let the drowsie Animal Cure spirits be stir'd up and rais'd from sleepiness and stupidness by potent external Objects which may sharply move the external senses let the sick be kept in a light room and be often called upon very strongly and let sharp smells be applied to the Nostrils such as Spirit of Salt Armoniack Harts-horn c. Also sharp spices or salts should be put into the mouth and gentle frications us'd with warm Cloaths to those parts that are affected with Numness The Animal spirits may be freed from the Narcotick force mingled with them and likewise slothfulness and sleepiness may be by little and little diminished by the frequent use of sharp volatile Salts and all Medicines endued with an Aromatick biting such as Pepper Cloves Castor Garlick Horse-radish Mustard Scurvigrass c. Of which you may make diversity of Medicines for example Take the Waters of Hedge-mustard Scurvigrass of each two ounces Syrup of the Iulep Juice of Scurvigrass one ounce Tincture of Castor two drachms Oil of Cloves four drops mix it and give the sick two or three spoonfulls every two hours This decoction is also very effectual Take the Roots of Horse-radish the best Decoction China of each two ounces Roots of Galangal half an ounce Scurvigrass Hedge-mustard of each one handfull Cloves one drachm let them be all cleansed bruised and infused in White-wine and Fountain-water of each a quart for the space of a Night very hot the next morning boil it gently for half an hour then strain it and add Syrup of Hedge-mustard Scurvigrass of each three ounces Cinamon-water two ounces mix it Let the sick lying in bed meanly covered take often in a day five or six spoonfulls of this decoction whereby a light sweat may break forth to ease them By the frequent use of these medicines the Animal spirits will not onely be freed from their drowsiness but even the Narcotick force bred in the Body either in the length of time or received in from without may be corrected and by degrees gently educ'd by insensible transpiration So that at length these dangerous distempers may happily be overcome Let Clysters and Suppositories be often administred as need requires Those prescrib'd in page 17 18. in the Cure of the Palsie and Apoplexy are very effectual here If strength and age permit let a vein be opened in either Arm or Foot as you shall see cause for generally Authours consent to it besides Experientia docet Let Ventoses with or without Scarification be applied to the shoulders and hinder part of the Neck And let Sternutatories be
often snuft up into the Nostrils to provoke sneezing Take the Roots of Pellitory of Spain white Sneezing Powder Hellebor of each half a drachm Castor Nutmegs white Pepper of each twenty grains Flowers of Lillies of the Valley one drachm beat them into a fine Powder If the Stomach be foul and the sick incline to vomit give this or the like Take the decoction of Horse-radish two Vomit ounces the infusion of crocus metallorum Oxymel of Squills of each half an ounce Oil of sweet Almonds newly drawn two drachms mix it and give it in the Morning But if the sick had rather take Pills or Potions let the following serve Take Extract Rudii pil foetidoe ex duobus Purging Pills of each half a drachm Powder of Castor twenty grains Oil of Cloves six drops with Syrup of Stoechas make it into Pills for three doses You may give them twice a week in the Morning fasting This purging Infusion is also very effectual Purging Infusion Take of the best Senna Rhubarb Polypodium of each half an ounce Mechoacan Agarick Turkey-Turbith of each three drachms Ginger Anise-seed of each two drachms let them be bruised and infused in eight ounces of Ale very hot for the space of a Night then strain it and add the best Manna Syrup of Roses solutive of each one ounce Spirit of Castor twenty drops mix it for two doses Let the affected parts as the Head c. be bathed with this or the like fomentation Take the Roots of Master-wort Angelica Fomentation Zedoary of each three ounces Bay-berries Juniper-berries of each four ounces Sage Marjoram Rue Rose-mary Betony Flowers of Lavender Melilot Chamomel of each two handfulls let them be all cleansed bruised and boiled in White-wine-vineger and Fountain-water of each three quarts till half of it be boiled away After bathing anoint the hinder part of the Head with this Oil. Take of Oil of Rue Marjoram of each Oil. half an ounce Oil of Amber Rose-mary and Bricks of each two drachms Oil of Bays Euphorbium Castor of each six drachms mix them For Revulsion let the soles of the feet be washed with Salt and Acet Scillitic Vesiccatories may also be applied to the Coronal Suture and behind the Ears or upon the Shoulders Neck Arms Thighs c. Avoid all vaporous and phlegmatick Nourishment CHAP. VI. Of the Phrensie and Madness THE Phrensie is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phrenitis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mens quia mentis morbus The Phrensie is an inflammation of the Brain and Meninges both the dura and pia mater causing an acute continual Fever which remains from the first moment of its invasion to the last of its duration thence a delirium and raving Madness together with great trouble of mind afflicts the sick in a superlative manner Madness is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insanio 't is called in Latin amentia furor insania Mania It is a furious alienation of the mind or a vehement delirium without a Fever in which it differs from the Phrensie I know there are not wanting the works of great Physicians who have written very learnedly of these diseases but omitting the opinion of others I shall in a few words relate that which seems true to me to be the cause of these furious distempers None who are ingenious Searchers of Truth and have weighed accurately with an attentive mind both the fabrick and ways or Vessels of the containing Body and the natural motion of the Bloud and other humours will deny that almost innumerable diseases do arise from the vitious effervescency of over fat Choler the too tart Pancreat juice and over viscous Phlegm flowing together in the small guts for by this vitiated mingling not onely hurtfull humours are produc'd but often wind and halituous Vapours causing much harm to humane Bodies Wherefore I judge when Phlegm is very viscous or otherwise vitious and the juice Cause of the Pancreas too tart and harsh sharp halituous Vapours are thence produc'd elevated from the small guts because of a vitious effervescency there rais'd and thence continually ascending to the Head and with the spirituous Bloud circulate into the Ventricles of the Brain by which the Animal spirits are vitiated and troublesomely mov'd and hindred of natural rest and tranquillity therefore 't is no wonder that the Empty mind of the sick is thereby disturb'd and at length the sick become distracted and mad But if Choler be predominant these vapours become very cholerick and acrimonious which rarifies the Bloud by degrees more and more so that at length the heat and burning Fever in the Heart and thence through the whole Body is encreased by Choler successively over-ruling which causeth the Phrensie No marvel then if heat pain and inflammation and pulsation of the Head do chiefly vex the sick in this grievous distemper seeing no part of the Body hath so many Arteries and receives so much Bloud as the Head wherefore the pulsation of the Temples is felt more troublesome than elsewhere because of the remarkable windings of the Brain through which great Arteries are carried from whence great watchings and at length raving Madness do molest the sick But there still remains something requisite to be set down as the chief cause of these and most other distempers which ought not to be despis'd either by Jew or Gentile seeing we have the word of God for it and that is the crying sins of Mankind continually drawing God's Judgments on them You may reade the 28th Chapter of Deuteronomie where the Prophet Moses enumerates the many diseases with which God would smite the Children of Israel for the wickedness of their doings whereby they had forsaken him And not onely they but we also shall be subject to these grievous distempers and eternal destruction also if we do not turn to the Lord by unfeigned repentance except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish saith our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ in Luke 13. 3. Verse Those poor creatures who have been miserably afflicted with these furious diseases and happily recovered can tell by sad experience that they have been many times hurried almost to desperation by the cunning wiles and temptations of Satan which hath prevail'd on many to lay violent hands on themselves from which let us pray libera nos Domine 1. The Phrensie is a most acute and dangerous Progn disease insomuch that it ends most commonly in seven days for in that time it either terminates by the recovery of the sick or else they go over the threshold of the other world 2. If the Phrenetical party hath a Crisis either by sweating bleeding at the nose or Haemorrhoids c. or a tumour appear behind the Ears there is hopes of recovery but if the sick gnash with his teeth and his Excrement and Urine be whitish and no Crisis appear 't is
with those intermitting having some fits and again remissions so that they are not intermitting but still remain continual These fits come sometimes every day sometimes the third and sometimes the fourth day whence it may deservedly be nam'd either a Quotidian Tertian or Quartan continual Fever These Fevers upon the account of their divers causes may not unfitly be distinguish'd into Cholerick and Lymphatick Fevers And because under the general name of Lympha we do not onely comprehend that Lympha which goes from the conglobated Glandules and other parts to the Heart but also the Juice of the Pancreas and Spittle it self proceeding from the conglomerated Glandules and also the Liquour that ariseth from the three-fold sway of the Guts all mixt together with Lympha and the bloud in circulating with it Hence may Lymphatick fevers be subdivided into glandular pancreatick and salivary Fevers All these Fevers may differ something according to the divers Constitution of other humours together being in the Body But I shall wave the nice descriptions and differences of Fevers and let the dextrous and judicious Physician put a difference between them as their Symptoms shall direct and indicate for though there are many sorts of continual Fevers not putrid yet the Cure is almost the same in all I shall therefore in a few words mention some of their differences taken from the more grievous Symptoms oft accompanying them after the example of famous Practioners and chiefly great Platerus and the most famous Helmont and judicious Sylvius c. 1. First let us take notice of the exceeding heat and most urgent burning which Symptomes attend some Fevers It is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth signifie Causes burning in which the sick is very dry and thirsty which is hard to be quenched This heat is not of the essense of the disease but proceedeth from the inflamed spirits as is before mention'd in page 98. Neither doth the great thirst in Fevers proceed from heat and driness as in a true and natural thirst but from some excrementitious matter which adhereth to the sensitive faculty of the internal membrane of the Stomach which is common to the Throat Mouth and Lips as that famous Physician and ingenious Anatomist Doctour Alexander Read did well observe which is also the cause that those parts are always afflicted in this dry and thirsty distemper In this Symptome Choler is peccant not onely in a salt Acrimony but also an inflamable oiliness hence the Pulse is very great and over frequent c. 2. Raving may be oft observ'd in many Fevers which is grievous to the sick for some time chiefly when the Fever is malign or epidemical The cause of this is Choler peccant as aforesaid which so diminisheth the viscousness of the Juice of the Pancreas that it causeth a vitious Effervescency with it and being made sharper it produceth a humour not much unlike black Choler which causeth the Head-ach and Watchings and hence Ravings and at length sometimes Convulsions and Death it self There are many more Symptoms belonging to continual or synochal Fevers 1. As first a speedy wasting of several parts of the body caused by Choler the Cure whereof may be referred to the Cure of a Hectick Fever 2. A malignity which suddenly dejecteth the vital strength without manifest cause which for the most part is Epidemical But of this I intend to treat particularly in Chap. 8. of this Book 3. The last Symptome which I shall here mention is seldom observ'd in which all the time of the disease the external parts are cold while the internal parts burn and therefore 't is called by the Latins Lipyria febris and in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia destituitur Lipiria febris ardore externo Some think this distemper consists of a double Fever Cholerick and Pancreatical and not without reason because such like vapours may be continually rais'd in the small guts by the Juices of the Pancreas universally over-sour which may be confus'd onely with the Mass of Bloud and breed a sense of cold in the habit of the Body whilst a burning heat is stir'd up in the internal parts by a Fever caused by Choler more oily than sharp The cause of every continual Fever not Cause putrid is sometimes Choler vitiated sometimes Lympha together with the Juice of the Pancreas and Spittle and many times all these together are ill affected These vitiated humours flowing always to the Heart cause a continual Effervescency in the right Ventricle of it whence the Pulse is continually produc'd more frequent against nature Fevers in Children are caused either by the Food abounding in quantity or by some vitious quality of it or from an ill disposition of the digestive ferment Milk is the general Food of Children and there is such a propensity in its own nature to curdle that if it be not quickly digested it obeyeth the acid Ferment of the Stomach and is soon coagulated like new tough Cheese and if it be not speedily vomited up it begets a putrefactive Ferment which produceth terrible Symptoms as griping scouring vomiting c. I know a Woman that had a young Child Hystory about a Month old which was taken very ill with Convulsions after which followed a thorough Thrush with a Fever accompanied with the aforesaid Symptoms as griping c. which continu'd many days till the whole body was so maciated that it was in a total Atrophia and when there was no hopes of recovery the Nurse gave the Child a little of the infusion of the Antimonial Cup which caused it to vomit up a Curd three or four inches long very green and as tough as new Cheese After which the Child did wonderfully recover and grow fat Continual acute Fevers are oft times accompanied Progn with a secret malignity and therefore dangerous parvoe febres quandoque valde malignoe The Stomach in continual Fevers is Pars affecta most commonly primarily affected through undigestion or else from Excrements not being separated and orderly evacuated which causeth an irregular Ferment or nonnatural heat in the Stomach which though begun else where is much aggravated by vitiating Juices found in this first Elaboratory of decocting Nature For as in humane frame the first heat of Nature preparatory to all her depending motions is the digestive heat for Chylification in the Stomach so likewise the corrupting or exasperating of the same either by the sour Ferments or too much of the overflowing Gall is the Cause of most Fevers Therefore in the beginning of the Cure Cure evacuation by vomiting never ought to be neglected by the carefull Physician provided it be duely timed because then most commonly it removeth the sole cause of the feverish Intemperature without the help of any other means And here I commend Antimonials well prepared before all others seeing that Antimony as well rightly prepar'd as administred serves no less to purifie Man's body than
later if so be that their continuance and the grievousness of Symptoms daily accompanying be diminish'd There is great diversity among Authours concerning the Causes of intermitting Fevers which I shall not insist on but in a few words will set down the true Causes of them The causes then are either external or Causes internal The external Cause of Agues is a stop of the usual necessary discharge of fermenting humours the porous skin being shut by external sudden cold denies passage to the constant discharge of the sweatty humours which happens most commonly about Autumn and likewise when any comes suddenly out of a hot Climate into a cold Region for the sweatty Vapours being detain'd by the Constipation of the skin or shutting of the Pores the same condense and thence become sour which chills the external parts and causeth the shaking or shivering cold fit at the first invasion of this disturbing Foreigner after which the inflaming Ferment of Choler being exasperated doth act its part and having gain'd Dominion it doth rarefie the Bloud by degrees whence the Pulse becomes greater and stronger which is increas'd by an irritation of the Acrimony of Choler and the rarefaction of the Bloud at the Heart for the heat and burning in the Heart and thence in the whole Body is increas'd by Choler successively over-ruling The internal Cause of Agues or intermitting Fevers is an obstruction of one or more of the lateral ducts or branches of the Pancreas or Sweet-bread by reason of viscous Phlegm which being separated from the Bloud by the Glandules of the Pancreas is there collected by degrees whence it is sent in too large a quantity to the main duct or pipe thereof which detaineth the Juice of the Pancreas contrary to nature which ought continually to flow into the small Gut called Duodenum The Juice of the Pancreas which is naturally sourish being compelled to stand still in its passage quickly grows more acrimonious or acid because the Volatile Spirit which is naturally conjoin'd to it to temper it doth gradually fly away by which this Juice becoming more sharp and acid acquires a putrefactive Ferment whence at length it makes way through the obstructing Phlegm and is effused into the Duodenum where meeting with Choler it stirs up a vitious effervescency or preternatural Ferment from whence comes the Ague fit with all its Symptoms as in the beginning Horrour Chilness Cold Shaking c. then presently follows Reachings Yawning and Vomiting c. At length acrimonious and flatulent Vapours raised by the aforesaid vitious Effervescency are carried through the Lacteal veins and Thoracick passage and so through the Vena cava ascendens in what form soever to the right Ventricle of the Heart and by its Acrimony alters and troubles the vital Effervescency and by over stirring the Heart causeth a more frequent Pulse and many times produceth grievous Symptoms as great Heat and Thirst difficulty of breathing Heart-ach Raving Swouning and all other Symptoms that happen in all intermitting Fevers The nature of viscous Phlegm is such The cause of the Return of the fit that though it be pierced through by the Juice of the Pancreas too acid and acrimonious yet it doth presently run together and unite again and so repairs and renues the obstruction that was in part opened and the Juice of the Pancreas being stopped as before grows sour by standing still as aforesaid so that it forceth through the Phlegm that stopped its natural passage and so produceth a new fit sooner or later as the Phlegm obstructing the lateral passage of the Pancreas is pierced through by the foremention'd Juice For if the obstructing Phlegm be not very glutinous and the Juice of the Pancreas be plentifull and acid a new fit of an intermitting Fever will return in the space of twenty four hours and therefore 't is called a Quotidian Quotidian But if the Phlegm be very viscous and plentifull and the Juice of the Pancreas be little in quantity and also tart and obtuse so much the slower will the new fit of the intermitting Fever be produced so that it is sometimes three sometimes four days before the returning of the fit from whence it is called a Quartan or Quintan c. So likewise as oft as the obstructing Phlegm and the Juice of the Pancreas are in a medium viz. The Phlegm more glutinous and plentifull than in the Quotidian but not so much as the Quartan as likewise the Juice of the Pancreas is more in quantity and more acid than in the Qutartan but not so plentifull and acid as in a Quotidian so oft new fits of intermitting Fevers will return almost every other day from whence they may be called Tertians which much differ in their Symptoms beyond what other intermitting Fevers do although none of them return in the exact intervall of the Days or Hours before mention'd but return quicker or slower for the most part The Cure of all intermitting Fevers will Cure be perform'd 1. First if the glutinous coagulated Phlegm which is the cause of the obstruction be cut and dissolv'd and wholly carried out of the Body 2. If the increas'd Acidity and Acrimony of the Juice of the Pancreas be temper'd and corrected 3. If its vitious Effervescency with Choler c. In the small Gut behindred and amended Phlegm obstructing will be cut most commodiously with Aromaticks and any Volatile Salt This Volatile Aromatick Julep may serve for Example Take the Waters of Carduus Parsley Fennel Fumitery Succory Treacle Cinamon Cordial Iulep of each one ounce Syrup of Carduus the five opening Roots of each an ounce and half Powder of Crabs-eyes Tartar vitriolated of each one drachm Salt of Amber Antimony Diaphoretick of each half a drachm Laudanum opiat ten grains Oil of Cloves six drops mix it Take a spoonfull of this Volatile Medicine often in a day throughout the whole Cure using some exercise that thereby the whole Body may grow warm and the force of the medicine being disperst over all the Body may come at last to the lateral passages of the Pancreas and dissolve the obstruction Three or four hours before the coming of the fit you may give three or four spoonfulls of the aforesaid Cordial which will not onely cause a breathing sweat but will temper and correct the increas'd Acidity and Acrimony of the Juice of the Pancreas and hinder and amend its vitious Effervescency with Choler c. in the small gut which will conduce much to a Cure Three hours before the return of the next fit administer an antimonial Emetick which is in this case proper before all others for by the help thereof not onely Choler abounding but also phlegm obstructing will be expell'd to the small gut and thence to the Stomach and at length by the mouth and the straining to vomit doth many times procure a stool or two which is very beneficial But if the sick be a Female or vomiting be prejudicial or not
Laudanum prescrib'd for it will much conduce to ease the sick of all these symptoms If there be a Bubo apply a strong Vesiccatory and when the Blister is well raised open it and dress it with Mustard and Basilicon of each equal parts after cure it according to Art If there be a Carbuncle apply Leeches or Ventoses with scarification or the Actual or Potential Cautery after which often apply Mithridate 'till the Eschar be separated then dress it with Unguent Basilicon and Aegyptiacum or else you may use Butter of Antimony 'till the Ulcer be well cleansed and fitted for the last consolidation which may be performed by any desiccative Medicine CHAP. X. Of the Small-pox and Measles THE Small-pox and Measles are called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin Morbilli quasi parvi morbi vel parvorum morbi They are also called Variolae Pustulae ex vario vel varium facio quod cutis fit varia Because the skin is of various forms These distempers are most commonly attended with a Malign Fever which oft proves Epidemical Contagious and Mortal and therefore may justly be termed Pestilential The Small-pox is a cutaneous Eruption or large Pustules something like to Warts on the Skin with Inflammation which in few days comes to suppuration if the sick recover The Measles are little Pustules in the Skin with a deep redness and may be best perceived by feeling they are usually discussed in five or six days without suppuration There is an other sort of Pustules or Tubercles like little Bladders incident to Men Women and Children which are without Inflammation or redness and also without a Fever Some call them Cristals others Blisters but Country people call them Swine-pox Hen or Chicken-pox c. To these also may be referred those red fiery spots which break out about the fourth or fifth day in Malign Fevers all over the Body and if the sick recover they vanish about the eighth day after which the Cuticula cometh away in flakes this is commonly called the Scarlet Fever The signs of the Small-pox approaching Signs are pains of the Head shining before the Eyes with redness and swelling of the Face and sometimes bleeding at the Nose also a grievous pain of the Back which reacheth to the Neck with great heat and pricking all over the Body there is often loathing of the Stomach and vomiting with trembling of the Heart great terrour in sleep difficulty of breathing and sometimes raving and convulsion The cause of the Small-pox and Measles Causes is an ill quality or impurity of the Mothers bloud with which the Child was nourish'd in the Womb which doth communicate pollution and defile the mass of Bloud and after the Child is born when there is an ill disposition of the Air proportionable to the disease there followeth a peculiar effervescency or ebullition of the Bloud and other humours by which nature is inraged and provoked to cast forth the impurity The excrementitious matter is either thin or thick if it be thin the Measles follow if thick the Small-pox are produced And if there be a Malignant constitution of the Air it causeth not onely a purging forth of the corrupt matter of the Bloud c. but corrupteth the whole mass of Bloud and so produceth a dangerous and Epidemical Small-pox If they come out red and soon ripen or Progn turn white being round pointed and outward in the skin if the voice and breathing be free without any grievous symptoms there is no danger but if there be a great Fever which is not abated after their eruption with great thirst and difficulty of breathing also black or bloudy Urine or Stool Hemorrhage at the Nose Mouth c. doth signifie a great acrimony and malignancy of the bloud that nature is compelled to evacuate it by such preposterous ways and are most commonly mortal signs So likewise if it be long e'er they come out and they be green blewish or black and sink in again the sick is in great danger of Death As for the Cure of these distempers if they be Malignant or Epidemical let the same Cure means be used as is prescrib'd in Malignant Fevers but if there be little or no sign of Malignancy you may first administer an Antimonial Emetick and after its operation give this or the like Cordial Take the Waters of Carduus Dragons Cordial Iulep Treacle Scordium compound of each two ounces Venice-treacle two drachms Syrups of the Juice of Limmons Carduus Saffron of each one ounce Confection of Hyacinth one drachm mix it for a Cordial Let the sick take two or three spoonfulls of this every half hour till a sweat be promoted after sweating keep the Patient in a warm Room till the danger be over Before the Eruption if there be eminent signs of a Plethora and the sick be adult Phlebotomy may be used with good success Phlebotomy Bezoar and Gascoign's Powder and Diascordium are commonly used in these Diseases You must endeavour to defend the inward parts with the pectoral decoction to which you may add a little Saffron Also a Saffron Stay in which is put a few Sows called Millepedes bruised is excellent to defend the Throat For the Eyes this water is good Take the Waters of Plantain white Roses Water for the Eyes of each three ounces of Camphire Saffron of each ten grains mix it Or you may use Womens milk and Saffron If the Throat and Mouth are inflamed make a Gargarism with Plantain-water and Gargaris Syrup of Mulberries To defend the Nose put up this with a rag or feather Take of red Rose-water Vinegar of red Roses of each one ounce Powder of red Nodulas Saunders Camphire of each one drachm mix it When the Small-pox begins to dry anoint them often with Oil of sweet Almonds and Oil of the Yelks of Eggs which will prevent their pitting OF DISEASES OF THE BELLY BOOK III. CHAP. I. Of the Thirsty disease THIS is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sitio to be thirsty In Latin 't is called sitis morbosa Thirst is the first natural Passion of Mankind and also of Beasts as is manifest by their first sucking milk out of the Breast to asswage it The causes of thirst augmented are either Cause external or internal The external are the Air over heated by the Sun over salt Food too much exercise of body vehement passions of the mind as much anger c. prolong'd watches the Body either too costive or too loose much sweating Urine voided too plentifully any notable Evacuation of Bloud Milk or Seed c. The internal Cause is deduced for the most part from too sharp Choler carried down into the small Gut where it raiseth such an Effervescency with the Juice of the Pancreas flowing thither that thence are elevated salt Vapours to the Stomach and Gullet and there produceth a sense of drought It
of it be sure she is fruitfull If Barrenness be caused by any Disease afflicting either the man or the woman then Progn there may be hopes of Conception when health is procured but if it be evil shape of of the members in the woman or the man not fit for Venus-School patientia est optima virtus In the cure you must endeavour to remove Cure whatsoever hindreth Conception Many things are antipathetical to fecundity as Jet Glow-worms Saphires Smaragds the Matrix of a Goat or Mule likewise Vinegar Mints Watercresses Beans c. all which I advise you to avoid and make use of those things which have a peculiar virtue to help or cause Conception and remove Barrenness The After-birth of a Woman dried and powdred and taken often a drachm at a time also the Stones and Liver of a Bore-pig the Juice of Sage the Roots of Satirion and Eringo candied are all good There are many medicines prescrib'd in Authours to help Conception Quercetanus doth commend this infusion Take the Matrix of a Hare and the Stones of a Ram prepar'd with Whitewine of Cinamon Infusion Ginger Mace Cloves Seeds of Bishops-weed of each half an ounce Saffron two drachms Kernels of Fistick-nuts one ounce let them be all bruised and infused in a quart of Muskadel-wine for two or three days then strain it and add more Wine to the ingredients for a second infusion The following Electuary is also excellent Take the Roots of Satirion and Eringo Electuary candied of each one ounce candied Ginger and preserv'd Nutmegs of each two drachms Kernels of Hazle-nuts and Fistick-nuts of each half an ounce Powder of a Bull's-pizle of Ivory Seeds of Rocket Bishops-weed of each one drachm Species Diambroe Diamosc dulcis of each six drachms Confectio Alkermes one ounce and half with Syrup of the juice of Citrons make it into an Electuary according to Art Let the Woman take the quantity of a Nutmeg of it every night going to bed and drink a glass of Sack or Muskadel or of the aforementioned Infusion after it If a cold and moist distemper of the Body and Womb accompanied with the Whites be the cause look for the cure in its proper Chapter If it be caused by Witchcraft there are some things commended by Authours to be worn about the party against Fascination viz. the Pizle of a Wolf a Diamond a Jacinth-stone Rue Squills Sea-holly Sagapenum Amara dulcis Hypericon c. But above all let fervent and devout Prayers be put up to the Throne of grace for help and reject and despise Incantations or Charms and all other Diabolical means CHAP. XIX Of Abortion or Miscarriage ABortion is called in Latin Abortus vel intempestivus foetus Because it is an untimely Birth the Child being brought forth either dead or alive before its fit time of deliverance This is the worst Symptom that attends breeding Women It may happen from the first Moment of Conception to the end of the sixth Month but it is most usual in the end of the third or the beginning of the fourth Month. The causes are either external or internal Causes The external Causes are a great excess in things nonnatural as too great Anger Fear and other Passions or else it may be through defect for if the Mother undergo Penury or Famine or lose much Bloud the Child wanteth Nourishment Many times things longed for and not obtained kill the Child Also strong purging Medicines that provoke the terms and all fetid smells falls blows lifting carrying dancing running riding or any other outward violence may be the Cause of Abortion The internal Causes may be the depravedness of the humours by which the Mass of Bloud becometh vitious also Acute or Chronick diseases especially of the Womb and also violent Coughing Sneezing Vomiting Convulsions and Fluxes of the Belly may loosen the Ligaments of the Womb and so cause miscarriage The signs of Abortion at hand are great Signs pain about the Loins and Share-bones sometimes with shivering the Breasts growing little and flaggy the Situation of the Child changed towards the Bottom of the Belly with a bearing down and evacuation of Bloud c. 1. Women who have moist and slippery Progn Wombs are most subject to miscarry but with little danger except it be the first Child and that very big 2. Much bleeding with fainting raving or Convulsions is for the most part mortal To prevent Abortion if there be an evil Cure disposition of the Body or Womb you must endeavour to remove it if the Woman hath a plethorick Body let a Vein be opened in the Arme especially in the first six months If ill humours abound purge often with gentle means This purging Infusion may serve Take of Cinamon Rhubarb Anise-seed of each two drachms let them be bruised Purging Infusion and infused in four ounces of Plantain-water very hot for the space of a Night then strain it and add Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb the best Manna of each half an ounce mix it and give it in the Morning fasting Also the Pills prescrib'd in page 240. may be used in this case If the Woman be troubled with a Rheumatick distemper accompanied with Wind and if she be pretty strong you may sweat her gently sometimes with this or such like Cordial Diaphoretick Take the Waters of Treacle Carduus Fennel Cordial to cause sweat of each one ounce Cinamon-water two drachms Syrups of the Juice of Carduus Coral of each half an ounce Confectio de Hyacintho half a drachm Spirit of Niter six drops Oil of Cinamon two drops Laudanum opiatum three grains mix it and give to provoke sweat Let the Womb be strengthned with Cordial Astringents Those prescrib'd in page 239. 240. are excellent CHAP. XX. Of hard Travel in Child-birth HArd labour may be called in Latin partus vel enixus laboriosus quod ipse nitendi pariendi actus The time of a natural Birth ought to be accomplished in the space of twenty four hours if the Womans travel continue longer time with vehement pains and dangerous Symptoms it may be called hard labour or difficult Travel in Child-birth There are various Causes of hard Labour sometimes tender Women by reason of pain Causes are very fearfull and do endeavour to hinder pains and consequently the Birth also Sometimes the Child being weak or dead and not following the Water in Due-time before the passage be too dry may be the Cause especially if the Mother be weak by reason of any Disease afflicting her or by too much Evacuation of Bloud or there be not sufficient Motion of the Womb and Muscles of the Belly Sometimes the Child's head may be too big or the passage too strait Also the Child may be turned in the Womb and the Hands Shoulders Back Belly or Buttocks c. may come forward to the Birth and then the endeavour to bring forth will be painfull and difficult The signs of
is called stupor corporis it being an Abolition of sense and motion through the whole Body The parts affected are the Brain Spinalis medulla and Nerves the motion of the Animal spirits through them being deprav'd The causes are either external or internal The external is much cold and moisture Cause which doth chill and over moisten the Head and extreme parts and this seems to prove Cause internal that phlegmatick and watry Humours abiding about the Ventricles of the Brain and Nerves may over moisten and perhaps so far loosen the Tunicles or Membranes of them that it may render them unfit to let the Animal spirits pass through them hence it is that sometimes one particular Member hath been Paralytick by too much Cold and Moisture and sometimes more parts have more or less lost sense and motion It is the opinion of most eminent Physicians both ancient and modern that the Animal spirits being severed from the Bloud in the Brain c. are from thence carried through all the Nerves to exercise the external senses and Animal motion which is continual and equal in healthy persons but changeable and unequal according to the divers diseases of the Body or Mind Wherefore when no Animal spirits are carried to the Organs of the external Senses or Animal motion the functions of seeing smelling tasting hearing and touching and the sense of heat as also of motion in the Palsie and Apoplexy cease all that time The Signs of the Palsie are manifest to wit deprivation of sense and motion of the Signs Paralytick parts the Eye and half the Tongue viz. of that side affected is much weakned and deprav'd The signs of the Apoplexy approaching are these a sudden crying out for help with an abolition of sense and motion 1. If the Palsie or Apoplexy do invade the sick in the decrease of the Moon and the Patient Progn be old 't is an ill sign 2. If the sick do snort and is droughty and cast spume or froth out of the Mouth and have great sweat with difficult breathing 't is mortal But if the Person be young and a strong Fever immediately happen 't is a good sign for the Fever consumes the superfluous moisture and makes a Dissipation of the gross and phlegmatick Matter 3. A Palsie coming after the Apoplexy is ill and many times turns to the Apoplexy again When any of the extreme parts be Paralytical Cure or when the Head is ill affected by the external coldness of Air Water or Snow or a stoppage of the Head be also bred thereby or the defect of the Animal spirits chiefly urge then the sick may be cur'd by driving out whatsoever cold has pierc'd into the Head or any other parts of the Body which may be done by spirituous and volatile Sudorificks for they do not onely alter and correct the cause of Cold and other Evils accompanying it but do also amend the harm entring into the Body containing and contained To this end I commend this following Form Take of Treacle-water one ounce Fennel-water Cordial to cause sweat and Epidemical-water of each two ounces Syrup of red Poppies and Syrup of the Juice of Scurvigrass of each half an ounce Bezoar-mineral Antimony Diaphoretick of each ten grains Laudanum opiat three grains Spirit of salt Armoniack twenty drops Oil of Cloves four drops mix it give the sick three or four spoonfulls of it and expect to sweat being meanly covered and a spoonfull every half hour afterward till the sweat break forth then give them some pure Broth with a little Wine in it whereby strength may be recreated and the Patient enabled to bear a Sweat longer for nothing so much helps the sick as a sweat continued mildly a while which experience hath often taught me For by the help of this spirituous and volatile and also Aromatick medicine or one like it the troublesome Cold and dulness of motion are discust They who let bloud in this Distemper caused Observation by external Cold or think they can carry out the Cause of this Evil either by vomit or siege put the sick into danger of death or at least of most grievous Evils But when phlegmatick and watry Humours stick about the Nerves c. And too much moistening and loosening their Membranes and Marrow be the cause of the Palsie and Apoplexy and if the same humours much abound in the Body then Phlegmagogues and Hydragogues may conduce to the Cure after Clysters and internal Aromatick Sudorificks Wherefore to begin the Cure of this you may first give this or the like Clyster which must be made strong Take of sweet Marjoram Betony Sage Penny-royal Clyster Hyssop Rue Mercury Marsh-mallows the lesser Centaury the Flowers of Chamomel and Stoechas of each half a handfull Anise-seed sweet Fennel-seed Juniper-berries of each half an ounce let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in a quart of Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and dissolve in it the Electuary Diaphoenicon benedicta laxativa of each half an ounce pil Cochioe twenty grains common Salt one drachm Oil of Rue two ounces mix it for a Clyster The next day if the sick have a Plethorick body you may draw bloud from either arm to eight or nine ounces If Phlebotomy cannot be done apply Ventoses with Scarification to the shoulders afterward sweat the Patient with the aforesaid Sudorifick Sometimes Suppositories may be used in stead of Clysters This may serve for Example Take the Powders of Coloquintida Salt-niter Suppository Hiera-picra simple of each one drachm Euphorbium half a drachm Honey boiled as much as will make it into a Suppository But if it appear that phlegmatick and viscous Humours do abound in the Body Purgers may be prescrib'd most conveniently in the form of a Pill because the Gums are most apt above all other Medicines to loosen and cut viscous Phlegm neither can they be easily dissolv'd in any liquour Let this or such a like form of Pills serve Take the Gums Amoniacum and Galbanum of each two drachms dissolve them in Vineger Purging Pills of Squills strain it and boil it to a due consistence then add Powders of Troches Alhandal Scammony Mastick of each one drachm Oil of Anise-seed eight drops make it into a Mass of Pills according to Art Let the sick take five or six small Pills of this in the morning fasting and an hour after drink some thin broth If the humours be more serous I commend this Electuary Take Juniper-berries one pound boil them in six pints of Fennel-water till Purging Electuary half of it be boiled away then add the Fruit of Tamarind eight ounces and pulp them both through a Sieve To which add Powder of Jalap and Scammony prepar'd of each three ounces Cinamon sweet Fennel-seed of each half an ounce white Sugar one pound make it into an Electuary according to Art The dose of this effectual Medicine is to half an
ounce to people of age a Child may take from half a drachm to a drachm either by it self or dissolv'd in Whey or Parsley-water or in any other convenient Vehicle After universal evacuation hath been made and the Patient's stomach be still nauseous this vomit may safely be given Take the Infusion of Crocus metallor Vinegar Vomit of Squills of each one ounce give it in the morning with Care After the operation of it give some of this Cordial Julep Take the Waters of Sage Couslips Lillies Cordial Iulep of the Valley of each two ounces Cinamon-water one ounce Syrup of Peony-flowers Stoechas of each six drachms Spirit of Castor two drachms Spirit of Salt as much as will make it of a gratefull taste of which you may give the sick three or four spoonfulls every fourth hour To correct a slow ferment and also to amend Phlegmatick viscous humours a Medicinal Wine may be prepared for the rich in this form Take the Roots of Galangal Elecampane Medicinal Wine of each half an ounce the tops of Wormwood Mint and Calamint of each one handfull Powder of Cinamon Anise-seed of each half an ounce Nutmegs two drachms let them be cleansed bruised and insused in six pints of White-wine The sick may drink of this Physick-wine at dinner and supper adding to every draught five or six drops of Elixir proprietatis When the wine is almost consum'd more may be poured on till it cease to be Aromatical External means for the Palsie and Apoplexy are also to be used Bathing is much commended both natural and artificial and how excellent it is daily experience doth manifest This artificial Bath or one like it may be prescrib'd where a natural sulphureous or nitrous Bath cannot be had Take Sage Penny-royal Betony Organ Bath sweet Marjoram Hyssop Rue Time Ground-pine of each six handfulls Flowers of Chamomel Melilot of each four handfulls Roots of Briony Pellitory of Spain of each four ounces Bay-berries Juniper-berries of each three ounces Brimstone six pound Salt-niter two pound let all be bruised and boiled in twenty Gallons of Spring-water till the third part be consumed Let the sick be well bathed with this as often as strength will permit After bathing anoint the hinder part of the Head and Neck and down the Vertebra of the Back with this Oil upon which let a Fox-skin drest be worn Take Chymical-oils of Juniper-berries Oil. Turpentine Spike of each half an ounce Oils of Chamomel Earth-worms Rue Foxes of each one ounce Spirit of Castor two drachms mix it This plaister may be applyed to the Head Take Galbanum Opopanax of each half an ounce Mustard-seed white Pepper Euphorbium Plaister Castor of each two drachms Chymical Oil of Sage and Rue of each twenty drops Oil of Spike and Turpentine of each a drachm make it into a Plaister which you may spread on leather and apply it warm to the Head Or you may make the quilted Cap as is prescrib'd in page 6. to wear constantly Oil of Nutmegs is good to embrocate the Ears and Nostrils also Errhines Sternutatories and Apophlegmatisms may be used with good success Take Castor sweet Marjoram Betony Sneezing Powder Root of white Hellebor of each a drachm beat them all into a fine Powder Blow up some of this Powder with a quill into the Nostrils to cause sneezing Let the Patient's diet be such as may not breed Phlegm and let it be thin and spare as Water-gruel in which boil some Mace or you may make Broth of Mutton c. in which boil Sage Rosemary Time sweet Marjoram Couslips c. Of this broth you may make Panado's with the Crums of white Bread and the Yelk of an Egg. Let Anise-seed or sweet Fennel-seed be baked with the bread Abstain from all clammy Diet as Fish and Milk c. and eat little or no supper CHAP. III. Of Convulsions and the Epilepsie THE Cramp or Convulsion is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latin Convulsio Spasmus It is a very painfull involuntary Contraction of the Nerves and Muscles towards their Original There are generally two sorts of Convulsions viz. A true Convulsion and a Convulsive motion A true Convulsion is either universal or particular Of the universal there are three Kinds The first is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latin tentio ad anteriora when the Body and Head is drawn forward The second is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin tentio ad posteriora when the Head and Body is drawn backward The third is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek and distentio in Latin in this the whole Body is inflexible The particular convulsions are various If it be in the Eye it is called strabismus That of the Mouth is call tortura oris c. The Falling-sickness or Epilepsie is called Epilepsia in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invado quod sensum atque mentem pariter apprehendat It is called also in Latin Epilepsia vel invasio item morbus hominem ita invadens ut retineat sistat sensuum actiones because the mind and senses in this disease are suddenly surprized It may be called morbus caducus a cadendo or morbus puerilis because it is most subject to Children or more properly noverca puerorum quod eos male tractat It is also called Herculeus Elephantiasis a magnitudine because it is difficult to cure Some call it morbus lunaticus because the sick are most subject to the fits at the change of the moon but enough of the Names The Epilepsie is an universal Cramp or Convulsion of the whole Body with deprivation of sense and motion in the time of the fit The parts affected are not onely the Brain Cerebellum and Spinalis medulla but all the Partes affecte Nerves and Museles The causes are either external or internal Causes The external may be by the biting of some venemous Creature or by a wound or puncture of a Nerve or Tendon Sometimes it may be caused by surfeiting or drunkenness and also by the taking of Hellebor c. It may be also caused by a mineral Gas fuming from the Mines of Lead or Antimony c. which infecteth the Air with noxious metalline exhalations of a venemous malignity which is many times the cause of Convulsions as they can tell by experience that live near those Mines The internal causes are acrimonious and flatuous Vapours rising from the small guts because of over viscous Phlegm and the over acidity and tartness of the Juice of the Pancreas which causeth a vitious effervescency of the humours by which the Lympha is also rendred very sharp These sour flatuous Vapours continually ascending to the Head together with the spirituous substance of the Bloud and going forward into the Ventricles of the Brain and Cerebellum and so to the first spreading of the Nerves and corroding them causeth an inordinate
agitation and very fierce motion of the Animal spirits and by a continual and grievous Irritation urging about the beginning of the Spinalis medulla is the cause of an universal Convulsion or Epileptick-fit in which all the Muscles of the Body are most vehemently contracted The Irritation in a particular Convulsive motion or the Cramp which may be oft observ'd in the thigh or leg and other extreme parts may be also ascrib'd to the same sharp and sour flatuous Vapours carried to the beginning of the Nerves and Tendons of the said Members fretting and gnawing them sometimes with great pain The signs of Convulsions are manifest Signs The preceding signs of the Epilepsie are trembling sadness fearfulness vertigo numness debility of the senses troublesome sleep with great pain of the Head The signs of the Epilepsie presently approaching are a vehement shaking of the whole Body foming at the Mouth and a sudden deprivation of all the Animal functions 1. A Convulsion or Epilepsie being hereditary is incurable Progn 2. If a pregnant Woman be taken with either of them it is very dangerous and also after Abortion 3. Children are most subject to these diseases because they abound with abundance of moisture and flatulent Vapours in the Brain and because they have Nervorum poros angustos whereby the Brain is easily filled with such vapours and therefore we see that Children are often troubled with them young People more rarely and old Folks but seldom and we find that Children better suffer them than either of the other who frequently die of these fits especially of the Epilepsie when in their falling there follows snorting gnashing of the teeth a ghastly countenance much some at the Mouth involuntaria seminis effusio and great cryings out 4. Of all the kind of Convulsions Tetanos is the most difficult to cure because it is as it were composed of the other two kinds but if a fever happen in this or any other Convulsion the sick will suddenly recover because a fever dissolveth it but if a Convulsion should succeed a fever it is very dangerous especially from a wound or proceeding from venemous matter So likewise it is very dangerous if it be caused by taking of Hellebor When a particular Convulsion is caused Cure from a prick of a Nerve or Tendon as it may happen sometimes by the unskilfulness or precipitancy of the Chyrurgeon in opening a vein then most speedily pour into the wound or puncture the Oil of Turpentine with rectifi'd Spirit of Wine both actually hot as that famous Chyrurgeon Mr. Ambrose Parey adviseth in his ninth Book Chap. 11. of which I have had large experience with good success The like course may be taken with all other wounds of the nervous parts But if the wound of the Nerve or Tendon yield not to this medicine the same is to be cut asunder cross-ways seeing it is safer to lose the action of one part than that the sick should be exposed to the danger of a deadly Convulsion When the Nerves or Tendons of the Muscles are prickt by sharp splinters of bones the grievous pains succeeding soon cause a particular Convulsion of that part and at length an universal Convulsion will attend the Patient if there be not speedy help Wherefore if possible the sharp fragments of the bone must be cut away or if this have been neglected or could not be done and an universal Convulsion be feared you must hasten to amputation of the member For Necessitas non habet legem If a particular Convulsion be occasion'd by a hot Tumour or any other sharp pain which hath rais'd an inflammation let the pain be diminisht as well by internal as external Anodines and Narcoticks to allay the over encreas'd motion of the Animal spirits To this end you may give the sick two or three grains of Laudanum opiat at a time either in a Pill or dissolve it in a little Wine or other convenient Vehicle And if the ingenious and judicious Physician or Chyrurgeon do add a little volatile Salt either of Animals or Vegetables to his topical Medicaments whether fomentations Cataplasms or Ointments he will wonder at the incredible benefit for by the help thereof the Tumour will be mollified and dissolved the internal obstruction loosned and the pain eased If a Convulsion be caused by the taking of Hellebor or any other venemous matter administer an Antimonial vomit with all speed But if it be a Child give it ten grains of Salt of Vitriol or half an ounce of Oxymel of Squills with a drachm of Oil of Almonds After the operation of the Emetick and also at other times you may give some of this Julep Take of Black-cherry-water the Water of Iulep Line-flowers of each two ounces Briony-water compound Syrup of Peony of each one ounce Tincture of Castor half an ounce Confection of Alkermes one drachm Spirit of Salt Armoniack twenty drops mix it and give three or four spoonfulls every fourth Hour Having briefly hinted at the Cure of particular Convulsions I come now to those more universal as likewise Convulsive motions and the Epilepsie And seeing there is little difference in the remote causes of them in the Body these diseases may for the most part be cured with the same Remedies 1. First then the peccant humours are to be temper'd and diminisht 2. The rising of vapours is to be hindred and their expulsion procur'd by sweat or insensible transpiration By which the over motion of the Animal spirits will be restrain'd and brought to tranquillity that is a more quiet motion All Aromaticks and all things abounding with either a fixt or volatile Salt do not onely correct and by cutting amend the viscous phlegmatick humours but do powerfully temper and destroy the over acidity and tartness of the juice of the Pancreas To temper and diminish these humours I commend these medicines Take the Roots of Male-peony Valerian Infusion Missletoe of the Oak and Peony-seeds of each two ounces Castor half an ounce let them be all bruised and infus'd in Peony-water compound the Water of Line-tree-flowers of each one pint for the space of twenty four hours then strain it out very strongly and add Syrup of Peony and Stoechas of each three ounces Spirit of Castor half an ounce mix it and give three spoonfulls at a time every fourth hour with which you may mix Spirit of Salt Armoniack Elixir proprietatis of each six drops Also you may give the Patient half a drachm of the following powder in three or four spoonfulls of this Infusion with the aforesaid Spirit and Elixir Take of Crabs-eyes Salt of Tartar vitriolated Salt prunella of each half an ounce volatile Salt of Harts-horn Salt of Amber of Man's skull prepar'd of each two drachms make it into a fine powder which may be taken half a drachm at a time morning and evening The peccant humours being temper'd and diminisht by the frequent use of the abovesaid medicines the inordinate
Annise-seed and Cloves of each ten drops mix them By the frequent use of this Julep or such like the hurtfull humours and vapours will not onely be corrected and amended but a new Production of them will be hindred and both Body and Mind reduc'd to a more quiet frame These Pills will be also usefull to correct more and mildly educe or expell the vitious humours Take of Galbanum prepar'd with Vinegar Purging Pills of Squills Powders of Mastick Troches Alhandal Rozin of Scammony and Jallop of each one drachm Powders of Castor Mirrh and Saffron of each twenty grains Oils of Cloves Harts-horn Balsom of Sulphur with Oil of Anise-seed Spirit of Salt Armoniack of each ten drops beat them all into a Mass for Pills of which you may give half a drachm at a time in the Morning fasting It will be convenient to take these Pills twice a week for the better vanquishing the rebellious and redoubl'd humours Also let Antimonial vomits rightly prepar'd be sometimes administred they being endued with an universal force of cleansing Man's body from all harm and impurity By these forms any judicious Practitioner may easily invent other prescriptions in some things to be varied as the disease requires Thus having premis'd a rational and dogmatical cure of these grievous diseases confirm'd by experience I think it my duty once for all to admonish the honest Physician and others who attend the sick to be often seeking the Lord for a Blessing on the means And if all refuge fails to take the Advice of the Apostle James in the 5th Chapter and 14 and 15. verses This was the Custome of the Primitive Christians without doubt and I wish it were more in use amongst us at this day for God is as able to heal the sick now as he was then for he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever I thank God I have had some experience of his great goodness and mercy extended towards some of his poor Creatures by means of this ordinance when all other help of medicine c. have prov'd unsuccessfull for which uni Deo trino Gloria CHAP. VII Of CATARRHS THE Catarrh is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fluo It is called in Latin distillatio because it is a defluxion of excrementitious and sharp Rheumatick humours from the Head into most parts of the Body invading not onely all the conglobated and conglomerated Glandules by which the Circulation of Lympha and Spittle are deprav'd But also the Nerves which causeth intense or vehement pains and inflammations in the parts ill affected which is most commonly attended with a Symptomatical Fever especially if the Rheum be thin and sharp and do flow very violently And seeing this distemper is not enough explain'd in Authours either ancient or modern I therefore God prospering my indeavours will bestow some pains in searching out and proposing the true causes and effects of it which I hope will induce other liberal and ingenious spirited Artists to a farther inquiry after the occult causes not onely of these but other obscure diseases daily occurring in practice that so by little and little many things in the Art of Physick as yet most obscure and confus'd may be illustrated and most commodiously explain'd Experience confirms that there are many kinds of Catarrhs some are more thick others more thin some acid and salt others more sweet some Rheums are hot and sharp flowing more violently other cold and pituitous flowing but slowly hence it is that some Catarrhs are attended with Fevers and some without The causes of Catarrhs are either external Cause or internal The external cause is from external sudden Cold shutting the pores of the skin hindring the discharge of sweaty Vapours by insensible Transpiration for if the usual ports of the skin do deny passage to the sweat it will in a little time condense and thence become sour by which the extreme parts are chilled which doth manifest it self by a shivering as any one may experimentally observe after taking Cold. These humours having not vent through the porous skin which is absolutely necessary by the habit of the Body they are conveyed to the Head together with the Lympha through the Lymphatick Vessels The internal cause arises from pituitous humours gradually collected besides Nature in the conglobated Glandules observeable about the Plexus Choroides in the side Ventricles of the Brain and elsewhere perhaps in the Tonsils and all the rest of the small Glandules about the trachoea Arteria hence the Lympha becomes sourish salt as is tasted in a Coryza Whence also we may probably conclude what way soever the conglobated Glandules are hurt that the Lympha declines from its natural State and Quality And as its depravation is milder or sharper more grievous or lighter pains are thence bred of which we have many times an ocular demonstration in the flowing down of the Rheum through the Nostrils which is oft so sharp that it doth corrode the skin and superficies of the face where it comes If it be in quantity moderate it is conveighed to the infinite little salivary Ducts or Chanels in the conglomerated Glandules which open into the palate of the mouth and there pour out the salival Liquour which they contain which is either swallowed down into the Stomach or else it is evacuated by spitting and if Nature be overburthened by its plentifulness it is also sent forth by the Nostrils But if the Lympha becomes more sharp acid and salt in the Glandules before mention'd it produceth first a stoppage and burthensome Pain of the Head which overcomes the retentive and provokes the expulsive faculties so that Nature being driven to most violent motions doth extravasate and intravasate the Rheumatick humours hic ubique a Capite ad Calcem through the most abstruse and inconspicuous passages of nature so that it is the opinion of many learned Physicians that a Catarrh is the original of many diseases incident to humane Bodies 1. Catarrhs happening to Children are dangerous especially if there appear plenty of Progn humours because they abound with moisture and are full of excrements Wherefore if a sudden defluxion happens to any of a tender age desperate accidents may follow 2. If the Rheum flow through the Nostrils it is but gentle if to the Throat 't is worse but if to the Lungs worst of all and if it becomes inveterate it is very hardly cured In the Cure of Catarrhs the Head is Cure chiefly to be taken care of because the Rheum doth continually flow from it therefore the Head ought to be corroborated and the superfluous moisture thereof to be dried up And likewise the part or parts to which the Rheum flows must be strengthned the vitious quality of Lympha and the other humours is to be corrected and their plenty diminisht As Catarrhs consist of a different matter and afflict divers parts so they require diversity of
the strength of the sick repeat it either in the first place or make a new Apertion Thus you may doe every day till the matter be all discharged By this Instrument may a Hydrocele be also discharged and likewise the Dropsie of the Breast and Abdomen They that desire more directions in this Operation may peruse Hieronymus Fabricius ab aqua pendente in Libro de Operationibus Chirurgicis CHAP. III. Of the consumption or Phthisick and an Hectick Fever THE Consumption is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tabesco because in this disease the sick doth consume or waste away It is called in Latin Tabes which is a general Tabes name for all Consumptions whether it be Atrophia Cachexia or Phthisis but it may most properly be taken for an Extenuation of the whole body caused by an Ulcer of the Lungs The purulent matter of the Ulcer circulating with the bloud doth infect and by degrees corrupt the whole mass of it which makes it unfit for nourishment hence it is that all the parts of the body do waste and consume The causes are many sometimes purulent Causes matter may be communicated to the Lungs from the Plurisie or Empiema inflaming and corrupting them which causeth an Ulcer Sometimes a salt and sharp Rheum flowing down from the Head to the Trachea Arteria which doth not onely cause a vehement Coughing but doth corrode the Lungs being naturally tender Hence an Ulcer will be caused Also many times Pustules or Tubercles are generated in the Lungs and coming to suppuration they break and the matter flowing to the Bronchia it may be spit up if the Patient have strength but oft times an Ulcer remaineth which causeth a Consumption These causes depend sometimes on Choler sometimes on the juice of the Pancreas sometimes on Spittle sometimes on Chyle sometimes on Lympha any way Vitiated by which the mass of bloud in time becomes also corrupted When the Lungs decline from their Natural consistency they Will soon become hard and tumorous and so by degrees they will be corrupted and ulcerated and the matter of the Ulcer corrupting and makeing the mass of bloud glutinous in circulating with it doth so weaken and corrupt all the parts of the body that they become unfit to perfect natural nourishment and therefore of necessity the universal body must consume and pine away sometimes it is caused by an obstruction of the lacteal veins which hindreth the natural passage of the Chylus Authours mention many more causes of Consumptions as Gonorrhoea Nocturnal Pollutions want of Nourishment c. The signs of a Consumption begun are a Signs great defluxion of Rheum into the sharp Artery causing a violent Cough by which the Lungs are exasperated and there follows a Hectick Fever sometimes putrid from the purulent matter flowing into the Veins To know whether the Lungs be ulcerated let the Patient spit into water if it sinks it is matter which is an infallible sign of an Ulcer for Phlegm always swims in water When the Ulcer is confirm'd there is difficult breathing and wasting of the whole body the spittle is thick and of various colours If the Ulcer of the Lungs and Consumption Progn hath not been long and the strength of the sick remains there may be hopes of recovery e contra The Hectick Fever is called in Greek Febris Hectica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. ab habitu quod in habitu corporis vel in partibus solidis consistat It is an unnatural heat which hath seized upon the solid parts and wasteth the moisture of them The heat in an Hectick Fever is but little and therefore rarely troublesome to the sick except one or two hours after meat at which time the heat is a little sharpned and increased which may be known by an over frequent though weak Pulse but it soon returns again to its former equality But here it will not be amiss to shew you that there is a threefold moisture in the body viz. bloud in the Veins and Arteries a dewy substance in every part and also a glutinous moisture which doth not onely nourish but moistneth it and keepeth the substance of each part together In the beginning when the moisture begins Signs to fail the Hectick Fever is not easily discerned because there is still sufficient moisture to entertain the natural heat but if by the long continuance of the Hectick Fever the radical moisture of the solid parts begins to consume it may then be easily known for there follows a continual and lingring leanness of the whole body which being reduc'd to its extremity may be call'd in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in English an extenuating Fever The Latin Authours call it Marcor which signifies Corruption or Rottenness It is an immoderate dryness and Consumption of the whole body by reason of the defect of the substantial humidity There are two degrees of it according to Liber 12. de marc cap. 4. Galen the one is when this extenuation of the body is in fieri in consuming the other is when it is in facto esse or consummate in which the body is reduc'd to such leanness that it seemeth to be nothing else but a walking Sceleton The causes of an Hectick Fever are External Causes or Internal The External causes are all that may occasion any of the other Fevers for oft times Hectick Fevers are observ'd to follow other diseases and especially Fevers of one day proceeding from a great errour in Diet and also from continual and intermitting Fevers when they are very vehement but most frequently from Inflammations of the Bowels especially of the Lungs for when an Ulcer follows then the whole mass of bloud is infected by matter and gets a singular glutinousness which being communicated to the other humours spoils them with the same fault and renders them unfit to perform the natural Functions rightly Sometimes Hectick Fevers are observ'd to arise immediately from excess of the nonnatural things as most vehement anger too much watchings immoderate sorrow continued labour want of food c. The Internal cause is the over viscousness of the bloud and humours because of which not onely the appetite of all food is diminished and at length dejected but the nourishment of all the parts of the body is dayly decreas'd for when there is loathing of food then fermentation separation of usefull from unusefull parts sanguification generation of the Animal Spirits c. is hindred and destroyed whence the toughness and sluggishness of Choler Spittle the juice of the Pancreas and Lympha is dayly augmented and the evil becomes by degrees greater and at length incurable If you perceive that there is so much of Progn the radical moisture remaining as is able to cherish the natural heat which you may discern if the colour of the body be fresh if the figure be decent if the proportion of the
Armoniack twenty drops Laudanum opiat ten grains mix it let the sick take a spoonfull of it every quarter of an hour till they get some ease If the distemper hath persever'd long the peccant humours must be emptied out by purging and to educe them I prefer before all others Pills to be made of Gums seeing they loosen the glutinous humours and dispose them to be easier carried out For example Take of Galbanum prepar'd with Vinegar Purging Pills half an ounce Powder of Scammony prepar'd Troches Alhandal of each two drachms Oil of Carraway twenty drops make it into a Mass for Pills Take five or six of these Pills in the Morning fasting twice a week They who abhor Pills may use an Aromatick and purging Decoction The following though bitter is very efficacious Take the five opening Roots of each one Purging Decoction ounce Roots of Angelica Berries of Bay and Juniper of each half an ounce the best Senna Orange-peel Carraway-seed Coloquintida of each one drachm Guiacum four ounces let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Syrup of Roses with Senna four ounces Cinamon-water two ounces mix it Let the sick take four ounces of this bitter Decoction every other Morning which will by degrees diminish and mildly educe the hurtfull humours by purging But seeing not onely the cause ought to be removed but also the Symptomes asswag'd by refreshing the Heart you must administer cordial Medicines which have power to corroborate the Heart and to cherish and strengthen nature The following Cordial may be preferred in this Case Take the Waters of Baum Mint Borage Cordial Iulep Cinamon of each three ounces Syrups of Baum red Poppies of each two ounces Laudanum opiat Amber-greese of each ten grains mix it Let the sick take two spoonfulls of this rich Cordial every three hours which will wonderfully refresh and delight the sensible Stomach from whence the perfumed impressions will soon be communicated to the whole Body by which all the vital and animal Functions will be refreshingly cherished and strengthned and the Palpitation of the Heart eased and abated If the Patient hath a costive Body let a carminative Clyster be sometimes administred and if a Plethora concur let a vein be opened either with an Instrument in the Arm or by Leeches applied to the Haemorrhoids CHAP. V. Of an universal Languishing as also of Swouning and Syncope AN universal Languishing of the strength of all the parts and functions is sometimes observ'd to remain after some disease preceding not rightly cured especially when the Infirmity hath been grievous for then a weariness or defect of the Animal motion doth usually concur together with a weak or little pulse and dulness and debility of the internal and external senses whereby the sick continues weak and more languishing by certain intervalls than is natural All the kinds of Swounings may be divided for methods sake into two viz. the lighter kind and the most grievous The lighter kind of Swouning or fainting is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latin animae defectio ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deficere because it is an Imbecility or Feebleness of the Heart and Courage The most grievous and singular kind of swouning is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syncope concido to cut away quod praeceps virium omnium lapsus It is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. pulsus privatio because there is no pulse neither indeed presently in the fit is there any Animal or voluntary motion or respiration to be observ'd so that they are more like dead than living Creatures The signs of these fits approaching are Signs yawnings a Cardialgy Anxiety of Compression of the Heart griping and distension of the Belly tinkling in the Ears dimness before the Eyes and a Giddiness and at the approach of a Syncope there are often Convulsive motions with a cold and glutinous sweat and paleness of all the parts of the Body The causes of these distempers are either Causes external or internal The external are many as extreme weariness of the Body exceeding passions of the mind prolong'd hunger or thirst ungratefull smells the sight of any Person or thing that is envied too great effusion of Bloud Seed or Milk over great evacuation of the humours by Vomit Stool Sweat Urine c. It may also be caused by the biting or stinging of any venemous Creature and by any other vehement pain Sometimes it is produc'd by a great heat either of the Sun Fire Bath or Fever Any of these Causes mention'd being extreme may so change and diminish the natural effervescency and rarefaction of the bloud that the Heart it self is not thereby enough expanded and contracted So that the vital bloud cannot be sufficiently effus'd into the Arteries and therefore the Pulse is felt less and more languishing yea sometimes none The internal Cause is glutinousness encreased in the bloud and the other humours and sometimes an encreased Acidity in the Juice of the Pancreas Lympha and Spittle by which the Circulation of the Bloud and Humours becomes too slow hence the Ventricles of the Heart are not enough dilated which causeth the Pulse to be weaker than is natural for the effervescency of the bloud and humours being not potent enough cannot provoke the Heart to contract it self and therefore a Swouning or Syncope will inevitably ensue They who are much subject to a Swouning Progn or Syncope dye suddenly Those fits which are produc'd from some evident cause as vehement passions of the mind immoderate evacuations c. are less dangerous than those which come from an internal cause as glutinousness of the bloud and humours c. Which in a great measure hindreth its free Circulation through the Ventricles of the Heart whereby there is a sudden and swift sailing of the vital Spirits and consequently of all strength To cure an universal languishing as also a Cure Swouning and Syncope the phlegmatick glutinous and acid Humours must not onely be corrected but when they abound must be diminish'd and educ'd out of the Body Therefore to correct and amend the said humours abounding both in the universal Body and Bloud I will here set down some forms of select medicines for the sake of young Physicians The following Decoction is an efficacious Medicine Take the Roots of Elicampane Galangal Decoction Angelica Calamus Aromaticus the sive opening Roots of each one ounce Sage Baum Betony sweet Marjoram the Tops of Hore-hound Centaury Wormwood the Flowers of Rosemary Staechas Chamomel Clove-gilliflowers of each one handfull the Seeds of Anise Sweet-fennel Parsley Cardamoms Berries of Bays and Juniper of each two drachms Orange-peel Cinamon of each half an ounce Nutmegs one drachm let them be cleansed bruised and infused
approv'd of then such things as cut and purge phlegm downwards may be administred for example Take of pil faetidae one drachm Mercur. Purging Pills dulcis Powders of Troches Alhandal Scammony prepar'd Tartar vitriolated of each half a Scruple Salts of Amber and Worm-wood of each one Scruple Spirit of Salt Armoniack Oil of Amber of each ten drops with Syrup of Buckthorn make it into a Mass for Pills Take four or five of these Pills four hours before the coming of the fit which will both cut and purge the viscous Phlegm out of the Body and also educe other peccant humours After purging or vomiting let the sick often take the following Powder in a glass of generous Wine or in two or three spoonfulls of the Cordial Diaphoretick before mention'd to provoke sweat as is there directed Take Volatile Salt of Harts-horn Salts of Powder Amber Worm-wood and Carduus Tartar vitriolated of each ten grains Sugar of Pearls the weight of them all mix them for two doses You may take a dose of it two or three hours before the access of the fit which will wonderfully conduce to dissolve the obstruction and cause a breathing sweat Let these evacuations be as often reiterated as occasion requires If the intermitting Fever hath continu'd long or the sick hath a Plethorick body let a vein be opened By these few forms the young Practitioner may easily invent other effectual Medicines in some things to be varied as the distemper requires CHAP. VIII Of Malignant Fevers IN the Chapter of Fevers in general I told you that Synochal or continual Fevers were without any fit to their last and complete ceasing and likewise I did distinguish them into putrid and not putrid Those that are not putrid have little or no malignity in them but the putrid are always accompanied with malignity A malignant Fever differs from others in Difference this that it draws its putrefaction immediately from its own matter putrefaction being joined with it from whence the vital strength is suddenly and unexpectedly dejected or far more grievous Symptoms occur than are wont to be observ'd in such a like disease Malign Fevers are either more acute ending in few days or longer continuing more days And they are either contagious and epidemical raging among many in the same time having a common cause as the Air or Food vitiated c. Infecting others or else they are not contagious Among contagious Fevers we may not Calenture neglect to speak something of a Calenture because it is a contagious distemper assaulting not onely those which use the Sea but also many that live near the Sea-shore in Sea-port Towns c. are subject to it The signs of this disease are a great pain Signs of the Head sometimes with violent raging fits and delirium the rest of the Body being in good temper the sick do fancy the Water to be a green Meadow and will indeavour to get into it The cause of a Calenture is the intemperature of the Climate together with ill diet causing strong obstructions and an ill habit of body by which flatuous vapours are encreas'd in the body and in time ascend to the Head The cause of the malignity in this and all other putrid fevers is a sharp volatile salt Cause of Malignity in the Air which is drawn into tbe Lungs by degrees and weakens the liquor of the glandules which is naturally sourish and makes it sluggish and of little force whence the natural consistency of the bloud is diminish'd and the separation of the Animal spirits often hindred The sharp volatile salt aforesaid may be also swallowed down with food or spittle into the Stomach or it may enter the pores of the body by which not onely the liquor of the glandules but the bloud also may be infected hence depends the variety of symptoms which may be observ'd in these Diseases In Malign fevers there oft precedes a light Signs shivering after which a gentle heat soon follows the pulse is frequent and unequal though little and weak and sometimes deficient the sick is often drowsie and possest with a kind of Lethargy and when they sleep they are often vex'd with turbulent dreams they are often grip'd in the Stomach and troubled with loathing and vomiting accompanied with the Head-each raving giddiness c. also there is great thirst weariness and unquietness of the whole body sometimes there happens cholerick and fetid loosnesses and also a haemorrhage at the nose or womb doth often concur 1. If tumors in the glandules and spots and Progâ— little pimples divers both in colour and greatness do break forth in many parts of the body they are signs of great malignity 2. If the sick get no ease after sweating promoted by Art there is little hopes of recovery also if the extreme parts soon wax hot and again are presently cold 't is an ill sign First to preserve and defend the body from Cure all malignity and infection in time of contagion I commend the frequent and moderate use of sour and tart things mixt with all things potable for the Patient's drink or food as Barberries Quinces Oranges Pomgranates Limmons Wood-sorrel Verjuice Vinegar c. In the beginning of malign Fevers and also the Calenture if a loathing urgeth part of the acrimonious volatile salt adheres to the tunicles of the Stomach wherefore in this Case first administer an Antimonial Emetick which is well prepared mild and fixt because it hath an admirable sulphur in it whereby any sharpness is wonderfully temper'd and the Malign Poison is thereby in part sent out by Vomit and Stool After the Operation of the Emetick let a Cordial Sudorifick be presently administred that the remaining part of the Malign Poison may be driven forward and expelled most safely and commodiously out of the Body The following Cordial may serve for example Cordial Sudorifick Take of Epidemical water Spirit of Vinegar of each one ounce The Waters of Treacle and Cinamon of each half an ounce the Waters of Carduus Scabious of each two ounces Syrups of the Juice of Carduus Clove-gilliflowers of each one ounce and half Antimonie Diaphoretick Bezoar-mineral of each one drachm Venice-treacle two drachms mix it Let the sick take a quarter of this Diaphoretick Julep and dispose the Body to sweat and after half an hour take one or two spoonfulls more and so go on till a profitable Sweat follow In the interim if the sick be thirsty let them drink a little warm Broth temper'd to a gratefulness with juice of Oranges Citrons or Verjuice c. whereby the breaking forth of the sweat will not onely be promoted but also the hurtfull Acrimony of the peccant Salt will be corrected and asswaged After this excellent medicine hath been sufficiently and rightly us'd so that you perceive the Malign Poison to be carried out of the Body yet you must persist in the moderate use of it as likewise in the
may also pierce through the lacteal Vessels and so to the Heart and infect the Bloud too much with its Saltness whence the Spittle and the other Humours also become too salt by which a great Thirst is stirred up and augmented The signs are manifest for the Patient's Signs complaint for want of drink will inform you This distemper may be cured by such acid Cure Liquours and oily Emulsions which will dilute the Lixivial Salt of Choler and potently change its Acrimony and asswage its sharpness and deduce it to the Bladder The following Julep may serve for Example Take Tincture of Red-roses Barley-water Iulep of each twelve ounces Cinamon-water two ounces Syrup of Violets three ounces Salt Prunella two drachms mix it and give the sick three spoonfulls every two hours This Emulsion is also of great Virtue not onely to restrain Thirst but mildly to procure rest also Take of French-barly boiled four ounces Emulsion sweet Almonds blanched white Poppy-seeds of each two ounces let them be well beaten in a stone Mortar then with two Quarts of Barley-water the Waters of Cinamon and Fennel of each two ounces make an Emulsion to which add Julep of Roses four ounces Syrups of Violets and the Juice of Limmons of each two ounces mix it Let the party thirsting drink a moderate draught of this Emulsion often in a day which will be very acceptable You may also make gratefull Troches or Pellets of Sugar and Salt Prunella to be kept in the Mouth to deceive the Thirst. If salt serous matter abound in the Body purge it by Stool or Urine This gratefull Medicine may serve for both intentions Take the Roots of Flower-de-luce Parsley Purging Infusion China of each two ounces Dandelion Agrimony of each one handfull Senna one ounce Rhubarb half an ounce Agarick Turky Turbith Jallap of each three drachms Cinamon Cloves of each two drachms let them be cleansed bruised and infused in two quarts of White-wine for the space of twenty four hours then strain it and add Syrup of the five opening Roots four ounces of which you may give the sick four ounces every third day in the morning fasting If there be a salt Catarrh it may be temper'd with Pills of Styrax you may administer a Pill every Night going to bed Let the Patient's diet be Mutton or Veal-broth without Salt CHAP. II. Of Hunger vitiated HUnger may be called the Appetite of Meats as Thirst is of Drinks It may be many ways deprav'd viz. when it is augmented diminish'd or abolish'd Hunger augmented may be deprav'd two ways either in quantity or quality if it be in quantity there is more Nourishment desired than the Stomach can digest This distemper is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fames quod affatim edatur It is called by the Latines fames canina and in English Dog's appetite because in this distemper the sick do feed insatiably after which some do purge and vomit like Dogs and are presently hungry again and sick if they do not eat If hunger be deprav'd in quality then vitious things which are not Food as Coals Ashes Clay Turfs Leather and I know not what are desired This is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Pica also Pica in Latin ab ave Pica vel quod varia appetant ut Pica varii est Coloris vel ex eo quod Pica terram mandet If this distemper be in Women with Child Malacia it is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin also Gravidarum malacia which is an inordinate longing in them of which I shall treat more at large in the Chapter of the Hypochondriack suffocation Hunger diminish'd is caused of too fat and Cause viscous Spittle swallowed down by little and little into the Stomach and being unfit to promote the fermentation of Food it passeth into the small guts and there generates viscous Phlegm like to it self which doth not onely dull the moderate acidity of the Juice of the Pancreas but thereby at length all the acidity in the Body becomes less sharp and dull Choler also being too fat arising from the small Gut to the Stomach doth there corrupt both the remainders of Food and Spittle and prostrates their gratefull acidity by which means the Appetite becomes dull These causes being complicated if they be most grievous will at length quite take away and abolish Hunger The cause of Hunger augmented is sometimes Cause worms in the Stomach which devour the Chylus but most commonly it is caused by the over-sourness of the Juice of the Pancreas abounding in the Body and chiefly in the small Gut whence it sendeth sour Vapours to the Stomach which do potently urge and increase the sense of hunger The cause of hunger deprav'd in quality Cause as Pica c. in Women is the suppression of their monthly Courses which is more or less corrupted about the Womb and having not its natural Evacuation it returneth and in circulation is mixed with the whole Mass of Bloud by which it is all vitiated and deprav'd and so produceth a Cachexy or ill habit of Body which in time corrupteth all the other humours from whence not onely hunger but all the functions are deprav'd Hunger augmented needs no other sign Signs than the devouring of Food The signs of Hunger deprav'd in quality are also manifest as the longing desire for those things which are not food as Coals c. before mention'd If these distempers continue long they Progn are difficult of Curation because the sick will easily fall into a Cachexy Dropsie Consumption Vomiting Fluxes c. Hunger increas'd may be cur'd by giving those things which destroy and do temperate and amend the over acidity of the Juice of the Pancreas and do prevent its increase There are variety of Medicines proper for these intentions prescrib'd in the 6th and 7th pages of the first Book If hunger be diminish'd or abolish'd it may be cur'd by Medicines that correct and educe the viscous Phlegmatick humours of which you may be throughly furnish'd in the 3d. and 4th pages If hunger be suddenly diminish'd by Choler either over fat or abounding in plenty Cure it may commodiously be evacuated by an Antimonial Emetick Many other proper Medicines are set down in the 8th and 9th pages CHAP. III. Of want of Appetite or loathing of Victuals WAnt of Appetite is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appetitus In Latin 't is called inappetentia because in this distemper the sick hath no desire after food but their minds are averse to yea they loath most kind of meat and drink which sometimes riseth to that height that it takes away their strength This differs from vomiting onely in degrees it being a desire to vomit up whatsoever troubles the Stomach but cannot either by reason of
weakness or toughness of the matter Nausea Loathing is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Navis quod navigantibus proecipue contingit All loathing is either natural or adventitious The natural for the most part is common to Women with Child wherein 't is thought by some that the mind of the Child in the Womb is affected as well in this distemper as in the disease called Malacia or longing wherein if the Woman have not presently what the longs for wheresoever she first puts her hand on any part of her body in that part the Child is mark'd as we may see often by experience The adventitious loathing or that which cometh by accident is stir'd up in healthy People by prejudice they esteeming some sorts of food ungratefull or prejudicial to their Health and therefore their Stomachs loath them Sometimes nauseousness and loathing even to vomiting immediately follows Intemperance in eating and drinking which is dangerous That we may the better judge of the causes of this distemper let us first consider what is the natural Cause of Hunger by which we may the easier discover it I judge the chief Cause of natural hunger to be the remainders of food fermented in the Stomach and the longer it stays there it is still more and more fermented by the Spittle which is continually swallowed down and intermix'd with it and at length it raiseth a somewhat sour and gratefull Vapour which pleasingly affects the upper Orifice of the Stomach and so natural hunger seems to be produc'd And if food be with-held somewhat longer than ordinary then this hunger is increas'd even in healthy People which I think is promoted and augmented by the Juice of the Pancreas having a friendly Effervescency with Choler and Phlegm in the small Guts from whence sour and gratefull Vapours are sent to the Stomach which increaseth hunger and if food be seldom taken it may proceed to fainting fits Hence we may gather that if there be a Cause vitious Effervescency of the aforesaid humours in the small Guts then vitious Vapours are thence produc'd which rising up to the Stomach and other parts adjacent not onely diminish hunger but more or less deprave Thirst as also the senses of tasting and smelling hence it is that the sick do loath all sorts of food as soon as they smell taste or see it 1. Want of Appetite or Loathing is a digression Progn from the natural State and is therefore dangerous and is worse in Children than Adults because they require more Nourishment 2. In all diseases this is an evil Symptome and if the sick recover and want Appetite or loath their Food there is danger of a relapse This distemper either in healthy People or those that are sick may be cur'd Cure 1. First by freeing the mind from every prejudice 2. By correcting or purging out the vitious and peccant humours If the Humours incline upward they may be safely carried out by an Antimonial vomit and after the operation at night going to bed let the sick take this Cordial Opiate Take the Waters of Damask-roses Baum Cordial Opiat and Cinamon of each one ounce Syrup of Clove-gilliflowers red Poppies of each half an ounce Confectio Alkermes half a drachm Laudanum opiat four grains Oil of Vitriol six drops mix it But if the humours be very viscous and the Stomach be not nauseous let them be purged out by stool with such Medicines as have power to alter amend and evacuate the vitious humours For example Take of the Decoction of Senna Gereonis Purging Decoction four ounces the best Manna Syrups of Epithymum Roses Solutive with Senna of each half an ounce mix it for two Doses to be taken in the Morning fasting After purging the Stomach must be strengthned which may be done by this excellent Diet-drink Take the Roots of China Sarzeparilla of Diet-drink each eight ounces Guiacum two pound Cinamon Mace Nutmegs of each one ounce Raisins of the Sun stoned one pound Anise-seed Liquorish of each one ounce and half let them be bruised and infused in two Gallons of Fountain-water very hot for the space of twenty four hours then boil it to the consumption of the third part strain it and add Syrups of Cinamon and of the Juice of Rasberries of each four ounces mix it and let it be put into Bottles The sick may drink four ounces of it three times in a day Also candied Ginger and Nutmegs preserv'd are good to corroborate the Stomach a little of either of them may be eaten before the taking of the Diet-drink You may anoint the Stomach with Oil of Mace by expression after which apply a Plaster Stomachicum magistr to the Region of the Stomach CHAP. IV. Of the Hicket or Hiccough THE Hicket is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin singultus ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum gula quod fere gula fiat vel a sono gulae It is called in English a Sobbing or Yexing being something like the Clocking of Hens with Chickens This disease was thought by the Ancients to be a deprav'd motion of the Stomach onely by which it striveth to expell something which is hurtfull but experience doth manifest that it is a convulsive Motion of the Midriff and not of the Stomach because in this distemper expiration is deprav'd and this is chiefly perfected by the Muscles of the Belly both by drawing down the Breast and compressing all that is contain'd in the Belly and driving them forward towards the Midriff and so compelling it upward its proper motion together concurring by which a greater straitness is made in the Breast which causeth the Lungs also to be straitned and consequently the Air contain'd in them to be suddenly expir'd 'T is true in this distemper the Stomach is primarily affected by sharp Vapours Wind or humours whencesoever proceeding which piercing to the membranous Centre of the Midriff provoke it by pricking or corroding to perform that convulsive motion in which the Diaphragma is contracted with a great force towards the Region of the Stomach which suddenly and violently driveth it forward and outward the convulsive Motion soon ceasing and again often repeating The causes of the Hicket are either external Cause or internal The external are hurtfull sharp and poisonous food or medicines taken into the Stomach by which the Midriff is soon affected and compelled to this violent and presently interrupted convulsive Motion The internal cause riseth up out of the small Gut by the vitious Effervescency of the humours there meeting from whence sharp halituous or windy Vapours are rais'd to the upper Orifice of the Stomach by which it is soon corroded and thence the sharp flatuous Humours or Vapours are presently carried through the Vessels of the Diaphragma and sticking in its substance do corrode its sensible parts and compell it to that Convulsive repeating contraction of it self When the
Hicket is the Symptome of any other grievous disease as an acute Fever Inflammation Progn c. it is dangerous and sometimes mortal In most ordinary Hickets the party is easily Cure restor'd either by stopping the Breath or by suddenly surprising them with fear But as often as sharp poisonous Food or Medicines or any flatuous humours be in the Stomach c. causing the Hicket they must be presently expelled by an Antimonial Emetick which will not onely empty the peccant humours upward and downward but will correct and amend the hurtfull humours in the Body After the Operation of the Emetick the following Cordial Opiate will conduce to dissipate the molesting Vapours which remain about the Mouth of the Stomach and will stay the Hicket and mildly procure sleep Take the Waters of Treacle Cinamon Cordial Opiat Syrup of Mint of each one ounce the Waters of Baum and Mint of each two ounces Coufectio Alkermes two drachms Laudanum opiatum six grains Spirits of Harts-horn Niter dulcified of each twenty drops mix it Let the sick often take two spoonfulls of this Opiate till they be dispos'd to rest If this distemper be obstinate and yields not to the aforesaid Medicine it shews that over-viscous Humours are conjoin'd to its Cause Therefore in an obstinate Hicket it is better that the peccant humours be emptied downwards with such Medicines as will both cut and educe them For which I commend these Pills Take pil foetidae ex duobus of each fifteen Purging Pills grains Oil of Harts-horn four drops make it into Pills take them in the Morning fasting Let these or the like Aromatick Pills with gums be taken at least twice a week which will not onely educe the hurtfull humours but discuss Vapours and Wind. In the interim let not the frequent use of the aforesaid Cordial Opiate be neglected for it will wonderfully conduce to the Cure Sometimes it is good for the Patient to sneez for it hath often prov'd succesfull Drinking of warm Milk from the Cow is also much commended because it will asswage the hurtfull humours which remain about the Stomach c. CHAP. V. Of Belching BElching is called in Latin ructatio ructuatio esculenta quae fit ab homine saturo because it comes most commonly after a full Stomach Any thing which breaks up from the Stomach in the kind of a rift or windy Vapour and is expell'd by the Mouth with noise may properly be called belching The cause of this distemper is either outward Cause or inward The outward is from windy food or other flatuous things taken as Beans Pease Radishes c. The internal cause is either from a phlegmatick viscous humour adhering to the Stomach where it is rarefied into wind by Aromaticks taken or from the same viscous humour in the small Guts turned into wind by Choler over fat and volatile and thence it is driven forward to the Stomach whereby the Fermentation of Food is deprav'd into a noisome Crudity whence Belches like rotten Eggs c. are rais'd which doth distend and gnaw the Stomach If the Phlegmatick matter which cleaveth Progn to the Ventricle or small Guts be very tough the belching is more hardly excluded whence often a swelling and troublesome Distension of the Stomach follows e contra The Cure may be safely and happily perform'd Cure onely by correcting and educing the Phlegmatick viscous humours abounding for which there are variety of Medicines prescrib'd in the third and fourth Pages in the Cure of the Head-ach CHAP. VI. Of Vomiting and of the Cholerick and Iliack Passion VOmiting is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vomo It is a deprav'd motion of the Stomach and a certain sign of health weakned for in perfect health nothing is wont to be expell'd out of the Stomach by the Mouth In vomiting sometimes food either crude or more or less fermented is cast out by the Gullet and Mouth sometimes Bloud sometimes Choler and other times manifold humours and matter of divers Colours Taste and Consistency and sometimes the Excrements returning to the Stomach as in Iliaca passio is expell'd by that preposterous way of vomiting wherein omnia naturae praepostera legibus ibant All the differences occurring in several sick People are very difficult to be numbred or reduc'd into a certain order and much more to make an exact Examination of all the Symptoms and thence to give a solid Judgment of every one In this distemper the Stomach is either primarily or secondarily affected The Stomach is primarily affected to vomit when the cause is in it self As by taking a Vomit or when there is an Inflammation or Exulceration of it for then it is easily stir'd up by food or any other thing swallowed to a violent and preternatural Contraction and turning of its motion whereby it is compell'd to cast out whatsoever is contain'd in it The Stomach is secondarily affected when it is drawn by consent of other parts first distemper'd as by the contracting motion of the Guts either in part or wholly in that most grievous disease called Ileos or Iliaca Ileos passio or by the vehement shaking of the Midriff together with a potent Contraction of the Muscles of the Belly caused sometimes in a grievous Cough By which all the Bowels contain'd in the Belly are compressed upward toward the Breast and urge the Stomach to change its natural motion As often as Cholerick humours are plentifully voided out as well upward as downward with great force accompanied with troublesome Anxieties of the Midriff it is Choler Cholerica passio called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bilis And in Latin cholerica passio When there is a forcible pouring out of Bloud by vomiting it is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin vomitio sanguinis Hoemoptysis The Cause of Ileos or Iliaca passio is an Cause of Ileos excrementitious viscous matter that doth adhere unto the Gut called Ileo which in time is coagulated into a very hard substance almost in the form of Bullets of which I have had large experience whence all passage through for the excrements by siege is stopt and anon their regress and ascent to the Stomach follows with a miserable vomiting of them The Rupture of the Peritonaeum may be also the cause of this grievous disease especially if it be so great that not onely the small Guts but the great ones also fall through the lacerated hole either by reason of their weight or else by the perpetual approaching of what is contain'd in them which renders them uncapable to be reduc'd or put back through the same hole whence the excrements having not passage downwards are more and more hardned to that degree that they can hardly be dissolv'd so that a hard and unsupperable Tumour doth soon follow which hinders the reflux of bloud and causeth an inflammation and consequently a
sorrow of mind or great passion be the Cause it ought to be prevented as much as may be both by Philosophical and Theological reasons about any troublesome matters and by confirming the mind whereby the sick may be the better enabled to bear and suffer stoutly any adversity This ought to be observed also in all other Diseases If Ebriety be the cause I commend Sobriety to cure it Sublata causa tollitur effectus If the humours be over viscous or glutinous the following Decoction will not onely alter and correct but mildly educe the peccant humours by which the Jaundice may in a short time be cured Take of Rhubarb the Roots of Madder Smallage the greater Celandine of each Decoction one ounce the Flowers of Broom one handfull Hemp-seed two ounces the Seeds of Anise Parsley and Columbines of each half an ounce Saffron two drachms white Tartar three drachms let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in White-wine and Fountain water of each three pints till the third part be boiled away then strain it and add the best Manna Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb of each three ounces mix it Let the sick take four spoonfulls of this three times a day till the viscous phlegm and Choler be sufficiently evacuated and the natural colour of the body restored As oft as the Jaundice is caused by the poison of a Viper or any other venemous thing whatsoever you must administer as soon as possible a volatile sudorifick to correct and expell the venome The following will serve to both indications Take the waters of Carduus Fennel Fumitory Sudorifick of each two ounces Treacle-water Syrups of the juice of Carduus red Poppies of each one ounce tincture of Saffron two drachms Venice-treacle half a drachm Bezoar-mineral Antimony diaphoretick Salt of Harts-horn of each one scruple Spirit of Salt-Armoniack six drops Laudanum opiatum six grains mix it and give three or four spoonfulls to provoke sweat and after it breaks forth give a spoonfull or two now and then to promote it Also this Decoction or one like it may be prescrib'd for the Icterick patient it being both Sudorifick and Diuretick Take the Roots of Scorzonera Juniper of Diuretick Decoction each two ounces Roots of Master-wort Sassaphras of each half an ounce Berries of Juniper and Bays of each one ounce and half Seeds of Nettles Hemp and Columbines of each one ounce shavings of Harts-horn three drachms the tops of Carduus Scordium Scabious the lesser Centaury of each one handfull let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Syrup of the juice of Carduus four ounces Treacle-water two ounces Salt of Tartar vitriolated two drachms mix it and give four spoonfulls every two or three hours Soap of any sort conduceth to the cure of the Jaundice upon a twofold account both by reason of its fixt lixivial Salt and also by reason of its fatness or oil for the Lixivial Salt doth correct and diminish the over volatileness and spirituousness of the vitiated Choler and the oil doth blunt the sharpness of the volatile and spirituous Salt ruling in Choler The following mixture is very effectual Take of Hemp-seed two ounces Soap two Opiate drachms bruise the seed and boil it in half a pint of new Milk till half of it be consumed then strain it and add Syrup of Saffron half an ounce tincture of Saffron two drachms Laudanum opiatum four grains mix it and give half of it in the morning fasting and the remainder at night going to bed CHAP. XII Of a Cachexy AN ill Habit of Body is called in Greek Cachexia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habitus It may be called in Latin mala corporis habitudo There are many causes of this Distemper which may be distinguisht according to the diversity of the conjoin'd Symptoms It doth accompany all Chronical Diseases as Dropsies of all kinds Hypochondriack suffocation Scurvy Pox and Gout c. for it doth spare none neither Peer nor Peasant of any age or sex but it most frequently seizeth on Women when their monthly terms are supprest The cause is either external or internal The external cause is either bad Diet a long time receiv'd or for want of good refreshing Food after sickness for the Stomach being weak cannot digest course Diet by which the nutriment of the Body doth by degrees become peccant in quality vitiating the humours and Bloud it self so that an ill nourishment of the Body doth follow The internal cause may be the suppression of the Terms in Women which is more or less corrupted about the Womb having not its natural evacuation from whence the whole mass of Bloud is indued with a vitious quality by which the nourishment of all parts of the Body is deprav'd Also Choler and the juice of the Pancreas which are always confus'd with the Bloud being alike vitious or peccant in quality do not onely corrupt the separation of usefull and unusefull parts but by the vitious effervescency of these humours manifold flatuous vapours are rais'd which do not onely increase anxieties about the Midriff but being carried to the Heart there follows a pressing pain and palpitation thereof and in circulating through the Lungs it causeth a Dyspnoea or difficult breathing and being thence transferr'd every way throughout the Body it doth breed a general weariness in all parts But when the vitious humours abound together in plenty then several kinds of the Dropsie at length succeed if not the universal Body groweth lean by degrees From what hath been said the production of every Cachexie may easily be deduced by a judicious Physician The signs are paleness of the Face shortness Signs of breath palpitation of the Heart and often apressing pain of it accompanied for the most part with a lingring Fever either continual or intermitting or compounded of both in which the Urine is crude or watry at length there is a weariness of the universal Body which in some doth pine and become lean but in others the Body doth swell and is turgid If this Disease be not helpt in time it will become by degrees so stubborn and rebellious Progn that it will puzzle the wisest and most experienced Physicians to cure it for by the long continuance thereof phlegm becometh very tough and glutinous on which all Chronical or prolong'd Diseases depend besides all the other humours are by degrees vitiated which incorporate with the Bloud and diminish its effervescency so that the separation and excretion of the excrementitious parts to be voided together with Urine do not follow from whence many grievous symptoms succeed which oft proves mortal The cure of every Cachexie will consist in Cure the correction and amendment of the Bloud any way vitiated If flegm be tough and glutinous it must be corrected and evacuated for which
there are variety of choice medicines prescrib'd in the fourth page of the cure of diseases of the Head in the use whereof you must persevere for some time or else the laudable success and happy wisht for cure will be expected in vain Any other humours that are peccant in quality by which the bloud is vitiated must be alter'd and reduc'd to their natural Constitution by selected Medicines which will amend and empty them out by degrees In the interim good Food which is easie of digestion and wholsome nourishment must not be neglected whereby nature may be cherished and health by degrees procured Those Medicines which are prescrib'd for the Cure of the Dropsie and Scurvy are proper for this Disease wherefore I shall forbear prescriptions here CHAP. XIII Of Dropsies THE Dropsie is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hydrops ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aqua quod nomen sumpsit ab aquoso humore Cutis The Ancients have assigned three sorts of Dropsies 1. The first is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ascites uter pellis 'T is called in Latin aqua intercus ex inter cutis because the Water is between the Skin and the Flesh. This is the most proper Dropsie in which the Abdomen Secrets Thighs and Legs are affected 2. The second is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod tumor est ad similitudinem tympani vel tympani sonum referens As this is the most rare so 't is the most cruel and afflictive 3. The third is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caro quod hydrops toto corpore diffusus It is also called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 album 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 phlegma vel pit uita because it is caused of white Phlegm gathered in all parts of the Body Some Authours make a difference between Anasarca and Leucophlegmatia that Anasarca is caused by a serous humour and Leucophlegmatia by a phlegmatick and more viscous humour but all Dropsies except Tympanies seem to me to be little less than a distinction of degrees of one and the same Disease Cause The Ancients did take the Liver to be the chief part male-affected in these distempers but Helmont who was happy in a remedy to cure it doth severely reprove them and is so bold to tax the whole Schools with the ignorance of Anatomical dissections he having inspected many Carcases of dropsical Persons of whom he makes distinct mention doth assert the Livers of them all no-way vitiated and therefore he concludes the Liver faultless in dropsical affects and he derives the Cause of Dropsie to be an obstruction of the Kidneys with the Stone or Gravel and so the water which should be transferr'd through the Kidneys to the Bladder to be evacuated by pissing is forced into the Cavity of the Abdomen But experience teacheth that Dropsies may be caused many ways wherefore I shall betake my self to a more evident description thereof The causes of Dropsies are either external Cause or internal The external Cause is the Constipation of the porous Skin impeding transpiration whereby the discharge of sweaty Vapours through the Habit of the Body is lessned and interrupted hence what moisture is usually carried off by sweating doth rebound inwards and condense into an Ichorous water and is there by degrees aggravated and increased through the hindrance of the necessary transpiration till at length a great quantity of water is accumulated and stagnating in the affected parts in time may work farther alterations on the subjected Bowels Matter of fact hath evinced this to me having cured several Hydropical patients onely by sweating and external applications The internal Cause of the Dropsie may be over viscous Chyle or Phlegm of the Guts coagulated in the lacteal Veins and causing an obstruction in more or fewer of their Branches so that the Liquour rising either from the continual Conflux of Choler the Juice of the Pancreas and the Phlegm of Spittle or else from Chyle or from drink plentifully drunk being stopt and intercepted in its motion it doth by degrees more and more distend the Vessels that at length they burst and the moisture receiv'd into them is poured out between the Membranes of the Mesentery and presently after into the Cavity of the Abdomen This disease is sometimes suddenly produc'd by much drinking in a burning Fever join'd with an urgent and permanent Thirst. After the same manner though difficult to be known may a Dropsie of the Breast be caused viz. by an obstruction of the lateral Lymphatick Vessels by glutinous Phlegm carried together with Lympha into the said Vessels and there coagulated by which the motion of Lympha is hindred so that the Lymphatick vessels being much distended by the great quantity of Lympha gathered in them at length they burst and the Lympha piercing through the Pleura into the Cavity of the Breast procureth a Dropsie in it The cause of a Tympany is wind together Cause of a Tympany with a serous humour piercing through the Guts into the Cavity of the Belly and being there detained it is more and more rarified by which the Peritonoeum is not onely expanded but the whole Abdomen inflated and violently distended The signs of Ascites are swelling and Signs of Ascites fluctuation of the Belly difficult breathing a dry Cough accompanied sometimes with a symptomatical Fever and great Thirst. The signs of Anasarca are weakness faintness Signs of Anasarca and swelling of the whole Body which being pressed with the Finger it doth pit and leave an impression breathing is also difficult with a continual Fever In a Tympany the Belly is distended and Signs of a Tympany being struck upon there is a noise like a little Drum 1. Every Dropsie is difficult of Curation Progn especially if it hath been of long continuance 2. If the Hydropical persons have a good digestion and void more moisture both by stool and urine than they either eat or drink it is a hopefull sign of recovery e contra Dropsies may be cured by strong Hydragogues Cure Sudorificks and Bathing and sometimes by a Paracenthesis or boring the Belly The Best Hydragogues are prepared of Elder Dwarf-elder Jallop-roots Elaterium Gum-gutty Crystals of Silver c. of which you may prepare purging Infusions Pills c. for example Take the Roots of Flower-de-luce Dwarf-Elder Purging Infusion Madder Liquorish the five opening Roots of each one ounce the tops of Saint John's wort Centaury the less Agrimony the best Senna of each one handfull the Barks of Capers Ash Tamarisk Cinamon of each six drachms Flowers of Beans Elder Dwarf-elder Broom of each half a handfull seeds of sweet Fennel Parsley Gromwell Juniper-Berries of each one ounce and half Cloves Salt of Tartar of each half an ounce let them be cleansed bruised and
are augmented more or less according to the strength and debility of parts to resist or consent and be depraved The Hypochondriack suffocation is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel quod Hypochondriacus ad Hypochondria pertinet vel sub cartilagine fita fit It is called by the Latins Hypochondriaca melancholia The Ancients thought that this was an uterine disease in quibus mulieres uteri fuffocatione laborant and therefore it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin morbus Hystericus vel Hysterica passio and in English 't is called Fits of the Mother it being most subject to Women from the suppression of their monthly Courses But because men are also molested with longing and suffer often both the Sense and Disease of Suffocation especially when they become Cachectick or of ill habit of Body and also they are cured with the same medicines that Women are cured with when they are vexed with this distemper therefore I think this suffocation may be more properly called Hypochondriacal It may be called the Mother of the Scurvy because the vital Principles in this disease are seduced to declension and deviation from their rectitude the digestive offices being all depraved The causes of these diseases are either external Causes or internal The external are sometimes a sedentary studious and melancholy life by which the vital Principles do receive much prejudice decay and fall off from their functions and become languid and feeble also the Air being infested with noxious Vapours is a procuring cause of these distempers for such Air being drawn into the Body by inspiration doth commix with the spirits and debilitate and deprave the faculties from whence Scorbutick and Hypochondriack effects do ensue and as the Body is perspirable or impervious these diseases are more or less varied and remitted in their Symptoms and therefore the constipation of the pores prohibiting transpiration is a partial organical cause of preternatural Spots in the Scurvy which appear chiefly upon the Thighs and Legs not from the gravity of the material cause and ponderous propension of gross matter downwards but because those parts are more weak in their assimilation being remote from supply of vital Spirits therefore they have the first tokens of defection The internal Cause is a vitious quality of all the humours and also of the Animal spirits which are confus'd with the bloud and communicate their faultiness to it by which the bloud is also vitiated so that the nourishment of the Body is deprav'd several ways according to the variety of the quality peccant in which the colour of the native Skin and especially of the face languisheth and is changed pale In these diseases not onely the appetite of food but its fermentation is also deprav'd wherefore Anxieties about the Midriff and Hypochondries and a pressing pain of the Heart will soon follow For when the food is ill fermented and driven forward through the small Gut it is confus'd with the Juice of the Pancreas and Choler which are a like vitious the Pancreatick juice being too sharp and acrid and the Bile over thick and salt from whence the separation of usefull and unusefull parts is not onely corrupted but also by the vitious Effervescency of these humours are rais'd manifold halituous Vapours which do not onely increase the fore describ'd Anxiety but being carried to the Heart do breed a Palpitation of it whence it circulates through the Lungs and causeth a difficulty of breathing and thence being driven every way it causeth a weariness in all parts of the Body and if an Acrimony of the humours do concur then it is manifested internally with pain The cause of the inordinate effervescency of Bloud in the Hypochondriack suffocation is not onely the unequal flowing of Lympha but also of the Liquour rising out of the threefold humours vitiously effervescing in the small Gut from whence vitious Vapours are sent to the right Ventricle of the Heart and procure a great Confusion and disturbance in it hence followeth a notable Palpitation of the Heart by which sometimes the Effervescency of Bloud seemeth to cease in the right Ventricle for a time with its motion and pulse and also respiration is taken away to outward sense The symptoms and signs of these diseases are very many yet are never seen to concur in one and the same Body The usual signs are pain of the Head palpitation of the Heart puffing up of the Stomach Loathing Vomiting Belching Hicket Cough Tumour and Putrefaction of the Gums with much spitting looseness and blackness of the Teeth and sometimes great pain in them the breath stinketh and is sometimes fetched with much difficulty also Convulsions Palsie Gout Dropsies and all other obstructions sometimes the Colick and trembling and looseness of the Lims with red purple spots dispersed also the Pleurisie pain of the Hypochondries and also of many of the external parts as the Neck Arms Hands Thighs Legs Feet and Anckles with laziness and often faint sweats there is also sometimes malign Ulcers dry hard Tubercles Erisipelas and Edematous tumours with many others which to enumerate were to comprehend an universal Genus of Atomes within a very narrow Limitation 1. These diseases for the most part are of long continuance and are seldom cured Progn and therefore may be called the disgrace of Physicians 2. If the Patient hath a continual pain and giddiness of the Head it doth threaten an Epilepsie or Apoplexy 3. The more aged the sick are the more grievous are the Symptoms and the more dangerous and difficult to be cured 4. Vomiting Flux of the Belly and Hemorrhoids if they are moderate are hopefull signs of recovery In some Regions these diseases are complicated with most other distempers or at least do easily degenerate into them by which they are rendred the more difficult of curation As for the Cure of these stubborn and rebellious Cure diseases the sick must observe a good diet without which Physical means will profit but little and here we may also observe that no Aliments or Medicines whether altering or purging will be very profitable unless specifick Antiscorbuticks be mixed with them The best Antiscorbutick simples are the Roots of Horse-radish Butter-bur Liquorish Dandelion Scorzonera China Zedoary Angelica Elicampane Polypodium the five opening Roots the Wood and Bark of Guiacum and Sassaphras the Herbs Scordium Scurvigrass Brook-lime Water-cresses Sorrel Rue Fennel Golden-rod and Penny-royal Fruits of Oranges Limmons Pomcitrons Pomgranates Apples c. Seeds of Mustard Angelica Radish and Juniper-berries cum multis aliis of which may be prepared diversity of good medicines both Chymical and Galenical The volatile Salts both of Animals and Vegetables are excellent to open all obstructions and temper the humours Also Elixir proprietatis the Spirit of Salt Armoniack Horse-radish and Scurvigrass the Spirit of Niter and of Salt dulcified Salt of Steel Wormwood and Tartar Oil of Juniper Cloves and Cinamon are all Specifick
Progn Urethra be ulcerated it is hard to be cured especially if the Patient be old and the Distemper hath continu'd long e contra If the Bladder or urinal Passage be ulcerated Cure it may be effectually cured by the Balsam of Sulphur made with the Oil of Anise-seed Amber or Juniper taken to two or three drops twice or thrice daily in any convenient Vehicle especially a vulnerary Decoction which is most effectual The salt acid corroding humours may be corrected with Crabs-eyes Perle c. and also all volatile oily Salts taken often in a small quantity in any refrigerating Diuretick This Decoction is effectual Take the Roots of Mallows Marsh-mallows Decoction of each two ounces Lettice Endive Purslain Violets of each one handfull Jujubes Sebestins of each one ounce Winter-cherries half an ounce the four greater Cold-seeds of each two drachms red Roses Water-lillies of each half a handfull let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Syrups of red Poppies Violets of each two ounces Laudanum opiat ten grains Oil of Vitriol ten drops mix it and give three spoonfulls every two hours An Emulsion of the Cold-seeds or Chamomel-flowers boiled in Milk is also very effectual If the Patient be costive give emollient Clysters or gentle Cholagogues and Hydragogues to evacuate the peccant humours Or else you may give a gentle Emetick for Revulsion If the pain be very great you may inject an Emulsion made of the Cold-seeds into the urinal Passage and anoint the Privities with unguentum Populion c. CHAP. XXVI Of Venereal Affects THIS Scourge of transgressing Humanity being as it were a Murrain or common Destruction to venereous Persons may be called in Latin Lues venerea a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solvo vel quod Corpus omnino dissolvit vel quasi luens usque ad nihil Lues enim ista pestis est species vel qualiscunque contagio quoe homines Lues venerea inficit debito supplicio scelus luere The first Knowledge of this pocky intestine Enemy at least in the European parts of the World was at the Siege of Naples by the French being brought thither as some Authours affirm by the Spaniards that came with Christopher Columbus from the West Indies and they like plaguy Persons that croud to infect others contrary to their reserved temper being inflam'd with a venereal Itching and being also free of their flesh they communicated as a great rarity this new found foul Distemper to the Italian Women which among others they had engrost to themselves from the Animal Indians in their American Tyrannical Conquests Many of those poor Creatures being deeply infected with the monstrous Yaws so called by the Indians from whence this foul Distemper had its first original Hence it was first called the Neapolitan and afterward the French disease since which time many of the precipitant youthfull Europeans to their great Costs and Pain have been punished with this impure venereal Affect This Itch in spite of Mortals will be catching where there is no fear of God to restrain but the beginning natural momentany Pleasure will often urge a smartfull end so that this is the product of that sin of uncleanness for which God hath pronounced Hebrews 13. 4. Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will judge To describe this virulent contagious Disease It is an universal sour taint of the spermatick parts the seed in the spermatick Vessels being first corrupted with a cold indigested Putridness is sometimes conveyed outward to the groins infecting the obscene parts with a filthy eating Crusty scab But if the poisonous malign quality gotten by impure Coition be transfer'd to the Liver which is the chief Subject of its more easie invasion and its special residence it must necessarily suffer egregious corruption from whence the afflicting taint is dispersed into the whole habit of the Body vitiating and corrupting the Nutrition of every part by which the sick becomes wholly cachectick and the filthy Pox without speedy help tyrannizing with many malign Symptoms and afflicting both the body and mind doth at length hurry the Patient into the pit of silence The cause is chiefly the carnal use of Cause venereous Persons Also Children sucking of those Nurses that are infected may receive the pollution from the poisonous malignity of the milk It may also be Hereditary the seed of venereous Parents being polluted The most apparent signs are a dulness of Signs the whole Body white face intolerable pain between the joints especially in the Night which hindreth sleep sometimes Buboes in the Groins c. As is before mention'd also Ulcers and hard Pustules in many parts of the Body as Head Chin c. there is sometimes a relaxation of the Uvula with Hoarsness and Corruption of the Palate and Tumours of the adjacent Glandulous parts there is also sometimes a Cariosity of the Skull and other Bones Cum multis aliis 1. It is difficult of Curation if it hath Progn continu'd long or the Patient be consumptive or if it be in a sucking Infant 2. If it be Hereditary 't is incurable but if the Patient be young and newly infected it may be easily cured As for the Cure of this filthy Disease first Cure I advise the Patient to repent from the bottom of the Heart for this great sin of uncleanness c. Then make choice of an honest Physician The Cure is easiest effected in the Spring or Fall of the Leaf but if necessity urge you may begin the Cure at any time First let the Body be prepared The following Apozeme may serve for Example in most constitutions Take the five opening Roots Liquorish Apozeme China of each one ounce Cinamon Anise-seed Senna of each half an ounce Agarick Rhubarb Cream of Tartar of each two drachms let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of Fountain-water till half be consumed then strain it and add Syrup of Roses solutive four ounces Salt of Tartar vitriolated two drachms Spirit of Niter twenty drops mix it and give six spoonfulls every two hours If the Patient be Plethorick open a Vein after which you may purge with these or the like Pills Take of Extractum Rudii one scruple Purging Pills Mercur. dulcis Salt Armoniack of each half a scruple make it into four Pills and take them in the Morning If you perceive by the Excrements that the Patient's body be very foul you may administer another Dose of Pills after two days intermission Then you may prepare the following Decoction or one like it to cause sweat c. Take of Guiacum the Roots of China Sarseparilla Decoction of each one pound Raisins of the Sun stoned Hermodactils Polypodium Barks of Guiacum and Sassaphras of each four ounces Juniper-berries Anise-seed Liquorish Elicampane-roots of each one ounce let them be cleansed bruised and infused in four Gallons of Rain-water
the force of frequent exercises But if it so vehemently prevaileth that the increase thereof cannot be prevented by the best internal means and also most prudent applications then there is imminent danger 2. If it proceed from other Diseases or be complicated with them it will be the more difficult of curation especially if the Bones of the Armes and Legs be crooked and there be great bending and tumour of the Joints of the Wrists Ancles and Ribs But if the Symptoms decline and the Child do easily endure agitation and have often eruptions in the Skin as Wheals Pimples or Itch then there is great hopes of recovery 3. If they be not cured in five years they will grow deformed and crooked and for the most part will become dwarfs and live sickly being either Cachectick or Phthisical till death do put a Period to their miserable Life As for the Cure of this disease both the Child and Nurse must keep a good diet Cure which is easie of Concoction In the mean time you must not neglect the best Chyrurgical and Pharmaceutical means which will most conduce to the speedy recovery of the weakly Infant Universals being premised the most effectual and approved Chyrurgical means in this affect are Incision or Scarification of the Ears and little Fountains or Issues although many more may be used viz. Frixions Blisters Ligatures c. Incision or Scarification in the Ears is to be performed on the Ridge in the inside of the Ear above the hole which must be stopt to hinder the Bloud passing into it This Operation must be often repeated at least once or twice in a month which hath proved successull when many other remedies have been ineffectual And here it may be noted that Scarification being made in that place must needs be of greater efficacy than if it were instituted in any other part of the Ear or elsewhere 1. First Because the beginning of the fifth pair of Nerves is near that place many of their Branches being distributed through the hollow of the Ear and are thence conveyed into the Spinalis medulla from whence it shooteth out little Branches which accompany the Nerves of the marrow of the Back to the ends of the very Legs and Feet as many ingenious Anatomists have accurately observ'd Wherefore Scarification being there made it is probable that the matter which commonly oppresseth the very beginning of that Nerve is immediately evacuated by which it is freed from obstruction and having also gotten vigour being excited by the pain and Inflammation it driveth out all stupidness from within it by which means the Branches of the Nerves from thence arising which are communicated to the Spinalis medulla and many other parts may be in some measure excited also 2. Because by this means there is a particular evacuation of the Head which is wont to be oppressed with fullness in this affect Besides the Bloud being somewhat lesned the thickness and toughness thereof must thereby be corrected and by consequence an equal distribution of it promoved to a more regular nourishment of the parts Issues in the Neck are also much approved in this disease because they very much conduce to lessen the unusual magnitude of the Head and to evacuate the superfluous watriness thereof and repress the inordinate increase of the bones also it manifestly drieth up the too much humidity of the spinal Marrow exciteth heat strengthens the Nerves and expelleth the astonishment As for the Pharmaceutical or Physical means you must be sure to cleanse the first passages either by Clysters Vomits or Lenitive purgations When the Belly is Costive and the excrements are hardned or some flatuous humours afflict the Bowels with vehement pain then Clysters are chiefly required and they may also be injected before any preparation Vomit or Lenitive purgation I need not prescribe any forms because a little Milk and Sugar with a few Anise-seeds boiled in it may serve Also an Emollient or Carminative Clyster that is gentle may be injectrd when there is occasion Emeticks if well prepared and prudently administred are very efficacious and will conduce much to the Cure And here I again commend Antimonial Vomits before all others 1. First because they not onely powerfully evacuate Crude or corrupt humours and all manner of impurities contained in the Stomach by Vomit but by an agitation and commotion raised in all the parts especially in the Bowels they loosen the gross and viscous humours adhering to the Guts and convey them through their many involutions and labyrinths by which they are expelled by Stool in which respect they are also profitable against torments of the Colick and very conducible to unlock obstructions 2. They most effectually irritate the expulsive faculty of all the parts of the Body by which they compell forth the hidden and unappearing causes of diseases especially of intermitting Fevers for by the very straining to Vomit the Guts are also instimulated to cast out by siege the Liver poureth away the Choler by the Biliar pore the juice of the Pancreas is voided into the small Guts the Spleen perhaps doth unburthen its excrement into the Stomach the Kidneys exern through the Ureters the Lungs by a strong Cough eject their Phlegm through the Wind-pipe the Head emptieth it self of salt waterish Rheums by the Palate Nostrils and Eyes finally the whole Body for the most part is rendred more prone to a Diaphoresis either by a manifest sweating or else by insensible transpiration If any are afraid of Antimonial preparations though most safe and potent they may administer Salt of Vitriol from five to ten grains either in Posset-drink or any other convenient Vehicle Also the following may be safely administred Take the clarified Juice of Asarabacca half a drachm Syrup of the Juice of Sorrel Vomit two drachms mix it and give it in the morning fasting But here we may note that vomiting is Observatio not to be provoked in very weak Children unless they are naturally apt to Vomit and the humours tend upwards of their own accord and they easily indure it and then they ought to be gentle and given in a small dose Those that are averse to vomiting may take lenitive Catharticks which must be made pleasant and potable that the young Patient may not loath the taking of them Manna Syrup of Cichory with Rhubarb Syrup of Violets and Syrup of Roses solutive are all good pleasant medicines which you may mix according to your discretion in any proper distill'd water or in the decoction of sennoe Gereonis The following drink is of excellent virtue and will conduce much to the Cure of this disease Take of Anise-seed the Barks of Ash Ivie Infusion Tamarisk Shavings of Harts-horn and Ivory the Roots of Sassaphras Liquorish China Sarseparilla Butterbur of each half an ounce Mace one drachm let them be cleansed bruised and infused in two quarts of small Ale for two or three days then strain it out very strongly and
is incurable according to Ovid Tollere nodosam nescit medicina Podagram But if there be no Knots in the Joints and the Patient is laborious and the Body is for the most part soluble and there be swelling of the Veins called Varices then it may be happily cured 3. If it becomes habitual to the sick the morbifick Idea is implanted in the vital Spirit and transfer'd through the seed which makes it Hereditary The Cure of the Gout will consist Cure 1. First in defending the afflicted Joints as well against future Pain as freeing them from that which doth molest at present 2. In the universal amendment of the juice of the Pancreas 3. In the correcting and evacuation of the vitious Choler 4. In the altering and diminishing of Phlegm any way peccant To asswage the present Pain I commend the following Medicaments which will conduce much to mitigate the sharpness of the acrimonious humours in all Gouty people and ease the part affected When there is excessive heat you may bathe the Gouty part with this Fomentation very hot with wollen Stuphs which must be often renewed Take the Waters of the Spawn of Frogs Fomentation Fumitory Elder of each one quart Vinegar of Mary-golds one pint Opium Camphire of each half an ounce mix it according to Art But when the Pain is more corroding than burning I commend the following to be used as the former Take of Treacle-water half a pint the Waters of the Spawn of Frogs Parsley of each one quart Opium Camphire of each half an ounce mix it After Bathing with either of these apply this Cataplasm Take Powders of the Roots of Marsh-mallows Pultess Flax-seed Barley-meal of each four ounces new Milk three pints boil it to the Consistence of a Pultess and add Oils of Flax-seed Earthworms the Ointment Martiatum of each three ounces Camphire half an ounce mix it according to Art Where exceeding heat doth concur and the Body abounds with sharp Choler instead of sweet Milk you may substitute Butter-milk Also a Pultess made of the Crums of White-bread new Goats or Cows milk and Saffron with Oil of Lin-seed and Earth-worms may be deservedly commended to asswage any Pain If the sick be very phlegmatick and impotency of motion doth afflict more than pain then Opiats may be omitted and things more Aromatical may be used in all external Applications The following Pultess or one like it may serve for Example Take the Powders of Orris-roots the Cataplasm Flowers of Chamomel and Elder Cummin-seeds Barley-meal of each four ounces the Tops of Wormwood Mints of each four handfulls boil them in two quarts of water of the Spawn of Frogs to the Consistence of a Pultess when it is almost cold add Treacle-water Oils of Chamomel Earth-worms of each three ounces mix it Also the Root of Briony and Cuckow-pintle bruised and made into a Pultess with Cow-dung is excellent If you add Volatile Salts of Animals or Vegetables to your Medicines whether Fomentations Cataplasms or Ointments they will be the more effectual You may prepare an excellent Volatile Salt of Earth-worms of great Virtue for the Gout which may be resolved into Liquour by fermentation and putrefaction If the Gouty Patient do abound with Phlegm or the Juice of the Pancreas exceed in an acid Acrimony causing a corroding Pain it may happily be mitigated and remov'd with Balsam of Sulphur made with Oil of Amber with which let the grieved part be embrocated and it will forthwith raise a very hot Effervescency which will presently cease again and remove the great Pain in a moment even to admiration After the pain is over you may apply one of the former Cataplasms or some Anodyne Ointment to comfort and by degrees restore again the membranous parts The following Linament may serve for Example Take Oils of Earth-worms Scurvigrass Linament Saint John's-wort of each one ounce Chymical Oils of Rosemary Rue of each twenty drops mix it Afterwards you may apply a Plaster of De minio cum sapona In the mean time inward means to take away the Cause and ease the pain must not be neglected If the Patient have a plethorick Body after a Stool hath been procured by a Carminative Clyster with Electuar Caryocostinum c. Let a Vein be opened Bloud drawn from the Vena poplitis or sciatica Vein hath been succesfull in the sciatica But Leeches applied to the Hemorrhoidal veins are effectual in all Gouts Two or three days after bleeding you may administer the following Pills Take of Pills Hermodactils faetidae ex Purging Pills duobus Mercur. dulcis of each one scruple mix it for two doses and give them in the Morning fasting Or you may give half a drachm or two scruples of pul Arthriticus in any convenient Vehicle But if the sick be inclining to vomit administer an Antimonial Emetick You may purge and bleed so often as you see occasion Issues near the part affected and also to raise Blisters upon the part have been found by experience to be very effectual Also bathing and sweating in nitrous or sulphurous Baths either natural or artificial are much approv'd of That which is prescrib'd in the Chapter of the Belly-ach is very effectual which may be used as is there directed I might fill a Volume with receipts against the Gout but I shall onely commend the following water or spirit to be often taken inwardly in any fit Vehicle the quantity of half a spoonfull at a time Take the Roots of Orris Angelica Saffaphras Water against the Gout of each two ounces the Tops of Ground-pine Penny-royal Sage Mother of Time the Flowers of Saint Johns-wort Chamomel Prim-roses Rosemary Lavender of each three handfulls the Berries of Bays and Juniper of each one ounce Castor two drachms let them be all cleansed bruised and infused in six quarts of Spirit of Earth-worms compound for the space of twenty four hours then distill it in an Alembick according to Art The Rheumatism is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rheumatismus ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fluo it being a distillation of Rheumatick humours not onely affecting the Joints but the adjacent parts yea sometimes the whole Body especially the Muscles Membranes and Periostium of the Thighs Legs and Hip-bones The humour is of a very malign Nature and soon causeth a Cariosity of the Bones if it be not prevented The Cause is the same with the Gout but sharper Cause 'T is seldom mortal but may be of long Progn continuance with great Pain so that the Sick cannot endure to be touched In the Cure of this Distemper Phlebotomy Cure must be often repeated and carminative Clysters often administred Foment the pained parts with stale Urine made very hot wherein Castle-sope is dissolved after which anoint with this following Take Spirit of Salt Armoniack Oils of Linament Guiacum Bricks of each two ounces in which dissolve Opium one ounce Spanish Sope four ounces