Tone of the Stomack so also the Assimilation the Fermentation and Volatilization of the Nutritious Juice are hindred in the whole Habit of the Body from the distemper'd state of the Brain and Nerves The Causes which dispose the Patient to this Disease I have for the most part observed to be violent Passions of the Mind the intemperate drinking of Spirituous Liquors and an unwholsom Air by which it is no wonder if the Tone of the Nerves and the Temper of the Spirits are destroy'd This Distemper as most other Nervous Diseases is Chronical but very hard to be cured The Prognosticks unless a Physician be called at the beginning of it At first it flatters and deceives the Patient for which reason it happens for the most part that the Physician is consulted too late And at last it terminates in an Hydropical and Oedematous swelling of the Body especially of the lower and depending Parts in which case there remain no hopes of the Patient's Life neither is there any thing more to be done for his Cure than giving him some ease whereby his Miserable Life may be lengthened for some days The Cure The business of Cure if it be so that the help of our Art is called in in due time consists in the convenient use of Stomack-Medicines and such as comfort and strengthen the Nerves such are Chalybeates Antiscorbutick Cephalick and bitter Medicines of all sorts As for Example let the Patient if his Body be costive take every third or fourth Morning four Ounces of the bitter Decoction with Senna or every fourth Night two Ounces of the Sacred Tincture or of our Sacred Cephalick Tincture made with Hiera Picra infused in Rue-water Black Cherry-water and strong Piony-water For his common Drink let him use Ale in which a Bag of Cephalick and Antiscorbutick Ingredients has been hung An hour before Dinner let him take xxx drops of Elixir Proprietatis in a draught of Wormwood-White-wine To the Region of the Stomack let there be applyed the Magisterial Stomack-Plaister with some Drops of the Chymical Oyl of Cinnamon and Oyl of Wormwood Or let the Stomack be fomented every day with some Aromatick Bags made of the Leaves of Mint Wormwood Cinnamon Mace Zedoary Galingale Cyprus-roots Calamus Aromaticus boyl'd in Claret If it be in the Summer let him use the Chalybeate Waters But if it be the Winter time let him make use of a Chalybeate Syrup or our Chalybeate and Aromatick Wine made with the Filings of Steel quenched three or four times in strong White-Wine and with Zedoary-roots Galingale Nutmegs the best Cinnamon Mace Cubebs Cloves bruised and steeped in the same Wine But for Chalybeates I do prefer Mynsicht's Extract before any other which I order to be given for xx or xxx days in the form of a Bolus or Pills As for Example Take of Mynsicht's Extract half a Scruple Balm of Gilead which in this case is very proper and beneficial because it is not a little grateful to the Stomack and Nerves seven Drops Old Conserve of red Roses a Dram mix them and make them up into a Bolus to be repeated every day Or if the Patient chooses to take Pills let the Extract be made up into that form in the manner following Take of Mynsicht's Extract half a Scruple of Balm of Gielead seven Drops of Haly's Pouder six Grains of the compound Pouder of the Roots of Wake-Robin four Grains of Pouder of Liquorice so much as will make them into the due consistence of Pills and make the Mass into Pills of a middle size let them be gilded and repeated once every day Also Natural Balsam by it self as likewise Spirit of Hartshorn and Spirit of Sal Armoniack are of use in this case because they are good for the Nerves As for Example Let the Patient take viij or x. drops of Natural Balsam or Spirit of Hartshorn in a convenient quantity of Sugar-candy twice a day Rules for Exercise Diet c. Let the Patient endeavour to divert and make his Mind chearful by Exercise and the Conversation of his Friends For this Disease does almost always proceed from Sadness and anxious Cares Let him also enjoy the benefit of an open clear and very good Air which does very much relieve the Nerves and Spirits And because the Stomack in this Distemper is principally affected a delicious Diet will be convenient and the Stomack ought not to be too long accustomed to one sort of Food History 1. Mr. Duke's Daughter in St. Mary Axe in the Year 1684. and the Eighteenth Year of her Age in the Month of July fell into a total suppression of her Monthly Courses from a multitude of Cares and Passions of her Mind but without any Symptom of the Green-Sickness following upon it From which time her Appetite began to abate and her Digestion to be bad her Flesh also began to be flaccid and loose and her looks pale with other Symptoms usual in an Universal Consumption of the Habit of the Body and by the extream and memorable cold Weather which happened the Winter following this Consumption did seem to be not a little improved for that she was wont by her studying at Night and continual poring upon Books to expose her self both Day and Night to the injuries of the Air which was at that time extreamly cold not without some manifest Prejudice to the System of her Nerves The Spring following by the Prescription of some Emperick she took a Vomit and after that I know not what Steel Medicines but without any Advantage So from that time loathing all sorts of Medicaments she wholly neglected the care of her self for two full Years till at last being brought to the last degree of a Marasmus or Consumption and thereupon subject to frequent Fainting Fits she apply'd her self to me for Advice I do not remember that I did ever in all my Practice see one that was conversant with the Living so much wasted with the greatest degree of a Consumption like a Skeleton only clad with skin yet there was no Fever but on the contrary a coldness of the whole Body no Cough or difficulty of Breathing nor an appearance of any other Distemper of the Lungs or of any other Entrail No Loosness or any other sign of a Colliquation or Preternatural expence of the Nutritious Juices Only her Appetite was diminished and her Digestion uneasie with Fainting Fits which did frequently return upon her Which Symptoms I did endeavour to relieve by the outward application of Aromatick Bags made to the Region of the Stomack and by Stomack-Plaisters as also by the internal use of bitter Medicines Chalybeates and Juleps made of Cephalick and Antibysterick Waters sufficiently impregnated with Spirit of Salt Armoniack and Tincture of Castor and other things of that Nature Upon the use of which she seemed to be much better but being quickly tired with Medicines she beg'd that the whole Affair might be committed again to Nature whereupon consuming
to be Acute for this Reason because it proceeds from a Colliquation of the Humours in an Acute Fit of a Humorose Rheumatism And therefore because it partakes of the Nature of an ordinary Consumption And must be treated with the general Method it ought to be treated wholly in the General Method that is with the use of Lubricating Incrassating Opiate and other Pectoral Medicines And indeed it has been my Practice and that with very good Success to prescribe in every Rheumatick Fit the plentiful use of Pectoral Lubricating and Incrassating Apozemes and Linctuses though there be no urgent Cough nor difficulty of Breathing not only to temper and soften the Blood but likewise to prevent a Consumption which uses often to be the effect of a Rheumatism But whenever this Consumption proceeds from an old Gout or a Rheumatism When it comes from an old Gout c. 't is Chronical that has returned frequently it is plainly Chronical and does gradually in several Years create trouble to the Lungs and the Parts that serve for Respiration And indeed it is of an Asthmatick kind And of an Asthmatick kind attended rather with a difficulty of Breathing from the toughness of the Phlegm than a pertinacious Cough Because it seems to arise rather from a Stupor of the Nerves than from a Colliquation of the Humours But yet this Asthmatical Consumption to me seems to be of a peculiar Nature But of a peculiar Nature because it is not at all relieved by the choice of a good Air. For I have observed that this kind of Consumptive Persons though they be likewise Asthmatical breath as well in a foggy and smoaky Air as in that which is thin and open And from thence also it comes to pass that Lubricating and Expectorating Medicines do no good in this case though Incrassating and Opiate Medicines are fatally Mischievous But there is more Relief to be expected from the frequent and plentiful giving of Spirit of Hartshorn of Salt Armoniack and Chymical Oyl of Juniper and other things of that Nature that excite the Spirits and comfort the Nerves than from any Opiates or Pectoral Medicines As the Consumption proceeds the Pains abate The more this Asthmatical Consumption grows upon the Patient the more the Rheumatick Pains and Swellings are wont to abate And a true and genuine Humorose Rheumatism long before it becomes Mortal degenerates into a Nervous Rheumatism attended with pains running up and down but with no evident Swelling When a Rheumatick Consumption is incurable This Rheumatick Consumption proceeding from a Chronical Rheumatism and happening to those that are Old so far as I understand is plainly incurable For it is a sign that Nature absolutely sinks and is now overcome in the last Scene of a Rheumatism Gentle Vomits are good Gentle Vomits repeated at due intervals especially if the Patient bears them well and they are not given when 't is too late do much towards the promoting of the Cure of this Consumption because they open the Obstructions of the Brain and Nerves and abate the Rheumatick pains by taking off the stiffness and Stupor of the Nervous parts from whence it comes to pass that a great part of the Procatartick Cause or that which feeds the Distemper is taken away Bleeding does good in the beginning Likewise Bleeding in the beginning of this Consumption before the Habit of the Body is too much extenuated does a great deal of good not only by abating the Hectick heat and the Rheumatick pains but also by relieving the difficulty of Breathing When the Distemper is improved it is hurtful But in the progress of the Distemper when a great Emaciation has before seized the whole Habit of the Body as I have often observed Nature to be more weakned so their Respiration to be rendred more difficult with Bleeding And indeed I do not at all doubt but this Asthmatical Consumption does often proceed from Bleeding profusely and the often repeating of it in the Fits of a Rheumatism the Crasis of the Blood being thereby destroy'd and the whole Mass of it impoverisht as it uses to happen in all immoderate Haemorrhages I have likewise very often by Experience found the extraordinary Vertue of the Peruvian Bark in extinguishing the Colliquative Hectick Flame which has been kindled in the Blood The Peruvian Bark does well and is left there by its Rheumatick state which Flame unless it is taken away either by some Art or by Nature does most certainly prepare the way to this Pulmonary Consumption I have observed likewise that Chalybeate Medicines do for the same Reason conduce very much in the beginning of this Distemper So Chalybeate Medicines at least to the gaining of some respite if not to a perfect Cure but especially the Chalybeate Waters if it be not too late when they are drank if they pass plentifully enough by Urine The use also of Natural and Artificial Baths And Baths if they are used before the Habit of the Body is too much extenuated is wont to promote the Cure of this Consumption very much at the beginning by opening the Obstructions of the Nervous parts every where A Milk Diet is likewise very beneficial at the first Invasion of this Distemper And a Milk Diet at the beginning by lessening the flame that is kindled in the Blood and correcting the preternatural Acrimony of it Though it must be confest it does not so well agree with these Patients in the progress of the Distemper when once there comes to be a difficulty of Breathing because it uses to cause a greater toughness of the Phlegm that is lodged in the branches of the Wind-pipe And it may be this Conjecture is grounded upon very good Reason to wit that the using of Milk too much in a Rheumatism does very much dispose the Patient to this Asthmatical Consumption History 1. Mrs. Laurence about the Five and Thirtieth Year of her Age at which time too she was big with Child fell into an Universal Rheumatism and committed her self to the care of a certain Apothecary for several Months till at length with a Cough difficulty of Breathing Hectick Fever Emaciation and other Symptoms of this kind which she then had upon her it was uncertain whether she would dye of a Rheumatism or of a Consumption the Rheumatism which before was a genuine one being degenerated into a Nervous Rheumatism attended with a rigidity and a wandring pain in the Limbs but with no Swelling At which time being the 25th of October 1686. I being sent for ordered an Electuary with the following Julep to temper the Rheumatick and Hectick heat of the Blood and Spirits and to allay the Hysterical Affections arising from thence Take the Old Conserve of Red Roses of Hipps strained through a Sieve of each an Ounce Lavender-flowers pouder'd Magistery of Coral of each a Dram of Syrup of Corals a sufficient quantity Mix them and make an Electuary
by Spitting of Blood p. 225 Chap. 6. Of a Consumption caused by Stones bred in the Lungs and by things slipt down into them from without as also by the Stone in the Kidneys and Bladder p. 238 Chap. 7. Of a Consumption proceeding from the French-Pox p. 250 Chap 8. Of a Consumption proceeding from the Suppression of a virulent Gonorrhoea of the Running of Old Ulcers but especially Fistula's in the Fundament and Scrophulous Ulcers Issues and the Whites p. 254 Chap 9. Of a Consumption proceeding from the Green-Sickness and a Suppression of the Monthly Purgations in Women p 258 Chap. 10. Of a Consumption caused by a Peripneumony and a Picurisie p 263 Chap. 11. Of a Consumption proceeding from the Gout and from a Rheumatism p. 276 Chap. 12. Of a Consumption proceeding from Fevers especially such as are from Surfeits Scarlate and Intermitting Fevers as also from the Small-Pox and Measles p. 294 Chap. 13. Of an Icterical or Hepatick Consumption p. 307 Chap. 14. Of a Consumption of the Lungs proceeding from Internal Ulcers of the Viscera and Membranous Parts p. 340 A TREATISE OF Consumptions The First BOOK Of Consumptions in general and particularly of a Consumption proceeding from the whole Habit of the Body or an Atrophy both that which is Nervous and that which is caused by Evacuations THAT I may give such a Scheme of this whole Work as will lye under a single View and open a Prospect into my Design I shall here by way of Preface first give a Definition and make a Division of the Subject about which we are to treat whereby as by Ariadne's Thread we be easily and safely directed to and proceed through all the parts of the Work The Definition of a Consumption in general A Consumption in general is a wasting of the Muscular parts of the Body arising from the Substraction or Colliquation of the Humours and that either with or without a Fever and it is either Original or Symptomatical Of an Original Consumption An Original Consumption is that which arises purely from a Morbid Disposition of the Blood or Animal Spirits which reside in the System of the Nerves and Fibres and is not the effect of any other preceding Disease Of which there are two sorts to wit an Atrophy and a Consumption of the Lungs Of an Atrophy An Atrophy is an Universal Consumption proceeding from the whole Habit of the Body and not from any Distemper of the Lungs or of any other Entrail without any remarkable Fever and is either Nervous or the effect of Evacuations Of a Nervous Consumption A Nervous Atrophy or Consumption is that which ows its Original to an ill and morbid state of the Spirits and to the weakness or destruction of the Tone of the Nerves from whence as an imbecillity and an Universal Consumption in the whole Habit of the Body upon the want of a due assimulation of the Nutritious Juice do at length proceed so from the beginning of the Disease there is to be found a want of Appetite and a bad Digestion in the Stomack from an imperfect Fermentation and Volatilization of the Chyle Which sort of Atrophy may justly be reckoned one of the Fatal Symptoms of the Scurvy An Atrophy from Inanition or an Expense of the Humours Of an Atrophy from Evacuations is that which derives its Original from a preternatural Defect or Evacuation of the Nutritious Juice and that long and habitual which differs according to the variety of the passages formed in the Body either by Nature or Art by which this precious Liquor either has or may run off and be wasted A Consumption of the Lungs is an Universal wasting of the Parts of the Body Of an Original Consumption of the Lungs caused by some Distemper of the Lungs as a stuffing swellings inflammation and exulceration of them and thereupon it is attended with a Cough difficulty of Breathing and other Symptoms of the Breast and accompanied with a Fever which at first is slow and Hectical afterwards Inflammatory and at last Putrid and Intermitting A Symptomatical Consumption is that Of a Symptomatical Consumption which although it does immediately proceed from a Preternatural and ill state of the Blood and Spirits yet has a mediate dependance upon some other preceding Diseases which had given that ill Tincture to the Spirits and Humours And because it is necessary if we would be successful in the Cure of this kind of Consumption to have a respect to the Disease which the Patient first laboured under I shall in the end of this Treatise speak of all the several kinds of this Consumption which I have hitherto had an Opportunity to observe in my Practice but I shall begin and discourse first of an Original Consumption CHAP. I. Of a Nervous Consumption A Nervous Atrophy or Consumption is a wasting of the Body without any remarkable Fever Cough or shortness of Breath but it is attended with a want of Appetite and a bad Digestion upon which there follows a Languishing Weakness of Nature and a falling away of the Flesh every day more and more A Nervous Consumption that which Virginians are most incident to Which kind of Consumption I have sometimes observed in England but most frequently amongst those that have lived in Virginia after they have come over hither In the beginning of this Disease the state of the Body appears oedematous and blouted and as it were stufft with dispirited Chyle the Face is pale and squalid the Stomack loaths every thing but Liquids the strength of the Patient declines at that rate that before the fleshy Parts of the Body are evidently consum'd he is render'd plainly feeble and almost always confin'd to his Bed The Urine also keeps not constant to any colour though for the most part it be high-colour'd and but little in quantity Yet it is sometimes as it happens commonly to be in Nervous Distempers though seldom pale and plentiful But there is no considerable Fever to be discovered either by the Pulse or a Thirst or Heat how high-colour'd soever the Urine appears So that the Pathognomonick Signs or those which do evidently manifest the beginning of this Consumption are a decrease of the Patient's Strength and a loss of Appetite without any remarkable Fever Cough or shortness of Breath though in the Progress of the Distemper when a Consumption of the Flesh has gradually affected the whole Habit of the Body there is some difficulty and trouble in breathing to be observed as it uses to happen to all those who are under a great Weakness The immediate cause of this Distemper I apprehend to be in the System of the Nerves proceeding from a Preternatural state of the Animal Spirits The Causes and the destruction of the Tone of the Nerves whereupon I have used to call this a Consumption in the Habit of the Body For as the Appetite and Concoction are overthrown by the weak and infirm
Whites that are of an ill Nature and Venereal when the Impurity proceeding from that Venom has once infected the Humors do often terminate in a Consumption of the Lungs unless they are timely and perfectly cur'd But of this kind of Consumption and of the Causes Degrees and Cure of it I shall Discourse more fully in its proper place to wit in the latter part of this Treatise when I shall professedly speak of a Symptomatical Consumption of the Lungs But for the present I do from a long Experience and Observation affirm that a Consumption does often arise from a simple or benign Gonorrhoea and Whites A Consumption sometimes proceed from a simple Gonorrhoea c. and therefore this sort arising from the continual substraction of the Nutritious Juice by the Seminal Glands must be reckoned under the Head of an Originary Consumption For in a Gonorrhoea and the Whites sometimes the Flux is so extraordinary and continues so long that the Mass is thereby plainly dispirited and rendred unfit for Nourishment whereupon the Blood being loaded with Heterogeneous and disagreeable Particles grows hot and at length a Hectick Disposition is by degrees brought upon the solid Parts and the Habit of the Body which is the same sort of Consumption that we are now treating of The presaging signs of this Consumption The Symptoms which presage this Consumption I have for the most part observed to be these to wit an Hypochondriacal Oppression Melancholy and too much Thoughtfulness with a decay of Strength and loss of Appetite in Men that are affected with a plentiful Running of the Reins but in Women that have been long afflicted with the Whites flowing in a great quantity a soft and blouted Habit of the Body a squalid and pale Countenance together with Hysterical Fits a remarkable Weariness and decay of Strength all which Symptoms proceed from the same cause to wit from the poor dispirited Nature of the Blood caused by a want of new Chyle whereby not only the Spirits are weakned and opprest but also the Habit of the Body is rendred Oedematous from the waterish disposition of the Blood as it is full of old and dispirited Chyle And therefore the Signs which presage this Consumption are as I said before Hypochondriacal Oppressions Hysterical Affections a decay and want of Strength a blouted habit of the Body and a want of Appetite Which Symptoms in progress of time that is when the Distemper comes to be confirm'd are followed also by some others as a Thirst a Hectical disposition Atrophy and wasting of the Flesh till at length the Body is plainly brought to the highest degree of a Consumption and that very often without any Cough or any other remarkable sign of a Consumption of the Lungs This Distemper is easily cured if the antecedent cause of it can be removed that is if the Gonorrhoea and Whites can be cured When confiâ—med it is incurable But when it comes once to be confirmed it is plainly incurable And therefore a Prudent and Honest Physician that is carefully concern'd for his own Reputation will not do well to undertake the Cure of it but ought rather to take his leave and walk off from such a Patient after he has made a Prognostick of his Death and so he will be just to his Art and may satisfie his Conscience though he loses some Fees and defrauds his own Pocket But if the Physician be sent for in time What a Physician is to do in the Cure of it when he is sent for in time he ought to do all he can by all proper means and a convenient Method to stop the Gonorrhoea or Whites which are the cause of this Consumption Which thing we shall speak of at some other time and shew how it is to be done in the Chapters of a Gonorrhoea and of the Whites This efflux of the Nutritious Juice being once stopt by Art we must endeavour with all our Power to replenish the dispirited and impoverisht Blood as soon as may be with new oily and benign Chyle And therefore as we hinted in the former Chapter such Food as is delicious and affords a good Juice and is most grateful to the Patient's Palate and Stomack must be given often in a day though in a little quantity at a time And that his Appetite may be the more excited let him be advised to be chearful For there is nothing that destroys the Appetite and confirms a Consumption more than Grief and Sadness Let him also enjoy the advantage of an open and benign Air which is very beneficial to the Nerves and consequently to the Appetite and Stomack Let him likewise use Exercise every day and rubbing of his Body even to the procuring of moderate Sweats if his strength will bear it that the load of old dispirited and unprofitable Chyle with which the Blood-Vessels and Habit of the Body are stufft may be sweated out to make more room for new and useful Chyle and consequently for the improvement of the Appetite in the Stomack But he must Religiously abstain from the liberal use of Wine Spirituous Liquors are to be avoided and Spirituous Liquors which are wont to put the Blood which is before become too hot No considerable Evacuations are to be made into a greater flame Let the Physician also take heed he does not prescribe any Purges or any Medicines whatsoever to procure any other considerable Evacuation which may create farther Expences to Nature when she is already weak But if a Hectical heat even in the least degree be kindled in the solid Parts he must presently endeavour with all his Industry to quench this flame by the use of Asses Milk a Milk Diet and of such Mineral Waters as are Chalybeate CHAP. V. Of a Consumption proceeding from Apostemes and large Vlcers I Have always observed that Apostemes Large Vlcers in any part may cause a Consumption and large Ulcers let them happen to any part whatsoever of the Body whether external or internal if they continue long and throw out much Serum or waterish Matter have at length rendred the Body of the Patient Consumptive and that even to the degree of a Fatal Consumption and I can say I have taken notice that these kind of Ulcers do bring on a Consumption as well when they are in the Muscles of the Back and in the Testicles yea in the Knee and the Foot as when they are in the Kidneys or Liver or in the Lungs themselves Besides that I have often observed that a Consumption of the Lungs has come upon these large and old Ulcers The cause of this Consumption without all question is the long and plentiful substraction of the Nutritious Juice continually flowing out of the Mass of Blood by the Ulcers The reason of this Consumption whereby the Blood which remains in the Vessels being deprived of its Oily Nutritious Juice does grow sour and contracts a Preternatural heat and is
very much abated and by the moderate use of Syrup of Meconium she got convenient Rest and by the help of Surgery outwardly administred and the continual use of a Decoction of Sarsa given inwardly for her ordinary Drink the Ulcer within the space of a Year and half which we did designedly keep open so long with a Silver Tent that was hollow quite thorough was at length perfectly healed her Hectick Fever and Thirst went off her Strength increased her Appetite returned and she was plainly freed from the state of a Marasmus and being sent into the Country Air such as was open and benign and put into a Milk Diet she grew fleshy within six Weeks and recovered without any sign of a Consumption and being yet alive after Eight Years which are since past enjoys her Health very well Several Histories of this Nature I do designedly omit for Brevity's sake CHAP. VI. Of a Consumption happening to Nurses from the giving of Suck beyond what their Strength will allow What the Milk is MILK is nothing but the Nutritious Juice continually separated from the Mass of Blood by the Glandules of the Breasts And therefore if by reason of the want of an Appetite there be more Nutritious Juice suckt out of the Blood through the Breasts for a long time than is supplyed to the Mass of Blood by the new Chyle from the Lacteal Vessels When and how the giving of Suck does cause a Consumption it is in possible but an impoverishment of the Blood should follow and thereupon an Atrophy of the Body seeing it is depriv'd of due Nourishment and consequently an Hectical heat in the Blood Spirits and Habit of the Body which is another kind of Original Consumption proceeding from the substraction of the Nutritious Juice of which we shall now treat Yet a Consumptive disposition is sometimes cured by giving of Suck Yet I must ingeniously declare that I have sometimes observed a Consumptive Disposition cured by giving of Suck and that not only in my most dear Wife but also in very many other Women As for Example My Neighbour Mrs. Wilson who at other times is Consumptive and goes up and down like a Ghost does always grow fat all the time she gives Suck Yea Mrs. Thompson upon Snow-Hill did manifestly fall into a fatal Consumption in the Habit of her Body and upon that into a Consumption of her Lungs from the sudden weaning of her Child But at the same time it is as obvious to our Observation that all such Nurses as grow fat in this manner from giving of Suck But such Nurses have always a good Stomack have a good Stomack yea that during the time of their giving of Suck their Appetite is very much increased and from thence it is very easie to give an Account for this appearance to wit that the Appetite being increased by the continual drawing off of the Nutritious Juice by the Child's Sucking there is room made for a greater quantity of new and oily Chyle by which the Blood is every day enrich'd which does conduce more to the Cure of a Consumptive Disposition than all the Medicines in the World But if the Appetite during the time of giving Suck grows languid and thereupon by reason of the little Food that is taken in a less quantity of new Juice is supplyed to the Blood than is carried off by the Breasts a Hectical Disposition in the Blood and Spirits must inevitably follow and an Atrophy or Consumption in the Habit of the Body and that for the Reasons which we have just now given The first thing that presages the coming of this Consumption is a want of Appetite The presaging signs of this Consumption and therefore I give this Caution to all Nurses that when they find their Appetite to abate for some time they forthwith wean their Children The second sign is a weakness and faintness of the Spirits proceeding from a dispirited and impoverisht state of the Blood A third sign is an Hypochondriacal Oppression and frequent Fits of the Mother and Choakings Which appearance does not proceed from the sucking of the Child drawing the Vapours upward as is commonly thought but a too plentiful substraction and too great an expence of the Nutritious Juice By which means the Spirits themselves become in the same manner as the Blood poor and windy by reason they have lost their Natural and Original Vigour whereupon there follows an Obstruction and this inordinate and ungovernable motion of the Spirits in the Nerves and Fibres of the Muscles and upon that Oppressions and Suffocative and Convulsive Contractions of some Parts commonly called Hypochendriacal and Hysterical This Consumption often terminates in a Consumptions of the Lungs These presaging Symptoms in the Progress of the Distemper have an Atrophy and a Hectical heat following them which is not strange and do often terminate in a Consumption of the Lungs together with a Cough shortness of Breath c. Nevertheless this Consumption is Originally in the Habit of the Body and that from too great an expence of the Nutritious Juice And is then fatal This Consumption when it once comes to the degree of a Marasmus and to terminate in a Consumption of the Lungs proves plainly fatal and incurable The Method of Cure But in the beginning it is easily cured first by the speedy weaning of the Child whereby the cause which dispos'd the Person to it is removed Secondly by giving the Patient plentiful Nourishment of such Food as affords a good Juice Thirdly by exciting and restoring the Appetite by chearfulness of Mind the enjoyment of a benign and open Air by moderate Exercise c. Yea and lastly if her Hectical Disposition requires it the Sick Woman must be put upon the use of a Milk Diet A Caution or of the Chalybeate Waters But let her abstain from Wine and all Evacuations but what are necessary as we have already hinted in the Cure of a Consumption proceeding from other Evacuations A History The Wife of Mr. Bird my very good Friend who lives in Fetter-Lane being about three and thirty Years old gave Suck to a lusty Boy for the space of a Year or more But after she had given Suck for four Months she lost her Stomack and took very little Nourishment at any time and thereupon her Strength declin'd and she was troubled with Choakings or Hysterical Passions but without an Atrophy or Cough or any other Distemper Being sufficiently directed by these things I going at that time by chance to see her advised her to wean her Child without any delay lest she should fall into a Consumption But she however persisting in the giving of her Child Suck when she had lost her Stomack did at length fall into a Consumption or Atrophy of her Body but without a Cough or any remarkable Fever But yet she very much and almost continually complain'd of a dryness and very troublesom heat about the
apply'd to his Belly and the Julep I just now mentioned in the last History which was made very strong of the Salt of Amber to be drank as often as he would take it What I have been telling of the former Patient the same thing did happily fall out here in this For the Boy refusing all other Liquors did covet the Julep Day and Night so that he drank almost four and twenty Ounces every day By which means it came to pass that in the space of a fortnight or less his Stools were brought to a Natural consistence colour and quantity His Urine also flow'd plentifully The swelling of his Belly went down to a Miracle Neither could I any more perceive any Swellings that lay conceal'd within it though I strictly examin'd with my fingers His Appetite and desire of Drink were Natural and as they ought to be His Flesh likewise seem'd gradually to increase every day And now his Melancholy and Weariness being overcome the Boy seems to recover not only the wonted vigour and activity of his Body but also a good Look and a fresh Colour in some measure so that I am not at all sollicitous about what remains to compleat the Cure A TREATISE OF Consumptions The Second BOOK Of an Original Consumption of the Lungs What a Consumption of the Lungs is A Consumption of the Lungs is a Consumption of the whole Body with a Fever proceeding first from an ill Affection and at length an Exulceration of the Lungs Which indeed is the most Famous Consumption and that which is called so by way of Eminence and of which Authors use to treat as if there were no other kind of Consumption and therefore I shall now speak more largely of it It is either Original or Symptomatical This Consumption of the Lungs is either Original which from the very beginning depends upon an ill disposition and an Exulceration of the Lungs Or Secundary and Symptomatical when ever the Lungs receive any great Injury from preceding Distempers But seeing that we ought always in the Cure of a Symptomatical Consumption of the Lungs to have a particular regard to the Primary Distemper from which this Consumption has its Origine and the Cure of it does require a variation in some things according to the Nature of that Distemper I shall make it my business in the last Book of this Treatise to treat of the Cure of this kind of Consumptions having first given in this Second Book so far as I have been able to observe a general Account of the Nature Causes Differences Diagnostick and Prognostick Signs Indications of Cure and the Method of Curing an Original Consumption of the Lungs CHAP. I. Of the Causes of an Original Consumption of the Lungs The general cause of a Consumption THE cause of a Consumption of the Lungs in general is a vitiated disposition of the Mass of Blood and of the Spirits in the Nerves contracted gradually from several Procatartick or predisposing causes in which the sharp or Malignant Serum or Water of the Blood being separated by the soft and Glandulous substance of the Lungs does stuff inflame and at length also exulcerate the Lungs themselves which is the immediate cause of this Distemper The Procatarctick causes of a Consumption First the stopping of Evacuations The Procatartick causes or those which give the first occasion to this Disease are First the stopping of some usual and necessary Evacuations as the Monthly Courses Child-bed Purgations Old Sores and especially Fistula's Issues Sweating in the soles of the Feet or any other parts of the Body a Gonorrhoea the Whites and other Evacuations of that kind when they are stopt without correcting or removing the causes upon which they depend From whence it comes to pass that even the Blood it self is polluted and distemper'd by those Humours which are condemned by Nature to be thrown off or banisht but by some Bars and Impediments lying in their way are stopt and retain'd in the Mass of Blood longer than is convenient 2. Passions of the Mind Secondly troublesome Passions of the Mind but especially Fear Grief Anger too much Thinking and Sollicitude as also unseasonable and too long Studies with other things of this Nature which contribute very much to this Distemper not only by vitiating the Animal Spirits and thereupon hindring the Natural Fermentation of the Blood but also by fixing almost a continual Spasmodick Contraction or Convulsion upon the soft substance of the Lungs Thirdly 3. Intemperance in eating and drinking a too plentiful and an unseasonable gorging of Meat and Drink and also an imprudent choice of such Meats and Liquors as abound with Excrementitious parts and are not very easie to be digested but especially the drinking too much Wine and Liquors that are very Spirituous Which when it is joyn'd with Cares and Grief and other such-like Passions of the Mind so far as I have been able to observe is commonly the cause of a Consumption of the Lungs For the Habit of the Body being from hence filled with a load of dispirited and unprofitable Humours as it is when it is Oedematous the whole Mass of Blood is polluted and rendred waterish and sharp and at length is disposed to a Hectical heat Fourthly the neglect of due Exercise 4. Want of due Exercise for want of which the Excrements which ought by the usual Law of Nature to be thrown out by the Skin being detained in the Blood are wont by degrees to destroy the Crosis or mixture of it For want of this the Humours also are wont to stagnate in the Habit of the Body and various Obstructions to arise here and there in the small Fibres themselves which contribute very much to the corrupting of the Blood and the weakning of the Spirits Fifthly Night-studies 5. Night Studies and long Watchings and long Watchings which not only weaken the Animal Spirits which are necessary for the Fermentation of the Blood but also keep within the Body those Excrementitious parts which are wont to be thrown out in the Bed by Sweat or Perspiration and who will think it strange that the whole Mass is by degrees vitiated by this means Sleeping in the day To this we may also add sleeping in the Day and sleeping much but especially presently after eating which as it dispirits the Mass of Blood and fills it with useless Chyle by hindring the Digestion of the Food from which cause frequent and troublesome Coughs are wont to proceed So by putting the Animal Spirits to sleep at an unseasonable time and thereupon hindring the Fermentation and Volatilization of the new Chyle it makes the whole Mass of Blood too waterish and sharp 6. An ill Air. Sixthly also a foggy and thick Air and that which is filled with the smoak of Coals does extreamly promote a Consumption by vitiating the Animal Spirits which are so necessary to the Natural Fermentation of the Blood and also by stuffing
very troublesome one of thin Rheum from the Glandules of the Wind-pipe and Lungs like the sucking of a Pump In the second degree of a Consumption the Indications are almost the some as those above mentioned In the Second degree of this Distemper that is when the Tubercles are first bred in the Lungs with a dry and troublesome Cough and so long as they remain crude without any great Inflammation and Exulceration the Indications are almost the same as before excepting that they must insist more diligently upon a very plentiful use of altering Medicines according as the degree of the Hectick heat is increased but according as their Weakness and the Colliquation of the Humours are greater all manner of Evacuations must be made more cautiously and sparingly but especially we must endeavour all we can to dissolve those Swellings with the use of Balsamicks Chalybeates Antiscorbutick Medicines of Wood-lice and other things of that kind But in the last degree of a Consumption there are new Indications But as soon as the Distemper comes by the Inflammation and ripening of the Tubercles at length to the last and for the most part fatal degree of a confirm'd Consumption which commonly shews it self not only by the vast increase of the Colliquation and the accession of a new Fever not only an Inflammatory or Peripneumonick but likewise a Putrid Intermitting Fever there presently arise new Indications of Cure 1. For when the Lungs are affected with an Inflammation of the Tubercles in the manner of a Peripneumony as there is an Indication of timely Bleeding and of Temperate and Cordial Juleps to soften the Blood and to keep up their Strength so also of a very thin Diet and a plentiful use of Pectoral Medicines but especially such as are Oily and Mucilaginous to take off the Convulsive contraction of the Lungs by their Anodyne Power and to facilitate and promote the bringing up or expectoration of the Phlegm out of the stufft Pipes But as soon as the Peripneumonick Fever happens to be succeeded by a Putrid Intermitting In the Putrid Intermitting Fever all Evacuations are to be avoided and extream Colliquative Fever together with a sudden decay of Strength after the Inflammation of the Tubercles turns once to an Exulceration as all Evacuations are contradicted by that Weakness so there is an Indication for the use of Temperate Pectoral Cordials Pectorals Opiates Slippery and Cleansing Medicines We must likewise endeavour to root out the Putrid Fever which although some deceitful Truce may be gained with the use of the Peruvian Bark The Peruvian Bark must be given yet does never admit of a perfect Cure without the Ulcers are healed which when they are small and benign is not altogether impossible with the help of a convenient Diet and good Air and the use of Balsamick Medicines But however that may be we may endeavour to give some check to the Colliquation by mitigating the Fever Fit and to alleviate the fatal Symptoms which arise on every hand from the Colliquation Of which I shall speak more largely by and by in the Method of Cure The Medicines that are proper in this Disease What Purging Medicines are convenient in a Consumption are First Purging Medicines which ought always to be mild and benign as Manna Lenitive Electuary the greater Compound Pouder of Senna Aloes prepared with the Juice of Roses Mastick Pills Pills of Amber Alaephangine Pills Stomack-Pills with Gums my Magisterial Stomack-Pills by the Prudent use of which at due distances my most dear Father who was himself a very Skilful Physician for the space of Thirty Years lived till he was an Old Man though in a Consumptive and Sickly state the description of which I am willing to publish out of his own Manuscript for the Publick Good Take of the finest Aloes an Ounce the best Myrrh Mastick of each half an Ounce Cinnamon Saffron of each two Drams Cloves Roman Wormwood Red Roses Nutmeg Mace Calamus Aromaticus of each a Dram of the best Rhubarb two Drams Galingale Schaenanthus Yellow Saunders Wood of Aloes the lesser Cardamoms of each half a Dram of Oriental Musk four Grains with a sufficient quanty of Syrup of Wormwood Make them up into a Mass for Pills according to Art Likewise the Purging Mineral Waters and in general all gentle Purgers that are grateful to the Stomack and Nerves and which cause as little heat as may be in the Blood and Spirits are of use here What Vomits may be given To this Head we must also refer Vomits as Honey of Squills and in the beginning of a Consumption especially when it is from a Surfeit the Infusion of Crocus Metallorum What Diuretick Medicines are proper Secondly Diureticks as the Mineral Waters both Chalybeate and Purging Wood-lice both crude and prepared the four greater cold Seeds common Turpentine Natural Balsam Balsam of Tolu of Peru and Compound Medicines made of these as Balsam of Sulphur made with Oyl of Turpentine and with Oyl of Aniseeds Dr. Goddard's Balsamick Syrup both the Simple and the Anodyne the Roots of Fennel Parsley Eringo and those either raw or candied of Elecampane the Seeds of Mallows of Marsh-mallows Plantain-leaves Juniper-berries Elder-berries simple Honey Honey of Violets Craw-fish Syrup of Marsh-mallows Sweet Almonds c. Thirdly Diaphoreticks The Diapheretick Medicines that proper As Sarsaparilla-roots and China in decoctions Venice-Treacle Laudanum both liquid and solid Mithridate Confection of Alkermes Saffron Sassafras-wood Lignum Vitae Saunders yellow or red Fourthly Pectorals The several sorts of Pectoral Medicines As those that are soft to which Head I use to refer First all Simple and Compound Medicines which by taking off the Acrimony of the Humours do abate the Colliquative state of the Blood whereby it comes to pass that the Rheum is not separated so plentifully by the Wind-pipe and Glands of the Lungs As for Example Coltsfoot Maiden-hair Alehoof Brook-lime Water-Cresses Pine-tops Scabious spotted Lungwort the Flowers of the great Daisie of Rosemary Betony Sage Violets of Borrage Bugloss Lilly of the Vallies the Roots of Polypody the Leaves of Yarrow Mouse-ear Burnet Dandelion Plantain Self-heal Sanicle Fluellin and such mild Plants abounding with a Volatile Salt with Syrups and other Compound Medicines made of those Simples the Leaves of the Oak of Jerusalem of Sun-dew Golden Maiden-hair and other Herbs commonly called Vulnerary which by altering the Mass of Blood do very much help the Concoction of the Humours that are lodged in the Lungs Likewise the Balsam of Tolu of Peru Natural Balsam Storax Benjamin Gum Elemi Balsam Capivi with other Gums and Balsams Brimstone and the several Preparations of it Crabs-eys Egg-shells Chalk Coral Pearl Wood-lice the four greater cold Seeds the Seeds of Mallows Marsh-mallows and Lettuce the Roots of China Sarsaparilla the shavings of Hartshorn and Ivory with the Compound Medicines made of them such as Haly's Pouder the Analeptick or Restorative Antidote the