May 1674. Signed N. Lizot The Approbation of the Dean and Doctors deputed by the Faculty of Physick of the University of Paris for the Examination of this Book WE under-written Dean and Doctors of the Faculty of Physick of the Vniversity of Paris after having heard the Relation of D r. Philibert Morisett Antony Morand Francis Gouell and Antony St. Yon Doctors of the same Faculty Commissioned and Deputed for reading and examining the Book entituled Observations on the Art of Curing Venereal Diseases composed by Nicholas de Blegny the Queens Chyrurgeon who submitted it to the judgment of the said Faculty do consent to the Printing of this Book And though it establishes the Cause of the POX upon Principles wholly New yet we have not found any thing in his Method of curing that is not conformable to ancient received Maxims and we conceive that the New Observations which it doth contain will serve to encrease an emulation for the future towards a more diligent search of the truth of things less known In testimony whereof we have signed At Paris the 28th of June 1674. Signed Moreau Dean Deputies Morissett Deputies Gouell Deputies Morand Deputies De St. Yon. Deputies The Approbations of the Chyrurgeons of the Royal Families I Vnder-written Chyrurgeon of Monsieur the Kings only Brother Duke of Orleans do certifie that I have read and examined a Book entituled New and Curious Observations on the Art of Curing Venereal Maladies in which I have found nothing contrary to the true Method of curing them At Paris the 13th of July 1674. Signed Tanquered I Vnder-written Chyrurgeon in Ordinary to the deceased Duke of Orleans and Syndick of the Chyrurgeons of the Royal Families do certifie that I have read the Book of New and Curious Observations of Monsieur de Blegny In which I find the Principles very solidly established and conformable to Experience so that it cannot but be very useful both to such as are infected with the Venereal Disease as well as those who undertake the Cure of it At Paris this 30th of June 1674. Signed Roberdeau The Approbations of the Sworn Master Chyrurgeons of Paris I Vnder-written Master and ancient Provost and sworn Guardian of the Company of sworn Chyrurgeons of the City of Paris do certifie that I have read and examined a Book entituled New and Curious Observations on the Art to cure Venereal Diseases composed by Nicholas de Blegny Chyrurgeon in Ordinary to the Queen in which I have found his Principles well established his Therapeutick part very Methodical and his Observations Curious and Vseful to the Publick In Testimony whereof I have signed the present Approbation At Paris the 8th of May. 1674. Signed Forbett I Vnder-written sworn Master Chyrurgeon at Paris and the Chyrurgeon in Ordinary to the Hospital General do certifie that I have read and examined the Book of Monsieur de Blegny the Queen's Chyrurgeon in which I have found his Principles well established his Method of Practice very sure and his Observations good curious and useful for the knowledge and cure of Venereal Diseases In testimony whereof I have signed this present Approbation Dated at Paris the 28th of May. 1674. Signed Antony le Duc. NEW and CURIOUS OBSERVATIONS On the Art to Cure THE VENEREAL DISEASE And the Accidents that it produces in all its Degrees SECT 1. In which some useful Reflections and Observations are made on the Names Defini-nition Origine Causes Differences Signs and prognostick of the Pox. CHAP. I. Of the Pox in general 1. Of its different Names 2. Of its Definition 3. Of its Origine 1. AMONG all the Diseases which afflict mankind it is remarkable that none hath ever received more different Names than this of which I am going to treat All Nations that have smarted under it have reciprocally endeavour'd to reproach one another with its Origine or at least with its Communication and every one in particular hath bestowed the Name of it on that which was esteemed an usual enemy Whence it comes to pass that our Europeans have been pleased to call it American Spanish Neapolitan Italian and French Good men have given it the Name of the Shameful Disease to render it the more odious unto all or because it hath really somewhat infamous in it and is the mark as well as the fruit of Debauchery and lubricity The Poets have given it the Name of Siphilis because they have pretended a Shepherd of that Name was first infected with it But it is now generally known in this part of the World under the Names of the Venereal Disease or the Pox by reason that the parts which are submitted to the influences of Venus have heretofore served for its Origine and do now more often than any others serve for its Communication and because it very often produces spots and pustules on the skin which are commonly supposed to be like those of the Small Pox though in good truth they have no similitude at all 2. But if there appears such difficulty in giving it a proper Name that may be universally received it will prove much more difficult to define it with all the necessary circumstances to a regular Definition by reason it is so obvious to remark in its form almost all the kinds of Diseases that Physicians use to speak of or rather indeed because all the Accidents it produces are not able to furnish us with one Essential Difference they resembling many others which nevertheless have Causes very different from that of this Disease Wherefore the Definition that you 'l here meet with is properly one of those that may be called simply Accidental or a Description The Pox is a contagious Distemper occasioned by Contact and by means of a Venemous Salt proceeding from the mixture and corruption of the Seeds of divers persons received and contained in the wombs of publick Women by which all the liquid substances wherein it mixes do thicken and corrupt the nerves skin and in general the flesh to which it adheres become prickt gnaw'd and dry lastly the bones and cartilages that it penetrates do rise up rot and corrupt Some will perhaps say that it might have been more exactly defined by a more comprehensive Genus than Distemper since the solution of Continuity and a bad Conformation do accompany it almost at all times nay and that of Affection against Nature which I might have chosen too may seem to do better but indeed would not have determined it so precisely For Distemper is absolutely Essential to this Disease whereas divers Examples may be given which do prove it may subsist without solution of Continuity or a bad Conformation and consequently they ought not to be considered but as separable Accidents Now though this Definition be a very long one yet there is but little need of any ample explication For though I do remark for example that the Pox is contagious by Contact there is no necessity of troubling you with the proof of this Truth because
to make an encrease I am very confident nothing in all the World hath ever put so considerable a stop to the successive career true Science would daily make as a blind Suffrage and mean submission to the dictates of persons we have a good opinion of And for this reason I cannot but commend and admire the declared designs of some Worthy men among us who though they do not transact Wonders every Month and shew themselves Chosen Sons of Nature yet sure they deserve good words at least and that Petulancy with which some do daily nibble at them might methinks be well spared But to return again as I do not profess my self a Disciple of this Gentleman in all things he is pleased to utter so I cannot but give him his due and commend him much for his ingenious Attempts For whether Mercury be of such absolute importance to the cure of this Disease when Fermented a while in the Blood and grown a little inveterate as this Author would have it or whether the Ceremony of omission of a Flux in some persons of Quality and especially Women be not the True and Latent Cause of their continual Indispositions I leave to every man to judge by his own Discretion and Experience For my part as I do not assent to those who violently maintain that nothing at all can be done without Mercury so I much pity the poor Spirit of those who think of it as a Hobgoblin and are as apprehensive of giving or receiving the administration of it as they would be of meeting a hungry Lyon Men ought indeed to be Wonderful Cautious how they presume to make use of so suspected a Medicine yet he hath seen but little into the Nature of things or is wholly involved in a popular prejudice who knows not that Quicksilver as quick as it is may be tamed by Art and may sometimes by Discreet Masters be very seasonably employed to good purpose I know 't is very hard to speak of this subject without being mistaken on without being thought to have too great a kindness for it if one doth not utterly Declare War against all who magnifie its effects Nevertheless I am sure all knowing men will interpret what I have now said favourably enough There 's a famous Doctor in Paris one of the King's Professors of Physick but one who can never hear speak of Mercury without presently reckoning up twenty Mortal Diseases it must needs be apt to produce This person hath told me when I took occasion to speak of the Salivation that he hath performed a Flux before some Doctors of his Faculty without the assistance or use of Mercury and that he mixed the Ingredients and gave them the Patient faithfully before their faces The truth of it is I had so little Faith in the possibility of raising a Flux or at least a sufficient one without Mercury and had so much condescention as rather to submit with a complacent nod than offer to dispute so considerable and perhaps beloved an asseveration that I had not curiosity enough to enquire the manner how it could be done though I know the person to be the greatest enemy in the World to such things as Secrets But I am apt to believe that those Mortal Diseases he so zealously Fathers upon Mercury do rather arise from the indiscreet use of it and gross abuse that is easily made of so Active a Medicine when Quacks or Ignorants boldly take it into their hands Whatsoever is the Nature and how dangerous or beneficial soever are the effects of Mercury certainly the Author of these Observations hath made a fair progrese towards the clear Explication of its various Activities and deserves to be commended for so considerable a Design If the French are able to begin well lead the way with Courage our English I am sure can not only do the same but be very useful to them in a brave prosecution of what they undertake Let the French with their nimble Fansies start and Invent things sometimes the solid Judgment of an English man is required to bring them to a due Perfection As particular persons so particular Kingdoms have their peculiar Genius Abilities we must and ought to assist one another with our Communications One man's head is not big enough to comprehend or sufficiently contain the vast extent of the Great or Infinite Curiosities of the Little World And the necessity of this mutual correspondence and free intelligence among men especially of different Countreys whereby Envy and Jealousie are not able to breed the Poyson they usually do upon the same spot puts me in mind of those Advantages a Traveller may therefore meet with in Forreign Countreys more than the Natives themselves are capacitated to enjoy For if he be not too raw and young he shall easily gain admittance into the Closets of their most Ingenious men all the Rarities they pretend to and Observations they have made will be discovered by them 't is doubtful whether with more Ambition of Delight Lastly all their Arcanums and close Reserves of Knowledge shall with a slight Promise of silence while among them be submitted to his open view The truth of what I now say I have indeed experimented more than I could any way pretend to from several Ingenious persons abroad and particularly from the Worthy Author of this present Treatise into whose House I had a long time free access there to see the several Degrees of the POX treated not Speculatively but Practically according to the different Progress it usually makes The Approbations of the Chief Physicians of the Royal Family I Vnderwritten Counsellor of the King in his Counsels Chief Physician of his Majesty do Certifie that I have read and examined the Book of Monsieur de Blegny treating of Venereal Diseases in which I have found his Principles well established his Therapeutick part very Methodical and his Observations Good Curious and such as must needs be very useful to the Publick At Versailles this 15th of March 1674. Signed Daquin I Vnderwritten Chief Physician of the Queen of Sueden and the Prince of Condè do Certifie that I have read and examined the Book of Monsieur de Blegny containing many exact and useful Observations from which he draws good consequences for the Knowledge and Cure of the Venereal Disease his Reasonings are very clear the whole Work is very solid and Experience does confirm it So that I cannot but testifie my Approbation of this Book At Paris this 20th day of May 1674. Signed Bourdelot I Vnder-written Doctor of Physick Counsellor of the King Physician in Ordinary to his Majesty and chief Physician of Madam do certifie unto all to whom it may appertain that the New and Curious Observations made by Monsieur de Blegny the Queen's Chirurgeon on The Art of curing Venereal Diseases are very advantageous for all such as are afflicted with them and do contain the most assured means of curing them At Paris the 16th of
The Observations which I have made on this subject and which every body might have made as well as I may perhaps prove sufficient for the Evidence of what was hitherto hid being also joyned with the Applications of them persons may make themselves In a word the many Experiments and Events would clearly have discovered the truth if men had been but curious enough to seek it out But whether it be that the knowledge of it was not judged necessary or that no body was willing to take the pains of acquiring it or else that those who possessed the knowledge of it were not willing to communicate what they knew it is very certain that no Author hath yet undertook to teach it and yet I cannot conceive how the Artificial Crises of the Pox can be perfectly explicated without letting see at the same time what it is that renders them so different 2. The ways through which the Venereal matter doth ordinarily pass in these sorts of Crises are either such as serve for Sweat or for passage of the Urine or expulsion of the grosser Excrements or especially those that serve for the Salivation The Crisis that is made through the first of these ways doth happen when the Mercury finds a great many Sulphurous Vapours which do serve for the matter of fat in bodies wherein it enters for as it doth ever mix willingly with Sulphurs and is already disposed to it by the division that hath been made of it with Resinous bodies it doth easily unite with fat and vaporous matters which render it more light more volatil and consequently more fit to follow their Motion from the Center to the Circumference But as this same Motion is in some manner contrary to the penetration which Mercury ought to make for sufficiently purifying the blood it often happens that this Crisis is but imperfect unless Nature her self be that way exceedingly disposed 3. Some bodies are found to be so filled with a Tartarous Salt or other matters of the Nature of Alkalis that the Mercury which enters into them precipitates downwards by their means and the Impurities are carried off by Siege But as these matters do not hinder the Mercury from-penetrating into all the parts this Crisis is much more certain than the former especially when the Physician helps Nature to act by often-repeated Purges and Diureticks 4. That which causes the Mercury and Venereal Salts to be sometimes carried off by Urine is that Acids are found in some bodies near in as great a Number as Alkalis is in others The truth of this Opinion may be easily proved for every body knows that Acids taken inwardly become Diuretick and the Observations upon Mercury do shew that they may be sublimated by Heat when joyned with it and that they can be precipitated by Alkalis even after this Sublimation Now you may perceive by what I have said that the property of Acids is to carry off Phlegm and Serosities by way of Urine but that they are not able to produce this effect when joyned with Mercury and agitated by the Natural Heat unless Alkalis do also sufficiently abound to precipitate it downwards Furthermore seeing impure Salts are easily dissolved in watry substances and this Crisis hath very much affinity with that which is made by Salivation I conceive it must be more perfect than the other two when its Evacuations continue long and large enough 5. As 't is the property of Leaven to extend it self in the things that ferment and render them hereby of a like Nature so the Venereal Salts do dissolve in the blood extend themselves into all parts of the body and render by this means almost all the Humours sharp and Acid. This is the reason why the Salivation is the most ordinary Crisis of the Pox that is provoked by the help of Mercury because it charges it self with these Acid Liquours in so great a measure that nothing is able to carry it off so well by the other ways I mentioned And it is this which may be esteemed the surest of all to cure this Disease for besides that it is very seldom seen to fail when well managed the Circumstances which do accompany it make us judge the better of its goodness It is remarkable in the first place that its Motion is from below upwards and is commonly equal moderate and without any interruption which shews that Nature acts rather of her own accord than by the meer force of the Remedy Moreover all the Acid and impure Humours do ascend so sensiby with the Mercury that this mixture is near of the same quality with the dissolution of this Mineral in the Spirit of Niter or Aqua fortis in so much that being driven up by the Heat there is made a kind of Sublimate Corrosive which exulcerates all the parts of the Throat and Mouth and penetrates them so exceedingly that their Vessels are opened and blood runs out of them for some days until the matter becomes less acrimonious by a smaller quantity of Acids Impostors who give the Salivation to such as have not the Pox make these Ulcers pass for effects of the Malignity of Venereal Salts that they may the better conceal their Villanies by such perswasions But you must observe that they do indeed happen as well to such as have not the Pox as those who really have it because they are produced by the mixture I lately spoke of or by reason that there are Acid Juyces in all Men generally in a word because the Mercury is soon sublimated passes quickly and doth but lightly heat the Mouth in those who have too few Acids to govern its Motion unless the other matters which I have spoken of do train or draw it some other ways So that the Ulcers of the Mouth and Throat ought to be considered as inseparable Accidents of this Crisis whatsoever Indispositions it may be intended for 6. Moreover you may know it in its beginning by the agitation of the Pulse the inquietudes of Mind and Body the diminution or entire loss of appetite by the retiring of the Eyes heat of Mouth swelling of the Gums and Lips thickness of the Tongue stink of Breath pain of Teeth whiteness of the Palate and interruption of sleep When you shall find the Crisis to approach by all these Signs you must forbear your Frictions Fumigations and generally all Mercurial Remedies to avoid Suffocation and other accidents which Mercury doth cause when given in too great a quantity But if its application hath been reasonably well performed in a Body rightly prepared there will succeed to the Signs I named a continual trickling of white phlegm in a long thread which will at first run but gently but will augment by degrees for nine days time so that the more Phlegmatick persons may be able thus to spit up to eight pounds in four and twenty hours and others in proportion In the first days of the sublimation of Mercury the Belly receives some commotion
from its passage and this causes a Flux downwards which lasts indeed but a small time and requires no particular consideration It may be also observed in the increase of the Salivation that the Ulcers which I spoke of do enlarge in latitude and profundity by the action of the matter that runs out of them and that the motion of the Artery appears almost as strong and unequal as in burning Fevers because impurities cannot be thus seperated from the Blood without raising a great Ebullition in it by the motion of Mercury or strength of the natural heat But seeing these things do happen through an indispensible necessity and are not at all contrary to what may fairly be expected from the Action of Mercury you need not trouble your selves to think of preventing or curing them by contrary Remedies 7. Nevertheless you may mitigate the pains in the Belly when they become very hard to endure by the means of Anodyne and cooling Clysters or else diminish the corroding Acrimony which causes Ulcers in the Mouth with gentle affwaging Gargarisms such as are for example Cows Milk luke-warm or the Decoction of French-Barley Linseed and Fleawort-seed to which must be added that it is sometimes necessary to consume the corrupted flesh about them with Spirits of Wine Vitriol or Sulphur It should remain to say something of the Quantity of the Matter and time of its running but seeing these two Circumstances do absolutely depend on the Temperaments of persons and degrees of the Disease they cannot be precisely regulated but by the Judgment Application and Experience of him that treats them Wherefore I shall not detain you to no purpose on this Subject but believe it may suffice to say generally speaking that you ought not to begin counting the days of the Flux until it is able to furnish at least two pounds of Matter in four and twenty hours and that it ought to continue a fortnight at least and a month at most Nevertheless there are some Authors who pretend that the cessation of Accidents and especially of the Flux are undoubted marks of a complete and perfect Cure But you may easily perceive this Rule not to be infallible since I have proved in another place that the Cause of the Pox may still remain when the ordinary Accidents are vanished away and that there are other Accidents on the contrary which can never wholly disappear but by the application of particular Remedies either during or after the universal Purification of the Body for example the Rottenness of Bones which must be corrected by actual Cauteres the Consumption of Flesh or Skin made by Tetters or profound Ulcers which can never be regenerated but by mundifying Medicines lastly the Relaxation and weakness of the Spermatick Vessels which causes in some persons a continual Effluxion of the Seed until they be closed up again by styptick and astringent Remedies Besides you will find by experience that the Flux often ceases before the Disease and that it is sometimes necessary to renew it or at least to assist the former Evacuation with Remedies that purge through other passages especially when Nature is so inclined But you must not do like those who think they can never enough drain the Bodies that are thus infected who consume and exhaust the Radical Moisture it self which is the foundation of Life after having drawn away all the other Humours But remember rather that it is of as great importance to preserve what is natural to the Body as to destroy whatsoever is enemy to or against Nature And to the end you may the better avoid this Excess you must observe very exactly how far the Body is dried how the forces are spent and all the other Circumstances which I gave you before that so you may timely stop the Salivation after a sufficient continuance of it by change of Linnen Bed and sometimes Chamber too or by the Precipitation of Mercury which may be made with the Salt of Tartar taken alone in a Broth or mixed with the ordinary Purges and Diureticks CHAP. V. Of the Diet of such as are in the Artificial Crises of the Pox. 1. In what this Diet doth consist in general and why it is necessary to give particular examples of it 2. The manner of governing those who are of a good Complexion 3. Who are Hot and Dry 4. Who are Cold and Moist 5. General Observations for them all 1. THE Method of governing such as are in the Crises that are raised by Mercury doth in general consist in preserving them from the violence of ill Air and bad Weather in regulating the Quality and Quantity of Aliments and Medicaments and if you will also in a Moderation of the Passions of the Mind The means of answering the first point have been already given when I spoke of the proper seasons to treat the Pox and it seems that the prudence and discretion of the Physician ought to make Rules for the other two Nevertheless seing it is often impossible to correct perfectly in the Preparation all the preternatural Dispositions which proceed from the diverse Temperaments of persons and it is consequently necessary to persist until the end of the Cure in a regular use of things that are contrary to their pernicious Qualities it may be expedient to do as I have here done in delivering the Method of Preparing such as have this Disease that is to say of shewing here the proper management of Nourishment and Remedies for such as are of an even and good Temperament and for those that are removed from this good Mean by great Repletion and Inanition after which you will here find some general Circumstances it is convenient to observe in all those persons who are treated with Mercury 2. There are two Rules particularly important for the Diet of one of a middle Temper the first is Not to give him any more Aliments than will preserve his forces in good plight that Excrements and Superfluities may not too much abound and the second is That you give him light Remedies for to open the chief passages that Nature may not be diverted in her operations by contrary motions You will sufficiently answer the first Rule if you give him two new-laid Eggs at noon and a Broth every fourth hour all the rest of the day and night which you may make with a Leg of Beef Pullets and some Succory The Ptisanne which I have before described for preparation of Bodies of this consistence may also serve them very well during the Crisis to answer the second Rule I gave you because it is Sudorifick and Diuretick and may be also rendred proper for gently loosning the Body by making a cold Infusion of two Drachms of Senna four and twenty hours in a Quart of it which you may make him drink every second day at several draughts 3. When you shall come to treat a Body that is very Hot and Dry you must remember it would be a dangerous thing to nourish
him too little or give him Aliments of a Heating quality Wherefore you must prefer Broths before new-laid Eggs and give him one at least every third hour made of a Leg of Veal Beef and Pullet adding to it in Summer Sorrel Lettice and Purslain or in Winter Succory But if your Patient nauseates this kind of Nourishment you may make him a Gelly with the above-mention'd meats French-Barley a little of the cold Seeds and Sugar You may safely make use of the moistning and cooling Ptisanne which I described when I spoke of the means of preparing these persons in a Quart of which you may infuse a Drachm of Senna and so much Crystal Mineral to give him every fourth day Clysters that cool and moisten the Body will prove very effectual if you make them of Whey or a Decoction of Pot-herbs mixing with each an Ounce of Honey of Violets or white Lilies 4. On the contrary during the time you treat a Body that is extreme Phlegmatick and replete you must not be contented only with the Critical Evacuations that are commonly made by the Mouth but you must endeavour al manner of ways besides to exhaust his Humours so that some Broths or new-laid Eggs given every six hours will suffice for his Nourishment because you must give him but only just enough to keep him alive The Ptisanne made of Guaiacum will also serve to dry him the more if you prepare it according to the Dose I mentioned in the Chapter of the Preparation You may often give Clysters made of common Honey and a Decoction of the Leaves of Sage Wormwood Rue and Fennil You may prepare laxative Potions whose use must be frequent with a Decoction of Sage-leaves an Infusion of Senna and Hermodactyls and the Syrup of Roses or Peach-flowers taking care of giving them to such a Dose as may not be apt to divert the Salivation in its beginning or diminish it when it is in its vigour 5. By the Examples I have given you and by what hath been already said in delivering the means of preparing Bodies for the Motions and effects of Mercury you will easily frame different Methods for such as are in the several degrees of more or less and there is no necessity of prescribing any others more particularly on this Subject But it is so much the more necessary here to remark the following Observations as they ought in general to serve for all those who are in any Crisis that follows the application of this Remedy In all fainting and swooning fits you may prefer a little Wine before Cordial Liquours or Acid Fruits and you will find by experience that it hath a better Effect You must forbear Biscakes Comfits and generally all sweet sugar'd things because they make the Teeth black and increase the acrimony and pain which they do then suffer in the Throat After the Evacuations have been sufficient and you have stopt the Flux or hinder'd the others you must draw your Patients by little and little out of the great weakness they then subsist in by a gradual augmentation of their nourishment after the same manner as you diminish'd it in their Preparation remembring always that you cannot suddenly change them out of Inanition into Repletion without endangering their Suffocation or putting them into some desperate and mortal Disease So soon as they shall be re-established a little by this means you may reassume the use of Purgatives Diureticks and Sudorificks to set Nature at work again and help to drive out such Impurities as do sometimes still remain after all these former endeavours Moreover the Tranquility of the Mind is so necessary during all the Cure that there is always a great deal of danger where it is wanting and consequently it is your Duty to remove from your Patients all things which may stir up the Passions of the Mind and especially Fear Sadness Anger care of any business of concernment or any kind of particular application of the Mind so that you must always be sure to entertain them with the hopes of a safe and happy Cure you must relate to them only things which may please and rejoyce their hearts and you must give them all manner of satisfaction as far as you are able or at least pleasantly represent to them the prejudice they would be apt to suffer from things which cannot be granted to them without danger Nay you must also take care of their affairs where there is occasion either really or else in shews Lastly you must take away from them all Books Manuscripts and generally all such things as are capable of engaging them in two much thoughtfulness especially after that Mercury is once applied CHAP. VI. Of the particular Circumstances that ought to be observed for treating Methodically Women and little Infants 1. Necessary observations for the treating of Women 2. That Infants are susceptible of the Pox at all times but that there is no necessity of giving different Methods for all degrees of Youth 3. The manner how to treat the smallest Infants and a Precept of moment on this Subject 1. Whatsoever hath been hitherto said concerning the way of curing the Pox may equally serve for both Sexes as well as also for all Ages if you do but proportionate your Remedies to the strength of your Patient Only there are indeed some particular Circumstances it is necessary to observe for the better curing of Women and little Children For if the first of these persons have their Terms supprest you must in the first place of all labour to provoke them while you are in their Preparation for the reception of Mercury because you must always make the application of it so soon as or presently after they have sufficiently flowed for fear lest if they should renew their Course too soon they might create a great disorder in the Oeconomy of Nature by a contrary motion to that of the Salivation You must also take notice that there sometimes happen very urgent Accidents which engage them to be treated while they are with Child and you will find by experience that they can then undergo the Cure without danger by observing to manage them gently and especially to choose a time wherein their grossness is a little advanced because the Infant is too weak in its beginning to resist the disturbance which Mercury and the other Remedies do cause in the Body and because it might be apt to accelerate celerate the Child-bed toward the end before the Off spring doth receive a perfect maturity 2. Infants are capable of catching the Pox either in the Womb of their Mother or by sucking diseased Nurses in a word by being kissed or toucht several wayes by persons infected with this Disease Whence it comes to pass that it may happen in all the times and degrees of Youth and so consequently cannot be treated after the same manner since the stripling that sucks his nourishment from the Teat is infinitely less fit to bear the violence of Remedies
Phlegmatick and replete body or else if Mercury hath been applyed in too much hast it will sublimate along with it all on a sudden so great a confluence of Humours that the most part of the Accidents I now reckoned up will also appear but more particularly an extraordinary Swelling of the Throat Tongue Cheeks and often of all the whole Face with considerable hardness and loosness of Teeth and with an immoderate Flux of Blood from the Ulcers of the Mouth which in a short time become great spreading black stinking and gangren'd and which do at last cause Death if a Suffocation don't prevent their malignancy 3. In all these miserable Conjunctures the best means to be used do consist in hindring the Activity of Mercury in the diminution of its quantity by change of Bed Linnen and Chamber and in the precipitation of the rest downwards by astringent Gargarisms Clysters Phlebotomies in the Foot and especially by often repeated Purges in which you must be sure always to mix the Salt of Tartar proportionating the rest of the Ingredients to the Age Strength and Temperament of your Patients Some do make use of a Golden Pill which they cause to be swallowed several times after as many Lotions and which always indeed carries off some very little Mercury on its Superficies but it is so very small a quantity for so long a time that no great effect can be expected from it and its use must by no means hinder that of the former Remedies 4. After having thus provided against all these Accidents in general by the means that I have proposed 't is time to think of such as demand particular Correctives and apply Cupping-glasses with scarifications on the nape of the neck or on the shoulders for all Phrensies Convulsions Apoplexies Deafness Blindness and in general for all Indispositions of the Brain and Nerves A Gargarism made with a Decoction of Plantain red Roses and Agrimony in which you must drop a little Spirit of Vitriol will prove astringent enough to repel the Blood or Phlegm that runs out of the Mouth and detersive enough to cleanse the Ulcers which shall be toucht from time to time with the Chymical Spirits before named It is observable that this same Gargarism may also serve to strengthen the loose Teeth by closing of the Gums which nevertheless may be much better fastned by touching them with the Aqua secunda An Oxyrrhodin made of one part of Vinegar and two of Oyl of Roses outwardly applyed on the Throat asswages it takes down the Swelling and diminishes the Inflammation You may also for the same effect make use of the Cere-cloth of Galen mixt with the Oyl of sweet Almonds A few spoonfuls of good Wine will do a great deal of good in all Faintings and Swoonings for to fortifie the Heart and disperse again the suffocated Spirits which you must prefer in this occasion before all the Confections Cordial Potions and other artificial Cardiacks Cows-Milk luke-warm will wonderfully appease the pains in the Guts if you make Fomentations of it outwardly and Injections within in which you may add some Yelks of Eggs and some grains of Laudanum to render them yet more Anodyne Besides these Ordinary Remedies the knowledge which you ought to have of things that appertain to Physick the Instructions which you may learn and the Counsel you may please to take will furnish you with an infinity of others on particular Occasions FINIS INDEX SECT I. IN which some useful Reflections and Observations are made on the Names Definition Origine Causes Differences Signs and Prognosticks of the Pox. Chap. I. Of the Pox in general Chap. II. Of the Causes of the Pox. Chap. III. Of the differences of the Pox which may serve to make a Prognostick Chap. IV. Of the Judgment of the Pox. SECT II. In which necessary Observations are made on the means to Cure the Pox while it is but Particular on the Natural and Critical Motions that do terminate it when it turns to be Universal and on the Medicines that serve to raise the Artificial Crisis of it Chap. I. Of the kinds of Particular Poxes that are called Vlcers and Chancres Chap. II. Of other Particular ones that are called Claps and virulent Gonorrheas Chap. III. Of the Natural Crises of the Vniversal Pox. Chap. IV. Of the Plants which have been esteemed capable to carry off the Pox by Sweat Chap. V. Of the Observations it is necessary to make on Mercury to know whence the different effects that follow its application do proceed SECT III. In which the true Method of artificially raising the Crises of the Universal Pox is explained Chap. I. Of the Crises that are provoked by common Remedies and of the proper Seasons for the application of Mercury Chap. II. Of the Preparation of Bodies in which Mercury must enter Chap. III. Of the different ways of making Mercury to enter into the Bodies of such as are infected with the Pox. Chap. IV. Of the Critical Motions that are provoked by Mercury Chap. V. Of the Dyet of those who are in the Artificial Crises of the Pox. Chap. VI. Of the particular Circumstances which ought to be observed for treating Methodically Women and little Infants Chap. VII Of the Misfortunes which may follow the application of Mercury FINIS