CVLPEPER'S School of Physick OR THE Experimental Practice of the whole Art Wherein are contained all inward Diseases from the Head to the Foot with their proper and effectuall Cures such Diet set down as ought to be observed in Sickness or in Health With other safe wayes for preserving of Life in excellent Aphorismes and approved Medicines so plainly and easily treated of that the Free-born Student rightly understanding this Method may judge of the Practice of Physick so far as it concernes himself or the Cure of others c. A Work never before Publisht very necessary for all that desire to be rightly informed in Physick Chyrurgery Chymistry c. Nosce teipsum By Nich. Culpeper late Student in Physick and Astrology The Narrative of the Authors Life is prefixed with his Nativity Calculated together with the Testimony of his late Wife Mrs. Alice Culpeper and 〈◊〉 The general Contents of this Work are in the next 〈◊〉 With two perfect Tables very useful to the 〈◊〉 London Printed for N. Brook at the Angel in Cornhill 1659. The general Contents of the several Treatises 1. THe School of Physick or the English Apothecary a Treatise of the transcendent sufficiency of our English Herbs as they may be rightly used in Medicine being a brief account of the whole concernment of the Herbary Art as also the excellency of our English home Physick p. 1. 2. The Sovereign Vertues of Carduus Benedictus in English The Blessed Thistle which for the operation and great efficacy that God hath given to it may be rightly so named as also of the rare Vertues of Angelica p. 71. 3. Fragmenta Aurea Four Golden Centuries of Chymical Physical Judicial Aphorismes and Admirable Secrets p. 87. 4. The Garden Plat or a very brief account of such Herbs c. that excel and are some of them most useful in Physical and Chyrurgical Cures on emergent and sudden occasions p. 156. 5. The Celestial Governours or a Discourse in which is pâ—â—iny declared what Members of the Body are governed by the twelve Signs and of the Diseases to them appropriate p. 182. 6. How the Members of the Body are governed by the seven Planets and of the Diseases to them appropriate p. â—8â— 7. Cardiaca Simplicia a brief Account of 〈◊〉 Choice Simples as are chiefly appropriate to the Hearâ— A Treatise left unfinisht by the Author p. 186. 8. The Chyrurgeons Guide or the Eâ—â—â—â—â— of some Vnskilful Practicioners in Chyrâ— corrected p â—â—5 9. Phlebotomy displayed or perfect Ru◠〈◊〉 the letting of Blood p. 214. 10. Vrinal Conjectures brief Observations with some probable Predictions on the sick Patients Stale or Water p. 222. 11. The Treasury of Life or Salves for every Sore experienced and tried Receipts for the Cure of the most usual Diseases that our frail Bodies are most subject to whilest we remain in this Life p. 229. 12. The Expert Lapidary or a Physical Treatise of the secret Vertues of Stones p. 263. 13. Doctor Diets Directory or the Physicians Vade Mecum short but safe Rules to preserve Health in a Methodical way passing by the impertinences and niceties of former Physicians treating onely of familiar and the most useful things in Diet which chiefly nourish and maintain Life 279. 14 Doctor Reason and Doctor Experience consulted with or the mystery of the Skill of Physick made easie short clear and certain Rules how to perceive judge and determine what any usual Disease is from the parts of the body affected the Causes Signs or Symptomes collected from the most approved Authors and constantly practised by Mr. Nicholas Culpeper p. 345. 15. Chymical Institutions discovering Natures choice Secrets in experienced Chymical Practice shewing the several degrees of Progression in the Physical Cabinet of that Art p. 405 M rs Alice Culpepers Testimony and Approbation of this Book Ingenious Reader HAving an Orphan or Posthumus in my protection and being sollicited by divers for the propagation of the publick good in its Publication for its better entertainment I appeare to tell the World it is a Legitimate Childe of Mr. Nicholas Culpeper my deceased Husband And as I promise you it is the Genuine and Ingenious Off-spring of his Brain so I question not it will with the rest of his laborious Pieces help to blow louder the Trumpet of his never dying Fame I need not much endeavoar to attest that this Tractate is his for it will evidently appear at first sight that it is the Childe of such a Father which will be commendation enough both for the one and the other and that is the reason I refused to seek a Patron for it since I know his bare Name will sufficiently serve for a Patronage I follow the new Mode of the Times by disallowing of Godfathers yet the Bookseller thought it inconvenient that this Treatise should wander up and down the World without a Name and therefore it is Christned The School of Physick If it shall please any one to cast their affections on this Fatherless Childe him shall I esteem as my Gossip Expect from me to say no more at present because I would willingly cross an old Saying Women are never silent till dead I am in in all vertuous Endeavours for the Publique Good Yours ALICE CULPEPER Novemb. 15. 1658. From my House in Spittle-fields next Door to the Red Lion The Preface To all Students in Physick Chyrurgery and Chymestry THough that those which look for an eternall life set but light by a temporary as they are truly sensible here below to meet with a mass and accumulation of sins and sorrows nevertheless since we finde long life to be one of those blessings so often promised in the old Law as also that the beloved Disciple of our blessed Saviour survived the other Disciples and many of the Fathers of the Church were long lived we Mortals as we are too prone on Earth to esteem it our chiefest good cannot at least but enroll it amongst others of the choice and great favours we receive from Heaven The old saying is Vita brevis Ars longa Life is short and Art is long therefore in all ages it hath been the ambitious task of Learned men if it were possible to perfect Art so as to prolong life even to the length of dayes indeed the best of them found there inquiries too difficult some of them having carefully scrutinized and searcht the matter of the reparation but none yet living ever attained to the manner it being an agreed of Truth that in the declining of age there is an unequal reparation some parts are repaired easily some with difficulty and loss the Spirits Blood Flesh and Fat are even after the declining of years easily repaired but the drier and more poreous parts the Membranes all the Tunicles Sinnews Arteries Veins Bones Cartilages most of the Bowels in a word all the organical parts are hardly repairable and to their loss Now these hardly repairable parts to use the same words of one of the
the common saying amongst the people to the great discredit of our Art There is not a purgation but it hath a smack of poison Truth it is no purgation can work without natures annoyance being in part a prick of nature to avoid her excrements but when she is so provoked that she sweateth cold sweats that she giveth over that the patient soundeth not by the excess of purging onely but for the most part through the evil quality of the medicine it is surely an argument it wanted his proper subject to work in If needs we will take unto us the practice of such strange Medicines I call them Medicines according to the common phrase else properly be they matter onely it were to be desired which in part is performed that such Medicines as be so perillous might be planted in our natural countrey that through the familiarity of our soil they might first grow into acquaintance with us before we entertain them not into our bosomes but into our hearts and chamber them with our vital spirits And as it is said of the tree Persea which in Persia being poison translated into Egypt becometh wholesome bearing fruit to be eaten and good for the stomach so those natures receiving such mitigation of our soil might in time better fit us then they do which as it cannot alter their nature being impossible to be done by change of place so doubtless might it purge away that evil quality which annoyeth us and seemeth rather to be an evil complexion and as it were a cacochimy and disease of the thing then any necessary propriety belonging to the nature This which hath been said of Persia is also to be seen in other Simples which in other places are poison and kill with the very shadow yet brought into England and planted with us clean change that venomous quality Ugh called Taxus of Dioscorides is said to be so dangerous and of such venomous nature that in Navar the very shadow thereof poisoneth him that sleepeth under it and Aegenita saith being taken inward it strangleth and swiftly killeth This Taxus notwithstanding being so perillous in other places our English soil hath so reformed that boldly our children do eat of the fruit thereof without danger the like may be verified of our Hemlock which although it be to be numbred among the poisoning Herbs yet it is far behinde that which groweth in Candy or Megara or Cilicia scarce to be accounted poison in comparison of that in those Countreys Now if thou shalt think gentle Reader as the change of a Region altereth some qualities so all and thereby empaireth the vertue of the Medicine thou mayest easily be deceived For as they depend not one upon another so may the one be well without the other though by one common form they seem to be linked together to make one nature Rhewbarb is known to have two qualities one contrary to another of purging the body and stopping yet by steeping may the one be separated from the other the purging vertue being drawn out by steeping and the stopping still remaining in the substance steeped so likewise may the noisom quality of the Medicine be eschewed the wholesome and medicinable vertue notwithstanding being in full force yea greater retained I say greater insomuch as the hurtful quality would hinder the operation of the healthful which being freed and unyoked from the other doth far better accomplish his work Of all kindes of Honey that of Greece and namely of Attica and Hible are most commended the next price is given to the Honey of Spain and Navar yet it is certainly known by experience that the English Honey is most agreeable to our English Bodies and greater quantity thereof may be taken with less annoyance yea none at all to those which are not of too hot a temper the other kindes being more fiery more apt to engender Choler and to inflame the blood and more unfit to loose the body Whereby we may evidently see that Nature useth not one shoe for every foot but either ministreth a divers commodity in kinde or else by the Countrey Air and Soil doth so temper it that greater use may be thereof to the inhabitant of the same Countrey By this then which hitherto hath been said it is manifest we receive great hurt by the use of strange Medicines and not upon reason onely but from plain experience even with hurt to our own bodies which as it is the greatest price of knowledge so therefore ought we the more to set thereby and more carefully to seek to avoid the danger Again it is evident that the planting of strange Simples frameth them more to our use Wherefore as there be many excellent Gardens in England especially in London replenished with store of strange and outlandish Simples it were to be wished such endeavours were of others followed that so we might acquaint us better with these strangers and by Vsu capio make them our own But what soils will brook all things it is true yet no doubt of those that it will brook which I dare say are four or five hundred this frugality of nature toward us as it is thought might bear a greater show and more safely use them especially the purgers which carry with them greatest anoyance Now if it be objected the force of outlandish Simples are thereby more feeble as we finde the Organ of Candy surpassing ours in strength I mean the same kinde with that of Candy planted in the Gardens which may be said also of other strange Herbs planted by us It cannot be denied but they are so neither can the strange Simples in all points be equal with his kinde keeping his Native soil yet is the difference scarce half a degree under or if it were a degree full out what reason were it to fetch that one degree with much peril and charge as far as Candy Spain or Venice or from another world whereas a little increase of the quantity of the thing would easily supply that want though I mention not the gain of freshness of the same which maketh no small recompence of wanting in the force neither is the nature or vertue of a Medicine to be esteemed by taste or smell neither by the force it hath against the disease the nature of a medicine lying in an equal matching of the cause of the disease which if it overmatch so far off it is from the praise of an wholesome medicine that it becommeth 〈◊〉 cause of a contrary disease wherefore the â—ommendation of a medicine lieth not in force â—â—t in such force And therefore the counsel of â—he best Physicians is if the disease will bear any delay as the most do rather to apply a medicine of weaker force then at once with a vehement â—one to shake the frame of Nature And the weaker medicine being weak either in respect of the nature of the Simple or the small quantity they counsel rather to use that kinde of curing which is by
reason sounder which is drawn from that Divine Providence to the practice thereof And if Galen had that religion in him being a Gentile and groping onely in the mist of natural knowledge of God could not satisfie himself with a Psalm or Hymn as he himself calleth it of seventeen staves every staff containing an whole Book for thus he himself calleth his Books of the use of Parts of the wisdom of the most wise God esteeming that duty more acceptable unto him then sacrifices of an hundreth Oxen or the most costly perfumes and incense Let it not be harsh in thine ears gentle Reader to hear now and then the goodness of our God his Wisdom and Providence to be both intreated of and advanced of a Christian Physician and to Christians to whom the Son of righteousness hath shined and scattered those mists of natural darkness and hath given the earnest of immortality And be assured there is no truth in Philosophy but may stand with ye rather may rest and be upholden of Christianity But let us proceed Julius Bassus Nicerates and Petronius Niger as saith Dioscorides thought their countrey Medicines and those which the native soyl yielded most worthy to be exactly intreated of them belike either thinking them sufficient for the inhabitants or more agreeable with them Which homely practice of the Nations where he travelled Dioscorides confesseth to have been the matter whereof he compounded his golden Book of Medicines which at this day remaineth a rich storehouse to all Physicians Now then I would know why we should more be provided of Medicine against one disease then another of our countrey yield Is it because such diseases which require strange Medicines are more dangerous or less If more dangerous then should the remedy for them be more at hand then for other if less why are then the strange Medicines esteemed as most forcible And if we be less subject to such diseases as are cured with them and so the absence of them may seem tollerable why then are Tertian Agues chiefly cured with Thamarines and Rhewbarb Whereof the one cometh out of India and the other for the most part out of Barbary Whatsoever nature is yielded to any Nation it serveth either for nourishment or Medicines or being neither nourishment or Medicine is plain poyson Now a subduction being made of each of these one from the other what part shall we think will nourishments leave to Medicines A far greater doubtless then they themselves be and as they exceed nourishments so greatly do they and beyond all comparison exceed the poysons Wherefore if the most of creatures in every Nation be a fit matter of Medicine greatly no doubt are all Nations stored with them which store declareth that as diseases partly rise of breach of Diet and partly through poysons so Nature would furnish us with Medicines in number answerable to the causes of both which being not sufficient argueth that Nature misseth of her purpose having sufficiently declared her endeavour but Nature alwayes bringeth her works to perfection except in case of Monsters which are not ordinary Wherefore her will she being an instinct of Gods ever going with the execution thereof must needs perform that to us which he pretendeth in the variety But that thou mayest gentle Reader have better hold and greater assurance of the sufficiency of thy Countrey Medicines I will set down briefly according to the variety and sorts of all diseases cured with medicine Medicines taken from our native soyl answerable unto them and effectual to cure them And because Medicines have relation to diseases I will first touch the diseases and thereto joyn the Medicines All diseases are either in the complexion or frame of the body such as are in the complexion are all cured by Medicine which I named in the beginning of this Treatise one of the instruments of Physick Of diseaseâ— in the frame these onely are cured with Medicines Quantity superfluously increased or diminished obstructions over streightness or over largeness of passages in the body These are onely the diseases properly to be cured with medicine other diseases which rise of these either of their own accord vanishing by the cure of these or else to be cured by surgery as evil figure and shape through want of proportional quantity that being restored the figure forthwith returneth or if not rather is to be cured with help of hand And luxation of joynts and evil coupling of parts if they rise of distemper onely that being taken away with medicines returneth oftentimes with it good situation of parts Likewise the situation perverteth through distemper the complexion being restored the other consequently do follow Now having declared in general the diseases which onely require medicine that every disease may have his proper one I will subdivide them more particularly joyning to every disease that medicine which thereto belongeth The diseases in the complexion are either in all the parts of the temper thereof or in one or twain In the whole complexion are such as are ingendred of venemous causes and those either ingendred in the body or happening thereto outwardly they which are ingendred with age in the body are Cankers Leprosies Falling-sickness Suffocation of the matrix through Nature corrupted Swounding through corruption of Worms ingendred in the body and these be the diseases of venemous causes bred in the body Such as happen thereto by outward occasions are either by poison taken into the body or by outward â—ouching procured taken into the body as the poison of Toads Henbane Nightshade Hemâ—ock Ratsbane Quicksilver and such Minerals â—nd last of all infected Airs causing Pestilence â—nd Carbuncles Such as are outwardly procuâ—ed are either without wounds or with wounds without wounds infection passing from one to â—nother as the French Poxs With wounds â—enemous bitings and stingings of beasts as of â—erpents and mad Dogs And these are all the â—iseases said to be in the whole temper of the â—ody which having first shewed to be sufficiâ—ntly cured by home Medicines in like manner â—ill I prosecute the rest And herein gentle â—eader thou art not to look I should set down â—ll Medicines which our native soyl is known to â—estow upon us for cure of these diseases which â—ould grow to an infinite Volume I herein â—eferring thee to the works of those who of purâ—ose have written of the nature of Simples and â—re Authors of Practice but it shall I hope sufâ—â—e for this purpose to pick out amongst a great â—any those of choice for these diseases And â—st to begin with Cankers which being not exâ—cerated but remaining humors are cured if â—ith any medicine by the juyce of Nightshade â—ll the sorts of Endive and Succory with Agrimony with Saint Johns wort wilde Clary called Oculus Cstristi the flesh of Snails boiled Crayfishes green Frogs and to conclude with all kinde of Metals and Minerals and among them Lead howsoever it be used is most sovereign If it be exulcerated then
Parsley Kneholme Saxifrage Mallowes Plantine Pellitory of the Wall For the Womb Mugwort Penerial Fetherfew Savin Walwort Juniper For the Joynts Camomile Saint-Johns wort Organ Rue Mullen Primrose and Cowslips the less Centaury and Chamepitys Thus have I gentle Reader briefly run over the Diseases cured by Medicine having passed by those which either rise of these as evil figure by immoderate excess or defect of quantity unequally increasing or wanting or number evil situation for want of good couplance through distemper and such like as also the compound of those which require onely composition excepted the same medicines Whereby evidently mayest thou see the goodness of God towards thee in so plentifully furnishing thine own soil with such variety of medicines which if it yield thee such plenty in this neglect and loathing of our countrey remedies what fruit were thou to look for if diligence and pains were used Verily right well might we both avoid the dangers before declared ease our selves of immoderate charge and have better assurance of our medicines then we have yea very well satisfie our daintiness even with strange simples or finde out such as should not onely in vertues match with the spices of India which is a plain case as Rosemary matcheth Cinnamon Basil Cloves Sage the Nutmegs Saffron Ginger Thime Musk Savery the leaf called Malabathrum but even in pleasantness of taste express the same And as Avens doth most lively represent the taste of Cloves unto us so likely is it if search were made and this enterprise of examining and trying our native simples taken in hand by men of wisdom and understanding we should no more be destitute of spices then India or Arabia although neither Indish nor Arabick and as the small jags of the roots of Avens fail little from Cloves in taste so might we as likely finde that which were little inferiour to Cinnamon Ginger Nutmegs and Mace not onely in likeness of working but even in similitude of nature but I will refer this to that time when either men shall be more careful for publique benefit then private gain or sufcient allowance bestowed of such men as should spend their dayes onely in searching out the vertues of natures which at this time is greatly wanting even as for all other professions of arts Our English soil is greatly commended as it justly deserveth for temper of the air and of such as have experience thereof of strangers and great masters of simples for variety of excellent medicines carrieth great praise who report they finde such simples in the valleys and woods of our North parts as they finde in the tops of mountains in the South Countreys So that certain Gardens in England especially in London are able to afford great variety of medicines even of forreigh simples to all diseases And if the Dittany of Candy the Cyprus-tree the Nicotian out of India Coloquintida the Almond-tree the Pomegranate-tree will brook our soil and flourish therein as they do we need not doubt but certain and sufficient provision of all medicines I mean all kindes but not all of every kinde which were unnecessary neither can any Countrey challenge the same might be made partly of a voluntary yield of the same partly by planting and sowing with just temper of the mould and situation of the Plant out of our own Countrey both with less charge and less danger for all diseases Now if it be demanded why then both the practice is and hath been hitherto otherwise I will onely say thus much for answer although much more might be said The whole Art of Physick hath been taken partly from the Greeks and partly from the Arabians and as the precepts of the Art so likewise the meanes and instruments wherewith for the most part the precepts of the same Art are executed which hath bred this errour in times past now by a tradition received that all duty of the Physician touching restoring health is to be performed by the same remedies not in kinde onely but even specially with those which the Grecian and Arabian Masters used who wrote not for us but for their Greeks and Arabikes tempering their medicines to their states although their rules be as common as reason to all nations Galen saith in his first Book of preserving health he giveth the rules thereof no more to Germanes then to Boars and Bears but to the Grecians which declareth they respected their own Nation both in rule and medicine Who also the Arabians in the same point followed Now we receiving the same medicines with the rule must needs fall into the absurdities aforesaid much like to the evil Musician which playeth onely upon the instrument whereon his Master taught him which if he assay upon another committeth divers discords among other evill graces in Musick But the wife and learned Physician being furnished with other Arts more general then his own whereto natural Philosophy most highly approacheth being a knowledge of all natural things not of Arabia or India or Greece but universally findeth in all countreys medicines for diseases nature yielding sufficiency of contraries to all sorts of them whereto the inhabitants are subject at the least in all quarters which rise not of a blinde tradition but from a certain knowledge of nature This then I take to be the chief cause of this custom in using strange medicines which ignorance of nature doth feed and nourish daily I blame none neither tax I any man and I dare say there is not a learned Physician in this Land who is not able to perform this point with English medicines if they would take the matter in hand whereto rather I exhort them then instruct them being a thing sufficiently known unto them For it is not the Nutmeg or the Mace that strengthneth the brain and cureth cold diseases and moist diseases thereof but a drying and warming vertue with a secret agreement which they have with the brain to preserve the same which being found as sufficient in Sage in Rosemary in Betony and such like the Nutmeg and the Mace with such other spices for that turn may be discharged The same may be said of all strange natures which although we want yet have we such as are suffient to serve instead for as every nation hath a peculiar condition of the same disease so must the medicine also needs be of another sort and as the medicine varieth so why the matter of the same medicine should not also vary I know not The medicine varieth in respect of the complexion of the Patient being other in one countrey then in another which medicines is as it were seated in nature which hath many qualities besides that medicinable which quality if the medicine be good must agree with the Patients complexion if not then hurteth it greatly If it agreeth with the complexion of a Moor an Indian or Spaniard then must it needs disagree with ours which disagreement and want if it be patched up unto us by correctours
they are cold and moist Damsins are of the same nature Six or seven Damsins eaten before dinner are good to provoke the appetite they mollifie the belly and are abstersive the skin and stones ablated Of Olives and Capers OLives eaten at the beginning of a refection coroborate the stomach and provoke the appetite Capers do purge Phlegm and cause an appetite Of Spices Ginger GInger heats the Stomach and helps digestion Green Ginger eaten in the morning fasting doth acuate and quicken the memory Of Pepper THere are three sundry kindes of Pepper white black and long Pepper All kindes of them heat the body dissolves Phlegm and Winde helps digestion and causeth to make water Of Cloves and Mace CLoves comforts the sinews dissolve and consume superfluous humors restore nature Mace is a Cordial helps the Chollick and is good against the bloody Flux Of Saffron SAffron comforts the heart and stomach but is too hot for the Liver Of Nutmegs and Cinamon NUtmegs are good for them which have cold in their head and comfort the sight and the brain and the mouth of the stomach and is good for the Spleen Cinamon is a Cordial wherefore some Writers admire why one dies that may eat Cinamon yet it doth stop and is good to restrain Fluxes and the looseness of the body Of Liquorice LIquorice is good to cleanse and open the Lungs and the Breast and to loose Phlegm in cakes with Honey it purges moderately Of Salt SAlt moderately used is very wholesom taken excessive it ingenders Choller dries up the natural moisture and inflames the blood stops the Veins hardens the Stone and gathers together viscus humors causing sharpness of Urine consuming the flesh and fat of the body they which are cold watry and Phlegmatick may feed more plentifully of Salt and of Salt meats but Chollerick and Melancholick persons must eat it moderately and Sanguine persons must take no more of it then lightly to relish their meat By the general consent of Writers it is not nourishing I must in particular dissent from them and affirm that it doth not onely accidentally but essentially nourish accidentally in making the meat more gracious to the stomach hindering putrefaction and drying up superfluous humors essentially in it self as it takes its just and due proportion for our body hath and should have humors of all tastes the finest humor of the body being nothing but salt it self so termed by the best but newest Philosophers which if so will hardly be preserved without eating of salt Of Sugar SUgar is temperate and nourishing good against the Choller of the Stomach admirably useful in preserves conserves sauces c. The ancients term it the Indian salt the kindes hereof are made of the tears of Sugar-Canes so replenished with Juyce as that they crack again there are other wayes of making of Sugar to no purpose to particularize the best sugar is solid hard light exceeding white sweet glistering like snow melting as salt doth speedily in any liquor the Refiners if I am not mistaken in my art feel an unspeakable sweetness in theirs it is their mystery I am unwilling to call it couzenage Sugar is not so hurtful as Honey to Chollerick complexions Gallen writes that it may be given in Agues it delighteth the Stomach pleaseth the Blood and Liver cleanseth the Breast and restores the Lungs and iâ— good for children against the Worms Doctor REASON And Doctor EXPERIENCE Consulted with OR The Mystery of the Skill of PHYSICK made easie Short clear and certain Rules how to discern judge and determine what any usual Disease is from the parts of the Body affected the Causes Signs or Symptoms collected and observed from the most approved Authors and constantly practised BY Nich. Culpeper Gent. late Student in Physick and Astrology LONDON Printed for Nath. Brook at the Sign of the Angel in Cornhill 1659. Doctor Reason and Doctor Experience consulted with c. Of the Apoplexy IT is a disease that deprives of sense and motion in the whole body as also of the principal animal functions this disease doth amaze both body and minde and is so dangerous that few recover of it the Brain which is the rock of the Sinews is affected In a weak Apoplexy there is a sudden fall on the earth with outcryes with such a difficulty of breathing that one cannot discern any life in the Patient An Apoplexy is often caused by slimy gross and cold Phlegm as also by crudities and drunkenness so that such as are much addicted to surfeitings especially old men are subject to any Apoplexy This disease if it be great is hard to be cured if the Patient do escape death he either falls into a Palsie of some part or of the whole body The Air the sick person lives in must be somewhat hot his Diet must be temperate instead of Exercise strong Fractions and Ligatures of the extream parts may be used Cupping-glasses must be fastened to the shoulders he should be carried up and down in a hanging bed and after two or three weeks it will be good to bathe Of the Mother THe stopping and choaking of the Womb or Mother is a running back of the Womb or of maligne vapors bred in the Womb unto the higher parts whereby the bowels midriff and stomach are sometimes crushed that they cannot be widened by breathing the Womb in this disease being lifted so high that it drives the other members above it to the higher parts This disease hath some affinity with the Falling-sickness Swounding and Apoplexy The Womb is chiefly affected through menstruous blood or some other humor for the most part queaziness of stomach and loathng of meat and thick breathing follow this disease This disease is sometimes caused from an Impostume in the Womb or by some seed sent into the Womb and therein detained and corrupted The danger of this disease is not so great if the Spirits are not hurt The Air the Patient lives in should be temperate such meats are to be abstained from as increase blood and seed the diet must be sparing wine is not to be drunk except alâ—ayed with water except in case of swounding their Exerc ses are to be moderate their sleeps short and to shun Melancholly Of Melancholly THat which is Hypocondraical is windy oft-times caused by the over-boiling of dreggish blood settled near to the stomach or gristles of the short ribs by a distemper of the liver stomach or miseraical veins the part affected is the brain the signs of this disease are the excessive heat of humors the parts about the heart being inflamed This distemper is caused by the default of the spleen when it doth not draw away the Melancholick blood made by the distemper of the Liver At the first this disease is easily cured but if it grows old it is hardly to be remedied The Patients diet must be moist little broth will suffice because of fluctuations in the stomach he may drink cream of hulled barley with a
immoderate use of strong Wine Venery crudities and feebleness of the parts to which may be added the relinquishing of accustomed exercises and suppression of evacuation This disease is an an hereditary Disease The pains of the Feet-gout trouble the Patient at the Spring time and Autumn if this Disease be not cured before the Patient comes to his perfect growth it will not be pefectly cured The air the Patient lives in must be temperate inclining to heat and driness such meats as do moderately nourish are good and such they must eat but sparingly when their Disease hath left them they may use exercises otherwise not their sleep must be moderate for too long sleep cherishes this Disease his belly must alwayes be kept loose the use of Venery is hurtful all perturbations of the minde are to be avoided Of Congelation COngelation called Catalepsis is a sudden detaining both of soul and body with the which whosoever is taken the same figure of body doth neverthelesse remain he abides sitting or lying if he did either sit or lie when the fit took him By some this disease is stiled an awaking amazement because the disease takes away sense and motion in all parts of the body this disease agrees in some things but differs very much in others from an Apoplexy In this disease the brains hinder-part is chiefly affected the animal part being hurt as well imaginative as sensitive and motive In this disease the Patient is dumb his body is bereft of sense and motion and though he retain the form of one being awake yet his minde and senses are asleep and that on such a sudden that the lookers on are amazed This disease in so vehemently seizing on the Patient that he rather thinks he is transported to heaven then dead the minde is assaulted so violently that the person in this distemper remains in the same figure wherein he was when he was stricken he can neither void excrements make water by reason of the senses dulness his pulse beating little and faintly but in the mean time equal This affect is caused by a cold and weak distemper of the brain whereby the brain and animal spirits are congealed and dried up not onely cooled A cold and dry matter causeth this disease as melancholly the air cold and dry the mixture of Phlegm and Choller when both overflow they are in great hazzard of life that are taken with this disease if this disease be strong it is hardly to be cured The air the Patient lives in must be hot and moist his meat Ptisan Cream his drink small white Wine and somewhat a stringent Of the Frenzy A Right Frenzy is an inflamation of the brain and the films thereof bringing with it a sharp Feaver doating and alienation of minde it is a kinde of a madness both dreadful and dangerous because this disease is generated in part which is the chief sense of the faculties of the Soul and because a true Frenzie hath its beginning from a false it will be convenient first to treat of a false Frenzie It is an alienation of the minde with disquietness without an impostume of the brain and it doth follow a Feaver caused by Blood or Choller doatings do not fret and grieve so much as they do that are possest with a true Frenzie and as the Feaver doth increase or decrease so the fate of the Frenzie is increased or decreased especially in the hour of the Crisis or conflict betwixt Nature and the Disease In these Feavers dry Vapors get up into the Brain whereby the animal parts are disquieted sometimes Impostumes are the cause of this disease The parts affected are the Pia mater or dura mater In this distemper there is a continual and dry Feaver and as the Patient sleeps very disquietly so his watchings are more troublesome he breaths by fits he will if he be not lookt to start out of his bed suddainly he will weep sing and cry out the Patients tongue is withered black he is very thirsty his Urine is thin and fiery sometimes white and thin then he is in great danger This distemper is caused with too much blood and such a one is mad with Laughter yet he dotes less and is not so Feaverish but when it is caused by burnt Choller then is the Patient stark mad and must needs be bound as he is in this distemper very strong A Feaver is the inseparable companion of this disease this is a most sharp and dangerous distemper and speedily kills if present remedy are not given for all kindes of Frenzies are mortal being bred in the place where the souls principal part is resident The air the Patient remains in must be temperate and bright no variety of Pictures must remain in his sight his diet must be such as may moisten and cool the body he must avoid too much motion frictions on the lower parts are to be used especially when the disease is milder sleep must be procured by Local Medicines and such as are received in at the mouth the Excrements of the Belly must be evacuated for if they are kept in they do encrease the disease perturbations of his minde are to be avoided Of the Dropsie THe Dropsie is such a passion that it is not without plenty of watry humors because the blood-making-faculty is vitiated it is a long disease for the most part caused by the coldness of the Liver There are three kindes of Dropsies Anasarca which is a dispersing of Phlegmy humors over the whole body In this Disease the body increaseth most unnaturally for it is all over swelled and an humor mixed with Phlegmy Blood is spread over all the body between the skin and the flesh and the body doth suck it up even as a sponge sucks up water and by reason of this an ill colour passes over the whole body The second sort of Dropsie called Ascites is that when great store of windes but greater of water are gathered together in one place which doth lie between the Guts and the Stomach In this Disease first the belly and Abdomen by little and little then the Thighs are swelled and all the other parts of the body by little and little wax lean but when there is a greater store of winde then water whereby the Abdomen is stretcht beyond measure called Timpanites then rather a noise of winde then water is perceived if the belly be strook for there is the sound of a Tabor from whence this Disease hath its name The natural colour of the face in this Disease is not altered the Liver is the part affected for hereby the blood is generated and from this the Dropsie is caused by the primary affect of the Liver and then the Cough comes withal because the hugeness of the Liver causeth the obstructions of the Lungs also the Excrements are not very liquid Sometimes this Disease is caused by the consent of the Misentery Spleen Stomach Meseraick Veins and Jejunium intestinum whereof
Moderns a most eminent Writer of this nation that when the Physician comes to the office of repairing of them the other which are easily repaired finding themselves deprived of their wonted ability and strength cease longer to perform their proper function by which means it comes to pass that in process of time the whole body tends to ruine Though these considerations are thus premised that in spight of Art Death and a Dissolution at last will come nevertheless it ought to be the care of every wise and honest Physician that since nature may in part be repaired that life may be nourisht that the length of it is one of the greatest blessings on earth so for him to show his Christian Charity most religiously to observe and endeavour to the extent of his skill what may be by him performed as to this prolongation it being the duty of one that knows the wayes of nature as how to turn her about so also whilst life can be preserved to maintain her in her most healthful dimensions Nor do I esteem of a Physician for his onely knowing how to act as to a nourishing renovation restoring and continuance of health but it will be further enjoyned on his conscience to mitigate the far distance of a Doctor with such wholesome instructions been able to discern if not to have determined of the parts affected the causes the signs and symptomes of a Disease how to have applied right Medicines either for the quantity or quality for the curing of themselves or others such as in cases of necessity they needed not to have sent some miles for but might have found in the Fields or in their neighbouring Gardens whereas for want of the assistance of a true Method of Physick this knowledge having been denied them thousands have perisht as at the great day of account some will finde to be too true I appeal to all men in their Wits whether there are such unnatural Monopolizers in the World What Nation is there that their Physicians have not for the most part at the first writ in their Mother tongue I have been informed that the late Famous Mr. Noy of Lincolns Inne that he would have had the Gentlemen to have joyned with him and moved to have the Law turned into English which they being averse to though otherwise he promised to remember the Society in his Will instead of a Library which he intended when he died he left them nothing but the Comedy of Ignoramus which hangs up and as I am certified is there still to be seen I have read that the German Physicians once a year in their Mother Tongue regestred their Cures in the temple of Aesculapius whereby the common sort of people knew how to difference diseases could distinguish of the easie from the more difficult cures and learnt according to the light then derived to them to preserve themselves and others whereas we have reason to thank our grave wise and learned Physicians over the left shoulder who would have us know nothing or as little as may be Mr. Culpeper now in Heaven spent himself early and late for the good of his Countrey-men he discovered their Subtilties and was one of the first that broke down the partition-wall of our ignorance and slavery they are his own words I have already made a progress and whilest I am in the Land of tâ—â— Living I will persist in spight of all opposers to inform my Countrey-men It was his greatest ambition to do all the good he could on earth the Lord having answered his desires though himself did not live to see it in the publishing of this Volume which may truly be called a School of Physick even a Grammar to learn all the Rudiments of the compleat Practice of this Art so that if the peruser of this Work be but one of good natural parts though he be ignorant of the Tongues he shall on sufficient grounds be able to give a reasonable answer so as to resolve the most useful and considerable questions in Physick that can be propounded to him he shall be so informed to give an account of what of himself he shall undertake to practise It will be needless to enlarge my self further this Book hath worth enough in it to declare its Author it requires no commendation to fore-run it Diet Reason and Experience the three Doctors Mr. Culpeper consulted with built upon good principles so that the Student shall finde both the Theorick and the Practick sweetly to agree in the discovery of the most concealed truths This method of practice being experienced by himself written in the intervals of his lingring sickness as he had a long time before his death bid adieu to all worldly respects he having as hath been said no higher aim then the healths and prosperity of his Countrey-men he left as I may presume from my own knowledge to affirm in the hands of his best friends to this very purpose all his tried Receipts in writing to be printed as besides those names thou readest affixed to this work there are many others if there were occasion are ready to testifie I am confident no private man in any age could show such a volume compiled of such experimental probations the Author never showing himself so clearly and powerfully in any of his printed Treatises as in this last having been heard to say that in publishing some of his former translations he was troubled with the epidemical disease as 't is usual with persons of such worth he then entertained as he acknowledged an ambition to be known to the world but in these his Treatises as he protested he had opened his breast dealt so ingeniously for the good of the publick as to discover the mystery of his profession not reserving a secret he knew that might keep men alive or when they were in danger that might recover them this beeing the store-house of his whole Practice Loving Countrey-men whatsoever benefit you shall reap by the labours of our deceased friend let your Christian charity employ it for the good of your neighbours thanks be to God there are still noble persons left that upon such blessed occasions of being aiding to others are ready to expose their persons and purses not being ashamed as some are but accounting it their honour to be helpful to the poor to such Worthies this volume will be most acceptable not onely as it will increase but also confirm their knowledge It will be also extreamly necessary for those of lower Formes in the School of Physick young Practitioners who may in this lively mirror see their mistakes and the deformities of their Practice how they have caused the Medicines they formerly applied not onely to be ineffectual but rather destructive to the healths of their Patients as they are to ask God forgiveness for their ignorance in placing the Cart before the Horse the Practick before the Theorick their ventring hand over head on the Medicine before they rightly knew the disease
increased the Sinews feebled the natural Moisture and Heat of the body overhastily wasted and swift old Age brought upon us with an infinite number of discommodites besides Which the Nations finding where we have it do so delay it that rather they seem to drink wined Water then watered Wine except the aged or such as are feeble stomached And divers Nations which may have of the best because they would be sure to banish the use of it count it sacriledge to taste it as the Turks at this day who use instead thereof a distilled water of Rice steeped in Milk thereby supplying the use of Wine Neither do we finde this discommodity of Wine by the abuse of drunkenness or surfeting onely but even keeping within the three cups that Eubolus powreth out to wise men whereof the first is of health and nourishment the second of mirth and joy of heart and the third of sleep so that a draught or twain doth marvellously distemper our bodies which inconvenience we finde not by our ordinary drink yea though it be stronger then wine If I should compare our Mede with the best Wine and the Metheglin of the Welchmen with Malmsie I could take great arguments from the nature of Honey to prove it Especially being tempered with certain wholesome Herbs which have vertue to strengthen the parts of the body And by experience it is known that Honey mixed with water turneth in time to a wholesome liquor in taste much like to Wine Whereupon Pena in his Chapter of Honey folio 22. doubteth not to affirm that the Mede of the Polonians and Muscovites and the Metheglin of the Welchmen are more wholesome and pleasant then many of the best kindes of Wines he himself being a French man and therefore in his judgement less partial Wherefore to conclude this argument seeing Wine which is the glory of strange Merchandise is but an hurtful superfluity the rest must needs be far other then necessaries But Medicines being such as without which our health and life runneth into infinite perils by causes inward and outward through breach of Diet unwholesomness of Meat Wounds Bitings of venemous Beasts Infections of the Air and such like it followeth necessarily that they be not such as God would have one Nation gratifie another with which if they were greater reason were it to charge the neighbour Nations therewith that thereby their mindes might with performance of such mutual duties so necessary be in streighter amity and peace linked who cease not for the enlarging of limits to vex one another rather then the Nations so far distant who have neither fellowship of love nor quarel of hatred equal with the Borderers Neither would I be so taken as though I knew not at sometimes that one Naâ—ion hath need of another even in things necessary as the supply made by Joseph to his â—ather Jacob and other Nations out of the store of Egypt but the controversie is of an ordinaâ—y course which the Lord useth in bestowing his â—lessings wherewith he doth fully satisfie â—he need of all Nations with things necessary â—aving when he punisheth with Famine or â—â—ant of Victuals which is extraordinary in reâ—pect of his accustomed course of preserving his â—â—eatures Now if the strange Medicines for he most part hot should seem rather in the whole kinde then by reason of abundance superfluous to them and so more fit for us being of a colder temper we are to consider the use of them is manifold to the inhabitants and not onely to warne them as the Ethyopians called Troglodites although they be parched with vehement heat of the Sun are said to live with Pepper not to correct the distemper of theâ— Bodies which would rather increase it then diminish but to correct their evil Waters and waterish Fruits wherewith they in part do live Again we are to understand that the disease which is most agreeable with Age Sex Region Custome Complexion is alwayes most dangerous as ingendred by an exceeding vehemenâ— of the cause whereto Nature hath yielded anâ— so requireth a like vehement Medicine wherefore if the Arabian the Indian the Spaniard fall into cold diseases or such as follow cold no marvel though Nature hath ministred unto them plenty of strong Wines and Spices whiâ—â— the Northren Nations need not Who as thâ— be more apt to fall into such diseases then theâ— their temper thereto agreeing the Air and Râ—gion furthering the same so are they not therâ—of so dangerously sick as they of the Soâ— Countries and therefore require not so forâ—able a Medicine But I minde not to stand 〈◊〉 shew the use which foreign Nations have of thâ— Commodities let them see to it Hitherto hâ— been shewed both that they be hurtful unto 〈◊〉 and that it is not absurd for hot Regions to 〈◊〉 bound with hot Simples the use of them beâ— divers both in respect of curing their Bodies and other uses without the compass of Physick These be the reasons which move me to suspect the use of strange Drugs and drive me to think that Nature hath better provided for us and as the Indian Arabian Spaniard have their Indish Arabian and Spanish Medicines so also the Germane hath his the French man his and the English man his own proper belonging to each of them I know gentle Reader nothing doth more hinder the accepting of truth divers times especially with such as see with other mens eyes then the person of him who first propoundeth the matter being taken rather to be an opinion of one then an undoubted truth to be cherished of all as who have interest therein Wherefore that such might be satisfied I will adde to my former reasons taken from the Nature of the thing the authority of moe Doctors then one who agreeing with this which I hold may be a means to draw the gentle Reader the more seriously to consider of this matter and truth may take some strength thereby and win the more credit Pliny in his four and twenty Book of his History and first Chapter hath this Sentence thus much in English Nature would that such onely should be Medicines that is to say which easily might be come by of the common people easie to be found out without charge taken from the things whereby we live but in process of time the craft of men and sleights of their wits found out these shops of strange drugs in which a sale of mens lives is offered whereupon confectious and infinite mixtures began to be extolled India and Arabia a man would think he were in them and for a little gall or small ulcer a medicine must be fetched from the Red Sea whereas every day the poorest do sup with true medicines And in his two and twenty Book and four and twenty Chapter We do not meddle saith he with the medicines taken from the merchandise of India and Arabia or of the New World they are not fit for medicines and remedies they grow too far off they are not
herein havâ— the Minerals and Metals the chief place To thâ— exulcerate Canker belongeth the Wolf whicâ— is naught else but a Canker exulcerated Thâ— Gangrene and Speacelus are cured by the râ—medies of the Canker and Wolf the one beinâ— a degree of an Ulcer in which the parts begin tâ— be mortified the other when they have noâ— lost life altogether The Leprosie is an universâ— Canker and for outward medicines requireth nâ— other Among the inward Plantine Whaâ— Hedgehogs dryed and drunk help greatly Anâ— thus much for Cankers and Leprosies which 〈◊〉 they be diseases hard to be cured by any medâ—cine so receive they as great help by these oâ— home medicines as by any of strange 〈◊〉 The Falling-sickness if it be in such as are age and have been long diseased therewith is a dâ—ease hardly or not at all to be cured But whâ—â— it is curable these medicines be comparâ—â— with the best The root of the Missleto of 〈◊〉 Oak the runnet of an Hare the Peony-roâ— Enula Campana the scalp of a Man and Aâ—hoof Hyssop the milt of an Horse the Stoâ— which are found in the Mawes of the first 〈◊〉 of Swallows five leaved Grass the juyce of tâ— Cowslip the juyce of Horehound with Hoâ— All suffocations of the Matrix are cured 〈◊〉 Plantine Pennirial Herbgrace and by an infinite number of home medicines Worms and that infection is taken away by Coriander-seed Colewort seed Garlike Wormwood and in a manner with all bitter herbs with the juyce of Purslane with the filings of Stags-horn little inferiour in vertue to that which is commonly taken for the Unicorns horn Peach leaves Hyssop Mints Purslane seed Thus much touching medicines against diseases ingendred of venemous causes within the body Now touching such as happen by outward occasions and first of those that by mouth are taken into the body Against which generally it helpeth greatâ—y to drink store of butter instead of oyl with warm water or the decoction of Flax seed Feâ—igreek or Mallows and thereupon a vomit which done Sothernwood the root of Seahulver the seed of Nep the juyce of Horehound the seed of wilde Rue Walnuts Turnips Herb-grace five leaved Grass with an infinite number of native medicines expel the poison and restore the Patient More properly to the poison of Cantharides belong Penerial to Buprestis all kinde of Pears and Womens Milk to the Salamander Chamepitis 〈◊〉 holy roots to the worms of the Pine-tree suâ—◠〈◊〉 â—he poison of Cantharides against the poison of the Toad the roots of Reeds and Cyperus against the Camelion Radish roots and Wormwood against Ephemerum Asses milk or Cows milk hot against Dorycnium Goatâ— milk Asses milk Cockles and Crayfishes against the poison of Aconitum Organ Herb-grace Horehound the decoction of Wormwood Against Chriander Wormwood salt broth made with a Goose or Hen which expeâ— also the poison of Flewort the Poison oâ— Hemlock is cured with Mints Herbgrace Nettle-seed Bay-leaves which also cure the poison of Ugh and Carpasus The poison of that kinde of Crow-foot called Sardonia is cured with drinking store of Mede and Milk Henbane with Nettle-seed wilde Endive Mustard-seed and Rocket Cerus with Mede hot Milk Peach-stones with the decoction of Barley with the decoction of Mallows Quicksilver with store of Milk drunk Mercury sublimed with Chrystal Lime Orpiment Ratsbane and such like with the decoction of Flax-seed and Milk with Mede And to conclude thâ— point there is no kinde of poison but it findeth cure by our Countrey Medicines without borrowing Thus much for the cure of poison taken into the body by eating or drinking oâ— them Pestilences are cured if with any medicine with Angelica Carduus Benedictus Arâ—nike worn about the body the root of Pimpâ—nel of Tormentil Herbgrace Setwal Walnuts the powder of St. Johns-wort Juniper-berries Verven and the chief of all the noble simplâ— Water Germander and the Duarfgentian Foâ— pestilent sores and Carbunkles Scabious Osbâ—â— Lousestrife and the Marigold to the pestilent may be referred the small Pocks and such like which agree in medicine also with the pestilence And thus much for the cure of poisons Against bitings and stingings of venemous beasts and poisoned weapons there are also both general and particular remedies The general are these the ashes of the cuttings of the Vine and of the Fig-tree with Lee Leeks Onions Garlike the Sea-water Mustard-seed Endive Heath the root of the Sea-Hulver Bay-berries Herbgrace Dill Sowse-bread Fennel Penerial the runnet of an Hare the Weasel and these general Particular are such as follow Against the bitings of Phalangium the seed of Sothernwood Aniseed the seed of Trifoly the fruit of Tamarisk Against the Scolopendra wild Rue Thime Calamint against the Scorpion Basil-seed against the biting of a Viper Adder c. Sothernwood Bays green Organ the Bramble the brains of an Hen Cole-seed Against the bitings of a mad Dog Crowgarlike the river Crab Balm an actual cautery the liver of the mad dog broiled the blood of a â—og drunk And thus much for the bitings and stingings of venemous beasts which also serve against poisoned wounds else to be cured with the medicine which respecteth properly the poison wherewith the weapon hath been infected The â—nfection without wound is the French Pocks whereof sufficient having been said before I will here say nothing This then shall suffice to have written of the cure of all diseases rising of â—enemous causes wherein if nature of her own â—ccord as it were and in this great neglect of â—ur Countrey and native medicines hath shewâ—d her self so liberal how large would she be if with set purpose and careful endeavour greater trial of things were had and proof made by learned and discreet men Now follow the diseases which are by the excess or defect of one or two parts of the temper which are hot cold moist and dry simple or compounded which if they be not procured by evil humours then require they altering onely by contrary qualities If by them as Phegm Choler Melancholy then are these humours first to be avoided and diminished Such as require altering are cured by natures of contrary quality not onely generally but even answerable to all degrees of excess And first to begin with hot diseases of the first degree they are cured with such contraries as follow Barley sower Grapes Roses Violets the Oak Quinces Damsins Pellitory of the wall Docks Pears Apples Harts-horn the flowers and whole herb of Mallows of the second degree the water Lilly Ducks meat Knotgrasse Vine leaves the Bramble Plantane Cherries Lead Cerus Barberies Cowcumbers Mellons Gourds Citrals whites of Eggs Medlers and Services Of the third Purslane Housleek Mandrake Henbane Of the fourth Hemlock Poppy Thus much for hot diseases Medicines for cold diseases are these hoâ— which follow Of the first degree Bugloss Borage Fumitory Sage Horse-hoof Lycorice Maiden-hair Butter Lillies Flax-seed Marrow and Fat Cammomile Fenigreek c. Oâ— the second Dill dry Mugwort Parsley Saffron Honey
even as health and sickness are not of the nature of mans body but even accidents thereto Which being certain let us then consider what an infinite variety of medicines would arise of things the same being used not onely entire but diversly prepared and even corrupted wherein the industry of Alchmistes is verily greatly to be commended and far more excellent then the common Pharmacopolia rather so to be called then Pharmacopoiya by the skill whereof diverse Natures in one thing are so exactly severed every one having a diverse operation Now oft-times because the Humour to be purged is gross and tough and so hardly yieldeth to the Medicine or hath some other evil quality wherewith it might greatly hurt the parts whereby it passeth Nature not forgetting this point hath as abundantly supplied such helps in this behalf as need requireth as for the preparing of Choler Plantine Roses the Verjuice of the Grape Endive Succory Sorrel Sperage c. For Melancholly Violets Borage Bugloss Baulm Fumitory Doddar Ceterach or Fingerfearn c. For Phlegme Fenel Parsley Betony Nep Penerial Thime Savory Germander c. Of these I less stand upon because the preparers of humors are least in controversie although from hence may an argument be drawn not lightly to be passed over to prove the store of purgers seeing nature hath ministred sufficiency of preparers and as it were Harbingers to the purgers of Countrey yield But I will draw to an end and thus much shall suffice for this present purpose to have bin said of Medicines belonging to the cure of all Diseases in the Complexion The other kinde of Diseases are in the frame of the Body and of those if quantity be superfluously increased and that in the whole body medicines which do vehemently waste as those of the third degree hot diminish the same If in the part onely medicines which we call eaters and fretters dispatch the same as Copperas the ashes of Spurge burnt Allom Mercury sublimed and precipitate Verdigreece burnt Salt c. If measure be diminished and that without loss of substance the glewing medicines bring cure whereof our native soil is so stored that for Wounds the Surgeons need neither send into Barbary nor India as Plantine Hounds-tongue the flowers and leafs of Willows Yarrow Carduus Benedictus Betony Scabious Verven Elm-leaves Adders-tongue Moon-wort Herb-turpence Selfheal and these if the wounds be in the fleshy parts If it be breaking of Bones such are joyned with fine flower the brain of a Dog with Wool and the white of an Egg the Holilock-root the moss of the Oke Glew Roses Wormwood c. If there be loss of substance in the fleshy parts either by wound or ulcer Incarnatives fail us not as Barley meal Fenigreek-flower Figbene-meal and to be short all such as be of the first degree hot and dry without eagerness or fellness Now the diseases in the straitness of Passages or Obstructions if they arise of the humors aforesaid and in those places whereto the medicine may conveniently come then are they to be set free by purging If upon other causes or in such places whereto the force of the medicines which purgeth cannot come or hardly entereth or of such causes as be no humours but through some other strange matter or by straitness of the vessels wherethrough the passage is then are other remedies to be used whereof we have great plenty as softners loosers and such as enlarge the pores of the body of which sort are such as be not above the first degree hot as Camomile Lilies new Butter Swines-grease Lin-seed Fenigreek Briony-root all Marrows Also Medicines which make the matter thin or cut it and divide it into sundry parts of which sort are they of the second degree hot to the third degree as Dill Pennerial Savery Organ Thime Marjoran Saint-Johns wort Worm-wood c. Now if the humour prepared be to be voided by place medicine then Salt Salt-water Lye Ashes Allom and Lime take place and if more vehemency be needful Calamint wilde Cresses Treacle Mustard Garden Cresses Mustard-seed Nettles Dragons all the Spurges are to be numbred among the best and if these serve not the root of Crowfoot will make the supply If the humour cannot be voided conveniently except it be altered into another matter of which sort is pent blood out of the veins then are ripening medicines first to be applied as Butter Wheat-flower Sorel Horse-hoof Lilies Marsh-mallows Onions roasted which are all singular ripeners If the matter be tough and clammy the scourers avoid that inconvenience Endive Succory red Roses Plantine Housleek Agrimony Betony Honey Horehound Wormwood Baulm Pimpernel Watergermander c. Now if the matter which stoppeth be the stone as in the Kidneys or Bladder then are these Medicines most convenient for that use Grummel-seed Goats-blood the juice of Mugwort Seahulver-root the stones found in the great Snails heads Radish-roots Saxifrage c. If any hard matter be in other parts the softners and wasters and dissolvers are to be applied Thus much touching the cure of Obstructions and strait Passages which according to the variety of place where they light cause sundry Diseases or rather take to them sundry names As in the Brain the Apoplexy in the bladder of Gall the yellow Jaundies in the Spleen the black in the Sinnews of motion the Palsie or trembling in the Lungs Asthma c. Now if these Passages be too large they are to be stopped and straitned with cooling and drying medicines of which sort in a manner are all of sharp and sowre taste as Vine leaves the Bryer and Bramble Barberries Medlers and Services Quinces and such as are of themselves or by mixture with liquor clammy as Wheat-flower Bean-flower the white of an Egge Plaister washed Lime Litharge and Ceruse Now moreover because in all good cure not onely the cause of the Diseases is to be oppugned but the part also to be strengthned which must needs partly by the cause of the disease and partly even by the conflict of the same cause with the medicine be feebled that nothing be wanting unto us for the restoring of health nature hath provided even speciall munition for every part of the body that the whole furniture against all diseases might be compleat As for the Head Anniseeds Folefoot Betony Calamint Eyebright Lavander Bayes Marjoran Piony Sage Rue or Herbgrace Lettice the Leaves and Flowers of Water-lilies Roses Garden Nightshade For the Lungs Calamint Dragons Licorice Enula campana Hyssope Linseed Horehound the Lungs of a Fox Scabious Water Germander Barley garden Poppy Violets Horsehoof For the Heart Bugloss Borage Saffron Baulm Basil Rosemary Violets the bone of a Stags heart Roses For the Stomach Wormwood Mints Betony Baulm Mint Quinces Medlers Sorrel Purslane For the Liver Dartspine or Chamepitys Germander Agrimony Fenel Endive Succory Liverwort Barbaries For the Spleen Maidenhair Sperage Fingerfearn Doâ—der Dâ—â—der of Thime Hops the bark of the Ash-tree For the Kidneys Seahulver Grumel
English it is as thâ— Latine word soundeth we may call it Herb Aâ—gel or The Angelical or Angel-like Herb. 〈◊〉 what occasion this excellent name was first giâ—â— unto it I know not unless it were for the â—â—cellent Vertues thereof or for that God made 〈◊〉 known to man by the ministry of an Angel I suppose the former cause rather to be true howsoever as I am not able to prove the other so I think no man can give any good reason to the contrary For this we know that God hath made his Angels ministring Spirits to serve us for the safeguard of our souls and also of our bodies But upon what occasion soever the name was given it is excellent and so are the properties Angelica is hot and dry at least in the third degree All the later Writers agree upon this and experience proveth the same that it is gooâ— against Poison pestilent Airs and the Pestilence it self The Practicioners of Germany writâ— thus of it If any man be suddenly taken either with the Pestilence or with any Pestilent Ague with too much sweating let him drink of the powder of the root half a dram mingled with a dram of Tâ—eacle in three or four spoonfuls of the water of Angelica distilled from the roots and after his going to bed covering himself well â—t him fast at the least three hours after which if he do he will begin to sweat and by â—he help of God he shall be cured of his disâ—ase For lack of Treacle one may take a whole â—ram of the Root of Angelica in powder with 〈◊〉 much of the distilled Water as aforesaid 〈◊〉 â—ill have the same effect The Root of Angelica well steeped in Vineâ—â—r and smelt to in time of the Pestilence 〈◊〉 the same Vinegar being sometime drunk â—â—ing preserveth from infection But in my â—â—dgement it is better to take an Orenge or â—emon cut off the top pick out the meat prick full of small holes put into it a piece of spunge 〈◊〉 fine linen cloth dipped in the foresaid Vineâ—â—r and smell unto it The water distilled out of the roots of Anâ—â—lica or the powder of the same is good against â—â—awing and pains of the belly occasioned with â—â—ld if the body be not bound withall It is â—od against all inward diseases as the Pleurisie 〈◊〉 the beginning before the heat of the inflamaâ—â—â—n be come into the body for that it dissolveth 〈◊〉 scattereth abroad such humors as use to cause â—â—e Pleurisie Moreover it is good for the disâ—ases 〈◊〉 the Lungs if they come of a cold cause and 〈◊〉 the Strangurian if from a cold cause or of a â—â—pping It is good for a woman that is in traâ—â— It expelleth winde that is in the body and â—eth the pain that cometh from the fame The 〈◊〉 â—t may be sod in wine or water as the nature â—he sick requireth The juice of the root put into an hollow tooth taketh away the ache the same effect hath the distilled water being put in at the ear The juice and water of Angelica quickens the eye sight and breaks the little films that cover the eyes causing darkness of the sight Of the roots of Angelica and Pitch may be made a good Emplaister against the bitings of mad beasts The water the juyce or the powder of this root sprinkled upon the diseased place 〈◊〉 a very good remedy against old and deep foreâ—â— For they do scour and clense them and cover the bones with flesh The water of the same in a cold cause is good to be laid on places diseased with the Gout and Sciatica For it stancheth the pain and melteth away the tough humors that are gathered together The seed is of like vertue with the root The wilde Angelica that groweth here in the low woods and by the water-side is not of such vertue as the other is howbeit the Chyrurgeons use to seethe the root of it in Wine to heal green wounds Thesâ— properties I have gathered out of Germanâ— Writers I have not as yet proved them all mâ— self but divers of them I have proved and havâ— found them to be true I have set down thâ— pill of an Orange or Lemmon the meâ—â— whereof is also commended by Physicians to bâ— both a preservative good against poison anâ— the infection of the Pestilence Late Writers affirm that the roots of Angelica are opposite to all poison and infectioâ— If any be infected with the plague or poisoneâ— they give him immediately to drink a dram of the powder of this root with Wine in the winter and in summer with distilled water of Carduus benedictus then get him to bed and cover him until he have sweat foundly The same root being taken fasting in the morning or but held in the mouth doth keep and preserve the body from the evil of the air The leaves of Angelica pounded with the leaves of Rue and Honey are very good to be laid to the bitings of mad dogs presently taken after the hurt the Wine being drunk wherein the root or leaves of Angelica hath been boiled To conclude I have thought good to write of these Herbs Carduus Benedictus and Angelica either because they are not known to many or else that Artists would have their secret vertues concealed But I do not think it fit that any thing should be secret which may be profitable for my Countrey For God hath not made any thing for the use of a few but for the commodity of all men And we that are the children of God ought to frame our selves so that we may be like affectioned unto our Father who is beneficial to all men who hath made his sun to shine and his rain to rain upon the wicked as well as upon the good that is to say who feedeth all both good and bad by heat and moisture which proceed from the Sun and the rain all things grow upon the earth whereby our lives are maintained I conclude that forasmuch as Almighty God is good unto all men we ought to be like minded and not to keep secret nor to hide any thing that may profit one another I wish all men rightly to use the good creatures of God and to give him hearty thanks for all his benefits Fragmenta Aurea The first Golden CENTURY OF Chymicall and Physicall Judiciall APHORISMES AND Admirable Secrets BY Nich. Culpeper Gent. late Student in Physick and Astrology LONDON Printed for Nath. Brook at the Sign of the Angel in Cornhill 1659. Fragmenta aurea The first Golden Century of Chymical and Physical Judicial Aphorismes and admirable Secrets 1. THe Hoofs of the forefeet of a Cow dryed and taken any way Mizaldus increase milk in Nurses the smoke of them being burnt drives away Mice 2. If you fry Earth-worms in Goose-grease and drop a drop or two of the Grease warm being strained in your ear helps the pains thereof I suppose you had best first slit them and wash them in white wine 3. The
strong what humor it did most abound with whether fasting or after-meals painful or easie Fourthly whether the Spittle is thick or thin mixt with blood corrupt like the humor issuing out at the Nose and if that be blood whether it be red watry or black Lastly it is to be observed what the diet of the Patient hath been before as also in his sickness his age the strength of his body exercise and the air he lives in where he continued longest in his youthful years whether in high or low watry or dry hot or cold Countreys these generals might suffice I shall conclude for the Students better satisfaction with some other from time to time retained tradition which in my judgement some of them are worthy of serious consideration White Urine signifies rawness and indigestion of the Stomach red heat thick like Puddle excessive labour or sickness white or red gravel appearing in the bottom of the Urinal threatens the Stone in the Reins black or green coloured Urine is ominous commonly signifying death Of Vomits IS the expulsion of bad humors contained in the Stomach upward it is accounted if wisely administred as to the mitigation of the violence rightly considered of to be the wholesomest kinde of Physick for those which are gross or full of humors For that which a Purgation leaves behinde a Vomit roots up if the party vomit too much rub his feet with hot and sweet water and if it cease not apply a gourd to the mouth of the Stomach Sometimes without any Physick at all one may fall to a customary vomiting then it proceeds from the hot complexion of the Stomach if from a cold you may help it by a bag of Wormwood dry Mints or Marjoram of each alike one handful of Nutmegs Cloves and Galingal half a dram of each one let all of them be dried and powdered and put betwixt two linnen clothes with Cotten interposed and basted and then let â—hem be applied upon the Stomach or else you may apply the said Herbs alone dried upon a â—ot Tile-stone put betwixt two linen cloths upon the Stomach let the stomach be fortified with â—he syrup of Mints or Wormwood or Lozenges â—f the Vomiting proceeds from a hot complexion you may help it by a Plaister applied to the â—tomach of Oyl of Roses Mints or Barley-flour with the white of an Egg the water of Purslain may be taken in drink to quench the thirst Of the Excrements EXcrements some are necessary and some superfluous as they proceed from too much blood yet nevertheless nourish when other nourishment fails the seed spearm milk or fat which are superfluous and do not proceed from blood nor can nourish but rather being separated from the blood are either moist earthy black melancholly sweat urine proceeds from the nose spittle c. Earthy or dry Excrements as Warts Nails Corns and such like Aristotle reckoneth the Marrow of the body amongst the Excrements but as the bones are nourisht by it even as the body is nutrified by the blood it cannot be acknowledged for any other then a nourishment Blood is the very essence of life which diminished the spirits must consequently be dissolved in consideration whereof I counsel them that use any moderate exercise not in any case to be let blood lest that corrupt matter succeed in the place of pure blood but if there be abundance of blood or if it be putrefied or burnt if other medicines avail not this ordination of mine must needs be infringed with better judgement as it may be safer to use Horsleeches especially at the Fundamental Veins which are called the sink of the body By this way the Scurvey Gout Dropsie and Melancholly may be prevented being applied in the Spring or Fall or oftner If the Blood which is let out appear red and white water overflow with it the body is sound if bubbling blood the stomach is diseased if green the heart is afflicted THE TREASURY OF LIFE OR Salves for every Sore Experienced and tryed RECEIPTS the Cure of the Most usual Diseases that our frail BODIES are most subject to whilst we remain in this Life Practised by Nich. Culpeper Gent. late Student in Physick and Astrology LONDON Printed for Nath. Brook at the Sign of the Angel in Cornhill 1659. THE Treasury of Life OR Salves for every Sore Experimental and tried Receipts for the Cure of most usual Diseases that our frail Bodies are most subject to whilest we remain in this Life CHAP. I. For the falling out of the Fundament THe cause of falling out of the Fundament is weakness or relaxation of the Sphineter Muscle and therefore the cure must be by such Medicines as dry and binde 2. A Poltiss made with Pear-tree-leaves and applied to the place is very good 3. But first you must put the Fundament up into its right place again with a warm cloth which may be done without much trouble if it have not been long out 4. If it have been long out many times there follows inflamations and swellings and then it is very difficult to put it up in its right place again yea impossible before the swelling be taken away 5. In such a case you must bathe the place with Oyl of Roses warm or with Oyl of Cammomile or with the decoction of Cammomile if the inflamation be not great 6. If the inflamation be great you may make a Poltiss of Chickweed and Mallows and Endive and Succory with some Malt-flour to make it thick and Sheeps-suet to make it moist and that will allay the inflamation in four and twenty hours time then you may put it up again into its proper place 7. Having put it up again into its place strew upon the place the Powder of burnt Harts-horn 8. A Poltiss made of the leaves of Rosemary and applied to the place is exceeding good 9. To burn Greek Pitch in a close stool whilst the diseased party sits over the smoak of it is an approved cure 10. All such things as are dry and binding are naturally medicinal for the disease amongst which Sinckfoil Bistort and Tormentil are very good CHAP. 2. Of the Liver FOr stoppages of the Liver the Decoction of the Roots of Parsley Fennel Endive and Succory are very good being drunk and also an Oyntment or Plaister made of them applied to the right side is very good 2 Sage constantly eaten is a mighty great strengthner of the Liver inferiour to no Herb growing 3 Take of Agrimony and Liverwort of each two handfuls Harts tongue Bettony and Ribwort of each one handful make a strong Decoction of them and boyl the Decoction into Syrup with Sugar so have you an excellent remedy for the Liver alwayes by you CHAP. 3. Of the Dropsie IN the beginning the Dropsie may easily be cured by drinking but the Decoction of Endive and eating the boyled Herb for a Sallet 2 Ribwort boyled and the Decoction drunk helpeth those that have the Dropsie 3 Also a Plaister made of Plantane
9. Of the Diabetes WHether the cause of this disease be the immoderate attraction of the Reins or the weakness of the Sphinater Muscle of the Bladder or both of them we will not dispute the point out here howsoever this is certain there follows as well great thirst as pissing against ones will 2. Against this disease give the Patient the Bladder of a Goat or of a black Sheep or else of a Bull beaten into powder let him drink half a dram of it in any convenient liquor at night going to bed 3. I suppose the Sphinater Muscle of the Bladder were sufficient if it were converted into Mummy and beaten into powder for it will be found to be a very difficult thing to beat the whole Bladder into powder besides it is the Sphinater Muscle which is in fault in our Bladder therefore if that onely of the Sheeps or Goats Bladder be used the Remedy is agreeable to the Disease 4. I remember once I cured a great Lubber that could not lye all night without pissing a bed nor remain a quarter of an hour in the day time without pissing by onely advising him to drink no other drink then what had been tied up twelve hours in a sheeps bladder and as â— have been since informed he is perfectly cured by it 5. Give him for three dayes in the Wane oâ— the Moon the Bladder of a fresh-water fish 6. The Brain of a Hare converted to Mummy and given in Wine to drink causeth the Patient to hold his water 7. Galangal taken inwardly is a good remedy to stop the involuntary flowing of the water if it come of a cold cause as I am of opinion it alwayes doth 8. The Lungs of a Kid bound warm under the Navel withholdeth the distillation of urine saith my Authour yet my opinion is that if they be medicinable for the disease the best way is to apply them to the Neck of the Bladder 9. My own Childe was troubled with this disease when very young whom I cured with these remedies First I got Alehoof and chopped it very small but washed it not and having sprinkled it with strong white Wine Vinegar applied to her Wrests Then I took three Holly-leaves the fullest of prickles I could get and boiled them in her drink These medicines I learned of an Italian which indeed cured her CHAP. 10. Of swelling of the Cods THis disease cometh sometimes of humors falling down into the Scrotum and sometimes onely winde gathering there 2. Take Bean-flour make it into the thickness of a Poltiss with juyce of Dwarf-Elder and common Oyl and apply it warm to the Cods it will presently allay the Swelling 3. A Poltiss made of the bark or leaves of Elder or dwarf-Elder will do the like 4. Goats-dung dissolved in Wine and the Cods bathed therewith takes away the swelling 5. The decoction of Marjoram also doth the like if it be used in like manner 6. But before all these I prefer the decoction of Vervine and Plantane to bathe the place with CHAP. 11. Of the Priapismus THe Priapismus or continual standing of the Yard is a disease exceeding painful and dangerous proceeding usually from a superabundance of hot and moist windy vapors possessing the seminal vessels 2. Let such as are subject to this disease use cool and moist diet especially let them eat much Purslane and Lettice 3. Hemlock bound to the Privities presently asswageth the disease 4. Let such as are subject to this disease avoid all Venerial thoughts for nothing in the world stirs the body to action more then thoughts do CHAP. 12. To provoke the Tearms A Plaister made of Galbanum and applied to the Navel doth mightily provoke them 2. Herbs medicinal to provoke them are Calamint Penerial Betony Sage Marjoram Savory Mugwort c. 3. The powder of Calamint works very violently upon the Feminine parts and therefore a dram of it taken in white Wine every morning is a very probable remedy to provoke them onely have a special care you give it not to women with childe because it destroyes the fruit of her Womb. 4. One caution let me give you before I go any further whatsoever you give to provoke the Tearms give it the Moon encreasing and the nearer the full the better for you will finde it an Herculian task to bring them down in the Wane of the Moon especially in such as never yet had them 5. The root of a white Lilly roasted soft in the embers and stamped with Oyl and applâ—ed to the Matrix it mightily openeth the passages thereof and brings down not onely the Tearms but also the dead childe 6. A Pessary made of Wool dipped in the juyce of Sage is a very good remedy to provoke the Tearms and indeed so is Sage taken any way and it is very probable that the use of drinking Sage-Ale took its rise from hence 7. It is good to make a bathe of all such things as provoke the Tearms and having put it in a Close-stool let the diseased party sit over it 8. Cinnamon and Cassia Lignea provoke the Tearms exceedingly and would be more used were they not so common 9. Bitter Almonds stamped being first blanched and used as a Pessary not onely to provoke the Tearms but also cleanse the Womb of ill humours 10. Half a dram of the powder of Steel given in the morning in white Wine will bring them down 11. I knew once a young Virgin in Service in London who was broken out all about her body her face and all in rough bunches not much unlike those of the French Disease and she lay under that scandal that she had that disease I was sent for to see her and examining the matter found that she never had the Tearms I presently conceived that to be the cause and by administring onely such Medicines as provoke them cured her in a short time 12. Once I had a Patient aged about thirty a Widow in whom they were stopped by reason of grief and when I could provoke them no other way about the full of the Moon I advised her to drink a gallon of Posset drink made with white Wine in two hours time before she went to bed I think she drank a pottle at least within the time and the next day they came down the reason is clear CHAP. 13. To stop the Tearms BEfore I come to Medicines I thought good to give notice of this that those things which strengthen the Womb both provoke the Tearms when they are stopped and also stop them when they flow immoderately such be stinking Arrach Cinnamon Cassia Lignea c. 2. Therefore the extract of Arrach made into Pills with the powder of the same Herb is excellent good both to provoke them and also to stop them 3. If the cause of their immoderate flowing be some vein broken as sometimes it is then to take the syrup of Clounswound-wort inwardly is an excellent remedy 4. Neither do I think the syrup of Comfrey or
of Solomons-seal to come much behinde it 5. Make a Pessary or Goats-dung and the juice of Shepheards purse or Ribwort or Plantane and Yarrow and Pomgranate-flowers it helps mightily in this case 6. Make a bathe of Plantane Ribwort Teazle Shepheards-purse Pomegranate flowers the rinde of an Oak put it in a Close-stool and let the diseased Woman sit over it 7 As many Grains as a Woman doth drink of Corriander-seed so many dayes shall the tearms be stopped saith my author I set it down rather for the oddness of the conceit rather then to perswade any one of the truth of it 8. Red Corral being drunk stops the tearms 9. The ashes of burnt A corns cast up the 〈◊〉 trix stops the tearms and rids the Womb of all filthy noysom humors 10. The Decoction of Ribwort drunk is a most excellent remedy to stop the tearms 11. The water that is found in a hollow Oak is very good being drunk to stop the tearms 12. Dried Acorns beaten into powder and Acorn Cups and Comfry Roots and the Roots of Solomons-seal of Bistort Tormentil and Cinkfoyl are very good to take inwardly 13. The herb St. Johns-wort being beaten into powder and drunk doth stop both White and Red Flux 14. Also Dragons blood is much commended for it 15. The Flowers of Red Archangel or dead Nettles stop the Red Flux the Flowers of White the Whites 16. Many times this Flux comes upon women in Labour especially such as fall in Labour before their time and then it is exceeding dangerous in such a case the speediest cure for there must be no dallying is to force away the conception 17. If you can save them and dry them and give them her down back again it may do wonders CHAP. 14. For the fits of the Mother THe cause is cleerly windy vapors ascending from the Womb upwards 2. Stamp nettles and apply them to the matrix is very good 3. Apply a plaister of Galbanum to the Navel it is a most admirable remedy to restrain those noysom vapours I never yet knâ—w it fail 4. It is a strange thing that many that lie sick of this infirmity though their speech be even taken away yet their pulse gives no indication of any sickness at all 5. Therefore if you finde any Woman in that case especially if they fetch their breath short do not say they counterfeit but judge the disease to be the fits of the Mother 6. Let her receive stinking Vapors at her Nose and sweet vapors at her Privities for the Womb draws to all sweet things and flies from all stinking 7. Nettle-feed beaten into powder and drunk in Wine doth asswage all pains of the Womb and takes away the windiness thereof 8. Take of extract of Arrach half an ounce Assa-foetida two drachms make them up into Pills with powder of Arrach and let the diseased Woman take a scruple morning and evening 9. The Leaves of Burs draw the Womb which way you please therefore in this disease apply them to the soles of the feet but in falling out of the Womb apply them to the crown of the head 10. Bur-seeds do the like CHAP. 15. Of swellings of the Breasts and Nipples THe cause may be either cold taken at the Breasts which causeth inflamations there such as women call the Ague in the breast 2. Or else the curdling of the Milk there when it is turned into a substance like Cheese 3. Sometimes the nipples are so swelled through superfluity of Milk that the childe cannot draw them 4. In such a case take Bean flowers and mix it with the white of an Egg and apply unto them 5. Nettles boiled in Vinegar and applied to them instantly helps them 6. Crumbs of Bread mixed with the juyce of Smallage and applied unto the Breasts helps them when the Milk is curdled in them 7. If there be any hollow Ulcer in the Breast Goats-dung mixed with Honey soon easily and gently cleanseth out all the filth and healeth it 8. A Poltiss made of Mallows Chickweed Malt-flour and Sheeps-suet takes away the Ague in the Breast without breaking 9. Goats-dung mixed with Vinegar and applied plaister-wise dissolves the curdled Milk 10. The ashes made of a Dogs Head helps cankrous Ulcers of the Breast 11. Pigeons-dung mixed with Honey is of great efficacy in knotted Breasts 12. Knot-grass being carried about the person takes away the swelling of the Nipples incontinently 13. The Breasts anointed with the grease of a Hedge-hog helps the curdling of Milk and opens the Pores exceedingly also if the Nipples be swelled anoint them with it it instantly helps them 14. The shells of Partridges Eggs stamped and mingled with Tar helps the Nipples when they are so chapped that they are ready to fall off Crab-claws taken inwardly are very good in all diseases of the Breast yet my opinion at present is that the whole Crab converted into Mummy and taken a drachm at a time is better CHAP. 16. Of Childe-birth DAte stones beaten into powder and given in Wine doth give most wonderful ease to women in labour 2. Dip a linen cloth in the juyce of Parsley and put it up the Privities it causeth the deliverance of the dead childe 3. The same being drunk brings away the After-birth 4. It is also it very good thing being taken inwardly to cleanse the Womb of ill humors and therefore a syrup of it ought to be kept alwayes in the House it furthers conception much 5. Polipodium stamped well and applied to the feet of a woman in travel bringeth away the childe whether it be alive or dead 6. Castorium or the spirit of it taken inwardly is held to be very good 7. The ashes of an Asses-hoof mixed with Oyl and the Privitives anointed with it is a very good and easie remedy 8. Also give unto a Woman in this case another Womans Milk to drink it causeth speedy delivery 9. The decoction or rather the juyce of Vervine given to drink to a woman in travel causeth speedy deliverance also 10. A dram of Myrrh given in powder to drink in any convenient liquor bringeth the childe away whether it be alive or dead 11. Boil Mugwort in water till it be a Poltis and apply it hot to the Thighs of a woman labouring with childe it causeth both birth to come away and if you let it tarry long there it will bring the Womb away also 12. Dittony in powder given a dram at a time to a woman labouring with a dead childe bringeth it away 13. Take Peony-seed in powder mix it with so much Oyl that you may make it into a Plaister and apply to the small of the back of a woman in labour according to the opinion of my Authour it causeth delivery without pain 14. A suffumigation made of the Horns and Hooss of a Goat being put in a Close-stool the woman sitting over it wonderfully moveth the Womb to deliverance 15. Betony is held to be a precious herb to be taken
fore-part of all manner of beasts and fowls are more hotter and lighter of digestion then the hinder parts are The marrow of all beasts are hot and moist are nutritive if well digested they mollifie the stomach and take away the appetite wherefore one should eat Pepper with it The blood of all beasts and fowls are not wholesome but hard of digestion All the inwards of beasts and of fowls as the heart the liver the lungs tripes trilibubs with all the entrails is hard of digestion and doth encrease gross humors The fat of flesh is not so much nutritive as the lean it is best when lean and fat is mixt one with another The tongues of beasts are hard of digestion and of little nourishment The stones of a Cockrel and stones of other beasts are very nourishing Of roasted boiled bak't fried meats BEyond Sea at the Universities boiled meat is used at dinner and roast to supper as boiled meat is lighter of digestion Broiled meats are hard of digestion and naught for the Stone fried meat is harder of digestion then broiled it ingenders Choller and Melancholly Bak't meat buried in paste is not praised in Physick All manner of flesh which is inclined to humidity should be roasted and all flesh which is dry should be boiled Fish may be sod roasted broiled and baken every one after their kinde and use and fashion of the Countrey as the Cook and the Physician may agree and devise For a good Cook is half a Physician Of the Roots of Borage and Bugloss THe Roots of Borage and Bugloss sod tender and made in a succade do ingender good blood and a wholesom temperance Of Elisaunder and Elina Campane THe Root of Alisaunder sod tender and made in a succade is good for to destroy the Stone in the Reins of the Back and Bladder the Roots of Elina Campane sod tender in a succade is good for the breast for the lungs and for all the interial members of man Of Parsley and Fennel THe Roots of Parsley sod tender and made in succade are good for the Stone and to make a man piss Fennel sod is good for the lungs and the sight Of Turnips and Parsnips TUrnips boiled and eaten with flesh augments the seed if they be eaten raw and moderately they provoke a good appetite Parsnips sod doth encrease nature and are nutritive and expels urine Of Raddish and Carrets RAddish roots doth break winde and do provoke urine but they be not good for those which have the Gout Carrets sod augment and encrease nature and cause urine Of the Roots of Rapes RApe roots if they be well boiled nourish if they be moderately eaten immoderately they ingender ventosity and offend the stomach Of Onions ONions provoke to Venery and Sleep and if a man drink sundry drinks they rectifie and reform the variety of the operation of them they cause a good appetite Of Leeks LEeks open the breast and provoke urine cause and encrease bad blood Of Garlick GArlick of all roots is much used in France and some other Countreys it opens the breast and it doth kill wormes in the belly which the Lumbrici Ascarides and Cutuibicini which are small little long worms that tickle in the fundament it also heats the body and desolves gross winds Of Cabbage CAto in his book De re rustica writes too highly in praise of Cabbages as he judges them to be a sufficient medicine against all diseases some are of opinion if they are eat raw before meat with Vinegar that they preserve the stomach from Surfeits and the brain from drunkenness this I am certain of that if they are constantly eat they injure the sight except the eyes are very moist they cause and break winde the opinion of most writers is that they are not so wholesom as Lettice being hot in the first and dry in the second degree Of Asparagrass NO kinde of Herbs nourish more being freed from their bitterness and eaten hot they are temperately moist and exceed not in heat the first degree they increase Venery strengthen the Liver and help conception Of Musk Melons MUsk Melons are not so moist or cold as the ordinary sort of Melons are they ingender better blood and descend more speedily into the belly fruits of this kinde are dangerous not to be eaten presently out of the ground but rather let them lie a week though that they are ripe that there watrish moisture may be abated Garden Pompeons and Melons may lie in a warm Kitching till Christmas Of Potata Roots POtata roots nourish mightily either Sod Bak't or rosted the newest and heaviest are the best they ingender much flesh blood and seed Of Raddishes RAddishes cause rank belchings are hardly digested they burn the blood ingender Lice cause Leanness spoil the eye-sight and corrupt the whole mass of nourishment Of Skirret Roots SKirret Roots have a long string within them which taken away before they are sod makes them eat exceeding sweet they are of a milde and temperate nature agreeing with complexions did we know all the vertues of them they would be more nourished then they are in our Gardens Of Borage and Bugloss BOrage doth comfort the heart ingender good blood and causeth mirth so doth Bugloss which is taken of more vigour strength and efficacy Of Artechokes and Rokat THere is nothing usually to be eaten of Artechokes but the heads of them when they are almost ripe sodden tender in the broth of Beef or with Beef eat them at dinner they increase nature and provoke Venery Rokat doth increase the seed stumulate the flesh and doth help digestion Of Succory and Endive SUccory doth help the Stomach and keep the head in temper and qualifie Choller Endive is good for them which have hot and dry hot Stomachs Of white Beets and Purslane WHite Beets are good for the Liver and for the Spleen are abstercine Purslane doth abate the ardor of lasciviousness and mittigates heat in the inward parts of the head and eyes if preserved in brine it heats and purges the stomach it is cold in the third degree and moist in the second Of Time and Parsley TIme breaketh the Stone desolves winde and causeth Urine Parsley breaks the Stone causeth Urine is good for the Stomach and causeth a sweet breath Of Lettice and Sorrel LEttice extincts Venery causeth milk in womens Breasts it is good for a hot Stomach provokes sleep increases blood temperates it Sorrel is good for a hot Liver and also for the Stomach being sod it looseth the belly in the time of the Plague taken fasting sucking or chewing some of the Leaves it preserues against infection the seeds thereof brewed and drunk with Wine and water are good against the Chollick and the stopping of Fluxes excellent against overcharged Stomachs Sorrel possets are soveraign in sundry distempers This Herb is cold in the third and dry in the second degree Of Marigolds MArigolds the Herb and Flowers are of great use with us amongst other
little cynamon and seed of Annis white wine mixt with water musick is good in this disease and such means must be used as may cause sleep Of Melancholly of black Choller THis disease is a kinde of doting without a feaver arising from such maligne and melancholick humors which distrub the seat of the Minde The signs of melancholly are fear and sadness evil thoughts without any cause proceeding from such vapors of black Choller as darken the mind and over-cloud the brain Melancholy which seizes on the essence of the brain and continues there long is altogether incureable The Air where the Patient resides must be of a wholesom smell moist and temperate his diet moist but of good juyce easie of digestion Let him drink white wine and exercise himself moderately his sleep should be somewhat longer then ordinary he is to be cherisht with mirth and good hopes perturbations of minde being wholly avoided Of the overflowing of the monethly Tearms THe superfluous flux of moneths is when it doth tend to be the hurt rather then the good of the woman by reason that they are purged more then they should but in such women as are of a moist constitution that have good diet and much ease the moneths may be suffered to flow more then ordinarily they use The womb is the part chiefly affected sometimes the whole body sympathizeth this affection is an accident which appertains to the immoderate excretion it is not altogether against nature as it is in the bleeding of the nose and other bleedings for here onely too great a quantity of the monethly flux is unnatural This distemper takes away the appetite hinders digestion breeds crudities weakens the whole body the colour of the face is changed feaverish heats arise in the body sometimes the feet are swelled and a dropsie follows one cause is by reason of the heat thinness or abundance of blood more then is requisite or else because of the continual motion for when these concur Nature is defeated Immoderate fluxes caused by the birth of a large Infant are less dangerous because they will stay of themselves This disease is to be feared if the body be weakned or the colour of the face changed the woman being reduced to such coldness faintness of heart swoundings and sometimes death The Air that this Patient lives in should be temperate the meat binding and thickning exercise is forbidden her rest and sleep must be moderate her minde pleased Of the suppression of the Moneths AS the overflowing is dangerous so the retention on the contrary is as dangerous and unnatural if they be of age unless they have conceived the womb is chiefly affected in regard of the fatness thereof whereby the veins are crushed together and so the flux is hindred In this disease the forepart of the head is pained spreads it self to the neck shoulders and loins her appetite is taken away her minde unquiet her stomach queasie she loathes meat her face discoloured she is troubled with phlegm and taken with a trembling her urine is thick red and muddy sometimes blackish with a red watry substance in the bottom the chief cause is gross and phlegmy matter mixed with blood which stops the veins leading to the womb whereby the straitness of the veins doth happen or else from the inflammation of the womb if the Tearms are stopt other diseases must of necessity follow The Air she is to breathe must incline to heat her meat must be heating she must not sleep too long her minde must not be disquieted Of the Obstruction of the Liver THe Obstruction of the Liver is a binding or straitning of the Veins or Liver passages The Liver is the Store-house of blood from which all parts of the body draw nourishment and together with purer blood gross and slimy humors are generated in the Liver seeing that the branches of the hollow Veins are knit unto the Vena Porta in such sort that the knitting and combination doth not come within the compass of our sight as also that all the nutriments of the body must be conveighed through the port Veins and the hollow Veins ends which are very small where they end in the Liver substance so that it is no wonder that by reason of the passages and straitness Obstructions are oftner caused in the Liver then in any other Bowel This Disease doth breed in the extream parts of the vessels of the hollow part and Veins and they are terminated in the Livers substance with thin ends knit one into another with little bones the universal nourishment of the whole body being to be made through these This Disease is to be discerned by a heaviness and stretching pain in the right side then most to be perceived when the Patient is exercised presently after meat The narrowness of the Liver and Veins passages is the cause of this Disease The air for the Patient must be hot and clear his diet such as may heat not stopping he must shun bathing and exercise after meat his diet moderate he may sleep in the day time but not too long at night not at the most above seven hours his belly must be kept loose and his minde delighted The Hicket THe Hicket called Singultus is a violent or vehement motion of the Stomach whereby it doth endeavour to expel such things as rest in the Tunicles and in the Body and also such as do stick fast thereto The Hicket though it much resemble vomiting yet this Disease is rather stirred up then vomit when the humors are strongest the part affected is the mouth of the Stomach sometimes the inflamation of the Liver This Disease comes often for the most part by fits as the Cough doth with a swooning the cause of the swooning in this disease is the straitness of the passage of the air which is contained in the stomach it being often caused by fulness and superfluous moisture by which the Patient is either loaded â—or in a manner shrunk together If this disease be caused by fulness if a sneezing come the Patient will soon be rid of it if it be accompanied with wringing in the guts commonly called Illiaca passia it is a bad Omen but if it follow doating swooning or convulsion it is mortal A temperate air is best for the Patient his meat must be such as doth heat and dry a small quantity of Wine may be permitted Of the Stone THe Stone of the Kidneys is a hard substance bred like a Sand-stone in the Reins from whence by the force of the Urine it is often conveighed through the straight pipes into the Bladder if it be not too great which doth so stretch the passages of the Urine that great pain doth follow the settled pain is in the Veins and sometimes the right side or the left is affected or both at one time even as the right or left Kidney is affected for the gravel is bred in the mouth of the Kidney or substance of them This Disease is
accompanied with a loathing of meat frequent belchings and extream pains in the Reins The cause of this Stone is a gravelly and sandy constitution and immoderate heat of the Kidneys for the most part of a gross and slimy humor Those that are troubled with this Disease are loose bodied and do often vomit this Disease in old men is hardly cured The air where the Patient lives must be clear and bright his diet moderate he may drink small Wine he must avoid exercise his belly must be kept loose he may sleep more then ordinary his minde being free from perturbations Of thickness of Hearing SUch men as cannot understand a loud voice such men we say are deaf sometimes the cause of this effect is in it self sometimes by accident when as the Brain or Nerve through which this faculty is conveighed is hurt This Disease is known by the Patients complaints and answers this Disease is sometimes caused by the distemper of the Brain by gross or cold humors thrust into the ears and there fastned this Disease if it slowly increase in process of time brings with it an incureable deafness The air for the Patient to live in must be hot and dry he is to abstain as much as may be from meat especially from those that breed gross vapors his drink must be small Wine his exercise moderate his belly kept loose by art or nature Of Madness MAdness or Fury is an inflamation of melancholly to the great fierceness and alienation of the mind Such as have this Disease rage like beasts Madness differs from a Phrenzie as a Feaver is the companion of a Phrenzie from which madness is free the part affected is the Brain which doth appear by the hurt of the principal functions of the minde The signs of this disease are various sometimes laughing singing then sad fearful rash doating crying out threatning skipping leaping then serious c. This Disease doth chiefly arise from the distemper of the Brain from hot or melancholly humors so much sometimes dried up as to turn to black Choller sometimes by yellow Choller over-burnt or the boiling of the blood Young persons are most subject to it it is an ill sign if the Patient have no stomach a good if Ulcers arise in the face The air the person lives in must be temperate his diet liquid broths and moistners of the body his drink Barley-water by no means Wine except his disease came by fear moderate exercise more then usual sleep strangers must not see him Of Shortness of Breathing CAlled the Asthma it is a thick and a fast breathing without a Feaver such as is usual to them which run this disease often pestreth the Patient so that he cannot breath except he hold his neck streight up and if he lies down it almost choaks him in this distemper the Wind-pipes branches scattered into the Lungs distance are affected The Patient in this distemper findes a heaviness at his breast and feels a straitness and shrinkings coughs often and voids nothing in old men this disease is never cured hardly in young men The air the Patient breaths must be hot and dry he must forbear such meat as breed gross and slimy matter his exercises must be little his sleeps in the day time those in the night very moderate his mind not perturbed Of the Worms THis disease is for the most part caused by the stopping of the passages of the vessels through which the Gall is conveyed from the Liver and Spleen into the Bowels by reason of gross humors which do heat the Liver and generate plenty of Gall therein these Worms which do breed in the Bowels are called Lumbrici or Belly Worms there are others which are called Ascarides like to Mites which breed in rotten Cheese It is evident that Worms are of several kindes as they breed in many parts of the body in rotten Ulcers in Teeth in Ears and Kidneys but the Guts are for the most affected Those that are troubled with the Ascarides have an extream itch in their fundament and narrow Guts have a desire to go often to the stool after they have voided somewhat they are not so much troubled The cause of worms commonly is rottenness or gross Phlegmy and slimy matter apt to corrupt with a putrefying heat which accompanies all these which doth prepare this matter and then it is wrought by the perfusion of natural heat which gives life to the Worms many persons of age and stature have slighted the Worms till their Guts have been fretted and brought into danger of death For the remedy the air must be temperate the meat such as breed good Juyce Let the Patient eat largely or else the Worms will gnaw their Gutts for wants of sustenance the excrements of the Belly must be kept loose Of the Plague THe Plague is caused by unusual and pernicious putrefaction sometimes the constitution of the body is so different from the natural temperature that it is altogether changed into a pernicious and poysonous quality This disease is sometimes caused by corrupt and poysonous exhalations by Carrion by the evil influence of the Stars which is then the immediate hand of God and properly called the pestilence when it proceeds from outward causes 't is called a pestilent Feaver or the Plague the air infected first gets into the heart the air being subtle thin and apt to get into the pores it first infects the Genital Spirits then the Radical Moisture at last the whole substance of the body This disease first begins to discover it self by the Patients unquietness loss of his appetite the members dull and heavy the head aking the stomach pained the spirits decayed strength failing especially the Vital with many other Symptomes except the disease be supernatural and then the signs are so gentle that they can scarcely be perceived the infected air which is a great cause doth not onely weaken the humors and spirits of the body but also the sollid substance of the heart The Plague of all other diseases is most dangerous for although the signs are good yet suddenly the Patient dies the danger is the greater if no Pushes or Carbuncles break forth it is also as dangerous if they break and run in again this disease is consummated and brought to its full ripeness in four and twenty hours if a cold sweat arise on the body the face and eyes look black the spirits are cast down extraordinarily and the Patients excrements that are voided diversly coloured it is a sign of death The air must be rectified by sweet perfumes every day they must not be spared At the beginning of the disease the diet must be cooling the sleep short for by long sleeping the corrupt matter turns again to the heart Venery must be eschewed the belly kept loose and the minde freed from all careful perturbations Catarracta or Suffusion IS when the sight is by little and little dulled by a slimy humor frozen from Ice and droping over the eyes
of the Patient sometimes it sticks so fast over the ball of the eye or betwixt the Christal Humors and the Tunickle Rhagois so as to tender the sight in the beginning of this disease certain fumes and Spirits do present themselves to the sight this disease is caused from cold and moist humors that fall on the Optick Nerve If this disease be of long continuance it cannot be cured but if that which is congealed by rubbing be rent asunder and doth not remain so long but grows together again and is of a sad white colour there is still left some hopes of the cure Of the French-Pox THe French-Pox it is a fowl and contagious disease which often proceeds from the immoderate use of Venery the beginnings of this disease are small but in time it vitiates the humors spirits membranes tendons flesh and bones and perverts the temperature and substance of the whole body the Liver is chiefly affected as appears from the bad Concoction of the Stomach the not propension to Venery laziness falling off of the hair it begins in the groins and privy members with little pushes in the Urine which in time do send forth clammy and corrupt blood heat of Urine effusion of seed several coloured spots appearing in the upper part of the body a pain in the sinews heaviness in the head hard swellings appear in the forehead and other parts which at last become great Ulcers so as to corrupt the bones The cause of this disease is a filthy quality communicated by touching but for the most part by the act of Venery as the privy members have a thin and rare substance taken in time this disease admits of cure but otherwise is incureable For the cure of this disease the air must be moderately hot for cold hinders the operation of the medicines the Patients diet must be sparing his bread twice bak't he must feed on the best fowl when he purges sod meats are best for him such as are windy breed gross humors those which inflame the blood are bad for him he must exercise himself till he sweats to expel the moist matter he must purge twice a week his sleep moderate he must abstain from Venery and shun all perturbations of mind Of the weakness of the Stomach THe weakness of the Stomach in Latine called Debilitas Ventriculi is a disposition of the alterative faculty wherein either the nourishment is not altered or not well concocted the faculty of the Stomach failing the crudity of the Stomach doth follow by some external cause The sign of a difficult concoction is when the Stomach doth not boil after the accustomed manner or is surcharged with fumes and vapors sometimes weakness after a disease is the cause The indigestion of the Stomach thus weakned raw humors must needs be gathered together either hot or cold disturbing the Stomach by some outward quality which is followed with a loathing of meat and a loading of the Stomach belchings vomitings caused by Phlegmy and putrified humors the relish then communicated to the pallate being sweet and watrish and much spettle voided without coughing or heming that crudity is worst which is caused by ill nourishment and very bad in those which do abound with Choller The air the Patient breaths should incline to heat as he ought to be kept warm his diet must be easie of digestion and moderate neither must he receive any other meat till the former be digested he may drink good Wine his head laid high and his sleep not to be disturbed he ought to be moderately merry and to avoid all perturbations of mind Of the Squinancy THis Disease is an inflamation of the Throat or of the highest part of the Gullet hindering the breath and swallowing when the fault is neither in the breathing nor swallowing This Disease by reason the upper part of the Gullet is choakt up doth threaten present danger by strangling If the inner parts of the Throat are affected then the Patient is in great danger this pain is sharp and the Patient breaths with difficulty he swallows with difficulty and that which he drinks doth often run out at his Nose This Disease is caused by blood which is carried thither by the Ingular Veins for in these Veins there is plenty of blood If the inflamation be in the inward Muscles that Squinancy is very dangerous within three or four dayes it is very likely to kill the party and although that the Patient may think himself well yet he is taken away with a sudden suffocation The air where the Patient resides must be temperate free from wind his diet liquid and soft he must shun those things that may heat his blood he must abstain from Wine and Exercise speak little his sleep shorter then ordinary it used to be if it be too long those that watch with him must awake him out of it his belly must be loosened and his minde kept merry Of involuntary Pissing INvoluntary pissing called Diarberes is a default of the Kidneys a swift passage the drink being nothing altered through the body an inmeasurable thirst following In this Disease the Kidneys are affected it is known by the heat felt in the Reins and the insatiable thirst If the Patient strives to hold his urine his Stones Hips and Loins swell such heat felt in those inward parts as if the Bowels were burnt This distemper is sometimes caused by sharp humors in the Kidneys by brinish Phlegm or a pernicious quality fixt to the blood or humors fastned to the Reins This distemper causeth a great driness and consumption of the body If the person have a burning Feaver he cannot be cured because his radical moisture is wasted The air in which this Patient lives must incline to cold and moist his diet such as will breed good but thick juyce such as will qualifie the sharpness of the humors salt and sharp meats as also such as provoke urine are not good the belly must be kept loose by art or nature Rest is best for this Patient because it stayes the motion of the humors Of the Inflamation of the Eyes THe Inflamation of the Eyes called Opthalmia is an inflamation of the Tunicle or Membrane growing close to the eye spread over all the Membrane from the corners of the eyes This evil takes its beginning from the Pericranium from whence Veins are conveighed to the eyes through the forehead and temples The part affected is chiefly the eye where redness appears and it is oftentimes swelled so that the Tunicles and parts near adjoyning are sore stretched this is either caused by the fulness of blood by which the Membrane growing next to the eye is filled or stretcht or else by phlegmatick blood and then it is not so stretcht or else by thin sharp Choller running from the temple and corner veins secretly into the eye-veins then such tears gush out of the eyes that the next parts seem burnt the Pupilla is in danger of being exulcerated if
the tears that flow from the eyes are salt and hot The Patients air must be dry cold and obscure his meat somewhat cooling and little nourishing he must eat little in the first dayes of his cure his sleep must be long his belly evacuated and his minde kept pleasant Of the Night-Mare THe Night-Mare called Incubus is a Disease in which one doth think that a great weight lies on him in his sleep it differs from the Falling-sickness as the cause of it is venomous so is not the Hag or Night-Mare there being no Convulsion as in the Falling-sickness The part affected is the Heart-walls or part of the Midriff the sense of the Patient in his sleep is stupified he supposes himself to be stifled insomuch that he cannot speak a word he groans and his fancy is so disturbed that he thinks a Spirit is there whence the anguish of his minde is caused so that he desires to cry out but cannot from hence is caused the heating or rather boiling of his blood so that his spirits being attenuated and his pores opened the Patient suddenly starteth up This Disease is caused from gross cold Phlegm as also from melanchollick blood settled about the Heart and Veins of the Breast from whence cold vapors are belched out He that useth a slender diet is seldom troubled with the Night-Mare but doth frequent those that have many crudities They that lie on their sides are very seldom troubled with it If this Disease be of any long continuance it doth threaten the Falling-sickness or the Apoplexy Madness or Hypocondraick Melancholly and other Diseases The air where the Patient lives should be temperate hot and bright his meat easie of digestion of good juyce not windy he must eat sparingly especially at supper he must not sleep in the day time his belly must be kept loose and his minde quiet Of a Convulsion A Convulsion called Spasmus is a Convulsion or shrinking of the Sinnews an effect of which doth force them and the Muscles unwillingly to that disposition of body which they did enjoy by the benefit of the animal faculty when they were in perfect health this being an involuntary motion in the part which did usually move of its own accord The Brain is first affected and chiefly and then the face with the whole body is taken with a Convulsion which doth happen to those that have the Falling-sickness in which accident the roots of the Sinnews are hurt the brain being shrunk doth joyn all its force together for the expelling of that which is hurtful The brain is sometimes first affected and then the face with the whole body is shrunk up together but for the most part a Convulsion doth happen to the Muscles in determinate parts whereby the part affected doth plainly shew that the Muscles are grieved The signs of this Disease are the stretching of the Sinnews which if long with the Patient do exceedingly waste the strength while all parts under the head are annulled The efficient cause is either fulness or emptiness fulness is caused by blood and then a Convulsion happeneth suddenly it is also caused by a phlegmy humor which doth winde it self as the blood doth into the Sinnews and Muscles this causes a Palsie The emptiness of a Sinnew takes more deliberation in growing upon a Patient this is occasioned by the Ague Hunger Melancholly violent Sweating Vomiting excessive Venery or Inflamations in the sinnewy parts A Convulsion which is caused by a Wound and of Heleborus is mortal This Disâ—ase is also incureable if it be caused by emptiness Let the air of the Patient be hot and dry his diet rather roast then sod instead of Wine when the Disease first seizes he may be permitted to drink honied water wherein Sage and Cinamon are boiled exercise must be avoided the neck and back-bones of the sick person must be rubbed his sleep moderate his excrements answerable to his belly his minde quiet Of Choller CHoller is an immoderate perturbation of the Stomach and Bowels whence malign humors break forth upwards and downwards This Disease is often so violent that it deprives one of Life within the space of a day or two without a Feaver the substance of the body being consumed by vomits and stools for excrements come often out with such force that the spirits are expelled with the humors the upper and lower part of the stomach is primarily affected the bowels being distempered by the stomachs disburthening of it self through them The signs that make known that these parts are affected are vomits and evacuation a chollerick sowre and stinking matter is vomited upwards and downwards for many hours as if the Patient had drunk great store of such stuff This Disease is gathered together in all the body or in the Gall Bladder Misentery or Bowels This Disease is sharp but the strength of it is dissolved in a short time The air the Patient lives in must be cold and bright if he be strong a little quantity of meat will suffice him he should forbear eating for two dayes he may drink then strong Wine in this Wine thin plates of Gold should be quencht he must sleep very gently and shun the passions of the minde Of the Head Ache. THis disease is sometimes caused from the location of the Head sharp Vapors and Swelling humors ascending from the lower parts assaulting the Head because as the brain is of a cold and moist temperature superfluity of excrements are therein generated which if they encrease and are not avoided by the expulsive faculty in time disturb the Head with Aches the Head-Ache occasioned by an ague quaffing or some other external cause is by the Latines called Cephallalgia the Films of the brain is much troubled with this disease which by reason of their tenderness the least pains are sharp and tender to them but the substance of the brain is more grosser so that the pain that seizes thereon is duller and more loading this disease is sometimes caused from cold and Phlegmy matter this matter by the grossness and sliminess doth stop the narrow passages of the Head the pain that comes by a hot is more vehement then that which comes by a cold distemper an old pain caused by cold matter is hardly to be cured especially in old men a Head-Ache continually vexing is the forerunner of madness especially if the Vomit appear somewhat rusty it also presages other diseases The Air where the Patient lives should be hot and dry roast meat is better then boiled exercise and sleep must be moderate let him lie with his head raised up and somewhat covered he must avoid Vomiting and discontents of mind Of the Cough CAlled Tussis is a violent breathing causing much breath or spirit speedily to break forth as it endeavours by its force to discharge sharp excrements which do molest the Lungs and hinder the passages or which do any other way offend the body this motion is caused by nature which doth force the
must receive the dregs of blood and his more earthy and impure parts This Disease so stops the Midriff that it cannot be raised up or thrust down when it should serve for breathing whereby great sighings are caused in the sleep as also great difficulty of breathing The part affected is the Spleen which may be perceived by the loading pain in the Spleens region This Disease is plainly discerned by the loading pain in the Spleens region and by reason of the plenty of matter This Disease is for the most part caused by melancholly humors which are the dregs of the blood and are caught into the Spleen by the dregs of the body and there remain for a long time or else are caused because the Veins of the body do flow with such melanchollick blood at the first whilest the tumor is increasing the cure may be performed but if it be once ripened it is incurable The air the patient lives in must be clear and bright his meat must be such as hath an opening force that is soon concocted and breeds good blood his diet must be sparing his exercise before meat his sleep moderate and his minde pleased Of the Lethargy THe Lethargy called Lethargia is such a necessity of sleeping as cannot by any means be avoided or it is an oblivious Disease caused by a cold imposthume of the brain the substance thereof being affected chiefly the hinder part but not the ventricles as may appear by the offended functions of the brain It is such a Disease whereby Reason Memory and the Imaginations of the other Senses are annoyed in this Disease as hath been said an urgent necessity of oblivion with sleeping doth possess the Patient together with a lingring and continual Feaver The causes of this Disease proceed from a cold and a moist distemper of the brain and abundance of phlegmy humors so putrefied that they bring a Feaver with them This Disease speedily kills the Patient if it be not met withal in time for the space of seven dayes he is in danger of death if he escape them there are hopes of recovery The air he lives in must be hot and dry if otherwise it may be rectified with Juniper-wood Rosemary and Bay-leaves his diet must be such as may extenuate his sleep must be hindered as much as may be with pricking and pulling of his â—air or with smoak of Brimstone Beaver-stone Galbanum Sagapenum placed under his Nose that he may be forced to draw it up his Nostrils to which pupose his Nose must be rubbed and chafed with Vinegar the excrements of his body must be brought down with a Glister or Suppository instead of exercise frictions and ligatures of the exterior parts viz. the hands and feet must be used Of the Yellow Jaundies THe Yellow Jaundies called Icteritia is an effusion sometimes of yellow Choller sometimes black sometimes both over the whole body and this is incident to Maids also this chollerick blood is spread over the whole body with the blood because the excrements are not daily or not at all voided In this disease the same place or part is not alwayes affected for sometimes the Liver is in fault when it is too hot or else imposthumed and then both the Urine and the Stool are stained with a yellow colour Sometimes the Feaver doth concur with a certain pain in some obscure place of the Liver whereby the colour of the face is changed sometimes the bladder of the gall is affected and then heaviness is felt in the right side of the Heart-walls This Disease is manifested to the eyes by the colour the Patients appetite is diminished a bitterness increases in his mouth because of heat and yet for the most part it is without a Feaver but looseness and Head-ache of the body ensue the Urine is like to Saffron also muddy and thick and sometimes it is stopt the excrements are white if the bladder of the galls passage is stopt little is voided and that little by little and little This Disease comes sometimes by encrease of Choller through the Livers too hot distemper for hereby such store of Choller is generated that the Gall cannot contain it sometimes this Disease is caused by the Inflamation of the whole Liver in which case the whole body is stained with gally excrements by reason of the great heat of the blood If this Disease continue long it threatens the danger of a Dropsie The air the Patient lives in must be temperate his diet such as may cool moisten and extenuate the humors and easie of digestion such as binde and multiply Choller are to be avoided Baths and Frictions in the Winter time are good his exercise is to be small his sleep moderate his excrements voided in due season his minde is to be furnisht with pleasing objects Of Giddiness or the Vertigo GIddines is a Disease whereby the head and all other parts of the body seem to be turned circularly about so disturbing the brains and senses that the Patient oft tumbles down unless he be held up by some stay near at hand This Disease is of near kin to the Falling-sickness onely herein they differ that the giddy party is not deprived of his senses neither is he burried this way and that way as Convulsions afflict their Patients The chief part affected is the Brain which doth appear by the functions which are hurt for the animal faculty is grieved but the brain is affected the Head-ache the forerunner a heaviness and dulness thereof with an annoyance of smell and taste and a ringing in the ears A sign of this Disease is that the Patient cannot endure those that turn about in their sight being so depraved that all things seem to turn round This Disease is caused by the abundance of spirits and boiling blood if it be not voided at the Nose when it is ready to run out this Disease is also caused by crude raw venemous humors often generated in the head or in some of the inferiour parts especially in the stomach If this Giddiness lasts long it is next to an Apoplexy and Falling-sickness The air the Patient remains in should be temperate bright and clear his diet such as breeds good juyce pleasing to the stomach and not windy his exercise and sleep moderate for the head the voiding of his excrements if they come not from him naturally must be furthered by art his minde in no case to be disturbed Of the Palsie THe Palsie called Paralysis is depriving of senses and motion not in the whole body as in an Apoplexy but when one side or all parts of the body under the head or any other limb is deprived of sense or motion as the Jaw Hand Lip Feet Arm. It also falls out that some part is deprived of the sensitive faculty the motive faculty not being hurt Contrarywise the motive dies when as the sensitive is found sound sometimes it happens that sense or motion is not quite taken away but onely was
dull and is benummed Physicians call this an imperfect Palsie the Harbenger of a Palsie why the sense doth sometimes perish and motion abides this happens because some parts do participate of a two-fold kinde of Sinnews this Disease hath great affinity with the Apoplexy and sometimes is caused by a weak Apoplexy and then it is called Paraplexia herein they differ the Apoplexy seizeth upon all the parts of the body depriving them both of sense and motion The Palsie seldom or never leaves the head without motion or sense but the other parts of the body lose both motion and sense and that in a different manner for if the beginning of the marrow of the Back-bone be affected all parts under the face do sympathize with it if but one half of the back be affected all parts that have relation also suffer but if the before-mentioned parts are not hurt but some particular Sinnew of some part of the body is loosed that part whereof this nerve is joyned shall also lose sense and motion In this disease as hath already been said the marrow of the Back-bone is affected which is the original of all other Sinnews wherefore the Practitioner ought to take pains in Anatomy to know where this mischief keeps its first residence One evident sign in this Disease is that if the palsied part be lifted up it falleth back again it is soon cool and in time withers the Patients urine is for the most part white and sometimes inclining to redness when this mischief is at the full height the Pulse is faint slow little and soft it is caused by a cold and moist distemper sometimes by an Imposthume or some other tumor crushing the sinnews by a wound a fall a fracture too strait a ligature laxation of bones in the back by a stroak but for the most part it is caused by thin and waterish humors derived from the brain which do insinuate into the pores and substance of the Sinnews and so the Sinnews being made too soft are loosened and slackned and do suck in so much moisture that they stop the head of the Sinnews whereby the passage of the animal faculty is hindred which hath its original from the brain A Palsie which is caused by the cutting of a Sinnew overthwart is incurable A Palsie caused in the Winter and in old men is seldom or never cured because natural heat is deficient in them The air wherein the Patient lives should be hot and dry procured by a fire if the season of the year require it or by a perfume of Cloves and Rosemary his meat must be such as heat and dries his diet must be slender till the fourteenth day for it is very good for the Patient to be abstenuous his drink must be small he must avoid sleep in the day time and trouble of minde Of the weakness of the Liver THe weakness of the Liver comes by distemper without any manifest evil in that Bowel the proper and principal faculty of the Liver is the blood which doth come to it by the property of its own substance and cannot be weakned of a suddain by any distemper for the distemper must needs take deep root before it hurt the substance of the Liver or dissolve the strength thereof but by what distemper soever this is caused the Liver doth not perform its proper duty except it be by halfs In this disease as hath been said the Liver is chiefly affected as will appear by its own functions hindred the blood is not well digested and then the blood which is voided by stool is watrish which shews that the nutrement was well concocted in the Stomach and began to be concocted in the Liver but not perfected because of the Livers weakness This disease scatters the Spirits native heat dissolves the strength and actions of the Liver 't is most probable that a cold distemper is the cause of the Livers weakness if the distemper be but light the colour of the face is white the Excrements stink a little few are voided the Patients Urine is thin there are many other conjectured causes if the weakness of the Liver hath been of a long continuance it is scarce to be cured and in time is changed to be an evil habit of the body from whence a general weakness is caused or else it turns to the Dropsie A temperate air is good for the Patient meats that are easie of digestion and do moderately heat his drink may be thin and Odoriferous Wine his sleep must be moderate his minde cleared from discontents Of the Chollick THe Chollick is a continual passion of the Bowel which is called Colon there follows it a difficulty of voiding of the Excrements and winde at the lower parts a grievous pain and sore pricking comes by fits because this bowel is thick and sinewy whereupon if any hurtful thing creep into its Tunicles it is not presently driven out this disease hath affinity with the Iliaca passio but in the Iliaca passio the pain is more vehement the looser Gut called Colon is chiefly affected the pain of this disease is vehement as if the person were bored through with an auger it is stirred up in the inside of the Bowel this pain is inconstant for sometimes it doth pinch one side and then another though it doth chiefly molest the right side and from thence is carried to the left The Chollick is eased by Lenitive glisters and fomentations there are many causes of this disease a several matter running to the Guts because of their wideness or else it is caused from an inflamation of the same part or by a sharp biting humor or by slimy and gross humors or by a thin Phlegm that is in the Film of the Colon and because that Bowel is the receptacle of winde the Chollick is often caused by them when great plenty of them is gathered together in those places or else it is caused by slimy and gross Phlegm sticking in the common passages or from a tumor remaining in the Bowels whereby the Guts are strongly pressed that the winde can hardly get forth the Chollick doth often turn into a resolution or looseness of the Sinews into a Joynt-Gout into Iliaca passio or a Dropsie of all Chollicks that is the worst which is caused by an inflammation The air the Patient lives in must be temperately hot inclining to driness yet the native heat of the outward and former parts of the belly must be kept hot with warme cloaths his meat must be easie of digestion such as doth generate few superfluities it must be moist not windy nor slimy his drink may be strong Wine exercise is good before meat and rest afterwards they may sleep in the day time Of the Pleurisie THe Pleurisie is an inflamation of the thin and small skin which cloathes the Ribs on the inner side called in Latine Pleura from whence this disease takes its name there are many pains of the side but in this place I
shall onely treat of that pain that doth follow asharp disease by the inflamation of the inner skin for if the inflamation be in the outward Muscles or if the pain be great because of windiness this is but a basterd Pleurisie and the Patient is without a Feaver The signs of this disease besides the difficulty of breathing and a vehement Cough is a pricking pain which plainly doth demonstrate that the membranes and some other tender parts are affected this pricking pain sometimes spreads it self over the sides and breast sometimes to the short Ribs to the Channel-bone of the Throat so that the Patient is forced to breath short and thick also there is a continual Feaver because the inflamation doth border on the heart the Pulse is thick not too great hard and unequal and by that means tough and like to a saw a cough also cometh withal the first day and then nothing cometh at length spettle is voided and comes up coloured according to the nature of the excrements and it is also moister there are many other signs the cause for the most part is blood running from the hollow Veins into the Ribs thin Veins sometimes it is caused by Phlegmy blood and then the disease is longer of continuance and the spettle frothy and white sometimes the blood is Chollerick and then a sharper disease is caused The suppression of the Hemrhoides or monethly tearms will cause a Pleurisie this disease is dangerous to old men to Women with childe and such as have been sick twice or thrice of it it vexes the Patient more in the night then day time whosoever is sick of a Pleurisie and is not cleansed in fourteen dayes they turn to supuratiâ—â— This disease kills by choaking or too mâ—ch pain or by the translation of the matter into the Lungs whereby the Consumption of them is caused and also Ulcers The air the Patient lives in must be temperate somewhat inclining to heat his meat easie of digestion he is not to drink Wine till the disease be abated he may be permitted longer then ordinary sleep his belly must be kept loose Of the Bleeding at the Nose THe Bleeding at the nose called Hemorrhagia doth signifie a Bleeding at the Nose whether it doth come immediately from the Nostrills carried thither by the Veins of the palate through which for the most part nature doth expel the superfluous blood of many or else whether it comes from the Veins of the Head further off but in general it doth signifie any bleeding whether it be of Nose Womb or any other part of the body when blood comes forth moderately in the beginning of a Pleurisie Impostume Squinancy Burning Feaver Small Poxs it is alwayes for the best yet this Bleeding in some other diseases is Critical foreshewing death the Nostrills are chiefly affected but not alwayes the essence of the Nostrils but they are affected by the consent of some other part the Veins by which this blood is cast out at the Nose run from the palate and Mouth into the Nostrills and sometimes from the head when too much blood is voided the colour of the face waxeth pale the body is of a leaden colour the outward parts are cold and a swooning follows and many times after death Oftentimes bleeding at the Nose is caused by nature which doth by this means expel the excrements and which is troublesome to the body Sometimes it is caused by the evil affection of the Veins wherein the blood is contained and the blood runs out of the Veins the Veins being opened by the plenty of blood which they could not contain There are sundry other causes If bleeding have continued long swooning weakness and too much cooling of the Liver Lachexia or the Dropsie is to be feared Bleeding at the Nose without coldness of the outwards parts is mortal The air the Patient should live in must be somewhat cold his meat must be such as doth nourish well and easie of digestion he must avoid exercise and speak little he must avoid all passions of the minde especially anger Of the Falling-sickness THe Falling-sickness is a Convulsion of all the parts of the body not continual but that which cometh by distances of time the minde and senses being thereby hurt This disease doth either happen when the brain hath the cause of the disease in it self which is usual or by the evil effect of the mouth of the stomach or from some other part underneath by which the venemous effect creepeth into the brain through secret passages the Patient feels the cause of this Disease like a vapour of cold winde to be carried to the brain by the continuity of the other parts from the part of the body wherein the Disease is chiefly seated the cause of this Disease being for the most part a venomous vapour carried up from some lower part of the body into the brain and then the Patient doth suddenly fall with a Convulsion The brain is the part affected either by it self or by the consent of the stomach or by some other parts The fit comes oftentimes suddenly with much foam which because it is slimy may be drawn out at length yet in a gentler Falling-sickness this doth not appear when the Patient is deprived of his senses he falls to the ground with a violent shaking of his body his face is wrested his eyes turned upwards his chin somewhat driven to his shoulder and oftentimes he voids seed and ordure against his will his Muscles are loosened all these are signs of a strong fâ—t Sometimes their teeth are so fast closed together that they are in danger of stifling paleness of the face inordinate motion of the tongue pain and heaviness of the head forgetfulness sadness troublesome dreams are ushers to this Disease the Patient being taken with a giddiness sometimes darkness and divers dim glisterings appear before his eyes This Disease is for the most part caused by abundance of melancholâ—ck and phlegmatick humors from whence corâ—upt venomous and stinking vapors break out whereby obstructions are caused in the passages â—f the brain and the passages of the spirits are â—â—ereby hindred by this means the brain and the roots of the Sinnews shrink and as it were tremble in the expelling of that which is obnoxious whether it be vapor or humor This disease frequents children because they are of a moister brain then yong men next to these men oâ— a full growth and old men least of all This Disease is more incident to men then women and usually it doth stick close to the Patient unless it be taken away by medicines in the minority If the Disease be vehement and come often on the Patient it is incurable but if a quartane Ague or any longer Feaver surprize him iâ— portends health The air wherein the Patienâ— lives must be hot and dry his meat mixed with such things as do dissolve and extenuate the humors exercise of the body and frication of thâ— head are prevalent
the moderate use of Venery is healthful his excrements must be voided iâ— due time and if Nature be deficient herein Arâ— must be used his sleep must be moderate and his minde pleased Of Rheum RHeum in Latine called Catarrhus is a distillation commonly taking a deflux of humors and excrements from the head or brain into the other parts of the body and because thâ— brain is of a cold and a moist nature and dotâ— want plenty of nourishment by reason of thâ— largeness thereof so likewise it doth breed many excrements and the slight distemper being cold and moist will further it for vapors senâ— from the lower parts get up thither and these being thickned by reason of the brains thinness are entertained and even as these superfluous humors are sent back again to some one or other part of the body oftentimes in the first Ventricle if they do not offend much in quantity and then they are soonest purged by the Pallat sometimes they spread through divers places when they flow too much and then they are voided at the Nose Pallat Ears or Eyes and they do often fall into the Stomach and Lungs from whence several diseases are occasioned The Brain is most affected as may appear by those things which are voided at the Mouth Nose and Pallat and then it is a more continual disease neither is any hurt of any other part perceived whereby it may be cherisht but while it is caused by other parts of the body it will the better be known by its proper signs This is an affection which is caused by moderate excretion if the excrements of the head fall on the Lungs it doth cause for the most part hardness of breathing and a great Cough and Hoarseness bringing pain and soreness to the aforenamed places the hot distemper of the brain is sometimes the cause the great weakness thereof being oftentimes the cause sometimes it is occasioned from the brains cold and moist distemper for then the nutriments conveighed to the brain are not well digested whereby many superfluities are gathered and store of excrements lodged in the brain Surfeits and too much fulness encreases this Disease or by too much sleep also by the weakness of the digestive and expulsive faculty of the brain If the humor fall from the head to the nose it is but a small grief if to the throat worse if to the lungs worst of all for the lungs are in danger of being exulcerated from whence comes a Consumption the Winter season is very obnoxious to this disease because of the uncertainty of the weather The air the Patient lives in should be moderately hot and rainy weather as also Northern and Southern blasts must be avoided his meat must be very easie of digestion and such as breeds good blood his sleep must be moderate and sometimes in the day time his head must be so covered that neither too much cold nor too much heat offend it his body must daily either by art or nature be emptied of excrements he must use moderate exercise and shun the passions of minde Of the Pain of the Stomach THe pain of the Stomach called Cardialgia is a painful sense of the mouth of the stomach caused by a biting matter This distemper hath an affinity with the Disease called Cardaica passio which is in like manner a Disease oâ— the mouth of the stomach caused by corrupt humors and such as are biting and violent which either came from some other place or else werâ— there generated and gathered together Thâ— Cardaica passio differs from this Disease becausâ— this is caused by biting humors but that is caused by virulent humors venomous and so malign that a very hot and sharp Feaver accompanies it The mouth of the Stomach is primarily affected the heart being hereby hurt because of the nearness a pinching pain with biting and fretting being felt under the Breasts grissels In this Disease there is a gnawing biting and pricking of the stomach there is an oppressing pain there whereby the Patient breaths with difficulty sometimes the belly doth cast out the chollerick stuff and sometimes he doth vomit choller a Feaver seldom comes with this In this Disease the appetite is abated the Patient is in more pain before then after meat this Disease is often caused by sadness for by those causes Choller comes into the stomach whereby bitings and gnawings are caused sometimes by inflamation or by sharp or phlegmy humors if this Disease comes without a Feaver it is less dangerous Let the air the Patient lives in be cold either by art or nature his meat easie of digestion and such as is least subject to corruption rest asswages the pain his sleep must be moderate â—is belly must be rendred answerable to nature â—erturbations of his minde are to be shunned especially choller Of the Gout THe Joynt-Gout is a feebleness of the Joynts and pain coming upon them at several diâ—â—ances of time for the most part it is caused by 〈◊〉 Flux which windeth it self betwixt the Ligaments Films and Tendons of the Joynts for in this disease the Joynts do first receive the Humor which at length doth insinuate into the Films adjoyning sometimes there is a Gout in the fingers sometimes in the knee sometimes in the hips from whence it spreads it self to the Thighs Calves of the Legs and to the end of the Feet yet this Gout sticks not in the Hip but is fastned above the Hip at the toâ— of the Buttock if the Gout stick in the feet ' tiâ— called Podagra or the Feet-Gout whether it bâ— in the ankles soles of the feet or great toeâ— joynt sometimes it seizes on the shoulder-joynts and turning-joynts of the Back-bone oâ— Chine sometimes not any knitting of thâ— bones is free from this pain The parts affecteâ— are the joynts tendons ligaments films of thâ— parts of the body which either knit or inviron the bones are here affected and sometimes thâ— Membranes are filled and stretcht the Patient iâ— tormented for a long space when this Diseasâ— doth first surprize him yet the pain is but little by the use of evil diet almost all the joynts oâ— his body suffering alike sometimes not one parâ— of the body being free from this Disease In thâ— Feet or Hip-Gout for the most part no swellinâ— doth appear but in the Hand and Knee-Gout swelling redness and heat by extream pains aâ— easily to be perceived sometimes an inflamatâ—on is caused and then the appetite is lost anâ— the Patient is troubled with watchings and Feaver The cause of every Joynt-Gout is foâ— the most part great store of phlegmatick humors or some other humors overflowing in the greater Veins the Liver and Head so that the parts are therewith surcharged and that these parts may likewise be free of this burthen they do cast these excrements upon the joynts ligaments and tendons and films whereby they are filled stretcht and weakned There are four causes of these superfluities of humors the
afterwards circulate it in a pellican forty dayes and reserve it for your use others distil it oftner and it is the better Chap. 21. To make an Aqua vitae Composita for men of a cold Complexion or Region HAving already discoursed at large of Aqua vitae Simplex we now proceed to give you the way of preparing several compound waters and first of such as ought to be administred unto men of a cold complexion or unto such as labour under any disease proceeding from a cold cause which is this Take Zuiziberis albi Cinamomi Cubeb Recent Gariâ—ph Nucis Muscati Macis electi Cardamomi Zedoari Galangae Piperis longi of each equal parts bruise them grosly and to one part of these Species adde six parts of simple Aqua vitae put them in a long Cucurbite placing thereon a blinde Alimbeck and let it stand to digest fourteen dayes afterwards distil in Balneo Mariae with a gentle fire then put the feces again upon the distilled matter and let it digest eight dayes more It may also be distilled without an Alimbeck but that way is not so good And when it hath been distilled three times the first water is called Aqua benedicta the second Aqua vitae composita and the third Aqua balsami Some also adde to the composition hereof Fol. salviae Rutae Castorei recentis Corticis Citri Baccarum lauri Florum Lavendulae Florum Rorismarini ana two drams these are all to be distilled with the aforesaid species alwayes adding to one part of species six parts of simple Aqua vitae This water is good for all diseases of the head proceeding from phlegmatick humors to be taken in the morning the quantity of two drams in one ounce of the best Wine Some use to dip a crust of bread in this water and others to anoint the head with this water adding to half an ounce hereof Betony water one ounce But beware that you do not give this water in any disease or grief of the head proceeding from a hot cause unless some cold Medicine be mixed therewith which may temperate the heat of this water This water doth strengthen the memory being drunk fasting the quantity of half an ounce mixed with Rosemary water and the hinder part of the head being anointed or washed therewith and let dry of it self it is good also against madness if you cut off the hair of the head and apply to the head clothes wet in this water mixed with water of Marjoram and Rosemary you shall perceive a wonderful operation It is also good for the Palsie being mixed with Sage-water and the members often bathed therewith and it being drunk upon an empty stomach with water of Lavander-flowers It is good to take away all spots of the face and all infirmities of the eyes It hath a marvellous operation to take away all pains in the Teeth A Comb being dipped herein and the head combed therewith it adorns the hair and preserves them from becoming hairy it cures all scabs in the head recovers lost hearing Bombast being dipped therein and applied to the Ear. Wounds being washed therewith it heals them wonderfully and suffers no putrified flesh in a Wound Being taken fasting it is powerful against all Poyson against all Cankers Fistula's and the Dropsie and the Stone in the Bladder it helps Conception in a Woman being taken fasting if the obstruction thereof proceed from a cold cause Being drunk with Galangal and Gentiana and Bombaste wet therein and applied to the Matrix provokes the Tearms If this Water be put upon Fish Flesh or any other Meats they will not corrupt nor putrifie neither will flies blow thereon If the body be fomented therewith it is good against the Jaundies and all trembling of the Members and against all filthiness of the mouth and nose A Cloath being dipt herein and applied to the Stomach wonderfully helps digestion A Cloath wet therein and applied to the Stomach helps Convulsion fits Let those who labor under the Iliack passion drink often thereof it is good also against the Falling-sickness and the Hemerhodes It is much praised by Albertus Magnus for its wonderful operations in the Palsie Chap. 22. An excellent Compound Water used by the Emperour Frederick the Third TAke Aq. Vita simp rectificat four pound vini opt four pound Cinamomi three ounces Garioph nucis moscatae ana one ounce Zuizib albi one ounce and half Macis half an ounce Zedoariae half an ounce Galangae 2. drams Cubeb Hys an half an ounce Radicis benedictae 1. ounce Salviae florum Lavendulae an half an ounce Melissae iris Balsamithae an one ounce Rosarum albarum one ounce and half Bruise all these and put them in a great Cucurbite which will hold fifteen or sixteen pound adding Zachari albi three ounces Passular ficuum pinguium an six ounces Camphorae half an ounce Aquar Rosarum Endiviae florum Sambuci an two pound put them altogether into the Cucurbite luting it well and set it in the â—un twenty dayes viz. ten dayes before Midsummer day and ten dayes after Then strain out the water and distil it by an Alembick and keep it in a dry place it is a soveraign Cordial for a cold stomach and wonderfully preserves the whose body in health The Dose is the quantity of half a spoonful but let it not be given to a Woman when she hath her Menstrue Chap. 23. An excellent Compound Water against all Vlcers and Poyson c. TAke Salviae twelve ounces Nucis Muscat Gariop Zuizib albi Gran. Paradisi Cinamomi an four drams Ol. Laurini one ounce Castorei recentis one dram Spinae Indicae Rorismarini an half a dram florum Rorismar one dram Folior Rutae one ounce Fol. Majoranae one dram Corticis Citri two drams Let all these be new if you can get them but if you have them not new then take the old dried flowers and pulverize them and put to them the best white Wine you can get then set them in a digestive to putrifie a moneth This digestion may be made in Balneo Mariae in the first degree of heat afterwards distil it by an Alimbeck in Balneo Mariae then adde the water again to the Feces and distil it in Balneo again twice over afterwards distil it in ashes and reserve the water carefully in a glass close stopt The Vertues of this Water ANy Meat wet in this Water retains an excellent sapour and odour It is good against pestilentious airs and expels the venom thereof out of the body it cures all infirmities of the Eyes and defects of the Sight It marvellously cures Wounds they being washed therewith it dryeth up all hidropical humors It is good against all diseases of the Lungs Spleen and Milt of the intestines and of the head it takes away all spots out of the face filth of the Mouth and Nose mitigates the pain of the Teeth procures good digestion purifies the blood and consumes corrupt blood and
180 Burning 74 120 141 180 Biting of venomous Beasts 82 156 188 189 192 Bitings of Mad Dogs 83 154 155 174 Burns in the Eyes 92 Bloody Flux 98 104 115 133 134 269 173 179 181 187 189 â—ness 100 Back pained 111 188 Bladder 118 Bewitched 118 149 Barreness 120 Bones broken ib. Birth and After-birth 120 122 123 170 171 Blood spitting 169 30â— Blood pissing 170 Blood cooleth 180 Blood clarifieth 190 â—east swelled 240 C COngelation 391 Consumption 73 166 Chollick 73 91 93 95 112 118 128 129 130 191 â—8â— Carbuncles 74 107 Cuts and Wounds heal without pain 74 75 Cramps â—2 141 Cold 100 191 Cough 127 165 166 â—â—7 Chin-cough â—46 Children to speak quickly 147 Convulsions 150 163 172 363 Child-birth 25â— Cods swelled 174 24â— Choller 176 177 178 187 347 3â—â— Cooleth 17â— D DEafness 71 1â—â— 168 Dropsie 73 93 106 107 10â— 10â— 117 177 178 179 192 231 39â— Diabetes 89 107 132 242 161 Digestion helpeth 99 146 E EYes 171 176 361 F FAlling-sickness 73 75 94. 97 10â— 108 113 153 172 178 179 384 French-pox 75 357 Fellons 90 144 159 Freckles 91 95 121 168 Flegm 176 Flâ—â—â— 177 179 188 189 168 Fistula 96 256 Fâ—â—ness 98 Feâ—â—ors 98 Frenzy 393 G GReen-sickness 73 176 Gout 82 88 93 94 96 97 102 103 107 110 116 123 139 140 141 187 188 253 389 Grâ—â— 105 171 Gâ—â—â—â—der burning 142 Goâ—â—â—â— 167 Gallâ—â—â— 180 H HEad-ache 71 76 87 103 104 108 110 119 123 164 178 36â— Heart comforteth 73 177 178 187 188 Hard labour 81 89 100 101 114 122 170 180 189 Hair taketh away 90 112 Hoarseness 90 164 189 â—â—ad purgeth 109 110 â—air to grow 112 Humors 146 188 190 Head Scabby 17â— Hicket 35â— Hearing 35â— I INfectious air 8â— 8â— Increase Milk in Nurses 87 18â— Itch 152 153 1â—â— Jaundies black 94 109 124 1â—â— Joynts lame 99 102 122 17â— Imposthumes 108 144 145 176 Jaundies yellow 116 124 125 126 190 â—35 37â— K KIngs-evil 95 10â— â—8â— Kanker 74 Kibes 1â—5 166 L LEthargy 373 Liver strengthneth 73 190 231 379 Lungs and their obstructions 73 127 128 177 178 179 187 197 192 Lice 109 Looseneth 103 112 133 137 Looseness 1â—â— Lunatick 177 3â—â— Liver 188 Leanness 180 Lust 191 Leprosie 258 M MOthe 97 Megrum 71 Memory strengthens 76 98 99 Mother fits 110 161 248 Measles 163 Miscarrage 165 Melancholly 178 188 190 346 Madness 119 Morphew 143 Murrain 145 Madness 353 393 Mirth 190 191 N NIght-Mare 363 O OBstructions opens 35 190 191 351 P PLague 72 74 75 78 80 89 97 104 157 162 176 177 178 179 18â— 187 188 35â— Poyson 75 78 82 97 187 191 192 Palsie 73 92 121 143 144 376 314 Pleurisie 88 126 127 166 191 244 â—8â— Purgeth 17â— Pains in the Bladder 9â— Pains 103 105 113 13â— 191 Passions 105 18â— Priapismus â—18 Piles 137 138 350 Pimples 19â— R RVptures 9â— Rhume 94 107 108 117 â—â—â— 171 189 190 â—86 Redness of the Face 91 Ringworms and Tetters 102 117 155 172 176 180 181 190 Reins 120 167 173 188 189 S SIght 71 100 106 113 114 115 161 Stomach strengtheneth 72 96 99 187 189 359 388 Stitch in the sides 73 94 163 190 Stone 74 75 93 96 101 102 103 104 112 113 118 120 121 134 135 136 177 178 179 189 191 236 352 412 Sweat 〈◊〉 74 Sores 74 76 96 108 116 151 157 177 179 181 〈◊〉 74 111 139 145 146 151 168 172 〈…〉 114 116 129 160 191 239 〈◊〉 88 112 191 233 372 Sauinâ—â—â—â— 90 103 360 â—welliâ—g of the Throat 91 103 Sâ—linters draws forth 92 93 260 Sâ—aâ—â—â—ring 147 Sâ—nses lost 161 Small poâ—e 163 175 187 Surfeitâ— 171 〈◊〉 177 179 〈◊〉 â—rovokes 181 〈◊〉 100 〈◊〉 96 109 〈…〉 102 178 〈…〉 106 〈…〉 109 111 157 Swelling 121 Sick live or dye 113 118 119 Scalding 124 142 164 178 1â—â— Sciatica 137 1â—â— Swooning 371 T TYsick 73 160 192 Teeth 72 82 88 99 117 12â— 121 179 19â— Teeth white 90 Tearms provoke 119 159 244 Thirst quencheth 147 Tearms stop 2â—â—â—â—8 V VErtigo 71 7â— 37â— Vrine provoketh 74 7â— Vomiting 10â— Voice lost 〈◊〉 Vlcers 75 241 2â—â— W WIt quickeneth 〈…〉 Winde 81 101 162 1â—â— 179 〈◊〉 Worms killeth 75 104 130 131 1â—â— 179 187 192 35â— Wen 88 155 Wounds 88 89 114 123 136 143 148 152 175 176 177 178 179 187 188 Web in the Eye 92 117 148 Womens Breasts 113 120 167 Warts 114 115 122 192 259 Womb 119 173 187 FINIS Courteous Reader These Books following with many others are Printed for Nath. Brook and are to be sold at his Shop at the Angel in Cornhill Excellent and approved Treatises in Physick Chyrurgery c. CVlpeper's Semiatioa Vranica his Astrological Judgement of Diseases from the decumbiture of the sick much enlarged the manner of finding out the cause change and end of the Disease also whether the sick be likely to live or dye and when the Recovery or Death is to be expected according to the judgement of Hippocrates and Hermes Trismegistus to which is added M. Culpepers Censure of Urines The expert Doctors Dispensatory the whole Art of Physick restored to practice the Apothecaries Shop and Chyrurgeons Closet opened with a Survey as also a Correction of most Dispensatories now extant with a Judicious Censure of their Defects and a Supply of what they are deficient in together with a learned account of the vertues and quantities and uses of Simples and Compounds with the Symptoms of Diseases as also prescriptions for their several Cures by that renowned P. Morellus Physician to the King of France a Work for the order usefulness and plainness of the Method not to be parallel'd by any Dispensatory in what language soever Natures secrets or the admirable and wonderful History of the generation of Meteors describing the temperatures of the Elements the heights magnitudes and influences of Stars the causes of Comets Earthquakes Deluges Epidemical Diseases and Prodiges of Precedent times with Presages of the weather and descriptions of the weather-glass by T. Wilsford The Mysteries of Love and Eloquence or the Arts of Wooing and Complementing as they are managed in the Spring Garden Hide-Parke and New Exchange and other eminent places A work in which are drawn to the life the Deportments of the most accomplisht persons the Mode of their Courtly Entertainments Treatment of their Ladies at Balls their accustomed Sports Drolls and Fancies the Witchcrafts of their perswasive Langue in their Approaches or other more Secret Dispatches c. by E. P. Helmont disguised or the vulgar error of emperical and unskilful Practicers of Physicâ— confuted more especially as they concerne the Cures of Feavers the Stone the Plague and some other Diseases by way of Dialogue 〈◊〉 which the chief Rareties of Physick are admirably discoursed of by J. T. Books very lately printed and in the Press now printing THe Scales of Commerce and Trade by T. Wilsford 2. Geometry demonstrated by Lines and Numbers