of Cure by the edge of a Syringotomus and a thread which joins the opinions of Celsus and of the later Chirurgeons XVI Yet Fistulae in ano in old Men deriving their original from some old Fluxion as from the Haemorrhoids of long continuance cannot safely be cured unless before the Wound be healed an Issue be made in the Thigh three or four inches above the Knee for evacuation of the matter daily gathered which used to be evacuated by the old Fistula Sâ—ultetus XVII Penetrating Fistulae are very easily and safely cured without an actual Cautery which some commend to consume the Callus in Fistulae if when the Syringotomus is passed through the Bloud be stopt and Haemorrhagie prevented and the Callus wasted with this Medicine Take of Mercury precipitate half a drachm Honey of Roses half an ounce For the sphincter according to Hippocrates lib. de Haemorrh may safely be cut any way without prejudicing its office if but an eighth part of it be left untouched otherwise an involuntary excretion of the faeces would follow and then most certain Death Idem Medicines especially made use of by eminent Physicians 1. I have seen Fistulae of the Feet often cured with this Remedy First wash them with a Lye of Vine-ashes then use an Unguent made of Sugar Oil-olive Mercury and Wine each equal parts Borelâ—us 2. This wonderfully cures Fistulae if they be often washed and the hollow of them filled with an Arcanum mixt with Tincture of Aristolochia rotunda drawn with Spirit of Wine Faber 3. The Bulb of Cornflag mixt with Starch Vinegar and Foxes grease cures Fistulae and running Sores most effectually Laurembergius 4. This is highly commended by many Authours especially for drying up and healing a Fistula Take of Water of the Vine 2 ounces Malmsey wine 1 ounce Honey of Roses 10 drachms Myrrh root of Peucedanum each 2 drachms Sarcocolla Aloe Epatica each 1 ounce and an half Mix them Let them boil up onely once moderately and let it be injected by a Syringe into the Fistula Pâ—câ—ettius 5. A wonderfull Water for Fistulae Take of green Shells of Wall-nuts let them stand in the shade distill them Take of the distilled Water 7 pounds distill it again add of Honey 2 pounds distill it again and keep it for use Praevotius 6. After Universals are used some commend this Potion Take of Sanicle Mugwort Speedwell Saracene's Consound Winter-green each 1 ounce Savine 1 ounce and an half Horse-tail half a drachm Boil them in White-wine Make a Potion which if you would have more effectual in every Dose mix of prepared Crabs-eyes half a scruple For Savine and Crabs-eyes are very good to expell Bones Pus broken Veins and the like Senner 7. This is a most secret Medicine Take of Tops of lesser Centaury 3 handfulls Roots of greater Plantain fresh 1 pugil Leaves of Germander Scabious each 1 handfull New-wine 3 pounds and an half Boil them to half Let the Herbs and Roots be well pounded and strained out hard then boil them on a gentle Fire to the consistency of Honey and keep it Stokkerus 8. This is an approved Medicine for a Fistula Take of Leaves of red Cabbage and the Seeds of the same Roots of Madder each equal parts Bruise them in some Wine and boil them to a third strain out the Liquour and boil them to the consistency of Honey Give two spoonfulls morning and evening every day ¶ Filipendula and the Grains found at the end of its Root are good for the same Tulpius Fluor Muliebris or Womens Whites The Contents How it may be known from a Gonorrhoea I. The blame must not always be laid upon the Womb. II. Bleeding is sometimes good III. Cured within a month by taking a loosning Ptisan IV. Whether Diureticks be proper V. Whether they be always good VI. Every one must not be cured by a Sudorifick Diet. VII Astringents and Strengthners must be seasonably used VIII Issues in the Legs are good IX Sometimes it is caused by the use of Catharticks and Baths X. Those Women that have a dry Nose are usually subject to it XI The Womb must be strengthned XII A Malignant one imposes upon the Physician XIII Medicines I. SOme Women that are ill of a virulent Gonorrhoea hiding their fault under an innocent name pretend they are ill of the Whites because in both cases abundance of filth is voided But the Chirurgeon may easily distinguish the Whites from a Gonorrhoea and he may satisfie himself a Gonorrhoea will never be cured without Salivation Paraeus II. The cause which continually breeds the corrupt humour is sometimes in the Womb sometimes in other principal parts They are therefore grievously mistaken who ascribe the cause of all that comes from the Womb and of the suppression of the Menses to the Womb alone For in what Women cold Bowels or obstructed or scirrhous have caused Crudities an ill Habit or Dropsie the corrupted humour being poured into several parts of the body often falls upon the Womb and tending that way purges the Body which is done in some others by urine or stool Fernelius III. Seeing the Whites depend upon a Cacochymie and it being drawn to the Veins by Phlebotomy may infect the mass of Bloud there seems no room for Phlebotomy Besides since in this chronical Disease strength decays much and the Body is often brought to a consumption it appears it ought not to be farther wasted by Bleeding and be deprived of its Aliment Yet it is thus determined that if this Flux be not solitary and pure but be mixt with a little bloud and look red then bloud may be let As also if there be any great heat in the Liver or acrimony of the bilious juice joined with this Flux But in other cases especially when the case is grown inveterate it is better to abstain from Bleeding Rivâ—rius IV. A Woman of forty had been long troubled with the Whites after many Medicines tried in vain she was perfectly cured with taking a laxative Ptisan every day for a month The Composition was this Take of cleansed Senna 1 drachm Coriander-seed prepared and scraped Liquorice each 1 drachm and an half Spring-water wherein three drachms of Tamarinds and 1 drachm of Mastich-wood have been boiled one glass Infuse them cold for one night and let her take the colature two hours in the morning before she eat Idem V. There is no small difficulty to tell whether Diureticks be proper for they do not onely provoke urine but the menstrua by heating and attenuating the humours contained in the Veins Yet they are approved by all Authours and by Galen himself who used them in Boëthius his Wife The reason is because Diureticks provoke urine primarily and the menses secondarily and as it were by accident then the Kidneys draw the serous matter continually the Womb onely receives it Wherefore it is likely that
Bowels but onely from the obstruction of the veins that come to the Womb Frid. Hofmannus according to Minsicthus his advice Vomits must be avoided VII The Terms being near in some Viragoes and restagnating because of the narrowness of the Vessels do create a great deal of trouble to the ferment both of the first and second digestion so that thence there arises loss of colour in the face and other symptoms representing the green-sickness in Maids especially if over and above there be an Astral Influx that hinders the Terms the said Symptoms do not onely grow worse but the Cure also proves very difficult In the mean time at the beginning violent Expellers which onely disturb the morbifick matter and doe no good must be avoided but they must be moderately moving and also they must help the fermentation of the first and second Concoction Of which rank are Extract of the lesser Centaury Juniper Mugwort Species Dialaur Minsicthi Extract Splen Bov. Elixir proprietatis Paracelsi Vterinum Crollii if instead of Spirit of Wine Spirit of Baum and Sage be used adding toward the latter end a sufficient quantity of Salt of Mugwort for these things moderately provoke the Terms strengthen the concoction of the Bowels resist putrefaction and are good against Worms Frid. Hofmannus if there be any VIII Galen 5. Aphor. 46. says that if the Mouth of the Womb be compressed by a swelling the Terms must not be provoked The reason is because the swelling would increase and the Disease would be inraged by giving things to provoke the Terms Thus they are in errour who when the Vessels of the Womb are compressed either by a swelling or too much Fatness they do open the Saphoena and they do not see that the swellings increase Therefore the Basilick vein must be opened Sanctorius IX If the Terms flow not for want of bloud as after long Fevers great Evacuations and in any notable extenuation of the body they must not be provoked before the body be recruited with convenient restorative food before a sufficient quantity of bloud is bred and before the Disease the cause of extenuation be conquered which when done the Terms usually come of themselves But if it do not so fall out to the end Nature may be recalled to her duty bloud may be taken from the lower Veins according to the measure of the strength But we must take notice that every extenuation does not denote want of bloud but onely that which succeeds consuming Causes Riverius X. We must never use Remedies to provoke the Terms unless universal Evacuations were premised lest the humours being moved in great plenty to the Womb should increase the obstruction or being much attenuated should fall on other parts and produce much mischief So Schenckius reports that a Physician of Venice gave a Woman for the suppression of her Terms a Decoction before he had evacuated the Phlegm which was the cause of her Obstruction upon taking of which she fell into a Palsie Fortis XI But they must be given in a great quantity because much of their virtue is abated by the way from the Stomach to the Womb. Riverius XII If they be given at the going in or out of a Bath they exert their virtue the more powerfully because the Medicine gets into an open and warm body and yet much more effectually if they were given before bleeding in the foot Idem Some generous Remedies in a pertinacious Obstruction XIII Seeing the suppression of the Terms is caused for the most part by the obstruction and stuffing of the Vessels that go to the Womb and through the Womb we shall pursue this sort most And whereas we have shewn that this said obstruction is produced either by a viscid and glutinous Phlegm or by such a bloud it easily appears that inciding and detersion are indicated and required by the tenacity of the humour for its cure and the provoking of the Menstrua And both Acids and Aromaticks and things abounding with a lixivial Salt as well fixt as volatile and therefore fixt and volatile Salts themselves But because Acids serve to produce a glutinosity especially when they incline to Austerity therefore in curing of this Disease Aromaticks are deservedly preferred which Experience also it self testifies to be better than Acids Whether things be bitter or not but of various tasts they must be called Aromaticks And whoever is conversant in the Chymical mutations of things Natural he will find both far more powerfull things and more easie to be used than these things that are commonly used As Volatile Salts made of infinite things of all Bones Horns Hoofs Hair Bloud Urine Flesh and all parts of Animals whatever that is all Volatile Salts are good though I should prefer Oleous ones before the rest because they doe their work more kindly and successfully Whence also it is manifest that fixt Salts are less to be valued because since they are purer they operate the more violently And the said Volatile Salts may be conveniently used at any time and especially when all the bloud is glutinous at Dinner and Supper in a draught of Wine Beer Broth or any other liquour the Patient shall chuse But when the whole mass of bloud is not glutinous and pituitous though the said Volatile Salts may be used at meal-times yet they may be used to greater advantage at another time and especially when the Phlegm first dissolved by the motion of the body heat of the Air c. and carried to the Womb is by and by coagulated there again by the subsequent Cold for then it is good to take Volatile Salts upon an empty Stomach and also to dispose the body it self to a Sweat for so the virtue of the Medicines will the easilier penetrate to the farther end of the vessels and passages And above the rest I recommend Spirit of Sal Ammoniack to all when a stoppage of the Menstrua happens suddenly and lately upon heating and cooling of the body by benefit of which alone I have very well cured several in a short time by giving 3 4 5 or six drops as it is stronger or weaker in a spoonfull of Wine twice or thrice a day And not onely a Volatile Salt it self but all things also abounding with it whether Sudorificks or Diureticks are very proper It will be usefull also in a suppression that comes gradually to add such things to the Deobstruents that are used towards the latter end For Example make the following Apozeme Take of Root of Parsly Lovage each half an ounce shavings of Guajacum three drachms Saffafras half an ounce Juniper Berries two ounces Bay-berries half an ounce Scordium Penni-royal each half an handfull tops of lesser Centaury half an handfull Millet-seed two ounces Boil them in fair Water to 25 ounces of the Colature add of Syrup of Mugwort Carduus Benedictus each one ounce and an half Tincture of Cinnamon and Castor each half an ounce Oil
let alone there till the Ear and parts adjoyning swell then the Tent must be moved a little that the water which is gathered may run out When this is drawn out the Swelling of the Ear will fall T. Bartholinus and the Ophthalmia will be laid XI Hippocrates Aphorism 17. 6. commends Purging And Galen in comment And this is one Example of those things which are evacuated spontaneously and beneficially which the Physician must imitate Reason and Experience agree with it because Inflammations and Pains of the eyes are caused by very sharp and salt humours which must be carried off from the eyes by Purging and it has usually good success On the contrary one would think Purging should be rejected because Bloud not Cacochymie offends the redness and inflammation are witnesses Therefore Hippocrates 2. Epid. Sect. 2. tract 18. says Bloudletting cures a Quinsie and Bleer-eyedness Besides Purges disturb and put the Humours in Motion and drive them into the weak parts which are inflamed or in pain For a Solution we must know that an Ophthalmia or a pain in the eyes comes either from a Defluxion or a Gathering When Humours come from the Head or the Parts underneath and from the whole Body both the Head and the whole Body must be Purged Therefore Hippocrates lib. de Visu says Purging of the Head and the lower Belly is good for an annual and epidemical Bleereyedness For such an one indicates that there is matter continually sent from a Cacochymie either in the whole or in the Head whence arise the ends of Purging But when there is onely a Plethora Bloud must be let according to Hippocrates his advice in the same place For some such pains letting of bloud is good if the body abound with Bloud But where the Disease comes from a Gathering Purges doe plainly harm and not good for the eyes are weakned by them and through weakness their proper aliment degenerates into a bad juice And we may very well say that such Diseases of the eyes as are effects onely of an Intemperature and plenitude of the Head are irritated by Purges and the greater share of the fluent Humour runs to the eyes For the Brain sometimes uses the eyes as its proper Emunctories to purge it self which if they be disaffected do readily receive the Excrement But when the mischief arises from the Bowels below and from the impurity of the Belly it is safe to give a Purge Moreover you may not be much out if you say Hippocrates in his Aphorisms spoke of gentle Medicines and a spontaneous loosness But in other places of â—trong Elaterick Medicines which with their acrimony and heat hurt the eyes XII Indications for applying of Local Medicines are taken chiefly from the place affected For the laxity of the part the sensibility aptitude to suffer sympathy and vicinity especially of the pupil and humours of the eyes all these things will not permit us to apply any thing that is violently repercutient or resolvent For things that are too bitter and astringent though they be highly repercutient yet they irritate and exasperate these parts of the eye and cause greater pain And such things as are over-hot and sharp do resolve indeed powerfully but they increase the Inflammation and exterminate the part from the proper temperature of the eyes Mâ—ntanus Therefore things moderate in each faculty must be applied both in repelling and discussing ¶ Repellents must be such as by their excessive Coldness and Astriction may not condense the Coats of the eyes and shut the pores nor such as may exasperate the eyes by their driness nor such as may increase pain upon either score Therefore let Lenients be mixt with cold and astringent things as Milk Saffron Sarcocolla The same things must not be over-tough lest they grow hard and clammy and stick too close to the eyes And therefore though the White of an Egg beaten up with Roâ—e-water or the like be a most proper remedy to repell yet we must see that we mix nothing with it to make it hard and stick to the eyes Let Medicines also which are put in the eyes be carefully cleansed from their filth and very finely powdered and sifted that no asperity may be in them nor biting Therefore if their biting depend upon heat let them be often infused in water of Roses Endive Barly or Womans Milk If up â—n coldness let them be infused in a decoction of Raisins Sennertus Fenugreek or Melilot with sweet Wine Gutta Serena Visus Imminutio or a Blindness without any visible cause Diminution of Sight XIII If this Disease come of Humours gathered in the fore-part of the Brain which compress the Nerve it may the more easily be cured â—o Hildanus cent 5. obs 19. reports how a certain Man lost his â—ight by a Vomit who was cured by taking another For the Humours were driven to the Optick Nerves by the first and were removed by the second The easiness of the Cure shewed the matter was not fixt in the substance of the Nerve but onely lay on the outside of it XIV A malignant Vapour from the Womb cast a Woman with Child into such bitter Contractions of the Nerves that she was delivered and knew it not Besides she lost her Sight though there was no fault to be seen in the outer Coat of the eye which could never be cured without effectual remedies of all which Vesicatories applied to the inside of her Thighs did her most good by means whereof the bloud that tended upwards was drawn down so effectually Tulpius that she escaped Blindness XV. A young Woman fell into a Gutta Serena She resolved to fast her self to death and would take nothing but what her Husband forced her to take She persisted in this condition for a year and was made very lean her innate heat for want of food feeding upon her natural moisture and on that moisture also which caused the Gutta Serena So the Patient recovered her Sight and recovered by a restorative Diet. Formius XVI We reade how some Blind Men have recovered their sight and that suddenly by a wound transverse the Forehead some by a loosness coming suddenly The cause was nothing but a compression of the Optick Nerves by the Vessels near them that is by the Veins and Arteries being swelled with Bloud which were emptied by the Wound Wherefore sometimes and with very good success in the Blindness which they call Gutta Serena I open the middle vein in the Forehead Spigelius and let it bleed as long as it will XVII I am of Platerus his opinion who thinks that hurts of the Sight which are commonly ascribed to some fault in the Spirits may rather be ascribed to the ill Site of the Crystalline Humour or some faults in the other humours which often happen in young Men in whom there is no fault or want of Spirits to be seen and such faults may be amended by help of Spectacles
often seen a scruple or halt a drachm of it given by the Midwives of Goritia without any inconvenience It is given alive not killed For that which is killed sticks to the Stomach and Guts and causes cruel Symptomes yet it must be washed first in strong Vinegar mixt with Salt then it must be strained through a piece of Leather For so they that use it do cleanse it Matthiolus IX When delivery is hindred through the Mothers fauâ—t because the Ossa Pubis and Coccygis are not so movable by reason of Age it is good to soften them by degrees with an emollient fomentation which may very well be done two or three weeks before her time For so the Cartilages that knit the said Bones are by degrees soâ—tned and the Bones themselves part more easily For they scarce part asunder but give a little to make the passage for the Child more easie Therefore the steam of Emollient Herbs boiled received in a Perforated Chair will be good Such Fomentations do not only afford Women the foresaid benefit that is to cause the Child to come out with more ease and less trouble but after the use of them Women are not so apt to be lame when they are up again Because then the said Bones do give way with less violence and therefore the softned Cartilages do more easily return to their former state Which when they are left hard and parted by violence and in a manner severed from the Bones they do seldom return to their Pristine state but they leave the knitting of the Bones more lax Sylvius de le Boe. and Women more or less subject to halt X. In hard Labour it is a case that deserves observation Oftentimes the Child is born in a manner dead but before the Navil is tied by pressing the Blood in as if it had received nourishment it is restored to life again which otherwise had died D. G. Horstius told me he was at Rome when the Child was in the Midwife's Hand and the After-burthen remained in the Mothers Womb and she fell into a grievous Swooning so that one while she seemed to expire anon the Child was just dying when immediately the Midwife called out Wine Wine Greek Wine was brought she warmed a little of it and opening the Womans Mouth with a Stick she poured a Glass of it into her Mouth so the Woman came to her self again immediately and was as if she had risen from the dead and at the same moment the Child began to stir finely so that both survived and all was well Therefore in all Swooning we must not use Vinegar or Lavender Water as is done commonly but the best Aromatick Wine Which also Doctor Sittardus judged should be done unless the Swooning be with Vomiting for then it is not amiss not only to give Wine but to hold a Toste of Bread and Vinegar to the Nose â—â—lenander XI We must not only use things that have a virtue to facilitate Birth from an Elementary quality but such as have it from their whole Substance such as the Eagle-Stone which when I had ordered to be tied to the Thigh of a Woman in Travel after it had been there a while a huge monstrous Membrane came away with much ado but as soon as it was come away I ordered the Stone to be taken off for if it should have tarried long on it would have drawn out the Womb by its potent virtue which I found in the Wife of N. to whom being in hard Labour when the Women had tied a great Eagle-Stone to her Thigh and after she was delivered did not take it off her Thigh through carelesness and forgetfulness within a few hours her Womb came out Valleriola lib. 10. obs 10. and killed the poor Woman XII One Cause of hard Labour omitted by most yet often taken notice of by Arantius consists in the bad formation of the Ossa Pubis which are not aptly disposed that is broader than they should be and flat on the outside so that within they are rather gibbous than hollow and come near to the Os Sacrum and Coccyx and are so strait that the Child has no way to get out Then the business must be committed to Nature seeing there is nothing that the Physician can do Ferdinandus XIII Things that promote the Birth do operate as they either comfort Nature wherefore a draught of Malmsey Wine is good and Volatil Cordials â—nd all Spices Or they stimulate and make the motion quicker and they are watry and not altogether void of volatility such as Penny-royal Water Or emollient as Water of White Lilies Or Diuretick as an Emulsion of Gromil Seed and Violet Seed with some appropriate Water Hither belong Oyly things as Oyl of Amber Amber also it self and Saline things chief among which is Venice Borax Or they asswage and comfort the Nervous Kind the painful irritation whereof renders the Labour much more difficult Hither belong Cinnabarines Wedelius XIV But things to facilitate Birth must not be given unless the Child be near and Nature want help To which is requisite not only 1. That the space of nine months or 280 days be fully compleat but also 2. That there be true pains of Travel and 3. Which is chief of all That the Child be near the Birth for unless the Aperture expand it self it is in vain to irritate and solâ—icite Nature when she does not act since thereby she as hitherto acting well is disturbed so that endeavouring to eject the Child unseasonably that is by giving this Provocative she puts it in a bad posture and causes a Preternatural difficult Travel As otherwise the Midwives themselves also do in this very much offend while they encourage the Woman too soon provoke force and set them on a Stool Idem XV. The Midwife cannot foresee much less correct all the vitious postures Indeed it is easily ordered in a Book Change amend the situation of the Child but in so narrow a place it is scare possible to do it quickly and successfully For how can she amend what she does not sâ—e You will say Can she not feel I answer in so narrow a room she may be mistaken in her Judgment How often do Midwives judging only by feeling mistake the Shoulder or the Elbow for the Head Then how can the Midwife help Agrippa's or Children coming with their Feet foremost Ammannus Med. Crit. p. 559. What if the Child come double at the Hips How can she help this ill posture Medicines especially made use of by eminent Physicians 1. Amber given to Women with Child hastens the Birth wonderfully A certain Physician gave 1 scruple of Borax dissolved in a Decoction of Motherwort or Savine to Women in hard Labour Baricellus and he did wonders for quickly the Child came out alive or dead 2. Let the Patient tie the Root of Gourd to her Kidneys and she will presently be delivered After she is
that are Sleepy and in a Feaver than which nothing worse can be given Dodoneus pempt 2. l. 4. c. 7. for they do a great deal of harm and often kill the Patient Sterilitas or Barrenness The Contents The Cure of Barrenness in Women is performed especially by Fomentations and Purges I. What must be the Diet of them that are Barren through Salacity II. There ought not to be only one way of Cure III. For whom Stoves and Baths are good IV. Cured by eating of Polypi V. The reduction of the Mouth of the Womb when turned aside VI. Fumes and Steams are not good for the same Women VII The Cure of Barrenness from Fatness VIII Electuaries may be variously made up IX The efficacy of Sudorificks X. And of Bathes XI Conditions concerning Venus XII What the Virtue of Pessaries should be XIII Medicines I. MUch is written by Hippocrates libro de Sterilibus and in his Aphorisms of the causes of Barrenness and of its manifold Cure But Sect. 5. lib. 2. Epidem all the Cures of these causes are in a manner reduced to these 2 heads Fomentations and Purges The Barren saith he must Foment and Purge for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he there uses signifie a purging Medicine when it is used alone and nothing is added to it which may signifie some other sort of Medicine But by the name of Fomentation I would have understood whatever is applyed inwardly or outwardly by way of Cataplasm Irrigation Clysters Pessary or Fumigation as by the name of Purging I would have understood both Vomiting and Purging For every cause of Barrenness is either a fault of Composition or of Temperament or an Ulcer of the Womb or a Cacochymie of the whole Body Among the faults of the Composition of the Womb there is the smallness and grossness of the Womb the straitness and hardness of the mouth of the Womb so that it is not dilated sufficiently or a perversion of the Mouth of the Womb or the wideness of it so that it gapes and does not retain or straitness of the Vessels of the Womb so that for this reason the Menstruous evacuations do not come into it or the laxity of it so that they run too much out In fault of temperament there is too much heat which consumes the Seed or cold which does not concoct it or dryness which consumes the Seed and nourishment of the Fatus or moisture which hinders its retention which also Ulcers of the Womb do hinder Cacochymies when they are poured into the Womb corrupt the Seed when they are not poured they do not hinder Conception yet they make a bad juice for the Foetus and therefore either cause Abortion or a Diseased Foetus Vitiated Compositions if they be contracted from the first generation are usually incurable but if they are caused by other Diseases they may be Cured by curing of these Diseases Cacochymies require Purging All intemperatures of the Womb which are joyned with an Humour or with a Cacochymie of the whole Body and especially Ulcers require Purging and then Fomentations Affusions Insessions and Pessaries And all these things must for heat be cold for cold hot for moisture dry for dryness moist and for Ulcers such as the Cure of Ulcers requires Therefore it is evident that the whole Cure of barren Women consists in Fomentations and Purges Vallesius II. If a Woman Conceive not through Salacity which is caused by the acrimony and heat of Seed she must be fed with gross Diet such as thickens the Blood and the Seed It is good to eat Fruits as Pears Rondeletius Apples and Chesnuts which breed gross Humors and Vapors and retard that violence III. Many Women Conceive not because they have moist and foul Wombs so that they neither eagerly receive Seed nor are able to retain it which disposition indeed is contrary to that wherein they want the Menstrua that the Womb may be open for there is a two fold Cause why newly after the evacuation of the Menstrua Conception is easy in moist Women both because the Mouth of the Womb and the Veins and Arteries which end there having been opened remain so and because when the Womb has been newly evacuated it draws any Moisture more greedily This may easily be known by what comes out for mucous matter frequently comes from such Hippocrates lib. 2. Epid. sect 3. says this is cured by a dry course of Diet. Here by Diet must be understood the whole course of ones Life where in the whole Method of Cure is comprehended Because in this affection the Diet which consists in Meat and Drink is not sufficient The Cure must in this as in other Diseases be contrary to the Affection So that hence it is manifest that there is not only one way of curing barren Women as vulgar Physicians have perswaded themselves but that it is various and manifold according to the cause of Barrenness For it is proper only to moisten some and Heat others Vallesius and to cool and moisten others IV. Moist Women use Stoves and they that have a hard or cold Womb Bathes But they must use them a little before their Menses come Rondeletius V. Hippocrates lib. 2. Epid. sect 6. advises to give a Woman that she may conceive Polypi to eat roasted in the Flame very hot and almost half burnt and to beat Aegyptian Nitre and Coriander and Cummin together and to make Balls of them and apply them to the pudendum But this Cure is not proper for all Barren Women but only for such as are Cold and have but little Seed For the Polypus is a most salacious Animal and goes into a Consumption through too much coïtion and such things must needs increase Seed for they consist of such a juice and are apt to be turned into the same And what he here orders to be given is heating and therefore tentiginous Although I should leave out Cummin Vallesius because it wastes Flatulencies as does Rue VI. Among the faults of Composition it is evident from Hippocrates his Doctrine that the chief and most effectual Cause of Barrenness is the turning aside of the Mouth of the Womb the Causes and Cure whereof he shews lib. de sterilibus de Natura muliebr If the Womb turn on one side says he a Cough takes them the Pain ascends and the Womb lies like a Ball is sore when it is touched like an Vlcer And after many such things he orders to purge Women and to wash in warm Water and to use hot Things And a little after If the Womb be turned aside and the Mouth it self be awry c. When a Woman is so you must give her a Purge and wash with warm Water and foment her The whole therefore of the Cure in this Case consists in the reduction of the Womb to its former place which indeed cannot be done except either the Humors be purged by
Passages of her Breath were so much stopt with gross Fumes from the bad Mushromes XI I think it is no absurdity to say that Men sometimes have Fits like to Hysterick ones The Cause whereof proceeds from the small Gut in which through the vitious effervescency of concurrent Humors especially of a too austere pancreatick Juice Wind and Vapors of the same Nature arise And when they rise to the Oesophagus Blasius append ad Vessingii Anat. part § 190. they so straiten it that the Patients apprehend themselves in danger of Choaking XII In the greatest fear of Suffocation in Flatulent and hysterick Fits put the Patient's Feet in warm Water H â—ferus l. 21 c. 2. and you will immediately find him breathe better Suffocatio Affectus hysterici Hysterick Fits or Fits of the Mother The Contents Whether Blood may be let in the Fit I. Cuppping-glasses must not be set above the Navil II. Whether a Vomit be convenient III. Whether Purging IV. All hysterick Women are not benefited with stinking Things nor all offended with odoriferous things V. Whether Titillations and Frictions of the Pudenda be lawful VI. Whether the Mouth and Nose should be stopt VII Whether pouring cold Water upon the Abdomen may be Practised according to Hippocrates his Mind VIII This Disease must not alwayes be resisted by Heaters IX With what Caution Narcoticks may be used X. Sinapisms good to prevent the Fit XI The efficacy of Castor XII Perfumes as Musk and Amber whether alwayes hurtful XIII The efficacy of Musk taken inwardly XIV Remedies must be timerously administred to Women with Child XV. A Relapse must be prevented XVI The efficacy of Antimonium diaphoreticum XVII An hysterick Fit often mistaken for one of the Spleen XVIII Camphire is not good for all XIX Laudanum does Wonders XX. Medicines 1. IN a Fit from the retention of the Menses a Vein may be Breathed Not many days ago I had a Woman in Cure who was taken with a Fit eight times a day and another Physician who was there would not admit of Bleeding yet she was Bled against the Physicians Will and she Recovered immediately Wherefore in such a Case we may Bleed with boldness Capivaccius l. 4. c. 10. otherwise many Women might Perish II. Cupping glasses with much Fire must be set to the Thighs without Scarification and then to the Groin on each side for when they are set to these Parts they draw the Womb down because of the Ligaments But they must not be set above the Navil as some through a great Mistake do for either they will draw the Womb up or keep it up A Castro l. 2. c. 1. when it is so Yet they may be applied between the os pubis and the Navil on each side III. Aetius commends a Vomit but it may be a question whether it be convenient For if the morbifick Cause be lodged in the Womb it is scarce credible that it should be drawn to the Stomach through so many windings and turnings and so be evacuated To evacuate the antecedent Cause by reason it does not as yet cause a Fit will do but little good Besides Vomiting in the Fit draws the Humors upwards and disturbs those in the Womb and so may make the Fit the worse Nevertheless it is certain that a Vomit does good as well in the Fit as out of it for as Sneezing does good by the Motion and Agitation so does a Vomit for in the act of Vomiting not only the morbifick Humors which cause the Mischief are evacuated but also by the straining of the Muscles of the abdomen the Womb is forced downwards and the Vapors arising thence are dissipated And seeing the Womb is easily offended with all manner of things the Cause does not alwayes ly in it but sometimes in other Parts also which provoke the Womb by their cacochymie to inordinate Motions as hysterick Women often complain of ails in their Spleen Primirosius de morb Mul. l. 3. c. 11. If therefore the Cause ly any where else than in the Womb it may be excluded by Vomit and so it will be convenient as well upon account of the conjunct as antecedent Cause IV. I have long since by experience found that such Symptomes as these are much exasperated and increased and others also superadded by sharp and violent Medicines Wherefore it is my Advice Mercatus de indic Med. l. 1. c. 6. that you alwayes use gentle Medicines in them although the Fits be Violent by which Method I have seen several restored to Health beyond expectation Heurnius ¶ That the Womb is grievously affected by the Guts has been my Observation for when a Purge has been given to them that are subject to Fits they are usually most grievously afflicted ¶ If Fits arise from corrupt and poysonous Humors there is no better Remedy then often to purge the Body according to the Condition and Nature of the peccant Humor Here we must consider from what Parts such Excrements flow into the Womb and what they are that we may help so great an Evil. A Vomit seems here peculiarly convenient in my Opinion because when all the Excrements of the first ways are purged revulsion is made from the Womb but not so in other Causes Augenius because neither abundance of Blood nor Seed can be amended by Vomiting unless by Accident ¶ Pilulae faetidae majores though they be purging yet half a drachm of them may be advantageously given in the Fit for they evacuate gently and use not to purge Riverius till the Fit is first over so that you need fear no danger from the Working V. Camerarius in horto suo is the Author that Angelica with Zeodary given in Wine is an excellent Remedy against Fits of the Mother Which as Reason denyes to be good for every Hysterick Woman so Experience will prove that it is good for this and the other individual for some Hysterick Women are refreshed with grateful smells as Balsame Cinnamon Amber and Musk on the contrary some are brought into great danger by assa foetida Castor and the most common and famous Remedies for uterine Symptomes Of which Matter I shall produce two contrary but singular Examples A few years since I was called to a Matron who was taken with exceeding violent hysterick Symptomes To whom when I advised that they should besides a Galbanum Plaster which the Women had applied before I came give her also some Hysterick water and should hang about her Neck a piece of Castor tied in a thin Silk that they should burn some Partridge Feathers or toste some Nutmeg Then she replied with a whispering Voice Must I then who cannot bear the smell of an hysterick Plaister bear moreover these stinking Things Certainly I shall be Killed who use to be refreshed with the smell of a Nutmeg but unburnt Wherefore I carefully enquired of her whether or no she was offended with Spanish or Italian Gloves that smelled of
which Bonetus and Waltherus quoted ever were or are ever like to be in the English Tongue So that for this very Reason the Translation may deserve a higher Esteem among mere English than the Original among the Learned since these can understand the Principal Authours without an Interpreter the other cannot and so for want of one were it not for this Book might live in Ignorance of many Excellent things The Authour Bonetus is an ancient Dr. of Physick in Geneva a Man of great and succesfull Practice and of infinite Learning as other of his Works but this especially do shew He dedicated this to a Noble Personage of this Land as you may see before And how can we more gratefully acknowledge his kindness than by letting our Countrey-men understand how generous it is to all Men in his publishing so usefull a Work in Latine and in particular to our Countreymen in his dedicating it to a Noble Earl of our Nation Now because the Alphabetical Disposition of the Diseases according to the Latin Tongue will not be serviceable to the English Reader we have made an English Index whereby you may find the Disease which you want in the Book and then run but over the Contents and you will meet with your Case And after all I appeal to the Learned Whether these two Books both of which are valued by such when they are made One be not a Book of the greatest use in Physick that has ever been published in any Tongue and much more in English Farewell A GUIDE TO The Practical Physician BOOK I. Of Diseases beginning with the Letter A. Abortus or Miscarriage The Contents It ought not to be procured for the remedying of any diseases the woman with child is troubled withall I. How a simple voiding of bloud may be distinguish'd from it II. The distinction of its causes according to the times that the woman is gone with child III. The symptoms that use to accompany it require the providence of the Physician IV. How the concomitant Symptoms may be cured V. A prevention of it by frequent bloud-letting VI VII Plasters apâ—ly'd are not to be kept on long VIII When there is occasion for Adstringents and when for Looseners IX An instant Abortion is not always to be hasten'd from the example of one that was prevented X. When it is imminent medicines that are hot must be mixed with Adstringents XI Sometimes Adstringents are onely to be applied to the Loins XII Remedies applied below are safer than those taken in at the mouth XIII Wine to be abstain'd from XIV Medicines I. DAILY Observation shews that Women with child are subject to many and great distempers both Chronical and Acute which are made more dangerous and are harder to cure from their being in that condition especially Acute diseases as Fevers Aphor. 30. lib. 5. Pleurisies c. Hippocrates says that it is deadly for a woman with child to be seiz'd upon by any acute disease And according to Galen there is a double danger one from the Fever 's killing the Child another from the thin diet that is requisite for acute Diseases but is injurious to Women with Child as also from the necessity of the greater remedies such as bleeding and purging But some rash men if they see their Patient in great danger advise the procuring of Abortion Now Abortion is more painfull and dangerous than a natural birth from the violent divulsion of the unripe Foetus whence very many die some escape but not without grievous symptoms And the danger is the greater if the Foetus be pretty big as if the Woman be gone seven or eight months or if the Woman her self be feeble and weak or if she labour under dangerous acute Distempers Even healthfull Women never miscarry without danger some retain the Foetus so pertinaciously that no medicines will make them miscarry Wherefore their advice is pernicious that counsel the procuring of Abortion in acute Diseases 1. Because in many it is not easily done 2. It cannot be done but by dangerous Remedies and those often repeated which aggravate and heighten acute Diseases 3. Nor is it safe seeing Abortion it self is a dangerous and deadly affection as experience shews for by the aphorism above cited it is deadly to a Woman with Child to be taken with an acute Disease from the Fever the thin diet and the danger of Abortion now 't is bad to add affliction to the afflicted the Mother often perishes by destroying the Foetus with such Remedies 4. Even a natural Birth seldom gives any relief to several Diseases much less will Abortion cure any Disease especially such as is acute no it will rather make it worse unless the Foetus be already dead for then indeed 't is necessary to exclude it Yet we must not abstain from necessary helps as bleeding and purging which often prevent Miscarriage and if it sometimes follow upon the use of them 't is not to be imputed to the Remedies being duly administred but to the sharpness of the Distemper that is too hard for all Remedies or to the weakness of the Mother or lastly to the death or debility of the Foetus Hippocrates in his oath promises Primâ—os de vulg err l. 4. c. 53. that he will give no Woman any Medicine to procure Abortion 'T is the part of a Physician not to destroy but to preserve as much as he can II. Midwives ought to be very heedfull for it sometimes happens that a Woman with Child voids by her Womb much bloud and imprudent Midwives think that she has miscarried which yet is not so but onely a Miscarriage is imminent which whilst it is it ought to be prevented by Adstringents but if it be actually made then we must help by Looseners Wherefore Midwives ought to examine diligently the matter that comes forth whether it be bloud or flesh or geniture or the Foetus for by washing what comes forth in water one may easily discern whether there have been truly an Abortion or not Câ—â—ivace â—ract l. 4. c. 8. III. Serapio's opinion is to be noted He thinks if a Miscarriage happen in the first or second month that it is caused by wind or a preposterous agitation of the Mother breaking the slender fibres if it happen in the middle months that slimy humours which loosen the acetabula or saucers of the Womb are the cause of it and lastly if it happen in the last months that it is commonly caused either from want of nourishment or straitness of the Womb. IV. The Wife of N. miscarrying she first voided the Secondines with much bloud which brought her very low and weak the flux of bloud abating the next day she excluded the Foetus that was four months old after this she seem'd to grow better and cleans'd indifferently well onely what came away was very stinking and cadaverous On the seventh day she was taken with a high Fever and voided the placenta or womb liver
Sanctorius art par c. 94. taken every day for a month together four hours before Meal VI. The Feet should be held in some mollifying Decoction for as Astringents are applied to the Soles of the Feet and the Legs are bathed in some Astringent Bath Enchir. med pract when we would bind a loose Body So the same Parts may be bathed in some emollient Bath to make a Costive Body loose VII A Costive Body had brought a man almost to Death's door Solutives whether taken in at the Mouth or by Clyster were used to no purpose The Obstruction continued immoveable for above a fortnight The Belly rose in a hard swelling with preternatural Heat and worse Symptomes I therefore judging that a desperate Disease must have a desperate cure gave six grains of Tartarum Emeticum to be taken in fat Broth without salt and ordered a suppository to be given at the same time â—â—â—renfored Iaâ—endornius â—â—s curiâ—s anni 73. obs 16. Upon this the long desired Discharge both upwards and downwards did succeed The Patient was for a while very weak but a little after he recovered perfectly VIII A Maid laboured of irresoluble Obstructions A desperate Apothecary when he had tried several things gave this desperate Maid two ounces of crude Mercury Sam. Ledelius mis curios anni 72. obs 225. After which plentifull Evacuation succeeded and after a few days she recovered her former Health IX I knew a Man who went to stool but once in a fortnight or three weeks and ever with so hard straining that bloud started out of his Nose Many laugh at Ficinus who lib. de san Studios cautions men not to strain too hard in going to stool for fear of an Apoplexy or Epilepsy What such hard straining can doe this present Instance doth shew Nor is it any wonder to me that the Veins and Arteries in the Plexus Choroides part whereof reaches to the Ventricles of the Brain should either be burst or so strained Ph Salmuth cenâ— 3. obs â—â— as to straiten the Brain and so cause those Diseases X. The Excrements are often gathered in the upper and larger part of the Colon near the Liver and Stomach And because the Body is perspirable if at any time one be slow in going to stool the Stomach grows squeamish by reason of the filthy stink of the Excrements the appetite is destroyed the Heart faints Riolan anâ—â—ropograph and the Brain is stuffed and oppress'd then nothing is better than to wash the Guts with Clysters XI Phlegm bred in the Stomach conduces to the better expulsion of the Excrements for unless the Intestines be moist and slippery Excretion will be difficult We understand the necessity of this thing from some persons troubled with the Colick whose Guts were so sodden with Clysters Fomentations Riolanus in Enchirid. and all sorts of Medicines that they were like Leather such never go to stool except forced XII The Ancients used pickled Meats and they are left off by us to the great detriment of the Sick For it is certain that these Pickled things did not onely cut Phlegm and provoke to Stool but they exceedingly strengthened the Stomach Crâ—to helped Concoction and stirred up an Appetite But if the Body itch we must abstain from them Medicines especially made use of by eminent Physicians 1. A Medicine for Costiveness T. Bartholin obs med 5. One cured a Costiveness that had lasted three weeks by drinking onely a good quantity of Whey made of Goat's Milk I. Agricola in Poppium tract de tartaro p. 688. 2. Tincture of Tartar is very good for Costiveness 3. It is wonderfull but usual for Lettuce eaten in a small quantity to bind but eaten plentifully Al. Bened. l. 13. c. 16. to loosen 4. To loosen a Costive Body Borel hist obs med cent 2. obs 18. Tost a slice of Bread besprinkle it with Oil Olive eat it in the Morning you will see the effect especially if you do it twice or thrice 5. An easy Purge Take of the Oil of Indian Pine nut or of Ricinus Americanus drawn by Expression Id. cent 3. obs 29. 2 drops in drink or broth it will make you purge gently 6. The Pulp of Corinths without any mixture is highly commended as a Specifick Fred. Hof meth med l. 1. c. 19. 7. The following Broth doth most certainly loosen the Body and leave it loose for some days following Take of Bete Leaves Mercury River prax med l. 11. c. 3. each 1 handfull Boil them in ordinary Broth Take a Mess of it an hour before dinner 8. Aloes is very good to loosen a costive Body and Species Hierae made with 8 parts of Aloes which may be given from half a drachm to a whole one Sennert l. 3. pract part 2. sect 2. c. 4. an hour before Supper But it must not be often used especially in dry Bodies Aneurisma or an Aneurism The Contents It s Nature and Cure I. Cured by Purging II. Cured by hard Binding III. Opening seldom safe IV. A Caution when an Artery is opened instead of a Vein V. Cured with a Cap of beaten Lead VI. Medicines I. I Could never conceive how the inner coat of an Artery can be broke which is thick and the outer Coat which is as thin as a Cobweb should endure whole which is Sennertus his opinion and so breed an Aneurism when indeed there is no such distinction of Coats at all But I acknowledge it may be bred two ways One way from an External Another from an Internal cause The External is a Wound made in the Artery by an unskilfull Surgeon For the Artery may be skinned over and yet not so soundly healed but that the Bloud forcing violently on the weak part of the Coat may raise a Tumour upon it The internal cause is the Opening or Anastomosis of a little Artery by which the Bloud passing into the empty space or Interstice of the Muscles is congealed into a Clod which increasing by degrees and by continuance being more concocted turns into a fleshy Mass not unlike the Muscles which is found hollow and contains in its middle plenty of black clotted Bloud And in what I say I am back'd with experience acquired by Dissection of an Aneurism in Venice Anno 1643. and with the Testimony of famous Bogdanus Observat Med. 8. But as the first case may be cured by binding and pressing the Tumour so the second case scarce admits of any cure at all unless one will cut the Artery by dividing the skin take away the fleshy lump I. Van Hâ—â—â— microtech sect 26. and fill up the broken Artery with new flesh by Sarcoticks I and a Surgeon were called to cure an Aneurism occasioned by letting of Bloud I presently threw away the things which were improperly applyed to soften the Tâ—â—our Horstius Tom. 2. Lib. 9. Obs 1. because Gangrene Mortification and Corruption of the Part do follow such Softning and
Physician a Drying and Sweating Diet he endeavoured to dry his Head with Bags Plasters c. he used Apophlegmatisms Sneezing yea and made an Issue behind in his Head all in vain At that time I was following my Studies at Paris he sent me a Description of his Disease to shew it to some famous Physicians I consulted severally with Monsieur Carolus Buvardus Chief Physician to Lewis XIII with Monsieur Curaeus de la Chambre Physician to the High Chancellour and with Monsieur Hurduynus de S. Jaques Physician to the Hospital of Charity They well considering the Constitution of the Patient declared The Disease was Sympathick arising from Fumes ascending from the Hypochondria affecting the Top of the Chimney i. e. the Gullet and that the tempering and exclusion of Melancholick Humours must be lookt after they prescribed him Spaw Waters the use of Chalybeates an Issue in each Leg and stopt up that in his head they order'd Leeches to the Haemorrhoids and other things to conquer the Melancholick Humours The Patient consented who a little after was rid both of his Melancholy and his Quinsey XXIII In this Controversie I think we must take great notice whether the Body abound with Bloud either naturally or because of the manner of living or of some accustomed Evacuation stopt for then I think we should bleed in the Ham or the Ancle and the same day if the Disease be urgent or the next to Breathe the Jecorary or Cephalick Vein and if the Disease abate not we must proceed to Bleed under the Tongue But if there be no such great plenty of Bloud Septalius Animad vers lib. 6. Sect. 113. I think it better not to meddle with the Veins of the lower parts but presently to open a Vein in the Arm and afterwards to bleed in the upper Veins XXIV But Bloud-letting in the Arm must be repeated not onely because it makes better Revulsion and causeth less weakness but because it is often observed that there is new afflux to the Part affected either from some other Part transfusing Matter Idem Ibid. Sect. 114. that it may ease it self of the burthen wherewith it is oppressed or by the Part affected drawing by reason of its pain and heat XXV And seeing some either in the Working of their Physick or that they naturally abhor it are apt to vomit it up again it is better always to give Potions than Pills or Bolus's for if they should happen to Vomit either a Bolus or Pills when they are suddenly and with great Violence forced to the Passage straitned with the Inflammation Idem Ibid. Sect. 115. there is no small danger of Strangling XXVI Bags that are made up with drying Powders to discuss in Inflammations of other parts must never be made use of in the Quinsey because by thickning the outer Skin Idem Ibid. Sect. 116. they rather hinder the Cure Therefore we must rather work with Moistners Medicines especially made use of by eminent Physicians 1. Aetius Tetrab 2. Sect. 4. c. 47. I have used in an Inward Quinsey a Gargarism of Mustard and have often delivered my Patients from danger 2. If the Swelling in the Neck will not soften J. Agric. Chirur. parv p. 802. burn an Owl in an open Pot to Powder a little of which you may blow into the Throat The Swelling will soften to admiration and break This is a Singular Secret 3. Bartoletus l. 5. part 2. c. 16. Duke Ferdinand's Powder is a great Secret in the Quinsey It is made of Mineral Crystal Cream of Tartar and Sugar For every half ounce of Crystal 1 ounce of Cream of Tartar and 2 ounces of Sugar are taken Tho. Bartholinus cent 4. hist 73. Blockwitius anat Samb Sect. 3. c. 12. 4. A Purple Thread wherewith a Viper hath been strangled is highly commended for the Quinsey 5. Let the Water or Decoction of Elder Flowers wherein is mixt a little Elder Honey and a few Leaves with one or two Jews Ears be Gargled This is recommended by experience Claud. Deodatus 6. Spirit of Nitre with Water of the Anodyne Salt Gargled hot is most excellent to allay the Inflammation Hartman prax chim 7. Take of Houseleek a sufficient quantity bruise it and strain it Take of this Juice 1 pint Sal Ammoniack half an ounce leave it in a moist place till the Salt be dissolved Distill it by an Alembick Wash your Tongue often with this Water 8. Galen Aetius Orobasius and all the Ancients commend Dogs-Turd White poudered and dried mixed with Honey and laid to the Throat Platerus 9. The Juice of Tree-Ivy swallowed gently from 3 drachms to half an ounce doth much good by repelling and digesting Eust Rud. Art Med. l. 1. c. 42. 10. This is an Excellent Remedy Take of Swallow's Nest 3 ounces Sapa 1 ounce Pulp of Cassia newly drawn 1 ounce and an half Mix them and apply it outwardly For it digests and asswages 11. This also is admirable which is made of the crum of a Loaf Milk Flowers of Roses and Chamaemil mixt together and applied after Bloud-letting Idem ibid. by virtue of which Medicine they use to spit plentifully and be much relieved Scultetus Armamen Chir. Obs 32. 12. This Gargarism is highly commended in all dangerous Quinseys especially in the beginning if the enflamed Jaws be often washed therewith Take of Saffron powdered 1 scruple and an half of the sharpest Vinegar 1 ounce Plantain Water 3 ounces white Sugar 2 drachms Mix them and make a Gargarism M. Joh. Wittichius Cons Med. 23. 13. Sennertus commends the Decoction of Berberry wood or of the inner Rind of the Hazle 14. Oil of sweet Almonds new drawn given with Sugar and a little of the Powder of a Boar's Tusk is the most present Remedy for the Quinsey and Pleurisie Anorexia or Want of Appetite The Contents It s Cure must be various according to the variety of Causes I. Food must be actually cold II. Fasting must sometime be injoyned III. It s Cure in Women with Child IV. It s Cure when caused by Choler V. When by Phlegm VI. In Consumptive Persons VII When Cured of its own accord VIII Medicines I. WOmen about sick persons desire nothing more than to remove this fault but they reckon that which is onely a sign of Health to be the Cause For this reason oftentimes the Physician is forced to provoke an Appetite It is lost 1. Because the Powers are weakned and the Bloud is not well concocted 2. Because for the former reason the acid Humour cannot be separated because of the thin Humours that are admitted We see this in them through whose Arteries noxious Humours together with the acid Humour are poured into the Stomach which often deceives Physicians while they ascribe the cause to the Intemperature of the Stomach or because it is corrupted and too thin That the loss of Appetite is to be ascribed to the fault of the
Fr. Sylâ—â—â— de le BoeÌ„ Tract l. 1. c. 2. than too violently seeing that Sudorificks mend and correct the bad humours though they expell them not And I still prefer liquid and spirituous things before gross ones though Antimonial how dry soever are excellent in this case to wit Antimonium Diaphoreticum Bezoarticum minerale c. IV. Seeing a depraved Appetite differs according to the diversity of the thing craved I will here propound its Cure onely in general which consists in cleansing the Bloud and other humours by amendment whereof the Pica ceases of it self Idem Prix lib. 1. c. 2. I have by experience found that Volatile Salts doe more good than all other Medicines I have yet tried because they provoke the Menses gently and kindly The suppression whereof is often the cause of the Pica V. A Man troubled with the Itch had also the longing Disease for three Months He had the Haemorrhoids and within two days the Disease left him Rhodius Centur. 2. Obs 57. For the matter residing in the Veins affected the Nerves of the Stomach which once removed the party was eased of that trouble Whence it is clear that in this Disease the matter doth not always stick in the Nerves Medicines especially made use of by eminent Physicians for Excess of Appetite 1. Take of Hiera simplex Galeni one Scruple Petr. Forest lib. 18. Obs 8. of Rhubarb well powdered a Scruple and half with Syrup of Roses solutive make it into Pills N o xv I have cured several of this Disease with these Pills onely taken for some time 2. Hartmâ—nnus prax Chymi aâ—r p. 100. The Philosophick Spirit of Vitriol divers times given in Pomegranate-Wine Syrup of Lemons or Tincture of Roses cures most perfectly 3. Senn. de Boul. m. If in a Boulimy one be troubled with Fainting it is good presently to give him Bread sopped in Wine 4. Weikardus Thesaur Phâ—rm l. 1. c. 11. Antiquity found not a more present Remedy for this eating Evil than Bread and the smell thereof For the Appetite depraved 5. I know Hor. Aug. 3. Epist Cons p. 425. that to give a Drachm and half of the Powder of the Seed of Ammi four days one after another doth admirably help a depraved Appetite for the Women are either cured or much better by it 6. Jul Caes Claud. in Empiriâ—â— Rational p. 238. These two things have great Efficacy in the longing Disease 1. Take of Walnut Buds four Ounces Aloe Socotrina one Ounce Juice of Agrimony half an Ounce Frankincense one Drachm Scoinanth two Drachms Mash them together boil them in water till the water be almost boiled away Then strain it and to what is strained out put as much Honey give one Drachm of this every other day 2. Take of Mustard-Seed half a Scruple of Pigeons Bones burnt to ashes one Drachm and a half Seed of Purslane one Drachm Cinnamon two Scruples Juice of Quinces two Ounces White Sugar three Ounces Mix them in a double Vessel over the fire David Herlic de cur gravid c. 16. 7. This is very good Take in the Month of May the first white Buds of the Vine bruise them and distill them by an Alembick Let a Woman with Child drink a little of this for three or four days and it will neither hurt the Child nor give it any Mark though she should not get what she longed for Jacob. Holler Inst Chir. p. 49. 8. A Decoction of the greater Chamaemil that is very like Southernwood will be of great use in this case for it surpasses all other sorts of Remedies Mercurial de morb Mul. p. 3â— 9. If Women labour under a depraved Appetite Aegineta commends the use of old and odoriferous Wine the Water of Shepherd's Rod especially drunk after Meals also Dill infused in Wine Schroderus 10. Sowre Pomegranates are good for the Pica in Women with Child The Leaves of the Vine are also good Troâ—ula de Regimin Praegnant p. 101. 11. If a Woman with Child long give her Beans with Sugar Arthritis Podagra or The running Gout and Gout The Contents The running Gout and Gout differ in their Causes and Cure I. What should especially be observed in the Cure II. Generous and extraordinary Remedies are required to cure the Gout III. A Gouty person cured by nailing his feet to a Block of Wood. IV. By violent knocking of one foot against the other V. The good of Bloud-letting VI. The Hurt of it in an inveterate Gout VII Whether Bleeding in the Foot be proper VIII Why a Vomit is proper IX Whether Purging be proper X. When you must Purge in the beginning of the Gout XI Violent Purgers often taken doe hurt XII For whom Caryocostinum is proper XIII Whether Hermodactyls should be used XIV Cassia is hurtfull XV. Diureticks good in the Scorbutick running Gout XVI Whether a Cure may be performed by Salivation XVII Whether drinking Vrine be proper XVIII After what manner Alteratives given in the Paroxysm do work XIX Whether Sudorificks be proper XX. Whether Milk be good against the Gout XXI What Preparatives should be used for prevention XXII Whether Narcoticks taken inwardly doe good XXIII In what the Virtue of Antipodagricks consists XXIV Whether Medicines outwardly applied doe good XXV The benefit by Application of Narcoticks XXVI Whether the use of cooling things be safe XXVII Whether Strengtheners should be applied XXVIII The nature of Discutients XXIX Whether it be possible to dissolve the Knots in the Gout XXX A thin Diet is proper XXXI Diet doeth more good than Medicines XXXII Exercise when convenient XXXIII Bleeding will doe little good in old Men. XXXIV Purging will doe none XXXV Vsed by Empiricks XXXVI Sweating must not be procured by Art XXXVII Things that help concoction are proper XXXVIII Remedies must be used constantly XXXIX A Milk Diet good if it can be continued in XL. Medicines The sum of William ten Rhyne's M. D. Treatise of the Gout I. HIppocrates l. de Affect Sect. 3. lays down the peculiar signs of the running Gout 1. Pains of the Joints with remarkable heat not in them onely but the whole Body over insomuch that men seem plainly to be in a Fever 2. The nature of the Pains which at the very first invasion are presently acute although sometimes they are more moderate 3. The running of the Pains from one Joint to another The essence of the running Gout consists in these Three things which distinguish it from the Gout for in this the heat is not so evidently perceived at the first as in the running Gout nor till the corrupt Humour in the Veins be transmitted to the out-parts And the reason of this difference arises hence because in the Gout the Disease is in the little Veins and the inner parts in the running Gout it lies outwardly and nearer the skin 2. In the Gout the Pains at least in the beginning are not so sharp and that by reason
at this time also it breeds a Paroxysm and that for the causes above-mentioned with which mischief if it do not presently punish the Patient yet it does not at all free him from his Disease how constantly soever and at due Intervals he take this or that Cathartick Nay I have known some subject to this Disease who paid their devotions to Health by a Purge not onely Spring and Fall but once a Month yea and sometimes every week yet not one of them escaped the Gout which afterwards for the most part handled them more cruelly than if they had abstained from all Physick For though the said Purging may carry off some part of the Continent Cause yet since it conduces not one jot to strengthen concoction from which it is so far that it weakens it destroying nature by a fresh wound it is onely opposed to one Cause and has not virtue sufficient for the Cure of the Disease Besides we must note that through the same defect of spirits whereby coctions are vitiated in people subject to the Gout the consistence of their Animal spirits is rendred less firm and lively whereupon it is presently scattered and disturbed by any cause which does a little more violently shake and disturb either mind or body and therefore is very fleeting and dissipable as it often happens to them that are either hypochondriack or hysterick From which propensity of spirits to disorder it is that the Gout commonly follows any the least evacuation For when the tone of the body is destroyed which the firmness of spirits while they remain in their vigour preserves well compact and lively the peccant matter as having broken all bounds is at its liberty and upon this wound 's being inflicted on the body Idem p. 35. a Paroxysm presently arises XXXVI But this method as pernicious and hurtfull as it is has got some Empiricks no small credit who all of them craftily conceal the Purging Medicine which they make use of For it must be observed that the Patient while he is in his Purging course has little or no pain and if the Course can be carried on for some days and no fresh Paroxysm supervene the Patient will be quickly well of that wherewith he is at present held But then he must pay severely for it afterwards by reason of the disorder into which the said disturbance of the Humours hath precipitated nature XXXVII Then evacuation of the peccant matter by sweats though it doe less hurt than the foresaid evacuations yet it is clear that it does harm For though it do not retract the matter of the Disease into the bowels but on the contrary force it into the habit of the body yet however it does harm upon these accounts First indeed because out of the Fit it forcibly thrusts out the Humours that are yet crude and not so ripe as that they ought by right to be separated into the limbs and so solicite a Fit before the time and even against Nature's mind Then because in the Fit provoking of sweat doth force too violently the morbifick matter upon the part affected and besides causes intolerable pain and if the quantity of peccant matter be larger than that the part affected can admit it it presently throws it on other Joints whereupon there is a commotion and a great ebullition or exestuation of Bloud and other Humours But if the body abound with a serous floud that is apt to breed the Gout there is fear of falling into an Apoplexy Wherefore in this Disease like as in all other in which sweats are raised by Art to cast out the morbifick matter and do not flow by the duct of Nature it is exceeding dangerous to raise them so violently or beyond that degree of Coction to which Humours to be evacuated of themselves are arrived And that most famous Aphorism of Hippocrates Concocted not crude things must be Purged has place as well in provoking Sweats as in giving a Purge Which is clearly evident from the Sweat that concludes the Fit of an Ague which if it be moderate and answering exactly to the quantity of febrile matter concocted by the preceding Fit does remarkably relieve the Patient But if Sweat be promoted beyond Nature's measure by keeping the Patient continually in bed then a continual Fever arises and a fresh fire is kindled whereas what was burning before ought to have been put out By the same reason also in the Gout that gentle dew which for the most part arises in the morning of its own accord after every lesser Paroxysm several of which make one great one mitigates both the pain and restlesness wherewith the Patient contended all night but on the contrary if this gentle dew that is fleeting of its own nature be provoked longer and more violently than the proportion of peccant matter already concocted by the last paroxysm will bear Idem p 4â— the Disease is thereby enraged Therefore in this as well as in all other Diseases which I have had the hap ever yet to see the Plague onely excepted it is not so much the Physician 's as Nature's Province to raise Sweats because it is no way possible for us to know how great a share of this same matter is already prepared to undergoe separation nor by consequence what measure we ought to observe in provoking Sweat XXXVIII Whatever things therefore help Nature in performing her Offices aright where by strengthening the Stomach that it may concoct food aright or the Bloud that it may duely assimilate the Chyle carried into it or by corroborating the solid parts that they may better convert the Juices designed for their nutrition and augmentation into their proper substance Finally whatever things preserve the divers organs of Excretion and Emunctories of the body in that state as they may be able to void the Recrements of each part in their due time and order these and all such things are good to fulfill this intention and are properly called Digestives whether they be Medicines or Diet or Exercise or any of the sex res non naturales Such Medicines are all in general as heat moderately and are either bitter or gently pierce the tongue as being things that are gratefull to the Stomach cure the Bloud and cherish and comfort otâ—er parts such are for example Angelico and Elecampane Roots Leaves of Wormwood lesser Centaury Germander Groundpine c. Also common Antisâ—orbuticks may be added as Horse-rhadish root leaves of garden Scurvigrass Water-Cresses c. But since these sharp and pungent herbs how gratefull soever to the Stomach and conducing to it in helping Digestion do notwithstanding enrage the matter that hath been a long time bred and encrease it they must be used very sparingly in comparison of those that by their gentle heat and bitterness strengthen the Stomach and render the mass of bloud more brisk and lively Several sorts of these curiously mixt do better concoct the Humours than any simple taken out of
from it neither trepanning the Skull nor violent dilatation of the wound with a Knife is proper Therefore Chalmetaeus l. 2. Enchir. c. 14. doth rightly judge they deserve censure who not onely in a little fissure of the brain although it be not deep but also in a large one that is open enough Idem Tab. 29. par 7. do boldly use the trepan by which no small errour of theirs the cure is protracted a very long time to the Patient 's great damage and the Physicians discredit XXII I think we should have the same opinion of all those that dilate every wound of the head whereas Section should onely be used when we know not but that the Skull should be trepanned or rasped What should be done when the wound of the head with a large fissure refuses the rasp and the trepan Scultetus parag 6. doth shew confirming it by the example of one whose left-side of his sinciput had so large a fracture in it that he could easily have put his fore-finger into it to which fracture a Phlegmone of the Dura mater was joined which nevertheless universals premised vanished in three days by the diligent use of oil of Roses applied warm with Silk and Hippocrates his Cataplasm XXIII They proceed without reason who in all manner of wounds in the head make a cruciform section If the wound be given on the right or left side of the Sinciput the Chirurgeon must dilate it into a Triangle that if it may be necessary he may safely use the Trepan He makes his section triangular because the coronal future and the right temporal muscle forbid it to be cruciform He begins the section from the forehead Scult Tab. 27. lest he should cut cross the Temporal muscles that he should avoid XXIV Marchetti observat 15. denies that the temporal muscle can be cut without danger as often as the wound or contusion is with the fracture of the bone for that most who are so wounded do die yea he affirms that a fissure onely of the bone lying under the temporal muscle has often caused death Yet examples are not wanting of its being cut without such danger Cattierus observ 9. tells how a young Woman had a contusion without a wound upon that muscle against the corner of a Table upon which she became speechless with other grievous Symptomes That the Chirurgeon le Large did reckon the contusion of this muscle and the dilaceration of its fibres and the compression of the Pericranium that involves this muscle were the cause of these things Yet because he doubted whether there were a fracture of the bone under it he made a small incision according to the duct of the fibres and a little while after her Symptomes ceased some sharp Sanies ouzing out which vellicated the part of a most exquisite sense ¶ And Borellus cent 2. obs 20. relates that Count Breve had got a large fissure under the middle of that muscle by a fall from on high and that Mr. Le Juif contrary to the doctrine of Authours made a section in the muscle without any regard to the fibres at all which he affirmed he had done several times in others he saith that when the section was made the Arteries spurted out the bloud which was stopt with Astringent powders and lint when the Skull was laid bare there stuck out a pretty large scale of a bone which the said Le Juif forced violently out with his Spatula saying there was no need of any other trepan when that would doe as well after which the bloud gushed violently out which when it was stopt the brain was anointed he presently recovered his speech and had his health well after ¶ One Smith sometime a Tanner in Chester was afterwards a Captain of a Company of Dragoons which he pickt up in haste to disturb us in our Retreat from the battel of Worcester He was wounded by some of our Soldiers transverse the right Temporal Muscle and was bleeding almost to death when I was brought up to his Quarters I stitcht his wound taking the Artery up with the Lips and for want of other remedies drest it with a little Wheat flower and the White of an Egg applying over it a compress prest out of Vinegar with convenient Bandage The third day after I took off the Dressings and sound the lips near agglutinated I being then better provided by an Apothecary from Warrington sprinkled the lips of the wound with pulv thuris sang draconis and applied a Pledgit spread with Liniment Arcaei and over it empl diachalcit The second day after I cut the stitches and applied Epuloticks and afterward by a dressing or two more cured him I am sure he was well of his wound Wiseman's Chirurg l. 5. c. 9. before he had recruited his spirits he lost with his bloud XXV It is very doubtfull when driers and when moistners should be applied to the dura meninx when it is laid open Truely since Moistners and Driers are diametrically contrary one to another it must be of some moment which of them to use Some use spirit of Wine either alone or with the addition of Turpentine and such like things relying on these reasons that all Ulcers require drying that oils are hurtfull to the nerves and all nervous parts as the meninx is that cold things are not less hurtfull such as oil of Roses which is commonly used Some use Moistners some oil of Roses others Pigeons bloud dropt in because through similitude of Temper they foster the native heat keep off defluxions and asswage pain the cause of Defluxions Now to determine aright we must examine the nature of the wound the body and the clime If the membrane be not hurt if it be free of inflammation and pain and if it look white dry Cephalicks must be used in such a case mel rosatum with 4 or 5 drops of Aqua vitae may successfully be applied But if pain and inflammation be feared and the membrane be not free from hurt Oleum rosaceum omphacinum is most proper because of its astringent virtue and moderate cooling whereby inflammation is prevented and suppuration quickly promoted Upon account of the Clime Meges Sidâ—nius in the hard and robust heads of the Persians onely used Isis a Plaster so called the Italians dare not use it without twice as much oil of Roses added to it In respect of the constitution of Bodies oil of Roses alone is sufficient for the more tender and moist in drier bodies such as Seamen Plowmen the elder sort especially and such as have curled hair a little Turpentine or oil of St. Johns wort may be added So in Summer oil of Roses is more proper in Winter Turpentine J. Griffonius as Fabricius Hildanus relates it made such reckoning of the distinction of bodies that he made no scruple to use the syrup of Vnguentum Aegyptiacum that is the thinnest part that swims at top not with lint indeed dipt in it for
so it might run to the sound parts and breed grievous Symptomes but he gently touched the superficies of it with a Painter's Percil dipt in it Now he made use of it in a robust Swisse the Membranes of whose brain were infected with manifest putrefaction or corruption which was presently stopt by help of this Syrup And the same Fabricius advises us to use such remedies but sparingly and to desist immediately when the violence of the disease is repressed And he grievously rebukes some Barber-Chirurgeons for using Oxymel in wounds of the head and in the membranes made bare for by the sharpness of the Vinegar many grievous Symptomes are caused great pain then presently inflammation of the membranes a fever convulsion c. XXVI It is doubted whether the dura meninx may be cut to make a passage for the Sanies that is gathered upon the Pia or the brain For when it is prickt there is great danger of convulsion and therefore of death which I think to be none if the Skull be pierced in two places and the hole so laid open that a long section may be made upon the hard membrane and indeed for this reason because great wounds of the head which not onely cut the membranes but the brain it self are cured When therefore it doth certainly appear that matter is gathered between the two membranes then we may safely proceed to this operation however not void of danger because otherwise if no remedy were used death would certainly follow Marchetti obs 14. and according to Celsus it is better to try a doubtfull Remedy than none XXVII I would give all Chirurgeons this Caution in perforation to elevate the Cranium that if possible they do not pass the Diploïs because the perforation of the second table which is not so thick but very brittle Hildan cent 2. obs 5. leaves some roughness upon the Skull which afterwards by pricking the brain doth cause Pain and other Symptomes XXVIII Sometimes Physicians do admire that the cure of some wounds in the head should be too long protracted This is often observed to proceed from some little piece of bone which unless it be removed the cure will never succeed as you desire which I have several times observed and which Carpensis testifies in these words Because bones are for the most part brittle and glassy and when a notable fissure is made in the Skull that reaches inwards some pieces of the bone fall down upon the pannicle and they are notable because greater i. e. with a greater fracture in the second table i. e. in the inner than in the upper and they prick or press the Pannicles And the Physician in such cases should saw the Skull on the edge enlarge the fissure and take out the bone because such a disposition is not otherwise cured And I had this notable case in a certain man who had stood for a whole year with a great piece of bone under his Skull and the wound was remarkably long and healed all up but that the end of the wound could never heal or close up and there were two little orifices out of which the Sanies ouzed at least for six months When I came I laid open the wound and dilated it both in length and breadth and with a Saw I removed the edge of the Skull Marc. Donatus hist mir l. 5. c. 4. and I found a long and thick piece upon the Pannicle which I took out then I cleaned the Pannicle and in a short time I cured him and he lives yet in good condition XXIX Charles the Son of Philip King of Spain falling down a pair of stairs got a grievous wound in his head Chirurgeons were called who bind up the wound and being intent upon healing it up neglect the discharging of the Sanies Therefore his whole head swelled like a Puff ball and the youth lay like one in an Apoplexy Then King Philip brought Vesalius to him who affirming that in this desperate case his onely hope lay in opening the Pericranium and having got leave of Philip he laid the Swelling open cross-ways and by degrees evacuated most fetid pus Schenckius Then the youth came to himself again as if he had awaked out of a deep sleep XXX When I practised at the Hospital in Florence I found it most certainly true in the event that of 40 persons whom we have had wounded in a year scarce five escaped For there it is very frequent for the slightest wound in the head to prove mortal and they reckon it a certain sign of death if the wounded Man fall to the ground and begin to vomit because this shews that the meninges and nerves do also suffer I have sometimes thought that perhaps this might happen from too much and almost superstitious diligence in the cure while they immediately sequester the wounded Man from all company let him bloud prepare the humours and purge him And their meaning is good yet in the mean time they almost starve him giving him onely a little Panada They labour mightily to suppurate the wound and keep him from the Light which means alone are sufficient to weaken Nature But they ascribe all to the subtilty of the Air which indeed as it cannot be denied so whether these other things be so proper J. V. Rumlerus obs 76. I leave for any man to judge As many things are done negligently so now and then some are done with care without necessity XXXI I think it not fit to conceal an Errour very common among some unskilfull Chirurgeons who in winter time that they may keep off the hurtfull cold of the ambient air do not onely keep the Chamber exceeding hot but wrap their Patients heads in many clothes and swathes Yea I have seen some that have held heated Tiles over their heads while they were dressing Whence we find very slight wounds of the head sometimes prove mortal It 's true cold must be avoided but it must be with moderation as Hippocrates l. de med offic saith But unless the clothes that are used be thin and smooth heat and inflammation in the part will be raised M. Donatus hist mir l. 5. c. 4. And in his Book of Fractures when he fears inflammation he avoids a multitude of swathes and clothes XXXII A Soldier received two blows one upon another behind in his head and was knocked down There was no bloud no fissure of the Skull nor any evident depression After nine weeks he could speak and walk well and when he found no pain from the contusion and was resolved to be gone he went to all Mens thinking to bed well but he died in his sleep When his head was opened there was not the least fissure nor appearance of any depression but just under the blow the substance of the brain for about an inch was putrefied extremely and the putrefaction reached to the ventricles of the brain From this observation let Chirurgeons take notice that they
in Oil and applied wonderfully eases the pain ¶ Let warm Sheeps-dung be long mixt with Goat's Sewet strow on it Powder of common Pitch Mix them and apply it warm without doubt it has a wonderfull effect ¶ A Clyster made of Dog's-turd boiled in Wine with a few Figs eases the pain of the Colick and Stone Joh. David Rulaâ—dus ¶ Hare's dung dissolved in Wine and drunk cures a desperate Colick 21. I do upon my credit profess that I have in one day cured the Colick coming of phlegm with 2 drachms of Diaphoenicon Saxâ—nia and 2 drachms of Spec-Hierae and presently took away the Pain 22. A Carminative Water made of Chamaemil is of great virtue in the Colick ¶ An Electuary or mixture of Garlick is good in the Colick ¶ A Cataplasm of Chervil is good Schroderus ¶ Ear-wax is a present remedy for the Colick if it be taken in drink Sâ—hwentfield 23. A Lark with her feathers burnt to powder in an earthen pot and three spoonfulls of it be drunk with hot water for two or three days is an incredible remedy for the Colick and all Pains of the Guts 24. Powder of the Huckle-bone of an Hog burnt Solenander given in Wine wherein Seed of Sermountain and Chamaemil-flowers have been steeped I have often tried to be an effectual remedy in this case Varignaâ— 25. A decoction of Coltsfoot in Water or Wine is a most effectual Remedy Welkardus 26. The white part of Hens dung powdered and given in Pansey or Pimpernel-water is a present Remedy especially for children Zimâ—ra 27. Cinquefoil dried and powdered and 2 drachms of it drunk in generous Wine is a present Remedy Colica Hysterica or the Hysterick Colick It s Description and Cure THere is a sort of Hysterick disease that vexeth some Women and is so exactly like a bilious Colick as well in the sharpness of Pain as in situation even then also yellow and green humours being cast up by Vomit that I must treat of it lest it be taken for the bilious Colick Women who are of a lax and crude habit of body do contend with this evil above others and they that have laboured sometime formerly of some hysterick affection or as it often happens they that have scarce escaped after difficult and laborious travel by reason of a large Child which hath too much exhausted the Mothers strength and nature A pain very little milder than in the Colick and Iliack Passion at first seizeth the region of the Stomach and sometimes a little lower which is attended with enormous Vomitings sometime of green matter and sometime of yellow And they accompanied as I have often observed with greater dejection of mind and despair than in any other disease whatever After a day or two the pain ceaseth which nevertheless within a few weeks returns more cruel than the fit before Sometime it is accompanied with a Jaundise conspicuous enough which in a few days vanishes on its own accord All Symptoms ceasing when the Patient thinks her self well enough the least commotion of mind whether it be raised by anger or grief to which in this case Women are very subject commonly recalls the pain the same may be said of walking or any other exercise unseasonably undertaken seeing by such causes Vapours are elevated in a lax and infirm habit of body When I say Vapours whether they be such or Convulsions of particular parts the Phaenomena may equally be solved either way These Vapours or Convulsions when they invade this or that region of the body produce Symptoms accommodate to the part they invade And therefore though they cause one and the same disease every where yet they exactly resemble many wherewith the wretches are tormented Which is clear from this disease that when it possesses the parts adjacent to the Colon is as like a bilious Colick as can be Nor is it less apparent in many other parts of the body affected in the same manner for example Sometimes it affects one of the Kidneys with a most violent pain whereupon follows Vomiting and sometimes also the pain being carried along the duct of the Ureter it resembles the Stone and when it is exasperated by Clysters and other Medicines that are lithontriptick and designed to void the Stone it long afflicts the Patient after one and the same tenour and now and then which is contrary to its custome because of it self it is without all danger brings her to her grave Moreover I have seen Symptoms produced by this disease that were altogether like the Stone in the Bladder It is not long since I was called out of my bed one night to a Countess my neighbour who was taken with a very violent pain in the region of her Bladder and a sudden stoppage of Urine And because I very well knew she was subject to divers hysterick diseases and therefore guessed she was not sick of that disease she took her self to be sick of I would not suffer the Clyster to be given her which her Maid was making ready lest her disease should thereby be increased but instead thereof and of Emollients as Syrup of Marshmallows c. which the Apothecary brought I gave her a Narcotick which presently put a stop to that Symptome Nor indeed is any one part of the body altogether exempt from the assaults of this disease whether internal or external as the Jaws Hips Thighs and Legs in all which it causes intolerable pain and when it departs leaves a certain tenderness that cannot endure to be touched just as if the flesh were sore beaten But as I have by the bye delivered some things pertaining to the history of the Hysterick Colick lest namely it should be mistaken for a bilious one so I shall by the way likewise touch certain things that make for the cure of the Symptome the pain which accompanies it For the radical cure which takes away the disease by taking away its cause is for another Speculation and Place Letting bloud and repeated Purgings which are most plainly indicated in the beginning of a bilious Colick have no place here except in the case hereafter mentioned For experience teacheth that the pain is exasperated and all other Symptoms grow more violent being helped on by the tumult which these things raise And thus I have more than once observed that the repetition of Clysters even of the gentlest has brought on a long train of Symptoms Reason also will second Experience which tells us that this disease is produced rather by some ataxy and inordinate motion of the Spirits than by any fault of the humours to wit if we well consider those circumstances to which for the most part it owes its original Such as are great and undue profusions of bloud violent motions either of mind or body and things of the like nature All which things forbid the use of those remedies whereby a greater perturbation of Spirits may be raised and instead
Sect. 5. he advises if a Fever come upon a Woman in Childbed to raise a Fever which must be understood of a Convulsion from Repletion which is familiar to Women in Childbed so a Fever is not improper as it consumes the Humours and dries the Nerves But seeing a Fever once kindled which the Arabians allow to be an Ephemera cannot be so moderated as not to transgress its Limits for a small one is to no purpose and oppose the disease and not hurt Nature we must think of safer remedies and indeed of bloud-letting in childbed-Childbed-Women which may be more safely done because it is without suspicion of Putrefaction which it is the nature of a Fever to cause Besides more strength is required to undergo a Fever than letting of bloud IV. Hippocrates 5 Aphor. 21. and 3 de morbis in a Tetanus without an Ulcer approves of a large profusion of cold water in the heat of Summer which Galen accommodates to other kinds of Convulsions that is by help of the innate heat forced inwards which consumes the matter of the disease or by shaking the Body and so removing the Humour sticking to the Nerves Paul says that this remedy is disapproved by latter ages Yet Valescus de Taranta l. 1. c. 21. used it and cured two of a Tetanus in this manner He caused the Patient to be held upright by four Men and poured 24 Buckets of Water upon his neck and all his lower parts and presently set him before the fire and half an hour after anointed him from his neck to the end of his Back-bone his Loins and Arms with Vnguentum Dialthaeae Martiatum Agrippae and oil of Castor afterwards he gave him some Chicken-broth to drink and so they both recovered V. Hot things are not convenient for a Convulsion caused by an Imposthume nor for one caused by a hardness left in the conclusion of an Imposthume because so the thick Humours turn as hard as Stone nor for that which is caused by a hot Vapour or biting It remains therefore that they are good for one caused by crude and phlegmatick alimental humours not for crude ones and such as are unfit for coction which hot things would make harder Which Galen 2. aphor 29. explains saying that a Fever cures a convulsion caused by glutinous and cold Humours whereby people are nourished For such Humours grow thin by virtue of hot things and partly turn into sweat â—nd vapour and partly into the substance of the thing nourished but crude and vitreous Humours with hot things do turn into knots and Scirrhi They err also who in a convulsion caused by alimental phlegm use hot things because neglecting method they consider not the cause and what is urgent For it often comes to pass that the virtue of the Nerves is so weak that it can doe more in indicating it s own preservation than the phlegmatick cause can in its removal For Galen 5. aphor 2. says Hot things resolve the substance of the Nerves Experience hath often taught me Saâ—ctoriâ—â— Mâ—th V. E. l. 15. c. 8. that people convulse through repletion with cold Humours have been killed by using hot things VI. A Military Man had his whole right Arm shot off with a Cannon-Bullet When it was cured a kind of Convulsion followed in which the Head was drawn to the right-side and his Jaws quivered He advised with several and when I came to him and he related to me all his Ails it came into his mind that some latent Venereal Poison might produce this Evil for he said before he was wounded he had a violent Gonorrhoea which nevertheless was perfectly cured I therefore advis'd him to try the Remedies for the Pox and having first Purged and Sweat him I rubbed him with Mercurial Ointment which raised Salivation Ozias Aâ—mar apud Riverium abs 10. and after the third day of his Salivation those Contractions and Convulsions ceased and the Patient was never troubled more with that disease VII In a Tetanus and other Convulsions of the neck Rondeletius l. 1. meth c. 37. says That a vein should be opened which is seen stand out in the first vertebra of the Neck ¶ Mercatus l. 1. Pract. c. 15. confirms it in a Convulsion arising from thick and viscid humours which being opened he says All the phlegmatick humour that contracted the Muscles is drawn out by derivation from the Neck But that vein is obscure Bartholiâ—us cent 4. hist 33. by reason of its smallness and in dignity gives place to the axillar VIII As to what concerns the way of Cure in general to be used for these strange Convulsions it will not be easie either to assign Remedies equal to these Herculean Diseases or a method of cure that is certain and confirmed by frequent experience for besides that these cases seldom occur we may moreover observe that the self-same Medicines which did this Patient good at this time will doe another or the same at another time no good at all The reason whereof seems to be by reason the cause of the disease consists in the discrasies of the nutritious juice which liquour is not always perverted one and the same way but it gives a different sort of morbid disposition out of the manifold combinations of Salts and Sulphurs and now and then it changes it Wherefore in such most grievous affections not every common Medicine in an Apothecary's Shop must be used but Magistralia and things proper for the occasion must be prescribed according to the appearances of these strange Symptoms A gentle Vomit Purging and Bleeding may first be celebrated and may be repeated several times as there shall seem occasion And as for Specificks and Medicines appropriate to such cases seeing the chief Indication is to amend the crasis of the Nervous Juice we may try several things and search out their Virtues by their effects therefore it is lawfull to try what remedies endued with a Volatile or Armoniack Salt can doe To this purpose Spirit and Salt of Hartshorn Bloud Smoak Flowers and Spirits of Sal Armoniack may be used When these things doe no good we may come to Chalybeates Tinctures and Solutions of Coral and Antimony may be given Which sort of Medicines must be given in such a dose and form and so often as that they may make an alteration in all the bloud and Nervous Juice Moreover if such things have no success we must proceed to Alexipharmacks which are good against the poison and malignity communicated to the humours It is very probable Willis Patholog Cer◠〈◊〉 c. 9. Medicines that are good for people bit by a Viper or mad Dog or such as are taken inwardly against Banes and Poisons may also be of use in the above-said Convulsions See also the method of Gr. Horstius in his Tract de morbo convulsivo epidemio ¶ Add to these things made of Cinnabar whose efficacy Hofman extolls in his Clavis Schraederiana against the Epilepsie and all grievous diseases
as we see it falls out in bloud vessels for the proper aliment of every part is indued with a conglutinating faculty because more or less tenacious and viscous Aches arising in the Limbs and especially in the upper part of the Arm that are most troublesome at night after the redundance of the serous humour if there be any is diminished by Hydragogues and Sudorificks also may be taken away by anointing the part affected with the following liniment Take of Vnguentum Martiatum Oil of Worms each half an ounce Oil of Amber 1 scruple Mix them But if the pain be increased either by this liniment or onely with clothing we must use this following Take of Vnguentum Popul Nervinum each 2 drachms Oil of white Lilies 3 drachms Mix them But if the same pains affect the Hip and have so seized the lower part of the Spine especially that the Body can scarce be â—eared upright and moved Balsamus Sulphuris Terebinthinatus is most excellent if the part affected be anointed with a few drops of it with which in one night I have cured several miserable persons Fr. Sylvius VII A Woman lay ill of a violent pain about her Hip caused by a fall anointing with Oils gave her no ease By chance I had some Melilot Plaster ready I ordered it to be spread on a cloth and to be applied about night in the morning she could rise and sit at the Table whereas before she was not in the least able to stir her self I have several times applied the same to people that have got aches by a fall Thonerus Observ and with success VIII When the same woman was troubled with a great pain about her shoulders shooting through her whole right arm caused by a deep scarification the Knife being thrust deeper in than it ought when other things would doe her no good she used this Take of Oil of Earth-worms half an ounce Badger's grease Fox-grease each 2 drachms Mix them Anoint the scarified places And rub the arm with water distilled of Swallows and Castor hot When the same woman was tormented night and day with a violent pain in her right arm beginning at her shoulder and extending it self all over the arm with a swelling and she could not lift it up in a few days the pain and swelling were dissolved by the following means Take of Emplast Diacalcit 1 ounce Melilot half an ounce Mix them Spread then on a cloth A Maid being tormented with a pain in her right arm was cured in one day with a Plaster of Gum Tacamahaca as several others where the cause was not hot M. N. was tormented with an intense pain in her Loins caused by a Defluxion Take the crum of a white loaf steept in Cow's milk then passed through a brass sieve adding Yelks of Eggs and fresh butter and the following Oil Take of Oil of Chamaemil Dill white Lilies each 2 ounces oil of Earth-worms 1 ounce and an half Of which take what is sufficient for once and apply it hot with a cloth She presently sound ease A Widow 70 years of age had a violent pain in her loins Take of Ointment of Marshmallows Anodyn each 2 scruples fat of a Rabbet 1 drachm and an half Oil of Scorpions 2 drachms Mix them The pain presently ceased In Aches of the armes and feet I have often found fresh Cows dung with Oil of Roses doe good A Woman with Child was tormented with a kind of convulsive pain in her thighs Take Oil of Swallows with Castor 1 ounce Treacle water Cephalick water Spirit of Lily Convall each 2 drachms Mix them Chafe it warm She was quickly well A Woman was troubled with a rackinig pain in her right Arm from her Shoulder to her Fingers ends so that she cried out Take Oil of Earth-worms half an ounce Fat of a Man's Skull of a Badger each 2 drachms mix them She was quickly restored A Noble-man was cured of a chronical pain in his right arm by applying Oxycroceum Plaster having used other things to no purpose Two great men who had been long afflicted with a violent pain in their Shoulders were at last cured with this remedy Take Soap dissolve it in Aqua vitae and apply it This cured a Woman of a violent pain in her feet Take of Vnguent Alabastr Anod each half â—n ounce Oil of Worms 2 drachms Camphire 2 grains Idem mix them IX In mitigating and driving away all pains of the nervous parts coming from a cold cause and from Contusions Balsam of Peru seems to have the preheminence because of its amicable and peculiar faculty in strengthening the Nerves and dissolving any inherent matter A woman after a Palsie in her left side was tormented with a very bitter paâ—â— all over her Chine and in the Knee and Toes of her left Leg and had a kind of convulsive motion in them but she was quite rid of her trouble in three or four times anointing A Merchant was troubled with a very grievous Sciatica and when other Ointments were in vain he anointed the place affected with this Balsam hot to his great comfort A Maid had pricked her right hand with a spindle after the Chirurgeon had cured the wound she was much pained and when other Ointments did no good she was cured by anointing with this Balsam When I felt some trouble from a Contusion of my right Hand which lasted above a month Iâ—em it went away at thrice anointing Medicines especially made use of by eminent Physicians 1. Fat and Marrow Pet. Joh. Faber if they be converted chymically into Oil are accounted a present Remedy to ease pains 2. An excellent Oil to allay all pains in children Take Oil of Dill Chamaemil each 6 drachms Rue liquid Styrax each 3 drachms powder of Cummin-seed 1 drachm and an half Let them boil up once Leon. Favellinus Strain it and keep it for use wherewith the pained place may be anointed 3. Sulphur vitrioli Anodynum is an excellent Anodyne Take of Hungarian Vitriol what is sufficient boil it in distilled water for an hour throw in pieces of plated Steel boil it for an hour so an excellent Sulphur will be extracted from the plates brush it off with a brush into hot water it may be repeated to a total extraction Edulcorate this Sulphur with Rose-water and keep it Joh. Pharamunâ— Rheumelius The dose is three or four grains with Syrup of Popies it assuages all pain and causes sleep 4. Take of the second rind of green Elder boughs scraped off with a Knife 1 handfull boil it in sweet Oil with water to the consumption of the water when it is strained add a little Wax to it Observ Riverio communic Make an Ointment It assuages all pain caused by Blisters and is an excellent remedy 5. Lapis Prunellae dissolved in some liquor as in Night-shade water is of great efficacy in assuaging any pains Rolfinck whose true cause is inward or outward
should be treated not onely as grievously wounded men but as having got a febrile indisposition from the disturbed frame and temper of the bloud Because the bloud in them has long since been too much exalted and being as it were touched with an impure Infection upon the accession of any sulphureous fewel it quickly takes fire After Diet the second care is lest the pores be closed or the Lochia stopt by carelesly admitting the outward Cold For upon a very small occasion when the order of transpiration is altered the bloud which was before effervescent is disordered And the Womb also at the approach of the Air contracts it self and the mouths of the Vessels so that the Lochia are stopt from running wherefore I would have Women kept at least five days in Bed The third intention remains that the flux of the Lochia may be continued by a gentle proritation of the bloud The cure departs far from the method used in Putrid fevers For in this we must not expect that the bloud touched with a febrile burning should cool gradually and then that it should conquer the adust recrements gathered in its mass and separate them by crisis But rather as is done in a Malignant fever assoon as the bloud begins to be in an immoderate ferment it is convenient that it be gently stirred by Diaphoretick Medicines and that its heterogeneous and impure mixture be cast out Wherefore among the vulgar and that not amiss it is the custome presently to give Sudorificks By this means the Bloud being eventilated its Effervescence is stopt and the Lochia that are apt to be stopt by the agitation of the bloud are provoked to run When therefore a Lying-in Woman is first taken with this Fever we must forthwith doe our endeavour that the fewel may plentifully be subtracted from the burning bloud by a prescribed Diet and forbidding of flesh and broth thereof In the mean time all cold and styptick things must be equally avoided for they fix and thicken the bloud too much and hinder its purging which is very requisite both by the Lochia and by cutaneous transpiration But rather although the Fever be urgent let moderate hot things be given Decoctions or distilled waters of Marigold flowers leaves of Pennyroyal Mugwort roots of Scorzonera and Bezoartick powders Spirit of Hartshorn fixed Salts of herbs c. If the Lochia be stopt we must doe all our endeavour that their flux may be again promoted If the Belly be bound it must be loosned with an emollient Clyster We must have a care of too violent provocation for it is manifest that in Child-bed as well as in a Malignant fever by much going to stool the strength is spent together with a fainting of the Spirits If at any time with a suppression of the Lochia there be a disturbance in the bloud vomiting thirst and watching I have known Laudanum mixt with Saffron often given with good success 2. If notwithstanding the use of these Remedies the Fever still grow worse and be sensibly encreased with a worse apparatus of Symptoms as if besides Disorders in the Bloud the Brain and Nervous parts begin to be affected Medicines though many of several sorts be tried are oftentimes able to doe but little good yea in this case the Indications do co-incide with those that are to be used in the Plague it self since the Lochia when they have been some time stopt cannot easily or scarce at all be brought again in a great confusion of bloud and humours Therefore it is good to quicken the motion by Diaphoreticks namely that the corruption impressed on the bloud and nervous juice and restagnating from the Womb may in some measure be cast off by sweat and insensible transpiration Wherefore here Bezoartick Powders and Confections Spirit of Hartshorn or Soot Tincture of Corals or Pearl are good I have seen sometimes a little hope appear by the help of these Medicines with the Pulse and other Symptoms growing better for a little while yet the cure seldom succeeded but when the use of these Cordials was left off the Patients forthwith died with a weak Pulse as soon as ever a Loosness came 3. While the condition of the Patient does still grow worse as when wich the encrease of the Fever the Pulse is weak and unequal and there are frequent shakings and convulsive Motions in the whole Body with a Delirium and Stupidity then the Physician having first given the prognostick of Death must insist on a few remedies and those generally onely cordial and let him abstain from Bleeding Scarifying Blisters and Cupping-glasses for such administrations onely beget hatred and calumny so that for that reason they are accounted as Executioners and hard hearted among the Women III. The acute Diseases of Lying in Women are sometimes attended with some notorious Symptome that is Quinsey Pleurisie Peripneumony Dysentery Small-pox and the like and then they carry the names of these affections I judge that all these Symptoms proceed from a certain Coagulation of the bloud and from an Extravasation of it But while the Bloud is extravasated in one part all its natural and critical Efflux is stopt in another wherefore there is danger lest while the bloud begins to be coagulated either in a particular and usual focus of congelation or universally in its whole mass the running of the Lochia be forthwith stopt which truly usually happens and therefore these Diseases are usually mortal to Lying-in Women Among these the Quinsey Pleurisie and Peripneumony because of the Analogy of their Cause and Cure may be considered together When a Lying-in Woman is affected with any of these at the very first we must endeavour that the Bloud which is fixt any where and begun to be extravasated may be restored to circulation and not cause an Imposthume because Lying-in Women are very seldom when they are taken with these Symptomatical Fevers cured either by abscess of the matter or spitting Wherefore internal Remedies which melt the bloud and free it from Coagulation must be used such as are especially Diaphoreticks full of a volatile Salt as Spirit of Harts-horn Soot Urine and also the Salts themselves also testaceous and bezoatick powders Lapis prunellae Decoctions and Juleps of Vegetables that provoke the Menses or Urine among which things appropriate to the Womb may be mixt not neglecting things externally discutient In the mean time let the impetuous motion and immoderate effervescence of the bloud be put far away and the recrements thereof be still carried downward by all means possible frictions c. By bleeding if the plethory be great in the whole and the inflammation very acute in any part And if necessity be urgent in the Arme after this another bleeding in the Legs if it can be admitted may follow But I must caution you that you must be very carefull how you practise bleeding in these cases for unless it give ease which I know seldom so happens presently the Pulse grows weak
the greatest part of these humours will go to the urinary passages Idem VI. There are some that maintain all manner of Womens Whites may be cured by diuretick Medicines but they are in a manifest errour The causes must be distinguished and according to the various nature of them different methods of cure must be insisted on This Disease comes sometimes from the fault of the whole body and sometimes of the womb When the whole body is full of an ill habit or cacochymie or the Liver is obstructed or the Spleen or Stomach is weak or the Head supplies excrements then the womb may be thus troubled We must consider what humours abound hot or cold and how they are affected For it shews they are hot when this excrement is sharp and scalding so as it eats whatever part it touches and sometimes causes itching and Ulcers or chaps with a sense of heat besides when it is stinking and yellow It will doe well to consider here the temperament natural and acquisititious the preceding causes the habit of the body and season of the year Contrary signs will indicate contrary humours When therefore the flux in the womb comes from these causes when hot and bilious humours abound I most suspect this method of cure by Diureticks For who can think that a hot Disease can be removed by very hot and drying Medicines for suppose that evacuation made by Diureticks may doe some good certainly greater damage will ensue from increase of the quality Indeed it is my custome to reduce such bodies to a good state Universals premised with a Ptisan well prepared adding the greater cold Seeds And I do profess I have often cured with Asses and Goats milk uterine fluxes that have been given over by other Physicians in thin bodies with sharp humours This is my peculiar method The first four days I give a quart of Milk that the whole Body may be well purged and 10 two quarts for fifteen days but boiled and the days following to forty one in which time I generally found they were cured I give Milk chalybeate A most certain and rare Remedy But if the humours be cold and there be obstructions in the Bowels if there be a cold intemperature of the whole or of the principal parts who will deny Diureticks given according to art Does any one doubt but they have a deobstruent heating cutting and cleansing faculty Augenius VII Hippocrates 2. de morb Mul. vers 116. among divers sorts of Uterine fluxes propounds the yellow flux in which what is voided is like a rotten Egg when the white and yelk are mixt together from a mixture of which a yellow colour arises which indicates vitelline Bile Hippocrates cures this Flux thus First he purges upwards with Hellebore and then downwards that the whole body may be rid of the Cacochymie Secondly he orders a moistning and temperate Diet which may cool and qualifie the hot and sharp humours Then he gives astringent Medicines which may stop the flux and he changes the Diet into a contrary course If the Disease do not give way to these things he returns to the former Diet which he orders to be continued so long till the acrimony of the humours abate which the heating of he Ulcers the abating of the Inflammation and what is voided will shew for then he finishes the Cure by Exsiccants and Astringents Let the Moderns consider this method of cure who go the contrary way to work for they order a drying Diet first and give a decoction of the same faculty to drink And after they have by this their way of Cure brought the sharp fretting humours to the height of acrimony they betake them to a contrary method and turn their whole intention to cooling and moistning For they do not observe that by giving Medicines in the beginning which are actually moist and potentially dry they commit a double errour because they increase the humours by actual humidity which should rather be diminished by evacuations and by the drying and hot quality the hot and sharp quality of the same humours is intended and the hot intemperature of the Bowels if there be any is increased and by this means they give assistence to the Disease and its Cause And when as afterwards they betake themselves to coolers and moistners they commit other two faults for by coolers they clog the body full of sharp humours and by moistners they dissolve the humours which had formerly been dried by the preceding exsiccation Martianus câ—m in cit loc whereby they make the Patient every day worse VIII Astringents must-never be used till the antecedent matter be well evacuated and derived otherwise those humours retained run to the more noble parts and cause grievous symptoms As Galen writes it befell Boëthius his Wife whose Belly swelled with the preposterous use of Astringents the serous humours being retained which used before to be evacuated This also must be observed that while we use Astringents the antecedent matter may be diverted another way and the breeding of it hindred Riverius IX They do not advise ill who in the Whites order Issues in the Hips and in the inside of the Legs for so they affirm the Whites are amended while the serous matter is averted to the crural Veins They are good especially if the Disease be inveterate From Galen 5. Aph. 56. it is evident that among the causes which hinder monthly purgation this is not the least when the humours incline some other way than to the womb like as he said that some excretions whether natural or made by Art as Ulcers do make revulsion of and derive the bloud from the womb and transfer it to other parts The same judgment may be given of vitious humours falling upon the womb Do not we also know from Hippocrates that making much water in the night signifies that one goes but little to stool Quâ—ius de Quaesitis X. I have observed in Women that were never before troubled with the Whites they have followed the taking of a Purge when Nature by taking one has been excited to other excretions and that many Women when they have been bathing have contracted this Disease not by Contagion but because by the constant use of the Bath as Nature discharges the excrements by Sweat so also the same by this excretion expells especially what is too thick to be carried off by Sweat Platerus XI The Arteries of the Nose and partly also the Veins discharge their excrementitious humidities into the spongy parts about the Nose and Jaws for these Vessels are divaricated in the flesh of the Nostrils and Jaws like Spiders-webs and sweat out a kind of dew just as water sweats through earthen ware before it is glazed But how comes it to pass that many void little or nothing at the Nose I answer that very few are found who are of so happy a temper as to be void of excrements This Driness of the Nose and
Kettle of cold water Hildanus cent 1. obs 17. so the bloud being cooled and thickned the bleeding stopt by degrees XXIX Mr. N. was subject to an haemorrhage till he was thirty years old and he was grown so weak and lean that he was very nigh death He was at length cured by drinking Wine moderately for he had been abstemious and so he came to be an old Man Borellus cent 2. obs 87. For he had been over much cooled by drinking of Water and Bleeding XXX I saw a most contumacious bleeding stopt in the most Illustrious N. by the intervention of a Swoon whereby the bloud and Spirits are powerfully retracted to the inner parts He when no remedies did him any good said he had occasion to go to stool as he arose out of his bed he swooned out of which after he came the bloud ran with far less violence And after half a drachm of Sal Prunellae in cold water had been given him the bleeding wholly stopt This Remedy is propounded by Hippocrates 3. Epidem 7. Concerning which Galen says it must be observed 5. meth 5. that swooning does good onely when the bloud runs out at veins which end in the Superficies of the body for when it comes from the inner veins as in spitting of Bloud the immoderate coming of the Menses or in wounds of the inner parts Riverius it will rather increase the bleeding by retraction of the heat to the inwards and to those parts whereout the bloud runs XXXI One was taken with a Bleeding which no Medicines would stop at length when he was put into a great fright it stopt I ordered that he should be vext and when he was fretted that a great Bason full of cold Water Panarolus Pent. 5. obs 27. should be thrown upon his Back with a great noise hereby he being immediately put into a Fright the bloud stopt XXXII Fab. Bartoletus Professor of Mantua relates how a desperate bleeding at the Nose was stopt to a miracle while he was present by a Sieve-maker within half a quarter of an hour onely with violent squeezing between his fingers the interstice between his Nostrils Thuanus also relates Rhodius cent 1. obs 91. how the desperate bleeding of a wound was stopt lib. 75. histor XXXIII A Nobleman having been troubled with frequent and violent eruptions of bloud sometimes at the sedal Veins sometimes at the Nose after several Venaesections taking of Juleps and cooling Decoctions c. at length by taking the following Powder a dose whereof he took in a Julep every sixth hour Take of Male-Poeony red Coral Pearl each 1 drachm Ivory Hartshorn Bloudstone each half a drachm Lapis Prunellae 1 drachm Make a Powder The dose half a drachm Take of Water of Black Cherries 8 ounces Balm Cinnamomi hordeati each 2 ounces Treacle-water 1 ounce Syrup of Corals 1 ounce and an half making Ligatures in certain places as is usual and then in others according to occasion both to quiet and to intercept the spasms of the Vessels was cured quickly without any relapse afterwards For I found the Disease to be merely or chiefly spasmodick for every day when he bled his pulse was weak his extreme parts cold and all his Vessels fell flat as if they had been too much emptied Moreover the Patient was troubled with a Vertigo almost continually and a tremor of the heart and a Swooning now and then or with the fear of it Truely the bloud was so far from bursting out of the Vessels through too much plenitude or turgescence that rather on the contrary the Current of it ran so low and small that it was scarce able to maintain the floud of Circulation Notwithstanding which was the very truth he often in a day felt something in his body to creep fast like wind sometime upwards sometimes downwards and oftentimes bleeding at the Nose or haemorrhoids followed the tendency of that motion so that hence one might easily conclude that the motive fibres of the bloud-vessels whereby they are contracted being affected with a spasm did inordinately hurry the bloud how low soever thither and now and then forced an eruption Willis XXXIV Things doe good that cause an Eschar as Colcothar by which remedy alone the most Illustrious the Prince of Orange was recalled from a fatal bleeding He every day bled a vast quantity of bloud at a wound which he had received in his jugular Veins and it could be stopt by no remedies but by a tent wrapt in a digestive and good store of powder of Colcothar Heurnius which was thrust into the Wound By Colcothar I mean burnt Vitriol XXXV I have read in the Dutch History that a wound in the jugular Vein of his Excellency William the First Prince of Orange was closed by laying a finger upon it and so the bloud stopt This artifice was of old proposed by M. Gatinaria Pressing Irons may serve instead of Fingers Van Horne XXXVI When a Man had in a fit of the Falling Sickness bit his Tongue where the Veins are large so great a bleeding followed that it could be stopt by no remedies and his strength was so low that he was ready to dye A famous Chirurgeon made a Pill of Wool and dipt it in Goldsmith's-Water and thrust it with a Probe into the Wound and Vein where it was open and within a little while the bloud totally stopt Pâ—terus XXXVII Truely the application of a red-hot Iron after mutilation is a horrible thing wherefore I propose a remedy which stops bleeding as if it were by Inchantment It is onely Alume of which little Tents are made and after cutting off the Limbs they are thrust as far as they may into the orifices of the greater Veins and then the business is finished with the application of many Splenia and astringent Powders So there was one who could by no means stop the bleeding of a Vein in the Arm Bâ—relâ—us câ—â—t 4. obs 30. which I immediately stopt onely by applying Alume XXXVIII To stop Bleeding even when the Arteries are cut nothing is better than Galen's Plaster made of Aloes Frankincense Hare's Down most exactly powdered and mixt with the White of an Egg wherewith the Wound is filled to stop the Arteries But if it stop not with this most pretious remedy 4 grains of Sperniolae Compositum Crollii may be given with good success and about the neck for a Wound of the Temporal Muscle c. a Plaster may be applied of which Johnston makes mention Id. Med. l. 8. tit 6. c. 2. made of Furnace Clay and sharp Vinegar of Roses spread upon a Rowler four inches broad and as often as it is dried renewed till the bleeding stop And oftentimes it stops within half an hour or sooner to a wonder Sâ—ulterus Tâ—b 2â— â—arag 11. I thought good to take notice of these three remedies because they stop every deplorable haemorrhage XXXIX Chalybeate Waters may be drunk for a month than
ascribed to the Physician Hence Rhases his Errour easily appears who thinks we must onely use tapping in the progress of the disease whereas then Inustions are rather convenient which are proposed by Avicenna Albucasis and Celsus Fortis XXX Moreover we must observe that the Belly must not be opened with a red-hot knife for the Peritonaeum is inflamed as I have experienced Panarolus ¶ Nor must it be done with a Caustick for when a great and round Eschar is made the water will come out at the large hole made within with such violence that no dam can check it One was applied against my mind to the Noble Mr. Alexander de Karsy a famous Lawyer in Geneva the day before his death which but that it anticipated he had died at the first gushing out of the water for when he was dead and the penknife thrust into it the water could scarce be stopt by applying the Thumb When we looked on the place to which the caustick stone had been applied it had passed all the integuments to the Peritonaeum with a wide hole and had not this by its thickness hindred which in Hydropicks is observed to grow very thick he had died immediately XXXI Concerning this operation it must be observed that Hydropicks must not be tapt unless an Ezomphalos or a starting of the Navel appear Nature as it were affecting that way for the discharge of the water Otherwise all that are opened when the Navel is not prominent die And this prominence of the Navel may be procured by Art by setting dry Cupping-glasses with much flame to the Navel and also by emollient and drawing fomentations which in three days or thereabout cause a prominence Formius ad Riverium in which Tapping may be administred XXXII Modern Practitioners say something must be evacuated morning and evening but this way of evacuating to me seems pernicious for I saw the water once so let out and the Patient died in two days And I think the onely cause of his death was the taking away of so little water For when the way was once made the water trying to get out rushes upon it with great violence and lying with all its weight on the wound does fâ—rther debilitate the part which is debilitated with section already Thence 1. There arises a great difficulty in retaining the water which being retained by viâ—lence endangers a Gangrene as it happened to him I spoke of 2. What benefit is there from so little evacuation for in the belly of one that is perfectly Hydropick 30 or 40 pints of water are contained and what relief can evacuation of half a pint give But it is my judgment 1. That a great quantity should be taken away about half or at least a third part and till the Belly fall remarkably In the mean time lest the Patient should be weakned by the loss of so much he must be refreshed with oil of Cloves Cinnamon-water c. the next day about two or three pints must be taken away and the third day again but ever less and less for because the parts have so long a time been accustomed to the water therefore I think the last of it should be left a good while but the first should be taken out much at once to the end Nature may presently find manifest relief For then especially there will not be so great difficulty in keeping the water there will not be so great a weight of water upon the wounded and weak part and it will not be necessary to thrust in tents and pipes so hard with pain or to press the wounded part so violently And that there is not so great danger in evacuating the water at once examples of several do shew from whom it has burst either of it self or by accident so that it has almost all run out and yet they have recovered Thus we heard lately here at Lovain how almost all the water burst out of an ascitick Woman at once in a very short time and yet she recovered Fienus XXXIII In Hydropicks the coaâ—s of the Peritonaeum grow very thick yea in success of time they acquire a cartilagineous hardness Barbette which in tapping of the Abdomen is very necessary to be known XXXIV They who refuse Tapping admit of opening the Scrotum but the bowels must be safe and the strength good which being turgid must be opened with a Penknife or a Lancet and afterwards must be kept open with a Seton Sometimes a Gangrene comes but this not always of any great moment Hildanus cent 1. obs 48. for so way being made the water runs out more easily and such cutaneous Gangrenes are not so difficult to cure ¶ A Black-smith in the year 1653. afforded me an instance in whose Scrotum when it had swelled after a Dropsie Pustules arose and the water of the Abdomen ran out that way upon which a Gangrene followed in the Scrotum of which he was cured by the industry of Mr. Sabourin a Chirurgeon of Geneva He survived it three years and when the Dropsie came again through a bad Diet he died XXXV According to Aetius we may sometimes prick the Scrotum with Needles into which water is fallen and experience shews this remedy is very good A Seton is made with a red-hot Iron wherewith the skin of the Scrotum is perforated Therefore we may either use pricking or a Seton according as the Patients admit of the one remedy rather than the other Capivaccius XXXVI Hollerius has a new way of getting out the water in Dropsies he says that one escâ—â—◠〈◊〉 a Dropsie and Death it self by cutting his Nails of his feet and hands to the quick But with how much danger this cure is accompanied appears from Henric. ab Heer obs 12. who affirms that an hydropick person about fifty years old when he had cut his Nails of his feet to the quick was presently taken with a Gangrene and not long after he died XXXVII Scarification of the legs was a famous remedy among the Ancients H. Saxonia out of Alex. Benedict lib. 15. cur Morb. does commend the Scarifition of the Skin on the Abdomen But in the Ankles and Legs he advises to abstain from it for fear of a Gangrene Yet Langius confirms it by his own experience and advises to remember well the remedy of Scarifying the inner Ankle Which experience I also found true about five years ago in a Man who after he had been ill of a double Tertian with a delirium afterwards fell into an Ascites and when no other remedies would doe good he rashly of himself ventured on this scarifying of the Legs For Water came out thence Frid. Hofmanâ—us and he bore it very well He is now about 70 years old and lives well and free from any disease XXXVIII In our time at Padua the water ran so abundantly out of two cuts in the Ankle that the Woman presently died And when bloud
the various natures of Mens bodies But the Moderns have found far safer Medicines as well chymical as exotick yea and things common among us that doe their work without Pain which the strong Medicines of the Ancients were apt to cause and such as whether the Nerve be bare or covered may safely be applied whereas to a bare Nerve all the old things could not be applied with safety As Balsam of Peru distilled Oil of Turpentine Tar Wax Oil or Balsam of St. John's-wort in which there are all the qualities that Galen requires with a Balsamick virtue which the old want and the old have also a corroding quality and the new do not onely waste Excrements but very much strengthen the innate Heat of the wounded part Sennertus III. Sometimes Oil of Turpentine will doe no good when it is applied too late and then we may hope in vain for a Cure as it fared about 18 years ago with Theodor. Vander Noen a Physician and Chirurgeon of Amsterdam Who having about noon let a pair of Scissers fall out of his Hands as he was catching them up in haste he hit the last joint of his right Thumb against the point of them and because he felt but little pain he neglected it for several hours but about ten at night he felt some small Convulsions in the part that was hurt and all over his body He was of a cholerick Complexion which made him when he had taken Physick to vomit it up again nevertheless his Convulsions and Pains continued therefore he called me in the morning and signified to me that he must die Because he never saw one cured into whose Wounds that piercing Oil had not been poured at first which he had neglected Sylvius de le Boë because the Pain was not great And it happened as he foretold A GUIDE TO The Practical Physician BOOK XIII Of Diseases beginning with the Letter O. Obesitas or Corpulency The Contents Taken down by drinking Vinegar I. What kind of Purging is good II. Wasted by a Medical Powder III. Their Diet. IV. One made lean onely by chewing leaves of Tobacco V. I. CHiapinius Vitellius Camp-Master-General a middle-aged Man grew so fat that he was forced to sustain his Belly by a Swathe which came about his Neck And observing that he was every day more unfit for the Wars than other he voluntarily abstained from Wine and continued to drink Vinegar as long as he lived upon which his Belly fell Strada de Bello Belgico and his Skin hung loose with which he could wrap himself as with a Doublet It was observed that he lost 87 pounds in weight II. Lest any great mischief should follow we must try to subtract by Medicine what a spare diet will not because it has been observed that a loosness either natural or procured by Art does not a little good But this must be done by degrees and slowly since it is not safe to disturb so much matter violently lest it should come all at once Therefore the best way of Purging is by Pills of Rheubarb Aloes each 2 drachms Agarick 1 drachm Cinnamon yellow Sanders each half a drachm Make them up with Syrup of Cichory They must be taken in this manner First 1 Scruple must be given an hour and an half before Meal then two or three days afterwards take half a drachm or two scruples before Meal Thus Purging must be often repeated at short Intervals till you think all the cacochymie is removed Fernelius Cons 17. III. A certain Goldsmith who was extreme fat so that he was ready to be choaked took the following Powder in his Meat and so he was cured Take of Tartar two ounces Cinnamon three ounces Ginger one ounce Sugar four ounces Make a Powder Forestus IV. Horstius found the things following to take down fat Men especially Onions Garlick Cresses Leeks Seed of Rue and especially Vinegar of Squills Let them purge well Let them Sweat and purge by Urine Let them use violent exercise before they eat Let them indure hunger want of Sleep and Thirst Let them Sweat in a Stove and continue in the Sun Idem ¶ Let them abstain from Drink between Dinner and Supper for to drink between Meals makes Men fat Ferdiâ—aâ—dâ—s V. I knew a Nobleman so fat that he could scarce sit on Horse-back but he was asleep and he could scarce stir a foot But now he is able to walk and his body is come to it self onely by chewing of Tobacco Leaves as he affirmed to me For it is good for Phlegmatick and cold Bodies Borellus VI. Let Lingua Avis or Ash-Keyes be taken constantly about one drachm in Wine According to Pliny it cures Hydropical persons and makes fat people lean Ferdinandus Obstructiones or Obstructions See Aperients BOOK XIX Oculorum Affectus or Diseases of the Eyes The Contents Bloudletting not hurtfull I. Great and frequent Evacuations are hurtfull II. Wine is the Vehicle of drying Medicines to the Head III. Eye-bright is not good for every Disease of the Eyes IV. Vpon what the Efficacy of a Seton depends V. Oculorum Dolor Inflammatio Ophthalmia or Pain of the Eyes Inflammation Bloudshottenness When the Eyes are ill of a fluxion where a Caustick must be applied VI. In a pertinacious Ophthalmia we must proceed to a Seton in the Occiput VII Where Issues must be made VIII A contumacious Ophthalmia cured by applying an actual Cautery to the swollen Veins of the Eyes IX Boring the Tip of the Ear is good X. Whether Purging be always proper XI Topical Medicines must be used circumspectly XII Gutta Serena Visus Imminutio or a Blindness without any visible cause Diminution of Sight When a Gutta Serena is curable XIII Cured by applying Blisters to the Thighs XIV By fasting XV. By a Wound in the Forehead XVI How using Spectacles helps the sight XVII Suffusio Cataracta or a Suffusion a Cataract The Body must often be purged XVIII One beginning cured by a Topick XIX The efficacy of Pigeon's Bloud XX. Cautions about couching a Cataract XXI The way of using purging Pills XXII Macula Cicatrices Phlyctaena c. or Spots Scars Blisters c. Spots must be distinguished from Scars because there is no cure for Scars XXIII The Chirurgical Cure of an Albugo XXIV Oculi Procidentia or Starting out of the Eye The Starting of the Eye cured by setting a Cupping-glass to the hind part of the Head XXV The restitution of the Humours of the Eye lost by a Wound XXVI I. I Have found in my self that letting of bloud is not hurtfull to the sight for when I had found my sight troubled for seven years and I had not let bloud for six months I opened a vein and let ten ounces of impure bloud and as much after dinner after which I found my sight come to me perfectly But because the last bloud was feculent the next day I bled again in the other Arm. And ever
I. The Cure of a Caries following the Pox is difficult II. The Excellency of Euphorbium to correct a Caries III. Bared Bones do not always contract a Caries IV. The Causes and Cure of a Spina Ventosa V. The Cure of an ulcerous Hypersarcosis VI. The Cure of a Cancer of the Bone VII I. BOnes must exsquammate and be taken out when they are corrupt or after Burning Powders are made of Sarcoticks as Myrrhe All heal Frankincense adding some things which are reckoned to have the property to draw Bones as Root of Reeds which draws out Thorns and Splinters Some also add Pine-bark but without either judgment or reason for this Powder is usefull and effectual sometimes indeed as in Bones which consist of a rare substance or of two Tables such as the Os Cranii the Os Coxendicis and the Os Sacrum for they have Veins within wherefore they draw Flesh out of these Bones But in thicker and solid Bones they are not so commendable because Flesh cannot be bred in the inside of them Therefore drier Medicines must be sought which have an epispastick faculty as Powder made of Agarick Tartar and Bone Ashes for such a Powder because of the Agarick draws out the Humour that lies within and corrupts the Bones because of the Heat it has and the faculty to draw Phlegm Besides Lees of Wine burnt do by their Heat and great Driness sever the sick parts from the sound especially in corruption of the Bones by the Pox. II. A Caries of the Bones an usual Symptome of the Pox is difficult to cure The difficulty arises hence because the Venereal Poison intimately insinuates it self into the Bones whither Medicines that are proper to correct it cannot reach and the Disease cannot easily be conquered with Fire or an actual Cautery It is well known that an Acid and we reckon the Venereal Poison consists in a sharp Acidity and that it is most penetrating does most closely insinuate it self into the Bones and corrupt them even to Death for Bones do truly live and therefore such as are corrupted with a Caries must be reckoned for dead Therefore for the Cure of a Caries it is necessary that all the part affected as being dead be separated from the sound and living with which the Caries can neither close nor long subsist but it will infect the same and by little and little bring it to the like corruption But it is hard either by Fire or by a red hot Iron or by convenient Medicines to separate the carious part of the Bone from the sound when the Venereal Poison had made holes in the Bone and the farther it eats the stronger it grows as it is plain in a Venereal Caries which is the reason that it stops not at a Bone which corrupts but daily grows sharper whereupon at length when it is arrived at the height the Venereal Caries grows incurable And all the difficulty lies here that usually proper Remedies cannot be conveniently used and applied for the parts near the Bone as the Membranes Tendons Nerves c. are often hurt by an actual Cautery And this Malady increases because actual Cauteries which doe little good at once applying must be often applied if they will doe any great matters other Remedies are either too weak or cannot penetrate sufficiently to all the places where the said Poison has insinuated it self which consists in a sharp Acidity and is very penetrating For whatever things yet have been found to take off the Acrimony of an Acid any way are either lixivial Salts both fixt and volatile or volatile Spirits or Oil or Watry things or some things compounded of them But fixt lixivial Salts which are the chief opposites and adversaries of an Acid if they be pure and alone will stay at the superficies and will doe nothing of moment and if they be diluted with water they will lose some of their virtue If they be joined with a volatile Spirit they will penetrate indeed the better but they will operate more weakly If they be made into a Soap with Oil they are weakned and cannot easily penetrate deep in and if Water be added to make them more penetrable they are made more dull No wonder therefore if a Venereal Caries of the Bones be seldom cured Sylvius de le Boë III. In curing of Ulcers a Chirurgeon meets with nothing that creates him more trouble and puzzles him more than when an Ulcer is accompanied with a Caries of the Bones especially if it be deep because of the Moisture in the Bone And for the drying up of this Moisture and for making the â—one to scale Physicians and Chirurgeons both ancient and modern could think of nothing better than an actual Cautery I allow Euphorbium the next place since it not onely dries up the Humours in the Bone because it is sharp and hot in the fourth degree but it seems to be proper here by an occult quality Hildanus IV. I have observed some Physicians and Chirurgeons and those no ordinary ones who were of opinion that Flesh can never grow upon Bones that are made bare in green Wounds unless the surface of the Bones scaled by the benefit of Nature and Medicines Wherefore whenever they meet with a Wound where the Bone was laid bare they scraped it with Scalpra till the bloud come for several days then they applied sharp Medicines as Oil of Sulphur Vitriol Aqua fortis and the like and therefore of a simple Ulcer they often made a malignant one as we may see in rotten Teeth And though the Air be stark naught for bared Bones yet it does not follow that they are always altered and corrupted by it especially if the Chirurgeon be carefull Idem and use no sharp thing ¶ Hippocrates Aph. 6. 46. says that in all annual Ulcers the Bone must of necessity corrupt for because such are malignant therefore the Flesh and the very Bone must of necessity corrupt This is often observed in the Pox Small pox and other putrid Abscesses for when the Bones are made bare by such causes for the most part they are corrupted before the Flesh and the Skin are ulcerated as I have often observed nor will the Wound close up till the Caries of the Bone is removed And that it may very well be if the Lips of the Ulcer be kept open with prepared Sponge and if Powder of Euphorbium be strewed on every day I have several times cured a Caries of the Bone when it has not scaled For Euphorbium rectifies the Bone by degrees and all that is carious runs out with the Pus I found this in a Girl who after the Small-pox had a huge Abscess in her left Arm when it was opened the Bone was found to be carious In one part of the Ulcer where the Caries was deep the Bone scaled by the benefit of Nature and Euphorbium and Nature insensibly corrected the rest Idem so that she perfectly recovered V. I am resolved
be long before the Abscess be opened the Antecedent Matter sticks in the head when the Conjunct will not make way for it for that without hinders that within Idem IV. When the Abscess is opened we must abstain altogether from evacuating and diverting Medicines and must use only Clysters As also we must insist on Attenuants to wit store of Julepium Acetosum Idem with respect to the febrile heat V. In Parotides that come after other great Diseases I use burning in the very tumor presently without expecting any suppuration For we can no way better prevent the falling back of the swelling than if the Matter be purged out by the Ulcer which is inflicted Vallesius VI. One would scarce believe did not Experience testifie it what virtue there is in Quick-Silver which some reckon cold and moist to dissolve and discuss swellings of the Ears or any other Swellings Therefore it may safely be mixt in Cataplasms for it will not repel the Humour that is the cause of the Parotis inwards Ench. Med. Pract. but will discuss it by insensible Transpiration VII A young Man otherwise of a good Constitution being ill of the Parotides behind his Jaws was taken ill with a Fever Upon which he grew worse because perhaps they began to ripen and the Physicians taking little notice of it he was let Blood in the Arm after which the Swellings immediately went in difficulty of breathing followed his Fever increased much on the sixth day Exanthemata came out Rumlerus obs 56. with great weakness and within a little while after the Patient died VIII The Abscess may be opened with a Knife if the Patient be young his innate Heat brisk and if the Tumor be rather Phlegmonous or mixt with Bile than Oedematous or mixt with Phlegm Nor is the Knife always so safe that is when a Man is old the Native heat weak and the Febrile strong and the Humour the cause of the Swelling enclining to cold for then a Wound may cause a Gangrene for which reason we use a Cautery in stead of a Knife Medicines especially made use of by eminent Physicians 1. Take of old Hogs Lard not salted 3 ounces Butter 1 ounce Wax 2 ounces burnt Oyster Shells powdered 2 ounces Fontanus Make a Plaister It is most effectual to discuss the Parotides 2. This is an admirable Unguent to asswage and dissolve Take of Oyl of Henbane expressed 1 drachm Oyl of Chamaemil distilled half a drachm of Saffron distilled 5 grains Hertod Mix them Partus or Womens Labour The Contents Whether Bleeding in the Foot help a hard Labour I. Where a Child may be cut out of the Mothers Belly II. Strong Emeticks help III. When the Childs Head pitches above the Os Pubis how it may be reduced IV. The Woman must be refreshed V. Violent forcing Potions are dangerous VI. If a Woman go with a live and a dead Child which must be delivered first if they both make way alike VII Quick-Silver given with success VIII How Labour may be made easie when the Bones will scarce part IX How we must help Swooning X. The Eagle-Stone tied to the Thigh must presently be removed after delivery XI Some must be left to Nature XII What way things that promote the Birth do act XIII Facilitaters of the Birth properly so called must not be given till the Child is ready to be born XIV Reduction of a vitious posture not always possible XV. Medicines I. HIppocrates 1. de Morbis Mulierum prescribes a Remedy for hard Labour almost omitted by all it is Bleeding in the Foot But if saith he a Pregnant Woman be kept a long time and cannot bring forth but is in Pains of Travel for several days If she be young and in her full strength and abound with Blood a Vein must be opened in the Foot and Blood taken away respect being had to the strength Although this be never put in practice by Practitioners but is rather dreaded because strength is absolutely necessary in Travel which is much weakned by Blood-letting Yet if difficulty of bringing forth arise from a Plethora which Hippocrates seems to intimate when he says if the Woman be young and in her full strength and abound with Blood no doubt but it may do much good seeing the Veins when they are full of Blood use to make all the inner passages much narrower therefore in the Nephritick Pain the like Bleeding often does wonders Riverius and facilitates the exclusion of Stones contained both in the Kidneys and Ureters ¶ In those that have hard Labour I have let Blood with great benefit Rondeletius ¶ It were better in the sixth or seventh Month to extenuate and lessen the Foetus by a spare Diet and Bleeding especially if the Woman be with Child of a Girl for Girls when they are born are always fatter than Boys Idem II. Many things are commonly disputed about a Caesarean Birth Bauhinus his Opinion to me seems probable who in his Preface to Fr. Roussetus his Book proves by Reasons That by no Art the Child can be cut alive out of the dead Mother And though an Example be brought such as Crato l. 5. f. 371. mentions out of J. C. Arantius he thinks the Mother was wronged before she was dead or it happened by chance that is the Surgeon by chance hit on that very last point of time when the Soul was just going out of the Body Sennertus seems not to be of this Opinion and he says the Child has a Soul which makes its Body to survive the dead Mother And though he seems there to have given an Epitome of Roussetus yet he contradicts not Bauhinus his Reasons nor according to his custom examines them Horstius also in Fab. Hildanus says the Child in the Womb lives not by its own Liâ—e but its Life depends upon the Mother which the Anatomy of an Infant does demonstrate and he gives a further demonstration Laurentius fol. 324. Anat. demonstrates the same where he had proved before That a Child in the Womb neither breaths nor breeds Vital Spirit Hoeferus Herc. Med. l. 7. c. 4. nor do the Heart and Arteries beat of themselves and therefore all parts belonging to these things as also all that belong to the first and second Concoction are idle in the Child and useless but all these things are communicated by the Mother ¶ We must know there are three cases in which we may think of this Chirurgery 1. When the Child is dead and the Mother alive 2. When the Mother is dead and 〈◊〉 Child alive 3. When they are both alive In the first case it is not necessary to expose a Woman who cannot easily be delivered to manifest danger Because if it cannot be got out by Surgery Nature has found other ways by the Anus Navil Groin as Histories do testifie The second case frequently happens That the Embryo is condemned to darkness before it see the
light and the hope of a living Soul dies with the Big-bellied Woman as the Emperor l. 10. Digest tit 8. speaks By whose fault Whether the Magistrates as without whose consent that Operation cannot be performed Or the Surgeons who are afraid of Vesalius his fortune who when he was cutting open the Breast of one whom he thought had been dead found the Heart then beating For it is necessary that the Section be made almost in the very point when the Mother expires or while the Infant does still stir and leap Nor does it any good to keep the Mothers Mouth open with a Key for it is a vulgar error to think that the Child lives by the Respiration of the Mother The third case is when a live Child is cut out of the Mother alive This is truely a Caesarean Birth but how dangerous this Operation is any one may easily see And though it must be acknowledged there may happen a necessity of making such a Section yet so many and such Circumstances must be observed that in the interim in this hazardous case no Man dares put his Hand to this Operation for fear of the disgrace For it is a thing worth the observation that after Roussetus there was never found an Eye-witness they were all Ear-witnesses only except Doringius who in an Epistle to Hildanus affirms that in his presence the Womb which was slipt into the Groin was cut open and a lively Infant was taken out but that three days after cutting the Mother died Which thing the Excellent Rolfinccius p. 182. Dissert Anat. writes happened to himself who therefore dissuades this Operation in a living Woman But I should earnestly persuade the cutting out of the Child if it could be known by signs that the Infant had broke its Cell and got into the Cavity of the Abdomen Van Horne as Histories do prove Roussetus may boast as he pleases of a Caesarean Birth and may proclaim it secure from danger I once attempted it but was so terrified with the unhappy event Rolfinecius Diss Anat. l. 1. c. 13. for the Woman died within four days taken with Epileptick Convulsions when the Wound that was made did promise well that while I live I shall never advise this Operation for fear that they who are decreed to die should be reported to have died by the Physicians hand But when I went about the work with Hooks and Pliers neatly made I never went away without accomplishing my desire to the admiration of the By-standers III. In difficulty of Travel Angelus Sala gives Mercurius Vitae a very strong Vomit to Big-bellied Women and I have imitated him in the like cases Frid. Hofmannus always with good success IV. Among Causes of a hard Labour this is omitted by all Writers that I have read to wit When the Childs Head just as the Mother is ready to be delivered pitches forward above the Os Pubis This is a thing truly not undeserving the notice for how much stronger the throws of Travel are and the more she labours so much less able will she be to bring out the Child unless the Childs Head be put upwards towards the Mothers Back â—arbette and then be directed downwards besides the Bone by the Midwifes hand V. Riverius his Judgment was That a Caesarean Section must never be practised while the Mother is alive because while she is alive her delivery is never despaired of He proves it by the instance of a Woman at Mompelier who had hard Labour and when she was dead the Child was found dead but yet delivered whence it is evident that the Child may be born at the very last throws when the Mother dies away because of her pains which she has undergone Wherefore no wonder if Hildanus procured sleep and strength to a Woman in Travel who was just ready to beat her last by giving her 1 drachm of Confectio Alkermes in 2 ounces of Syrup of Red Poppy and Water-Lily and Borage Water and most happily relieved her He said also That a great Wound in the Skin cannot be cured without Sewing nor in the Womb which is moister than the Skin and it has no proper Substrate Matter to breed a Callus VI. In a Woman that died after her delivery the Womb was found torn by the coming out of the Child The Midwives said that her Womb had a very narrow mouth a most violent Potion was given her by a certain Matron to force away the Child by which her pains and throws were so increased and the Child forced so violently that making its way by main force but finding the passage too strait it tore the Womb. From whence it is clear that this kind of Remedy must not be used but with great caution and not till we have first considered whether the Womb be fit for it and whether the Child lie right Hildanus cent 1. 64. before the Potion be given VII Sometimes the Mother goes with Twins one of which is dead and that always comes out the first the other alive presently follows Here I shall relate to you something of this nature which perhaps may seem wonderful to you that so you may know how to behave your self in delivering of Twins For once it so happened that in my presence the Mother earnestly contended with the Midwife that the Child was alive which she said she felt to stir on the contrary the Midwife urged that the Child was dead from many outward signs But at length it happened when that Child was delivered which was reckoned dead in the Womb and the Secundine was taken away with it that presently another live Child came out with its Secundine although before we could perceive nothing like it by outward signs Therefore they were both in the right for the Mother when she affirmed she felt the Child stir did not think she had had two in her Belly And the Midwife when she contended that the Child was dead did little think that another must have followed See I pray how variously things happen And let it be a Maxim to you not to use as some are of the mind an Instrument in delivering a Child for nothing is more certain than the Hands nothing more secure and gentle But to return to my former Story When the dead Child was delivered entire alone we searched if by any signs we could find out what had caused the death of the Child whether it was the Mothers fault or it came by some External violence We took the After burthen entire but corrupted extended it with our Hands and held it to the light We thought we saw something livid and contused in the right side of the Chorion such as comes after receiving a blow so that the Veins in that part were altogether corrupt and broken Car. Stephanus l. 3. c. 2. Anat. Then we concâ—uded that the Child was killed by a blow about the Mothers Womb. VIII Although I never used Quick-Silver yet I have
your Hand and the Foetus being caught by the Legs must be pulled out For in this case we must proceed no otherwise than if some House were on fire in which case we break open the Doors if they be shut There is only this way of safety both to the Woman and her Burthen Obstetrix Gallic in obs and the omission of it hath been destructive to many XXIII The Wife of N. thirty years old in the beginning of her ninth Month received a slight blow on her Belly and the next day moving her Arms strongly in making a Bed there began a small flux of Blood from her Womb which continued for two or three days but ceased betwixt whiles But on the twelfth day after there flow'd out so great plenty of Blood that in three or four hours time she was brought very low First Bleeding her in her Arm astringent Clysters were order'd her but the Flux continuing and the Patient perceiving no motion of the Foetus whence we thought it was dead and that the Womb endeavouring to free it self of an unprofitable Burthen contracted it self continually and expelled the Blood but yet that it did not perform that motion so strongly as was necessary for the Birth we judg'd it necessary to use all art for provoking the Birth that the immoderate profusion of Blood might be stanched which otherwise was like to bring the poor Woman to her end Wherefore a Clyster was ordered of the Emollient decoction with Catholiâ—on and Diaphoenicon of each six drachms of the Oil of Lilies three ounces with a drachm of Salt with which she was well purged and presently after she had parted with it the Flux of Blood was much lessened which may seem strange seeing such Clysters are likelier to increase the Flux But I think this happened from hence that the Womb was pressed by Excrements contained in the streight Gut from which oppression so soon as it was freed it begun to collect it self and to restrain that preposterous motion that it might betake it self to a more natural But seeing after the Clyster was parted with the Womb attempted nothing but the Efflux of Blood still continued and it was evident the Foetus was dead to exclude it there was given a drachm of the salt of Vitriol in four ounces of Bugloss Water which seemed proper in two respects First Because by raising a Vomit the Womb was also irritated to exclusion because in Vomiting all the parts of the Abdomen do violently contract themselves Secondly Because the salt of Vitriol is endued with a very great astringent vertue whereby it may conduce to the stanching of Blood She Vomited twice pretty sorely and cast up much Bilious Phlegmatick and Serous Stuff and a little after her Travailing Pains came on which having continued for four or five hours this Potion was given to further the Birth Take of Dittany of Crete both Birthworts and the Troches of Myrrhe of each half a scruple of Saffron and Cinamon of each twelve grains of Confectio Alkermes half a drachm of Cinamon Water half an ounce of Orange Flower Water and Mugwort Water of each an ounce and half Upon the taking of this within a quarter of an hour with very strong and twice or thrice repeated strainings she excluded the Foetus whose Skin beginning to putrefy seem'd torn in divers places A little while after she excluded the Secundines also half-rotten her Lochia flowing moderately after that Riv. cent 3. obs 24. XXIV There is great difficulty about the use of Astringents and on that account the Cure is very difficult for if we retain the Blood by things that astringe then we run into more cruel symptoms because the clodded Blood being retained breeds six hundred times more grievous symptoms according to 6. aph 20. For as much as Blood in the Vessels is friendly to Nature so much injurious does it become afterwards when extravasated for it becomes like Poison How must we proceed therefore I answer That all Internal Remedies ought to be astringent and the External especially about the region of the Belly and Womb by no means astringent for by that means they should be destroyed languishing especially when they void clodded Blood Epiph. Ferdinand hist 3. yet Astringents may be applied to the Reins Pruritus or Itching The Contents A stubborn Itching cured by Issues I. A scabby one cured by Scarification II. I. MR. N. having been ill for some months of a Sciatick pain and a troublesom or rather painful itching almost all over his Body and could hardly go any longer leaning on a Staff I advised him to empty his Body of bad Humours for he was very Cacochymical and to free his Viscera from obstructions But he being averse from Physick I made two Issues one in the left Arm and another in the right Ham by the benefit whereof the Sciatick pain and also that very troublesom itching remitted by degrees And the acrimonious salt and naughty Humour the immediate cause of each Distemper being by the help of Nature plentifully discharged by the Issues it caused for some months pains in the Hams by twitching the Nervous parts Hild. cent 4. obs 75. II. An old Nun being almost for two years troubled with a scabby itching of her Hands which she used almost to tear in pieces with scratching when it could be allayed by neither Internal nor External Medicins Severin med eff p. 76. I cured it by making frequent Scarifications Puerperarum affectus or the Diseases of Childbed Women The Contents When Venesection is to be used I. The manner of Purgation in their Acute Diseases II. Cooling Alteratives are necessary when they fall into a Fever III. The allaying of the After-pains by giving the Pouder of the Secundine IV. When the pains arise from Wind how they may be allayed V. They have ceased by a cold draught VI. Eggs are hurtful VII Wine is to be denied VIII If they be costive how they are to be loosened IX Sleep is not to be granted presently after delivery X. Of the Fevers of Childbed Women see Book 6. The After-pains ought to be allayed XI They cannot be cured unless the cause be known XII I. AUthors disagree much about Venesection in the Acute Diseases of Childbed Women there are scarce two to be found that agree in the same opinion Omitting Circumlocutions I shall in the following Theorems propound here that opinion which comes nearer the mind of the wiser Physicians and succeeds the more happily in practice An Acute Disease invades a Childbed Woman either in the beginning or in the middle or in the end of her lying in If it happen in the beginning and the Woman be plentifully purged no other Evacuation of Blood is to be attempted than that which is directed by Nature working rightly and conveniently But if her Purgations be supprest or diminished let the lower Veins be opened and let Blood freely because then the Evacuation ought to be large according to
Funnel whose straiter end was to reach to the Genital parts At the same moment of time she also received the same smâ—ak in at her Nose and Mouth from another Pot which having penetrated the Woman presently cries out I must needs go to Stool which she had hardly spoken but there was heard such a hâ—zzing as when Gun-Poud r contained in some narrow Case or Squib is set on â—irâ—â— which Wind having thus burst forth forthwith in the vâ—ry moment the Woman was freed from her pain Being thus informed by Experience I have sometimes since then in the like case found the same Remedy profitable and beneficial Sâ—â—ander 〈◊〉 â— cons 1â— sect 29. VI. My dear Wife Johanna Spanhemia being always cruelly griped after her delivery which Gripes no art could allay although all things which use to be propounded were tried at length in the month of May 1675. being happily brought to Bâ—d of a Boy and but just laid down in her Bed being very thirsty after the pains of her Travail she extorâ—ed from her Nurse a draught oâ— very â—old Pâ—â—sâ—n whâ—n her Gripes were just a coming which were wholly repressed by this Remedy without any prejudice I had lately the opportunity to try the same with good success in a Cholerick Woman the Wife of a Clock-maker whose name was Morellus her Purgations flowing very well afterward Whether was the Orgasm of the Blood by this means appeased which was making an hasty exit and distending the Vesselâ— being turgent in them or irrâ—tating them by its acrimony Such a Drink may be very profitable in the Cholerick by tempering the heat of the Blood VII Those do amiss who give Child-bed Women potch'd Eggs betimes in the morning and before Meals for seeing Hippocrates 1. de morb mul. sect 2. vers 156. approves of them when the Purgations flow immoderately it is an evident argument that they have a vertue to stop them so that by their use the Purgations may be stopt when they flow as they should do than which nothing can be imagined more hurtful Martianus VIII Old and racy Wine is not safe for Child-bed Women at the beginning because the Pains of Travail are follow'd by a great Perturbation of the Humours in the Body which might be carried up into the Head by the drinking of Wine 'T is also suspected lest some harm might accrew from it to the parts which belong to the Womb or are adjoining from whence an inward Inflammation might arise Idem IX From the weakness of the Muscles of the Abdomen which contribute much to the expulsion of the Excrements Childbed Women are very subject to be Costive and not only from their continual keeping their Bed as is vulgarly supposed For from the preceding Travail the Muscles of the Abdomen are as yet weak In which case Looseners are given in vain from the too great use whereof the Coats of the Stomach become too slippery whence concoction is injur'd Something oâ— Turpentine or Aloes or Rhubarb are more convenient for these Hoefer Herc. med l. 3. c. 5. which both stimulate the Belly and have a friendly stypticity X. Cautious Women that attend upon Women in Travail will not permit them to sleep presently after they are deliver'd lest whilst they sleep too much Blood should flow out without notice Idem l. 7. c. 5. XI Those Physicians are deceived that following the Opinion of some Women think that Womens After-pains are therefore profitable because the flowing of the Lochia is promoted thereby the contrary whereto often happens seeing sometimes they do not flow though these pains be never so violent Add hereto that many Women have no such pains and yet nevertheless their Lochia flow and that indeed far better than when those pains are urgent Those are likewise deceived that follow Women in an Opinion that these pains do seldom or never follow upon a Womans delivery of her first Child but only upon the second and that they become greater and greater every time a Woman lies in For daily Experience shews the falsity hereof at least in these Countreys where yet many are possest with this opinion which is not only erroneouâ— but also hurtful especially the former because by this means the Cure of these pains is neglected and hindred by many esteeming them to be profitable though the neglect of them have so often been the cause of death to many Childbed Women Sylv. prax l. 3. c 9. sect 2 4. XII Wherefore it is of concern to know the true cause of the said Pains Seeing they follow upon the delivery the most frequent cause thereof is deservedly to be derived from those things which use to happen to Child-bearing Women in he time of their Travail Now there are two things which are the most observable the exclusion of the Foetus and the separating of the Secundines from the Womb and their exit out of it In the exclusion of the Foetus that is in the very delivery 't is sufficiently known that pains are caused but such as grow less afterwards and vanish by little and little But the After-pains we are speaking of are quite of another nature beginning a ter the delivery is over As to the separation of the Secundines from the Womb as also their exit out of it Women are sometimes wont to be pained anew thereby because they are often knit pretty straitly and firmly to the Womb and grow so to it that they can hardly or not at all be separated therefrom without the tearing either of themselves or of the Womb. Now none is ignorant how acute pains are felt in excoriated and torn parts especially as oft as any Liquor and chiefly that which is acrimonious and biting approaches them Whence it is no wonder if after the strait connexion of the Secundines with the Womb and the violent pulling off of the same and so Excoriation of the Womb and the afflux and efflux of the Lochia great pains be caused there But it is to be noted that those pains chiefly afflict Women both that are delicate and of an exquisite sense and have their Secundines also straitly knit to the Womb not to be separated therefrom without violence We must observe moreover if the Cure of these pains be neglected that every time a Woman is brought to Bed they are sorer and sorer which perhaps has given rise to that Erroneous Opinion concerning these Pains which was mention'd above Lastly we must observe that Women with Child do either hasten or are hastened too much to their delivery so that before the Foetus is come to its full maturity and the Secundines prepared for an easie separation from the Womb the Birth is precipitated whence both the Foetus is expelled with difficulty and the Secundines separate from the Womb and pass out of it with the like difficulty Add hereto that in these Countreys many Women with Child do too much indulge themselves in the use of Aliments that
are of too thick and glutinous a substance from which alike Blood being produced knits the Secundines straiter to the Womb whence seeing the Blood grows more and more glutinous 't is no wonder that the Secundines should stick closer to the Womb every Labour than other Therefore the primary cause of the pains after delivery is the too strait connexion of the Secundines to the Womb and thence the tearing of them from the Womb and so the Excoriation of the Womb But a second cause and which joins it self to the former is the Blood of the Lochia flowing through the torn and excoriated parts of the Womb and biting and gnawing of them And though all Blood whilst it moistens the excoriated and torn parts of the Womb causes pain in them yet the same pain is not a little increased when the Blood is more acrimonious than usual from any cause either through an acrimonious serum mixt with it becoming so by the Bloods stagnating every where and therefore also in the Vessels and Sinous Caverns of the Womb. Other causes may also contribute as cold taken in the time of Labour which stops the Lochia in part or wholly whence the same Blood being made more acrimonious by its stay causes a pain in the Womb whether there succeed an Inflammation or only the Serum flow forth and that little and sharp biting and gnawing violently the inner parts of the Womb. Cruel pains are likewise caused by Flatus distending both the Womb it self and also the thick Guts that border upon it Moreover as a Fever is oft raised from violent pains in the Womb indisposed through hard Labour or by an Inflammation thereof so every Fever produces pains in the Womb that is when it is first indisposed the which we see to happen in any other part The Physician may guess at the true causes of After-pains besides other things from the manner of the pain for if they be rending and return and afflict more grievously by Intervals he shall judge them to arise from acidity and saltness abounding in the Blood and carried to the Womb If they be beating and burning he shâ— l suppose that the Blood stays and stagnates in the Womb and that it inclines to an Inflammation or is already inflamed If they be distending and the lower part of the Abdomen shall be observed to be stretched he shall guess that the pains are produced from Wind. So when the Lochia have been before the pains 't is probable that these spring from the suppression of those at least partly When they flow too plentifully he shall guess that the Vessels or large Orifices of the Womb are torn especially if the Secundines were separated therefrom with difficulty If the Belly be bound and there be rumblings in it suspect Flatus When it is loose and especially when the Patient has many Stools with griping t is probable the Pains have their rise from Acrimonious Humours that are carried not only to the Guts but also to the Womb as also if the privity be withal eroded and excoriated Wherefore as oft as the After-pains have their rise from the tearing and excoriation of the Womb through the violent expulsion of the Secundines so often are such Medicins to be used as lenify and consolidate the Excoriation for which purpose all that are called Vulneraries are deservedly commanded amongst which when there is withal an over large flux of the Lochia those that are somewhat astringent are to be chosen to which both Anodynes and Narcoticks will be profitably joined by the help whereof the vertue of the foregoing is not a little increased and the pain allayed If the Blood of the Lochia be more serous and sharp let it be tempered with Anodynes which are to be used chiefly in the form of Emulsions adding sometimes Opium or Laudanum Opiate after which if the strength can bear it give a gentle Hydragogue and after that a Sudorifick made of such things as astringe gently as Avens Tormentil c. When the same Blood is rendred more acrimonious by its stay then because the acrimony which is then produc'd is acid things that temper the said acrimony are to be used but so as that they increase not the afflux of Blood whence amongst aromata or Spices those are to be chosen which are least acrimonious but are most kindly and withal gently binding If the Lochia be supprest from taking cold and the foresaid pains proceed from hence those Medicins are to be used which cure the suppression of the Lochia If notwithstanding that the Lochia flow yet these pains be produced then Sudorâ—ficks will be profitable such as are not very Aromatick nor much astringent lest the Flux be either increased too much or stopt adding Opiats that ease the pain and increase the vertue of the Sudorificks If an Inflammation of the Womb be begun from a suppression of the Lochia it is to be cured by both inward and outward Remedies Idem Puerperia or Womens Childbed Purgations The Contents The Secundines or After-birth are expelled by Sneezing I. Strong Frictions of the Abdomen do hâ—rt II. Whether it be safe to Vomit III. When to cut â—â—e Navel-String IV. They are to bs drawn forth warily V. Whether a Suppuration of them be to be promoted and expected VI. 'T is better to extract them by the Hand than to expel them by Medicins VII They have been expelled by the application of Astringents to the Belly VIII What is to be done when they are retained and the Lochia flow immoderately IX Though a piece of the Placenta stay behind there is not always danger of Life X. A piece excluded by the help of a decoction XI A Secundine brought out by a decoction of Chervil XII Sleep is to be kept off when the Lochia flow immoderately XIII When they are retained what Vein is to be opened XIV When they are supprest they are to be moved diversly according to the diversity of the Causes XV. When the Flux is too great how it is to be stayed XVI A suppression of them cured by bleeding in the Arm. XVII The same quantity of the Evacuation is not to be expected in all XVIII If they flow plentifully in the Birth it is not to be endeavoured that they should be kept flowing long XIX How to recall them when they are supprest by taking cold in Travail XX. 1. AMongst External Remedies expelling the Secundines Hippocrates gives the chief place to Sternutatories l. 2. Epid. sect 2 and aph 5. 49. Galen gives the reason aph 5. 35. that by their vehement shaking and toffing they partly excite Nature and partly shake off such things as closely adhere to the parts of the Body Namely when the Brain is violently moved all the Viscera are shaken as well as it and the Muscles of the Belly are contracted which contribute notably both to the expulsion of the Foetus and also of the Secundines Yet here is need of caution let Medicins precede that
Chesnuts Apples Rice boyled in Milk Pine nuts c. make the Spirits thick Rondeletius p. 1002. V. A certain Nobleman came to me to request a Remedy for his Impotency He was able to lye with elderly Women but was insufficient to get a Maiden-head because at the very first touch he lost his Seed but it was weak and watry like whey He was of a good habit of Body and Fleshy I said because I could not in so healthy a body see any other cause of his Impotency that I thought he had an Ulcer in the Intestinum rectum and that from thence the Parastatae and the other Vessels necessary for the preparation and ejaculation of Seed being continually blasted with a putrid vapor were not sufficient to breed so much Seed as was sufficient for a long tension of the Member and a florid coition While they wondered that I should mention such a cause I told them I had formerly seen the same case in Italy and that I remembred I had read of the like in Hist Mirah Marcel Donati I immediately ordered a Suppository only of Honey and it came out besmeared with much Pus Then I ordered some brine to be injected by a Syringe which he said after several injections that is when the Ulcer was cleansed made him smart much I judged when the Ulcer was healed H. ab Heer 's Spadac Obs 10. that he would be well But he neglected the Cure and died VI. I have learned from Soldiers that while they were led through Rivers so as that water came up to their genitals Ph. Salmuth that they were thereby made more Effeminate VII They are not to be harkened to who after over much Venus forbid bleeding Of which opinion I was formerly whilest I follow'd my Masters rules to a tittle from which I immediately declined when I begun to act my reason with Judgment and to the great benefit of several who either immediately or the next day after coition have fallen into grievous Feavers and tedious pain in the Kidneys From whom truly I did not take much less blood then if Coition had not preceeded taking my Indication rather from the nature of the Disease and its greatness and from the fulness of the Veins than from a false opinion of superfluous evacuation Because the languidness of strength which follows coition is not caused so much by evacuation of the sanguineous matter although Seed be bred of Blood as from the wasting the strength of the Body by the toil and heat which necessarily attend Coition But admit that not only the vital Spirits but also the animal and natural be spent sooner and in greater plenty by superfluous Venus than by any other laborious exercise of the Body Whether therefore is there so great an evacuation made of the matter that is in the venous kind that if Inflammations arise in the Kidneys which are often caused by too much Coition blood should not be let when the said Inflammations are raised by afflux of hotter Blood into the said parts and the Loins that are heated with too much motion Certainly no yea it ought to be taken away immediately while it is fluid lest being by long staying fixt to the part it cause an abscess Nor must we spare Bleeding if a Feaver take one without pain of the Loins if the greatness of the Disease require it since they that are given to Venus for the most part fair high Botallus to enable themselves Medicines especially made use of by eminent Physicians Against Salacity 1 Glow-worms which shine in the Night if they be eaten take away Venus wholly ¶ It is a peculiar Remedy if 3 drachms or half an ounce of Coriander be taken with a little water and Sugar 2. Omitting purging this Decoction is very much commended Take of white water Lilly 1 ounce and an half Purslain Lettuce Mint each 1 handful Rue 3 drachms seed of Agnus castus 1 drachm and an half flowers of white water Lilly 1 pugil boyl them in water P. Forestus To one pound of the Colature add of Syrup of Poppy of water Lilly each half an ounce mix them 3. Destilled Oyl of Rue is excellent taken inwardly and applied outwardly Hartmannus in a few drops 4. The use of Salt Nitre in the water of water-Lilly morning and evening is admirably good Hofmannus in too great Salacity 5. This is an excellent Remedy Take Oyl of Roses 1 drachm and an half Chamomil half an ounce juice of Nightshade or Housleek or Purslain half an ounce Argenti spuâ—a and Ceruss each 2 drachms a little Wax and Vinegar Mix them N. Piso make an Unguent 6. The immersion of the virile Member in cold water makes it immediately fall Fel. Platerus Against Impotency 1. Take the Patient's Urine as much as you please boyl it in a pot covered Joh. Agricola and if any one have bewitched him he that did it will be in great anxiety will discover himself and take off the Inchantment 2. If a live Mullet be suffocated in Wine and a Man drink of it J. Caes Baricellus Athenaeus holds he will be unable to use Venery 3. Take of Mel Anacardinum fresh Butter each half an ounce Boyl them together till they grow thick stirring them well The dose is the quantity of a Pease as you go to bed It excites Venus wonderfully 4. If the right great Toe be anointed with Oyl in which Cantharides have been dissolved P. Bayrus it will cause an admirable erection 5. Orchis Root whose Root is cover'd with a red skin but is white within Crollius does powerfully excite Venus especially given in Wine 6. The continual use of Essence of Amber is of admirable efficacy in curing Impotency to Venus Pet. Joh. Faber For there is nothing more effectual for restoring the innate Spirits 7. Extractum Diasatyrionis is most excellent in this case Rod. à Fonseca yea and the Extract of the Roots of Satyrion it self if a Pill of it be given is excellent to excite coition 8. Partridges dung dissolved in its Gall Grulingius and anointed on the Glans does wonderfully encrease Venus 9. The sperm of a Stag killed in Coition is a great arcanum to provoke Venus Hofmannus 10. Take of Oyl or Essence of Saffron 8 or 10 drops a little Aurum fulminans well edulcorated let it be given in Malmsey Wine when the party goes to bed It strengthens Venus to admiration Cunrad Kunrath ¶ Essence or Tincture of Salt impregnated with Sol is an excellent strengthener in Impotency 11. Nettle seed boyled in Butter and given for 3 dayes powerfully helps in Coition Joh. Marquardus 12. This is a most effectual Unguent Take of Oyl of Elder 1 drachm Pyrethrum Euphorbium each 1 drachm Musk 5 grains let the Palms of the Hands Hieron Mercurialis the Soles of the Feet and the Genital be anointed 13. Nothing is found more
effectual than the anointing the Region of the Womb with Oyl of flying Ants which is thus made Riverius Take of flying Ants two ounces infuse them in Oyl 40 dayes in the heat of the Sun 14. This is a Venereal Arcanum of great virtue Take of Civet 2 grains anoint the Glans therewith Guern Rolfinc It is a wonder with what strength it tickles and erects the Mans member and with what pleasure to the Woman that scent is received so that it is accounted by some as a secret 15. Hazle Nuts long steeped in Honey are very good for the distension of the Penis ¶ Also the tongue of a Goose in its whole substance stimulates Venus Rondeletius 16. This is an admirable Unguent for Coition Take Oyl of Frogs Oyl of Caepae caninae Oyl of winged Ants Oleum sesaminum each 1 drachm Pyrethrum Staves-acre Nettle-seed each 1 drachm and an half let them be powdered and boyled in the foresaid Oyls add of Wax what is sufficient Make an Oyntment Wherewith the Stones Reins perinaeum and pecten must be anointed ¶ If you would render a Woman very delectable and so as to love you much in Coition take of Euphorbium Pyrethrum Cubebs and Pepper each a like quantity powder them and incorporate them when you would lye with a Woman anoint the Yard and do the work Salivatio Morbosa or a morbid Salivation The Contents Its Causes and Cure I. When it is spontaneous sometimes not to be stopt II. I. WE at this time can speak far more clearly and distinctly then they of old concerning Salivation since not only the Passages and Vessels that carry the spittle into the Mouth are known to Anatomists not long ago but also the parts in which the same is prepared or separated from the blood to wit the Glands and not indeed the conglobated ones to and from which Lymphatick Vessels are carried but conglomerated ones which are endued with certain ways and ducts thorough which they pour their liquors that are useful for the Body into some determinate cavity As therefore in the natural and healthy state of Man only spittle is carried from the conglomerated maxillary Glands into the mouth so oftentimes in his preternatural and morbid state either a pituitous and viscid Sylvius de le Boe. App. ad prax tract 3. § 306. or a serous and thin humour is carried along with the Spittle Especially in these Countries salivation comes frequently of it self not only to Infants when they are breeding their Teeth but to many Scorbutick and Melancholick Persons who turn great spitters And I have often seen the same happen in a Thrush ¶ The Humours that are most frequently evacuated of their own accord by Salivation are for the most part pituitous as well the thin as the glutinous Sometimes also they are acid and salt for such are easily and intimately mixed with Phlegm and all these have some affinity with Spittle But as it happens to many Melancholick Persons that they void abundance of thin Spittle and therefore they are called Spitters So a great many old Men who are full of Phlegm and that glutinous enough do in like manner void abundance of Spittle but thicker and insipid whereby indeed they suffer some trouble but no great harm But there are not wanting some from whom not only gentle and almost insipid but sharp yea extream sharp humors sometimes more fluid sometimes more tough run out at their mouth which not only corrode and corrupt linnen and woollen Cloathes but any Leather and every Night for a long time and for many years most miserably afflict the Patients till their death and at last are the cause thereof I have seen several such and when to my grief I never see any of them Cured either by my self or others although now and then I have given some ease bâ—t never performed a Cure and most of them do find sharp Vapours arise from the lower parts which most miserably rack the Head about the Temples these cruel rackings are usually attended with the Flux of a most sharp humour out of the Mouth whereby the Gumbs and other Parts about the Mouth are corroded rather then consumed And such Persons are seldom eased by Purges but find more benefit from Anodynes and Narcoticks Idem Meth. Med. l. 2. c. 13. and other things which temper and concentrate sharp humors II. And as all the sorts of Spontaneous Salivation are Symptomatick so I have frequently observed in these Countries Spontaneous Salivations but critical ones and such as happily rid the Patients of chronical Diseases And no wonder for as all chronical Diseases have their rise from a tenacious thick glutinous and viscous Phlegm or at least have it joyned with their primary cause and the rise of this same Humour is mostly owing to Spittle so the evacuation of it with the Spittle seems more easie seeing when it is joyned with the mass of Blood it is again separated from it of its own accord Idem Ibid. that it may be voided with the Spittle Scabies or the Itch. See Book 8. Habitus vitia The Contents The way of its Original is not one and the same I. Whether bleeding be proper II. Purging is necessary and the Indications for Cure III. It must not be killed when the Blood is impure IV. The Blood must first be purified V. If there be obstructions they must be removed VI. A contumacious one gives way to Sudorificks VII Yet they are not proper for all VIII Cured by Cupping-Glasses IX By an Issue in the right Arm. X. Whether a Quick-silver Girdle be dangerous XI A pertinacious one gave way to a Mercurial Purge XII Cured by the use of powder of Vipers XIII The Cure of a volatick Itch. XIV I. AS to what concerns pustulous Eruptions as the Glandulous humour may be depraved several wayes so especially these three and therefore usually falls into a coagulative disposition with the Serum that is newly poured out of the Blood First of all the Blood it self being very impure and also dissolved leaves its corruption and recrements plentifully in the cutaneous Glands which there assuming the nature of a more corruptive ferment do ferment and variously coagulate with other juices that either come thither or pass that way and so produce not only Itches but several sorts of Leprosies Therefore often and constant eating of salt Fish or Flesh and dried in the Smoak or the Sun also incongruous Drinks and Poysons do commonly cause cutaneous eruptions and those often times horrible ones Secondly the humour gathered in the cutaneous Glands sometimes by mere stagnation becomes not only Itchy but oftentimes Corruptive wherefore not only they that have been long kept in Prison but also they that have lived a Sedentary Life and are used to filth and stink live obnoxious to these Diseases inasmuch as the Cutaneous Liquor being not at all eventilated is corrupted by mere stagnation and so obtains the nature of a
a Miracle XI Blisters applied to the Hips are of use to prevent Fits But I have often observed that Sinapisms applied to the Hips 2 or 3 hours before the Fit have diverted it Fortis which is a Remedy of less trouble XII Like as where the said Suffocation is urgent Castor is deservedly preferred before many other things and its Tincture with rectified Spirit of Wine and Spirit of Sal Ammoniack so where Cold is very urgent as well outwardly as inwardly as in a Syncope and Diseases of that nature above all things that I have hitherto yet known I commend the destilled oyl of Cloves which is not ingrateful nor do I disapprove of the oyl of Turpentine which is less grateful seeing mixt with Spirit of Vitriol it raises an effervescency accompanied with great heat Let this mixture serve for an example Take of Water of Penny-royal 2 ounces Theriacalis simplex 6 drachms Tincture of Castor 2 drachms destilled oyl of Mace of Amber each 3 drops Syrup of Fennil half an ounce Give it by spoonfuls it is good also in Hypochondriack Diseases One scruple of Spirit of Sal Ammoniac may be added to this mixture which will make it much stronger or a narrow mouthed Glass containing the said Spirit Sylvius de le Boe. prax l. 1. c. 19. may be held to the Nose for by its sharp smell People are got both out of Fits and the falling sickness XIII I observed in a Matron a most grievous Aphony often returning with Convulsions She had been Barren many years and upon the approach of her Menses was taken with a most grievous Fit of the Mother then with a small Epilepsie at length with partial Convulsions of Hands Feet Back and horrible ones all the Body over She upon using of proper foetid uterine Medicines fell into more grievous Symptomes for which cause we fell to Perfumes Musk to wit and Amber and we gave them in a small quantity with other Cephalick strengthening things with good success Which should also be observed in other Hysterick Women that is in such whose Head and Nervous kind has been weakned in their youth by Epileptick Fits Horstius ◠1. Obs 26. or some other cause XIV A Woman was afflicted with most cruel Symptomes Head-ach Belching contraction of the Body pain in her Groin gnashing of her Teeth sometimes falling to the ground speechless her Mouth shut so that she could not open it and all these things from the fault of her Womb. She having tried many Medicines to no purpose an old Woman coming in gave her 13 grains of Musk and as many of common Dragon's blood in 4 drachms of Orange flower water she was cured and never after had any Fits Solenander Sect. 5. cons 5. §. 10. I have given the same Medicine in the like case and it alwayes did good I have given it several times XV. In the cure of a pregnant Hysterick Woman we must take great care that Remedies be prudently administred and that violent and very foetid things be not given lest abortion be caused And the business must be done more by external than internal things Riverius XVI Aetius well advises that a Woman when she has recovered her health should not wholly be neglected but for preservation sake she should use Medicines at certain intervals especially at suspected times so that the use of them should not wholly be left off but the quantity abated XVII I and Dr. Dobritius had a Woman under Cure of Fits of the Mother who had a very foul Body She was taken about Night especially with a straitness about her Stomach her Heart was oppressed and almost all her Limbs had a tingling in them her Head also aking Various things were tried by us the Humours were prepared evacuated strengthning things were given yet we did no good At length through my perswasion we gave her Antimonium diaphoreticum upon taking of which she began by degrees to amend We continued it for a Fortnight in which time she was so much relieved that because she was better and grew weary of Medicines she had rather commit the rest to Nature than longer insist on Medicines I ascribe her recovery chiefly to the Antimony She indeed is well now but not without complaints of a weariness in her Limbs Doringius XVIII We often meet with Women who think they are ill of the Spleen when they are Hysterick By Hysterick Affections I mean these Symptomes that happen not in the Womb it self but in other Parts which have a Sympathy with the Womb for the Womb has some Sympathy with all the Parts especially with such as are contained in the Abdomen to which it is joyned by its Veins Arteries Nerves Membranes and by its Ligaments from whence because of some vitious Blood Seed or other Humours foul vapours expire into other Parts And there is a very great Sympathy between the Spleen and Womb by the Arteries whence come Hypochondriack Ails rumblings and pains of the Belly And this Sympathy is so frequent and familiar that many say they are only Sick of the Spleen Trimirosius when the Disease is in their Womb. ¶ A Maid of a Melancholick nature had for several years been troubled with violent Fits that returned often Most Physicians thought this mischief came from Malignant Vapors bred in the Spleen and rising to the Diaphragm It so happened that the Patient was held almost a whole Night with so violent a Fit that they thought she would dye every moment I suspecting it to be a Fit of the Mother gave her compound Balm water which is much in use among us I poured 2 or 3 spoonfuls of it into her Mouth she came to her self to a Miracle Thonorus Obs 2. l. 3. p. 185. and all her difficulty of Breathing ceased Whence we knew it was an Hysterick Fit XIX I was called to a Matron who was dangerously ill of Fits I found her lying with her Eyes shut and speechless I immediately prescribed her Aqua matricalis de Melissa Composita instead whereof through the Apothecaries mistake Aqua matricalis camphorata was sent a spoonful of which when I had poured into her Mouth she began to complain as well as she could What do ye do Then all her Head burnt as hot as Fire But when the other de Melissa Composita was brought and given the Sick Woman she immediately recollected her self began to open her Eyes and to speak and was recovered to her former health Now though Camphire in some Hysterick cases be no ignoble Medicine yet you may find many Women to whom it is an Enemy especially such as have a hot Head for by reason of its volatil Spirits it presently flies to the Head Idem Obs 3. This Patient was of a Sanguine Complexion and ruddy Countenance XX. Laudanum is admirable in Vapors that Sympathically annoy the Brain especially in Fits of the Mother mixt with Hystericks Madamoiselle de la Font after
thus He orders the deaf Persons to go into the Bath in the Morning that the Veins which are behind the Ears may swell with the heat of the Bath afterwards he cuts them thus turgid and takes away as much Blood as he thinks fit Oethâ—â—us apud Schanckium to the great benefit of such as are troubled with thickness of Hearing III. If any one be deaf who has a hot and dry Head I would not purge his Head It is sufficient to take away the matter below and hinder it from ascending for so the Head may easily be cured and so I would do nothing to the Head neither give sneezing nor gargarisms much less pump it Montanus Cons 152. nor any thing else IV. In a very stubborn Disease we must proceed to Fluxing with Quick-silver that if possible the matter that causes the Disease may be purged by the Mouth for Deafness caused by the Pox is so cured and perhaps where that is not the cause Fonscâ—s it may also be thus cured ¶ Reason tells us as much for Quicksilver softens and discusses hard Tumours and most powerfully dissolves Humours that are concrete and settled in the Parts and so perhaps may dissolve Phlegm concrete in the Ear when it will not give way to other Remedies Yet this Remedy must not be tried but in a desperate case for its event is very hazardous and dubious because the Brain is much damaged by anointing with Quick-silver so that either deafness or thickness of hearing takes some who are cured by fluxing although as is said before Deafness caused by the Pox is sometime cured by fluxing Riveriuâ— And fluxing well managed after sufficient purging seldome leaves any hurt in the Brain V. The cure ought not to be the same in Child-Bed Women such as are upon recovery from Sickness and others by reason of the diversity of causes affords divers Indications for cure For in Women in Travel the animal faculty does its utmost to deliver the Child therefore there is a great Influx of animal Spirits about the spinal Marrow to be distributed into the Nerves of the Muscles of the lower Belly This intense violence of motion is the cause why the origination of the Nerves especially about the hind part of the Head is affected to wit where the spinal Marrow descends Now the Nerve of the fifth Conjugation which is allotted to hearing has its original there and by a very short duct is inserted into the inner Ear. Whence it is plain that in such straining it may suffer also and that thick and viscid Humours may after Travel be gathered about its insertion because of the faintness of the innate heat and the Womans weakness by reason of her violent commotion and seeing upon other accounts the animal faculties are weak in lying in and pregnant Women And such as are upon recovery have their concoctive and alterative faculty weakned wherefore there is a produce of many Vapors from the weak heat which when they get into the Organ of hearing cause a depraved sense In lying in-Women therefore it must be our care that they cleanse well we must have regard to the whole by preparation and evacuation of the Humours not neglecting outward applications that the matter gathered about the Organ of hearing may be cut discussed and spent In convalescents it is sufficient that the innate heat be fortified But if the Disease go not away of it self Horstius prob 4. dec 3. gentle dissolvents should be used VI. The cure of Deafness and Noise should be attempted rather by dry than moist things because by actual humidity the Tympane is made lax the implanted Air is thickned and the cause of the Disease increased Wherefore suffumigations of Saffron Myrrhe Styrax Benzoin and Frankincense are approved by Hercules Saxonia Panthei lib. 1. cap. 20. And Joh. Zwelfer has regard to the Tympane Aqua Acouistica Mindereri sayes he if it must be made use of I think neither it nor any thing else should in any quantity be poured into the Ear seeing the Membrane expanded upon the annulus and the little Bones underneath called the Tympane is very thin so that very easily it may totally be destroyed and eroded by pouring in of sharp Liquors and so the hearing be quite destroyed Therefore I think it more advisable sayes Schneider lib. de Cathar special p. 99. that a piece of a wheaten Loaf new drawn out of the Oven be sprinkled with this water and applied and bound hot to the Ear that so the heat of the bread and the spirituous water acting together the gross Humours which obstruct the auditory Nerves and Passages may be incided attenuated and evacuated by insensible transpiration or being driven back to the palate by spittle Wherefore in such cases it would not be amiss to take this water into ones Mouth for the greater attenuation and attraction of the gross Humours from the auditory passages got within the Tympane which can never get out at the Tympane without hurting and eating it through VII Joel l. 2. pract S. 2. commends for Deafness all things requisite premised a Sudorifick draught of Theriaca Andromachi and Rue water Osw Grembs l. 2. c. 1. § 11. in imitation of him commends a Sudorifick cure of a Decoction of the Woods to consume the moisture of the Brain This I have proved by experience that if deaf Persons have a thick and cold Humour impacted in the auditory Nerve or in the Tympane all things requisite being premised Bathing is good to sit in water up to the Navil not too hot but only that the parts may be warm and the Blood rendred more fluid A little after 2 or 3 drops of Apoplectick Water must be dropt into the Ear on the side affected and so you will see your Patient cured out of hand For the Sick say Hofmannus that after the use of this they feel as if something had fallen out of their Ear. VIII Oyl of bitter Almonds is commended indeed in Deafness and a Noise in ones Ears But because of the windings in the Ear we must be cautious in the use of it For when it is got to the Membrane of the Tympanum because it cannot easily be wiped out S. Pauli Quadrip Botan p. 19. it makes the Membrane lax and so does not only not cure but encrease Deafness ¶ It is my opinion that no unctuous things should be dropt into the Ears lest the membrane of the Tympane growing thick should make dull the hearing whose excellence consists in dryness All Membranes whether they be softned with oyl or be often wetted are puffed up and grow white If it be thought good to use any Oyls Th. de Mayerne confilio pro surdo M. S. the exhalation of them is sufficient without pouring in of the substance by which evaporation the implanted Air when inspissated will be sufficiently attenuated with the adventitious IX Sulphureous and bituminous Bathes as well by way of Bath
often experienced ¶ This powder presently takes away the pricking pain which follows child-bearing Take of the seed of Ammi Parsly Ginger Caroway Long Pepper each alike quantity Sugar Varignana what is sufficient Mix them Make a Powder The dose 1 spoonfull in Wine For a Fistula in the Womb. Take of Oyl of Roses Honey of Roses Wax each 1 ounce Myrrhe Litharge of Silver each 2 ounces Make an Unguent ¶ This is an admirable and certain experiment especially if the disease arise from driness to fill some linnen bags with Barly to boyl them in water Rod. à Câ—stro and to hold them warm with ones hands and apply them to the fissures for 9 dayes or some Pap of flower and milk boyled together For a Grangrene in the Womb. This Emplaster de tribus farinis is highly commended in this case Take of the flower of bitter Vetch Beans first steeped in Vinegar and dried each 2 ounces when they are powdered add to them of Oxymel 1 pound Let them boyl gently to the consistency of pap And if there be great putrefaction add as much flower of lupines of Salt 1 ounce aloes Mastiche Myrrhe each one ounce and an half root of round Birthwort powdered 1 ounce aqua vitae 3 ounces Mix them It wonderfully hinders corruption Weikardus putting always a little sublimate between the sound part and the corrupt for this is of great use For an Ulcer in the Womb. 1. In a foul Ulcer this is a good Remedy which is made of Eggs Saffron Oyl of Roses Goose-grease and the marrow of a stag Forestus 2. Emplastrum Aegyptiacum without the Aerugo is very good against the Ulceration Aegineta 3. A fume made of such a Candle as this and let into the Womb by a Pipe to dry the Ulcer succeeded well Take of liquid Storax Calaminth Orrice each half an ounce Cinnabar 1 ounce and an half Ladanum 2 ounces Coals of Willow 1 pound Mix them Make a powder and with Aqua Vitae make candles as long as ones finger one of which will last an hour Saâ—inia sending out a fume continually 4. For a Foetid Ulcer of the Womb I have had certain experience of this Medicine Take of red wine 1 pound unguentum Aegyptiacum 2 ounces let them boyl a little so the putrefaction is corrected and the stinking smell of the Ulcer is taken away ¶ This is a singular Unguent Take of burnt Lead washt prepared Tutty Frankincense each half an ounce powder them very fine Then take Oyl of Roses white Wax each 1 ounce add of juice of Night-shade 1 ounce Vigierius Mix them with a leaden Pestil Make an Unguent Vulnera or Wounds The Contents They must not be too hastily closed I. Balsams must not be indiscreetly applied II. The abuse of Emplastrum Sticticum III. Whether Vulnerary Potions may be used IV. Whether they be proper at all times and for all Persons V. Whether they must be opened often or seldom VI. Whether the use of Tents be necessary VII Sometimes useless and hurtful VIII No number of days can be prescribed for digestion IX Whether Repellents may be applied for fear of an Inflammation X. The bleeding must be suffered to prevent Convulsion XI Whether it may be stopt with Causticks XII Whether wounded Persons may be Purged XIII The use and nature of Cicatrizers XIV Cautions about sewing up of Wounds XV. The excision of a stony Callous XVI A reduplicate Wound XVII The Cure of a contused one XVIII Wounds in the Neck must be carefully handled XIX Narrow Wounds in the Hands and Feet must be kept open XX. VVhether Injections be proper in Wounds of the Breast and of the Abdomen XXI Wounds of the Joynts XXII A Coalition of dissected Tendons made by suture XXIII They that reach to the Cavity of the Os frontis are difficultly cured XXIV A Wound of the Breast in the upper part cured by making Incision in the lower XXV The dissolving of Matter gathered in the Groin from a Wound in the Abdomen XXVI The Cure of a Wound in the Ileon XXVII The growing togethâ—r of dissected Tendons is possible XXVIII A Wound of the internal jugular cured XXIX In the crural Artery cured XXX What Diet is proper for wounded Persons XXXI Whether Wine may be given XXXII Vineger is â—â—d for wounded Nerves XXXIII When Acids may be allowed XXXIV Laudanum is good â—n paiâ—ful Wounds XXXV Medicines I. I Was called to the cure of a Maid who had received a wound with a great knife in her Arm which being sooner closed with some Balsame than was necessary her Arm swelled wonderfully and grew so red and inflamed that it always smoaked and presently dried wet clothes when they were applied to it Yet it was cured after the wound was opened again P. Borellus Cent. 3. Obs 25. because the extravasated Blood had not been taken out and then it was cured as common Wounds II. Although Balsame be a most commendable Medicine and approved of in wounds yet it cannot safely be applied to all wounds and at all times It is good in the simplest wounds and where no Symptome as pain fluxion c. concurrs for seeing it is a hot Medicine it might cause many Symptomes It is good also where nothing extraneous sticks in the wound for because it is the faculty of Balsames to contract the Lips of the wound and to hasten consolidation when any extraneous thing remains presently grievous Symptomes arise In fleshy parts therefore cleansing must be expected as also in contused wounds digestion suppuration and cleansing Therefore Balsame is neither good in the beginning nor in the encrease Hildanus except the wound be simple and in a fleshy part III. Among Empirical Medicines found out by the Moderns especially by the Germans Emplastrum Stipticum or Fodicationum is not in the meanest place than which some affirm there is nothing better extant in rerum natura especially Crollius That it as also Sticticum Paracelsi is most excellent I do not question Only I say this besides other mischiefs it often causes a sharp Ichor and a Meliceria not that the Plaster of it self is the cause but because it is applied without reason For when Surgeons use it from the very beginning in wounds of the Nervous parts to the end of the cure they raise most grievous Symptomes ¶ One received a wound in his Arm where the axillary Vein and some Nerves were cut He fell into the hands of an Empirick who boasted he would happily cure the wound with this Plaster only It was quickly cicatrized indeed but his Arm presently swelled and grew painfull and at length a Fever arose then there was a new fluxion and Inflammation and pus gathered within the wound and putrefied And then it corroded and opened a Vein which bled so much that the wounded man died ¶ A young man in a quarrel received a wound on the right side of his Back bone about the fourth
vertebra A barber-Surgeon would cure it with Emplastrum Sticticum but quickly of a very broad wound it became a narrow fistula deep and exceeding painfull Idem IV. Some admit of vulnerary Potions only in those wounded parts to which they can reach as in the Gullet Stomach Guts where in a manner they serve instead of Applications but in external parts they reject them First because there is no mention of them in the Writings of the Ancients Secondly because of their distance they can never come to the Limbs and Head Thirdly because among the Medicines whereof they are made there are both hot and opening things as Betony Speed-well Carduus Benedictus c. and astringent things as Comfrey Wintergreen Horsetail Tormentil c. so that it is not evident of what faculty they ought to consist Fourthly because most of them are astringent they will do more harm by obstructing the Bowels than they can do good Indeed it must not be denied that little mâ—ntion is made of these Medicines among the ancient Physicians but this is not sufficient to reject them for the Moderns have found out many usefull Medicines which were unknown to the Ancients And though they do not touch the wound as topical medicines do yet they may reach to the wound by the Veins Neither because of the astringent virtue that some of them have need we fear that therefore we cannot reach to the out parts or that they will breed obstructions in the inwards for this inconvenience may be avoided by the mixture of other things with them which have an opening vertue Nor then are the vertues of all Medicines to be esteemed from the first qualities or those that depend upon them but from their specifick qualities which Experience alone suggests These Potions sayes Paraeus lib. 18. c. 28. though they do not purge noxious Humours by stool yet they are very effectual in cleansing of Ulcers and preserving them from the filth of excrementitious Humours in purifying the Blood and in cleansing it from all Ichores and impurities in knitting broken bones and restoring the Nerves to unity And by and by These Medicines by their admirable and almost Divine vertue so purge the Blood that by it as by a fit and laudable matter flesh or any other substance that is lost may readily be restored and the part recover its pristine unity And the thing that these Medicines do is to wast the exceeding moisture of the Blood which is not so fit for glutination to afford good matter for the generation of flesh and by moderate astriction to hinder any fluxion to the wounded part Sennertus V. But although such Potions do wonders yet great Symptomes and especially Dropsies of the Limbs do follow the unseasonable use of a traumatick decoction For since from some plants it has a great vertue of drying binding and agglutinating and from others and from the wine which is its vehicle of heating It is evident that it is then improper when we should attend suppuration and digestion which is thereby hindred and kept back moreover the Blood and Humours are heated and pains and Inflammations arise But when the wound is digested and suppurated sufficiently and free from all Symptomes when there is place for abstersion mundification and consolidation then they become a good Medicine It must also be observed that because they greatly bind and dry they are very bad for such as are ill of obstructions of the Bowels for by the same virtue they retain the excrementitious Humours in the Bowels hence Gripes hypochondriack winds and a thousand other inconveniences arise Wherefore the Body must be prepared before the use of them VI. Caesar Magatus l. 1. de vulner c. 38. and Septalius following him l. 8. Animad Med. disapprove of the old way of curing wounds used hitherto by all Physicians and Surgeons who every day at least once do cleanse and wipe them and when they have applied new Medicines bind them up again And they blame Galen that passing by the indication of most moment he was only intent upon the lesser that is abstersion of the excrements and filth the cause that breeds them being neglected and all care of conserving the temperament and innate heat of the part Which and the strength of the part if they be taken care of they think there will be a far less increase of excrements And they think the heat of it will be cherisht and strength will be added to it if it be hindred from expiring and its quality be preserved Which they think they are able to obtain by making up the defect of a natural covering with a Medicine analogous and familiar to the temper of the part by means whereof the heat may be cherished and its quality may be helped by its like Whence they gather that for to defend this heat wounds must be seldom opened lest the ambient Air do hurt them But since the same Persons confess that most grievous wounds have been cured by the old way of cure and they cannot deny but this new one has only place in simple wounds and where the wounded party is of a good habit of Body where great Vessels are not hurt and the Nerves are whole Besides there are many wounds by their own confession which Nature is not able to cure unless the impediments be removed by a Surgeon as if the Body be Cacochymick whence comes great store of excrements which cause Pain Corruption of the Part Inflammation Worms proud flesh and the like Finally since the exceptions exceed the rule which very rarely allow the use of this new way we must insist upon the old one approved for many ages VII Some reject the use of Tents in wounds 1. Because they need not be used to keep open the orifice of the wound when it is always open whether the Physician will or no nor to make the Medicines stick to the sides of the wound seeing they may be so melted as conveniently to be dropt in 2. They are troublesome to the part therefore Nature alwayes endeavours to expell them 3. They cause pains whence come new fluxions 4. when they are full with bad Humours they hurt the wounded part And they hinder evacuation of the Pus which being kept in grows worse 5. Hippocrates and Galen are silent concerning them On the contrary they seem necessary 1. That the orifice of the Wound may be kept open and that there may be a passage for the Pus 2. That the Medicines may touch the wound every way and reach to the bottom 3. That the upper part may be hindred from closing before the bottom of the wound be filled For a decision we must know that in wounds which are superficiary streight and that breed little pus they are not necessary nor should the cure of the wound be retarded by putting them in But if the wound be deep oblique and if much pus be bred they are altogether necessary that a passage
may be kept open by them for the pus and a way for Medicines to the inside of the wound and that the orifice of the wound may not close and heal up before the inner and lowest part of it which things if they be neglected and pus and excrements be kept in the wound they may be the cause of great pains and dangers To the reasons that deny them you may reply 1. That oftentimes wounds according to the various posture of the Patient when he was wounded are anfractuous and oblique so that though the sides and lips of the wounds be not then grown together yet they so touch and press one upon another that there is no passage for the pus And for the same reason Medicines cannot reach to the bottom And fluid Medicines are not alwayes proper seeing they are easily washed off by the Sanies and the thick and viscid being laid on the tents stick longer and faster to the wounded parts and better exert their virtue To the 2 and 3. If the tents be not over thick nor press and distend the part there will be no trouble or pain or fear of fluxion Again if all things should be omitted that create pain by the same rule sutures and swathes and bandages should be omitted To the 4. when they are fouled with pus take them out and put in new To the 5 The use of them may be gathered from what Galen delivers concerning the cure of wounds And as for them who hold that the upper orifice of the wound is never closed before the lower part be healed They may be opposed by experience Hildanus cent 3. obs 7. recites two examples of wounds whose orifices were quickly healed Sennertus the wound within being not yet healed whereupon pus gathered within and grievous evils arose from thence ¶ In all wounds especially those made by incision the skin is easily and quickly contracted at the beginning 1. Because it is Membranous 2. Because Nature endeavours by the tegument of an ignoble part to defend the more noble Parts underneath from the injury of the Air. But flesh cannot so quickly heal up for in the very wounds made by incision there is a sort of contusion but bruised flesh must of necessity putrefie and turn to pus which cannot be done but in time Therefore the skin of wounds especially of such as are made by incision is contracted at the very first and the Humours which run out of the wounded part Hiâ—danus are retained grow hot and sharp and hence comes an efflux of Humours causing grievous Symptomes ¶ In cureing wounds made by a prick we must make great account of Tents and we must observe what Hildanus sayes that they must not be so thick as to fill the whole wound but it is sufficient that they fill about 3 parts of it towards the superficies the 4th remaining empty that the Lips be not extended The depth also of the wound must be searched and care must be taken that the end of the tent do not touch or bear upon the bottom especially if a Nerve or any Nervous part be laid bare Therefore they must be made of the finest lint in form of a Pyramid that they may only fill about the 4th part near the bottom lest the breeding of flesh be hindred For this cause when the wound is digested the tents must be shortned a little every day Tents are also made like a reed hollow through either so made with Plasters or with an Iron plate tinned over that the running out of pus may not be hindred Haeserus Here. Med. l. 5. c. 6. even when the wound is not unbound ¶ And very narrow wounds because they do not receive a large Tent and being small because it is flexible it cannot reach to the bottom therefore they take a piece of Gold or Silver wire of a length according to the depth of the wound and wrap it in lint anointed with some Anodyne digestive oyntment and put it into the wound Hildanus VIII Although Tents be of use yet they are not alwayes necessary yea sometimes hurtful A Villain had given a young Woman six wounds by pricking rather than cutting in which this was peculiarly observed that she could not bear Tents when they were put in according to custome Which it was necessary to take out at Night unless you would have wholly kept her from sleep whereinto she fell as soon as they were taken out and linnen clothes dipt in Spirit of Wine were only applied outwardly by benefit whereof before the twelfth day her wounds were both happily filled up with Flesh and firmly covered with skin Hence I took occasion to admire the folly and madness of some Men who that they may not be thought to do nothing fill green wounds with great store of Tents and so they do not heal them yea Tulpius l. 4. Obs 22. the mutual contact being thus hindred they hinder the necessary coalition IX I have seen no ordinary Surgeons who have set themselves a certain time and number of dayes to finish digestion when which time has been over they have gone to mundifiers and abstersives though the wound were not sufficiently digested and suppurated to the great inconvenience of their Patients For digestion is not equally perfected in all subjects but in some sooner in others later If therefore such things be made use of before their time they will irritate the wound with their acrimony they will raise a new afflux of Humours and so will disturb nature that of a simple wound it will become a cacoethick Ulcer Therefore I happily proceed with digestives and asswagers of pain for the most part to the end of the cure Hildanus By this means not omitting Universals I am secure from all Symptomes X. Celsus when a wound is inflicted uses no repellents or repressers to hinder Inflammation which Surgeons now adayes commonly use about the place that is hurt but he cures it only by taking away Blood averting the fluxion and also by purging Which at this day is done with good success by the most learned Surgeons Repellents being utterly repulsed lest the Heat of the hurt part Rubeus in Celsum p. 200. which is Nature's who is the Curer of Diseases chief instrument should be weakned XI I have seen wounded Men after plentiful Bleeding cured in a few dayes without fear of Convulsion I saw a certain Surgeon in the Camp curing a young Man who was wounded in his Shoulder to whose wound his Friends had immediately applied Linnen Clothes to stop the Blood and he removed the Clothes immediately while he was feeling for I know not what with his Finger in the wound in the mean time disappointing his Friends who complained of the large effusion of Blood he let the Blood run as much as the Patient could bear without fainting well knowing that thereby he rendred him safe from Convulsion and about 8 dayes afterwards I saw him walking
about a Room I would have the Masters of Wounds to know this Alex. Benedictus that they may take away Blood if it cannot be had conveniently from the wound XII If the bleeding of wounds do not stop with Medicines some use Causticks and thereby close up the orifices of the Vessels but this is no safe way Because how much of the part is burnt into a Scab so much natural flesh goes off the Part in a Scab and then the orifice of the Vessels is left open again and destitute of Flesh and often a new Haemorrhagy which cannot easily be stopt is raised Of these Medicines they may the safeliest be used which being burnt have got a Caustick virtue and not burnt have a very astringent one but little burning such a Medicine is crude Vitriol which some strâ—w crude in powder on wounds others dissolve it in water and wet Linnen Clothes in it and apply them to the wound And Vitriol especially either in powder or dissolved in some convenient liquor is good in wounds when the orifice of a Vessel can be stopt neither by compression with the Finger nor with the fuss-ball called crepitus Lupi and vitriol dissolved especially in Liquor does penetrate the hurt Vessel But we must have a care that the Nerves if any be there be not hurt therefore in deep wounds if there be Nerves other things of the like virtue Sennertus must rather be injected XIII Some are against Purging in Wounds and they fear lest the Humours being disturbed thereby should flow more to the wounded part But Hippocrates l. de affect de fract c. 48 and Galen 4. Meth. 4. and 6. approve of it And Reason perswades it for if hot thin and bilious Humours abound in the Body they fit the Blood for motion they easily grow hot with pain and waking and give occasion to a Fever and such Humours especially must be Purged and it must be done at the beginning before a fluxion of Humours and the coming on of the Fever But if the Fever be come you annot conveniently or certainly not without danger give a Purge And we must abstain from hot Purgers lest a flux of Humours be raised and they should dispose the part to Inflammation Sennertus Manna Syrup of Roses c. are sufficient XIV For making a Cicatrice dry Powders are used without any preceding humidity both because we would dry and because the Powder sticks well enough to the parts for the parts that are not covered with skin are ever moist and that Moisture retains the powder that is strewed on it well enough And 〈◊〉 Powders which are truly and properly Epulotick are made of things that bind close and condâ—nsate the flesh and harden and dry it like a â—â—â—lus such are the â—ark of Frankincense tree rind of Pomegâ—â—â—aâ—e Galls burnt Oyster shells and burnt Coral Also Myrrh Litharge Diphryges burnâ—â—â—per burnt Alume Vitriol and other things which waâ—t and eat the flesh if they be powdered exactly fine and be only laid on the part affected with a gentle touch of the end of a Probe for if one should use them in a greater quantity or courser they would bite and waste the flesh and hollow the Ulcer And here we must observe that aes ustum squamma aeris and flos aeris must be washt to cause a cicatrice that they may lose some of their caustick faculty and may be a more Epulotick Medicine And you may use such Medicines in dry bodies Rondeletius and parts that are not very sensible XV. Sowing must not be used before the wound be well cleaned within as Celsus l. 5. c. 26. sayes namely that no concrete Blood may be left there for that would turn to Pus cause Inflammation and hinder the closings of the wound I say it is not so well to sow up the wound presently as soon as they look on it as most Surgeons commonly do But this inconvenience of grumous Blood happens most in venous places and not so much in others 2. But that the wound when it is sowed up may discharge its necessary sanies dayly many put in a tent above and below a thing which is contrary to sowing and is inconvenient to beauty 3. We must lay a small thread made of clean Cotton dipt in Honey of Roses or in some other vulnerary liquor half way in all along the wound then we must pass a needle and a thread through the Skin over this and make a knot and so do as often as there is need of any more Suture Severinus XVI A Boy was cut for the Stone and the wound could not be healed for the edges of it were a callous stone the Urine being voided that way Therefore the crusty Lips were made bloody again by the industry of another Surgeon and when the stony edges were cut off Kentmannus de Calculis c. 11. it afterwards closed up well and the Urine came by the proper passage XVII Sometimes it chances that a Wound is reduplicate Now I call it a reduplication of the Wound when there is only one Wound in the Skin and two in the Muscles or which I remember I have seen three This reduplication happens either because of the tremulous hand that inflicts the wound or because of the motion and agitation of the Wounded person Such wounds are dangerous if the Surgeon be either ignorant or negligent A Fencing-Master going to part two Noble Men who were quarrelling was run with a sharp Sword into the left Arm When the bleeding was stopt at the perswasion of his friends he only used a Traumatick Decoction At first the cure succeeded as well as he could wish But about the third day an Inflammation arose violent pain a Fever reaching to Vomit c. Wherefore when I was called to his assistance I found all his Hand and Arm swelled the muscles also of his breast Sympathizing Having put in my probe I found a wound a span long reaching towards his elbow and treated it according to Art But after several dayes when the Symptomes did not abate I reckoned there must something more there than yet I knew be in it therefore I search the wound again with a silver probe and I find a Sinus but not of the same depth reaching from under the cephalick vein toward the Median In the Superficies therefore there was only one wound but in the Muscles there were two Therefore when I had discovered this wound I put a tent into it anoynted with a proper unguent I anointed the Arm c. and I happily finished the cure with Sarcoticks and Epuloticks Eilâ—anus XVIII A lusty Man of Seventy had received a contused wound with a Club on the upper part of his Shoulder with bitter pain and lividness of the Part. A Vein was immediately opened and Emplastrum de Cumino applied the next day he took a gentle Purge The pain persevering the part was frequently anointed with oyl of Wax
of Blood whereby the offending Humour being evacuated the Patient was recovered II. The Hemorrhoidal Veins in Children and Youths as being slender and not yet widen'd with melancholick Blood Fortis consult 8. Cent. 3. if they be open'd are wont to send forth but little thick Blood III. 'T is worthy observation that Leeches draw more Blood from the Arteries than the Veins Barbette Chirurg part 1. cap. 17. and therefore they ought to draw forth the less IV. Some cleanse Leeches newly caught from their filth with a Sponge or course cloth and throw them into very pure water which they change often and for nourishment put in a little Sugar But I have learned by Experience that if they be squeezed a little presently after they are caught and be cleansed from their sordes or filth in warm water with a Sponge they have been wholly hurtless without any more ado and have caused no other Symptoms Heurnius tract de hirâ—d supposing that they be taken out of pure waters and be not virulent V. Some put them in a hollow Cane or Reed or a long Glass so that the head only may stand out and so set them on but because this way is more troublesom and often succeeds not well because of their slipperiness and the sometimes thicker sometimes slenderer extension of their Bodies it is better and easier to hold them in a cloth and set them on with your hand Idem VI. Note that 't is not always necessary to cut off their tails because when they are applied to any larger and more eminent Vein as to the Hemorrhoidal Jugular or to the larger vessels of the Arms and Legs they may so open them by their bite and attract the Blood that after their fall off when they are filled the Blood may continue to issue out so plentifully that there may be sometimes need to stop it with Plasters Idem VII After they have suckt Blood enough unless they fall off of their own accord sprinkle ashes or salt on their head which having tasted they will presently fall off But they are not to be snatcht off by force lest they leave their heads that are affix'd behind them which may be the cause of incurable Wounds which thing as Pliny relates happen'd to Messalinus a Roman Senator Idem VIII Avicen and others would have a Cupping-glass set upon the bitten place and a little Blood drawn therefrom that the malignity of the bite may be corrected But because our Leeches seem to have no such malignity there is no need of such setting on of Cupping-glasses In the mean time he that for the greater security will wash the bitten place with salt water or vinegar let him I can testifie I have several times applied them and after their falling off have perceived no mischief or virulence only an itching which went off in a little time Idem IX If they be to be applied to the Hemorrhoidal Veins first let the Fundament be fomented with a decoction of Mallows Chamomel and other Emollients and then let the place of the Hemorrhoidal Veins be chafed because by that means the orifices of the Veins will appear to every of which let a several Leech be applied How to make the Veins appear see § 1. Idem If the Blood suckt by the Leeches appear sometimes subtil and ruddy as I have often seen it I think this happens through the error of him that applies them who set them not upon the mouths of the Veins but upon the edge of the anus 'T is necessary to turn the anus a little inside out and by Cupping-glasses to draw the Hemorrhoids outwards that you may see them which is not known to all that apply them Now I know they have been rightly applied when the Leech being cut with a pair of Scissors pours forth much thick black Blood but if it be ruddy and thin I know that he that set them on has mistaken But if after the thick is drawn out the thin follow I. Baptist Theodot Epist 27. 't is well enough X. The Greeks Galen and Oribasius say that Leeches suck only the Blood contained in and next under the Skin Avicen and the Arabians say they draw it deep out of the Body determine that the extraction of Blood that is made by them is deeper than the extraction that is made by Cupping-glasses But these Authors may easily be reconciled to one another if the place to which the Leeches are applied be distinguished For if they be applied to the larger vessels in the Arm Forehead Legs or to the strutting Hemorrhoids we see that the Blood is sometimes so largely evacuated that Causticks and Emplasticks are necessary to stop it and there sometimes follows a Cachexie and Dropsie Now it is certain that so much Blood must needs flow from the whole Body But the matter is otherwise if they be applied where the Veins are not so wide Heurniâ—â— but slenderer and lying just under the Skin XI Some think they attract only the cutaneous Blood leaving the thicker as Mercurialis because the Wound that is made is so small that the thinner part only can pass out But from Zacutus Lib. 1. Hist Princ. 4. it appears he was greatly deceived for besides that the Ancients used to set Leeches on the Part affected in Diseases springing from a thick Humour the hole made by them especially by the larger is so large that the thickest Sordes may flow out by it and there often happens a plentiful Bleeding to stop which there is sometimes need of astringent Remedies XII A man desiring Leeches to be applied to his anus one slipping out of the Surgeon's Fingers entred a good way in at the Fundament I commanded to be applied to the anus dry Ox-dung indifferently hot sprinkling first the Powder of Wall-lice upon it as also very good Castor by the fume whereof and by a Clyster made of the juice of Onion alone Zacut. l. 1. Obs 7. Hist Princ. Med. the Leech was voided with the Excrements half dead XIII Whether are Leeches to be applied to the Hemorrhoids and Nature to be accustomed to discharge her self by this way Sennertus Lib. 3. Pract. Part. 2. Sect. 2. c. 12. handles this question elegantly and cites chiefly Vidor Trincavellius who Pract. l. 9. c. 14. disswades from this operation because none of the Greeks or Arabians have mention'd it and because Galen 4. Aph. 25. does plainly advise not to accustom our selves to an evacuation by the Hemorrhoids because it is not without danger if black Humours flow the evacuation may indeed be profitable but if thin and clear Blood or in a greater quantity be expelled it is unprofitable As Trincavellius writes that he has observed that the Blood drawn by Leeches out of the Veins of the anus is commonly bright not black especially when those Veins do not swell of their own accord or first are painful But Aquapendent resolves the
flows to the Emunctories 2. When the matter is Poisonous 3. In a critical Motion 4. When there is a Plethora or Cacochymie 5. When the Part is so weak that there is danger of extinguishing its heat 6. When the matter flows to a Part that is near to a principal one 8. Whilst the matter is fixed 9. When the Tumour is caused by congestion Two other cases are proposed by Guido which may be rejected the one is when the Disease proceeds only from an external cause the second when there flows only a thick Matter The first case is very vain because in Wounds we forthwith use Repellents The second is opposite to Galen who 14. Meth. 17. says That some Repellents are cold and moist fitted for cholerick Humours and that others are cold and dry which are stronger because they bind and these are proper for Phlegmatick and thick Humours The same is confirmed by Galen 6. de med local c. ult where in yellowish ichors he uses Repellents that are rather cooling Sanctor Meth. l 3. c. 3. but if from Phlegm astringents ¶ Repellents do not only exert their vertue upon Diseases from a fluxion of hot and thin Humours but they also fight against cold Distempers and Fluxions For thus does Galen 2. art cur ad Glauc bid us cure Oedema's or Phlegmatick Humours namely by using Repellents in the beginning though such Maladies proceed not from a thin and hot Humour which kind he proclaims a thousand times requires Repellents Mercat â—â— III. Is the efficacy of Repellents such as to cause that to be resumed into the Veins which was slid out of them into unnatural spaces That this is possible is proved 1. By the breakings out or pimples in Children which are often hid on the sudden by the repercussion of the cold Air 2. By the authority of Galen art med c. 85. But emptied places draw to themselves An inflammation of the Liver or Spleen is cured by letting Blood in the Arm though in the Liver the Blood is forcibly dispersed out of the Porta through the fleshy Pores In those who are anointed for running Sores Scabs and the French Pox 't is wonderful how suddenly those thick Pustules Tumours Nodes are transmitted by Vessels to the Mouth to be spit forth in Salivation The cure also of an Ecchymosis shews the same thing which is performed for the greatest part by Repellents where there is no doubt but the Blood is extravenated and that it does return into the same again by the help of Repellents Idem ibid. IV. Let not the Physician persist so long in repelling as till all the Matter retreat that was flown into the Part but let him either mix other Remedies with Repellents or use some other Remedy for it is dangerous and bad to persist very much in cooling of the Parts for often the Malady is either changed into one of a worse species or the Part perishes Idem ibid. V. Some do so carefully observe the mixing of Resolvents when the beginning of the Disease is over and increase them as the Disease increases till in the state they use them alone that they can be perswaded by no accident nor by any necessity that supervenes that it is fit to do any thing else always taking the indication for their so doing from the time of the Disease By which it appears that they have understood Galen amiss who though he did not only receive but set also much by the indication from the time of the Disease yet he does that only for knowing the nature and state of the Disease but does not reckon this indication amongst the Curative as being quite different therefrom As the preceding cause is not to be taken care of but the present Disease of the Body so neither is the time of the Disease but its condition to be examined for an intention of cure Thus in the beginning of an inflammation because the vehemence of the fluxion is known from that time 't is understood what occasion there is for Repellents not indeed upon the account of the beginning but of the Fluxion for if the Fluxion return in the declension of the Disease Galen perswades us to repeat Repellents To be short He measured the use of Repellents and Resolvents according to the indigence of the Fluxion or the Humour already flow'd Idem ibid. c. VI. We ought to know that those erre very much being deceived with the shadow of a Reason who use a great deal of Wax in discussing Remedies and mix other Emplastick Medicines therewith thinking that by its sticking fast it works the more effectually not knowing that the whole business of resolution is performed through the Pores of the skin which themselves shut up by such Medicines Idem c. 10. VII Astringents being added to Digestives help their penetration but by Astringents the strong are not to be understood as Galls Acacia and the like constipaters of the skin but the most moderate as Mastich Roses c. which by a certain expression help towards the greater penetration This is confirmed by Averroes's Experiment If one take leather and anoint it on one side with common Oil and on the other with Oil of Roses then the Oil of Roses will penetrate sooner than otherwise it would do Sanct. Art parv cap. 95. and yet it hath a moderate astringing vertue VIII Burrhus an Italian Physician makes all his Plasters of volatil matter so that the Ointment that is laid on one day will hardly any of it be found the next and he blames Physicians for making those thick Bodies into Plasters which cannot enter in at the Patient's Pores IX Bath-clays are commended for softening confirmed Tumours but with these Cautions 1. That a great quantity thereof be applied 2. That they stay a good while on the Part at least four hours in the morning and as many at night 3. That they be spread wide so as to cover not only the Part affected but the neighbouring both above and below Let the like Cautions be observed in Plasters with which if we would soften hardened Parts we must not apply them by scraps but spread them large By this artifice I have known some Mountebanks do miracles in the cure of Tumours when yet they used only the common Remedies that every old Woman and Barber knows of only varying the manner of applying Th. Bartholin Cent. 4. Hist 9. for they roll the Arm for instance all over with Plasters and lay not a patch only on a place X. Aristotle 1. Sect. Probl. 46. will have Cataplasms to be changed at certain intervals though they have lost nothing of their vertue because Nature is not affected by any Remedy she is accustom'd to for some while What he says of Cataplasms may be understood of every local and indeed of every Medicine because they all act on the account of their being contrary when therefore they become like through custom they can act no longer
is little and sticks not firmly to the sides of the Womb that has not as yet acquired a thickness capacious enough to suck up and contain the Blood that is as yet fluid about the Womb in the Hypogastrick Vessels by Bleeding in the Foot it may be recalled as in the Menstrual Purgation and so be withdrawn from the Womb Riolan anthropogr l. 6. in fine and therefore an Abortion would follow IV. The Diseases that seise upon Women not with Child as Vomiting want of Appetite and the like in them need Purging rather than Bleeding because they are caused by a Cacochymie abounding in the Stomach and the whole Body But in Women with Child they need Bleeding more because they are caused by the Blood retained from the very beginning of their being with Child And Experience hath taught that the Vomitings which often afflict Women with Child in the first Months are aggravated by Purgations but are much relieved by Bleeding yea are wholly removed if it be repeated every Month till the symptom wear off River V. According to Hippocrates aph 1. sect 4. one would think that we should reckon Purging to be safer than Bleeding for he there permits Purging in a certain case and time but on the contrary concerning Venesection he writes absolutely 5. aph 10. that it causes Abortion But Purgers do cause a great agiration and generally have a quality that is injurious to the Body and besides provoke the Terms and cause Gripings Whereas on the contrary Bleeding is administred with less perturbation of the Humours nor does it hurt any otherwise but as it deprives the Foetus of its aliment which fear is vain if there be a Plethora And it appears by Experience that Bleeding has better success than Purging when there is present the same reason of Indicants and Permittents Add that many Acute Diseases spring from plenty of Blood for which Bleeding is the properest Remedy VI. Hippocrates aph 1. sect 4. hath defined the use of Purgation in Women with Child Women with Child are to be Physick'd if the Matter be Turgent in the fourth Month and till the seventh but these later more sparingly But we must have a care when the Foetus is very young or when it is full grown Galen in comment says that Foetus are like to the fruits of Trees Now these when they are newly shaped or set have but weak Stalks and therefore they easily fall off when a violent Wind shakes them but afterwards when they are grown somewhat bigger they are not so easily shaken off the Trees and yet when they are come to their full growth and are ripe they fall off of their own accord and without any extrinsick violence In like manner Women suffer Abortion in the first and last Months because in those Months the Foetus is not so firmly knit to the Womb. But in our times Purgers are administred almost in every Month of their being with Child in Diseases which are produced by a predominance of Excrements and a Cacochymie when the Matter is turgent or concocted as often as there impends greater danger on the part of the Cacochymie than from the commotions raised by the Purge Physicians have been made bolder herein upon the account of the gentle and harm ess Medicins that we use now adays as Rhubarâ— Myrobalans Cassia Manna Senna Agarick and the like Yet we must always have regard to Hippocrates's opinion that Purgers may be given more safely in the middle Months but are to be used more waâ—ily in the first and last River ¶ Being with Child hinders Purgation for fear of Abortion and though even Acute Fevers be present and the Matter be Turgent yet the offending Humours may be corrected and evacuated by divers Remedies without strong Purgers For such Medicins are common at this day as prepare the Humours and bring them to the ways of the Ducts without making use of any violent Remedy And we must know that in the Diseases of Women with Child there is sometimes a very great fermentation of the Blood because of some Preternatural ferment raised in the mass of Blood which Purging Medicins as such can no ways bridle and moreover 't is very doubtful as yet whether that fermental Effluvium will follow the guidance of the Purgers See Zacut. M. P. H. l. 3. hist 14. Fr. Hofm m. m. p. 53. Schenkius obs l. 4. p. 554. VII Cassia is not to be given to Women with Child as no more are most Diureticks because through the nearness of the Womb with the Bladder which they provoke to expulsion they may do much harm Besides Cassia by its superfluous moisture relaxeth the Womb and weakens the Cotyledons and 't is also suspected for breeding Wind. Zacutus thinks that it may be so corrected by the addition of Spices and Carminatives as to become harmless but Experience witnesseth that it is not sate to use it VIII And the Evacuation that is made by Clysters is altogether unsafe because it may cause Abortion by compressing the Womb. When therefore there is need of them and Women have been accustomed to this kind of Remedy they ought to be made up in a less quantity and to be made of those things which are endued with a vertue rather to mollify and loosen than to purge strongly IX The use of Pills ought always to be suspected both because they disturb the Body more and also because of the Aloes which for its notable bitterness is offensive to the Foetus and is believed to open the mouths of the Veins But if its use seem necessary at any time in the more grievous Diseases of the Stomach which are often wont to afflict Womâ—n with Child in their first months of being so let it be well washed with Rose-Water that its acrimony may be taken away or let it be mixt with astringents and strengtheners as Mastich and the like X. Diureticks because they are apt to provoke the Terms also ought to be suspected and if the necessity of the Disease do sometimes require them let the more gentle be chosen XI The drinking of Acidulae or Mineral Waters is to be denied viz. the Medicinal drinking not the extraordinary wherein a draught or two is granted for pleasure or to quench thirst First because by opening inciding attenuating and absterging they provoke the Terms whereby Aliment is withdrawn from the Womb Secondly because the Belly is thereby loosened but things provoking to Stool are hurtful aph 34. 5. and 27. 7. Hereby the Foetus is deprived of Aliment the bands whereby it is tied to the Womb are loosened and the Foetus is offended by the frequent stench of the Excrements as they pass by XII Sudorificks if they be of the milder sort may be safely used Experience teaching that they are beneficial to Women with Child that are infected with the Pox or Plague or the like Diseases for when there are vitious Humours in the Body if Nature be not infirm such thâ—ngs help
more than they hurt and Nature joins her self as a Companion with the Medicins against the Morbifick Causes which being banished the Spirits and Faculties are restored XIII Concerning a Bath Avicen thus admonishes But if superfluities be multiplied in them 't is fitting they bathe often But indeed it is naught unless towards the later end of the ninth month for it dejects the Spirits softens and loosens the bands that contain the Foetus breeds Crudities and which is worst provokes the Terms by unlocking the Vessels and fusing the Blood But to sit in a Bath is profitable for those who are near their labour for by it the Womb is dilated the neighbouring parts are softned and an easy passage is granted to the Foetus XIV As often as a Woman with Child is struck with some violent affection of mind a fright anger or sadness whereby there is danger she should fall in Travail before her time first a Vein must be opened in her Arm especially if she be Plethorick and a small quantity of Blood taken that is if her strength and Spirits permit otherwise let her drink a Glass of Wine c. Secondly Let the Spirits and Humours that are disturbed and rossed all the Body over be allayed by Anodynes and Opiates administred prudently sometimes Aromaticks and sometimes Acidish Medicins being added according to the diversity of the Disease Thirdly If any other Disease as Fluxes of the Belly Vomit c. follow let such Remedies be used as are proper for them Sylv. XV. A very thin Diet is not to be prescribed to Women with Child in Acute Diseases lest the Foetus be defrauded of due nourishment and yet we must not pass to that which is very thick lest the Fever be increased thereby Therefore we must keep a mean and a thinner Diet is to be prescribed in the first months and a thicker and somewhat more plentiful in the last months for the necessity of the Foetus If we err any way 't is safer to err in too full than in too spare a Diet for health is to be expected from the strength of tâ—e Mother and Foetus XVI I have more than once obsâ—rved that the use of Butter has been hurtful to Women with Child P Borell obs 26. cent 3. as also to those who are subjâ—ct to Fits of the Mother wherefore I advise them to abstain from it XVII Some disapprove of Exercise because it hâ—ats dissolves the Spirits raises a Fever causes thirst and procures abortion by precipitating the Foetus But these things are to be understâ—od of too much or unseasonable Exercise otherwise that which is moderate discusses the Excrements that are collected by idleness relieves the Faculties that are oppressed by the plenty of retained superfluities diffuses the Blood and Spirits to the Members whereby the whole Body becomes vigorous But let it be omitted in the first month because the Foetus is then contained but by weâ—k bands In the second let it be seldom and slow In the third more brisk In the fifth sixth and beginning of the seventh more frequent In the later end of the seventh the eighth and to the middle of the ninth abate of it Whether it may be granted when her full time is at hand see the Title Partus XVIII Women with Child that labour of a Pica or depraved Appetite are not to have the same things prescribed them which are convenient for others for neither Purgers nor other Medicins that absterge violently are to be used for fear of miscarriage For seeing this symptom happens chiefly in the first months it follows that we must proceed warily especially seeing Hippocrates forbids purging about that time And in the fourth month about which time it would be safer to use Medicins the Malady ceases of its own accord the Matter being either spent by frequent Vomitings or much alter'd by the concoctive faculâ—y seeing such Women eat little because of the loathing that is joined with it the stronger attraction of the Foetus helping which through its growth draws and spends much Blood at that time Therefore this Malady is no otherwise to be remedied but by a convenient Diet ordered for attemperating of the offending Matter by a slight abstersion and gentle provocation to Vomit namely if Nature incline that way not neglecting those things which may serve to strengthen the Stomach inwardly and outwardly Horst probl 6. dec 19. ¶ The Pica of Women with Child admits of neither Purging nor Vomiting but only requires those things that Corroborate the chief of which are the Water or Salt of Cinamon and of Orange or Citron rinds with the magistery of Corals and Perls If the thing they long for cannot be got Hartm prax Chymiatr c. 133. that the Foetus may suffer no prejudice presently give her to drink some of the Water of white Vine or Briony XIX The Vomiting of corrupted Meat and of other Humours cannot hinder Bleeding Johan Raymund Fort. consult 60. centur 4. seeing it self is the Remedy of Vomiting See before Sect. IV. XX. If Nausea and Vomiting be very urgent and be very afflictive to Women with Child so that there be fear lest some greater mischief supervenâ— Opiats and Narcoticks may be used as both tempering the acrimony of the Humours and also bridling their vitious Effervescence likewise dulling all sense and so powerfully restraining and staying over great and troublesom Vomiting and by the help of these they are reduced to a convenient tranquillity and their Stomach and small Gut are strengthned by which means both other altering Remedies and also even Aliments themselves may be taken with the better success For indeed all these things are taken in vain while a violent loathing and vomiting continue Sylv. de le Boe Prax. l. 3. c. 6. which is to be wholly allayed before either Aliments or gently altering Medicins can be retained XXI We must act cautiously and with premeditation in stopping of Vomiting for we must not do that unless in case of evident necessity Fortis cons XXII If a Flux of Blood happen to a Woman with Child that is hastening to the time of her Travail by which she is much enfeebled the mouth of the Womb is to be closed without delay lest the ambient Air draw forth a greater quantity of Blood and the Spirits that are spent are to be recruited that she may be able to bear the pains of her Travail Now her Travail is not to be promoted either by things taken in at the mouth or by Clysters for by these the flux of Blood would be increased but 't is necessary to pull forth the Foetus by force putting your hand up into the Womb. The weakness of the neck of the Womb whose Ligaments are relaxed favour this operation so that the mouth thereof gapes as if often pains had preceded Unless the Waters break forth of their own accord the Membranes that contain the Foetus are to be gently burst by