which should rather be diminished Paulus Berbette wills that the influx of Humours in this case be prohibited but improperly because that influx being natural should not be stopped That man undoubtedly saw in 2 Dislocations the near adjoyning parts often elevated into a Tumour Also he observed by frequent experience that Frankincense Mastich Bolus and the like removed this Tumour But when he judged this Tumour to be produced from an influx more copious than usual and when according to this stated opinion he thought his Medicaments did therefore help because they prohibited that Influx then I say he erred For Obstructions were the cause that the Humours were coacervated and elevated into a Tumour and so waxed acid and the said Medicaments onely profit because they remove the Obstructions and temperate the Acidity Having now spoken of the Dislocation of the Shoulder suddenly happening there is yet another Dislocation slowly invading and more slowly sanable viz. when by External force the Ligaments of the Shoulder are contused so that the small passages are distorted whence the Humours circulating through the Ligaments do there subsist and in process of time insinuate themselves into the Pores of the Fibrils of which the Ligaments consists and extend those Pores not according to the breadth but according to the length of the Ligaments For the Ligaments when motion is are often extended in length even so the Ligaments which otherwise were wont to contain the head of the Bone in its Cavity are now so far prolonged that the Bone falls out of its proper seat This Dislocation is easily restored but the Bone reposited is very difficultly retained in its place External Medicaments helpful to retain a Bone reduced to its place are such as consist of much Volatile Salt because Volatile Salt can attenuate the Particles inherent in the Pores of the Ligaments and so force them out and restore the circulation of Humours But the cure will be rendred more easie and in less time accomplished if we contribute help to the external Medicaments by a Decoction to be inwardly taken consisting of Lign Guaiacum Root of Sarsaparilla China and other Medicaments abounding with much Volatile Salt The end of the first Decade of Chyrurgick Observations DECADE II. OBSERVAT. I. Of the Puncture of a Nerve A Young Man aged Twenty years exercised in Chyrurgery with the Puncture of a Lancet hurt the middle Finger of his left Hand about the middle Article whence arose pain at first not very great but by the next morning it was vastly augmented and besides redness invaded the whole Finger attended with burning heat and swelling and the Cutis in places nigh the Wound was separarated pallid and insensible After I had accurately considered the Phaenomena's I concluded the Nerve to be hurt by the Razor whence at first arose but small pain But by reason of the small passages bordering on the wounded Nerve Humours interrupted by that small Wound otherwise freely circulating were constrained to subsist about the Wound and there became acid and so by the Humours following them were driven to the wounded Nerve where permixt with the Animal Spirits hastning through the Nerve they excited a certain effervescency by reason of the Volatile Salt contained in those Animal Spirits and by this means the acid Particles constituted in motion great enough with the acuteness of their sides egregiously vellicated the Fibrils of the wounded Nerve and so excited that grievous dolour I even now spake of The acid Humours thus forced into an effervescency with the Animal Spirits not onely irritated and disturbed the Fibrils of the wounded Nerve but also the Fibrils of the adjacent parts yea of the whole Finger whence many small passages were so distorted that the Bloud and Humours setled in them and by a short delay there assumed the nature of Acidity whence the heat and tumour of the whole Finger or inflammation of 〈◊〉 same were readily induced The same acid Particles exercising their Effervescency had wholly cut in sunder those Fibrils which knit the Skin sited round about the Wound together with the subjected part and so the Cutis was separated pallid and insensible because those often-cited acid and cutting Particles had cut in sunder very many Fibrils constituting the same Cutis which Fibrils crisping on heaps produced so many and so pertinacious Obstructions that the circulation of the Bloud Humours and Spirits through the Cutis was totally impeded Things being thus I judged the Wound sufficiently dangerous and therefore the cure thereof to be diligently set about having long before seen a French Souldier whose Nerve about the Cubit of the Arm was but lightly prickt with a Sword who after a long series of time and many difficulties overcome was with very great care and pains at last restored to his pristine state of health Yea I also saw an Husbandman the Nerve of whose Thigh was wounded with a Leaden-bullet shot out of a Gun this man a Convulsion being excited died in a short time after the wound was inflicted I had often before mixed Oyl of Turpentine with the acid Oyl of Vitriol and saw an Effervescencâ—â—o arise thence yea with my hands I â—ave felt sufficient heat produced in the Glass containing those Liquors Hence I did without difficulty perceive how powerfully Oyl of Turpentine did resist Acidity and by consequence how excellently serviceable it would prove in this our case wherefore I poured Oyl of Turpentine before made sufficiently hot into the Wound that so the Parades thereof of put into greater motion might more easily and more profoundly penetrate and consequently act more powerfully in temperating the peccant Acidity Then I applied Paracelsus his Stiptick Plaister which also temperates Acidity Afterward on the Finger and indeed all over the Hand I laid a doubled Cloath moistned with a Lavament consisting of Spirit of Wine Water of Elder Camphire and Salt-prunella changing these twice a day and with an Instrument removing the Cutis already separated from the subjacent flesh Thus our Young man was cured in a short time In the mean while it is worthy observation that I saw a necessity of being industriously careful to prevent the access of the ambient Air because that contains in it self Acidity which is apparent thus viz. because it coagulates Milk yea Bloud it self when extravasate is in a short time coagulated by the Air whereas the same is found to persist in its wonted Fluidness for several days if it remain in the Vessels of any Carkass where it is free from the ambient Air. By the aforesaid it is sufficiently manifest why there is much less dolour in a Nerve wholly cut off than in that which is onely prickt or but lightly wounded for when a Nerve is totally cut in sunder one Extreamity is retracted to this part the other to another and is absconded by the flesh so that the acid Humour inherent in the Wound and the ambient Air cannot have access to the Nerve The famous Sylvius
Bloud with the Acidity was coagulated therefore the Spittle burthened with this Coagulate exhibited the afore-mentioned Saline taste to the Tongue So Common Salt which we daily use with our Meats ceaseth not to taste Saline though it hath not a little Acidity permixt with it self as Spirit of Salt extracted by Chymical Distillation doth plainly teach The end of the Third Decade DECADE IV. OBSERVAT. I. Concerning the Indisposition of the Gum. A Matron Forty years of age very much afflicted with the Scurvey complained of an excessive pain of her Gum which was very much corroded and at the least touch immediately poured out Bloud and besides her fore-Teeth were loose Also the Patient according to the common custom after Bloud-letting had been often purged but in vain How the Acidity in some sort corrosive should be the cause of this dolour corrode the Gum and make the Teeth loose I forbear in this place to explain because I judge the case to be sufficiently clear of it self This Evil doth sometimes degenerate into that Malady which we in Dutch call De Water-kanker therefore not to be slightly regarded My order was that the sick Woman should as much as was possible abstain from acid things and unto her I gave the Spirit of which I spake in the last Observation of the foregoing Decade and did also prescribe the following Medicament to be externally used â„ž Tincture of Gum Lacca â„¥ j. Spirit of Scurvy-grass Ê’iij Oyl of Tartar per Deliquium drops xiij Make a Mixture With this Medicament the Gum was four times a day touched and washed and so in a few days the diseased Woman was freed from her pain and the out-flowing of Bloud from the Gum ceased and the Teeth were no longer loose but that part of the Gum that was eaten away grew up no more at which no man should wonder because it is as impossible for part of the Gum consumed to be regenerated as a Finger once cut off to grow again Sometimes a certain Lapideous matter grows upon the Teeth which by its roughness lacerates the Gum in which case the precedent Medicament must in no wise be used unless this Lapideous matter be first removed with some fit Instrument If you desire to know the way of preparing Tincture of Gum Lacca consult Frederick Deckers that most famous Practitioner in his Practical Observations about the Method of Healing page 15. Before I finish this Observation I cannot forbear to tax the frequent errour of those men who use Oyl of Vitriol for whitening black Teeth For though this immediately takes away the blackness of the Teeth yet it afterward hurts them because it corrupts the Volatile Salt which is naturally found in great abundance in the Teeth It would be far better for those that delight in white Teeth always after Meat to wash and cleanse their Mouths with pure Water and once in a Week rub their Teeth with the powder of Porcellane Earth which is China If any man either cannot or will not give credit to my words saying Acidity as Oyl of Vitriol and other like things hurts the Teeth let him at least give credit to Solomon the wisest of Kings who speaking by the Spirit of GOD said As Vinegar to the Teeth and as Smoak to the Eyes so is the Sluggard to them that send him Now if Vinegar according to the testimony of Solomon be so inimical to the Teeth what damage will not Oyl of Vitriol infer which is much more sharp and far more corrosive OBSERVAT. II. Of an Ambustion A Man Thirty years of age setting fire to Gun-powder burnt his whole Face and both his Hands whence presently arose redness and exceeding great pain to asswage which the Patient applied Ink which was as it hapned ready at hand Had you seen the Patient in this state you would have affirmed you saw the Devil unless you could with the Aethiopians perswade your self the Devil is white which Opinion Sir Thomas Brown in his Pseudoxia Epidemica seems to favour contrary to the Testimony of the holy Scripture which saith in the Revelation of St. John Chap. 19. vers 20. The dwelling of Satan is a lake of Fire burning with Brimstone But the Smoak of Brimstone burnt as our above-recited Author philosophizeth is known by frequent experience to whiten Wollen Garments as Stockings and other things and hence he concludes that whatsoever is found in Hell must needs be white These things onely cursorily mentioned let us omit them and come to the matter it self I being called to the Patient applied to the parts hurt Onions bruised with common Honey Which Remedy is very profitable to burnt parts if presently applied whilst the Skin is yet entire for that being hurt vehement dolour will undoubtedly follow the use of this Medicament which shews that then it is in no wise convenient The next day many Blisters all over his Face and both his Hands presented themselves to sight which the third day after the accident being opened poured out no small quantity of Limpid Water Then I prescribed the following Cerot â„ž Ceruss Pulp of the Root of the greater Comphry of each lib. j. Lithargyry Lapis Calaminaris Oyl-Olive Wax of each â„¥ vj. Make a Cerot In the preparation of which it is to be noted that to the Oyl and Wax first melted together the Pouders beaten very fine and sifted must be added and when these are almost cold the aforesaid Pulp must be mixed which Pulp is thus extracted The Roots are first made clean and then cut into thin round slices which afterwards boyled in common Water till they are soft are then squeezed through a fine Linnen-Cloath With three Ounces of this Cerot I mixed as much of Unguentum Aureum the description of which is found in the Amsterdam or Augustine Pharmacopoea and this Medicament spread upon fine and soft Linnen Clothes I applied to the parts hurt and by this means our Patient was perfectly healed in a short time Whence the redness and dolour proceeded you may easily understand if you do but consider that the Gun-powder fired and so posited in a most swift and very vehement motion had hurt and broke many Fibrils of the Cutis For hence the dolour manifesting it self in that Ambustion may easily be judged of the continuation of which Dolour proceeded from the Obstruction of many small passages by reason of the broken Fibrils in which the Humors stagnized and distended the adjacent parts and then also waxed acid and by this means tore and cut in sunder the aforesoid Fibrils The Blisters were raised by the Humors stagnizing and coacervated about the Cutis which being constringed by the flame they could not penetrate I applied Onions with Honey that with their abounding Volatile Salt they might open the constringed and stopt Pores of the Cuticle temperate the acid Humors and restore to them their usual Circulation The third day I opened the Blisters for had I sooner opened them the subjacent Cutis would have suffered
Superficies did adhere and were aglutinated and so formed an Eschar which covered the Wound and drove out that fibrous and white Matter But because it was so thick that it prohibited the Celestial Lights therefore the fight of that wounded Eye remained lost But in the mean while this Eye as to bulk scarcely differed from the right Eye though it had cast out no small part of the aqueous Humour when the Wound was first inflicted because certain smooth and slippery Particles flowed through the Pores of the Arteries into that Cavity in which the aqueous Humour is contained and so supplied the defect of that Humour In time of the Cure I always abstained from cold things because they obstruct the very small passages and Pores of the Eyes For the same cause I here also reject fat things being such as with their small Branches do so profoundly and pertinaceously infold themselves within the most small Pores of the Eyes that you cannot without very great difficulty expel them again But why could not this Wound be sooner healed I affirm this happened partly through the errour of the Chyrurgeon and partly of the sick Lord himself For he too much indulged both Venery and Wine whence his Bloud was very much disturbed and what was so disturbed in no small quantity ascended upwards as by a more strait path and there struck upon the obstructions of the wounded Eye which notwithstanding by reason of their pertinacy it could not break and by this means the dolour increased Besides in most deep Snow falling from the exceeding cold Air of that Season he would sometimes ride on hunting whole days with his right Eye against my will open and hence the Obstructions were rendred yet more pertinaceous and numerous The Chyrurgeon who for the first three days applied Medicines to the Wound erred in this viz. that to that fibrous matter which impeded die afflux of the aqueous Humour and therefore should not have been taken away he applied sharp things which the Eye it self cannot bear also to the remaining part of the Eye he applied cold things to stay the afflux of Bloud and Humours as he himself said But are you ignorant good Sir that this afflux of Bloud and Humours is to the Eye and also to other parts both natural and necessary and had your Medicaments operated according to your wish a Gangreen would certainly have immediately followed You see Bloud and Humours in greater abundance than is fit to be present in the Eye but you reason amiss when you think this to be caused from a greater afflux than usual whereas it rather proceeds from Obstructions which prohibit the reflux of Bloud through the Veins and of Humours through the Lymphatick Vessels whence the Bloud and Humours were in greater abundance collected into the Eye stagnized and waxed acid Wherefore you should rather have applied things temperating Acidity which would also have been convenient for taking away the lividness of the Iris and Pupil produced by the clotted Bloud For it is certain that clotted and coagulated Bloud cannot be restored by cold things but are unavoidably rendred more gross and the peccant Obstructions by this means not removed but augmented But before I put an end to this Observation there remains yet one Phoenomenon to be discoursed of relating to Wounds It is undoubtedly true That the Cause being taken away the Effect ceaseth But why then the Sword Knife or any other thing wounding being taken away is not the dolour in the wound presently removed but sometimes persists very long Dolour in the part hurt is not unless there be a Concussion of the small Fibres more vehement than usual which cannot be unless by another body put into motion Therefore what shall I say of the dolour which sometimes is portracted whole days yea whole weeks after the Wound is inflicted when the Sword Knife or any other thing wounding hath been long before laid aside Let me circumspectly consider whether I can find any thing that can excite the small Fibres of the wounded part to a greater agitation than usual Behold I have found it When certain small Fibres are cut in sunder by a Sword then suddenly they crisp up on heaps and obstruct the small passages of the wounded parts so that the Humours cannot freely circulate but strike upon those Obstructions whence is excited dolour which still increaseth when those Humours begin to wax acid and with their cutting Particles yet more and more irritate Besides many small Fibres which before were covered with skin after the Wound inflicted are exposed to the ambient Air which affects them with more vehements trembling than is fit whilst it communicates somewhat to them from its own motion by which indeed it is continually and powerfully enough agitated OBSERVAT. VIII Of a Suppurated Tumour also of Rottenness of a Bone A Young Maid ten years of Age afflicted with a burning Fever soon after the Fever felt a pain and quickly after that a Tumour in her Shoulder which was of the same colour with the skin and somewhat hard The Bloud more than usually agitated by the Fever from the recesses of this or that solid part washed off many acid and viscous Particles which circulating with the Bloud did part of them pass out from the Pores of the Arteries at that time too much dilated by reason of the heat of the Fever into the small passages about the Shoulder sited far within the Cutis in which passages they adhered and excited dolour whilst with their pricking sides they more vehemently than usual made a commotion and by this means in some measure distorted the bordering passages whence also the Humours there stagnized which though they were before pure by a small delay there waxed acid hence also the Bloud stagnized in many Capillary Vessels but so deeply sited within the Cutis that the redness could not be apparent through the skin and therefore appeared of the same colour with the Cutis But whence was that hardness of the Tumour for it was Liquor that was contained therein and such liquor as being fluid and gently touched with the hand offering no resistance could not be judged either hard or soft A great quantity of liquor is contained in an Apple and may be pressed from it yet in the mean while it is found to be somewhat hard because that Liquor is very much divided and abides separated in severall small passages and Pores of the Apple distinct each from other Therefore the hand touching the Apple meets with the first small passage whence the Particles of Liquor in that contained do indeed in some measure recede but approaching to the subjacent passages they find resistance Hence the hardness of the Apple is made manifest and by consequence also the hardness of the Tumor Therefore being perswaded that in this case the viscous Particles obstructing and the acid cutting and irritating I judged nothing could be more conducent for altering them than things aperient
I have often observed in fat Boys a Vein presently after the usual Ligature to be sufficiently tumid and manifest but if not quickly opened hath soon disappeared viz. when the Bloud pressed downwards the subjected and readily-yielding Fatness that so notwithstanding the Ligature it might again freely pass through the Vein After the cutting of a Vein when the Vein seemed sufficiently closed I have often beheld the Bloud issuing out thence with great violence and indeed from no other cause than that the Chyrurgeons first applied their Ligature and Lint compressing and afterward inbowed the Arm For by this means the Lips of the Orifice which before in the extension of the Arm were conjoyned again separated each from other when the Arm was inbowed Oftentimes a certain Lividness is found left after the cutting of a Vein the cause of which is too frequently the evil use of Vinegar in which is imbibed the Lint compressing which is put upon the Aperture of the Vein whereas it is indeed sufficiently manifest that the Bloud is coagulated by Acidity and acquires a Livid and black colour Before I put an end to this Observation I think fit to add the counsel of Peter Pigraeus that we may thence if possible reap some further benefit That very famous and most dexterous Chyrurgeon commands that after the cutting of a Vein the Aperture should be anointed with Oyl if it be intended again to extract Bloud the same day from the same Orifice without a new made Aperture But if Oyl can though for a short time applied hinder the closure of the Orifice of a Vein cut how evilly do they act who use Oyl in the cure of Wounds and for no other reason than because they have seen the same thing done by their Masters As for Example Oyl of Saint-Johns-Wort For if Saint-Johns-Wort profits Wounds by reason of its Volatile Salt temperating Acidity why do they not rather extract the Tincture of Saint-Johns-Wort by Spirit of Wine into which it much more easily and more copiously transfers its Volatile Salt than into Oyl which hurts Wounds because that obstructing the Pores and Passages stops the Circulation of the Bloud and Humors whereas that Circulation should rather be excited to which excitation Spirit of Wine is not a little available For it egregiously temperates Acidity which usually coagulates the Bloud and Humors in Wounds and renders them unfit for Circulation But least I should be found too prolix in this matter I here put an end to this Observation OBSERVAT. V. Of the Cracking of a Tendon A Woman aged Forty three years after greater Labour than usual in her right Hand suffered an impotency to motion with Tumor and Dolour and when the Tendon sited in the Hand was pressed with the Finger it gave a sound This is an Affect which often occurs in the Practice of Chyrurgy though it hath hitherto been treated of by no man that I have heard of therefore I shall call it Crepitus Tendinis or the Cracking of a Tendon By this Woman's unaccustomed Labour the Fibrils of the Tendon were so distorted that the Humors impeded in their Circulation there subsisted and were coagulated whence the Impotency of Motion Tumor Dolour and Cracking of the Tendon were most readily induced I feared that the Humors stagnizing in the Tendon would be daily more and more coagulated and thence that Tumor take beginning which is known to many by the name of a Ganglion Yea I suspected that certain Particles of the subsisting Humors would be received within the Pores of the Fibrils compounding the Tendon and obstruct them so as in the Third Observation of this Decade we shewed to be apt to render them too propense to induce both Contracture and rigidness of the Tendon Wherefore judging it high time to set about the Cure I ordered Spirit of Wine to be enkindled in such wise that the Vapour arising thence might surround the hand affected and this being done commanded a Plaister of Frogs with Mercury to be applied By this means the coagulated Humors were dissolved the Obstructions removed and the Patient in a few days restored to her pristine state of health OBSERVAT. VI. Of an Haemorrhagia from a Varicous Vlcer of the Tibia IN the right Tibia of a Woman aged Forty years from an Internal cause an Ulcer was formed upon a sufficiently large Varix which yielded to no Remedies This Evil was also attended with a Tumor and a large Erysipelas very troublesome which in like manner could not be removed by any Medicaments After a few days the Varix was unexpectedly opened by the Acido-corrosive Humor there inherent from which issued out at least lib. ij of black and as the standers by affirmed very stinking Bloud I ordered that Placentula in a form somewhat hard composed of Medicaments temperating Acidity which I commended in the Sixth Observation of the First Decade to be applied by the Chyrurgeon and so not onely closed up the Varix but also temperated that Acidity inherent in the Ulcer which otherwise by its corrosion would easily again have opened the Varix and besides have much impeded the cure of the Ulcer It was wonderful to see that after the Varix unexpectedly opened had cast out so great abundance of Bloud the Erysipelas and other Symptomes soon vanished and the Ulcer daily shewed it self in a state more and more meliorated so that within the space of three Weeks by the onely help of the aforesaid Placentula it wholly closed I now intend not here to treat of the Original and Cure of the Varix Ulcer and Erysipelas having accurately enough discoursed of that in the Sixth Observation of the First Decade because a dish of Crambe twice cocted was always deadly to me if to any other man But my intention here is to confirm what I have spoken by Experience and hath been before by me treated of in the said Sixth Observation of the First Decade viz. to shew that undoubtedly the Erysipelas and Ulcer derived their Original from Acidity and likewise how opportunely I instituted the Section of the Varix in that varicous Ulcer of the Tibia But from the Example before-alleadged these Conclusions may easily be drawn for neither the Erysipelas nor the Ulcer would give place to any Remedies so long as that Varix was replete with so great abundance of black and undoubtedly by its long delay acid Bloud which no sooner issued out but the Erysipelas vanished and the Ulcer closed in a short time after OBSERVAT. VII Of a vast Contusion of the Arm. A Matron aged Fifty six years after a Fall from on high complained of an unaptness to motion and very great dolour of her left Arm which appeared very much swoln although of the same colour with the sound skin I perceived by the Pulse a more than usual swiftness of motion in the Bloud viz. by reason of the Terrour which the Patient had conceived by the Fall After we had very acurately inquired into the
must needs be livid and very painful But what may hence be inferred Can cold Water profit in a Contusion It seems more likely to do hurt because it incrassates coagulates and stagnizeth the extravasate Bloud Would not Spirit of Wine and other Medicaments that increase the motion of the Bloud be more convenient in this case That you may the more clearly conceive the solution of this difficulty it is behooful to know that in the parts hurt by the Ball so forcibly driven certain very small sanguiferous Vessels were opened which had they before the Water was applied poured out the Bloud into the small passages of the Parts hurt then the cold Water would have done hurt but this cold Water was applied before the Bloud issued out and so not onely by its coldness again closed these very small Vessels but also was the cause that no new Bloud could for a certain space of time enter the same Vessels So we see our Face to be red for no other reason than because through the Cutis of the same very many small Vessels full of Bloud lie dispersed and discern the same to wax pale by the coldness of Water Air and other things because such coldness for a time prohibits the Bloud from entring these very small Vessels of the Face So we see the pleasant redness of the Lips in a beautiful Virgin augmented by the kiss of a young man to be changed into a pallid colour by Acidity restraining the Bloud from entring the small Vessels distributed throughout the Superficies of the Lips But whosoever he be that will attempt such a way of Cure as this here mentioned after the small passages of the parts contused shall be replete with extravasate Bloud seems to me to be not well in his wits for I have not seldom known a Gangrene to arise in a part contused from the unseasonable application of cold and astringent things OBSERVAT. IX Of an hard Tumor of the Abdomen A Girl Five years of Age accustomed to evil Diet was for a long time afflicted with a very great Tumor and hardness of her Abdomen and her face was very pale The following Liniment had before been in vain used â„ž Vnguent Altheae comp Oyl of white Lillies of eachÊ’ss Of TilesÊ’j Mix these Which notwithstanding in a like case is not a little commended by the famous Sylvius in the first Book of his Praxis Chap. 14. under the Title 56. Well considering the matter I judged the Bloud of this sick child to be very viscous and acid and by reason of this that many Glandules of the Omentum were obstructed and augmented to a strange bulk But which way Paleness of the Face is induced by such Bloud I suppose to be known to every man therefore needs not be here explained Perhaps some one will wonder and not believe it possible that the Glandules of the Omentum should increase to so great a Magnitude as to become the cause of so great and hard a Tumor as was in the Abdomen of this Child perceptible by the touch but I would have him peruse Fabritius Hildanus who in the 62 Observation of his Third Century declares that he opened a Carcass the Omentum of which by reason of the tumified Glandules weighed Fifty six pounds Things being thus I judged nothing would be more profitable than Paracelsus his Stiptick Plaister which I commanded to be applied to the Abdomen after it was spread upon a Linnen Cloath and anointed with Oyl of Nutmegs To correct the viscous and acid Bloud I commanded certain drops of oyly Volatile Salt to be given daily twice a day and by this means our little Patient in the space of a few Months was happily restored to her pristine state of health OBSERVAT. X. Of the Scurvey A Man aged Thirty years every day evily accustoming himself to viscous and sowre Aliments according to the bad custom of the Gelders was afflicted with heaviness and dolour of his hands and Feet his Gums in a great measure consumed would bleed with the least touch his Spittle was in taste salt as Brine Having diligently considered these things I judged the Bloud too acid and viscous to be here peccant which by reason of Acidity inferred that dolour of Hands and Feet and corroded the Gum and its sanguiferous Vessels and by its too great Viscosity did so obstruct the small passages of the Hands and Feet that the usually-free transit of the Animal Spirits into the Muscles was somewhat impeded whence arose the aforesaid Heaviness I speak here of the Animal Spirits for seeing the Liquor that is through the Nerves for exciting motion carried into the Muscle is subtile I know not why this Nervous Liquor should less deserve to be insignized with the name of Spirit than that Liquor which in Chymical Distillation is extracted from Hartshorn But omitting vain Disputes about the Name let us set about the Matter it self This Disease is very familiar in these Regions and is generally known by the name of The Scurvey and is most difficultly cured if in process of time it have taken deep root Wherefore I presently applied my self to the Cure of this Disease seriously commanding the Patient for the future to eat no more acid and viscous Aliments and prescribing the following Medicament â„ž Syrup of Scurvy grass â„¥ ss Of Salt Armoniac distilled with Salt of Tartar â„¥ ij Oyl of Tartar per deliquium Tincture of May-worms of eachÊ’j I commanded the Patient to take 16 drops of this Medicine thrice a day in a Decoction of the Tops of Firr and indeed to the end that the Spirits of Scurvey-grass and Sal-Armoniac and the Tincture of May-worms with the aforesaid Decoction might attenuate the viscous Bloud and infringe the Acidity thereof I added Oyl of Tartar per deliquium that by this means the Volatile Salt of the Bloud subdued and bound by the Acidity might again recover its pristine liberty and so render the Bloud more fluid and more agile As we see the Volatile Salt of Hartshorn or any other Volatile Salt coagulated and conjoyned with an Acid Spirit with the help of an Alkali-Salt and Common Water by distillation to be again restored to its pristine liberty and separated from that Acidity As to the Tincture of May-worms it is to be observed that that ought not to be extracted with the acid Spirit of Salt as Artists are wont to do because by this means the Volatile Salt of the May-worms is infringed and enervated By these Remedies our Scorbutick Patient was cured in a short time But before I put an end to this Third Decade a Difficulty not very small remains yet to be removed I here affirm the Cause of this Disease to be Acidity and in the mean while say the Spittle was imbibed with a Saline taste how do these agree Do they not manifestly contradict each other No. I promise to unfold this Riddle in few words No small quantity of Volatile Salt contained in the
the dilated Artery For by this means I have certainly known some to have augmented the number of the Dead Moreover Ligatures must not be tyed too close for by this means I remember a mortal Sphacelus hath unexpectedly been introduced But if the Patient from the wound of an Artery lose so much Bloud as he suffers great Swoonings and Death seems to stand at the door what is then to be done Cannot the Transfusion of Bloud so much praised in this case profit especially seeing it is declared by credible men that a Dog from whom in one day so much Bloud was taken that he could scarcely move by Calves-Bloud received the next day in a moment of time shewed recovery of strength and incredible vigour I answer I cannot remember this Operation to have been at any time instituted by our Country-men therefore warily suspended my judgement about this matter OBSERVAT. V. Of a Fracture of the Tibia with a Wound A Virgin Twenty years of age by the sudden and unexpected discharge of a Gun I know not by what misfortune happening charged with Small-shot received a wound on the inside of her Leg a little below the Knee Which wound presented it self in length and breadth very large yea so large that it exceeded an hands breadth There was also present a very great Contrition and Commination of the Bone of the Tibia broken into very small pieces which extended it self the whole length of the Wound and thickness of the Bone of the Tibia Whence the sick Maid was afflicted with most cruel dolour which caused her to pass many Nights without sleep or if she at any time slept for a very little while she would suddenly awake not without very great terrour attended with a Convulsion as it were of her wounded Leg by which means the broken Bones were often distorted The broken Bones were reposited without great Extension and the Fragments which were wholly separated loose and at liberty were presently taken out without much trouble the remaining Fragments yet somewhat adhering were left till in process of time they should be separated Then was applied a digestive prepared of Turpentine the Yolk of an Egg Powder of the Roots of Flower de Luce and Birthwort with Myrrh and other things together with a Plaister and Lavament temperating Acidity After these was used a common Ligature and at length the affected Leg included in a case of Wood was aptly placed in the Bed over which hung a Rope by which the Patient might raise her body when necessity was and at her Feet was erected a Semi-circle of Wood lest the weight of the Bed-clothes should create any trouble to the wounded Leg. The cutting of a Vein which very many are wont to commend in such a case was wholly omitted because no benefit can thence arise nor were Purgers here according to the vulgar method revoked into use because in this Evil nothing is more desirable than Rest and nothing more pernitions than Motion Therefore whensoever the Patient was necessitated to discharge her Belly a four-doubled Cloath was laid under her to receive the Excrements In the mean while the Patient eat Foods easie of digestion drank new Beer and the first Evenings after she was wounded assumed a certain gentle Anodine for mitigating the dolour and removing that terror of which I spake The Bones were reposited as often as they were found distorted by that Nocturnal terror The Wound by reason of great abundance of Pus was dressed twice a day and so in process of time very many Fragments were separated And then we could daily see the Generation and Accretion of a Callus arising not from the Marrow but from the very small Pores or passages of the Bone through which are conveyed the nourishing Humors coming from the small Arteries This Wound so very perilous was closed up in a Months space and the Patient could again as well stand and walk as she had done before this wound was inflicted I remember another Woman afflicted with the same Evil to have been cured by my Father But these two Examples should not render any Artist so secure as slightly to regard a Fracture with a Wound For I have known that to have caused death in many So when in the Hospital as Rotterdam I was present with others daily for almost whole days dressing very many wounded Men which came from the Siege of the City of Graaf I remember all they that laboured with a Fracture and Wound of the Tibia died and among others one was afflicted with a Fracture and wound of the Tibia in whose wound I beheld not without Admiration very many broad thick and white shining Worms But whence had these Worms their Original I answer From Eggs fallen from the Air into the wound out of which the Worms were excluded when a certain Fermentation was excited in the stagnizing Humors So not a few Eggs fall from the Air into Milk of which Cheese is afterward made As long as that Cheese is new these Eggs are not excluded but when the Cheese putrifies that is when in process of time a certain Fermentation is produced in the Cheese then do the Worms crawl out of the Eggs. So in a very great contrition of a Bone the Fracture with the wound attending I remember to have been cured no otherwise than by cutting off the Leg a little below the Knee In a Fracture of the Tibia with a wound some are wont to use the Ligature of eighteen Heads which is in Dutch called een boexwiise Ligatuur but we have happily used the common which we changed twice a day by reason of the great quantity of out flowing Pus I knew a Chyrurgeon who instead of the wooden Case of which I spake used a certain Iron-Instrument into which the Leg affected was put and so kept extended and unmovable but I cannot here in words give a description of that Instrument In a simple Fracture of the Tibia Ferula's made of Pastboard are generally applied but in our Patient these were wholly omitted because in a wound so vast they seemed not convenient With our Digestive which was put upon the Wound by reason of the bared Bone no Fatness was admixed For that Fatness hurts the Bones Experience doth abundantly testifie the reason of which we have before given Parey in the Chyrurgick Practice was very deserving and had much Experience yet in a Fracture with a Wound he improperly commends Astringents which why and how much they hurt we have often shewed I suppose no man will take it in evil part that I should dare to reprehend so great a Man seeing the more famous any man is the more dangerous are his Errours because very many moved by the onely Authority of so great a Man with a certain blind force follow him treading a Path that hath been trod but not that which should be trod It is to be observed that a Callus is most difficultly produced in Fractures of women with Child