or three Days then press it out very hard and add the same quantity of Sarsaparilla as before do this for eight or ten times the ostner the better add to the Spirit of the best Gum of Guiacum in fine Pouder half a Pound the Balsam of Peru and Tolu of each two Cunces mix them all together in a Glass Resort lute a Receiver to it and digest it for ten days then draw off all the Spirit with a gentle heat in Balneo Mariae when it is cold break the Retort and take out the Pouder and keep it for use It is an efficacious Medicine against the Rheumatism Gout Venereal Pox and all Chronical Diseases The Dose is half a Dram in a Spoonful of Whey or Milk or any other Vehicle every Morning fasting or mix it with an equal quantity of factitious Cinnaber in fine Pouder and give it every Morning and Evening for some time Electuarium Antiscorbuticum nostrum Our Electuary against the Scurvy c. Take of the Berries of Bays Ivy and Juniper of each four Ounces the Seeds of Dwarf-Elder Burdock Ash Broom Peony Gromwel the Bark of Elder of each two Ounces Let them be all bruised and boiled in the Juices of Elder-Berries and wild Cucumbers of each one Pound the Juice of Buckthorn-Berries four Pound 'till half of it be boiled away then press it out very hard and boil it to the Consistence of a Pulp to every Pound of it add an equal quantity of white Sugar and boil it again 'till it be almost as thick as an Electuary then dissolve in it whilst it is very hot the same weight of pure Nitre as there is of Sugar To every Pound of the Electuary add four Ounces of Balm of Gilead two Ounces of our Balsamick Pouder before mention'd one Ounce of factitious Cinnaber in fine Pouder and two Drams of Oyl of Juniper mix all together according to Art It is an excellent Cathartick in all Diseases which requires Purging for it potently evacuates all vitious Humours promiscuously out of the Body it cureth the King's-Evil Rheumatism Gout Dropsie Scurvy dry Belly-ach and all curable Diseases The Dose is from two Drams to an Ounce It may be given in the form of a Bolus or dissolved in Ale Whey or any other liquid Vehicle and taken in the Morning fasting Sal Chalybis noster Our Salt of Steel or Iron Take the finest Filings of Iron or Steel rectified Oyl of Vitriol of each one Pound mix them together in a large Earthen-Pan well glazed let it stand for two or three Hours then pour into it two or three Quarts of fair Water and it will presently effervesce and the Salt will stick about the Pan take it out and keep it for use Tinctura Chalybis The Tincture of Iron or Steel Take the finest Filings of Iron or Steel four Ounces rectified Spirit of Nitre half a Pound mix them together in an Earthen-Pan well glazed when the Effervescency is over let it cool and add to it Spirit of Wine rectified five Pound mix it well together then filter it through brown Paper and keep it for use Both of these Medicines are great Aperitives opens all Obstructions cures the Rickets Green-sickness Stoppage of the Terms Yellow-Jaundice c. they strengthen the Stomach kills Worms and purifies the whole Mass of Blood You may give from half a Scruple to half a Dram of the Salt in any Vehicle every Morning The Tincture may be taken from ten to forty Drops at a time in Beer Ale or Wine Aqua Styptica nostra Our Stiptick Water Take of pure white Vitriol Roch-Alum of each four Ounces let them be poudred and calcined in a Crucible 'till it be red-hot then quench it with Wine-Vinegar and calcine it again Take it out of the Crucible and dissolve it in a Gallon of spring-Spring-water add to it two Ounces of Saccharum Saturni then strain it and keep it for use It cures the Itch and all other Eruptions the grieved Parts being wash'd with it three or four times in a day It likewise cureth hollow Ulcers and Fistula's the Gonorrhaea in Men and the Whites in Women You may inject it with a Syringe warm twice in a day AN INDEX OF THE CHAPTERS Comprehending all the Diseases of this BOOK The Contents of the First Book Chap. Page I. OF the Head-ach 1 II. Of the Palsie and Apoplexy 13 III. Of Convulsions and the Epilepsie 22 IV. Of the Night-mare and Vertigo 35 V. Of the Lethargy Coma Carus and Catalepsie or Catochus 38 VI. Of the Phrensie and Madness 44 VII Of Catarrhs 55 The Contents of the Second Book Chap. Page I. OF Shortness of Breathing 69 II. Of the Pleurisie and other Instammations 72 III. Of the Consumption or Phtisick and Hectick-Fever 83 IV. Of the Palpitation of the Heart 92 V. Of an universal Languishing as also of Swouning and Syncope 96 VI. Of Fevers in General 103 VII Of Intermitting Fevers 116 VIII Of Malignant Fevers and the Calenture 124 IX Of the Plague or Pestilence 129 X. Of the Small-pox and Measles 136 The Contents of the Third Book Chap. Page I. OF the thirsty Disease 141 II. Of Hunger vitiated or of a depraved Appetite 144 III. Of want of Appetite or loathing of Victuals 148 IV. Of the Hiccet or Hiccough 152 V. Of Belching 156 VI. Of Vomiting and of the Cholerick and Iliack Passion 158 VII Of Pain in the Stomach and of various Pains of the Guts as Colick c. 168 VIII Of Worms 179 IX Of Loosenesses or Fluxes of the Belly 185 X. Of the dry Belly-ach 196 XI Of the Yellow-Iaundice 202 XII Of a Cachexy or ill Habit of Body 207 XIII Of Dropsies 211 XIV Of the Scurvy and Hypochondriack Suffocation commonly called Fits of the Mother 222 XV. Of the Green-sickness and Suppression of the Courses 231 XVI Of the immoderate menstrual Flux and the Whites in Women 237 XVII Of the Falling down of the Womb and Fundament 242 XVIII Of Barrenness 245 XIX Of Abortion or Miscarriage 249 XX. Of hard Travel in Child-birth 252 XXI Of Nephritick Pains and of the Stone in the Reins and Bladder 257 XXII Of extraordinary Pissing 269 XXIII Of involuntary Pissing commonly called Pissing in Bed 272 XXIV Of the Stoppage of Urine and the Strangury 274 XXV Of the scalding or sharpness of Urine 277 XXVI Of Venereal Affects 279 XXVII Of the Rachites or Rickets 288 XXVIII Of the Gout and Rheumatism 303 Praxis Medicinae Reformata OR THE Practice of Physick REFORMED BEING AN Epitome of the whole Art Wherein is briefly shewed The true Causes Signs Prognosticks and Cure of most Diseases BOOK I. CHAP. I. Of the Head-ach THE Head-ach may be divided into three Kinds The first is the momentany Head-ach it Cephalalgia is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caput and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dolor The second is an inveterate Head-ach and is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod
Cause of all continual Fevers not putrid If the Stomach by Dietetick Errors as in Eating or Drinking too much sour Fruit or Juices be over-charg'd with Acids it may prove hostile injurious and a morbisick Cause of that which we call the Heart-burning c. with sour Belchings and sometimes a Nauseousness even to Vomiting In this Case after the Operation of a gentle Emetick you may administer half a Dram of the Pouder of Pearl Crabs-Eyes or any of the Testaceous Pouders twice or thrice in a Day to absorb the peccant Acidity Chalybeates may be also safely administred Likewise in all Chronical Diseases caused by the over-sourness of the Juice of the Pancreas c. as aforesaid after general Evacuations the finest Filings of Iron turn'd to Rust may be given to half a Dram at a time in a stued Prune or any other Vehicle twice in a Day because the Stomach by its incisive Acidity together with other accidental or concomitant Acids doth penetrate the Particles of the Iron and rarifie its Vitriolick Salt which will not only help Digestion but kill Worms and circulates with the Blood and Lympha and will in time purifie the whole Mass of it But if Choler be peccant as aforesaid causing Fevers and other Acute Diseases then after Evacuation by Vomiting or Purging I commend acid Liquors and Juices as Lemons c. Also purified Niter may be given in all Fevers But here we may note That it is the Nature of all Acids to coagulate and thicken the Blood and its Serum wherefore we must be cautious that we do not let Blood nor give too many Acids in the Small-Pox and malignant Fevers because in these Distempers the Blood is preternaturally viscid and therefore it abounds with too much Acidity of which you may read more at large in the ensuing Treatise I come now to mention some choice Specificks for the Cure of Diseases for the Sake and Benefit of the Poor who have not Money to pay a Doctor for his long Receipts nor the Apothecary for Medicines SAlt Niter purified is an efficacious Medicine in the Cure of most Diseases it may be poudred with an equal Quantity of white Sugar and given to half a Dram at a time every six Hours in all Fevers the whole time of Sickness and also before and after because it is an acid Salt and contains in it a volatile incorruptible Sulphur and by reason of its Acidity it refrigerates the inflamed Blood and powerfully checks the preternatural Fermentation of it and preserves its natural Consistency For by the subtilty of its Spirit it insinuates it self into the whole Mass of Bloud and penetrates into all Parts and so strengthens and recreates the Heart as to make it resist and overcome all Putrefaction and therefore it is a great Antidote against the Plague and all contagious Fevers If it be dissolved in any liquid Vehicle and drank a little often it will dilute the Lixivial Salt of Choler and being mixed with proper Catharticks and Balsamick Medicines it will conduce much to the Cure of most Chronical Distempers also for it discusseth Wind opens all Obstructions and causes the vitious Humours to precipitate and to be evacuated both by Urine and Stool Quicksilver boil'd in Water with a few Raisons of the Sun to sweeteen it and the Liquor drank freely killeth Worms The Quicksilver may be boiled a thousand times and always have the same weight so that the Water partakes of Mercurial Irradiation by which it becomes destructive to Worms A strong Decoction of Ground-Ivy or Alehoof sweetned with Sugar-Candy and a quarter of a Pint of it taken twice or thrice in a Day helps Distempers of the Breast and Lungs and a strong Infusion of it in Aqua Vitae or Brandy cureth the Colick The Decoction of Herb Robert and Patronichia or Whitlow-Grass with Leaves like Rue given inwardly every Day 'till the Mass of Blood and Juices of the Body be impregnated with the Vertues of the Herbs cureth the King's-Evil The Juice of Penny-royal clarified and a little sweetned with Sugar-Candy and given the quantity of a Spoonful three or Four times in a Day cureth all sorts of Coughs Cows and Goats-milk boiled in an equal quantity of Water wherein unslak'd Lime hath been quenched and a little Cinamon and the young Bark of the Oak bruised and boiled in it 'till a third part be consumed cureth all kinds of Fluxes Glauber's Sal Mirabile is an excellent Lenitive Cathartick It may be safely given to Men Women or Children in all Diseases where purging is necessary The Dose is from half a Dram to an Ounce dissolved in warm Whey or Milk and Water A few Drops of rectified Oyl of Vitriol mixed with a quarter of a Pint of fair Water to a light Acidity a little sweetned with white Sugar and drank every Day for some time killeth Worms and quencheth Thirst in Fevers If you mix an Ounce of rectified Oyl of Vitriol with two Ounces of Oyl of Ben or pure Oyl of Olives stirring it 'till it be well incorporated you have a good Balsam to ease Pain and cure an Inflammation in any part by anointing once in a Day or two you may apply a Colwort-leaf or a Plaister of Diachilon or a Poultis of White-Bread and Milk with a little Butter in it to the grieved part after anointing but you must have a care that it does not touch your Linnen A strong Tincture of Catechu or Japonian Earth with half its weight of Jesuits Bark both in fine Pouder in small Cinamon-Water cureth Catarrhs and all sorts of Fluxes Take a quarter of a Spoonful thrice a Day in any Vehicle Sweating is good in most Diseases if Strength permits Virginia Snake-Root and the Root of Contra Yerva bruised and boiled in fair Water and sweetned with a little Sugar and given a quarter of a Pint every four Hours to any that are bitten with an enraged Viper soon cureth the Patient especially if you bathe the part bitten with the same Decoction without Sugar so hot as can be endured Gambogia finely poudred and mixed with an equal quantity of pure Niter and given to half a Dram at a time twice or thrice in a Week soon cureth the Yellow-Jaundice and Dropsies The best Gum Arabick given at least a Dram twice or thrice in a Day either in Pouder or dissolved in small Ale or any other convenient Vehicle doth wonderfully mitigate the Sharpness of Urine A strong Decoction of woody Nightshade a little sweetned with Sugar and given to a quarter of a Pint every Morning will purge gently and open all Obstructions and cure the Yellow-Jaundice Dropsies c. The Decoction of Hearts-Ease sweetned with Sugar-Candy cureth the Pleurisie and other Inflammations It is an excellent Antivenerian c. and therefore it may be a chief Ingredient in Decoctions to cure the French-Pox A Decoction of Groundsel is an universal Medicine for all Diseases coming of Heat It purgeth gently and if the Stomach be
tegit Calvarium The third is a Pain on one Part of the Head before behind or on one side this is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hemicrania cranium and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dimidium There is little difference between Cephalaea and Cephalalgia only per Cephalaeam affectae partes multo redduntur quam in Cephalalgia debiliores These Distempers are caused by Halituous Vapours and Humours fuming up from the Stomach and other Parts to the Head 1. If the Pain be external so that the Signs combing of the Head be troublesome then the Pericranium is affected But if the Pain be internal reaching to the Eye-roots then the Dura mater is invaded with the peccant Humours 2. If there be pricking distending Pain with great Pulsation it is from sharp bilious Humours or Halitus but if the Pain be heavy it is caused from viscous Phlegm or Melancholy 1. If a violent Head-ach come suddenly Progn on a healthy Person and the Party become dumb and snort 't is a mortal sign unless a great Fever do immediately happen 2. If corrupt waterish Matter or Bloud do issue out of the Nostrils Mouth Ears or Eyes especially on the fourth Day the sick will suddenly recover but if the Pain be very violent and do suddenly vanish without a Crisis 't is doubtfull 3. If the Pain be without a Fever accompanied with noise in the ears deafness or megrim with numbness of the extreme parts an Apoplexy or Epilepsy is at hand 4. Those that have Cholerick stomachs are most subject to a Hemicrania and if it continue long it causeth weakness of the Eyes and sometimes blindness If the Head-ach proceed from Phlegmatick Cure Viscous humours abounding first give this Clyster Take of Vervain Betony Mallows Mercury Clyster of each one handfull Let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in a Quart of Posset-drink 'till half of it be boiled away then strain it and dissolve in it one ounce of the Electuary Caryocostinum Oil of Chamomel two ounces mix it for a Clyster Sour things and all that have a Lixivial salt either fixt or volatile and all Aromaticks do correct and amend the viscous Phlegmatick humours Let these forms serve for example Take the Waters of Baum and Mint of Iulep each three ounces Cinamon-water and aqua Coelestis of each half an ounce Syrup of Fennel and Mint of each six drachms Spirit of Salt as much as will make it of a gratefull taste mix it and give three spoonfulls of it often Take salt of Tartar vitriolated half a drachm Cream of Tartar one drachm Powder white Sugar-candy two drachms make it into a fine Powder for four Doses which may be taken every morning and evening in white or Rhenish wine For the Rich you may prepare a medicinal Wine This may serve for example Take the Roots of Elicampane Calamus aromaticus of each one ounce of Rue Sage A medicinal Wine Vervain sweet Marjoram of each three handfulls Anise-seed sweet Fennel-seed of each an ounce and half Orange-peel half an ounce let them be cleansed bruised and infused in two quarts of White-wine It may be given to three or four ounces in the morning fasting with twenty drops of Elixir proprietatis you may also give it by it self at dinner and supper When the Wine is used fresh Wine may be put to the Ingredients for a second infusion But farther to correct and gently evacuate the viscous Phlegmatick humours This opening Apozeme is effectual Take of the five opening Roots of each two ounces Liquorish an ounce and half Apozeme Guiacum half a Pound Anise-seed sweet Fennel-seed the Berries of Bays and Juniper of each half an ounce Vervain Betony of each one handfull let them be cleansed bruised and infused in two quarts of rain-Rain-water very hot for twenty four hours then strain it out very strongly and add the best Manna Syrup of Roses solutive with Senna of each four ounces tincture of Cinamon three ounces salt of Tartar vitriolated half an ounce mix it and give three ounces every morning fasting If there be need of stronger Physick you Purging Pills may administer these purging Pills Take of Extract Rudii pil foetidoe Cochioe of each half a drachm Mercurius dulcis twenty grains mix it for three Doses If the pain be old and stubborn apply Vesiccatories to the Neck also Leeches to the Temples and Haemorrhoids or open the jugular or frontal Vein which hath often prov'd effectual Errhines Sternutatories and Apophlegmatisms may also be used and Ventoses with Scarification if need require Baths of Sulphur whether natural or artificial with Cephalick Herbs are good to bathe the Head and whole Body Some approve of the fume of Amber taken into the Mouth and Nostrils Also spirit of cranium humanum or spirit of salt Armoniack held to the Nose in a narrow-mouth'd Vial giveth present ease in all cold Pains of the Head Also you may touch the Nostrils and Temples with Oil of Amber or Nutmegs or apply this Epitheme to the Temples and Forehead with Linnen-rags Take the Waters of Vervain and Betony of each one ounce Vineger of Roses Ointment Epitheme of Alabaster of each half an ounce Laudanum opiatum one scruple mix it Cold distempers of the head may also be corrected by hot Cephalicks quilted in a Cap for the Head Take of sweet Marjoram Stoechas Vervain For a'quilted Cap. Betony Sage Flowers of Chamomel of each one handfull Nutmegs Cloves Wood of Alloes the Roots of Galangal Cyperus Calamus aromat of each half an ounce let them be all beaten into Powder for a quilted Cap. Before you put it on let the Hair be shaved close and the Head gently rub'd for some time the better to open the pores Let the Sick abstain from fat and viscous Food and let the mind be compos'd to chearfulness If the Juice of the Pancreas abounding in the Body be over sour it causeth a vitious Effervescency being oppos'd by Choler and Phlegm in the small guts from whence sour and ungratefull vapours may be sent to the Stomach and thence to the Head If the humours be over sour the sense of Signs hunger will be encreased notwithstanding the Pain of the Head This distemper is to be cur'd by giving Cure those things which temper and amend the acid Juice in the Body and do prevent its encrease Those things abounding with either a lixivial or volatile salt do powerfully destroy this acid Juice as Pearl Crabs-eyes Coral Chalk Amber Bloud-stone Filings of steel c. Take this as a form of a Powder Take of Crabs-eyes Pearl red Coral prepar'd Powder of each half a drachm white Sugar half an ounce let it be made into fine Powder for six Doses which may be taken morning and evening in two or three spoonfulls of the following Cordial Julep Take Waters of Baum and Mint of each Cordial Iulep three ounces
Scurvigrass-water two ounces Cinamon-water Syrup of Worm-wood of each one ounce and half Oil of Juniper one drachm mix them together for a Julep of which you may also give two or three spoonfulls every fourth hour I prescribe no Purgers in this Distemper because I am taught by large Experience that the sour Humours in the Body may be stirr'd up indeed but not purg'd unless with very great gripes which will doe more hurt â—â—an good The encreâ—â—e of the acid Juice may be prâ—â—â—nted by abstaining from the use of acâ—â—â— Let the Patient's diet be moist and fatty as fat Broths Jellies aromatiz'd c. When the Head-ach proceedeth from a hot cause if the Patient be costive first give this Clyster Take of Mercury Violets Lettice Mallows Dandelion of each one handfull Damask Clyster Prunes twenty let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two pints of fountain-Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Electuary lenitive one ounce and half Oil of Lillies two ounces mix them for a Clyster After its operation you may open a Vein and draw eight or nine ounces of bloud Some Authours will not consent to Phlebotomy in any Head-ach except the Pain be intollerable but I have had sufficient Experience that it may be done safely in any Pain of the Head Elixir proprietatis taken in Wormwood-wine to the quantity of half a drachm at a time a little before meat doth wonderfully conduce to amend the vitious quality of Choler Choler may be evacuated by vomit most commodiously by Antimonial preparations Take of the infusion of Crocus Metallorum one ounce Oximel of Squills half an ounce Give it in the morning Vomit But if the Patient be averse to vomiting the Choler may be evacuated by stool by this or the like Cathartick Take of Baum-water one ounce Cinamon-water two drachms Syrup of Roses solutive Purging Potion the best Manna of each half an ounce Powder of Cream of Tartar twenty grains Diagredium ten grains mix it for a Potion which may be given in the morning fasting Also these most gratefull Tablets of Scammony may be prepared and kept for use Take Cristals of Tartar two ounces Scammony one ounce white Sugar four Troches ounces with Gum Dragon dissolv'd in Rose-water as much as is sufficient let it be made into Troches according to Art Half a drachm of these Troches may be given to a Child with carefull governing a Man or Woman may take two drachms of them They who are fearfull of Scammoniats though safe and potent let them take the following infusion Take of choice Rhubarb two drachms Cream of Tartar one drachm infuse them Purging Infusion in four ounces of endive-Endive-water for a night then strain it and add Syrup of Roses solutive Syrup of Cicory with Rhubarb of each half an ounce Cinamon-water two drachms give it in the morning fasting This Electuary is also an excellent Cholagogue Take the Pulp of Damask-prunes ten ounces Powder of Scammony Cream of Tartar Electuary of each two ounces Rhubarb ten drachms Cinamon half an ounce yellow Sanders two drachms the best Manna Syrup of Cicory with Rhubarb of each eight ounces mix all together into an Electuary according to Art The Dose is from two drachms to half an ounce taken either in a Bolus or dissolved in a sufficient quantity of Endive-water or any other convenient vehicle These excellent Medicines do not onely purge Choler abounding but purify the Bloud and other Humours and here we may note that if a purging Medicine do not operate according to Expectation it may safely Observation be repeated the same day without any danger If the Head-ach be accompanied with a great Fever and Thirst be augmented the following Medicines will much conduce to asswage it Take of Barley-water two pints Cinamon-water two ounces Syrup of Violets four Iulep ounces salt Prunella half an ounce mix it and give the sick three or four spoonfulls of it often This Tincture is also very effectual Take of Barley-water two pints Red-rose-buds Tincture one ounce spirit of Vitriol twenty drops or as much as is sufficient to make it of a good Tincture let it infuse all Night then strain it and add Syrup of Jujubes four ounces mix it and give three or four spoonfulls every three hours If an Emulsion may please better take this following form Take of sweet Almonds one ounce the Emulsion four greater Cold-seeds of each half an ounce white Poppy-seeds two ounces let the Almonds be blanched and all well beaten in a stone Mortar then with four pints of Barley-water make an Emulsion strain it and add Syrup of the Juice of Limmons Diacodium of each three ounces Cinamon-water two ounces of which let the sick drink often four spoonfulls at a time You may also have a little fine Sugar and salt Prunella equally mixt which may be kept in the Mouth to deceive the Thirst. But where rest is hindred by the Choler abounding and cannot be obtain'd by the Emulsion which gently procureth sleep you may dissolve two grains of Laudanum opiat in two or three spoonfulls of it and give it at night or you may order this or the like Julep Take the Waters of Lettice Water-lillies of each two ounces Syrup of red Poppies Iulep one ounce Cinamon-water half an ounce Laudanum opiatum four grains Oil of Vitriol six drops mix it and give four spoonfulls of it to cause sleep This Epitheme may be applied to the Temples and Fore-head with Linnen-rags Take the Oils of Violets and Water-lillies of each half an ounce the waters of red Roses Epitheme Lettice and Houseleek of each two ounces Vineger of Roses half an ounce mix it You may also anoint the Temples and Fore-head with this Ointment Take the Ointment of Alabaster Populion Ointment Oil of Mandrakes of each half an ounce mix it Let the Patient's diet be Mutton or Veal-broth without salt When a salt Catarrh or the like spittle is the cause of Thirst augmented you may administer a Pill of Styrax or Cynoglosson which will temperate the saltness of the humours and if salt serous matter abound in the Bloud you may purge it by Stool and Urine for which there are variety of Medicines prescrib'd in the Chapter of Catarrhs CHAP. II. Of the Palsie and Apoplexy THE Palsie is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a solvendo eo quod nervorum genus resolutum facultate animi Paralysis defluere prohibita sensu motuque destituatur It may be also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. dimidia Apoplexia In Latin it is called nervorum resolutio vel relaxatio It is a Privation of sense and motion of one side of the Body or of some particular part The Apoplexy is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoplexia ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 percutior attonitum reddo In Latin 't
is called stupor corporis it being an Abolition of sense and motion through the whole Body The parts affected are the Brain Spinalis medulla and Nerves the motion of the Animal spirits through them being deprav'd The causes are either external or internal The external is much cold and moisture Cause which doth chill and over moisten the Head and extreme parts and this seems to prove Cause internal that phlegmatick and watry Humours abiding about the Ventricles of the Brain and Nerves may over moisten and perhaps so far loosen the Tunicles or Membranes of them that it may render them unfit to let the Animal spirits pass through them hence it is that sometimes one particular Member hath been Paralytick by too much Cold and Moisture and sometimes more parts have more or less lost sense and motion It is the opinion of most eminent Physicians both ancient and modern that the Animal spirits being severed from the Bloud in the Brain c. are from thence carried through all the Nerves to exercise the external senses and Animal motion which is continual and equal in healthy persons but changeable and unequal according to the divers diseases of the Body or Mind Wherefore when no Animal spirits are carried to the Organs of the external Senses or Animal motion the functions of seeing smelling tasting hearing and touching and the sense of heat as also of motion in the Palsie and Apoplexy cease all that time The Signs of the Palsie are manifest to wit deprivation of sense and motion of the Signs Paralytick parts the Eye and half the Tongue viz. of that side affected is much weakned and deprav'd The signs of the Apoplexy approaching are these a sudden crying out for help with an abolition of sense and motion 1. If the Palsie or Apoplexy do invade the sick in the decrease of the Moon and the Patient Progn be old 't is an ill sign 2. If the sick do snort and is droughty and cast spume or froth out of the Mouth and have great sweat with difficult breathing 't is mortal But if the Person be young and a strong Fever immediately happen 't is a good sign for the Fever consumes the superfluous moisture and makes a Dissipation of the gross and phlegmatick Matter 3. A Palsie coming after the Apoplexy is ill and many times turns to the Apoplexy again When any of the extreme parts be Paralytical Cure or when the Head is ill affected by the external coldness of Air Water or Snow or a stoppage of the Head be also bred thereby or the defect of the Animal spirits chiefly urge then the sick may be cur'd by driving out whatsoever cold has pierc'd into the Head or any other parts of the Body which may be done by spirituous and volatile Sudorificks for they do not onely alter and correct the cause of Cold and other Evils accompanying it but do also amend the harm entring into the Body containing and contained To this end I commend this following Form Take of Treacle-water one ounce Fennel-water Cordial to cause sweat and Epidemical-water of each two ounces Syrup of red Poppies and Syrup of the Juice of Scurvigrass of each half an ounce Bezoar-mineral Antimony Diaphoretick of each ten grains Laudanum opiat three grains Spirit of salt Armoniack twenty drops Oil of Cloves four drops mix it give the sick three or four spoonfulls of it and expect to sweat being meanly covered and a spoonfull every half hour afterward till the sweat break forth then give them some pure Broth with a little Wine in it whereby strength may be recreated and the Patient enabled to bear a Sweat longer for nothing so much helps the sick as a sweat continued mildly a while which experience hath often taught me For by the help of this spirituous and volatile and also Aromatick medicine or one like it the troublesome Cold and dulness of motion are discust They who let bloud in this Distemper caused Observation by external Cold or think they can carry out the Cause of this Evil either by vomit or siege put the sick into danger of death or at least of most grievous Evils But when phlegmatick and watry Humours stick about the Nerves c. And too much moistening and loosening their Membranes and Marrow be the cause of the Palsie and Apoplexy and if the same humours much abound in the Body then Phlegmagogues and Hydragogues may conduce to the Cure after Clysters and internal Aromatick Sudorificks Wherefore to begin the Cure of this you may first give this or the like Clyster which must be made strong Take of sweet Marjoram Betony Sage Penny-royal Clyster Hyssop Rue Mercury Marsh-mallows the lesser Centaury the Flowers of Chamomel and Stoechas of each half a handfull Anise-seed sweet Fennel-seed Juniper-berries of each half an ounce let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in a quart of fountain-Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and dissolve in it the Electuary Diaphoenicon benedicta laxativa of each half an ounce pil Cochioe twenty grains common Salt one drachm Oil of Rue two ounces mix it for a Clyster The next day if the sick have a Plethorick body you may draw bloud from either arm to eight or nine ounces If Phlebotomy cannot be done apply Ventoses with Scarification to the shoulders afterward sweat the Patient with the aforesaid Sudorifick Sometimes Suppositories may be used in stead of Clysters This may serve for Example Take the Powders of Coloquintida Salt-niter Suppository Hiera-picra simple of each one drachm Euphorbium half a drachm Honey boiled as much as will make it into a Suppository But if it appear that phlegmatick and viscous Humours do abound in the Body Purgers may be prescrib'd most conveniently in the form of a Pill because the Gums are most apt above all other Medicines to loosen and cut viscous Phlegm neither can they be easily dissolv'd in any liquour Let this or such a like form of Pills serve Take the Gums Amoniacum and Galbanum of each two drachms dissolve them in Vineger Purging Pills of Squills strain it and boil it to a due consistence then add Powders of Troches Alhandal Scammony Mastick of each one drachm Oil of Anise-seed eight drops make it into a Mass of Pills according to Art Let the sick take five or six small Pills of this in the morning fasting and an hour after drink some thin broth If the humours be more serous I commend this Electuary Take Juniper-berries one pound boil them in six pints of Fennel-water till Purging Electuary half of it be boiled away then add the Fruit of Tamarind eight ounces and pulp them both through a Sieve To which add Powder of Jalap and Scammony prepar'd of each three ounces Cinamon sweet Fennel-seed of each half an ounce white Sugar one pound make it into an Electuary according to Art The dose of this effectual Medicine is to half an
agitation and very fierce motion of the Animal spirits and by a continual and grievous Irritation urging about the beginning of the Spinalis medulla is the cause of an universal Convulsion or Epileptick-fit in which all the Muscles of the Body are most vehemently contracted The Irritation in a particular Convulsive motion or the Cramp which may be oft observ'd in the thigh or leg and other extreme parts may be also ascrib'd to the same sharp and sour flatuous Vapours carried to the beginning of the Nerves and Tendons of the said Members fretting and gnawing them sometimes with great pain The signs of Convulsions are manifest Signs The preceding signs of the Epilepsie are trembling sadness fearfulness vertigo numness debility of the senses troublesome sleep with great pain of the Head The signs of the Epilepsie presently approaching are a vehement shaking of the whole Body foming at the Mouth and a sudden deprivation of all the Animal functions 1. A Convulsion or Epilepsie being hereditary is incurable Progn 2. If a pregnant Woman be taken with either of them it is very dangerous and also after Abortion 3. Children are most subject to these diseases because they abound with abundance of moisture and flatulent Vapours in the Brain and because they have Nervorum poros angustos whereby the Brain is easily filled with such vapours and therefore we see that Children are often troubled with them young People more rarely and old Folks but seldom and we find that Children better suffer them than either of the other who frequently die of these fits especially of the Epilepsie when in their falling there follows snorting gnashing of the teeth a ghastly countenance much some at the Mouth involuntaria seminis effusio and great cryings out 4. Of all the kind of Convulsions Tetanos is the most difficult to cure because it is as it were composed of the other two kinds but if a fever happen in this or any other Convulsion the sick will suddenly recover because a fever dissolveth it but if a Convulsion should succeed a fever it is very dangerous especially from a wound or proceeding from venemous matter So likewise it is very dangerous if it be caused by taking of Hellebor When a particular Convulsion is caused Cure from a prick of a Nerve or Tendon as it may happen sometimes by the unskilfulness or precipitancy of the Chyrurgeon in opening a vein then most speedily pour into the wound or puncture the Oil of Turpentine with rectifi'd Spirit of Wine both actually hot as that famous Chyrurgeon Mr. Ambrose Parey adviseth in his ninth Book Chap. 11. of which I have had large experience with good success The like course may be taken with all other wounds of the nervous parts But if the wound of the Nerve or Tendon yield not to this medicine the same is to be cut asunder cross-ways seeing it is safer to lose the action of one part than that the sick should be exposed to the danger of a deadly Convulsion When the Nerves or Tendons of the Muscles are prickt by sharp splinters of bones the grievous pains succeeding soon cause a particular Convulsion of that part and at length an universal Convulsion will attend the Patient if there be not speedy help Wherefore if possible the sharp fragments of the bone must be cut away or if this have been neglected or could not be done and an universal Convulsion be feared you must hasten to amputation of the member For Necessitas non habet legem If a particular Convulsion be occasion'd by a hot Tumour or any other sharp pain which hath rais'd an inflammation let the pain be diminisht as well by internal as external Anodines and Narcoticks to allay the over encreas'd motion of the Animal spirits To this end you may give the sick two or three grains of Laudanum opiat at a time either in a Pill or dissolve it in a little Wine or other convenient Vehicle And if the ingenious and judicious Physician or Chyrurgeon do add a little volatile Salt either of Animals or Vegetables to his topical Medicaments whether fomentations Cataplasms or Ointments he will wonder at the incredible benefit for by the help thereof the Tumour will be mollified and dissolved the internal obstruction loosned and the pain eased If a Convulsion be caused by the taking of Hellebor or any other venemous matter administer an Antimonial vomit with all speed But if it be a Child give it ten grains of Salt of Vitriol or half an ounce of Oxymel of Squills with a drachm of Oil of Almonds After the operation of the Emetick and also at other times you may give some of this Julep Take of Black-cherry-water the Water of Iulep Line-flowers of each two ounces Briony-water compound Syrup of Peony of each one ounce Tincture of Castor half an ounce Confection of Alkermes one drachm Spirit of Salt Armoniack twenty drops mix it and give three or four spoonfulls every fourth Hour Having briefly hinted at the Cure of particular Convulsions I come now to those more universal as likewise Convulsive motions and the Epilepsie And seeing there is little difference in the remote causes of them in the Body these diseases may for the most part be cured with the same Remedies 1. First then the peccant humours are to be temper'd and diminisht 2. The rising of vapours is to be hindred and their expulsion procur'd by sweat or insensible transpiration By which the over motion of the Animal spirits will be restrain'd and brought to tranquillity that is a more quiet motion All Aromaticks and all things abounding with either a fixt or volatile Salt do not onely correct and by cutting amend the viscous phlegmatick humours but do powerfully temper and destroy the over acidity and tartness of the juice of the Pancreas To temper and diminish these humours I commend these medicines Take the Roots of Male-peony Valerian Infusion Missletoe of the Oak and Peony-seeds of each two ounces Castor half an ounce let them be all bruised and infus'd in peony-Peony-water compound the Water of Line-tree-flowers of each one pint for the space of twenty four hours then strain it out very strongly and add Syrup of Peony and Stoechas of each three ounces Spirit of Castor half an ounce mix it and give three spoonfulls at a time every fourth hour with which you may mix Spirit of Salt Armoniack Elixir proprietatis of each six drops Also you may give the Patient half a drachm of the following powder in three or four spoonfulls of this Infusion with the aforesaid Spirit and Elixir Take of Crabs-eyes Salt of Tartar vitriolated Salt prunella of each half an ounce volatile Salt of Harts-horn Salt of Amber of Man's skull prepar'd of each two drachms make it into a fine powder which may be taken half a drachm at a time morning and evening The peccant humours being temper'd and diminisht by the frequent use of the abovesaid medicines the inordinate
involuntary and impetuous motion of the Animal spirits in Convulsive and Epileptick fits will be the better reduc'd to a calm and voluntary motion by the help of volatile and spirituous Sudorificks mixt with Anodines and Narcotick medicines us'd in a small quantity and at times which two will be expedient to be given together because then they will the better circulate to the Animal spirits and temper and educe the hurtfull flatuous Vapours For which I commend the following form Take of Treacle-water Fennel-water of each one ounce Syrup of Peony Syrup of Cordial to cause Sweat the Juice of Scurvigrass of each half an ounce Antimony Diaphoretick Bezoar mineral Crabs-eyes in powder of each ten grains Laudanum opiat four grains Tincture of Castor one drachm Oil of Cloves three drops Spirit of Salt Armoniack ten drops mix it and let the sick take it being well cover'd with cloths whereby the sweat will the easier come forth If the Body be costive let it be made soluble by a Clyster or Suppository such as is prescrib'd in the cure of the Apoplexy As often as the Stomach is naufeous or the sick inclines to vomiting let the Emeticks before mention'd be carefully administred and likewise three or four days before the full of the moon But if the sick be averse to vomiting and Pills or Potions are more acceptable take the following as Examples Take of Extract Rudij pil foetidoe ex duobus Purging Pills of each a drachm and half Castor black Hellebor prepar'd of each half a drachm Salt of Amber twenty grains Oil of Rosemary twenty drops with Syrup of Stoechas make it into a Mass for pills of which you may give half a drachm twice a week Also this purging Infusion is very effectual Take of the best Senna Rhubarb and Cream of Tartar of each an ounce and half Infusion Liquorish and the five opening Roots of each one ounce Guiacum China-roots of each six ounces Missletoe of the Oak Anise-seed sweet Fennel-seed Bay-berries and Juniper-berries of each half an ounce let them be all bruised and infused in black-cherry-Black-cherry-water and the Water of Line-tree-flowers of each a quart very hot for the space of a Night then strain it very hard and add Syrup of Roses solutive with Senna Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb of each three ounces Cinamon-water two ounces Salt of Tartar vitriolated half an ounce mix it Let the sick take four ounces of this purging Infusion every morning whereby the viscous humours and flatuous Vapours may be both corrected and also evacuated gently by degrees If bloud abound let a Vein be opened in Women open the Saphoena in either Foot but in Men you may apply Leeches to the Hemorrhoidal Veins c. Bathing hath been often us'd with good success in these diseases A natural sulphureous Bath such as is in the City of Bath is excellent but when it is not to be had an artificial Bath may serve That which is set down in the Cure of the Palsie and Apoplexy is of excellent Virtue and very effectual in these distempers After bathing let the Spina Dorsi and other affected parts be anointed with the following Ointment Take the Oils of Euphorbium Rue Castor Ointment Petre Spike Turpentine Bricks Dil Chamomel of each half an ounce Oils of Amber and Juniper of each two drachms the Ointments Martiatum and Aregon of each one ounce mix them for an Ointment Issues are approved of either in the Neck or Arm also Ventoses with Scarification Sternutatories Errhines and Masticatories are all commended This Masticatory may serve for Example Masticatory Take the Roots of Pellitory of Spain Ginger Calamus aromaticus of each one ounce Mustard-seed all sorts of Pepper Nutmegs Castor Mastick of each half an ounce beat them all into fine Powder and with fine Honey boild into a Syrup make them into Troches according to Art When they are drie you may chew them one after another when you please to draw the Rheum out of the Mouth When the fit is coming or upon the party blow up some Sneezing-powder into the Nostrils or the Smoak of Tobacco into the Mouth Embrocate the Temples Fore-head and Nostrils with Oil of Amber and hold the Spirit of Salt Armoniack to the Nose in a Narrow-mouth'd viol Make a noise in the Ears and let the sick be kept in a light Room with the Head upright Let the teeth be kept open with a stick or rather with a little viscus quercinus if it may be had Let the soles of the feet be well rub'd with Salt and Vineger also Frictions and Ligatures may be used in the parts affected Some commend a Pigeon cut asunder and applied hot to the Navel for hereby the venemous halituous Vapours are partly drawn away I might add variety of medicines for the cure of these diseases but those before mentioned are sufficient to give light to the ingenious Artist who knows how to prepare diversity of them as well milder for Infants and Children as stronger for Adults I will therefore prescribe a powder to preserve Children from Convulsive and Epileptick-fits and so conclude this Chapter Take the Roots of Peony Valerian of Epileptick Powder each half an ounce the Moss that groweth upon a Man's skull the triangular Bone of a Man's skull prepar'd Missletoe of the Oak Elks-hoof the Seeds of Peony sweet Fennel and Annise of each two drachms red Coral whitest Amber and Emerald prepar'd of each one drachm white Sugar the weight of them all let them be reduc'd into a fine powder You may give a Child twenty grains of this powder with a little Oil of sweet Almonds so soon as it is born which may happily preserve it from Convulsions and Epileptick fits And because obstructions of the Belly in Children exposeth them to flatuous Vapours and Gripings and so consequently to Convulsive and Epileptick-fits I advise you to keep the Belly open either with a little Manna or a Carminative Clyster so often as you see convenient Let the sick live in a serene Air and abstain from all food that breeds bad nourishment and flatulent Vapours CHAP. IV. Of the Night-mare and Vertigo I Shall treat of these two distempers in one Chapter because if either of them continue long they are Forerunners of the Palsie or Apoplexy and sometimes Convulsions or Epilepsie The Night-mare is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Incubus in Latin 't is called Incubus ab incubando quod externa vis quoedam aut moles incubare videtur It is called the Night-mare because it oppresseth the sick in the Night at which time they think that some great weight lieth upon them by which they seem to be almost suffocated It happens most commonly after the first sleep whereby the party oppressed is deprived of speech and motion and sometime breathing for a time When the fit is upon the sick they do imagine that some Witch or Hag lieth hard on their Breast or Stomach from whence
it hath also acquired that Name in which they cannot stir nor call for help though they have a great desire and do strive very much to cry out but are possessed with a panick fear The cause of this distemper is most commonly Cause intemperance in eating and drinking especially in the Night whereby crude halituous Vapours are bred in such plenty that nature cannot disperse nor dissolve them before sleep and therefore they are raised up to the Ventricles of the Brain by which imagination sense and motion are all depraved The giddy motion is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. obscuritas oculorum In Latin 't is called Vertigo ex vertendo quod Caput vertere videtur Vertigo In this disease the Animal spirits are wrong mov'd which makes the sick believe that not onely all things they look on go in a Circuit about but their Head and other parts seem to turn round which many times causeth them to be in danger of falling or tumbling headlong The cause of the giddy motion is either Cause external or internal The external are either an intent looking at any object that turns round or about especially if very remote or a frequent turning about of the Body it self The internal cause is the ascent of flatuous Vapours to the Head together with the spirituous part of the Bloud and carried with the Animal spirits into the passages of the Brain and Cerebellum by which the motion of wheeling about is communicated to the Animal spirits and anon carried to the Cristalline humour of the Eyes by the Optick nerves and so a Giddiness seems to be produc'd For the Cure of these diseases seeing they are the Forerunners of the Apoplexy and Epilepsie I refer you to those excellent Medicines prescrib'd for the Cure of them Let such as are subject to these distempers be very sparing in their diet let them avoid all Herbs Roots and Fruits that are windy and all viscous and gross diet such as is of hard Concoction Let the external Causes be remov'd and the internal causes corrected Sublata causa tollitur effectus CHAP. V. Of the Lethargy Coma Carus and Catalepsie or Catocus THE Lethargy is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est ab oblivione Lethargus inertia Because in this disease the sick is very forgetfull and slothfull In this distemper there is a very great Signs propensity to sleep accompanied with a Symptomatical Fever and sometimes with the Hiccough with difficulty of breathing dulness of the Head and many times a deprivation of the Senses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sopor altus is an insatiable inclination to sleep the sick being called unto Coma. they open their Eyes and answer but presently fall a sleep again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called in Latin crapularis redundantia because it is sometimes caused Carus by surfeiting end drunkenness It is deep and profound sleep whereby imagination sense and motion are all depraved In these there is no Fever in which they differ from the Lethargy Catalepsis vel Detentio is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a with-holding or restraining because in this distemper the mind with the senses and motion are all suddenly surprized so that the sick remain stiff and immoveable in the very same posture in which they were taken with their Eyes open The causes of these diseases are either Causes external or internal The external causes are gross food idleness spirituous wine or any other inebriating liquour taken in excess and sometimes by the Air inspir'd which is defil'd by the Smoak of Coals or other mineral Fumes by which the Air may be infested The internal cause is a Narcotick force mix'd with the Animal spirits bred by degrees in the Body by the frequent use of opiats not well corrected which not onely dulls the mind but causeth a sluggishness of the whole Body for the Animal motion being deprav'd the external as well as internal senses will be thence soon infected and defil'd These diseases are all very dangerous and except they are speedily cur'd they will soon Progn hurry the sick into the Boats of Acheron or devouring Jaws of Death But if a Phrensie cometh immediately after any of them it cureth the Patient with little help of medicine To cure these diseases let the drowsie Animal Cure spirits be stir'd up and rais'd from sleepiness and stupidness by potent external Objects which may sharply move the external senses let the sick be kept in a light room and be often called upon very strongly and let sharp smells be applied to the Nostrils such as Spirit of Salt Armoniack Harts-horn c. Also sharp spices or salts should be put into the mouth and gentle frications us'd with warm Cloaths to those parts that are affected with Numness The Animal spirits may be freed from the Narcotick force mingled with them and likewise slothfulness and sleepiness may be by little and little diminished by the frequent use of sharp volatile Salts and all Medicines endued with an Aromatick biting such as Pepper Cloves Castor Garlick Horse-radish Mustard Scurvigrass c. Of which you may make diversity of Medicines for example Take the Waters of Hedge-mustard Scurvigrass of each two ounces Syrup of the Iulep Juice of Scurvigrass one ounce Tincture of Castor two drachms Oil of Cloves four drops mix it and give the sick two or three spoonfulls every two hours This decoction is also very effectual Take the Roots of Horse-radish the best Decoction China of each two ounces Roots of Galangal half an ounce Scurvigrass Hedge-mustard of each one handfull Cloves one drachm let them be all cleansed bruised and infused in White-wine and fountain-Fountain-water of each a quart for the space of a Night very hot the next morning boil it gently for half an hour then strain it and add Syrup of Hedge-mustard Scurvigrass of each three ounces Cinamon-water two ounces mix it Let the sick lying in bed meanly covered take often in a day five or six spoonfulls of this decoction whereby a light sweat may break forth to ease them By the frequent use of these medicines the Animal spirits will not onely be freed from their drowsiness but even the Narcotick force bred in the Body either in the length of time or received in from without may be corrected and by degrees gently educ'd by insensible transpiration So that at length these dangerous distempers may happily be overcome Let Clysters and Suppositories be often administred as need requires Those prescrib'd in page 17 18. in the Cure of the Palsie and Apoplexy are very effectual here If strength and age permit let a vein be opened in either Arm or Foot as you shall see cause for generally Authours consent to it besides Experientia docet Let Ventoses with or without Scarification be applied to the shoulders and hinder part of the Neck And let Sternutatories be
medicines to cure them for if the matter be thick and viscous it must be attenuated and cut with Aromaticks and afterward evacuated with Phlegmagogues So likewise serous and salt Catarrhs are to be temper'd with Oily things and Opiats and the plenty of humours to be diminisht with Hydragogues by which means the cure will be the sooner performed For viscous Catarrhs accompanied with a Cough I commend these following medicines Take the Waters of Hyssop Mint of each Iulep three ounces Cinamon-water Syrups of Fennel and red Poppies of each one ounce and half Laudanum opiatum six grains Spirit of Salt Armoniack twenty drops mix it of which you may give three or four spoonfulls every three hours By the frequent use of this Aromatick Julep the viscous Phlegm will not onely be attenuated but the over sharp Vapours will be discust and the other humours temper'd After the Phlegmatick humours c. are thus prepared it will be convenient to evacuate them downwards by gentle purgation with powerfull and effectual Phlegmagogues and such are all mercurials Colocynthis Hermodactils c. to be taken chiefly in the form of Pills Take Extract Rudii pil ex duobus of each one drachm Mercury dulcis half a drachm Purging Pills Oil of Cloves four drops mix them for three Doses If the sick be averse to Pills give this Potion Take of Rhubarb Agarick Hermodactils Polypodium of each two drachms Cinamon Purging Potion Cloves of each one drachm Sage Rosemary of each one handfull sweet Fennel-seed Juniper-berries of each three drachms bruise them and insuse them in hyssop-Hyssop-water very hot for the space of a Night then strain it and dissolve in it Syrup of Roses solutive Electuary Diaphaenicon of each one ounce mix it for a Potion Every night give the Patient a Pill of Styrax or Hounds-tongue to stay the Rheum and to give ease and rest If the Catarrh be serous and hot accompanied with a Fever and the sick have a costive Body this Clyster will be effectual Take the common decoction for Clysters Clyster twelve ounces Diacatholicon Electuary of the Juice of Roses of each six drachms Oil of Chamomel two ounces common Salt one drachm mix it for a Clyster After the operation of it you may open a Vein in either Arm and take away eight or nine ounces of Bloud Then give this purging decoction Take Borage Lettice Purslain Endive Purging Decoction Violets of each one handfull the four greater coldeeds of each one drachm Damask-prunes ten Anise-seed sweet Fennel-seed of each two drachms let them be bruised and boiled in eight ounces of the pectoral decoction till half be consum'd then strain it and dissolve in it Syrup of Roses solutive Electuary of the Juice of Roses of each half an ounce Spirit of Niter six drops mix it for a Potion You may give this Potion twice in a week which will both temper and gently evacuate the serous and acid humours and flatuous Vapours will also thereby be discust and gently educ'd To cause rest and thicken the Rheum let one of these Pills be given every Night to bed-ward Take of Laudanum three grains Powder Pills opiat of Olibanum Extract of Saffron of each four grains with a little pectoral Syrup make it into four Pills Or you may give a Pill of Styrax every Night going to bed When the Rheum flows down from the Head into the Trachoea arteria it stirs up a Coughing more or less according to the Tussis sharpness and plenty of the humours which are many ways vitiated wherefore a Cough may be diversly cur'd according to the diversity of its cause If the humours be over sour they may be corrected with Pearl Coral Crabs-eyes c. If the Rheum be too serous and salt the aforesaid pil Estyrace Cynaglos c. is excellent to temper it Becchical Troches both white and black are not onely effectual but gratefull to the sick in this coughing distemper If the humours be thick and viscous they require sourish sweet things and Aromaticks to attenuate and cut them The fore-mention'd Julep may be prescrib'd in this Case When the salt sharp and serous humours abounding are corrected and temper'd they may be diminisht by Hydragogues The Hydragogue Electuary prescrib'd in page 18 is an effectual and gratefull medicine which may be often us'd to the profit of the sick Children may take from one drachm to two and Adults to half an ounce of this excellent medicine once or twice a week As in other distempers always so let me here admonish you in general to be very diligent to attend to the medicines that most conduce to every particular Body whereby they may be prefer'd before the rest and as long as they profit continue in the use thereof that so the health of the sick may be every way promoted When much bloud is voided by coughing Sputum Sanguinis there is great danger wherefore we must hasten the more to its cure left the opportunity here if any where urgent be lost by delay for the singular substance of the Lungs is easily infected and corrupted but difficultly restor'd and repair'd wherefore bloud carried down from the Head into the Lungs and raising a Cough is to be stopt in its efflux To this end let a Vein be opened especially if a Plethora concur or there be a notable heat of Bloud or a suppression of its wonted emptying After bleeding let the over great heat be allay'd with sour and tart medicines for example take the following Decoction Take of Plantane Housleek Wood-sorrel of each two handfulls boil them in Barley-water Decoction one quart till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Syrup of Jujubes three ounces Salt prunella one drachm Spirit of Niter twenty drops mix it and give four spoonfulls every three hours The flux of bloud may be stopt by conglutinating medicines which have power to close the Vessels either broken by violent coughing or corroded by the sharpness of the descending Rheum Take the Waters of Comfry Plantane of each two ounces Cinamon-water distil'd Astringent Julep Vinegar of each one ounce Syrup of Mirtles Comfry of each six drachms Powder of Dragons-bloud red Coral prepar'd of each one drachm Laudanum opiat six grains Oil of Sulphur per Campanam twenty drops mix it and give three or four spoonfulls every two hours This choice medicine often taken will cure the most ruptions of vessels and will soon stop the flux of bloud beyond expectation but I advise that a sparing use of it should be continued for some time after the disease is cur'd to sense whereby the affected parts may be strengthned against the access of a new evil The bloud distilling into the sharp Artery of the Lungs will soon corrupt and turn into purulent matter if not prevented by convenient medicines which hath power to dissolve the coagulated bloud that it may be the easier expectorated The following form may be
Armoniack twenty drops Laudanum opiat ten grains mix it let the sick take a spoonfull of it every quarter of an hour till they get some ease If the distemper hath persever'd long the peccant humours must be emptied out by purging and to educe them I prefer before all others Pills to be made of Gums seeing they loosen the glutinous humours and dispose them to be easier carried out For example Take of Galbanum prepar'd with Vinegar Purging Pills half an ounce Powder of Scammony prepar'd Troches Alhandal of each two drachms Oil of Carraway twenty drops make it into a Mass for Pills Take five or six of these Pills in the Morning fasting twice a week They who abhor Pills may use an Aromatick and purging Decoction The following though bitter is very efficacious Take the five opening Roots of each one Purging Decoction ounce Roots of Angelica Berries of Bay and Juniper of each half an ounce the best Senna Orange-peel Carraway-seed Coloquintida of each one drachm Guiacum four ounces let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of fountain-Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Syrup of Roses with Senna four ounces Cinamon-water two ounces mix it Let the sick take four ounces of this bitter Decoction every other Morning which will by degrees diminish and mildly educe the hurtfull humours by purging But seeing not onely the cause ought to be removed but also the Symptomes asswag'd by refreshing the Heart you must administer cordial Medicines which have power to corroborate the Heart and to cherish and strengthen nature The following Cordial may be preferred in this Case Take the Waters of Baum Mint Borage Cordial Iulep Cinamon of each three ounces Syrups of Baum red Poppies of each two ounces Laudanum opiat Amber-greese of each ten grains mix it Let the sick take two spoonfulls of this rich Cordial every three hours which will wonderfully refresh and delight the sensible Stomach from whence the perfumed impressions will soon be communicated to the whole Body by which all the vital and animal Functions will be refreshingly cherished and strengthned and the Palpitation of the Heart eased and abated If the Patient hath a costive Body let a carminative Clyster be sometimes administred and if a Plethora concur let a vein be opened either with an Instrument in the Arm or by Leeches applied to the Haemorrhoids CHAP. V. Of an universal Languishing as also of Swouning and Syncope AN universal Languishing of the strength of all the parts and functions is sometimes observ'd to remain after some disease preceding not rightly cured especially when the Infirmity hath been grievous for then a weariness or defect of the Animal motion doth usually concur together with a weak or little pulse and dulness and debility of the internal and external senses whereby the sick continues weak and more languishing by certain intervalls than is natural All the kinds of Swounings may be divided for methods sake into two viz. the lighter kind and the most grievous The lighter kind of Swouning or fainting is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latin animae defectio ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deficere because it is an Imbecility or Feebleness of the Heart and Courage The most grievous and singular kind of swouning is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syncope concido to cut away quod praeceps virium omnium lapsus It is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. pulsus privatio because there is no pulse neither indeed presently in the fit is there any Animal or voluntary motion or respiration to be observ'd so that they are more like dead than living Creatures The signs of these fits approaching are Signs yawnings a Cardialgy Anxiety of Compression of the Heart griping and distension of the Belly tinkling in the Ears dimness before the Eyes and a Giddiness and at the approach of a Syncope there are often Convulsive motions with a cold and glutinous sweat and paleness of all the parts of the Body The causes of these distempers are either Causes external or internal The external are many as extreme weariness of the Body exceeding passions of the mind prolong'd hunger or thirst ungratefull smells the sight of any Person or thing that is envied too great effusion of Bloud Seed or Milk over great evacuation of the humours by Vomit Stool Sweat Urine c. It may also be caused by the biting or stinging of any venemous Creature and by any other vehement pain Sometimes it is produc'd by a great heat either of the Sun Fire Bath or Fever Any of these Causes mention'd being extreme may so change and diminish the natural effervescency and rarefaction of the bloud that the Heart it self is not thereby enough expanded and contracted So that the vital bloud cannot be sufficiently effus'd into the Arteries and therefore the Pulse is felt less and more languishing yea sometimes none The internal Cause is glutinousness encreased in the bloud and the other humours and sometimes an encreased Acidity in the Juice of the Pancreas Lympha and Spittle by which the Circulation of the Bloud and Humours becomes too slow hence the Ventricles of the Heart are not enough dilated which causeth the Pulse to be weaker than is natural for the effervescency of the bloud and humours being not potent enough cannot provoke the Heart to contract it self and therefore a Swouning or Syncope will inevitably ensue They who are much subject to a Swouning Progn or Syncope dye suddenly Those fits which are produc'd from some evident cause as vehement passions of the mind immoderate evacuations c. are less dangerous than those which come from an internal cause as glutinousness of the bloud and humours c. Which in a great measure hindreth its free Circulation through the Ventricles of the Heart whereby there is a sudden and swift sailing of the vital Spirits and consequently of all strength To cure an universal languishing as also a Cure Swouning and Syncope the phlegmatick glutinous and acid Humours must not onely be corrected but when they abound must be diminish'd and educ'd out of the Body Therefore to correct and amend the said humours abounding both in the universal Body and Bloud I will here set down some forms of select medicines for the sake of young Physicians The following Decoction is an efficacious Medicine Take the Roots of Elicampane Galangal Decoction Angelica Calamus Aromaticus the sive opening Roots of each one ounce Sage Baum Betony sweet Marjoram the Tops of Hore-hound Centaury Wormwood the Flowers of Rosemary Staechas Chamomel Clove-gilliflowers of each one handfull the Seeds of Anise Sweet-fennel Parsley Cardamoms Berries of Bays and Juniper of each two drachms Orange-peel Cinamon of each half an ounce Nutmegs one drachm let them be cleansed bruised and infused
in two quarts of fountain-Fountain-water for a night then boil it gently till a third part be consumed strain it and add Syrup of Mugwort Staechas tincture of Cinamon of each two ounces mix all together Two or three ounces of this Decoction may be taken at any time twice in a day either before or after meat that so the power of the medicine may mildly mix and incorporate it self not onely with the food but with Spittle in the Stomach and also with the threefold humour flowing together in the small Guts and thence with the universal bloud and humours in all the Veins and Arteries whereby the desired amendment and correcting of them will be performed sooner easier and more happily If any like a medicinal Wine better they may infuse the aforesaid Ingredients in a sufficient quantity of White-wine and drink it daily both at dinner and supper time These choice Medicines may be continued for some time but when the sick is weary of them you may use the same Ingredients in the form of a Powder or Electuary or make them into Troches with Syrup of Staechas Mugwort c. Or you may make use of those compound Powders which are to be sold at the shops viz. Spec. Diambr Diagalangae Dianthos c. all or either of which may be used as aforesaid If any will be better pleas'd with Pills than other Forms you may prescribe these or some like them Take of Galbanum prepar'd with Vinegar Purging Pills two scruples Powder of Amber Mastick of each one scruple Frankincense Mirrh Castor of each ten grains Vitriol of Mars prepar'd to whiteness half a drachm Chymical Oil of Mace eight drops beat them into a mass for Pills Let the Patient take four or five of there Pills in the morning fasting or at night an hour after supper whereby the viscous phlegmatick and acid humours will be potently corrected and temper'd which being done the peccant humours may be effectually educ'd with these hydragogue Pills Take Gum Sagapenum prepar'd with Vinegar Purging Pills half a drachm Rosin of Jallap Gambogia of each one scruple Oil of Juniper four drops mix them into Pills Four or five of these Pills may be administred at a time or more or sewer as the sick is more difficult or easie to be purg'd When a swouning Fit or Syncope is near approaching give those things that will powerfully concentrate the sour flatuous vapours and discuss the glutinous Phlegm The following Volatile and Aromatick Cordial will conduce much to this purpose Take the Waters of Mint Fennel Betony Cordial Iulep Scurvigrass Cinamon of each one ounce Syrups of Borage Mint of each six drachms Tincture of Castor Confection of Alkermes of each two drachms Salt of Amber one drachm Spirit of Salt Armoniack twenty drops Laudanum opiat Amber-greese of each six grains mix it The sick may take two or three spoonfulls of this Cordial in time of the fit and likewise both before and after which will much repair both the Vital and Animal strength which is wont not a little to languish in these fits None but they who have try'd will be easily perswaded of the wonderfull efficacy of the aforesaid medicines not onely in preventing but in diminishing and soon curing Swounings and the Syncope When either of these fits urgeth or is upon the party you must use those outward things which may stir up the external senses as frictions of the external parts shoutings in the Ears also make a smoak with Amber or Partridg Feathers at the nose or hold the Spirit of Salt Armoniack in a narrow mouth'd glass to the Nostrils You may also wring the Fingers and pull the Hair c. If you have not a Cordial ready give Cinamon or Treacle water or the Apoplectick or Antepileptick waters or for want of them Brandy Aqua vitae or strong Wine may serve CHAP VI. Of Fevers in General A Fever is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel a feritate morbi that is from the fierceness of the disease It is called febris in latin a fervore quasi fervens because it is a hot distemper A Fever is a nonnatural heat which may be so termed because it is more than nature requires for the continual management of her vital functions for when nature is grieved or over-burthned by any distemper there is a strugling endeavour of nature her self to remove it which causeth this non-natural heat It may be called the Prince of diseases because it is the general door through which most of humane mortals take their exit of this world The cause of the preternatural frequency of the pulse is either a permanent and over rarefaction of the bloud or any sharp sour or salt vapour carried to the Heart corroding the internal substance of it by which the Archaeus or vital Airy spirit of the Heart is provoked to allarm all the faculties and powers both vital and natural that it may the more couragiously resist its invading Enemy so that the spirits are thereby much stirred up and inflamed from whence proceedeth a Conflagration or vitious Effervescency of the Bloud and Humours throughout the whole Body Fevers are either continual or intermitting A continual Fever is that which remains from the first moment of its invasion to the last of its duration When a continual Fever is very mild and remains but one day it is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies quod diem durans It is called in Latin Diaria Ephemera febris This Fever is often excited by sudden passions of the mind as vehement anger c. and also by our abode too long in the Sun or by vitiously using any other of the six nonnatural things so called for which there is no great need to prescribe Medicines for a Cure it being not difficult the very nature of such a Fever terminating it self most commonly by a breathing sweat especially if you substract the Patient from the inflammatory Cause If the Fever continues longer it may be called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continuo From whence it is called in Latin febris continua quae nullas hujusmodi mutationes habet quae accessiones videri possint sed unicam modo accessionem a principio usque ad finem nullis exacerbationibus distinctam The continual Fever is also called Homotona quae fimilem calorem ad finem usque servat It is also called Acmastica quae continuo crescit intenditur A Synochus or continual Fever may be divided into two sorts viz. that which is not Difference putrid called in Latin Synochus non putrida and that which is putrid called Synochus putrida In a Synochus non putrida the bloud and other humours is a little sharper than is natural and the heat somewhat great and vaporous declining a little to the nature and manner of those called putrid Continual Fevers are oft times mixt or compounded
Gold But if the Patient's body be costive and there be eminent signs of a Plethora or great fulness of Bloud then let a carminative Clyster be first administred and after its operation let a Vein be opened and draw seven or eight ounces of bloud at a time and if there be occasion let it be reiterated for I always prefer it s repeated less diminution as need requires sometimes instituted in the same day before great evacuations made suddenly which hath brought many Evils to the sick It matters little what vein be opened unless in Women because of the monthly Terms either at hand or hindred And seeing it is the duty of every honest Physician to be Natures helper he ought to endeavour to remove all impediments whereby the sick may be cured more quickly safely and pleasantly without demurs to magnifie the Cure and inflame the reckonings Wherefore since the first curative intention of most Fevers is the discharge of the first turgent Monitor from the Stomach and adjacent parts by vomiting as is before said Let the Patient upon the discovery of the assaulting Enemy take an Antimonial Emetick and if one doth not suffice let it be reiterated by which the Morbifick matter will be evacuated nature calmed and the contemperating of the incited or enraged nonnatural heat will be the easier performed But here the Sex is to be consider'd the Female not so well enduring this evacuation Cautio because Emeticks cause great Commotions and flatuous Vapours in them which may also prevent or corrupt natures own intentions in her great discharge of turgent humours Wherefore administer no Emetick to them except they vomit very easily but rather let the peccant humours be diminisht or emptied out gradually by the following decoction to be taken twice a day to three or four ounces Take the Roots of Parsly Fennel Plantain Purging Decoction Peony Dandelion Succory of each two ounces the Leaves of Endive House-leek Fumitory Damask-roses of each one handfull Let them be cleansed bruised and infused for a Night in one quart of fountain-Fountain-water very hot then boil it gently till a third part be consumed strain it and add Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb the best Manna of each two ounces Powder of Cream of Tartar and Tartar vitriolated of each two drachms Oil of Sulphur twenty drops mix it all together This pleasant Medicine will conduce much to correct the salt sharpness of Choler and will also amend its Oily inflameableness and separate it from the Bloud and mildly dispose it and the rest of the abounding humours to be voided out by stool After these Evacuations give the sick the following Medicine twice a day in a little thin broth or Water-gruel Take Salt of Amber volatile Salt of Harts-horn Volatile Powder Tartar vitriolated of each six grains mix it This excellent volatile Medicine is both abstersive and Diuretick and will cleanse the Stomach and Intestines of the remaining Sordes and expell them by Urine In the Declination of the Fever if sleep be wanting this following Julep will much avail both to cause rest and refresh the spirits Take the Waters of Carduus benedict Fennel Cordial Iulep of each two ounces Treacle-water Syrup of red Poppies of each one ounce Laudanum opiatum six grains Salt of Wormwood half a drachm Spirit of Salt twenty drops mix it and give the sick three or four spoonfulls every three hours By the frequent use of this Cordial Julep or one like it all pains will be eased nature quieted and relieved and the importunate thirst allayed But if thirst still urgeth give the dulcified Spirit of Salt or of Niter in Posset-drink and all the Liquids they take from six to ten or twelve drops at a time If you fear there be any Malignancy in the Fever give the sick eight or ten grains of Bezoardic mineral every fourth hour in a spoonfull or two of the aforesaid Julep or good sound Canary-wine to keep the Patient in a breathing sweat As for the Cure of Fevers attended with grievous and furious raging and watchings c. I refer you to the Chapter of Phrensies which is full to this purpose I shall now give some directions to young Physicians and Nurses and so conclude this Chapter of Fevers in general 1. First give no Opiats in the beginning of a Fever because they tye up the Archaeus of the Stomach and first passages thereby hindring it from expelling the occasional cause of the Disease 2. Give the sick neither Mithridate nor Diascordium as is the common custome nor apply it to the Wrists nor Stomach nor any thing else that is nauseous whilst Nature and the Disease are strugling but if the Patient tends to coldness you may moisten a piece of Rose-cake or a tost of stale Bread in Sylvius's Spirit or for want thereof in Brandy dulcified and apply it to the Stomach twice a day which will revive nature and fortifie it against the invading Enemy 3. Give no meat whilst the disease is on them for the Stomach is not fit to receive it neither hath it strength to digest it and therefore it will become a recruit or supply to the Disease except it be speedily vomited up again 4. If it be a Child give it not any Milk and if it Suck wean it for Milk is the first matter and foundation of this disease in them neither give it Beer nor water nor any cooling things to correct the heat because it will weaken nature and strengthen the Disease But hot Posset-drink turn'd with White-wine or sound Beer with a little Vinegar may be drank liberally after the Cause is removed 5. If the sick be Adult you may give two parts of Water and one of good Wine either French Wine or Sherry but Malaga or any other sweet Wine is not so good 6. When the Patient begins to recover the plainest broths and gruels are the best till then a little is too much and if you did use Salt and Vinegar instead of Spice and Sugar it would agree better with them CHAP. VII Of intermitting Fevers AN intermitting Fever is that which returns after intervalls sometimes longer sometimes shorter in divers Fits whence according to the divers space of every access or fit the same gets also divers Names for if a new Fit return daily answering the precedent in proportion it is called a Quotidian If it comes every other day it is called a Tertian If the fit return after two days intermission it is called a Quartan and so forward although Quintans Sextans c. are seldom observ'd And here you may note that intermitting Fevers do but seldom return in the exact Observation intervall of natural days of twenty four hours but return quicker or slower for the most part wherefore then they are said to anticipate the expected time for some hours which is disliked or to come later which is commended by some Although it matters not whether the fits anticipate or come
weakness or toughness of the matter Nausea Loathing is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Navis quod navigantibus proecipue contingit All loathing is either natural or adventitious The natural for the most part is common to Women with Child wherein 't is thought by some that the mind of the Child in the Womb is affected as well in this distemper as in the disease called Malacia or longing wherein if the Woman have not presently what the longs for wheresoever she first puts her hand on any part of her body in that part the Child is mark'd as we may see often by experience The adventitious loathing or that which cometh by accident is stir'd up in healthy People by prejudice they esteeming some sorts of food ungratefull or prejudicial to their Health and therefore their Stomachs loath them Sometimes nauseousness and loathing even to vomiting immediately follows Intemperance in eating and drinking which is dangerous That we may the better judge of the causes of this distemper let us first consider what is the natural Cause of Hunger by which we may the easier discover it I judge the chief Cause of natural hunger to be the remainders of food fermented in the Stomach and the longer it stays there it is still more and more fermented by the Spittle which is continually swallowed down and intermix'd with it and at length it raiseth a somewhat sour and gratefull Vapour which pleasingly affects the upper Orifice of the Stomach and so natural hunger seems to be produc'd And if food be with-held somewhat longer than ordinary then this hunger is increas'd even in healthy People which I think is promoted and augmented by the Juice of the Pancreas having a friendly Effervescency with Choler and Phlegm in the small Guts from whence sour and gratefull Vapours are sent to the Stomach which increaseth hunger and if food be seldom taken it may proceed to fainting fits Hence we may gather that if there be a Cause vitious Effervescency of the aforesaid humours in the small Guts then vitious Vapours are thence produc'd which rising up to the Stomach and other parts adjacent not onely diminish hunger but more or less deprave Thirst as also the senses of tasting and smelling hence it is that the sick do loath all sorts of food as soon as they smell taste or see it 1. Want of Appetite or Loathing is a digression Progn from the natural State and is therefore dangerous and is worse in Children than Adults because they require more Nourishment 2. In all diseases this is an evil Symptome and if the sick recover and want Appetite or loath their Food there is danger of a relapse This distemper either in healthy People or those that are sick may be cur'd Cure 1. First by freeing the mind from every prejudice 2. By correcting or purging out the vitious and peccant humours If the Humours incline upward they may be safely carried out by an Antimonial vomit and after the operation at night going to bed let the sick take this Cordial Opiate Take the Waters of Damask-roses Baum Cordial Opiat and Cinamon of each one ounce Syrup of Clove-gilliflowers red Poppies of each half an ounce Confectio Alkermes half a drachm Laudanum opiat four grains Oil of Vitriol six drops mix it But if the humours be very viscous and the Stomach be not nauseous let them be purged out by stool with such Medicines as have power to alter amend and evacuate the vitious humours For example Take of the Decoction of Senna Gereonis Purging Decoction four ounces the best Manna Syrups of Epithymum Roses Solutive with Senna of each half an ounce mix it for two Doses to be taken in the Morning fasting After purging the Stomach must be strengthned which may be done by this excellent Diet-drink Take the Roots of China Sarzeparilla of Diet-drink each eight ounces Guiacum two pound Cinamon Mace Nutmegs of each one ounce Raisins of the Sun stoned one pound Anise-seed Liquorish of each one ounce and half let them be bruised and infused in two Gallons of fountain-Fountain-water very hot for the space of twenty four hours then boil it to the consumption of the third part strain it and add Syrups of Cinamon and of the Juice of Rasberries of each four ounces mix it and let it be put into Bottles The sick may drink four ounces of it three times in a day Also candied Ginger and Nutmegs preserv'd are good to corroborate the Stomach a little of either of them may be eaten before the taking of the Diet-drink You may anoint the Stomach with Oil of Mace by expression after which apply a Plaster Stomachicum magistr to the Region of the Stomach CHAP. IV. Of the Hicket or Hiccough THE Hicket is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin singultus ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum gula quod fere gula fiat vel a sono gulae It is called in English a Sobbing or Yexing being something like the Clocking of Hens with Chickens This disease was thought by the Ancients to be a deprav'd motion of the Stomach onely by which it striveth to expell something which is hurtfull but experience doth manifest that it is a convulsive Motion of the Midriff and not of the Stomach because in this distemper expiration is deprav'd and this is chiefly perfected by the Muscles of the Belly both by drawing down the Breast and compressing all that is contain'd in the Belly and driving them forward towards the Midriff and so compelling it upward its proper motion together concurring by which a greater straitness is made in the Breast which causeth the Lungs also to be straitned and consequently the Air contain'd in them to be suddenly expir'd 'T is true in this distemper the Stomach is primarily affected by sharp Vapours Wind or humours whencesoever proceeding which piercing to the membranous Centre of the Midriff provoke it by pricking or corroding to perform that convulsive motion in which the Diaphragma is contracted with a great force towards the Region of the Stomach which suddenly and violently driveth it forward and outward the convulsive Motion soon ceasing and again often repeating The causes of the Hicket are either external Cause or internal The external are hurtfull sharp and poisonous food or medicines taken into the Stomach by which the Midriff is soon affected and compelled to this violent and presently interrupted convulsive Motion The internal cause riseth up out of the small Gut by the vitious Effervescency of the humours there meeting from whence sharp halituous or windy Vapours are rais'd to the upper Orifice of the Stomach by which it is soon corroded and thence the sharp flatuous Humours or Vapours are presently carried through the Vessels of the Diaphragma and sticking in its substance do corrode its sensible parts and compell it to that Convulsive repeating contraction of it self When the
the cure of this lamentable contracted motion Wherefore to appease the troublesome irritation of the Guts let fat Broths be often taken in at the Mouth and also injected into the Fundament as a Clyster but if an emollient Clyster can conveniently be made let the following be prepared and often used the Decoction of which may be also taken at the Mouth with a few drops of Oil of Anise-seed Take the Roots of Marsh-mallows two ounces of Mallows Marsh-mallows Mullein Clyster of each two handfulls the Seeds of Anise Sweet-fennel Coriander Flax Faenugreek of each two ounces let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in a quart of spring-Spring-water till half be consumed then strain it and add oil of white Lillies the Fat of a Hen of each one ounce mix it for a Clyster Of which ingredients you may also make Fomentations and Cataplasms to be applied to the region of the Navel moderately hot adding Swines or Goats dung to the Pultess The following Emulsion will conduce not onely to allay the irritation and temper the sharp humours but will make the passages slippery and by degrees moisten the hard Excrements contained in the small Gut and in the mean time will mildly procure rest and stop vomiting Take of sweet Almonds blanched white Poppy-seeds of each two ounces French-barley Emulsion boiled four ounces the waters of Fennel Plantain Roses of each half a pint Barley-water a pint let it be made an Emulsion to which add Syrup of Violets three ounces confectio Alkermes de Hyacintho of each two drachms Laudanum twenty grains Spirit of Niter forty drops mix it Let the sick take three Spoonfulls of it often In this grievous Disease nothing is to be neglected either outward or inward that may procure ease to the Patient The intrails of Animals as sheep c. applied very warm in hot cloaths and often repeated are very effectual Also Ventoses applied to the Navel have prov'd succesfull after which let a little Civet wrapt in Cotten be put to the Navel and upon it apply a Plaster e Cymino or Sylvius's Carminative Plaster or else let the aforemention'd Pultess be applied warm Golden bullets swallowed are excellent but for want of them leaden bullets may serve Some give great Pills of Antimony and crude Mercury or Quick-silver well depurated is also highly commended to be given to three pound at a time and walk or ride after it to agitate the Body but before you give either of them let the sick take an ounce of oil of sweet Almonds or Sallet oil and likewise after it and be sure that no acid thing be given after the Quick-silver till it be evacuated lest it coagulate the Mercury and hurry the Patient to the grave CHAP. VII Of pain in the Stomach and of various pains of the Guts as Cholick c. THE pains of the Stomach may be distinguish'd or divided into two sorts viz. of the upper and lower orifice If the upper orifice of the Stomach which is of exquisite sense by reason of the intertexture of Nerves with which it is wonderfully furnish'd from the vaga sexta whereof branches are also communicated to the Heart be affected it is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cor. It is also called in Latin Cardiacus dolor cui os Ventriculi dolet per consensum cordis ergo vocatur affectio Cordis seu oris ventriculi For the Mouth or upper orifice of the Stomach being primarily affected the Heart suffers by consent If the lower orifice called Pilorus be affected it is called dolor seu colica ventriculi especially if it come of wind The pains of the Guts may also be distinguish'd because one while the small guts and other whiles the thick guts are griev'd As often as the upper part of the small gut nearest the Stomach is pain'd because that part of the gut is over the right Region of the Lions it maketh the Patient and sometimes the Physician think that the pain is in them But if that part of the small gut which riseth up from the Loins and Mesenterie Towards the left Hypochondrium be afflicted with rendings and distensions with a notable hardness this is attributed to the Spleen even by some Physicians although without any solid reason when indeed this distending pain is altogether Hypochondriacal If the pain be in the Gut Ileon it is thence called Iliaca Passio which hath been already treated of Whatsoever pain is rais'd in the Gut Colon may be called Colica Passio These may be distinguish'd from one another chiefly from the situation of either Gut For the Gut Ileon is for the most part contorted hither and thither up and down about the region of the Navel and from thence a little upward but the Colon from the Navel downward the pain of the Cholick generally pressing to the bottom of the Belly as well as to each side and the Back c. according as the Gut is writhed which is almost in the manner of a Roman S. being roll'd to the Navel and from thence with a remarkable winding through the middle of the Belly it is writh'd to the left kidney and groin and so down to the Os sacrum and bladder and ends in the right Gut whence the pain rising in the circuit and circumference of the Belly below the Navel may truly be called Cholical Sometimes there is a hot distending pain Cholica Passio with pulsation and inflammation in the latter part of the thick Guts called Rectum and this is either with a troublesome rending as in the internal or blind Hemorrhoids or else it is a corroding pain accompani'd with more or less itching perpetually provoking to siege as in the Tenesmus which oft times Tenesmus follow a Dysentery or bloudy flux In these various pains of the Guts there Signs is one while a hot burning with pulsation and other whiles a cold chilness seemeth to be fixt pricking and as it were boring the bowels sometimes there is a distension of the bowels pressing them with a sense of weight wonderfully writhing and contorting them with such a tearing corroding pain that the sick cannot give an explanation of the grief and misery which they endure The causes are either external or internal Causes The external are wounds or contusions caused by external violence The internal causes are divers sometimes Worms may be the cause But a burning pain is produced either by an obstruction of the Capillary veins of the Stomach or Guts by which the bloud is forc'd to stand still in the vessels till at length after a great distension the vessels burst and the bloud is effus'd which breedeth an inflammation and a manifest pulsation about the part affected by which it may be distinguish'd from any other Kind But for the most part a burning and corroding pain riseth from Choler too fat powerfully and vitiously raising an effervescency with the
with this following Decoction Take of Guiacum four ounces Roots of Purging Decoction China Sassafras Lovage of each one ounce Seeds of Anise sweet Fennel Berries of Bays and Juniper of each two drachms let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of fountain-Fountain-water till half be consumed strain it and add of the best Manna Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb of each four ounces Cinamon-water two ounces Spirit of Niter two drachms mix it and take two ounces of it every Morning and Evening The following Pills with Gums will be also very usefull and potent to educe the viscous Phlegm c. Take Galbanum prepar'd with Vinegar of Purging Pills Squills two drachms Resins of Jallop and Scammony Powders of Castor Mastick Mirrh Vitriol of Mars calcin'd to whiteness of each half a drachm Saffron ten grains Powder of Troches Alhandal two Scruples Oils of Harts-horn Cloves of each ten drops beat them all into a Mass for Pills Let the sick take three or four of these Pills in the morning fasting which will kindly expell the vitious humours After which let them take some of the aforesaid Julep to procure rest and ease Oily volatile Salts and Spirit of Niter are excellent not onely to correct Choler and other peccant humours but do potently discuss wind CHAP. VIII Of the Worms WOrms may be generated in all parts of the Body those which are bred in Ulcers may more fitly be called Maggots in Latin termetes but I shall onely treat of those which are bred in the internal parts of the Body Every man living in all places and climes doth more or less suffer by the frequent generation of these little intestine Enemies especially the weaker state of Man as Infants and the female Sex whose ferment or digestive heat being not sufficiently master of their great moisture part of it is turned into putrefaction which corrupteth the humours Wherefore it is no wonder that active Nature being never at rest by the quickning animating heat which causeth Concoction doth frequently generate Worms either in the Stomach or Guts according to the various occurrences of matter and seminal dispositions There are three or four kinds of these inbred disturbers which we may take notice of The first are called in Latin Teretes a terendo quod quasi terendo rotundum sit vel ex Teretes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. terebrando They are long and round like Earth-worms but whiter they are more common than the rest and are bred in the Guts but do sometimes get up into the Stomach The second are called lumbrici Lati longi because they are broad and long They are also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex Taenia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tendo i. e. fascia extensa Because they are something like a womans Head-band This worm is full of joints and is a native of the Jejunum which is a fit place to nourish these Milk-suckers or craving Vermine there being the most supply of milky Juice by reason of the numerous lacteal Vessels Some of these worms have been of an incredible length Pliny lib 11. nat hist. cap. 33. affirmeth that some have been thirty foot in length If you peruse Schenckiu's his observations lib. 3. pag. 411. you may reade variety of such Histories The third are called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Ascarides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salio In Latin they are called Vermes exigui intestinorum quod ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è sordibus nascantur They are little and slender some call them Arse-worms because they commonly lye in the Intestinum rectum near the Sphincter Muscle There is another kind of worms though seldom seen in the Colon like the Botts in Horses they may be called in Latin Vermina Vermina ex vertendo quod rependo torqueant sese vertant cum quodam minuto motu Ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serpo The material cause of all worms is most commonly the inconcocted part of the Chylus which is produc'd of such nourishment as easily putrifieth in the Stomach as green fruit c. which gives sufficient matter to these intruding Vermine This part of the Chylus being crude and unfit for sanguification is left undrawn by the lacteal Veins in the intestines where it is mixed with pituitous humours and elaborated by the temperate heat of the guts which is the efficient cause of such like generations The form which lay hid in this matter before is afterward generated by the temperate heat of the Bowels and according to the diversity of the latent forms sundry sorts of worms are bred In the aforemention'd title of Schenckius you may reade of the stupendious Figures of Worms set down by learned and famous Men in their Monuments The signs of worms are many If they be round there is a pinching or Signs of Teretes gnawing pain in the Belly especially being hungry also a stinking Breath a frequent dry Cough Loathing and sometimes Vomiting and Looseness with distention of the Belly and a symptomatical Fever the sleep is often disturb'd with horrible Dreams and starting and gnashing of the Teeth the Face is pale the Nose itcheth wherefore Children that have them do often rub and pick their Nose If the long broad worm be in the small Signs of Taenia guts the party hath an insatiable Appetite the Body consumeth having quick stools after eating in which there is often a substance like to the Seeds of Cucumbers If the small worms called Ascarides be Signs of Ascarides bred in the intestinum rectum there is a painfull itching in Anus with provocation to stool in which they often come away If the short thick worms like Botts be bred Signs of Vermina in the Colon there is a wringing troublesome pain and they often come from the Patient night and day without any Excrements or motion to stool These last mention'd are of all others the worst and most difficult to destroy especially Progn if they continue long and grow numerous because they enclose themselves in a Cystis or Bladder for shelter which they run out and in to as a Coney into her Burrough whereby they defend themselves from the power of those things which are given to kill them The broad long worms are also hard to destroy and if the round ones continue long and are many they cause Convulsions and sometime Epilepsie and if they come out alive in acute Fevers it betokeneth great Malignity of the morbifick matter which they labour to shun The Ascarides are not dangerous for they may be easily killed with Clysters As for the Curation it is perform'd by two Cure indications the first is by killing of them the second by expelling of them when killed And here the place or residence of the offending Vermine is to be considered viz. whether it be the Stomach or Bowels if the Bowels whether the most external as the
Dysentery doth proceed either from the Cause of a Dysentery thickness of the bloud by reason of over viscous phlegm being mixed with Lympha or the juice of the Pancreas too acid accompani'd with sorrow of mind whereby the bloud doth become too gross for its wonted circulation through the Capillary Vessels of the Guts wherefore it causeth a great distension of them till at length they burst and pour out the bloud into the cavity of the Guts Or else it may be caused from Choler too salt sharp and plenteous in the bloud whereby it doth become extravagantly serous and eager through extraordinary fermentation extremely agitating the humours to a Colliquation especially where fierceness of anger or great heat of mind do concur by which the bloud is the more rarifi'd to pierce through the tender restraint of the vessels and doth flow out by indirect ways sometimes by great loss to the endangering of life A Tenasmus is caused by a phlegmatick viscous Cause of Tenasmus humour joyned with a sharp acid humour which doth fret the Gut about the siege stirring up a troublesome Ulcer there The flux of the Hemorrhoids and of the Cause of Hemorrhoids c. Liver is to be deduc'd from much serous matter mixt with the bloud and also relaxing the vessels The Hemorrhoids are either critical which useth to ease the sick or symptomatical and much weakneth them The signs of Fluxes are manifest from Signs what hath been said 1. If any looseness continue long with loathing Progn 't is an ill sign especially if it be with a Fever 2. If the small Guts are affected the pain is sharper than when it is in the thick Guts 3. In the Dysentery if the dejections be very bloudy or black and fetid with great Thirst Hicket c. for the most part they are mortal signs but if the erosion be onely in the internal membrane of the Gut and there be no great pain nor other bad symptome there is great hopes of recovery If the bloud and humours be too thin and Cure serous they must be corrected and evacuated Chalk and Harts-horn or any other burnt bone reduc'd to powder and given often in a small quantity doth imbibe and correct watry moisture and also over much fatness which may be the cause of a looseness After which the peccant humours may be evacuated by stool with Hydragogues and by sweat and urine with Sudorificks and Diureticks Toasted Rhubarb will satisfie to many indications seeing that it doth not onely evacuate water together with Choler abounding but will soon correct the over-loose body by its mild tartness Wherefore when the Bloud doth abound with much serous liquour let the sick take this Powder in a little Broth. Take the Powder of Jallop Cinamon of each fifteen grains Powder of Rhubarb Purging Powder tosted half a drachm mix it After the operation of it you may give the following Cordial by spoonfulls Take the Waters of Plantain Comfry Cordial Iulep of each two ounces Cinamon-water half an ounce Syrup of Mirtles one ounce Confectio de Hyacintho Diascordium of each one drachm Laudanum opiat four grains mix it It will be also convenient sometimes to educe the humours by urine and sweat for which I commend the following Decoction of China c. Take the Roots of Burdock the five opening Decoction Roots Sarzeparilla Contra yerva of each one ounce China four ounces Gromwell-seeds Juniper-berries of each half an ounce let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of fountain water 'till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Syrup of the five opening Roots six ounces Spirit of Niter one drachm mix it Lâ—t the sick take a quarter of a pint of this warm twice or thrice a day and especially in the morning fasting which will the easier procure a breathing sweat or else urine more plentifull by which the serosity of the bloud will be consum'd by little and little so that the bloud and humours will thereby become more pure If a Dysentery or Bloudy-flux arise from a sharp humour corroding the Vessels it may be cur'd by correcting and tempering the sharp acid humours and consolidating the Vessels fretted The following Powder is excellent to correct and amend the aforesaid acid humours and stop all fluxes of bloud Take the Powders of red Coral Pearles Powder prepared white Chalk Dragons bloud of each half a drachm mix it for six doses which may be taken in three spoonfulls of the following Julep every two or three hours Take the Waters of Plantain Comfry of Astringent Iulep each two ounces Tincture of Cinamon Syrups of Quinces Mirtles of each one ounce Laudanum opiat ten grains Oil of Juniper ten drops mix it If there be an Ulcer in the thick Guts and Clysters can come to the part affected let the following be often injected and instruct the sick to retain them so long as they can Take new Milk wherein Steel hath been Clyster quenched one pint Honey of Roses one ounce Venice Turpentine half an ounce the Yelk of one Egg Balsam of Sulphur four drops mix it The following Bolus may be sometimes given in the Morning fasting Take the Powder of Rhubarb tosted two Purging Bolus Scruples Nutmeg one scruple make it into a Bolus with Conserves of red Roses And this Bolus may be given at Night going to bed Take Diascordium Conserves of red Roses Bolus Opiat of each half a drachm Laudanum opiat three grains mix it By the frequent use of these choice Medicines the Ulcer will be cleans'd the Gripes asswag'd and the Consolidation of the ulcerated Gut both in the Tenasmus and Dysentery c. will be wonderfully promoted But if the Ulcer be in the small Guts the following vulnerary Decoction will more conduce to the Cure Take the Roots of Comfry Plantain Knot-grass Decoction of each two ounces the Tops of Saint John's wort Sanicle Germander red Roses of each one handfull Shavings of Harts-horn Cinamon of each half an ounce let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in three quarts of fountain-Fountain-water wherein steel hath been quenched till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Syrup of dried Roses Tincture of Cinamon distill'd Vinegar Syrup of Marsh-mallows of each two ounces mix it and give the sick four spoonfulls every two or three hours If you add two or three drops of Balsam of Sulphur made with Oil of Anise-seed to every dose of the Decoction c. it will be the more effectual both to cleanse and consolidate the Ulcer The flux of the Hemorrhoids if it be symptomatical and weaken the sick is then to be hindred which may be effectually done by the afore-mention'd Medicines If much serous Liquour can so dilute the Bloud and relax the Vessels that part of it may be carried out of them into the Guts and produce a Flux like the washing of Flesh commonly called a Flux of
sorrow of mind or great passion be the Cause it ought to be prevented as much as may be both by Philosophical and Theological reasons about any troublesome matters and by confirming the mind whereby the sick may be the better enabled to bear and suffer stoutly any adversity This ought to be observed also in all other Diseases If Ebriety be the cause I commend Sobriety to cure it Sublata causa tollitur effectus If the humours be over viscous or glutinous the following Decoction will not onely alter and correct but mildly educe the peccant humours by which the Jaundice may in a short time be cured Take of Rhubarb the Roots of Madder Smallage the greater Celandine of each Decoction one ounce the Flowers of Broom one handfull Hemp-seed two ounces the Seeds of Anise Parsley and Columbines of each half an ounce Saffron two drachms white Tartar three drachms let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in White-wine and Fountain water of each three pints till the third part be boiled away then strain it and add the best Manna Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb of each three ounces mix it Let the sick take four spoonfulls of this three times a day till the viscous phlegm and Choler be sufficiently evacuated and the natural colour of the body restored As oft as the Jaundice is caused by the poison of a Viper or any other venemous thing whatsoever you must administer as soon as possible a volatile sudorifick to correct and expell the venome The following will serve to both indications Take the waters of Carduus Fennel Fumitory Sudorifick of each two ounces Treacle-water Syrups of the juice of Carduus red Poppies of each one ounce tincture of Saffron two drachms Venice-treacle half a drachm Bezoar-mineral Antimony diaphoretick Salt of Harts-horn of each one scruple Spirit of Salt-Armoniack six drops Laudanum opiatum six grains mix it and give three or four spoonfulls to provoke sweat and after it breaks forth give a spoonfull or two now and then to promote it Also this Decoction or one like it may be prescrib'd for the Icterick patient it being both Sudorifick and Diuretick Take the Roots of Scorzonera Juniper of Diuretick Decoction each two ounces Roots of Master-wort Sassaphras of each half an ounce Berries of Juniper and Bays of each one ounce and half Seeds of Nettles Hemp and Columbines of each one ounce shavings of Harts-horn three drachms the tops of Carduus Scordium Scabious the lesser Centaury of each one handfull let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of fountain-Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Syrup of the juice of Carduus four ounces Treacle-water two ounces Salt of Tartar vitriolated two drachms mix it and give four spoonfulls every two or three hours Soap of any sort conduceth to the cure of the Jaundice upon a twofold account both by reason of its fixt lixivial Salt and also by reason of its fatness or oil for the Lixivial Salt doth correct and diminish the over volatileness and spirituousness of the vitiated Choler and the oil doth blunt the sharpness of the volatile and spirituous Salt ruling in Choler The following mixture is very effectual Take of Hemp-seed two ounces Soap two Opiate drachms bruise the seed and boil it in half a pint of new Milk till half of it be consumed then strain it and add Syrup of Saffron half an ounce tincture of Saffron two drachms Laudanum opiatum four grains mix it and give half of it in the morning fasting and the remainder at night going to bed CHAP. XII Of a Cachexy AN ill Habit of Body is called in Greek Cachexia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habitus It may be called in Latin mala corporis habitudo There are many causes of this Distemper which may be distinguisht according to the diversity of the conjoin'd Symptoms It doth accompany all Chronical Diseases as Dropsies of all kinds Hypochondriack suffocation Scurvy Pox and Gout c. for it doth spare none neither Peer nor Peasant of any age or sex but it most frequently seizeth on Women when their monthly terms are supprest The cause is either external or internal The external cause is either bad Diet a long time receiv'd or for want of good refreshing Food after sickness for the Stomach being weak cannot digest course Diet by which the nutriment of the Body doth by degrees become peccant in quality vitiating the humours and Bloud it self so that an ill nourishment of the Body doth follow The internal cause may be the suppression of the Terms in Women which is more or less corrupted about the Womb having not its natural evacuation from whence the whole mass of Bloud is indued with a vitious quality by which the nourishment of all parts of the Body is deprav'd Also Choler and the juice of the Pancreas which are always confus'd with the Bloud being alike vitious or peccant in quality do not onely corrupt the separation of usefull and unusefull parts but by the vitious effervescency of these humours manifold flatuous vapours are rais'd which do not onely increase anxieties about the Midriff but being carried to the Heart there follows a pressing pain and palpitation thereof and in circulating through the Lungs it causeth a Dyspnoea or difficult breathing and being thence transferr'd every way throughout the Body it doth breed a general weariness in all parts But when the vitious humours abound together in plenty then several kinds of the Dropsie at length succeed if not the universal Body groweth lean by degrees From what hath been said the production of every Cachexie may easily be deduced by a judicious Physician The signs are paleness of the Face shortness Signs of breath palpitation of the Heart and often apressing pain of it accompanied for the most part with a lingring Fever either continual or intermitting or compounded of both in which the Urine is crude or watry at length there is a weariness of the universal Body which in some doth pine and become lean but in others the Body doth swell and is turgid If this Disease be not helpt in time it will become by degrees so stubborn and rebellious Progn that it will puzzle the wisest and most experienced Physicians to cure it for by the long continuance thereof phlegm becometh very tough and glutinous on which all Chronical or prolong'd Diseases depend besides all the other humours are by degrees vitiated which incorporate with the Bloud and diminish its effervescency so that the separation and excretion of the excrementitious parts to be voided together with Urine do not follow from whence many grievous symptoms succeed which oft proves mortal The cure of every Cachexie will consist in Cure the correction and amendment of the Bloud any way vitiated If flegm be tough and glutinous it must be corrected and evacuated for which
infused in two quarts of White-wine for two or three days then strain it and add Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb six ounces mix it and give four ounces of it in the morning fasting If any like Pills better I commend the following Take the Resins of Jallop and Scammony Purging Pills Tartar vitriolated Mercur. dulcis of each half a drachm Oil of Juniper one scruple make it into Pills with Venice-Turpentine of which you may give twenty grains at a time in the morning fasting The following Pills are also very effectual Take of Elaterium Gambogia Resin of Jallop Pills of each ten grains Oil of Nutmegs six drops make it into Pills with Venice-Turpentine for two doses The obstructions in the Lacteal veins or Lymphatick vessels may be cur'd by Medicines that do powerfully cut and happily open the said obstructions This Aromatick Sudorifick may be commended for these intentions Take the waters of Treacle Scurvigrass Sudorifick Fennel of each one ounce waters of Parsley Fumitory of each two ounces distill'd Vinegar half an ounce Syrups of the juice of Carduus and the five opening Roots of each six drachms Powder of Crabs-eyes Antimony Diaphoretick Salt of Amber Beans Worm-wood of each one scruple Spirits of Salt Armoniack Niter of each twenty drops mix it and give four spoonfulls of it every two or three hours After the Vessels are freed from the noted obstruction by the medicines before-mention'd or such like they will be easily consolidated again by conglutinating food in which you may boyle the Roots of Comfry Plantain and Solomon's Seal for the more quick and easie cure In a Tympany the dulcifi'd Spirit of Niter is excellent being taken in Broth or Sack three or four times in a day from six to twelve drops at a time for it doth correct both Phlegm and Choler and hinder Wind in its rise and dissipate it when it is bred Also the following exemplary Julep doth curb and discuss Wind remaining as well in the Stomach as Guts Take the Waters of Mint Fennel of Carminative Iulep each four ounces the Carminative Spirit of Sylvius Syrup of the juice of Mints of each two ounces Laudanum opiat eight grains Spirit of Niter one drachm Salt of Amber half a drachm Chymical Oil of Mace ten drops mix it and take three or four spoonfulls every three hours You may prepare a Medicinal Wine for the rich very beneficial in Dropsies Take the Seeds of Anise Fennel Caraway Medicinal Wine Coriander Berries of Bays and Juniper of each two ounces Salt of Tartar half an ounce let them be bruised and infused in three pints of White-wine for three days then strain it and add Spirit of Niter half an ounce Salt of Amber two drachms Syrup of Mint three ounces mix it and take four or five spoonfulls of it often Sweating is very profitable in all Dropsies either in Bed with the forementioned Sudorifick or in a Bagnio or Hot-house by which the water standing beside nature in any part of the Body will by degrees be emptied through the pores of the Skin Also it may be necessary especially in persons more elderly to use warm Baths That which is prescrib'd for the cure of the Belly-ach in page 201 202. is also very profitable in Dropsies into the which it may be agreeable to descend at evening before Bed-time and there to continue so long as the Patient can well endure without fainting after which Frications may have their proper use and great benefit And to strengthen the cutaneous Fibres and restore their true tone for their better service of the offices of Nature let the affected parts be anointed with the following fragrant Balsamick Ointment Take of Flanders Oil of Bays Nerve-oil Ointment Oil of Earth-worms of each two ounces Oil of Mace by expression half an ounce mix it Galen commendeth a Cataplasm of Snails bruised with their shells and laid upon the Navel But a Pultess prepar'd of the ingredients of the Bath and applied to the affected parts will be more effectual to discharge the Ichorous water Or you may make a Cataplasm after this manner Take the tops of Elder Dwarf-elder Vervain Pulcess Worm-wood Chamomel of each two handfulls Horse-radish-roots four ounces let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of the juice of Wild-cucumbers till they are very tender then strain it and beat them very well and add Barley-meal one pound and with the same liquor boil it into the consistence of a Pultess Let the Patients diet be drying and let them drink moderately you may infuse Juniper-berries Tamarisk and Elicampane-roots in their ordinary drink And for the benefit of those Physicians and Chirurgeons that live in the West-Indies there groweth almost every where in moist places a large Cane much like the Sugar-cane the Planters generally call it the dumb Cane because they that taste it are presently dumb and unable to speak for two or three hours after which the Tongue returns to its former use and volubility without any prejudice The reason why this remarkeable Plant doth so affect the Tongue upon the touch of it is its power of attracting such plenty of moisture into it as doth distend all the Vessels thereof and render it immoveable till the crouded moisture be gradually discharged Hence we may conjecture and indeed experience teacheth that of this Plant may be prepared diversity of medicines as Cataplasms Oils Ointments c. Which will be effectual to attract and easily and kindly discharge the swollen part of the Ichorous water which may be used for some time after the evacuation of it the better to prevent a farther accumulation or return of the Disease Likewise may medicines be prepared by a skilfull Artist of this Plant very effectual to be taken inwardly not onely against Dropsies but the Scurvy Gout c. If these choice medicines are not to be had and nothing be effected by other means A harmless Paracenthesis may be instituted in the Dropsie of the Breast or Abdomen provided the Apertion be made by such a little hollow instrument as is describ'd in page 81 82. of the Cure of the Pleurisie for by such a small wound there is no danger to the sick But this operation must not be delay'd lest the humour collected get an hurtfull Acrimony and by degrees corrode and corrupt the Membrane and hence the substance of all the parts contain'd and so make the Disease incurable CHAP. XIV Of the Scurvy and Hypochondriack Suffocation commonly called the Fits of the Mother THE Scurvy being a Hypochondriack disease it will not be amiss to treat of them together The Scurvy is called in Latin Scorbutus it is a Complication or Concatenation of Diseases generated by the Conjunction of divers Causes contributing to a scorbutick Deformity The Scurvy is generated or planted essentially in the vital Principles or digestive Offices and therefore it is not discerned by sense but the effects are distributed throughout the Body and
Rhubarb let it be made into twelve Pills for three doses After purging these Astringents will be profitable Take of Cinamon the Roots of Bistort Tormentile Astringent Electuary Rhubarb Seeds of Plantain Dill Flowers of red Roses Balaustins red Coral sealed Earth whitest Amber Harts-horn Gum-dragon and Arabick of each two drachms Saccharum Saturni Dragons-bloud Salt Prunella of each two scruples Laudanum opiat Camphire of each ten grains let them be all finely powder'd and searced and with Honey of red Roses Syrups of Quinces and Comfry of each equal parts let it be made into an Electuary according to Art Let the sick take the quantity of a Nutmeg of this Electuary every morning and evening either upon the point of a knife or dissolve it in two or three ounces of red Wine to which you may add a few drops of Tincture of red Coral and drink it This Julep is also of great virtue Take the Waters of Comfry Plantain Astringent Iulep Oak-buds Knot-grass red Wine of each four ounces in which infuse red Rose-buds Balaustins Flowers of Comfry Bugloss of each one handfull for the space of twenty four hours then boil it gently for half an hour strain it and add Tincture of red Coral Syrups of dried Roses Comfry and Mirtles of each two ounces Oil of Vitriol twenty drops mix it and take six spoonfulls every three hours Let the Region of the Womb be anointed with this Linament Take Unguent Comitissoe Oil of Mirtles Linament of each one ounce Saccharum Saturni one drachm Camphire ten grains mix it After the part is anointed let this Plaster be applied Take the Plaster against Ruptures Diapalma Plaster of each one ounce the carminative Plaster of Sylvius half an ounce mix it and spread it on leather and apply to the region of the Womb. In the Whites let this be used for a Fume Take of Olibanum Amber Cloves of Fume each half a drachm red Rose-buds Balaustins of each two drachms beat them all together into a gross powder put a little of it at a time upon a pan of coles and let the Woman sit over it CHAP. XVII Of the Falling Down of the Womb and Fundament IF the Womb falleth down it may be called in Latin Procidentia Matricis So likewise if the Fundament cometh down it is called Procidentia Ani. The Causes of these distempers are either Cause External or Internal The External Causes may be any violent exercise with much striving also falls or blows on those parts also bathing in cold water c. The Internal Causes are serous and phlegmatick humours a Dysentery with a Tenasmus the Whites continuing long a violent drawing the Child or After-birth out of the Womb also much Sneezing or Coughing especially in Child-bed to conclude all things that may cause a Rupture or relaxation of the Ligaments of the Womb or sphincter Muscle of the Anus may be the cause of these griefs In a Procidentia Ani there is always a Signs mucous and purulent dejection from a phlegmatick viscous and sometimes also a sharp acid humour adjoining about the seige which often causeth a troublesome Ulcer by fretting In young people these distempers may be Progn easily cur'd if they have not continued long and do not come very far out and be not ulcerated But if there be a Rupture of the Ligaments of the Womb it is incurable likewise great pain and inflammation are very difficult and if either the Matrix or Anus be Gangrenated it is mortal without speedy amputation You must begin the Cure with removing Cure the symptoms and discharging the Guts of their Excrements either with Clysters or Lenitives Then anoint the part with some astringent Oils and endeavour to reduce it gently by degrees The manner of the reduction every ingenious Artist knows and therefore needs not any directions When the Womb is reduc'd it may be kept with a Pessary fram'd of Cork as thick as necessary and cover'd with Wax mixed with a little Castor and Assafoetida which may there continue If there be pain and inflammation let the part be bathed with this Take the Flowers of Chamomel Elder of Bath each one handfull Marsh-mallow-roots one ounce Seeds of Flax and Foenugreek of each half an ounce boil it in two quarts of Milk till half be consumed then strain it and add Malaga Wine one pint mix it Let Stuphs be moistned in this and wrung out and applied hot after which apply a Plaster of ad herniam to the lower part of the Belly Before you reduce the Anus anoint it with Oil of Mirtles and bestrew it with Powder of Album Groecum or the following Take of red Roses Pomgranat-rinds Cypress-nuts Powder Mastick Crocus Martis burnt Lead of each half an ounce beat them all into a fine powder A Bag quilted with the following astringents and applied hot to either griev'd part three times a day will conduce much to keep it up Take of Plantain Sanicle Buds of Oak For a quilted Bag. and Medlar red Rose-buds Balaustins of each one handfull Roots of Comfry Tormentil Bistort Cypress-nuts Seeds of Anise sweet Fennel of each one ounce beat them all into a gross powder Inwardly may be given Astringents and Strengthners but not in time of the courses those prescrib'd against the immoderate flowing of the Terms are good CHAP. XVIII Of Barrenness BArrenness is called in Latin Sterilitas It may be called in English Unfruitfullness it being an impotency of Conception We reade in the Scripture that the Women of old did think it a reproach to be Childless and therefore when Elizabeth had conceived who before was Barren she said the Lord hath taken away my reproach among Men as you may reade at large in the first Chapter of Luke's Gospel Very few Women in a Marriage state but desire Children yea some would give all they have in the world for a Child and are very impatient if they do not Conceive Rachel said to Jacob in Gen. 30 ver 1. give me Children or else I dye I will now briefly shew you what may be the cause of Sterility 1. First want of Love between a Man and his Wife way hinder Conception 2. Any malignant distemper in the womb may corrupt the Seed and be the cause of Barrenness Some are of opinion that Witch-craft may be the cause But to conclude the Whites or any moist distemper of the Matrix may be the cause of Barrenness Sometimes the cause is in the Man for if he doth want Sperm or is unable to erect his Genital by reason of any weakness or distemper in his Secrets or if he be effeminate and taketh little or no delight in the act of Venery he is not fit for Venus School There are some Rules left by the Ancients to try whether a Woman be naturally Barren or no. Hippocrates adviseth to put a Clove of Garlick or a little Galbanum into her Womb and if her Breath do smell
of it be sure she is fruitfull If Barrenness be caused by any Disease afflicting either the man or the woman then Progn there may be hopes of Conception when health is procured but if it be evil shape of of the members in the woman or the man not fit for Venus-School patientia est optima virtus In the cure you must endeavour to remove Cure whatsoever hindreth Conception Many things are antipathetical to fecundity as Jet Glow-worms Saphires Smaragds the Matrix of a Goat or Mule likewise Vinegar Mints Watercresses Beans c. all which I advise you to avoid and make use of those things which have a peculiar virtue to help or cause Conception and remove Barrenness The After-birth of a Woman dried and powdred and taken often a drachm at a time also the Stones and Liver of a Bore-pig the Juice of Sage the Roots of Satirion and Eringo candied are all good There are many medicines prescrib'd in Authours to help Conception Quercetanus doth commend this infusion Take the Matrix of a Hare and the Stones of a Ram prepar'd with Whitewine of Cinamon Infusion Ginger Mace Cloves Seeds of Bishops-weed of each half an ounce Saffron two drachms Kernels of Fistick-nuts one ounce let them be all bruised and infused in a quart of Muskadel-wine for two or three days then strain it and add more Wine to the ingredients for a second infusion The following Electuary is also excellent Take the Roots of Satirion and Eringo Electuary candied of each one ounce candied Ginger and preserv'd Nutmegs of each two drachms Kernels of Hazle-nuts and Fistick-nuts of each half an ounce Powder of a Bull's-pizle of Ivory Seeds of Rocket Bishops-weed of each one drachm Species Diambroe Diamosc dulcis of each six drachms Confectio Alkermes one ounce and half with Syrup of the juice of Citrons make it into an Electuary according to Art Let the Woman take the quantity of a Nutmeg of it every night going to bed and drink a glass of Sack or Muskadel or of the aforementioned Infusion after it If a cold and moist distemper of the Body and Womb accompanied with the Whites be the cause look for the cure in its proper Chapter If it be caused by Witchcraft there are some things commended by Authours to be worn about the party against Fascination viz. the Pizle of a Wolf a Diamond a Jacinth-stone Rue Squills Sea-holly Sagapenum Amara dulcis Hypericon c. But above all let fervent and devout Prayers be put up to the Throne of grace for help and reject and despise Incantations or Charms and all other Diabolical means CHAP. XIX Of Abortion or Miscarriage ABortion is called in Latin Abortus vel intempestivus foetus Because it is an untimely Birth the Child being brought forth either dead or alive before its fit time of deliverance This is the worst Symptom that attends breeding Women It may happen from the first Moment of Conception to the end of the sixth Month but it is most usual in the end of the third or the beginning of the fourth Month. The causes are either external or internal Causes The external Causes are a great excess in things nonnatural as too great Anger Fear and other Passions or else it may be through defect for if the Mother undergo Penury or Famine or lose much Bloud the Child wanteth Nourishment Many times things longed for and not obtained kill the Child Also strong purging Medicines that provoke the terms and all fetid smells falls blows lifting carrying dancing running riding or any other outward violence may be the Cause of Abortion The internal Causes may be the depravedness of the humours by which the Mass of Bloud becometh vitious also Acute or Chronick diseases especially of the Womb and also violent Coughing Sneezing Vomiting Convulsions and Fluxes of the Belly may loosen the Ligaments of the Womb and so cause miscarriage The signs of Abortion at hand are great Signs pain about the Loins and Share-bones sometimes with shivering the Breasts growing little and flaggy the Situation of the Child changed towards the Bottom of the Belly with a bearing down and evacuation of Bloud c. 1. Women who have moist and slippery Progn Wombs are most subject to miscarry but with little danger except it be the first Child and that very big 2. Much bleeding with fainting raving or Convulsions is for the most part mortal To prevent Abortion if there be an evil Cure disposition of the Body or Womb you must endeavour to remove it if the Woman hath a plethorick Body let a Vein be opened in the Arme especially in the first six months If ill humours abound purge often with gentle means This purging Infusion may serve Take of Cinamon Rhubarb Anise-seed of each two drachms let them be bruised Purging Infusion and infused in four ounces of plantain-Plantain-water very hot for the space of a Night then strain it and add Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb the best Manna of each half an ounce mix it and give it in the Morning fasting Also the Pills prescrib'd in page 240. may be used in this case If the Woman be troubled with a Rheumatick distemper accompanied with Wind and if she be pretty strong you may sweat her gently sometimes with this or such like Cordial Diaphoretick Take the Waters of Treacle Carduus Fennel Cordial to cause sweat of each one ounce Cinamon-water two drachms Syrups of the Juice of Carduus Coral of each half an ounce Confectio de Hyacintho half a drachm Spirit of Niter six drops Oil of Cinamon two drops Laudanum opiatum three grains mix it and give to provoke sweat Let the Womb be strengthned with Cordial Astringents Those prescrib'd in page 239. 240. are excellent CHAP. XX. Of hard Travel in Child-birth HArd labour may be called in Latin partus vel enixus laboriosus quod ipse nitendi pariendi actus The time of a natural Birth ought to be accomplished in the space of twenty four hours if the Womans travel continue longer time with vehement pains and dangerous Symptoms it may be called hard labour or difficult Travel in Child-birth There are various Causes of hard Labour sometimes tender Women by reason of pain Causes are very fearfull and do endeavour to hinder pains and consequently the Birth also Sometimes the Child being weak or dead and not following the Water in Due-time before the passage be too dry may be the Cause especially if the Mother be weak by reason of any Disease afflicting her or by too much Evacuation of Bloud or there be not sufficient Motion of the Womb and Muscles of the Belly Sometimes the Child's head may be too big or the passage too strait Also the Child may be turned in the Womb and the Hands Shoulders Back Belly or Buttocks c. may come forward to the Birth and then the endeavour to bring forth will be painfull and difficult The signs of
hard Labour are easily known Signs if the Child do stir and there be strong pains and no water appear the Secundine is strong If pains be weak and long before they return and more in the Back than Belly the Infant is weak If the Woman be little and her Husband big and full shouldred then there is a great Child which will cause tough work 1. Hard travel in Child-birth is very dangerous Progn for sometimes the Mother sometimes the Child and many times both do lose their Lives 2. If the Woman be in Travel above four days the Child can hardly be alive and therefore must be drawn away before it be too late for if it be neglected it will cause Fevers Faintings Convulsions Sleepiness c. which are the Forerunners of Death 3. If sneezing cometh of its own accord it is a good sign of deliverance First give this Cordial to strengthen both the Mother and Child Indications Take Waters of Baum Vervain Cinamon Cordial Iulep of each two ounces Syrup of Clove-gilliflowers Saffron of each six drachms Spirit of Saffron Confectio Alkermes of each one drachm mix it If the Child be situated on Os pubis it must be removed and all other unfit Postures must be rectified Then such things as hasten the Birth may be safely administred To encrease the Pains and further the Womans Labour I commend sneezing and also the following Medicines Take the Livers of Eels prepar'd with Cinamon-water Powder and dried one drachm Powder of Borax whitest Amber Mirrh Saffron Dittany of Crete round Birth-wort of each half a drachm mix it and give a Scruple of it at a time in three spoonfulls of this Julep Take the Waters of Vervain Mugwort Iulep of each two ounces Syrup of Saffron one ounce Confectio Alkermes one drachm Extract of Saffron six grains Oils of Cinamon Amber of each three drops mix it Some things have a peculiar property to help the Birth as the stone Aetites Loadstone Storax the Eyes of a Hare c. held near the privities The time being come the Woman must be put into a posture which every Midwife doth understand and let her not labour too much till strong pains come and then let her resolve on patience and not be disorderly in the time of her Travel If she be faint you may give her some of the formention'd Cordial Julep to comfort her Let your hands be anointed with some Anodine Ointment After the water is broke if the Head cometh with the Face towards Anus receive it if not endeavour to place it right Then turn your Finger round about the Child's head gently to make way for the Birth If the Child cometh any other way you must endeavour to gain the Feet and bring it away with the Face towards Anus as before mention'd The Child being born you must bring away the Secundine gently by degrees after which put a Closure to the Woman to prevent Cold from entring the Womb. Then prepare her for the bed and give her some Sperma Coeti or Irish-slate in a little burnt White-wine with Cinamon If the Woman doth flood much or be troubled with after-pains give her some of the following Cordial Opiate Take of small Cinamon-water the waters Cordial Opiate of red Poppies Baum of each two ounces Syrups of Clove-gilliflowers white Poppies of each one ounce Laudanum opiat three grains Oil of Cinamon two drops mix it and give three spoonfulls of it often If the Child be born alive after the Navel string is secured give the Child ten grains of prepar'd Coral in a little Breast milk or black Cherry-water dulcifi'd with Syrup of Peony to which you may add a little Oil of sweet Almonds new drawn If the Child be troubled with gripes you may give it a little Powder of Anise-seed in the Pap. But if the Child be dead and the Labour gone or if the Child's head be very big and the passage too strait so that the Midwife cannot doe her Office you must then speedily implore the help of the Man-midwife as we are called If a Woman in Child-bed hath a costive Body give her a Suppository of Castile-soap or Honey boiled and after three or four days you may administer an emollient carminative Clyster Clyster If a Woman after hard Travel cannot hold her Urine bathe her secret Parts and Region of the Womb with this or the like Decoction Take of Plantain Comfry Shepherds-purse Tops of Brambles Penny-royal Rosemary Fomentation Sage Stoechas of each one handfull let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in a Gallon of smiths-Smiths-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and bathe the parts affected very warm with woollen Stuphs Afterward anoint the grieved parts with this Linament Take the Ointment Comitissoe Oil of Mace by expression of each one ounce Oils of Earth-worms Foxes Lillies Goose-grease of each half an ounce mix it CHAP. XXI Of Nephritick pains and of the Stone in the Reins and Bladder DIseases of the Reins are called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ren. In Latin they are called morbus Renum which comprehends not onely any Ach in the Kidneys but also the Stone and Gravel in the Reins Nephritick pains may be caused divers Cause ways 1. First by a sharp salt matter or a sharp and serous Lympha in the Kidneys which doth easily concrete into a Stone especially when the Ferment of the Reins is much vitiated which may be known by those cruel torturing Fits that come by intervals 2. Worms in the Kidneys which for the most part arise from Bloud there corrupted may be the cause of pain 3. An Abcess or Tumour in the Kidneys following an Inflammation doth hinder the passage of Urine and is always accompanied with great pain 4. It may also be caused by glutinous Phlegm obstructing the fleshy parts of the Kidneys and hindring the separation of Urine so that it is not strein'd into the Funnels of the Reins as usual but is deprav'd and vitiated Whence the natural descent of the Urine through the Ureters into the urinal Bladder is also hindred The same also may happen sometimes by Observacion a stone sticking in the Funnel and stopping the entrance of the Ureters Although I think that Stones sticking in the Ureters themselves cannot long hinder the passage of Urine because it hath been found by experience in dissecting of dead Bodies that Stones near the bigness of a Doves-egg have been sticking in the Ureters by the sides of which Stones Urine descended freely which was evident because the Ureter was no were distended unless where the Stone did stick Neither was there any Urine contain'd in the Ureter above the obstruction besides when the Party was living there was no stoppage of Urine Those fits which come by intervals are caused by a debility or vitiousness of the Ferment of the Kidneys which generates crude salt and sharp matter which causeth those cruel Tortures
Spirit of Niter twenty drops Laudanum ten grains mix it and give four or five spoonfulls of it often This Powder is also excellent Take Salt of Tartar vitriolated two drachms Powder of Crabs-eyes Salts of Powder Pigeons-dung Broom Beanstalks Wormwood of each half a drachm mix it and give twenty grains of it every morning and evening in the foremention'd Julep If the Patient be plethorick Phlebotomy may be used with good success If a Stone chance to stick in the Ureter which causeth numbness by its pressing upon the Muscle Psoas and the Nerves In this Case apply a Ventose on os Ilium which may bring the Stone by degrees into the Bladder afterward anoint the parts grieved with Rabbets fat If the Stone in the Bladder be very big there is little hopes of dissolving of it wherefore if the Patient being in continual pain be willing to submit to Lithotomy I advise them to make choice of an experienc'd Artist lest by Precipitancy the Operatour neglect to cleanse the Bladder after the Extraction of the Stone by the neglect of which many have generated the Stone again and have been forced to endure that dreadfull operation the second and sometimes the third time under which many have died and others who recovered have never held their Urine In other Nephritick pains if the fleshy parts of the Kidneys be obstructed they may be opened by Diureticks that cut attenuate and make glutinous Phlegm fluid For example Take of Eringo-roots the five opening Roots of each one ounce the Tops of Agrimony Decoction the greater Celandine of each two handfulls the Berries of Juniper and Winter-cherries of each two drachms let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of fountain-Fountain-water till half be confumed then strain it and add Syrups of Marsh-mallows and the five opening Roots of each two ounces Tincture of Salt of Tartar two drachms Spirit of Niter twenty drops mix it and give four spoonfulls of it every morning and evening They who like Juleps better may use this or the like Take the Waters of Fennel Parsley Pellitory Iulep of the Wall of each two ounces the carminative Spirit of Sylvius Syrups of Marsh-mallows the five opening Roots of each one ounce Oil of Juniper Spirit of Salt Armoniack of each ten drops Spirit of Niter twenty drops Laudanum opiat four grains mix it and give three spoonfulls every three or four hours The Patient may also drink freely of the mineral Diuretick-waters of Tunbridge c. which will conduce much to the Cure especially if some old Diuretick-wine and a little oily Volatile Salt made of Diuretick Vegetables be mixed with the water When the glutinous Phlegm is prepar'd and loosned it may be educ'd with some convenient Phlegmagogue either in the form of Pills or Potion of which there are variety mention'd in page 3. and four c. The fixt Sulphurs of Minerals and Metalls exalted to their highest perfection do before all others mildly temper all the humours next to which oily Volatile Salts come and Aromaticks next to these By the force of which prudently us'd not onely an effervescency of somewhat contrary Humours most agreeable to Man's nature is bred in the small Gut and afterward in the Heart but the preternatural growing together and uniting of the more sharp humours being first moderated by them is again dissolv'd in the Bloud I speak these things by experience and because it is of great moment in practice I commend them to the truly Studious of Physick If the Urine be bloudy it testifieth the opening of some Vessel of Bloud in the Kidneys Ureters Bladder or its Neck To heal and consolidate this harm the following is excellent Take the Waters of Parsley Plantain of Cordial Astringent each two ounces Cinamon-water Syrups of Mirtles Comfry Marsh-mallows of each half an ounce Powder of Dragons-bloud red Coral prepar'd of each ten grains Laudanum opiat three grains Spirit of Niter ten drops mix it and give three or four spoonfulls every two hours If there be an Ulcer in any of these parts it may perhaps be more happily cur'd by the daily taking of Balsam of Sulphur made with the Oil of Amber Juniper Anise-seed or Turpentine in any convenient Vehicle than by any other Medicine hitherto known In all suppression of Urine the following is very effectual Take the Waters of Chamomel Golden-rod Iulep Winter-cherries of each four ounces Syrups of Marsh-mallows the five opening Roots of each two ounces Powder of Egg-shells calcin'd one ounce Tincture of Salt of Tartar two drachms Spirit of Niter twenty drops mix it and give four spoonfulls every three hours CHAP. XXII Of Extraordinary Pissing c. THIS Distemper is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. pertransire quod urina ureteres urethram subito pertransit It being a quick or plentifull pissing or making of water The cause is either external or internal The external or primary efficient Cause Cause is an immoderate drinking of stale Beer Sider or acid Wines either French or Rhenish by which an incurable Diabetes hath been ofttimes suddenly contracted The internal Cause of this Disease is sharp serous humours abounding in the Bloud by which not onely the whole Mass of it doth in time become too thin but the nervous Juice is also thereby ill affected and consequently the Reins inflam'd by the continual flowing of the over acid serous humours Whence the attractive faculty of the Kidneys is increas'd drawing the serosity of the Bloud more potently from the emulgent Vessels into the Funnels and provoking the expulsive faculty it is soon sent through the Ureters to the Bladder from whence it is often evacuated by pissing The signs are a continual pissing so that much more moisture is voided than is taken Signs into the Body by eating and drinking It is always accompanied with an extraordinary Thirst the sick is also feverish something like a Hectick If it continue long it will decay all the Progn radical moisture of the Body which will render it incurable but if it be taken in the beginning and the Patient be young it may be easily cured All things which have power to incrassate Cure the thinness of the Bloud and temper the over acidity of the humours may be administred in this Distemper In the beginning of the Cure after a stool hath been procured by an emollient Clyster you may open a Vein in the Arm. The next day a gentle Purge of Rhubarb may be administred but if the Stomach be foul and the sick can vomit easily you may give an Antimonial Emetick with good success because it will potently draw the sharp peccant humours from the emulgent Vessels and Reins and evacuate some of them both by Vomit and Stool After the Operation of the Emetick let the sick take two spoonfulls of this Cordial Opiate often which will ease pain and thicken the humours Take the Waters of Barley red Poppies
Cordial Opiate of each four ounces cinamon-Cinamon-water Syrups of Coral and Comfry Penidies of each one ounce Gums Arabick and Dragon of each half an ounce Powder of Dragons-bloud red Coral prepar'd of each one drachm Laudanum opiatum six grains let the Gums be dissolved in the distill'd waters and strained then mix all together according to Art You may prescribe this or such a like Decoction for the Patient 's ordinary drink Take the Roots of China Sarseparilla Decoction Comfry Plantain red Sanders of each two ounces Liquorish red Roses Hemp-seed of each one ounce Raisins of the Sun stoned four ounces let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in a Gallon of fountain-Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and keep it for use Let the Diet be cooling and thickning Broths and Jellies made of Knuckles of Veal with the Roots of China and Comfry boiled in it is excellent You may also make Panado's of the aforesaid Broth with a few Crums of Whitebread and the Yelk of an Egg. Also milk wherein the aforesaid Roots are boiled will be very effectual CHAP. XXIII Of involuntary Pissing commonly called pissing in Bed WHEN the Urine floweth involuntarily which in Children is vulgarly called Pissing in Bed pissing in Bed it may be called in Latin urinae incontinentia pro impotentia sive imbecilitate retinendi The causes are either external or internal Causes The external Cause is a large Wound in the sphincter Muscle of the Bladder which sometimes happens in Lithotomy for by extracting a great Stone the sphincter Muscle may be so much lacerated that it ceaseth to be contracted and the Orifice of the Bladder to be shut wherefore the Urine distilleth of its own accord It may be caused internally by the Palsie Apoplexy Epilepsie Syncope c. Sometimes Ebriety may be the Cause of the Resolution of the Nerves which from the Loins are inserted into the Neck of the Bladder and so render the sphincter Muscle incapable of Contraction hence the Urine is involuntarily voided In Children this Distemper is curable if Progn taken in time but if it happen to old Folks or if it be caused by a Wound in the sphincter Muscle of the Bladder it is incurable That which is caused by the Palsie Epilepsie Syncope c. look for the Cure in Cure their proper Chapters If it be caused by Ebriety Sobriety may be commended to cure it especially by the help of inward means to strengthen the parts affected Many things have been given to Children that have been troubled with this Distemper the most effectual are these Fried Mice the inner Skins of Hens-gizzards Cocks-weasands Pudenda suilla Stones of a Hare Snails with the shells all or any of these dried and poudred also the Powder of Agrimony Egg-shells the burnt Ashes of an Hedge-hog c. Any of these may be given in red Wine or in Lime-water chalibeated which may be dulcifi'd with Syrup of Comfry If Phlegm do abound in the Body you may purge it with Phlegmagogues Also sweating with gentle Diaphoreticks is very effectual Those already mention'd are proper onely consider the Age and Strength of the Patient CHAP. XXIV Of the Stoppage of Urine and the Strangury THE Stoppage of Urine is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprimo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Urina 'T is called in Latin Urinoe suppressio The Strangury is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. urinoe difficultas vel urinoe per guttas excretionem Ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stilla 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 urina These differ onely in degree for when the Urine is totally obstructed it may be called Ischuria but when little is voided and by drops it may be called Stranguria These distempers may be caused by viscous Cause Phlegm or coagulated Bloud in the Ureters or Urethra especially if a Stone or some Gravel do also stick in the Passage by which the obstruction will be more strengthned Sometimes it is caused by a schirrous Tumour or other excrescency of Flesh as a Carbuncle c. growing in the Urethra or Chanel of Urine Sometimes it is caused by a preposterous holding in of the Urine either for shame or want of opportunity to evacuate it so that the Bladder being extremely fill'd and distended it hath not power to contract it self hence the voiding of Urine is supprest It may also be caused by sharp humours fretting and ulcerating the internal Superficies of the Bladder by which it is continually stirred up to contract it self and expell the Urine which is in it so that the Bladder is empty having little or no Urine in it as I have known by experience This may be called a Bastard Ischuria which may be also caused by some hurt in the attractive or expulsive faculty of the Reins If the aforesaid Causes be violent it causeth an Ischuria but if remiss then a Strangury is stirred up in which there is a perpetual Irritation to extrude the Urine although slowly and by drops with exceeding pain and trouble Suppression of Urine is dangerous and if Progn it continue long it is mortal especially if the Patient's Breath stinck of Piss or hath a Hiccough or Tenasmus If the Cause be in the Neck of the Bladder Cure or Urethra stopt you may clear it and draw away the Urine with a Catheter as I have often done both from Men and Women with good success If the Cause be from the Reins or Ureters seek the Cure in the Chapter of Nephritick pains c. Glutinous Phlegm and coagulated Bloud may be cut and attenuated with Aromaticks boild in Water or Wine and mixed with oily volatile Salts Spirit of Niter c. Stone-Horse dung is rich in Volatile Salt wherefore if you mix the Juice of it with Rhenish-wine and drink it often you will admire its wonderfull effects in curing not onely Stoppage of Urine but most other obstructions Those Diureticks prescrib'd in page 266 267. are also very effectual here Let the Belly and parts affected be anointed with Dears-suet which will conduce much to give ease When the Urethra is obstructed by a Caruncle c. You must gently thrust in a hollow Instrument made of Lead or Silver being first anointed with some consolidating Ointment You may leave the Instrument in till the fear of a new Closing of the Passage be remov'd CHAP. XXV Of the Scalding or Sharpness of Urine THIS Distemper is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Urina The causes are either external or internal Causes The external Cause may be by the Application of Cantharides or some other stronger Poison The internal Causes are sharp salt and acid humours mixed with the Urine which do corrode and ulcerate the internal Superficies of the Bladder and sphincter Muscle Sometimes it is caused by sharp Stones occasioning an Ulcer If the Bladder or sphincter Muscle or the
Progn Urethra be ulcerated it is hard to be cured especially if the Patient be old and the Distemper hath continu'd long e contra If the Bladder or urinal Passage be ulcerated Cure it may be effectually cured by the Balsam of Sulphur made with the Oil of Anise-seed Amber or Juniper taken to two or three drops twice or thrice daily in any convenient Vehicle especially a vulnerary Decoction which is most effectual The salt acid corroding humours may be corrected with Crabs-eyes Perle c. and also all volatile oily Salts taken often in a small quantity in any refrigerating Diuretick This Decoction is effectual Take the Roots of Mallows Marsh-mallows Decoction of each two ounces Lettice Endive Purslain Violets of each one handfull Jujubes Sebestins of each one ounce Winter-cherries half an ounce the four greater Cold-seeds of each two drachms red Roses Water-lillies of each half a handfull let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of fountain-Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Syrups of red Poppies Violets of each two ounces Laudanum opiat ten grains Oil of Vitriol ten drops mix it and give three spoonfulls every two hours An Emulsion of the Cold-seeds or Chamomel-flowers boiled in Milk is also very effectual If the Patient be costive give emollient Clysters or gentle Cholagogues and Hydragogues to evacuate the peccant humours Or else you may give a gentle Emetick for Revulsion If the pain be very great you may inject an Emulsion made of the Cold-seeds into the urinal Passage and anoint the Privities with unguentum Populion c. CHAP. XXVI Of Venereal Affects THIS Scourge of transgressing Humanity being as it were a Murrain or common Destruction to venereous Persons may be called in Latin Lues venerea a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solvo vel quod Corpus omnino dissolvit vel quasi luens usque ad nihil Lues enim ista pestis est species vel qualiscunque contagio quoe homines Lues venerea inficit debito supplicio scelus luere The first Knowledge of this pocky intestine Enemy at least in the European parts of the World was at the Siege of Naples by the French being brought thither as some Authours affirm by the Spaniards that came with Christopher Columbus from the West Indies and they like plaguy Persons that croud to infect others contrary to their reserved temper being inflam'd with a venereal Itching and being also free of their flesh they communicated as a great rarity this new found foul Distemper to the Italian Women which among others they had engrost to themselves from the Animal Indians in their American Tyrannical Conquests Many of those poor Creatures being deeply infected with the monstrous Yaws so called by the Indians from whence this foul Distemper had its first original Hence it was first called the Neapolitan and afterward the French disease since which time many of the precipitant youthfull Europeans to their great Costs and Pain have been punished with this impure venereal Affect This Itch in spite of Mortals will be catching where there is no fear of God to restrain but the beginning natural momentany Pleasure will often urge a smartfull end so that this is the product of that sin of uncleanness for which God hath pronounced Hebrews 13. 4. Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will judge To describe this virulent contagious Disease It is an universal sour taint of the spermatick parts the seed in the spermatick Vessels being first corrupted with a cold indigested Putridness is sometimes conveyed outward to the groins infecting the obscene parts with a filthy eating Crusty scab But if the poisonous malign quality gotten by impure Coition be transfer'd to the Liver which is the chief Subject of its more easie invasion and its special residence it must necessarily suffer egregious corruption from whence the afflicting taint is dispersed into the whole habit of the Body vitiating and corrupting the Nutrition of every part by which the sick becomes wholly cachectick and the filthy Pox without speedy help tyrannizing with many malign Symptoms and afflicting both the body and mind doth at length hurry the Patient into the pit of silence The cause is chiefly the carnal use of Cause venereous Persons Also Children sucking of those Nurses that are infected may receive the pollution from the poisonous malignity of the milk It may also be Hereditary the seed of venereous Parents being polluted The most apparent signs are a dulness of Signs the whole Body white face intolerable pain between the joints especially in the Night which hindreth sleep sometimes Buboes in the Groins c. As is before mention'd also Ulcers and hard Pustules in many parts of the Body as Head Chin c. there is sometimes a relaxation of the Uvula with Hoarsness and Corruption of the Palate and Tumours of the adjacent Glandulous parts there is also sometimes a Cariosity of the Skull and other Bones Cum multis aliis 1. It is difficult of Curation if it hath Progn continu'd long or the Patient be consumptive or if it be in a sucking Infant 2. If it be Hereditary 't is incurable but if the Patient be young and newly infected it may be easily cured As for the Cure of this filthy Disease first Cure I advise the Patient to repent from the bottom of the Heart for this great sin of uncleanness c. Then make choice of an honest Physician The Cure is easiest effected in the Spring or Fall of the Leaf but if necessity urge you may begin the Cure at any time First let the Body be prepared The following Apozeme may serve for Example in most constitutions Take the five opening Roots Liquorish Apozeme China of each one ounce Cinamon Anise-seed Senna of each half an ounce Agarick Rhubarb Cream of Tartar of each two drachms let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of fountain-Fountain-water till half be consumed then strain it and add Syrup of Roses solutive four ounces Salt of Tartar vitriolated two drachms Spirit of Niter twenty drops mix it and give six spoonfulls every two hours If the Patient be Plethorick open a Vein after which you may purge with these or the like Pills Take of Extractum Rudii one scruple Purging Pills Mercur. dulcis Salt Armoniack of each half a scruple make it into four Pills and take them in the Morning If you perceive by the Excrements that the Patient's body be very foul you may administer another Dose of Pills after two days intermission Then you may prepare the following Decoction or one like it to cause sweat c. Take of Guiacum the Roots of China Sarseparilla Decoction of each one pound Raisins of the Sun stoned Hermodactils Polypodium Barks of Guiacum and Sassaphras of each four ounces Juniper-berries Anise-seed Liquorish Elicampane-roots of each one ounce let them be cleansed bruised and infused in four Gallons of rain-Rain-water
nauseous it may cause Vomiting It is very safe and may be given in all Distempers where Purging is necessary The fresh Herb boiled in Milk 'till it be tender and then strained out and the Herb bruised and boiled in the same Milk with Crumbs of White-Bread or fine Oatmeal into the Consistence of a Poultis and a litle Oyl or Hog's-fat put to it and applied to any Inflamation or Swelling it will soon give Ease and either dissolve the Tumor or bring it to Suppuration Native Cinnaber finely powdred and washed from its volatile malignant Salt often in warm Water and rectified Spirit of Wine burnt over it two or three times doth Wonders in curing most Chronical Diseases The Dose is from ten Grains to twenty in any Vehicle Missleto dried and finely poudred with double its weight of white Sugar and a few Drops of Oyl of Amber mixed with it half a Dram of this Pouder given twice or thrice in a Day cureth Convulsions and the Epilepsie Crude Antimony flux'd at least an Hour with decrepitated Sea Salt in a strong Fire and afterwards washed from the Salt in warm Water is friendly to Nature and cureth Fevers The Dose is from five Grains to ten in any Vehicle The Jesuit's Bark finely poudred and given from half a Dram to two Drams or more at a time infused in Wine and drank at the going off of the Fit and afterwards every four Hours is such a Specifick for the curing of all Intermitting Fevers or Agues that it seldom fails especially if the Patient be well purged before he take it You must continue the use of it for at least ten Days that the Particles of the Pouder may be continually conveyed into the Bloud by which the Febritick Ferment may be destroyed Give the Sick a little Broth of Mutton or Chicken with a few Crumbs of White-Bread or any other Food easie of Digestion within half an Hour after the taking of each Dose which will mix with the Chile and the Bloud will be impregnated with the Vertue of it It also cureth all kinds of Fluxes Three or four Drops of the Juice of Ivy or of Asarabacca clarified and dropt into each Ear warm every other Night and the Ear gently stopt afterwards with Cotton or Wool will soon cure Deafness snuff up the Juices into each Nostril also to purge the Head Two Grains of each of the aforesaid Herbs dried and finely poudred and snuffed up each Nostril at Night going to Bed twice in a Week will purge the Head of Rheum and cure an inveterate Head-ach Tooth-ach and Inflammation of the Eyes c. The Syrup of the Juice of Buckthorn-Berries or of wild Cucumbers taken an Ounce at a time with two Drams of pure Nitre dissolved in Ale or Whey twice or thrice in a Week cureth the Dropsie The Pouder of Olibanum or Mastick or equal parts of both mixed with old Conserves of Roses and taken the quantity of a Nutmeg twice or thrice in a Day cureth a Catarrh especially if you blow some of the Pouder into the Throat every Night going to Bed to strengthen the Salival Glands Lapis Haematites or the Bloud-stone being applied to the bleeding part will stop the Hemorrhage It is likewise an excellent Medicine taken inwardly being repleted with the Primum ens Auri from which being finely poudred may be drawn a Gold-like Tincture with a strong Aqua Regis made of the rectified Spirit of Nitre and Sal Armoniack to which you may add four times the quantity of rectified Spirit of Wine Take twenty Drops of it in a Glass of Ale or Wine two or three times in a Day It cureth most Chronical Diseases The true Lapis Nephriticus cureth the Stone being prepared and taken after the same manner Ens Veneris is good to cure the Rickets three or four Grains of it may be given to a Child twice a Day in any Vehicle Half a Dram of the fine Pouder of Gum of Guiacum mixed with an equal quantity of factitious Cinnaber in fine Pouder given every other Morning in a Spoonful of Milk or Whey for thirty or forty days cureth the Venereal Pox and most other Chronical Diseases Oyl of Walnuts or Linseed-Oyl by expression either exhibited inwardly or given in Clysters to four Ounces at a time giveth Ease in the Stone and Collick c. A Dram of Oyl of Amber unrectified mixed with an Ounce of Populion cureth the Piles Purified Honey is a universal Balsam It cureth Sore-Eyes being spread on a fine Rag and applied mix it with Gargarisms for sore Mouths and with Injections for hollow Ulcers c. The gross Pouder of Mastick is excellent to smoke in a Pipe for a Defluxion of Rheum on the Lungs c. Saccharum Saturni dissolved in Water mortifies sharp Humors in the Eyes and all other Inflammations it is a great Anodine cures Burnings and Scaldings in a short time stops Bleeding and prevents Accidents in Amputations for it resisteth Putrefaction If you give half a Dram of it twice a day in any Vehicle it will soon quench the Flame of Lust. Half an Ounce of burnt Alum mixed with two Ounces of White-wine-Vinegar cureth an Inflammation in any part being spread on a Rag and applied Sulphur of Copper or Vitriol called Sulphur of Venus is an incomparable Anodine far exceeding any Opiate Roman Vitriol calcin'd to redness stoppeth all Fluxes of Blood in a moment and cures Wounds by the first intention You may dissolve half a Dram of it in three or four Spoonfuls of warm Water and dip a Pledget of Lint in it and apply it to the Wound keeping the Lips of it close But if the Wound be deep it must be injected with a Syringe Any other Vitriol is of the same Virtue but not so potent Half an Ounce of Quicksilver mixed with an Ounce of Pomatum spread on a long Linnen Rag two Inches broad and covered with another Linnen Rag for a Girdle worn for some time cureth the Itch. But you must purge once or twice in a Week to prevent Salivation The small Bone in a black Snail's-head used as an Amulet to hang about the Neck and Rings made of an Elk's-hoof or of the Teeth of a true Sea-Horse and worn continually are all of the same Virtue and cureth the Cramp The Hand of a dead Man or Woman being laid upon a Scrophulous Tumor and there kept 'till the Patient do feel the Coldness of it penetrate to the innermost parts of the Swelling it will dispel and cure it by often doing It likewise cureth a Dropsie of the Belly The Roots of Contra yerva or Counterpaison Virginia Snake-root and Zedoary all or either of them is good against the Plague and all contagious Fevers any way used Here followeth some Receipts of choice Medicines which I use in my own Practice Pulvis Balsamicus noster Our Balsamick Pouder TAke of Sarsaparilla grosly poudred four Ounces let it be infused in two Quarts of rectified Spirit of Wine for two
with Sweat or insensible Transpiration It s over sharp parts will be also temper'd and the Pain asswaged and at length wholly taken away as also the obstruction it self will be loosened and dissolved for when the volatile Salt of the Sudorifick comes to the place of obstruction it attempts the matter obstructing be it what it will and cuts attenuates loosens and makes it fluid whence it is farther driven forward together with it more easily The bloud is also thereby more and more rarified and becomes more fluid and moveable wherefore there needs no farther care for elaborated medicaments and Methods Frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora As for Topical medicaments or external applications the following are excellent Take the roots of Briony Smallage Fennel Fomentation of each four ounces the tops of Elder Dwarf-elder Hedge-mustard Agrimony Wormwood Mint Vervain Flowers of Melilot Chamomel of each two handfuls Cummin-seed the Berries of Bays and Juniper of each two ounces Let them be all cleansed bruised and boiled in two gallons of rain-Rain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it for a Fomentation Let the Inflammation or Tumor be well bathed with it as hot as may be suffered either with woollen cloaths or soft spunges fit to cover the part affected after which let it be anointed with the following ointment Take Ointments of Marsh-mallows Martiatum Ointment of each one ounce Oils of Dill Bays Lillies Poppies Henbane of each half an ounce Oils of Amber Turpentine Bricks of each one drachm Camphire two drachms mix it Then let this plaister be spread on leather or linen cloath and applied Take Yellow Wax four ounces Sperma Plaster caeti two ounces Galbanum prepar'd with Vinegar one ounce Make it into a plaster according to art This egregious Plaster doth not onely preserve the bloud from coagulation in any part where it is applied but Milk also from curdling in the Paps But if it be not to be had the following dissolving and mollifying Cataplasm may be substituted Take of Onions rosted under the ashes two Pultis ounces Dwarf-elder Hedge-mustard Vervain Elder Chervil Water-cresses of each one handfull Powders of Album Graecum Lupines a Swallows nest Barley-meal of each one ounce Butter-milk as much as will make it into a Pultis Apply it meanly warm to the inflam'd part for thereby the internal obstruction will be the better opened but it must be renewed as often as it begins to dry When the bloud is effus'd into such places out of which it cannot be well remov'd or discust suppuration or the generation of matter must be promoted and hastned which may be done by emollient and ripening Medicines as the roots and leaves of Mallows Marsh-mallows white Lillies Onions Squills the powder of Fenugreek and Flax-seed the meal of Barley and Beans the Marrow of all bones and all kind of fats and almost any Oil that is exprest of seeds or kernels as also divers sorts of Gums as Galbanum Liquid Styrax Bdellium Amoniacum and also Wax and Turpentine c. Of these you may prepare Cataplasms Oils Unguents Emplasters c. Which Judicious Physicians and Chyrurgions may doe as they see occasion But when there is much heat in the part inflam'd beware of all unctuous things and let your Fomentations and Cataplasms be made with Butter-milk which doth egregiously temper heat and hinder St. Anthonie's fire from being easily join'd with the Inflammation The generation of matter being promoted and the Tumor come to suppuration let it be opened either with an Instrument or potential Cauterie in the softest and lowest part of it and let the matter be evacuated by little and little because otherwise the strength of the sick will not be a little prostrated especially when there is much matter contained in the Aposteme wherefore let not the Tumor be pressed hard which is familiar with many Chyrurgions but often proves prejudicial to the Patient If the Orifice be too small you may dilate it with a tent made of spunge dipt in Melilot plaster and afterward pressed but it is better to lay it open by incision if it may conveniently be done after which you must forth-with proceed to cleanse and consolidate the Ulcer to which end several Medicines are wont to be applied all which I neither blame nor carp at I have often considered with admiration the laudable effect of Balsam of Sulphur with Balsam Sulphur Oil of Turpentine c. In this case incredible to many if a little of it be mixt with a milder Balsam and dropt in or applied to the Ulcer for shortly after the generation of new Phlegm is so diminisht that oft by the help of this one Balsam I have in a few days perfectly cur'd notable Apostemes after Inflammations bred both in the Breasts and elsewhere By this experiment not a little to be esteem'd I judge the cleansing and consolidation of Ulcers following Apostemes to consist in the correction of acid and corroding matter adhering to the Ulcer and corrupting the bloud at least in part that is apt to nourish it and turning it into new matter which may be corrected by the mention'd Balsam of Sulphur which is not onely Aromatical but abounds with a volatile oily Salt by which the acid Spirit which corrupts the bloud into matter is not onely dull'd but so amended that the bloud flowing to it soon repairs the parts before consum'd and finisheth the last consolidation What farther may be deduc'd from this experiment to perfect Physick and Chyrurgery also in other cures let both ingenious Physicians and Chyrurgeons weigh and judge If a Pleurisie or Peripneumonie be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not carefully cured and Empiema which is a collection of purulent matter in the cavity of the Breast will unavoidably follow Wherefore if these Humors cannot be evacuated by expectoration nor by sweating pissing or purging the matter may be drawn out by a * Compunctio Paracenthesis made in the Breast The Apertion may be made four or five inches Caution from the Sternon not so near the upper as the lower rib because under each rib there is an Intercostal Vein Arterie and Nerve I do not approve of the old way of performing this operation viz. After the Orifice is made to put in a Perforated Pipe of Gold Silver or Lead and there to remain till the matter be all discharged There is now a safer and surer way wherein is not onely avoided many difficulties and dangers but 't is also done with less trouble and pain to the Patient The Instrument must be made of Steel sharp at the point like a Lancet and hollow like a quill with holes in several places towards the point the better to evacuate the matter When the quantity which you intend is discharged draw out the Instrument and put a little pledget of dry lint on the Orifice and upon it a sticking plaster the next day according to
very hot for the space of a Night then boil it gently till a third part be boiled away strain it and keep it for use Let the sick take four spoonfulls of it with ten grains of Antimonium diaphoret every Morning and Evening for four or five days following and sweat after it in Bed or in a Hot-house or Bagnio so long as can be well endured Then omitting a day or two you may take another Dose of Pills then sweat seven days more after which purge as before this doe for forty days or till the Cure be perfected You may make a second Decoction of the Ingredients for ordinary drink But if the sick have extreme Pains in the Night ten grains of the following Pills may be given to bed-ward instead of the Decoction Take Gum of Guiacum two drachms Antimony Diaphoretick Bezoar-mineral Purging Pills Flower of Brimstone Diagredium Mercur. dulcis humane Bones calcin'd of each one drachm Saffron Laudanum opiatum of each half a drachm with Syrup of Saffron make it into a Mass for Pills If there be a Defluxion of Rheum on the Lungs you may give ten or twelve drops of Balsam of Sulphur in a little of the Decoction every Morning and the like quantity with half a drachm of Venice-treacle every Night after which drink four ounces of the aforesaid Decoction to promote a gentle sweat You may also make Fontinels in the Arm and Leg with good success But if the sick be of a hot Constitution and the Disease be inveterate and stubborn the shortest and best way of Cure will be by salivation I do not approve of unction with mercurial Ointments to raise the Flux nor Turbith-mineral to be given inwardly but the safest way is to administer Mercur. dulcis but let it be well prepared Then you may give twenty grains of it with a little Diascordium or Conserves of Roses give it three or four Mornings successively and drink a draught of the Diet-drink after it Also the second Decoction may be sometimes made use of for ordinary Drink all the time of the Cure and warm Posset-drink at other times when desired When the Salivation is rais'd let the sick have a piece of Gold between the teeth and keep warm and continue spitting till the Spittle become insipid which is commonly in twenty days In the mean time wash the Mouth with Plantain-water and Syrup of Mulberries When you would abate the spitting administer a Carminative Clyster or a Clyster of Milk and Sugar every Night and after its operation give the following Bolus Take of Diascordium half a drachm Gascoigns Bolus powder fifteen grains Oil of Vitriol two drops with Syrup of Poppies make it into a Bolus give it at Night going to bed Pustules Tumours and Ulcers of the Mouth Tongue Gums or any other Place will be all easily cured when the Salivation is over You may dress the sores with the following Ointment which is very effectual to cure all Pocky ulcers Take of Verdigreece and common Salt of each two ounces powder them and Ointment calcine them together then mix it with eight ounces of Unguentum Enulatum When the filthy Enemy or Neapolitan disease is cast out by Salivation you may sweat the Patient with the Decoction of China c. before mention'd for sometime as is there directed Let the Diet be drying rost Meat is better than boil'd Mutton Chickens Partridges Rabbets c. are all good Food When strength doth begin to increase Bread and Raisins may be eaten The greater Symptoms of this Disease are the Running of the Reins Nodes Caruncles c. The Running of the Reins is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 semen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fluo it being a Flux of natural Seed of Man or Woman unwittingly If the Gonorrhoea be virulent it is a praeludium to the Pox and must be cur'd the same way but if it be newly contracted it may wholly and most safely be absolved by purgation The same Apozeme and purging Pills before mention'd are very proper which must be continu'd till the Running of the Reins cease If the Patient be plethorick let a Vein be opened To strengthen the spermatick parts the following Balsamick Pills are effectual Take of Mummy Bole Armenick Gums Balsamick Pills Dragon and Arabick of each one ounce Balsam of Sulphur two drachms with Syrup of dried Roses make it into a Mass for Pills of which you may give half a drachm every Morning and Evening If there be Nodes Caruncles or Ulcers in the urinary Passage The following Medicine may be daily injected Take the Water of the Spawn of Frogs Injection four ounces Honey of red Roses one ounce white Troches of Rhasis one drachm powder the Troches and mix all together for an Injection After injection put in an hollow Instrument made of Silver or Lead being first anointed with some consolidating Ointment as was directed in the Stoppage of Urine I do not approve of Astringents in the Beginning of the Cure of a Gonorrhoea till the Patient be well purged and the running begin to cease because all Astringent means conduce to prolong the Distemper but after the Cause is eradicated by purging then they may be safely administred if the Cure be not effected without it To prevent the Return of the Distemper I advise the Patient to purge and bleed every Spring and Fall Also keep a good Diet be moderate in Exercise and all other of the nonnatural things When thou art recovered give God the Praise and have a care of committing the like sin again lest a worse thing befall thee for it is a fearfull thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God Hebr. 10. 31. CHAP. XXVII Of the Rachites or Rickets THIS Disease may be called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It may be called in Latin morbus spinalis it being a Disease of the Spine of the Back This spinal Disease is commonly called in English Rickets It is peculiar to Children because they abound with a crude phlegmatick matter for if they labour under a cold moist Distemper there is presently a Penury and Paucity of the Animal Spirits for the Brain cerebellum and spinalis medulla being more compact than is wont is unfit for percolation so that the most spirituous part of the Bloud cannot pierce or be strein'd through it Hence the separation of the Animal Spirits is diminisht For the aforesaid cold moist phlegmatick Humours compacting the soft substance of the Brain c. it is thereby too much thickned and straitned in its porous passages The coldness of Air Water or Snow vehemently affecting the Head seems to confirm and prove this opinion because when the Glandules of the Brain are affected and thickned by a stuffing of the Head with Coldness then a more sparing production of the Animal Spirits useth to follow The essence of this Disease consists not onely in the Animal and vital but