hysterical water what will suffice to make 16. pills Let 4. of them be taken every sixth or Seventh day Take of the Roots of Polypodia of the Oak of sharp pointed-docks prepared of chervill cach ʒ vi of the male Paeony ʒ iii. of the leaves of Betony germander Chamipits Vervine the male Betony each i. handfull of the seeds of Cardamums and burdock each ʒ iii. let them be boyled in 4. pints of Spring water till half be consumed Let it be strained into a matrace to which put of the leaves of the best Senna ℥ i. of Rhubarb ʒ vi of Turbith gummed ℥ ss of Epithimum of yellow-Sanders each ʒ ii of the Salt of wormwood and Scurvy-grass each ʒ i. the yellow rine of the Orangeʒ ii let them digest close shut in hot Sand for 12. hours let the straining be kept for use sweeten it if there be need with what will suffice of the Augustan Syrrop or of Succory with Rubarb The Dose ℥ vi once or twice in a week Every day in which purges are not taken Remedies strengthning the brain and also the animal Spirits for the taking away the heterogeneous Copula or for the hindring them from running into explosions Remedies for a more hot temperament are to be administred which indeed ought to be prescribed and chosen according to the Constitution and habit of the Body and temperament of the sick for too lean bodys and such as being indued with a more hot blood medicines less hot and which do not trouble the bloud above measure ought to be given On the Contrary for phlegmatick and fat people whose urine is thin and watery and whose Blood is Circulated more heavily and Viscera's stuffed more hot Remedies and notably apt to ferment the humours are designed In the former Case let it be prescribed after this manner Coroborating medicines and specificks Take of the Conserve of the Flowers of Betony Tamarisk the male-Paeonie each ℥ ii of the Species of Diamargerit frigidaʒ iss of the powder of the Root of Paeonie and of the seeds of the same each ʒ 1. of red-Corall prepared ʒ ii of vitriol of steel ℈ ii of the Salt of Wormwood ʒ ii with what will suffice of the juce of Oranges make an Electuary take of it twice or thrice in a day drinking after it a little draught of the Julap hereafter prescribed Powders Take of Corall Red with the juce of Oranges beaten together in a glass or marble mortar and dry'd ℥ ss of the powder of misletow of the oake of the root of the male Paeonieʒ ii of perled sugar ʒ iii. make a powder the dose from ℈ i. to ʒss twice or thrice in a day Take of the Species of Diamargarit frigidaʒ ii of the Salt of wormwood ʒ iii. of the root of Cocowpint powderd ʒ i. mix them make a powder let it be divided into xx parts take a dose in the morning and at four in the afternoon Distilled waters and Julaps Take of the Roots of Butterbur ℥ i. dose ʒss to ʒ i. twice in a day Take of the Leaves of Burdock and Cocowpint each vi handfulls let them be cut and mixed together and so distilled The dose ʒ ii to iii twice or thrice a day after a dose of Electuary or powder Take of this water distilled ii pints of our steel prepared ʒ ii mix them in a Vial let it be taken after the same manner Take of the Simple water of walnuts and of black-Cherries each half a pint of Snalesʒ iii. of the Syrrop of the flowers of the male Paeonie ℥ ii the dose ℥ iss to two after the same manner Take of the shavings of Ivory and harts-horn each iii. drams of the roots of Chervill burdock Valerian each half an ounce of the leaves of Betony Chamepits harts-tongue the tops of Tamarisk each one handfull of the barks of Tamarisk and of the woody nightshade each half an ounce let them be boyled in two quarts of spring water to the consumption of the third part add to it of white-wine eight ounces strain it into a pitcher to which put of the leaves of brook-lime and Cardamine each one handfull make an Infusion warm and close for four hours Let the colature be kept close in glasses The dose ℥ vi twice in a day after a dose of some solid Medicine sometimes such an Apozme may be mixed with ʒ ii of our steel and taken in the same manner In the Summer time the use of spaw-waters is convenient and for want of them our Artificial ones may be taken Remedies in a more cold temperament If that for the reasons above-recited more hot Medicines are to be prescribed you may proceed according to the following method Take of the Conserves of Rosemary of the yellow of Oranges and Lemmons each ℥ ii Electuaries of Lignum aloes of yellow-sanders of the roots of snake-weed Contrayerva Angelica Cocowpint each ʒ i. of the vitriol of steel or of steel prepared ℈ iiii of the salt of wormwood and Scurvy-grass each ʒ i. with what will suffice of candied Wallnutts make an Electuary Let it be taken twice in a day to the quantity of a nutmeg drinking after it a dose of appropriate Liquor Take of the Roots of male-Paeony Angellica and red Coral prepared each ʒ ii Tablets of Sugar dissolved in the water of Snales boyled to the consistency of Tablets ℥ vi of the oyle of Amber lightly rectified ʒ ss make a sufficient quantity of Lozenges each weighing about half a dram take one or two twice or thrice a day drinking after it a dose of proper Liquor Take of the Roots of Virginian Snake-weed Contrayerva Valerian each ʒ ii Pills of red Coral and prepared Pearl each ʒ i. of winteran Bark and of the root of Cretian Dittany each ʒ i. of the Vitriol of Steel and Salt of wormwood each ʒ iss of the extract of Centauryʒ ii of Ammoniacum dissolved in histerical water what will suffice to make a pillulary mass of which take four pills in the morning and at four in the afternoon Take of the Spirits of harts-horn or Sut or humane Blood or of Sal ammoniack Spirits what will suffice take of them from 10. to 12. drops morning and evening in a spoonfull of Julap drinking a little draught of the same after it Take of the Leaves of Betony Vervine Sage Lady-smocks Cocowpint Burdock Distill'd waters each two hand-fulls of green wallnuts number 20. the rinds of six Oranges and of 4. Lemons of Cardamums and Cubebbs each ℥ i. being cut and brused pour on them of whey made of Cider or white wine six pints let them be distilled according to Art The dose ℥ ii or iii. twice in a day after a dose of a solid medicine Add to i. quart of this liquor ii drams of our Steel Take of the Water of Snailes and of earth-worms each ℥ vi walnuts simple ℥ iiii of Radish Compound ℥ ii of
Waters hot Spirits Oyls fixed Salts of Herbs and very many other more simple preparations of the Chymists remain a long while without any alteration or Fermentation Perhaps some of the Particles do evaporate but the rest do not tumultuate In the mean time the juice and blood of Vegetables or Animals as also all Liquors Concreted and compounded of many things quickly Ferment and from thence enter into divers turns of changes The Spirit of Wine being closely shut up in a Phial shews no sign of growing hot but if but a little Oyl of Turpentine be added to this Spirit the Particles of the Liquor will so leap forth that I have seen it break a Glass Hermetically Sealed All Distilled Waters of Herbs so they be kept simply in a Glass will remain incorrupt a long time but if you add to the same Sugar or Syrrup it presently grows soure and is corrupted Wherefore that the Fermentation of Bodies may be rightly unfolded we must inquire what those Particles or Substances are and of what Nature of which mixt things are Compounded and from whose being put together and mutual strivings motions for the most part naturally proceed Altho there be many and divers Opinions of Philosophers concerning the beginnings of Natural things yet there are three chiefly deserve our Assent and Faith before the rest That famous fourfold Chariot of the Peripateticks obtains the chief place which emulous of the four wheel'd Coach of the Sun is hurried by a quick passage through the fictitious Heaven of the first Matter and measures that vast and empty thing with a perpetual reciprocation For they say all things are Constituted out of Water Air Fire and Earth and that out of the divers transposition of these Generation and Corruption as also the changes of all alterations whatsoever do arise In the second place and next stands the Opinion of Democritus and Epicurus which lately also hath been revived in our Age this affirms all Natural effects to depend upon the Conflux of Atoms diversly figured so that in all Bodies there be Particles Round Sharp Foursquare Cylindrical Chequer'd or Streaked or of some other Figure and from the divers changes of these the Subject is of this or that Figure Work or Efficacy The third Opinion of the Origination of Natural Things is introduced by Chymistry which when by an Analysis made by Fire it resolves all Bodies into Particles of Spirit Sulphur Salt Water and Earth affirms by the best right that the same do consist of these Because this Hypothesis determinates Bodies into sensible parts and cutts open things as it were to the life it pleases us before the rest As to the four Elements and first Qualities from thence deduced I must confess that this Opinion doth somthing help for the unfolding the Phaenomena of Nature but after so dark a manner and without any peculiar respect to the more secret recesses of Nature it salves the appearances of things that 't is almost the same thing to say an House consists of Wood and Stone as a Body of four Elements The other Opinion which is only a piece of the Epicurean Philosophy forasmuch as it undertakes Mechanically the unfolding of things and accommodates Nature with Working Tools as it were in the hand of an Artificer and without running to Occult Qualities Sympathy and other refuges of ignorance doth happily and very ingeniously disintangle some difficult Knots of the Sciences and dark Riddles certainly it deserves no light praise but because it rather supposes than demonstrates its Principles and teaches of what Figure those Elements of Bodies may be not what they have been and also induces Notions extremly subtil and remote from the sense and which do not sufficiently Quadrate with the Phaenomena of Nature when we descend to particulars it pleases me to give my sentence for the third Opinion before-mentioned which is of the Chymists and chiefly to insist upon this in the following Tract to wit affirming all Bodies to consist of Spirit Sulphur Salt Water and Earth and from the diverse motion and proportion of these in mixt things the beginnings and endings of things and chiefly the reasons and varieties of Fermentation are to be sought If any one shall object That the Atomical and our Spagyric Principles are altogether subordinate to wit that these tho at the last sensible are resolved into those only to be signified by Conception I shall not much gainsay him so it shews that those Conceptions are real I being dul and purblind leave the more accurate to quick sights being content to be so wise as to perform the business of the outward Sense with Reason for I profess it pleases not me to devise or dream Philosophy But that our Work may more rightly proceed it will be necessary to speak first a few things of these kind of Principles in general and of their Affections I mean by the name of Principles not simple and wholly uncompounded Entities but such kind of Substances only into which Physical things are resolved as it were into parts lastly sensible By the intestine motion and combination of these Bodies are begot and increase by the mutual departure and dissolution of these one from another they are altered and perish In the mean time what Particles are gathered together in the subjects or depart away from them will appear under the form of Spirit Sulphur Salt or of one of the rest CHAP. II. A description of the Principles of Chymists and the Properties and Affections of them 1. SPirits are Substances highly subtil and Aetherial Particles of a more Divine Breathing which our Parent Nature hath hid in this Sublunary World as it were the Instruments of Life and Soul of Motion and Sense of every thing whilst they of their own Nature are always enlarged and endeavouring to fly away lest they should too soon leave their subjects they are bound somtimes with more thick Particles that by entring into them and by subtilizing them and variously unfolding them they dispose the substance to maturity as is to be observed in the Vegetation and Fermentation of Bodies somtimes being restrained within some spaces to wit the Vessels or Bowel of living Creatures they are compelled more often to repeat the same measures of their motions for the performing the works of Life Sense and Motion From the motion of these proceed the animation of Bodies the growth of Plants and the ripening of Fruits Liquors and other preparations they determinate the Form and Figure of every thing prefixed as it were by Divine designation they conserve the bonds of the mixture by their presence and open them by their departure at their pleasure they bridle the irregularities of Sulphur and Salt The perfection and state of every thing consists in the plenty and exaltation of Spirits and the fall and declination in their want and defect As to the Subjects in which the Spirits are Minerals because they are of a more fixed nature wanting Motion and Vegetation
with their coming between and amplifie and enlarge the lineaments of the Body otherwise too short and contracted 4. Water is the chiefest Vehicle of Spirit and Sulphur by whose intervention they consociate one with another and with Salt for the other Principles being dissolved by a watery humor or at least diluted continue in motion without which they grow stiff as congealed things When Water is wanting the active Principles meet together too strictly and mutually rub against and consume themselves and when for this reason the suppliment of food is cut off the Body grows withered If humidity abounds too much these Elements are estranged or dissociated too much one from the other wherefore the subject becomes sluggish and slow and of less efficacy and unapt for motion Besides Bodies too moist are lyable very much to rottenness and Corruption because from too much Humidity the Combination of Spirit and Sulphur and Salt is too loosely effected that they do not mutually embrace one another nor are retained with their embracement in the subject Indeed Water abounding easily evaporates and then the frame of the mixture being loosened and the doors set open Spirit and Sulphur easily break forth the way being made and leave the subject as it were vapid or made sharp with Salt for from hence the infusions of Vegitables Decoctions Juices of Herbs and all Liquid preparations if the quantity of Water be greater than the rest of the Principles and improportionate quickly Corrupt Water is most easily drawn forth out of every thing by Distillation for when Spirit and Sulphur are often intangled with nets of Salt or Earth they hardly let go-their embraces and are not obedient but to a more intense heat and often times require a previous Putrefaction Water most easily and often with no labour is driven out of every Body But most often it snatches in its flying away some more loose Particles of Spirit and Sulphur and carries them with itself forth of doors 5. As the interjection of Water in Liquids so of Earth in Solids fills the empty little Spaces and Vacuities left by the other Principles For these hinder the active Principles from a too streight embrace whereby they should rub against themselves and cleave one to another also by its thickness it retains too Volatile things besides it inlarges the due substance and magnitude in Bodies The more that Earth abounds in any thing it is so much the less active but of longer duration hence Minerals endure a long while then next the greater Trees in the mean time Animals and the more slender Plants are but of short age In Distillations Earth ascends the Alembic almost not at all or but in a very little quantity for the most part it is left with a portion of Salt for a Caput Mortuum or Dead Head therefore it is called Terra Damnata or damned Earth because when the other Principles are freed the Prison being as it were broken this is still detained besides Earth being deprived of the Company of the rest is of no Use nor capable of change or exaltation Thus much for the Elements or Principles of Natural things considered apart and by themselves It follows that some of their Affinities and Conjugations be unfolded because these very strictly cohere with those and very hardly or not at all are joyned with others Out of the mutual Combination of some and disagreement of others various Affections arise the knowledg of which gives no little Light to the Doctrine of Fermentation There is a certain Kindred and Similitude of parts between Spirit and Sulphur which are agil or light and easily to be dissipated in both wherefore Spirit being driven forth of the Body draws abundantly with it Sulphureous Particles as is discerned in Spirituous Liquors Distilled out of any thing to some of which if you mingle Water the Liquor appears as it were troubled with precipitated Sulphur but the Spirit without the Sulphur is undiscernably mixed with the Water which however by reason of is Volatility may be also easily drawn away and separated by Distillation Altho Spirit and Sulphur are Principles very resembling and because of a ready motion either are inflameable yet they are not one and the same as is asserted by some For Sulphur Copiously subsists in Bodies almost destitute of Spirit to wit in common Sulphur Antimony and other Minerals in which its Particles are very fixed and of their own nature almost immoveable which is very far from the Nature of Spirits For they abounding in any mixture never lye idle and always in motion bring various alterations to the Subject where they dwell then if they abound in strength they easily and without tumult carry themselves forth of doors of their own accord But Sulphur altho it abound doth not easily evaporate but hath need of a strong heat or an actual fire that may make a way for it and lastly it breaks forth not without a stink or burning yea if you endeavour to Distil Oyly and Fat things although very Sulphureous with a moderate Fire they are wont to yield a Liquor only Waterish and not inflameable but if we provoke generous Wine which swells with Spirit by the gentle heat of a Bath a most burning Water will Still forth and apt wholly to be inflamed Spirit is not presently joyned with Salt For Sugar and Salts are scarcely dissolved by the rectified Spirit of Wine but are after a manner associated by a long digestion and circulation as is perceived in the Volatile Salt of Animals or Tincture drawn forth from the Salts of Herbs or of Minerals by the Spirit of Wine If that Spirits excel in plenty and virtue they assume to themselves and Volatilise the Saline Particles And therefore the Salt contained in the Juice or Blood of Animals being associated with Spirit is volatilised also the Spirit of Wine being Distilled by many Cohalations with the fixed Salt of Herbs renders it Volatile and makes it pass through the Alembic but if the power of the Salt be greater it tames the Spirit and fixes it Hence the blood being become Salt by means of an ill dyet becomes less Spirituous Fixed Salts and the Oyl of Vitriol fix the Spirits grown too volatile and unbridled and Coagulate the Spirit of Wine it self But Sulphur is a more fit subject of the Spirit by the coming between of which it easily is united with Salt and the other Principles and as Spirit best agrees with Sulphur and Water so Sulphur intimately cleaves to Earth and Salt As to Sulphur besides its affinity with Spirit it hath a great relation with Salt it self to the volatilisation of which it doth not a little help wherefore in Bodies which abound with a volatile Salt there is found plenty of Sulphur as in Amber Soot Hornes and Bones as also in the excrements of living Creatures where Salt and Sulphur are in motion and evaporate from the subject a very stinking smell is sent forth for Sulphur being
sharpned with Salt pricks more strongly the sensory and strikes it with its sharpness in the mean time Sulphur exhaling with Spirit both pleases the sense and excites a very pleasant Smell Sulphur is as it were distracted between Spirit and Salt and adheres at once to both parties In the Distillation of Amber Turpentine Harts-Horn and the like a certain lesser part of Sulphur being united to Spirit first ascends and causes a Yellow Oyl or clear Liquor of a grateful smell the other part of Sulphur being joyned to the Salt is driven forth in the second place and is Distilled with a most stinking smell in the form of a red or black Oyl In like manner in the Circulation of the blood a pure and delicate portion of Sulphur being mixed with the Spirit supplies both the Animal and Vital Spirit with matter the other more thick part being Boyled and Rosted with Salt is layd up in the Choledock Vessels or belonging to Choler as it were a certain excrement separated from the blood As Spirit does not easily Cohere with Salt so Sulphur does not with Water wherefore Fat and Oyly things as also Gumms and Sulphureous Refines either swim upon the Water or sink down to its bottom But Sulphureous things Salt coming between are commixed with a Watery Liquor as we see Oyls imbued with Sugar or Salt to be dissolved in common Water which otherwise would flow separate Sulphur is not so tractable in Distillation as Spirit Water or Salt for the Particles of this being very Viscous stick together among themselves and also to others that they cannot easily be pulled from their embrace Hence among Sulphureous things there are some which are not forced but by a strong and burning heat into a stinking Oyl and very empyreumatick or smelling of Fire but others more pertinaciously cleaving together are not to be loosened by Distillation but are only broken into integral parts and so ascend under the form of a dry Breath as common Sulphur Benzoin Camphor and the like Salt besides its affinity with Sulphur is also most strictly united with Earth wherefore Stones and the more hard Minerals consist chiefly of Salt and Earth The Acid Spirits of Minerals which are only Salts resolved into Liquor by Distillation if at last they be poured on the Caput Mortuum Cohere with a strict embrace to it that there will be need of a most strong Fire to drive them forth again Also in Glass the union of Salt and Earth is so strictly made that it will not suffer a Divorce by any means Salt also is most easily dissolved in Water and it melts of its own accord in a moist Air and these are as easily separated one from another By reason of these Combinations these Principles have got various Appellations and not Congruous in their own Nature to themselves For Sulphur for as much as it is Associated with Spirit is called pure and sweet when with Salt impure and stinking for as much as with Salt and Earth it is called thick and Earthly when the Spirit assumes to it self Sulphureous Particles in a moderate quantity it is seen to be sweet when saline sharp when both bitter Salt has a diverse disposition and is known by many names by reason of its various mixture with the other Elements and chiefly with Earth for besides the Titles of Fluid Fixed Volatile for this reason it is termed Marine Aluminous Nitrous Vitriolick Armoniack or of some other kind By some these kind of Conjugations are esteemed but wrongfully as so many divers Principles when they are but more simple mixtures by the coming together of the first Elements and being loosened by Distillation they openly shew their Race from whence they are For all Salts whatsoever being driven into a Flux by the Fire shew Liquors very near of Kin one to another to wit Acetous by the like means Spirit and Sulphur are compelled to put off their Masks and to resume the Native Species common to each And so much for the Principles of Natural Things and of their Affections and Conjunctions It is abundantly manifest that these kind of Substances are in every Body besides the Analyses of Bodies Chymically instituted also from the Mutations and effects of Things which happen of their own Nature When Must is Ripened into Wine is not Spirit a Sulphureous part also Salt and Earth Conspicuous to our Tast and Eyes besides the watery Liquor Also the Juice of every Plant being exalted by Digestion exhibits the same sincere and as it were distinct what is greater things subject to the Flame when they seem to be burnt and reduced almost to nothing they go into these kind of Particles besides the Salt remaining in the Ashes the Smoke and Flame grow together into Soot as it were a Meteor in which are comprehended together Spirit Sulphur Salt Water and Earth as it were in a certain compendium of the mixture For the active Principles abound in Soot more than in any other inanimate Body But because with some there hath spread a certain suspicion that those our Princiciples chiefly the Saline and Sulphureous are to be produced for the most part by Fire and are no ways to be found in mixt things unless after the coming between of that I will witness to you in some instances that the thing is plainly otherwise Concerning the first It is commonly known that the Ashes of every Plant being once Elixivated or made into a Lye if it be afterwards Calcined will not yield any thing of Salt besides if Concretes being Distilled Exhale or Breath forth a very sharp or acid Liquor their Calx is not saltish and on the contrary when the Salt being Volatilized or brought to a Flux ascends the Alembic you shall seek for it in vain in the dead head To prove the existency of the Sulphureous Principle in Vegetables take Guaiacum or a piece of any other ponderous Wood and being put into a Glass Retort draw it forth by degrees it shall exhibit together with an Acid Liquor which water is saltish in great quantity a blackish Oyl which part of it is Sulphureous It appears from hence that this was in the Body before the Distilling and in no wise produced by its Operation because if you proceed after another manner that the Sulphur may be taken out of the Concrete before Distillation the Liquor that comes forth will be almost wholy deprived of its Oyliness Wherefore if you pour Spirit of Wine to those Chips of Wood it will Extract in a great quantity by this Menstruum a pure Refine which is the Sulphureous part it self then if you Distil as before in a Retort the remaining Chips being washed in common Water and dryed you will have a very little Oyl only What is more to be admired and confirms also more fully the truth of this kind of Origination some Bodies which being almost destitute of Spirit and Sulphur because chiefly Volatile consist chiefly of Salt Earth and Water are separated
ways are thought of whereby the Menstruum of water is made sharper and is rendred fit for the dissolving of any Bodies whatsoever For by means of the Bodies which it ought to dissolve and of the parts which it ought to receive in it self it is armed as it were with some Weapons with which it is able to unlock any Subject and to possess now these now those Particles The Menstruum of water is sharpned with Spirit Salt or Sulphur to wit either with each of these or with more of them joyned together we will first speak of the watery Menstruum with the various sharpning of it and afterwards of the fiery dissolvent Common water most easily dissolves the more simple Bodies except Sulphur and hides their Particles in its pores and passages it readily receives Salts of every kind and easily imbibes Spirits it loosens the frame of Earth and cherishes its more tender little bodies in its embrace but it is hardly mixed with Fat and Oyly things and receives not their Particles but by the coming between of others but drives them forth to its Superficies as not miscible or thrusts them down to the bottom Water in some measure enters the more compounded Bodies whose frame is somwhat loose and then receives into its bosom some not simple Particles but resembling the nature of the whole mixture hence most Vegetables also parts of living creatures and some Minerals being put into common water do impregnate it with a certain virtue and from most Metals by a long maceration it takes away some strength though but small Some Bodies are dissolved by water which yet a Sulphureous or Spirituous Menstrua leave almost untouch'd as the Gums Tragacanth Arabic c. also Salts and Sugar The first and most common way of sharpning whereby simple water may more easily enter the Bodies to be dissolved is that it be furnished with fiery Particles or darts of adventitious heat for so it is driven more deeply with a certain force into Bodies and destroys some thrids as it were the smallest mites in their most inward recesses Wherefore we are wont to boyl for a long while the matter to be dissolved in water or at least to infuse it in warm water by which means the more tenuious and certain subtil Particles which resemble the nature of the Subject are easily drawn forth and impregnate the water with the virtue of the whole mixture So much for the simple or natural Menstruum of water to wit for as much as its activity is wont somtimes to be promoted by fire or ascititious heat But this cannot be so simple but that it contains in it self some Particles of another kind as may be gathered from its easie Putrefaction for oftentimes it is impregnated with Spirituous Sulphureous or Saline breathings contracted from the Air or Earth that for the drawing forth the tinctures of very many things somtimes it excels an Artificial Menstruum for that Acidulous or Spawish waters Mineral waters Rain water and May Dew are of frequent use among Chymicks for the remarkable faculty of dissolving with which they are strong Besides 't is a vulgar observation that some waters most easily dissolve Sope and being throughly mixed with the same causes in the liquor a great spume or froth such if they be rubbed between the fingers feel soft and gentle but other waters which being handled with the hands are more harsh refuse the mixture both of Sope and Oyl and so are accounted unprofitable for the washing of Cloaths these sort of waters if they should be evaporated in a Glass oftentimes affix a Crust to its bottom and sides because they are impregnated more than they ought with Saline Particles with which when the Saline parts residing in the Sope combine the Sulphureous are carried away and they being excluded the pores are thrust forth as not miscible to the top of the Liquor When Flesh is boyled in these waters it grows very red which tincture indeed being thence contracted is a sign that those waters are somwhat imbued with Vitriol or some other kind of Salt But we will pass to Artificial Menstruas in which the watry Liquor is furnished with Spirit Salt or Sulphur being gathered apart or many of them together The Spirituous Menstruum of water is made when from a Body swelling with Spirits a clear and limpid water is distilled as from Wine or strong Beer or other Bodies truly Fermented and brought to exaltation The kind of dissolvent is hardly to be had so sincere but it is mixed with the Particles of more pure Sulphur and somtimes of a volatile Salt The former kind of Liquor is called Spirit of Wine which being subtil and very penetrating easily enters the Bodies and parts of Vegetables and also of living Creatures but hardly Minerals or not at all it extracts from many things not any Particles or resembling the Nature of the whole mixture as common water but chiefly Spirituous and Sulphureous the rest being almost untouched wherefore it is wont to be used for the resinous magisteria of Vegetables which it draws forth almost sincere or without mixture under the form of Gum or Refine in the mean time it is not so fit as common water for the extracts of Plants which are not so indued with Sulphur from Sulphureous things as Benzoin Sulphur Olibanum Styrax Amber and the like it draws forth excellent Tinctures It dissolves the fixed Salts of Herbs also of Pearls and Coral before prepared with Vinegar by a long digestion and receives their Tinctures into it self it leaves Sugar and Gums being dissolvable in water almost untouch'd But there is another Spirituous Menstruum that is sharpned with a volatile Salt such is the Liquor which is distilled out of blood Harts-horn or Soot it is far stronger than the former and cuts most Bodies except Metals into parts and oftimes destroys the forms of the whole mixture yea it most excellently dissolves secondarily the most fixed Metal to wit Gold being first reduced into a Calx by its proper Menstruum and reduces it into a Tincture or potable Liquor They are accounted Sulphureous Menstrua which are brought forth of Sulphureous Bodies under the form of an Oyl these are prepared either by distillation such as are chiefly the Oyl of Turpentine Juniper and the like or by expression such as are wrung forth of Olives Almonds and other Fruits or Seeds of Vegetables Things distilled are of more efficacy than preparations by expression either of them draw forth some Particles from Vegetables or Animals by the vertues of which these Oyls being impregnated they are made fit for Medicinal use Yea they are conveniently enough made use of for the extracting of the Sulphureous Particles of Minerals which somtimes they draw forth sincere or unmixt But if Oyl of Turpentine or Lin-seed Oyl draws forth by dissolving the combustible part of common Sulphur in the mean time the remaining Saline parts and untouched by the Menstruum grow into Crystals
with thirst heat wakings and at several turns with swoonings and cold sweats at this time being sent for I prescribed her Cardaic Remedies and such as moved the purgings of the Womb and also a Clyster to be given her at length the Flux of her Belly being provoked the Lochia also came down and the sick Woman being freed from the aforesaid symptoms and the more grievous Disease to wit the Remedies of the Nurses quickly grew well of her Feaver The more plentiful Flux of the Womb hapning to this Woman removed the Procatartic cause of a more grievous Disease wherefore when they had committed so many errors about the ordering her viz. first in stopping the Lochia then what might compensate their defect in hindring the Flux of her Belly yet the Feaver was only light and without any venomous taint impressed on the Blood the like to this I have known to happen frequently to wit when at first the purgings of the Womb have flown very plentifully afterwards when they have flown very sparingly and sometimes stopped the Women in Child-bed have escaped And by the way it is here to be noted that it is wholly dangerous to inhibit or at least divert and cross any motion of Nature incited tho irregular A Noble Gentlewoman about 20 years of Age indued with a smooth and full habit of Body miscarried twice in the space of a Year when she had again Conceived by the prescription of her Physician she provoked a Vomit once a month by drinking plentifully Posset Drink by which she was wont to cast forth much thick tough Phlegm also in the time of her being with Child he Let her Blood 5 times the time of her going being over she was brought to Bed of a Son with very hard Labour the Secundine came whole away and she purged notably on the second day whilst she was lifted upon her feet in Bed that the Sheets and the Blankets might be laid in better order she took Cold and by that means the bloody Lochia wholly stopped and only a little serous Water came away on the third day she began to complain of an acute pain in her right side to which the Women laid Bags of Camomil made hot with Bricks but the distemper grew worse with a bloody spittle on the fourth day of her being brought to Bed a most â—harp pain with a difficult breathing and very Laborious invaded her by the prescription of her Physician then coming to her from the neigbourhood six ounces of Blood was taken away out of the Basilic Vein and she felt sudden ease for 10 hours she was better in the middle of the night the pricking pain returned with its wonted fierceness at length other Physicians being called to Counsel they agreed that it was necessary to open a Vein again in the arm of the distempered side four ounces of Blood being taken away the pain remitted and the sick breathed better then by Diasphoretic Remedies she fell into a great sweat with a quiet sleep But the Pulse was made quicker and weaker also contractures of the tendons in her wrists appeared presently afterwards she talked idly and within 24 hours after she was last Let Blood she departed That this Lady fell into a Pleurisie with a Feaver upon the Lochia being suppressed the cause in some measure seemed to be the Letting of Blood so often in the time of her being with Child for by this means the Blood being accustomed to be eventilated at the arm afterwards growing hot leaving the Womb was carried violently towards the place of its letting forth where when it found not a passage it fixed in the neighbouring side as the next nest to the place of extravasation yea besides the usual manner of a Pleurisie there was no small malignity hapned to this Disease for the Blood being hindred from being let forth of the Vessels began presently to be corrupted in its disposition and in the third day of the Feaver was so much depraved that it could not be any longer fermented in the heart so as to Prorogue Life It was not so with the Wife of a certain Smith who was brought to Bed at what time her Children had the Small Pox in the same House and she her self as it seemed had taken the Contagion of the same Disease for on the second day after her Delivery they began to break forth with a feaverish heat and pain in her Loyns which indeed for three days whilst the Lochia moderately flowed arose rightly into little swellings altho the purging of the Womb was very copious at that time she had the Small Pox very thick all over her Body not only in the superficies of her skin but also they filled the cavity of her mouth and throat so that she could scarce speak or swallow The sixth day of her Lying in the Lochia flowed immoderately from whence presently fell upon the sick a frequent swooning with a flagging of the Small Pox Convulsions and other symptoms of an ill nature which threatned Death soon being sent for I prescribed half a dram of this Powder to be taken constantly every three hours in a spoonful of the following Julep viz. take of the Roots of Tormentil in Powder drams two of the best Bole Armonie dram one of the species of Hyacinth half a dram make a Powder Take of the Compound Water of Scordium of Dragons of Meadowsweet each three ounces of Therecal Vinegar one ounce of the Syrup of Corals two ounces of Harts-horn burnt half a dram make a Julep Besides I ordered to be boyled in her Broths and in every thing she drank the Roots of Tormentil by these Remedies the purging of her Womb was soon wholly stopped and the Small Pox by degrees being ripened came off without any grievous symptom Indeed this case was difficult and was cured with great danger viz. for either the Lochia or the Small Pox to have been restrained inwardly was very dangerous and yet the more full eruption of the one hindred the motion of the other so long as either moderately proceeded things being permitted to the conduct of Nature was moderately well but when one of them became ill the work of Art was required and it was requisite to bridle the Lochia but to provoke the Small Pox. CHAP. XVII Of Epidemical Feavers HAving meditated rather a Commentary than an intire Tract I had thought here to have concluded our Discourse of Feavers But forasmuch as certain Epidemical Feavers do often spread which observe no Laws nor can be brought to any certain rule of Doctrine but being irregular vary every year and for that reason as often as any of them increase or spread abroad presently it is called the new Disease therefore I thought it worth our while because general precepts concerning these Feavers are not to be delivered to subjoyn some particular Histories of some of this kind for out of the various provision of symptoms whereby they are wont to be noted the nature and the whole
of it self untameable and not to be overcome by any Remedies From this observation that a Cautery accidentally and by chance being made on this sick party freed her from the fits of the Disease it may be inferr'd that fontanells or Issues may be profitably administerd in the Cure of the Epilepsie for wheresoever an emissary is opened for the constant carying away of the serous water both from the blood and nervous juce there very many heterogeneous and morbifick particles flow out with it that therefore the brain might remain free The Daughter of a Brewer of Oxford had been very obnoxious to a Rheume Observation 2 falling into her eyes from her Infancy otherwise strong and sound enough also accustomed dayly to hard labour about the 14th year of her age she began to be tormented with Epileptick sits of which she suffered neer the greater changes of the moon especially then returning Being asked to endeavour her Cute I gave her a Vomit of precipitate Solar and orderâ—d it to be renewed three days before every new and full moon besides that she should take at every turne for four days after the Vomit twice in a day a dram of male-Paeonic root in powder with a draught of black Cherry water By these remedies the fits so long intermitted that the Disease seem'd to be Cured Afterwards when they returned again she was again recovered by the use of those medicines and then the menstruous flux breaking forth and observing its true periods she remained for the future free from that disease The Therapeutic or Curatory Method IN the Curing of the Epilepsie I judg it fit to begin with a Cathartick and if the sick can easily bear vomiting first let an Emetick be administred and for several months let it be repeated four days before the full of the Moon For infants and youths may be prescribed wine of Squills mixed with fresh Oyle of Sweet Almonds or also of Salt of Vitriol from half a Scruple to 1. Scruple For those of riper years and of a stronger Constitution may be prescribed the following forms of Medicines Vomitories Take of Crocus mettalorum or of Mercurius vitae gr iiii to vi of Mercurius Dulcis grain xvi ℈ i. let them be brused together in a mortar mix it with the pap of a rosted Apple or of Conserve of Burage â„¥ i. make a Bolus or you may take an Infusion of Crocus Mettalorum or Mercurius Vitae made in Spanish wine from â„¥ ss to â„¥ i ss or take of Emetick Tartar of Mynsicht gr iv to vi who are of a tenderer constitution let them take of the Salt of Vitriol ℈ i. to Ê’ ss and half an hour after let them drink severall pints of posset drink then with a feather or finger put down the throat let vomiting be provoked iterate it often The day following the vomiting unless any thing shall prohibit let blood be taken out of the Arm or from the haemorhod veins with a Leech then the next day after let a purging medicine be taken which afterwards may be repeated constantly four days before every new Moon Purger Take Refine of Jalop ℈ ss Mercurius Dulcis ℈ i. of Castor gr iii. of Conserve of the Flowers of Paeony â„¥ i. make it into a Bolus Take pill faetida the greater ℈ ii of Hysterica what will suffice make thereof v. pills Take of the strings of black hellebore macerated in Vinegar dry'd and powder'd â„¥ ss of Ginger ℈ ss of the Salt of Wormwood gr xii of the Oyl of Amber drops ii make a powder let it be given in the pap of an Apple Take of the powder of Hermodactils compound â„¥ i. of humane Scull prepar'd gr vi make a powder let it be given in a draught of the decoction of Hyssop or Sage On those days that they do not purge especially about the time of the changing of the Moon let there be administred Specifick Remedies morning and evening which are said to cure this Disease wirh 〈◊〉 certain innate and secret virtue of these there are extant a very great company and are prescribed in various forms of Compositions Specificks The most simple Medicines which Experience hath found to be very Efficacious are the root of the male Paeony and the seeds of the same Take of the Root of the Male Paeony dryed and powder'd â„¥ i. to ii or iii. let it be given twice a day in the following Tincture Take of the leave of Messletow of the Oak â„¥ ii of the root of Paeony slic'd â„¥ ss of Castor â„¥ i. let them be put into a close Vessel with simple water of Betony or Paeony and white-wine Each lb i. of the Salt of Missletow of the Oake or the Common Missletow â„¥ ii let them digest close in hot sand for ii days let them take â„¥ iii. with a dose of the aforesaid powder Poor people may take of the aforesaid powder in a decoction of Hysop or Castor made with fair water and white-wine At the same time let the Root of Paeony be cut into little bits and being strung upon a thrid hung about the neck Also let the Roots being fryed in a pan or boyled tender be eaten dayly with their meat Take of the Roots and Seeds of the male Paeony each â„¥ ii of Missletow of the Oake of the hoof of ElkÊ’i each let them be fliced and brused and put into a thin silk bag and hang at the pit of the Stomack Among the spicificks this powder is greatly commended by many Authors Powders Take of Castor Opoponax Dragons blood Antimony and the seed of Paeony each alike make a powder of which may be taken â„¥ ss to â„¥ i. every morning with wine or some proper decoction or with black Cherry water Take of a mans Skull prepar'd â„¥ i. of Missletow of the Oake of Counterfeit Cinaber of an Elks Claw each â„¥ ss so mingle them The dose is ℈ ss to ℈ i. If the form of powder be distastful to any one or if it should become loathsome by the long use of it Electuaries Pills Troches Spirits and Elixirs each of which agree with specifick medicines are wont to be prescribed Take of the Conserve of the male Paeony of the Lilly of the Valley each â„¥ iii. Electuaries of the seed and root of the male Paeony powder'd each Ê’ ii prepared CorallÊ’ i. of the powder of Pearls and of humane Skull prepared each ℈ ii of the salt of Missletow of the OakeÊ’ i ss with what will suffice of the Syrop of Corall make an Electuary let them take of it morning and evening the quantity of a Nutmeg Take of the powder of the root of the male Paeony â„¥ i. of the seeds of the same â„¥ ss of Missletow of the Oake of an Elks claw of humane Skull prepared each Ê’ ii of the roots of Angelica Contrayerva Verginian Snakeweed each Ê’ i. of the whitest Amber of Calcined Corall each Ê’ i. of the Common Salt of Missletow
ʒ ii of Sugar Candy ℥ viii dissolved in what will suffice of the Antiepilepticall water of Langius Make a Confection of which take twice in a day the quantity of a Nutmeg These powders by adding to them the Salt of Amber and Harts-horn Pills with what will suffice of Balsome Capivi may be formed into a pillulary Mass of which may be taken iii. or iv pills in the morning and evening drinking after them a draught of some appropriat Liquor Or of those sorts may be prepared an Elixir of which may be taken viii drops to x. twice in a day in a spoonful of a proper Julup drinking a little of it after it Take of Hungarian Vitriol vi pints Elixir let them be distill'd with a glass retort in hot sand for 24. hours then let the same retort being defended or done over with Clay be put with a large receiver in a reverberating Furnace that the acid spirits may be forced with a most strong fire till they come forth The whole Liquor being distilled let it be drawn off in hot sand in a lesser glass retort and let there be poured into the Matrace of the roots of Male-Paeony cut into pieces and dryed ℥ iiii of the seed of the same ℥ i. of humane Skull prepared of Elks claws and Red Corall each ℥ ss Missletow of the Oak ʒ ii let it digest with a gentle heat for several days to the extraction of a tincture the Liquor being decantated let it be drawn off in a glasse Retort to a third part remaining being stilled forth keep it by it self to those Remains pour of the rectified Spirit of wine a little quantity impregnated with the Infusion of the same ingredients and let it digest for six days in horse-dung the dose of which is ℈ ss to ℈ i. The distilled Liquor may be given from half a spoonful to a whole spoonful for the same Intentions Or let there be prepared an oyl out of the Salt of Venus or Copper according to the description of Henry Van Heer 's and given as there prescribed Among the specifick Remedies Emperical Remedies which when the former shall not be profitable ought also to be tryed are the Livers of Frogs the Gall of a Bore dryed with Urine The powder of Bryony Root The powder of a Cuccow of Crows the runnet and lights of a Hare the Liver of a Wolf stones taken out of Swallows the Liver of a Kite the Eggs of Crows with many more to be dayly taken with food or Medicine a famous Catalogue of which is extant of Henry Van Brays a Physitian of Zutphen and from which prescripts for poor people may be taken easie to be prepared and without great cost Whilst these kinde of Remedies are to be taken inwardly according to the aforesaid method some outward administrations being applyed bring help and are deservedly admitted to part of the cures therefore allways Issues are made in this disease in one fit place or other and also more often Veficatories or Blisters Amulets hung about the neck or born at the pit of the Stomach Amulets are thought to be useful The fresh Roots of Paeony cut into little squares and being strung like bracelets and hung round about the neck and as soon as they are dry let new be put in their places and they being reduced to powder may be taken inwardly Take of the roots and seeds of Paeony each ʒ ii of an Elks claw and humane Skull prepared each ʒ i. of Missletow of the Oak ʒ ss let them be beaten into gross powder and sowed in a piece of red silk and like a little bag let it be hanged about the neck An Amulet of a stalk of the Elder found growing in the Willow-tree is greatly Commended Plasters It agrees with some to have their heads shaven and a plaster applied to the fore-part Take of the root and seeds of Paeony of Castor Missletow of the Oak of humane-skull most finely powder'd each ʒ i. of betonie plaster ℥ ii Caranna Tacamahacca each ʒ ii Balsum Capive what will suffice make a mass and let it be spread upon leather make a plaister for the suters of the Head Let the Temples and Nostrills be often anointed with Oyl of Amber by itself or mixed with oyl Capive Sternutories or sneezing powders Sneezing Powders and such as purge the head of Rhume are to be used dayly in the Mornings Take of white Helleboreʒ i. of Castor and Euphorbium each ʒ ss the leaves of sweet Marjorum and Rue each ʒ ii make a powder make a decoction of Sage or Hyssop with Mustard dissolved in it with which gargle the mouth and throat A Glister may be sometimes used as need shall require Sometimes the more solid Medicines are ro be moistned with liquids or they ought to be drunk after them for which end distilled waters should be at hand Julups Tinctures or Decoctions which are endued with a certain Specific Virtue against this Disease Distill'd Water Take of Hungarian Vitriol four pound of the powder of fresh humane-skull four ounces of the root of Paeony sliced six ounces let them be bruised together in a morter put to them either of Spanish wine or small white-wine or wine made of the juce of black-Cherries a quart being fermented in a vessell let it be distill'd in a glass retort in hot sand Take of the shavings of box-wood of Hungarian vitriol each two pound of the Missletow of the Oak or the Common-Missletow leaves three handfulls of Rue two handfulls being bruised together put to it of Spanish wine 4 pints Let them be distill'd in a glass Cucurbit with hot sand Iulaps Take of Common Vitriol six pound of the root of the male-paeony six ounces of the Missletow of the Oak one ounce of Green-walnuts viii ounces being cut and bruised let them be distilled in a glass-pot a glass alembick being placed upon it in hot sand Take of this Liquor one pint of black cherry water and of the water of the flowers of the toil or Line-tree each half a pint of white-white-Sugar ℥ iiii mix them and make a Julup the dose ℥ ii to iii. twice or thrice in a day Oxymel of squills also an hony-decoction with Hysop are much praised by the Ancients Or an Apozem of this kinde may be prepared of which may be taken ℥ iiii to vi or viii twice in a day Apozems Take of the roots of male-paeony Angellica Imperatoria Valerian each ʒ vi of the leaves of Betony Sage Lilly of the Valley Penny-Royall each one handfull of the seeds of Rue Nigella each ʒ iii. Paeony ℥ ss of Raysons ℥ iii. of Liquoris ℥ ss being cut and bruised let them be boyled in vi pints of Spring-water to the Consumption of the third part Towards the end add of black Cherry-wine half a pint or ten ounces strain and keep it in close Vessells The dose is from vi to viii ounces twice in a day after the
take morning and evening a draught of whey or posset-drink in which the roots and seeds of the male Paeonie and sweet fenill seeds are boyled Take of the Conserve of the flowers of Betony of the male Paeonie and of Rosemary each ℥ ii of the pouder of the Root and flowers of the male Paeonie each ʒ ii of red Corall prepared and of the whitest amber each ʒ i. of the roots of Angelica and Zedoarie prepared each ʒ ss with what will suffice of the Syrrop of Paeonie make an Electuarie let her take morning and evening the quantity of a Nutmeg Take of the powder of the root of Male-Paeonyʒ ii the seeds of the same ʒ i. make a powder of the whitest Sugar ℥ iii. dissolved in the water of the flowers of the Line-tree and boyled to tablets of the oyl of Amber ℈ i. make tablets according to Art each weighing ʒ ss let her eat one every sixth hour Also let her keep to an exact dyet If any Infant be actually afflicted with Convulsions because that an Issue operates little and slowly it will be expedient to apply blistering plaisters The Cure of Infants sick with Convulons to the nape of the neck and behind the ears and unless a more cold temperament should gain-say it let blood be drawn with Leeches from the veins Let Liniments be used about the Temples Nostrills and hinder part of the neck and plaisters also laid to the bottoms of the feet Clysters that may keep down the belly should be dayly administred besides let specifick Remedies be inwardly taken often in a day to wit every sixth or eighth hour Take of the oyl Capive of Caestor each ʒ ii of Amberʒ ss make a Liniment Oyntments Take of the plaister of Oxycrocia two parts of dissolv'd Galbanum one part of oyl of Amber ℈ i. make a plaister for the soles of the feet Let there be given of the powder of Ammoniacum according to the description of Reverius twice or four times in a day Take of humane skull prepared of the seeds of Paeony of an Elks claw Powders of Pearls prepared each ʒ ss of Amber greese gr vi make a powder the dose vi grains in a spoonfull the Liquor hereafter described three or four times a day Or Take of humane Skull prepared of pearls each ʒss of the Salt of Amber ℈ i. of the Sugar of Pearleʒ i. the dose ℈ ss Or Take of the Spirit of harts-horn iii. drops let it be given every sixth or 8th hour in a spoonfull of the Julap below prescribed To the children of the poor may be administred the powder of the Roots of wild Valerian ℈ ss to ℈ i. let it be given twice a day in a spoonfull of milk or appropriate Liquor Vntzerus greatly commends the Gall of a sucking whelp to wit that the whole juice of the gallie-Bag being taken forth be given to the child to drink with a little of the water of the flowers of the Tile or Line-tree A learned Physitian lately told me that he had Known many Cured with this Remedie Besides Empericks are wont to cause the bigger children after they have drank the gall to eat also the Liver of the whelp broyled Liquors Iulaps distill'd waters and other appropriate Liquors may be prepared after the following prescripts Take of black-Cherry water ℥ iii. of the Antiepileptical water of Langius ℥ i. of perlate sugar ʒ ii mix them Take of the green Roots of the male Paeonie cut into little peeces ℥ vi of Hungarian Vitriol ℥ viii of humane skull ℥ ii of the Antiepileptic water of Langius half a pint mix them and let them be distilled in a glass retort in hot sand the dose i. spoonfull to ii Take of the fresh roots of the male Paeonie cut ℥ iiii being brused in a Marble morter pour to them of Spanish-wine lib. i. make a strong expression add of manus Christi pearled ℥ ss let it be kept in a close glass The dose i. Spoonfull or ii twice in a day Convulsions by reason of breeding of Teeth When Convulsive motions happen by Reason of the difficulty of breeding Teeth this Symptom as it is secondary and less dangerous so the Cure does not always require the first or chief labour of healing but sometimes we are rather carefull to remove it by allaying the pain and the feavourish Distemper wherefore both the patient and the nurse oughr to use a slender and refrigerating Diet the Teeth being about to break thorow the Gums their passage should be made easie by rubbing or cutting them and also Anodynes should be applied to those swelled and grieved parts Clysters and taking away blood are often used it behoves to cause sleep and to attemper the feirceness of the blood some times antispasmodick Remedies are made use of but the more temperate and such as do not trouble the blood and humors Vesicatories or Blistering plaisters because they aptly evacuate the serum too much poured forth on the Head oftentimes bring help Spasms or Convulsions caused from other occasions When Children are troubled with Convulsions not presently after they are born nor by reason of the cutting of their Teeth but for other occasions and accidents the cause of such a Distemper for the most part subsists either in the head or somewhere about the Viscera of Concoction When the former is suspected as it is wont to be manifested by signes which argue a Serous Colluvies too much heaped up within the Head the former Remedies allready recited ought to be given in a larger dose besides in those who are able to bear purging sometimes a Vomit or a light purge is prescribed Wine and Oxymel of squills also Mercurius Dulcis Rhubarb and Resin of Jalap are of approved use As often as the Cause of the Convulsive Distemper seems to be in the Viscera either Worms or sharp humors stirring up the torments of the Belly are understood to be in fault By reason of worms Against Worms a purge of Rhubarb or Mercurius Dulcis the Resin of Jalap being added is ordained sometime past a Child being miserably afflicted with Convulsions that he seem'd to be just dying I gave him a dose of Mercurius Dulcis with Resine of Jallap with his stools which were four he voided xii worms and presently grew well Take of the root of Verginian Snake-weed in powder ʒ i. of Corall Calcined to a whitenessʒ ss a powder ʒ i. the dose from half a scruple to one scruple twice in a day continued for three days drinking after it a decoction of Grass-roots Take of the species of Hieraʒ i ss of Venice-Treacleʒ ii make a plaister for the bottom of the belly or apply to the Navel a plaster of Galbanum If the Convulsive motions are suspected to proceed from an irritation of the ventricle and intestines made by sharp humours a gentle purging either by vomit or stool or both successively ought to be instituted For this end let
Glandulas on either side of the bottom of it which are called the testicles appeared very small and flaggy without any superfluous or virulent humour contained in them the body of the womb whereever it was dissected equal'd a thumbs breadth in thickness its inward Cavity was no bigger than what would hold a bean within this hollowness as use to be in the Caverns of other Inwards was included a mucous or dreggy matter in a very small quantity but in truth about the womb or its appendix there was nothing to which might be imputed as a morbific cause of the symptoms but now described from whence therefore it may be demonstratively concluded as I at first thought that the passions termed from the womb hysterical are most often excited from some other cause than the fault of the womb The Intestines being removed we found also the reins sound enough but one of them was of an unusual figure viz. It was cleft into many lobes like the Kidney of a Calf The Milt Pancreas and Caul without fault the ventricle was much blown up and its inward Coat was plain without folds or wrincles which certainly hapned by reason of its frequent Vomiting this Inward being almost continually troubled with Convulsions Besides for this reason the tone of the stomach being broken it did neither rightly desire or concoct the food or aliment The Liver very much differ'd from a sound constitution for it was tumid and somewhat hard of a pail colour like rotten wood wholly dry and without blood and this without doubt the frequent use of Cordiall and highly hot liquors had effected The Lungs were of a blewish colour and every where obstructed and stuff'd with a stinking and frothy matter Certainly this Inward and the Liver had been vitiated of a long time wherefore as the blood being degenerate and very much depraved of a long time from its right temper had yielded the first seeds of this sickness so also it afforded a constant cherishment of it But indeed we sought and that not in vain for the chief and as it were originall cause of the disease in the head therefore the skull being taken off the vessells of the Meningae and those creeping about the brain appeared full and distended with blood when in the rest of the body scarce any blood had flowed forth in the cutting of it the thicker meninge being removed thorow the other thin and pellucid one was discerned a clear water filling the enfoldings and crevices of the brain and as it were overflowing its whole substance In truth the serous heap of waters had filled full all the Cavities and inward places of the brain the enfoldings of the choroides or net-like membranes of the brain being a long while immersed in water and as it were boyled were become discolour'd and half rotten nigh to the beginning of the Splanchnick nerves or belonging to the Spleen the water insinuating it self very much had separated the pia mater from the trunk of the oblong marrow or pith for two fingers breadth without doubt the morbific matter descending from the head by the passage of these nerves into the enfolding of the mesentery was the cause of the pains and Convulsions Further the same matter also afflicting the heads of other nerves and paffing thorow their pipes produced afterwards these most cruel distempers in other parts to wit almost every where of the whole body As to the Cure or means of healing used in the passions commonly called Hysterical forasmuch as the symptoms of this disease are very much convulsive The Method of Curlng the hysterical distempers therefore it is fit that anti-spasmodic or anti-convulsive Remedies such as were before described should be chiefly indicated but when these distempers most often happen to the female sex in whom for the most part the menstrual flux and other accidents of the womb do challenge a part in the morbific cause therefore medicines respecting the various dispositions of the womb are to be added to the former and many ways to be compounded with them The Therapeutic or Curatory Indications are either Curatory to be administer'd in the fit or preservatory which are instituted out of the fit that take away the cause of the disease and prevent its comings or accessions 1. As to the first if the fit is wont to be light and without other perturbation of the spirits it may be permitted to pass away of it self Curatory but if it being more heavily troublesome there will be need to bring some help to nature much oppressed this only thing is to be done that the spirits being freed from the Embraces of an heterogeneous Copula they may remit their inordinations and explosions for this purpose it is grown into use to put to the nose stinking and ill smelling things the scents of which compell and repress the too fierce spirits ready to leap forth into their orders and also shake off from them the heterogeneous Copula and often drive it quite away Asafaetida Castor Galbanum being put into fine Linnen and applyed to the nostrills are convenient also burning of Partridg feathers old skins and sulphur Besides the spirits and oyl of sut or of Harts-horn do not seldome help yet I have known these kinde of fumigations being very troublesome to some women to increase the fit it is probable that the same sometimes may too much irritate the spirits and drive them into greater disorders and as stinking things put to the nose so the like poured into the mouth do often bring help wherefore we give often with good success to hysterical people Tinctures of Castor Solutions of Assafaetida and Galbanum spirits of Harts-horn and Sut with proper waters Take of the spirits of Harts-horn from 12. to 15. and 20. drops let them be taken in a little draught of the following Julap Take of the waters of penny Royall and mugwort each ℥ iii. of the water of Briony compound ℥ ii of Castor tyed in a knot and hung in the glass ʒ ss of the whitest sugar ℥ i. mix them Take of the Tincture of Castor ℈ i. to ʒ ss let it be taken ia a little draught of small beer Take of Assafaetida and Galbanumʒ ii let it be dissolved in spirit of wine to the extraction of a red tincture The dose ℈ i. in two or three spoonfulls of featherfew water Riverius very much crys up that of Solenander Take of musk and of dragons-blood each ℈ i. take more or less of it in water of Lillies of the Valley ℥ iii. or iiii John Anglicus commends parsnip-seeds or the seeds of Penny-royal in wine or other proper Liquor as a most certain Remedy If the fit persisting a long time should cause want of speech or motion the more sharp Clysters as of bryony-Roots and Carminatives boyled in water are to be administred and frictions of the thighs and feet are to be order'd and if they shall yet grow stronger Cupping-glasses are to be applied to
aforesaid Cases those fits of the Asthma did wholly depend on the Convulsive matter being fallen into the nerves serving to the stretching forth of the Lungs which cleaving to the Spirits and being by them struct off or explosed by reason of plentitude or irritation caused the Praecordia to be lifted uywards and as it were inflated and by that means hindred from its reciprocal motion An Asthma sometimes exciteed by reason of the Bronchia being Convulsively affected Moreover we suppose that such a kinde of Convulsive Dyspnaea or difficult breathing is sometimes excited by reason of the bronchia of the Trachea or the sharp arteries of the Throat being too much streightned and often almost drawn together we have shown in our discourse of the Nerves that very many branches of nervous fibres and of the nerves do every where embrace all the ramifications of the asper Arterie and bind them about which nerves if it happen that they being possessed by the morbific matter should be irritated into frequent Convulsions for that reason it follows that the channells or passages which they compass about must be greatly bound together and in some places wholly shut up There was a very choyce Virgin of a tender constitution and of a flourishing Observation 3 countenance scarce past the second lustre of her Age i e. about 12. years old that began to be grievously tormented with Asthma fits and before she was entrusted to my cure she had liv'd obnoxious to them at least 4. years sometimes she remained free from any fit of this disease for two or three months yet oftentimes by reason of errors in Diet or the great mutations of the year or the air she fell into most cruel fits of the Dyspnaea or difficult breathing So that her Lungs being inflated and carried upwards towards her throat and there held almost in a continual Diastole she could hardly nay not at all breathe in the mean time for that respiration might be somehow made the Diaphragma and the muscles of the breast were exercised with repeated endeavours of motions This kinde of fit by degrees remitting within 7 or 8. hours at length gave over but then after a week or two it was wont to come again either of it self or from any the least occasion after that the force of the Disease its matter being bestow'd on very many of these kinde of fits pass'd away this excellent virgin was well enough for many weeks yea sometimes months after and breath'd freely without any fault of the Thorax For this person I instituted this following method Spring and fall and now it is more than two years since she has had any fit of this Distemper Take of our Sulphur of Antimony gr vi of Cream of tartar vi grains mix them Let it be given in the pap of a rosted apple with this medicine she was wont to vomit 4. or 5. times four days after she took this cathartic which was wont to be repeated twice after 6. or 7. days between Take Calomelun xii grains of the Resin of Jolop v. grains of castor gr iiii with what will suffice of Ammoniac dissolved make iii. pills every day besides she took morning and evening of the tincture of Antimony grains xii in a Spoonfull of the following Julap drinking after it 6. or 7. Spoonfulls of the same Take of the water of Snailes â„¥ vi of earth-worms â„¥ iiii of water of penny-royal and rue each â„¥ iii. of hysterical water â„¥ iii. of Castor tyed in a knot and hung in the glass Ê’ss of white-white-sugar â„¥ i. mix them in the glass and make a Julap About the Autumn of the last year another noble Virgin being sick after the same manner viz. with a Periodical Asthma I was sent for to cure her Observation 4 who received great help by the aforesaid Remedies being used in a little lesser dose and the same repeated at the first of the Spring In these Cases also nothing seems to appear more clearly than that the cause of the Disease without any phlegm or viscous humour being impacted in the Lungs as is commonly beleeved doth subsist within the nervous stock and that this kind of Dyspnaea or difficult breathing meerly convulsive is excited by reason of the Pneumonic nervs being possessed by the Convulsive Distemper The verity of this may be yet more clearly evinced by an anatomical observation An Anatical Observation lately Comunicated to me by the learned Physitian Doctor Walter Needham That most famous man told me that he knew a Butcher of Wallsallen in the County of Stafford who when he had been long sick of a periodical Asthma returning within 14. or 20 days at farthest at length he dyed in a fit The Body being opened all his Viscera appeared sound chiefly his Lungs neither were there to be seen any signes either of excrement gathered together in the Bronchia or of the blood restagnating in the veins this only hapned besides nature that the bladder of the gall contained in it many stones But added he the causes unknown to us certainly not Conspicuous to our eyes were to be attributed to the nervous stock being affected Sometime past I was consulted with about a noble child Anoiher Anatomical Observation who being about 12. months old was grieviously afflicted with Convulsion fits and as it were Epileptic of which he quickly dyed I often observed that whilest the Convulsion of the outward parts intermitted he was taken with a cruel sobbing or hooping Cough from whence I suspected that the morbific matter was no less fixed in the breast than in the brain But after its Death the body being opened the Lungs well furnish'd appeared clear from any fault that it clearly appeared that this cough meerly Convulsive was excited by reason of the Distemper of the nervous stock As to what respects the Remedies and curatory means which ought to be used in the aforesaid cases when that convulsive Symptoms come upon the Cough or difficulty of breathing first excited from the default of the Lungs and so by reason of the taint communicated to the brain it must be carefully heeded that Convulsive medicines be aptly compounded with those respecting all the Intentions of the Thorax Yea that sometimes these sometimes those being given by themselves may between whiles fill up the times of curing it will not be needfull in this place to bring the bechic or Pneumonic medicines and forms of them since an immense company of them are extant every where among Physical Authors It will be sufficient for our purpose to add a method of medicine also some more select Remedies convenient for the Cough and Asthma meerly Convulsive The cure of the Convulsive Cough As to the former Distemper which is most familiar to children the cure is difficult and for the most part not to be performed but of a long time The chief Indications will be to purge forth both the serous and sharp humours from the blood and Viscera that