Medicines and Purging unless very gentle have very rarely any place here Cataplasms of Rue Chamomel Vervine Bryony Roots red Poppies with Sope may be laid all over the Feet or instead of them may be applied Pigeons or Chickens cut up and laid warm In the mean time as you see occasion there ought to be prescribed Iuleps Apozems Powders and Confections by which the rage of the Blood and the burning of the Animal Spirits may be allayed Take of Pipin Water Black Cherry Water and Cowslip Water each four ounces Water of the whole Citrons two ounces of Pearl powder'd one dram of Syrup of the juice of Citron one ounce mingle them and make a Iulep let three ounces be taken three or four times in a day Take of Grass Roots of the Leaves of Wood-Sorrel and Pimpernel each one handful of Barly half an ounce of Apples cut of Currans or Strawberries or Rasberries one handful let them be boiled in four pints of spring-water till a third part be consumed clarifie it and strain it then add to it of the Syrup of Violets one ounce and of Sal Prunella a dram and a half Take of the Leaves of Borage fresh gathered and young four handfuls of Wood-Sorrel two handfuls two Apples sliced of Sal Prunella two drams the pulp of one Orange of white Sugar one ounce let them be bruised together and pour to them of spring-water two or three pints let them be strongly squeezed forth and kept in a Glass and cleared from its setling let six or seven ounces be taken of this often in a day when they will For the quenching of thirst let the excellent drink of Palmerus viz. Spring-water with Sugar and the juice of Lemons or Water or Posset-drink with Elm leaves or Pimpernel infused or boiled in it be drunk Emulsions of the Decoction of the roots and flowers of Water-Lilies with Melon-seeds or else spring-Spring-water distilled with the pulp of boiled Apples dissolved in it Hypnoticks or Medicines causing rest are often very necessary in this Disease but yet the stronger are not convenient in the beginning nor let them be frequently used because sleep caused by Opiates carries more morbific matter to the Brain and fixes it more deeply there Take of the Water of Cowslip flowers four ounces of the Syrup of Poppies half an ounce of Pearl one scruple make a drink to be taken at night late Take of the Seeds of white Poppy two drams of Sugar-Candy a dram and a half bruise them together and pour to them of white Poppy Water six ounces make an expression to be taken after the same manner Narcoticks or Stupefying Medicines which are made of things meerly cold are cautiously to be exhibited because they agree not with some who have the Fibres of their Stomach very tender and sensible I have often observed these kind of Hypnoticks to have stirred up a great oppression in the Ventricle and then presently an Inflation or blowing of it up and a little after distractions and inordinations of Spirits use to follow in the Brain yea in the whole Body so that there was not only a frustration of sleep but great disquietness was stirred up Take of liquid Luadanum prepared with the Salt of Tartar or the juice of Quinces Let a Dose of it be taken in a convenient liquor Things inviting Sleep as Epithems or moist Medicines applied to the Temples and Forehead are often used with success of which sort are Rose-cakes dipt in Vinegar rose-Rose-water and grated Nutmeg and Embrocation or washing with Water or Milk Oyntments of Oyl of Nutmeg by expression Oyntment of Poplar to which sometimes may be added of Opium five or six grains or a Cake of Poppy flowers with Vinegar and Nutmeg c. Further for this end rather than for the taking away the inflammation of the Meninges the hot Lungs of a Lamb or Weather as also Pigeons or Chickins slit in two do often give notable help Also for this use Housleek bruised and mixt with a Womans Milk and applied to the hinder part of the Head being shaved is wonderfully praised Also the Epithem of Penotus of twelve grains of Nutmeg of Camphir half a scruple and the Tincture of Rose-water impregnated with red Sanders twenty ounces is commended by some Further they are wont to apply Epithens not only to the Head but also to the Heart Liver and other parts A little bag of silk may be applied to the Praecordia with Cardiac Species being sewed or quilted in it with silk and sprinkled with rose-Rose-water or Vinegar of Roses also rags wet in Rose Vinegar may be laid to the Testicles The Feet way be hathed with a Decoction of Willow leaves Lettice or the heads of white Poppy But these kind of cooling Topicks only and cherishers are to be used in the beginning of the Disease but in its height resolves and softners are to be added as the Flowers of Chamomel Melilot Elder c. also the leaves of Mallows Orage Marjoram Hysop and such like In the declining of the Disease resolvers only and those sparingly are to be administred In the mean time there ought to be great means used for keeping up of strenght for that too much failing all hopes of Cure is lost For strength is quickly worn out by reason of great watchings the perpetual agitations both of the body and mind a thin Dyet and Phlebotomy sometimes often requisite Wherefore great care must be had lest whilst we endeavour to root out the Disease by Purging or frequent letting of Blood we should suddenly debilitate the Vital Function If this begins to fail the Phrensie being let alone a better dyet may be granted and especially Cordialls are to be used Take of the Tincture of Coral half an ounce take of it twenty drops twice or thrice in a day with a Dose of a Cephalick or a Cordial Iulep or let it be given with Coral dissolved in Milk made with the juice of Oranges one spoonful often in a day Take of the Rob or Conserves of Rasberries and Barberies one ounce of prepared Pearl of Magistery of Coral each one dram of Confection of Hyacinthae two drams Syrup of the juice of Alchermes what will suffice make a Confection and let the quantity of a Nutmeg be taken three or four times a day drinking after it of the following Iulep three ounces Take of the Water of the Flowers of Water-Lilies red Roses and of Elm leaves each three ounces of the Syrup of Coral two ounces of the Cordial Water of Saxony one dram mingle them Take of the Conserves of the Flowers of Water-Lilies and of Violets each one ounce the Stalks of Lettice candied or preserved half an ounce of the Powder of red Coral bruised in a morter with the juice of Orange and dryed two drams of the Species of Diamarg frigid one dram of white Poppy seeds one dram and a half with what will suffice of the Syrup of the
Face then a fullness in the Head and a pain would infest them and especially after drinking of Wine or eating of Meats apt to swell up they would be more vexed The coming of the Disease is wont to keep its distance according as Meats are taken more or less as the Chyme begins to swell up either a little after its first entring into the Blood or after a little stay in it This Distemper is free from danger and for the most part is easily enough Cured After a provision of the whole a gentle Purge and sometimes Blood-letting being ordered Remedies profit most which restore the Complexion of the Blood such chiefly are Antiscorbuticks and Chalybeates Take of the Conserve of Fumitory of Tansie and Wood-Sorrel each two ounces of the Powder of Aron Compound three drams of Ivory Crabs-Eyes Coral prepared each one dram Powder of yellow Saunders and Lignum Aloes each half a dram of the Vitriol of Steel one dram of the Salt of Wormwood a dram and a half of the Syrup of the Five Roots what will suffice to make an Electuary Take of it in the morning and at five a clock in the afternoon the quantity of a Chesnut drinking after it three ounces of the following liquor Taâ—e of the water of the leaves of Aron of Vervine of Elderflowers each six ounces of the Water of Snails and the Magisterial of Earth-worms each two ounces of Sugar one ounce Mingle them Hither may be brought various Remedies that are wont to be made use of against the Scorbutick Dyscrasie or evil disposition of the Blood and may be given with good success For Headaches which are so familiar in the Scurvy oftentimes proceed from the vice of the Blood perverting the nutritious Humor and carrying its Recrements to the Membranes of the Head Wherefore Remedies against that Distemper in another place noted by me may be used here 6. There yet remains another humor to wit the nervous Liquor which being heaped up within the Fibres of the Meninges and of other parts of the Head sometimes becomes improportionate by its proper incongruity to the Fibres because sharp or otherways degenerate sometimes pulls the containing parts and provokes them into painful Convulsions or Distentions because it grows hot with some other Humor flowing thither to wit the Nutritious or the Serous The Nervous Humor when it is so Morbific or faulty in its whole Mass carries its evil to the predisposed Head or if of it self innocent is perverted within the distemper'd Fibres and so secondarily becomes Morbific or Diseased then the Cure of it depends upon the restitution of the containing parts to wit if the Debilities or the hurt Conformation of the Fibres may be mended presently the Humor watering them will be free from fault We shall tell you by and by by what Remedies the vices of the parts predisposed to Headaches may be taken away In the mean time if the nervous humor being degenerate in the whole Mass imparts its evil to the Head prepared for pain those kind of Medicines and method are to be made use of by which it being reduced to its due Constitution passing thorow those Fibres it little or nothing provokes them For which end neither letting of Blood nor yet strong Purges are at all convenient because those things which shake the Blood and Humors and lessen strength impress by that means a greater sharpness and rage to the faulty Nerve But gentle Solutives and a sparing taking of Blood sometimes may be useful whereby the Inwards may be cleansed and the bloody Mass somewhat purged and a way made for other Medicines that may better succeed But Medicines which render the nervous Liquor more friendly and benigne to the Membranes of the Head that are wont to be troubled by it are of that sort commonly called Cephalicks whose particles being active thin and subtil pass thorow the Blood without trouble or tumult then insinuating themselves with the nervous Liquor gently move it and so cause the nervous passages to be unfolded so that the Animal Spirits more freely beam forth thorow all the Bodies both sensible and motive and inspire them without any lessening Convulsions or irregular distentions These kind of Remedies although they are not always effectual yet they oftentimes take away some Headaches not much inveterate and in some help sometimes how pertinacious soever they be Further the same which are prescribed with good success for the pains of the Head are also for the distempers of the Brain and Nervous Stock and so on the contrary what are used for these also for those to wit the virtues of those being unfolded within the Head against the Apoplexy Palsie Lethargy and other Diseases a-kin to them help also within the moving Fibres against Convulsions and Convulsive Motions besides putting forth their virtues within the sensible Fibres they often give help to pains A very large field of these Medicines are opened in physical Books yet so that the poorness of them and their abundance bring confusion to the Method of healing for oftentimes among so many various and different Remedies heaped up together lye hid or obscured what may be of great use but even as Wheat among Chaff harder to be separated than that to be thorowly sifted out from the husks Therefore in this case a provision of the whole being made and applyed and things given which by Dyet or Medicine restrain the Inordinations of the Blood and immediately allay them Medicines called Cephalicks or such as take away the disorders of the nervous Juice are prescribed to be carefully taken I shall add some few forms of these Take of the Conserve of the Flowers of Betony of Clove-gilliflowers each three ounces of the Powder of the Root of the male Poeony half an ounce of Cretick Dittanny one dram of the wood Aloes and yellow Sanders each one dram of red Coral prepared of Pearl of Ivory each one dram and a half of the Salt of Vervine one dram and a half of the Syrup of the Flowers of Poeony what will suffice make an Opiat take of it to the quantity of a Chesnut drinking after it of the following Iulep three ounces Take of simple black Cherry water and of Walnuts and of Vervine each four ounces of Cowslip Flowers three ounces of Poeony Compound two ounces of Sugar-Candy six drams Take of the Flowers of Vervine Misleto Berries each ten handfuls of the male Poeony Roots two pound of Mace and Nutmegs each half an ounce of Coriander Seeds one ounce cut and bruise them and put to them eight pints of new-milk or else seven pints of Milk and one pint of Malago Distil them in a common Still and mix all the liquor together Take of it three ounces at a time Take of the Powder of the Root of the male Poeony half an ounce of red Coral prepared two drams of Ivory and Pearls prepared
good dyet let her take also Morning and Evening a Dose of Cephalick Powder or Electuary drinking after it a draught of Posset drink with the leaves of Sage or Betony or the Roots or Seeds of Poeony boiled in it Let the Infant take twice a day a spoonful of proper Distilled Water Let him have an Issue made in the nape of the Neck and let it lye sometimes on one side and sometimes on the other and rarely or never on its back If a Neck-lace of Coral or little balls of the Seeds or Roots of the male Poeony be worn about the Neck or at the pit of the Stomach it is not altogether useless if that in sleep being often and grievously shaken they are seen to be more dangerously troubled with this Distemper let Blisters be raised in the hinder part of the Neck or behind the Ears also Evening and Morning let there be daily given a Dose of the Powder of Ammoniacum or other proper Dose in a spoonful of Distilled Water or Iulep CHAP. VII Of the Vertigo or a turning round in the Head HAving viewed the exterior compass of either part of the Head and detected the Diseases which beset the sensitive soul about the first beginnings and last springs of the Animal Spirits we shall next descend to the middle part of the Brain where the phantasie and common sense reside and behold what kind of passions these parts are obnoxious to Concerning this in the first place we shall note that sometimes troops or rather mighty armies of Spirits inhabiting these places are affected and sometimes also small handfuls or bands then again many of them are affected together or else only a few at a time or they become Elastick from an heterogeneous Copula and so are compelled into inordinate motions or as it were explosive or shooting off as in the Epileptick fit or suffering an eclipse as in the Apoplexy are deprived of all motion Concerning the former disposition of the Spirits we have formerly treated largely enough and the astonishing Disease we shall handle afterwards But in this place we shall speak of a certain Passion or distemper belonging to these parts viz. the Vertigo in which a certain band or handful of the Spirits are affected and their motions are seen to be partly perverted and partly suppressed Being but little solicitous about the names by which the Vertigo is wont to be known we shall describe the nature or formal reason of it after this manner viz. The Vertigo is an Affection or Distemper in which the visible objects seem to turn round and the sick feel a perturbation or confusion of the Animal Spirits in the Brain that they do not rightly flow into the Nerves Wherefore the visive and the loco-motive faculties do often in some measure fail that those labouring with it fall and oftentimes are covered with darkness In this fit it is observed that the imagination and the common sense are in a manner deceived whilst they believe the quiet objects to be moved but the rational judgment remains for we understand our error and we presently ascribe this fallacy to the inordination of the Animal Spirits for that we plainly know that the spirits flowing within the Brain do decline from their wonted irradiation or beaming forth and do not rightly perform the offices of motion and sensation during the fit That we may find out the Morbific Cause and the preternatural manner of the Vertigo we shall inquire after what manner this same affection or Distemper how extempory or sudden soever it be is wont to be excited from non-natural things for men ordinarily become Vertiginous or have a turning in their head with a long turning round of the body looking down from an high place passing over Bridges Sailing and by Drunkenness and many other ways It will be worth our while to consider a little further the means of affecting by which these exterior actions stir up this turning or rolling about from whence it will the better appear what kind of intrinsick causes â—ay be able to excite this passion In the first place therefore when men are foâ—â—ome time turned about both in that motion all things seem to be turned about and also they ceasing from turning about that still continues in the phantasie so that the affected oftentimes fall to the ground further though they shut their eyes they still perceive as it were a turning round like the turning about of a Mill in the Brain The reason of these is not that the deception of the sight is first brought to the eyes and afterwards continued for some time because this affection is caused by the turning round of the body whether they look with or shut their eyes But indeed the cause of this apparition wholly depends upon the fluid substance of the animal spirits For that the spirits flowing within the Brain are even like to water or a thick heap of Vapors included in a Phial which being shaken round about together with the Vessel and made so to turn about continues for a time that motion though the Vessel stands still in like manner also when the body of a man is turned round about the spirits inhabiting the Brain from that turning about of the Head like the containing Vessel are agitated into spiral or round motions and when therefore they cannot irradiate the Nerves with their wonted influx and direct beams from hence oftentimes a Scotomy or dizzness and a failing of the feet together with a rotation or whirling about of visible objects are induced The visible Hemisphere seems to turn round because as the sensible impression is received by the means of the recipient so the objects as the spirits seem to be moved round about Secondly looking from on high and passing over Bridges stir up a Vertigo or giddiness in the Head for that there is a terror cast on the imagination from unaccustomed objects as also from the site of the body or going in danger whence that being very solicitous how it should rightly order and more firmly direct the spirits into the bodies of the Nerves calls them back into the middle part of the Brain and so perverts them from their wonted afflux and irradiation and whilst it indeavours to set their battel in better array and to direct them more surely by too great a care drives them into a certain confusion and irregular motion Wherefore 't is observed that drunken men and very bold because they are not careful or solicitous concerning the guiding of the animal spirits suffer no such thing Sailing or riding in a Coach causes a turning in the Head by the like reason as the turning round of the Body because the very fluid spirits being too much agitated like water shaken in a Glass leap hither and thither disorderly Further it is wholly for the same reason why many going by Ship or by Coach are subject also to cruel Vomiting to wit because the spirits being snatched
blood being too hot or swelling up is wont sometimes to bring in the Morbific cause or at least to increase it and the same sinking down and becoming more setled sometimes carries it away therefore in the first place you ought to deliberate concerning the moderating its course And hâ—re a question arises concerning the placing of the Patient to wit whether he ought presently to be put to bed or to be detained out of it for some time some religiously observe the latter and that not without reason to wit because in Bed there is a greater propensity to sleep and the blood growing hot and flaming forth more plentifully by reason of the heat of the Bed-cloaths pours forth still more recrementitious matter into the distemper'd Brain on the contrary whilst the sick is thinly cloathed and placed in a Chair the blood flows more slowly and the sinking Vessels seem more apt rather to sup back the humors out of the Head than to send them thither Wherefore if the Patient be strong enough it will be expedient perhaps to let him stay out of bed for six or eight hours till the fâ—ux of the Morbific Matter passes over and the course of the Blood be made more quiet by Phlebotomy and other Remedies carefully administred but the weak and who are of a tender constitution let them be put to bed as soon as they are smitten But let not the sick whether in bed or up lye upon his back but with his head somewhat upright and inclining either to one side or the other Phlebotomy necessary almost in all Apoplectical persons is not to be deferred but the Blood is copiously drawn back by a strong Clyster In the Clyster may be dissolved the Species of Hierae Diacolycinthia and a troubled Infusion of Crocus Metallorum Let a large Blistering Plaster be applied to the hinder part of the Head and other drawing Cataplasms to the Legs and Feet Let the Temples and Nostrils be anointed with proper Oyls and Balâ—oms and let painful rubbings be used almost to the whole Body In the mean time let things that stir up the Animal Spirits and help them out of their bonds be given them viz. Spirits of Harts-horn Sut and the like with a Cephalick Iulep After this the sick being placed in the bed if he be able and doth easily Vomit let an Emetick be given him of the Salt of Vitriol Oxymel of Squills or an Infusion of Crocus Metallorum and then with a Feather put down the throat provoke vomiting four or five times drinking between whiles Posset-drink Vomiting being over let there be given Comforters as the Elixir Vitae of Quercitan Spirits of Lavender or Camphorated Treacle Tincture of Poeony or of Amber or of Coral with Apoplectical Water or other appropriate Waters in a convenient Dose and repeated as the business requires On the second day the same Remedies being still continued let dry Cupping-Glasses or with Scarification be applied between the shoulders or to the hinder part of the Neck or if more blood ought to be taken away let the jugular Vein be opened the Clyster repeated apply to the Nose Spirit of Sal Armoniack or a fume of Galbanum boiled in strong Vinegar Besides let Errhines or Sneezing Powders and things to chew in the mouth to draw away Rheum be used Then in the Evening let a Purge be ordered of Pil. Rudii or a Solutive Electuary of Roses dissolved in some liquor None of these things helping though there be small or no hope the top of the Head being shaven let glowing Iron be held over it or a large Blister made upon it and let the other part especially the Forehead and forepart of the Head be bathed with Bezâ—ardick Vinegar let Leeches be set to the Temples or behind the Ears let also a large Dose of Spirits of Harts-horn or of Sut be often poured down the throat these and other the like administrations are to be used till you see death at hand which as Celsus faith these sort of Remedies only defer but some times hasten life The Prophylactick or preventive Method respects both those who have been troubled with one or more fits and also those who are seen to be prone to it as those who are born of Apoplectick Parents or are frequently obnoxious to the Vertigo the Incubus or Swooning away also such who have short and brawny Necks Let Purging and Bleeding be ordered Spring and Fall where it is convenient as to the former those who are easie to vomit let them first take an Emetick of the infusion of Crocus Metallorum with the Salt of Vitriol or of the Sulphur of Antimony and then after three or four days let there be given a Dose of Pil. Rudii or of Amber and after a due distance between let it be repeated three or four times Let two large Issues be made between the shoulders or if that place doth not please some let them be made in one of the Arms and in the opposite Leg. On other days free from purging let altering and Cephalick Medicines be taken twice a day Take of the Conserves of the Flowers of the Lilies of the valley or of the male Poeony six ounces of the Powder of the Root of the male Poeony half an ounce of humane Skull prepared three drams of the Seeds and the Flowers of the male Poeony powdered each two drams of red Coral prepared of Pearls and of the whitest Amber each one dram of the Salt of Coral four scruples of the Syrup of the Flowers of the male Poeony what will suffice to make an Electuary The Dose two drams morning and evening drinking after it two or three ounces of the following Water Take of the Roots of the male Poeony of Imperatorian Angelica each half a pound of the Root of Zedoary of the lesser Galangal each one ounce of the leaves of the Orchard Mifleto of Rue Sage and Betony each four handfuls of the outer rind of ten Orenges and eight Lemons of Cardomums Cloves Nutmegs each half an ounce all being cut and bruised pour to them of white Wine in which two pints of the dung of the Peacok hath been infused for a day ten pints let them infuse close shut for three days then distil it according to art and let the whole liquor be mixed together Take of the Species of Diambrae two drams of the Powder of the Root of the male Poeony of Zedoary picked each one dram and a half of Pearl one dram of the Oyl of the purest Amber half a dram of the whitest Sugar half a dram being dissolved in six ounces of the water of Poeony and boiled up to a consistence make Lozenges according to art each weighing half a dram Let the Patient eat one or two often in a day at his pleasure Within the fifteenth or twentieth day that the Remedies may not be irksome and may profit the better let them be
in the compounded Poeony water and boiled up to the consistency of Lozenges six ounces make Lozenges according to art weighing each half a dram Eat of them three or four twice in a day drinking after every Dose of the liquors before mentioned Take of the Powder of Virginian Snakeweed two drams of the lesseâ— Galingal one dram of the gummed extracts of the remains of the distillation of the Elixir Vitae of Quercitan two drams of the Flowers of Sal Armoniack or the most pure Volatile Salt of Sut or Harts-horn one dram of the Balsom of Peru one scruple of the Balsom of Capivus what will suffice to make a mass let it be made into small Pills involved in the Species Diambre The Dose is half a dram evening or morning Take of the Resine or Gum of Guaicum three drams of the Species Diambre one dram of the Chymical Oyl of Guaicum rightly rectified one dram and a half of liquid Amber what will suffice to make a mass let it be formed into Pills to be taken after the same manner If that the Palsie happens in a Cholerick temper or to a young Man it admits only of milder Medicines and all the more hot things and Elastick do but imbitter the Disease The following forms are in use for the taking away of its foregoing cause Take of the Conserves of the Flowers of Betony of Fumitory of Primroses each two ounces of the Species Diambre one dram of Ivory Crabs Eyes and Claws each four scruples of the Powder of the Flowers of Poeony two drams of Lignum Aloes of yellow Sanders each one dram of the Salt of Wormwood one dram and a half and with the Syrup of the Flowers of Poeony what will suffice make an Electuary The Dose is two drams twice in a day drinking after it either the simple water of the Flowers of Aron or of the following Compounded Water three ounces or of the Decoction of Sage with the leaves of Tea infused in it four or six ounces Take of the Roots of Aron or Cuckopint of the male Poeony Angelica Imperatoria each half a pound of the Flowers of Sage Rosemary Marjoram Brooklime Water-Cresses each four handfuls of the rinds of six Oranges and four Lemons of Primroses Cowslips Marigold flowers each three handfuls let them be all bruised and cut and pour to them of new Milk six pints of Malaga Wine one quart distil them in common Stils and let the whole liquor be mixed together Sometimes instead of the Electuary may be taken between whiles for fourteen or fifteen days of the Syrup of Steel of which let one spoonful be taken in three ounces of the distilled Water It may be made after this manner Take of the whitest Sugar dissolved in black Cherry Water and boil'd up to a consistency eight ounces adding to it of our Steel in Powder three drams let them be stirred together over the fire and then by degrees pour to it of the Water of Rosemary warm twelve ounces let it boil gently for a quarter of an hour scumming it and pouring it forth warm thorow an hair sieve or strainer There may be also made steeled Lozenges after this manner to wit with Sugar sufficiently boiled with Steel adding of the Chymical Oyl of Amber or of Rosemary half a dram and presently let it be poured forth that it may flow into a consistency of Lozenges The Dose is two drams twice in a day drinking after it of distilled Water or of the following Apozem six ounces Take of China Root one ounce of the shavings of Ivory Harts-born each half an ounce of white and yellow Sanders of the Wood of the Mastick-tree each half an ounce let them be infused in warm water and close stopt for a whole night six pints in the morning add to them of the Roots of Chervil of sweet smelling Avens of Broom and Parsley each one ounce and a half of the dryed leaves of ground Ivy Sage Germander Betony each one handful of Coriander seeds three drams let them be boiled till half is consumed then add to it of white Wine half a pint and strain it into a jugg upon the leaves of Water-Cresses bruised two handful Let it infuse warm and close shut for two hours strain it again and keep it in a close Vessel well stopt In the Scorbutick Palsie the Juices and expressions of Herbs do often bring notable help Take of the leaves of Brooklime Water-Cresses and Plantan fresh gathered each four handfuls bruise them together and pour to them of the distilled Water but now described eight ounces squeese the juice strongly forth and keep it in a glass and take of it twice or thrice in a day three or four ounces At the extream Physical hours viz. Morning and Evening may be taken these following Pills Take of Millipedes prepared three drams and a half of Pearls one dram and a half of the Root of the Cretick Dittany one dram Venice Turpentine what will suffice to make a mass let it be formed into small Pills the Dose is half a dram drinking after it a draught of the distilled Water For ordinary drink let there be prescribed either a Bochet of Sarse China yellow Sanders c. or small Ale with the dryed leaves of ground Ivy boiled in it and of Sage with the Wood of Sassafras infused therein 2. Whilst these things are doing for the taking away the foregoing cause of the Disease there is no less a curatory care required for its conjunct cause to wit that all obstructed places being opened they might admit the Animal Spirits free from stupefaction and that they may pass freely thorow There are two chief kinds of Remedies which conduce to those ends viz. one particular and private to be applied to the distemper'd places to wit that by Fomentations Oyntments Plasters and such like outward applications the sleepy Spirits might be awakned and their passages opened the other universal to wit that the Blood and Spirits and the other humors and the active Particles flowing in the whole Body being very much agitated and put into a rapit motion like a torrent they might cast down and remove all impacted heaps or stays by which the Spirits are obstructed The administrations used to the distempered parts are so ordinarily and commonly known that it were superfluous to insist here on the describing them more largely First Liniments made out of Oyls Oyntments and Balsoms are to be applied according to the temper of the Patient more or less hot and with frictions or strong rubbing twice a day Sometimes before these are made use of Fomentations made of Cephalick Herbs or spices boiled in Spring Water adding to it sometimes Strong Waters Wine or Bear or their Lees. Further oftentimes it is convenient to make about the distemper'd places Blisters and to use Cupping-glasses and Medicines to take away the hairs and to raise pimples Little Bags and Plasters often help Moreover
do any thing knowingly As to what belongs to the Prognostick Stupidity being contracted from the birth or hereditary or happening from unknown causes if it still persists to ripe age it is almost never healed but when it happens that Children being at first dull and almost insensible by reason of the complexions of both their Brain and Spirits being ripened they are made ingenious and docil enough This Disease excited from an evident solitary cause as from an hurt of the Head or a violent passion also coming upon an inveterate Epilepsie if it continues for some time it is afterwards incurable What succeeds a Lethargy and any other sleepy Diseases depends chiefly on the hurt of the Memory and sometimes vanishes of its own accord those Distempers being cured Therefore when in these cases the cure of Stupidity is instituted here are convenient almost the same method of healing and Remedies which we have prescribed in the Preservatory Indication of the Lethargy the chief intentions of which are that the Animal Spirits being freed from any torpor or benummedness cut forth or frame Pores and passages within the translucid Brain and may be expanded truly in them Sometimes a Feavour has cured some Fools and stupid and render'd them more acute Huartus tells of a certain man that was a Fool in the Court of Corduba that being distemper'd with a malignant Feavour came so much to himself in the midst of the Disease and with that judgment and discretion that the whole Court stood in admiration and so remained his whole life afterwards one of the most prudent men of his time We our selves have known a certain man of a very blunt Boeotick or dull wit who talking idly in a Feavour most suddenly brought forth most acute speeches and seasoned with a great deal of salt or ingenious wit Further we before spoke of a generous old Gentleman who having lost his memory and so the use of discourse received great help by the distemper of a Feavour happening afterwards the reason of which seems to be because the feavourish burning sometimes rarefies and dispels the darkness covering the Brain As to what respects the cure of this Disease Stupidity whether innate or acquired if it be not plainly Madness or Stolidity uncapable of all learning though it may not be cured yet is often wont to be amended Wherefore it must be the work both of a Physician and a Teacher that the wit of such that are so affected may be somewhat trimmed and they being at least brought to the use of reason in a little measure may be accounted out of the number of Brutes For this end because dull or senseless Beetles or the more dull Loggerheads or Blockheads do not readily learn the common notions of things no more than Children the first elements of letters therefore they are to be instituted in all things by the frequent care of a Master and the same things are again and again to be inculcated to them For by this means the Spirits though slow and torpid are a little sharpened by perpetual exercise and they being continually excited in the Brain how rude and crasse soever they be do cut forth at length for their expansion some tracts or passages though more imperfect But that this may the more happily and easily succeed medical Remedies ought to be administred which may purifie and volatize the Blood and nervous Liquor together with the Animal Spirits and also that may clarifie the Brain and render it as it were Diaphanous For the purifying the Blood let there be sometimes administer'd a gentle Purge and Phlebotomy in a small quantity if there be strength several times for that end also Issues are convenient in the Arm or Leg or both for the driving the filthiness from the Brain In fat folks and such as are indowed with a moist Head let them sometimes be made between the shoulders Further some in this case cry up with wonderful praises a Trepaning by which the Brain may more freely breath forth and evaporate Let their diet be light and attenuating their dwelling in a free air and dry their sleep moderate After these have for some time been administred in the ordinary and usual manner if that in the left part of the breast there is no beating of the heart in the Arcadian youth or if there be no sign of hopes it will be in vain to spend labour and pains and Medicines any further on them but if by the use of these any signs of help or any hopes appear sometimes it will be to the purpose to add to these altering Remedies to be daily taken at medical hours for a long time The Recipes or Formula's of these are already delivered in our Pharmaceutice for the taking away the foregoing causes of most Cephalick Diseases and thence may be taken moreover what do besides respect this particular case we think here good to add being some magisterial Receipts Take of the Spirits of Armoniacum succinated or with Amber six drams let it be given from fifteen to twenty drops Evening and Morning in three spoonfuls of the following distilled water drinking after it seven spoonfuls of the same Take of the fresh leaves of Misletoe of the Apple tree six handfuls of the lesser Sage Rosemary Savory the greater Rocket Mother of Thyme Calaminths Penyroyal Marjoram each four handfuls of the roots of Angelica of Imperatoria each six ounces of Zedoary the lesser Galingal of the Aromatick Reed of Winterans Bark each two ounces of Cloves Nutmegs Mace Cinnamon Ginger each one ounce of Cubebs Cardamums Grains of Paradise each six drams all of these being cut and bruised small together pour to them twelve pints of the best Canary let them be digested cold and close shut in a vessel for three days then distilled according to art let the whole liquor be mixed together and sweetned with Sugar when it is taken The Dose is two or three ounces After the use of the Spirits of Armoniack for fifteen or twenty days other Medicines about that time may have their turns such as Spirits of Harts-horn of Sut Humane Skull Tinctures of Coral Antimony Castor Amber the Elixir Vitae Quercitani Elixir Proprietatis Spirits of Lavender c. Or Take of the Conserves of the flowers of the Lilie of the valley six ounces of the roots of Acori veri preserved six drams of Ginger preserved in India of preserved Nutmeg each half an ounce of Species Diambrae two drams of Lignum Aloes yellow Saunders the pickt roots of Zedoary of Cubebs of Iamaica Pepper each one dram and a half of Coral prepared two drams of the Syrup of Candied Ginger what will suffice make an Electuary The Dose two drams Morning and Evening drinking after it of the distilled Water three ounces For those whose Brain is too abounding with moisture let them drink every Morning a draught of Coffee with Sage leaves
being dipt in this let it be applied warm Take of red Lead three ounces of distilled Vinegar one quart let them digest for several days and use this liquor by it self or else the water drawn of by distillation Also a Water distilled made of a Tincture of Verdigriese distilled in Vinegar often times allays the pains I had from a Gentleman oftentimes heavily obnoxious to the Gout that he in the most cruel torments of this Disease had always present ease from a Fomentation of the water distilled from the contents in the stomach of an Ox fresh killed For the extream torments of the Gout outward Narcoticks ought sometimes to be applied Take of the leaves of Henbane and of Hemlock each three handfuls let them be put into boiling water and as soon as they grow tender let them be taken out These being bruised add to them of the Powder of Chamomel flowers about two drams and the yoalk of one Egg make a Poultesse Or take of the Tincture of Saffron made in the Spirit of Wine four ounces of Camphor of Opium each one dram let them digest close shut and warm till they are dissolved anoint the pained part with this liquor There are to be found other innumerable Medicines of this sort in Medical Books and are every where ordinary and wont to be prescribed almost by every vulgar person which also suffices for the fulfilling of the other Intention to wit the repercussion of the Humors when it is seen necessary As to what respects Resolving and Discussing Topicks they are not required to be of the same kind which open only the Pores and evaporate the Serum and make the Blood circulate as in an Inflammation or a white hard swelling but whos 's Saline Particles being destinated for the opposing those Salts of the Goutish Mine may either by embracing them carry them sorth of doors or by precipitating them may suppress them from their painful heats Wherefore in this Disease when Fomentations or Pultesses of Chaâ—â—mel Mallows Marsh-mallows Line and Fenegreek seeds bring little or no help yea by loosning the nervous parts do oftentimes much hurt the Salt of Armoniack or Sea Salt or Nitre or of Vitriol quick Lime and dissolutions of the like or distilled Liquors always troublesome to other humors or pains are wont to give the greatest help These kind of Liquors in the Goutish Fits to be applied to the grieved part are variously prescribed by Quercitan Crollius Hartman and other Chymists and as other famous Physicians have often â—ound them by experience good and approved of them we may conclude that they are helpful for the aforesaid reason There will be no need here to repeat the forms of these though I could easily set down many other preparations of this sort yet I shall here give you one or two of them only Take of Sal Tartari and Armoniac powdered each two ounces put them into rain or spring water two quarts and with a linnen cloth dipt in it warm apply it Take of the Spirits of Vitriol not rectified one pint of Sea Salt calcined and powdered one pound distil them in a Glass retort in sand a very pure Spirit of Salt will come forth which being expulsed from its lodging by a Vitriolick Stagma leaving the possession easly ascends To the dead head pour two pints of the Spirit of Wine digest it close and warm adding of Camphor two drams let it be applied warm to the grieved part with linnen rags Take of the Filings of Iron of the Flowers of Sal Armoniack each six ounces mingle them well by pounding them together let it be distilled in a Glass retort till the Flowers are sublimated to the Caput Mortuum being pounded pour the Spirits of Wine digest it and keep it for use I have heard of some that for the allaying of the pains of the Gout have inclosed the distempered foot in a little Bay filled with Sea Salt calcined and powdered from which they have still expected a certain and sudden help In the declination of the Fit for the strengthening the part and for the shaking off the relignes of the Morbific matter Plasters are profitably applied which however are not all convenient to all but for some more for others less hot But the most efficacious to most people are those in which are Red Lead Ceruse and Soap boiled with Oyl Or Take of the Plaster of Red Lead two parts of Paracelsus one part wax them and spread them upon Leather 2. Internal Remedies for the pains of the Gout that are made use of are only Narcoticks or such as stupefie which ought to be administer'd in cruel and long torments Of these we shall chiefly commend Preparations of Opium with Salt of Tartar or its Tincture Further for this use the Laudanum of Paracelsus or that of London Pills of Styrax and Cynogloss or Dogs Tongue Syrup de Maeconie or of Poppies Treacle Andromach and Diascordium are wont to be helpful or give ease The Indication Preservatory or so called respects the taking away of the foregoing causes of the Gout wherefore that the fits of pains may more rarely or less or not at all infest them For this end Evacuating Altering and Corroborating Remedies together with an exact dyet are prescribed to be given out of the Fits 1. Gouty people therefore ought constantly to be purged Spring and Fall and then also it will be expedient to Vomit if nothing gainsays it and sometimes afterwards at intervals to repeat them Let those who are indued with a more strong stomach and Praecordia take Emetick Minerals prepared out of Antimony or Mercury Those who are of a more tender constitution may take after the eating of slippery meats Wine of Squills or the Salt of Vitriol with Posset drink and then the stomach being filled with warm water or simple Posset-drink or with the leaves of Carduus boiled in it let Vomiting be twice or thrice or oftner provoked For Purging to be often celebrated also at convenient times between the forms of purging Medicines already prescribed are convenient enough Or Take of the strings of black Hellebore cleansed one ounce of Lignum Aloes and of Cloves each two drams bruise them and pour to them of the Spirits of Wine not rectified one quart let them digest warm and close shut for several days The Dose two or three spoonfuls in the morning twice or thrice in a week and let Vomiting and Purging be always begun before the Aequinoxes lest perhaps the Fit being first begun should pervert the course of the Medicine Letting of Blood or the opening of the Hemorrhoidal Vessels are sometimes convenient Spring or Fall in an hot temperament and for such as are indued with a more sharp Blood Cauteries made in the Arms and between the shoulders are profitable to every one almost obnoxious to this Disease But besides altering Medicines Antidotes so called by the Ancients against the Gout are of known
The Spirit of Vinegar being poured upon Salt of Tartar and drawn off by distillation becomes insipid Spirit of Vitriol poured upon Quick-silver and drawn off by distillation putting away its acidity acquires a taste like Allum and if we may believe Helmont passes by Coagulation into true Alum Distilled Vinegar impregnated with the solution of Minium or red Lead grows wonderfully sweet 5. The Sower austere or binding or astringent Savour arises in Bodies whose Particles are stuffed with very many little Spears and Hooks which in chewing being rolled upon the Sensory are fixed to it and greatly draw together and pull its Fibres not much unlike as if a Comb which Cards Wool should be drawn up and down upon the hands In substances indued with an austere savour a fixed Salt enwrapped with the Particles of the earthy Element predominates First Bodies naturally austere among Vegetables are the Fruit of the Medlar-Tree of the Dog-Bryer of the Cypress-Tree Flowers of Pomegranat Galls Slows Sumach c. Among Minerals Alum Iron Vitriol Among living Creatures or among their Parts there is not as I remember any austere savour to be met with Secondly Bodies Artificially produced which have an austere sower or rough savour are all made Vitriols to wit the Vitriol of Silver of Steel of Tin of Copper c. The reason of which is because in these Minerals the Saline Particles are very much intangled with Terrene and they continue in the same state when they are drawn forth from their Substances by the soluted Mixtion Spirit of Vitriol being drawn from Mercury by frequent Cohobations acquires a Pontick or Aluminous Savour Thirdly As to the Instances by which an austere sower or rough taste may be taken away out of all Substances it is to be observed that Vitriol of every Kind by long distillation and circulation with the Spirit made of Wine grows sweet and loses its astringent force If waters impregnated with Vitriol be poured into Oil of Tartar there will be precipitated a certain thickish Matter wonderfully sweet Steel Tin or Lead being dissolved in Vinegar and Coagulated by Evaporation go into sweet Salts Further it is a common Experiment If having before tasted Vitriol you take the fume of Tobacco at your Mouth the austere taste at first impressed on the Sense is changed into a plainly honied sweetness the reason of which is because the Sea-salt Particles such as are in Vitriol being mingled with the Sulphureous out of the burnt Tobacco create a sweet Savour from whence also we may Collect that Sugar and Honey are of a Sulphureous-saline Nature which also clearly appears by their distillation for as much as they like Salt Minerals yield an Acid and very Corrosive Stagma 6. Of Kin to be the austere is the acerb or sower taste the Particles of whose subject are indued with little Tenters or Hooks or Claws but which are more dull and blunt and with which they strike the Sensory and stop up its little Pores and being once fixed they are not easily removed whence a stupor or numness in the Teeth and Palat is caused not unlike Burdocks which being fixed to the Skin become troublesome and are not easily shaken off In acerb or sower biting Bodies a fluid Salt implicated with an earthy Matter excells First Bodies naturally sower among Vegetables are unripe Fruits as Grapes Pears and Apples and most of all Wildings Crabs or wild Apples thô kept till they are mellow also sower Herbs Among Minerals or Animals there is nothing easily to be met with that has a sower Taste Secondly Bodies that are made sower anew are chiefly Wine and Beer degenerating into a deadness through Age or Thunder also Leaven or Bread too much leavened Broths and Milk-meats if they Contract a settlement and hoariness become sower because in all those Concretes disposed to Corruption the Saline Particles being exalted and tending towards a Flux carry forth also earthy Particles involved with themselves Thirdly As to the taking away of this Taste we have observed That sower Fruits do grow sweet either by the goodness of the Air and Sun in sower Fruits brought to maturity or by the goodness of the Ground or Soil as when wild Apples translated to a good Soil grow sweet the reason of either is because the Spirituous and Sulphureous Particles before subjugated at length Predominate over the Saline If Wine degenerated into deadness is impregnated with new Lees of Tartar it shall recover its Vigor The like happens if a Can of good Wine be poured into a Vessel of sower Beer or Ale Wine growing dead if it be distilled often yields a sweet Spirits and in no less quantity that if the Wine had been in its full strength because the Spirits before subjugated in that Mixture recover their Dominion by distillation Seventhly The sweet savour seems to be made for as much as the Particles of any Body are so figured into soft prickles that they tickle the Sensory with a soft rubbing and from thence stir up a delightful Sense of Pleasure like as if feathers were applyed to the Sides or the Soles of the Feet In these the Saline Principle seems to be associated with Sulphureous and Spirituous and when they are in like manner are carried forth First Those which are naturally sweet are among Vegetables first Sugar and Manna then Cassia ripe Fruits Grapes Raisons some Roots as Parsnips c. Among Animals some ascribe Honey but others more rightly say that is swet out of Plants and gathered by Bees Among Minerals nothing that I know hath naturally a sweet Savour Secondly The things which have a sweet Taste and are made by Art are the Sugar of Lead Salt of Steel Lythargites yea and out of many other Bodies Vinegar extracts a sweet Salt Tasting Vitriol before-hand as was said and then taking a Pipe of Tobacco the smoke grows sweet like Honey In this and in the former instances whil'st the Saline little darts grow to the Sulphureous Particles or Saline of another Kind both of them become more blunt An Alchalisat Spirit and the fixed Salt of any Body being mixed and circulated by a long digestion acquire a sweetness Barley soaked in Water when it begins to sprout and dried with a gentle fire grows exceeding sweet And Wheat in like manner also if being wet it sprouts yields a wonderfully sweet Meal the reason of which is because by that Artifice the Sulphureous and Spirituous Particles overthrown by the Earthy get their Liberty Thirdly There are many Instances by which sweetness is abolished for all sweet things too much boiled grow bitter Sugar or Honey by distillation yield at first an insipid Phlegm then sharp and burning Spirits In the dead Head remaining after distillation is a burning Salt and an insipid Earth and whatever is sweet perishes Further Sugar or Honey being mixed with a great quantity of Common Water and distilled through a Bladder yield a
lawful to declare the event of the Disease either safe or very dangerous or wholely uncertain Truly if any one enjoying formerly a perfect Health should fall into something a cruel Headach and of some long standing by reason of a more strong Evident Cause as drinking of Wine Surfeit Venus immoderate Exercise or such like forasmuch as the fore leading Morbid Cause is not as yet firmly laid we may pronounce such a Distemper to be safe enough and not pertinacious But if the Morbific disposition should be inveterate so that for many years the fits repeat often of their own accord and upon every light occasion this though not dangerously sick yet we predict it not easie to be Cured Further the Cure will be yet more difficult if Hypochondriack or Hysterical Distempers oftentimes troublesome are oft wont to excite the Headach at every turn or if the taint of an inveterate Venereal Disease be rooted in any distemper'd part If that the pain of the Head shall be not only inveterate but almost continual that we might suspect it to arise from an Inflammation or a Scirrhous Tumour an hot Swelling an Imposthum or Worms there is none or very little hope of Cure especially because the sick will refuse great remedies as Salivation or opening the Skull which if they be made use of perhaps at any time with any fruit or success yet the former and this two for the most part are wont to be tedious to the sick before they can effect any thing worth the trouble and expectation The pain of the Head either Continual or Periodical if it be great and hath joyned with it a Vertigo Vomitting or other Convulsive or Soporiferous Distempers shews a suspicion of great danger even which often passes into a deadly Apoplexie and not seldom into an Epilepsie Palsie Blindness Deafness and other funestous and incurable Diseases The Curatory method of the Headach comprehends many Indications and those of a various kind according to the manifold Species Causes and differences of this Disease which will not be an easie thing here to set down and rehearse in order The accidental Pain of the Head with the remote Evident Cause and its consequences ceases for the most part of its own accord or at least is taken away by letting of Blood Rest and Sweat The habitual Pain by reason of the diversity of Causes viz. both the Procatartick and also the Conjunct suggests also different intentions of Healing we shall here briefly touch upon the chief of these and to which all the rest may be placed In every habitual Headach whether Continual or Intermitting there are two chief scopes or intentions of Cure to be met with to which all the other Curatory intentions ought to be aimed and by which we should provide against either Cause of the Morbid Procatarxis 1. To wit in the first place that all the Tinder or inkindling of the Disease be cut off you must endeavour that both the matter flowing to the distempered places of the Head or those evilly disposed or apt from thence to flow to them be supprest or called from thence to another place then moreover that Convulsions in other places excited and that are wont to be propagated from thence into the Head be prevented 2. Then secondly it must be indeavoured if it may be done that the Disease it self or its Conjunct Cause may be rooted out that the places of the Head predisposed to Headaches whether they be only enfeebled or hurt in their Conformation whilst they are defended from the frequent Excursions of the infestous matter may recover their former state and vigour Which kind of Indication though it be very seldom suddenly or wholely performed yet sometimes the Cure is by degrees laboured out by diligence and care however fixed and rooted the Morbid matter be As to what appertains to the first scope of healing which is first and especially to be regarded we said that the Matter or Humours which are wont to be gathered together about the parts of the Head predisposed to the Headach and to excite the fits of the Disease are either the Blood or the Serum or the nourishing or nervous Juice or Liquor Moreover with every one of these Vapours and Effluvia's as also Recrements sometimes Bilous sometimes Melancholic sometimes Acid Salt Sulphureous and of some others of a various kind taken into the Blood from the Viscera sometimes from those and sometimes from these we have shewed to be transferred by its passages into the Headâ— against the force and incursion of all these Medicinal fortifications are to be instituted 1. And in the first place if the leading cause to pains or a disposition thereto lye about the Membranes of the Head for that the Blood being hot and apt to rise up rushes by heaps into the Membranes of the Head and when it cannot easily pass thorow them distending the Vessels above measure and pulling the nervous Fibres excites the fits of this Disease whose signs are a Sanguine temperament heat and a flushing or redness about the head and face also an high pulse and shaking with veins distended with Blood presently it must be endeavoured both that the Blood be made more sedate that it may not be so readily moved into rage or swelling up as also that it be not incited and boiling up may not be carried with a greater tendency or inclination into the Head than into other parts nor in like manner be compelled to stagnate by reason of the bosomes of the Meninges being too full Wherefore if the fit infests long let blood in the Arm or the Jugular Vein out of the fit sometimes it is expedient to take Blood from the Sedal Veins with Leeches to wit by this means that the Blood by chance boiling up may be brought down towards that place to which it often tends of its own accord Let there be Medicines of Vinegar Rosecakes and Nutmeg or some other Epithems or Medicines of the same nature applyed to the Head Also give to drink Iuleps Emulsions or Decoctions which allay the fervour or madness of the Blood Let the Belly be cooled and kept soluble by the use of Clysters Moreover for prevention use at times Whey or spaw-Spaw-waters also drinking of Water a thin and a cooling diet help the shunning of Wine spiced Meats Baths Venus violent motions of the mind or body yea and of all hot things is to be ordered Then for the fixing of the Blood its Effervescencies or growing hot must be prevented for which Distilled Waters Juices of Herbs or Decoctions Electuaries Powders and especially Crystal Mineral are in frequent use There is no need here to add a method or particular forms of Medicines when in this case almost every body labouring is wont to be his own Physician being taught by frequent experience from things hurting or helping 2. It is rarely that the Blood alone or only by it self is
each one dram make of them all a very fine Powder add to it of Sugar what will suffice boil them to the consistence of Tablets with six ounces of black Cherry-water of the Tincture of Coral one dram make of them Tablets according to Art to the weight of half a dram Eat three or four in the Morning and at five of the Clock in the Afternoon drinking after them a draught of Tea Or Take of the Tincture of Coral one ounce take of it from fifteen to twenty drops twice in a day in a little draught of Iulep or of the distilled water They who are of a Phlegmatick or more Cold temper may take a Dose twice a day either of the Tincture of Antimony or of the Spirits of Armoniac impregnated with Amber of Coral or of Spirits of Harts horn or of Sut in a proper Vehicle We ought not to omit or postpone the use of Millepedes or Woodlice for that the Juice of them wrung forth with the distilled Water also a Powder of them prepared oftentimes bring notable help for the Curing of old and pertinacious Head-aches I might here propose divers other kinds of Medicines yea all those which I have formerly heaped up against Convulsive Distempers may be brought hither But yet the most difficult knot of the Cure of the Headach remains to be untied to wit how the conjunct Cause of this Disease and fixed consisting in the weakness or hurt Conformation of the Fibres may be healed or taken away Although this is sometimes incurable to wit when as a Scirrhous or Callous Tumor or some other old and fixed swelling has possest the Meninges yet for that the knowledge of this is uncertain and that the leading Cause how cruel soever it seems is sometimes overcome by a long course of Physick therefore in every Head-ach so long as the Patient will admit of Remedies let it not seem troublesome to the Physician to prescribe those things which seem most convenient Therefore first of all which we hinted before you must carefully endeavour that the nest or feeding of the Disease be cut off or intercepted and that the frequent coming of the fits be hindred for so the indisposed Fibres so long as they are no more affected only by the means of Nature will recover health In this case the helps of the Medical Art are rather to be sought from the Chirurgical part than from Physick for whatsoever is taken at the mouth going about by long turnings and windings spends all the vertue before it comes to the Membranes of the Head Among Chirurgical Remedies first Topicks are met with and among these Plasters are of most profitable use and oftentimes give the greatest benefit Let not these be very hot which may rather draw the humors to the distemper'd place but moderately discussing and strengthening I was wont to prescribe Plasters of Red-Lead and of Sope with double of the proportion of the Plaster of Paracelsus to be applied to the part it being first shaven and to be let remain there for some time The Antients frequently administred Plasters made of Mustard and such as raised wheals or whelks over the parts and it is a daily practice to apply sometimes to all the hinder part of the Head and sometimes to the former Vesicatories or blistering Plasters against most cruel Headaches when ease is got from these more hot Topicks it is because by these administrations plenty of the more sharp Serum is drawn away from the disaffected part Liniments of Oyls and Oyntments though often made use of effect little because as I think if they should penetrate deeply into the tones of the Fibres they would loosen them more so that they would more easily lye open to the Incursions of the Morbifick matter Further they stop up the Pores of the skin whereby the Effluvia's do less evaporate Almost for the same reason as hot stupes or Fomentations made of boiled Spices or other Cephalicks oftner hurt than profit forasmuch as they draw the humors towards the distemper'd parts and also open the Pores and passages whereby they are more readily admitted it is that a Bathing of the Head or an Embrocation or washing of the Head at the pumps in hot Baths is used with no better success for Headaches When on the contrary it hath been beneficial to many to pour cold water every Morning and Evening on the temples forehead and forepart of the Head yea to wash or pump the whole Head every Morning with cold water or at least to dip it into a Bucket or Pit of water Another Chirurgical help especially for an inveterate and cruel Headach and much cry'd up is wont to be the burning or cutting of Issues in several parts of the Body It is without doubt that these being made in the Arms or Legs are both less troublesome and do bring something of help because they draw away the feeding of the Disease in part and call it away far from the distemper'd part Besides Issues in the nape of the Neck and a Seaton in the hinder part of the Neck behind the Ear or near it also a piece of the root of wild Hellebore being put into an hole made in the Ear because they evacuate much serosity and draw it to other Emunctuaries to wit the Glandulas are oftentimes administred with benefit But indeed there hath been a talk and much expectation from Cauteries made on the grieved place or near it and so large Issues have been made on the top of the Head or nigh to the joyning of the Sutures If we should measure this practice by the fruit or success it will appear to be rarely beneficial but more often unlucky For I never knew any healed but many troubled with Headaches to be much the worse for it And truly reason plainly tells us that where a Fontinel is made thither the Serous Humor flows from the whole bloody Mass and by consequence from the whole body and oftentimes is there heaped up more copiously than can constantly be put forth by that Emissary wherefore there ordinarily arise about Issues a red swelling pustles and various humors Why should I not then believe that a Cautery made nigh to the grieved part of the Head should rather cause the Morbific matter to be there heaped up There is yet another Chirurgical operation cry'd up by many for a pertinacious Headach but by none that I know of yet attempted to wit an opening of the Skull near the grieved place with a Trypaning Iron This our most ingenious Harvey endeavoured to persuade a Noble Lady labouring with a most grievous and inveterate Headach promising a Cure from thence but neither she nor any other would admit that administration Indeed it did not appear to me that there could be any thing of certainly expected from the opening of the Skull where it was pained if an Imposthum lay hid there this had been the only way of Cure
nothing brought to it but that its passages like a course or wide strainer suffers all the grosser particles both Saline watery and earthy easily to pass thorow them Besides these more remote leading causes which become the act of the stirred up Morbific there are more strong Evident Causes for so great danger does not hang over the Brain as that its whole compass should be invaded from every morbid provision nor upon every light occasion But there are many and diverse occasions by which the sleepy assaults are seen to be incited the chief of these are great Surfeits Drunkenness especially of Wine or the Drinking immoderately of strong-Strong-waters then after such excess to lye all night or sleep in the open Air further an evacuation of the Serum by otherways after having been long suppressed also if Spaw-waters being drunk in a larger quantity and not again render'd presently by Urine threaten a Lethargy And so also do recrements of other Diseases either not well or not at all Cured being translated to the Head so as a continual sleepiness often happens after acute Feavours or such as continue long and other Chronical Diseases and especially the Headach Frensie Empyema or collection of gross Humors upon the Lungs and the Colick Thus much of the Lethargy whose assault proceeds from the Cortex or shelly part of the Brain being affected to which succeed either an eclipse or an exclusion of the Spirits there inhabiting with a sleepiness and oblivion But as non-natural sleep so sometimes what is preternatural begins from the Spirits being first dejected and which is usual to succeed another Cause It is obvious to any one that this ordinarily happens from more strong Opiates without any previous flood or stopping of the cortical part of the Brain for it is not probable that Narcoticks stir up the Humors and send them to the Brain when it plainly appears that all the effervescences and flowings of these are allayed by them But if it should be asked after what manner and by what means Opiates cause sleep and sometimes a deadly Torpor or sleepiness we say That this Medicine is a certain kind of poison beating down or extinguishing the Animal Spirits by its blasting the Blood and solid parts in the mean time being almost untouch'd Wherefore when the Animal Spirits become raging and as it were struck with madness running hither and thither and will not be quieted and allayed Opiates being administer'd like water flung upon a flame destory some of the outmost bands of them so that the rest being lessened and flying inwards quietly lye down We have at large discoursed of these things in a particular Tract Of the Operations of Medicines on the Humane Body For the present we shall note which is to the purpose that Narcoticks or Medicines causing rest being taken at the mouth do put forth their powers partly in the Ventricle and indeed immediately and partly in the Brain both that and the Mass of Blood mediating By what means Narcoticks do operate whilst in the Ventricle and provoke sleep we have shewn Chap. XV. When they are moderate in either province they gently intoxicate some unquiet Spirits and so immediately quiet the rest but if any one takes Opiates in too large a Dose he shall presently feel hurt both in the Ventricle and in the Brain and a little after being insensible shall suffer a greater evil in either to wit a mighty heaviness and as it were an immoveable weight in the Stomach which seems to opress both it and the neighbouring parts indeed by this sign the Fibres of this place the Spirits which before actuated them being broken become without life and as it were dead then by reason of the Opiate particles being carried about with the Blood to the frame or compass of the Brain and instilled into its Cortical or shelly part the Spirits being driven away from thence or extinguished an irresistable and oftentimes a deadly sleep follows yea I have sometimes known from a more grievous hurt inflicted on the Ventricle only by the use of a more strong Narcotic Death it self to have followed before sleep could creep upon them coming by a long way about A strong man vexed with a most cruel Colick for ease sake whilst a Physician was sent for took rashly a great quantity of Opium a little after he had taken it he complained of a great burthen oppressing and mightily weighing down the Ventricle His Friends and the by-standers gave him Cordial waters Wine and Strong-Waters but without any ease This oppression creeping wider ahout the Precordia raised up pains and swoonings but still being awake and constant in mind he cryed out that his spirits more and more failed him till about three hours after complaining that his sight was gone he presently dyed But that we may return to the Lethargy as it is a Disease and not the effects of Opium whence we digressed concerning which we are yet to enquire whether it may arise from a Narcotick Humor begotten in us as some Chymists assert We shall tell you our conjecture that we think this 't is sufficiently plain that there are other sorts of Morbific particles produced in our Bodies than those commonly called Elementary and Humoral and that they do affect after a various manner viz. besides the Watery Earthly Bilous Phlegmatick or Melancholic we may find others Vitriolick Nitro-sulphureous and others participating of enormous Sulphurs and Salts and active to our evil The Convulsive Pathology can by no other means be delivered and explained unless by supposing that some extraneous little bodies and as it were Nitro-sulphureous which sticking to the Spirits and at last cast off by them stir up the Explosive that is Convulsive force In like manner we may think that others of another nature may perhaps be begotten such as are of a Sulphureous Vitriolick or Narcotick nature which when they creep into the Brain and nervous Stock fall upon some Animal Spirits which they by chance do meet with extinguishing and fixing them ordinarily induce their losses and eclipses such as happen in the Vertigo Apoplexy or Palsie as we shall more fully shew hereafter In like manner in a great fit of the Lethargy though it be improbable that these kind of Narcotick particles should be in heaps derived from the Blood into the Brain in so great a quantity that they should at once overturn the spirits dwelling in its whole precincts and fix them yet we may believe that this may be some part of the Cause Wherefore in every long sleepiness or Lethargick disposition we do suspect the Animal Spirits to be burthened with such a Lethaean Copula and that we should direct the darts of every Medicine against it Thus much concerning the formal reason subject and causes of the Lethargy properly so called the summ of all which is That the Animal Spirits the inhabitants of the exterior Brain being hindred from their wonted
Nature they either pursue their functions or the nervous Fibres every where erect themselves and put forth their utmost endeavours that they might drive forward the Blood flowing in them and Circulate it with a rapid motion I once visited an illustrious Lady who for some time had been miserably afflicted with Colick and Convulsive distempers and quite worn out and at length fell suddenly into a deadly Lethargy When I perceived her Pulse to beat strongly I prescribed that four ounces of Blood should be taken out of the jugular Vein which immediately leap'd from the opened Vessel with such force that I believe if it had been suffered the whole Mass of Blood would have flowed thence for the next day after her dead body being opened I found scarce four ounces more of Blood in her whole Body and yet she dyed thus in a Feavour The reason of the Lethargick Feavour is wholely the same which is seen to arise only from the Vital Organs being very much incited by labouring Nature and therefore vehemently driving about the Blood The prognostick of the Lethargy is shut within a strait limit for the fit of the Disease being for the most part acute is soon terminated either in Death or health and for the most part it is wont to give more of fear than of hope If it comes upon a malignant Feavour or hard to be cured or if it comes upon other Cephalick or Convulsive Diseases as the Headach Phrensie Madness Epilepsie or also upon a long and grievous Colick or Gout the Physician can predict nothing but evil nor is it less to be feared if it happen in a Body full of evil Humors or one long sick or in an old Man In like manner it is an evil omen if the sick being presently overwhelmed with a great Torpor or stupidness and almost Apoplectick cannot be awakened and if he breaths unequally and slowly or with a great snorting then the Disease increasing and the sick troubled with tremblings Cramps leapings of the Tendons and at length with Convulsive Motions it is to be esteemed desperate or without hope But if the Distemper be excited without any great foregoing Cause with an only Evident Cause as a Surfeit Drunkenness or by the use of Narcoticks a blow on the Head or some not deadly stroke we may expect the event to be less deadly or mortal Then if the Distemper arising from such occasions happens to a Body before whole and strong if it does not wholly take away the Sense and Memory at the first assault and after a short time the symptoms begin to remit a little of such a sick person you ought not to despair In every Lethargy if any Cause of the Disease is seen to be cut off and removed so that if by the help of Medicines or the instinct of Nature copious and helpful evacuations by Sweat Urine or by Stool do follow with ease or help or if by applying of Blistering Plasters a great deal of water flows forth if a swelling or great whelks or pustles break out behind the Ears or in the Neck if frequent sneezing happens or water flow from the Eyes or Nose thence a certain hope of health may be expected Hippocrates l. Coac c. 145. mentions a Cure of the Lethargy to be often made by the distemper of the Thorax saying That many Lethargicks that are stuffed with Phlegm have recovered Which words are wonderfully wrested by Interpreters Mercurialis understands by suppuration the putrified matter of the Disease to be evacuated by the Ears and Nostrils Prosper Martianus will have Hippocrates to be understood in the word Lethargy not the disease of the Head but of the Breast But wherefore are all these subterfuges when it often happens that the Morbific matter at first fixed in the Head and stirring up a continual sleepiness or Lethargy the same being thence supped up by the Blood and deposited in the breast doth produce an Empyema or a spitting like those whose Lungs are wasted In the description of a Soporiferous Epidemical Feavour which raged in the year 1661. we noted the same to have happened to many Concerning the Cure of this Disease for that it has no respite or truces it is not to be deliberated on after a sharp Clyster being given let a Vein be opened presently for the Vessels being emptied of Blood they are more apt to sup up the Serum or other Humors deposited in the Brain Further in this case I advise rather to open the Vein in the Neck than that in the Arm. Because by this means the Blood being very much heaped up within the bosoms of the Head and perhaps standing still is more easily reduced to an equal Circulation Letting blood being performed immediately other remedies of every kind are to be made use of Let Vesicatories or blistering Plasters be applied largely to the Neck and Legs anoint the Temples and Face with Oyl of Amber or Cephalick Balsoms lay over all the Feet a Cataplasm or Poultis made of Rue Crowfoot and Pepperwort with black Sope and Bay-salt use hard frictions or rubbings to the Members frequently apply to the Nostrils Salt of Urine or Spirits of Sal Armoniac Then let there be administred Cephalick Remedies Take of the Water of Poeony Flowers of black Cherries Rue and of Walnuts simple each three ounces of the Water of Poeony Compound two ounces of Castor tyed up in a rag and hung in the glass two drams of Sugar three drams mix them and make a Iulep let it be given about four or five sponfuls every three or four hours also with every Dose of this give twelve or fifteen drops of the Spirits of Amber or of Sal Armoniac or a paper of the following Powder Take of the Powder of the Root of Poeony the male of a Mans Skull of the Root of Virginian Serpentworth or Snakeweed of Contrayerva each one dram Bezoar and of Pearl each half a dram of Coral prepared one dram make a Powder and divide it into twelve parts Further here it is to be considered whether an evacuation either by Vomit or Stool should not be made I know that this is variously controverted among Authors and I have also known it performed with various success which being weighed and laid together I shall briefly propose my opinion If the Lethargy should arise upon a Surfeit or a late Drinking or if from taking some disagreeable things or Narcoticks presently let a Vomit be given wherefore you may give Salt of Vitriol with Wine and Oxymel of Squills or in strong bodies an Infusion of Crocus Metallorum or of Mercurius Vitae with black Cherry water Let it be given and if it doth not work of it self provoke Vomiting with a Feather thrust down the Throat But if the fit of the Disease comes upon a Feavour or any other Cephalick Distempers or if it be raised up primarily or of
feel no sleepiness or heaviness in the fore part of their head no desire or approach of Sleep I have known some distemper'd after this manner who when they had lived for many nights continually without Sleep seemed still chearful active strong in their stomach and ready for business and not to want Sleep The cause of this without doubt is because the burnt and melancholy Blood supplies the exterior part of the Brain with a nervous Juice that is not soft and favourable but too much parched and stuffed with adust particles which for that reason is apt neither to stay long within the Pores of the Brain nor gently to embrace and hold the Animal Spirits Further the Spirits themselves procreated out of it become of their own nature too Elastick and unquiet so that they are not easily setled or are prone of their own accord to Sleep But these more fixed do not readily fly away nor being wearied do suddenly grow faint but indure for a long time without any great refection and yet remain lively Concerning this waking disposition of the Animal Spirits as it is the same in Melancholicks we shall have an opportunity of speaking of it more largely hereafter We may also here take notice that for the same reason to wit that the adust Particles of the Melancholick and torrid Blood being poured into the Brain together with the nervous Juice causes waking the drinking of Coffee also in use formerly among the Arabians and Turks which is drunk by our Country Men either Physically or out of wantonness all sleepiness being driven away doth produce unwonted waking and an unwearied exercise of the Animal faculty that some having a necessity to study late in the night or presently after drinking or a full meal by drinking a due quantity of this Liquor become still waking and perform any hard task of the mind without sleepiness Surely the cause of this is because this drink insinuates adust particles of which it is full as may be perceived both by the smell and taste immediately into the Blood and then into the nervous Juice which still detain the pores of the Brain open by their agility and inquietude and add to the Spirits all sleepiness being shaken off certain provocatives and madness by which they are excited to a longer performance of their offices Further we shall deliver afterwards where we speak of Melancholy those things which belong to the preventive Cure of this long waking or the removing of the Morbific cause In the mean time for the taking away immediately this symptom as often as it is grievously troublesome we noted that Opiates were little profitable for a bare Dose being given doth rarely cause sleep and render the sick more weak and languishing It often better succeeds if they go to bed and take some soft and pleasing Liquor as our own Ale clear and mild or Posset-drink with Cowslip Flowers boiled in it or an Emulsion of Melon Seeds and Almonds in a great quantity to wit two or three pints I was some times past consulted with about an old Hypochondriacal person who besides other Symptoms usual in that case was for many years obnoxious to frequent very troublesome and noisie belchings he was wont every day two or three times for about two hours continually to belch with such a noise that he might be heard far and near at a great distance But sometimes for a week or two and sometimes for a month this belching would be changed into a long waking for having that Distemper much remitted this Gentleman was kept without sleep almost whole nights and when he had thus been for three days and sometimes more perfectly waking he seemed not to want sleep and complained not of sleepiness dulness or languor of spirits And when Narcoticks rarely brought to him any help he took sometimes in the evening a Posset made of Ale and Canary Wine and night coming on he sometimes drunk Distilled Waters by the use of which oftentimes he got some sleep then afterwards his waking perfectly vanishing by degrees his belching returned Hence it appears there was but one cause for either to wit the adust particles and irritative being poured forth from the bloody Mass sometimes into the coats of the Ventricle and sometimes into the Cortical part of the Brain Secondly besides these distinct Distempers of Sleep and Waking or their inordinations there remain other conjunct or complicated irregularities of them in which the acts of either function are prevaricated together Which indeed is observable in that Distemper or affection called the Waking Coma of which we shall now speak briefly Those sick with the Waking Coma although they are continually prone to Sleep yet they can scarce sleep at all but after the manner of Tantalus up to the chin in the Lethaean River to tast which as soon as he stoops down the water slides away from him and sinks lower For they feel a cruel heaviness in their Heads with a sleepiness or numness of all their senses and faculties that they hardly endure to turn themselves in their Bed or to be disturbed by the by-standers with talking and expect they shall presently fall into a sweet sleep but when they would indulge it and endeavour strongly to embrace it various phantasms rolling about in their mind keep them still waking neither are they suffered to take any sleep at all which seems to them to be still at hand Upon this not seldom follows a Delirium that whilst the sick lye with their eyes shut they perpetually talk absurd and senseless things and fling about hither and thither their Arms and Legs excessively and being raised up they look about them doggedly It is an usual thing for those sick of Feavours to remain a whole night as it were drowned in sleep and in the mean time are scarce silent a minute of an hour but murmur various things to themselves also sometimes cry out houl and leap out of Bed If the reason of these be inquired after we may say that the Pores and passages in the Brain which are the walking places of the Spirits are very much possessed with a thick and so periferous matter poured forth from the Mass of the Blood that the Spirits being very much hindred from their wonted expansion and mutual commerce an heavy and invincible sleep seems to hang over them but because some sharp and highly active particles like so many goads cleave to these Spirits they are perpetually incited into motion and so some of them break thorow the ways howsoever fast shut and stopped with mounds and run forth either directly or obliquely as they can and thus such motions of theirs however confused and diverted by reason of impediments and not able to exercise compleatly the Animal function yet they easily drive away or hinder its cessation and rest for this reason indeed such who are distemper'd with this Disease are like those living under the Pole who only see
own accord many have been of the opinion that the cause of this Disease most commonly lyes hid in the stomach but it is much otherways and as we have elsewhere shewed Vomiting frequently follows upon the Spirits being disturbed in the Brain But that Vomits help much in this Disease the reason is because this kind of Physick causes a great revulsion of the humors from the Brain and very much restrains the Spirits tumultuating in it When the Membranes and Fibres of the Ventricle and Viscera planted nigh them are pulled various humors viz. the nervous serous watery pancratick and cholerick are drawn into those parts and so squeesed forth so that the Head being freed from their flowing to it doth easily shake off from it many impacted there before then as to the Animal Spirits we have shewed somewhere that there is a most intimate commerce and agreement between those inhabiting the stomach and those dwelling in the Brain to wit that therefore the grateful or ingrateful affection of the Ventricle from things taken into it might bring rejoycing or dejection to the Spirits dwelling in the Brain Opiates whilst they lye in the stomach cause sleep in like manner it doth not a little help in the Vertigo and other Cephalick Diseases whereby the Spirits of the Brain wandring up and down and agitated enormously may be repressed and returned into order if their Companions or Kindred be striken down by the working of the Medicine because whilst many are called forth from the Brain to their assistance the others remaining remitting their disorders resume their wonted offices or functions without doubt it is for this reason chiefly Emeticks bring so often help in the Distemper of madness so that Empericks do almost only use them 2. But to return from our digression let us consider what is to be done for the Curing of an inveterate and almost continual Vertigo out of the fit Therefore first a method being instituted concerning bleeding and purging according to the constitution and strength of the Patient and after rest to be repeated let a Vomit also by my advice be taken once a month if nothing to the contrary hinders it for which end let there be given to the weaker after the stomach is filled with slippery Meats Wine and Oxymel of Squils to about two or three ounces and after it let a great quantity of Posset-drink be drunk with Carduus boiled in it that the Patient may vomit of himself or by provocation To others may be given an Emetick of the Salt of Vitriol or the Sulphur of Antimony or of the infusion of Crocus Metallorum as concerning Issues Blisterings the bleeding at the Hemorrhoidal Veins Plasters or quilted Caps to be worn upon the Head or other Topicks to be applied to the soals of the Feet or to the wrists for revulsion or derivation sake let the Physician deliberate Take of the Conserve of the Flowers â—f the male Poeony fix ounces of the Powder of its Root one ounce of the Seeds of Poeony powder'd two drams of Amber Coral Pearls powder'd of each two drams and a half of the Salt of Coral one dram of the Syrup of Coral what will suffice to make an Electuary the Dose is one dram and an half or two drams Evening and Morning drinking after it of the following distilled water three ounces Take of the fresh leaves of Misleto six handfuls of the root of the male Poeony and of Angellico each one pound and an half of the whitest dung of the Peacock two pound of Cardamoms bruised two ounces of Castâ—r three drams all being cut small and mixt together pour to them eight pints either of White Wine or Whey made of it Let them be distilled in fit Stills and the whole liquor mixed together Take of the Powder of the Root of the male Poeony half an ounce of red Coral prepared of Species Diambrae each one dram and a half of the Powder of the Flowers of the male Poeony fresh bruised and dryed in the Sun one dram make a Powder to which add of the whitest Sugar dissolved in the water of Poeony and boiled to the consistence of Tablets ten ounces of this make Lozenges according to art each weighing half a dram eat one or two of them often in a day Because all things are not convenient to all Men and that the Physician ought to try diverse Medicines and institute various methods and to try now this now that therefore we shall here add some other forms of another kind Take of our Syrup of Steel six ounces and drink a spoonful of it in the Morning and at five in the Evening with the distilled water but now described or any other Cephalick to the quantity of three ounces or take of our Tincture of Steel from fifteen to twenty drops in a draught of the same distilled water twice in a day I have known this to have given notable help to many Let there be given daily after the same manner Doses sometimes of the Spirit of Sut Harts-born or of Sal Armoniack impregnated with Coral Amber or the Skull of a Man or of the Tincture of Antimony Amber or Coral Take of the Powder of the Root of the male Poeony one ounce and an half of the Seeds of Poeony Coral prepared and of the whitest Amber each three drams of Pearls prepared of the Powder of the Flowers of the male Poeony fresh bruised and dryed in the Sun of each two drams of Sugar-Candy one ounce make a Powder and take one dram twice in a day with a draught of Tea or Coffee or a Decoction of Sage or Rosemary For poor people may be prescribed Powder of the leaves of the Apple-tree Misleto dryed in the Sun and powder'd to the quantity of a dram to be taken twice in a day Or take of the whitest Peacocks dung six ounces of the Powder of the Flowers of the male Poeony one ounce of Sugar two ounces make a Powder of which let them take a spoonful twice in a day in some convenient liquor Let those troubled with the Vertigo drink for their ordinary drink small Ale with leaves of the Orchard Misleto boiled in it instead of Hops and in the Vessel holding about four gallons let a little bag be hanged in which put half a pint of Peacocks dung and three drams of Cloves bruised Examples of those labouring with the Vertigo are so frequently met withal and almost daily that there seems no need to add here any but however that the image or type of this Disease may be known I shall only mention some few and more rare cases A Divine about sixty years of age after he had been troubled for about three months with a light Vertigo or as it were a frequent coruscation or brandishing of the Spirits in the fore part of the Head at length the Disease growing worse he became ready to fall and with a darkness before his eyes
against some hard thing and the like or from an inward cause to wit for that the Blood being sharp and thin and the little mouths of the Vessels and the places between being too loose it growing more than ordinarily hot either of its own accord or occasionally and flowing forth thorow these easily breaks into the soft and yielding substance of the Brain Further although we have assigned the seat of this Disease in the Callous Body yet the blood because effused somewhere nigh or above it because it compresses the underlying Marrow by intumifying the distemper'd places causes the Apoplectick fit Secondly An Imposthum or Ulcer is rarely wont to be excited within the Brain but often in the Meninges and almost for the same occasions by which the extravasation of the blood happens while it is ripening it causes only an Headach or heaviness but when it is broke the filthy stuff flowing from it into the shelly part of the Brain gnaws and putrâ—â—ies it and then by degrees instilling its putrid particles and very infeâ—tous to the Spirits into the middle or marrowie part of the Brain raises up at lasâ— the fit of the astonishing disease Thirdly The Serous heap or deluge being poured forth from the blood into the Head though rarely or never of it self yet sometimes by reason of more strong evident causes runs so suddenly into the Brain that filling and stuffing soon all its Marrowie Pores causes astonishment or deprivation of sense and motion And this I have known to happen to some from drinking of sharp thin Wine or spaw-Spaw-waters and sleeping upon it and I have observed the like effect from a long and total suppression of Urine also in Haemorrhages or fluxes of blood being suddenly stopped And lastly the Serous Recrements in malignant Feavours being translated to the Head by a critical transposition often causes a mortal senselessness or becoming speechless Another kind of evident causes from which sudden blasting or being smitten is wont to be caused consists in the sudden profligation or extinction of the Spirits which indeed doth not seldom or rarely happen from strong Narcoticks or Medicines causing sleep and also from the immoderate drinking of hot waters Though we have already discoursed concerning the use and effects of Opiates I cannot however pass over their way of affecting assigned by that most famous Doctor Webfer This Learned Man affirms That Narcoticks only do too much open and dilate the Pores and passages of the Brain and as it were open the doors of it before fast shut whereby every extraneous and incongruous thing is admitted into the Chamber or sleeping place of the Spirits together with the subtil liquor poured forth from the blood and so by a violent incursion dissipates their ranks and orders But indeed it appears from what hath been above said that Narcoticks do not only or always operate so for we have shewn that whilst they are yet within the Ventricle they often cause sleep and sometimes death it self Besides it should follow from thence that Opiates being often given should bring still a greater evil because by dilating more and more the Pores of the Brain they cause a much more easie entrance to all manner of impurities but truly it is clear enough that Narcoticks are most hurtful at the first time being taken and afterwards being often taken do little hurt so that some accustomed to Opium will devour a great quantity of it without hurt which is certainly a sign that this doth not so much alter the conformation of the Brain as that it doth immediately agitate or work upon the Animal Spirits whom at first because so very improportionate to them it slays with a mere blast then afterwards there being a certain familiarity between them and this Medicine it disturbs them not Thus much concerning the causes of the accidental and sudden Apoplexy which falls indifferently upon all men though not at all predisposed for which also there can be no preventive Medicines instituted and it is rarely that it is cured But besides we observe that this Disease is sometimes habitual and that it remains as a constant disposition in some men by reason of which at first they are exercised only with light skirmishes but after some time they become more grievous and of which at last for the most part they dye Concerning this therefore we shall inquire 1. what the Conjunct Cause of this Disease may be and the formal reason of it 2. In what the Apoplectick Disposition or Procatarxis of the Disease consists Then 3. What Evident Causes it hath 1. As to the first we may suppose upon the coming of the Apoplectick fit that a certain matter before heaped up and dispersed in the compass of the Brain at length doth descend into its middle or marrowie part and there doth assault all the Spirits and suppress and beat them down in the very fountain of their emanation Although it doth not plainly appear whether they effect it either by stuffing only the Pores of the Marrow or by driving away the Spirits themselves or by inflicting on them a numness notwithstanding it is likely that it may be done by either of the ways And indeed we say the medullary Pores of the Brain may be somewhat stopped or obstructed because the same matter which at first setling on the Callous Body caused senselesness being sliden down from thence lower into the Callous Body and then stuffing its Pores is wont to excite the Palsie of one side But yet we may not conclude that the sideration or being struck doth arise only from the Pores of the Brain being stopped because then the fit would oftentimes creep on them gently and by little and little forasmuch as all the Pores cannot be possessed by the inflowing matter at once but successively and some after others But when as this Distemper leaps upon one suddenly and like lightning what can we conceive less than that the Spirits are struck down as it were by a blast from the malignant contact of the matter rushing upon them For it seems that its particles descending on every side from the compass of the Brain into its middle part or the Callous Body and entring it from every part do presently fill the passages how strait so ever they be and drive to flight hither and thither the Spirits and compel them into a close place who being then beset and reduced to a strait corner when they can neither resist long or are able to penetrate into other Pores possessed by the Morbifick matter at length are struck flat down letting go every function of the knowing soul but then they do not easily nor quickly rise up again because they are not able to quit themselves from the embraces or bonds of the malignant matter nor pass any where into empty or open places wherefore they lie long suppressed till at length sometimes perhaps that matter though leasurely is dssâ—pated or supped up into
changed therefore instead of the Electuary let there be substituted for two or three weeks sometimes the Spirit of Sal Armoniack with Amber or Coral or else impregnated with humane Skull or Castor sometimes Elixir of Poeony or Tincture of Amber or Coral or Elixir Vitae of Quercitan or the simple mixture also instead of it may be drunk compounded Waters or Water of black Cherries or Walnuts or the simple Waters of Rosemary or Lavender sometimes a draught of Posset-drink with Flowers of the male Poeony or the Lilies of the valley boiled in it or a draught of Tea or Coffee in the morning let the water of which it is prepared have such ingredients first boiled in it or let Chocolate be prepared after this same manner Take of the Powder of the Root of the male Poeony of humane Skull prepared each half an ounce of the Species of Diambrae two drams make a Powder to every paper add of the Kirnels of the Cocoe Nuts one pound of Sugar what will suffice of this make Chocolate take of it half an ounce or six drams every Morning in a draught of the Decoction of Sage or of the Flowers of Poeony or such like Take of the Powder of the Root of the male Poeony of humane Skull prepared each one ounce and a half of the pick'd Root of Zedoary Cretick Dittany Angelica Contrayerva each two drams make a fine Powder of them all add to it of the yellow of Orenges and Lemons Candied each two ounces let all be beaten to a Powder take about half a dram or a dram an hour before and after meals For ordinary drink let a Vessel of four gallons be filled with ordinary Ale in which six handfuls of white Horehound dryed had been boiled of Anacardine and Cardomums cut and beaten each one ounce and a half of it make a bag to hang in it First of all a very strict dyet ought to be ordered let a temperate dry and open air be chosen let good and wholesome meats be eaten and slender meals Let suppers be sparingly taken or none at all Let noon-sleeps drinking bouts and other customary things about the non-naturals be shunned I could here propose many Histories of Apoplectical persons to wit of some who were once or twice touch'd and yet living and of others who have dyed at the first assault or in the second or third fit The most Reverend Father in God the Lord Gilbert Archbishop of Canterbury recovered of a grievous Apoplectical Fit six years ago God prospering our medicinal help to whom we render eternal thanks and from that time though he sometimes suffer'd some light skirmishes of the Disease yet he never fell or became speechless or senseless But we shall not stay upon this or other examples to unfold them largely because there is nothing in them very rare that may illustrate the Aetiology of this Disease Some of their dead Carcases I have dissected but only of such as the cause of death was from some former great hurt of the head as some blow or by means of some blast in all which the extravasated Blood or an Imposthum was the cause of their death We have been prohibited often by their Friends from opening those dying of an habitual Apoplexy who expecting to have them revive again held it as a deadly thing and so wholly forbid Anatomy But I shall here relate a notable Anatomical observation taken about five years since at Oxford An ancient Divine an honest and a godly Man indued with a fat body a short and brawny Neck being long unhealthy and living a sedentary life contracted a very Scorbutick evil disposition being troubled with a difficult and laborious breathing with an heaviness of the Head and unwonted numness was scarce able to endure any thing of labour or exercise more than that he daily went and came from his Chamber to the Chapel and Hall one Morning he came to the Chapel a little before Prayers begun and while he was on his knees he was suddenly struck and immediately became speechless and senseless and fell on the ground but being carried thence and his cloaths taken off he was put into a warm Bed I and other Physicians being presently sent for and coming as soon as we could possibly we found him not only without Pulse sense and breathing but all his Body cold and quite stiff nor could he be recalled to life or heat by any Remedies or ways of administrations though used for some time by which we suspected that the Pulse of his heart was wholly hindred at the first stroke and that its flame being put out presently all motion of the Blood was suppressed The next day seeing the Carcase dead enough and stiff we opened it nothing doubting but that the Distemper so suddenly mortal would shew clear marks of it within the Head But there or in any other part was not the least shadow of this most cruel Disease The Vessels watering the Meninges were moderately filled with Blood without any Inflammation or Extravasation The Brain the Cerebel and the oblong Marrow with all their processes and prominences appeared every where thoroughout firm and well coloured both without and within nor was there any Serum or Blood poured forth any where within the Pores or passages nor yet within the greater Ventricles nor heaped up yea the Choroeidal Infoldings placed both within the cavity of the Brain and behind the Cerebel seem'd free from all fault so that the Morbific matter equally thin and subtil like the Animal Spirits whom it affected remained wholly invisible and we could only argue its presence by the effect But lest this should lye hid some where without the Head after the contents of the head were diligently inspected we came to the Breast where the discoloured Lungs being through the whole stuffed with a frothy matter manifestly shewed the cause of the short and difficult breathing But the Heart was sound and firm enough free from any obstruction or fleshy Concretions Further neither in the neighbouring parts or in others about the Viscera was found any Imposthum or Ulcer by whose contact or stink the Heart could be suddenly oppressed or the Vital Spirits if this be possible might be choaked Wherefore in this case nothing could be suspected else but that the Animal Spirits implanted within the middle of the Cerebel were put to flight and as it were extinguished suddenly by some malignant or narcotick or otherways deadly Particles so that the motion of the Heart presently failing like the first moving wheel in a Clock or Watch immediately all the other functions their impulses being taken away wholly ceased CHAP. IX Of the Palsie THE middle of the Brain or the Callous Body to which we have assigned the seat of the Vertigo and Apoplexy seems also to be the primary distemper'd place in the Epilepsie Concerning which as also concerning Convulsie Diseases since we have elsewhere largely treated we shall
Ammoniacum solut what will suffice make four Pills let them be taken with Government The Powder of Haly the Powder of Valesco de Tarenta of Peveda and others are very much commended And indeed in Country bodies or robust this Cathartick may seem convenient Take of Epithimum half an ounce of Agarick Lapis Lazuli each three drams Scammony one dram Cloves thirty make a Powder the Dose is from half a dram to a dram Take of the Powder Diasenna of Diaturbith with Rhubarb each half a dram make a Powder let it be taken in a draught of Posset-drink in a Decoction of Epithimum simple four or five scruples Take of the best Senna two ounces of the Roots of Polypodia of the Oak two ounces of Epithimum one ounce and a half of yellow Citrons half an ounce of Tamarinds one ounce of Coriander seeds six drams boil them in Barnet water four pints till half be consumed strain it and let it be evaporated in a warm Bath to the consistence of a Syrup adding towards the end of pure Manna and of white Sugar each four ounces make a Syrup the Dose is two spoonfuls or three in three ounces of some convenient distilled water or in any other liquor Or Take of the same liquor evaporated to the consistence of Honey six ounces of fresh Cassie four ounces of the jelly of Currans two ounces of Cream of Tartar of the Salt of Wormwood each one dram and a half of the Powder of Diasen two drams of yellow Sanders powder'd two drams mix them and make an Electuary Dose three drams to half an ounce Purging is not to be used continually nor too frequently yea it suffices that it be administred within six or seven days space and at other times let the belly be taken down by Clysters if it be bound As to other Medicines which are not evacuators though the Ancients relied not much upon them we put our greatest confidence of Cure in them For they to whom also many moderns consent thought there was nothing more to be done for the curing of Melancholy than to Purge forth the Melancholick humor wherefore making Purges their chiefest business they instituted the other Medicines called Preparatory only for the sake of this to wit making it their scope that as soon as the humor being reduced to a fit consistency by altering Medicines and that the ways for its excretion were open enough then that it should be carried forth of doors by Purgers Which kind of Hypothesis seems not agreeable neither to reason nor to Medical experience because Melancholick people rather receive hurt than help by often Purging how methodically soever it be instituted Therefore we placing the cause of this Disease in the Dyscrasie of the Blood and Spirits and in the weakness or evil conformation of the Viscera and the Brain esteem altering and corroborating Medicines to be in the first rank for Remedies and for the sake of these that Purgers may be used sometimes between whiles Therefore Purging being rightly prescribed at due intervals for the removing impediments as to the rest you may proceed according to these forms Take of the Conserves of the flowers of Gilliflowers and of Brage each two ounces and a half of the rinds of Myrobalans preserved six drams of Coral prepared and of Pearl each one dram and a half of Ivory and Crabs Eyes each one dram of Confection de Hyacintho two drams of the Syrup of Coral and red Poppy what will suffice make an Electuary take two drams Morning and Evening drinking after it three ounces of the following Iulep or the distilled Water Take of the water of the Flowers of Cowslips and of black Cherries each six ounces of Balm four ounces of Dr. Stephens his Water two ounces of Sugar six drams mingle it and make a Iulep Take of the leaves of Balm Borrage Bugloss Fumitory Water-Cresses and Brooklime each four handfuls of the flowers of Pinks Marigolds Borrage and Cowslips each three handfuls the outer rinds of six Oranges and six Lemons being all cut and bruised pour to them Whey made of Cyder eight pints distil it in a common Still and mix all the liquor together Take of the Powder of Pearl of Ivory of Coral prepared each two drams of the Species Laetificant or making merry of Diarrhod Abbatis each one dram of the Oyl of the rind of Citrons half a scruple of white Sugar dissolved and boiled to the consistence of Lozenges in what will suffice of Balm Water six ounces make Lozenges according to art weighing a dram take two or three at nine of the Clock in the Morning and at five in the Afternoon drinking after it a draught of the distilled Water or of Tea Or Take of the Roots of Chervil of Polypodium of the Oak each one ounce and a half of the leaves of Harts Tongue Ceterach Scolopendria Germander each one handul of Tamarisk half a handful of the bark of the same half an ounce of Raisins of the Sun stoned two ounces one Apple cut let them be cut and bruised and boiled in four pints of Spring-water to the consumption of a third part about the end add of the leaves of Water Cresses one handful let it be strained and clarified take of it six ounces twice or thrice in a day sweteen it with Syrup of Fuâ—itory Spaw-Waters coming from Iron are wont oftentimes to give great benefit for the Curing of Melancholicks to wit because they being plentifully drunk wash out salino-sulphureous Tincture of the Blood and destroy its evil ferment Moreover they wipe clean the silthiness of the Viscera unlock obstructions and what is of great benefit they corroborate by their astriction both the weak and too loose Viscera and also shut up the little mouths of the gaping Vessels of the Brain by which a passage lay open into it for the extraneous matter together with the nervous juice And for this reason to wit by corroborating the Viscera and by locking up the passages of the Head Vitriolickâ— prepared of Iron are wont to be given profitably in Melancholy and also in the Vertigo Take of our Steel prepared three drams put it into a quart of the Water above described take of it three or four ounces twice in a day by it self or with any other solid Medicine Take of the filings of Iron one ounce put it into a glass with the juice of Oranges two ounces let it stand for a day shaking it sometimes then pour to it of the Water of Pipins and of White Wine each one pint or of the more thin and sweet Cyder one quart take of it three ounces twice in a day after the same manner Take of the Vitriol of Steel of the Cream of Tartar of Crabs Eyes each one dram mix them make a Powder and let it be divided into nine parts Take one part every Morning in a draught of the distilled Water or the Decoction or
in a proper Broth. Take of the Syrup of Steel four ounces take of it one spoonful twice in a day in a proper Vehicle Take of the Extract of Steel of our Steel prepared with a proper Decoction three drams of the Powder of Ivory of yellow Saunders of Lignum Aloes each half a dram of the Salt of Tartar two scruples of Ammoniacum dissolved in the Water of Worms what will suffice to make a mass let it be made into small Pills let three or four be taken every Evening drinking after it three ounces of the water of Apples or of Cowslip flowers Whey if it agrees with the stomach being drunk very plentifully for many days for the same reason as spaw-Spaw-waters viz. by washing out the Salt and Sulphureous particles of the Melancholick blood is often given with success Whey with Epithimum infused in it or boiled in it is highly praised by some Let Broths be made of a boiled Pullet with the roots of Polypodium Chervil Fenil Butchers Broom and the leaves of Ceterach Harts Tongue Scolopendria c. take a draught of it in the Morning and at five of the Clock in the Afternoon in which dissolve of the Vitriol of Steel six grains to ten of the Salt of Wormwood and of the Cream of Tartar each a scruple The Iuices of Herbs and their expressions bring sometimes notable help to the taking away the Discrasâ—e of the Blood Take of the leaves of Borage of Water-Cresses each six handfuls two Apples pared the Pulp of two Oranges and of white Sugar one ounce let them be all bruised together and pour to them of the best Cyder a pint and an half make an expression very strongly and let it be kept in a glass The Dose is four ounces twice or thrice in a day In the summer time a Bath of sweet water for that it wipes away the filth impacted in the Pores of the skin and moves transpiration insensibly is very profitable to some Because Melancholick persons sleep but badly and from long and frequent waking become worse therefore Anodynes and sometimes the more gentle Hypnoticks when there is need may be prescribed to be taken late at night for this end are convenient a Decoction of Cowslip flowers or of the leaves of Lettice or the water of red Poppies or the Syrup of the same Further Emulsions of the Seeds of the white Poppy of the Syrup de Meconio and others that are only agreeable and cherishing of the Spirits As there is an infinite Company of Melancholicks as well as of Fools therefore we shall illustrate our Hypothesis with two Examples only in one of which the Disease begins from the sensitive part of the Soul or the Animal Spirits and the other from its Vital part to wit from the Blood Sometime since a noted person about forty years of Age of a florid countenance chearful and nimble about any business being afflicted in his mind by reason of a certain affair and very much dejected he became thereupon very sad Melancholick and with a dark and cast down countenance When I went first to visit him he complained of a manifold hurry and distraction of thoughts which were so many that he was busâ—ed in his Phantasie almost night and day continually he lived without any sleep Nor were these cares concerning the commonweal or the proper business of his Family nor about the health of his Soul or of his Body was he at all solicitous but was rather troubled perpetually about small matters and of no moment He was so fearful of all things that he presaged loss or death immediately to happen to him upon every small accident And lastly he was so sad as if he would contend in weeâ—â—â—â— with Heraclitus Further he laboured with such a straitness of Heart and so gâ—â—â—â— a constriction that he seemed to feel all his Praecordia to be drawn together like a Purse and he thought that there still lay there an immense burthen and mighty weight under which he imagined he could not go unless stopping towards the Earth Whilst he talked and discoursed with his Friends this constriction of the Praecordia and the weight did somewhat remit but then again they were wont to be repeated more vehemently shaking for fear at any unaccustomed object Nor did he labour only in his Praecordia but with a certain constriction in his whole Body besides and as if a certain burthen lay on the region of his Loins and also on his shoulders and arms The reasons of these Symptoms are clear enough from our Hyphothesis As to the Cure after various Medicines being given without any success I at last perswaded because it was then Summer time that she should drink of our Artificial Spaw Waters for a fortnight Therefore first two quarts of Spring-water being poured upon half a dram of our prepared Steel for a night and afterwards as much in four quarts of water the sick man every morning drunk the clear liquor and within four or five hours he rendered the greatest part of it by Urine He took besides going to sleep and early in the morning a Dose of an appropriate Electuary such as is above described with a Cephalick Iulep within two months he became much better and afterwards by degrees returned to himself Whilst I was writing these a young Noble man being lately returned from his Travels beyond Sea and becoming unhealthy put himself upon our care This person being formerly indued with a Sanguine and chearful temperament splendid in his appearance as also with an acute wit and of a ready ingenuity whilst he travelled in the Countries abroad but one Summer living in Spain he felt a great alteration in himself from the great heats in that place for first of all from the frequent heatings of his Blood he became obnoxious to an heat arising in the palms of his hands and in the bottoms of his feet with prickings over all his body which in a short time vanished Then he found him self very bad as to his Appetite and Sleep moreover being dull and sad he began not to mind yea sometimes to avoid any pleasant business or the converse of his Friends At length his indisposition daily increasing without any evident cause or real trouble of mind he became Melancholick so that being ever thoughtful fearful and sad nothing could delight him for his studies exercises travelling conversation with learned men or any other thing which he before delighted in now became to him a trouble and a terror After this manner being distemper'd for two years he was so changed from himself as if he were another Man For his Cure he had consulted the most skilful Physicians in Spain France and Holland and lastly in England and had tryed several methods of healing almost without any benefit The Melancholick distemper of his blood at first contracted by the intemperature of the Air still remaining and afforded to the Animal regiment Spirits
as it were acetous that is such as we but now described To this Noble man at the beginning we thought good to recommend these following Remedies Take of the Decoction of Senna Gerionis with Tamarinds half an ounce four ounces of the Syrup of purging Apples one ounce of Aqua Mirabilis two drams mix them and take it with government repeating it within nine days After Purging let Blood be taken away with Leeches about four ounces Take of our Syrup of Steel six drams take a spoonful in the morning and at five of the Clock in the Afternoon in the following liquor three ounces walking after it for an hour or two Take of the leaves of Balm Borrage Bugloss Pimpernel Elm-tree Harts Tongue Water-Cresses each four handfuls of the Roots of Borrage half a pound of Pinks and Marigold flowers each three handfuls the outer peels of eight Oranges and four Lemons of Mace half an ounce these being cut and bruised pour to them of Whey made of Cyder eight pints let them be distilled in common Stills Take of the Conserves of Gilliflowers Betony Borrage each one ounce and a half of Pearl powdered two drams of red Coral prepared one dram and a half of the Species Confect de Hyacintho two drams of the Syrup of Coral and red Poppies each what will suffice make an Opiate to be taken going to sleep every night the quantity of a Chesnut drinking after it of Cowslip flower water two or three ounces After sixteen or twenty days changing the method of altering Medicines the following things were used in their places Take of the Powder of Ivory Pearls red Coral prepared each two drams of male Poeony roots one dram and a half of the Wood-Aloes half a dram Lozenges made out of Oranges four ounces of the solution of Tragacanth made of Balm Water what will suffice make Troches weighing half a dram let him eat four in the Morning and at five in the Afternoon drinking after them a draught of Tea Take of the same Powder without the Lozenges half an ounce of the flowers of Sal Armoniack and of Salt of Coral each one dram with Turpentine of Chio six drams make a Mass take half a dram Evening and Morning drinking after it of the distilled water three ounces His food was only good and easily digested meats he drank small Ale with the leaves of Harts-tongue infused in it He tasted sometimes a little Water and Wine or Cyder and he was almost continually employed sometimes in some easie affairs sometimes in moderate exercises or in several sorts of recreations Thus much concerning universal Melancholy by which the sick are affected almost indifferently by any object so that they are intangled in every place and by any accidents and circumstances with a multitude of thoughts continually with raving fear and sadness We have largely enough handled the symptoms of this Disease being manifold and the reasons of them partly in this Chapter and partly in another Tract It is called special Melancholy when the sick respect a certain particular thing or some kinds of things of which they think almost without ceasing and by reason all the powers and affections of the soul being continually imployed about this one thing they live still careful and sad moreover they have absurd and incongruous notions not only about that object but also concerning many other accidents and subjects In this Distemper the Corporeal Soul bending from its proper kind assumes a certain new one but not being conformable either to the Rational Soul or to the Body or to it self it enters into a certain Metamorphosis This kind of Distemper is produced by many ways and on various occasions for vehement passions desire fear anger pleasure yea all other passions both of the concupiscible and irascible Appetite being long continued and carried forth to the height are wont to excite the same But there are two general occasions from which special Melancholy chiefly and most frequently doth arise to wit first when there lyes a most heavy pressure on the mind of some present evil or an evil just at hand whether it be true or imaginary or secondly if the loss or privation of some good before obtained or desparing of something wished for or desired happen In these opposite cases the Corporeal Soul being either drawn forth outwardly omits all domestick care either of it self or of the Body or of the Rational Soul or being pressed inwardly it relinquishes or perverts the offices of Reason and of both the Vital and Animal Functions It would be an huge work to enumerate the various cases in either kind and their ways of affecting out of the great plenty which being of the greatest moment seem to require the care of a Physician are chiefly furious Love Iealousie Superstition despair of Eternal Salvation and lastly the imaginary Metamorphosis of the Body or its parts and the good and evil phantasticks of fortune of these severally we shall speak briefly Concerning the power of Love saying nothing here of some most noble Lord or Heroick actions which appear chiefly on the stage of the Theatre and on that of humane life it is a most common observation that if any one being taken with the aspect and conversation of any Woman begins to desire her and to grow mad for her inwardly and for his most devoted affection has nothing but loss and contempt allotted him unless he be very much supported by a firm reason or is averted as it were by other cross affections there is great danger lest he falls into Melancholy Stupidity or Love-Madness with which passion if by chance he be distemper'd he forth with seems transformed from himself as it were into an animated statue he thinks on nor speaks of any thing but his Love he endeavours to get into her favour with the danger of both the loss of his Life and Fortune in the mean time he not only neglects the care of his houshold affairs or of the publick yea his own health but becoming desperate of his desires he oftentimes lays violent hands of himself But if he be content to live yet growing lean or withering away both in Soul and Body he almost puts off man for the right use of reason being lost omitting food and sleep and the necessary offices of Nature he sets himself wholly to sighing and groaning and gets a mournful habit and carriage of body If we should inquire into the reason of this Distemper it easily appears that the Corporeal Soul of Man being obnoxious to violent affections when it is wholly carried into the object most dear unto it self viz. the beloved Woman and cannot obtain and embrace her there is nothing besides that can quiet or delight it yea being refractory it grows wholly deaf to the Rational Soul and hears not its dictates but carrying only tragical notions to the Imagination darkens the sight of the intellect Further forasmuch as the Praecordia the more
Mercurial Medicines for that they operate not only by Vomit and Stool but oftentimes by Sweat Urine or Salivation do notably help A long and plentiful spitting or flux at the mouth hath perfectly cured some Mad people 3. The more strong Purging Medicines where strength and the constitution may bear them because they depress the raging of the Spirits and of the Blood and very much evacuate the Emunctories that are for the receiving the recrements of the Blood and nervous Juice do often bring help in this Disease For this use preparations of black Hellebore as chiefly its extract and Wine of the Infusion of its strings or the pulp of an Apple with the roots of it boiled together are much praised Take of the Extract of black Hellebore of Calamelanos of each one scruple make a Bolus Take Calamelanos one scruple of Diagridium from twelve to fifteen grains make a Powder Take of Confectio Hamech or of the Electuary of the juice of Roses half an ounce to six drams let it be given in broth Take of the Decoction of Senna Gereonis or of Epithimum with the roots of black Hellebore two drams six ounces make a draught Take of the Powder of Diasennae two drams let it be taken in Posset-drink In the mean time whilst these things are doing let the Preservatory Indication respect the cause of this Disease Wherefore with these frequent purgings and letting of Blood between whiles let altering Medicines or Remedies be used which may attemper the Blood and nervous juice and reduce them to their due temper if that the sick be tractable and orderly enough they will not refuse to take such things methodically Take of Crystal Mineral or of the best purified Nitre two ounces of Pearls powdered two drams of Sugar Candy two drams and a half of Camphor half a scruple let them be all beaten together to a moist fine Powder let two drams of this be put into a glass vessel that will hold two quarts of Spring-water or of clear small Ale or Beer and â—â—ld let it be given for ordinary drink at pleasure Put to Whey being made hot the flowers of Violets or Water-Lilies and after they have infused for two hours let them drink it plentifully also the Spaw Waters are convenient for Mad people to drink orderly and plentifully Take of the tops of green and the tenderest Borrage and Bugloss each four handfuls three Apples pared of Sal Prunella two drams of Sugar half an ounce let them be bruised together and pour to them of spring-Spring-water three pints make a strong Expression take half a pint thrice in a day or oftner Take of the Conserves of Borrage flowers and of Violets each three drams Confectio de Hyacintho of Alchermis each two drams of Coral prepared a dram and an half of the Powder of Pearls one dram of the Salt of Coral one dram of the Syrup of red Poppies what will suffice make an Electuary of which take two drams twice or thrice in a day drinking after it of the following liquor four ounces Take of the waters of the flowers of the Water-Lilie Borrage Bugloss and of black Cherries each four ounces of red Poppies six ounces of red Rose-water two ounces of Camphor tyed in a rag and hang'd in the glass half a dram of the Syrup of Coral one ounce and a half mix them and make a Iulep Take of the yellow flowers of the Willow-tree what will suffice let them be distilled in a common Still and let the Distillation be repeated by putting to it fresh flowers for three times Give of it four ounces twice or thrice in a day sweetning it with the Syrup of Water-Lilies Take of the leaves of the Willow Meadowsweet Pimpernel Borrage Balm each six handfuls of the flowers of the Water-Lilie of the tops of St. Iohns-wort each four handfuls of Camphor powdered three drams all being bruised together pour to them eight pints of new Milk let them be distilled in common Stills Let the brains of Weathers be distilled with Milk and give of the water three or four ounces thrice in a day Further there are to be used Specifick Remedies so called of which is famous a Decoction of Pimpernel with the purple flower also the tops of Hypericon or St. Iohns-wort and other Decoctions Opiates and Powders of Antilyssâ— are frequently noted among all the famous Empericks Concerning the cure of Madness excited from the biting of venomous or mad Animals for that it is almost only Emperical and commonly known we shall not discourse of it in this place and since we have elsewhere proposed our conjectures concerning it But a Decoction or an Infusion of Apples either raw or boil'd in Spring-water the liquor of Tea Emulsions with many other things whose forms we have shewn in the Cure of Melancholy are convenient in this case Moreover from Chirurgical Remedies besides opening of a Vein many other helps are wont to be had for the curing of this Disease Cupping-glasses with Scarification often help Blisterings Cauteries both actual and potential are praised of many Others commend cutting an Artery others Trepaning or opening the Skull others Salivation But these kind of administrations besides that their effects are uncertain can hardly be performed or not at all safely by reason of the intractability of the sick wherefore it were here superfluous to inquire into the reasons of help or cure to be expected from them The hair being shaven off sometimes it is expedient to apply to the forepart of the Head the hot Lungs of a Lamb or Weather and other Fomentations and so to change them But these sorts of Remedies also are hardly to be applied and repeated methodically because of the reluctancy of the sick and so often afford more hurt than help 3. The vital Indication institutes how mad people ought to be handled concerning their government dyet and sleep In this Disease there is no need of keeping up the flesh as in most other Diseases For the spirits ought not to be refreshed with Cordials nor strength to be restored with Medicines but on the contrary both being too raging of themselves things are to be administer'd as it were for the suppression or extinction of a flame raging above measure Therefore let the diet be slender and not delicate their cloathing course their beds hard and their handling severe and rigid But sleep for that it is very necessary ought to be caused sometimes by Anodynes for which end Hypnotick Remedies or Medicines above prescribed for Melancholy are also convenient in this Disease In inveterate and habitual Madness the sick seldom submit to any Medical Cure but such being placed in Bedlam or an Hospital for Mad people by the ordinary discipline of the place either at length return to themselves or else they are there kept from doing hurt either to themselves or to others There is no need to illustrate the nature of
cherished notwithstanding the frequent and almost continual troubles of the Disease 1. The first Indication to wit the allaying of the pains contains these two chief intentions to wit that the breach of the unity be taken away and in the mean time that the irritation or the growing hot of the Fibres or of the Spirits flowing in them may be quieted or appeased 1. For the taking away of the breach of the unity in the distemper'd places both the flowings of the humors which are apt to tend thither ought to be hindred and the Mine already impacted to be dissipated and shaken off and its Particles suppressed from their mutual effervescencies or growing hot For these ends are destinated evacuating and altering Remedies and of either both internal and external We shall here add some forms of these and the more select ways of administration in their order Phlebotomy or letting of Blood in a fresh Gout or not very inveterate and especially in a more hot constitution being used about the beginning of the Disease doth often bring help but in an habitual Disease and in a frigid temperament and old age it is wont to be more hurtful than profitable because it depresses the vigor of the Blood and of the Spirits not too much raging without a lessening of the Morbific matter The business is very much controverted concerning Purging about the beginning of the Disease whilst some Physicians most strictly abstain from all Purging before the declination or end of the fit others on the contrary constantly give strong Purges about the beginning of the Disease and oftentimes with good success The reason of the difference seems to be placed chiefly in this to wit because some Gouty persons are yet firm in the constitution and tone of the humors and the Vessels containing them and being not yet weakned in their joints as often as the Blood and nervous Liquor are disturbed by Medicines their superfluities and recrements are not presently precipitated into the Mine of this Disease yea these being provoked by the Medicine and also obeying the incitement are drawn forth by the moâ—ths of the Arteries into the cavities of the Intestines and in the mean time the Vessels being emptied they draw or sup back a certain part of the Morbific Matter But it is otherwise in tender and weak Constitutions for from the least commotion of the Medicine the purgings of either humor fall down into the Gouty place Therefore to whom Purging is convenient it ought to be instituted with the more strong Medicines and Elaterium For this matter these are of known use The Electuary Caryacostinum The Purging Syrup de Ramno Pills of Hermodâ—ctyls The Compounded Pill ex Duobus The Pill of Rhasis which if we may believe the Author will quickly make the sick to walk Take of the best Aloes half an ounce of red Roses two scruples of Hermodâ—ctils barkt one dram and a half of Diagridium one dram of Honey of Roses what will suffice make a Pill Roderick of Fonseca wonderfully crys up the root of black Hellebore and among other things an Apple with its small strings put into it to about half a dram roasted under the ashes and so eaten Take of Calowelâ—nos one scruple of the Resine of Ialap three grains or of Scammony three grains of the Oyl of Cloves one grain of the Baâ—som of Peru what will suffice make thâ—re or four Pills for one Dose In the time of Purging it will be of some moment perhaps as Solenander advises to restrain the falling down of the humors into those places by a Plaster or other defensive Medicine laid upon the distemper'd places Vomiting to whom it is wont to be safe and easie may be also convenient in this Disease for which end the Emetick Tartar of Mynsicht the Sulphur of Antimony or its Flowers Mercurious Vitae Vinum Emeticum Gambogia may be administer'd But in the Goutish fit the Powders of Stones Bones and Shells as also of sharp Vegetables do help which being called the Alexiteria of this Disease subjugate all the Particles and by growing hot with them do as it were mortifie them and at last they being overcome they carry them forth either by Urine or Sweat Take of the Powder of Crabs claws compounded two drams of Ivory of the Root of Cretick Dittany of the Root of male Poeony each one dram of the Wood of Aloes of yellow Saunders each half a dram make a Powder let it be taken half a dram or a dram either by it self in a spoonful of red Poppy Water drinking after it six spoonfuls of the same or let it be reduced into a Bolus or Pills with Andromach Treacle or Venice Turpentine what will suffice the Dose one dram twice a day drinking after it of the distalled Water afterwards described two or three ounces Or Take of the same Powder six drams of the Conserves of Gilliflowers and of Betony each one ounce and a half of Diascordium one dram of the Syrup of Poppies what will suffice make an Electuary the Dose one dram to two Evening and Morning In the mean time while these things are doing besides altering Medicines and allaying have their turns for the calling away to some other place the flowing of the Morbific matter into the places distemper'd or for the carrying it forth such as may allay the swelling up of the Blood and the nervous Juice and stop the Fluxions of the Recrements falling from them for this end a slender diet and spoon meat if it be convenienâ— being ordered let Emulsions Iulepâ— and Apozems made of gentle things and Anodynes be prescribed As to what belongs to the other intentions of healing viz. the Discussion of the impacted Mine and for the â—llaying the burning or growing hot of the Fibres and the Spirits this latter must be endeavoured without which being performed the other intention will not satisfie for this end therefore it is expedient to give both external Medicines viz. Topicks of a various kind as also internal viz. Hypnoticks For that there are an immense company of Topicks these are only Anodynes which respect only the pain by it self or are such as aim at this together and the tumor or they are repelling or resolving and discussing There are various Formula's of every one of these and ways of administrations But the chief in use are Fomentations Pultesses and Plasters of these we shall shew the most celebrious and first of all Anodyne Applications which please the Fibres with a certain delight For this use the most common practice with the vulgar are 〈◊〉 or Pultesses of Milk and 〈◊〉 of Bread or of those with a Muccage or jelly of the leaves and of the roots of Mallows and Marsh-mallowes and such like Others praise a Pultesse of the fresh dung of a Cow applied warm Take of the Water of Nightshade and of the Sperm of Frogs each six ounces mingle them Lint
use and in a long time together with an exact method or Government concerning the fix non-naturals often bring great help in this rank the chief are Medidicines indued with a Volatile Salt and Balsamick Sulphur forasmuch as these exalt the fixed Salt and reduce what is Acetous besides bitter and astringent things as these Herbs Chamaepitys Centaury Germander the Roots of Gentian and Aristolochia or Birthwort c. as by experience has been approved of in this Disease for this reason seem to be profitable because they help the offices of Concoction and Chylification or making of Chyle and restrain the Saline fixed feculencies or dregs that they may not be carried into the Blood We shall here set down some forms of each of them Take of the Powder of Chamaepitys six drams of Crabs Eyes two drams of Venice Turpentine what will suffice make small Pills take three or four Morning and Evening for thirty or forty days drinking after them of the following distilled water two or three ounces Take of the leaves of Cypress Tree of the Ash and of Misleto of the Apple tree each six handfuls of the roots of sweet smelling Avens Burdock each one pound the outer rinds of ten Oranges and of six Lemons of Nutmegs and Mace each one ounce let them be all cut and bruised and pour to them seven pints of new Milk and of Malaga one pint let them be distilled according to art and the whole liquor mixed together Or let there be a simple Water prepared of the leaves of Burdock by pouring it twice or thrice upon fresh leaves Take of the Powder of the Seeds of Burdock six drams of Crabs Eyes two drams of Nutmeg half a dram of Capive Balsom what will suffice to make a Mass which form into small Pills let four be taken Evening and Morning for many days Take of the Tincture of Antimony one ounce the Dose twenty drops to twenty five Evening and Morning with three ounces of the water but now described For poor people I was wont to prescribe after this manner Take of the Powder of the leaves of Sage half a pound of Crabs Eyes and of the Sugar of Crystal each two ounces mix them let it be kept in a Glass and take one spoonful twice in a day with a draught of a Decoction of the leaves of Sage or of the roots of the Burdock Or of the Powder of Dorncrellius prescribed to be taken after the same manner Take of the Powder of the leaves of Germander of Gout Ivy of the lesser Centaury of Marjoram of Sage of Betony of the roots of Gentian and of round Birthwort each one ounce of Sugar one pound mix them and make a Powder Or of the Powder of John Anglicus called by himself Saracenick Take of the Powder of the leaves of Chamaepitys one ounce the bones of a Mans foot burnt two drams of Liquorish three drams mix them For ordinary drink let there be prepared a Bochet of Sarsaparilla of Saunders wood of Rhodium shavings of Ivory Harts-horn c. or let there be prepared small Ale in a Vessel holding about four gallons instead of Hops let their be boiled the leaves of Germander and Chamaepitys and after it has work'd put into it of the leaves of dry Sage four handfuls of Sassaphras two ounces of the roots of sweet smelling Avens eight ounces Among Altering Medicines a Milk dyet has not the last place that the Patient should use for three or four Months no other food let him drink Morning and Evening new Milk from the Cow about noon and at other times let him eat white Bread boiled in Barly or Water-gruel of Oatmeal I have known some by this kind of dyet to have received notable help but others to have received much hurt or to grow worse by the use of Milk and the Gout being nothing cured to have contracted great obstructions of the Viscera and a Cachochimical disposition or fulness of evil humors Therefore this method is not rashly to be entered upon without the counsel of a prudent Physician and by a sedulous observation whether it be convenient or not Of late it has been a common custom for people having the Gout to drink every Morning their own Urine which I know has been beneficial to some The reason of which help seems to be because the Saline Latex of the Vrine passing thorow the Blood doth carry with it to the Reins the Saline fixed Particles that were before wont to be carried into the joints Wherefore this method when it is helpful to the distemper of the Gout for the most part encreases the Stone which I think sufficiently appears from the following History A very Learned and Pious Man of this Nation and also the glory of Learned Men Dr. H. H. after he had lived for many years grievously obnoxious to freqent fits of pains of Vomiting and a making of bloody Urine at length by the constant use of the following Remedies he lived above seven years almost free from the Stone and without any grievous Fit The method of Cure which had been taught him by a certain Gentleman was after this manner without any Physick or medicine abstaining from Wine and Cyder he drank for his ordinary drink small Ale made of Oaten Malt further once in a week in the Morning he took a draught of the same Ale to about a pint with the Powder of small old rotten Bones three spoonfuls dissolved in it By the use of these within a few months he seemed to be in health and freed from the Stone but shortly after he began to be sick of the Gout and was infested with most grievous Fits of it all the time he was free from the Stone and at length upon every light occasion was become so obnoxious to them that presently after feeding if he exercised either his body or mind by walking or study he most certainly expected the Fits of his pains The reason of which was because the Blood being filled to a plenitude with Saline fixed Particles and the nervous Liquor still with Acetous when being incited and also poured forth on the fresh nutritious juice they grew turgid presently they deposed their superfluities viz. the Morbific matter of either kind into the very weak Joints This venerable person therefore being tyred out with so frequent and almost continual torture by the counsel of a certain Friend drank every morning of his own Urine by the use of which within a month or two he was less tormented with the goutish Fits but with an evil turn the Distemper of the Stone began to grow again upon him for he was from thence troubled with a pain about his Loins with Vomiting and a pain in making water and a little after a total suppression of Urine followed which being not to be helped by any Remedies in about a fortnights time this Reverend Gentleman dyed The Carcase being opened all the Viscera except the
let there be prepared Carminative Decoctions or such as expel wind or bitter Decoctions in which are dissolved Electuary Diacatholicon Diaphoenicon or of Laurel berries or Species Hierae Also to these Liquors it is usual to add the Infusion of Crocus Metallorum three or four ounces or of the Emollient Decoction one pint add of Venice Treacle dissolved with the yolk of an Egg one ounce or an ounce and a half or Take of sound Vrine one pint of Venice Turpentine dissolved one ounce and a half of Molossus one ounce mix them and make a Clyster I have known this oftentimes to bring great help the reason of which seems to be for that the Balsamick Particles of the Turpentine comfort the Intestines and besides being received by the Blood in the Veins and with it circulated thorow the whole Body moves the Urine so that by such a Clyster plenty of water follows and always is rendred with a smell like Violets Perhaps also the Particles of the Turpentine being every where diffused either move the stagnating Morbific matter or incline the acetous or otherways degenerate to a better disposition Whilst the Intestines are thus washed with Clysters and are cherished within Fomentations are likewise to be applied to the outer parts of the Belly Take of the leaves of both the Mallows of Mercury of Pellitory each four handfuls of the Flowers of Elder Chamomil and Melilot each two handfuls the head of a Sheep cut in pieces Let them be boiled in as much Spring-water as will suffice strain it and use it for a Fomentation with hot linnen stuphes dipt in it and wrung forth and shifting them apply them by turns Repeating them as often as the more strong pains do come upon them In the intervals Pultesses or Oyntments may be administer'd Make a Pultess of bruised Herbs adding to it of oaten meal what will suffice which may be laid to the belly covering it with little square bags made for that purpose Let one of these at a time be made hot in a pan set over hot coals with the Oyl of Earth-worms or of Frogs lay them on warm shifting them as soon as one grows cold Or Take of the Oyl of Earth-worms or of Frogs what will suffice and anoint the pained part after the Fomentation and lay upon it a thin sheet of fine brown paper dipt in it The Caul of a Lamb or the Lungs or the Inwards of any other Beast being laid warm to the Belly and so shifted sometimes wonderfully eases the pain I have observed in some Constitutions and temperaments that Fomentations or Bathings made of hot things and applied hot have rather made the pains worse than eased them wherefore in these cases it will seem good to prescribe Fomentations of the solutions of Nitre or of Sal Armoniack or other Chymical Liquors as in the pains of the Gout and sometimes as Septalius says of pure cold water But if the torments of the Belly do not remit by the use of these Hypnoticks must be used which being given in a just Dose oftentimes give great truces In the mean time that the tired Spirits may be refreshed and strength preserved there must be yet instituted a farther provision against the Disease Take of liquid Landanum Tartarisated from sixteen drops to twenty let it be given going to sleep in a spoonful of the water of Chamomil flowers drinking after it six spoonfuls of the same water Let it be repeated every other or every third night if the pains be very great In a more hot Constitution Take of the water of Chamomil flowers three ounces of the Syrup of Poppies half an ounce of Aqua mirabilis two drams make a draught to be taken at the hour of Sleep In the mean time whilst these things are doing for the allaying the pains evacuating Remedies have their turns for the discussing or at least for the loosning the matter impacted in the morbid nests to wit that both the Colick Mine may be wholly extirpated and also that the supplements or its cherishment be cut off that they may not more increase For these ends a Vomit where it is convenient and a gentle purging ought to be ordered and also in an hot temperament where there is a Feavour or where it is feared letting of Blood Take of the Sulphur of Antimony from five grains to seven or eight of the Conserves of Borrage one Dram let it be given in the Morning with government In this case may be given according to the judgment of the Physician present either an Infusion of Crocus Metallorum or of Mercurius Vitae The Emerick Tartar of Mynsicht the expression of the leaves of Asarum and in more tender Constitutions Salt of Vitriol and Wine and Oxymel of Squills Purges must be given only in a small Dose and such as are choice lest they move a nauseousness in the stomach of the sick Take of the Resine of Ialap of Scammony each five grains of the Cream of Tartar one scruple of Cinnamon powdered four grains make a Powder or let it be reduced into Pills or into a Bolus with the Conserves of the Flowers of Borrage or Damask Roses Take of Scammony sulphurated half a scruple of the Cream of Tartar fifteen grains of Diaphoretick Antimony one scruple make a Powder and let it be given after the same manner If there be not a Feavour a Dose of Stomach Pills cum Gummi may be given or of Amber by it self or with the Resine of Ialap Take of Pill Rudii twenty five Grains or half a dram of Laudamon one grain make four Pills let them be taken at the hour of rest These at first cause sleep and Purge in the morning Or Take of Calomelanos one scruple of the Resine of Ialap six grains of Scammony four grains of Ammoniacum what will suffice make four Pills to be taken going to rest In a long and tedious Colick when all other Remedies help little or nothing I have often known this Medicine being once or twice given to have moved Salivation with the greatest ease to the sick For when the morbific matter being heaped together and thorowly impacted in the nervous Infoldings and other places about the Abdomen could not be moved by any other Medicines the Mercurial Particles every way unfolding themselves easily dissolve it and divide it into small bits and drive it up and down hither and thither and at length wholly dissipate it Wherefore in a long and pertinacious Colick a gentle Salivation sometimes may be very happily administer'd Baths and Sweating Medicines are ordinarily wont to be prescribed in the pains of the Colick but as to our observation very rarely with success For that these by shaking the Blood and nervous humor cause them to lay up still more matter into the Colick Mine yea and that matter there deposited to grow more hot and raging and very rarely wholly shake it off Diureticks are wont
much more profitably to be given by which when the Blood is poured forth and its serosities plentifully precipitated the nourishment of the Disease is cut off and the bloody Mass being emptied receives part of the Morbific matter so that its reliques are more easily shaken off For this end Take of the best Spirit of Tartar rectified half an ounce let half a dram be given twice or thrice in a day in a spoonful or two of the following Iulep drinking after it five spoonfuls of the same Take of the Water of the leaves of Burdock or of Aron or of Arsmart one pint of the Water of the flowers of Elder and of Chamomil each four ounces of the compound water of Gentian of the compound Water of Raddishes each two ounces of Sugar six drams mix them together After the same manner as the Spirit of Tartar may be given in a just Dose sometimes the Tincture of the Salt of Tartar sometimes the simple mixture or the Spirit of Sal Armoniack succinated or impregnated with Amber Take of Millepedes prepared two drams of the flowers of Sal Armoniack Tartarized one dram of the Oyl of Nutmegs half a scruple of Turpentine what will suffice make a Mass and let it be made into Pilâ—s take three or four once or twice in a day drinking after it a Dose of the Iulep or of the following distilled water five or six spoonfuls Take of fresh Millepedes or Hog-Lice cleansed one pint and a half the outer rind of six Oranges and of four Lemons six Nutmegs let them be cut small and add to them one pound of the crumbs of stale white Bread all being bruised together and well mixed pour to them four pints of new Milk and of Sack one quart let them be distilled according to art and the whole liquor mixed together you may sweeten it with Sugar or the Syrup of Violets as you please In a long and pertinacious Colick to those who are of a more cold temperament and Viscera Purging Spaw Waters or Whey with the Syrup of Violets are wont to be given oftentimes with great help for both liquors where they are agreeable being plentifully drunk refrigerate the stomach and the hot Intestines and presently loosen and help them in their painful Cramps and wrinklings or from the Convulsive winds or blasts that extend them besides they chiefly help as I suppose for that they tame and subdue the Saline Particles of another nature insinuating themselves into the Morbific Mine and other Saline and irritative Particles inhabiting it and oftentimes carry them forth by Purging In this Disease as all things are not convenient for all men yea neither the same thing always for the same person there is dayly need of the careful observation of a prudent Physician that by the co-indications from things taken that hurt or help a right method of healing may be instituted and varied as occasion serves 2. The Vital Indication ought to be joyned to the Curatory and that between whiles For when the sick being afflicted with torture watching Vomiting and abstinence almost continual often fall into languishment and sometimes in danger of their lives Remedies which sustain strength refresh the Spirits and procure some truces against the fierceness of the Disease to wit Cardiacks or Cordials and Hypnoticks or such as cause rest have here their turns Take of the Water of the flowers of Chamomil and of Elder each four ounces of Barlyed Cinnamon and of the whole Citron each two ounces of Pearl powdered one dram of Sugar three drams make a Iulep take of it five or six spoonfuls Take of the Powder of Pearl and of Crabs Eyes each one dram let it be divided into four parts let one part be given twice or thrice in a day with the Iulep or with a Decoction of the roots of Contrayerva Take of the Conserve of Clove-Gilliflowers one ounce of the Confection de Hyacintho of Alchermes each two drams of Pearl powdered half a dram of the Syrup of the juice of Citrons what will suffice make a Confection give of it the quantity of a Nutmeg three or four times in a day with the Iulep In less hot Constitutions Spirits of Harts-horn of Sut of Sal Armoniack impregnated with Amber also the Tincture of Antimony or of Coral do oftentimes give notable help Opiates are of necessary use in the Disease of the Colick without which the sick cannot live nor the Physicians nor those who attend them be at quiet or have any leasure time Take of the water of Cowslip flowers three ounces of the Syrup of Poppies half an ounce of Aqua Mirabilis two drams mix them and make a draught to be given going to sleep If the pains be very strong and yield to no such Remedy prepared Opium and its compositions ought to be given The Laudanum of Paracelsus or the London Laudanum Pills of Styrax or of Hounds-tongue are convenient a Solution of Tartarisated Opium from sixteen to twenty grains is much used by me Which Medicine indeed I have given with very good success to some that for a long time have been miserably vexed with this Disease sometimes a great while every night or every other night 3. The Preservatory Indication hath only place in the intervals of the fits and endeavours the taking away the present foregoing cause of the Disease and hindring it for the future so that the fits of the pains may seldom or never afterwards return For which end the Blood and the nervous liquor ought to be purified leâ—t they should beget the morbific matter and conserved in its due temper and the Brain and the nervous Infoldings of the Abdomen corroborated leâ—t they should too readily receive it For these ends a strict dyet being ordered let them enter into a course of Physick Spring and Fall such as we prescribed for the prevention of the Gout Vomiting in this case is never to be omitted if it be agreeable to wit by which the Emunctories of the Viscera being emptied the Recrements of the Blood and the nervous Liquor which otherwise would augment the morbific matter may be received more plentifully besides the nervous Infoldings and all the parts are so shaken that nothing of that which is about to go into the Mine of the Disease is suffered to stagnate or to be heaped up there Let Purging for three or four times with due intervals and also in a hot Constitution Phlebotomy be celebrated moreover let altering Remedies and especially Chalybeats or such as are made out of Steel when they do not Purge be daily taken at medical hours But before all other Remedies whatsoever the drinking of Mineral Waters such as come from Iron for a month in the Summer time is wont to give the greatest help But when these are drunk you must take heed that they be rendred well and quickly by Urine or Stool lest if they should chance to stay long in the body
distilled Water Tablets Chalybeats or Steel-Medicines Spirits Powders Cases and Examples of the Sick The first History The second History The Reason of the Case described The third History The Seat of the Apoplexy A Description of the Disease It s Subject The spontaneous Functions only deficient in the Apoplexy The opinions of others concerning this Disease The Theory of this Disease is best shewn by the famous Dr. Webfer Another Reason given by the Author The Exclusion of the Blood from the Brain does not easily happen Because all the Arteries communicate one with another and some of them supply the defects of the others A total Exclusion of the blood from the Brain sometimes hapning causes a terrible Syncopy This depends oftenest on the motion of the heart being hindred and so either because of the Cardiack Nerves being bound together Or By reason of the Spirits in the Cerebel being hindred from their flowing into the Nerves Hence there is a twofold Apoplexy one in the Brain the other proper to the Cerebel The Theory of the former delivered This Disease either accidental or habitual The cause of the former is either a great breach of the unity in or near the middle of the Brain Or a sudden stupefaction or extinction of the Spirits 1 A Solution of the unity either from blood let forth of the Vessels Or 2 From an Imposthume or the breaking of an Vlcer Or 3 From a Deluge of the Serum An extinction of the Spirits from Opiates or from immoderate Drinking of hot Waters The operation of Opiates as it is assigned by the famous Webfer The formal reason of the habitual Apoplexy 1 What its Conjunct Cause is It consists in the Pores of the callous Body being suddenly stop'd and the Spirits being driven away by the contact of malignant matter What the nature or disposition of the morbifick matter is The procatarctic Cause of the habitual Apoplexy The differences of this Disease Its Prognosticks The Curatory Method What is to be done in the Fit In what position the Sick ought to be kept Phlebotomy Other ways of Administration noted Vomiting Medicines Comforters Cupping-glasses Hot or glowing Iron The preservatory Method Purging and Bleeding Spring and Fall Cephalick Remedies An Electuary A distilled Water Lozenges Spirits and Tinctures Tea Coffee and Chocolate prepared how to be made and taken A Powder Medical Aâ— Examples A very rare History An Anatomical Observation The middle of the Brain which is the Seat of the Apoplexy is also the Seat of the Epilepsy The streaked Bodies the Medullar Trunks and the Nerves are the Seat of the Palsy what the Palsie is It s Conjunct Causes are Obstruction of the passages and the Impotency of the Spirits In the Palsie either motion or sense only or both together is hurt Spontaneous motion is abolished by reason of the ways being obstructed either in their beginnings or the middle passages or about the ends The ways are obstructed by Impletion or Compression or by a breaking of the Vnity An obstruction in the streaked Bodies causes the Vniversal Palsie or the Palsie of one side Why sense is not hindred as well as motion in every Palsie In an universal Palsie why all the Muscles of the Eyes and Face are not loosâ—ed A Compression of the streaked Body sometimes stirs up the Palsie A Paralytick obstruction doth sometimes happen in the Oblong and Spinal Marrow A Palsie often succeeds stupidity or becoming foolish A Palsie sometimes from the pressing together of the Marrowy Cord. Sometimes from the unity being broke The Seat of the Palsie sometimes in the Nerves themselves which are either obstructed or compressed or the unity broken 1 An Obstruction Sometimes in the beginning of the Nerves 2 Sometimes in the middle 3 Or in their utmost processes The other conjunct cause of the Palsie to wit the impotency of the Spirits Often arises from narcotick or vitriolick Particles by which the Spirits are put to flight In every Palsie the matter is not so thick or cold as it is vitriolick or other ways infestous to the Spirits The blasting or withering in Trees like the Palsie The more remote foregoing causes of the Palsy which are two 1 More remote to wit a vicious Blood and for that reason pouring forth a deadly matter upon the head 2 Nearer to wit a weak and loose Brain admiting the evil Particles The Palsy is either a primary Distemper and a Disease of it self Or secondarily viz. Coming upon or succeeding other Diseases Wherefore the Palsie often succeeds Convulsive Diseases Wherefore the Distemper of the Colick 3 Wherefore the Gout The evident Causes of the habitual Palsie Want or paâ—city of Spirits oftentimes the Cause of the Spurious or Bastard Palsy For this Reason Old Men are obnoxious to this Disease 2 Also Scorbutical Persons and such as are full of ill humours 3 Also others long sick Hence some dare not venture on local motion Others endeavouring cannot bear them long The Impotency of the Spirits proceeds in some measure from the default of the explosive Copula 2 The kind of Palsy in which Motion and Sense are hurt at ones 3 Kind in which sense only is affected Wherefore feeling is sometimes lost and motion safe What is the proper Organ of feeling The Prognostick of the Palsy It s Cure Three means of healing according to which this Disease is 1. Either accidental 2. The off-spring of another Disease 3. Habitual 1 The Cure of the former A Powder for a Fall Topicks to be applyed to the Distempered part 2 How the Palsie coming upon another Disease is to be cured The Cure of the habitual Palsie Whilst it is In fieri or doing The Intentions of healing respect the Blood and the Brain Bloodletting A Purge Cephalick Remedies 2 How the Disease in habit is to be cured Bloodletting and Purging cautiously and rarely to be admitted Altering Medicines ought to be given with choice How the Palsy is to be healed in a cold temperament Electuary Coffee A Decoction Spirits A Distilled Water Tinctures and Elixirs Powders Lozenges Pills How the Cholerick or hot Palsie is to be cured An Electuary A Distilled Water Chalybeats or Steeled Medicines A Decoction The juice and expressions of Herbs Pills Topick and particular Remedies Vniversal Remedies 1 Diaphoreticks They are not to be administred indifferently to all They often hurt the Cholerick Sweating Medicines Stoves Baths Natural Baths When the use of Baths is hurtful in the Palsie Salivation Vomitories Histories and Examples of Paralyticks The Example of the Palsie habitual excited of it self The first History The Reason of it The second History more rare and notable An Anatomicâ— Observation â— which the Caâ— is explained â— The third History The Reason of this The fourth History The Câ—rt expoposed The Reason of it The fifth History shâ—wing when the Baths are hurtful An example of the Palsie from a Lethargy The Distempers of the Brain follow in which Reason is hurt as