why you are not to fill the body of the Alembick with Herbs is because should you fill it up the bottome of the cake of the Herbs will be dried and burnt before the top is half dry or distilled off CHAP. II. Containing the manner how to distil compound Waters The Description of London-Treacle Water TAke of the juice of green Walnut-peel a pint of the juice of Rue three quarters of a pint of the juices of Marigold-leaves Baume and of Carduus Benedictus of each half a pint Butterbur-roots four ounces and a half Burdock-roots a quarter of a pound Master-wort and Angelica-roots of each two ounces Water-Germander-leaves one handful Venice Treacle and Mithridate of each two ounces Canary-Wine three pints sharp French Vinegar a pint and an half juice of Limons half a pint The manner of preparing the Ingredients The Walnut-peel Rue Marigold-leaves Baume and Carduus Benedictus must be each severally bruised into a sappy mass in a stone Mortar or a Lignum vitae Mortar and pressed through a fine Canvas cloath in a small Press The fine Canvas cloath for strainers you buy at the Linnen Drapers at ten pence the yard The small Presses you may buy at the Turners at Hosier-lane end next to Smithfield from three shillings to six or seven according to their bigness or possibly you may buy one at second hand big enough for your use at the same Shops for eighteen pence or less The reason why you are to bruise the Walnut-peel Rue and the other Herbs severally is because you are to have an exact measure of each of their Juices For should you bruise Marigold-leaves Baume and Carduus of each the same quantity together yet you would not have the same measure of Juices from them in regard one Herb yields far more Juice than another though at the same time I know several Apothecaries to save trouble do bruise the foresaid Herbs together which notwithstanding must be imputed an error in the exactness of preparing Treacle-Water Observe that Apothecaries commonly take the green Walnuts whole that is Nuts and Peel about them before they are quite ripe and bruise them in a stone-Mortar together in order to the expressing of the Juice out of them Moreover note that about fifty Walnuts will go near to yield a Pint of Juice 2. The Butter-bur Burdock Masterwort and Angelica-roots must be fresh taken out of the ground and may be bruised together into a mash the Water-Germander-leaves must be dryed stript from their stalks and beaten in a Mortar into a course powder or they may be used green and beaten in a Mortar to a mash or shred small with a knife 3. Put all these together with the Treacle and Mithridate into a glass Body and pour on them the several juices and the Canary Wine mixing them well by shaking them gently together and fasten a blind head to the said glass Body by applying round the juncture or the place where they are joined a Hogs Bladder cut into long slips the breadth of two fingers and dipt in Whites of Eggs beaten thin into a Water or put all those Ingredients into a Glass Retort Receiver the mouth whereof stop with a piece of Cork fitted to it and fasten a piece of Bladder over that About the said Receiver tye two or three pieces of Brick to make it sink into a Kettle of Water hanging over a gentle Fire wherein let it stand some twelve or four and twenty hours at longest Then empty the Receiver into a glass Body which being covered with its glass Head or Alembick and closed about the Juncture with slips of Paper and Starch or a Hogs Bladder dipt into Whites of Eggs put into a Sand-pan hanging in a portable Furnace there being the breadth of two fingers of Sand under the Glass fill the Pan with Sand kindle the Fire gradually under it and so let it distil off until the Ingredients are almost dry The prices at the Glass-Shop Of a quart green glass Body 12 d. Of a pottle green Body 18 d. Of a gallon green Body 22 d. Of a quart white glass Body 18 d. Of a pottle white Body 2 s. Of a gallon white Body 3 s. Of a green glass quart Head that is fitting a quart body blind or with a Spout 18 d. Of a green Pottle Head 22 d. Of a green Gallon Head 2 s. 6 d. Of a green quart Retort Receiver 6 d. Of a green pottle Retort Receiver 8 d. Of a green gallon Retort Receiver 12 d. Of an earthen portable Furnace according to its bigness and fitted with a Sand-pan from 2 s. 6 d. to 5 6 or 7 s. Note That those Bodies that are called quart Bodies always are to contain two quarts if they were filled to the top Likewise a Pottle Body is to hold a Gallon and a Gallon Body two Gallons Likewise a quart Receiver is to hold a Pottle and the others proportionably the double 2. Observe That the Apothecaries commonly without other digestion than letting it stand three or four days in their Shops in a great glass distil this and other compound Waters in a small Copper Still with a Bucket Head but then those Waters shall not be so full of vertue nor so pure as the Waters distilled in a Glass The price of the whole Composition Compute the Walnuts the half hundred at 6 d. The Herbs whereout the juices are to be pressed at 12 d. or 14 d. The Roots Germand at 3 d. ½ d. The Treacle and Mithridate at 2 s. Canary Wine at 3 s. French Vinegar at 3 d. Juice of Limons at 4 d. ½ d. Charcoal Fire used in distilling 4 d. The whole is 7 s. 10 d. So that for seven Shillings and ten Pence you may expect near four Quarts of excellent Treacle-Water which is about ten pence three farthings the pint and scarce three farthings the ounce computing according to the content of their retail measure sixteen ounces to the Pint which according to Physical measure ought to contain twelve Ounces The Apothecaries prices of Treacle Water by the pint is three shillings six pence some will not sell it for less than four shillings by the ounce four pence others will sell for three pence Some few Apothecaries in stead of Canary put in a decayed Malaga or Brandy and for juyce of Limons put in Lime juice and make use of their worst sort of Treacle and Mithridate wherefore they sell Treacle-Water somewhat cheaper than the ordinary price The Description of Aqua Epidemica or the London Plague-Water TAke of the roots of Tormentil Angelica Peony M. Liquorish Elicampane of each half an Ounce of the Leaves of Sage the greater Celandine Rue the tops of Rosemary Wormwood Sundew Mugwort Burnet Dragons Scabious Agrimony Baume Carduus Benedictus Betony the lesser Centaury of the leaves and flowers of Marigolds of each a handful steep them four days in four quarts of the best White-wine and distil them in ashes in a glass Alembick
handful being bruised in a Mortar put them into a glass Retort-Receiver and pour on them as much sharp Vinegar as will cover them and two inches over let them stand in digestion in the Sun in the Summer or in warm water in the Winter for seven days then strain and press the Vinegar hard from them 2. Take of the best green Copperas two pound put it into a thick blackish earthen Melting-pipkin of no greater bigness than will just contain the Vitriol This place between Bricks laid so as to make a square Tower about two inches larger than the Pipkin and two inches higher Fill this kind of open Furnace with Charcoal up to the top and kindle it gradually which in less than half an hour will make the Pipkin red-hot continue this heat until the Copperas be calcined or burned into a deep red Then take out the Pipkin and being grown cold break it and take out the red Copperas or Colchothar which beat to powder and put into a new Pipkin pour on it one quart of River or spring-Spring-water and one pint of Vinegar boil them until half be consumed away then after it is setled pour off the tinctured Liquor into a flat earthen pan This done pour another quart of Spring-water upon the same red Vitriol boil it away half and after it is setled pour off the tinctured Liquor to the other Liquor in the earthen pan this repeat with fresh water until the red Copperas will colour the water no longer Place the earthen pan between two Bricks set edge-wise and kindle a very moderate fire under it and let the water evaporate or dry away until the red Vitriol that was dissolved in the said water be left dry in the bottom of the pan This red dried Vitriol put into a new Pipkin and calcine or burn it over again as you did at first that put in into another Pipkin and pour fresh water on it and boil it as you did before to extract the tincture or dissolve the purest of the red Vitriol then pour it off into your earthen pan and pour more fresh water on the red Vitriol or Copperas in the Pipkin and boil it to extract more of the tincture thus continue until all is extracted throwing away the remaining dregs on the bottom the tinctured Liquors evaporate again to a driness and then calcine or burn the red Copperas remaining on the bottom a third time and extract and evaporate it over again in the same manner as before which done then the Copperas is prepared 3. Take Verdigriese one ounce and half powder it and put it into a glass pour on it half a pint of sharp distill'd Vinegar let it stand in the Sun four or five days or 24 hours in warm water then pour off the Vinegar being tinctured green and evaporate it in an earthen pan until it be dry The proportion of these prepared Ingredients for to make the foresaid Brown Oyntment is as followeth Take of the above-mentioned prepared Copperas powdered two ounces of the prepared Verdigriese one ounce and a quarter clarified Honey six ounces of the Vinegar that was pressed from the Herbs three ounces of the Flegm of Vitriol two ounces boil them to the thickness of an Oyntment in the same manner as was told you in the preparation of the Unguentum Aegyptiacum This Brown Oyntment as it is here described the preparation is very tedious and troublesome which you may make shorter thus Calcine the Vitriol six hours then powder it and extract the tincture with three quarts of water and one pint of sharp Vinegar evaporate it and then it is sufficiently prepared The Verdigriese must be prepared as it is set down before The Herbs need not be extracted with Vinegar only press out their juices and mix them with the Tincture of Verdigriese The Honey need not be clarified only take off the scum as it is boiling with the juices then put in the other Ingredients according as you have been informed before But far beyond this I have formerly prescribed an Oyntment that in malignant or sordid Ulcers Joynt-waters Fistula's and other desperate cases doth the greatest Effects imaginable which I here impart to you Take of the Vitriol of Venus of the Vitriol of Mars of each half an ounce Sugar of Lead two drams Honey boiled up to a consistency three ounces and half Mithridate half an ounce mix them together in the Mortar without putting them over the fire If your Oyntment happen to be too thick either by over-boiling the Honey or by driness of the weather drying the Oyntment after it is made you may soften it with a little Honey of Roses or rather Iuice of Celandine The Description of Vnguentum Althaeae or Oyntment of Marsh-mallows TAke of the Oyl of Mucilages which is described in the foregoing Chapter one pound Wax half a pound Rosin one ounce and half Terebinthin six drams make them up into an Oyntment The manner of Preparing First melt the Wax and Rosin together afterward put in the Terebinthin and Oyl and let them boil gently to the thickness of an Oyntment stirring it oft with your Spatula until it be ready to be taken off the fire The Prices It will stand you in something less than three farthings an ounce The Apothecaries sell it the ounce at two pence The Description of Vnguentum Basilicon I wittingly omit in regard that Tarre and Firre-Terrebinthin being mixt together in equal proportions doth digest and ripen far beyond it The Description of Unguentum Populeon or Poppy-Oyntment TAke of the fresh Buds of black Poplar half a pound Violet-leaves and Venus Navil of each three ounces new unsalted Hogs grease three pound Bruise and mix them and let them steep together in the Hogs grease in the month of May adde to them of the tops of young Bramble-bush of the leaves of black Poppey Mandrake Henbane Night-shade Lettice of the greater and lesser Housleek and of the greater Burdock of each three ounces Bruise them again and mix them all together letting them stand and ferment ten days then pour on them a pint Rose-water and boil them until all the superfluous moisture be consumed Strain and press them hard through a Canvas-strainer The manner of Preparing The Poplar-buds Violet-leaves and Venus navil must be bruised together in a stone Mortar in the month of May. The Hogs grease must be freed from its little skins and wash'd in this manner Cut it into small pieces and melt it with a little water over a Charcoal-fire in a clean flat earthen pan stirring it oft with a Spatula Being melted strain it through a clean piece of Linnen and pour on it some luke-warm water put it over a very gentle fire stirring it oft with a Spatula for an hour then letting the grease settle pour off the water and pour on again some fresh warm water and stir it oft for half an hour then let it settle and shift the water again washing of the
said grease thus twice or thrice is sufficient for this Oyntment but for the Oyntment of Roses Vnguentum Album and Vnguentum Pomatum where whiteness is required to make the Oyntment look neat and very white you must wash it in the manner aforesaid eight or nine times The Hogs grease being wash'd put it into the Mortar and mix the aforesaid Herbs with it by stirring the Pestil oft about then put them into a clean Pipkin and let them stand about a month or so long until the other Herbs can be got which then must be also bruised in the Mortar and mixed with the grease and Poplar-buds this done set them in the Sun for eight or nine days stirring them now and then about with a Spatula At last put them into your Pan pour the Rose-water upon them and let them boil until the superfluous moisture be boil'd away then strain and press them hard out and put them into an Oyntment-pot The Apothecaries sell this Oyntment for two pence an ounce The Description of Unguentum Album TAke Oyl of Roses nine ounces White Lead three ounces Wax two ounces Camphor two drams make them up into an Oyntment The manner of preparing this White Oyntment Cut your Wax into lumps and melt it together with the Oyl of Roses in a glas'd earthen Pan or a tinn'd Pan but not in one of brass because that will spoil the whiteness of the Oyntment Being melted and mixed together with a Spatula take it off when it 's grown half cold put in the White Lead being washed and very finely powdred gradually mixing it as it 's put in by stirring it about with a wooden Spatula Being grown almost quite cold mix in like manner the Camphor being powdred and grownd into a smooth even powder dropping a few drops of Oyl of sweet Almonds into the Mortar to anoint the bottom and end of the Pestle Note Oyl of Roses is prepared by steeping four ounces of red Roses before they are quite opened in a pint of Oyl of Olives that was pressed out before the Olives were ripe and setting it in the Sun six or eight days Then strain and press the Oyl from the Roses and put fresh red Roses to the Oyl and steep it again in the Sun the same do again the third time This Oyntment will not stand you in two farthings the ounce Apothecaries sell it at two pence the ounce and some at three pence CHAP. XII Of Emplasters The Description of Emplastrum Diachylon cum Gummi TAke of the Oyl of Mucilages two pound Lithargyr of gold one pound pouring to them about a pint of water boil them until they come to the thickness of a Plaister then adde to them yellow Wax a quarter of a pound Gum-ammoniac Galbanum Opopanax Sagapenum all dissolved in Vinegar of each two ounces Therebinthin a quarter of a pound make them up into an Emplaster The manner of preparing this Plaister The Lithargyr must be powdred very fine and sifted then put it to the Oyl and Water and boil them stirring them continually until they come to the thickness of a Plaister then put to them the Wax cut into lumps which being melted put in also the Gums which you must first have dissolved over the fire in as much Vinegar as will swim a-top two fingers breadth this strain through a Canvas and evaporate it until it come to the thickness of Honey These being well mixt with the Oyl and Wax adde to them the Therebinthin which being also well mixt take them off and keep constantly stirring gently with your Spatula until it is almost grown cold then make it up into great Rowls between your hands being anointed with a little Oyl of Roses or other sweet Oyl Observe That the Gums will not mix so well unless the Oyl of Mucilages be a little cooled The Description of Emplastrum Sticticum Paracelsi TAke Oyl of Olives six ounces yellow Wax one ounce and half Lithargyr powdered four ounces and a half Gum-ammoniac Bdellium of each half an ounce Galbanum Opopanax Oyl of Bays Lapis Calaminaris of both the sorts of Aristolochia Myrrhe Frankincense of each a quarter of an ounce Therebinthin one ounce The Oyl Wax and Lithargyr must be boil'd together until it doth not stick to your fingers Afterwards the mass being a little cooled put the Gums to it being dissolved in Vinegar which by boiling let evaporate from it being strained and pressed hard through the Strainer at last put in the Powders Therebinthin and Oyl of Bays so make it up to an Emplaster I need not adde any thing for the instructing you in making of the Plaister since the directions set down in the manner of preparing the Diachylon cum Gummi will sufficiently guide you The Description of Emplastrum Diapalma or Diachalciteos TAke unsalted Hogs grease cleansed from its skins one pound Oyl of Olives pressed out before the Olives are ripe Lithargyr of Gold powdered fine and sifted of each one pound and half white Vitriol burn'd and powder'd two ounces the Lithargyr Grease and Oyl must be boil'd together on a gentle fire pouring to them a little plantane-Plantane-water and stirring them continually with a Spatula until they come to the body of a Plaister wherewith being almost cold you are to mix the Vitriol and so make it up into a Mass. Besides the instructions given you before you are onely to observe when this or any other Emplaster is boiling to drop now and then off of the Spatula wherewith you stir the melted Mass of Emplaster a drop thereof upon the backside of a Plate and let it cool and thereby you may judge whether your Plaister be boil'd enough This Plaister is sold by the Apothecaries at two pence the ounce Observe That in defect of the foregoing Paracelsus Plaister melting of two thirds of Diachylon with one third of Diapalma will very well serve for the same intent and purpose if not better The Description of the Emplastrum Opodeldoch of Felix Wurtz so much cryed up among Surgeons beyond-Sea TAke of the best Wax two pound Venice Therebinthin one pound Genoa Oyl of Olives three ounces melt them together pouring thereunto of the Iuices of Celandine Oak-leaves Starwort and Speedwel of each one ounce and half boil these until all the moisture be consumed then put to them Gum-ammoniac Galbanum Opopanax dissolved in Vinegar strained and evaporated in the same manner as was directed in preparing the Diachylon of each six drams Colophony one ounce and half Amber half an ounce Mastich Myrrhe Frankincense Sarcocolla of each three drams prepar'd Magnet one ounce and half Crocus Martis two ounces Crocus Veneris one ounce prepared Tuthia Lapis Calaminaris of each ten drams of the red sweet Earth of Vitriol as much as will make the Plaister red The manner of Preparing Observe That the Crocus Martis and Veneris Tuthia Lapis Calaminaris and Earth of Vitriol must be put in last when the Plaister is almost grown cold 2. The Magnet is
Clyster against the Cholick Take Marshmallow roots one ounce Mallows Rue Origan Calamint of each a handful dried Virginia Tobacco leaves half an ounce Bay berries six drams Linseeds half an ounce boyl them in a little more than a pint of water strain it and thereunto add eight or nine spoonfuls of common Oyl An Anodyne Clyster against Gripes Boyl a pint of Milk once up and mix with it the yolk of one Egge and four spoonfuls of brown Sugar An adstringent Clyster against a Loosness and Dysenteries Take half an ounce of Tormentil roots of the leaves of Plantane and Shepherds purse of each one handful red Rose leaves two pugils Cypress Nuts two drams boyl them in Smiths water unto a pint and mix with it the yolks of two Eggs well beaten A Clyster against pains of the Stone Take of the leaves of Pellitory Mallows and Mercury of each one handful Fenugreek seeds and Bay berries of each half an ounce Chamomil flowers two pugils boyl them in water unto a pint dissolve therein one ounce of Venice Therebinthin which must be done thus warm two ounces of common Oyl therewith mix the foresaid Therebinthin with a Spoon or Spatula which then will easily mix with the foresaid Decoction CHAP. V. Of Suppositories TAke a Beet root or a Cabbage root cut it according to the length and shape of your fore-finger that is Taper onely a little pointed at one end dust it about with a little Salt powdered fine and put it up your fundament Another Take a piece of Castle Soap shape it as was directed before and make use of it Or take an end of a Tallow Candle and dust it a little with Salt powdered Another Take Honey and boyl it up to a thickness and hardness mix with it twenty grains of Aloes powdered or if required more stimulating twenty grains of Scammony powdered or twenty grains of Colocynth powdered CHAP. VI. Of Iuleps A cooling Iulep in Fevers TAke a quart of Barley water squeese in it the juice of one large Lemon or of two small ones then sweeten it with as much white Sugar as will make it palatable Another Take of the distilled waters of Succory Sorrel and Violets of each four ounces dissolve in them three ounces of Syrup of Limons or Syrup of Sorrel CHAP. VI. Of Decoctions A Pectoral Decoction against Coughs and Phthisicks TAke of Elicampane Eringo and Liquoris roots of each half an ounce Currents one ounce Figs twenty in Number Dates ten in number Maidenhair one handful sweet Fennil seeds half an ounce boil them in Spring water unto a pint and half strain the liquor and dissolve therein one ounce and half of clarified Honey A Decoction against the Dropsie Take of the chips of Guaiacum wood two ounces Sassafras wood cut small one ounce of the roots of Swallow-wort Florentine Orris of each one ounce Agrimony Pennyroyal Horehound of each one handful Roman Wormwood half a handful Juniper berries and Parsley seeds of each one ounce Clove bark three drams boyl them in Whitewine and water of each the same measure unto a quart strain the liquor and therein dissolve three ounces of clarified Honey A Decoction against the Stone Take of Restharrow roots one ounce Horse-radish roots half an ounce Saxifrage leaves and Venus Bason of each one handful Alkekengi berries or Winter Cherries fifty in number Milium Solis six drams sweet Fennil Burdock and Saxifrage seeds of each half an ounce Juniper berries six drams Rhenish Tartar a quarter of an ounce boil them in half White-wine and half Water unto one pint and half strain the liquor and keep it in a glass Take a quarter of a pint Mornings and Afternoons A Decoction against a Dysentery and other Loosnesses Take Tormentil and Snakeweed roots of each half an ounce red Saunders six drams Comfrey leaves half a handful Myrtle berries six drams red Rose leaves one handful boyl them in Smiths forge-forge-water unto a quart CHAP. VII Of Gargarisms A Gargarism to purge the Brain of Flegm TAke of Elicampane roots one ounce of the tops of Hyssop and Sage of each one handful Pyrethrum root or Pellitory of Spain two drams long Pepper Cubebs of each one dram boyl them in half Whitewine and half Water unto a pint Strain the liquor and therein dissolve two ounces of Syrup of Vinegar A Gargarism against the swelling and inflammation of the Throat Take of Plantane water four ounces Rose water and Self-heal water of each two ounces dissolve in them Syrup of Mulberries two ounces Sal Prunellae half a dram A Gargarism against foul Scorbutick Gums Take Tormentil and Aristolochia rotunda roots half an ounce Pilewort Sage and Garden Scurvey-grass of each one handful boyl them in water to a pint therein dissolve two scruples of flowers of Sal Armoniac CHAP. VIII Of Collyria's or Eye Medicines An Eye-water to clear the sight TAke Celandine Eye-bright Vervain and Rue of each three handfuls sweet Fennil and Cummin seeds of each six drams Mace and Cloves of each three drams steep them in French Wine and Spring water of each one pint afterwards distil the water off in a glass Body with a glass Head in Sand. An Eye Water against Heat Redness and sharp Rhumes of the Eyes Take Rose water and Eyebright water of each two ounces of trochisci albi Rhasis one dram 〈…〉 red Tuthia twenty grams mix them together in a glass The Green Eyewater to remoue Specks and Pearles from the Eye Take a quarter of an ounce of Verdigriese powder'd very fine Aloës powder'd one dram boyl them in Rose water and White-wine of each five ounces then while it is yet warm filtrate it through brown Paper CHAP. IX Of Cataplasms or Poultesses A Dissolving Poultess or Cataplasm TAke green Orris roots and white Lilly roots of each one ounce Marshmallows Pellitory Pennyroyal Origan Calamint Rue of each a handful Chamomil Melilot and Elder flowers of each a pugil or half a handful green Anniseeds common Fennil and Cumminseeds of each half an ounce boyl them to a mash in Water and Whitewine then bruise them into an even smooth mass in a wooden or stone Mortar adding to them Lupin and Bean flowers of each one ounce and half Oyl of Camomil and of Orris of each one ounce and half mix them well in the Mortar and heat them again then apply half of this Poultess more or less according to the extent of the part affected being hot and spread between two Linen Cloaths Another Take a quarter of a pound of Leven mix it with as much common oyl as will bring it into a Poultess and apply it warm A maturating Cataplasm or ripening Poultess Take Marshmallow and white Lilly roots of each one ounce Pellitory Marshmallow and Mallow leaves of each two handfuls Fenugreek and Linseeds of each one ounce boil them to a Mash in water and put to them Wheat flower three ounces Oyl of Lilies three ounces Apply it as was directed before An Anodyne Cataplasm or Poultess to ease pain Take of the Crums of White Bread one pound boil it into a thick Pap in Milk then adde to it two Yolks of Eggs three ounces of thick common Oyl and a little Saffron and apply it warm renewing it as oft as it cools CHAP. X. Of Oyntments An Oyntment against a Scald or Burn. TAke Rue leaves one handful Housleek one handful half Hen-dung two ounces unsalted fresh Butter a quarter of a pound fry them together and then press them through a Canvas cloth Herewith a little being melted in a Spoon anoint the scalded or burned part once in three or four hours applying thereon two or three fresh Plantane leaves An Oyntment against the Itch. Take Hogs-grease four ounces Therebinthin and Wax of each one ounce Flower of Brimstone or rather unmelted Brimstone pounded and sifted one ounce Tobacco stalks powdered and sifted half an ounce White Lead two drams common Oyl as much as will suffice to bring it into an Oyntment CHAP. XI Of Vesicatories or Blistering Plasters A Vesicatory Emplaster TAke half an ounce of Leven Cantharides or Spanish Flies powdered one dram sharp Wine vinegar as much as will suffice to mix them into a Paste which spread upon Linen or Leather and applied will in few hours raise a large Blister Another Take of Rosin three drams and half Wax one dram and half Cantharides powdered three drams Mustard-seed two scruples common oyl as much as sufficeth This will serve for three or four Blistering Plasters FINIS
The manner of Preparation Note Instead of putting Sand into the Sand pan of your portable Furnace you must put in ashes or rather Saw-dust for to set the glass Alembick in to distil You must bruise the Roots in a Stone or Lignum Vitae Mortar shred the leaves and bruise them also in a Mortar and put them into such a glass stopt close and fixt in warm Water as was exprest in the Preparation of the foregoing Water The Prices The Roots at a half penny the half ounce come to 2 d. ½ d. The Leaves at a half penny the handful 8 d. The Wine at 4 s. Charcoal to burn in the furnace 4 d. The whole distillation will stand you in just 5 s. 2 d. d. The Pint of this Plague Water costs you seven pence in regard the whole Distillation will yield somewhat more than eight Pints the Ounce will come to less than three farthings computing Physically twelve ounces onely to the Pint. The Apothecaries Prices of plague-Plague-Water By the Pint three Shillings six Pence and some sell it at four Shillings By the Ounce three Pence and some four Pence The Description of Aqua Mirabilis TAke of Cloves Galangal Cubebs Mace Cardamoms Nutmegs Ginger of each a dram juice of Celandine half a pint Spirits of Wine one pint Whitewine three pints Steep them four and twenty hours and then distil them in ashes in a glass Alembick The manner of Preparing The manner of steeping and distilling of this Water is the same with the foregoing Most Apothecaries and Distillers draw this Water off in a Copper Still with a Bucket Head or with one that goeth with a Worm The Spices before mentioned must be beaten to a course powder only for if you endeavour to bring them into a fine powder their principal vertue is apt to fly away in powdering By Spirits of Wine is here meant the best Nants Brandy Observe You are to distil this Water only half off and leave the other half in the Still because the first half will contain all the Spirits and vertue of the Ingredients whereas the other remaining half is found to be flat and sit for no other use than to wash your hands though it is to be feared that such as are greedy of gain distil it almost quite off The Prices The Spices all at 6 d. or 7 d. The juice of Celandine at 3 d. or 4 d. The best Nants Brandy the pint at 5½ d. or 6 d. Whitewine at 18 d. Charcoal 2 d. or 3 d. The whole Distillation which is two pints and a quarter comes to 2 s. 10 ½ d. or 3 s. 2 d. The Pint comes to seventeen or eighteen pence The Ounce comes to five farthings or a little less The Apothecaries Prices By the pint three shillings six pence and some four shillings By the ounce three pence and some four pence The Description of Cinnamon-Water according to the Dispensatory TAke a quarter of a Pound of Cinnamon steep it four and twenty hours in three Quarts of Brandy then distil it in ashes in a glass Alembick which renders a purer Water by much than a copper Still The manner of Preparation Observe You are to bruise the Cinnamon gross and into every Pint of the distilled Water you must dissolve two Ounces of the best white Sugar Here is a great deal of hot burning Brandy to a little Cinnamon wherefore you will do better in preparing it thus Take three quarters of a pound of Cinnamon bruised steep it eight and forty hours in a quart of Rose-Water and a pint of Whitewine then distil it as long as it drops milkie in a glass Alembick in Balneo that is in Water poured into your Sand-pan instead of Sand or Ashes but if your Pan be not large enough to contain a sufficient quantity of Water you may make use of Saw-dust instead of the Water and keep a very moderate fire in the Furnace What this Water will stand you in you may easily compute your self The Description of Aqua Raphani composita or the common compound Water against the Scurvey TAke of Garden and Sea-Scurvey-grass leaves of each three pound press the juice out of them and thereunto mix of the juices of Water-cresses and Brooklime three quarters of a pint the best White-wine two quarts Limons cut into small slices six in number Briony roots newly taken out of the ground two pound Hors-radishes one pound Winters bark a quarter of a pound Nutmegs two ounces steep them three days and distil them in Ashes in a glass Alembick or copper Still with a Bucket Head The manner of Preparation The Briony and Horse-radish Roots must be bruised together in a stone Mortar the Winters bark and the Nutmegs are to be beaten to a gross powder in a brass Mortar The juices are to be pressed out of the said Herbs in the same manner as was told you in the preparation of Treacle-water Put the Ingâ—â—dients into a glass Receiver and pour the Juices on them stop the Glass very close with a Cork and a Bladder and place it in a cool Cellar for two or three days Observe 1. If you should let those Ingredients stand in steep in hot Ashes Sand or warm Water that would certainly diminish the vertue of those light flying Salts and Spirits 2. The juice of Limons mortifying the said light flying Salts and Spirits may be more conveniently left out than added 3. When this Water hath been kept a month or two though never so close stopt you may be certain it hath lost very much of its vertue 4. This Water being distilled as exactly as may be yet is not half so effectual as some Spirits which are published in my last Treatise of the Scurvie The Prices Upon the valuation of the Herbs Roots and Bark according to the Rates I have already informed you before you shall finde that this Water may be prepared at six or eight pence the pint and at a half penny the ounce The Apothecaries commonly sell this Water at three shillings six pence the Pint and three pence the Ounce The Description of Aqua Brioniae composita or the London Water against Fits of the Mother TAke of the Iuice of Briony-roots one pint of the leaves of Rue and Mugwort of each half a pound Savin dryed a little less than a handful Fetherfew Nip Penny-royal Basil of each half a handful of the outside of fresh Orange-peel one ounce Myrrhe half an ounce Castor a quarter of an ounce Canary-wine three pints steep them four days in a Glass well stopt and then distil them off in a glass Alembick in Balneo or warm water The manner of Preparation The dryed Herbs which are the Savin and Penny-royal may be beaten together to a gross powder The other Herbs which must be green and fresh are to be shred small or beaten to mash in a wooden or stone Mortar The Myrrhe must be poudered by it self and the Castor cut into small thin slices mix all these
together and pour on them the Wine and Briony-juice This Water when it is distilled as it ought to be is not good enough to wash your hands and consequently of little vertue to be taken inwardly for not a quarter of the strength of the Ingredients doth come over the Helm Wherefore let me advise you rather to prepare this Water against Fits thus Instead of the Juice of Briony Take dried Briony-roots beaten to a gross powder two ounces the rest of the Herbs being all dried and the other Ingredients poudered gross and in the same quantity as they are set down before Instead of three pints of Canary take a quart of the best Nants Brandy Put them into a Glass and let them steep six days in warm Ashes then strain the liquor off and keep it in a glass Bottle cork'd up for your use An half ounce of this Liquor doth contain more vertue than half a pint of the other distilled Water What this Liquor or Water will stand you in is not difficult to compute by what is informed you before therefore I shall spare the pains of summing it up here The Apothecaries prices are three shillings six pence or four shillings the pint and three pence or four pence the ounce The Description of Aqua Limacum Magistralis or the London Snail-water against Consumptions THis compound Water is so ridiculous that I am ashamed to see it in any Dispensatory for the chief thing aimed at is through the cool clammy and glutinous substance of the liquor of Snails 1. To cool the heat of the Hectick Fever 2. To repair the parts consumed 3. To facilitate Expectoration that is to make the matter come up easie by Cough through its lenifying quality whereby it sweeteneth the humors by allaying those gnawing Salts that prey on the Lungs Now in distilling of the Snails there is no part of their unctuous or glutinous Liquor passeth the Alembick but a meer Elementary Water The same may be said also of the Hogs Blood For this and other reasons I do commend to you this following Liquor of Snails Take of Garden-snails especially those off a Vine with their shells a pound first wash them well with water and a little salt then wash them once or twice more with fair water to wash off the salt bruise them with their shells in a stone Mortar to a mash adde to them Ground-Ivie Speedwell Lungwort Scabious Burnet Coltsfoot and Nettle-tops of each a handful English Liquoris half an ounce Dates stoned twelve in number of the four greater cold Seeds and Marshmallow seeds of each one dram and half Saffron a scruple Put them into a new glazed Pipkin and pour on them a quart of spring-Spring-water fasten the Cover close to the Pipkin by pasting it round with Dough. Let it stand twelve hours upon hot Cinders or rather in a Kettle of hot water over the fire then strain and press out the Liquor dissolving into it while it 's warm a quarter of a pound of clarified Honey put it into a Glass and keep it in the Cellar Note That the Herbs must be shred the Seeds bruised and the Liquoris cut small What concerns the other compound Waters described in the Dispensatory they either agreeing in vertue with some of these forementioned or being not very aptly composed or other Medicines being at hand that instead of them may immediately according to the Prescription of your Family-Physician be prepared with far greater profit and benefit to the Patient for those reasons I have omitted setting down any more of the said Dispensatory-Waters CHAP. III. Of Syrups The Description of Syrupus Altheae or Syrup of Marshmallows TAke Marshmallow-roots two ounces Grass-roots Asparagus-roots Liquoris raspt and Raisins stoned of each half an ounce red Cicers one ounce the tops of Marsh-mallows Mallows Pellitory Burnet Plantane Wall-rue and Maidenhair of each one handful the four greater cold Seeds and the four lesser cold Seeds of each three drams Boil them in three quarts of fair water unto two quarts strain the Liquor into your Syrup-pan and dissolve into it three pounds and half of good Bahi Sugar which will go as far as four pounds of Barbadoes and preserve the Syrup much better The manner of Preparing The Marshmallow-roots by scraping with a knife must be freed from those strings that hang about them likewise their hard cordy substance must be taken away from them then wash them well and bruise them in the Mortar Also wash the Grass-roots and Asparagus-roots and bruise them scrape off the black outside from the Liquoris and bruise it into strings or rasp it wash the Herbs clean for cleanliness in preparing of Medicines is wholsome and no less commendable than it is in Cookery First then put into your Pipkin being placed on a clear fire and containing three quarts of water the Marshmallow Asparagus and Grass-roots because they require longest boiling a while after put in the Cicers and not long after that put in the Herbs being shred the next you must put in are the Seeds Liquoris and Raisins being sufficiently boil'd strain and press the Liquor out and then clarifie it The manner how to clarifie Decoctions and Apozemes you shall be informed of at the end of this Chapter Having dissolved your Sugar to the Decoction boil it gently until it comes to the due thickness of a Syrup Note The four greater cold Seeds are these 1. Pompion 2. Cucumber 3. Gourge 4. Melon-seeds The four lesser cold Seeds are 1. Succory 2. Endive 3. Lettice 4. Purslain-seeds The Prices The Ingredients come to 9 d. The Sugar 21 d. Fire 3 d. or 4 d. The whole amounts to 2 s. 10 d. For which you have five pints eight ounces allowing the fourth part waste which evaporates in the boiling it up to a Syrup so that it will stand you in about three farthings the ounce The Apothecaries prices By the pint two shillings By the ounce three pence The Description of Syrupus Garyophyllorum or Syrup of Gilliflowers TAke fragrant Gilli flowers cut off from their white strings one pound pour on them a quart of Spring-water and let them stand all night Then strain the Liquor and being gently warmed dissolve therein four pound of the whitest Sugar without boiling it The manner of preparing 1. Buy the most fragrant Gilliflowers that are newly gathered at ten or twelve pence the peck 2. Put them into a large pewter Flagon or a new earthen glased Pipkin and pour the Water being warmed upon them then stop your Flagon or earthen Vessel very close and place it all night in the Cellar 3. Strain off your tinctured liquor without much pressing the Strainer in regard you are not to clarifie it as other Liquors are for Syrups for that would occasion a great loss of those fragrant Cordial Spirits 4. Place your Syrup-pan over a very gentle Charcoal-fire burning clear without the least smoak and let your liquor be only luke-warm then put in the Sugar being
or eighteen hours What this Composition will amount unto you may easily compute by perusing the Catalogue of Prices The Apothecaries sell these white Lozenges at three pence the ounce The manner of preparing Trochisci bechici nigri or the common black Lozenges TAke juice of Liquoris and of the best white Sugar of each one ounce and quarter Gum-dragant and sweet Almonds blanched of each six drams or three quarters of an ounce make them up into Lozenges with the mucilage of Quince-seeds The Instructions given you for the preparing the foregoing Lozenges will sufficiently guide you in the Preparation of these only I must adde the manner of poudering the Gum-dragant Your Gum-dragant being well dried put into a brass Mortar whose bottom hath been heated somewhat hotter than your hand can endure by setting it upon the fire or putting hot burning coals into it and after it is well heated put out the coals and wipe it clean with a linnen cloath Moreover you must also heat the end of the Iron Pestle very well Then covering the Mortar with a cover that hath a hole through it for the Pestle to pass beat the Gum to powder and sift it what is unsifted put into the Mortar again which if it be not hot enough you must heat again in manner as hath been told you Lastly observe that you must put in a fourth part more into the Mortar than is set down in the Prescription because at least a fourth part will waste in the powdering CHAP. VI. The manner of preparing compound Powders The Description of Pulvis è Chelis Cancrorum or Gascons Powder TAke prepar'd Pearl Crabs Eyes red Coral white Amber Harts-horn Oriental Bezoar-Stone of each a quarter of an ounce of the black tops of Crabs claws one ounce and half beat them all into powder and mix them The mixt Powdery ou may make into Balls by incorporating it with Gelly of Harts-horn or thin mucilage of Gum-arabick extracted with carduus-Carduus-water The manner of preparing The Preparation of Pearl Crabs eyes red Coral Bezoar and Crabs claws is only thus You must first reduce them into a fine powder and sift them Afterwards grinde them into a most subtil and smooth powder or dust upon a Marble or Porphyr stone with a Muller dropping now and then a few drops of Rose-water into the powder to keep it from dispersing or flying up The Harts-horn must be grated and afterwards beaten in a brass Mortar into a fine powder and sifted The white Amber that is the lightest yellow must be beaten and ground with a Pestle into a subtil powder and sifted by it self Afterwards mix all the powders well in the Mortar by stirring and moving them together with the Pestle The Prices The Oriental Pearl 2 s. Crabs Eyes 1 d. Red Coral 3 d. White Amber 3 d. Harts-horn ¼ d. Oriental Bezoar 10 s. Crabs Claws 6 d. The whole Composition 13 s. 1 d. 1 q. For which expence you may expect two ounces and five drams allowing two drams or something more for waste The ounce will stand you in something less than five shillings The dram at seven pence half-peny You may take notice that this Powder may be prepared at a far lower rate for the poorer sort and for what I know may prove more effectual thus Instead of Oriental Pearl take Occidental and probably the finest sort of Mother of Pearl doth exceed either that is if prepared as it ought to be In lieu of Oriental Bezoar take Occidental which being much cheaper doth not so much encourage fraudulent people to counterfeit them and therefore in my opinion certain Occidental Bezoar may justly be preferred before the uncertain Oriental But what if the Bezoar be wholly left out and double the proportion of Pearl that 's put in where is the damage So that the dram of Gascons Powder will come under three half-pence The Apothecaries Prices The ounce at forty shillings The dram at five shillings The grain at one penny The Description of Species Diacarthami or Powder of Diacarthamum TAke the marrow of Carthamum-seeds and of the best Turbith of each half an ounce the purest Scammony Hermodactyls and Liquoris of each two drams Ginger Cinnamon Gum-dragant of each one dram beat them all to a powder and mix them Observe Though this Powder is not in the London-Dispensatory yet is of great use and therefore I have inserted it here The manner of Preparing 1. With a knife gently scrape off the hard dust that 's dried about the Hermodactyls then grate them upon a fine Grater into a powder 2. The Turbith Ginger and Liquoris powder together adding two or three sweet Almonds which being powdered with the others will hinder them from wasting or flying up into dust Being powdered sift them 3. The Gum-dragant is to be powdered as was expressed in the Preparation of the common black Lozenges 4. The Scammony must be powdered by it self anointing the inside bottom of the Mortar and the end of the Pestle with a little Oyl of sweet Almonds to hinder the Scammony from clotting or sticking to the bottom of the Mortar and the end of the Pestle The Scammony being powdered needs not be sifted 5. All the Ingredients being powdered in manner before said you must mix together in a Mortar and then put them up into a Species Glass tying it over with a Hogs Bladder and Leather The Prices Carthamum-seeds 1 d. Turbith 3 d. Scammony 2 d. â—d Hermodactyls 1 q. Liquoris 1 q. Ginger ¼ q. Cinnamon 1 d. Gum-dragant 3 q. The whole Composition will stand you in less than 9 d. For which you shall have allowing waste and garbles fourteen drams or sometimes more according to the purity of the Ingredients The dram will come to no more than two farthings and a half If the Apothecaries did prepare this Powder they might afford it by the ounce at eighteen pence By the dram at two pence The Description of the Species or Powder of Hiera Picra TAke Cinnamon Lignum Aloës Asarabacca-roots Spikenard Mastich Saffron of each three drams Aloës six ounces and a quarter beat them into powder The manner of Preparing 1. The Cinnamon Asarabacca-roots Spikenard and Saffron may be powdered together and sifted 2. The Mastich must be powdered by it self wetting the bottom of the Mortar and end of the Pestle with a little Rose-water or any other distill'd water 3. To powder the Aloës you must anoint the bottom of the Mortar and end of the Pestle with a little Oyl of sweet Almonds to hinder it from sticking 4. At last mix all the Powders together in a Mortar The Prices The Cinnamon 3 d. Lign Aloës 6 d. 3 q. Asarabacca 3 q. Spikenard Indian 9 q. Mastich the finest 1 d. 2q English Saffron 1 s. 2 d. The purest Succotrine Aloës at 3 s. 1 d. ½ d. The whole amounts to-5 s. 4 d. 3 q. For which you have allowing waste a little more than seven ounces The Apothecaries Prices By the ounce two
shillings By the dram three pence or as much as they can get CHAP. VII Of Electuaries The Description of Diascordium TAke Cinnamon Cassia Lignea of each a quarter of an ounce Scordium or Water Germander half an ounce Dictamnum Creticum or Dictander of Candia Gentian Tormentil Bistort Galbanum Gum-arabick of each two drams of the best Opium two scruples and five grains Storax two drams and fifteen grains Sorrel-seeds two scruples and five grains Bole-armene six drams Terra Lemniae two drams clarified Honey one pound and a quarter Sugar of Roses or rather Conserve of red Roses half a pound Canary-wine a quarter of a pint Make them up into a soft Electuary Notwithstanding I have with good reason left out the Ginger and Pepper yet the Composition seems to me very confused but be it as it is I will shew you how to prepare it The manner of Preparing The Cinnamon Cassia Lignea Dictamnum Creticum Tormentil Bistort and Sorrel-seeds may be powdered and sifted together The Germander-leaves dried and stript from their stalks must be powdered and sifted by it self The Bole-armene and Terra Lemnia must be powdered and rubbed or grownd with a Pestle into a very smooth powder wetting the bottom of the Mortar and end of the Pestle with a little Rose-water or other distill'd water The Gum-arabick must be powder'd in the same manner as Gum-dragant is powder'd in the preparation of the black Lozenges or else you may dissolve it into a Mucilage in the Canary-wine that is to be added to the Composition The Storax must be powder'd by it self rubbing the bottom of the Mortar and end of the Pestle with a slit Almond The Opium cut into thin slices and thorowly dry in the Sun or over the Fire so that it may crumble between your fingers then powder and sift it The Sugar of Roses must also be powdered and sifted Mix all these powders well in a Mortar in that manner as hath been said before Then adde the clarified Honey to it by degrees incorporating it thorowly with the powder by stirring the Pestle about In the same manner put in gradually your Canary-wine of which put in so much as will bring it into a body of a soft Electuary The Prices The Ingredients of the whole Composition weighing almost two pounds will stand you in three shillings and six pence which is near two and twenty pence the pound The Apothecaries Prices By the ounce four pence or six pence or as much as they can get By the pound five shillings and four pence or six shillings The Description of Electuarium Lenitivum or Lenitive Electuary TAke Polypody of the Oak new Currans pickt from their stalks Sena of each two ounces common Mercury-leaves one handful and half Iujubes and Sebestens of each twenty in number Maidenhair Violets and Perl-Barley of each half a handful Damask-Prunes stoned Tamarinds of each six drams Liquoris half an ounce boil them in two quarts of water until a third part be boil'd away strain the Liquor and therein dissolve of the pulp of Cassia Tamarinds new Prunes and Sugar of Violets of each six ounces of the best Sugar two pound At last add to them of Sena powder'd one ounce and half and to every pound of Electuary two drams of Anniseeds powdered and so afterwards bring them into the body of an Electuary The manner of Preparing 1. The Polypody-roots being wash'd clean must be bruised in a Mortar or cleft with a Knife into four parts and afterwards cut into small pieces like as Sarsaparil is cut These with the Perl-barley must be put in somewhat longer than a quarter of an hour before the other Ingredients next put in the Mercury-leaves and Maidenhair being washt clean from sand or dirt and shred a little after put in the Jujubes stoned Sebestens Currans Prunes Tamarinds and Liquoris bruised in the Mortar at last put in the Sena and so let them boil in six quarts of water until one quart be boil'd away Then strain the Liquor while it is warm into a glased earthen Pan or copper tinned Preserving-pan dissolve in it the white Sugar and the Sugar of Violets or instead thereof put in the same quantity of white Sugar and boil it gently to the thickness of a Syrup This done put the pulps of Cassia and the other pulps into a brass Mortar and adde to them about the third part of your powder of Sena and Anniseeds and pour on them about the third part of the forementioned Syrup while it is yet warm and mix them very well together with a steel Slice or Spatula or a Pestle then adde another third part of the powders of Sena and Anniseeds mixing them well together and so at last put in the remaining third part of Powders and Syrup which being also well mixt toghether makes up your Lenitive Electuary This put up into a stone Electuary-pot 2. I must shew you how to extract the pulp of Cassia Take a pound and half of the best Cassia in Canes crush them into pieces that you may take out all the inside together with the Grains which put into a hair Sieve and hold it over the steem of warm water wherein a few Anniseeds have been boil'd or over the Decoction being warm which was prepared for the Lenitive Electuary so that the steem thereof passing through the Sieve may moisten and dissolve the marrow of the Cassia While this is doing you must with the back of a spoon stir and press the said marrow through the Sieve and gently with the hollow of your spoon take it off on the other side and so continue to do until all the marrow is passed through Moreover if your Cassia be very dry you may moisten it a little with the warm Decoction that it may pass the easier On the other hand if the pulp of the Cassia be too moist or liquid when it is passed you must put it on a Tin Plate or a flat earthen glased Pan and set it over a Chafing-dish to dry the superfluous moisture from it until it come to the thickness of an Electuary About a quarter of a pound of good Cassia or somewhat more in Canes is usually found to yield an ounce of pulp 3. You are to know the manner of extracting the pulp of Tamarinds Put a sufficient proportion of Tamarinds into a Mortar and pour to it as much warm water as will but just soften it and a little dissolve it for otherwise they being sticking and glewie the pulp will not pass through the Sieve Then with the Pestle gently move and stir the Tamarinds about that the warm water may incorporate with them This so done put the Mass into a Sieve and press the pulp through in the same manner as hath been taught you in the extracting of the pulp of Cassia 4. The manner of extracting the pulp of Prunes Boil the Prunes in water until they are pretty soft then put them into a Sieve and press through the
Cochleariae the ounce 1 s. Sal Fraxini the ounce 10 d. Sal Genistae the ounce 10 d. Sal Prunellae the pound s. 8 d. Sal Succini the ounce 5 s. Sal Tartari the ounce 8 d. Sal Vitrioli the ounce 8 d. Saccharum Saturni the ounce 1 s. 6 d. THE Family-Physician CHAP. I. Of Vomitives The Description of a gentle Vomitive TAke luke-warm water a pint adde to it six or eight spoonfuls of sweet Salade-Oyl drink it off warm or if your Stomach be full and inclined to vomit drink off a Pint or two of warm Carduus-Posset Another gentle Vomitive Take three or four Radishes bruise them and boyl them in a pint of small Ale until one half be boyl'd away press the Liquor hard through a Strainer and adde to it one ounce of fresh Butter or 2 or 3 spoonfuls of sweet Oyl Another Vomitive Dissolve two scruples or a dram of Saltpeter in a pint of fat broath Another somewhat stronger Take of the yellow Bark of Frangula three drams or the same quantity of Broom-flowers boyl it or them a quarter of an hour in half a pint of small Ale strain it and drink it off warm Another Take a dram and half of Orach-seeds powdered and drink it off in a quarter of a Pint of warm Posset-Ale or fat broath Or Take a dram of dried Pompion-Root powdered or a dram of Nettle-seeds powdered or a dram of the inner Bark of Walnut-tree powdered or 3 drams of Radish-seeds powdered or three drams of Garden-cress-seeds powdered likewise a dram of fine grated Agarick taken in a draught of fat broath will with some operate very well by Vomit Also threescore drops of the juice of green Tobacco-leaves taken in Posset doth Vomit very smartly The best Vomitive among Vegetables is this following Take five or six leaves of green Asaraback leaves bruise them in a Stone Mortar and whilest you are bruising them pour to them by spoonfuls a quarter of a pint of Whitewine or Ale having mixed them well together press out the Liquor hard through a Canvas Strainer Likewise in stead of the leaves you may take a dram of Asaraback roots dryed and powdered in a draught of Posset or warm Ale CHAP. II. Of Potions THe Description of a Cordial Potion such as Apothecaries commonly prepare you in all cases when you make use of them imagining though it doth you but little good it will do you no great harm except it be to your purse Take of Baum water Black-cherry water Carduus Water of each one ounce and half Treacle water one ounce Syrup of Gilliflowers one ounce mix them in a glass Viol. As oft as you prepare this your self you will save three shillings by it In many cases if you must needs have that which is called a Cordial a quarter of a pint of good fresh small Beer and an ounce of Syrup of Gilliflowers dissolved in it and so taking two or three spoonfuls every two hours may do as well as the best Cordial to please your conceit for you must know that very oft Cordials are prescribed only for to gratifie your Phansie and the Apothecaries Avarice the right Cordial being that which removes the Cause of your distemper and upon that be assured your Heart and other Bowels will soon recover strength and revive The Description of a Perle Cordial Take of the distilled waters of Citron Wood-Sorrel Dragons and Carduus of each one ounce Aqua Mirabilis six drams Pearl prepared that is only ground on a Marble with a few drops of Rose water into an impalpable powder one dram Syrup of Gilliflowers one ounce so shake them together in a four ounce Glass and take it by spoonfuls as directed before The Description of an Vniversal purgative Potion Take half an ounce of the best Senna one dram of sweet Fennil seeds bruised steep them all night in somewhat more than a quarter of a pint of clear Posset Ale next morning strain and press it dissolving into the liquor one ounce of good Manna then strain it once over again Another universal purgative Potion Take half an ounce of Polypody roots of the Oak a handful of Agrimony six Damask Prunes one ounce of Currents half an ounce of Senna one dram of green Anni-seeds boyl them gently for a quarter of an hour in half a pint of water press the liquor through a strainer and sweeten it with brown Sugar Another universal Purge Take two drams of Senna one dram of Rhubarb two scruples of Agarick half a dram of sweet Fennil seeds a scruple of Cinnamon steep them all night in somewhat more than a quarter of a pint of the Decoction of Currents Press the liquor next morning through a strainer and dissolve therein one ounce of Syrup of Roses Laxative CHAP. III. Of Emulsions and Almond Milk The manner how to prepare an Emulsion to cool the Kidneys and to take off the heat and sharpness of Vrine TAke of sweet Almonds blanched one ounce of the four greater Cold Seeds of each half an ounce then first bruise the seeds well in a stone Mortar with a wooden Pestle this done put the Almonds to them and bruise them together pouring to them as they are bruising by three or four spoonfuls at a time a pint of Barly water then press the liquor through a strainer and sweeten it with white Sugar The manner of preparing Almond Milk Take four ounces of sweet Almonds blanched bruise them in a stone Mortar and while you are bruising them pour to them by degrees a pint of Barley water press the liquor hard through a canvas strainer and sweeten it with as much white Sugar as will make it grateful CHAP. IV. Of Clysters The Description of a laxative Clyster TAke of white Lilly roots one ounce of Marshmallows Pellitory and Mercury leavâ—s of each 2 handful of Chamomil flowers two pugils or one handful commoâ— Fennil seeds half an ounce boil them in a pint and half of water to a pint strain the liquor and therein dissolve one ounce of Electuary Lenitive three ounces of common Oyl two ounces of brown Sugar and a little Salt strain it once again and use it warm Observ. Strain the Decoction being warm of the foresaid Roots and Herbs into a bason and with the back-side of a spoon dissolve the Electuary and Honey by stirring of them together then strain it once again from the little lumps that may not be thorowly dissolved which otherwise would stop the Clyster-pipe and hinder it from passing if it be grown too cold you must warm it again before you administer it Another laxative Clyster Add to the ingredients of the foresaid Decoction half an ounce of Senna boyl it then strain the liquor and dissolve in it four or five spoonfuls of brown Sugar with four spoonfuls of Oyl and a little Salt Administer it warm An Emollient Clyster Take a pint of fat Broath dissolve in it four or five spoonfuls of brown Sugar and administer it warm A
Simples and Compositions at your own house you have the prices of both declared at which you may buy them from the Apotheearies ready prepared to keep a proportion by you to be mixt and made use of according as your Physician shall judge fit Fifthly If you desire to avoid that trouble also and do prefer sending your Physicians Bill to an Apothecary you may hence easily compute what the Medicine is to be valued at and what the Apothecary deserveth for his pains for mixing and bringing it to your House Lastly Since every small disorder of Body puts many into the humour of sending for an Apothecary who to mimick the Physician shall ask you when you was at Stool or whether you are not oppressed or stuffed at your Stomach feels your Pulse and then shall tell you that you are weak and if he findes you hot he forceth you to believe you have got a Surfeit or if he perceiveth your hand to be cold he perswades you that you have taken cold This is the substance of his Theory on which he practices so boldly But if you are curious to be throughly acquainted with the whole Body of Physick by which the Countrey Apothecary practiseth you may soon gratifie your self in that by purchasing a Treatise called The Accomplisht Physician the Honest Apothecary and the Skilful Surgeon sold at the Angel in Duck-lane which having perused from page 4 to 14 and from page 64 to 73 will abundantly satisfie you for your disbursement If then you are found to be costive he sends you a Clyster at 2 s. 6 d. price which on the same occasion you may advise your self and be instructed by this Treatise how to make one for three half pence or two pence If he apprehends your stomach to be oppressed he orders his man to boyl a little Carduus in Water strain it and put to it three or four spoonfuls of rank Oyl of sweet Almonds to cause you to vomit and carry off a little flegm for which an half Crown is an usual rate Now instead of this you may at a much cheaper price make your self a Pint or two of Carduus-Posset and drink it off luke-warm to cause the same effect For your weakness he will advise you a Cordial made out of two or three musty simple Waters Confectio Alkermes and a little Syrup of Gilly-flowers for which he expects to be paid three Shillings and six Pence and by the way compute what two or three Cordials a day may amount unto in three or four weeks time What he reckons at three shillings six pence you are taught below how to prepare a Cordial Julep for much less In case of a Surfeit three or four pints of cooling Juleps shall be sent you every day at two shillings six pence or three shillings the Pint which you shall be informed how to prepare at two pence or three pence the quart If he infers from the pain of your Head and Limbs Cough Stuffing in your Head c. that you have taken Cold some Sweating Bolus or Potion whereof Mithridate or Treacle shall be the chief Ingredient besides Syrups he conceives to be good Remedies that may conduce to your health and his profit wherein also the Directions of this Tract will render you a considerable saver This is the furthest point the Practicing Apothecary can safely steer or which you are capable to apprehend wherefore you are not to expect from me instructions for using the great Remedies viz. Bleeding and Purging the good management of which and other Remedies doth entirely depend upon the Methodus Medendi or Method of Curing which two words do summarily express the whole Art of Physick and its greatest Secret for to arrive to the said Method of Curing or applying of Remedies in manner order and time it 's requisite a man should understand the Nature of Diseases their Causes and the Parts diseased unto which the said Remedies are to be applyed all which cannot be understood unless you have acquired a competent knowledge of the natural Constitution of the Parts of the Body of Man their Structure Position Relation and Connexion to each other and their several Offices and Uses This Knowledge or Science is chiefly gained by frequent Anatomy or Dissection of dead Bodies and most certainly is the Basis and Ground-work of the Art of Physick and the complete finishing of that is the Methodus Medendi For all Factive and Mechanick Arts consist in these three particulars 1. In the knowledge of their Subject which in our Art is the body of Man in its natural and preternatural constitution 2. In the Instruments or Means whereby to operate which in the said Art are such whereby to preserve the Body in its natural constitution or health and whereby to correct and remove its preternatural or diseased Constitution which are Dyet and Remedies 3. In the Method or Directory of Rules how to use the said Instruments which in Physick is called Methodus Medendi or the Method of applying the said Means The First and Third Particular I have already spoken to The Second is the Means wherein it is as necessary for a Physician to be not only knowing but also experienced as in either of the other For what success can be expected from the Method of applying Remedies unless those Remedies are such as obtain a Specifick and peculiar property of correcting or removing the Cause of each Disease A Physician is as little capable to cure great Diseases with ordinary Medicines which notwithstanding some of the ignorant for want of due Education pretend to do as a Graver is able to cut curious Figures in Steel with the ordinary Tools of a Carver or Stone-cutter or a Barber to take off the hair of your Beard with a Chopping-knife As for those ordinary Medicines they are set down in several Dispensatories among which that of the Physicians of London considering the time it was composed by far exceeds all the others These ordinary Medicines it 's confessed being methodically applied may by long continuation remove some slight Distempers and some great Diseases also if timely used but if confirmed and inveterated are too oft found absolutely fruitless For what proper Remedy do those Dispensatories contain to cure a Pulmonick ulcerous Consumption an inveterate Scurvey Dropsie Stone Gout Fever Kings-Evil Leprosie c. To this a Vulgar Hackney-Physician shall possibly answer That there is no Disease be it never so great or dangerous but he will undertake which is well put in to cure by Method and that with ordinary Medicines For Example a Consumption occasioned by an Ulcer in the Lungs he pretends to cure by prescribing 1. Medicines that shall discharge or cleanse the Ulcer by expelling the matter by Expectoration that is by coughing and spitting and this is performed by Ground-Ivy Speedwel Hyssop and many other Vulneraries made into a Syrup Lohoch or Decoction 2. By consolidating Medicines that shall close up and skin it with a Callus
such are Comfrey Knot-grass Ladies-Mantle and such like as you may read in Chap. 20. of my Treatise of Consumptions 3. By moistening and restoring the solid and other parts that are consumed and dried up by the absorbing heat of an Hectick Fever This Effect is expected from Asses Milk which they say doth cleanse cool moisten and nourish the consumed parts 4. By Fontanels or Issues shaving off the Hair of the Head and applying Attractive Plaisters on it likewise by cramming the Patient with Conserve and Sugar of Roses all which shall serve to intercept the defluxion of corroding Humours falling down from the Brain to the Lungs Now when all these means have been used a very considerable time look upon the Weekly Bills of Mortality and you shall soon know the pretended effects of those ordinary Medicines In the first place I must agree that some of those Indications are well enough proposed and the Indicata in respect of the Materia Medica there set down do sometimes though seldom accomplish a happy Cure But in the second place I must also tell you that there is another sort of a Materia Medica being artificially prepared and not according to the Rules of the slovenish Cookery of Country-Apothecaries that doth very oft and always if timely and methodically applied answer the expectation of the Physician and the hopes of the Sick not only in Pulmonick Consumptions but also in those other Diseases before recited Touching those great Medicines it is very fortunate they are not yet arrived to the knowledge of the little Apothecaries or the prescribing Surgeons who using them without Method though sometimes they might do good yet for want of capacity in the Applicative would certainly at most times do great mischiefs with them and therefore every Physician ought to reserve them secret by preparing them himself and when necessary to be used to send them to the Apothecary to be exhibited or to give them to his Patients with what Directions are requisite In conclusion though the practice by the said great Medicines is by me here proposed as necessary yet I am not to be understood by that to exclude the use of Apothecaries or the Medicines of the Dispensatory that are to be prepared by them for most schetical and moveable or slight commencing Diseases those ordinary Medicines are experienced so capable to remove that to make use of great Medicines in those cases would seem as if you laid hold of a Club to knock down a Louse The second necessary use of the said ordinary Medicines is either to serve the great Medicines for Vehicles or to be substituted in their stead when some circumstances may countermand their use so long until occasion or opportunity shall require the aid of the said great Medicines and the forementioned circumstances be abated Now Reader if I finde this Essay doth receive that acceptance from you which its real Use and consequently the certain Advantage that you will acquire thence doth merit you may expect a further pursuit of this so profitable design that tends to no other end than the Preservation of your Health and Purse Farewel Hatton-Garden March 10. 1675. Pre-Instructions touching Weights Measures WEIGHTS A Physical Pound which is Troy-weight contains onely twelve Ounces The Druggist and Grocers Pound being Aver-de-poiz-weight contains sixteen Ounces An Ounce contains eight Drams A Dram contains three Scruples A Scruple contains twenty Grains MEASURES A Pint measure in most watery Liquors weighs twelve Ounces Two Quarts make a Pottle two Pottles make a Gallon A Fascicle signifies an Armful One Handful is as much as a moderate hand can take up A Pugil is as much as you can take up with your Thumb and two next Fingers Observe That Roots Barks Woods small Fruits Berries Seeds Gums and Rosins are set down by weight Herbs by handfuls and fascicles Flowers and the tops of some Herbs by pugils THE Family-Physician AND THE House-Apothecary CHAP. I. Of the most useful Simple distilled Waters and the manner how to distil them AMong the vast number of distilled simple Waters none are more useful than those four mentioned below which may serve to answer that intention which the best of simple Waters are used for viz. for Cordial Juleps and Cordial Potions What concerns alterative Waters they contain so weak a vertue as I said afore in the Introduction that Decoctions Infusions and Juices made or Spirits drawn from the same alterative Simples are infinitely more effectual and therefore when occasion doth require the use of them may be prescribed and easily taught you how to prepare them by your Family-Physician The Four Simple Waters are 1. Baume Water 2. Black-Cherry Water 3. Carduus Benedictus Water 4. Red Poppey Water that is Water distilled of red Poppey flowers The Herbs namely Baume and Carduus Benedictus are to be bought in Newgate-Market Stocks-Market Gutter-lane or Covent-Garden of the Physical Herb-women by the Basket the Red Poppey Flowers by the Peck Violet Flowers and some others are sold by the pint or quart measure Scurvey-grass is sold by the Basket also by the Bushel or Peck For most Herbs if you buy them by the handful you must pay a Groat a dozen or if you have occasion for less than a dozen a half-penny the handful is the usual rate The value of twelve Pence in Herbs or Flowers will yield three Pints of Water or more in some Herbs it may yield two Quarts or five Pints or if you have not the convenience of distilling them you may buy them from the Apothecaries at a Shilling the Pint or if you are onely mindful to buy them when your occasions require you need pay but a Penny for the Ounce being the common price of almost all distilled Waters The common price of most English Roots among the Herb-women is a Groat for a Pound The manner of distilling the said Simple Waters Put as many of those Herbs being separated from the greater Stalks or Flowers pull'd from their Husks as will only fill two Thirds or at most three Fourth parts of the body of a Pewter Alembick or a Copper Alembick with a Bucket head without adding any Water to the Herbs which too many Apothecaries do and having closed the head to the body by pasting slips of Paper of the breadth of an Inch or a little more round about the juncture with Starch or Yest kindle your fire gradually and continue it to a heat so gentle that your hand may endure it on any part of the Head and so you will distill your Waters without smelling of being burned provided you have put ashes to the thickness of an Inch and half between the plate and the body or bottom of your Pewter Alembick If you make use of a Copper Alembick you must fill the bucket with cold Water and assoon as you finde the Water to be hot in the said bucket head you must tap it off and fill it up again with cold Water The reason
prepared thus Being powder'd make it red-hot in a Crucible and pour to it of well-dulcified Oyl of Mars the same quantity let them continue over the fire until they be dry 3. The Oyl of Mars is prepared thus Take of Allom one pound of common Salt four ounces distil an Aqua fortis from them in a reverberatory Furnace with this water imbibe the Filings of Steel several times a day and a rust will stick which must be washt off clean let the water evaporate from it to an oyliness which must be dulcified by evaporating common water from it once or twice The manner of preparing Lapis Calaminaris Powder it very small and heat it red-hot in a Crucible and quench it by pouring Vinegar a-top it this repeat thrice The Tuthia is prepared in the same manner excepting that instead of Vinegar it must be quenched with Fenil or Celandine-water The Preparation of Crocus Veneris Take Copper beaten into very thin Plates put them into a Crucible in Layes which is termed among Chymists Stratum supra stratum one over the other strewing some common Salt between every Lay then cause them to be nealed together which done cast the Plates and Salt into cold water and wash them clean from their blackness then put them again in Lays with Salt as before neal them and then cast them into cold water This nealing and washing repeat three or four times or oftner The water wherein the Plates were washed being setled decant or pour off from the setlings on the bottom which must be sweetned by oft pouring warm water on them and letting them settle and then pouring it off again repeat the washing so oft until the aforesaid settlings taste free of the Salt Crocus Martis prepare thus Put Filings of Steel into a Crucible which set in a reveberatory-Furnace for four and twenty hours then cast the red-hot Steel into a large earthen Pan that 's full of water stir it well together and pour it off into another earthen Pan then evaporate the water and on the bottom you will finde the Crocus Martis The Preparation of the Earth of Vitriol Calcine Vitriol in an earthen Pot to a red colour powder it and pour water on it which let stand four and twenty hours to settle then pour off the water This repeat so often until it 's sweetned and all the sharpness is taken off These Emplasters are sufficient for all intentions however those that desire to make use of some other common Emplasters they may buy them from the Druggists that keep Journey-men Apothecaries for the same purpose at as cheap a rate as they can prepare them themselves which is far cheaper than you buy them from the Apothecaries who oft by keeping them too long in their Shops or not preparing them exactly sell Emplasters far worse and of much less vertue than those that are sold by the Druggists who commonly take great care that their Medicaments shall be well and exactly prepared THe Rates of Emplasters at the Druggists you may see at the end of the ensuing Table of Rates and Prices of Druggs The Rates and Prices current of Drugs and other Commodities belonging to Physick as they are commonly sold at by the Druggists in London Radices or Roots A Corus the pound 2 Shillings Angelica the pound 6 d. Aristolochia rotunda the pound 1 s. Aristolochia longa the pound 1 s. Asarum the pound 2 s. 8 d. Behen Album the pound 2 s. 8 d. Behen Rubrum the pound 2 s. 8 d. Bistort the pound 9 d. Carlina the pound 8 d. China according to its goodness the pound from 4 s. to 6 s. China lapid or Flinty China the pound 2 s. 8 d. Contrayerva the pound 12 s. Costus dulcis the pound 2 s. 8 d. Costus amarus the pound 2 s. 8 d. Curcuma Turmerick the pound 8 d. Cyperus longus the pound 1 s. Cyperus rotundus the pound 1 s. 4 d. Dictamnum album the pound 1 s. 6 d. Doronicum Romanum the pound 5 s. 4 d. Elicampane the pound 1 s. Eringo the pound 1 s. 4 d. Galanga Galingal the pound 4 s. Gentian the pound 8 d. Glycyrrhiza Angl. or English Liquoris the pound 1 s. Glycyrrhiza Hisp. or Spanish Liquoris the pound 6 d. Hellebore white the pound 1 s. Hellebore black the pound 1 s. Hermodactyls the pound 1 s. Ialap the pound 3 s. 4 d. Iris Flor. Orris of Florence the pound 8 d. Mechoacan the pound 5 s. 4 d. Meum the pound 5 s. Rad. phu maj the pound 4 s. Polypodium of the Oak the pound 8 d. Pyrethrum the pound 1 s. Rhapontic the pound 2 s. 8 d. Rhubarb the best the pound 14 s. Rubia tinctorum the pound 1 s. 6 d. Sarsaparil according to its goodness the pound from 4 s. to 5 s. Scorzonera the pound 2 s. 8 d. Serpentaria Virginiana the pound 8 s. Squils the pound 6 d. Spikenard Celt the pound 2 s. 8 d. Spikenard Indian the pound 8 s. Thapsia the pound 6 s. Tormentil the pound 10 d. Turbith the pound 6 s. Zedoary the pound 2 s. Cortices or Barks CAssia lignea the pound 1 s. 8 d. Cortex Elatheriae the ounce 5 d. Clove-bark the pound 2 s. Caper-bark the pound 1 s. 4 d. Guaiacum-bark the pound 6 d. Iesuits bark the ounce 4 s. Pomgranat-bark the pound 1 s. 4 d. Tamarise-bark the pound 1 s. 4 d. Winters-bark the pound 2 s. Ligna or Woods LIgnum Aloës the ounce 9 d. Lignum Aspalathi the ounce 1 s. Lignum Colubrinum the pound 5 s. Lignum Guaiaci or Lignum Vitae the pound 2 d. Lignum Iuniperi the pound 1 s. Lignum Mastichinum the pound 2 s. Lignum Nephriticum the pound 8 s. Lignum Rhodii the pound 6 d. Santalum album white Sanders the pound 3 s. 4 d. Santalum citrinum yellow Sanders the pound 2. s. 8 d. Santalum rubrum red Sanders the pound 8 d. Sassafras cut the pound 6 d. Folia or Leaves ADianthum album the pound 1 s. 8 d. Adianthum nigrum the pound 1 s. 4 d Dictamnum Creticum leaves the pound 5 s. 4 d. Cuscuta the pound 1 s. Ceterach the pound 1 s. 6 d. Epithymum the pound 2 s. 8 d. Chamaepitys the pound 1 s. 8 d. Malabathr leaves the pound 8 s. Soldanella the pound 1 s. 6 d. Scordium Creticum the pound 1 s 4. d. Scordium common the pound 1 s. Senna Alexandr the best the pound 4 s. Senna of Aleppo the pound 3 s. Flores or Flowers BAlaustia the pound 5 s. 4 d. Chamomel-flow the pound 1 s. 2 d. Crocus Angl. English-Saffron according to its goodness the pound at present is from 50 s. to 54 s. Crocus Hisp. Spanish-Saffron the pound 24 s. Crocus Orient India-Saffron the ounce 3 s. 6 d. Melilot-flowers the pound 1 s. Flor. Origani the pound 2 s. 8 d. Flor. Polii montani the pound 2 s. 8 d. Red Rose-flow dried the pound 4 s. Flor. Staechados the pound 2