from the party ready to die If lice be onely in the head in many it preserves their health because they consume much excrementitious humors Lice are engendred in the beginning of the Leprosie and in the second and third kinds of hectick Feavers If they breed much and that all over the body they are not onely very irksome but sometimes bring death The cure First for the prevention of lice and to hinder the breeding of them it will be very necessary to keep the child often changed and to comb often the head and to avoid all meats of ill juyce If the child be of any bignesse the body may be purged in this manner Take of Sene and Polipodium of each two drachmes Fumitory one drachme and a half Cream of Tartar a drach Licorice and Anniseed of each a drachme bruise the Polipodium and Licorice then infuse or steep them all in half a pint of water on hot embers and afterwards gently boyl them strain it and to the clear add of sirup of Roses one ounce let the child take every morning two or three spoâ—nfuls fasting and fast one hour after it then to take some warm posset-drink or broth Make a bath as followeth A Bath Take of Elecampane root bruised two ounces white Briony root bruised half an ounce Beets Mercury Sopewort Centory the lesser of each a handfull Lupines bruised one ounce Nitre half an ounce boyl these in water and make a bath for the head with which let the head be bathed morning and evening warm After bathing anoint the head once or twice a day if a strong child twice if a weak child but once with this oyntment following An oyntment Take of Stavesacre one ounce Wormwood Rue of each half an ounce Brimstone and Nitre of each two drachmes make all into powder and with two or three ounces of oyl of Bayes and one ounce of oyl of Wormwood make an oyntment Or take of Brimstone in powder half an ounce of Stavesacre in powder one ounce oyl of Wormwood two ounces and a half vinegar one ounce make all into an oyntment and use it as before is shewed Or take seawater or else Brine and strong lee of Ashes of each a quart Wormwood a good handful or two boyl it a while therein and afterwards wash the body or head therewith Many use stronger oyntments made with Arsenick or Quicksilver and white Hellebor but for young children it is not safe to use them This powder following is very good and safe A powder good and safe for Lice in the head Take of Coculus Indy a quarter of an ounce white Pepper a drachme beat them into a grosse powder and strew it into the heads of children for it will soon destroy the lice Or you may dip a comb in strong Mercury water or water made with Arsenick and so comb the childs head therewith CHAP. 3. Of the Scab and Itch. THe Scab and Itch is an infection of the skin sometimes with crusts or scabs sometimes dry sometimes onely in the head and sometimes in the whole body and doth much provoke to scratching The cause These come from the sharpnesse of the milk or from some salt humour abounding in the body and sometimes they bring this infection into the world with them The signes The signs are manifest Prognosticks If the Scab or Itch be small and do not hinder sleep it is the easier cured but if it do much molest and disquiet the childe in the night it is the more difficult to cure If they be of long continuance and have got a habit in the body they are not easily cured The cure For the cure of the Itch and Scab many use to give common Treacle which I do not approve of but rather advise to use flower of Brimstone morning and evening in milk or Posset drink Also sirup of Fumitory is good to give often half a spoonful thereof to children of growth If the head be scabby it is usual to anoint with burnt butter but this many times strikes into the body and makes the child sick You may anoint with this oyntment following An Oyntment Take oyl of Roses four ounces quick Brimstone in powder one ounce juice of Lemmons two ounces Rosin three ounces make all into an oyntment and anoint the head face or body with it but observe this that you do not anoint all over where the itch or scab is but anoint first at one place and when that is killed then use it to another place and so the rest one after another You may also anoint with the white Camphire oyntment or with Tarr and Hogs grease boyled together or you may use a decoction of Tobacco stalks boyled in water and vinegar If the Itch or Scab be hot and burning then use this oyntment following Take white lead and Lytharge of gold in fine powder of each five drachmes lee made of the ashes of a vine three drachmes oyl of Roses an ounce wax as much melt the wax and oyl first then put in the rest keeping it stirring and last of all add two yolks of eggs or rather the whites make an oyntment and use it See more in my book called Help for the Poor in Itch and Scab pag. 21 22. Cap. 23. CHAP. 4. Of the Falling sicknesse and convulsion THhese are diseases very incident to children newly born and because they are so neer of affinity I shall joyn them together The cause The falling sicknesse cometh sometimes by consent of the inferior or lower parts especially of the stomach and bowels when milk is corrupted in the stomach or hath an ill quality which doth often happen when the nurse is of an ill complexion or from the nurses ill dyet and to frequent drinking of wine and so ill vapors arise from the stomach too the brain and affect the membranes thereof or worms the Small Pox and Measels or Fevers may cause these fits or primarily it may come from the brain being ill affected Sometimes it may be Hereditary and come from the Parents Also vehement pains of the teeth whereby the brain is drawn into consent may cause convulsions in children Moreover sudden fears or beating the child may occasion these fits Some will have flegme to be the cause of the Falling sicknesse but if it were so then why might not old men whose brains are flegmatick have the Falling sicknesse and Infants as well as old men be taken with the Apoplexy which notwithstanding we see by experience doth not happen Therefore the falling sicknesse doth not proceed from flegme but rather from an occult and sharp quality which doth oppresse the membranes of the brain For although children do abound with flegme from whence suffocating rheumes and other diseases be bred yet doth not the Falling sicknesse follow except there be some venomous and corrupt vapour joyned therewith The signs The signs are manifest But whether it proceed from vitious or corrupt milk or from worms the small Pox or Measels breeding of
the brain Let the nurse take often of this pectoral decoction Take of Figs and Jujubes of each twenty in number Sebestens thirty in number Raisons of the sun stoned ten drach Licorice 2. drachmes Maidenhair Hyssop and Violets of each an ounce boyl them in three pints of water to the consumption of the third part then being strained give it as before If the child be bound you may give it sirup of Roses Manna or Cassia And give the child oyl of sweet Almonds with white Sugar candy which will not onely loose the belly but ease the Cough If shortnesse of breath proceed from fulnesse of the stomach and hypochonders then give the child some Hony mixed with a little Fenegreek seed and Comin seed in powder Afterwards give the juyce of Fennel in milk or sirup of Jujubes or sirup of Maidenhair or make Almond milk with some Pine kernels in Colts foot water or Scabious water and sweeten it with sugar Candy Or Take one ounce of sugar Pellets and being dissolved in two ounces of Hyssop water warm them on the fire and give a spoonful often of it Or you may give sugar Candy and Hyssop water in the same manner If the child be of any bignes you may give it often pectoral Roules or Trosses to eat or sugar Pellets Let the breast be anointed morning and evening warm with oyl of sweet Almonds mixed with Capons grease or sweet Butter or with the oyntment called Pectorale Or Take of the oyntment called Resumptivum oyl of sweet Almonds of each one ounce Capons grease and Goose grease of each two drachmes mix them together and use it To dry up the Rheume lest the childs headclothes be perfumed with the powder of red Roses and Frankincense at night And you may bath the childs feet with a decoction made with Rosemary Sage Marjoram c. And afterwards anoint the feet with oyl of Bayes or oyl of Costus warm And because the Rheume sometimes falls down by the rough artery so that the nostrils of the child are dry and much stopped therefore you must anoint the same with fresh Butter or put up some therein or with oyl of sweet Almonds or with this following Take of the juyce Beets of and Marjoram of each two drachmes of the juyce of Chickweed half an ounce oyl of sweet Almonds one ounce mix them together and anoint the nostrils therewith or put up Basil Cloves or Marjoram in powder into the nostrils to provoke sneesing that thereby the matter which flowes down by the rough Artery may flow out of the nose If the Cough hinder the child from sleeping give it at night of sirup of Jujubes sirup of Violets and sirup of white Poppy of each a like quantity mixed together or give Conserve of red Roses if the child be of any bignesse CHAP. 13. Of vomiting and weaknesse of the stomach MAny times the childs stomach is so weak that it cannot retain any sustenance taken The cause The cause hereof is either abundance of milk which the child greedily sucketh or the ill quality of the milk or worms from whence ill humours are stirred up and so cause vomiting It may also proceed from flegme falling down upon the stomach but this is more rare in children and doth not often happen The signs If it come from abundance of milk sucked the Nurse may soon know it besides the childe after vomitting is better If it proceed from the corruption of the milk 't is known by the quality thereof for the milk is yellow green or of some other bad colour which is vomited up and hath an ill savour or smell also the milk of the Nurse is not good If worms be the cause then you have the signs in the Chapter of worms The Prognosticks Vomiting in children is most times little dangerous for it is a common saying among women that those children are most lively and vivacious that being young do vomit and there wants not reason to second this opinion for the child being newly born hath some vitious humours in the stomach which was collected in it's mothers womb and then receiving fresh nourishment from the Nurse which it was not accustomed to moreover the stomach being lax or loose moist and weak it soon happeneth that the milk is corrupted Therefore if these vitious humours be cast out by vomit it is far better then if they were retained in the stomach If vomiting proceed from abundance of milk there is lesse danger and most times after vomiting the childe is better If from the corruption of the milk it is worse because thereby may follow other dangerous symptomes If vomiting continue long it is dangerous because it may bring an Atrophy or leannesse of the whole body and so death at length If that which is vomited be white and flegmatick 't is better then if it be yellow green or blackish The cure If vomiting proceed from too great plenty of milk sucked then let not the childe suck so often nor so long If it come from corruption of the milk then the fault of the milk must be mended as is before declared and that which is corrupt must be cleansed by the use of syrupe of Roses solutive or hony of Roses solutive Now that the stomach of the childe which is weak and loose may be strengthened you may use syrupe of Mints syrupe of Qâ—inces c. Or A powder or lohoch Take of wood Aloes red Coral Mastick of each half a drach Galangal half a scruple make them into powder and give of it to the child in milk as much as will lye upon two pence or three pence at a time or make a lohoch or licking medicine thereof with syrup of Quinces and give it often to the childe Marmalade of Quinces also is very good for the child or a Quince rosted tender and given with Sugar and Cloves in powder Apply outwardly to the stomach the plaister of a crust of bread the Cerot called distomachale or a crust of bread wet in Muscadel Or Take oyl of Mastick oyl of Quinces oyl of Mints oyl of Wormwood of each half an ounce oyl of Nutmegs by expression half a drachme Cloves in powder a scruple mix them together and anoint the stomach therewith morning and evening warm Or Take of red Roses half a handful Mints a drachme Cyperus roots and Myrtle berries of each two drachmes Boyl them in red wine and bathe the childes stomach therewith warm Or Wet a spunge or wollen cloth therein and lay it warm to the stomach Or Take Mastick Frankincense red Roses of each two drachmes Cloves a scruple make them into powder and with the juice of Mints or the distilled water thereof make a Pultis and lay it to the stomach Or Take of oyl of Mastick or oyl of Wormwood two ounces wax one ounce and a half Cloves Mace and Cynamom in powder of each two drachmes make all into an oyntment adding thereto a little Vinegar Anoint the stomach with it
reins and bladder or from debility weaknesse of the Sphincter muscle of the bladder and also because they abound with much moisture Sometimes the stone in the bladder doth hurt the Sphincter muscle that the bladder cannot shut nor well contiane the urine The signs The signs are manifest for the child cannot hold it's water night nor day but especially it comes from them in their sleep The Prognosticks This disease although it be not mortal yet it is very troublesome and if not cured in time it continues in many till death If it proceed from the stone it cannot be cured till the stone be taken away This disease is cured in many when they come to grown years without any means The cure Let the Nurses dyet be hot and dry The child must drink but little and let the belly of it be kept loose for hereby they pisse lesse The Wesand of a Cock in powder is commended also the stone of a Hedghog in powder if a scruple or more of either be taken morning and evening in Plantain water The bladder of a Bull or Goat dryed and in powder is good to be used as before or give the powder of Goats clawes in Pap or milk This following powder is commended Take a Hogs bladder or Botes or sheeps bladder dryed the stones of a Hare and the Wesand of a Cock dryed of each half a drachme Acorn cups two scruples Nep and Mace of each a scruple make all into powder and give hereof a scruple or half a drachme in the distilled water of Oaken leaves or give ten grains or a scruple of Acorn cups in powder morning and evening in Plantain or Oaken leafe water Or Take of the distilled water of Mirtles three ounces Conserve of Roses half an ounce sirup of dry Roses one ounce mix them together and give the child often of it being first shaken together Let the place about the bladder be anointed with oyl of Costus oyl of Orris or such like or make a Bath of Brimstone Nitre and the leaves of Oak and use it to the back and place about the bladder warm If the childe be of some reasonable growth make a plate of lead with holes therein and lay it to his back let it lye on for a moneth or two CHAP. 27. Of the disease called St. Anthonies fire or wilde fire as also of Burning and scalding THis disease is a great heat and rednesse that disperseth it self over the uppermost part of the body and it is twofold either onely with heat and rednesse or with inflammation heat and small pimples and very painful This the Vulgar call the Shingles Others are troubled with this disease as well as children The cause It is caused of thin and hot blood or of blood mingled with Choler The signs The signs are manifest for there is a rednesse upon the outward skin very hot and angry and many times doth flash abroad if it be not prevented by the use of means The Prognosticks Although many have this disease without danger yet the cure hereof must not be neglected least a worse disease follow For as * Hip. Aph. sect 6. 25. Hippocrates saith if an Erisipelas being outward be returned inwards it is evil but if on the contrary if being inward it be turned outwards it is a good sign If strong repercussive or repelling means be used in the beginning of the disease it is dangerous least the humour strike inward and so indanger the life of the party If this disease appear in the head it is more dangerous then in other parts because if the matter passe to the membranes of the brain it cause a Frenzie if to the muscles of the neck the Quinzie The cure First of all great care must be had to use such inward means as may expel the matter outward as give the child a scruple of London Treacle or five grains of the powder of Crabs clawes in Carduus water Then use outward means as take of Plantain water Rosewater Lettice and Housleek water of each one ounce Vinegar half an ounce mix them together and wet Linnen clouts therein and apply it a little warm so oft as it dryeth up let it be wet again in the same and applyed Or Take of Galens cooling oyntment one ounce and a half oyl of Roses two ounces of the oyntment called Populeon one ounce the juice of Plantain and Nightshade of each half an ounce the white of two or three eggs beaten mix them altogether and anoint with it See more in my book called Help for the Poor Pag 14. and 15. Against Burning or Scalding See my Help for the Poor page 1 2 3 4 5 6. where you have many easie and safe medicines CHAP. 28. Of Fretting Chafing or Galling of the Skin in the Groyns The cause CHildren are much troubled with the skin going off in their groins and thighs which is caused by reason of the sharpnesse of their urine especially if they be not often changed with fresh linnen The signs The signs are apparent for the skin is raw and the child very unquiet therewith The Prognostiks This disease is not hard to cure yet because it causeth pain and brings watchings to the childe if it be not taken in time it causeth ulceration in those parts The cure The Linnen of the child must be often changed lest by the wetnesse thereof the disease be made worse Wash the thighes and buttocks with Plantain water with Rose or Nightshade water or make a decoction with Plantain Shepheards-purse Horsetail and Knotgrasse and bathe the place therewith Or anoint it with a little Capons grease and lay a Linnen cloth to it or anoint it with Pomatum or strow on it the powder of a post or any old wood that is wormeaten or meal dust or Bean flower or else A powder Take red Roses and Orris root of each a quarter of an ounce beat them into powder and use it as before by strowing it upon the raw places FINIS An Alphabetical Table of all the Diseases in this Treatise B Belly fretting and griping thereof Page 31. Belly loose p. 34. Belly stopt p. 38. Bed-pissing therein p. 55. Boeeding of Teeth p. 10 Burning and scalding p. 7. Bursting or Ruptures p. 45 C CHafing and fretting of the groynes p. 58. Cods swollen p. 50. Coming forth of the Navel p. 47. Consumption and leannesse p. 29. Convulsion and falling sicknesse p. 6. Costivenesse or stopping of the belly p. 38. D DIfficult making of water p. 53. Dreams and starting p. 22. E EArs pained and inflamed p. 9. Ears worms thereof ibid. Ears moist ibid. F FAlling of the fundament p. 51. Falling sicknesse p. 16. Fear starting and terrible dreams p. 22. Fevers p. 15. Flux of the belly p. 34. Fretting in the belly p. 31. Fretting and chafing of the groyns p. 58. Fundament fallen p. 51. G GAlling of the skin in the groynes p. 78. Gripings and frettings of the belly p. 31. Groynes chafed or galled p. 58. H HEads of children sore p. 1. Hicket p. 30. I INflammation of the ears p. 9. Inflammation of the mouth and throat p. 12. Inflammation of the Navel p. 49. Itch and Scab p. 5. L LEannesse p. 29. Lice breeding p. 3. Loosenesse of the belly p. 34. M MEasels and small Pox p. 17. Mouth inflamed p. 13. N NAvel swollen or coming forth p. 47. Navel inflamed p. 49. O Often going to stool p. 52. P Pissing in bed p. 55 Pox and Measels p. 17 R REst wanting p. 20. Rickets p. 30. Rupture or Bursting p. 45. S SCab and Itch p. 5. Scalding and burning p. 57. Sores in the head p. 1. Starting and terrible dreams p. 22. Stomach weak p. 26. Stopping of the belly p. 38. Stone p. 53. Swelling of the Navel p. 47. Swelling of the Cods p. 50. T TEnesmus or often provoking to stool p. 52. Teeth breeding p. 10. Throat sore and inflamed p. 13. V ULcers and sores in the head p. 1. Ulcers of the ears p. 9. Vlcers of the mouth and throat p. 13. Vomiting and weaknesse of the stomach p. 26. VV VVAter difficult making therof p. 53. Watching out of measure and want of rest p. 20. Weaknesse of the stomach p. 26. Wilde fire p. 56. Worms p. 40. Worms in the eares p. 9. Worms of the heart liver c. p. 42. FINIS
joyned therewith Those sores and ulcers of the mouth in children that are black and with crusts or scales are worst of all and many times prove mortal The cure In the beginning we must use astringent or binding and repelling or medicines to drive back afterwards medicines binding but withall discussing If there be onely heat and inflammation then we must use cooling means and a little binding If these sores come from the fault of the milk then the Nurse must keep a good Dyet and avoid all hot sharp and salt meats Give the child often sirup of Mulberries with hony of Roses and if need be with Oxymel If they be red then use medicines moderatly binding as sirup of dry Roses sirup of Purslain sirup of Grapes Sorrel Citrons and Mulberries with the powder of Lentils Sumach and red Roses If they be yellow use cooling meanes as sirup of Violets sirup â—f Purslain c. Or take the juyce of Lettice Purslain Nightshade of each half an ounce mix them together and use it with a feather Or take of red Roses and Violets in powder of each a drachme Hony one ounce and a half or as much sirup of Mulberries mix them together and use it Or take of Plantain water half an ounce hony of Roses and sirup of Mulberries of each half an ounce mix them together and wash the childs mouth often with it Or take of French Barly half an ounce Agrimony Plaintain red Roses of each a handful boyl these in water strain it and in six ounces thereof mix of sirup of Mulberries half an ounce hony of Roses one ounce and a half and if there be need you may add half a drachme of Allom which will make it more cleansing Or take of Rosewater or Plantain water one ounce hony of Roses half an ounce oyl of Vitriol so many drops as may make it sharp mix them together and wash the mouth therewith CHAP. 8. Of fevers in Children CHildren are many times taken with burning fevers as well as with Quotidian Tertian and quartain Agues The cause The cause of fevers in children may arise from corrupt milk for when the milk doth putrifie choller is stirred up and also the rest of the humours are inflamed from whence cometh fevers Sometimes fevers may proceed from the breeding of teeth sometimes from pains inflammation and overmuch watching as Hippocrates witnesseth Hip. Aph. 3. 25. The Signs The signs of a Fever in children are these Great heat and drynes rednes of the tongue and throat want of rest urine red sometimes thick and sometimes thin quicknesse of the pulse much inquietnesse and many times raving and idle talke if they be of any bignes If fevers come from the breeding of teeth then you have the signs in the Chapter of breeding of teeth The Prognosticks These fears being but gentle are not dangerous for the cause being taken away they soon cease but if the milk continue long corrupt and vitious then children are much indangered by these fevers If sharp fevers come upon children while they breed their teeth they are seldom taken with convulsions sometimes fluxes of the belly and great watchings accompany these fevers whereby children are soon suffocated The cure If the fever proceed from corrupt milk then choller doth abound the mother or nurse therefore must use cooling and moistening means as broth or posset-drink made with Lettice Endive Sorrel Violet leaves straberry leaves c. Also Almond milk made with the four cooling seeds and Barly water are very useful The mother or nurse must abstain from Wine hot water and all hot spices and may use some purging means as Manna two ounces thereof may be taken in broth or clear posset drink or three ounces of sirup of Roses solutive or one ounce or one ounce and a half of Cassia in the same you may give the child often sirup of Violets sirup of the juyce of Citrons half a spoonful at a time or Take one ounce of sirup of Violets and add to it as much Endive water and give the child a spoonful at any time A Julep Or take of Borrage water four ounces sirup of Violets or sirup of Citrons one ounce and a half spirit of Vitriol five or six drops mix them together and let the child take often two or three spoonfuls at a time If the body of the child be bound you may put up a Violet comfit or two first anointed with a little oyl or give one ounce of sirup of Roses solutive more or lesse according to the age of the child in posset drink in a morning Or give half an ounce of Manna dissolved in posset drink Anoint the back and ridge of the child with oyl of Violets mixed with a little wax And anoint the stomach with some of this oyntment following An oyntment Take oyl of Roses and Mastick in powde of each half an ounce red and white Saunders in powder red Coral in powder of each x scruple wax two drachmes make an ointmen and use it as before mentioned A Pultis Or take of red Roses in powder two drachmes the juyce of plantain Housleek and Endive of each half an ounce with the white of an egg and some Barly flower make a pultis and apply it to the stomach Anoint the temples and wrests with oyl of Roses and oyl of Populcon of each a little quantity mixed together If the fever proceed from breeding of teeth use means to help nature herein as in the first Chapter CHAP. 9. Of the small Pox and measels Of smal Pox and Measels are diseases that most children are troubled with first or last They are both of one nature and proceed from one cause saving that the measels are ingendred of the inflammation of blood and the small Pox of the inflammation of blood mingled with Choler What the small Pox are The small Pox are spots red pustules appearing in the skin with a continual fever stirred up or excited from the strength of the expulsive faculty and ebullition or boyling of the blood What the Measels are The Measels are spots or risings upon the outside of the skin in some parts more or lesse with a Fever by reason of the strength of of the expulsive faculty and heat or boyling of the blood The difference between the small Pox and the Measels At the first appearing they are so like one another that you can hardly discern the difference The Measels most times come more suddenly the face the skin of the whole body looks redder and the rednes continues longer without rising there being joyned therewith most commonly a greater itching and pricking But the small Pox come not forth so suddenly neither is the skin so red nor doth the colour stay so long and the pimples rise higher neither is the itching and pricking so much and at length grow white The cause There are two chief causes thereof First the reliques and impurity of the mothers blood with which the child was nourished
in the womb and receiving the same into the pores of the body the which at that time for debility of nature could not be expelled but the child increasing afterward in strength is driven out of the veins into the upper skin Secondly it may come by way of contagion from a peculiar malignity of the air when any place is infected so that one person infecteth another Now the fuller the body is of this menstrual blood the deeper impression doth the outward air make in it which is the reason that some have them in greater quantity and are fuller of them then others And so according to the malignity of the humor it is more or lesse dangerous to some then to others Sometimes the ill dyet of the nurse or feeding upon meats that increase rotten humours may cause this disease The signs The signes of them are these Pain of the head eyes and throat with a beating of the head and temples itching of the nose neesing fear and starting in sleep like fits of the convulsion or Falling sicknesse and sometimes Convulsions with ravings all which happen from hot vapours and that from the boyling of the blood and so ascend up to the head Also there is a pain and beating of the back heavinesse of the whole body a pricking pain in all parts as if stung with nettles difficulty of breath a trembling of the feet yawning or gaping and a stretching of the body trembling of the heart and sometimes swoning rednesse of the eyes great drought hoarsness and a dry cough The urine is sometimes red and thick which shewes great heat and boyling of humours and sometimes not much differing from the water of one in health The nose doth many times bleed and that from the heat of the blood and by it's sharpnesse doth open the orifices or mouthes of the veins which if it happen to be much in the beginning then the disease is not so violent Sometimes the eyes water and are moist And last of all the spots appear and that most times within three or four daies The small Pox or Measels happen chiefly in the Spring and Autumne especially if the Summer before were wet and the winde in the South or if the winter foregoing be warm and the wind Southern The Prognosticks It is better to have the small Pox or Measels come forth speedily then to be long in coming forth for this sheweth strength of nature If after they be come forth the feaver and other symptomes do decrease t is a good sign If the spots be white or red and full coming to maturity or ripenesse 't is good but if they be blew or black livid and fall flat whether few or many 't is a bad sign If fainting of the spirits or swoonings fluxes of the belly shortnesse of breath black urine or Convulsions happen 't is worst of all If the feaver increase after they be come forth and they flash abroad not ripening speedily and if hoarsenesse follow these are very bad signs The cure The safest way is not to meddle much with children that have these diseases but to let nature alone herein yet where nature is weak it will be very necessary to use means to expel out the disease As Saffron in milk London Treacle and Diascordium if there be a loosenesse is very good given in Carduus or Angelica water Barly water made with Figs Dates Licorice and Annis seed is very good or Take of French Barly a handful shavings of Ivory and Harts horn of each two drachmes Licorice bruised one ounce Citron pils dry and cut in thin slices three drachmes boyl them in a pint and a half of Posset drink to a pint strain it and let the child drink often of it especially morning and evening Or Take three or four Figs cut Harts horn two drachmes Marigold-flowers a drachme Carduus half a drachme Boyl them in a pint of Posset-ale strain it and add thereto of Saffron in powder two scruples Give three or four spoonfuls of it morning and evening warm A Cordial Julep Take of Carduus or Angelica water three ounces syrup of Baume one ounce two drachmes Treacle water a spoonful or two mix them together and give often of it a spoonful at a time If the child be bound you may put up a violent comfit anointed with oyl or if the Pox be well come forth and the child be bound you may administer a Clister made with milk and brown Sugar or take of milk a quarter of a pint and two ounces of Sugar mix them together and administer it warm After the Pox are come forth and do begin to dye you may anoint with this following An Oyntment Take of chalk in fine powder and often washed in Plantane water two drachmes of Cream two ounces mix them well together and anoint the face with a feather Or use the oyl of sweet Almonds mixed with Parmacitty You must not keep the childe too hot nor too cold for being kept too hot it may cause faintings and swoonings and being kept too cold it may drive them in again and so check and hinder nature from expelling them out to the skin See more in my book called Help for the Poor Pag. 56 57 58 59. CHAP. 10. Of watchings out of measure and want of rest THe childe while it is in the mothers womb is detained or kept in a perpetual sleep and after it is born if it be well it doth sleep much at the first because it hath a very moist brain and doth abound with humidity or moisture The cause The cause of watchings is the corruption of the milk or too much milk which putrifieth in the stomach from whence sharp vapors arise continually to the brain and stir up the animal spirits not letting them be at quiet Sometimes breeding of teeth may be the cause thereof The signes The signs are manifest for the child cannot sleep but is constantly out of quiet Prognosticks This is dangerous in children not onely because in general sleep and watchfulnesse if they exceed measure are ill but chiefly because this is contrary to the nature of children which are wont to sleep much By too much watching humours are stirred up and become dry from whence Convulsions fears Catarrhes or Rheums and other diseases are bred in children The cure The means to bring rest are inward or outward Inward means are these following Inward means If the child be bound give it syrupe of Roses or put up a violet comfit into the body of it and give every night the bignesse of a Pease of Diascordium in a little Posset drink more or lesse as the childe is in bignesse This you may use four or five nights together if need be but where the body is bound be sparing in the use of it Barly water made with white Poppy seeds may be given to the child at night or half a spoonful of syrupe of violets or syrupe of white Poppy heads half so much where the childe
digestion If the Infant suck or not and the flux be of some continuance means must be used to stay it and such means as first cleanse and then bind the body as sirup of Roses solutive or hony of Roses solutive Clysters may be used A Clyster Take of Barly water made with steel four ounces red Sugar one ounce mix them together and make a Clyster Where the humours are cleansed and the flux doth proceed from a hot cause give sirup of dry Roses sirup of Quinces sirup of Mirtles sirup of red Coral c. Or give the powder of Mirtles with a little Dragons blood or give Sorrel seed Plantain seed or red Roses in powder with the yolk of an Egg rosted at the fire Or Take of Mullein flowers red Roses of each half a small handful of Comfry roots the greater and Tormentil roots of each a drach bruise the roots and boyl them all in water strain it and to three ounces of the clearest add one ounce of sirup of Quinces and give the child often of it or take Nutmeg and Mastick in powder of each a scruple give it at twise with the juyce or a scruple of Quinces Or Take Acorn cups Sorrel seed and the kernels of Raisons dryed of each a drachme white Poppy seed half a drachme make them into powder and give ten grains or twenty grains of it morning and evening in sirup of Quinces or sirup of red Coral Outward means must be used also Take oyl of Mirtles oyl of Roses oyl of Mastick of each one ounce with half an ounce of wax make an ointment and anoint the belly therewith morning and evening warm Or Bath the belly with a decoction made of red Roses Mullein Plantain in red Wine Or Take red Rose leaves Mullein of each a handful Cipres roots two drachmes Mastick half an ounce make them into grosse powder and make a quilt or bag which being boyled in red Wine apply it warm to the belly Or Take of the pulpe of Quince boyled in red Wine 4. ounces of tosted bread wet in Vinegar one ounce and a half with a little oyl of Mastick make a Pultis and apply it to the belly and stomach warm Or lay to the belly a plaister of a crust of bread or the Cerot called Stomachale If it come from a cold cause and that the excrements be white give sirup of Quinces with Mint water Some commend the maw of a Kid or Hare if ten grains thereof be given and the child to take no milk that day least it curdle in the stomach but give it bread boyled in water with Rosewater and Sugar Apply outwardly Mints Wormwood Mastick and Comin seed Or Take of Rose seeds one ounce Comin seed and Annised of each two drachmes make them into powder and with oyl of Mastick oyl of Wormwood and a little wax make an ointment and use it warm to the belly Or Apply Mints boyled in red Wine to the stomach or a crust of bread wet in Mint water or make a quilt or bag of Mints Wormwood red Roses Mastick Nutmegs and Cloves and apply it to the belly CHA.P. 18. Of Costivenes or stopping of the belly AS Children are often troubled with fluxes of the belly so are they many times troubled with stopping thereof The cause It may proceed from extream cold and drynesse of the belly which happens to some children from their birth or from tough and flegmatick humours which are as it were rowled up with the excrements and cleave so fast to the bowels that they are hardly voided or from corrupt milk with which the childe is nourished from whence tough and flegmatick humours are bred in the stomach which cometh to passe by reason of the weaknesse thereof as also when the mother or nurse feed upon tough meats and drink but little for it seldom happeneth that children are fed with such dyet except grown children or it may come from the intemperate heat of the Liver spleen or reins of the childe whereby the excrements become dry or it may happen when Choller that comes from the gall and should be carried down to the bowels is turned some other way The Signs The signs are manifest If it be from a natural drynesse then the childe is constantly bound and stopt If tough and thick flegme be the cause the excrements that are voided are mixed with the same If there be any error in the Mother or Nurse by ill dyet that is easily known If it be from the heat and drinesse of the Liver and Spleen or Kidneys it is known by those signs that shew the heat of those parâ—s If Choller be turned an other way and that be the cause then the excrements are white and not dyed at all with Choller and the skin of the child looks yellow The Prognosticks Children that are much bound in their bodies have seldom their health well and it is far better for youth to have their bellies loose then bound ill vapours arise from the excrements to the whole body and cause gripings of the belly pain of the head and many other distempers The cure First let the Mother or Nurse use a loosening dyet and such things as are mollifying And let them take also Manna Cassia or sirup of Roses or a little Hony in the morning If the child be of some reasonable growth then you may give it Manna or Cassia as from two drachmes to one ounce or if it be young you may give it half an ounce or one ounce of sirup of Roses Suppositories also made of Hony and Salt and put up into the body are good and safe or Violet comfits anointed with oyl and so used or Clisters may be given as take common oyl two three or four ounces of brown Sugar two or three drach the yolk of an egg Salt three or four corns make a Clyster and administer it Or Take of Marsh-mallowes half an ounce common Mallowes Pellitory of the Wall of each half a handful Cammomil flowers Linseed and Fenigreek bruised of each a drachme boyl them in sufficient water and take of the strained liquor three four or six ounces according to the age of the childe in which dissolve of Cassia two three or four drachmes common oyl one ounce or one ounce and a half with the yolk of an egg make a Clyster You may anoint the Navil of the childe with Butter or oyl of sweet Almonds either alone or mixed with a grain or two of Scammony or Coloquintida The Gall of an Ox or Cow laid upon a clout and so laid on the Navel causeth loosenesse or a plaister made with the gall of an Ox a rosted Onyon and Butter mixed together and applyed warm to the belly doth the same If you desire stronger means then take the juice of Walwort and Mildust boyl them together and apply them warm to the Navel CHAP. 19. Of Worms AMong all the diseases that are incident to children this of Worms is not the least There are
that are used are not easily detained or kept but are hindered by the excrements coming forth so frequently The cure The whole cure of this disease doth consist in reducing the same into it's proper place and so keeping it Therefore presently let the fundament be reduced into his place thus Take a warm soft cloth and with your hands gently return it into his due place and then let the childe sit upon a hot Oaken board or hold a hot napkin doubled to his fundament and an other to his belly But if there be any tumour or swelling about the same make a decoction of Mallowes Marshmallowes and Linseed with which bath the fundament warm and afterwards anoint it with oyl of Lillies warm or anoint the fundament with oyl of Linseed warm morning and evening and strow upon the same the powder of white Dogs turd The powder of burnt bones and Bean flowr also is much commended for the same Or Take red Roses Pomegranat flowers Cypresse nuts Pomegranet pills of each half an ounce Sumach Olibanum Mastick of each two drachmes boyl them in red wine and bathe the fundament with some of it warm then use this following powder Take red Roses and Pomgranat flowers of each half a drachme Olibanum Mastick and Myrrhe of each two scruples make all into powder and being strowed upon Cotten wool apply it to the fundament or let the powder be strowed upon hot coles and let the child sit over the same to receive the fume thereof Or take onely Olibanum in powder and strow it upon hot coles and let the childe sit over the fume thereof The powder following is commended Take Galls Pomegranat rinde Goats clawes burnt red Roses Acorn cups dryed Harts horn burnt make them into powder strow some upon the fundament and being reduced in it's place binde on hot Linnen clothes Give the childe often to eat Marmalade of Quinces or rosted Quince or warden with Cinamom and Sugar Let the childes legs and thighs be kept close together for fear of coming forth again If the childe be often provoked to go to stool and can expel or void little or nothing then that disease is called Tenasmus and may be thus cured Take a handful of Garden Cresses and half an ounce of Cumin seed bruise them and fry them in Butter then lay it hot to the belly and make a fume below with Turpentine and Pitch and let the child sit long upon a board of Cedar or Juniper as hot as may be CHAP. 25. Of the Stone and difficulty of making water AMong all those diseases that happen to children these two are not the least dangerous The stone in the bladder is most frequent in children for with the stone in the Kidneyes they are seldom troubled as on the contrary old men are most frequently troubled with the stone in the kidneyes The cause The stone in children is ingendred or bred from the milk they suck which if it be impure and corrupt doth not onely cause the stone but many other diseases or it may come from a grosse dyet whereby tough humours are bred especially in such as have weak stomacks and hot Kidneyes The urine in children may be stopt from some stone bred or breeding or from some thick and flimy humours stopping those parts or children that eat much have much crudities and are subject to the stone or from winde or it may proceed from the ill quality of the urine as when it it is too hot sharp or pricking so that the childe is afraid to pisse because of the pain it feels when the water comes away or the abundance of urine in the bladder may stop the urine for thereby the bladder is over-charged so that the Fibres thereof being over stretched cannot draw themselves together to expel the urine as it happens to those that have kept their water too long The signs The stone in the bladder in children is thus known They make water with pain and sometimes by drops yea many times the urine is altogether suppressed When they do void urine it is sometimes clear as water sometimes white as milk or whey sometimes bloody and sometimes gravelly or sand appeareth therein more-sometimes they feel an itching in their yard from whence they often put their hands to scratch it The Prognosticks The stone in the bladders of Children is not to be sleighted for although it doth not suddenly kill them yet if it be not in some time cured it proves dangerous and cannot be cured but by cutting And truly there is much danger in cutting them for if the stones be great not only children but also persons of years die therwith Suppression of urine in children is dangerous especially if it proceed from the stone in the bladder The cure For the cure all good means are to be used to prevent the breeding of the stone Therefore let not the stomach be filled too much with food and let both nurse and child avoid all grosse thick and tough meats Let the belly be alwayes kept loose with sirup of Roses solutive Cassia c. Make a bath of the decoction of Mallowes Marshmallowes Pellitory of the wall Parsly Dill Linsed and Fenegreek bath the child therewith and after bathing let the places about the bladder be anointed with oyntment of Marshmallowes oyl of white Lillies and oyl of Scorpions of each a like quantity mixed together And afterwards apply a pultis made with green Pellitory of the wall boyled in oyl of white Lillies or oyl of Camomil Give the child a scruple or two of the powder of magister of crabs eyes or of Amber or Goats blood prepared with Parsly water or two or three drops of the spirit of Vitriol or 4. or 5. drops of oyl of Crabs eyes in the same water or give morning and evening a spoonful or two of Saxifrage of Sampier water or you may give half a spoonful of sirup of Marsh-mallowes morning and evening to the child in posset drink It will also be profitable to give a scruple or more of Cipresse Turpentine If the child be of any bignes give it this following Take oyl of sweet Almonds newly drawn one ounce and a half Pellitory or Saxifrage water one ounce juyce of Lemons a drach make a potion and give in a morning fasting It is necessary that children be caused often to pisse especially when they awake as also when they are change And being of any bignesse let them make water before and after they have eat If it come from sharpnesse of the urine or heat thereof then let the Nurse use a good dyet and cool broths or cool possets for to temper the heat of her blood And if need reqiure let her be let blood and purged with 3. or 4. ounces of sirup of Roses or with two ounces of Manna taken in posset drink CHAP. 26. Of pissing in bed The cause THis disease is frequent with young children and that because of weaknesse of the retentive faculty of the