these Pills and of the weight aforesaid least they should be suddenly snatch'd away by the violence of this disease before any can be new made or be sent for to the Neighboring Cities I have also in like manner allways perswaded my friends that when ever they take any journey seeing these Pills are not every where to be had they would be sure to carry with them one or two of them The same care did I also take above twenty years ago for my Sons when I sent them abroad to the University instructing them withal in my way of proceeding in the cure as well of this disease as of the Griping Diarrhoea before spoken of and also in the manner of Preservation from and Cure in the Plague wherein notwithstanding I advised them to consult the Physicians of the place that so the Cure might be the more certain and speedy As concerning Diet Concerning Regiment of Health I have spoken very largely in my French Treatise where I have said that for their Ordinary Drink the sick parties must take Water and Verdjuyce of each a like quantity Drink mixt together that is to say the quantity of a Cup and a half of either with the Yolk of an Egg boyled in it with a small quantity of Sugar And if the Party be not very thirsty he may then take a draught of Red Wine or where that cannot be had of old White Wine with which if need be you may mix Water with a little Cinnamon boyled in it You may also allow your Patient a draught of small Ale so it be cleare He may also have made him several kindes of Broths of the aforesaid Verdjuyce Meat or Wine with Water Sugar and the Yolks of Eggs mixed with it Restorative Gellies also and a Toast of White Bread in Wine mixed with Water and with a little Sugar put upon it are here of very good use And whatsoever he takes either of Meats or Drinks he must take them Cold. And least by drinking too much his Evacuations should be the more violent upon him he may sometimes allay his thirst in some measure by taking two or three spoonfulls of Wine and Water mixed together in equal quantities with a little Sugar and juyce of Citron added to it to make it rellish the better He may also take a slice or two of Citron the Pill taken off rouled about in Sugar Rob de Ribes c. Conserves of Red Currans and of Berberies and the like which are both Cooling and Astringent and also pleasant to the tast are here of good use also THE THIRD DISCOURSE Wherein the most Excellent and Incredible Effects of COLD WATER as well taken Inwardly as applied Outwardly are declared and its wonderful Vertue in curing of Wounds is set forth IN my French Treatise I have prescribed Cold Water for my Patients to take But do you not think me a very Inhumane person Or do you allow me to be a Physician for doing so Certainly there is not any greater Preservative from the Gout if it be taken twice a year at the least Nothing is more useful both for Preventing and Curing the Gout then Cold Water that is in the beginning of the Spring and Fall and continued for some days together or else if it be taken some days immediately before such certain times as it is usually wont to seise upon the party in like maner as nothing is of more efficacy when it hath seised on him for the asswaging the violent Torments of it then Cold Water is as I have there by many reasons proved at large and especially if to this taking of Cold Water we joyn the Breathing of a Vein Neither will any man deny this that shall come to it with a cleare Eye and without any Prejudicate opinion if he but weigh diligently those Pregnant Reasons if not Demonstrations whereby I have there made it appear that the tormenting pains of the said disease of the Gout are caused either by Acrimony or Saltness and so consequently by Heat Neither need any man be hindred from assenting to this opinion because perhaps he hath known many times old men and those too that have been withall Hydropical to have been taken with this disease For there is even in them a sufficient stock of Salt Serous Humors to cause this disease Neither let it seem strange to any one that the Parts affected by a Cold Humor do swell for he ought to take notice that when by reason of this Malignant Humor the Natural Heat is weakned The parts affected here like as in the Erysipelas swell by reason of a Cold Humor because that the Natural Heat is weakned too much by the Malignancy of that Humor this both may and must be and especially if he do but consider that for the greater clearing of this business that part of the Body that is taken with an Erysipelas immediately also begins to have a swelling about it Which seeing it is not imaginable that it should be caused by the mutual conflux of both Humors we therefore ought to think that it must proceed from the Malignant Heat of Choler that hath so far weakned the Natural Heat Which Bilious Humor as it is likened to the Element of Fire so when it is kindled to a very great heigth it also burns the part Affected like Fire and so raises Blisters on it But suppose that the excellent vertues of Cold Water in the Cure of this Disease were never before discovered to the world or that other its excellencies in other the like Cases have heitherto been neither written nor heard of Suppose this I say Must the Vast Abyss of Physical knowledge and the large stock of the ways of Cures have before this been necessarily exhausted and drawn dry Is it impossible to say or write any thing that may be deduced out of the very Principles of Nature which may be of good use in the Curing of the diseases men are subject unto and particularly of the intollerable Paines of the Gout and the like Certainly there are diverse that having by experience found the excellent vertue of Cold Water for the asswaging of those Horrid Torments of the Gout which are a second Hell will be ready with a very gratefull remembrance Publickly to extoll the same And those that to the use hereof have added the opening of a Vein either upon the part affected or somewhere neare it will cry it up to the same height And to the end that what concerns the Publike Good may Publickly be known I shall deale Ingeniously with those that are Ingenious I say that I have known many who have testified that among the so many and various Medicines that are in use for the cure of this disease they have not known nor applied any that hath so certainly asswaged if not utterly cured as it sometimes hath done the intollerable pains of this disease as Cold Water especially when it is joyned with Letting of
first sprinkled over with some sweet Water have afterwards been very well aired by the fire till such time as that all the smell of the Sope or what other Acquisititious smell soever be quite driven out And I have been confirmed in my Opinion of the dangerousness of applying Fresh Linnen to People in this case both by the common voyce of the People and also by those that have belonged to Pest-houses and such as have otherwise attended upon Persons that have been sick of the Plague the greatest part of whom will not suffer the sick Party to change his Linnen not in this disease onely but in the Small Pox also but will have him either keep on the same or if he do shift he must put on either what himself formerly wore in the time of his health or what have bin worne by some of his Healthfull Freinds and those must be verie well aired too first by the fire It hath also been observed that by Shifting of Linnen I mean of that next the Skin the Courses in Women which in this case are dangerous and the Hemorrhoids in persons that have been otherwise in good health have broken forth Which putting on of Fresh Linnen before the Seventh Day of the Disease how extream Dangerous it is and indeed how Insufferable unless the Party impatient of the Stinking smell about himself will needs shift his Shirt and put on one that had been worn before is most earnestly and seriously pressed by Isbrandus Diemerbrouc in his Observations where he tells us of some that having heedlesly put on Fresh Linnen in this disease within a few hours after they have been taken with a Feavourish Heat a Heaviness of Heart and other the like Symptomes which have grown so strongly upon them as that they haue been brought even to deaths doore none of which things have happened where the Parties have put on such Linnen as had been worne before in which the Smell of the Sope hath been dissipated by the heat of the Body which is much more to be feared then that Stink which comes from Foule Linnen as by most certain Experience hath very often been confirmed To which we ought to give greater credit especially in such matters as concern this so Occult The Stink of Sope is dangerous not onely for those that are Infected but for those that are in health too in the time of the Plague and Dark Disease then to Reason seeing that we know that those that are free from infection and do live in houses that are so too yet by having their Linnen washed with Sope are much more apt to take the Infection of this Pestilentiall Aire then otherwise they would have been if they had not suffered the other to come near them which is so certainly known to be true as that I need not stand here to prove it And to the end that there may be the more sure means used for the Prevention of this most Tyrannical and Raging Disease there ought to be very great care taken for the repairing of the strength of the Patient which is to be endeavored presently after his Sweating and at other set times What Meats are allowed in the Plague by giving him such meats as either his weakness or the Feavorishness of his Temper will require and his Nauseous Stomack will admit Which seeing it is not to be overloaded with Flesh must be cherished up with Broaths Juyces Expressed and Restorative Gellies made thereof to which you may adde some Juyce of Citron or some Verdjuyce And to the end that his Weak Stomack may not cast the same up again he may do well to take a slice of Pome-Citron with the Pill taken off and rouled first in a little Sugar A Broath also made with Verdjuyce Water and one or two Yolks of Eggs and Crums of White Bread is in this case very good into which you may if you please put a little Sugar which notwithstanding is not in this disease very Wholesome as is neither Honey And hence it is that in Lozenges and Conserves that are here of use we put a greater quantity of Powders upon them then is usual and a much less of Sugar except in such cases where the Tast and Strength either of it or the Honey is over-power'd by the Antidotal Medicines and the multitude of Ingredients as it is in Treacle and the iike Compositions It will be also very useful sometimes when the Feavorish Heat is not too great to put into these Broaths four or five spoonfulls of Rhenish Wine And sometimes also the Party may take a julip made of the distilled water of Carduus Benedictus Scabious Sorrel and Borage mixed with the Syrup of the Juyce of Citron and putting into it also a few drops of the juice of Citron and of Oyl of Sulphur or in stead of these he may take some Apozemes made of the like Ingredients And sometimes also he may take Conserve of Hyacinth and other Cordials as likewise the Powder of Pearle Bezoar Stone and of the Shaving of Vnicorn Horn. The Parties Drink must be small Drink clear Ale into which he may now and then put in some few drops of Juyce of Citron or Oyl of Vitrioll or else a smal quantity of the best Verdjuyce and sometimes too when the Feaver and Delirium do not perswade the contrary he may put into his Ale a little Rhenish Wine or some other Smaller Wine If the Party be bound and go not freely to Stoole he may take an Ordinary Suppository or a Clyster of Broath made of Weathers Flesh or the Decoction of Emollient Herbes putting in two raw Yolks of Eggs and of ordinary Salt and Mithridate or Dioscordium of each a Dram. By the taking of which if the Expulsive Faculty be not quickned you may then adde to the same some Ounces of the Syrup of Roses Solut. and of the Oyl of Sweet Almonds for I do not conceave it safe to make use of any more Violent Purgers in this case Neither ought we any whit to fear the Patient in case he should be bound for a day or two together for I have both read and heard of some Persons in this case that have not gone to Stoole in seven days together which yet have done very wel for all that And that this very thing happened to one that was a Tenant of mine in the year 1647 I have been very certainly assured both by the Man himself who is now perfectly recovered and well and by his Wife also I shall not here at all commend Letting of Blood Purgings Bleeding Purging and Vomiting are not here allowed of and Vomitings which in my French Treatise also I have passed by as Suspected and Dangerous Courses For the Agitation of the Spirits and Communication of the Corrupted with the Purer Humors and the Large Diffusion of the same seeing it cannot be without very great loss both of the Parties strength and also of time too which in
annoynt the Part with Oyle of Lillies and Scorpions or with Fresh Butter mixt with a little Treacle over which you may lay a Red Cabbage-Leaf having first soaked the same in Warme Water After this you must apply Cataplasmes made of the Roots of Lilies Mallows or of the Leaves of the same adding thereto some Leaves of Rue and Linseed which being boyled and brought to a due Consistency you must then put into to same some Yolks of Egges Vnguentum Basilicon Turpentine or the like There are some that in this case apply nothing to the Part Affected save Rosted Onyons mixed with Fresh Butter or Oyle of Lillies Many have with very good success made use here of a Hens Fundament having the feathers pulled off and then being rubbed over with Salt and so applied to the part for a good while together and when the first Hen was dead they applied another as long as the Patient was able to endure it and the Bills of the said Hens they held somtime fast shut up When they had thus done they then fell again to make use of the aforesaid Oyntments and Cataplasmes untill such time as that the Tumor being brought to a sufficient Suppuration it might be lanced with an Instrument to let out the Purulent Matter which yet if the Hardness of the Tumor will not admit you must make use of a Caustick to draw it forth And when the Tumor is now broken you must cleanse the Sore with Hony and you may apply unto it as occasion serves either the Yolke of an Egge with a little Turpentine mixed together or else some of the Oyntment called Vnguentum Apostolorum or else that other called Vnguentum Aegyptiacum if need so require And you must cover the part Affected all over either with the plaster called Emplastrum Diachylon with the Oyntment named Basilicon or else with some other plaster of the like Faculty and Vertue In the curing of a Carbuncle or Plague Sore they make use of the like Oyls and Plasters which yet are ordinarily made not quite so strong and drawing least being so strong they might too much exasperate the same And you are afterwards to proceedin the cureof this as of al other Sores til it be perfectly healed up Which Carbuncles or Plague-Sores as well as those of Plague-Tumors must be kept open as long as may be As concerning the Cure of the Tokens as they call them which are Dark Purple Spots or of the like colour appearing upon the Skin in Pestilential Diseases I shall not say anything here having said so much of this point in my French Treatise least by doing the same thing over again I might seem to have troubled my self to no purpose Now while this care is taken for these External Tumors and Spots the Patient is not in the mean time to neglect the taking Inwardly of Sudorifical Preservatives Cordial Confections and Powders and likewise his Julips and Apozemes which he is to take all in their due times in like manner as he must be very exact also in his Diet. And for quenching his Thirst he may sometimes take a little Ale which must be but small and very clear and I have been informed and by persons of very good credit too that they have in this case often given Infected persons a draught of plain Fountain or well-Well-water and that with very good success Yet that they may not drink too much of it they may now and then sup up two or three spoonfull of smal Ale with some Juyce of Citron mixed with it putting a Brown Toast into it and a little Sugar To which you may adventure to adde a little Rhenish Wine or some other smaller sort of Wine in case a Delirium or else the greatest of the Feavorish Heat he is in hinder not the same Slices also of Pome-Citron with the Pil taken off put into two parts of Water and one of the aforesaid Wine with a little quanti of Sugar may be allowed the Patient for the same purpose and this Composition besides the allaying the Thirst of the party will be also very pleasant to his Palat. Yea the whole Pome-Citron also taken with its Pill and Kernels together both which are also Cordialls and so cut in pieces may very properly be put into his Ordinary Drinks Now how the Impure filthy Stenches of such houses as have been infected are to be cleansed and washed away with Water which would do better if it were mixed with Vineger or with Rue boyled in it and hot also rather then if it be onely faire Water and also ought to be suffocated and overmastered by Fumigations of Juniper Berries Brimstone Gunpowder Vineger and the like things which have been made use of with good success and which are to be diligently observed by such as keep such infected houses and by those also that live near unto infected places and besides that those that have forsaken their houses ought not by any means to return backe to the same again till six Weeks at least are over since that any person died out of their house of the disease or till the last Infected person hath now been recovered and clear from the same and in perfect health for a whole months space as hath been sufficiently asserted both by others and by Mee also in my French Treatise Neither was it my Intention to have here said any thing more touching this so Pestilential and Contagious a Disease save onely to set down what Antidotal Medicines and Preservatives I have found to be most proper for the driving out of the Venom of this disease in the beginning of it through the Outward parts of the body by the right and due administring of which I have always found good success to follow And I had also resolved to have said nothing either of this or the former matters before treated of unless it had seemed both to some others and to my self also a very unreasonable thing if leaving those Epidemial Diseases that usually rage in our Maritime Parts untouched I should here make an end of this Treatise I shall therefore here in the next place say something of the same that so the Malignity of these places being known people may either avoid the coming into them or else may know how to provide for their health by convenient and proper Preservatives THE FIFTH DISCOURSE Wherein is treated concerning those Epidemial Diseases and their Symptomes that in Maritime parts which are commonly called in Dutch Polders do infest the Inhabitants but more especially Strangers that had before been unaccustomed to this Malignant Aire and where are set down also the best Preservatives against the said Diseases THese Diseases are wont to seize upon people about the beginning of Autumn and sometimes also sooner according to the temper of the foregoing Summer whether that had been hotter or cooler they some years rage so violently as that they last the greatest part of the said seasons miserably afflicting people all
something touching what Meat is in this case to be eaten and what to be forborne In Contagious times therefore people must abstaine from Hogs-Flesh Beefe Of Meat and all other kinds of flesh that are Hard of Digestion as also from all Inwards and Extream Parts of Beasts as Feet Ears And so likewise from all Slimy Fishes all kinde of Pulse Herbs and from all White Meats or things made of Milke Except onely Butter And so on the contrary they are to make choice of all such Meats as are light of Digestion and withal they must abstain from Fish when they eat Flesh which also they are to eat rather Rosted then Boyled and if they will have them boyled in any Liquor or make Broth of the same they may put into it a little Wine Vineger Juyce of Citron Nutmeg Cloves or the like or some Sweet Herbs prepared according to the quality of their Meat which will not onely be very pleasant to their Palate but also do them otherwise very much good Hitherto is to be referred also a certain Sause which I would have them always to have at their table and it is made of Wine-Vineger Nutmeg and Sugar boyled in Broath or in defect of this they may take Wine with Butter in it which yet must be so prepared as that the tast of the Vineger and of the Nutmeg may be above all the rest And in this Sause I would have them to roule all over and lay a soaking all meat whatsoever that they eat or else they may take at the end of their Meale a spoonful or two of it and sup it up Those that are Asthmaticall or Short-breathed or are otherwise Tyssicall and troubled with a Cough must put the lesser quantity of Vineger and the greater of Sugar into this Composition as likewise in using the Contrapestilentiall Vineger they must either decoct or infuse in it some Figs Currance Liquorish or other the like Pectorall Ingredients and if their Cough be very strong upon them instead of Vineger they may then use some other Preservatives in like manner as those that are Hydropicall should every morning drink a good draught of Wormewood-Wine or Rue-Wine rather then a spoonful of Contrapestilentiall Vineger Concerning their Ordinary Drink my Opinion is that they may take the same that they have been accustomed unto Of their Ordinary Drink whether it be Wine or Beer or Ale into which nevertheless I would have them somtimes squeeze in some few drops of Juyce of Citron or of Oyl of Brimstone and the Ale they drink must be cleare and not strong as their Wine also must not be of the richer sort but must be either Rhenish Wine or Ordinary French Wine wherein they may do well to put sometimes a little boyled Water with a small quantity of Citron Pill or Cinnamon And if it so fall out that any one hath either been in company with those that have been infected In the lest suspicion of being infected they must immediatly fly to their Preservatives or that have been with such as have been with such as have been necessitated to attend upon such as have had the disease upon them which can hardly be without a strong suspicion if not a certainty of being infected by this Contagion and especially when he hath not before hand armed himself against it by Preservatives notwithstanding that the Party finde no sign of it at all about himself yet my advise is that he presently betake himself to Sudorifical Medicines and take two Drams of Old Treacle mixed with a spoonful of Wine-Vineger and drinke upon it two or three spoonfulls of the said Vineger warmed Now to the end that people may know where the signs of the Plague do evidently appear whether the Cure of it may be undertaken with any hopes of recovery of the Patient I shall here breifly set down such things as seem chiefly to relate to the Predictions in this case And first of all I conceave Predictions that very good success may be expected if so be the aforemention Preservative be taken at the very beginning of the Disease and that the Party keep it so that he may thereby Sweat lustily in case that any Plague-Sores and Swellings appear before he feels any Feaverish Heat And although this Treacherous Enemy flatter us thus and thus yet that we are by no means to trust him Sad Experience hath too often taught us And if the Party be taken with a Continuall Vomiting and be extreamly Sleepy and have a very Stinking Breath or the Tongue be Black at the beginning of the Disease it is a sign that the danger is very great and so likewise if the Patient have an Intermitting Pulse or Swooning Fits or a Looseness or where there happens a Bleeding at the Nose or an unseasonable Eruption of the Courses and especially if the Party have a Hoarsness or if his Vrine and Excrements and what he throws up by Vomit be black or he be taken with the Hickop or a Trembling in his Limbs or if he spit Blood or pisse Blood are evident signs of Death And if as I have formerly said it is very Necessary that where any one hath but the least suspicion of being infected he should presently have recourse to Sudorifical Preservatives there is no question but such as finde any real sign that they are already Infected ought to fly unto the same as to a Sanctuary and that too at the very Instant that they discover the same seeing the Disease may be over-mastred much easier then the people imagine if it be taken in time lest when these aforesaid Fatall Prognosticks appear there be no hope of Recovery left And this Preservative the Patient is to take with Vineger as hath before been shewed and in his Bed being well covered with Cloathes and with a good fire by him if it may conveniently be had And he is to sweat as long as possibly he can and if the Sweat come not from him in very great Abundance which in this case is very Necessary he must then have a Bladder half filled with Warme Water applied to his Belly in which if there be decocted some leaves of Carduus Benedictus Rue or Angelica Roots or Zedoary there may much the better success be expected And if so be the Party sweat not enough nor grow the better upon it he must presently as soon as he hath something recovered his strength a little fall again to his Sweating the second time yea and sometimes also there is very good reason that he sweat the third time too Which Reiteration of Sweating notwithstanding is very often not at all Necessary in case that the Sudorifical Preservative being taken in the beginning of the disease hath wrought abundantly enough Concerning the Efficacy of which Timely Sweating in the beginning of this Disease Sennertus also hath given us a large Testimony in his Lib. 4. De febribus Cap 6. where he hath these words Existimo
continued in wringing and corroding the guts Fol. 8. What Purges are to be given in all Ages Fol. 9. What Clysters are to be administred Fol. 11. That Clysters are here to be administred Cold even to little Children though it be in the Winter ibid. That Vineger is to be put in sometimes into Clysters Fol. 13 That Breathing of a Vein is very seldome admitted here Fol. 15. That in an Inveterate Flux too frequent Purges are not to be administred nor so great a quantity of Whey as in those that are but newly begun Fol. 17. What Meats and Drinks are to be used both in an Inveterate Flux in one that is but newly begun Fol. 18 19. Astringent Medicaments are seldome used here and Topical Applications are of little Efficacy Fol. 20. Opiates are here dangerous ibid. All Violent Fluxes are to be stopped in the same manner as that is in the Disease called Cholera Fol. 21. THE SECOND DISCOURSE WHat the Disease called Cholera is and what the cause of it is Fol. 23. That Laudanum Theophrasti is the onely Remedy here Fol. 25. The description of this Laudanum and in what quantity it is to be administred Fol. 27. What Regiment of Health is to be observed in this Disease Fol. 29. What Drink and Meat the Patient is to take ibid. THE THIRD DISCOURSE Wherein is treated of the singular and Incredible Vertues of Cold Water in the Cure of several Diseases Strainings Bruises Pains and Wounds without Suppuration NOthing is more useful both for Preventing and Curing the Gout then Cold Water Fol. 32. That this Disease is caused by the Acrimony or Saltness of the Humours and so consequently from Heat ibid. The Parts Affected here swell by reason of a Cold Humour because that the Natural Heat is weakened by the Malignant Heat as it happens in the Erysipelas Fol. 33. That the Opening of a Vein upon the Part Affected or near to it is of very good use Fol. 36. That Revulsion or Derivation of the Blood another way is of very little use here Fol. 37. That Old Men also may with very good success make use of Cold Water Fol. 38. What Applications are to be made use of for the asswaging of the Pains of the Gout Fol. 41. That the Sciatica or Hip-gout is also caused by a Hot Humour and at the beginning of it may be perfectly cured by the taking of Cold VVater for the space of Three or Four days together Fol. 42. That the Paines of the Shoulder and Hip when they are not joyned with other Goutish Paines are not at all or very seldome obnoxious to a Relapse as neither are the Paines of the Running Gout Fol. 43. That seeing no Veines appeare either on the Hip or Shoulder we must apply Cupping-glasses and Horse-leeches and must open the Anckle-Veine Fol. 44. That Purgative and Sudorifical Medicaments are here of use and when to be applied Fol. 45. In what case a Cup of Cold VVater is of use in the Paines of the Stomack caused by Crudity and also in the curing of a Hoarseness that is but new begun Fol. 47. That Cold VVater is good against the Stone in the Kidneys Fol. 49. That the putting of the Feet and Hands being benummed with Cold into Cold Water recovers them Fol. 52. That Cold Water cures that kind of Cramp called Tetanus according to Hippocrates Fol. 53. That Cold VVater is said to have cured those that have been taken with the Palsey by being applied for the space of two or three hours together and that the Party Affected hath been thereby restored the same day to his sense and Motion Fol. 54. That a Suddain Fright by repelling the Bloud and Spirits inwards hath driven away a Quartane Ague Fol. 55. That by the Violent breaking forth of the Bloud and Spirits to the Thighes and Legs caused by a Vehement Anger Motion hath been re-restored to those that could not move before Ibid. That by reason of both these Passions namely Fear and Anger the Son of King Crasus that was born dumb suddenly spoke and ever after continued a Speaking Man Fol. 56. That a Windy Exhalation being close kept in becomes Rarefied and so causes Lightning and Earth-Quakes As likewise Gunpowder being set on fire least two bodies should be in one and the same place requires a larger place Fol. 56. 59. That Hippocrates teacheth and that with good reason that the Gout in the Feet is cured by a Large Effusion of Cold Water upon them Fol. 62. That the Immersion of the Head into Cold Water is good against an Inveterate Pain thereof and Defluxions from thence and how Fol. 64. 65. That by the Application of Cold Water for a good while together upon the Part Affected and up above the Temples the Toooh-Ach hath many times been cured Fol. 69. An Inflammation of the Eyes taken betimes may be cured in the same manner Fol. 70. That the Pains of the Shoulder Back and Loyns though never so Raging and of Long Continuance have by my Advise been cured in the same manner Ibid. That the Hot and Dry Distemperature of the Reines which is the Efficient Cause of the Stone may in all probability be reduced to its former state by Cold Water for I confess I have not yet made Trial of it if it be applied to them once a day for the space of half an hour for four or five days together And I would have those that are much troubled with it to do this if not so many days yet at least two daies together twice or thrice a moneth for the space of a whole year together or thereabout Ibid. Children also that through Extremity of Pain could not stand upon their feet by the said Bathing of their Legs as far as to the Knees in Cold Water have found thereby very much good Fol. 71. The Wind-Collick is cured by long Immersion of the Legs and Hands in Cold Water Ibid. That Cold Water in a very strange manner cures both the Cold and the Hot Distemperature of one and the same Part by repelling and driving backward the Blood and Spirits toward the Center of the Body which having its Heat there increased in its return overcometh the Cold Distemperature of the part and in a Hot one it suffereth them not to return to the same Fol. 72. That the Application of this Cold Water onely but continued a good while together is a most secure way of curing of Green VVounds without comming to Suppuration at all and also when there is some Purulent Matter in the Wounds they have also been cured by the same means as I have seen and made the Experiment Yet my advise is that people should not delay the business It cures VVounds also upon the Face without leaving any Disfiguring Skar behinde and also healeth Bruises in other Parts either the Legs or Thighs and that in Old People too without any pain or danger Fol. 73. That Cold VVater cures VVounds where a Nerve is pricked
gives his advice that where the disease is desperate they should not forbear to try any manner of Experiment for the curing of it And if we will but appeal to Reason in this case we must needs confess that there is much more care and regard to be had to this Flux which immediarely destroyes then to the Vlcer whose cure will admit of more delay Neither is the Indication here taken from the Vlcer when we administer these Clysters cold but from the Flux of Blood which weakens the Patient too much which by this means is repelled and stopped as on the contrary it is drawn downward if the Patient put his foot into warm water as is usually done when a Vein is to be breathed in case of the stopping of Womens Courses As it likewise is seen in Violent Bleeding at the Nose where when the Blood hath issued forth in manner of a swift Torrent the speediest and most certain remedy in this case when all other means have failed hath been to put the Patients feet into VVarm VVater and that if need so require as far as to the very Knees or higher as it hapned to one that was at the very point of death whence by the trial of this Experiment he was happily recovered when both his Legs and Thighs for want of Blood had now grown cold and no marvel for his Blood flying up to his head he had lost no less then Eighteen Pints of it at the Nose as by most exact observations was found But to leave this Digression and to return to my former discourse of the Flux of Blood in a Dysentery I say that wherever I found the strength of my Patient to have been too much weakned by so violent and plentiful Voyding of Blood by stool Letting of Blood is very seldome admitted here I never appointed the breathing of a Vein which yet may heer seem to be proper enough and I have been very sparing also in prescribing it in this Dysenterical Flux and therefore those who object against me that I have sometimes used it too sparingly may hence receive satisfaction if they please but to consider with me that these so frequent goings to stoole especially if the Party voyd Blood do so much debilitate the strength of his body as that Bleeding would be very dangerous neither do I allow of it by any means unless it be in a high Feaver or in a great Voyding of Blood provided it be not in so great a quantity as was said before or in case there be a stoppage of the said Flux as is usuall in the Hemorrhoids or if there be any fear of an Inflammation of the Guts in which cases it seemes to be necessary For the Heat of the Patient is attempered sufficiently by the store of VVhey which he must take which also sufficiently aswages the saltness or Acrimony of the Peccant Humor in so much that I have been so fully perswaded that seeing the Humor it self may easily be purged out if it may conveniently be done and so together with it the disease and all the danger of it may be taken away that therefore there hath been need of no other Evacuation at all so that among sixty Dysenterical Patients I have scarcely let one of them Blood and that with very good success as is declared more at large in my French Treatise where I have spoken largely of this Particular and of the Regiment of Health in this case to be observed advising all persons that are sick of this disease to abstain chiefly from all Motion of the body all Pepper'd and Salt Meats and from all things in general that are either Actually or Potentialy Hot. In an Inveterate Flux too frequent Purges are not to be administred nor so great a quantity of Whey as in those that are but newly begun I also have said there that in an Inveterate Flux you are not to administer so frequent Purges and that these are to be varied according as the disease is and also that you are not to prescribe so great a quantity of VVhey in an Inveterate Flux as in one that is but new-begun yet in case the Gripings continue though they be much abated in the violence of them the taking of VVhey must Proportionably be continued you may also though but in a small quantity administer Red VVine which may be diluted with VVater with a little Cinnamon boyled in it And as in all diseases that have been of any long Continuance the Patient is apt to nauseate at any thing that is given him as well Meat as Drink therefore we are to change his Ordinary Drink What Drinks are to be used according as the disease requires where if the state of it be doubtful or that the Patient will not be confined within any due bounds the Indication must then be taken from such things as are either Good or Hurtful for the sick person yet we are not at all to neglect that which is taken from the Gripings of the Guts which if they should chance to grow Violent again he must then take a greater quantity of VVhey and must give over his taking of Wine And as for Meats I should chiefly commend the use of Eggs with which many sorts of Brothes may be made and chiefly by boyling the Yolks of Eggs together with some crums of White bread which is only of use in this case in Whey They may also take some fresh Broth made of Veale or Mutton The juice also of Chickens or Capons expressed out of them or Restoratives made of them as also a Toast of White bread dipt in Wine mixed with Water and with Sugar sprinkled upon it where the Gripings of the Belly are not Violent may here be admitted And the Party may take things either Actually cold or but luke-warme as I have ordered in my French Treatise where I have also set down some Astringent Medicines which notwithstanding in a Flux newly begun unless there were Extraordinary cause I have scarsely and in an Inveterate one where the Gripings have been very Violent I have but seldom made use of neither yet have I often prescribed those things as I have there said which have a faculty of comforting the spirits and of resisting the Malignancy of the Peccant Humor such as are Terra Sigillata Bole-Armenick Coral burnt Harts-horn and the like And as Astringent Medicines which are commonly used in this case for the stopping of the Flux are of very little force so as I have said is the application of Topical Remedies of much less and among them as there is no trust at all to be put in Oyles so there is very litttle in any other Outward Application And I think it were well if people would consider whether or no some of those Outward Applications which are commonly in use do not hurt rather then do any good Opiates are dangerous therefore seldom to be made use of here And as for Opiates and Stupifying
Blood For it is certain enough as I have proved in my French Treatise that the Pains in the Gout are caused not by any Cold defluxion of Humors from the Head but by a Hot Humor which is either an Acrimonious or a Salt one proceeding from the Liver and gathered together in some neighboring part till such time as that Nature drives it forth by the Greater Veins into the Capillary as into certain smal Channels by nature designed for the conveighing of humors whence it is conveighed to the Joynts together with the Aliment provided for the nourishment of the parts of the Body and commonly first of all it seises upon the Great Toe and as the cause of the disease increaseth it afterwards seiseth upon other joynts also For this cause therefore my Counsel hath been that a Vein should be opened both in the Great Toe and also in other parts that are nearest to it that so the next Antecedent cause which lies in those Veins and fomenteth the Concomitant Cause lying neare unto it may be taken away which being removed the pain is either asswaged or altogether ceaseth For I cannot beleeve that the Concomitant cause lieth in the very joynt where the Bones are not wrap'd about with any Periostium which is of most exquisite sense for so all Motion must needs be painfull but instead of that are invironed with a Gristle and joyned together with Ligaments that are void of al sense so that the pain must therefore necessarily be attributed to the neighboring parts which are most sensible In the producing whereof seeing that this Antecedent Cause is also to be supposed to cooperate I am clearly of opinion that without any Letting of Blood either by way of Revulsion or Derivation we ought to fall immediately to the opening of a Vein upon the part it self unless the body being very Plethorical or the Patient young or the part lying convenient for Revulsion which had formerly been infested with the same distemper do require the same For in other Cases you must be careful how you let Blood both because my opinion is that people ought to be let Blood once or twice a year by way of Prevention and especially in the aforesaid Great Toe or what other part of the Body hath usually been most afflicted with this disease as also because that when it hath seised upon several joynts at once the violence of it seems to require the opening of a Vein where neither the Age of the Person nor any other impediment is against the same And seeing it is confessed and assented to by all Physicians that Contraries are cured by Contraries why may I not lift up my voice and make use of my Pen in the just Praises of this our Cold Water Especially seeing I am able to produce Experience on my side who is the best Mistress in all Sciences whatsoever and that back'd with Reason two I shall not here speak of Young men or of those of Perfect Age but I shall onely here have to do with Old men who by reason of the Saltness of Humors wherewith they commonly abound are very much subject to this terrible Disease many of whom when they either already felt or were in feare of these Tormenting pains have by my Counsel had recourse immediately to this drinking of Cold Water which drinking constantly for many days weekes yea and moneths together it hath succeeded so well with them as that many of them who have been very far stricken in years have found very great ease hereby and that too without any offence to the Stomack or hinderance of Digestion and have continued thus now for some years space together only drinking a draught of it off every morning which course they also resolve to continue while they live And some that had used to drink Wine constantly did the same drinking Water at their Meals but moderately And although that in an Inveterate Gout or where the Party is very old or where there are other either Manifest or Occult Causes hindering it I have said that the use of it would do very little or no good at all yet in very many of this kinde of patients where I have judged the use of it to be convenient I do here testifie to the world that I have had very good success And as for all other Medicines whether they be those they call Anodyna that is Mitigatives of paine or those they call Discussives that is such as dispel the cause of the disease in the Gout as I have made little mention of them in my French Treatise so in this where I commend so much the use of Cold Water and Letting of Blood do I make as little because as the aforesaid Mitigative Medicines by too much relaxing of the parts Affected do open an easie passage for the return of the sharp Humor back again upon them so the Discussive by over-drying the parts dispose them toward the Knotted Gout Yet those that either cannot or will not patiently endure the tormenting pains of the Gout and yet abhor to drink Cold Water or to be let blood upon the part Affected they may make use of the common Poultess made of White Bread which they must make of crums of the same or rather of the pouder of the Root of Althaea boyled in new Milk to a Consistence and pounded together with Oyl of Lilies or fresh Butter mixed with a small quantity of Saffron There are some that choose rather to make use of an Oyntment made of raw Yolks of Eggs and Rose-Water heated together over the fire and there are others that say they have found very much ease in putting their feet or hands into a Bath made of Castile Sope made as hot as they can endure it and when it begins to be cold they must take them out There are som also that in this case make use of the Lees of Red Wine An also Oyntment made of Spanish Wine and Oyl of Olives of each a like quantity and boyled till halfe of it be boyled away and so applied hot to the part Affected hath been said to have done good to some which having bin either Casually or seasonably applied nay sometimes if not of it self yet Accidentally have asswaged somwhat the pain Neither is this taking of Cold Water as I have prescribed it useful onely in asswaging and curing the pains of the Gout in the Feet Hands and Shoulders but also the Sciatica or Hip-Gout which is both the most violent and the hardest to be removed of all the rest And who ever shall but grant us that the cause of this Gout proceeds from the self same Acrimony or Saltness of Humors if not from a greater it need not seem so strange a matter to him if while it is yet but newly begun by the taking of Gold Water according to my Prescription either Well-Water or Fountain-water taking it an hour or two before supper because this disease uses commonly to rage most of all
toward bed-time or at any other time when the party is in pain taking it in this manner by way of Prevention and doing the like every morning and that many times in very Aged persons who have taken it onely for the space of four or five days together it hath without using any other Remedy been perfectly cured and which is more for ever from that party banished especially if he will but consider with me that this disease is not subject to Recidivation as the Gouts in the Feet and Hands are The joynts of the Shoulder and Hip are not at all or but very seldom troubled with this disease the second time Now why the joynts of the Shoulder and of the Hip are so free from any Return of these Goutish paines for they are very seldom taken with them the second time I shall leave this inquiry to the search and Disputation of others least my Reasons which can but seem Plausible ones only may appear obnoxious to Contradiction as to my present design which pretends here to Brevity only Now in case any Vein should appear either upon or near the Hip without question it would be very much useful to open the same Seeing that no Veins appeare either on the Hip or Shoulder we must apply Cupping-glasses to the part affected But seeing that neither upon the Hip nor yet upon the Shoulder there appears any we therefore in this case make use of Cupping-glasses with more then ordinary Scarifications and that with good success and these Cupping-glasses or Horseleeches instead of them must be applied upon those very parts of the Thigh or Legge where the pain is most violent It is very proper also in this case to breath the Vein that lies on the Outward Anckle The Outw ad Anckle-Vein may be opened which is therefore called Vena Ischiadica or the Hip-Vein as in like manner the opening of the Cephalica or Mediana in the Shoulder affected is of good use against the pains thereof But for as much as these Veins which are to be opened are so far removed from the part affected questionless that other way of Evacuation which is performed by applying Cupping-glasses and Scarifications upon the part it self seeing that in al probability they are the more likely to remove the cause of the disease seems to be to much more purpose For thus by applying of these together with opening a Vein by my Prescription taking away from the party twelve ounces of blood and somewhat more a most cruel and inveterate Paine in the Shoulder hath been presently cured whereas a Goutish Paine but newly fallen upon the part is used by this means to be cured with more ease I adde moreover Purgative Medicines are of use through the whole course of the disease that Purgative Medicines are here of good use also through the whole course of this disease Which having been taken first then Sudoriferous Decoctions of China Sassafras Guaiacum which is of special use in many Cases if the disease be neither of too small nor yet of too long a continuance In what cases Sudoriferous Decoctions are to be applied have been applied with very good success And this Sweating is to be repeated for some days together in the morning where that the Sweat may be the more plentifully excerned and so the Concomitant cause laso may be the better drawn forth you may apply upon the hip a bladder full of the warm Decoction of Sage Hyssop Thyme Rosemary and the like Herbs But in an old Inveterate Grief a large Blistering Plaster spread over the whole Hip uses to be the most effectual Remedy Yet sometimes we must have recourse to Red-hot Iron Neither ought it to seem strange to any that this disease is cured as well by Hot as by Cold Remedies for of these such as do not of themselves do any good by refrigerating the part and asswaging the hot Quality of the Humor the same notwithstanding by drawing forth the said Heat out of the Part Affected do Accidentally prove Cures to the same as we see the Inflammation of a Burnt Finger is drawn forth by Fire and a Tertian Ague is cured by Rhubarb Neither shall I here omit to acquaint my Reader that as Cold Water taken an houre or two before supper is a speedy Remedy against the pains of the Gout so sometimes also if a draught of it be taken immediately after Dinner it hath given great ease to some kinds of pains in the Stomack And which is more a Raw Apple which yet must be a Sharp or Sowre one taken at supper time with a cup of Cold Water In what case a cup of Cold Water is of use in the Pains of the Stomach caused by Crudity and also in the curing of a Hoarsness that is but new begun instead of all other Meat or Drink hath very often restored both to Preachers that have been hoarse and to others also provided their Hoarsenss hath not been of any long continuance their Natural cleare Voyce the next morning It will be looked upon a little strangly that I should approve of the use of Cold Water in those Distempers that are caused by Crudity and Flatulency whereas Galen on the contrary affirms that a Lusty Draught of Cold Water taken in a Burning Feaver is a most present Remedy Yet seeing that is evident enough that in such cases where the disease is dangerous and something desperate too the use of Cold Water is the onely Remedy without question the same may be taken safely enough for some days yea and weeks together in very many diseases that may happen and very good success also be from hence expected Thus those that have Fiery Faces and Carbunckled Noses with many pimples rising thereon which is commonly caused by the Fuliginous Vapours of Wine or Strong Drink or have any other the like Ill-affection of the Skin in any other parts of the Body proceeding either from a Salt or Acrimonious Humor by taking this Cold Water we speak of every morning for the space of some days or weeks together as need shall require may easily for no charge relieve themselves and recover the Natural colour of their Face and Skin Neither is it any matter at all whether this Redness proceeded from the too free drinking of those aforesaid Liquors or from a hot and dry distemperature of the Liver Cold Water is good against the Stone in the Kidneys The Stone in the Kidney is in like manner-caused by the same Distemper as by its Efficient cause and therefore there is no doubt to be made but that the taking of a draught or two of Cold Water for some days together as I my self have observed is in this case very good Which seems also to be sufficiently insinuated by Piso and Alexander who both assure us that the taking of a draught of Cold Water in the morning constantly for some days together hath done so much good upon those that
according to the Constitution of the Patient and of the Part Affected the Wound being closed up and grown whole it falls off of it self And yet I have observed that where this thin Egg-Skin hath been gently taken off Nature it self hath defended the part now left naked with a dry and hard Scab which also when the Wound was perfectly whole fell off for there was danger that if it had been violently pulled off the Sore would have grown worse again if at least it be proper in this Case to use the Word Sore which presupposeth Purulent Matter whereas here was not any so much as the thinnest moysture that could be seen to come from the Wound all the while till it was perfectly whole As in like manner where this my Counsel hath been followed no running Matter at all hath been seen to come from such Wounds as have been either in the Heads or any other parts of the Body where ever it hath been my fortune to be called to Patients of this nature either with Surgeons joyned with me or otherwise save only in one Wound that a Person of Quality of eighty four years of age had receaved in his Leg where although the blood had been repelled by the speedy and continued Application of Cold Water yet some small quantity of Purulent Matter coming from the Wound on the sixth day after the hurt receaved yet without any foregoing Pain or Heat in the part the Surgeons that were called thither were presently of Opinion that for the perfecting of the Cure they were to make triall of Suppurating Medicaments which when they had without my knowledge applied and had put the Patient to a great deal of pain and had caused much Purulent Matter to come from the Wound I was then streight sent for again where immediately causing the said Medicaments to be taken away and cleansing the Wound with Whey I applied to the Sore a Plaster that is usually called Emplastrum Diapompholigos which being well bound about with dry Linnen Cloathes and then taking other Linnen Cloathes and dipping them in Cold Water and so wrapping them all round about the place having first well wrung the same and changing them ever and anon I caused this Application to be used for the space of a quarter of an hour together at least that so the part Affected might be freed from all Heat and Pain which Application I caused to be repeated for the space of four or five days together till such time as the Wound was perfectly healed up not the least drop hardly of Purulent Matter in the mean while being seen to come from the same In like manner as at other times while the aforesaid thin Egg-Skin was sticking still upon the Wound when there was very little or no sense at all either of Heat or Pain in the part Affected I have caused a wet Linnen Cloath well squeezed and the Water well wrung out to be wrapped about the place That so the Penetration of the Cold might assist the said Skin and might moysten it without pulling if off Yet if you shall perceave that there is any thing under the Skin you must then take it off and so cleansing the Wound you may apply to the Wound the aforesaid Emplastrum Diapompholigos and the place must be wrapt about with a Linnen Cloath dipped in Cold Water and afterwards well wrung in the manner we shewed before Neither was I at all restrained from making use of the aforesaid Experiment by that Aphorisme of Hippocrates Lib. 5. Cap. 23. where he saies that Cold things are not to be applied to those parts whence Blood either already issues or is likely to issue for he there speaks of such Wounds as are to be cured by Suppuration neither was the world then at all acquainted with this way of healing up of Wounds perfectly by the First Intention by the Application of Cold Water which Hippocrates there speaks of And although t is true that Cold Water applied to any Sore causeth some Smart and Pain in the part yet there is much more regard to be had as the same Hippocrates else where rightly admonisheth us to the exceeding great Benefit here to be expected then to the very little harm or Annoyance as indeed the Smart is but little which is caused by the application of Cold things to the part Cold Water cureth Wounds when a Nerve is hurt And I conceive a Question might here very well be moved whether or no in the Hurting of a Nerve either by a Cut or by a Prick where by the Surgeons neligence in striking a Vein either with a Lancet or other Instrument he hits upon a Nerve whence commonly follow Impostumations Gangrenes yea and Death it self although the Prick be never so small this Application of Cold Water for a good while together as hath before been set down might not be of good use Notwithstanding that our Authors will not hear of the applying of Cold things at the beginning of the Cure and such Medicaments as are of an Astringent faculty and are therefore proper to close up the Wound as in other cases is usually practised As to instance among the rest in Paraeus who would not at all allow of this way of proceedings in the curing of the King of France that had had a Nerve pricked by his Surgeon in being let Blood but the course he took was to poure into the Wound Oyl to Turpentine warm mixed with a little Aqua-Vitae whereby the Nerve was dried up and the Sharp Humor proceeding thence which put him to great pain was consumed yet both it and all fear of the other aforementioned Accidents together with it immediately ceased Which course of his if it had not succeeded according to his desire he had then resolved to have cauterized the Nerve by pouring into the Wound some drops of scalding Oyl or perhaps he would rather have cut it in two then that he would have suffered the Fatal Atropos to have cut the thread of the Kings Life in sunder And yet Paraeus observings that notwithstanding the application of these Hot things the Conflux of Humors toward the part affected was also to be hindered to prevent the aformentioned accidents immediately upon the receaving of the Wounds he fell to make use of Refrigerating and Repulsive Applications over the whole arme fortifying it with a very streight Rowler which bound down the Muscles exceeding close binding the same about the whole Arme from the Hand-wrest up to the Shoulder But seeing this curing of Wounds by the Application of Hot Medicaments is Accidental onely as it that of curing a Burnt Finger by the Fire as we have said before why should we not rather go the direct way to work in these kind of cures by opposing Contraries to Contraries and so endeavor by this Application of Cold Water to repel the Blood and Spirits from the part affected and to allay the Pain caused by the Acrimonious Humor that draws the