a deprivation of the Senses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sopor altus is an insatiable inclination to sleep the sick being called unto they open their Eyes and answer but presently fall a sleep again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called in Latin crapularis redundantia because it is sometimes caused by surfeiting end drunkenness It is deep and profound sleep whereby imagination sense and motion are all depraved In these there is no Fever in which they differ from the Lethargy Catalepsis vel Detentio is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a with-holding or restraining because in this distemper the mind with the senses and motion are all suddenly surprized so that the sick remain stiff and immoveable in the very same posture in which they were taken with their Eyes open The causes of these diseases are either external or internal The external causes are gross food idleness spirituous wine or any other inebriating liquour taken in excess and sometimes by the Air inspir'd which is defil'd by the Smoak of Coals or other mineral Fumes by which the Air may be infested The internal cause is a Narcotick force mix'd with the Animal spirits bred by degrees in the Body by the frequent use of opiats not well corrected which not onely dulls the mind but causeth a sluggishness of the whole Body for the Animal motion being deprav'd the external as well as internal senses will be thence soon infected and defil'd These diseases are all very dangerous and except they are speedily cur'd they will soon hurry the sick into the Boats of Acheron or devouring Jaws of Death But if a Phrensie cometh immediately after any of them it cureth the Patient with little help of medicine To cure these diseases let the drowsie Animal spirits be stir'd up and rais'd from sleepiness and stupidness by potent external Objects which may sharply move the external senses let the sick be kept in a light room and be often called upon very strongly and let sharp smells be applied to the Nostrils such as Spirit of Salt Armoniack Harts-horn c. Also sharp spices or salts should be put into the mouth and gentle frications us'd with warm Cloaths to those parts that are affected with Numness The Animal spirits may be freed from the Narcotick force mingled with them and likewise slothfulness and sleepiness may be by little and little diminished by the frequent use of sharp volatile Salts and all Medicines endued with an Aromatick biting such as Pepper Cloves Castor Garlick Horse-radish Mustard Scurvigrass c. Of which you may make diversity of Medicines for example Take the Waters of Hedge-mustard Scurvigrass of each two ounces Syrup of the Juice of Scurvigrass one ounce Tincture of Castor two drachms Oil of Cloves four drops mix it and give the sick two or three spoonfulls every two hours This decoction is also very effectual Take the Roots of Horse-radish the best China of each two ounces Roots of Galangal half an ounce Scurvigrass Hedge-mustard of each one handfull Cloves one drachm let them be all cleansed bruised and infused in White-wine and Fountain-water of each a quart for the space of a Night very hot the next morning boil it gently for half an hour then strain it and add Syrup of Hedge-mustard Scurvigrass of each three ounces cinamon-Cinamon-water two ounces mix it Let the sick lying in bed meanly covered take often in a day five or six spoonfulls of this decoction whereby a light sweat may break forth to ease them By the frequent use of these medicines the Animal spirits will not onely be freed from their drowsiness but even the Narcotick force bred in the Body either in the length of time or received in from without may be corrected and by degrees gently educ'd by insensible transpiration So that at length these dangerous distempers may happily be overcome Let Clysters and Suppositories be often administred as need requires Those prescrib'd in page 17 18. in the Cure of the Palsie and Apoplexy are very effectual here If strength and age permit let a vein be opened in either Arm or Foot as you shall see cause for generally Authours consent to it besides Experientia docet Let Ventoses with or without Scarification be applied to the shoulders and hinder part of the Neck And let Sternutatories be often snuft up into the Nostrils to provoke sneezing Take the Roots of Pellitory of Spain white Hellebor of each half a drachm Castor Nutmegs white Pepper of each twenty grains Flowers of Lillies of the Valley one drachm beat them into a fine Powder If the Stomach be foul and the sick incline to vomit give this or the like Take the decoction of Horse-radish two ounces the infusion of crocus metallorum Oxymel of Squills of each half an ounce Oil of sweet Almonds newly drawn two drachms mix it and give it in the Morning But if the sick had rather take Pills or Potions let the following serve Take Extract Rudii pil foetidae ex duobus of each half a drachm Powder of Castor twenty grains Oil of Cloves six drops with Syrup of Stoechas make it into Pills for three doses You may give them twice a week in the Morning fasting This purging Infusion is also very effectual Take of the best Senna Rhubarb Polypodium of each half an ounce Mechoacan Agarick Turkey-Turbith of each three drachms Ginger Anise-seed of each two drachms let them be bruised and infused in eight ounces of Ale very hot for the space of a Night then strain it and add the best Manna Syrup of Roses solutive of each one ounce Spirit of Castor twenty drops mix it for two doses Let the affected parts as the Head c. be bathed with this or the like fomentation Take the Roots of Master-wort Angelica Zedoary of each three ounces Bay-berries Juniper-berries of each four ounces Sage Marjoram Rue Rose-mary Betony Flowers of Lavender Melilot Chamomel of each two handfulls let them be all cleansed bruised and boiled in White-wine-vineger and Fountain-water of each three quarts till half of it be boiled away After bathing anoint the hinder part of the Head with this Oil. Take of Oil of Rue Marjoram of each half an ounce Oil of Amber Rose-mary and Bricks of each two drachms Oil of Bays Euphorbium Castor of each six drachms mix them For Revulsion let the soles of the feet be washed with Salt and Acet Scillitic Vesiccatories may also be applied to the Coronal Suture and behind the Ears or upon the Shoulders Neck Arms Thighs c. Avoid all vaporous and phlegmatick Nourishment CHAP. VI. Of the Phrensie and Madness THE Phrensie is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mens quia mentis morbus The Phrensie is an inflammation of the Brain and Meninges both the dura and pia mater causing an
twenty drops mix it and give two drachms morning and evening After the frequent use of this Electuary you may purge with this Powder Take Powder of Cream of Tartar half a drachm Salts of Wormwood Amber Scurvigrass Resin of Scammony of each ten grains mix it for two doses If the Patient like Pills better these may serve For Example Take Extract Catholicon Rudii of each ten grains Resin of Jallop Agarick Salt Armoniack of each six grains Oils of Amber Cloves of each two drops make it into eight Pills for two doses A Medicinal Wine may be prepar'd very effectual in these distempers Take of Water-cresses Brook-lime Scurvigrass Rue of each one handfull Roots of Polypodium Jallop Horse-radish Angelica Cream of Tartar of each half an ounce white Nettle-seed one ounce Orange-peel Cinamon Salt of Tartar of each two drachms let them be cleansed bruised and infused in three quarts of White-wine for two or three days then strain it and give four spoonfulls in the morning fasting In the Hypochondriack suffocation you may often hold to the Nostrils a glass with a narrow mouth containing the Spirit of Salt Armoniack for by its sharp smell the sick for the most part are wont to be rais'd both from that suffocation and from the Epilepsie If the Gums are putrified let the mouth be washed with the following Tincture mixed with some Plantain water and Syrup of Mulberries Take Powder of Gum Lacca one ounce burnt Alome half an ounce the small Spirit of Salt Armoniack one quart let them digest together 'till it be of a red colour then filtrate it through brown paper and keep it for use If the sick hath a costive Body you may administer a Carminative Clyster once or twice a week In pains of the Belly and Hypochondries this linament is effectual Take Oils of Earth-worms Scurvigrass Chamomel of each one ounce Oil of Mace by expression half an ounce mix it with which anoint the parts affected This Antiscorbutick water will be very profitable to be taken two or three spoonfulls at a time morning and evening Take the Barks of Ash and Capers the Roots of Tamarisk Polypodium Horse-radish of each three ounces Water-cresses Scurvigrass Brook-lime Sorrel Centaury the less Harts tongue of each four handfulls Berries of Bays and Juniper Goose-dung of each one ounce the Seeds of Citrons Mustard Carduus benedictus Cloves Cinamon Nutmegs Ginger of each half an ounce let them be cleansed bruised and digested in one Gallon of White-wine and two quarts of Spirit of wine being close covered for three days then distill them with a glass Still according to art and keep it for your use Frictions Ligatures Ventoses Sternutatories c. are all profitable to stir up the sick in the Hypochondriack suffocation CHAP. XV. Of the Green-sickness and Suppression of the Courses THE Green-sickness is called in Latin Icteris Febris alba In English the Virgin 's Disease the White Fever and the White Jaundice because in this disease the native colour of the Face is pale This disease is caused either from defect of Bloud or it proceedeth from plenty of crude viscous phlegmatick humours obstructing the veins about the Womb by which the courses are supprest the veins of the Matrix being obstructed that superfluous Bloud which nature hath ordained to be evacuated that way having not passage doth return to the greater Vessels and is circulated with the whole mass of Bloud and humours by which they are in time vitiated and a Cachexie or ill habit of body is thence caused for the Bloud and natural humours being indued with a vitious quality the nourishment of all the parts of the body will be deprav'd several ways according to the variety of the quality peccant whence likewise not onely the fermentation of Food but also the Appetite of it is deprav'd wherefore Anxieties and Palpitation of the Heart c. troubleth the sick as well before as after Food taken in This distemper may be also caused by external coldness of the air c. and sometimes great fear and sudden shame may be the cause of the suppression also aliments and medicaments that are too astringent taken inwardly In these diseases the Urine cometh away crude thick and less colour'd because the phlegmatick watry humours abounding incorporating with the Bloud do diminish the desired effervescency so that the separation much less excretion of the excrementitious parts to be voided together with Urine doth not follow If the Hypochondries be afflicted and the veins of the Womb obstructed there will be great loathing of wholsome Food and a desire after those things which ought not to be eaten as Ashes Salt Coals c. which is called Pica and in Women with Child Malacia of which we have hinted in the Chapter of Hungar Vitiated page 145 146. 1. These distempers are sometimes of long continuance causing much weakness and oft times barrenness in them that have been so afflicted and if they do conceive they bring forth weak and sickly Children and those that are very melancholy are in danger of falling into madness or other grievous affects as Palpitation of the Heart Swouning Vertigo Epilepsie Apoplexy c. 2. If the obstruction be onely of the vessels of the Womb and have not been oâ— long continuance it may be easily cur'd 3. Bleeding at the Nose is sometimes beneficial but if the Bloud doth disburthen it self by the Eyes Ears Mouth or Bladder it is preposterous from whence may arise other bad Symptoms In the cure of these distempers such medicines are to be selected which will mildly and by degrees alter correct and evacuate tough and glutinous Phlegm seeing that all prolong'd diseases depend on it either wholly or at least in part for by the frequent use of such medicines the Bloud and peccant humours will be the easier reduc'd to their natural constitution especially by the help of good Food easy of digestion in the mean while not neglecting the moderate use of the rest of the nonnatural things An obstruction of the Vessels by viscous Phlegm may be cur'd by the frequent use of such medicines as have power to loosen the peccant humours and again make them fluid All fixt metallick and mineral Sulphurs and also volatile Salts prepar'd not onely of several parts of Animals but also of scorbutick Plants such as are the juice of Hedge-mustard Scurvigrass Garden and Water-cresses Dandelion c. conduce before all others to loosen and dissolve Phlegm coagulated or Bloud clotter'd as having an egregious power of dissolving all things coagulated and conglutinated in humane bodies and of reducing the same to their wonted fluidity and moreover to move sweat which together being mildly promoted the desired dissolution of the aforesaid viscous humours c. will be obtained much easier and sooner An example of such a Sudorifick I have here set down for the sake of young Practitioners Take the Waters of Treacle Dandelion
Bishops-weed of each half an ounce Saffron two drachms Kernels of Fistick-nuts one ounce let them be all bruised and infused in a quart of Muskadel-wine for two or three days then strain it and add more Wine to the ingredients for a second infusion The following Electuary is also excellent Take the Roots of Satirion and Eringo candied of each one ounce candied Ginger and preserv'd Nutmegs of each two drachms Kernels of Hazle-nuts and Fistick-nuts of each half an ounce Powder of a Bull's-pizle of Ivory Seeds of Rocket Bishops-weed of each one drachm Species Diambrae Diamosc dulcis of each six drachms Confectio Alkermes one ounce and half with Syrup of the juice of Citrons make it into an Electuary according to Art Let the Woman take the quantity of a Nutmeg of it every night going to bed and drink a glass of Sack or Muskadel or of the aforementioned Infusion after it If a cold and moist distemper of the Body and Womb accompanied with the Whites be the cause look for the cure in its proper Chapter If it be caused by Witchcraft there are some things commended by Authours to be worn about the party against Fascination viz. the Pizle of a Wolf a Diamond a Jacinth-stone Rue Squills Sea-holly Sagapenum Amara dulcis Hypericon c. But above all let fervent and devout Prayers be put up to the Throne of grace for help and reject and despise Incantations or Charms and all other Diabolical means CHAP. XIX Of Abortion or Miscarriage ABortion is called in Latin Abortus vel intempestivus foetus Because it is an untimely Birth the Child being brought forth either dead or alive before its fit time of deliverance This is the worst Symptom that attends breeding Women It may happen from the first Moment of Conception to the end of the sixth Month but it is most usual in the end of the third or the beginning of the fourth Month. The causes are either external or internal The external Causes are a great excess in things nonnatural as too great Anger Fear and other Passions or else it may be through defect for if the Mother undergo Penury or Famine or lose much Bloud the Child wanteth Nourishment Many times things longed for and not obtained kill the Child Also strong purging Medicines that provoke the terms and all fetid smells falls blows lifting carrying dancing running riding or any other outward violence may be the Cause of Abortion The internal Causes may be the depravedness of the humours by which the Mass of Bloud becometh vitious also Acute or Chronick diseases especially of the Womb and also violent Coughing Sneezing Vomiting Convulsions and Fluxes of the Belly may loosen the Ligaments of the Womb and so cause miscarriage The signs of Abortion at hand are great pain about the Loins and Share-bones sometimes with shivering the Breasts growing little and flaggy the Situation of the Child changed towards the Bottom of the Belly with a bearing down and evacuation of Bloud c. 1. Women who have moist and slippery Wombs are most subject to miscarry but with little danger except it be the first Child and that very big 2. Much bleeding with fainting raving or Convulsions is for the most part mortal To prevent Abortion if there be an evil disposition of the Body or Womb you must endeavour to remove it if the Woman hath a plethorick Body let a Vein be opened in the Arme especially in the first six months If ill humours abound purge often with gentle means This purging Infusion may serve Take of Cinamon Rhubarb Anise-seed of each two drachms let them be bruised and infused in four ounces of Plantain-water very hot for the space of a Night then strain it and add Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb the best Manna of each half an ounce mix it and give it in the Morning fasting Also the Pills prescrib'd in page 240. may be used in this case If the Woman be troubled with a Rheumatick distemper accompanied with Wind and if she be pretty strong you may sweat her gently sometimes with this or such like Cordial Diaphoretick Take the Waters of Treacle Carduus Fennel of each one ounce cinamon-Cinamon-water two drachms Syrups of the Juice of Carduus Coral of each half an ounce Confectio de Hyacintho half a drachm Spirit of Niter six drops Oil of Cinamon two drops Laudanum opiatum three grains mix it and give to provoke sweat Let the Womb be strengthned with Cordial Astringents Those prescrib'd in page 239.240 are excellent CHAP. XX. Of hard Travel in Child-birth HArd labour may be called in Latin partus vel enixus laboriosus quod ipse nitendi pariendi actus The time of a natural Birth ought to be accomplished in the space of twenty four hours if the Womans travel continue longer time with vehement pains and dangerous Symptoms it may be called hard labour or difficult Travel in Child-birth There are various Causes of hard Labour sometimes tender Women by reason of pain are very fearfull and do endeavour to hinder pains and consequently the Birth also Sometimes the Child being weak or dead and not following the Water in due-Due-time before the passage be too dry may be the Cause especially if the Mother be weak by reason of any Disease afflicting her or by too much Evacuation of Bloud or there be not sufficient Motion of the Womb and Muscles of the Belly Sometimes the Child's head may be too big or the passage too strait Also the Child may be turned in the Womb and the Hands Shoulders Back Belly or Buttocks c. may come forward to the Birth and then the endeavour to bring forth will be painfull and difficult The signs of hard Labour are easily known if the Child do stir and there be strong pains and no water appear the Secundine is strong If pains be weak and long before they return and more in the Back than Belly the Infant is weak If the Woman be little and her Husband big and full shouldred then there is a great Child which will cause tough work 1. Hard travel in Child-birth is very dangerous for sometimes the Mother sometimes the Child and many times both do lose their Lives 2. If the Woman be in Travel above four days the Child can hardly be alive and therefore must be drawn away before it be too late for if it be neglected it will cause Fevers Faintings Convulsions Sleepiness c. which are the Forerunners of Death 3. If sneezing cometh of its own accord it is a good sign of deliverance First give this Cordial to strengthen both the Mother and Child Take Waters of Baum Vervain Cinamon of each two ounces Syrup of Clove-gilliflowers Saffron of each six drachms Spirit of Saffron Confectio Alkermes of each one drachm mix it If the Child be situated on Os pubis it must be removed and all other unfit Postures must be rectified Then such
ounce of the Electuary Caryocostinum Oil of Chamomel two ounces mix it for a Clyster Sour things and all that have a Lixivial salt either fixt or volatile and all Aromaticks do correct and amend the viscous Phlegmatick humours Let these forms serve for example Take the Waters of Baum and Mint of each three ounces Cinamon-water and aqua Coelestis of each half an ounce Syrup of Fennel and Mint of each six drachms Spirit of Salt as much as will make it of a gratefull taste mix it and give three spoonfulls of it often Take salt of Tartar vitriolated half a drachm Cream of Tartar one drachm white Sugar-candy two drachms make it into a fine Powder for four Doses which may be taken every morning and evening in white or Rhenish wine For the Rich you may prepare a medicinal Wine This may serve for example Take the Roots of Elicampane Calamus aromaticus of each one ounce of Rue Sage Vervain sweet Marjoram of each three handfulls Anise-seed sweet Fennel-seed of each an ounce and half Orange-peel half an ounce let them be cleansed bruised and infused in two quarts of White-wine It may be given to three or four ounces in the morning fasting with twenty drops of Elixir proprietatis you may also give it by it self at dinner and supper When the Wine is used fresh Wine may be put to the Ingredients for a second infusion But farther to correct and gently evacuate the viscous Phlegmatick humours This opening Apozeme is effectual Take of the five opening Roots of each two ounces Liquorish an ounce and half Guiacum half a Pound Anise-seed sweet Fennel-seed the Berries of Bays and Juniper of each half an ounce Vervain Betony of each one handfull let them be cleansed bruised and infused in two quarts of Rain-water very hot for twenty four hours then strain it out very strongly and add the best Manna Syrup of Roses solutive with Senna of each four ounces tincture of Cinamon three ounces salt of Tartar vitriolated half an ounce mix it and give three ounces every morning fasting If there be need of stronger Physick you may administer these purging Pills Take of Extract Rudii pil foetidae Cochiae of each half a drachm Mercurius dulcis twenty grains mix it for three Doses If the pain be old and stubborn apply Vesiccatories to the Neck also Leeches to the Temples and Haemorrhoids or open the jugular or frontal Vein which hath often prov'd effectual Errhines Sternutatories and Apophlegmatisms may also be used and Ventoses with Scarification if need require Baths of Sulphur whether natural or artificial with Cephalick Herbs are good to bathe the Head and whole Body Some approve of the fume of Amber taken into the Mouth and Nostrils Also spirit of cranium humanum or spirit of salt Armoniack held to the Nose in a narrow-mouth'd Vial giveth present ease in all cold Pains of the Head Also you may touch the Nostrils and Temples with Oil of Amber or Nutmegs or apply this Epitheme to the Temples and Forehead with Linnen-rags Take the Waters of Vervain and Betony of each one ounce Vineger of Roses Ointment of Alabaster of each half an ounce Laudanum opiatum one scruple mix it Cold distempers of the head may also be corrected by hot Cephalicks quilted in a Cap for the Head Take of sweet Marjoram Stoechas Vervain Betony Sage Flowers of Chamomel of each one handfull Nutmegs Cloves Wood of Alloes the Roots of Galangal Cyperus Calamus aromat of each half an ounce let them be all beaten into Powder for a quilted Cap. Before you put it on let the Hair be shaved close and the Head gently rub'd for some time the better to open the pores Let the Sick abstain from fat and viscous Food and let the mind be compos'd to chearfulness If the Juice of the Pancreas abounding in the Body be over sour it causeth a vitious Effervescency being oppos'd by Choler and Phlegm in the small guts from whence sour and ungratefull vapours may be sent to the Stomach and thence to the Head If the humours be over sour the sense of hunger will be encreased notwithstanding the Pain of the Head This distemper is to be cur'd by giving those things which temper and amend the acid Juice in the Body and do prevent its encrease Those things abounding with either a lixivial or volatile salt do powerfully destroy this acid Juice as Pearl Crabs-eyes Coral Chalk Amber Bloud-stone Filings of steel c. Take this as a form of a Powder Take of Crabs-eyes Pearl red Coral prepar'd of each half a drachm white Sugar half an ounce let it be made into fine Powder for six Doses which may be taken morning and evening in two or three spoonfulls of the following Cordial Julep Take Waters of Baum and Mint of each three ounces scurvigrass-Scurvigrass-water two ounces Cinamon-water Syrup of Worm-wood of each one ounce and half Oil of Juniper one drachm mix them together for a Julep of which you may also give two or three spoonfulls every fourth hour I prescribe no Purgers in this Distemper because I am taught by large Experience that the four Humours in the Body may be stirr'd up indeed but not purg'd unless with very great gripes which will doe more hurt than good The encrease of the acid Juice may be prevented by abstaining from the use of acids Let the Patient's diet be moist and fatty as fat Broths Jellies aromatiz'd c. When the Head-ach proceedeth from a hot cause if the Patient be costive first give this Clyster Take of Mercury Violets Lettice Mallows Dandelion of each one handfull Damask Prunes twenty let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two pints of Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Electuary lenitive one ounce and half Oil of Lillies two ounces mix them for a Clyster After its operation you may open a Vein and draw eight or nine ounces of bloud Some Authours will not consent to Phlebotomy in any Head-ach except the Pain be intollerable but I have had sufficient Experience that it may be done safely in any Pain of the Head Elixir proprietatis taken in Wormwood-wine to the quantity of half a drachm at a time a little before meat doth wonderfully conduce to amend the vitious quality of Choler Choler may be evacuated by vomit most commodiously by Antimonial preparations Take of the infusion of Crocus Metallorum one ounce Oximel of Squills half an ounce Give it in the morning But if the Patient be averse to vomiting the Choler may be evacuated by stool by this or the like Cathartick Take of baum-Baum-water one ounce cinamon-Cinamon-water two drachms Syrup of Roses solutive the best Manna of each half an ounce Powder of Cream of Tartar twenty grains Diagredium ten grains mix it for a Potion which may be given in the morning fasting Also these most gratefull Tablets of Scammony may be
prepared and kept for use Take Cristals of Tartar two ounces Scammony one ounce white Sugar four ounces with Gum Dragon dissolv'd in rose-Rose-water as much as is sufficient let it be made into Troches according to Art Half a drachm of these Troches may be given to a Child with carefull governing a Man or Woman may take two drachms of them They who are fearfull of Scammoniats though safe and potent let them take the following infusion Take of choice Rhubarb two drachms Cream of Tartar one drachm infuse them in four ounces of Endive-water for a night then strain it and add Syrup of Roses solutive Syrup of Cicory with Rhubarb of each half an ounce Cinamon-water two drachms give it in the morning fasting This Electuary is also an excellent Cholagogue Take the Pulp of Damask-prunes ten ounces Powder of Scammony Cream of Tartar of each two ounces Rhubarb ten drachms Cinamon half an ounce yellow Sanders two drachms the best Manna Syrup of Cicory with Rhubarb of each eight ounces mix all together into an Electuary according to Art The Dose is from two drachms to half an ounce taken either in a Bolus or dissolved in a sufficient quantity of Endive-water or any other convenient vehicle These excellent Medicines do not onely purge Choler abounding but purify the Bloud and other Humours and here we may note that if a purging Medicine do not operate according to Expectation it may safely be repeated the same day without any danger If the Head-ach be accompanied with a great Fever and Thirst be augmented the following Medicines will much conduce to asswage it Take of Barley-water two pints Cinamon-water two ounces Syrup of Violets four ounces salt Prunella half an ounce mix it and give the sick three or four spoonfulls of it often This Tincture is also very effectual Take of Barley-water two pints Red-rose-buds one ounce spirit of Vitriol twenty drops or as much as is sufficient to make it of a good Tincture let it infuse all Night then strain it and add Syrup of Jujubes four ounces mix it and give three or four spoonfulls every three hours If an Emulsion may please better take this following form Take of sweet Almonds one ounce the four greater Cold-seeds of each half an ounce white Poppy-seeds two ounces let the Almonds be blanched and all well beaten in a stone Mortar then with four pints of Barley-water make an Emulsion strain it and add Syrup of the Juice of Limmons Diacodium of each three ounces cinamon-Cinamon-water two ounces of which let the sick drink often four spoonfulls at a time You may also have a little fine Sugar and salt Prunella equally mixt which may be kept in the Mouth to deceive the Thirst. But where rest is hindred by the Choler abounding and cannot be obtain'd by the Emulsion which gently procureth sleep you may dissolve two grains of Laudanum opiat in two or three spoonfulls of it and give it at night or you may order this or the like Julep Take the Waters of Lettice Water-lillies of each two ounces Syrup of red Poppies one ounce Cinamon-water half an ounce Laudanum opiatum four grains Oil of Vitriol six drops mix it and give four spoonfulls of it to cause sleep This Epitheme may be applied to the Temples and Fore-head with Linnen-rags Take the Oils of Violets and Water-lillies of each half an ounce the waters of red Roses Lettice and Houseleek of each two ounces Vineger of Roses half an ounce mix it You may also anoint the Temples and Fore-head with this Ointment Take the Ointment of Alabaster Populion Oil of Mandrakes of each half an ounce mix it Let the Patient's diet be Mutton or Veal-broth without salt When a salt Catarrh or the like spittle is the cause of Thirst augmented you may administer a Pill of Sâ—yrax or Cynoglosson which will temperate the saltness of the humours and if salt serous matter abound in the Bloud you may purge it bâ—â—â—ool and Urine for which there are variety of Medicines prescrib'd in the Chapter of Catarrhs CHAP. II. Of the Palsie and Apoplexy THE Palsie is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a solvendo eo quod nervorum genus resolutum facultate animi defluere prohibita sensu motuque destituatur It may be also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. dimidia Apoplexia In Latin it is called nervorum resolutio vel relaxatio It is a Privation of sense and motion of one side of the Body or of some particular part The Apoplexy is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 percutior attonitum reddo In Latin 't is called stupor corporis it being an Abolition of sense and motion through the whole Body The parts affected are the Brain Spinalis medulla and Nerves the motion of the Animal spirits through them being deprav'd The causes are either external or internal The external is much cold and moisture which doth chill and over moisten the Head and extreme parts and this seems to prove that phlegmatick and watry Humours abiding about the Ventricles of the Brain and Nerves may over moisten and perhaps so far loosen the Tunicles or Membranes of them that it may render them unfit to let the Animal spirits pass through them hence it is that sometimes one particular Member hath been Paralytick by too much Cold and Moisture and sometimes more parts have more or less lost sense and motion It is the opinion of most eminent Physicians both ancient and modern that the Animal spirits being severed from the Bloud in the Brain c. are from thence carried through all the Nerves to exercise the external senses and Animal motion which is continual and equal in healthy persons but changeable and unequal according to the divers diseases of the Body or Mind Wherefore when no Animal spirits are carried to the Organs of the external Senses or Animal motion the functions of seeing smelling tasting hearing and touching and the sense of heat as also of motion in the Palsie and Apoplexy cease all that time The Signs of the Palsie are manifest to wit deprivation of sense and motion of the Paralytick parts the Eye and half the Tongue viz. of that side affected is much weakned and deprav'd The signs of the Apoplexy approaching are these a sudden crying out for help with an abolition of sense and motion 1. If the Palsie or Apoplexy do invade the sick in the decrease of the Moon and the Patient be old 't is an ill sign 2. If the sick do snort and is droughty and cast spume or froth out of the Mouth and have great sweat with difficult breathing 't is mortal But if the Person be young and a strong Fever immediately happen 't is a good sign for the Fever consumes the superfluous moisture and makes a Dissipation of the
gross and phlegmatick Matter 3. A Palsie coming after the Apoplexy is ill and many times turns to the Apoplexy again When any of the extreme parts be Paralytical or when the Head is ill affected by the external coldness of Air Water or Snow or a stoppage of the Head be also bred thereby or the defect of the Animal spirits chiefly urge then the sick may be cur'd by driving out whatsoever cold has pierc'd into the Head or any other parts of the Body which may be done by spirituous and volatile Sudorificks for they do not onely alter and correct the cause of Cold and other Evils accompanying it but do also amend the harm entring into the Body containing and contained To this end I commend this following Form Take of Treacle-water one ounce Fennel-water and Epidemical-water of each two ounces Syrup of red Poppies and Syrup of the Juice of Scurvigrass of each half an ounce Bezoar-mineral Antimony Diaphoretick of each ten grains Laudanum opiat three grains Spirit of salt Armoniack twenty drops Oil of Cloves four drops mix it give the sick three or four spoonfulls of it and expect to sweat being meanly covered and a spoonfull every half hour afterward till the sweat break forth then give them some pure Broth with a little Wine in it whereby strength may be recreated and the Patient enabled to bear a Sweat longer for nothing so much helps the sick as a sweat continued mildly a while which experience hath often taught me For by the help of this spirituous and volatile and also Aromatick medicine or one like it the troublesome Cold and dulness of motion are discust They who let bloud in this Distemper caused by external Cold or think they can carry out the Cause of this Evil either by vomit or siege put the sick into danger of death or at least of most grievous Evils But when phlegmatick and watry Humours stick about the Nerves c. And too much moistening and loosening their Membranes and Marrow be the cause of the Palsie and Apoplexy and if the same humours much abound in the Body then Phlegmagogues and Hydragogues may conduce to the Cure after Clysters and internal Aromatick Sudorificks Wherefore to begin the Cure of this you may first give this or the like Clyster which must be made strong Take of sweet Marjoram Betony Sage Penny-royal Hyssop Rue Mercury Marsh-mallows the lesser Centaury the Flowers of Chamomel and Stoechas of each half a handfull Anise-seed sweet Fennel-seed Juniper-berries of each half an ounce let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in a quart of Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and dissolve in it the Electuary Diaphaenicon benedicta laxativa of each half an ounce pil Cochiae twenty grains common Salt one drachm Oil of Rue two ounces mix it for a Clyster The next day if the sick have a Plethorick body you may draw bloud from either arm to eight or nine ounces If Phlebotomy cannot be done apply Ventoses with Scarification to the shoulders afterward sweat the Patient with the aforesaid Sudorifick Sometimes Suppositories may be used in stead of Clysters This may serve for Example Take the Powders of Coloquintida Salt-niter Hiera-picra simple of each one drachm Euphorbium half a drachm Honey boiled as much as will make it into a Suppository But if it appear that phlegmatick and viscous Humours do abound in the Body Purgers may be prescrib'd most conveniently in the form of a Pill because the Gums are most apt above all other Medicines to loosen and cut viscous Phlegm neither can they be easily dissolv'd in any liquour Let this or such a like form of Pills serve Take the Gums Amoniacum and Galbanum of each two drachms dissolve them in Vineger of Squills strain it and boil it to a due consistence then add Powders of Troches Alhandal Scammony Mastick of each one drachm Oil of Anise-seed eight drops make it into a Mass of Pills according to Art Let the sick take five or six small Pills of this in the morning fasting and an hour after drink some thin broth If the humours be more serous I commend this Electuary Take Juniper-berries one pound boil them in six pints of fennel-Fennel-water till half of it be boiled away then add the Fruit of Tamarind eight ounces and pulp them both through a Sieve To which add Powder of Jalap and Scammony prepar'd of each three ounces Cinamon sweet Fennel-seed of each half an ounce white Sugar one pound make it into an Electuary according to Art The dose of this effectual Medicine is to half an ounce to people of age a Child may take from half a drachm to a drachm either by it self or dissolv'd in Whey or Parsley-water or in any other convenient Vehicle After universal evacuation hath been made and the Patient's stomach be still nauseous this vomit may safely be given Take the Infusion of Crocus metallor Vinegar of Squills of each one ounce give it in the morning with Care After the operation of it give some of this Cordial Julep Take the Waters of Sage Couslips Lillies of the Valley of each two ounces cinamon-Cinamon-water one ounce Syrup of Peony-flowers Stoechas of each six drachms Spirit of Castor two drachms Spirit of Salt as much as will make it of a gratefull taste of which you may give the sick three or four spoonfulls every fourth hour To correct a slow ferment and also to amend Phlegmatick viscous humours a Medicinal Wine may be prepared for the rich in this form Take the Roots of Galangal Elecampane of each half an ounce the tops of Wormwood Mint and Calamint of each one handfull Powder of Cinamon Anise-seed of each half an ounce Nutmegs two drachms let them be cleansed bruised and infused in six pints of White-wine The sick may drink of this Physick-wine at dinner and supper adding to every draught five or six drops of Elixir proprietatis When the wine is almost consum'd more may be poured on till it cease to be Aromatical External means for the Palsie and Apoplexy are also to be used Bathing is much commended both natural and artificial and how excellent it is daily experience doth manifest This artificial Bath or one like it may be prescrib'd where a natural sulphureous or nitrous Bath cannot be had Take Sage Penny-royal Betony Organ sweet Marjoram Hyssop Rue Time Ground-pine of each six handfulls Flowers of Chamomel Melilot of each four handfulls Roots of Briony Pellitory of Spain of each four ounces Bay-berries Juniper-berries of each three ounces Brimstone six pound Salt-niter two pound let all be bruised and boiled in twenty Gallons of Spring-water till the third part be consumed Let the sick be well bathed with this as often as strength will permit After bathing anoint the hinder part of the Head and Neck and down the Vertebra of the Back with this Oil upon which let a Fox-skin drest be worn
wound or puncture the Oil of Turpentine with rectifi'd Spirit of Wine both actually hot as that famous Chyrurgeon Mr. Ambrose Parey adviseth in his ninth Book Chap. 11. of which I have had large experience with good success The like course may be taken with all other wounds of the nervous parts But if the wound of the Nerve or Tendon yield not to this medicine the same is to be cut asunder cross-ways seeing it is safer to lose the action of one part than that the sick should be exposed to the danger of a deadly Convulsion When the Nerves or Tendons of the Muscles are prickt by sharp splinters of bones the grievous pains succeeding soon cause a particular Convulsion of that part and at length an universal Convulsion will attend the Patient if there be not speedy help Wherefore if possible the sharp fragments of the bone must be cut away or if this have been neglected or could not be done and an universal Convulsion be feared you must hasten to amputation of the member For Necessitas non habet legem If a particular Convulsion be occasion'd by a hot Tumour or any other sharp pain which hath rais'd an inflammation let the pain be diminisht as well by internal as external Anodines and Narcoticks to allay the over encreas'd motion of the Animal spirits To this end you may give the sick two or three grains of Laudanum opiat at a time either in a Pill or dissolve it in a little Wine or other convenient Vehicle And if the ingenious and judicious Physician or Chyrurgeon do add a little volatile Salt either of Animals or Vegetables to his topical Medicaments whether fomentations Cataplasms or Ointments he will wonder at the incredible benefit for by the help thereof the Tumour will be mollified and dissolved the internal obstruction loosned and the pain eased If a Convulsion be caused by the taking of Hellebor or any other venemous matter administer an Antimonial vomit with all speed But if it be a Child give it ten grains of Salt of Vitriol or half an ounce of Oxymel of Squills with a drachm of Oil of Almonds After the operation of the Emetick and also at other times you may give some of this Julep Take of Black-cherry-water the Water of Line-flowers of each two ounces Briony-water compound Syrup of Peony of each one ounce Tincture of Castor half an ounce Confection of Alkermes one drachm Spirit of Salt Armoniack twenty drops mix it and give three or four spoonfulls every fourth Hour Having briefly hinted at the Cure of particular Convulsions I come now to those more universal as likewise Convulsive motions and the Epilepsie And seeing there is little difference in the remote causes of them in the Body these diseases may for the most part be cured with the same Remedies 1. First then the peccant humours are to be temper'd and diminisht 2. The rising of vapours is to be hindred and their expulsion procur'd by sweat or insensible transpiration By which the over motion of the Animal spirits will be restrain'd and brought to tranquillity that is a more quiet motion All Aromaticks and all things abounding with either a fixt or volatile Salt do not onely correct and by cutting amend the viscous phlegmatick humours but do powerfully temper and destroy the over acidity and tartness of the juice of the Pancreas To temper and diminish these humours I commend these medicines Take the Roots of Male-peony Valerian Missletoe of the Oak and Peony-seeds of each two ounces Castor half an ounce let them be all bruised and infus'd in peony-Peony-water compound the Water of Line-tree-flowers of each one pint for the space of twenty four hours then strain it out very strongly and add Syrup of Peony and Stoechas of each three ounces Spirit of Castor half an ounce mix it and give three spoonfulls at a time every fourth hour with which you may mix Spirit of Salt Armoniack Elixir proprietatis of each six drops Also you may give the Patient half a drachm of the following powder in three or four spoonfulls of this Infusion with the aforesaid Spirit and Elixir Take of Crabs-eyes Salt of Tartar vitriolated Salt prunella of each half an ounce volatile Salt of Harts-horn Salt of Amber of Man's skull prepar'd of each two drachms make it into a fine powder which may be taken half a drachm at a time morning and evening The peccant humours being temper'd and diminisht by the frequent use of the abovesaid medicines the inordinate involuntary and impetuous motion of the Animal spirits in Convulsive and Epileptick fits will be the better reduc'd to a calm and voluntary motion by the help of volatile and spirituous Sudorificks mixt with Anodines and Narcotick medicines us'd in a small quantity and at times which two will be expedient to be given together because then they will the better circulate to the Animal spirits and temper and educe the hurtfull flatuous Vapours For which I commend the following form Take of Treacle-water Fennel-water of each one ounce Syrup of Peony Syrup of the Juice of Scurvigrass of each half an ounce Antimony Diaphoretick Bezoar mineral Crabs-eyes in powder of each ten grains Laudanum opiat four grains Tincture of Castor one drachm Oil of Cloves three drops Spirit of Salt Armoniack ten drops mix it and let the sick take it being well cover'd with cloths whereby the sweat will the easier come forth If the Body be costive let it be made soluble by a Clyster or Suppository such as is prescrib'd in the cure of the Apoplexy As often as the Stomach is nauseous or the sick inclines to vomiting let the Emeticks before mention'd be carefully administred and likewise three or four days before the full of the moon But if the sick be averse to vomiting and Pills or Potions are more acceptable take the following as Examples Take of Extract Rudij pil foetidae ex duobus of each a drachm and half Castor black Hellebor prepar'd of each half a drachm Salt of Amber twenty grains Oil of Rosemary twenty drops with Syrup of Stoechas make it into a Mass for pills of which you may give half a drachm twice a week Also this purging Infusion is very effectual Take of the best Senna Rhubarb and Cream of Tartar of each an ounce and half Liquorish and the five opening Roots of each one ounce Guiacum China-roots of each six ounces Missletoe of the Oak Anise-seed sweet Fennel-seed Bay-berries and Juniper-berries of each half an ounce let them be all bruised and infused in Black-cherry-water and the Water of Line-tree-flowers of each a quart very hot for the space of a Night then strain it very hard and add Syrup of Roses solutive with Senna Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb of each three ounces Cinamon-water two ounces Salt of Tartar vitriolated half an ounce mix it Let the sick take four ounces of this purging Infusion every morning whereby the viscous humours and flatuous Vapours
and humours from all purulent matter if there be any hopes of the Patient's recovery All Effusions of Bloud Seed and Milk are to be shun'd except the wonted emptyings which are natural and serve the individual Let the motions of the Mind be moderate and the exercise of the Body be gentle and let sleep and watchings keep a mediocrity Appoint a moistning and nourishing Diet which is of easie fermentation as Broth and Jellies of young Creatures and Milk of Goats Sheep and Cows and chiefly of wholsome Women A Panado made with the Broth of a Chicken the Crums of White-bread and the Yelk of a new laid Egg may sometimes be given the sick for a change Let â—ooling Herbs be boiled in the Broth and Jellies adding other ingredients that are cooling moistning and cordial both to strengthen Nature and revive the Spirits Let the sick drink Barley-water made pleasant with some Pectoral Syrup and if they have been accustomed to drink Wine let it be well diluted with water As for Fruit Apples are much commended especially Pippins and Permains which will much refresh the sick If the Patient be costive you may sometimes administer a Clyster of Milk and the yelk of an Egg. The worst symptome that can attend these diseases is a Loosness if it so happen give Goats or Cows milk wherein steel hath been quenched and Rice boiled in it adding a little Powder of Cinamon and let the sick eat commonly of it CHAP. IV. Of the Palpitation of the Heart THIS Disease is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin palpitatio Cordis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod leviter ac frequenter commovet because there is an over frequent Pulsation or leaping of Bloud in the Heart c. It is a Convulsive motion of the Heart with a vehement Systole and Diastole of it which sometimes hath been so inordinate that the Pulsation hath not been onely seen but heard at a notable distance yea sometimes it hath been so great that the adjacent Ribs in young and tender people who have been afflicted with this distemper hath been dislocated and the Aorta or great Artery hath been much dilated See Fernelius lib. 5. cap. 12. pag. 292. This deprav'd motion or Palpitation of the Heart is for the most part caused from sharp viscous and flatuous humours frequently arising out of the small Guts and transmitted to the ventricles of the Heart and adhereth to them by which the Heart is provoked to a vehement and unequal contraction of it self without intermission These humours are mov'd and driven forward either by their vitious effervescency or else they are stirr'd up by violent motion or exercise of the Body especially in the quick ascending of a steep hill and sometimes they are constrain'd or urg'd by grievous Passions of the mind Sometimes there have been observ'd fleshy Tumours and Cartilaginous excrescencies in the Substance of the Heart when dissected and those poor Creatures when living were never free from a vehement Palpitation Also Worms have been found in the Pericardium of some that have been dissected after death which without doubt caused a deprav'd motion or pulsation of the Heart when living That which is caused by fleshy Tumours Cartilaginous excrescencies Worms or any other extraneous thing in the Pericardium or substance of the Heart is incurable But the Palpitation of the Heart which is caused by acrimonious flatuous and viscous humours may be cured Those medicines must be administred that cut and discuss and temper an acid Acrimony The following Julep may serve for an example Take the Waters of Parsley Fennel of each three ounces Tincture of Cinamon Syrup of Mint of each two ounces Chymical Oil of Mace ten drops Spirit of Salt Armoniack twenty drops Laudanum opiat ten grains mix it let the sick take a spoonfull of it every quarter of an hour till they get some ease If the distemper hath persever'd long the peccant humours must be emptied out by purging and to educe them I prefer before all others Pills to be made of Gums seeing they loosen the glutinous humours and dispose them to be easier carried out For example Take of Galbanum prepar'd with Vinegar half an ounce Powder of Scammony prepar'd Troches Alhandal of each two drachms Oil of Carraway twenty drops make it into a Mass for Pills Take five or six of these Pills in the Morning fasting twice a week They who abhor Pills may use an Aromatick and purging Decoction The following though bitter is very efficacious Take the five opening Roots of each one ounce Roots of Angelica Berries of Bay and Juniper of each half an ounce the best Senna Orange-peel Carraway-seed Coloquintida of each one drachm Guiacum four ounces let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of fountain-Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Syrup of Roses with Senna four ounces Cinamon-water two ounces mix it Let the sick take four ounces of this bitter Decoction every other Morning which will by degrees diminish and mildly educe the hurtfull humours by purging But seeing not onely the cause ought to be removed but also the Symptomes asswag'd by refreshing the Heart you must administer cordial Medicines which have power to corroborate the Heart and to cherish and strengthen nature The following Cordial may be preferred in this Case Take the Waters of Baum Mint Borage Cinamon of each three ounces Syrups of Baum red Poppies of each two ounces Laudanum opiat Amber-greese of each ten grains mix it Let the sick take two spoonfulls of this rich Cordial every three hours which will wonderfully refresh and delight the sensible Stomach from whence the persumed impressions will soon be communicated to the whole Body by which all the vital and animal Functions will be refreshingly cherished and strengthned and the Palpitation of the Heart eased and abated If the Patient hath a costive Body let a carminative Clyster be sometimes administred and if a Plethora concur let a vein be opened either with an Instrument in the Arm or by Leeches applied to the Haemorrhoids CHAP. V. Of an universal Languishing as also of Swouning and Syncope AN universal Languishing of the strength of all the parts and functions is sometimes observ'd to remain after some disease preceding not rightly cured especially when the Infirmity hath been grievous for then a weariness or defect of the Animal motion doth usually concur together with a weak or little pulse and dulness and debility of the internal and external senses whereby the sick continues weak and more languishing by certain intervalls than is natural All the kinds of Swounings may be divided for methods sake into two viz. the lighter kind and the most grievous The lighter kind of Swouning or fainting is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latin animae defectio ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anima 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deficere
because it is an Imbecility or Feebleness of the Heart and Courage The most grievous and singular kind of swouning is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concido to cut away quod praeceps virium omnium lapsus It is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. pulsus privatio because there is no pulse neither indeed presently in the fit is there any Animal or voluntary motion or respiration to be observ'd so that they are more like dead than living Creatures The signs of these fits approaching are yawnings a Cardialgy Anxiety or Compression of the Heart griping and distension of the Belly tinkling in the Ears dimness before the Eyes and a Giddiness and at the approach of a Syncope there are often Convulsive motions with a cold and glutinous sweat and paleness of all the parts of the Body The causes of these distempers are either external or internal The external are many as extreme weariness of the Body exceeding passions of the mind prolong'd hunger or thirst ungratefull smells the sight of any Person or thing that is envied too great effusion of Bloud Seed or Milk over great evacuation of the humours by Vomit Stool Sweat Urine c. It may also be caused by the biting or stinging of any venemous Creature and by any other vehement pain Sometimes it is produc'd by a great heat either of the Sun Fire Bath or Fever Any of these Causes mention'd being extreme may so change and diminish the natural effervescency and rare faction of the bloud that the Heart it self is not thereby enough expanded and contracted So that the vital bloud cannot be sufficiently effus'd into the Arteries and therefore the Pulse is felt less and more languishing yea sometimes none The internal Cause is glutinousness encreased in the bloud and the other humours and sometimes an encreased Acidity in the Juice of the Pancreas Lympha and Spittle by which the Circulation of the Bloud and Humours becomes too slow hence the Ventricles of the Heart are not enough dilated which causeth the Pulse to be weaker than is natural for the effervescency of the bloud and humours being not potent enough cannot provoke the Heart to contract it self and therefore a Swouning or Syncope will inevitably ensue They who are much subject to a Swouning or Syncope dye suddenly Those fits which are produc'd from some evident cause as vehement passions of the mind immoderate evacuations c. are less dangerous than those which come from an internal cause as glutinousness of the bloud and humours c. Which in a great measure hindreth its free Circulation through the Ventricles of the Heart whereby there is a sudden and swift failing of the vital Spirits and consequently of all strength To cure an universal languishing as also a Swouning and Syncope the phlegmatick glutinous and acid Humours must not onely be corrected but when they abound must be diminish'd and educ'd out of the Body Therefore to correct and amend the said humours abounding both in the universal Body and Bloud I will here set down some forms of select medicines for the sake of young Physicians The following Decoction is an efficacious Medicine Take the Roots of Elicampane Galangal Angelica Calamus Aromaticus the five opening Roots of each one ounce Sage Baum Betony sweet Marjoram the Tops of Hore-hound Centaury Wormwood the Flowers of Rosemary Stoechas Chamomel Clove-gilliflowers of each one handfull the Seeds of Anise Sweet-fennel Parsley Cardamoms Berries of Bays and Juniper of each two drachms Orange-peel Cinamon of each half an ounce Nutmegs one drachm let them be cleansed bruised and infused in two quarts of fountain-Fountain-water for a night then boil it gently till a third part be consumed strain it and add Syrup of Mugwort Stoechas tincture of Cinamon of each two ounces mix all together Two or three ounces of this Decoction may be taken at any time twice in a day either before or after meat that so the power of the medicine may mildly mix and incorporate it self not onely with the food but with Spittle in the Stomach and also with the threefold humour flowing together in the small Guts and thence with the universal bloud and humours in all the Veins and Arteries whereby the desired amendment and correcting of them will be performed sooner easier and more happily If any like a medicinal Wine better they may infuse the aforesaid Ingredients in a sufficient quantity of White-wine and drink it daily both at dinner and supper time These choice Medicines may be continued for some time but when the sick is weary of them you may use the same Ingredients in the form of a Powder or Electuary or make them into Troches with Syrup of Staechas Mugwort c. Or you may make use of those compound Powders which are to be sold at the shops viz. Spec. Diambr Diagalangae Dianthos c. all or either of which may be used as aforesaid If any will be better pleas'd with Pills than other Forms you may prescribe these or some like them Take of Galbanum prepar'd with Vinegar two scruples Powder of Amber Mastick of each one scruple Frankincense Mirrh Castor of each ten grains Vitriol of Mars prepar'd to whiteness half a drachm Chymical Oil of Mace eight drops beat them into a mass for Pills Let the Patient take four or five of these Pills in the morning fasting or at night an hour after supper whereby the viscous phlegmatick and acid humours will be potently corrected and temper'd which being done the peccant humours may be effectually educ'd with these hydragogue Pills Take Gum Sagapenum prepar'd with Vinegar half a drachm Rosin of Jallap Gambogia of each one scruple Oil of Juniper four drops mix them into Pills Four or five of these Pills may be administred at a time or more or fewer as the sick is more difficult or easie to be purg'd When a swouning Fit or Syncope is near approaching give those things that will powerfully concentrate the four flatuous vapours and discuss the glutinous Phlegm The following Volatile and Aromatick Cordial will conduce much to this purpose Take the Waters of Mint Fennel Betony Scurvigrass Cinamon of each one ounce Syrups of Borage Mint of each six drachms Tincture of Castor Confection of Alkermes of each two drachms Salt of Amber one drachm Spirit of Salt Armoniack twenty drops Laudanum opiat Amber-greese of each six grains mix it The sick may take two or three spoonfulls of this Cordial in time of the fit and likewise both before and after which will much repair both the Vital and Animal strength which is wont not a little to languish in these fits None but they who have try'd will be easily perswaded of the wonderfull efficacy of the aforesaid medicines not onely in preventing but in diminishing and soon curing Swounings and the Syncope When either of these fits urgeth or is upon the party you
it for two Doses to be taken in the Morning fasting After purging the Stomach must be strengthned which may be done by this excellent Diet-drink Take the Roots of China Sarzeparilla of each eight ounces Guiacum two pound Cinamon Mace Nutmegs of each one ounce Raisins of the Sun stoned one pound Anise-seed Liquorish of each one ounce and half let them be bruised and infused in two Gallons of fountain-Fountain-water very hot for the space of twenty four hours then boil it to the consumption of the third part strain it and add Syrups of Cinamon and of the Juice of Rasberries of each four ounces mix it and let it be put into Bottles The sick may drink four ounces of it three times in a day Also candied Ginger and Nutmegs preserv'd are good to corroborate the Stomach a little of either of them may be eaten before the taking of the Diet-drink You may anoint the Stomach with Oil of Mace by expression after which apply a Plaster Stomachicum magistr to the Region of the Stomach CHAP. IV. Of the Hicket or Hiccough THE Hicket is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin singultus ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum gula quod fere gula fiat vel a sono gulae It is called in English a Sobbing or Yexing being something like the Clocking of Hens with Chickens This disease was thought by the Ancients to be a deprav'd motion of the Stomach onely by which it striveth to expell something which is hurtfull but experience doth manifest that it is a convulsive Motion of the Midriff and not of the Stomach because in this distemper expiration is deprav'd and this is chiefly perfected by the Muscles of the Belly both by drawing down the Breast and compressing all that is contain'd in the Belly and driving them forward towards the Midriff and so compelling it upward its proper motion together concurring by which a greater straitness is made in the Breast which causeth the Lungs also to be straitned and consequently the Air contain'd in them to be suddenly expir'd 'T is true in this distemper the Stomach is primarily affected by sharp Vapours Wind or humours whencesoever proceeding which piercing to the membranous Centre of the Midriff provoke it by pricking or corroding to perform that convulsive motion in which the Diaphragma is contracted with a great force towards the Region of the Stomach which suddenly and violently driveth it forward and outward the convulsive Motion soon ceasing and again often repeating The causes of the Hicket are either external or internal The external are hurtfull sharp and poisonous food or medicines taken into the Stomach by which the Midriff is soon affected and compelled to this violent and presently interrupted convulsive Motion The internal cause riseth up out of the small Gut by the vitious Effervescency of the humours there meeting from whence sharp halituous or windy Vapours are rais'd to the upper Orifice of the Stomach by which it is soon corroded and thence the sharp flatuous Humours or Vapours are presently carried through the Vessels of the Diaphragma and sticking in its substance do corrode its sensible parts and compell it to that Convulsive repeating contraction of it self When the Hicket is the Symptome of any other grievous disease as an acute Fever Inflammation c. it is dangerous and sometimes mortal In most ordinary Hickets the party is easily restor'd either by stopping the Breath or by suddenly surprising them with fear But as often as sharp poisonous Food or Medicines or any flatuous humours be in the Stomach c. causing the Hicket they must be presently expelled by an Antimonial Emetick which will not onely empty the peccant humours upward and downward but will correct and amend the hurtfull humours in the Body After the Operation of the Emetick the following Cordial Opiate will conduce to dissipate the molesting Vapours which remain about the Mouth of the Stomach and will stay the Hicket and mildly procure sleep Take the Waters of Treacle Cinamon Syrup of Mint of each one ounce the Waters of Baum and Mint of each two ounces Confectio Alkermes two drachms Laudanum opiatum six grains Spirits of Harts-horn Niter dulcified of each twenty drops mix it Let the sick often take two spoonfulls of this Opiate till they be dispos'd to rest If this distemper be obstinate and yields not to the aforesaid Medicine it shews that over-viscous Humours are conjoin'd to its Cause Therefore in an obstinate Hicket it is better that the peccant humours be emptied downwards with such Medicines as will both cut and educe them For which I commend these Pills Take pil foetidae ex duobus of each fifteen grains Oil of Harts-horn four drops make it into Pills take them in the Morning fasting Let these or the like Aromatick Pills with gums be taken at least twice a week which will not onely educe the hurtfull humours but discuss Vapours and Wind. In the interim let not the frequent use of the aforesaid Cordial Opiate be neglected for it will wonderfully conduce to the Cure Sometimes it is good for the Patient to sneez for it hath often prov'd succesfull Drinking of warm Milk from the Cow is also much commended because it will asswage the hurtfull humours which remain about the Stomach c. CHAP. V. Of Belching BElching is called in Latin ructatio ructuatio esculenta quae fit ab homine saturo because it comes most commonly after a full Stomach Any thing which breaks up from the Stomach in the kind of a rift or windy Vapour and is expell'd by the Mouth with noise may properly be called belching The cause of this distemper is either outward or inward The outward is from windy food or other flatuous things taken as Beans Pease Radishes c. The internal cause is either from a phlegmatick viscous humour adhering to the Stomach where it is rarefied into wind by Aromaticks taken or from the same viscous humour in the small Guts turned into wind by Choler over fat and volatile and thence it is driven forward to the Stomach whereby the Fermentation of Food is deprav'd into a noisome Crudity whence Belches like rotten Eggs c. are rais'd which doth distend and gnaw the Stomach If the Phlegmatick matter which cleaveth to the Ventricle or small Guts be very tough the belching is more hardly excluded whence often a swelling and troublesome Distension of the Stomach follows e contra The Cure may be safely and happily perform'd onely by correcting and educing the Phlegmatick viscous humours abounding for which there are variety of Medicines prescrib'd in the third and fourth Pages in the Cure of the Head-ach CHAP. VI. Of Vomiting and of the Cholerick and Iliack Passion VOmiting is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vomo It is a deprav'd motion of the Stomach and a certain sign of health weakned for
educe the peccant humours by which the Jaundice may in a short time be cured Take of Rhubarb the Roots of Madder Smallage the greater Celandine of each one ounce the Flowers of Broom one handfull Hemp-seed two ounces the Seeds of Anise Parsley and Columbines of each half an ounce Saffron two drachms white Tartar three drachms let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in White-wine and Fountain water of each three pints till the third part be boiled away then strain it and add the best Manna Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb of each three ounces mix it Let the sick take four spoonfulls of this three times a day till the viscous phlegm and Choler be sufficiently evacuated and the natural colour of the body restored As oft as the Jaundice is caused by the poison of a Viper or any other venemous thing whatsoever you must administer as soon as possible a volatile sudorifick to correct and expell the venome The following will serve to both indications Take the waters of Carduus Fennel Fumitory of each two ounces Treacle-water Syrups of the juice of Carduus red Poppies of each one ounce tincture of Saffron two drachms Venice-treacle half a drachm Bezoar-mineral Antimony diaphoretick Salt of Harts-horn of each one scruple Spirit of Salt-Armoniack six drops Laudanum opiatum six grains mix it and give three or four spoonfulls to provoke sweat and after it breaks forth give a spoonfull or two now and then to promote it Also this Decoction or one like it may be prescrib'd for the Icterick patient it being both Sudorifick and Diuretick Take the Roots of Scorzonera Juniper of each two ounces Roots of Master-wort Sassaphras of each half an ounce Berries of Juniper and Bays of each one ounce and half Seeds of Nettles Hemp and Columbines of each one ounce shavings of Harts-horn three drachms the tops of Carduus Scordium Scabious the lesser Centaury of each one handfull let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and add Syrup of the juice of Carduus four ounces Treacle-water two ounces Salt of Tartar vitriolated two drachms mix it and give four spoonfulls every two or three hours Soap of any sort conduceth to the cure of the Jaundice upon a twofold account both by reason of its fixt lixivial Salt and also by reason of its fatness or oil for the Lixivial Salt doth correct and diminish the over volatileness and spirituousness of the vitiated Choler and the oil doth blunt the sharpness of the volatile and spirituous Salt ruling in Choler The following mixture is very effectual Take of Hemp-seed two ounces Soap two drachms bruise the seed and boil it in half a pint of new Milk till half of it be consumed then strain it and add Syrup of Saffron half an ounce tincture of Saffron two drachms Laudanum opiatum four grains mix it and give half of it in the morning fasting and the remainder at night going to bed CHAP. XII Of a Cachexy AN ill Habit of Body is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habitus It may be called in Latin mala corporis habitudo There are many causes of this Distemper which may be distinguisht according to the diversity of the conjoin'd Symptoms It doth accompany all Chronical Diseases as Dropsies of all kinds Hypochondriack suffocation Scurvy Pox and Gout c. for it doth spare none neither Peer nor Peasant of any age or sex but it most frequently seizeth on Women when their monthly terms are supprest The cause is either external or internal The external cause is either bad Diet a long time receiv'd or for want of good refreshing Food after sickness for the Stomach being weak cannot digest course Diet by which the nutriment of the Body doth by degrees become peccant in quality vitiating the humours and Bloud it self so that an ill nourishment of the Body doth follow The internal cause may be the suppression of the Terms in Women which is more or less corrupted about the Womb having not its natural evacuation from whence the whole mass of Bloud is indued with a vitious quality by which the nourishment of all parts of the Body is deprav'd Also Choler and the juice of the Pancreas which are always confus'd with the Bloud being alike vitious or peccant in quality do not onely corrupt the separation of usefull and unusefull parts but by the vitious effervescency of these humours manifold flatuous vapours are rais'd which do not onely increase anxieties about the Midriff but being carried to the Heart there follows a pressing pain and palpitation thereof and in circulating through the Lungs it causeth a Dyspnoea or difficult breathing and being thence transferr'd every way throughout the Body it doth breed a general weariness in all parts But when the vitious humours abound together in plenty then several kinds of the Dropsie at length succeed if not the universal Body groweth lean by degrees From what hath been said the production of every Cachexie may easily be deduced by a judicious Physician The signs are paleness of the Face shortness of breath palpitation of the Heart and often apressing pain of it accompanied for the most part with a lingring Fever either continual or intermitting or compounded of both in which the Urine is crude or watry at length there is a weariness of the universal Body which in some doth pine and become lean but in others the Body doth swell and is turgid If this Disease be not helpt in time it will become by degrees so stubborn and rebellious that it will puzzle the wisest and most experienced Physicians to cure it for by the long continuance thereof phlegm becometh very tough and glutinous on which all Chronical or prolong'd Diseases depend besides all the other humours are by degrees vitiated which incorporate with the Bloud and diminish its effervescency so that the separation and excretion of the excrementitious parts to be voided together with Urine do not follow from whence many grievous symptoms succeed which oft proves mortal The cure of every Cachexie will consist in the correction and amendment of the Bloud any way vitiated If flegm be tough and glutinous it must be corrected and evacuated for which there are variety of choice medicines prescrib'd in the fourth page of the cure of diseases of the Head in the use whereof you must persevere for some time or else the laudable success and happy wisht for cure will be expected in vain Any other humours that are peccant in quality by which the bloud is vitiated must be alter'd and reduc'd to their natural Constitution by selected Medicines which will amend and empty them out by degrees In the interim good Food which is easie of digestion and wholsome nourishment must not be neglected whereby nature may be cherished and health by
degrees procured Those Medicines which are prescrib'd for the Cure of the Dropsie and Scurvy are proper for this Disease wherefore I shall forbear prescriptions here CHAP. XIII Of Dropsies THE Dropsie is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aqua quod nomen sumpsit ab aquoso humore Cutis The Ancients have assigned three sorts of Dropsies 1. The first is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uter pellis 'T is called in Latin aqua intercus ex inter cutis because the Water is between the Skin and the Flesh. This is the most proper Dropsie in which the Abdomen Secrets Thighs and Legs are affected 2. The second is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod tumor est ad similitudinem tympani vel tympani sonum referens As this is the most rare so 't is the most cruel and afflictive 3. The third is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 caro quod hydrops toto corpore diffusus It is also called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 album 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 phlegma vel pituita because it is caused of white Phlegm gathered in all parts of the Body Some Authours make a difference between Anasarca and Leucophlegmatia that Anasarca is caused by a serous humour and Leucophlegmatia by a phlegmatick and more viscous humour but all Dropsies except Tympanies seem to me to be little less than a distinction of degrees of one and the same Disease The Ancients did take the Liver to be the chief part male-affected in these distempers but Helmont who was happy in a remedy to cure it doth severely reprove them and is so bold to tax the whole Schools with the ignorance of Anatomical dissections he having inspected many Carcases of dropsical Persons of whom he makes distinct mention doth assert the Livers of them all no-way vitiated and therefore he concludes the Liver faultless in dropsical affects and he derives the Cause of Dropsie to be an obstruction of the Kidneys with the Stone or Gravel and so the water which should be transferr'd through the Kidneys to the Bladder to be evacuated by pissing is forced into the Cavity of the Abdomen But experience teacheth that Dropsies may be caused many ways wherefore I shall betake my self to a more evident description thereof The causes of Dropsies are either external or internal The external Cause is the Constipation of the porous Skin impeding transpiration whereby the discharge of sweaty Vapours through the Habit of the Body is lessned and interrupted hence what moisture is usually carried off by sweating doth rebound inwards and condense into an Ichorous water and is there by degrees aggravated and increased through the hindrance of the necessary transpiration till at length a great quantity of water is accumulated and stagnating in the affected parts in time may work farther alterations on the subjected Bowels Matter of fact hath evinced this to me having cured several Hydropical patients onely by sweating and external applications The internal Cause of the Dropsie may be over viscous Chyle or Phlegm of the Guts coagulated in the lacteal Veins and causing an obstruction in more or fewer of their Branches so that the Liquour rising either from the continual Conflux of Choler the Juice of the Pancreas and the Phlegm of Spittle or else from Chyle or from drink plentifully drunk being stopt and intercepted in its motion it doth by degrees more and more distend the Vessels that at length they burst and the moisture receiv'd into them is poured out between the Membranes of the Mesentery and presently after into the Cavity of the Abdomen This disease is sometimes suddenly produc'd by much drinking in a burning Fever join'd with an urgent and permanent Thirst. After the same manner though difficult to be known may a Dropsie of the Breast be caused viz. by an obstruction of the lateral Lymphatick Vessels by glutinous Phlegm carried together with Lympha into the said Vessels and there coagulated by which the motion of Lympha is hindred so that the Lymphatick vessels being much distended by the great quantity of Lympha gathered in them at length they burst and the Lympha piercing through the Pleura into the Cavity of the Breast procureth a Dropsie in it The cause of a Tympany is wind together with a serous humour piercing through the Guts into the Cavity of the Belly and being there detained it is more and more rarified by which the Peritonaeum is not onely expanded but the whole Abdomen inflated and violently distended The signs of Ascites are swelling and fluctuation of the Belly difficult breathing a dry Cough accompanied sometimes with a symptomatical Fever and great Thirst. The signs of Anasarca are weakness faintness and swelling of the whole Body which being pressed with the Finger it doth pâ—t and leave an impression breathing is also difficult with a continual Fever In a Tympany the Belly is distended and being struck upon there is a noise like a little Drum 1. Every Dropsie is difficult of Curation especially if it hath been of long continuance 2. If the Hydropical persons have a good digestion and void more moisture both by stool and urine than they either eat or drink it is a hopefull sign of recovery e contra Dropsies may be cured by strong Hydragogues Sudorificks and Bathing and sometimes by a Paracenthesis or boring the Belly The Best Hydragogues are prepared of Elder Dwarf-elder Jallop-roots Elaterium Gum-gutty Crystals of Silver c. of which you may prepare purging Infusions Pills c. for example Take the Roots of Flower-de-luce Dwarf-Elder Madder Liquorish the five opening Roots of each one ounce the tops of Saint John's wort Centaury the less Agrimony the best Senna of each one handfull the Barks of Capers Ash Tamarisk Cinamon of each six drachms Flowers of Beans Elder Dwarf-elder Broom of each half a handfull seeds of sweet Fennel Parsley Gromwell Juniper-Berries of each one ounce and half Cloves Salt of Tartar of each half an ounce let them be cleansed bruised and infused in two quarts of White-wine for two or three days then strain it and add Syrup of Succory with Rhubarb six ounces mix it and give four ounces of it in the morning fasting If any like Pills better I commend the following Take the Resins of Jallop and Scammony Tartar vitriolated Mercur. dulcis of each half a drachm Oil of Juniper one scruple make it into Pills with Venice-Turpentine of which you may give twenty grains at a time in the morning fasting The following Pills are also very effectual Take of Elaterium Gambogia Resin of Jallop of each ten grains Oil of Nutmegs six drops make it into Pills with Venice-Turpentine for two doses The obstructions in
the Lacteal veins or Lymphatick vessels may be cur'd by Medicines that do powerfully cut and happily open the said obstructions This Aromatick Sudorifick may be commended for these intentions Take the waters of Treacle Scurvigrass Fennel of each one ounce waters of Parsley Fumitory of each two ounces distill'd Vinegar half an ounce Syrups of the juice of Carduus and the five opening Roots of each six drachms Powder of Crabs-eyes Antimony Diaphoretick Salt of Amber Beans Worm-wood of each one scruple Spirits of Salt Armoniack Niter of each twenty drops mix it and give four spoonfulls of it every two or three hours After the Vessels are freed from the noted obstruction by the medicines before-mention'd or such like they will be easily consolidated again by conglutinating food in which you may boyle the Roots of Comfry Plantain and Solomon's Seal for the more quick and easie cure In a Tympany the dulcifi'd Spirit of Niter is excellent being taken in Broth or Sack three or four times in a day from six to twelve drops at a time for it doth correct both Phlegm and Choler and hinder Wind in its rise and dissipate it when it is bred Also the following exemplary Julep doth curb and discuss Wind remaining as well in the Stomach as Guts Take the Waters of Mint Fennel of each four ounces the Carminative Spirit of Sylvius Syrup of the juice of Mints of each two ounces Laudanum opiat eight grains Spirit of Niter one drachm Salt of Amber half a drachm Chymical Oil of Mace ten drops mix it and take three or four spoonfulls every three hours You may prepare a Medicinal Wine for the rich very beneficial in Dropsies Take the Seeds of Anise Fennel Caraway Coriander Berries of Bays and Juniper of each two ounces Salt of Tartar half an ounce let them be bruised and infused in three pints of White-wine for three days then strain it and add Spirit of Niter half an ounce Salt of Amber two drachms Syrup of Mint three ounces mix it and take four or five spoonfulls of it often Sweating is very profitable in all Dropsies either in Bed with the forementioned Sudorifick or in a Bagâ—io or Hot-house by which the water standing beside nature in any part of the Body will by degrees be emptied through the pores of the Skin Also it may be necessary especially in persons more elderly to use warm Baths That which is prescrib'd for the cure of the Belly-ach in page 201 202. is also very profitable in Dropsies into the which it may be agreeable to descend at evening before Bed-time and there to continue so long as the Patient can well endure without fainting after which Frications may have their proper use and great benefit And to strengthen the cutaneous Fibres and restore their true tone for their better service of the offices of Nature let the affected parts be anointed with the following fragrant Balsamick Ointment Take of Flanders Oil of Bays Nerve-oil Oil of Earth-worms of each two ounces Oil of Mace by expression half an ounce mix it Galen commendeth a Cataplasm of Snails bruised with their shells and laid upon the Navel But a Pultess prepar'd of the ingredients of the Bath and applied to the affected parts will be more effectual to discharge the Ichorous water Or you may make a Cataplasm after this manner Take the tops of Elder Dwarf-elder Vervain Worm-wood Chamomel of each two handfulls Horse-radish-roots four ounces let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of the juice of Wild-cucumbers till they are very tender then strain it and beat them very well and add Barley-meal one pound and with the same liquor boil it into the consistence of a Pultess Let the Patients diet be drying and let them drink moderately you may infuse Juniper-berries Tamarisk and Elicampane-roots in their ordinary drink And for the benefit of those Physicians and Chirurgeons that live in the West-Indies there groweth almost every where in moist places a large Cane much like the Sugar-cane the Planters generally call it the dumb Cane because they that taste it are presently dumb and unable to speak for two or three hours after which the Tongue returns to its former use and volubility without any prejudice The reason why this remarkeable Plant doth so affect the Tongue upon the touch of it is its power of attracting such plenty of moisture into it as doth distend all the Vessels thereof and render it immoveable till the crouded moisture be gradually discharged Hence we may conjecture and indeed experience teacheth that of this Plant may be prepared diversity of medicines as Cataplasms Oils Ointments c. Which will be effectual to attract and easily and kindly discharge the swollen part of the Ichorous water which may be used for some time after the evacuation of it the better to prevent a farther accumulation or return of the Disease Likewise may medicines be prepared by a skilfull Artist of this Plant very effectual to be taken inwardly not onely against Dropsies but the Scurvy Gout c. If these choice medicines are not to be had and nothing be effected by other means A harmless Paracenthesis may be instituted in the Dropsie of the Breast or Abdomen provided the Apertion be made by such a little hollow instrument as is describ'd in page 81 82. of the Cure of the Pleurisie for by such a small wound there is no danger to the sick But this operation must not be delay'd lest the humour collected get an hurtfull Acrimony and by degrees corrode and corrupt the Membrane and hence the substance of all the parts contain'd and so make the Disease incurable CHAP. XIV Of the Scurvy and Hypochondriack Suffocation commonly called the Fits of the Mother THE Scurvy being a Hypochondriack disease it will not be amiss to treat of them together The Scurvy is called in Latin Scorbutus it is a Complication or Concatenation of Diseases generated by the Conjunction of divers Causes contributing to a scorbutick Deformity The Scurvy is generated or planted essentially in the vital Principles or digestive Offices and therefore it is not discerned by sense but the effects are distributed throughout the Body and are augmented more or less according to the strength and debility of parts to resist or consent and be depraved The Hypochondriack suffocation is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel quod ad Hypochondria pertinet vel sub cartilagine fita sit It is called by the Latins Hypochondriaca melancholia The Ancients thought that this was an uterine disease in quibus mulieres uteri fuffocatione laborant and therefore it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin morbus Hystericus vel Hysterica passio and in English 't is called Fits of the Mother it being most subject to Women from the suppression of their monthly Courses But because men are also molested with longing and suffer often both the Sense and Disease of
Parsley Scurvigrass Fennel Syrups of Hedge-mustard white Poppies of each half an ounce Spirit of Salt Armoniack Harts-horn of each ten drops Laudanum opiatum four grains mix it The following is also very effectual Take the Waters of Fennel Hyssop of each two ounces distill'd Vinegar six drachms the Carminative-water of Sylvius half an ounce Syrup of the five opening Roots one ounce and half Powder of Crabs-eyes one drachm Sperma Coeti Mummy Antimony Diaphoretick of each one scruple Laudanum opiat four grains mix it Let the sick often take two spoonfulls of either of these mixtures especially in bed to promote the power of the medicine and to facilitate a sweat by the help whereof the mention'd power of the Sudorifick will the better come to the place of obstruction and will attenuate loosen and make fluid the matter obstructing the whole Mass of Bloud will also become more fluid and moveable being rarefi'd by the volatile Salt of the medicine If the Patient be plethorick let the Saphaena vein be opened for by opening and breathing a Vein the motion and circulation of the Bloud will be the better restor'd for a larger space being made for the universal Bloud it will circulate more swiftly and potently The phlegmatick viscous humours must be corrected and evacuated by Phlegmagogues The following medicines are of great efficacy Take of Salts of Mugwort Ash Amber Tartar vitriolated of each ten grains Powder of Cream of Tartar white Sugar-candy of each half a drachm mix it and give it in white Wine in the morning fasting The next day you may administer the following Pills Take of pil foetidae ex duobus of each half a drachm Amber prepar'd Steel Borax Mercur. Dulcis of each one scruple Mirrh Castor Saffron of each twelve grains Oil of Cloves Spirit of Salt Armoniack of each six drops make it into ten Pills for two doses which may be taken in the Morning fasting If a medicinal Wine be acceptable to the sick the following or one like it may be used Take the Roots of Horse-radish the five opening Roots of each one ounce Savin Vervain Penny-royal Hyssop Calamint Mugwort of each one handfull Senna Cinamon sweet Fennel-seeds Juniper-berries Orange-peel Liquorish of each half an ounce let them be cleansed bruised and infused in one Gallon of White-wine for three days then strain it and keep it for use You may add more wine to the ingredients so long as there is any Aromatick taste Four or five spoonfulls of this Wine may be taken two or three times a day with which you may mix Salt of Tartar vitriolated ten grains Elixir proprietatis six drops If you expect a laudable success you must persevere awhile in the use of these or such like medicines CHAP. XVI Of the immoderate menstrual Flux and the Whites in Women THE monthly terms being immoderate may be called in Latin mensium fluxus immodicus And the Whites in Women Albae mulierum fluxiones The causes of too many Courses are either external or internal The external Causes may be by an Ulcer in the Matrix or some outward Violence and sometimes by too much Coition The internal Causes are either a sharp serous humour abounding in the Bloud increasing its fluidity or else an over great heat in the Womb stirring up a more potent and therefore a swifter rarefaction of Bloud provoking an expulsion of it either by breaking or some other preternatural opening of the vessels of the Womb. The white Flux of the Womb is an excrementitious humour flowing from it This distemper is subject not onely to Women but sometimes to Maids also These humours may be bred in the Womb either by a cold or hot distemper therein The cold doth render it unable to digest its nourishment A hot Distemper corrupteth it hence cometh this excrementitious humour Also Abortion Contusion Inflammation Imposthume or Ulcer in the Womb may weaken and dispose it to breed such humours The signs that distinguish between this Distemper and an Ulcer in the Womb and Gonorrhoea are these 1. If there be an Ulcer there the Womb will not admit of Coition without pain and the matter which floweth from her is stringy and more digested and sometimes bloudy 2. In the Gonorrhoea the seminal matter cometh in a small quantity and seldom except it be gotten by acting with an unclean Person then the Urine is sharp with many other malignant Symptoms All long Hemorrhagies of Bloud are dangerous especially those of the Womb If it be caused by exulceration and be in elderly Women 't is incurable The white Flux is not very dangerous but is often difficult of curation especially in old Women because they abound with Phlegm and 't is hard to divert the humours from this Chanel it being the sink of the body through which the superfluous humours of a healthy Woman are every month evacuated If this distemper continue long it may breed great evils as Barrenness Falling out of the Womb c. These diseases may be both cured by the same medicines If the courses have continued too long the following mixture will soon stop the flux of Bloud and will cure most ruptions of vessels Take the Waters of Plantain Comfry of each three ounces Cinamon-water Syrups of Mirtles Quinces of each one ounce and half distill'd Vinegar one ounce red Coral prepar'd one drachm Dragons Bloud one scruple Laudanum opiat six grains mix it and give three spoonfulls every four hours When the flux of Bloud is stopt you may purge with the following Take of Manna one ounce Powder of Rhubarb tosted Cream of Tartar of each half a drachm Resin of Jallop four grains mix it and take it in broth If the Patient like Pills I commend the following Take Resins of Jallop and Scammony extract of Rhubarb Agarick Salt of Amber Powder of Dragons-bloud of each ten grains Oil of Mints six drops with Syrup of Rhubarb let it be made into twelve Pills for three doses After purging these Astringents will be profitable Take of Cinamon the Roots of Bistort Tormentile Rhubarb Seeds of Plantain Dill Flowers of red Roses Balaustins red Coral sealed Earth whitest Amber Harts-horn Gum-dragon and Arabick of each two drachms Saccharum Saturni Dragons-bloud Salt Prunella of each two scruples Laudanum opiat Camphire of each ten grains let them be all finely powder'd and searced and with Honey of red Roses Syrups of Quinces and Comfry of each equal parts let it be made into an Electuary according to Art Let the sick take the quantity of a Nutmeg of this Electuary every morning and evening either upon the point of a knife or dissolve it in two or three ounces of red Wine to which you may add a few drops of Tincture of red Coral and drink it This Julep is also of great virtue Take the Waters of Comfry Plantain Oak-buds Knot-grass red Wine of each four ounces in which infuse red Rose-buds Balaustins Flowers
things as hasten the Birth may be safely administred To encrease the Pains and further the Womans Labour I commend sneezing and also the following Medicines Take the Livers of Eels prepar'd with cinamon-Cinamon-water and dried one drachm Powder of Borax whitest Amber Mirrh Saffron Dittany of Crete round Birth-wort of each half a drachm mix it and give a Scruple of it at a time in three spoonfulls of this Julep Take the Waters of Vervain Mugwort of each two ounces Syrup of Saffron one ounce Confectio Alkermes one drachm Extract of Saffron six grains Oils of Cinamon Amber of each three drops mix it Some things have a peculiar property to help the Birth as the stone Aetites Loadstone Storax the Eyes of a Hare c. held near the privities The time being come the Woman must be put into a posture which every Midwife doth understand and let her not labour too much till strong pains come and then let her resolve on patience and not be disorderly in the time of her Travel If she be faint you may give her some of the formention'd Cordial Julep to comfort her Let your hands be anointed with some Anodine Ointment After the water is broke if the Head cometh with the Face towards Anus receive it if not endeavour to place it right Then turn your Finger round about the Child's head gently to make way for the Birth If the Child cometh any other way you must endeavour to gain the Feet and bring it away with the Face towards Anus as before mention'd The Child being born you must bring away the Secundine gently by degrees after which put a Closure to the Woman to prevent Cold from entring the Womb. Then prepare her for the bed and give her some Sperma Caeti or Irish-slate in a little burnt White-wine with Cinamon If the Woman doth flood much or be troubled with after-pains give her some of the following Cordial Opiate Take of small Cinamon-water the waters of red Poppies Baum of each two ounces Syrups of Clove-gilliflowers white Poppies of each one ounce Laudanum opiat three grains Oil of Cinamon two drops mix it and give three spoonfulls of it often If the Child be born alive after the Navel string is secured give the Child ten grains of prepar'd Coral in a little Breast milk or black Cherry-water dulcifi'd with Syrup of Peony to which you may add a little Oil of sweet Almonds new drawn If the Child be troubled with gripes you may give it a little Powder of Anise-seed in the Pap. But if the Child be dead and the Labour gone or if the Child's head be very big and the passage too strait so that the Midwife cannot doe her Office you must then speedily implore the help of the Man-midwife as we are called If a Woman in Child-bed hath a costive Body give her a Suppository of Castile-soap or Honey boiled and after three or four days you may administer an emollient carminative Clyster If a Woman after hard Travel cannot hold her Urine bathe her secret Parts and Region of the Womb with this or the like Decoction Take of Plantain Comfry Shepherds-purse Tops of Brambles Penny-royal Rosemary Sage Stoechas of each one handfull let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in a Gallon of Smiths-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and bathe the parts affected very warm with woollen Stuphs Afterward anoint the grieved parts with this Linament Take the Ointment Comitissae Oil of Mace by expression of each one ounce Oils of Earth-worms Foxes Lillies Goose-grease of each half an ounce mix it CHAP. XXI Of Nephritick pains and of the Stone in the Reins and Bladder DIseases of the Reins are called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ren. In Latin they are called morbus Renum which comprehends not onely any Ach in the Kidneys but also the Stone and Gravel in the Reins Nephritick pains may be caused divers ways 1. First by a sharp salt matter or a sharp and serous Lympha in the Kidneys which doth easily concrete into a Stone especially when the Ferment of the Reins is much vitiated which may be known by those cruel torturing Fits that come by intervals 2. Worms in the Kidneys which for the most part arise from Bloud there corrupted may be the cause of pain 3. An Abcess or Tumour in the Kidneys following an Inflammation doth hinder the passage of Urine and is always accompanied with great pain 4. It may also be caused by glutinous Phlegm obstructing the fleshy parts of the Kidneys and hindring the separation of Urine so that it is not strein'd into the Funnels of the Reins as usual but is deprav'd and vitiated Whence the natural descent of the Urine through the Ureters into the urinal Bladder is also hindred The same also may happen sometimes by a stone sticking in the Funnel and stopping the entrance of the Ureters Although I think that Stones sticking in the Ureters themselves cannot long hinder the passage of Urine because it hath been found by experience in dissecting of dead Bodies that Stones near the bigness of a Doves-egg have been sticking in the Ureters by the sides of which Stones Urine descended freely which was evident because the Ureter was no were distended unless where the Stone did stick Neither was there any Urine contain'd in the Ureter above the obstruction besides when the Party was living there was no stoppage of Urine Those fits which come by intervals are caused by a debility or vitiousness of the Ferment of the Kidneys which generates crude salt and sharp matter which causeth those cruel Tortures and should all the Gravel and Stone come away the pain would not be the less untill the Kidneys themselves be reduc'd to their right temper For many in perfect health have voided much Gravel at a time without the least pain and therefore it is evident that Gravel is onely the product and not the producer or primitive cause of this pain The Symptoms of Nephritick pains are so much like that caused by the Stone that they cannot be easily distinguished for the signs of both are great pain of the Loins loathing or vomiting there being a great consent between the Reins and Stomach The Patient often pisseth bloudy water and when the Reins are ulcerated the matter is often evacuated with the Urine Wherein the force of concreting or growing together of Stones in divers parts of the Body consists is not enough known I will freely declare what I conjecture in this obscure matter whereby I may according to my power the more help others that are ingenious to search out this hidden truth All the Stones that are generated in the Body may be dissolved in the sour Spirit of Salt Peter or Niter whence I conclude that the Coagulation of Stones cannot be expected from an acid Spirit as such therefore from another somewhat contrary to it in
part at least If any consider the several things that promote the growing together of natural things they will find that such force is in tart things whence the Glutinousness and Toughness of fluid things is wont to be produc'd to which if earthy and volatile salt parts be join'd something will be produc'd not much unlike Stones I incline therefore to this opinion that an earthy and salt matter join'd to that which is glutinous groweth together into Stones by help of a tart humour Also Gravel of all kinds that is usually seen in the bottom of Urine testifieth that the conglobated Glandules are all affected by a frequent external Cold or else by sour things taken in and when the Gravel is great it is then near to the Nature of Stones yea sometimes groweth together into Stones especially in cold phlegmatick Bodies where for the most part it giveth Stones their first rising and daily cherisheth their production and increaseth them and the more especially where a glutinous stone-making faculty doth concur in the Body Many Histories mention that Stones are produced from a stone-making Spirit or Breath out of the Earth which hath turned the Bodies of Men Beasts and other things into Stone Riverius in his last edition quoteth Aventius Annal. Bavar lib. 7. Anno 1343. who saith that above fifty Men with many Cattle were turned into Stone Ortelius telleth the like story that whole Herds in Russia have been turned into Stone And Camerarius reporteth that in the Province of Chilo in Armenia at the blast of a South-wind which happeneth four times in a Year whole Troops of Horse have been turned into Statues of Stone standing in the same warlike Posture in which they were marching Children are most inclinable to this Monster in Nature because they have much moisture and weak digestions which generate Crudities Stones are generated in many parts of the Body as the Gall Reins Bladder c. I once opened a Woman that had sixty four Stones in her Gall. I also dissected another whose Ureters were stony and out of her Gall I took out a large Stone and a small one about the bigness of a Hazle-nut out of the Neck of the Gall. 1. These distempers are very dangerous and bring many sad Symptoms to the afflicted Patient as great pain inflammations exulcerations long watchings weakness fevers suppression of Urine and Death it self 2. Pain from acrid Lympha c. may be cured in those that are young if the strength be not too much dejected nor the Disease hereditary That we may now address our selves to the Cure of these grievous Diseases I would advise those who are not very skilfull in the Art of Physick to forbear giving of any thing in these Distempers without the Advice of an experienc'd Physician for I believe many Stones have been bred in those Bodies who before were free from it and were onely troubled with Nephritick pains by the frequent taking of ill Medicines for many Remedies have been invented to dissolve the Stone but experience teacheth that they are most of them inimical to the Reins and Bladder and debilitate their Ferment The solvent of the Stone ought to be homogenious and so singular that it submit not to any digestions or fermental Powers through which it passeth in its way to the parts affected for the Virtue of all common Remedies taken at the Mouth are alter'd and transmuted in passing three digestions For acid things from which much hath been hoped as soon as they are past the Stomach lose their acidity and are converted into a saline Nature so that the dissolving Power of the acid is wholly transmuted before it gets either to the Reins or Bladder Likewise those Medicines which are injected into the Bladder with a Syringe ought to be agreeable to its Ferment that it may not be painfull thereto for if but a small quantity of any sharp Medicine be injected it stirreth up an intolerable Strangury it being wholly foreign to the Ferment of the part And seeing the Stone and all other Distempers of the Reins and Bladder are wont to be bred and increased in length of time the Remedies which you administer must be long us'd before you may have experience of their effects I will here set down some choice Medicines not onely to hinder the increase but to dissolve small Stones in humane Bodies if they be long enough us'd Amongst which we may deservedly attribute the first place to Spirit of Niter seeing Stones of any kind are so easily and manifestly broken and dissolved by it which may commodiously be mixt in any ordinary Drink or Wine and Broths c. to a light acidity whose excellent effects all may admire If the Patient have a costive Body you may give the following Lenitive three or four times in a week Take of Cassia newly drawn one ounce Venice Turpentine half an ounce Crystal prepar'd Salt of Tartar vitriolated of each one drachm Oil of Juniper Spirit of salt Armoniack of each four drops Spirit of Niter twenty drops mix it for two doses The following is also very effectual Take of Cio-turpentine half an ounce Powder of Rhubarb one drachm the Yelk of one egg mix it for two doses give it in the morning fasting and drink four ounces of this Julep after it Take the Decoction for Syrup of Marsh-mallows one quart the waters of Horse-radish Pellitory of the Wall Speedwell Winter-cherries Syrups of Marsh-mallows and the five opening Roots of each two ounces Crystal prepar'd Salt Prunella of each half an ounce tincture of Salt of Tartar two drachms Spirit of Niter twenty drops Laudanum ten grains mix it and give four or five spoonfulls of it often This Powder is also excellent Take Salt of Tartar vitriolated two drachms Powder of Crabs-eyes Salts of Pigeons-dung Broom Beanstalks Wormwood of each half a drachm mix it and give twenty grains of it every morning and evening in the foremention'd Julep If the Patient be plethorick Phlebotomy may be used with good success If a Stone chance to stick in the Ureter which causeth numbness by its pressing upon the Muscle Psoas and the Nerves In this Case apply a Ventose on os Ilium which may bring the Stone by degrees into the Bladder afterward anoint the parts grieved with Rabbets fat If the Stone in the Bladder be very big there is little hopes of dissolving of it wherefore if the Patient being in continual pain be willing to submit to Lithotomy I advise them to make choice of an experienc'd Artist lest by Precipitancy the Operatour neglect to cleanse the Bladder after the Extraction of the Stone by the neglect of which many have generated the Stone again and have been forced to endure that dreadfull operation the second and sometimes the third time under which many have died and others who recovered have never held their Urine In other Nephritick pains if the fleshy parts of the Kidneys be obstructed they
may be opened by Diureticks that cut attenuate and make glutinous Phlegm fluid For example Take of Eringo-roots the five opening Roots of each one ounce the Tops of Agrimony the greater Celandine of each two handfulls the Berries of Juniper and Winter-cherries of each two drachms let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in two quarts of Fountain-water till half be consumed then strain it and add Syrups of Marsh-mallows and the five opening Roots of each two ounces Tincture of Salt of Tartar two drachms Spirit of Niter twenty drops mix it and give four spoonfulls of it every morning and evening They who like Juleps better may use this or the like Take the Waters of Fennel Parsley Pellitory of the Wall of each two ounces the carminative Spirit of Sylvius Syrups of Marsh-mallows the five opening Roots of each one ounce Oil of Juniper Spirit of Salt Armoniack of each ten drops Spirit of Niter twenty drops Laudanum opiat four grains mix it and give three spoonfulls every three or four hours The Patient may also drink freely of the mineral Diuretick-waters of Tunbridge c. which will conduce much to the Cure especially if some old Diuretick-wine and a little oily Volatile Salt made of Diuretick Vegetables be mixed with the water When the glutinous Phlegm is prepar'd and loosned it may be educ'd with some convenient Phlegmagogue either in the form of Pills or Potion of which there are variety mention'd in page 3. and four c. The fixt Sulphurs of Minerals and Metalls exalted to their highest perfection do before all others mildly temper all the humours next to which oily Volatile Salts come and Aromaticks next to these By the force of which prudently us'd not onely an effervescency of somewhat contrary Humours most agreeable to Man's nature is bred in the small Gut and afterward in the Heart but the preternatural growing together and uniting of the more sharp humours being first moderated by them is again dissolv'd in the Bloud I speak these things by experience and because it is of great moment in practice I commend them to the truly Studious of Physick If the Urine be bloudy it testifieth the opening of some Vessel of Bloud in the Kidneys Ureters Bladder or its Neck To heal and consolidate this harm the following is excellent Take the Waters of Parsley Plantain of each two ounces Cinamon-water Syrups of Mirtles Comfry Marsh-mallows of each half an ounce Powder of Dragons-bloud red Coral prepar'd of each ten grains Laudanum opiat three grains Spirit of Niter ten drops mix it and give three or four spoonfulls every two hours If there be an Ulcer in any of these parts it may perhaps be more happily cur'd by the daily taking of Balsam of Sulphur made with the Oil of Amber Juniper Anise-seed or Turpentine in any convenient Vehicle than by any other Medicine hitherto known In all suppression of Urine the following is very effectual Take the Waters of Chamomel Golden-rod Winter-cherries of each four ounces Syrups of Marsh-mallows the five opening Roots of each two ounces Powder of Egg-shells calcin'd one ounce Tincture of Salt of Tartar two drachms Spirit of Niter twenty drops mix it and give four spoonfulls every three hours CHAP. XXII Of Extraordinary Pissing c. THIS Distemper is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. pertransire quod urina ureteres urethram subito pertransit It being a quick or plentifull pissing or making of water The cause is either external or internal The external or primary efficient Cause is an immoderate drinking of stale Beer Sider or acid Wines either French or Rhenish by which an incurable Diabetes hath been ofttimes suddenly contracted The internal Cause of this Disease is sharp serous humours abounding in the Bloud by which not onely the whole Mass of it doth in time become too thin but the nervous Juice is also thereby ill affected and consequently the Reins inflam'd by the continual flowing of the over acid serous humours Whence the attractive faculty of the Kidneys is increas'd drawing the serosity of the Bloud more potently from the emulgent Vessels into the Funnels and provoking the expulsive faculty it is soon sent through the Ureters to the Bladder from whence it is often evacuated by pissing The signs are a continual pissing so that much more moisture is voided than is taken into the Body by eating and drinking It is always accompanied with an extraordinary Thirst the sick is also feverish something like a Hectick If it continue long it will decay all the radical moisture of the Body which will render it incurable but if it be taken in the beginning and the Patient be young it may be easily cured All things which have power to incrassate the thinness of the Bloud and temper the over acidity of the humours may be administred in this Distemper In the beginning of the Cure after a stool hath been procured by an emollient Clyster you may open a Vein in the Arm. The next day a gentle Purge of Rhubarb may be administred but if the Stomach be foul and the sick can vomit easily you may give an Antimonial Emetick with good success because it will potently draw the sharp peccant humours from the emulgent Vessels and Reins and evacuate some of them both by Vomit and Stool After the Operation of the Emetick let the sick take two spoonfulls of this Cordial Opiate often which will ease pain and thicken the humours Take the Waters of Barley red Poppies of each four ounces Cinamon-water Syrups of Coral and Comfry Penidies of each one ounce Gums Arabick and Dragon of each half an ounce Powder of Dragons-bloud red Coral prepar'd of each one drachm Laudanum opiatum six grains let the Gums be dissolved in the distill'd waters and strained then mix all together according to Art You may prescribe this or such a like Decoction for the Patient 's ordinary drink Take the Roots of China Sarseparilla Comfry Plantain red Sanders of each two ounces Liquorish red Roses Hemp-seed of each one ounce Raisins of the Sun stoned four ounces let them be cleansed bruised and boiled in a Gallon of Fountain-water till half of it be boiled away then strain it and keep it for use Let the Diet be cooling and thickning Broths and Jellies made of Knuckles of Veal with the Roots of China and Comfry boiled in it is excellent You may also make Panado's of the aforesaid Broth with a few Crums of White-bread and the Yelk of an Egg. Also milk wherein the aforesaid Roots are boiled will be very effectual CHAP. XXIII Of involuntary Pissing commonly called pissing in Bed WHEN the Urine floweth involuntarily which in Children is vulgarly called pissing in Bed it may be called in Latin urinae incontinentia pro impotentia sive imbecilitate retinendi The causes are either external or internal The external Cause is a large Wound in the sphincter Muscle of
will be by salivation I do not approve of unction with meâ—â—curial Ointments to raise the Flux nor Turbith-mineral to be given inwardly but the safest way is to administer Mercur. dulcis but let it be well prepared Then you may give twenty grains of it with a little Diascordium or Conserves of Roses give it three or four Mornings successively and drink a draught of the Diet-drink after it Also the second Decoction may be sometimes made use of for ordinary Drink all the time of the Cure and warm Posset-drink at other times when desired When the Salivation is rais'd let the sick have a piece of Gold between the teeth and keep warm and continue spitting till the Spittle become insipid which is commonly in twenty days In the mean time wash the Mouth with Plantain-water and Syrup of Mulberries When you would abate the spitting administer a Carminative Clyster or a Clyster of Milk and Sugar every Night and after its operation give the following Bolus Take of Diascordium half a drachm Gascoigns powder fifteen grains Oil of Vitriol two drops with Syrup of Poppies make it into a Bolus give it at Night going to bed Pustules Tumours and Ulcers of the Mouth Tongue Gums or any other Place will be all easily cured when the Salivation is over You may dress the sores with the following Ointment which is very effectual to cure all Pocky ulcers Take of Verdigreece and common Salt of each two ounces powder them and calcine them together then mix it with eight ounces of Vnguentum Enulatum When the filthy Enemy or Neapolitan disease is cast out by Salivation you may sweat the Patient with the Decoction of China c. before mention'd for sometime as is there directed Let the Diet be drying rost Meat is better than boil'd Mutton Chickens Partridges Rabbets c. are all good Food When strength doth begin to increase Bread and Raisins may be eaten The greater Symptoms of this Disease are the Running of the Reins Nodes Caruncles c. The Running of the Reins is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 semen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fluo it being a Flux of natural Seed of Man or Woman unwittingly If the Gonorrhoea be virulent it is a praeludium to the Pox and must be cur'd the same way but if it be newly contracted it may wholly and most safely be absolved by purgation The same Apozeme and purging Pills before mention'd are very proper which must be continu'd till the Running of the Reins cease If the Patient be plethorick let a Vein be opened To strengthen the spermatick parts the following Balsamick Pills are effectual Take of Mummy Bole Armenick Gums Dragon and Arabick of each one ounce Balsam of Sulphur two drachms with Syrup of dried Roses make it into a Mass for Pills of which you may give half a drachm every Morning and Evening If there be Nodes Caruncles or Ulcers in the urinary Passage The following Medicine may be daily injected Take the Water of the Spawn of Frogs four ounces Honey of red Roses one ounce white Troches of Rhasis one drachm powder the Troches and mix all together for an Injection After injection put in an hollow Instrument made of Silver or Lead being first anointed with some consolidating Ointment as was directed in the Stoppage of Urine I do not approve of Astringents in the Beginning of the Cure of a Gonorrhoea till the Patient be well purged and the running begin to cease because all Astringent means conduce to prolong the Distemper but after the Cause is eradicated by purging then they may be safely administred if the Cure be not effected without it To prevent the Return of the Distemper I advise the Patient to purge and bleed every Spring and Fall Also keep a good Diet be moderate in Exercise and all other of the nonnatural things When thou art recovered give God the Praise and have a care of committing the like sin again lest a worse thing befall thee for it is a fearfull thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God Hebr. 10.31 CHAP. XXVII Of the Rachites or Rickets THIS Disease may be called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It may be called in Latin morbus spinalis it being a Disease of the Spine of the Back This spinal Disease is commonly called in English Rickets It is peculiar to Children because they abound with a crude phlegmatick matter for if they labour under a cold moist Distemper there is presently a Penury and Paucity of the Animal Spirits for the Brain cerebellum and spinalis medulla being more compact than is wont is unfit for percolation so that the most spirituous part of the Bloud cannot pierce or be strein'd through it Hence the separation of the Animal Spirits is diminisht For the aforesaid cold moist phlegmatick Humours compacting the soft substance of the Brain c. it is thereby too much thickned and straitned in its porous passages The coldness of Air Water or Snow vehemently affecting the Head seems to confirm and prove this opinion because when the Glandules of the Brain are affected and thickned by a stuffing of the Head with Coldness then a more sparing production of the Animal Spirits useth to follow The essence of this Disease consists not onely in the Animal and vital but natural Constitution also all the Functions being in time vitiated For the spinalis medulla being primarily affected all the Nerves which proceed from it in its passage through the spina Dorsi must of necessity be stupifi'd and vitiated with a loose Feebleness hence also all the nervous membranous and fibrous parts through which those Nerves are carried or inserted into must consequently be vitiated with an inward weak Slipperiness so that the very ends of the bones as well as all the Faculties of the Body bear a share in this Distemper When the Rickets is confirm'd in Infants it seems to have some affinity with divers other Diseases viz. a Chronical fever an extenuation or leanness of the Body and an Hydrocephalus and many more which are frequently complicated with this affect And indeed not onely this but most other Diseases in process of time do unite unto themselves other affects of a different kind and therefore for the most part there is a complication of Chronical diseases before Death The Causes are either external or internal The external may be any of the Non-naturals exceeding either in excess or defect All things cold and moist do powerfully contribute to this Disease especially an over cold and moist Air which is most frequent in the Spring the Air being then cloudy thick rainy and full of vaporous Exhalations Hereupon the Children of those which inhabit near the Banks of the Sea or great Rivers Ponds or Marshes that are obnoxious to too much Rain or are fed with a great Number of Springs are more or
the Consistence of a Pultess and add Oils of Flax-seed Earthworms the Ointment Martiatum of each three ounces Camphire half an ounce mix it according to Art Where exceeding heat doth concur and the Body abounds with sharp Choler instead of sweet Milk you may substitute Butter-milk Also a Pultess made of the Crums of White-bread new Goats or Cows milk and Saffron with Oil of Lin-seed and Earth-worms may be deservedly commended to asswage any Pain If the sick be very phlegmatick and impotency of motion doth afflict more than pain then Opiats may be omitted and things more Aromatical may be used in all external Applications The following Pultess or one like it may serve for Example Take the Powders of Orris-roots the Flowers of Chamomel and Elder Cummin-seeds Barley-meal of each four ounces the Tops of Wormwood Mints of each four handfulls boil them in two quarts of water of the Spawn of Frogs to the Consistence of a Pultess when it is almost cold add Treacle-water Oils of Chamomel Earth-worms of each three ounces mix it Also the Root of Briony and Cuckow-pintle bruised and made into a Pultess with Cow-dung is excellent If you add Volatile Salts of Animals or Vegetables to your Medicines whether Fomentations Cataplasms or Ointments they will be the more effectual You may prepare an excellent Volatile Salt of Earth-worms of great Virtue for the Gout which may be resolved into Liquour by fermentation and putrefaction If the Gouty Patient do abound with Phlegm or the Juice of the Pancreas exceed in an acid Acrimony causing a corroding Pain it may happily be mitigated and remov'd with Balsam of Sulphur made with Oil of Amber with which let the grieved part be embrocated and it will forthwith raise a very hot Effervescency which will presently cease again and remove the great Pain in a moment even to admiration After the pain is over you may apply one of the former Cataplasms or some Anodyne Ointment to comfort and by degrees restore again the membranous parts The following Linament may serve for Example Take Oils of Earth-worms Scurvigrass Saint John's-wort of each one ounce Chymical Oils of Rosemary Rue of each twenty drops mix it Afterwards you may apply a Plaster of De minio cum sapona In the mean time inward means to take away the Cause and ease the pain must not be neglected If the Patient have a plethorick Body after a Stool hath been procured by a Carminative Clyster with Electuar Caryocostinum c. Let a Vein be opened Bloud drawn from the Vena poplitis or sciatica Vein hath been succesfull in the sciatica But Leeches applied to the Hemorrhoidal veins are effectual in all Gouts Two or three days after bleeding you may administer the following Pills Take of Pills Hermodactils faetidae ex duobus Mercur. dulcis of each one scruple mix it for two doses and give them in the Morning fasting Or you may give half a drachm or two scruples of pul Arthriticus in any convenient Vehicle But if the sick be inclining to vomit administer an Antimonial Emetick You may purge and bleed so often as you see occasion Issues near the part affected and also to raise Blisters upon the part have been found by experience to be very effectual Also bathing and sweating in nitrous or sulphurous Baths either natural or artificial are much approv'd of That which is prescrib'd in the Chapter of the Belly-ach is very effectual which may be used as is there directed I might fill a Volume with receipts against the Gout but I shall onely commend the following water or spirit to be often taken inwardly in any fit Vehicle the quantity of half a spoonfull at a time Take the Roots of Orris Angelica Sassaphras of each two ounces the Tops of Ground-pine Penny-royal Sage Mother of Time the Flowers of Saint Johns-wort Chamomel Prim-roses Rosemary Lavender of each three handfulls the Berries of Bays and Juniper of each one ounce Castor two drachms let them be all cleansed bruised and infused in six quarts of Spirit of Earth-worms compound for the space of twenty four hours then distill it in an Alembick according to Art The Rheumatism is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fluo it being a distillation of Rheumatick humours not onely affecting the Joints but the adjacent parts yea sometimes the whole Body especially the Muscles Membranes and Periostium of the Thighs Legs and Hip-bones The humour is of a very malign Nature and soon causeth a Cariosity of the Bones if it be not prevented The Cause is the same with the Gout but sharper 'T is seldom mortal but may be of long continuance with great Pain so that the Sick cannot endure to be touched In the Cure of this Distemper Phlebotomy must be often repeated and carminative Clysters often administred Foment the pained parts with stale Urine made very hot wherein Castle-sope is dissolved after which anoint with this following Take Spirit of Salt Armoniack Oils of Guiacum Bricks of each two ounces in which dissolve Opium one ounce Spanish Sope four ounces then add Oil of Roses six ounces and make it a Linament according to Art If you would have it for a Plaster you may add so much Empl. de minio to it as will give it a sufficient Consistency The Medicines and Directions prescrib'd in the Cure of the Gout are also proper here From these few observations it will not be very difficult to select other choice Medicines out of the writings of Practitioners to cure both the Gout and Rheumatism To prevent a Relapse purge and bleed Spring and Fall and keep a good Diet and use moderation in all things I have now finisht this little Tract or Manual of Physick which I have written for the common good not onely to serve young Beginners of the Art of Physick but also for the sake of the sick themselves GOD grant that it may prove succesfull and tend to the good of them both Now unto the onely wise God and our Saviour Jesus Christ with the Holy Ghost our Comforter three Persons and one God be ascribed and given all Laud Honour Glory and Dominion from this time forth and for evermore Amen POSTSCRIPT HAving often prescrib'd the Carminative Spirit of Sylvius and also his preservative water against the Plague and his Carminative Plaster c. I will here give you the Receipts of them in English that you may make them for your own use as you see occasion The Carminative Spirit of Sylvius Take Angelica-root two drachms the Roots of Masterwort and Galangal of each three drachms the Tops of Rosemary sweet Marjoram Garden-rue Centaury the less Basil of each one handfull Bay-berries six drachms the Seed of Angelica Lovage and Anise-seed of each an ounce Ginger Nutmegs Mace of each half an ounce Cinamon one ounce and half Cloves Orange-peel of each two drachms All these things being grosly bruised
pour thereon Spirit of Malaga or Spanish-wine six pints Digest them two days in Balneo Mariae and draw off all the Spirit You may pour upon what remains the same quantity of Spirit of Wine and after two days digestion draw it off as before which may be kept apart as weaker than the former but of much virtue to discuss Wind. Aq. Prophylactica or the Preservative-water against the Plague Take the Roots of Angelica and Zedoary of each one ounce Roots of Butter-bur two ounces the Leaves of Garden-rue four ounces of Baum Scabious Marigold-flowers of each two ounces unripe Wall-nuts cut two pound new Pome-citrons cut one pound bruise them all together then pour on twelve pints of the best Wine-vinegar distill'd by it self to three fourth parts in Sand in a Glass cucurbit then digest them all Night in the Morning distill the water with a slow Fire This gratefull Medicine may be mixt with ordinary drink broth or any decoction or Cordial Julep c. to a gratefull acidity for any that are sick to take away thirst and to promote a mild Sweat The Plaster of Sylvius discussing Wind. Take gum Galbanum Bdellium and Amoniacum of each half an ounce Male-frankincense red Mirrh of each two drachms Opium of Thebes one drachm dissolve them in Vinegar of Squills and when they are again thickned add yellow Wax Colophony of each three drachms natural Balsam Oil of Bricks of each one drachm Oil of Earth-worms half a drachm distill'd Oil of Caraway a scruple Venice Turpentine what sufficeth to make it into a Plaster according to Art This egregious Plaster may be spread upon soft Leather first form'd according to the shape and greatness of the Tumour to be dissolv'd The Cholagogue Electuary or Diaprunum of Sylvius Take the Pulp of Prunes sourish-sweet ten ounces Powder of Cream of Tartar best Scammony of each two ounces Powder of Rhubarb ten drachms Cinamon half an ounce yellow Sanders two drachms refin'd Sugar a pound make it into an Electuary according to Art The Hydragogue Electuary of Sylvius Take of Juniper-berries boild in water exprest and reduc'd to the Consistency of a Pulp the Pulp of Tamarinds of each four ounces Powder of Jallop-root one ounce and half Diagredium one ounce sharp Cinamon sweet Fennel-seeds of each two drachms clarifi'd Sugar ten ounces make it into an Electuary according to Art The Dose of either of these Electuaries is from two drachms to half an ounce they are gently effectual and no ungratefull Medicines they may be dissolv'd in any convenient distill'd water as Parsley Fennel c. or it may be taken by it self in the manner of a Bolus FINIS ADVERTISEMENTS THIS is to give notice to all Persons chiefly country Physicians and Chyrurgeons that all the Medicines prescrib'd in this Book are faithfully prepared by the Authour hereof and may be always had of him at reasonable rates without Adulteration or any other Deceits ALL sorts of Chymical preparations are faithfully prepared without the least Sophistication or Adulteration and to be sold at reasonable rates by Christopher Pack Chymist at the Globe and Furnaces in the Postern by More-gate where a Catalogue may be had Gratis An Interpretation of certain hard Words which you shall meet with unexplained in this Treatise A. ABdomen All that part of the Belly which is between the Ribs and the Privy members consisting of Skin Fat and Muscles Abcess an Impostume or gathering of ill Humours to one part of the Body and there drawn to a Head Abstersive a cleansing Medicine Acerbity Sourness Acid eager sour or sharp Acrimony Sharpness An acute Disease is a sharp Sickness which doth quickly either dispatch or deliver the Sick Aetites the Stone with Child found in an Eagles-nest Affected part the part grieved or distempered Alchimy the Art of melting or dissolving Metals c. and separating the pure from the impure Alexiterion Alexipharmacum a preservative Medicine against Poison and Infection Amputation the cutting off of a Member Amulet any thing hanged about the Neck Anatomy the Trunk of a dead Body from whence all the Flesh Sinews c. is cut off and nothing remaining but the bare Bones Anodyne appeasing Pain Antidote a Preservative against Poison and Infection Antimonial made of Antimony Anus the Fundament Apertion an Opening Apophlegmatism a Medicine which chewed draweth Phlegm and other Humours out of the Head and voideth them at the Mouth Apoplexy a general Palsie of the whole Body Apozeme a thin Decoction of Herbs Aromaticks Medicines made of Spice Arteries hollow Vessels wherein the vital Bloud and Spirits are contained which causeth the Pulse as you may feel at the Wrists c· Arthritick pains the Gout or any other Pain of the Joints Aspera Arteria the Wind-pipe Astrictive Astringent which hath Power to bind B. BAlneo Bath Balsamick Healing of the Nature of Balsam Bechical easing the Cough Bile Choler Bolus a Lump a Morsel Bronchia the Gristles of the Wind-pipe Bubo a Sore about the Groin C. CAchexy ill habit of Body Cacochymy ill Juice in the Body Calcinate to burn into Ashes Capillary as small as a Hair Carbuncle a Plague-sore Cardiack Cordials Cariosity Rottenness Carminative that cleanseth the Body of Wind. Cartilage a Gristle Caruncle a little Piece of Flesh. Catagmatical Medicines to cure broken Bones Cataplasm a Pultess Cataract a Disease of the Eyes Catarrh a Rheum Cathartick a purging Medicine Catheretick a Medicine to consume superfluous Flesh. Cauterize to burn or sear Cephalicks Med. for the Head Cerebellum the little Brain Chalybeate red-hot Steel in any thing Chylus a white Juice coming of the Meat digested in the Stomach Cholagogue a Medicine that purgeth Choler Chronical staying long Coliries Medicines for sore Eyes Colliquation a Dissolving Coriza a snottish Rheum Crisis Judgment Cuticula the Scarf-skin Cystick passage the Passage of the Choler from the Gall. D. DEfluction a flowing down of Humours Delirium Dotage Light-headed Desiccative a drying Medicine Diaphragma the Midriff Diaphoretick a sweating Cordial Diaphoresis Evaporation by sweat Diarrhea a Flux or Lask Diastole Dilatation of the Heart c. Diuretical causing Vrine Dormative to cause sleep Ducts little Pipes for Water c. Dura mater the strongest Skin encompassing the Brain Dysentery the Bloudy-flux Disuria scalding of Vrine E. EFfervescency a working a fermenting Elixir a Quintessence Embrocate to bedew Embryon an imperfect Child in the Womb without shape Emetick a Vomit Emplastick a clammy Medicine Emulsion a Medicine like milk Epilepsie the Falling-sickness Epidemical Ill the Plague Epispastick a Medicine to raise Blisters Epithems are certain Powders put in little Bags and wet in Wine c. and applied to the Regions of the Heart Liver c. Errhines liquid Medicines to snuff up the Nose Escharotick a potential Cautery Exulcerate to blister F. FAscinate to bewitch Fibers small hairy strings Fistula a hollow Vlcer with Callocity Filtration a straining fire Foetus the young Fomentation an asswaging Bath G. GArgarism a Liquour
its natural passage and so produceth a new fit sooner or later as the Phlegm obstructing the lateral passage of the Pancreas is pierced through by the foremention'd Juice For if the obstructing Phlegm be not very glutinous and the Juice of the Pancreas be plentifull and acid a new fit of an intermitting Fever will return in the space of twenty four hours and therefore 't is called a Quotidian But if the Phlegm be very viscous and plentifull and the Juice of the Pancreas be little in quantity and also tart and obtuse so much the slower will the new fit of the intermitting Fever be produced so that it is sometimes three sometimes four days before the returning of the fit from whence it is called a Quartan or Quintan c. So likewise as oft as the obstructing Phlegm and the Juice of the Pancreas are in a medium viz. The Phlegm more glutinous and plentifull than in the Quotidian but not so much as the Quartan as likewise the Juice of the Pancreas is more in quantity and more acid than in the Quartan but not so plentifull and acid as in a Quotidian so oft new fits of intermitting Fevers will return almost every other day from whence they may be called Tertians which much differ in their Symptoms beyond what other intermitting Fevers do although none of them return in the exact intervall of the Days or Hours before mention'd but return quicker or slower for the most part The Cure of all intermitting Fevers will be perform'd 1. First if the glutinous coagulated Phlegm which is the cause of the obstruction be cut and dissolv'd and wholly carried out of the Body 2. If the increas'd Acidity and Acrimony of the Juice of the Pancreas be temper'd and corrected 3. If its vitious Effervescency with Choler c. In the small Gut be hindred and amended Phlegm obstructing will be cut most commodiously with Aromaticks and any Volatile Salt This Volatile Aromatick Julep may serve for Example Take the Waters of Carduus Parsley Fennel Fumitery Succory Treacle Cinamon of each one ounce Syrup of Carduus the five opening Roots of each an ounce and half Powder of Crabs-eyes Tartar vitriolated of each one drachm Salt of Amber Antimony Diaphoretick of each half a drachm Laudanum opiat ten grains Oil of Cloves six drops mix it Take a spoonfull of this Volatile Medicine often in a day throughout the whole Cure using some exercise that thereby the whole Body may grow warm and the force of the medicine being disperst over all the Body may come at last to the lateral passages of the Pancreas and dissolve the obstruction Three or four hours before the coming of the fit you may give three or four spoonfulls of the aforesaid Cordial which will not onely cause a breathing sweat but will temper and correct the increas'd Acidity and Acrimony of the Juice of the Pancreas and hinder and amend its vitious Effervescency with Choler c. in the small gut which will conduce much to a Cure Three hours before the return of the next fit administer an antimonial Emetick which is in this case proper before all others for by the help thereof not onely Choler abounding but also phlegm obstructing will be expell'd to the small gut and thence to the Stomach and at length by the mouth and the straining to vomit doth many times procure a stool or two which is very beneficial But if the sick be a Female or vomiting be prejudicial or not approv'd of then such things as cut and purge phlegm downwards may be administred for example Take of pil faetidae one drachm Mercur. dulcis Powders of Troches Alhandal Scammony prepar'd Tartar vitriolated of each half a Scruple Salts of Amber and Wormwood of each one Scruple Spirit of Salt Armoniack Oil of Amber of each ten drops with Syrup of Buckthorn make it into a Mass for Pills Take four or five of these Pills four hours before the coming of the fit which will both cut and purge the viscous Phlegm out of the Body and also educe other peccant humours After purging or vomiting let the sick often take the following Powder in a glass of generous Wine or in two or three spoonfulls of the Cordial Diaphoretick before mention'd to provoke sweat as is there directed Take Volatile Salt of Harts-horn Salts of Amber Worm-wood and Carduus Tartar vitriolated of each ten grains Sugar of Pearls the weight of them all mix them for two doses You may take a dose of it two or three hours before the access of the fit which will wonderfully conduce to dissolve the obstruction and cause a breathing sweat Let these evacuations be as often reiterated as occasion requires If the intermitting Fever hath continu'd long or the sick hath a Plethorick body let a vein be opened By these few forms the young Practitioner may easily invent other effectual Medicines in some things to be varied as the distemper requires CHAP. VIII Of Malignant Fevers IN the Chapter of Fevers in general I told you that Synochal or continual Fevers were without any fit to their last and complete ceasing and likewise I did distinguish them into putrid and not putrid Those that are not putrid have little or no malignity in them but the putrid are always accompanied with malignity A malignant Fever differs from others in this that it draws its putrefaction immediately from its own matter putrefaction being joined with it from whence the vital strength is suddenly and unexpectedly dejected or far more grievous Symptoms occur than are wont to be observ'd in such a like disease Malign Fevers are either more acute ending in few days or longer continuing more days And they are either contagious and epidemical raging among many in the same time having a common cause as the Air or Food vitiated c. Infecting others or else they are not contagious Among contagious Fevers we may not neglect to speak something of a Calenture because it is a contagious distemper assaulting not onely those which use the Sea but also many that live near the Sea-shore in Sea-port Towns c. are subject to it The signs of this disease are a great pain of the Head sometimes with violent raging fits and delirium the rest of the Body being in good temper the sick do fancy the Water to be a green Meadow and will indeavour to get into it The cause of a Calenture is the intemperature of the Climate together with ill diet causing strong obstructions and an ill habit of body by which flatuous vapours are encreas'd in the body and in time ascend to the Head The cause of the malignity in this and all other putrid fevers is a sharp volatile salt in the Air which is drawn into the Lungs by degrees and weakens the liquor of the glandules which is naturally sourish and makes it sluggish and of little force whence the natural consistency of the bloud is diminish'd