Crystal Mineral two Drams Salt of Amber a Dram Salt of Hartshorn a Scruple Mix them the Dose is from fifteen Grains to twenty twice a day with the distill'd water Of the intermitting Pulse and its Cure AMong the Passions of the Heart the intermitting Pulse may justly be numbred because in this affect or at least in some kind of it the Heart it self labours though in somewhat a different manner than in its panting or trembling for in these it is ill dispos'd and irregular as to its motion but in that as to its rest this being sometimes twice longer than it uses to be in its ordinary course This intermitting Pulse or over-long Cessation of Motion in the Heart does not proceed from the mixture or Crasis of the Blood but only from the irregular dispensation of the Animal Spirits from the Cerebellum into the Nerves that pass to the Heart and thence into its Tendons which irregularity happens because those Nerves are somewhat obstructed Although this Affect being very often without present hurt or danger does not require an over-hasty Cure yet for preservation sake lest some great Diseases follow it Remedies and a method of Cure ought to be used at least for the whole remainder of the Persons Life let him keep to a Diet well ordered in all respects Moreover let some gentle Course of Physick be prescrib'd him to be constantly observ'd Spring and Fall viz. That all the Seminal Roots of Diseases founded in the Brain or apt to be there engendred may be taken away as much as may be for this end we here direct you to the Prophylactick method with the Medicines prescrib'd by us elsewhere against the Fits of the Apoplexy CHAP. XI Instructions concerning Opiats or Medicines that cause Sleep with their good and ill Effects together with Prescripts of them OPiats exert their Force not by raising vapours to the Head nor by opening the Pores of the Brain for any vapours or other Soporiferous matter to be admitted into it but only by destroying some of the Animal Spirits so that the residue being in a consternation or forc'd inward or at least called back from their wonted Emanation into the nervous parts quit their office or in some measure remit of it The Narcotick force of Opiats consists in this that as the Animal Spirits are most subtile Corpuscles compos'd of Spirit and a volatile Salt united together and exalted to a very high pitch so Opiats on the contrary consist of a fetid Sulphur that is of a Sulphur together combin'd with a fixt Salt and an Earthy matter and carried up to a most high degree in like manner Which sort of Concrets are well known to be so contrary to the subtile Texture of the Animal Spirits that sometimes they put them to flights or subvert them at a distance by meer Effluvia's which are very hardly or indeed not at all perceivable by the smell Opiats given in a small quantity chiefly and in a manner only regard those Spirits to which the particular charge of natural and ordinary sleep is committed the rest being either untouch'd or little letted by them Wherefore after a Dose of Laudanum is taken both the inward and outward senses are bound but the Pulse Respiration also the functions of Concoction and Separation are continued after their usual manner and after some time the Spirits of the first employ return to their wonted Post But if an Opiat be stronger than it ought it extends its Force father into the Province of the Animal government so that an over-great Dose of it being taken the Appetite for the most part is dull'd Respiration is much streightn'd and rendred not only difficult but likewise uneven or interrupted and sometimes also the motion of the Heart is so far debilitated that the Pulse presently grows weaker with a cold Sweat a deadness and an Eclipse as it were of all the faculties so that a perpetual sleep sometimes follows this Medicine The good Effects of Opiats FIrst then Opiats are most properly and necessarily Indicated in case of want of sleep for then being seasonably and duly Administred they give a refreshing repose Secondly In Delirous affects Opiats are given with good effect though sometimes they rather do hurt than good as we shall shew hereafter because the Spirits being then mov'd with too much eagerness within the Brain and as it were struck with a rage and passing their wonted bounds the Opiats repress them and make them quietly retreat into their former stations Thirdly Opium is accounted of most excellent use for appeasing all sorts of Pains For since Pain cannot be caus'd or continued but a great plenty of Spirits must always abound in the part affected in case the Nerves are so clos'd that the passing of the Spirits to the place griev'd be hindred or much diminish'd which Opium effects it follows of necessity that the Pain must cease For the Particles of this Medicine besetting the extream parts of the Brain do not only quell the forlorn Spirits in its outmost part but likewise strongly suppress them in their Original source within the Brain and in the midst of the Cerebellum and consequently hinder their Emanations from thence into the Genus Nervosum so that during the Energy of the Opium they are sent more sparingly and thinly into the Precordia and Viscera nay and into all other parts Hence the Pulse and Breathing remit of their vehemency and frequency many times also all the Members and Limbs are seiz'd with a Languor and Lassitude Moreover hence the Viscera before irritated into Convulsions either tending to Excretions as by Vomit or seige or causing Pain as in the Colick or Stone depose their disorders Again the good effect of Narcoticks is notoriously known in the Cure of the Scorbutick Colick In Pains of the Gout they also do excellently well and so in the Pain of the Stone in the Bladder which Disease when it cruelly torments Old Men and cannot be Cur'd by Cutting admits no ease from any other Remedy but from Narcoticks Wherefore in this case I have advis'd some to the constant and daily use of Laudanum and Diacodium which they have put in practice to the great comfort of their life receiving no hurt thereby though sometimes augmenting its Dose they have taken to a great quantity Fourthly Opiats are seasonably given if at any time the Pulse or Breathing are more quick or vehement than they ought for when in Feavers the Motion of the Heart and Lungs being made more intense give a most rapid Circulation to the Blood so that it is greatly perverted both as to its Accension and as to its Crasis and is not able to separate its drossy Excrements which are so throughly mixt with it After a Narcotick is given presently the Impetus of those parts is somewhat broken so that the Blood coming then to a gentle and moderate Circulation diffuses a less intense heat and being loosen'd in its Texture it purges its Serum
Cataplasms of Chammomil Mallows Marshmallows Linseed and Faenugreek seeds do little or no good nay often much offend the nervous parts by relaxing them the Dissolutions or Stillatitious Liquours of Sal Armoniack Sea-salt Nitre Vitriol quick Lime and the like which in other Humours and Pains are always offensive are wont to prove very beneficial Of these kinds of Liquours to be applyed to the part pained in Fits of the Gout several are prescribed by Quercitan Crollius Hartman and other Chymists which since other famous Physicians upon frequent tryals have approved off we conclude them to have given relief for the foresaid reason I need not repeat here the forms of these as I could suggest many other Preparations of the same sort I shall here only add one or two Take Salt of Tartar and Armoniack powdred of each two ounces dissolve them in four pounds of Rain-water or Fountain-water let it be used luke-warm with Linnen-Cloaths dipt in them Take spirit of Vitriol not rectified a pound Sea-salt calcin'd and powdred a pound mix them and distill them in a Glass Retort with a sand heat there will come forth a pure spirit of Salt to wit which being driven from its seat by the distilled Liquor of the Vitriol and leaving to it its possession will easily dscend to the Caput mortuum pour Spirit of Wine two pounds make a close and warm digestion adding of Camphire two drams let it be applyed warm to the part grieved with Linnen Cloaths Take filings of Iron Flowers of Sal Armoniack of each six ounces mix them by boyling them together let it be distilled in a Glass Retort till the Flowers are sublimed to the caput mortuum bruis'd pour spirit of Wine digest and keep it for use I have heard that some for appeasing Pains of the Gout put the foot affected in a bag fill'd with Sea-salt calcin'd and powdred from which they still expect a certain and quick relief In the declination of the Fit to strengthen the part and to discuss the remainder of the morbifick matter Plaisters are usefully applyed which nevertheless do not all agree indifferently with all Persons but with these more hot with othérs less hot tho with most those are wont to be most efficacious in which are red Lead Litharge Mercury and other mineral or saline things we use chiefly a Plaister of red Lead Cerusse and Soap boyled with Oyle or take the red Lead Plaister two parts Paracelsus's Playster one part mix them and spread them on Leather Inward Remedies to be used against Pains of the Gout are in a manner only Narcoticks which ought to be given in a cruel and long continued Pain Of these we most commend Preparations of Opium with Salt of Tartar or its Tincture Moreover for this use Paracelsus's or the London Laudanum Pilul de Styrace de Cynoglosso Syrup of Meconium Venice Treacle and Diascordium are wont to prove beneficial The second indication called preservatory has respect to the removal of the Procatarctick Causes of the Gout so that the Fits of the Gout may molest with invasions more seldom and less or not at all For this end evacuating altering and corroborating Remedies together with an exact sorm of Dyet are prescribed to be used out of the Fits 1. Therefore Gouty persons ought to Purge solemnly Spring and Fall and it will be convenient then to give a Vomit if nothing indicates the contrary and afterward to repeat it sometimes by intervals Those who have a strong Stomach and Praecordia may take Mineral Emeticks prepar'd of Antimony and Mercury Those who are of a more tender constitution after having eaten slippery food may take Wine of Squills or Salt of Vitriol with Whey Afterward the Stomach being filled with warm Water or plain Posset-drink or with the leaves of Carduus boyled in it let a Vomiting be raised twice or thrice or oftner For Purging to be used also frequently at fit intervals of time the forms of Purges above prescribed may be proper enough Or Take threads of black Hellebore cleansed an ounce lignum aloes Cloves of each two drams being bruised pour to them of Spirit of Wine not rectified two pounds let there by a close and warm digestion for many days the dose is two or three spoonfuls in the morning twice or thrice a week and let Vomiting and Purging always be begun before the Equinoxes lest haply the fit hapning first may prevent the course of Physick Blooding or opening of the hemorrhoid Vessels are sometimes proper Spring and Fall to Persons of a hot temperament and a sharp Blood Cauteries made in the Arms and near the Shoulder-blades are useful in a manner to all that are obnoxious to this Disease Moreover altering Remedies call'd by the Ancients the Antidotes of the Gout are of excellent use and being taken sor a long time together with an exact governance as to the six nonnatural things often give great relief In this rank Medicines endow'd with a Volatile Salt or a Balsamick Sulphur to wit inasmuch as these exalt the fixt Salt and those reduce the acetous are accounted the chief again bitter and astringent things as the Herbs Germander Groundpine Centory Roots of Gentian and Birthwort c. since they are approv'd of by experience in this Disease seem to be profitable for this reason that they help the offices of Concoction and Chylification and keep the saline faeculencies from being carried into the Blood Let us set down certain forms of each of these Take Powder of Groundpine six dram Crabs-eyes two drams Venice Turpentine what suffices make small Pills let three or four be taken in the evening and morning for thirty or firty days drinking after it of the following distill'd Water two or three ounces Take leaves of Cypress Firr Misteltoe growing on Apple-trees of each six handfuls Roots of Avens the great Burr-dock of each a pound the outward rinds of ten Oranges and six Limons Nutmegs Mace of each an ounce being all slic'd and bruis'd pour to them of fresh Milk seven pounds Malaga Sack a pound let them be distilled according to art let the whole liquor be mixt Or let a plain Water be prepared of the leaves of the great Burr-dock cohobating it twice or thrice on fresh leaves Take Powder of the Seeds of the great Burr-dock six drams Crabs-eyes two drams Nutmegs half a dram Balsamum Capivii what suffices make a mass and let it be made into little Pills let four be taken in the evening and morning for many dayes Take Tincture of Antimony an ounce the Dose is twenty drops to twenty five in the evening and early in the morning with three ounces of the water even now describ'd To poor People I use to prescribe after this manner Take powder of the leaves of Sage half a pound Crabs-eyes Saccharum Crystallinum of each two ounces mix them let it be kept in a glass let a spoonful be taken twice a day with a draught of the decoction of the leaves of
he fell at length into a confirm'd Diabetes as it seem'd and almost past hope of recovery For besides that in the space of twenty four hours he voided near a Gallon and a half of clear water and wonderfully sweet as though Honey were mixt in it He was moreover affected with a cruel Thirst and a Fever seemingly a Hectick with a mighty Languor of the Spirits a fall of strength and a Consumption of the whole Body I then prescrib'd him the following Remedies by the use of which he seem'd in a short time to recover Take Cypress Tops eight handfuls Whites of Eggs beaten two pounds Cinnamon half an Ounce being cut small pour to them of new Milk eight pounds distill it in an ordinary Still taking care of an Empyreuma Let him take six Ounces thrice a day Take Gum Arabick and Gum Tragacanth of each six Drams Penids an Ounce Make a Powder let him take about a Dram or a Dram and a half twice a day with three or four Ounces of the distill'd water Take Rhuba-b powdred fifteen Grains Cinnamon six Grains Make a Powder let him take it in the Morning and renow the Dose within six or seven days Take Cowslip water three Ounces Cinnamon water hordeated two Drams Syrup of Meconium half an Ounce Make a draught to be taken every Evening His Diet was only Milk which he took pretty often in a day sometimes crude or diluted with the distill'd water or with Barly water sowetimes boil'd with White-bread or with Barly Growing daily better by the use of these things within a Month he seem'd to be almost Cur'd As he began to grow a little well his Urine which was Insipid did not much exceed the quantity of Liquids he took and afterwards turning a little Salt it became less in quantity than what he drank and so by degrees recovering the wonted tone of his Spirits and a good strength he took to his former Diet. Nevertheless the disposition to this Disease did not so throughly cease but afterwards being apt frequently to Relapses upon disorders in Living and haply upon changes according to the seasons of the year he first made Water in a greater measure than ordinary which by degrees grew clear and sweetish a Thirst and Fever with a Languor of the Spirits accompanying it But by the use of the same Medicines he us'd in a short time to recover again Not long since after a large interval of health a little before he fell into a Flux of Urine he found great irregularities and failings in the Genus Nervosum viz. He was seiz'd with a dull numbness of his Brain and a Vertigo and was taken with sudden Cramps in his Limbs and felt little Leapings of the Tendons and various runnings about him as though it were of a wind creeping here and there And when by the use of fit Remedies the aforesaid Symptoms seem'd to be Cur'd the Diabetes after its wounted manner burst forth afresh viz. the matter flowing forth in abundance from the Fibres and solid parts into the Blood and thence to the Reins and the Urinary Passages In this Juncture the same Remedies were prescrib'd again by the use of which when within a few days he began to grow bettr he was ordered to take thrice a day Water of quick Lime to five or six Ounces Having continued this Remedy four days he made water in a moderate quantity well ting'd and somewhat salt and as to other things he seem'd well as he was before By the same method and chiefly with the Water of quick Lime I Cur'd another of a Diabetes who was look'd upon as past recovery The Kinds and Prescripts of Medicines that stop Vrine flowing in excess A Stringent Medicines properly so call'd to wit such as are austere acerb and stiptick do little or nothing in stopping a Diuresis for the vertue of those things has no effect on the Mass of Blood nor does it reach to the Reins and Bladder But the Remedies that chiefly do good in the Diabetes are of two kinds as we have hinted before viz. First those that hinder the combinations of the Salts and consequently the fusion of the Blood such as the Incrassatives before mentioned Secondly Those that dissolve the Concretions of the Salts and consequently restore the mixture of the Blood of which kind are Saline Remedies of a contrary nature which are apt to cleave to the Acid Salt and so withdraw it from the combinations it has entred into within the Blood as chiefly Medicines endow'd with a fixt volatile or alchalisate Salt Besides these two Primary kinds of Medicines that restrain Urine there rests a Secondary kind to wit Hypnoticks which putting some stop to the Animal Aeconomy cause the vital function to be perform'd with more calmness and consequently with less fusion of the Blood or precipitation of the serous and nutricious humours It remains now to set down some Select Forms of each kind of these Medicines I. The first Scope of Curing to wit by which we endeavour by thickning the Blood to prevent its fusion or to take it away is effected by the Medicines following Take Gumm Arabick and Tragacanth powder'd of each an Ounce Sugar Penids half an Ounce Make a Powder divide it into sixteen parts Take one part thrice a day dissolving it in the distill'd water or in the docoction of the Roots of Comphry in fountain water or Milk Take of the Resumptive Electuary three Ounces Species Diatragacanthi frigidi an Ounce Red Coral prepar'd two Drams Confection of Hyacinth a Dram and a half Gelly of the cast Skins of Vipers what will suffice Make an Electuary of which let the Patient take twice a day the quantity of a Wallnut Take white Amber Mastick Olibanum powdred of each an Ounce Pulvis Haly two Ounces Balsam of Tolu half an Ounce Make a Subtle Powder the Dose is half a Dram twice or thrice a day Take Roots of great Comphry and Water Lillies of each three Ounces Dates slic'd two Ounces Seeds of Maliows Cotton-plant Plantain Fleawort of each half an Ounce Boil them in four pounds of fountain water till half be consum'd to the straining add Syrup of Water Lillies two Ounces The Dose is four Ounces thrice a day Take of the decoction of Barly with Water Lilly-roots a pound and a half Sweet Almonds prepar'd an Ounce and a half Seeds of white Poppies Purslain Lettice of each half an Ounce Make an Emulsion according to art the Dose is four Ounces thrice a day Take Cypress Tops six handfuls Clary Leaves four handfuls Flowers of blind Nettles Comphry Water Lillies of each four handfuls Roots of Water Lillies and Comphry of each half a pound Mace an Ounce all being small slic'd together pour to them of new Milk eight pounds distil them in an ordinary Still The Dose is four Ounces thrice a day with the Powder of Electuary above written II. In the second place though Saline Medicines of every kind and condition are accounted Diuretick
on her Back in the Bed settling her self to sleep on a sudden she complained that the same Symptoms pervaded her whole Body together and presently upon it fell into a Delirium all the night without sleep howling and crying she talkt light-headed on the day following she lay with her Eyes open without Motion or Speech in the Evening again as the Fever increast the Diseased grew raving that she could scarce be kept in her Bed and so for three dayes sometimes she lay delirous orying and howling sometimes stupid as it were without Motion or Speech but still she was troubled with convulsive Motions about the Tendons of the Muscles on the tenth day she feteht her Breath deep and short with a weak and as it were formicating Pulse in the middle of the night she dyed A Learned Young Man of a thin habit and a pale Countenance in the beginning of the Spring not being conscious of any errour in Diet began to complain of a Lassitude and a Debility in walking also of a Drowsiness of his Head and a Sleepiness on the second day he was withall tormented with a Thirst a loss of Appetite and a burning of the Praecordia on the third day a Physician being called he took a Vomitory after which when he had thrice vomited and had voided five times by Seige hot and bilous Excrements he became somewhat more cheerful and the following Night slept indifferently well on the fourth day he bled a little at Nose afterward the Thirst and Heat were very much increas'd the Urine was ruddly with a copious Sediment and somewhat of an Hypostasis but because after signs of Concoction in the Urine there appear'd an effort of Nature opprest as it were for voiding something without a sufficient Evacuation therefore seven ounces of Blood were taken away and thereupon he seemed to be very much relieved Nevertheless in the Evening all things grew worse and thence forward for three dayes the Fever seemed still to be rendred more intense on the seventh day he complained of a great Drowsiuess in his Head and of a Dimness in his Eyes in the After-noon a very large Haemorrhagie happened that through the vast loss of Blood the strength of the Diseased was almost wholly spent and there was an extream need of physical aid for stopping the Blood for this purpose when Blooding in the Arm Ligatures Evithems applyed both to the Head and the lower part of the Belly and a great many other Remedies the instantancous occasion of Cure pressing for it prescribed by all Persons were tryed in Vain at length by the persuasion of a Woman being there by chance a red hot Iron was held to the Nose as it dropt and on a sudden upon the receiving of the Fume of the burnt Blood into the Nostrills its Flux was stopt I have known this Remedy used since in many others with good success by that copious Haemorhagy the contrinual Fever came to a Crisis tho an intermittent Quotidian followed it which afterward was soon cur'd according to the Merhod above delivered A Matron sixty years of Age lying a certain night in Sheets not well dryed began to be ill first she was affected with a suffocating Catarth that through the serous Mass of filth distilling on the Larynx she could soarce breath much less fleep the next day after she had a Nauseousness and a want of Appetite with somewhat of a Thirst and an Excess of Heat on the third day an acute Pain seized her fide with a Cough and an increase of the Fever the Urine was ruddy and clear with a laudable Hypostasis the Pulse was uneven and intermitting A Phyfician being called ten Ounces of Blood were taken away also on that day a Clyster being giv'n she purg'd freely about night the Pain vanish'd and she slept indifferently the Urine then was ruddy troubled and filled with Contents On the fourth day the Fever was somewhat more increast in the Evening the Cough was very troublesome being followed with an acute Pain in the same Side as before the Urine was again with an Hypostasis the Pain upon letting Blood again soon ceas'd On the fifth Day the Fever was somewhat more remiss yet the Night was restless with a Heat and a Tossing of the Body but without Pain the next Morning she sweated freely and was relieved afterward by a thin Diet used for some Days and being once pnrged she recovered without a Relapse It is worthy to be observ'd that the Pain pressing the Urine was clear and with an Hypostasis nor was it troubled by the Cold which nevertheless the same being appeased presently grew thick and more ruddy and fill'd with Contents A robust Young-man and well in Flesh about the Summer Solstice after immoderate Exercises and then a sudden Cold coming upon the Heat fell ill First he was affected with a loss of Appetite a Nauseousness a violent Pain of the Head also with a Thirst and a Heat more intense than usual On the second day an acute Pain in the Right-side with a Cough and a difficult Respiration seized him Blood presently being plentifully drawn from the Arm of the same Side that Pain somewhat remitted which nevertheless returned more violently in the Evening with a Cough and a spitting Blood the night past without sleep and very restless On the third day Blood was taken away again and moreover Liniments and Fomentations were applyed to the Side pained Antipleuritick Powders Juleps and Decoctions were inwardly taken about night the Pain in a manner wholly ceas'd presently after the Diseased was affected with a violent Head-ach and a Vertigo On the fourth day he bled two ounces of Blood at the Nose after which that Affect of the Head clearly ceased but in the Evening the Pain returned in the Side first affected with a greater Fierceness mean while the Pulse was low and weak that when it was consulted concerning letting Blood there was danger lest the dejected Strength would not admit of such a Remedy wherefore Blood being taken only in a small quantity it was prescribed that a Fomentation and Cataplasmes should be diligently applyed to the Side moreover that twenty Drops of Spirit of Harts-horn should be given in a Spoonful of a Cordial Julep and that the same should be still repeated every six Hours he sweated plentifully that Night and the Pain very much abated the Spittle was but little sprinkled with Blood which wholly ceas'd within a Day the Pain also vanishing by Degrees the Diseased took twice a day a Scruple of the same Spirit of Harts-horn and perfectly recovered within a few Days without a Relapse CHAP. XI Of the Malignant or Pestilential Fever in general BEsides the Continual Fever such as above describ'd and which arises by reason of some Principle in the Blood exalted too much and disproportionate with the rest there is another Species of it which is raised by reason of the Blood being tainted with some venemous Miasm and thereupon ready to incur