thy mouth with it as also spirting a little of it into thy horses mouth Besides mingling it with water it will afford thee a good cooling drink If it be very cold put some of that horse-hair that is wont to be curried out of their mains and tails into thy boots I never received on such occasions more warmth from any thing especially keeping my self dry A Hares-skin is also good for this purpose making socks of it but if it grow wet 't is naught Gather of the Wheel-grease that runs out at the nave of the Wheels and would else be lost which hath taken in some of the substance of the Iron that is about the Axel-tree witness its blackness This is a good Ointment for Horses When thou comest into the field and art to lye abroad look out for some rising ground that the Rain which may possibly fall may run away from thee And avoid as much as is possible Vallies Marishes Ditches Meadows and the like low and moist places Besides observe the Air and put up thy Tent towards the East which quarter though it be cool yet 't is wholsom But lest it should be too cool order it so that thou mayst enjoy that wind which comes from between the East and South as being one of the wholsomest of all Airs and temperate the South-air qualifying the sharpness of the Eastern Beware of the Western Wind especially that which blows from between the South and West The Air of Mid-night is wholesome enough and dry but sharp and piercing Believe it a Souldier is much concern'd in the Air nor hath Hippocrates without cause written a whole Book De Aere Aquis Locis to teach how the Air Water and Places are to be discerned and chosen Moreover look about thee for good cleer Water such as grows warm and cool again sooner than other waters and observe this mark for my sake I know water that will not boyl Pease Vetches Stock-fish Flounders c. In some Springs Iron is turn'd into Brass and great care is to be had in the choice of water for drinking But if thou canst not have Spring-water but art necessitated to use Pit or Ditch-water have a care not to drink it without straining least thou shouldst swallow Frog or Snake-spawn For I have known and had in my cure a Countrey-man who voided though not at once but at different times two hundred fifty and five Frogs and of them many in my own house in the presence of divers Ecclesiastical and Secular Persons and some of the biggest of them being dryed are still to be seen in the Repository of Mantua as also in that of Mr. Philip Hainhofer at Auspurg And there is a Cook in the Hospital of Wessenburg or Landsberg who as appeared by the event had drunk the Spawn of Serpents out of which were bred divers Serpents in his body some of which he voided by virtue of the Medicine he took amongst which there was one of the length of a Bavarian Ell. The Man hath been since in good health and continues in his service to this day Wherefore it will behoove you to spread your handkerchief over the ditch-Ditch-water and so drink through it or if you take any of it up unstrain'd quench first a red-hot Stone or Iron in it whereby the noxious quality will be destroyed Or if you lye still and can get any Oyl of Vitriol let some drops of that fall into it and you need not then fear any corruption or poyson in such water Otherwise if time will permit let it boil up and cool again and put a crust of bread into it and you may drink of it safely Those Waters that run out of stony hills and from under rocks are the best to which may be reckon'd those Springs that flow from high places and purge themselves in clear sand and pebles If thou meet with Beer or Wine take heed of excess and forbear drinking New beer that hath not yet done working or is not some days old because new beer causeth the Strangury And in case this should trouble thee take a handful of Hay-blossoms boyl them in water and Urine over it drawing into thy body the warm steam thereof and anointing thy Navel several times with warm suet If thou art hot and canst not forbear drinking make water first then wash thy mouth and cool the arteries on both thy temples and those of both thy wrists and then drinking will hurt thee less If you chance to drink whilst you are hot which is so dangerous a thing that some have dyed within 24 hours after it others have fallen into consumptive Coughs others been troubled with Pains in their sides and with Impostumes c. then take of the leaves of Bellis or Daisy which grows in all meadows and pasture-grounds and is green both winter and summer and wash them clean and dress them like a Salad with Oyl Vinegar and a little Salt and forthwith eat thereof and it helps immediately as I know by much Experience But this must be used presently the sooner the better I can say with truth that in all my Practice of Physick for above 20 years I have not met with any Experiment of so quick an Operation from any herb as from this But here I must note that I have always used the Red Daisy and have not tryed the other sorts though I am apt to believe the others may have the like effect You must not eat the Flowers but only the Leaves This Experiment should be put up on all posts every where for the good of Courriers Mowers and other labouring Men that are wont to drink plentifully when they are hot and thereby spoil themselves in great numbers But to proceed as thou art to beware of excess of drinking at all times so thou art especially to forbear when thou art to stand Sentinel lest thou shouldst fall a sleep whereby thou mayst lose thy life at least thy place and thy preferment for ever Neither be fond of Gaming at dice tables c. whence are occasioned quarrels mistrusts deceit swearing and what not Avoid also the company of base women lest thou shouldst be constrained to undergo the Mercurial Salivation and with it a very lean Diet of thin broth water-gruel barley-broth prunes roasted apples and such like without any flesh-meat at all CHAP. III. Concerning the Physicians and Chirurgions in an Army EVery Army ought to be well provided with one or more able Physicians such as are not only expert in the cure of inward Diseases but also understanding in outward Cases as Wounds Burnings Luxations Dislocations Erysipelas's or St. Antony's Fires c. These Physicians ought to be no Youngsters that are lately come from Schools and Universities knowing only in Controversies and Disputations but such as are expert in the Cure of Diseases especially such as are most frequent in Armies They are also to be Men of good nature great honesty and condescension willing to take pains with
Mouth and in case thou perceivest any such thing take Wood-sorrel and the abovesaid rind of Hawthorn make a Decoction of it and put in it a little Allom and often gargarise with it Clean thy Teeth from the slime with Water well sharpened with Vitriol The common Inflammation of the Mouth may be cured with frequent washing of the Mouth taking a gargarism made of House-leek Lettice Night-shade or Self-heal Water mixing a little Honey of Roses and Mul-berry-juyce with it Of this gargarism the Patient is also to swallow a little thereby to moisten the Throat Some take House-leek and beat it and put to a pound of it half an ounce of Sal-armoniack mixing it well together And so they put it for some days in an earthen pot glased under ground then they distill of it a Water in Balneo or in Sand Which is excellent both to drink and to gargarise though the Sal-armoniack make it a little unpleasant But there is nothing better to allay this Inflammation than Niter which is so well known amongst Souldiers that they are wont to give one another Gunpowder to drink which Powder performs this effect not upon the account of the Coals or Brimstone but the Saltpeter For this cause Experienced Physitians and Chirurgions endeavour to purifie Niter for this use that it may have the greater effect and this they do in manner following They take of the purest Niter they can get as much as they think fit they beat it to a fine powder and melt it in a large Crucible and whilst it boils up and foameth they pour into it a little powdered Sulphur and so let it boil together till the blew Sulphur-flame ceaseth then they cast in more fresh Sulphur Which they repeat often and then pour out the Niter into an earthen vessel glased making Lozenges of it of which they put one pulverised into a quart of limpid water and so give the Patient to drink of it as much as he needs to quench his thirst Or they give of this purified Niter to their Patients labouring under this Inflammation the quantity of a ducat or half a ducat weight in Broath or in Ptisan till they find the Tongue cleared of its slime The use of Salt-peter thus prepared removeth also the Inflammation of the Heart especially if it be melted upon Lead and then proceeded with as before For Lead is a considerable cooler of which cooling quality the Niter whilst it is melting upon it taketh in not a little Let then your Lead melt and when 't is melted dissolve the Niter upon it and then to purifie it cast some Brimstone into it as was said above till it be cleansed from all impurity and then give of it to thy Patient two or three times a day according as need shall require Otherwise take live Crafishes and fresh House-leek beat them together in a mortar squeeze out the Juyce with it mix a little Sal-armoniack or a pretty deal of thy prepared Niter make a Potion of it and give of it even cold to thy Patient repeating this several times every eight or ten hours once according as you shall see occasion Or take fresh Lard if it be salted draw it through hot water to unsalt it and cut a slice of it two fingers large and of the thickness of a knives back put this into the Mouth of thy Patient it is an excellent remedy against this Inflammation of which I shall give the reason hereafter I have seen wonders done with it But if thy Patient do rave then fasten this slice of Lard with a thred and needle to his shirt or doublet lest he swallow it Or take fresh Butter and put it in cold water and of it give thy Patient at a time the quantity of a hasel-nut to hold it upon his Tongue and let it melt there which will keep the Tongue always moist And if thou work among this Butter some of thy prepared Niter it hath a wonderful effect though the taste be not pleasant I promised above to explain the Reason of the Cure of these Inflammations When you take a gargarism of the Waters of Night-shade Wood-sorrel Knot-grass Endive House-leek and the like mingled with Vinegar you do well but this is not enough the reason is If you wet a piece of Leather you make it indeed limber but when it comes to be dry it grows hard and shrinks except you grease it over with some fatty matter and then it will remain smooth So it is with the Tongue though it be made clean with gargarisms yet will it become again rough and untoward unless some fatness be used For which cause I have directed to use Lard or Butter mixt with Niter If the Almonds be swelled thou must abstain from all sowr things and prepare a gargarism of Figgs St. Johns Bread Mallows-flowers Liquorice Elder-canes mixing with it some Rose-honey or Juyce of Walnuts or the Rob Diamorom gargling often with it seeing that this symptom is a dangerous thing for when the Throat swells of it few Patients do escape death especially if it be a Pestilential Squinancy And in case there appear any Tumour outwardly take fine Flower Milk and Saffron making a Pulse of it and to keep it from growing hard mix with it Althea-salve or Houndstongue-salve the Oyl of blew Violets Mullein white Lillies Camomile or the like adding a little Oyl of Scorpions to it and applying this outwardly Make also a Scraper of Alder-wood if it may be had if not other wood will serve though Alder be best Throw it into cold water and let it lye there using it as often as there is need yet take heed of making thy Tongue sore or raw CHAP. VI. Of Fevers Belly-aches Tumors of the Belly Yellow Jaundise and Distempers of the Liver IN Camps there is nothing more frequent than Fevers of the Stomach arising from ill dyet which Souldiers are often put to for want of better eating what they can get Cheese Herbs Flesh half boiled stale and musty Bread and the like Hence is gather'd a morbifick matter in the Stomack which causeth putrefaction and consequently Stomack-feavers In this case thou art first to purge And for that purpose make use of the Pulvis solutivus de tribus recommended above taking the weight of a ducat or a ducat and an half in warm broath and fasting two or three hours after it Or fetch from the Apothecary of the Tabulatum Diaturbith cum Rhubarbaro or the Diaphoenicon in tabulis taking half an ounce at a time and keeping thy Chamber Or infuse Sena-leaves in Wormwood-wine and drink a small glass-full of it an hour before thy break-fast This will also serve very well especially if some Carduus benedictus have also been fermented in the Wormwood-wine If thou art troubled with Gripings or Inflation of the Belly take of Zedoar or Angelica-roots or Orange-peels cut them small and take at a time the weight of a ducat in hot broath If the Inflation be much
it else it will cast you into great faintness The Juyce of the Roots of blew Lillies hath the like vertue but is likewise to be used with great discretion Otherwise take Earth-worms and having wash'd them clean in Wine reduce them to powder and take of it for some mornings the weight of half a drachm in warm Broath or Wine mixing a little Rhubarb with it The Swelling of your Leggs may be removed by heating some Tiles and sprinkling them with Wine and clapping them about your Leggs to make them sweat For a swelled Groin take warm Milk wherein Calamus Aromaticus hath been boiled and sweeten it well with Sugar and apply it CHAP. VII Of all sorts of Fluxes as also the Tenasmus or vain endeavour of going to stool and the Hemorrhoid or Riles and Marisca's or sore Fundaments IN Wars and Camps Bloody and other Fluxes are very frequent caused by an irregular and ill dyet and these Distempers especially the Bloody Flux carry away abundance of Men. Where it is to be noted that the Bloody Flux is infectious and very catching Common Fluxes and Loosenesses may easily be cured Amongst other Remedies take burnt Harts-horn and take it often in Broath or pulverise Medlar-kernels and take of the powder in Broath likewise Also an Electuary made of Quinces and Sloes will cure them The same does Nutmeg and the Roots of Tormentil Snakeweed or the Roots of Cinquefoil baked in Eggs and eaten Likewise the Seed of Dock broad Plantain item Terra Sigillata or Bolus Armenus and Wheaten-bread coming hot out of the oven and dipt in red Wine and eaten Again Mastick pulverised and put into Almon-milk red Wine or Broath the weight of a drachm is good for such a Looseness especially as comes from indigestion adding a little Nutmeg or Galingal to it Oaken-leaves also or the Rinds of Pear-trees with a little Mace boiled in Wine and drunk cureth common Fluxes Again Bursa Pastoris Shepherds-Purse boiled in Steel-water with a little Coriander and drunk is also very good and so are Crafishes boiled in Vinegar and the scales beaten to powder taking a drachm of it mornings and evenings either in red Wine or in Broath wherein red-hot Steel hath been several times quenched Hawes also boiled and made into a thick Electuary and strained is beneficial if taken in the morning fasting and an hour or so before supper the quantity of a Walnut Besides take new Milk with its Cream on it quench therein divers times red-hot Pebble-stones so that the Milk may grow hot of it then mix with it two or three well-beaten Yolks of Eggs two ounces of Sugar melting in it an ounce and an halt of the Suet of a Deer or Stagg and about half an ounce of Album-graecum using it for a Clyster which cleanseth and healeth the Guts and allays the sharpness of the Blood and other corrosive humors that annoy the Bowels But take heed of not stopping too suddenly the Bloody Flux or any other Laske for if you do the annoyance will remain in the Body and cause Impostumes Difficulty of breathing and other dangerous Distempers Wherefore consult with thy strength and if that be considerable make not too much hast yet keep a bridle upon it so as to be able to stop it when there is need Mean time if it be without a Fever or heat you may do much with new Milk drinking it also mornings and evenings warm some red-hot Stones having been quenched therein and some Sugar mixed with it to prevent curdling in your Stomach This Medicine was known to the famous Grecian Physitians Aetius Alexander Trallianus and Galenus himself l. 10. de Simpl. Med. facult If you add a little Album-graecum to it 't will be the better I have my self done much good with thus prepared Milk but then there must be no Fever which if there be you 'l easily perceive it by a great thirst quick pulse hot hands and little sleep c. For Bloody Fluxes are not wont to be accompanied with shaking Fevers but only with hot fits which spend more of the Patients strength in an hour than shaking Agues in several days which is to be well heeded Eggs boiled hard in Vineger and given to the Patient that is troubled either with the Bloody or any other Flux it will be stopped The Roots of Tormentil or of Snake-weed pulverised and this powder drunk in a convenient vehicle the weight of a drachm is one of the most approved remedies against these Fluxes Tormentil-roots being very powerful not only to stop them but also to take away their carching malignity The Moss that grows on wild Rose-shrubs reduced to powder and taken in Wine wherein have been boiled the husks of Acorns is an approved remedy in this case Scrape red Lead or Rudle such as Carpenters mark their lines with put it into Wine or Broath wherein hath been boil'd the broader kind of Plantain and Tormentil-roots or take it in an Egg. Hares-blood dried and taken inwardly is also a tried Medicine in this Distemper Item open a new-laid Egg take out the white and fill it up with Nutmeg or the pulverised root of Tormentil or of Snake-weed and give it the Patient to eat or put into it some pulverised Blood-stone and it will do good I have used with good success the Seed of the broader Plantain grosly beaten and rosted in an Egg against the Flux and I know it also to have been beneficially used against the Bloody Flux Take of Mummy a little Mastic Bol Armeniac Sanguis Draconis mix them together and make a powder of them and take of it in a convenient liquor the weight of a drachm once or twice a day Take Rye-biscuit and boil it in water with Coriander and the roots of Tormentil or of Cranes-bill quench some Steel in it once or twice and give of it to the Patient to drink Make a Decoction of Shepherds-purse and Meadow-sweet in water and wine and now and then drink of it Burn live Crasishes in an earthen Pipkin well-closed until they be so burnt as to be reduced to powder of which give to the Patient mornings and evenings a thimble-full or two in a convenient liquor A dried Liver of a sucking Lamb or of any other such Animal is very good in this case provided such a Liver before 't is dried be boiled in Vineger Let the Patient take a drachm of it twice a day Also the Blood of a Lamb or of a Hind both dried will have here a good effect Take a Pigeon Wood-cock or Partridge and having drawn any of them fill them with Mastic and a little Nutmeg and so rost them on a spit and whilst they are rosting baste them with red wine and so let them rost till they grow so hard as will make them pulverable then reduce them or any of them to powder and take a spoonful of it at a time in warm broath The highest Experiment in this case is Crocus Martis taken in the Juyce of
drink a good draught of Wormwood-wine Juniper-berry-wine Rosemary Sage or Zedoar-wine which may keep thee from many dangers But remember not to drink more of it than will chear thee up and revive thy Spirits At least drink a little Wine with Camphir and Vinegar kindling the Camphir and letting it burn in the Wine so as to let it sink into it for if it burn on the top it will there remain swimming And if the Wine be skinned over with it kindle it again till it be quite burnt out Take of Camphir for one draught the quantity of a pease but if thou be subject to the Head-ach then Camphir will not agree with thee In case that any come to be infected he is forthwith to be separated from the sound and to be laid to bed so as his head and shoulders may lye somewhat high by which means he will be less subject to faintness Then let him presently take some sudorifick Medicine to make him sweat for if the poyson be not speedily driven from the heart the Patient is lost You are also to take great care that this Distemper prevail not and to endeavour to discover it before the Patient be quite disabled For as soon as any begins to droop grows melancholy faint and feeble in his limbs so as that he is hardly able to hold up his head drawing his breath with difficulty letting his head fall to and fro losing his stomach growing yellowish about his eyes with the apples of his eyes standing out finding head-ach interrupted heats and colds as soon I say as these symptoms appear in times of the Plague Spotted Feavers Hungarian Disease c. you may then look to it by times forasmuch as such Patients that are already infected go often about until the sixth or eighth day as I have known my self until the lurking poyson of the heart has got the prevalency and then the poor Patient is quite cast down and often dyes in very few days and even in a few hours Wherefore thou art not to stay till the swellings and boils appear behind the ears under the arms c. or till the Carbuncles Bubo's and the like break out but thou art immediately to make use of the best Medicines thou canst be Master of to drive out the poyson if thou wilt save thy life I never found any thing that was considerable done in the Plague by means of Purging and Bleeding but rather on the contrary all those that had Spots if they were purged or let blood soon after died However I will prescribe nothing magisterially to any man let every one endeavour to do what he can give a good account of I have together with my Collegues treated many hundreds in our Hospitals infected with the Plague without ever opening a vein and yet we have by Gods blessing recovered near 600 persons besides those that by the same mercy we have cured in their several Houses Now to procure sweat in the very beginning take the quantity of two hasel-nuts of Treacle dissolve it in common Vinegar but if thou canst have a cordial Acetum made of Rosemary Lavender Elder-blossoms Rue Roses or Elder-berries use it much rather and give it the Patient to sweat Or take the roots of Celondine boyl them in Vinegar and dissolve some Treacle in it Or take Carduus benedictus Rue Petasites or Butter-burr a little Angelica Zedoaria or Saxifrage-roots boyl them together in half White-wine and half Vinegar or only Water dissolve a little Treacle or Mithridate in it and let the Patient take it warm to make him sweat Mithridate hath the like virtue with Treacle yet neither of them are safe to take for Women with Child old Persons and young Children You may also make use to good purpose of the Saxon-powder taking of it the weight of a Ducat in Carduus benedictus Scabius or sorrel-Sorrel-water which Powder is thus to be prepared Take Valerian half an ounce Celondine or Nettel-roots of each one ounce Polypody Althaea or March-mallow wild Angelica of each two ounces of garden Angelica four ounces of the rind of Laurcola or Lowry an ounce and an half These roots are to be dug up in their best strength viz. between the middle of August and the middle of September and being cleansed they are to be cut small and then put in a glazed pot pouring a sharp Vinegar upon it so as to cover it two inches high Then lute on the cover with a lute made of whites of Eggs and Flower let all be boiled upon a gentle fire then pour off the liquor and dry the roots and reduce them to powder mixing with it some 26 berries of Herbe Paris or One-Berrie which look like Pepper-corns very good against poison and thus the powder is made This herb grows in shadowed and moderately moist places I have found of it several times in Koshinger-wood near Ingolstad It hath four leaves on one stalk and one berry on the top An herb belonging to the family of Solanum's or Night-shades whence the leaves of it do very much cool Inflammations especially those of the Eyes when laid upon them Take notice of Sorrel bruise some of it and pour Vinegar on 't the Rue-acetum is the best and strain the juice through a cloth put into it a little powder of Angelica about the weight of half a Ducat or of the root of Dictam or of Butter-burr or a little Treacle or Mithridate and give it to sweat On this occasion of mentioning Dictam I must add that in our Countrey there grows only the white Dictam which is among others an excellent Antidote but you must take of it the double quantity and weight to that of Creta You may boil of the root of half an ounce in half White-wine and half Vinegar or instead of the Wine in Carduus-benedictus water and drink of the Decoction warm and put your self to sweat or take of the powder of it a drachm and an half in warm broth with a little Vinegar for the same purpose The Dictam of Creta hath hairy leaves and purpureous blossoms and is used in the preparation of Treacle This herb by its odour drives away Serpents The wild Goats being hurt by any Arrows eat this herb and 't is said that by this means the Arrows fall out of the wound This perhaps hath no other ground than that of the Poet Virgil affirming that Venus with this herb healed her Son Aeneas when wounded in the War His words are Aeneid 12. Hîc Venus indigno nati concussa dolore Dictamnum genitrix Cretaea carpit ab Ida Puberibus caulem foliis flore comantem Purpureo non illa feris incognita Capris Gramina cùm tergo volucres haesêre sagittae About this time came in the Hungarian Infection which was a Disease that bred such a putrefaction in the bodies of Men that even when they were near death they fell a vomiting but that with such a stench that no body could endure it Here those
the broader kind of Plantain or in a Pulse of red Beans or Rice-broath the dose is half a dram But when the pain is very great you may then add to it some opiat Medicine as of the Trochisques de Garabe or one onely grain of Laudanum Opiatum And give the Patient now and then a little new-made Treacle or mix with it a few grains of the Confection of Archigenes for of such Medicaments a Field-Apotheque is not wont to be destitute For the Patients ordinary drink boil water and in it Coriander dried Sloes dried slices of Quinces burnt Hartshorn Mastic Nutmeg or any one of these putting to it some of the roots of Snake-weed Tormentil or such like adstringent roots Of this water the Patient may drink according as his necessity shall require The red Juyce of Quinces boiled up without Sugar is also much to be commended in this case for strengthening the bowels two or three spoonfuls of it being taken at a time and that twice a day In many places a drink is made of Sloes Pilosella or Mouse-ear and Juniper-berries infusing them all in common water and letting them ferment together This yields a pleasant acid drink allaying the violence of the Flux and quenching thirst withall The Rich may make Granat or Quince-wine But I have here undertaken to deliver such things as are parable and cheap for the poor common Souldier I am sorry that in the Field there is no conveniency of administring Clysters For though I prescribe none without great necessity yet Clysters being of great benefit in Diseases of the bowels they being to them like Plaisters I cannot but recommend in this Distemper Clysters of Milk wherein Pebble-stones have been several times quenched mixing a little of the melted suet of a Stag or Hind without any oyl or other fat I remember I had once a Patient of quality that had about an hundred stools within twenty four hours who by the use of such Clysters once or twice applied was fully restored The cause whereof is that the Milk washes the bowels and clears them of the sharp humors that annoy them moreover it is healing and repairing by reason of the Pebbles quenched therein The Sugar is abstersive and helps to clean the injured places The Far sticks to the parts annoyed to defend them from being further hurt by the subsequent humors which running down over it can find no stay there and consequently cause no more hurt to those parts Yet must you not put in any greasie Fat or any Oyl of Olives because they hinder healing and all Oyl except that of Linseed Poppies Hemp and Almonds is very sharp and you will find that if any drop of Oyl of Olives should chance to fall into your eye no Juyce of Orenges or Limons is so strong as to exceed the acrimony of that Oyl But of this Oyl more will be said in the next Chapter to which I therefore refer you If you would have your Clyster yet milder and more sanative you may beat a yolk or two of new-laid Eggs and mix them with it though I have contented my self with the Ingredients before mention'd and found great benefit thereby Else you may in this case use for a Clyster the Cremor hordei mixt with yolks of Eggs beaten in it which is also very good to wash out the bowels Here is no conveniency of making much use of Apothecary-shops else many things might be prescribed to lay upon the belly and the navil as also divers fermentations and stomachical unguents You may therefore content your self with those plain and easily parable means already deliver'd and be thankful to God for them But then you are also to think upon means to obviate Symptoms of this Distemper and particularly Drought which is wont very much to torment people in this Disease 'T is true Acid things do quench thirst but they cannot be used boldly and therefore you must use them with great discretion and wariness And as for sweet things they usually increase thirst and do easily corrupt and turn into gall Wherefore give to the Patient preserved Currans or if fresh ones be in season mix a quantity of them with Honey or Sugar and give him of it to eat upon white-Bread and Butter Or plump dried Black-cherries or dried Damascene-prunes in half Wine and half Water and let him hold and squeeze them in his mouth Or if you can mingle some Almond-milk with Chalybeat-water and let him drink thereof and this is both meat and drink Or let him drink water wherein Coriander and roots of Tormentil have been boiled Or boil in water dried slices of Quinces roots of Bistorta or Snake-weed and burnt Harts-horn put into it a tosted crust of Rye-bread rubb'd with Nutmeg but let it not lye in it above a quarter of an hour lest the water should thicken and become viscous Marmelat also of Quinces Black-cherries and Sloes is proper in this case giving the Patient a slice of it to hold upon his tongue and so to swallow it down Further you must learn how to remedy a Tenasmus which is more irksome to the Patient and occasions more trouble to the Physitian than the Bloody-flux it self since it night and day painfully provokes the poor Patient to go to stool and yet to no purpose For this I have used many remedies but found almost nothing more beneficial than Fomentations of this nature following Take Potentilla wild Tansie Silver-weed Knot-grass Mullein and Oak-leaves of each as much as you please put them into two linnen bags and let them boil in Smiths-water wherein much Iron hath been quenched Squeeze out these bags between two boards and let them be held alternately to the anus as hot as can be endured Black Pitch such as is found on Larch and Fir-trees put upon a heated fire-shovel and the fundament held over it is also a good remedy and so is Turpentine used after the same manner Again take a black well-burnt Brick out of the hearth heat it thoroughly and wet it with sharp Vinegar and wrap it about with a linnen cloth and let the Patient sit on it as hot as he can endure it This was the Experiment and Remedy of old Aetius but he reduced the Brick to powder and by boiling it in Vinegar reduced it to a pulse and so put it into a linnen rag and applied it to the fundament You may chuse which you please of the two Milk-Clysters such as above prescribed would also be good but that 't is not safe with Clyster-pipes to vex the anus which is already sore enough Yet you may give a Suppository of Deers-suet mixt with some Oyl of Mullein And the grey Diapompholox or the white Camphire-unguent or the like mixt with it would not be improper in this case If there be a Falling down of the fundament then let it often take in the fumes of the above-mention'd Herbs adding to them the beaten stalks of Sloe-shrubs and those of red Roses as
or the like and it will become a fine gray Salve curing such running Scabs as aforesaid and cooling also Inflammations If your Body be bound take Sage pulverised and mix it with grease and anoint your Navil with the quantity of a hasel-nut of it This I have with very good success advised to women in childbed that were thus bound and obstructed If you will have it stronger mix with it the Gall of a Fish or of any Animal whatsoever but then you must not give it to a woman in childbed Gromel by the Latins call'd Milium Solis pulverised and the weight of half a ducat of it taken in wine or broath provoketh urine yet must the belly be open'd first The same doth Linaria or Toad-flax boiled in wine or broath Likewise distilled water of Radishes repeating the distillation several times from other fresh Radishes Which will have the better effect if the Patient bath his lower parts in a bath made of Marsh-mallows Melilot and the like Gromel above-mention'd taken in warm broath expels the birth And so do the blossoms or buds of Walnut-trees Crabs-eyes also pulverised and taken in warm broath likewise Issop boiled in wine and drank warm This I have inserted for the sake of poor Souldiers-wives who amongst us often follow the Camp If they have any great After-pains let them bath their lower parts in a Bath made of Dill and Camomil-flowers And the yolks of hard Eggs beaten together with some convenient Oyl Nut-oyl is the best and a Plaister made of it and laid to the belly is also very good If they have too great a profusion of blood let them take a drachm of burnt Harts-horn and burnt Ivory in a convenient Vehicle In case of a mortal wound take of pure Turpentine four ounces wash it with fresh limpid water and then dissolve it over a mild fire which done mix with it two ounces or two ounces and an half of white Wax dissolved apart To this add about three ounces of Womans-milk which is sucked by a Boy The Turpentine and Wax being somewhat cooled together must be well stirr'd and then powred on cold Vineger whence when 't is brought to a consistence it is to be taken off and made into a Plaister and so laid on Horse-tail in Latin Equisetum heals the wounds in the urinary parts the powder of it being taken in broath or Speedwel-water or the Decoction thereof being drank Gummi Ammoniac is a good discutient of hard Tumors and Knobs Tacamahaca appeaseth pain proceeding from cold being laid on the part affected To make the pellets used to be put in wounds that are to be kept open which here in Germany we call Quell-maissel take a Spunge of the finest sort put it in Whites of Eggs well beaten and mixed with Rose-water to make the said Spunge imbibe this moisture Which done bind it close together with thred and let it well dry in the Air and so convey of it into the wound that is to be kept open where it will swell again and so distend the wound If you be troubled with the Gonorrhoea take House-leek growing on old walls call'd by the Latins Semper vivum minus put it into your shoes and go bare-foot upon it anoint your loyns and privy parts with Henbane-oyl and take mornings the quantity of two big hasel-nuts of well washed Turpentine for some days together avoiding all aromatic hard and salt meat An old Experimenter hath noted That whosoever shall wash his head twice a week with a Lixivium made of Juniper-ashes his sight shall never fail him but remain good to his end nor shall that person be troubled with any vermin upon his head nor with any head-ach nor suffer any change of his hair For my part I never tryed it but it being a very plain and safe thing I thought good here to insert it Against the biting of a Mad-dog lay Assa fatida with Garlick upon the bite it will draw out the venom To free your self from the Gravel make a Decoction of Ash-wood in wine and drink of it warm once or twice a day upon an empty stomach using withall good baths Vervin also the leaves and roots beaten together and drank is very good in this case If you have a strong breath proceeding from a foul stomach infuse Wormwood and Carduus benedictus together with some Citron-peels in wine and let them boil a little therein and then drink a good draught of it mornings Chew also and swallow sometimes a little Myrrh and take now and then three or four Aloes-pills I could add many other things if my leisure would permit These which I have set down you will take in good part and though I have not tryed them all my self yet you may rest assured that such as have not been experimented by my self have been tryed by my honoured Collegues and other honest persons and approv'd FINIS INDEX A. AIr what to be observed of it in the Campy 9. Preservatives against the corruption of the Air 21 c. Animals their blood of what efficacy 45. Antonies fire how to be allayed 140 141. B. BElly the cure of the Aches and Tumors and Gripings thereof 65 66. Beer new beer causes the Strangury 12. Blood how to cure casting up of blood 54. And the bleeding of the Nose ibid. Blood coagulated how to be helped 133 145. Boyls pestilential and their cure 92 seq Brick well burnt good against a Tenasmus 87. Brimstone a good Medicine in infectious cases 41. Bread wheaten-bred coming hot out of the oven and dipt in red wine very good against Fluxes 75. The same duely prepared good in pestilential Sores 94. Bones broken how to be order'd 131. Bran good for wrenching of Limbs 131. Burning how to be healed 137. C. CArbuncles pestilential and their cure 92. Carlina good against faintness 6. Chirurgions of an Army and their qualities 14. Cold Nights how to provide against 8. Corns of the Feet how to be cured 4. Cough and its cure 54. Crafishes burnt alive good against the Bloody-flux 80. Crafishes after a certain way prepared of great use for drawing out of the body thorns small-shot c. 135. The same fried in fresh butter allays burning 141. Crocus Martis a high Remedy against the Bloody-flux 81. Clysters and their use in the field 83. Chearfulness good in pestilential times 31. D. DAisie and its excellency 13. Diseases in an Army and their cure 18 c. Diet to be well observed in the Camp 20. Drinks how to provide in the field 7. The excess of it to be avoided 12. The danger of drinking whilst one is hot and the care to be taken in that case 12 13. Drinks in cold weather 25. Drawing out of thorns splinters c. how to be effected 135. 145. Dropsie and its cure 72. Drought how to be remedied 85. E. EGg-oyl good for Burnings 140. Elder-flowers good in the plague 24. 48. Elder-vineger good to apply to the Heart in the plague 48. Elder-roots
MEDICINA MILITARIS OR A BODY OF MILITARY MEDICINES Experimented BY Raymundus Mindererus Late Chief Physitian of the Electoral Court of Bavaria and of the Imperial City of Auspurg Englished out of High-Dutch LONDON Printed by William Godbid and are to be Sold by Moses Pitt at the Angel over against the Little North Door of St. Paul's Church 1674. A BODY OF MILITARY MEDICINES EXPERIMENTED CHAP. I. Concerning the Morals of a Souldier WHereas the Old Philosophers wished to every one MENTEM SANAM IN CORPORE SANO a Sound Mind in a Sound Body considering how much it conduced to the Health of the Body to have the Mind free from Vice and Vexation It will behoove a Souldier as much at least as any man to endeavour after that Soundness and Integrity of conscience which may inspire him with true Fortitude undisturbed from the troubles and anxieties accompanying Impiety and Injustice To this end he ought in the first place be constant in paying his Duties to Almighty God by serving Him in publick and private by imploring the Divine protection and blessing in all his Just undertakings and by returning his humble acknowledgments for every good success Next he ought to serve his Prince faithfully to the best of his skill and power to obey his Officers readily and to do to all others as he would be done to if he were in their condition CHAP. II. What care a Souldier is to take of his Body THe Mind being thus taken care of thou art to advise with a skilful Physician concerning thy Body whether it be not necessary to purge it the better to secure thy self from Agues and Fevers Then furnish thy self with some Mithridate or Treacle to use it against infection taking of it in the morning fasting against the ill Air the quantity of a hasel-nut Take also with thee a quantity of Zedoary Angelica Imperatoria or Masterwort and Carlina of which thou shalt do well now and then to eat some for the preservation of thy strength and against the corruption of the Air. But especially keep thy Head and Feet warm by the neglect of which thou maist cast thy self into great danger Take heed of surcharging thy stomach which is to prepare and to convey the nourishment for the whole body and restrain as much as thou canst thy appetite there being nothing more hurtful to health than when that is irregular and extravagant Gird thy self well that thy body may be close and so be secured from receiving mischief in leaping falling storming c. and thy bowels from being put out of their place Take also with thee out of the Apothecary's shop a powder called Pulvis solutivus de Tribus which is not dear Of this when thou needest purging take the weight of a ducat or a little more according to thy constitution in warm flesh-broath or the like early in the morning fasting so ordering the matter that that day thou maist keep thy self warm in thy quarter Fast two hours after the taking of it and then eat warm meat The same may be done with Pulvis Sena Montagnana and Pulvis solutivus de Tartaro If thou be troubled with Corns on thy feet apply to them every day fresh lard and continue this till by the fatness of the lard they grow soft and then they will fall off from the very roots without pain To free or secure thy self from Vermin take a good quantity of Worm-wood and the inner cuttings of horse-hoofs cut out by the Farriers when they shooe horses boyl these both together in half lye and half water and so put thy shirt into it and afterwards dry it in the Air without washing it out any other way and not a lowse will come into it This Experiment is found approved amongst the old German Souldiers and although there should be a lowse in thy shirt it would not stay there If thy feet be moist and sweaty which is very troublesome not only to thy self but to others also take the filings of Brass which are sometimes used for dust to dry moist writings with and put some of it into thy socks and walk upon it Refresh this every other or third day and thou shalt soon be freed of that inconvenience Nor be thou troubled that it makes as it will do thy feet look greenish for there is no hurt at all in that since you are not like to put them in your cap. Take also with thee some Stags or Bucks-grease to make use of in case thou shouldst be galled any where in riding or going on foot Anoint the part therewith at the fire-side and it will soon be healed To prevent Rust draw thy Sword through the fat of a Goose or Capon or grease thy Arms therewith Take care to have always about thee a hard crust of Rye-bread for if thou art dry and destitute of water wine or beer to quench thy thirst chew some of this dry crust and it will moisten thy mouth and considerably abate thy thirst The same may be done with a Leaden-bullet rolled to and fro in the mouth Lead being cooling It hath been prescribed above to take with thee the Herbs Imperatoria and Carlina Of this be mindful for if it should happen that thou shouldst be obliged to stand some hours in battail or in the field take a piece of it in thy mouth for hunger thirst and refreshment and thou shalt find it will keep thee a good while from faintness But woe to thy fellows if they want it for they will certainly faint unless thou be so kind as to give them a share in thy provision In the best Apothecary-shops may be found a root called Costus somewhat like Cinnamon which hath the same effect And if others should eat Onions others drink Brandy and I only hold in my mouth of this root the bigness of half a pea I should keep in breath a good while longer than they But take notice that this I speak of is not the common Costus which hitherto hath been sold for the true in common shops but that which comes to us from the Indies If thou art a Horse-man take a good quantity of Bay-salt a little Brimstone Clove and Ginger and mingle with it some of the powder of the two above-said herbs Imperatoria and Carlina and give it to thy Horse or in case of want of Provender let him have of it upon his bitt or give him some upon a slice of bread and it will make him strong and vigorous If thou art to ride in a German Saddle the two hind-knobs whereof are wont only to be stuffed out with straw or horse-hair get thee made two Tin-flaskes with good screws fitted for those places In one of them carry Brandy in the other Vinegar The Brandy will serve thee in cold nights and fresh mornings and 't will be good also for thy horse giving him a little of it upon bread The Vinegar will be of use to thee for the heat of the day washing
small pellets called by the Germans Quellmaisseln dipt in a Salve made for this purpose out of fresh Butter Yolks of Eggs and Turpentine well mixt together cold But it happens sometimes that such Bubo's by reason of the venomous matter do eat in or grow fistulous or make matter-baggs in which the matter settles In this case you must use the Unguentum fuscum Apostolicum or the Aegyptiacum Or make the following water to be squirted into such Sores namely of Celondine Scordium or Water-germander Carduus-benedictus Centory or the like Herbs together with Tormentil and Whitlow-grass all boiled in wine If the Sores be very ill you may boil with it some quick Brimstone and Myrrh and if need be mix with it a little fine Verdigrease Or take Honey four ounces and an half a quarter of an ounce of Aloes Epatica a drachm of Salt an ounce and a half of Scordium mix all well together and keep it for use and when you have occasion for any of it then dissolve it in wine and spirt it in Mean time enlarge the opening of the Boyls with the aforesaid pellets that so the matter may have vent enough and come away without any impediment The Unguent of Ulysses Aldrovandus is also very good for the clearing of such Sores and 't is made of Oyl of Roses the Juyce of broad Plantain sharp-pointed Dock Centory and Night-shade with a little Litharge burnt Lead and prepared Camphir Instead of the Juyce of Night-shade you may take that of Cumfry As for the Sores call'd Anthraces and those they call Carbuncles great care must be taken to break them soon and to heal them slowly that so the poisonous matter may all come away They ripen and break soonest by fatty but not hot Plaisters and Unguents especially such as are made of butter leaven yolks of Eggs and Honey or if you mix together Turpentine Unguentum Populeum or Rose-salve mixt with yolks of Eggs or the Unguentum Anodynum mixt with the Ointment of Hounds-tongue and laid on it It must be often refreshed because such hot Sores and Ulcers before they break do so draw waste and as 't were lick up those fatnesses that sometimes of the plaisters that have lain on them there remains nothing but the bare ragg The Emplastrum Basilicon or the common yellow drawing plaister is here the most useful You must also surround the Anthrax with good defensives for if it invade the neighbouring part never so little it will soon make a large halo or circle which will at length separate from the sound and fall away like an escarre For such defensives make use of Album Camphoratum or the Unguentum de Liquiritia known by our people under the name of Dr. Mindererus his Licorish-ointment Item the Unguentum de Lithargyro or the Unguentum Jovis prepared of fresh Butter with Thlaspiminus or Bowyers Mustard otherwise Narrow-leaved wild Cresses Cranes-bill Elder Poppy Vervain and some shaved Licorish Some take nothing but Vervain and the fresh leaves of Henbane beaten together and the Juyce strained and so used Of this Ointment you may make much with confidence for it will do you very good service in Inflammations especially in the case of the swelling of the groins Amongst the approved Medicines for this purpose may deservedly be reckoned the plaister made of Soot which is thus to be prepared Take of the finest Chimney-soot one ounce and a quarter of Leaven Turpentine and fresh Butter ana one ounce of Venetian Soap an ounce and a half two yolks of Eggs of Treacle and Mithridate ana a quarter of an ounce Beat all these together in a mortar and so reduce it to a paste and then use it plaister-wise When the Anthrax or the Carbuncle is broken you must then handle it very gently and discreetly using only the above described Egg-salve putting it into the opening and covering the Sore only with the common yellow drawing plaister or the plaister prepared of Oyl Wax and Rosin or Turpentine Let the matter work out well and when you are sure that 't is very clean and have a mind to consolidate it make only use of Triapharmâ—con iâ— vulgarly call'd the brown Diachylon you may besides put into it some of the Unguentum de Tutia and that of the Diapompholox and one of the plaisters of them upon it The Ulme-plaister also made of Oyl and Ceruse heals also very well But be very careful lest any of the matter remain lurking in the Ulcer If here and there any should be found yet remaining as often happens then make use of the Emplastrum Apostolorum But if you can prepare the Diapalma otherwise called Diacalcithros make use of that I am wont to call it the Fistula-plaister because it doth not easily suffer Fistula's to stink but keeps them clean and sweet Such a plaister is also that which is called Isis to be found in Galen and performing the same thing They are both to be found in the Augustan Dispensatory together with the way of preparing them Now what concerns Old Sores which many are troubled with in their Leggs especially because the humors of the body usually settle there you must above all things be careful to keep them clean and to that end wash them at least once a day with your own urine Or boil Carduus-benedictus Egrimony Plantain and roots of Tormentil in half small meath and half wine and wash the Ulcer with it as often as you dress it Among the common plaisters for such evils is the brawn Diachylum one of the best Else you may prepare this Ointment which follows Take the middle rind of Elder and St. Johns-wort boil them in oyl putting a little wine to it and so let it boil up till the wine be boiled away then take it off from the fire and let it cool this done stir a little Turpentine amongst it and a yolk or two of Eggs according as you make a greater or lesser quantity mixing with it a little Allum and Vitriol the white is the best stir all well together and apply it to the Ulcer and make a bandage and cover it as usually For a good Drawing-plaister take Rosin Bee-wax and Oyl-olive the quantity of the Rosin must be but the half of the Wax Let them melt together and stir amongst it some Tartar exquisitly powder'd Use not much of fatty things to such Ulcers I have had under my care such Ulcers that were to be healed with only dry things as with strewing in of Crocus Martis and the red Earth of Vitriol of which hereafter For this reason the antient Physitians and Chirurgions invented a dry Stone which they kept so secret that they called it Lapis Philosophorum which is easily made as followeth Take Allum Hungarian Vitriol of each one pound beat them to powder and mix them well together then put all into a glased earthen pot and pour upon it two quarts of water boil them together and stir them continually with a Spatula taking
off the scurn When 't is boiled in put to it an ounce of Bolus Armenus an ounce and a half of Ceruse a quarter of an ounce of Camphir all finely powder'd stirring it well about lastly put it to a quart of sharp Vineger and boil all together to a stony consistence which reduce to powder and of it strew a little into the Ulcer or let some of it dissolve in a convenient liquor and wash the Ulcer therewith or dip some linnen raggs in it and lay it over the place 'T is also prepared this way Take green and white Vitriol of each a drachm of Lapis calaminaris Ceruse Bol Armeniac of each two ounces and a half of Sal Armoniac an ounce Beat them all to powder put them in an earthen pot mingle and stir them together in Vineger to be a thick pulse then put your pot upon a hot charcoal-fire to let it grow red hot so as that the matter be reduced to a stony consistence of which dissolve about half an ounce in half a pint of water dip linnen raggs into it and put it twice a day upon the Ulcer 'T is also very good for purulent Breasts I was speaking above of Lavements These you may prepare of all sorts of Wound-herbs by boiling Consound Bugle Fluellin Ground-ivy Yarrow Snake-weed Avens Arsmare you may also against putrefaction and the settling of purulent matter mix sometimes a little Myrrh or Aloes Epatica Frankincense Mastick quick Brimstone Camphir Niter Allum Vitriol or the like Nor is it need to bind your self to this or that precisely but you may take such of them as you can get I have a peculiar Ulcer-salve which I call Unguentum Decameron being made of ten sorts of Juices Of these the principal is the Juice of Persicaria Arsmart to which are added the Juices of Groundsel Tobacco Yarrow sharp-pointed Dock Cranes-bill broad and pointed Plantain Centory St. Johns-wort and Celondine These Juices must be well strained and then kept for some days in glasses or glased vessels to settle and then very gently pour off the clear from the sediment Which done boil them with fresh butter and some good Licorish newly scraped as also some Tormentil and Cumfrey adding a little red Hounds-tongue salve and Oyl of Myrrh and Deer-suet Let all be boiled together till the cracking cease and the Juice be boiled in Then strain it through a linnen cloth and add to it some Venice-Turpentine Gum Elemi and a little Bees-wax both the latter melted each a part Of the Wax there needs no more than to bring the Salve to a due consistence Then is this Unguent prepared to which may be added a little refined Verdigrease which will make it perfect It is of great efficacy in foul wounds for both cleansing and healing as experience will shew A Chirurgion in meeting with Ulcers is to observe well the purulent matter that issues since he may from thence learn the condition of the evil whether it proceed from foul blood gall corrupt phlegm or adust melancholy If the evil grow worse and the humors of the body force their way copiously thorow then beware and withall exhort the Patient to purge or to sweat with taking some Sassafrass or the like The Sanies or matter that is thick white and well digested is the best but when there runs but a sharp water out of the Ulcer this is not good and is withall painful Which to obviate you must use Litharge Cerusse and the like putting also beaten Lead upon the place and cleansing the fistulat holes with Lead-oyl qualifying its sharpness with Oyl of Eggs. This Lead-oyl is made two ways the one out of Cerusse which is green the other out of Litharge which is yellow or reddish Both are prepared with Vineger Boil Celondine in wine and with this wine you may also cleanse the Ulcer with good effect Mix afterwards a drachm of Verdigrease with about four ounces of the Juyce of Ground-Ivy use it with wiecks or raggs dipt therein for the foul Ulcer-holes Burn Oyster-shells to powder and use it for old Ulcers that need cleansing which this powder will well perform by reason of the Salt that is in those shells You may sometimes have occasion also of the Mercurius praecipitatus or the Mercurius dulcis Cosmeticus If you can prepare this you have a good Remedy As for hard Knobs and Boyls they commonly owing their rise to the Venereal Disease are not so proper for this place However you may make a plaister against such Knobs of the phlegm of Althaea or Marsh-mallows Gummi Ammoniac Galbanum Turpentine Myrrh Missel-toe of the oak mixing a little Bee-wax therewith and some Oyl of Earth-worms If you will have it stronger mix with it Gumm Elemi Tacamahaca or Carana But this can only be compassed by the rich men the poor must be content with the Melilot-plaister mixt with Saffron and the Oyl of Mullain or Dill. You may also prepare for such Patients a Salve of Fox-oyl Dill-oyl Turpentine Man-grease and the like mixing therewith some Oyl of Earth-worms and the Oyl of Mullain-flowers Camomil and white Lillies CHAP. IX Of the Chirurgical means of staunching blood of Wound-balsoms and plaisters of Wound-drinks and remedies for Burnings THis is the most necessary Chapter of this whole Tract For although in every Camp yea in every Regiment and even in every Company there ought to be one or more Chirurgions yet because in a battle or the storming of a strong-hold there may be wounded a very great number of men who by reason of the multitude cannot all be dressed by the Chirurgions every common Souldier that is found and un-hurt is obliged to assist his fellow considering it may soon be his own case In the first place then refresh thy fellow that is wounded with wine cold water vineger or the like then place him in a right posture For if the wounds be in the head or about the breast you ought to lay him high with his head and shoulders that so the blood may sink down from the places wounded If his legg be hurt put it so that it may not hang downwards and thereby the afflux from the body be prevented which otherwise might cause a tumour If the wounds be in the middle of the body then place him so that if possible he may lye somewhat hollow with his back This done wash the wound very gently so as not to anger it with meer wine or even with pure common water only with a very little salt cast into it or with the Patients own urine and then dry it with lint of long-worn linnen without much stirring in the wound for fear of making the veins bleed again If any one do bleed so copiously that it is not easily stopp'd and the Patient is in danger then receive of his blood in an Iron pan and letting it run about therein hold it over the fire till it be dry and between your fingers friable to powder of which strew