as cannot eat without much labour exercise and hunger and who are no lovers of Break-fasts having evacuated their excrements before they goe from home must strengthen the heart with some Antidote against the virulency of the infection Amongst which Aqua Theriacalis or treacle-Treacle-water two ounces with the like quantity of Sacke is much commended being drunke and rubbing the nostrils mouth and eares with the same for the Treacle-water strengthens the heart expels poyson and is not onely good for a preservative but also to cure the disease it selfe For by sweat it drives forth the poyson contained within It should be made in Iune at which time all simple medicines by the vitall heat of the Sun are in their greatest efficacie The composition whereof is thus Take the roots of Gentian Cyperus Tormentill Diptam or Fraxinella Elecampaine of each one ounce the leaves of Mullet Cardâ—us Benedictus Divels-bit Burnet Scabious Sheepes Sorrell of each halfe a handfull of the tops of Rue a little quantity Mirtle Berries one ounce of red Rose leaves the flowers of Buglosse Borage and St. Johns wurt of each one ounce let them be all cleansed dryed and macerated for the space of twenty foure hours in one pound of white wine or Malmesey and of rose-Rose-water or Sorrell water then let them bee put in a vessell of glasse and adde thereto of Treacle and Mithridate of each foure ounces then distill them in Balneo Mariae and let the distilled water bee received in a glasse Viall and let there be added thereto of Saffron two drams of bole Armenick Terra Sigillata yellow Sanders shavings of Ivory and Harts-horne of each halfe an ounce then let the glasse be well stopped and set in the Sun for the space of eight or ten daies Let the prescribed quantity be taken every morning so oft as shall be needfull It may bee given without hurt to sucking children and to women great with child But that it may be the more pleasant it must bee strained through an Hippocras bag adding thereto some suger and cinamon Some thinke themselves sufficiently defended with a root of Elecampaine Zedoarie or Angelica rowled in their mouth or chawed betweene their teeth Others drinke every morning one dram of the root of Gentian brused being macerated for the space of one night in two ounces of white-wine Others take Worme-wood wine Others sup up in a rere egge one dram of Terra Sigillata or of Harts-horne with'a little Saffron and drinke two ounces of wine after it There be some that doe infuse bole Armenicke the roots of Gentian Tormentill Diptam the Berries of Juniper Cloves Mace Cinamon Saffron and such like in aqua vitae and strong white wine and so distill it in Balneo Mariae This Cordiall water that followeth is of great vertue Take of the roots of the long and round Aristolochia Tormentill Diptam of each three drams of Zedoarie two drams Lignum Aloes yellow Saunders of each one dram of the leaves of Scordium St. Johns wurt Sorrell Rue Sage of each halfe an ounce of Bay and Juniper berries of each three drams Citron seeds one dram Cloves Mace Nutmegs of each two drams of Mastick Olibanum bole Armenick Terra Sigillata shavings of Harts-horne and Ivory of each one ounce of Saffron on scruple of the conserves of Roses Buglosse flowers water-lillies and old Treacle of each one ounce of Camphire halfe a dram of aqua vitae halfe a pint of white wine two pints and a half make therof a distillation in Balneo Mariae The use of this distilled water is even as Treacle water is The Electuary following is very effectuall Take of the best Treacle three ounces Juniper berries and Carduus seeds of each one dram and a halfe of bole Armenicke prepared halfe an ounce of the powder of the Electuarie de Gemmis and Diamargariton frigidum the powder of Harts-horne and red Corall of each one dram mixe them with the syrupe of the rindes and juice of Pome-citrons as much as shall suffice and make thereof a liquid Electuary in the forme of an Opiate let them take every morning the quantity of a Filberd drinking after it two drams of the water of Scabious Cherryes Carduus Benedictus and of some such like cordiall things or of strong wine The following Opiate is also very profitable which also may be made into Tablets Take of the roots of Angelica Gentian Zedoarie Elecampaine of each two drams of Cytron and Sorrell seeds of each halfe a dramme of the dryed rindes of Cytrons Cinnamon Bay and Juniper berries and Saffron of each one scruple of conferve of Roses and Buglosse of each one ounce and fine hard Sugar as much as is sufficient make thereof Tablets of the weight of halfe a dram let him take one of them two houres before meate or make thereof an Opiate with equall parts of conserves of Buglosse and Mel Anthosatum and so adding all the rest dry and in powder Or take of the roots of Valerian Tormentill Diptam of the leaves of Rue of each halfe an ounce of Saffron Mace Nutmegs of each halfe a dram of bole Armenick prepared halfe an ounce of conserve of Roses and syrupe of Lemons as much as will bee sufficient to make thereof an Opiate liquid enough Or take of the roots of both the Aristolochia's of Gentian Tormentill Diptam of each one dram and an halfe of Ginger three drams of the leaves of Rue Sage Mints and Penny-royall of each two drams of Bay and Juniper berries Cytron seeds of each foure scruples of Mace Nutmegs Cloves Cinnamon of each two drams of Lignum aloes and yellow Saunders of each one dram of Male Frankincense i. Olibanum Masticke shavings of Harts-horne and Ivory of each two scruples of Saffron halfe a dram of bole Armenicke Terra Sigillata red Corall Pearle of each one dram of conserves of Roses Buglosse flowers water-lillyes and old Treacle of each one ounce of loafe sugar one pound and a quarter a little before the end of the making it up adde two drams of Confectio Alkermes and of Camphire dissolved in rose-Rose-water one scruple make thereof an Opiate according to Art the dose thereof is from halfe a dram to halfe a scruple Treacle and Mithridate faithfully compounded excell all Cordiall medicines adding for every halfe ounce of each of them one ounce and a halfe of conserves of Roses or of Buglosse or of Violets and three drams of bole Armenicke prepared Of these being mixed with stirring and incorporated together make a conserve It must be taken in the morning the quantity of a Filberd You must choose that Treacle that is not lesse than foure years old nor above twelve that which is some-what new is judged to be most meet for cholerick persons but that which is old for flegmatick and old men For at the beginning the strength of the Opium that enters into the composition thereof remaines in its full vertue for a
yeare but afterwards the more years old it waxeth the strength thereof is more abolished so that at length the whole composition becommeth very hot The confection of Alkermes is very effectuall both for a preservative against this disease and also for the cure The quantity of a Filberd of Rubarbe with one Clove chawed or rowled in the mouth is supposed to repell the comming of the pestilent Aire as also this composition following Take of preserved Citron and Orange pils of each one dram of conserve of Roses and of the roots of Buglosse of each three drammes of Citron seeds halfe an ounce of Annise seeds and Fennell seeds of each one dram of Angelica roots four scruples sugar of Roses as much as sufficeth Make a Confection and cover it with leaves of Gold and take a little of it out of a spoone before you goe abroad every morning Or take of Pine-Apple kernels and Fistick nuts infused for the space of sixe hours in the water of Scabious and Roses of each two ounces of Almonds blanched in the fore-named waters halfe a pound of preserved Citron and Orange pils of each one dram and a halfe of Angelica roots foure scruples make them according to art unto the forme of March-pane or of any other such like confection and hold a little piece thereof often in your mouth The Tablets following are most effectuall in such a ease Take of the roots of Diptam Tormentill Valerian Elecampaine Eringoes of each halfe a dram of bole Armenick Terra Sigillata of each one scruple of Camphire Cinnamon Sorrell seeds and Zedoarie of each one scruple of the Species of the Electuarie Diamargariton Frigidum two scruples of conserve of Roses Buglosse preserved Citron pils Mithridate Treacle of each one dram of fine sugar dissolved in Scabious and Carduus water as much as shall suffice Make thereof Tablets of the weight of a dram or half a dram take them in the morning before you eat The pils of Ruffus are accounted most effectuall preservatives so that Ruffus himselfe saith that he never knew any to be infected that used them the composition of them is thus Take of the best Aloes halfe a dram of Gumme Ammoniacum two drammes of Myrrhe two drams and an halfe of Masticke two drams of Saffron seven graines Put them all together and incorporate them with the juice of Citrons or the syrupe of Lemons and make thereof a masse and let it bee kept in leather Let the patient take the weight of half a dram every morning two or three hours before meat let him drinke the water of Sorrell after it which through its tartnesse and the thinnesse of its parts doth infringe the force and power of the malignity or putrefaction For experience hath taught us that Sorrell being eaten or chawed in the mouth doth make the pricking of Scorpions unhurtfull And for those ingredients which do enter into the composition of those pils Aloes doth cleanse and purge Myrrhe resists putrefaction Mastick strengthens Saffron exhilerates and makes lively the spirits that governe the body especially the vitall and animall Those pils that follow are also much approved Take of Aloes one ounce of Myrrhe halfe an ounce of Saffron one scruple of Agarick in Trochisces two drams of Rubarbe in powder one dram of Cinnamon two scruples of Masticke one dram and a half of Citron seeds twelve grains Powder them all as is requisite and make thereof a masse with the syrupe of Maiden-haire Let it be used as afore-said If the masse begin to waxe hard the pils that must presently be taken must be mollified with the syrupe of Lemons Take of washed Aloes two ounces of Saffron one dram of Myrrhe half an ounce of Ammoniacum dissolved in white wine one ounce of hony of Roses Zedoarie red Saunders of each one dram of bole Armenick prepared two drams of red Coral half an ounce of Camphire halfe a scruple make thereof pils according to Art But those that are subject or apt to the haemorrhoids ought not at all or very seldome to use those kindes of pils that doe receive much Aloes They say that King Mithridates affirmed by his own writing that whosoever took the quantity of an hasell Nut of the preservative following and dranke a little wine after it should be free from poyson that day Take two Wall-nuts those that be very dry two figs twenty leaves of Rue and three grains of salt beat them and incorporate them together and let them be used as is aforesaid This remedy is also said to be profitable for those that are bitten or stâ—ng by some venemous beast and for this onely because it hath Rue in the composition thereof But you must forbid women that are with child the use of this medicine for Rue is hot and dry in the third degree and therefore it is said to purge the womb and provoke the flowers whereby the nourishment is drawne away from the child Of such variety of medicines every one may make choice of that that is most agreeable to his taste and as much thereof as shall be sufficient CHAP. VIII Of locall medicines to be applied outwardly THose medicines that have proper and excellent vertues against the pestilence are not to bee neglected to bee applied outwardly or carried in the hand And such are all aromaticall astringent or spirituous things which therfore are endued with vertue to repell the venemous and pestiferous aire from comming and entring into the body and to strengthen the heart and the braine Of this kind are Rue Balm Rosemary Scordium Sage Worme-wood Cloves Nutmegs Saffron the roots of Angelica and Lovage and such like which must bee macerated one night in sharpe Vinegar and Aquavitae and then tyed in a knot as bigge as an egge or rather let it be carried in a sponge made wet or soaked in the said infusion For there is nothing that doth sooner and better hold the spirituous vertue and strength of aromaticke things than a sponge Wherefore it is of principall use either to keep or hold sweet things to the nose or to apply Epithemes and Fomentations to the heart Those sweet things ought to be hot or cold as the season of the yeere and kinde of the pestilence is As for example in the Summer you ought to infuse and macerate Cinamon and Cloves beaten together with a little Saffron in equall parts of Vinegar of Roses and Rose water into which you must dippe a sponge which rowled in a faire linnen cloath you may carry in your hand and often smell to Take of Wormewood halfe a handfull ten Cloves of the roots of Gentian and Angelica of each two drammes of Vinegar and Rose water of each two ounces of Treacle and Mithridate of each one dramme beat and mixe them all well together and let a sponge be dipped therein and used as above-said They may also bee enclosed in boxes made of sweet wood as of Juniper Cedar or Cypresse and so
carried for the same purpose But there is nothing more easie to be carried than Pomanders the form of which is thus Take of yellow Saunders Mace Citron pills Rose and Mirtle leaves of each two drammes of Benzoin Ladanum Storax of each halfe a dramme of Cinamon and Saffron of each two Scruples of Camphire and Amber Greece of each one scruple of Muske three graines Make thereof a Pomander with Rose water with the infusion of Tragacanth Or take red Rose leaves the flowers of Water-lillies and Violets of each one ounce of the three Saunders Coriander seeds Citron pills of each halfe an ounce of Camphire one dramme let them all bee made into pouder and with Water of Roses and Tragacanth make a pomander In the winter it is to be made thus take of Storax Benzoin of each one dram and a half of Musk half a Scruple of Cloves Lavander and Cyperus of each two drams of the root of Orris i. Flower-de-Luce and Calamus aromaticus of each two drams and a half of Amber Greece three drams of gum Tragacanth dissolved in Rose water Aquavitae as much as shall suffice make thereof a Pomander And for the same purpose you may also use to carry about with you sweet pouders made of Amber Greece Storax Orris Nutmegs Cinamon Mace Cloves Saffron Benzoine Muske Camphire Roses Violets Juncus odoratus Marjoram such like of which being mixed together Pouders may be compounded made Take of the rootes of Orris two drams of Cyperus Calamus Aromaticus red Roses of each halfe an ounce of Cloves halfe a dramme of Storax one dramme of Muske eight graines mixe them and make a pouder for a bagge or take the rootes of Orris two ounces red Rose leaves white Saunders Storax of each one ounce of Cyperus one dram of Calamus Aromaticus one ounce of Marjoram halfe an ounce of Cloves three drammes of Lavander halfe a dramme of Coriander seedes two drammes of good Muske halfe a scruple of Ladanum and Benzoin of each a dram of Nutmegs and Cinamon of each two drammes Make thereof a fine pouder and few it in a bag It will be very convenient also to apply to the region of the heart a bagge filled with yellow Saunders Mace Cloves Cinnamon Saffron and Treacle shaken together and incorporated and sprinckled over with strong vinegar and Rose water in Summer and with strong wine and Muskedine in the Winter These sweet Aromaticke things that are so full of spirits smelling sweetly and strongly have admirable vertues to strengthen the principall parts of the body and to stirre up the expulsive faculty to expell the poyson Contrarie-wise those that are stinking and unsavory procure a desire to vomit and dissolution of the powers by which it is manifest how foolish and absurd their perswasion is that counsaile such as are in a pestilent constitution of the aire to receive and take in the stinking and unsavoury vapours of sinkes and privies and that especially in the morning But it will not suffice to carry those preservatives alone without the use of any other thing but it will be also very profitable to wash all the whole body in Vinegar of the decoction of Juniper Bay berries the roots of Gentian Marigolds S. Johns Wort and such like with Treacle or Mithridate also dissolved in it For vinegar is an enemy to all poysons in general whether they be hot or cold for it resisteth hindereth putrefaction because it is cold dry therfore in this inanimate bodies as flesh Herbes fruits and many other such like things may be kept a long time without putrefaction Neither is it to be feared that it should obstruct the pores by reason of its coldnesse if the body be bathed in it for it is of subtle parts and the spices boyled in it have vertue to open Whosoever accounteth it hurtfull to wash his whole body therewith let him wash onely his arme-holes the region of his heart his temples groines parts of generation as having great and marvellous sympathy with the principall and noble parts If any mislike bathing let him annoint himself with the following unguent Take oyle of Roses four ounces oyle of Spike two ounces of the pouder of Cinamon and Cloves of each one ounce and a halfe of Benzoin halfe an ounce of Muske sixe graines of Treacle halfe a dramme of Venice Turpentine one dramme and a halfe of Waxe as much as shall suffice make thereof a soft unguent You may also drop a few drops of oile of Mastick of Sage or of Cloves and such like into the eares with a little Civet or Muske CHAP. IX Of other things to be observed for prevention in feare of the Plague VENERY is chiefly to be eschewed for by it the powers are debilitated the spirits dissipated and the breathing places of the body diminished and lastly all the strength of nature weakened A sedentary life is to be shunned as also excesse in diet for hence proceeds obstruction the corruption of the juices and preparation of the body to putrefaction and the pestilence Women must be very carefull that they have their courses duely for stopping besides the custome they easily acquire corruption and draw by contagion the rest of the humours into their society Such as have fistulous or otherwise old ulcers must not heale them up in a pestilent season for it is then more convenient rather to make new ones and these in convenient and declining places that as by these channels the sinke of the humors of the body may be emptied The Haemorrhoids bleedings other the like accustomed evacuations must not be stopped unlesse they exceed measure Moreover they must at such times take heed that they touch or handle not any of these things wherein the seedes or fuell of the pestilence may lye hid such as are hempe flaxe quilts and coverings wherein such as have had the plague have laid skins and all leathern things hangings and cloaths You must dwell farre from church-yards especially from those wherein the corps of such as have died of the plague are not buried deep in the ground as in the church of the Innocents in Paris in which place by the same reason it sundry times happens that the buried bodies are plucked up rent and torne by dogs Also let them dwell farre from places of execution shambles of flesh and fish from tanne-houses diers tallow-chandlers cloth-dressers farriers skinners and from the places wherein metals are cast or wrought The filth and dung especially of Swine Privies standing and muddy waters and lastly all things of the like evill smell must be farre remote from your habitation the belly must not bee emptied into those places into which the excrements of such as have the plague are cast The company of such as usually visite those sicke of the plague must be eschewed as of Physitians Apothecaries Surgeons Nurse-Keepers Grave-makers and Bearers For though they have not the plague
doe stirreup the appetite resist the venemous quality and putrefaction of the humours restraine the heat of the Feaver and prohibit the corruption of the meates in the stomacke Although that those that have a more weake stomacke and are endued with a more exact sense and are subject to the Cough and diseases of the Lungs must not use these unlesse they be mixed with Sugar and Cynamon If the patient at any time be fed with sodden meats let the brothes be made with Lettuce Purslaine Succory Borage Sorrell Hops Buglosse Cresses Burnet Marigolds Chervill the cooling Seeds french Barly and Oatmeale with a little Saffron for Saffron doth engender many spirits and resisteth poyson To these opening roots may be added for to avoid obstruction yet much broath must be refused by reason of moisture The fruit of Capers eaten in the beginning of the Meale provoke the appetite and prohibit obstructions but they ought not to bee seasoned with over-much Oyle and Salt they may also with good successe bee put into Broaths Fishes are altogether to be avoyded because they soon corrupt in the Stomack but if the patient be delighted with them those that live in stony places must be chosen that is to say those that live in pure and sandy water about rocks and stones as are Trouts Pikes Pearches Gudgions and Cravises boyled in milk Wilks and such like And concerning Sea-fish he may be fed with Giltheads Gurnarts with all the kinds of Cod-fish Whitings not seasoned with salt and Turbuts Egges potched and eaten with the juice of Sorrell are very good Likewise Barly water seasoned with the graines of a tart Pomegranate and if the Feaver be vehement with the seeds of white Poppy Such Barly water is easie to be concocted and digested it cleanseth greatly and moistens and mollifieth the belly But in some it procures an appetite to vomit and paine of the head and those must abstaine from it But instead of barly water they may use pap and bread crummed in the decoction of a Capon For the second course let him have raisons of the Sunne newly sodden in Rose water with Sugar soure Damaske Prunes tart Cherries Pippins and Katharine Peares And in the latter end of the Meale Quinces roasted in the Embers Marmelate of Quinces and conserves of Buglosse or of Roses and such like may be taken or else this pouder following Take of Coriander seeds prepared two drams of Pearle Rose leaves shavings of Hatts-horne and Ivory of each halfe a dram of Amber two scruples of Cinamon one scruple of Unicornes horne and the bone in a Stagges heart of each half a scruple of Sugar of Roses foure ounces Make thereof a pouder and use it after meats If the patient be somewhat weake he must be fed with Gelly made of the flesh of a Capon and Veale sodden together in the water of Sorrell Carduus benedictus with a little quantity of Rose vinegar Cynamon Sugar and other such like as the present necessity shall seeme to require In the night season for all events and mischances the patient must have ready prepared broath of meats of good digestion with a little of the juice of Citrons or Pomegranates This restaurative that followeth may serve for all Take of the conserve of Buglosse Borage Violets Water-lillies and Succory of each two ounces of the pouder of the Electuary Diamargaritum Frigidum of the Trochisces of Camphire of each three drams of Citron seeds Carduus seeds Sorrell seeds the rootes of Diptamnus Tormentill of each two drammes of the broath of a young Capon made with Lettuce Purslaine Buglosse and Borage boiled in it sixe pints put them in a Lembecke of glasse with the flesh of two Pullets of so many Partridges and with fifteene leaves of pure gold make thereof a destillation over a soft fire Then take of the distilled liquor half a pint straine it through a woollen bagge with two ounces of white Sugar and halfe a dram of Cynamon let the patient use this when he is thirstie Or else put the flesh of one old Capon and of a legge of Veale two minced Partridges and two drammes of whole Cinamon without any liquor in a lembâ—â—ke of glasse well luted and covered and so let them boile in Balneo Mariae unto the perfect concoction For so the fleshes will bee boiled in their owne juice without any hurt of the fire then let the juice bee pressed out therehence with a presse give the patient for every dose one ounce of the juice with some cordiall waters some Trisantalum and Diamargaritum frigidum The preserves of sweet fruits are to bee avoided because that sweet things turne into choler but the confection of tart prunes Cherries and such like may bee fitly used But because there is no kinde of sickenesse that so weakens the strength as the plague it is alwaies necessary but yet sparingly and often to feed the patient still having respect unto his custome age the region and the time for through emptinesse there is great danger lest that the venemous matter that is driven out to the superficiall parts of the body should be called backe into the inward parts by an hungrie stomacke and the stomacke it selfe should beefilled with cholericke hot thin and sharp excrementall humours whereof commeth biting of the stomack and gripings in the guts CHAP. XXI What drinke the Patient infected ought to use IF the feaver be great and burning the patient must abstain from wine unlesse that he be subject to swouning and he may drinke the Oxymel following in stread thereof Take of faire water three quarts wherein boyle foure ounces of hony untill the third part bee consumed scumming it continually then strain it and put it into a cleane vessell and adde thereto four ounces of vinegar and as much cinamon as will suffice to give it a tast Or else a sugred water as followeth Take two quarts of faire water of hard sugar sixe ounces of cinamon two ounces strain it through a woollen bagge or cloth without any boiling and when the patient will use it put thereto a little of the juice of Citrons The syrupe of the juice of Citrons excelleth amongst all others that are used against the pestilence The use of the Julep following is also very wholsome Take of the juice of Sorrell well clarified halfe a pint of the juice of Lettuce so clarified foure ounces of the best hard sugar one pound boile them together to a perfection let them bee strained and clarified adding a little before the end a little vinegar let it be used betweene meales with boyled water or with equall portions of the water of Sorrell Lettuce Scabious and Buglosse or take of this former described Julep strained and clarified foure ounces let it be mixed with one pound of the forenamed cordiall waters and boile them together a little And when they are taken from the fire put thereto of yellow Sanders one dram of beaten Cinamon halfe a
Clisters and with opening the Cephalicke veine in the arme the arteries of the temples must be opened taking so much bloud out of them as the greatnesse of the Symptomes and the strength of the patient shall require and permit Truly the incision that is made in opening of an arterie will close and joyne together as readily and with as little difficulty as the incision of a veine And of such an incision of an artery commeth present helpe by reason that the tensive and sharpe vapours do plentifully breath out together with the arterious bloud It were also very good to provoke a fluxe of bloud at the nose if nature be apt to exoneâ—ate herselfe that way For as Hippocrates saith when the head is grieved or generally aketh if matter water or bloud flow out at the nostrils mouth or eares it presently cures the disease Such bleeding is to be provoked by strong blowing or striving to cleanse the nose by scratching or picking of the inner sides of the nostrils by pricking with an horse haire and long holding downe of the head The Lord of Fontains a Knight of the Order when we were at Bayon had a bleeding at the nose which came naturally for the space of two dayes and thereby hee was freed of a pestilent Feaver which he had before a great sweat rising therewithall and shortly after his Carbuncles came to suppuration and by Gods grace he recovered his health being under my cure If the bloud doe flow out and cannot be stopped when it ought the hands armes and legges must be tyed with bands and sponges wet in Oxycrate must be put under the arme-holes cupping-glasses must be applyed unto the dugges the region of the liver and spleen and you must put into the nostrils the doune of the willow tree or any other astringent medicine incorporated with the haires pluckt from the flanke belly or throat of a Hare bole Armenicke Terra Sigillata the juice of Plantain and Knot-grasse mixed together and furthermore the patient must be placed or laied in a coole place But if the pain bee nothing mitigated not withstanding all these fluxes of bloud we must come to medicines that procure sleep whose formes are these Take of green Lettuce one handfull flowers of water Lillies and Violets of each two pugils one head of white Poppy bruised of the foure cold seeds of each two drams of Liquorice and Raisons of each one dram make thereof a decoction and in the straining dissolve one ounce and an halfe of Diacodion make thereof a large potion to be given when they goe to rest Also a Barly-creame may be prepared in the water of water-Lillies and of Sorrell of each two ounces adding thereto sixe or eight graines of Opium of the foure cold seeds and of white Poppy seeds of each halfe an ounce and let the same be boyled in broths with Lettuce and Purslaine also the Pils de Cynoglosso id est Hounds tongue may be given Clisters that provoke sleep must be used which may be thus prepared Take of Barly-water halfe a pinte oyle of Violets and water-Lillies of each two ounces of the water of Plantaine and Purslaine or rather of their juices three ounces of Camphire seven graines and the whites of three egges make thereof a Clister The head must be fomented with Rose-vinegar the haire being first shaven away leaving a double cloth wet therein on the same and often renewed Sheepes lungs taken warme out of the bodies may be applyed to the head as long as they are warme Cupping-glasses with and without scarification may be applyed to the neck and shoulder-blades The armes and legs must be strongly bound being first wel rubbed to divert the sharpe vapours and humours from the head Frontals may also bee made on this manner Take of the oyle of Roses and water-Lillies of each two ounces of the oyle of Poppy halfe an ounce of Opium one dram of Rose-vinegar one ounce of Camphire halfe a dram mixe them together Also Nodules may bee made of the flowers of Poppies Henbane water-Lillies Mandrakes beaten in rose-Rose-water with a little Vinegar and a little Camphire and let them be often applyed to the nostrils for this purpose Cataplasmes also may be laid to the forehead As Take of the mucilage of the seeds of Psilium id est Flea-wort and Quince seeds extracted in rose-Rose-water three ounces of Barly-meale foure ounces of the powder of Rose-leaves the flowers of water-Lillies and Violets of each halfe an ounce of the seeds of Poppies and Purslaine of each two ounces of the water and vinegar of Roses of each three ounces make thereof a Cataplasme and apply it warme unto the head Or take of the juice of Lettuce water-Lillies Henbane Purslaine of each half a pint of Rose-leaves in powder the seeds of Poppy of each halfe an ounce oyle of Roses three ounces of Vinegar two ounces of Barly-meale as much as shall suffice make thereof a Cataplasme in the forme of a liquid Pultis When the heate of the head is mitigated by these medicines and the inflammation of the braine asswaged wee must come unto digesting and resolving fomentations which may disperse the matter of the vapours But commonly in paine of the head they doe use to bind the forehead and hinder part of the head very strongly which in this case must bee avoyded CHAP. XXVII Of the heat of the Kidnies THe heat of the kidnies is tempered by anointing with unguent refrigerans Galen newly made adding therto the whites of egs wel beaten that so the ointment may keep moyst the longer let this liniment bee renewed every quarter of an houre wiping away the reliques of the old Or â„ž aq ros lb. ss sucti plant â„¥ iv alb ovorum iv olei rosacei nenuph. an â„¥ ii aceti ros â„¥ iii. misce ad usum When you have anointed the part lay thereon the leaves of water-Lillies or the like cold herbs then presently thereupon a double linnen cloth dipped in oxycrate wrung out againe and often changed the patient shall not lye upon a feather bed but on a quilt stuffed with the chaffe of oates or upon a matte with many doubled clothes or Chamelet spread thereon To the region of the heart may in the meane time bee applyed a refrigerating and alexiteriall medicine as this which followeth â„ž ung rosat â„¥ iii. olei nenupharini â„¥ ii aceti ros aquaerosar an â„¥ i. theriacae Ê’i croci Ê’ ss Of these melted and mixed together make a soft ointment which spred upon a scarlet cloth may be applyed to the region of the heart Or â„ž theriacae opt Ê’i ss succi citri acidi limonis an â„¥ ss coral rub sem rosar rub an Ê’ ss caphurae croci an gra iiii let them bee all mixed together and make an ointment or liniment At the head of the patient as he lies in his bed shall be set an Ewre or cocke with
potus Let him take it in the morning for foure or five dayes In steed hereof you may make a potion of one dramme of Sperma ceti dissolved in buglosse or some other of the waters formerly mentioned and halfe an ounce of syrupe of Maiden-haire if the disease yeeld not at all to these formerly prescribed medicines it will be good to give the patient for nine dayes three or foure houres before meate some of the following powder â„ž rhei torrefacti rad rub majoris centaurei gentianae aristolo rotundae an â„¥ ss give Ê’j heereof with syrupe of Venegar and Carduus water They say that the water of greene Walnuts distilled by an Alembicke is good to dissolve congealed and knotted blood Also you may use bathes made of the decoction of the rootes of Orris Elecampane Sorrell Fennell Marsh-mallowes Water-ferne or Osmund the waterman the greater Comfery the seeds of Faenugreeke the leaves of Sage Marjerome the floures of Camaemile Melilore and the like For a warme bath hath power to rarifie the skin to dissolved the clotted blood by cutting the tough mitigating the acride humors by calling them forth into the surface of the body and relaxing the passages thereof so that the rebellious qualities being orecome there ensues an easie evacuation of the matter by vomit or expectoration if it flote in the stomacke or be conteined in the chest but by stoole Vrine if it lye in the lower parts by sweates and transpiration if it lye next under the skin Wherefore bathes are good for those who have a Peripneumonia or inflammation of their Lunges or a Pleurisie according to the minde of Hippocrates if so be that they be used when the feaver begins to be asswaged for so they mitigate paine helpe forwards suppuration and hasten the spitting up of the purulent matter But we would not have the patient enter into the bath unlesse he have first used generall remedies as blood-letting and purging for otherwise there will be no small danger least the humors diffused by the heate of the bath cause a new defluxion into the parts affected Wherefore doe not thou by any meanes attempt to use this or the like remedy having not first had the advice of a Physition CHAP. III. How we must handle Contusions when they are joyned with a wound EVery great Contusion forthwith requires blood-letting or purging or both and these either for evacuation or revulsion For thus Hippocrates in a contusion of the Heele gives a vomitory potion the same day or else the next day after the heele is broken And then if the Contusion have a wound associating it the defluxion must be stayed at the beginning with an oyntment made of Bole Armenicke the whites of egges and oyle of roses and smyrtles with the pouders of red roses Allome and mastich At the second dressing apply a digestive made of the yoalke of an egge oyle of violets and Turpentine This folfowing Cataplasme shal be applyed to the neare parts to help forwards suppuration â„ž rad althae lilio an â„¥ iiij sol malv. violar senecionis an M. ss coquantur complete passentur per setaceum addendo butyrirecentis olei viol an â„¥ iij. farinae volatilis quant sufficit fiat cataplasma ad formam pultis liquidae Yet have a care in using of Cataplasmes that you do not too much exceede for too frequent and immoderate use of them makes wounds plegmonous sordide and putride Wherefore the wound after it is come to suppuration must be cleansed filled with flesh and cicatrized unlesse haply the contused flesh shall be very much torne so that the native heate forsake it for then it must be cut away But if there be any hope to agglutinate it let it be sowed and other things performed according to Art but the stitches must not be made so close together as when the wound is simple and without contusion for such wounds are easily inflamed and swell up which would occasion either the breaking of the thred or flesh or tearing of the skinne CHAP. IV. Of these Contusions which are without a wound IF the skinne being whole and not hurt as farre as can be discerned the flesh which lyes under it be contused and the blood poured forth under the skin make an Ecchymosis then the patient must be governed according to Art untill the maligne symptomes which commonly happen be no more to be feared Wherfore in the beginning draw blood on the opposite side both for evacuation and revulsion The contused part shall be scarified with equall scarifications then shall you apply cupping-glasses or hornes both for evacuation of the blood which causes the tumor and Tension in the part as also to ventilate and refrigerate the heate of the part least it turne into an Abscesse Neither must we in the meane while omit gentle purging of the belly The first topicke medicines ought to bee astrictives which must lye some short while upon the part that so the Veines and Arteries may be as it were straitned and closed up and so the defluxion hindred as also that the part it selfe may be strengthened This may be the forme of such a remedy â„ž Albumina everum nu iij. olei myrtini rosacei an â„¥ j. boli armeni sanguin dracon an â„¥ ss nucum cupress gallarum pul aluminis usti an Ê’ij incorporentur omnia addendo aceti parum fiat medicamentum Then you shall resolve it with a fomentation Cataplasme and discussing emplaisters CHAP. V. By what meanes the contused part may be freed from the feare and imminent danger of a Gangreene GReat Contusions are dangerous even for this cause for that a Gangreene and mortification sometimes followes them which Hippocrates teacheth to happen when as the affected part is growne very hard and liquide Wherefore when the part growes livide and blacke and the native colour thereof by reason of the affluxe of the concreate blood is almost extinct chiefely to ease the part of that burden cupping glasses and hornes shall be applyed to the part it selfe being first scarified with a Lancet or else the following Instrument termed a Scarificator which hath 18 little wheeles sharpe and cutting like a razour which may be straitened and slacked by the pins noted by D. and P. This instrument is to be commended for that it performes the operation quickly and gently for it makes 18 incisiones in the space that you make one with a Lancet or knife A Scarificator A. Shewes the cover B. The Boxe or Case Then shall you foment the part with strong Venegar wherein the roootes of radish or of Dragons Cuckow-pint Saelomons Seale Auripigmentum and the like have beene boyled for such acride things doe powerfully heat resolve and draw the concreate blood from the inner part of the body unto the skinne which by its setling in the part affected prohibits the entrance of the vitall spirits
for that the kidneyes seeing they are of a fleshy substance doe farre better ripen and digest the purulent matter than the bladder which is nervous and bloodlesse CHAP. LIII Of the signes of the ulcerated Bladder ULCERS are in the bottome of the bladder and the necke thereof The signes of an ulcer in the bladder are a deepe paine at the sharebones the great stinch of the matter flowing therefrom white and thin skins swimming up and downe in the water But when the ulcer possesseth the necke of the bladder the paine is more gentle neither doth it trouble before the patient come to make water but in the very making thereof and a little while after But it is common both to the one and the other that the yard is extended in making of water to wit by reason of the paine caused by the urine fretting of the ulcerated part in the passage by neither is the matter seen mixed with the urine as is usuall in an ulcer of the upper parts because it is powred forth not together with the urine but after it CHAP. LIV. Prognosticks of the ulcerated Reines and Bladder ULCERS of the kidneies are more easily and readily healed than those of the bladder for fleshy parts more speedily heale and knit than bloodlesse and nervous parts Ulcers which are in the bottom of the bladder are uncurable or certainely most difficult to heale for besides that they are in a bloodlesse part they are daily vellicated and exasperated by the continuall affluxe of the contained urine for all the urine is never evacuated now that which remaines after making water becomes more acride by the distemper and heat of the part for that the bladder is alwaies gathered about it dilated straitned according to the quantity of the conteined urine therfore in the Ischuria that is the suppression or difficulty of making water you may somtimes see a quart of water made at once Those which have their legs fall away having an ulcer in their bladder are near their deaths Ulcers arising in these parts unlesse they be consolidated in a short time remaine uncureable CHAP. LV. What cure must be used in the suppression of the Urine IN curing the suppression of the urine the indication must be taken from the nature of the disease and cause thereof if it bee yet present or not But the diversity of the parts by which being hurt the Ischuria happens intimates the variety of medicines neither must we presently run to diuretickes and things breaking the stone which many Empericks doe For hence grievous and maligne symptomes often arise especially if this suppression proceed from an acride humour or blood pressed out by a bruise immoderate venery and all more vehement exercise a hot and acride potion as of Cantharides by too long abstaining from making water by a Phlegmon or ulcer of the urenary parts For thus the paine and inflammation are encreased whence followes a gangrene at length death Wherfore attempt nothing in this case without the advice of a Physitian no not when you must come to Surgery For â—iureticks can scarce have place in another case than when the urenary passages are obstructed by gravell or a grosse and viscide humour or else in some cold countrey or in the application of Narcoticks to the loines although we must not here use these before we have first made use of generall medicines now Diuretickes may be administred sundry waies as hereafter shall appeare â„ž agrimon urtic. parietar surculos rubros habentis an m. i. rad asparag mundat â„¥ iiii gran alkekengi nu xx sem malvae â„¥ ss rad acor â„¥ i. bulliant omnia simul in sex libris aquae dulcis ad tertias deinde coletur Let the patient take â„¥ iiii hereof with â„¥ i. of sugar candy and drinke it warme fasting in a morning three houres before meat Thirty or forty Ivie berries beaten in white wine and given the patient to drink some two houres before meate are good for the same purpose Also Ê’i of nettle seeds made into fine pouder and drunke in chicken broth is good for the same purpose A decoction also of Grummell Goats saxifrage pellitory of the wall white saxifrage the rootes of parsley asparagus acorus bruscus and orris drunke in the quantity of some three or foure ounces is profitable also for the same purpose Yet this following water is commended above the rest to provoke urine open the passages thereof from what cause soever the stoppage thereof proceed â„ž radic osmund regal cyp bismal gram petrosel foenic. an â„¥ ii raph crassior intaleol â„¥ iiii macerentur per noctem in aceto albo acerrimo bulliant postea in aquae fluvialis lb. x. saxifrag crist marin rub tinct milii solis summitat malvae bismal an p. ii berul cicer rub an p. i. sem melon citrul an â„¥ ii ss alkekengi gra xx glycyrhiz â„¥ i. bulliant omnia simul ad tertias in colatura infunde per noctem fol. sen oriental lb. ss fiat iterum parva ebullitio in expressione colata infunde cinam elect Ê’vi colentur iterum colatura injiciatur in alembicum vitreum postea tereb venet lucid lb ii aq vitae â„¥ vi agitentur omnia simul diligentissime Lutetur alembicum luto sapientiae fiat destillatio lento igne in balneo mariae Use it after the following manner â„ž aq stillatitiae prescriptae â„¥ ii aut iii. According to the operation which it shall performe let the patient take it foure houres before meat Also raddish water destilled in balneo mariae is given in the quantity of â„¥ iiii with sugar and that with good successe Bathes and semicupia or halfe bathes artificially made relaxe soften dilate and open all the body therefore the prescribed diuretickes mixed with halfe a dram of Treacle may be fitly given at the going forth of the bath These medicines following are judged fit to cleanse the ulcers of the kidneyes and bladder Syrupe of maiden haire of roses taken in the quantity of â„¥ i. with hydromel or barly water Asses or Goats milke are also much commended in this affect because they cleanse the ulcers by their ferous or whayish portion and agglutinate by their cheeselike They must bee taken warme from the dugge with honey of roses or a little salt lest they corrupt in the stomacke and that to the quantity of foure ounces drinking or eating nothing presently upon it The following Trochisces are also good for the same purpose â„ž quatuor sem frigid major seminis papaveris albi portulac plantag cydon myrtil gum tragacanth et arub pinear. glycyrrhi mund hordei mund mucag. psilii amygdal dulcium an â„¥ i. boli armen sanguin dracon spodii rosar mastich terra sigil myrrhae an â„¥ ii cum oxymelite conficiantur secundum artem trochisci Let the patient take Ê’ss dissolved in whay ptisan barly water and the like they may also be profitably dissolved
that the heat of the fire doth disperse and wast his spirits the Floor or ground of the chamber must bee sprinkled or watered with vinegar and water or strowed with the branches of vines made moist in cold water with the leaves and flowers of Water-lillyes or Poplar or such like In the fervent heat of summer hee must abstaine from Fumigations that doe smell too strongly because that by assaulting the head they encrease the paine If the patient could goe to that cost it were good to hang all the chamber where he lyeth and also the Bed with thicke or course linnen cloaths moistened in vinegar and water of Roses Those linnen cloaths ought not to be very white but somewhat browne because much and great whitenesse doth disperse the sight and by wasting the spirits doth encrease the paine of the head for which cause also the Chamber ought not to bee very lightsome Contrariwise on the night season there ought to bee fiers and perfumes made which by their moderate light may moderately call forth the spirits Sweet fiers may be made of little pieces of the wood of Juniper Broom Ash Tamarisk of the rinde of Oranges Lemmons Cloves Benzoin gum Arabick Orris roots Mirrhe grossely beaten together and layd on the burning coals put into a chafing dish Truely the breath or smoake of the wood or berries of Juniper is thought to drive serpents a great way from the place where it is burnt The vertue of the Ash-tree against venome is so great as Pliny testifieth that a serpent will not come under the shadow thereof no not in the morning nor evening when the shaddow of any thing is most great and long but she will runne from it I my selfe have proved that if a circle or compasse bee made with the boughes of an Ash-tree and a fier made in the midst thereof and a serpent put within the compasse of the boughs that the serpent will rather runne into the fire than through the Ash boughes There is also another meanes to correct the Aire You may sprinkle vinegar of the decoction of Rue Sage Rosemary Bay berries Juniper berries Cyperus nuts such like on stones or bricks made red hot and put in a pot or pan that all the whole chamber where the patient lyeth may be perfumed with the vapour thereof Also fumigations may bee made of some matter that is more grosse and clammy that by the force of the fire the fume may continue the longer as of Ladanum Myrrhe Masticke Rosine Turpentine Storax Olibanum Benzoin Bay berries Juniper berries Cloves Sage Rosemary and Marjoram stamped together and such like Those that are rich and wealthy may have Candles and Fumes made of waxe or Tallow mixed with some sweet things A sponge macerated in Vinegar of Roses and Water of the same and a little of the decoction of Cloves and of Camphire added thereto ought alwaies to be ready at the patients hand that by often smelling unto it the animall spirits may be recreated and strengthened The water following is very effectuall for this matter Take of Orris foure ounces of Zedoarie Spikenard of each sixe drammes of Storax Benzoin Cinamon Nutmegs Cloves of each one ounce and a halfe of old Treacle halfe an ounce bruise them into a grosse pouder and macerate them for the space of twelve houres in foure pound of white and strong wine then distill them in a Limbeck of glasse on hot ashes and in the distilled liquor wet a sponge and then let it be tyed in a linnen cloath or closed in a boxe and so often put unto the nostrills Or take of the vinegar and water of roses of each foure ounces of Camphire sixe graines of Treacle half a dram let them be dissolved together and put into a viall of glasse which the patient may often put unto his nose This Nodula following is more meet for this matter Take of Rose leaves two pugils of Orris halfe an ounce of Calamus Aromaticus Cynamon Cloves of each two drammes of Storax and Benzoin of each one dramme and a halfe of Cyperus halfe a dramme beat them into a grosse pouder make thereof a Nodula betweene two pieces of Cambricke or Lawne of the bignesse of an hand-ball then let it bee moistened in eight ounces of Rose water and two ounces of Rose vinegar and let the patient smell unto it often These things must be varied according to the time For in the Summer you must use neither Muske nor Civet nor such like hot things and moreover women that are subject to fits of the Mother and those that have Feavers or the head-ach ought not to use those things that are so strong smelling hot but you must make choice of things more gentle Therefore things that are made with a little Camphire and Cloves bruised and macerated together in Rose water vinegar of Roses shall be sufficient CHAP. XX. What Diet ought to be observed and first of the choice of Meat THe order of diet in a pestilent disease ought to bee cooling and drying not slender but somewhat full Because by this kinde of disease there commeth wasting of the spirits and exolution of the faculties which inferreth often swouning therefore that losse must be repaired as soone as may be with more quantity of meates that are of easie concoction and digestion Therfore I never saw any being infected with the pestilence that kept a slender diet that recovered his health but died and few that had a good stomacke and fed well dyed Sweet grosse moist and clammy meates and those which are altogether and exquisitely of subtle parts are to be avoyded for the sweet do easily take fire and are soone enflamed the moist will putrefie the grosse and clammy obstruct and therefore engender putrefaction those meats that are of subtle parts over-much attenuate the humours and enflame them and doe stirre up hot and sharp vapours into the braine whereof commeth a Feaver Therefore wee must eschew Garlike Onions Mustard salted and spiced Meats and all kind of Pulse must also be avoided because they engender grosse winds which are the authors of obstruction but the decoction of them is not alwayes to be refused because it is a provoker of urine Therefore let this bee their order of diet let their bread bee of Wheat or Barly well wrought well leavened and salted neither too new nor too stale let them bee fed with such meat as may be easily concocted and digested may engender much laudable juice and very little excrementall as are the flesh of Wether-lambs Kids Leverets Pullets Pattridges Pigeons Thrushes Larkes Quailes Blacke-Birds Turtle-Doves Moor-Hennes Pheasants and such like avoyding water-Fowles Let the Flesh be moistened in Ver-juice of unripe Grapes Vinegar or the juice of Lemmons Oranges Cytrons tart Pomegranates Barberries Goose-berries or red Currance or of garden wild sorrell for all these sowre things are very wholesome in this kinde of disease for they
from the beginning by his owne nature or which is not made pestilent Many begin the cure with bloud-letting some with purging and some with Antidotes We taking a consideration of the substance of that part that is assaulted first of all begin the cure with an Antidote because that by its specificke property it defends the heart from poyson as much as it is offended therewith Although there are also other Antidotes which preserve keep the heart the patient from the danger of Poyson and the Pestilence not onely because they doe infringe the power of the poyson in their whole substance but also because they drive and expell it out of all the body by sweat vomiting scowring and such other kinds of evacuations The Antidote must be given in such a quantity as may bee sufficient to overcome the poyson but because it is not good to use it in greater quantitie than needeth lest it should overthow our nature for whose preservation onely it is used therefore that which cannot bee taken together and at once must bee taken at severall times that some portion thereof may daily bee used so long untill all the accidents effects and impressions of the poyson be past and that there be nothing to be feared Some of those Antidotes consist of portions of venemous things being tempered together and mixed in an apt proportion with other medicines whose power is contrary to the venome as Treacle which hath for an ingredient the flesh of Vipers that it being therto mixed may serve as a guide to bring all the antidote unto the place where the venenate malignity hath made the chiefe impression because by the similitude of nature and sympathy one poyson is suddenly snatched and carryed unto another There are other absolute poisonous which neverthelesse are Antidotes one unto another as a Scorpion himselfe cureth the prick of a Scorpion But Treacle and Mithridate excell all other Antidotes for by strengthening the noblest part and the mansion of life they repaire and recreate the wasted Spirits and overcome the poyson not onely being taken inwardly but also applyed outwardly to the region of the heart Botches and Carbuncles for by an hidden property they draw the poysons unto them as Amber doth Chaffe and digest it when it is drawne and spoile and robbe it of all its deadly force as it is declared at large by Galen in his booke de Theriaca ad Pisonem by most true reasons and experiments But you will say that these things are hot and that the Plague is often accompanied with a burning Feaver But thereto I answer there is not so great danger in the Feaver as in the Pestilence although in the giving of Treacle I would not altogether seeme to neglect the Feaver but think it good to minister or apply it mixed with cordiall cooling medicines as with the Trochisces of Camphire syrupe of Lemons of water Lillies the water of Sorrell and such like And for the same cause wee ought not to choose old Treacle but that which is of a middle age as of one or two yeares old to those that are stong you may give halfe a dramme and to those that are more weake a dram The patient ought to walke presently after that hee hath taken Treacle Mithridate or any other Antidote but yet as moderately as hee can not like unto many which when they perceive themselves to bee infected doe not cease to course and run up and downe untill they have no strength to sustaine their bodies for so they dissolve nature so that it cannot suffice to overcome the contagion After moderate walking the patient must be put warm to bed and covered with many clothes warm brick-bats or tiles applyed to the soles of his feet or in stead thereof you may use swines bladders filled with hot water and apply them to the groines and arme-holes to provoke sweate for sweating in this disease is a most excellent remedy both for to evacuate the humours in the Feaver and also to drive forth the malignity in the Pestilence although every sweate brings not forth the fruit of health For George Agricola saith that hee saw a woman at Misnia in Germanie that did sweat so for the space of three dayes that the bloud came forth at her head and breast yet neverthelesse shee died This potion following will provoke sweate Take the roots of China shaved in thinne pieces one ounce and halfe of Guajacum two ounces of the barke of Tamariske one ounce of Angelica roots two drams of the shaving of Hats-horne one ounce of Juniper berries three drams put them into a viall of glasse that wil contain sixe quarts put thereto foure quarts of running or river water that is pure and cleare macerate them for the space of one whole night on the hot ashes and in the morning boile them all in Balneo Mariae untill the halfe bee consumed which will bee done in the space of sixe houres then let them be strained through a bagge and then strained againe but let that be with sixe ounces of sugar of Roses and a little Treacle let the patient take eight ounces or fewer of that liquor and it will provoke sweat The powder following is also very profitable Take of the leaves of Dictamnus the roots of Tormentill Betony of each halfe an ounce of bole Armenicke prepared one ounce of Terra Sigillata three drams of Aloes and Myrrhe of each halfe a dram of Saffron one dram of Masticke two drams powder them all according to art and give one dram thereof dissolved in rose-Rose-water or the water of wild sorrell and let the patient walke so soone as he hath taken that powder then let him be laid in his bed to sweat as I have shewed before The water following is greatly commended against poyson Take the roots of Gentian Cyperus of each three drams of Carduus benedictus Burnet of each one handfull of Sorrell seeds and Divels-bit of each two pugils of Ivie and Juniper berries of each halfe an ounce of the flowers of Buglosse Violets and red Roses of each two pugils powder them somewhat grossely then soake or steepe them for a night in white wine and Rose water then adde thereto of bole Armenick one ounce of Treacle halfe an ounce distill them all in Balneo Mariae and keepe the distilled liquor in a vial of glasse wel covered or close stopped for your use let the patient take sixe ounces thereof with Sugar and a little Cinamon Saffron then let him walk and then sweat as is aforesaid the Treacle and cordiall water formerly prescribed are very profitable for this purpose Also the water following is greatly commended Take of Sorrell sixe handfuls of Rue one handfull dry them macerate them in vinegar for the space of foure and twenty houres adding thereto foure ounces of Treacle make thereof a distillation in Balneo Mariae and let the distilled water bee kept
that are more weake halfe a dram It is better to give the infusion in a decoction than in substance for being elected and prepared truly into Trochises it may be called a most divine kinde of medicine Antimonium is highly praysed by the experience of many but because I know the use thereof is condemned by the councell and decree of the School of Physicians at Paris I will here cease to speake of it Those medicines that cause sweats are thought to excell all others when the Pestilence commeth of the venemous Ayre among whom the efficacy of that which followeth hath beene proved to the great good of many in that Pestilence which was lately throughout all Germany as Matthias Rodler Chancellor to Duke George the Count Palatine signified unto me by letters They doe take a bundle of Mugwort and of the ashes thereof after it is burnt they make a lye with foure pints of water then they doe set it over the fire and boyle it in a vessell of earth well leaded untill the liquor be consumed the earthy dregges falling unto the bottome like unto salt whereof they make Trochisces of the weight of a crowne of gold then they dissolve one or two of those Trochisces according to the strength of the patient in good Muskadine and give it the patient to drinke and let him walke after that hee hath drunke it for the space of halfe an houre then lay him in his bed and there sweat him two or three houres and then he will vomit and his belly will bee loosed as if hee had taken Antimony and so they were all for the most part cured especially all those that tooke that remedy betimes and before the disease went unto their heart as I my selfe have proved in some that were sicke at Paris with most happy successe Truely Mugwort is highly commended by the ancient Physicians being taken and applyed inwardly or outwardly against the bitings of venemous creatures so that it is not to be doubted but that it hath great vertue against the Pestilence I have heard it most certainly reported by Gilbertus Heroaldus Physician of Mompilier that eight ounces of the pickle of Anchoves drunke at one draught is a most certaine and approved remedie against the Pestilence as he and many other have often found by experience For the plague is no other thing but a very great putrefaction for the correction and amendment whereof there is nothing more apt or fit than this pickle or substance of the Anchoves being melted by the sun and force of the salt that is strawed thereon There be some which infuse one dramme of Walewort seede in white wine and affirme that it drunken will performe the like effect as Antimony Others dissolve a little weight of the seed of Rue being bruised in Muskadine with the quantity of a Beane of Treacle and so drinke it Others beate or bruise an handfull of the leaves or tops of Broome in halfe a pint of white wine and so give it to the patient to drinke to cause him to vomit loose his belly and make him to sweat Truly those that are wounded or bitte with venemous beasts if they bind broome above the wound it will prohibit or hinder the venome from dispersing it selfe or going any further therefore a drink made thereof will prohibit the venome from going any nearer the heart Some take of the roote of Elecampaine Gentian Tormentill Kermes berries and broom of the powder of Ivory and Harts-horne of each halfe a dram they doe bruise and beate all these and infuse them for the space of foure and twenty houres in white wine and Aqua vitae on the warm embers and then straine it and give the patient three or foure ounces thereof to drinke this provokes sweat and infringeth the power of the poyson and the potion following hath the same vertue Take good Mustard half an ounce of Treacle or Mithridate the weight of a Bean dissolve them in white wine and a little Aqua vitae and let the patient drinke it and sweat thereon with walking You may also roast a great Onion made hollow and filled with halfe a dram of Treacle and Vinegar under the embers and then straine it and mixe the juice that is pressed out of it with the water of Sorrell Carduus Benedictus or any other cordiall thing and with strong wine and give the patient to drinke thereof to provoke sweat and to repell the malignity Or else take as much Garlick as the quantity of a big Nut of Rue and Celandine of each twenty leaves bruise them all in white wine and a little Aqua vitae then straine it and give the patient thereof to drink There be some that doe drink the juice that is pressed out of Celandine and Mallowes with three ounces of Vinegar and halfe an ounce of the oyle of Wall-nuts and then by much walking doe unburthen their stomack and belly upwards and downewards and so are helped When the venemous ayre hath already crept into and infected the humors one dram of the dryed leaves of the Bay tree macerated for the space of two dayes in Vinegar and drunke is thought to bee a most soveraigne medicine to provoke sweat loosenesse of the belly and vomiting Mathiolus in his Treatise de Morbo Gallico writeth that the powder of Mercury ministred unto the patient with the juice of Carduus Benedictus or with the electuary de Gommis will drive away the Pestilence before it be confirmed in the body by provoking vomit looseness of the belly sweat one dram of Calchanthum or white Copperose dissolved in rose-Rose-water performeth the like effect in the same disease Some do give the patient a little quantity of the oyle of Scorpions with white wine to expel the poyson by vomit therewithall they anoint the region of the heart the breast and the wrests of the hands I think these very meet to be used often in bodies that are strong and wel exercised because weaker medicines do evacuate little or nothing at all but onely move the humours whereby commeth a Feaver When a sufficient quantity of the malignity is evacuated then you must minister things that may strengthen the belly and stomack and withhold the agitation or working of the humours and such is the confection of Alkermes CHAP. XXVI Of many Symptomes which happen together with the Plague and first of the paine of the head IF the malignity be carryed into the braine and nature be not able to expell it it inflames not onely it but also the membranes that cover it which inflammation doth one while hurt trouble or abolish the imagination another while the judgement and sometimes-the memory according to the situation of the inflammation whether it bee in the former hinder or middle part of the head but hereof commeth alwayes a Phrensie with fiery rednesse of the eyes and face and heavinesse and burning of the whole head If this will not be amended with
happen without the fault of any bowells and to such a patlent as will be governed by the Physition in his Diet infer no greater harme but free him from more grievous and long diseases as Melancholy the Falling sicknesse Convulsions Madnesse because the Melancholy humor the author of such diseases is expelled every fourth day by the force of the fit of the Quartaine A Quartane Feaver if there be no error committed commonly exceeds not a yeare for otherwise some Quartanes have beene found to last to the twelfth yeare according to the opinion of Auicen the Quartane beginning in Autumne is oft times ended in the following spring the Quartane which is caused by adust blood or choler or Salt flegme is more easily and sooner cured than that which proceeds from an adust Melancholy humor because the Melancholy humor terrestriall of its owne nature and harder to be discussed than any other humor is againe made by adustion the subtiller parts being dissolved and the grosser subsiding more stubborne grosse maligne and acride The cure is wholy absolved by two meanes that is by Diet and medicines The Diet ought to be prescribed contrary to the cause of the Feaver in the use of the sixe things not naturall as much as lyes in our power Wherfore the Patient shall eschew Swines flesh flatulent viscide and glutinous meats fenny fowles salt meats and Venison and all things of hard digestion The use of white wine indifferent hot and thin is convenient to attenuate and incide the grosse humor and to move urine and sweat yea verily at the beginning of the fit a draught of such wine will cause vomiting which is athing of so great moment that by this one remedy many have been cured Yet if we may take occasion and opportunity to provoke vomit there is no time thought fitter for that purpose than presently after meate for then it is the sooner provoked the sibers of the Stomach being humected relaxed and the stomach is sooner turned to vomiting whereupon followes a more plentifull happy and casie evacuation of the Flegmatique and Cholericke humor and lesse trouble some to nature and of all the crudities with which the mouth of the ventricle abounds in a Quartaine by reason of the more copious afflux of the Melancholike humor which by his qualities cold and dry disturbes all the actions and naturall faculties Moreouer exercises and frictions are good before meat such passions of the minde as are contrary to the cause from which this Feaver takes his originall are fit to be cherished by the patient as Laughter Ieasting Musique and all such like things full of pleasure and mirth At the beginning the patient must be gently handled and delt withall and we must abstaine from all very strong medicines untill such time as the disease hath beene of some continuance For this humor contumacious at the beginning when as yet nature hath attempted nothing is againe made more stubborne terrestriall and dry by the almost fiery heat of acride medicines If the body abound with bloud some part thereof must be taken away by opening the Median or Basilick veine of the left arme with this caution that if it appeare more grosse and blacke we suffer it to flow more plentifully if more thin and tinctured with a laudable red Colour that we presently stay it The matter of this Feaver must be ripened concocted and diminished with the Syrrupes of Epithymum of Scolopendrium of Mayden hayre Agrimony with the waters of Hopps Buglosse Borage and the like I sincerely protest next unto God I have cured very many quartaines by giving a potion of a little Treakle dissolved in about some two ounces of Aqua vita also sometimes by two or three graines of muske dissolued in Muskadine given at the beginning of a particular fitt towards the generall declination of the disease after generall purgations the humor and body being prepared and the powers strong And certainly an inveterate Quartaine can scarce ever be discussed unlesse the body be much heated with meates and medicines Therefore it is not altogether to be disproved which many say that they have driven away a quartaine by taking a draught of wine every day as soone as they came forth of their bed in which some leaves of Sage had bin infused all the night Also it is good a little before the fit to anoint all the spine of the backe with oyles heating all the nervous parts such as are the oyle of Rue Wallnuts of the Peppers mixing therewith a little Aqua vitae but for this purpose the oyle of Castoreum which hath beene boyled in an apple of Coloquiâ—tida the Kernells taken out uppon hot coles to the consumption of the halfe part mixing therewith some little quantity of the powders of Pepper Pelitory of Spaine and Euphorbium is excellent Certainly such like Inunctions are good not onely to mitigate the vehemency of the terrible shaking but also to provoke sweats for because by their humid heat they discusse this humor being dull and rebellious to the expulsive facultie for the Melancholy is as it were the drosse and mudde of the bloud Therefore if on the contrary the Quartaine feaver shall be caused by adust choler we must hope for and expect a cure by refrigerating and humective medicines such as are Sorrell Lettuce Purflane brothes of the decoction of Cowcumbers Gourds Mellons and Pompions For in this case if any use hot medicines he shall make this humor most obstinate by the resolving of the subtiller parts Thus Trallianus boasts that hee hath cured these kinds of Quartane Feaver by the onely use of refrigerating Epithemaes being often repeated a little before the beginning of the fit And this is the summe of the Cure of true and legitimate intermitting Feavers That is of those which are caused by one simple humor whereby the Cure of those which they call bastard intermitting Feavers may be easily gathered and understood as which are bred by a humor impure and not of one kinde but mixt or composed by admixture of some other matter for example according to the mixture of diverse humors Flegmatique and cholericke the medicines must also be mixt as if it were a confused kinde of Feaver of a Quotidian and tertian it must be cured by a medicine composed of things evacuating flegme and choler CHAP. XXXII Of an Aneurisma that is the dilatation or springing of an Artery veine or Sinnew AN Aneurisma is a soft tumor yeelding to the touch made by the bloud and spirit powred forth under the flesh and Muscles by the dilatation or relaxation of an Artery Yet the author of the definitions seemes to call any dilatation of any venous vessell by the name of an Aneurisma Galen calls an Aneurisma an opening made of the Anastomasis of an Artery Also an Aneurisma is made when an Artery that is wounded closeth too slowly the substance which is above it being in the meane time agglutinated filled with
in plantaine water and injected into the bladder Let the patient abstaine from wine and instead thereof let him use barly water or hydromel or a ptisan made of an ounce of raisins of the sun stoned and boyled in five pints of faire water in an earthen pipkin well leaded or in a glasse untill one pinte be consumed adding thereto of liquorice scraped and beaten â„¥ i. of the cold seeds likewise beaten two drams Let it after it hath boyled a little more be strayned through an hypocras bagge with a quarterne of sugar and two drams of choice cinamon added thereto and so let it be kept for usuall drinke CHAP. LVI Of the Diabete or inabilty to hold the Urine THe Diabete is a disease wherein presently after one hath drunke the urine is presently made in great plenty by the dissolution of the retentive faculty of the reines and the depravation of immoderation of the attractive faculty The externall causes are the unseasonable and immoderate use of hot and diureticke things and all more violent and vehement exercises The internall causes are the inflammation of the liver lungs spleen but especially of the kidneyes and bladder This affect must be diligently distinguished from the excretion of morbifick causes by urine The loines in this disease are molested with a pricking and biting pain and there is a continuall unquenchable thirst and although this disease proceed from a hot distemper yet the urine is not coloured red troubled or thick but thin and white or waterish by reason the matter thereof makes very small stay in the stomacke liver and hollow veine being presently drawn away by the heat of the kidneyes or bladder If the affect long endure the patient for want of nourishment falleth away whence certaine death ensues For the cure of so great a disease the matter must be purged which causes or feedes the inflammation or phlegmon and consequently blood must be let We must abstain from the foure cold seedes for although they may profit by their first quality yet will they hurt by their diuretick faculty Refrigerating and astringent nourishments must bee used and such as generate grosse humours as Rice thicke and astringent wine mixed with much water Exceeding cold yea Narcotick things shall be applyed to the loins for otherwise by reason of the thickness of the muscles of those parts the force unless of exceeding refrigerating things will not be able to arrive at the reins of this kind are oile of white poppy henbain opium purslain and lettuce seed mandrage vinegar and the like of which cataplasmes plaisters and ointments may be made fit to corroberate the parts and correct the heat CHAP. LVII Of the Strangury THe Strangury is an affect having some affinity with the Diâ—beâ—e as that wherin the water is unvoluntarily made but not together at once but by drops continually and with paine The externall causes of a strangury are the too abundant drinking of cold water all too long stay in a cold place The internall causes are the defluxion of cold humours into the urenary parts for hence they are resolved by a certain palsie and the sphincter of the bladder is relaxed so that he cannot hold his water according to his desire inflammation also all distemper causeth this affect and whatsoever in some sort obstructs the passage of the urine as clotted blood thick phlegme gravell and the like And because according to Galens opinion all sorts of distemper may cause this discase divers medicines shall be appointed according to the difference of the distemper Therfore against a cold distemper fomentations shall be provided of a decoction of mallows roses origanum calamint and the like so applied to the privities then presently after let them be anointed with oile of bayes and of Castoreum and the like Strong and pure wine shall be prescribed for his drinke and that not onely in this cause but also when the Strangury happens by the occasion of obstruction caused by a grosse and cold humor if so be that the body be not plethoricke But if inflammation together with a Plethora or fulnesse hath caused this affect wee may according to Galens advice heale it by blood-letting But if obstruction bee in fault that shall be taken away by diuretickes either hot or cold according to the condition of the matter obstructing We here omit to speake of the Dysuria or difficulty of making water because the remedies are in generall the same with those which are used in the Ischuria or suppression of urine CHAP. LVIII Of the Cholike WHensoever the Guts being obstructed or otherwise affected the excrements are hindred from passing forth if the fault bee in the small guts the affect is termed Volvulus Ileos miserere mei but if it be in the greate rguts it is called the Cholick from the part affected which is the Colon that is the continuity of the greater guts but especially that portion of the greater guts which is properly and especially named Colon or the cholicke Gut Therefore Avicen rightly defines the Cholicke A paine of the Guts wherein the excrements are difficultly evacuated by the fundament Paulus Aegineta reduceth all the causes of the Colicke how various soever to foure heads to wit to the grossenesse or toughnesse of the humours impact in the coates of the guts flatulencies hindred from passage forth the inflammation of the guts and lastly the collection of acride and biting humors Now we will treat of each of these in particular Almost the same causes produce the grossenesse of humors and flatulencies in the guts to wit the use of flatulent and phlegmaticke â—ough and viscide meats yea also of such as are of good nourishment if sundry thereof and of sundry kinds be eaten at the same meale and in greater quantity than is fit For hence crudity and obstruction and at length the collection of flatulencies whereon a tensive paine ensues This kind of Cholick is also caused by the use of crude fruits and too cold drink drunken especially when as any is too hot by exercise or any other way for thus the stomacke and the guts continued thereto are refrigerated and the humours and excrements therein conteined are congealed and as it were bound up The Cholicke which is caused by the inflammation of the kidneyes happens by the Sympathy of the reines pained or troubled with the stone or gravell conteined in them or the ureters Therefore then also paine troubles the patient at his hips and loynes because the nerves which arising from the vertebrae of the loins are oppressed by the weight of the stones and gravell about the joint of the hippe are disseminated into the muscles of the loines and thigh Also the ureters are pained for they seeme nothing else but certaine hollow nerves and also the cremaster muscles so that the patients testicles may seeme to be drawne upwards with much violence Hence great
â„ž olei chamâ—m aneth butyr recent an â„¥ i. sem apii petros galang an Ê’ss aq vitae ol salviaaut thymi chimice extract q. s The following liniment is much commended by Hollerius â„ž olei rut nardi an Ê’vi dissolutiÊ’ii liquefactis simul adde Zâ—betaegr iv croci gr vi fiat linimentum Also little bags made with millet oates and salt fryed with a little white wine in a frying pan shall be applyed hot upon the belly flankes and renewed before they grow cold You may in stead of these bags use oxe bladders halfe filled with a decoction of resolving things as salt rosemary thime lavander bay-berries and the like then inject a glyster being thus made â„ž quatuor remol an m. i. orig puleg. calamenth an m. ss anisi carui an m. ss flor aneth an p. 1. bulliant in hydromele ad lib. i. in qua dissolve bened laxat mellis anthosati sacc rub an â„¥ i. olei aneth chamaem an â„¥ iss Let a glyster be made to bee injected at twice for the guts being stretched out cannot conteine the accustomed dosis of a glyster also this following glyster is much approved â„ž vini malvat. olei nucum an â„¥ iii. aqua vitae â„¥ i. olei juniperi rut per quintam essent extract an Ê’iii Let this be injected as hot as the patient can endure I have oft-times as by miracle helped intolerable paine caused by the wind collick and phlegme with this glyster Avicen prescribes a carminative glyster made of hysope origanum acorus aniseeds and English galengall Let the patient feed upon meats of good juice easie digestion as broths made with the yolks of egs saffron hot herbes and a nutmeg let him drink good wine as Muskedine or Hypocras made with good wine so to heat the stomack guts For in Galens opinion all windinesse is generated by a remisse heat But if the pain shall continue a large Cupping-glasse shall bee applyed to the navill to draw and dissipate the windinesse the belly shall be bound with strong and broad ligatures to strengthen the guts and discusse the matter of flatulencies The patients taught by nature use this remedy whilst none admonishing them they presse the belly with their hands in the bitternesse of paine But if the paine cannot be thus appeased we must come to such medicines as worke by an occult propertie as the dryed gut of a Wolfe for a dram thereof made into pouder is given in wine with good successe That collick which is caused by a cholerick inflammation requires contrary medicines to wit bloodletting and a refrigerating diet potions made of Diacatholicon and Cassia dissolved in barley water also cooling glysters Avicen prescribes narcoticks for that being cold they are contrary to the morbiâ—ick cause which is hot and dry such are pils of Philonium Also pils of Hyerapicra in the quantity of ℈ iv with opium and saffron of each one graine may be used Also baths are appointed made of water wherein mallowes marsh-mallowes violet leaves flowers of white lillies lettuce purslaine have bin boyled to correct the acrimonie of the cholericke and hot humours whence the disease and symptome ariseth That collick which is like to this and proceeds from salt acride thick and tough phlegme is cured the humour being first attenuated and diffused and at length evacuated by medicines taken by the mouth and otherwise according to the prescription of the learned Phisiâ—ian But Avicen cures that which is occasioned by the suppression of the hardened excrements and twining of them by meates which have an emollient faculty such as humecting broths as that which is made of an old cock tired with running threshed to death so boyled with dill polypody and a little salt untill the flesh fall from the bones also he useth detergent glysters such as this which followes â„ž betae m. i. furfuris p. i. ficus nu x. alth m. i. fiat decoctio aâ— lb. i. in qua dissolve nitri muriae an Ê’ii sacch rub â„¥ i. ol sesamini â„¥ ii But if the obstruction be more contumacious you must use more powerfull ones made adÊ’ii But if the obstruction do notwithstanding remaine so that the excrements come forth at the mouth Marianus Sanctus wisheth by the counsell of many who have so freed themselves from this deadly symptome to drink three pounds of quicksilver with water onely For the doubled and as it were twined up gut is unfolded by the weight of the quicksilver and the excrements are deprest and thrust forth and the wormes are killed which gave occasion to this affect John of S. Germaines that most worthy Apothecary hath told me that hee saw a Gentleman who when as hee could not bee freed from the paine of the colliok by any means prescribed by learned Physitians at length by the counsell of a certaine Germane his friend drank three ounces of oile of sweet almonds drawne without fire and mixed with some white wine and pellitory water and swallowed a leaden bullet besmeared with quicksilver and that bullet comming presently out by his fundament he was wholly freed from his collick CHAP. LIX Of Phlebotomie or Blood-letting PHlebotomie is the opening of a veine evacuating the blood with the rest of the humours thus Arteriotomie is the opening of an Artery The first scope of Phlebotomie is the evacuation of the bloud offending in quantity although oft-times the Physicians intention is to draw forth the blood which offends in quality or either way by opening a veine Repletion which is caused by the quantity is two-fold the one ad vires that is to the strength the veines being otherwise not very much swelled this makes men infirme and weake nature not able to beare this humour of what kinde soever it be The other is termed ad vasa that is to the vessels the which is so called comparatively to the plenty of bloud although the strength may very well away therewith The vessels are oft-times broke by this kind of repletion so that the patient casts and spits up blood or else evacuats it by the nose wombe haemorrhoids or varices The repletion which is ad vires is knowne by the heavinesse and wearisomnesse of the whole body but that which is ad vasa is perceived by their distension and fulnesse both of them stand in neede of evacuation But bloud is onely to bee let by opening a veine for five respects the first is to lessen the abundance of bloud as in Phlethorick bodies and those who are troubled with inflammation without any plenitude The second is for divertion or revulsion as when a veine of the right arme is opened to stay the bleeding of the left nosthrile The third is to allure or draw downe as when the saphena is opened in the ankle to draw downe the courses in women The fourth is for alteration or introduction of another quality as when in
resembleth silver in the colour and is in perpetuall motion as if it had a spirit or living soule There is a great controversie amongst authors concerning it For most of them affirme it hot amongst whom is Galen Halyabas Rhases Aristotle Constantine Isack Platearius Nicholas Massa they maintain their opinion by an argument drawn from things helping and hurting besides from this that it is of such subtle parts that it penetrates dissolves and performeth all the actions of heate upon dense and hard mettals to wit it attenuateth incideth dryeth causeth salivation by the mouth purgeth by the stoole moveth urine and sweat over all the body neither doth it stirre up the thinner humours onely but in like sort the grosse tough and viscous as those which have the Lues Venerea find by experience using it either in ointments or plasters Others affirme it very cold and moyst for that put into emplasters and so applyed it asswageth paine by stupefaction hindring the acrimony of pustles and cholerick inflammations But by its humidity it softeneth scirrhous tumours dissolveth and dissipateth knots and tophous knobs besides it causeth the breath of such as are anointed therewith to stinke by no other reason than that it putrefies the obvious humours by its great humidity Avicens experiment confirmes this opinion who affirmeth that the bloud of an Ape that drunke Quicksilver was found concrete about the heart the carcasse being opened Mathiolus moved by these reasons writes that Quicksilver killeth men by the excessive cold and humide quality if taken in any large quantity because it congeales the bloud and vitall spirits and at length the very substance of the heart as may bee understood by the history of a cetaine Apothecary set downe by Conciliator who for to quench his feaverish heat in stead of water drunke off a glasse of Quicksilver for that came first to his hands hee dyed within a few houres after but first hee evacuated a good quantity of the Quicksilver by stoole the residue was found in his stomack being opened and that to the weight of one pound besides the bloud was found concrete about his heart Others use another argument to prove it cold and that is drawne from the composition thereof because it consists of lead and other cold mettals But this argument is very weak For unquencht Lime is made of flints and stony matter which is cold yet neverthelesse it exceeds in heat Paracelsus affirmeth that quicksilver is hot in the interior substance but cold in the exterior that is cold as it comes forth of the mine But that coldnesse to bee lost as it is prepared by art and heat onely to appeare and bee left therein so that it may serve in stead of a tincture in the transmutation of mettals And verily it is taken for a rule amongst Chymists that all metals are outwardly cold by reason of the watery substance that is predominant in them but that inwardly they are very hot which then appeares when as the coldnesse together with the moysture is segregated for by calcination they become caustick Moreover many account quicksilver poyson yet experience denyes it For Marianus Sanctus Baralitanus tels that hee saw a woman who for certaine causes and affects would at severall times drink one pound and an halfe of quicksilver which came from her againe by stoole without any harme Moreover he affirmeth that hee hath knowne sundry who in a desperate Cholick which they commonly call miserere mei have beene freed from imminent death by drinking three pounds of quicksilver with water only For by the weight it opens and unfolds the twined or bound up gut and thrusts forth the hard and stopping excrements he addeth that others have found this medicine effectuall against the cholick drunke in the quantity of three ounces Antonius Musa writes that hee usually giveth quicksilver to children ready to dye of the wormes Avicen confirmeth this averring that many have drunke quicksilver without any harme wherefore hee mixeth it in his ointments against scaules and scabs in children whence came that common medicine amongst the countrey people to kill lice by anointing the head with quicksilver mixed with butter or axungia Mathiolus affirmeth that many think it the last and chiefest remedy to give to women in travaile that cannot bee delivered I protest to satisfie my selfe concerning this matter I gave to a whelpe a pound of quicksilver which being drunke downe it voyded without any harme by the belly Whereby you may understand that it is wholly without any venemous quality Verily it is the onely and true Antidote of the Lues Venerea and also a very fit medicine for maligne ulcers as that which more powerfully impugnes their malignity than any other medicines that worke onely by their first qualities Besides against that contumacious scabbe which is vulgarly called Malum sancti manis there is not any more speedy or certaine remedy Moreover Guido writes that if a plate of lead bee besmeared or rubbed therewith and then for some space laid upon an ulcer and conveniently fastned that it will soften the callous hardnesse of the lips thereof and bring it to cicatrization which thing I my selfe have oftimes found true by experience Certainely before Guido Galen much commended quicksilver against maligne ulcers cancers Neither doth Galen affirm that lead is poysonous which many affirm poysonous because it consists of much quicksilver but hee onely saith thus much that water too long kept in leaden pipes cisternes by reason of the drossinesse that it useth to gather in lead causeth bloudy fluxes which also is familiar to brasse and copper Otherwise many could not without danger beare in their bodies leaden bullets during the space of so many yeares as usually they doe It is declared by Theodoricke Herey in the following histories how powerfull quicksilver is to resolve and asswage paines and inflammations Not long since saith hee a certaine Doctor of Physick his boy was troubled with parotides with great swelling heat pain beating to him by the common consent of the Physicians there present I applyed an anodine medicine whose force was so great that the tumor manifestly subsided at the first dressing and the paine was much asswaged At the second dressing all the symptomes were more mitigated At the third dressing I wondring at the so great effects of an Anodine Cataplasme observed that there was quicksilver mixed therewith and this happened through the negligence of the Apothecarie who mixed the simple Anodine medicine prescribed by us in a mortar wherein but a while before he had mixed an oyntment whereinto quicksilver entred whose reliques and some part thereof yet remained therein This which once by chance succeeded well I afterwards wittingly and willingly used to a certaine Gentlewoman troubled with the like disease possessing all the region behind the eares much of the throate and a great part of the cheeke when as nature helped by common
dram strain it through a cloth when it is cold let it be given the patient to drink with the juice of Citrons Those that have accustomed to drink Sider Perry Beer or Ale ought to use that drink still so that it be clear transparent and thin and made of those fruits that are somwhat tart for troubled dreggish drink doth not only engender grosse humors but also crudities windiness and obstructions of the first region of the body whereof comes a feaver Oxycrate being given in manner following doth asswage the heat of the feaver and represse the putrefaction of the humours and the fiercenesse of the venome and also expelleth the water through the veines if so bee that the patients are not troubled with spitting of blood cough yexing and altogether weake of stomacke for such must avoyd all tart things Take of faire water one quart of white or red vinegar three ounces of fine Sugar foure ounces of syrup of Roses two ounces boile them a little and then give the patient there of to drinke Or take of the juice of Lemmons Citrons of each halfe an ounce of juice of soure Pomegranates two ounces of the water of Sorrell and Roses of each one ounce of faire water boyled as much as shall suffice make thereof a Julep and use it betweene meales Or take of Sirupe of Lemmons and of red Currance of each one ounce of the water of lillies foure ounces of faire water boyled halfe a pinte make thereof a Julep Ortake of the syrups of water Lillies and vinegar of each half an ounce dissolve it in five ounces of the water of Sorrell of faire water one pinte make thereof a Julep But if the patient be young and have a strong and good stomacke and cholericke by nature I thinke it not unmeet for him to drinke a full and large draught of fountaine water cold for that is effectuall to restraine and quench the heat of the Feaver and contrariwise they that drinke cold water often and a very small quantity at a time as the Smith doth sprinkle water on the fire at his Forge doe encrease the heat and burning and thereby make it endure the longer Therfore by the judgment of Celsus when the disease is in the chiefe encrease and the patient hath endured thirst for the space of three or four daies cold water must be given unto him in great quantity so that he may drink past his satiety that when his belly and stomacke are filled beyond measure and sufficiently cooled he may vomit Some doe not drinke so much thereof as may cause them to vomit but do drinke even unto satiety and so use it for a cooling medicine but when either of these is done the patient must bee covered with many cloaths and so placed that hee may sleepe and for the most part after long thirst and watching and after long fulnesse and long and great heat sound sleep commeth by which great sweat is sent out and that is a present helpe But thirst must sometimes be quenched with little pieces of Melons Gourds Cucumbers with the leaves of Lettuce Sorrell and Purslaine made moist or soked in cold water or with a little square piece of a Citron Lemmon or Orange macerated in Rose water sprinkled with Sugar and so held in the mouth and then changed But if the patient be aged his strength weak flegmatick by nature given to wine when the state of the Feaver is somewhat past and the chiefe heat beginning to asswage he may drink wine very much allayed at his meat for to restore his strength and to supply the want of the wasted spirits The patient ought not by any meanes to suffer great thirst but must mitigate it by drinking or else allay it by washing his mouth with oxycrate and such like and he may therein also wash his hands and his face for that doth recreate the strength If the fluxe or lask trouble him he may very well use to drinke steeled water and also boyled milke wherein many stones comming red hot out of the fire have beene many times quenched For the drynesse and roughnesse of the mouth it is very good to have a cooling moistening and lenifying lotion of the mucilaginous water of the infusion of the leeds of Quinces psilium id est Flea-wort adding thereto a little Camphire with the Water of Plantain and Roses then cleanse and wipe out the filth and then moisten the mouth by holding therein a little oile of sweete Almonds mixed with a little syrupe of Violets If the roughnesse breed or degenerate into Ulcers they must be touched with the water of the infusion of sublimate or Aqua fortis But because wee have formerly made frequent mention of drinking of water I have here thought good to speake somewhat of the choice and goodnesse of waters The choice of waters is not to be neglected because a great part of our diet depends thereon for besides that we use it either alone or mixed with wine for drink we also knead bread boile meat and make broaths therewith Many thinke that rain water which falls in summer and is kept in a cisterne well placed and made is the wholesomest of all Then next thereto they judge that spring water which runnes out of the tops of mountaines through rocks cliffes and stones in the third place they put Well water or that which riseth from the foots of hils Also the river water is good that is taken out of the midst or streame Lake or pond water is the worst especially if it stand still for such is fruitfull of and stored with many venemous creatures as Snakes Toads and the like That which comes by the melting of Snow and Ice is very ill by reason of the too refrigerating faculty and earthy nature But of spring and well waters these are to be judged the best which are insipide without smell colour such as are cleare warmish in winter and cold in summer which are quickly hot and quickly cold that is which are most light in which all manner pulse turneps and the like are easily and quickly boyled Lastly when as such as usually drink thereof have cleer voices and shrill their chests sound and a lively and fresh colour in their faces CHAP. XXII Of Antidotes to bee used in the Plague NOw we must treate of the proper cure of this disease which must bee used as soone as may be possible because this kinde of poyson in swiftnesse exceedeth the celerity of the medicine Therefore it is better to erre in this that you should think every disease to bee pestilent in a pestilent season and to cure it as the Pestilence because that so long as the Ayre is polluted with the seeds of the Pestilence the humours in the body are soone infected with the vicinity of such an ayre so that then there happeneth no disease voyd of the Pestilence that is to say which is not pestilent
day unlesse the spots appeare before If the patient fluxe at the mouth it must not bee stopped when the spots and pustles doe all appeare and the patient hath made an end of sweating it shall be convenient to use diureticke medicines for by these the remnant of the matter of the spots which happely could not all breath forth may easily be purged and avoyded by urine If any noble or gentlemen refuse to be anointed with this unguent let them be enclosed in the body of a Mule or Horse that is newly killed and when that is cold let them bee layed in another untill the pustles and eruptions doe breake forth being drawne by that naturall heat For so Mathiolus writeth that Valentinus the sonne of Pope Alexander the sixt was delivered from the danger of most deadly poyson which he had drunke CHAP. XXX Of a pestilent Bubo or Plague-sore APestilent Bubo is a tumor at the beginning long and moveable and in the state and full perfection copped and with a sharp head unmoveable and fixed deepely in the glandules or kernells by which the braine exonerates it selfe of the venemous and pestiferous matter into the kernells that are behind the eares and in the neck the heart into those that are in the arm-holes and the liver into those that are in the groine that is when all the matter is grosse and clammy so that it cannot be drawn out by spots and pustles breaking out on the skinne and so the matter of a Carbuncle is sharpe and so fervent that it maketh an Eschar on the place where it is fixed In the beginning while the Bubo is breeding it maketh the patient to feele as it were a cord or rope stretched in the place or a hardened nerve with pricking pain shortly after the matter is raised up as it were into a knob and by little and little it groweth bigger and is enflamed these accidents before mentioned accompanying it If the tumour be red and encrease by little and little it is a good and salutary signe but if it be livid or black and come very slowly unto his just bignesse it is a deadly signe It is also a deadly signe if it encrease sodainely and come unto his just bignesse as it were with a swift violence and as in a moment have all the symptomes in the highest excesse as paine swelling and burning Buboes or Sores appeare sometimes of a naturall colour like unto the skinne and in all other things like unto an oedematous tumour which notwithstanding will sodainely bring the patient to destruction like those that are livide and black wherefore it is not good to trust too much to those kindes of tumours CHAP. XXXI Of the cure of Buboes or Plague-sores SO soon as the Bubo appeares apply a Cupping-glasse with a great flame unto it unlesse it be that kinde of Bubo which will suddenly have all the accidents of burning and swelling in the highest nature but first the skinne must be anointed with the oyle of lillies that so it being made more loose the Cupping-glasse may draw the stronger and more powerfully it ought to sticke to the part for the space of a quarter of an houre be renewed and applyed again every three quarters of an houre for so at length the venom shall be the better drawn forth from any noble part that is weak and the work of suppuration or resolution whichsoever nature hath assaied will the better and sooner bee absolved and perfected which may bee also done by the application of the following ointment Take of Uuguentum Dialthaea one ounce and a halfe oile of Scorpions halfe an ounce of Mithridate dissolved in Aquavitae halfe a dramme this liniment will very well relaxe and loosen the skin open the pores thereof spend forth portion of that matter which the Cupping-glasse hath drawne thither in stead thereof mollifying fomentations may bee made and other drawing and suppurating medicines which shall be described hereafter A Vesicatory applied in a meet place below the Bubo profits them very much but not above as for example If the Bubo be in the throat the Vesicatory must be applied unto the shoulder-blade on the same side if it be in the arme-holes it must be applied in the midst of the arme or of the shoulder-bone on the inner side if in the groin in the midst of the thigh on the inner side that by the double passage that is open for to draw out the matter the part wherein the venome is gathered together may be the better exonerated Spurge Crow-foot Arsemart Beare-foot Bridny the middle barke of Travellers-joy the rindes of Mullet Flammula or upright Virgins-bower are fit for raising blisters If you cannot come by those simple medicines you may apply this which followeth which may be prepared at all times Take Cantharides Pepper Euphorbium Pellitory of Spain of each halfe a dram of soure leaven two drammes of Mustard one dramme and a little Vinegar the vinegar is added thereto to withhold or restraine the vehemency of the Cantharides but in want of this medicine it shall suffice to drop scalding oyle or water or a burning candle or to lay a burning coale on the place for so you may raise blisters which must ptesently be cut away and you must see that you keep the ulcers open flowing as long as you can by applying the leaves of red coleworts Beetes or Ivie dipped in warme water and anointed with oyle or fresh butter Some apply Cauteties but Vesicatories work with more speed for before the Eschar of the Cauteries will fall away the patient may dye therefore the ulcers that are made with Vesicatories will suffice to evacuate the pestilent venome because that doth worke rather by its quality than its quantity Let the abscesse bee fomented as is shewed before and then let the medicine following which hath vertue to draw be applied Fill a great onion being hollowed with Treacle and the leaves of Rue then roast it under the hot Embers beat it with a little Leaven and a little Swines grease and so apply it warme unto the abscesse or sore let it be changed every sixe houres Or Take the roots of Marsh-mallowes and Lillies of each halfe a pound of Line Foenugreek and Mustard seeds of each halfe an ounce of Treacle one dramme ten Figges and as much Hâ—gges grease as shall suffice make thereof a cataplasme according to Art Or take of Onions and Garlicke roasted in the embers of each three ounces bruise them with one ounce of sower leaven adding thereto Unguentum Basilicon one ounce Treacle one dramme Mithridate halfe a dramme of old Hogs greace one ounce of Cantharides in pouder one scruple of Pigeons dung two drams beat them and mixe them together into the forme of a cataplasme Hereunto old Rennet is very profitable for it is hot and therfore attractive being mixed with old Leaven and Basilicon you ought to use these untill the abscesse be
growne unto its full ripenesse and bignesse but if presently after the beginning there bee great inflammation with sharpe paine as it often happeneth especially when the abscesses be of the kinde of Carbuncles wee must abstaine from those remedies that are hot and attractive and also from those that are very emplasticke and clammy because they doe altogether close the pores of the skin or because they resolve the thinner part of the collected matter which if it might remain would bring the other sooner to suppuration or else because they may perchance draw more quantity of the hot matter than the part can beare whereof commeth rather corruption than maturation and last of all because they encrease the feaver and pain which inferreth danger of a convulsion or mortall Gangrene Therefore in such a case it is best to use cold and temperate locall medicines as the leaves of Henbane and Sorrell roasted under the coales Galens pultis and such like There are many that for feare of death have with their owne hands pulled away the Bubo with a paire of Smithes Pincers others have digged the flesh round about it and so gotten it wholly out And to conclude others have become so mad that they have thrust an hot iron into it with their owne hand that the venome might have a passage forth of all which I doe not allow one for such abscesses doe not come from without as the bitings of virulent beasts but from within and moreover because pain is by these means encreased and the humour is made more maligne and fierce Therefore I think it sufficient to use medicines that relaxe open the pores of the skinne and digest portion of the venome by transpiration as are these that follow Take the roots of Marsh-mallowes and Lillies of each sixe ounces of Chamomill and Melilote flowers of each halfe a handfull of Linseeds halfe an ounce of the leaves of Rue halfe a handfull boyle them and straine them dip sponges in the straining and therewith let the tumour bee fomented a long time Or Take the crum of hot bread and sprinkle it with treacle-Treacle-water or with aqua vitae and Cowes milk or Goates milke and the yolks of three egges put them all one stupes or flaxe and apply them warme unto the place Or Take of soure Rie leaven foure ounces of Basilicon two ounces three yolkes of egges oyle of Lillies two ounces Treacle one dram let it be received on stupes and applyed in like manner Or Take of Diachylon and Basilicon of each two ounces oyle of Lillies one ounce and an halfe let them be melted and mixed together and let it be applyed as is abovesaid When you see feele and know according to reason that the Bubo is come to perfect suppuration it must be opened with an incision knife or an actuall or potentiall Cautery but it is best to be done with a potentiall Cautery unlesse that happely there be great inflammation because it doth draw the venome from beneath unto the superficiall parts and maketh a larger orifice for the matter that is contained therein neither must it be looked for that nature should open it of her selfe for then it were danger that lest while nature doth worke slowly a venemous vapour should bee stirred up which striking the heart by the arteries the braine by the nerves and the liver by the veines should cause a new increase of the venemous infection For feare whereof there be some that will not expect the perfect maturation and suppuration but as it were in the midst of the crudity and maturity will make an orifice for it to passe forth at yet if it be done before the tumour be at his perfect maturity paine a Feaver and all accidents are stirred up and enraged whereof commeth a maligne ulcer that often degenerats into a Gangrene For the most part about the tenth or eleventh day the work of suppuration seemeth perfected and finished but it may be sooner or later by reason of the application of medicines the condition of the matter and state of the part when the matter commeth forth you must yet use suppurative and mollifying medicines to maturate the remains thereof in the mean while cleansing the ulcer by putting mundificatives into it as we shall declare in the cure of Carbuncles But if the tumour seeme to sinke in or hide it selfe again it must be revoked and procured to come forth againe by applying of Cupping-glasses with scarification and with sharpe medicines yea and with Cauteries both actuall and potentiall When the Cauteries are applyed it shall be very good to apply a vesicatory a little below it that there may be some passage open for the venome while the Eschar is in falling away For so they that are troubled with the French Pocks so long as they have open and flowing ulcers so long are they voyd of any paine that is worth the speaking of which ulcers being closed and cicatrized they doe presently complain of great paine If you suspect that the Bubo is more maligne by reason that it is of a greene or blacke and inflamed colour as are those that come of a melancholy humour by adustion turned into a grosse and rebellious melancholy humour so that by the more copious influxe thereof into the part there is danger of a gangrene and mortification then the places about the abscesse must bee armed with repercussives but not the abscesse it selfe and this may be the forme of the repercussives Take of the juice of house-leeke Purslaine Sorrell Night-shade of each two ounces of Vinegar one ounce the whites of three egges of oyle of Roses and water-Lillies of each two ounces and a halfe stirre them together and apply it about the Bubo and renew it often or boyle a Pomgranate in vinegar beat it with Unguentum Rosatum or Populeon newly made and apply it as is aforesaid If these things doe not stop the influxe of other humours the abscesse it selfe and the places about it must bee scarified round about if the part will permit it that the part exonerated of portion of the venome may not stand in danger of the extinction of the proper and naturall heat by the greater quantity and malignity of the humours that flow unto it In scarrifying you must have care of the great vessels for feare of an irrepugnable fluxe of bloud which in this case is very hard to bee stayed or resisted both because the part it selfe is greatly inflamed and the humour very fierce for the expulsion whereof nature carefull for the preservation of the part and all the body besides seemeth to labour and worke But yet you must suffer so much of the bloud humour to flow out as the patient is able to abide without the losse of his strength Moreover you may spend forth the superfluous portion of the malignity with relaxing mollifying and resolving fomentations as Take the roots of Marsh-Mallowes Lillies and Elicampaine of each one
and corroding doth by delay acquire greater acrimony and intrositie so that by its burning touch dissolving the adjacent flesh it hinders the conjunction and unition of the lips of the ulcer but in the interim the lips of the ulcer become callous which unlesse they be helped by cutting or eating medicines the ulcer cannot be healed for that by their density they hinder the sweating out of a sufficient quantity of the dewy glew to heale up the ulcer Now the ulcer being plained and brought equall to the other flesh we must use Epuloticks that is such things as have a faculty to cicatrize ulcers by condensing and hardening the surface of the flesh of these there are two kinds for some without much biting bind and dry such are pomgranate pils oake barke Tutia litharge burnt bones scailes of brasse galls cypresse nuts Minium antimony bolearmenicke the burnt and washed shels of oisters Lime nine times washed and many metalline things Others are next to these by which proud flesh is consumed but such must be sparingly used of this kind is washed Vitrioll burnt Alome which excelleth other Epuloticks by reason of the excellent drying and astringent faculty consolidating the flesh which by being moistened by an excrementitious humour growes lanke For that the scarre which is made is commonly unsightly in this kind of ulcers as red livide blacke swolne rough by reason of the great adustion imprinted in the part as by a burning coale therefore I have thought good here to set down some means by which this deformity may be corrected or amended If the scarre be too big or high it shall be plained by making convenient ligation and strait binding to the part a plate of lead rubbed over with quicksilver but you may whiten it by anointing it with Lime nine times washed that so it may bee more gentle and lose the acrimony and incorporated with oile of Roses Some take two pound of Tartar or Argole burne it and then powder it put it in a cloth and so let it hang in a moyst vault or cellar and set a vessel under it to receive the dropping liquor which is good to be rubbed for a good space upon the scarre The same faculty is thought to be in that moysture of egs which sweats through the shel whilest they are roasted at the coals as also unguent citrinum and Emplast de cerussa newly made The three following compositions are much approved ℞ Axungiae suillae nonies lotae in aceto acerrimo ℥ iv cinab succi titri alum usti an ℥ ss sulphur vivi ignem haud experti ʒii caph ℈ ii fiat pulvis then let them all be incorporated together and make an ointment it attenuates the skin and cleanseth spots ℞ olei hyos olei semin cucurb an ℥ i. olei tartar ℥ ss cerae alb ʒiii liquefiant simul lento igne deinde adde spermat ceti ʒvi removeantur predicta ab igne à onec infrigid postea adde troch alb Rhasis pul ʒiii caph ʒi tandem cum mali cirei succo omnia diligenter commisce fiat linmentum Or else ℞ rad serpent ℥ i. bulliat in aq com lb i. ad dimid deinde adde sulph vivi ignem non experti alum crudi pulveris an ʒiss colent predict addatur caph ʒi succi hyoscyami ʒiss Let this medicine be kept in a lead or glasse vessel and when you would use it dip linnen clothes therein and lay them to the part You may also use these medicines against the rednesse of the face and you may fetch them off in the morning by washing the face with warme water and bran CHAP. XXXVI Of sundry kinds of Evacuations and first of sweating and vomiting THe pestilent malignity is not onely evacuated and sent forth by the eruption of pustles and spots but also by sweat vomit bleeding at nose at the haemorrhoids by the courses a fluxe of the belly and other wayes so that nature by every kind of excretion may be freed from the deadly poyson especially that which is not as yet arrived at the heart But chiefe regard must be had to the inclination of nature and wee must attend what way it chiefly aimes at and what kind of excretion it affects Yet such evacuations are not alwayes criticall but usually symptomaticall for that oft-times nature is so irritated by the untameable malignity of the matter that it can no way digest it but is forced by any meanes to send it away crude as it is Wherefore if nature may seeme by the moystnesse of the skin the suppression of urine other signes to affect a crisis and excretion by sweat you then shall procure it by the formerly mentioned meanes It is delivered by the Ancients that all sweats in acute diseases are salutary which happen upon a Criticall day which are universall and hot and signified before the criticall day But in this rapid and deadly disease of the Plague wee must not expect a Crisis but as soone as wee can and by what meanes wee may to free nature from so dire and potent an enemy But oft times the tough and grosse excrementitious humours may bee purged by vomit which could not be evacuated by strong purges Therefore also by this manner of excretion may we hope for the exclusion of the pestilent venome if there bee nothing which may hinder and nature by frequent nauseousnesse may seem to affect this way the endeavour thereof shall be helped by giving some halfe a pint of warm water to be drunke with foure ounces of common oyle an ounce of vinegar and a little juice of raddish after the taking of the potion it is fit to thrust into the throate a goose quill dipped in the same oile or else a branch of Rosemary or else by thrusting in the fingers so to procure vomit also a potion of eight ounces of the mucilaginous water of the decoction of Line seeds will procure vomit Or else ℞ rad raph in taleol sect vel sem ejus sem antriplicit an ʒiii bulliant in aquae com quod sufficit pro dosi in colatura dissolve oxym syr acet an ℥ ss exhibeatur potio larga tepida Or clse ℞ oxym Gal. ℥ vi ol com ℥ ii paretur potio tepid But nature must not be forc't unlesse of its own accord it undertake this motion for forced and violent vomiting distends the nervous fibers of the ventricle dejects the strength breaks the vessels of the Lungs whence proceeds a deadly spitting of blood Wherefore if the stomack shall trouble it selfe with a vain and hurtfull desire to vomit it shall rather be strengthened with bagges of roses worm-wood and Saunders using inwardly the juice of Quinces and Berberies and brothes made for the same purpose CHAP. XXXVII Of spitting Salivation Sneesing Belching Hicketting and making of Water THat long evacuations may be made by spitting and salivation you may learne by the example of
alum roch an ʒii bulliant omnia simul fiat decoctio of this make injection into the wombe In the performance of all these things I would have the Surgeon depend upon the advice of a Physitian as the occasion and place shall permit But if nature endeavour to free it selfe of the pestilent matter by the hoemorrhoides you may provoke them by frictions and strong ligatures in the lower parts as if the thighes or legs were broken by ventoses applyed with great flame to the inner side of the thigh by application of hot and attractive things to the fundament such as are fomentations emplasters unguents such as is usually made of an onion rosted under the embers and incorporated with Treacle and a little oile of Rue after the hoemorrhoid veines by these meanes come to shew themselves they shal be rubbed with rough linnen cloths or fig leaves or a raw onion or an oxe gall mixt with some pouder of Coloquintida lastly you may apply horse-leaches or you may open them with a Lancet if they hang much forth of the fundament and be swolne with much blood But if they flow too immoderately they may be stayed by the same meanes as the courses CHAP. XXXIX Of procuring evacuation by stoole or a fluxe of the belly NAture often times both by it selfe of its owne accord as also helped by laxative and purging medicines casts into the belly and guts as into the sinke of the body the whole matter of a pestilent disease whence are caused Diarrhaea's Lienteries and Dysenteries you may distinguish these kindes of fluxes of the belly by the evacuated excrements For if they be thinne and sincere that is reteine the nature of one and that a simple humour as of choler melancholy or phlegme and if they be cast forth in a great quantity without the ulceration or excoriation of the guts vehement or fretting paine then it is a Diarrhaea which some also call fluxus humoralis It is called a Lienteria when as by the resolved retentive faculty of the stomacke and guts caused by ill humours either there collected or flowing from some other place or by a cold moist distemper the meat is cast forth crude almost as it was taken A Dysenteria is when as many and different things and oft times mixt with blood are cast forth with pain gripings and an ulcer of the guts caused by acride choler fretting insunder the coats of the vessels But if in any kinde of disease certainely in a pestilent one fluxes of the belly happen immoderate in quantity and horrible in the quality of their contents as liquid viscous frothy as from melted greace yellow red purple greene ash-coloured blacke and exceeding stinking The cause is various and many sorts of ill humours which taken hold of by the pestilent malignity turne into divers species differing in their whole kinde both from their particular as also from nature in generall by reason of the corruption of their proper substance whose inseparable signe is stinch which is oft times accompanied by wormes In the campe at Amiens a pestilent Dysentery was overall the Campe in this the strongest Souldiers purged forth meere blood I dissecting some of their dead bodies observed the mouths of the Mesaraike Veines and Arteries opened and much swollen and whereas they entered into the guts were just like little Catyledones out of which as I pressed them there flowed blood For both by the excessive heat of the summers sunne and the mindes of the enraged souldiers great quantity of acride and cholericke humour was generated and so flowed into the belly but you shall know whether the greater or the lesser guts be ulcerated better by the mixture of the blood with the excrements than by the site of the paine therefore in the one you must rather worke by Glysters but in the other by Medicines taken by the mouth Therefore if by gripings a tenesmus the murmuring and working of the guts you suspect in a pestilent disease that nature endeavours to disburden it self by the lower parts neither in the meane while doe it succeed to your desire then must it be helped forward by art as by taking a potion of ℥ ss of hiera simplex and a dramme of Diaphaenicon dissolved in worme-wood water Also Glysters are good in this case not onely for that they asswage the gripings and paines and draw by continuation or succession from the whole body but also because they free the mesaraike veines and guts from obstruction and stuffing so that by opening and as it were unlocking of the passages nature may afterwards more freely free it selfe from the noxious humours In such glysters they also sometimes mixe two or three drammes of Treacle that by one and the same labour they may retunde the venenate malignity of the matter There may also be made for the same purpose suppositories of boyled hony ℥ i. of hier a picra and common salt of each ʒss or that they may bee the stronger of hony ℥ iii. of oxe gall ℥ i. of Scammony euphorbium and coloquintida poudred of each ʒss The want of these may be supplied by nodula's made in this forme ℞ vitell ovor nu iii. fellis bubuli mellis an ℥ ss salis com ʒss let them be stirred together and well incorporated and so parted into linnen ragges and then bound up into nodula's of the bignesse of a filberd and so put up into the fundament you may make them more acride by adding some powder of Euphorbium or Coloquintida CHAP. XL. Of stopping the fluxe of the belly VIolent and immoderate scourings for that they resolve the faculty and lead the patient into a consumption and death therefore if they shall appear to be such they must be stayed in time by things taken and injected by the mouth and fundament To this purpose may a pudding be made of wheat flower boyled in the water of the decoction of one pomegranate berberies bole armenick terra figillata and white poppie seeds of each ʒi The following Almond milke strengthens the stomacke and mitigates the acrimony of the cholericke humour provoking the guts to excretion Take sweet Almonds boiled in the water of barly wherein steele or Iron hath been quenched beat them in a marble motter and so with some of the same water make them into an Almond milk wherto adding ʒi of Diarhodon Abbat is you may give it to the patient to drink This following medicine I learnt of Dr. Chappelaine the Kings chiefe physitian who received it of his father and held it as a great secret was wont to prescribe it with happy successe to his patients It is thus ℞ boli à rmen terrae sigil lapid haemat an ʒi picis navalis ʒiss coral rub marg elect corn cervi ust loti in aq plant an ℈ i. sacchar ros ℥ ii fiat pulvisc of this let the patient take a spoonefull before meat or with the
dissolved in rose water vinegar of roses and a little aqua vitae that so nature may bee strengthened against the malignity of the venome When the children are weaned and somewhat well growne they may take medicines by the mouth for when they are able to concoct and turne into bloud meats that are more grosse and firm than milk they may easily actuate a gentle medicine Therefore a potion must be prepared for them of twelve graines of treacle dissolved with a little of the syrupe of succory in some cordiall water or the broth of a capon unlesse that any had rather give it with conserve of roses in forme of a bole but treacle must bee given to children in very small quantity for if it be taken in any large quantity there is great danger lest that by inflaming the humours it inferre a feaver Furthermore broth may be prepared to be taken often made of a capon seasoned with sorrell lettuce purslaine and cooling seeds adding thereto bole armenick and terra sigillata of each one ounce being tyed in a rag and sometimes pressed out from the decoction For bole armenicke whether it be by its marvellous faculty of drying or by some hidden property hath this vertue that being drunken according as Galen witnesseth it cureth those that are infected with the pestilence if so be that they may bee cured by physick so that those that cannot be cured with bole armenick cannot bee preserved by any other medicines But because the bodies of children are warme moist and vaporous they are easily delivered of some portion of the venenate matter through the pores of the skin by provoking sweat with a decoction of parsly seeds prunes figs and the roots of sorrell with a little of the powder of Harts horne or Ivory But that the sweat may be more abundant and copious apply spunges dipped pressed out in the hot decoction of sage rosemary lavender bayes chamomil melilote and mallowes or else swines bladders halfe filled with the same decoction to the arme-holes and to the groines In the time that they sweat let their faces be fanned to coole them Also let a nodule of Treacle dissolved in vinegar and water of Roses bee appled to the nostrils but alwaies use a moderation in sweating because that children are of a substance that is easie to be dissipated and resolved so that oftentimes although they do not sweat yet they feel the commodities of sweating the matter of the venome being dissipated by the force of the heat through the pores of the skin But in the sweating while the face is fanned and sweet cordiall things applyed to the nostrils nature must bee recreated and strengthened which otherwise would be debilitated through sweating that it may bee better able to expell the venome After that the sweat is wiped away it is very profitable to take a potion of conserve of Roses with the powder of Harts horne or of Ivorie dissolved in the waters of Buglosse and Sorrel the better to coole and defend the heart If there appeare any tumour under the arme-holes or in the groine let it bee brought to maturation with a mollifying relaxing drawing and then with a suppurative fomentation or Cataplasme alwaies using and handling it as gently as you may considering the tender age of the infant If you have need to purge the patient the purgation following may be prescribed with great profit Take of Rubarbe in powder one dram infuse it in the water of Carduus Benedictus with one scruple of Cinamon in the straining dissolve two drams of Diacatholicon of syrupe of Roses laxative three drams make thereof a small potion This is the cure of the Pestilence and of the pestilent Feaver as far as I could learn from the most learned Physicians and have observed my selfe by manifold experience by the grace and permission of God of whom alone as the Author of all good things that mortall men injoy the true and certaine preservatives against the pestilence are to be desired and hoped for The End of the Twentie second Booke OF THE MEANES AND MANNER TO REPAIRE OR SUPPLY THE NATURALL or accidentall defects or wants in mans body THE TWENTIE THIRD BOOKE CHAP. I. How the losse of the naturall or true eye may bee covered hidden or shadowed HAving at large treated in the former Bookes of tumours wounds ulcers fractures and luxations by what meanes things dissolved and dislocated might bee united things united separated and superfluities consumed or abated Now it remaines that we speak of the fourth office or duty of the Chirurgian which is to supply or repaire those things that are wanting by nature through the default of the first conformation or afterwards by some mischance Therefore if that through any mischance as by an inflammation any mans eye happen to be broken or put out the humors spilt or wasted or if it be strucken out of his place or cavity wherein it was naturally placed by any violent stroak or if it waste or consume by reason of a consumption of the proper substance then there is no hope to restore the sight or function of the eye yet you may cover the deformity of the eye so lost which is all you can doe in such a case by this meanes If that when you have perfectly cured and healed the ulcer you may put another eye artificially made of gold or silver counterfeited and enamelled so that it may seem to have the brightnesse or gemmie decencie of the naturall eye into the place of the eye that is so lost The formes of eyes artificially made of gold or silver polished and enameled shewing both the inner and outer side But if the patient be unwilling or by reason of some other meanes cannot weare this eye so prepared in his head you may make another on this wise You must have a string or wiar of iron bowed or crooked like unto womens eare-wiars made to bind the head harder or looser as it pleaseth the patient from the lower part of the head behinde above the eare unto the greater corner of the eye this rod or wiar must be covered with silke and it must also be somewhat broad at both the ends lest that the sharpenesse thereof should pierce or pricke any part that it commeth unto But that end wherewith the empty hollownesse must be covered ought to bee broader than the other and covered with a thin piece of leather that thereon the colours of the eye that is lost may be shadowed or counterfeited Here followeth the figure or portraiture of such a string or wiar The forme of an iron wiar wherewith the deformity of an eye that is lost may bee shadowed or covered CHAP. II. By what meanes a part of the nose that is cut off may be restored or how in stead of the nose that is cut off another counterfeit nose may be fastened or placed in the stead WHen the whole nose is cut off from the face or
some twenty foure miles from Bourges had a great piece of his tongue cut off by which occasion hee remained dumbe some three yeares It happened on a time that as hee was in the fields with reapers hee drinking in a woodden dish was tickled by some of the standers by not enduring the tickling hee suddenly broke out into articulate and intelligible words He himselfe wondring thereat and delighted with the novelty of the thing as a miracle put the same dish to his mouth just in the same manner as before and then he spake so plainly and articulately that he might be understood by them all Wherefore a long time following he alwaies carried this dish in his bosome to utter his mind untill at length necessity the mistris of arts and giver of wit inducing him hee caused a woodden instrument to be neatly cut and made for him like this which is here delineated which hee alwaies carryed hanging at his neck as the onely interpreter of his mind and the key of his speech An instrument made to supply the defect of the speech when the tongue is cut off The use of the Instrument is this A. sheweth the upper part of it which was of the thicknesse of a nine-pence which he did so hold betweene his cutting teeth that it could not come out of his mouth nor bee seene B. sheweth the lower part as thick as a sixe-pence which he did put hard to the rest of his tongue close to the membranous ligament which is under the tongue That place which is deprest and somewhat hollowed marked with the letter C. is the inner part of the instrument D. sheweth the outside of the same Hee hanged it about his necke with the string that is tyed thereto Textor the Physician of Bourges shewed me this instrument and I my selfe made tryall thereof on a young man whose tongne was cut off and it succeeded well and took very good effect And I think other Surgeons in such cases may do the like CHAP. VI. Of covering or repairing certain defects or defaults in the face IT oftentimes happeneth that the face is deformed by the sudden flashing of Gunpowder or by a pestilent Carbuncle so that one cannot behold it without great horrour Such persons must be so trimmed and ordered that they may come in seemely manner into the company of others The lips if they bee either cut off with a sword or deformed with the erosion or eating of a pestilent Carbuncle or ulcerated Cancer so that the teeth may be seene to lye bare with great deformity If the losse or consumption of the lip bee not very great it may be repaired by that way which we have prescribed in the cure of hare lips or of an ulcerated Cancer But if it be great then must there be a lip of gold made for it so shadowed and counterfeited that it may not be much unlike in colour to the naturall lip and it must be fastened and tyed to the hat or cap that the patient weareth on his head that so it may remaine stable and firme CHAP. VII Of the defects of the eares SUch as want their eares either naturally or by misfortune as through a wound carbuncle cancer or the biting of wild beasts if so be that the eare be not wholly wanting wasted consumed or torne away but that some portion thereof doth yet remaine then must it not bee neglected but must have many holes made therein with a bodkin and after that the holes are cicatrized let some convenient thing made like unto the piece of the eare that is lost bee tyed or fastned unto it by these holes But if the eare bee wholly wanting another must bee made of paper artificially glewed together or else of leather and so fastened with laces from the toppe or hinder part of the head that it may stand in the appointed place and so the haire must be permitted to grow long or else some cap worne under the hat which may hide or cover the deformity unlesse you had rather have it to bee shadowed and counterfeited by some Painter that thereby it may resemble the colour of a naturall eare and so retein it in the place where it ought to stand with a rod or wiar comming from the toppe or hinder part of the head as wee have spoken before in the losse of the eye and the forme thereof is this CHAP. VIII Of amending the deformity of such as are crooke-backt THe bodies of many especially young maids or girles by reason that they are more moist and tender than the bodies of boyes are made crooked in processe of time especially by the wrenching aside and crookednesse of the backe-bone It hath many causes that is to say in the first conformation in the wombe and afterwards by misfortune as a fall bruise or any such like accident but especially by the unhandsome and undecent situation of their bodies when they are young and tender either in carrying sitting or standing and especially when they are taught to goe too soone saluting sewing writing or in doing any such like thing In the meane while that I may not omit the occasion of crookednesse that happens seldome to the country people but is much incident to the inhabitants of great townes and cities which is by reason of the straitnesse and narrownesse of the garments that are worne by them which is occasioned by the folly of mothers who while they covet to have their young daughters bodies so small in the middle as may be possible plucke and draw their bones awry and make them crooked For the ligaments of the back-bone being very tender soft and moist at that age cannot stay it strait and strongly but being pliant easily permits the spondels to slippe awry inwards outwards or sidewise as they are thrust or forced The remedy for this deformity is to have breast-plates of iron full of holes all over them wherby they may be lighter to wear and they must be so lined with bombast that they may hurt no place of the body Every three moneths new plates must be made for those that are not yet arrived at their full growth for otherwise by the daily afflux of more matter they would become worse But these plates will do them small good that are already at their full growth The forme of an iron Breast-plate to amend the crookednesse of the Body CHAP. IX How to relieve such as have their urine flow from them against their wills and such as want their yards IN those that have the strangury of what cause soever that malady commeth the urine passeth from them by drops against their wils and consent This accident is very grievous and troublesome especially to men that travaile and for their sakes onely I have invented the instrument here beneath described It is made like unto a close breech or hose it must be of latin to contein some four ounces it must be put into the patients hose between his thighs
Oyle of Roses or Rosewater â„ž Rad. ènul campan coct cum aceto contus ut decet lb ss Axung porci olei commu an â„¥ i ss argen vivi extincti tereb lot an Ê’i sal commu pulverati Ê’ii incorporate them according to art The boyled rootes must be drawne through a Sieve which being boyled by a gentle fire with the Axungia must bee continually stirred then put to the Salt with Oyle Waxe when you set it from the fire to coole then adde the Quick silver being killed with a little Axungia and Turpentine â„ž Olei rosat â„¥ ix cerus alb â„¥ iii. cer alb â„¥ ii make it thus Let the Cerusse bee finely powdred and put into the Oyle and Waxe whilst it is hot and so worke the whole together untill they shall be brought into a body â„ž Rad. Ath. lb i. semi lini foenugr an lb. ss Scillae â„¥ iii. Olei com lb. ii cer lb ss terebinth gum heder galb an â„¥ i. coloph. resin â„¥ iii. The rootes and seeds being bruised are infused for three dayes in five pintes of water boyle them untill three ounces be consumed and then draw forth the Mucilage and boyle it with the Oile then adde Waxe cut small these being taken from the fire the Galbanum being dissolved with Vinegar mingled with the Turpentine must be added together with the Gumme Hederae Colophony and Rosin â„ž Ocul populi arb lb i ss fol. papaveris nigr Mandrag byoscyami lactucae sompervivi parvi magni violae nigrae solani umbilici veneris seu cymbalar bardanae an â„¥ ss Cordus Fernelius Nicolaus singulorum â„¥ iii. praescribunt Adipis suilli recentis salis expertis lb ii vini boni lb i. fiat Unguentum The Poplar buds and Violet leaves must be bruised and maccrated in the Axungia for the space of two moneths that is untill the rest of the herbes be ready for they cannot bee gathered before the Summer time but the Poplar buds and Violets may be had in March They must be bruised and mingled very well and set in a warme place for eight dayes then adde one pinte of strong Vinegar and boyle them till it be consumed which may bee perceived by casting a little of it into the fire then straine it forth and put up the Oyntment â„ž Tereb cer alb res an Ê’xiv Opopanacis floris seu viridis aeris nam hic floâ— aris non propriè accipitur pro granulis quae scintillarum instar ab aere exiliunt dum à fabris ferrariis aqua tingitur sed pro viridi aeris usurpatur cujus contra maligna ulcera notae sunt vires contra quae omninò id Unguentum est comparatum an Ê’ii ammon â„¥ xiv aristol lon thuris masculi an Ê’vi myrrhae galbani an Ê’iii bdellii Ê’vi Litharg Ê’ix olei lb ii fiat Unguentum The Litharge is to be mingled with two ounces of Oyle for the space of five houres and with a gentle fire to be boyled untill it come to the consistence of Honey and be alwayes stirring lest it burne being taken from the fire and warme the Waxe and the Rosin being dissolved with the rest of the Oyle must be added Then put to it when it is cooling the Gummes dissolved in Vinegar boyled and incorporated with the Turpentine Then the Aristolochia Myrrhe and Frankinsense are to be mingled and last of all the Verdigrease being in fine powder and sprinkled in and so the unguent is made â„ž Cortic. median castan cortic median querc cortic median gland mirtil eques cortic fabar acinor uvar. sorbor siccor immatur mespillor immaturor rad châ—lidon folior prunor silvest an â„¥ iss Aquae plantaginis lb viii cer nov â„¥ viii ss olei myrtillor lb iiss Then these things which follow being finely powdred are to be sprinkled in â„ž Pulveris corticis mediani castan corticis mediani gland cortic median arb gland id est querc gallar an â„¥ i. Cineris oss cruris bovis myrtill acinor uvar. sorbor siccor an â„¥ ss Trochiscorum de carabe â„¥ ii fiat Unguentum First make a decoction corticis mediani arboris quercus acini uvar. rad chelid mespil sorbor equis seminis myrtil folior pruni sylvestris cort fabar cortic mediani gland cortic castan gallar in the Plantaine water for the space of two houres then straine it and divide the liquor into nine parts washing the Waxe dissolved with the Oyle of Myrtils seven times the liquor being all spent and the Waxe and Oyle being melted then insperge the powders Cruris bovis ossium cortic median querc median cortic gland castan gallar sorbor mespil seminum myrtil acinor uvar. and at last the Trochisces carab after this manner shall you make this Oyntment â„ž Olei absinth mastich de spic rosat an â„¥ ss pulver absinth ros major menth an Ê’i Caryoph cinam mastich galang an Ê’i Powder those things which are to bee powdered and with a sufficient quantity of Waxe make a soft oyntment wherewith let the stomacke be annointed one houre before meales continually â„ž Cer. alb lb ii cerus litharg auri an lb i. myrrh medull cervi an â„¥ ii thuris â„¥ i. olei lb ss Boyle the Litharge in the oyle to a meane consistence then adde to the Waxe Cerusse and when it will not sticke to the fingers take it from the fire and put in the Medulla when it beginneth to coole the Myrrha and Thus being finely powdred must be cast in by little and little and the oyntment may be put up for use The chops of the fundament and remollient Pessaries are likewise made of it and it is very good against the bitings of madde Dogges and the punctures of nerves and tendons keeping wounds so that they doe not agglutinate â„ž Picis pinguis lb i. Opopanacis in aceto forti oleo liliorum veteri porci axungia cocti â„¥ iii. fiat Unguentum Oleum ex sinapi is good against those bitings of mad beasts and punctured nerves for it doth open wounds when they are cicatrized Oyntments are used to overcome the contumacy of a stubborne evill by their firme and close sticking to especially if there shall need no medicine to goe further into the body CHAP. XXVII Of Cerats and Emplasters SUch affinity there is in the composition of a Cerat and Emplaster that oftentimes the one is taken for the other as is usually done in Oyntments and Liniments A Cerat is a composition more solide and hard than an oyntment and softer than a plaster having his name from Waxe which taking away the fluidness of the oyle bringeth him to his consistence The differences of Cerats are taken some from the parts by which they are called as Ceratum stomachicum some from the effects as Ceratum refrigerans Galeni Others from the simple medicaments which are the chiefe in the composition as Ceratum Santalinum
over the fire untill all the liquor be almost wasted away Then they cut into peeces the salt or that earthy matter which remains after the boyling away of the Capitellum with a knife or hot iron spatula forme them into cauteries of such figure and magnitude as they thinke fitting and so they lay them up or keep them for use in a violl or glasse closly stopped that the ayre get not in Or Take a bundle or sufficient quantity of Beane stalkes or huskes of Colewort stalks two little bundles of cuttings of Vines foure bundles burn them all to ashes which put into a vessell of river water so let them infuse for a dayes space being stirred ever now and then to this adde two pounds of unquencht lime of Axungia vitri halfe a pound of calcined Tartar two pounds of Sal niter foure ounces infuse all these being made into powder in the foresaid Lye for two or three dayes space often stirring it then straine the Capitellum or liquor through a thicke cloth untill it become cleare Put it into a bason and set it over the fire and when as the moisture is almost wholly spent let two or three ounces of vitrioll be added when the moisture is sufficiently evaporated make cauteries of that which remaines after the formerly mentioned manner Take of the ashes of sound knotty old Oake as much as you please make thereof a Lye powre this Lye againe upon other fresh ashes of the same wood let this bee done three or foure times then quench some lime in this Lye of these two make a Capitellum whereof you may make most approved cauteries For such ashes are hot in the fourth degree and in like sort the stones whereof the lime by burning becomes fiery and hot to the fourth degree Verily I have made cauteries of Oake ashes only which have wrought quickly and powerfully The Capitellum or Lye is thought sufficiently strong if that an Egge will swimme therein without sinking Or Take of the ashes of Bean stalkes three pounds of unquencht lime Argoll of the ashes of Oake wood being all well burnt of each two pounds Let them for two dayes space be infused in a vessell full of Lye made of the ashes of Oake wood and be often stirred up and downe Let this Lye then be put into another vessell having many holes in the bottome thereof covered with strums or straw pipes that the Capitellum flowing through these strait passages may become more cleare Let it be put twice or thrice upon the ashes that so it may the better extract the heate and causticke quality of the ashes Then putting it into a Barbers bason set it over the fire and when it shall begin to grow thicke the fire must be increased and cauteries made of this concreating matter The following cauteries are the best that ever I made tryall of as those that applyed to the arme in the bignesse of a Pease in the space of halfe an houre without paine especially if the part of it selfe be painlesse and free from inflammation eate into the skinne and flesh even to the bone and make an ulcer of the bignesse of ones fingers end and they leave an eschar so moyst and humide that within foure or five dayes space it will fall away of it selfe without any scarification I have thought good to call these cauteries Silken or Velvet ones not onely for that they are like Silke gentle and without paine but chiefly because I obtained the description of them of a certaine Chymist who kept it as a great secret for some Velvet and much entreaty Their description is this Take of the ashes of Beane stalkes of the ashes of Oake wood well burnt of each three pounds let them bee infused in a pretty quantity of river water and bee often stirred up and down then adde thereto of unqueneht lime foure pounds which being quencht stirre it now and then together for two daies space that the Capitellum may become the stronger then straine it through a thick strong linnen cloth thus strained put it three or foure times upon the ashes that so it may draw more of the causticke faculties from them then boyle it in a Barbers bason or else an earthen one well leaded upon a good Char-cole fire untill it become thicke But a great part of the secret or art consists in the manner and limit of this boyling for this Capitellum becomming thicke and concreating into salt must not bee kept so long upon the fire untill all the moysture shall bee vanished and spent by the heate thereof for thus also the force of the foresaid medicines which also consists in a spirituous substance will bee much dissipated and weakened therefore before it be come to extreme drinesse it shall be taken off from the fire to wit when as yet there shall some thicke moysture remaine which may not hinder the cauteries from being made up into a forme The made up cauteries shall bee put up into a glasse most closely luted up or stopped that the ayre may not dissolve them and so they shall be laid up and kept in a dry place Now because the powder of Mercury is neere to cauteries in the effects and faculty thereof which therefore is termed Pulvis Angelicus for the excellency therefore I have thought good to give you the description thereof which is thus â„ž Auripigmenti citrini floris aeris an â„¥ ii salis nitri lb iss alumin. rochae lb ii vitrioli rom lb iii. Let them all bee powdred and put into a Retort having a large receiver well luted put thereto Then set the Retort over a Fornace and let the distillation be made first with a gentle fire then increased by little and little so that the receiver may waxe a little reddish â„ž Argenti vivi lb ss aquae fortis lb i. ponantur in phiala fiat pulvis ut sequitur Take a large earthen pot whereinto put the violl or bolt head wherein the Argentum vivum and Aqua fortis are contained setting it in ashes up to the necke thereof then set the pot over a fornace or upon hot coales so that it may boyle and evapourate away the Aqua fortis neither in the interim will the glasse bee in any danger of breaking when all the water is vanished away which you may know is done when as it leaves smoaking suffer it to become cold then take it forth of the ashes and you shall finde calcined Mercury in the bottome of the colour of red Lead separated from the white yellow or blacke excrement for the white that concretes in the toppe is called Sublimate which if it should remaine with the calcined Mercury would make it more painfull in the operation Wherefore separating this calcined Mercury you shall make it into powder and put it in a brasse vessell upon some coales stirring or turning it with a spatula for the space of an houre
for your use and so soone as the patient doth thinke himselfe to be infected let him take foure ounces of that liquor then let him walke and sweate He must leave sweating when he beginneth to waxe faint and weake or when the humour that runs downe his body begins to waxe cold then his body must be wiped with warme clothes and dryed The patient ought not to sweat with a full stomacke for so the heat is called away from performing the office of concoction also he must not sleep when he is in his sweat lest the malignity goe in wardly with the heat and spirits unto the principall parts but if the patient bee much inclined to sleep hee must bee kept from it with hard rubbing and bands tyed about the extreme parts of his body and with much noise of those that are about him and let his friends comfort him with the good hope that they have of his recovery but if all this will not keepe him from sleepe dissolve Castoreum in tart Vinegar and Aqua vitae and let it bee injected into his nostrils and let him bee kept continually waking the first day and on the second and third even unto the fourth that is to say unto the perfect expulsion of the venome and let him not sleep above three or foure houres on a day and night In the meane time let the Physician that shall bee present consider all things by his strength for it is to be feared that great watchings will dissolve the strength and make the patient weake you must not let him eate within three houres after his sweating in the meane season as his strength shall require let him take the rinde of a preserved Citron conserve of Roses bread toasted and steeped in wine the meat of a preserved Myrabolane or some such like thing CHAP. XXIII Of Epithemes to be used for the strengthening of the principall parts THere are also some topick medicines to bee reckoned amongst Antidotes which must be outwardly applyed as speedily as may be as cordiall and hepaticke Epithemes for the safety of the noble parts and strengthening of the faculties as those that drive the venenate aire farre from the bowels they may be made of cordiall things not onely hot but also cold that they may temper the heat and more powerfully repercusse They must be applyed warme with a scarlet or a double linnen cloth or a soft spunge dipped in them if so be that a Carbuncle doe not possesse the regions of the noble parts for it is not fit to use repercussives to a Carbuncle You may make Epithemes after the following formes ℞ aquar ros plantag solan an ℥ iv aquae acetos vini granat aceti an ℥ iii. santal rub coral rub pulveris an ʒiii theriac vet ℥ ss camph. ℈ ii croci ℈ i. carioph ʒss misce fiat epithema Or else R. aqu ros plantag an ℥ x. aceti ros ℥ iv carioph sant rub coral rub pulveris pul diamargarit frigid an ʒiss caphurae moschi an ℈ i. fiat epithemae Or ℞ aquar rosar melissae an ℥ iv aceti ros ℥ iii. sant rub ʒi caryophyl ʒss croci ℈ ii caphurae ℈ i. boli arm terraesigil zedoar an ʒi fiat epithema Or else ℞ aceti rosat aquae rosat an lb. ss caphuraeʒss theriac mithridat an ʒi fiat epithema Or else aqu rosar nenuph. buglos acetosae aceti rosar an lb. ss sant rub ros rub an ʒiii flor nenuph. violar caphur an ʒss mithrid theriac an ʒii terantur misceantur simul omnia When you intend to use them take some portion of them in a vessell by its selfe wherewith let the affected bowell be fomented warme CHAP. XXIIII Whether purging and bloud-letting bee necessary in the beginning of pestilent diseases SO soon as the heart is strengthened corroberated with cordials antidotes we must come to phlebotomy purging As concerning bloud-letting in this case there is a great controversie among Physicians Those that wish it to be used say or affirme that the pestilent Feaver doth infixe it selfe in the bloud and therein also the pestilent malignity taketh its seate and therefore it will soone infect the other humours unlesse that the bloud be evacuated the infection that remaineth in the bloud be thereby taken away Contrariwise those that do not allow phlebotomy in this case alledge that it often commeth to passe that the bloud is voyd of malignity when the other humours are infected with the venemous contagion If any man require my judgement in this doubtfull question I say that the pestilence sometimes doth depend on the default of the aire This default being drawne through the passages of the body doth at length pierce unto the entrals as we may understand by the abscesses which breake out one while behind the eares sometimes in the arme-holes and sometimes in the groines as the braine heart or liver are infected And hereof also come Carbuncles and other collections of matter and eruptions which are seene in all parts of the body by reason that nature using the strength of the expulsive faculty doth drive forth whatsoever is noysome or hurtfull Therefore if the Physician will follow this motion of nature he must neither purge nor let bloud lest that by a contrary motion that is by drawing in from without the motion of nature which proceeds outwardly from within should be troubled So wee often see in those who are purged or let bloud for such Buboes as come through unlawfull copulation that the matter is thereby made contumacious and by drawing it inwardly it speedily causeth the French Pocks Wherefore when Buboes Carbuncles and other pestilent eruptions appeare which come through the default of the Aire we ought to abstain from purging and phlebotomie but it is sufficient to fore-arme the heart inwardly and outwardly with Antidotes that are endued with a proper vertue of resisting the poyson For it is not to bee doubted but that when nature is debilitated with both kindes of evacuation and when the spirits together with the bloud are exhausted the venemous Aire will soone pierce and be received into the empty body where it exerciseth its tyranny to the utter destruction thereof In the yeare of our Lord God 1565. in which yeare there was great mortality throughout all France by reason of the pestilence and pestilent diseases I earnestly diligently enquired of all the Physicians Chirurgians of all the Cities through which King Charles the ninth passed in his progresse unto Bayon what successe their patients had after they were letten bloud and purged whereunto they all answered alike that they had diligently observed that all that were infected with the Pestilence and were letten bleed some good quantity of bloud or had their bodies some-what strongly purged thence forwards waxed weaker and weaker and so at length dyed but others which were not let bloud nor purged but took cordiall