Put them in two gallons of water boyl it to six quarts Or put them in new Ale or new Beer four or five dayes then let the Patient drink of it Another Potion Take of Angelica half an ounce of Mummy one ounce of Parmacity two drams of the kernels of Walnuts two ounces of Orpine two handfuls of Sowbread two ounces of the greater and lesser Sea-marsh Bugloss of each three handfuls Put them in a sufficient quantity of Water or c. and boyl them There is another Way of Preparing Wound-Drinks viz. thus Let your Herbs ly in distilled Water some time then set them to a slow fire in a vessel well stopt six or eight hours then strain it and drink it The Potion Take of the Water of Marsh Bugloss twenty ounces of the greater and lesser Sea-marsh Bugloss one handful of Sanicle half a handful of Periwincle half an handful set them over a very slow fire in a Pot well stopt six or eight hours then strain it and keep it for your use Another Potion Take of Juniper Berries two pounds and bruise them of the greater and lesser Sea-marsh Bugloss of Hony-suckle and the Root of white Sanicle of each half a handful of Adders Tongue a handful and an half of great Comfrey and Birth-wort of each five ounces of Arsmart four ounces put them in a distilling Vessel and distil a Water from them then put into the Water distilled fresh Herbs viz. These already named and fresh Juniper Berries and let them ly in the Water some time or set them over a slow fire in a Pot well stopt four or five hours Observe That Juniper Berries have a singular Secret Vertue for Wounds Another Potion Take the Roots of great Comfre two ounces of Birth-wort three ounces of sweet Flagg one ounce of Flower-de-luce half an ounce of Periwincle four handfuls of white Sanicle half a handful of Myrrh Mastich Frankincense Mummy of each half an ounce of Rheubarb six drams boyl them in Wine or Distilled Water or common Water with some of the juyce of Marsh-Bugloss in that manner as hath been already described How much of these Potions a Patient should take at a time must be considered by the skilful Physician according to the strength of the Patient and nature of the Potion These Wound-Drinks do keep the Body in good temper and do prevent many Evils which use to accompany Wounds They feed and strengthen Nature very much which cannot be done by outward Medicines And there is no way so good as by Wound-Drinks to cure wounds made by thrust Therefore Surgeons should not neglect these wound-potions so much as they do There are many good Herbs with which you may make wound drinks as these viz. white Sanicle wood Sanicle middle Comfrey Parsnep Arsmart both Beets golden Maiden-hair Lilies c. and many others there are But observe that amongst those Herbs mentioned in the Potions and here there are three whose juice being drunk cureth any Wound made by cut or thrust and there are two herbs mentioned which if you take any of them whole and dip it in running water and lay it to the wound take it presently off again from the wound and bury it in some place and as it putrifieth so the wound groweth well There is also one herb named amongst these whose juice or decoction being drunk thrice cureth any wound and all those evils which accompany a Wound But such great secrets of Nature should not be put in print but every one should diligently search after them There are also some herbs amongst these already named which being drunk cure the wounds of the Gout as easily as the Wounds of fleshy parts CHAP. II. Oyntments for Wounds TAke of fresh May butter one pound of Ribwort and the greater and lesser sea-marsh Buglosse and Beers with their roots of each one handfull of Adders tongue three handfull Beat the Herbs with the Roots and mix them with the Butter put them in a glasse and set them in the Sun two or three months then strain them and keep them for your use Another Take of May butter three pounds the Roots of great Comfrey one pound of Adders tongue one pound and a half of Birth-wort a quarter of a pound beat them and mix them with the Butter put them in a glasse and set the glasse in the Sun some time or put it in warm dung a month then strain them through a linnen cloth and what you presse out of them keep it for your use That your Oyntment may keep the better wash it with salt water or put a little salt to it You may also make an Oyntment with one Herb as with Butter and Birth-wort or great Comfrey or with Honey and Adders tongue or the flowers of Saint Johns-wort and such like Many such Oyntments may be made but the two former Oyntments are sufficient to cure any Wound This way of making Oyntments is commonly used and was used by the Ancient Physicians But now I will give you a more excellent way of making Oyntments first found out and used by my self Take Comfrey Birth-wort Adders tongue maâ—sh Buglosse all of them or which of them you will take them green with their Roots then pour so much wine upon them as the wine may be above them then take two pots which are of the same bigness put your Herbs and the wine in the one pot and over this pot set your other pot mouth to mouth lay clay about the mouthes of your pots that no vapour can come out and set them over a slow fire ten hours then take them out strain and presse all the liquor well out of the Herbs to this liquor put some honey or fresh butter and boyl it again to a consistence and then you have an Oyntment which you may trust to in the most difficult Cures There is yet another way to make Oyntments with Rosins thus Take the Rosin of the Larch-tree or Pine Rosin one pound make it into powder and mix it with the whites of twenty eggs and beat them well together then add to them the powder of the roots of great Comfrey half an ounce the powder of round Birth-wort one ounce of barley meal six drams Mix them all well together and then you have a very good Oyntment for any Wound Another Take of the Rosin of the Fir-tree or common Rosin one pound melt it with some of the marrow of a Calf then put to them so much of the powder of the root of Great Comfrey as you shall see fit and mix them wel together in a warm mortar CHAP. III. Oyls and Balsoms for Wounds TAke of Sallet oyl or Turpentine one pound of Camomile red Roses and Self-heal of each one handfull of the flowers of St. Johns wort two handfull of the flowers of Centory and the flowers of Celendine of each half an handfull Mix them well with the Oyle of Turpentine put them in a glasse and set them in the Sun two
ignorance The third kinde of Experiments viz. Wax Plaisters Plaisters were formerly made with wax and Turpentine to which were added several Simples for divers kindes of Ulcers Wax may be used for any sore but Turpentine is to be used onely for moist sores divers kindes of sores must have divers kindes of remedies It is most rashly done by those who when they finde a Medicine good for one sore they will use it for every sore I advise Physicians that they use not these my experiments any other ways then I have expressed here A Plaister Take of the oyl of Mirtle of Wax and of red Lead of each one pound and a half of the flower of Copper and Mummy of each one ounce of Aloepatick one ounce and a half of Oppopanax two ounces of Turpentine half a pound mix them and make them into a Plaister Another Take of the flower of Copper one pound the oyl of Dill and Wax of each one pound and a half of Colophony four ounces the oyl of Bays two ounces of Turpentine half a pound of Mummy Mastick Frankincense of each two ounces of Sagapenum and Galbanum of each one ounce and a half make them into a Plaister Another Take of Wax and Sallet oyl of each three pounds of Celandine Buck-horn of each half an ounce of Mastick Oppopanax Myrrhe Mummy Galbanum of each one ounce of round Birthwort Frankincense Ammoniacum of each one ounce and a half of Turpentine six ounces melt your Wax then put to it the Mastick Frankincense the gums Oyl and Turpentine then mix with them the herbs made into powder to which you may adde some Oyl of Spike or of earth-Worms Another Take of Wax one pound of Colophony four ounces of red and white Corals of the Load-stone of the Lapis Calaminaris of Amber of Antimony of each of them made into powder one ounce of Mummy Frankincense Myrrhe Mastick of each one ounce and a half first melt your wax and when it is melted put the rest to it The fourth kinde of Experiments are Powders Mummy is excellent to fill an Vlcer with Flesh Take Mummy put it in a glass which can endure the fire or in a pot well closâ—d and set it in a fire which hath three degrees of heat four days then take your glass or pot out of the fire open it let the vapor go out of it and when the Mummy is cooled take it out and make it into a powder Another Take of Mummy and Lin-seed oyl of each alike mix them together and let them stand two days then pour to them as much of the Spirit of wine as they both and let them stand two days then set them over a slow fire till the Wine be consumed and the Mummy is dry when it is cooled make it into powder Another Take Mummy and burn it until the ashes of it begins to change their colour then pour water upon it and let it stand a day then pour off the water carefully so that the grounds do not mix with it take this water and boyl it away that which remains in the bottom make it into powder and keep it for your use There are two Experiments of Amber observed by the ancient Physicians the one is to fill up hollow sores the other is to cure eating sores The first is this Take Amber and dissolve it in some Petroleum afterward dry them and make them into powder The other is this Distil an oyl from Amber pour some of this oyl upon the grounds remaining in the Distillation or upon some fresh Amber and let it dry again then pour some more Oyl and let it dry again and so do oft-times then make it into powder There are also two Experiments of Myrrh for curing foul Vlcers Take Myrrhe and dâ—ssolve it in the oyl of the yolks of eggs then put to them five times so much Wine and let them stand five days then set them over the fire until the Wine be consumed and take the Myrrhe which remains dry and make it to powder Or thus Distil an Oyl from Myrrhe with Tragacanth by descent then coagulate it dry it and make it into powder There is great vertue in Coperas to cure Vlcers if you take from it the corosive faculty which may be done thus Take Coperas burned to a red powder pour upon it Rain-water let it stand two or three hours then pour off the water and set the burnt Coperas over the fire till it be well dryed then pour some more Rain-water upon it and do as before do so five or six times till the burnt Coperas become hard and firm like a stone and is sweet to the taste if you make this into a powder and mix it with some of the Oyntments for Ulcers you may cure therewith Syrons and other Ulcers The Use and several Prepararations of Quick-silver for the French Pox. Quick-silver made into a red powder by the distilled water of eggs being oft-times distilled from the Quick-silver is good both for wounds and Ulcers especially of the bladder which are hardly cured by any other Medicines it cureth also the deep Ulcers of the throat That which is commonly called Precipitate Mercury which is done with aqua fortis cannot cure Ulcers because of its eating faculty which it hath by the aqua fortis But this Precipitate Mercury which is done with the water of Eggs is a singular Medicine for Ulcers especially the Ulcers of the French Pox. The oyl of Quick-silver is an infallible remedy and the onely remedy of the French Pox and of all those Ulcers which accompany the French Pox but because this is hardly attained to therefore in its stead use the red powder of Quick-silver which is next to it in this cure The Oyl is made thus Take of the Quick silver Mine in which the Quick-silver is not yet come to be a perfect Quick-silver twenty pounds beat it and boil it in rain-rain-water until no dross or soil comes to the top then strain it and put the Liquor in a distilling Vessel distil it with a strong fire and you shall have at last come out a most clear Liquor which you shall distil again in Balneo Mariae to take from it all waterishness and you shall have in the bottom of the distilling Vessel an oyl as heavy as Quicksilver Let the Patient take two grains of it at a time with six grains of the oyl of Spike Another way to make the Oyl of Quick-silver Take of Quick-silver and of Tin of each alike melt the Tin and put the Quick-silver to it and work them well together till the Tin become like Quick-silver then put to them as much Sulphur vivum as there is of the Tin and Quick-silver beat it into powder and mix it well with the Tin and Quick silver put them altogether in a disti ling Vessel and distil from them an Oyl as white as milk and as heavy as Quick-silver which is not sharp nor corroding let the Patient take
of this two grains at a time with six grains of the Oyl of Spike Observe That when you have taken from the Quick-silver its sharp piercing and eating â—aculty and its moving or running nature then it is fit to be used but not before Howbeit Quick-silver as it is commonly used in suffumigations for the French Pox seemeth sometimes to do good yet it cannoot be so used without great danger for the nature of the Quick-silver is so subtil that the vapor of it hath the same operation upon our bodies as the Quick-silver it self hath There is nothing can be used so many ways as the Quick-silver yet it is not therefore the safer as many do think If yâ—u would use the Quick-silver profiâ—ably in Suffumigations you must prepare it so that it may have an attractive vertue Remember this That Quick silver hath such a nature which may by Art be brought to have any operation viz to binde to purge to cleanse a sore to fill it with flesh to consume or eat c. Therefore it is needful that you know how you should prepare the Quick-silver for each kind of the French Pox. Some Ulcers of the French Pox may be cured by sweating some Ulcers must be cleansed and filled with flesh some must be c. Accordingly the Quick silver must have its several preparations for these several Operations and if it be not rightly prepared it is dangerous So when it is used in Suffumigations if it be not rightly prepared before it is of the nature of Sublimats which do very great harm to the Body and oft-times they do pierce to the heart and are deadly Therefore if you would use it in suffumigations safely and profitably prepare it thus Take Sulphur vivum make it into powder and take Quick-silver and mix with it sublime them and so proceed as they do in making Cinabrium then take of this and of Salt-peter of each alike beat them together into powder then put a live coal into them and fire them then take out your Quick-silver put it into a long glass which hath a broad bottom and narrow top Set the mouth of your glass or vessel to the place where the humor makes its passage out of the body or where we may bring the humor out of the body most conveniently and hold some fire-coals under the glass or vessel to heat the Quick-silver a little so that the vapor of it may come to that place of the body where we set the mouth of the glass but you must have a care that it do not vapor out In the Lotions or washings with Quick-silver used for the Ulcers of the French Pox Mountebanks adde to it Pepper Cardamome Dittander which increase the evil qualities of the Quick-silver they adde to it also aqua vitae or strong water which carrieth the Quick-silver to the heart whence are Fevers and fluxes of the Belly whereas we use these washings with Quick-silver for this end viz. That the Ulcers do not encrease and therefore the venomous qualities of the Quick silver should be taken from it that it go no further then the sore which is done thus Take Quick-silver and sublime it alone three or four times then mix it with the Liquor of Salt and sublime it again three or four times then take the Quick-silver so sublimed and pour a good quantity of the Spirit of Wine upon it and distil the Spirit of Wine off from it again then pour upon it more Spirit of Wine and distil it and thus do several times until you have taken from the Quick silver all its corroding or consuming faculty Then take this Quick-silver thus prepared and boil it in the water of Celandine half an hour pour off the water from the Quick-silver and with this water wash the Ulcer Having shewed you the several ways of preparing Quick-silver for the French Pox I will conclude with this admonition That they who use Quick-silver in Oyntments Lotions Suffumigations c. Let them carefully consider the right time when the Patient should use it for diseases alter according to the times sometimes a disease may be more easily cured then at other times diseases suffer no delay and Medicines must be used in time Again the Physician must have a care that these Oyntments Washings or Suffumigations with Quick siâ—ver do not touch any sound part but onely the place diseased left they thereby do more harm then good A Plaister to cleanse Vlcers Whereas Physicians do oftentimes burn ulcerated places with hot Irons sometimes they cut off members which they think helpless sometimes they use eating Medicines to take away dead flesh and the corrupt bottoms of Ulcers in stead of those practices I advise you to use this one cleansing Medicine Take of honey one pound of Aloepatick made into powder a quarter of a pound of burned Allum quenched in Vinegar one ounce the yolks of twenty eggs of Turpentine half a pound mix them well together and keep it for your use Observe That without hony gums eggs Turpentine Lithargire Wax Oyl I say without some of those no Ulcer can be cleansed A plaister to be applyed to a place cauterized When you would draw out an humor at any place you must lay some Caustâ—ck Medicine to the place and when there are Blisters raised in the place and broken then apply this following attractive Medicine viz. Take of the apples of the Fir-tree twenty boil them in water until you have boiled the gum out of them then boil away the watet from the gum put to this gum Rosin and Turpentine let them together over the fire until they be well mixed together Another Take of Oppopanax a half ounce of Sagapenum Galbanum Ammoniacum of each two drams of Bdelium six drams dissolve these Gums in Vinegar then strain the Vinegar and boil it away until the gums be almost dry then mix with them Rheubarb made into powder two drams of Amber made into powder half an ounce and when they are all well mixed make them into a Plaister This Plaister apply to the place where the skin is broken which was raised by the Caustick Plaister A sweating Medicine for the French Pox. For those kindes of the French Pox which are cured by sweating use this following sweating Medicine which is the best of any for the French Pox Take of Tin and Quick-silver of each alike melt your Tin and when it beginneth to cool and hardeâ— pour your Quick silver upon it that they may be mixed or put Quick-silver to thin plates of Tin let them stand together two or three days till the Tin have drank in as much of the Quick-silver as it can then let the Tin stand till the Quick-silver be dryed in it then let it drink in some more Quick-silver and let it dry do thus three or four times then beat it into fine powder If there be an ounce of this powder put it in a Gold Poringer set the Poringer in good Wine-vinegar up
circulatory Vessel which must be set in Balneo Maria the space of a Moneth then you will finde the Tincture of the Gold mixed with the Spirit of Wine and the Gold powder in the bottom white as silver take out this powder when it is melted it is like Silver separate the Spirit of Wine from the Tincture in Balneo Mariae you shall have the gold Tincture in the bottom of this distilling Vessel This Tincture you must put in a Circulatory Vessel and circulate it alone some time The Tincture of Red Coralâ— The Tincture of red Corals which is the purest part of the Corals containing all the red colour of the Corals in it It hath such a secret faculty in purging the Blood that he who knoweth the right use of it hath a great secret for the preventing and curing of the Leprosie it will not suffer any Ulcer to breed in the body and it purgeth all the Blood in the Veins most excellently Let the Physician remember this that he should extract Tinctures out of such things which excel in colour for they have the greatest vertue for cleansing the Blood In extracting the Tincture of Corals you must proceed in the same maner as you extract the Tincture of Gold and when you have drawn off the Spirit of Wine from the Tincture then you must distil the Tincture alone sixteen times in the open fire And lastly you must distil it in Balneo Mariae six times that the Tincture may be well purged from all impurities When you use this Tincture take a scruple of it in a dram of Treacle water The Treacle water is made thus Take of the Spirit of Wine five ounces of good Treacle two ounces and a half of red Roman Myrrhe one ounce and two drams of Oriental Saffron two drams put them altogether in a distilling Vessel and distil them The Tincture of the Corals being taken with this water will throughly cure all Fistula's Cancers c. or any Ulcer whatsoever The Tincture of Balsom It falleth out oft-times that Ulcers which have continued a long time or have been badly cured they come to be of the nature of a Leprosie so that they cannot be helped by any Medicine because of their great putrifaction in such a case onely the Tincture of Balsom can do good which onely can cure such kinde of Ulcers and it is the best for all eating of Ulcers The Tincture is extracted thus Take of Balsom an ounce and a half of the Spirit of Wine one pound and a half and two ounces put them into a circulatory Vessel and circulate them the space of a Moneth then put them in a distilling Vessel and distil them Take that which you have distilled and mix with it another half ounce of Balsom and circulate them together some time distil them again then adde another half ounce of Balsom to that which you have distilled and thus you must do four times This Tincture of Balsom hath such a piercing faculty that there is not any part of the body but it will search into it there is not any disease or corruption of the body but it will cure it The Tincture of Antimony Antimony destroyeth all other Metals except Gold It purgeth Gold perfectly and taketh away all its Impurities after the same maner it purgeth the body of man and consumeth all impurities and corruptions in the body being rightly prepared therefore the greatest Chymists and Physicians have labored much in Antimony but in vain before our times and now by my industry it is rightly and fully prepared The Tincture is extracted thus Take Antimony made into fine powder put it in a close Reverberatory the space of a Moneth until it become volatile and it will be first white then clay-coloured then red and at last Purple-coloured then take it out and put it in the Spirit of Wâ—ne so much as it be twenty fingers breadth above the Antimony circulate them together the space of a monâ—th then separate the Spirit of Wine from the Tincture and so you have the precious Tincture of Antimony The Philosophers Salt The Philosophers salt Take of the Salt of Gold the salt of Antimony the salt of Balm of each half an ounce of common salt eight ounces make them into a powder and mix them together The Patient must take a little of these Salts strowed upon a piece of tosted bread every morning Another Take of the Salt of Germander the Salt of Succory the salt of Valerian of each one ounce of the salt of Wormwood two drams of the salt of Coperas one dram of common salt one pound make them into a powder and mix them These Salts the Patient may take with his meat and howbeit the operation of these salts is not so quick as the operation of the Tinctures yet they will undoubtedly root out any Ulcer in the Body whether Cancer Fistula c. The Use of the Tinctures The use of the Tincture of gold Take a dram of this Tincture of Gold and mix it with an ounce of the best Treacle of this mixture let the Patient take one scruple fasting then keep himself warm in his bed till he sweat this will drive out the hurtful humors of the body at the Ulcer by sweating and otherwise so as you may plainly see the operation of this Tincture in the Ulcer it self And when the Ulcer grows dry so that no more humor cometh out of the Ulcer which useth to be at the tenth or twelfth day then you may easily perfect the cure if you keep at the Ulcer a stictick Plaister The use of the Tincture of Corals Take of the Tincture of Corals one ounce and a half and mix it with ten ounces of the water of Germander or the water of Succory Let the Patient take two drams of this mixture five hours before dinner or five hours after Supper the space of six or seven days in the mean time he must use meats of easie digestion and he must drink very little he must take no other drink but the water of Succory or the water of Fumitory so long as he takes of the Tincture And when the humor hath flowed abundantly out of the Ulcer and the Ulcer dryeth and hath no pain then the patient must take no more of the Tincture The use of the Tincture of Balsom The Patient may take the Tincture of Balsom alone five grains of it at a time or he may take it in good old white Wine twice a day after meat and continue it so until the Ulcer be quite dryed up Apply outwardly upon the Ulcer some ordinary stictick Plaister until the cure be perfected The use of the Tincture of Antimony In Vintage time take new Wine and put half an ounce of the Tincture of Antimony to twenty quarts of it and when the Wine is well setled then use it Let the Patient drink of this and no other the space of a moneth and he shall finde wonderful vertue in this drink
down to the soar then we must mortifie the Soar Lastly we must consolidate it or fill it up with flesh The defensive Take of salt Anatron one ounce of an Anodine half an ounce make them into an Oyntment with the Oyl of Spike The Anodyne is made thus Take of Frog-spawn and of the juice of Nightshade of each an ounce of Varnish half an ounce mix them together Then apply to the soar this mortifying Medicine viz. Take Parmacity Frog-spawn of Chervâ—l of Juniper Berries of each alike let them stand in the Sun some time then use them This must be applyed once a day the space of three weeks afterwards wash the soar oft-times with the water of Oak leaves or Salt-water By this Medicine the soar is mortifyed and the pain is taken away and now you must apply the Oppodeltoch Plaister or Stictick Plaister described in the Treatise of Wounds in the first Chapter until the cure be perfected V. A Fistula is an Ulcer which hath one or more small holes outwardly but within it is hollow and deep it useth to be near the joynts or places of evacuation or where som wound thrust or bruise c. hath been badly cured This Soar issueth forth a water or froth at the small holes and purgeth twelve hours this kinde of soar is not painful If it be not cured by Medicines it will never be well of it self yet it doth not cause death but continueth still the same so long as the Patient liveth Cure First let the Patient take this Potion Take of the water of Sow-bread and of the water of the leaves of small Sea-Buck-horn of the water of middle Consound of each four ounces mix them and take four ounces of this at a draught morning and evening until the cure be done Another Potion Take of the water of Harts-horn one pound of Centory golden Consound Feverfew of each six ounces of Rheubarb choice Manna Parmacity of each an ounce Mix them well and of this mixture take one spoonful every Morning and after it take three spoonfuls of Wine By this Potion the Fistula shall be cleansed inwardly yea this Potion alone will cure it that you need not apply any Medicine outwardly to the Soar yet you may apply this following Plaister Take of these four Gums viz. Oppoponax Bdelium Ammoniacum Galbanum of each two ounces of Wax six ounces melt them together and adde to them three ounces of Turpentine Make a Plaister VI. When there is a firm hard tumor which lyeth amongst the Muscles and hath a burning heat which strikes into the bone and it breeds many hard knotty lumps within the flesh it s never changed into an Ulcer neither doth it consume the flesh but continueth in one maner thirty or forty years yea so long as the Patient liveth But if the Patient falleth into some accute disease or shall have a Carbuncle then the Wolf becomes deadly Cure First you must use cooling Medicines then Mucilaginous Medicines to dissolve the hard knotty lumps then apply the Plaister Oppodeltoch To cool it you may use the Anodyne or mortifying Medicine before described in the cure of Herysipelas The Mucilaginous Medicine Take the liquor of Mummy of Mastick and Camphire of each half an ounce the Mucilage of Fenugreek the Mucilage of Flea-wort and the Mucilage of Quinces of each alike so much as you think fit to make the Plaister this Plaister you may use in stead of the Oppodeltoch Plaister There are also other remedies whereby the Wolf may be cured as these following Take of Crystaline Realgare one ounce of burning oyl two ounces of white lead two drams make an Ointment with this anoint round the Wolf but not upon it once in twelve hours do so six or eight days then leave and that about which you anointed will fall off Afterwards you must wash the place evening and morning with this following water viz. Rose water the water of Fish-spawn of each six ounces the water of Feverfew five ounces mix them Then apply this Plaister viz. Take of Lin-seed oyl half a pound of viride aeâ—is and wax of each a quarter of a pound of Bdelium two ounces make a Plaister VII The Malum mortuum or dead evil beginneth at the feet and goeth upward it maketh the skin to be without feeling And at last It comes to be a running soar and so continueth twenty years afterwards it turns to a Leprosie Cure We must begin the cure with a Cautery to take away the dead skin then we must annoint the place where this evil hath spread it self the space of three moneths with the oyl of Pepper The Cautery is made thus Take of Brimstone four ounces melt it put to it three ounces of Frankincense and of Rosin seven ounces the oyl of Colophonia the oyl of Amber of each four ounces set them over the fire that they may mix together and with this being warm anoint the place twelve times in a day and in three days the dead skin will break and come off VIII When certain spots appear in the skin sometimes removing from place to place sometimes they are fixed in one place some are of a reddish colour some of a clay colour sometimes they are of a yellow colour At last It spreadeth it self over the whole body and breaks out into small blisters which grow hard and crusty then they chop and at last they turn to Ulcers Cure First The Blood must be purged then we must use the Cautery described before in the cure of the Malum Mortuum Lastly the cure must be perfected with Plantain The Medicine to purge the Blood Take the juice of Succory the juice of Germander of each one pound of the juice of Maidenhair half a pound of Manna two ounces of the true Spirit of Coperas described in the Treatise of Coperas one dram Mix them and distil an oyl from them of this oyl take at a time in a draught of Wine one or two or three drams as the Physician shall appoint IX When the face is first of a yellow colour then turns to be of a red colour and every day grows more and more red without Pimples or Itch so that both skin and flesh come to be of a Scarlet colour At last the skin and flesh do putrifie with a sharp smart humor Cure Take the whites of ten boiled Eggs and of the burned shels of Eggs six ounces distil a water from them then take Silver Tin Lead Copper beaten into very thin leaves of each one dram the leaves of Gold Silver Marchasite and Gold Marchasite of each two drams put them in a Glass and set the Glass in warm dung a moneth then distil an oyl from them with this oyl anoint the place X. When the face hath had a very red colour or hath had the guâ—ta râ—sacea and changeth from that to another colour viz. a blackish or lead colour with a little swelling and breaks out into waterish Blisters and Wens At last
is from the moist Phlegmatick constitution of the body so accordingly the Ulcer may be easier or harder to be cured For first the Defluxion must be dryed up before the Ulcer can be cured its true the Defluxion may be turned another way but not without danger of some great evil and oft-times it returns again to the old passage The Medicine which dryeth this Defluxion and cureth the Ulcer is the Crocus of Steel but you must joyn to this Crocus some cleansing Oyntment before described that the sore may be kept clean until it be cured When Ulcers come of wounds badly cured the way how these Ulcers should be cured I have set it down in my Book concerning the cure of Wounds CHAP. XII WHen Ulcers are from the influence of the stars you may know it by this That they will not yield as other Ulcers to any natural Medicines viz. Mummy Comfrey Plaisters or Oyntments c. but they must have such Medicines which are governed by some influence as Celandine Oak-leaves Plantane c. these do the cure certainly and safely if they do not cure without preparation then prepare them thus Take Celandine three handfuls of Oak-leaves two handfuls bruise them together and put them in a glass close stopt put the glass in warm dung some time then take them out put them in a distilling Vessel and distil an oyl from them with this oyl anoint the sore and strow the powder of the same herbs upon the sore until the cure be perfected To conclude observe this that in the curing of any Ulcer there are chiefly four things to be done viz. First we must asswage the pain Next we must cleanse the sore And in the third place We must consolidate the sore And lastly We must close it up and skin it If Chyrurgions would observe this method they might cure all Ulcers unless they be such Ulcers which are inflicted by God upon us as punishments But because of their pride avarice envy c. I do not write these things for them but for the sick A Treatise of Vlcers SECT II. Wherein are contained some rare Experimented Remedies for Ulcers especially for the Ulcers of the French Pox. A Medicine to cleanse Vlcers TAke of Turpentine one pound the yolks of twenty Eggs mix them well together and put to them as much of honey as is of them and set them over the fire half a quarter of an hour Apply this to the Ulcer morning and evening until the Ulcer be cleansed to these you may adde an ounce of the ashes of burned Fetherfew A Medicine to fill up any Vlcer with flesh after it is cleansâ—d Take of the former Oyntment one pound of Turpentine washed with rose-Rose-water or Comfrey water c. put them together over the fire and stir them together then put to them these Gums viz Galbanum Oppoponax Bdelium being dissolved in vinegar and the vinegar strained and boiled away from them of each an ounce the Powder of Birth wort one ounce and a half mix them and make a Plaister A Medicine to take away dead flesh or rotten bottom of an Vlcer If you know not how much there is of the rotten bottom then you must first apply this Take of the former cleansing Medicine half a pound with which you shall mix half an ounce of burned Allum and quenched in Vinegar and if in four days the Ulcer be not betâ—er then take this oyntment viz. of burned Allum quenched in vinegar and of the oyl of Arsnick of each alike and if the Ulcer yieldeth not to this neither then instead of burned Allum take burned Coperas when there comes a scurf upon the bottom of the sore it must be taken off with the oyl of Bricks afterwards anoint the place with Butter But I commend to you this following way as better to take away the rotten bottom of an Ulcer without a scurf by this following Receipt viz. Take of Allum burned and quenched in vinegar one ounce and a half of salt Armoniack one dram the yolks of four eggs a spoonful of honey of Bean-meal a half ounce mix them together with this make a tent to be put into the Ulcer if it be deep but if the Ulcer be not deep you may apply it as a plaister once a day until you come to a sound bottom cleared of all putrefaction But if there be any venomous matter in the bottom of the Ulcer you must draw it out with this following Medicine Take of Amber made into powder put it in a small pot well stopt set it over the fire to melt and when it is melted put to it so much of Turpentine as is the third part of the Amber and when they are mixed together put to them as much more Turpentine and this do so often until you have put to one ounce of Amber four ounces of Turpentine if it be too thick you may put to it some Lin-seed oyl then dip pieces of linnen cloth in it to be laid into the Ulcer and lay a Stictick Plaister upon the Ulcer The Balsom or Oyl of Tartar is made thus Take of Salt-Peter one pound of Arsnick or Rats-bane one ounce of unslaked Lime three ounces of Tartar twelve ounces make them into a powder put them into an earthen vessel which is not glased within and burn them in a hot fire six or eight hours then dissolve them in a sufficient quantity of water strain the water and boil it until it be boiled away and to that which remaineth adde some Salt-Peter of each a like quantity beat them together into a powder mix them well and keep them in a hot fire four or five hours then desolve them in water and do as you did before thus do three times and when they are burned the third time then pour upon them a sufficient quantity of vinegar let them dissolve in the vinegar and distil the Vinegar from them until you have an oyl Take some of this Oyl and some burned Allum quenched in Vinegar and mix them so as the mixture be thicker then honey dip pieces of linnen cloth in this to be laid into the Ulcer and when it hath lain in the Ulcer twelve hours look upon the Ulcer and if the Uâ—cer and about the Ulcer be very red then you must apply this Medicine but once in twenty four hours and continue it so until the redness and inflammation be gone Then take of the former oyl of Tartare two pounds of Tragacanthum dissolved in rose-Rose-water two ounces of Camphire half an ounce mix them together in this mixture dip pieces of linnen cloth and lay them into the Ulcer and it will without pain or danger dry up and cure the Ulcer But if the Ulcer be hollow and must be filled up with flesh then take of the common oyl of Tartar five ounces of Mummy one ounce of the Crocus of steel one ounce and a half of the oyl of the yolks of Eggs ten drams mix them and apply them
to the Ulcer until it be filled up with flesh and when it is fill'd with flesh you shall anoint the place with the former oyl alone ten days This oyl of Tartar is excellent to consume any superfluous moysture and to take away any inflammation or superfluous flesh c. but it is especially good for the putrid and running sores of the feet and legs Whatsoever Ulcers they be albeit they be putrid old swelling or hollow or eating Ulcers c. yet if they be anointed with this oyl it will cure them throughly it is of a wonderful drying faculty A good Plaister Oppodeltoch to fill an Vlcer with flesh especially a Fistula or Cancer or Syrone Take of common Rosin Colophony Turpentine of each a half pound of Virgin Wax a pound and a half of gum Amoniacum and Myrrhe of each two ounces of Realgare fixed three drams mix them and make a Plaister which must be laid to the Ulcer when it is well cleansed twice a day until the cure be done For a Sphacelus to seperate the dead putrified part from the sound part Take of Colophony three pound the oyl of Myrrhe six ounces of the gums Bdelium Ammoniacum Oppopanax Galbanum of each half a pound make a plaister to be applyed to the putrified part and after the dead and putrified part is taken away from the sound part by this plaister then apply to the place this following Receipt Take of the water of the salt of Radish one ounce of the juice of Plaintan eight ounces mix them and anoint the part with them Morning and Evening Then apply this Plaister Take of the oyl of Eggs two drams and a half the oyl of Walnuts five ounces of Wax and Pitch of each five ounces make a Plaister Experiments for Ulcers especially for the Ulcers of the French Pox And the first kinde of Experiments are Baths A good Bath to cure any Scab or Itch especially the Scab of the French Pox. TAke of Allum ten pounds of Coperas one pound of burned Tartar half a pound of Brine or the Liquor of Salt three pounds put them in a good quantity of Scalding hot water in which some hops have been boiled and when they are dissolved in the water let the Patient Bath himself in this water but if it be an old stubborn Scab which will not yield to this Bath then take Quick-silver and make it very hot and quench it in this water do so several times and then it will cure any Scab of the French Pox. Another Take of burned Aâ—lum and of Plum-Allum of each an ounce of burned Tartar and burned Coperas of each four ounces of Roch Allum salt Nitre and Coperas of each one pound and take old blew cheese and wash from it the blew with water take of this blew as much as all the rest and mix it with the rest then set them in some dry place and it will grow hard as horn when you would use it put some of it in hot water and it will dissolve in it then let the Patient Bath himself in this water for any Scab or itch c. Nay some have so highly esteemed of this Receipt that they have endeavored to cure the Leprosie with it If the salt of Feverfew or Snakewood be put into the former composition it will be much better The juice of Nettles and a little of the Liquor of Salt cureth the running sores of the feet if they be anointed therewith Some who got this Receipt from me have foolishly thought it a sufficient cure for all Sores The second kinde of Experiments are Oyntments An Oyntment for those Vlcers of the French Pox which begin to be dry Take of Lethargire and Red-lead of each half an ounce of the oyl of Mirtles three ounces of Aloepatick one ounce and a half the flower of prepared Copper three drams of Turpentine two ounces mix them with this Oyntment I have seen these Ulcers happily cured The chief Ingredients in this and such other Oyntments are Aloepatick and the flower of Coperas Another Oyntment Take of the Oyl of Mummy three ounces of the flower of Copper half a dram of Mastick Myrrhe Frankincense Mummy of each two drams and a half of Aloepatick half an ounce of washed Turpentine three drams and a half Mix them There are some oyntments in which Quick-silver is the chief ingredient which common people do ordinarily use for the Itch Scab and other faults of the skin but you must know that Quick-silver should not be used unless it be rightly prepared If you can bring it to be an oyl with salt Nitre then mix this oyl with any of the oyntments for Ulcers and you have a singular good remedy for all diseases of the skin except the Leprosie for Scabs Ulcers c. If you anoint therewith the lips of an old sore it will cure it speedily but especially if it be an Ulcer of the French Pox then it will be so much the sooner cured by this Oyntment Precipitate Mercury is an excellent remedy for all the hollow Uâ—cers of the French Pox except eating Ulcers It is made thus Put Quick-silver in a pot set it over the fire until it be very hot then quench it in the water which is distilled from Eggs and distil this water oft-times from the Quick-silver until the Quick-silver is turned into a red powder mix this red powder with some of the Oyntments for Ulcers and anoint the Ulcer with it A good Plaister Take of both kindes of Snake-weed of each seven of Consound and bushy rooted Birth-wort of each a half pound bruise them and mix them with washed Turpentine one pound and a half and with Sallet oyl four ounces make them into a plaister and whatsoever sore cannot be cured by this plaister it is hardly cured by any other The oyl of Mummy the oyl of the yolks of Eggs the oyl of Mastick Oleum Laterinum or the oyl of Bricks these oyls are of great vertue to further the cure of any Ulcer or to asswage pain c. but they are not sufficient to perfect the cure alone Another Bâ—uise Snake-weed and put to it a little Petroleum it is a very good remedy for Ulcers Another Take Mummy beat it to powder and mix it with Mans fat it is good for asswaging the pain of Ulcers c. Another Aloepatick made into powder and mixed with honey is good for dry sores and such sores which are near the bone Rosin is good for Syron's to further their cure but it cannot do the cure alone without some of the aforesaid Herbs or c. to be mixed with it Many have endeavored to imitate my Compositions have said that they were mine but with what success they used these compositions they can tel who were their Patients and how could they imagine to do any good with these Compositions when they knew nor the nature of the Ingredients but when they read these my Writings they will see their error and
wort three ounces of Myrrhe half an ounce of Mummy two ounces make them into a powder and mix them with so much of the oyl of Roses as is sufficient to make them into a Plaister A Caveat You must not apply to this Soar Pitch hot Oyls Birth-wort Viride aris Arsnick salt Armoniack precipitated Mercury Orpment burnt Allum or any drawing herb XXVIII Swelling of the Veins If a Vein be swelled and this Vein breaks into stinking holes with a putrifaction of the skin and flesh this is a hollow Ulcer At last If not cured it turns to a Saint Antonies fire Cure We must not cure this Aposthume in the same maner as hath been said before in the cure of the swelling of a Vein viz. You must open a Vein c. and when you open the Vein apply this following Plaister Take of Lithargire and red Lead of each half a pound of Sallet Oyl one pound of Wax half a pound adde to them these powders viz. of Orange-skins of Celandine round Birth-wort of each three ounces being all mixed together make them into a Plaister A Caveat You must not apply to this Soar any Corrosive Water or Canteries or drawing Medicines made of Gums for if they be used they will change it to a St. Anthonys Fire XXIX If in men there be Pustules betwixt the shoulders or in the breasts of Women which become hard like Warts they come from the stopping of the Haemorrhoides in men and from the stopping of the Monethly courses in women they grow big sometimes within the skin sometimes without the skin accordingly as the humor floweth to them At last they break out into a running soar which draweth to it the substance of the Body and continueth during life-time Cure First If it be in a man you must bring out the Piles if it be in a Woman you must bring down their courses then you must proceed in the rest of the cure the same way as in Noli me Tangere A Medicine to bring down the Monethly courses in women Take the Liquor of Penny-Royal and of Mugwort of each three ounces of the corrected Spirit of Wine seven ounces the liquor of the milt of an Ox one ounce mix them and take half an ounce of them in a draught of Wine or Beer every morning and evening You may adde to this Composition some Saven-water and some of the oyl made of the grains of Saven A Medicine to bring out the Haemorrhoides Take of clean gum Sagapenum half an ounce of Bdelium and Mastick of each one ounce make them into a Plaister which you must apply to the place of the Haemorrhoides XXX When there is in any place a great pain with redness and a burning heat and afterwards a swelling which breaks into holes and about these holes are small yellow risings shining and burning and it continueth so three or six years but when there is a burning heat with yellow risings and afterwards they turn to a blew or lead colour this shews it to be a most vehement inflammation A Caveat Beware of such Medicines which drive the humor inwards and beware of the Guaick-wood and all such Oyntments and Suffumigations which are used for the Pox. Cure I will first shew you how to cure it when it is beginning before it come to be an Ulcer then I will shew you how to cure it when it is an old Soar when it hath continued twenty years For the first cure Take of Frog-spawn half a pound of Camphire three ounces of Myrrhe and Frankincense of each an ounce put them in a Glass close stopt and set them in the Sun until they turn to be a Liquor in this Liquor dip a linnen cloth which you shall apply to the part pained And when the cloth is dry dip it again in the said Liquor and apply it and do thus so often until the pain be gone For the second cure Take of Turpentine two pounds set it over the fire and boil it a little take it off and let it cool and it will be hard and brittle as glass then take of Oppopanax half a pound dissolve it in a quart of Vinegar then strain the vinegar through a cloth and boil it until it be consumed and onely the Oppopanax remains to which you must adde the Turpentine which you have hardened being beat into powder and three ounces of the red powder of burned Coperas then take so much honey as is necessary to make a Plaister boil it and skim it and mix it with the rest of your Ingredients and so make them into a Plaister which you shall apply to an old Saint Anthonies Fire XXXI When below the Brest there is circle round the body of reddish colour which afterward breaks out into yellow risings and these in a long time after turn to holes with redness burning and pain And at last it inflameth the Diaphragma then death followeth A Caveat Abstain from eating Medicines Gums Pitch fat things and those Oyntments which are used for the Pox. Cure First we must cleanse the Diaphragma with Larks-spur and then apply to the Soar this Plaister Take of Colophony one pound the powder of Celandine and the powder of Orange skins of each four ounces of the best Turpentine so much as is sufficient to make the Plaister XXXII When in the hand there breaks out first Pustles which afterwards turn to a crusty substance and then there follows deep clefts in the flesh At last it spreads over all the body thereafter the crusty substance falleth off and then it ceaseth Caution Abstain from Corrosive or eating Medicines Cantharides Purgations Oyntments Fumigations and the Guaick-wood Cure Take of the four Gums viz. Oppopanax Segapenum Galbanum Bdelium of each one ounce of Colophony two ounces of washed Turpentine four drams set them over the fire that they may be mixed then make a Plaister which must be applyed warm to the chopt hands and let it lie at the hands twelve hours then take it off and wash your hands with clean warm water then apply the Plaister unto it again and let it lie other twelve hours then take off and wash your hands and thus you must do so often until the humor be quite dryed up which useth to be in fifteen days or thereabouts for the four Gums have a peculiar and and admirable cleansing and drying vertue XXXIII The Itch and Scab are so commonly known that I need not describe it Cure Take of Roch Allum one pound of Plum Allum half a pound mix them Another Take of Plum Allum and salt Entals of each alike mix them for the Itch. Another Take Coperas and Allum of each alike mix them XXXIV When many Pustules break out together and being rubbed they issue out a yellowish water then there comes on a hard crusty Scab which falls off again and in its stead comes another And at last it turns to an Ulcer Cure You must not use any Medicines but such as are cooling Take
Oyntments and Pessaries A Potion Take of Agrimony Sanicle Winter-green and both kindes of Periwincle of each one Scruple of round Birth-wort one ounce of Parsnap and of small yellow Rapes one ounce put your Herbs in new Claret wine or new Ale or Beer and let them lie in it four or five days then drink of it every morning a draught You must use this kinde of drink half a year Another Potion Take of Larks-Spurre half a pound of round Birth-wort six ounces Ladies mantle and Sanicle of each ten ounces of small Sea-Buck-horn one pound and a half put them in Beer or Ale or Wine four or five days then take a draught of it every morning Let the patient use this following Salt with her meat Take Frankincense Mummy the Stone Haemmatites of each two ounces Make them into powder and mix them with half a pound of common salt made into fine powder let every thing be seasoned with this salt which the Patient eateth Then she must put up into the Womb this Pessary Take the water of Plantain the water of small Sea-Buck-horn the water of Ars-smart the water of St. Johns wort of each half a pound of Earth-worms six ounces of Iragacanthum one dram of Comfrey the leaves of long Birthwort of each three ounces and mix them with the best white Sugar and make them into Pessaries of that bigness as is fit to be put up into the Womb once a day and there to continue four or five hours at a time Another Take the juice of St. Johns-wort the juice of Ars-smart of each half a pound of prune-Prune-water and cherry-Cherry-water of each one pound of Turpentine washed with rose-Rose-water seven ounces Mix them and make a Pessary to be put up into the Womb twice a day or oftner as necessity requireth Another Pessary Take the Oyl of St. Johns-wort the oyl of Ars smart the oyl of round Birth-wort of each one pound the oyl of Frogs the oyl of Earth-worms of each twelve ounces the oyl of the yolks of Eggs one pound and twelve ounces Mix them and dip a linnen cloth in the mixture which must be put up into the Womb. An Oyntment for the Patients back Take of Mercury purged from its cold substance and eating biting faculty half an ounce of Bolus Scissus three ounces of Harts grease half a pound the oyl of Dill and the oyl of the yolks of Eggs of each six ounces M x them together over the fire and anoint the back therewith twice or thrice in a day or you may put so much Wax to them as to make them into a Plaister to be applyed to the back L. If a Womans belly be big as if she were with childe nevertheless she hath her Monethly Courses and sometimes her Belly is big sometimes it lesseneth but in some women their Belly continueth in the same bigness and hard some women have pain with it and some are without pain This is a false Conception which continueth with a Woman during her life Cure I will first shew you how to drive out a false Conception then I will give you a Preservative to keep you from a false Conception A Medicine to drive out a false Conception Take of Oriental Saffron four ounces of salt Borax half an ounce of Amber half an ounce of Scammony six drams of the Azure stone one dram Oppopanax boiled in Vinegar and the Vinegar boiled away until the Oppopanax be almost dry then take so much of this Oppopanax as is sufficient to make Pessaries with the former Ingredients to be put up into the Womb. Caution But remember this that this Medicine cannot be safely used if the Patient hath carried this false Conception as long as she should have carryed a childe and that it is grown so big that the passage will be too narrow for it to come out for then it would endanger the Patients life A Medicine to preserve a Woman from false Conception Take of Agarick Torchiscate one ounce of Euphorbium half an ounce of Oppopanax an ounce and a half let the Oppopanax be dissolved in Vinegar then strain the Vinegar and boil it away until the Oppopanax be almost dry then mix the Agarick and Euphorbium with it and make them into Pessaries put up one of the Pessaries into the Patients Womb before the false Conception be big and in one night if it make not the swelling fall then she is with childe LI. When there comes out of the nose yellow stinking corrupt matter with pain in the head or without pain or if there comes out of the ears putrid stinking matter or if the Patient spit loathsom stinking matter or if he evacuate corrupt matter with his Urine or if his dung excrement hath changed its natural colour or if his sweat stinketh or if the Monethly courses of Women change their colour without pain in the back or thighs If any of these continue with the Patient four years sometimes ceasing and then returning it is a sign that it will continue with the Patient all his life time Cure For the corrupt Excrements of the Nose Take of Darnel the seed of Gith black Hellebore of each one scruple of Marjoram and Sage of each half a dram of Musk two grains make them into a sneezing powder take a little of this into the Nose every morning For the corrupt Excrements of the ears Take of Scammony one scruple of Bdelium one dram of Wax one scruple and a half make them into a plaister which must be made into long small pieces to be thrust into the ears when the ears begin to purge out this corrupt matter For corrupt Matter voided in the Vrine Take of Oriental Saffron half a dram of the hairs which grow under the tail of a Hare half an ounce five Cantharides Make them into a powder and mix them put them in a little linnen bag which you must lay under the Yard near to the Fundament right under the Bladder and let it lie at the place a day or two until no more corrupt Matter is voided with the Urine A Medicine to rectifie the Dung-Excrement Take of Scammony one scruple of Haermodactils and Turbith of each one dram of Honey so much as to make them into Suppositaries For the stink of the Sweat Take of Treacle two drams of the Spirit of Wine two ounces of Euphorbium seven grains The Patient must go into a Bath when he takes this afterwards let him keep himself warm in his Bed and sweat Thus he must do three or four times or oftner until the stink of the Sweat be quite gone LII If after rubbing of any place there follows a red swelling which afterwards turneth into an Ulcer Cure For the swelling before it be turned into an Ulcer Take the oyl of Roses six ounces of slacked Lime three ounces of Camphire five drams mix them and lay them upon the swelling But if the swelling be changed into an Ulcer then take of Frog spawn one ounce the oyl
of Camphire two drams of the juice of Poppy and the juice of Henbane of each one ounce mix them and lay them to the Ulcer to take away the heat of it Then take of the Apostolorum Plaister and the Diaquilon Plaister of each half an ounce of Mummy three ounces of Cerusse or white Lead two drams of Camphire one dram Mix them over the fire and make them into a Plaister which must be applyed to the soar until the Cure be done LIII For Corns in Feet or Hands Caution You must not cut Corns so deep as to cut the quick flesh and you must not use Corrosive Waters to them for in so doing you may cause a dangerous Ulcer to follow Cure Take the Oyl of Juniper Berries and Agarick of each one dram of Ox Gall two drams mix them and lay them to the Corn until the Corn groweth dry and black and begins to moulder away then apply to it the Plaister Oppodeltoch some four or five weeks until the cure be done Another Take Realgare one scruple of the Oyl of the yolks of Eggs half a dram of slacked Lime half a dram mix them and lay them to the Corn and they will make the Corn black and consume it The Oppodeltoch Plaister Take of Colophony two ounces the powder of Celendine and the powder of Orange skins of each half an ounce of the best Turpentine so much as to make them into a plaister LIV. When in any part of the body there is a hard immovable tumor or Excrescency of flesh growing to the Muscles which groweth still bigger and at last makes the member crooked where it is it also weakens the guts causing great windiness in them Caution You must not use the Chyrurgions Instruments to this nor any such Medicines which are used for Aposthumes Cure You must do no more to such tumors or Excrescencies but to hinder their increasing which is done by this Oyntment Take of the Oyl of Myrtles two ounces of the oyl of Nutmeg half an ounce of the marrow of an Ox two drams of Petroleum two ounces and a half Mix them Herewith you shall annoint those places where the Spermatick vessels lie most outwardly the back and thighs once a moneth LV. When there are spots in the skin of the face or elsewhere of a yellow or clay colour c. If they stay constantly in the place or if sometimes they evanish and return again Cure Take of Turnsole and Germander of each three ounces of the best Manna half an ounce of Parmacity and Bay-berries of each ten drams the water of Baulm the water of Vervain the water of Valerian of each five ounces Put your Herbs into the Waters and let them lie in the waters two or three days and when the spots begin to come out upon the skin take three or four ounces of those Waters at a time Observe That Turnsole is a singular good Herb it wonderfully reneweth the blood and flesh A Treatise concerning long Life CHAP. I. All Medicines divided into three sorts according to the threefold Age of Man shewing that each Age must have its own Medicines proper for it SEeing there are Medicines which can preserve the Body of Man for many Ages from Diseases Corruptions and Superfluities or if there be any infirmity or corruption in the Body they can cure it It ought to be the care of every Physician to know them and to know them throughly for there are very many tedious Diseases and many Maladies incident to the Body of Man which are rooted out by these Medicines which prolong life In this discourse of long Life I will first give you the Theory of it and then the practice that you may fully know all that concerns long Life I would not have any to doubt of this that life may be prolonged for these two Reasons 1. Because it doth not appear that there is any certain day or hour of any mans death 2 Because we have Medicine prepared for us by him who hath created us both to preserve us from Diseases and to drive out Diseases Hence we may conclude that neither Diseases bring Death neither is Death the cause of Diseases nay Death and Diseases agree no better then fire and water A natural Disease hates Death as every part of the living Body hates Death I intend in this discourse to speak to those of my own way who by great skill and daily experience have searched into and do know the propertieâ— and natures of things which are hid and unknown to presumptuous and titular Doctors And I do affirm this as a most certain truth That the Body may be restored changed to the better yea wholly renewed As it is to be plainly seen in Metals which may be so purified that they shall be afterwards free from any rust so likewise dead Bodâ—es if they be embalmed do not putrifie afterwards Some perhaps may dislike my Writings because they are short and because of those Examples which I use but my Writings are not therefore to be slighted seeing I use onely the examples of such things which are or may be done by Nature as in this comparison of Mettals with the Body of Man I know that there is great difference betwixt these two yet they are both preserved one way as experience teacheth If a dead Body can be preserved by Balsom from putrefaction or decay how much more may a living Body be so preserved Now there are three parts of Mans Age viz. yong Age middle Age and old Age and each of these must have such Medicines for prolonging life as are proper and suitable to them therefore there must be also three kindes of Medicines for the conservation of Life according to these three Ages We may likewise say that there are three parts in long life according to those three parts of mans Age for many might die in their Infancy many in their middle age c. if their life were not prolonged by the help of Medicines We cannot have any certainty that an Infant or a strong yong man shall outlive a weak old man No part of mans age hath any certain time of death appointed to it the Infant in the Mothers Womb may have many things befal it which may be the cause of great weakness in the childe or incline the childe to diseases and that Infant which is very weak when it is born the strength of Nature is abated and lessened in it as it is in old age And therefore those Medicines which are the helps of long life must be given to this Infant anointing the Nurses breast therewith which the childe doth suck c. as you shall hear more at large afterwards in the practice of long life For by these Medicines of long life the strength of Nature is increased and life prolonged after the same maner in an Infant as it is in old age Or if a yong man runs into so great excess of Drinking or Venery c. that thereby
Spirit of wine being separated from that Oyl there will remain the essence of the Root sweet without any addition This Essence doth much differ from that way which was used by the Physicians in ancient times for this Essence doth not purge out a great deal of humours but rather the Epileptick body it self i. e. the humour wherein the Disease or poyson of the Disease chiefly lurks which is the root of the Disease Therefore this Essence is a safer and more effectual purge and a more certain cure then that which was used in former times against this Disease Now this Essence will be more effectual against this disease if you join with it in the Spirit of wine the Misteto of Oak and Pellitorie and the seeds of Pionie that the medicinal spirit of these three may be mixed with the Essence of the Black Hellebore and so to be given to the sick person so much of it at a time as the skilful Physician shall think fit This disease must be driven out slowly and by degrees considering the Nature of the sick person of the Disease and of the Countrey where they live c. Addit The Root is to be pull'd out of the earth in the decrease of the Moon the Moon being in the Signe of Libra which Signe is most agreeable to the Falling-sicknesse upon the Friday or in an hour of Venus and it must be dryed in the shade with a dry North wind It was the custome of the Antients to use the Herbs as they are pulld out of the earth without any addition but my way of using this Root is thus Let the Patient who is troubled with the Falling-sicknesse be purged three dayes before the fit comes upon him if it can be done giving him for a purge two drams of the powder of this Root to young people in milk to old people in wine Another Preparation of the Leaves and Root of Hellebore It s certain that the vertue of this herb is great and admirable not much differing from a Balsome He which can bring out the Balsome which lurks in this herb hath a most precious treasure of Nature The way to make of this herb a Balsome is thus This herb must be putrified in its own water being placed in warm dung the glass being close stop'd afterwards the water must be separated from that which is putrified and the putrified matter must be separated from the grounds the grounds must be kept by themselves then you have the Balsome with two degrees of moistnesse and twenty two degrees of putrifaction The dose of that which is putrified according to degrees and of the water according to the quantity is to be considered in the administration of it according to the first proceeding This Balsome may be more exalted in its essence if the aforesaid work be done again by adding to this water and putrified matter new or fresh Hellebore and if it be dry especially the Root it s so much the better The Root is thus corrected Take of this Root cut in large slices two ounces of flesh a quarter of a pound cut very small of the water of Nutmeg one ounce of the water of large Pepper one dram put these together in a pot very well stopt and put your pot in boyling water three or four hours then take out your pot and pour out the liquor which you shall keep for your use then throw away the flesh and the herb Of this liquor you are to give so much as the disease the sick person and necessity requires Another Addition You have already heard that this Root cures four principall diseases and that it is a conservative of long life But now I will shew you how Hellebore can do greater Cures then any I have yet mentioned Take of this Balsome of black Hellebore one ounce of naturall Balsome half a scruple let them be so exactly mixed that there appear but only one and not two For Balsom and Hellebore are of the same nature in respect of Conservation Natural Balsom is such a Medicine which preserves us from all the infections of the Stars from the Plurisie and from the Pestilence Now we should provide Remedies not onely against our earthly infirmities and diseases but also against those diseases which come from the celestiall influences And against such diseases there is no Medicine more powerfull then Balsome If the Falling-Sicknesse could be cured by purging then this Root were a sufficient remedie Some Herbs are fit purges for the Falling Sicknesse other herbs for the Jaundies c. Every disease requires its own purge which is agreeable to it yet a Purgation is not a full Cure we must do something else to perfect the Cure therefore when the Patient is purged so as he should be then follows the Cure of the Falling Sickness which consists in the Secret or Arcanum of the Essence of Coperas By this method both old and young may be cured Neverthelesse the Physician must observe that this order of Purgations and Essences is not to be learned by the Apothecaries Art but by the natures of things which do teach us both the way how the Medicine is to be given and how much is to be given CHAP. III. The Cure of the Gout with black Hellebore THere are two kinds of Gout one kind of it comes of bloud the other comes of defluxions from the head In the Bloud-Gout the bloud doth rage and by Astronomie it appears that the bloud Gout is enraged by the influence of the Dog-stars as in another place I have fully proved Now Hellebore cannot help this kinde of Gout but it is good for that Gout which comes of saltish sowr sharp corrosive defluxions These qualities of the defluxions are the cause of the Gout and not heat or cold or moistnesse or drynesse but if the diseased person be much troubled with great heat or great coldnesse in his joynts it is by reason of the contention betwixt nature and the disease betwixt that which is sound and that which is diseased The Antient appâ—oved Physicians gave Hellebore to those who were troubled with such defluxions and with it purged them For this Root is the best of all purging Medicines which were known to the Ancients both for preventing Defluxions and for expelling them out of the body This Purge was made by the Ancients not according to the Rules of the Physicians of later times but it was judiciously without curiosity prepared They regarded not such Medicines which were made up of Syrups c. and such other vaine additions They gave this root alone without any addition to the patient a little of it every day and not all at one time For Purgations must be given moderately in long Diseases purging rather often and gently then violently This Root of elder Hellebore thus prepared and given every day as the Patient and Disease requires doth so cure defluxions by its natural vertue that no Root or Herb can do he like As
other place till first it be turned back to the place of its nativity i. e. the root or fountain where it had its beginning and be ripened there Now consider how you can do this What can you do it by purging That is impossible for you do no more by purging but drive out the disease crude and not yet ripe through the guts and thereby you multiply diseases But the right way is this to bring back the defluxion to the fountain and to keep it there till it be ripened then let nature cast it out afterwards Now the defluxion must be ripened by Esse essentificatum made of the stands of Wine in that way of preparation which is discovered to us by the light of experience Thus likewise are cured ulcerous Legs Cancers Fistulaes and the like but we must except Noli me tangere in whatsoever place of the body it is If you would stop bleediâ—â— you must consider its center and towâ—rds it you must turn the belly of the Loadstone to draw back the blood and the back of the Loadstone must be toward the place of bleeding to stop bleeding there Addition There are some Potions which being drunk can draw back the blood to its center and can allay the fury and boyling of the blood as cold water powred into a boyling pot cools it so is the blood cooled by this Potion Of this sort are those Cordial waters which are made after my way of preparation Let others use their own Experiments its free for every one to use that which he finds best for him As it hath been spoken of the use of the Loadstone for severall Diseases the same way it is to be used for the Hemorrhoids for these three concurre to make up the perfect cure of the Hemorrhoids viz. the Loadstone the ripening of the Hemorrhoids and cooling of them To conclude The Loadstone is not only useful for the diseases before mentioned but also in many others It wonderfuâ—â— cureth Ruptures both in old peoplâ—â—nd young it draws out the Jaundise and Hydropsie if those other medicines be also used which are proper and suitable to such diseases of which I will not speak more here lest I be too large in this discourse Seeing the whole proceeding is only this to draw the disease back to its root to digest it there and to expell it thence c. all which may be better learned by practice there is no need that chewed meat should be put in the mouth of those who know nothing of this Art TREATISE VI. Of the Preparations and medicinal Vertues of Turpentine of Ebonie and of Mummie CHAP. I. The difference of the wild and the planted Larch-tree and that the natural place of the Larch-tree maketh much for the goodnesse of the Turpentine IT is the nature of the Larch-tree or Turpentine tree to delight in mountainous ground and such ground which is not manured As there are Beasts some wilde and some tame so Trees some grow wild some are planted The Turpentine-tree planted in domestick places differs no otherwise from that which groweth wild then a Doe brought from the mountains differs from that which is kept in a garden but the Turpentine it self hath great harm by this transplantation for when it is taken from its native place viz. which is most agreeable to it then is it removed from its naturall nourishment whereby it is encreased and hath its being And as manured ground is easily known by sight from that which is not manured so may the domestick Turpentine be known from that which is wild for the wild Turpentine grows not in good ground but the domestick growes in good ground and when it is brought from mountainous places and planted in plain ground then is it deprived of that high air which is upon the mountains and must now stand in a different air viz. the air of low grounds which is very much contrary to its nature There are also other reasons why the Larch-tree should not be transplanted But the chief reason is this because that celestiall influence which is in the Turpentine from the Starres comes down to the mountains but not to the low grounds and if the Turpentine do not enjoy this influence daily then it cannot come to the perfection of a Balsom but this influence cannot be transplanted it cannot be brought to the low grounds from the mountains where it useth to be I would have all observe this but especially Physicians That every thing which groweth should be taken in the place of its influence where it groweth naturally of it self It s true that in the transplanted Turpentine are all the same kindes of Vertues which are in the other true Turpentine but weaker and more imperfect As for example Common people say that the fish called the Wolf doth thrive better in one water then in another and the best fishes if they be put into some waters they will become worse and they will have the taste of those waters and those fishes which live in smooth waters differ much from the same kinde of fish which lives in rough waters And as there is difference of waters so there is also difference of grounds and so there must be also a difference in plants growing in divers grounds We must remember this that the Turpentine hath its old age and the older it is so much the weaker it is its first age is sixty years its middle age is from sixty years to one hundred and eighty then begins its old age When it grows old it becomes incapable to receive the celestiall influence for spiritual impressions cannot be well received into decayed bodies And what I have now spoken of the Larch-tree the same is to be understood of all other Trees or Herbs of the like nature viz. which have some speciall influence from the Stars I do not speak of that only which is outwardly seen but I speak of that which is inward the life and soul of the herb which preserves the herb dwelling in those Vertues which stream from it into the corporeal parts of the herb I have spoken here the more plainly that you may understand that vertue by which every disease is cured CHAP. II. That the right Turpentine is equall to the Indian Balsom in its preserving Vertue and how it hath this vertue by the influence of the Stars and by the Elements is fully explained ANd truly if we ought to write of the Vertues of any Tree then certainly of the Larch-tree rather then any other For it hath a true Balsome which is to be esteemed of as a Balsome being of the same nature and goodnesse with the beyond-sea Indian Balsom For albeit the Indian Balsom as it is a Balsome hath some other properties which the Turpentine hath not yet the Balsome of the Larch-tree hath not onely the nature of a Balsom but it hath also some other vertues Now a Balsom is that which preserves bodies from putrifaction as is evident by these two
and cure the fourth part of diseases if they knew how to prepare this rightly they needed not so many boxes pots glasses c. in which there is nothing but cheats What needs a physician gather together so many boxes and so many beyond sea medicines if he be provident and wise he needs not go far or trouble himself much to find out medicines for all diseases as good as India or Egypt or Barbary or Greece can give There are many kinds of Coperas they differ according to the pits whence they are taken If you would know the goodnesse of the Coperas in Physick dissolve the coperas in some liquor and give it to them who are troubled with the worms and let them drink it and as it drives out the worms so also it is good for other physical uses But the goodness of Coperas for Chimick uses appears by this viz. if it turn Iron into a deep coloured and malleable Copper for there is great affinity betwixt iron an Coperas and the best Coperas makes the best Copper out of iron This is not a thing to be much admired there are many such things done by nature we see lead turned into quick silver by the water of salt-borace and so also other metals are changed one into another by minerals so that not only Coperas but there are also other things which can change mettals The reason why these things are not knowne is this because when cheaters get the knowledge of such things they keep them secret for their own gains for the maintenance of their purses and kitchins In Hungaria there is a River which comes from a Coperas Mine or runs through some Coperas Mine if iron be laid in the water of this river some time it will be changed to bee as it were all rust take this lump of rust and put it in a wind-furnace and you shall have good Copper which cannot be again turned into iron There is another way to try the goodnesse of Coperas for Chymistry thus put your Coperas in a pot and set the pot in the fire till your Coperas be turned into a red powder then melt it and if it yeild Copper it is good for Chymistry but not so good for physick There is another way to know the goodness of the coperas by the colour that coperas which is of a sea green and is throughly green without any other colour mixed with it it is not so good for physick as that which hath red and vellow streaks in it and that which being laid in the open air turns whitish it is the best to make the green and white oyl of it but that which turns ruddish or yellowish from it we draw the red oyle and by these marks the Physician or Alchymist may know whar coperas he should chuse for his purpose There is one tryal more which I will adde to know the goodnesse of coperas it is this if your coperas with galls make good ink then the coperas is good but if it make a waterish ink and not a good black ink then it is not good coperas CHAP. II. The Medicinal Vertues of Coperas unprepared and of Coperas calcined HAving given you the marks to know good Coperas I will now shew you the physical vertues of it And first of unprepared Coperas and of calcined Coperas Observe this that Coperas is an excellent purge fit to be used for great and difficult diseases of the stomack it falls out sometimes that by hurtful meats and drinks or bad diet the stomack is weakned and the patient falls into some long and tedious disease which may continue with him till his death or after a long disease he may be troubled with the cramp c. Likewise by intemperancy oft-times comes fevers or loosnesse c. Now there is nothing better for all such diseases then to be purged with Coperas which some do Allegorically call Gryllum you must take so much of it at a time as you can take up upon the point of a knife six times if it doth not work then take the same quantity of it again if it doth not yet work take the same quantity of it the third time and that will be enough to those who are weak you must give it in wine or water but to those who are strong and are bound in their body give it in the spirit of wine and so it will throughly purge upwards and downwards There are many other strong purgatives as Hellebore Spurge Coloquintida c. but none do purge so well as Coperas the reason of it is this because in the Coperas there is a sowrnesse sharpnesse and a cleansing faculty which is not in Hellebore Coloquintida c. whereby it hath a full and perfect operation in purging the Hellebore Coloquintida c. have only a laxative faculty but the Coperas besides its laxative faculty hath also a saltishnesse which is of such a nature that wheresoever it meetes with any wormes in the body it kills them none of the other purgatives can do this Doubtlesse that purgative which hath sowrnesse and saltishnesse joyned with its laxative vertue it must needs cleanse and purge singularly well wherefore I do think that Coperas is for the inward diseases of the body a more excellent purge then any other I need not name all those inward diseases for which it is good seeing I have so largely described to you the Nature and Vertues of it only this I would have you observe that it is the safest the most powerful and most profitable purge that can be taken for all diseases of the stomack for the falling sicknesse and for worms if it be given in a right time and in a right manner the person being also considered to whom it is to be given c. As for calcined Coperas that is Coperas burned in the fire till it comes to be a red powder you must know that it is not to be taken inwardly it is to be used only in Chirurgy it is good for rotten old sores which will not yeild to remedies it prepares the sore and makes way for the cure You shall use it thus take the calcined Coperas very hot and quench it in vinegar and thus do several times then dry it strow it upon the plaister which should be applied to the sore this will bring a hard scurfe upon the sore this scurfe you must loosen from the sore and get it off with oyl or fresh butter afterwards the cure will be easie but if the sore will not yet yield to the remedy then you may think that there is yet some poison in the sore which must be brought out by the oyl of Coperas for if it be a very malignant stubborn sore then the calcined Coperas is not subtle enough to search to the bottome of it But if you would have this calcined Coperas more piercing you may do it thus sprinkâ—e this calcined Coperas with
vinegar in which Coperas is dissolved let it dry and sprinkle it again and thus doe four or five times when it is thus prepared it will search to the bottome of the sore But the best way of preparing this calcined Coperas is thus distill the water off from the Coperas the grounds remaining is calcined Coperas put the water distilled to the said grounds distill it again do thus so often till no water will come from the grounds If you use this for any sore you will find it to be very subtil and piercing In curing sores you must consider well the degrees of sores and that which will not yeild to the calcined Coperas must bee cured by the oyle or water of Coperas So that if wee can do no good by the calcined Coperas wee must not therefore despair but we must prepare it further by distillation and in so doing wee may bring this medicine to that height that it can cure all kinds of sores as Canker wolf fistuls c. CHAP. III. Of the true Spirit and true oyle of Coperas how they are made and what are their Vertues ALchimy hath discovered many excellent secrets to physicians whereby great cures have been done and therefore physicians formerly when they entred upon the study of medicine they also studied Alchimy because it is the mother of many worthy physical secrets These two Arts viz. Medicine and Alchimy as companions were studied together till those talkative cheaters the humorists poisoned Medicine and made that virgin to be a strumpet and so must remain so long as they prevail for when ignorant men take upon them the profession of an art which they know not that Art certainly doth suffer violence and must be wronged Thus Alchymy hath been wronged in many things especially in Coperas how many deceitful oyls and spirits of Coperas have we in stead of that true oyl and true spirit of Coperas which the ancient physicians used they had the true spirit of Coperas and they exalted it to the highest degree whereby they perfectly cured any falling sicknesse in men women or children but others since who were unskilfull in Alchymy thinking to take a better way have endeavoured to draw out the spirit and to exalt the vertues of the Coperas otherwise and so leaving the first secret way of the Ancients which they lost they laboured to draw the oyle out of the calcined Coperas but in vain for what they draw out of it is of no use for that which cureth the falling sickness must have a subtle piercing spirit The true spirit or true oyl of Coperas hath such a piercing searching nature that it goeth through the whole body and nothing can escape it and when it meets with the disease it resists it and overcomes it in its own place now a physician cannot certainly know the seat and center of the disease and therefore he hath need to have such remedies as will search through the whole body and find out the disease and this is the reason why Humorist-doctors can never cure this disease and so they shame their profession because they have not the right remedies which can do it I can certifie this that the oyl which the common Alchymists draw out of the calcined Coperas which the Apothecaries call the spirit of Vitrial it hath nothing of a subtle or piercing nature in it it is a meer earthly dead thing which hath no profitable operation It is much to be lamented that through unskilfulness the true way should be suppressed and the false should be thus received in its stead I am perswaded that the divel doth this for this end that the sect of the Humorist-Doctors may be prevalent and that the diseased may not re-enjoy their health But to return to my purpose I will now shew you how you may get the true oyl and the true spirit of Coperas and how the Ancients found out the spirit first they distilled a water from the Coperas this water they distilled alone circulated it till it was fully corrected as their way teacheth and this water they used for many diseases both inward diseases as falling sicknesse c. and outward diseases and thereby they performed wonderful cures then they took this water so corrected and they powred it upon the grounds which remained in the first distillation and they distilled it again from the grounds thus they did eight or ten times with a strong fire whereby the wet spirits were united to the dry spirits so firmly that by continuall distilling the dry spirits at last came out with the wet spirits then they took these two spirits thus firmly united and put them in a glasse vessel where they exalted them to the highest degree these two spirits together thus exalted the Ancients found them to have greater operation then the foresaid water alone and with this one medicine they could do more then the Humorist-Doctors can do with all the medicines they have Artists do adde to this medicine sublimed wine to make it more piercing Now I will shew you my way which I use and commend it to all physicians especially for the falling-sickness which is cured only by this spirit of Coperas my way is thus I put so much spirit of wine to the Coperas as the Coperas will drink in then I distil a water from the Coperas and so I proceed in the same manner as is said before when the medicine is perfected I adde to it these things following viz. to one ounce of the spirit of Coperas I adde two ounces of the corrected spirit of Tartar and two drams of the warer of Treakle camphorated The patient who is troubled with the falling-sickness should take this medicine before his fit come upon him he may take it twice or thrice a day so much of it as the physician shall appoint Nature cannot afford a better medicine then this for the falling sickness My way of preparing this medicine is the same which was used by the Ancients I only addâ— the spirit of wine before I distill it and I adde to the medicine when it is perfected these things which I have named This precious spirit of Coperas is not only good for the falling-sicknesse but also for all diseases of the like nature as sounding extasie c. It is also good for all obstructions and inward imposthumes for fits of the mother and falling down of the mother Physicians might find out many other excellent vertues in this spirit of Coperas if they were diligent in searching them and if they would shew themselvs good and faithful physicians and careful of the health of their patients cursed be all those physicians who regard only their own gain and not the health of their patients especially those patients who are afflicted with that sad disease the falling-sickness I hope all good people will approve of what I have done here and truly I have described the way of preparing this spirit
of Coperas as clearly as I can The main business is this that the spirit be well extracted and exalted as much as may be and that it be made of a most piercing Nature by the addition of those things which I have named before that it may reach the root of the disease Besides the former there is another way of preparing it thus put the Coperas in a circulatory vessel which you must set in warm dung or boiling water untill no moisture rise up within the circulating vessel and so you need not distill of the water and return it then put some spirit of wine to it and circulate them together to the grounds as the way of the Ancients teacheth you for when the moisture will not vapour up any more from the Coperas then the wet dry spirit of the Coperas are firmly united and this is the true spirit of Coperas I conceive I have said enough concerning the spirit of Coperas now I will teach you how to make the oyl of Coperas it is done thus put your Coperas in a distilling vessel which distills by descent and so let it be distilled and you shall have an oyl white or green according to the nature of the Coperas for some Coperas yeelds a white oyle and some Coperas yeilds a green oyl the green oyle is the best it is indeed a most precious oyl and it hath the same vertues which the spirit of Coperas hath for in this oyl is the spirit of the Coperas If this oyle be circulated and mixed with the spirit of Coperas before described then you may assure your self that you have a certaine remedy for the like nature But here you must observe that there is no disease alone every disease hath several symptomes joyned with it and oft-times there are many diseases joyned together so likewise the falling sickness hath many grievous symptomes joyned with it which must have their proper remedies of which I have spoken largely in my treatise of the falling sicknesse but the chief remedy for the disease it selfe is this oyl and spirit of Coperas This green oyl of Coperas may be exalted to the highest degree thus let it be separated from its earthlinesse and dregs in Balneo Mariae and afterwards by the fire by Balneum Mariae is separated from it its superfluous moisture and by the fire it is separated from its earthliness so you have the pure Oyl separated from all its superfluities and impurities which you must circulate alone some time then mix it with some spirit of wine You need not adde any other thing to it when you take it only for the disease it self but if you would take something also against the symptomes which accompany the disease then you must adde to this oyl of Coperas such things as are proper for those symptomes the patient who is troubled with the falling-sicknesse must take this oyl in the water of Piony before his fit comes upon him we must consider the fits how they come if they come often or if they stay long or if they be very fierce and violent then before every such fit you must take some of the oyl and so soon as the spirit of this oyl comes to the root of the disease then the fit is presently abated and decreaseth by degrees and the disease it self is daily more and more lessened at the first taking of this oyl all the violence of the disease is taken away so that the patient shall not afterwards fall nor froth at the mouth nor beat himself c. he shall only have a swimming in the head and then fall into a short slumber at last this swimming in the head and slumbring doth also leave him nevertheless the patient must use still the oyl viz. so long as the nature of the disease and condition of the patient requireth this the discretion of the physician will determine and so I have done with the description of the true oyl and true spirit of Coperas CHAP. IV. Of the red Oyle of Coperas commonly called The Spirit of Vitrial and its Vertues I Will speak a little concerning the Common Red Oyl of Coperas which is Distilled according to the common way of Alchymists from the calcined Coperas by a Retort Some think this Oyl better than the other true Oyl and the true Spirit of Coperas but they are deceived This Red Oyl is of a sour sharp corrosive nature and therefore it must be used very warily it must not be taken alone but with other things in a Composition and if it be so taken as it should be it is good for all Feavers or queasiness of the stomach it is good for the stomach because of its sharpness and sourness if the stomach be free from Aposthumes or Choler But if there be any Aposthumes or Choler in the stomach then this Oyl if it be taken inwardly it will be very hurtful to the stomach for by its sharpness and sourness it will enrage the Aposthume and if it meet with Choler they will contend and boyl together mightily Many do speak much of the Vertues of this Oyl but I could never finde these Vertues in it by experience which they boast of I have met with many who have boasted that they could do wonderful things by this Oyl but I know That they lyed shamefully The greatest use of this Oyl is for the Stone or Sand in the Kidneys or Bladder it can do much good in this it will moulder the Stone very much and expel the Sand yet I never knew any perfectly Cured by it as it is commonly used for what it doth it is by its corrosive or eating Faculty which certainly it cannot do much and it must be with great difficulty Therefore there must be some other way found out than hath been hitherto used to make it effectual In my practice concerning the Cure of the Stone and Sand I have there set down a good Composition made up of this Red Oyl of Coperas with other things which is very good and effectual both for the Stone and for other Diseases This Oyl is not to be used but in this or some such Composition Use such compositions which by experience you find to be best it is a new medicine and therefore to find out its severrl vertues we ought to use it in several compositions so much for its Vertues in Physick Now concerning its vertues in Chirurgery it is a a present help for many difficult outward diseases but it maketh great pain it cureth the hereditary scab of the head called Achores if you dip a feather in it and annoint the scab with it it will bring off all the scab in one whole piece but if the first annointing doth it not then you must annoint again so often till the scab come off or you may put some of the oyl in the water of Celendine and mix them well together and therewith wash the scab This oyle cureth
months By this Oyl or Balsom great and strange Cures may be done without any pain You may the year after put into this Oyl again fresh flowers of the same kinde which were in it before and let them stand in the Sun as it did before two months then strain the Oyl from the Flowers Then you have an Oyl for Wounds which cannot be praised enough Another Take of Adders tongue the lesser marsh Buglosse Agrimony and Sanicle of each one handfull of the flowers of St. Johns-wort two handful of the root of Comfrey half a handful of Earth-worms an hundred of Oyl or Turpentine one pound set them in the Sun two months You may likewise put some Mummie Mastick Frankincense and Mirrh but sparingly Amongst all these Flowers the Flowers of St. Johns-wort hath most vertue for a Wound Obs If you take the seeds of the same Herbs whose flowers you did put into the Oyl and bruise them and put them into the same Oyl all the Winter being set in some warm place then strain your Oyl from those seeds and then your Oyl will be far more efficacious for Wounds then it was before A Balsome for Wounds Take of Sallet Oyl half a pound of Turpentine a quarter of a pound of the flowers of Saint Johns-wort so much as you can conveniently put into the Oyl and Turpentine of the flowers of Mullein so much as the third part of the flowers of St. Johns-wort put to them thirty ounces of Wine and boyl them untill the Wine be boyled away Then let them stand in the Sun some time and assure your self that you shall never use this Balsom without wonderful success Physicians who have not been content with these Oyls and Balsoms have found out other wayes which have been good and successfull viz. mixing the Herbs and Flowers before named with Marrow or Fat. Of Marrows the marrow of Man is best next to this is Harts marrow and next to it is Calves marraw And so also Mans Fat is best next to it is the Fat of a Capon or Pullet Then having mixed the Herbs with the Marrow or Fat they put them in a glass and set them in the Sun untill the Marrow or Fat is turned to be like an Oyl CHAP. IV. Medicines to keep Wounds clean WHen you are to lay on a new Plaister or to anoint the Wound then wash it with Wine but if the Wound be very foul wash it with salt water or water in which salt is dissolved or boyl some of the Wound-herbs before mentioned in wine and with this wine wash the wound and put a little salt in the wine and in stead of a Plaister some applyed a Honey-comb beaten Others use to wash Wounds with allome-Allome-water in which there is some Coperas dissolved Others do take the juice of Plantain and Celendine and they put a little salt in them and so apply them to the Wound which both keepeth the Wound clean and cureth it The common people of the Arabians use nothing else for Wounds but Honey with some salt in it Such Medicines howbeit they cure slowly yet they are safe and therefore better liked of by the common people then the couzening Receipts of Mountebank Physicians There are some other Medicines which by a more secret way do keep Wounds clean and cure them as Arsmart whâ—ch being dipped in running water and laid once upon the wound and then buried in the ground cureth the wound These Medicines may seem contemptible but they have not contemptible operations and you may do more with them sometimes then you can do with the long Receits of these titulary Doctors But you must remember that the remedies mentioned in this Chapter are onely for such Wounds which are not very dangerous or have not very bad symptomes accompanying them unlesse the patient be of a strong constitution of body CHAP. V. Plaisters for Wounds TAke of Wax one pound of Pitch a quarter of a pound melt them together and put into them the powder of the stone Carneolus the powder of the white and red Coral the powder of the Loadstone and the powder of Dittander of each half an ounce of Amber Mastick Frankincense of each six drams of Mirrhe Mummie of each half an ounce of Turpentine an ounce mix them well together and when they are cooled make them into a plaister with the juice of a Lobster then keep it for your use This Plaister is good not onely for Wounds but also for all malignant Ulcers Another Take of Vergin Wax and Pitch of each one pound of Turpentine a quarter of a pound set them over the fire and melt them then put to them the powder of Mastick three ounces the powder of Amber half an ounce mix them together and keep them so over a slow fire a quarter of an hour then put into them the powder of Mirrh and Frankincense of each half an ounce of Mummie two ounces of Aloepaticum an ounce and a half of Camphire half an ounce mix them well together stirring them and when they are cooled make them into a plaister with the juice of a Lobster This Plaister is good for such Wounds which are made by a thrust Another Plaister good to bring out of the flesh pieces of iron as of broken arm or ends of arrows or darts c. Take of Wax one pound of Colophonie and Shoomakers wax of each a quarter of a pound set them over the fire and melt them together then put to them while they are melting of Gum armoniack two ounces Gum bdelium one ounce of the Loadstone made into powder five ounces of Amber made into powder three ounces mix them together and when they are cooled make them into a Plaister with the oyl of Egs. This Plaister you may use in the hardest Cures and with this you may perfect the cure of wounds which have been badly cured Another Plaister Take of Wax Lithagire and Sallet oyl of each one pound of Gum armoniack and Gum bdelium of each half an ounce of Gum galbanum and Opponax of each six drams but you must first dissolve these Gums in Vinegar then strain the vinegar through a linnen cloth and boyl it untill it be boyled away and the Gums are almost drie then put to them the Wax the Lithargire and Sallet oyl with Dittander red and white Corall the Loadstone being all made into powder of each one ounce and a half of Frankincense and Mastick of each one once of Turpentine three ounces of the oyl of Dill half an ounce mix them together and make them into a Plaister Another Plaister Take of Oppoponax a quarter of a pound dissolve it in vinegar strain the vinegar and boyl it away of Mummie three ounces of Birth-wort two ounces of Mastick Frankincense Mirrhe of each half an ounce of Turpentine a quarter of a pound the oyl of Bayes one ounce of Camphire two drams make them into a Plaister with the oyl of Camomile Another Take of Gum Ammoniack dissolved
body You must with a Syringe squirt into the wound Rose vinegar mixed with the juice of Nightshade or the juice of Water-lilies or the juice of Housleek or Frog-spawn but the best of all is the juice of a Cancers toes mixed with the vinegar squirt this into the wound until the heat is allayed afterwards cure the wound with Wound-oyls or Wound-balsomes described before in the third Chapter Observ If this burning go to the head or any principal member it is deadly The cure of a member deadned by extraordinary cold Any part which is thus deadned it cannot be recovered again but it becomes Leprous and it rotteth and therefore we must not seek to cure it but to take it away from the sound part that the sound part be not infected by it which may be done by this Medicine Take of long Pepper and Ginny grains and Cardamome of each an ounce of Ephorbium two ounces of Mastick an ounce and a half beat them into powder and boyl them in two quarts and a pint of childes urine or the urine of a red-haird man until one pint be boiled away Then strain the Liquor through a cloth and dip a linnen cloth in it which you must lay upon the part deadned do this thrice a day until you have separated the deadned part from the sound part and when you have taken away the dead part do the rest of the cure with Wound-oyntments There is a great heating-faculty in this Liquor for if any part of the body be wet wi h a little of it it s a wonder if that part be cold again that day For those who are almost dead with extraordinary cold give them to drink some strong water in which there is some Saffron Treacle and Camphire dissolved in it or boil some Zinger and sweet Reed in Wine and give it them to drink A Treatise of Vlcers SECTION I. Describing the kindes of Ulcers and their several Cures CHAP. I. IF the Patient complain of an Ulcer or Ulcers which began thus viz. He was first troubled with a chilness and after the chilness came a great heat and so at several times and in the part Ulcerated appeared first a great redness sometimes in one place and sometimes in another place at last this redness setled with an Inflammation and hardness in this place where now the Ulcer is This you shall call a tempestuous Ulcer Cure In the curing of this Ulcer observe this method When first the coldness or chilness comes which is not unlike a Pestilential chilness do not meddle with it until the heat come and you see in what place the Inflammation and swelling settles then if you would prevent it that it break not out into an Ulcer or running Sore apply to it this following Receipt Take of red Myrrhe half an ounce and of the whitest Incense half an ounce make them into a fine powder and put the Myrrhe into one bag and the Incense into another bag and boil them in a pint of the best white Wine and half a pint of good vinegar then dip pieces of linnen cloth into this Liquor and lay them upon the part inflamed till the inflammation be quite gone But if the swelling is turned into an Ulcer then you must first take out all the heat with the former remedy afterwards if the Ulcer is sowl cleanse it with this following Receipt Take of Allum burned and quenched in Vineger one ounce and a half of Aloehepatick one ounce make them into a powder and mix them with five ounces of honey Make a Plaister this plaister must be applyed to the Ulcer morning and evening till it be well cleansed but if it be an old Ulcer put into the plaister some burned Coperas when the Ulcer is sufficiently cleansed and fit to be cloased up then apply to it this stictick plaister Take of golden Lithargirie one pound boil it with a good quantity of varnish a long time to which adde Virgin wax and Sallet oyl of each one pound and so make a Cerote then take the Gum Oppoponax a quarter of a pound which you shall dissolve in Vinegar when it is dissolved strain the Vinegar and boil it till it begin to be thick To this adde the former Cerote and when they be well mixed together adde to them a quarter of a pound of Turpentine and of Lawrel oyl one ounce with these powders viz. The powder of Mastick of Incense and of Myrrhe of each alike half an ounce of Camphire two drams and when you have mixed them well altogether make them up into a plaister with the oyl of Camomile Take of this stictick Plaister one pound and mix into it half an ounce of burnt Coperas and of Crocus of Steel an ounce and a half and when you have thus made up your plaister apply some of it morning and evening to the Ulcer until it be fully cured And for your preservation that the Ulcer return not again after it is cured you must every year let blood in the great Veins of the legs or ankles yea and in the time of the cure you should let blood in those Veins which come to the Ulcerated place if they appear putrid or Leprous CHAP. II. IF the patient complain of a Sore which continually issueth forth water at a small hole being very hallow within which you may finde by searching it with a quill and if this sore did break out without any redness or inflammation or any great swelling then judge this sore to be a Fistula which of it self will never be well nor dry up it requireth excellent Medicines to cure it Cure In the curing of this Ulcer we must use inward Remedies and outward Remedies viz. Waters Plaisters c. There needs not be any dyet observed A potion for the Fistula Take of Sowbread two handfulls of white Sanicle one handful of middle Consound half a handful boil them in white Wine in a vessel close stopt then strain it and put to it an ounce and a half of the distilled oyl of Cloves and mix them well together Let the Patient drink of this thrice a day and by this drink alone new Fistula's may be perfectly cured but if it be an old Fistula you must use this following Receipt Take of Oleum Laterinum or oyl of Bricks three ounces of Turpentine half a pound of the oyl of Cloves one ounce and a half of Incense of Mastick of Myrrhe of each an ounce and a half of Mummy three ounces distil an Oyl from them with a strong fire the which Oyl you must use thus After you have cleansed the Fistula within then you must put some of this Oyl into it it is cleansed with Wine or saltish Water being squirted into it by a Syringe afterwards the Oyl must be also squirted into it by the Syringe and then lay upon it outwardly the stictick Plaister mentioned in the former Chapter There are also other excellent remedies for a Fistula as the oyl of
almost to the brims then fill the Poringer with the Spirit of Wine let it stand so four or five days then kindle the Spirit of Wine with a piece of burning Paper and keep it burning so until the Quick-silver and Tin are changed to an oyl in the Spirit of Wine of this oyl let the Patient take one grain at a time in a draught of the best wine warmed and let him keep himself well covered in his bed until he sweat A Treatise of Vlcers SECTION III. VVherein are described the Tinctures which are Catholique Medicines for all kinde of Ulcers THe diligence of wise men in former times was great in searching out the causes and preservatives of long Life the natures and uses of all kindes of remedies therefore they were called The students of Wisdom but they knew not the right way of preparing Medicines they learned this from the Alchymist So they and the Alchymist together have discovered many excellent Medicines the chief of which are the Tinctures but these Tinctures have been much abused by Gold Smiths and those who thought to change Metals into Gold with them I have shewed in some other of my writings how much may be done by them therefore I will not here speak any thing of it In former times they made Tinctures whereby they coloured Metals purged them and afterwards they used these Tinctures as Medicines for the bodies of men what great vertues are in these Tinctures are declared in the Books of Ancient Writers which have long time been kept hidden by false Physicians but I will publish them for I have had the experience of them and I know they have a wonderful faculty in cleansing the blood And because I now write concerning the cure of Ulcers I conceive it fitting that I shew you whence I have had these my remedies and I confess that I have learned them in the School of Chymistry But because many errors have crept into this Art of Chymistry partly through ignorance and partly through the envy of Chymists whereby those who followed the practice of Chymistry being much seduced they were forced to seek new ways and so of themselves they found out many things some profitable and some hurtful Therefore I have endeavored to reform this Art of Chymistry leaving those things which are hurtful or unprofitable I discover onely such things which are useful and good for the Body of Man This task I am able to perform so much the more happily in regard my first studies were in this way of Chymistry in which I took great delight and followed it with great diligence under excellent Masters who were most skilful in secret Philosophy My Masters were first William of Hohenheim my careful and loving Father and many others who hid nothing from me which they knew and besides I was much helped by the Books of learned men viz. Bishop Setgaius Erhradus Laventalius Bishop Nicolaus Hipponensis Trithemius Abbot of Spanheim and other most learned and experienced Chymists I have had also many Experiments from several Chymists and of those I will now name onely the most noble Sigismundus Fueger Schwatzensis who maintaineth many servants in the practice of Chymistry at great charges and hath enriched the Art of Chymistry with many Experiments To conclude I conceive that I may very well undertake this talk Of reforming Chymistry and Physick considering my knowledge in Philosophy and my skill of Chymistry and Physick And here I will give you some taste of my skill in the following Tinctures The Simples out of which the Tinctures are extracted are these viz. Gold Quick-silver Antimony the Philosophers Salt Balsom red Corals Mummy Baulm Celandine Valerian Germander Succory Swallow wort And beginning with Gold I will briefly and Methodically teach you the way to extract the Tinctures out of these Simples The Ancient Chymists who writ Fables more then serious matters if they had eased us of this labor we should have been very thankful to them but seeing they have failed us I will make up this defect The Tincture of Gold The Tincture of Gold is the purest part of the Gold wherein all its colour is contained and this being extracted there remaineth the white body of Gold this coloured part of the Gold differeth much from the white Body as the pure from the impure and therefore they must be separated or else you do nothing When you have extracted the coloured part you must exalt it to the highest degree and whereas the colour in Gold may be exalted to the twenty fourth degree the Tincture extracted must be exalted ten times more and no further This Tincture hath a wonderful vertue in cleansing renewing and restoring the Blood not onely in the part diseaâ—ed but also throughout the whole Body how much of this Tincture you must take at a time you shall hear afterwards I will now shew you how you must extract it First melt your Gold with Antimony that it may be well purged by the Antimony according to the usual way Take this Gold and dissolve it in the distilled water of common Salt this water of Salt must be made thus Take of the best white Salt made by the Sun and melt it in a very hot fire as Brass or Silver c. is melted several times Then make it into powder and mix it with the juice of Radishes and when the Salt is dissolved in the juice distil them together then take the water which you have distilled off from them and mix it with the juice of Bloodwort of each alike and distil them together take the water which you have distilled off from them and pour it again to the grounds remaining distil it again and so you must do five times Then take of the water of the first distillation and in this dissolve your Gold when your Gold is dissolved put a little of the Spirit of Tartar into this water of Salt to make the Gold powder fall to the bottom then pour off this water of Salt from the Gold powder and wash your Gold powder with common Water distilled until all the Spirit of Salt be well washed from it Then take this Gold powder and put it in the Spirit of Wine which must be made thus Take of the best wine and put it in a Circulatory Vessel which must be very well closed up so that no vapor can get out fill the third part of your circulatory vessel with the Wine and leave two parts empty and how much of the circulatory vessel is filled with the Wine so much of it must be set in Balneo Maria the space of ten days then put it in a distilling vessel and distil it and that which comes out first is the Spirit of Wine the rest is onely sublimed Wine Put your Gold powder after it is washed with the distilled common water into this Spirit of Wine so much of it as that it may be a hands breadth above the Gold powder put them together in a
for cleansing or closing up of Ulcers or Wounds and let some ordinary Stictick plaister be applyed to the sore This one Potion is better then all the Receipts Compositions Potions c. which are used for Ulcers or Wounds I will now conclude this Treatise of Tinctures giving this counsel in two words for the preserving of those from Ulcers who are or have been much enclined to them Once every year in the Spring time when the Sun enters into the first degree of Aries which falls upon the the eleventh day of March let them take one of these Tinctures in that maner which hath been shewed in the use of the Tinctures A Treatise of Aposthumes with their Cures I. IF any of the large veins be swelled and the swelling is of a blew or Lead-colour with a burning heat in it and much redness round it and a white head in the middle of it the Patient in the beginning of the swelling was aguish having sometimes a great heat sometimes a chilness over his body he cannot sleep and when he sleepeth he is very disquiet and much troubled with terrible dreams At last this swelling seems to strike inward divideth it self into two swellings then follows great inflammation and stitches in the sides the lips are chopped the Patient hath a great thirst yet he cannot drink much These are certain signs of death Cure The Patient must first be sweated with this Potion Take of the corrected Spirit of wine ten ounces of Treacle half an ounce of red Myrrhe and of Saffron of each an ounce of the liquor of Ginger and of Pepper of each half a dram mix them together of this mixture let the Patient take half an ounce in a draught of good wine and keep himself warm till he be well sweated then you must take a Saphyre stone and draw it round the swelling this will make a scurf to come upon the swelling which you may take off with Saller oyl or fâ—esh Butter then apply some consolidating plaister as the stictick plaister c. until the cure be perfected Observe The Chyrurgion must not cut this Apostume he must not lay Realgare or any other Cautery to it II. The Cancer is a red swelling which is in the brests of Women but in men it is betwixt their shoulders When it comes to be ripe it breaks out into a stinking Ulcer which hath great redness round it with a burning heat and continual pain and oft-times brings the Patient into aguish fits At last It eats into the heart and causeth suddain death Cure Whereas the cause of the Cancer in men is the Haemorrhoide humors in women it is their Monethly courses which leaving their right course they flow to this place where they cause the Cancer therefore we must begin the cure of the Cancer with changing the course of the humor turning it to its proper passage viz. thus To bring down the Haemorrhoide humor in men to the Fundament and to bring down the monethly courses in women Then you must mortifie the Ulcer with this viz. Take Frog-spawn and of the juice of Night-shade of each an ounce of varnish half an ounce and make them into an Oyntment if you anoint the sore with this three or four times it will take away the pain Or take of Fish-spawn a pound after you have turned it into water of the red powder of burned Coperas and of the flower of Brass of each one ounce and a half mix them and apply them to the Soar until it putrifie which will be in four days space Then take this from the Soar and apply a cleansing Medicine to it viz. this Take of Pitch of Pine-Rosin of common Rosin of each a pound of the best Turpentine one pound and a half of the common Turpentine a quarter of a pound melt them together and put to them so much of Wax and Sallet oyl as will make them up into a Plaister This Plaister you must lay to the Ulcer so often until their comes no corruption out of it Afterwards strow this powder upon the Ulcer viz. Take the powder of the dryed juice of Celandine of the dryed juice of Feverfew and of Centory of each half an ounce of Mummy one ounce These powders mixed together must be strowed upon the Soar morning and evening III. The noli me Tangere begins in the sace with small pointed Pustuls which break out into a waterish scab afterwards it comes to be an eating stinking Sore it eats up the flesh of the face viz. the Cheeks and Lips and eats into the nose At last If it be not cured it eats nose ears c. it quite deforms the face then it eats into the throat and goeth downwards to the neck and when it is past the face it is deadly Cure If the Noli me tangere be not far gone it may be cured by this Plaister Take of Rosin one pound of Barley-meal six ounces of Pine-Rosin eight ounces mix them and make them into a Plaister but if it be old and far gone then we must use first a mortifying Medicine then a cleansing Medicine then a consolidating Medicine or a Medicine to fill up with flesh The mortifying Medicine Take of Crystalline Realgare one ounce boil it vinegar two hours until the vinegar be consumed then adde to it three ounces of the oyl of Marjoram of Firr-tree-Rosin half a pound viz. That Rosin which is boiled out of the green Fruit of the Firr-tree in water Mix them together over the fire and apply them to the soar you must often wet it outwardly with the oyl lest it grow dry and hard let it lie at the soar two days then take it off and apply to the soar the cleansing Medicine described before in the cure of the Cancer And when it is cleansed then apply this consolidating or fleshing Medicine viz. Take of Wax and Pitch of each half a pound of the powder of Birth-wort three ounces the powder of Mummy two ounces the powder of Antimony four ounces melt your Wax and Pitch together put into them your powders make a Plaister which you must lay to the Soar morning and evening Another consolidating Medicine Take of Rosin half a pound of the dryed juice of Comfrey a quarter of a pound of the dryed juice of Celandine a quarter of a pound mix them over the fire and make a plaister But the cure of Noli me Tangere depends chiefly upon the mortifying and cleansing the soar IV. When there is a redness and an exceeding pain and burning heat in the leg afterwards it swells and breaks out into many foul corrupt holes sometimes dry and sometimes issuing forth a yellow or clear waterish humor like the Cancer or Noli me tangere At last It weakens the principal parts viz. Head Heart Stomack Liver c. the face comes to be discoloured and then death approacheth Cure First we must apply a defensive above the knee to keep back the humors that they fall not
The face begins to putrifie and to have a black scurf over it then the Morphew is incurable Cure We must use first one of the Tinctures for cleansing the blood then use one of the cleansing Medicines before described and then some consolidating Medicine of Glandules XI When there are Flesh-kernels within the flesh be they fixed or moveable soft or hard painful or without pain in time they grow so big that they draw to them the strength and substance of the member where they are And at last they putrifie Cure A threed of Plum-allum dipped in the oyl of Gilla applyed to it doth take it away afterwards annoint the place with the Oyl of Gilla and this will consolidate it XII When a blister riseth in any part of the body as big as a Gall-nut like those Blisters which are raised by Caustâ—cks and is of a blew or lead colour hard to the touch At last It putrifieth and if it be near the eye it begets a Fistula it daily groweth more and more deformed and multiplyeth it maketh the Patient hoarse and taketh away the natural colour of the Body and so it comes to be a Leprosie Cure First Nature must be corrected and strengthned by the Liquor or Tincture of Gold then the Blisters must be dryed up with this following oyntment Take of Aqua fortis in which there is some salt Armoniack dissolved one ounce the oyl of Realgare half an ounce the oyl of Euphorbium one ounce mix them and annoint the Blisters with them XIII If the head being rubbed bleedeth and this breedeth a hard crusty scab out of which cometh a yellow water if it be not timously cured it spreadeth over all the head Then there will be daily a bleeding with a sharp and great pain this scab never hath holes in it it continueth with the Patient if he be not cured of it until death Cure There are three kindes of remedies used for this Scab viz. a Pitch plaister a Corrosive or eating Water and the Oyl of Gilia The Pitch Plaister Take of Pitch dr Shoo-makers Wax a pound of Colophony half a pound of prepared Cheese half a pound that is dryed and made into powder mix them First melt the Pitch and Colophony together then put the rest to them when they are cold make them into a plaister some do adde to them a pound of Wax this Plaister will bring off the Scab and Skin together Afterwards annoint the head with the Oyntment of white Lead and this will bring a fair skin upon the head again some take old Cheese which is very blew and they wash off the blewness with water Then they take this blewness which was washed from the Cheese and lyeth in the bottom of the water and they lay it upon the Scab This will cure the scab for the present but it is not a perfect cure for I have seen this scab thus cured return within two or three years after Some do use for this Scab eating corrosive waters and burned Tartare but I do not approve Of this for these Corrosives do eat into the skull and cause madness and oft-times death They who use the Oyl of Gilla for this Scab do thus After they have annointed the Scab with this oyl then they annoint it with Sallet oyl oft-times together because the oyl of Gilla burns exceedingly and is very painful to the Patient and the Sallet oyl doth asswage the pain for it abateth the burning heat of the Gilla They annoint the Scab with this oyl of Gilla nine days together and after the ninth day the Scab cometh off and under the Scab the head is already well skinned XIV When in the Lips of the mouth there is a small excrescency which is at first like a Wart This if it bleed of it self or if it be cut then there grows out thence a spungious flesh which groweth daily bigger And at last it becomes so big that it stops up the mouth that the Patient cannot eat afterwards it causeth madness Cure We must stop the end of the Vein whih bringeth blood to this Excrescency or we must turn the course of the Vein then we must anoint about this Excrescency with this Oyntment Take prepared Realgate and mix it with the juice of Celandine and make a Plaister XV. When there is a continual pain in the Leg with a shining redness over all the Leg this is a Gangrene it continueth thus thirty years before it break out into an Ulcer At last when nature decayeth it turns to an Ulcer a little before death Cure Take the juice of Water-lilies the juice of Night-shade the juice of Darnel of each two ounces Wheat-Poppy three ounces of Opium fifteen ounces of Mandrake three drams the juice of the outward part of the root of Henbane five ounces mix them and make them into an Oyntment with the oyl of Lithargire With this annoint the soar you must also apply the Anodyne or pain-asswaging Medicine which you have described in the cure of the Cancer You may also use that Medicine which I have described for the cure of the Noli me Tangere viz. Of Rosm a pound of Barley meal six ounces of common Frankincense eight ounces make a plaister and to one pound of this plaister adde half an ounce of Scammony for Scammony hath a peculiar vertue very helpful for open burning Soars XVI When at the roots of the nails of the fingers there is a great pain with a swelling and burning heat like the burning of fire and a pain like the gnawing of a Worm this is a Whitflaw which if it be not cured it will at last perish the whole Finger with great and long pain Cure Some do cure it with certain Words and Characters which I do not approve The remedy which I use for to cure it is that Anodyne or Pain-asswaging Medicine described in the cure of the Cancer or that described in the cure of Herysipeles viz. Take Parmacity of Frog-spawn Chervil Juniper-Berries of each alike apply this to the finger and it will take away the pain Or take Hogs dung and boil it in Vinegar and apply to the soar XVII When there is great redness and swelling in the heel or about the ancle which turneth to a broad soar with many holes in it and spreadeth it self upwards towards the knee it doth not go deep but stayeth in the upper part of the flesh it stayeth under the knee it continueth twenty years much after one without any great change Cure First we must apply the pain-asswaging Medicine which we use for the Whitflaw then apply this following Plaister of Myrrhe Take the Oyl of the yolks of Eggs two ounces of Wax half an ounce of Colophony three ounces of red Myrrhe five ounces and a half mix them and make a Plaister XVIII When there are knotty hard tumors in the neck lying within the flesh this is the Kings Evil which continueth with the Patient until death still in the same maner without any
all scabs itches wolf Canker c. Yea all outward sores whatsoever if the sore be therewith annointed but it causeth great pain and this you must carefully consider if the sore be very malignant and venemous so that the poison of it lieth deep and hath infected the sound flesh therefore that you may preserve the sound flesh that it be not corrupted you shall use with this oyl our Oppodeltoch plaister described in my great Chirurgie This medicine is so powerful and operative that it can help many such sores for which other remedies are too weak it will not be unfitting if you mix this oyle with some good oyntment so it will be much milder but duller in operation it will not cause so great pain but it cannot be used without some pain This red oyl of Coperas will be much better and more powerful if by distilling it you bring it to be a spirit and so it will cure the afore-mentioned diseases in lesser quantity and better What I have here told you concerning this red oyl of Coperas I have had the experience of it CHAP. V. The Chymical vertues of Coperas how it changeth Iron into good Copper c. I Have spoken largely and enough of the medicinal vertues of Coperas and how it should be prepared I will now shew you what may be done with Coperas in Chymistry Coperas can change Iron into good Copper whereby we may see much of the power of Nature for it is not the Chymist who doth this but it is Nature with the diligent labour of the Chymist and it is to be admired that a metal should leave its own nature and become another metal by this we see what priviledges God hath bestowed upon Nature for mans use whence wee may conclude that there may be greater changes wrought in metals which are unknown to us It cannot be denied but that there are many secrets unknown to us which God will not reveal because we are unworthy of them Now to change Iron into Copper is not so much as to turn iron into gold God hath made known to us the lesser but the other greater shall not be revealed till the time comes of the full knowledge of all secrets of Arts and Sciences viz. when Helias shall come But to come to our purpose in hand to shew you how you may turn Iron into Copper by Coperas it is thus Take a thin plate of pure Iron which hath no other metal mixed with it one pound of quick-silver half a pound of Coperas a quarter of a pound of salt Armoniack one ounce and a halfe put them all together in an iron pot and put to them a good quantity of vinegar set your pot upon the fire and let it boil and be alwaies stirring the things which are in the pot with a stick when the vinegar is consumed you must put to them more vinegar and more Coperas you must keep the pot upon the fire boiling ten or twelve hours and then you shall find all your iron gone into the quick-silver then take a bag made of thin leather or cotten put the quick-silver with the iron into the bag and press the quick-silver through the bag the iron which remains in the bag put in a melting pot and melt it and you shall have good Copper Take of this Copper and of silver of each alike much and melt them together and the silver will have sixteen degrees of whitenesse this is the tryal whereby we know such Copper to be made of iron this whitenesse is not firm and fixed but he who hath skill to work in Regals he shall have by it a sufficient recompence for his pains The main businesse is in the skilful handling of it in which many do fail but to turn the iron into Copper you cannot fail if you observe the way which I have told you which I have described here for this end to confirm that truth That one metal may be changed into another metal There is a very great neernesse of nature betwixt Coperas and Copper If you put Coperas in a pot and set it in a hot fire till it becomes to be a Red powder then take this Red powder and melt it upon iron and you will find upon the iron Copper melted out of the Coperas so likewise if Copper be dissolved in Aqua fortis and granulated it will be turned into Coperas and that which is called Viride aeris if it be well prepared and exalted it will come to be Saphir-coloured Coperas howbeit it may seem ridiculous for me to discourse of such things yet it cannot be denied but that there lurks a tincture in Coperas which can do more then many will believe he is a happy man who knows it I will tell you one Chymical secret of the oyl of Coperas Take the oyl of Coperas and the oyl of quick-silver mix them together and coagulate them and you shall have a Saphir of a strange nature not a Saphir stone but it is like a Saphir having a wonderful tincture in it of which I will say no more here whence it is evident that God hath hid wonderful secrets in Nature which we should search out by diligent study rather then to spend our time in whoring and drinking c. but in these times whoring and other wayes of intemperancy will be predominant till one third part of men be killed by the Sword and another third part destroyed by the pestilence the world cannot continue long in this wickednesse arts sciences cannot flourish now We cannot expect any good to be done till wickednesse be rooted out of necessity wicked men of every condition and degree shall perish then shall come the golden age when men shall be rational and use their understanding and live like men not like beasts c. These things I have freely communicated from my good affection to you entreating all who know the misery of those persons who are afflicted with that sad and grievous disease the falling-sicknesse that they seriously consider what God their Creator their own conscience and charity towards their neighbour requires of them in this businesse that they do not contemn or neglect these vertues which God hath created in Coperas but let Charity move you to it to be diligent night and day about this and such things whereby you may do good to your neighbour A Treatise of Wounds Containing the Cures of Wounds by Cuts Fractures Burnings and Scaldings the Bitings of Venemous Beasts c. CHAP. I. Potions which being Drunk Cure any Wound The first Potion TAke of Sanicle Periwincle Centory Betony of each on handful of Larks-spur half a handful of Agrimony two handfuls Put them in a gallon of Water and boyl it to three quarts Another Potion Take of Adders Tongue three handfuls of Ladies Mantle two handfuls of Periwincle the lesser one handful of Hony-suckle one handful and an half of Rheubarbe one ounce of Rhapontick three ounces