cordials, epithemations, sweet and gentle evacuation by purging, as
the time and cause requireth, which before in the beginning of this
Treatise hath been shewed at large, and the same order which is used
for the cure of a Botch, is also to be kept in the cure of a Carbunkle,
and to rectifie the ayre of the house by strewing it with vine and
willow leaves, red Roses and such like, as also to sprinkle the floor
with Rose water and Vinegar, and cause the sick oftentimes to smell
unto a cloth wet in Rosewater and Vinegar is very good: these things
being done, then use all the means you can to bring it to Suppuration,
for which purpose this Cataplasm following is very good
_A Maturative Cataplasm._
Take Fat Figs ℥ iiii. Mustard seed, ℥ i. ß. Pound the seed small by it
self, the Figs must first be cut very small, and then pounded likewise,
and then adde thereto so much Oyle of Lillies as will suffice to make
it in the form of a stiffe Pultis, and apply it warm, renuing it twice
a day, this must be continued untill the scar begin to grow loose and
moveable, and then apply this following to remove the scar.
Take unsalted butter, the yolk of an Egg, and wheat flour, mix them
together, and apply it untill the scar doe fall away, then doe you
mundifie it with this mundificative.
_Mundificative annodine._
Take clear Turpentine, ℥ iiii. Sirrup of red Roses, ℥ i. Honie of
Roses, ʒ iiii. Boil them altogether a little, then take it from the
fire, and add thereto Barlie and wheat flour of each ʒ. vi. the yolk of
a new laid Egg, and mix them altogether, and apply it three dayes, and
then use this following.
_Another Mundificative._
Take clear Turpentine, ℥ iii. Honie of Roses, ℥ ii. Juice of Smallege,
℥ ii. Barlie flowre, ℥ i. ß. Boil them altogether saving the Barlie,
untill the Juice be consumed, then take it from the fire, and when
it is almost cold, adde the Barlie thereto, and mixe them together,
and use thereof to the grief untill it be clean mundified, and then
incarnate it with _Unguentum Basilicon_, and lastly sigillate it with
_Unguentum de cerusa_ decocted.
Sometime you shall find a little pustule to appear, without any
elevation of the parts adjoyning, or outward hardnesse. Now here to
bring it outwardly you must apply this Cataplasm.
Take Lillie roots, Onyons, and four Leaven, of either one ounce. Boil
them in water untill the water be consumed, then bruise them in a
morter, and add thereto Mustard seed, Culver-dung, White Sope, _ana_ ʒ.
i. ß. Snails without shels, vi. in number. Mithridate, Triacle, _ana_,
half a drachm, Yolks of four Eggs.
Mix all these together, and apply it warm to the grief, renuing it
thrice a day, this order must be continued untill you see the place
elevated tending to suppuration, then apply a Maturative, and so
proceed as next before this is shewed you, and during the whole time
of the cure, I hold it better to use rather Poultises then plaisters,
because they do not so much stop the Pores, but give more scope for the
venemous matter to breath out.
_When the Carbuncle doth come with great pain and inflammation, how to
help it._
You must first bath and soke the place well with this bag following,
and then presently apply the Cataplasm ensuing, for by this means you
shall not onely ease the pain and abate the Inflammation and Fever, but
also prevent the danger of Gangrena which may chance thereby.
_The Bag._
Take Mallowes, Violets, Plantain, Liblong, _ana_ one handfull. Fat
Figs, ℥ i. Hollihock roots, Lillie roots, _ana_ ℥. i. Lin-seed, ℥ i.
You must shred the hearbs grosly, and cut the Figgs and roots small,
then bruise them in a morter, and mingle them altogether, then put them
into two little bags of linnen cloth, and boil them in a sufficient
quantitie of clean water, untill the water be half consumed, then take
out one of the baggs, and wring out the water a little, and apply it
to the grief warm, and when it is cold, take it away, and lay on the
other, and doe so half an hour together every dressing, which must be
twice a day at least.
_The Cataplasm._
Take Mallows, Violets, Sorrell, Liblong, _ana_ two handfuls, Henbane, a
little handfull.
Wrap them all in a ball together, and roast them in the ashes, then
bruise them in a morter, and adde thereto, _Mel rosarum_, ℥ iiii.
Triacle, ʒ i. ß. Saffron in pouder, half a drachm, Yolks of five Eggs.
Mix them together with the rest, adding some Barly flower thereto to
thicken it, and apply it warm, renuing it alwaies before it grow dry
and stiffe, and every dressing you must Epithemate the grief first
with the baggs aforesaid, and this order must be continued untill the
pain and Inflammation be gone, then to bring it unto Suppuration, if
you adde to the foresaid Cataplasm some oyle of Lillies, and sweet
Butter unsalted, it will be very good, or you may make this Cataplasm
following.
Take Soot of the chimney, ℥. iii. Bay salt, ℥ i. ß. Yolks of two or
three Eggs.
Mix all these together in a morter, and apply it to the grief
warm, which must be alwaies renewed and changed before it grow dry
and stiffe, this order must be continued untill the sore come to
suppuration, then to remove the scar, and finish the cure, doe you
follow the order prescribed in the beginning of this Chapter.
There are other dangerous accidents which doe sometimes chance in the
botch or Carbuncle, which here to treat of would little avail the
unexpert people, because they know not the means how to execute the
same, but if any such thing chance, then doe I wish you to seek the
help of some learned Physitian, or expert Chirurgion, whose counsell I
doe wish you to follow.
_The End of the Second Treatise._
A Short Treatise of the Small Pox, shewing
the Means how for to govern and cure those
which are infected therewith.
CHAP. I.
_Sheweth what the Small Pox and Measels are, and whereof it
proceedeth._
For that oftentimes those that are infected with the Plague, are in the
end of the disease sometime troubled with the small Pox or Measels, as
also by good observation it hath been seen, that they are fore-runners
or warnings of the plague to come, as _Salius_ and divers other writers
doe testifie: I have thought it good and as a matter pertinent to my
former Treatise, to shew the aids and helps which are required for the
same.
I need not greatly to stand upon the description of this disease,
because it is a thing well known unto most people, proceeding
of adusted bloud mixt with flegm, as _Avicen_ witnesseth, which
according to both ancient and latter Writers doth alwaies begin with
a Fever, then shortly after there ariseth small Pustulaes upon the
skin throughout all the body, which doe not suddenly come forth, but
by intermission, in some more or lesse, according to the state and
qualitie of the bodie infected therewith: for in some there ariseth
many little Pustulaes with elevation of the skin, which in one day doe
increase and grow bigger, and after have a thick matter growing in
them, which the Greeks call _Exanthemata_ or _Exthymata_: and after
the Latines _Variola_, in our English tongue the small Pox, and here
some Writers doe make a difference betwixt _variola_ and _exanthemata_;
for say they, that is called _variola_ when many of those Pustules doe
suddenly run into a clear bladder, as if it had been scalled, but the
other doth not so, yet they are both one in the cure, they doe most
commonly appear the fourth day, or before the eight day, as _Avicen_
witnesseth.
_What the Measels or Males are._
_Avicen_ saith, That the Measels or Males is that which first cometh
with a great swelling in the flesh, with many little Pimples which
are not to be seen, but onely by feeling with the hand are to be
perceived, they have little elevation of the skin, neither doe they
grow to maturation, or end with ulceration as the Pox doth, neither
doe they assault the eyes, or leave any deformity behind them as the
Pox doth, neither are they so swift in coming forth, but doe grow more
slowly, they require the same cure which the Pox have, they proceed of
cholerick and melancholie bloud.
_The cause of the Pox and Measels._
The primitive cause as _Valetius_ saith, is by alteration of the aire,
in drawing some putrified and corrupt quality unto it, which doth cause
an ebullition of our bloud.
The cause antecedent is repletion of meats, which do easily corrupt in
the stomack, as when we eat milk and fish together at one time, or by
neglecting to draw bloud, in such as have accustomed to doe it every
year, whereby the bloud doth abound.
The conjunct cause is the menstruall bloud, which from the beginning in
our mothers wombs wee received, the which mixing it self with the rest
of our bloud, doth cause an Ebullition of the whole.
The efficient cause is, nature or naturall heat, which by that
menstruall matter mixing it self with the rest of our bloud, doth cause
a continuall vexing and disquieting thereof, whereby an unnaturall
heat is increased in all the body, causing an Ebullition of bloud, by
the which this filthy menstrual matter is seperated from our natural
bloud, and the nature being offended and overwhelmed therewith, doth
thrust it to the outward pores of the skin as the excrements of bloud,
which matter if it be hot and slimie, then it produceth the Pox, but
if dry and subtil, then the Measels or Males. But _Mercurialis_ an
excellent writer in Physick, in his first Book, _de morbis puerorum_,
_cap. 2._ agreeing with _Fernelius_ in his Book _De abditis rerum
causis_, _c. 12._ doth hold opinion, that the immediate cause of
this disease doth not proceed of menstrual bloud, but of some secret
and unknown corruption, or defiled quality of the aire, causing an
Ebullition of bloud, which is also verified by _Valetius_, and now
doth reckon it to be one of the hereditable diseases, because few or
none doe escape it, but that either in their youth, ripe age, or old
age, they are infected therewith. The contention hereabout is great,
and mighty reasons are oppugned on both sides, therefore I will leave
the judgement thereof unto the better learned to define; but mine
opinion is, That now it proceedeth of the Excrements of all the four
humours in our bodies, which striving with the purest, doth cause a
supernatural heat and ebullition of our bloud, alwaies beginning with
a Fever in the most part, and may well be reckoned in the number of
those diseases which are called _Epidemia_: as _Fracastorius_ in his
first Book, _De morbis contag._ _cap. 13._ witnesseth this disease
is very contagious and infectious, as experience teacheth us: There
are two speciall causes why this disease is infectious: The first is,
because it proceedeth by ebullition of bloud, whose vapour being entred
into another bodie, doth soon defile and infect the same, the second
reason is, because it is a disease hereditable; for we see when one is
infected therewith, that so many as come neer him, (especially those
which are allyed in the same bloud) doe assuredly for the most part,
receive the infection also.
CHAP. II.
_Sheweth to know the signs when one is infected, as also the good and
ill signs in the disease._
The signs when one is infected are these, first he is taken with hot
Fever, and sometime with a _Delirium_, great pain in the back, furring
and stopping of the nose, beating of the heart, hoarsnesse, redness of
the eyes, and full of tears with heavinesse and pain in the head, great
beating in the forehead and temples, heaviness and pricking in all the
body, dryness in the mouth, the face very red, pain in the throat and
breast, difficulty in breathing, and shaking of the hands and feet with
spitting thick matter.
When they doe soon or in short time appear, and that in their coming
out they doe look red, and that after they are come forth they doe look
white, and speedily grow to maturation, that he draweth his breath
easily, and doth find himself eased of his pain, and that his Fever
doth leave him, these are good and laudable signes of recovery.
When the Pox lye hidden within and not appearing outwardly, or if after
they are come forth they doe suddenly strike in again and vanish away,
of that they doe look of a black, blewish, and green colour, with a
difficultie and straitnesse of drawing breath, and that he doe often
swoun, if the sick have a flix or lask, when the Pox were found double,
that is, one growing within another, or when they run together in
blisters like scalding bladders, and then on the sudden do sink down
and grow dry with a hard black scar or crust, as if it had been burnt
with a hot iron, all these are ill signs.
_Avicen_ saith, there are two speciall causes which produce death unto
those that have this disease: either for that they are choaked with
great Inflammation and swelling in the throat called _Angina_, or
having a flix or lask which doth so weaken and overthrow the vitall
spirits, that thereby the disease is increased, and so death followeth.
_How to know of what humours this disease cometh._
If it come of bloud, then they appear red, with generall pain, and
great heat in all the body.
If they come of choler, then will they appear of a yellowish red and
clear colour, with a pricking pain in all the bodie.
If they come of flegm, then will they appear of a whitish colour and
scaly, or with scales.
If they come of melancholie, then will they appear blackish with a
pricking pain.
CHAP. III.
_Sheweth the meanes to cure the Pox or Measels._
There are two speciall meanes required for curing this disease, the
first is to help nature to expell the same from the interior and
principall parts unto the exterior: the second is to preserve both the
interior and exterior parts, that they may not be hurt thereby.
For the first intention, if the age and strength of the sick will
permit, and that the Pox or Measels appear not, it were then good in
the first, second, or third day to draw bloud out of the Basilica veine
in the right arme, if he be not under the age of fourteen years, but
the quantity must be at the discretion of him that draweth it, either
more or lesse as occasion is offered: but for children and such as are
of tender years, and weak bodies, it were not good to draw bloud out of
the arme, but out of the inferior parts, as the thighes, hams buttocks,
and the Emeroidall veines, especially if the party be melancholie,
or else to apply ventoses to the loynes, buttocks, or hams, which
may boldly be used both before and after they do appear, either with
scarification, or without, as cause requireth, which is a speciall good
meanes to draw that Ichorous matter from the interior to the exterior
parts; but for sucking Children, it were best to apply bloud-suckers
unto any of the foresaid places, which is a thing that may be used with
more ease then ventoses, neither do I wish either of them to be used
unlesse necessity require it, which is, when the matter lieth lurking
in the interior parts, not offering it self to appear outwardly:
otherwise I hold it better to leave the whole work unto nature,
specially in sucking children: for when we see that nature is ready, or
doth endeavour so expell the malignity which is in the interior parts
to the exterior, which may be perceived by reviving of the Spirits, and
mitigating of the Fever: here we ought not to use any meanes at all,
but leave the whole operation to nature, which we must onely help by
keeping the sick body in a reasonable heat, being wrapt in a scarlet,
stammell, or red cloth, which may not touch the skin, but to have a
soft linnen cloth betwixt them both, and then cover him with clothes in
reasonable sort, and keep him from the open ayre and the light, except
a little, and also from anger, using all the meanes you can to keep the
sick in quietnesse, and if the body be very costive, then to give an
easie Glister.
_A Glister._
℞. Barley, two handfuls, Violet leaves one handfull: Boyle these in
three pints of water, untill half be consumed, and strein it: then take
of the same decoction twelve ounces.
Oyle of Violets three ounces, red Sugar and Butter, of either one ounce,
Mix them together and give it to the sick warm you may encrease or
diminish the decoction or ingredients according as the age of the
party requireth: but if the sick have great heat, then may you add one
ounce or four drachms of _Cassia_ newly drawn unto it, and when he
hath expelled the Glister, then rub the armes, hands, legs, and feet,
softly with a warm cloth, which is also a very good meanes to draw
that chorous matter from the interior to the exterior parts, when all
this is done, then if the body be inclined to sweat, you must further
the same by covering him with warm clothes, having a care that you lay
not more on him then he can well endure, for otherwise you may cause
faintnesse and swouning, which are ill in this case, yet must you
alwaies keep the sick warm, and suffer him not to sleep, or permit very
little untill the Pox or Measels do appear: and here you must have a
speciall care to preserve the eyes, eares, nostrels, throat and lungs,
that they be not hurt or offended therewith, as hereafter shall be
shewed you, which you must use before he sweat and also in the sweat if
need be.
_Eyes, how to preserve them._
℞. Rose-water, Plantaine-water, of either two ounces, Sumack, two
drachms.
Let them boyle together a little, or stand infused a night, then mixe
therewith half a spoonfull of the oyle made of the white of an Egg,
then wet two cloths five or six double therein, then lay them upon
either eye, cold, which must bee alwaies kept upon the eyes untill
the Pox be all come forth, and as they grow dry, wet them in the same
liquor againe, and apply them, but if there be great pain and burning
within the eye, then must you also put a drop of this musselage
following into the eye: take quinse-seed, half a drachm, bruise it a
little, then let it stand infused in three ounces of Rose-water a whole
night, then strein it, and put one drop thereof into the eye three or
four times a day at least, or take of this water.
℞. Rose-water, ℥. ii. Womans milk, ℥. i. Myrrh finely powdered six
graines.
Mixe them together, and use it in the eye as before is shewed: this
doth ease the paine, resisteth putrefication, and preserveth the sight.
For the eares, you must put a drop of oyle of Roses warm into them
before he sweat.
For the nostrels, cause him oftentimes to smell to the vapour of
Rose-vinegar, or else Vinegar, red-roses and Sanders boyled together.
For the throate, let him alwaies hold a peice of white sugar-candy in
the mouth, and as it melteth swallow it down.
For the Lunges give the sick oftentimes some sirrup of quinses, or
conserve of Roses, a little at a time.
And for his drink, the decocted water of barley, boyled with a little
licorice is best, being mixed with the juice of a Lemon, Citron,
Pomegranate, or Rybes: which the sick best liketh, for either of them
is very good.
And for his diet, he must refrain from all salt, fat, thick and sharp
meats: and from all sweet things either in meat or drink, his meat must
be of a facile and easie digestion, and that hath a cooling property
in it, as broth wherein burrage, bugloss, sorrell, and such like are
boyled, and for ordinary drink, small beer or ale is best.
CHAP IIII.
_Teacheth what is to be done when the Pox or Measels are slow in
coming forth._
Now when you perceive the Pox or Measels are slow and slack in comming
forth, then must you help nature, with cordials, and by sweat to thrust
it out from the interior and principall parts, unto which purpose I
have alwaies found this drink to be excellent good here following.
℞. _Hordei mund._ M. i. _Lentium. excort._ P. i. _Ficuum._ No. x. _Fol.
capil._ v. _Lactucæ._ _ana_ M. ß. _Fol. acetosæ._ M. i. _Florum cord._
P. i. _Semen fenic._ ʒ. ii. _Semen. 4. frigid. ma._ _ana_ ʒ. ß. _Aqua
font._ ℔. iiii.
Boyle all these together untill a third part of the water be consumed,
and then strein it.
℞. _Decoct. col._ ℔. i. _Succus granatorum vel ribes_, ℥. iiii.
Mix all these together, and give the sick four or six ounces thereof to
drink every morning and evening, which will provoke sweat, and expell
the disease, and if you cannot get the juice of Pomegranats, nor Rybes,
then you may take so much of the sirrup of either of them.
_Another good drink to expell the Pox or Measels._
Take a quart of posset-ale, a handfull of Fennell seed, boyle them
together till a third part be consumed, then strein it, and add thereto
one drachm of Triacle, and one scruple of Saffron in powder: mix them
together, and give two, three, or four ounces thereof to drink every
morning and evening as cause requireth.
But if it be for a strong and elderly body, you may give any of the
expelling electuaries which are used to expell the Plague, as in the
first Chapter for the curing of the Plague doth appear.
But if the sick be so weak that he cannot expell the disease in
convenient time, then it is good to epithemate the heart with this
epithemation following.
_Epithemation for the heart._
℞. _Aquarum ros. Melissæ_, _Card. b._ _Buglos._ _Morsus diaboli_,
_vini alb._ _ana_ ℥. iiii. _Aceti Ros._ ℥. ii. ß. _Pul. Ros. rub._
_Trium santal._ _Cinamoni_, _Elect. diamarg. frigid._ _ana_ ʒ. ß.
_Mithridati_, ℥. i. _Theriacæ_, ʒ. iiii.
Mix all these together, and let them boyle a little, and so warm
Epithemate the heart: and when you have done it, then give some
expulsive drink or electuary as cause requireth, and then cause him to
sweat upon it, for by this meanes you shall obtaine your desire by Gods
permission.
_Thirst, how to quench it._
Now if in the expelling of the pox, the sick be very thirsty and dry,
then give this Julep to drink morning and evening, which I have found
very good.
℞. Sirrup of Jujubes, Nenuphare, and Burrage, of either four drachms:
Water of Burrage, Cichore, and Bugloss, of either two ounces.
Mix them together and give the sick one half thereof in the morning,
and the rest at night, and cause him oftentimes to lick of this mixture
following.
Take the conserves of Nenuphare, Violets, and Burrage, of either six
drachms: _Manus Christi_ made with Perles, four drachms: Sirrup of
Nenuphare and Ribes, of either one ounce and half.
Mix them together: and with a Licorice stick clean scrap’d, and a
little bruised in the end, let the sick lick thereof.
CHAP. V.
_Sheweth what is to be done when the Pox are all come out in the
skinne._
For that oftentimes the face and hands, which is the beauty and delight
of our bodies, are oftentimes disfigured thereby, I will shew you
what meanes I have used with good and happy successe for preventing
thereof: which is, you may not do any thing unto them untill they grow
white, and that they are come to maturation, which when you perceive,
then with a golden pinne, or needle, or for lack thereof a copper pinne
will serve, do you open every pustulae in the top, and so thrust out
the matter therein very softly and gently with a soft linnen cloth,
and if you perceive the places do fill againe, then open them againe
as you did first, for if you do suffer the matter which is in them to
remain over long, then will it fret and corrode the flesh, which is the
cause of those pitts which remaine after the Pox are gone, as _Avicen_
witnesseth: now when you have thus done, then annoint the places with
this oyntment following.
Take Elder leaves, one handfull, Marigolds, two handfulls, French
Mallowes, one handfull, Barrowes morte or grease, six ounces.
First bruise the hearb in a morter, and then boyle them with the grease
in a pewter dish on a chafer and coales, untill the juice of the hearbs
be consumed, then strein it, and keep it to your use, the best time to
make it is in the middle or the latter end of May.
You must with a feather annoint the places grieved, and as it drieth
in, annoint it againe, and so continue it oftentimes, for this will
soon dry them up, and keep the place from pitts and holes, which remain
after the Pox are gone.
Also if you annoint the Pox with the oyle of sweet Almonds newly
drawn three or four times a day, which you must begin to do so soon
as the Pox are grown white and come to maturation, it will cure them
without pitts or spotts, and easeth the pain and burning, and helpeth
excoriation.
Some do onely oftentimes wet the places with the juice of Marigolds in
the summer season, and in winter the juice of the roots will serve: and
by that onely have done well.
_Mercuriales_ doth greatly commend this decoction following to be used
after the Pustulaes are opened.
Take Barley, one little handfull, red Roses, a handfull, red Sanders,
white Sanders, of either one ounce; Saffron, two scruples, Salt, four
drachms, Clean water, three pound.
Boyle all together untill a third part be consumed, you must
oftentimes touch the sores therewith, with a fine cloth wet therein,
and as it drieth in, wet it againe, this in a short time will dry them
up.
I have heard of some, which having not used any thing at all, but
suffering them to dry up and fall off themselves without any picking or
scratching, have done very well, and not any pitts remained after it.