_Cocalista_, and by other _Indians_ is named _Taberdet_, and is so
exceeding pestilent and infectious, that whole Kingdomes in both
the _India_’s have been depopulated by it, for want of knowledge to
redresse themselves of it.
_To know the Taberdilla._
It first assaults the Patient vehemently with pain in the head and
back: and the body seeming yellow, is some sign thereof, and within
24 hours it is so torturous, that the possest thereof cannot rest or
sleep, turning himself on either side, back or belly, burning in his
back most extreamly. And when it growes to perfection, there will
appear red and blue spots upon the Patients breast and wrists. And
such persons as have not presently requisite means applyed to them
to prevent it, will be, by the vehement torment thereof, deprived of
their wits, and many to cease their pain by losse of their lives have
despairingly slain, and drowned themselves.
_The Cure of the Taberdilla._
When you perceive it afflict the Patient, permit him not to lie very
warm, nor upon feathers (for of what quality soever he bee in _Spain_,
having this sickness he is laid upon wheat-straw:) Then immediatly
open the Median Vein, first in one arm, and the next day in the other,
taking a good quantity of bloud: Let him have water cold, wherein
Barlie and Annise-seeds have been sodden without Liquorice (for the
Spanish Physicians hold Liquorice to bee hurtfull unto them) so much
as he will desire, which will be every moment; but no other drink, nor
any raw fruits: Assoon as the spots appear, give him some Cordiall
potion: and laying him upon his belly, set six Ventoses together on
his back, between and beneath the shoulders; and scarifying them,
draw out (if it be a body of strong constitution) 18 ounces of bloud.
After which, and that he hath slept, he will find ease within twenty
four hours, and such alteration in himself, as he will thinke he
is delivered of a most strange torment. Then give him moderately
nourishing meats, (for he will desire to eat much) the fourth day, give
him some convenient Purgations. And if in the mean while he is costive,
provoke him every day by Clisters; and warn him to forbear 15 dayes all
other drink then what is ordained: And be very carefull of his diet,
for if this _Taberdilla_, which we call here in _England_ Gods Tokens,
come againe unto the Patient, he can hardly escape it. And it is no
lesse Infectious, then the usuall English Plague.
_The Espinlas_
Is a strange sicknes, usuall in those parts to such as take cold in
their Breasts, after great heat or travell. It comes most times to
those that lye with their breasts upon the ground (especially) in the
night.
_To know the Espinlas._
The Party having it, will be giddie in the head, and have pain and
pricking at his breast, as with many thornes; from whence I thinke it
is called, for _Espina_ in Spanish signifies a thorn; and there will be
upon the Focell, being the upper bone of his arm, a hand breadth above
the wrist, a little kernell by the which it is certainly known: He that
hath this disease, will have appetite neither to meat, nor drinke, nor
can digest meat, though he be invited and moved to take it.
_To cure the Espinlas._
The _Espinlas_ appearing by the former signs, take presently oyle
Olives, and therewith chafe the kernell upon the Patients arm, using
so to doe twice every day, untill it be dissolved; and laying oyle
likewise upon his breast, stroke it upward somewhat hard with the hand;
then spread fine flaxe upon it and the kernel, making it fast with a
rowler, and within two or three dayes the diseased will be recovered
thereof; whereas else it is very dangerous to deprive them of life.
_Camera de Sangre._
_Laxativeness_, or Bloudy Flux, proceed in those parts of divers
causes: As by eating Grapes, Oranges, Limons, Melons, Plantains, and
especially a great fruit growing in the West Indies called _Pina_,
like a Pine-apple, but bigger then four of the greatest which I
have seen, which the Spaniars hold for the most delicate fruit that
is there, and many other fruits. Also by sudden cold, or sitting
(being very hot) upon a cold stone, or being hot by drinking water
abundantly. And also eating of Butter, Oyle, and Fish is so hurtfull
to the parties that have it, that they must refrain to eat thereof,
and whatsoever else, that may ingender any slimie substance in the
Intrals.
_The Cure of the Bloudie Flux._
There is more possibility of cure, by how much more expedition the
medicine is ministred: and detracting it, the Patients often die
suddenly, without feeling much grief. For speedy and assured remedie,
the Patients bodie must be cleansed of the sliminess, ingendred in the
passages of the nutriments, before any sustenance can remain in his
bodie. To that purpose purge him in the morning, with halfe a pint
of white wine cold, wherein half an ounce of Rubard being smal cut
hath been sodden, putting some Sugar Candie to it, to sweeten it, and
immediatly after he hath so purged, keep at his navell Rosemary sod in
strong Vinegar, applyed in the morning and evening very hot, untill it
be stayed; giving him often Quinces bruised, and rouled in Marmalade
like Pills, which he should swallow whole, and none of the fruits or
meats before recited, nor any more white wine, but red wine of any
sort: And if it be one the land use the Livers of Goats, (especially)
Sheeps, or Bullocks rosted; not willingly permitting the Patient to
eat any other meat: And if at Sea, Rice onely sodden in water, rather
then any thing else usuall there, untill the infirmitie bee perfectly
asswaged.
_The Erisipela_,
Reigneth much in those Countries, proceeding from the unwholsome aires
and vapours those hot Countries doe yeeld, whereof many perish; and
if it bee not prevented by Medicines presently ministred to the Sick
Patients, it proveth incurable.
_To know the Erisipela._
Hee will be swoln in the face, or some part of him, and it will be of
yellow colour mixed with red. And when it is pressed with the finger,
there will remain a sign or dint of the same, and then by degrees it
will fill again to the former proportion. It speedily infecteth the
inward parts, because such swellings come sooner unto perfection in hot
places, then in temperat Countries, and therefore the diseased thereof,
must immediatly be provided of remedie.
_To Cure the Erisipela._
The Savage people first found out perfectly how to cure this disease,
(though it is the Spanish name of the Maladie) by bruising so much
Tobacco as will yeeld four spoonfuls of juyce, and to drinke it
presently after they are infected therewith, and to launce the
places swollen, thereunto putting _Casade_ wet, and made into paste,
continuing in cold and shadie places neer Rivers: and not to travell
and labour till they bee recovered: The Spaniards in _India_ doe
recover themselves by taking the same juyce of Tobacco, and setting so
many Ventoses upon the swoln places as they can contain, scarifying
them, and drawing out the corrupted humour so congealed, using the like
in two or three other parts of the bodie, where the disease doth not
appeare.
The juyce of Tobacco is very excellent to expell poison, and is the
ordinary remedie used by the _Indians_, and other Savages when they
are poisoned, and bitten with Scorpions, or other venemous creatures:
But they make presently some incision where they are bitten or stung,
and wash it with the juyce of Tobacco, then applying the same bruised
thereunto two or three dayes, they heal it up with dried Tobacco.
_The +Tinoso+ or Scurvie._
Is an infecting disease sufficiently known unto Sea-fayring men, who
by putrified meats, and corrupted drinks, eating Bisket flourie, or
foul crusted, and wearing wet apparrel (especially sleeping in it) and
slothfull demeanour, or by grosse humours contained in their bodies
get the same,
_To know the Scurvie._
Many have perished when they returned out of hot Regions into cold
Climates, where they have had the parts of their bodies, which with
heat, were nimble and tractable to every motion of the Spirits,
dulled and benummed with cold, which is a token that this disease is
ingendring in their joynts; and soonest appears by swelling of their
ankles, and knees, and blackness of their gums, or looseness of their
teeth, which will sometimes come forth, when there is no remedie used
in season.
_Preservatives against the Scurvy._
You must have a care to preserve those things before rehearsed well
conditioned, the badnesse whereof, in part breed this disease; they
must use exercise of body, and such as are exempted from doing of
labour, must hang or swing by the armes twice or thrice every day; they
must not have scarcity of drink in hot climates, and coming into the
cold, must be daily releeved with _Aqua vitæ_ or Wine: It is also an
assured Medicine against this disease, to have such quantity of Beer
brewed with graines and long Pepper, as in the morning, twice every
week, there may be given a good draught to a man, proportioning three
quarters of a pound of graines, and three quarters of a pound of long
Pepper, to a Hogshead of Beer: Also white Wine, or Syder, boyled and
brewed with graines and long Pepper in like quantity, is very singular
good: And it is not fit to suffer the gummes to abound with flesh, and
therefore sometimes let them bleed, and cleer them with strong Vinegar.
_To cure the Scurvy._
If the Scurvy be setled in his mouth, the corrupted and black flesh
must be taken away, and his mouth washed with strong Vinegar, wherein
graines and long Pepper have been infused and brewed, and give him
daily the drink that is before prescribed; and as well such as have
it in their mouths, as those that are swoln in their limbs, must have
some meet Purgation presently; but those so swoln or stiffe (for so
some will be without swelling) to scarifie the parts infected, and to
apply thereto a Poultis or Cataplasme of Barly meal, more hot than the
Patient will willingly suffer it; so doing every morning, permit him
not to rest two houres after, although being nummed or faint, he be
supported to walk, and suffer him not to eat any salt meats, if other
meats may be had.
My self having eighty men, eight hundred leagues out of _England_,
sick of the Scurvy, I used scarifiing, and to the places scarified
(being destitute of the helps mentioned) I applyed Poultisses of Bisket
beaten in a morter, and sod in water, which, with the comfort of some
fresh meats obtained, recovered them all except one person, and they
arrived in _England_, perfectly sound.
_Other Observations concerning the Scurvy taken out of other Books._
1. Those that are troubled with the Scurvy, their thighs are stained
with a violet colour, that one would think, that something of that
colour were spread upon it, their gummes are corrupted, and their teeth
loose; these ever are signes of that disease.
2. Some are onely pained in their teeth and gums, some otherwise; some
doe never break out, others their whole thighs are stained.
_Observations out of +Sennertus+, concerning the Scurvy._
1. Multitude of passions, and change of diseases in it.
2. Greif of mind and, uneasie breathing and stopping.
3. Corruptnesse of the gums, and ill savour of the mouth.
4. Ach of the teeth.
5. Spots.
6. Urine.
7. Pulse.
8. Vein of the legs about the ankles, together with the hands and
fingers, the nuch, the knees, and the moving of many parts,
with swellings.
9. Pain in the belly; about the forepart of the belly, about the
short ribs.
10. Feeblenesse and ache in the joynts.
11. Paines of the reines, and strangury.
12. Head-ache.
13. Plurisie.
14. Gout.
15. Benumming, and the Palsie.
16. Trembling, and panting of the heart, and shaking.
17. Cramp, pricking or shooting Aches, and Epilepsie.
18. Contractions, and stiffenesse of limbs.
19. Apoplexie.
20. Over-much { Sleeping.
{ Watching.
21. Fear and sadnesse.
22. Madnesse.
23. Abundant bleeding about the nose.
24. Memory weak.
25. Ache in the shoulders.
26. Appetite decayed, thirst and drinesse of mouth.
27. Belching upwards.
28. Disposition to vomit, or vomiting.
29. Continuall spitting.
30. Loosenesse in the belly, sometimes with bloud.
31. Belly bound at other times.
32. Muck sweat, with ill savour of the body, and Ptysick.
33. Ill colour of the face, and yellow Jaundies.
34. Swelling of the legs, and Dropsie of the belly.
35. Mighty heat.
{ 1. Quotidian.
36. Fevers. { 2. Tertian.
{ 3. Quartain.
{ 4. Continuall.
37. Plague or Pestilence.
38. Swelling, or puffing up of the flesh.
39. Lamenesse of the thighs and whole body.
40. Saint _Anthonies_ fire.
41. Gangrean, when the sore parts rot and mortifie.
Cures for severall Diseases.
_A Water to make a man see within 40. dayes, though he have been blind
seven years before, if he be under fiftie years of age._
Take Smallage, Fennel, Rue, Betonie, Vervain, Egrimonie, Cinquefoil,
Pimpernel, Eyebright, Celydonie, Sage, _ana_ a quartern, and wash them
clean and stamp them, doe them in a fair mashing pan, put thereto a
quart of good white wine, and the pouder of thirty Pepper cornes, six
spoonfuls of life Honie, and ten spoonfulls of a man childs urine that
is innocent, and mingle them well together, and seeth them till the
half be wasted, and then take it down and strein it, and afterward
clarifie it, and put it in a glasse Vessell well stopt, and put thereof
with a feather into the eyes of the blind, and let the Patient use this
Medicine at night when he goeth to bed, and within forty dayes he shall
see. It is good for all manner of sore eyes. Wilde Tansey water is good
for the eye-sight; and eating of Fennell seed is good for the same.
_For the Web in the Eye._
The Leaves of white Honie-suckles, and ground Ivie, _ana_, ground
together, and put every day into the eye, cureth the Web.
Salt burnt in a flaxen cloth, and tempered with Honey, and with a
Feather annointed on the eye-lids, killeth wormes that annoy the
eye-lids.
_For Wind in the Side, that maketh the Head swim._
Take of Cammomil three ounces, a penniworth of pouder of Cummin sewed
in a Poke like a stomacher, boil it well in stale Ale, lay it to the
side hot, and when it is cold renew it again hot.
_Contra Surditatem._
1. _Betonica sæpe injecta tepide, mire proficit contra aurium dolorem
& surditatem, & alia vitia, & sonos extraneos non sinit manere._
2. Rost an Onion as hot as you may suffer it, lay it upon the ear with
a linnen cloth laid between. _Probatum est._
_Contra lupum, venit sæpe super oculum aut pedem._
If it be incurable, it stinketh, fretteth, and the wound waxeth black.
Take Salt, and Honey, and Barley, _ana_, burn them in an Oven, wash the
wound with Vinegar, and dry it with linnen clothes, and then lay on the
pouder, and doe so till it amend,
_Pro Cancro & Lupo._
Take half a pint of Juyce of Mollein, and half a pint of Honey, sodden
to the thickness of honey, and mingle with these pouders, and lay on
the sore. Take Orpiment and Verdi-grease, of either a drachm and a
half, juyce of Walwort a pound and a half, honey a quartern, Vinegar,
boil them altogether till it be as thick as honey, lay thereof on the
hole of the sore twice every day, with juyce of Ribwort, and drinke
juyce of Avence.
Ribwort stamped and laid on the sore will kill it.
Pro Oculis.
1. _Lac mulieris quæ masculum genuit, sed præcipue quæ gemines masculos
genuit, mixtum cum albumine ovi, & in lana compositum passiones
& lachrymas oculorum mitigat, et desiccat, si fronti lacrymantis
imponatur: & proficit, etiam ad oculum ictu percussum, & sanguinem
emittentem, vel epiphoras habentem, vel in dolore constitutum._
2. _Si quis duarum fæminarum, matris & filiæ lacte perunctus fuerit,
qui uno & eodem tempore masculos habent, in omni vita sua dolorem
oculorum non habebit._
3. Eyebright juyce, or water, is excellent good for the eyes.
4: Annoint a red cole leaf _cum albumine ovi, & quando is cubitum oculo
applica_.
_For Bleared Eyes._
Take the juyce Peritory, temper it with the white of an Egg, and lay it
all night to your eyes, _& quando removes, lava cum succo_.
_Cornes._
Annoint thy cornes often with fasting spittle: Or cleave a black Snail
to it.
Take Woodsoure and lay to the corn, and that shall gather out the
_Callum_ thereof, and be whole, but you must first cut it about with a
knife.
_Apostema._
1. _Gentian_ used twice or thrice in a week _ad quantitatem pili
destruit Apostema_.
2. Drinke water of Endive, Petty Morrell, with the pulp of _Cassia
Fistula_.
3. Take _Scabios_, red Pimpernel, Solsickle and Fumitorie, make these
into pouder, and use a spoonful thereof in the morning, especially in
_May_. _Probatum est._
_Pro stomacho frigido._
1. Oates parched and laid in a Satchell upon a cold stomack, is an
approved cure.
2. The crust of a brown loaf made hot and sprinkled with vinegar, and
laid on a cold Stomack, _Salvabit_.
3. A tile stone made hot and sprinkled with Vinegar, Eysell or Ale,
wrapt in a clout, and laid to the stomack, is good.
_Pro dolere stomachi._
1. Stamp Fennell, and temper it with stale ale, _& bibat tria coclearia
simul_. Seeth Penniroyall and binde it to his Navel as hot as he may
suffer it.
_For winde or gnawing in the Belly._
Take _Calamus Aromaticus_, Galingale, and a little Fennel seed, Cloves,
and Cinnamon, grate or beat them together, and take them in pouder, or
drink them with ale.
_For the Small Pox._
Take Almonds, and make Almond milk, and take the cream thereof, and
bath the face twice or thrice, though all the Pocks be pulled away, it
shall not be Pock fret.
Annoint oft the Patients eyes with a linnen cloth wet in the juyce of
Sengreen, and it will save them from the Pox.
_For a stroke in the eye._
Juyce of Smallage and Fennel, and the white of an Egg, mingled
together, and put into the eye.
_Bloudshed in the eye._
Five leaved grasse, stampt with Swines grease, and with a little salt
bound to the eye.
_Pro Oculo & Aure._
_Sint calida quæ aure imponuntur, & frigida quæ in oculo._
_For a Venomed sore._
Take Lavender, Marigolds, Sengreen and Betonie, and stamp them
together, and lay them to the sore.
_To make a swelling break._
Take pisse and Vinegar, and Sage M. i. stamped, and flour, and boil
them together, and lay it hot on a cloth to the sore.
_For the Squinsie._
Bray Sage, Rue, and Parsely Roots, and lay them hot to the throat.
_For Biting of a mad Dog._
Stamp Mint, and clear Leeks, and lay it to the sore.
_To breake a Botch._
Make a Plaister of Woodbine leaves, and lay to the sore.
_For gnawings._
Take Hearb Bennet, and Sheeps tallow, and oyle Olive, frie them
together, and lay it to the sore place.
_To increase Milk._
Pouder of Annise, and the juice of the bark of Fennell root drunke.
_If milk be thick._
Eat mints, and boil mints in wine and oyle, and lay on the breasts.
_For Botches, Wounds, and Sores, a salve._
Boil black Rosin, red Lead, and oyle Olive together; & _fiat
emplastrum_.
_Qui bibit novem dies simul propriam urinam, nec habebit epilepsiam,
paralysin, nec colicam._
Venenum.
1. _Qui bibit propriam urinam, sanabitur a sumpto veneno._
2. Garlick, Rue, Centaury, graines of Juniper, _valent contra venenum_.
3. Pouder Hempseed, and mingle it with Goats milk, and let them boyle
a little, and use this drink three dayes, _valet contra inflationem_,
_venenum_, Bubonem, Felon, _& squinanciam_.
_Pro Auribus._
Green Ash leaves burnt, and the liquor that drops out of them
_impositum valet_.
Euphorbium pounded with Oil Citron, and laid hot on the eares, cureth
sounding of the eares, tingling, and Fistulaes.
_Caput-purgium._
Take the juyce of Ivy, and powder of Pepper, mingle them, together, and
drink it.
_For the bloudy Flix._
The yellow that groweth in red Roses put into pottage, and so eaten, is
good for the bloudy Flix.
_Vermes Stomachi._
The same yellow drunk in Ale _valet contra Vermes_.
_For a Felon._
Scabious stamped small, a good quantity of Tar, and greace _ana_ temper
them together, and all raw, lay them to the sore place.
_For the Reines of the back._
Boyl your own water well, scum it, then take a quart of that water,
oyle of hayes one ounce, oyle of Roses one ounce, boyle all in a pot,
and therewith annoint well the reines in the hot sunne, or against the
fire.
_Unge renes, cum nasturtio & propria urina jejunus sæpe, & juvat renes._
_Coque mel & butyrum simul & unge renes coram igne._
Seeth Smallage, and temper it with Wine, and drink it fasting, and you
shall be healed.
_For them that cannot goe upright for pain in their back and reines._
Take a fat Hen, and scald her, and draw her, and fill her with _Sene
coddes_ 1ᒄ weight, and Polipody of an Oak, and of Annis, 1ᒄ weight,
boyl her well, and strain her into a vessell, and take two spoonfuls
thereof, and give it the sick first and last.
_For the Stitch._
Take three handfuls of Mallowes, seeth them in a little raw Milk, and
put thereto a handfull of wheat bran, and let them boyle together, and
then wring out the Milk, and lay it hot to the Stitch, apply it often.
Take a few leaves of Rue, and Yarrow, stamp them together, and wring
out the juyce, and drink it with a little Ale.
_For the Stitch in the side._
Make Balls of red Wortes sodden, and burne them in a new pot, and then
grind them to powder, and mingle them with Honey and old Greace, and
make a plaister, and lay it thereto when it is well sodden.
_To heal Wounds._
Take Ribwort, Plantain, Smallage, _ana._ take well nigh as much _May_
Butter as of the juyce, mingle it together, that it be standing, and
put it in a Box that no air come thereto, and make an Ointment, and
this is the securest Medicine for healing Wounds.
_For swelling of Joynts._
Bray Mallowes, and boyle them in new Milk, and make it into an
emplaister, and apply it to the place.
_To knit Sinews or Veins that are kickt or broke._
Take two Onions in summer, when thou findest two Wormes knit together,
cut off the knots, and lay them to dry against the Sun, and make
thereof powder, and cast it in the Wounds, and it will doe as aforesaid.
Ut virga hominis nunquam erigatur.
_Formicas istas pulverisabis, misce cum vaccinio lacte & da cuivis in
potu &c._
Verrucæ, Porri, ficus.
_Cortix salicis combustus & temperatus cum aceto, & appositus,
verrucas, porros & ficus tollit. Portulaca fricata tollit verrucas.
Agrimonia trita & emplastrata cum aceto verrucas tollit._
_Stercus ovis si misceatur cum aceto, & fiat emplaistrum, tollit
variolas & verrucas._
_For Cornes._
Take Beanes and chew them in thy mouth, and lay them to the Corn, doe
this at night.
_For Warts._
1. Purslane rubbed on the Warts maketh them fall away.
2. The juyce of the roots of Rushes applied, healeth them.
_For a Wound that bleedeth inwardly._
Take _Filago_, and temper it with Ale or Wine, and give it him, and
anon the bloud shall goe out by his mouth; and if the Patient cannot
open his mouth, open it with a key, and put it in, and he shall receive
his speech, this hath been proved.
_If men have any blood within them of any hurt._
Let them drink Eufrase sodden with water, and anon they shall cast it
out by vomit.
_Aqua pro scabie, tumore, & prurita._
Ashes made of green Ashen wood sifted clean, and mingled with clean
water, and often stirred, all a whole day, the water thereof, that
is clear gathered, and mingled with a little Vinegar, and a little
Allome, and sodden together, is a pretious water to wash with, sores of
swellings, and for itchings, and cleansing of divers sores.
_An vulneratus vivat, vel non._
The juyce of Pimpernell drunk with water, if it come out at the Wound
of a wounded man he shall dye, if it come not he shall live.
Also give him Trefoile to drink, if he cast it out he shall die.
_To destroy an Imposthume, in what place soever it be._
Take the roots of marsh-mallowes, wash them and boyle them, afterwards
take the same water, and boyle it with the seed of Fenugreek, and
Line, then bake with the bran of Barly, afterwards fry it with Bores
greace, make thereof an emplaister, and apply it hot, and within a
short time the Patient will be cured.
_For Warts._
1. Agrimony stampt with Salt, and tempered with Vinegar, and laid on
the Warts, within four dayes doth take them away.
2. Take the yolk of an Egg well roasted, stamp it with oyle of Olive,
or oyle of Violets, and make it in manner of a plaister, and this will
doe away the Warts in a night.