Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

¶Of medicine and remedies for ache and paine of the head. Cap. 3.

THe head is grieued within with an ache and an euill that Phisiti∣ons call Emigranea, as saith Constant.* 1.1 And he saith, this ache and euill is most griuous: for who that hath that euill, feeleth in his head, as it were beating of hammers, and may not suffer noyse, nor voyce, nor light, nor shining. And this euill is of cholarike smoake with hotte winde and ventositie, & therefore he fée∣leth in his head putting & pricking, bur∣ning and ringing. Also the head is grie∣ued specially without in the skinne with pimples, and whelkes, and scabs, out of the which commeth matter much lyke to honie, and therefore Constant. calleth such a scab, Fauum an honie rombe: for such whelkes haue small hoales, out of the which matter commeth, as honie out of the honie combe. And this euill com∣meth of vicious and gleymie humour, which commeth to the skin of y^e head, and bréedeth therein pimples & whelks. Also the head is ofte diseased with a fa∣miliar passion, that children haue ofte, & by Constantin that euill is called Squa∣ma, a scall, and we call that euill Tinea a Mothe: for it fretteth and gnaweth the ouer part of the skinne of the head, as a Mothe frelteth cloath, and cleaueth thereto without departing, holding the skinne right fast. And such an euill brée∣deth passing great itching and fretting & clawing, of that itching falleth manye scalls. This euill commeth often to chil∣dren that haue great plentie of bloud, & for softnesse of the skinne, and for plen∣tie of meate and drinke.

This infirmitie doth come of rume,* 1.2 and winde intrussed in the head, and cannot get out but by medicines: the easiest remedie to cure the same, is stemulations and mustard layd to the temples.

¶Constantine sayth, that meate and drinke ought to be withdrawen from such children, and to haue it but mode∣rately. Then when the humour is auoi∣ded, thero ought to be done thereto oynt∣ments and other remedies. And also Constantine saith, that to children suc∣king, the best remedie is, to let them bloud in the veines behinde in the carrs, and to annoynt the sore place with the same bloud, while it is hot and subti••l: for with the heate and sub••••••tie therof, it openeth the poores, and entereth, and departeth, and wasteth, and destroyeth the matter. And because that often these scales cleaue to the rootes of the haire, it maye not be easely cured and healed, but if the matter be first drawen out of the head right by the roote: the which euill and malady if it be olde, vnneth it may be healed and saued. Also vnneth suche scall or scurffe is healed, but that some token of scaldnesse or pyldnesse is lefte and senne alway afterward. Also y^e head is grieued without, in losing the hight∣ing thereof, as when the haires of the head fal away, and the head wereth bald. as it is rehearsed and said before in the fifte booke, in the chapter De Capillis, looke therein diligentlye. Also the head suffereth in the haires therof, a fretting, gnawing, and vnhightinesse, that Phisi∣tious call Furfurisca. For sometime in the head by the rootes of the haire,* 1.3 breed scalles, like to branne, and commeth of the vice of the brain, either of the fumo∣sitie that commeth of the head to nouri∣shing and féeding of the haire: but this vncleannesse must busilye be helpe with cleansing, washing, and with medicines: lyke as lyce, nittes, and small wormes must be voyded out of the head, by need∣full medicines. Constantine sayth short∣ly, that the foresayd passions of the head be holpe in this manner. If the ach and sore commeth of euill humours, and of repletion thereof, as of euill bloud, or of other euill humours: we shall let the Patient bloude in the veyne that is called Cephalica,* 1.4 and cleanse the bodye with couenable medicines and purgati∣ous, and namely if it be of the matter, that is in the stomacke, it is needefull to make the patient spewe, and bring out

the matter with couenable medicine, and when the body is cleansed and pur∣ged, then men should poure warme wa∣ter on the head, handes, and feete to open the poores, and that y^e fumositie may the eas••lyer passe out of the body: and if the hinder part of the head aketh, then wée must open the broad beyne in the fore∣head, and drawe out bloud. And Con∣stantine sayeth,* 1.5 That it is good to garse the legges beneath, that the humoure••, fumositie and spirites that are cause of the head ache, may be drawen from the head downward to the nether parts: and if the forther part of the head aketh, we must cause the nose to bleede: and if the humour be hot and cholaricke, we shall helpe it with colde medicines and moist. The temples, the nosethrills, & the veins and pulses, we shall annoynt with wa∣ter of Roses, and milk of a woman that feedeth a male child, and labour to bring the patient a sleepe. And if the matter be colde and gleynne in the mouth of the stomacke, when the matter is defied, we must giue a spoonefull of medicine Co••la∣tura vomitus Patratiue.

* 1.6Beware of Garlyke, Onyons, ••hy∣bolls called Scalions, heady wines, han∣ging downe the head, of Venerius acts, and surfetting the stomack. And if the matter be in the ground of the stomack, we must bring it out with couenable medicines, & vse balmes and ointments that be meanly hot, & di••t y^t is meanly hot, & so it is to vnderstand, & so we hele contraries with contraries.* 1.7 And if the head ache be without vicious humour, and commeth of some passing qualytie, then the patient needeth no purgation but rather alteration. And if the faulte be in qualities: we must vse contrarye ••••alities. And if the ache commeth of too great repletion of meate or of drinke, as it fareth in ••lu••tous or dronkē men: then the best remedie is to drinke hotte water in great quantitie, and then with in a while after, busie him for to spew••. If thou wilt vse strong medicine, goe to the Booke called, Viati••o Constan∣tins. This sufficeth to the readinesse of a wise man.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hemicra∣nia, the Megrime, of Hemi, the mid∣dle, & of Craneum the skull: because the paine keepeth the mid∣dle part of the head, & so set∣cher's a compasse about the temples, yet some∣time the griefe wil be more on y^e one side, than on the other.
• * 1.2

  Addition
• * 1.3

  Dandrufe.
• * 1.4

  A chiefe veine.
• * 1.5

  To rub.
• * 1.6

  Addition
• * 1.7

  Cephalar∣gia. So••a. & Cepha∣••a. be in ••e•• p••••nes 〈…〉〈…〉 head.