A treatise of the plague containing the nature, signes, and accidents of the same, with the certaine and absolute cure of the feuers, botches and carbuncles that raigne in these times: and aboue all things most singular experiments and preseruatiues in the same, gathered by the obseruation of diuers worthy trauailers, and selected out of the writing of the best learned phisitians in this age. By Thomas Lodge, Doctor in Phisicke.

How a man ought to proceede in curing the plague sore.

WHenas the plague sore appéereth in any of the e∣munctories, it is a signe that Nature by her po∣wer would discharge the member principall of that venim which assaileth it, and therfore hath she by her prouidence created in the heart, the braine, and liuer, certaine glanda∣lous and spungy parts, which are apt to receiue the super∣fluities that are hurtful to those members. For vnder the arme pittes there are certain kernels that serue the heart, and these are the emunctories of that member, as behinde the eares also there are the like which serue to discharge the braine, and in the groines, for the liuer. And when as the venime inuades any of these principal members, na∣ture, (to warrantize the nobler part) dischargeth, and sen∣deth the venime to his proper emunctory: wherefore, if the hart be attainted with venim, the plague sore will soon ap∣péere vnder the arme pits: if the braine be infected, the sore wil appéere behinde the eares: as also, if the liuer be in∣dempnified, the sore wil breake out in the groine: and be∣cause it is an expulsion which nature maketh to the exteri∣or and vilder parts, to defend the interior & principall, we ought to take great héed, lest by cold repercussiue or astrin∣gent medicines, we driue the sore inwards, but rather, bicause the said sore is of a venimous nature, it ought to be

driuen and forced outward by medicines that draw, and are in qualitie hote and fitte to draw the sore to ripenesse and matter if it be possible. When as the tumor appeareth in any of the saide emunctories, you shall sodainly make incision round about the tumor after the manner of sca∣rification made with the rasor to auoyde the inuenimed bloud, and shall sodainely apply a cupping-glasse therevp∣on to draw out the venimous poison, if that place be capa∣ble of a cupping-glasse, as in the groine and behinde the eares, but vnder the arme-pittes very hardly. And after∣wards you shal apply suppuratiue & ripening medicines, and such as draw after this forme. Take a white onion and cut out the inward kore with your knife, and make a sufficient hollow therein, fill it with very good treacle, or the theriacall powlder of Guidon, couer and close it, and roast it gently vnder the ashes, till it be soft and hote, as it comes from the fire, or as the patient may indure it, apply it to the sore. This is one of the best remedies that a man can apply: Or take the hearb scabious, bruise it betwéene two stones, and apply it on the sore, either of it selfe or mi∣xed with salted hogges grease. You may also make a cata∣plasme according to this forme folowing: take of the roots of white lillies wel cleansed, halfe a handfull of the leaues and roots of mallowes and holy-hocks, twoo handfulls; of fat figges, to the number of thirty, of linte-séede and fenu-gréek séed, of each halfe an ounce, of leuaine one ounce, of bran, halfe a handfull, of scabious, halfe a handfull; boyle al these in water, stamp and straine them, and afterwards adde vnto them wheate floure, of lin-séede and fenugrée séede, of each an ounce, boyle them as before with a little water and hony, Galbanum twoo drachmes, armoniac a drachme, the yelkes of egges, two in number, common salt, a drachme; oyle of white lillies, as much as néedeth, of hennes grease, one ounce; of safferne a drachme, make a cataplasme of all these, and apply it on the sore with fat wooll, remoouing it two or thrée times a day. This also is

very good: take the crummes of white bread, to the quan∣titie of halfe a pound, fatte figges, xxx. in number, leuan, two ounces, liue snayles with their shells xx. in number, fenugréeke séede one ounce, seethe all these together in wa∣ter, then beate them together, and adde vnto them of sal∣ted hogs grease one ounce, of oyle of white lillies as much as néedeth, make a cataplasme heereof, which is very good to ripen and breake an impostume. The ancient Phi∣sitions vse the implaster of Diachilon magnum, and spread it on the sore, & of that I haue made proofe. For it is a good drawer by reason of the gums that are ingredient. It is likewise very allowable to draw out the venime from the sore to take a chicken or cocke, and to pull the feathers from his taile, and to apply him to the soare, for by this meanes, he driues out the venome, and when he is dead, apply another: In stead of this remedy, some vse to take great pullets and pigeons, and cutting them in two along the backe, apply them hote as they are vpon the tumor or carbuncle, for this is an appropriate remedy, both for the one & the other. When the kore shalbe ripe, you must open the same with an actual cautery, which is better thē the lancet or cold yron, because it comforteth the member and driueth out the venome by the actuall heate and vio∣lence of the fire: I likewise aduise all those that are sicke of the plague, to endure the same, notwithstanding it shal af∣fright them somewhat, for it is the best and most wholsom remedy that may be giuen, as both Albucatus and Auicen do testifie in that place, where they discourse of the actuall cautery: And instéed of the actuall cautery, if the patient will not endure the same, you must proceede with famili∣ar ruptories, of which the best is that which is made of ashes and quicke lime boyled together, till such time as the water is consumed, and there remaineth nothing but the ashes and lime incorporated and vnited together, which is a strong and excellent ruptory, and such a one as work∣eth his operation without any, or very little payne, as at

diuers times, and in many patients I haue approoued: And note that in these pestilent tumors, you must not ex∣spect the intire maturation thereof, but must open the same before it be thorowly ripe, to the end that the ve∣nome remaine not long time in the body, and there tho∣rough steame vp to the principall members and commu∣nicate the venome with them to the danger of him that is diseased, and therefore it is better to open them sooner than later. And whenas the sores or sore is opened, you must not thrust bigge tents of lint into them, but little ones, to the end that the venimous matter may the better issue forth & make no stay in the sore. And in this case Alexan∣der Benedictus councelleth in the 14. chap. of his booke de peste not to put any tents of linte or other linnen into the sore, lest the venime be forced backe, and in effect the rea∣son is very good. He likewise willeth vs, not to bind vp the sore too straight, when it is opened, thinking the ligature sufficient which kéepeth the plaisters to the sore. And for mine owne part, I am truly assured that it is far better to vse certaine tents of hollow siluer, lead, or tinne, then of lint altogether, to the end that by the hollow tents, the ve∣nime may the better and the sooner be euacuated, and not stayed within, which is the intention that a good and aduised Surgeon ought to haue. And this may serue for aduise and counsaile hence forward, although that diuers will thinke this matter somwhat strange vnto them who are accustomed to vse an other fashion, but the truth in all things ought to haue place, and should not be any wayes disguised. After that the sore is opened, you must mundifie the same with these cleansing abstersiue medicines folow∣ing: and note, that you ought to kéepe these sores open a long time, and to suffer them to purge out their venime by the vse of these cleansing medicines following. Take of the mundification of rozen, and put it vppon the saide sores within them by hollow tents: or take barley meale sod in water, and honny, an ounce or two, incorporate

with good honny of roses, annexing the roote of the lilly of Florence and a little salt, make a clensing medicine hereof: or take Sarcocolla beaten to powlder, sodden honny, of each a like quantitie, incorporate them togither and make an ointment thereof, for it is a mundifier. But amongst all other vnguents that cleanse loathsome vlcers and such as are of a venimous and euill quality, I haue not found any more excellent, or that cleanseth the loathsome, stink∣ing, and euil matter, then this which I composed my selfe, and haue often vsed and tried the same with good effect.

Take of the iuices of daffadill and wormewood, of each foure ounces, of hony of roses clarified, eight ounces, boyle these together vntil the iuices, be consumed, then adde thervnto of turpentine of Venice, washed in rose wa∣ter, or aqua vitae, foure ounces of the rootes of the Floren∣tine lilly and Aristolochia the round, of ech thrée drachms, of the flower of Lupins two drachms, make an oyntment of these: in truth I can assure you that I haue séene this me∣dicine work admirable effect in the vlcers of the french pox and such like, cleansing them very purely, not only of their grosse and euil matter, but of the dead flesh and kores in∣closed in the said vlcers, as I haue often times tried: Or do thus: Take of Venice turpentine washed in aqua vitae in winter, and barley water in summer, halfe a pound of oyle of roses three ounces, of honny of roses foure ounces, of good and gummy mirrh, aloes, mastike, Aristolochia the round, of ech one drachme and a halfe; of barly meale, thrée drachmes, make an oyntment hereof to mundify these vl∣cers, for it is very good. Sée here the order of cleansing ointments. After the vlcer is wel mundified a long time, you must skinne with the emplaister of Diacaletheos, or the plaister of Seruse, or the red desiccatiue plaster of Tu∣tia, but this is the best. Take betony, centory the lesse a∣grimony, Aristolochia the round, of ech one ounce, of déere suet halfe an ounce, of masticke thrée drachmes, of aloes halfe an ounce, of new waxe two ounces, séethe the hearbs

in good red wine, and straine them, then adde the pitch, the wax, and sewet, and séethe it againe, and in the end, adde Aloes and masticke, and make a good incarnatiue hereof: And note, that if the sore be very painefull, you must as∣swage the griefe therof with a cataplasme of bread crums boyled in milke, and afterward with the yelkes of egs saf∣fron, and oyle of roses as much as sufficeth, apply it to the painefull sore. Or foment the place with the decocti∣on of mallows, holihocks, camomile and melilote floures, and branne sodde in water, and apply it in way of fomen∣tation to the pained place. Lo héere the cure of the plague sore, it followeth, that we intreate of the carbuncle.