The whole course of chirurgerie wherein is briefly set downe the causes, signes, prognostications & curations of all sorts of tumors, wounds, vlcers, fractures, dislocations & all other diseases, vsually practiced by chirurgions, according to the opinion of all our auncient doctours in chirurgerie. Compiled by Peter Lowe Scotchman, Arellian, Doctor in the Facultie of Chirurgerie in Paris, and chirurgian ordinarie to the most victorious and christian King of Fraunce and Nauarre. Whereunto is annexed the presages of diuine Hippocrates.

The fift Chapter, of Canters Actuall and Potentiall.

CAnter called by the Latins Canterinum is a thing which hath vertue to burne rhe fleshe, bones, or any part, where it is applyed, whereof there are two sorts to wit, ac∣tuall and potentiall. The actuall is that which actually doth burne, and is made of Gold, Siluer, brasse, Iron or Lead, in diuers fashions,* 1.1 according to the maladie and part, where they are applyed as ye haue heard in wounds and vlcers, yet most commonly they are vsed for Foure causes, first in staunching of blood in veines and arters, se∣condly for Gangrens and Mortification, Carbuncles and Bubones excepting alwayes when there is no inflamma∣tion in the part, thirdly in bones that are rotten, for it is enemy to rottennts & helpeth the separation of the bones, fourthly in maling vlcers, and byting of venemous beasts.* 1.2 The canter potentiall, which the Latins call Canterium Potentiale, or Pyroticum is that which hath the force by extreame heate to burne the part where it is applyed, but actually as the other and is composed of diuers matter that are for the most part, extreame hot, like as Cartharide••, Ʋitrioll, Tartar, Arsnic, Orpiment, Sublimat, strong wa∣ter, oyle of vitrioll, Cloues, Sage, and Brimstone, or of dy∣uers oth••r thinges, as the ashes of the Oake or Figge tree, of Vines, or Beane stalkes, quick lyme, salt Nitre, Armo∣niack, Axungia vi••ri, Granley, all which ye may vse to∣gether, or some of them in water, which we call Capitel∣lum or Lixiui••um, and is eyther strong or weake, accor∣ding to the Ingredientes. For the making of the which, ye shall take a certaine of these thinges, and steepe them in water three or foure dayes, sturring it Morning and Eue∣ning, thē passe it through a cloth, & seeth it on the fire in a pan of brasse, till it be cōgealed to salt, which being taken

from the fire shalbe cut in little peeces, and put in glas∣ses close stopt that no ayre enter in. The way to make diuers sorts of Canters is thus, take the ashes of the vine, quick lyme, graneley, axungia vitri, an. halfe a pound, al∣lom and vitrioll roman of ech 6 ounces, steepe them in 15 pintes of water in an earthen pot the space of 5. or 6. dayes, stirring it euery day as yee haue heard, then power out the water and leaue the grounds keepe it in glasses, or seeth it, till it grow to salt as ye haue heard, if it grow thick put thereto halfe an ounce of opi•••• dissolued in aquauitae, which both appeseth the dolor and maketh the scarre soft. An other excellent way is, Rec. axungiae vitri li. se. salis gemmae onc. 6. sublimati onc. se. cineris sarmentorū et trun∣corum fabarum an. li. se. aquae li. 10. infundantur et fiat ca∣pi tellum,* 1.3 in fine coctionis ••dde drag. 2. opij. Otherwise thus take ashes of oake and vine, graneley, stalkes of beanes an. like quantitye, steepe them in water and make your Ca∣pitell, putting thereto a little quick-lyme, this Canter is commonly vsed by Seuerinus Pineo & Hierome de la Now Doctors in Chirurgerie.* 1.4

Cantion in applying of Canter.

THe Canters are appyed in diuers places, taking heede to the complexion of the person, and nature of the part, by reason it worketh sooner in one part than an other: in bodies Cacochymick, purge and bleede afore ye apply them, beware of neruous and membranous partes, ends of the muscles, veines and arters.

Certaine places where Canters are ap∣plyed for sundry diseases.

THey are applied for the most part in all the partes of the heade for diuers diseases, as on the fore-head at

the ioyning of the suture sagittall with the coronall, pene∣trating to the boane & is good for Fluxion on the eyes, the Migrim and other dolors of the head, the Epilepsie, diffi∣cultie of breath, Opthalmie, rednesse of the face, paine of the teeth, eares and ••quinancie. We applie them behinde and aboue the eares, taking heed of the muscle cratophite, for the more assuraunce of the which cause, the sicke must close and open his mouth, that we may perceiue where the saide muscle endeth by the motion thereof. Wee applie in the necke and arme for Catarrhes and distillations of the head, to drawe it away, and stoppe it from falling on the thorax or some chiefe Parte, and are put on the inside of the arme, about the middest, neere the veines and arters, but not touching veine, arter, nor nerue, for assurance of the which, holde your finger on the parte, cause the sicke to moue his arme, so yee may easily perceiue if there bee any thing vnder it. Wee apply them on the legges, within 3. inches to the knee, either on the inner or outside, as the dis∣ease requireth, and is good for the Sciaticke and vlcers in the legges & feete. They are also applyed in diuers other partes of the body to giue issue to the matter contayned, and where there is vehement dolor, or humor or maligne vapor, and in the emunctoires to giue issue to the humor, which shall be done afore the ripenesse thereof.

The way to applie Canters.

FIrst marke the place with thy finger or a spot of incke, next, make a little emplaister, hauing a little hole in the middest, either broad or long, as ye shall thinke good, put on the emplaister in such sort, that the marke of the incke appeare through the hole, and then applie your canter, ac∣cording to the quantitie ye would haue the issue of, and put an other emplaister aboue, and binde it, letting it remaine, till it worke the effect you require: if the first hath not gone

deepe enough, apply another on the same after the foresaid manner, which being done take away the emplaister, and lay on the place to separate the burnt from the whole, a little oyle of roses, turpentine, butter and a little iris of Flo∣rence, or otherwise a little butter alone, or basilicon. Some after the first emplaister is taken off, cutte away that which is burnt with a Bistorie, others cutte it crosse wise, therafter put to the medicament, and it falleth easily of it selfe, being fallen, the issue must be holden open, till such time the sick∣nesse be whole,* 1.5 for the which it was made. Some to holde it open, put a great peaze or balle of golde or siluer, of the same greatnesse. I vse certaine balles, which last sixe mo∣nethes and are made thus. Take waxe onc. 3. verde greece, orpiment, and hermodactes an. onc. 2. sublimat. and pouder of cantharides an. onc. se. with a litle res••n. In stead of the emplaister, I vse a certaine cloth made with certaine stuffe, which lasteth fiue or sixe monethes, likewise wiping it, and vsing sometime one side, sometimes another, and is made thus. Rec. empl••stri triaformacili, se▪ cerae albae onc. 2 campho∣rae onc. 2. litargiri auri puluerizati onc. 2. spici nardi onc. 1. olei oliua••um onc. 1. se misce omnia simul: thereafter dippe a cloth therein, and cutte it in peices to serue, as yee haue heard, it is good for colde humors vlcered. Sometime wee are con∣strained to continue these thinges longer, and euery yeere we place them sometime higher, lower and sidewise, that the mattir may auoide the better. Sometime they waxe hard and callous, which is consumed by such remedies as ye haue heard set downe in callous Vlcers, the excrescence of fleshe which sometime groweth, is taken away by such remedies, as ye haue heard in Vlcers.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Albuc. Cel. Hip
• * 1.2

  Albucra••••s.
• * 1.3

  Le fort de Len∣ry.
• * 1.4

  S. Pineo. H. Delanow.
• * 1.5

  Celsus. lib. 4. cap. 22.