The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

CHAP. XXII. Of the Strumae or Scrophulae, that is, the Kings-Evill.

TThe Scrophulae are oedematous tumors arising in the glandulous parts, as * 1.1 the breasts, armeholes, groines, but chiefely in the glandules of the neck. They appeare either one or many, according to the quantity of that mat∣ter from whence they proceede, commonly contained in their proper cyste, or bagge, as Atheromacs, Steatomaees, and Melicerides are.

They are made of a grosse, cold, viscide, and phlegmaticke matter with some ad∣mixture * 1.2 of malancholy. They differ from other glandulous tumors; first in number, for most usually there appeare many of them united together, springing from some-what a deeper roote than glandulous tumors doe; some of them are moveable, o∣thersome woven with the neighbouring nerves, remaining unremoveable.

Gangliae appeare fewer in number, and are without paine; but Scrophulae oftentimes are painefull, especially when they waxe hot by putrefaction; so that sometimes they degenerate into cancerous ulcers, not to be touched by instruments, nor acride medicines.

Phlegmaticke, Melancholike, and gluttonous persons, and such as are accusto∣med to feede on cold and moist nourishments, as fish and cold water, and leade a se∣dentarie and idle life, are subject to the Scrophulae. They are cured by a most slender * 1.3 diet, for so the native heate by want of nourishment turned upon the materiall cause of such like tumors, wasts it.

And they are cured by purging of the superfluous humors, and also by application of emollient resolving, and suppuratine topicke medicines, after this following man∣ner. ℞, Mucaginis ulth. faenugr. & ficuum ping. an. ℥ij, olei liliorum, & chamaem. an. ℥j, * 1.4 pinguedinis anseris & axungiae porct ℥ss, Terebinth. Ven. ℥iss, ammoniaci, & galbani in aeceto dissolutorum an. ℥j, cerae novae quantum satis, fiat cerotum secundum artem ad modum d••achyli magni.

The ointment for the French disease, and the Emplaister of Vigo with Mercury, are excellent for this purpose, especially if we continue so long, untill the Patient come to Salivation, for so Nature will disburden it selfe of the humor, generating the Scrophulae, which I have sometimes tried with happy successe, ℞, Emplastri diachyl. alb. & mag. cerotioesopi descriptionis Philagrij, ana. ℥ij. Terebinth. clarae ℥j, oleililiorum param, fiat emplastrum satis molle. But if the Scrophulae cannot by this meanes be re∣solved, but as it oft times happens, tend to suppuration, you must use suppura∣tives, as ℞, rad. alth. & liliorum, an. ℥iij. coquantur in aqua communi, pistentur, traje∣ctis * 1.5 adde capitum alliorum sub cineribus coctorum ℥iij, olei liliorum, & ping. anseris & anat. an. ℥iss, farinae seminis lini quantum satis, formetur cataplasma.

Here we must admonish the Chirurgion, that he open not the Scrophulae before * 1.6 that all the contained humor be fully and perfectly turned into pus or matter; other-wise the residue of the humor will remaine crude, and will scarse in a long time be brought to maturation; which precept must be principally observed in the Scrophulae, and also sometimes in other abscesses, which come to suppuration. For we must not as soone as any portion of the contained humors appeares converted into pus, pro∣cure and hasten the apertion. For that portion of the suppurated humor, causes the rest sooner to turne into pus, which you may observe in inanimate bodies. For fruits which begin to perish and rot, unlesse we presently cut away the putrifying part, the residue quickly becomes rotten; there is also another reason; The native heate is the * 1.7 efficient cause of suppuration; it therefore (the sore being opened) diminished and weakened by reason of the dissipation of the spirits, evacuated together with the hu∣mor, will cause the remaining portion of the humor, not to suppurate, or that very hardly, and with much difficulty. Yet if the tumified part be subject, by its owne nature, to corruption and putrefaction, as the fundament; if the contained matter be maligne, or criticall, it will be farre better to hasten the apertion.

There is also another way of curing the Scrophulae, which is performed by the * 1.8 hand. For such as are in the necke, and have no deepe roots, by making incision through the skin, are pulled and cut away from these parts with which they were en∣tangled. But in the performance of this worke, wee take speciall care, that we doe not violate or hurt with our instrument, the jugular veines, the sleepy arteries, or re∣current nerves. If at any time there be danger of any great effluxe of bloud, after they are plucked from the skn, they must be tied at their roots, by thrusting through a needle and thred, and then binding the thred strait on both sides, that so bound they fall off by themselves by little and little without any danger. The remainder of the cure may be performed according to the common rules of Art.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What the Scrophulae or Kings-Evill is.
• * 1.2

  Their materi∣all cause. How they dif∣fer from other glanduleus tu∣mors.
• * 1.3

  Their cure by diet.
• * 1.4

  Emollient and resolving me∣dicines.
• * 1.5

  Seppuratives.
• * 1.6

  A note to be observed in o∣pening Scro∣pulous tumors.
• * 1.7

  Naturall heats the cause of suppuration.
• * 1.8

  The Chirur∣gicall manner of cuting Scro∣phulae.