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

CHAP. XV. Of the particular cure of Wounds of the head, and of the musculous skinne.

LEt us beginne with a simple wound, for whose cure the Chirurgion must * 1.1 propose one onely scope, to wit, Vnion; for unlesse the wound pierce to the scull, it is cured like other wounds of the fleshy parts of our bodies. But if it be compound, as many wayes as it is complicate, so many indica∣tions shew themselves. In these the chiefest care must bee had of the more urgent order and cause.

Therefore if the wound shall be simple and superficiary, then the haire must first bee shaven away, then aplaister applied made of the white of an egge, bole Armenicke and Aloes. The following day you must apply Emplastrum de Ianua, or else de gratia Dei, untill the wound be perfectly healed. But if it be deeper and penetrate even to the Pericranium, the Chirurgion shall not doe amisse, if at the second dressing he apply a digestive medicine (as they call it) which may be made of Venice Turpentine, the * 1.2 yolkes of egges, oyle of Roses and a little saffron, and that shall be used so long, untill the wound come to maturation; for then you must adde honey of Roses and Barly floure to the digestive. Hence must we passe to these medicines, into whose com∣position no oyly, or unctious bodies enters, such as this; ℞ Terebinth. venetae ℥ij. syrupi rosar. ℥j. pul. aloes, Myrrhae, & mastich. an ʒss. Let them all be incorporated and made in∣to * 1.3 an unguent, which shall be perfectly regenerated; then it must bee cicatrised with this following powder. ℞ Aluminis combusti, corticis granatorum combust. an. ʒj. Misceantur simul & fiat puluis: but if the wound be so large that it require a suture, it * 1.4 shall have so many stitches with a needle, as need shall seeme to require.

Whilest I was at Hisdin, a certaine soldier, by falling of the earth whilest he under∣mined, * 1.5 had the Hairy scalpe so pressed downe even to the Pericranium, and so who∣ly separated from the beginning of the hinde part of his head, even to his forehead, that it hung over his face. I went about the cure in this manner; I first washt all the wound with wine, a little warmed, that so I might wash away the congealed blood mixed with the earth; then I dryed it with a soft linnen cloth, and laid upon it Venice Turpentine mixed with a little Aqua Vitae wherein I had dissolved some Sanguis Drae∣conis, Mastich and Aloes; then I restored the hanging skinne to its former place, and there stayed it with some stitches being neither too strait, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nor too close together, for feare of paine and inflammation, (which two chiefely happen whilest the wound * 1.6 comes to suppuration) but onely as much as should serve to stay it on every side, and to keepe forth the ayre, which by its entrance doth much harme to wounds:

the lower sides of the wound, I filled with somewhat long and broad tents, that the matter might have passage forth. Then I applyed this following cataplasme to all the head. ℞, farinae bord. & fabarum an ℥vj. olei rosati ʒiij, aceti quantum sufficit, fiat cataplasma ad formam pultis; this hath a faculty to dry, coole, repell mitigate paine and inflammation, and stay bleeding. * 1.7

I did not let him bood, because hee had bled much, especially at certaine arteries which were broken neere his temples; he being dressed after this manner grew well in a short time.

But if the wound bee made by the biting of a wilde beast, it must bee handled * 1.8 after another manner, as shall appeare by this following history. As many people on a time stood looking upon the Kings Lyons, who were kept in the Tilt-yard at Paris for the delight of King Henry the second, and at his charges: it happened that one of the feircest of them broke the things wherein he was tyed, and leaping a∣mongst the company, he with his pawes threw to the ground a Girle of some twelve yeeres old, and taking her head in his mouth, with his teeth wounded the musculous skinne in many places, yet hurt not the scull. She scarse at length delivered by the Master of the Lyons from the jawes of Death and the Lyon, was commit∣ted to the cure of Rowland Claret Chirurgion; who was there present by chance at the sametime; some few dayes after, I was was called to visite her; she was in a fea∣ver, her head, shoulders, brest and all the places where the Lyon had set his teeth, or nailes, were swolne, all the edges of the wounds were livide, and did flow with a wa∣trish, acride, virulent, cadaverous, darke greene and stinking matter, so that I could scarse endure the smell thereof; she was also opprest with pricking, biting and ve∣ry great paine; which I observing, that old saying came into my minde which is: That all wounds made by the bitings of beasts, or of men also, doe * 1.9 somewhat participate of poyson. Wherefore there must principally great care bee had of the venenate impression left in the wounds by the nailes and teeth, and there∣fore such things must bee applyed, as have power to orecome poison. Wherefore I scarrifyed the lips of the wounds in divers places, and applyed Leaches to sucke out the venenate blood, and ease the inflammation of the parts, then I made a Lotion of Aegyptiacum, Treacle and Mithridate after the following manner.

℞. Mithrid. ℥j theriac. ℥ij. agyptiac. ℥ss dissolvantur omnia cum aqua vitae, & Cardui * 1.10 ben. Let the wounds be fomented and washed with it warme; besides also Treacle and Mith••idate were put in all the medicines which were either applyed or put into the wound; and also of the same with the conserves of Roses and Buglosse dissolved in the water of Sorrell and Carduus benedictus, potions were made to strengthen the heart and vindicate it from maligne vapours.

For which purpose also this following Epithema was applyed to the region of her * 1.11 heart. ℞. aquae rosar. & nenuphar, an. ℥iiij. aceti scillitici ℥j. corallorum, santalorum al∣borum & rubrorum, rosar rub. pulveris spodij. an. ℥j. Mithridatij, theriacae, an. ʒij. flo. cor∣dial. pulverisatorum p. ijcroci ʒ, j. dissolve them altogether, make an Epitheme and ap∣ply it to the heart with a scarlet cloth or spunge, and let it bee often renued. Verily she drest after this manner, and the former remedies but once used, paine, inflam∣mation and all the maligne symptomes were much lessened; to conclude shee reco∣vered, but lingred and was leane some two yeares after, yet at lengh she was per∣fectly restored to her health and former nature. By which you may understand, that simple wounds must be handled after another manner, than these which have any touch of poison.

But now that we may prosecute the other affects of the hairy scalpe; say that it is * 1.12 contused with a blow without a wound, that which must bee first and alway done, (that so the affect may better appeare, and the remedies which are applyed may take more effect) the haire must be shaven away, and at the first dressing a repelling medi∣cine applyed, such as is this following Oxyrhodinum. ℞. ol. ros. ℥iij. album. ovorum nu. ij. pulveris nucum cypressi, balanst. alumin. rochae, rosar. rub. an. ʒj. Let them be all incor∣porated, * 1.13 and make a medicine for the formeruse, or in steed thereof, you may ap∣ply the cataplasme prescribed before consisting of Farina hordei, sabaru••, aceto & oleo rosaceo. But such medicines must be often renued. When the paine and defluxion

are appeased, wee must use discussing medicines for the dissipation of that humor which remaines impacted in the part; ℞ Emplastri de mucilagin. ʒij. oxicrocei, & emp. de meliloto, an. ℥j. olei chamaem. & anethi, an. ℥ss. malaxentur simul & fiat emplastrum ad * 1.14 usum dictum. Such a fomentation will also be good. ℞ vini rub. lib. iiij. lixiuij. com. lib. ij. nuces cupressi contus. nu. x. pul. myrtillorum ℥j. rosar rub. absinth. fol. salviae, majoranae, staechados, florum chamaem. melil. an. M. ss. aluminis rochae, radicis cyperi, cala∣mi aromatici an. ℥ss. bulliant omnia simul, and make a decoction to foment the grieved part. After somewhat a long fomenting it, whereby it may the better discusse, dry and exhaust the concrete humor; the head must be dryed & more discussing things ap∣plyed such as the Cerate described by Vigo called de minio, which hath an emollient and digestive faculty in this forme. ℞ Olei chamam. lilior. an. ℥x. olei mastich. ℥ij. pin∣guedinis * 1.15 vervecis lib. j. litharg. auri, ℥viij. minij ℥ij. vini boni cyathum unum, bulliant omnia simul baculo agitando, primum quidem lento igne, mox verò luculentiore, donectot•• massa colorem nigrum vel subnigrum contrahat; adde in fine cocturae Terebinth. lib. s. pul∣veris mastich. ℥ij. gum. elemi. ℥j. cerae quantum sufficit, bulliant rursus una ebullitione & fiat empl. molle. But if the humor be not thus discussed, but onely grow soft, then the tumor must be quickely opened, for when the flesh is inflamed and putrifyed through occasion of the conteined humor, the bone under it putrifies also by the contagion of the inflammation and the actimony of the matter falling upon the bone. When you have opened it, wash away the filth of the ulcer with this following deter∣sive medicine. ℞ syrupi ros. & absinth. an. ℥j. terebinth. ℥iss. pul. ireos, aloes, mastich••, * 1.16 myrrhae, farinae, hordei an. ʒss. In steed here of if there be great putrifaction Aegyp••••a. either by it selfe, or mixt with an equall quantity of Vnguenium apostolorum may be put into the ulcer. When the ulcer is clensed it will be time to use scarcotike and cicatri∣zing medicines.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of a simple wound of the flesh and the skinne.
• * 1.2

  A degestive medicine.
• * 1.3

  A sarcoticke Medicine.
• * 1.4

  An Epuloticke.
• * 1.5

  A History.
• * 1.6

  What things we must ob∣serve in sovve∣ing.
• * 1.7

  When we must not let blood in wounds.
• * 1.8

  A History.
• * 1.9

  The bitings of man and beasts are ve∣nenate.
• * 1.10

  Theriacall 〈…〉〈…〉 picke Medi∣cines.
• * 1.11

  A Cordiall E∣pithema.
• * 1.12

  The cure of the Hairy scalpe when it is contused.
• * 1.13

  A repelling medicine.
• * 1.14

  A discussing Fomentation.
• * 1.15

  Ceratum de Minio.
• * 1.16

  Detersive or clensing me∣dicines.