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

CHAP. IX. Of hot and attractive medicines to be applyed to burnes.

AMongst the hot and attractive things which by rarifying, drawing out, and dissolving, asswage the paine and heate of combustions, the fire challen∣ges * 1.1 the first place, especially when the burning is but small. For the ve∣ry common people know and finde by dayly experience, that the heate of the lightly burnt part vanishes away, and the paine is asswaged, if they hold the part which is burnt some prety while to the heate of a lighted candle, or burning coales; for the similitude causeth attraction. Thus the externall fire whilest it drawes forth the fire which is internall and inust into the part, is a remedy against the dis∣ease it caused and bred. It is also an easily made and approved remedie, if they pre∣sently after the burne apply to the grieved part raw Onions beaten with some salt. Now you must note, that this medicine takes no place, if it be once gone into an * 1.2 ulcer, for it would increase the paine and inflammation; but if it bee applyed when the skinne is yet whole and not excoriated, it doth no such thing, but hinders the rising of pustles and blisters. Hippocrates for this cause also uses this kind of remedy in procuring the fall of the Eschar. If any endevour to gainesay the use of this re∣medy by that principle in Physicke, which sayes, that contraries are cured by con∣traries, and therefore affirme that Onions according to the authority of Galen, being hot in the fourth degree, are not good for combustions; let him know that Onions * 1.3 are indeed potentially hot, and actually moyst, therefore they rarifie by their hot quality, and soften the skinne by their actuall moysture, whereby it comes to passe that they attract, draw forth, and dissipate the imprinted heate, and so hinder the breaking forth of pustles; To conclude, the fire as we formerly noted, is a remedy against the fire. But neither are diseases alwayes healed by their contraryes (saith Galen) but sometimes by their like; although all healing proceede from the contra∣ry, this word contrary, being more largely and stricktly taken; for so also a Phleg∣mon is often cured by resolving medicines, which healeth it by dissipating the mat∣ter thereof. Therefore Onions are very profitable for the burnt parts, which are not yet exulcerated or excoriated: But there are also many other medicines good to hinder the rising of blisters; such is new horse-dung fryed in oyle of wall-nuts or Roses, and applied to the parts. In like manner the leaves of Elder or Dane-wort boy∣led in oyle of nuts, and beaten with a little salt. Also quinched lime poudered and mixed with Vnguentum Rosatum. Or else the leaves of Cuckow-pint and Sage bea∣ten together with a little salt. Also Carpenters Glue dissolved in water and anoyn∣ted upon the part with a feather, is good for the same purpose. Also thicke Vernish which pollishers or sword cutlers use, But if the paine be more vehement, these me∣dicines must be renewed 3 or 4 times in a day and a night, so to mittigate the bitternes * 1.4 of this paine. But if so be we cannot by these remedyes hinder the rising of blisters, then we must presently cut them as soone as they rise, for that the humor contayned in them, not having passage forth, acquires such acrimonie that it eates the flesh which lyeth under it, & so causeth hollow ulcers: So by the multitude of causes & in∣crease of matter the inflamation groweth greater, not only for nine daies (as the com∣mon people prattle) but for farre longer time; also some whiles for lesse time, if the body be neither repleat with ill humors, nor plethoricke, and you have speedily re∣sisted the paine and heate by fit remedyes. When the combustion shall be so great * 1.5 as to cause an Eschar, the falling away must be procured by the use of emollient and hamective medicins, as of greases, oyles, butter, with a little basilicon, or the following oyntment.

℞. Mucagin. psillij. & cydon. an. ℥iiij. gummi, trag. ℥ij. extrahantur cum aqua parie∣tariae, olei lilliorum ℥iiss. cerae novae q. s. fiat unguentum molle. For ulcers and excoria∣tions you shall apply fit remedies, which are those that are without acrimony, such as unguentum album camphoratum, desiccativum rubrum, unguentum rosatum, made without Venegar, or nutritum composed after this manner. ℞. lithargyri auri ℥iiij. * 1.6

ol. rosat. ℥iij. ol. depapaver. ℥iiss. ung. populeon. ℥iiij. camphorae ʒj. fiat unguentum in mortario plumbeo secundum artem. Or oyle of Egges tempered in a Leaden mortar. Also unquenched lime many times washed and mixed with unguentum rosatum, or fresh butter without salt, and some yolkes of egges hard roasted. Or. ℞. Butyri re∣cent. fine sale, ustulati, & colati ℥vj. vitell. over. iiij. cerus. lotae in aqualplantag. vel rosar. ℥ss. tutkiae similiter lotae, ʒiij. plumbi usti, & loti, ʒij. Misceantur omnia simul, fiat lini∣mentum ut decet. Or else, ℞. cort. sambuc. viridis, & olei rosat. an. lib. j. bulliant simul lento igne, postea colentur, & adde olei ovorum ℥iiij. pul. ceruss. & tuthiae praepar. an. ℥j. cerae albae quantum sufficit, fiat unguent. molle secundum artem. But the quantity of dry∣ing medicines may alwayes be encreased or diminished according as the condition of the ulcer shall seeme to require. The following remedies, are fit to asswage paine, as the mucilages of Line seedes, of the seedes of Psilium, or Flea-wort, and quinces extracted in rosewater, or faire water, with the addition of a little cam∣phire; and least that it dry too speedily, adde thereto some oyle of Roses. Also five or sixe yoalkes of egges mixed with the mucilages of Line seede, the seede of Psilium, and quinces often renewed, are very powerfull to asswage paine, The women which attend upon the people in the Hospitall in Paris, doe happily use this medicine a∣gainst burnes. ℞. Lard. conscisilibram unam; let it be dissolved in Rosewater, then * 1.7 strained through a linnen cloath, then wash it foure times with the water of hen-bane or some other of that kinde, then let it be incorporated with eight yolkes of new layd egge, and so make an oyntment. If the smart be great, as usually it is in these kindes of wounds, the ulcer or sores shall be covered over with a peice of Tiffany, least you hurt them, by wiping them with somewhat a course cloath, and so also the matter may easily come forth, and the medicines easily enter in. Also you must have a care when the eyelids, lippes, sides of the fingers, necke, the armepits, hammes, and ben∣ding of the elbow are burnt, that you suffer not the parts to touch one the other, without the interposition of some thing; otherwise in continuance of time they would grow and sticke together. Therefore you shall provide for this, by fit pla∣cing the parts, and putting soft linnen ragges betweene them. But you must note, that deepe combustions, and such as cause a thicker Eschar, are lesse painefull, than such as are but onely superficiary. The truth hereof you may perceive by the exam∣ple * 1.8 of such as have their limbes cut off, and seared or cauterised with an hot Iron; for presently after the cauterising is performed they feele little paine. For this great combustion takes away the sense, the vehemencie of the sensory or thing affecting the sense, depriving the sensitive parts of their sense; As wee have formerly noted when we treated of wounds and paines of the Nerves. The falling away of such Eschars shall be procured by somewhat a deepe scarification which may pierce even to the quicke, that so the humors which lye under it may enjoy freer perspiration, and emollient medicines may the freelier enter in, so to soake, moysten and soften the Eschar that it may at length fall away. The rest of the cure shall be performed by detergent and sarcoticke medicines, adding to the former oyntments mettalline pou∣ders, when the present necessitie shall seeme so to requre. But wee cannot justly say in what proportion and quantity each of these may be mixed, by reason of that variety which is in the temper and consistence of bodyes, and the stubbornesse and gentlenesse of diseases. After a burne the scarre which remaineth is commonly rough, unequall, and ill favoured: therefore wee will tell you in our treatise of the plague how it must be smoothed, and made even.

I must not here omit to tell you, that Gunpowder set on fire doth often so pene∣trate * 1.9 into the flesh, not ulcerating nor taking off the skinne, and so insinuate and throughly fasten it selfe into the flesh by its tenuity, that it cannot be taken or drawne out thence by any remedyes, no not by Phoenigmes nor vesicatoryes, nor scarifica∣tion, nor ventoses, nor hornes, so that the prints thereof alwayes remaine, no other-wise than the markes which the Barbarians burne in their slaves which cannot after∣wards be taken away or destroyed by any Art.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How fire may asswage the paine of bur∣ning.
• * 1.2

  Beaten Onions good for burns and how.
• * 1.3

  Lib. 5. simpl.
• * 1.4

  How often in a day these must be dres∣sed.
• * 1.5

  Medicines for an Eschar.
• * 1.6

  A description of Nutritum.
• * 1.7

  A remedy for burnes com∣monlyumed in the Hospitall of Parts.
• * 1.8

  Why deepe combustions are lesse paine∣full than super∣ficiarie.
• * 1.9

  Markes or spots made in the face by cornes of Gunpowder cannot be ta∣ken away.