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

CHAP. XIII. Of the third manner of Cure, which is performed by cerates, and emplasters, as the substitutes of unctions.

FOr that sundry by reason of the name, abhorre the use of friction, which is performed by the forementioned ointments, therefore there is found out another manner of cure, by cerates and emplasters, as substitutes of Frictions, but that usually is somewhat slower: for which purpose it is not needfull onely to use the things which are described by Vigo, but * 1.1 you may also devise other, which are more or lesse anodyne, emollient, attenuating, discussing, or drying, according to the condition of the present disease, symptomes, humors and patient, never omitting Hydrargyrum, the onely antidote of this disease. Such emplasters mitigate paines and knots, and resolve all hardnesse, and are abso∣lutely very effectuall, for continually sticking to the body, they continually operate. * 1.2 Wherefore they are of prime use in relapses of this disease, or when the humours are thicke and viscous, or otherwise lye deepe in the body, and very difficult to roote out. But for that they worke more slowly oft times, such as use them are forced at length to use some frictions to stimulate nature, and cause the speedier excretion. Yet in some whose bodies and humours have beene fluid, either by nature or art, the ap∣plyed emplasters have in three dayes space procured evacuation sufficient for the disease, so that if they had not beene taken away, they would have caused a colli∣quation, like that which we lately mentioned in too violent friction. Wherefore you

shall use the like discretion in taking off these, as you use in your unctions and fricti∣on. Instead of Emp. de Vigo, this following may be fitly used. ℞. massae emp. de melil. * 1.3 & oxycrocei, an. lb ss. argenti vivi extin. ℥vi. ol••o laurino, & de spica, reducantur ad for∣mam emplastri. These plasters must be equally spread upon leather, and layd upon the same places of the joints, as were formerly mentioned in the cure by frictions. Yet some there bee, who cover with the plaster all the arme, from the hand e∣ven to the shoulder, and all the legge, from the toppe of the knee, even to the ends of the toes, which thing I doe not disallow of, if so bee that the places of the joints bee covered over with a thicker plaster. They must bee left sticking there so long, untill nature be stirred up and provoked to cause excretion of the virulent hu∣mours. Yet if in the interim great itching shall arise in the parts, you may take them off so long untill the parts shall be fomented with a decoction of the flowres of cha∣momile, melilote, red roses, and the like, made in wine, to discusse that which cau∣sed the itching, and then you may lay them on againe. Some, to hinder the rising of any itch, lay not the bare plaster to the part, but cover it over with sarcene••, so to keepe it from sticking, and thus intercept the transpiration of the part, the cause of itching. They shall bee stronger or weaker, and lye to the part a longer or shorter space, as long as the indications, so often formerly mentioned, shall seem to require. The effects of emplasters are the same as of frictions, for they cause excretion, one while by insensible transpiration, otherwhiles by a Diarrhae••, or fluxe of the belly, sometimes by urines, but most frequently (which Crisis is also most certaine) by sa∣livation. Sordide and virulent ulcers often breed in the mouth, tongue, pallate, and * 1.4 gummes by salivation, by reason of the acrimony of the virulent humors adhering to the sides of the mouth: to hinder the growth of these, many inject glysters made of e∣mollient things, especially at the beginning of the salivation, so to draw downwards the humours forcibly flying up in greater quantity than is fit, although the part it selfe may endure them.

There are also some, who to the same end give a purging medicine at the very * 1.5 time when as the humours are ready to move upwards, the which I thinke is not a safe course. The cure of such ulcers is farre different from the cure of others. For they ought by no meanes to bee repercussed or repelled, how enflamed soever they be, but onely to bee mitigated by anodyne gargarismes, so onely to lessen the heat, and that by this frequent washing of the mouth, you may hinder the sticking or fur∣ring of viscide humours to such like ulcers. A decoction of barly, cowes milk warm, held and gargled in the mouth, the mucilages of the seeds of mallowes, marsh-mal∣loxes, psilium, lettuce, line extracted in the water of barly, mallowes, and pellitory of the wall, are good for this purpose; for thus the ulcers become more milde, and the tenacity of the adherent humours is loosed. You must at the first beware of strong detergent medicines, for almost all such have acrimony joyned with them, which will encrease the pain, but chiefly in the state of the disease: for so, the ulcers gently cleansed by frequent gargling, would become worse by the use of acride things. Therefore it shall be sufficient to make use of the forementioned medicines, so to hinder the encrease of the filth, and inflammation of the ulcers, if so bee that such ulcers be not too exceeding maligne and burning. For if it shall happen either by the powerfull efficacy of the applyed plasters, or by the violence of nature in its motion of the ill humours upwards, that such store of viscous, and grosse humours are carryed to the mouth, that it wants little, but that the part it selfe is over-ruled by the morbificke matter, so that by the violence and continuance of the fluxe, the mouth and jawes become so swelled, that a gangrene is to be feared, by hindering the entrance of the spirits, and extinguishing of the native heat of these parts. In this case wee are forced to leave the proper cure for to withstand the accidents, and for this purpose we use restrictive & repelling things, such as are barly water, plantain, * 1.6 night-shade, knot-grasse, shepheards Purse, &c. with syrupe of roses, violets, quin∣ces, berberies, pomegranates, &c. also such are the mucilages and decoctions of the seeds of lettuce, psilium, quinces, plantaine, cucumbers, melons, white poppy, hen-bane, in the waters of roses, plantaine, night-shade, water-lillies, wood bin••, &c. Also it is convenient to procure sweats by stoves, or the application of any hot and

dry things; for thus the humours which run forth of the vessels into all the surface of the body, are diverted. But when as the course of the humours running to the mouth, is beginning to stoppe, and the tumours and ulcers begin to lessen, then no∣thing hinders, but that we may use gently detergent things, as syr. rosarum siccarum, mel rosatum, Diamoron, Dianucum, and the like. But when it is time to dry the ul∣cers, they may be lightly touched with alome water, or with aqua fortis, such as gold∣smiths * 1.7 have used for the separation of mettals. They may also frequently use dry∣ing gargarismes made with astriction of the waters of roses, plantaine, night-shade, sheepheards purse, knot grasse, and dogges tongue, boiling therein balaustia, ros. rub. myr••il. sumach. alumen. acacia, berber. galla; malicor. and the like. During the time of fluxing or salivation you must diet and ••eed the patient with liquid meats, and those of good juice, and easie digestion, for that then he can neither chaw, swallow, nor digest hard things. For nature wholly intent upon the excretion of the noxious and peccant humours, as also weakened by the bitternesse of paine, watchings, and un∣quietnesse, and consequently a great resolution of the spirits, cannot insist power∣fully upon the worke of concoction. Therefore he shall be fed with reare new layd egges, caudles of the same, barly creames, culesses made of a decoction of knuckles * 1.8 of veale, and a capon, and gellyes, and with these in small quantity, but frequently administred, alwaies gargling his mouth before hee eate. For his drinke he shall use a decoction of Guajacum aromatized with a little cinamon, but if any desire that the drinke shall become nourishment, for that the patients cannot feed on more solid * 1.9 meats, you may give them old wine, claret and thinne, mixed with some barly wa∣ter. Some there are who steep some crummes of pure manchet in the aforesaid ••ine, and then presse it out, but yet so, that there may some part of the bread remain there∣in, which may make it more nourishing, and lesse sharpe or acride. Others steepe bread hot out of the oven, in wine, for the space of a night, then they distill it all o∣ver in balneo Mariae; the liquor which first comes over is more strong and hot, but that which flowes out afterwards, more milde, and such as the patient may use to mixe with his wine without any danger, for his better nourishment, and the recove∣ry of his strength.

For to refresh the spirits in fear of fainting, Muskedine, Hippocras, rose vinegar, and the like, put to the nose to smell to, will be sufficient, unlesse peradventure the patient should naturally abhorre such things, for so they would rather deject the powers and spirits. In the interim you must have care of the belly, that you keep it open by gentle and emollient glysters.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The cure by emplasters more slow.
• * 1.2

  In what case they are chiefly usefull.
• * 1.3

  The descripti∣on of an empla∣ster.
• * 1.4

  What excreti∣on best in this disease.
• * 1.5

  To avoyd the ulcers of the mouth. To cure them.
• * 1.6

  Reestrictive & repelling garga∣rismes.
• * 1.7

  To dry the ul∣cers of the mouth.
• * 1.8

  Manner of diet when the mouth is ulcerated.
• * 1.9

  To make their drinke nouri∣shing.