CHAP. XXVIII. Of Cantharides and Buprestes.
CAntharides shine as it were with a golden colour, acceptable to the eye, by * 1.1 reason of the commixture of a blewish or greenish colour therewith, yet their smell is ungratefull. They are hot and dry in the fourth degree, and so causticke, corrosive and venemous, not onely by reason of their cau∣stick quality, but because of a secret antipathy which they naturally have against the * 1.2 urenary parts; which effects they produce not onely if they bee taken by the mouth into the body, but even applyed outwardly to raise blisters. Such as have taken them * 1.3 inwardly, have the tast of pitch or some thing like cedria, or the rosen of Cedars, in their mouthes, it is likely that this tast proceeds from the humours dissolved by the putredinous heat in the stomack, guts & liver, and the vapours that therehence arise; fortaken inwardly, they gnaw, exulcerate and burne all parts from the mouth even to the belly, whence ensueth a bloudy fluxe, excrements flowing out, which resem∣ble the washings of new killed flesh. Then followes a burning feaver, vertigo, mad∣nesse, restlesnesse, the braine being disturbed by the plenty of vapours lifted up from the corroded and burnt parts and humours, which therefore when as they appeare, you may know the affect is uncurable. In the parts appointed for the receiving and conveyance of the urine they cause a burning inflammation, excoriation, strong and continuall erection of the yard, whence ensues a bloudy and painefull strangury, in stead of which there oft-times happens or succeeds an Ischary or stoppage of the water, whence a gangrene and mortification of the part, and so in conclusion of the whole bodie besides. When as Cantharides are taken inwardly, the remedie is vomi∣ting, drinking of Cowes mike to correct the heat and drynesse, good also to mitigate the ulcers and stay the dysentery; it is good also to inject it into the guts by glyster. In stead thereof sallade oile, or oile of sweet almonds is convenient to retunde the a∣crimonie of the poyson fastned to the sides of the stomack. The rest and whole cure of this poyson you may learne by the following history. A certain whore, the better * 1.4 to enjoy the company of a young Abbot who loved her, entertained him with a banquet, and sprinkled divers of their cates with the powder of Cantharides, to in∣cite him the more to venery. The next day, when as the Abbot cast forth pure bloud at his fundament and yard which stood very stiffe, hee called some Physici∣ans, * 1.5 who presently by the forementioned symptomes, which were all very apparent in him, understood that he had Cantharides given him: wherefore they purged him upwards with vomits, and downewards by glysters made with French barly, Rice, a decoction of mallowes, seeds of line and foenugreek, oyle of lillies, goats suet: then presently after they gave him a little treacle with a good quantity of conserve of violets, which might draw the poyson outwards, they gave him milke to drinke, and caused him to use injections into the urenary passage and guts made of refrige∣rating things, as the juice of lettuce, purslaine, cucumbers, gourds, melons; of tough and viscide things, that so they might sticke the more easily and long to the ulcera∣ted parts, as the mucilages of psilium, mallowes, quince-seeds, syrupe of water-lil∣lies, popies and violets, fresh butter, and oile of sweet almonds, and they made him drinke onely barly water, or the common ptisan; they let him feede on veale, •…•…id, and porke boyled with lettuce, purslaine, barly and violet leaves, the which by their humidity might relaxe the belly, and by their toughnesse lenifie the rough∣nesse or asperitie; they applyed also refrigerating things to the loines, share and pe∣rinaeum to asswage the heate of the urine. At length they put him into a warme bath, and to conclude, they left nothing unattempted to draw forth or weaken the poyson. But all their endeavours were in vaine, for the Abbot dyed, not being destitute of remedies conveniently prescribed, but overcome by the contumaci∣ous