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

CHAP. XLII. How to cure Infants and Children taken with the Plague.

IF that it happen that sucking or weaned children be infected with the pe∣stilence, they must bee cured after another order than is yet described. The Nurse of the sucking childe must governe her selfe so in dyet and * 1.1 the use of medicines, as if she were infected with the pestilence her self: Her dyet consisteth in the use of the six things not naturall. Therefore let it be moderate, for the fruit or profit of that moderation in dyet cannot chuse but come unto the Nurses milke, and so unto the infant who liveth onely by the milke. And the infant it selfe must keep the same diet as neere as he can in sleep, waking, and expulsion, or avoyding of superfluous humours and excrements of the body. Let the Nurse bee fed with those things that mitigate the violence of the feaverish heat: as cooling brothes, cooling herbs, and meats of a moderate temperature: shee must wholy abstaine from wine, and anoint her nipples, as often as shee giveth the infant sucke, with water, or juice of sorrell tempered with sugar of roses. But the infants heart must bee fortified against the violence of the encreasing venome, by giving it one scruple of treacle in the Nurses milke, the broth of a pullet, or some other cordi∣all water. It is also very necessary to anoint the region of the heart, the emunctories, and both the wrests with the same medicine: neither were it unprofitable to smell often unto Treacle dissolved in rose water, vinegar of roses and a little aqua vitae, that so nature may bee strengthened against the malignity of the venome. When the * 1.2 children are weaned, and somewhat well growne, they may take medicines by the mouth, for when they are able to concoct and turne into bloud meats that are more grosse and firm than milk, they may easily actuate a gentle medicine. Therefore a po∣tion must be prepared for them of twelve graines of treacle, dissolved with a little of the syrupe of succory in some cordiall water, or the broth of a capon: unlesse that a∣ny had rather give it with conserve of roses, in forme of a bole: but treacle must bee given to children in very small quantity, for if it be taken in any large quantity, there is great danger lest that by inflaming the humours, it inferre a feaver. Furthermore, broth may be prepared to be taken often, made of a capon seasoned with sorrell, let∣tuce, purslaine and cooling seeds, adding thereto bole armenick and terra sigillata, of each one ounce, being tyed in a rag, and sometimes pressed out from the decoction. For bole armenicke, whether it be by its marvellous faculty of drying, or by some hidden property, hath this vertue, that being drunken (according as Galen witnesseth) * 1.3 it cureth those that are infected with the pestilence, if so be that they may bee cured by physick: so that those that cannot be cured with bole armenick, cannot bee pre∣served

by any other medicines. But because the bodies of children are warme, moist and vaporous, they are easily delivered of some portion of the venenate matter * 1.4 through the pores of the skin by provoking sweat, with a decoction of parsly seeds, prunes, figs, and the roots of sorrell, with a little of the powder of Harts horne, or I∣vory. But that the sweat may be more abundant and copious, apply spunges dipped & pressed out in the hot decoction of sage, rosemary, lavender, bayes, chamomil, me∣lilote and mallowes, or else swines bladders halfe filled with the same decoction, to the arme-holes, and to the groines. In the time that they sweat, let their faces be fan∣ned to coole them. Also let a nodule of Treacle, dissolved in vinegar and water of Roses, bee appled to the nostrils; but alwaies use a moderation in sweating, because that children are of a substance that is easie to be dissipated and resolved: so that of∣tentimes although they do not sweat, yet they feel the commodities of sweating, the matter of the venome being dissipated by the force of the heat through the pores of the skin. But in the sweating while the face is fanned, and sweet & cordiall things ap∣plyed to the nostrils, nature must bee recreated and strengthened, which otherwise would be debilitated through sweating, that it may bee better able to expell the ve∣nome. After that the sweat is wiped away, it is very profitable to take a potion of conserve of Roses, with the powder of Harts horne or of Ivorie dissolved in the wa∣ters of Buglosse and Sorrel, the better to coole and defend the heart. If there appeare any tumour under the arme-holes or in the groine, let it bee brought to maturation with a mollifying, relaxing, drawing, and then with a suppurative fomentation, or Cataplasme; alwaies using and handling it as gently as you may, considering the ten∣der age of the infant. If you have need to purge the patient, the purgation following may be prescribed with great profit. Take of Rubarbe in powder one dram, infuse it in the water of Carduus Benedictus, with one scruple of Cinamon, in the straining * 1.5 dissolve two drams of Diacatholicon, of syrupe of Roses laxative three drams; make thereof a small potion. This is the cure of the Pestilence and of the pestilent Feaver, as far as I could learn from the most learned Physicians, and have observed my selfe by manifold experience by the grace and permission of God: of whom alone, as the Author of all good things that mortall men injoy, the true and certaine preservatives against the pestilence are to be desired and hoped for.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The nurse must be dicted when as the child is sick.
• * 1.2

  Medicines may be given to such as are weaned.
• * 1.3

  Lib. 9. simp. cap. 7.
• * 1.4

  The benefit sweate.
• * 1.5

  The forme of a purge to be gi∣ven to a child.