CHAP. XXV. Of Liniments.
ALiniment is an externall medicine of a meane consistence, * 1.1 between an oile and an ointment, for it is thicker than an oile; for besides oile it is compounded with butter, axungia, and such like, which is the reason why a liniment is more effica∣cious in ripening and mitigating paine, than simple oile. The varieties of liniments is drawn from their effects, some coole, others heat, some humect, some ripen, others by compositi∣on are made for divers uses. The matter whereof they are u∣sually made, is oile, axungia, sewet, butter, all those things which have an oily substance or consistence, as styrax liquida, turpentine, the muci∣lages of fenugreeke, marsh-mallowes, marrow, and other like. To these are some∣times added powders of rootes, seedes, flowers, rindes, metals, but sparingly, that the liniment may be of a liquid consistence.
An example of a liniment that is good to attenuate, heat, and digest, is this that followeth.
℞. ol. amygd. amar. lilior. an. ℥ i. axung. anat. gallin. an. ℥ ss. butyr. sal. expert. ℥ i. mucag. sem. alth. foenugr. extract. in aq. hyssop. an. ℥ ss. pulver. croci, ireos, an. ℈ i. fiat linimentum.
This may be an example of a liniment to humect and mollifie.
℞. ol. amygd. dulc. ℥ ii. axung. human. ℥ ss. mucag. semin. malv. extract. in aq. pari∣etar. ℥ ss. fiat linimentum: you may adde a little saffron. There bee many others like these which may be made for divers affects. They are easily applied to every part of the body, because they are not so liquid as oiles: the reason is, they are more agree∣able to any of the parts. If they be to enter into any crooked narrow passage, such as the eare, they must be more liquid, and have more oile: if they be to sticke on the part, they will admit of more axungia and sewet.
They are deceived who thinke that the difference betweene liniments and oint∣ments is, that there is no waxe in liniments as there is in unguents; for there be some unguents which admit not any waxe to bee added, as aegyptiacum, and all such as are used in gangrenes, and all sorts of putride ulcers; because to these kinds of diseases all fatty things, as oiles, fats, rosines, and waxe, are enemies. Therefore wee substitute in the place of them in aegyptiacum, hony and verdigreace; for of these it hath his consistence, and his quality of cleansing.