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CHAP. XXVI. Of Ointments.
OYntments are of a more solid consistence than Liniments, and are therefore of more force. Their differences are partly taken from * 1.1 their effects; for some heate, others coole, some dry, and some hu∣mect, some cleanse, some corroborate, some waste dead flesh, and o∣thers cicatrize, partly from the variety of colours, partly from the first invertors, as, Album rhasis, Desiccativum rubrum: partly from the number of the simple medicaments whereof they bee made, as, Tetrapharmacum, Triphar∣macum, or Nutritum: partly from that medicament which is principall in the com∣position, hence are they called, Unguentum de Lythargyro, de Minio, Diapompholi∣gos, and such like. They are compounded of herbes, rootes, seedes, fruits, mettals, and parts of Beasts; the juices and other liquid things being consumed away by boyling, as we have said in the Chapter of compound Oyles. Herbes, and the parts of them, if they be dry, must be powdred, and also mettals; but being greene, they are boyled and strained forth, and the juice so pressed is wasted by boyling. Gums and Rosins some are powdred, others being put to some convenient liquor are dis∣solved by fire: So Waxe is dissolved in the Oyle. In the composition of unguents this proportion is usually observed, that for one ounce of powder, two ounces of Waxe, and eight of Oyle is added: notwithstanding for that Waxe serveth onely to the consistence of the oyntment, it is better to leave the quantity to the will of the Apothecary; but he may be more sparing in adding Waxe to the oyntments in the Summer than in Winter: for the heate of Summer, drying them, addeth to the consistence; by examples propounded, these common preceps will more plainly appeare.
℞. Olei ros. ℥iv. pil. lepor. bol. armen. terrae sigil. an. ʒi. bal. Gallar. an. ʒ ss. tritis terendis, * 1.2 & simul mixtis, addita cera quod sufficit, fiat unguentum. Here wee must observe, that there bee three waies of making Oyntments: The first is of those which are made only by stirring or grinding in the Mortar without any fire, and so is made Unguen∣tum nutritum. The second is, when we dissolve Waxe in Oyle, Fat, or some such substance with fire: and being all dissolved, wee mingle the powders according to the proportion we noted before. After which manner are made Unguentum Aureum, Basilicon, Diapompholigos, Desiccativum rubrum, Enulatum. The third sort is, when we bruise herbes with a Pestell, and mingle them with Axungy, boyling them to∣gether, and then straining them, and the Oyntment is that which is strained. There∣fore let us proceed to explaine this by examples.
℞. Lythar. auri triti & loti lb ss. olei ros. lb. i. aceti ros. ℥iv. fiat Unguentum. First, wee put the Lytharge into the Mortar, powring in a little Oyle, and working it with a * 1.3 Pestell, that it may grow thicke, then with the Oyle we put a little Vinegar, conti∣nually working, untill they mingle into one body, now and then betweene whiles adding sometimes a little Oyle, sometimes a little Vinegar, untill the whole bee brought to the consistence of an Oyntment. If of an Oyntment of this kinde thou wouldst make a blacke plaster, by degrees consume all the Vinegar, so shall the plaster shine and grow blacke.
℞. Cerae citr. ℥vi. olei boni lb. ii. tereb. ℥ii. resin. & coloph. an. ℥i ss. olib. mastich. an. ℥i. cro∣ci, ʒi. fiat Unguentum. First, dissolve the Waxe with a good part of the Oyle, then * 1.4 adde the Rosin and Colophony broken small. These being dissolved, take the com∣position from the fire, and then adde the Turpentine; when the whole is somewhat cooled, adde the Olibanum and Masticke being finely powdred, then the Saffron, which shall be macerated in the rest of the Oyle.
Tetrapharmacon is so called, because it is made of foure simple medicines, * 1.5 Waxe, Rosin, Pitch, Tallow, of each a like quantity, and so equally mixed.
℞ Resin. picis nigr. adip. vituli. & cerae an. ℥ii. ss. Olei veteris olivarum maturarum, lb i ss. or if you would have it harder, lb i. that oyntment also is called Basilicon, the