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

CHAP. XLV. Of the Gutta Rosacea, or a fiery face.

THis treatise of Fuci puts me in minde to say something in this place of hel∣ping the preternaturall rednesse which possesseth the nose and cheekes, and oft times all the face besides, one while with a tumour, other whiles without, sometimes with pustles and scabs, by reason of the admixtion of a nitrous and adust humor. Practitioners have termed it Gutta rosacea. This shewes * 1.1 both more and more ugly in winter than in summer, because the cold closeth the pores of the skinne, so that the matter contained thereunder is pent up for want of transpiration, whence it becomes acrid and biting, so that as it were boiling up, it lifts or raiseth the skinne into pustles and scabs; it is a contumacious disease, and oft times not to be helped by medicine.

For the generall method of curing this disease, it is fit that the patient abstaine from wine, and from all things in generall that by their heat inflame the blood, and * 1.2 diffuse it by their vaporous substance: he shall shunne hot and very cold places, and shall procure that his belly may be soluble, either by nature or art. Let blood first be drawn out of the basilica, then from the vena front is, and lastly from the vein of the nose. Let leaches be applied to sundry places of the face, and cupping glasses with scarification to the shoulders.

For particular or proper remedies, if the disease be inveterate, the hardnesse shall * 1.3 first be softned with emollient things, then assaulted with the following ointments, which shall be used or changed by the Chirurgian as the Physitian shall thinke fit.

℞. succi citri, ℥ iii. cerus. quantum sufficit ad eum inspissandum, argenti vivi cum sali∣va & sulphure vivo extincti, ʒ ss. incorporentur simul, & fiat unguentum. * 1.4

℞. boracis, ʒ ii. farin. cicer. & fabar. an. ʒ i ss. caph. ʒ i. cum melle & succo cepae fiant trochisci: when you would use them, dissolve them in rose and plantaine water, and spread them upon linnen cloaths, and so apply them on the night time to the affected parts, and so let them be oft times renued.

℞. unguenti citrini recenter dispensati, ℥ ii. sulphuris vivi, ℥ ss. cum modico olei scm. cucurb. & succi limonum, fiat unguentum; with this let the face be anointed when you

goe to bed, in the morning let it bee washed away with rose water, being white by reason of bran infused therein: moreover, sharp vinegar boyled with branne and rose water, and applied as before, powerfully takes away the rednesse of the face.

℞. cerus. & litharg. auri, sulphur is vivi pulverisati, an. ℥ ss. ponantur in phiala cum a∣ceto & aquarosarum: linnen cloaths dipped herein shall be applied to the face on the night, and it shall bee washed in the morning with the water of the infusion of bran: this kinde of medicine shall be continued for a moneth.

℞. sanguinis tauri, lb i. butyri recentis, lb ss. fiat distillatio, utatur. The liquor which is distilled for the first daies is troubled and stinking, but these passed, it becommeth cleare and well smelling. Some boile bran in vinegar and the water of water lillies, and in this decoction they dissolve of sulphur and camphire a fit proportion to the quantity of the decoction, and they apply cloaths moistened in this medicine to the face in the evening.

℞. album. ovor. nu. ii. aquae ros. ℥ i ss. succi plantag. & lapath. acut. an. ℥ i ss. subli∣mati, * 1.5 ℈ i. incorporentur in mortario marmoreo. ℞. axung. porcidecies in aceto lota, ℥ iv. argenti vivi, ℥ i. aluminis, sulphuris vivi, an. ʒ i. pistentur omnia diu in mortario plum∣beo, & fiat unguentum; argentum vivum non debet nisi extremo loco affundi. ℞. rad. la∣path. acut. & asphodel. an. ℥ ii. coquantur in aceto scillitico, postea tundantur, & setaceo trajiciantur, addendo auripigmenti, ʒ ii. sulphuris vivi, ʒ x. let them be incorporated and make an ointment to be used to dry up the pustles.

℞. rad. liliorum sub cineribus coctorum, ℥ iv. pistillo tusis, & setaceo trajectis, adde bu∣tyri recentis, & axung. porci, lotae in aceto, an. ℥ i. sulphuris vivi, ʒ iii. camphor. ℈ iii. succi limonum quantum sufficit, malaxentur simul & fiat unguentum. ℞. lactis virgina∣lis, lb ss. aluminis, ℥ ss. sulphuris vivi, ℥ i. succi limonum, ℥ vi. salis com. ʒ ss. let them all be distilled in a glasse alembicke, and the water kept for the forementioned uses.

℞. lapath. acut. plantagin. & asphodel. an. ℥ i ss. olei vitel. ovor. ℥ i. terebinth. venet. ℥ ss. succi limonum, ʒ iii. aluminis combust. ʒ i. argenti vivi extinct. ℥ i. olei liliorum, ℥ ss. tundantur omnia in mortario plumbeo, addendo sub finem argent. viv. ne mortario adhaerescat. The juice of onions beaten with salt, or the yelkes of egges are good for the same purpose.

For staying and killing of Ring-wormes and Tettars, the leaves of hellebore bea∣ten * 1.6 with vinegar are good, the milke of the fig-tree is good of it selfe, as also that of the spurges, or mustard dissolved in strong vinegar with a little sulphur. Or,

℞. sulphuris, calcanthi, & aluminis, an. ʒ i. macerentur in aceto forti, trajician∣tur per linteum, apply the expressed juice. Others macerate an egge in sharpe vine∣gar, with coporose and sulphur vivum beaten into fine powder, then they straine or presse it through a linnen cloath.

But seeing the forementioned medicines are acride, and for the most part eating and corroding, it cannot bee but that they must make the skinne harsh and rough, therefore to smooth and levigate it againe, you shall make use of the following ointment.

℞. tereb. ven. tam diu lotae, ut acrimoniam nullam habeat, butyri salis expertis, an. ℥ i ss. * 1.7 olei vitel. ovor. ℥ i. axung. porci in aqua rosarum lotae, ℥ ss. cerae parum, fiat linimentum ad usum. To the same purpose you may also make use of some of the forementioned medicines.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Why worse in winter than in summer.
• * 1.2

  Di••••.
• * 1.3

  Remedies.
• * 1.4

  An approved ointment.
• * 1.5

  To dry up the pustles.
• * 1.6

  To kill tettar••.
• * 1.7

  To smooth the skinne.