The method of curing vvounds made by gun-shot Also by arrowes and darts, with their accidents. Written by Ambrose Parie of Laual, counsellor and chiefe chirurgean to the French King. Faithfully done into English out of the French copie, by Walter Hamond chirurgean.

CHAP. XIIII. Memorable Histories.

OFtentimes the aforesaide wounds are accom∣panied with many indispositions, as oedema∣teus tumors, fracture of the bones, and the like,* 1.1 as (for the yong Chirurgians sake) I will relate this historie for an example, of the hurt of the Earle of Mansfelt, Gouernour of the Dutchy of Luxem∣bourg, Knight of the order of the King of Spaine, who was hurt at the battell of Moncontour, with a Pistoll shot vpon the ioynt of his right arme or el∣bow, which fractured the bones; whereof there were many that were fractured in such small pee∣ces as if they had bene broken with a Mallet, be∣cause he receiued the blow so neere at hand, and through the violence and force of the blow, there hapned vnto him many accidents; as extreme do∣lors, inflammation, feauer, an oedemateous Tu∣mor; a flateous or windy tumor all the arm ouer, yea euen to the ends of the fingers, together with a preparation vnto a Gangrena. Which to pre∣uent, and also the totall mortification therof, M. Nicholas Lambert, and M. Richard Hubert, Chi∣rurgeons in ordinary to the King, had made ma∣ny and deepe scarifications. Now by the Com∣mandement of the King, I was sent for to come vnto the aforesaide patient to dresse him: where being arriued, seeing the aforesaide accidents to be accompanied with a most faetide putrifaction, we were resolued to apply on the saide scarifyed

parts, of Aegyptiacum fortified and dissolued in vineger and Aqua-vitae and such remedieswhich are proper for the cure of Gangrenaes. Ouer and besides these accidents, the saide Lord had a flux of the belly, by the which he expelled of the fanie quitture which came from the Vlcers of his arme. This many will not beleeue, forasmuch (as they say) that if it should descend by the belly, it follo∣weth of necessitie that the saide matter should be mixed with the blood. Also that in passing neere vnto the heart, and through the Liuer, it woulde cause many accidents, yea death it selfe. Neuer∣thelesse I doubt not but that I haue sufficiently answered all these Obiections, how and in what manner it is done in my booke Of the suppression of the vrine; wherefore, if any desire to know the reason thereof, he may haue recourse to the saide Booke.

In like manner, the said Lord fel of••entimes in∣to a Syncope, by reason of the putrified vapours which ascended vp from the vlcers, which vapors by the Nerues, Veines, and Arteries, were com∣municated to the stomack,* 1.2 and other noble parts. For which cause I gaue him sometimes a spoone∣full of Aqua vitae to drinke, wherein I dissolued a little Treacle. Mounsieur Bellanger, Physitian in ordinary to the King, and Mounsieur le Bon Phy∣sitian to my Lord the Cardinall of Guize, men of vnderstanding, and expert in Physicke and Chi∣rurgerie, imployed all their skill (as much as was possible) to resist his Feauer, and other accidents

which hapned to him. As for the Oedemateous and flatulent tumor which wholy occupied al the arme, I applied thereon staples wet in Oxycrat, with salt, and a little Aqua-vitae, and other reme∣dies, which shortly shall bee shewed. Then with double clothes I ••ewed them vp as strong & han∣somly as I could possible, that is to say, as much as the said Lord could indure it. This compressi∣on serueth both to containe the fractured Bones in their places, and also to expell the sanies from the vlcers, and to repel the humors towardes the center of the bodie. And when the binding and rolling of his arme was omitted, the tumour did increase in such manner, that I verie much feared the natural heate of his arme would be suffocated and extinguished. Now for to make anie other manner of Ligature it was altogether impossible, because of the extreame paine that hee felt, if his arme had bene remoued neuer so little. There hapned vnto him also many Apostumes about the ioynt of his elbow, and in other partes of his arme: wherefore to giue issue to the Sanies, I made him manie incisions; all which the saide Lorde indured willingly, telling me that if two would not serue, make three, yea foure; such was the desire that he had to be out of his paine, and to be cured. Then (smiling to my selfe) I told him that he deserued to be hurt, and not these tender and delicate persons, who wil rather suffer them∣selues to rot, yea to indure the paines of death, then to indure anie necessary incision to be made

for the restoring of their healths.

Now, to shorten his cure, he vsed of a Vulna∣rie potion, and somtimes there was incerted with a Syringe into his vlcers of Aegyptiacum dissol∣ued in wine, or else in the saide Potion, or rather Mel Rosarum insteed of the Egyptiacum to mun∣difie them, and to correct their putrifaction; and other remedies which would be too tedious here to recite: and among others, of the powder of A∣lome combusted, to dry vp and consume the high and spongeous flesh. Also for the mundification of the said vlcers, I vsed a long time nothing but dry Lint, which was as much in quantity euerie dressing, as a Mans fist. And on a day, seeing that he was without paine, and that the flesh began to regenerate, I told him that now he began to bee wel: then he saide to me laughing, I know it ve∣ry wel, for now I see you doe not vse the fourth part of the Lint you did before. In the time of his curation, I protest that I tooke from him more then threescore peeces of bones. Of the which, some were as great as my finger broken in a verie strange figure, yet notwithstanding the said Lord (thankes be to God) was perfectly cured: onely it remaineth that he cannot, nor neuer will, bow or stretch forth his arme.

* 1.3Mounsier de Bassompierre, Collonel of two hundred horse, the day of the aforesaide battaile, was hurt with such another shot, and had a great part of the aforesaid accidents: whom also I drest vntill his perfect curation, which (thankes bee to

God) he attained. True it is, that hee continueth impotent as the other Lord is.

After that I had cured the aforesaid Lords, the Earle of Mansfelt, and Bassompierre,* 1.4 I was com∣manded by the King to imploy all my diligence in the curation of Charles Phillippes de Croy, Lord of Hauret, Brother to my Lord the Duke of Ascot, nere to Mons in Haynault, who had alreadie kept his bed seauen months and more, by reason of a wound that he receiued by a Musket-shot, three fingers aboue the knee, whom I found with these accidents following; namely, extreame paynes, a continuall Feauer, cold sweatings, losse of sleep, that part situate vpon Os Cauda,* 1.5 vlcerate in com∣passe as much as the palme of my hand (because he had lyen so long time on his backe) hee tooke not any rest day nor night, with losse of appetite of meate, but dranke inough. Hee was somtimes surprized in his bed with the fits of the Epilepsie, & had oftentimes a desire to vomit, with a conti∣nuall shaking, insomuch that he could not bring his hand to his mouth without the helpe of ano∣ther; he fel oftentimes into a Syncope or fainting of the heart, because of the putrified vapors that were communicated to the stomacke and the no∣ble parts, by the Veines, Arteries, and Nerues: the which we eleuated from his vlcers, and from the corruption of the bones. For the Thigh-bone was fractured and shiuered both long wise and o∣uerthwart, with diuers splinters; whereofsome were already separated, others not. Hee also had

an hollow vlcer neere vnto the groine, which en∣ded about the middle of the thigh. Moreouer hee had other sinuous and caniculous Vlcers about the Knee. All the Muscles both of the thigh and legge were extremely tumified and imbued with a flegmaticke, cold, moyst, and flatulent humor, in such sort, that the natural heate was verie neere suffocated and extinguished. Seeing al these accidents, and the strength and vertue of the pati∣ent greatly decayed and abated, I was stroke with an exceeding sorrow, because that I was sent vn∣to him, and seeing little hope of recouery, for I feared greatly that he would die vnder my hands. Neuerthelesse,* 1.6 considering his youth, I had some small hope, for God and Nature bringeth some∣times such things to passe, which seemeth vnpos∣sible to the Chirurgian.

I then demanded of the saide Lord, if hee had a good courage: and told him likewise, that if hee would indure the making of certaine incisions, the which for his curation were very necessary, by that meanes his paines and his other accidents would cease. He answered, that he would willing∣ly indure whatsoeuer I thought conuenient, yea, to the amputation of his legge, if I thought it ne∣cessary. Then I was verie ioyful, and presently af∣ter I made two Orifices to giue issue to the Mat∣ter that lay about the bone, and in the substance of the Muscles, wherby there yssued forth a great quantity. Afterwards, iniection was made with wine, and a little Aqua-vitae, wherein there was

dissolued a good quantity of Egyptiacum, to cor∣rect the putrifaction, and to dissicate the loose & spongeous flesh, and to resolue and consume the ordemateous and flatulent tumor, and to ease his paines, to refocillate and fortifie the natural heat which was greatly prepared to be altogether suf∣focated, because the parts could not concoct nor assimilate the nourishment necessary for them, by reason of the great quantity of matter therein contained. His Chirurg••an, named M. Anthony Maucler, an honest man, of great experience in Chirurgery, dwelling at Mons in Haynault, and my selfe, we concluded to make him fomentations, with the decoctions of Sage, Rosemarie, Time, Lauander, Camomile flowers, Melilot, and red Roses boyled in white wine: and so a lexiue made with the ashes of oake, a little portion of vinegar, and an handfull of salt. This decoction so made, hath vertue and power to subtilize, attenuate, in∣cise, resolue and to dissicate the colde, grosse, and ••legmaticke humor, and to roborate the woun∣ded parts. The said fomentations were vsed a long time together, to the end that the resolution may thereby be made the greater. For being applyed long together, it resolued more, by liquifying of the humour which was in the profound partes: whereas otherwise it would haue but rarifyed the skin, or the fleshy parts of the Muscles.

And for this intention we made him many fri∣cations with hot Kerchiefes in all manners,* 1.7 that is, from the higher parts downewards, and from

the left side to the right: also circular wise, and this a long space together. For the breefe Frications, I meane those that are made in short time, maketh attraction, but resolueth nothing at all. In like manner euery other day, there was applied all a∣bout his Thigh and legges, euen to the sole of his foot, of Brickes heated and sprinkled with vineger and white wine, with a little portion of aqua vitae; and through this euaporation, you shoulde per∣ceiue many Aquosities to proceed foorth of the pores of the skin by sweating, whereby the tumor diminished, and the naturall heate was reuoked. Also there was applyed compresses or Boulsters on the tumified parts, dipped and infused in a le∣vine made of the ashes of oake; with the which, was boyled Sage, Rosemary, Lauander, Salte, A∣qua vitae and Cloues; and Ligature was made with such dexterity as the patient could well en∣dure it: and to so good purpose, that if it had bin but one day omitted, wee might easily perceiue the tumor. Also there was applyed good big Bol∣sters on the bottome of the sinus of the vlcers, to depresse and expell away the Sanies. And some∣times for the better accomplishing thereof, the orifices of the vlcers were kept o••en with hollow Tents. Somtimes also to resolue the tumor, there was applyed a Cataplasine thereon made thus:

℞. Far. hord. fabar. orobi an. ℥ vj. Mellis com. Terebinth. an. ℥ ij. pul. flor. Camomel. Mellioliti, rosar. rubrar. an. ℥ss. pul. radic. ireos, florent. Cype∣ri Mast. an. ʒ ij. oxymellis simplic, quantum suffi∣ciat

fiat cataplas. ad formam pultis satis liquidiae.

In like manner,* 1.8 wee made vse of the Emplaisters of Vigo sine mercurio, which helped greatly to ease his paines, and to resolue the saide Tumor. Ne∣uerthelesse it was not applyed vntil the parts were first heated, by the meanes of fomentations, Fri∣cations, and euaporations, or otherwise that Em∣plaster could neuer haue wrought that effect tho∣rough the cold distemperature of the parts. Now for the Mundification of the vlcers there was ap∣plyed remedies proper thereunto, chaunging and alteting them according as wee found occasion. Also the Catagmaticke powders to separate the bones, and to correct their putrifaction were not spared him: hee vsed also for the space of fifteene dayes of vulnary potion.

I may not here omit to speake of the Frications which hee suffered euery Morning vniuersally o∣uer the whole body, which was greatly extenua∣ted and weakned both by reason of his dolors, & other accidents (as we haue saide) and also for the want of exercise.* 1.9 The said Frications did reuoke and attract the spirits and the blood, and resolued such fuligenous humors which were detained be∣tweene the skin and the flesh. And therefore the parts were afterwardes better nourished and re∣freshed; so that so soone as his paines beganne to passe away, as also the Feauer, he began to sleepe well, and to haue a good appetite, and therefore we caused him to vse good Meates, and to drinke good wine and good be••r••; & we brake our fasts

together, hee and my selfe euery Morning, with good nourishing Br••thes: and by this meanes he became fat and lasly, and perfectly cured. Onely it remaineth that he cannot wel bend his knee.

Now the reasons that mooued mee to recite these Histories, is onely to instruct the yong Chi∣rurgian to the practise thereof, and not that anie glory of praise might be attributed to me: but to restore them to God, knowing that all goodnesse proceedeth from him as from an euerlasting foun¦taine, and nothing of our selues. And therfore we ought to giue thankes vnto him for all our good workes; humbly beseeching him to continue and augment them more and more in vs, through his infinite goodnesse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Historie.
• * 1.2

  Aqua-vitae with a little Trea••le re∣call 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pre∣senthe the spirites, and comforteth the vital fa¦culty.
• * 1.3

  Historie.
• * 1.4

  Another hi∣story.
• * 1.5

  Meruellous accidents.
• * 1.6

  God & Na∣ture effect meruailous things.
• * 1.7

  Galen in the 6 of the Method.
• * 1.8

  The Empla∣ster of Vigo is resolutiue.
• * 1.9

  The benefit of vniuersal Frications.