The cure of the plague by an antidote called aurum vitæ. Being well approved to be an easie safe, and perfect cure thereof; as also of contagious agues, or feavers beginning either hot or cold. The description, order and use whereof, together with the said antidote, and are to be sold at the shop of Nicholas Bourne, stationer, at the south entrance of the royal exchange. Invented and produced by John Woodall, master in surgery. Published by authority.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE CORDIAL ANTIDOTE CALLED AƲRƲM VITAE.

THis Antidote, at one onely time gi∣ven, taketh away the Pestilentiall Feaver, and therby cureth the Plague, that the patient frequently becom∣meth well the very next day; espe∣cially if the Medicine be taken upon the first day of the complaint; he or she observing of certain easie Rules hereafter prescribed, concerning the order of administring thereof, and it is so easie and safe a Medicine, that an Infant, although it sucke upon the Mothers breasts, may safely take it; yea, and may easily be induced to receive it into the Body: for that it is small in quantity, and is without offence in taste or smell to any: Also, it may safely be given to any Woman that

is great with childe, whereof diverse trials have bin had with safety and comfort.

* 1.1The Dose or quantity sufficient thereof for a Man or Woman to take at any one time, is but eight graines, and by that proportion, any dis∣creet person may gather what may be given to any younger person: viz. A child of two full yeeres old, may safely take two graines, and a child of foure or five yeeres old, may take three graines, or foure, and one about foureteene yeeres may take six graines, and one of eighteene, nineteene, or twenty yeeres old, or more, may safely take the full of eight graines.

And note that this medicine performeth its o∣peration only by sweat which is the truest and sa∣fest way of the entrance upon that cure of the Plague (for the most part) and also it doth ••t with∣out moving the body either upwards or downe∣ward; and namely it causeth no vomits nor stooles: neither is it at all nauseous or offensive to the stomach, neither any wayes causing extra∣ordinary thirst, nor faintnesse to the patient, but on the contrary, the patient, when his sweating is over, shall manifestly feele cheerefulnesse, as being much refreshed thereby, with also an abatement of his paines, and his Feaver will be gone at the onely once taking thereof, neither shall the pati∣ent need to over-burthen himselfe with too many cloathes to force him or her to sweat: for the medicine of it selfe sufficiently performeth that duty, onely hee may bee ordered to have some∣what more to cover him, than the ordinary cove∣rings

he usually lyeth under, and the roome ought likewise to be kept warme with a fire therein, for that cold aire in time of sweating, is obnoxious and dangerous.

And further,* 1.2 this Medicine may bee kept seven whole yeares and longer, if occasion and need be, it will not decay in that time, for it being truly pre∣pared of gold, is thereby permanent above other Medicines, and looseth not its vertue as vegetable medicines doe: But as Gold, that excellent mine∣ral, excelleth all other mettals, in price and vertue; even so the true prepared medicines thereof, as far exceed al other mineral medicines in their vertues, in the preserving and defending of men from Diseases, as also in curing their inffrmities, when by Gods permission they seize upon the bodyes of mankind.

And whereas other strong medicines commonly worke two wayes at once, namely by sweat, and al∣so by Vomit, whereby they fiercely distract the Patient, and produce fearefull accidents, as if death it selfe were at hand, by two violent expul∣fions at one time, yea oftentimes by a third, viz. By purging downeward: Also this most safe, and sweating medicine, performeth as much as it pro∣miseth, pleasantly, and without rigour or nautious offence, as well in the Plague, as also in other con∣tagious diseases, and namely in the smal Pox, where Nature also striveth to thrust out her venemous e∣nemy, per poros cutis, or by the sweat holes of the skin, and that course of curing, is of all other the safest, in a contagious Disease at the first entrance, which then consisteth rather of poysonous va∣pours

vapours then of putrifaction of humours, in which regard the aforesaid course is safe, for it is a feare∣full thing, yea, and a desperate one (as I conceive) to purge in the beginning of a contagious disease.

* 1.3This Medicine is also approved good to be gi∣ven in the beginning of any contagious Ague or feaver, hot or cold, and for the most part, it cu∣reth the patient at once giving, and it faileth sel∣dome.

Of the rule and order to be held in the taking of this Antidote for the cure of the Plague.

FIrst the patient is to be demanded if he had any stoole that day, or the day before, and if yea, all is well for that point; if otherwise, and that you find you have time to tarry so long (else not) let the patient have onely a supposito∣ry that may move him once, and when he hath had one stoole thereby, proceed without any fur∣ther delay to the administring of the Antidote; for delayes are dangerous in that fierce disease, and whether the patient at that instant be found sweating, burning, quaking, raving, or in any other distemper give it in, and the party that ta∣keth it, ••ought to be in his warme bed fitted with sufficient coverings before he takes this Medicine in, then let him take it, either mixed with some cordiall thing, if he please, as a little Mithridate, or give it mixed with the pap of an Apple, which will doe as well, and so it is easiest taken in by infants (as I suppose) for it needs no addition at all to adde vertue to it, onely the addition chiefly serves to carry or convay the medicine

without wasting into the stomach, for that it is a powder small in quantity, and subject to waste.

Also the party that is to take it,* 1.4 must have be∣fore hand an ordinary posset of Ale and milke to the quantity of a quart very warm, which when he hath taken his medicine, shortly after let him drink a reasonable full draught of the said posset well war∣med, and then lying on the one side, which side the patient please, let him be warme covered, head, face and all, leaving full breathing scope, and so in Gods name let him lye still and sweat gently, if he can beare it for three or foure houres were best, & ever as he thirsteth, let him freely take warme pos∣set drink, which were best to be given him in some cruet or spout-pot, if such were at hand, that he take no ayre by raising himselfe up in drinking. And when he hath performed his due sweating, let him be wiped dry and shifted, and then give the pa∣tient some warme broath▪ And further by divers experiences the Author hath found, that a patient so healed (shifting his cloaths) infecteth not an other, although he goe abroad the next day, for by that strong sweating the venome of the disease is wholy evaporated and gon, so as the next day he may by Gods mercy safely goe abroad, but for the day of his sweating let him keepe within, and give him food competent in a sparing quantity, such as is of a light digestion, and deny him not drinke, so that it be somwhat warme at the fire only for that day.

Thus much for those which take the medicine within 24 houres of the first complaint. Item un∣to such as the disease hath taken greater hold of, namely that before the receite of the aforesaid

Antidote, the patient have outward tumours, swellings or Soares, as Botches, Carbuncles, or blaines, not yet broken nor ripe, if hee take the medicine as aforesaid, and sweat well upon it, the venome of the soares as is said, shall, through Gods Mercy, be so evapourated by his sweating, that the swellings shall decline of themselves, and not at all come forward, and if any after do break, as being formerly supperated, or ripe before the medicine tooke place, they also shall, as ordinary boyles, easily and quickly heale with every meane medicine.

And notwithstanding generally, once sweating healeth the Patient, yet neverthelesse if occasion bee, hee may safely take a second Dosse, or pro∣portion, yea, and a third without danger; as di∣verse have done, so that he may be the more confi∣dent of perfect health; neverthelesse if he find his desire by the first, let him not take a second, and if by a second, let him not take a third, for sweating medicines, too often taken, are obnoxious to a di∣jected weeke patient.

The Vertue of the precedent Antidote, in the cure of the small Pox.

THe Disease of the small Pox, hath great af∣finity with that most fearefull Disease of the Plague, being also contagious and deadly of∣ten times, and the cure thereof I have experienced to be by the same way, as the cure of the Plague, on∣ly the cure of the smal Pox succeeds best, if it be be∣gun before that they doe manifest themselvs, and namely, in the first day of the Feaver, or soon after, for that disease hath ever a forerunning hot feaver,

or Ague, for a messenger, wherfore it were not amisse for any that hath young children, especially in times that are contagious and infectious, to be pre∣pared with remedies at hand, to fit such an unwel∣come guest, considering the medicine will keep its Vertue for more then seven yeeres.

Moreover, for the manner of the sweating in the small Pox, let it bee very wearily and gently, and with no more cloathes then will keepe the patients sweating, and defend them from taking cold, and deny not them warm posset-drinke in the time of their sweating.

Also, when any person is desirous to take the benefit of the aforesaid medicine, having an Ague, or Feaver, with paraxismes or fits, let him not take the medicine in the time of the fit, but one full houre as is said, before the fit, or rather more, but if the Feaver be continuall, as often in that fierce disease of the Plague it is, give it at any time in manner aforesaid; for if he take it, and his bur∣ning change into sweating, which the medicine u∣sually produceth, the feare of Death in the Pati∣ent is halfe over.

And further of a truth, the Author can affirme that he hath cured some by the heretofore mentio∣ned Antidote, that had the Pestities, or spots of the Plague, vulgarly called Gods tokens, upon them, and they are yet living witnesses thereof; for which, and all other his exceeding favours in that fearefull disease, the Almighty God alone be glo∣rified: And so the Author briefly eoncludeth with a Copy of a certificate concerning the Vertue of the before mentioned Antidote, Aurum Vitae, refer∣ring

the Reader for further attestation to the Au∣thors Booke called the Surgions Mate, or Militarie and domestike Surgerie.

The Copy of a Certificate, concerning the Vertue of the precedent Antidote; called Aurum Vitae, from the Justices, Ministers, and other the Officers of the Parish of S. Margaret VVestminster, as it was by them presented to the Right Honourable, Henry, Earle of Manchester, Lord Privy Seale, &c. which by his Lordship was presented to the rest of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Counsell.

WEE the Inhabitants of Saint Margarets in Westminster whose names are here under written, doe most humbly certifie your Lordships, and that upon our owne knowledge, that in this time of visitation of the Plague, Feavers, Agues, and other diseases, which have beene very grievous and great afflictions unto us: It pleased Almighty God by the hands of one Iohn VVoodall Chirurgion of the East India Gompany, and of his Majesties Hospitall of Saint Bartholomewes in London, a learned, judiciall, and expert man, which said Iohn VVoodall about five weekes before Michaelmas last, delivered unto some of us, who were Officers in this said Parish, an Antidote composed in Pills, which hee had made us, with directions how they should be administred to such as had the Plague, Feavers, Agues, or any such violent diseases, that then remained among us; which said Pills have beene employed very carefully, according

to his said directions, and administred to three∣score severall persons, some of this new Feaver, some of the small Pox, some Agues, and some other diseases, but most, to them that were visited with the Plague, which had risings, Soares, Carbuncles, Blaines, and were certainely knowne to have that fearefull disease, all which persons recovered, and not one of all them that have taken the said Pils, dyed, thanks be given to Almighty God: neither can we doe lesse than publish the great skill, judge∣ment, and charity of the said Iohn VVoodall, by whose industry and care this Antidote hath wrought so good effect, and did bestow them free∣ly, without one penny recompence for the same.

Westmincter the 6 of October. 1638.

• ...Pet. Heywood, Iustice.
• Rob. White, sub-Curate.
• Thomas Mar. Church-Wardens.
• Richard Protter. Church-Wardens.
• ...William Hawkins.
  • ...Copia vera
  • ...Tho. Kirke.
• ...Edward Martin.

And for Satisfaction of such Persons, as being in health, desire preservatives, the Author observing, that although his Antidote, be granted to be a cure for the diseased of the Plague yet nevertheles ther∣by it giveth not those that are well, satisfaction concerning their desires, which are rather for the present, to be furnished with some good preserva∣tive Medicine, such as by art, through Gods per∣mission, may preserve them in health from that

dreadfull disease, that it seaze not upon them una∣wares; Wherefore to satisfie such, he hath pre∣pared two preservative helpes, the one being a pow∣der to be inwardly taken, fasting each morning, the quantity of eight graines, either in Beere, Ale, or wine; Or to children, if it be mixed with butter, and spred upon their bread, or given them in milke, or any way else that they will be induced to take it in, it sufficeth; And that they fast two houres after it, they may relie upon it, as on a good pre∣servative, well approved of: And further, if any man, woman, or child, should accidentally or wil∣lingly take treble the quantity prescribed, they may safely doe it without any danger at all: Yet by way of a preservative as is said to prevent the comming of the disease, the Author holdeth the aforesaid quantity of eight graines is sufficient.

The second preservative intended for correction of the Ayre, is to be carried in a box, about the per∣son of any, to make use of it at their wils, that they may often smell thereto, and thence draw in a pre∣servative Ayre to defend them from the danger of noysome vapours, which commonly the Plague en∣treth by, as sent from the Almighty, who alone de∣fendeth from, sendeth to, and of his mercifull pro∣vidence cureth the Plague; Vnto whom be ascribed all honour, and glory Amen,

These 2 last recited Medicines, are to be sold with the Antidote, ready prepared for use, By Ni∣cholas Bourne, as aforesaid.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Dose of Aurum Vitae.
• * 1.2

  Of the continu∣ance of its Vertue.
• * 1.3

  To cure Agues or Feavers that are contagi∣ous.
• * 1.4

  Necessa∣ries to bee provided before the taking.