The Sclopotarie of Iosephus Quercetanus, phisition. Or His booke containing the cure of wounds receiued by shot of gunne or such like engines of warre. Whereunto is added his spagericke antidotary of medicines against the aforesayd woundes. Published into English by Iohn Hester, practitioner in the said spagiricall arte

De Gangrena & sphacelo.

We haue written of sundrie accidentes and inconueniences happening to these woundes, but yet there is none so pitifull and dangerous, as is Gangrena, which is a token of corruption draw∣ing on, which comes according to the opinion of Paul, eyther be∣cause the inflamation was not defended, are brought to suppurati∣tion, or else (as others iudge) when the aboundance of humours, with some euill, and maligne qualitie, doe choake and extinguish the naturall heate of the member, which happeneth in great inflama∣tions, and obstructions through the vse of Emplasters, which hin∣dereth perspiration, as before we haue noted: and whensoeuer a thinne and virulent quitture issueth, it is a manifest signe thereof, whereunto except present helpe be ministred, it is to be doubted, least the part corrupted and dead, will infect the partes adioyning next vnto it, and so to fall into mortification, the whiche they call sphacelus or sideratio, the which is knowne, if the member be wan or blacke: and doth appeare swolne, softe, and like death, and that

without anie beating of the arteries, and without paine & feeling, yea that a man may thrust in the in••ision knife, and neuer feele this mortified and dead member, must presently be cut off, so farre as it extendeth, and as for Gangrena, it must be cured p••esently, all o∣ther thinges layd aside, the which is done by drawing out the cor∣rupted bloud, frō the member by lancing, & applying of such medi∣cines, as bring to putrifaction, as y^• foresayd Paule hath taught the common Chyrurgions so soone as they haue scarified and launced the member, wash it straight with salt water, or salt and vineger. others vse Egiptiacum, which is alwayes to be had at the Apothe∣caries, and if the griefe mend not thereby, then they take stronger, as causticks, and suche as bring eschar, suche are trochisci An∣dronis and Arsnicke, and if great neede be, they seare the dead flesh from the quicke with a hote iron. Also these medicines following are very good for Gangrena, But first let the corrupted bleud be drawne out, & then washed with this lotion. Take soot ounce iiii. honie, ss ii. of vineger lb, boyle them to halfe, or this.

Take the iuice of radish & selandine ana oūce. ii. oyle of honie ℥ ss. the sower fleame of alome ℥ iiii. salt Peter ʒ ii. salte of soote, ʒ i ss. mix them for a lotion. Or els take the fleame of vitrioll and alome ana ℥ iiii. vineger ℥ ii. powder of y^e root of aristolochie ounce i. ss. salte of Tarter ounce i. Myrrhe ounce ss. camphere ounce ss. boyle thē all to∣gither, tillhalfe be wasted, & make a lotion which must be oft vsed.

Notes

• Lib. 4. cap. 19.
• Signa spha∣celi.