The castell of health, corrected, and in some places augmented by the first author thereof, Sir Thomas Elyot Knight

The particular commodities of euery purgation. CAP. 5.

IN potions, electuaries, and pilles, ought to bee much more obseruation, than in clisters or suppositories, for as much as these doe enter no further then vnto the gut where the ordure lyeth, and by that place only bringeth foorth the matter which causeth disease. But the other

entring in that way, that meates and drinkes doe, com∣meth into the stomacke, and there is boyled, and sent in∣to the places of digestion, and afterward is mixt with the iuyce, whereof the substance of the bodie is made, and ex∣pelling the aduersarie humors, somewhat thereof doubt∣lesse remaineth in the body. Wherefore men haue néede to beware, what medicines they receiue, that in them be no venenositie, malice or corruption, least for the expel∣ling of a superfluous humour, which perchance good diet or some broths made of good hearbes, or the sayd euacua∣tiō, with suppositorie or ••ister, might bring foorth at lei∣sure, by desiring of too hastie remedie, they receiue in me∣dicine, that which shall ingender a venemous humour, and vneuitable destruction into all the bodie. And there∣fore happie is he which in sicknesse findeth a discréet and well learned Phisitiō, and so true Apothecary, that hath alway drugs vncorrupted, and whom the Phisition may surely trust to dispense his things truely.

But now to returne to the sayd forme of purgation, I will now set foorth some coūsailes, concerning that mat∣ter which I haue collected out of the chiefe Authors of Phisicke. Bodies hot and moyst, may easily sustaine purgation by the stoole. They which be leanie or thinne, hauing the members tender, may take harme by purga∣tions. To men that are cholerike, & them that eat little, purgations are grieuous. In young children and olde men, it is daungerous to loose much the belly. To them that are not wont to it, purgation is noyfull. He that li∣ueth in a good order of diet, néedeth neither purgatiō nor vomit. After that the purgation hath wrought, thirsti∣nes, and sound sléep, be signes that the bodie is sufficient∣ly purged. By daily 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of medicines, Nature is cor∣rupted. When ye will purge any thing, make first the matter flowing and soluble. Medicine to purge, ought not to be mingled with meats, but to be taken 4 houres at the least before meales, or three houres after meales,

except certaine easie pils made to clense and comfort the stomack, which would be taken at the beginning of sup∣per, or after supper, a little before that one goeth to bed, making a light supper or none. After purgation taken, the patient should rest, and not walke vntill the medi∣cine hath wrought, nor eate nor drinke in the meane space. These things haue I remembred, because I haue knowne right good Phisitions, to haue forgotten to in∣struct thereof their patients. Now will I set foorth the table of such things which of their propertie doe digest, or purge superfluous humours particularly, which I haue gathered out of the bookes of Dioscorides, Galen, Paulus Aegineta, Oribasius and Aetius, and other late wri∣ters: notwithstanding, I haue not written all, for as much as there be diuers things, whereunto we haue not yet found any names in English.

Digestiues of choler.

• Endiue, Lettise, Cicorie, Scabiose, Mayden haire.
• Malowes, Mercury, The iuyce of pomgranades.
• Purslane, Popie, Barberies, Roses.
• Uiolets the leafe and flower, Sorell, Liuerwort.
• Sorell de boise, Whay clarified.
• The foure great colde séedes, that is to say, of Gourds, Cucumbers, Melons, and Citruls.
• Psilium, Uineger, Saunders, Barly water, Prunes, Tamarinds.

Purgers of choler.

• Wild hops, Wormwood, Centorie, Fumitorie.
• Whay of butter, Uidlets, Mercury, Prunes.
• Juyce of Roses, Eupatorie.
• Tamarinds halfe an ounce in a decoction.
• Manna 6. drammes at the least, and so to 25. in the broth of a henne or capon.
• Reubarbarum by it selfe from two drams vnto foure, in∣fused or stéeped in licour, from foure drams vnto eight.

Digestiues of fleume.

• Fenell, Persely the rootes, Smallage, Capers, Lawrell.
• Senuie, Puly, Marioram, Peniroyall.
• Wild parsnep séede, Mint, Pimpernell, Horemint.
• Gladen, Agrimony, Calamint, Nep, Betany, Sage.
• Radish, Mugwort, Juniper, Hysope, Pyony, Baulme.
• Hony, Ginger, Souilla, Alstolochia, Cinamom.
• Pepper, Cumine.

Purgers of fleume.

• Centory, Nettle, Agrimony, Alder.
• Polipodium of the oke.
• Mirabolani kebuly, infused from halfe an ounce to an ounce, and two drams, in substance from two drams to halfe an ounce.
• Agaricus, from a dram to two drams, infused from two drams to fiue.
• Yreos, Maydenhaire, Sticados.

Purgers of melancholy.

• The brath of Coleworts light boyled.
• Baulme mint, Sticados, Time.
• Sene boyled in white wine, or in the broth of a henne.
• Lased sauery, Epithimus, Unwrought silke, Organum.
• Calamint, Borage, Harts tung, Quickbeme.
• Maidenhaire, With wind, Pulial mountaine.
• Hony, Sugar.

Melancholy for the thinnes and subtilnes of the hu∣mour, néedeth no digestiue.

They that will take sharpe purgations, or compound with diuers things, let them take the counsaile of an ho∣nest and perfect Phisition, and not aduenture to mixe things together, without knowing the temperance of them in degrées, and that he can proportion them to the bodie that shall receiue them in simples, as they be writ∣ten. And so he may vse them without perill, against the humours whereunto they serue.