Tes iatrikes kartos, or, A treatise de morborum capitis essentiis & pronosticis adorned with above three hundred choice and rare observations ... / by Robert Bayfield ...

CAPUT I. De Intemperie Cerebri.

INtemperies Cerebri, The Distemper of the Brain, is a swerving of the same from its natural and pristine temper, brought upon it, by reason of some external and internal causes.

A distemper of the brain with or without mat∣ter, if recent, is a great deal easier to be cured then that which hath continued long, and is al∣most turned into a habit. Intemperies per consen∣sum (quando materia aliunde ad caput transmittitur) ceteris paribus, quàm quae per essentiam, faciliùs cu∣ratur. A distemper of the brain proceeding from bloud, either overthin, or too thick, is not to be made light of, but the cure must forthwith be set

upon and attempted, lest an inflammation follow thereupon. Intemperies cum pituita saepe in stupo∣rem, paralysin, apoplexiam, & soporosos affectus de∣generat.

Dominus Sindal, 24 annorum, Intemperie cerebri ab humore melancholico praecipuè procedente labora∣bat. He was of a very timorous and fearful na∣ture, and often complained of a siccity in his no∣strils; at last desiring my advice, I thus set upon the cure.

℞ foliorum senae ʒ i ss. seminis foeniculi contusi ℈ ii. decoctionis communis, ℥ ix. fiat Infusio: in qua dissolve syrupi rosarum sol. ℥ i. Misce, pro duabus do∣sibus, half over night about ten of the clock, and the other half in the morning warm; It wrought very well, and did him much good: the decoction was thus prepar'd.

Recipe polypodii quercini contusi ℥ ii. prunorum Da∣mascenorum ℥ vi. foliorū senae ℥ i. ss. Glycyrrhizae ra∣sae & contusae ℥ i. ss. passularum enucleatarum ℥ i ss. seminis foeniculi contusi ʒ ii. Herbarum, Endiviae, Cichoreae, violarum, ana M i. aquae fontanae lb. iii. ss. vel lb iv. Fiat decoctio secundùm artem. I com∣manded him to refrain from wine, strong beer, and salt things; So oft as he was thirsty, he drank of this Julep.

Recipe aquae fumariae lb i. syrupi è succo fumariae ℥ iii. Misce. By this he felt much refreshment; I cau∣sed him to boil in his broth Endive, Cichorie, Let∣tice, Bugloss and Borage, and every night to eat

a rosted Pippin. ••••om the Cephalick vein was let out six ounces of blood, which was very adust: and then next I prescrib'd him this potion.

Recipe Rhabarbari electi ʒ i. senae ʒ ii. foeniculi dulc. ℈ ii. fiat omnium infusio▪ in sero lactis ℥ v. factá{que} forti expressione, adde syrupi epithymi, fumariae, ana ℥ i. misce. It gave four stools: I also caused the temples of his head to be bathed, and the inside of his nostrils to be touched every night with a little of this Unguent.

Recipe Unguenti populeonis cum opio, ʒ i. olei nucis moschatae gut. iii. misce. This procured sleep, by which his brain was humected. And lastly, I di∣rected him to the use of Cassia new drawn with syrup of Roses, one ounce to be taken at a time in posset ale, wherein sweet Fennel seeds have been boyled. With these Remedies at length (through Gods blessing) he was freed from his distemper, and is at this present in very good health.

Domina Sugget, aetatis 37 annorum, intemperie ce∣rebri, ab humore pituitoso praecipuè, correptae est. She was very much indisposed to stir, having a heavi∣ness in her head, with a propensity to sleep; she also complained of a pain about the hinder part of her head, which afflicted her commonly from the third hour of the night until the ninth; her face was sometimes red, and as it were painted, but for the most part extraordinary pale; I being sent for, prescribed this Clyster.

℞ Glycyrrhizae contusae ℥ i. passularū ℥ i. ss. cardui

benedicti, staechadis, florum chamomillae, meliloti, be∣tonicae, rorismarini, ana, m ss. Bulliant in sufficien∣ti quantitate aquae, ad lb i. collaturae adde hierae pi∣crae ʒ ii. mellis ℥ i. salis communis ʒ i. Fiat enema. It was often repeated, with good success.

℞ Centaurii, Cardui benedicti, ana, m ss. sarsa∣parillae incisae & contusae ʒ iii. these were boiled in posset ale, and a draught thereof given her hot, at her entrance into bed; it procured sweat very plentifully by the space of one hour: The next day she sate up with less heaviness; after the se∣cond sweating she told me she was well, being able to walk, and to indure the light; neverthe∣less, to strengthen the animal faculty, I gave her this Electuary following.

℞ Conservae rorismarini, betonicae, ana ℥ i. ss. La∣pidis Bezoardici orientalis, gr. iii. Specierum dian∣thos, ℈. ss. Syrupi de stoechade, q. s. Fiat Electuarium: Of this she took the quantity of a small bean eve∣ning and morning and so she was perfectly cured.

Domina Collard, 70. annorum, mihi vicina, post diuturni i••teritiae laboris curam, intemperie cerebri à vapore per consensum correpta est; & sic curata fuit.

℞ syrupi rosarum sol ℥ ss. Decocti communis ℥ ix. spiritus cinnamomi, gut. ii. misce. she took half last at night, which gave three stools next morning; after which, (the weakness and lightness in her head being removed) she was able to sit up; and soon after the taking of the rest she went abroad,

and the distemper returned no more. I remem∣ber, she had also this mixture, which did her much good.

℞ Rob de ribes ℥ ss. confectionis Alkermes, Syru∣pi infusionis florum caryophillorum, ana, ʒ ii. aquae cinnamomi, aquae menthae, ana, gut. v. folium auri, misce; she took a little often off a knifes point, and that with very much delight.

Juvenis quidam melancholico temperamento af∣fectus, Intemperie cerebri à seroso humore, à nimia vini potatione causata, procedente, laborabat; For the removing of which I prescribed the follow∣ing Pils. ℞ pilularum Cochiarum, Extracti Radii, ana ℈ i. Resinae jalapae gr. vii. misce. & f. pil. nu∣mero 7. he took three over night, about ten of the clock, and the rest in the morning about 7. they wrought so effectually, that being again repeated, he became perfectly well.