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

CAP. VIII. De Vulnere cutis, & pericranii.

VUlnus cutis, The wound of the skin (the Cranium mean while remaining unhurt) is, to wit, when the skin alone, the fleshy panicle, the muscles, or even also the Pericranium is wounded.

A simple wound of the head by it self is not perillous, neither do any die thereof, if rightly handled: Yet it is well said of Hippocrates, that no wound of the head is to be neglected, because of∣tentimes it brings danger, yea sometimes a fe∣ver. A notable example we have in Schenkius, lib. 1. observ. 35. Concerning Charles the King of Spains son, who by reason of the neglecting of a wound in his head, at first not perillous, was after∣ward brought into danger of his life. We have also another example of one who by reason of a wound in his head not well cured, had the bone of his skull corrupted and vitiated; from whence there arose diuturnus & longus capitis dolor.

If the wound shall be simple and supersiciary, it may then be cured alter this manner: First, the hair must be shaven away, and a plaister applied made of the white of an Egg, Bole-armoniack and Aloes. Then, the day following, you must apply Emplastrum de janua, or else de Gratia Dei, untill the wound be perfectly healed.

But if it be deeper, and penetrate even to the

Pericranium, then it will be good to apply, at the second dressing, a digestive made of Venice Tur∣pentine, the yelks of Eggs, oil of Roses, and a lit∣tle Saffron; and that must be used so long, until the wound come to maturation; for then you must add Honey of Roses, and Barly flour, to the digestive. The rest of the cure is easily performed, Linimentum Arcei is indeed as a sufficient Balm for new wounds, especially in the head, so that a better can scarce be found out by art It doth all the intentions of healing a wound in the head meerly of it self, the Flux being stayed; for it di∣gesteth, mundifieth, incarneth, and cicatrizeth.