Anatomia sambuci, or, The anatomy of the elder cutting out of it plain, approved, and specific remedies for most and chiefest maladies : confirmed and cleared by reason, experience, and history / collected in Latine by Dr. Martin Blochwich ...

CAP. XVIII.

Of Fevers in general.

And 1. Of intermitting Fevers.

THe common people, as soon as they find the first touch of a Fe∣ver, they take the Rob of the Elder in the Vinegar, spirit, or water of the flowers thereof; and so in their beds, being well covered with cloths, di∣spose themselves for sweating, which the Physicians do not disapprove, see∣ing experience proves, that Fevers by these are many times prevented and dissipated.

This seems to be the most proba∣ble reason thereof, That that putrid filthiness is by this means discussed without delay, and the body rarified; which, if it had been left longer in the body, without doubt would have dai∣ly encreased the corruption, & given vigor to the Fever; as is learnedly

discoursed by the famous Sennert. in his Treatise of fevers. But have a care that this be only done in the begin∣nings of fevers, and in such bodies as are not full of the rubbish of corrupt humors, otherwise 'tis more safe and sound to open the parts and passages of the whole body by Emetick and Cathartick Medicines.

Emeticks and Catharticks.

The purified Oyl expressed out of the kernels of the berries, is com∣mended in strong and lusty bodies, 1 dra. or a drac. and half thereof, being taken in the broth of flesh; for it gently moveth vomit, and loosneth the belly, not without a singular good temper of the body.

For the same use, the juice expres∣sed out of the bark of the roots, are commended, being taken in the same, or a greater quantity. Bernhard Gor∣don in his Treatise of preserving mans life, biddeth us take so much, as the

half of an egg shell will contain.

Concerning the Wine made of the infusion of the bark of Elder roots, which provoketh vomit, and empti∣eth the belly of corrupt humors, read the 28 Chapter.

The Oyl made of the infus'd flowers and bark of the Elder, being drank from one ounce to three, pro∣voketh vomit, and purgeth the belly; the same alone, or in a decoction, may be given in a Clyster.

The Polych••est powder of Elder buds, doth not only purge both the biles, but also phlegm and serous hu∣mors; whereof drink in hot and ter∣tian feavers, in whey; but in cold and quartanes; in Wine a scruple, or a drachm or 4 scrules, as the strength of the diseased will admit.

Or let pils of Tragachanth be fo∣mented with this, or some syrup or musilage, so that above them the mentioned liquor be drank.

In young ones, the syrup of the juice of the berries, of the buds or bark, &c. suffice.

The commons praise this, Take a cup full of Goats milk whey, which holds about four ounces, macerate therein half an ounce of the middle bark of the Elder dried in the shadow; being strongly prest out, drink it warm in the morning,

In which a few things are to be ob∣served: That the commons are fully perswaded, and call experience to wit∣ness, that if those middle barks be pulled downward from the Tree, it emptieth the body of evil humors by purge; if they be pulled upward, it worketh by vomit.

The truth of which, as I dare not call in question seeing I know the same thing is asserted of Assarum by some Physicians; if notwithstanding it be free for me to give my opinion with∣out prejudice to others, and the truth, I believe we ought rather to ascribe the effect to the constitution and pe∣culiar property of the receivers, or to the nature of present humor. I will say nothing now of the imagina∣tion,

whereby the receivers perswade themselves, the Medicine will work downward or upward, which they endevour to help by sundry waies, by motion, compression of the belly, suppositors, thrusting their fingers in their throats, and so forth.

Nevertheless I will not deny that the bark, and whole Elder also, hath divers vertues in purging the noxi∣ous matter, by divers places; neverthe∣less I doubt that these are rather to be ascribed to the divers pulling it off the Tree, then to these causes menti∣oned, and other more weighty, which I leave to the serious consideration of the learned, and proceed.

That the stalks and leaves of the hearbs, being boyled, doth purge phlegm, is manifest out of Dioscori∣des; to which nevertheless the sprigs or sprouts are preferred, if in the Spring time, in which they are to be found, they be macerated a little in hot water, and prepared with oyl and vinegar, and be eaten sparingly

before supper, in place of a sallet; for they gently loose the belly, unlock the obstructions of the Mesentery, and being frequently eaten, deliver and preserve from contumacious feavers.

Instead of these the Conserve of buds, mixed with the Conserve of the flowers, is profitable; of which take daily an ounce, half an hour before supper, in the water of the bark.

Cutting Medicines.

In such feavers, which are leng∣thened from the cramming of the Me∣seraick veins, and from the grosness and toughness of the humor, Oxymel Sambucinum, dissolved in the distilled water of the flowers, or barly water; and daily on the intermitting daies drank an hour or two before supper is commended.

The Crystallized salt of the Elder, taken from half a scruple to a whole is profitable; also six drops of the, spirit of the same, taken in the broth

or flesh; for all these do powerfully o∣pen obstructions and cut asunder the grosness and toughness of the hu∣mor, they cleanse the bowels and ves∣sels, and both by urine and sweat dis∣sipate the feverish matter. See more in the 23 Chapter.

Before the Fit.

Internal Medicaments.

Those which are used before the Fit are of two sorts; for some of them move vomit and the belly, others pro∣voke sweat.

When in time of the fit the matter tendeth upward, which is known by the sudden straitness of the brest, by the stretching of the Hypocondriac, by nauciousness and propensity to vo∣mit, give him a spoonful or drachm and a half of the oyl pressed out of the berries kernels in warm Ale, and by putting your finger in his throat hasten the vomit.

Joseph Quercetan in his 1 Book, and 8 chapter of Dogmatick Pharmacy, asserteth that this following deco∣ction is excellent in intermitting fe∣vers, quotidan and quartan.

Take Elder-roots and bark, of each ounce 1. of Asarium drachms 3. of good Cinnamon drachm 1 and an half, boyl them in milk. This deco∣ction at one and the same time moves vomit and sedge. Let it be taken at the beginning of the fit, and rei∣terate if it be needful. If the body be evacuate, and nature encline to sweating, before the fit use these fol∣lowing.

The Rob of Elder in greatness of a Walnut, being mixed with half a drachm of the powder of the blessed Thistle, and swallowed and drinking vinegar above it, and afterwards, two hours before the fit, provoking sweat in bed, is an usual Medicine.

Or make this mixture; Take half a drachm of the extract of the rob of the Elder, and half a scruple of the salt

of the Elder; mix them, and form of them with the powder of Hearts-horn, Pills; which are to be taken in a spoonful of the syrup of the berries: two hours before the fit give the half thereof to the younger and weaker complexions.

In Fevers less hot, especially quar∣tans, two or three spoonfuls of the spirit of the Elder-berries, given be∣fore the fit, is commended.

There are some which dissolve this following powder in it before, and they cannot praise enough this Medi∣cine in more obstinate quartans, espe∣cially if the day before the fit the sto∣mach, and other vessels nutritive, be well purged by the oyl pressed out of the stones of the Elder-berries.

Take of Hearts-horn prepared, with∣out burning of the finest Antimony diaphoretick, of each half a scruple; let them be exactly powdered.

Neither is the heat of this spirit here to be feared, seeing in the same

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fevers, Galen, and other famous Phy∣sicians, prescribe Theriack, Methri∣date, Myrrh, the spirit of Wine, the water of Zedoary; for a hard knot must have a hard wedg: And experi∣ence proves, that these Medicines, be∣ing administred before the fit, do not only stop the fierceness of the fit, but likewise quite overthrow the fever; which before would neither yield to preparing nor purging Medicines; the reason is, because the feverish matter at that time is more moveable, and be∣ing prepared by nature it self, more easily followeth the course of the Me∣dicine.

Externals or Topicks.

This Topick is commended to be ap∣plied to the pulses. Of Elder & Laven∣der leaves, of each half an handful, of salt half as much. They being pounded well, incorporate them with the oyl of Elder, that they may become a paste; whereof apply one half to the

wrist of the right hand, and the other to the wrist of the left, and bind them with a rowler wet in Elder-vinegar.

Foelix Plater, in the second part of his Practice, hath this, Take of El∣der, Rue, Marigolds, and Nettle-leaves ana m. 1. let them be pounded with salt and vinegar, and let them be applyed.

A double linnen cloth dipt in the spirit of Granorum actes is applyed with a great deal of comfort to the belly, chiefly to the stomach before the fit, in a quartan; for seeing the fuel of the evil is setled in these pla∣ces, if it be not altogether routed by the application of this Epitheme, yet it will be much weakned.

To take away the shaking, and mitigate the chilness, the back-bone is to be rubb'd with the same spirit being hot.

2. Of continual and burning Fevers.

In continual and hot Tertian and burning Fevers, where the heat is more intense, and great drought tor∣menteth the Patient, make this Ju∣lap.

R. Of Fountain or River-water, lib. 3. of Elder-vinegar ounces 3. of the finest Sugar ounces 2. let them boyl together a little in a fit vessel; unto which, being warm, add one drachm of Cinnamon in powder; let them cool of themselves in a close vessel, and strain them through Hyppocrates sleeve for a Julap.

Of which give the patient oft in the day, it extinguisheth the feverish heat, cuts the gross and tough matter, cleanseth the thin and bilous, unlocks obstructions, it purgeth humors that offend through their convenient pla∣ces, and by its acceptable acidity it

sharpneth the appetite, and refresh∣eth the strength.

This same is performed by the ace∣tory syrup of the Elder, described in the next Chapter, which is to be dis∣solved in Barley-water, till it come to the consistency of a Julap.

For example, Take the sharp Elder∣syrup ounc. 3. simple Barley-water lib. 1. mixed, or Oximel of the Elder ounc. 2. clear Fountain-water lib. mix them, give four ounces or more of this, and such like, at each time; otherwise if you give less, and only once or twice a day, they rather encrease than di∣minish heat. P. Egineta lib. 2. cap. 36. for as Charcole in a Smiths Forge, be∣ing besprinkled with water, burneth more ardently; so the feverish heat is rather kindled than quenched by drinking sparingly.

That you may extinguish the in∣temperate heat, and refresh the van∣quisht strength, instead of an Epithem apply to the pulses the Vinegar of El∣der-flowers mixed with Rose-water,

and imbibed by double or treble lin∣nen cloths.

To loose without danger in these fevers the bound belly, the syrup of the juice of the berries is convenient, of which dissolve two or three ounces in the water of Elder-flowers; use it instead of a Julap, and drink it, for it gently looseth the belly, and evacua∣teth the feverish matter.