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. XXVI.

Of the Affections of the Womb.

TO mollifie and open the secrets of a woman, and cure the diseases about them, it is affirmed by Diosco∣rides to be done by incession, made of the Roots of Elder boyled in wa∣ter.

1. Of the stopping of the Monethly Terms.

MAny Medicines made of the El∣der are to be used in the defect of the monethly Termes; which for the most part proceeds from a gross bloud, or tough humor, closing or ob∣structing the orifices of the Histerick veins.

First then you are to use things which open the belly, and disburthen it of that putrid filth; give them there∣fore

to drink the wine of the berries, which looseneth the belly, and ma∣keth thin the bloud and grosse hu∣mors.

The distilled water of the middle∣bark, mixt with the purging water of the berries, prepared as Quercetan di∣rects, serves for both ends: The dose is three ounces, with one ounce of the syrup of the berries, bark, or buds.

Which if you desire to be more Cathartick, add to it half a drachm, or as much as sufficeth, of the Poly∣chrestick powder of the buds.

The Elder-rob, with the powder of the white Dittany, or of Pimpinel, is the womens Medicine. Gabel Shover hath this:

• Take of ripe Elder-berries,
• Of Rosemary, of each one handful,
• Of Pimpinel-roots, half an ounce,

Boyled in a quart of strong old Wine; whereof drink a good draught warm each morning for three days, be∣fore the time of their courses, and

let them fast two houres after.

The spirit of the berries is likewise usefull, which by its subtility passes through the whole body, and through the least vessels thereof, cutting and attenuating the grosness of the hu∣mors; it may be taken the same time before the courses use to flow: The dose is a pretty spoonfull in Wine, or some distilled water; in place of the simple spirit, you may take the Hy∣sterick described hereafter in the same quantity and manner; for his vertue is great, in moving the courses.

The oyle of the second description is commendable, if two or four drops thereof be added to these spirits.

In the Scyrrous disposition of the matrix, where the cram'd humor is hardened into a Scyrrous, closing the orifice of the veins, and stopping the courses, besides these Medicines you must make incessions of the leaves and root of the Elder boyled in water, as Dioscorides commands.

Let there likewise be an oyntment

made of the oyle of the infused flowers and leaves, mixed with the fat of a hen. This same fat dissolved in the decoction of the roots and lea∣ves is to be injected into the womb.

2. Of the flowing of the Courses.

TRagea granorum actes excelleth in stopping these; whereof give half a drachm, and as much Nutmeg in a soft egg, or red Wind, singed by the quenching of red hot gold in it.

• Take of Tragea Granorum Actes half an ounce.
• Of Nutmegs, a little roasted,
• Of the roots of Tormentil,
• Of red Coral prepared with Rosewater, of each two scruples.
• Of Sugar-rosat in Tablets, six drachmes.

Let them be mixed for a Tragea; whereof take morning and evening two drachmes for a dose in the for∣mer liquors.

If the bloud be too serous and fluid; that serousness is either to be purged gently by the belly, or by weak Hydroticks by sweating; whereof we have spoken largely in another place.

Gabel Shover hath this; Give to the woman in the morning three spoonfuls of the best water of Elder∣flowers, and command her to fast three hours after.

3. Of the Suffocation of the Matrix.

SEeing this most perillous Disease dependeth from a malignant and cold air, exhaled from the womb and uterine vessels to the Midriff, Heart, and Brains, the womb is to be purged of all malignant and putrid humors, and the strength is to be corrobora∣ted.

Apply here those things which were set down in the stopping of the Courses; both because these used not

to be the least and seldomest cause of these malignant vapors; and likewise because the Medicaments purge and dissipate these uterine filths gathered upon whatsoever occasion.

A half or whole spoonful of the spirit of the flowers or berries of the Elder, greatly availeth here, both out, and in time of the fit, for both power∣fully discuss these cold and poysonous vapors, evacuate out of the utrenal sink, and vindicate the more nobler intrals from their infection, and re∣store freer breathing. Gabel Shover ta∣keth a handful of Jews-ears, and in∣fuseth them in a quart of the spirit of Wine; of the which he giveth the dis∣eased a full draught in time of her fit.

The Antiepileptick Elder-spirit, if it be used instead of the Juniper, is good; and with it anoynt the belly below the navel toward the secrets.

Or prepare for this, and such dis∣eases, this that follows.

The Histerick Spirit of the Elder.

• Take of the middle bark of the Elder, one ounce,
• Of the roots of white Dittany,
• Of round Birthwort, of each three drachmes.
• Of the dried leaves of the Elder, one handfull.
• Of red Artimesia. or Mugwort,
• Of Prrsley, of each half an handfull.
• Of the flowres of white Lillies, two drachmes.
• Of clean Jews-ears, three in number.

Being cut, infuse them in a competent quantity of Elder-sprit, that it may be a hand-breadth above them. Let them stand in infusion for ten daies; & eve∣ry day stirr them twice; afterwaad di∣still them in Balneo, foa the Histerick spirit; of which give a half, or whole spoonfull in time of the fit, and with the same anoynt the lower belly, by rubbing it in, as hath been prescribed.

Not only in the suffocation of the Matrix, which by excellency is called the Histerick passion; but also it is ex∣cellent for the stopped flowers, and other cold and moist diseases of the womb.

It helpeth likewise to expel the dead child & secondines, if after uni∣versals, and topicks, a spoonfull there∣of be given in white Wine, or some distilled water, three or four drops of the oyle of the flowers of the second description, being mixt therewith.

Extractum Granorum Actes Hystericum.

Of the ripe grains of the Elder dried in the shadow, Quercetan forms an Extract, which is a specifick Histe∣rick, and is called of the Chymists, Extractum Granorum Actes. It is thus prepared:

Gather a great quantity of the grains of the Elder well dried in the shadow; & having thrown all the rest

of the berry away, reserve the grains only; with which fill a long-necked great Cucurbit to the middle; put upon it the strong spirit of wine, made acid with the acid liquor either of Vitriol or Sulphure, that it may be three or four fingers broad above the matter; the vessel being closed, that nothing may breath out: Digest it for five or six days in B.M. till the spirit of the wine receive the tincture of a Ruby, which you shall separate by inclination, having a care that none of the dregs or troubled matter go with it.

Of which tincture not having sepa∣rated its menstruum, that is, the aqua vitae, which without any corruption or alteration will be kept long; unto which you may add a little Sugar, if you will make it have a more pleasant taste; you may give a half or whole silver spoonful to women troubled with the suffocation of the Matrix, shall be unexpectedly, and as it

were miraculously weakened, and restored to their perfect health.

Again, if you will separate from it the aqua vitae by an Alimbeck in Bal∣neo vaporoso, till the extract remain in the bottom of a most excellent red colour, whereof give a scruple for a dose in its own proper distilled water, or in other convenient waters, or in white wine, and it will become red. Thus far Quercetan.

The Uterine mixture which I used to prepare is this;

First I take the berries of the Elder dried in a flow heat of the Bake∣house; of Mugwort and of Castoreum as much as I please; I put upon each of them by themselves in a Viol some of the rectified spirits of the Elder, and draw out the essence according to art; and I purifie each one of them by themselves, and keep them in Glasses.

Afterwards,

• Take of the essence of Elder-berries six ounces.
• ...

• Of Balm-mint three ounces.
• Of Castor,
• Of the spirit of Vitriol well rectified, of each one ounce.

Being mixed, I put them in a Glass of a narrow throat, and I digest them for ten days in a warm Balneo, that they may be well united; and if any dregs be in them, they may go to the bot∣tom; from which I separate that which is clear, I strain it, and keep it in a well-stopped Glass. The dose is a little spoonful alone, and dissol∣ved in some appropriate water; but if the body be full of ill humors, I first purge it with the Polychrestick pow∣der of Elder-buds.

In place of Appendix I thought fit to joyn hereto the Medicines made of the Elder long ago, commended and commanded by our great Chieftain and Master Hippocrates, in Uterine Affections.

In the Hydropsie of the Matrix, he commendeth the fruit of the Elder, given fasting in wine, lib. 1. de morb. mulier.

He saith, this purgeth things to be purged in Child-bed; boil the leaves of the Elder, and give the water thereof to drink, ibidem.

If the womb be inflamed in child∣birth, let her sup hot the tender leaves of the Elder lightly boiled with the grossest part of recent wheat-meal, ibid.

In the same place he commands us to put into the secrets a long piece of Elder-pith, the tenderer part being shaven.

In Ulcers of the womb pound Lin∣seed and Elder-berries together, mix hony with them, and make a Pla∣ster, and use it, ibid.

Or the leaves of the Elder, and of the Lentisk, being boiled in water and strained, are to be injected warm, Lib. de natur. mulier.

The same things being likewise pounded with Muss, may be outward∣ly applied, ibid.

In a filthy ulceration of the Matrix, boyl the berries of the Elder and

Lawrel, in equal potions in wine, af∣terward inject that wine, lib. 1. d. m. m.

Or take the berries of the Elder, Anice, Franckincense, Myrrh, Wines, and inject their juices, ibid. Where∣by the courses are likewise provo∣ked, ibid.

To expel the Secondine, first apply a Foment made of the decoction of Elder-leaves, and then that which is made of Cantharides, ibid.

In very great fluxes of the courses apply a Cataplasm made of Elder and Mirtle-leaves, lib. 2. m. m.

Or boil in water the leaves of El∣der and Lentisk, and with the Cola∣ture warm wash the Matrix, ibid.

In the strangulation of the Matrix, R. Three half quarts of Oyl, and a handful of Elder-leaves; boil this, and make a fomentation therewith, or with hot shels put in it, make a Stove, placing the woman in a chair, and covering her with cloths.

Or boil the leaves of Elder and Mirtle, and in the strained water boil Barley-chaff, and make a Stove; if she can endure the heat thereof, ibid.

If the pain be vehement after her purging boil in black wine the Law∣rel and Elder-berries, and wash it therewith, ibid.

Or boil the Elder in water, and ha∣ving strained the water, put to it sweet wine, and wash therewith.

Of which, and many others, you may view Hippocrates in those Books and places mentioned.