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. XXVII.

Of the Arthritick Disease.

HOw stiff this Disease is, and how miserably it tormenteth the pa∣tient, is known even to children; not∣withstanding it expects ease, if not full cure; which sometimes is done by the Medicines of our Elder.

And seeing nothing is more able to preserve than that great encrease of serous humors being hindred, & those that are sprung be evacuated: Seeing from these, if not only, yet most com∣monly, Arthritick pains have their be∣ginning; as experience can testifie. These Medicines therefore that fol∣low are convenient.

Viz. The wine of the berries, of which he is to drink a cup full oft in the week, in the morning or in the beginning of dinner: But that is of most force, which we have set down in the 24 Chapter out of Quercetan.

The water distilled out of the suc∣culent bark in the Autumn, or Spring, is oft to be drank. Let it be sweetned with the third part of the syrup of the berries or buds; the dose is four ounces. That it may purge more for∣cibly, mix therewith a half or whole drachm, according to the Patients strength, of the Polychrestick pow∣der of the Buds.

Vomits are good to preserve from this disease, if it be provoked once a moneth by those that are used to it. In cure of the Arthritick, chiefly of the Sciatick or Gout, seeing vomit doth revel, and derive by the upper parts, it performs more than any down∣ward purge. Therefore you are to reiterate it two days and more, if the evil persevere.

The oyl pressed out of the kernels of the berries, and half a drachm thereof taken in the broth of Ale, doth excel in this disease. The oyl of the infused flowers or bark is good; the dose is one or two ounces in warm water.

You shall repress the Arthritick assaults, if you once or twice in the moneth sweat, having first purged the body: For the serous matter gather∣ed in the body is easily discussed by sweat; and as soon as natural or arti∣ficial sweat appears, there is great hopes of safety. See Hildanus, Centor 5. observ. 3.

Give then of the Rob of the Elder two drachms with a scruple of Harts∣horn prepared; or half a drachm or two scruples of the extract Granorum actes; or one spoonful or two of the spirit of the berries or flowers.

This is uporist of some,

• The Roots of the Elder or Walnut, half an ounce.
• Of the pulverised Kernels, drachm 1.

Let them macerate for a night in white wine, whose Colature being a little sweetened with Sugar, is to be given in the morning in bed, to pro∣voke sweat. If it be given a little be∣fore the fit, it disappoints it.

In the Spring-time the buds prepa∣red with oyl, vinegar and salt; and frequently being eaten before supper, being mixed with other Sallets, is commendable; for they gently purge the belly and purifie the blood from serosity.

The powder of the buds dried in the shadow, is good for preventing of Gouts and all Arthritick Diseases;

whereof take in the Spring-time or Harvest, for a whole month together in the morning, half a scruple in a soft egg with a little salt. Or take the Conserve of the buds alone, or mixed with the Conserve of the flowers in equal parts. The dose is the bigness of a Walnut or Chesnut, morning and evening before meat. Drink above it some of the water of the flowers, sweetned with a little of the juice of the berries.

Topicks.

A linnen cloth dipt in the distilled water of the leaves and flowers of the Elder, and applied warm, wonderful∣ly asswages the pain, unlocks the pores, digests the matter, and streng∣thens the nervous parts.

That it may more penetrate, and where the colour and heat is greater you may add in equal quantity Elder-vinegar. Where the matter is colder, and the pain longer, you may dip the

same clothes in such a liquor as this, and apply them hot.

• Take of the spirit of Elder-berries, three ounces.
• The spirit of the flowers, drach. 2.
• Of Opium of Thebes, scruples two, mix them.

By its Narcotick vertue it mitiga∣teth the pains, and discusseth the more stubborn matter, and refresheth the members.

The Goutish Anodine Water.

Quercetan in the first book and se∣venth chapter sets down this Poda∣grick water;

Take of the green leaves and flow∣ers of Elder, of each lib. 1. more or less, as you please, to make it greater or less quantity; pound them, and mace∣rate them well in B. M. then distill them in a Glass, or Copper vessel, till they be dry; with this water forment the pained place twice a day; yea you may use it constantly in that Gout,

which proceeds from hot humors. So far he.

The Oyle, wherein the roots of the Elder or Ebulus, and the leaves or fine extract from them, hath been boyled, chiefly the oyle of the Dwarf-Elder-seed, from which the seeds of the greater differ little, is much praised here. It is prepared thus; beat the ripe and clean seeds in a paste, boyle it in water, and gather the scum thereof, put it in a long Glass, in a warm place for three or four daies, till the oyle, which is greenish, go to the bottom; the same oyle pressed out of the seeds is most powerfull.

These are the words of Plater, in the second part of his practice.

Or, take oyle of infused Elder-flowers, ounces two; and of it pressed out of the kernels, half an ounce.

Being mixt, apply them warm to the grieved place. Dioscorides affirms, that the recent leaves applyed, with the fat of a Goat or Bull, doth help the Goutish.

I know a man, that whensoever he is troubled with the Gout useth only this unction; He taketh new Cream of Milk, and he mixeth with it the Powder made into fine meal, of the and leaves of the Elder, till it acquire the consistence of a Poultice, or Cata∣plasme, which being spread on a lin∣nen cloth, he applyeth it hot to the diseased part; and from this easie and simple Medicine he exspects, and ex∣periences with happy successe, great ease.

Gabel Shover, amongst others, hath this; Take the water of the Elder, and the spirit of Wine, of each ounces 2; mix them, and apply clothes moysten∣ed therein: Some take two ounces of Elder-water, and one of aqua vite, and mix them.

The same man much commendeth in pains of the joynts, and other cold defluctions, from which the resolu∣tion and Palsie of the joynts do pro∣ceed, this:

Take a good quantity of Elder-pith,

a quarter of a pint of Rhenish-Wine, and as much of your own u∣rine, being mixed, boyle them in a new pot, till half be consumed. Then anoynt the grieved place with the spirit of Wine, and rub it well in. Af∣terward apply a woollen-cloth hot, dipt in the former decoction. And when it is dry, dipt it and apply it again. And this is to be done before you go to bed.

Some praise this that follows, in Arthritick Diseases, chiefly which are hot.

A Mucilaginous Andonyne Liquor.

R. Of quick Snails, newly taken whole out of their shelly cottages; Of Elder-berries dried in the Oven, and pulverized; and of common salt, of each as much as you will; put it in the straining bag called Hippocrates sleeve, making one row upon another so oft as you please; so that the first

be of the Snails, the next of the Salt, and the last of the berries, continning so till the bag be full; hang it up in a Cellar, and gather diligently the glutinous liquor that distils out of it by little and little, even to the Muci∣lage; and being put in a stopt Glass, expose it four days to the Sun; and therewith anoynt gently the grieved part.