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AS this is a grievous, and a disease much to be lamented; so I may say, it expects its most specifick cure, almost from the Elder.
To Infants new-born, before you give them any thing to swallow, you may give them with great profit. a
spoonful of the syrup of the infusion of the flowers, or juice of the Elder∣berries, to evacuate that putrid, yel∣lowish, and sometime blackish water gathered in the stomach, and parts a∣bout, while the infant is in the mo∣thers belly.
For these Syrups do not only change and evacuate, but they also preserve from, and resist malignity.
Macerate a handful of Elder flow∣ers well dried in the wine, which the best sort use to wash their new-born babes in; for it consumes the humors gathered about the joynts, and com∣forts the members. This is also com∣mended, Take of the powder of the simple buds 1 drach. of the whitest Sugarcandie 1 drach. of the berries of herb Paris Number 6. pulverise them most subtilly, of which give half a scru∣ple for 9 days together, in the water of Elder flowers, or any other conveni∣ent liquor you please.
In the Paroxisme, the least spoon∣full of the spirit of the flowers given
with three or five of the seeds of Peo∣ny excorticat, is praised.
Or, of Peony excorticat 2 drach. of the best water of Elder-flowers one ounce and a half, of Linden flower∣water half an ounce.
Make an Emulsion according to art, which being edulcerate Rotalis manus Christi perlatis, give it by spoon∣fuls.
Let the Nurse sometimes take the Conserves, Syrup, or water of Elder flowers, or having taken the spirit, juice, or extract of the berries, let her provoke smell, that thereby her milk being clear of the sharper and more malignant serosities, may be the more wholsom.
I knew an infant, which being ta∣ken sometime with Epileptick fits, each day, with a great deal of crying, and pain of belly, did dung a yellow∣ish greenish matter; whom neither Clysters, nor cleansing Linctussies did any good. I counselled his mother, seeing I saw her milk more serous and
thin, that she should twice or thrice a week take the rhob, or juice of the El∣der-berries, mixt with burn'd Harts∣horns; and drink a draught of the water of the flowers above it, and pro∣voke her self to sweat in her bed, or couch: Which being done, not only the Epileptick fits, but also those pain∣full wringings of the childs belly did cease; and by little and little, the ex∣crements came to their natural form.
In those that are come to age 'tis first necessary above all things, to purge the body well.
In the Spring time macerate the bark of the roots of Elder in the whey of Cows milk, which being dulcerat with Sugar, let him each morning take a hearty draught thereof.
Or,
Or take the prescribed bole; dis∣solve it in the whey of Milk, add thereto the Syrup made of Juice of the buds and berries, ounce I. mix it; prepare a draught: But if the Patient be prone to vomit, give him the oyl expressed out of the kernels.
The spirit of the flowers and berries of the Elder in, and out of the Paro∣xysm, is of great power; but it may be made more efficacious thus:
This being cut and pounded, put as
much of the spirit of the Elder there∣on, as will be a hand broad high above them, and in a hot place, and well stop∣ped vessel, macerate them eight daies; distil them in glass vessels in B. M. till they be dry; mix with them the di∣stilled spirits, the salt drawn out of its dregs, and keep it for the Anti-Epi∣leptick Spirit of the Elder.
Whereof give a whole, or half spoon∣ful to the Epileptick in the time of his Paroxisme; afterwards using it every quarter of the Moon, to dissi∣pate the Epileptick corruption by sweating; or insensible transpiration▪ and to guard the brain.
With this same, in the time of the fit, rub the nostrils, gums, and pallat, adding thereto a Grain or two of Castor.
Herein likewise excels the tincture and extract of Granorum Actes; the preparation and using of which is set down in the 31 Chapter out of Quer∣cetan.
Or,
Mix them, and form pils thereof, numb. 15. or being dissolved in the Anti epileptick Spirit of the Elder∣give them in the Paroxisme.
Mark by the way, That the berries of herb Paris, called by some Bear or Wolf grapes, is held by some Matrons, as a great secret against the Epilepsie: and they give them ever in an un∣equal number, as 3, 5, 7 or 9, in the water of Linden Tree flowers or of the roots of Squamaria; which I my self have found effectual in some chil∣dren. Seeing these berries are mixt with some Antidotes, especially with the Saxonian, and half a drachm of the seeds of these berries, as Matthiolus relates, being given, avail much a∣gainst long sickness, and Witchcraft, it should not seem strange to any man, that they much help in the Epilepsie, if they consider seriously the maligne
nature of the Epileptick vapor, and its enmity with the brain.
Some affirm, that the water of the flowers drawn up into the nose pre∣vails much against the Epilepsie and Vertigo. In the same affects the eyes and face are to be washed oft with this water.
Anoint gently, in the fit it self, the contracted members, with the oyl of the flowers of the first description, that thereby the Acrimony of the hu∣mors and vapors may be mitigate, that the matter may be dissipate, and the nerves comforted.
The oyl of the second and third description, or the distilled oyl, is much commended; if the palmes of the hands, and soles of the feet, if the temples of the head and nape of the neck be anointed therewith.
There is likewise set down a singu∣lar Amulet, made of the Elder grow∣ing
on a Sallow. If in the month of October, a little before the full Moon, you pluck a twig of the Elder, and cut the cane that is betwixt two of its knees, or knots in nine pieces; and these pieces being bound in a piece of linnen, be in a thred so hung about the neck, that they touch the spoon of the heart, or the sword-form'd Carti∣lage; and that they may stay more firmly in that place, they are to be bound thereon with a linnen or silken roller wrapt about the body, till the thred break of it self. The thred be∣ing broken, and the roller removed, the Amulet is not at all to be touched with bare hands, but it ought to be ta∣ken hold on by some instrument, and buried in a place that no body may touch it. Petraeus Nosilog. Harmon. l. 1. dissert. 6. Finkius Ench. Harm. c. 5. The cause of which is not abso∣lutely hid, seeing the Elder and its grains help this disease. These are the words of Petraeus in the mention∣ed place.
There are some that ascribe the same effect to the Bore tree, growing on the Tylia or Linden tree, seeing both by a peculiar property are anti∣epileptick; some hang a cross made of the Elder and Sallow, mutually in wrapping one another about the chil∣drens neck, Petr. Loco Allegat.
Albeit there be some that deny all specifick operation to Amulets of the Elder growing on the Sallow and Lin∣den tree, and to all other Amulets. Nevertheless their reasons are not of such weight, that they satisfie the mind of a desirous learner; 'tis not impossible that so little a piece of the Elder bound to the skin should break the force of so stubborn a disease: for though it do not draw out sensibly the vitious humors, yet it may act against the morbifick cause, and rout it some other way, by alluring, and some other way expugning those vitious humors, and that malignant Miamse, most noisom to the brain, it having in little bulk great force; which being
or removed, 'tis likely the Epilepsie will cease, though the humors re∣main; if they be not altogther corrupt: which humors are to be purged, according to the diversities of consti∣tutions, before you use such Amulets. Read Sennert. l. de Cons. & dissen. Gal &. Chymic.
Whereas they object, That in all these Amulets do not hold: This will not prove that they are not indewed with an Anti-epileptick faculty; o∣therwise many famous Medicaments should be called in question, seeing many times they are disappointed of their actings in some subjects; because it may be they are not used in fit quantity, time, or after due prepration, or some other errours are committed, which may hinder the best, and most approved Medicine to take effect; nei∣ther is it in the power alwaies of the Physician or Medicine, that the dis∣eased should be releived: some times the evil excels the cunningest art.