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. V.

Of the Apoplexie and Palsie.

AS preservative a against the Apo∣plexie and Palsie, the Salt of the Elder is much commended, if it be mixt with a third part of the volatile salt of Amber (which volatile salt useth to stick to the neck of the retort, in the distillation of the oyl of Amber) and given in the time of the new Moon, or full moon, in a convenient liquor, in the weight of a scruple, or half a drachme. The salt of the Elder must be first excellently Crystallized in the water of Sage, as you know.

Amwald desires that three parts of the extract of black Hellebore be mixed with the Rob of Elder; which he commends as a gallant specifick against the Apoplexie, and all noysom affections of the brain. The receit is set down in his Treatise, Panacea Am∣waldina, fol. 23.

Pulvis Tureonum Polychrestus, doth not only purge the stomach and near∣est vessel, but likewise the brain from

its gross, pituite, and serous humors, whereof give a drachme thereof when it is needful in form of a Pill.

Oxymel Samb. is likewise useful in these cold distempers of the brain; whereof give oft in the water of Sage, a little masted before purging, at least two or three ounces for the cutting and preparing that gross matter.

The Spirit likewise distilled from the Berries is excellent, if once a week, or at least each quarter of the Moon, a spoonful thereof mixt with crums of wheat bread, and a little su∣gar, for it consumes the phlegmatick humors, and drieth and comforteth the brain, and 'tis taken in place of a simple Anti-epileptick, as we have said in the former Chapter, Or.

You may prepare it new thus, only for this affection, in what quantity you please, thus;

• Take of Sage, Marjoram, Ivy Arthritica, of each two drachmes.
• Of Couslip flowers, Conval

• Lilly flowers, of each one drach. and an half.
• Of Rochet seed, two drachmes.

Which, all being cut, and grosly pul∣verised, are to be macerated in a suffi∣cient quantity of the spirit of Elder, and after eight daies to be distillid in B. M. till they be dry; for the Apo∣plectick spirit of the Elder; in a part of which Castoreum may be dissol∣ved, and oft times transcolate; of which mixture a spoonful, chiefly in the time of the Paroxisme, should be instilled, as the cause is of exigency, and with the same rub the pallat, no∣strills, crown of the head, and nuke of the neck.

Two or three drops of the oyl of the second or third description, or di∣stilled, being instilled in the ear, or a∣noynted on the pallat, after the man∣ner the spirit is thought to help the rest.

Mark, That those things we have now commended, have chief place in that Apoplexie that proceeds from pi∣tuite

or other gross humors, and is fa∣miliar to old men; but that which pro∣ceeds from depression of the scul, or inflammation of the brain, is to be cured by other Medicines, that is not our part here to handle.

Of the Palsie.

But if the Apoplexie end in a Pal∣sie of the sides, or other members, as it useth, having observed those uni∣versals, for the provision of whole bo∣dy and brain, 'tis necessary oft in the week to provoke sweat.

Half an ounce of the Apoplectick Spirit of the Elder is useful here; also two drachms of the rob of the berries in Sage water.

Or,

• Of the extract of the Rohob of the Elder, drach. 5. and an half.
• Antimony diaphoretick, most white, half a drachm.

Of which every morning give to the Paralitick, they being exactly mixt, 1 drachm in 2 or 3 ounces of the decoction of the root of the great Burdock, and command him, that

being well lapped in his bed, he swet for half an hour; and that he may sweat more freely and fully you may mix with the potion half an ounce of the Apoplectick spirit of the Elder.

Topicks.

The enervat, or hanging members are twice a day to be rubbed, first with hard sharp clothes; afterward with the spirit drawn out of the berries, and inebriate with the essence of Cepha∣lick herbs. So those gross and viscid humors that trouble the nerves, and compresse them, and stop the passage of the animal spirits, will be attenuate, and dissipate, and the stupified spirits will be raised and allured.

Nevertheless, lest by these hot, and much drying spirits, the matter it self and nevres should be hardned, you are to mix with the oyl of the infusion of the flowers of the Elder a third of the oyl drawn from the Kernels of its berries, and this will attemperate the

too too much exsiccating heat, and ne∣vertheless digest and consume the matter. In this case likewise, the decoction of the root of the Elder and Ebulus in simple water is much praised.

And seeing oft times the Palsie of the tongue, and difficulty of speaking remains, the tongue is oft times to be rub'd, and humectated with a sponge, dipped in the Apoplectick spirit of the Elder.