Choice and rare experiments in physick and chirurgery, or, A discovery of most approved medicines for the curing of most diseases incident to the body of men, women, and of children together with an antidotary of experiments never before published / found out by the studie and experience of Thomas Collins, student in physick neer the city of Gloucester.

The Breast, Remedies for distem∣pers thereof.

Remedies for diseases of the breast.

And first for h••arsness of the voice ye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 avoid all eag••r, salt, and s••arp things, an•• sleeping by day, too much watching, grea•• cold, much speaking, and too l••ud crying: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sweet things are good as apples sodden wi•••• Sugar, great raisins, Figgs, Almond milk, whi•••• pills, Sugar candy, and the juice of Liqueri••••

For a hoarse voice.

Take the broth of red Coleworte a•••• mingle it with s••ven or eight Penidies, and a•• ounce of Syrup of Maiden-hair and give un•••• the patient wh••n he goeth to bed.

Another.

Take Diairis simple and eat a Lozenge o•• the same at morning and at night.

For hoarsness of long continuance.

Take Raisins, Figgs, Sugar, Cinnamon, an•• Cloves of every one a little, seethe them i•• good wine, of the which ye shall give to drin•• morning and evening, two ounces at a ti••••

••xcept he have a fever; It is good to take ••orning, and evening a fpoonful of the Syrup of Ju••ubes mixt with a root of Liquerice in ••anner of a Lohoch.

A Syrup for Cough, rheums, Catarres, and other like diseases.

Take Althaea leaves seven handfuls, stamp them in a mortar, then take a pot that will hold seven pints, boil in it these ••hings follow∣••ng▪

Liquerice two ounces, Sage, Rosemary, Cardu••s benedictus, figgs, raisins, barly flower, of each a handful succory leaves and roots, a handful; let all these boil one hour and a half, then let it cool so that you may strain it, then take the water, and put in two or three pounds of French Mallowes setting it to boil on the fire again three hours or more, then strain it as you did before, then take the decoction and set it on the fire with asmuch hony or little less, taking off the scum when it hath boiled a good space, ad•• to it one ounce, or as much as you wil•• of Cinnamon; Then take it immediately from the fire putting it forth and covering it close. This secret is so excellent that if a man use it in winter, warming it when he taketh it, it is not possible for him to be vexed with C••ugh, rh••um, Catarrhes, and like diseases.

A Medicine for the Cough.

Take the yelk of an Egg▪ and put it into an emptie Egg shell, and put to it five grains weight of the powder o•• Saffron▪ and roste the

same very rear, and to bedward sup it off warm, being well stirred together, it cureth the Cough or giveth much ease.

Against the Cough.

Take Anniseeds Licquerice of each an ounce•• Hysop one handful, sugar candy, four ounces, strong beer three pints, boil altogether till half be consu••ed, then strain forth the simples and give the patient every night, when he go∣eth to bed four ounces warm.

For an old Cough.

Take Elicampane roots and boil them ten∣der, then pound it in a wooden mortar, then rub it in through an hair sieve, then take clari∣f••••d hony, and lay a course in the bottom of a stean then a course of sliced wardens, then a course of the Elicampane and so again as long as you please; And then put the stean into a•• oven and bake them two or three hours, then take it two or three times a day, a spoonful at a time▪

Another for a Cough with a rheum.

Take Brown sugar candy and put it pound∣ed into a calves bladder, and lay it in spring water 24 hours, then cut the bladder and eat t with a Liquerish stick as the Cough doth trouble you.

••pre••erve Wallnuts for a cough or Consumption.

••ake a pound of Walnuts before they be 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and pa••e them very thin, then steep 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in water a night, then boil them in run∣•••• or standing water, until they be so tender ••ou may put an hard rush through them; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stick in each end of every Walnut a 〈◊〉〈◊〉; Then lay them hot togeth••r in a ••••ney Bason, then take a pound and a half ••ugar and strew upon them hot, and cover 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and let them lie covered all night with∣••he warmth of the fire; And the next day 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them up, and put them into a pot.

A good Syrup for an old Cough, and it mundi∣••eth the breast and the Lungs and for pain under ••he side coming of cold.

••ake Liquerice scraped and bruised two ••ce••, Maiden hair one ounce, of Hysop dried 〈◊〉〈◊〉 an ounce, put all this into four pint•• of ••••ing water, and let them stand in that wa∣•••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 one day and one night, and then seethe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 till half the Liquor be consumed, then 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Liquor from the herbs, and put in-〈◊〉〈◊〉 Liquor pure English honey, white 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Penidies each of these eight ounces water five drams, boil all this with an easie 〈◊〉〈◊〉 till it come to the thickness of a Syrup 〈◊〉〈◊〉 alwayes as the scum ariseth gather it off, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 keep it to your use.

For wheesing in the Chest.

Take a Toste of bakers bread and pour 〈◊〉〈◊〉 let oil on it, upon either side as you wo•••••• butter a toste, & strew heaten Sugar on eit•••••• side and use it first and last till you find ea••••

For delivering from Phlegm.

Take Hyssop and parsely and stamp the•• temper them with wine, or Ale, and drink 〈◊〉〈◊〉 night and morning.

Another for wheesing of the Chest.

Take spring water one quart, put to it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ounce of white Sugar candy, and two ounc•• of Liquerice pared and cut small in shive•••• and half an ounce of pure Cinnamon a litt•••• bruised, let them steep in the water all nigh•• drink of it first and last, until it be ••pent. P••••∣bat.

Remedies for the Cough.

Take Hyssop, great rai••ins, and figgs of ex•••••• a handful, Liquerice an ounce, boil them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 water till the third part be wasted, then gi•••• it him to drink twice a day in the morni•••• two hours before meat, and at night one ho•••• before supper, & immediately after it is goo•• to eat a Lozenge of Diairis, or Diapenidion.

Another remedie.

Take Sugar candy, white pills of Diairis, and ••iagragant of every one, an ounce, Liquerice ••wo drams, make a powder and let him eat a ••oonful thereof morning, and evening, and ••rink after it three ounces of water of Hyssop ••r of scabious with Sugar and without Sugar.

In stead of these waters ye may take the ••roth of red cole worts without salt.

Another remedy.

Take Syrup of Liquerice, and of Hyssop, ••nd drink it evening and morning with a ••tisan, or of one of the same Syrups with a ••••oonful of Ptisan is good.

Another.

Take powder of Diairis simple and Lique∣••••ce, of each a dram weight, and with four ••unces of Sugar make an Electuary to be ••aten first, and last after meat.

It is good to take Lohoc sanum with a stick ••f Liquerice at the coughing, and after ••eat. And there is another Loch called ••och de pino as good at all times as the ••ther is. And it is good to anoint the brest ••orning and evening with oil of Lilies, sweet ••lmonds, and May butter without salt.

Remedie against the cough coming of a hot cause.

Take Syrup of violets, and of Jubes and

drink thereof morning and evening with a lit∣le Ptisan sodden.

For the same.

It is good to take first and last a Lozenge of Di••tragagant and afterward to drink draught of good Ptisan.

A good receit against the Cough.

Take the root of Elicampane, Horehound, Hollihock of each alike much, seethe the•••• altogether in white wine, with a dozen of sat Figgs and a little Liqu••rice, drink of it a draught every day twice.

For the Cough and Murre.

Take Aqua vitae a sufficient quantitie, temper it with Sugar candy.

A Medicine for hoarsness in the throat.

Take three or four figgs and cleave them in two every one, and then put into them •• prettie quantity of Ginger finely beaten into powder, and then roste them upon a clean hearth or tile stone, and then let the partie eat them as hot as possible he can; This har•• holpen some that have been troubled with hoarsness four or five years together before.

To heal the S••r••f••••a or disease called the King ev••l

Take barly ••lowre, liquid pitch, wax and o••••

••live in equal quantitie boil it altogether with childs Urine and brought to a plaister and applyed. Fiet.

To cure the Kings evil.

Mistris Athinson, the wife of the man else∣••here mentioned, at the same time as her Hus∣••and was cured of a broken vein, affirmed that ••her certain knowledge, the roots of Hounds∣••••ngue cut in the shape of dice and put into a ••••nen bagg of about two inches square un∣••••l it be almost full, and hang it about the neck ••f the partie grieved to lie upon the pit of ••e stomack, and let it be renewed once in two 〈◊〉〈◊〉 three dayes, as the vertue decaies, It will ••reak the disease, if not broken; if broken it ••••ll cure it, especially if it run brown water, white then with more difficultie.

Against shortness of winde.

Shortness of winde proceedeth oft-times of ••hlegm that is tough and clammish, hanging ••••on the lungs, or stopping the conduits of the ••••me, being in the hollowness of the brest, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 catarrhous humors that drop down into the ••ungs, and thereby cometh straitness of draw∣••••g of breath, which is called of Physicians ••yspnoea, or Asthma. And when the patient can∣••••ot bend his neck down for fear of suffocation, ••s called Orthopnoea, for every one of these di∣••••ases there be very wholsom Medicines de∣••ared before.

The receipt for Asthma.

Take an ounce of great raisins picked from the kernels, two figgs, the meat of a Date, dry Hyssop, maiden-hair, Liquerice and the lungs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Fox washed in wine water, of scabio••s of every one a dram, Penidies two ounces with Syrup of Liquerice; Let all be incor∣porated and make a Loch to eat a good whil•• after meat, with a stick of Liquerice.

To cure Asthmatick persons.

Take Lowes a••as in Latine Porcelliones and burn them to white powder upon a little stone and make them into an Electuary with life honey is excellent against the disease called Asthma.

An oyntment for shortness of breath.

Take two ounces of oil of sweet Almonds one of May butter unsalted, a little Saffron and of new wax and make an oyntment, where∣with ye shall anoint the brest morning and evening.

To break a sore brest.

Take a Lily root, and a piece of leave•• s••ethe it in milk until the lilly be very 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a••d plaister like, and so as warm as the par•••• can suffer it lay it morning and evening.

••o keep the brest from breaking, if it be not too far gone.

Take clay that is without stones, and knead 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with sharp vinegar, the y••lks of two eggs a ••ittle English Saffron, and work it into the clay ••nd so take asmuch as will cover the redne•• of ••t, you must use it cold, some br••sts will have ••o colour and such are not lightly saved from ••reaking.

To heal the breast.

Take as many Mallowes as will into a charger, ••nd chop them, and seethe them in ru••••i••g ••ater till they be tender, pour the wa••er from ••hem and put them into a pottle of good Ale-dr••ggs, and a peny loaf of leaven br••••d ••g••ated with a quart of white wine, let th••se ••eethe together till you think it be thick ••nough, then put thereto half a quarter of a ••ound of Deares suet, and lay it to the sore as ••ot as the party can suffer it, morning and ••vening, and after that the heat be such as it ••ryeth, this will help any sore in the breast or ••ny other places. You must wash the place be∣••ng broken with white wine at every dres∣sing.

To heal any kinde of ach or sore brest.

Pare off a cap of the root of white Bryonie ••nd make a hole in the root as hollow as you ••an, and cover the root close with the cap you ••ut off, or with a piece of a tile-stone and cover ••ll again with earth, letting it still grow, and

three dayes after open the said root, and the hole will be full of water, then take that wa∣ter and put it in a glass and anoint the place where the grief is, and use it.

A plaister for a sore brest.

Take wheat meal, and pure life honey and cla••ified bores grease, of each like portions boil them a little and make a plaister and lay thereto. Probat.

A medicine to skin a womans sore bre••t which is ••aw.

Take a pint of sweet thick cream, and put it into a pan with three spoonfuls of the juice of brown fennel, boil it to an oil, and there∣with anoint the sore brests morning and evening till it be whole, Probat.

To help the hardness in women brests.

Wheat flower, honey oil olive and the juice abundantly of yellow Gilly flower, together with the juice of rue. Sanat.

For the aking of a womans brest.

Take Cinquefoil or five leaved grass, and stamp them with swines grease, and make thereof a plaister, and lay it to well brayed together and it will take away the aking.

Another for the same.

Take and boil Rue and put there to flower

••f wheat and make thereof a Plaister and lay hereto.

••••r womens brests, or swelling that cometh by cold in child birth.

Take and lay Chickweed upon a Tyle∣••one, and rose leaves upon, Chick∣••eed upon the rose leaves again, so that h••re be of them two or three leaves, then ••••rinkle it with vineger, and boil all these ••pon the tyle-stone; And when its well boil∣••d, take another Tyle and lay upon tha••, and ••ut it asunder and lay to the swelling and it ••ill take away the pain.

••n approved Medicine for them that ha••e cold in their brests.

Take oil of Camomil and Aqua composi••••, ••ingle them together against the fire; chafe ••••e breast well withall that it may enter into ••••e Stomack and veines: This hath holpe•• ••any.

••pproved Medicine for a sore brest that is broken.

Take Mal••owes and boil them with sheeps ••llow till they be very tender, then strain it ••••d keep it in boxes and, if the brest have ••eed to be tented, take a piece of the stalk of ••••e Mallowes that are ••••dden, and tent it with∣••••l, this is proved.

For bolning of a womans brest.

Take apples of the oak and stamp them with oil and lay it to the bolning.

For a very sore brest.

Take Hartshorn or a Buls horn for need, and grate it into a pint of good white wine, and give the woman to drink thereof, and le•• her sleep upon the same Medicine and it shall cease.

For coagulation of milk in a womans brest.

Take Eg••miony, Vervine, Fennel, and bray it altogether and lay it thereon, and be whole, &c.

A Soveraign Medicine for a sore brest.

Take a pottle of smiths water, the elder it is the better, if it smell a little, so much the bet∣ter, also you must take a quarter of a pound of old alume, and white salt asmuch as ye can hold on the two fingers from the second joynt forth, two handfuls of Sage, two Heads of housleek put all these into the water and seethe it till it come to a quart, then let it stand with the Herbs in it, and wash the sor•• breast well with the Herbs, and the wate•• twice a day, and at every time ye wash it lay upon the sore, or sores, green Sage leaves till it be whole, this hath been proved and h••aled a breast so sore as it was thought uncu∣rable.

Ye must warm the water and Herb•• every ••ime ye dress the brest.

A medicine for the woman•• brests if the sore 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Mil••.

Take Mallows as ye get to be holden in a ••harger, and cut them small, and seethe them ••n a Gallon of running water, and when they ••esodden soft, put thereto a potile of the ••ro••nds ••f Ale, and a quart of white wine, ••nd two penny white loaves, cutting off the ••rusts leavened, make it thick, and put into it ••eers Sue••, or Sheeps Sue••, and lay it upon a ••lew cloth or linen cloth, and lay it warm to ••he sore brest every day as long as its sore, ••nd it shall be healed by the grace of God.

A plaister for a postume on womens Teats.

Take Linseed, and seethe it well and long 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fair running water, then take fresh Shee••s ••allow, and fry the Linseed therein, and e∣••••n as hot as ye may suffer it, lay it thereon.

Remedies for the Pthisick.

Pthisis is an ulceration of the lungs, by ••hich all the body falleth into Consumption, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 such cas••, that it wasteth all save the sl••in, y•• ••ay know him that hath a Pthisick, for ••rom 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to day he waxeh ever leaner and dryer, ••nd his hair falleth, and hath ever coug••, and ••itteth sometimes matter and bloody strings ••ithall. And if that which he spitteth be ••ut

into a bason of water, it falleth into the bot∣tom, for it is so heavy.

A remedy.

Take two o••nces of Pimpernel in powder, and thereof make an Electuary with Sugar, and use it every morning two drams with Pimpernel water three ounces. Water of Snails distilled, is proved good to them that be Pthsicke, every morning in drink, and for all them that are dry and lean.

Another.

First take a quantity of running water, and boil it half away.

The ingredients that you are to put into the composition, are two ounces of Anniseeds, one ounce of Coliander seeds, one ounce of Lique∣rice sliced, one ounce of Sugar candy, one handful of Coltsfoot, half a pound of Rai∣sins of the Sun, one quarter of a pound of ••iggs, and one handful of Liverwort, a hand∣ful of Maidenhair, a quantity of Hartstongue, and two penniworth of Dates. The composi∣tion made and put into the water, boiled hal•• a way, take it and strain it, and scum it, sweet∣en it and drink it.

For the cough and consumpt••on of the lungs.

Take Fox Lungs fresh killed, pull them from the Windepipes and the straines which hange by the same; then wash the lungs in Sack or white wine l••••ewarm three or four

times until they be clean from the blood, th••n dry them in a pot in an Oven after the ba••c•• drawn forth, so well dried, beat them to pow∣der. Take Anniseeds, Fennel seeds, Maiden hair•• of each like quantity of weight to your Fox lungs, beat all these together to fine powder, and see the s••me well mingled; take also a like weight of Liquorice, as the Fox lungs or som•• deal more, and lay it in water fourteen hour••, first clean scraped and a little bruised, then seethe your Liquorice in the same water until half be consumed, and so strain the Liquor from the Liquorice, and with the liquor seeth as much fine Sugar beaten s••all as he weight of the receit amounteth unto, till it thick like a Syrup, then put to this Syrup as it cooleth, all your powder, well stir••ing and incorporating the same altogether, and so keep it for your use. P••ohatum est.

Take the lungs of a Fox dryed, the juice of Liquerice, Maidenhair, Fennel-seed, of ••ach •• like four ounces, make it in Sugar sodden in water as much as will suffice, some make it with the juice of Myrts, and then it is com∣fortable for the stomack, this is a present re∣medy for a Consumption.

For the Phlegm and Cough.

Take an handful of Coltfoot, of Liquerice shaved and bruised two ounces, an handful of Maidenhair, of Anniseed three ounces L••t it be boiled in three pound of fou••tain ••r Spring water till half be consumed, strain it

and then put into it three ounces of white Su∣gar. Give thereof five spoonfuls for the space of eight dayes warmed.

For a Consumption.

Take Syrup of Limons half dram. Syrup of Coltsfoot Syrup of Hyssop, alike one ounce. Syrup of Liquerice one ounce. Floris Sulphuris half a scruple. Spirit of the seed of Fennel, four drops, and mix it all together.

For the Consumption.

Take a handful of Rosemary tops, a handful of red Sage, a handful of Horehound, a hand∣ful of Plantaine leaves, a handful of Hyssope, a handful of winter Savory, a pint of English hony, a pint of runing water, half a pound of blew Figs, half a pound of Raisins of the Sun, a stick of Liquerice, boil all these in a new pipkin, with a cover to it, cut them small, and put them into the pipkin, and let it boil softly un••il it be half consumed, then take and strain it through a cloth very well, then give the party four spoonfuls morning and evening.

Another excellent for the same.

Take a quarter of pure red Rosewater, put it in a pewter platter or bason, set it over a Chas∣fing dish of coales, take clean Anniseeds, and bruise them a little in a Mortar, put thereof into your Rosewater a good handful, and put

also of sliced Liquerice, bruised and tore in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 three or four stick, and as much of Par∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 roots, the pith taken out, bruised, and sliced 〈◊〉〈◊〉 put therein, then last put in a good spoon∣•••••• of the tender crops of Hys••ope, so let them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from a quart to a pint, still bruising them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a spoon as they boil, and when it is ••••fficient boiled, strain it into a glass, and take ••••ereof warm in the evening a pretty draught, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 two hours after, and before meat fast two 〈◊〉〈◊〉, use this, it hath done wonders. &c.