VArious is the way, and manner of Purging, accor∣ding to the variety of the humor offending; con∣cerning which, take these few and brief Rules, which may serve you as a Candle and Lanthorn to light you through the dark mist of your ignorance, which Physiti∣ans have envelupted you in, till such time as the Sun of Light begin to rise upon you.
- 1. If the humors be to be drawn from remote parts of the Body, as the Head, Arms, Feet, or the like, let the Purge be made up in a hard form as Pills are, for by that means it staies the longer in the Body, and is in all reason therefore the better able to perform its Office.
- 2. If the afflicting humor lie in the Bowels, or parts adjacent, use liquid Medicines, for they operate speediest, and the Bowels are soon hurt by Purging Medicines.
- 3. The infusion of such Medicines as leave a binding quality behind them, or their Decoction is most fitting to be used, for it is the earthy (quality of them which binds, much of which is cast away in an Infusion or Decoction, but all of it taken if you take the body of the simple.
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Such Purging Medicines as do leave a binding qua∣lity behind them, the chiefest of them are these, Aloes, Wormwood, Damask Roses, Rhubarb, Rhapontick, all the five sorts of Myrobalans, Prunes, Tamarinds, &c.
If the matter be tough, viseous, and long 〈◊〉〈◊〉, it is impossible to carry it away all at once, your way then is to take gentle Purges, and take them often; for if the Purge be too strong, it will weaken Nature so, that the House (I mean the Body) will fall down before you can clense it of the filth; and of such a Nature usu∣ally is Melancholly.
As for the Doses of Purges it is impossible to prescribe such general Rules, but they must of necessity do far more harm than good, for particulars you may if you please find them, in the first part of the Book concerning Simples, and in that part concerning Compounds.