The anatomy of human bodies, comprehending the most modern discoveries and curiosities in that art to which is added a particular treatise of the small-pox & measles : together with several practical observations and experienced cures ... / written in Latin by Ijsbrand de Diemerbroeck ... ; translated from the last and most correct and full edition of the same, by William Salmon ...

OBSERVATION XCI. A Bastard Ague.

A Daughter of Captain Rifflaer, about six Years of Age, had been troubled a long time, with a disorderly kind of Ague, yet not very vehement, which took her sometimes in the Forenoon, sometimes after Dinner, sometimes at Night, sometimes every day, sometimes every other day; she looked black and blew about the Eyes; slept unquietly, had her Belly swelled and distended; rubbed her Nose often but com∣plained of no pain, from these signs I conjectured that crude and Fleg∣matic Humors were putrified in the lower Region of her Belly, which caused the Ague, and that moreover she might have Worms in her Belly; now in regard she was very squeamish and would take nothing that was bitter, I gave her ℈j. of Mercurius Dulcis which gave her five or six Stools, that brought away much viscous and slimy Matter, and three or four large Worms; the three days following I ordered her to take a dose of the following Powder, Morning and Evening, in which time she voided eight Worms.

℞. Harts-horn, burnt Coral prepared, an. ℈iiij. Sugar-candy ʒij. to be divided into six equal Doses.

Afterwards when I observed her Ague, and the distension of her Belly to continue in the same condition, I gave her again ℈j. of Mercurius Ducis, which after it had given her six Stools, she found her self better, the next three days she would take nothing; the fourth day I got

her to take Mercurius Dulcis again, which after she had voided much viscous and watry Matter, but without Worms, the distension and tu∣mour of her Belly went off together with her Ague, and she recovered her former Health.

ANNOTATIONS.

IN these Cases I have frequently with success made use of Mercurius Dulcis: and though several eminent Physitians disapprove the use of it, as too dange∣rous, yet so it be well prepared, I ne∣ver observed that it did any harm in moist Bodies. For dry Constitutions it is not thought so proper, and there∣fore to such I either give other Physic, or mix other Purgatives with it, that it may be the sooner expelled out of the Body. Thus Simeon Iacoz, gave xii. gr. of it mixed with gr. v. of Diagridion to a Child of four Years of Age, which within two hours brought away twenty Worms. And indeed it is a most ex∣cellent Remedy against Worms in the Belly; for it not only kills and expels the Worms, but brings away the the cause that breeds them; therefore says Sebastian Strommayien, there is no such Remedy to be found; for it falls upon all manner of Worms bred in our Bodies, speedily, safely and pleasantly, and by a certain Specific quality utterly ex∣pels them: which Experience has suffi∣ciently made manifest. Sometimes in∣stead thereof ℈ j. of Jalap pulverized; or less according to the Age of the Pa∣tient, which is an insipid Medicine and and not displeasing to the Taste, which gently Purges away the Cause of Worms and Agues joyned together. Rondeletius extols Electuary Diacarthamum, as a powerful Remedy to expel Worms and Purge away Flegm, and the corrupt Chy∣lus that breeds and nourishes Worms. Others commend Diaturbith with Rhu∣barb. For such as can take ill tasted Phy∣sic Hiera Picra, or Aloes alone is an excellent Remedy, given in Pills. Dodo∣neus tells us of a Woman of forty Years of Age suddenly taken with terrible gripings in her Stomach, that upon taking Hiera Picra voided forty Worms; and the same Vertue have all Medicaments, wherewith Aloes is mix∣ed. Benivenius writes of one that after he had taken a Composition of Aloes, Myrrh and Saffron, voided forty eight Worms. Crato recommends these Pills that follow.

℞. Aloes Rosat. ℥ j. choice Mirrh. ʒ j. Make them into Pills, the Dose ʒ s.

Plater commends these,

℞. Aloes, ʒij. Myrrh, ʒj. Worm-seed ℈j. Make them into a Mass with juice of Wormwood or Gentian, the dose from, ʒs. to ʒj.

Sennertus prescribes these,

℞. Aloes, ℈j. Rhubarb. ℈ij. Myrrh, ℈ s. Trochischs of Alhandal, gr. iij. Powder of Coral, ʒ s. Make them into twenty two Pills with juice of Worm∣wood. The Dose for Children ℈j.

To destroy all Matter and Nutriment of VVorms in the Guts there is not any better Remedy to be found, then for the Patient to swallow once a VVeek one ℈. of Aloes Succotrine; for Aloes has a peculi∣ar occult quality to Purge and cleanse the extream Parts of the Guts. This is the opinion of Mercurialis in his own Words; but I usually order a ʒ or two of Rhubarb to be put into a little bag, and hung up in the ordinary drink which the Patient drinks; and by that means I both expel the Worms and the cause of the Worms.

Saxonia and Solenander with many others extol the Decoction of Sebesten, in ʒiiij: of which Crato macerates, ʒj. of Rhubarb and gives the straining to drink; Rhubarb also given in substance is a great enemy to the Worms; and Dodoneus voids them with this Powder.

℞ Worm-seed ʒj. Shavings of Hearts∣horn, Citron-seed, and Sorrel-seed, an. ℈j. Rhubarb, ʒij. Make them into a Powder, the Dose, ʒ j.

Riverius takes,

℞. Powder of Rhubarb, and Coral, an. ʒs.

Duretus prescribed this,

℞. Chosen Rhubarb, Wormwood, Sea Wormwood, Shavings of Harts-horn, an. ʒiij. Make them into a Powder Dose ʒj. with the Decoction of Scordium.

This as we have tried, says he, excells all the rest. Lastly Antonius Cermisonius as a most destroying expelling Remedy against the Worms, prescribes a Glister of ʒ x. of Goats Milk, and ʒij. of Honey.