Chymical secrets and rare experiments in physick & philosophy with figures collected and experimented / by the Honourable and learned Sir Kenelm Digby ...

Directions for the Use of these Silver Pills.

THey are a Specifick against the Dropsie, the Patient is to take one of them at six or seven of the Clock in the Morning, ta∣king some Broath about two hours after it with eight or ten drops of Spirit of Salt in it. Their Operation is by Stools, and by Urine; you must continue it until the Cure be perfected. Note, That if the Patient be weak, he must take the Pill but once in two days, and in all Broaths and Drink, he ought to take some Dose of Spirit of Salt, as is said above. If there be need of Sweat∣ing, you must use some dry Stoves, and give him always of the following Salts: Take Salt of Urine, Salt of Worm-wood, ana &ounce;ij. add half a Scruple of Oyl of Amber, and as much of Spirit of Urine, with ʒij. of fine Sugar; mix all well together in a Glass or Stone Mortar, whereof give ℈iv. for a Dose in half a Glass of White-wine when the Pa∣tient is Sweating in the dry Stove, and not in a Bath of Water: And every third day you must repeat this Remedy, and he will be

Cured within three days. The evacuation is by abundance of Sweat and Urine.

Hartman.) I cannot omit to relate here a Story, which I have often heard Sir Ke∣nelm Digby tell concerning a Famous Cure of a desperate Dropsie, done by Dr. Farrar up∣on an eminent Lord, who was over-grown with the Dropsie, his Belly and Stomach swel∣led to a Prodigious bigness, and was given over by the ablest Physicians as incurable. Sir K. D. made the bargain between the Lord and the Doctor, who was to have five hundred pounds for the Cure: But when the Lord was Cured, he would give the Doctor no more than three hundred pounds, saying, that five hundred pounds was too much money, and that all the Ingredients he used could not stand him in twenty shillings. The Remedies were thus: Having first well purged the Patient with some fit Purge (as of Iallap, Manna, Sena) to carry away watry humours, he gave him the following Broth. A moderate Broth was made of Mutton, Chickens, and Capon, or Hen, but not Veal; the Broth was not strong of the Meat, nor too weak, but such as the Patient might drink all the day, for he was to drink no other Liquor; they made but about a pottle of Broth at a time, for it would not keep: And for this quantity they took a Gallon of Water, into

which the Doctor put above a handful of Garlick, and Rosemary, Penyroyal, Thyme, Sweet-marjoram, Fennel-roots, Parsley-roots, as also Currans, and a sufficient quantity of Salt. And after some days taking the Broth, they put into every draught of the Broth (the Patient took) above a spoonful of the crude juice of Garlick, stamped and pressed out. But if you cannot bear always to drink this Broth, then use the following De∣coction: Take Sarsaparilla &ounce;xij. China-roots &ounce;v. Sassafras &ounce;iij. Cut all these very small, and pour upon them Spring-water, to three fingers breadth above the Ingredients, and let them infuse over a soft fire the space of four hours; then throw away this Water, and stamp the Ingredients in a Stone Mortar with a wooden Pestle: Then pour upon them ten quarts of Fountain-water, and boyl it in a Vessel close stopped, till four quarts of it be consumed: Of this Decoction let the Pa∣tient drink, without any other drink but the Garlick Broth.