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A Palpitation is a Symptom of the Heart, namely an elevation and depression of it preternaturally caused by wind, and it is more dangerous then another palpitation, because the part is most noble. For if it be strong, or last
long, it so weakens the vital faculty, that it turns to fainting or sudden death. Therefore presently strengthen the Heart with good Diet and Physick, discuss wind, and remove the cause. Let the air be clear, hot and dry, not stinking or cloudy: make it so by art, if it be not naturally clear, and sweet by sweet cordial things. Let him abstain from strong passions of mind, chiefly from sudden fear and shamefulness, and from much Wine (but moderate doth well) and Venery, and sleep in the day, cold drink, and from all things mentioned in the Chapter of prevention. Keep the Belly loose by Clysters, or Suppositories.
Take Marsh-mallow roots two ounees, the five Emollients, each a handful; Aniseeds an ounce, Chamomil flowers a pugil, Agarick, Senna, each four drams: boil them, to a pint strained add Dia∣catholicon, red Sugar, each an ounce; Hiera with Honey half an ounce, Oyl of Chamomil, Dill, each two ounces; Salt a dram: make a Clyster. Or make a Suppository of boiled Honey, and a scruple of Hiera simple; or for the tender sort make one of the Yolk of an Egg and Salt, a Candles end, a Fig turned inside outward, or the like: All know (I suppose) that little food is to be used, not too moist or windy, of good juyce, and easie concoction, chiefly roasted with Hy∣sop, Fennel, Balm, Borage, Cloves, and other hot and dry Cordials. Some object against
bleeding that it weakens the vital strength, which is weak before; nor can the disease be cured by it, being not in the blood: but I an∣swer with Galen lib. de loc. affect. 5. that bleed∣ing is a wonderful help in all Palpitations. And he saith, that this palpitation comes often sud∣denly upon young and old, without any mani∣fest accident, and bleeding doth always good to such, and cures them if they use an extenua∣ting diet afterwards. For bleeding doth good, more by revulsion of humours from the Heart, then weak and attracting by its motion, then by any other way, in regard there is then a cold distemper, and the wind is cold. Open there∣fore the Liver-vein in the right Arm, and bleed by degrees for revulsion; except there be any hindrance from age, strength, or the like. Then use extenuating Diet and cutting Medicines that expel wind, to correct the cold distemper of the Heart, and strengthen it, and consume flegm that breeds wind, and stir up natural heat, and restore the animal and natural actions. Let Medicines be hot, and such as strengthen the vitals, as Diacinamomum, Diacalaminthum, Dianisum, Aromaticum rosatum, Diamoschu dulce and amarum, Mithridate, Treacle, with Wine, or in Electuaries. As,
Take Citron peels candied an ounce and half, Conserve of Borage flowers an ounce, Aromaticum rosatum a dram, Diamoschu dulce, Diacalaminth,
each two scruples; Citron and Melon seeds blanch∣ed, each half a dram; red Coral and Coriander seeds, each a scruple; with Syrup of Borage make an Electuary: give as much as a Walnut in Wine three hours before meat. Or make these Lo∣zenges.
Take Aromaticum rosatum, Electuary of Bay-berries, each half a dram; Cardamoms, Citron seeds, and red Coral, each half a scruple; Diacy∣minum a scruple: make Lozenges with Sugar dissolved in Balm water of a dram weight: give one three hours before meat, and another at bed-time, with four ounces of Wine: or this Hippocras.
Take white Sugar four ounces, Cinnamon three drams, Ginger half a dram, Electuary of Bay-berries and grains, each two scruples; strong Wine two pints. Filter it, or give every day four hours before meat half a dram of Treacle, with Wine wherein Mace and Cinnamon are boiled. Anoint the Heart, or make an Epithem of Oyl of Spike with Amber and Musk; or with Wine in which Balm, Rosemary, Cummin, Bay-berries were boiled, with Oyl of sweet Almonds, and Cloves powdered, Nutmeg and Cinnamon. This is for the richer sort.
Take water of Balm and Citron flowers, each half a pint; Sack three ounces, Mace, Cloves, Nutmegs, each a dram; Diambra four scruples, Citron and Basil seed, each two drams; Saffron a
scruple: make an Epithem, apply it hot before meat. Or use this Bag.
Take Rosemary flowers, Borage and Chamomil flowers, each a pugil; Citron seeds, Wood Aloes, Cinnamon, each a dram; Cloves, Cubebs, Car∣damoms, each half a dram; Saffron a scruple. Beat them gross, and make a quilted Bag, sprin∣kle it with Sack, and apply it to the Heart. Thus must you cure a palpitation only from wind without a cause that feeds it. If there be gross flegm that breeds the wind, first prepare thus.
Take Balm, Borage, Bettony, Calamints, Rose∣mary, each half an handful; Stoechas, Peach flo∣wers, each a pugil; Aniseeds, Cardamoms, each two drams; Raisons stoned a pugil. Bruise them, and steep them twelve hours in Rhenish Wine and Balm-water, each half a pint in a glass; then boil them in Balneo Mariae three hours, stopping the glass. Clarifie it, and add Syrup of Citron peels and Bysants, each two ounces; cordial Species a dram: give it for four mor∣nings. Then purge thus.
Take Agarick a dram and half, Ginger half a dram. Infuse them twelve hours in the decoction of Balm, Dodder, Calamints, and Hysop: then give it three or four boils, and strain it, add to four ounces an ounce of Syrup of Stoechas, Elect. Indi. maj. Benedicta laxativa, each two drams: give it at five in the morning. If the matter be so clammy and thick, that these will not do, pre∣pare
it four days longer with such as do more extenuate and cut, as with Oxymels, Syrup of the five Roots, water of Balm, Scabious, Hysop, or with the Decoction of Organ, Calamints, Hy∣sop, Pennyroyal, Bettony, Rosemary; or give with the Syrups two scruples of Treacle or Mi∣thridate, or a dram of Dianisum or Diacala∣mints, and then purge against thus.
Take Turbith a dram, Diagredium two grains, Ginger half a dram, Sugar two drams. Powder them, give it with Chicken-broth: in the mor∣ning after these preparatives and purges, give the former strengtheners. If the wind that causeth palpitation come from a melancholy humour, as in the Hypochondriack Melancholy, prepare it with Syrup of Fumitory, Apples, juyce of Borage, Epithymum, or of Citron peels in the Decoction of Fumitory, Pennyroyal, Bo∣rage, Dodder, tops of Hops, Wormwood, roots of Polypody and Bugloss: and purge with con∣fection of Hamec, Diasena, and Diacatholicon: or with the Syrup of John Montanus that is very excellent, which is here described.
Take of all the Myrobalans, each half an ounce; Polypody, Senna, Epithymum, each an ounce; Liquorish, Cloves, seeds of Citrons, each two drams; black Hellebore half an ounce. Bruise and steep the Myrobalans twenty four hours in seven pints of Fumitory water, or in seven pints of the juyce: then add the rest, and boil them to half,
strain, and divide it into six parts, and add to each of Syrup of Fumitory an ounce and half, Syrup of Citron peels half an ounce, so that there be six ounces of the Decoction, and two of Syrups. This is Montanus his Apozem against Melancholy. Give the other things mentioned, Electuaries and Lozenges, and Epithems in the order before mentioned.