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Of the Cramp or Convulsion of the Sinews and Muscles.

A Convulsion or Cramp, is a forcible and painful contraction or drawing together of the sinews and muscles, which do happen sometime through the whole body, and sometime but in one part or member only. And according as the body may be diversly drawn, so do the Phy∣sitians, and also mine Authors that write of Horse-leech-craft, give it divers names. For if the body be drawn forward, then they call it in Greek, Emprosthotonos; in Latine, Tensio ad an∣teriora. And if the body be drawn back, it is called in Greek, Opisthotonos; in Latine, Tensio ad posteriora.

But if the body he stark and strait, bowing neither forward, nor backward, then it is called simply in Greek, Tetanos; in Latine, Distensio or Rigor: which names also are applyed to the like Convulsions of the neck. Notwithstanding, Vegetius writing of this disease, entituleth his chapters de Roborosis, a strange tearm, and not to be found again in any other Author: A Convulsion, as I said before, may chance as well to one part or member of the body, as to the whole body: as to the eye, to the skin of the fore head, to the roots of the tongue, to the jaws, to the lips, to the arm, hand or leg: that is to say, whensoever the sinew or muscle serving to the moving of that part, is evill affe∣cted or grieved▪ Of which Convulsions, though there be many divers causes: yet Hippocrates bring∣eth them all into two: that is to say, into fulness and emptiness: for when a Convulsion proceedeth either of some inflamation of superfluous eating or drinking, or for lack of due purgation, or of overmuch rest and lack of exercise, all such causes are to be referred to repletion or fulness. But if a Convulsion come by means of over-much purging or bleeding, or much watching, extream labour, long fasting; or by wounding or pricking of the sinews, then all such causes are to be referred unto emptiness. And if the Convulsion proceed of fulness, it chanceth suddenly, and all at once; but if of emptiness, then it cometh by little and little, and leisurely.

Besides these kindes of Convulsions, there is also chancing many times in a mans fingers, legs and toes, another kinde of Convulsion, which may be called a windy Convulsion, for that it proceeds of some gross or tough vapour, entred into the branches of the sinews, which maketh them to swell like a Lute string in moist weather, which though it be very painful for the time, yet it may be soon driven away; by chasing or rubbing the member grieved with a warm cloth. And this kinde of Con∣vulsion or Cramp chanceth also many times to a Horses hinder-legs standing in the stable.

For I have seen some my self, that have had one of their hinder-legs drawn up with the Cramp almost to the belly so stiffe and hard, as no man hath been able to stir it, neither could the Horse him∣self set it down to the ground of a long season, which I think might be soon remedied: first by con∣tinual chasing, fretting, or rubbing his legs with a good wispe, and then by tying up the other hinder-leg, or else the foreleg on the sore side, whereby he should be forced to set down the pained leg: Thus far I have discoursed of the Convulsion of sinews, and of the causes thereof, according to the opini∣ons of the learned Physitians. Now I will briefly shew you the causes, signes, and cure thereof, ac∣cording to the doctrine of mine Authors that write of Horse-leech-craft.

Absyrtus saith, that this disease doth come, either by driving the Horse into a sweat when he halt∣eth, or for that he hath troden upon some nail, or by taking cold after journeying and sweating in Winter season, whereby his lips are clung together, or by long lying and rest after sweating, where∣by the sinews of his fore-legs be nummed, or by having some stripe of his privy members; or by long travelling in the cold Mountains, where Snow and Ice doth abound. For Theomnestus writeth, that coming out of Paeonia, with the King and his Army, and passing over the Mountains to go into 〈…〉〈…〉ly there fell such abundance of Snow, as not only many Souldiers dyed, sitting still on their Horses backs, with their Weapons in their hands, being so stark and stiffe, and cleaving so fast to their Saddles, as they could not easily be pulled out of them: but also divers Horses in their go∣ing were so nummed as they could not bow their legs: yea and some were found stark dead, stand∣ing still on their feet, and few Horses or none escaped at that time free from this Convulsion of si∣news, insomuch that Theomnestus his own Horse which he loved dearly, was sore vexed therewith. The signes to know whether a Horse be troubled with the Convulsion in the sinews or not, be these:

His head and neck will be so stiffe and stark, as he can bow it no manner of way, his ears will stand right up, and his eyes will be hollow in his head, and the fleshy parts thereof in the great corners, will be turned backward; his lips will be clung fast together, so as he cannot open his mouth, and his tongue so nummed as he can neither eat nor drink; his back-bone and tail will be so stiffe, as he can∣not move it one way nor other and his legs so stiffe, as they will not bow, and being laid he is not able to rise, and specially on his hinder-legs, but falleth down on his buttocks, like a Dog when he sitteth on the ground; and by means of the Convulsion in his back, his bladder also for neighbour-hood sake, suffereth, whereby the Horse cannot stale, but with great pain: The cure.

Put him into a sweat, either by burying him all save the head in some warm dunghill; or it he be a Horse of price, carry him into a hot house, where is no smoke, and let him sweat there. Then an∣oint all his body, head, neck, legs, and all, with Oyl of Cypres, and Oyl of Bay mingled together. Or else with one of these Ointments: Take of Hogs grease two pound, of Turpentine half a pound, of Pepper beaten in powder one dram, of new Wax one pound, of old Oyl two pound; boil all these together, and being made very warm, anoint all his body therewith. Or else with this Oint∣ment: Take of new Wax one pound, of Turpentine four ounces, of Oyl-de-bay as much, of Opo∣panax two ounces, of Deers sewet and Oyl of Storax, of each three ounces, melt all these together, and anoint all his body therewith.

It is good also to bath his head with the decoction of Fitches, or else of Lupines, and make him this drink: Take twenty grains of long Pepper, finely beaten into powder, of Cedar two ounces, of Ni∣tre one ounce, of Laserpitium as much as a Bean, and mingle all these together with a sufficient quan∣tity of white Wine; and give him thereof to drink a quart every morning and evening, for the space of three or four days; or else this drink: Take of Opopanax two ounces, of Storax three ounces, of Gentian three ounces, of Manna Succary three ounces, of Myrrhe one scruple, of long Pepper two scruples, give him this with old Wine: or make him a drink of Laserpitium, Cumin, A ••ise seed, Fenigreek, Bay-berries, and old Oyl.

In old time they were wont to let him bloud in the Temples, which Absyrtus doth not allow, saying, that it will cause the sinews of his lips to dry up, so as the Horse being not able to move them, shall pine for hunger. As touching his diet, give him at the first warm mashes, and such soft meat as he may easily get down, and wet Hay, bringing him to harder food by little and little. And in any case, let him be kept very warm, and ridden or walked once a day to exercise his legs and limbs. Theomnestus cured his Horse, as he saith, by placing him in a warm stable, and by making a clear fire without any smoke round about him; and the Horse not being able to open his jaws of him∣self, he caused his mouth to be opened, and put therein sops dipt in a confection called Entrigon con∣ditum, and also anointed all his body with a Medicine or Ointment called Acopum (the making whereof hereafter followeth) dissolved in Cypres Oyl, which made him to fall into a sweat, and being before half dead and more, brought him again to his feeling and moving, so as he did rise and eat his meat.