The true preserver and restorer of health being a choice collection of select and experienced remedies for all distempers incident to men, women, and children : selected from and experienced by the most famous physicians and chyrurgeons in Europe : together with Excellent directions for cookery ... : with the description of an ingenious and useful engin for dressing of meat and for distilling th[e] choicest cordial waters with-out wood coals, candle or oyl : published for the publick good / by G. Hartman.

CHAP. XVIII. Select Remedies against the PLURISIE.

An Infallible Remedy for a Plurisie, Experienced by Mr. Trear, a Famous Chirurgeon, and also by Dr. Tresfel.

TAke a Pippin, open it at the Top, & take out the Core; then fill it with white Frankincense; then stop it again close with the piece you took out at the top, and roast it in hot Ashes; then beat it to Mash, and let the Patient eat it.

Another Approved Remedy for the same.

Take three of the biggest round Balls of Horse-Dung, break them in pieces, and boil them in a quart of white Wine, till a pint is con∣sumed; then strain it, and sweeten it with Su∣gar;

and let the Patient drink a good draught of it, and keep him warm in his Bed.

Another very Excellent Remedy for the same.

Let the Patient drink a good Glass-full of the Juice of Chervil, which is a great purifier of the Blood. It hath cured many.

Another Remedy for the Plurisie, in case Bleeding cannot be admitted.

Take fine wheat-flower, make and bake a Cake of it, which cut through the middle, part∣ing one side from the other, and spread upon the Crumb of each of them Treacle or Mithri∣date, and apply each side of the halves to each side of the Patient; and use at the same time the Drink made of the Horse-Dung, boild ei∣ther in Wine or strong Ale. Stone-Horse dung is best.

A Purge for the Plurisie.

Take half an ounce of Sena, French Barley and Liquoras, of each an ounce; Raisins, Ta∣marins, and Maidenhair, of each half an ounce, Violet and Strawberry-Leaves, of each an hand∣ful; boil all of them in a Pottle of water to a quart; then strain it, and drink a draught there∣of every Morning for four or five days toge∣ther; and if you have not four or five Stools in

a day, take another Draught at two in the Af∣ternoon.

For the Cramp.

Take Oil of Earth-worms, and anoint the Hams well therewith, the Calves of the Legs, and under the Knees forward.

Another.

Take a fresh Eel, flay it, and dry the Skin, and tie it about the place afflicted, or put it over the place, between the Blanket and Sheet, when you are laid in Bed.

Another for the same.

Take Bawm and Rosemary, of each a hand∣ful, shred them very small, and chop or stamp them; then put them in a Dish upon a Chafing∣dish of Coals, cover the Dish with another; and when the Herbs are very hot, apply them to the place afflicted.

For the Falling of the Ʋvula, which some call the Palat of the Mouth.

Sir Kenelm Digby says it is an infallible Re∣medy for the Falling of the Ʋvula, to do thus: Gag your self with the Joint of your Thumb, whose one end joyneth to the Hand,

and the other is the middle Juncture of the Thumb: let your two Rows of Teeth rest up∣on these two ends of that Joint, so as to make you gape wide; keep your self gaping thus as long as you can, all the while sucking in your Breath. When you are weary, take out your Thumb and rest; then repeat it again, and ••••st again when you are weary; you shall not have done so twice, but your Ʋvula will be restored to its due place.