Enchiridion medicum, or, A manual of physick being a compendium of the whole art, in three parts ... : wherein is briefly shewed 1. the names, 2. the derivation, 3. the causes, 4. the signs, 5. the prognosticks, and 6. a rational method of cure ... / by Robert Johnson, Med. professor.

CHAP. XIV. Of the Scurvy, and Hypochondriack Suffoca∣tion, commonly called the Fits of the Mother.

THE Scurvy being a Hypochondriack disease, it will not be amiss to treat of them together.

The Scurvy is called in Latin Scorbutus; it is a Complication, or Concatenation of Diseases, generated by the Conjunction of divers Causes contributing to a scorbutick Deformity.

The Scurvy is generated, or planted essen∣tially in the vital Principles, or digestive Offices, and therefore it is not discerned by sense, but the effects are distributed through∣out the Body, and are augmented more or less, according to the strength and debility of parts, to resist or consent and be de∣praved.

The Hypochondriack suffocation is called in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, vel quod ad Hypochondria pertinet, vel sub cartilagine fita sit.

It is called by the Latins Hypochondriaca melancholia.

The Ancients thought that this was an uterine disease, in quibus mulieres uteri fuffo∣catione

laborant; and therefore it was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and in Latin morbus Hystericus, vel Hysterica passio; and in English 'tis called Fits of the Mother; it being most subject to Women, from the suppression of their month∣ly Courses.

But because men are also molested with longing, and suffer often both the Sense and Disease of Suffocation, especially when they become Cachectick, or of ill habit of Body: and also they are cured with the same medi∣cines, that Women are cured with, when they are vexed with this distemper, there∣fore I think this suffocation may be more properly called Hypochondriacal.

It may be called the Mother of the Scurvy, because the vital Principles (in this disease) are seduced to declension and deviation from their rectitude, the digestive offices being all depraved.

The causes of these diseases are either ex∣ternal, or internal.

The external, are sometimes a sedentary studious, and melancholy life, by which the vital Principles do receive much prejudice, decay and fall off from their functions, and become languid and feeble; also the Air be∣ing infested with noxious Vapours, is a pro∣curing cause of these distempers; for such Air being drawn into the Body by inspirati∣on, doth commix with the spirits, and de∣bilitate

and deprave the faculties, from whence Scorbutick and Hypochondriack effects do ensue; and as the Body is per∣spirable or impervious, these diseases are more or less varied, and remitted in their Symp∣toms; and therefore the constipation of the pores, prohibiting transpiration, is a parti∣al organical cause of preternatural Spots in the Scurvy, which appear chiefly upon the Thighs and Legs; not from the gra∣vity of the material cause, and ponde∣rous propension of gross matter downwards; but because those parts are more weak in their assimilation, being remote from sup∣ply of vital Spirits, therefore they have the first tokens of defection.

The internal Cause is a vitious quality of all the humours, and also of the Animal spirits, which are confus'd with the bloud, and communicate their faultiness to it, by which the bloud is also vitiated, so that the nourishment of the Body is deprav'd several ways, according to the variety of the quality peccant; in which the colour of the native Skin, and especially of the face languisheth, and is changed pale.

In these diseases, not onely the appetite of food, but its fermentation is also deprav'd; wherefore Anxieties about the Midriff and Hypochondries, and a pressing pain of the Heart will soon follow.

For when the food is ill fermented, and driven forward through the small Gut, it is confus'd with the Juice of the Pancreas and Choler, which are a like vitious, the Pan∣creatick juice being too sharp and acrid, and the Bile over thick and salt; from whence the separation of usefull and unusefull parts, is not onely corrupted, but also by the vitious Effervescency of these humours, are rais'd manifold halituous Vapours, which do not onely increase the fore describ'd Anxiety, but being carried to the Heart do breed a Palpitation of it, whence it circu∣lates through the Lungs, and causeth a dif∣ficulty of breathing, and thence being dri∣ven every way, it causeth a weariness in all parts of the Body; and if an Acrimony of the humours do concur, then it is manifested internally with pain.

The cause of the inordinate effervescency of Bloud, in the Hypochondriack suffocation, is not onely the unequal flowing of Lympha, but also of the Liquour rising out of the threefold humours, vitiously effervescing in the small Gut, from whence vitious Va∣pours are sent to the right Ventricle of the Heart, and procure a great Confusion, and disturbance in it; hence followeth a notable Palpitation of the Heart, by which some∣times the Effervescency of Bloud seemeth to cease in the right Ventricle for a time, with

its motion and pulse, and also respiration is taken away to outward sense.

The symptoms and signs of these diseases are very many, yet are never seen to con∣cur in one and the same Body.

The usual signs are pain of the Head, pal∣pitation of the Heart, puffing up of the Sto∣mach, Loathing, Vomiting, Belching, Hic∣ket, Cough, Tumour and Putrefaction of the Gums, with much spitting; looseness and blackness of the Teeth, and sometimes great pain in them; the breath stinketh, and is sometimes fetched with much difficulty; also Convulsions, Palsie, Gout, Dropsies, and all other obstructions; sometimes the Co∣lick, and trembling and looseness of the Lims, with red purple spots dispersed; also the Pleurisie, pain of the Hypochondries, and also of many of the external parts, as the Neck, Arms, Hands, Thighs, Legs, Feet and Anckles, with laziness, and often faint sweats; there is also sometimes malign Ul∣cers, dry hard Tubercles, Erisipelas and Ede∣matous tumours with many others, which to enumerate, were to comprehend an uni∣versal Genus of Atomes, within a very nar∣row Limitation.

1. These diseases (for the most part) are of long continuance, and are seldom cured, and therefore may be called the disgrace of Physicians.

2. If the Patient hath a continual pain and giddiness of the Head, it doth threaten an Epilepsie, or Apoplexy.

3. The more aged the sick are, the more grievous are the Symptoms, and the more dangerous and difficult to be cured.

4. Vomiting, Flux of the Belly, and He∣morrhoids, if they are moderate, are hope∣full signs of recovery.

In some Regions, these diseases are com∣plicated with most other distempers, or at least do easily degenerate into them, by which they are rendred the more difficult of curation.

As for the Cure of these stubborn and re∣bellious diseases, the sick must observe a good diet, without which Physical means will profit but little; and here we may also ob∣serve, that no Aliments, or Medicines (whe∣ther altering or purging) will be very profi∣table, unless specifick Antiscorbuticks be mixed with them.

The best Antiscorbutick simples, are the Roots of Horse-radish, Butter-bur, Liquo∣rish, Dandelion, Scorzonera, China, Zedoary, Angelica, Elicampane, Polypodium, the five opening Roots; the Wood and Bark of Gui∣acum and Sassaphras, the Herbs Scordium, Scurvigrass, Brook-lime, Water-cresses, Sor∣rel, Rue, Fennel, Golden-rod and Penny-royal; Fruits of Oranges, Limmons, Pom∣citrons,

Pomgranates, Apples, &c. Seeds of Mustard, Angelica, Radish and Juniper-berries, cum-multis aliis; of which may be prepared diversity of good medicines both Chymical and Galenical.

The volatile Salts both of Animals, and Vegetables, are excellent to open all obstruc∣tions, and temper the humours; Also Elix∣ir proprietatis, the Spirit of Salt Armoniack, Horse-radish and Scurvigrass, the Spirit of Niter and of Salt dulcified, Salt of Steel, Wormwood, and Tartar, Oil of Juniper, Cloves, and Cinamon, are all Specifick Antiscorbuticks.

The Hypochondriack suffocation having great affinity with the Scurvy, the same medicines are proper for both.

The following Julep is both Diaphoretick, and Diuretick, and very profitable for the sick in these diseases, to be taken two or three days in a week.

Take the Waters of Penny-royal, Scurvi∣grass, Treacle, Syrup of the juice of Fennel, of each two ounces; Tincture of Castor, half an ounce; Oils of Amber, Mace, and Cloves, of each six drops; Spirit of Salt Ar∣moniack, twenty drops; mix it, and give three spoonfulls every two or three hours.

This Electuary may also be prefer'd.

Take of Conserves of Scurvigrass, three ounces; Confectio Alkermes, half an ounce;

Powder of Crabs-eyes, two drachms; Flow∣ers of Salt Armoniack, Tarter vitriolated, of each half a drachm; Spirit of Castor one drachm; Oil of Cloves twenty drops; mix it, and give two drachms morning and evening.

After the frequent use of this Electuary, you may purge with this Powder.

Take Powder of Cream of Tartar, half a drachm; Salts of Wormwood, Amber, Scurvigrass, Resin of Scammony, of each ten grains; mix it for two doses.

If the Patient like Pills better, these may serve. For Example.

Take Extract. Catholicon, Rudii, of each ten grains; Resin of Jallop, Agarick, Salt Armoniack, of each six grains; Oils of Am∣ber, Cloves, of each two drops; make it in∣to eight Pills, for two doses.

A Medicinal Wine may be prepar'd very effectual in these distempers.

Take of Water-cresses, Brook-lime, Scur∣vigrass, Rue, of each one handfull; Roots of Polypodium, Jallop, Horse-radish, Angeli∣ca, Cream of Tartar, of each half an ounce; white Nettle-seed, one ounce; Orange-peel, Cinamon, Salt of Tartar, of each two drachms; let them be cleansed, bruised and infused, in three quarts of White-wine, for two or three days, then strain it, and give four spoonfulls in the morning fasting.

In the Hypochondriack suffocation, you

may often hold to the Nostrils, a glass with a narrow mouth, containing the Spirit of Salt Armoniack; for by its sharp smell, the sick for the most part are wont to be rais'd, both from that suffocation, and from the Epilepsie.

If the Gums are putrified, let the mouth be washed with the following Tincture, mix∣ed with some Plantain water, and Syrup of Mulberries.

Take Powder of Gum Lacca, one ounce; burnt Alome half an ounce; the small Spi∣rit of Salt Armoniack, one quart; let them digest together 'till it be of a red colour, then filtrate it through brown paper, and keep it for use.

If the sick hath a costive Body, you may administer a Carminative Clyster once or twice a week.

In pains of the Belly and Hypochondries, this linament is effectual.

Take Oils of Earth-worms, Scurvigrass, Chamomel, of each one ounce; Oil of Mace by expression half an ounce; mix it, with which anoint the parts affected.

This Antiscorbutick water will be very profitable, to be taken two or three spoon∣fulls at a time, morning and evening.

Take the Barks of Ash, and Capers, the Roots of Tamarisk, Polypodium, Horse-radish, of each three ounces; Water-cresses, Scurvi∣grass,

Brook-lime, Sorrel, Centaury the less, Harts tongue, of each four handfulls; Ber∣ries of Bays and Juniper, Goose-dung, of each one ounce; the Seeds of Citrons, Mus∣tard, Carduus benedictus, Cloves, Cinamon, Nutmegs, Ginger, of each half an ounce; let them be cleansed, bruised and digested, in one Gallon of White-wine, and two quarts of Spirit of wine, being close covered for three days; then distill them with a glass Still according to art, and keep it for your use.

Frictions, Ligatures, Ventoses, Sternuta∣tories, &c. are all profitable to stir up the sick in the Hypochondriack suffocation.

Notes

• Hypo∣chondri∣acus.
• Causes.
• Progn.
• Cure.
• Julep.
• Electuary.
• Purging Powder.
• Medicinal Wine.
• Tincture.
• Linament
• Water a∣gainst the Scurvy.