The store-house of physical practice being a general treatise of the causes and signs of all diseases afflicting human bodies : together with the shortest, plainest and safest way of curing them, by method, medicine and diet : to which is added, for the benefit of young practicers, several choice forms of medicines used by the London physicians / by John Pechey ...

CHAP. CXVI. Of a Rheumatism.

THIS Disease comes at any time, but especially in the Autumn, and it chiefly seizes those that are in the flower of their Age, and it begins most com∣monly upon the following occasion, viz. the Sick catches Cold after having been much heated with violent Exer∣cise, or any other way. It begins with Shaking, and Shivering and Heat, Restlessness, Thirst, and the other unhappy train of Symptoms which accompany Fevers, follow, after a day or two, and sometimes sooner, the Sick is seized with a violent pain sometimes in one Limb, sometimes in another in the Wrists, Shoulders, Knees especially, which changing place, seizes them by turns, redness and swelling remaining in the part which was last affected.

There is another sort of this Disease, though it is commonly thought of another kind, it may be properly called Lumbago Rheumatica, viz. a violent and fixed pain about the region of the Loins, which sometimes reaching to the Os sacrum, resembles the Stone in the Kidnies, only the Sick does not vomit. This violent pain, unless it be removed in the same manner the for∣mer is, lasts as long, and is full as painful.

Having seriously considered that this Disease arises from an Inflammation, I thought it was probable it might be cured by a simple cooling Diet moderately nourishing, as well as by Bleeding repeated, and a Whey-diet I found did as well as Bleeding.

Mr. Malthus, an Apothecary, an honest and ingeni∣ous Man, was seized violently with a Rheumatism; and because he was of a weakly and dry habit of Body, I was afraid he would not be able to bear large Bleed∣ing; and therefore I ordered, That he should be di∣eted with Whey alone for four days: Afterwards, be∣sides

the Whey, I allowed him white Bread for Dinner; being contented with this Diet, he continued it for 18 days, only at last he eat Bread for Supper also. He drank daily four quarts of Whey; afterwards, when he went abroad, he eat Chicken, and other things of easy digestion; but every third day he was dieted with Whey only, till he was quite well.

But how well soever a Whey-diet may agree with young People, and with those that live temperately, it is not safe to treat old People so, or such as have too much addicted themselves a long while to Wine, and other spirituous Liquors, for in such it will weaken the Sto∣mach and chill the Blood, and so cause a Dropsie. In this case, therefore, it is necessary to bleed twice or thrice, and after the second, or at most after the third Bleeding, to purge very often till all the Symptoms quite cease with Lenitives, as with Tamarinds, Sena, Rhubarb, Manna and syrup of Roses solutive; and you must give, every night after Purging, one ounce of Diacodium, somewhat earlier than is usual.

But here we must take notice of a Symptom like a Rheumatism, which also sometimes resembles a nephri∣tick pain, but it proceeds from an Ague, and must be cur'd as that is.

There is also another sort of Rheumatism which comes near the Scurvy, and requires in a manner the same Cure; and, therefore, I call it a scorbutick Rheu∣matism; the pain seizes sometimes this, sometimes that part, but seldom swells; nor is it accompanied with a Fever, nor is it so fixt, but is of a more wandering and uncertain disposition, and accompanied with irregular Symptoms: Sometimes it seizes this or that Member, and then presently it affects only the inner Parts, and occa∣sions Sickness, which goes off again, when the pain of the external Parts returns, and so afflicts the Patient by turns, and continues a long while like those Diseases that are accounted most Chronical, it chiefly seizes Women, and Men of a weakly nature.

They who for a long while have us'd the Peruvian-bark are subject to this Disease, which, by the by, is the only inconvenience I ••ver knew follow upon the use of this Remedy; but, however it be, whether the

Disease take its rise on this occasion, or from any other cause, 'tis very easily cur'd by the following Re∣medies; which should have been kept secret, if I had a greater regard to my private Advantage than to the publick Good; for by these alone, I have cured many Afflicted after the manner I have described.

Take of fresh Conserve of Garden scurvy-grass, two ounces, of Wood-sorrel, one ounce, of the compound Powder of Wake-robin, six drachms; make an Ele∣ctuary, with a sufficient quantity of syrup of Oran∣ges. The dose is two drachms, to be taken thrice a day for a month, drinking upon it three ounces of the following Water.

Take of Garden scurvy-grass, eight handfuls, of Water-cresses, Brook-lime, Sage and Mint, each four hand∣fuls, of the peels of six Oranges, of Nutmegs bruised half an ounce; infuse them in six quarts of Bruns∣wick-mum, and distil them in a common Still, and draw off three quarts for use. The precise dose of the compound Powder of Wake-robin must be observed, or, at least, it must not be les∣sened.