Medicina practica, or, Practical physick shewing the method of curing the most usual diseases happening to humane bodies ... : to which is added, the philosophick works of Hermes Trismegistus, Kalid Persicus, Geber Arabs, Artesius Longævus, Nicholas Flammel, Roger Bachon and George Ripley : all translated out of the best Latin editions into English ... : together with a singular comment upon the first book of Hermes, the most ancient of philosophers : the whole compleated in three books / by William Salmon ...

CHAP. V. Fluxes, Gripings, Wind.

I. Against Wind and Gripings in the Belly.

TAke of the Roots of Kneeholm, Elecam∣pane, Anniseeds and Fennel∣seeds, half an Ounce of each; make them all into Powder, and mix them well together, with half an Ounce of Sugar, and take every Morning of it as much as will lye on a Shilling, in Wine or Posset-Drink.

II. Against the Griping in the Guts.

Take Salt of Worm wood half a Drachm, Androma∣chus Treacle 2 Drachms, Volatile Laudanum 2 Grains; make it into a Bolus, to be taken first in the Morn∣ing, or rather last at Night. Salmon.

III. A vehement Diarrhaea, or Flux stopt.

Riverius saith, A Robust and Cholerick Man was taken in the midst of Summer with a Cholerick Diarrhaea, very violent, with extream Thirst: I (saith he) prescribed him Sal Prunellae in his ordinary drink, as also in Juleps of Lettice and Purslane Water, to be taken

thrice a day; and he recovered in 24 Hours. Almost in Imitation of this, I prescri∣bed, Sal Prunellae half a Drachm at a time, four times a day in Spring-water, well sweetned with double refined Sugar, to one that had a Vomiting, and vehe∣ment Flux; and although the Flux had continued 14 Days, and the Patient had sometimes twenty or thirty Stools a day, yet in the first day (24 Hours) the Flux was stopt, and after the se∣cond Dose the Vomiting; and in about four Days time the Patient was well, his Weakness only excepted. Salmon.

IV. Another Remedy for a Flux.

Take Madera, or Sherry∣wine, half a Pint, Sal Pru∣nellae half a Drachm; mix, dissolve, and give it three or four times a Day. This will do, though in a vehe∣ment burning Feaver. Sal∣mon.

V. A Flux with sharp matter.

Take forty or fifty Drops of our Spiritus Anodynus, two or three times a day in a Glass of Wine, or Burnt Brandy; and it will do the Cure in four or five Days. See how it is made in my Phylaxa Medicinae. Lib. 1. Cap. 13. Sect. 1. Salmon.

VI. A vehement Flux, with Vomiting.

If the Stomach be so weak, that things cannot be easily administred by the Mouth, then you must use Clysters. Take Posset-drink, or Mut∣ton Broth, or Decoction of Sage a Pint, Spirit of Wine four Ounces, Spiritus Ano∣dynus two or three Drachms, or half an Ounce; mix, and let it be exhibited once, twice, or thrice a day, as need requires. Salmon.

VII. Another for the same.

Take Canary four Oun∣ces; of our Gutte Vitae, four ty, fifty, or sixty Drops, as the Sick is in Age and Strength; mix, and give it every Night going to Bed. And if the Flux be vehe∣ment, give also this Clyster. Take Decoction of Rose∣mary or Sage, a Pint, com∣mon Spirit of Wine, four five, or six Ounces: mix

them, and exhibit it warm. Salmon.

VIII. Fluxes Cured with our Volatile Laudanum, in our Phylaxa Medicinae, Lib. I. Cap. 50. Sect. I.

Take our Volatile Lauda∣num every Night going to Bed, beginning first with a Grain or two, and so in∣creasing the Dose gradually to five, six, seven or eight Grains, and in a few Days it will do the Cure: After three or four times taking of this Medicine, 'twill be good to Purge with our Family Pills (such as you have from me, not those of Holliers making, for they are not made as I make them, nor does he know how to pre∣pare the Aloes, and some other particulars of them, as they ought to be prepared.) I advise to Purge, not first (because of weakness) but after four or five Doses of the Laudanum, because by that means the Sick will ga∣ther some Strength to en∣dure the Purging withal; and this Purging is necessary to carry off the offending Matter: And then you are to proceed in the use of the Laudanum to a Cure, which will succeed to your good liking. Salmon.

IX. Fluxes Cured with Vola∣tile Laudanum.

Take Decoction of Rue, Rosemary, or Sage, ten Ounces; common Spirit of Wine four or five Ounces; our Volatile Laudanum ten or twelve Grains: Dis∣solve the Laudanum in the Spirit, and mix it with the Decoction, and exhibit it warm once a day Clyster∣wise; it will cure in about three or four days. Salmon.

X. Griping of the Guts, and vebement Flux.

Take Rhubarb, thin sliced two Ounces, Anniseeds bruised one Ounce and half, Gentian, Cinnamon, ana half an Ounce, common Spirit of Wine a Quart: mix and make a Tincture. Dose from five Spoonfuls to eight, twice or thrice a Day: 'Tis a Medicine without an e∣qual, and the best thing in the World for Gripings in Nureses, Infants and little Children, to whom you

must proportion the Dose. Salmon.

XI. A pleasant Remedy against Fluxes.

Take Catechu, which is choice in fine Powder, three or four Ounces, common Spirit of Wine a Quart; white Sugar Candy in fine Powder three Ounces; mix them; put not in the Sugar-Candy, 'till the Catechu and Spirit has been ten Days in Digestion; then mix and dissolve. Dose from half a Spoon full to two or three, Morning and Night. Sal∣mon.

XII. Fluxes not to be stopt rashly.

Celsus saith, To be Loose for a Day is good for Ones Health, or for more, so there be no Fea∣ver, and it stop within seven Days, for the Body is Purged, and what would have done hurt is beneficially Discharged but continuance is dangerous, for sometimes it causes a Gri∣ping and Feaver, and consumes the Strength. If therefore the Strength be not too much weakned, in order to stop∣ping of a Flux, you ought first to Purge with our Fa∣mily Pills (such as come from my own Hand, not those which Hollier sells) and then to take my Guttoe Vitoe, Spiritus Anodynus, or Volatile Laudanum, (such as come from my Hand) and after eight or ten Doses, to Purge again with the Family Pills: But if the Strength of the Sick be too much weakned, you must not Purge first, but as we directed at Sect. 8. a∣foregoing. Salmon.

XIII. Stubborn Fluxes.

Take Angelus Mineralis, Grains ten or twelve, Pulp of an Apple rosted, as much as a Nutmeg; mix and give it at Night going to Bed, for eight or ten Nights; af∣ter Purge with an Infusion of Rheubarb. See the An∣gelus in my Phylaxa, Lib. I. Cap. 42. Sect. I. It takes a∣way all those Impurities (or Precipitates them) which often Creates stubborn Flux∣es. Salmon.

XIV. An Inveterate Flux, in a Scorbutick Habit.

An Inveterate Diarrhoea, or Flux, in a Scorbutick

Habit, ought not to be stopt with Astringents, nor is it easily Cured with Antiscor∣buticks. Salt of Vitriol is a good thing, for it makes re∣vulsion, and evacuates up∣wards. You may give it from one Drachm, to half an Ounce, in Posset-Drink, in the Morning Fasting. Tincture of Antimony given to sixty, eighty, or one hun∣dred Drops, in Claret-wine is good. So also our Tinctura Martis well prepared, which is preferred before all others. Salmon.

XV. Several other approved Remedies against Fluxes.

Powder of unripe Mul∣berries is an approved thing, and gratifies the Stomach. Powder of Mastick taken in Conserve of Roses, or juice of Quinces, is an excellent thing. Water thickned with Powder of Acorns, by Boyl∣ing, has Cured an Invete∣rate Flux, universalls pre∣mised. Quiddony of Sloes, ripe or un-ripe, is an ap∣proved Remedy. Riverius commends Juices of spotted Arsmart and Housleek, ana, mixt and boyled away to a third part, as a thing that never fails, though the Flux be never so Inveterate. Bees∣wax given in substance is good, but its Oyl, in a pro∣per Vehicle, of admirable use: Or this; Take Wax, boyl it in a Lixivium of Salt of Tartar, then take it out, melt it, and mix it with Chymical Oyl of Nutmegs. Dose twen∣ty Grains to half a Drachm, every Night. Tincture of Oak-bark is a prevalent thing; so also Tinctures of Balaustins, and Pomegranate Peels. Our Pulvis Bezoarti∣cus has cured several, who have been given over by many Physicians, which it did by absorbing the Acid and Virulent Humour. Nor is our Pulvis Antifebriticus, any mean Remedy. Salmon.

XVI. To Cure an extraordi∣nary Flux of the Blood.

Take Mastick in Powder one drachm, 2 hard Yolks of Eggs, temper them with good Rose-Vinegar: Or Juice of Quinces, and give it to the Patient to eat first in the Morning. By this Medicine alone, a Man was Cured of this Distemper,

who had daily 70. Stools a day, when all other means failed.

XVII. Against Gripings and Wind in the Guts.

Take Oyl of Aniseed, half a drachm; mix it with White Sugar, and in a Cup of Wine; drink it fasting it doth the Work.

XVIII. A Clyster against Pains, and Gripings in the Bowels; Dysenteria.

Take Cows Milk, one Pint; common Spirit of Wine, four ounces; Gum-Tragacanth, one drachm; the Yolks of three Eggs; Oyl of Roses, two Ounces; make it Blood warm, to the dissolving of the Gum, and so put it up. Salmon.