The surgeons mate or Military & domestique surgery Discouering faithfully & plainly ye method and order of ye surgeons chest, ye uses of the instruments, the vertues and operations of ye medicines, with ye exact cures of wounds made by gunshott, and otherwise as namely: wounds, apos fumes, ulcers, fistula's, fractures, dislocations, with ye most easie & safest wayes of amputation or dismembring. The cures of the scuruey, of ye fluxes of ye belly, of ye collicke and iliaca passio, of tenasmus and exitus ani, and of the calenture, with A treatise of ye cure of ye plague. Published for the service of his Ma. tie and of the com:wealth. By John Woodall Mr. in chyrurgerie.

Accidental signes, which in this disease commonly presage death to the partie, are these that follow.

Namely, when the Patient is possessed with sounding and fain∣tings, with cold and clammie sweats, often changing of the counte∣nance, vomiting of slimie, sharp, and ill-coloured flegme, either greenish, yellowish, blackish, or bloud-coloured sanies; or avoiding of Excrements disordered, and discoloured, either fattie, blackish, unctious, or unnaturally, stinking, Convulsions, Contractions, of the Nerves, graveling and pidling with the fingers, plucking up the Bed∣clothes; a sudden flux of the belly of stinking matter, of rustie or greenish colour; a sudden going back of an Apostume, Carbuncle, or Bubo; also when the Patient is insensible of the departure of his Urine, and Excrements.

And yet to Gods glory I here affirme, that notwithstanding the aforesaid signes, or some one of them, I have seene, I say, some one or more of the afore-named symptomes appear, and that the sicke hath even in mans judgment bin as at the point of death; and yet neverthelesse, by breathing of a Veine, or giving of a good Dia∣phoretick Cordial, the partie hath bin recovered, and lived. Where∣fore I would advise the discreet Surgeon, that dare adventure his person in such cases, not to leave doing of good to his Patient by all rationall administrations and applications, so long as life appear∣eth.

And one comfort is to the Patient and Surgeon in this disease before and beyond all others, that having once overcome the Feaver so that the blessing of health but appeareth, by appetite and com∣petent rest, or the like cheareful fignes: no sores heal faster then Pestilential Sores doe. And yet per contra, I have also had too much experience in the curing of the diseased of the Plague, that it is generally the ungratefulnesse recompensed of all other diseases,

to the poore and hardie Surgeon: Namely, fot that he when he hath recovered his Patient, for the most part is loathed, shunned, and avoided, not onely of his Friends and Patients, but for his ha∣zard, cost, and care, is so under-valued, that sometime, but for presu∣ming to tell his Patients, after he hath recovered them, that they had the Plague, he hazardeth the future losse of their favours, yea, and sometimes, under favour, hath his owne house shut up, to make him amends withall.

Wherefore such ungratefulnesse hath made me, in my old age, to call to mind the motto of Paracelsus, that most famous Artist, for∣merly repeated.

Alterius non sit, qui suus est potest;

Let him not be anothers, that can be his owne.

And yet I confesse, I neither can nor will refraine in one good way, or another, to be doing good in my calling, by Medicines or Advice, both in general and particular, in that or any other disease, so long as God doth give me life and health, with strength thereunto, maugre the ingratitude of the unworthiest sort of them.

Quia nos non nobis nati sumus;

Because we were not bome for our selves.

And it is just and laudable for every worthy Surgeon to be knowne, by walking fairely and blamelesse in his Calling, and namely, by doing good at all seasons, although with some personall hazard now and then, for that he is therefore ordained by the Almightie to be ever ready, ad omne quare, upon every occasion; which who so truly ob∣serveth, shall be blessed.

For to this end every Artist, yea and every Christian man is ordain∣ed, and also commanded by the holy Apostle S. Paul, in these words, to doe good, and distribute; Forget not, for with such sacrifice the Lord is well pleased: and S. Iames saith, that it is true Religion, to visit the Fatherlesse and widow in their adversities, &c. And even the ex∣cellencie of the Calling of Surgeons should incite them to zeale where they can, as well without reward as for reward, where poverty is, and need requireth.

Notes

• Signes that pre∣sage death.
• The convenience of thė cure.
• The inconveni∣ence.