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.

Certain Rules and Observations to be regarded, concerning the curing of the infected of the Plague.

* 1.1 IN which, the first point is, that he be put in minde of his duty to God, and that with penitent heart he crave mercy of him.

Secondly, that he take the advice of the best learned he can have, and that he follow their directions: but if he want better counsel, let him observe as followeth.

* 1.2 First, if his body be very costive, namely, if he have had no stool in two daies, or at the least the day before he falleth sick, let him in the first place take a Suppository; and if it procure him not a stool, let him take another within one half houre; and if that do no good, let him take a very gentle Glister: but beware of taking any Purgation or Laxative whatsoever by the mouth to be received, as I have in several places said, at the beginning of the disease;* 1.3 but open a Vein rather, if learned advice order it: or, which is safest, take a Medicine to cause sweat; and if he be scanted of time, sweat first, and take a Suppository after the sweating Medicines have done, for it is dangerous to delay sweating any time. And if* 1.4 he have it let his Cordial be Aurum Vitae, eight graines.

But in case the disease prove to be the Plague, if the party be full of blood, and the sicknesse begin with him hot, and have but newly taken hold of him, and also that he be couragious and willing there∣unto,* 1.5 open him the fullest Vein you can find in his arm, on that side he most complaines on, and take six, seven, or eight ounces, if no rising appear, and lay him to sweat within one hour after, for∣bidding him to sleep, as he tendreth his life: but if he be fearfull, dull, sleepy, shivering, or yawning, or have any such signes* 1.6 before the bleeding, or that any Tumnur appear, then forbear Plebotomy at the first, and presently give him a Diaphoretick, or sweat-provoking Medicine, or antidote, one of those formerly named; and let him be layd in Bed, and well covered over head* 1.7 and all, and so provoked to sweat, by all the reasonable meanes that may be: And in any case, let him not be suffered to sleep,* 1.8 during the time of his sweating, no, not in two houres after the taking of his first Cordial, without you see extraordinary good signes of health in him.

* 1.9 And you may continue him sweating gently three or four houres, or lesse time, according to his strength, and then withdraw the clothes * 1.10 by a little and a little: but yet keep him in a breathing manner warm, though not sweating much, somewhat longer; which done, drie him and shift him with fresh clothes, well warmed: And if he keep his Medicine, and sweat well, there is very good hopes, or rather little fear of him at all; but if he cast it, there is not so much hope: yet give him another sweating Medicine, and a third, if he cast the second, striving to please his taste in what you may with his Medi∣cines; and when he hath sweat well, and is reasonably cooled, then may you let him sit upon his bed, and give him some Posset∣drink, or a small cup of Beer warmed, or some Broth, or some few stewed Prunes, or some conserves, as of Quinces, or Barberries: then if you find him not lightsome, and his head-ache and com∣plaints not eased, give a second sweating Medicine to the former, after four or five houres distance, and keep him lying in bed, and in a breathing or gentle sweating manner almost half a day after: and aboot ten or twelve houres after his Cordial given, or sooner, if you see reason, you may suffer him to sleep; but first, it is not amisse to give him some warm Broth, as is said to refresh him.

* 1.11 And if the Patient be unapt to sweat, let Bottles of very hot wa∣ter be filled, and put to his one side, and at his feet; or hot Bricks, somewhat quenched wirh water, and then wrapped with wet clothes, and layd to his side and feet, covering as well his face as any other part, leaving him but a sufficient breathing place onely; and be sure he sweat lying on the one side, and not on his back: and he must be very careful to lye still, and keep his armes in bed all the time of his sweating; or that he have warm sleeves to defend them from cold,

* 1.12 And yet again, if any evill signes appear to you, give him as afore, more Diaphoretick or sweating Medicines, untill you see by the lightnesse, chearfulnesse, and good signes in the sick, with good perswasion, that the venemous vapours which caused the disease, be almost or altogether spent; or that the Botch, Blain, Carbuncle, or spots come forth: For if the outward signes appear upon his sweatings, or that he be chearful, and that no outward markes do appear, in either of these two cases there is great hope of his well∣doing.

Wherefore I wish, as if often rehearsed, that all men begin be∣times* 1.13 to use Remedies, whilest strength of Nature is ready at hand.

For those which do take a good Cordial, that causeth sweat at the very first, seldome have any outward Sores or markes at all; and if they have, they are light, small, and easily healed: and when you find the danger of the person past, or venome of the sicknesse is spent, and the party chearful; then, and not before, may you, having

good advice, purge; but I hold it safer to forbear Laxatives even then also.

* 1.14 For you must note, that if you purge, if there be any venomoús quality in the body at all left, as is said, you draw it to the centre of the body, namely, to the heart, and so double the danger; and for the rest of the cure, no man can prescribe what in each body shall be fitting by any one general rule, for that one person is seldome taken as an∣other, in that fearful disease.

Onely take this one thing for a rule of comfort in general, that this disease commonly is swift, and is short, and doth begin and end in a moneth commonly at the utmost; for it is termed but the disease of one Moon: if the party be likely to live, and the danger of death for the time over, no Apostumes, Boyles, or Sores whatsoever do heal* 1.15 faster, nor sooner, then those of that disease of the Plague do, when the fury of the Feaver is once past. For the disease is a Feaver, like to a furious storm, short and terrible; but the fury once over, it is the calmest of all contagious diseases whatsoever, and the easiest to be healed, far better then the French Pox.

And moreover, note one thing elsewhere mentioned; in all cordial Medicines and Julips, there is not a safer nor better thing to resist the putrefaction and venom, to comfort the head and the stomach, and* 1.16 to quench thirst, then is Oyl of Vitriol, so you use it warily; but you must be very wary, that to one draught of Drink, or Julip, you put not above four, or rather but three drops; and using it but a very little at a time, you may use it the oftner, and the safer: otherwise, there is some danger therein.

* 1.17 You shall know the goodnesse of this Oyl, by the clearnesse thereof, and by the weight thereof, for if it be as clear as Rock-water, and pon∣derous almost as Lead, then is it very good. By my will, I would never give any Purge, nor any Cordial without it, if I could have it; for I have found it, by much practice to be very precious.

Also, if you do take the quantity of one ounce of conserve of Ro∣ses, and about eight small or single drops of Oyl of Vitriol, and mix them exceeding well▪ and give the Patient a little thereof to eat, or at the least to keep in his mouth now and then, in the time of his sicknesse, it is exceeding cooling and comfortable for him, and quencheth thirst singular well.

* 1.18 And you shall find much the more profit in it, if you adde Salt of Wormwood thereto (as is said elsewhere) either one Scruple, or half a Drachme for a Dose, according to the strength of the sick, and ve∣hemency* 1.19 of the disease; for it mightily encreaseth the force of the other Medicine, in provoking of sweat, and refresheth the spirits. Sal-Niter is also good, if the disease proceed of a not cause, a like Dose given.

* 1.20 And note further, one observation generally to be had in mind by the attenders of the sick, that they give the Patients leave ever freely to put their arms out of the bed both night and day, except in the times

of sweating; and to that end, be careful to provide them Wastcoats, Sleeves, or, at the least, the legs of old Hose, or any mean thing to the poorer sort, to keep their arms warm.

For my self know by experience of my own body, when I had the Plague, and so since of many others that have been under my cure, how comfortable a freedom it is for a sick man to have leave to spread and cast out his arms; and how uncomfortable a thraldome and im∣prisonment it is for a poor weak man, by his Keeper, to be forced to keep his arms in the bed, or in any one certain position: Wherefore the attenders of the sick ought to have judgment and commiseration, I mean, a fellow-feeling of the infirmities of the sick, and chiefly, in this most fierce disease of the Plague.

[ 1] Note also, that in Summer, when the Sicknesse beginneth hot or burning, in the Drinks that you give your Patients, whether Antidotes or Cordials, that you ever use Wine Vineger a spoonful or two, where you do not use Oyl of Vitriol; but if you have oyl of Vitriol, it far exceedeth Vineger, as is often said.

[ 2] Also note especially, in the house where a Child is infected, that great care be had to keep the Children from him: for there is a farre greater sympathetical danger betwixt Children, then betwixt Men and Women; which daily experience sheweth.

[ 3] Note also, that for Infants and tender Women, Andromach. or Ve∣nice Treacle is a good Medicine, as it is made, by the view and order of the Colledge of Physicians of London; and in want of it, which my self would as soon take, good London Treacle, if it be also truly made, according to the prescription, and by the view of the said Reverend Doctours of the Colledge of London: I hold it a most fit Medicine;* 1.21 and the rather, for that it is of taste easie to be taken in: but the quan∣tity at a time to be taken of it, must be as is said: to the strongest may safely be given, ʒ. ij. which is about the weight of eighteen pence in money at a time; and to a Child, about 3 pence, or 6 pence, or 9 pence weight, according to their several ages and capacities: and also, if you can, and that you have convenience, it is good that you remove the sick Patient sometimes from one Bed to another, where convenience, means, and ability is; and that you use sprinkling the Rooms with Wine Vineger sometimes, as is said, where it may be had.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Directions for the infected.
• * 1.2

  How to order the bodies of ••he infect••d.
• * 1.3

  Pu••ging dange∣rous.
• * 1.4

  Sweating not to be delayed.
• * 1.5

  Letting blood necessary in some respects.
• * 1.6

  Sleeping dange∣rous after blood∣letting.
• * 1.7

  Observations in sweating.
• * 1.8

  Not to sleep in sweating.
• * 1.9

  Of the time of sweating, how long.
• * 1.10

  How to be orde∣red in sweat∣ing, and after∣ward.
• * 1.11

  Meanes to pro∣voke sweat.
• * 1.12

  A second Dia∣phoretick to be administred. Yet by unwar∣ranted fear be not too forward to reiterate •• sweating M••di∣••ines too quick.
• * 1.13

  R••midies not to be delayed.
• * 1.14

  A note of the danger of pur∣ging.
• * 1.15

  Of the sudden care of the Plague.
• * 1.16

  Of the good use and danger of Oyl of Vi∣triol.
• * 1.17

  The choyce of it.
• * 1.18

  The vertue of Salt of Worm∣wood.
• * 1.19

  The Dose.
• * 1.20

  Things to be observed by the attenders of the sick.
• * 1.21

  The Dose of Theriac. An∣dromach, to a child.