Praxis catholica, or, The countryman's universal remedy wherein is plainly and briefly laid down the nature, matter, manner, place and cure of most diseases, incident to the body of man, not hitherto discovered, whereby any one of an ordinary capacity may apprehend the true cause of his distempers, wherein his cure consists, and the means to effect it : together with rules how to order children in that most violent disease of vomiting and looseness, &c. : useful likewise for seamen and travellers : also an account of an imcomparable powder for wounds or hurts which cure any ordinary ones at once dressing / written by Robert Couch ... ; now published with divers useful additions (for publick benefit) by Chr. Pack ...

Flatus Hypochond. or Windy Me∣lancholy.

ANd likewise there is the Windy Me∣lancholy, that many, both Men and Women in this Country are troubled with, (especially those that live near the Sea) I will not say, that if the party hath been

troubled with it above a year, it is not to be cured; but I never knew it cured: Though this Powder of mine is the best thing that ever I used for it, it gives them speedy ease, and much corrects the sharp∣ness of the Malady. And one that hath not been above a year troubled with it, it cures them at once taking. And be∣cause this Distemper bears an affinity with some other flatuous and windy Distempers, I shall treat of their causes together; as Coliack and Illiack Passion with a windy Pleurisie and Tympany.

These are called windy Distempers (though very improperly) neither Air or Wind are the cause of any of them.

Cause.

Negatively, not Air or Wind that is breathed into us, nor from any windiness that is in Meat or Drink, that is the cause of those Distempers; but positively from some malign or putrefactive or dungy quality that is contained in them, or from a vitious quality or debility of the digestive Ferment, or from Excrements detained beyond their due order.

There is in every Vegetive an aiery spi∣rit

[or Gas] which doth defend and pre∣serve it from putrefaction, and endea∣vours its subsistence in its primitive es∣sence and figure, which suffering a Fermen∣tation is evaporated and exhaled.

EXAMPLE.

As in New Wine, after it comes into the Cellars, it passeth another Fermenta∣tion.

Likewise a Raisin of the Sun, when the aiery spirit which was in the Grape is se∣parated from its concrete Body, the Grape contracts it self, and taketh a new Fer∣ment of Raisin.

Also we see in an Apple, when it is roasted at the Fire, this aiery Gas is exha∣led, which was co-fermented with the Ap∣ple.

In like manner all things that begin to putrefie, this aiery Spirit parts from them, and then they take another Ferment. As in poysons, when their venemous sharp quality seiseth on the Muscles, this aiery Blas flies from them, whence the Body tu∣mifies and swells so: as we see in Bodies that die through putrefaction, a little be∣fore they die, how they are oppressed

with this Wind, which doth puff up their Bodies after they are dead.

The windy Blast is made chiefly in those three places, the Stomach, Ilion and Colon.

From the Stomach proceeds this windy Melancholy (as they call it) and most of those Flatulent Distempers, for whenso∣ever any thing is not well digested in the Stomach, this Blast is presently made, as we see in this Distemper; whatsoever they eat or drink, how they belch for it, and are worse commonly after they have eaten, than they were before; which doth clear∣ly demonstrate, that the principal defect is in the Stomach, and therefore not from the meat they eat, but from the vicious∣ness or defective Ferment; for let another eat and drink of the same, it doth not di∣sturb them at all. And to talk of windy Meats, is but a meer Chymera: there are no Meats or Drinks windy to good and healthful stomachs; too great repletion doth likewise stir up, and cause this win∣dyness in the stomach.

By the favour of belchings you may understand the temper of the Stomach.

Sour Belchings betokeneth a weak sto∣mach.

Unsavory sheweth a weaker.

Burntish, bitter and sharp ones, pro∣ceed from a vicious stomach.

There are some Specifical, which give their own savour, as Garlick, Onions, Radishes, &c.

I could say much more to vindicate the Spleen from having a hand in those flatu∣lent Distempers,* 1.1 as also that air or wind that we received from without, is not the cause whereof they are made. But lest I should make my Book outswell an Enchyridion. I do pass it in silence: and desiring to be in∣genious and faithful to all, and not willing to write the least thing that I were not convinced of the truth of, nor give you the least occasion to say that I extol this incomparable Medicine beyond its merit; wherefore I must confess what's truth; I never knew them really cured in my life, if they were habitual, and of a long continuance;* 1.2 nor in∣deed is there any Disease, if once it be familiar to nature, that is of easie curation. I could wish, for the sakes of those that are troubled with these Maladies, that I had such a sure

Remedy to cure them after long continu∣ance, as this powder is to prevent them when they are in the beginning, and the surest to bring the greatest help at last.

I would not willingly be mistaken by a∣ny one, nor have him to abuse his judg∣ment, as to think he may be as soon well of an old and chronical Distemper, as of one that hath newly taken possession of the body. To proceed,

This Disease hath great affinity with the Scurvy, and therefore the same Medicines are proper for both.

℞ of Crabs-eyes prepared two drams, Tar∣tar Vitriolated a Scruple, Flowers of Sal Ar∣moniack a dram, Confection of Alkermes without Musk three drams, Conserve of Gar∣den Scurvy Grass three ounces, mix them into an Electuary, of which let the patient take e∣very morning and evening a dram and a half, or two drams upon an empty stomach, that is, let him fast an hour after it in the morning, and take it three hours after supper.

Strong Purges are injurious in this Di∣sease; but after the use of the aforesaid Electuary, you may purge with the follow∣ing Powder: ℞ Cream of Tartar fifteen Grains, Salt of Wormwood and Scurvy Grass

each ten Grains, Rosin of Scammony eight, nine, or ten grains, powder and mix them, and give it in the morning in a little warm Posset drink.

The Elixir Proprietatis of Paracelsus is highly profitable in this Disease, being ta∣ken three times a day in a Glass of Sherry Wine fifteen, sixteen or twenty drops at a time. So is also the Volatile Salt of Amber, being taken to fifteen grains twice a day in warm Broth. But amongst all the Remedies I know, I assure you I ne∣ver found any of that efficacy in this Di∣sease as my Balsamick Pill, for that de∣stroys the sharp putrefactive Ferment discusseth all windyness, refresheth the spirits, and takes away melancholy.

Notes

• * 1.1

  If you would be better satis∣fied, read Doctor High∣more, de affecti∣one Hypochond. fol. 105.
• * 1.2

  Quo diuturnus eo difficilis.