CHAP. X. Of the itching of the eye-lids.
MAny have their eye-lids itch vehemently by reason of salt phlegm, which often∣times excoriating and exulcerating the parts themselves, yields a sanies, which joyns together the eye-lids in the night time, as if they were glewed together, and makes them watry and bleared. This affect doth so torment the Patients, that it oft∣times makes them require the Physitians help. Wherefore general medicines being pre∣mised,* 1.1 the ulcers shall be wasned with the following Collyrium: ℞ aquae mellis in balneo mariae distillatae ℥ iij. saccari candi ʒ j. aloes lotae & in pollinem redactae ʒ ss. fiat Collyrium. Which if it do no good, you may use this which follows: ℞. Ʋng. Aegyptiac. ʒj. dissolve in aquae plantiginis quantitate sufficienti. Let the ulcerated eye-lids be touched with a soft linnen rag dipped therein, but with care that none thereof fall upon the eye. But when the Patient goes to bed, let him cause them to be anointed with the following ointment, very effectual in this case: ℞. axungiae porci & butyri recentis, an. ℥ ss. tut. praepar. ʒ ss. anti∣mon. in aqua euphrasiae praeparati, ℈ij. camphorae gra. iv. misce, & in mortario plumbeo ducantur per tres horas, conflatum indè unguentum, servetur in pyxide plumbeâ. Some commend and use certain waters fit to cleanse, drie, binde, strengthen, and absolutely free the eye-lids from itching and redness; of which this is one.
℞. aquae euphrag. foeniculi, chelidon, an. ℥ ss. sarcocol. nutritae ℈ij. vitriol. rom. ʒj. misceantur simul, & bulliant uni••â ••bullitione; postea coletur liquor, & servetur ad usum dictum. Or else, ℞. aquae ros. & vini alb. boni an. ℥iv. tut. praepar. aloes an ʒj. flor. aeni ℈ij. camphor. gra. ij. Let them be boiled according to art, and kept in a glass to wash the eye-lids. Or else, ℞. vini albi lb ss salis com. ʒ j. let them be put into a clean Barbars bason and covered, and kept there five or six days, and be stirred once a day, and let the eye-lids be touched with this liquor. Some wish that the Patients urine be kept all night in a Barbars bason, and so the Patients eye-lids be washed therewith. Verily in this affect we must not fear the use of acrid medicines, for I once saw a woman of fifty years of age,* 1.2 who washed her ey-lids when they itched, with the sharpest vinegar she could get, and affirmed that she found better success of this then of any other medicine. Vigo prescribes a water, whose efficacie above other medicins in this affect, he saith, hath been proved; and that it is to be esteemed more worth then gold, the descri∣ption thereof is thus: ℞. aq. ros. vini albi odoriferi mediocris vinofitatis, an. ℥iiij. myrobalan ci∣trini trit. ʒj ss. thuris ʒij. bulliant omnia simul usque ad consumptionem tertiae partis; deinde im∣mediatè addantur flores aeris ℈ij. camph. gr. ij. Let the liquor be kept in a glass well stopped for the foresaid use.