The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latin and compared with the French. by Tho: Johnson. Whereunto are added three tractates our of Adrianus Spigelius of the veines, arteries, & nerves, with large figures. Also a table of the bookes and chapters.

CHAP. XXIII. The cure of the Sciatica.

* 1.1THough the Sciatica be commonly occasioned by tough phlegm, yet if the patient be strong, and abound with blood, and all things else consent, it shall be good to draw blood by opening a vein; for phlebotomy equally evacuates all humors: therefore the falling down of the humors into the part affected, is thereby hindered or retarded. Verily, I have known no speedier remedy to asswage the pain of inflammation, then blood-letting, being first mace on the Basilica of the grieved side for revulsions sake; and then for evacuation of the conjunct matter on the vena Ischiadica, which is at the out-side of the ankle, if the pain of the Sciatica be more on the out-side;* 1.2 or else on the Sapheia, which is on the inside of the ankle, if the inner parts be more pained. The quantity of blood which is to be drawn, must be left to the Judgment of the Physician, without whose advice I would attempt nothing in this case. Also acrid glysters are good, if there be nothing which may hinder; as ulcers of the guts, or hemorrhoids. ℞. rad. acor. ℥ii. centaur. rut, salv. rorism. calam. origan. puleg. an. m. ss. staechad. arabic. flo. cham. melil. aneth. an. p.i. sem. anis. & faenic an. ℥ss. fiat decoctio ad lbi. in colatura dissolve hiera & diaphen. an. ℥ ss. mellis authes. sec••h. rub. an. ℥i. olei liliorum ℥iii. fiat clyster. Strong purgations are also here useful, as of pillul. faetia. arth••i∣tic. Assajereth de Hermodactylis,* 1.3 and others used in phlegmatick causes. Electuarium Diacarthami purgeth choler and phlegm. Often vomitings do not only evacuate the humors, but also make re∣vulsion, as we have formerly delivered. Baths and sweats profit no otherwise then a decoction of Guaicum or sarsaparilla. If heat molest the part, then fo••ent it with oil of roses and vinegar, es∣pecially if the pain be deep in, for vinegar by its tenuity pierceth to the bottom, and makes way for the oil, which of its own nature is anodyne. After the use of general medicines, you shall apply attractive and resolving things: emplasters of pitch and sulphur, or of ammoniacum, euphor∣bium terebinthina, propolis, galbanum, bdelium, Opopanax, draw the humor from within to the sur∣face or skin. As in like sort also the chymical oil of sage, rosemary, Pellitory of Spain, and other such like do the same, which by reason of the tenuity of their substance, and their separa∣tion from earthy impurity, have far more powerful and expedite faculties to penetrate and discuss. Yet must you use none of all these without very good judgment and deliberation, otherwise ther be danger of inflammation.

There may also be made fomentations of discussing and resolving herbs, as the roots and leavs of dane-weeds, orsis, bay and juniper-berries, the seeds of fenugreek, anis, sennel, the leaves of sage, rosemary, chamomile, melilote, elder, and the like, boiled in wine and oil; the following plaster is much commended by the antients to digest, or resolve and asswage the pain, with this which draws forth thorns, splinters, and rotten bones. ℞. sem. urtic. mundat. spumae borac. salis am∣moniaci, rad. aristoloch. rotund. colocynth terebinth. venet. an. ʒ.x. faenug. piperis longi, xylcbalsam. thur. myr∣rhae, adipis cap. gum. pini, an. ʒ.v. cerae, lbss. lactis ficus sylv. ℥ ss. ex omnibus secundum artem praeparatis cum olei liliorum, & vini generosi quantitate sufficiente fiat emplastrum. Let it be applied to the hip. Or, ℞. sinapi acerrimo aceto dissoluti, ℥ii. fermenti acris. ℥ ss. pul. hermodact. ʒii. mellis com. ℥iii. tereb. ℥iv. olei laur. & de spica. an. ℥ii. far, faenug, ℥iss. terrae formicarum cum ovis, lbi. fol. laur. salv. rut. rorism. an. m. ss. vermium. terrest. praepar. lbss. The earth with the eggs and worms shall be boiled apart with the white wine, and herbs cut in pieces, and these being strained out, the rest of the things shall be added according to art, and then it shall be applyed to the hip. Or else, ℞. rad. enul camp. sigil. salom. bryon, bismal. an. ℥ii coquantur complete & terantur, trajiciantur per setaectum, addendo farin. faenug. & hordei, an. ℥.i. olei liliorum, & chamaem. an. ℥iii. tereb. ℥iv. cerae quantum suff••cit, fiat cataplas∣ma. It resolves, asswageth pain, and calleth forth the humors to the skin. Or else, ℞. rad. sigil. be∣atae Mariae, ℥vi. empl. diachyl. albi, ʒiv. cr••ci in aqua vitae dissoluti, ℥ii. terebinth. ℥i. ••l. de spica nar••i quantum sufficit, fiat empl. Let it be spread upon leather, and applied warm. I have oftentimes sud∣denly asswaged the pain of the Sciatica,* 1.4 by putting to the pained hip the root of black Bri••ny ••ut into slices, and applyed, when the matter was cold. Or else, ℞. cerae citrin. & tereb. abiet. an. ℥ii. li∣quefiant

simul in vase duplici, & ubi refrixerint, adde pulv. hermodact. ℥ ss. flor chamaem. irid. flor. an.* 1.5 ʒiii. spicae nardi, flor. thymi, an. ʒii. interioris cinamoni elect. & semin. nasturt. an ʒii. croci, ℈iv. malaxan∣tur simul manibus axungiâ porci vetere non salità unctis, & fiat massa empl. But if the pain be not by this means asswaged, then must we come to powerful medicines, as to use great cupping-glasses applied with much flame, and to vesicatories: As, ℞. cantharid. quibus detractae sunt alae,* 1.6 ʒii. sta∣phisagr. ʒiii. sinapi. ʒiss, fermenti acerrimi ℥ ss. incorporentur simul, & fiat vesiccatorium. Also blisters may be raised by applying the inner rinde of Travellers-joy to the weight of some two drams,* 1.7 a little beneath the grieved part: you must have a care that the ulcers that remain after the skin of the blisters is taken off, do run, and be kept open for some time after, that so more of the hu∣mor contained in the part may be drawn away. But if we cannot avail by these means, we must ac∣cording to Hippocrates his counsel, come to the last and extremest remedy.* 1.8 Such (saith he) as are troubled with a long pain of the Sciatica, have their hip fall out of joint, their leg consumes, and they become lame, unless they be burnt. We have also read the same approved by Celsus.* 1.9 It is the last (saith he) and most effectual medicine in longer diseases, to cauterize with hot irons, the skin of the hip in three or four places; and then not to heal up these ulcers or fontenels as soon as may be, but to keep them open, by putting thereinto bullets of gold, or silver, or pills of gentian, or wax melted and wrought up with the powder of vitriol, mercury, and the like cathereticks, until the affect against which we use this re∣medy, be helped, for by this means many have been helped. Therefore three or four actual cauteries, or hot irons shall be so thrust in, about the joint of the hip, that they may enter into the flesh some fingers breadth, yet so that you shun the nerves. Cauteries here do good,* 1.10 for that by heating the p••t, they heat and dissolve the cold humors, they cut, attenuate, and draw forth the gross, and viscid, so that they flow out by the ulcers, together with the quitture. Over and besides, the li∣gaments are strengthned by their cicatrization, and their looseness helped; and by this means the whole part is notably corroborated.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Why we must open a vein in the Sciatica.
• * 1.2

  When the vena Ischiadica and Sopheia must be opened in the Stiatica.
• * 1.3

  Strong purga∣tions in the Sciatica.
• * 1.4

  Black briory discu••••th.
• * 1.5

  Black briony discusseth.
• * 1.6

  A strong ves••∣catory.
• * 1.7

  The inner rinde of Tra∣vellers-joy a vesicatory.
• * 1.8

  Aep. ult. sect 6.
• * 1.9

  L b. 4. cap. 22.
• * 1.10

  The use of cauteries in the Sciatica.