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. VII. What drink the patient infected ought to use.

IF the fever be great and burning, the patient must abstain from wine, unless that he be subject to swounding: and he may drink the Oxymel following in stead thereof.

Take of fair water, three quarts; wherein boil four ounces, of hony until the third part be consumed, scumming it continually; then strain it, and put it into a clean vessel, and add thereto four ounces of vinegar, and as much cinnamon as will suffice to give it a tast. Or else a sugred water as followeth. Take two quarts of fair water; of hard sugar; six ounces, of Cinnamon, two ounces; strain it through a woollen bag or cloth without any boiling; and when the patient will use it, put thereto a little of the juice of Citrons. The syrup of the juice of Citrons excelleth a∣mongst all others that are used against the pestilence.

The use of the Julip following is also very wholsome. Take of the juice of Sorrel well clarified half a pinte; of the juice of Lettuce so clarified, four ounces; of the best hard sugar, one pound; boil them together to a perfection; then let them be strained and clarified, adding a little be∣fore the end, a little vinegar, and so let it be used between meals with boiled water, or with equal portions of the water of Sorrel, Lettuce, Scabious and Bugloss: or take of this former described Julip strained and clarified four ounces; let it be mixed with one pound of the fore-named cordial waters, and boil them together a little. And when they are taken from the fire, put thereto of yel∣low Sanders one dram; of beaten Cinnamon half a dram; strain it through a cloth: when it is cold, let it be given the patient to drink with the juice of Citrons.

Those that have been accustomed to drink sider, perry, bear or ale, ought to use that drink still, so that it be clear, transparent, and thin, and made of those fruits that are somewhat tart; for trou∣bled and dreggish drink doth not only engender gross humors, but also crudities, windiness, and obstructions of the first region of the body, whereof comes a fever.

Oxycrate being given in manner following, doth asswage the heat of the fever, and repress the putrefaction of the humors, and the fierceness of the venom, and also expelleth the water through the veins, if so be that the patients are not troubled with spitting of blood, cough, yexing, and altogether weak of stomach, for such must avoid tart things.

Take of fair water, one quart; of white or red vinegar three ounces; of fine sugar, four ounces; of syrup of Roses, two ounces: boil them a little, and then give rhe patient thereof to drink. Or take of the juice of Limmons and Citrons, of each half an ounce; of the juice of sowr Pomgranats, two ounces; of the water of Sorrel and Roses, of each an ounce; of fair water boiled, as much as shall suffice: make thereof a Julip, and use it between meals. Or take the syrup of Limmons and of red currans, of each one ounce; of the water of Lillies, four ounces; of fair water boyled, half a pinte; make thereof a Julip. Or take of the syrups of water-Lillies and vinegar, of each half an ounce; dissolve it in five ounces of the water of Sorrel, of fair water one pinte; make thereof a Julip.

But if the patient be young, and have a strong and good stomach, and cholerick by nature, I think it not unmeet for him to drink a full and large draught of fountain-water; for that is effectu∣al to restrain and quench the heat of the Fever; and contrariwise, they that drink cold water of∣ten, and a very small quantity at a time, as the Smith doth sprinkle water on the fire at his Forge, do increase the heat and burning, and thereby make it endure the longer. Therefore by the judgment of Celsus, when the disease is in the chief increase, and the patient hath endured thirst for the space of three or four daies, cold water must be given unto him in great quantity, so that he may drink past his satiety, that when his belly and stomach are filled beyond measure, and sufficiently cooled, he may vomit.

Some do not drink so much thereof as may cause them to vomit, but do drink even unto satiety and so use it for a cooling medicine; but when either of these is done, the patient must be cove∣red with many cloaths, and so placed that he may sleep; and for the most part after long thirst and watching, and after long fulness, and long, and great heat, sound sleep cometh; by which great sweat is sent out, and that is a present help.

But thirst must sometimes be quenched with little pieces of Melons, Gourds, Cucumbers, with the leaves of Lettuce, Sorrel, and Purslain, made moist or soaked in cold water, or with a little square piece of a Citron, Limmon, or Orange macerated in Rose-water, and sprinkled with Sugar, and so held in the mouth, and then changed.

But if the patient be aged, his strength weak, flegmatick by nature, and given to wine, when the state of the Fever is somewhat past, and the chief heat beginning to asswage, he may drink wine very much allayed at his meat; for to restore his strength, and to supply the want of the w••••••ed spirits. The patient ought not by any means to suffer great thirst, but must mitigate it by drinking, or else allay it by washing his mouth with oxycrate and such like; and he may therein also w••sh his hands and his face, for that doth recreate the strength. If the flux or lask trouble him, he may very well use to drink steeled water, and also boiled milk, wherein many stones coming 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not out of the fire have been many times quenched. For the driness and roughness of the mouth, it is very good to have a cooling, moistening and lenifying lotion of the mucilaginous water of the infusion of the seeds of Quinces, psilium, id est, Flea-wort, adding thereto a little Camphire, with the Water of Plantain and Roses; then cleanse and wipe out the filth, and then moisten the mouth, by holding therein a little oil of sweet Almonds mixed with a little syrup of Violets. If the roughness breed or degenerate into ulcers, they must be touched with the water of the infusion of sublimate, or Aqua fortis.

But because we have formerly made frequent mention of drinking of water, I have here thought good to speak somewhat of the choice and goodness of waters. The choice of waters is not to be neglected, because a great part of our diet depends thereon; for besides that we use it either alone or mixed with wine for drink, we also knead bread, boil meat, and make broths therewith. Ma∣ny think that rain-water which falls in summer, and is kept in a cistern well placed and made, is the wholesomest of all. Then next thereto they judge that spring water which runs out of the tops of mountains, through rocks, cliffs and stones: in the third place they put Well-water, or that which riseth from the foots of hills. Also the river-water is good, that is taken out of the midst or stream. Lake or pond-water is the worst, especially if it stand still, for such is fruitful of and sto∣red with many venomous creatures, as Snakes, Toads, and the like. That which comes by the melting of Snow and Ice is very ill, by reason of the too refrigerating faculty and earthly nature; But of Spring and Well-waters these are to be judged the best, which are insipid, without smell, and colour; such as are clear, warmish in winter, and cold in summer, which are quickly hot, and quickly cold, that is, which are most light, in which all manner of puls, turnips, and the like, are easily and quickly boiled. Lastly, when as such as usually drink thereof, have clear voices and shril, their chests sound, and a lively and fresh colour in their faces.

Notes

• An Oxymel.
• A Julip.
• The commo∣dities of oxy∣crate.
• To whom hurtfull.
• The drinking of cold water whom and when profita∣ble.
• Lib. 3. cap. 7.
• For driness or roughness of the mouth▪
• For the Ulcers thereof.
• The choice of waters.
• Hip. sect. 5▪ ••∣phor. 26.