CHAP. XV. Of Sarcoticks.
THat medicine is said to be sarcotick, which by its driness helps nature to regenerate flesh in an ulcer hollow, and diligently cleansed from all excrements. But this is properly done by blood indifferent in quality and quantity. Wherefore, if we must speak accor∣ding to the truth of the thing, there is no medicine which can properly and truly be called sar∣cotick: For those which vulgarly go under that name, are only accidentally such; as those which without biting and erosion do dry up and deterge the excrements of an ulcer, which hinder the endeavour of nature in generating of flesh. For as by the law of nature, from that nourishment which flows to the nourishing of the part, there is a remain, or a certain thin excrement, flowing from some other place, called by the greeks Ichor, and by the Latins Sanies: Thus by the corrupti∣on of the part there concretes another grosser excrement, termed Rypos by the Greeks, and Sordes by the Latins. That makes the ulcer more moist, this more filthy. Hence it is, that every wound which requires restitution of the lost substance, must be cured with two sorts of medicines, the one to dry up and waste the superflous humidity thereof, the other to fetch off the filth: and by how much the wound is the deeper, by so much it requires more liquid medicines, that so they may the more easily enter into every part thereof.
But diversity of things shall be appointed according to the various temper of the part. For if the affected part shall be moist by nature, such things shall be chosen as shall be less drie: if on the contrary the part be drie, then such things shall be used as be more drie; but many sorts of medicines shall be associated with the sarcoticks, according to the manifold complication of the affects possessing the ulcer. Therefore nature only is to be accounted the workmaster, and the efficient cause in the regenerating of flesh, and laudable blood the material cause, and the medicine the helping or assisting cause, or rather the cause without which it cannot be: as that by cleansing and moderately drying without any vehement heat takes away all hinderances of incarnation, and orders and fits the blood to receive the form of flesh. This kinde of medicine according to Ga∣len, ought to be drie only in the first degree, lest, by too much driness, it might drink up the blood and matter of the future flesh▪ which notwithstanding is to be understood of sarcoticks which are to be applied to a delicate and temperate body. For if the ulcer be more moist, of the body more hard then is fit, we may ascend to such things as are drie even in the third degree. And hence it is that such drie medicines may first be called detersives, and then presently sarcoticks. A sarcotick medicine is either simple or comound, stronger or weaker. Simple sarcotick medicines are, Aristo∣lochia utraque, iris, acorus, dracunculus, asarum symphyti omnia genera, betonica, sanicula, mellifolium, lin∣gua canis, verbena, scabiosa, pinpinella, hypericon, scordium, plantago, rubia, major, et minor, eorumque succi. Terebinthina lota & non lota, resina pini, gummi arabicum, sarcocolla, mastiche, colophonia, manna thuris, cortex ejusdem, aloe, olibanum, myrrha, mel, vinum, sanguis draconis, lythargyros auri, spo∣dium, pompholix, tutia, plumbum ustum lotum, scoria ferri. The compound sarcoticks are, Oleum hypericonis, ol. ovorum, mastichinum, & caetera olea, quae balsami nomine appellantur, un∣guentum aureum, emp. de betonica, Ʋigonis, de janua, Emp. gratia Dei, nigrum. We use not sar∣coticks before thar the ulcer be cleansed and freed from pain, defluxion, inflammation, hardness, and distemper. In using these things we consider the temper of the body, and the affected part: For oft-times a part otherwise less drie by nature, requires a more powerful drying medi∣cine, and stronger sarcotick, then another part which is more drie, and this for some other reason,