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. XXV. Of Liniments.

A Liniment is an external medicine of a mean consistence between an oil and an ointment,* 1.1 for it is thicker then an oil; for besides oil it is compounded with butter, axungia and such like, which is the reason why a Liniment is more efficacious in ripening and miti∣gating pain, then simple oil. The varieties of Liniments are drawn from their effects, some cool, others heat, some humect, som ripen, others by composition are made for divers uses. The matter whereof they are usually made, is oil, axungia, snet, butter, all those things which have an oily sub∣stance or consistence, as styrax liquida, turpentine, the mucilages of fenugreek, marsh-mallows, marrow, and other like. To these are sometimes added powders of roots, seeds, flowers, rindes, metals, but sparingly, that the liniment may be of a liquid consistence.

An example of a liniment that is good to attenuate, heat, and digest, is this that followeth.

℞. ol amygd. amar. lilior. an. ℥i. axung. anat. gallin. an. ℥ ss. butyr. sal expert. ℥i. mucag. sem. alth. foenugr. extract. in aq. hyssop. an. ℥. ss, pulver. croci, ireos, an. ℈i. fiat linimentum.

This may be an example of a liniment to humect and mollifie.

℞. ol. amydg. dulc. ℥ii, axung. human. ℥ ss. mucag. semin. malv. extract. in aq parietar. ℥ ss. fiat linimentum: you may add a little saffron. There be many others like these which may be made for divers affects. They are easily applied to every part of the body, because they are not so li∣quid as oils: the reason is, they are more agreeable to any of the parts. If they be to enter into any c••ooked narrow passage, such as the ear, they must be more liquid, and have more oil: if they be to stick on the part, they will admit of more axungia and suet.

They are deceived who think that the difference between liniments and ointments is, that there is no wax in liniments as there is in unguents; for there be some unguents which admit not any wax to be added, as Aegyptiacum, and all such as are used in gangrenes, and all sorts of putrid ulce••s; because to these kinds of diseases all fatty things, as oils, fats, rosins, and wax, are ene∣mies. Therefore we substitute in the place of them in Aegyptiacum, hony and verdigrease; for of these it hath his consistence, and his quality of cleansing.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What a lini∣ment is.