CHAP. XXVIII. Of Cataplasms and Pultisses.
* 1.1CAtaplasms are not much unlike to emplasters less properly so called, for they may be spread upon linnen cloths and stoups like them, and so applied to the grieved parts. They are composed of roots, leaves, fruits, flowers, seeds, herbs, juices, oils, fats, marrows, meals, rosins. Of these some must be boiled, others crude. The boiled are made of herbs boiled tender, and so drawn forth an hair-searse, adding oils and axungias thereto. The crude are made of herbs bea∣ten, or their juices mixed with oil and flower, or other powders appropriate to the part o•• disease, as the Physician shall think fit. The quantity of medicines entring these compositions can scarce be defined, for that they must be varied as we would have the composition of a softer or harder bo∣dy.* 1.2 Verily they ought to be more gross and dense when as we desire to ripen any thing, but more soft and liquid when we endeavor to discuss. We use cataplasms to asswage pain, digest, discuss and resolve unnatural tumors and flatulencies. They ought to be moderately hot and of subtill parts, so to attract and draw forth; yet their use is suspected, the body being not yet purged, for thus they draw down more matter into the affected part. Neither must we use these when as the matter that is to be discussed is more gross and earthy; for thus the subtler parts will be only dis∣cussed,* 1.3 and the gross remain impact in the part, unless your cataplasm be made of an equal mixture of things, nor only discussing, but also emollient, as it is largely handled by Galen.
* 1.4This shall be largely illustrated by examples. As, ℞. medul. panis, lb ss. dec••quantur in lacte pin∣gui, adde olei chamaem. ℥ ss. axung. galin. ℥ i. fiat cataplasma. Or, ℞. rad alth. ℥ iii. fol. malv. senecionis, an. m i. sem. lini, fenug. an. ʒ ii. ficus ping. nu. vi. decoquantur in aqua, & per setaceum transmittan∣tur, addendo ••lei lilior. ℥ i. far. bord. ℥ ii. axung. porcini ℥ i ss. fiat cataplasma. Or, ℞. far. fab. & ••∣roh. an. ℥ ii. pulv. chamaem. & melil. an. ʒ iii. ol. ••rin. & amydg. amar. an. ℥ i. succi rut. ℥ ss. fiat ca∣taplasma. Pultisses differ not from cataplasms, but that they usually consist of meals boiled in oil, water, hony, or axungia. Pultisses for the ripening of tumors are made of the flowr of barly, wheat, and milk, especially in the affects of the entrails; or else to dry and binde, of the meal of rice, lentils, or Orobus with vinegar; or to cleanse, and they are made of hony, flour of beans and lupines, adding thereto some old oil, or any other oil of hot quality, and so make a discussing pultis. Also anodyne pultisses may be made with milk; as thus for exam∣ple••,* 1.5 ℞. farin. triticiae, ℥ ii. misce panis purissimi ℥ iii. decequantur in lacte, & fiat pulticula. ℞. farin. hordei & fab. an. ℥ ii. far oreb. ℥ iii. decoquantur in hydromelete, addendo meliis quart. i. olei amyg.