CHAP. XXXVI. Of Apohlegmatisms, or Masticatories.
APophlegmatismoi in Greek, and Masticatoria in Latine,* 1.1 are medicines which kept or held in the mouth & somewhat chawed, do draw by the mouth forth of the brain excrementiti∣ous humors, especially phlegm: now they are chiefly made four manner of wayes; the first 〈◊〉〈◊〉 when as the medicines are received in hony or wax, and formed into pills, and so given to chaw upon. The second is, when as the same things are bound up in a fine linnen-cloth, so to be held in the mouth. The third is when as a decoction of acrid medicines is kept in the mouth for a pretty space. The fourth is when as some acrid medicine, or otherwise drawing phlegm, as pellitory of Spain, mastich, and the like, is taken of it self to the quantity of a hasel-nut, and so chawed in the mouth for some space. The matter of masticatories is of the kinde of acrid medicines; as of pepper, mustard, hyssop, ginger, pellitory of Spain, and the like; amongst which you must make choice chiefly of such as are not troublesome by any ingrate taste, that so they may be the longer kept in the mouth with the less offence and loathing. Yet masticatories are some∣times made of harsh or acerb medicines; as of berberies, the stones or prunes of cherries, which held for some space in the mouth, draw no less store of phlegm then acrid things, for the very motion and rowling them up and down the mouth attracts because it heats, compresses, and ex∣presses: the quantity of the medicine ought to be from ℥ ss. to ℥i ss: as, ℞. pyreth. staphysag. an. ʒi ss. mastich. ʒ ss. pulverentur & involvantur nodulis in masticatoria. Or, ℞. zinzib. sinap. an. ʒi. euphorb. ℈ii. piper. ʒss. excipiantur melle, et fiant pastilli pro masticatoriis. ℞. hyssop. thym. origan. salv. an. p i. boil them in water to wash the mouth withall. Or, ℞. zinzib. caryoph. an. ʒi. pyreth. pip. an. ʒss. staphysagr. ʒii. mastiches, ℥ss. excipiantur, fiant pastilli pro masticatoriis.* 1.2 We use masticatories in old diseases of the brain, dimness of the sight, deafness, pustles of the head and face, and sometimes to divert the excrements which run to the nose being ulcerated.
Masticatories are very hurtful to such as have their mouths or throats ulcerated,* 1.3 as also to them whose lungs are subject to inflammations, distillations and ulcers; for then Errhines are more profitable to derive the matter of the disease by the nostrils. For though the humor drawn from the brain into the mouth by the means of the masticatory, may be thence cast forth by coughing and spitting, yet in the interim nature will be so inured to that passage for the humor, so that it will run that way when as we sleep, and fall down upon the parts thereunder, weak either by na∣ture, or by accident.
The time fittest for the use of Apophlegmatisms is the morning, the body being first purged; if any ingrateful taste remain in the mouth, or adhere to the tongue by using of masticatories, you shall take it away by washing the mouth with warm water, or a decoction of liquorice and barly.