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CHAP. XLVI. To black the hair.
* 1.1AT first the hairs (to take the fucus or tincture, and to retain it) must be prepared with Lye, wherein a little roch-Alum is dissolved. Thus the fatty scales may be washed and taken away, which hinder, and (as it were) keep away the fucus, that it cannot adhere or penetrate into the body of the hair. Then must we come to particular or proper and fitting medicines for this purpose. These ought to be aromatick and cephalick, and somewhat stiptick, that by their odoriferous and astringent power that may strengthen the animal faculty. Further∣more, they must be of subtil parts, that they may enter even into the inner roots of the hairs.
℞. Sulphuris, vitrioli, gallarum, calcis vivae, lithargyri, an. ʒii. scoriae ferri, ʒ ss. in pollinem redu∣cantur, et cum aq. communi incorporentur, ut inde fiat massa: with this at bed time let the hairs be rubbed, and in the morning let them be smoothed with the same.
℞. calcis lotae, ℥i. lithargyri utrius{que} ℥ ss. cum decocto gallarum, corticum nucum, fiat massa. addendo olei chamem. ʒii. ℞. litharg. auri, ℥ii. ciner. clavellat. ℥ i. ss. calcis viv. ʒi. dissolve omnia cum urina hominis donec acquirant consistentiam unguenti pro unctione capillorum. ℞. calcis lotae, ℥ii. cum decoct. salv. et cort. granat. fiat pasta ad formam pultis satis liquidae: let the hair at bed-time be died here∣with, and washed in the morning with wine and water.
* 1.2Now the manner of washing lime is thus: Infuse in ten or twelve pintes of fair water one pound of lime, then pour out the water by stopping the vessel, putting more in the stead there∣of; the third time in stead of common water pour thereon the water of the decoction of sage and galls, let the lime lye therein for so many hours, then in like manner pour it off by stop∣ing the vessel; and thus you shall have your lime well washed. There is also found a way how to dye or black the hair by only pouring of some liquor thereon: as, ℞. argenti purissimi, ʒii. reducantur in tenuissimas laminas,* 1.3 ponantur in ampulla vitrea cum ʒii. aquae separationis auri et argenti et aquae rosar. ʒvi. The preparing of this water is thus; put into a viol the water of separation and the silver, and set it upon hot coals so to dissolve the silver, which being done then take it from the fire, and when it is cold, add thereto; the rose-water. But if you would black it more deeply, add more silver thereto if less, then a smaller quantity; to use it, you must steep the comb where∣with you comb your head in this water.
℞. plumbi usti, ℥ii. gallarum non perforat. cortick nucum, an. ℥ iii. terrae sigil. ferret. hispan. an. ℥ii. vi∣triol. rom. ℥vi. salis gem. ℥ i ss. caryoph. nucis mosch. an. ℥i. salis ammon. aloes, an. ʒ ss. fiat pulvis subtilissimus: let this powder be macerated in vineger for three dayes space, then distil it all in an Alembick; the water that comes therefrom is good for the foresaid use. The following medi∣cine is good to make the hairs of a flaxen color.* 1.4 ℞. flor. genist. staechad. et cardamom. an. ℥ i. lupi∣nor. conquassat. rasur. buxi, corticis citri, rad. gentian. et berber. an. ℥ i ss. cum aqua nitri; fiat lenta deco∣ctio: herewith bathe and moisten the hairs for many dayes.