The practice of physick in seventeen several books wherein is plainly set forth the nature, cause, differences, and several sorts of signs : together with the cure of all diseases in the body of man / by Nicholas Culpeper ... Abdiah Cole ... and William Rowland ; being chiefly a translation of the works of that learned and renowned doctor, Lazarus Riverius ...

Chap. 1. Of the Chollick.

THe Chollick takes its Name from the part affected which is the Gut called Colon: which is long and winding, and ordained for receiving the Excrements of almost al the Body; these Excre∣ments retained too long, use to cause this pain.

Therefore the Causes of the Chollick are excrementitious Matter, which by distending, pricking or corroding can make a Solution of Continuity, and these are either Winds or Humors.

Winds are bred of Crudities, or a cold Distemper of the Stomach or Intestines; and if they be

not sent forth by reason of the hard excrements or other things that obstruct the Intestines, they are in great plenty shut up in the Guts, especially the Colon; and make a very violent pain.

Also gross Humors, Cold and Flegmatick, being fastened upon the Tunicles of the Guts cause the same pain both by gnawing, if they are sharp or salt; as also by cooling the part, which by con••e∣quence must suffer Constriction and Divulsion, as Galen speaks of himself, That having had a great Fit of the Chollick did void glassy Flegm that was actually cold; and by producing Wind which is easily raised from a gross, slimy, and slow Humor, by a weak heat.

Lastly, Chollerick and sharp Humors; as also Melanchollick and sowr by pricking and twiching the Guts, make these pains: but we may doubt in the action of these Causes how the Chollick should be somtimes more violent, somtimes more remiss, since the same matter remaineth in the Intestines? To which Doubt we thus Answer, That the matter doth somtimes lie quiet, and then it causeth none or very little pain; but somtimes it is moved and stirred up by divers Fermentations which happen a∣mong the Humors, as in an Epilepsy, the sits of the Mother and Agues.

But you must observe diligently that those Winds or Humors do not only remain in the Cavity of the Guts, for then were they easily excluded by evacuating, clensing, and carminative Medicines, but for the most part they are fixed to the very Coates of the Guts, whence it comes that they are not so easily taken off; but they make a long and a stubborn Disease which wil not easily be cured: So thick Flegmatick and Melanchollick humors to flow by degrees through the veins of the Cuts into their substance, and do not presently cause pain; but til they so encrea••e that they provoke nature to ex∣pel them, and so being moved they cause pain; or send out Vapors which being included in the Tu∣nicles of the Intestines, do stretch and extend them, and finding no passage, cause a long pain. And Choller being after the same manner spread and sucked into the veins of the Guts and the Tunicles thereof doth stir up sharp pains which use to be long, because the Choller is very hard to be pulled from the substance of the Guts.

There is another kind of Chollerick Chollick, which turns into a Palsie, not known to the Anti∣ents, which comes of a Chollerick Humor, not in the Gut Colon as the former, but suddenly sent in∣to the Membranes of the Abdomen, and it is carried thither from the Cystis, or bladder of Gall, or the Mesentery in the Crisis of continual Feavers, or from great anger, or some other external Cause, when by reason of Obstructions it cannot be sent by the common passages, but by a preposterous mo∣tion it is presently sent to the aforesaid Membranes of the Abdomen, hence comes a cruel pain like that of the Chollick, which neither by Clysters, Formentations, or other Medicines can be Cured; but continueth many Months, by which means the body consumeth, somtimes it is like an intermitting Feaver, somtimes and often like a continual lingring Feaver: and at length when the pain begins to cease, there is a Palsie, by reason the Humor gets by degrees into the back by the Membranes of the Abdomen: This Palsie doth trouble the upper parts most; but the Thighs and Legs commonly are pained, in some they are wholly resolved and made numb, because the Choller being light flyeth to the upper parts: Somtimes it gets into the Brain, and begets Epileptick Convulsions, from whence death commonly ensueth.

There are other Causes of the Chollick, but less usual; namely, Stones bred in the Guts, and knots of Worms which stop them: The compression of the Guts from Tumors in the adjoyning parts, or narrowness by reason of Inflamation, and other Tumors of the Intestines, or Contorsion, or twisting of them by reason of Wind which is the way to the Iliack Passion; somtimes also the Matter causing the Chollick is Poysonous and Malignant, and makes a Pestilent Chollick; as Paulus Aegineta reports, That a Pestilent Chollick in Italy infected most of the Roman Provinces. Finally al hard Bodies by Obstructing and Distending the Guts may make a Chollick, as stones bred there, many Cherry-stones swallowed, hard Cheese, and the like: Platerus reports, That a certain Governor long laboring of the Chollick with Convulsions, after the use of Clysters, voided a great quantity of hard Cheese which had a long time stuck in his Guts, because before his Sickness he had eaten immoderately thereof.

The External Causes are Cold Air, which constringe and indurate the Belly; or too Hot Air, by which the Excrements grow hard, and loose their moisture; the use of meat and drink not agreeing with the Constitution; as raw Fruits, and binding; gross meats, and hard of digestion; too much rest, and immoderate sleep; unseasonable exercises, immoderate venery; and other External Causes which disturbe the Concoction of the Stomach.

The Knowledge of this Disease generally is easie: For first the pain is very sharp, for if it be light it cannot be called a true Chollick from the Opinion of Galen, lib. 6. de loc. aff. cap. 2. And it is som∣times moveable, somtimes more in one place than in another: somtimes in the region of the Liver, somtimes of the Spleen, Stomach, Reins; somtimes above, somtimes beneath the Navel, and often∣times it is most upon the left side; in which, as Bauhinus first observ'd, there is a little streightness; for when the Excrements in the upper and widest part of the Colon grow into hard lumps according to its Capacity great, and then by Wind are driven into a streighter part, they must needs pass with

much pain, in which Symptome the Chollick, and the Spleen, and the Stone, are not distinguished but by comparison of other signs; for somtimes the pain is like an Auger boring, or a Stick fastened, more fixed in some part. When the Stomach consenteth, there is vomiting of Flegm, Choller, that is green or the like. After Meat the pain is greater, because the Stomach being filled compresseth the Intestines. The Belly for the most part is bound, so that the Patient cannot so much as break wind, and if any thing be voided either naturally or by art, it is for the most part windy, and like Cow∣dung, with water at the top, because it is most Flegm which useth to be so. Somtimes the Belly is so bound that in the heigth of Pain, Purging Medicines that are very strong, will not work.

The Signs of the Causes are thus to be distinguished:

If the Pain come of Flegm, it is not so great, unless it be mixed with wind which cannot get forth of the places wherein it is contained: for then the pain is very great; somtimes in one part, as if it were bored through with a wimble or stick; somtimes in many, if the wind do remove, the Patient is better for hot, and worse for cold things. He used a Diet formerly which bred flegm, his water is somtimes more crude and white, not alwaies, which deceiveth yong unexperienced Physitians, and somtimes in a flegmatick and flatulent Chollick, the Urine will be yellow and reddish by reason of the extraordinary pain which doth inflame the Sp••ri••s and Humors contained in the Veins and Arte∣ries. Which Avicen wisely observed, Fen. 13. Lib. 3. Tract. 3. Cap. 11. Let no man be deceived (saith he) to think by the foulness, inflamation, and redness of the Ʋrine, that therefore the Disease is hot; for that is common to all Ʋrines.

If the Chollick proceed of wind, there will be a stretching pain, and a swelling of the Belly: the Patient perceiveth a rumbling of the Belly, and much wind, and he is better when he breaketh it: he used a Diet to breed it, as unreasonable drinking of cold water, often use of Pease, Rapes, Chesnuts, Sallets, Fruits, and the like. And if the wind be contained in the Cavity of the Guts, the pain is mo∣vable, not in one place, and is somtimes greater. But if it be in the ••oats and Tunicles of the Guts, the pain is fixed because the wind cannot move, and it is constant because it cannot get forth.

If the Chollick come from a sharp and Chollerick Humor, it is most grievous, pulling, and pricking, there is heat, thirst, and often a Feaver, the Urine is very Chollerick. It is worse for hot Meats and Medicines, and better for cold. By sending forth of Choller the disease is diminished, and there went before, a Diet breeding Choller.

The pains of other parts under the Navil, are easily distinguished from the Chollick by their pro∣per signs, except the Stone, whose signs are so like with those of the Chollick, that very skilful Phy∣sitians have been deceived by them: As Galen himself was, as he confesseth 2. de loc. aff. cap. 5. when he was troubled with the Chollick, he thought that he had the Nephritis, and that a stone was faste∣ned in one of the Ureters till the Humor was purged away, and the pain ceased; after which he found it to be the Chollick.

But by these following signs these two Diseases may be plainly distinguished, if they be well ob∣served.

First, The Nephritis▪ or pain of the stone, is fixed in the Reins, and comes from thence to the Te∣sticles, according to the length of the Ureter: But the Chollick is movable, and girts about the mid∣dle of the Belly like a girdle.

Secondly, The Chollick encreaseth after Meat by reason of the compression of the Intestines from the full Belly: but the Nephritis encreaseth not, but rather decreaseth, because some of the Nourish∣ment is carried to the Reins, which doth somthing asswage the pain.

Thirdly, In the Chollick, the vomiting is more vehement, and the Body is more bound, because the Colon lieth in the bottom of the Stomach, and the Intestines being stretched, or much provoked, do constringe themselves that they may expel what is noxious. But both the Symptomes are common to▪ both Diseases, so that you can hardly know their intension and remission, because a strong Nephri∣tick pain, may cause a greater vomiting and astriction of the Belly, then a weak Chollick.

Fourthly, In a Chollick there is more ease found after Evacuation than in a Nephritis.

Fifthly, In a Nephritis or the stone, the Urine ••s••first clear and thin; afterwards there is a sedi∣ment, and at length sand and little stones are voided. But in the Chollick the Urine is thick from the beginning.

As to the Prognostick: The Chollick for the most part, if it be gentle and little, and not long, nor in one place constantly, but intermitting and not binding the Belly, is curable, and without danger. But if the pain is very great and fixed in one place, not intermitting, and if the Belly be bound that nothing can get forth, with great watchings, and if vomiting follow, hiccoughs, doting, and coldness of extream parts, with cold sweats, it is deadly.

A stubborn Chollick coming of sharp and Chollerick Matter degenerateth into other grievous Dis∣eases, as Arthritis, Epilepsie, or Paralysis, which is most usual.

An Epidemical Chollick, which is contagious and pestilent, is commonly deadly.

The Cure of this Diseale is divers according to the variety of the Causes.

And first, there is the same Cure of a flatulent and pituitous Chollick, which begins with an E∣mollient Clyster, after which followeth one Carminative and discussing, as was prescribed in the Dolor Ventriculi, from the like Cause, which must be repeated twice, thrice, or four times in a day, till the pain be gone; and if he go not to stool in one or two Clysters, as somtimes happeneth, you must give a sharp Suppository. In one of the aforesaid Clysters, you may do well to ad four ounces of the Aqua Benedicta Rulandi.

Or two or three drams of Coloquintida boyled in an Emollient and Carminative Deco∣ction.

If Clysters will not give ease, you must not stay too long upon them, but use some gentle Medicine. It hath been observed that when a sick man had taken three Clysters without benefit, that another Physitian came and gave but one ounce and an half of Manna, with two ounces of the Oyl of sweet Almonds in the fat Broth of a Hen, and cured the Patient. But in a pain that comes from grofs flegm you must give stronger Medicines.

Afterwards, Fomentations, Oyntments, Baths, Emplaisters, and the like, are good, which were declared in the Cure of the Dolor Ventriculi of the same Cause, to which you may ad some specifical things, which are fit for this Disease.

Wash the Guts of a Wolf in white Wine, then dry them in an Oven in an Earthen pot, till they may be poundered. Let the Patient take a dram thereof in white Wine, and he will be presently cured.

Boyl fair Water, and ad to it the fourth part of Oyl, and some gross Pepper; let him take three or four spoonfuls as hot as he can endure it, and the pain will be instantly gone.

Take of the best Aloes one dram: Laudanum four grains: Diagridium six grains: Mix them and make six Pills gilded: Let him take them at a convenient time. They take away the pain as∣ter one hour, and then purge out the noxious humor.

Instead of these you may give Diaphoenicon, and Philonium Romanum, as is prescribed in the Cure of the pain of the Stomach. Hipp. Lib. de intern. aff. propoundeth a Purge of Purslain, and Juyce of Poppies.

Six ounces of Oyl of sweet or bitter Almonds, do asswage pain, and cast the Matter cleaving to the Intestines downwards.

If you mix it with these things following, it will be better:

Take of Oyl of sweet Almonds, or Sallat Oyl for poor people, four ounces: Spanish Wine one ounce and an half: Syrup of Poppies one ounce: Mix them for a Potion.

Also Oyl of sweet Almonds mixed with Manna in fat Broth as beforesaid, doth ease pain, and eva∣cuate the Matter offending.

One dram of Annis seeds poudered and given in Wine, doth first asswage, and the second time it is given, quite take away the pain; applying at the same time a Cataplasm of Turpentine three ounces, laid on with Stuphes sprinkled with Pepper and Sanguis Draconis finely poudered, of each one dram.

Galbanetum Paracelsi is good to discuss the Humor if the whol Belly be anointed therewith. The description is in Crato thus:

Take of Gum Elemi, lvy, Galbanum, Oly of Bayes, of each equal parts: distil them in Sand with a Retort; keep the Liquors asunder, first the Water, then the cleer Oly, then the thick Oyl like Honey, which you must use first.

Take of Calamus Aromatious one ounce: Galangal three drams: the outward yellow of the Orange peel four ounces: Cinnamon, Annis, and Fennel seeds, of each three drams: Cummin seeds six drams: Juniper berries green half an ounce: Bay berries three drams. Pouder them finely, and infuse them in six pints of the best Spanish Wine in a bot place six dayes; then distil them in Balneo Mariae. The Dose is one ounce after Evacuations.

You may with good snccess apply to the Belly Gum Caragna, and Tacamahacha; but first let a great Cupping-glass be applied to the Navil.

Although you apply not the Plaisters, yet you must not forget to cup; which as Galen, saith, doth discuss pain that comes of wind like an Enchantment.

If the Disease last long, you may cure it with a Decoction of Guajacum continued for many daies, Purging somtimes, and giving often Clysters. And if it come of glassy flegm, let Guajacum be boy∣led in Wine, as Amatus Lusitanus used it with good success, Curat. 32. Cent. 1.

After the pain is allayed, use an Apozeme to purge flegm for the carrying away of the reliques, or instead thereof, the Decoction of an old Cock made with incising, attenuating, and purging things. Or that excellent Julep prescribed in the Chollick of the Stomach.

A Chollerick Chollick is cured by Emollient Clysters, and such as temper the acrimony of the Humors.

Let the Belly be Fomented with an Emollient Decoction, which is Anodine; or which is better, make a Bath of the same.

Also Cataplasms made of Barley and Linseed Flower, boyled in Oyl of Chamomil, applied to the bottom of the Belly are good.

As also a Cooling Epithem to the Liver, made thus:

Take of the Juyce of Endive and Succory, of each half a pint: the Juyce of Lettice, and Rose-Vinegar, of each two ounces: mix them and make and Epitheme.

Give Juleps of Poppy, Lettice, Endive, and Sorrel Water, with Syrup of Violets, Apples, and Lemons.

If the Pain be urgent, come to Narcoticks.

When the pain is mitigated, give the infusion and expression of Rhubarb in Succory Water with Syrup of Roses, often, til al the filth be evacuated.

If this be too gentle to eradicate the Disease, give Mercurius Dulcis, which being somtimes given with some Purging Diagrediats, doth finish the Cure.

They who are not to take Diagredium, may take Mercurius dulcis alone made into a Pill with con∣serve of Roses, drinking after it the infusion of Senna with Rhubarb, adding a little Manna and syrup of Roses.

After this you may give your sharp Vitriolated Waters.

When the pain is violent, fly to Baths and Laudanum, to which you may somtimes mix Purgers, but in a great quantity; because their force wil be hindered by the Laudanum.

Galbanetum Paracelsi, although hot, is fit to discuss the Humor if al the Belly be anointed there∣with: it is described formerly.

Somtimes Blood-letting is good where there is fear of a Feaver by the heat of the blood: and if the Feaver be begun, do it presently.

When there is a great Thirst, give cold Water. as Galen teacheth, lib. 12. meth. cap. 7. And Ama∣tus Lusitanus saith, That he Cured one presently with it: And Septalius shews in Two Stories in the Seventh Book of his Practical Animadversions, That he hath given the same, and taken it with very good success.

For the Cure of that Chollick which turneth into a Palsie, after the Belly is loosened with many Clysters, and the first wayes being made open by a Purge, put the Patient into a warm Bath made of an Emollient Decoction, twice, thrice, four, or five times in a day, that the sharpness of the humors may be allaied, and the pores of the Membranes opened.

The day after let the Humor be Purged with a fit Medicine; then let him be bathed again, and if his strength wil endure it, let him do it every other day, til the humors are Purged and the pain gone, and the Patient Cured.

In the mean time let the Clysters be continued, especially those made of Milk are best to asswage pain, to which you may put Cassia, Oyl of Violets and Lillies.

Let the Belly be often anointed with Oyl of Chamomil, Dill, sweet Almonds, Lillies, or with fresh butter,

Then let him use Whey and sharp Waters.

And Lastly, When the Disease is of long continuance, you may use those things which were pre∣scribed for the Cure of Hypochondriak Melancholly.

Nor must you omit Phlebotomy from the beginning of the Disease before Purging, and it must be often repeated if the Blood be evil, or the pain come of a Catarrh any wayes.

Finally, Al the Medicines mentioned in Chollerick Chollick may here be applied, which if it a∣vail not, some Physitians use this following Potion, which though it be sorbid and not sit fot men wel educated, yet they say it Cureth presently.

Take of Horse-dung one ounce: break it in pieces, and infuse it in one pint of Poppy-Water with eight or ten drops of spirit of Vitriol: strain it gently, and divide the Liquor into three Doses, for the time of the violent pain.

But if it turn into a Palsie, you must anoint the Spina or back Bone and the Paralytike parts with a Resolving and a Nerve Corroborating Balsom if there be no Feaver; but if there be, bind Wool dipt in Oyl, or some digesting Oyntment, to the Paralytike parts, taking heed of Cold, by which the hu∣mor wil be fastned to the parts, and the breathing forth of it hindered.

Galbanetum Paracelsi is best, if it be applied to the parts aforesaid, and the Navel.