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. 2. Of the Symptomes which accompany Putrid Feavers.

ALL Authours in a manner who have writ of Feavers, have described those Symptoms which either accompany or follow upon them, with their Cures at the end of their work, that so they might be best accommodated to al kinds of Feavers. Which Counsel of their though I shal not disallow, yet I have thought it much more commodious for the service of Practitioners, to Joyn them immediately after the Doctrin of putrid Feavers, seeing in those kind of Feavers they are wont to be most vehement and frequent, and require peculiar Remedies.

So that although very many Symptoms are wont to be Cured by the Remedies aforesaid, accom∣modated to the Cause and the Disease: yet very many there are more offensive than the Disease it self, which are here breifly to be discribed.

Head-ach, Want of Sleep and Ravings, are Cured in a manner with the self same remedies viz. Revellers, repellers, derivers, resolvers and anodines. Revellers are emollient Clysters and such as are Laxative, Gentle Purgations, Blood-letting, Cupping-Glasses, and washing the Feet. Repellers are frontals, Vinegars, Roses, Unguents. Or Liniments; Derivers are opening of the forehead Vein, and Vesicatories. Resolvers are certain Oyls, and certain Live Creatures applied to the Head, which likewise are Anodines. And while the foresaid Remedies are used, Juleps are given and Emulsions, to temper and qualifie hot and sharp Humors. After all these come narcotick Medicines, which are not to be used, but upon extream necessity when other things wil do no good. The matter of al which Medicaments, is set down in our Chapters of the Phrensy and Head-ach proceeding from an hot Cause. But in the administration of the said Medicaments, one thing must be diligently noted, that they be not to be used, when the Crisis of the Feaver is near: for they would then disturb the motion of Nature and hinder the Crisis. Which is to be understood as of al the rest, so more especially of the narcoticks.

Against want of sleep and Ravings, a Cataplasm laid to the Soals of the Feet wil be very good, being made of fresh gourds beaten, the Leaves of the larger HouseLeek, of Lettice and such like. As also to wash the Feet with a Decoction of refrigerating Herbs. For by this means the Coldness is communicated through the Nerves unto the Brain.

Convulsions in Feavers, especially Malignant ones, do somtimes happen, by reason of Malignant Vapors which vex and fret the Skins which cover the Brain called Meninges. Against which con∣vulsion fits we must use revelling Clysters and Cupping-Glasses; also often give in Juleps or broaths Epileptick Pouders and finally anoint the Patients Back-bone with Oyl of Chamomel, Violets, Sweet Almonds and of the Jndian Nut.

When profound sleep happens to such as are in Feavers the same Remedies are given which have been described in the Cure of sleepy Diseases, only observing this one thing; that we give no very hot Medicine inward.

The thirst of Persons Feaverish is cheifly allaied with refrigerating and moistening drinks. But if thirst be so Violent that moderate drinking cannot asswage it (and to drink over much doth much hurt and oft times endangers the Patients Life) we must by other means deceive and asswage the same.

First therefore, let the Patients draw in the cold Air, and abide in Silence not speaking a word, let them keep their mouths close and breath through their Nostrils, and give themselves to sleep.

Let them wash their mouths with Barley Water Blood-warm, or with Water wherein hath been boyled Jujubees, Sebestens, Prunes, Lettice, Purslain and such like.

Let them hold in their Mouths a peice of Liquoris Scraped and steeped in Vineger and Water, or let them wash their Mouths with Barley Water either simple or with a little Vineger in it, or a little Juyce of Lemons, Pomegranats, or a little spirit of Vitriol.

Or let them hold in their mouths the Kernels of Pomegranats, or a Slice of a Citron, or a Lemmon, or an Orange, Steeped in Rose-Water with Sugar; or Stalks of Lettice, Endive, or Purslain; Leaves of Sorrel, Bits of a Gourd, Cowcumber or Melon first Steeped in cold Water; Or Acid Cherries, or red Currence, or Res-berries, or Tamarinds, or a peice of Chrystal, or the Stones of sharp Prunes upon which a little of the Pap Hangs, and such like.

Also Sugar Dissolved in Rose-Water with a little spirit of Vitriol, and dried again, is very good to quench thirst.

If thirst cannot be taken away with these lighter things they must be permitted to drink, not in the beginnings of the Exacerbations, or fits nor in the Augment, but very spareingly, but in the Vigor and especially when it is towards declining: for then large allowance of drink doth carry the heat out∣wards,

and somtimes moves sweat; especially in the fits of Agues, in the declination of which, it is many times good for the Patient to drink unto satiety. Several Materials convenient to make Drinks in these kind of Feavers, are set down in the foregoing Chapter.

But if thirst be caused by a Chollerick Humor contained in the Stomach, the said Humor must be voided by Vomit or Stool. Vomit may be procured, if the Patient be Stomach-sick, with an ounce and an half of Syrup of Vinegar Simple, with five ounces of Barley Water, or of the Decoction of Rhadishes. If that will not do, purge the Patient with a Bolus of one ounce of the pulp of Cassia, and three drams of the pulp of Tamarinds, or with two ounces of Manna, dissolved in a Decoction of Prunes or Tamarinds; or the following Potion may be given.

Take Cassia new drawn six drams: Mucilage of the seeds of Flea-bane half an ounce: the De∣coction of Barley, Prunes, and Tamarinds, four ounces: Syrup of Roses one ounce. Mix all into a Potion.

The Heat, Dryness, and Roughness of the Tongue and Throat, is cured by divers Remedies, ap¦applied to those parts, and contained in the mouth, compounded after this manner:

Take of the Mucilage▪ of Quince seeds one ounce: the seeds of Mallows half an ounce: Pouder of Diatragacanthum frigidum, and Sugar Candy, of each one dram: white Sugar, as much as shall suffice. Make of all a Lohoch. Or,

Take of the Mucilage of Fleabane seeds, or Quince seeds extracted with Rose Water, or Lettice Water half an ounce: Syrup of Violets, Lemmons, or Pomegranates, an ounce and an half: mix them. Let the Patients take now and then a little, and bold it in their mouths. Or,

Take Cucumer seeds half an ounce: Quince seeds two drams: Gum Tragacanth one dram and an half: Beat the seeds and dissolve the Gums in the white of an Egg. Mix all, and make thereof little Cakes, for the Patients to hold in their mouths. Or,

Take Seeds of Fleabane, and of Quinces, of each one dram and an half: Gum Tragacanth half a dram: Sugar Candy three drams. With Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth make all into little Cakes. Or with a thin Rag make Nodules, which shall be steeped in Rose Water, and held in the Patients Mouth.

If the roughness be very hard to remove, make a Gargarism of the Decoction of Barley, Roots of Marsh-mallows, Leaves of Lettice, Purslain, Violet flowers, adding thereto Honey of Roses, Sy∣rup of Violets, or Sugar Candy, or Oxymel simple, and such like.

If filth cleaves to the Tongue, as it most times happens, it must be oftentimes wiped with a rough Cloth dipped in a mixture of Water and Vinegar. Whereunto also somtimes may be added, the Juyce of Housleek, and Sal prunella.

If the Heat be more vehement, with great blackness of the Tongue, more refrigerating Medicines must be mixt with the moistening ones, after this manner:

Take Juyce of Lettice, Housleek, and Lemmons, of each an ounce: Mucilage of Quince seeds and Sugar Candy, of each half an ounce: white Sugar as much as shall suffice. Make all into a Lohoch. Or,

Take Green Housleek one handful: Vinegar of Roses three ounces: Barley Water one pint: Boyl all till the third part be wasted away. In the strained Liquor dissolve of Sal prunella one dram and an half: Allum a scruple: Syrup of Violets and Mulberries, of each one ounce: Make of all a Gargarism. Or Sal prunella alone may be dissolved in Housleek Water, and the Tongue and Throat washed therewith, which is very good; also some Portion thereof may be swallowed to cool the mouth of the Stomach, when it is likewise inflamed.

Also outwardly; let the Neck and Throat be anointed with Oyl of Violets, and fresh butter, washed in Rose Water, with which the Throat being as it were scorched and parched, may be moi∣stened.

For Cooling, the Oyntment of Roses, and Galens cooling Oyntment may be used, with others of like Nature. But the Leaves of Lettice and Purslain being bruised and enclosed between two Linnen Cloths, and so applied to the Neck and Throat, are much more effectual. Also those kind of Bugs which we call Sows, may be bruised and laid on in the same man∣ner.

In great Heat of the Breast, such as is wont to happen in Feavers, the whol Breast must be anoin∣ted with Oyl of Violets, Water-lillies, and of sweet Almonds. Yea, and if the Heat be very vehe∣ment, Fomentations ought to be applied to the said part made of a Decoction of French barley, Lettice, Water-Lillies, Borrage, Violets, and such like; after which, irrigations ought to be used of the Oyls aforesaid. Seeing that, according to the Prescript of Galen and Avicenna, in such like Feavers, great care is to be had of the breast, as of the Furnace of Heat. Now these kind of Reme∣dies, according to the Rule of Trallianus, are seldom to be cold, because they drive the Heat inward; nor luke-warm, because they relax; but such things ought to be applied to the breast, as are actually hot, and potentially cold.

Pain in the Loyns is caused in Feavers by hot and plentiful blood boyling and working in the Vena Cava, and it must be eased by Emollient Clysters and Cooling, and Emulsions made of the Cold Seeds, adding Sal Prunella; and by anointing the Loyns with Galens Cooling Oyntment, with Juyce of the larger Housleek, and Camphire, or Ʋnguentum Populeon, or Oyl of Roses, Lillies, and Poppies; or with an Epithem made of Plantane Water, Rose Water, Vinegar of Roses, and Cam∣phire; or with a Mixture of Rose Water, Oyl of Roses, and Vinegar: all which are to be applied actually cold in the Summer, and a little less than blood-warm at other Seasons of the Yeer.

Disquietness, and tumblings, and tossings, which are wont to happen in the Feaver Assodes, and in the Fits of a Tertian Ague, are best cured by purging away the Chollerick Humor which vexes and frets upon the Stomach, and other sensible parts, and that by Vomit or Stool, according as Na∣ture seems more or less to affect the one or other way; also it may be drawn downwards by Clysters, and presently all Art is to be used to make the Patient rest, and cold Drink is given, as also cooling Juleps, whereunto somtimes Syrup of Poppies, or a little Laudanum may profitably be ad∣ded.

Swooning Fits are wont to happen in those kind of Feavers which are commonly called Febres Syncopales, or Swooning Feavers, of which there are two kinds, as was said before; and the one is called Minuta, the other Humorosa. The Cure of which Feavers, much differing from the Cure of other Putrid Feavers, we have reserved unto this place, in regard of the said Symptome of Swooning.

The Minuta Syncopalis, which is bred of Chollerick Humors, sharp and venemous, must be cured after this manner. Let the Air be cold and moist, and a little astringent, that dissipation of the substance of the Body, may be thereby prevented. Let the Patients Diet be thin, cooling, and restorative, of the Broth of Chickens boyled with Sorrel, Purslain, &c. To which may be added, Rose-water, Juyce of Pomegranates, and a little Sugar. Bread steeped in the Juyce of Pomegra∣nates, or of Oranges may be given, if a more liberal Diet is to be granted, as also Cream of Barley, or Panada's with Juyce of Lemmons or Pomegranates. Also Restorative Broths of pressed Flesh with the foresaid Juyces. To the stronger sort are given the Yolks of Eggs with Juyce of sowr Grapes, the Stones of Cocks, the Flesh of Pullets, Hens, Partridges, qualified with the aforesaid Juyces.

Let the Patients drink with their Meat, if they have no Inflamation of any bowel, thin Wine not very old, nor yet new and windy; or Beer that is indifferent strong, not new, or very stale. When they eat not, or otherwise if there be Inflamation, let their Drink be Barley Water, or Water in which a piece of a Loaf hath been boyled, with Syrup of Pomegranates, Lemmons, Citrons, Julep of Roses, &c.

Sleep is good out of the Paroxysm, but in the same it hurts. And finally, special Care must be taken that nothing provoke the Patient to Anger, Sadness, and the like Passions.

In the Paroxysm, Resolution of the Spirits must be prevented by blowing cool Air with Fans up∣on the Patients, and by sprinkling them with sweet smelling Waters. Their Face must be sprink∣led with cold Water, or Water of Roses, and Vinegar minled. With which the Stones of Men, and the Dugs of Women must be bathed cold.

If Heat and Spirits will not be revoked from the Heart to the outward Parts of the Body, it is to be revelled and forced back by binding of the extream Parts, and by nipping and pinching them; also pluck the Patients often by the Nose, pluck them by their Hair, and call upon them often by their Christen Name. Give of the Crum of White-bread steeped in the Juyce of Pomegranates, of thin fragrant Wine, tempered with Rose-Water; and when necessity urges, some Cinnamon Water min∣gled with Rose Water. In the mean space, Restorative Broths are not to be omitted, wherewith Confectio Alkermes, and such like may be mingled. Also Cordial Potions are often to be given out of a Spoon, made after this manner:

Take Water of Roses two ounces: Orange flower Water one ounce: Cinnamon Water half an ounce: Confectio Alkermes one dram: Pearls prepared, and Coral prepared, of each half a scruple: Sugar Cakes made with Pearl six drams: Mix all, and make thereof a Julep, or Cordial Potion. To these may be added the Electuaries, and Conserves, and Preserves, described in the foregoing Chapter.

Also the inner side of a Loaf hot out of the Oven sprinkled with Rose water and Vinegar, may be applied to the Patients Nostrils, and Mouth.

To the Heart, Cooling and strengthening Epithems may be applied.

To straiten the Pores, and prevent the Evaporation of the Patients strength and Spirits, wrap them in Linnen sprinkled with Pouder of Roses, Balaustians, and Sanders; or let their shifts be sprinkled with Rose water, and a little Vinegar.

Let their whol Body, especially the Back be anointed with this following Liniment.

Take Oyl made of unripe Olives, one ounce and an half: Mirtles, Quinces, and Mucilage of▪

Seeds of Flea-bane, of each six drams: Gum Arabick dissolved in Rose-Water two drams, white Wax as much as shal suffice make all into a Liniment.

A special regard is to be had of the stomach, because the Humor offending is cheifly there collected. Now the region there of must be anointed with Oyl of Roses and Quinces: and then also may be laid on a Toast of Bread, wet in Juyce of Quinces and unripe Pomegranats. Or if it be afflicted with great heat, soment the stomach blood-warm, with a Decoction of Purslain and Roses, o•• with Juyce of Night-shade, Purslain, Sowr-Grapes adding thereto Oyl of Roses and Quinces.

The Swooning Fits being removed and the Patient strengthened, we must bend our minds to remove the Feaver and its Cause. Which may be done, by Alteratives and Evacuators proper for turning Feavers, which we have described in their proper place: viz. Where the Cure of burning Feavers is set down.

The Cure of the second sort of Swooning Feavers, which is called Febris Syncopolis Humorosa, which is caused by abundance of Flegmatick and crude Humors, is in a manner contrary to the Cure of the Minuta newly described. For the Air ought to be temperate, inclining to heat, light, pure and dry. Meats, of good Juyce easily digested, prepard with Hyssop, Fennel and such like Herbs. Let their drink be thin and not very strong. Let their sleep and Watchings be Moderate.

But Frictions or artificial Rubbings of the Body, and by Galen much extolled in this Case. In the 12. Method Cap. 3. They must be used from the beginning of the Disease, with Course Cloaths, beginning above and so Rubbing downwards; first on the Thighs and Legs; afterwards on the Arms, shoulders and Back. Let the Cloaths with which the Frictions are performed be first Smoaked with Storax, Lignum Aloes, Frank-Incense Cloves &c. When after friction the Limbs are lustily warm, anoint them with Oyl of Dil, of Chamomel, of Orice, of Castus and others of a resolving Faculty. Such Frictions as these are highly commended, because they call the natural Heat and spirits together with the Humor offending which did Choak the natural strength, into the outward Parts.

In the fit the Sick-party must be rowzed, by pulling the Nose, Rubbing the Eares, plucking off of Hairs, Loud calling &c. Also sweet Smelling things must be Applied to the Mouth and Nostrils; as Cinnamon and Orange flower Water, Vinegar wherein Cloves have been steeped, inside of a white Loaf dipt in Hippocras alone, or Cinnamon Water, or the following cordial Water.

Take Waters of Bawm, Rose-Mary and Orange flowers of each one ounce; Cinnamon Water half an Ounce: Confectio Alkermes one dram: Syrup of preserved Citron Peels and of Gilly-flowers of each one ounce: Mix all into a potion or Julep, which the Patient must often take of, by a Spoonful at a time. Also Electuaries may be made after this manner.

Take Conserve of flowers of Bugloss, Rosemary, and of Citron Peels preserved, of each half an ounce: preserved Nutmeg three drams: Consectio Alkermes two drams: Species of Diambra and Diamoschum dulce of each one scruple: With the Syrup of preserved Citron Peels, make all into an Electuary.

Unto the Heart Epithems may be applied and young Pidgeons to the stomach and Stones; Fo∣mentations may be applied, and other things administred, which have been propounded in case of de∣cay of strength.

While these things are in doing, frictions must ever and anon repeated, which must in this Dis∣ease never be omitted.

When the Patient hath a little gathered strength, the Morbifick Matter is to be drawn out by Cly∣sters and Purgations (in which Hiera cum Agarico, in regard of the stomach, is very profitable) which ought to be gentle and frequent, yet so as fitting Preparatives be administred between Purge and Purge.

Want of Appetite is common in a Manner to al Feavers: for when the stomach is inflamed, thirst is encreased, but Appetite of eating diminished. Yet somtimes Appetite is so dejected that the Patients can hardly sup a little broath. Which Loathing of Meat is caused by Vicious Humors collected in the stomach or soaked into the coats thereof; or of corrupt and Malignant Vapors which infest the stomach. It ought to be Cured by Evacuation of the Morbifick Matter by Vomit or Stool, and first with an infusion of Rhubarb and Tamarinds. But in the declination, if the Feaver be not strong, with Hiera Picra dissolved in a Decoction of Barley, Vetches, Wormwood and other detergent things. Afterwards we must use Clysters, which occasionally do revel from the stomach. Also acid and refrigerating things are frequently to be given, as Syrup of lemmons, Pome∣granats, some Cherries &c. given alone or with cold Water. In the declination or when the Feaver ceases, Syrup of Roman Wormwood may pofitably be given, either alone or mixed with acid Juyces or Syrups. Let Meats that are grateful be presented to the sick. For as Hippocrates teaches in Aphor. 38. Sect. 2. The Pleasanter Meat and drink, though somwhat the Worse, is to be preferred before that which is bitter and not so pleasant. Also let them eat but little and seldom, for much

and frequent eating causes Want of Appetite even in those which are wel. And let their Meats be sauced (provided they have no cough) with Juyce of unripe Grapes, Vinegar of Roses and Juyce of Lemmons. If the sick do so abhorer al Meats that they can take nothing at al, let them have nourishing Clysters given them twice or thrice in a day; the excrements being first avoided by a clensing Cly∣ster. When the Feaver is wholly allaied and gone, if want of Appetite do remain, let the sick person Moderately excercise, and use Capers, Saxifrage, Olives; let him change place and go into a colder Air. And finally if these helps suffice not let the Patient use Wormwood Wine and pils of Hiera Picra, which do powerfully clense away such Humors as are fast sticking in the Coats of the stomach.

Hiccupings and Vomitings which betide persons in Feavers are opposed by divers Medicaments, the materials whereof are to be sought for in our cures of those Infirmities of Vomiting & Hiconping & to be Judicially accomodated to such persons as in Feavers are troubled with those Symptomes. But speci∣al care is to be taken that a critical Vomiting be by no Means stopped. Hiccoughing somtimes proceeds from immoderate use of refrigerating things, as Lemnius witnesses, whose words Schenkius doth thus relate. Hiccoughing in Feavers doth somtimes follow over abundant use of Refrigerating Ju∣leps; and I have seen many so affected by the unadvised Rashness of Physitians, which Symptom contrary to the expectation of all Men, I Cured by giving the Patient Wine to drink.

A Loosness befalling one that hath a putrid Feaver, if it be critical (that is proceeding from the Conquest of Nature over the Morbifick Matter and tending to expel the whol or Part thereof) it must not be stopped; neither must a Symptomatick Loosness be presently stopped, at the very first, if it do not very much weaken the Patient, least the Vitious Humor do flow back again to some prin∣cipal Parts. When it is seasonable to stop it, it must be done with a gentle astringent Purge, with clensing and Corroborating Clysters; by Medicines taken in and outwardly Applied, which do thicken, strengthen and bind. All which may be taken out of our Cure of a Diarrhoea or Loosness: beginning with the gentler and proceeding if need be to the more strong by Degrees.

Sweats if they be not Critical (that is caused by Nature expelling the Humor offensive) but Symp∣tomatical [that is, caused by the vehemency of that Disease dissolving the Body, and hunting the Hu∣mors through the Skin] and doth very much weaken the Patient, they must be suppressed by cool∣ing the Air, with sprinkling cold Water and the leaves of the Willow and Vine-tree upon the pave∣ment; and if need be by opening the Windows; the Body being cooled and ayred by little and lit∣tle, the Cloths being light upon the Patient, and a Flock-bed being put instead of a Fether-bed: al∣so by often sprinkling the Patients Face with Water and Vinegar mingled together, and finally by the use of cooling Astringent Medicaments; such as are cooling Epithemes applyed to the Heart, Liver, and whol Belly, and often changed. Oyntments made of Oyl of Roses, of Mirtles, of Mucilages, and Astringent Pouders, are to be anointed upon the whol Body; but especially upon the back∣bone. Pouders of Roses, Balaustians, Pomegranate rinds, Myrtle, Mastich, Terra Samia &c Must be sprinkled upon the Neck, Throat, under the Arm-pits, and in the Groins. Or let the Patient be wrapped in a Linnen Cloth, sprinkled with a mixture of Vinegar and Water, and the aforesaid pouders strewed thereon; being in the mean time careful that no Inflamation, or Tumor be in the parts about the short Ribs: for then we must abstain from Astringent things, at least such as are strong. The Sweat must not be wiped off, but suffered to dry about the Pores of the Skin, so to stop them that more may not follow.

Also we must give in at the Mouth, Medicaments that thicken and strengthen, as Barley Water boiled with Lettice and cooling Seeds; Restorative Broths, with Juyce of Pomegranates, sowr Grapes, Pouders of Corals, Pearls, shavings of Ivory, Sanders, or Baulaustians. Juleps of the Waters of Roses, Lettice, Purslain, with Syrup of Pomegranates, dryed Roses, or Quinces. Conserved Electuaries, of Conserve of Roses, Corals, Pearls, Terra Sigillata, pouders of Diamargaritum fri∣gidum, and such like.

AN APPENDIX.

In the Cure of most acute and pernicious Feavers, one thing is diligently to be noted that such Feavers seldom happen without some inward and peculiar disorder and commonly Inflama∣tions of some of the inward Bowels as Liver, Spleen &c. So that we must evermore be careful of the Parts under the short Ribs, of the Head, the Breast, the Womb; Reins and Bladder: that by al means possible we may hunt out, which of those is much out of order, and as much as may be restore the same to its Natural Constitution.