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. VIII. Of the Falling-sickness in Children.

BEcause this Disease is common among Children, and useth to be very dangerous unto them, therefore we shal ad a peculiar way for their Cure by it self, because it is very much differing from that in elder People.

First therefore make the Belly soluble with a Suppository or Clyster.

After, or about the same time, give a purging Medicine proportionable to the strength of the child: We need not fear to give of the Electuary of Diacarthamum two drams to a child of one yeer old, if the Disease come of corrupt Milk.

Take of Hiera Picra haly a scruple, or one scruple: Pulvis de gutteta half a scruple: Give it with a proper Liquor, or with Honey of Roses.

Apply Cupping glasses to the Shoulders and Loyns, and with Scarrification, if the Child be one or two yeers old.

Apply a Vesicatory to the hinder part of the Neck.

If the Purgation have not done well, or little profited, you must vomit with white Vitriol prepa∣red, or with Salt of Vitriol, which may be given twice, thrice, or four times, if the Disease encrease. The Epileptick Pouder commonly called de gutteta, may be given often with Milk or Broth, from half a scruple to a scruple.

That Epileptick Pouder is not found written in our Dispensatory; but in the Shops at Montpe∣lior. It is usually compounded thus▪

Take of Peony Roots and Seeds, white Dictamnus, Misleto of the Oak, of each half an ounce:

the seed of Atriplex or Orage, two drams: the Pouder of Mans Skull, three drams: red Coral pre∣pared, Hyacinths prepared, of each one dram and an half: Elks hoof prepared, half an ounce: Musk one scruple: Leaf Gold one dram: Mix them into Pouder.

Take it in a smal spoonful of Water against the Epilepsy: or instead thereof in Cinnamon Water, or Imperial Water, or with some drops of the spirital mixture with a proper Liquor.

Apply to the hinder part of the head, a Plaister of Ammoniacum, the hair being shaven; for it hin∣ders a flux of humors that fals from the Head upon the back bone outwardly.

Use this Pouder to the fore part of the head.

Take of Nutmeg half a dram: Peony seeds, one dram and an half: Lavender flowers, one pu∣gil: Amber two scruples: Make a Pouder.

Or apply the strengthening Plaister prescribed in the Cure of the cold distemper of the Brain.

Two or three drops of Oyl of Amber with an equal quantity of Spirit of Vitriol given in Bettony Water, do presently free a child from a sit of the Falling-sickness. The same Oyl is good to anoint the Nostrils. Instead of Oyl of Amber, give the Oyl of Box; as also the Water of Tile-tree flowers, and Bettony Water.

The smoak of Tobacco doth free children from the Epilepsy, if you put in the smal end of the Pipe into the childs Mouth, and blow in the smoak, or if you blow it from your mouth.

Let the Back bone and the Members contracted be anointed with this Liniment:

Take of the Oyl of Rue, and of Earth-worms, of each two ounces: Oyl of Castor one dram: a little Aqua vitae, make a Liniment.

Take of Old Treacle, one dram; Confection of Alkermes, and Hyacinths, of each one scruple; Bettony, Sage, Marjoram, and Cinnamon Water, of each half an ounce: 'Mix them, and hath therewith the Nostrils, Temples, and Ears. You may also give a spoonful to be drunk.

But it is better to anoint the Nostrils, Temples, and Crown of the Head with the Apoplectick Bal∣som described for sleepy Diseases; as also the Mouth and Pallat.

Skenkius in his 5. Century of Exotick Experiments, num. 85. hath this Receipt out of George Kufner: This is an approved Medicine in Childrens Epilepsies: Give a little fine Musk in thin Wine, twice or thrice in a day, and it will cure perfectly.

While these things are performing, you must give once or twice in a day, a Clyster, thus made:

Take of the Roots of round Birthwort, of Polipody of the Oak, of Carthamus seeds, of each half an ounce: Peony and Cummin seeds, of each three drams: the flowers of Chamomel and and Rosemary, of each one pugil: Boyl them to one pint; take half a pint of it strained; Hiera picra three drams; Honey of Rosemary one ounce; Oyl of Rue and Lillies, of each three drams.

Two special things are to be practiced:

The one is the Root of wild Valerian before commended by Columna; which he saith he hath given poudered in Milk, and thereby cured very many.

Another is the Gall of a sucking Puppy, which is mentioned in Untzerus, thus: Take a little black sucking Puppy (but for a Girl take a bitch Whelp) choak it, open it, and take out the Gall, which hath not above three or four drops of pure choller; give it all to the child in the time of the fit with a little Tile-tree-flower Water, and thou shalt see him cured as it were by a miracle pre∣sently.

If the Child suck, look that the Nurses Milk be good, let her have meat of good juyce, and light of digestion: Let her drink no Wine, but Water, or Water and Honey, and a smal drink made of Sar∣saparilla.

Some Children are so subject to this Disease, that it will return again after it is once cured. Nay, in some Families al the Children use to die of this Disease. Therefore you must use preventing Me∣dicines, not only to those which are newly born, but to those also which have recovered.

First therefore give to Children newly born, before they suck, give one scruple of the Pouder de gutteta, mentioned before, in a little milk, and give the same quantity thrice in two daies.

It is good both for them which have been cured, and children when they are a few daies old to ap∣ply a Caustick to their Necks. But an actual Cautery is much better, which our Physitians wil not use, because they abhor violent and terrible Medicines. Rondeletius affirms, that the Actual Cautery is so used in Florence, that the women do use to apply it themselves. And this doth Aquapendens witness in his Chyrurgery Operations, and teacheth the way of applying them in his proper Chapter of the burning of the hinder part of the head in children.

Let the Child be purged twice in a month, with Manna, Syrup of Roses, or of Cichory with Rhubarb.

Every new Moon give it a dose of the Epileptick Pouder de gurteta above mentioned.

Make a Bag to strengthen the head, and a Fume for the Head-cloaths, as in the cure of cold Disea∣ses of the head; and also pouder its hair with the pouder before mentioned.

For the Cure of this Disease, this is a good Preservative:

Take of Spirit of Wine, four ounces: Spirit of Castor, one ounce: Peony Roots, three ounces: Let them be infused and strained. Wash the whol body of the child with it warmed.