Nine books of physick and chirurgery written by that great and learned physitian, Dr Sennertus. The first five being his Institutions of the whole body of physick: the other four of fevers and agues: with their differences, signs, and cures.

Of Swadling.

A Swath is a long and broad band (or list:) * 1.1 fasciation is a convenient circumduction and convolution of the swa∣thing-band about the member to be cured, the most conve∣nient bands are linnen, which are cleane, light, soft, which have neither seames, nor knots.

The differences of Swathing-bands are various, * 1.2 which are taken from their figure, length, and breadth, they differ in respect of figure, because some are rolled up thick, long and equally broad, and rolled up into a round circle, others are rent, or broken, which consists only of one linnen cloath, but that cut or parted, either in the middle or outsides, others are sowed together, which are Swathing-bands and Ligatures ending in divers heads, and representing severall figures; Swadlings differ in longitude, because some are longer, others shorter, and so it is of latitude.

There are two kinds of deligation, the one simple, * 1.3 the other compound or manifold, the simple is either equall or une∣quall, the simple that is equall, is only round, which incom∣passeth

the affected member, in a round circle, alike every way, without declination, unto either part, but is simple e∣quall, binding is divided into Asciam, and Simam, which only differ in respect of more and lesse, because Asciadeclines a little from a round, but Sima, much of severall wayes of swathing are many differences, taken from the similitude of the parts which are bound, or from the similitude of cer∣taine Animalls or other things, of which Galen in his Book of swathing.

As for what belongs to the manner, * 1.4 sometimes the bind∣ing, is to be begun from the part affected, other times from a sound part, neerest to the part affected, sometimes from the opposite part, moreover sometimes swathing is to begin, at the end of the swathing-band, sometimes at the middle, thirdly swathing-bands should neither presse the part too hard, nor suffer it to be loose, for when tis too loose, it doth not sufficiently containe the part, and when it is too hard it causeth paine and inflamation.

The use of swathing is twofold, one by its selfe, which is to draw together the disjoyned parts, to contract thedilated, to direct the distorted, to containe the member framed and the adjunct parts, to resist a humour flowing; or to represse a humour which is already flowne, or to force blood to extenua∣ted parts; but that which begins in a place affected re∣presseth from the part, that which begins from a sound or opposite, forces towards the part, the other is by accident, which is to keep on medicines applyed to any part.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Swathing.
• * 1.2

  Differences of it.
• * 1.3

  Differences of deliga∣tion.
• * 1.4

  The man∣ner.