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.

CHAP. XXII. Of Pills.

PIlls are so called from their similitude to little Balls by the Latins, and from the solid form, * 1.1 the Greeks call them Ca∣taposia from Catapineine, that is, Drinking or swallowing down: Pills are Medicines made into the form of a Globe or Ball, principally for this end, that they may be swallowed whole, and the unsavoriness of the Medicine may the less be perceived by the taste.

They are made of Pouders, the matter whereof they are made are Electuaries, Trochees, Flours, Salts, and whatso∣ever things are dry do afford: but Pills, since they ought to have great efficacy in a small quantity, the Medicines out of which they are compounded ought to be powerfull, and therefore those things which have but small strength in a great mass are not to be put into them, such as are Flours for the most part. They are reduced into a mass with Sy∣rups, thickned Juices, Extracts, and such like Liquours.

But although all Pills for the most part do purge, and by Pills a Purging Medicine is understood, yet other Medicines may be reduced into this form.

Pills are prepared in this manner, * 1.2 convenient Medicines are to be taken, and reduced into a Pouder, and mixt in a Morter with some Liquour somewhat viscid, as with a con∣venient Syrup or Juleb, seldome with Honey alone, by the benefit whereof both the mass may stick together; and if they are to be kept long they may be preserved, so that the faculty of Medicines cannot easily expire and vanish; but the Aloes which commonly is given in Pills serves to incopo∣rate.

1. If they are prepared for many Doses and daily use, the mass is to be kept in the form of a Pyramid, (which they commonly call Magdalias and Magdaleons) and in the begin∣ing they should be softer, that they may ferment, and the virtue of the Medicines may be the more exactly mingled; then after two or three days tis wiped over with Oyl of sweet Almonds, and covered with a Bladder or a Skin, and kept in a Box.

2. Of the usual Pills, and those which are kept in a rea∣diness for daily use, the manner of the Preparation is thus, Take of the mass of usual Pills more or less, as much as is need, to which instead of a Goad are added some Diagrydium or Trochees of Alhandale, or else some other Purgers, that all together may make one Dose, and let them be mingled with some distilled Water, or with white Wine, or some other convenient Liquour, and brought into one mass, and let it be reduced into 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. Pills more or less.

3. Pills when they are made sometimes use to be covered with Gold, or Pouder of Cynamon, Nutmeg, Fennel, Li∣coris, as is convenient.

4. You may mingle Extracts with the other usual Pills or Pouders.

5. Nay, Pills may be made of Extracts alone, if they are a little thickned, or, which is more convenient, if some of the Purging Pouders be added.

6. You may also prepare Extracts out of the masse, parti∣culars of usual Pills, and make Pills of them.

7. There may be added also for to correct, a drop or two of distilled Oyls, as also of Spirit of Copper, Common Salt, Vitriol.

8. There is another manner also of making Pills, The Simples whether Altering or Purging are macerated for two days in Wine or some other Liquour, or else they are boiled, in it, or a certain juice is taken out of convenient things

and one of these things are taken, or two or more of these Liquours severally prepared are intermingled, or being new∣done they are poured again into some of these, or they are boiled, and afterwards strained: to the Wine or Liquour strained, or expressed, purging, or altering Species, and Pou∣ders, or Compositions of the Shops which may be poudred, as Trochees and Tabulets, somewhat less than the eighth part in quantity to the Liquour, or there abouts, or cathar∣tick or not cathartick Extracts; to which distilled Oyls also, some drops, or half a scruple, according as the bigness of the mass for Pills, is more or less, may be powred. After∣wards all of them by often stirring may be dried over warm Embers, or in a Stove, till they ••re brought into a mass, if it be convenient, the mass being dried, it may again be im∣bibed and wrought in the same Expression or Liquour, and dried; and you may repeat that the third time: but that they may continue the longer, some Aloes is to be added to them.

But lest that Pills should cause loathing in swallowing, * 1.3 the whole Dose ought not to exceed a Drachme, or four Scruples; and that the same loathing may be prevented in taking them, we have said, they are to be rolled in Aroma∣tick Pouders, or Licoris Pouder; there are some who can easily swallow them alone; but others to take away the taste, and avoid the unpleasantness, and facilitate the swal∣lowing, use divers means, Wines, Syrups, Pulp of rosted Ap∣ples, and other things please others, they are conveniently taken in a little Pulp of Bread in Beer. After the altering Pills, and those whose force can penetrate from the Sto∣mack to the remote parts are taken, some liquid thing ought to be taken after them, to carry them to the Veins.

There is another kinde of Pills which are called Hy∣poglottides, * 1.4 because they are retained under the Tongue, till they melt by degrees, principally for the Cough, and Diseases of the Breast, simple Medicines are taken: to an Ounce, and half, more or less, and are beaten, and with a convenient Liquour, as with a Muscellage of Tra∣gacanth, Quince-seed, Fleawort, Wine boiled to the third part with Honey or any pectoral Syrup they are taken and made into Pills; sometimes they are prepared of a De∣coction, namely, to that which is strained, somewhat less than the eighth part of Tragacanth is added, the weight of

Sugar, and Penides equal to that of the Decoction.

Sometimes these Hypoglottides are prepared for preserva∣tion from pestilent air, and to corroborate the Brain, and cherish the animal spirits, as also for delight and pleasant∣ness of smell, to correct the stink of the external air, or of the mouth within, the filth offending the nostrils, let them be made of sweet-sented things, with Muscellage of Tra∣gacanth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pills.
• * 1.2

  The man∣ner of pre∣paring them.
• * 1.3

  Manner of using Pills.
• * 1.4

  Hypoglot∣tides.