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. XXXVII. Of Cataplasmes.

CAtaplasmes, which the Ancients called Pultases, * 1.1 are To∣picall medicines soft, and having the consistence of Pul∣tases, and are prepared to asswage paine, repell, mollify, discusse, to ripen, and other ends.

1. They are either prepared without fire and boyling, * 1.2 or with fire and boyling, from whence the one is called crude, the other boyled.

Without fire, greene Plants are pounded, and reduced into a Poultice, or dry, reduced into Powder, are mingled with a sufficient quantity, namely double, or trebble, of Oyle, or a convenient Liquor.

2. They are made with fire, and boyling, if the plants be∣ing beaten, and pounded, are boyled in a sufficient quantity of water, till they are soft; afterwards strained through a seive, which neverthelesse, if they are well boyled, and bruis∣ed is not allwayes necessary, to these are added Muscellages, Flowre, and a sufficient quantity of Fat, and Oyle, and are all boyled againe to the consistence of a Poultice, sometimes plants also are immediatly boyled in Oyle.

The Cataplasmes being prepared, and put on a piece of linnen are applied hot to the part.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A Cata∣plasme.
• * 1.2

  How made.