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 VII Of Syrups and Juleps.

SYrups, and Seraps, * 1.1 derive their names from the Ara∣bicks, and therefore are not to be written with a••y, which the Arabicks want, and 'tis drawne from the roote Schareba, which signifies to sup, and therefore it signifies a Liquor to be Supt; Syrups therefore are fluid medi∣cines prepared of a convenient Liquor, whether it be boy∣led, or infused, or a juice made up with Sugar or Honey, and boyled for the most part to the consistence of Honey: Syrups are invented both for delight to the taste, and for durability, that convenient medicines may be in a readi∣nesse at any time of the yeare.

Some of them are simple, * 1.2 which are made of one simple medicine only, and with Sugar, or Honey; compound which are prepared of more; both kindes are appointed for severall uses, of them are some altering and strengthning, others purging, and the liquour is taken from decoctions, infusions, clarified juices and Vinegar.

This is the manner of preparing, * 1.3 First the decoctions art taken; to the Decoctions are added Sugar or Honey, according as the use and scope of the Medicine requires; namely, two pounds of Sugar or Honey to a pound, or a pound and halfe of the decoction, as it is desired to be thicker or thinner, and ought to be kept more or lesse time: Then afterwards it is to be clarified by adding of the white of an Egge, that the decoction by a gentle Fire may seeth to the consistence of a Syrup: If Honey be added, it ought to bee boyled lesse, because being cooled it easily becomes thick. Syrups also, like an con∣coctions, may be made with Aromaticks, or Aromaticke Powders.

2. Seconldy, they are prepared of clarifyed Juices, to which is added half the quantity of Sugar, and boiled to the consistence of a Syrup.

3. These Syrups are better if fresh flowers are infused 24. hours in the expressed juice in Bal. Mariae, and are again ex∣pressed, and that repeated as often as it is fit. Then the juice is to be clarified by digestion, and half the quantity of Sugar to be mixt with it.

4. Others boil the juice till half be consumed, then they strain it, and suffer the decoction to stand and settle, that the juice may be the purer, the which when Sugar is added, they settle to the consistence of the Syrup.

5. Sometimes the juice pressed out is poured into hot cla∣rifyed Sugar, and exposed to the heat of the Sun, to con∣sume its aqueous humidity. But, if the heat of the Sun be not sufficient, it may be performed by gentle boiling.

6. Syrups are also made of Infusions, Sugar being added in the same manner as of Decoctions.

7. And sometimes other things are infused in juices, and afterwards when 'tis strained, Sugar is put to it, and the Sy∣rup is made according to art.

8. Syrups may be made of extracts also, if a little Sugar be added to the extract being thickned by abstraction of the Menstruum.

9. Syrups may also be made of soft Electuaries, if the Electuary be dissolved in six times or eight times the quanti∣ny of warm liquour, and strained, and half so much Sugar added thereto, by a gentle heat without boiling, the liquour should evaporate to the consumption of the third part.

10. Also Syrup is prepared of Sugar and Vineger onely, namely four pound of Sugar, and two of Vineger, and ac∣cording to some five Pints of water, and 'tis called Syrup of Vineger simple.

11. Moreover, Syrrups are made much more artificially, especially of hot and dry Plants, if onely so much water is poured off as that so much of the liquour may be left after straining without concoction, as otherwise useth to be left after concoction is made, and the matter infused on this manner in a Glass or other convenient vessel, such as Fire-vessels,

or earthen vessels, whose orifices may be fitted with a cover made for it, that is round and channelled, which should be put into the Balneum, three or four days to digest, and afterwards should be strained, and that which is strained should again be put alone in Balneo, or because of straightness of time, it should be clarifyed with the white of an Egg, what ever is feculent in it. Afterwards Sugar should be taken and clarifyed, and boiled to such a consistence, as is observed in the Confection of Penides, and it should be mingled with the clarifyed infusion.

The nearest to this is Oxymel, * 1.4 which is to be had in the Shops, which is prepared of one part of Water, one of Vineger, and two parts of Honey, whereof divers composi∣tions may be made also.

Syrups are seldom given alone in Diseases of the Breast and Stomack; * 1.5 but oftentimes are mixt with double the quantity of distilled waters, or decoctions; and an Ounce or an Ounce and an half of Syrups may be drank with two or three Ounces of Water or Decoction at one time.

To Syrups and Juleps belong Rosated water, * 1.6 which is a Potion compounded of Roses, and Water, and Honey or Sugar: Oribacius put into sixty Pints of warm water, ten pound of Rose-leafs, he shut the Vessel till they were perfectly boiled, afterwards the Roses being taken out, he infused of boiled and clarifyed Honey thirty pound, and put it into a Cellar. Actuarius took ten Pints of water, and five pound of Sugar and boiled them together to a conve∣nient thickness, afterwards he infused a pound of the juice of Roses.

The likest to Syrups are Juleps and Zulaps, * 1.7 as they are called, from the Arabick word Sialaba, which is to heal or make sound, without doubt it is derived from thence, so that indeed Physicians often times take them for the same Medicine, and Potions that are mixt of Water and Syrups called Juleps, but the name of Juleb is often extended farther now than with the Arabians, who invented this Medicine to be made; for the name of Juleb was absolutely given by them, when Sugar onely is dissolved in Rose-water, and boiled, as Julep of Roses is, otherwise called Alexander's Julep.

But a Julep, if there be any difference betwixt it and a Syrup, is a Medicine clearer than a Syrup, and therefore more delicate and gratefull, and it is made of distilled wa∣ters, clarified Juices and Sugar.

They are made with, * 1.8 and without boiling; without boil∣ing on this manner, Common or distilled water is taken, or a decoction of Barley, to the which some Juice also of Citrons, Limmons, Pomegranates, Quinces, or Vineger may be added, and white and clarified Sugar is poured in, or instead thereof common Juleps of Roses and Violets, which being boiled to the cosistence of a Syrup, are kept for use, and are diligently mixt together, and if there be need, are drained through Hippocrates's sleeve. But the proportion of Sugar, or usual Juleps, which is observed to the waters and juices is various, as the present occasion re∣quires it. For the most part the Palate of the sick is their guide, and sometimes the proportion of water and Juices to Syrups and Sugar is threefold, sometimes fourfold, six∣fold, eightfold, or twelvefold. Sometimes Juleps are made with Aromatick Powders, or convenient little Tabulets are dissolved in them. 'Tis most convenient also in some Diseases to add Spirit of Vitriol.

2. Moreover, Juleps are prepared of Conserves and me∣dicinal Juices, if distilled waters that are proper, or a Deco∣ction of Barley be poured into them in a sufficient quantity, and are stirred with a Pestle in a Morter, or are mingled to∣gether over a gentle fire, and strained.

3. But those Juleps which are said to be prepared with decoction, are nothing else but the pure and finer decocti∣ons of Syrups, and the same manner of preparing of them which is of decoctions and Syrups, onely that they are re∣moved from the fire before they receive a thicker consistence.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The name of Syrups.
• * 1.2

  Differen∣ces.
• * 1.3

  Manner of preparing Syrups.
• * 1.4

  Oxymel.
• * 1.5

  The man∣ner of ad∣ministra∣tion.
• * 1.6

  A Potion of Roses and wa∣ter.
• * 1.7

  Juleps.
• * 1.8

  The man∣ner of pre∣paring of Juleps.