Ars chirurgica a compendium of the theory and practice of chirurgery in seven books ... shewing the names, causes, signs, differences, prognosticks, and various intentions of curing all kinds of chirurgick diseases ... : to which is added Pharmacopoeia chirurgica, or, The medical store, Latin and English ... / by William Salmon ...

CHAP. LIV. EMBALMING the EUROPEAN WAYS.

I. THESE are such as are universally practised thro' most of the European Nations, and are either without Dissecti∣on, or with it.

II. Those which are Embalmed without Dissection, cannot be of that endurance which they are of, who are Dissected; nor are those Bodies useful for Mum∣mies.

III. The name of Mummy is only given to Dissected Bodies, Em∣balmed with Aromatick Drugs; or, to those Bodies which are covered over, and dried in the Sands of Lybia, by the heat of the Sun.

IV. It is improperly given either to the Liquor which flows from the Coffins of Princes Embalmed, which being dried in the Sepul∣chre, becomes hard as the Em∣balmed Flesh.

V. Or, to those Bodies which are Embalmed with Asphalthum or Bitumen, (which is a Sulphu∣rous Humidity of the Earth) which, through length of time, being once dry, becomes like Mortar, or a crusted Paste over the Body.

VI. The Coffins of the Aegyp∣tians were shaped out to the Simi∣litude of a Man; and if they were made of Wood, it was Sy∣camore or Cedar, which are re∣ported, will remain sound for ever,

I. Embalming without Dissection, called Encearing.

VII. You ought to cleanse the Bowels well by Clysters cast in, made either of Wine Vinegar, Sea Water, Salt Brine, or Solution of Niter, or a strong Decoction of Co∣loquintida; and these to be often repeated; then hanging the Body up by the Arms, that the Ordure, or Faeces may drop out.

VIII. If the Body be laid in warm Water almost scalding hot, for a season, after the Exhibiti∣on of the Clyster, it will work so much the better.

IX. The Bowels being cleansed, let all the Passages of the Body be stopt up with hurds dipt in the Com∣position prepared for the Cere∣cloth, and over them lay Cloth fitted, and dipt in the same.

X. Lastly, wrap up the Body in a Cerate, made of new Cloth; so large as it may go four, or five, or more times round the Body, as you think fit; and then Cord it up, putting it into a strong well made Coffin, well and firmly Pitcht all over the inside.

XI. But here note, 1. That in thin and lean Bodies, it is not al∣ways necessary to use the Cly∣sters, being chiefly for fat and gross Bodies.

XII. 2. That some Cord not the Body, being wrapt in the Cere-cloth;

but it is most safe to use Cordage, if the Body be very Fat and Gross.

XIII. 3. That the Cerat for this purpose you may see in our Doron, or Supplement to our London Dispensatory, lib. 3. cap. 5. sect. 1, 2. Or you may use this following:

XIV. ℞ Burgundy Pitch lbxij. Bees Wax lbiv. Pitch lbi. Frank∣incense, Gum Elemi, Verdigrise a. lbss. Oil q.s. melt, mix, and make a Cerat. Or this, ℞ Bees Wax lbxx. Rosin, Sheeps Suet, Stone Pitch, a. lbx. Turpentine lbvi. Oil enough to give it the body of a Cerat.

II. Embalming with Aroma∣ticks.

XV. Have in a readiness for Dissection, all the proper Instru∣ments, Incision Knives, Saws, &c. as also Spunges, Stuphes, Linnen, Needles, waxed Thread, Bandages.

XVI. 2. Embowel the Corps, removing all the Viscera, or con∣tained parts in the three Venters, except the Heart and Kidnies, which may be Embalmed with the Body. All these Bowels you may put in an Urn, or Pot, and bury them by themselves.

XVII. 3. The Venters being all freed, dry them very well with Spunges and Cloths, and then wash them with Water and Salt, or Vinegar, or Salt and Vinegar, or Aqua Vitae, or Spirit of Wine, or Lixivium of Quicklime.

XVIII. And if would have the Body to keep for a longer time, make Incision into the inside of the Thighs, Arms, and other Fleshy Parts, where the greater Vessels lie, that the Blood may be ex∣tracted, and so you may do, if you please, to the whole Body; after which dry and wash it, as we have just now directed.

XIX. Lastly, wash it with Vi∣negar, in which Colocynthis, Worm∣wood, Rue, Aloes, Salt and Alum have been Infused and Decocted.

XX. 4. This done, fill the said Venter and Incisions with this Pou∣der; Pulvis ad Implendas Cavi∣tates Cadaverum. ℞ Acorus, Or∣rice, Birthwort, Rhodium, Xyloa∣loes, Gentian, Zedoary, Bay-ber∣ries, Ginger, Cardamoms a. lbiij. Myrrh, Aloes a. lbxv. Leaves of Wormwood, Centory, Master-wort, Rosemary, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmegs, Labdanum a. lbij. make all into a Pouder, and moisten with Spirit of Wine to embody it; all which will be little enough, if the Body be large, and you Embalm the Bowels also.

XXI. For you ought not to leave the least Cavity unsought, but fill every Corner, as full as the Skin will hold.

XXII. 5. The Venters being filled, sew up all the places, and anoint the Body all over with, first, Oils of Turpentine, Spike, Juniper-berries, and Cloves, mixt together in equal quantities: Secondly, with Balsam of Peru; which done, strew over the whole Body, some of this follow∣ing Pouder, till it be about half an Inch, thick.

XXIII. Pulvis ad Cadavera Loricanda: ℞ Myrrh Elect, fine Aloes, Benjamin, Gum Guajaci, Orrice-root, Acorus, Cloves, Cin∣namon,

Tacamahacca, Lignum Rhodium, Bay-berries, a. lbij. make all into a Pouder, and mix them.

XXIV. 6. The next thing you are to do, is to wrap up the Body in Cere-cloths, so large as may go, three, four, or five times round it; the form of the Cere∣cloth you have above at Sect. 14. or others (in my Opinion better) in our Doron, lib. 3. cap. 5. sect. 1, 2.

XXV. 7. Lastly, Put up the Body into the Coffin, which, if it be of Wood, let it be exceedingly well Pitched all over within: If of Lead, let it be Soddered up; after having first filled up all the empty Spaces, with either of the Pouders at Set. 20. or 23. afore∣mentioned.

III. Another way to do the same.

XXVI. 1. Open the Skull be∣hind, about the breadth of the Palm of an Hand, something more or less; take out the Brain, and fill the Cavity with this Pouder.

XXVII. ℞ Myrrh, Aloes a. lbxv. Benjamin, Tacamahacca, Gum Guajaci, Labdanum a. lbv. Roots of Orrice, Gentian, Ginger, Zedoary, Aristolochy round, Bay-berries, Acorus, Asphaltum, Cloves, Cinnamon a. lbiij. mix, and make a Pouder. Then put on the piece of Skull again, and few it fast on.

XXVIII. 2. Make an Incision from that part of the Brest where the Ribs meet above the Navel, and another Incision crossing it, about eighteen Inches long, so as to lay open the Region of the Liver, Spleen, and Stomach: Separate the whole from the Sternon on both sides in the Mu∣cilaginous Parts, raise the Ster∣non against the face of the Body; take out the Tongue, Eyes, Lungs, Heart, Liver, Spleen, Stomach, Intestines, and all the contained Parts.

XXIX. Make also two or three Incisions all along each Arm and Leg, and deep Incisions in the Buttocks and Thighs; as also from the Neck to the Buttocks on the Back, separating the Skin and fat Parts with an Incision-Knife.

XXX. Lastly, make five or six Incisions in the Neck, two in tho Soles of each Foot, and as many in the Palms of each Hand.

XXXI. 3. Suck up the Blood, and watery Humors with Spunges, bathe and wash the Parts with good Spirit of Wine; after rub with good Spirit of Salt, or S.V. to every lbss. of which, ℥i. of Spirit of Salt is put.

XXXII. And then fill every Hole and Corner, and all the Inci∣sions and Spaces between the Skin and Flesh; as also the Mouth, Eye-holes, Nostrils, and whole Cavity of the Body, as full as the Skin will hold, with the Pouder at Sect. 27. aforegoing, and few up the Skin firmly with Thread well Waxed.

XXXIII. 4. This being done, a∣noint the Body all over with Bal∣sam of Peru, strewing it over with the Pouder at Sect. 23. above.

XXXIV. 5. Then wrap the Bo∣dy in a Cere-cloth, and soder it up in a Leaden Coffin, where

it may be preserved for many Ages.

XXXV. 6. If you would preserve the Body for some time to lie in State, where it may be appa∣relled with Linnen, Cloths, Hose, Shoes, Gloves, &c. with the Head and Face uncovered; you must prepare a white Linnen Odoriferous Cere-cloth, which cut into long Bandages of a∣bout two or three Inches broad, with which swath the Arms, Legs, Thighs by themselves, and afterwards the whole Body, ap∣plying the Swaths aslant upon the Pouder.

XXXVI. Ʋpon which you may Clothe the Body, as if it were Li∣ving, and Comb out the Hair; often wash the Face with S.V. rectified, and lay over it, when it is not publickly exposed, double Linnen Cloths dipt in the same; or a Portion of the said Odoriferous Cere-cloth, which for this purpose may be thus made.

XXXVII. ℞ White Bees-wax lbvij. Venice Turpentine lbss. Oil of Nutmegs by Expression ℥iv. di∣stilled Oils of Orange-Peels, of Li∣mon-Peels, of Rhodium, a. ℥ij. melt, mix, and make a Cerate.