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 ...

II. Balthasar Timaeus à Gulden∣klee, his Way of Embalming; Epist. Medicinal. Lib. 6. Ep. 10.

VIII. This is done according to the Pleasure of the Relations, some∣times the whole Body, with all its Cavities and Limbs, are Em∣balmed; sometimes the middle and lowest Venters, and some∣times only the lowest is taken out, and preserved.

IX. Some (says he) use Aloes and Myrrh; some, Spirit of Wine; some, Vinegar and Salt; and some, a Lixivium and Quick-lime: Others, compounded Pouders, Ointments, distilled Oils and Balsams.

X. I have Embalmed several after the following Method: First, I provide all my requisite Instru∣ments; as, Knives, Rasors, Scis∣sars, Tweezers, Bodkins, Saws, Hooks, Needles, Thread, Cords, Swathing Bands, Spunges, Tow, Linnen, Vinegar, Aqua Vitae, Salt-water, Magistral Pouders, Oils, Balsams, Cere-cloths, &c.

XI. The Corps is well washed and cleansed with warm Wine, from all its external Filth, and laid on a convenient place: I cut open the Abdomen cross-ways, taking out the Guts, Mesentery, Stomach, Kidnies, Spleen, Blad∣der, (and Womb, if a Woman∣kind) ordering a Servant to empty and cleanse them.

XII. Then I open the Thorax, taking out the Lungs, Heart, Ar∣teries, Veins, Diaphragma, and the Oesophagus to the Epiglottis, carefully emptying and clean∣sing all the Vessels.

XIII. The Cavities of the Tho∣rax and Abdomen, are first washt well with cold Water, and wip'd dry with Spunges; then with strong Vinegar, and lastly with A.V. or S.V. Spiritus Solomonis, which is a very effectual thing, to

prevent Putrifaction and Cor∣ruption.

XIV. After which, I strew the following described Pouder upon all the Parts, and rub it well in; applying also every where, Pled∣gets of Tow, or Cotten dipt in A.V. and then strewing on more Pouder, till I fill the whole Cavity of the Thorax, and Abdo∣men therewith; and then I sew up the Skin.

XV. Coming now to the Head, I divide the Skull circularly, with a sharp Saw, or else open it only from the Crown to the Occiput, take out the Brain, and wash the Cavity in like manner, as I did the Thorax, &c. before, first with cold Water, then with Vinegar, and last of all very well with A.V. or Spiritus Solo∣monis; and fill it as I did the former Cavities, with the said Pouder and Tow.

XVI. I cleanse the Jaws also very well with a Syringe, and fill them with Pouder of Cinnamon and Cloves: I anoint the Face well (and reiterate the Anoint∣ing) with Balsam of Peru, or Spiritus Solomonis.

XVII. Then I make deep In∣cisions in the Musculous and Fleshy Parts, chiefly about the Buttock, carefully squeezing out the Blood, and strewing them with the aforementioned Pouder.

XVIII. Which done, I wrap the Body up in hot Cerecloth, and a∣noint it all over with Ship Pitch, Pine Rosin, and Liquid Storax, melted together at the Fire.

XIX. If the Body is to be kept long, the fleshy Parts must be taken away, and buried with the Bowels: but you may put the Heart in its place again, or keep it by it self in a Box, being wash'd first of all with our Balsamick Water of Aloes and Myrrh; afterwards with Spiritus Solomonis, and then Anointed with Balsam of Peru.

XX. Now here is to be observed, 1. That the Embalming is to be hast∣ned after the Parties Death, and not put off above twenty-four Hours, especially if the Weather be hot.

XXI. 2. That the Body be kept in a cold place, and not ex∣posed to the heat of the Sun: Nor yet put in a wooden Coffin, but in one of Lead, with Tin or Silver over it; because Wood rots, and in humid Vaults swells, and so bursts the Tin, or Silver Coffins.

XXII. 3. In Embalming, do it carefully, lest any putrid Ex∣halation should offend those about the Funeral, which is a great disgrace to the Artist.

XXIII. 4. The Artist and his Servants, must take care not to receive any harm from the Efflu∣via, and Smells or Steams coming from the putrified Viscera; more especially, if they died of a Phthisis, or Empyema, or some other Contagious Disease.

XXIV. 5. That in Summer∣time this Operation be done in a Room, with Windows open to the North: In Winter, in a Room aired with a Fire made of Ash, or Oak, and some Juniper with it, but in no wise in a Stove.

XXV. 6. Let the Artist and Servants (when going about this work) take some Alexipharmick, to defend them against the perni∣cious

Scents; anoint their No∣strils with some Balsam, or hold to them a Spunge dipt in Be∣zoardick Vinegar; and hold in their Mouths Trochisci de Zedoa∣ria, de Corticibus Citri, or the like Alexitericks: If he has none of these things, let him eat some Food, or Bread tosted and dipt in Wine.

XXVI. 7. That it is better to begin with opening the Abdomen, and not to use Quicklime, or other Corrosive things; for that they rather Consume, than Preserve, the Bodies they are applied to.

XXVII. The Pouder men∣tioned at Sect. 14. aforegoing: ℞ Aloes lbv. choise Myrrh lbiv. Hermodacts, Styrax Calamita, Cloves, dried Rosemary a. lbij. biting Cinnamon, Frankincense a. lbj. dried Bay Leaves, Red Roses a. lbss. cut what are to be cut, and make a gross Pouder.

XXVIII. The Cere-cloth to wrap the Body up in, and to line the Coffin withal: ℞ yellow Bees-wax lbxxv. Venice Turpen∣tine, Colophonia, Rosin a. lbiij. Ship Pitch lbijss. Frankincense, Liquid Storax a. lbij. Verdigrise lbj. Oil of Spike lbss. being melt∣ed and mixt well together, add of Sheeps, or Beef Suet lbij. In this mixture, dip a whole piece of Linnen Cloth, or so much as may serve the Occasion.

XXIX. The Pouder to be strewed on the Cere-Cloth: ℞ Wormwood, Southern-wood, La∣vender, Rosemary, Bay Leaves, a. M. vj. Sage, Marjoram, Basil, Origanum, Time, Savory, Hyssop, Camomil-flowers a. M. iij. Orrice∣root in Pouder, Salt a. lbiv. Li∣gnum Rhodium lbiij. Red Roses, Aloes, Myrrh, Frankincense, Sto∣rax, Benjamin a. lbij. Wood of Juniper, Sassafras a. lbiss. Roots of Calamus Aromaticus, of An∣gelica, of Cyperus Orange and Ci∣tron Peels, Cinnamon, Cloves a. lbj. yellow Sanders, Lignum A∣loes a. lbss. mix, and make a Pouder, which moisten with Oil of Spike lbss.

XXX. An Oil to Anoint withal: ℞ Chymical Oils of Rose∣mary, and of Lignum Rhodium a. ℥iij. Oil of Cloves ℥jss. distilled Oils of Wormwood and Origanum a. lbj. mix them.

XXXI. The Balsam: ℞ Li∣quid Storax ℥vj. Balsam of Peru ℥ij. Oil of Rhodium ℥iss. Oil of Mace ℥ss. mix them.