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. LVIII. Of TINCTURES.

1. The Cordial Tincture.

TAke Long-pepper, Ginger, Win∣ter's Cinamon, a. ʒ j. Cloves, Nutmegs, Limon Peels, Cinamon, a. ʒ ij. English Saffron, Cochinele, a. ʒ iij. rectified Spirit of Wine lbiij. impregnated with Oil of Sulphur ʒiij bruise them well, and mix them; digest for a month, then filter, and keep the Tincture for use.

It is good against Fainting and Swooning Fits, and palpitation of the Heart; and is profitable against Phlegm in the Stomach and Bowels: it wonderfully strengthens the Brain and all its functions, removes Catarrhs, and preserves from the Apoplexy, Falling-sickness, and Lethargy: it masters the nauseousness of the Stomach, or loathing of food, and helps the weakness thereof; in the Colick it is a sin∣gular thing, and in Fits of the Mother, for which purpose few Medicines are equal to it. Dose, à ʒ j, ad ij. in a fit Vehicle.

2. The Wonderful Tincture.

℞ Catechu ℥ vj. Jesuits Bark ℥ iv. Henbane-seeds ℥ ij. Spirit of Wine, i.e. common Brandy ℥ xx. mix; digest for a week, filter, and keep it for use.

It is profitable against Ulcers of the Reins and Bladder; it stops Spitting of Blood, and

Bleeding, or Fluxes of Blood; in what part of the Body, or of what kind soever: it represses the overflowing of the Terms in Women, cures the Diabetes, Incon∣tinency of Urine, and Pissing of Blood, as also the Bloody-flux and Diarrhoea, and stops other Fluxes of the Bowels; it prevails against the soreness of the Bow∣els, weakness of the Stomach and Liver, and lowness of the Heart. Dose, two spoonfuls, more or less, morning and evening, continuing its use for six or seven days.

3. Tincture of Opium.

℞ Thebian Opium ℥ viij. Saf∣fron, Cochinele, a. ℥ j. Cloves, Mace, Nutmegs, Cinamon, Snake∣root, a. ℥ ss. Juice of Limons, recti∣fied Spirit of Wine, a. lbijss. mix them; digest, 'till the Ingredients fall to the bottom; filter, and ex∣hale the one half. Or thus, from Angelus Sala; ℞ Thebian Opium dried ℥ j. English Saffron, Mace, a. ℥ss. Ambergrise ʒj. Spirit of Vitriol ℥ iiij. Damask-rose-water ℥ vj. infuse all in a glass vessel, and digest for a month: then strain, abstract the Rose-water, and keep the Tincture for use.

It is a most approved and safe Remedy in all Pains, whether Venereal or others; it stops all Haemorrhagies, or Bleedings and Fluxes, both of the Womb and Bowels. It is a famous Sudorifick, purifies the Blood thro' the whole Body, and restores the pristin vigour of Health: It is good as well in the Dropsy and Con∣vulsions,

as in the Stone, and Fits of the Mother: it is a stupendi∣ous Medicament in stopping all Fluxes of Humors and Catarrhs, Overflowing of the Courses, in Watching, and in all kinds of Fevers, and Weaknesses; in Phrensies, Madness, Melancholy, Vomiting, Falling-sickness, Suffo∣cation of the Heart, Colick, weakness of the Stomach, Pleuri∣sie, Gout, as well in the Hips, as Knees and Feet, as also the Stone, and pain of the Reins: for in easing all vehement and sharp kinds of pain, it is as it were a divine help, and the very last Re∣fuge. Dose, à gut. 16, ad 20, vel 30. more or less; which may be taken in the Evening, about bed-time.

4. Purging Tincture.

℞ Sena ℥ viij. Jalap in pouder ℥ ij. Seeds of Anise, Caraways, Coriander, Roots of Liquorice, a ℥j. Aqua Vitae lbvj. mix; and di∣gest in a cold place for fourteen days, strain out, and keep the Tincture for use.

It Purges Choler and Melan∣choly, as also salt Phlegm, and that without trouble; and is in∣deed profitable against all Dis∣eases proceeding from those Hu∣mors; as Cancers, Elephantiasis, Madness, Melancholy, Rheuma∣tisms, Gouts, Kings-evil, Ring∣worms, Scabs, Breakings-out, and other like Affects of the Skin. It is very powerful for bringing forth the Melancholy Humor, and prevails against all Diseases which proceed from a mixture of Phlegm and Choler. It is an ad∣mirable thing for such as are troubled with the Spleen, Melan∣cholick

and Hypochondriack Dis∣eases, Madness, Falling-sickness, or Delirium proceeding from a Fe∣ver, Diseases of the Womb, or an old Pox. It powerfully provokes Stools, takes away Obstructions, and removes thick Humors, vis∣cous and tough, by cutting and attenuating them. Dose, from 2 spoonfuls to 6 or 7, more or less, in the Morning fasting.

5. Tincture Exfoliating Bones, or Tincture of Euphorbium.

℞ Euphorbium ℥j. Myrrh ʒ ij. Spirit of Wine ℥vj. mix, and digest for a week, filter, and keep the Tincture for use.

It is never given by the Mouth, neither alone, nor mixt with other things, except very rarely, and in small quantity. Outwardly it is used, but chiefly in rotten∣ness of the Bones, where they require scaling. But if the Mandi∣ble or Jaw-bone in any place (saith Hildanus) be made bare, I apply the Pouder of Euphorbium, which has wonderful properties; for by its heat, it not only drys up the humors in the Bone, but here it is found to have some agreeable occult quality; for which reason it is deservedly, both by Dioscorides and Modern Physicians, applied to rotten Bones: nor need you fear its acri∣mony, for tho' it bites the Tongue and Nostrils, yet notwithstanding you may strew Ulcers plentifully with its Pouder, or as much as you please, for that it causes no pain or inflammation: — I speak what I know by experience. If these are the virtues of the Gum in its gross body, what are its excellen∣cies when its Body is opened?

6. Tincture of Wormwood.

℞ Dried Leaves of common Wormwood ℥ iv. Salt of Tartar ℥ j. grind them together in a hot Mortar; and add thereto rectified Spirit of Wine ℥ xvj. digest seven days, then strain out by pressing: in that liquor infuse again the same quantity of Wormwood and Salt of Tartar, digesting and expressing as before; which work repeat the third time: press out again, and filter the Tincture.

It is a great Stomatick, helps Concoction, and inwardly taken kills Worms of the Belly, it re∣moves Obstructions, provokes the Terms, brings forth the Birth and After-birth, preserves from Putrefaction, resists Poison, and is good in the cure of the Plague and many other contagious Dis∣eases. Dose, à gut. vj, ad xvj. more or less, in a draught of Wine or, Asc.

7. Tincture of Antimony, Purging.

℞ Glass of Antimony in pouder ℥ j. Spirit of Vitriol not rectified ℥ viij. mix, and digest in Balneo Mariae.

It opens Obstructions, purifies the Blood, and certainly cures all those Diseases which proceed from Stoppages; it kills Worms in Children, and is profitable in the cure of the Green-sickness, Ca∣chexia, Kings-evil, and Scurvy; and in every Disease it is said to be a Panchymagogue, or Univer∣sal Purger. Dose, agut. vj, ad xij.

8. A Cathartick Tincture.

℞ Choice Sena ℥ iij. Ja∣lap in pouder ℥ j. Cloves, Sas∣ston, ana ʒ j. Chalybeat-Wine

lbij. infuse for seven days, ex∣press, and filter.

It safely and certainly cures all Diseases of the Brain and Womb, removing and dissipating all Me∣lancholy Phansies and Thoughts; it is good against Semitertians, and other obstinate and inter∣mitting Fevers; for it brings forth Humors putrifying in the Body, and those chiefly Choler and Melancholy; it stops all Flu∣xes of the Belly, Bloody-fluxes, Lienteria's, Diarrhoea's, and the Hepatick-flux; by reason of the Salt and Sulphur of the Iron which it contains. It is very powerful to remove all Obstru∣ctions of the Liver and Spleen, provoke the Terms, &c. Dose, 2, 3, or 4 spoonfuls daily, for some cosiderable time.

9. Tincture of Mars or Iron.

℞ Bits of Iron, or old Nails lbv. White-wine lbviij. Spirit of Wine lbij. Oil of Sulphur ℥ j. digest in a cold place for six months, more or less: and that the Salt and Sulphur of the Mars may be well drawn into the Wine, let the Vessel be often shaked; then de∣cant, filter, and keep it for use.

This Martial Tincture brings forth many corrupt Humors by loosning the Belly, chiefly Choler and Melancholy, Humors earthy, heavy, and sticking, not easily by other Medicaments to be ejected or removed. It is a special remedy against Obstructions of the Liver, Spleen, and Womb; it is profita∣ble against the Jaundies, Pain at Stomach, Palpitation of the Heart, Colick, Iliack-passion, and the Rickets in Children: it has

been found by experience to be a noble Remedy against Hypo∣chondriack Melancholy, Quar∣tans, Cachexia's, Dropsies, Scurvy, overflowing and retention of the Terms, and the Green-sickness in Virgins. Dose, 2 or 3 spoonfuls, more or less, in some proper Ve∣hicle, at bed-time; that the virtues thereof may the more easily penetrate, even to the remote parts of the Body.

10. The Excellent, or Bitter Tincture.

℞ Fine Aloes ℥ ij. Cloves, Nutmegs, Snake-root, English-Saffron, Aniseeds, a. ʒ j. Sherry-Sack lbij ss. mix, and digest; often shaking the Vesseb, for a week, then filter, and keep it for use.

It opens all Obstructions of the Liver and Spleen, is profitable against the Dropsy; bringing forth Phlegm, Choler, Melancho∣ly, and Water, with other super∣abounding Humors; it purifies the Blood; nor will it suffer any evil matter to remain in the Bo∣dy, but whatever is pernicious, it expels by Stool and Urine; it helps the weakness of the Sto∣mach, and prevails against many other Discases of like kind with these; and therefore is given against Pain of the Stomach, Ca∣chexia, Belching of Wind, and to kill Worms: it is exhibited before the Fits in a Tertian and Quar∣tan, which it often cures at the third time taking. Dose, from ℥j, ad ij. in a Morning fasting. If it be given for the preservation of Health, it may be taken from half a spoonful to one spoonful, every Morning, in White-wine,

for eight or ten days, in the Spring-time.

11. Tincture, or Elixir of Property.

℞ Fine Aloes, Myrrh, both in pouder, English Saffron, a. ℥ j. of the Ʋniversal Spirit ℥ xij. mix: digest seven days, decant, and filter it for use.

It wonderfully comforts the Stomach and Bowels, causes an Appetite, and happily strength∣ens the Brain and all its functions: it is profitably used in malign and Hypochondriack Diseases, and in Diseases of the Womb; it pre∣serves from the Apoplexy and Falling-sickness; it is of mighty use in various kinds of Fevers; and a most noble Medicament for many Diseases, to open Ob∣structions of the Bowels, help the Pleurisy, Vertigo, and Headach: it is a wonderful Aperient or Opener; for which reason, in stoppage of the Terms, Palsy, Jaundies, and Dropsy, it does wonderful things. Dose, à ʒ ij, ad ʒ iv. more or less; as the na∣ture of the Disease, and consti∣tution of the Sick requires.

12. Tincture of crude Antimony.

℞ Pouder of crude Antimony lbj. Spiritus Universalis lbiv. mix: digest for four or five weeks, then filter, and keep it for use.

It admirably prevails against the Falling-sickness, Melancholy, Madness, Poison, Plague. It is of so great power in purifying and renovating the Blood thro' the whole Body, that it radically takes away all Diseases proceed∣ing

from the corruption of the same. Dose, à ʒ j, ad ʒ ij. more or less, in some fit Vehicle.

13. Tinctureof Salt of Tartar.

℞ Salt of Tartar calcined to blewness, or rather melted, lbij. Bone-ashes in pouder lbiv. of the best rectified Spirit of Wine lbviij. mix; shake often, and keep it for use. Ʋpon the Faeces you may affuse new or fresh Spirit, and you shall have a Tincture as good as the former.

There is not found out a more noble and efficacious Stomatick in the whole Republick of Medi∣cine, I speak by Experience. But it ought to be given in some Stomatick Vehicle or Water: it is also a Secret having a strengthning and restoring vir∣tue. It purifies the whole mass of Blood from all mucous and serous Humours, by virtue of its Salt and sweetness. Dose, à gut. 30, ad 60. more or less.