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. XXXIV. Of the ITCH.

I. IT is called in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latin, Pruritus: and in English, The Itch.

II. It is a Disease which causeth scratching, with some small exul∣ceration of the Skin, generally affecting the whole Body.

III. It will have its beginning in many parts of the Body; in Children it often begins on the Fin∣gers or between the Fingers: but if it begins upon other parts first, it forthwith sends its Fil∣thiness thither.

IV. The Cause. It arises from Choler subtilized, and sent into the habit of the Body, being mixt with thin salt Flegm; which spreading into the superficies of the Body, breaks out in the Cuti∣cula, with small watery Pustules, causing great Itching.

V. The Procatartick cause is from feeding upon salt, acrid and hot meats, thro' the fault of a hot habit of Body. It is also caused by contagion, as putting on the Glove or Linnen of one that had or has the Itch, lying with them in the same Bed, or lying in those Sheets, wherein one that had the Itch had formerly lain.

VI. The Prognosticks. If the Itch happens to one in a Consump∣tion, and the Body is bound, it is mortal, as Hippocrates saith in Coacis. For by reason of the trouble and disquiet, they can neither sleep nor take any rest, which hindering concocti∣on, hastens their Death.

VII. If through continuance it gets into the whole Habit, it is never cured, but generally proves mortal: I knew three Brothers, all young men, die purely of

the Itch, which by length of time becoming habitual, at last corrupted the whole Body, which with putrid and eating Ulcers destroyed them.

VIII. If the Itch continues long, it is for the most part a fore-runner of a Scabies, or Scabbiness, not long after to follow: because its long continuance is the occasion of collecting a great abundance of Matter, which becoming pu∣trid and acrid, corrodes the Cuticula, and excites Pustules and Scabs.

IX. In old people and such as are decripid, it is seldom cured; because old Age is fit for trea∣suring up these salt Humors, and then that habit of Body is dif∣ficultly changed, so as to be brought into a better state: yet sometimes, thro' much care and diligence, it is healed. Mercu∣rialis gives us an Example of a man fourscore Years old, having an extraordinary great Itch, who by the help of Medicines was restored: and I my self cured one perfectly of something a greater Age.

X. And by how much the worse the Humor is which excites the Itch, by so much the worse is the Disease: If it proceeds from adult Blood, or Choler, it lasts not long: If it proceeds from salt Flegm, it continues longer; but if from Melancholly, long∣est of all.

XI. The Cure. First, purge the Body well with Panchyma∣gogon vegetabile ℈ j. at a time, mixed with Arcanum Corali∣num, gr. iv. or else with Mer∣curius dulcis ℈ j. Or, you may evacuate with our Family Pills, Pilulae Catharticae, Tinctura Pur∣gans, or Tinctura Cathartica; and in very hot Bodies with Sal Mirabile; then you must cool the sharp Humor by drink∣ing Whey.

XII. Or, You may purge with our Diajallapa, or Species Ca∣tharticae, or Diaturbith, all mingled with Mercurius dulcis, as before, and then cool, by taking often Crystals of Tartar, or Tincture of Coral in Whey.

XIII. Then anoint all over with Unguentum Populeum, or the Joints only with our Mercurial Ointment, which is better: and let the sick wash in a Bath made of Parietary, Mallows, Docks, Alum and Vitriol, sitting in it with the whole Body.

XIV. Whey of Goats Milk with juice of Fumitory, given to three Pints at a time, is excellent in this case, after the antecedent cause is taken away, as aforesaid: by Rosin of Jallap and Syrup of Peach Flowers: Or, by pro∣voking the Courses or Haemor∣rhoids, if stopped.

XV. You may Bathe often with fresh Water Baths, in which Quick∣lime has been cast: Or, you may make a Discussive Bath with Parietary, Mallows, sharp pointed Dock, wherein Alum, Sulphur, Vitriol, &c. is put.

XVI. Sennertus tells us, first, that the Humors are to be prepa∣red and attenuated by coolers and moistners, as Endive, Succory, Borrage, Bugloss, Fumitory, Hopps, Maiden-hair, Asparagus∣roots, Polypody, Mother of Time, and Syrups made of these.

XVII. Secondly, That the Hu∣mors be evacuated by the Leaves of Sena, Polypody, black Helle∣bor, Jallap, Compound Syrup of Polypody, Diacatholicon, Con∣fectio Hamech, Extractum Melana∣gogum, Extract of black Hellebor.

XVIII. Thirdly, That the Cour∣ses or Haemorrhoids suppressed, be provoked, if Age and strength will permit.

XIX. Fourthly, That the diet be cooling and moistning, and easy of digestion; the Air cold and moist, and the Habit of the bo∣dy altered by eating Borrage, Endive, and especially Lettice, which last procures also Sleep, in this affect very requisite and useful: but all sharp, salt, bitter, sower, sweet, fat, and most of all, fryed Meats are to be avoided.

XX. Fifthly, That for Bath∣ing, it be done, one while with sweet blood-warm Water; ano∣ther while with that which is salt and sulphury: for by this means, the Itch will be eased, the Pores loosned, and the Ex∣crements evacuated and cleans'd

XXI. Sixthly, That you anoint with Oil of Sweet Almonds, or Oil of bitter Costus, in either of which is put a mixture of Salt and Sulphur. Or, ℞ Oil of Coloquintida ℥ iiij. Tar ℥ iij. Lupine Meal ℥ iij. Sulphur ℥ ij. make a Liniment with Vinegar, and anoint therewith.

XXII. Or, ℞ Litharge, Sul∣phur, Turpentine, A. ℥ iss. juices of Mallows, Parietary, A. ℥ j. Oil of Colocynthis ℥ j. mix them; af∣ter the use of which, bathe in a blood-warm bath of sweet Water.

XXIII. But since the Disease is contagious, and generally comes thro' contagion, an external Cause; it is for the most part cured by Topicks or Externals, a great variety of which you have in Cap. 27. in the cure of a Scabies, aforegoing, which may very well serve in curing this Disease.

XXIV. To which may be added this following Ointment, which scarcely ever fails of doing the Cure alone, ℞ Oil of Ben, ℥ viij. Sheeps Suet ℥ ij. mix and melt; and add thereto Flowers of Sul∣phur ʒ iiij. mix them, and anoint therewith morning and evening.

XXV. If the former should prove too weak, you must add to it, White praecipitate ℥ j. and then anoint with it as before, the Stomach and Belly being excepted.

XXVI. Or, in place of the for∣mer, you may anoint with Un∣guentum Cosmeticum, with White praecipitate; or the Ʋnguentum Mercuriale, which you may a∣noint upon the Joints, Palms of the Hands, and Soles of the Feet: Or, the Ʋuguentum ad Scabiem, which I have approved, and is a singular thing.

XXVII. Or, this following, which is neat and cleanly, not spoiling Linnen, or having any ill Scent. ℞ Corrosive sublimate in fine Pouder ʒ iss. dissolve it in rectified S.V. ℥ iiij. being dis∣solved, add thereto Rose Water two Quarts, or better, with which the Patient (with a bit of Spunge) may wash the parts affected, morning and evening, the Stomach and Belly only excepted. This will not fail of doing the Cure.