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I. THIS Disease is called in Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. in Latin, Herpes miliaris & ulcerosus; in English, Ulcerous Pustules, or an Ulcerous Herpes. It is so called, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, à serpendo, from Creeping.
II. It is a preternatural Tu∣mor, springing from yellow Cho∣ler, mixt with a salt Serum,
disfiguring the Skin with cor∣roding and spreading Pustules.
III. The Causes. The Proca∣tartick Cause is taking cold, lying in cold places, eating and drinking sowr and salt Meats, and even to surfeiting and drunkenness, and persisting in even a continued surfeiting course of living, where∣by plenty of evil Humors are bred.
IV. The Antecedent Cause is Choler mixt with a putrid Lym∣pha, or with a preternatural salt Ferment in the Blood; which being by some violent action, surfeiting, or the like, stirred up into act, causes this kind of Breaking-out.
V. The Conjoined Cause, is a salt, watery, and pus-like Matter protruded out into the Cuticula.
VI. The Signs. It rises in a cluster of small Wheals, not much differing from the colour of the Skin, and are first discovered by their itching: and being rub∣bed or scratched, there issues out a thin serous Humor: or not being scratched, they swell many times to the bigness of small Tares, or great Pins-heads, which drying, they become a Scab.
VII. They many times creep up and down; and as they heal in one place, they often break out in another; being mostly of a cluster, like to Millet-seed.
VIII. The Prognosticks. There is little of danger in this Disease, unless rendred so by the unskilful use of Repellents: it is without a Fever, but is of difficult cure, especially if it is in the Face, Nose, or Ears.
IX. If it is neglected, or ill handled, it eats deep into the Flesh; and then in what part so ever it is, it is very hard to be cured, degenerating some∣times into Herpes exedens.
X. The Differences. There are three kinds of Herpes: 1. Simple, to wit, the Shingles; which tho' they proceed from Choler, or a cholerick Blood, yet they dif∣fer from the other two kinds; because these of the first sort are for the most part Critical, as coming forth after a Fever or Ague, or some other illness. See Lib. 2. Cap. 24 aforegoing.
XI. 2. The millet-like Herpes, being mostly like Millet-seed, as to bigness, which differ from the former, in the Humor causing them; and from the latter, in the form of the Tumor or Breaking-forth; and in the place first affected, which is the Cuticula.
XII. The eating Herpes, which affects the Cutis or Skin, and many times the Flesh also: this, says Sennertus, is of the nature of an ulcerated Erysipelas, from which notwithstanding it differs in the thinness of the Humor.
XIII. There are two Indica∣tions of Cure: the first, which respects the antecedent Cause; the second, which respects the conjoined.
XIV. In respect to the antece∣dent Cause; the Diet ought to be the same as in an Erysipelas, cooling and moistning, and which may attemperate Choler, and salt Phlegm.
XV. Bleeding here is not al∣lowed, but Purging is very necessary;
and since it has its original from yellow Choler, mixt with a salt Lympha or Serum, they are first especially to be purged out of the Body: and it is the opinion of Sennertus, that un∣less the Body is purged, the Sick will never be perfectly cured.
XVI. For this purpose, you may make use of Rhubarb, Me∣choacan, Jallap, Scammony, Cam∣bogia, Sal mirabile, Juice or Syrup of Damask-roses, and Sena; which last is said to purge all Humors: these may be given in Infusion, Decoction, or some proper me∣dicated Ale: Decoctions of Sarsa and China, are also good.
XVII. In respect to the conjoin'd Cause, Barbett is not for repelling Medicaments, lest being drove to the internal parts, it should excite a Fever, and other ill Symptoms: and therefore he advises to the often use of Fasting-spittle, which does good.
XVIII. He also applys the pou∣der of Lapis scissilis, mixt with Vinegar, with great success. Some use Mustard boil'd in Butter, to which others add Gunpowder: Lye also, and Urine, he says, has helped many.
XIX. Pouder of Chalk mixt with Cream, is said to be good to anoint withal; fomenting before∣hand with hot Lees of Wine: also Ʋnguent. Fuscum Wurtzii is excellent here, being prudently applied. Or,
XX. ℞ Mastich, Frankincense, Lapis calaminaris, Goat-suet, A. ℥ss. white Troches of Rhasis, Litharge, Myrrh, A.ʒiii. Sarcocol, flowers of Sulphur, A.ʒii. Wax, Turpentine, q.s. mix, and make an Emplaster, and apply it.
XXI. Wiseman says that this Disease comes near to the nature of the Itch, and is to be treated with Purgatives and Altera∣tives, much of the same kind with those which are proposed for that.
XXII. And as for Topicks, he advises such as powerfully dry: you may foment with Lac Vir∣ginis, and then anoint with Oleum Anodynum, Oleum Colo∣cynthidos, Ʋnguentum ad Sca∣biem, vel Tutiae; over which you may apply Ceratum album, vel Oxylaeum, vel Refrigerans, to consummate the Cure. If broken, cleanse and dry with Lixivium of Calx vive, mixt with Saccharum Saturni.
XXIII. If these things do not, you must anoint daily with Un∣guentum Nicotianae; which com∣monly masters the Disease, tho' it is very rebellious and stub∣born.
XXIV. Valescus de Taranta commends this following for a Secret. ℞ Greasy Wool of a Sheep, and roast it by the Fire until it is black, which make into a pouder, and mix with Rose-water, till it becomes a Liniment: with which anoint the Part affected with a Feather thrice every day, till it be well.