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 ...

I. Of ANASARCA, or, SARCITES.

III. Definition. This Disease is a praeternatural Collection of serous Lympha thro' all the fleshy parts, or habit of the whole Body. Or, it is a preternatural Tumor of the whole Body, caused by a Collection of waterish and serous Humors.

IV. The Causes. The Proca∣tartick Causes, are great Hemor∣rhages of what kind soever, irre∣gular living, idleness, much drinking, as well of strong Liquors, as of small; by which the Ferment left in the Stomach is washed away thro' that continual ex∣cess, or it is made more flaccid, and less fit for Concoction; whereby Crudities are increased, by which an evil Chymus is produced, of which a vitious Blood is generated, and a crude,

phlegmatick and serous habit of Body, whence comes Ob∣structions; and a Dropsy.

V. The Proximate or near Cause is the serous Lympha, which is also sometimes very sharp, which being much heaped up, does distend its tender Ves∣sels; and by too great disten∣tion does many times break them; whereby it is extrava∣sated, and falls every where upon the muscular Flesh, and interstices of the Muscles.

VI. The Antecedent Cause is an obstruction of the Glandules of the Lymphatick-vessels; where∣by the Lympha flows out too plentifully.

VII. The Signs. The whole Body, Face, Hands, Belly, Thighs, Legs, Feet, &c. being chill'd thro' the coldness of the serous or watery Humor is enervated, lan∣guish, and swell; and where-ever almost you press hard your Fingers, (more especially on the Legs) their print or im∣pression remains behind.

VIII. Respiration or breathing is always difficult, and with some trouble, but more espcially after eating; and the Patient is al∣ways thirsty and craving Drink; and tho' they drink never so much, yet they are never satisfied.

IX. Their Flesh is generally cold, or of a cold habit, soft, loose, pale and white; and many times they look as if they were dead; the Urine is thin and white, Stools many times very pale, with a weak and unequal Pulse.

X. The Prognosticks. In the beginning, and in Infants and Young people it is easily cured; and as easily returns again, if the Viscera be not strengthned, or a good Diet be not observed.

XI. But if the Patient is Scor∣butick, or of a Cachectical habit of Body, the Sick is with much difficulty restored to perfect Health: so also if it comes after a burning Fever, or an Ague of long standing.

XII. Celsus, lib. 2. cap. 8. says, that a Cough coming upon a Dropsy, takes away all hope of Cure: and Hippocrates, sect. 7. aph. 47. says, that if a Cough troubles an Hydropick person, he is in a desperate condition.

XIII. One troubled with an Anasarca, if there be a Fever withal, with little Ʋrine, and that thick, it foreshews Death. And if one be cured of a Dropsy, if it returns again, there will be but small hopes of Recovery: so also if they have Ulcers supervening. Hippocrates in Coa∣cis. Celsus, lib. 3. cap. 21.

XIV. The Cure. The Remote Cause must be removed, by insti∣tuting a good Diet, hot, drying, and strengthning; and forbearing things cold, moist, and watery. The Humor or Water super∣abounding, must be taken away by proper Catharticks, Diure∣ticks, and Sudorificks. And the Tone of the weakned Bowels must be restored and strengthned: but Bleeding must be avoided, as a thing most hurtful to all Hydropick per∣sons.

XV. The Humor or Water abounding is taken away, 1. With

the following simple Catharticks, Vinegar, Wine, and Oxymel of Squills, Cambogia, Elaterium, Jallap, Rosin of Jallap, Me∣choacan, Nitre, Syrup of Buck∣thorn-berries, and Sena in an Infusion in Wine.

XVI. With these Compounds: 1. Pilulae Catharticae, Family Pills, Pilulae Hydropicae Bontii, & Pilulae Lunares, (which are wonderful things) Pulvis Cor∣nachinii, Syrupus Catharticus, and Vinum Hydragogum Bar∣betti; which see, Dor. Med. lib. 2. cap. 12. sect. 7.

XVII. These Pills are also commended: ℞ Aloes, Cambogia, Nitre, ana; dissolve the Aloes and Cambogia in fair Water, or a strong Decoction of Colocynthis, and bring them to the body of a Pill, then add the Nitre in fine pouder. Dose, à gr. xvi. ad xx, xxv, or xxx. in the morning fasting.

XVIII. This Pouder is also good: ℞ Mercurius dulcis ℈i. Rosin of Jallap gr. vii. Elaterium gr. iii. mix, for a Dose, for a Man; a third part of it will serve for a Child; and one half of it for a Youth of 14 or 16 years old.

XIX. The next Course to be pursued, is that of Diureticks; for which purpose we commend Pellitory of the Wall, Salt of Tartar, Salt of Broom, or Broom-ashes, Pot-ashes, and all sorts of fixt Alcalious Salts; an Infusion of Mustard-seed in White or Rhenish Wine, the Pouder or Salt of Millepedes, &c.

XX. And in the intervals of Purging, whether by Stool or Ʋrine, the Patient ought often to Sweat, chiefly in a Bath of hot Water; in which hot and dry∣ing Herbs, as Southernwood, Wormwood, Camomil, Fether-few, Origanum, &c. Pot-ashes, flowers of Sulphur, &c. have been boiled.

XXI. If the Disease is vehe∣ment, and come to a head, this following Cataplasm is of ex∣traordinary use. ℞ Green Tobacco leaves (raised from Virginia seed) M. vi. cut, and then bruise them well in a Mortar, and make it up into the consistence of a Cataplasm, with pouder of Bay-berries; and apply it warm over the whole Belly of the Patient.

XXII. You may let it lye an hour, more or less, as you see occa∣sion, or that the Sick can bear it; and it may be renewed every other, or third day, if the Disease shall require it: it works strongly, and purges watery Humors, both upwards and downwards.

XXIII. If you cannot get green Tobacco, you may make use of dried Virginian; which being cut small, may be throughly moistned with White-wine: to it may be added some Mithridate or Honey, and a sufficient quantity of pouder of Bay-berries, to be beaten up into a Cataplasm, and to be applied warm, as before directed.

XXIV. And to facilitate the Cure, if the Legs swell much, or the lower parts, you may apply Vesicatories to the Calves, and let the Blisters run as long as you see convenient: for by this alone means, the Water has been drawn wholly out of the

Body; but you must be very cautions, and look after them very diligently, lest they should gangrene or mortify; which many times they are apt to do, thro' the great afflux of watery Humors.

XXV. But while this Purging, Diuretick, and Sudorifick Courses are pursuing, you must in the intervals of time strengthen the Bowels, and endeavour to re∣store their Tone; which you may do with the following things.

XXVI. ℞ Crocus Martis ape∣ritivus ℥i. Nutmegs in pouder ℥ss. Cloves in pouder ʒii. foecula of Aron roots ʒi. Camphir ʒss. mix them. Dose, ʒi. every night in the intervals of Purging, &c.

XXVII. We also commend Our Theriaca Londinensis, or rather Our Theriaca Chymica, which is a most admirable thing: so also Tinctura Martis cum Tar∣taro; which Preparation you may see in Our Doron Medicum, lib. 2. cap. 7. sect. 19.

XXVIII. And after the Dis∣ease seems to be cured, and per∣fectly gone, you must still for some time continue the use of these strengthners, either some of them, or all of them; using them in∣terchangeably, 'till the Viscera are absolutely restored, and con∣firmed in their healthful Tone; lest a relapse should follow, and thereupon, the death of the Patient.

XXIX. We are very short here, (tho' if truly considered, we have said a great deal:) but such as desire a more full and ample Discourse concerning the Cure of this Disease, may be pleased to see the third Edition of Our Synopsis Medicinae, lib. 6. cap. 4. sect. 1. ad 130. and sect. 163. ad 186. where they may re∣ceive abundant satisfaction. How∣ever, we thought good to say these things in this place; that we might not leave our young Artist, who may not have seen that Book, totally destitute.