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 ...

X. To prevent a deformed Cicatrize.

CX. To do this, you must be careful that no Hypersarcosis, or proud Flesh, grow upon the Wound or Ʋlcer, for thereby the Cicatrice will be deformed; and sometime if great Care be not taken, they will seem to be as it were wenny; and says Wiseman, when they happen upon Womens Breasts, they have sometimes been supposed Can∣cerous. In others from ill hand∣ling; the loose Flesh (says he) has grown so high and callous, that one of them which came into my Hands, required to be burnt again, in order to the Cure.

CXI. In the Face therefore, there is a special Care to be had, as also in the Eyes, Neck, and Breasts of the Female Sex: In the Eyes, that they be not daub∣ed with greasie and nasty Me∣dicines; and that the Lids be not drest with too drying ones, lest they cause Contraction, and make a Blearedness.

CXII. In the Cure of the Eyes then, you may use Breast-milk, or other Milk, Blood-warm, also Pigeons-blood, Waters of Fen∣nel, Dill, Nightshade, Plantane, and Fumitory; also a Mucilage of Fleawort, Fenugreek, or Quince-seed, Trochisci albi Rha∣sis, Tutia, Calaminaris, Frank∣incense, Sarcocol, &c.

CXIII. If the Ear in this Case should grow to the Scalp, or the Fingers to one another, or the Palm should be Contracted with a hard Callus: in that of the Ear, the Callus must be divided by Incision, and soft Rags dipt in Frog-spawn-water, or some proper Balsam or Ointment, must be put between the unequal Callus rubbed with the Caustick-stone; then the Escar is to be separated, and the Sore to be Cicatrized with the Vitriol-stone, Ʋng. desiccativum rubrum, or some such like Medicament.

CXIV. If the Fingers are grown one to another, they are to be cut with Scissars, or an Incision-knife; and then the Cicatrices to be taken off with the Cau∣stick-stone; and afterwards to be healed as another Ulcer.

CXV. If the Fingers and Palm are shrunk up, and joined close, you must cut asunder each Finger, put∣ting between each a very thin plate of Lead, or other fit Matter; and cause a Rowl of Wood to be placed under the crooked Fin∣gers, which is to be carried with Bars to the inward Parts of the Wrist, and fastned by Screws, to thrust the Rowl gradually for∣ward, till it bears all the Fingers before it, and by a compleat

extension, restores them to their pristin form.

CXVI. When therefore after Burning, these deformed Cica∣trices are feared, they are to be prevented by timely applying of Emollients, during all the time of the Cure, not at all making use of those things which are too drying, for the production of the Cicatrice; but in the parti∣cular use of these Matters, your own Judgment ought to direct you.

CXVII. Let the Parts where such fear is, be fomented with an Emollient Decoction, such as we have described at Sect. 60, 95, and 101, aforegoing; and af∣terwards the Part may be anoin∣ted with the following Lini∣ment.

CXVIII. ℞ pure yellow Palm Oil, Oil of Aniseeds, A. ℥i. Oils of Hypericon, of Whelps, of Earth worms, A. ℥ss. Oils of Ben, of Roses, and of Beans, A. ʒii. Oils of Myrrh, and of Eggs, A. ʒi. white Wax, q.s. mix, and make a Liniment.