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. XIII. Of an ƲLCER with WORMS.

I. WHAT the Greeks call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. and the Latins Ul∣cus cum Verminibus; we in Eng∣lish call, An Ulcer with Worms.

II. The Causes. They are cau∣sed from great Putrifaction; and foreshew a great declension in the state of the Ulcer, from a healthful habit of the Flesh, and parts about it.

III. But in some nasty People, where Flesh-flies can come at the Sore, they may be caused from Fly∣blows, (which in the West Indies I have sometimes seen in Negroes Legs) if they proceed from this cause, the consequence is not so bad as the former.

IV. The Signs. As they are bred for the most part in Ʋlcers sordid, and foul; so if the Ulcer is large and wide, they are generally known by sight.

V. Or otherwise, if they cannot be seen, they are known by a biting pricking pain, and a sense of a kind of motion called motus undosus, a wave-like mo∣tion; with a certain filthy stink.

VI. The Prognosticks. If they proceed from Fly-blows, there is simply no danger in them; but if from Sanies or Sordes, by reason the Ulcer had not been purged or cleansed for a long time, as it shews a great corruption and putrifaction; so it also declares the Ulcer to be of difficult care; and that the Tone of the Part is much depraved.

VII. The Cure. The Indications of Cure are twofold: 1. To take away and destroy the Worms. 2. To prevent and hinder the putridity of the Ulcer.

VIII. If the Worms lye open, or in an open Ʋlcer, so as to be plainly seen, they may be taken forth with Instruments, fitted for the same purpose: but some Authors laugh at this, thinking the pain in doing it will be great, and the labour fruitless;

for that possibly you may not be able to take out all; and if you should, yet you leave the corrupt humor, and putridinous heat behind, which bred them, and may also breed more.

IX. But as these Worms or Maggots are for the most part bred in hollow and sinuous Ʋlcers, so they lye hid, and cannot be seen, and for the most part stick so fast, that they cannot be drawn forth. These Worms then are first to be killed with Medicaments, which may also have a faculty of taking away the putridity, the corruptive heat, and the over∣great humidity of the Part.

X. Such Simples as are good for killing Worms in Ʋlcers, we have enumerated in Chap. 2. Sect. 14. aforegoing of this Book; to which you may add these few fol∣lowing: Aron-roots, Bearsfoot, Fetherfew, Fern-roots, Hellebor white, Hellebor black, Lupins in meal or decoction, Mugwort, Peach leaves and flowers, Quitch∣grass, Scordium.

XI. All, or any of which you may use in Infusion, Decoction, Lixivium, Pouder, or Ointment, simple or compound, as the nature and quality of the Ʋlcer shall most require: among which, those things which shall be prepared from Bearsfoot, the Hellebors, To∣bacco, Aloes, and Scammony, may be superior to all other Vegetable-medicaments whatso∣ever.

XII. In the place afore-cited, from Sect. 15 to 20, we have given you several Compound-Medicaments for this purpose, of extraordinary effects: yet that we might not be wanting, you may also take these following Compounds; which have a power also of de∣stroying the putridity, and dry∣ing up the too great humidity.

XIII. To correct the Putri∣dity. ℞ Centory the less, Hore∣hound, Wormwood, A. M.i. Water q.s. boil and strain; and to lbi. add Honey, Aloes, A ℥ii. Ung. Aegyptiacum ʒiv.

XIV. Or this of Sennertus. ℞ Gentian-root ℥ss. white Helle∣bor ʒii. Dittany, Centory the less, Wormwood, A. M. ss. Water q.s. boil, and strain: to lbi. thereof add Elixir Proprietatis ℥i. mix them.

XV. Or this of Riolanus, in Chirurg. de Ʋlcerib. cap. 8. Take, roots of white Hellebor, of Capers, of Gentian, and of white Dittany, A. ʒii. Centory the less, Calamint, Horehound, Scordium, Wormwood, A. M. ss. Water q.s. boil, and strain: in lbi. thereof dissolve Honey ℥ii. Aegyptiacum ℥i. with this he washt the Ulcer, and over it he laid Ʋng. Apostolorum.

XVI. Or, ℞ Ʋnslaked Lime q.v. extinguish it with Wine-Vinegar; and afterwards mix it well with Oil of Roses q.s. and make a Cataplasm.

XVII. Fallopius in Lib. de Ʋl∣ceribus, cap. 2. advises to this, which may be used with a Tent that will reach the bottom. ℞ Ceruss, Polymountain, A. ℥ss. Tar q.s. mix, and make a Liniment.

XVIII. Or, ℞ Meal of Lu∣pins ℥i. Bulls-gall ʒ vi. Elixir Proprietatis ʒv. Honey q.s. mix, and make a Liniment.

XIX. Fallopius his Aqua Alu∣minis Magistralis is commended.

℞ Plantan and Rose waters, A. lbi. Alum, Mercury sublimate, A. ʒii. the Ingredients being in pouder, mix, and dissolve in a glass Vessel in a Sand-heat, evaporating away one half of the Water: let it settle a Week, and decant the clear for use: when it is to be used, it is to be mixed with a double, triple, or quadruple quantity of Rose-water.

XX. To these things add, the Infusions of Crocus Metallorum, or of Vitrum Antimonii; the Ab∣lution of Mercurius dulcis, and of Turpethum Minerale in Lime-water, or the Water of the Grissin, which is incomparable; so Vitriol of all sorts dissolved in fair Water, adding a little Spirit of Wine in which a little Cam∣phir is dissolved.

XXI. But among Vegetables, scarcely any thing exceeds Tobacco; the Juice of the green, or the Decoction or Infusion of the dry; used by Injection, or Pled∣gets dipt therein, and applied: to this add Ʋnguentum Nicotianae, either alone, or mixed with a little red Precipitate.