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 ...

IV. Abstersives, or Mundifiers.

XXVII. Simple Abstersives. Birthwort roots, both long and round; Horehound, Smallage∣root, Turbith, flower or meal of Orobus, Vetches, Tobacco, roots of Aron, Orrice, Hermodacts, and of white and black Helle∣bor; juices of Celandine, Car∣duus, Beets, Coleworts, Gentian, Centory, Scordium, Wormwood, bitter Almonds, Savin; the Ashes of all Vegetables, because of the Salt which is in them; but the ashes of some things are more powerful than of others; as the ashes of Bean-stalks, of Tobacco, Vine-branches, Aloes, Cambogia, Scammony; Cockle and Oister shells calcin'd; Arsenick white, Orpiment, Vitriol calcin'd to redness, Alum burnt, Verdi∣grise, corrosive Sublimate, white and red Precipitate, the Princes Pouder, Turbith mineral: these two last are as powerful as Ar∣senick, or corrosive Sublimate, and much more safe; for they sooner dispatch their Opera∣tion, are more familiar to the Body of Man, and cause not so much Pain, nor so great an Inflammation.

XXVIII. Now the Time when Mundificatives are to be used is, when the Ʋlcer is well digested; which is when the Pus comes to be that which they commonly call laudable; the lips of the Ulcer are become soft and well-coloured, and no ill scent or fume seems to rise from the Ulcer: for if Sarcoticks be used, before the Ulcer is mundified or cleansed, nothing but a loose or proud Flesh will arise, which will not admit of Cieatrizing. Of the former Simple Abster∣sives, you may form various Compound-ones at pleasure, according to the following Examples.

XXIX. The Abstersive of Paracelsus. ℞ Honey ℥viii. Stras∣burgh Turpentine ℥iv. mix, and boil with a gentle Fire, to the con∣sistence of a soft Ointment; then take it from the Fire; and add thereto red Precipitate levigated ℥ii. (well washt in Rose-water mixed with a little Oil of Tartar) and the yolks of two Eggs, stirring them, 'till they are well incorpora∣ted. This is one of the best Abstersives or Mundificatives in the World: but here is to be noted, that the Precipitate need not be added, unless the Ulcer is very foul, inveterate, and re∣bellious, resisting weaker means.

XXX. The Mundificative of Fabricius ab Aquapendente. Take Juice of Smallage ℥jss. Syrup of Roses, or Mel Rosarum ℥ ss. Turpentine ʒii. meal or flower of Barley and Lupins, A. q.s. or so much as may bring it to a con∣sistency.

XXXI. In the Shops you may have Unguentum Apostolorum; which is best for plain, open, and superficial Ʋlcers; also Unguen∣tum Aegyptiacum, which is good to be injected into the sinuous Ʋlcers, being mixed with White-Wine, and Mel Rosarum.

XXXII. You have also Un∣guentum Aureum, and Unguen∣tum Basilicon; either of which being mixt with burnt Alum,

and red Preeipitate levigated, will make Medicaments, which will do two works at once, viz. both Digest and Mundify.

XXXIII. Take Basilicon ℥iv. Unguentum Aureum ℥ii. Scam∣mony in fine pouder ℥jss. Tobacco in fine pouder ℥i. mix.

XXXIV. Take Basilicon, Oint∣ment of Tobacco, A ℥iii. Scammony, Tobacco, both in fine pouder, A. ℥i. Princes Pouder ʒiii. mix them.

XXXV. Take red Prcipitate ℥i. burnt Alum ℥ss. levigate them together upon a Porphyry-stone, 'till they become impalpable pouder, then add to them Scammony ℥i. Ointment of Tobacco ℥iii. Basilicon ℥vi. mix them well together, and keep them for use.

XXXVI. From what hath been said, it appears that Abstersives are to be drying, without astri∣ction, and without any great hot or cold qualities, and of a subtil and penetrating substance; that by reason of their driness they may suck up, and consume the humidity of the Ulcer, and by their tenuity take away the glutinousness of the Pus; yet they ought not to pass the se∣cond degree of siccity, lest they consume the Flesh it self.

XXXVII. By this it appears, that Abstersion is the removing of the Recrements cleaving to the Ʋlcer; 1. By drying of it. 2. By dividing the particles of the glutinous matter, which destroys the viscosity by which it cleaves to the Flesh.