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I. WHat the Greeks call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. and the Latins, Ʋlcus Inguinis, vel In∣guinale, & Fistula Inguinis; we in English call, an Ʋlcer of the Groin, and a Fistula of the Groin.
II. The Causes. An Ʋlcer may be caused, 1. From a Wound made by External Violence. 2. From a Bubo, Phlegmon, or Apostem, being broken or open∣ed.
3. From a Flux of sharp Humors. 4. Symptomatically, or from a Crisis, Nature expelling the Morbifick Matter that way.
III. The Signs. An Ʋlcer is manifest at sight: It many times penetrates deep, thro' the ob∣lique and transverse Muscles of the Abdomen, and yields for the most part a stinking sort of Quittor.
IV. The Prognosticks. If you perceive such an Ʋlcer as aforesaid, you may judge it not to be easily Cured, more especially if it falls out after a Venereal Bubo: For, 1. There is a Disease with its Cause joined to it. 2. It cor∣rupts the Fibres of the Muscles. 3. It sometimes corrupts the Vertebrae of the Loins, in which last case, the Disease is Mortal.
V. If it is recent it is more ea∣sily Cured than if it is inveterate; and if benign, more easie than if it were malign; and if it continues long, it for the most part in∣duces a Marasmus, or a deep Con∣sumption; because those Parts being as it were the Sink of the Body, are apt to drain all the Juices, even the Radical Moi∣sture out that way.
VI. The Cure. Let the Ʋlcer come from what Cause soever, upon its first appearing it generally wants digestion, and therefore Digestives ought to be applied for sometime, but not too long, (because of the over-great moi∣sture of those Parts) for that they are apt to produce a pu∣tridity.
VII. The next thing is to de∣terge the Ʋloer with proper Ab∣stersives: Ʋng. Nicorianae is a good thing, with which if the Ulcer is very foul, you must mix a little Ʋng. Aegyptiacum: Some use Ʋng. Apostolorum; but Ʋng. Fuscum Wurtzii is inferior to none of them.
VIII. If it is recent, it may be drest with this. Take Juices of Smallage and of Scordium, A. ℥iv. Honey of Roses ℥ii. mix for a Po∣tion; after which dress it up with Ʋng. Nicotianae mixed with equal parts of Apostolorum: If it is very putrid you must dress it with Basilicon mixed with Praeci∣pitate.
IX. The Ʋlcer being cleansed, you must induce the healing with proper Incarnatives and Epulo∣ticks, which by reason of the moisture of the Part, are to be drier than ordinary.
X. If it proceeds from a Vene∣rial or Pestilential Bubo, after they are brought to maturation, you must use the general Means prescribed in the Cure of those Diseases.
XI. The Cause. It is for the most part caused from an Ʋlcer be∣ing continued, or from the ill ma∣nagement of its Cure, by applica∣tion of improper things.
XII. The Signs. They are known by sight, and proceed for the most part from Venereal Bubo's ei∣ther neglected, or ill handled: Sometimes they happen in the Emunctories themselves, and sometimes somewhat above the Emunctory, the Matter not reaching it.
XIII. The reason in this last
Case is, either the weakness of the Expulsive Faculty, or the crossing of the Muscles oblique and transverse, in those Parts.
XIV. Nor is it any wonder that Abscesses, vlcers, and Fistula's, often fall out in those places, for that they are the sink, as it were, of the Body, where almost all the impurities flow; so that a perfo∣ration of the Guts is sometimes caused, that the Excrements come out at the Orifice of the Fistula.
XV. And sometimee it so falls out, that the Fistula penetrates many ways, even to the corrup∣ting of the Vertebrae of the Spina, making the Patient very uneasie.
XVI. The Prognosticks. All Fistula's in these Parts, which pierce into the Cavity of the Abdo∣men, are Cured with much diffi∣culty; 1. Because the sink os the Body is as it were there, a continual flux of Matter is apt to ensue, either from the Liver, or some other Parts. 2. Be∣cause that if Incision or Corro∣sive Medicaments are used, the Fibres of the Muscles, and Branches of the Vena Cava, and Aorta, are in great danger to be hurt.
XVII. If the Guts are eroded, and the Excrements come out at the Orifice of the Fistula, there is great danger of Death, 1. Be∣cause Topicks can scarcely be applied to them to induce the Consolidation. 2. Because the Guts are membranous, thin, and have but little blood, which is the medium of Unition. 3. Be∣cause we can have but little assi∣stance, either from Hand, or Eye. 4. Because the Fistula is apt to creep between the Mus∣cles, (which in those places are many) viz. the oblique and transverse, which are placed one above another.
XVIII. If the Vertebrae of the Spine be corrupted, the Fistula is incurable: And you may easily know when it is foul by the great quantity of stinking Sanies flowing from the same: The Patient also grows daily weaker and weaker, whatever Means is used, and being wonderfully extenua∣ted, at length Dies of a Maras∣mus, or deep Consumption.
XIX. The Cure. If the Fi∣stula is not deep, but superficial, make Incision, and remove the Callus by the help of some Ca∣theretick Pouder, or by the ways and means which we have pre∣scribed in Cap. 20. Sect. 78. ad 103. and in Cap. 24. Sect. 26. ad 35.
XX. Then Absterge the Ʋlcer, Consolidate and Cicatrize, accord∣ing to the Prescriptions delivered in the general Method of Cure, ap∣plying proper Abstersives, Sarco∣ticks, and Epuloticks; all which in Ulcers of these Parts ought to exceed the ordinary Medica∣ments of these kinds, as to their desiccative or drying Qualities, by reason of the very great moi∣sture of these Parts.
XXI. If the Guts are perfora∣ted, you ought to acquaint the Friends and Relations of the Pa∣tient with the Danger; but in your own Brest not to Despair, but to proceed on with Courage, for that Nature does some things (even in this case) almost Mi∣raculous,
and many times won∣derfully beyond our utmost Ex∣pectation.
XXII. Let his Food be made of things glutinous and consolida∣tive, as Meat prepared of Sheeps and Calves Feet, Neats Feet, Knuckles of Veal, and Knuckles of Pork, Jellies of Hartshorn, and Jellies made of the Guts of Calves, Sheep, and Hogs, which Cure by a Specifick Virtue.
XXIII. Rice boiled in Milk is very good; so also Frumety made of Wheat, having plenty of Raisons, and blue Curants in it: Thick Milk made with Wheat-flower, or white Starch, is proper; and very Excellent is Milk boil'd thick with Oatmeal, which nou∣rishes much, consolidates, and yet cleanses.
XXIV. Every Morning and E∣vening he may drink a good Draught of Alicant, or Spanish red Wine warmed with a Toasted Bisket sopt in it, eating the Bis∣ket; for the Spirit of the Wine, and its Styptick Property helps on the Consolidation, and Heal∣ing.
XXV. And inwardly you may give, Morning, Noon, and Night, the Pouder of Ox Guts à ʒss. ad ʒi. mixt with Blood of Comfrey, or Syrup of Comfrey ʒiv. or ʒvi. and then given with a Glass of warm Alicant. It is a Speci∣fick.
XXVI. Outwardly inject some Styptick Liquor, or this Mixture. Take Smiths Forge-water filtred ℥viii. Syrup of Myrtle-berries, or of red Roses dried ℥ii. Alum (dissolved in a little Rose-water) ʒii. mix them; and keep the Orifice open with a Sponge till the Gut is consolidated.
XXVII. The Gut being healed, you must then proceed to the remo∣ving of the Callus, after which by Abstersives, Incarnatives, and Cicatrizers, compleat and per∣fect the Cure.
XXVIII. If the Vertebrae of the Spine are foul, undertake no Cure, but if upon Consideration they will entertain you to dress them, you may inject into the Fistula the following Sanative Potion.
XXIX. Take Meadow-sweet Water, or rather Smiths Forge-water filtred lbi. Juice of Scor∣dium clarified ℥vi. Syrup of dried red Roses ℥iv. Tincture of Aloes, Myrrh, and Saffron, made with S.V. ℥ii. Tincture of Euphorbium ℥i. mix them, and over all lay Our Empl. Album, Diachylon cum Gummi, or Stypticum Paracelsi.