The London practice of physick, or, The whole practical part of Physick contained in the works of Dr. Willis faithfully made English, and printed together for the publick good.

CHAP. III. Instructions concerning Purging, with prescripts of Purges.

AS Nature often Purges it self according to three Degrees, so there are three Degrees of Purging by Medicine.

The first is soft and easie, gently expelling any loose matter contain'd in the Ventricle and the Intestines.

The second reaches not only that, but Purges likewise other humours from the Bilous and Pancreatick Passages, and from the Mouths of the Vessels.

The third performs all this, and that in a more full manner, and going yet farther, strongly Purges from the Blood, and con∣sequently from the Nervous Juice and other parts, an Excremen∣titious matter which is brought by the Arteries into the Inte∣stines.

As for what concerns the choice to be us'd in Purging Medi∣cines, though we do not approve of those cry'd up Classes of Medicines appropriated to this or that Juice or Humour; yet we do not think that all Purges are indifferently to be us'd in all ca∣ses, but that there is need of a strong Judgment, and a wary cir∣cumspection in a Physician, that according to the strength of his Patients, their temperament, the state and ability of the Viscera, their bearing, custome, and fancy, and so according to the nature, of the Disease, its time and quality, he prescribe a Purge more gentle or strong; and that of hot things, or temperate, gentle or more smart, and in a solid substance or a liquid, or something of some other certain kind and form, as he shall see good.

A Purge therefore being not convenient at all times, nor in every state of Body; to proceed as we ought, we must take a fit season, and use a certain preparation, and both these have regard to the first passages, and to the Mass of Blood.

As to the first, if at any time the Stomach be loaded with a Mass of viscous Phlegm, or troubled with the boiling of Turgid Choler, a Purge most commonly either becomes of no effect or does hurt, unless those contents are first of all cleans'd forth by a Vomit, or unless their oppression and effervescency be corre∣cted by digestives.

As to what regards the Blood, a Purge is often unseasonable, sometimes also inconvenient, and in neither of these cases Prepa∣ratives commonly so call'd, but only Alteratives are proper, for

the business is not to dispose those imaginary humours for evacu∣tion, but the Blood it self ought to be reduc'd from its troubled and confused state to a calm condition, or from its debility and fall'n Crasis to its vigour and ev'n temperament. Whilst the Blood Feaverishly boiling is disturb'd in its mixture, Purging is always found hurtful; and so whilst its Mass being become lan∣guid and weak, does not arise to its due fermentation, that sort of Evacuation is no less forbidden. Moreover, when the Blood is too bilous or watry, or too much inclin'd to Coagulations or Fusions, Purges for the most part do not take away those its defaults or depravations, but most commonly encrease them: Wherefore in those cases altering Remedies are rather Indicated which may destroy the undue Separations and Combinations of the Salts, Sulphur and Serum, and take away other their enormi∣ties. Of these Digestives and Alteratives which supply the place of common Preparatives, we shall speak particularly here∣after.

The chiefest Compositions of Purging Medicines being Potions, Powders, Bolus's, Electuaries, Morsels or Tablets, and Physick-Ales or Wines, we shall here set down certain of the more Select Forms of each of them, and those of a threefold kind, according as the operation of the Medicine ought to be gentle, mean, or strong; to which in the fourth place we shall add Prescripts of easily pre∣par'd Purges for poor People.

1. Gentle Potions. Take Rhubarb slic'd three Drams, yellow Saun∣ders half a Dram, Salt of Tartar a Scruple, make a cold Infusion all Night in Cichory water and White-wine, of each two Ounces and a half, to three Ounces of Cleer straining, add Syrup of Ci∣chory with Rhubarb half an Ounce, Cinnamon water two Drams, make a Potion.

2. Mean Potions. Take of the best Senna three Drams, Rhubarb, Troches of Agarick of each a Dram and a half, yellow Saunders two Scruples, Salt of Tartar half a Dram, Coriander-seeds a Dram; let them have a close Infusion all Night in Spring-water and White-wine made warm, of each three Ounces; to four Ounces of it strain'd, add of the Purging Syrup of Apples an Ounce, Aqua Mirabilis two Drams, make a Potion: Or, Take the decoction of Senna Gerionis four Ounces, Syrrup of Roses Solutive an Ounce, Cream of Tartar half a Dram, Cin∣namon water two Drams, make a Potion.

Take the best Senna, Cassia Fistula, Tamarinds, of each half an Ounce, Coriander-seeds two Drams, boil all in ten Ounces of Spring-water, till a third part be consum'd, strain it, and Clarifie it with the White of an Egg, add to it the Syrup of Apples an Ounce, make a Potion.

3. Strong Potions. Take of the decoction of Sena Gerionis (with the addition of the strings of black Hellebore and Agarick, of each a

Dram and a half) six Ounces, Syrup of Roses Solutive, or of the flow∣ers of Peaches an Ounce, Aqua Mirabilis two Drams: Or,

Take of the best Sena half an Ounce, strings of black Hellebore, Tur∣bith, of each two Drams, yellow Saunders a Dram, Coriander-seeds a Dram and a half, Salt of Tartar half a Dram; let it infuse close all Night in eight Ounces of White-wine made warm, to five Ounces of the Cleer straining, add of the Electuary of the Juice of Roses three Drams, Syrup of Buck-thorn six Drams, Cinnamon water two Drams, make a Potion.

Potions of easie preparation for the Poor. Take of Flaxweed a handful, sweet Fennel-seeds two Drams, boil them in a sufficient quantity of Spring-water till it comes to six Ounces, add to it of White-wine two Ounces, make a Potion. After the same manner you may make a Purging Potion of the Flowers of Damask Roses; also of Peach Leaves, and so of the Roots of Eupatorium Avicennae.

PILLS. First of a gentle Operation. Take of Stomach Pills with Gums, from a Scruple to half a Dram, Tartar vitriolated two Grains, Balsam of Peru what will suffice, make thereof three or four Pills. After the same manner may be made Pills of the mass of Pilul. Ruffi, of Pilul. Mastichin: of Pilul. de Succino, and of our extract Solutive, the description of which you may find in our Tract of the Scurvy.

2. Mean Pills. Take of Stomach Pills with Gumms half a Dram, Rosin of Julap from four Grains to ten, Tartar vitriolated six Grains, Ammoniacum dissolv'd, as much as will suffice, make four Pills. After the same manner may be made Pills of the mass of Pilulae de Succino, Tartari Quercitani: Also instead of Rosin of Jluap, you may put Scam∣mony Sulphurated, from six Grains to twelve, or Rosin of Scammony from eight Grains to fourteen. Or, Take Stomach Pills with Gumms a Scruple, Rosin of Julap from six Grains to twelve, Balsam of Peru as much as will suffice, make four Pills.

3. Strong Pills. Take Pilulae Rudii half a Dram, Rosin of Julap from eight Grains to twelve, Balsam of Peru what will suffice, make four Pills to be taken cum Regimine. After the like manner Pills may be made of the mass of Pilulae Cochiae, de Sagapeno. Take of Pilulae ex duobus from a Scruple to half a Dram, Calamelanos a Scruple, make four Pills to be taken Cum Regimine.

4. Pills easily prepar'd, and cheaper. Take Powder of the best Ja∣lap two Drams, Diagridium a Dram, Cloves, Ginger, of each a Scru∣ple, Ammoniacum dissolv'd, as much as will suffice, make a mass, the Dose is half a Dram.

Take of Pilulae Cochiae, from half a Dram to two Scruples, let four Pills be made.

POWDERS. First, such as are gentle. Take of Rhubarb Pow∣dred half a Dram, Salt of Wormwood half a Scruple, Cloves two

Grains, make a Powder, give it in a spoonful of small Cinnamon-water, or in a little Broath.

Take of the greater Compound Powder of Sena, from half a Dram to a Dram, in a little draught of Posset-drink.

Take Powder of the Leaves of Sena a Scruple, Calamelanos seven∣teen Grains, yellow Saunders half a Scruple, make a Powder, give it in a spoonful of Panada.

2. Mean Powders. Take Powder of Diasena a Dram, Cream of Tartar a Scruple, make a Powder, give it in a little draught of Broath.

Take Rosin of Jalap ten Grains, Calamelanos a Scruple, Cloves six Grains, make a Powder, and take it after the same manner.

Take Species of Diaturbith with Rhubarb, from half a Dram to a Dram, Cream of Tartar from a Scruple to half a Dram.

3. Strong Powders. Take Turbith, Hermodacts of each three Drams, Diagridium a Dram, Ginger a Scruple, make a Powder, the Dose is from half a Dram to a Dram.

Take Pulvis Cornachini a Dram; after the same manner may be given the Compound Powder of Hermodacts; also the Hydrotick Pow∣der of Riverius.

4. Cheap Powders and easie to be got. Take Powder of the Roots of the best Jalap a Dram, Ginger a Scruple, give it in a little draught of White-wine; so you may give Powder of the Roots of Mechoachan, also of the Leaves of Sena in any Liquor.

BOLUS's and ELECTUARIES. First, such as work gently. Take of the Lenitive Electuary half an Ounce, Cream of Tartar half a Dram, Syrup of Roses what suffices, make a Bolus. Take fresh Cassia half an Ounce, Powder of Rhubarb half a Dram, Cream of Tartar a Scruple, Syrup of Roses as much as suffices, make a Bolus.

2. Mean. Take of the Lenitive Electuary half an Ounce, Cream of Tartar half a Dram, Rosin of Julap six Grains, Syrup of Roses what suffices, make a Bolus.

Take of the Electuary Diaphaenicon half an Ounce, of the Com∣pound Powder of Hermodacts half a Dram, Syrup of Elder what suffi∣ces, make a Bolus.

3. Strong Workers. Take of the Electuary of the Juice of Roses half an Ounce, Rosin of Julap ten Grains, Cream of Tartar half a Dram, Syrup of Elder what suffices, make a Bolus.

Electuaries are Compounded of the same things made up in a great∣er quantity, by adding Conserves of Damask Roses, or of the Flowers of Peaches; the Dose is the quantity of a Chesnut to be taken betimes every Morning, or twice or thrice a Week.

4. Bolus's and Electuaries easily prepar'd. Take Powder of the Roots of Julap an Ounce, of Mechoachan half an Ounce, of Ginger two Drams, of Cloves a Dram, Cream of Tartar three Drams, Salt of

Wormwood a Dram, Sugar two Ounces, Syrup of Roses Solutive what suffices, make an Electuary, the Dose is the quantity of a Wallnut.

Confectio Solutiva, & Passulae Laxantes, the Diapranum of Sylvius in the 30. Page of his Practice of Physick.

5. Morsells or Tablets of a mean operation. Take Powder of Me∣choacan, Gummous Turbith of each half an Ounce, Scammony sulphu∣rated two Drams, Rosin of Jalap a Dram, yellow Saunders a Dram, Cream of Tartar two Drams, Conserve of Violets an Ounce, Sugar dissolv'd in Rose-water, and boil'd up to a fit consistency a Pound. Make Tablets according to Art, each weighing a Dram, the Dose is one or two. The Purging Tablets of Sylvius, Page the 28. of his Pra∣ctice of Physick.

6. Physical or Purging Wines and Ales of a mean operation. Take Leaves of Sena an Ounce and a half, Turbith, Mechoacan of each six Drams, strings of black Hellebore three Drams, Cubebs, Ga∣lingal Roots, choice Cinnamon of each two Drams: Put all in a large Glass, with four Pounds of Rhenish-wine, adding to it Salt of Tartar a Dram and a half, let it stand cold and close cover'd for six days, add to it Sugar-Candy three Ounces, strain it through Hippocrates Sleeve, the Dose is three or four Ounces.

Take Leaves of Sena three Ounces, Roots of Polypody of the Oak, and of sharp Pointed Dock prepar'd, of each two Ounces, Turbith, Mecho∣acan, of each an Ounce and a half, Epithymum, yellow Saunders of each an Ounce, Coriander-seeds an Ounce and a half; let them be slic'd and bruis'd, and put in a Bag according to Art, for four Gal∣lons of Ale. the Dose is from twelve Ounces to a Pound, either every Morning, or twice or thrice a Week.