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. V. Instructions and Prescripts for Curing Cutaneous affects.

IN the First place the Cuticle or Scarf-Skin being void of Life and Sence has scare any Diseases belonging to it: This sometimes being too compact hinders Transpiration; sometimes also by reason of some Accidents it becomes too gross and callous in some places: But of it self being absolutely insensi∣ble, it is not Distempered, though it be the cause that some affects, to be past off haply by Transpiration, stick about the Superficies of the Skin; because the Recrements and Filthy Dreggs of the Blood and Humours being driven outward and having pasT the whole Skin, when by reason of the close Tex∣ture of the Scarf-skin they are not able wholly to breath a∣way, fixing on the outward part of the Skin, they produce various discolourations and foul affects thereof: Of which sort chiefly are those we call Summer Spots, also Scorbutical and Malignant Spots, and likewise Spots and any other Stains whatever bedecking the Skin, or Scarf-skin with any Marks or Specks without any tumour or unevenness.

As to the affects of the Skin it self in general, in regard they are various and of sundry sorts, they are wont to be di∣stinguisht in a various respect, and first of all that they are either with or without a Tumour: We took notice of these latter even now.

Cutaneous affects with a Tumour are either universal, dis∣perst through the whole Body, or particular, rais'd in these or other Members at random, and as it were by chance.

The former either happen in a Fever, as chiefly the Small∣pox, Meazles, and other Malignant Pushes, to which also may be added the Flitting breaking forth of Children which soon vanish; or they come without a Fever, as especially the Itch, the running Scab, and Leaprous affects.

Particular outward Tumours hapning sometimes in one part, and sometimes in another, for the most part are not only be∣longing to the Skin, but also to the parts under it, viz. some∣times to the Flesh, Membranes, or Glands, and consequently are of a various Nature and a differing Form? It would be too long to treat of all these here particularly, therefore at pre∣sent I shall briefly speak meerly of Cutaneous affects such as before mention'd.

First, as to Summer Spots it's a sign that they proceed from Choller and other yellow Recrements of the Blood, be∣cause they ave: most familiar to those that are yellow Hair'd; again they happen to the Fairest Complexions, and in parts most expos'd to the Sun and Air, because their Skin being of a subtle Texture transmits the Humour rarified by the heat of the Sun, so far till it be stopt by a thick Scarf-skin, near the places where it should break forth: This affect as to the State of Health does not foreshow or threaten any ill: These Spots differ little or nothing from those they call Lenticular Spots.

There are other large Spots about the breadth of the Palm of the Hand which defile the Skin in many places, but espe∣cially about the Brest and Back with Stains sometimes of a dun colour, sometimes wan, or blackish. These being wont to rise and go away at certain times, and as I have observ'd in many, in certain parts, are commonly call'd Liver-marks, though not properly, for these Stains happen on this account, that the Filthy Dreggs and Refuse of the Blood, when not sufficiently receiv'd by the Vessels of separation, are carried to the Skin together with the Serum, with which they are di∣luted, and there being thrown off by the Blood, and left by the Serous Latex which evaporates, they stick fast to the out∣ward Pores and little Orifices, as a Mossy down does to the narrow passages of a River.

Those Spots appear chiefly in the Summer, and most upon the Back and Brest, viz. at that time, and in those places that Men are most apt to Sweat in; that is to say, that Serous Latex which has carried those Filthy Dreggs from the Mass of Blood to the narrow Pores of the Skin, leaves them there, as being unmeet to pass forth by Evaporation. This affect has no e∣vil joyned with it, nor is it the Symptom of any present Dis∣ease, nor does it portend any shortly to ensue, and in regard for the most part coming in places out of sight it cau∣ses no deformity, or trouble, there seems little or no need of its Cure: But because an opinion is spread amongst the vulgar, that the Liver is much in danger by reason of those Spots, and that it necessarily requires help, therefore to fatisfy some im∣portunately

desiring Physick, besides outward Consmeticks we are wont to prescribe inward Hepatick Remedies; the use of which though not very necessary, yet because thereby the Blood is purified, and the Obstructions of the Bowels are open'd, they are not altogether in vain. The inward Medicines useful for this purpose are set down before amongst Hepatick Remedies: The very same outward Remedies, or Topicks are proper in this, as in all other kinds of Spots, of which we shall give you some choice Forms.

Having treated elsewhere professedly concerning Spots of the Plague and Scurvy, I need not repeat them here; especially be∣cause the Method for these is quite dissering from that of the other: For in one kind of Spots in a manner only outward Medicines are wont to be administred without any that regard the Heart or the Viscera of the Belly, and in the other only inward things are given without applying any thing to the Skin.

Therefore as to the Summer Spots, Lentiginous Spots, and the vulgarly call'd Liver Spots, the Art of Beautifying pro∣perly takes care of them, and for removing these Blemishes from the Skin, only Cosmetick Remedies are prescrib'd without any Me∣thod of Cure; there is an infinite store of these amongst cu∣rious Ladys, and others that are nice in keeping the Skin fair; but all of them having regard only to two intentions of Cu∣ring may be reduc't to these two heads: viz. either by open∣ing the Pores of the Skin, and Scarf-skin, and sometimes by excoriating this, they endeavour to draw the Humour out∣ward, and wholly to evaporate it; or on the contrary they are administred, and that with no less success to strike back the Impure Matter which makes the Spots, and to drive it inward: I shall here set down some ordinary Forms of Topicks of both kinds, which have been rationally invented, and often us'd suceessfully enough; since I may not without offence to great Persons unvail the more secret Mysteries of the Cos∣metick Art, and prostitute them to the vulgar.

First, therefore to cleanse the Skin, and to draw the Matter of the Spots outward.

Take of a small Lixivium of Salt of Tartar four Ounces, Oyl of bitter Almonds made by expression what suffices, let it be mixt in such a proportion that the whole Liquour presently turn white, and so let it stand: Let the parts affected be anointed and gently rubb'd Mornings and Evenings with this mixture.

Take fresh Roots of Aron, Briony, and Solomons-seale, of each an Ounce, Powder of Fenugreek Seeds a Dram, Camphire half a Dram, being bruis'd together pour to them Oyl of Tartar per Deliquium

three Ounces, express it, let it bapply'd with a Ragg dipt in it twice a Day.

Take Sulphur-vive powdred an Ounce, black Soap two Ounces, bind it in a Ragg, let it hang in a Pound of Vinegar for nine Days, then apply it to use, washing and rubbing the places affected with it twice a Day.

Secondly, for the other intention, viz. for discussing the Spots from the Skin, and repelling the matter, and driving it inwards. Lac Virginis was a famous Medicine amongst the Ancients, and is still commended and us'd by many. The preparation of this is well known, viz. a Solution of Litharge made in distill'd Vine∣gar, by the affusion of Oyl of Tartar per Deliquium is precipitated into a Liquour as white as Milk: With which let the Face and Hands be washt and gently rubb'd twice a Day: A Medicine like this, or the same, at leastwise of the same Vertue is prepar'd of a Solution of Minium or Ceruse made in the same Menstruum, and preclpitated with water of Allom, or Sal Gemm. (Or)

Take Camphire slic'd two Drams, bruise it in a Glass-mortar pouring on it by little and little the Juice of one Limon, then add to it of White-wine a Pound, strain it and let the Camphire remaining behind be tyed in a Ragg, and hung in a Glass.

Take Verdigrease four Ounces, pour to it of White-wine two Pounds, being put into a Gourd-glass, let it be distill'd in Sand, let the Phlegm first coming off be kept for use, wherewith let the Face be anointed twice a Day. For this purpose also the Dew or Phlegm of Vitriol distill'd by it self does excellently well; some are content with the water of Bean-flowers, or the simple distill'd water of Fumitory, or with the water which Bleeds from the Sprout of a Vine, cut in the Sprin: But the more curious Women and Pretenders to the mosi exquisite knowledge in the Cos∣metick Art are scarce satisfied with any Remedies for the Skin but Mercurial: Wherefore the following water is highly recom∣mended and sold by Empiricks at a great rate for all Blemishes of the Face.

Take Mercury sublimate an Ounce, being reduc't to a Powder let it be put in a Tin-vessel with three Pounds of fountain water, let it stand for twentyfour hours stirring it now and then with a Wood∣den Spatula till the whole Liquor grows black, which nevertheless be∣ing filtred through Cap-paper becomes clear; a Ragg or Fea∣ther being dipt into this, let the Face be gently done over with it once in a Day or two.

This Medicine is of great efficacy against all foulness of the Skin, for it clears the Humours sticking in the little Pores and Orifices, though never so strait, and dissolves the obstinate and inveterate Combinations of the Salts and Sulphurs, and as to

any ill Conformation of the Pores, it restores the whole Skin, and makes it freely perspirable. Wherefore it is not only good for cleansing the Stains or Blemishes of the Face, but like∣wise for removing Pushes, and the redness of it, and Erysi∣pelous affects: Moreover it sometimes happens that many parts of the Face, but especially the Nose and Forehead are thick beset with blackish Specks as though burnt by Gunpowder; which nevertheless proceeds from hence, that the Sudatory Pores are fill'd sometimes with a black thick Humour, sometimes with little Worms having black head, (which little insects being squeez'd forth of the Pores, and laid in the Sun are easi∣ly perceiv'd to live and to move themselves) and in such an affect of the Skin, no Washes or Ointments but Mercurial are wont to do good: Nevertheless a too severe Sting often goes a long with this Honey: For the Particles of the Quick∣silver, together with the Salts (with which they are minute∣ly divided and quickn'd) being apply'd to the Face, discuss thence the offensive and defiling Matter from the Pores, and drive it away, and being struck inward they follow it, and soon insinuate themselves with ease into the Blood and Nervous Liquour (whose Crasis they injure) and through their means very frequently pass their Venom, often not to be rooted out afterward into the Brain, and sometimes into the Praecordia, and other parts: Hence it's frequently observ'd that Men or Women using long and much a Mercurial Ointment, become subject to the Vertigo, and Convulsive, or Paralytick affects, and that their Teeth turn black, and sometimes grow loose.