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.

Of the Atrophia, also of the Scorbutick Fever which is often the Cause of the other, or its Effect.

THere are three kinds of Causes, having some orderly depen∣dance on each other, from one or more of which a Scor∣butical Atrophia is wont to be produc'd without a Consumption

of the Lungs, viz. either the Chyle is perverted through the fault of the first passages, so that a laudable or sufficient Store or it is not convey'd to the Blood. Secondly, or being brought into it yet through the fault of the Blood it is not duly chang'd into Blood and a nutritive Juice. Thirdly and lastly, the nutritive Juice prepar'd in the Mass of Blood, is not duly assimilated to the solid parts, through the fault of the nervous Liquor.

The Remedies appropriated to this Symptom regard either the amendment of the first Passages, or the correction of the foresaid Humours. As to the former, it sometimes happens by reason of the Tone of the Stomach being broken, or its Ferment being vitiated, that the Food taken into it is not duly concocted, but passes into an unprofitable Mass of Corruption. For these sorts of evils let gentle Catharticks, Digestives and Corroboratives be us'd: But the work of Chylification is oftner hindred by reason of a Schirrous Tumour rais'd sometimes in the Ventricle, sometimes in the Mesentery, or in other adjacent parts: In this Case Deobstruents and Dissolvents are proper, the use of Spaw-waters has the preferance to any other Rinds of Medicines: Moreover, Fo∣mentations, Liniments, or Plaisters ought to be outwardly ap∣plyed.

Again, it sometimes happens that without any Tumour rais'd in the Viscera, the Lacteal Vessels are so much obstructed by a gross and viscous matter sticking in them, that a sufficient store of the Chyle, though it be laudable enough and plentifully pre∣par'd, is not convey'd into the Blood. In this affect the Belly for the most part discharges Excrements plentifully, but they are White like coagulated Milk, and not as other Excrements ting'd with Choler or Stinking: The reason of which is, that the Blood being depauperated, more sparingly engenders Choler, from the eflusion of which into the Intestines the Colour and Stink of the Excrements proceed: In this case Spaw-waters are chiefly proper; also Deobstruents being inwarldly given, let Liniments, Fomen∣tations and Baths be outwardly us'd.

Against the Marasmus, caus'd through the fault of the Blood degenerated from its Crasis, Asses or Cows Milk, diluted with Barley Water, or a proper distill'd Water often give help. Snail Broaths, or Milk Drinks with Snals boyl'd in them; moreover Waters distill'd of Milk, or Whey with Snails and temperate An∣tiscorbutick Herbs, are greatly conducing in this case: For this end also Decoctions of vulnerary Herbs, and Antiscorbutick Herbs infus'd in them, are taken with good success: Mean while let fri∣ctions be daily us'd to the outward parts with Cloaths moistned and made Warm with Ʋnguenticum Resumptivum, or fresh oyl of Almonds.

When an Atrophia arises through the fault of the Blood, being affected, and consequently perverting the nutritive Juice, it has for the most part a Feaver of irregular returns joyned with it, with Night-sweats, viz. in as much as the Mass of Blood is forc't to irregular and inconstant Effervescencies from that degenerated Juice, and the matter so offending is cast forth by Night-sweats; in this case, a thin Dyet being ordered, let Decoctions and Di∣still'd Waters, that fuse and purifie the Blood, be frequently ta∣ken, with Antiscorbuticks mixt with them.

Take shavings of Ivory and Harts-horn, of each two Drams and a half; candied Eringo Roots, six Drams; Roots of Chervil and Dan∣delion, of each half an Ounce; Leaves of Harts tongue and Liver∣wort, of each a handful; one Apple slic't; Raisins, a handful; Let them boil in four Pounds of Fountain-water till a third part be con∣sumed; let the straining be poured on Leaves of Brooklimes bruised, two handfuls; Sal Prunella, a Dram and half, or fixt Nitre, a Dram; make a close and warm Infusion for three Hours: Let four or six Ounces be taken thrice a Day.

Take Leaves of Brooklimes, four Pounds; Roots and Leaves of Sor∣rel and Dandelion, of each two Handfuls; Snails cleansed, a Pound and a half; the Rinds of two Oranges; being sliced and bruised, pour to them of new Milk, or of Whey made with Cider or fresh Juice of Apples, six pounds; let them be Distill'd after the vulgar way: Let three Ounces be taken twice or thrice a day.