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 Scorbutick Gout moving from one place to another.

OF this Affect Eugalenus, Wierus, Medicus Campensis, and Geor∣gius Horstius have written peculiar Tracts: If is said to be very Common in the Northern Parts of Belgia; a certain token of which appears by putting a live Earth-worm to the place af∣fected, for its presently wont to spring, bend and knit it self, and to faint and dye; which indeed I have found pretty often to happen in this Disease even amongst us; which effect seems to proceed from the very sharp, and as it were Corrosive Effluvia, that plen∣tifully flow from the place Pain'd and Swoll'n: By Reason of the effect of that Experiment, the Cure of the Disease is wont to be undertaken by Worms, viz. by Remedies prepar'd of them; though I know not whether being inwardly taken they will as certainly destroy the Disease, as being outwardly applied they are dispatcht by it. However, Earth-worms, as also Snailes, Millepedes, and other exanguious little Animals, in as much as they abound with a volatile Salt, often prove a pretty efficacious Remedy.

Henricus Petraeus tells us of two Remedies very much us'd in Westphalia against this Disease. Take nine Earth-worms, bruis'd with two Spoonfuls of Wine in a Mortar, and strain'd through a Cloth; to these let half a Measure of Wine be added, let three Spoon∣fuls be taken at Morning, Noon, and Night for many days. 2. Take two or three Branches of Savine, Virgin Hony two spoonfuls, boyl them with a Measure of Wine, till it pitches two Fingers: Let the strain∣ing be taken to four or five spoonfuls thrice a day. To the former Medicine a certain vulger potion, mentioned by Horstius, called, Monasteriensis is allied: Take Sage, Betony, Rue, of each five Leaves, Earthworms with Circles about their Necks, in number five, a little Savine, and Roots of Devils-bit in number two, let them be bruis'd with Water of Elder Flowers, and let the exprest Juice be given for raising a Sweat; A like prescript also is propos'd in Fore∣stus à Medico Campensi.

Certainly in this affect, the Magistral Water of Earth-worms prescrib'd in the London Dispensatory is of excellent use. And I have often given with good success the Spirit and Salt of Harts-horn, Spirit of Blood, and Flowers of Sal Armoniack. Moreover teslaceous Powders, viz. Crabs Eyes, Coral, Pearl, and Vegetables which are accounted Antidotes against the Gout, as Roots of round Broth-wort, Leaves of Ground-pine, Germander, and the like, being

joyn'd with Antiscorbuticks conduce to the Cure of this Disease; out∣wardly for appeasing Pains, besides Anodynes which are us'd under the form of a Liniment, Fomentation, or Cataplesm: Oyl of Earth∣worms, of Frogs, and Toads are often very availing. I have been told by a worthy Person who was very obnoxious to this Disease, that Water drawn by Destillation from the Contents taken out of the Stomach of a Beefnewly kill'd, and Cloaths being dipp'd into it when Warm, and applied as a Fomentation, would most certainly give ease.