Enchiridion medicum: containing the causes, signs, and cures of all those diseases, that do chiefly affect the body of man: divided into three books. With alphabetical tables of such matters as are therein contained. Whereunto is added a treatise, De facultatibus medicamentorum compositorum, & dosibus. / By Robert Bayfield.

CHAP. X.

MELANCHOLIA, is a delirium, or doltishnesse, * 1.1 which springeth from a me∣lancholick humour, without a fever, which doth so perturbe the seate of the minde, that the speech and actions are altogether void of Reason.

The cause sometime is of the common vice of melancholy blood, * 1.2 [ 1] being in all the veines of the whole body, [ 2] which also hurteth the braine: but sometimes only the blood which is in the brain is altered, and the blood in all the rest of the body is unhurt, and that chanceth two wayes, for either it is derived from other pla∣ces, [ 3] and ascendeth up thither, or else it is ingen∣dred in the brain it self: and sometime it is in∣gendred through inflammation, and evill affect about the stomack and sides, & therefore there be three diversities of Melancholy, according to the three kindes of causes.

The signes are, * 1.3 fearfulnesse, sadnesse, hatred, and also they which be Melancholius, [ 1] have strange imaginations: for some think them∣selves bruit beasts, and do counterfeit their voice, and noise. Some think themselves ves∣sels of earth, or earthen pots, and therefore they withdraw themselves from them, that they meet, lest they should knock together, moreover they desire death, and do very often determine to kill themselves, and some fear that they should be killed, many of them

do alwayes laugh, and weep; some think them∣selves inspired with the holy Ghost, and do pro∣phesie upon things to come: but these be the peculiar signes of them that have melancholi∣ousnes, [ 2] caused through the consent of the whole body; for in them the state of the body is slen∣der, black, rough, and altogether Melancholius, caused naturally, or through certain thoughts, watchings, or eating of wicked meats, through hemroyds, or suppression of Menstruis: but they which have Melancholia, [ 3] caused through evill affect of the stomach, and sides, they have raw∣nesse, and much windinesse, sharp belkings, burnings, and grieviousnesse of the sides: also the sides are plucked upwards, and many times are troubled with inflammation, especially about the beginning of the disease, also there is costivenesse of the womb, little sleep, troubled with naughty dreams, swimming of the head, and sound in the ears.

For the cure, if it be caused of adusted blood, * 1.4 first administer a clyster, [ 1] afterwards open a vein, with this caution, * 1.5 that if good blood shews forth, close up the vein, but if the blood shall appear grosse, black, and turbulent; then we draw away according as we shall see cause, a sufficient quantity, but first administer this cly∣ster following.

℞. Epithymi, thimi, florum. Stoecados, violariae, * 1.6 Mercurialis, fol. Malvae, an. M.j. bulliant in sufficienti quantitate aquae, ad lib. j. cola∣turae, adde cassiae novit. extract. ℥.i. ss. olei violati ℥.iij. saccar. Rub. ℥.i.ss. salis com. ʒ.i. vitelli ovi. N. j. fiat Enema:

Or else administer such a potion, as you shall think proper: then to digest the matter, we give this syrup following.

℞. Syr. de pomis. simpl. ℥.i. Syr. violati ℥.ss. aqua. * 1.7 bugloss. violarum, boraginis, ana ℥.j. misce.

Let his meats, * 1.8 be meats of good juice, which are hot and moyst, but more moystning than heating, and musick, with what delights you can, but let his diet be slender.

If it be caused of adusted melancholy; [ 2] * 1.9 first purge with pills, or potion, which purge melan∣choly, afterwards, if you see that blood abound, open a vein with the former caution, but howe∣ver open the hemroyd veines with leeches, and use a concoctive syrrup, and anoint the temples of the head, and pulse of the hands, and soles of the feet, with this oyntment, made as fol∣loweth.

℞. * 1.10 Olei nenupharis, ung. popui. ℥.ss. misce. pro∣linimento.

Or else you may take ung. populeneum ℥.iv. dis∣solve opium ℥.ss. if you see cause, drop in Ol. nu∣cis muscat. gr. iij. into a little of the oyntment aforesaid, also Landanum paracel. 3 or 4 grains, or more according as you shall see cause. And syrrup of poppies ℥.ij. mixt with ℥.iv. of the wa∣ter thereof, * 1.11 is good: let him ride or walk by pla∣ces pleasant, sayling on waters, and such things to delight in. [ 3]

If the disease proceedeth from the stomach and sides, * 1.12 either vomit or purge, which you shall judge to be most proper and fitting: remember to keep accustomed evacuation,

which you do with this decoction.

℞. Myrobal. Indarum, Stoecados Arabici, * 1.13 Epi∣thymi Passularum mundat. ana ℥.j. myre∣bal. chebul. summitatum. fumariae ana ʒ.iv. fol. senae ℥.j. polypodii ʒ.vj. turbith ʒ.iv. agri∣moniae ʒ.5. omnia praeter epithymum coquant. in seri caprini. lib. tribus, ad duarum librar. consumptionem. tunc adde epithymum & se∣mel fervefac. tolle ab igne, & adde Hellebori nig. ʒ.j. agarici ʒ.ss. Salis Indi ʒ.i.ss. frica, cola, & utere. Mesue; de decoctionib. fol. 130.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.2

  Causae.
• * 1.3

  Signa.
• * 1.4

  Curatio.
• * 1.5

  Venae-sectio
• * 1.6

  Clyster.
• * 1.7

  Mixtura.
• * 1.8

  Vietus ra∣tio.
• * 1.9

  Purgatio.
• * 1.10

  Linimen∣tum. Vnguen∣tum.
• * 1.11

  Iulepus.
• * 1.12

  Vomitus.
• * 1.13

  Decoct. Epithymi. Mesue.