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. XXII.

IMBECILITAS STOMACHI is caused through distemper of the working qua∣lities, without any flowing of humours, * 1.1 some∣times it is caused of an humour contained in the bosome, and large space of the stomach, which hath power, either to heat, cool, mov∣sten, or drie, or two of these qualities, mixed together; and sometimes it is caused of an hu∣mour, stuffed and drowned in the filmes, or coats of the stomack.

For the signe, * 1.2 in a cold cause there is dull and difficult concoction, the taste of the nourish∣ment is felt long after, there is sharp belchings, and little or no thirst, but contrary in a hot cause, there is exceeding thirstinesse, abhorring of meat, and bitter belchings, and this is certain, that if the cause be heat, the patient is cased by administring of cold things, if it be a cold cause, then he is eased by hot things, if that choller cause it, there is such bitter belchings, that there is cast forth bitter choller, with bitternesse of the mouth.

For the cure, if it come of a cold caule, * 1.3 as of phlegme, purge gently with stomachal pills,

if they have gone a day, and have not had a stool, then take one pill an hour before supper. Then take this cordiall Electuary following, which is said to be good.

℞. * 1.4 Conserv. Caryophilorum. ℥. i. ss. pul. Aro∣matici. Ros. ʒ. i. ss. pul. Cinnamomi. Nucis Muscatae, ana ʒ. ss. Syr. absynthii, & de Hy∣sopo, q. s. f. Elect. Molle:

If necessity do require, * 1.5 adde two dragms of Me∣thridate, and take of it every morning the quantity of a Walnut curnel, then eat a piece of Lozing. aromat. Rosat. and drink after it a draught of Wormwood wine, for that will prepare the stomack to the next concoction, and also bathe outwardly with oyle of worm∣wood, * 1.6 nutmegs, cinnamon, or mastick; or the best is to spread honey on bread tosted, and cast thereon the powder of nutmegs, cloves, and cinnamon, and for the richer sort, take this ♃ made as followeth.

℞. * 1.7 Rosarum Rubrum Absinthii, menthae, maio∣ran. siccae, an. ʒ. ij. ligni aloes, spicae, nardi, ca∣lami aromatici, ana ℈. ij. fiat. pul. qui accip ia∣tur cotone, involvatur duplici linteo.

And this must also be remembred, that oynt∣ments, emplasters, and cataplasms, must not on∣ly be applied before, but behind also, about the thirteenth Vertebra.

In a hot cause purge with Cassia, * 1.8 and Rhu∣barb, or else an Apozem; and open a vein if you see cause, * 1.9 and then this Electuary is said to be very good.

℞. * 1.10 Cons. Rosarum ℥. j. Diarrhodon. alb. ʒ. i. ss. Syr. assato. lymonum. q. s. f. Elect.

Also direct Lozenges of Diarrhodon alb. Triasan∣dali, and make him broath with cooling herbs, currents, and damask pruins; also bread dipped in Posca is wondrous proper to be eaten; * 1.11 as for outward applications, use oyle of Roses, * 1.12 Quin∣ses, or the like; but take heed of things that cool too much, yet give him no strong beer, no wine, hot waters, spices, nor milk, &c. If chol∣lar do abound with costivenesse of body, purge with an Apozem made with Cassia, Rhubarb, * 1.13 or the like. If temperate, provoke vomits with Stybium, the infusion thereof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Causa.
• * 1.2

  Signa.
• * 1.3

  Curatio. Pilulae.
• * 1.4

  Electuari∣um.
• * 1.5

  Methridi∣tum.
• * 1.6

  Oleum.
• * 1.7

  Pulvis.
• * 1.8

  Apozema.
• * 1.9

  Venae sectio
• * 1.10

  Electuari∣um.
• * 1.11

  Posca.
• * 1.12

  Oleum.
• * 1.13

  Apozema. Vomitus.