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. IV.

PHRENITIS, * 1.1 is a disease wherein the mind is hurt onely, and differs from mad∣ness, which is called in Greek or Latin, Melan∣cholia aut Mania, for that a fever is joyned with the phrensie, and therefore the phrensie may be called a continual madnesse and fury, joyned with a sharp fever.

The cause, * 1.2 as Galen saith, is an inflamma∣tion of the braine, or filmes thereof; some Phy∣sicians are of opinion, that this disease pro∣ceedes from a hot impostume of the braine, and that it is in vain to undertake the cure; and the reason is, because it is confirmed in a principal member; wherefore the intention of the Physician must be, to hinder that it may

not happen, for having once taken a man, it is in vain to enterprise any cure: yet I will shew you a way, under God, to prevent it: but first I will let you to know, when the patient is incli∣ned to a phrensie.

The signes of a phrensie to come, * 1.3 are the signes of a present Paraphrenisis, as continual head-ache, rednesse of the face, over-much heat, rednesse of the eyes, with too much ap∣pearance of their veines, staring, thirst, dri∣nesse of the tongue, unquietnesse, different from wonted actions, and some Alienation of mind, whether these things happen, by the force of some acute fever, or some other cause; by these you shall judge Paraphrenisis, and a fear of a phrensie to come.

For the cure, * 1.4 first consider whether there be fulnesse of the body or no; if there be, we may open the vein which is common, or the vena nigra, of the right arme, * 1.5 and draw out five ounces of bloud, let this be done in the morn∣ing, and in the afternoon, administer this cly∣ster following.

℞. Malvae, violarum, Mercurialis, an. M. j. * 1.6 Bulliant in sufficienti quantitate aquae, usque ad consumptionem medietatis. strain it, and adde olei violati ℥.iij. Cassiae Nov. ext. ℥.ss. Sacchar. Rub. ℥.ij.

As much salt as will lye on a six-pence: and this is to be considered, that the oyle of Violets is most requisite in the phrensie, because the pa∣tient is subject to watchfulness, and Violets do procure sleepe, but in sleepy diseases it must be avoyded, as in Subeth, Lethurgies, * 1.7 and

such like: the next day following, we may open the Cephalica veine in the right arm, and draw forth the quantity of four ounces of blood; which done, about four of the clock in the after∣noon, let him take the foresaid clyster, make him barly water, * 1.8 nip the juice of Lemonds into his beer: ale of chirmd-milk is good, but no strong beer: the next day, which is the third day, if the disease groweth worse, the hemero∣dial vein must be opened, out of which must be drawne three ounces of blood; and if the di∣sease do still remain, then we are to doubt of an Impostume ingendred, wherefore we must be bold to open the vena Recta of the fore-head, and to draw the quantity of three ounces of blood, for by this blood-letting, all evill affects of the head, for the most part are removed; then to procure sleep, take this Julep that fol∣loweth.

℞. * 1.9 Syrupi de papavere, err. & aquae lactucae, ana. ℥.ij.

If all this will not serve, commend the sick to God, and so much of the phrensie.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Peripneumonia si supervenerit phrenitis, malum. Hippocrat. lib. 7. Aphor. 12.

Notes

• * 1.1

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

  Cause. Galenus.
• * 1.3

  Signa.
• * 1.4

  Curatio.
• * 1.5

  Venae. secti••
• * 1.6

  Clyster.
• * 1.7

  Subeth.
• * 1.8

  Victus ra∣tio.
• * 1.9

  Julepus.