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. VIII.

CEPHALALGIA. * 1.1 Galen saith, there are three paines in the head, and they are sundry. The first is Cephalalgia as aforesaid, that is, when the paine is new and tolerable. The second is Cephalaea, which is an old inveterate head-ache, stubborn, and confirmed. The third is, Hemicrania, and doth occupy the half part of the head.

The cause of Cephalaea, * 1.2 is abundance of blood and other humours, or by the sharpnesse of hu∣mours and vapours, contained within or with∣out the scull, and inflaming the head.

The signe is, * 1.3 exceeding pain, continuing long, and hard to cease, upon which light oc∣casion, have very sharp and great fits followed, so that the patient can neither abide noyse, loud speech, nor clear light, drinking of wine, nor sa∣vors, that fill the brain, but desireth for the greatnesse of the pain, to sit or lie quiet in the dark, supposing that his head were strucken with a hammer.

The cause of Hemicrania, * 1.4 is by the ascending, or flowing of many vapours, either hot or cold, either by the veines, or arteries, or by both.

It is a painful evill, * 1.5 remaining in the one halfe of the head, either in the right half, or in the left of the head; to be short, the cures of the paines in the head, are according to the diver∣sity

of causes. But first I will shew you from whence it proceedeth, whether from heat, cold, moysture, or drinesse, &c.

The signe of head-ache, * 1.6 caused of heat of the, Sun, is when a body tarry long in it, ha∣ving vehement pain, you shall feel their head hot, as soon as you touch it, and their skin is drier than it was wont to be; their eyes do look red, and are delighted with the sprinkling, and anointing of cold things.

The signe of head-ache caused of cold, * 1.7 out∣ward, as when the ayre is very cold, especially when one tarry in it a long time bare headed, or by applying suddenly any cold thing to the head: the pain is vehement, yet the head when it is felt on, is not hot, and the face and eyes do not look red, nor their face is not drie, and shrunk, as that which is caused of outward heat, but contrariwise, full, and pale, their eyes are swollen, and swarth, and they feel ease by hot things.

The signes of head-ache caused of drinesse, * 1.8 are: there come few excrements, or none at all out of the nose; If the eyes be hollow, and the patient, that is pained, hath watched much be∣fore, and the skin of the head is drier, then it is a certain sign, that it comes of driness.

The signe of head-ache caused of moysture, * 1.9 is meant either by moystening medicines, or by the moyst ayre, by bathes, or the like: There is much filth coming out of the nose, the eyes puf∣fed up, and swelled, and the patient sleepeth much, while you judge of it, be sure you mark, whether it be hot and moyst, or cold

and moyst, do cause the paine.

The signe of head-ache caused of blood, * 1.10 is: when the veines swell, the face and eyes be red: the veines commonly, when blood do much abound, may be seen even to the smallest; the the pulse is great and vehement, the urine red∣dish, and thick: the veines of the temples do beat; and the pain is heavinesse.

The signs of head-ache caused of choller, * 1.11 are: the pain is like the head-ache caused through heat of the Sun, but their pain is more sharp, and pricking, their head is moderately hot, their face is pale and wan, but the peculiar signe is bitterness of the mouth, and driness of the nose, eyes, and tongue.

The signes of head-ache caused of flegme, * 1.12 are: there be fulness and heaviness of the head, and whiteness and moystness of the face; more∣over, the sick will easily fall asleep, he is slow, his sences are dull, and he aboundeth with moysture or excrements in his head, this head∣ache is apt to breed some ill infirmity, if not looked to in time.

The signs of head-ache caused of windiness, * 1.13 are: there be felt distension, and streaching in the head, without heaviness and beating, and if there be sound and noyse in the eares, then it betokeneth windiness.

The signe of head-ache caused through the default of the stomack: * 1.14 it may be knowne through the biting and gnawing pain they feel; moreover in this kind of head-ache, if the sick, fast and suffer hunger long, the pain is the more vehement, for through long abstenence,

the Mallice of the humour increaseth.

The signe of head-ache caused by fevers, * 1.15 is evident enough, and the signe is all one to that of blood, and choller. Now I will go for∣ward to the cures of these head-aches, one by one.

The cure of Cephalaea, * 1.16 is first to open the Ce∣phalica vein, on the same side, if strength will suffer it, and anoint the head with oyle, or ointment, of a cooling quality; and this cool∣ing clyster following, is very proper in this head-ache.

℞. Malvae, violarum, Mercurialis, an. M.j. * 1.17 Bulliant in sufficienti quantitate aquae, usque ad consumptionem medietatis: colatura, adde butyri quantit. ovi, sactharum Rub. ℥. j. sa∣lis communis ʒ.ij. fiat Enema.

Administer it about four of the clock in the af∣ternoon, and give cooling things.

The cure of Hemicrania. * 1.18 if it proceed of a hot cause, cure it as you do Cephalaea, and abundance of humours, onely purge twice in two dayes, with the aforesaid clyster. If it come of a cold cause, purge strongly with this Recipe fol∣lowing.

℞. Pilularum foetidarum pil. cochiarum. an. ʒ. ss. * 1.19 fiat pil. 5.

Anointing the head with oyles, that have pow∣er to heat, and dissolve, for although here be many things which be excellent, for head∣aches, yet nevertheless, we have seen pain of the head and teeth proceeding of a cold cause, with one only purgation, hath been removed, and so a hot cause with one only blood-letting.

The cure of head-ache, * 1.20 caused through heat of the Sun. Take oyle of Roses, and a little vi∣negar being added to it, it will pierce the faster, and deeper, and also besprinkle Rose-water on the forepart of the head, where the seam goeth overwhart; for it is the thinnest part of the scull, stupefactive things are to be avoyded, such as juyce of Poppies, Night-shade, or of Mandrake.

The cure of head-ache, * 1.21 caused by outward cold, is to anoint the forepart of the head with with oyle of Rue, or the like, and if plethorick, and somewhat costive, * 1.22 you may give a sharp clyster, that you think proper.

The cure for the head-ache caused of drines: you may anoint the forepart of the head with oyle of sweet almonds, or with oyle of violets, and cammomel, mixed together; it is also good to drop some of these oyles into the nostrils.

The cure for the head-ache caused of moy∣sture, * 1.23 is to anoint the head with oyle of Rue, Cammomel, or Euforbium, or oyle of Ireos; this must be done: if the cause be cold with moy∣sture, (as you may in part judge by the water) then use such things as are hot and drie, if the cause be cold and moyst: and use such things as are cold and drie, if the cause be hot and moyst. In this Chapter are remedies enough of all sorts.

The cure for the head-ache caused of blood, is first to open the Cephalica veine, * 1.24 on that side the grief is on; eschew strong beer, wine, hot∣waters, and spices; but take all cooling things; if much blood doth still abound, you may open the vein in the forehead, and it were fitting a

cooling clyster were administred, * 1.25 such a one as you shall think fit.

The cure for head-ache caused of choller, * 1.26 must be begun with purging of the chollerick humour straightway, because choller is thin, and moveable, and will easily be purged out: for digestion is nothing else, but an alteration of the humour causing the disease, therefore such me∣dicines must be used each morning fasting, be∣fore you do purge, untill good concoction ap∣pear in the urine; for by this means choller being concoct, & as it were tamed, & made mild, be∣comes so obedient unto nature, that it will soon, without any grief be drawn out by purging, therefore for a preparative, use this or the like medicine, syrup of violets, or syrup of popies, which of them you will ℥. j. * 1.27 Syrup of water-lillies, ℥.ss. distilled waters of Indive, Succory, and Roses, of either ℥.j: mixe them, and let them drink of it in the morning fasting, or you may give the decoction of saene,, and then you may purge with pil. aurae, make six or seven: * 1.28 also anoint the forepart of the head with oyle of lillies, and popies. If choller in the stomach do disturb the head, vomit with Stibium, * 1.29 the infu∣sion thereof, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14. according as you shall see cause, sometimes nine dragmes is sufficient.

The cure of head-ache caused of flegme, * 1.30 is first to extenuate, and make it thin, fit for pur∣ging, with oximel, and Syr. de stoecade, when that is done, take this ℞. following.

℞. Pilularum. cochiarum, * 1.31 pilulae hiero cum a∣garico, ana ʒ. ss. Sem. paeonia. n ^o. ʒ. Syr.

de stoecadae. q. s. fiat. pil. 7.

But remember that you provoke vomit with Asaron, * 1.32 if their body be loose: and if choller be the cause, as aforesaid, vomit not with Sti∣bium, untill the body be loose; either naturally or artificially. If the head-ache be inveterate, and abundance of flegme, purge twice in four dayes with the aforesaid pills, * 1.33 sternutation is al∣so good.

The cure for head-ache caused of windiness, * 1.34 is to anoint the head with oyle of Cammo∣mel, but the best, is oyle of Nutmegs, Mace, Rue, and such things as have power to discuss windinesse: neesing is also very good, and a cly∣ster made with Aniseeds, * 1.35 Fennel-seeds, Carra∣way-seeds, and Commin-seeds, boyle these (of each alike, with one large handful of Bettonie) in a quart of water to a pinte, straine it, and ad. Benedict. lax. ℥. ss. diaphenicon. ʒ. ij. this is for a lusty body.

The cure for head-ache caused through de∣fault of the stomach, * 1.36 * 1.37 is to vomit, and if any hu∣mour fire the tunicles of the stomach, purge with Hierapicra, * 1.38 which is a soveraign thing.

The cure for head-ache caused by fevers, * 1.39 is forthwith to bleed, if nothing prohibit it: eschew all hot things, and take all cooling things, a∣nointing the head with oyle of Roses, and juice of popies. Lastly, a cooling clyster will be wondrous proper, such a one as you shall think fit: and to procure rest, bathe the temples of the head with a little of this liniment, fol∣lowing. * 1.40

℞. Olei Nenuph. viol. an. ℥. j. unguen. populei ℥. ss.

opii gr. iij. Misce. Hercules Saxonia lib. 1. cap. 2. * 1.41

Ve

℞. Succi lactuc. ℥.i.ss. oleo violac. ros. omphac. * 1.42 ana. ℥.j. aq. ros. succ. Cimon. ana. ℥. ss. Misce fiat linimentum.

Notes

• * 1.1

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

  Causa. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.3

  Signa.
• * 1.4

  Causa. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.5

  Signa.
• * 1.6

  Signa.
• * 1.7

  Signa.
• * 1.8

  Signa.
• * 1.9

  Signa.
• * 1.10

  Signa.
• * 1.11

  Signa.
• * 1.12

  Signa.
• * 1.13

  Signa.
• * 1.14

  Signa.
• * 1.15

  Signa.
• * 1.16

  Curatio. Venae sectio
• * 1.17

  Clyster.
• * 1.18

  Curatio.
• * 1.19

  Pilulae.
• * 1.20

  Curatio. Oleum.
• * 1.21

  Curatio.
• * 1.22

  Ol••umrutae Clyster. Curatio. Oleum.
• * 1.23

  Curatio. Oleum.
• * 1.24

  Curatio. Venae-sectio
• * 1.25

  Clyster.
• * 1.26

  Curatio. Purgatio.
• * 1.27

  Iulepus.
• * 1.28

  Pilulae.
• * 1.29

  Oleum, Vomitus.
• * 1.30

  Curatio.
• * 1.31

  Pilulae.
• * 1.32

  Asaron.
• * 1.33

  Sternuta∣mentum.
• * 1.34

  Curatio. Oleum.
• * 1.35

  Clyster.
• * 1.36

  Curatio.
• * 1.37

  Vomitus.
• * 1.38

  Hierapic.
• * 1.39

  Curatio. Venae-sectio
• * 1.40

  Linimen∣tum.
• * 1.41

  Hercules Saxonia.
• * 1.42

  Linimen∣tum. Hercules Saxonia.