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. XXXII.

ERYSIPELAS, or inflammation. * 1.1 It is a ge∣neral name for all impostumes brought forth by choller; as the Herpes miliaris, The eat∣ing Herpes, Ring-worms, and Tetters, &c.

They are made by most thin and subtle blood, * 1.2 (which upon any occasion of inflam∣mation easilie becomes chollerick) or by blood and choler hotter then is requisite or by choler mixed with an acrid serous humour, but often∣times by sincere and pure choler, which by Galen is called a true and perfect Erysipelas. * 1.3

1. If choler being predominant be mixed with blood, it is termed Erysipelas phlegmonodes.

2. If with phlegme, Erysipelas oedematodes.

3. If with melancholy, Erysipelas scirrho∣des. But if they concurre in equall quantity, there will be made Erysipelas phlegmone; Erysi∣pelas oedema, Erysipelas scirrhus.

There is great heat, * 1.4 pulsation and pain

(which is pricking and sharper then the pain in the phlegmon) without heavinesse, a yellow∣ish red colour. They quickly slide back into the body, at the least compression of the skin. Ery∣sipelas principally assayles the face, by reason of the rarity of the skin of that place. * 1.5 Galen ac∣knowledges two kindes of Erysipelas, one sim∣ple without an ulcer, * 1.6 the other ulcerated. If an Erysipelas possesse the womb, it is deadly; And in like manner, if it spread too farre over the face, by reason of the sympathy of the mem∣branes, with the brain. So impostumes of a monstrous bignesse are often deadly, by reason of the great resolution of the spirits caused by their opening. * 1.7 Hippo. Aphor. 8. Sect. 6.

The cure is performed by evacuation, and refrigeration. Open a vein if nothing prohibit; the Cephalick vein, if it assayles the face. Let his diet be of a cooling quality, then give a cly∣ster of refrigerating and humecting things. * 1.8 Galen and Avicen commends this oxycrate following.

℞. * 1.9 Aqua font. ℥. vj. aceti acer. ℥. j. fiat oxy∣cratum.

In which you may wet linnen cloathes, and ap∣ply them to the affected part, and renew them often. If it be upon the face,

℞. * 1.10 Ʋnguentum ros. ℥. iv. succi plantagin. & semper vivi an. ℥. j. trochis. de camphora ʒ. ss. aceti parum, misce fiat linimen∣tum.

Also Aqua sperm. ranarum is excellent; * 1.11 you may wet cloaths in it, and apply them. If the pain be intolerable, this narcotick is good.

℞. Succi hyoscyami, solani, cicutae an. ℥. j. * 1.12 al∣bum ovorum, n. ij. aceti ℥. ss. opii & cam∣phor. an. gr. iv. croci ℈. ss. mucaginis sem. psyll. & foenugr. extractae in aq. ros. & plan∣tag. an. ℥. j. ol. de papav. ℥. ij. fiat linimen∣tum, addendo ung. refrigerantis Gal. cam∣phor. q. satis sit.

But if the fiery colour begin to wax livid and black, abstain from narcotick medicines, and use resolving and strengthening things, as

℞. Rad. altheae ℥. ij. fol. malvae, bismal. pariet. * 1.13 absynthii, salviae an. m. j. flor. chamaem. meli∣loti rosar. rub. an. m. ij. coquantur in aequis partibus vini & aquae, & fiat fotus cum spongia.

After the fomentation, * 1.14 apply a plaister of Dia∣palma dissolved in oyle of cammomile and me∣lilote. Erysipelous tumours do bring with them (oftentimes) Tertian feavers, as Exquisita Ter∣tiana, Tertiana notha & Semitertiana febris.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Herpes mi∣liaris.
• * 1.2

  Causa.
• * 1.3

  Galenus.
• * 1.4

  Signa.
• * 1.5

  Galenus.
• * 1.6

  Prognostic.
• * 1.7

  Hippocrat. Curatio. Venae sectio Victus ra∣tio.
• * 1.8

  Galenus Avicenna.
• * 1.9

  Oxycratum
• * 1.10

  Linimentū.
• * 1.11

  Aq. sperm. ranarum.
• * 1.12

  Linimentū.
• * 1.13

  Fotus.
• * 1.14

  Emplastrū.