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. XXXVI.

STRƲMAE, or Scrophulae, That is, * 1.1 the Kings evill. They arise in the glandulous parts: as the brests, arm-holes, groines, but chiefly in the glandules of the neck, commonly contained in their proper cist or bag.

They are made of grosse, cold, viscid, * 1.2 and phlegmatick matter, with some admixture of Melancholy.

Some of them are moveable, * 1.3 other-somme woven with the neighbouring nerves, remain∣ing unremoveable. They are oftentimes painful, especially when they wax hot by putrefaction: sometimes they degenerate into cancerous ulcers.

A slender diet helpeth much to waste these tumors. * 1.4 Let the superfluous humours be pur∣ged. Then take this emollient and resolving medicine.

℞. Mucaginis alth. foeenugr. & ficuum ping. an. * 1.5 ℥. ij. olei liliorum, & chamaem. an. ℥. j. pin∣guedinis anseris, & axungiae porci, an. ℥. ss. terebinth. ven. ℥. i. ss. ammoniaci, & galba∣ni, in aceto dissolutorum ana ℥. j. cerae novae quantum satis, fiat cerotum secundum ar∣tem ad modum diachyli magni.

With some of this Cerote, may be mixed the powder of Quick-silver; and applied: for many have been holpen therewith; they must be dressed every second or third day. The un∣guent for the French disease, and Vigo's plaster,

are excellent for this purpose, especially if they be continued so long, untill the Patient come to salivation. The best way if possible, is to bring it to suppuration, and then let the expert Chirurgion open the tumor, or tumors; but not before all the contained humours that appear, be converted into pus or matter: for we must not as soon as any portion of the humour, be turned into pus, hasten the apertion; because one por∣tion of the suppurated humour, causeth the rest to suppurate. As fruits which begin to rot. If the putrefying part be not cut away, the resi∣due quickly becomes rotten. Also natural heat is the efficient cause of suppuration. Such as are in the neck, and have no deep roots, may be cut away; but speciall care must be taken, that the jugular veines, the sleepie arteries, and the recurrent nerves, be not violated or hurt. Lastly, some commend this emplaster following.

℞. * 1.6 Rhabarbari electi, ℥. ss. Aloes hepaticae ℥. j. Lixivti fortis lib. j. Saponis veneti lib. ss. ce∣rae ℥. ij. Decoquantur ad duritiem justam.

Notes

• * 1.1

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

  Causa.
• * 1.3

  Signa.
• * 1.4

  Curatio. Victus ra∣tio.
• * 1.5

  Cerolum.
• * 1.6

  Emplastrū. Manardus.