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. XLVI.

EXANTHEMATA, * 1.1 the small pox are pu∣stules, and the measles, spots, which arise in the top of the skin, by reason of the impurity of the corrupt blood sent thither by force of nature.

Most of the Ancients have delivered that this impurity is the reliques of the menstruous blood, remaining in the body of the infant; * 1.2 be∣ing of that matter from whence it drew nou∣rishment in the womb, which lying still for some space of time, but stirred up at the first opportunity of a hotter summer, or a hidden ma∣lignity in the ayr, & boyling up or working with the whole mass of blood, spread or shew them∣selves upon the whole surface of the body. The small pox are caused of a more grosse and vis∣cous matter, to wit, of a flegmatick humour. But the meazles of a more subtle and hot, that is, a cholerick matter.

At first, * 1.3 when the matter of the pox seek passage out, the Patients often sneeze, and are held with a continual feaver, with pain in their backs, itching of their nose, head-ache, and a vertiginous heavinesse, and with a kind of swounding or fainting, a nauseous disposition, and vomiting, a horsenesse, difficult and fre∣quent breathing, and inclination to sleep, a heavines of all the members, their eys are fiery, and swollen, their urin red and troubled. The small pox are extuberating pustules, white in the midst, but red in the circumference. On the third or fourth day they bunch out, and rise up into a tumor; becoming white, before they turn into a scab. They prick like needles, (by reason of a certain acrimonie) and cause an itching. The meazles yeeld no marks, but certain small spots without any tumor; and they be either red, purple, or black, without pricking or itching. The pox doth not only

mangle and spoyle the fleshy parts, but often∣times eat, and corrupt the bones, like the Lues venerea; and brings the dropsie, ptisick, hoars∣nesse, Asthma, bloody flux, ulcerating the guts; and at length death. Some have lost their sight, others their hearing, and other-some their smelling. Some that have died of this disease, and their bodies being dissected; Their entrails have been found to be covered with scabby or crusted pustules, like those that break forth upon the skin.

If a sucking child be assailed with the pox, * 1.4 it must be kept warm, and there must be provi∣ded for the nurse medicated brothes, with pur∣slain, * 1.5 lettice, sorrel, succory, Burrage, and French barly, bound up in a cloth: she must shun all salt, and baked, or spiced meats; and in stead of wine, * 1.6 let her drink a decoction of li∣quorice, raisins, and sorrel roots: also she must take purging medicines, and keep the child from pap.

If the child be weaned, let him abstaim from flesh, untill the feaver have left him, and the pox be come forth. * 1.7 Let him feed on barly and Almond creames, chickin broths (wherein have been boyled the forementioned herbs, and the shavings of Ivory & harts-horn) Panadoes, gellies, cullases, and raisins. Let his sleep be moderate, for too sound sleep drawes back the matter to the center, and increaseth the feaver. You must neither purge, nor draw blood, the disease increasing; or being at the height; un∣lesse there be a plurisie, squinancie, &c. A gen∣tle clyster is good in the state, and increase of

the disease; * 1.8 you must make a sudorifick de∣coction of figs, liquorice, husked lentils, citron seeds, the seeds of fenell, and smalledge; the roots of grasse, raisins, dates, gold, millet, ma∣rygold flowers, and harts-horne, at the latter end of the boyling, put in some saffron, or

℞. Radic. gram. aspar. foenic. an. ℥.iv. liquyr. * 1.9 ras. ℥. ss. fol. acetos. m. ij. fic. n. xx. flor. cord. p. j. fiat decoctio. In lb.j. diss. Syr. ace∣tos. simpl. vel limon. ℥.iv. sacch. parum, fiat syr. aro & capiat serò & mane ℥. iv. donec tota faecta sit expulsio.

1. You must defend the eyes, * 1.10 when you first begin to suspect the disease, with rosewater, or vinegar, and a little camphire. If the pain and inflammation be great, then use Aloes, * 1.11 and Tuttie, washed in the water of fennel, eye∣bright, and roses.

2. You must defend the nose with a Nodulus; * 1.12 made with a little vinegar, water of roses, the powder of sanders, and camphire.

3. You must defend the jawes, throat, and throttle, and preserve the integrity of the voice, * 1.13 by a Gargle of oxycrate.

4. The Lungs, and respiration must be pro∣vided for, by syrups of jujubes, violets, * 1.14 white poppies, and water-lilies.

5. To prevent Pockarrs, after they are ripe, open them with a golden or silver needle; lest the matter contained in them, should corrode the flesh that lies under and after the cure, leave pock-holes behind it.

6. The pus or matter being evacuated, * 1.15 they shall be dried up with ung. rosat. adding thereto

ceruse, Aloes, and a little saffron in powder.

7. * 1.16 Being dried up like a scurf or scab, anoynt them with oyle of Almonds, or Roses, or with some creame, that they may the sooner fall away.

8. * 1.17 If there be any excoriation through scratching, then shall you heal it with Ʋnguen∣tum album camphor. adding thereto a little pow∣der of Aloes or Desicativum rubrum.

9. To help the unsightly scars of the face, Lac virginale, * 1.18 Goose, Ducks, and Capons grease are good; and also oyle of lillies, and Hares blood newly killed & hot. Many cry out against bleeding, though it be done a little before the pox come out; * 1.19 for my part, I have opened a vein (ofttentimes) with good successe on strong bodies, so that the pox have come forth within 24 houres after bleeding, without any danger. Also Bezoar is excellent to send forth the pox. * 1.20 But the most familiar thing for children, * 1.21 is Diascordium.

Lastly, the meazles are cured by resolution only, * 1.22 and not by suppuration. For which pur∣pose conserve of Eldern flowers is especially commended; not only to be eaten, but also to be rubbed upon the heated parts. If there be great faintnesse, * 1.23 take Aqua Mariae, syr. lujulae, of either one ounce, give him a little often.

Notes

• * 1.1

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

  Causa.
• * 1.3

  Signa.
• * 1.4

  Curatio.
• * 1.5

  Victus ra∣tio.
• * 1.6

  Decoctio.
• * 1.7

  Victus.
• * 1.8

  Decoctio.
• * 1.9

  Syrupus.
• * 1.10

  Medica∣mentum.
• * 1.11

  Aliud.
• * 1.12

  Nodulus.
• * 1.13

  Oxycratum
• * 1.14

  Syrupi.
• * 1.15

  Lini••
• * 1.16

  Olcum.
• * 1.17

  Ʋnguentū.
• * 1.18

  Ol. lil.
• * 1.19

  Phleboto∣mia.
• * 1.20

  Byzabar.
• * 1.21

  Diascor∣dium.
• * 1.22

  Cons. samb.
• * 1.23

  Cordial.