Of the Green-sicknesse.

THe Green-sicknesse is a changing of the colour of the face into a green and pale colour, proceeding from the rawnesse of the humors. The signes of this appear in the face, to which may be added a great pain in the head, difficulty of breathing, with a palpitati∣on of the heart, a small and thick beating of the arteries in the neck, back, and temples; sometimes inordinate Fevers through the vi∣tiousnesse of the humours, loathing of meat, vomiting, distention of the Hypochondriack parts, by reason of the reflux of the menstruous blood to the greater vessels; a swelling of the whole body by reason of the abundance of humours, or of the thighs and legs above the heels, by reason of the abundance of serous humours.

The cause is the crudity and rawnesse of the humour, and quantity withall, arising from the suppression of the courses, through the na∣tural Page  62 narrownesse of the vessels, or through an acquired narrownesse of the vessels by the eat∣ing of oatmeal, chalk, earth, nutmegs, and drinking of vinegar; or from the obstruction of the other bowels. Hence arises an ill con∣coction in the bowels, and the humours are carried into the habit of the body, or become habitual thereto.

The cure is performed by the letting of blood, especially in the heel; if the disease be of any continuance, by purgation, prepa∣ration of the humour being first considered; which is performed by the decoction of Guaia∣cum, with Cretan Dittany; purging of the humour is performed with Agarick, Aloes Succotrin, with the juice of Savine; for the un∣obstructing of the humour, prepared steel, the root of Scorzonera, Bezoar stone, and oyle of Chrystall; in diet, vinegar is utterly to be a∣voided.