Platerus golden practice of physick: fully and plainly discovering, I. All the kinds. II. The several causes of every disease. III. Their most proper cures, in respect to the kinds, and several causes, from whence they come. After a new, easie, and plain method; of knowing, foretelling, preventing, and curing, all diseases incident to the body of man. Full of proper observations and remedies: both of ancient and modern physitians. In three books, and five tomes, or parts. Being the fruits of one and thirty years travel: and fifty years practice of physick. By Felix Plater, chief physitian and professor in ordinary at Basil. Abdiah Cole, doctor of physick, and the liberal arts. Nich. Culpeper, gent. student in physick, and astrology.

The Cure.

When sound men want Appe∣tite and eat not with delight, it must be cured, but in other Dis∣eases which have greater accidents it is not so much regarded, especi∣ally when eating wil do hurt: And when the Disease being cured it wil return, though it be last, and that by which we discover health. Want of Thirst, in re∣gard it hurts not of its own self, is cured if it be preter∣natural, by no other than taking away the cause in the Stomach which breedeth other inconveniences. Nau∣sea or Loathing both in the sound and sick if it incline to Vomiting, must be cured as we have shewed in Vo∣miting. It is hard to cure the loathing of some meats, which is natural from the Birth. In all these kinds of what cause soever, we must use these divers Medi∣cines.

Custom is of great consequence to keep up appetite at a certain time; therefore keeping constant meals accustometh nature to an appetite. And without that there is a confusion as in other operations of nature. And as we shewed in the causes, custom is the cause of loving and loathing of some things, we may alter it to the coutrary by degrees, perswasions, and deceits, as we have seen in them that have hated Wine or Cheese. Fasting is good if it come from Repletion of meat, or Chyle, or abundance of Blood, or Fat; or when the stomach is foul with slime, or wet with water; for it wil consume them all, and they wil be taken away

by the Meseraicks which are not idle: But it is worst in Choler abounding.

Moderate execrcise, and strong in those that can en∣dure it, stirreth up all the Functions, and Appetite, by distributing the meat, rather then Concoction. This must be before meat, hence fome laboring men eat three or four times in a day: and they who are idle, scarse once; in sick people that cannot excercise, Fri∣ctions are good.

They say sleep takes of loathing, but it provoketh not Appetite, but by accident, because distribution of the chile is rather in the time of waking, and that done the Appetite presently returns. Therefore we sooner hunger being awake, between meals, in the day time, then in the night.

Vomiting is good, if it proceed from Excrements, Humors, or Choller, or the like in the Stomach. And if they stick fast, it must be caused by sharp cleansers, as Oxymel, and Syrup of Vineger, with other Li∣quors.

If Vomiting doth it not, Purge the Stomach, espe∣cially with bitter things, which cleanse and strengthen it, with Aloes, Pills of Hiera, Alephanginae.

Or thus in any Humor: Take Rheubarb, Citrine Myrobalans, of each one dram; species Hiera two drams, Mastick, white Sanders, of each half a scruple; with syrup of Wormwood: Make a Mass, give one dram, or sharpen them with Diagredium.

Or give Wormwood Wine, with Rhubarb, Myro∣balans and Senna, and if Flegm prevail, with Agarick infused.

Other things restore Appetite, by cooling, if it be lost by heat, either actually, or Potentially, especially sower things, which allay the sharpness of Choller, if that be the cause. Others prick and stir up the Sto∣mach, by a propriety, as shall be shewed in Depraved Appetite. As the sharpness of Melancholly juyces, from the Spleen, is supposed to do; But we impute that rather to the sharpness of the chile, and its natural Fermentation, of which we spake formerly, in regard every Vomiting, if not after Wine, is sower; especi∣ally if sower things have been taken: which take away the force of stupefying Narcoticks. Also others do it by cleansing, as Salt things which purge slime, and sweet juyce, and prick the Stomach. Bitter things do the same, by cleansing Flegm, and Choller, which de∣ject the Appetite. Others do it by an unknown pro∣perty. Things pleasant to the tast, stir it up chiefly, and abate loathing. Therefore in Feavers they refuse sweet, and desire sharp things, and a little Salt. Also strengtheners of the Stomack, take away loathing, but these are best when it is weak; they are hot and astrin∣gent, and these cause thirst.

If Appetite be lost from heat, let the meat and drink be actually cold.

Cold Water is good before Meat.

And they who drink water have the best Stomackes; therefore beasts that eat crude things, and drink water, eat so much.

Let the meat be seasoned, with the juyce of sower Fruits; as of green Grapes.

Also let the bread be well Leavened, and Salted.

And in hot Natures let sharp wine be given to those that have used Wine.

Use Vinegar in Broaths, and Salats; or drink it be∣fore meat.

If loathing come from drinking Wine, with Night∣shade boyled there in, give Vingar; or if it come from other Narcoticks.

Peaches that are green, are good in a hot cause, use Oranges, and Lemmons sliced, with Rose water, and Sugar.

Also the German Sallats, of Picklet, Colewarts, and Turneps.

Also Sorrel, and Purslain, with Vinegar.

Also Olives, and Cappars for sallats.

Garlick is good to get an Appetite. Thus, stamp Garlick, and mix crums of Bread, and sweet Almonds therewith, and give it with broath.

Drink Wormwood Wine before Meat, if it come not from heat, it is good in all other cases.

Also give the Essence, or Tincture of Wormwood, Zedoary, Master-wort, and Saffron before Meat, with Broath or Wine.

Also Syrup of Peaches, juyce of Citrons, Pomegra∣nates, Currans, Grapes, Sorrel, Vinegar, and Sugar, of Wormwood boyled with Vinegar are good.

Or thus: Take juyce of Peaches one pinte, of Pomegra∣nates, and sower Apples four ounces, juyce of Citrons two ounces: boyl them with Vinegar and Sugar: give one ounce.

Or this Electuary which cleanseth: Take Honey one pound, scum it, add juyce of Pellitory, and Wormwood, of each four ounces: Boyl them, give morning and Eve∣ning as much as a Chesnut.

Or, Conserve of Roses, Sorrel, Currans, of each one ounce.

Chamomel water drunk provokes Apetite.

Things that strengthen shall be after mentioned, among which Pepper is commended, by Dioscorides. Also Pouder of Masterwort, and Hens gizard skins which help Concoction and Apetite, and a Sopp in Sack; season the meat, with Mints, Calamints, &c. these take away Aposia, or want of thirst.

Cleansing Clysters are good, when the Stomach is foul: as that of the Urin of a Boy, or gentle Lixi∣vium.

Also: Take white Beets, with the roots, Mercury, Cole∣worts, of each one handful; Barley one pugil, Agarick one dram, Senna two drams, Carva seeds one dram: Boyl them, and add the urin of a Bay, or Lixivium four ounces; strain it, and dissolve juyce of Mercury, or Beets one ounce; Ho∣ney one ounce and an half, Salt one dram; give it without Oyl that it may cleanse well.

If it come from heat in a Feaver, give cooling Cly∣sters: As, Take Lettice, Endive and Violet water, of each four ounces; juyce of Purslane, Lettice, of each one ounce; Oyl of Lillies, Violet, of each half an ounce.

Sweet sents correct Loathing, as we shall shew in stopping of Vomiting; as of Vinegar, sower Fruits, Wormwood.

Apply to strengthen the Stomach, cold or hot astrin∣gents, as the cause is: Take heed of Oyly sents that are unpleasant, as we shewed in other Symptoms of the Stomach.

Use the Epithems that are prescribed to cool the Liver, if Loathing come from a hot cause, as in Fea∣vers.

External cooling of the Body, is good in a hot cause, as cool Air, is better then hot; also Bath, and wash the Feet in cold water: Also change the Shirts and Linnen often, to get an Appetite.

It is good to let blood, if there be Plethory, and if the Disease, of which want of Appetite is a Symptom, will permit.

Notes

• The Cure of Appe∣tite dejected and loa∣thing of Meat and Drink.