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.

If Pissing be seldom, * 1.1 from drinking little, or dry Diet; much sweat, or purging, or

in less quantity, it needs no Cure, because it doth no hurt.

But if it come from stoppage of the bowels in drop∣sies: the Serum being so retained that they piss less then they drink, which causeth a Tumor of the Belly; we shall shew the Cure therefore in the Dropsie.

If it come from thickness of the Serum, through things taken in, there must be a contrary Diet and thinner drink.

If from the Kidneys and Vreter on both sides, which is seldom seen, if there be no Urin in the Bladder, it is mortal and incurable.

If from a wound of the Bladder, so that the Urin fals into the Belly, or comes forth at the Wound, either they die, or, as we shewed, there is a Fistula through which they piss; but it is rare, as is also the bladder falling into the Cods, which had been deadly without the chance mentioned.

If it come from cold because it causeth pain, it shall be mentioned there.

If from compression of the Neck of the bladder, it ceaseth when the Excrements and Wind are voi∣ded.

If Urin long held stretch the Bladder, and there be Inflamation or Tumor the Cure is to be applied to them. If it come from a Stone, Caruncle, or other Tumors or Humor, which stoppeth the passage, when these impediments are removed, the Urin is voi∣ded.

If from the Stupefaction of the bladder the pissing be slower, you must not meddle therewith, for when it is ful it will come forth, or by straining at stool.

We shall now shew what Medicines are to be used internal and external to provoke Urin in divers causes, * 1.2 especi∣ally when the Serum is thick, and the passages about the Bowels, Reigns, Bladder and Vreters are stopped.

These are called Diureticks, that cause it to be more, or quicker either by increasing of the Serum, or making it thin and fluid; and seperated from the blood that it may pass easily from the Kidneys to the bladder, or by making the Serum and Urin hotter and sharper to stir up the expulsive faculty, as we shall shew.

One dram of the Powders following are to be given in a good quantity of Wine, Ale, or Milk, or other convenient Liquor: and if you will keep them long make them into Troches.

The first: Take Water-cress seeds one dram and an half, Pouder them.

The second: Take Acrons and Hazel nuts dryed in an Oven, of each one dram and an half: give it with Goats Milk, morning and evening.

The third Pouder: Take Madder roots, Asarum, Fen∣nel, Parsley, Lovage, Water cress, Nigella, winter cherry seeds, of each one dram; Valerian half a dram: make a Pouder.

The fourth: Take roots of Asarum and Valerian, Spig∣nel, Calamus Aromaticus, Fennel, Smallage, Pursley, Carrot, Seseli seeds, of each one dram: Savin, Schaenanth, Spicknard, Cinnamon, Pepper, of each half a dram: Saffron one scruple: make a Pouder.

The fifth Pouder: Take Amber, Gum of Plums and Cherries, of each one dram; Turpentine boyled half a dram, the Jews-stone, Alkekengi Berries, Parsley seeds, Asarum roots, of each half a dram; with Cinnamon one scruple: make a Pouder.

The sixth: Take of Egg-shels that are hatched, and the Skin taken out one dram, or nine swims of Herrings: give them in Pouder.

The seventh: Take the Ashes of earth Worms, or Cray∣fish, of each one dram; of Hog-lice half a dram, Spanish flies, or Grass hoppers their thin wings taken out, or Scorpions half a scruple, Cinnamon one dram, Cloves half a dram, Sugar two drams.

The eight Ponder, quickly made in time of neces∣sity: Take two Cantharides, and one dram of Sugar-candy, beat them well, give it with Honey and Water, or the Decoction of Linseed, or with Milk.

These Decoctions following are good: Take Radish roots two ounces, Asparagus and Rest-harrow, of each one ounce; Asarum half an ounce, Mallows, Pellitory, of each one handful; Berries of winter Cherries two drams, Water∣cress seeds two drams, Smallage seed half a dram: boyl them in red Pease broath.

Or this: Take one Onion, and a head of Garlick: boyl them in broath, and drink it being strained.

A Diuretike Oxymel is given, two ounces; with covenient Water or Wine, to provoke Urine.

Also Wormwood Wine, or Malmsey fasting, or white Wine, in which white Flints have been quen∣ched till they turne to Pouder.

Or this Composition: Take roots of Parsley, Fennel, Rest-harrow, of each one ounce; Asarum, Elicampane, of each half an ounce; Wormwood, Rue, Strawberry leaves, Savin, Hysop, of each one handful; Broom, Elder, and Cha∣momil flowers, of each one pagil; Smallage, Parsley, Lovage, Rocket, Nigella, Water cress seeds of each one dram; Juniper-berries half an ounce: Infuse them in white Wine.

Also this Lixivium: Take Juniper, Bean stalks and shales dried; burn them, and mix the Ashes with white Wine, and straining it often, make a Lie or Lixivium: Let him drink a Glass: And with the ashes of Broom, or Bitter-sweet, it is better.

Other Potions: Take Oyl of Sulphur two drops, spirit of Vitriol one drop, with Wine and Water.

Or: Take Oyl of Scorpions half an ounce; with Milk or Wine.

Or; Take Oyl of sweet Almonds two ounces, with much Milk.

Two or three drops of Oyl of Wax, given in great Nettle water, provoketh Urin violently. The fresh juyce of Pomegranate, doth the same.

Or thus: Take Horse Radish roots green, bruise them, sprinkle them with Wine, and take two ounces of the juyce.

Or thus: Take juyce of Pellitory two or three ounces, juyce of Water-cresses one ounce, add Wine, Sugar and Ho∣ney.

Waters pierce most, as that of Pellitory, Alkekengi, or Winter-cherries, Lemmons, Nuts, or of Broom flowers, with Cinnamon water, also of Horse-radish, Water-cresses, and Sea-fennel.

Another Water: Take Horse-radish roots half a pound, Rest-harrow, Winter-cherries, of each four ounces; Cherries and Peach kernels, of each two ounces; Broom and Elder flowers, of each one ounce; Fennel seed two drams, Turpen∣tine half an ounce, with spanish Wine, a fingers breadth above them being bruised, distil a Water, give one or two ounces.

The water of Peach kernels, drawn with Spanish Wine is also good.

The buds of Asparagus boyled or raw, make the Urin stink, and provoke it often.

Make a Sallat of Purslane, Water-cresses, Chervil, and Parsley, with young Onions, and Horse-radish sli∣ced, and Cowcumbers if the season afford them, with Vinegar and Oyl: It will provoke Urin if it be eaten for a Supper.

Or this Bole. Take Turpentine two drams, Winter∣cherries one dram, Amber half a dram, with Sugar.

Make Pils of unpleasant things. Take Galbanum, Bdellium, Myrrh, each half a dram; Oyl of Sulphur four drops, with Turpentine make Pils, give half a dram at a Dse.

Somtimes we mix Purgers with Diureticks, because the Urin is easier rendered when the Excrements are voided, and because they prick and stir up the expulsive faculty of the Guts, and give the same force to the Bladder.

Or this Bole. Take Cassia new drawn half an ounce, Benedicta Laxativa, Agarick in Troches, each half a dram; Winter-cherries one scruple with Sugar.

Turpentine doth both. Take two drams thereof, dis∣solveit with Honey and the yolk of an Eg, and drink it with Wine.

Or thus, Take Electuary Indum the great two drams, Catholicon half an ounce, Winter-cherry water as much as wil make a Potion.

If it come from clotted blood you must give things at the mouth, which dissolve such blood, among which Amber is best in this case.

Clysters are good in this case, and Topicks to the bladder. As,

Take Mallows with the roots, Pellitory, each one handful; Chamaemel flowers one pugil: boyl them, and dissolve Cassia, Benedicta Laxativa, each half an ounce; Turpen∣tine dissolved in the yolk of an Egg, and Honey half an ounce, Oyl of Chamaemel and Scorpions, each one ounce; Salt two drams, make a Clyster.

Another more compounded. Take marsh-mallow roots, and Radishes, each two ounces; Onions, Garlick, Leeks, each one ounce; Pellitory, Water-cresses, Parsley, each one handful; Chamaemel and Melilot flowers, each one one pugil; Smallage and Lovage seeds, each two drams; Juniper berries half an ounce, boyl them in Wine and Wa∣ter, and dissolve the aforesaid things therein.

Or this of Juyces. Take Juyce of Mallows, Mercury, Pellitory, Rue; each one ounce and an half; of Water-cresses half an ounce, white Wine two ounces, Butter one ounce and an half, Honey one ounce, Salt one dram, make a Clyster.

Divers things are applied outwardly to the Share neer the Bladder, that dilate it and provoke Pissing.

A Fomentation and Bath of these. Take Valerian roote two ounces, Mallows, Mugwort, Parsley, flowers of Chamaemel, Melilot, Dill, each one pugil; Linseed and Fe∣nugreek each one dram•• Smallage seeds two drams, boyl them, and add Wine. These are good when the blad∣der is so ful they cannot piss. Also you may add things that dissolve the clodded blood, if there be any; And Coolers if there be Inflammation.

Or this Emplaster. Take roots of Marsh-mallows, Ra∣dish and Pellitory, boyl them, stamp them, and add a lit∣tle Butter.

Or. Take Radish, Water-cresses, Garlick, Juniper∣berries, stamp them, and fry them with Wine, adding Butter and Oyl of Scorpions.

Hot Cow-dung also with Cummin-seed and Oyl of Scorpions.

It is good in the Strangury to boyl Hempen thred newly spun, in Water and Lie, with Mugwort and Chamaemel, and apply it.

You may use these Oyntments with the former or alone. Take Oyl of Scorpions, and Cunney grease each half an ounce.

Or, Take Juyce of Water-cresses, Parsley, Onions, each one ounce; Sea-fennel, Oyl of Scorpions, each two ounces; boyl them and add Oyl of Turpentine two drams, and with Cunney grease make a Liniment.

Boyl Wine Vinegar and Honey, thick, with Linseed meal, and apply them to the Pecten to provoke Urin.

Inject with a Syringe into the bladder things that loo∣sen the passages; as Oyl of sweet Almonds, or in which Mallows was boyled: or that prick, as Oyl of Scor∣pions: to cause Urin and the Stone to be voided. Or Whey or other clensers, as Honey and Aloes, if the humor be thick, or things that break the Stone. If there be a Caruncle or hardness, inject Mollifiers, and Clensers as Aegiptiacum, and after Dryers, as that of Litharge, Tutty, Antimony, Ceruss and Aloes thrust in at the end of a Wax Candle.

If the Bladder be ful of Urin, put in the Catheter, which is good in all stoppages, for it drives back the Stone, breaks the Caruncle, and dissolves clotted blood or matter, it is made hollow that the Urin may flow through it.

Chimches, Fleas, and Lice may be put into the Yard, or smal Hairs, to provoke Urin.

They say Galbanum applied like a Plaister to the top of the Yard, provokes Urin.

Also a Fume of Hedghogs bristles and Agarick, and of Grass-hoppers doth it in Women.

Somtimes the only pressing of the swollen Bladder with the hand doth it. And when a Stone is gotten into the Yard, it may be pressed out by degrees.

Somtimes they must be cut for the Stone or Carun∣cle, when other means fail, as we shal shew in the Stone.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What we must foretel and do in defect of pissing, from what cause soever.
• * 1.2

  Remedies to provoke Urin and help Pis∣sing,