A compleat practice of physick.: Wherein is plainly described, the nature, causes, differences, and signs, of all diseases in the body of man. VVith the choicest cures for the same. / By John Smith, Doctor in Physick.

SUPPURATION, is not to be opened before it be ripe; for it will turn to a Fistula in a part that wants blood, as the Pleura: and, if the matter be malignant, and sharp.

If it be from a cold matter, it must not be opened before the concoction of the whole matter. The Signs are, if the pain, heat, tumour, a Feaver be in∣creased; when the heat, pain, Feaver are remitted, and the tumor is lifted up into a point, the matter is concocted. Suppurative medicaments are necessa∣ry, when the humour is so impacted, that it cannot be repelled, either by rea∣son of the nearnesse of some principal part or so thick that it cannot be resol∣ved. It must be opened on that part it riseth to a point, according to the straightness of the Fibraes, ••hat the mat∣ter may not run forth by heaps. Suppu∣ratives shut the Pores that the heat can∣not breath forth; and so they differ from Emollients. It must be opened either with an Instrument o•• a Medicament▪

either with a hot iron, seldom, or cut∣ting iron, as in a Ring. Medicaments are either potential Cauteries, or more gentle, as leaven, Onions roasted in the Embers, Garlick, Pigeons dung, black Sope, Mustard-seed, Salt, Figs, Diaqui∣lon, Dogs dung, Nitre, coughing, cry∣ing, sneezing, vomiting, Scabious, Hore∣hound, Carduus benedictus. Add some of these to ripening plaisters. Give sy∣rup of Hore-hound, with water of Sca∣bious.