Loimologia: Or, an Historical Account of the Plague in London in 1665 Part 7

WHAT can a Person likewise expect to do with a Cathartick, in Disorders of the Spirits? It certainly appears to me more likely to purge away all the Humours of the Body, than re-kindle the Spirits that are oppressed, cloudy, and almost extinct, by such Means; and further, as the Subtilty of the pestilential Poison inclines it rather to escape by the superficial Pores, than the larger Emunctories, this Method is contrary to that natural Tendency, calling it back again from the Circ.u.mference to the Center; I cannot imagine what they propose, who even repeat in these Cases their purging Medicines, until they bring both intolerable Pains, and Gripings into the Bowels, and Sphacelations, as beforementioned.

BUT if after all Considerations any Person thinks it proper to purge, it ought to be certainly done in the Beginning of the Infection, and with somewhat that operates speedily; and to which Purpose those in Liquid Forms answer best, as for Example:

? _Aq. Angelicae simpl. Tartarizatae +? ij.+ Syr. de spina Cervina +? j.+ Elix. proprietatis Crollii vel Antipestilentialis +? j.+ & interdum +?

[ss.]+ +dissolve+ salis absynthii gr. +viij.+ M. S. Fiat haustus hora commoda, & typo remittendo dandus._

A Solution also of _Pil. Ruffi_ from ? [ss.] to ? j. may be made in _Marigold Water_, by those who like that better. They who please likewise may use the following:

? _Extract. Pilularum Ruffi +? ij.+ resin zalapii +? j.+ trochisc. de rhabarb. +? j.+ gum. ammoniaci in aceto scillit. soluti +? j.+ salis Tartari, absynthii +ana+ gr. +viij.+ c.u.m tinct. Theriacali q. s. fiat ma.s.sa, e cujus +? j.+ conglobentur pilulae +vij.+, vel +viij.+ Dos. in const.i.tutione athletica ad +? ij.+ prout medico visum fuerit varianda._

IN a Disease that will admit of no Delay, it is best to evacuate but little, yet that not slowly; so that the morbid Humours may be expelled at the first Seizure, before they have received the pestilential Taint, and before its Virulence hath reached to the whole Ma.s.s of Fluids: For it is certain that no Digestion is to be expected in this Case, and therefore can there be no Room for _Alterants_ or _Digestives_: But when the Body is very costive, I judge it most convenient and safe to do this with Suppositories.

BUT all Authors and practical Physicians agree in this, to throw out the pestilential Malignity as soon as possible; which is expeditiously and surprizingly done by _Alexipharmicks_; and to these, as soon as the Belly is loosned, Recourse must speedily be had, as to a sacred Refuge: And there is such Plenty of Remedies of this kind, that Nature seems to have had more than an ordinary Indulgence and Forecast, in providing against this destructive Enemy of Mankind; nor hath the medicinal Art been likewise wanting in supplying us with many Preparations of _Simples_, that are powerful against so grievous a Destroyer. But in this great Choice it behoves us to select those which are most efficacious; for this Distemper, which is certainly the most tyrannical of any that besets a humane Body, may be sometimes conquered in its Infancy, which when got to a Head, is not to be managed by the greatest Efforts of humane Skill.

AMONGST the Simples of the three Kingdoms, to begin with the Vegetable, _Virginian Snake Root_, when fresh and fragrant, is the most efficacious; insomuch indeed that I have often admired, that such great Vertue should reside in such minute Fibres, having a Tast very pungent, and a quick aromatick Scent, and discovering somewhat wonderful and almost supernatural; so that it deservedly is accounted the most efficacious and generous _Diaph.o.r.etick_ and _Alexipharmick_ for expelling the pestilential Poison. Its Dose, finely powdered, is from _gr._ iv. or vi. to ? ij. in any proper Vehicle, due Regard being had to the Strength and Age of the Patient.

THE next Place is justly given to the _Contrayerva-Root_, from which also a compound Medicine, which I shall hereafter describe, is admirably contrived: The Dose of this in fine Powder is from ? i. to ? i. in _Angelica_, or _Scordium_ Water, or in Wine, _&c._

THERE are other Roots likewise which daily Experience hath taught us to be very good for the same Purposes; and with which, as Occasion requires, many valuable Compounds are formed, in order to effect that with a united Force which they could not do singly; in this Cla.s.s are the Roots of _Angelica_, _Scorzonera_, _b.u.t.terbur_, _Masterwort_, _Tormentil_, _Zedoary_, _Garlick_, _Elicampane_, _Valerian_, _Birthwort_, _Gentian_, _Bittany_, and many others, which any Person that loves Variety may find in proper Authors.

BUT even Grat.i.tude obliges me not to omit saying somewhat of _Ginger_, which I have prescribed both in the Root powdered, and candied, many Times with great Success, for it is very powerful both to raise a breathing Sweat, and defend the Spirits against the Pestilential Impression.

FROM these Roots may be made Extracts, either with Spirit of Wine or Vinegar; for it is agreed by all, that the more subtil Particles collected together, and divested of their grosser and unprofitable Parts, become more efficacious in Medicinal Cases.

THE Leaves of Vegetables most used in Practice, are _Scordium_, _Rue_, _Sage_, _Veronica_, _Dragon_, the _lesser Centaury_, _Scabious_, _Pimpinel_, _Marygolds_ and _Baum_, and from which, on Occasion, are several _Formulae_ contrived.

GOOD Vehicles to wash down and facilitate the taking more efficacious Medicines, are made of the Waters distilled from those Herbs while they are fresh and fragrant (having not yet lost their volatile Salt;) for those which are commonly kept for Ornament in the Shops are insipid, and of little or no Worth.

A _Clyssus_ also of the same Herbs is preferrable to the Waters, made after this Manner, let a Quant.i.ty of Water be drawn from the green and succulent Plant, and the Juice be expressed from another Parcel of the same Herb, and depurated by standing; let then both be evaporated to the Consistence of _Honey_, and from it a Tincture drawn with some more distilled Water and a little Spirit of Wine, which is again by Evaporation to be reduced into an Extract; also from the dryed Plant draw its essential Oil, and from the _Residium_ after Distillation the Salt. Of the Extract take ? iv. of the _Salt_ ? [ss.], and of the _Oil_ 50 drops, and mix them together, where let them lie to incorporate more intimately with one another. The insp.i.s.sated Juices likewise of these Ingredients are of good Effect, and in the Winter, Decoctions may conveniently be made of them for the same medical Purposes; and further, that the Remedies in this Case may be yet the more efficacious, they may be joined with _Alkaline-Salts_ dissolved in a proper _Menstruum_: For by this Means the Tone of the Stomach will be strengthened, Putrefaction will be prevented, the nitro-saline _Effluvia_ will be resisted, or at least precipitated, and a _Diaph.o.r.esis_ promoted.

SOME Berries are also of great Use in Practice; as the Powder of _Ivy-Berries_ given to the Quant.i.ty of one Dram in two Parts of _Elder Vinegar_, and One Part of _White-Wine_; the Spirit likewise drawn from _Elder-Berries_ would do the same in a Dose of ? iij. or ? iv. the Spirit of _Juniper Berries_ given to ? i. a Spirit drawn from green _Walnuts_, with _Treacle-Water_, as also from the Seeds of _Carduus_, _Citrons_, &c.

had likewise their due Recommendations in powerfully promoting Sweat.

BUT I know nothing amongst the _Simples_ that hath so obtained, for Ages together, as the _Oriental Bezoar_, and which still hath so great a Name; yet without having any Inclination to contradict a received Opinion, I have been so confirmed by a Mult.i.tude of Trials, that the Truth will speak for it self, which manifestly denies its Virtues to be at all equivalent to its Value: And I have really given it in Powder many times to 40 or 50 Grains, without any manner of Effect; and I dare affirm that the _Bezoar_ with which I made these Trials was genuine.

THE Powder also of an _Unicorn_'s Horn, so much cried up for an Antidote, never answered any good Expectations, although I had several Dozes of it given me by a Merchant, on purpose to try its Virtues: But that which would cure Pidgeons, Fowls, Cats and Dogs, from a.r.s.enical Poisons, as the worthy Gentleman a.s.sured me that did, had yet no Efficacy against the pestilential Virulence: Yet if it was not controverted to this very Day, whether or no there is such an Animal in Being as an _Unicorn_; and it should moreover be granted that the Horn hath these stupendious Virtues; the Price of it would make it purchaseable only by the Rich; whereas in this dreadful Calamity the Populace were chiefly infected; and therefore cheap and common Medicines should be contrived for them by the Physicians; in the Number of which, first occur the _Troches_ of _Vipers_, given to the Quant.i.ty of ? iv. in compound _Scordium Water_, or the volatile _Salt_ of _Vipers_ given to ? [ss.] in the same Vehicle. A very worthy Person sent us from _New-England_ some Troches made of the Flesh of a _Rattle-Snake_, from which I found more Success amongst the Sick, than those we commonly have here.

THE _Powder of Toads_ was likewise prodigiously extolled by every Body; but I found more Success in _Spirits of Hartshorn_, given from ? ij. to ?

i. in _Plague-water_.

A Youth was seized with a great Difficulty of Breathing, and the Arteries hardly beat, and, in short, all Things seem'd to bespeak him in his last Moments; I prescribed him ? i. of the forementioned Spirits in ? iij. of _compound Scordium Water_; but the Symptoms continuing obstinate, I again repeated the same in three Hours Time with Addition of ? i. more; and five Blisters were also forthwith applied, after which in about half an Hour, he began to move his Limbs, and recollect himself, as if risen from the Dead: but at last when all Things were hopeful, there appeared a Discolouration upon one of his Legs, where a Blister had been raised, with a Loss of Sense very near to a Sphacelation; upon this the affected Part was deeply scarified and then fomented, which, with a Repet.i.tion of the same Draught twice in a Day, by the Blessing of Heaven, again restored every Thing into a hopeful Way. For this Spirit is of such a fiery Nature, that it immediately disperses through the whole Body; and on Account of its great Volatility, helps to encounter with, and correct the saline, malignant Quality of the Pestilence: But I need say no more than that it is the most powerful _Diaph.o.r.etick_ that can be given in any Disease whatsoever.

WHENSOEVER Things are brought to Extremity, some have Recourse to Mineral Preparations, in Order to drive out the Pestilence by mere Force; amongst which the chief are _Mineral Bezoar_, _Sulphur Auratum_, and _Aurum Vitae_, &c. the Preparations of which are to be met with in chymical Writers.

I am fearful indeed of being too prolix in the Enumeration of Remedies under this Cla.s.s; although I am very sensible that some _Simples_ prudently chosen may singly encounter a Pestilence with Success, as well as some other Diseases: But because this Evil is usually attended with so many Complications, the Contrivances to oppose it should also, in the Opinion of some, be equally and proportionably complicated; and all Forces drawn up in Battle against it with full Front, in Order to be equal to the Encounter. To this Purpose some of the Sons of _Esculapius_ have invented manifold Compositions; and some of them so prolix, as if they intended a Sacrifice of an _Hecatomb_ to appease the Severity of this tyrannical Destroyer.

IT would be entirely foreign to our Business here, to extract all the Medicines which some Writers abound with for this End; and it is our Business here only to take Notice of those which were made Use of with Success in the late Sickness; and in this Performance both Grat.i.tude and Duty oblige me to begin with such as were ordered by the _College_, amongst which first occurs their _Plague-water_.

? _Radic, tormentillae, angelicae, poniae, zedoariae, glycirrhizae, helenii ana +? [ss.]+ sol. Salviae, Chelidoniae, rutae, summitat: rorismarini, absynthii, roris solis, artemisiae, pimpinellae, dracunculi, scabiosae, agrimoniae, melissae, cardui, betonicae, centaurii min. fol. & flor.

calendulae ana M +i.+ (alii addunt flor. papaveris errat: paralys. ana p.

+iij.+) incisa, & contusa infundantur per triduum in lib. +viij.+ vin.

alb. opt. dein F. cauta distillatio & liquor usui reservetur_: But here it is by the Way to be taken Notice, that in the Cure of a Pestilence the medicinal Forms are not to be pompously contrived with a long Catalogue of Ingredients, but carefully adapted in every Respect to the Circ.u.mstances and Exigencies of the Infected. It is also to be observed, that this Water is by no Means indifferently to be given to all; or to every one in the same Manner; as for Instance, not at all to Women under their menstrual Purgations, least it should provoke them to flow too immoderately; nor is it to be allowed to Women with Child, for Fear of Miscarriage.

MOREOVER the _College_ hath appropriated other Medicines for the same Ends, from which we may extract the following:

? _Diascordii, vel Mithridatii +? j.+ vel +? [ss.]+ fiat dissolutio in +lib.

[ss.]+ possetalae alteratae c.u.m partibus aeq. vini albi, & aceti opt. Misce detur haec potio servefacta, aegro stragulis bene cooperto._ Or,

? _Radic. Angelicae +? ij.+ tormentillae +? j.+ infusis, & decoctis in aq.

font. q. s. ad tertiae p. consumptionem, adde succi limonum +? iij.+ vel aceti +? j. [ss.]+ bibat correptus +? vij+, vel +viij.+ hujus apozematis calefacti_: Or,

? _Sem. paetasitidis +? j.+ sem. citri gr. +xxvj.+ cuchianellae +? [ss.]+ caphurae gr. +xij.+ misce, fiat pulvis, ex haustu aq. cardui, calendulae, vel scordii sumendus._ Or,

? _Expressionem stercoris vaccini recentis in aceto acerrimo infusi ad cochl. +vij.+ vel +viij.+_ Or,

? _Theriacae Androm. +? ij.+ Elect. de ovo vulg. +? [ss.]+ facta dissolutione in haustu possetalae carduatae, fiat potio, bibatur calefacta expectando sudoris exundationem._

WE shall hereafter come to take Notice of those Medicines which by the _College_ were contrived for the Poor, now therefore take those which by daily Experience were found of most Efficacy, and deserve to stand first on that Account.

_A Compound Antipestilential Decoction._

? _Radic. Scorzonerae, petasitidis ana +? v.+ angelicae, tormentillae C.C.C.

ana +? j.+ fol. Scordii, ulmariae, melissae ana M +j.+ flor. calendulae, borrag. ana M +fs.+ bacc. juniperi, hederae ana +? j.+ sem. citri +? ij.+ coriandri praep +?+. +j. fs.+ caricas numero +iij.+ incisa, & praep. in duabus p. aqu. font. & tertia p. aceti opt. infundantur, & decoquantur, sub finem addendo glycyr. taleolatm sectae +? j.+ in expressionis +lib.

iij.+ dissolve theriacae Androm. +? iij.+ nitri purissimi +? iij.+ & adms.

interdum Spir. Vitrioli, vel Sulph. guttas aliquot ad leviusculam aciditatem._ Sometimes also we add hereunto Syrup of the Juice of _Citrons_, or _Baum_; but when Matters are in the utmost Hazard, the Patient's Life is more to be consulted than his Palate; and all _Sugars_ we often omit, as they are both a Load upon the Medicin's Operation, and in no wise fit for a Stomach affected with a Contagion. The Dose of this Decoction is from 8 to 10 Spoonfuls every 4 Hours.

_An Alexiterial Water._

? _Radic. Contrayerva +? j.+ scorzonerae hispan. angelicae ana +? j.

[ss.]+ fol. Scordii galegae ana M +iij.+ fl. ros. rubr. calendulae ana p.

+iij.+ ras. C. C. eboris ana +? j.+ bacc. juniperi, hederae ana +? ij.+ in aceto sambucino per triduum macerat: dictamni cretici, cortic. limonum ana +? j.+ succ. melissae, cardui, angelicae ana lib. +[ss.]+ aceti opt. lib.

+ij.+ distilla in organis humilioribus post. deb. infusionem._ Or,

? _Succ. Scordii, acetosae ana lib. +j.+ galegae lib. +[ss.]+ succ. limonum, aceti opt. ana lib. +j.+ theriac. Androm. +? iij.+ digere & distilla Dos.

ad cochl. +vj.+ vel +viij.+_

Or,

? _Aquae Alexiteriae lib. +ij.+ theriac. Androm. +? iij.+ Elect. de ovo +?

j.+ digere, filtra, & usui serva, Dos. ad cochl. +vj.+ vel +viij.+ phiaelam agitando._

Or,

? _Summit absynthij, rutae ana +M j.+ Scordii, dracunculi ana +M iij.+ aceti sambuc. +lib. iij.+ distilla in vesica, tum in liquore dissolve salis fraxini, carduii, vel Scordii Vitriolat. +? iij.+ Dos. ad cochl.

+iv.+ vel +v.+ efficaciter elicit sudorem haec Aqua._