Medical snippets #11: For the quinsy or squinancie

‘For the Quinsie or squinancie, the swelling of the throate, causing difficultie of breathing, and hardnesse of swallowing, Trincauel doth aduise a speedie letting of bloud; yet a glister being vsed before if the disease will giue leaue: but if the disease (as it is a very sharp disease) will give no space, then may we do as Hippocrates sometime did, that is, first let bloud, & afterward minister the Clyster. Fuchsius willeth vs to open the basilica of the arme of the same side where the swelling is. But he will haue it to be done at seuerall times by little and little, and not all at once, least there should happen a swooning, and so a peril of suffocation: and besides, By two sodaine coolings and by fainting of the heart, the matter may by caryed from the iawes vnto the lungs, and so bring ineuitable danger. Yet must not the incision be made too little, least by meanes of the narrownesse of the hole the good bloud should be as it were strained out, and the thick part remaine within, which is the cause of the griefe.’

Simon Harward, Harvvards phlebotomy: or, A treatise of letting of bloud, fitly seruing, as well for an aduertisement and remembrance to well minded chirurgians, as also to giue a caueat generally to all men to beware of the manifold dangers, which may ensue vpon rash and vnaduised letting of bloud (1601)

Balliol College Library shelfmark: 905 e 3 (3)

Medical snippets #10: The cure of wounds by sympathy

‘First, the Medicine is made of a Zaphyrian Salt, calcined by a celestial fire, operating in Leo and Cancer, into a Lunar complexion. The heat must bee such, that it draws out all adventitious moisture, leaving it intensly dry, and in this condition it must be kept. […] Much more effectual then must the finer active volatile particles be, when they are separated from those more earthy, clogging parts; and conveighed into the remotest pores of the wounded part, by the help of the bloody Atomes returning home: upon whose score they finde a far greater and more welcome entertainment, then if they came alone, or joyned with any other Forrainers.

The manner of applying the medicine is in this fashion. The blood, or bloody matter taken from the wound on a cloath, must be lightly covered over with this powder, kept very dry; and afterwards wrapt up close from the air, and so kept in a temperate heat; neither must it finde any mutation to either excesse; the wound in the mean time must be kept clean, and clothed up with drie clean clothes. If it hath been an old sore or ulcer, that Nature hath found a convenient passage to vent the burden of her excrements that way, and there be a tumor, (as necessarily there will be) the first dressing doth most violently drein this Fountain, and you shall finde the wound to run most strangly: afterwards when the matter is lessened, and is reduced to such a proportion as nature and the medicine may conveniently buckle with it, then it turns it into laudably concocted matter, which every day lessens, and the wound closet. But if the wound be fresh, the applied medicine presently stoppeth the blood, and hinders an afflux of humours to the part. So that there is nothing to be done, but the uniting the severed parts, which this medicine doth in a wonderful short time.’

Nathaniel Highmore, The history of generation. Examining the several opinions of divers authors, especially that of Sir Kenelm Digby, in his discourse of bodies. With a general relation of the manner of generation, as well in plants as animals: with some figures delineating the first originals of some creatures, evidently demonstrating the rest. To which is joyned a discourse of the cure of wounds by sympathy, or without any real applycation of medicines to the part affected, but especially by that powder, known chiefly by the name of Sir Gilbert Talbots powder (1651)

Balliol College Library shelfmark: 905 b 3 (5)

Medical snippets #9: The fourth cause of the pestilence

‘The fourth Chapter sheweth the fourth cause of the Pestilence.

The fourth cause is the aptnesse of mans body, thorough euill humors to receiue the effect of a venemous aire, putrifieng and corrupting the bodie: whereof the disease is ingendred. The bodie is made apt to be infected by the abuse of things not natural (as Phisitions terme them,) that is to say: by taking of meate and drink out of measure, specially by feeding of many dishes at one meale, or by too much lacke of good nourishing meat, by too much sleepe, or watching, by too much labor or ease: finally, by too much anger, greefe of minde, and feare of the disease. As all these things are dangerous: so the last is sufficient of it selfe to infect the bodie, & consequently to bring death: as I have heard it declared by diuers examples.’

Thomas Brasbridge, The poore mans iewell: (So called bicause of the great commoditie that may come vnto the poore, by the vse, and practise of the documents, and instructions therin contained: and bicause both the booke, and the contents therof are cheape, and easie to be gotten, and practised of the poorest.) Now the second time set foorth, somwhat augmented by the author. It containeth a treatise of the pestilence, togither with a declaration of the vertues of the hearbs carduus benedictus, and angelica: (which are very medicinable, both against the plague, and also against many other diseases:) gathered out of the bookes of diuers learned physitions (1592)

Balliol College Library shelfmark: 910 a 13 (1)

Medical snippets #8: A drunken apothecary

‘And yet notwithstanding that Petrus Apponensis, the Conciliator tells us a Story of a drunken Apothecary, who blundring in the night between sleeping and waking, and mistaking a Pot of Quicksilver for the Botle, drank his last in a too hearty draught of it; though Penzettus tells us of a Silly Chymist, who trying some curious Experiments upon Quicksilver, and keeping it close shut over the Fire for some Weeks, did upon the opening his Vessel take such a strong Whiff into his Nostrils, that he sunk down dead immediately, without speaking one word by way of repentance of his Folly; though Fernelius tells us another lamentable Story of a Painter of Angiers, who had thumm’d the Cinnabar so carelesly in his Drawings, that it got in at his Fingers ends, made the Articles Paralytick, thence run to his Wrists, so to his Arms, and at last into his Stomach and Head, and made him a most miserable object of pity, and at length dispatch’d him into t’other World; though he and divers others do muster up a whole bed-roll of Ill Accidents from an indiscreet use of Quicksilver different ways; yet I cannot think it so Intrinsecally and Essentially a Poison, as some of them would thereby insinuate.’

Walter Harris, Pharmacologia anti-empirica: or A rational discourse of remedies both chymical and Galenical. Wherein chymistry is impartially represented, the goodness of natural remedies vindicated, and the most celebrated preparations of art proved uncapable of curing diseases without a judicious and methodical administration (1683)

Balliol College Library shelfmark: 905 d 4 (4)

Medical snippets #7: The lungs of a fox

‘The Bone taken out of a Stagg’s heart, is a great Cordial. The Lungs of a Fox is reckon’d up amongst other Pulmonical medicaments, to contribute much towards the Cure of a Pthisis, or ulcer in the Lungs. The Liver of almost any Creature, stoppeth the Hepatical Flux. The Blood of him that bleedeth at the Nose, presently drunk, doth immediately stay his bleeding.’

Richard Bunworth, Two excellent discourses physical and philosophical. Viz. The exhibiting the cure of diseases by signature, &c. Also a vindication of the souls prerogative (1657)

Balliol College Library shelfmark: 910 a 2 (1)

Medical snippets #6: Red-hot flint-stones

‘The Digression I am going to make, touching the practice of Physick among the Americans of Virginia, where he had sojourned, will not, I hope, be unpleasant to the Reader, nor quite from our purpose, to shew the little care had here of searching into the nature and virtues of Plants.

He told us that they had admirable Remedies (for all Diseases) drawn from Simples; and that he had seen very extraordinary Cures done there: That they pierce the Skin with points of Cane, which served them instead of Lancets; and suck out the Bloud without swallowing it, which is instead of Phlebotomy and Cupping-glasses. That they cure the Dropsie after an extraordinary manner, of which manner of curing he has been an eye-witness: They take Flint-stones and make them red-hot, and put them into a hole made for the purpose in the Earth, and make the Patient lay his Belly over them, whilst they sprinkle a certain Decoction of three sorts of Herbs; one whereof is a kind of Essula or Spurge: that after the Patient has received the Smoak very hot against his Belly, his Navel opens, and the Physician lets out a certain quantity of Water, according to the strength of the Sick; after which, to close up the aperture, he applies a certain Moss to it; and this he repeats as often as he thinks necessary, to draw out all the Water.’

Jacob Spon, Observations on fevers and febrifuges (1682)

Balliol College Library shelfmark: 905 b 7 (4)

Medical snippets #5: Proper exercises

‘Moderate Exercise is requisite to be used during the Time of drinking these Waters, to raise (as I am informed by the Learned) proper Ferments in the Humours, and to promote their due Secretions, to attenuate the Fluids, and brace up the Fibres, and give the Nerves a better Spring. Proper Exercises are Walking, Bowling, Dancing, but especially Riding; all which moderately used, will facilitate a due Secretion of the peccant Humours, particularly through the Kidneys, […]’

Henry Eyre, A brief account of the Holt waters, containing one hundred and twelve eminent cures, perform’d by the use of the famous mineral waters at Holt, (near Bath) in Wiltshire (1731)

Balliol College Library shelfmark: 915 b 6 (3)

Medical snippets #4: Too great a plethory

‘For we think that no man may be infected with the Plague, so long as the Natural consistency of his blood is preserved: We assert this the more freely, because we see the blood in all persons infected with the Plague to be altered, and obtain a far more fluid consistency: So that if sometimes by chance, Negligence, Ignorance, or any other urging Cause; as for example, too great a Plethory, spitting of blood bringing a present danger to Life, let a Vein be opened, the blood flowing out although refrigerated; nevertheless, is in no wise coagulated, neither can it acquire a due consistency, even as sometimes is wont to happen to the animal Spirits, being loosed from their Fetters, and dissipated from the acidity existing in the blood, wherefore also such a blood by divers Practitioners is called putrid.’

Reinier de Graaf, De succo pancreatico: or, A physical and anatomical treatise of the nature and office of the pancreatick juice; shewing its generation in the body, what diseases arise by its vitiation : from whence in particular, by plain and familiar examples, is accurately demonstrated, the causes and cures of agues, or intermitting feavers, hitherto so difficult and uncertain, with sundry other things of worthy note (1676)

Balliol College Library shelfmark: 905 d 10 (5)

Medical snippets #3: The administration of opium

‘Opium taken crude and raw as aforesayd, to the quantitie of an Orobus or wild Fitch, appeaseth all Aches or paines, helpeth digestion, stayeth all Coughes and Destillations or Rheumes which fall from the braine into the stomack, it is excellent against all kinde of Headach if the temples bee anointed and chaffed with the same and oyle of roses: being dropped or instilled into the eares with the oyle of bitter Almonds, Mirrhe and Saffran, it healeth and recouereth Hearing, and the sooner being applied with the yolke of an egge hard rosted in the imbers: it auaileth much against inflammation of the eyes, and being mixed with vinegar is very good against Saint Anthonies fire, and healeth olde vlcers: with saffran and womans milke it is singular in gouts, and being mixed with Supposatories, it prouoketh sleepe.’

Angelus Sala, Opiologia: or, A treatise concerning the nature, properties, true preparation and safe vse and administration of opium (1618)

Balliol College Library shelfmark: 905 c 3 (6)

Medical snippets #2: An extraordinary boyling

‘It is to be imagin’d then, that a Fever or Ague is an extraordinary Boyling or Fermentation, excited in the Mass of Blood; that this Fermentation against Nature does alter the Blood, disturbs its motion, and perverts the Oeconomy of the whole Body, that the principle or immediate Cause of that Fermentation, is an evil Leven, which partakes of Acides or Sharpness, which infects and agitates the Humours in divers manners, whence proceeds the difference of Fevers, as well as the Division which may be made of them, into intermittent, continual, accidental or Symptomatick Fevers.

In the intermittent Fevers, the Leven does often arise from a portion of bad Chyle, or from those Aliments which we have taken, of which the first Degree of Corruption, is to contract a fermentative Eagerness, which excites the Fever. Those strange Juices not being capable of joyning with the rest of the Mass of Blood, cause in it a boyling and a disturbance, till they be corrected, or separated from the other Humours.’

François Monginot, A new mystery in physick discovered, by curing of fevers & agues by quinquina or Jesuites powder. Translated from the French, by Dr. Belon, with additions (1681)

Balliol College Library shelfmark: 905 b 5 (4)