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SUBSEC. 3. Preparatives and Purgers.
After blood-letting we must proceed to other medicines; first prepare, and then purge, Augeæ stabulum purgare, make the body clean before we hope to do any good. Gualter Bruel would have a practitioner begin first with a Clister of his, which he prescribes before blood-letting: the common sort, as Mercurialis, Montaltus cap. 30. &c. proceed from lenitives to preparatives, and so to purgers. Lenitives are well known, Electuarium lenitivum, Diaphenicum, Diacatholicon, &c.
Preparatives are usually Syrups of Borage, Buglosse, Apples, Fumitory, Thyme and Epithyme, with double as much of the same decoction or distilled water, or of the waters of Buglosse, Bawm, Hops, Endive, Scolopendry, Fumitory, &c. or these sod in whey, which must be reiterated and used for many dayes together.
Purges come last, which must not be used at all, if the malady may be otherwise helped, because they weaken nature and dry so much; and in giving of them, we must begin with the gentlest first. Some forbid all hot medicines, as Alexander and Salvianus, &c. Ne insaniores inde fiant, Hot medicines increase the disease by drying too much.
Purge downward rather then upward, use potions rather then pills, and when you begin Physick, persevere and continue in a course; for as one observes, movere & non educere in omnibus malum est; To stir up the humour (as one purge commonly doth) and not to prosecute, doth more harm then good. They must continue in a course of Physick, yet not so that they tire and oppress nature, danda quies naturæ, they must now and then remit, and let nature have some rest.
The most gentle purges to begin with, are Sena, Cassia, Epithyme, Myrabolanes, Catholicon: If these prevail not, we may proceed to stronger, as the confection of Hamech, Pil. Indæ, Fumitoriæ, de Assaieret, of Lapis Armenus and Lazuli, Diasena. Or if pills be too dry; some prescribe both Hellebors in the last place, amongst the rest Areteus, because this disease will resist a gentle medicine.
Laurentius and Hercules de Saxonia would have Antimony tried last, if the party be strong, and it warily given. Trincavelius prefers Hierologodium, to whom Francis Alexander in his Apol. rad. 5. subscribes, a very good medicine they account it. But Crato in a counsell of his, for the Duke of Bavaria’s Chancellour, wholly rejects it.
I finde a vast Chaos of medicines, a confusion of receipts and magistrals, amongst writers, appropriated to this disease; some of the chiefest I will rehearse. To be Sea-sick first is very good at seasonall times.
Helleborismus Matthioli, with which he vants and boasts he did so many severall cures, I never gave it (saith he) but after once or twice, by the help of God they were happily cured. The manner of making it he sets down at large in his third book of Epist. to George Hankshius a Physitian. Gualter Bruel and Heurnius, make mention of it with great approbation; so doth Skenkius in his memorable cures, and experimentall medicines, cen. 6. obser. 37.
That famous Helleborisme of Montanus, which he so often repeats in his consultations and counsels, as 28. pro melan. sacerdote & consil. 148. pro Hypocondriaco, and cracks, to be a most soveraign remedy for all melancholy persons, which he hath often given without offence, and found by long experience and observation to be such.
Quercetan prefers a Syrupe of Hellebor in his Spagirica Pharmac. and Hellebors Extract cap. 5. of his invention likewise (a most safe medicine, and not unfit to be given children) before all remedies whatsoever.
Paracelsus in his book of black Hellebor, admits this medicine, but as it is prepared by him. It is most certain (saith he) that the vertue of this herb is great, and admirable in effect, and little differing from balm it self; and he that knowes well how to make use of it, hath more art then all their books contain, or all the Doctors in Germany can shew.
Ælianus Montaltus in his exquisite work de morb. capitis, cap. 31. de mel. sets a speciall receipt of Hellebor of his own, which in his practice he fortunately used; because it is but short I will set it down.
R Syrupe de pomis ℥ ij, aquæ borag. ℥ iiij, Ellebori nigri per noctem infusi in ligaturâ 6. vel 8. gr. manè factâ collaturâ exhibe.
Other receipts of the same to this purpose you shall finde in him. Valescus admires pulvis Hali, and Jason Pratensis after him: the confection of which our new London Pharmacopœa hath lately revived. Put case (saith he) all other medicines fail, by the help of God this alone shall do it, and ’tis a crowned medicine which must be kept in secret.
R Epithymi semunc. lapidis Lazuli, agarici ana ℥ ij, Scammonii, ʒ j, Chariophillorum numero 20. pulverisentur Omnia, & ipsius pulveris scrup. 4. singulis septimanis assumat.