SUBSECT. 6. Correctors of accidents to procure sleep. Against fearfull dreams, redness, &c.

When you have used all good means and helps of alteratives, averters, diminutives, yet there will be still certain accidents to be corrected and amended, as waking, fearfull dreams, flushing in the face to some ruddiness, &c.

Waking, by reason of their continuall cares, fears, sorrows, dry brains, is a symptome that much crucifies melancholy men, and must therefore be speedily helped, and sleep by all means procured, which sometimes is a sufficient remedy of it self without any other Physick. Skenkius in his observations hath an example of a woman that was so cured. The means to procure it, are inward or outward.

Inwardly taken, are simples, or compounds; simples, as Poppy, Nymphæa, Violets, Roses, Lettuce, Mandrake, Henbane, Nightshade or Solanum, Saffron, Hemp-seed, Nutmegs, Willows with their seeds, juyce, decoctions, distilled waters, &c. Compounds are syrupes, or opiats, syrup of Poppy, Violets, Verbasco, which they are commonly taken with distilled waters.

℞. diacodii ℥ j. diascordii ʒ ß aquæ lactucæ ℥ iij ß mista fiat potio ad horam somni sumenda.

Requies Nicholai, Philonium Romanum, Triphera magna, pilulæ de Cynoglossa, Discordium, Laudanum Paracelsi, Opium, are in use, &c. Country folks commonly make a posset of hemp-seed, which Fuchsius in his herball so much discommends, yet I have seen the good effect, and it may be used where better medicines are not to be had.

Laudanum Paracelsi is prescribed in two or three grains, with a dram of Discordium, which Oswald. Crollius commends. Opium it self is most part used outwardly, to smell to in a ball, though commonly so taken by the Turks to the same quantity for a cordiall, and at Goa in the Indies; the dose 40 or 50 grains.

Rulandus calls Requiem Nicholai, ultimum refugium, the last refuge, but of this and the rest look for peculiar receipts in Victorius Faventinus cap. de phrenesi. Heurnius cap. de Mania, Hildesheim spicel. 4. de somno & vigil. &c.

Outwardly used, as oyl of Nutmegs by extraction, or expression with Rosewater to annoint the temples, oyls of Poppy, Nenuphar, Mandrake, Purslan, Violets, all to the same purpose:

Montan. consil. 24. & 25. much commends odoraments of Opium, Vineger, and Rosewater. Laurentius cap. 9. prescribes Pomanders and nodules; see the receipts in him; Codronchus wormwood to smell to.

Unguentum Alablastritum, populeum, are used to annoint the temples, nostrils, or if they be too weak, they mix Saffron and Opium. Take a grain or two of Opium, and dissolve it with three or four drops of Rose-water in a spoon, and after mingle with it as much Unguentum populeum as a nut, use it as before:

or else take half a dram of Opium, Unguentum populeum, oyl of Nenuphar, Rose-water, Rose-vineger, of each half an ounce, with as much virgin wax as a nut; annoint your temples with some of it, ad horam somni.

Sacks of Wormwood, Mandrake, Henbane, Roses made like pillows and laid under the patients head, are mentioned by Cardan and Mizaldus, to annoint the soles of the feet with the fat of a dormouse, the teeth with eare wax of a dog, swines gall, hares ears: charms, &c.

Frontlets are well known to every good wife, Rose-water and Vineger, with a little womans milk, and Nutmegs grated upon a Rose-cake applied to both temples.

For an Emplaster, take of Castorium a dram and half, of Opium half a scruple, mixt both together with a little water of life, make two small plasters thereof, and apply them to the temples.

Rulandus cent. 1. cur. 17. cent. 3. cur. 94. prescribes Epithemes and lotions of the head, with the decoction of flowers of Nymphæa, Violet-leaves, Mandrake roots, Henbane, white Poppy. Herc. de Saxonia, stillicidia, or droppings &c. Lotions of the feet do much avail of the said herbs: by these means, saith Laurentius, I think you may procure sleep to the most melancholy man in the world. Some use horseleeches behinde the ears, and apply Opium to the place.

Bayerus lib. 2. c. 13. sets down some remedies against fearfull dreams, and such as walk and talk in their sleep. Baptista Porta Mag. nat. l. 2. c. 6. to procure pleasant dreams and quiet rest, would have you take Hippoglossa, or the hearb Horsetongue, Bawm, to use them or their distilled waters after supper, &c.

Such men must not eat Beans, Pease, Garlick, Onions, Cabbidge, Venison, Hare, use black wines, or any meat hard of digestion at supper, or lye on their backs, &c.

Rusticus pudor, bashfulness, flushing in the face, high colour, ruddiness are common grievances, which much torture many melancholy men, when they meet a man, or come in company of their betters, strangers, after a meal, or if they drink a cup of wine or strong drink, they are as red and flect, and sweat, as if they had been at a Majors feast, præsertim si metus accesserit, it exceeds, they think every man observes, takes notice of it: and fear alone will effect it, suspicion without any other cause.

Skenkius observ. med. lib. 1. speaks of a waiting Gentlewoman in the Duke of Savoyes Court, that was so much offended with it, that she kneeled down to him, and offered Biarus a Physician, all that she had to be cured of it.

And ’tis most true, that Antony Lodovicus saith in his book de Pudore, Bashfulness either hurts or helps; such men I am sure it hurts. If it proceed from suspicion or fear, Felix Plater prescribes no other remedy but to reject and contemn it: Id populus curat scilicet; as a worthy Physician in our town said to a friend of mine in like case, complaining without cause, suppose one look red, what matter is it, make light of it, who observes it?

If it trouble at, or after meals, (as Iobertus observes med. pract. l. 1. c. 7.) after a little exercise or stirring, for many are then hot and red in the face, or if they do nothing at all, especially women; he would have them let blood in both arms, first one, then another, two or three daies between, if blood abound, to use frictions of the other parts, feet especially, and washing of them, because of that consent which is betwixt the head and the feet.

And withall to refrigerate the face, by washing it often with Rose, Violet, Nenuphar, Lettuce, Lovage waters, and the like: but the best of all is that lac virginale, or strained liquor of Litary: It is diversly prepared; by Iobertus thus;

℞. lithar. argent. unc. j. cerussæ candidissimæ. ʒ iij. caphuræ. ℈ ij. dissolvantur aquarum solani, lactucæ, & nenupharis ana unc. iij. aceti vini albi. unc. ij. aliquot horas resideat, deinde transmittatur per philt. aqua servetur in vase vitreo, ac ea bis terve facies quotidie irroretur.

Quercetan spagir. phar. cap. 6. commends the water of frogs spawn for ruddiness in the face. Crato consil. 283. Scoltzii would fain have them use all summer, the condite flowers of Succory, Strawbury water, Roses (cupping-glasses are good for the time) consil. 285. & 286. and to defecate impure blood with the infusion of Sene, Savory, Bawm water. Hollerius knew one cured alone with the use of Succory boyled, and drunk for five months, every morning in the summer.

It is good overnight to annoint the face with Hares blood, and in the morning to wash it with strawbury and cowslip water, the juyce of distil’d Lemmons, juyce of cowcumbers, or to use the seeds of Melons, or kernels of Peaches beaten small, or the roots of Aron, and mixt with wheat bran to bake it in an oven, and to crumble it in strawbury water, or to put fresh cheese curds to a red face.

If it trouble them at meal times that flushing, as oft it doth, with sweating or the like, they must avoid all violent passions and actions, as laughing, &c. strong drink, and drink very little, one draught saith Crato, and that about the midst of their meal; avoid at all times indurate salt, and especially spice and windy meat.