The Compleat Surgeon Part 43

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The Crum is to be taken out of the inside of a white Loaf newly drawn out of the Oven, and to be boil'd with the Milk in a Skillet over a little Fire, stirring it from time to time with a _Spatula_, till it be reduc'd to a thick Pap. After having taken the Vessel off from the Fire, the three Yolks of Eggs beaten are to be put into it, and the Dram of Saffron pulveriz'd; to these Ingredients may be added two Drams of the Extract of _Opium_ somewhat liquid, if the Pain be great.

_Here is another Cataplasm proper to mollifie and to bring to Suppuration when it is necessary._

Take White-Lilly-Roots, and Marsh-Mallow-Roots, of each four Ounces; the Leaves of common Mallows, Marsh-Mallows, Groundsel, Violet-Plants, Brank-Ursin, of every one of these Herbs one handful; the Meal of Line, Fenugreek, and Oil of Lillies, of each three Ounces.

The Roots when wash'd and slic'd, are to be boil'd in Water, and the Leaves being added some time after, the Boiling is to be continu'd till the whole Ma.s.s becomes perfectly tender and soft; at which time having strain'd the Decoction, beat the remaining gross Substance in a Stone-Mortar, with a Wooden Pestle, and pa.s.s the Pulp thro' a Hair-Sieve turn'd upside-down: Then let the Decoction and Pulp so strain'd be put into a Skillet, and having intermixt the Meal of Line, Fenugreek, {334} and Oil of Lillies; let 'em be boil'd together over a gentle Fire, stirring about the Ingredients from time to time, till they be all sufficiently thicken'd. These two Cataplasms may serve as a Model for the making of many others.

CHAP. V.

_Of Oils._

Oils are made either by Infusion or Expression.

_Simple Oil of Roses made by Infusion._

Take two Pounds of Roses newly gather'd, and bruis'd in a Mortar; half a Pint of the Juice of Roses, and five Pints of common Oil: Let the whole Composition be put into a Earthen-Vessel, Leaded and well stopt, and then let it be expos'd to the Sun during forty Days. Afterward let it be boil'd in _Balneo Mariae_; and having strain'd and squeez'd the Roses, let the Oil be kept for use.

_Compound Oil of Roses made by Infusion._

Take a Pound of Red Roses newly gather'd, and pound 'em in a Mortar; as also four Ounces of the Juice of Red Roses, and two Quarts of common Oil.

Let the whole Composition be put into an Earthen-Vessel Leaded, the Mouth {335} of which is narrow, and well stopt; and then having expos'd it to the Sun during four Days, let it be set in _Balneo Mariae_ for an Hour, and then strain'd and squeez'd. Afterward let this Liquor be put into the same Vessel, adding to it the Juice of Roses, and Roses themselves, in the same quant.i.ty as before: Let the Vessel be stopt; let the Maceration, Boiling, Straining, and Expression be made in like manner as before; and let the same Operation be once more re-iterated: Then let your Oil be depurated, and preserv'd for use.

These Oils qualifie and disperse Defluctions of Humours, suppress Inflammations, mitigate the Head-ach and _Deliriums_, and provoke to sleep.

They must be warm'd before the Parts are anointed with 'em, and they may be given inwardly against the b.l.o.o.d.y-flux and Worms, the Dose being from half an Ounce to a whole Ounce. The Parts are also anointed with 'em in Fractures and Dislocations of the Bones, and _Oxyrodins_ are made of 'em with an equal quant.i.ty of Vinegar of Roses.

_Oil of Sweet Almonds made by Expression._

Take new Almonds that are fat and very dry, without their Sh.e.l.ls, and having shaken 'em in a somewhat thick Sieve, to cause the Dust to fall off; let 'em be put into hot Water till their Skins become tender, so that they may be separated by squeezing 'em with the Fingers: Afterward having taken off the Skin, they must be wip'd with a white Linnen-Cloth, and spread upon it to be dry'd: Then they are {336} to be put into a Stone-Mortar, and pounded with a Wooden-Pestle, till the Paste grows very thin, and begins to give Oil: This Paste is to be put into a little Linnen-Bag, new and strong, the Mouth of which hath been well ty'd; and the Bag is to be plac'd between two Platines of Tin, or of Wood lin'd on the inside with a Leaf of Tin, squeezing the whole Ma.s.s gently at first; but afterward very strongly, and leaving it for a long while in the Press, that the Oil may have time to run out.

This Oil mitigates the Nephritick Colicks, remedies the Retention of Urine, facilitates Child-birth, allayes the After-Pains in Women after their delivery, and the Gripes in young Infants: It is taken inwardly fasting from half an Ounce to two Ounces; and it is us'd in Liniments to a.s.swage and mollifie. The Oils of common Wall-Nuts and Small-Nuts, may be also prepar'd after the same manner as that of Sweet-Almonds.

_The Oil of Bayes._

Take as much as you please of Laurel or Bay-Berries, well cleans'd, perfectly ripe, and soundly bruis'd; let 'em be put into a Kettle, and boil'd with a sufficient quant.i.ty of Water during half an Hour; then strain and squeeze 'em strongly; let the Liquor cool, and sc.u.m off the Fat that swims upon the Water: Afterward pound the remaining Substance in a Mortar, and cause it to be boil'd again for half an Hour, with some of the first Water which was left, adding a little fresh; then strain and squeez it, {337} as before, and take off the Oil that swims on the Top. But the first Oil is better than the second, and therefore ought to be kept separately.

The Oils of Berries of Mastick, Myrtle, and other oleaginous Plants, may be extracted after the same manner.

The Oil of Bayes mollifies, attenuates, and is opening and discussive: It is very good against the Palsie, and the s.h.i.+verings or cold Fits of a feaver or Ague in anointing the Back; as also against Scabs, Tetters, _&c._

_The Oil of Eggs by Expression._

Take newly laid Eggs, and let 'em be harden'd in Water; then separate the Yolks, and put 'em into a Frying-pan over a gentle Coal-fire, stirring 'em about from time to time, and at last without discontinuing, till they grow reddish, and begin to yield their Oil: Then they are to be sprinkl'd with Spirit of Wine, and pour'd very hot into a little Linnen-Bag, which is to be ty'd, and set in a Press between two heated Platines; so that the Oil may be squeez'd out as readily as is possible.

This Oil mitigates the Pains of the Ears and Haemorrhoids, cures Scabs and Ring-Worms or Tetters; as also Chaps and Clefts in the Breast, Hands, Feet, and Fundament; and is made use of in Burns, _&c._

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CHAP. VI.

_Of _Collyrium_'s._

_Collyrium's_ are Medicines prepar'd for the Diseases of the Eyes: The following is that of _Lanfrancus_.

Take a Pint of White-Wine, three Pints of Plantain-Water, three Pounds of Roses, two Drams of _Orpiment_, one Dram of Verdegrease; Myrrh and Aloes, of each two Scruples.

The _Orpiment_, Verdegrease, Myrrh, and Aloes are to be beaten to a fine Powder before they are intermixt with the Liquors. This _Collyrium_ is not only good for the Eyes, but is also of use to make Injections into the Privy-Parts of Men and Women; but before the Injections are made, it ought to be sweeten'd with three or four times the quant.i.ty in weight of Rose, Plantain, or Morel-Water.

_A dry _Collyrium_._

Take two Drams of Sugar-candy; prepar'd Tutty, Lizard's-Dung, of each one Dram; White Vitriol, Sucotrin Aloes, and _Sal Saturni_, of each half a Dram.

Let the whole Composition be reduc'd to a very fine Powder, and mixt together: Two or three Grains of this Powder may be blown at {339} once into the Eye with a small Quill, Pipe of Straw, or Reed, as long as it is necessary; and the same Powder may also be steept in Ophthalmick Waters, to make a liquid _Collyrium_.

_A Blue _Collyrium_._

Take a Pint of Water in which unslackt Lime has been quench'd, and a Dram of _Sal Ammoniack_ pulveriz'd; mingle these Ingredients together in a Bra.s.s-Bason, and let 'em be infus'd during a whole Night; then filtrate the Liquor and keep it for use.

This _Collyrium_ is one of the best Medicines that can be prepar'd for all manner of Diseases of the Eyes.

CHAP. VII.

_Of Powders._

_A Powder against Madness or Frenzy._

Take the Leaves of Rue, Vervein, the lesser Sage, Plantain, Polypody, common Wormwood, Mint, Mother-Wort, Balm, Betony, St. _John_'s-Wort, and the lesser Centory; of every one an equal quant.i.ty.

These Plants must be gather'd in the Month of _June_, during the clear and serene Weather, {340} and ty'd up in Nose-gays, or little Bundles; which are to be wrap'd up in Paper, and hung in the Air to be dry'd in the Shade.

Afterward they are to be pounded in a great Bra.s.s-Mortar, and the Powder is to be sifted thro' a Silk-Sieve.

The Dose of this Powder is from two to three Drams, mingl'd with half a Dram of the Powder of Vipers, in half a Gla.s.s of good White-Wine every Morning fasting, for fifty one Days successively. It has an admirable effect, provided the wounded Person be not bit in the Head nor Face, and that the Wound has not been wash'd with Water.