Take Tormentil and Bistort-Roots, of each one Ounce; of Cinnamon half an Ounce, of Red Sanders two Drams, Salt of Wormwood half an Ounce; bruise all together, adding of Tormentil Vinegar two Ounces; put it in a Vessel to digest with three Pints of Medesweet Water: Strain it, and evaporate it with a gentle heat in Balneo Mariæ to the Consistency of Honey.
In the Cure of the Plague, if a course of Sweating, timely administred, do plentifully succeed, and withal other private Excretions be either prevented or presently supprest, the Patient may be judg'd to be in a hopeful condition; and sometimes the Venom is quite expell'd, without any other accident: But for the most part, because the Poyson, by fermenting the Blood and Humours, is soon greatly encreas'd; so that all of it, especially the grosser Particles, cannot easily evaporate, it settles in the outward Parts, and there causeth the swelling and breaking out of divers kinds: Those that require any application of Remedies, are Boils and Carbuncles.
The first of these commonly happen in Parts that are very Glandulous; as behind the Ears, under the Armpits, and in the Groin: They arise with a hard Swelling, which ought to suppurate and break, and the Corruption to be drawn all out, by the running of the Sore for some time: These Tumors call'd Bubo's, should be ordered thus.
If a Blister is not rais'd on, or near the place already, 'tis good to apply a Vesicatory Plaister just below it, but on the Tumor it self to apply some drawing Medicine, to attract the Venom outward; as at first, the Fundament of some living Fowl, or else a Colewort-Leaf dipt in scalding Water, and dried again, and smear'd over with Oyl of Lillies or Scorpions. To ripen the Sore, lay on Pultises or Plaisters; or rather first Pultises, and then Plaisters, when it tends to suppuration; which should be renew'd every twelve hours at least.
For Pultises.
Take an Onion and White Lilly Roots, boyl them, or else wrap them in a wet Paper, and roast them in the Embers, afterward stamp both together, adding a little Treacle, and Oyl of Lillies as much as is sufficient: Or else roast a Fig with either or both these above-nam'd, and make a Pultis in the same manner: Or else with either, or all above-named Remedies, add an handful of Scabious or Sorrel wash'd; and after beat all into a Pultis.
Take Pimpernel roasted on the Embers, mollifie it with Oyl of Scorpions, adding a little Pouder of Myrrh and Venice Treacle, and lay it to the Sore.
Some do commend live Frogs to be applyed, and renew'd as oft as they die.
For a Plaister to break the Sore when it is open'd, Diachylon with Gums; or else those two Emplaisters, viz. Emplastrum Paracelsi, and de Fuligine, mention'd by Diemerbroek, pag. 213. Paracelsus his Plaister is there thus order'd to be made.
Take of Gum Oppopanax two Ounces, Seraphin or Sagapen four Ounces, Bdellium three Ounces, Galbanum one Ounce, Olibanum two Drams; let them be dissolved in Vinegar, and strain'd, and adding the Pouder of a dried Toad and Frog, of Natural Brimstone one Ounce, of Camphire one Dram: Let it be made a Plaister to be put upon the Tumor, and renewed every six hours.
Emplastrum de Fuligine, or Plaister of Soot, is thus made.
Take of Chimney Soot ten Drams, Leaven, Turpentine, Butter, of each one Ounce, Venice Sope one Ounce and a half, of Honey of Roses six Drams, Common Salt half an Ounce, the Whites of two Eggs, Treacle and Mithridate, of each two Drams: Let them be mixed. For the Poorer sort, Shoemakers Wax is as good as any.
If when the Tumor is ripen'd, it do not soon break of it self, it is best to open it by Incision; and when it is broken, put in a Pledget dipp'd in Turpentine mix'd with the Yolk of an Egg; or dress it with Basilicon alone, or the Liniment of Arceus.
A Carbuncle, which is the other kind of Plague-Sore, which requires the operation of the hand, happens but seldom in any of the Emunctories [and when it does it portends ill] but useth to be in most places else; It ariseth with angry Pustules, sometimes one, sometimes many; which soon grow discolour'd, and tend to Mortification, and the substance mortified must be cast out, and then the hollow Ulcer which remains must be healed.
When a Carbuncle first appears, Diemerbroek commends to be applied to it for the first and second day, a Red Colewort Leaf, smear'd over with Rape Oyl: The same Author mentions a Pultis which he us'd for the most part, renewing it three or four times in four and twenty hours, till the Core was taken out; and then Digestive Medicines, and others succeedingly are to be us'd, as in other Ulcers.
Take Scabious and Devils Bit, of each two or three handfuls, stamp them, and then beat them with the Yolks of two Eggs, and a little Salt; lay it to the Carbuncle warm, renewing it three times in a day at least.
FINIS.