SMART'S AURUM PURGANS.
THis exellent thing was by the Author proposed to his Royal Highness, fo [...] [...] of the Navy, and the preservation of the health of [...] [...]je [...]ie [...] subjects, his Royal Highness was graci [...]usly pleased to refe [...] [...] the principal Officers and Commissioners [...]f the Navy, December 2. 166 [...]. they did desire Sir John Lawson to Convene the Chirurgions bound to Sea under his command to consider of it, &c. December 17. 1663. the Chirurgions referred it to his Majesties Physitians, and those after diligent inquiry and examination made both of the Ingredients and Compositions, together with several attestations of Chirurgions and others, who had successfully practised this preparation, they conceived it to be a proper and useful remedy, especially for Sea-faring Men, and did recommend the use of it to the Chirurgions, &c.
For the better accommodation of the people they be poysed off in smal Balls or Pills of thirty grains apiece, which is a sufficient dose for a person of a tender Constitution, those of a middle constitution will require one and a half, those of a strong constitution two Pills. So far for the generality of persons and their distempers, but in Diseases over grown or long continuance, as in bodies taken with the dead Palsey, or that have been prejudicially fluxed with Mercurial Medicines, and in other like cases, or in distempers of gross and strong bodies, it will be necessary to augment the dose according to the constitution of the Patient, or Inveterance and powerfulness of the [Page 2] Disease, as to two and a half or three Pills, yea four and to some persons I have given five Pills, being lesser quantity would not serve. And thus the careful Physitian upon such occasions, first beginning low, may afterwards raise his dose until he find out how much the Patient must have, and so go on.
Take this Dose as you shall find convement, and having cut it very smal, put it in a spoon; then amongst half a pint of Ale or Beer rub it with the haft of your knife in the spoon amongst the Ale or Beer until it dissolve; then put it to the fire, and let it but just boyl up, so remove it from the fire and let it cool, so as that the Patient may drink it in the morning fasting; and afterwards as it begin to work, let the Patient drink plentifully of Ale or Beer well warmed, its better then Posset drink. In four hours time it has commonly done all its work, then give the Patient a glass of Sack, and so let him alone until the end of six hours, for then is it time that the Patient must eat somthing, a good Caudle, or some other comfortable broath, is better then flesh meats at the first, but however of necessity he must eat somthing, and not be kept any longer fasting, for the Spirits and Vitals having been engaged in this Fight they must of necessity be recruited; as Marien in his Turb [...] Philosophorum saies, Honor our King in coming from Battail.
Some there be that cannot abide to drink any Physical Potion, which people may cut it smal and make it up in lesser Pills, and so swallow it down, and drink some warm Ale after it; or mix it with honey and swallow it down, or take it in the yolk of an Egg, or which way you find best to give your Patient content.
But as for Children and Infants for their Infirmities which requires Physick, this Aurum Purgans when it is p [...]d in convenient Liquor as aforesaid, it is to be administrated in smal p [...]oportions, thus; Half a spoonful to a Child of half a year old, a whole spoonfull to a Child of a year old, two spoonfuls to a Child of two years old, and so in order and regard [Page 3] to the age or strength of the Child, or violence of the Disease, the proportion of the Physick is to be increased, and the sick Child to be applied unto with warm drink, as is before directed.
This plain, ready and easie course of Physick, hath saved the life of very many persons of both Sexes and of all ages, lately in and about London, and made perfect Cures in all these under written Causes: whereof but one only is cited for example, unto whom those who are doubtful may repaire, and receive satisfaction.
Dropsie. One Mrs. Durdant, daughter to Mr. George Wanx, House-keeper of His Majesties Pallace of White Hall, by means of this Medicine was cured of a very dangerous Dropsie, Jaundice and Scurvy.
Worms. The Porter at Dorchester House about three years ago being at the point of death, took one dose of this Medicine and voided a worm of twenty one foot long, and hath been well ever since.
Madness. One Barrius a Fisher-man at Lambath; whose man servant called William, was about six years past distracted, had this Medicine given him, and thereby was restored to perfect sence, and hath been well ever since.
Blindnes Margaret Watson at the Cradle in Tuttle street, long blind of both her Eyes, by taking this Medicine inwardly, and the Balsome of Mars outwardly applied to the sore, in the year 1662. was restored to her good sight again in them both, and hath continued well ever since.
Stone. A Servant Maid of one Mr. John Gould Merchant in Crutched Fryars, much troubled with the Stone, had one dose of this Medicine, whereupon she voided fourty two Stones, 'twas in the year 1657. and she hath continued well ever since.
Flux of Urin. Sir George Mellwine, by reason of weakness in the Ureter could not retain his water, with two doses of this Medicine taken in 1661. was strengthened in that part, and perfectly cured.
Palsey. John Leonard of Lambath, being newly taken with the Palsey on the right side, in five times taking of this Medicine was perfectly cured in the year 1657. and hath continued well ever since.
Gout. Hugh Shoory of Lambath, troubled with the Gout over his whole body, in the year 1657. had this Medicine eleven times, and afterwards fed him with butter'd Ale, he was perfectly cured, and hath continued well ever since.
Loosness or flux. Alexander Shrimgear at Charing Cross troubled with a dangerous gerous Loosness of six months continuance, had this Medicine four times, and afterwards I gave him Putirum Martis five or six times, one spoonful in half a pint of warm Ale as hot as he could drink it, and he was perfectly cured.
Twisting of the Guts. Thomas Nashe at the Coffee House in the New Ally near the Old Exchange, when in his sickness about a year ago, much means for help had been used to no purpose, was by one dose of this Medicine cured of the twisting of his Guts, and hath continued well ever since.
Smal Pox. William Anderson in Bell Ally in Barbacan, was in the year 1660. cured of the smal Pox at the taking of one dose, and hath been well ever since.
Swine Pox. Thomas Gallaway at Northampton House, about a year ago being sick of the swine Pox and Floxes, his whole [...]ee seeming but one blister, was perfectly cured at one d [...] [...]g [...]ther the help of Balsomum Martis outwardly applied.
French Pox. N. N. in Drewry Lane had about three hun [...] sores upon his body, and in danger of losing his N [...]se and Pallat of his Mouth, by often taking this Medicine wa [...] pe [...]fectly cured without the loss of any thing, or any blemish to be seen.
Mercurified body N. N. in Holbourn troubled with a foul Disease of fourteen years standing, and having been often times fluxed, the Mercury had seized upon his Head, Breast and Nerves; but seven doses of this Medicine brought out of his body all the Mercury, and restored him to perfect health.
Dropsie in a child. Jonathan Brown a child of six months old in Theeving Lane, very much swelled in Body and Legs with a Dropsie, when almost past hope of Life, was by help of this Medicine restored to perfect health.
Itch in a man of 84. years. Mr. Barksby at Lambeth, aged eighty four years, being troubled with the Itch over his whole body, with three doses of this Medicine was perfectly cured.
Feavers. In all manner of Feavers commonly one dose, or at the most two doses will make a perfect cure, but be sure to let no blood, and suffer not your Patient to fast too long, but let him have some nourishment betimes.
Rickets. For the Rickets in little children it is an approved Remedy, observing your dose as is above directed.
Gonoraea Running of the Reins or Gonorrhaea, it is a choyce Remedy; commonly three doses, or at the most four times, will make a perfect Cure; but in this case also I commonly use to give the Sulphur Martis at night when they go to bed, in a spoonful of Sack, and then wash it down with a glass of the same liquor.
Mrs. Collier near the two Brewers in Peter street, taken with a continual Sleeping was with five doses of this Medicine cured of her Lithargy.
Charles Woolls over against the Rose in Melbanck, troubled with spitting of Blood, palpatation of the Heart, pains in the H [...]d, sho [...]tness of Breath, and cruel stitches in his Side, very s [...] and weak, was by one dose of this Medicine cleered from all those distempers, and within three or four daies time recovered so much strength as to go about his bussiness.
Plague. All Diseases or Sicknesses, or Messengers of death, especially that of the Plague; for it bites like the fiery Serpents, Num. 21. suddenly inflaming the whole body, and consumes its tinder, if speedy Remedy be not found: Somtimes it comes like the cold Fit of an [Page 6] Ague, and shaking of the Bones; somtimes again like unto a hot Fit, accompanied with pains in the head heaviness of the eyes, faintness, shortness of breath, palpitation of the heart, pricked as it were with needles over the whole body: some again are taken with cruel vomiting of ugly stinking matter, blackness of the tongue, hoarsness of the throat, costiveness of body, &c. Others again are taken with extraordinary scowring of yellow stinking matter; others with a Narcotick sleep, much ado to awake them, their face greenish, their eyes swelled and heavy: others again are taken as it were with a madness, and cannot sleep at all, their tongue black, their voyce low, and all their bones so sore as if they had been beaten, their urine thick and very red, somtimes black or green (dangerous signs) the Pulses somtimes very strong somtimes very weak, trembling and inequal, besides other outward signes that will appear upon the body. Having now related somthing concerning the Symptoms, let us proceed towards the Cure.
Know then in the first place. That this Visitation proceeds exente Dei, and that no Physitian or Medicine is of power to Cure, unless first the wrath of God be removed: Take therefore Faith and true Repentance along with thee, and go to thy brother, thine own flesh and blood, for he is so kind that he never upbraideth any penetent, but his Arms be alwaies open, ready to imbrace. And again on the other side, he is so deerly well beloved of his Father, that in the twinkling of an Eye, he is able to turn his Wrath into Mercy.
When thou hast thus provided for thy Souls health, then mayest thou also with a good conscience beg a blessing for the restauration of the body, for then the Disease is become Curable: but this distemper being of a spiritual Nature, of so quick and so swift a Motion, therefore we must look for a quick penetrating Medicine able to withstand its fury; but neither your common Plague Pills, nor Electuaries, nor Purgations, nor Confections, nor Theriaca, nor Ovum Aureum, nor any such like thing according to prescription of the common Theory, is able to do it, for those touch not the Locum [Page 7] infectionis, but only the Intoriora Corpora. The Diaphoreticks be also uncertain, for they only carry off the accidens Narcoticum et Stupefactum, and are not certain in ictu, &c.
Take then in the name of God Aurnm Purgans, for he is the choicest remedy upon this account, because he doth partake of the quatuor entium, take then two drams or four Pills, cut them smal, and dissolve them in Beer or Ale, as is before directed, only if you let it boyl the fourth part of one hour, it will be the quicker, and more penetrating, but then be sure that the Vessel wherein you boyl it, be large enough, because it is apt to swel up, and boyl over, when you have thus prepared it, if it be for a Child observe your former rule, only a little stronger or more quantity by reason the vehemence of the distemper require it; but if it be for a man or a woman, then give him first half your quantity, and if that work within one hours space its well; but if not, and that no sensible operation be, then give him half of that which yet remained, and stay half an hour longer for its operation; and if that willl not yet do, then give him the rest, for you must come up to his dose. Then first there will come a cold sweat, then a provocation to vomit, then will it throw up abundance of slime, then yellow and green gaul, by which means the Patient is eased of the panting of the heart, and shortness of breath; afterwards [...] will w [...]rk downwards and last of all will come a [...] [...]hich being past, give the Patient some comfortable [...] good Sack will do well; and so let him alone unt [...]l [...] h [...]urs; in the mean time the Medicine will be [...] [...]ing throughout the whole body; purging and [...] if he should eat any thing [...] Medicine hindered of its Operation▪ but howsoever d [...] [...] [...]ed and the Patient must not fast beyond his s [...]th; but be sure ye suffer him not to sleep; for sleep doth infect the heart, where the Vital Spirits have their chief dwelling: but after twelve hours is past▪ and that the Patient has eat somthing, then may he with Gods blessing be permitted to rest a [...] whe [...] [...]e comes to be awake again let him swallow down one of the Antidotorial [Page 8] Pills, and keep another of them in his mouth, playing with it up and down with his tongue; and as it dissolves swallow down the moisture; it quenches the vehement thirst, keeps the Tongue and Throat moist, and cleer and spends the Poyson as fire doth straw: They be also a good preservative for those that walk upon the streets, holding them in the mouth, no bad scent shall offend them; and they are not so easily infected: In this distemper I hold it safest to let no blood, and although the Patient by reason of the vehemence of the Disease be faint and weak, yet by Gods blessing there is no danger of his life, if he be well attended, within five dayes it will be better. Thus have I in few lines expressed my judgment and experience as touching this distemper: others that know a better Remedy, let them do the like to the glory of God, and the preservation of the health of his Majesties Subjects.
N. B. Every Hous-keeper ought to be provided with those Medicines in his House, and not then to have them to be sent for, when there is occasion to use them, for it must be administrated within eight or twelve hours at furthest, after they find themselves ill, for that Serpentick fire must be quenched, before the tinder of the body be consumed, otherwaies it will be a difficult work, were the Medicines never so good.