Certaine Inſtructions for the cure of the Small Pox.

The nature of the Smal Pox diſperſed this yeer throughout many parts of this Kingdome, I have found to bee more malignant, then any that have reigned in my remembrance; ſo that many of all ages and ſexes, but eſpecially children have miſerably died of them: becauſe for the moſt part, the peſtilence is joyned with them, as it doth plainly appeare by thoſe ſpots, blains, and riſings, that follow them. I have likewiſe obſerved that thoſe medicines, as Mithridate, Treacle, Saffronrecovered; whereupon I obſerved the ſundry ways and meanes practiſed by Phyſitians, women, and my ſelfe, and ſeeing the diverſe events of them, I laboured to find out a certain and ſecure way for the cure of this diſeaſe; which having found by experience I have (together with this treatiſe of the Plague) ſent it to the Preſſe, hoping that no man will either hate mee, or envie mee, for doing good, and that thoſe that find benefit by it will thank me for it.

The Primitive or externall cauſes of the Small Pox are all one with thoſe which are of the Plague, as an evill and corrupted aire, a diſorderly dyet, that begets ſurfets; as alſo for the antecedent cauſes which are corrupt humours heaped together in the body: therefore thoſe meanes that I have preſcribed in the firſt Chapter to preſerve the bodie from the infection of the Plague, they will alſo bee a meanes to preſerve from the Small Pox. Thoſe that are taken ſick this yeere with the Small Pox are affected after the ſame manner as thoſe that are infected with the peſtilence, & in the beginning it can ſcarcely be diſcerned by an expert Phyſitian from it, But only by theſe ſignes.

Thoſe that are infected by the ſmall Pox are not ſo violently affected with heat and cold, nor pains in the ſtomack and head, as thoſe that are ſick with the Peſtilence.

Moreover, thoſe that will have the ſmall Pox their skin is puft up, and blown like a bladder, ſo that their face and eyes doe ſhine: they have a great itching in many parts of their bodies, but chiefly about their Noſe; they yawn much, alſo they finde a great paine and heavineſſe in their back bone.

Now if you ſhall perceive by theſe ſignes, that the ſick will have the ſmall Pox, keep him warm, but not too hot; neither let him take cold; but give him breathing room enough, as he lyeth in his bed: Then lay a plaſter of Mithridate or Treacle to the pit of his ſtomack, and if hee be at mans eſtate, let him drinke up all this Cordiall by two or three ſpoonfuls at a time every houre; but if it be a child, the one halfe will be ſufficient. Take of the waters of Roſes, Burrage, Bugloſſe, and Treacle-water, of each an ounce & half, of the ſyrrup of Limons, and Clove-gilly-flowers of each one ounce, mix them together, and make thereof a potion: Alſo the poorer ſort may take Roſes, Burrage, Carduus, Marigold Flowers, and Harts horn, of each a like quantitie, and boyle them in poſſet drinke, turned with a Limon, or white wine: for one above twenty yeers of age let him drink three quarters of a pint at ſeverall times, ſweetned with Sugar; and for a child halfe the quantitie will ſuffice. Let the ſick ſweat gently with either of theſe Medicines ſo long as hee can well endure it: for the longer the better; ſeeing the Medicines of themſelves are no violent ſweats; & during the ſweat you may give him now and then to quench his thirſt a very little Limon poſſet-drink by it ſelf. If he can you may let him ſleep whilſt he ſweateth. And if hee lie quiet during the ſweat, by Gods bleſſing, within the ſpace of eight or ten houres at the moſt, he ſhall find himſelf finely recovered of his ſickneſſe. Then give him no more of his Cordial or ſweating poſſet drink, but only of his Limõ-poſſet drink, if he be thirſty; but let him lie warm in his bed til his skin grow dry, then ſhortly after the Pox will begin to ſhew themſelves. But they will not bee many although every one of them will be far greater then the ſmall Pox do uſe to be; yet none of them will pit except they be much tampered withal, or picked with the nails. But if ſo be that thoſe which have white heads do burn and rage extreamly, you may prick their heads with a Needle and let out the corruption: there is nothing elſe to be done with thoſe upon whom they are come out, and the Fever abated but that they keepe themſelves warm, ſit ſtill and be quiet.

But if that the ſick hath not gone to ſtool in a long time: before you give him this Cordiall to ſweat, you ſhall cauſe him to goe to ſtoole by a clyſter, or elſe which is better by a Suppoſitor made with Honey and Salt, or a Violet Comfit. And if the ſicke bee yong, ſtrong, and full of bloud, you ſhall without danger doe very well, if you draw from him eight or ten ounces of bloud before you lay him to ſweat; for then the Cordiall will have more power, room, and liberty, to play upon the diſeaſe, and will the ſooner and better drive out the Pox. If the quinteſſentia vitæ be given in the waters of Roſes, Burrage, or Bugloſſe, it will drive out the ſmall Pox without ſweating, and cure the ſick immediatly.

But if the ſmall Pox be come forth, and that the Fever continue in his full vigour ſtill, ſo that the ſick doth not amend, but grow worſe and worſe, then you ſhall not give them any hot Medicines inwardly, nor any thing that doth provoke ſweat; for now hot cordiall Medicines will encreaſe the Fever (and in the beginning they would have quenched the Fever) and turn all the humours of the body into the matter of the ſmall Pox; ſo that there is nothing but a miſerable death likely to follow, oftentimes accompanied with the Peſtilence.

This evill is much practiſed by thoſe women that pretẽd they wil drive the ſmal Pox further out, when they are come out already. Wherefore they do but beget the Fever again, and where there are but ten they will make a thouſand. Therefore be carefull in this caſe, what you do, and give to the ſick every hower nothing elſe but two or three ſpoonefulls of Roſe water, ſweetened with a little ſugar. This will coole the body, quench the Fever, cauſe reſt, and then a ſtoole, and thereby the ſick ſhall recover preſently. By theſe meanes I have cured many very ſuddenly that have been dangerouſly ſick in all mens ſight even to Death, as many in the City can beare mee witneſſe.

As I have warned you not to give many hot things when the ſmall Pox are come forth, ſo I would have you beware of giving thoſe that are very cold, as the waters of Plantane, Letice, Purſlane, Poppy, and the like; which (as I have Knowne) have relieved many for the preſent, and wrought an admirable cure in the ſight of the common people; but by their cold qualities, they have ſo congealed and ſetled the humours in the body, that the ſick will never be healthfull all the daies of their lives, as I could inſtance in many.

Thoſe that deſire further information concerning any particulars not expreſſed at larg in this brief Treatiſe, they ſhall be fully ſatisfied, if they repaire to the Author living in Hony-ſuckle Court in Grub-ſtreet, where he hath by Chimicall Art prepared ſix Catholicall Medicines, with which hee cureth the Peſtilence, ſmall Pox, and moſt curable diſeaſes whatſoever.

1 Vomitivum Benedictum.

This Medicine being taken from five graines to eight, in ſome convenient diſtilled water or wine, or elſe with ſome Conſerve or Pill, doth ſafely purge upwards and downwards, ſo that it may be given to a Childe, of three or foure yeeres of age: it cureth all diſeaſes that ariſe from the foulneſſe of the ſtomack, and is good in the beginning of the Peſtilence, ſmall Pox, or any Fever, or Ague.

2 Catharticum Catholicum.

The doſe of it is from ten grains to twenty, it purgeth gently by ſtoole, and clenſeth the lower belly from all offenſive humours, & cureth the French Pox, Scurvy, Jaundis, and Dropſie, alſo it freeth children from Worms.

3 Diureticum Aperitivum.

This openeth all obſtructions of the body, but chiefly of the Liver, Spleen, Reines, and Bladder, it cureth the Jaundis and the Rickets in children, alſo it helpeth thoſe that cannot make water.

4 Diaphoreticum Cordiale.

This being given in a ſmall doſe doth gently provoke ſweat, expelleth all venomous humours from the heart outwardly, and driveth out the ſmall Pox, thruſteth out the tumours in the Peſtilence, and ſome it cureth without bringing forth a Riſing.

5 Quinta Eſſentia vitæ.

This reviveth the vitall ſpirits, and hath an admirable vertue in fortifying the heart againſt all infectious, & venemous vapours; ſo that it is good for thoſe that have occaſiõ to viſit ſick people. If ten or twelve drops thereof be taken in a mornings draught it preſerveth the body from infection, and if twenty or thirty drops of it bee given to the ſicke of the Peſtilence, within the ſpace of ſixe houres after they are infected, they ſhall be cured in one hour, as I have often proved: it driveth out the ſmall Pox, and cureth the ſick without ſweating.

6 Iulapium Reſtaurativum.

By the vertue this Medicine hath in reſiſting the putrifaction of humours, it doth cure all ſorts of Fevers and Agues, it may be given in any time of the diſeaſe, but eſpecially in the latter end of the ſickneſſe, when no other Medicine can be adminiſtred without danger. With it I have cured the Hectick Fever, and thoſe that have faln into the Relapſe of the ſmall Pox, and ſuch as have been nigh unto death, by reaſon of violent Fevers.

Any of the aforeſaid Medicines, the Author adminiſtreth both outwardly and inwardly in many ſeverall wayes and manners, according to the age, temperature, complexion, and diſpoſition, of the bodie; and according to the nature, degrees, and time of the diſeaſe.

Artis Apollineæ vis ſola eſt numen Olympi, Quo ſine languenti Pharmaca fruſtra dabis.

If that our art from God receive not ſtrength, In vain we ſeek mans life for to prolength.

FINIS.