38 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNN0 1713. 



we used to give him cordial juleps, which were mixed with bezoardics, if the 

 circumstances of the disease so required; or the confectio de hyacintho et 

 alkermes mixed with aqua cerasor. nigr. flor. boraginis, lilior. convall. rubi 

 idasi, &c. To which were sometimes added the elix. citri, granator. acetositatis 

 citri, cydoniorum, mororum, &c. Also ptisans and milk-whey; as also emul- 

 sions made of almonds, and semen paeoniae, cardui benedicti, aquilegias, &c. 

 Hartshorn jellies made with barley water, French or rhenish wine, with the 

 addition of syrup, acetositatis citri, diamori, ribium, &c. All which do very 

 much refresh the patient. Among the powders, the following are likewise of 

 use: lapides pretiosi, corallia rubra, unicornu verum, lapis bezoard. orient, mar- 

 garit. orient, magisterium margarit. orient, magist. corallorium, &c. : and, what 

 is more than all the rest, the sulphur minerale, if well prepared, as it has been 

 by the famous Basilius Valentinus and Franciscus de la Boe Sylvius. 



Besides these, epithemata were applied to the head, heart, and pulse. I 

 must confess the common people ascribed wonderful effects to these medicines, 

 and they were therefore often allowed more than necessity required, merely for 

 their satisfaction. Neither yet can I say that they were of no efficacy; but that 

 by the pleasantness of their smell they had a great power to refresh and recreate 

 the spirits, and so relieved the patient. Heating and cooling applications had 

 both their use, and were applied as the physicians thought proper, and the 

 symptoms would permit. As the aqua carbunculi, cephalica carol, v. apoplectica, 

 odorifera reginae Hungariae, lilior. convall. &c. mixed with the confectio 

 alkermes, species cordial, essent. citri sicca, essent. ambrae sicca; and the 

 acetum bezoardicum, rubi idaei, sambuci, calendulas, with red roses, white 

 lilies, poeony, white mustard, saffron, theriaca, and mithridate, species dia- 

 margarit, frigid, diatragacanth. frigid. &c. And because in composing such 

 topic medicines, one can hardly be much out of the way, as to their quantity 

 and form, therefore nurses may as well mix them as an apothecary, if they 

 have but the medicines. The common people made use of theriaca, bay-berries, 

 bitter almonds, thyme, peppervvort, water germander, vipers-grass, or the like, 

 mixed with crumbs of bread and salt, a little camphire, or vinegar; in which 

 was stamped rue, plantain, houseleek, parsley roots; as also leven, and the like. 



To mollify the buboes, some made use of cakes of black pepper, mixed with 

 vinegar and oil of roses, or of white lilies; or they mixed these cakes with 

 honey, figs, and wheat-flour, and applied them warm as a poultice ; others took 

 chamomile flowers, fresh butter, and linseed. To draw the buboes it was very 

 common to apply roasted onions, roasted figs, or leven, mixed with vinegar, 

 white mustard seed, and powder of Spanish flies; and afterwards they used a 

 plaster of oil of turpentine, tar, and yellow wax. Some very much recom- 



