1829.] 
Remedy for Cholera. 
329 
great, as that it takes away a man in the space of four and twenty hours, (or at 
least, brings him to death’s door,) may be made known to all, and chiefly to such as 
aredestihile of any sudden means of help, so that they may in due time provide them- 
selves of convenient remedies, which I do the more willingly, because I have long 
since observed, that betwixt the excessive flux in the diarrhoea, and this disease, 
which we call cholera, there is some affinity, in so much, that sometimes it maybe 
a doubtful business how to distinguish the one from the other. 
Now this disease, called cholera, is, a continual and violent voiding, both of cho- 
ler, and other humours, and whatsoever a man takes in ; and that, both upwards and 
downwards, by vomit and stool ; the violence whereof is so great, as that nature be- 
ing not able to bear it, the patient’s strength must thereby necessarily be brought 
extremely low, and hence you may easily perceive how it differs from a diarrhoea 
with gripings of the guts, and from other fluxes. The cause of this disease, I have 
(in ray French treatise) shewed to be, rather the malignant quality of the humours, 
and of the things taken in, than the acrimony of cholera ; which very thing seems 
to have been also insinuated by ancient authors, where they tell us, that our medi- 
cines are to be varied according as that cause of it is different, whetberit proceeds 
from a hot or from a cold cause. And even Alexander Trallians professeth, that 
he had recovered divers that were at death’s door, by administering wine unto them. 
ErasistratoB, in the like manner, considering, that there was respect to be had in 
this case, as well to the crudity , as to the acrimony, affirmeth, that nothing is more 
effectual in the cure of this disease, than wine diluted with waters which is also 
commended by Galen in his hook concerning phlebotomy. But for as much as in 
this so violent a disease, these things seem not to he at all sufficient for the cure of 
it- we must, therefore, have recourse to laudanum 7'henphrasti ; of which, people that 
are of ripe years, may take a pill of four or five grains in weight ; and children, of 
one grain only ; and so, proportionally in all other ages ; yet this is not to be admi- 
nistered, unless the patients have before purged sufficiently, both upward and down- 
ward ; least, otherwise, something should be retained, whicli should rather have been 
purged out ; neither, yet, is the taking 'of it to he deferred so long, as that the patient 
is fallen into convulsive fits, and his excrements are of the colour of whey; which 
are evident signs that nature is spent IN him ; for then it must be taken 
with all speed : and in case the party cannot keep it, hut that he vomiteth it up 
again whole immediately, you may then either wash that in wine, and give it him 
again, or else you must give him another fresh one. And in case he does retain it, 
and yet his evacuation cease not, you must then give him another, of the quantity 
of two or three grains; yet for the most part, one pill only is sufficient to do the bu- 
siness ; and to the end that he may keep it, and not vomit it up again, he must chew 
in liis mouth a slice of citron, the peel taken off, and rolled about in a little sugar, 
if he please. Other opiates are not in this case so proper, neither are they so easily 
retained ; yet where this cannot be had, you may give him some Rondeletius in his 
pills or else some of my pectoral opiate, which I have set down in my French treatise, 
concerning the cough, to the quantity of half a scruple. And to the end, that no man 
may be mistaken, I shall here set down the composition of this laudanum Theo- 
phrasti as it is usually made among us ; although some of the ingredients, being 
put in, are so small, and so disproportionate a quantity to tlieiest, (as,foi instance, 
of unicorn’s horn,) seem to confer little to the business. 
Receipt for laudanum Theophrasti. 
Take an ounce and a half of Spec. Diambre, infuse this in half a pint of aqua- 
vit® rectificata, and set it upon the embers, or in the warm sun, for the space of 
twelve or thirteen days, that is, till the infusion be sufficient ; in the mean time, often 
stirring it about. Then leaving the powder behind, add to the infusion two drams 
of opium thebaica, dissolved in a dram and a half of the juice of henbane. The next 
dav after add to it mummy, red coral prepared, and eastern saffron, of each one 
scruple, and of white amber half a dram, and of unicorn’s horn, and oriental musk, 
of each’ four grains. And having brought this to the consistence of a thin poultice, 
you may again (if need he) for some certain days together, add some small quanti- 
ty of aqua-vitae rectificata ; andhaving so done, yon must lastly dry it into the con- 
sistence of a solid mass; out of which, you may make up your pills as occasion 
shall require : whicli composition, seeing it is of so great efficacy, as that it is a cer- 
tain, and indeed the only remedy in this disease, I have always advised many great 
personages, and others, that have dwelt far from any city, and have had great fami- 
lies, that they should never be unprovided of one or two of these pills, and of the 
weight aforesaid; least they should he suddenly snatched away by the violence of 
this disease, before any can he new made, or be sent for to the neighbouring cities. 
I have also in like manner always persuaded my friends, that whenever they take 
