A TREATISE ON THE Various KINDS and (QUALITIES O F FOODS: WITH Aphorifms of Health; O R, RULES To prefcrve the J3 ODY to a #ootj I9lu To which is added, A Compendious Difcourfe DISEASES ofCHILDFxEN. OF THE WILLIAM Fraßitioner in Physick and Chirurgery. , NEWCASTLE upon TYNE: Printed by JOHN WHITE, for the Author. 1738. THE PREFACE. BN Animal Body would be little better than a Clod of Earth, were it not for the vaft Variety of ACtion it is enabled to perform *, and this it does by Means of an infinite Number of fmall contractile Fibres, which in every Contraction and DiftraCtion, which are Mil- lions in a Day, by their Attrition one againft another, file off from one another yaft Numbers of little reparable Parts, by which the Fibres daily grow weaker, and would foon be unfit to perform their Function, were they not as conftantly repaired as they 4 The PREFACE are diminifhed. And whenever the Fibres are in a State of Relaxation, their Pores being opened, then are they in the fitted: Condition to have new Matter, by,the Force of the circulating Humours impaded \o them and in this Condition are the Fibres when the Animal is afleeo : So that as wak- i. ing is the Time of fpending, fo is deeping the Time of recruiting. Hence, by the bye, we may obferve the Neceflity of Sleeping. Now his our Food, whether fluid or fo- lid, that furnifbes us with this Supply, and all that is necedary to qualify it for this Purpofe, is only that.it be by the Force of the Stomach and Lungs, divided into Parts finall enough to enter the Poruli of the de- cay’d Fibres. Hence we may deduce the Neceffity both of taking in Food, and alfo of the Circula- tion of the Blood j for if either of thefe were wanting, there would be no Means left of repairing the Lofs the Fibres fuftain by their daily Contradion. The P R E FA C E. Now that we might not negleft a Supply fo necetfary to the Prefervation of our Bo- dies, the bountiful Author of our Being and Happinefs, hath furnilhed us with two Appetites, the one to Solids, which is called Hunger j the other to Fluids, which is called Third: What they are, is better known by Experience, than by the bed De- finition *, and as they are aftimulous to the gratifying of Nature’s Cravings, fo would they be the fured Guides both as to the Quantity and Quality of what we either eat or drink, were it not that mod Men have vitiated and debauched them by Irre- gularity and Excefs. And in general, fo much may we eat or drink, till Hunger and Thirft be no longer troublefome to us, for whenever we exceed thefe Bounds, we fow the Seeds of various but yet, as Hippocrates tells us, “ the Confequences of a llender Diet, are That if it be too much in Quantity, it will opprefs the Stomach, comprefs its Veflels, hinder Digeflion, and become a crude Chyle, and produce the Ef- fects which follow the ufing a Food too ftrong in Qjtality* idly. If it be too little in Quantity, it will leave the Body deflitute of neceffary Recruits, and confequently in a feeble lan- guifhing Condition. BARLEY. What is ufed in the Shops is called French Barley, having been formerly brought from France, and is nothing but common Barley decorticated, and the Ends taken off in a Mill', and if the Mill be fet finer, and it be ground fmaller, it is called Pearl Barley. Of FOOD. It is of a cooling, mollifying, and clean- ling Nature:. The Decoction of it, or Aqua HordeL is of great Ufe in all Kinds of Fevers and Inflammatory Didempcrs:, it quenches Third, {heaths Acrimony, and lubricates the Palfages in the Cholick and Nephritick Pains, and cools the Heat of Urine: Barley Broth is efteemed the bed Nourifhment in Acute Difeafes. In Bread it is laxative *, and it is probable that a Change from Wheat Bread to this, would in mod corpulent Con- ditutions reduce their great Bulks, and Heanfe the fecretory Palfages. OATS, Are hot and drying, and Oatmeal is of great Ufe both in Health and Sicknefs, be- ing a wholfome and cleanflng Food : Water- Gruel made thereof being much ufed in all Kinds of Didempers- and Flummery, or Scotch Sowins, is a fine light Food and eafl- ly but a thick Hady-Pudding is too hot for many Children, efpecially thofe of a florid Complexion: It will in flame and thicken their Blood, and occafion the Itch, Boils, and other Breakings out. Oats tried and put into a Bag, and applied to the Side, are good to cafe external Pleurirrick Pains,'but ought not to be ufed in a true Pieurify where the Patient fpills Blood. Of FO 0 P. GARDEN BEANS, Are frequently eaten for Food in the Summer-Time, while they are young, being a pleafant and grateful Difh, and tho’ fome- what windy, are not more fo than moft other Pulfe. The Bean-Meal or Flour is commended by fome for the Bloody Flux. ’Tis frequently made ufe of in outward Applications, in Cataplafms againft Inflamma- tions, and to diflblve Swellings. Horfe- Beans are ufed outwardly to the fame Pur* pofe. PEASE; When green, are a pleafant, grateful, nourilhing Food, but fomewhat flatulent and windy, as well as when dry- and are good to fweeten the Blood, and corred a fait fcorbu- tick Illnefs, either eaten raw or boil’d: They contain a foft Oil, without any fpicy Qua- lity; therefore are very demulcent, and temper Acrimony. So do the Beans, RICE, Is fown in Italy, Turky, and the Eafl- Indies; and we have as good from Carolina3 as from any Part of the World. Of F 0 0 D. Rice is fo much in Efteem in the Eaftern Countries, that it is the principal Corn they life. ’Tis a wholefome, nourifhing, and flrengthning Grain, reftringent and good for thofe who have a Siipperinefs in their Bowels, or are inclinable to a Flux or Loofe- nefs, and proper for the Confumptive, and fuch as are fubjed to Hemorrhages. SAGO, Is a whitifh-brown, round, granulated Sub- fiance, about the Bignefs of Pearl Barley of little Smell or Tafte; It is gotten from the inward Pith of a Species of a Palm-Tree. The Fecula of the Pith of the Tree granu- lated, is what is called Sago. It is accounted very nourifhing, and re- iterative, and good for weakly confumptive People, and thofe who are recovering from Fits of Sicknefs- as alfo for all Kinds of Fluxes and LoofenelTes. WHEAT; Is moft generally ufed, and the bed; Grain We have in Englandj the Bread made of it being more pleafant and nourifhing than any other Grain. It is more ufed for Food than Medicine, tho* a Poultife made of it boiled in Milk, cafes Pains and ripens Tumours. Of FOOD. Bran is fometimes made ufe of in Cata- plafms, and applied hot in Bags for Pains in the Sides. Rye is lefs nourifliing than Wheat, and apt to caufe Gripings in thofe not ufed to eat it. The Meal in Cataplafms is good againft Inflammations and Tumours. BREAD. As it is the moft universal, fo ’tis the moft nourishing of any Sort of Vegetable Food j and ’tis more or lefs fo, according to the Grain it is made of, the different Way of preparing it,- and the Time of keeping it before it be eaten. That made of Wheat is moft nourifhing, efpeciaily if it be well freed from the Bran but then ’tis digefted more difficultly, and inclines them that eat it to be coftive j but if it be mixed either with Rye or Bran, it loofens the Belly: Few Sto- machs can digeft: it unfermented, tho’ fome hard Labourers continually eat it fo. The better our Bread is fermented, the eafier it is to be digefted for a great deal of that is done by Fermentation, which otherwife might have been done by Triturition for as Digeftion is nothing elfe but the Reduction of our Food into Parts fmall enough to en- ter the Lacieals, fo the Work of Fermenta- tion is only an intimate Divifion of the fer- menting Mafs, whereby the Cohefion of its Parts is leffened, and fo becomes lefs vifeid. Of Fool). and eader converted into Chyle in the Sto- mach. Tis alfo more difficult to diged Bread that is new, than that which is a Day old, for the very fame Reafon, the new be- ing much more vifcid than the old • and his upon this Account, that Panados and Pud- dings, made of Bread, agree better with weak Stomachs, than fuch as are made of Meal. H 0 N ET. That which is whited and hardefl is mod preferred but the browner and fmoother Sort is bed in Medicine, becaufe it is not fo apt to candy, which deforms and fpoils it: Befides, Lemery, in his Chymijlry, fays it is more fpiriruous j which very well agrees with its keeping more fluid. Schroder*s Au- thority alfo jiidifies the Choice of Monf, Lemery, for he prefers the Mel Flavum, and next to that the Mel Album. The medicinal Virtues of Honey, are many and great} it is very penetrating and deterging, and is therefore good in all Ob- ftruclions from vifcid and tough Humours: In Stufiings of the Bread ’tis of great Effi- cacy, and wonderfully promotes Expedora- tion: ’Tis of great Service in all Diforders from Phlegm, and for cold but in thin and hot Habits, it is not good: It does great Service to fuch as are troubled Of FOOD. 32 in a Morning with thick tough Phlegm, either eaten over Night upon a Toaft, or diflblved in any warm Liquor. Tis ufcd in Chirur- gery to cleanfe foul Ulcers# MILK., Is of a cooling, nourifhing Nature, re- quires fcarce any Digeftion, having already been prepared in the Stomach and Bowels, and palled through the Lungs of the Ani- mal it is taken from, and confifts partly of the natural Juices of that Animal, and the conceded Juices of Grafs, and other open- ing Herbs by which Means it is balfa* mick, correds Acrimony, and reflrains too quick a Circulation fo is good in Confump- tions: If Cow’s Milk be apt to render the Body coftive, it may be conveniently mixed with a little Honey, or, for confutntive People, be exchanged for Afifes Milk, which is more light and opening, and Jefs apt to curdle. Breaft-Milk, in Confumptions, is pre- ferable to any other j efpecially if the Nurfe be of a healthy Conftitution, and feeds on a proper cooling Diet. BUTTER. By the Texture and Nature of its Sub- ftance, it tends to relax the Solids, and Tup- Of F 0 OD. plies the Juices with Particles light and ad- helive: Upon the firfl: Account, it may be good in dry and coftive Conflitutions j but muft be hurtful in lax, moift, and corpulent ones. By the Levity and Tenacity of its Parts, it is alfo very apt to hop in the Gians and Capillaries, whereby it fouls the Velfels, but particularly the final! Glands of' the Skin: Hence it is apt to produce Blotches, and all cutaneous Deformities. And fuch young Children as have had much Butter in their Diet, have been obferved to grow weakly, corpulent, big-belly’d, very fub- jed to breakings-out, and to breed Lice, but upon reftraining them from it, they have out-grown all thefe Inconveniences. Oil of Olives is much of the fame Nature as Batter, and is ufed in Countries which a - bound with it for the fame Purpofe. B UTTER-MILK, Cools, moiftens, and nourilhesj ’tis good in a Catarrh, and ftubborn Horfenefs, and an excellent Remedy in Confumptions, and Hedick Fevers, Inflammations, and Ulcers of the Kidnies, and the Muriatick Scurvy. To thofe troubled with great and uneafy Sweats, give it a little fourilh, but the frelh and fweet Milk nourilhes moft. 34 Of FOOD. CHEESE, Is fomewhat of the fame Nature as the Butter, confifting of light, tough, vifcid Parts, which, for the fame Reafon as given before, will occafion Obfirudions, with their Confequences : But in this refped, Cheefe is not fo liable to thefe Inconveniences as the other, becaufe of the fubtil Acid which it has from the Runnet, that gives it a warm biting Tafte, and makes it more eafy of Di- geftion and Comminution. That is the wholfomeft which is the Itrongeft of the Runnetj tho’ indeed all the Sorts tend to Vifcid ity, and are therefore bad in all Cafes which arife from fuch a State of Blood; but particularly, Diforders of the Breaft, as Afthmas and Pleurifies. WHEY. By taking away the Curd from the Milk," the mod: vifcid and grumous Part is gone, and the Whey which remains is thereby left thinner, and fitter to pafsthe feveral Strainers of the Body, and for this Reafon, it is very good to drink in large Quantities, to rinfe the Vifcera, and particularly the Kidnies, by which it is very apt to pafs off. It is a great Cooler and Sweetner of the Blood; and Agrimony or Fumitory infufed in it. Of FO 0 D. 35 is a good Medicine againd the Scorbutick Itch, (jc* Of all Drinks, Whey is the mod relaxing and diluting j fo are warm Water, and Decodions of mealy Subftances, Pana- dos, or Bread boiled in Water, and Robs or Jellies of Garden-Fruits in Water, mere di- luting, diffolves and carries off Salts. Hence we may learn how to manage Perfons un- der Fevers, where the Pulfe is ftrong and quick, the Heat of the Body, and the Third, very great, the Blood too thick, and the Excretions too little. EGGS, Are of good Nouriffiment, and warm, but fubjed not to pafs well thro’ the Stomach with fome Peoplej which may arife from their fofrerling and relaxing the Membranes, and alfo their Tenacity and Difficulty of Comminution, efpecially if they are made hard. The bed Way of remedying this In- conveniency, is with Vinegar and Pepper • becaufe fuch Things adringe the Coats of the Stomach, and make them perform their Attrition more forcibly, whereby Di- gedion is fooner performed. Eggs arc the mod nourifning of all Animal Food, and mod indigedible, becaufe no body can take and diged the fame Quantity of them as of °ther Food. Of VO 0 D: PARSNIPS, Are a pleafant Root, and of good Nou- rifiiment: They are ufeful in Phlegmatick Cholicks, and corred Acids, and thought to be Provokers to Venery, if much ufed. Car- rots are nourifiung, and good in Nephritical Cafes, and Anti-Acid. TURNIPS, Tho’ fomewhat windy, are cooling and cleanfing, of wholfome Nourilhment, and eafy of Digcftion to weakConftitutions*, and the Liquor prefied out of them, when boiled, is good in Hedicks, Obftrudions, and Tu- bercles of the Lungs: A Syrup made with SI ices of Turnips, and brown Sugar-Candy, Jiratum fuper Jiratum, baked in an Oven, is a good Pedora), and proper for Coughs and Confumptions: They are diuretick, and cieanfe theKidnies and Ureters, and are much eaten with all Sorts of Flefh j for they help to at- tenuate and divide thofe Parts, which other- wife would make the Juices of too tough and grofs a Confidence, to pafs readily thro* the Velfels in Circulation. CABBAGE and COLEWORTS. The Ancients had a mighty Opinion of their Virtues. They are foft and dimul-i Of FOOD. cent, without any Acidity, nutritive and re- laxing. The Juice of red Cabbage baked in an Oven, and mix’d with Honey, is an ex- cellent Pedoral, and good in Afthmas, and will help to difcharge the Matter of an 1 ra- pe fthu me. The Leaves of Cabbage are fome- times applied to Biiders after they'are cut, indcad of Melilot Piaider; as alfo to Sores, to cool them and reprefs the Inflammation. APPLES. Their Qualities may be known by their Tade. The Pearmain and Pippin are the bed. Thofe are mod wdiolfome which are mod acid or audere, becaufe that mantains the due Tenflty of the Fibres, and prevents their corrupting with the Animal Juices. Apples cool and refrefli us in the Summer- time, when the Heat evaporates much of the Animal Moidure. They are cooling, leni- tive, pedoral, cordial, and chear the Spirits; and are excellent for fcorbutick and fpleni- tick Patients of a hot Conditution, and apt to be codive. Apples and Milk are good in Confumptions; and boiled in Milk and Wa- ter, and drain’d od’ and drunk, is the bed Julep in the Small-Pox. PEARS, Have mod of the fame Qualities of Apples, and fome Kinds of them, by their high Fla- 38 Of FOO D. vour, feem to be more cordial than Apples, The Catherine, and other fweet Pears, are apt to corrupt in the Stomach, and occafion Surfeits. FLUMES and PRUNES. The belt Plumbs, or Prunes, being for- merly brought from Damafcus, the Fruit has kept the Name of Damask Prunes ever iince. They are now brought over dry in great Quantities from France, being a larger and fweeter Plumb than the common Damfon. Sweet Plumbs are laxative and nonrifil- ing, but thofe of the auftere Kind are aftrin- gent. Prunes are cooling and moiftning, rendring the Body loofe and they affwage Third, and mitigate the Heat and Acrimony of the Bile, CHERRIES. The Black are cordial and cephalick, and ufeful in all Difeafes of the Head and Nerves, as Epileptics, Pal lies, and the like. The Red Cherries are cooling and laxative, they quench Third, are grateful to the Stomach, and whet the Appetite. The Gum is ac- counted lithontriptick, and good for the Stone and Gravel, Of FO 0 D. APRICOCKS, Are a fine cooling nourifhing Fruit, and if not too ripe, agreeably aftringe and firength- en the Stomach. They are frequently pre- ferved with Sugary and of the Kernels infu- fed in Brandy, is made a famous Cordial, called Rfltifia: But the bitter Almonds' being to be had much cheaper, this Liquor is fre- quently made with them. PEACHES. They are cooling and nourifhing, cordial and pcdoral, grateful to the Palate, and more nourifhing than the Apricock:, but are apt to putrify in the Stomach, and caufe Surfeits, The Nedarine is of the fame Kind. GOOSEBERRIES, When ripe, are a grateful, cooling, leni- ent Fruit, and very wholfome, if eat in Mo- deration, creating an Appetite, and quench- ing Third*, when green they are more acid, cooling, and aflringent. There is a fine plea- fant Wine, which many make of the Fruit, little inferior to fome foreign Wines. CURRANTS. The Red and White are the bed, agreeably acid, and accounted as wholfome Fruit as any 40 Of FO 0 D. we have of our own Growth, They greatly affwage Thirft, cool and fortify the Stomach, help Digeftion, and are good in fpitting of Blood. They may indeed be eat in too great Quantities*, other wife no Harm can be re- ceived from them. The Jelly, or Rob, of Currants mixed with Water, is a moft excel- lent Drink in bilious Fevers. RASPBERRIES. They have a pleafant grateful Smell and Tafte, are cordial, and (Lengthen the Sto- mach, flay Vomiting, are fomewhat reftrin- gent, and accounted good to prevent Abor- tion. The Syrup made of them is good a- gainft Vomiting and Loofenefs- of the Belly, and is much ufed in Gargarifms. STRAWBERRIES., By their fragrant Smell, feem to be cordial, and are grateful to the Stomach, efpecially eaten with Wine and Sugar. The Juice of Strawberries and Lemons, in Spring-Water, is an excellent Drink in ardent and bilious Fe- vers. They are commended, by fome Authors, for Fluxes and the Jaundice. The Leaves are frequently made ufe of in Gargarifms for fore Mouths, and Ulcers in the Gums. Of FO 0 D. Of EXOTICKS. ORANGES. fT'HE Orange-Tree grows in Plenty in -*■ Italy, Spain, and Portugal, and bears Flowers and Fruit all the but the Fruit is chiefly gathered in Ofiober. The Juice of Oranges is ufed as Sauce j:o whet the Appetite. It is cooling and cor- dial, good to quench Thirft, and ferviceable in Burning Fevers; ’Tis an excellent Re- medy againft the Hot Scurvy, being fre- quently mix’d among other Antifcorbuticks. The China-Oranges are more relaxing than the Seville but the China-Orange is only eaten for Plea hire, the Seville being ufed in Phyfick. The Peel or Bark is cordial and ftomachick, warms and ftrengthens the Sto- mach, prevents Naufeas and Vomiting, and helps the Flatulent Cholick. LEMONS. Their Juice is more cooling than that of Oranges, and very grateful to the Stomach, it quenches Third, prevents Putrifadion, and is ufeful in both Burning and Malignant Of FOOD. Fevers and Diarrheas; Tis good for the Stone and Stoppage of Urine from a vifcous Blood, and excellent to take off Naufeas, and flop Vomiting, which proceeds from a Redundance of ftrengthens the Sto- mach, and helps Digeftion. The Peel is a very agreeable bitter Aromatick, good to warm and {Lengthen the Stomachy and it gives a grateful Flavour to Infufions or Tin du res. ALMONDS. Sweet Almonds are of a foft, fweet, grate- ful Tafte, and are cooling, healing, and mourifhing. They are much prefcribed in Emulfions in the Common Pradice, and are good in all Disorders from Cholerick and Acrimonious Humours: They cool and cleanfe the Kidnies and Urinary Paflagcs, and give Eafe in Cholick Pains, and all Irrita- tions of the Bowels. Oil of Almonds is an ufeful and excellent Medicine, and of great Service in Affections of the Lungs, as Goughs, Shortnefs of Breath, Sorenefs of the Stomach, and PJeuritick Pains. In the Stone, Gravel, and all Dif- eafes of the Kidnies and Bladder, it is of lingular life, by its foftning and lubricat- ing Quality, it relaxes and ftretches thePaf- fages, fo as to favour theExpulfion of fmall Stones, gritty Matter, &c, and alfo blunts Of FO 08. and obtunds the fharp Points which irritate the Membranes: It correds the bilious Salts in the Stomach and Bowels, and is of great Service in the Choiick, and helps a coftive Habit of Body: Tis very ufeful for Chil- drens Gripes, and to purge them gently, mix’d with any opening Syrup. The Oil of Bit- ter Almonds is ufed outwardly as a Cofme- tick, dropp’d into the Ears, is good to foften the hardned Wax, and for Deafnefs, and is put among Anodyne Liniments. 43 C H E S NUT S. They are not fo fmooth and emollient as the Almonds, but have fomewhat of a Roughnefs and Aftringency in their Competition, which occafions fometimes a Load at the Stomach, if too many be eat of them at a times but thefe Inconveniencies are prevented by read- ing them. They afford a good Nourifh- ment, and are proper in Female-Weakneffes. FIGS. The dry Figs come chiefly from Spain and Portugal, being firft cured*, by dipping them in fcalding-hot Lye, made of the Afhes of the Cuttings of the Tree, and afterwards carefully drying them in the Sun, they are put into Barrels to be kept for Ufe, 44 Of FO 0 D. Figs are deterfive, vulnerary, extremely emollient, and great Subduers of Acrimony j very ufeful in Afthmas, Coughs, Hoarfe- nefles, and all Difeafes of the Bread: and Lungs: They are a good Ingredient in Pec- toral Decoctions, becaufe they very much promote Expectation, and are therefore good in all Difficulties of Breathing, By relaxing the Urinary Palfages, they are diuretick, and good to cleanfe thofe Parts of Gravel and fandy Concretions, and are ufeful in bloody Urine, and to drive out the Small-Pox and Meades. Outwardly applied, they are fup- purating and cleanfing, good for Inflamma- tions, Swellings, and Peftilential Buboes. Some ufe them, being only toifted by the Fire, for Impofthumations in the Ears and Gums. WALNUTS., Are ripe in September: They are much of the Nature of Almonds, and good in all the fame Intentions j are cordial, anti-hyfterick, and gently fudorifick, and eaten in the Morn- ing, are of great Ufe to prevent Infedion in the Time of Peftilential Diftempers. The Leaves of the Walnut-Tree are detergent and vulnerary. The Bark is a ftrong Emetick. TAMARINDS, The Tamarind-Tree grows both in the Eaji and Wefl-Indies, apd in Eygpu The Of FOOD. 45 Tamarinds brought from the Eaft-Indies are darker and drier, but contain more Pulp, being prepared without Sugar, and fitter to put into Medicine, thofe from the TVeJI- Indies are redder, have lefs Pulp, and are preferved with Sugar, and fo pleafanter to be eaten as they are. Tamarinds are acid, pleafant, and cooling, and gently relax the Bowels-, they carry off cholerick Humours, and correct the bilious Heat in the Stomach and Bowels they al- lay Third:, moiften and cool the Mouth, by fucking-, and gradually fwallowing them, are good in Burning Fevers, promote Urine, and help the Jaundice. RAISINS, Are dried Grapes: The Raifins of the Sun are made after this Manner •, they cut the Stalks of the Branches, they defign for that Ufe, almoft in two in the Middle, and by that Means hinder the Sap from coming to them in any and let them hang thus on the Branches, till by Defcd of Nou- rifliment,. and the Heat of the Sun, they are fufficientJy cured, when they are put up in- to Casks for Ufe. The Malaga-Raifins are managed another Way, they dip the Branches of ripe Grapes 46 Of FOOD. in a bailing-hot Lye, made of the Allies of Vine-Stalks, taking them out prefentiy, and then lay them on Boards in the Sun to dry, and afterwards they are pack’d tip in Frails. Raifins are a grateful Fruit, and are cor- dial, pedoral, opening, and deterfive-, they promote Expedoration, are good in Catarrhs and Coughs, and cleanfe theVifcera, and par- ticularly the Kidnies and Urinary Railages. The Currants are of a like Nature, from a fmallerSort of Grape $ they are opening and pedoral, good in Coughs and Confumptions. Raifins of the Sun are pleafanter to the Palate than Malaga, quench Third, and de- oppilate more than they, by reafon of a deli- cate tartarous Acidity, mix’d with the Sweety and fo are better inThirftyFevers and Splanch- nick Cafes. But the Malaga incradate, ob- tund, and maturate more than the former, by Reafon of their mucilaginous Sweetnefs j and therefore are preferable to them in Dif- cafes in the Bread apd Lungs. Of DRINK. W1 N E, IS generally the mod agreeable to the Sto- mach of any Kind of fermented Liquor whatever, both on Account of its Clearnefs, and of the Tartar contained in it} Tartar, or fome of its Preparations, being more agreeable to the Stomach, in all its Diforders, than any other Medicine} for thefe Rcafons it is, that French Wines, efpecially thofe of Burgundy and Champaign, are preferable to thofe of Portugal, Spain, or any of the Sweet Wines, except when we would drink them as a Cor- dial, in little Quantities. Thefe lad, tho* they tade much dronger, and opprefs the Sto- mach, and diforder the Head more than the other, do yet afford much lefs Spirit by Dif- tillation} their Fermentation being more im- perfed, their oily Parts are unconverted into Spirits, which appears by diddling them, for they afford more Oil than the others} and ’tis this half-fermented Oil that makes them more difficultly digeded, more nourifn- ing, and fitter for Men of a dry Conditution. 48 Of DRINK, This is the mod: proper Place to fay fome- thing of Fermentation* \ In all Heterogeneous Fluids, the confti- tuent Parts of which are not fitted to alfo- ciate and cohere, fo as to form what we can call an uniform Homogeneous Fluid, the heavier may be accounted as folid Bodies im- merfed in a Fluid, fpecially and the lighter Parts, as fuch Bodies in a Fluid, fpecially heavier. Now Fermentation is only a violent Agi- tation in any Liquor, whereby the Cohefion of the Parts is altered, and thofe which are too heavy to fwim in the Liquor, fink to the Bottom j and fuch as are too light, are forced up to the Top. The fermented Liquors, mofily in ufe in this Kingdom, are Wine, Beer, and and there is this common to them all, when they are thoroughly fermented, viz. that they heat, intoxicate, force Urine, aflwage Hun- ger, create Third:, and ftupify, and promote Perfpiration, when taken in great ,Quan- tities, Thefe fermented Liquors contain a great deal of Sal Volatile Oleoftm in them, by which they become agreeable to the Stomach, by making a gentle Titiilation upon our fenfi- ble Fibres and Membranes, and caufe an uni- verfal Relaxation thro5 the whole Animal Of DRINK. 49 Syftem. The Blood will, by this Means; freely circulate the Diameter of all the Ar- teries being enlarged, a larger Cylinder of Blood will pafs thro* them } and therefore will move with greater Celerity, and confequently increafe the Quantity of perfpirable Matter and Urine, as alfo Heat and Third* Moreover, this Sal Volatile Oleofum of fer- mented Liquors, entering into the Mafs of Blood, dirfblves, rarifies, and expands it, whereby all the forementioned EfFeds are more eafily brought about- and when the Ratification is exceffive great, the diftended Arteries intercept the Palfage of fo many Spirits into the Heart, as to render it unable to contrad itfelf with Force enough to drive the circulating Blood to the Extremity of the for which Reafon, People that are very drunk are pale. Hence we may infer the Neceflity of Jetting Blood in this Cafe, both when thePuife is almoft infen*- fible, and the extreme Parts cold. In this drunken Condition a vaft Quantity of Blood is thrown into the Brain, and thofe Parts neareft the Heart, whereby the Tone of their Fibres are deftroyed (efpecially if Drunkennefs be often repeated) and become fo weak as not to be able to carry on the Circulation of the Humours} for which Reafon, hard Drinkers will be fhipid, and fubjed to Apolexies, Palfies, Vertigos, Lofs Of DRINK. of Memory, trembling of the Hands, Lofs of Appetite, a bad Digedion, and Tumours of the Liver, Spleen, or Mefentery ; from whence proceed the Jaundice and Dropfy, the common Fate of mod great Drinkers. Now fincc thefeDi(tempers are the Effeds of Drunkennefs, and brought about after the Manner afligned, we may hence learn what Sort of Strong-Drink is the fafed to be drank in great Quantities. It muft be fuch as is clear and tranfparent, and has a dry Pungency.upon theTongue,by which Means it will bed pafs off by Urine and Perfpira- tion ; it (houid alfo be fuch as has the lead relaxing Property:, for which Reafon, the gentleStipticity there, is in Claret, and ren- ders it generally the mod whoifome to be drank plentifully, of any Strong-Liquor whatfoever. The great Quantity of Tartar contained in it, prevents it both from relax- ing the Stomach, and rarifying the Blood fir much as other Spirituous Liquors; yet the White Wines will agree better with forae bilious Conditutions, and thofe fubjeft to be codive. Though Excefs in Strong-Liquors be fo prejudicial, yet the moderate Ufe of them are often of great Advantage, when our Spirits are almoft exhaufted by violent Exer- cife, or hard Labour or funk by Pains, Of DRINK. 51 Sicknefs, or Peturbation of Mind. How comforting is a Glafs of fome grateful Spiri- tuous Liquor? It blunts the Senfe of Pain, exhilirates the drooping Spirits, banilhes Me- lancholy, fatisfies Hunger, when Viduals are not to be had; ’tis ufeful in ail Di(tem- pers where the Puife is low, where the Blood abounds with Serum, where Perfpiration is fupprefied, and where the Paflions of the Mind are violent; for which Reafon the Hypochondriack, the Hydropick, and fuch who have newly taken Cold by a Suppreffion of Perfpiration, ought to drink Strong-Drink in a moderate Quantity. ALE, Is more fitter for Men of a dry ConfHtu- tion than Wine, being more foft, fmoorh, and flippery, and confequently more nou- rifiiing, and fitter to relax the too tenfe and dry Fibres in fuch a Confutation. Bat in general, the nearer our Malt-Drink ap- proaches to the Nature of Wine, the better it is} therefore it fhould be made of clear Water that will bear Soap, be well hoop’d that it may keep till all the grofs vifeid Parts are fallen to the Bottom of the Veil'd. It Ihould have a dry Tafte, without Sournefs, and be tranfparent, and fhould fparkle in a Glafs. That Hopping of Drink is necef- fary, is evident from this, that without 52 Of DRINK. Hops, we mu ft either drink out Beer and Ale new, ropy, and half fermented, or elfe old and ftale, both which are very preju- dicial to our Health. Hops are a grateful Bitter, and beneficial in the Stone, tho* they as well as all other Bitters, are improper for Perfons of a hot and bilious Conftitution. Middling Ale brewed of the beft Malt, boiled, fermented, and depurated according to Art, that hath no ill Smack, that is pale, fparkling, fine, frefh, and not upon the Fret, is a moft comfortable and wholfome Drink: For it cools and moiftens the patched Membranes of the Stomachy fcoureth fait, acrid, bitter, and flimy Filth from off the Villa and Glands, and turns it over the Tylorus: Then it deterges and opens the Mouths of the Ladeals, dilutes the Blood, cleanfeth the Emundories and minuteft Paf- fages, and helps the whole Mafs to circulate freely, and duly to nourifh and cherifti the Parts, and to throw off the Recrements by Urine, and (where there is an Aptitude) by Sweat and Spittle. Yet in Rawnefs, Windinefs, Wcaknefs, and Sournefs of the Stomach and Inteftines, occafions Belching, Vomiting, Loofnefs, Cho- lick: Alfo, in Catarrhs, Coughs, Wandring Pains, Hypochondriacal Diforders, Of DRINK. and fucli EfFeds as arife from great Irritabi- lity of the Fibres and Nerves, and Col li- quation of the Blood and Humours: In thefe Cafes, the heft Ale, by Reafon of its Coolnefs, Detergency, pricking, cutting, and fpringy Particles, is not proper } but the thick, heavy, hard, four, old, and ftrong, are very naif- chievous. The fweeter, fofter, and thicker Ale is, the more it fupplieth, filleth, and nourifh- eth j the fmarter and falter, the more it open- eth and detergeth. In fome particular Con- ftitutions, Ale may be more diuretick than Beer, becaufe Ale is more fmooth, foftening, and and therefore where Urine is to be promoted by enlarging the Paffages, that is moftlikelyto do it} and this is mofl- ly the Cafe of thin dry Confutations: But where the Promotion of Urine is to be made by attenuating and breaking the Juices, and rendering them more fluid, it is certainly belt anfwered by the Drinks which are well hopp’d. New thick Ale, not well hopp’d, fluffs the Velfels with Slime and Vifcidity, makes the Body unwieldy and corpulent, and paves the Way for Chachexies, the Jaun- dice, Afthmas, and Dropfies. Idle Urinary Paffages which new Ale is fuppofed to clear, it will by Degrees fill with finny Matter, which vifcous Matter will at lafl harden into a Stone. 54 Of DRINK. WATER, Is the principal Ingredient in all our Drink- ables, and the purer or lefs mix’d we find it, either with Vegetable, Mineral, or Earthy Particles, the better it is. Its Purity is beft known by its Tranfparency, its Fluxility, Inlipidnefs, and for there is no Mixture but what will alter it in fome of thefe Refpefts*, and as that Water is the wholfomeft, which has the leaft Number of foreign Particles mix’d with it, fo there is none but what has and ’tis from this Mixture that it is liable to flink and decay upon its Stagnationfor thefe Particles be- ing of different Gravities, fome will fubfide whilft others emerge, and by their contrary Motions, fo break and divide themfelves, as fome of them to become fpecially lighter than the Air, and in their Elevation ftrike the Noftrils with an ungrateful Smell, which, when fpent in the Air, and the reft of the folid Matter that was contained in the Water fettled in its proper Place, the Water becomes fweet again, as we know by Experience, Rain-Water is the freed from Mineral Parti- cles, but well flock’d with Vegetable, which is the Reafon that it fo Toon putrifles, other- wife it would be the moft wholfome of any: But Springs Water, tho’ it be heavier than Rain-Water, yet being lefs apt to putrify, is certainly fitter for Common Ufe, provided it Of DRINK. will bear Soap, and the Fountain run with a ftrong Current. From what hath been laid, it appears, of what dangerous Confequence the Stagnation of our Water would be, and how kind Pro- vidence hath been to us by the attradive Force of the Sun and Moon,’ to make fo vio- lent an Agitation in the Sea-Water twice in everv twenty-five Hours, as we obferve upon the Flowing of the Tides; And Temp efts, tho’ prejudicial to the Mariners, yet teems necefiary for the better Obtain men t of this End*, for without Storms and Tides, the Ocean in a little Time would be fo corrupted, as both to poifon the Fifh, and alfo infect the Air with fuch Quantities of putrified Ef- fluvia, as in a little Time would kill the Land-Animals alfo. Water is fitted for life, after it hath /food fome time in a cool Place to Fettle the earthy mineral Particles will fome of them fall to the Bottom of the Veffbl, and the Water be- come more clear and light. It fhould not be much boiled before Ufa, for the making of Coffee and Tea; fortho* boiling may promote the Separation of any Heterogeneous Matter from the Water, if it ftand fome while after to fettle; yet by eva- porating the lighteft, and therefore the beft Of DRINK. Part of it, what remains muft be fo much the worfe} and mdft Water may be boiled till it have a faltilh Tafte. Water is fo neceftary to our Subfiftance, that we could not live a Moment without it} ’tis this Element that furnifheth all the Fluid Part of our Humours, without which they could not circulate, and that diftblveth ail the Salts in the Blood, whereby fome are carried to their proper Places within the Body, and others to proper Emundlories for their Expulfion from it. It ferves to prepare our Food, and then for a Vehicle to convey both it and Medicines out of the Stomach, into every little Meander of the Body, both for Health and Nourilhinent. In all Cafes wherein too many Salts a - bound in the Blood, fuch as the Itch, Scur- vy, Leprofy, &c. unfermented Liquors are the moft proper} as they alfo are for fuch who are fubjed to Inflammatory Diftempers, ss Plurifies, Rheumatifms, or the like. When we defign to relax by Water-drinking, we fhould take it warm, with the Infufion of fome Drug or other in it, to increafe its relax- ing Virtue, fuch as the Roots of Sarfa, Li- quorice, Althea, dc. Water-drinking is proper in all Chroni- cal Diftempers in which there is an Effer- Of DRINK. 57 vefcence of the Humours, fuch as the Gout, Defiuxions,Head-achs, Epilepfies, Dull-light, Afthmas, Hylterical Illnefs, Melancholy, and Bilious Hemorrhages. Nothing is lefs fla- tulent than Water, having lefs Air contain- ed in its Pores than any other Liquor we ufually drink, as Small-Beer, Made-Wines, and Ale, have this moft: For which Rea- fon they are fo offenfive to weak Stomachs * for being healed in the Stomach, the Air contained in them unfolds its Spring, and forces its Way through the upper Orifice in Belching, if the Fibres of the Stomach be not very ftrong: Befides this, thefe windy Liquors convey greater Quantities of Air into the Mafs of Blood • which will fo ra- tify and expand it, as to produce all thofe Diforders that Water-drinking is fo proper to prevent. If you place in the Receiver of the Air- Pump a Glafs with Small-Beer, another with Ale, a third with Claret, and a fourth with Water, and withdraw the Air fome Degrees with the Air-Pump, the Beer will boil \ re- move it a little more, the Ale will follow the fame explofive Motion, and the Red Wine laft • but the Water will continue all the Time free from any inteftine Motion, which demonftrates that it contains of Air, included in its Interfaces, the lead Quan- tity, Of DRINK. For nothing caufes the Boiling in the other Fluids, but the Force of the Air in- cluded in their Vacuola’s endeavouring to difengage itfelf upon the Prelfure of the At- mofphere, taken off from the Surface of thefe Liquors. COFFEE. Grows on a low fhrubby Tree, or Bufli, in Arabia Felix, which has fweet odoriferous Flowers, like Jeffamin Flowers, they come forth at the fetting on of the Leaves, and are fucceeded by Berries. Of thefe Berries roafted, is made the celebrated Liquor called Coffee. Coffee and Tea are now become the ge- neral Entertainment of the Ladies, and moft Peopie of Fafhion drink great Quantities of them, and, without doubt, very often to their Prejudice. The Water is very preju- dicial to fome, as the Bitternefs of the Cof- fee and Tea is to others} for none who are of a lax Habit of Body can bear much Water-drinking, or of a rebuff and tenfe Habit, many Bitters: So that they who will drink thefe Liquors fhould both adapt the Strength and Quantity to their Con- ftitutions. Fat, rnoift, phlegmatick People, may drink their Coffee very ftrong. with an empty Sto- Of DRINK. inach, without either Sugar, Milk, or But- ter, for the more the Fibres are irritated by it, the more ftrongly will they con trad, and thereby the Stomach will cleanfe itfeif from all orfbnfive and fuperfluous Phlegm j then being admitted into the Mafs of Blood, will, by increafing its Motion, lelfen its Humidity * it will alfo become an univerfal Stimulus, and fo recover the Tone of the Fibres, too much relaxed in fuch a Conftitution j and it will be helpful again!! Catarrhs, Defluxi- ons, and Head-achs, and ftrengthen the Sto- mach j ’tis a great Antihypnotick, and ufe- ful to be taken after hard Drinking. Bilt Perfons of a thin, dry, and hot Con- flituion, Ihould either totally abftain from it, or drink it weak, with Milk and Sugar, upon a full Stomach j for his very prejudi- cial to Perfons of this Conftitution, when they take it too ftrong* it dries their folid Parts, expends the Serum of the Blood, gives Palpitations of the Heart, Trembling of the Hands, Palfy, Oppreffion of the Breaft, Syn- copes, Afthmas, and Vapours, and prevents Sleep# TEA, Grows in China: They gather the Leaves from the Shrubs always in dry Sun-lhiny Of DRINK. Weather, and put them into a Pan made of Caft Iron, clean and red-hot, but placed ob- liquely, wherein they are ftirred about and fhaken together till they flirivel up, and are crifp, and then they are laid on Matts and fann’d with Fans to cool them, and fo put into Tubs or Canifters. We have two Sorts, of Tea, the Green and Bohea, but both gathered from the fame Kind of Plant, and only differ in the Age of the Leaves, the Time of Gathering, or Way of Curing. The Bohea is often coloured with fome Infufion of another Plant, or Japan Earth, to give it the Softnefs and Heavinefs on the Stomach it has, whereby his often fpoiled, and wants the natural Simplicity of Green- Tea. What has been faid of Coffee is moftly ap- plicable to Tea, faving that this makes not fo ftrong an Irritation upon the Fibres as Cof- fee does. It is acefcent, as appears by its Effefts upon Stomachs troubled with Aci- dity: So that Tea is an Infufion of a Plant acefcent, and moderately aftringent in warm Water. As a Watry-Liquor, stis diluting, and ftimulating, by its Salts: By its aftringent Quality, it moderates the relaxing Quality Of DRINK. of Warm-Water j and Water endued with any faline ftimulating Subftance, is very pe- netrating, and goes into themoft inward Re- cedes of the circulating Juices, and refrefh- eth the Brain and animal Spirits, but by its ftyptick and ftimulating Quality, it affefts the Nerves, often occafioning Tremors*, by its Heat, it promotes Perfpiration j by its wa- try Quality, it didblves what is vifcid in the Stomach, and fo may help Digeftionj but drinking too great Quantities of it, may relax and weaken the Tone of the Stomach, be hurtful in many Cafes, and to moft People. Milk abates fome of the fore-mentioned Qua- lities, making it more foft and nutritious. GREEN-TEA, May, to good Purpofe, be ufed in thofe Diftillations of Humours which are called Catarrhs*, from whence proceed Heavinefs of the Head, Noife in the Ears, Rednefs of the Eyes, Thin-running at the Nofe, Short- nefs of Breath, and Palpitation of the Hearty ’tis alfo ufeful for weak Stomachs, and in want of Digeftion, and proper for Weaknefs of the Joints, the Rheumatifraj and the Gout * it is good to take off the ill Effeds of hard Drinking, and will enable a Perfon to continue a long Time without Sleep : Of DRINK. It is very ferviceable after Surfeits, by gra- dually helping off the vifcid Remains which naufeate and ficken the Stomach, and by drawing up the Fibres again to their due Tone*, and is fometimes given in large Quantities, as an Emetick to deterge Slime from the Membranes of the Stomach, B OHEA-TBA, By Experience, is found to be of a foften- ing nourifhing Quality, and is therefore much in Efteem for a Breakfaft with Milk. It very fenfibly fatisfies Hunger, and affords a fine Balfamick Nourifhment, and is there- fore very proper in Confumptions and Ulce- rations of the Lungs: But the Green-Tea is a better Breakfaft for thofe who feed high, and have little Exercife, to cleanfe the ali- mentary Palfages, and wafh off the fcorbutick and urinous Salts-, as alfo to promote Di- seftion after a full Meal. D Tea, efpecially the Bohea, is a great Ene- my to the Hypochondriack, and Hylterick, and thofe of weak Nerves, and brings on fuch Perfons, Lownefs of Spirits and Tremors, if nfed too often, or in great Quantities:, there- fore fuch ought to abftain from it. But this Caution I muft obferve, that they that find 0/DRINK. it agreeable to the Conftitution, may con- tinue to drink it*7 while thofe that perceive it to flatten the Spirits, and infer Vapours, ought to refrain its Ufe: The grand Inten- tion of all Diet, whether Solids or Liqu ids, being to fupport Health, and a good Con- ftitution, not to impair thofe invaluable Bieffings. CHOCOLATE. The Nuts grow in Jamaica in the TTeJt- Indies, and in Curacao in they are about as big as an Almond, but roun- der and thicker, and cover’d with a thin Shell, under which lies the Nut, of a dark-reddilh brown Colour, and of an oily and fomewhat bitterifh Tafle. Of thefe toafted and feparated from the Shells, is made Chocolate. Chocolate is very nourilhing, reftorative, and it is very oily and foft, and tannot but afford a fuitable NourHhment to Weakly and decaying Conftitutions, efpeciaily if the Stomach is not too far impaired to re- ceive and digeft it. Its Oil feems to be both Alimentary and Anodyne. This Oil, com- bined with its own Salt and Sugar, makes faponaceous and cleanfing, by which Quality it often excites Appetite, and helps 64 Qf HR INK. it lubricates and (heaths acrid, fait, and (harp Humours in the Bowels, and therefore is good in the Cholick and Gravel. The Indians make Bread of it. Of SUGAR. SUGAR. THE Sugar-Cane grows in both the Indies, and is a Kind of Reed, arifing to be fix or feven Foot high, fall of Knots or Joints, at each of which grow two long narrow Leaves, of a bluiih-green Colour. The Infide of the Stalk is full of a foft fpungy juicy Pith, of a very fweet Taftc. Of the Juice of this Cane, Sugar is made, which at firft is brown and courfe, called Mufcovade *, this, by often refining, is brought to different Degrees of Whitenef?. The Sugar-Candy is made by boiling the Syrup of Sugar to a high Confiftence, and fetting it to chryftallize and according to the Finenefs of the Syrup, the Candy will be White or Brown. The medicinal Effefts of Sugar vary fome- thing, according to its different Degrees of Finenefs; the browned is mod fweet, be- 66 Of S V G A R. caufe there is raoft of an oily Nature in its Competition, which makes it more ad- hefive to, and abide longer upon the Pa- late*, it is aifo more opening, and therefore bed to ufe in Purging Syrups, and in Glyf- ters. Thefe courfe Sugars are fo grofs and vifeid, that if much ufed they foul the Glands, particularly thofe of the Skin, and occafion many fcorbutick Symptoms. The finer Sugar has more of a binding Quality* but the fined of all, has a deterfive one, and is therefore ufeful where Phlegm a- bounds j for it cuts and attenuates vifeid Humours, and promotes Expedoration. Of the droffy Part of the Sugar, called MoloJJej*, or Treacle, is made a Spirit, or Brandy, which comes near in Tafte and Virtue to French Brandy. Aphorifms of Health; O R, RULES To preferve the BODY to a #OOD ©III iHcjC* I. IT is not good to eat too ranch, or faf- too long, or do any thing that is preter- natural. 11. Whoever eats or drinks too much, will be lick. KVLES of HEALTH* 111. If thou art dull and heavy after Meat, 9tis a Sign thou haft exceeded the due Mea- fure for Meat and Drink ought to refrelh the Body, and make it chearful, not to dull and opprefs it. IV. If thou findeft thefe ill Symptoms, con- (ider whether two much Meat or Drink oc- cafions it, or both, and abate by little and little, till thou findeft the Inconveniency re- moved. V. Pafs not immediately from a diforderd L:fe to a ftrid and precife one, but by De- grees abate the Excels} for ill Cuftoms ar- rive by Degrees, and fo muft be wore off. VL That Kind of Food does digeft and per- fpire beft of ail, and conveniently nourifhes2 whole Weight is not felt in the Stomach. VII. Plentiful Feeding is more hurtful in a fe* dentary and idle Perfon, than in one that is employed j for the Entrails are made heavy by Reft, but are eaf§d of their Weight by Exercife* KVLES of HEALTH, VIII. If the Meat does thee no Harm, it mat- ters little what it be *, but all Sorts of Food muft be avoided that does Prejudice, tho* it pleafe the Tafte never fo well. IX. \ If thou can’ll: but find out every Day what Quantity of Meat is convenient for thee, thou wilt know how to preferve thy Vigour and Life a long Time. X. That is the moft healthful Proportion of Meat, when, after eating, the Body performs whatever it has to do with the fame Agility as if it was falling. XI. After Diet is obtained, the Appetite will require no more than Nature hath Need of j it will defire as Nature defires. XIL Three Inconveniencies are confequent to Mens Feeding on Variety of Meats j there is an Excefs of Eating, the Concoclion is lefs, and the Prefpiration lefs. KVLES of HEALTH. XIII. That Perfon who eats more than is requi- fite, is nourilhed lefs than is requifite:, and the Strength of Nature will, by that Means, be impaired. XIV. To eat immediately after immoderate Ex- crclfe of Body or Mind, is hurtful- for the wearied Body perfpires with fome Difficulty. XV. Old Men can fa ft ealily, Men of ripe Age can fall almoft as much •, but young People and Children can hardly fall: at all. XVI. Let ancient People eat Panado made of Bread and Flelh-Broth, which is of light Digeftion: An Egg now and then, will do well. XVII. It is fafer for aged Perfons to eat thrice in a Day, than twice, or to eat much at once j for it much obftrufts Perfpiration. XVIII. Growing Perfons have a great deal of na- tural Heat, which requires a great deal of Nourilhment, elfe the Body will pine. KVLES of HEALTH. XIX. Purging Stools fliew intemperate Feeding* Too full a Meal hinders Perfpiration, fills the Guts with Wind, and caufes Gripes, XX. The more you feed foul Bodies, the more you hurt your felves. XXI. No Man will fall into any Difeafe, if he carefully provide that he be not troubled with Crudities. XXII. Strong Men, and thofe that labour hard, require more Food than Women, the Weak, the Unaftive, and the Aged. XXIII. He that ftudies much, ought not eat fb much as thofe that work hard, his Digeflion being not fo good. XXIV. The near Quantity and Quality being found out, it is fafeft to be kept to. 72 KVLES of HEALTH. XXV. Excefs of all other Things whatever, as well as in Meat and Drink, are to be avoided , exceffive Heats and Colds, violent Exercife, late Hours and Women, unwholfome Air, violent Winds, and the Paffions. XXVI. Youth, Age, and the Sick, require a differ rent Quantity, XXVII. Arid fo do thole of diffent Complexions, for that which is too much for a Phlegma- tick Man, is not fufficient for the Choierick. XXVIII. The Meafure of the Food ought to be pro- portionable to the Quality and Condition of the Stomach, becaufe the Stomach is to di- gell it. XXIX. The Quantity that is fufficient, the Sto- mach can perfectly concod, and anfwers to the due Nourilhmcnt of the Body. XXX. Hence it appears, we may eat a greater Quantity of fome Viands, thao of others of a more hard Digdlion. RULES of HEALTH. 73 XXXI. He who goes to Supper with a difturbed Mind, digefts much lefs than another, who is undifturbed and chearful. XXXII. In a cold Body, Honey is good, becaufe it nourifhes and perfpiresj in a hot, it is hurtful, becaufe it turns into Choler. XXXIII. There are too Things extremely prejudicial to good Health, viz,, to give up the Body wholly to Slothfulnefs, and to cat before the Concodion of what had been eaten before. XXXIV. Nothing more obftruds Perfpiration, than for a Man to drink while the Chyle is pre- paring. XXXV. If Excefs in Drinking makes the Eyes, as it were, full of Tears, it is a Sign the Body has not perfpired as much as it fhould have done. 74 RVLES of HEALTH. XXXVI. The bed Liquor for weak and fludious People, is Wine diluted with Water which flrengthens the Digeftion, and promotes Per- fpiration. xxxvir. The frequent Ufe or Diftilled Spirits, Drams, and Cordials, ruins the Low-fpi- rited, and thofe of weak Nerves. XXXVIII. When dark foggy Weather continues long, it obflruds Perfpiration, therefore thofe fubjed to Catarrhs, Coughs, or Peripneu- monies, ought then to keep at home in warm Rooms. XXXIX. Catching of Cold is an Obftrudlon of Perfpiration, by the humid Particles of the Air, and is belt cured by gentle Diaphore- ticks. XL. Wouldefl thou enjoy a long Life, a heal- thy Body, and a vigorous Mind, and be ac- quainted alfo with the wonderful Works of God, labour in the firll Place to bring the Appetite to Reafon. RVLES of HEALTH. 75 XLT. Beware of Variety of Meats, and rich Sau- ces, which deftroy a Multitude of People, they prolong Appetite beyond what Nature requires and fome are fooner digefted than others*, whence Crudities proceed, and the whole Digeftion depraved. XLir. Keep out of the Sight of Feafts and Ban- quets, as much as may be*, fancy that Glut- tony is not good and pleafant, but filthy, evil, and deftable, as it really is. XLIII. The ricjieft Food, when conceded, yields the raoft noifome Smells j and he that works and fares hard, hath a Tweeter and plea- fanter Body than the other. XLIV. Hot and dry Meats agree beffc with Win- ter} cold and raoift, with Summer: In Sum- mer abate a little of your Meat, and add to your Drink and in Winter fubftrad from your Drink, and add to your Meat. 76 KVLES of HEALTH4 XLV. If a Man cafually exceeds, let him faff the next Meal, and all may be well again, provided it be not often done} or if he ex- ceed at Dinner, let him reft from, or make a flight Sapper. XLVI. Walking is good for the Stomach} Riding after Dinner ftrengthens weak Limbs-, Squint- ing and a Dull-Sight, are amended by Shoot- ing} and Crookednefs, by Swinging and Hanging upon the Arms. XLVIL A temperate Diet frees from Difeafes} fuch are feldom ill: But if they are fuprized with Sicknefs, they bear it better, and recover it fooner} for moft Diftempers have their Ori- ginal from Repletion. XLVIII. A temperate Diet arms the Body againft all external Accidents, fo that they are not fo eafily hurt by Heat, Cold, or Labour} and when wounded or bruifed, they are more eafily cured. KVLES of HEALTH. 77 XLIX. It makes Mens Bodies fitter for any Em- ployment, it makes Men to live long, Galen, tho* weakly, with many others, lived by it a hundred Years. L. A fober Diet makes a Man die without Pain * it maintains the Senfes in Vigour, and miti- gates the Violence of Paffions and Affcdions. o LI. It preferves the Memory it helps the Un- derftanding- it abates the Heat of Lull} and brings a Man to that weighty Confideration of his Latter End. A COMPENDIOUS DISCOURSE OF THE Diseases of Children. Taken chiefly from HARRIS'S Incomparable Treatife. with: the own Practice. I Know in how unknown a Path I am to walk, fince Children, and efpecialJy (ick Infants, offer nothing for a dear Diag- noftick, but what we can coileft from their moaning Complaints, and their uncertain Idiom of Frowardnefs, Of CHILDRENS DISEASES, But if we will diligently ponder the Symp- toms of the youngefl Infants, which arc mod evident, or ferioully refiedf upon their deli- cate Conflitution, and moil fimple Diet, we fhall find this not fo difficult a Task, as we formerly conceived. For the Difeafes of that Age generally are very few, and only differ and the Cure of Infants is far more eafy and fafe, than that of Men and Women. Infants, becaufe of their delicate and mu- cilaginous Tendernefs, are apt to receive any Alteration imaginable:, their Bones may.be more properly termed Cartilages j and as they do abound with fo much natural and acquired Moiflure, that their Bodies are perfedly foft and flexible, that Temperament and Conftitu- tion is very juftly faid to be the moft humid. And as the Conftitution of Children is moft humid, fo I dare pronounce all their Difeafestobe of one Kind, and to be produced from one and the fame and that the Maladies of the however different Parts of the Body, whether they be the uppermofl or nethermoft, as the Stomach, Inteflines, Lungs, Head, or Nerves, are varioufly and moft affeded, as they are of the fame Na- ture, under divers and fundry Names, Wherefore, if we fhall confider the Na- ture of the Moiflure of Children, we fhall Of CHILDRENS DISEASES 81 not find itpoffible to degenerate into any De- fed or Putridnefs, but that which is acid. For with whatfoever Difeafe they are afFed- ed, feldom or never could I find wanting Excrements of a very four Smell, and an Abundance of tart and acid Belchings, efpe- daily in the Beginning. Milk, the proper Food of that tender Age, if kept for fome time, becometh four; Moreover, all the Symptoms of Childrens Difeafes do juftly reckon their Beginning from an Acid. With all which, let us confider the weak and infirm Conftitution of their Blood, fo that the Spirits .which lodge therein, have not yet attained fo great a Maftery as to dif- charge their Fundions and Offices, or to fet- tle, by their own Force and Adivity, any irregular Motions of the Humours, proceed- ing from any inward or external Caufe. So Children do eafiiy fall into Difeafes, and are very eafiiy refiored to their Health, if they be not ignorantly and unskilfully treated. The Diagnoftick of Childrens Difeafes, cannot fo much be colleded from their own Relation, neither from the Touching of their Pulfe, or from their Urine, as from the Anfwers of the Nurfes and Women that are their conhant Attendants. The Wo- men know if they have been troubled with Loathings and Vomitings, and how long; Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. whether the Food or Milk that was caft up, was crudled; whether untimous Weeping, Watching., and Difquiet, give any Notice of Cholick Pains*, whether they be affeded with acid Belchings, or the Hickup, or a Cough doth appear; whether their Belly hath kept a due Courfe, and if their Excre- ments be White, Green, or filled with Bile. They know if their Infants have had great Third, and fo be feverifh, or if their Mouths be full of Thrufhes, which do hinder their fucking : They can alfo in- form you if Epileptick Spafms have feized their tender Bodies; or whether their prefent Sicknefs be trailed with their Breeding of Teeth; or, laftly, whether any thing confi- derable, whether that be a Swelling of their Belly, or of any other Part, either Wheels or PufUes, or the Jaundice do appear. The other Symptoms, methinks, do more belong and appertain to fubtile Speculation, than Pradice. But the frequent Complaint of an uncer- tain Diagnoftick, has more its Rife from the prepoflerous and ufelefs Way of Curing, than from any Want of Symptoms; for under this Mask and Vail, Praditioners do willingly cloak and conceal their Ignorance andMiftakes. The Pulfes of Children are naturally, or upon every little Alteration do, become fo Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. fwiftand frequent, that they always feem fomewhat feverifh: Moreover, they are for the moft part fo fro Ward, that not keeping their Wrift one Moment in the fame Pofture, do not fuffer their Pulfe to be touched : Laftiy, there are fo many Things that ac- celerate, or otherwife change their Pulfes, that Sentiments taken thence, fhould prove very uncertain, if not altogether faife. Their Urine, when in perfed Health, is generally thick, fo that the Diagnofticks taken from it, are likewife uncertain. The mod: common Caufes of Childrens Difeafes (befides an hereditary diftempered Indifpofition) may be reduced to thefe four Articles. I. To their catching Cold. c. To the too thick Milk of their Nurfe. 3. To their over-foon eating Flefhes. And, 4. To the mad and imprudent Fondnefs of many Mothers, who do often permit their Infants to (ip up Ale, Wine, and other Strong and Spirituous Liquors. And, i. Cold, efpecially from the Night- Air, to which they are molt fubject, doth very often make Way for thefe Fevers, with which Infants are fo frequently affected. Since that they come naked from the Womb, not being cloathed by Nature, as ail other 84 of CHILDRESS DISEASES. Creatures are, Reafon, or rather, Nature, difti- tute of her own Help, doth inftantly fugged the Neceflity of wrapping them up into warm Cloaths: Moreover, the Mutability of the Air, and the continual Viciflitudes of Heat and Cold, do plainly advertife us, how great our Care fhould be in the warding of its In- juries. Yea, an exadCare for convenient Ap- parel is fo abfolutely nccelfary for every Age, that ordinarily the mod weak and valetudi- nary People, do live longer than the mod ro- bud and ftrong Men •, which can be attributed to nothing elfe, than the great Care of the one, and lupine Negligence of the other for convenient and warm Cloathing. 2. The too thick Milk of their Nurfe j for if Hie be a Lover of Strong and Spirituous Liquors, her Milk is fo wanned, and on a fudden inflamed, that Fire itfelf only paffeth her Breafts, for her fucking Infant, But the Thicknefs of Milk, whatever be its Caufe, cannot but produce a great many Inconveni- encies of fundry Kinds j being that the Bodies of Infants fhould, of all, be the raoft fluid and thofe finaller Conduits, which are or- dained for tranfmitting of the Chyle, fhould always be kept open \ and, laftly, being that this moft unnatural Thicknefs of Food, ismofl oppofite to that inofl fluid Conftitution of In- fants, and doth give occafion to all Kinds of Of CHILDRENS DISEASES: 85 Obftrudions in the firftPalTages, 1 cannot but take Notice, in this Place, of the pernicious Practice (I wonder Harris has omitted it) of many who feed their Children with Milk- Pottage, boiled till it be almod as gluttinous as fyzing: ’Tis no wonder that fuch Chil- dren have windy Didentions of the Belly, fometimes purge, and at other times are co- ftive, and troubled with the Gripes, and fometimes with Convulfions. 3. To their over-foon eating, if not more properly fwallowing down, of Flefhes. For Flefh being fo folid and compad a Subfiance, mull be a very difagreeing and improper Food for thefe tender Infants, who as yet have got no Teeth, at lead not ftrong enough for the chewing of Flefhes. Fora Stomach full of Flefh, too early and untimely de- voured, is a mod fruitful Mother of Cru- dities, which are common to this gorman- dizing Age. Crude and indigeded Food do produce that Corruption of Humours, from which not only Worms are bred, but alfo thofe various and mod grievous Symptoms, whereby Infants are waded, do proceed and have their Rife. The Crudities of Infants are alfo daily increafed and accumulated, becaufe that Nurfes do repofe their Infants for Sleep prefently after Meat of whatever Kind. Of CHILDRENS DISEASES, 4. To their lipping up of Ale, Wine, and other Strong and Spirituous Liquors, im- prudently permitted and allowed, which are mofl hurtful and inconvenient for the Nature and Conftitution of Children} for their very weak Nerves are moft ealily de- ftroyed with it, and their tender Bodies are cither colliquated by Degrees, or fuddenly caft into Fevers with the fubtile Flame and Heat of Wine, (jc. All Kinds of Wines and Spirituous Li- quors liberally drank, do not only deftroy the natural Ferment of the Stomach of Children, debauch the Appetite, burn up its Coats, and wrinkle them as Parchment over-much dried by the Fire;, but alfo do greatly injure the Nervous Coat, by which all the Nerves of the Body are weakened, and the Animal Spirits driven into Confu- fion. The Wine which leaft wrongeth that tender Age, is the White inafmuch as it was counted cold by the Ancients, tho’ not abfo- lutely fo, but in refped of all other Wines. All the Caufes, antecedent or mediate, of Childrens Difeafes, however many they real- ly are, or be fiippofed, may juftly be refol- ved into this one immediate Caufe, ue. a very active and prevailing Acid. Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. The Hiftory then of the moft grievous Difeafes, wherewith Infants are moftjy affed- ed, is as followeth: Their Stomach is always alfecled with an acid Humour, whence their Aliment is reduced, not into that Homoge- neous Subftance of Chyle, but into a Pellet. This unequal Condition of the Chyle and Nourifhment, begot likewife from too much Acidity, doth produce Loathing, Vomiting, and four Belchings: But if this Diftemper be of longer Continuance, they turn pale by degrees, and their difcdloured Face fomewhat of a yellow or green Colour. Then doth their Belly fwell with Wind, and Flatulen- cies are carried upward. In the mean while, one or two red Puftles (a certain Sign of Acidity) do appear upon their Forehead, Cheeks, Chin, or Neck, though fometimes lower, and the Infant becometh daily worfe, and breatheth high, efpeciaily if the Child be plump: Moreover, he is often troubled with a dry Gough, becaufe of the Acrimony of the Humours that prickle the fenlible Branches of the Wind-pipe, fometimes with a Choak- ing or Strangling, which proceed from the Abundance of ferous Humours, that fo fill up and burthen the fmall VelTelsof tile Lungs, that it cannot be call: off and difeharged, and their Face is blackifh, as that of firangling People. 88 Of CHILDRENS DISEASES, But if this coagulated or poffeted Food doth fall from their Stomach into the Intef- tines, then Gripes, or Cholick Pains, greenifh Excrements, and very often moft dangerous Fluxes, do enfue. And when this Tragedy is ading in the lower Ventricle, thefe great Pains do introduce Fevers, which, if not well managed, do cut fliort the Days of a great many Infants *, or if the Pains be not fo violent, but perhaps furrendering to an unskilful Cure, yet doth it terminate into a Big-Belly, the moft convenient Thing in Nature for producing the Rickets or King’s- Evil. A certain Sort of Mucilage or Geliy (the immediate Origin of Worms) which is fometimes whitifh, tho’ fometimes of a grey or yellow Colour, mixed with green, is often by Medicines, skilfully adminiftred, purged off with the Excrements. They often rub their Nofe, not only when they are trou- bled with Worms, but in every Fever which hath its Rife from a Corruption of Humours j for any (harp Humours car- ried upward, do affed the thin and fen- lible Membranes of the Noftrils, either of Young or Old, in Acute or Chronical Difeafes. The fore-mentioned Gripes do continually produce Watching, Difquiet, and Mourning, which the Nurfe doth as often endeavour to Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. allay, by giving it her Breaft. Its Milk or Food (while thefe Pains continue) never duly digefling, but turning acid, is curdled, fo by little and little it becometh fcverifh, its Third: is increafed, its Joints turn flaccid, and fo the tender Infant groweth daily weak and infirm. Upon the Ciofeof all this Sick- nefs, convulfive Motions and Spafms do feize upon the Members of the feeble Infant*, and when there is no more Force and Strength in its Nerves for actuating the Mufcles of the Heart, and protruding the Blood (by the Laws of Circulation) into the Arteries, the poor Infant doth caft up the White of its Eyes to the Heavens, the proper Seat of un- violated Innocency, and endeth its fhort Life, before it hath underftood the Miferies of Living. Further, the Mouths of Infants are very often fo hurt with Thrufties, or little Ulcers in the Mouth (which do often begin foon after their Birth, and before the Growing of their Teeth, tho* fometimes later) that they cannot weep nor let Tears fall from their Eyes for fome Days*, altho’ they be tor- mented with exceeding Tendernefs and in- tenfe Heat of Mouth, with a great many other Sicknelfes that are the ordinary At- tendants of Fevers: And therefore I account that Change from their being dumb, unto 90 Of childrens diseases. their e'cchoing the Houfe with Cries, a very good Sign. Boys of greater Age, troubled with fe- verifh Symptoms, do, for the moft Part, complain of a Pain in their Heads} which Pain is noDifeafe of irfelf, but fympathetick, and derived from the Stomach and lower Parts of the Body. That all thefe, and the like Symptoms, do immediately proceed from the Curdling and Thicknefs of their Food, efpecially being greater than can be at ail agreeable with the Conftitution and Nature of Infants, whofe Canals and Paffages fhould neceffarily be molt fluid} and that this Curdling is oftner pro- duced from Acidity than any other Caufe, is inoft evident from our Senfes themfelves, and the Way of Cure, which is excellently effeduated by fuch Things as obttind Aci- dity, and deopiliate or diflblve Coagula- tions. The frequent Vomiting of that thick Jelly, and that vifeid and coagulated Phlegm, fome- what green when the Sicknefs has advanced, and their Breath which hath a very four Smell, are Things moll evident to our Senfes. Of CHILDRENS DISEASES, That the green Colour of their Excre- ments is merely from Acidity mix'd with Bile, will be mod: evident to any who take Pleafure in Changing of Colours into Green with Vinegar and acid Spirits. Moreover, the Smell of their green Excrements being always defigned acid, by the very Nurfcs, doth clearly demonflrate the fame. The exceflive Gripes and Pains in their Belly, and Palenefs of Face, do confirm the Abundance of Acidity , for fo foon as they are troubled with thefe Pains, they turn pale, tho* never fo high-coloured before they were affected with this Diflemper j except that fometimes their Cheeks are polled ed with a pleafant Bludi, which doth eafiiy vanifh into the wonted Palenefs. The Prognoftick, in my Opinion, doth rather depend upon the Method of Cure it- felf, as that is right ‘or wrong, as aifo upon the Behaviour of the Nurfe, whether (he be obedient, and doth faithfully perform what is commanded her, than from the Difeafes of Infants and Children. For their Fevers are very flight, neither doth their feverhh Heat fo much burn, as it is more properly a certain Degree and Advance- ment of Heat-, except when too curious Art, which trufteth to and reiieth over- Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. much upon thefe fiery and fpirituous Cor- dials, is moft unluckily brought in to their Affiftance. Corpulent and fat Infants, troubled with Defiuxions, and having an open Mould, are moft fubjed to the Chin-Cough, Rickets, King’s-Evil, and almoft incurable Thrufhes. Lean and (craggy Children are, of all, the moft tender, and very fubjed to the worft Fevers, i. e. to fuch as are hotteft and moft incenfed, and moft inimical to the Patient. Children which are borne by tender Mothers, which do devour unripe Fruits and Sallets when with Child or by thofe who are meer Slaves to their Stomachs or, laftly, have their Appetite depraved, from whatever Caufes: Thefe, I fay, do with Difficulty amend of any great Dif- eafe. Children that keep open in their Belly, have their Health better than fuch as are con- ftipated. The Spring and Summer are the beft Times for curing of Fevers, but the Harveft and Winter are not fo. Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. From the Middle of July, to the Middle of September, thofe Epidemick Gripes of In- fants are To common (being the annual Heat of the Seafon doth exhauft their Strength) that more Infants, affe&ed with thefe, do die in one Month, than in other three that are more gentle. Convulfions, or at leafl flatting of their Tendons, coming upon Children weakened by fome one Difeafe, or fomewhat burned up with hot Medicines, do moftly bring all their Mifenes and Troubles, wherewith they are tormented, unto an End, Sylvius de le Boe has wrote the befl Trea- tife of any on the Difeafes of Infants for he did valiantly maintain an x4xid to be their true and general yet he, partly be- caufe of his great Kindnefs for fome Volatile Chymical Preparation, and therefore over warm and fpirituous, and partly becaufe of his almofl conftant Ufe of Opiates, did to- tally deflroy by his Practice, what he*had inoft learnedly publifhed in his Theory. If we therefore do defire to lay any fure Foundation for the Curing of Infants Dif- eafes, we (hould chiefly eye their natural Tendernefs and and we fhould make fuch a Choice of Medicines as may be 94 Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. mod convenient for tbefe tender ones. For the more gentle and fafe thole Remedies are which we adminifter, the Event dial! the more certainly anfwer our Expectation. Being then that Acidity is the chief Caufe of all thefe Difeafes wherewith this tender Age is affected, the whole Artifice of the Cure is hinged upon the defeating of the Acid fo that whatever Things do immedi- ately eliminate the Acid, thefe are they that promote the Cure} and whatever ferves not that Dcfign, does more or lefs torment and trouble the tender Bodies of thefe Infants. The firft Indication in the Cure of the Fe- vers of Infants or Children, is to prepare the Acid aright, that it may be purged off with Advantage j for without Preparation, vio- lent Gripes will attend the purging of thofe Bodies that abound with Acidity, The Preparation then is not to be eflayed with heating Medicines, which are moft hurtful to young Children- but with the moft temperate Things, which will abforbe the prevailing Acidity by little and little, mitigate Ebullitions, and become the mod fafe and powerful Anodynes. Thefe are OcuL Carter. Chel. Carter. Greta Alh. Corallia pre~ par at a. Coral'ma. Margarita preparata Cornu Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. Cervi Calcin. Rafur, Corn. Cerv, Ehons Bolus Amena. 'Terra Japon, &c. Yet the Ufe of Volatile Salts and Spirits are not to be wholly laid afide, as Spir, Salif. Armon. Spir, Corn. Cm;/, &c. becaufe they do excellently abforbe Acidity, but are cautioufly to be adminiftred, becaufe of their great Heat. Upon this Score, your lixivial Salts, the hot Cordial Waters, as Aq, Cinam. Epidem. Mir alii, Peon. Comp, and the like, do fall Ihort of their wonted Fame, unlefs they be mix’d with others more tem- perate, in fo fmall a Quantity, that their burning Heat doth become unperceptible to the Tafte. That thefe temperate Powders do abfbrbe Acidity, is a Thing fo well known, that it will need no Proof. And that they are the mod fafe, moft certain, and never-failing Anodynes, in the Gripes of Children, {ball be evinced by giving them in a fufficient Quantity for attaining the defigned End. Moreover, I do boldly aflert, that thefe Pow- ders, judicioufiy given, do, with Certainty, allay and alfvvage ail the Pains and Difqoiet of Infants, from wdiatever Caufe, except there be no Hope left, becaufe of fome great Defed of the chief Parts. 96 Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. But that we may come to our Purpofe, I ufed to heip an Infant of a Year old, that is fevcrifh or troubled with Gripes (as it is for the moft Part) with the following Medicines. iy. Pulv. de Chel, Cancr. Comp. Mar gar it. pp. a Drachtnam unam Mifceantur & flat Pul- visy in Partes fex /equates dividendus. Vel Pulv. de Cbel, Cancr. Simp. Scrnpu- los quatuor, Ocul. Cancr. Scrupulos duos, Coc~ Chinel. Grandi fex, Mifceantur & fiat Pulvis in Partes fex /equates dividendus \ de quo Capiat unam fecundis vel tertiis horis, fuperbibendo Cochlearia duo Julapium fequentis. Aq. Laßis Alex, uncias quator Aq, Ceraf. mg. uncias duos, Ap. Epidew. Drachmas fex Sacch Ferlat, Semunciam M. f. Julap, The following Abforbent Mixture, and Carminative Julep, are ferviceable in molt of Childrens Difeafes. iy. Aq. Ceraf Nig. Aq. Laß. Alex, a uncias quatuor Syr. Cortic Aurantior unciam unam jßol. Armen. Creta alb. OcuL Cancr, Pulv. Rhab. a Drachmam unam fiat jnifiura. f}t Aq. Fenicul. fex uncias Sacch. Alb. Se~ munciam Antimon. Diaphor. Scrupulos quatuor Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. 97 (or for young Infants, Ocul, Cancr, Drach- mas M. f. Julapium. This lad is excellent for acid Flatulencies, and the Gripes. The Abforbent corre&s the ftubborn Acid, and the Aromatick exhales the Flatus. But, to return to our Author: If the In- fant be taken with a Cough, the mentioned Powders are to be taken more in Lieu of which, he may take half a Spoonful of a thin Lohoch. Syr. de Alth. Syr. Capil, Ven, a Drachmas decern Coralini Pul. de Chel, Cancr* Symp. a Scrupulos quatuor M. f, Lohoch, 801. Armen• is moft conveniently mix’d with thefe, be- caufe it doth powerfully dop the Defluxions that ouze out of the Glands, and fall down upon the Lungs. The Sueciu Pulegiz with Sacch Cand. dif- folved in it, is one of the beft Remedies in Childrens Coughs. The 01. Almygd, dulc. is alfo very proper. Likewife llor. Sulphuris (having a wonderful Virtue in drying and difeuffing Humours fluff'd up in any Part of the Body) mixed with fuch Things as ab- forbe Acidity: It is very ufeful for grofs and phlegmatick Conflitutions, and is of a Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. mod prefervative and expulfory Virtue, which is mod oppofite to Corruption of Humours, The Frequency of the Adminidration of thefe Powders, cannot be determined, but are to be reiterated accordingly as the Symp- toms are more gentle or violent. This only I fhall refume, that all the Pains, Difquiet, and Watchings of Infants, are as certainly edwaged with tedacious Medicines, as the Pains and Watchings of older People are eafed and allayed by Narcoticks. I order them to be purged upon the third Day, after! am called, unlefs the Small-Pox, Meafles, or Scarlet Fever do appear, and In- fants of one Year after this manner. Syrupt Cichoret cum Rheo Drachmas etnas. Aqua Cinamomi Ten. Drachmam mum Pnlv. Rhei Scrupulum unam M, Vel Pluv. Cornuchini grana decern. Let the Child have it in a Spoonful of Black Cherry Water, fweerned with a little Sugar. Vel 'EleHuar. Lenitiv. Drachmas dnas vel tres, ddfoive it in one Ounce of Alexiterial Milk Water, Of CHILDRENS DISEASES, For irregular Symptoms, arifing from a great Corruption of Humours, give eight Grains of AZthiops Miner alls, or four Grains of Calomel, with as much Flor, Sulph. mix’d at Night in fome pleafant Syrup, purging the next Day. If the fiek Child be three or four Years old, or hath palfed the Hazard of breeding Teeth, and efpecially if there beany Sufpi- cion of Worms, or Putrefaction of Humours, for fome time contracted, there is nothing better than a Bole of thefe Powders, I aft men- tioned, made with Conf, Ahfmth. Rom, or Cort. Aurantior• Thefe Kinds of Boles do much avail for thofe who are ordinarily conftipated in their Belly, and are not eafily purged, inafmuch as they do prepare j fo that the Purgative, which is ordered the next Day, hath a better Operation. I have given the following Mixture often with good Succefs. Aq. Lau. Alex. uncias fex, Aq. Epiclenu Aq. Ahjinth, Comp. a Senmncium Tintl. Rbab. Drachmas duas Elix, Prop. Guttas 80. M. This is excellent in a Worm-Fever it kills the Worms, and takes ofF all the Symp- 100 Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. Toms occafioned by them. Cttjus Capiat CochL unam omni Mane. Harris fometimes orders a Cataplafm fome- wbat like the following, but not fo powerful, to be applied upon the Navel. Theriac Tenet. Drachmas fex, Sent. San- ton. Aloes Succotrin. a Drachmam unam, 01, Abfmth, Chim. guttas 20 M. f, Catapl, But Cataplafms, or Plaifters, compofed of the ftrong Purgers, are dangerous} becaufe the purgative Quality being carried into and fixed in the Mufcles and Membranes, may caufe a.mortal Flux. I knew this happen to a Child at Durham, about fix Years ago. Its Mother had bought a Plaifter from a Stranger, which Ihe applied to its Navel to deftroy Worms \ but the next Day it brought on a moft violent Flux, with a TenefmuSj fo that the poor Child purged almoft continually both Night and Day. On the fourth Day I was called, but all my En- deavours to ftop the Flux were in vain, for it died the Day after. I make no doubt but there had been Coloquintida in the Plaifter, which is one of the ftrongeft purging Simples it de ufe of. Of CHILDRENS DISEASES, Of ail Purgatives, there are none more in- nocent, and more agreeing with Infants, than Rhubarb, which fafely doth remove the Sub- jed-Matter of the Fevers of thefe tender Ones*, which doth eafily purge and ftrengthen their Stomach and whole Body, tender’d and op- preffed with vicious Humours, and which, upon that Account, doth beft agree with Children, Breeding Women, Old People, and fuch as are weak through any Difeafe. A Preparing Powder, like the former, is, after the Operation of the Cathartick, to be given at Night, and to be reiterated three or four Times, at a convenient Seafon, for two Days more} and upon the third the Purga- tive is to be given, the Quantity of which may now be known by the Operation of the former. Thefe Things being done aright, the moft grievous Symptoms do ordinarily difappear, or, at lead, are fo much allayed, that the Patient, who was juft now in great Danger, is reftored to better Health. As the Crifis is only a fudden Change in the Difeafe, either to Health or Death, it doth entirely depend upon the Method of Cure (cfpecially in Children) and is haftened or orotrafted by the Induftry or Unskilful- Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. nefs of Art: For being the Cure is mainly ftayed upon general Evacuations duly made, thefe Crudities, which are the Caufe of Fe- vers, are fooner conceded, Part of the mor- bifick Matter being evacuated, the reft giveth way to Medicines dextroufly adminiftred. But when the Humours are exagilated, and the Spirits driven to greater Confufion by Sudorificks and Cordials fo called, and the whole Strefs left upon Clyfters, which never pafs the grofs Guts in perfed Strength, as the Concodion, fo the Crifis, is too late, if ever to be expeded, by this ill Treatment. A Crifis is nothing elfe but the laft Effort of Nature, to evacuate, with all its Power, the morbifick Matter, by convenient Paf- fages and that happeneth often with us by Sweating, tho’ foinetimes by Bleeding at the Nofe. by Vomiting, by Stool,. and by U- rine. All which do prove, that Nature her- feif, the beft and wifeft Phyfician, did never defign any other Way of judging Fevers, than by timely Evacuations, Among the man7 Dlfeafes that do threaten the Life of Infants, there is none that pro- duced! fo many grievous Symptoms as their laborious and difficult Breeding of Teeth. For being their Gums are frequently in- flamed, becaufe the Teeth cannot arife from Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. their fmall Holes, we need not wonder that their tender Bodies are fo difquieted with fo many grievous feverifh Symptoms. From the fame Fountain do arife their Choiick Pains, Watchings, Difquiet, Flux, or Coffivenefs, their green Vomitings and Excrements, the Thrufhes, Fevers, Convul- lions, and the like *, all which do eafily yeild to almoft the fame Method of altering and conteraperating the Acid, and afterwards purging it off. Being Thrufhes do proceed from the (harp Vapours of that inward Flame, which doth fret and pinch the tender Skin of their Mouth, even as the other inward Parts of the Body, we fhould only make Choice of thofe Things that do defeat and blunt this Acrimony. It is certain that thefe Thrufhes fhall be removed with teffaceous and gently purging Medicines. The Reafon why the Superficies of the Mouth produces Thrufhes, when no Parts elfe of the Body are bliftered, is, becaufe the fame Skin which cloatheth the Mouth, is con- tinued by the Gullet unto the Stomach. Wherefore thofe, fharp Vapours which do proceed from a preternatural Effervefcency, and carried upward, as from a Cauldron, 0/CHILDRENS DISEASES. by the Vent of the Mouth, do eafily com- municate their Blemilh to the Membrane of that Part. Therefore doth the delicate Tafle of the Tongue fo readily diftinguifli all Re- lifhes. Laftly, upon this Account, are Phy- ficians, by their looking upon the Tongue, able to judge of the prevaling Temperament of the Body. The Flux of Infants, proceeding from a Mixture of Humours, or a Swelling of Bile with an Acid, is not to be flopped with Aftringents, left they caufe a Reflux of thofe ftiarp Humours upon the more noble Parts, and caft fuch as are of a humid Con- ftitution into Danger of their Lives. But teftaceous Medicines are given with great Safety, and do appeafe thofe fharp unruly Humours (the great Spring of all their Trouble) without the Kindling of new* Heat, that at length they may be purged off with Rhubarb. The Ufe of Diafcordium, which is both abforbent and narcotick, is in fuch Cafes (where there is no Fever) of great Ufe and Advantage. In Vomiting, they are of as great Ufe as in Fluxes j for fo long as that which is the Trouble lodgeth in the Region of the Sto- mach, thefe Medicines do impart what Strength they have, pure and entire, unto Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. 105 the Ventricle. Neither do they only avail in all Fluxes, but for the Gripes of Infants, from whatever Caufe for which they are a Specifick. Convulfions, or Epilepfies, from the Sharp- nefs of the morbifick Matter ftimulating the Nerves, are bed cured with thefe tedace- ous Medicines, if you add a little Cajleremn $ for the Volatile Spirits, like Fire, break through all the Parts of their Body, and often produce ardent Heat. The inward Coat of the Stomach is very nervous, and being the Spirits of this,1 as thofe of the other Parts of the Body, are irritated and fet on irregular Motions, I think it mod ne- ceffary that the Cure be performed with thofe Remedies which abforbe the Acri- mony that offends the Nerves, and allay the Tumult of the Spirits, and not with fuch as make greater Condition, and increafe the Heat which fo much abounded. A Girl about a Year old was feized with moft violent and frequent Convulfions (lie was very pale, her Belly confiipated, and the little that was call out was very green. During all thefe Convulfions and Cholick Pains, for many Days, fhe fcarce confuraed a Spoonful of Food. I aflifted, and happily cured this miferable Infant, with fome Ounces Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. of Ocul. Cancr. mix’d with Creynor. Tart• She took 24 Grains of this Powder every Hour in Aqua Pulegii, and had a Clyfter of fugared and failed Milk frequently injededj and, at length, theCremor. Tartari (which doth not only purge gently, but is alfo very apperient) had made way for itfelf down- ward. By thefe few Medicines was this In- fant, feemingly devoted to Death, unexpect- edly recovered to perfect Health. Butl do not underhand why we fhould farther torment thefe tender Ones, vexed with Convullions, and deftroyed with Watching and Difquiet, with Veficatories, being that Kind of Re- medy feemeth more proper to rouze from Stupefaction thofe that are affeded with a Coma, The SmalhPox and Mealies of Infants, being often a gentle and calm Elfervefcency of the Blood, they are not fo lick, and the Affiftance of Phyficians is not defired. But when the unruly Force of the Blood doth juftly require the Help of the Phyfician, the teftaceous Medicines have the fame Effefts with Children, that Narcoticks have with Adults. But the Cordial Waters, Mithri- date, and the Reft of thofe hot Sudorificks, are chiefly to be efchewed, which are de- figned to thruft out, with more Hafte than goodt Speed, thefe Puches, but which in- Of CHILDRENS DISEASES. 107 Head of being cordial and expul Tory, as is pretended, do often change the naturally gentle Small-Pox, into fuch as are more dan- gerous, and do more difturb and turn in- ward the Mealies, introducing deadly Diffi- culties of and, laftly, they in- flame the Blood, which is yet but moder- ately and llightiy warmed. The Authors who have wrote belt on the Smail-Pox, are Sydenham, Blackmore, Helvhius, Fuller, and Lob in his Infallible Treatife on that Dif- temper. I cannot fay but I have had pretty good Succefs in the Cure of Infants and Childrens Difeafes, and Ido allure the Reader, that in Vomitings, Cardialgia, Childrens Gripes, Inflation of the Belly, and Hypochondres, Diarrheas, HecHck Fevers, and Wafting of Children, Worm Fevers, and the Rickets a weak Infufion of Rhubarb, the Abforbent Mixture, the Carminative Julep, and the Anthelminthick Mixture, have feidom fail-, ed me. I (hall now clofe this ffiort Work with the following Words: . 28 Peale. ibid. Rice. ibid* Sago. p. 29 Wheat. ibid. Bread. p. 50 Honey. p.si Milk. p. 32 Butter. ibid. Butter-Milk, p. 3 5 Cheefe. />. 34 Whey. v , ibid. Eggs- ?• if Parfnips. />. 35 Turnips. #;/. Plumbs. p. 38 Cherries. ibid. Apricocks. p. 39 Peaches., ibid. Goofeberries. zW. Currants. zM Rafpberries. />. 40 Strawberries. INDEX. Of EXOTIC KS. Oranges. p. 41 Lemons. ibid. Almonds. p. 42. Chcfnuts. p. 45 Figs. ■ ibid. Walnuts. Tamarinds, ibid. Raifins. p. 4 f Wine. Ale. p. f1 Water. /?.f4 Coffee. . y8 Tea. ' />. fp Chocolate. p.6s Sugar. p6f Rules of Health, p. 6y Childrens Difcafes. p. 79 The Diagnofticks of Childrens Difeafcs. p, 81 The Caufes of Chip drens Difeafes.’ p. 8$ The Prognohicks. p, pi The Curs of Childrens Difeafes. p. 94 ERRATA. PAge $, Lina 9, read a ftimulus. P. 11. 1. ult. read ex- tremely. P. 18. I. 10. read Salts. P. 27. 1. ult. read [pits. P. 48. 1. 8. and 10. read fpeclfically. P. 49. 1. ult. read Apoplexies. P. 50. 1. 16. dele and. P. 52. 1. 27. read occafionin*. P. 53. 1. ir. read paler.- P. 54. 1.17. read fpecl- fically. P. 57. I. 10. read heated. P. 96.1. 10. read Coccinel. Adverti Cement. THE Authors pleafant Veßoral Elixir, which has been fo effectual in Coughs, Difficulty of Breathing, Hoarfneifes, Chil- drens Chin-Coughs, &c. is fold by Mrs. IVag- horn, Bookfellcr, in 'Durham \ Mr. Bryfon, Book feller, in Newcajlle, Mr. JSicholls, Book- feller in Morpeth and at his own Houfe in Alnwicky at Two Shillings a Bottle.