l^^^i Spring Beer.—Take a handful of check- erberry (wintergreen), a few sassafras- roots cut up, a half a handful ef pine-buds while they are small and gummy, and a small handful of hops. Put all these into a pail of water over night, and in the morn- ing boil them two or three hours, filling up the kettle when it boils away. Strain it into a jar or firkin that will hold half a pailful more of water. Stir in a pint and a half of molasses, then add the half-pailful of water, and taste it. If not aweet enough, add more molasses. It loses the sweetness a little in the process of fermentation, and should therefore be made rather too sweet at first. Add two or three gills of good yeast, set it in a warm place, and let it re- main undisturbed till it is fermented. When the top is covered with a thick dark foam, take it off; have clean bottles and good corks ; pour oil the beer into another ves- sel, so gently as not to disturb the sedi- ment ; then bottle it, and set it in a cool place. It will be ready for use in two days. The sediment should be put into a bottle by itself, loosely corked, and kept to fer- ment the next brewing. t ft ■ *i » •ft t Surgeon General's 0ffic3 •d/ec.eon # ''in / •WJfMJiiii'ir .y- *• *' V k * * N ... V , \ ..#■*• THE TREASURE OF IKEkhTfl, OR A WONDERFUL COLLECTION OF THE MOST VALUABLE SECRETS IN MEDICINE, For the cure of all Diseases, Wounds, and other Accidents to- which the Human Body Is subject, with the Method of Preparing, and Instructions for Using, the necessary Remedies- ALSO, The best Preservatives .'.gainst the Plague, Pestilential Fevers, Small Pox, and other kinds of Contagious Diseases. Discovered, after much researcfTand experience, by the mos skilful physicians in Europe, and employed with- the greatest success, and unknown till the present time in the United States. W^V%/VVW Carefully collected by a Benevolent Society in Europe. Faithfully translated from the French and other foreign lan- guages, and published for the benefit of humanity BY LEWIS MERLIN.(____---t " PHILADELPHIA*. . /.;» f'lK%i TRINTED FOB THE SOCIETY , "l?'-fX 1819. tc* .*f,& District of Pennsylvania, to wit: ******* BE IT REMEMBERED, That, on the sixth day % £ of February, in the forty-third year of the Indepen- *SEAL# must not be looked upon as one of those productions whose only merit is to enrich their authors; but as a rare and precious collection of the most wonderful secrets in medicine, which have been discovered by those great men after the greatest re- searches, long labour, and much experience, and which have been collected from the four parts of the globe by a benevolent society, that has spared neither pains, care, nor expense, in order td obtain them, and to try them before their being adopted. That society has formed one and only collection of them, in order that in giving them to the public through the medium of the press, their benevolent design may be accomplished, by giving their aid towards the relief of suffering hu- manity. This valuable collection, which was for the first time printed in the kingdom of France, after having undcr- A2 VI PREFACE. gone an examination, and been approved of by Uf royal censors, and obtained the approbation and privi- lege of the sovereign, was received with so much ea- gerness by the public, that many editions of it have been exhausted in less than eleven months. The avi- dity with which it is asked for at this present day, is certainly a proof of the goodness and usefulness of its secrets and of the benefits resulting from them; so much the more, as in this selection, every thing is easy to put in practice, and the expense is trifling, which must be pleasing, and is what preserves most to them the value and reputation they have acquired to this present time; being certain that a secret of whatever nature it may be, is so much the more precious, when it appears simple within itself. In order to give a clear view of this work, we shall say that it contains, first, a collection of the most rare secrets in balsams, whose wonderful effects in the cures they have performed, have astonished the most skilful men of the profession. One, called the wizard, the virtues of which go beyond all expectacion. It cures within twenty-four hours, new sores, without the use of tent or lint; for, at the same time that the balsam is put into the sore, it consumes itself, the sore closes up, and the flesh grows again in its place. To be con- vinced of these surprising effects it will suffice to pre- pare this balsam faithfully in the manner that has been explained, without adding to, or deducting any thing from it. After the balsam, will be found a number of selected and approved receipts for cataplasms, whose virtues are wonderful, for the gout; to resolve all kinds of aposthumes and tumours; for swellings, recent inflam- mations and sprains; to cure sore breasts of women; to break open, also, other callosities or hard boils; it appeases the pain caused by great fluxions, such as those in the knees and other limbs, &c. We have likewise given a collection of secrets for. preparing several kinds of water, known to be sove- reign for the cure of many diseases, such as those of PREFACE. vi» the eyes* inflammations, spots of the small pox, fistula lachrymaas; they also cure ulcers in all parts of the body, particularly those on the legs; tetter, erysipelas or St. Anthony's fire, burns, contusions, when there is no inflammation; warm gout, cold humours, when they are open; chilblains, outward hemorrhoids; prevent the gangrene; afford a relief to persons afflicted with the scurvy; cure the scurf on the head and the king's evil; they are sovereign for the swoonings of the heart, pains in the stomach, for the stone and gravel, for the colic, &c. We shall pas? in silence, the great and famous re- ceipt of Mr. Le Prieur de Cabrieres, for the cure of ruptures. It is so well known by the cures it has per- formed and does perform every day, that it would be useless for us to expatiate on its surprising effects. The great number of receipts this work contains, against intermittent, tertian, double tertian, quartan, continued,' malignant, and other fevers, merit the at- tention of those who might be attacked with them; be- cause by making use of those remedies, they may be certain of receiving a quick- relief. A treatise for the composition of several kinds of oils, very useful in medicine, for the cure of many dis- eases, do not less clsim the attention of those whe are afflicted with sharp and severe pains about their shoul- ders, thighs, legs, and other limbs; they are sovereign for the cure of contusions and for malignant sores, all kinds of cuts, and bruises, for all kinds of wounds, tumours, See. As the virtues of each of these oils are given in the receipts, by means of the index at the end of this book, the receipt, applicable to the disease to be treated with it, will be found. This excellent work contains a collection of receipts for ointments, which have never appeared within the United States, and where the extraordinary virtues they possess are yet unknown. In order not to omit any thing that may be useful and desirable, we have Likewise given the manner of knowing the good cruali- viii PREFACE. ties of the drugs that enter their composition; their preparation has been strictly described, as also their properties and the manner of using them. Their effects are so surprising, that they cure in a short time the most desperate wounds, as also those caused by fire arms, Ecc. Next after the ointments, we have given the great- est and most certain preventives against the plague, pestilential fevers, purple, and spotted fevers, small pox, and against all contagious diseases; discovered af- ter long research and experienced by the most skilful physicians in Europe, and always employed with the happiest success. We have likewise carefully given their* preparation, the necessary doses and the manner of administering them; either as preventives against the contagion, or for those who might be attacked with it. The first preventive in that treatise, is intended for rich persons, on account of the high price of the drugs that are used for its composition, and the difficulty of procuring the other necessary ingredients. The second is given for persons in easy circum- stances, as not being so difficult to prepare, and not re- quiring a great expense. The third and last preventive is given for the poor; it is the preventive commonly used by those who are exposed to the contagion, in removing and burying the bodies of those persons infected with the plague or other contagious diseases. We must now draw the attention of our readers to a great number of secrets, not less interesting than those we have already spoken of in this preface, and which form a collection of valuable plasters, whose extraordinary virtues will not disappoint the expecta- tion of those who may compose them, to make use of them for the diseases for wheh they are given. Amongst those wonderful receipts, we have deemed it necessary to distinguish that already known within these United States, but more particularly in Philadel- phia, where it has effected so many extraordinary PREFACE. ix cures, which far exceeded the expectation of the most skilful physicians, under the name of Approved Ma- hy's Plaster Cloth. The original receipt, discovered in France, was first pubishtd in that kingdom and given to the public through the medium of the press, in the year 1713, for the relief of suffering humanity. The first person who brought that extraordinary re- ceipt into this country was named M. de Favras; who, having been obliged to leave his own country on ac- count of the revolution of France, and to look for an asylum within'the United States, landed at Philadel- phia about the year 1793 or 1794, where he changed his true family name for thaf of Mahy. Finding him- self in this city, redyced to an unhappy situation, he began to prepare the receipt he had brought with hirn from Fiance, to which plaster he gave the name he had himself adopted (Mahy's Plaster Cloth); and in order to make the public acquainted (»n such a man- ner as to leave no doubt) with its astonishing virtues, he undertook to "cure, gratis, several persons who had been afflicted, for a number of years, with inveterate ulcers. The great properties of this plaster, did crowu his good and charitable work, and the cures it had per- formed having become publicly known, he was soon assailed by a great number of patients, who wished to obtain the plaster in question. The great quantity he then sold of it, was such, that he could hardly supply the demands that were made to him, although he was employed from morning till night, in preparing it. It would be impossible to calculate the number of yards he sold in every part of this continent, and the profits he made out of it. In short, about the year 1802 or 1803, a change having taken place in the government of Fiance, Mr. Mahy, alias Favras, being on the point of returning to Europe, sold his receipt, calling him- self the sole proprietor of it, to several persons in this city, for a sum of about four hundred dollars. . Some time after his departure, a person by the name of Bouchony Lordonet arrived in Philadelphia, who being also in possession of the same receipt, advertised PREFACE. it in the newspapers of that city. Those who had pur- chased it from Mr. Mahy, alias Favras, disputed the validity of his advertisement; but the former replied. in answering them, that the plaster he advertised was a copy of the true receipt in possession of Mr. Mahy, that this latter bad made him a present of. Mr. Bouchony Lardonet continued to prepare and sell the plaster by himself, and through the agency of T. W. Dyott, and other persons. On his departure also for France, he sold the receipt to the said Dr. Dyott, for a sum, as it is said, of four hun'dred dollars, al- though he had asked other persons eight hundred dol- lars for it. « Wc request the indulgence of our readers for the length we have given to these details. We have deem- ed it necessary, in order to let them know the origin of Mahy's plaster cloth in the United States. It now re- mains for us to say, that the original receipt published in France, as has been said above, has two different preparations; the^first is prepared as an ointment, and tiic second as a plaster, as will be found in this work; the one under its title and true name of Divine Oint- ment, and the other under the same name of Divine Plaster Cloth, and never has this last taken the name in Fiance of Mahy's plaster cloth. Between thesv: two preparations mentioned above, there is a difference only in the weight of the drugs, the kinds,, being the same, except that bees wax has been added to the second preparation, whose only vir- tue is to give a certain consistency to the cloth that forms the plaster; and which becomes useless in the composition of the ointment, which is kept in pots. In short, the divine plaster cloth, or as called in Ame- rica, Mahy's plaster cloth, put into use in France a great number of years since, was taken out of the original receipt, and calculated solely for the conveniency of people residing in the country, travellers, seafaring men and soldiers, it being already prepared for use in cases of the most urging circumstances: whereas to make use of the ointment, linen must alwayi be a: PREFACE. ::f hand, and very often people when on a journey may happen to ! -. in situations very difficult to procure it. This most valuable work, is likewise enriched with the receipt for the preparation of the renowned sirup of long life, or the great preserver of health. This sirup, on account of its extraordinary virtues, attracted the attention of a great number of physicians and other persons, who, through a desire of gain, have tried all means to counterfeit it; and although that receipt is composed of only five different ingredients, and very easy to prepare, they never could succeed in prepar- ing it. This preserver of health was given by an old gen- tleman of one hundred and thirty-two years of age, who began to make use of it at the age of sixty. He had lived to this advanced age without having experi- enced the least indisposi'ion. The physician who ob- tained this receipt from that gentleman, tried it on his own person, and gave it to many others, who experi- enced its beneficial effects. Having attained the age of eighty-four years, he thought himself obliged no longer to keep concealed a remedy so sovereign and so useful to humanity. In order to shorten as much as possible the task we had at first contemplated for this preface, we have deemed it proper to pass over many subjects likewise of the greatest importance to mankind; We will only add, that the receipts for the cure of the diseases of women, are given towards the latter part of this collec- tion: however, the index we have carefully put into ialphabetical order at the end of this work, will at once show the page where the subject looked for is to be found. We will conclude by recommending this rare and precious work to the heads of families, to be kept as a valuable treasure, and particularly to farmers, and those who reside in the country, who, owing to their situation, are often deprived of medical assistance in cases of the most urging necessity. It is, likewise, of the greatest utility to physicians, surgeons, apotheca- xii PREFACE. ries, ministers and pastors of congregations, who arc by their profession obliged to visit the sirk; it is also strongly recommended to captains and masters of ves- sels, seafaring men, and other travellers who frequent hot climates, where pestilential fevers very often pre- vail, and are always dangerous to strangers; in fine, to all those persons who wish to preserve their own health. This work is intended entirely for the benefit of all mankind; no pecuniary speculation is the object of its publication. The benevolent society that {lives it to the public, animated with a desire to relieve suffering humanity, and wishing as much as possible to attain the end of its laudable purpose, has directed that the pro- fits which may arise out of this publication, shall be employed in printing a particular ediliqn of a suffi- cient number of copies, to be sent and distributed, gra- tis, to poor families residing in the new settlements within the United States of America, who, owing to their local situations, are deprived of all medical as- sistance. ADVERTISMENT. It has been impossible to follow the plan that was at first contemplated in this work; which was, to give the matters the alphabetical order, which had been our wish it should have had; because the translation of a part of the receipts having come to hand very late and at divers periods, we were obliged, in order to accele- rate the printing of the work as much as possible, to place them in the manuscript whioh was in the hand of the printer, in rotation as they were received. The alphabetical table of the matters, that has been given at the end of the work, will at once present, without any difficulty, the subject the reader may wish to find. THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. OF APOPLEXY. IN this disease, a sudden suspension of all the motions that depend on the will and actions of the inward and outward senses takes place, without the lungs, or the circulation of the blood, being interrupted; breathing, and the pulsation of the arteries being as in a natural state, and often even stronger: whence it may be con- cluded that the nerves which take their origin in the brain, are the only ones affected; the functions of those that proceed from the hinder part of the brain not undergoing any alteration in the beginning. This is what gives to this disease the resemblance of a profound sleep, which is, however, followed with a noise proceeding from the breast, to which physicians give the name of snoring. The symptoms which forerun this disease, are head- aches, dizziness, a slowness in the speech, and a cold- ness in the extremities. These symptoms, however, do not allways manifest themselves, for the patient is commonly struck with such violence, that he has nei- ther time to foresee, nor to prevent an attack of apo- plexy. One may look upon, as the courses of this disease, all that can stop or diminish the course of the animal spi- A 14 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, M rits in the organs of the senses, and of the motions de- -M pending on the will, such as a thickening of the blood, an o the lymph, considerable enough to obstruct the circulation in the vessels of the brain; an overflowing of some matters, which by compressing the arteries, nervous and lymphatic vessels, stop the circulations of a fluid that they contain; in short, all that can oppose the return of the blood from the vessels of the brain towards the heart. ' We shall now proceed to give the . most approved remedies for the cure of so violent a disease; which through their efficacy, have always lead to a happy success. The report of Mr. Lesage, before the national insti- tute of Paris, on the efficacy of flour volatile alkaly, being of the greatest importance for the cure of that % severe and dreadful disease, we deem it a duty incum- bent on us to insert it in this collection; as also the manner of administering that remedy. Several attacks of Afiofilexy cured. Mr. Lesage expresses himself as follows: " For at least forty years," says he « I have had opportunities of witnessing the efficacy of volatile alkaly, taken in- ternally, as an immediate remedy for the apoplexy, if employed on the first appearance of the disease." One of the keepers of my cabinet, aged seventy-two years, •robust, though thin, and very sedate, was seized with an apoplexy, and fell down d( pi ived of sense. When raised up, he had the rattles in Ids throat, his eyes were closed, his face pallid, and his teeth fixed together. I OK WOMJER>t'L SI.CkRTS IN MEDICINE. IS drew out his lips so as to answer the purpose of a spout into which was poured a spoonful of water, containing twenty-five or thirty drops of flour valatile, alkaiy; at the same time two slips of paper, the edges of which were wet with the volatile alkaly, were introduced into his nostrils. The teeth were speedily separated and the eyes opened. A second dose of the alkaly was in- stantly poured down his throat, the rattles ceased, speech and recollection returned, and in the course of an hour the patient recovered sufficiently to proceed, with- out assistance, three hundred paces to his own cham. ber; in another hour he got up and asked for s omething to eat, and has since experienced no return of the disor- der." He reports another case in the person of one of his friends, who was a great eater, and was struck with the apoplexy while at table. The volatile alkaly ex- cited a vomiting, and after that had abated the patients took twenty drops of volatile alkaly in half a glass of wine; his senses returned, and in two hours ho was walk- ing in his garden. Several others of the most efficacious remedies for the same disease. The tincture of nicotianne drawn with rectified French brandy, and the weight of three drachms mix- ed with rosat honey, may be given to the patient, which instantly causes a great quantity of mucos to come out of the head, and afford a considerable relief, particu- larly if the remedy is repeatci two or three times, One can also give the extract of balm mint, and thistle, from one scruple to one drachm ; or the water of the same plant, fr< m two to six ounces. Likewise real queen Hungary water, from one to two 16 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, drachms; or spirits of wine, from one to three drachms, do not less relieve the patient. Likewise emetic wine, from half an ounce to three ounces. Or of soluble tartar emetic, from four to twenty grains. Or rectified oil of lignum vitae, from two to six drops; or the clear oil of Karabe, from one to four drops; as likewise the tincture of the salt of tartar given to the patient from ten to thirty drops; or of the volatile salt of tartar, from six to fifteen grains, will also have a wonderful effect. Another tried receipt for the same. Dissolve a large handful of common salt in a glass of vinegar, when it is melted strain it through a cloth in order to take off the sediments; give this vinegar to the patient to drink in one or two doses, who will not fail soon after to vomit and to come a little to himself. Some time after his vomiting, he must be bled and some purgative injections be given to him, and you must disturb him in such a manner as to keep him from falling asleep, until he finds himself so weak as to produce a fever; and you must begin again to disturb him as soon as the fever abates, so that he may have a fever at least twenty-four hours without sleeping; after which time he may be suffered to sleep. Water against d/io/ilexy, whenever a Jierson is struck with it. Take a pint of white wine, half a pint of spirit of 0"R WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. V wine, with three handfuls of balm mint picked and chop- ped, one ounce of dry Jemon peel, chopped and pound- ed, one ounce of nutmegs, the same quantity of cori- ander, half an ounce of cloves, and the same of cinna- mon; break them all separately, and infuse t.iem in the wine and spirit of wine altogether during twenty-four hours; afterwards distill them in a refrigeratory; and tieep that water well corked, to be given to a person whenever fallen into apoplexy, the quantity of one, two or three spoonfuls, according to the violence of the complaint. A Preventive agamst Afolihxy, whenever the simfi- toms afifiear. Fill a fine linen cloth, and the thinest you can get, with common salt, put it round vour neck every even-' !ng before you go to bed, and continue to do so until the symptoms disappear. Receipt for the cure of the Jstma. 1st. Take of powdered hipps, ten grains; prepared calomel, twenty grains; dried squills, sixteen grains; soap, sixteen grains; syrup of any kind as much as will give the above articles a proper consistency; then di- vide the mass into twenty four pills, take one every. night. 2d Take of powdered columbo,two drachms, pow- dered cinger, two drachms; cammomile Bowers, jeme ounce;5 poV boiling water on the above mgredients, one pint and a half in quantity; take two ounces or four table spoonfuls of the cold infusion in the morning and at said- day. 13 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, This remedy is from a celebrated physician in Ireland. Having effectually cured himself, he has since recom- mended it to others, who have experienced great relief from it; and it is now published for the benefit of those suffering under that distressing malady. Several well tried Balsams. A sovereign balsam, that can be cut, for all kinds of wounds occasioned by a sword, knife, ax, and other iron instruments or tools. Preparation, Take, during the month of May, a handful of betho- ny, a handful of vervain, a handful of sweet marjoram, a handful of flamis, a handful of rosemary, a handful of white daisy, a handful of bugle, one ditto of valerian, one ditto of sanicle, one ditto of velvote or veronic. These must be well pounded together, and extract the juice by passing it through a linen cloth: when that is done, take half a pound of new yellow bees wax, two ounces of rosin, one ounce of mastlch, two ounces of honey, one pound of hemp-seed oil, and half a pound of white rosin; then cook the whole together, stirring it well, until the juice that has been put in is entirely consumed; "afterwards, put it into a plate or earthen bowl, in order to make it into balls. Manner of using the above Balsam. You must apply it as hot as possible, after melting the balsam in order to dip linen into it; and if the wound is very dangerous, you must likewise apply over this balsam, a plaster of the gratia dei ointment or salve, the manner of preparing which will be found hereafter, OB WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 19 and in that case, the wound must be dressed three times a day. Receipt for a Balsam to cure all kinds of Sores. Take some flowers and leaves of hypericum or St. John wort, of thistles, of valerian, of sage, and of the •wo sorts of aristolochy round and long, about the same quantity of each; add to it a sufficient quantity of oil of turpentine or oil of roses, and boil the whole on a slow fire during one hour, afterwards, strain and press your balsam, and put it into a glass or earthen vessel and use the same when required. Receipt for a Balsam, to ease from all Pains. You must take nettles and plantain leaves, of mer- cury (a kind of herb) and of the large daisy, of each three handfuls, with ten pounds of oil of acorn, and two quarts of the best white wine; put the whole together into a glass vessel, after having well pounded the herbs in a mortar, and having covered the vessel, put it to infuse on some hot ashes during twenty-four hours, and then cook it on a slow fire, until the wine is almost consumed; then strain and press well your balsam, and keep it as above to make use of in liniment for alf kinds of pains. Balsam for all kinds of Pains, that must be prepared during the months of May and June. Take laurel leaves, worm-wood sprouts, marigold and mug-wort, flowers and leaves, of each two hand- fuls, cut them all very fine, sprouts of fine sage and of *V THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, rosemary flowers and leaves, of each three handfuls, and eight handfuls of juniper berries; put the whole in a glazed enrthen pot, and after having poured over it a quantity of sweet oil so as to cover the whole about an inch, cause it to infuse amongst sqme very hot horse dung, during several days, then you will cook it over a very ,slow fire, and after it is done, you must add to it two ounces of oil of spike, and two ounces of petrol oil, a small quantity of new yellow bees wax, a small glat^sof brandy, and one dozen of cloves; stir well the whole, and let it take a little boiling over the fire, and then strain it through a strong linen, pressing the ground well, and keep it for use in an earthen pot. Treatment. Whenever you want to make use of this balsam, warm it a little before applying it to the painful partsj after having previously bathed them with some white wine or water a little more than luke warm, in order that it may the better penetrate, and when dry, apply the balsam, by dipping a feather into it and anointing with it the affected parts, put over it a piece of linen rag and a bandage, the same treatment must be repea- led twice a day until a cure is performed. Property of this Balsam. Its virtue is to heat and strengthen, reduce and dissipate; for that reason it is good for all cold uxions particularly for the gout and rheumatism, whenever there is a swelling and settlings of humours; it is also good for coldness and debilities of the stomach, in anointing the afflicted parts; as also against cold «u4., ' OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 21 a windy colics, and cutting pains amongst children, and women lately delivered, by anointing with it the lower part of the stomach, and applying it hot with cotton on the naval; in short it is good for all com- plaints that require a soft or moderate heat, and reso- lution; as it has always been experienced with success. Be careful of well corking the glass or earthen vessel after having made use of it, Red Balsam. Take six ounces of turpentine oil, three ounces of petrol oil, one ounce of orchanet, put them into a strong bottle on a tyle or brick before a fire of coals; make it boil one hour. When it begins to boil, re- move it at a little distance, but so that it may still con- tinue to boil; and after one hour's boiling, take it off the fire, and your balsam will be done. Its property and the manner of using it. This balsam is proper for all kinds of complaints when there is a swelling and fluxion, and even for sores, provided it does not get into them. It has been strongly recommended in cases of sciatic gouts and others, for rheumatic pains, cancers, cold humours, tumous, and swellings, by rubbing the afflicted parts with it, With a feather, two or three times a day. It is also good for the stone or gravel, by taking three or four drops of it with a little white wine, in the morning, fasting. It is used with success for a debility of the stomach; three drops of it are to be taken with some white wine or with broth. Another Red Balsam. It is composed of the same drugs as the former THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, but much stronger, on account of one ounce of black aloes, and half an ounce of myrih, that are added to it, afier having cut it in small pieces. The prepa- ration is the same, hut the bottle must be very strong, and you must mind not to stop or cork it when it boils, lest it should hurst. Its Virtues. This balsam is intended for great pains, such as swelling of knees, prickings whenever there is no ap- pearance of sores, bruises of nerves, wens, particularly those just coming. The former red balsam is for pains of less violence, it being milder, it is used for swellings and wens that come about the neck, and other delicate parts, unless the complaint be dangerous. The Great Green renowned Balsam, after thirty years of experiments, for the most inveterate complaints. RECEIPT. Sweet oil, four ounces; flax seed oil, four ounces; white vitriol, three gros; laurel oil, two ounces; radish oil, half an ounce; verdigris, three parts of an ounce; turpentine of Venice, four ounces; essence of juniper berries, four ounces; essence of cloves, two gros. Preparation. This balsam is difficult enough to make, because it is apt to burn, unless you be careful to put it over a moderate fire, and stir up the drugs with a large wooden spatula as long as they are on the fire. Put at first the sweet oil into a pan or kettle, (such as is used for doing sweetmeats) and likewise the flax seed oil, and keep it doing over a moderate fire, a long time. OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IX MEDICINE. 25 enough, continually stirring them in order to keep them from burning. When they begin to simmer, pour little by little into it, the white vitriol, which is in pow- der very subtil, stir it up for some time with the spatula, and when it is well dissolved and well mixed, add to it the laurel oil; this you cook during about half a quarter of an hou-**» continuing to stir it, and afterwards all the radish oil, which is done in about the same way as the laurel oil, except a little shorter time. Whenever these oils are done enough, and mixed with the other ingredients, pour into it, little by little, the verdigris, which must be in very fine powder, constantly stirring it with the spatula; at the end of about a quarter of an hour, add to it the turpentine of Venice, taking the pan offthe fire, and the oil being cooled a little, put it again over the fire, and let it cook about half a quarter of an hour, always stirqng up the drugs. In short, you then take the pan off the fire, into which you pour slowly the essence of cloves and juniper berries, and stir up the whole of the drugs; after it has cooled.it can be put into a glass bottle without danger of break- ing it, and must be well stopped. Ointment, to be applied after having previously rubbed the sores with this Balsam. RECEIPT. Take of galbanum, one ounce; opponax, one ounce; ammoniac, two ounces; good distilled white vinegar, three gills; sweet oil, two pounds; silver litharge one pound and a half; white bees wax, half a pound; bedelium, two ouncs; > libanum, one ounce; round aristolochy, one ounce; long aristolochy, one ounce; 24 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, myrrh, one ounce; prepared tully one ounce; laurel oil, one ounce; turpentine of Venice, four ounces; essence of juniper berries, one ounce; essence of cloves, one gros or the eighth of an ounce. All these drugs may be found at the apothecary's shop. This oint- ment is still more difficult to make than the balsam, unless you pay a very great attention when you make it. Its preparations. You must have a glazed pot into which you put a pint of distilled white wine vinegar of the strongest that can be had, together with the three gums, to wit, galbanum, opoponax, and ammoniac, powdered in the best manner; let these gums dissolve in the said vine- gar during three or four days, and stir it with a wooden spatula several times a day: at the end of that time, put the pot on a moderate fire, continually stirring it with the spatula; and as soon as the vinegar is about one half evaporated, strain the gums through a strong cloth, but loose, such as is made use of in the packmd of .dry goods; in order not to lose any thing that might be left in the pot, put into it half a pint of white wine vinegar of the same quality as the first, and put even the cloth through which you have strained these gums, and all that did not pass through, put it over the fire again, and as soon as the whole1 is well mixed and melted with the vinegar, pass it through the cloth, and put it with what has already been strained; after- wards, wash the pot, and put in it these gums, and place it over the fire to cause it to evaporate slowly all the vinegar, continually stirring it. A mark by which you may know that there remains in it no more vine- OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 25 gar, is by letting a drop of it fall in a plate, it does not stick to the finger when it is cold. At the time that you perform this last operation, you pour the sweet oil into a large preserving pan or ket- tle, and put it over a moderate fire, supported on its feet: at the same time pour slowly into it, little by little, the silver litharge, after having been sifted, always stirring it with the spatula, it is the union and incorpo- rating of that oil'with the litharge, that is the longest and the most difficult to perform, for they must be let cook very slowly, continually stirring them, during one hour and a half or two hours, encreasing the fire by degrees, until you find with the touching of the spatula, that after a long boiling and stirring they form but one body. Take care to observe toward the last, to stir them a little slower, in order to give them time to get well incorporated. When they are of a brown colour, which is that they ought to have, and that on letting a drop of it fall on a plate, it does stick to it, take the pan off the fire, and throw into it, little by lit- tle, the bees wax broken into small pieces, always stir- ring it; afterwards put it again over the fire, as soon as the bees wax is well incorporated, the pan must be drawn off the fire again, in order to add to it the gums that have dissolved in the vinegar, stirring it as before; then put the pan on the fire, in order to mix and well- incorporate those gums, stirring them well; then the be- delium that has been passed through a sieve, is added to it, and afterwards having mixed on a sheet of paper, 'he olibanum, the two aristolochy, myrrh and lully, that are all in powder subtile, pour them slowly into the pan, always stirring. A short time after you add to it the laurel oil, and let the whole cook until you find that B 26 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, in letting a drop of it fall on a plate, and being co( led, you can easily take it off without sticking to your fin- ger; then, add to it the turpentine of Venice, the pan being removed from the fire; and you let it get done, always stirring, until you perceive that a drop of it can easily be raised off from a plate without sticking to your finger. It is then time to take the pan from the fire, into which you pour the two essences of juniper berries and cloves, and continually stirring the whole with the spatula until the ointment be thick enough to be wrought in your hands, and easily made into rolls. You must then have a clean table, and large, upon which you throw some water, and you work and roll the ointment, beginning with the edge of the pan, be- cause it dries more easily. Virtue of the Green Balsam, and manner of using it, as well as the Ointment. This balsam and ointment, famous for all kinds of sores and wounds,is that renowned balsam, with which the celebrated Madam Leedran performed so many wonderful cures. The first time that this balsam is ap-~ plied to a sore, either new or old, you must wash it with some warm wine or water, and heat a little of the green balsam in a spoon; a little of it is afterwards put into the sore slowly with a feather, and little by little, you also rub with it the out side of the sore, and put a plaster of the ointment over it, without lint, tent or bandage, the sore must be dressed every twenty four hours, rubbing it every time with a little warm balsam, and applying again the plaster, which can be used more than once. You must feed the patient well, un- less he has a fever; for as this balsam and ointment are ___ OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 27 of a drawing nature, it is known by experience that the patient gets cured easily, and with more certainty, by living on good meats with sobriety, and drinking wine mixed with water. Willi this ointment, neither inci- sion, tent nor lint are necessary, and generally neither bleeding nor purging. This remedy draws the splinters of broken bones, balls, bits of iron and all foreign bo- dies that may be in sores; it prevents a mortification in the sore, and easily cures it, whenever it has taken place, and it never permits a sore to shut up, until it is healed. It is not necessary to be a doctor or .a surgeon to be j^. able to apply this remedy; any person can do it by fol- lowing the method that has been directed, without omit- ting or altering any thing. Should a man have received a musket shot through i.. his body, it would be better in that case to syringe the wound' with the said balsam., and toput a plaster of the . ointment on the openin >•, afterwards apply a linen over the sore, and bitidit up. When the wound is conside- > rabje, the patient must immediately be bleed, and once only; at the same time give him two or three glass fulls of oxkratc.td drink. Although this be an infallible remedy for all kinds cf w.ounds, it is principally for those of the head; it draws out the splinters, so that there is no need of tre- p.. v..i:ig, unless by a series of accidents'an abscess has been formed in the head; in this cise, after trepan- ning, dress the wound with this remedy. Tnis remedy is also good for all w >unds of horses and other animals. If a horge is wounded with a nail, it must be drawn out, and put som,:: balsam into the sore and the horse will be cured. If there is matter. 28 THE TREASURE OF HKALTHj you must add to it a plaster of the ointment, which you will apply with pitch, that it may hold fast to the sore, and dress the wound only once in twenty four hours. Excellent Balsam, for the cure of all Cold Gouts and Catarrhs. RECEIPT. Take one pound of clarified turpentine,three pounds of sweet oil, eight ounces of white bees wax, eight ounces of laurel oil, one ounce of oil of spike, two oun- ces of juniper berries oil, two ounces of spikenard oil, one ounce of petroleum oil, one ounce of hypericum oil, four ounces of dry storax in powder, one ounce of franc incense and olibanum in larme,one ounce of fine myrrh, these last three in powder, eight ounces of red sandal-wood, two ounces of French brandy; and if the oil of spikenard cannot be had, put instead of it one ounce more of petroleum oil, and one ounce more of the oil of spike; if the oil of juniper cannot be had, lake in stead of it four ounces of juniper berries, pound them, and boil them with four ounces of sweet oil, and when it is done, strain it through a cloth, and make use cf the oil so strained, instead of the juniper oil. Composition. You must wash the turpentine with white wine, then throw the wine away, and put the turpentine over the fire with the sweet oil, bees wax, storax and myrrh, set the whole in a new pot over a fire of coals, always stirring, and as soon as it has began to boil, take the pot from the fire, at the same lime put in the oil and in- cense, and again put it over the fire. After it has boiled about half a quarter of an hour, always stirring, take it OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 29 off the fire, and at the same time put in the French brandy; and immediately after put it into another new pot of the same size as the former; during this time, throw into it the powdered red sandal-wood, whiGn ap- peases the violence of the French brandy; for to nruke this balsam there must be two parsons, aid as one pours the balsam into the other new pot, the other per- son puts in it the red sandal, always stirring; and af- ter it is off the fire, it must be stirred during half an hour, until it is nearly cold, each pot must contain four quarts. The older the balsam is, the better it is. Virtue of the Balsam. For pains in the head, arising from coldness,, rub the afflict d part with the said balsam warm. For deafness, you must melt some of the said bal- sam on a bit of cotton wool, apply it warm into the ear. For the stone and gravel, take half an ounce of it with some warm broth: then rub the reins, sides, privi member and navel with it very hot. For cold fevers, it must be drank during the height of the fever, half an ounce with some warm broth. For distorted and drawn up limbs, they must be rub- bed with the said balsam, and the patient must be wrap- ped up with a warm cloth. For all kinds of complaints proceeding from cold- ness, in whatever part of the body they may be. It takes away all obstructions, and all hardness of the spleen, in anointing with it, an. livery warm, the sick parts, and abstaining from heavy meats which are hard to digest. For the cholic, drink half an ounce of it, with warm broth, and rub well the sick parts with a hot napkin B2 ' 30 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, For the catarrh, you must rub well with it, and very warm, the parts afflicted. For the difficulties to urine, and for those who have a pain in the bladder, their sides and navel must be rubbed with it very warm; it will dissipate all kinds of winds, and will open the urinal passage of the bladder. For the palsy, the patient must be rubbed with it very warm, during ten or twelve days, morning and evening. For all kinds of bruises, wounds, cuts, or heavy blows, rub the part with it very warm, and cover it. For burns proceeding from fire, hot water or iron, by applying on the sore a piece of paper dipt into the said balsam, very warm. For cold gouts, rub yourself with the said balsam warm. For all kinds of cold pains, rub the patient with it during half a quarter of an hour, with a very warm napkin. In short, this balsam is of such warm and penetrat- ing a nature, and therefore evacuant and opening, that it is good for all pains, arising from coldness; for it con- sumes all bad humours, takes away all swellings, sof- tens all hardness, by observing to make use of it as above dictated, provided the bones are not broken. A BALSAM, Experiments of which have been made for all kinds of Wounds, taken out of the Cabinet of Monsieur the Cardinal of Richelieu. RECEIPT. Take two ounces of the wild pomegranate of the Le- vant, one ounce of dry pomegranate bark, six gros of OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 51 Btorax, two cypress nut stones, the weight of five gros, of orchaneite, one handful of salt; put the w ho in small bits, into a new pot well glazed, and one quart of the strongest rich red wine, and the same quantity of sweet oil; boil the whole over a moderate fire of coals, until it be reduced to about one half. In order to know whether the balsam is done, you must pour a drop of it on a coal, if it blaze without any noise, it is done, if it blaze with a noise, you must boil it again, and stir it with a wooden spatula. When it is done, take it off of the fire, and leave it about half a quarter of an hour in the pot, well covered, then you strain it through a cloth, and put it into a glass phial. It will keep ten years. Its Virtues. It cures the sprains of nerves and wounds in the joints by rubbing them with the said balsam warm, and wrapping them up with tow over them. In cases of sores that are deep, some of the said balsam must be intro- duced into them by means of a syringe, and cover them with a cabbage leaf, and a white linnen cloth dipped into the said balsam over it. Infallible Green Vulnerary Balsam,the effects of which are surprising. RECEIPT. Put into a copper kettle upon a moderate fire, four ounces of sweet oil, and the same quantity of flaxseed oil; let them dissolve during half an hour; afterwards pour into it little by little, two drachms of succotrirt aloes well powdered, and stir up the ingredients with a ■wooden spatula; during half an hour; then pour into it 32 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, four ounces of turpentine of Venice, and continue stir- ring: half an hour aftcrwaub; put two ounces of laurel oil, with one ounce of raddish seed oil, and a little time after, pour hr.o it four ounces of essence of juniper with three drachms oi well pulverised Roman vitriol, which you let fall little by little, in beating with your finger on the paper horn that contains the Roman vit - riol,after having cut the pointof.it witha pair of scissors; continue to stir about a quarter of an hour, mix. after- wards \wo drachms of essence of cloves, with the same quantity of wtll powdered verdegris; take immedi- ately after your pan off of the fire; then continue stirring the drugs during a good quarter of an hour, alter which you 'will strain the composition into a white clean, linnen cloth, and keep it in a glass vessel well stopped. This balsam has never failed to cure, when it is made and used according to the direction. Virtue and Manner of using this Balsam. The effects of this balsam aro so astonisiiing, that those who have made use of it for the cure of all ex- traordinary and desperate sores, have kept it concealed as one of the rarest secrets, and one of the most excel- lent remedies that can be made use of in surgery; but a humane Society having purchased it in order to make it public, it is given as a sure remedy to cure in a very short time, and as it were by miracle all kinds of sores caused by iron, or fire-arms, for preventing all the symptoms that generally follow those diseases. It modifies, it helps the flesh to grow agii.i, and lead to a cicatrice in almost at the same time. It withstands the venom and heals all kinds of bites of venomous OR WONDERFUL SEORETS IN MEDICINE. 3J animals; so that it may be said that its virtue is univer- sal, if it is made use off as follows. The sore mu^t at first b- washed with luke warm white wine or water, (wine is the best for the wounds) you must serabe, and wash well in the same manner as above for the bite of venomous animals, you must ap- ply to it, lint well imbibed with the same balsam, and over it a plaster of an ointment, the composition where- of is as follows: that if the wound be deep and sinu- ous, or that a musket ball or any other foreign bodies should remain in it, you must introduce some of the balsam to the bottom of said wound by the means of a Email syringe. All heterogeneous matter will come out in a very short time, and the rest of the cure will be accomplished afterwards. Stiptic Plaster, used with the Green Vulnerary Balsam- RECEIPT- Put to dissolve with the distilled wine vinegar, oppo- nax, galbanum, and olibanum, of each one ounce with two ounces of bdelium and the same weight of gum ammoniac; then dissolve and cook the whole over a slow fire, in a copper pan, until the almost entire deA composition of its aquasity put into another pan over a moderate fire, one pound of sweet oil with the same quantity of that of flax-seed oil; which after having lor some time dissolved you will mix with them half pound of gold litharge and the same quantity of sil- ver litharge powder, always stirring the whole with a wooden spatula during a good half hour: afterwards put one ounce of Alexandria tully, well pulverized, and the same quantity of myrrh, but one after the other; Borne little time after put one pound cf yellow wax? 34 1HE TREASURE OF HEALTH, with the other drugs by a continual stirring; after which, you must take the pan off the fire, and pla- cing it on some wood, or board, let the heat be aba- ted a little, then pour into it the gums that you have cooked in the first pan, little by little, in stirnng up the whole in a quick mannner, until it be perfectly mixed, then having put it again on a small fire, pour into it two drachms of laurel oil, the same quantity of that of juniper and cloves oil, and continue, stirring them until a perfect coction, that may be known, if, when pouring a few drops of the ointment in a little cold water, they take the consistency of soft wax. BALSAM OF ST. JOHN'S-WORT, That is likewise called Balsam of Paracelse, proved. excellent for all kinds of wounds and sores. Take flowers of St. John's-woit, that are y. How, and pick them well, so that there remains the flowers only, then put into a new pot, large or small according to the quantity of balsam that you wish to make; the pot must be full, and packed of the s»:d flowers. And ? afterwards, put into it as much sweet oil as it will con- tain, and cover it with a wooden lid, with a cloth ■'< between both, in order to stop the pot very close. A You wf 11 keep it in a place where the sun shoots per- \ pendiculaily on it, and k-.ep it there eight days without touching it; at the end of that time, put it over a mod- erate fire, or hot rshes ui.tii it boiis, then strain it through a linnen cloth loose enough, in some vessel suitable for the purpose, afterwards, put as much of new flowers of St. John's-wort as the oil that is in the pot, will iiave capacity to receive, after having thrown away the first ones that you have already strained. The OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 3 5 whole of this last operation, without putting any more oil, and continue to do so during three limes: after- , wards, you will strain your oil through a linen cloth; and extract as much as possible in strongly pressing the flowers, and after put the balsam into a glass bottle well stopped, it will always be good as long as it lasts. Manner of using it. For using it, you must heat it, and put it on as hot as it can be borne, if the sore be recent and light, the oil must be applied with a feather,then take some cotton wool, and having dipt it into the oil, apply it to the sore, and put some linen over it. The sore must fc be dressed twice a day, and above all, keep it very f1 clean. Should the sor.e be deep, put a lent of lint im- bibed with the said oil into it and to clean it, you must wash it with luke warm wine and water. Should there be an inflammation in the sore, dip a linen in oxycrat, and apply it to the sore. This balsam is proper to cure all kinds of recent sores and wounds, the sooner it is applied the quicker, it will effect a cure. The proper season to make this balsam, is that when the flowers are in bloom, that is in the month of June. A WONDERFUL AND UNPARALLELED BALSAM. The author of which performed so many admirable cures, that he was surnamed the Wizard. RECEIPT. Take a very fat dogi of a middling size; give it a very heavy blow wi th" a hammer on its head, and im- 3d THE TREASURE OF HEAL'l U, mediately after throw it into a kettle of hot boiling water, in which y<,u will put some nettle, elder, and marsh mallow, as much of one as cf the other, and the quanti.y as you think proper, according to that of the water and the size of the dog. Keep the water boiling continually until the dog is cookt d; filling up the pot always with water, as often as it will evaporate, « in order that there be enough of it to cook the clog well. That being done, add to it five quarts of white or claret wine, five or six pounds of ground worms; cook the whole one hour longer, and take the liquor from the fire, strain it right hot through a strong cloth, and press the flesh of the dog together with all the herbs in* an apothecary or in any other press. When the whole has been well pressed, then put all the liquor into the same kettle over the fire, and in that liquor, you must put one pound of new wax, three pounds of oxen fat, three pounds of male hog lard, ', three pounds of sweet oil, one pound of oil of roses, one pound of St. John's-wort cil, one pound of cammo- •< mile oil, one pound of scorpion oil, if you can find any. Boil the whole again over a small fire, tmtil the wax and fat be well melted. Afterwards, take the ' j kettle off of the fire, and let it settle till the next day, and with a skimmer you will take up the balsam that f will be congealed on the water like grease, which you will separate from all watery parts—through the skimmer. Throw away the water, for it is good for .' nothing and useless; but save the balsam. j Virtue, and manner of making use of this Balsam. It heals all recent sores within twenty-four hours, and here is the way to make use of it. In case of cuts I OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 37 or sores that can be joined, the balsam must be put within them, with some instrument proper for this pur- pose; then apply a plaster of the said balsam without side, but you must never put any lint in the sore, for the balsam consume* itself, at the same time the sore closes, and the flesh grows in its place. The same balsam is excellent for contusions, recent fractions, burns, palsy, cold gouts, drawing up nerves, , dried up limbs, for want of nourishment, by rubbing the patient with it morning and evening, until a cure takes place. It is also good for the cholic, by rubbing the belly of the patient with it, and putting two ounces of the bal- sam in a glister. It is also good for the womb and in complaints of women; for the tooth ache, the temples must be rub- bed with it. Take notice that easily to get the worms out of the ground, that are spoken of in the receipt for the composition of this balsam, you have nothing to do but to get some walnut leaves or hemp, boil them in water, and throw afterwards this water on the richest ground you can find, as it being more fertile and fuller of those worms; all those that may be in that said space of ground, will come out where the water has been thrown. The receipt of this balsam was sold for four hun- dred French livers. Virtue of Betony, useful for persons whose blood is moist and subject to fluxions. You must have betony half dry, and take of it on ri- C JO THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, sing in the morning, a piece of the size of your thumb and keep it in your mouth until you are going to eat,1 and even till noon; and have likewise some of it in pow- der, to use like snuff. The former will cause to spit, and the latter will make you sneeze and blow your nose; both will dissolve the phlegms. If it be a person who is extraordinarily subject to fluxions, that person may take of both from four o'clock in the afternoon, until supper time. One may also use of, as a purgative, the spirits of betony and aloes. As for the quantity and dose to be taken, there is no apothecary but who knows it. One pill of it may be taken to prepare ones self for: the purgation on the next day. The first, that is the preparation, must be taken half after six o'clock in the evening, supposing that a light supper is taken at seven, ancfbn the next day at the same hour, you take two others to purge entirely; they must be taken, with water in a spoon. Instead of a glister, one pill may be taken in the evening. The same physician advises those persons who stand in need of making use of betony, to take every morn- ing at about nine o'clock, if they rise at six, about two fingers of cherry bounce, or some excellent French brandy; to make this cherry bounce good, take two pints of the French brandy, put it into a large glass bottle, with as many cherries and raspberries as you please, three quarters qfa pound of sugar, and a few cloves. 1 OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 39 Receipt of Cataplasms, being proved for the cure of several diseases. A wonderful Cataplasm, for the cure of the Gout. Take .a large ha idful of the little house leek, alias semper vivum minus, which you will cut about two fin- gers breadth from the root; then beat them in a mortar; take also one ounce of good old hog's lard, which you will melt slowly on a moderate fire in a copper skillet; put your herbs in it, and let them cook slowly, so that they always remain green, stirring them often; they being done, mix with it one ounce of worms oil, and a spoonful of good cream: continue to boil the whole over a slow fire until it comes to the consistency of cat&plasms, which you will apply to the afflicted parts by putting it on tow very hot. This cataplasm is very anodyne and experimented often. Some other reme- dies for the cure of the gout will still be found in the course of this valuable work. A Cataplasm to resolve all kinds' of festered sores, and tumours, that has been tried. Take one handful of grape vine branch ashes, which you will put to infuse into a pint of good white wine over hot ashes during fifteen or sixteen hours. In this colature, dilute a small handful of rye meal with the bran in; to make with it a kind of mush, to which yo-u will add half an ounce of common honey. Spread this cataplasm on a red cabbage leaf past over the fire, of the like size of the afflicted part, and apply over it a wjivn cloth in several fold? iO TIE TREASURE OF HEAL1H, Another resolutive Cataplasm. Take hemlock roots and leaves, with henbane roots, which you will cook in water, then mix it with Neapolitan ointment, and apply it to the sick part. Another resolutive cataplasm, to resolve the tumours that come on sores and wounded limbs, and to open sore breasts. Take four handfuls of sorrel, which you will wrap up in a paper, and put it to cook under warm ashes. When it is done, it must be put into an earthen pan with a bit of lard of the size of an egg, and the same quantity of rye leaven if any can be had, if not, wheat leaven. Beat the whole of it until it is reduced to an ointment, and afterwards, put some of it on a cloth, and apply it to the afflicted part, at least three times a day, until a resolution. 1 A CATAPLASM, For recent swellings and inflammations, for sprains and fsr the breast, whenever there is-not a great inflam- mation. Take one pint of good wine, some crumbs of white bread, or such as you can get, and a spoonful of oil of roses; make with the whole a mush, which you will ap- ply hot two or three times a day. When it is to apply to a sore breast, the oil of roses is not necessary. CATAPLASM, To cause sore breasts to open, as also, callousness or complaints of this kind. Take two handfuls of sorrel, put it into an earthen ©TT WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 4t\ pot, with a piece of fresh butter of the size of an egg, one or two spoonfuls of verjuice, one lily oignon well bruised. Boil the whole together, until it is done, take it from the fire, and put into it some.leaven of the size of two walnuts, when it is no more than luke warm, take a little of it, and apply on the sick part, af- ter having previously greased it with oil of roses, and change it turee times a day. You must never break the sore when it is on the breast, but let it break itself. CATAPLASM, To appease pains in cases of great fiuxions. Take some soot, white of egg*, rose water, and a lit- tle oil of roses, beat the whole together, and make of it ■a cataplasm. Or else, Take some good bran, flax-seed, beer, oil of camo- mile and melilot, with which you will make your cata- plasm. CATAPLASM, Most excellent for all kinds of swellings and other pains in the knee, and other parts of the limbs. RECEIPT. * Take half a pound of the meal of Windsor beans. two handfuls of well pounded wheat bran, two hand- fuls of goat and ox dung, worm wood leaves, camomile flowers and nielilot, one handful and a half, oil of roses, and of aniseed of each two ounces, clear lye of ashes as much as will be necessary; the whole well pounded and put to boil altogether, and stir it until it thickens, you will then spread it on tow, and apply it warm to the C *- +2 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, afflicted part, and change it twice a day, until a cure takes place. ANOTHER CATAPLASM, For pains and swellings. Take some Provinse roses, red wine, wheat bran and oil of roses, and make o* it a cataplasm, and apply it as warm as you can bear it on the sick part. CATAPLASM, For complaints about the Ears. This complaint is a swelling that comes under the ears and that goes down to the neck; here are the best remedies to cure it. Take a lily oignons and cut it, then cook it with half a glass of oil of violat, and the same quantity of wine, until the wine is consumed, af- terwards throw into it half a handful of marsh mallows cut fine, the yellow of an egg and some rye flour, until the whole be capable of forming a cataplasm, to be ap- plied warm on the disease; it must be changed three times, then the patient must be bled. Lily oil with some black sheep's wool, is also proper for it. It is also necessary to purge the patient with medicines and glisters. A CATAPLASM, To break and resolve, and for sore breasts. Take one spoonful and a half of rye flour, which you will dilute with a gill of white wine, let it boil three or four bubblings, then take it off the fire, and put in- to it a large handful of ashes of the branches of grape OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 43 vine, a little tallow, a little sweet oil, and a little of turpentine of Venice. Boil it again three or four bub- blings, and stir it constantly until it be of a consistency to make cataplasms. This causes the sore to open, without beingobliged to make use of the lancet. Here- after, and in the article of plaster, will be found other remedies, to ripen and resolve a posthumed breast, and for other complaints of the same. CANCERS. A sovereign remedy for the cure of the Cancer. RECEIPT. Take one part of read lead in powder, and two parts of ho|,-*s lard, mix them well together, and with the salve thus prepared, spread on lint, dress the cancerous sore twice a day. Mr. Jenner, of Burbage Wilts, says he is the more solicitous for the publication of this receipt, having lately been a witness to its happy influence in curing a most inveterate cancer in the lip of a person now liv- ing in his neighbourhood, and to whom a personal re- ference can be given, if required. He has also heard of several other instances of its wonderful efficacy from the most respectable authority. Another receipt for the Cancer. Burn half a bushel or three pecks of green old field red-oak bark to ashes; boil the ashes in three gallons of water until reduced to.oue. Strain that one gallon off, and boil it away to a thick substance, similar to but- ter-milk or cream; apply a small quantity on a piece of i'i iHS. 1REASURE OF HEALTH, silk or lint, to the cancer, no bigger than the place or part affected. Two plasters effect a cure, where the cancer lays in a,proper pot-ition for the medicine .im- mediately to penetrate down to the root ot it, otherwise it may lake several plasters, as the medicine must be repeated every two hours until the cancer's roots are sufficiently killed; then apply a healing salve, witli a little mercurial ointment mixed therein, and dress it twice a day until cured, which it wi}l surely be in about twenty or thirty days at farthest. ... This sovereign remedy lus cured several persons, i and none have failed by the above prescription. One in particular was cured after being twice cut by a skil- ful physician. Another receipt for the cure of Cancers. Take a large red onion, roast it well, take pocoon root finely powdered mix this powder of the root with the onion, which must be well beaten, in the propor- tion of a tea spoonful to one onion: make of this a plas- ter just large enough to cover the sore. Spread over the plaster a little white precipitate, which may be pro- portioned to the strength cf the patient, or to the nature of the cancer; let this be applied after cutting the skin (if not already broke); if really a cancer, this will pro- duce great pain, yet the patient must not be alarmed, but repeat this every twelve hours, until the body of the cancer assumes a deep purple or black colour. Two,plasters will generally effect this. The next pre- paration is this: . w Take young poke root roasted, one handful, add one spoonful Jamestown seed powdered, about the same OR WONDERFUL SEtRETS IN ME»IC1NE. 45 quantity of boars tusk root; (this root ought to be kept soaked in water); beat these well together, then moisten this compound with the water from which the root is taken, and apply it night and morning. This is for the purpose of drawing out the cancer. Care must be taken not to force it out only as the plaster itself ef- fects it, as such an operation would tend to break the small roots before they are entirely killed. If they are not entirely destroyed it may be known in eight or ten daya, as inflammation will take place; in such a caae, the first preparation may again be used, and continued to be used once in ten days, until all the roots are destroy- ed, then the poke root plaster will heal the sore. Any careful person may perform the cure of can- cers by a strict attention to the above directions. Another Cancer cured. In Smyrna, there was a girl afflicted with a cancer in her lip, and the gum was affected. The European physicians consulted in the measures to be taken, and agreed that they saw no other method than excision; in a word that it must be cut out, and the girl had al- ready submitted herself to that decision. By an acci- - dent of that nature, which men cannot occount for, an old Armenian came to them in time to prevent the ap- plication of the knife. " Do nothing, said the Armeni- an, I will cure her," and when he had pledged himself strongly, the physicians consented. He procured a copper vessel, newly tinned in the inside (an essential circumstance) and having poured a certain quantity of olive oil into it, he made it boil, over a small fire, suffi- cient to keep it gently agitated, and so for three times 46 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, f in twenty four hours. With this, the oil resolved itself into the consistency of an ointment, with which by con- stantly rubbing the part affected, he cured her in four- teen days. Nothing else was done. The physicians suppose, that the oil received its vir- tue from the tin, and that it communicated by its long boiling over the fire. Another efficacious remedy for Cancers. Another evidence of the efficacious quality of pip- sissiway in curing cancers. James Lewis, of this coun- try, has called upon us, and wishes us to make known, that he was cured of a very large and painful cancer, by the use of pipsissiway tea, a strong decoction of the same which he applied to the sore, in the space of three weeks time; the cancer was on his cheek, the scar of which is still visible, and shows it to have increas- ed to an alarming degree. He likewise affirms that it will cure other eruptions. OF THE CHOLIC. A sovereign Remedy for the Cholic. Dried mice dung, reduced into a subtile powder fifty grains in two spoonfuls of cinnamon flavoured brandy, and a little sugar, is to be given to the patient; and the cholic appeases so quickly, that it would be difficult to believe, had not experience confirmed it many times. A quick relief is also afforded by taking in some broth the juice of ox dung. OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 47 Against the Windy Cholic. Take acorn oil, from two drachms to one ounce, or else the acorn it self grated with its shell, likewise from one to four scruples, which will wonderfully relieve the patient from pains, by dissipating all winds that caused them. It is to be taken in a glass of white wine. Some nutmegs grated in broth, affords a great relief, as likewise the oil of nutmegs taken inwardly in the quantity of eight or ten grains, or oil of anniseed from one to six drops. Another remedy for the same. Take cinnamon water from one to three drachms, or essence of cinnamon one drachm only, and your pain will cease without fail. The extract from balm mint and thistle are also very efficacious for this complaint; the dose is from one scruple to one drachm: or else take volatile salt of tar- tar, or of vipers, or of hartshorn, or of urine from four to sixteen grains; or the volatile spirits of sal ammoni- ac from six to twenty drops. Another excellent Remedy for the same. Take some soft horns of young deer, or shoots that they put out in the spring of the year; cut them in thin pieces, which you will either roast or burn in an oven in a new pot well covered. The powder which you will make with it afterwards, being taken with pepper and myrrh, in a glass of wine, will instantly appease the windy cholic. 43 TME TREASURE OF HEALTH, Against the Bilious Cholic. Take the po'ychreste salt of. Rochelle, from one to six drachmsvin good white wine; or else, spirits of vit- ] riol, or of sufphur, or dulcified nitre, from four to ; eight drops, and you will infallibly be relieved. .* The mineral crystal is also very good for it, by tak- j ing of it from one scruple to one drachm, as also the salt of sulphur, the dose of which is from one half to two scruples. Another remedy for the same. ) Take a handful of box-wood leaves, bruise it, and \ extract the juice from it, after that, infuse it in a glass. of white wine during twenty four hours, which will ? absolutely cause the cholic to cease. Another highly approved remedy for the same., < You must take a slate very clean, make it red hot! over the fire, and when it is cooled, pound it in a mor- < tar, as fine as you can, then pass the powder through a ine sieve; when it is done, put one drachm of it into ■ half a glass of red wine, and give it to the patient. This remedy is very well tried, and performs-its ef- fects verjr quickly. Against the Bilious and Windy Cholic. 'J RECEIPT. Take twelve or fifteen leeks, cut them into bits, puti them in a kettle and cook them in a quart of vinegarM during three or four hours; when they are done, take them up with a skimmer, and apply them with your OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 49 hand, on the skin where the pain lies, and towards the heart; dip afterwards, a napkin, which you will fold in four double, in the vinegar that has remained in the kettle, and put it over the said leeks; bind the whole with another dry napkin, and you will keep yourself laying on your back during two hours; after which you will take a glyster with honey and lenitive. Against all kinds of Cholic. Spirits of wine, one drachm, spirits of nitre, half a scruple,»luke warm water, three ounces; mix the whole together, and give it to the patient, whom you will keep covered very warm. He will almost at the same time get into a perspiration, and he will not feel any more pain. Strong glysters with urine are also very good for the same complaint, but they will be still betteiy^f a gill of Spanish wine can be added to it. For the Nephritic Cholic. Take the powder of wood louse, prepared with pu- rified lemon juice and turpentine of Venice, cooked in some horse radish water, given during some morning a dose of one drachm, in six or eight ounces of alke* kengy or winter cherry, does appease the nephritic pain, and causes a great quantity of sand and glair to come out with the urine. One may also take spirits of salt from four to eight drops, spirits of cochlearia, or scurvy grass, from six to twenty drops; or the spirits of water cresses fiom fif- teen drops to a drachm. Spirits of vitriol and of sulphur are also given from D 50 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, four to eight drops, and a relief is not Jess experienced by taking spirits of yellow amber from ten to twenty- four drops, or else spirits of turpentine, a dose of which is from four to twelve drops. One may also have recourse to the remedies that will be given hereafter, for the gravel and stone. Another receipt for the same. Take some muscat grape vine, dry branches, burn it on a clean hearth, rake up the ashes, and let them lay twenty-four hours, then pass it through a fine sieve, take three ounces of it, put it into a clean vessel, boil in a skillet containing a little more than a gill of spring water, and when boiling, throw it on your ashes, and stir it with a stick in order to let the water penetrate through.' It being wet through, cover the vessel, and two hours after, pour slowly the water into another clean vessel, a quarter of an hour afterwards, str*in it through a double cloth into another vessel, and in the morning fasting, drink it, and take two hours walk, and after walking, take likewise a thin broth, and repeat the same treatment on the following day. For the Nephitic Cholic, of any kind whatever, Phlegms, Sand, the Stone in the Reins, or in the Bladder, or other complaints. Take nephitic wood the weight of two ounces, which is sold by druggists, cut it in the finest and thinest man- ner possible, and put it in a small glass bottle, pour uver it some of the best brandy made of wine, until it -\ OR WONDERTUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 51 covers the said nephritic wood, three good fingers breadth: leave it in inl'usien during three or four days, until the brandy has entirely drawn the virtue of said wood; and whenever any person is attacked with the accidents common to that disease, as extraordinary swcl.ings of the belly with pains,*pains about the reins and ureters, or inclination to vomiting or others, take two finger's breadth ma glass of that infusion, which will much relieve; but if the complaint.be too tenacious apply over the region of the ureteres some small bags filled with pellitory boiled in white wine; nevertheless, without the help of these said small bags, the virtue ot 'this infusion will manifest itself, by the ejection that will take place with the urine, that will be thick and of a greyish cast, and some times mixed with sand, gra- vel or stone that caused the pain. This remedy may be repeated more than once ki order to obtain more re- lief, Cure for Consumption. By a temperate mode of living, (avoiding spiritnous liquors wholly;) by wearing flannel next the skin; and takiaj every morning, half a pint of new milk, mixed with a wine glass full of the expressed juice of hoar- hound, the complaint will not only be relieved, but the individual shall procure to himself a length ef day's be- yond what its mildest form could give room to hope for I am myself a living witness of the beneficial tffects of this agreeable and though innocent yet powerful appli- cation. Four weeks use of the hoarhound and milk relieved the pains of my breast; gave me power to' breathe deep, long and free; strengthened and harmbni" 52 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH; zed my voice; and restored me to a better state of health than I had enjoyed for many years. Receipt for a Cold. The late Doctor James Malcone's receipt for a cold which he strenously Recommended. Take a large tea cup full of linseed, two penny worths of stick liquorice, and a quarter of a pound of sun Taisins; put these into two quarts of soft water, let it simmer over the fire, till it is reduced to one; then add loit a quarter of a pound of sugar candy poundedji a table spoonful of old rum, and a table spoonful of good vinegar or lemon juice. Note__The rum and vinegar or lemon juice, are best to be added only to that quantity you are going immediately to take: for, if it is put into the whole, it is apt to grow flat. Drink a half pint going to bed, and take a little whenf the cough is troublesome. This medicine generally cures the worst of colds in two or three days, and if ta- ken in time may be said to be an infallible remedy. It is a most sovereign and balsomic cordial for the lungs, without the opening qualities which endanger fresh colds, on going out. It has been known to cure coldfj that have been almost settled iwto a consumption, uv less than *'iree weeks. Chilblains, and other diseases. Oil of Cuphorbium, and oil of Guinea, with India' and Brazil pepper, mixed together, an equal quantity of each, will easily cure the chilblains in the. heels cau- sed by the cold. OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE'. 5o The juice of acacia is very sovereign for this dis- ease; it moreover possesses; the virtue to restrain the two great a quantity of discharge in women, to bind up the womb when relaxed, to stop a looseness in th bowels; to cure in a very short time, corrosive and cancerous ulcers in the mouth, and others, and the St. Anthony's fire. Bear's greese, mixed with a little alum, cure like- wise the chilblains in the heels, as well as the cracks in the hands. CHOLERA-MORBUS. Every year being extremely fatal to children, as such numbers of them have been swept away by the flux and cholera, or. vomiting and purging; the fol- lowing remedy for the cure of these diseases will be- acceptable. RECEIPT. Oil of peneroyal, two drops to a table spoonful of molasses, syrup or honey: after being well stirred up, let one tea spoonful be administered every hour until it has the desired effect, which from experience, I can assure safely the public, will be found in every case of the above disorder to be a speedy and certain cure. For a grown person the dose may be doubled and given in the same manner. For the Same. Parents and others are earnestly recommended to use, in the disease of cholera-morbus, proved so fatal to children, the following remedy, in addition to other means. 54 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, Toast or brown in a vessel, as you would coffee, four table spoonfuls of oat meal, pour on it a pint of boiling water, add a little sugar or lemon juice to make it agreeable. If the child is not too young, let it drink of it, grounds \ and all stirred up together. It is believed that this toasted oat meal tea is scarcely ever ejected from the stomach, on which it lies light, and to which it proves exceedingly grateful. For the information of the poorer class of citizens it is requisite to mention that oat meal can be procured at any of the druggists' shops. This remedy is recommended by one who has recent- ly xperienced its sovereign efficacy. THE CROUP OR HIVES. Important discovery for the cure.of the Croup, afatalij disorder among children. RECEIPT. Take four ounces of the best olive oil, and add from fifteen to twenty grains of ipecacuanha, well incorpo- rated with the oil, and give one or two tea spoonfii| every fifteen minutes, bathe the feet and legs in warm water; let the patient drink of the following decoctioni viz. take a pint of Water, in which put a roasted onion with some oil, and English saffron, boiled together, and, continue the above till the patient is relieved, which is generally the case after taking the second or third dose of the above; if the croup should assume a serious cha- racter, you may apply a blister to the wind pipe. Aninfallible cure for Cracked Hands. ta the first place wash your hands in warm water, (5R WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 55 then rub on common soap thoroughly, and scour your kands about two minutes with house ashes; then wash them again in warm water. This repeated a few times will effect a cure and keep the hands soft and pliable. This remedy was given by Nathaniel Cobb, of Sa- lem; who was a black smith by occupation, and had worked at the business the most part of his time for twenty-live years, about twenty years of which time he was extremely troubled with cracked hands, although every thing recommended as a cure was tried by him to little or no purpose. About the first of January 1811, he obtained an infallible cure, and he was anx- ious that the world should be benefitted by it as well as himself. Extraordinary virtue and efficacy -of Cotton Wool. CURES. Doctor Nathaniel Potter reports that a person was boiling some rosin, to make up a salve for the sore back of a horse (being a farrier); the vessel being in danger of upsetting, he caught it with his hands, and thereby scalded his fingers with the boiling rosin. The pain was so exquisite that he threw himself upon the ground m an agony; but finding the rosin stuck toliis fingers, he applied lard and melted off the rosin by the same fire. He afterwards wrapped it in cotton wool, for raw cotton.) The anguish moderated and the fin- gers soon healed. On removing the hankerchief, I noticed that there was scarcely the appearance of any scald. Dr. Hallaro, in a communication, states, that a certain JrB THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, woman being carding cotton wool, her child pulled a vessel of hot water then on the fire, and a quantity splashed over its body. The mother stripped off the clothes, and not having others near, to prevent the child from taking cold, wrapped the child in raw cot- ton. The distress of the child was great for a short time, but it soon became quiet, and in an hour fell asleep. As she did not wish to disturb the child, it remained in the cotton all night, and to the astonish- ment of the -mother, in the morning there was but little appearance of the scald. Another case was therein stated, of a negro child who burnt its hands with hot cinders. Cotton was im- mediately applied and produced the same effect as in t he former case. The doctor had an opportunity of a proof on lps own child, who was scalded by hot water, and found the salutary effects. The same day the child, with his motherVepaid a visit to Haver de Grace, and next morning there was no appearance of the scald. This led the doctor to tiy the efficacy of cotton in in- flammatory cases, and found it relieved an inflamma- tion in the face. Doctor Potter states, a case in his practice of a boy.' scaled by water from the spout of a tea kettle on his back; he applied the cotton wool; the boy was in great distress for a short time, about twenty minutes, when the anguish abated, and in an hour he fell asleep. The next morning he examined the patient, and the scald was cured, save a small spot, -and on inqu.y he learnt that the cotton had slipt from that part; by the second day that part was cured also. OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 57 The Doctor suggested an idea, that if cotton be use- ful in cases of burns and scalds, it might also be useful in cases of chilblains and frozen feet. One evening a neighbour of the doctor's having been at work in the snow, found his heels frozen. He happening to call at the doctor's to visit him, complained of his heels, and that he had tried bathing his feet in cold water, but they were still very painful. The doctor advised the trial of cotton: he immediately applied some and about two hoursafti-r, he found the pain had ceased. Another per- son of his acquaintance had also applied cotton to his chilblains, and found great relief. We mentioned the efficacy of cotton wool or raw cotton in cases of bums; we now on the common prin- ciple of humanity, and from a desire with which we trust we are uniformly actuated, to contribute as far as we arc able, to alleviate the sufferings of the afflic- ted, mention some other cases in which the applica- tion of cotton has been found remarkably beneficial, and which will be found well worth the attention of those who ate desirous of finding an easy remedy for excruciating torture. The cases to which we allude arc those of gout and rheumatism. In attacks of these disorders, cotton carded and laid upon the part affected, has been found to afford a relief which could be obtained from no other application. Three cases have latterly happened within the circle of our ac- quaintance,where persons had been attacked with one or the other of these complaints. The feet and legs swelled, and were so excessively painful and sore, that the patients could hardly bear to have any one ap- proach near them; and on the application of carded 56 j-jie TREASURE OF HMALTH, cotton, they were immediately relieved from pain, theJ soreness subsided, and in a short time the disorder disap peared. In one case we were eye viiti.ess to the most . complete relief from apparent severe pain, in less than one hour. A recent case has come within our know- ledge of a person far advanced in years, who had been long subject to the gout; and who having a return of the disorder, found his feet and legs so painful, that he could scarce get one hour's rest day or night, and who,!1 on the recommendation of a person who had tried the remedy now suggested, was induced to have his feet' , and legs wrapped in carded cotton; and in a few minutes to his own astonishment and joy, he found the paiu which had so distressed him was entirely removed, he'.J. fell asleep, and bad a good night's rest, and found him- self in the morning as free from pain as if he had not- been under the influence of the disease. The applica- tion is still continued, and with the same success. We shall not attempt to explain the cause or reason why cotton produces the salutary effects, stated in these cases, any more than we shall in those of burns. It is sufficient for us to state the facts as they have come within our knowledge, and to leave others afflicted in similar ways the liberty of trying this simple remedy, or not, as they please. The circumstances of its being so simple and so easily obtained, will no doubt be to some a sufficient cause for rejecting it; and those who. choose rather to live in torture, than even to make triaf of any easy application, we would by no means urge out of the course they prefer. But even to such we would observe; that simple remedies are often found peculiarly beneficial; even in diseases which, like the OR WONDERFUL SECTIE1S IN MEDICINE. S? gout, sometimes set both science and physicians at de- fiance. We shall not presume to say that cotton will remove entirely the cause of the gout, as we do not know how far its influence may extend in counteracting the vio- lence of that complaint; but if it affords the patient temporary relief from his sufferings, that alone is an object of no trifling importance. This effect in two or three cases we know it has produced. It may produce it in others; and as it is obviously a remedy perfectly safe and cheap, and one which may be beneficial; no subject of the disease mentioned, we should suppose, wuld hesitate to give it a trial. It would be well if persons would follow the exam- ple of Dr. Blackford, who has laid a quantity of cotton in a certain place, known to his family, to be ready for application in case of accident. - For the Diarrhoea and Complaint in the Bowels. RECEIPT. In case of a bilious diarrhoea, one may make use with a happy success during a few days in the morn- ings, of a dose prepared with two ounces of the oil of sweet almonds, one ounce of lemon juice, one ounce of rose juice, and four ounces of plantain water. Distilled water of acorn, impregnated with its fixed salt, and often given to the patient at the weight of two ounces, with one ounce of red poppy syrup; stop in a short time, not only the lax, but also (in women) the whites and the excessive menstruous flux. One may 69 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, also make use of the greatest part of the remedies pro- per to the following sickness. Receipt for the Dysentery. Take of walnut oil extracted without fire, two oun- ces, the same quantity of rose water, beat them well together, and give to the patient in the morning fast- ing, two hours afterwards, he must take a bowlful of boiled milk, without salt or sugar, and he will receive a quick relief from it. / Another receipt for the same. Take a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds, take 3 the skin off in warm water, and bruise them in a mor- j tar, mixing with them a pint of water to make of it a.?- kind of milk; and after straining well this milk from the grounds, boil it and mix with it the yellow of an egg and a piece of sugar as large as a walnut, and two .. or three grains of salt; the whole being reduced down to one half; give it quite warm to the patient in the evening on going to bed. On the following morning you must give him a potion composed of two silver spoonfuls of sweet oil, the same quantity of rose water, and of good wine, and * half as much sugar; the whole mixed together in a glass, and about half an hour after a broth. Another receipt for the Dysentery and looseness. Dried hare blood or the pluck of that animal, will surely stop the dysentery, and all kinds of looseness, how strong soever they may be. OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 61 Pulverised human bones, taken with some thick hea- vy red wine, have the same effect. A ptisan made with the scraping of deer horns, or of the small and large consound, or jelly of deer horns in a liment, or the conserve and decoction of chynorrodon, or the decoctions of liver-wort of knot grass and plantain, affords likewise a quick relief. Receipts for the Dysentary experimented in the United States of America, and proved infalliable according to the authentic cures they have performed. Take one ounce of rhuburb, two drachms of Eng- lish saffron, two or one and a half drachms of cardamum seed, according to the strength, one large nutmeg. Bruise them altogether, and put them into a bottle containing one pint of good French brandy. Set the bottle in a pot of cold water, hang the pot over a mo- derate fire, and suffer the water to become, and regu- larly to continue, quite hot; but not toboile. After re- maining in this situation about twelve hours, it will be fit for use; during this process, a cork must be put loosely in the bottle. A black glass bottle is best, as it is less liable to break by heat or fermentation. The best time to take it is in the evening, just before going to bed. The quantity of the doses vary accor- ding to the constitution, age or habit of the patient. The following doses will, however, be found generally right. ^ To continue taking till the cure is certain. About one tea spoonful, for children from one to three years old. About two tea spoonfuls for children from three to -six years old. E 62 THE TREBASUr"k'"'0F HEALTH, About three tea spoonfuls, for children from six to twelve years old. About a table spoonful for grown persons. This medicine was first prescribed by an aged and respectable physician of Philadelphia, with great success; one pint of it lately arrested the fatal pro- gress of the dysentary amongst the soldiers station- ed at the Lazaretto near the city, and althoughrjt has been known at Trenton but about two or three weeks, there have been several very happy instances of its suc- cess. To relate particulars is unnecessary. Its usual operation is, first to purge, say a day or two; but it will, after that, restore the bowels to regu- larity in their functions. It is desirable at this season of the year, when the dysentery is prevalent and often fatal, that a medicine of such general success should '; be extensively known. The apothecaries of Philadel- phia have lately annexed it to the catalogues of their restorative cordials. It is said to be good for the cho- I,ic- t Another receipt for thp same. <. ;! Take common salt, as much as a gill of fountain wa- ■ tcr will dissolve, with which must be put one gill of ► good vinegar, a little essence of peppermint added to ''.' the whole is an improvement. Of this mixture give to grown persons or children every half or quarter of '.. an hour so much as their stomachs will bear, the sick , | person may drink any good wine, brandy or spirits, ,.,* diluted with water and sweetened with sugar. I'- Doctor Abernethy of South Carolina, relates several OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 63 cures effected by this medicine, one of which was upon himself. He is fully assured of its innocence and effi- cacy. Another receipt for the same. As every remedy, calculated to remove the cause or relieve the effect of any complaint, incident to the human body, cannot but be acceptable to the afflicted, the following is given as a cure for the dysentery: its cflicacy, however simple, having been amply tested. Take a tumbler of pump water, mixed with table salt, and made as salt as it can be drank, morning, noon and night. Another receipt for the same. That dreadful disease, the dysentery, is making great havoc in different parts of this country; no age is ex- empt from its attacks or fatality, thoughchiidren un- der ten years of age appear to be its favourite victims. We would ask, have those attacked with the dysente- ry made use of the remedy mentioned in this receipt, and published some weeks since; namely, a strong tea or decoction from the root of the running blackberry or dewberry 1 This has been tried in several places since wc published it, and has been found efficacious in most cases. Tea from the leaf of the common standing black berry briar, has also been found extremely use- ful. These simples ought not to be despised. An experiment with them is at leas, safe, and may be the means of saving many useful lives. Note—The town of Braintrim is not inhabited by more than fiftv families. It is situated on the river bank. Twelve 64 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, persons have died of the dysentary, the last twelve days, and one hundred more are dangerously ill; but the decoction of the root of the dewberry put an end to that fatal disorder. The leaves put into a tea-pot and boiling water poured on, will ans. wer nearly as well. The tea may he sweetened with' sugar and creamed to the patient's likeing, and he may drink as much as a pint at a time until he feels the benefit of it, and then gra- dually leave it off. Another well tried receipt for the Dysentery. The following receipt for the cure of the dysentery has the attestation of thousands of its efficacy. s Take one ounce of castor oil, one ounce of pulverised*", gum-arabic, one ounce of tincture of terra japonica, \ and three ounces of water. These well mixed until they become a mucilage, dose one table spoonful morning and evening. .Vj Another receipt for the same, in the worst stages of the, disease. This remedy is very simple, and is communicated by one who has experienced its good effects, and known it practised on many others with like success, when given over by skilful physicians. The receipt is, one gill of sweet oil, one gill West-India rum, and one gill of West-India molasses. Simmer these together, and ! stir them till well mixed. The quantity to be taken, is for a grown person, one table spoonful every hour, and children a due proportion, till relieved. Of the Dropsy. Before giving the proper remedies for the cure of the*' dropsy, it will not be a miss to say what that disease is" of itself and its causes. OR WONDERFUL SECRETS INT MEDICINE. 65 1 he dropsy is a collection against nature, either of • water or serosr.ies, accompanied necessarily with the tumour and distension of the part. Two principal causes contribute to the forming of the dropsy. The dissolution of the blood, and the slowness of its circu- lation; the blood becomes waterish and incapable of uni- son. If the balsamic parts are by any cause whatever dissipated. Those persons who inhabit marshy coun- tries, arid who are of a cold constitution, are sooner at- tacked with the dropsy than others; because the air they breathe, contributes a great deal to stop the circu- lation of the hlood. The dropsy is not dangerous when it docs not begin with a fever, or any other as bad simp- toms. When the dropsy is joined to the scirrhus or any considerable visceres, such as the fiver, the spleen, and misentery, i* very difficult to cure, and if it be cured, it easily returns again, and the relapse is mortal.. When* ever a cough comes on in the dropsy, it is a bad sign; the abscess, or spots that appear about the legs, are mortal. Infallible remedies for the Dropsyyjxnd tried always with success in the United States of America, anUt" never failed. RECEIPT. About four years since, I providentially obtained of. a French physician of eminence a receipt to cure the dropsy. I made it know to some of my acquaintance who were afflicted with this, malady; they made trial of the remedy, and with success; indeed, I have never known it to fail of effecting a cure, when the medicine. E3 66 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, has been properly made, and duly taken and perseve- red in. I could furnish many instances of its great and happy effect, but I will mention one example only. A lady, about seventy years old, had the dropsy to that degree that she was fearful to stand on her feet, lest her skin should burst. I saw her in that situation, and it was apprehended she would die in a very short I time. She, however, heard that I had a receipt to 1 cure the dropsy, and was anxious, to experience it. I She took the medicine, according to the prescription; in less than a week, by evacuation, the swelling of her bo- dy entirely abated, and in a few weeks thereafter, she was restored to perfect health. RECEIPT. Put into a stoneor earthen jug, a gallon of stale; sound cider, together with a double handful of parsley roots and tops, cut fine; one handful of scraped horse radish; two table spoonfuls of bruised mustard seed; half an ounce oxymell of quills, and one ounce of juni- per berries. The liquor to be kept warm by the fire twenty-four hours: to be often agitated and then strain- ed for use. Dose for an adult, half a wine glass full, three times a day, on an empty stomach. The dose may be increased if necessary. After the water shall be discharged, the patient should use moderate exercise, subsist on dry nourish- ing diet, and abstain from all liquids, as much as possi-J ble. Another remedy for the same. A precious discovery of^ remedy for the cure of the I OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE 67 dropsy. A woman who had a compound dropsy (ana- sarque et ascile) was cured by it in a few days. The medicine is three handfuls of water cresses, (cresson de fontaine) and four white onions boiled in three quarts of water, and reduced to one third; a glass of this liquor to-be given three times in a day. The account of this cure states, that the woman had scarcely swallowed one glass of this liquor before,an abundant perspiration took place, every pore was re- duced to its use, and so considerable a quantity of wa- ter came away by the urinary passages, as to make it almost incredible that a human body could "contain it. Another for the same* Take a chicken, (a fat one is best), pick and clean it well, take out the entrails (liver excepted); and without washing the fowl, put it into a mortar, beat it until it can be put into a jug (a stone jug is best); put it in, cork the jug well; then put it into a vessel of water, boil it three or four hours; then teem the oil from the fowl. Take a common wine glass full of this oil three . times a day. Let the diet be hard biscuit, or something that is of a dry nature; make use of hitters occasion- ally. To substantiate the above, Mr. Asa Thomas of the town of Milford, Caswell county, North Carolina; says, " I "have been personally acquainted with a man for twenty years, who lives in Halifax county, Virginia, who says he was cured by this simple medicine, (which was communicated to him by an old lady of said coun- ty) after he had been tapped five times, and intended to be tapped the sixth time, though dog days were ap- proaching; he felt diffident therefore; resorted to the 68 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, above receipt. I saw him yesterday and converstJ with him; he told me he was perfectly well, and he appears to be as perfectly clear of that complaint, as, any one of my acquaintance, and has been so for tqv wards of twelve months. Another receipt for the Dropsy. /.pauper in the house of industry of Ferrington Berks, being afflicted with thedropsy, andwas givenover by the surgeon, T. H. shfington, governor of said house, ventured the experiment of bohea tea, and ta his astonishment found an almost instant relief. He repeated the' dose but once, and the woman in the course of a week was able to go out to hay making. The woman's name is Elizabeth Austin, her age is se- venty-two. Take about two large tea cups full of bohea tea, in- fuse it in a quart of water, and during the day, the de- coction is to be drank, and the leaves eaten at short in- tervals. •- Another well tried remedy for the same. Take a gallon of fresh strong beer about milk warm,- and mix a handful of horse-radish bruised, a handful of fennel roots bruised, a handful of parsly roots, and tops>A f a handful of burdock roots, a handful of bark of the root of sassafras, a handful of the bark of the roots of elder, a handful of spice wood, a handful of water crosses, a handful of sassafarella, all to be bruised and put into the t>eer, with a sufficient quantity of yeast to work it. Let it stand for twenty-four hours, then strain it, and It *ill be fit for use. 1 OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 69 Another remedy for the Dropsy, well tried in Europe: RECEIPT, Of a sovereign powder for that disease. During the month of August, you must gather the seed of broom, and keep them. Whenever they are to be made use of, they must be reduced into powder and passed through a sieve, then give one drachm of it to the patient afflicted with the dropsy, fasting. It is necessary to infuse it at least one night in half a glass of white wine; and if any powder remains in the bottom of the glass, put into it a little wine to rince k out, and swallow that powder. Two hours after the patient must take two spoonfuls of sweet oil, and one hour and a half after some broth. This remedy is only to betaken every other day; and when this powder is taken, the patient must abstain himself from all other remedies, except of a glister that may be taken in the evening, should it be necessary. The use of this powder may be repeated as many as five or six times, without any fear or danger. Another for the same. RECEIPT. Take two large handfuls of fern, scrape it a little to take off the dirt, and put it to boil in a large pitcher full of water during two hours. It is used at meals like other water, in mixing it, if desirable, with wine. You must make use of the fern that has but one branch, because the sort that has many branches is not proper. Two or three glasses full of ram urine taken inward ly cure likewise the dropsy. ro THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, Another Receipt for the same. \ Take three or four large handfuls of chervil, pound \ 1 it well in a mortar, and press the whole in a white I linen cloth, until you have extracted about half a glass J of juice, mix it with the same quantity of white wine, I and give it to the patient, fasting; it is proper that he k. should walk as much as possible, but very slowly, in I his-chamber. This remedy is continued until the pa- f tient is entirely unswellcd. He must take some broth | two hours after taking the dose of chervil, and must ; drink a small qinnihy of white wine at his meals, mix- ' ed with water, into wnich some pempernel must have ; been soaked, one gill of wine and water altogether, is *** sufficient for every meal. Another for the same. ;■ Almost all persons afflicted with the dropsy, are cur- ed by taking through their mouth or in glyster, every third day, a decoction of worm-wood, anula campana , and polypody. An experimented ptisan or tea, for the Dropsy. j Take some root of large nettles, that are yellow, with some marrow of elder, one handful of dandelion leaves, t and dog's grass root, boil the whole in three quarts of water, until reduced to two quarts, and let the patient drink one glass of it every morning fasting. At his meales, some may be mixed witli wine, and must drink of it, as often as he is thirsty. He must likewise take in the morning fasting, the weight of six grains of guia gurta, that must have soaked one night in white wine> and two or thiee hours befoie breakfast, and mut'...- ^ OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 71 take of it three times in the period of twelve days, at different intervals. Another experimented remedy for the same. Take one large handful of parsley, buglos, wild suc- cory roots, sorrel, and fennel roots, and one handful of sage. You must pick out the strings or cords that*are in the roots, and boil the whole in eight quarts of spring water in a new glazed pot, and let it consume to one half, then strain it through a linen cloth, and put up this water into phials well stoped. The patient must Jtake, fasting, one glass of it, into which glass you must have put two fingers breath of good white wine, that it be neither sweet nor tart, and the patient must not eat for three hours after; the same dose must be re- peated three hours after dinner, and the same regimen observed and continued until a cure takes place. Another for the same. Take some charvil, pound it, then soak the juice ! and th e herb in a gill of white wine during one nightj 1 then strain it and give it to the patient. This is like- wise a sovereign remedy for the cure of the dropsy. Another for the same. it Three scruples of loadstone powder, taken with fen- wUel juice, does surely cure the dropsy. bir .Clysters made of the decoction of thistle with urine, tiesi (Are the dropsy, if that remedy be often repeated a, fere follows another remedy well proved: fake lard liir; ii wolfs liver one drachm and a half of each, they late sing-pounded, mix them with syrup of sea worm- inci l 7-i THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, wood, and make of the whole, eighteen pills; which you cover with gold; the palient afflicted with the dropsy must take three of them, in the morning fast- ing, and he will happily recover. Other operative remedies, against the Dropsy. < Besides all the remedies that have just been given, the following are still of great ^ irtue, and powerful ap- eritive against the dropsy, as also for the hardness of the spleen. Such are Salt amoniac, the dose of which is from six-to twenty I grains. Salt polycrest, from half a drachm to six ditto, t Spirits of succinum, from ten to twenty-four drops.— t Jalop and scamony rosin, from ten grains to one drachm. £ Cristal of tartar from half a drachm to three ditto* i Salt of sulphur, from ten grains to two scruples. Gum ' ammoniac from ten grains to twenty-four ditto. Ex- i tract of aloes, from one scruple to one drachm. Rhu- barb, from fifteen grains to one drachm; spirits of tur- pentine, from four to sixteen drops; spirits of cresses, from fifteen drops to one drachm; without speaking o^ . vomitives that may be used for this disease, a descrip- tion of which will be given hereafter. . Lobsters dried in an oven, and reduced inlo powder* f are also of a great use against the dropsy, if that pow- der is taken by the patient every morning in some white wine. FOR THE CURE OF THE EPILEPSY. Take some of the after birth of a woman, wash and pound it well, after mix it with rye flour, in order OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 73 to make bread with it, and bake it in an oven, the pa- tient must take the weight of half an ounce of it, to eat, morning and evening, every first day of the first quar. ter of the moon; take likewise some tobacco, pound it, and after, make of it a head band for the patient, on the same days. The most part of the remedies that have been given for the apoplexy, may also be used in this case; there- fore, they may be resorted to when necessary. Against the Epilepsy. As soon as a child is born, and before it take any thing else, if you make it swallow half a scruple of coral in powder, mixed withthe nurses milk, it is given for certain, that the child will never be afflicted with the Epilepsy. Another remedy for the same. Take some wheat flour, that you will mix with dew, gathered on the morning of St. John's day; make of it a cake, which being baked, give it to the patient, and he shall get well. Another for the same. If you cut and open, before the full moon, the young ones of the swallows of the first nest; you will find in their ventricle, two small stones, one of which is all of one colour, and the other of several colours; before" they touch ground, shut them up in a piece of goat or deer skin, and tie them on the arm and neck: they will . cure the patient of the Epilepsy, according to the testi- mony of an Italian doctor, who assures, having made the F 74 IHK 1REASLRE OF HEALTH, experiment with it, and some other remedies for* the cure of the epilepsy, as the imperial water, and the galega, will be found in the course of this week. To know the Epilepsy, burn some deer horns, and the person who is subject to it, will fall, but the patient must be surrounded with a blanket or quilt, from head to foot in a manner of a pavilion, in order that the smoke does not get lost. OF THE EYES. Receipt for the redness of the eyes. Take genuine and pure iris in fine powder, half an ounce, calcinate it in a small iron spoon, or in a cruci- ble, (that may be found with silver smiths) stir this pow- der continually, for fear it should get burnt; and as soon as it begins to turn yellow, draw it off the fire; the w eight of one ounce pf white roman vitriol, which you will put in powder, and throw in the spoon or crucible on the fire, and that until the powder is yellow. You must take three pints of water, in which you will put these powders in a bason: beat this water well with a spatula, which being very frothy, take off the froth and put it into a plate; and continue to do so, until you can- not obtain any more scum, then strain the skimmed wat- er, and keep it in a phial to make use of it when necessa- ry; one drop of it must be put in the eye, and if it is •ound too violent, mix with it a little water. Another Eye Water. ., Take three pints of river water, that you will put into a kettle, and boil it down to almost one half, take one ounce of well pulverized white copperas, and put it in a paper horn, make a shovel red hot, and place it on the OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN' MEDICINE. 75 e^ge of the kettle, and drop the copperas slowly on the back of the sliovel, it will fall in the kettle; dip and even extinguish the shovel in the water that is in the kettle observe, tint ihe water must be reduced to one half, and then it is done. It being cord, put one drop of it on the end of your linger, and rub slowly the eyes with it, and even let a little go into it; it will smart, but not for a long time. Water recently discovered, and very experienced, for sore eyes. RECEIPT. Pour into a large long necked bottle, one pint of good red wine, one pint of water of roses, celandine water, fennel water and euphrasia water, of each two ounces, thirty grains of cloves, the same quantity oi rose-mary flowers, half an ounce of sugar candy, con- serve of roses; a pinch of provins. roses; three drachms of aloes, succotrin, in powder; two drachms of prepared and pulverised tully, two drachms of camphire, and three drachms of roman vitriol. Stop your vessel well, put u to digest to the balneum maris five or six days, and expose it to the sun from the month of June to the mouth of.August; after which, strain the liquor through a white linen cloth, without pressing it, and keep it in a glass vessel well corked. To make use of it in the disease mentioned, as above, in rubbing with it the afflicted part, and applying over it a linen cioth dipt in this water. : 76 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, Its Virtues. , This liquor cannot be too much praised on account of the advantages that are obtained from it, in the dis- ease of the eyes, it strengthens and clears the eye sight, takes off the inflammation and itching, causes ' the pain to cease, cures the ulcers and excrescence of the flesh, and to say all in a few words, it gives satis- faction for the cures of all the diseases, of which this part of the human body is susceptible of being attack- ed. Take a spoonful of Italian cammomile flowers, and boil them in half a pint of fresh milk, and when cool, | dip a fine linen rag therein, and wash the eyes during «s the day, for a week, and afterwards, with clear water, - only for a few days; the eyes will feel cool, and the sight will become invigorated. How to preserve the eye sight. The following course of procedure will enable them to preserve the eye sight, or recover it after it has fail- ed. Every morning, when washing yourself, dip your ; f~ce into the water, open your eyes, and keep them un- der the water as long as you can hold your breath, this '' strengthens the eyes, and cleanses it from the rheum which deadens the sight and considerably affects the ball. A gentleman of Maryland, by the name of James Calder, after using spectacles for twenty-five years, followed this plan, and at the age of seventy, re- covered his sight so as to see without them, dipping the crown of the head into cold water, tveu*; morning, both winter and summer, as a preservative p.guinst the OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MfcfcielNE. r? Read and ear ach, and will materially assist the other operation, in its effect upon the eyes. Very excellent water for sore eyes and many other complaints, the composition whereof is very easy, and costs but little, proper to cure sore eyes, inflammations, pearls just coming, spots caused by the small pox, lar.rvmal or weeping, fistula, and other complaints, except, inveterate pearls and cataracts. It cures ul- cers on all parts of the body, particularly those on the legs. It cures tetters or ring worms, erysipeles or St. Anthony's fire, burns, sore breasts, contusions whene- ver theiv is an inflammation, and when there is no ap- pearance of breaking, the warm gout, cold humours, when they are open, external hemorrboides, it prevents from gangrene, and it afford relief in the scurvey, scurf in the head, and the kings evil. Its composition. Take two pounds of -copperas, white, one pound of verdegris, and three hundred and eighty-four quarts of spring, or river, cistern or snow water. To make a less quantity of this water; you will put less drugs in proportion; as for example, for twenty four quarts of water, take two ounces of while copperas, and one ounce of verdegris. For twelve quarts of water, tone ounce of copperas, and half an ounce of verdegris: for six quartes of water, half an ounce of copperas, and two drachms of verdcgiis: for three quarts of water, two drams of copperas, and one drachm of verdegris: for one and a half quart, one drachm of copperas, and half a drachm of verdegris. The rule being to put always two thirds of copperas, and one third of verdegris. F? '(['•a THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, For the eyes,ordinary sores, and it flammation,it u j made neither more nor less stronger, but it is made use I of for all; except to putrificd and. gangrened fle- h, that instead of twenty four quarts of water, one may only make twenty for the most. Your drugs, being in powder, put them into an car- then vessel that may resist the heat of boiling water; pour your boiling water over the drugs, and never make « any of this water, without using boiling water, because j. otherwise, it would do more harm than good. If you wish to have some of that water preserved, be- I cause it will keep good as long as you choose, but you . | must keep it well stopped. Put your three pounds of drugs in an earthen vessel, atftl throw upon them seven or eight quarts of boiling water to keep; when you want to make use of this water that you keep, boil as much other water as you think proper, and put it in a vessel into which you will pour some of your preserved water, until it is as strong as you wish it, which may be known, according to its being more or less thick. To ^ i prepare of it in this way, it is necessary to have some practice in it, in order not to be deceived by your sight: * you must tie a coarse linen at the end of a stick, to stir well the preserved water with it before pouring it out ofthe vessel that contains it. When you are pouring it, you must shake and stir it often, because the drugs settle to the bottom, and even, when it is ready to be made use of, you must continue stirring your water i before you take of it, and never make use of it unless it be thick. To use it, you must always make it luke warm, except, during the summer season, when it may be dispensed with. O.R WONDEIIFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 7"9 To apply this water to the eyes, the patient must lay on a bed, and on his back with his head low; then put a little of this water in a spoon, and take seven or eight drops of it with the end of your finger, morning and evening, that you will cause to get into the eye, by dropping it into the nearest part to the nose. If the disease \>e urging, that remedy must be repeated five or six times a day. A great relief is likewise obtained,T>y dipping a linen in the said water, and applying it on the eyes on going to bed. For the fistula lachrymalis, you must put some of this water into it, and apply over the eye a small tent or lint dipt into it evening and morning, and renew it as often as possible. Other property of this water. It is likewise very excellent and renowned for ul- cers, tetters or ring worms, burns, erysipelos or St. Anthony's fire, contusions, sore breasts, gangrene and rotten flesh, scurvey, scurf in the head, King's evil. This water being luke warm, the sick parts must be well washed with, it, and apply over them some linen dipt in- to it, morning and- evening, if the disease by urging, the linen must be wet as often as it gets dry. You must never use the copperas, (that must be white within, and yellow without, in order to be good) except in povvder, and whenever you want to make use of it, you must pound it, and pass it through a sieye, if you think proper. Emetic, very Sovereign for different complaints. Its Composition. Put into a YesseJ; or matrass, one quart of good Span- 80 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, ish wine, with three r chm-> of prepared antimony, j well pulverized, one dr. chm of cloves, and the same quantity of cinnamon without being bruised; shut up your matrass well, and put it over a moderate sand fire, during two hours; then put out the fire, and let the drugs digest on the heat of the sand alone, as long as it will be warm; afterwards, strain the liquor through a white linen, and keep it in a glass vessel, well corked, to j r.se it when necessary. j Virtues, and use of the Emetic. ■■' This liquor is an excellent remedy against apoplexy, * and all diseases caused by the two great repletion, and # the quantity of humours; but, more particularly, when Cue stomach or the intestines are over loaded with im- purities, which are the origin of the several diseases with which the human body is attacked. Three or four spoonfuls of it, must be given to apo- pletiqk persons during the paroxysm; and the same quantity to other patients fasting, and cover them well afterwards. This remedy is likewise very sovereign in cases of intermittant fevers; but principally for the quartan fe- %. vers, provided if it is made use of as it should be about one hour before the shivering fit, give to a patient of a strong constitution, four table spoonfuls; to those of a weak constitution, three spoonfuls, and 10 children, two spoonfuls; you must take care to cover them well, dur- -. ing the cold period of the fever, and to rub them with warm cloths during the sweat of the fit. • That, if a vomiting or purging should take place, some time after the patient has taken this remedy, it ( OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. fil is a good token; for the fever shall cease, or else, the fits will be less frequent hereafter, or less violent: but if the patient was only to have nauseas or Inclination to vomit, you must give him a small quantity of fat brothj or half a glass of luke warm beer to help him to vomit. You must be very mindful, that the patient remains four or five hours without taking any nourishment, whenever this remedy is administered to him, and that if he has strength enough, it would be well to make him take a walk after taking it, until the sweat begins to come on him, then, you must put him in bed, and wipe him well with warm cloths from time to time. Should the remedy not have its desired effect, at first its use must be continued two or three times, and after- wards, let nature take its course. For the Flux. RECEIPT. Mix vinegar and salt together, and drink a small quantity of it frequently, which will be an immediate and effectual cure. I had opportunities of seeing this cure tried, and never knew it to fail. I have even known it to cure those whose bowels physicians had declared to be mortified. Well tried in the United States. For the Bloody Flux, and disorder in the bowels, or looseness. Take the juice of elder berrys, when it is well ripe; pass them through?, cloth or scarge, in order the better to clean it, afterwards, take some good wheat flour, as f' much as you think proper, and make use of that juice, instead of water, to make of them some smalT loaves, which you will put in an oven with other bread to bake3 82 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, taking care that they do not burn, owing to their small size: if they are not dry at the first baking, they must be put in the oven a second time, in order that they be- come as dry within as without, to be put in powder: afterwards, make of them some small packages, or pa- pers, after having passed it through a fine sieve. The dose and quantity to be given, is the weight of one ounce for grown persons; and for children the fourth part of that dose, say a quarter of an ounce. This pow- der must be taken in two spoonfuls of luke warm milk, for want of broth, in the morning fasting; two or three hours after eating or drinking; and the patient must be two hours after taking that remedy, before he eats or drinks. This remedy may be repeated in the evening, observing what has been prescribed above, and continue to do so until a cure, which will take place in a few •'* days. The powder must be kept in a dry place, and in bottles or other glass vessels, for use, when it is ne- cessary. Receipt for the Bloody Flux and looseness. Take one gill water of roses, with the same quantity of plantin water, infuse in it, two ounces of roses of pro- vins, during twelve hours, on some warm ashes, then strain it, and put into it the weight of one ounce of rhu- burb, cut in small pieces, infuse the whole twelve hours longer, then having strained and pressed it, pu* in a skillet over the fire, with two ounces of sugar, to make a syrup. The patient must, on the first day, take two spoon- fuls of it, fasting, and one spoonful every day, he must be one hour and a halt after taking the dose, without eat. ing, and continue the same tieatment until the com- plaint ceases; this remedy is infallible. OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 83 Another infallible and quicker remedy for the Bloody Flux only. You must take in the morning, in an egg, cooked in the usual way, half a spoonful of a small seed of the silver-weed, (a plant) that are usually found amongst seedsman, after having well stirred and mixed it with the egg, and repeat the same two or three times at dif- ferent hours; this performs wonders in a very short time. ANOTHER. Take one large handful of running thistle roots, in their full length; take of the leaves, and Wash the roots, until the ground is entirely washed off, thee put them in pieces into an earthen pot, with one quart of red wine, and boil the whole together, until the wine is reduced to about one pint or less. The whole being so consum- ed with a slow fire, strain the wine through a napkin, and put the roots in the same napkin, in order to ex- tract the juice from them. This wine and juice so strained, put them in a phial, or small pot, and when wanting, put three or four large spoonfuls of it in a saucer, on a little fire, and being warm enough, so as to bear your hand in it; rub with it the sick person, with your hand, the hinder part of the neck, and along the back bone, even down to the fundament, this being done, a napkin, or any other linen moderately warm, is to be applied on ihe back bone, and the patient is then turned, in order to rub his belly also, from the ' navel down to the groins, a warm napkin is also applied . to his belly. This remedy may be repeated thrice a , day, in the morning, at noon, and in the evening; and 84 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, it is sufficient to perform this operation four or five times at most. When the patient will have been rub- bed as it is mentioned as above, two or three times, you will perceive that instead of blood, his excrements will be yellow as wax, and half thicken, and instead of twelve or fifteen times more or less, that the patient was to go to the stool day and night, he will only go three or four times,.and bis matters being yellow; then he will return to his natural state, as though he had not been sick. If he has a fever, it will leave him, and his ap- petite will return, accompanied with a great itching all over his body, that will last two or three days, it is the token of his health. Several thousands of persons have been radically cured by this remedy. Another receipt for the looseness and Bloody Flux. Take some dock seed, (a sort of sorrel) that grows amongst the wheat, pound it, and put it in a spoonful of white wine, if there is no fever, and if there is a fever, in some broth; this is one of the most sovereign reme- dies. Receipt for the Bloody Flux, in all times. Take a new laid egg, and beat well together the yellow and white; then with some wheat flour, make a kind of a cake, and while you are making the dough, grate a nutmeg amongst it: the dough being well made, and the whole well worked and stirred, bake this cake between ashes, then give it hot just out of the fire, to the patient, he must while eating it, drink two or three times, either wine or water. OR WONDERFUL'SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 85 A sovereign remedy for a looseness in the Bowels. Take some pounded panic, (a sort of corn), and give it to the patient to drink with claret wine, and he will recover. The same panic, being boiled with goat's milk, and eat twice a day, morning and evening, before meals, will operate the same. Another for the same. Take some green horse beans, with their shells on, boil them with water and vinegar; eat them so with their shells, and the looseness Will stop. Another for the same. Take some green oak acorn, bruise them well with their shells, mix with it the ends of the tender leaves; and by the means of a still, draw some water from it, of which you will give to the patient; this remedy is very salutary and well proved. The remedies that have been already described for the dysentery and looseness can likewise be used. Different remedies to cure the fluxions of the Breast. RECEIPT. The person afflicted with this disease, must rub with a dry cloth every morning, the back part of his neck, and so along the jawbone and teeth; this friction being made on his getting out of bed, dissipates all bad humours, better than all the remedies that could be applied on the sick part. It is also proper to grease the feet with tallow. G 86 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, Another remedy for the fluxions of the Breast. You must take two ounces of damask raisins, two ounces of jujub, the same quantity of sebesten, take out the stones and seeds, three fine figs; cut them in small pieces, and boil the whole in an earthen pot with two quarts of water, let it consume down to one half; then, put into this decoction, one handful of each of the four maiden-hair or capillary, and boil again the whole, and reduce it to one half; strain it through a cloth, and put into it two ounces of sugar candy, ditto refined sugar, and four ounces of common sugar, then make it boil until of the consistency of syrup, but not quite so much as if you were to do it for preserves. Whenever this syrup is to be used, the patient must take one spoonful of it in the evening on his going to 4^ bed, and one spoonful in the morning on rising. One ^$j may add to the decoction two or three pepin apples, cut into four quarters, which must be pealed, and the seeds taken out. Another remedy for the same. Take four ounces of damask raisins, four ounces of * jujub, four ounces of dates, the same quantity of figs, and four ounces of sebesten; wash the whole with luke warm water, and take out the stones and seeds, and cut the fruit in pieces; afterwards, put them into a new well glazed earthen pot, that will contain three good - quarts or six pounds of water. Fill the pot with warm '\ water, and let the whole infuse on some hot ashes by the fire, during all the night, and keep the pot well covered; afterwards, in the morning, put the pot near ,,( i OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 87' a small fire of coals, and add to it at the same time one handful of scabious, one handful of colt's foot, and one handful of lung-wort. These herbs may be found with herb-woman, and cut and washed in luke warm water before they are put into the pot, which you must boil slowly until they arc almost reduced to one half; after that you add to it one ounce of good liquorice, and the pot is drawn from the fire. At the same instant the liquorice is dissolved in it, the pot must be covered, laid under the table, and left there a long hour; then strain this infusion through a strong cloth, and squeeze well out all the juice; you will add to it four ounces of tablets of diairis, and the same quantity of diatragan, with one pound of double refined sugar: afterwards, you will let this syrup boil either in the same pot, or in a skillet, until it is become like the cherry syrup, that is usually made to drink. Manner of using this remedy. It must be taken two hours after meals, and be one long hour after that, without eating. It is to be taken commonly, morning and evening, and for this purpose it is to be warmed slowly on some hot ashes; if it be two thick, when it is poured out of the bottle in which it had been put, you must mix two or three spoonfuls of some tea or water with it. Another remedy against the fluxion of the Breast. Take sebesten, jujub, fine figs, damask raisins, dates, of each four ounces, take out the stones and seeds, and cut all the fruit into small pieces: make of it a decoc- tion in a glazed earthen pot; that contains four pounds of water, boil the whole until reduced to one half, over 88 THE TAEASURE OF HEALTH; a hot fire of coals, in order to avoid a smoke, aud strain it through a new linen cloth; then clarify this de- coction in another pot with the white of two eggs well beaten, and stir it up together, add to it half a pound of fine sugar, half a pound of sugar of roses, four tablets of diairis, and four ditto of diatraganj'let the whole take four or five boilings, then strain it through a white napkin, into a clean pot, in which it will be done to per- fection, and it being cold, put it in a glass bottle, well corked, for use. Use of this remedy. The patient must take of it in the evening, two hours after eating; and in the morning, two hours be- fore eating. The dose is one table spoonful. Receipt against Folly or Madness, occasioned by sick' ?iess, or by the frequent use of strong liquors, or otherwise. You must take a new pot that will contain 'four quarts, fill it up with trie running ivy, but not the kind that is called ground ivy, and pour over it three M quarts of the strongest white wine, and after having soaked some time, press the whole very hard, and with the juice, rub the patient's temple and forehead every nine or twelve hours. You must likewise take the grounds, make of them six balls or pills, and \ put into it six ounces of oil, then stew the whole on hot ashes, and apply it warm enough between two cloths on the patient's forehead. It will be better for •.he patient if he can sleep. This well known remedy has-'always been attended with the greatest success, 4 OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 89 Fermentations to strengthen the legs and feet, debili- tated by sickness or other accidents. To make fomentations for the legs, thighs, and feet, make a decoction of sage, rosemary, thyme, lavender, cammomile flowers, and nielilot, red roses, stewed in white or red wine; or else make some lie with oak leaves, a little vinegar, and half a handful of salt. This decoction has the virtue to subtilize, attenuate, cut, resolve, dissipate, and dry up the gross and vis- cous humours. A TREATISE ON FEVERS, AND WHAT MUST BE DONE TO CURE THEM. A ipcctfic receipt against intermittent Fevers, with a > short discourse on F'evers* Although all intermittent fevers be exempt from all danger, according to the laws of the great Hyppocrates confirmed by an experience for more than one thou- sand years past, febres quocumque modo intermise- rmt periculo vacant; it is nevertheless necessary that the physician who wishes to undertake the treatment of them with honour to himself, should apply all his care in choosing the proper remedies, and adopt them to the constitution and strength of the patient, and that he take his precautions to administer them in time, otherwise, those fevers that were not of themselves tonsiderable, should change into continual fevers, on account of the remedy being,in the least badly or care- lessly administered, or on account of a single bleeding at an improper time; and the disorder fixing itself af- terwards in the humours, the physician had the dh*- G3 90 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, pleasure of seeing that those fevers he has so neglect- ed, become almost always malignant, and very often contagious. It is true, that they do not always become continu- ous, but another inconvenience arises therefrom; for, after some purgatives given either too strong or too soon, those-fevers increase in such u mannci, that, of a single tierce, a quarte is formed, or a double quarte, or a trible quarte, or some thing worse than that, and very often, the remedy having operated too violent- j ly upon the humours, increased the obstruction) and J rendered the ways through which the rowdies must I be led to the focus more difficult, they tak<; such a 1 deep root, and become so tedious and obstinate t& the I medicaments, that the patient beginning' at -length to I get tired, despise the remedies and the physician • who prescribes them. Composition of a very specific febrifuge. Take three new earthen pots, that will contain three quarts each, with lids to fit very close, you will put ■ into the first, the roots and leaves, of dunkards grass, . half a pound of each; in the second one pound oi the bark of the timorous tree, that has white leaves, and j in the third pot, the inside back of the roots and the I seed of the small tree called marrow, of each half a | pound. It is necessary that all these things should be 1 fresh and peeled. J Afterwards, fill up your pots, with some good dis- * tilled vinegar, put their lids on, and stop tnem all around With flour, mixed with the white of eggs, and OR WONDERFUL SECRETS l.V MEDICINE. 9j paper glued over it, expose them to the sun or in some place moderately warm, during fifteen days; then open the p>ts, and after having let them take two or three boilings, separate the vinegar from the matters by a strong pressing; mix afterwards all your vinegar, and filtrate them while they are hot. Weigh what has gone through, and on two pounds of vinegar, add one pound of good sugar, wliich you will clarify, and boil to the consistency of syrup, which you will carefully keep. This febrifuge is very operative, therefore opens powerfully, the passages through which it expells the material causes of intermittent fevers, after having tempered the bile, subtilized and loosened the phlegm, and viscous humours; it operates with so much efficacy, that there has never been found any case of intermittent fevers that has withstood the third dose of this remedy; it likewise performs wonders in cases of feveis continuous with redoublings, as it has often been experienced with the happiest success. InordvT not to be mistaken in the use of this remedy, you must prepare the humours, and afterwards evacu- ate the first ways by the means of some mild medicine conformable to the constitution and strength of the patient, and to the nature of his complaint, which is left to the wise prudence of the physician. After that, you must again prepare another medi- cine similar to the first, with this difference, neverthe- less, that instead of purgative syrup, you will add the suitable dose of this febrifuge. If, for an example, it is to be given to a bilious per: 92 THE TREASURE OF HKALTH, son from eighteen to twenty years of age, who has the tertian ague, single or double; infuse in a large glass of ptisan, the weight of two ounces of sena, hall an ounce of cassia, (a purgative drug) peeled, and one ounce tamarin; after having strained the whole add to it, one ounce of the composition of the syrup mentioned above, to administer it immediately on the beginning of the access, when the bad humours are gathering rapidly in the neighbouring parts of the sto- mach, which it then loosens and carries off without any violence or pains, by the stool or urine, often with so much success, that the access already began, does 'stop at the same time with the first dose^being taken; but then it is proper that the same remedy should be taken two or three times on the same days, and same hours on. which the access is accustomed to come. In cases of fevers continued, you must give the syrup at the beginning of the redoublings, but it is to be observed, that all that has just been said, must only be understood for the fevers caused by bad humours; for was there any contagious, then you must begin by giv- ing the cardiacs, (a cordial) in order to cxpell the malignity; and even some of them can be mixed in the composition of the syrup mentioned above. The dose is from half an ounce to one ounce and a half, or two ounces at the most, according to the age and strength of the patient. Let us now proceed with other remedies, very much approved for tht cure of all kinds of fevers. OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINJE. 93 A receipt to cure all kinds of Fevers. Put two spoonfuls of violet syrup into a glass, and two spoonfuls of wine, add to it six grains of viper powder, and three grains of orvietan, ten drops of spi- rits or acid of sulphur, and ten drops of the tincture of vitriol, then fill up the glass with water, and beat the whole together, and give it to the patient about three hours before the access, or else during the access. One may, in case the smell of the orvietan is disagree- able, take it separately with a portion of the liquor, and take the rest immediately after. There is no fever that withstands four doses of this remedy. It must be taken two successive days, and be one day without taking it. Another receipt for all kinds of Fevers, Take at the beginning of the fever, or of the chill, half a gill of borage juice; mix it with as much white; wine, the whole making a glass; the patient may take of it, two or three times, in case the fever does not cease at first. Receipt for the Intermittent Fevers. Amongst the febrifuge remedies, one of the most certain for intermittent fevers, are the flowers of anti- mony, corrected with an equal quantity of spirits of honey, and spirits of wine, mixed together. The dose is of fifteen grains in some preserves, to be taken one hour before the access, and half an hour after, a broth, which is usually continued during three successive accesses, without their ever causing any vomiting, but ♦ 94 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, they operate either by the stools or by sweating, ac- cording how nature is disposed. For the Tertian Ague. You must take the leaves and roots of pilosella, beat it, and infuse it in a gill of white wine, and take it a short time before the access. Another receipt for the Tertian and double Tertian Ague. The salt of sulphur is given with success for those complaints from ten grains to two scruples. Or dulcified spirits of nitre, from'four to eight drops. Or the acid spirits of salt ammoniac of vitriol, of-^ alum and sulphur, the same dose and quantity; purifi- ed salt-petre, from ten grains to one drachm; and the most part of the remedies mentioned hereafter for the quartan fevers. Against the Quartan Fevers. The most experienced and approved remedies for these fevers, are the following. Sweet sublimate giv- en from six to thirty grains. The emetic syrup above discribed, the dose of -\ which is from two drachms to one ounce and a half. The salt ammoniac and of tartar, given separately, \ immediately one after the other, from four to eight \ grains of each. * The crystal of tartar, the dose of which is from half a drachm, to three drachms. The volatile salt of tartar and urine from six to fifteen grains. . OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 95 Camphire suspended about the neck or applied to the arm, the weight of two drachms; without speaking of the tincture bark or quinquina, the manner of using it will, be explained hereafter. Here follows others. more simple. Against the Quartan Fever. Take the yellow of a new laid egg, and having mixed it in a glass of white wine, give it to the patient at the beginning of the chill. Against the Continual Fevers. The best and most natural remedy for the continual fevers, and often experienced, is to take three or four times a day, twelve drops of the spirits of salt ammo- niac in succory or scorzonera water. Either of the following remedies, are likewise given with success, to wit; spirits of vitriol, of sulphur or of allum, from four to eight drops. Salt of sulphur, from ten grains to two scruples; crystal of tartar, from one to three drachms; laud- num, from half a grain, to two grains; purified salt- petre, or mineral crystal, from ten grains to one drachm; soluble tartar emetic, from four to sixteen grains; or emetic wine, from half an ounce to three ounces. For Malignant Fevers. Here follows a great number of excellent remedies to expel the malignity of these fevers; as also for the small-pox, and even the plague, Stc. The salt ammoniac of tartar given immediately, and separately one after another, the dose of which is from 96 niF. TREASURE OF HEALTH, four to ten grains of each; or volatile spirits of the same solt ammoniac, from six to twenty drops. Mineral bezoar, from six to twenty grains. Acid spirits of salt ammoniac, from four to ten drops> Flowers of salt ammoniac, from four to fifteen grains. Essence of amber-gris, frotn two drops to twelve. The shaving of deer horns made into a ptisan, and ;elly of deer horns in aliment. The water of thistle and balm mint, from two ounces to six dilto. Extract of balm mint, and thistle, from one scruple to one drachm. Spirituous water of cinnamon, from one drachm to three ditto. Tincture of antimony, from four to twenty drops. Distilled vinegar, half a spoonful. Flowers of benzoir, from two grains to five ditto. Myrrh, from ten grains to one scruple. Tincture of myrrh, from six to fifteen drops. Viper powder, from twenty to thirty grains. Salt of thistle and balm mint, from ten grains to one6* scruple. Tincture of salt of tartar, from ten to thirty drops. V \m Volatile salt of tartar, from six grains to fifteen ditto- Walnut water, from one to seven ounces. Camphorated spirits of wine, from four to ten drops. Spirits of gum ammoniac, from eight to sixteen drops. Oil or essence of cinnamon, one drop only. Receipt to appease the great heat or violence of the fever, and even some time to cure it. Take plantain water, three drachms; rose-water, two j OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 97 dpachms; white wine two drachms; sugar three drachms; honey water one drachm; syrup of violet, one drachm. Put the whole in a pint of very cool spring- water, and give some to the patient. Another receipt for the Quartan Fever. Take four grains of black pepper, with some juice of gentian; make of it one pill. This you will give to the patient with wine or theriacal water, three hours before the access, and a very good effect will take place. Another for the Same. It has been experienced that cantharide, or Spanish ilyb ing wrapped up in some spiders web, and suspen- ded to the neck of a person attacked with the quar- tan fever, cure them perfectly. A Cure far the Scarlet Fever. V Dr. Thornton has fortunately, from his great know- ledge of botany, discovered a specific in scarlet fever, viz. twenty-five-drops of tincture of fox glove, given every three hours, day and night; and by this simple means he lately saved seventeen children of the St. Pancras Female Charity School, of that fatal disease. PREVENTIVE OF FEVERS. Receipt for the prevention of infection from fevers, dysentery,&c. By Dr. Smith, who got from parlia- \ nicnt 1.5000 for the discovery. Six drachms powdered nitre, six drachms of oil of vit- H 98 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, riol,mix them in a tea cup, by adding to the nitre one drachm at a time of the oil. The cup to be placed, during preparation, on a hot hearth, or plate of heated iron, and the mixture to be stirred with a tobacco pipe or piece of glass. The cup to be changed to different places in the apartment of the sick. GRAVEL. Of many specific Remedies for the Gravel. RECEIPT. Dissolve three drachms of prepared natron, in a quart of cold water, and take half this quantity in the courseof the day, continue this medicine for a few days, and that painful complaint will be dislodged. It may be taken at any hour, but is best after a meal. Num- bers of persons have been perfectly relieved by this simple remedy. There is no quackery in the prece- ding prescription, which is offered to mankind from a feeling of humanity. Receipt against the same. A very skilful physician has given this secret for certain, which is very easy, and does not fail in causing the stones and gravel to come out of the reins: the patient is to take fasting, one ounce of hysop syrup, with twice or three times that quantity pellitory or parietaria water, during the period of ten or twelve days.' This alone, has been the means of relieving a great number of persons afflicted with the gravel. Another receipt for the Gravel. Take some branches of white muscat grape vine, y 4 OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 99 ji. make ashes of them, take three ounces of it, and p»t these ashes into a very clean vessel; pour over it one good gill of boiling water, and cover it during one hour afterwards, pour the water gently into a glass, to pre- vent the ashes from mixing with it, and after having strained it several times through a fine cloth folded double, it must be drank luke warm, failing, and the patient must take a walk during two hours, and two hours alter he must take a broth: you may put six ounces together for two doses, which will be sufficient to cure the patient. Another for the same. You must take cresses, silver-weed, and marsh len- tils, one handful of each, wash them clean; then, you will boil them in three pints of water, during one quar- ter of an hour, after having strained them, add to it the half of a lime, cut in round slices with the peel on, and four ounces of fine sugar, and as soon as it is dis- solved, add to it fifteen drops of spirits of salt. The whole must be let to infuse about four or five hours; let the patient take one glass or two of it in the morning, and one glass in the evening, if he think pro- per. Some glysters must be used to prepare the patient. Another for the same. ' You must have white onions water, distilled in a balneum maris, and in the morning put about six £■ "drops of it in white wine, which the patient must drink, y fasting; and he will not be a longtime without receiv- t ing a great relief. The juice of a lime mixed with one ounce of oil of tweet almonds, and taken morning and evening, does »00 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH) , t also perform wonder by causing a great qauntity of sand and gravel to pass with the urine. Another receipt for the Gravel. Take twenty-four grains of prepared salt-petre, in- fuse it in white wine during five or six hours; after- '. - wards, let the patient take of that infusion from the evening until midnight or one o'clpck, he must take the whole dose, having gone to bed early, and without ■"*, taken any supper except a fiesh egg. ' A ptisan or tea to prevent the Gravel. - four ounces; rasped lignum vitae, two ounces; sassafras two ounces; thierbith agarie, and snake-headed iris one \ ounce of each; semma, one ounce; liquorice stick half an ounce: boil the whole in a brass pot, with three quarts of spring or river water, which you will let con- \ sume to the fourth part; afterwards, let it cool for some time, and strain it through a cloth. The patient must ■' take a glass of it in the morning fasting, and remain two "' hours without eating any thing; three houis after din- ner, he must take another glass of it. II two glasses do not purge him enough, he must take another glass three hours after supper. You may put water over the ingredient, and the pa- tient may drink of it between meals, in case he is thirs- OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 109 ty, it is necessary to observe that neither the senna or liquorice are to be put with the other drugs into the kc tic, but when it is off the fire, and when it is al- most luke warm, leaving it afterwards in that situation during tweniy-four hours. Receipt for the Gangreen. Take three quarts of rain or river water, pour it over one pound of new lime in a pewter bason, whenever the boiling of the lime has.subsided; put into it two drachms of good mastick, and half an ounce of arsenic, the whole in powder, mix them together with a wood- en spatula, and let it settle; afterwards filtrate the water through a white cloth or fustian, when the whole has pressed through, you will add to it half an ounce corrosive sublimate of.mercuiy in powder, one ounce and a half of spirits of wine, half a drachm of spirits of vitriol, and put the whole into bottles, and keep it for . use. Virtue of the Galega or Goat's-rue. The galega or goat's-rue must be in blossom at the lime it is gathered, and to make the water with it, the plant must be cut, then pound it in a mortar in older to break it, put this plant in a pot large enough to con- tain it, in which you pour some white wine, in ",. order that the plant may be imbibed with it,'then put f* it in the cellar to let it foment six or eit,ht days, and ;* afterwards distill it on sand, the balneum maris Leing lp; too weak. This water is very sudorific, and expels all the venom, that is the cause of the complaint; it is „- sovereign to bring out the small-pox. In giving a de- 110 THE J'REASURE OI HEALTH, or lion of it with a little wine, instead of the water, a decoction may be made with it. To dry this herb, it must be gathered when it is in full flower; and dried in the shade, and not in the sun; because the latter takes the virtue from the plant. The galega is very sovereign for the epilepsy, eith- er distilled into a water, or made into a decoction. The author of this remedy relates, that a person falling of. ten in epilepsy, who only took of it once, and who was a whole year without having any attack, at the end of the year, he fell again; he took the same remedy dur- ing one whole month, and found himself well by it. This plant is made use of outwardly, in leases of violent diseases in applying to it the juice over the grounds of the herb. This water may be laid in the sun, when it is in bot- tles,to cause the emperuema to evaporate from it. Receipt against the Gonorrhoea. Take an equal quantity of sorel, renufar, running thistles and strawberry roots; make a ptisan, or a te of them; in two quarts of which you will dissolve two ounces of the four cold seeds, and one drachm of crys- tal mineral. Receipt against the Gonorrhea. The following remedy is likewise used with success to stop the gonorrhaea that is, prepared coral from ten grains to two scruples. Succinum, from ten grains to two scruples, saturne salt from one grain to four ditto, diaphoretic antimo- ny, from six to thirty grains, prepared green mercury, from two to six grains. OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. Ill Receipufor the Heart-ach. There is no quicker, nor more excellent remedy, to stop the great palpitation of the heart, than by applying a dry cupping glass about the region of the heart. Nothing is also more salutary for syncopes and fainting fits, than to lake from time to time, in wine, a few drops of amber.and musk essence, extracted with the spirits of wine, and mixed with the oil of yellow le- mon peals, and sugar candy. One may also, lo strengthen the heart and brains, take one drop of oil, or essence of cinnamon, two or three drops of essence of cloves; one or two spoonfuls of strawberry and raspberry water, or some deer horn jelly, in aliment; or balm water, from two to six ounces, or water of roses from one to six ounces; or orange flowers water, from •one.drachm to one ounce; or ange- lic water, the description whereof will be found here- after. Divers remedies for the hcmorrJ^ge or bleeding, at the nose. Take some chick-pease, lay them on a tile over the fire until they are dry;' then reduce them to powder, which the patient must take like snuff, and the bleed- ing will stop. One may likewise employ with success, most of the remedies used for the dysentery, such as the stiptic water, or prepared coral, or laudanum, or extract of rhubarb, or distilled vinegar, or oil of oak acorns, or succinum, and the other drugs, the doses of which have been specified above. You will moreover find in the course of this work, for the spitting of blood, and other evacuations of blood, 11,2 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, l> some remedies that are equally good for this kind of I hemorrhage. 1 Another receipt against the hemorrhage or bleeding at the nose and polypus. The herb made use of for this remedy is called sola- ' nummorelli, or commonly the small morel. You must extract the juice of the leaves of this plant, and with a little, piece of twisted linen dipped into that juice, wet the sick nostril often. It is immaterial wheth- er the patient is fasting, or after he has eaten. Many per- sons have been cured with this remedy. It is pretended that the juice last extracted, is the best, because it is 1 more smarting than the first. > This remedy is also sovereign for the hemorrhage, I or extraordinary bleeding at the nose. The expert? 1 ment was tried on a girl in the country, who had lost . j so much blood, that she was reduced to the last ex- tremity; she was perfectly cured, without any other remedy, except the juice of this herb. The person who possessed this secret, has likewise tried it upon himself; he being afflicted wi\h the polypus, and said, that this remedy caused the bleeding at the nose to stop entirely, which that complaint was the cause of. By degrees the excrescency of flesh that is in the nose. This heib is commonly to be found amongst the nettles. Secret for the bloody f.ux. Take plantain juice, three ounces, white rose water, one ounce, infuse in them two or three balls of ass , dung, break into small-pieces, and one hall drachm of f\ OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEBICINE. 1*3 santal citrine; ii being infused during six hours at least, on some hot ashes, often stirring it up, you will pass and extract the whole, and in that colature mix well half a drachm of crystal mineral, and a little sugar; and the patient must take of it twice a day, long time after having taken sotne broth. OF THE HEMORRHOIDS. Of several specific and approved remedies to cure, the Hemorrhoids. RECEIPT. Take some common orpine, which is a herb, the roots of which resemble the hemorrhoids; take the skin off from the roots, and pound them well, in pounding them, add to it a small quantity of water of roses, and mix well the whole together. This is an ointment that is made without fire, and serve to rub the part afflicted with the hemorrhoids. Another receipt for the same. Put two or three shovels full of warm ashes in water, boil them a long time, then put them under an easy chair, or a chair that has a hole in the seat, which you will close well all arouud, in order to prevent the va- pour from being lost; the patient must immediately set on the chair, and he will infallibly be cured. This re- medy causes the patient to sweat, and dries up the hermorhoids. Another receipt for the hemorrhoids. Take some very dry dog's dung, pound it, and pass K2 J 14 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, it through a sieve; afterwards take half a pound ol fresh butter, and melt it; take off the scum as long as any rises on the top of it; then put in the weight of one ounce of that powder, with a very little vinegar and salt; a plaster is made of this, and applied on the fun- dament and hemorrhoids'. Another receipt for the same complaint. You must take a turtle, put it into a pot, well covet ed on the fire, and leave it until it is entirely burnt; then take it off of the fire, and reduce it into powder which you will apply on the hemorrhoids, after having well washed that part; and after two or three applica- tions of that remedy, the person will be cured. ' Another for the same. Take one ounce of casilicum, and one drachm of opi- um; mix them well together, and make a liniment ot it on the hemorrhoids. The grease of an eel roasted on the spit, is also made use of very successfully, being mixed with the yolk of a fresh egg, which must be cooked very slowly, to anoint the sick part with it. Another for the inward and outward hemorrhoids. Take half an ounce of sarcocol, half an ounce of rosat ointment, and one quarter of on ounce of the oil of the flowers of mullin, mix the whole together, and make an ointment of it, with which you will rub warm- ly the hemorrhoids with a feather twice a day; and if they are inwardly, take a little cotton, dip it in the oint- ment, and by the means of a glyster pipe, cause it to enter into the fundament. OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 115 Another for the same. Take the white part of four small or of two large leeks, beat them into the consistency of an ointment, with some male hog's lard, add to it, the bigness of a walnut, of calcined allum, with the same quantity of male frankincense, then mix with it two ounces of com- mon honey, and put it into the chaffing dish, upon a slow fire, in order to incorporate the drugs together, in short, put into it the bigness of two eggs of rye flour, andcontinue to cook the whole until the consistency of an ointment; towards the latter part of the process, you will add to it the yolk of a fresh egg", and three cents worth of populum, warming it a little, without letting it boil. This ointment resolves the tumified and ulcerated hemorrhoids. Another for the same. Take the yolk of a fresh egg, and mix with it, a good spoonful of oil of sweet almonds, extracted* with- out fire, and beat them together until they form an ointment, and make use of it. Another very excellent remedy for the same RECEIPT. The small celandine, or small blind nettle, is very salutary to this disease. Take its roots with the seeds that are attached to it, and having extracted the juice from it, must be mixed with some wine, or with some of the patient's urine, to wash frequently with it the he- morrhoids. This remedy appeases the pain, and after- wards causes them to dry up. Or else, the root of the scorplularia must be bruis- ed and pounded with fresh butter, and having left it in 116 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, a shady and damp place, during fifteen days, co:k it over a slow fire, and it will be done. Anoint the hemorrhoids with it. This remedy is moreover salu- tary for the king's evil. The large consound has such a great virtue in con- solidating sores, that experiments have been made of that herb; which being cooked with raw meat, cftt into pieces, join them together again. This is what renders it so excellent for the inflammations in the fundament, and for the excessive flux of the hemorrhoids, it being ap- plied on them. The mullein, is also employed with success in this disease. A decoction is made with the young leaves of that plant, and the sick part is washed with it. It ap- peases the pain, and dries up the hemorrhoids. The leaves of bramble applied on the sick part, cure likewise the bleeding hemorrhoids, on account of the desiccative and astringent virtues which the young shoots possess, the leaves and fruit of this plant, not yet ripe. It is the same with regard to myrrh: therefore the juice of its leaves, fruits, and of its young shoots, taken inwardly or applied, has the property of stopping the spitting of blood, the hemorrhage, or bleeding at the nose, and the loss of blood in women, as well as the he- morrhoids, whenever they are bathed with it. v A plaster to ease the pain of the hemorrhoids. Take camomile, marsh mallow, melilot, and mullien roots, one handful of each: let them cook until they get of a certain thickness, then add to it the yolks of two eggs, saffron, myrrh, aloes, one scruple of each flour of sengreen and of flax seed, six scruples of each, and a OR WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. - 117 sufficient quantity of fresh butler; make a plaster of it, to which you may add besides three scruples'of opium. Another for the same. Mix the soft part of recently roasted apples, with the yolk of eg-s boiled hard, and then reduced in pow- der, making of it a kind of ointment. Or else the leaves of cherril, or of marsh mallow, boiled with cow's milk, and applied in fomentation. Or else horse dung dried and reduced into very fine powder, and mifced with the yolk of eggs; the whole must be incorporated with oil of roses, and is to be ap- plied on the hemorrhoids: it appeases the pain in a short time. Another for the same. If there is a great heat, smarting, or pain, the patient must sit down in a half bath. If there is great pain, take sage, small consound, milfoil, and ground ivy leaves, half a handful of each, pound the whole in a mortar, with the yolk of one egg; and apply some of this remedy on the sick part. Or else take two drachms of populeum ointment, and the yellow of two eggs; stir them, and mix them well together in a leaden mortar. Or else take some bgef marrow, with some fresh butter, wash the whole in rose water, and make an oint- ment of them. Or else take one drachmo f Roman vitriol, put it in powder, then, put it to soak in one ounce of plantain or 118 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, nightshade water, to bath or wash the hemorrhoids with it. An approved balsam for the hemorrhoids. During the months of May, fill a large mouth bottle with the yellow flowers Of crowfoot, or butter flowers, such as grow in meadows; pour over them as much sweet oil as the bottle will contain, and for every quart of oil, add to it the half of a lily onion, which must previously have been coarsely bruised, then put the bottle in the sun, very well stopped, and you will fill it up with oil, as often as it will evaporate during the first days: after which, keep the bottle during the heal of the summer exposed to the sun. This balsam is ap- plied over the hemorrhoids with blotting paper, above all, after the patient has been to the stool. Another balsam for the same. Take thirty or forty black-beetle, into a bottle with about one pound of sweet cil; (these insects are to be found in the country, or the excrements of animals), lay that bottle in the sun, for several weeks, and rub the hemorrhoids with that balsam, with a piece of blotting paper over them. Excellent ointment for the cure of the outward hemor- rhoids*. Take one pound of male hog's lard, cut it into small bits, a large bundle of smallage, cut likewise into small pieces, the stalks as well as the leaves, one pound of pitch rosin, bruised, and one pound of while wax, like- wise cut into pieces. First, put the male hog's fat into a kettle, on a slow OK WONDERFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 119 fire, in order to melt it slowly, and stir it up constantly with a wooden spoon; afterwards put in the smallage and ti-.e pitch rosin, stir them well until they are all melted, and the smallage be almost cooked; then put the white wax into the kettle, to melt and boil it, keep the whole on a small and slow fire, during three or four hours, until it is made in an ointment of a brown green colour, after which it must be strained through a loose cloth, and put into an earthen pot, which must be kept covered. As soon as the ointment is cold, the hemorrhoids must be rubbed with it, some chervil must be applied over it, which must previously have hcen picked and rubbed between the hands. Repeat this remedy until the patient is cured, which happens in a short time, according as experience has shown the efficacy of it. A treatise of several kinds of oil useful in medicine. Balsam oil, excellent for all kinds of cuts, bruises, Zjfc. Take twenty pounds of very fine sweet oil, and put into it, a large handful of each of the following herbs, middle consound, camomile, sanicle, white cypress, vervain, St. John's herb, betony, frank balm, mint, sage royal, large leaf sage, St. John's grass, consound, and Provin roses; these herbs must be well cleaned, and all the sticks taken out, and only make use of the leaves and heart, as being the most tender parts; chop them, and wet them with red wine; then put the whole with the sweet oil into a large earthen pot, and expose them to the sun, about the end of June, adding to it half a pound of aristolochy, break it in small pieces; after it 120 THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, has infused some time in the wine, expose the whole in the sun, till the middle ot August, and stir it every day during.that time; afterwards, you must put it into a kettle, and boil it one long hour, until the oil is turned very green, and the herbs well done, always stirring up with a stick for fear they should get burnt. After- wards it must be strained through a coarse new linen cloth, and press well the herbs, in order to extract all the juice, then put the oil into another very clean ket- tle, and add to it about one gill of thick red wine, two or three drachms of mastich, and as much olibanum, re- duced into powder, and boil the whole about half an ' hour, always stirring with a stick: then take off the oil, and put it into stone bottles, or other glass vessels, to make use of it when necessary. -- Another oil, excellent for ail kinds of sorcc, t ISTc. Take two hardfulsof large plantain, two handfuls ^ of round plantain, two .hajidfqls of bastard plantain, or carpenter's grass, two handfuls of wild plantain, two of ortie greeches or Roman nettle, two of sweet marjo- ram, two of violets, a large handful of salt, and one good glass of wine; put the whole into eighteen pounds of fine sweet oil; boil the whole until the herbs are well done, and the oil very green, always stirring the herbs. When the whole will be done, strain it through a cloth, press it well, and keep this oil in bottles, to make use of it when necessary; the herbs must not be washed, neither must any part be'taken off, except the small end of the root; in case they be muddy, they must be wiped dry with a cloth. OR WONDSRFUL SECRETS IN MEDICINE. 121 • Onion Oil. You must take one pound of olive, or sweet oil, two or three onions of a moderate size, weighing above one quarter of a pound, which must be cut into slices, and pounded; put the oil and onions together In a kettle on the fire to boil, until the onions are well done; then take the kettle oft' the fire, add to it the weight of one ounce of stone lime, well pounded, and stir up the whole with a spatula, or stick, for fear the lime should cause the oil to rise over, and lose all, in order to avoid it, it would be proper to lay the kettle- either in a dish or pan, that nothing be lost, The whole being a little settled, strain it through a cloth, into an earthen pot, to make use of it when necessary. You will increase the dose in proportion to the quanti- ty of oil, you wish to make. Properties of this. PH.. It is good for all new sores, whenever the bon«s are not injured; it is likewise excellent for all kinds of sprains, excoriation, tumours, swellings, for all kinds of burns, provided * be applied to them betimes. To make use of it, tfls only necessary to rub the sick part with it, and \a cover it with a linen dipt in the oil. Green Stomach Oil. They are aniseed, fennel, dill, mace, caraway, and ether oil, which is made in the following manner. For example, you take sixteen ounce* of aniseed, . which ycu pound in a mortar, until it is broken and induced into a dough, and then you put it in a sieve. L J THE TREASURE OF HEALTH, and cover it with a strong linen cloth, and with an earthen pan; lay afterwards the sieve on a vessel hjtff full of water, and put this vessel on the fire, in oider that the vapour arising out of the water, may slowly heat the aniseed, as soon as the pan is as hot as you can bear with your hand, take the sieve off the fire, and having put the aniseed in the linen cloth, take and tie I up the four corners of it together, you will put it at the same time in the press between two hot plates, and ihe pan underneath; an oil will come out of it, which will condense as it gets cold; in order that nothing re- mains, you will be careful to press the matter as much as possible. After which, put it into a pot w ell cofered, to use it when necessary. This oil and others similar to it, may be taken in- wardly in order to strengthen the stomach, or be ap- plied outwardly. The dese,when to be taken is from ^ four grains to ten in some broth, or any other liquors adequate to the purpose, when it is to be applied out- > wardly,itmaybe mixed with oil of mastic, to rub the .m stomach with it.