The Anatomy of Melancholy Part 50

For an emplaster, take of castorium a dram and a half, of opium half a scruple, mixed both together with a little water of life, make two small plasters thereof, and apply them to the temples.

Rulandus _cent. 1. cur. 17. cent. 3. cur. 94._ prescribes epithems and lotions of the head, with the decoction of flowers of nymphea, violet-leaves, mandrake roots, henbane, white poppy. Herc. de Saxonia, _stillicidia_, or droppings, &c. Lotions of the feet do much avail of the said herbs: by these means, saith Laurentius, I think you may procure sleep to the most melancholy man in the world. Some use horseleeches behind the ears, and apply opium to the place.

[4355]Bayerus _lib. 2. c. 13._ sets down some remedies against fearful dreams, and such as walk and talk in their sleep. Baptista Porta _Mag. nat.

l. 2. c. 6._ to procure pleasant dreams and quiet rest, would have you take hippoglossa, or the herb horsetongue, balm, to use them or their distilled waters after supper, &c. Such men must not eat beans, peas, garlic, onions, cabbage, venison, hare, use black wines, or any meat hard of digestion at supper, or lie on their backs, &c.

_Rusticus pudor_, bashfulness, flushing in the face, high colour, ruddiness, are common grievances, which much torture many melancholy men, when they meet a man, or come in [4356]company of their betters, strangers, after a meal, or if they drink a cup of wine or strong drink, they are as red and fleet, and sweat as if they had been at a mayor's feast, _praesertim si metus accesserit_, it exceeds, [4357]they think every man observes, takes notice of it: and fear alone will effect it, suspicion without any other cause. Sckenkius _observ. med. lib. 1._ speaks of a waiting gentlewoman in the Duke of Savoy's court, that was so much offended with it, that she kneeled down to him, and offered Biarus, a physician, all that she had to be cured of it. And 'tis most true, that [4358]Antony Ludovicus saith in his book _de Pudore_, "bashfulness either hurts or helps," such men I am sure it hurts. If it proceed from suspicion or fear, [4359]Felix Plater prescribes no other remedy but to reject and contemn it: _Id populus curat scilicet_, as a [4360]worthy physician in our town said to a friend of mine in like case, complaining without a cause, suppose one look red, what matter is it, make light of it, who observes it?

If it trouble at or after meals, (as [4361]Jobertus observes _med. pract.

l. 1. c. 7._) after a little exercise or stirring, for many are then hot and red in the face, or if they do nothing at all, especially women; he would have them let blood in both arms, first one, then another, two or three days between, if blood abound; to use frictions of the other parts, feet especially, and washing of them, because of that consent which is between the head and the feet. [4362]And withal to refrigerate the face, by washing it often with rose, violet, nenuphar, lettuce, lovage waters, and the like: but the best of all is that _lac virginale_, or strained liquor of litargy: it is diversely prepared; by Jobertus thus; _[Symbol: Rx]

lithar. argent. unc. j cerussae candidissimae, [Symbol: Dram]jjj. caphurae, [Symbol: Scruple]jj. dissolvantur aquarum solani, lactucae, et nenupharis ana unc. jjj. aceti vini albi. unc. jj. aliquot horas resideat, deinde transmittatur per philt. aqua servetur in vase vitreo, ac ea bis terve facies quotidie irroretur_. [4363]Quercetan _spagir. phar. cap. 6._ commends the water of frog's sp.a.w.n for ruddiness in the face. [4364]Crato _consil. 283. Scoltzii_ would fain have them use all summer the condite flowers of succory, strawberry water, roses (cupping-gla.s.ses are good for the time), _consil. 285. et 286._ and to defecate impure blood with the infusion of senna, savory, balm water. [4365]Hollerius knew one cured alone with the use of succory boiled, and drunk for five months, every morning in the summer. [4366]It is good overnight to anoint the face with hare's blood, and in the morning to wash it with strawberry and cowslip water, the juice of distilled lemons, juice of cuc.u.mbers, or to use the seeds of melons, or kernels of peaches beaten small, or the roots of Aron, and mixed with wheat bran to bake it in an oven, and to crumble it in strawberry water, [4367] or to put fresh cheese curds to a red face.

If it trouble them at meal times that flushing, as oft it doth, with sweating or the like, they must avoid all violent pa.s.sions and actions, as laughing, &c., strong drink, and drink very little, [4368]one draught, saith Crato, and that about the midst of their meal; avoid at all times indurate salt, and especially spice and windy meat.

[4369]Crato prescribes the condite fruit of wild rose, to a n.o.bleman his patient, to be taken before dinner or supper, to the quant.i.ty of a chestnut. It is made of sugar, as that of quinces. The decoction of the roots of sowthistle before meat, by the same author is much approved. To eat of a baked apple some advice, or of a preserved quince, c.u.minseed prepared with meat instead of salt, to keep down fumes: not to study or to be intentive after meals.

"[Symbol: Rx]. Nucleorum persic. seminis melonum ana unc. [Symbol: Scruple] aquae fragrorum l. ij. misce, utatur mane."

[4370]To apply cupping gla.s.ses to the shoulders is very good. For the other kind of ruddiness which is settled in the face with pimples, &c., because it pertains not to my subject, I will not meddle with it. I refer you to Crato's counsels, Arnoldus _lib. 1. breviar. cap. 39. 1._ Rulande, Peter Forestus de Fuco, _lib. 31. obser. 2._ To Platerus, Mercurialis, Ulmus, Rondoletius, Heurnius, Menadous, and others that have written largely of it.

Those other grievances and symptoms of headache, palpitation of heart, _Vertigo deliquium_, &c., which trouble many melancholy men, because they are copiously handled apart in every physician, I do voluntarily omit.

MEMB. II.

_Cure of Melancholy over all the Body_.

Where the melancholy blood possesseth the whole body with the brain, [4371]

it is best to begin with bloodletting. The Greeks prescribe the [4372]

median or middle vein to be opened, and so much blood to be taken away as the patient may well spare, and the cut that is made must be wide enough.

The Arabians hold it fittest to be taken from that arm on which side there is more pain and heaviness in the head: if black blood issue forth, bleed on; if it be clear and good, let it be instantly suppressed, [4373]

"because the malice of melancholy is much corrected by the goodness of the blood." If the party's strength will not admit much evacuation in this kind at once, it must be a.s.sayed again and again: if it may not be conveniently taken from the arm, it must be taken from the knees and ankles, especially to such men or women whose haemorrhoids or months have been stopped. [4374]

If the malady continue, it is not amiss to evacuate in a part in the forehead, and to virgins in the ankles, who are melancholy for love matters; so to widows that are much grieved and troubled with sorrow and cares: for bad blood flows in the heart, and so crucifies the mind. The haemorrhoids are to be opened with an instrument or horseleeches, &c. See more in Montaltus, _cap. 29._ [4375]Sckenkius hath an example of one that was cured by an accidental wound in his thigh, much bleeding freed him from melancholy. Diet, diminutives, alteratives, cordials, correctors as before, intermixed as occasion serves, [4376]"all their study must be to make a melancholy man fat, and then the cure is ended." Diuretics, or medicines to procure urine, are prescribed by some in this kind, hot and cold: hot where the heat of the liver doth not forbid; cold where the heat of the liver is very great: [4377]amongst hot are parsley roots, lovage, fennel, &c.: cold, melon seeds, &c., with whey of goat's milk, which is the common conveyer.

To purge and [4378]purify the blood, use sowthistle, succory, senna, endive, carduus benedictus, dandelion, hop, maidenhair, fumitory, bugloss, borage, &c., with their juice, decoctions, distilled waters, syrups, &c.

Oswaldus, Crollius, _basil Chym._ much admires salt of corals in this case, and Aetius, _tetrabib. ser. 2. cap. 114._ Hieram Archigenis, which is an excellent medicine to purify the blood, "for all melancholy affections, falling sickness, none to be compared to it."

MEMB. III.

SUBSECT. I.--_Cure of Hypochondriacal Melancholy_.

In this cure, as in the rest, is especially required the rectification of those six non-natural things above all, as good diet, which Monta.n.u.s, _consil. 27._ enjoins a French n.o.bleman, "to have an especial care of it, without which all other remedies are in vain." Bloodletting is not to be used, except the patient's body be very full of blood, and that it be derived from the liver and spleen to the stomach and his vessels, then [4379]to draw it back, to cut the inner vein of either arm, some say the salvatella, and if the malady be continuate, [4380]to open a vein in the forehead.

Preparatives and alteratives may be used as before, saving that there must be respect had as well to the liver, spleen, stomach, hypochondries, as to the heart and brain. To comfort the [4381]stomach and inner parts against wind and obstructions, by Areteus, Galen, Aetius, Aurelia.n.u.s, &c., and many latter writers, are still prescribed the decoctions of wormwood, centaury, pennyroyal, betony sodden in whey, and daily drunk: many have been cured by this medicine alone.

Prosper Altinus and some others as much magnify the water of Nile against this malady, an especial good remedy for windy melancholy. For which reason belike Ptolemeus Philadelphus, when he married his daughter Berenice to the king of a.s.syria (as Celsus, _lib. 2._ records), _magnis impensis Nili aquam afferri jussit_, to his great charge caused the water of Nile to be carried with her, and gave command, that during her life she should use no other drink. I find those that commend use of apples, in splenetic and this kind of melancholy (lamb's-wool some call it), which howsoever approved, must certainly be corrected of cold rawness and wind.

Codronchus in his book _de sale absyn._ magnifies the oil and salt of wormwood above all other remedies, [4382]"which works better and speedier than any simple whatsoever, and much to be preferred before all those fulsome decoctions and infusions, which must offend by reason of their quant.i.ty; this alone in a small measure taken, expels wind, and that most forcibly, moves urine, cleanseth the stomach of all gross humours, crudities, helps appet.i.te," &c. Arnoldus hath a wormwood wine which he would have used, which every pharmacopoeia speaks of.

Diminutives and purges may [4383]be taken as before, of hiera, manna, ca.s.sia, which Monta.n.u.s _consil. 230._ for an Italian abbot, in this kind prefers before all other simples, [4384]"And these must be often used, still abstaining from those which are more violent, lest they do exasperate the stomach, &c., and the mischief by that means be increased." Though in some physicians I find very strong purgers, h.e.l.lebore itself prescribed in this affection. If it long continue, vomits may be taken after meat, or otherwise gently procured with warm water, oxymel, &c., now and then.

Fuchsius _cap. 33._ prescribes h.e.l.lebore; but still take heed in this malady, which I have often warned, of hot medicines, [4385]"because" (as Salvia.n.u.s adds) "drought follows heat, which increaseth the disease:" and yet Baptista Sylvaticus _controv. 32._ forbids cold medicines, [4386]

"because they increase obstructions and other bad symptoms." But this varies as the parties do, and 'tis not easy to determine which to use.

[4387]"The stomach most part in this infirmity is cold, the liver hot; scarce therefore" (which Monta.n.u.s insinuates _consil. 229._ for the Earl of Manfort) "can you help the one and not hurt the other:" much discretion must be used; take no physic at all he concludes without great need.

Laelius Aegubinus _consil._ for an hypochondriacal German prince, used many medicines; "but it was after signified to him in [4388]letters, that the decoction of China and sa.s.safras, and salt of sa.s.safras wrought him an incredible good." In his _108 consult_, he used as happily the same remedies; this to a third might have been poison, by overheating his liver and blood.

For the other parts look for remedies in Savanarola, Gordonius, Ma.s.saria, Mercatus, Johnson, &c. One for the spleen, amongst many other, I will not omit, cited by Hildesheim, _spicel. 2_, prescribed by Mat. Flaccus, and out of the authority of Benevenius. Antony Benevenius in a hypochondriacal pa.s.sion, [4389]"cured an exceeding great swelling of the spleen with capers alone, a meat befitting that infirmity, and frequent use of the water of a smith's forge; by this physic he helped a sick man, whom all other physicians had forsaken, that for seven years had been splenetic." And of such force is this water, [4390]"that those creatures as drink of it, have commonly little or no spleen." See more excellent medicines for the spleen in him and [4391]Lod. Mercatus, who is a great magnifier of this medicine.

This _Chalybs praeparatus_, or steel-drink, is much likewise commended to this disease by Daniel Sennertus _l. 1. part. 2. cap. 12._ and admired by J. Caesar Claudinus _Respons. 29._ he calls steel the proper [4392]alexipharmac.u.m of this malady, and much magnifies it; look for receipts in them. Averters must be used to the liver and spleen, and to scour the mesaraic veins: and they are either too open or provoke urine.

You can open no place better than the haemorrhoids, "which if by horseleeches they be made to flow, [4393]there may be again such an excellent remedy," as Plater holds. Sall.u.s.t. Salvian will admit no other phlebotomy but this; and by his experience in an hospital which he kept, he found all mad and melancholy men worse for other bloodletting. Laurentius _cap. 15._ calls this of horseleeches a sure remedy to empty the spleen and mesaraic membrane. Only Monta.n.u.s _consil. 241._ is against it; [4394] "to other men" (saith he) "this opening of the haemorrhoids seems to be a profitable remedy; for my part I do not approve of it, because it draws away the thinnest blood, and leaves the thickest behind."

Aetius, Vidus Vidius, Mercurialis, Fuchsius, recommend diuretics, or such things as provoke urine, as aniseeds, dill, fennel, germander, ground pine, sodden in water, or drunk in powder: and yet [4395]P. Bayerus is against them: and so is Hollerius; "All melancholy men" (saith he) "must avoid such things as provoke urine, because by them the subtile or thinnest is evacuated, the thicker matter remains."

Clysters are in good request. Trincavelius _lib. 3. cap. 38._ for a young n.o.bleman, esteems of them in the first place, and Hercules de Saxonia _Panth. lib. 1. cap. 16._ is a great approver of them. [4396]"I have found (saith he) by experience, that many hypochondriacal melancholy men have been cured by the sole use of clysters," receipts are to be had in him.

Besides those fomentations, irrigations, inunctions, odoraments, prescribed for the head, there must be the like used for the liver, spleen, stomach, hypochondries, &c. [4397]"In crudity" (saith Piso) "'tis good to bind the stomach hard" to hinder wind, and to help concoction.

Of inward medicines I need not speak; use the same cordials as before. In this kind of melancholy, some prescribe [4398]treacle in winter, especially before or after purges, or in the spring, as Avicenna, [4399] Trincavellius mithridate, [4400]Montaltus paeony seed, unicorn's horn; _os de corde cervi_, &c.

Amongst topics or outward medicines, none are more precious than baths, but of them I have spoken. Fomentations to the hypochondries are very good, of wine and water in which are sodden southernwood, melilot, epithyme, mugwort, senna, polypody, as also [4401]cerotes, [4402]plaisters, liniments, ointments for the spleen, liver, and hypochondries, of which look for examples in Laurentius, Jobertus _lib. 3. c. pra. med._ Monta.n.u.s _consil. 231._ Montaltus _cap. 33._ Hercules de Saxonia, Faventinus. And so of epithems, digestive powders, bags, oils, Octavius Horatia.n.u.s _lib. 2. c.

5._ prescribes calastic cataplasms, or dry purging medicines; Piso [4403]dropaces of pitch, and oil of rue, applied at certain times to the stomach, to the metaphrene, or part of the back which is over against the heart, Aetius sinapisms; Montaltus _cap. 35._ would have the thighs to be [4404]cauterised, Mercurialis prescribes beneath the knees; Laelius Aegubinus _consil. 77._ for a hypochondriacal Dutchman, will have the cautery made in the right thigh, and so Monta.n.u.s _consil. 55._ The same Monta.n.u.s _consil. 34._ approves of issues in the arms or hinder part of the head. Bernardus Paternus in Hildesheim _spicel 2._ would have [4405] issues made in both the thighs; [4406]Lod. Mercatus prescribes them near the spleen, _aut prope ventriculi regimen_, or in either of the thighs.

Ligatures, frictions, and cupping-gla.s.ses above or about the belly, without scarification, which [4407]Felix Platerus so much approves, may be used as before.

SUBSECT. II.--_Correctors to expel Wind. Against Costiveness, &c._

In this kind of melancholy one of the most offensive symptoms is wind, which, as in the other species, so in this, hath great need to be corrected and expelled.

The medicines to expel it are either inwardly taken, or outwardly. Inwardly to expel wind, are simples or compounds: simples are herbs, roots, &c., as galanga, gentian, angelica, enula, calamus aromaticus, valerian, zeodoti, iris, condite ginger, aristolochy, cicliminus, China, dittander, pennyroyal, rue, calamint, bay-berries, and bay-leaves, betony, rosemary, hyssop, sabine, centaury, mint, camomile, staechas, agnus castus, broom-flowers, origan, orange-pills, &c.; spices, as saffron, cinnamon, bezoar stone, myrrh, mace, nutmegs, pepper, cloves, ginger, seeds of annis, fennel, amni, cari, nettle, rue, &c., juniper berries, grana paradisi; compounds, dianisum, diagalanga, diaciminum, diacalaminth, _electuarium de baccis lauri, benedicta laxativa, pulvis ad status. antid. florent. pulvis carminativus, aromatic.u.m rosatum, treacle, mithridate_ &c. This one caution of [4408]Gualter Bruell is to be observed in the administering of these hot medicines and dry, "that whilst they covet to expel wind, they do not inflame the blood, and increase the disease; sometimes" (as he saith) "medicines must more decline to heat, sometimes more to cold, as the circ.u.mstances require, and as the parties are inclined to heat or cold."

Outwardly taken to expel winds, are oils, as of camomile, rue, bays, &c.; fomentations of the hypochondries, with the decoctions of dill, pennyroyal, rue, bay leaves, c.u.min, &c., bags of camomile flowers, aniseed, c.u.min, bays, rue, wormwood, ointments of the oil of spikenard, wormwood, rue, &c.

[4409]Areteus prescribes cataplasms of camomile flowers, fennel, aniseeds, c.u.min, rosemary, wormwood-leaves, &c.

[4410]Cupping-gla.s.ses applied to the hypochondries, without scarification, do wonderfully resolve wind. Fernelius _consil. 43._ much approves of them at the lower end of the belly; [4411]Lod. Mercatus calls them a powerful remedy, and testifies moreover out of his own knowledge, how many he hath seen suddenly eased by them. Julius Caesar Claudinus _respons. med. resp.

33._ admires these cupping-gla.s.ses, which he calls out of Galen, [4412]"a kind of enchantment, they cause such present help."

Empirics have a myriad of medicines, as to swallow a bullet of lead, &c., which I voluntarily omit. Amatus Lusita.n.u.s, _cent. 4. curat. 54._ for a hypochondriacal person, that was extremely tormented with wind, prescribes a strange remedy. Put a pair of bellows end into a clyster pipe, and applying it into the fundament, open the bowels, so draw forth the wind, _natura non admitt.i.t vacuum_. He vaunts he was the first invented this remedy, and by means of it speedily eased a melancholy man. Of the cure of this flatuous melancholy, read more in Fienus de Flatibus, _cap. 26. et pa.s.sim alias_.

Against headache, vertigo, vapours which ascend forth of the stomach to molest the head, read Hercules de Saxonia, and others.

If costiveness offend in this, or any other of the three species, it is to be corrected with suppositories, clysters or lenitives, powder of senna, condite prunes, &c. [Symbol: Rx] _Elect. lenit, e succo rosar. ana [Symbol: Ounce] j. misce_. Take as much as a nutmeg at a time, half an hour before dinner or supper, or _pil. mastichin. [Symbol: Ounce] j_. in six pills, a pill or two at a time. See more in Montan. _consil. 229._ Hildesheim _spicel. 2._ P. Cnemander, and Monta.n.u.s commend [4413]"Cyprian turpentine, which they would have familiarly taken, to the quant.i.ty of a small nut, two or three hours before dinner and supper, twice or thrice a week if need be; for besides that it keeps the belly soluble, it clears the stomach, opens obstructions, cleanseth the liver, provokes urine."

These in brief are the ordinary medicines which belong to the cure of melancholy, which if they be used aright, no doubt may do much good; _Si non levando saltem leniendo valent, peculiaria bene selecta_, saith Bessardus, a good choice of particular receipts must needs ease, if not quite cure, not one, but all or most, as occasion serves. _Et quae non prosunt singula, multa juvant_.

THE SYNOPSIS OF THE THIRD PARt.i.tION.

Love and love melancholy, _Memb. 1 Sect. 1._