Royal College of Physicians: A collection of medical receipts (MS504)

{22} {9} The powder of white hard sugar put into a blood shotten Eye, or that is something dim of sight, it helps the same, & amends the sight very well; especially, if you put afterward a little Rosewater into the Eye.

{10} If the stow that is found in the head of a long Snaile be made in fine powder, & blown in the Eye, it puts quite away all spots thereof, & destroys the Web in the Eye, & other evill in the sand.

{11} Lay a dish over hot sodden milk, & there with a water be on the inside of the dish, with water keep in some glass, whereof if a little be put into sore pained or dim Eyes it will help them marvellously.

{1} For the blaik Jaundise. If shell-snails be costed and rued at the find or in an Oven, & made into powder, & a spoonful thereof drunkin Ale one time, & so taken 9 or 10 days together, cures perfectly.

{2} Earth-worms slit and cleansed & washt from their shiny & earthly matter ( half a dozen of them at the least & cut in pieces or chopped, & a good Mess of pottage made thereof, made with Oatmeall & water, & so much every day eaten by them that hate the blaik jaundise for the spane of 12 dayes or longer, will cure, though water so long roched, or thought past cured. Or else a spoonfull

23 of y^e pouder made of them in March, or any other time when yo^w can get them, taken every day so long in a lit-tle draught of any drink perfectly cures. It hath helpt some in 4 or 5 dayes. --------------------- {3} Take a gallon of Ale, a pint of hony, & two handfull of red nettles, & take a penny-worth or two of saffron, & boyl it in y^e Ale, y^e Ale being first skimmed, & then boyl y^e hony & nettles therein altogether, & strain it well & every morning take a good draught thereof, for y^e space of a fortnight: And in ya^t space (God willing) twill perfectly help. ---------------------- {1} For y^e yellow Jaundies. Take a bur-root, y^e greater y^e better, scrape it clean; then take a pot of new Ale & put your root therein, & y^e Ale will boill, and let it be therein one day, & one might well stopped; & then let y^e patient drink a good draught, two or three times, & he will surely recover. ------------------------------- {2} Lay saffron on y^e Navell of ye^m ya^t have y^e yellow jaundise, & it will help them. ----------------------------- {3} Pottage made of y^e leaves & Roots of strawberries, being eaten fasting certain dayes, doth help perfectly. This was y^e secret of a Monk, whe^rewi^th he got very much money. ------------------------- {1} For y^e Kings-evill. The root of vervain hanged at y^e Neck, brings a marvellous & unexpected help. It is an herb of Venus, & governs y^e neck, because of Taurus y^e bull being her house.

24 {1}For worms in Children. If they eat Raisins fasting (wi^thout any other meat) it will kill & avoid y^e Worms: for as bitter things are noysom unto them, so sweet things make them swell & burst. / Also take as much Gun-powder as w ly upon a groat & drink it in sack, wine or beeer, fasting, it is a sure and safe thing. {2}If worms gnaw upon y^e mouth of y^e stomach, put hony-combs into y^e mouth fasting, & hold them there & y^e worms will draw unto y^e honey, & so void by y^e mouth {3}There is no safer nor surer remedy to kill worms in Children then to take 6, 8 or 10 red earth-worms & let them purge in bay-salt, then slit them open & wash them in fair water or white wine, & dry them in an earthen pot or dish, & then beat them to pouder, & so give them to y^e child in y^e morning fasting, 3 or 4 mornings, & let him eat nothing for one hour space, & y^e worms will rot & void wi^th y^e excrements. se a most infallible medicine p:71. {1}For a red, pimpled face. The roots of Lilies sodden in water, doth take away y^e rednes of y^e face; if certain mornings & evenings y^e same be washt & rubbed there {2}wi^th. often proved - Also y^e iuice of Lily roots & vineger of either a like much, mixt together, & y^e face anoint therewi^th every morning 9 or 10 days helps perfectly. {3}Take a pint of White-wine one handfull of Wood bine Leaves, or 2 or 3 ounces of y^e water of Wood bine; & a quarter of a ld of y^e pouder of Ginger, seeth them all to -gether till they be somewha^t thick, anoint y^e face, twice take awaye

25 therewi^th 5 or 6 times, 'twill take away y^e red pimples, & make it fair. {1}For y^e Stone. The middle rind of Cherry-tree stampt & strained & the strained iuice put into a little white Wine warmed, & given them to drink ya^t have y^e stone or cannot make water, it avoids y^e Gravell or stone & helps presently. Use it 3 or 4 times --------------- {2}Seeth an handfull of holly-berries in a pint of good Ale, till half y^e Ale be consumed, then strain it, putting then a little butter to it, & let y^e party drink thereof 5 or 6 spoonfulls, & wi^thin half an hour after, y^e party will make water (if any medicine will cause it. ------------------------ {2}Dry y^e roots of red Nettles & make them into pouder, and drink a spoonfull of y^e pouder in a draught of white Wine something warm, & 'twill break y^e stone wi^th speed. Use it every day till y^e gravell & stone be all consumed. A rare secret. ----------------------------- syrrop of Althea or marsh mallows, drink in white wine in a mornning fasting & fast an hour after. {4}Egge-shels dried & beaten to pouder, & given in white Wine breaketh y^e stone. ---------------------- {5}Let y^e party grieved wi^th y^e stone drink a spoonfull of y^e pouder called pulvis diureticus in a draught of white wine (it may be had at y^e Apothecaries) & use it 3 or 4 mornings together, or something less, if yo^w list. Give half so much to a Child, & wi^thout doubt twill help. This is a proved and and so-vereign thing. One got therewi^th above an 100^ld per annum ----------------------- {6}The iuice strained out of Radish roots before stamped, mixt wi^th white wine & y^e pouder of turpentine burned or dried in y^e sun, & so received, is an excellent medicine, worth Gold. -------------------- pellitory of y^e wall boild in posset drink & drunk often is very good.

26 {7}Stamp parsley in White wine, then strain it well and drink a good draught thereof; it helpeth in 5 or 6 times use ------------------------ {8}Men are taught by nature in some plants & herbs to cure y^e stone. for 'tis certain Thyme, Parsley & Nettles flourish most in stony ground, nay lay y^e seeds of these in a close place, even upon Marble, & they will take root in it, & cleave & break it; so ya^t mix y^e spirits of these 3 or 4 plants together, of Thyme, parsley, red nettles & fellell, of each alike much & let the patient take a little Quantity in White wine in a morning fasting, & at Evening in bed, & he shall find great benefit. {Also Bees of a hive dried in an oven or otherwise & rubd to powder & given in white wine abou much at once as will cover a groat) take it presently. ------------------------------- {9}For y^e Stranguary. Seeth y^e inner rind of young branches of a Hazell tree in small Ale, untill half by consumed, & let y^e patient drink a good draught thereof first & last, 8 or 9 days together, & 'twill help certainly, for it never fails. Therefore prove it & praise it. ----------------- {10}Take a pint of good Aqua Composita, & put a good handfull of Ivy-Leaves therein, & keep y^e vessell well stopt, & y^e Ivy Leaves will consume therein, use to drink of y^e same 3 or 4 spoonfulls at one time morning & evening, first & last 5 or 6 days together, & 'twill help marvellously ------------------------- {11}Also a certain Quantity of Gunpowder drank in white -wine is an approved thing again^st y^e difficulty or stopp of y^e Urine. - First wet y^e powder wi^th wine then bruise it wi^th y^e back of a spoon & use it as before