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Show 158 The Cure of a ‘Rlaeumati m. Chap X X V I. 'l'hcr'rsrfl‘fa‘ The fecond Indication is prefervative in reference to the Intermifiion of grifmmcm the Fits of a Rheumatifm, to take of}, or at leall: to prevent the Violence of the Fits. . . The Vital In- The third is Viral, which confifis in the chorce of proper Aliments, or in dlcation. the Adminifirarion of Cordial, or Rel‘torative Medicines, to comfort and give {trength to the Patient,_to render him able to encounter high aHhéIiVe pains very frequent in this Difeafe. . . The firfl Indication relateth to the continent cattle, to Cure the DJ. cafe , by wholly appealing, or at lealt mitigating the pains (atl'céiing the Membranous, Nervous, and Tendinous parts of the Mulcles) proceed. ing from the high Fermentations of the difl‘erent, Vital and Nervous Liquor7 enraged by fixed Salts and Ac1ds, and lometimes with Sulphureous; which are all accompanied with Flatulent Matter, making great contelts in the empty lpaces of the Veflels ; So that two Intentions do feem to offer themfelvcs in this Indication. The firll: is to take OH; or at leait abate the high dilcoinpofirre of the Nerves: The fecond is the manner of [doing it, which is by taking away the matter of the Difeafe, and by givmg an allay to great Eli'ervefcenfes, caufcd by various Ferments of the Blood and Nervous juice, which is to be effected by Phlebotomy, and by Purging, Alterative Blond-letting and r\ nodine Nledicines. Blood-letting is chiefly to be celebrated in the beginning of a Rheumatifm, 3;,‘;;§‘3;§f‘,§: when the Patient hath firength, and before the Dilcafe Is too much ConL'ium'wffi firmed, when it is mofl: beneficial in a hot Temper of Body, or in Youth "WNW and in Middle-Age, wherein Blood-letting may be molt fafely Adminiflred, both to diminilh the ill Mafs of Blood, and to give controul to the Extravagant dilputes made between fierce Combatants of difagreeing Difpofitions; the fixed Salts and Acids, and loinctimcs Sulphureous and Flatulent Particles allociated with the Blood, and Nervous Liquor, infliéting great pains upon Nervous and Tendinous Fibres of the Mulbles. Purging Me- Chap. X X VII. ‘ The Cure of of a Rbmmanfm. 159 And not only Purgatives and Vomitories, but alfo Alterativcs, confiflin Several forts g Dictdrinks of Diet Drinks, made of Sarfaparilla, China, Lignum Sanctum ( in cold of and Powders, and moifl: tempers of Body) Teflaceous powders of Crabs Eyes, and and Cindybeats, proPCl‘ ' Claw, Egg-(hells, Pearl, and the like; and Chalybeats mixed With Anti-1 inmm,alihcumai {Cor-buticks, are very proper to fweeten the Blood, and alleviate pains, and to correct the ill habit of Body in Rheumatilim. And in order to repair the dccaies of Nature in Emaciared Bodies, reduced to a kind of Heétick Scor- butick Fevers in this Difcafe (when highly Chronic) Rel'torative and Cordial Medicines are to be advifeds as dil'tilled Milk, prepared with Antilcorbu- ticks and Snails, mixed with new Milk, as alfo Aflcs Milk, and Decoétia ons of China, Sarfaparilla, cw. Whereupon in inveterate Rheumatifins, when Patients are reduced to rent Weaknefs, and thereupon are not capable of Purging and Bleeding, the Vital Indication is to be highly confidered, and nourilhing Medicines are will dulcifie and refine the Mals of Blood, by rendring the fixed Salts more Volatil, and by fweetning the Acids, and the deprefled Fermentation may be raifed by exalting the Depauperated particles of the Blood and Nutricious Juice by proper Diet Drinks, and Milk mixed with diflilled Milk, and at lafl to ()bferve a Milk Diet,whiehI know hath Cured inveterate Rheumatifms. A French Merchant of London, a Pcrfon of great Civility and Virtue, of a hot and dry Confiitution, and of an ill habit of Body, was feverely treated many Years, with a Rheumatilin, which brought him very low, as being opprefled with a Scorbntick Heétiek Fever, proceeding from the Scurvy, and a tedious Rheumatifin; whereupon I advifed now and then gentle Lenitives, temperate Antilcorbtlticks, and Alteratives contemporating the heat, attenuating the fixed Saline parts of the Blood, and fweetning the Acids of the Nutricious Liquor : And in fine, I advifed 2 Milk Water, prediflilled Milk to be drunk with new Milk; and at laft, I prefcribed as the Crown of all, that raifed him to a great degree of Health ( who was f0 weak, that he was confined to his Houfe for many Years) and afterward, by the Grace of God, and help of proper Medicines, was able to walk Abroad with l'trength and vigor, leading his Life with great pleafure, to the joy of his bef‘t difchargcd, when a Coftion is made, and the Recrements of the Blood m r: miniu- and Nervous Liquor, are fevered from their more pure parts; whereupon iiicizirviiisxiiim the Matter of the DilEafe groweth more pliable after Coétion, and is more iii-ii: "C" eafily tranlinitted by the Terminations of the upper and lower Milcenteric k Arteries, inferred into the inward Coats of the Inteliines. WWW The Purging Medicines ferviceable in this Difeafe are numerous, as dikindsnrlfur- vers forts of Arthritick Powders, Medicines made of Hermodaéliles, fiifsgiidiin choacan, Diagridium, Syrupe of Buckthorn, given in Decoc‘tions of MCSarfa "W"mm‘" Parilla: Some Phyficians advife Pilulas ale finalists, and other more firong Purgativcs, which may prove leis fuccelsful (except in Robult Confiitutions) by reafon they weaken the Body, and enrage its unquiet Humours, which do imbitter the pains of this Difeafe: When the Patient is firong, fome do deem Vomitories very proper in a foul Stomach, Which have frequent inclinations to Vomiting, caulEd by Bilious and Acid Ferrnents, thrown into the Cavity of the Stomach, out of which they are ejected by Emeticlt Tartar of Mynficht, and by Sulphur and Flowers of Antimony, and mo": fafely by Emetick Wine. And A Milk-water prepared with Antrl'corbuticks and RC‘, (laxatives, pared with temperate Antifcorbuticks and Relioratives, and ordered the Purging Medicines are mol't {afely advil‘ed after Blood-letting, and in the of different Humours, and highten the DilEafe; whole ofl‘enfive Matter is Hedi: Bodied to be preferibed, which will flipport Nature in a languifhing Condition, and iiiéiiiii‘rg; declination of a Rlieurnatifm (when the Paronylines do abate) leii: in the iiiiikidifr"; beginning of the Difeafe the pains {hould be aggravated, efpecially in Rrong Rheummm Purgings, which being of a churlifh difpofition, do raife the Fermentation mm, ,s Purging and Bleeding an: improper in Phyfician, and great comfort to his dear Friends and Relations. When Purgatives, Blood-letting, and Alteratives have been advifed, Topicks may be applied (to breath out the ofienfive Matter,to cafe pain and to lirengthen the Nervous and Tendinous parts) confil'ting of Anodine and Dilcutierrt,Ernollient Medicines : And my humble Advice is, not to make ufe of Ai'tringent, cooling Opiates, outvvard Applications, which hinder Sweats, and a free Tranfpiration, whereby the hot, Sulphureous, Saline and acid particles of the Blood and Nervous Liquor, are not emitted through the pores of the Skin, and the matter of the Difeafe being repelled, have a reCollrfe to the Noble parts, and produce fleepy Difeafes, Inflammations of the Lungs and Pleura, Squincie in plethorick and ill habits of Body. A Knight of Clacefler/lxire, being of an ill Conf'titution of Body,did long labour under a Rheumatifin,accompanied with Swellings of the Mulcula r parts, which \Vere abated by the Application of improper Topicks, which repelled the ill Humours from the Ambient parts, to the inward recedes of the Body, and at laft were rranfinitted by the Extreamities of the Carliac Arteries into the Stomach, caufing frequent Hiccops and Vomitings; which were much appcafed by drinking free draughts of generous Claret, and warm Cordial Medicines, When Uni; verl‘al: have been premifed, Topicks may be applij‘ ed. chclling Mel dicincs dangeg rous: in a Rheumatifm,‘ |