Another example of the apothecary’s bill appears in the appendix to the Eleventh Report of the Historical Manuscripts’ Commission, among the transcripts of the manuscripts of the Marquess Townshend. There is one, dated 24th June, 1619, of a paper endorsed “The Apothycarie’s bill,” Sir Roger Townshend’s account, which contains the following items:—
| s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|
| “Grene ginger” | 7 | 0 |
| Tabacco | 2 | 0 |
| Grene ginger | 8 | 0 |
| A masse of pills | 5 | 0 |
| An electuarye | 3 | 6 |
Under the name of Mr. Stanhope Townshend, 12th September, 1618, are:—
| s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|
| “A clyster” | 3 | 4 |
| A julep | 3 | 0 |
| A cordiall with behoardston | 3 | 0 |
| The cordiall julep | 3 | 0 |
| Hearbs for brothe | 0 | 4 |
| Rose water | 0 | 6 |
| A suppositorye | 0 | 6 |
| Another suppositorye | 0 | 6 |
| An unguent | 0 | 3 |
| A purge | 3 | 0 |
| Purgeing pills | 2 | 6 |
The lohoch, the base of which consisted of honey or thick syrup, was a very favourite form of medicine for a cough, such as the lohoch demulcent, lohoch of fox’s lungs, and lohoch expectorant.
The julep was another ancient form of administration much in vogue. Balsams, of divers compositions, had great repute as expectorants. William Blundell in his diary (1681) mentions: “The Elder Lady Bradshaw sent a bottle containing, as we guess, about one ounce of balsam, which in her letter she calls ‘Balsam of Sulphur’. That it must be taken morning and night, three or four drops, naked and alone in a spoon; that it must be warmed before it will drop at all, by reason its thick and clammy.” The sugared oils were simply made by triturating various essential oils with white sugar, and usually given for their carminative action.
Another favourite vehicle was broth, generally composed of many and strange ingredients. We have come across the broth of calves’ lungs, broth of the bones of lizards, and broths made from snails, tortoises, woodlice, crabs, and vipers.
The recipe for the broth of viper we have taken from an old black-letter book, and is rather curious:—
“  Living viper | j. |
| Remove his head, tail and viscera, excepting his heart andliver, cut it into little pieces and mix it with the blood, andadd— | |
| Well water | 12 ounces |
| in a close vessel, boil for two hours and strain, and thebroth will be made.” | |