It is a white soft Tumour, with very little sense of Pain, which ariseth from the Settling of a pituitous Humour.
What are the Remedies proper for an Oedema?
They are Fomentations, Cataplasms, Liniments, and Plaisters.
The Fomentations are made with Bundles of Wall-Wort or Dwarf-Elder, thrown into a hot Oven after the Bread is bak'd, and sprinkled with Wine: Afterward being taken out smoaking, they are unty'd, open'd, and wrapt about the Part, putting a warm Linnen Cloth over 'em. This Operation is to be re-iterated; and by this means the Humour is dissolv'd thro' Transpiration by Sweat.
The Cataplasms are compos'd of Camomile, Melilot, St. John's-Wort, Sage, Wall-Wort, Pellitory of the Wall, Roots of Briony and Onions, all boil'd together in White Wine with Honey, adding, if you please, a few Cummin or Fennel Seeds beaten. Cataplasms are also made of Horse-Dung and the Seeds of Cummin beaten, which are boil'd in strong Vinegar, and mixt with Barly-Meal to the Consistence of Pap.
The Plaisters are prepar'd with an Ounce of Diapalma, half on Ounce of Martiatum, a Pint of Oil of Lillies, half an Ounce of
Cummin-Seeds powder'd, half a Dram of Sal Ammoniack, and an Ounce of yellow Wax to make a Consistence.
If any hardness remains, the Plaister of Mucilages may be apply'd, or that which is made of the Gums Bdellium, Ammoniack, and Galbanum, dissolv'd in Vinegar. But Care must be taken not to omit the Purgatives of Jalap to the quantity of a Dram in a Glass of White-Wine; or of half an Ounce of Lozenges of Diacarthamum, which are effectual in drawing out the bottom of pituitous and serous Humours that nourish the Oedema's.
Of Oedomatous Tumours and Impostumes.
What are the kinds of Tumours that partake of the Nature of an Oedema?