and Restitution to its pristine State of Fluidity, as also more strongly inclosing the pestilential Poison at the same Time; it is also greatly to be feared, that in so great an Agitation the morbifick Venom may be drawn to the Bowels, and Sphacelation follow thereupon.
THAT Purging may be also practised with Success, the Strength of the Patient is carefully to be consulted, for where the Spirits are low, or deficient, it may not only prove unsafe, but fatal; and where the Bowels are extreamly stimulated by the Cathartick, and the Humours greatly put into Fusion by its rarifying Qualities, they will be apt to pass off in too large a Profusion.
WHAT can a Person likewise expect to do with a Cathartick, in Disorders of the Spirits? It certainly appears to me more likely to purge away all the Humours of the Body, than re-kindle the Spirits that are oppressed, cloudy, and almost extinct, by such Means; and further, as the Subtilty of the pestilential Poison inclines it rather to escape by the superficial Pores, than the larger Emunctories, this Method
is contrary to that natural Tendency, calling it back again from the Circumference to the Center; I cannot imagine what they propose, who even repeat in these Cases their purging Medicines, until they bring both intolerable Pains, and Gripings into the Bowels, and Sphacelations, as beforementioned.
BUT if after all Considerations any Person thinks it proper to purge, it ought to be certainly done in the Beginning of the Infection, and with somewhat that operates speedily; and to which Purpose those in Liquid Forms answer best, as for Example:
[a]℞] Aq. Angelicæ simpl. Tartarizatæ [a]℥] ij. Syr. de spinâ Cervinâ [a]℥] j. Elix. proprietatis Crollii vel Antipestilentialis [a]℈] j. & interdum [a]ʒ] [a][ss.] dissolve salis absynthii gr. viij. M. S. Fiat haustus horâ commodâ, & typo remittendo dandus.
A Solution also of Pil. Ruffi from [a]ʒ] [a][ss.] to [a]ʒ] j. may be made in Marigold Water, by those who like that better. They who please likewise may use the following:
[a]℞] Extract. Pilularum Ruffi [a]ʒ] ij. resin zalapii [a]℈] j. trochisc. de rhabarb. [a]ʒ] j. gum. ammoniaci
in aceto scillit. soluti [a]ʒ] j. salis Tartari, absynthii ana gr. viij. cum tinct. Theriacali q. s. fiat massa, è cujus [a]ʒ] j. conglobentur pilulæ vij., vel viij. Dos. in constitutione athleticâ ad [a]℈] ij. prout medico visum fuerit varianda.
IN a Disease that will admit of no Delay, it is best to evacuate but little, yet that not slowly; so that the morbid Humours may be expelled at the first Seizure, before they have received the pestilential Taint, and before its Virulence hath reached to the whole Mass of Fluids: For it is certain that no Digestion is to be expected in this Case, and therefore can there be no Room for Alterants or Digestives: But when the Body is very costive, I judge it most convenient and safe to do this with Suppositories.