AND thus having gone through the curative Part of a Pestilence in general, we now come to the Management of particular Symptoms; and first of all of the Buboes.
IT highly concerns all who are concerned for the Sick in these Cases, both Physicians and Surgeons, to attend with Diligence to the Nature of these Tumours, and have their several Differences ready in their
Minds, that at their first Sight they may know their Condition, and use Means of treating them accordingly. And first of all it is to be enquired, whether they are moveable or fixt? whether soft or hard? whether depressed or prominent? whether small or great? whether contracted or broad? whether with, or without Pain? and lastly, whether inflamed or not?
WHENSOEVER a Buboe is uncertain and dodges, sometimes appearing and then again going back, all Means is to be used to fix it; and this is very successfully done by cupping upon the Glands, which will fix a permanent Tumour upon them.
TO Buboes just in their first Formation, we have indeed applied Discutients, and very powerful ones too, in Order to dissipate them; and although they have several Times endeavoured to settle, yet we have not despaired to conquer the Enemy this Way: But we always found it for certain, that they who went through such Fluxes and Refluxes of the pestilential Venom, never recovered in such a perfect Manner, as they whose Buboes immediately fixed, and after Suppuration threw out a great deal of Matter.
If the Tumour is hard and painful from too great a Tension upon the glandulous Parts, not giving Room enough to receive the protruding Humours, the Part affected may be anointed with Oil of Lilies, Roses, Elder, &c. if no Inflammation forbids such a Method; in which Circumstance all Oils and Ointments are to be suspected, as they obstruct the Pores, and are no Ways suitable to the Nature of the nitro-saline pestilential Venom. When an Inflammation therefore is upon any Part, which is easie to be known by its Heat and Colour, it is better to make Use of the Mucelages of Linseed and Fenugreek, with Elder Vinegar, and London Treacle; or a Cataplasm of Wheat-Flower, Fenugreek and Linseed, Elder Flowers, white Bread Crumbs, the Yolk of Eggs, and Powder of Saffron.
THE London Physicians at this Time spared no Trouble nor Application, to manage the Buboes rightly; some of the Cataplasms therefore by them daily used I shall here insert.
[a]℞] Cœpam majusculam, quam v. a. e. excavatam imple summit. rutæ dcb. exiccat. & pulveriz.
[a]ʒ] ij. indantur etiam theriac. Lond. [a]℈] iv. foramen operculo suo obturetur, cœpa deinde chartâ bibulâ involuta sub cineribus assetur, cui adde ficum methodo eâdem assatam, cum ol. lini, liliorum alb. ana q. s. simul macerentur, & conficiatur cataplasma, applicandum calidè, bis de die immutandum: This is also good against the Bites of venomous Creatures.
Or,