A Plain and Easie Method for Preserving (by God's Blessing) Those That Are Well from the Infection of the Plague, or Any Contagious Distemper, in City, Camp, Fleet, Etc., and for Curing Such as Are Infected with It.

by Thomas Willis

For some that are of a hotter Constitution, and a high Sanguine Temper, it may be proper to take every Morning a spoonful of Pestilential Vinegar in a little Carduus water, or plain Wallnut water; or else drink a draught of Posset-Drink, made with a Spoonful of that Vinegar.

Let the Pestilential Vinegar be made thus.

Take of the Roots of Angelica, Butter-Burr, Tormentil, Elecampane, of each half an Ounce, Virginian-Snakeweed, choice Zedoary, Contrayerva, of each three Drams; Leaves of Scordium, Rue, Goats-Rue, of each one handful; Marigold Flowers, Clove-gilloflowers, of each half a handful; Seeds of Citron and Carduus, of each two Drams; Cut and bruise these, and put them in a Glass-Bottle, with three Pints of the best Vinegar, to digest for ten days.

When the Stomach, by frequent taking of one sort of Antidote, begins to loath it: In such Cases the use of it may be changed into some other: And if the Stomach withal should be ill, and defective, in Appetite and Digestion; let the Party take every Morning, ten or twelve Drops of Elixir Proprietatis, in plain Wormwood Water, or else in Wormwood Wine.

Those that have Coughs, and ill Lungs, may take five or six Drops of Balsam of Sulphur, made thus.

Take Flower of Sulphur, two Ounces, melt it in an Earthen Dish glaz'd on the fire, then put to it two Ounces of Salt of Wormwood; stir it for a Quarter of an Hour, taking care that it does not catch fire; Then put into it of Aloes, Myrrh, Olibanum, finely pouder'd, of each one Dram, of Saffron half a Dram; Keep this stirring half a Quarter of an Hour; Take it off, and put half an Ounce of it pouder'd, to digest in five or six Ounces of good Spirit of Wine; It will take in a short time a very excellent Tincture: Which keep for use.

Or else this Balsam may be made with Spiritus Theriacalis Camphoratus, and so will be more effectual against the Plague, Or which is more applicable to use,

Put an Ounce of that Pouder newly made, into a pretty large Glass, and put to it a Quart of good Sack; Set it in a gentle heat, for three or four Hours, it will take a Tincture: And of this one may take half a Spoonful at a time: And I suppose two Spoonfuls in a convenient Vehicle, may be a good Sudorifick to be given one that is infected.