Part 64

No. 1.

Take a Pugil or large Pinch between the Thumb and Fingers of Elder Flowers; put them into an earthen-ware Mug or Porrenger, with two Ounces of Honey, and an Ounce and a half of good Vinegar. Pour upon them three Pints and one Quarter of boiling Water. Stir it about a little with a Spoon to mix and dissolve the Honey; then cover up the Mug; and, when the Liquor is cold, strain it through a Linen Cloth.

No. 2.

Take two Ounces of whole Barley, cleanse and wash it well in hot Water, throwing away this Water afterwards. Then boil it in five Chopins or English Pints of Water, till the Barley bursts and opens. Towards the End of the boiling, throw in one Drachm and a half of Nitre [Salt Petre] strain it through a Linen Cloth, and then add to it one Ounce and a half of Honey, and one Ounce of Vinegar.

This makes an agreeable Drink; and the Notion of its being windy is idle; since it is so only to those, with whom Barley does not agree. It may, where Barley is not procurable, be made from Oats.

No. 3.

Take the same Quantity of Barley as before, and instead of Nitre, boil in it, as soon as the Barley is put in to boil, a Quarter of an Ounce of Cream of Tartar. Strain it, and add nothing else to it.

In those Cases mentioned Sec. 241, 262, 280, instead of the Barley, four Ounces of Grass Roots may be boiled in the same Quantity of Water for half an Hour, with the Cream of Tartar.

No. 4.

Take three Ounces of the freshest sweet Almonds, and one Ounce of Gourd or Melon Seed; bruise them in a Mortar, adding to them by a little at a time, one Pint of Water, then strain it through Linen. Bruise what remains again, adding gradually to it another Pint of Water, then straining; and adding Water to the Residue, till full three Pints at least of Water are thus used: after which it may again be poured upon the bruised Mass, stirred well about, and then be finally strained off. Half an Ounce of Sugar may safely be bruised with the Almonds and Seeds at first, though some weakly imagine it too heating; and delicate Persons may be allowed a little Orange Flower Water with it.

No. 5.

Take two Pugils of Mallow Leaves and Flowers, cut them small, and pour a Pint of boiling Water upon them. After standing some time strain it, adding one Ounce of Honey to it. For Want of Mallows, which is preferable, a similar Glyster may be made of the Leaves of Mercury, Pellitory of the Wall, the Marsh-Mallows, the greater Mallows, from Lettuce, or from Spinage. A few very particular Consititutions are not to be purged by any Glyster but warm Water alone; such should receive no other, and the Water should not be very hot.

No. 6.

Boil a Pugil of Mallow Flowers, in a Pint of Barley Water for a Glyster.

No. 7.

Take three Pints of simple Barley Water, add to it three Ounces of the Juice of Sow-thistle, or of Groundsel, or of the greater Houseleek, or of Borage.

These Juices are to be procured from the Herbs when fresh and very young, if possible, by beating them in a Marble Mortar, or for Want of such [or a wooden Mortar] in an Iron one, and then squeezing out the Juice through a Linen Bag. It must be left to settle a little in an earthen Vessel, after which the clear Juice must be decanted gently off, and the Sediment be left behind.

No. 8.

To one Ounce of Oxymel of Squills, add five Ounces of a strong Infusion of Elder Flowers.

No. 9.

There are many different emollient Applications, which have very nearly the same Virtues. The following are the most efficacious.

1, Flanels wrung out of a hot Decoction of Mallow Flowers.

2, Small Bags filled with Mallow Flowers, or with those of Mullein, of Elder, of Camomile, of wild Corn Poppy, and boiled either in Milk or Water.

3, Pultices of the same Flowers boiled in Milk and Water.

4, Bladders half filled with hot Milk and Water, or with some emollient Decoction.

5, A Pultice of boiled Bread and Milk, or of Barley or Rice boiled till thoroughly soft and tender.

6, In the Pleurisy (See Sec. 89) the affected Part may be rubbed sometimes with Ointment of Marsh-mallows.

No. 10.