The Vertues of theſe PILULAE POLYCHRESTAE.
[6]Firſt, THEY Cure all Manias or Madneſs in either Sex, but ſooner in Men than Women, by reaſon of the Furer Ʋterinus, which is commonly either the primary or ſecon⯑dary Cauſe; concerning which Diſeaſe, and the miſtaken Notions both of its Cauſe and Cure, I propoſe at a convenient Time to treat.
2dly. Melancholly of all Sorts whteher Sple⯑netic, Hypocondriac, or Hyſteric, which is commonly called Vapours, tho' of ever ſo long Duration.
3dly. Pains in the Head, chiefly Sympathe⯑tic, that is, which proceed from ſome Indiſpo⯑ſition of the Hypochonders, Spleen, Womb, &c.
4thly. All wandering Pains, whether Rheu⯑matic, or Scorbutic, in any part of the Body.
5thly, Pains in the Stomach, whether from Wind pent up in Viſcid Slime, or from ſome pungent, acid, or acrid Humour, pricking, and [...]l [...]cating the Veſſels.
6thly. The Cholic, from what Cauſe ſoever.
7thly. The Stone and Gravel in the Kidneys.
[7]8thly. Suppreſſion of Urine, either from Stones, Gravel, Sand, Wind, or ſlimy Matter, whence Stones, &c. are commonly generated.
9thly. Obſtructions in the Liver and Spleen, and Ductus Biliarius, or Gall Paſſage.
10thly. Heat and Hardneſs of the Liver, which uſually cauſes the Jaundies, both yellow and black, and a ſchirrhus or ſtony Hardneſs of the Liver, generally thought incurable; and indeed if the Patient hath been a hard Drinker and in Years; if likewiſe the Diſtemper has been of long Continuance, it may be concluded ſo; but if none of theſe Three Circumſtances occur, theſe Pills have been found experimen⯑tally to reſtore the Liver to its proper Function. They alſo perfectly cure the black and yellow Jaundies.
11thly. Dropſies of all Sorts, whether Aſcites, Anaſarcites, or Tympanities, which is a Drop⯑ſy of the Womb, or that Diſeaſe which in out⯑ward Appearance Symboliſeth with it, the Tumor of the Ovarium, (as ſome Doctors call it) whether from Wind or Water, or both: But as the Tympany of the Womb, always pro⯑ceeds from Wind, 'tis impoſſible to cure it by Purges, the more you exhibit the worſe they are; neither by Tapping, after which I don't remember one to have lived above 14 Days.
12thly. The Gout, provided it be neither Nodoſe nor Cretaceous, that is, if it be ac⯑companied with neither Knots, nor Chalky Concretions in the Joynts: And one Doſe taken Spring and Fall perfectly prevents its returning [8]under any Form or Symptom whatever, in any Part of the Body. What Affinity there is be⯑tween the Chalky Concretions lodged in the Joynts of Gouty People, and the Stone gene⯑rated in the Kidneys, ſhall one time or other be farther conſider'd.
13thly. The Pleuriſie, and all Pains in the Sides, or in any other Part of the Body, whe⯑ther wandering or fixed, tho' of the longeſt Continuance, without Bleeding, Cupping, or bliſtering.
14thly, The Palſy, whether of any particu⯑lar Part or Member of the Body, or univer⯑ſal all over; whether with a Tremor or trem⯑bling, or numb or dead, (as it is called): pro⯑vided they have been neither Vomited, Pur⯑ged, nor Clyſtered; much leſs Blooded, Bliſ⯑tered, or Cupped. Provided alſo that the Pa⯑tient be of a Plethoric, or full habit of Body, not Thin, Meagre, or Lean, Old, or Super⯑annuated; or that the Palſy hath not ſu⯑pervened ſome preceding Diſtemper, as a Fever, &c. then theſe Pills will certainly reſtore the Members to their Priſtine Strength, and the Patient to perfect Health.
15thly, All hardneſs with Extenſion or ſwel⯑ling of the Peritonaeum, and Belly, not only a⯑bout the Navel, but between that and the Pit of the Stomach, accompany'd with pain and difficulty of bending the Body downwards: Which in Men, hath by many Doctors been taken for a Dropſy, (as they do a Tympany of the Womb) and handled with the like Succeſs. [9]Several other Caſes I could mention, ſurpaſſing belief, attended with ſuch Symptoms as the Doctors could neither tell what to call, nor how to manage; which perhaps we may take occaſion to inſert in the next Edition of theſe Directions. This only will I add, as a general Rule, that in all Cronic and Complicated Caſes, if the Party hath ſtore of Fluids, theſe Pills are never given without the deſired Succeſs.
I have by by this time ('tis ſuppos'd) a little ſtartled you, by citing ſuch a Scroll or Cata⯑logue of direful Diſeaſes, and the Gout it ſelf, which for many Ages hath withſtood the force of all Medicines that could be oppoſed, by the moſt learned Academicks; I ſay, no doubt but you'll wonder, that they ſhould be eradicated by a Doſe or Two, of one only Medicine; but we boldly and openly bid defiance to all the Aeſculapian Tribe in Great Britain, to pro⯑duce a Medicine operating like this, the ſub⯑ſequent Account of which will probably put the matter out of all Diſpute, and to your en⯑tire Satisfaction.
Their manner of Operation, and the Method of ordering the Patient.
[10]A Convenient Room with a Fire in it, be⯑ing provided, and Two Perſons to at⯑tend, let the Patient go into a warmed Bed, at Eight a Clock in the Evening (or any o⯑ther time in caſe of Neceſſity) put at the ſame time a blade or two of Mace and an upper Cruſt of Bread, into a Pint of Ale, and cover it up cloſe: Which done, give him the Pills in the Pulp of a roaſted Apple, (which is the beſt) or a Wafer moiſtened with Water or Canary, drinking nothing either with, or after them; then compoſing himſelf, he will preſently be a Sleep, and continue ſo Four Hours, and no longer; during which time he will ſweat moſt powerfully, and care muſt be had neither to wipe the Sweat off his Face, nor do any thing elſe to diſturb him. The Four Hours being expired, and the Patient awake, let two Peo⯑ple rub him dry with hot Cloaths, and put on him a clean hot Shirt and Gown; then bring him to the Fire, and let him eat a Morſel of the Bread, and ſip ſome of the Mace Ale made very hot, and well ſweetned with ſingle re⯑fined Loaf-Sugar; when he hath done this, and drank the remaining part of the Ale, Sweating will immediately ceaſe, which is è diametro, or directly contrary to all the Su⯑dorifics or Sweating Medicines now in uſe. [11]Preſently after they work plentifully by Urine, (which when cold, in ſome Caſes and Con⯑ſtitutions may be cut with a Knife as Size.) To ſee the Contents of which, a clean White-Ware Chamber-Pot muſt be in a readineſs, for they cleanſe the Kidnies and Ureters of a⯑bundance of Stones, Sand, Slime, &c. if any be lodged there: When he has been up be⯑twixt a quarter and half an Hour, let him re⯑pair to Bed again, it being turned and well warmed, or another well ſeaſoned put in its place, the Sheets and Blankets likewiſe being changed, and others well heated put on; then the Pills begin to work ſtrongly, by breaking Wind downwards, to his own and the by⯑ſtanders great ſurprize.
The Patient muſt neither eat nor drink any thing till Dinner, if he can faſt ſo long; if he can't, a Morſel of Bread, and a quarter of a Pint of hot Ale, ſweetened with ſingle refined Loaf-Sugar may be taken. Let his Dinner be hot, but neither of baked, fryed, nor frigofy'd Meat, his drink alſo muſt be hot, and I forbid Wines of all ſort, during the whole courſe of theſe Operations, and 24 Hours after they all ceaſe, and it would be better if neceſſity would permit to forbear Wine for 24 Hours before the Pills are taken.
About two Hours after Dinner they begin to work downwards by Stool, except the Pa⯑tient has Obſtructions in the Liver, Kidneys, Lacteals, &c. or a Tympany of the Womb, or that Diſtemper which the Doctors call a Tu⯑mor of the Ovarium; in all which caſes, and [12]ſome others, the working by Stool is intro⯑duced by one large but eaſy Vomit; without any previous Nauſea, or Sickneſs which brings up none of the Meat with it. During the time they Purge, which is without any Sick⯑neſs or Gripes, the Patient muſt by no means ſtop a Motion, or expoſe himſelf to any cold or damp Air, or place; neither (except in Caſes of extream Thirſt, which I never knew to happen) muſt he drink any thing; but if Thirſtineſs urge, a little Tea, made of good Juniper-berries, and ſweetned with ſingle re⯑fined Loaf-Sugar, may be drank.
About an Hour and half, or two Hours at moſt, after Supper (which muſt be hot,) the Patient muſt go to a well warmed Bed; and the Pills taken the Night before, will repeat their Operations ſucceſſively as at firſt, but in a much weaker degree: So that ſometimes there is no occaſion either to rub the Party or change his Linnen. In ſome Caſes and Con⯑ſtitutions, the firſt Doſe will work 2 or 3 Nights and Days, and the ſecond Doſe 3 or 4, eſpecially in hot Weather, or Summer Time; and then there muſt be an Intermiſſion of 2 or 3 Days before the Third Doſe be taken; but two Doſes commonly perform the Cure, be the Caſe never ſo Chronic and Complicated: In all my 33 Years Practice and upward, I ne⯑ver knew but one Patient that had Occaſion for the Third Doſe; whoſe Caſe and many others very wonderful, ſhall in another Eſſay be fully related.
[13]Indeed their manner of Operation is ſo particular and extraordinary, that I almoſt think it hath ſcarce been parallell'd in any Age; for tho' they work moſt powerfully by all the Emunctories, yet they are ſo gentle and agreeable to Nature, that ſhe is not only exceedingly refreſh'd by them afterwards; but even pleaſs'd with the ſeeming Diſtur⯑bance they give her. Hence 'tis no wonder that theſe Pilulae Polychreſtae, ſhould extirpate ſo many dreadful Diſeaſes in ſo ſhort a time.
The DOSE
[14]OF theſe Pills is firſt Four, then Five, laſtly Six, taken as above: But if the Patient labours under any acute and painful Diſeaſe, as the Gout, &c. let him begin with Five, increaſing one the next Doſe. After the Cure of any Chronic Diſtemper, 'tis requiſite to take one Doſe every Spring and Fall, which muſt be as large as the laſt Doſe that was taken before, and this will be ſufficient to carry off whatever peccant Matter may be collected ſince the laſt Time of taking.
Theſe Pills are ſealed up in little Thumb Bottles, by which means their Vertues will be preſerved Twenty Years in all Regions; but obſerve that in all hot Climates, the Doſe muſt be leſs than in England or a colder Climate.
Sold only at Mr. Winſtone's at the Black Boy and Comb, near Fleet Bridge in Fleet-ſtreet, at One Guinea per Bottle, containing Three Doſes, [...]wo of which is commonly ſufficient to cure [...]ny of the aboveſaid Diſeaſes.
Where this Book is gave away gratis, to any [...]ne that will ask for it.
For the Encouragement of the Buyers, and [...]at they may not in the leaſt ſuſpect being [...]pos'd upon, any Perſons agreeing to the [15]Propoſals made at the Place of Sale, may be at⯑tended, and no Money received till the Cure be perfected.
N. B. No Woman with Child muſt take theſe Pills, nor any one that hath an Eryſipelas, (which is the St Anthony's Fire) Elephantiaſis, or Noli me Tangere.
Above all things great Care muſt be taken, that no ſort of Liquor be drank, either pre⯑ſently before, with, or after theſe Pills; even not ſo much as one Drop to moiſten the Mouth or waſh them down, otherwiſe they will be of no Effect.
Secondly, Obſerve that while the Patient ſweats, no more Cloaths be put upon him than uſual.
Laſtly, All the Directions given in this Paper, are to be exactly and punctually obſerved, if you intend to receive Benefit by them, or elſe you muſt blame your ſelf and not me.