The Country Housewife's Family Companion - Part 4



Of Thefts and Robberies, with Precautions to prevent them.

ACCOUNTS of this nature may perhaps be of more consequence to gentlemen, 
yeomen, farmers, and others, than all I have wrote before: For if a 
gentleman or farmer runs out and gets into a ruinous condition for want of 
knowledge, inspection, and careful management of his affairs both at home 
and abroad, he may thus be deprived of the means to live happy. And I am 
well assured that many gentlemen, yeomen, farmers, and others, have run 
out their income, merely by their servants carelessness and pilfering, and 
too often by the thefts of ill neighbours: Wherefore I have thought it 
necessary to publish the following accounts of thievery, for examples, 
that others may learn to avoid falling into the like misfortunes.

   How two Threshers stole much Corn from their Master.--A Man living near 
me, coming into the possession of a little farm of twenty pounds a year 
ready sowed with grain to his hand, after harvest employed two threshers 
to thresh out his corn, believing they would not wrong him, as he paid 
them well for their work, but it otherwise happened; for as the owner 
followed the farrier's business at four miles distance from the farm, 
these threshers lived at discretion, and therefore, being very great 
rogues, took the advantage of their master's absence, and carried several 
bushels of his wheat to the mill to grind for flower, besides what they 
conveyed away for raising ready money; for the farrier believed they stole 
in all forty or fifty bushels of wheat, and several of pease, and for 
furnishing themselves with meat they stole mutton; upon which one was 
taken up, and sent to Hertford gaol in January 1748-9, where he died, 
before the assizes, of the gaol distemper; the other confessed he stole 
only two bushels of the wheat, but for want of other evidence, and for the 
sake of his large family, that must have fell on the parish if he had been 
hanged or transported, he was not prosecuted. Now this farrier was brought 
up from his cradle in the country, was near fifty years of age, and 
accounted as sharp a man in his way as most is, yet proved a mere 
ignoramus in the management of a farm.

   How a villainous Servant of a Farmer, by a false Key he got, had free 
Access for a long Time to his Master's strong Beer Cellar.--This fellow 
was servant to Mr. Linny, a famous farmer at Beckwood, tenant to that late 
generous worthy gentleman Sir Thomas Seabright, Member of Parliament for 
Hertfordshire, where, after he had been some time, he got possession of 
the key of his master's strong beer cellar, long enough to take its 
impression in clay, and have it match'd at an ironmonger's in Dunstable; 
and being (as he thought) thus compleatly furnished, he put the original 
key in the way of being found by his dame. After this he took his 
opportunity of trying his new key, which was a little twisted, and every 
way like the old true one, except its being too short in the hollow: 
However, to cure this, he made use of a gimlet, and bored so long till he 
made it do, and then he had free access when he thought fit to fll his 
belly with any of the liquors he found in the cellar; for this tenant kept 
a good house; and thus this villain went on till he went into another 
farmer's service near his former master, yet was not deprived of having a 
belly-full of Mr. Linny's strong beer once a week, for when a new servant 
came into his place, he quickly got acquainted with him, telling him how 
he had gone on, and that if he would every Sunday give him liberty, he 
would give him his key. This was agreed to, and both of them every Sunday 
got into the cellar, and there drank at their pleasure for almost another 
year, till at last the master and mistress miss'd so much of their 
liquors, that they mistrusted a bite; upon which the mistress lock'd 
herself into the cellar, and by waiting catch'd the present servant, who 
confess'd the other, and who for fear of prosecution left the country for 
some time, till he heard his master would pardon him, if he would come and 
make an ingenious discovery of the whole matter, which he did in the 
manner I have related it.--Persons ought to take particular care of this 
piece of villainy, for it is too commonly practised: I knew two fellows in 
our parish that did the same, and reigned in their roguery a considerable 
time, by which and other misfortunes their master sold his estate of forty 
pounds a year, and became poor.

   How a Taylor undertook a Farm who knew nothing of it, and how he was 
robbed.--This man lives about four miles from Gaddesden, and wanting hay I 
sold him some the 8th of April, 1749, when he told me, That having marry'd 
a wife, and got a house and land, he was desirous to take a little farm 
near him: This he did, and kept, I think, four horses; but being ignorant 
in many branches of the farming business, among other discourse he said to 
a friend of his, He could not tell when a labourer had done his day's 
work. Oh, says his friend, they will soon make you know that, and 
something else. And so they did, for one he catch'd stealing his bacon, by 
cutting a piece off as it hung up in the kitchen. Another stole this or 
that thing, which he detected them in; however, by being thus bit to his 
loss, he took courage, look'd out sharp, and now makes a tolerable good 
farmer.

   A Gentleman of a considerable Estate run out by his Servants holding a 
Correspondence with bad Neighbours.--This gentleman coming to an estate of 
above a thousand a year, at a young age, left his servants to manage his 
domestick affairs; who managed so, that he run out considerably, though in 
a single life; till at last his eyes were opened, and he perceived how the 
loss happen'd, which was by his servants holding a correspondence with 
vile neighbours, for in order to please them, they pilfer'd from their 
master those things which brought him under great losses; but on 
discovering their villainy, he forbid any of his family so much as to talk 
with a neighbour. If they did, he or she was to be directly turn'd away. 
And his prohibition (as he lived in a lone house at some distance from 
others) had so good an effect, that he recover'd his losses, and is now a 
very rich gentleman, living, northward, about a hundred miles from London.

   How a Yeoman's Maid-Servant pilfered her Master's Flower, Bacon, 
Cheese, &c. and exchanged them for Gin.--A yeoman in Hertfordshire, whose 
landed estate is about sixty pounds a year, kept a maid-servant that so 
loved gin, as to carry now and then some of her master's bacon, flower, or 
cheese, to an adjacent shop where they sold gin, where she would drink 
till somewhat intoxicated; and as her mistress was an indolent sort of 
woman, she perceived not the maid's wickedness, for a long time, for when 
she got a little tipsey, she told her mistress she was seized with a pain 
in her stomach, was pity'd, and thus frequently obtained leave to go to 
bed sooner than ordinary; till at last her wickedness appeared palpable, 
and she was discharged, leaving a score of five shillings at the gin-shop 
unpaid.--I could record many more such villainies, but my room will not 
allow it.

   The Character of that great Oeconomist Scroop Egerton, late Duke of 
Bridgewater.--This nobleman was certainly possess'd of many fine 
qualities, particularly that of temperance in eating and drinking, and in 
many other branches of living. He was (I believe) never known to be 
intoxicated with liquor, for he and his Duchess seldom or ever exceeded a 
pint or a quart bottle of wine at dinner. His breakfast was a mess of 
water gruel, and as he always rose betimes, while in the country, when he 
had eaten it he would ride or walk out till ten, and then come home to a 
tea-breakfast with his Duchess and daughters. His supper was tarts, hasty 
pudding, pancake, or other light food, in refusal of flesh; but he 
generally eat as hearty a dinner as any man, having extraordinary plenty 
of all manner of dainty provisions, and two men cooks to dress them. His 
exercise was walking amongst his many workmen, with whom he was so 
delighted, that he seemed never better pleased, than when he was giving 
them orders and seeing them work in the best planted park in England, in 
his many inclosed felds, woods and garden. And so extremely fond was this 
gentleman of a country life, that he would every now and then take a trip, 
even in winter, down to his seat at Ashridge from London; and 
notwithstanding the fatigue of his journey, I have seen him, the same day, 
walk through a great shower of rain to a considerable distance in his 
great coat, to view a new-made pond or other novelty. His number of cart, 
race, and other horses was one hundred and fifty at least; his red and 
fallow deer, above one thousand; his menial servants of all sorts, about 
sixty; and his day labourers, thirty: And although he kept a large pack of 
the finest fleetest hounds in the country, yet he would latterly seldom go 
with them; but on the contrary has been heard to say, he wish'd in his 
youth he had minded them less, and the improvement of his estate more. 
However, he pretty well redeemed his lost time, for he planted much, and 
seldom felled a tree, unless at a very great age indeed. His houshold and 
other parts of his œconomy were attended with a very close inspection, 
particularly that of his servants accompts; his housekeeping was exercised 
in plenty, yet with frugality; and there was always enough of every thing 
that was good; his corn-felds furnished his house with bread, malt, 
oatmeal, &c. and he sold much grain besides, at Hempstead market; his cows 
supplied milk, cream, and butter, but his cheese he bought: He was such an 
admirer of the Lady-finger natural grass, that grew in his meadows, that 
he would now and then recommend its excellent virtues to others; his oxen, 
sheep, lambs, and calves he generally fatted in his own grounds, and 
commonly killed an ox every week or fortnight, besides smaller meat, 
giving large quantities of it every week to the adjacent poor people, to 
the making of their families hearts glad. His London house he also, in 
winter, supplied now and then with mutton, lamb, veal, venison, bacon, 
pork, pigs, fowls, eggs, and flower; likewise with fruit and other garden-
ware, strong beer, wood, charcoal, pond and river fish, to the furnishing 
his table with wholesome pleasant viands, and to the saving of much 
expence; for which purpose the Duke had a waggon or cart every week 
loaded, almost throughout the winter, with these provisions. His servants 
had one of the mildest masters upon earth, seldom, if ever, being in a 
passion with any of them, nor did he ever turn any of them off, without a 
very capital offence indeed; and when superannuated, they were sure of a 
comfortable subsistence during the remainder of their life. He delivered 
some of his low meadows from inundations of water, by causing Great-
Gaddesden river to run round instead of passing through it, as formerly. 
He seldom denied a neighbour a favour, an instance of which is my own 
case, by his giving me leave to remove a barn of three bay from off his 
copyhold land, to my freehold land. He made many fine purchaces of landed 
estates, and yet left behind him ('tis said) a prodigious quantity of 
ready money, besides a most bulky yearly income. He died in January 1744-
5, at his London house, greatly lamented by his relations, friends, 
servants, and particularly by the poor, after complaining (the day before 
his death) he was not well at his stomach; however, he seemed pretty well 
next morning, and eat his breakfast as usual; but in the afternoon lay on 
the bed, to take a nap, having a cord given him in his hand to ring when 
he waked; but lying longer than ordinary, without hearing of him, his 
Duchess, with another person or two, went to his bedside and found him 
dead, with the bell-string in his hand, and without the least ruffling of 
the bedcloaths; so that it is thought he went away in his sleep: However, 
he was directly blooded in the jugular vein, which bled pretty well; yet 
he was thought by the doctors to have died about an hour before, at the 
age of about sixty-two. He was a constant churchman, a loving husband to 
his excellent Duchess, a most affectionate father, and a true friend to 
all he profess'd himself so.



Diseases and Medicines.

PLEURISY cured with Camomile. --To do this our country women, before they 
bleed, try camomile, by boiling a boy's handful of it in a pint of 
middling ale a little while; then strain, and sweeten it with half a half-
pennyworth of treacle, and as soon as it is drank, go to bed, laying the 
boiled camomile to the side where the pain is, which if violent, some will 
make use of a whole half-pennyworth of treacle.

   Hoarseness cured by Figs and Brandy.--Take three figs, split them and 
toast them, and then put them into half a quartern of French or old 
molosses brandy; eat the figs going to bed, and in about eight minutes 
after drink up the brandy.--Or bruise four ounces of figs, eight ounces of 
prunes, and four large cloves of garlick, boil in three pints of milk, 
strain and sweeten with candy or sugar, take some hot going to bed, and 
continue it for a cough.

   Hoarseness cured by Treacle and Water.--Take three or four knife-points 
of treacle in your mouth, and then directly drink a draught of cold water 
after it, and go immediately to bed. It will sweat you, and is by some 
thought to be the best of medicines for this purpose.--Another wraps up a 
piece of butter as big as a walnut in sugar.

   A Tympany cured.--Mr. Caser, whom I knew, was a famous surgeon-
apothecary and man-midwife at Stroud in Kent, whose wife having a tympany, 
or very large swell'd belly, it failed her husband and all the skill of 
his acquaintance to cure her, till happily a beggar-woman advised her to 
apply camomile dipt in spirits of wine, which effected a cure, and she out-
lived her husband.

   Vomitting stopt.--Boil mint and camomile in water, sweeten the strained 
liquor with treacle and drink it, but apply the herbs hot to the belly; it 
cured my servant when other things failed.

Cough and Asthma.

TO cure a Cough.--My landlord, the late Mr. Colemare, rector of Little-
Gaddesden assured me, that the following receit is an infallible cure for 
a cough.--Boil two ounces of Spanish liquorice with three cloves of 
garlick, in a quart of spring water, till it comes to a pint; take a 
spoonful of it now and then as the fit happens. For an asthma.--A man was 
kept many years alive by drinking (as his common drink) rum, water, and 
sugar. Whey is good, and beer almost poison.--One Daniel Watkins, of Long 
Marson, near Aylesbury, declared to me, that he was cured of an asthma by 
swallowing young frogs.

   A second Receit.--Mr. Justice Duncomb, of Barley-End in Bucks, laid 
much stress on this remedy for a cough: Boil, says he, bran in water, 
strain; and sweeten with sugar-candy.

   A third Receit.--A farmer's wife used to put pepper into a pint of ale, 
and drink it going into bed. It has cured in one night's time.--Or swallow 
a pint of cold spring water going to bed; it will cause you to sweat.

   A fourth Receit for Cough and Asthma.--Take five or six figs, as many 
cloves of garlick, and eight or ten prunes stoned and bruised; infuse all 
in a pint of rum, and fll up if occasion with another pint, taking now and 
then some of it.--The landlord at the Bear-Inn at Southampton told me 
nothing exceeds it.

   Sir Hans Sloan's Medicine for an Asthma.--Take the yolk of an egg in a 
dram of rum now and then; it is a most excellent remedy.

   The famous Cure for a Cough and spitting of Blood by Balsam of 
Sulphur.--Drop ten drops of balsam of sulphur on a piece of loaf sugar and 
swallow it; it will cause a cold to begin breaking directly, make you 
spit, and heal the lungs. My farrier, that is the Duke of Bridgwater's 
[sic: Bridgewater's] farrier, tells me, that in -----, 1749, he had such a 
violent cough, as to bring up much blood in clots, which he thinks must 
have terminated in an ulcer on his lungs and a consumption, had he not 
been cured; but he cured himself by taking twenty drops of balsam of 
sulphur in a tea spoonful of treacle twice a day, for several days, which 
directly stopt his spitting of blood, and cured him; but it was not the 
same with the following person.--Tho. Cely, a servant at Barley-End, 
having a cough that made him spit blood, was ordered by Dr. Woodhouse of 
Berkhamstead to take balsam of sulphur, but it did not answer; upon this 
he applied himself to one Surgeon Rowland of Aylesbury, and his remedy did 
not do; at last there happened to be two physical professors at Tring, who 
said one to the other, Come we shall lose this good pot-companion, if we 
don't do something better for him. Upon which, they ordered him to boil 
raisins, figs, coltsfoot-flowers, sassafras, liquorice-powder, and one 
spoonful of anniseed, in three quarts of spring-water, till it came to 
three pints, and drink it at discretion; Cely said, he found much benefit 
at the first taking of it, and was thoroughly cured by it afterwards.--It 
was thought the balsam was too hot for his constitution in the quantity it 
was given him.

   For a common Cough.--Boil one ounce of butter, one ounce of honey; and 
a sprig of rosemary, in half a pint of milk, and drink going to bed; but 
treacle is thought by some to be better than honey.

   Another Receit for a Cough.--Boil a spoonful of honey, and a spoonful 
of mustard, in less than half a pint of white-wine vinegar; let it but 
just boil up, and when cold enough, take it going to bed; it has cured 
when other things have failed, by giving a breathing sweat.

   Another.--Make a tea of horehound and ground-ivy. Dr. Woodhouse.

   A Smith cured of a consumptive Cough.--This smith lived near me, when 
he told me the following medicine cured him of a cough of two years 
standing: He put a handful of rue and a sprig of wormwood into a two quart 
large-nosed glass bottle of ale, and after they had been soaked a day and 
night, he drank half a pint at a time, in the morning and at going to bed; 
when out, he flled up the bottle with more ale, and afterwards he put in 
fresh herbs and more ale, and thus cured himself; otherwise he thought the 
cough would have brought him into a consumption.

   A Family Syrup to cure Coughs.--Coltsfoot yellow flowers blow in March 
and April, and one of our country housewives makes a syrup of them to keep 
all the year by her, for curing her family of coughs.--Or boil a quarter 
of a pound of raisins stoned, with some horehound, in a quart of ale, and 
a quarter of a pound of sugar-candy, till a third part is wasted; take a 
coffee-cup full night and morning.

   A fine Remedy for a Cough or Cold.--Put twenty-four cloves of garlick 
into a pint and half of coltsfoot, mint, and hysop-water; boil the cloves 
till they are tender, then lay them on a plate. This done, take the liquid 
part, and add to it half a pint of the very best white-wine vinegar, and 
one pound of sugar-candy, which boil gently till it comes to a syrup; when 
cold, let the garlick lie in it.--Directions for taking it.--Take two 
cloves in a spoonful of the syrup every morning, and fast till dinner; at 
night only one spoonful of the syrup; continue at discretion: It is said, 
that nothing is better to cure a cough or cold, or to preserve the lungs, 
and create an appetite. Another boils a whole head of garlick in two 
quarts of water to a quart, then puts in a pound of sugar-candy, and boils 
it to a pint: Take a tea-spoonful frequently.

   A poor Family's Remedy for a Cough.--They take brandy thicken'd with 
sugar, or (better) brandy, coarse sugar, and sweet oil mixt.--A hooping-
cough has been cured in children, by putting coarse sugar between sliced 
turnips; or sugar-candy in the liquor.

   Sore Throat.--Our country housewives mix honey and pepper together; or 
turn a fig inside outward, and put powder'd race-ginger on it; or boil 
rosemary and sugar in milk.--Or you may make a good gargle for a sore 
throat, by adding pepper or powder'd ginger to the above cough medicine, 
consisting of honey, mustard, and vinegar. This warm'd, should be 
frequently used to gargle the sore part of a throat, and applied now and 
then with a liquorice stick.--Another of my neighbours drops Hungary water 
on loaf-sugar and swallows it.--Esquire Williams, of Devonshire, mixes 
best brandy with a little water, and swallowing it several times a day 
cures him.--Another for a cough or sore throat holds a large pewter 
spoonful of honey over some embers, till it is melted thoroughly hot, and 
takes it very hot going to bed; this is much practised in Hertfordshire.--
When the palate of the mouth is down, boil pepper in milk with butter and 
rosemary; take some now and then very hot, and stroke under your jaws at 
the same time.--Or as soon as the throat begins to be sore, wrap pepper in 
a piece of fresh butter about the bigness of a small walnut, and when the 
butter is cover'd all over with the pepper, swallow it: This has proved a 
present cure.

Jaundice.

Jaundice cured.--My next neighbour the widow Howard, who lives on her 
landed estate, and has more experience in medicines than thousands of 
others, says, old women cure this distemper better than doctors.--That she 
knew a woman gather a bushel of chickweed for getting and saving the juice 
of it, purely for having (she thought) the best remedy in the world by her 
ready to cure the jaundice at any time of the year, I suppose by making a 
syrup of it. In 1747, Mrs Howard had a niece, naturally of a ruddy 
complection, and of a sound constitution, but the mother of it having 
indulged the girl (almost six years old) in drinking tea every morning, 
and sometimes in the afternoon, she fell into the jaundice, but was cured 
by Mrs. Howard, who only gave her a spoonful of chickweed-juice fasting, 
and another spoonful at four of the clock in the afternoon in a little 
ale; but it would not be amiss, if a little saffron was mixt with the 
juice. This was continued till perfectly cured, and she tells me that this 
has done, when all other remedies have failed. The saffron by tincturing 
the juice makes it excellent. N. B. The juice of chickweed has cured 
several grown persons about Market-street in Hertfordshire.

   To cure the Jaundice by Lice.--It has often succeeded by giving the 
patient nine live lice every morning for a week, in a little ale.--Or take 
half a dram of cochineal, the same of cream of tartar; mix them with two 
drams of Venetian soap, which incorporate well together, and take half a 
dram three times a day, till the patient is well, which will soon be: This 
receit is said by Dr. Fuller to be a most excellent one, refraining from 
salt meats and strong drink.

   To cure the Jaundice in Children by Mr. Boyle's Receit.-- Mix half an 
ounce of powder'd rhubarb with three ounces of currants, and beat the 
whole into an electuary; give the quantity of a hasel-nut every morning 
for several days.

   The original Receit for curing the Jaundice in old or young, by the 
Juice of Chickweed, runs thus.--Take pimpernel and chickweed, stamp and 
strain them into posset-ale, and let the party drink thereof morning and 
evening; but our country housewives have found by many experiments, that 
the juice of chickweed alone never fails curing a yellow jaundice, if 
given in time.--Mr. Boyle says, a lady cured herself twice by boiling an 
egg hard in her urine; and then pricking holes all over in it, she buried 
it in an ant-hill, and as the egg wasted, so did her distemper.

   Black Jaundice.--It is said, that if shell snails be roasted and dried 
at the fire, or in an oven, and made into powder, and a spoonful thereof 
drank in ale at a time, and so taken nine days together, it perfectly 
cures the black jaundice.

Dropsy.

HOW Mr. Axtell, a Surgeon and Apothecary at Leighton in Bedfordshire, 
preserved himself many years, while his Legs were spotted and swell'd with 
the Dropsy.--This person I knew to be well skill'd in his profession. He 
drank no malt liquor, but bought old Jamaica rum of Mr. Ladbury, a 
distiller, near Doctors-Commons in London, for eight shillings a gallon. 
To one quart of it, he put two quarts of water, two lemons, two oranges, 
and four ounces of double-refined sugar; the peels he cut small, and to 
them and their juice he pour'd on boiling water, and so let them stand 
cover'd; when cold, he put in the rum, and when he would drink of it, he 
warm'd a coffee-dish full. This was his constant drink, with another made 
of Rhenish-wine and green tea, in which he would pour some drops of spirit 
of vitriol.--These liquors preserved him many years from being overcome by 
his dropsy, till at last he died in 1727. N. B. I am well acquainted with 
a physician in London, that undertakes to cure the dropsy without tapping, 
where another would tap for it. He did a surprising cure of this kind at 
Gaddesden, as is well known in the parish.

   Dropsy cured by a Country Housewife.--In the first place she advises to 
take a purge or two of pilla-cochia. Then take two besoms made not with 
birch but broom, and two handfuls of sweet cisley, by some called maid-
sweet, that grows like a kecks in wet meadows; boil these in six gallons 
of the best wort drawn from five or six bushels of malt; let it boil an 
hour gently, then strain, work it, and barrel it; this must be a common 
drink, for every thing should be avoided that creates thirst in meats and 
drinks. Both the receits are excellent, and will undoubtedly answer 
expectation, if duly followed.--Or which is better, take five spoonfuls of 
broom ashes, the ashes of eight burnt nutmegs, one ounce of mustard seed, 
two ounces of scraped horse-radish, and some sage of virtue: These infuse 
in a gallon of white-wine for four or five days, and drink a jill in the 
morning fasting, and another at night:--Or infuse or boil them in the wort.

The Gout.

THIS obstinate malady is much easier prevented then cured.--Gum guaiacum 
is certainly the greatest remedy known by man for the gout; but the 
several ways of making a right use of it, is the main thing to be known.

   The first Way to relieve a Fit of the Gout.--As soon as ever the fit is 
come on a person, let him take a short half quartern of the following 
mixture going to bed, on an empty stomach. Infuse half an ounce of gum 
guaiacum powder in a pint of good rum, shake it well, and it is fit to use 
directly; you may take the rum and powder in a mixture alone, or in a 
quarter of a pint of ale or mountain-wine; cover close in bed and lie till 
nine next morning, for it will cause a gentle sweat, and perhaps a stool 
or two. This has discharged the pain entirely in one night's time, and if 
you think fit you may take it again, letting one night pass between; but 
it has been observed of this excellent medicine, that the oftener you take 
it, the less effect it has.

   A second Way to relieve a fit of the Gout.--I knew a person of my 
intimate acquaintance, that as soon as he had taken the gum guaiacum dose, 
rubbed the gouty part with some spirit of lavender, and when he had done 
this, he claps a rag over the same besmear'd with treacle, and it 
answered.--But as for making use of an application of mustard for this 
purpose, I am against it, for I knew a person by this means draw a blister 
on his gouty foot that cost him five shillings curing, notwithstanding it 
was laid on in a rag, and although it is said the rag should be twice or 
thrice doubled to prevent the blistering; yet if any of the mustard in the 
bed should get beside the rag, it may do mischief.

   How a Higler cured himself of a Fit of the Gout.--I am informed that 
one Mr. Gould, a higler, being seized on a journey with the gout in his 
foot, so that he could not walk, stopt at Busby near Watford, and poured 
some spirit of lavender into his shoe, and by the time he rode fourteen 
miles to London, he was thoroughly cured.

   Sweat for the Gout.--I have been informed that a person of note took of 
hartshorn one scruple, powder of snakeroot the same quantity, mithridate 
half a dram, drinking it in any cordial water.--It is a violent sweat, 
such a one that I should not care to take, unless it was at the last 
extremity.

   A Medicine for the Gout put in Practice by a robust Tradesman.--He says 
he mixt spirit of saffron, spirit of turpentine, and spirit of hartshorn 
together, half an ounce of each, and took twenty drops at a time in ale, 
and found it an excellent remedy for gout or rheumatism.

   A Preventive for the Gout.--A gentleman at Watford in Hertfordshire put 
half a dram of the powder of gum guaiacum into half a pint of warm ale, 
and drank the same dose fasting eight mornings successively, and forbore 
seven mornings, then took it again, and so on.--This I think to be an 
excellent preservative against the gout; but we have a country apothecary 
that takes a dram and a half of gum guaiacum and alloes each, and makes it 
into pills with balsam of Peru: Dose half a dram before supper.

   A Gentleman cured of the Gout for four Years.--As soon as the gout 
began, he took a spoonful of flower of brimstone in some spring water 
going to bed, with a glass of mountain wine after it, and the same next 
morning, and so on till it removed the fit, which it soon did, and he had 
no gout for four years after.--But if I am not mistaken, he at the same 
time applied on very fine flannel hot treacle, so that with these internal 
and external remedies he soon overcame his gout. The treacle, shifted 
twice a day, helps to sweat the part and extract the gouty matter.

   Outward and inward Applications for the Gout.--Some lay much stress on 
a little tar mixed with treacle, and applied on a doubled cloth hot to the 
gouty part.--Others say it is better done, if the tar is mixed with mutton-
dripping, and cry this up for the very best of outward cures; for both 
these draw out the humour.--My farrier, who has now and then the gout in a 
violent manner, takes a little spoonful of flower of brimstone mixt with 
treacle three mornings fasting, as the quickest inside relief of all 
others; and for an outward relief he heats a brick very hot, and applies 
it in folds of cloth as hot as can be endured; it draws much, and holds 
its heat a long time; but if used too much, it is apt to leave a weakness 
in the part.--A gouty correspondent writes to me, that he knew a person 
wear a piece of common allum, cut into the shape of a middling 
oystershell, to weigh a quarter of a pound; that this is the same remedy 
prescribed or made use of by the famous Jew, Mr. Moses Hart, as an easy 
preventive one, and so cheap, as to cost but one penny, and that it must 
be constantly wore in a breeches pocket.--Another prefers a piece of roll 
brimstone for the same purpose.--Where the gout is settled, mix Barbadoes 
liquid tar with olive-oil, and apply it plaister-wise.

   The Gout said to be relieved by one or more Issues.--I have heard it as 
the opinion of several learned gentlemen, that if a person has an issue in 
each leg, or better above the knee, it will deliver him from having the 
gout. But I think this is not infallible, because I knew two persons that 
have had two issues at once on them for this purpose, and yet were not 
cured. The late Mr. Meadows, living near Hempstead, had an issue in one 
arm and one leg, as I have been informed; it is true he had great relief 
by it, yet by the gouty pains and rheumatism he died in February, 1748, at 
the age of about forty-seven. Another person now alive, a gentleman's park-
keeper in Hertfordshire, the most troubled with the gout that I ever knew 
any one of a young man, found the greatest relief by having an issue in 
each leg; but not a total cure. Another, his companion, now alive (in May 
1749) of considerable worth, had a place lanced on the joint near his 
great toe, where the surgeon took out chalk stones that would mark, 
notwithstanding he has an issue in one leg, and is now but about forty 
years of age.

   How the Duke of Bridgewater's Farrier cured himself of the Gout in his 
Stomach.--Here I shall bring to the test an action performed on my farrier 
by his own management. He generally keeps Venice-treacle by him for horses 
distempers, and being so much afflicted with the gout, that he had it in 
his legs, feet, hands, and shoulder at once (and at last it got into his 
stomach) finding his case desperate, he directly had recourse to Venice-
treacle, and took a piece of it about the bigness of a small walnut 
dissolved in ale, going to bed. And sure enough, it drove the gout out of 
his stomach, as he assured me. And to prevent its return, he next day took 
a large dose of gin to keep his stomach warm for the purpose, after he had 
by the treacle gone through a deep sweat.

   A second Receit to cure the Gout in the Stomach.--A correspondent of 
the Esculapian tribe writes to me, that to prevent the fatal effects of 
the gout in the stomach, when it has seized this part, take elixir salutis 
one ounce, tincture of rhubarb made in wine a quarter of an ounce, 
tincture of gum guaiacum made in spirit of sal volatile, aloes, and spirit 
of lavender, of each half a dram, Sydenham's liquid laudanum ffteen drops, 
to be directly taken when the fit seizes.

   Doctor Quincy's (and another's) Ale for the Gout.--In his Dispensatory, 
page 484, he says, Take guaiacum and sassafras each one ounce, leaves of 
germander and ground-pine dry'd each two ounces; boil in wort instead of 
hops, in five or six gallons of it, then strain and work it with yeast as 
usual. When it is put in a barrel, take roots of avens, half a pound; 
hermodactyls, four ounces; agrimony, sage, betony, dodder of thyme, 
stœchas-flowers, each two ounces; raisins stoned, half a pound; and hang 
them in the vessel.--Or take one pound of raisins; four ounces of 
sassafras chips or shaveings; the same quantity of hartshorn shavings; 
candy'd eringo-roots, six ounces; angelico roots, three ounces; guaiacum 
chips, two ounces; dry'd orange-peel, two ounces. Hang these in five 
gallons of small ale when it is tun'd. Tap at a fortnight's end, and drink 
constantly of it.

   An experienced serviceable Account how to manage and releive the Gout.--
Experience is the best doctor; a merry life and short one is too often the 
wrong choice of imprudent persons, but a sober life and a long one is a 
true choice; however, as many by the unthinking folly of youth unwarily, 
by drinking, lay the foundation of a gout, which they can never be cured 
of, without submitting to Dr. Boerhaave's milk-diet--Therefore drink half 
a pint of the quicksilver-water every morning throughout the year, and 
towards April take now and then a dose of the preventing gum guaiacum 
pills, and when you have the gout rub your foot with human urine a little 
warm'd. This done, rub also over the same hogslard, or rather adders-
tongue neat ointment, and immediately lay on the part one or more bruised 
colewort or cabbage leaves a little heated; draw your stocking over the 
same, and lie in it; this do till the pain and swelling are gone. This 
outward management I knew an ancient gentleman, very subject to frequent 
fts of the gout, always to make use of, to his quick relief.

   An outward Application to relieve the gouty Pain.--A mixture of common 
tar with mutton dripping, laid on a gouty foot, has been affrmed to be an 
excellent remedy. Others say, that to mix Barbadoes tar with olive oil, 
apply'd for the same purpose, is better. But by what I understand of an 
outward application for the gout, I advise to mix this liquid excellent 
Barbadoes tar with treacle; a fourth part tar, and three parts common 
treacle; and lay it plaisterwise on the gouty part, as a most excellent 
remedy. And withall take this caution, that you employ no outward 
application which may force in the gouty humour, lest it drive it back to 
the stomach or head; but only such as those that are drawers, and not 
repellers.

   New way of relieving the Gout by inward and outward Applications, sent 
to this Author by his ingenious Correspondent in London.--Sir, agreeable 
to my promise, I have now sent you the following receits: And first an 
internal remedy against the gout.

   As soon as you find the pain attack you, take three fine fresh 
rocamboles (which are sold in Covent-Garden for one shilling and six-pence 
per pound) in a glass of mountain wine going to rest.--The next night take 
six, and so every night advance three, till you take ffteen for the last 
dose. Then omit for five nights, and begin the same course again, and you 
may expect the happy effect.--A gentleman that was laid up with the gout 
in his feet, so that he was forced to use crutches, was able, after he had 
taken two doses (number 15 each night) to get on his boots, and ride from 
hence to Oxford races.

   Another gentleman takes five rocamboles in a glass of mountain at the 
tavern, at any time, and frequently whenever he finds the least symptoms 
of the gout; and likewise uses himself to it now and then by way of 
prevention, when he is free from it.

   An external Application.--A certain apothecary advised a gentleman to 
apply a large piece of green oilcloth (such as is commonly used for 
issues) over his foot swell'd with the gout, and wrap flannel about it, 
which gave him great ease in about half an hour, and drew the part so, 
without fretting the skin, that the cloth was almost as wet as if a 
blistering plaister had been applied: Then it was dried and put on again, 
and the patient was well in about three days, who before used to be 
confined much longer.--N. B. This apothecary was much afflicted with this 
distemper, and used the same means himself.

   This last was told me as a great secret, therefore I think it would not 
be adviseable to divulge it, but to yourself; because could we find it 
answer but in four cases in six, with the use of some medicine inwardly at 
the same time, that would not purge so violently as the gum guaiacum does 
in some constitutions, but as potently promote insensible perspiration; or 
even with the use of the rocamboles as above. But I believe many would 
object against them as being nauseous and offensive, tho' they certainly 
must be very good in this case, being hotter than garlick.--A rocambole is 
of the onion and garlick tribe, about the bigness of a large pill.

Rheumatism.

IT is the notion of many, that the gout proceeds from a hot cause, and the 
rheumatism from a cold cause. If the rheumatism is not cured in its 
infancy, it is apt to grow very painful and stubborn, often times making 
cripples of both old and young. The poorer sort of people are mostly 
afflicted with it.

   Two Persons cured of the Rheumatism.--These had it in their legs, and 
were lamed by it; but cured in about a fortnight by the following drink: 
Take a handful or more of dwarf-elder, being what some call Dane-weed; 
bruise and steep it in water, or better in ale, a night and a day, and at 
the same time put in some bruised mustard-seed, strain, and drink it at 
discretion.--This is said to have been sold for half a crown a quart, a 
long time, by a professor of physic in Hertfordshire.--Another advises to 
rub the afflicted part with Hungary water.--Another declares, that the 
rheumatism may be cured by boiling the roots of blackthorn in water, and 
drank sweeten'd. A farmer by me, though young, was almost a cripple with 
the rheumatism, but cured several times by boiling a handful of elder-
buds, a handful of rosemary, and a handful of rue all together in 
verjuice, and bathing the afflicted part as hot as possible.--Some bind 
the greens on after bathing.

   What a Person said in Praise of a Remedy for the Rheumatism.--The late 
Mr. Dodgson, minister of Edlesborough in Bucks, told me, that he was 
informed nothing exceeds spirit of hartshorn for curing the rheumatism, if 
a tea spoonful of it is taken once or twice a day in white-wine and water, 
for that it thins the blood and causes a free circulation. Hence it is 
thought that cold and sour juices occasion this distemper. My day-labourer 
being almost dead with the rheumatism and a great cold in his stomach, his 
wife gave him a tea spoonful of this spirit in water twice, which sweated 
and cured him.

   Nettle-Tea good for the Rheumatism.--A person said, that nettle-tea, 
drank half a pint in a morning fasting, if continued long enough will cure 
any rheumatism.

   Infusion of Rue cures a Rheumatism.--Steep a small handful of rue in a 
quart of rum or gin, and take half a quartern at night, and the same next 
morning, for a month.

   Boar Stones extraordinary good for the Rheumatism.--A poor man told me, 
he had try d several things for his rheumatism, but nothing did him so 
much good as the powder of boar stones dry'd in a slow oven, taking as 
much of the powder in warm ale, every night and morning, as would lie on a 
six-pence; he said, it moved the cause at once, and gave him present ease.

   A young Man, seized with the Rheumatism, was relieved by taking Mustard-
seed in Treacle.--He was so bad in our neighbourhood, that he wore hat 
shoes, and said he took a whole bottle of Bateman's drops, but it did not 
cure him, so that he was a cripple. In May, 1745, a beggar woman bid him 
mix some mustard-seed, and take it with treacle on the point of a knife, 
night and morning, which did him the most service of any thing, and when 
he left it off he grew worse.

   Rheumatism relieved by an outward Application.--A young man, after 
being in a London hospital, and discharged uncured of the rheumatism, made 
use (as an outward application) of old verjuice, in which was dissolved 
some allum; this being heated, and froted well in his joints, proved (it 
was thought) his chief cure, with the help of an internal medicine.

   Rheumatism cured by Dwarf-Elder and Buckbean Tea.--A woman, almost 
ruin'd by the charge of doctors, for she was so bad of the rheumatism, 
that she could not help herself, was told by a beggar to make a tea of 
Dane-weed and buckbean, and it cured her. Buckbean grows by the river-
side, and has a top like a bean; in May gather and dry it in the shade in 
a room, but never in the open air or sun, for these extract their virtue. 
Some have found buckbean tea alone the best of medicines for the 
rheumatism. A young woman that had been in an hospital was relieved by 
this tea.

   White-Elder Wine for the Rheumatism.--The late physician of Hempstead, 
Mr. Wigg, advised a woman of worth to drink white-elder instead of red-
elder wine, saying the white sort is much better for a rheumatism than the 
red.

   A young Man cured by the cold Bath of a dangerous Rheumatism.--He was 
troubled with it a year together, and was forced to be often carried to 
bed. He found some benefit by drinking milk hot from the cow, with a 
little balm in it every morning, and at last was intirely cured by going 
into a cold bath, for he had the rheumatism sometimes all over him; 
sometimes it shifted into and swelled his fingers, and once he had it in 
the hinder part of his head, when he thought it would have made him mad.

   Rheumatism cured by Gum Guaiacum.--This is a hot gum, the powder of 
which infused in rum, and the same dose taken of it as aforesaid for the 
gout, is perhaps the best of remedies for the rheumatism. Clothe well, and 
eat and drink well.

St. Anthony's Fire.

IT generally proceeds from excessive heat in the blood occasioned after 
surfeits, or by too free a use of spiritous or other strong liquors, and 
commonly causes great pain in the part it comes out in. In this case use 
bleeding and purging.

   A Widow Woman's Remedy for St. Anthony's Fire.--This woman, living at 
Little Gaddesden, finds the greatest relief to her inflamed face, that 
sometimes has a scarlet red-hot place in her cheek, even almost all over 
it, by beating in the first place white lead in a rag, and after it is 
thus beaten, she grinds it small between the bottoms of two pewter plates, 
then mixes it with sweet oil, and lays a plaister of it over the part: And 
for an internal remedy, she makes a tea of sena leaves, which proves a 
cool purge, and thus overcomes the St. Anthony's fire.

   A second Remedy for St. Anthony's Fire.--Another woman used to drink 
without sugar a tea made with elderberries and dandelion, and sometimes 
infused these in a small malt-wort for her common drink.

   Adders-tongue Ointment good for St. Anthony's Fire.--In the month of 
May gather adders-tongue, that grows in its top-part like an adder's 
tongue in meadows; bruise the herb, and squeeze out as much juice as will 
answer one pound of unsalted butter; boil both a quarter of an hour, and 
let stand in a pan to cool; when cold, take away the liquid part, and 
reserve only the fat part for an ointment for the St. Anthony's fire, or 
any inflammation in man or beast.--See the receit at large in my 
Shepherd's sure Guide (at page 111.) sold at the Rose, in Pater-noster-
row, London.

   If you can't get adders-tongue, make use of the green leaves of elder 
in the room of it, and if you add a dram of fine powder'd camphire in its 
making, it will improve the poultice.--Some say cow dung applied is good 
to ease the pain of St. Anthony's fire.--I knew a woman my neighbour take 
two or three spoonfuls of the juice of elder leaves, for the St. Anthony's 
fire in her face; it is somewhat nauseous in taste, and purging.

   Of the Imperfectness of a Receit.--The imperfectness of a receit has 
occasioned many mistakes in the composition; to go no farther than that I 
have just mentioned of making adders-tongue ointment, I have to say, that 
by only boiling the juice of the herb with butter, and when cold, to put 
it all together into the pot it is to be kept all the year in, is wrong; 
because then the juice will separate from the butter, and in this 
condition breed a rank mouldiness: Therefore, when the herb juice is 
boiled up with the butter, our housewife puts all into a broad pan, and 
when cold, the watry part she leaves behind, and just melts down the fat 
part in the earthen glazed pot it is to be kept all the year in, and then 
it will keep sound a year or two.

Of the Itch, Leprosy, and Scald-Head.

HOW to prevent catching the Itch by making a Bed.-- nnkeepers, farmers, 
and travellers are more exposed to this cruel malady than all others: At a 
certain great market-town in Bedfordshire, where many of the northern 
passengers used to lie, the maid-servants, whenever they suspected any had 
lain in a bed that had the itch, would always in the first place lay the 
sheets open upon the spread, for an hour, to air and cool, before they 
made the bed for good; by this means they feared no infection, for it is 
the warm linen, not the woollen that does it.

   How a Horsekeeper and a Servant-maid gave the Itch to several Families 
in Hertfordshire.--It is an ill custom in this county to hire servants 
without character, a thing chiefly owing to their being hired at statutes 
at all hazards; so that if he or she gets a new service two or three miles 
distance from the last, they are commonly safe from having their faults 
known. A horsekeeper, between a man and a boy, by this means gave four 
several farmers families the itch in a little time. At Gaddesden he lived 
about a month before he was found out, then discharged and went to 
another, and so on, till he thus mightily spread this horrid disease in 
Hertfordshire, because they neither inquired his character, nor search'd 
his body; if they had done the last, they had found his legs grievously 
scabbed, for he kept the itch out of his hands by now and then anointing 
them. The servant-maid was one that thus brought the itch into my family, 
for she was in as bad a pickle as the boy, having her arms and hands 
clear, but her legs sadly scabbed.

   A Person like to have been killed by a Mercurial Ointment for the Itch, 
&c.--A man, living near me, used to make an ointment of quicksilver and 
hogslard, by beating and mixing them with spittle three hours together. 
Many pots of this were sold at markets for curing the itch, scald-head, 
and kibe-heels; but one person, applying the ointment plaister-wise, had 
like to have been killed, had he not been timely anointed with sweet oil.--
A young woman servant, having been supplied with a pot of mercurial bluish-
colour'd ointment from a famous country surgeon and apothecary, applied it 
till she was raw about her waste; at last the surgeon ordered her to put 
some (I suppose medicinal) paper over all, which relieved, but did not 
cure, till she got a remedy from a person that did not profess surgery.

   The Itch cured by Advice of an Exciseman, who also acted as a Surgeon 
at Ivinghoe.--He bid a poor woman of the same parish mix common soap and 
flower of brimstone together, and after taking flower of brimstone in some 
treacle three mornings before-hand, to anoint only twice with the ointment 
(that is to say, after the first time, a week after) wearing the same 
linen all the time, and it cured.

   A strong Ointment for the Itch.--Another person, to make the same 
remedy stronger and surer, added black pepper and hogslard to the soap and 
sulphur, and boiled all into an ointment, with which, after taking 
brimstone in some treacle three mornings, he anointed himself by a fire-
side three nights together, and was cured.

   A very strong Ointment for the Itch.--Beat stone brimstone, then mix it 
with soap, hogslard, tobacco, and pepper, boil and strain all through a 
cloth, after taking sulphur inwardly; anoint with this three nights.

   How a Smith in Hertfordshire cured his Family of the Itch, without 
Mercury or Sulphur.--This man's family was dreadfully infected with the 
itch, brought to him by a journeyman, but cured by first taking flower of 
brimstone inwardly three times, and then anointing twice with a liquor 
made thus: He boiled two ounces of tobacco in three pints of strong beer, 
till a third part was consumed, with a piece of allum in the same; and 
others have since been cured by the same remedy, wearing the same linen 
for a week.--This remedy I am sure is a very good one, and as it has no 
mixture of mercury is not dangerous, nor offensive, as it is free of the 
smell of brimstone.

   Itch cured by white Hellebore-root.--A beggar woman told a family that 
had the itch near me, that it had cost another family ten pounds to be 
cured of the itch, and it was not done, till she told them to buy two 
ounces of white hellebore-root powder at the apothecary's, and boil it in 
a quart of milk mixt with water to a pint, with some hogslard. This 
ointment, after taking sulphur in treacle three times, was made use of a 
few nights, and cured them all, for it is a very strong powder, and will 
make the body smart, as if stung with nettles.

   Itch said to be cured in a certain Workhouse.--They boil an ounce of 
camphire, an ounce of long pepper, and a little hogslard in water, and 
anoint.

   A most potent Remedy for curing the Itch. Take tobacco stalks, allum, 
hogslard, and powder'd salt-petre, the three first must be put into a full 
quart of strong beer, and when it is warm, the salt-petre must be put into 
it by degrees, for if it is put in cold, it will lump; the whole must be 
boiled well into an ointment.--If sulphur in treacle is first taken, I 
think no itch can resist the remedy; but for a more cleanly one, the 
following is made use of by some.

   Author's Plowman cured by Dr. Dover's Mercurial Water.--My plowman, 
wanting a plowboy to drive my plow team, took one that had the itch in his 
legs, which being unperceived, he let the boy lie with him, who gave him 
the itch heartily, and the fellow desiring to be cured by a cleanly 
medicine, I made use of Dr. Dover's, thus--Take one dram of white 
sublimate mercury in powder, and mix it with half an ounce of cream of 
tartar; these infuse in a quart of spring water, then take sulphur in 
treacle on the point of a knife three times, and wash the body before the 
fire with this water three nights together, change your linen, and the 
Doctor says it is a sure cure, and a safe one.--If you don't wash before a 
fire, the cure will be the longer, for then the wash must be continued 
longer.--It is said, that many persons about London get a tolerable 
livelihood by this water.--But although I have here published a mercurial 
water, yet I am entirely against all other mercurial medicines, both in 
ointments and in a quicksilver girdle, because of the many damages that 
have happened by their uses.

   A Leprosy cured by the Herb Fumitory.--Fumitory grows with a red flower 
in May and June amongst wheat, and about Michaelmas in our turnep felds. A 
yeoman's wife, living at Ringsell, a village lying about a mile distant 
from Gaddesden, having a leprosy, made use of a capital surgeon and 
apothecary's diet-drink for three months together, but in vain; till she 
was advised to infuse the herb fumitory in whey, and by drinking the same 
for some weeks she was cured of her leprosy.

   A sure Cure for the Itch without Sulphur or Mercury, by which a poor 
Man cured his own Family and others.--Take a root of elecampane; in some 
grounds, as in an orchard, I have known it grow almost as big as a 
parsnip; cut three slices of this root short ways, and make a tea of it, 
which drink three mornings and nights, then take the rest of the root, and 
boil it in water till it is soft like a turnep; boil the thinnest part of 
this again with hogslard and soap, anoint the body every night for three 
nights together, and it is a sure cure. My day-labourer says he has cured 
several others with the same.

   A Scald-Head cured by a Beggar Woman.--This happened to my 
wheelwright's son, who having a scald-head, at about twelve years of age, 
his parents applied for a cure to the late physician Mr. Wigg of 
Hempstead, who told them, there was no cure but by a pitch plaister. 
Quickly after this, a beggar woman hearing of it, bid them roast a 
shoulder of mutton, and let it drip on tar, and when mixed, to rub it all 
over the head well. This they did twice, and it proved a cure, not only to 
the son, but to another in Albury parish near Gaddesden; but it is said, 
if the shoulder of mutton was basted with tar, it would be rather more 
efficacious.

   The Traveller's Remedy for curing the Itch.--As most of the begging 
travellers have now and then the itch, they that know the following 
medicine say nothing exceeds it.--After taking as much flower of brimstone 
as will lie on half a crown, in a spoonful of treacle, three mornings 
fasting, they boil salt and tobacco in urine, and rub their bodies over 
with the same three times in all, and wear the same shirt a week, two, or 
more.

To cure Wounds, Swellings, and Burns, and how to make Ointments and Salves.

A Quick Cure for a green Wound.--First with a feather apply tincture of 
myrrh, for this is one chief means to prevent a gangreen.--Or do it with 
brandy or spirit of wine.--Or wash the wound first with warm milk; then 
beat the yolk of an egg into two ounces of Venice turpentine, and apply a 
lint dipt in it, or otherwise. If dangerous, dress twice a day: It is a 
strong digestive, and so efficacious, that if a bone is crackt, it will 
heal it, being a remedy much in use with surgeons at this time, tho' the 
receit of it has been in print near a hundred years ago.

   To heal a green Wound with Copper Oar.--Wash the wound as aforesaid, 
then infuse some copper oar as it comes out of the mine in a quart of 
spring water. It cures all green wounds, and skins beyond all other 
things; as a gentleman at Glassenbury in Somersetshire assured me, who was 
concerned in a copper mine in Devonshire.

   To cure a Wound with Leaves.--Apply the rough part of the leaf bearbind 
to a green wound or running sore. It has cured when a surgeon's skill 
failed.

   A Swelling in a Man's Leg attended with great Pain cured.--My neighbour 
had a swelling in his leg attended with great pain, if he walked but a 
little way; a stranger, being in his company, bid him mix the marrow of a 
bacon-bone with spirits of wine, and rub it well in. This he did two or 
three times, and was quickly cured.

   A ready cheap Way to cure a green Wound.--Mix water and salt with soap, 
beat up all into a lather, soak the cut in it, and apply the settlement to 
the part, which renew at discretion.

   A Doctress's cure for a green Wound.--She always for the first dressing 
uses tincture of myrrh, because she says it prevents soreness and 
festering; as soon as she has besmeared the wound with this, she applies a 
plaister of black basilicon; at the second dressing, she washes with 
spirit of wine, and renews her basilicon plaister. Dr. Quincey says (at 
page 303 of his Dispensatory) that this tincture of myrrh is in great 
esteem amongst surgeons for cleansing ulcers, and for exfoliating carious 
bones.

   A good Housewife's Salve for curing Wounds.--Take mutton suet, bees-
wax, frankincense, resin, and Venice turpentine, each four ounces; some 
linseed and train oils. Melt all these over a fire, and stir in powder'd 
camphire and Roman vitriol, a dram of each; when cold, roll it up in oiled 
paper for use.--If a wound is deep, first wash it as aforesaid, then melt 
some of the salve, and dip a tent in it; if shallow, spread a little of it 
on lint, and apply it with a plaister of the same salve over it; or if the 
wound is slight, a plaister alone may do.

   A ready, cheap, good Balsam for curing green Wounds.--Mix over a gentle 
fire Venice turpentine with oil of the herb St. John's-wort, of each a 
like quantity; when they are well incorporated, put them into a glazed 
gallipot for use.--This herb has many excellent qualities in it for curing 
wounds or bruises, it dissolves swellings, and strengthens feeble members, 
&c. &c. And such a liquid is sometimes more proper than salve, where 
veins, nerves, or tendons are cut, and which also for the same purpose 
makes a mixture to be preferred to all other applications, that is 
composed of a little spirit of wine, a little camphire, and more oil of 
turpentine, laid on the wound warm; and afterwards a plaister must be laid 
on the same.--But the following balsam is said to exceed all others 
whatsoever, and which has never failed my expectation in curing many 
wounds in my family.

   The most excellent of all Balsams, Salves, or Ointments, for curing 
Wounds, Bruises, Strains, Burns, Bleeding, &c. &c.--It is a balsamick 
tincture, that not only cures all bruises, strains, burns, scalds, and 
common green wounds, but also (which with difficulty will be believed) 
stops the most obstinate bleeding at the nose, and any arteries wounded or 
cut quite in two, although the largest branches of the body, without any 
ligature. If the brain is wounded quite thro', either length-ways or 
breadthways, or the eye pierced in the very pupil or sight; and if the 
chief tendons are wounded, or cut quite asunder, the wound will not 
inflame, be sore, or run matter, or require digesting, deterging, 
incarning, or cicatrizing, as the common method is, which takes much time 
to do; but this medicine so agglutinates the parts, and defends them from 
corruption, that sometimes in one or else in a few days, according as the 
case is, it effects a cure. It is a balsam that may be taken inwardly, 
being as harmless as the food we eat; it gives almost immediate ease in 
fts of the gout, being applied with soft rags to the inflamed part, and in 
the stone does the same as Mrs. Stephens's medicines, but in a more 
compendious manner, as has been fully proved to be true before many 
apothecaries, surgeons, and physicians, in and about London.

   This balsam is made by my friend, a most ingenious chymist, from whom I 
have it in bottles sealed up, price one shilling each; a remedy of such 
importance, that no family ought to be without it, because it may not only 
save great expences, but even life itself; for as we are all liable to 
accidents, a person may receive a mortal damage, or bleed to death, before 
a surgeon can be had. I therefore have just reason to observe, that a 
farmer especially ought never to be without this balsam, because in the 
use of scythes, chaff-engine knives, reaping and other cutting hooks and 
sickles, hedge-bills, and axes, &c. &c. men are more than ordinarily 
liable to cut and bruise themselves, and also to be hurt by the kicks of 
horses, falls from carts, waggons, cocks and mows of corn and hay, trees, 
&c. &c. Which most excellent liquid balsam I furnish any person with, in 
bottles sealed up, at one shilling each, with printed directions for its 
uses.

   A Poultice to disperse a Swelling.--Stamp the inner rind of elder and 
boil it in chamberlye, of which make a poultice and apply it. This is not 
to break but disperse and reduce a swelling.

   A Brine Ointment to reduce Swellings.--In beef brine, boil the green 
bark of elder, some nettles, wormwood, and rue; strain, and boil up the 
liquid part with lard.

   To make a cooling Elder Ointment.--Put the flowers of elder into a 
pitcher, and stop the mouth of it; then set it in a pot or kettle of 
water, and boil it two or three hours, and as the flowers sink, add more. 
Some put in mashmallows of the garden, not wild mallows; then separate the 
juice, and boil it up with hogslard or unsalted butter for use. It is a 
great cooler, asswager of pain, and disperser of humours.

   A Turnep Poultice to reduce a Swelling.--Roast a turnep in the embers, 
and when enough, take out the pulp and leave the shell; with this pulp mix 
hogslard, and apply it while hot to a swelling; it will either break or 
disperse, if repeated.

   A Woman's sore Breast cured by herself.--There being a fery red 
inflammation settled in it, she first anointed with elderflower ointment, 
and then applied roasted cabbage leaves (the first asswaged the pain, and 
the last drew out the feverish inflamed quality) and by due applications 
was cured.

   A Country Housewife cured her Neighbour of a sore Breast.--She reduced 
a swell'd breast, by anointing it with tobacco ointment; and no wonder, 
since it is generally allow'd to be a great discusser of scrophulous 
tumours. A woman had three holes in her breast, for which she boiled the 
inner rind of elder stampt, white bread, and hogslard, in milk; this is 
healing, cooling, and a little drawing.--Adders-tongue is also good for 
this.

   To keep back a Humour from falling into a Wound.--Boil a piece of allum 
about the bigness of a walnut in somewhat more than half a pint of milk, 
separate the curd from the whey, and dip a linen rag in this drained whey, 
and bind it above the wound, but let none of it touch the wound. It will 
keep a humour back.

   To prevent and cure proud Flesh.--Powder of precipitate is a good 
mercurial powder for this purpose; but if not understood, it is next to 
the putting a sword in a mad man's hand. Therefore rather make use of a 
wound water, by boiling a pound of powder'd allum, in three pints of 
spring water, till it comes to a quart, then put in one ounce of Roman 
vitriol--Or with powder of burnt allum--Or with powder'd double refined 
sugar.

   Burns and Scalds cured by a Country Housewife.--This woman's way is--
Break the blisters, because they contain a hot fery water in them, and 
clip the skin off if you can; then burn fresh butter in a broad stew-pan, 
and pour it into a large bason of water, and work it well therein, for 
from a blackish brown it will become whitish. Spread it on rags, and lay 
them on the wound; it is an excellent way of curing a burn or scald, by 
fetching out the fire and healing the wound.

   Burns and scalds cured by another Country Housewife.--After she has 
clipt away the blistery skin, she washes the wound with a mixture of 
vinegar and water; then she stamps some onions and salt together, which 
she applies as a poultice for a night and a day, then lays over it a 
plaister of burnt salve, after the onions and salt have drawn out the 
fire. And if proud flesh arise, she puts powder of burnt allum.

   To cure Burns or Scalds by a third Country Housewife.--This woman mixes 
linseed oil with bruised onions, and (by shifting it now and then) says it 
is the best of things to draw out the fire.--Or to fetch fire out, you may 
beat up powder'd allum with whites of eggs, and apply it.

   An excellent Ointment for curing Burns, Scalds, &c.--Take elder leaves, 
St. John's-wort, garden mallows, ivy leaves, and adders-tongue, of each 
two handfuls. These are in their perfection in the month of May. The wort 
and tongue grows in meadows. If you can't get all, make use of some, and 
take housleek in the room. Stamp and squeeze out their juice, and boil it 
up with a pound or more of butter fresh out of the churn, that has no salt 
in it, for a quarter of an hour; then pour all into a glazed broad earthen 
pan; when cold, take off only the hard buttery part, and leave the liquid 
part behind, to be thrown away. Next, you are to put this butter part into 
a glazed earthen pot, and set it just within the heat of the fire, enough 
only to melt it into a close body; then keep it well cover'd for use.--
This ointment is a most excellent sort for dispersing humours, and 
allaying swellings in man or beast, healing green wounds, St. Anthony's 
fire, burns, scalds, hot tumours, spreading sores, impostumes, and 
ruptures.

   An excellent Salve for Burns or Scalds.--You may make the above 
ointment into an excellent salve for dressing burns and scalds, wounds 
made by the bite of venomous beasts, green wounds, dispersing of humours, 
and allaying of swellings, &c.--Take what quantity you please of the above 
ointment, supposing it to be about half a pound, to which put a large 
spoonful of Venice turpentine, one ounce of bees-wax, and as much white 
powder'd lead as will lie on half a crown. Just boil these up, and keep it 
as a salve in particular for dressing a wound made by burning or scalding, 
&c. to be spread on a rag, and applied now and then till it is cured.--The 
herb adders-tongue I have growing in my meadows, and make an ointment of 
it every year for reducing the swell'd bags of my cows, and for diseases 
in the human body as aforesaid.

   To break a Swelling by a Country Housewife.--She wraps sorrel in a wet 
paper, and covers it with embers; and thus it will be reduced to a pappy 
consistence; she says, nothing breaks a swelling sooner nor better. But 
another country housewife does it rather better, by laying the sorrel 
between two tiles, which she covers with embers.

   A swelled Leg cured.--A young woman, about nineteen years of age, in 
her lying-in month, in September 1748, had her left leg swell'd to a great 
degree, insomuch that she could not walk cross a room without help. Some 
persons in the neighbourhood bid her boil some rosemary, rue, and elder-
leaves in old verjuice, and bathe her leg with the strained liquor, as hot 
as she could endure it. This see did several times, and it cured her.

To stop Bleeding inwardly and outwardly.

A Woman cured of spitting of Blood.--This was a poor widow and a chair-
woman living near me, who applying herself to a physician, he out of 
charity bid her stamp the leaves of plantane and nettles together, and 
take a tea-cup of their juice three mornings; which she did, and was 
cured. The same juice, he said, will stop bleeding at the nose if snupt 
up, and also that of cuts. In the month of May, the juice may be boiled up 
with sugar for a reserve.--Or bruise common nettles, and thrust it into 
the bleeding nostril.

   How a Girl's Arm was stopt bleeding by a Surgeon's Advice.--A girl in 
Gaddesden parish, having had a nail run into her arm, neither her parents 
nor neighbours could stop its bleeding. Upon which, the girl cried 
mightily as she stood at the door of her mother's house, when a Hempstead 
surgeon, coming accidentally by, said, What ails you my girl? She told 
him. Take, says he, some hogs-dung and lay to it; and it was done 
accordingly, to the entire stopping of it: For this dung is said to abound 
with a very pungent and nitrous salt.

   A Labourer's Finger stopt bleeding by Tobacco.--One of our day-
labourers, that was plashing a hedge, happened to cut his finger with a 
bill, and was at a loss how to stop its bleeding, till another labourer, 
working with him, took a chew of tobacco out of his mouth, and by applying 
thereof stopt the bleeding at once.

   Bleeding at the Nose stopt by a Woman.--A man bled so at the nose by a 
small blow given him, that none of the surgeons could stop it: A woman 
coming by, she desired leave for an application, which was, it is thought, 
oil of vitriol (somewhat weakened) rubbed on the forehead of the man; 
which, by no more than once using, made his skin peel, but stopt the 
bleeding.

   Bleeding at the Nose stopt by Frogs.--A young man, the son of a yeoman 
living near Gaddesden, bled so violently at the nose, that all 
applications proved in vain, till frogs were made use of; and then, by 
their being bound to his neck, their cold nature intirely stopt it.

   Bleeding stopt by Vinegar.--It is a good old remedy to stop bleeding by 
washing, or better by soaking the testicles in the sharpest vinegar.--Or 
if a cloth is dipt in it, and applied to the nape of the neck--Or against 
the heart, but then it must be new dipt, as soon as it is warm.--Or if 
allum and salt-petre are dissolved in vinegar, and applied by a rag dipt 
in it to the breast, or by a tent to the bleeding nostril, and renewed now 
and then.--Clay mixt up with vinegar, and applied to the testicles, stops 
bleeding.

Of making an Issue, and of several Cases relating to the same.

The Case of a Woman that lost her Life, partly by having an Issue made 
with Spanish Flies.--This woman, about forty years of age, having a humour 
fell into her thigh or leg, employed a sort of country doctress to make 
her an issue for curing the same; but it happened quite otherwise: For by 
her application to make the issue with Spanish flies, the part became 
inflamed, and the humours much increased; so that a surgeon was sent for, 
who lanced the part, and applied remedies; but in vain, for a 
mortification ensued. To cure which, it is said he used little else than 
camphorated spirit of wine, and oil of turpentine; at last, after several 
times cutting away the flesh, till her thigh bone was near bare, he 
dress'd the wounds with lye as hot as possible, but she died in 1740, and 
her husband was arrested for and paid ten pounds to the surgeon.

   How an Issue presently after cutting became inflamed, but cured by Vine-
Leaves.--A man having had an issue cut at London, after he had been at 
home in Hertfordshire a day, the part became much inflamed and very sore. 
The issue was made by the surgeon's forcing the point of a lancet into the 
inside of his leg a little below the knee, and then he put in a pea, with 
a plaister of basilicon over it; notwithstanding which, it was thought the 
inflammation would have brought on a mortification, had not a farmer's 
wife advised to lay on the issue a parcel of vine-leaves thick, one upon 
another, which cooled the part, brought on a fine digestion, and made a 
cure. The same person, some time after desiring to be rid of his issue, 
dried it up, but was quickly obliged to have another cut, because for want 
of it he could not walk. The second cutting was much better performed than 
the first, for in making this, the country surgeon gathered up a little 
skin, and cut it quite off, so that there was a round pea-hole at once, 
that succeeded much better than making an incision with a lancet.--In case 
vine-leaves can't be had, cabbage-leaves may supply them; for this, as 
well as the other, is a cooler and drawer.

   Of Plaisters and Peas, &c. for Issues.--These are fine sticking 
plaisters sold for promoting the discharge of issues in the neck, leg, 
arm, and back; but the good old common issue plaister is made of oil-
cloth.--There are also sold several sorts of medicated peas, some 
greenish, and some blackish, for making an issue run the better. Many of 
our country people prefer carrot cut into pea shape, but I have the 
following direction on this account given me by a surgeon--After you have 
taken off (says he) any fungous or proud flesh, if any there be, with the 
mercurial ointment I prescribed you, get a large piece of Florentine 
arrach-root, soak it in water till it is a little soft, then cut it out in 
small bits, which lay in the sun upon paper to dry; then cut them roundish 
with a penknife, and constantly use these instead of the common peas, a 
fresh one every day, and your green oil-cloth over it, and you'll find the 
issue will discharge better.--But no mercurial ointment for me, the blue 
vitriol stone rub'd over any proud issue flesh will take it off safely.

   To make an Issue or a Seaton run.--Mix thick Venice turpentine with the 
yolk of an egg, and anoint the silk rowel for a seaton.--For an issue, one 
of my labourers gets two or three roots at a time (by way of store) from a 
moorish ground of the broad flags, and dries them, about the bigness of a 
man's thumb; when the issue in his leg will not run, he cuts a bit like a 
pea, and in a day, or a day and a night's time, it will cause it to run, 
when he takes it out and puts in a pea; the root will tingle the flesh, 
and is apt to inflame it.

Sprains and Bruises.

TO cure a sprained Wrist in Harvest.--It is common for men to sprain their 
wrists the first or second day, by reaping, in harvest, before they are 
much used to it; some dip a red cloth in verjuice, and wrap it going to 
bed about the wrist.

   A second Receit for the same.--A man was cured in one night's time, by 
wetting a rag with tincture of amber, and binding it on the wrist.

   A third.--Dip a flannel in some warm brine.--Or in want thereof in 
urine mixt with salt.--Or urine alone.

   A fourth.--Apply camphorated spirit of wine on a rag.

   A fifth, or for a Bruise.--Boil soap and vinegar in strong beer 
grounds, dip a cloth and apply it.--Or boil bran in vinegar, and apply as 
a poultice.

   A sixth.--Stamp a burdock-leaf, and bind it on the wrist; by morning it 
has cured.--Or mix the white of an egg with oil of turpentine and vinegar, 
and apply on a rag.

   Inward Bruise.--The common remedy is to bleed and take two drams of 
powder'd Irish slate in half a pint of spruce beer, now and then repeating 
the same.

   A Woman bruised and cured.--Having by a fall been much hurted, she 
bruised parsley, and beat it up with fresh butter; so mixt, she applied 
it, and it fetch'd the bruised quality out of the flesh; then she applied 
adders-tongue ointment, which reduced and cured the swelling.

   Sprain.--Beat Venice-turpentine and brandy together, and rub it in 
three times in three days before a hot fire-shovel.--Or, if red cloth 
soaked in brine and applied will not do, clap after it a plaister of 
Paracelsus.

   Bruise.--A surgeon directed a man at Aylesbury, if he was bruised, to 
drink cold water immediately, for it will cause the blood to circulate and 
prevent stagnation.

   A Man almost bruised to Death cured.--My collarmaker was thought dead, 
by a fall from a horse, but by bleeding him, and giving him half a pint of 
salt water he was cured. The same at sea; they give salt water for a 
bruise, because it makes the blood circulate presently, and therein lies 
the cure. He says, he takes the same two or three times a year in his best 
health.--Some say, to scald urine, and put it on bran, if applied 
presently, as hot as possible will hinder a swelling and cure the bruise. 
Renew if there be occasion.

Consumption and Inflammation of the Lungs.

A Person, given over by two Physicians, cured of a Consumption.--Mr. Hume, 
who was then servant to the Earl of ----, assured me, he was cured of a 
consumption (being far gone, and given over by Sir Hans Sloane and Dr. 
Stewart, and directed by them to be sent home to his native air, as the 
best thing they could advise) by paring some fresh-gathered turnips, 
cutting them in thin slices, and strewing some powder of brown sugar-candy 
over each layer in a cullender, and letting them stand a few hours to 
drain into a dish; of which liquor he drank three or four cups in a day, 
and without taking any thing else by way of medicine was cured in three 
weeks, to the great surprise of the doctors and his friends.

   A Woman cured of a Consumption.--One of my neighbours informs me, that 
her near kinswoman being given over by the doctors in a consumption, was 
cured by making use of conserve of red-roses and a mixture of mithridate, 
taking a little at a time of it.

   A Remedy for a Consumption.--Take half a pound of raisins of the sun 
stoned, a quarter of a pound of figs, a quarter of a pound of honey, half 
an ounce of Lucatellus balsam, half an ounce of powder of steel, half an 
ounce of flower of elecampane, a grated nutmeg, one pound of double 
refined sugar pounded; shred and pound all together in stone mortar, 
pouring into it, by degrees, a pint of sallad oil, of which eat the 
bigness of a nutmeg four times a day; every morning drink a glass of old 
Malaga sack, with the yolk of a new-laid egg in it, and as much flower of 
brimstone as will lie upon a sixpence, and next morning as much flower of 
elecampane.

   A second Remedy.--Take two gallons of small beer, 2 handfuls of oak-
leaves, and 2 handfuls of fern-roots (let the oak-leaves be gathered two 
or three days before you use them) wash the fern-roots, and split them; 
then put them into the small beer, and boil them all together, till about 
two quarts are wasted out of the two gallons. Then have half a pound of 
brown sugar-candy ready, and strain it off upon the candy boiling hot. 
When cold, put it into bottles. Drink a pint first in a morning, and 
another going to bed last at night.

   A Gentlewoman prodigiously relieved in a deep Consumption, if not 
cured.--This was a maiden gentlewoman, sister to -- W----t, of Derbyshire, 
Esq; who was in a deep consumption, and so weak that she could hardly lift 
her hand to her head, for which there were eight sheeps-trotters boiled 
five hours in spring water, then strained off and kept as a jelly; when 
used, she put a spoonful or more of it in warm or hot milk, and supt it. 
She took this half a year together, being of a most strengthening nature, 
far beyond the jelly of hartshorn or calves-feet, and will restore, it is 
said, when nothing else will. The same after a fever has weaken'd a 
person. It is a great healer of the lungs and stomach, damaged by any 
means, but must be continued some time, for it will not have effect 
presently.

   Inflammation of the Lungs cured.--This stubborn and too often fatal 
malady, that generally is acquired by hard drinking, I am informed, by a 
very creditable person, was cured in a gentleman by the following 
medicine: A spoonful of beech-oil was mixt with a spoonful of the juice of 
ground-ivy, and taken going to bed. This repeated several times had the 
desired effect.

   A young Man cured of a Consumption in a very particular Manner.--It is 
reported, that a young man was absolutely cured of a consumption, by 
baking turnips with a piece of rusty bacon, which produced a very 
disagreeable liquor, but cured the person.

   A Drink for a Consumption.--Boil two handfuls of small bran, in two 
quarts of spring water, till a pint is consumed. Sweeten it with honey, 
and it will drink like mead.

AGUE.

A Young Man cured of an Ague.--This person lives now at Gaddesden, of 
wealthy parents, who having an ague (by advice) put pepper into his beer 
every time he drank, and was cured; being told that it was the best of 
remedies for this disease.

   A young Woman cured of an Ague.--This was done by Dr. Dover's receit, 
in his book intitled The Physician's Last Legacy, page 93, where he has 
these words:--"Take two ounces of fine bark grosly powder'd; infuse it 
cold in a quart of red-port for twenty-four hours, then fltre it off as 
you use it, taking six spoonfuls every third or fourth hour, beginning 
just as the fit is off, till you have taken the whole quart. Thus repeat 
it four times, and it will not return. This must be observed, that if it 
purges, it will do no service. In this case put two or three drops of 
liquid laudanum into each dose, till the purging is stopt."--A daughter of 
mine, having a second-day ague, was partly cured by this receit; for I put 
one ounce of gross bark into a pint of claret, and she was cured before 
the pint was out, though she purged the day before the ague left her, but 
I quickly stopt it by bruising cinnamon in milk.--I remember, when I was 
about 20 years of age, that I was cured of an ague I had had nine months 
(for ten shillings) by a person who said, I should not have my ague any 
more. And he made his word good (not only to me, but, as it was said, to 
all he undertook) by giving them three sorts of colour'd powders at once 
in a half-pint glass of small-beer, twice the day I was to have the ague, 
and once a day for a fortnight after. This medicine neither purged, nor 
vomitted, nor made sick (I only suck'd a bit of orange after taking it) 
which makes me believe it was only bark disguised.

   A Woman cured of an Ague by a Country Apothecary's Advice.--The 
apothecary (Mr. Goodwyn) then lived at Barkhamstead, and advised a near 
neighbour of mine to beat two yolks of eggs, their whites and all, into 
half a pint of brandy, just as the fit was coming on, and take it going to 
bed; which she did and was cured.--Never drink small-beer in an ague, it 
is apt to bring on a dropsy, and cause knots in several parts of the body 
that cannot be cured.

   A Schoolmaster in Ivinghoe cured of an Ague--by boiling honey in a 
quart of old strong-beer and drinking a little at a time as hot as could 
be endured, just as the cold fit was coming on.--Another person was cured 
by burning a quart of claret with honey in it, and drinking it hot, some 
at a time, leisurely.--Another was cured by drinking a quarter of a pint 
of the juice of rue just before the cold fit came on.

   My Collar-maker's Boy cured of an Ague.--He put his son into a tub of 
cold water while the fit was on him.

   Ague cured by Dr. Quincy.--He says, in his Dispensatory, page 99, "That 
he had it from a worthy person, that he had cured a great many poor people 
in the country of agues, with a large nutmeg, and its equal weight of 
allum, powdered and divided into three doses, giving one every morning 
fasting."--Others have given bay-leaves dry'd, and the powder mixt in a 
quart of the strongest old beer, of which take three spoonfuls every two 
hours, a little before the fit comes on.--Another takes a spoonful of 
flower of brimstone in honey or treacle.--A most excellent remedy, after 
brimstone is taken, is to boil half a pound of sugar, a piece of allum as 
big as a marble, and a quarter of a pint of the juice of rue in a pint of 
white-wine vinegar, and give a quarter of a pint just before the fit comes 
on. I learnt this of a traveller, on the 19th of May, 1749.

   A very excellent Receit for an Ague.--Take a handful of wormwood and a 
handful of rue; steep them all night in a quart or two of strong beer, and 
drink some of the strained liquor a little before the fit comes on. This, 
tho' somewhat nauseous, commonly cures at once, if not, the dose must be 
renewed; and it has this property beyond the bark, that it generally 
prevents the return of the ague; because it not only warms, but sweetens 
and thins the blood.--An old woman cures the ague by giving gun-powder in 
half a pint of ale.--A surgeon cures it by boiling an ounce of bark in 
three pints of water to a quart, to which add half a pint of claret, 
strain off with a little loaf sugar. After a vomit, take a quarter of a 
pint three times a day.

Stone and Wind Cholick.

A Woman troubled with the Stone-Cholick lived to a great Age, by an 
excellent Remedy.--She usually scraped as much Castile-soap as would lie 
on a shilling, and drank it in half a pint of warm ale. This was the only 
medicine she made use of, and it did her exceeding great service, so that 
she lived to above eighty years of age.

   Stone and Gravel.--I knew a certain woman who took the juice of leeks 
and honey mixt up like a conserve, which did her great service.

   How a young Woman was cured of the Stone-Cholick.--I am credibly 
informed she was cured by taking balsam of capivi; but in what manner she 
took it, I cannot say.

   Wind-Cholick relieved and cured.--A creditable person near me, very 
subject to the cholick, put a handful of rue and as much camomile into a 
quart bottle that had a large nose, and on them he pour'd a quart of ale. 
Next morning, he drank a quarter of a pint of the liquor, and continued it 
three mornings; then rested some time, and took it again. This, he says, 
secures against the cholick; but if you have it, drink half a pint, and it 
is an immediate cure, though of a hot nature and nauseous.--Another person 
boiled nettle-seeds and sprigs of box in water, which, when sweeten'd, he 
would drink for the wind-cholick.--Others boiled daucus or wild carrot-
seed with bay-leaves in water, which they sweeten'd and drank for the wind-
cholick, and therefore kept them dry'd by them all the year.--Colonel ---- 
found the greatest benefit in taking some syrup of poppies in double 
anniseed-water, which would sometimes make him sleep; at another time he 
would take a dram of brandy, in which snake-root was infused.--Another 
drinks a tea for the cholick, made with wild thyme growing on the top of 
mole or ant hills.--A gentleman, going over to Calais in a ship wherein 
was Dr. Garth, was taken with a violent cholick, and desired the doctor's 
advice, wishing himself on shore; says the doctor it is all one for that, 
and order'd a tea-kettle on. When the water was hot, he drenched him with 
it, till it went upwards or downwards, and cured him of a wind cholick.--
Another, one of my labourers, used to cure himself of a wind-cholick, by 
boiling the herb centory in ale or water. As much of it as the quantity of 
an egg, if the liquor is drank, will cure if the stomach is swelled. See 
its virtues in Quincy, page 101.--I myself was cured intirely of a wind-
cholick, by drinking half a pint of water in a morning fasting, and so 
every morning by way of prevention; by which means you will not be 
troubled with this tormenting disease.--Or steep as many onions bruised as 
will lie in a quart of white-wine, and take a glass of it.

   For a Stone-Cholick.--One Mr. Fennel of Leighton says, That he has 
taken 40 drops of balsam of sulphur for the stone-cholick, by dropping 
them in the middle of a glass of white-wine, which made it look like the 
yolk of an egg, and then went to bed. This he did once a week for some 
time, and it made him piss stones on the ground as big as a thetch, after 
being troubled with the gravel 20 years. Dr. Quincy allows from 4 to 12 
drops for a dose, page 450.--A woman boiled parsley-roots, burdock-roots, 
and fennel-roots, in water, which when strained, she sweeten'd with syrup 
of marshmallows.--Another woman took as much sal prunella in powder, in a 
spoonful of white-wine, as would lie on a penny, for easing the stone-
cholick.--Another found nothing answer better than daucus-seed for his 
stone-cholick. Its seeds are like carraway seeds, of which make a tea. A 
person vastly troubled with the gravel, being treated by a Lord in 
Hertfordshire with a seven-year old bottle of perry, voided almost a 
handful of small stones.

   Wind-Cholick.--Take as many grains of paradise, powder'd, as will lie 
on a shilling, in a glass of ale or brandy. It has cured when a doctor 
could not.--A gentlewoman, by advice, took as much turmerick as would lie 
on a shilling in a small glass of gin, for her wind-cholick.--Another 
burnt a large piece of the bottom of a common glass-bottle, and while it 
was fery hot, quench'd it in gin, which he drank and was cured, though (as 
he said) he struggled for life, when all other means failed.--Another 
boiled winter savory in ale, then sweeten'd it with sugar, and drank it 
with some pepper mixt in it.--Another, a woman, my neighbour, boils wild 
thyme and St. John's-wort, together with carraway-seeds, and drinks it 
with or without sugar, as an excellent remedy for the wind-cholick and 
other diseases.--Another boils balm and mint in half a pint of gin, 
strains and sweetens: This has cured, though raw gin will not.

Promiscuous Receits for various Diseases.

PAIN in a Man's Legs and other Parts cured.--This man had great pains, 
particularly in his thighs and knees, and was cured by drinking now and 
then two years old verjuice, mixt in a glass with some brandy. If it binds 
you, take a little lenitive electuary, or other loosening thing.--A young 
woman, living in Acton parish, Middlesex, was cured of a pain in her legs, 
by beating oil of roses with vinegar, and bathing it in before a fire for 
three days together, twice each day; she cover'd them with flannel.--A 
wealthy person in our parish having a violent pain in his back, he tried 
sear-cloths and other things to no purpose, till one told him, he would 
pawn his life, if grains of paradise, taken in powder in a spoonful of 
ale, as much as would lie on a six-pence or shilling, several mornings 
fasting, did not cure him; and it answer'd the end.--A young fellow living 
near me, about 17 years of age, had a pain which was called a sciatica in 
his knees, to that degree as forced him to crawl about, for he could not 
walk, nor could hardly have any rest. This induced his parents to consult 
our country surgeons, who gave it as their opinion, that he was incurable; 
yet he was cured by his mother, who practises as a sort of doctress. She 
boiled wooden dishes which held about a pint, and while they were very 
hot, she clap'd them on camomile first laid on the knees, where they 
remained an hour and half; this she did every day for a fortnight, and 
removed the pain into his hip; here also she made the same application, 
and entirely cured her son.--Others rub in goosegrease on the pained part, 
and find a cure.--Oil of petre has cured an old ach or pain, by anointing 
once in two days, and keeping a flannel on the part.

   For curing a Fever.--A fever attended with a cough went about the 
country, but was generally cured with a quart of honey mix'd with a quart 
of spring-water, which was to be taken a little at a time.--For a common 
fever, our country housewife advises to give a treacle-posset going to 
bed, where it sweats the party; next day she binds, under a broad rag, on 
each wrist, some beaten lettice and currants mixt together; or wood-
sorrel, plantane-leaves, and the dry blue currants beat together; and for 
a drink, she gives a liquor made with wood-sorrel-leaves, five-leaf-grass, 
strawberry-leaves, housleek, blackberry-briary-leaves, dandelion, primrose-
leaves, sage, and mint; these she makes a tea of, and so much that several 
bottles were flled with the same, and kept cork'd ready for drinking as 
wanted.--Others add to this liquor juice of lemons. This is a most cheap 
and efficacious method of curing a fever, for it seldom misses, even when 
they are light-headed, as is frequently experienced in our country.--A 
gentleman in Derbyshire, when he finds himself feverish, takes of pearl-
barley a quarter of a pound, marshmallow-roots, liquorice, and half a 
pound of raisins of the sun, which he boils in a gallon of water, and 
makes a drink of it, for malt drink is not good in this case. This is his 
liquor after hard drinking; as being serviceable against cholick, fever, 
gout, stone, and scurvy.--For an epidemical fever, as published in a 
common news-paper; when the patient begins to be disorder'd, let blood 
immediately, and provided there be no violent pain in the head, give a 
vomit forthwith; during the disorder the patient must be kept warm, and 
lie in bed as much as possible. The drink that should be administer'd very 
plentifully, should be tartar-whey made thus: Let a quart of milk just 
boil, and then throw a quarter of an ounce of cream of tartar into it, 
strain it, and give it to the patient blood-warm; two quarts, at least, 
should be drank in a morning, and the like quantity of balm-tea in the 
afternoon: Beware of taking cold. If the patient is restless, syrup of 
poppies, and three or four drops of syrup of saffron may be added to the 
balm-tea; it should be the last thing taken going to bed. This has 
preserved many hundreds from a long sickness if not from death.--Others 
stamp blue currants and hops together, and apply them to the wrists as an 
excellent remedy.

   A Man cured of a Scarlet-Fever by his Wife.--In March, 1747-8, many 
men, women, and children had the scarlet fever in and about Gaddesden; my 
next neighbour, a man in good circumstances, looked frightfully red with 
this malady, and to cure him his wife gave him a weak treacle-posset, and 
treacle and sometimes honey in his drink. This drove out the fever, by a 
gentle sweating, into a rash or scurf, and in time he recovered without 
bleeding, for this woman's notion is, that the disease cannot so well be 
drove out, if they take the strength of the blood away. But this is 
contrary to the notions and practice of the famous Dr. Boerhaave and Dr. 
Dover, who are recorded for bleeding plentifully in all fevers, for giving 
air immediately to their patients; for tearing off all blisters, and for 
indulging the sick person with all manner of cooling and diluting liquors, 
see page 107, in Dr. Dover's Last Legacy, where is shewn the cure of Sir 
John Dinely Goodyere, who, though under a most violent fever, was 
presently thus cured.--Some lay beef steaks or sheeps lights to the feet, 
for drawing down the fever.--N. B. Some of our country women think nothing 
exceeds a tea made of the aforesaid leaves, and binding powder of white 
resin about each wrist for curing any fever. It is used even to lying-in 
women.

   Cramp.--This malady causes exquisite pain, especially to persons in 
years. My neighbour, having a fractured leg that confined him to his bed, 
tells me, he suffered more pain from the cramp than from the fracture. It 
is thought to be wind in the blood, and for immediate relief some jump out 
of bed to walk on the floor.--Others rub their foot, leg, or thigh as hard 
and as fast as they can with their hand, for the cramp generally begins in 
the great toe, and runs up to the calf of the leg, and sometimes higher.--
Others tie their garter about their foot or leg going to bed, to prevent 
it.--Some report, that wearing roll-brimstone in the breeches pocket is 
good for the cramp; but I think there is little or nothing in it.--The 
next seems valuable, which is, to tie an eel-skin pretty tight about a leg 
or arm, for it is said to be an excellent remedy for the cramp.--And so is 
Hungary water, rub'd on the part subject to the cramp, at going to bed.

   Pain in the Stomach.--A woman, my neighbour, had it two days together, 
so that her stomach swell'd, but was cured by mixing three spoonfuls of 
gin with three spoonfuls of mint water, and burning it; when the flame was 
extinguished, she sweeten'd it, drank it, and was cured by three doses of 
it.--Another woman, my neighbour, that had been many years troubled with a 
great pain at her stomach, was advised by my brother-in-law, the late 
Captain Henry Dodson, who had been Governor of Cape-Coast-Castle in 
Africa, to take as much gunpowder as would lie on a shilling in a spoonful 
of brandy, which she did three mornings running, and it answer'd.--A 
correspondent wrote to me, that an acquaintance took a tea spoonful of 
gunpowder in a glass of white-wine, which work'd gently and quickly, and 
carried off a great deal of watry humour.

   Loss of Appetite.--Mr. C--h, a wealthy person, at Dunstable, being 
sick, so that he could hardly eat any thing, was advised to steep a 
handful of camomile, a handful of wormwood, and a handful of rue, in two 
quarts of ale, a night and a day, and to drink a quarter or half a pint at 
a time of the liquor. He did so, and received a perfect cure. The same 
drink he takes now and then in his health, by way of prevention.--I know a 
young surgeon in London, who brought an old gentleman to eat two mutton 
steaks for supper, that has lost his appetite before, and took several six 
shillings of him for quart bottles of a liquor, wherein to my knowledge 
rue was a chief ingredient.

   Rising of the Lights.--If you put a little flower into water, and drink 
it in common, it will keep them down, else they are apt to rise and cause 
fts [sic: fits].

   To stop Looseness.--Boil deal shavings in milk, and take half a pint at 
a time, made strong of the shavings, three or four times a day; it is a 
leisure cure.--Or boil a sheet of writing paper in three pints of milk, 
which will make it thick; strain, and eat it with loaf-sugar and it is an 
excellent cure.--Or mix salt with water, and drink, if you can bear it, 
half a pint at a time; and if it offers vomitting, hold the vinegar bottle 
to the nose.--A woman in our neighbourhood tells me a certain person used 
to gather sloes about a week after Michaelmas, when they are just fit for 
it, before the frost takes them: These he put into quart bottles, and 
buried them under ground for half a year, then took them out, and drained 
out their juice, which was bottled with lump sugar, and thus became like 
claret for stopping a looseness, and for other occasions.--Or mix verjuice 
and brandy in equal parts; heat it, and take two or three spoonfuls at a 
time, which will effect a cure.

   Scurvy.--A person having the nettle-spring or scurvy, which comes out 
in the skin, as if stung with nettles, being a high degree of the scurvy, 
a surgeon at Hempstead advised the party to take three spoonfuls in one 
day of nettle juice naked in a spoon at morning, noon, and night, for some 
time.--Or take the same quantity of juice of scurvy-grass naked, a 
spoonful at a time, in a glass of cyder or other liquor. The scurvy-grass 
juice is more pleasant than the nettle juice.--Dr. Morton, a famous 
physician of Greenwich-Hospital, used to do wonders by making men swallow 
a spoonful of this naked juice at a time. Our late parson Mr. Dodgson 
would scratch till his arms almost bled, and said, nothing relieved him 
more at forty-five years of age, than steeping scurvy-grass in table-beer, 
and sometimes eating it on bread and butter, and when he was bound (being 
of a costive constitution) he was relieved by lenitive electuary.

   Another Receit.--Boil two handfuls of fumitory and two handfuls of 
elder-flowers with sugar for a common drink; this with an issue is said to 
be serviceable. Bruise twenty millepedes or hoglice in a mortar, and 
moisten them with white-wine, which squeeze through a muslin rag. Take 
half a quarter of a pint every morning for a month of this juice or 
liquor; it is not only excellent for all scrophulous tumours and 
inveterate ulcers, but also for palsies, epilepsies, and all nervous 
distempers, and therefore strengthens the optick nerves of the eyes.

   An antiscorbutick Cordial Elixir.--Take of the best nutmeg-grained 
rhubarb (not Indian) grosly bruised and a little toasted, one ounce, of 
the best English saffron and cinnamon each a quarter of an ounce, plain 
spirit of scurvy-grass six ounces, cut the saffron small, beat the spice 
to a gross powder, and put the whole into a bottle with a glass-stopple; 
after it has stood a week, shake the bottle now and then, and begin to 
take a tea-spoonful or two (pour'd off clear) in a dish of tea every 
morning. N. B. In this medicine you enjoy all the virtues of the rhubarb 
and those in an exalted degree; inasmuch as its purgative quality is 
somewhat restrained, and by the assistance of the scurvy-grass spirit does 
the easier insinuate itself into the blood, and thereby becomes a more 
powerful alterative and sweetener of the juices.--If you pour boiling 
water on coltsfoot-flowers in an earthen pot, and cover them, then let 
them stand till cold, strain off, and boil the liquor with sugar to a 
syrup, it is deemed a good antiscorbutick.

   An excellent Receit for scorbutick Humours.--Take Æthiops mineral 
prepared without fire, native cinnabar finely levigated half an ounce, 
fine loaf sugar and gum guaiacum of each two drams, fine Turkey rhubarb 
and crabs eyes prepared each one dram, oil of sassafras-wood twelve drops; 
mix according to art, and divide the powder into twelve equal parts, of 
which take one in a little white-wine daily two hours before dinner, and 
likewise before supper. This is an excellent remedy indeed for destroying 
the scurvy, given me by my intimate acquaintance, a London physician.--A 
woman's legs broke out in blotches and scabs, so that she could hardly go, 
but was perfectly cured by steeping scurvy-grass in ale, and taking a 
little more than half a quartern fasting.

   An Antiscorbutick Electuary.--Take medicinal antimony six drams, 
Aethiops mineral one ounce, rhubarb in powder one dram, conserve of the 
yellow rind of Seville oranges and lenitive electuary each one ounce; mix 
with syrup of cloves, and take two drams three times a day.

   A sharp scorbutick Humour in the Skin.--Dr. ---- ordered a man Æthiops 
mineral and Northaw water, but an apothecary at Enfeld put it by, and gave 
him cinnabar of antimony, sugar, and powder of crabs eyes and claws.

   A Wen cured.--Mrs. Roberts, of Shedham, about two miles from Gaddesden, 
having a wen many years almost under her chin, and as big as a boy's fist, 
could never get it reduced, till by advice she smoaked tobacco, and from 
time to time rubbed the wen with the spittle of it; this by degrees wasted 
the wen, and entirely cured it.

   A swelled Arm that wasted, cured.--After a fever, a man's arm swell'd, 
upon which the late Serjeant-Surgeon Green advised to quench some lime 
twenty-four hours in water, and apply it as a poultice, and when dried to 
wet it again, or apply new; it shrivelled the skin at first, but it 
reduced the swelling. Yet such a lime poultice must not be put to any 
sore; but lime-water is often applied to keep back humours from flowing to 
the part of a broken shin, or other wound. This man is my neighbour who 
received this benefit.

   To draw out a Thorn.--Hang up the gall of a barrow-hog, and it will 
drop some of it out; that which remains and dries, spread on a linen rag, 
and apply it; it seldom fails.--Or apply a piece of adder's-skin.

   To cure Shingles.--Take the black coom that is made by oiling or 
greasing bells in a steeple, and anoint with it.--A young woman of good 
fortune at Gaddesden had the shingles, so as to have blisters half round 
her body, but was cured by mixing the blood of a black cat's tail with 
juice of housleek and cream, and anointing warm three times a day.

   Sore Mouth.--Take burnt allum powder, and mix it with honey; rub a 
little now and then on the part, and it will cure.--Or take honey of 
roses, a little tincture of myrrh, some strong sage tea, and red wine; mix 
and rub the mouth, and now and then use syrup of mulberries.--A woman my 
neighbour, troubled with a sore mouth, could not get it cured, till a 
surgeon told her it proceeded from the heat of her stomach, and that 
nothing would cure but a tea made of cooling herbs, and it answer'd 
accordingly.

   Chilblains and Kibeheels--Mr. Boyle says have been cured by strewing on 
the sore part, powder of dried sliced quincies,--Or rub hogslard before 
the fire on the chilblain or kibe; then lay over the same a piece of 
bladder, or (better) the skin of a hog's flair. But some boil chickweed, 
and first wash the part with the strained water, for which reason they 
gather and keep chickweed dried by them.--A man and his children near me 
are much troubled with kibe-heels, but are always cured by rubbing oil of 
turpentine on them, before a fire, just before they go to bed, whether the 
kibes be broke or not broke.--But the kibe-ointment, mentioned in Quincy's 
Dispensatory, page 458, seems to be a most excellent sort for this purpose.

   Canker.--A girl, about twelve years of age, that being daily employed 
to sew straw hats (which is most of the womens work in our part of 
Hertfordshire) used to put her brass thimble into her mouth, which bred 
many white cankering blisters on her tongue, gums, and lips, was cured by 
anointing the outside of her jaws, chin, and lips, three days together, 
with stale goose-grease, and binding a rag of the same over the parts.--Or 
stamp rue, sorrel, briar-leaves, and sage, and boil their juice with allum 
and a little honey, clear it of the scum, and wash with it the canker'd 
places now and then.

   To fasten Teeth.--Drop five or six drops of tincture of myrrh into a 
tea-cup of water, and wash the teeth with it, for fastening them.--Or make 
use of allum, as one of the best of things to kill the scurvy in the gums 
and fallen teeth; make a wash of it, by dissolving a bit of it in water 
with a little brandy in it.--Or first wash with a tea-cup of water, 
wherein is mixt a little brandy and a few drops of tincture of myrrh; then 
roll in the mouth a bit of allum. This I do, and it ought to be done, 
every morning.--Or put two grains of salt of vitriol, a quarter of an 
ounce of tincture of myrrh, a bit of allum as big as a horse-bean, and 
half an ounce of honey of roses, into half a pint of claret; put a 
teaspoonful of this into a spoonful of water, and wash the teeth; the 
vitriol whitens, and with the rest fastens.

   To cure the Tooth-ach.--Dip a little lint in tincture of myrrh, and put 
it in or upon the tooth; it is an excellent remedy.--Or stamp a little 
rue, as much as can be put into the ear, on that side the tooth achs, it 
will cause a noise, but makes a cure in an hour's time.--Tobacco ashes 
will clean and whiten teeth well.--A certain cooper burns the rind of 
ashes, wets them, puts them on leather, and lays it behind his ear, to 
raise a blister; which cures the tooth-ach, or other pain in the head.

   How a young Woman lost several of her Teeth.--She tells me, that for 
curing her tooth-ach she smoaked henbane-seed; secondly, a mixture of 
tobacco and brimstone; thirdly, gunpowder and salt, in a rag held on the 
tooth; fourthly, salt and pepper; fifthly, spirits of wine; sixthly, 
spirit of hartshorn: These at times she smoaked, and applied, to the loss 
of several of her teeth. Some say, spirit of soot used once a month cures 
the scurvy in the gums.

   Madam Howard's Diet-Drink.--This gentlewoman lived in London, and for 
preventing the breed of the scurvy and other diseases took an excellent 
method, by making a diet-drink in the following manner, viz.--She used to 
have a pin of brown ale brought to her house from a brewhouse, that held 
four gallons and a half; the ale she emptied into an earthen upright 
steen, and then soaked in the same, scurvy-grass leaves, gentian-root, 
snake-root, and wormwood. These she now and then squeezed, and after three 
days she strained off, and put the ale into the vessel again; then she cut 
some Seville oranges, and squeezed their juice into it, and after putting 
in some guaiacum chips she bung'd up the cask, for drinking this medicated 
ale at discretion. She sometimes only pared the oranges, and put them in 
whole. This is an excellent diet-drink for all degrees and shapes of the 
scurvy whatsoever.--Another of our farmers wives says the following is an 
excellent cheap diet-drink for the scurvy, which is made by boiling figs, 
liquorice, scurvy-grass, and water-cresses in ale.--Another says, take one 
ounce of sliced liquorice, two ounces of juniper-berries, and two scruples 
of salt of tartar, steeped in a quart of ale; then take four spoonfuls in 
a pint of ale.--A diet-drink is made and sold by a country doctress for 
the scurvy, rheumatism, and other diseases; she steeps mountain-flax, 
dwarf-elder, and buckbean, in ale, a night and a day.

   The travelling Beggars Way of clearing their Bodies of Nits, Lice, and 
Fleas.--I believe I may affirm it for truth, that no county in England is 
so much frequented by beggars as Hertfordshire; and upon asking them of 
their method of curing the several diseases they are incident to more than 
others, they tell me that, for clearing their bodies of lice, they boil 
copperas in water with hogslard, and by rubbing it over their bodies, no 
lice have power to bite them; on the contrary, it will make them forsake 
the cloaths they wear, and not damage their skin.--Another says, he is 
clear of lice by anointing the waistband of his breeches with oil of 
russel, but this I doubt.--To clear the head of lice, first open and part 
the hair here and there, then cover the bole of a lighted pipe of tobacco 
with a linen rag, and blow the smoak into the places, which will make the 
lice crawl to the outmost parts of the hair, where they may be easily 
combed out.--To prevent and destroy fleas, boil brooklime, or arsmart, or 
wormwood, in water, and wash the room.--Or lay the herbs in several parts 
of the room.

   To destroy Worms in the human Body.--A man cured of little white maw-
worms. This man lived near me, and being much troubled with these worms, 
he took near half a pint at a time of salt water for four mornings 
together fasting, and it made him void great quantities of these worms, to 
the curing of him for some years.--Give to a girl twelve years old, that 
has worms, a teaspoonful and half of elixir proprietatis in water-gruel: 
It kills worms, and cures the green-sickness.--Bruise green tansy, and 
give a spoonful of its juice every day to a boy or girl: It is excellent 
to kill worms.--One of our labourers, having the small white worms, took a 
spoonful of sugar fasting, and in a few minutes after he took seven drops 
of oil of vitriol in half a pint of small beer, and in an hour or two's 
time, vomited worms to the quantity of a handful; then he drank half a 
pint of strong beer and vomited more worms, and so a third time; at last 
half a pint staid with him, and in three days after he took nine drops of 
the oil, which did not move him; three years after he was cured by the 
same.

   To destroy Worms.--Give to a boy or girl a spoonful of the juice of rue 
now and then.--It is certainly true, that a dram of gin has cured several 
men, women, and others, of worms, in our parish, by taking it three 
mornings fasting.

   To stop a Looseness or Flux.--A man given over for death, was cured of 
a violent looseness by eating an egg (boiled or roasted very hard) shell 
and all.--Another recovered by drinking now and then half a quarter of a 
pint of old verjuice.--Another stops a looseness by boiling blackberry 
leaves in small beer.

   The Evil cured by Advice of a Beggar.--A girl at Gaddesden, having the 
evil in her feet from her infancy, at eleven years old lost one of her 
toes by it, and was so bad that she could hardly walk, therefore was to be 
sent to a London hospital in a little time: But a beggarwoman coming to 
the door, and hearing of it, said, that if they would cut off the hind 
leg, and the fore leg on the contrary side of that, of a toad, and wear 
them in a silken bag about her neck, it would certainly cure her; but it 
was to be observed, that on the toad's losing its legs, it was to be 
turned loose abroad, and as it pined, wasted, and died, the distemper 
would likewise waste and die; which happened accordingly, for the girl was 
intirely cured by it, never having had the evil afterwards.

   The Evil in a Girl's Eye helped.--Another Gaddesden girl having an 
hereditary evil from her father in her eyes, her parents dried a toad in 
the sun, and put it in a silken bag, which they hung on the back part of 
her neck; and although it was thus dried, it drawed so much as to raise 
little blisters, but did the girl a great deal of service, till she 
carelessly lost it.--But I am humbly of opinion, no medicine known by man 
exceeds that of quicksilver water for curing the King's-evil. The cure of 
which I think likewise would be made very short, if the patient would 
exercise his body with some labour, and live on a milk diet, while he or 
she is drinking the water.

   Pain in the Head cured.--Mr. Gadbury, of Dunstable, kept his bed almost 
a year for it, and got a wry neck in the time; at last, by the advice of 
Dr. Freeman of Amptill, he was cured by the use of the following powder 
given in ale: He baked red sage and egg-shells together, of which he made 
the powder. Mr. Gadbury was alive in 1739.--Another, who is my particular 
acquaintance, took lavender drops every night he went to bed, to the 
number of sixty, in water, ale, or wine; but best of all dropt on loaf 
sugar, letting it gradually dissolve in the mouth, because by that means 
it soaks more immediately into the nerves, and gives a more sudden supply 
to the spirits.--Another takes thirty drops in water several times a day. 
In the decays of age, and convulsive or apoplectic shocks, such as bring 
on palseys and loss of memory, this is a most excellent medicine, as Dr. 
Quincy very well observes at page 363 of his Dispensatory.--I know a 
woman, who for the pain of her head snuffs some of these spirits up her 
nose very frequently.

   Sneezing.--It comes by cold taken in the head or other parts, and is 
very troublesome, and the more so, when it lasts some time: A good cure 
is, to dose the body with a hearty drink of wine, or other strong liquor, 
till it is thoroughly heated, but not with naked spiritous liquor, nor to 
the excess of drunkenness.--Or rub your head now and then with Hungary-
water, and drink nothing that keeps your body open.--Or wash always your 
head with cold water in a morning.

   Small-Pox.--They at first are generally taken with a pain in the head 
and back, coldness of feet, or vomitting.--The case of Miss Howard of 
London, under the care of a most eminent doctor of physick: At first she 
was thought to have only a cold, and so they gave her a raisin posset made 
to sweat her, but in three days the small-pox came out, after bleeding for 
a fever as they thought.--The doctor said, it is best to bleed on the 
apprehension of the small-pox, because it prevents their being vastly 
full, and prevents a fever joining them. She was kept always full of 
drink, either panado or gruel, and sometimes a little Sack and toast, with 
saffron steep'd in it, to drive the small-pox from the heart, or a Naple-
bisket sopt in it; but no meat was allow'd till the pox was turned, which 
commonly is in nine or twelve days; then she had a little fish, or boiled 
chicken; and during all this time she had cordial powders in juleps given 
her every four hours, till they were turned and she out of danger. She was 
kept warm almost like as in a bagnio, and did not keep out of bed longer 
than till the bed was made; at last they wash'd her face with warm Sack 
and butter [or anoint with chopt rue boiled in hogslard] to shoal off the 
pocks, and prevent their pitting.

   To prevent catching the Small-Pox.--Drink, if you are going into any 
danger, a quarter or half a pint of rue tea without sugar; or hold a piece 
of rue in your mouth. This is an excellent antidote, and of infinite 
service to man and beast, in many shapes; particularly for cleansing the 
blood, and thinning it, for the better preparing the body to be easily 
cured of the small-pox. A piece in the mouth defends against the damage of 
any ill scents.

   Deafiness.--A tinker was cured by fleaing a hedgehog, taking out the 
guts, roasting the body without basting, and saving the dripping or fat, 
of which he dropt three drops into his ear at night, the same in the 
morning, and so for two days, when it cured him.--Or boil one or more 
adders in a small pot, save the grease, which will be almost as thin as 
oil, and drop one or two drops into the ear going to bed, repeating the 
same several times.--The late ---- How, Esq; Recorder of St. Albans, being 
exceeding deaf, he shaved his head every day, and every night and morning 
rubbed it with Hungary-water, till he was perfectly cured by it.--Another 
is said to take oil of almonds, water in a jack-hare's bladder, and swan's 
grease, beating up 15 drops of each of these together, and dropping 15 
drops into each ear going to bed, and so every night for a week. In the 
mean while, put white melilot on two bits of leather, and lay fresh ones 
to the ears every night.

   Sore Eyes.--A woman having sore eyes dissolved fine loaf sugar in 
water, and it did her vast service.--Another did better by dissolving some 
white vitriol in spring water with loaf sugar, because the thickness of 
the sugar-water guards against the sharp vitriol: A little of this water 
dropt into the eye, or besmear'd by a feather with it, does great 
service.--The juice of green wheat takes spots out of the eyes.--Milk hot 
from the cow is a sovereign remedy for blood-shot or other sore eyes.--If 
you put the vitriol in sugar'd water, a bit as big as a large pea is 
sufficient for a two ounce bottle. It is an excellent water.

   To take away Wrinkles from the Face.--Mix fine wheat meal in hot bean-
flower water.

   A Wine good for the Palsey.--Take woodlice or millepedes bruised, half 
a pint; vipers just killed, skinned, and freed from their entrails and 
fat, two, three, or more; horse-radish sliced and bruised, one ounce and a 
half; sharp-pointed dock-root, half a pound; juniper berries whole, four 
ounces; gentian sliced, six drams: Infuse these in a gallon of mountain 
wine, and take two ounces twice a day. This is the prescription of a 
professor of physick in London.--One of our country-men tells me, that he 
has the yellow flowers of the lady-finger grass distill'd for the palsey, 
and finds a great benefit by washing his face and hands with the distilled 
liquor, and by drinking a tea made with rosemary and lavender.--Spirit of 
lavender taken on loaf sugar, to the quantity from twenty to one hundred 
drops, is of such efficacy for this purpose, that by some they are called 
palsey drops.

   Teas.--Bohea and green are generally allowed to be unwholesome herbs; 
if drank to excess, they hurt the nerves (bohea especially) and cause 
various distempers, as tremors, palseys, vapours, fits, &c. And as lime 
and allum are employed in making loaf sugar, their corroding natures are 
likewise of very ill consequence when used immoderately; therefore cream, 
&c. is very necessary to qualify these bad properties. I know a 
gentlewoman who in her last dish of tea puts six or more lavender drops, 
to prevent the rise of vapours. Others boil archangel or nettle flowers in 
milk, to drink with their tea.--Some very judiciously make use of 
quicksilver-water instead of raw water for their tea.--A gentleman of my 
acquaintance, for avoiding the pernicious effects of loaf sugar, made use 
of white sugar-candy.--Another used all powder'd sugar.--A gentlewoman, a 
great lover of green-tea, drank it morning and afternoon, but was forced 
to leave it off, because it raked her stomach, and bred the cholick, being 
(as she thought) of a feeding nature; and therefore betook herself to ale-
hoof or ground-ivy tea.--A surgeon of Barkhamstead, taking me into his 
garden, pointed to his balm and his sage, telling me these were his tea.--
Another surgeon, named Keston, of Hempstead, said that green tea is the 
worst of things for the cholick and dead palsey. And I remember, the 
Barkhamstead surgeon said, that both bohea and green grow on one tree, are 
of a poisonous nature, and that the men who work on them have their hands 
blister'd by the oil, which is very hot.--Artificial tea may be made with 
saintfoin leaves, honeysuckle, the leaves of the white and black thorn and 
new hay.

   Tea Caudle.--Sir Kenelm Digby, in his book called the Closet, tells us, 
that a Jesuit who came from China, in 1664, told Mr. Waller, that there 
they make an infusion or caudle of tea (green, I suppose) by putting a 
pint of scalding water on a drachm of tea, with two yolks of eggs beat up 
with fine sugar; the tea being first made, must be poured on the eggs and 
sugar, which being well stirred together should be drank hot. He says, 
that this infusion presently satisfes all rawness and indigence of 
stomach. In England, the Jesuit said, we let the hot water stand too long 
soaking on the tea, which makes it extract into itself the earthy parts of 
the herb; but by letting it remain a smaller time, you have only the 
spiritous part of the tea, that is much more active, penetrative, and 
friendly to nature.--Sir Kenelm says, Mr. Waller found the Jesuit's 
character of tea exactly answer.--And I say, I was in hopes I had 
sufficiently laid open the same hint on account of brewing malt liquors, 
in my treatise intituled The London and Country Brewer; but 
notwithstanding the great importance the same is of to men's health and 
pleasure, I find it passes, with too many, as if it was a tale of a cock 
and a bull.--Or you may mix the eggs with some white-wine and grated 
nutmeg, and heat and stir it over a fire, with the tea, as the right way.--
Again, as tea is of such a pernicious nature to health, the stronger it is 
made, the greater damage it does. For my own part, as I drink near half a 
pint of quicksilver-water almost every morning, when I am to drink bohea 
or green tea I put into the quicksilver water some drops of spirit of 
hartshorn, or of lavender, as a defence against the ill effects of tea.--A 
young woman, seemingly about thirty-five years of age, whom I saw at 
Otters-Pool, near Watford, on her crutches, told me she boarded there for 
a month, to try if plunging once a day in this excellent natural cold bath 
would cure her of a dead palsey, that took her on one side; which she 
imputed to drinking tea in excess, that she was tempted to, as she lived 
in a service where she was not debar'd from it.--Another, that lived with 
a merchant in London, had tea in such plenty, that she thereby fell into a 
consumption and died.--A girl of seven years old, in my neighbourhood, 
fell into the jaundice, by drinking daily a large quantity of tea.--A 
gentlewoman said, if she drinks bohea tea, it gives her a trembling and 
head-ach; therefore she drinks green.--A gentleman, a hard drinker of 
spiritous liquors, was forced (because he must not leave them off all at 
once) to mix brandy with his tea.--An apothecary said, if green tea is 
laid on raw liver, it will eat into it.--Drinking too much tea breeds an 
asthma and stoppage at the stomach.

   Diabetes.--The late Nath. Bent, who kept the great Bull-Inn at Redburne 
in Hertfordshire, by tippling punch and six-penny stale strong beer, 
although a man of the largest size, fell into that lamentable disease a 
diabetes; and declared to me, that he thought none of the doctor's 
medicines did him so much service as smith's forge-water. I ask'd him, why 
he did not make use of Bristol or some other astringent well-waters; he 
answer'd, that it was his opinion, nothing exceeded the smith's water and 
isinglass. He lived several years after this malady seized him, and told 
me he thought himself well of it. He died I think in April, 1749, of a 
complication of distempers, a man of considerable worth, and deserving of 
a good character.--Diabetes cured by acidulated chalybeate waters, as 
related in Dr. Hales's Philosophical Experiments, p. 154.--Or see an 
excellent receit for it, at page 511, in Quincy's Dispensatory.--I 
remember a yeoman of a middle age was so often blooded for some distemper, 
that it brought him under a diabetes, and killed him.--One that is a 
surgeon and physician in London tells me, that the Hot-Well water of 
Bristol, and that of Islington, cures this distemper; but he says, to 
supply this, and make a liquor superior to either of them for this 
distemper--To two quarts of water put a scruple of salt of steel, and a 
lit