Page:A practical method as used for the cure of the plague in London in 1665.pdf/41

 In the giving this Medicine, you are to consider the Age and Strength of the Patient; the Dose is from Ten Grains, or half a Scruple, to half a Dram, or a Dram, as you see Occasion.

Take it dissolved in Sack, White Port, or some other convenient Vehicle; as the Aqua Alexiteria, or some such like. When the Sick takes it for the Plague, or any malignant Fever, let them be in their naked Bed, that they may Sweat well upon it, and so continue for Five or Six Hours; after which they will lie in a kind of breathing Sweat, at which Time moisten their Mouth with the Juice of an Orange, or some other pleasant Cordial, made gratefully Acid, with some few Drops of Oils of Sulphur, Vitriol and Salt, mixed equally alike together.

As these General Dispositions of Medicines here treated of are singularly useful, to keep Practitioners from Error, so their Universal Tendency have herein sufficiently manifested their Efficacy upon this Distemper, beyond the Imagination of any that have not proved them; for they most sensibly act on the Diseased Part. And although they have not had a sufficient Prevalency to Cure all in this Disease; yet by strengthning the vital Faculties, and removing Part of the Evil: Nature, by this Assistance, is better enabled to act in her own Defence, and by little and little, Rh