Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 39.djvu/251

Rh an independent fortune to be able to compound many of the remedies; no drug-store would carry such expensive materials. "Amber-greece," pearls, coral, and gold were in as common use then as quinine has been during the recent reign of la grippe.

The following powder comes in the list of "Choice Physical and Chirurgical Receipts." We are not told in what disease or diseases it is warranted to kill or cure. A "universal remedy," mayhap; should judge it to be powerful:

"The Bishop of Worcester's admirably curing Powder.—Take black tips of Crabs' claws when the Sun enters into Cancer, which is every year on the eleventh day of June; pick and wash them clean, and beat them into fine powder, which finely searce; then take Musk and Civet, of each three grains, Amber-greece twelve grains, rub them in the bottom of the Mortar, and then beat them and the powder of the Claws together; then with a pound of this powder mix one ounce of the magistery of Pearl. Then take ten skins of Adders, or Snakes, or Slow-worms, cut them in pieces and put them into a pipkin to a pint and a half of Spring-water; cover it close, and set it on a gentle fire to simmer only, not to boylboil [sic], for ten or twelve hours, in which time it will be turned into Jelly, and therewith make the said powder into balls.

"If such skins are not to be gotten, then take six ounces of shaved Harts-horn, and boylboil [sic] it to a jelly, and therewith make the said powder into balls; the horn must be of a red Deer killed in August, when the Moon is in Leo, for that is best.

"The Dose is seven or eight grains in beer or wine."

There are many references to "the Plague," from "an excellent perfume against the Plague," to strange drinks and medicines to be used both before and after "infection." We will give the oldest receipt first:

"A Drink for the Plague or Pestilent Fever, proved by the Countess of Arundel, in the Year 1603.—Take a pint of Malmsey, and burn it, and put thereto a spoonful of grains, being bruised, and take four spoonfuls of the same in a Porringer, and put therein a spoonful of Jean Treacle, and give the Patient to drink as hot as he can suffer it, and let him drink a draught of the Malmsey after it, and so sweat: if he be vehemently infected he will bring the Medicine up again; but you must apply the same very often day and night till he brook it, for so long as he doth