AN ACCOUNT OF THE Vertues, Use, Dose, and wonderful manner of Operation OF THE
Pilulae Polychrestae.
Which Speedily and Safely extirpate those Opprobria's of Physicians, the
Gout, Madness
and
Melancholy
of all Sorts,
Stone
and
Gravel
in the
Kidneys, &c.
herein specified.
Printed in the YEAR MDCCXIX.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE Virtues, Use, Dose, and wonderful manner of Operation OF THE
Pilulae Polychrestae.
A S there seems no Necessity to indicate to the Reader the Signs and Causes of those dangerous Diseases that are most certainly and safely cured by the
Pilulae Polychrestae,
(for
Non Eloquentiâ sed remediis curantur morbi,
said
Celsus,
that Privy-Councellor to Nature) so we thought it better to be potent in Fact than only to appear puissant in Words, (as do the Generality of our modern Doctors) and to relieve Persons under exquisite Pain, than to divert our Reader with Conclusions drawn from Topicks grounded on fundamental Truths or essential Verities: Expect not therefore to meet with many profound Philosophical Hypothesis's, or that I should prove the abstruce Principles, or real Grounds of Sympathy, or concupiscible Attraction and Coition; nor with Mathematical Demonstrations, which I mention last, because I think the least necessary in Physick.
It is enough, (at least for a time) that we have made known (for universal Good) such a
Polichrestick,
or Sovereign Medicine, as one operating Consimilar to it can't be produced by any Doctor, Chymist, or Apothecary in
Great Britain:
Yea, and such a one as will extirpate those Hydra's of Diseases undermentioned, which have for so many Ages bid Defiance to the most eminent and sage Physicians. Let not this seem a bold and emperical Assertion, but suspend your Verdict till you have perused the following Account; which before we proceed to give, it will be requisite to tell you, that the Author has used them with admirable yea almost incredible Success, above these Thirty Three Years, not only in this Metropolis, but in most Parts of
Great Britain;
and tho' he seldom administred them to any but such as were (by the ablest Physicians) pronounced incurable, and had languished under their Misfortunes, some Three, some Seven, some Ten and some Twenty Years, yet there were none, tho' their Cases were never so complicated, or of never so long Continuance, but were in the Space of one Month (at most) restored (by the help of these Pills) to a perfect State of Health. And tho' I could nominate above a hundred extraordinary and almost incredible Cures performed by them, (to many of which some of our eminent Doctors now in being are no Strangers) yet I decline it, and refer the Matter to Experience, which is the only true Examen or
Lydian
Touch-stone, to distinguish Truth from Falsity, and matter of Fact from spurious and odible Imposture.
The Vertues of these
PILULAE POLYCHRESTAE.
First,
THEY Cure all
Manias
or Madness in either Sex, but sooner in Men than Women, by reason of the
Furer Ʋ terinus,
which is commonly either the primary or secondary Cause; concerning which Disease, and the mistaken Notions both of its Cause and Cure, I propose at a convenient Time to treat.
2dly. Melancholly of all Sorts whteher Splenetic, Hypocondriac, or Hysteric, which is commonly called Vapours, tho' of ever so long Duration.
3dly. Pains in the Head, chiefly Sympathetic, that is, which proceed from some Indisposition of the Hypochonders, Spleen, Womb,
&c.
4thly. All wandering Pains, whether Rheumatic, or Scorbutic, in any part of the Body.
5thly, Pains in the Stomach, whether from Wind pent up in Viscid Slime, or from some pungent, acid, or acrid Humour, pricking, and
l
cating the Vessels.
6thly. The Cholic, from what Cause soever.
7thly. The Stone and Gravel in the Kidneys.
8thly. Suppression of Urine, either from Stones, Gravel, Sand, Wind, or slimy Matter, whence Stones,
&c.
are commonly generated.
9thly. Obstructions in the Liver and Spleen, and
Ductus Biliarius,
or Gall Passage.
10thly. Heat and Hardness of the Liver, which usually causes the Jaundies, both yellow and black, and a schirrhus or stony Hardness of the Liver, generally thought incurable; and indeed if the Patient hath been a hard Drinker and in Years; if likewise the Distemper has been of long Continuance, it may be concluded so; but if none of these Three Circumstances occur, these Pills have been found experimentally to restore the Liver to its proper Function. They also perfectly cure the black and yellow Jaundies.
11thly. Dropsies of all Sorts, whether Ascites, Anasarcites, or Tympanities, which is a Dropsy of the Womb, or that Disease which in outward Appearance Symboliseth with it, the Tumor of the Ovarium, (as some Doctors call it) whether from Wind or Water, or both: But as the Tympany of the Womb, always proceeds from Wind, 'tis impossible to cure it by Purges, the more you exhibit the worse they are; neither by Tapping, after which I don't remember one to have lived above 14 Days.
12thly. The Gout, provided it be neither Nodose nor Cretaceous, that is, if it be accompanied with neither Knots, nor Chalky Concretions in the Joynts: And one Dose taken Spring and Fall perfectly prevents its returning under any Form or Symptom whatever, in any Part of the Body. What Affinity there is between the Chalky Concretions lodged in the Joynts of Gouty People, and the Stone generated in the Kidneys, shall one time or other be farther consider'd.
13thly. The Pleurisie, and all Pains in the Sides, or in any other Part of the Body, whether wandering or fixed, tho' of the longest Continuance, without Bleeding, Cupping, or blistering.
14thly, The Palsy, whether of any particular Part or Member of the Body, or universal all over; whether with a Tremor or trembling, or numb or dead, (as it is called): provided they have been neither Vomited, Purged, nor Clystered; much less Blooded, Blistered, or Cupped. Provided also that the Patient be of a Plethoric, or full habit of Body, not Thin, Meagre, or Lean, Old, or Superannuated; or that the Palsy hath not supervened some preceding Distemper, as a Fever,
&c.
then these Pills will certainly restore the Members to their Pristine Strength, and the Patient to perfect Health.
15thly, All hardness with Extension or swelling of the Peritonaeum, and Belly, not only about the Navel, but between that and the Pit of the Stomach, accompany'd with pain and difficulty of bending the Body downwards: Which in Men, hath by many Doctors been taken for a Dropsy, (as they do a Tympany of the Womb) and handled with the like Success. Several other Cases I could mention, surpassing belief, attended with such Symptoms as the Doctors could neither tell what to call, nor how to manage; which perhaps we may take occasion to insert in the next Edition of these Directions. This only will I add, as a general Rule, that in all Cronic and Complicated Cases, if the Party hath store of Fluids, these Pills are never given without the desired Success.
I have by by this time ('tis suppos'd) a little startled you, by citing such a Scroll or Catalogue of direful Diseases, and the Gout it self, which for many Ages hath withstood the force of all Medicines that could be opposed, by the most learned Academicks; I say, no doubt but you'll wonder, that they should be eradicated by a Dose or Two, of one only Medicine; but we boldly and openly bid defiance to all the
Aesculapian
Tribe in
Great Britain,
to produce a Medicine operating like this, the subsequent Account of which will probably put the matter out of all Dispute, and to your entire Satisfaction.
Their manner of Operation, and the Method of ordering the Patient.
A Convenient Room with a Fire in it, being provided, and Two Persons to attend, let the Patient go into a warmed Bed, at Eight a Clock in the Evening (or any other time in case of Necessity) put at the same time a blade or two of Mace and an upper Crust of Bread, into a Pint of Ale, and cover it up close: Which done, give him the Pills in the Pulp of a roasted Apple, (which is the best) or a Wafer moistened with Water or Canary, drinking nothing either with, or after them; then composing himself, he will presently be a Sleep, and continue so Four Hours, and no longer; during which time he will sweat most powerfully, and care must be had neither to wipe the Sweat off his Face, nor do any thing else to disturb him. The Four Hours being expired, and the Patient awake, let two People rub him dry with hot Cloaths, and put on him a clean hot Shirt and Gown; then bring him to the Fire, and let him eat a Morsel of the Bread, and sip some of the Mace Ale made very hot, and well sweetned with single refined Loaf-Sugar; when he hath done this, and drank the remaining part of the Ale, Sweating will immediately cease, which is
è diametro,
or directly contrary to all the Sudorifics or Sweating Medicines now in use. Presently after they work plentifully by Urine, (which when cold, in some Cases and Constitutions may be cut with a Knife as Size.) To see the Contents of which, a clean White-Ware Chamber-Pot must be in a readiness, for they cleanse the Kidnies and Ureters of abundance of Stones, Sand, Slime,
&c.
if any be lodged there: When he has been up betwixt a quarter and half an Hour, let him repair to Bed again, it being turned and well warmed, or another well seasoned put in its place, the Sheets and Blankets likewise being changed, and others well heated put on; then the Pills begin to work strongly, by breaking Wind downwards, to his own and the bystanders great surprize.
The Patient must neither eat nor drink any thing till Dinner, if he can fast so long; if he can't, a Morsel of Bread, and a quarter of a Pint of hot Ale, sweetened with single refined Loaf-Sugar may be taken. Let his Dinner be hot, but neither of baked, fryed, nor frigofy'd Meat, his drink also must be hot, and I forbid Wines of all sort, during the whole course of these Operations, and 24 Hours after they all cease, and it would be better if necessity would permit to forbear Wine for 24 Hours before the Pills are taken.
About two Hours after Dinner they begin to work downwards by Stool, except the Patient has Obstructions in the Liver, Kidneys, Lacteals,
&c.
or a Tympany of the Womb, or that Distemper which the Doctors call a Tumor of the
Ovarium;
in all which cases, and some others, the working by Stool is introduced by one large but easy Vomit; without any previous Nausea, or Sickness which brings up none of the Meat with it. During the time they Purge, which is without any Sickness or Gripes, the Patient must by no means stop a Motion, or expose himself to any cold or damp Air, or place; neither (except in Cases of extream Thirst, which I never knew to happen) must he drink any thing; but if Thirstiness urge, a little Tea, made of good Juniper-berries, and sweetned with single refined Loaf-Sugar, may be drank.
About an Hour and half, or two Hours at most, after Supper (which must be hot,) the Patient must go to a well warmed Bed; and the Pills taken the Night before, will repeat their Operations successively as at first, but in a much weaker degree: So that sometimes there is no occasion either to rub the Party or change his Linnen. In some Cases and Constitutions, the first Dose will work 2 or 3 Nights and Days, and the second Dose 3 or 4, especially in hot Weather, or Summer Time; and then there must be an Intermission of 2 or 3 Days before the Third Dose be taken; but two Doses commonly perform the Cure, be the Case never so Chronic and Complicated: In all my 33 Years Practice and upward, I never knew but one Patient that had Occasion for the Third Dose; whose Case and many others very wonderful, shall in another Essay be fully related.
Indeed their manner of Operation is so particular and extraordinary, that I almost think it hath scarce been parallell'd in any Age; for tho' they work most powerfully by all the Emunctories, yet they are so gentle and agreeable to Nature, that she is not only exceedingly refresh'd by them afterwards; but even pleass'd with the seeming Disturbance they give her. Hence 'tis no wonder that these
Pilulae Polychrestae,
should extirpate so many dreadful Diseases in so short a time.
The
DOSE
OF these Pills is first Four, then Five, lastly Six, taken as above: But if the Patient labours under any acute and painful Disease, as the Gout,
&c.
let him begin with Five, increasing one the next Dose. After the Cure of any Chronic Distemper, 'tis requisite to take one Dose every Spring and Fall, which must be as large as the last Dose that was taken before, and this will be sufficient to carry off whatever peccant Matter may be collected since the last Time of taking.
These Pills are sealed up in little Thumb Bottles, by which means their Vertues will be preserved Twenty Years in all Regions; but observe that in all hot Climates, the Dose must be less than in
England
or a colder Climate.
Sold only at Mr.
Winstone
's at the
Black Boy
and
Comb,
near
Fleet Bridge
in
Fleet-street,
at One Guinea
per
Bottle, containing Three Doses,
wo of which is commonly sufficient to cure
ny of the abovesaid Diseases.
Where this Book is gave away gratis, to any
ne that will ask for it.
For the Encouragement of the Buyers, and
at they may not in the least suspect being
pos'd upon, any Persons agreeing to the Proposals made at the Place of Sale, may be attended, and no Money received till the Cure be perfected.
N. B.
No Woman with Child must take these Pills, nor any one that hath an
Erysipelas,
(which is the St
Anthony
's Fire)
Elephantiasis,
or
Noli me Tangere.
Above all things great Care must be taken, that no sort of Liquor be drank, either presently before, with, or after these Pills; even not so much as one Drop to moisten the Mouth or wash them down, otherwise they will be of no Effect.
Secondly,
Observe that while the Patient sweats, no more Cloaths be put upon him than usual.
Lastly,
All the Directions given in this Paper, are to be exactly and punctually observed, if you intend to receive Benefit by them, or else you must blame your self and not me.
FINIS.