Opera omnia medico-chymica

Take Benzoin a balsamic resin, 2 drachms about 7.7 grams;
Saffron and Mace, 1.5 drachms each;
Frankincense and Mastic, 3 drachms each;
Red Roses, 10 scruples about 13 grams.
Once these are reduced to a coarse powder, they should be enclosed in red silk and sewn together. Let a small cap original: "pileolus" be made.

Or, if the patient refuses this remedy, a powder for the sinciput the front part of the skull should be sprinkled, made of mastic, frankincense, amber, and gallia moschata a musk-based aromatic perfume. Let it be received in a linen cloth with which the head is covered. This cloth should be frequently perfumed and applied to the head. Alternatively:
Take mastic and olibanum frankincense, 2 drachms each;
Thyme and benzoin, 1 drachm each;
Amber, half a drachm.
Take enough Tacamahaca a medicinal resin from tropical trees to incorporate the ingredients.
Make troches medicinal lozenges for fumigation.
Fragrant apples and apoplectic balsam a restorative ointment for the nervous system smeared on the nostrils are also beneficial here.

If the catarrh excessive drainage of mucus does not yield to the said medicines, a vesicatory a substance that causes blistering should be applied to the shaved front part of the head. Let the blister be broken and kept open for a day or two, then finally allowed to heal. Meanwhile, the medicines used to exterminate catarrh should not be neglected.

Others apply a red-hot iron or a potential cautery a chemical caustic agent at the point where the longest finger ends when the base of the palm is placed on the bridge of the nose and the thumb is extended toward the forehead.

AFFECTIONS OF THE EYES

SQUINTING

Recent Strabismus squinting or misalignment of the eyes—for an old condition cannot be cured—in children is corrected after universal remedies for the offending humors bodily fluids have been administered. A mask is applied to the face with holes perforated at the proper location of the eyes, so that the patient emits the visual rays through them. In this way, because of the position of the holes, the visual rays are shaped to be reduced back to the genuine position of the eyes. However, there is need for accurate diligence in performing this correctly.

PARALYSIS OF THE EYE

Paralysis of the eye rarely occurs without the resolution weakness or loss of function of other parts. If it occurs alone, it is scarcely cured. If it occurs with the remaining parts, as in hemiplegia paralysis of one side of the body, the same cure is established as in common paralysis.

WEAKNESS AND DIMNESS OF VISION

Verbena's power in eye affections. For weakness of vision and dimness, to comfort the visual spirits, and to rectify the brain and its humors, Euphrasia Eyebright prepared skillfully is wonderfully beneficial after universal remedies. Commonly, it is used in an infusion of wine or mixed into daily food. It is also used in preserves and other formulas. The chemical essence of it, extracted in doses of 2, 3, 4, or 5 grains, is superior. Likewise, its Salt the mineral remains after burning, purified through frequent solutions and coagulations, is excellent, especially if the ashes were initially calcined heated to a high temperature with an equal part of sulfur without melting original: "sine g. (h.e. ante fluat in tigillo)". When reduced to the highest purity and mixed with a menstruum solvent of salt, this Arcanum secret remedy of Eyebright is most excellent for recovering vision in doses of 2 to 5 grains. Hence it is truly called Augentroft German: Eyebright/Eye-consolation.

Internal eye water. There is also an effective water made in this manner:
Take half an ounce of Eyebright leaves;
Rue, Verbena, and Fennel, 1 handful each;
Rosemary tops and Sage;
Rose flowers, 1 pinch each;
Juniper berries, 2 drachms;
Cassia lignea a type of cinnamon bark, half a drachm;
Aloeswood, half a drachm;
Fennel seed, 2 drachms;
Siler montanus Laserwort or mountain parsnip, 1 drachm;
Rue, half a drachm.
Infuse in 6 pounds of Malvasia wine, macerate for fifteen days, and then distill. Half a spoonful or a whole one taken in the morning on an empty stomach elegantly comforts the vision.

External eye water. For external use: an Eye Water prepared with white Vitriol zinc sulfate in this manner:
Take half a pound of fossil stone noted in margin as Schieferstein, or shale crushed into pieces;
Clear spring water or rain water, which is better, 4 pounds;
White Vitriol, 1 drachm, or up to 6 drachms at most.
Boil in a pot, and during the boiling carefully remove the foam until the liquid has reduced by the width of two fingers. Then pass it through a filter and keep it in a well-closed vessel. The daily use consists of putting a few drops into the eye morning and evening.

2. For external uses, especially in glaucoma clouding of the lens or eye pressure, the distilled water from fish galls is wonderfully commended, particularly that of the Pike Lucius. See below regarding growths, clouds, and pterygia fleshy growths on the eye.

TEARING AND RUPTURE OF THE PUPIL

In the tearing and rupture of the pupil, as well as the cornea, the best of all is the water made from egg whites. Likewise, those from Crabs and Celandine Chelidonia, about which more is found in the notes to Croll's Basilica the Basilica Chymica, a famous alchemical text.

WHITE SPOTS AND CLOUDS

In Albugo white spots on the cornea and Nebula cloudy vision, besides the common remedies, the fat from the liver of a Burbot noted as Muftelæ, or German: Quappen, Aalrauppen is remarkably effective. Wash it with wine and immediately place it in a glass so that it does not touch the bottom or sides but hangs freely within. Let the glass be very well closed and exposed to the sun for some time. Almost the entire liver will distill into a yellow fat; collect and save this. Its use is external only, anointing the eyelids before going to bed. It works more strongly if the powder of lesser thistle German: Heydedistel is given internally in food several times.

PHLYCTENAE

For Phlyctenae small blisters on the eye, White Vitriol water is effective.

SMALL ULCERS OF THE EYES

For small ulcers arising from these blisters, the water from egg whites is effective, as described below under growths and clouds of the eyes.

CANCER OF THE EYES

In carcinoma cancer of the eyes, nothing is better than the powder of the inner skins of eggs from which chicks have hatched, simply sprinkled on. Let other things be done as in the treatment for Cancer.

WATERY EYES

Amulet of Burbot liver. In Epiphora excessive tearing or Ophthalmia inflammation, a Periapton an amulet or hanging remedy made from simple marshmallow root is superior, provided the head has been purged and humors diverted as required. The root is collected when the Sun is precisely in Scorpio by digging beneath it at sunrise. The root should first be uncovered by digging at the side, and then the whole plant uprooted from below. Apply this root to the nape of the neck by tying or hanging it.

OPHTHALMIA

In Ophthalmia, it is my custom to apply to the nape of the neck, all else being equal, mustard flour German: Senffmehl in a quilted bag. This is boiled with wine and applied hot repeatedly to the area opposite the affected eye. It wonderfully draws the humor from the eye toward the neck. If blisters are raised by this application, they should be kept open for a time so they may break. Apply a cabbage or ivy leaf over them, and later heal them with the mucilage of quince seeds extracted in plantain water. The eye itself should be bathed either with human milk or with White Sief a dry collyrium or opium dissolved in rose water. I also frequently apply a bag filled with chamomile flowers to the outside of the eye.

Chicory flower water. In Ophthalmia and most eye affections, there is a secret water from the blue flowers of Cichorium Chicory, which is made in this way. Collect Chicory flowers when the sun enters Leo. Put the fresh flowers into a glass, filling it and compressing them as firmly as possible. Then close the orifice carefully with a cork or a five-fold bladder. Surround the glass with a thick layer of bread dough, three or four fingers thick. Finally, bake it in an oven like a loaf of bread, but the mass should be placed on a small board in the oven to prevent the glass from breaking. Leave it for a strong baking until the bread is removed, so that this mass is well cooked. Take it out and squeeze it; you will find the flowers have turned into a reddish, somewhat oily water. Distill this through an alembic a distillation head in a Mary’s Bath a water bath, for this water will not keep unless distilled. With this, for eye affections, simply anoint the eyelids externally twice a day, in the morning and at bedtime. White spots, little clouds, growths, suffusions cataracts, dimness, and even blindness itself are wonderfully removed.

PAIN IN THE EYES

In pains of the eyes, leaves of Nicotiana Tobacco should be applied. Opiates should be avoided here externally; they can only be given internally.

STYE

For a hordeolum stye, apply barley that has been chewed several times on an empty stomach.

PROTRUSION OF THE EYE

For procidentia protrusion or bulging of the eye, as also of the anus, take half an ounce of beetles born in horse dung. Kill them in a closed glass, dry them well in the sun, and make a very fine powder to be saved for use. After the parts are softened, sprinkle the powder thinly and let a skillful repositioning be performed. See below regarding protrusion of the anus.

TEARS

For excessive tearing, take half an ounce of pomegranate bark, 3 drachms or half a drachm; hematite stone, half a drachm or 1.5 drachms. Boil the barks in rose water and strain several times. Then dissolve the powdered stone into the strained liquid by rubbing. This composition should be applied to the eyes on linen cloths. Some also apply a bag of chamomile flowers. See Plater in his practice.

PUSTULES AND SPOTS OF THE EYES

For blisters, pustules, and spots of the eyes, take the gall of a goose, a hen, and a fish in equal parts. Put them in a glass and add a little honey. Make a liniment with which the eyes are anointed.

FISTULA OF THE EYE

For a fistula of the eye:
Take half an ounce of live sulfur native sulfur;
Strongest vinegar, alum, and salt, 1 drachm each;
Fresh sharp-pointed dock Lapathum acutum root, half a drachm.
Make an ointment.

GROWTHS, CLOUDS, AND PTERYGIA

Pike specific. For ungues nail-like growths, clouds, and pterygia fleshy growths of the eyes, the Specific of the Pike is happily used. Take half an ounce of Pike gall, 5 drachms. Distill in a cucurbit a gourd-shaped boiling vessel until thick. In the distilled water, dissolve some camphor and save it. Extract the remaining thickness with Spirit of Wine, and then separate the Spirit of Wine from the extract by distillation. Dissolve 1 grain of this extract with 1 grain of Sugar of Lead Lead Acetate in 3 or 4 drops of the previously mentioned water. Instill this into the eye with a feather morning and evening; you will see happy progress.

Egg white water. Another most excellent water is prepared from egg whites, which heals any wounds without any scar and is of great power. Let eggs be boiled hard, then sliced through the middle with the shells on. Remove the yolks, then fill the cavities of the remaining whites with some of the hard-boiled whites that have been chopped finely into a pulp with a knife. Join the parts properly and tie them with a thread. Suspend them by the thread precisely in the middle of a cucurbit so they do not touch the sides. After blocking the opening of the cucurbit, place it in a water bath and boil. You will see the chopped whites gradually distill into a liquor. Collect this carefully from the bottom of the cucurbit—it will be a small amount—and apply it frequently to recent wounds of the eyes with the plume of a feather.

MY EXPERIMENT OF UNDOUBTED OPERATION

Take Ludus a specific type of stone or calcareous septaria or "stinking tartar" adhering to mature vessels. Dry it and grind it very finely. Make a collyrium eye wash with rose or eyebright water, to be applied frequently with the plume of a feather.

Attend also to other things that protect the eyes from external inflammations. There is no doubt that any violently inflicted wounds of the eyes, especially if there is a break in continuity, can be healed without loss of sight, provided the crystalline humor and the retina have not been damaged.

INFLAMMATION OF THE EYES

For inflammation, pain, and watery eyes:
Take half an ounce of rose water;
Eyebright and Verbena water, half a drachm each;
Prepared tincture, 1 drachm;
Very finely powdered Mother of Pearl, 10 grains.
Mix, and at the time of use especially mix well, instilling a little into the eye, and also applying linen cloths soaked in that mixture externally.

Whether Ophthalmia arises from a hot cause or from thick and flatulent spirits, it should be treated first with evacuation by a clyster enema or a lenient purgative, followed by bloodletting or applying a cupping glass to the shoulders.

From there, one should immediately proceed to an evacuation via the following collyrium, and turn to pillulae cocciae standard purgative pills and Pills of Light Pillulae Lucis, for the eyes.

Meanwhile, a collyrium should be put into the eyes immediately, specifically just fresh human milk with plantain water and a little saffron. This repels the humors from the eye. Before it is applied, it is useful to wash the eyes with a decoction of fenugreek or to apply a baked apple with a little fennel, cooked under ashes and made into a poultice. Let the washing, the poultice, and the instilling of the collyrium be repeated often. Then one may proceed to other collyria and eye remedies.

If this affection returns at intervals, let the patient be purged with sublimated mercury several times. Then let a vein be cut and the following eye remedies be used.

A seton a thread passed through the skin to maintain a wound for drainage or a cautery should also be applied to the back of the head, or a fontanelle an artificial ulcer or "issue" be made in the arm. For this greatly draws away from the head and eyes and preserves them from ophthalmia.

If, however, an incipient Hypochyma a cataract appears—for once a suffusion is confirmed, it can only be cured by the hand of an ocular surgeon—unless a plethora overabundance of blood is present, the vein should not be cut. This prevents the brain from being cooled, which would later accumulate matter more largely and pour it into the eye. Rather, the matter should be concocted ripened or digested and led out, the sight and head comforted, and care taken that vapors do not ascend from the stomach to the head. Therefore, powders should be prescribed after meals made of comfits, fennel seed, and eyebright tops, or tablets with oil of fennel and eyebright water or its extract. If the condition persists, a vesicatory or cautery should be placed on the back of the head and kept open for at least six months.

In addition, the following eye washes should be used. Before they are put into the eyes, it will be useful to soothe the eyes with the following bag dipped in warm water.