Curiosities of common water, or the advantages thereof in preventing and curing many diseases : gathered from the writings of several eminent physicians, and also from more than forty years' experience, to which are added some rules for preserving health by diet / by John Smith.

  • Smith, John, 1647 or 1648-1727?
Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Curiosities of common water, or the advantages thereof in preventing and curing many diseases : gathered from the writings of several eminent physicians, and also from more than forty years' experience, to which are added some rules for preserving health by diet / by John Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    32/104
    ^8 BLOODY FLUX. four gallons of water, which made a broth not much differing from water, of which he ordered large draughts to he given, and some of it to he taken by clyster, till the whole quantity was spent, if the vomiting did not stop before; which did so take off the sharpness of the matter offending, and wash it out, that the party in B little time became well. And the same was the prac- tice of Sigismundus Grasius, who commends pure water, in a vomiting and looseness, to be drank in large quanti- ties ; for thereby, he saith, the corrosive and sham hu- mors will he so weakened, that they will no more offend. And, he saith, it may be drank cold, if the pa- tient he strong; otherwise let it he warmed. FLUXES. And in common fluxes without vomiting, a quart or more of warm water drank, will so weaken the sharp- ness whereby the distemper is caused, that it will soon be overcome, and the gripings eased ; and in the bloody (lux, which is the most dangerous of all fluxes, the inge- nious Cornelius Celsus adviseth a large drinking of cold water as the best of remedies: but then no other sub- stance must be taken till the disease is cured. And another great physician, by name Lusitanus, affirms (Cent. I. Obser. 4G), that he knew one, who, being in the summer time afflicted with the bloody flux, did drink a large quantity of cold water, and did thereby recover. This large quantity of water, therefore, in these fluxes, doth so correct the sharpness of the humor offending, thai it can have no power to cause pain, or corrode the ves- sels, and cause bloody digestions or stools.