The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-03-05
HORRIBLE REMEDIES
THOSE USED BY DOCTORS IN THE.
SIXTEENTH CENTURY.

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Bodies Made Into Medicine.
A fragment of a curious volume has
fallen into the hands of local physi-
clan which graphically describes the
methods of surgery of several centuries
ago. When 1t is considered that anas-
thetics were unknown In those ancient
days, the modus operandi of the sur
geon OF the sixteenth century must ap-
near slartlingly cruel in the light of
the present day.
The work is that of Ambrose Parey,
who Ia 1919. being then the much ia
nous "chirurgion" of his day, publish
ed a bulky volume which became such
an established authority and held its
place for so long time that 10 years
afterward it was translated into Eng
lish and published in London.
In his first book he considers the gen.
eral phenomenon of the body in health
and disease. and in the chapter relat-
ing to temperaments and humors he
writes An humor is called by physi-
clans what thing soever is liquid and
flowing In the body Of living creatures
inclosed with blood" Proceeding to
the manifold divisions of humors,"
he separates them into four parts, dis
tinct In color, taste, effects and quail
ties-namely. blood. phlegm. choler and
melancholy. Exact in his subdivisions,
he says: "All men ought to think that
such humors are wont 10 move at set
hours of the day as by n certain Pc
culiar motion or tide. Therefore, the
blood flows from the ninth hour of the
night to the third hour of the day;
choler to the ninth of the day. Then
melancholy the blood flows from the
ninth hour of the night is under the
dominion of phlegm."
Equally curious is the following on
spirits, which he divides into ''ani-
MALL" VITAL" and ''naturall:'
THE animal spirit hath taken his
seat in the brain. 1t is called animal
because it is the life, but the chief and
prime instrument thereof. Wherefore
it hath 4 most subtle and aery sub
stance. This animal spirit is made
and harbored in the windings and fold
ings of the veins and arteries of the
brain, brought thither sometimes OF
the pure air or sweet vapor drawn in
by the nose in breathing. The vital
spirit is next TO it in dignity and ex-
cellency, which hath its chief mansion
in the left 7entricle of the heart. The
natura! spirit, if such there be any,
hath its station in the liver and veins"
Describing certain juggling and de-
ceitful ways of healing of cures by
such means as fear, surprise and even
by music for spider bite, the music
causing the patient to dance so Justify
that he shakes all the poison out of his
SYSTEM" he sums up some of those
heroic remedies thus: Il would not
cast the patient headlong out of a
window, but would rather cast them
sodainly, and thinking of no such
thing, into great cistern filled with
cold water, with their heads foremost
Neither would | take them out until
they had drunk a good quantity OF
water, that by that sodain fall and
strong fear the matter causing the
frenzy might be carried from above
downward from the noble parts to the
ignoble."
A medicine upon which he dilates al
great length is 'mummie," referred tC
as the usual remedy for contusions
and he describes it as follows:
"Mummie is a liquor flowing from
the aromatick embalmens of dead bod
les, which becomes dry and hard' and
being ground into medicine was lad
ministered either in whole or portion
TO such as have fallen from higf
places, the first and last medicine OF
almost all our practitioners at this day
in such a case"
He also gives some grewsome facts
connected with the preparation OF
"mummie" when he says: Certain o1
our French apothecaries, men won
drous audaciouS and coyetous to stea
by night the bodies of such as were
hanged and embalming them with sal
and drugs they dried them In an over
so as to sell them thus adulterated In
stead of true mummie, whereupon W.
are thus compelled, both foolishly an(
cruelty, to devour the mangled an(
putrd particles of the carcasses Of thu
basest people of Egypt, or of such a.
are hanged, as though there were III
other way to help or recover one bruis
ed with fall from high place.
Il have not thought it fit in thi
place" he says, ito omit the industr,
Of Nicholas picart, the Duke of Gulse
his surgeon who, being called to Ger
tain countryman to set his shoulder
being out Of joint and finding none Il
the place besides the patient and III
wife, who might assist him in thi
work. he put the patient, bound afte
the aforementioned manner, to ladder
then Immediately he tyed static
the lower end of the ligature, Whlc
was fastened about the patients arr
above his elbow, then put it so tyed uI
der one of the steps of the ladder
low as he could and got astride there
upon and safe therein with his Whoi
weight and at the same instant MAD
his wife pluck the stool from under hi
feet, which, being done. the bone pre-:
emily came into its place"
He also grayely discusses witche
and witchcraft, the birth of monster
with horns, hoofs and wings, ascribin
their birth to the master of evil, an
closes with lofty panegyric upon Hi
pocrates and Galen, the princes OF ph.
Sicians.-Cincinnati Enquirer.