Health and Medicine

  • Mrs Listers Purging Drink for the Kings Evell

    A remedy for the Kings Evell (tuberculosis). Includes coriander seeds, cardamon seeds, sweet fennel, anise seeds, sassafras, senna, rhubarb, and licorice; these are steeped in water over night and then boiled.
  • To Make the Ladys Easy

    A medicinal drink to treat an unknown ailment [possibly menstrual or childbirth issues?] using mustard seed, treacle (molasses), and beer, taken for nine mornings.
  • For the Green Sicknes

    A remedy for the so-called green sickness, which refers to chlorosis, a condition that included a greenish tinge to the skin and general lassitude. It was often associated with unmarried virgin women, and could include lack of menstruation. Has been subsequently ascribed to anemia (iron deficiency). Remedy consists of a mixture of treacle (molasses), steel filings, anise seeds, long pepper, and nutmeg. Those taking the remedy were directed to also avoid milk, fruit, and salads; and to take one long walk per day.
  • To turn the Child right in Labour

    A medicinal recipe for a paste to be used in childbirth, possibly using agrimony, to turn a breech birth.
  • A Medecne for the Palsie

    A recipe for a medical treatment for palsy made of neatsfoot oil and the caul of an ox.
  • A Docter [text loss] Medisin [text loss]

    Medicine for unknown purpose using sassafras, juniper, marshmallow, garden cress, elderflower, fennel, and licorice. Describes a recipe for a medicinal drink using a variety of herbs, berries, and roots, steeped in ale. The drink is indicated for daily use or as-needed, though the purpose is unclear due to missing pieces of the manuscript.
  • An excelent medisin for the Cholick

    A recipe for a remedy for colic made from powered acorns.
  • A most Excellent resept for a dry Asma aproved by Doctor Cotes

    A medicinal recipe that includes ammoniacum (gum ammoniac) and hyssop water (possibly for asthma).
  • The most Excellent bitter wine in the world

    A recipe for a tonic that includes gentian, cardemon, chamomile, saffron, cochineal, and sherry.
  • The Phisbillia watter to drink for the party

    A recipe for a fistula treatment; includes green broom and molasses.
  • Phistillia [fistula] watter [water] which will keep the pipe from growing & desolve [dissolve] ye Lump that is hard

    Describes a recipe for "fistula water," a remedy for treating fistulas using alum, zinc sulfate ("white vitriol"), and bole armeniac (a kind of clay uses as a styptic).
  • For the jaundice Cousen Garlend

    Recipe for a medicine to treat jaundice; consists of turmeric, safern, Barberry back mixed in white wine.
  • For Black or Stinking teeth

    Recipe to making and using a paste for teeth consisting of sage and salt.
  • To wash any foul or Dead sore

    Directions to make a heated liquid used to treat sores on the body; includes tanner's oil, sage, and alum.
  • Mr Marshoff Salve

    Salve for treating burns made from Bowhead whale oil and lead oxide.
  • Mr Gregorys resept of an Ague

    Calls for drying and crushing bay leaves; these are taken with ale, wine, or water to treat ague (malaria).
  • Cousen Whites resept for worms

    A remedy for worms consisting of salt of wormwood (potassium carbonate) and oil of vitriol (sulfuric acid) mixed in white wine
  • Cousen Bosvils resept for pain in the back

    Remedy for back pain; calls for comfrey, clary sage, pith from the back leg bones of an ox, muscadine wine, eggs, and sugar. Also advises the consumption of crocus martis and rose conserves.
  • For the Gravill [illegible] Spencer’s Resept

    Appears to refer to two different remedies for gravel (kidney stones). The first is mashed garlic infused in white wine. The second calls for a distillation of nutmeg, hawthorn buds, and white wine that is sweetened with marshmallow syrup (a syrup made from the sap of the marshmallow plant combined with sugar and sometimes egg whites).
  • for a pain in the Ear

    A remedy for ear pain that includes liquid laudanum (a solution of opium in alcohol). A roasted (hot) onion is also applied to the ear, presumably both for the comfort provided by its heat and to keep the liquid in the ear.
  • a recept for the piles

    A poultice for treating piles (hemorrhoids) consisting of a mixture of hot milk and flour on a cloth that is then applied to the afflicted area.
  • [text loss; top of page N125 stained and torn; may be continued]

    Appears to be a recipe for a poultice or plaster, using beeswax, pitch, mace (pepper), and turpentine, spread on a sheepskin and worn on the stomach.
  • To make the Read[text loss] the Ducheys of Buckinham way

    A recipe for a remedy for a variety of ailments. Recipe includes angelica, tormentil, rue, betony, pimpernel, white wine, saffron, treacle (molasses) wine, Armenian bole, water germander (Teucrium scordium), and mithridate (mithridatium, mithridatum, or mithridaticum). Should be taken with cordial water or maids water (any weak water such as tea); Goa stone may be added.
  • The Ruburb for will

    A remedy for the "will," which probably refers to the contemporary usage of the word to mean "pleasure" or "desire" given the rhubarb was often used for purging ill humors from the body during this period. Recipe calls for rhubarb and small ale.
  • My Cousen Shirards Resept For A Dropsy

    A remedy for dropsy, also known as edema, the excessive build of fluid in the body. Includes brooklime, watercress, nettles, elder bark, scurvey grass, red dock roots, dwarf elder roots, green broom, ale, juniper berries, red gallingale root, and gention root.
  • Doctor Cole

    Brief description for a remedy to aid digestion that can be purchased at a local inn. Unclear whether the drops are produced by a local doctor.
  • For the flux

    Remedy for flux, the abnormal and/or excessive discharge of liquids from the body, including blood and/or diarrhea. More specifically, "flux" may refer to dysentery. Calls for boiling red wax (presumably melting it) with milk.
  • An Excelent Resept for the worms in children

    Remedy for getting rid of worms in children by putting a piece of cloth dipped in sack wine on a child's mid section, along with dried spearmint.
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