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Flamma sine Fumo

or, poems without fictions. Hereunto are annexed the Causes, Symptoms, or Signes of several Diseases with their Cures, and also the diversity of Urines, with their Causes in Poetical measure. By R. W. [i.e. Rowland Watkyns]

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A LOOKING-GLASSE for the Sick:

OR, The Causes and Symptoms, or signs of several Diseases, With their Cures and Remedies.

Of the Head-ach caused by heat.

This is ingender'd by the burning heat
Of the warm Sun in Summer, or by great
And too much exercise; the fiery flame,
Anger, and hot diseases cause the same.
The pain is great, strong heat afflicts the head,
The skin is very dry, the eyes are red.
Use but a little meat, apt to disgest,
And cold in operation, fish is best

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From stony rivers: but you must restrain
From milk or meats which fume into the brain.
Oyle Omphacine with vinegar compound,
Which pour'd upon the head, great ease is found.

Of the Head-ach by cold.

Cold causeth head-ach: some their health impair,
That go bare-headed in the colder air.
The head, when it is felt, no heat contains,
The face is pale, the eyes do swell with pains.
Hot bathes are good; the oyle of rewe is sure,
Rub'd on the fore-part of the head, to cure.

Of a Head-ach caused of a Plethory, or plenitude of blood.

All meats and drinks, that nourish much, do breed
The head-ach, if we plentifully feed,
And yet neglect bathes, sweatings, vacuations,
Whereby the body wanteth operations;
The temple veins do beat: the urin's red
And thick: sad heaviness distracts the head.
The face and eyes are red: the pulse is great,
And with no little vehemence doth beat.
The patient must eschew reare eggs and flesh,
Cold herbs are good the spirits to refresh.
To let him blood is good: all wine is bad,
Let him be alwayes merry, never sad.

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Of Head-ach caus'd by the foul Stomack.

Sharp humors in the stomack oft abound,
And chiefly in its mouth: from whence are found
Foul vapours to ascend: the sick would fain
Vomit: he feels a sharp and gnawing pain.
You must now things to the head apply.
To purge the stomack is the Remedy.

Of Head-ach by Drunkenness.

Hot wines, strong drinks, with vapours fill the brain,
If that the brain be hot, the more's the pain.
A vomit's very good, then sleep and rest,
Amongst all medicines this is counted best.

Of the Windiness of the Stomack.

Phlegmatick humors we by reason find,
Oft in the stomack do ingender wind.
And sometimes windiness is caus'd by meat
Dissolv'd to vapours through the want of heat.
They that are thus diseas'd, do stretch, and swell,
The pain doth in the back and belly dwell.
If that the Patient's bound, a purge is good,
Which may expell the flegm, and clense the blood.
Boyle grains in good strong water, for I think
Against all wind this is an excellent drink.

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The Yellow Jaundes.

This sickness stops the gaul or spleen with great
Combustion in the liver, and strong heat.
A yellow colour of the skin and eyes,
With grief doth in the spleen and liver rise.
The juyce of hore-hound will afford relief,
With thy own urine to expell this grief.
Turmerick and Honey, Saffron well compound
With Treacle, to make thy body sound.
Or else the dung of Goats to powder beat,
And drink't three dayes, to render health compleat.

The Dropsie.

The Dropsie is a water bred within
Betwixt the bowels, and the render skin,
Which clasps about them: which disease indeed
From coldness of the liver doth proceed.
The belly swells, the colour is not good,
The Patient is compel'd to loath his food.
With juyce of Plantain fill some pot; and bind
About the pot a linnen cloth: then find
And lay some ashes on the cloth: the fire
It must abide, until the half expire.
Drink some each morn: This hath been known and seen
To cure the watrish Dropsie, and the Spleen.

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Of the Stone in the reins of the Bladder.

Some gross and naughty humors putrifie
Within the bladder, which great heat doth dry.
Small gravel in the urine you may find,
Pains in the bladder to afflict the mind.
Anoint the yard with Fox-blood, and the stone
Will soon dissolve: this is a practice known.
Nine Ivy berries in warm wine receive.
This drink the Patient never did deceive.
Beat Snails to powder: or few egg-shells dry'd,
Powder'd, and drunk, have bin thought good, and try'd.
Of Garlick seeth some seven heads, or more,
To break the stone, and perfect health restore.

The Strangury.

Ulcers within the Bladder this begets,
Or some Apostume, which the urine frets,
The urine at the yard will drop: and wish
You may with strong desire, but cannot piss.
The Radish root in white wine seeth or steep,
If thou thy body from this grief wilt keep;
Some Filbirts stampt, and drunk, the grievous pains
Will cure, which in the bladder be, or reins.

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The Gout.

Surfet and Drunkenness breeds this foul disease,
And use of women doth the same increase,
Long standing brings it too: and boystrous wayes
Of too much exercise, and youthful playes.
This doth great pains to joynts, and swellings bring,
In time of harvest chiefly, and the Spring.
Some Plantain leaves being plaistred with fresh greace,
Bring down the swollen gout, and grief appease.
Figs, honey, bread, and also mustard-seed
With vinegar compounded, help your need:
Pitch, Salt Armoniack mingle well, and stamp,
'Tis excellent good to cure a grievous cramp.

The Ague called Ephymera, which endureth one day.

Unnatural heat the vital parts doth fret,
Which anger, watching, drunkenness may beget.
A feverish heat it to the body sends,
Which in a fainty sweat or vapour ends.
For Agues tale a vomit: or a quart
Of Sack will cure thee, and rejoice the heart.
To cure the heat, juyce of Cucumber's best,
With oyle of Roses: smear the pulse and breast