The 16th of this month Jan Schutz, our second mate from Doornik, complained to me about pain in his head. He was also vomiting. I found out that he had a febris intermittens, sporadic fever. I prescribed him two scruples of pulverized mirabilis jalapa as a purgative and also a mixture (prescription 27) of which he took a spoonful every three hours. Furthermore I gave him a barley drink (prescription 14), of which he drank against the thirst and fever.

Prescription 27

R/ Misce fac mixtura [mix and make the mixture], a spoonful every three hours.

• Aqua melissae [melissa tea]
• [Aqua] menthae [mint tea]: ana ℥ III
• Oculi cancri [gastro stones of the crayfish]
• Corallum rubrarum [red coral; antipyretic]: ana ʒ III
• Sal prunellae [melted saltpetre]: ℈ II
• Spiritus nitri dulcis [spiritus aetheris nitrox, ethyl nitrite]: guttae XX
• Aqua communis [normal water]: ℥ IV

• ℈ scruple = 20 grain, so approximately 1,3 g
• ʒ drachma = 3 scruple, so approximately 4 g
• ℥ uncia = ounce = 8 drachmae, so approximately 31 g
• āā en ān: and ānn = ana (Gr.) take an equal amount of all

Prescription 14

R/ Misce fac phitisana [mix and make a barley drink], in case of fevers used against thirst]

• Aqua hordei [barley water]: uncias quatuor
• Cornu cervi rasparati [grated burnt cornu-cervi]: pugillos duos
• Radix liquiritiae [radix liquiritiae; liquorice]: ℥ I
• Coque quantum satis aquae communis [boil as much as needed in normal water]
• Spiritus nitri dulcis [spiritus aetheris nitrox, ethyl nitrite]: Gutta, plural guttaedropguttae XXX

• ℥ uncia = ounce = 8 drachmae, so approximately 31 g
• pug: = pugillus, plural: pugilli = between thumb and index finger