The 18th of this month Jacobus Ranking, a sailor born in Veere, came to me with complaints. He had a headache and was vomiting. He had also been on the boat to ElminaGhanaElmina Castle and there he had drank much palm wine and he had eaten many inland fruits. This made his stomach completely rotten. I also found out that he had an infectious disease. I gave him one scruple of a emetic, which made him puke out two large worms. I also give him one scruple of pulverized mirabilis jalapa as a purgative. Furthermore, because he also had a fever, I gave him pulverized anti-fever (prescription 1) and a barley drink (prescription 14).
N. 8
On the 18th of this month a male slave, who had refused to eat since had been bought, passed away. Since he was losing his strength I constantly tried, with some success, to bring him to eat. This caused diarrhea so I cleansed the body through powder from the mirabilis jalapa root and through rhubarb. These ended his diarrhea but he had became very exhausted. Even though we offered him twice a piece of bread and a cup of wine, all was in vain and he died on the mentioned date.
Prescription 1: Against ordinary fevers
R/ Misce fac pulvis antefebrilis [mix and make a powder against fever]: dose ℈ II
- Oculi cancri [gastro stones of the crayfish]: ℥ III
- Corallum rubrum [red coral; antipyretic]: ℥ I
- Cornu cervi usti [burnt cornu-cervi]: ℥ ß
- Antimonium diaphoreticum [diaphoretic antimony]: ʒ III
- Sal nitri [saltpetre]: ℥ I
- Croci orientales [saffron]: ʒ I
- Oleum macis [nutmeg oil]: Gutta, plural guttaedropguttae XXX
- ℈ scruple = 20 grain, so approximately 1,3 g
- ʒ drachma = 3 scruple, so approximately 4 g
- ℥ uncia = ounce = 8 drachmae, so approximately 31 g
- ß = ½ of the given amount
- 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
