On the 26th of this month Abraham Camphuis, a sailor born in Goes, complained to me about pain in his side, breathing problems, and a bad cough. He had little fever. I gave him a bloodletting of about eight ounces. Furthermore I laid on his painful side a plaster with resin and cumin. I also let him drink from an extract (prescription 9) and gave him a warm teacup of julep (prescription 7) every hour.
Prescription 9
R/ Misce fac julapium [mix and make a cough medicine], take every our one warm tea cup full against a cough.
- Aqua hordei [barley water]: lb I
- Sal prunellae [melted saltpetre]: ʒ II
- Antimonium diaphoreticum [antimony; diaphoretic use]: ʒ I
- Laudanum opiatum [opium drops, analgetic] gr: II
- Sijrupus altheae Ferneli [common marshmallow syrup after Jean François FernelFrench physician in the 15th/16th century Fernelius’ recipe; used to treat coughing]: ℥ II
- Gr. = grain, is approximately 65 mg.
- Lb. = libra = pound = 12 ounce, so approximately 375 g.
- ℈ 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
Prescription 7
R/ Misce fac aposema, cum satis quantum aquae pluvialis [mix and make as much as needed]
- Herba tussilago [butterbur herb]
- [Herba] agrimonia[e] [agrimony]: ana manipulum unam
- [Herba] althea [common marshmallow herb]
- [Herba] hijsopi [hyssop herb]
- [Herba] cardui benedicti [herb of a blessed thistle]: pugillos duos
- āā en ān: and ānn = ana (Gr.) take an equal amount of all
- man: = manupulus = a handful
- pug: = pugillus, plural: pugilli = between thumb and index finger
