On the 2nd day of this month Roelof Siegers, a sailor born in Norway, came to me with complaints. I learned that he had been ill for about four weeks in the fatherland. He had debris quotidiana, a regular fever; he was vomiting and he could not eat. I gave him a laxative and a powder against fever (prescription 1). But the fever persisted, causing him to get weaker by the day. I prescribed to take a spoonful of sudorific mixture every two hours. I gave him the elixir (prescription 2) in the morning, after which he, on the 20th of November, resumed his duties again.
On the 17th of this month Thomas Ditmar, the cook from Hamburg, complained to me about chest pains and a bad cough. He had problems breathing. I found out that he had acquired this illness by not giving enough care to his body during day and night. He was young and generally healthy, and I gave him a large bloodletting of about twelve ounces. This gave him much relief. After that I gave him a mixture (Prescription 6) of which he was to take a warm teacup every three hours. I also boiled him an extract (Prescription 7) and let him drink it warm. On his painful side I put a geroon of the plaster with cumin and resin. He took his shift again on the 20th of November.
Prescription 2
R/ Misce fac mixtura sudorificans [mix and make a sudorific mixture], every two hours a spoonful against fever
- Cornu cervi usti [burnt cornu-cervi]: ℥ ß
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- Sal tartari vitriolati [potassium carbonate; against fever]: ana
- Sijrupus [de] limonibus [lemon juice]: ℥ ß
- Aqua cinamoni [cinnamon tea]: ʒ II
- [Aqua] cardui benedicti [tea with an extract of a blessed thisle]: ℥ III
- [Aqua] melissethee [melissa tea]: ℥ II
- 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
- spoon = 4 drachmen, so approximately 15 g
Prescription 6
R/ Misce fac mixtura [mix and make amixture], every 3 hours a tea cup, to sweat
- Diascordium Fracastorii [mixture of herbs containing opium, according to or Hieronymus Fracastoriusdoctor in Trente, 15th/16th century Girolamo Fracastoro]: ℥ I
- Oculi cancri [gastro stones of the crayfish]: ʒ I
- Antimonium diaphoreticum [diaphoretic antimony]: ℈ II
- Croci optimi [saffron]: ℈ ß
- Laudanum liquidum Sijdenhami [spice mixture with opium as a base; used in cases of vomiting, diarhea, stomach ache, improved by an English doctor in the 17th century Thomas Sydenham]: gutta, plural guttaedrop guttae XXX
- Aqua foeniculi [fennel tea]: ℥ III
- [Aqua] thericalis [theriac, panacea]: ℥ I
- [Aqua] melissae [melissa tea]: ℥ II
- Sijrupus altheae [common marshmallow syrup; used to treat coughing]: ℥ I
- ℈ scruple = 20 grain, so approximately 1,3 g
- ʒ drachma = 3 scruple, so approximately 4 g
- thee cup = 6 drachmen, so approximately 25 g
- ℥ uncia = ounce = 8 drachmae, so approximately 31 g
- ß = ½ of the given amount
- gt. = gutta, plural:. guttae = drop
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 thisle]: 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
