Glimpses of Christian History Presents Pastwords #163: Instructions for Christians Without Doctors by John Wesley ©2007

Wilkins work is the third edition after the Philadelphia editions of 1793 & 1795, both of which were followed by Wesley's Primitive Physic. Wesley's Primitive Physic lists 289 numbered maladies or conditions with 829 numbered remedies and procedures. Malady 142. "The King's Evil." treated by remedy 443, "Take as much Cream of Tartar as lies on a Sixpence, every Morning and Evening." No. 8 , "Canine Appetite" (with footnote explaining "An insatiable Desire of Eating.") is corrected by remedy 40. "--if it be without vomitting, is often cured by a small Bit of Bread dipt in Wine, and applied to the Nostrils.'-- Dr. Schomberg." No. 11, "To cure Baldness." is effected by remedy 57, "Rub the part Morning and Evening, with Onions, till it is red; and rub it afterwards with Honey. Or, Wash it with a Decoction of Boxwood: Tried. Or, Electrify it daily." [!] Or, malady #76. "The Ear-Ach." might be relieved by cure No. 273, "But if the Ear-Ach is caused by an Inflammation of the Uvula, it is cured in two or three Hours, by receiving into the Mouth of the Steam of bruised Hemp-Seed, boiled in Water." Hmmmm. The book had wide distribution in part due to Wesley's [promotion of his books. Lunn, in his life of Wesley, (p190) quotes one of Wesley's letters to a preacher: "You remember the rule of Conference that every assistant should take my books into his own hands, as having better opportunities of dispersing them than any private person can possibly have. I desire you would do this without delay. The Primitive Physic should be in every family..."

PREFACE

The substance of the following pages is chiefly drawn from those excellent authors, Home, Cullen, and McBride; whose names alone are a sufficient recommendation: They were compiled at the request of our friend Mr. Asbury.

The work contains a good description of each disorder, and its remote causes, as far as known. The proximate cause is generally omitted, being unintelligible to those who are not acquainted with medicine, of little use, and much disputed by Physicians. The cure is as simple as possible, so as not to interfere with efficacy: few medicines being recommended, and no compounds where they could be omitted. To this is prefixed the management of the sick, about which the attendants are usually much at a loss.

Such medicines as are frequently used are put at the end, numbered and referred to, which prevents frequent repetition; but those that are not so general, are inserted in the reading. Will not this be much more agreeable to the reader, than a general reference or a general insertion?

A few disorders are omitted, because they are not proper to this country, or because they are unmanageable even in the hands of Physicians, or for other as good reasons: otherwise it comprehends as many disorders as Dr. Cullen has treated on.

It is recommended to the Methodist Society in particular, by their Friend,
THE AUTHOR.
Philadelphia, 1793.

. . . INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN.

HIS is either a symptomatic disorder, as when it follows in the course of a primary affection; or it is original, being primary itself -- of this alone I shall treat, that requiring the treatment of the concomitant disorder.

It usually attacks in the heat of summer those of an irascible disposition, who are in their youth and given to study.

Causes. Drunkenness, watching, long exposure to the sun, anger, excessive cogitation, grief, care, vehement desires, external violence, certain poisons, and suppressions of particular discharges; as the piles, the discharge after parturition.

Symptoms. It begins with rigors, which are followed by heat, pain and throbbing of the head, disturbed sleep, noise within the head and ears, inflammation and pain in the eyes, with inability to bear the light and noise, and a bloated countenance -- the pulse is low, oppressed and quick, often weak as well as low, though sometimes it is hard: the patient continues without any sleep for a long time, sometimes till the eighth day; the arteries along the neck perceptibly throb, and blood sometimes issues by drops from the nose; great debility, anxiety and sighing attend, yet the patient is subject to anger, fierce delirium, startings and convulsions. When the disorder has ceased, a swimming and heaviness of the head, weak eyes, and great delicacy of hearing attend for a considerable time.

Management. The patient should be confined in an airy, darkened, silent and cool room; his bed should be hard, and his head somewhat raised upon it. He should have plenty of acid, cool drinks, without any mixture of spirit. His food should be of panada, barley, jelley, &c. The causes of the disorder must be carefully removed.

Cure. The patient should be bled pretty freely, and this may be repeated again and again in less quantities, during the first 48 hours; provided the symptoms demand it, and the patient be able to bear it: -- the pulse will usually be the best guide; for if this does not sink very low, there will be no danger from bleeding. A dose of salts should be given after the first bleeding, and it may be necessary to repeat this the next day. Clysters may be given daily, such as No. 5. one of the fever powders, No. 1. may be given every three hours, beginning after the operation of the first dose of the salts. The patient's head should be shaved and washed with cold vinegar and water. If the delirium runs on after the above evacuations, a large blister should be applied to the crown of the head, and when this has drawn, others, if necessary, may be applied to the ankles.

When the patient has suffered some time for want of sleep, the feet should be bathed an hour or twice as long, in water moderately warm, and if this is ineffectual, let him have ten or fifteen drops of laudanum, or a tea-spoonful of paregoric at night, with this care, that if it makes him worse, to discontinue it; but if it has the desired effect, to persist giving it every night, if required.

A nourishing diet and the use of wine should be gradually entered into, after the symptoms of danger are perfectly gone, in order to prevent the succeeding symptoms of debility.

Great care will be necessary to avoid the causes of this disorder, as slighter ones may cause a relapse or repetition.

. . . CHAP. LX.

RICKETS

SYMPTOMS. It makes its appearance generally between the ninth and twenty-fourth month, in the following manner; the child becomes sedate, and grows lean, whilst the head grows somewhat out of form; the teeth come out slowly, turn black, and fall out: in a little time the child becomes altogether mishapen, some parts growing whilst others pine away; the stools are liquid; and after a considerable time, a fever comes on, which continues till it puts an end to the pitiable object.

But when it is not so bad, the child recovers as he grows, till he recovers all but his shape.

Management. The child should not be kept longer than usual at the breast, he should have a portion of meat for his diet, much tea should be avoided; he should be carried out every day for exercise, when the weather permits, and great attention should be paid to keeping him clean.

Cure. If the weather is not very cold, let the child be dipped every morning in water immediately from the well: give him a tea-spoonful of the tincture No. 7. three or four times a day, and let him take two or three grains of rhubarb, when costive.

Bark is also a good medicine, if the child can be prevailed on to take it.

If there is much acid on the stomach, give a little crabs eyes, or magnesia.

CHAP. LXI.

JAUNDICE

CAUSES. Concretions of the bile stopping up the duct, tumours, spasm of the gut into which the bile is emptied, as in colic and obstructions of the liver.

Symptoms. An universal yellowness which begins in the white of the eyes, whitish stools, and pains about the right side, and sometimes a swelling at the same place.

Management. The patient should be tried, and if it is of service, or does not do harm, it should be repeated; this is best suited where there are gall-stones: but if the liver be obstructed, the patient should take one grain of calomel, every night and morning, till his gums feel sore. When much pain attends, twelve or fifteen drops of laudanum may be given twice a-day.

Bitters are often useful; also elixir of vitriol, to forty drops a-day. Soap has sometimes been useful, taken in pills; but the chief dependence is to be put in diet and exercise.

When there is any fever, the saline mixture, No. 2. should be used as there directed.

PRESCRIPTIONS.

FEVER POWDERS. No. 1.

TAKE one hundred grains of clean salt-petre, and one grain of tartar emetic; beat the salt fine, and mix the tartar well with it: divide it into five powders.

One of these is generally given every two hours, in a cup of water or tea.

SALINE MIXTURE. No. 2.

Take two tea-spoonfuls of salt of tartar, or salt of wormwood, dissolve it in six table-spoonfuls of water, and add lemon or lime juice to it, or pure vinegar gradually, until it ceases to bubble: sweeten it. Two table-spoonfuls every hour is generally the dose.

DECOCTION OF BARK. No. 3.

To one ounce of bark add half a gallon of water, and boil it in about two or three hours to three gills; strain it through a coarse rag whilst hot. Dose: Two table-spoonfuls every two hours.

TINCTURE OF BARK. No. 4.

Pour a quart of Port or Madeira wine on two ounces of bark: in six days it will be fit for use.

Dose: A small wine-glass full from two to six times a-day.

MILD CLYSTER. No. 5.

To one pint of milk add of lard or oil, molasses, and Glauber or table salt, each one table-spoonful: warm it to the heat of blood, and use it at once.

COMMON LAXATIVE PILLS. No. 6.

Take thirty-six grains of aloes, and twenty-four of Castile soap: make them into twelve pills with a little honey: one or two are a dose.

TINCTURE OF STEEL OR IRON. No. 7.

On a handful of the flakes that fly off round the anvil (in a blacksmith's shop) pour a quart of Port wine; let it stand a few weeks and then use half a wine-glass full, once, twice, or three times a-day.

BITTERS. No. 8.

On an ounce of gentian root, finely cut, and half an ounce of orange peel, pour a pint of good brandy: let them stand five days, and then use about two tea-spoonfuls in a little water, three times a-day.

. . . TO THE
MEMBERS
OF THE
Methodist Episcopal Church.

Friends and Brethren,

THE grand interests of your souls will ever lie near our hearts; but we cannot be unmindful of your bodies. In several parts of this extensive country, the climate, and in others the food, is unwholesome: and frequently, the physicians are few, some of them unskilful, and all of them beyond the reach of your temporal abilities. A few small publications excepted, little has been done by physical books, in order to remove these inconveniences: and even those have been written in Europe, and do therefore partake of the confined ideas of the writers, who could not possibly be fully acquainted with the peculiarities of the various diseases incident to a people that inhabit a country so remote from theirs.

Simple remedies are in general the most safe for simple disorders, and sometimes do wonders under the blessing of God. In this view we present to you now, the PRIMITIVE PHYSIC, published by our much honoured friend JOHN WESLEY. But the difference being in many respects great between this country and England, in regard to climate, the constitution of patients, and even the qualities of the same simples, -- we saw it necessary for you, to have it revised by physicians practising in this country, who at our request have added cautionary and explanatory notes where they were necessary, with some additional receipts suitable to the climate.

In this state we lay the publication before you, and earnestly recommend it to you.

As we apply all the profits of our books to charitable purposes, and the promoting the work of God, we think we have some right to intreat you (except in particular cases) to buy only our books, which are recommended by the conference, and signed with our signatures: and as we intend to print our books in the future WITHIN THE STATES, and on a much larger scale than we have hitherto done, we trust we shall be able soon to supply you with as many of the choisest of our publications, as the time and temporal abilities of those of you, who do not live a life of study, will require.

We remain, dear brethren, as ever,

Your faithful pastors,
THOMAS COKE, FRANCIS ASBURY.

PREFACE

WHEN man came first out of the hands of the great Creator, clothed in body as well as in soul, with immortality and incorruption, there was no place for physic, or the art of healing. As he knew no sin, so he knew no pain, no sickness, weakness, or bodily disorder. The habitation wherein the angelic mind, the Divini particula Auri abode, though originally formed out of the dust of the earth, was liable to no decay. It had no seeds of corruption or disolution within itself. And there was nothing without to injure it: Heaven and earth and all the hosts of them were mild, benign and friendly to human nature. The entire creation was at peace with man, so long as man was at peace with his Creator. So that well might "the morning stars sing together, and all the sons of God shout for joy."

2. But since man rebelled against the Sovereign of heaven and earth, how entirely is the scene changed! The incorruptible frame hath put on corruption, the immortal has put on mortality. The seeds of weakness and pain, of sickness and death are now ledged in our inmost substance; whence a thousand disorders continually spring, even without the aid of external violence. And how is the number of these increased by every thing round about us! The heavens, the earth, and all things contained therein, conspire to punish the rebels against their Creator. The sun and moon shed unwholesome influences from above; the earth exhales poisonous damps from beneath; the fishes of the sea are in a state of hostility: the air itself that surrounds us on every side, is replete with the shafts of death: yea, the food we eat, daily saps the foundation of the life which cannot be sustained without it. So has the Lord of all secured the execution of his decree, - - - "Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return."

3. But can there nothing be found to lessen those inconveniences, which cannot be wholly removed? To soften the evils of life, and prevent in part the sickness of various kinds, seems intimated by the great Authour of nature in the very sentence that intails death upon us: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return to the ground." The power of exercise, both to preserve and restore health, is greater than can well be conceived; especially in those who add temperance thereto; who if they do not confine themselves altogether to eat either "bread or the herb of the field" (which God does not require them to do) yet steadily observe both that kind and measure of food, which experience shews to be most friendly to strength and health.

4. It is probable, physic, as well as religion, was in the first ages chiefly traditional: every father delivering down to his sons, what he had himself in like manner received, concerning the manner of healing both outward hurts, and the diseases incident to each climate, and the medicines which were of the greatest efficacy for the cure of each disorder. It is certain, this is the method wherein the art of healing is preserved among the Americans to this day. Their diseases are exceeding few; nor do they often occur, by reason of their continued exercise, and (till of late) universal temperance. But if any are sick, or bit by a serpent, or torn by a wild beast, the fathers immediately tell their children what remedy to apply. And it is rare that the patient suffers long; those medicines being quick, as well as generally infallible.

5. Hence it was, perhaps, that the ancients, not only of Greece and Rome, but even of barbarous nations, usually assigned physic a divine original. And indeed it was a natural thought, that HE who had taught it to the very beasts and birds, the Cretan Stag, the Egyptian Ibis, could not be wanting to teach man,

Sanctius his animal, mentisque capacius altoe:

Yea, sometimes even by those meaner creatures: for it was easy to infer, "If this will heal that creature, whose flesh is nearly of the same texture with mine, then in a parallel case it will heal me." The trial was made: the cure was wrought: and ex-experience and physic grew together.

6. As to the manner of using the medicines here set down. I should advise, as soon as you know your distemper (which is very easy, unless in complication of disorders, and then you would do well to apply to a physician that fears God) First, Use the first of the remedies for that disease, which occurs in the ensuing collection; (unless some other of them be easier to be had, and then it may do just as well.) Secondly, After a competent time; if it takes no effect, use the second, the third, and so on. I have purposely set down (in most cases) several remedies for each disorder; not only because all are not equally easy to be procured at all times, and in all places: but likewise the medicine that cures one man, will not always cure another of the same distemper. Nor will it cure the same man at all times. Therefore it was necessary to have a variety. However I have subjoined the letter (I) to those medicines which some think infallible. Thirdly, Observe all the time the greatest exactness in your regimen or manner of living. Abstain from all mixed, all high-seasoned food. Use plain diet, easy of digestion; and this as sparingly as you can, consistent with ease and strength. Drink only water, if it agrees with your stomach; if not, good, clear, small beer. Use as much exercise daily in the open air, as you can without weariness. Sup at six or seven on the lightest food; go to bed early, and rise betimes. To persevere with steadiness in this course, is often more than half the cure. Above all, add to the rest (for it is not labour lost) that old unfashionable medicine, prayer. And have faith in God who "killeth and maketh alive, who bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up."

7. For the sake of those who desire through the blessing of God, to retain the health which they have recovered, I have added, a few plain, easy rules, chiefly transcribed from Dr. Cheyne.

I. 1. The air we breathe is of great consequence to our health. Those who have been long abroad in easterly or northerly winds, should drink some thin and warm liquor going to bed, or a draught of toast and water.

2. Tender people should have those who lie with them, or are much about them, sound, sweet, and healthy.

3. Every 5. one that would preserve health, should be as clean and sweet as possible in their houses, clothes, and furniture.

II. 1. The great rule of eating and drinking is, To suit the quality and quantity of the food to the strength of our digestion; to take always such a sort and such a measure of food, as fits light and easy on the stomach.

2. All pickled, smoaked, or salted food, and all high-seasoned, are alone unfit for ailment.

3. Nothing conduces more to health, than abstinence and plain food, with due labour.

4. For studious persons, about eight ounces of animal food, and twelve of vegetable, in twenty-four hours, are sufficient.

5. Water, though the wholesomest of all drinks, yet if used largely in time of digestion, is injurous.

6. Strong, and more especially spirituous liquors, are a certain, though slow, poison, unless well diluted, and cautiously used.

7. Experience shews, there is very seldom any danger in leaving them off all at once; unless in time of particular diseases, as of debility.

8. Strong liquors do not prevent the mischiefs of a surfeit, nor carry it off so safely as water.

9. Malt liquors (except clear small beer, or small ale, of a due age) are exceeding hurtful to tender persons.

10. Coffee and tea are extremely hurtful to persons who have weak nerves.

III. 1. All persons should eat very light suppers; and that two or three hours before going to bed.

2. To go to bed about nine, and rise at five, should be general practice.

IV. 1. A due degree of exercise is indispensably necessary to health and long life.

2. Walking is the best exercise for those who are able to bear it; riding for those who are not. The open air, when the weather is fair, contributes much to the benefit of exercise.

3. We may strengthen any weal part of the body by constant exercise. Thus the lungs may be strengthened by moderate speaking; the digestion and the nerves, by riding; the arms and hams, by strongly rubbing them daily.

. The studious ought to have slated times for exercise, at least two or three hours a-day: the one half of this before dinner, the other before going to bed.

5. They should frequently shave, and frequently wash their feet in cold water.

6. Those who read or write much, should learn to do it chiefly standing; otherwise it will impair their health.

7. The fewer clothes any one uses, by day or night, the hardier he will be; but the habit must be begun in youth.

8. Exercise, first, should be always on an empty stomach; secondly, should never be continued to weariness; thirdly, after it, we should take care to cool by degrees; otherwise we shall catch cold.

9. The flesh-brush is a most useful exercise, especially to strengthen any part that is weak.

10. Cold bathing is of great advantage to health: it prevents abundance of diseases. It promotes perspiration, helps the circulation of the blood, and prevents the danger of catching cold. Tender people should pour water upon the head before they go in, and walk in swiftly. . . .