A Carminative Glyster.
Take Camomile Flowers, Bay Berries, each half an ounce; sweet Fennel, and Cummin Seeds (added at last) each 2 Drams; boil in Water to 12 ounces; strain, and add Brandy 2 ounces; Oil Olive 1 ounce; Oil of Anniseed 2 drams.
It's useful, and good for the Intestines, when refrigerated, debilitated, relaxed, obstructed, lined with Phlegm, blown up, and tortured with Wind and Flatus. In particular, in the Wind Colic, Hypochondriac, and Hysteric Affections; in a general Dropsie, and Marasmus also, when it happens (without an Hectic Fever) upon the account of want of Concoction, and Distribution into the Lacteal Veins.
For the better apprehending of this, I wou'd have it understood, that Wind and Flatus are very different things.
Wind is what is caused by either windy Diet; or else by bad Digestion, or by both. It's no where but in the Cavity of the Stomach, or Intestines; it happens presently upon eating; it discovers itself by a little Sickness, and Fulness at Stomach, Yawning, and Drowsiness, which in a while either finds vent upward, or if it pass into the Guts, puffeth up the Abdomen, rumbleth about a while, and so breaks away downward, or else if it continue pent up there, causing a pinching Pain, it's what I call a Wind Colic, and is no great Illness, (provided the Stomach and Intestines be not organically depraved) but easily cured by Glysters, Carminatives, and Paragorics.
Flatus, (which Helmont calls Gas Sylvestre, an invisble, impalpable, and incoercible Spirit, and may perhaps be likened to that of bottled flying Ale, the wild part of which no Chymist can catch) is produced by an Acrid Glandulous Juice, viciously fermenting with a crude viscous Matter, and that not in the Cavity of the Intestines so much as in their Membranes, the Mesentery, yea and uttermost Loculi of the Body, where the Arteries have thrown out, and deposited it. This throubleth mostly when the Party is empty, and is what I mean Hypochondriac, and Hysteric Affections, such as unaccountable Uneasiness, Vermiculations, Flushings, acid Ructus, Tension of the Hypochondria, craoking of the Guts, Gripes, and what uesth to be called Vapours, and Spleen Pains.
In this case, these Glysters do good, by appeasing the Spirits, comforting the weak Fibres, attenuating heavy Phlegm, correcting the Intestinal Glands, discussing the Fermenting Combinations, and driving them out of the Body.
But when it rises higher, and the Case becomes downright Convulsive, as it doth in a true Hysteric Colic, then every extranous thing on the tender Membranes gives Offence and irritates, and increases the exorbitant Explosions. Of which see more in the next ensuing.
Thomas Fuller
Pharmacopeia Extemporanea 1710