Cache-Control: public, max-age=1024000 Pharmacopoeia Extemporanea: An Anodyne Plaister

An Anodyne Plaister.

Take Red Lead Plaister 4 ounces; Oil of Lilies half an ounce; Venice Turpentine 2 drams; Opium, Camphire, Sugar of Lead, each 2 scruples, mix.

It refrigerates, and to a wonder, appeases Pains and Tortures, yea sometimes (laid to the Back) even Nephritic Pains.

Although a little Opium taken inwardly can so affect the Spirits, as to stop their activity, and thereby stupefy Pain; yet I must confess, I have a secret Doubt with my self, whether outwardly applied, it be Anodine. For it abounds with a fiery volatile Salt, and strong foetid sulphur, is inflammable. bitter, acrid, and so very hot, that perhaps it's in the highest degree of Discutients, and almost a Caustic. And so it seems but ill- suited for and Anodine, whose Business is to cool the Fervour that Pain raised in the part, to afford a benigne Moisture to dilute and temper the Acrimony of irritating Salts, and supple and mollifie the Tense Distorted, and divulsed nervous Fibrillae: So that the solid parts returning to their due Laxity, Temper and Position, the Fluids may freely flow again through them, as Nature appointed.

Thomas Fuller
Pharmacopeia Extemporanea 1710