THE Cure OF THE PLAGUE BY AN ANTIDOTE CALLED AURUM VITAE.  
Being well approved to be an easy safe, and perfect cure thereof; as also of contagious Agues, or fevers beginning either Hot or Cold.  
The description, order, and use whereof, together with the said Antidote, are to be sold at the Shop of NICHOLAS BOURNE, Stationer, at the South Entrance of the ROYAL EXCHANGE.  
Invented and produced by John Woodall, Master in SURGERY.  
Published by Authority.  
LONDON: Printed by E. P. for Nicholas Bourne. 1640   

To the Reader.  
The Author sendeth greeting in the Lord.  
Showing, that he having of late published some works in Surgery, and amongst the rest, a Treatise concerning the cure of the Plague, which works, although they are allowed and well approved of by many right worthy personages, for the matter in them contained, yet nevertheless the Author findeth, he hath by improvidence failed of his desires in one of the main points he aimed at, in the production of those works, which was in the putting forth of the Treatise of the Plague in one and the same volume, with the rest of his works, for whereas his intent was, that treatise above the rest should have been common, and open to every person, and also to have been at an easy rate for the poorer sort, in which case his best course had been to have printed it by itself, so had it borne its own burden of price, but by reason that the other treatises are bound up together with it, the book will cost ten shillings, which the poorer sort cannot buy, and they commonly have the greatest need thereof, especially in that dreadful Disease of the Plague; wherefore, partly through solicitation of some Friends, and partly, for that the present time of Infection requireth help, he hath thought fit to draw out of the said Treatise, that one principal Medicine called Aurum Vitae, and to publish it by itself, with an expression of the virtues and uses thereof, for the present occasion, and service of any person which shall think good to make use thereof, or that shall for the future be disposed to be provided before hand, against a time of need, of such a Medicine, as will not decay in seven years and more.  
VALE.   

A DESCRIPTION OF THE CORDIAL ANTIDOTE CALLED aurum VITAE.  
THis Antidote, at one only time given, taketh away the pestilential fever, and thereby cureth the Plague, that the patient frequently becometh well the very next day; especially if the Medicine be taken upon the first day of the complaint; he or she observing of certain easy Rules hereafter prescribed, concerning the order of administering thereof, and it is so easy and safe a Medicine, that an Infant, although it suck upon the mother's breasts, may safely take it; yea, and may easily be induced to receive it into the Body: for that it is small in quantity, and is without offence in taste or smell to any: Also, it may safely be given to any Woman that is great with child, whereof diverse trials have been had with safety and comfort.  

The Dose of Aurum Vitae.  The Dose or quantity sufficient thereof for a Man or Woman to take at any one time, is but eight grains, and by that proportion, any discreet person may gather what may be given to any younger person: viz. A child of two full years old, may safely take two grains, and a child of four or five years old, may take three grains, or four, and one about fourteen years may take six grains, and one of eighteen, nineteen, or twenty years old, or more, may safely take the full of eight grains.  
And note that this medicine performeth its operation only by sweat which is the truest and safest way of the entrance upon that cure of the Plague (for the most part) and also it doth ●t without moving the body either upwards or downward; and namely it causeth no vomits nor stools: neither is it at all nauseous or offensive to the stomach, neither any ways causing extraordinary thirst, nor faintness to the patient, but on the contrary, the patient, when his sweeting is over, shall manifestly feel cheerfulness, as being much refreshed thereby, with also an abatement of his pains, and his fever will be gone at the only once taking thereof, neither shall the patient need to overburden himself with too many clothes to force him or her to sweat: for the medicine of itself sufficiently performeth that duty, only he may be ordered to have somewhat more to cover him, than the ordinary coverings he usually lieth under, and the room ought likewise to be kept warm with a fire therein, for that cold air in time of sweating, is obnoxious and dangerous.  
And further, 
Of the continuance of its virtue.  this Medicine may be kept seven whole years and longer, if occasion and need be, it will not decay in that time, for it being truly prepared of gold, is thereby permanent above other Medicines, and loseth not its virtue as vegetable medicines do: But as Gold, that excellent mineral, excelleth all other metals, in price and virtue; even so the true prepared medicines thereof, as far exceed all other mineral medicines in their virtues, in the preserving and defending of men from Diseases, as also in curing their inffrmities, when by God's permission they seize upon the bodies of mankind.  
And whereas other strong medicines commonly work two ways at once, namely by sweat, and also by Vomit, whereby they fiercely distract the Patient, and produce fearful accidents, as if death itself were at hand, by two violent expulfions at one time, yea oftentimes by a third, viz. By purging downward: Also this most safe, and sweating medicine, performeth as much as it promiseth, pleasantly, and without rigour or nautious offence, as well in the Plague, as also in other contagious diseases, and namely in the small Pox, where Nature also striveth to thrust out her venomous enemy, per poros cutis, or by the sweat holes of the skin, and that course of curing, is of all other the safest, in a contagious Disease at the first entrance, which then consisteth rather of poisonous vapours vapours then of putrefaction of humours, in which regard the aforesaid course is safe, for it is a fearful thing, yea, and a desperate one (as I conceive) to purge in the beginning of a contagious disease.  

To cure Agues or fevers that are contagious.  This Medicine is also approved good to be given in the beginning of any contagious Ague or fever, hot or cold, and for the most part, it cureth the patient at once giving, and it faileth seldom.  

Of the rule and order to be held in the taking of this Antidote for the cure of the Plague.  
FIrst the patient is to be demanded if he had any stool that day, or the day before, and if yea, all is well for that point; if otherwise, and that you find you have time to tarry so long (else not) let the patient have only a suppository that may move him once, and when he hath had one stool thereby, proceed without any further delay to the administering of the Antidote; for delays are dangerous in that fierce disease, and whether the patient at that instant be found sweating, burning, quaking, raving, or in any other distemper give it in, and the party that taketh it, ●ought to be in his warm bed fitted with sufficient coverings before he takes this Medicine in, then let him take it, either mixed with some cordial thing, if he please, as a little Mithridate, or give it mixed with the pap of an Apple, which will do as well, and so it is easiest taken in by infants (as I suppose) for it needs no addition at all to add virtue to it, only the addition chiefly serves to carry or convey the medicine without wasting into the stomach, for that it is a powder small in quantity, and subject to waste.  
Also the party that is to take it, 
Necessaries to be provided before the taking.  must have before hand an ordinary posset of Ale and milk to the quantity of a quart very warm, which when he hath taken his medicine, shortly after let him drink a reasonable full draught of the said posset well warmed, and then lying on the one side, which side the patient please, let him be warm covered, head, face and all, leaving full breathing scope, and so in God's name let him lie still and sweat gently, if he can bear it for three or four hours were best, & ever as he thirsteth, let him freely take warm posset drink, which were best to be given him in some cruet or spout-pot, if such were at hand, that he take no air by raising himself up in drinking. And when he hath performed his due sweeting, let him be wiped dry and shifted, and then give the patient some warm broth▪ And further by divers experiences the Author hath found, that a patient so healed (shifting his clothes) infecteth not an other, although he go abroad the next day, for by that strong sweating the venom of the disease is wholly evaporated and gone, so as the next day he may by God's mercy safely go abroad, but for the day of his sweating let him keep within, and give him food competent in a sparing quantity, such as is of a light digestion, and deny him not drink, so that it be somewhat warm at the fire only for that day.  
Thus much for those which take the medicine within 24 hours of the first complaint. Item unto such as the disease hath taken greater hold of, namely that before the receit of the aforesaid Antidote, the patient have outward tumors, swellings or soars, as Botches, Carbuncles, or blains, not yet broken nor ripe, if he take the medicine as aforesaid, and sweat well upon it, the venom of the sores as is said, shall, through God's Mercy, be so evapourated by his sweeting, that the swellings shall decline of themselves, and not at all come forward, and if any after do break, as being formerly supperated, or ripe before the medicine took place, they also shall, as ordinary boyles, easily and quickly heal with every mean medicine.  
And notwithstanding generally, once sweating healeth the Patient, yet nevertheless if occasion be, he may safely take a second Dosse, or proportion, yea, and a third without danger; as diverse have done, so that he may be the more confident of perfect health; nevertheless if he find his desire by the first, let him not take a second, and if by a second, let him not take a third, for sweating medicines, too often taken, are obnoxious to a dijected week patient.   

The virtue of the precedent Antidote, in the cure of the small Pox.  
THe Disease of the small Pox, hath great affinity with that most fearful Disease of the Plague, being also contagious and deadly often times, and the cure thereof I have experienced to be by the same way, as the cure of the Plague, only the cure of the small Pox succeeds best, if it be begun before that they do manifest themselves, and namely, in the first day of the fever, or soon after, for that disease hath ever a forerunning hot fever, or Ague, for a messenger, wherefore it were not amiss for any that hath young children, especially in times that are contagious and infectious, to be prepared with remedies at hand, to fit such an unwelcome guest, considering the medicine will keep its virtue for more than seven years.  
Moreover, for the manner of the sweeting in the small Pox, let it be very wearily and gently, and with no more clothes than will keep the patients sweating, and defend them from taking cold, and deny not them warm posset-drink in the time of their sweeting.  
Also, when any person is desirous to take the benefit of the aforesaid medicine, having an Ague, or fever, with paraxismes or fits, let him not take the medicine in the time of the fit, but one full hour as is said, before the fit, or rather more, but if the fever be continual, as often in that fierce disease of the Plague it is, give it at any time in manner aforesaid; for if he take it, and his burning change into sweating, which the medicine usually produceth, the fear of Death in the Patient is half over.  
And further of a truth, the Author can affirm that he hath cured some by the heretofore mentioned Antidote, that had the Pestities, or spots of the Plague, vulgarly called God's tokens, upon them, and they are yet living witnesses thereof; for which, and all other his exceeding favours in that fearful disease, the Almighty God alone be glorified: And so the Author briefly eoncludeth with a Copy of a certificate concerning the virtue of the before mentioned Antidote, Aurum Vitae, referring the Reader for further attestation to the author's book called the surgeon's Mate, or military and domestic surgery.  
The Copy of a Certificate, concerning the virtue of the precedent Antidote; called Aurum Vitae, from the Justices, Ministers, and other the Officers of the Parish of S. Margaret Westminster, as it was by them presented to the Right Honourable, Henry, Earl of Manchester, Lord Privy seal, &c. which by his Lordship was presented to the rest of his majesty's most Honourable Privy counsel.  
We the Inhabitants of Saint Margaret's in Westminster whose names are here under written, do most humbly certify your Lordships, and that upon our own knowledge, that in this time of visitation of the Plague, fevers, Agues, and other diseases, which have been very grievous and great afflictions unto us: It pleased Almighty God by the hands of one John Woodall chirurgeon of the East India Gompany, and of his majesty's hospital of Saint Bartholomew's in London, a learned, judicial, and expert man, which said John Woodall about five weeks before Michaelmas last, delivered unto some of us, who were Officers in this said Parish, an Antidote composed in Pills, which he had made us, with directions how they should be administered to such as had the Plague, fevers, Agues, or any such violent diseases, that then remained among us; which said Pills have been employed very carefully, according to his said directions, and administered to threescore several persons, some of this new fever, some of the small Pox, some Agues, and some other diseases, but most, to them that were visited with the Plague, which had risings, soars, Carbuncles, blains, and were certainly known to have that fearful disease, all which persons recovered, and not one of all them that have taken the said pills, died, thanks be given to Almighty God: neither can we do less than publish the great skill, judgement, and charity of the said John Woodall, by whose industry and care this Antidote hath wrought so good effect, and did bestow them freely, without one penny recompense for the same.  
Westmincter the 6 of October. 1638. 

Pet. Heywood, justice.  
Rob. White, sub-Curate.  
Thomas Mar. churchwardens.  
Richard Protter. churchwardens.  
William Hawkins. 

Copia vera  
Tho. Kirke.    
Edward Martin.    
And for Satisfaction of such Persons, as being in health, desire preservatives, the Author observing, that although his Antidote, be granted to be a cure for the diseased of the Plague yet nevertheless thereby it giveth not those that are well, satisfaction concerning their desires, which are rather for the present, to be furnished with some good preservative Medicine, such as by art, through God's permission, may preserve them in health from that dreadful disease, that it seize not upon them unawares; Wherefore to satisfy such, he hath prepared two preservative helps, the one being a powder to be inwardly taken, fasting each morning, the quantity of eight grains, either in beer, Ale, or wine; Or to children, if it be mixed with butter, and spread upon their bread, or given them in milk, or any way else that they will be induced to take it in, it sufficeth; And that they fast two hours after it, they may rely upon it, as on a good preservative, well approved of: And further, if any man, woman, or child, should accidentally or willingly take treble the quantity prescribed, they may safely do it without any danger at all: Yet by way of a preservative as is said to prevent the coming of the disease, the Author holdeth the aforesaid quantity of eight grains is sufficient.  
The second preservative intended for correction of the air, is to be carried in a box, about the person of any, to make use of it at their wills, that they may often smell thereto, and thence draw in a preservative air to defend them from the danger of noisome vapours, which commonly the Plague entreth by, as sent from the Almighty, who alone defendeth from, sendeth to, and of his merciful providence cureth the Plague; unto whom be ascribed all honour, and glory Amen,  
These 2 last recited Medicines, are to be sold with the Antidote, ready prepared for use, By Nicholas Bourne, as aforesaid.