Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

68 Calcantum = Iron sulphate
that proved this manner of curing eleven times, with great jeopardy &
peril, wrestling with this evil nine years. And yet in the mean time
taking what so ever thing was thought to withstand & resist it. For we
used baths & herbs lapped about then, & drinks & caresses, And for
this we had arsenic, ink, calcantun 68 , verdigris, or aqua fortis, which
wrought in us so bitter pain, it they might be judged very desirous of
life, it had not lever die than so to prolong their life, but though
curings were most bitter & painful, which were made with ointments,
And was also so much the more dangerous because the ministers of
it, knew not the operation thereof. For the surgeons only did not use
it, but every bold fellow went about playing the physician, giving to all
manner of men one ointment, either as he had seen it ministered to
other, or as he had suffered it himself. And so they healed all men
with one medicine, as the proverb said, ‘One shoe for both feet’. If
ought happened amiss to the sick, for lack of good council, they
knew not what to do or say. And these men tormenters were suffered
to practise on all persons what they would while the physicians were
done as in an universal error & ignorance. And so without order or
rule, with torment of heat and sweat plenty, all were cured after one
fashion, without regard of time, habit, or complexion. Neither these
ignorant anointers had not so much knowledge, as with laxatives to
take away the matter, which caused the evil, or to diet them, or
appoint any diversity of meat: but at length the matter must come to
this point, that they should lose their teeth, for they were loosed,
their mouth was all in a sore, & through coldness of the stomach &
filthy stench, they lost appetite. And although their thirst was
intolerable, yet found they no kind of drink to help the stomach,
many were so light in their brain, that they could not stand, &
some were brought into a madness & not only their hands
trembled & shook thereat, but also their feet & all the body: some
mumbled in their speaking as long as they lived, & could have no
remedy. And many I have seen die in the middle of their curing. And
one I know did so his cure, that in one day he killed three
husbandmen, through immoderate heat which they suffered
patiently, shut within an hot stewe, trusting that they should the
sooner obtain their health till through vehement heat their hearts
failed them, and perceived not themselves to die, and so were
wretchedly strangled. Other I saw die, when their throats were