Pleurisy

Pleurisy in inflammation of the Pleura, causing pain when Breathing due to loss of lubrication. It can be associated with Pneumonia and various other diseases of the Lungs or Abdomen.
The Classical symptom pattern is difficulty Breathing, Cough, pain of the sides and Fever.
Opening the Basilic Vein on the opposite side often brings good relief after taking a mild purge such as Cassia Fistula.

Violet	Maidenhair
Poppy seed	Licorice
Rue

External:
From The Treasury of Health, 1550:
1. Apply Figs beaten with Suet or Oil of Gum Arabic and form a plaster.
2. Make a plaster of Marshmallow, Fenugreek and Hemp seed.
3. Boil powdered Linseed and Fenugreek in Oil of Violets, add Butter, Mallows and Pig fat and form a plaster.

Pleuresi conferunt–Pleurisy
Barley Water
Decoction of Hyssop and Rue
Decoction for Cough (Gabelhover)
Pectoral Decoction (Augustana)
Julep of Violet
Julep of Jujube
Syrup of Hyssop (Mesue)
Syrup of Endive
Syrup of Licorice (Mesue)
Syrup of Chicory juice
Syrup of Sweet Pomegranate
Syrup of Maidenhair
Syrup of Prune
Syrup of Jujube (Mesue)
Syrup of Violet
Syrup of Hyssop Compound (Mesue)
Syrup of Licorice (Mesue)
Syrup of Violet (De morbus internis curanda)
Lohoch of Poppy (Lohoc de Papavere)
Lohoch of Squill
Tincture of Rue
Hiera Pachi, or Hiera Archigenis
Hiera Logadii
Temperate Cordial Powder of Gems
Haly’s Powder
Sugar Penid Compound with Spices (Nicholas)
Tragacanth Cooling Powder (Diatragacanth Frigidum)
Troches for Pleurisy (Mesue)
Troches for Pleurisy from Heat with Vehement Fever
Troches for Pleurisy when not from Vehement Heat
Electuary of Hyssop (Diahyssopum) (Nicholas)
Antidotum Asthmaticus (Nicholas)
Philonium Romanum (Philonium Nicolai) (Nicholas)
Oil of Violet
Oil of Orris
Oil of Water Lily
Ointment of Marshmallow
Deer Horn Bhasma (Kushta Qarnulaiyal)
Pleurisy with Phlegm and Heat
Syrup of Jujube (Mesue)
Pleurisy with Strong Heat
Syrup of Violet Compound
Syrup of Violet (De morbus internis curandis)
Haly’s Powder
Troches for Pleurisy from Heat with Vehement Fever
Pleurisy with Tough Phlegm
Syrup of Hyssop (Mesue)
Pleurisy with Deficiency
Sugar Penid (Diapenidon Frigidum) (Nichoals)
Antidotum Asthmaticus (Nicholas)
Tragacanth Cooling Powder (Diatragacanth Frigidum)
To Purge in Pleurisy
Pectoral Decoction with Agaric
Electuary of Prunes (Diaprunis lenitiva) (Nicholas)
Electuary of Dates (Diaphoenicum) (Mesue)
Catholicum (Diacatholicum) (Nicholas)
Tio Strengthen after
Pectoral Decoction
Decoction of Fruits and Flowers
Decoction to Strengthen the Lungs
Syrup of Marshmallow (Fernelius)
Electuary of Orris (Diaireos Salomonis) (Nicholas)
Electuary of Pine Nuts (Looch de Pino) (Mesue)
Electuary for the Lungs (Lemery)

TCM Classification

Primary Medicines for Phlegm
Er Chen Tang
Liu Jun Zi Tang
Phlegm in the Chest
Dao Tan Tang
Phlegm & Heat in the Chest
Xiao Chai Hu Tang
Xiao Xian Xiong Tang
Qing Qi Hua Tan Wan


1. Remove the core of an Apple, put 3–4 grains of Frankincense inside then cover with the piece removed. Bake until the apple is cooked, beat to mash then eat the apple. This formula appears in numerous texts and was often accounted very successful.	ELECTUARY FOR PLEURISY.
2. Take Costus 1 dram in Dill infusion and a spoonful of Olive oil. (Syrian “Book of Medicine”, trans. by Wallis Budge, 1913)	Lohoch of Pine nuts. 2 oz.
3. Purge them with some Cassia Fistula, then let Blood in the Basilic Vein of the arm on the opposite side. (Alexis)	Diapenidion 1 ½ drams
4. Take 3 large round Horse Dung pieces, boil in a quart of wine until 1 pint has boiled away. Sweeten and take a cupful three times a day.	Elecampane roots
5. A method of Cure:	Orris roots 2 drams ea.
Senna 6 drams	Licorice juice 2 ½ drams
Blessed Thistle half handful	Form an Electuary with Syrup of Horehound. (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)
Ginger	ELECTUARY FOR PLEURISY:
Sugar ½ oz. ea.	Cinnamon
Infuse overnight in whey. Take 4 oz. warm morning and evening. After 3 days, bleed the Liver vein, their drink during this time is a decoction of Hyssop, Violet, Licorice and Raisins. (The English Unparalleled Physician, Border, 1651)	Costus
DECOCTION FOR PLEURISY	Galbanum
Barley 3 oz.	Castoreum
Blessed Thistle 1 handful	Poppy juice
Rose	Black Pepper
Violet 1 oz. ea.	Long Pepper
Licorice 3 drams	Storax equal parts
Figs 3	Powder and form an Electuary with Honey.
Raisins 1 ½ oz.	Used for Coughing Pus or Blood, Pleurisy, pain in the Lungs; also for pain in the Stomach, Bladder or Uterus, Diarrhea, Intermittent Fever (taken an hour before the attack), also against Poison and Venomous Bites.
Boil in 16 pounds water until 2 has wasted.	Dose: as much as a bean. (Syrian “Book of Medicine”, trans. by Wallis Budge, 1913)
DECOCTION FOR PLEURISY	ELECTUARY FOR PLEURISY OF MENESTIUS
Hyssop	Gentian
Maidenhair	White Pepper 2 drams each
Figs	Saffron
Dates	Opium
Sebestens	Aniseed 3 drams each
Raisins	Powder and with sufficient Honey, form an Electuary. (Poppy seed could replace Opium in this case). Take as much as a bean with Licorice infusion. (Syrian “Book of Medicine”, trans. by Wallis Budge, 1913)
Barley	TO CLEANSE THE CHEST IN PLEURISY:
Licorice equal parts	Gum Ammoniac 1 ½ drams
Decoct and add Manna, or Cassia pulp, or Honey.	Saffron ½ dram
SYRUP OF MADDER FOR PLEURISY	Make 15 pills with Oxymel of Squill, the dose being one pill each morning. (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)
Madder	FOMENTATION FOR PLEURISY:
Plantain	Nettle
Calamint	Mallow
Hyssop	Camomile
Squill	Flax seeds 2 handfuls ea.
Orris	Myrrh 2 drams
Pine nuts	Gum Ammoniac 1 ½ drams
Birthworts (both)	Boil in 2 parts water, 1 part vinegar and apply warm to the painful part.
Licorice	OINTMENT FOR PLEURISY:
Poppy seed 20 drams each	Linseed oil 2 oz.
Decoct in water, strain, add Honey and boil gently to the thickness of Honey. Add 10 drams of Starch and a little Mastic, and mix well.	Gum Ammoniac
Used for Cough, pain in the Chest, coughing up Pus, Throat pain and benefits the Voice. It also opens obstructions of the Liver. Dose: 1 spoonful. (Syrian “Book of Medicine”, trans. by Wallis Budge, 1913)	Myrrh 1 ½ drams
	Dissolve the gums in vinegar, strain, heat with the oil and with wax make an ointment.

1. Remove the core of an Apple, put 3–4 grains of Frankincense inside then cover with the piece removed. Bake until the apple is cooked, beat to mash then eat the apple. This formula appears in numerous texts and was often accounted very successful.

ELECTUARY FOR PLEURISY.

2. Take Costus 1 dram in Dill infusion and a spoonful of Olive oil. (Syrian “Book of Medicine”, trans. by Wallis Budge, 1913)

Lohoch of Pine nuts. 2 oz.

3. Purge them with some Cassia Fistula, then let Blood in the Basilic Vein of the arm on the opposite side. (Alexis)

Diapenidion 1 ½ drams

4. Take 3 large round Horse Dung pieces, boil in a quart of wine until 1 pint has boiled away. Sweeten and take a cupful three times a day.

Elecampane roots

5. A method of Cure:

Orris roots 2 drams ea.

Senna 6 drams

Licorice juice 2 ½ drams

Blessed Thistle half handful

Form an Electuary with Syrup of Horehound. (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)

Ginger

ELECTUARY FOR PLEURISY:

Sugar ½ oz. ea.

Cinnamon

Infuse overnight in whey. Take 4 oz. warm morning and evening. After 3 days, bleed the Liver vein, their drink during this time is a decoction of Hyssop, Violet, Licorice and Raisins. (The English Unparalleled Physician, Border, 1651)

Costus

DECOCTION FOR PLEURISY

Galbanum

Barley 3 oz.

Castoreum

Blessed Thistle 1 handful

Poppy juice

Rose

Black Pepper

Violet 1 oz. ea.

Long Pepper

Licorice 3 drams

Storax equal parts

Figs 3

Powder and form an Electuary with Honey.

Raisins 1 ½ oz.

Used for Coughing Pus or Blood, Pleurisy, pain in the Lungs; also for pain in the Stomach, Bladder or Uterus, Diarrhea, Intermittent Fever (taken an hour before the attack), also against Poison and Venomous Bites.

Boil in 16 pounds water until 2 has wasted.

Dose: as much as a bean. (Syrian “Book of Medicine”, trans. by Wallis Budge, 1913)

DECOCTION FOR PLEURISY

ELECTUARY FOR PLEURISY OF MENESTIUS

Hyssop

Gentian

Maidenhair

White Pepper 2 drams each

Figs

Saffron

Dates

Opium

Sebestens

Aniseed 3 drams each

Raisins

Powder and with sufficient Honey, form an Electuary. (Poppy seed could replace Opium in this case). Take as much as a bean with Licorice infusion. (Syrian “Book of Medicine”, trans. by Wallis Budge, 1913)

Barley

TO CLEANSE THE CHEST IN PLEURISY:

Licorice equal parts

Gum Ammoniac 1 ½ drams

Decoct and add Manna, or Cassia pulp, or Honey.

Saffron ½ dram

SYRUP OF MADDER FOR PLEURISY

Make 15 pills with Oxymel of Squill, the dose being one pill each morning. (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)

Madder

FOMENTATION FOR PLEURISY:

Plantain

Nettle

Calamint

Mallow

Hyssop

Camomile

Squill

Flax seeds 2 handfuls ea.

Orris

Myrrh 2 drams

Pine nuts

Gum Ammoniac 1 ½ drams

Birthworts (both)

Boil in 2 parts water, 1 part vinegar and apply warm to the painful part.

Licorice

OINTMENT FOR PLEURISY:

Poppy seed 20 drams each

Linseed oil 2 oz.

Decoct in water, strain, add Honey and boil gently to the thickness of Honey. Add 10 drams of Starch and a little Mastic, and mix well.

Gum Ammoniac

Used for Cough, pain in the Chest, coughing up Pus, Throat pain and benefits the Voice. It also opens obstructions of the Liver. Dose: 1 spoonful. (Syrian “Book of Medicine”, trans. by Wallis Budge, 1913)

Myrrh 1 ½ drams

Dissolve the gums in vinegar, strain, heat with the oil and with wax make an ointment.