1. Diuretic Pills.
Take powder'd Bees 2 dram; Salt Prunel 1 dram; Salt of Amber, Mustard seed, each half a dram; Oil of Aniseed 12 drops; Venice Turpentine sufficient to make all up into Pills for 12 Doses.
They liquefy the compages of the Blood, deterge the Glands and interior Recesses of the Body, stimulates the Reins, scour out Mucus and Sand, and powerfully provoke Urine.
Moreover given at night, they egregiously assist the Tunbridge Water Drinkers, whensoever the Waters (either by reason of pituitose Obstructions, or the sluggishness of the propelling Fibres) remain in the Habit of the Body, and pass not off, as they ought to do.
But as to Water-drinking, young Practioners must observe that there are two Cases in which such acrious Medicines as this, are in no wise convenient.
First, When the Waters stagnate in the Habit of the Body, because of some Feverish Intemperies or Acrid Diathesis of the Blood; which by troubling the Spirits, and irritating the Fibres, contract and crisp up the Tubuli, and shut up the little Passages. And in this Case, Bleeding, Laxatives, Refrigerants, Liniments, and Demulcents come in opportunely.
Secondly, When the Waters are stopt, not in the Habit of the Body, but in the Ventricle itself, and first passages, and are felt as an oppressive fulness and weight, for then Diuretics are not indicated; but Aromatics, Carminitives, warm Stomachics, and such things as heat and comfort, and revive the function of Expulsion. This Reason perswades, and Experience teaches.
Thomas Fuller
Pharmacopeia Extemporanea 1710