A Glyster of Bitters.
Take Virginia Snake root powder'd 1 dram; pulp of Coloquintida (tied up in a nodule) 1 scruple; Tansy, Savine tops, each half a handful; decoct in Water to 6 ounces; strain and add Oil of St. John's Wort half an ounce; chymical Oil of Wormwood half a dram; Species of Hiera picra half a scruple, mix
It kills and expels Ascarides which have their residence near the Anus. But as to the other common long sort of Worms, while they are well, and lively to creep about; and inclinable to ascend into the upper Guts and Stomach, the bitter Glyster is not to be administered, lest it force them upwards, where they may prove very troublesome and mischievous. But the true and effectual way for them is, first to give Anthelminthics by the Mouth for some Days, to make the Worms weak and languishing, and to drive them down into the lower Guts, and then after that, the bitter Glyster to fetch them out.
The Ascarides are but a feeble Nation, and yet so exceedingly hard to be destroy'd, that tho' they should all and every individual be drove out, yet there will not be an end of 'em so, for a new and numerous Off-spring will, in a little time be hatch'd out of their Eggs, which they leave deposited in the Intestinun rectum. And therefore assure yourself, its of no great avail to expel the Parents unless their Seeds be also extirpated, and clean cast out.
And this may be best achiev'd, if we do not presently give over the Glyster, as soon as the Ascarides cease coming away, and are quiet, but repeat them every third Day, and after once a Week, 'till they, their Nests and Eggs are all torn off, and thrown out, which piece of Practice I have not yet found in any Author.
Since I wrote this, I have met with something like it in Mecurialis (Consil. 13. p.71) Id minime filentio praetereundum judico, and consumendam omnem Ascaridum materiam; delendam Instestinorum proprietatum; nec non praecavendum ne malum redeat, detur Aloes Scrupulus unus singula quaq; hebdomade. To prevent their return, give every Week a scruple of Aloes.
And I found in Bartholine (Act. Med. Col. 4. cap. 46.) an account of a Woman of 50, who for many years had a fresh brood of Ascarides hatch'd every Month, and which (when numerously swarming) she easily expell'd them with a Wormwood Glyster. She told him their manner was, to come at the new Moon, continue the first Quarter, and never trouble her all the rest of the Month.
From this Relation I conclude, that such an eradicating Glyster as this, given every new Moon, and first Quarter, for some Months, may probably destroy them quite.
Thomas Fuller
Pharmacopeia Extemporanea 1710