AN EPITOME of the whole course of Physicke.
PARS I.
SEeing you are desirous to bee admitted to the practise of physicke; let mee heare how you know your selfe fitte and able to practice in so noble an Arte; for euerie man is not sitte to be a Physition, according to the prouerbe, Ex quolibet ligno non fit Mercurius: therefore tell me first, what manner of man a Physition must be.
A Physition must be learned, Medici Dores. iudiciall, sober, of honest conuersation, [Page 2] not full of wordes, but secret, chaste, truely Religious, not couetous, or giuen to wine; and finally, hee must be a Philosopher, according to the saying, vbi desinit Philosophus, incipit Medicus.
It is most true, and that is it which Hippocrates crieth out on, when hee did perceiue how hard a matter it was to bee a perfect, Physition: vitae breuis, ars longa, occasio praeceps, experimentum periculosum, iudicium difficile. As if he should haue said, the whole life of man will not suffice to attaine vnto a full knowledge of the Arte of Physick; for it spreadeth it selfe so large, that if it bee compared with the course of mans life, the life is so short, that it is not sufficient to attaine to a full knowledge of the whole Arte. And Galen himselfe affirmeth, in Libro De pulsibus, that hee had spent many yeares in the practise thereof, and yet could not attaine to a perfect knowledge of the same. If then this happened vnto the Prince of Physitions (Hippocrates excepted) what may we thinke our selues able to attaine vnto? If, I say, hee spent so much time and labour in one part of [Page 3] physicke, how much time and labour may bee required to attaine to a fulll knowledge of the whole art? And therfore it is a great error in such men, that doe dreame that the art of physicke may be easily attined vnto: so that if they haue gotten two or three Chimical medicines, without any other grounds; they professe themselues to be great Doctors and cunning Physitions. But to let that passe; let me heare your definition of physicke: tell me, what is physicke?
Physicke is an arte that doth preserue the body of man in health; and being sicke, cureth the diseases of the same.
Or physicke, according to Hippocrates, is adiection, and subtraction: or according to Galen in his Arte paerua; It is the knowledge of things healthfull, of things vnhealthfull, and of neither.
Shew me how that may be.
It may bee three waies, as the body, the cause, and the signe: as that is a healthful body which enioyeth health; a healthful cause which worketh or conserueth health: that is an healthful signe which doth demonstrate health to bee [Page 4] present: and that is said to bee an vnhealthfull body which is sickely: and vnhealthfull cause, which worketh the disease: an vnhealthful signe, which sheweth the kind and greatnesse of the disease, or doeth premonstrate the euent thereof. We call that a neuter, that neither enioyeth health nor sickenes, which is not perfectly sound, nor yet sicke.
Or physick is the study of things natural, of things not natural, and of things against nature.
Into how many parts is physick diuided?
There [...]re in generall fine parts of physicke: the 1. is Physiologia, and searcheth out the whole nature and constitution of man: th [...] 2 is Hugiena, and doth study in the preseruation of the health of man: the 3. is Pathologia, and is exerc [...]ed in searching out the sickn [...] & the cause: the 4 is Semcou [...]e, and is exercised in hewing the signe either o [...] [...]ife or death: the 5. is Therapeutica, and that teacheth the order of curing, affects besides nature: and vnder this last part is comprehended three other parts, Dieta, compositio medicamentorum, and Chirurgia.
I see you are reasonably wel acquainted with the definition, and diuision of the art. But you told me but now that physick was the study of things natural, of things not natural, and of things against nature: tell mee, what are those things that you terme naturall?
Those things that are termed Res naturales. naturall are seuen: Elements, temperaments, humours, spirits, parts, faculties, and functions: in the knowledge of which Physiologia, or the knowledge of naturall things is exercised.
Tel me then, what is an Element?
Element is a body most pure, and simple, & the least part of the same wherin Elementum quid. it is: which c [...] not be diuided into any other kind, and of it all things natural haue their originall beginning. This definition is taken out of Galen and Aristotle, and therefore cannot be denied.
How many Elements are there?
There are are foure Elements: viz. the fire, which is extreame hotte and moderately drie: the aire extreame moist and moderately hot: the water extream cold and moderately moist: the earth extream drie & moderately cold. In heat [Page 6] the fire with the aire, and in drines with the earth, in moisture the aire, with the water, and in heat with the fire; in coldnesse the water with the earth, and in moisture with the aire; the earth in drines with the fire, and in coldnesse with the water, doe all consent and agree. And as the water to the fire is extreame contrary, so is the aire to the earth: of the mixture of these Elements all naturall bodies haue their composition. And yet it is nothing necessary that they be equally mingled in the body, but according to that that hath dominion, the body is named cholerick, sanguin, phlegmatick, or melancholick; and haue their denomination of the foure naturall humors: viz. choler, blood, flegme, and melancholy, which take their qualities of the Elements: for choler is hot & drie according to the nature of the fire, and blood is hot and moist according to the nature of the aire, flegme is cold & moist according to the water, & melancholy in no point doth disagree from the earth.
You haue well declared how naturall bodies are framed by the mixture of the Elements: let me heare how [Page 7] briefly you can shew me the differences of temperatures.
Temperatures are in number Temperamentum. nine, whereof there are eight do exceed; and therefore they may be better called distemperatures, then temperatures: the ninth is temperate, for it doeth exceed in no quality. Of distemperatures there be foure simple, and foure compound: the simple are heat, cold, drines, & moisture, of the which ioyned together distemperatures are made. The ninth is neither hot, cold, dry, nor moist, & it is framed of them all: and that is it which the Grecians do call [...], that is, Bene temperatū, or according to the Arithmeticians, [...]. Tēperamentū ad pondus, a cōplexion measured by weight; because there are as many degrees of heat as there are of cold, of drines as there are of moisture: the other which be distemperatures, be not measured by weight, but by dignity; as in the heart wel tempered, heat doth exceed; in the braine well tempered, moisture doth exceed; in the fatte wel tempered, cold; in Temperamentum secund. iustitiam distributiuam. the bones wel tempered, drines: and this is called temperamentum secundùm iustitiam distributiuam, a temperature rightly [Page 8] measured or disposed with equality.
But is it possible to find a body so complexioned that we may say, here is a body framed of the foure Elements, ad pōdus, that is, to a iust & equal proportiō?
I am perswaded that it is altogether impossible for any man to find such a body, that the soure Elements may be said to be equally proportioned in him: for either heat or moisture hath still the predomination, or coldnes and drines. And yet I thinke it not to be impossible, but that there may be such a body. but hard to be found, as hard to come by as Quintilians Orator, or the wise man which the Stoicks defined: a man harder to come by then the rich Iewell, the Philosophers stone, which although diuers brag that it may be framed, yet it can neuer be attained vnto: so we may imagine such a man to bee, as by the consent of nature was neuer framed, nor is euer like to be. But if there be any that can find a man that is neither too grosse nor Definition of a temperate man. too slender nor very ful of haire, nor yet smoth & without haire, nor soft, nor yet hard, blacke nor white, hot nor cold, drie nor moist: and to be brief, such a one that [Page 9] keepeth a meane without al excesse, if, I say, we can find such a one, then are we sure we haue a body complexioned ad pondus, and to just proportion.
Then you conclude there can be found no body so framed, that it may be termed Corpus temperatum an pondus
It is very true. Read fernel. L [...]onar. Tuc. & Iohn Rolanus.
Then shew me the iudgement and signes of Temperaments.
That was I minded to performe if you had not spoken thereof: for it is to no end to know the differences of temperatures if we know not the signes of the same also. First then we know by the touching, heate from cold, moysture from drithe: and those that are of a soft disposition of body, the flesh being laxe and thinne, them wee iudge to bee moyst: those that haue a thicke and a hard skinne, them wee iudge to be drie. Then wee proceed as well to physicall actions, as to morall, neither doe wee account physicall onely naturall, but vitall, and the animall also. Morall actions are assects of a body concupiscible, angry, and rationall: for Galen in one booke doth teach that [Page 10] Animimores sequuntur temperamentū corporis: that the disposition of the mind doth follow the temperature of the bodie. In men that by nature are hot, the heart, and the Artiers beate vehemētly: but in men of a cold disposition, the heart and pulse beate remisly and slowly: men of an hot dispositiō, are very much inclined to lust and venerie; the cold disposition is for the most part very flow or vnable: notwithstanding it sometimes doth happen, that the hot complexion proueth vnfit for Venus, because the members of generation are ouer cold.
The hot complexion is prone vnto anger, they are of a proud and hautie stomack, but the cold are feareful, sober, and of an abiect mind: the hot complexion is crafty, subtill, and ingenious, but the cold is dull, slowe and obtuse in vnderstanding: the hot complexion hath swift motions of the mind, but the cold is of a slow and dull spirit: In like manner in hot complexions, the teeth doe soner grow and increase, then in the cold.
We must also consider the forme and [Page 11] shape of the body, whether it bee fat or leane, because that leauenes doth argue an hot body, and the fatnes a cold bodie: which is to bee vnderstood by nature, not by disease, or by custome, as in extraordinarie cares, immoderate vse of Ʋenus, too vehement and often exercise, and long fasting, all these cause a leane and a thin body: so in like manner idlenes, much banquetting, and delicious liuing, doth sometimes cause, that a body naturally giuen to bee leane, may grow fat: And so also a cold disposition may grow leane, by greefe, by cares, by hunger, & such like, for the body may be so macerated, that it may waxe leane contrary to nature.
Besides, the cold complexion is not so hairy as the hot, as may be perceiued by Eunuchs and women which are of a glaber and smooth skinne. The signe that is taken from the colour of the haire is deceitful, because that the colour of the haire is chāged with the age by the dominiō of a red, yellow, black, or white humor: for in the first age the haires that Calidi sunt vilosi et birsuti. are yellow, heate increasing through age, they waxe black at the length, the [Page 8] [...] [Page 9] [...] [Page 10] [...] [Page 11] [...] [Page 12] same heare vanishing, and much slegme increasing, they waxe white. In like manner, by things receiued into the body, the constitution is discerned: for the hot complexion is offended with hot things, as wine not delayed, vehement exercise, meates with hot spices, and they fall quickly into hot diseases, as into Feuers, and other cholerick diseases; but those hot things are beneficiall vnto cold complexions. Moreouer the temperatures of the principall parts, as of the heart, the liuer, the braine, and the testicles, and of those necessarie parts of life, as the stomach, and the lungs are knowne by their proper signes, as Galen teacheth in his Arteparua, of which, for the most part Oribasius, and Paulus, haue written and set forth in their Synopses.
Well, I would haue you as Def. hum. Humor esl succus naturalis guo corpus totum nutritur, souetur et conseruatur. briesly discourse of humors, to the intent wee may not stand ouer long about this first part, which is called Physiologia.
I haue already sayd that there are foure principall humors, bloud, choler, slegme, and melancholy, & these are called Primogeniti filij quatuor elemētoruin: [Page 13] for choler is of the nature of the fire, Omne liquidum & fluxile corpus humidum. flegme of the water, the melancholick humor of the earth, bloud of the aire, for bloud is hot and moist, as is the aire.
Wee will not stand long to discourse of humors, because I am perswaded that you are sufficiētly studied therein: but tell me your opinion, is bloud the onely nourishment of the body or no?
It is the opinion of Aristotle, that Sanguiaem solum my [...]ire. bloud is the only nourishment of the body, & preseruer therof. Although some are of opinion, that because some parts are spermatick, and other fleshie, that therefore the fleshie parts are nourished with the blond, & the spermarick parts with the seed, and the bones with the marrow, & the stomach with that which is called Chilus, that therefore blood is not the only nourisher. To which I answere, that al those parts are nourished with the bloud, some immediatly, as the sleshie parts, some mediatly, as the solid parts: for the seminal liquor is nothing but bloud, made white by the coctiō alteratiue of the solid parts. The marrow also is framed of the bloud, and therefore according to the Logicians, Causa causae sit causa causati: for [Page 14] the bloud is the materiall cause both of Causa causae sit causae causati. the marrow and the seed, and therefore it is not to bee doubted but that all the parts are nourished with the bloud; but the stomach to be nourished with Chilus, is affirmed by Galen tertīo de naturalibus facultatibus: But there it is abused by the name of Nutrition: for it satisfieth the animall appetite by his quality, that is to say by his sweetnes: but not the natural quality by his substance. And it may very well be perceiued by the infant in the mothers wombe, whose stomack is nourished and doth grow, not by Chilus, because hee receiueth no such nourishment by the mouth, but materno sanguine, which the liuer draweth by the veines of the nauell: and therefore the stomach is nourished with that bloud, which it doth containe in his veines, and not by Chilus.
I am also of your opinion, but I pray you go forwards, and declare vnto mee the differences of humours.
I will in no wise omit the differences of humours, which be in number eight, foure naturall, and foure vnnaturall: I haue alreadie shewed that the naturall [Page 15] is bloud, flegme, choler, and melancholy, the vnnatural is the same, turned by putrefaction, or else some otherwise from their natural qualities; but as for the generation of them, it is by the vertue of the liuer, working vpon the matter and substance of food receiued into the stomack for the nourishment of Generatio humorum. the body: And euen as there is perceiued in new wine, foure differences of humours, viz. the flower or boyling of the wine, secōdly the watry substance of the wine, thirdly the feces or dregges thereof, and lastly the pure and sincere wine: so of Chilus in the liuer part is made bloud, part watrish flegme, part yellow choler, and part grosse or blacke choler.
What is bloud?
Bloud is a temperate humor, hot, and moist, sweet, the apt and conuenient nourishment of the body.
What is flegme?
Flegme is a cold humour, moist and without sauour, as it were bloud [...]. crude, somwhat white, which is carried about with the bloud, to the end to mitigate the heate of the same, and that it [Page 16] may bee conuerted into bloud, by the last digesture it helpeth the distribution of the humors, and doth nourish those parts that are agreeable or like vnto it selfe.
What is choler?
Choler is an humour hot, dry, and bitter, which as it were the froth of the bloud, is carried together with the same, that it may nourish the like members vnto the same: it openeth the Meatus, and penetrateth: it is prositable to the nourishment of those parts, that haue the like temperament.
What is melancholy, or black choler?
Melancholy or blacke choler is a naturall humor, cold, and dry, thick, Melancholy. grosse, blacke, and sharpe part of which is carried with the bloud, to the end to make the same the thicker, and to nourish the bones and the spleene, and it is as it were the dregs and sediment of the bloud. All these foure humours, as I haue said, being made vnnaturall, they turne to the hurt of the body, as when melancholy is burned, it becōmeth vitious, and causeth madnes: when it is [Page 17] mingled with too much flegme, it causeth a doltish disposition, and worketh cold diseases. When blood becommeth vnnaturall, it is made wheyish and watrish, and is very hurtfull, as in the hydropsic: when red choler is burned, it becommeth vitious and biting: when flegme is made vnnaturall through a weake digesture, it is made a watrish humor, and so hurtfull to the body.
There is also another natural humor, and is Primogenius, the first and chiefe humor, called Humidum radicale, which is Humidum radicale. ingendred in the similer parts or insited in nature: for from the first beginning the members of the whole body are filled with a certaine dewie humor, or only moistnesse: truely the first thing that is ingendred, hauing its beginning from the blood monstruall. This humor yeeldeth nourishment to the naturall heate; and therfore by the same it is consumed, and needeth restauration; which is performed by the accession of nourishment. Galen termeth this humor the solid substance of the similer parts.
Now it resteth that you shew me the seat or place of euery one of these [Page 18] humours.
These 4. humors which are ingēdred in our bodies, being mixed, they are contained in unamassa sanguinis: that is, in the fountaine of blood which is said to be the better part of it selfe; and being exactly confused, they rest in the veines; which the Physitions doe consider as it were the chiefe Elements of the bodie: but those humors which are by nature deriued without the veines, whether it be yellow choler in the gaule, or melancholy which the splene draweth, or flegme which is ingendred in the stomacke through crudities, or the matter which distilleth from the braine to the nostrils, and such like, they are in no wise to be accoūted elements of our body, and therfore they be not humors but excrements, and so they are called: which nature, whiles it is in strength doth expell as vnprofitable vnto places conuenient and the excramentall seat of yellow choler is the gaule, from whence it is purged by vrine and the stoole: the receptacle of the melancholick humor is the splene, by which being drawne, it is spartly cōncertd into the nature therof, & [Page 19] partly it is deiected to the stomacke.
Proceed now to spirits, and let me know what a spirit is. Despiritibus. Spiritus definitio.
A spirit is a subtile flame, or rather an airy substance, giuing strength and power to exercise proper actions in euery member.
Spirits be two fold, the one vitall, the other animall; the vitall spirit is a subtill flame engendred from the blood, and is dispersed by vertue of the heart into all the body, to giue vnto the same liuely heat, and a power of motion and action. The efficient cause is a naturall power in the heart; the matter from whence it proceedeth is blood, for it is ingendred of the blood, which is in the left ventricle of the heart: the forme is the flame it selfe, flying through all the Artiers.
The finall causes are two: the first is that it might giue liuely heate vnto the body: the second is, that it may be the instrument of action and motion in the whole body.
The animal spirit is as it were a starrebeame which is sent from the braine by the Nerues into all the body, to giue motion, and sense, and all other animal actions vnto the same.
From whence is the Animall spirit ingendred?
It is ingendred of the vitall spirits, by the vertue of the braine elaborating and concocting the same. There are some that adioyne a third kind of spirit: that is Spiritus naturalis, in gendred in the liuer; which is the thin substance of the blood, and is like vnto a vapour: this spirit is carried by the hollow veine, together with the blood into the heart; where it is wrought by the naturall strength of the heart, and so is made a vitall spirit; and so the naturall spirit is as it were the matter of the vitall spirit, and the vitall spirit is the matter of the animall spirit.
De partibus.
Goe forward vnto the parts of mans body, and tell me first what a part De partibus. is.
Euery member of the bodie is accounted for a part of the body: and Membra principalia. they are of two sorts; some principall, and some officiall: the braine, the heart, and the liuer are accounted principall members; some also account the testicles amongst the principall members.
[Page 21] The officiall members are the sinews, and they doe serue to the braine: the arteries Membra officialia. which doe serue to the heart; the veines which doe serue to the liuer; the spermaticke vessels, which be inseruient to the stones. There bee also some parts that be called partes similares, or Homogenae; and some Dissimilares, or Heterogenae. The Similar parts are so called, for being diuided, they remaine in themselues such as they were before; and those are the bones, cartilagies, ligaments, tendons, fibres, membrans, the skinne, and the flesh, with the fatte, and such like. The members or parts Dissimilar, are the contrary. Some members are called instrumentall, as the stomacke, the reines, the bowels, with all the great sinews.
It followeth that we speake of De faculta. tibus & potentijs. faculties, or powers. Tell me therefore how many sorts of faculties or powers are there?
There are three sorts of powers, that is to say, Animal, Spiritual, and Naturall: the Animall facultie (according to Plato, whom the Physitions do follow) is placed in the braine: the vitall or spirituall is placed in the heart; the natural [Page 22] in the liuer. Aristotle in secundo De Anima, rehearseth fiue faculties or powers of the soule: viz. Potentiam vegetatiuam, sentientem, Appetitiuam, loco motuam, and Rationalem.
What is that vegetatiue power?
The vegetatiue power is that which doth nourish, increase, & strengthen the body; and therefore it doeth containe these foure faculties; that is, facultatem nutritiuam, auctricem, generatricem, and formatricem.
What is that nutrition or nourishment?
It is the conuersion of meate and drinke into a spirituall substance, performed by the force of heate, that there may bee a restoring of the same, which began to be decayed.
The efficient cause of nourishment is naturall heat. Materia ex qua, or the matter from whence it springeth, is the meat and drinke receiued into the body.
Materia in qua, or the subiect, is mans liuing body. The formall cause is the same Assimilation or conuersion of meate and drinke into the similitude of enerie [Page 23] member to be nourished: for one part is turned into the substance of the bone, another into the substance of the flesh, &c. The end, is the restoring of the same which began to be consumed: for when the naturall heate doeth consume any thing, that same must be restored againe by nutrition: euen as in a Lamp, the oyle being consumed, the same must be again increased. Therefore the finall cause is Conseruatio indiuidui. the cōseruation of that thing, which can not be diuided: that is, of a man, or of any other liuing creature.
What are the Organs of Nutrition?
It is the mouth which receiueth and cheweth the nourishment: the Oesophage, that conueieth it: the stomacke turning it into Chylus, by the worke of the liuer: to which are admixed the rest of the humours, the veines carrying and conueying the blood to euery member, in which there is made Assimilation, and application of nourishment.
Let me know the faculties and powers of euery member.
The common Faculties [Page 24] which resteth in euery member, are said 4. Facultates in singulis membris, Attractrix Retentrix, Concoctrix, Expultrix. to befoure: viz. the attractiue, the retentiue, the concoctiue, and the expulsiue; for euery member hath a faculty to draw, to retaine, to alter, and expell.
As for example: the stomacke doth first draw the meat: secondly, it retaineth it: thirdly, it doeth alter it, that is, it turneth it in to Chilus: and fourthly, it doeth expell it.
What is hunger and thirst?
Hunger is a desire of meate, when as the veines Mesariaces beeing Fames. empty of nourishment, doe draw from the stomacke by a kind of sucking, and haling; the stomacke is as it were Culina communis totius corporis, a common Kitchin of the whole body.
What is thirst?
Thirstines is an appetite of humectation, & cooling in drithe or heat: Sitis. the Organ of hunger and thirst is the mouth of the stomacke, in which the same irritation or prouoking is felt.
Now shew me how nourishment is made.
The stomack doth concoct the meat, and turneth it into Chilus; the same [Page 25] Chilus, is sent per [...] in to the intestins, Duodenum, and Ieiunum; from thence the veines Mesaraices plucketh it, and turning it into a more pure and liquid masse, sendeth it vnto the liuer, but the excrements slippe downe to the inferiour intestins: the liuer turneth the Chilus into the masse of bloud, which consisteth of the foure humors, bloud, choler, flegme and melancholy. And the bloud is sent by the veines, from the liuer part vpwards, and part into the right ventricles of the heart, to nourish the heart and the lungs, and to ingender vitall spirits; part discendeth downewards, to nourish the inferiour members: but the other humours which are separated from the bloud, part floweth into the gall; as yellow choler; part into the spleene, as black choler: the watry Aquosa supersluitas or wheyish matter slippeth to the reines and bladder, and so becometh vrin, or else it doth transpire by sweat. These be the excrements of the second decoction or digestion, which are made in the liuer and the veines.
Last of all, the third Decoction is made in those parts, to the which excrements [Page 26] do flow: which, as I say, do passe by insensible transpiration of the skin, and part with the vrin and excrements. The bloud doth nourish the members by apposition, and assimilation that is, when it sticketh to the members, and is adglutinated and waxeth warme, and so at the length, after many changes, it is made like vnto the part, and is as it were turned into the same substance, and then it is called the second humidity: the Arabians doe call it Cambium.
From hence the digestions, or concoctions are numbred to bee three, the first is performed in the stomack and intestins, the second in the liuer and veines, the third in all the members and solid parts; and the rule is, Vitium prioris concoctionis, non potest corrigi per sequentes.
I see you doe briefly run ouer this first part of physick concerning things naturall: let me heare you deliuer the rest in as short a manner; and let me know how many things there bee that are called not naturall?
The second part of things not natural, called Hugiene, and doth respect the conserua tion of mans health. PARS 2.
THere are six things necessarie to the nourishment and preseruatiō of mans life, and are called, not natural.
1 The Aire.
2 Meate and Drinke.
3 Sleepe and watchfulnes.
4 Exercise and rest.
5 Emptines and repletion.
6 The affects of the mind.
Why are they called things not naturall?
Because they are not natural parts [Page 28] of a man, they are not within, but without the man, they are a necessary matter, and helpe for the preseruation & keeping of the body of man, they are called non naturales, viz. such things as are not borne with vs.
What doth the Aire concerne the health of our bodies?
Of the Aire.
THe Aire by it selfe is hot and moist, and the Attraction thereof is so necessarie to all liuing creatures, that to whatsoeuer thing the way of respiration is wanting, it presently dieth: and experience teacheth vs, that the temperature, or distemperature therof, doth change the constitution of the body; the aire being sweet and wholesome, doth refresh and nourish the spirits.
A grosse Aire maketh the body fat and strong, but the wit dull, and slow, such as Cicero writeth the Thebans to be: but a pure cleare aire, such as was at Athens, maketh men liuely, and sharp witted.
[Page 29] That is the best Aire, that is pure, cleere and thin, not grosse, troublesome or cloudy.
Hip. in lib. de flatibus, affirmeth that the aire is not onely the author of life vnto mortall men, but also the author of diseases, and death.
Galen in Arte medicinale, saith, Ab Aire afficitur, mutatur corpus, quia aut caelefit, aut frigesit, aut exucatur, aut humectatur.
What say you to meate and drinke?
Of meate and drinke.
OVr bodies are nourished and refreshed with meate and drinke, euen as the lampe with oyle, or waxe: but in the vse thereof there are two things to be obserued, the first, that meat and drinke be receiued at accustomed and conuenient times: for whereit is too long deferred, the stomack being emptie, is filled with euill humours: for the stomack doth not suspend, or intermit his naturall action, wherefore, where it wanteth meat, there it falleth backe againe vpon excrements.
[Page 30] The second obseruation is, that wee take so much meate and drinke as may refresh the natural strength of the body, and not oppresse it: for as Cicero in Catone Maiore saith: Nam cibi & potionis nimia copia menti & corpori obest. And how can a man haue a good disposition of mind, whose body is ouermuch filled with meat and drinke? For which cause temperance doth very much auaile for the garnishing both of the minde and of the body; for it is a mother and a sweet nurse both of health, wisedome, and many other vertues.
Hippocrates saith, that abstinence is Mater sanitatis, the mother of health, and that labour and exercise doeth cause a strong body.
Syracke saith in Cap. 17. that abundance of meat beggetteth diseases, and that gluttony doeth fill the body with vitious humours.
Plato in his second Booke De legibus doth forbid the vse of wine, and especially vnto children, vntill they be eighteene yeares of age, and giueth a reason, that, Non decetignem, igni adijoere. And these verses are worthy the consideration:
That is very true: for wee see what drowsie sots those common tospots, & tauerne haunters are, and how vnfit to euery good action, subiect to euery kind of disease, as Palsies, Apoplexies, Hydropsies, Epelipsies, gouts, & such like besides they are turned for the most part from men to monsters, and their minds are as full of filthie disires, as their bodies of soule diseases. But I pray you proceed vnto the next, which is sleepe and watchfulnes: let mee know how you doe define the same.
Of Sleepe and Watchfulnes.
SLeepe is a rest and quietnes of De sonnio. the vertue animall, which hapneth when the profitable vapours of the nourishment doe ascend vp [Page 32] into the braine, where they doe sweetly moysten, and euery where flowing in the braine, doe obstruct the Meatus and passages of the senses and moouing Nerues, thorow which the vertue of the seness doe by little and little faile.
The Efficent cause is heate, which as Hip. saith, in sleepe it flieth more inwards, to the end to helpe concoction, from whence it hapneth that the outward members doe easily waxe cold in sleepe, and doe require to be more warmer couered.
The Material cause is a sweet vapour ascending from the nourishment into the brain, and stopping the Meatus of the senses and spirits, that the members forsake their motion.
The Formal cause is the rest of the outward senses, that is, hearing, and seeing, in like manner local mouing, as neither the hands, nor the feet doe moue any more, or performe their office.
The Finall causes are first a moystning and a recreation of the braine, and of the heart. According to Virgil: Fessos Virgilius. soporirrigat artus.
Secondly, that the action of the stomacke, [Page 33] and of the liuer in concoction may be the stronger; drawing inwards the heat and the spirits: for to that end doth the animall faculties rest in sleepe, to the end the natural may more stronger performe their office.
Thirdly, that it may be the image of death, according to Ouid:
Stulte quid est somnus, gelidae nisi mortis imago?
Galen calleth it frater mortis, the brother of death: for as in sleepe the body taketh its rest, and the soule watcheth; so also in death the body resteth, but the soule and spirit liueth.
As concerning the order and length of sleepe; we must consider how much and how long is conuenient to euery body: for long sleepe is more conuenient for them, that as yet haue not attained to a perfect digestion; whether it happeneth through the eating of euill meats, or through the wrakenes of the vertue digestiue.
And forasmuch as sleepe doeth slacken, and make laxe the animall powers, it is not so necessary for those that be fasting, or to such as do suffer much hunger; [Page 34] for thereby the head is filled with fuines and euaporations eleuated from the feces, & supersluities retained in the stomack. But on the contrary, too much watching is hurthfull to the braine: it doth debilitate and weaken the senses: it doth burne the humors, and is the cause of sharpe diseases: sometimes of frensies, of madnesse, melancholy, and deliriums. In this therefore we must be carefull to consider how much is sufficient: for as Hippocrates saith, both sleepe and watchfulnes, which soeuer it be, if they be immoderate, are hurtfull. For the length of sleepe, the most part of Physitions do agree, Length of sleepe. that to strong bodies seuen houres in the night is sufficient (for in the day time it is generally disallowed) and to those that are weaker eight houres at the most.
Plato in Timaeo saith, when the world shutteth vp hereie, we also should shut Plato. vp our cies: the eye of the world is the sunne: therefore sleepe is not long to be deferred after the setting of the sun, neither presently after supper can sleepe be wholsome: for, as Galen saith, Lib. 4. [Page 35] Abhorismorum, Commentario 67. à cibis ad somnum connersis, caput impletur. A certain great man was wont to say, that he found nothing better for the preseruation of his health then to read nothing after supper, to write nothing, nor to be long out of his bedde: so, said he, I am very wel able to arise in the morning, & with cheerefulnesse to follow my busines.
He that hath a strong stomacke, let him lie first vpon the right side; but he that hath a weake digestiue facultie, should first lie vpon the left side; and afterwards vpon the right; for to lie vpon the left side, doth better helpe digestion, and vpon the right side it helpeth better for the distribution of the meat.
The next thing not naturall, is exercise and rest: how may that auaile Motus & quies. for the benefit and health of the bodie?
Of exercise and rest.
A Great part of the preseruatiō of the health of mans body doth consist in due exercise and rest; for both these are necessary both to the [Page 36] body and the minde; of which Ouid saith:
In these verses the similitude is of the body and the water. For as water that doth not mooue doth easily putrifie; so the body also groweth to corruption without exercise.
In like manner of the mind and vnstanding, Outd. V. Trist. Elegia 12. saith:
Where he calleth it Longam rubiginem, & otium ignauum, he meaneth that, wherby the whole force of the wit and vnderstanding is ouerthrowne; or at the least doth languish and is diminished: euen as by the contrary it is refreshed and made sharpe.
There are three profits and commodities that ariseth by motion and exercise: the first is, it maketh the bodie strong.
Secondly, it doth excite and increase naturall heate.
[Page 37] Thirdly, the spirits and the senses are thereby made more stronger and sharper.
As concerning the times of exercise, the Aphorism of Hippocrates doth teach Lib. 6. Epi. Sect. 4. Aphoris. vlt. vs [...] labours before meate, he calleth motion or exercise of the body, labours. Therefore before meate, and not after, the body must bee exercised; for quietnes after feeding, or very litle exercise is to be vsed: lest that the naturall heat which should be exercised about concoction and digesture, should be dispersed and so made weaker. Of Rest the same Ouid saith:
And in his first booke De Ponto:
Here is to be vnderstood rest, that is fitte and conuenient, both to the body and minde; whether it be by relaxation and recreation, liberal or mean: for there is no man of so great strength, that he is able to endure continuall stirrings, [Page 38] watchings, cares, and labours: but at the last both body and minde is dried and wearied, vnlesse there be remission vsed. Of the manner of vsing exercise and rest, Cicero speaketh in the first booke of his offices: Ludo, & Ioco, vti quidem licet, sed sicut somno & quietibus caeteris tum, cùm grauibus serijs (que) rebus satisfecerimus.
It is a true saying, that confecto labore, dulce est quiescere. And Auicem saith, that whosoeuer he be that is of an hotte and drie complexion, and by exercise is fallen into any notable disease, he is forth with recouered with rest.
The next in order is, Emptines Inanitio & Repletio. and Repletion.
It is true, and looke how much we may offend to defraud an hungrie stomacke; so much shall we offend to offer meate vnto a ful stomacke; as Auicen saith in primo Can. sen. 3. Cap. De regimine Auicen. cibi & potus. For as the want of meat doeth fill the stomacke with euill humors; so that same plethoria and continuall fulnesse causeth opilations, putrifaction, apostumes, leprosie, and [Page 39] feuers.
But this is to be obserued, that if the Attractiue faculty, and the Retentiue doe remaine in their naturall strength; that then repletion cannot by any meanes be hurtfull: especially if a right order of meats and drinkes be obserued. And so in like manner, if the vertue digestiue and expulsiue be strong, emptinesse cannot be hurtfull; for thereby the body is auoyded of his burdensome and hurtfull humours, of which it is requisite that it should bee clensed and purged.
But when these faculties are hurt and become weake, so that an emptinesse cannot bee suffered, and a repletion cannot nourish or profit the bodie: we must then take heed how we vse the one or the other.
But how are diseases proceeding of fulnes remedied?
By vomit, by flux of the belly, by flux of blood, at the nose, by vrin, by spittle, by sweate, by insensible transpirations; which beeing vnfelt by vs, doth happen through the strength of [Page 40] nature. Moreouer, sometimes there must be vsed the incision of a veine, scarification, the application of leeches, of cupping glasses and vesecatories.
But sometimes it happeneth that none of these aforesaid euacuations may bee vsed; then must be supplied exercise, labour, srication and rubbings, baths, abstinence, sleepe, and such like (especially in the times of famine:) but in euery of these there must be had a due consideration how much and how little is conuenient, according to the state of euery bodie.
Now proceed vnto the last of Animi Affectus. things not naturall: which you say is Animi Affectus, the perturbations and affections of the mind.
Of Affections of the mind.
AFfects are the motions of the mind, by which it is either exhilarated, or disquieted for sorrow and anguish, with such like; are as it were Carnifices, & tortores annimi & corporis, the very torturers and murderers of the mind and bodie: but on the contrarie, [Page 41] ioy, hope, and a good conscience, are the sweet nurces of life and health, as Plato speaketh in 1. De Repub.
Therefore it very much auaileth both to the health of the body, & of the mind, to be able to moderate these affects in that order, that nature may not be hurt: for we haue read of some, that with sudden ioy haue suddenly died, as Valerius reporteth of two women in Rome.
And what affects arise by anger, may easily bee perceiued, when that some by extraordinary fury and rage doe fall into the Apoplexie, the palsie, spasms, and conuulsions, with diseases of the ioynts, and sometimes into a trembling of the whole body; nether doth there happen lesse euill vnto bodies through terrour or feare, as the syncop, & fallingsicknes: euen as on the contrary in some kinds of diseases, it is profitable to bee terrified and made afraid.
Sadnes and anguish of mind worke no small affects, and especially waighty cogitations, for it induceth vnquietnes, and watchfulnes, which hurteth the senses, and diminisheth the strength of the whole body: wherefore as Hip. saith, a [Page 42] moderation in all those affects is very healthfull and profitable.
Pars 3.
YOu told mee in the beginning, that the Art of physicke Pathologia was concluded vnder three things, which you termed natural, not natural & against nature: of the two first we haue briesly spoken; let vs proceed vnto the third in like manner: and let mee know of you what those things are, which are against nature.
Those things that are sayd to bee against nature, are in number three, viz. Sicknes, the Cause of sicknes, and Accidents that doe follow sicknes.
And generally euery disease is either of an euill complexion, an euill composition, or a solution of the continuitie, which hapneth either in the similer members, or in the instrumentall, or in both.
And first a disease of an euill complexion hapneth sometimes from the excesse or defect alone of some qualitie, [Page 43] as if either heate or cold doth abound in the body, then there is wanting the more of moysture and drithe.
Sometimes also a disease hapneth from the abundance or defect of some humor: as if the bodie doe abound with melancholy, or slegme, it hath the lesse of choler and bloud, and so on the contrary.
Secondly, a disease rising through an euill composition, is either from the forme and figure of the parts of the body, from the quantity, from the number and situation of the same parts.
Thirdly, the solution of the continnitie hapneth through some Apostume, wound, dislocation, rupture, fracture, conuulsion, or excoriation.
Furthermore, euery disease is either Morbi acuti atque chronici. 2. Aph. 23. acute, or chronical.
Al acute diseases are hot, & are iudged in 14. dayes, as Hip. doth testifie.
The latter sort of Physitions doe call those acute diseases that haue their termination in foureteene dayes, and those peracute which haue their termination in 7. and those perperacute, which haue their termination in foure.
[Page 44] Chronicall diseases are cold and dull, and are of longer continuance. In like Hip. 6. epid. li. partic. 1. Aph. 7. manner acute diseases are termed [...], and sometimes they are changed into a Chronicall disease, as the Plurisie, into the Gout, the Cholick into the Palsie.
And Chronicall diseases for the most part are determined with a daily consumption.
What is Crisis?
Crisis is a swift and vehement [...] quid motiō of a disease, either to life or death: and it happeneth about the supreme intention of a disease, that is, the Akmin or state.
And wee must obserue that there are 4. Tempora morborum. foure times of diseases, that is, the beginning, the encrease, the Akmin or state, and the declination.
The which times are so distributed of Hip. that if the increase bee in the fourth day, the change hapneth in the seuenth; but if the increase be in the filt, and seeuenth, the Crisis happeneth in the ninth or the eleuenth day: but if the disease doe increase in the tenth day, the deliuerance hapneth in the foureteenth day.
[Page 45] In like manner saith the same Hip. the Physition should not be ignorant of the day that the Patient fell sicke, nor of the houre in the which the body fell into an heate, or to waxe cold &c. From whence it doth manifestly appeare, that other times also are not to bee neglected: for a little after, he sayth, For this cause, sayth he, shalt thou recken the daies vnto thee, in which thou shalt expect eruptions, or apostums, in those times prescribed. 3. Prog. 3. & 4. Aphor. There is also a quaternall number of dayes to bee obserued in all diseases, which doth promise an end either to life or death, as the same Author witnesseth.
Moreouer, euery disease is either in the superiour or inferiour venter, or in the veines, whose Crisis hapneth by spittle, by vomit, by flux of bloud at the nose, by Apostūs, by seege, by haemorrhods, by menstrous, and by vrin.
And sometimes also a Crisis doth happen by sweate: and many diseases doe transpire by insensible euaporation. 1. Of the knowledge of the disease. 1
How shall wee come to the knowledge of the disease?
Euery disease is knowne either from things substantially inhering, as [Page 46] in the composition of members, what doth abound, or what doth want, or whether it bee not sited in his right place.
2. From the operation of the member being hurt.
3. From the qualitie changed.
4. From things going out of the body.
5. From the times of the yeare.
Wee must know also that euery disease is either by essence, or by colligance and consent. Morous per essentiam & per consensum.
It is by essence if the disease be of it selfe in some member.
It is by consent, if it be deriued from some member into another, by reason of the vicinitie and colligance of the same; as the affect of the head from some vapour arising from the stomack: neither must we be ignorant, that sometimes a disease is not only essential, but accidental also, & a companiō of other diseases, so sometimes a feuer is an accident of A feuer an accidens of a disease. many diseases, and of it selfe no disease: and so often times there hapneth Apostums, and Tumors.
How shall we know the cause of the disease?
Hip. affirmeth that there are three causes and beginnings of all diseases: for euery disease springeth either from repleton, or from the intemperature of the heanens, or through some externe violence happening vnto the body.
What must we doe, when wee know the cause of the disease?
The cause being knowne, we must proceed to medicines, and diet, and if need be to topicall meanes and chirurgery, prouiding alwaies a contrary medicine to the cause of the discase.
Wee must therefore at the beginning vse vniuersall remedies, then wee must proceed to particular, as the discase shall require; and the Physitian must remember, that contraria contrarijs curantur: & similia similibus sibi Contraria contrarijs carantur. praebere adiumentum: so any kind of disease that doth proceede of repletion, will require emptines, and so on the contrary: and a disease that doth proceed of drinesse will require humectation and moystning: euen as that same which doth proceed of [Page 48] heate will require refrigeration and cooling &c.
Notwithstanding, we must take heed Repercussiua vitanda. that we doe not apply any thing that is extreame contrary, especially Repercioussius, lest we cause hurt to some principall member.
PARS 4.
WHen we haue found out a fit remedie for the disease, how must we proceed to the cure?
It is to no end to find out a remedie, vnles the same bee vsed and applied wisely: for wee may find some Physitians that are furnished with a world of remedies, and yet apply them without either wit or reason: there be others that bee of good iudgement, and yet notwithstanding are very barraine of helpes, but those which they haue are very choice and good: and truly I know not how it doth happen, that there are so few sound and iudiciall Physitions in this our age. But to let that passe, in the administration of physicke, these three circumstances are to be considered, viz. [Page 49] Quantum, Quando, Quomodo. For suppose Quanto, Quando, Quomodo. the remedie be hotte or cold, a purger of flegme, melancholy, or choler: it is the worke of inuention, the cause and kind of the disease being considered, to dispose the remedy in a iust quantity: to prescribe the same in a conuenient form, and when it becommeth to offer the same according to iudgement and reason.
And surely, there is nothing so hard, or so obscure in the practise of physick, as to deliuer a iust dose of medicine: neither can the quantity of a remedy be defined, except wee take the indication from things natural, as from the strēgth, nature, and temperature of the sicke, the habit of the body, as fatnesse, leanenesse, thinnes, fleshines, age, sexe, and custome; Consuetudo, altera Natura. for that is another nature. In like maner from things not naturall; as the time, the aire, the region: from things auoyded, and from things retained; and those things which are praeter naturam, against nature; as sickenes, the cause, and the symptoms. For what wise man will giue one & the same medicine to a weak man & to a strong, to a woman and to a [Page 50] man, to a child and to a yong man, to an Englishman and to a Moore? The time of the yeare is also to be regarded, the month, the disease, the Paroxisme; the cause also is to be considered; besides the vehemency and violence of the symptoms; and according to the same, the dose of the remedy is to be increased or diminished; for great diseases require remedies in a greater dose. But commonly vnto an Infant ij drag of Cassia is sufficient, of Manna iij. drag. of Rhubarbe infused ij scruples; but to those that be of strength may be giuen j ounce of Cassia; and of Manna an ounce and a halfe: & of Rhubarb ij. dra wil scarcely suffice. But as I haue said, these things can hardly be defined by art, but must be referred to the iudgement and discretion of the learned Physition.
Let me now know your medicins that you haue to purge choler. Chologogon.
I haue to purge choler, Rhubarb, Cassia, Manna, Myrabalans Citrine, Aloes and such like.
These are simple medicines; let me know your compounds.
Then I haue Diaprunum simplex, and Solutiuum, Elect. de succo ros. hiera piera Galeni, &c.
What purgers of flegme haue you?
I haue Agaricke, Turbith, Colocinthis, Phlegmegogon. Carthamus, &c. Of compounds I haue Benedictalax, hiera Ruffi, hiera picra, hiera logadij, Diacarthanni, Diaturpeti, Electuarum decitro, Diaphoenicon, Indum Maius, & Minus, &c.
What Pils haue you for that purpose?
I haue pilulas exagarico, cochiae, Pils. Lucis, Arthreticae, ex hermodactilis, ex cupatorio, è hiera, Alephanginae, ex euphorbio è castorio, è quin (que) myrobolanis, ex mezerco, &c
Now proceed to your purgers of melancholy. Melanagogon.
Sonaorientalis, Epithymus, Eleborus niger, Lapis Lazuls, and Lapis Armeniacus, doe purge melancholy.
The compounds are Diasena, Diacatholici, hiera Ruffi, and trifera sarasenica. And it is to be obserued, that hiera Ruffi doeth purge the head, the stomacke, and the whole bodie from grosse and viscid humors, and withal black choler: [Page 52] wherefore it is giuen in Mania, in Epilepsia, in oris tortura, paralyss, & melancholia, flatus discutit, stomachi concoctionem innat, & est medicamentum conferens fistuiis, vlceribus cancrosis, & Lepra.
What pils haue you to purge melancholy?
Pilulae è fumo-terrae, ex ellebero, ex Lapide Lazuli, ex epithymo, pil. foetidae. All these purge melancholy.
Tell me now the iust dose of euery one of these medicines.
I haue said already that that can hardly be declared, but must be referred to the discretion of the Physition: which for the most part doe not exceed six drammes of purging Electuaries; in which is no Scamony, nor aboue foure drammes of those Electuaries, in which is Scamony. As for pils, they neuer giue more then a dram or foure scruples.
But we must note, that the colder the Region, the greater may the dose of purging medicines be.
Doth not Confectio hamech purge melancholy?
I must confesse that Confect. humech, is good against sicknesses proceeding [Page 53] from blacke choler, and humours adusted, as in mania, melancholia, vertigine, obliuione, and in aegritudinibus cutanijs, as Scabbes, Morphue, Leprosie, and such like.
With what waters must wee giue those Electuaries that do purge melancholy?
We giue them in aqua fumo-terrae, and in aqua lupulorum; both which doeth respect the melancholicke humour.
With what pils doe you purge mixt humors from the stomacke?
To purge mixt humous from the stomacke, I vse:
And when I purge generally all humours, I vse Pil. Aggregatinae, and Panchimagogon, &c.
Let mee know your remedies that you giue in a liquid forme: as Apozems, Syrups, Iulips, Potions, and infusions.
You shall, and first it is to bee obserned: that the Arabicks did inuent Medicamenta liquida. those kind of remedies, rather to open [Page 54] then to purge. And this is the counsell of Hippoorates, Corpora cùm quis purgare vole, toportet fluida reddere. And if the disease be not too acute, and the humour doe not abound, it is then the worke of Physicke to purge that which is digested and concocted; and not that which is crude, tough, and raw. The body is made fluxible by opening of the meatus and passages; by which the hurtful humors are drawne, and those grosse humors are incided and made thin: for otherwise the expelling of crude and vndigested humors, might cause a fretting and erosion of the intestines and bowels, and sometimes bloody fluxes: neither is any thing sent forth to any purpose; for when as all the humours are crude and dull, and vnsit to be moued, by reason of the thickenes and coldnesse thereof; it hapneth that all the narrow passages descending vnto the belly, remaine obstructed and stopped: neither is the grosse matter it selfe auoyded, but it is also an hinderance vnto that which is attenuated & made fluxible: for which cause, as I haue said, these kind of medicines were first inuented. An Apozem may be made with roots, hearbes, seeds, [Page 55] fruits, & flowrs, with water and hony or sugar boiled together: or in this order, which is easie: Rec. Guaiacilib. ss Coquatur lento igne in vj. libris aquae ad tertias, Colaturae adde Si vis parum Sacchari, ad gratiam & hydroticum Apozema feceris.
For some inward grief, of which there is no manifest cause. Rec. Florum Chamomeli Apos [...]matis exemplum. P [...]ij more or lesse Coquantur, Colaturae ℥ iij you may ad if you wil Sacchari ℥ j. Anodmum crit Apozema. And this is the difference betweene a syrup, & an Apozem; that the syrupe is more grosse in consistence, then an Apozem, for that is more cleere and liquid: for syrups are made with more hony or suger, & so boiled together, vntill it be brought into a light body, that it may hang vpon the naile; or sticke being dropped vpon a marble stone. An Apozem is made by adding of lesser suger hony, or syrups to a decoction; for they must not be boiled together, but to the intent it may be the cleerer, and more gratefull to sight: it is to be clarified with the white of an egge.
In Sūmer time whō plants & herbs are in their strēgth & green, we vse Apozoms: [Page 56] In the winter time we vse Syrups, and therefore it is the duety of the Apothecary to prepare Syrups in the Summer time, against the Winter season. And the dose of an Apozem is foure ℥ of decoction, adding thereunto ℥ j. ss of Syrupe.
In framing of Syrups we ad as much Suger as Ioyces, and boile it to a consistance, as before.
There is no great difference between a Iulep, and an Apozem; for vnto ℥ ij, or ℥ iij. of distilled water or decoction, we dissolue ℥ j. of Syrup, and so make a Iulep. As for example, if I do prescribe Syrupus. a Iulep, or an Apozem, in an hot cause, I say,
- Graminis & acetosae ana ℥ ij.
- Cichorij totius an M. ss
- Scariolae. an M. ss
- Endiuiae. an M. ss
- Lactucae. an M. ss
- 4. Sem. frigid maior. an ℥ ij.
- Florū violarum & nympheae an p. j.
Fiat decoctio in colaturae ℥ iiij. Dissolue Syrupi de Cichortosimpl. ℥ j. ss siat Apozema.
[Page 57] Potus doth not differ from the same in matter, nor forme, but in the end, because Potus. it is prepared to purge humors, but the Apozems and Iuleps to prepare them: as for exāple, if to the former decoction against choler, in the place of the syrup of Cichorie, wee dissolue halfe an ounce of Daiprunum solut. or so much of Electuarie de succo rosarū, we haue made a potion to purge choler.
Infusion is when diuers medicines are beaten to powder, or whole, are laid Infiasio. to steepe a certaine space in some kind of liquor, or decoction: as for example in ℥. iij. of the decoction of Cichorie; or if you had rather in Sero Lactis, macerate for an whole night, ʒ. ij. ss of Rhubarbe, in the morning it is to bee strained, and to the strayning may bee added if you please a little suger, or syrup of violets, and so there is a sit potion to purge choler.
Againe, if you dissolue any purging electuary, in any kind of liquor, as barly water, broth, decoction of pruins, or some distilled water: wee may make a purging potion; as for example: (potus. Re. Catholici X. dr. Dissolue in ptizanafiat [Page 58] Or Rec. Diaphoenici ℥ ss dissolue it in byaromel, or in the decoction of some other conuenient hearbes, as cephalicis, or spleniticis, fiat potus to purge flegme.
And after the same order, wee frame potions to purge melancholy.
Rec. Confectionis hamech Dr. ij.
Dissolue in Dococto polypodij, in quo Dr. iij. fol. sennae hullierine cum Drageta cummuni. addendo Syrups de Epithymo, velde fumaria ℥. j. fiat potus.
Of medecines giuen in a dry forme, viz. in pouder, Trochisks, Lozengies and pils.
LEt me know what those medicines are, that are giuen in a dry forme.
Those are pouders, Trochisks, Lozenges and pils; as for pouder, it is the cōmon matter of all dry medicines, and of a meane consistence, and thereof are made Electuaries, as well solid, as liquid; Trochicks, and pils: as for example, if you will haue a powder to stay euaporations and ascensions into the braine, A powder against the theume. I say
- Coriandr. praep. an. Dr. j.
- Coralli. rhub. an. Dr. j.
- Cornu Cerui vsti. an. Dr. j.
- [Page 59] Sacchari ros. tabulat. ℥ j ss.
- Misce & fiat pul. subt.
This powder is to be taken presently after meate.
In like manner, a powder for to break wind is prepared in this order.
- Anisi cond. ℥ iij.
- Feniculli ℥. ss
- Coriand. praep.
℥
ss
A powder against wind.
- Cumini
- Carui.
- Sesel. in vino gene. mace. an. ℥ j.
- Cort. Citri Sicc.
- Cinamom. Crassian. Scr. iiij.
- Sacchariros. tabulat. ad pondus omntum.
- Misse, fiat puluis.
Let the Patient take a spoonefull after meales.
But the Apothecaries should be very careful of those powders which they reserue in their shoppes, as well for their owne profit, as their patients: for it is manifest, that the aire doth diminish and decay the vertue and strength thereof, if it bee of long continuance, or not close and warme kept, for which cause it is thought farre better to preserue the Species, in the forme of Trochisks [Page 60] and solid electuaries, as the speceis of Dia margariton frigid. diarrhodon Abbatis, trian Santalorum, Aromatici ros. and such like which may bee better preserued in trochisks, then by any other waies, as some very good Apothecaries at this time do vse, or taking. dr. j. of the species to an ounce of suger, with some conuenient liquor or distilled water, they frame a solid Electuarie, diuiding the same in Tabellis, Rotulis, Lozengis, or in the forme of Manus Christi. In like manner may be framed solid Electuaries, to purge, as a drag. of the species of Diacarthamum, to purge slogme, de succo Rosarum to purge choler. &c.
How must wee administer these medicines being thus prepared?
We giue trian santal for a hot liuer, Diarrhodon to strengthen the stomach: and if we purge as aforesaid, then we say, Rec. Electuarij Diacarthami, cabellam. j. pondore ℥. ss. more or lesse as it shall seeme good to tho Physitian; let it bee taken in the morning, being dissolued in some Ptisan or broth. In like manner,
- Pulueris Diamargarits frigd. dr. ij.
-
[Page 61]
Trochiscor. De camphura scr. j.
Lozenges in an hot distemperature.
- conseruaviolarum. ℥. j.
With suger dissolued in aqua buglossae, make an Electuary solid in Lozenges, of the weight of j. Dragm. a peece.
In like maner, we may take species, or any kind of pouder, & with some iuice, syrup, liquor, or distilled water, make a masse to be formed in to pils, whose dose at the vttermost doth not exceed aboue ser. iiij: as for exāple, if you take powder of Rhubarbe or Agarick, the waight of a dragm. with syrup of violets, you may make it into six pils. But our Physitians in these dayes doe vse pils ready prepared P. b. Agar. purgeth grosse and flegmatick humors. and corrected in the Apothecaries shops, which they prescribe after this manner:
Rec. Massae pill De agarico vel de Rhabarb. scr. iiij. De Rhaharb obstructions of the liuer, & contrahydropem.
Malax it with syrup of violets, and make V. pils.
Rondoletius doth prefer water, before either inyces, or syrups, because that by the two latter, the quantity is increased, which groweth lothsome to the Patient.
Of those things that are taken in a meane forme, and consistance.
PRoceed to those medicines that are taken in a meane forme.
Those medicines that are giuen Electuaries and Opiats. in a meane forme, are Electuaries liquid, which are commoly called Opiats: not because they consist of opium, but because they haue that body that Opiats haue, and they are prepared partly for purging, and partly for alteration of humors. And such Electuaries are Diaprunum simplex, and solutiuum, Diaphaenicon, confectio hamech Catholicon, which doth purge putrisied and rotten humors, euen as Mithridat & Treacle which are great opiats, not onely for their consistence, but also because it is confected with opium, & haue a property to resist venom and putrifaction.
How may these Electuaries bee prepared?
Vpon necessitie they may bee prepared, taking some pouder or species with some kind of syrup, as of conserues [Page 63] and Tabels, Trochisks, and such like; as for example:
- Conseruae Anthos
℥ j.
Opiata ad frig dam intemperiem vertriculi.
- Corticis catri condit. ℥ ss
- Spec. Aromatici. ros.
- Spec. Diagalangaean Dr. ij.
- Cum syrupo conseruationis citri q. S.
- Ficut optata ad frigida intemperiē ventriculi.
To this kind also appertaineth those Bolus ad renes. Medicamēta mollia, which are giuen in the forme of Bolus: as cassia, and Catholicon.
- Cassiae ℥ j adde si vis
- Rhubarbari Dr. j.
- Cum saccharo q. S. fiat bolus.
Which tender bodies may take out of a spoone with some syrup of violets, nenuphar, Aithaea and such like or
- Cassiae nouiter tract. ℥
ss
Bolus ad gouorrheam
- Pul holand. ℥ ss
- Tereb. ven. lot. in aquae plant. Sor. j.
- Cum sacchar. q. S. fiat bolus.
Of Clysters and their administration.
THere remaineth that you De Clysteribus. shew me the order of Clysters & their administration: what is a Clyster? Stu. A Ciyster is a certaine liquor, injected into the belly for the remedy of some kind of disease: & this kind of medicine [Page 64] is not a particular, but a common remedy, not only for the diseases of the bowels, but it draweth from all other parts, as from the hollowes of the liuer, it draweth per vonam portam, it draweth melā choly from the splene by his brāches. In like manner it doth dinert, and draw from the vpper parts; it cleanseth and scoureth the intestines, it is the best and safest medicine that can bee giuen, especially being well appointed, for it purgeth without any trouble.
How is that medecine to be prepared?
In time past, they would take one pound of liquor, as hydromel to scoure, milke, or the decoctiō of camomell to cease paine: in this age they prepare their cly sters of roots, hearbs, and seedes, being artificially boyled, which they cal decoction: in a pound of which decoction, they put one ounce of hony, of rose. to cleanse, of red suger, to stir vp excretion, with a dram of common salt, besides iij ounces of some kind of oyle, to make it more lubrick and stipperie, and with all some cathartick medicine to purge: as for example, if you will [Page 65] purge the belly: we say
- Decoctionis clyster is commin. or remodientis. lib j.
- Dissolue mellis & Sacchar. rub. an ℥ j.
- Catholici. ℥ j. ss
- Olei communis. ℥ iij.
- Fiat clyster.
This I declare for examples sake, not to the intent that the matter should be followed but the maner; for sometimes wee adde in stead of the purging medicines those that be astringent, as Continodium, Plantago, Tapsi barbat an M j. and so make a decoction. In one pound of the strayning you may ad some oyle, iuice: or if the patient be rich, some a stringent syrupe, as of Myttels or Quinces, iij, ounces: and so make an astringent clyster, contrary to the former.
And we must obserue, that somtimes the liquor is to be increased or diminished, according to the discretion of the Physition; as when the bowels are oppressed, as in the dropsie, and in women great with child: also when they are extended with wind; as in the Colick, and Enterocele, &c. Also when wee would haue the patient to retain the matter longer then ordinary, we diminish [Page 66] the quantity. When we would haue the clyster to ascend, as in the vlcers of the Ilions, and paine of the reines; also in the Apoplexie, lethargic, the quātity is to be increased, & to be made more sharper. Sometimes also oile is hurtfull: as Disenteria. in Dysenteria, where it maketh the vlcers soule and filthy; for then astringents, as oyle of roses or quinces, ought to be added to comfort and strengthen.
It hath beene thought of some that clysters may be administred for nourishment; especially being made of broth, milke, egs, wine, and other comfortable things, when as the patient is not able through weakenesse or some other accident to swallow: let me heare what your opinion is in that point.
It seemeth that Galen was of the contrary opinion, when he denied that the substance of the clyster was not carried beyond the intestinum Ieiunum, from whence some haue supposed that the ficke patient hath beene refreshed with the vapour onely. It is true indeede, that the animal appetite may be satisfied with the vapor of the nourishmēt, but the natural, wil not bee so satisfied, which delighteth [Page 67] only with substance, & not with vapours, which suddenly and speedily perish, and waste: but it is manifestly proued that the matter of the clyster to transcend the Iemnum intestinum, euen to the stomack, from whence the Mezerdicall veines doe draw nourishment: and in thacapassio it hath bin seene that oftentimes the clyster hath beene cast vp by vomit: who is hee then that will denie that clysters nourish not, or come vnto the stomacke?
Matthaeus Grad. an interpreter of Anicen doeth affirme, that he had seene a maid, that had taken Suppositories, and forth with with the violent attraction of the stomacke, fell into exceeding vomitings; whereby they were compelled to minister vnto her fatte broths and juyces to dull the attractiue facultie, whereby she was recouered.
I am of your opinion, that clysters may be giuen to nourish, and haue obserued in diuers patients; who through weakenesse could take no nourishment by the mouth, yet by Clysters nature hath beene well refreshed, and the Patient in the end as well recouered. [Page 68] But I would now know of you the order that must bee obserued as well by the Physition in the administring of the clyster, as by the patient in receiuing of the same.
You shall, and first for the time; it is thought that in the morning betweene Clysteria quomodo adnunistranda. seuen and eight of the clocke, the stomacke being fasting, or in the afternoone about fiue of the clocke, as the Physition shall thinke conuenient, is the fittest time; hauing a great care that it be not administred too hotte for the sensibilitie of the intestines. I haue knowne some that haue brought great torments to the patient, by ministring of a scalding clyster. But after the patient hath receiued the clyster let him by little and little turne himselfe vpon either side; and if the affect bee in the head or vpper parts, let the patient lie vpon his backe; if in the right side, let the patient lie so much the longer vpon the same, and so in like manner vpon the left; retaining the clyster if it be possible the space of an houre.
Afterwards when the clyster shall be sent forth with the excrements; let the [Page 69] patient refraine meate the space of an houre, that so by that time the vapours dispersed through the body may be setled; otherwise, the fumes of the excrements may be hurtfull, &c.
Proceed now to the choice of De remedij delectu. the Remedy.
The end of preparing physick is two fold: the first is, to preserue the present health of the body: the second, to reduce that which is lost. Health is preserued by a good diet, and sickenes is recouered by physicke: diet supplieth that which is wanting by the vse of like things; and Physicke being the curer, doth remoue those things that are hurtfull vnto the faculties, by remedies that are contrary. There are three things Triasent quae actionem laedunt. that doeth hurt the action that is, the cause, sickenesse, and the symptoms, or accidents that doth follow sicknes. The cause doe precede the disease, euen as the shadow doth the body: the symptoms doth follow the disease; therefore the Physition must first endeuour to remoue the cause, for otherwise there is little hope to cure the disease: and the outward cause doth profit very much to the [Page 70] knowledg of the inward: & as I haue already said, the scope of the Physition must be onely to remoue the same. And this cause is twofold, either coniunct or remote; which is commonly called antecedent and consequent: we call that coniunct which imediatly and forth with causeth the disease; as some humor praetor naturä affixed to the part, either by fluxion of congestion: we cal that remote and antecedent, from whence the same coniunct cause springeth, and is nourished: that is to say, Plethoria or Cacochymian.
What is that Plethoria or Cacochymian?
Wee call that Plethoria when there is an imoderate fulnes, through abūdāre of blood, or of the 4. humors: the cure wherof doth consist in cuacuation; Vt enim duae, sant prima & communes causae morborum: plethea, & cacochymia, sicremedia, sum m [...]ssio Sanguinis, & purgatio either by opening of a veine or purgatiō.
Cacochymia is a vitious quality of all the foure humours, or of some one of them: for either blood is distempered, or choler, or flegme, or melancholy; and that body which is so distempered, is called corpus cachochymicum, a body of an euill complexion, iuice or disposition.
First therefore in the choice of the remedie, [Page 71] we must first be carefull to deale with the cause, before the disease, or the symptom: the antecedent before the coniunct: the antecedēt cause, as I haue said, springeth from plethoria, or cacochymian: and the former is remoued by phlebotomi, and the latter by purgation.
In the choice of the remedy also wee must consider in opening of a vein, what Remedy [...] weine must be opened, as the Cephalica for the head; the Basilica for the naturall parts; the Epalica, for the middle parts, and the diseases of the stomacke and the splene. In the choice of the remedy, we must also diligently consider the seate of that cacochymia, & whether it may be remoued with Aloes & Cassia, or with some cōmon Clyster, for to purge from the first region as from the stomack, from the lutestims, from the hollows of the liuer, from the Mesenterio, and the splene, it is sufficiēt oftentimes to vse Rhubarb, Senna, & Agarick, with such like: but where it resteth in the parts more remote, we are then to vse a stronger means, as Scammomack medicins, coloquintiáa, hermodactils, black helebor, & others of the same kind.
In the choice of the remedy we must [Page 72] also consider the greatnes of the disease: for a great disease doeth require a great remedie; and a lighter, the lighter remedie: sometimes a small disease is cured onely by abstinence, frication, exercise, and with light remedies. In the administration of a remedy, we must also consider the strength of the sicke, and so dispose the medicine accordingly. And this is an obseruation, that the remedy must be alwares greater then the disease; and before the opening of any veine a clyster must precede, lest the crude humor which for the most part is contained in the first region, be carried into the places that are empty of blood.
You haue satisfied me well in the Theorick part: let vs now come to the practise. Shew me your method in the Therapeuticke, part: let me know how you will remedy diseases that proceede of blood; which we will comprehend vnder Synochus, or a continuall feuer. Go to, let me know your method for the curation of a continuall feuer.
That shall I most willingly performe, and I hope to your full satisfaction and contentment.
General remedies against diseases proceeding of bloud vnder the example of a continuall Feuer.
SYnochus is a continuall Feuer proceeding Signa. from bloud: the signes are an vnseparable rednes in the face, an inflation or puffing vp of the veines, artires, and temples, with lassitude and wearisomnes of the whole body, with a sleepy disposition; the vrin is red and grosse, the patient hath a difficultie of breathing, a full pulse, high and swift.
The cause and the kind of the Feuer being perspected, the cure wil easily follow. Purgatio. The first intention is with a clyster, or some gentle purgation: only I except cassia, partly because of his humectation it increaseth the putrifaction, and partly because head-ache is familiar to this Feuer, and by the vse of cassia is increased, by reason of the abundance of vapours that ariseth from the same.
Secondly, I open the basilica of the right arme, and according to the counsell Venae sectio. [Page 74] of Galen, I draw blood euen to the fainting of the patient. And because it sometimes hapneth that in a full body, a veine is hard to be found, and therefore blood cannot be drawne: I then cause your sanguisugae to bee applied to the thighs, legs, & shoulders, or otherwise I prouoke the Hemrrhods, the Menstrus, or bleeding at the nose. Then to resist putrification, I giue syrupus de acetositaet. citri, De limonibus, De granatis, Oxysacharum simplex, with the waters of roses, sorrell gramen, and Cichory: Or,
- Syrupi de acetositate Curi. ℥ ij.
- Aquae graminis. ℥ viij.
- Fiat Iulep: which must be giuen inter pastu.
The Syrups of Buglosse, De lupulis, De fumaria, giuen in the waters aforesaid doeth clense the blood. And forbeause the thinner blood by heate is apt to be turned in to choler, and the grosser into melancholy; we purge with Cholagogo, as Rhubarb, and with Melanagogo, as Sena with some refrigerant decoction, which doth also open and clense the blood; as for example:
- Radicum graminis.
- Acetosaean. Drag. iij.
- [Page 75] Cichorij totius.
- Endiuiae. Scariolae an. M. j.
- 4. Sem. frigid. malor. an. Drij. (sunt Diuretica.)
- Florum cordialium an. [...]. j.
- Fol. Sennae mundat. ℥. j.
- Fiat decoctio.
In colaturae ℥. viij. infunde Rhabarbari Drag. iij. in lein expressione dissolue syrupi De Cichorio simplicis syrupi de fumaria compos. an. ℥ j. ss. fiat apozema in duas Doses.
In the whole course of the cure must be repeated clysters that haue a cooling facultie; as for example:
- Lactucae.
- Endiuiae.
- Scariolae.
- Portulacaean. M. j.
Fiat decoctio in collaturae lib. j. dissolue mellis & sacchari violati an. ℥. j. Diapruni solut. Drag. vj. or confectio hamech. ℥. ss. velvtriusq Drag. ij. olci violati ℥ iij. fiat clyster.
And because the blood in the great veins doth putrifie, and is wont to moue great heat and paine about the loynes: we doe apply ceratum refrigerans Gaseni, or that which is prescribed against the hot distemperature of the reines.
[Page 76] The diet of the Patient must be thin, [...]ctus. and such as may not increase bloud, for bodies that are full and impure, by how much the more they are nourished, by so much the more are they hurt: in stead of wine, he must vse aqua horaij, or aqua graminis: & if the patient haue difficultie of breathing, you may ad therevnto liquorish, iniubes, or the roote of vngula cabalina, to strengthen the heart, buglosse, burrage; for the heat of the liuer cichorie, lettice, purslan; for the heat of the reines, the cold seedes and Alcecengi, for costiuenes, violets, pruna acida, Tanarinds. He must obstaine from egges, wine, & if it possible may be from flesh, because it doth increase the bloud, and so consequently the cause of the disease.
Of diseases proceeding of choler, with their cure, vnder the example of a Feuer tertian.
PRoceed now to the cure of cholerick diseases, which wee Febristertiana. will comprehend vnder a tertian Feuer. Tel me how wil you cure a tertian Feuer?
As there is a common cause of all diseases, so for the most part there are common remedies: the heate of choler is first to al to be asswaged by the vse of cooling medicines, as syrups of Cichorie, De endiuia, De granatis, violarum Rosa. De lymomb. De nymphaa: and if the heat be great, we giue thē with the water of Lectis, Purssan Plātine, Cuscuta, Sorrel, and such like: Afterwards wee purge with Rhubarb, infused in a decoction that doth both coole and open, as
- Rad. graminis.
- Acetosae an. dra. ij.
- Cichorij.
- Fndiute.
- Cuscutaean. M. ss.
- 4. Sem frigid maior. an. dra. j.
- Florum viol., rum & Nenupharis an. P j.
Fiat decoctio: in collaturae ℥. iiij. infunde Rhubarb. dra. ij. an leui expressione dissolue syrupirosarum solut ℥ j. ss. fiat polus. In a tertian, we administer opening medicines rather cold then hot: Galen commendeth the decoction of Pulegium, and origanum Ad Glauconem. And towards the end it shalbe profitable to vse Syrupus de quinque radioibus cum [Page 78] aquacichorij, or the syrup of cichory, with the decoction of the opening roots (and if you would temperate the heate) they must first be macerated in viniger.
Clysters must be prepared ex sero Lactis, Clysters. in which is boyled Letice, purslan, & violets: in the strayning we dissolue Diapruni solutini, Drag vj. mellis & sacchari violati, an. ℥. j olei violacet & nenupharis, an. ℥. j. ss. if the heat be great; otherwise oyse of violets ℥. iij. will serue.
Galen in the most hottest feuers giueth counsell to draw blood euen ad lypothimiam; Venae Seclio. because there is no better remedy for cooling. Howbeit, it is not expedient to open a veine before the third sitte be past: and then if the vrin appeare red, high coloured, and grosse, we shall commit no error to open the Basilica of the right arme: wherby the blood commixed with choler and putrifaction may be auoyded: and although the vrin be not grosse and, yet high, it shal be necessary to draw bood, to auoid choler, & to coole the ebullition therof. But this must be obserued in bood-letting that at the first opening of the veine we may draw more blood then at the second; for [Page 79] the first is for euacuation: and the latter but for refrigeration and cooling. And this blood-letting is most fittest for yong persons, such as haue plethoricke and full bodies, and strong; in whom this feruor & ebullition, by this meanes is easily asswaged. We must obserue also, that vomiting, being not prouoked, doth very much profit in the beginning of the Vomitus spontaneus. fit; neither is to be restrained, vnlesse the patient be debilitated & made weak thereby: and if it happen at sometimes that nature is flow to expell by vomite; the Physition is then to helpe nature, by administring of some medicine that may procure the same: which must be (as I Vomitus prouocandus in varum simi pr [...]mipro Vomitus. haue said) in the beginning of the sit; as for example:
- Aquae communis. ℥. iiij.
- Aceti & sacchaeran. ℥. j.
- Alisce.
Mix it, and giue it being warme vnto Oximel. the patient. Some giue vnto the patient Oximell ℥. iij. somewhat warme. But sometimes it happeneth that the patient doth vomit too much; that nature is thereby very much weakened: against which, we must giue such things as may [Page 80] corroborate, and strengthen the stomack: As
Rec. Syrup. de agresta. ℥ vj. Syrupus.
Which shal be giuen by little and little to the patient in a spoone ij. houres before meat: but if that stay not the vomiting, prepare this powder:
-
Puluis.Corallij rubei. Drag. iij.
- Zacchar. Drag ij.
- Canamomi. Scr. ss
- Misce.
Of which powder let the patient take Drag. j. mixed with two spoonefuls of the foresaid Syrup.
A Sacculus may also be prepared to Sacculus contra vomitum. apply vnto the stomacke after this manner:
- Rosarum rubearum. Drag. iij.
- Coriandri praeparat.
- Menthaean. Drag. ij. ss
- Coraliijrubei.
- Balanstiorum an. Drag. j.
- Conquassentur, & fiat sacculus.
In like manner we take for the same Emplastrum ad stomach. matter bread tosted and infused in rose vineger, beaten in a morter; to which may be added of myrtels and redde corrall ana Drag. j. of Cinamon Drag. ss and [Page 81] so applied like a plaster vpon the stomach. It is the dutie of a carefull Physitian to obserue diligently the motion of nature and to follow it as a guide, as Naturae motus. if it will helpe it selfe by vomit, by the stoole, by vrin, or by sweate; yea sometimes by haemorhogia to assist nature in her worke. In the meane time we must regard the liuer, for now hee is in himselfe altogether hot, the gaule in its vessell is fried and adured, so that we must apply an Epethem ex aqua cichorij ℥. iiij. cum eelectuarij triv Santali drag. ij.
But sometimes it falleth out, that with all this labour, the Feuer ceaseth not: what must we doe then?
Then we giue this Apozem or the like, twice a day, in the morning and euening. ℥. xij.
- Tamarindorum subt. incis. ℥ ij.
- Hordei contus.
- Passularum mund. an. P. iiij.
- Pruna incisa & contus. num xv.
- Conseruae nenusaris.
- Conseruae viotrae. ana ℥ ij.
- Fiat Decoctio S. A.
- In libris. xij. aquae quoad lib. octo reliquae ficte
Let it be strayned, to which strayning [Page 82] adde of syrup of violets, and oxysacchari solut. & syrupi de auabus radicibus ana ℥ iij. fiat Apozema.
Afterwards wee administer this clyster Clyster. following, or the like:
- Succi becae lib. j.
- Oletros. ℥ ij.
- Salis drag. j.
- Sacchar. rub. ℥ ij.
- Cassiae sistulae ℥ j. misce & fiat enema.
Also if the Patient hee dry or thirsty, Ad Ariditatem linguae. you may suffer him to bold in his mouth Electuarium Diadr agacanthi frigidi, or Damask pruins, or a cold apple, or to gargarise with rosewater and vinegar mixed together, or to lick some syrup of limons of the citren, violets, or such like.
In the Patient bee greeued through the heate of the summer, or because the fumes of choler doe offend the heart, we may giue him some cordial confectiō: as
- Conseruae rosaeros. rub. ℥ j.
- Conseruae borrag.
Confectio cordialis.
- Buglossae,
- Violarum an. ℥ ss
- Dioscordij drag. j.
- Boti or rentalis drag. ss
- Syrupi acetocuatis citriq. S. fiat in [Page 83] forma opitae.
Or for the richer sort:
- Diamargarit. frigid. drag. j. ss
- Sem. citri,
- Sem. acetosi & bombacis ad drag. ij.
- Cum syrupo buglossi fiat confectio.
Or Rec. confectionis hyacinthorum drag. j. ss specier. Diamargarit. frigid. drag. iij. misce cum syrupo violarum fiat confectio. Of which you shall giue vnto the sicke a spoonful, with water of buglosse & roses
Sometimes it hapneth that the Patient is affected with exceeding headach, by reason of the sumes that doe arise from the stomach; wherefore the foresaid clysters must be often repeated, and frication and rubbings of the legs must be vsed: besides the feet must be oftē washed before sleepe with this lotion following: Pedum lotio.
- Florum ros. rubrarum,
- Foliorum vitis &
- Camomillae an. M. ij.
- Florum chamomelae &.
- Meliloti, an. P. j.
Let al boyle in common water, wherewith let the Patients feet be washed euery night, the thighs, & hips, are also to be bound, to the intēt the sumes may be retracted [Page 84] & so the paine of the head eased.
The feet may also be rubed with some peece of course līning cloth, which may be moystned in some vinegar and salt.
Also for watchfulnes wee may apply this vnguent.
- Vnguenti populeonis ℥
ss.
Contrae Vigilam.
- Requies Galeni. drag. iij.
- Misce & annoint the temples.
But if the Patient sleepe not with this meanes, you may administer this potion, two houres before midnight.
- Syrupi papauoris an. ℥. j.
- Syrup. nenufaris
- Aquae Lactucae. ℥. ij.
- Misce, & bibat.
Also may be administred this Nasale.
- Aquaenenufaris
℥
ss.
Nasale Somniserum.
- Requiem Galenigran. iij.
- Opij gran. iiij.
- Acctimodicum.
This being mixt togither, wet cotten or bumbast, & put them into the nostrels
It often times hapneth, that in this tertian Feuer, the reines to be inflamed, to amend which, we vse this vnguent.
- Ole rosati magistri Arnoldi. ℥ j.
- Aceti modicum.
Vnguentum prorenbus.
- [Page 85] Misce.
Or we may vse vnguēto rosato santalato.
And thus by the helpe of Almightie God, and the due administation of these medicines, the cure of a cholorick or tertian Feuer shall bee effected.
I like this method very well, let me see how you will proceed in the cure of diseases proceeding of slegme, which we will comprehend vnder a quotidian Feuer: let mee know your method for the cure of a quotidian Feuer?
Generall remedies for diseases proceeding from flegme vnder the example of a quotidian Feuer.
EVery Feuer that repeatith it selfe euery day, may not be termed a quotidian, for duplex tertiana, and triplex quartana, doth returne daily, but the tertian with rigor, and exceeding cold, the quartan with horror, shaking, and shiuering, and the quotidian with cold of the extreame parts. The quotidian doth not end in [...] neither doth the fitte of the quotidian end with sweate, [Page 86] as that of the tertain, because that slegme is hardly resolued into sweats, but choler is very easily and quickly: also the accesse of the quotidian is wont to bee longer then that of the tertian.
The cause and kind of the Feuer is chiesly to be iudged from things antecedent, as if the sicke were giuen to gluttony, of a slegmatick constitution, & such a one that hath lead an idle life; whether it taketh him in the winter, or whether he liueth in a cold and moyste ayre, or if he be a child or an old man; if it be a woman, or a fat man; for children through much feeding, old men, women, and fat men, through the defect of nature, doe gather much flegme. Also the Feuer is to be adiudged from the adiuncts: as if the Ab adiunctis. A consequentibus. heate bee felt with moysture, although through putrifaction it bee some what sharpe: also from the consequence, as the hurt action: if the pulse bee small, flegme oppressing the heat, both in quā titie and qualitie. The Feuer is also to be adiudged by its excrements: as if the vrin bee thin (for so it hapneth through obstructiō, because the thin matter doth onely passe away) also if it bee white through rawnes and cruditie, or at the [Page 87] length turbusēt, through the permixture of some grosse humor The stools are also to be cōsidered, whether they be liquid, crude, and fleg matick: no thirst, because the stomack abounding in flegme doth represse heate and dirthe, which are the causes of thirst, vnles it happē the slegme to be salt with putrifaction or admixion of choler. And as the cure doth proceed from Art, so we must be careful to distinguish the Spocies of the flegme from the effects; as if it bee sharpe it prouoketh hunger; if it be salt, thirst; if it be sweet, drowsimes, quia acida coquenda salsa mox vacuanda, dulcis naturae committenda.
Therefore when we perceiue that the Feuer doth proceed from the dominatiō of flog me, the first intention for the cure, is to prepare a clyster fit to draw the same from the stomach & intestins, the forme whereof is in this order:
- Parietariae
Enemae ad pituitam.
- Mercurialis
- Chamomeli
- Meluloti
- Puleqij an. M. ss adde sivistantundem
- Hyssopi
- Thymi
- [Page 88] Origani
- Calamenthae
- Sem. anisi
- Sem. femiculian. drag. ij.
- Fiat decoctio, in colaturae libra vna dissolu mellis anthosati, & Sacchari rubri an. ℥ j.
- Diaphaenici aut
- Hiaerae aut
- Benedictae laxatiuae drag. vj.
- Ole chamomeli &
- Anethiniana. ℥ j. ss.
The humor is to be prepared with syrups de hyssopo, de marrubio, de absynthio, de duabus de quinque radicibus, de Staechade, oxemebte composito, Scillitico cum decocto radicum. Aperientium, or with the waters Apij. saemiculi, Asparagi, petrosilins, Absintbij, menthae, salutae, afterwards must bee administred such things as doe purge slegme, as Agaric. Diaphaenicon, Diacarthanīs, or if you please, wee may prepare an Apozē purging grosse slegme, as
- Radicum aperientium,
or
Apzema purgans pituitam.
- Rad. enulae campanae
- Rad peoniae an. drag. ij.
- Ilissopi
- Thimi
- [Page 89] Absynthij.
- Gentianae.
- Chamedrios.
- Chamepitios an. M. ss
- Seminum anisi.
- Sem feniculi an. Drag. iij.
- Florum anthos &
- Staechados an. P j. siat decoctio.
In colature ℥. viij. infunde & bulliant agarici Drag. iiij. in expressione dissolue Diaphaenici Drag. vj. oximelitis aut cuiusuis dictorum syrup. ℥. ij fiat Apozema in ducas doses.
But because it happeneth sometimes that the patient cannot take a potion, but Pil. purgantes puuitam. had rather take pils: then for that purpose may be giuen Pil. Aureae, cochiae, de agarico, aggregatiuae; of those that are lesse purging, as hierae, stomachicae, & Alephanginae, which may be prescribed by themselues or which the others, whose dose is Drag. j. Or,
Rec. Massae pil. aurearum an. Sor. ij.
Pil. de hiera.
Cum syrupo de absynthio siant pillulae molles num. vj. Or,
Rec. Agaricitrochiscati Sor. iiij. or of the Masse of pillulae de agarico Drag. j. cum syrupo De menthae vel De hyssopo siant vj. pil. [Page 90] molles.
About the beginning of the cold the fit approaching, it shall not be amisle to prouoke vomit, to euacuace the flegme which is contained in the stomacke; especially if nature shall seeme to require the same. To which purpose:
Rec. Syrupi acctosi aut oxymèlitis simpl. ℥. ij. Vomitus.
Cum decocto corticis raphani & seminis
Atriplaces rapham, in quo dra. ss. agarici bullierit, Fiat potio, Detur tepidè.
Hippocrates doth very much commend vomit in this feuer and writeth in Epidenijs, that the wife of one Theotimus was perfectly cured by the same.
Also it is profitable to anoint the back with oile of flowerdeluce or Dil: the patiēt may also vse hydromel in the decocti on wherof shal be boyled a litle hyslop, as
Rec. Hyssoppi P. ss. bulliat in tribus libris aquae ad perfectam despumatienem, seu consumptioneni tertie partis, audendo mellis ℥. j. ss. cuius quantitas mir uatur siat (que) mulsa dilutior sicalor in praecordijs auctus videatur, ne bilescat.
In the whole progresse of the disease, our cheefest care must be for the stomacke, that it may be strengthened by taking of [Page 91] some tables of Aromaticum rosatum, or Electuary of Diarrhodon, applying vpō the the same Emplastrū stomachicū, with oile of nutmegs, Chimical oile of wormwood, & such like: also to giue inwards is verie much cōmended syrup of mints or syrup of worme wood. Some do affirm, that the iuice of Gentian with warm wine taken before the fit, doth cure the feuer: but it is most certain, that a Dr. of old treacle, or mithridate (the body purged) giuen in white wine one houre before the fit to cure the same.
There be some that haue sworne that onely with the instilling of 3. drops of the iuice of Mercury into the right eare, or nostrill, to haue done the same: but as it is an indifferent medicine, so those that are disposed may proue it; so that they neglect not other meanes: some others will, vpon the drawing on of the fit to hold the feet in hot water, wherin haue bin boiled herbs of an hot quality. To a quotidiā appertaineth that feuer which is called Epiala, contrary to Lypiria, for Epiala Lypriiam. whē the inward parts wax cold, the outward do burn, because the vitrios & glas sie flegm in what part it doth putrisie, is incended, but the other grosse sort doth [Page 92] waxe cold, which requireth to be well prepared by such medicines as doe vehemently incide and attenuate before it be purged. Gordomius counselleth in feuers proceeding of slegme, to giue the patient wine diluted: for, saith he, if Valesius doe allow of opening rootes, if of peper, if syrups, De mentha, and De absynthio may be allowed, why not wine?
And this is the method which I haue obserued for the cure of a quotidian feuer; by which method I suppose all phlegmaticke diseases of what kind soeuer, may be remoued and perfectly cured.
Tell me what difference there is betweene a quotidian, and an haemitritaeon, or halfe a certian.
Of an Haemitritaeon or Semitertian.
HIppocrates, primo Epidenion, De semetertiana. doth call a semitertian, horrisicam; not onely because it doeth inuade with horror, but also because in the whole course of the disease the sick doth [Page 93] altogether tremble and shake: this feuer is framem of a continuall quotidian, and of an intermittent tertian. Flegme putrified in the greater vessels, causeth a quotidian, and choler putrisied in habitu, causeth a tertian; but it troubleth daily: besids also the third day the sick cō plaineth himself to be tormēted for certain houres with watchings, vnquietnes, with thirst, with bitternes of mouth, with a feeling of lassitude, and wearisomenes: therfore frō flegme proceedeth the cold, & from choler a light succession, or shaking of the extern parts; but frō both of them trembling: It is called a semitertian, not because we say he is halfe putrified; but he is farre more grieuous then a tertian. Hippocrates saith, that this disease is deadly, for many causes: first, for the diuers conflict of contraries: secondly, because it leaueth no time to nature to nourish the body, to concoct hurtfull humours, and to repaire the strength; by which cause it must needes heape vp a great heape of excrements: thirdly, because it is twofold, and is framed from contrary causes: lastly, because it exerciseth the stomack and the Nerues parts; [Page 94] from whence arise often syncops, and soundings: notwithstanding, the remedies must be mixed against choler, and flegme; the stomack must be strengthened with inward and outward meanes: the liuer must also be cooled: for I know not how it happeneth that it taketh one heat from another, & the lesser is drawn from the greater.
So, now you haue satisfied my desire, proceede to diseases arising from melancholy, which we wil comprehend vnder a feuer quartan: let me know your method you haue for the cure of the same Of diseases proceeding of melancholy, with their remedies, under the example of a quartan feuer
AFeuer proceeding from melancholy is called a quartan, Do morbis melancholicis. because that melācholy moueth euery 4. day, as choler doth euery 3. day, & slegm daily. That quartan is the safest, which doth inuade of itselfe, and doth not proceed from some other disease. For those feuers that degenerate into a quartan, doe somtimes continue for many yeres. Valescus reporteth, that he saw a man that had a feuer euery 30. day, & that feuer [Page 95] did continue for the space of 30 yeares.
The feuer is chiefly to be known from things antecedent; as if the sicke were Digmtio. melancholy, & in his declining age, and whether it took hold of him in Autumn; although that Hippocrates in libro De hebdomadibus writeth, that that feuer doth chiefly inuade in the flower of age: that is to say, from 25. vnto 45. but hee hath written many other things of a quartan, which daily experience doth shew to be contrary. But to proceed: if the fit doth begin with trembling & shaking, & that his bones seeme to be bruised, & feeleth paine in his lower parts, because the humor is cold, drie, & grosse and therefore cannot be thrust out to the skin.
Also from the adiuncts, as by the heat which doth not appeare sharp & biting except the humor be of burnt choler.
From the consequents, as the hurt action, a small pulse by reason of cold; & Actiu lesa. slow by reason of the grossenesse of the humour. The feuer is also to be adiudged from the excrements, as by little sweat, because the humour being earthy is very hardly resolued into sweats: the vrine is thinne and watrish, and the [Page 96] stooles and drie.
We must proceede in this feuer as in others, in concocting the matter offending, and in purging; because he is of the kind of putrified feuers; therefore we must begin with euacuation of common superfluities; and if the belly be bound, wee giue this or the like glyster:
- Fol. Maluae. M. j.
- Polypod quer. ℥ j. ss.
- Epithimi.
Apozem. Contra melancholiam.
- Carthami an. ℥. ss.
- Sen alex. ℥. j.
- Sem. anisi.
- Femculi an. P. j.
Bulliant in sero Lactis adlib j. in colat. dissolue mollis ros. ℥. j. ss. olei violarum ℥. iij. & fiat enema.
Also we may administer this Apozem.
- Radicum capparis.
- Tamaricis an. Drag. iij.
- Polypodij. ℥ ss.
- Lupuli, cuscutae, melissae, buglossae.
- Borraginisan. M. j
- Som. anisi, feniculi an Drag. ij.
- Florum genistae. P. j.
[Page 97] Fiat decoctio, in colat. ℥ viij. Dissolue Syrupi Defumaria simplicis vel compositi, syrup. de pomis aut regis sabor an ℥ j. ss. fiat Apozema clarum in duas doses.
In the same decoction may bec boyled Foliorum Sennae drag. iij in collatura ℥ iiij. dissolue catholici duplati, syrupy de Epithymo compsoti an. ℥ j. fiat potus.
The humor being prepared, ought to bee purged with light and familiar medicines often repeated, for strong medicines doe rather exasperate the humor, being before stubberne, then otherwise anoyd it, but for poore men, and strong bodies, may be giuen this medicine.
Rec. confectionis hanicch. Drag. iij.
Dissolue in decocto lupuli & scabiosae in quo ℥ ss foliorum sennae buluerint, Addendo oxymelitis Galeni ℥ j. fiat potus.
The pouder of Sennae oriental, or of Epithymum cretensis Drag. ij. drunck in white wine, may suffice, or Drag. vj. thereof infused in sero lactis, or aqua violarum, if the humor be of black choler. Atrabil trius.
If the body bee full, the vrin appearing red, we may open the basilica of the [Page 98] left arme, which if the blood flow cleane and red, shall be forth with stayed, but if it appeare black, we may draw in more aboundance: in women we are to moue the monstrus, and in men the haemorods, if it may possible be done: some there bee that giue councel to open the saluatella (which is a veine between the little finger, and the next adioyning to the right hand, but in this case it must bee opned in the left) in the paroxisme it selfe. Calen giucth vs warning to looke vnto the splene, as well by things in ward as outward, the remedies whereof hee setteth forth in capite de obstructione Genis: for in the splene saith he is the seate of melancholy, which is indeed focus febris. But Trallianus and Aetius ex Ruffo: saith that in a quartan proceeding of black choler we ought to haue regard to the liuer, rather then the splene, which being obstructed, and by long heate of a cholorick Feuer, is growne into a scirrhus hardnes, which may bee perceiued when the hypocondre of the right side by the very touch it selfe is perceiued to be stretched out and very hard.
Vomit doth auaile very much to auoid Vomitus. [Page 99] the humor offēding, if it be prouoked by fit medicines, two houres before the sit. White wine being giuen luke warme in the beginning of the sit, doth procure vomit, and in the declination sweate.
There be many that do commend bathing, because that the skin astricted and dry may be relaxed: but this I think not to be good in a cold quartā but in a hot.
There be some also that do giue counsell, a little before the sit, to annoint the spine of the backe, and the feete (because from thence beginneth this fit) with the oyle of iuniper, of Scorpions, of Coste, of Castoreum, cum vnguēto Arragonio, or with that wherin hath bin boiled green frogs, for that is an alexteriū of a maligne humor sōe also prefer this medicine following.
Rec. Theriacae árag. j Nardi & caryophillorū an. Scr j. cum aliquo ex dictis oleis aut cum vino generoso fiat lin mentum pro spina dorsi, for so the trēbling which is the forerunner of the quartan is diminished, because that by heat nature is strengthned, & better able to resist cold, & also somtimes sweat followeth, whereby the accesse is diminished, & aportiō of matter of the disease auoided Confectio alcermes, [Page 100] being giuen one houre before the accesse the body being before purged, doth profit very much. In like manner, the decoction of Agrimony, to which is added a little white wine, at the end of the decoction, is giuen in the accesse itselfe.
I wonder of Rondoletius which doth so often perswade vs that the vse of white wine wherein sage is steeped for a night, to cure the quartan, and to bee a certaine remedy for all diseases which proceed of melancholy.
But that is more wonderful, that Trallianus doth affirme, that a line Bitle hung Scarabcus. about the necke in a peece of linnen tincted with saffron, should bee a sure experiment to take away a quartan: some there are that doe commend the worme that is found in the thistle called Labrum veneris, to bee very good against a quartan, being hanged about the neck, of which you may read more in Trallianus. Trallianus.
Valescus doth write, that the iuyce of Tapsus Harbatus being giuen three times an houre before the fit, to remoue the Quartan.
There are certaine that do vse this secret. [Page 101] Take the heart of an Hare, prepared as the lungs of a Foxe, let it be deuided into three equall parts, wherof giue one part vnto the sicke, with wine, before the fit, and by the fourth fit he shall be cured.
Things that doe heat very much, as Diospoliticon, pepper, mustard, Diatrion piperion, and such like, must be auoyded in a hot quartan, in a cold also they must be carefully and warily vsed. For those that vse these remedies, as Aetius doth affirme, doth increase the force of the disease, for they make of a simple quartan, a double, but in the state before the fit may bee giuen this medicine. Rec. Myrrhae piperis, & felliorum rutae viridum an. partes aequaìes cum melle, fiant pill. quarn̄ Scr. j. detur ante accessionem.
Of diseases of Inanition or emptines, vnder the example of a Feuer hectick.
A Feuer Hectick is an equall distemperature, and therefore without Febris Hectica. paine, for hee that is hectick doth not feele the disease but priuatly: quia solitas actiones obire non potest: besides the alteration [Page 102] groweth by little and little, neither hath it any essence in motion: when this disease doth begin, a fenerous heate doth inuade the dewy or almentary humor, called Cambium, and it is sayd to be confirmed when it hath consumed the naturall moysture, and the fixed spirits.
This Feuer hectick, followeth very often burning Feuers, colliquations, great euacuations, as aimorragiā. Diarrhaeā, lienteriā, & also Empiomae, and Pthisis: that is lesse dangerous, which doth succeed some effect of the stomack, the liuer, the splene, the mother, and the reines.
This disease is knowne by his heate, Dignotio. the vrin is thin, crude, white, & at the last oily, from the colliquation; there is a dry cough, the pulse slacke, hard, and it is called hectick by reason of the dry artery: they feele presently after dinner heate, especially in the hands and feete, because the dry heate is perfused in the nourishing humor, euen as lime in water. The stomack almost sticketh to the ribs the face is leddy, because of the smalnes of heat, & spirits; at the last he groweth like a ghost, the eyes hollow, the nose sharpe, and then when the haires do fal, the legges swell, and a slux of the belly [Page 103] hapneth: then iudge that death is nic. The cure rather cōsisteth in diet, then in Curatio fere tota analeptica. Physick, but if the belly be bound, there may bee administred a gentle clyster, or some calsia newly drawne, his meate should be hens fed with frogges, or with barly boiled with frogs, of which being beaten together, may be made a paste, & so cast vnto the hennes. Some there are that do very much commend the yelks of egs poched, and coxe-stones boyled in milke, but that is more fitter for the cause which is emptines) then to the Feuer, the Patient must vse decoctions of french barly, a yong cocke stusfed with barly, clensed and boyled, for broth is very good, if hee shall be wearie of the vse of pusans, he may vse white wine being made thin by delution. The Patient must auoid watchfulnes, venery, and all other perturbations of the mind, which doth dry & attenuate, as anger, sorrow: bathing is thought to be good lukewarm so that it hath a cooling faculty, especially before the disease be confirmed, he may tarry in this bath 3. or 4. houres giuing vnto him therein Asses milke tempered cum saccharo, violato, or rosato, after [Page 104] he is out of his bath, he may be annointed with cerato refrigirante galeni, or vnguento rosato, mesue oyle of roses, violets, or Mympheae. Marasmus is not to bee cured, and those that make their Marasmus. brags that they cure consumptions, doc much mistake: for it is rather leannes, and thinnes of body, then any Hectick passion: for euen as to poure oyle into a lampe where is no weeke nor match, is nothing else but oleum & operam perdere, euen so in vaine doe wee striue to restore to nature that solid substance, being by heate consumed & taken away, because that through nourishment, a watry humor, & not an angry is rather supplyed to the sicke Patient.
Common remedies for maligne diseases, and contagious vnder the example of the Pestilence.
THe Pestilence is a disease which De Tesie. doth happen vnto many, and hath his beginning from a pernicious & vnusual putrifactiō, which doth very much exceed the condition of vulgar putrifaction. Sometimes this pernicious quality hath it begining in our selues, for [Page 105] it happeneth that sometimes the humors I could wish that our common Gardeners about London might be inhibited from planting such multituds of Cabbages, or at the least might be compelled to bury deep vnder ground their rotten stalks and leaues from whence ariseth a pestilent vapour and vnusuall putrifaction at the latter end of the yere of our bodie doth so much degenerate from the natural temperature, that at the length it taketh vnto it self a pernitios & venemos quality, & so is constrained to striue with deadly venoms. Somtimes it ariseth frō outward means, as malign & putrified exhalations which are communicated to the aire; sometimes from dead fennes, pooles, and standing waters corrupted, such as is the waters in Moore fields at London, where no man was wont to walke in the euenings for stench, stinking channels, venemous dens, and mettalin spirits arising out of the earth: often times also it happeneth from the variable commistion of the Planets; and then it is the hidden and admirable scourge of the most iust God for our sinnes; and then it is properly called the pestilence: but when it hath hit beginning from other causes, it is called Morbus malignus, or Febris maligna: those feuers that haue their originall from Venom are for the most part deadly, but not pestilential, because they are not contagious.
[Page 106] The part affected is the heart, by Pars affect. meanes of the pestilent aire which creepeth vnto the same by the lungs; through necessity of respiration, whereby the vitall spirits are assailed; and the humidum radicale, and solid substance cleane ouer throwne.
We must in the beginning resist the externall cause; the aire is to be purged by fire, both abroad & in the house, for that doth separate & remoue the putrifaction many waies: if it be prepared of sweete woods, as of Iuniper, it is more better & doth more refresh the vitall spirits. The vitall faculty it selfe is to be strengthned by cordials, as well inward as outward, the better to resist venom.
- Conseruae buglos. & borrag. an. ℥. j.
- Corticis, & semenis citri, an. Dr. ij.
- Diamargirits frioidi.
Alexiphar macon.
- Troch scorūde Camphora, an. dr. j
Adde si vis. boli armeni terrae sigillatae, tantundē, Rasurae Vnicornis smaragdt, ambrae an. gran. ss. cum syrupo conseruationis citri fiat opiata, vel cum saccharo in aqua violarum Buglos. scabiosae, cardut benedicti soluto fiat electuarum per tabellas: but if these things shail seeme too hot for the summer; they [Page 107] may be temperated with adding of Roses, violets, and sanders; for the poorer sort may suffise the rines and seeds of the citren, cornu, cerui zedoaria dictaminus, angelica, tormentill, gentian, taken the quantity of Drag. j. in aquae cardui or borragini To the heart must be applied Sacculus, fotus, Epithemita; the sacculus may be prepared with red roses, violets, flowres of buglosse, & the citren rine, & of their decoction or distilled waters, may bee made fotus: and with adding of cordiall powders may be framed an Epithema.
There are alwaies ready in the Apothecaries shops two Alexiteriās against al venoms and venemous diseases: that is, treacle, & mithridate, the which our antients haue vsed with great profit, as wel for preseruatiue, as for expelling presēt sicknes: they were wont to giue one Dr. by it selfe, or else in some cordiall water, and also to apply it outwardly in the forme of a Linament vpon the region of the heart, with some mice of Lymons, or mixed with some Cordiall conserues, in the forme of an Emplaster. Some learned men doe agree that the same cacochymia is to be diminished by some gentle purge, which must be vsed with [Page 108] some cordial decoction; as for example: if choler be accended, and a poison may seeme to possesse all the humours, the signes shew presently a cholerick feuer, although by reason of the same cacoethes and conioyned poyson, it be increased: we may say,
- Radicis acetosae. ℥. ss.
- Scabiosae.
- Cichorij.
- Pimpinellae an.
M. j.
Decoctio cordialis.
- Sem. citri &
- Cardui benedictian. Drag ij.
- Flor. cordialium an. P. j.
Fiat decoctio, in colaturae ℥. iiij. infunde Rhabarbari Dra. ij. ss. in expressione leui dissolue syrup. rosarum Solutiui ℥. j. ss. adde Camphorae grana quatuor & fiat potus: I dare not vse any stronger purge as Diaprunum solutinum, and Electuarium, Desucco rosarum; least nature should be disturbed: and therefore we must farre lesse vse Diacrydium, or Antimoni. Yet there be some Physitions that doe affirme, that iiij. or v. graines of Antimoni being infufed in some cordiall waters, to haue been giuen with good successe.
In all Epidimicall diseases one doeth [Page 10] administer this medicine:
- Diascordij. Drag. j.
- Syrup. Delymonibus. ℥ ss.
- Aquae cardui benedict, ℥ ij.
- Spirit. vitrioli gut. 4. Misce & fiat haustus.
Capiat & fudet. and so let him take ij. Nota. or iij. of the same draughts: if the feuer seeme to be a synochus, and the patient haue a plethoricke body, a veine may safely be opened, but if it be but an Ephemera or hecticke, then at no hand must it be enterprised. From hence aririseth that great complaint of letting of blood in a pestilent feuer: one defending one way, and another, another way; and all striue by probable reasons: some do affirme, that no man doeth escape that hath a veine opened: another saith, that very few die that doe bleede, and that there is no more present remedy, then the same; but this first is to be ended by the distinction of feuers.
Celsus doeth commend bathing, and hydrotick meanes, that the Venum may haue its passage thorow the skinne: and therefore they hold it good to anoint the groine and arme holes, with the other [Page 110] Emunctuaris, with oyle of Scorpions, that therby the venom may bee drawn forth.
De Lue Venerea, or the Pox.
PRocced now and tel me, what disease is the Pox?
The Pox is a contagious euill, which for the most part is gotten by the vse of veneric. In times past we had no knowledge of that disease, but now it is growne to bee the most commonst that raigneth; and it bringeth with it many detestable cuils, and trouble some accidents. In the beginning it is but small, but in time, it groweth to that greatnes, that it doth not only corrupt the humors and spirits, but also it doeth offend the nerues, membrans, tendons, the flesh and bones: and at last it doth ouerthrow and consume all the other parts of the bodie, and peruerteth the tempeature and whole substance thereof: from whence proceedeth diuers and many kindes of excrements: it may well be called the plague of Venus, because that for the [Page 111] most part it is not gotten but by the vse Let venerians look to themselues. of vncleane bodies. This disease hath beene knowne to lurke in the bodie many moneths together before it hath beene mistrusted, and sometimes a whole yeare together.
What part is there affected in the Pox?
In this disease the part affected Pars affect. principally is the liuer, as doth appeare by the naturell actions hurt; for in the stomacke there is euill concoction, whence ariseth a great alteration of colour, and dulnesse of the whole bodie: the appetite of venerie is cleane ouerthrowne; and it is a disease peruerting the whole substance, with the temperature; and by that meanes there ariseth diuers kindes of excrements: it hath an analogie to the whole substance of the liuer, rather then to the heart or braine; for it doth oppugne rather the naturall spirits then the vitall or animall; which beeing corrupted, must needes infect the Liuer: from whence ariseth that same Pilorum Deflautum, or shedding of haire; and also sometimes there ariseth itchings about the priuy parts, [Page 112] vlcerations, virulent Gonorrheas, and such like.
What are the signes of this disease?
In the beginning of the disease there doth appeare those venerious bubos Signa. Bubones venerei. in the groine, and maligne pustuls in the yard, and vlceration of the vrinarie passages; which after a time doeth yeeld a kind of light sanies, and causeth a kind of distilling, and burning of vrine: and withall there is adioyned a gonorrhea, and shedding of seede. Somtimes there doth appeare certaine small spots ouer the whole body, now yellow, now redde, and filthy; and as it were warts, which wil not a way til the disease be cured.
Finally, paine of the nerues, head-ach, paine of the shoulders, and the necke are common companions. Sometimes also those spots doe vanish, and after a time doe rise againe, and in time doe proue to be virulent, and doe erode and eate the skinne; so that there doeth arise manie foule fordid, and virulent vlcers and pustles, and they doe very often grow in the pallat of the mouth, and in the iawes, [Page 113] and the nose, and in time doth exulcerate the tongue, and the nostrils, because those parts are more tender then others.
Often times in this disease also the Desantium pilorum capitty atque barbs. haire of the head and beard do fal away, the Patient cannot sleep by reason of exceeding paine, for this disease doth torment more in the night, then in the day. There doth also appeare in the ioints, & vpon the shin bone, certaine tophies, & tumors, hardly to be dissolued, and especially in the forehead, and other parts of the head, and sometimes also vpon the shoulders, from whence arise vleers, of very hard curatiō, which in time doth erode and corrupt the bone, bringing to the Patient in tollerable paine, especially in the night time, as I haue before sayd. And these are the common sigues of this disease of the poxe, which in some bodies doe appeare after one manner, & in others after another, more or lesse, and not in euery body alike.
Tell mee, what is the cause of this disease?
The cause of this disease is a Causa. fordid and maligne qualitie, containing in it selfe, a very deepe contagion, communicated [Page 114] from one infected body vnto an other, by vncleane touching, wherby for the most part, the parts of generation are affected, by reason of their rare and tender substance. In like manner this maligne qualitie is communicated to the apparell, to the mouth, and also to the skinne: and sometimes it doth so much the sooner infect, by how much the natural vertues & faculties of the liuer are the weaker. From thence also it doth somtimes happen, that many vsing one vncleane woman, are in a manner al infected, but those that haue their naturall faculties strong, are very seldome infected. As in the pestilence, although the pestilent aire be communicated to al, yet all are not alike infected, and the reason is, because some men haue their vitall spirits more stronger then others.
What prognosticks haue you vpon this disease?
This disease being but newly taken, doth admit an easie cure, but being Prognest. old & confirmed, is very seldome or neuer cured, & the disease is contagious & infectious, to which womē are more apter then men: and in this euill it hapneth that the infected cānot sleep, & they are [Page 115] troubled with continual sorrow & grief, and in the end doe perish with a Feuer. This disease also is transferred from the parents to the children, & bringeth with it often times, phtisis, the dropsie, asthma, and such like.
Let vs now heare what cure you haue for this disease?
I haue sayd, that if the disease be Luis vene. reae cura. not very old, that then the cure is very easie: and therefore first of all I open a veine, afterwards I attenuat the grose humors with medicines appropriate for that purpose, especially such as may reserate and open the meatus & passages.
Then I doe purge the body, as necessitie shall require, either with pils, or potions, afterwards I expell the reliquis of the disease, with such things as may procure Diaphoretica. sweate, and when the sicke doth begin to sweate, hee must cleanse and wipe himself with cleane clothes, & before he entreth into his sweate, he must drinke a draught of some decoctiō that hath propertie to open the passages of the neruos parts, in which the matter of the disease doth chiesly lurke, and so driue the matter from the inward to the outward and [Page 116] to that purpose we may vse Decocto radicum feniculi, enulae campanae, lentium, vuarū, passarum sicuum. To this decoctiō may be added treacle, or mithridate: as if wee take iiij. ounces of decoction wee may adde Scr. ij of mithridat, or treacle, with two drops of spirit of vitrioll, and so may he sweat the space of iij. houres together: afterwards the sweate being cleane wiped, hee may commit himselfe to his bed, in which hee may more pleasantly sweate at his pleasure: and this order of sweating is often to be repeated.
But what if these courses taken bring no profit to the patient?
Then wee proceed to a more stronger kind of cure, as after bloodletting, to vse the decoction of Guiacum, or of sarsaparilia, or of the roots of China: alwaies prouided, that the body be first well purged: and this decoction must be giuen hot, and the Patient wel & closely couered with clothes, that hee may the better sweate: after his sweate, hee may rise and walke in his chamber, so that he keep himselfe from the iniury of theaire: he may also 4. or 5. hours after the receiuing of the medicine dine & sup, either with a chickin, or a little rosted mutton. [Page 117] But if for busines or pouerty the Patient may not vse the decoction, we may in the place vse the vnction of mercury, & that with very good successe, and also sometimes after the vse of the decoctiō with great profit, for thereby shall the reliques of the disease bee throughly expelled, & we continue the decoction for the space of 30. daies together. This euil also will require somtimes stronger engines, as suffumigijs of Cinabrium, which may be performed euery third or fourth day: but this medicine is neuer to be put in vse, vnlesse we haue in vaine assaied al the former meanes: notwithstanding in the armes & legs it may safely be performed if there be either pain, aches, nodes, tophies, or vlcers: & for those which by reason of their busines cānot keep home, we may vse emplasters spread vpon leather or vpon new linnen cloth, & place them vpon the ioints, which implaster may be remoued twice a weeke.
Shew me what plaster it is that may be applied for that purpose?
Rec. Emplastri de meliloto pro splene lib. ss. Argentiviui ℥ ij. olei laurini, petrolei, terebinthinae an. Q. S. fiat cerotum.
[Page 118] For the hard tumors, you may take the roots of Althea, figs, and fenugreeke, which being boiled in wine, with capōs grease make an emplaster, & so apply it.
And this may suffice for a discreet student, as cōcerning the cure of that foule contagious disease called the Frēch pox.
There is one disease more, which we call Scorbutus: let vs finish our discomse with that disease: tell me, what is that Scorbutus?
Of the Scorbie.
Scorbutus is a disease obstructing De Scorbuto. the splene, wherby the course & passage of melancholy is hindred: which being mingled with the rest of the bloud, infecteth all the body with vild wastings and corruption, the groster part wherof falling downe, staineth the legges with spots, like vnto the couler of pomgranets, and the thinner patt being carried vp, doth desile the gummes with sharpe fretting, and loathsome ouergrowing of the flesh. This disease is thought to bee that which Plinie maketh mention of in lib. 25. of his naturall history calling it 25. Lib. hist. naturalium. Stomocace and Sccletyrbe.
What is the cause of this disease?
The cheife cause of this disease, is grosse and corrupt diet, as may be perceiued cap. 3. Strabo geograph lib. 16. Grosse diet the cause of the Scorby. by those that trauell by sea, by long voyages; and our fishers that trauel to the Newfound-lands, wanting fresh and sweet waters, and vsing corrupt and stincking waters, & especially in an hot aire, in which the waters will most speedely corrupt: in like manner, flesh tainted, and stinking, lard putrified, and mouldie, venson tainted, fish of grosse substāce, bread twise baked and sub mucid, garlick, drinkes ingendring cuill iuice, bacon, martlemas beefe, fish dried in the smoake, being ouer-salted, & such like. But aboue al things, a full diet, and delicate, vsing no exercise is the cause of this disease; and somtimes this disease doth follow the quartan Feuer.
What are the certaine signes of this disease?
The signes of this disease, is first Signa Sborbuti. an euill sauor of the mouth, swelling and bleeding in the gummes, loosnes of the teeth, black & leadie spots of the legs, & somtimes in the face, also weaknes of the joints, & disability to walke; difficulty of breathing, & chiefly when they moue or [Page 120] stir, and when they offer to rise, or set vp right, they are ready to die, and their spirits faile them, but when they lie downe they are refreshed & breath more freely. In like māner the sicke for the most part are greedy of meat, and do desire to eate often, & for the most part their stomack neuer faile them, also the belly for the most part is bound and the patient goeth hardly to stoole, and yet there are some that are subiect to a continual slux. Moreouer, the spots of the legs do sometimes swell and tumisie, in some the legs are so vlserated, that the shinbone doth often lie bare. And in a word, this disease in some bodies doth turne into a kind of leprosy, for the spots resolue into a black kind of scales, as is wont to bee in the morphue, and leprosie of the Greeks: although in other some, it is but light, equall and shining.
Lastly, those that die of this disease, are sound to be spotted ouer all the body, & veins of the legs, & about the tongue are filled & swolen with melancholy blod: & these are propper signs of this disease.
Let me now know the manner of of your cure of this disease?
Letting passe general remedies I wil [Page 121] shew you the particular cure of this disease, which must if there be Plethoria Cura. and fulnes be begun with blood-letling, if strength, age, and other things permit: but it is not thought good to draw blood in abundance; but if it be possible to draw blood from the haemorrhodial veines, it is more conuenient; and if the splene be particularly affected, the veine called Lienaris or middle veine of the left arme is to be opened: but if the liuer be more affected, and that the bodie is perceiued to abound with blood, then we must open the liuer veine of the right arme, or the Basilica or middle veine.
But where the Physition is neuer or seldome called, vntill the disease hath Nota. taken deepe roote, and is become desperate: that is, when it hath spread it selfe into the legges, and other parts of the body; we must then altogether abstaine from blood-letting.
What course must wee then take?
Then we must purge the body lightly with sena, & such like; as for example:
- Senea Alex. Drag. iiij.
- [Page 122] Epithymi cretens. Drag. iij.
- Passular. Corinth. ℥. ss.
- Som. feniculi. Zuinziberian. dr. ss.
- Fiat infusio in ℥. viij.
Seri lactis per noctem super cineres calid & mane fiat colat. & capiat.
In like manner may be giuen halfe an ounce of this powder following: being infused as aforesaid. Rec. Senae ℥. j. Epithymi, tartarivini albi an. ℥. ss. Cinamomi, Gariophil. galangae, sem. anisi an. Drag j. ss. fiat puluis subt. & seruatur advsum.
In like maner pils De fumoterra, and Diasena, are also profitable in this disease. Some vse pils ex Lapide Lazuli, and Armeno: but they are not thought to be so good. Some giue Confectio hamech, but with good caution: for this disease doth not admit any vehement purgations; for thereby the heart is easily affected and hurt.
The body being lightly purged, wee giue the patient twice a day: viz. in the morning, and at iiij. of the clocke in the afternoone, the quantity of iiij. ounces of these iuices following: Rec. Chochleariae, menthae aquat. Cardamines, sysimbriae, [...]an. partes aequales: Bechabungae partem semis.
[Page 123] These hearbs being greene, let them be beaten in a stone morter with a pestle of wood, and then strained, and to euery dose may be added a quantity of suger to make it pleasant: & if it be possible let the patient sweat after the taking therof Doct. How may this profit in this disease?
The Chocheleria, water-mints, and Cardamines, doeth deuide and extenuate and also purge by vrin, and the Cresses doth moderate the strength of the rest: and these hearbes may be diminished or increased, as the Physition shall thinke good according to the disease and body of the patient: It may be giuen also in goats milke, or for want thereof in Cow-milke, so that euery day it be made fresh. It is approued to be very good when the hearbes haue beene boiled in whey, & also in whit wine; but yet the ioyces being giuen, is much to be preferred aboue the rest.
There may also be added amongst the said herbs, of our common wormewood, and sometimes fumoterra, and Germander: also to strengthen the bowels & the ioynts may be admixed Numularia.
If the Physition will, he may make a [Page 124] greater mixture: they may make their choice of these things following:
Myrobalan: Indorum: cort. radicis capparis corticis fraxinae: Cuscutae, Asari, Thymi: Epithymi, Capilli veneris, Matricaricae, Chelidoniae, Betonicae, Hyssopi, Agrimoniae, Scabiosae, Pimpinellae, Phyllitis, Cetrarchae, Tamarisci, acetosae, Radicum Valerianae, Bistortae, Enulae Campanae, Polypodij, Lapathi acuti, Peniculi, Petrosilini, Cichoriae, Borraginis, Buglossae, Rhapontic. Aristolochiae rotund. Lequiritiae, passularum florum genistae, florum sambuci, Anisi. sem. feniculi, 4. sem. frigid. viticis, and such like. Also diuers haue been cured by this remedy following:
Rec. Fol. absint hij siccats gran. Iunip. an. M. j. Lactis Caprini lib. iiij. Let al boile vntill the third part bee consumed, then straine it, and mixe with the strayning of Saffron one Drag. then let it boile ouer the fire for ij. or iij. walmes, and againe straine it: of this decoction you shall giue three times in a day warme: viz. in the morning, and at three of the clock in the afternoone, and at the entrance into bedde.
In like manner Syrupus Sceletyrbicus described by Forestus shall much auaile [Page 125] in this disease. Rec. Succichochleariae succi Becabungea an. lib. iij. sacchar. albis. lib. ij. clarificetur succus cum albumine oui, and then boiled to the forme of a syrupe, and so let the patient receiue thereof in a spoone euery day thrice.
And thus haue we finished our discourse of the scuruy; of which disease if any man desire more knowledge, let him read Forestus his obseruations in diseases of the Splene.