THE Art of Healing can never be Succesful, when neither the Theory is sufficiently understood, nor the Practice well managed, though for the Instructing there­in multitudes of Books are extant, and dayly new Hypotheses started; but as the former cause Confusion, so most of the lat­ter have little besides their Novelty to re­commend them.

This Art is of absolute necessity, and great use to the well-being of Mankind; and yet it wants, as most other things, not only the Improvements might reasonably have been made, but even the benefit of many formerly in use, and still fit to be conti­nued.

Divers things have contributed to this [Page 2] Misfortune; amongst others, the causeless Fears and rash Censures of Patients; which have incouraged some dis-ingenuous Physi­tians to take advantage of their Ignorance; most of them choosing rather to be decoy­ed into their Graves, than forced into their Health. Something not much unlike this humour was in Jeremiah's Time; Jer. 5.31. The Prophets prophesie falsely, and the Priests bear Rule by their Means, And my People love to have it so; and what will ye do in the end thereof? And Amelot de la Houssaie, in his History of Venice, pag. 260, 261, and 262, observes, That ill Counsels (provided they are covered with plausible Appearances) are oftner followed than good. Which most com­monly displease, either from the difficulty of the Execution; or, because the good or ill Consequences are not generally foreseen; for men do not discern what is true from what is false, nor what is convenient from what is destructive.

But if Diseased Patients could be healed naturally, as once miraculously, by a Com­mand to take up their Beds and walk, without a necessity of swallowing many loathsome Potions, and seemingly churlish Medicines, and always as well jucundè, as sometimes citò & [...]u [...]ò be freed from their Diseases, then might Physitians boast of a Purge, or [Page 3] Vomit which should neither make sick, nor gripe; and of Specificks without any sensible Evacuation, wherewith to vanquish all Dis­eases: but these are Desiderata: for though a Disease be received with never so much delight into the Body, it shall cost some pain and trouble before it can be parted with: 'tis true, that pain and trouble, where Strength gives liberty and time, may be divided into smaller Portions, by protract­ing the Cure; and a Patient, who cannot suf­fer a removal of his Disease at once, may be healed by degrees, there being (besides the true and safe Method of helping with pow­erful Remedies) a slower and more uncer­tain, yet seemingly milder, for such as have patience, and will run the hazard.

Diseases may of themselves for a time be quieted, and their Fermentation interrupted, and sometimes also by Art to good purpose; but never was any Cured without Evacuati­on, general or particular, natural or artifici­al, as by Vomiting, Seige, Ʋrine, Sweat, Sneez­ing, Imposthumations, or other Eruptions, B [...]oding, Fluxing, Blistering, or Cupping, with, or without Scarifications, according to the sound Judgment of a well experienced and honest Physitian. And of this his late Majesty hath been a late famous Example, when attacqued with that dreadful Fit, to [Page 4] the terrour of the whole Nation, who was only relieved by speedy Evacuation of all sorts. Which fair way of Practice would not scare Patients with an Apothecary's Bill, amounting to 15 l. or 20 l. in an ordinary Case.

It may boldly be affirmed, that Cordials com­monly in Use, never Cured any Distemper which would not as certainly have been Cu­red without them. 'Tis confest many Cordials, so called, tend towards Evacuation by Ʋrine or Sweat, and some to Sweetning and Quiet­ing; the former do very little, or nothing assist Nature, in comparison to larger Eva­cuation; and the latter only Palliate or Quiet for the present; and soon after, the Torrent, if not prevented by Evacuations, breaks forth again with greater Violence: the proper use of Cordials being with more speed to restore Spirits exhausted by Labour, violent Workings of Physick, or Diseases already in a great measure overcome; because, Potu citius quam Cibo refici­mur: For otherwise, Impura Corpora, quo magis nutrieris, èo magis laeseris. And consequently, Cordials then hurt more than help. As for Example: Compare a Dis­ease in the Body to a Parcel of Wood in a Chamber, which always incumbers, though sometimes without danger; and admit an [Page 5] unexpected Fire kindles that Wood; as an accident may rouse a latent Ferment in the Body; then the Room becomes in danger of burning, and the Patient of being destroyed by a Feaver, or the like.

The Question will be, What may best se­cure this Chamber and Patient? Whether with Water, to extinguish the Fire, and leave it smothering, and more apt to receive a new Inflamation? Or, suffer it to burn out, whereby the Chamber is also indangered? Or, cause it to be carried away by a brisk stout Fellow? So, whether to palliate the Patient's Disease with a quieting Medicine, to bridle the present Ferment, leaving still behind some uneasie Symptomes, the Re­liques of an Imperfect Cure, or Chronical Di­stemper instead of the Feaver? Or, suffer the Feaver to make its own way, and Nature to struggle for the Mastery, to the hazard of the Patients Life? Or, by proper and powerful Catharticks, or other Evacuants, carry off this Morbifick Matter; this Fomes, and cause of those Appearances, which by mistake, are called Diseases? For Instance; A Fea­ver continual or intermitting, a Vomiting, or Looseness, a Cholick or Convulsion, Jaundice or Dropsies, &c. are no more the Disease than a Cholera Morbus, Feaver and Convulsi­on [Page 6] caused by the taking Poyson, is then the Disease: Whether therefore at such a time a quieting astringent Opiate may more pro­perly be administred for the Patient's Reco­very, than a Cup of Sack for the Relief of a wearied Porter would be more acceptable than the taking the Burden off his Back.

Sickness may be said to be the various Passi­ons of the Body, which happen when Nature is attempting to free it self from whatever is troublesome or useless; or thus, every Hu­mour received, bred, or so altered within the Body, as by reason of its quantity or quality, is unapt to be converted into the Use or Nourishment of the same; but, è contra, irritates, interrupts, or burthens either the Natural, Vital, or Animal Functions. Na­ture therefore for the most part, attempts to expel as a Disease whatever it cannot digest into Use by Fermentation, arising from a Confusion of the Homogeneous and Heteroge­neous Matter or Humour, retaining the first for the Service of the Body, and expelling the last as Excrementitious: and possibly, most purging Medicines work no other way but as a Ferment cast in, to awaken Nature; by the help of which Fermentation, Diseases are often purged away by the strength of Nature through the common Vents or Emun­ctories, as by Siege, Ʋrine, Sweat, Haemorr­hages; [Page 7] or Nature otherwise throws off some, or all of the Morbifick Matter upon the habit of the Body, or remote Parts, where it after becomes a Chronicle Disease or Tumour, as Gout, Scurvey, Bubo, &c. These Expulsions are either Critick or Symptomatical; Critical, when Nature dischargeth the Whole, or greater Part; and Symptomatical, when the Peccant Matter so abounds, as to destroy, or at least endanger or incommode the Patient, by attacquing him in several Parts and dif­ferent Manners, notwithstanding the Parti­cular Evacuations.

The true and only Causes of all Obstructi­ons and Diseases are the Abuse of, or Er­rours in the six Non-naturals: Solutio conti­nui, Contusions, venemous Stingings, and Contagion, may also be reduced under the same Heads; which Errours alter and viti­ate the Humours, and they the Solid Parts. Observe therefore, That

Health is preserv'd by

• Good Ayre.
• Wholsome Meat and Drink.
• Moderate Excretion & Retention
• Regular Exercise and Rest.
• Fitting Sleep and Watching.
• Orderly Passions of the Mind.

and lost by

• Bad, Ayre.
• Ʋnwholsome Meat and Drink.
• Immoderate, Excretion & Retention
• Irregular, Exercise and Rest.
• Unfitting, Sleep and Watching.
• Disorderly, Passions of the Mind.

Which six Particulars are both the Cause and Cure of Sickness and Health; Tempe­rance [Page 8] therefore and Content goes a great way in its Preservation.

In short, Repletion and Inanition, or if you please, Addition and Substraction, with the Passions, cause all Diseases; the first, by re­ceiving what is unfit in Quantity or Quality for the Support of the Body, or retaining what ought to be discharged as Useless: the last, by not supplying what is necessary for the Support of the Body, or expelling too soon by Wound, Purge, or otherways, what is so supplied, and ought longer to have been retained.

By these means the Blood is either coagu­lated, whence Stagnation and Suffocation; or rarified, so as the Spirits get loose and va­nish, by both which Death only enters.

Diseases produced by the forementioned six Non-naturals are to be distinguished by their taste, colour, and consistence, as,

• Bitter and Yellow,
• Sower and Greenish.
• Salt and Glassy.
• Insipid and Viscous.

And were antiently the four Simple Humors, called Excrementitious Choler and Phlegme, Whey and Melancholly (of which, only the two former are allowed by the Learned Lister) together with the various Com­pounds and Mixtures of these, which when [Page 9] they exceed their Limits, and predominate, bring forth divers Symptomes, or, as they are often called, Complicated Distempers, ac­cording to the several parts they possess, sprouting up like many Branches from one and the same Trunk.

Thus Medicine over-dosed, and Food in an undue quantity, create dangerous Humours or Diseases; for a Scruple of Mercury preci­pitate, a Dram of Opium or Spirit of Vitriol, or a Quart of Brandy, will, by altering and mov­ing the Humours irregularly, poyson such as are not used to them; and yet in small quan­tities are both Food and Physick: for 1/1000 part of a Grain of the same Mercury, a Grain of Opium, ten Drops of Spirit of Vitriol, or one Ounce of Brandy, are both Food and Phy­sick, and hurt not, according to the Proverb, Parum Veneni non nocet: For Poyson in so small a Dose as Nature can overcome, may be Food or Physick; and Food and Physick in a larger quantity than can be subdued by Nature, is Poyson; only those things have obtained the Name of Poyson which are pow­erful in small Quantities, and without great exactness cannot safely be applied to the be­nefit of Mankind.

Note, That the Humours may be said to offend in quantity, when any one part is [Page 10] overcharged with them, though there remain less than necessary in the rest.

For the Signs of Diseases, see Riverius's Institutions, the 1st. Chap. of the 2d. Sect. of his Semeioticks, and so to the 5th. Chap. where he gives a large Account.

But the most necessary and material Signs I have thence extracted and subjoyned.

And first, the Signs when Choler predomi­nates, are

A full, frequent, and hard Pulse.

Want of Appetite, and loathing of Meat, great Thirst, a Burning Fever, a Tertian, Phrensy, Pleurisy, Vomiting of Choler, Loose­ness, Erisipilas, Tetter, &c.

Pimples in the Face, bitterness in the Mouth, Stooles very yellow, and sometimes white, when the Skin is yellow, Urine thin and high coloured, and sometimes thick and yellow­ish, red and intense, a dry burning of the Hands and Feet, a yellowish colour of the Face and Eyes, and sometimes of the whole Body, falling off the Hair, &c.

Secondly, When Phlegme, expect,

A small, slow, and soft Pulse.

A bad Appetite, little or no Thirst, Ca­tarrhs, [Page 11] Dropsies, Obstructions, Lethargies, Pal­sies, &c. a white, thick, insipid Humour from the Nose and Mouth, slimy Stools, a white and pale Ʋrine, and thin when it proceeds from Obstructions, else thick, and troubled with a large Sediment; the Whites in Wo­men, &c.

Thirdly, When Blood, there is

A large, full, and slow Pulse.

An Indifferent Appetite, and moderate Thirst, Burning Feavers, Phlegmons, &c. fre­quent bleeding at Nose, Haemorrhoides, and Womb, a good Ʋrine, reddish Stooles, &c.

Fourthly, When Melancholly, you find

A slow and hard Pulse.

Sometimes loss of Appetite, sower Belch­ings, Quartane Agues, Spleen, Leprosy, Scabs, Piles, Vomitings, much Spitting, Costive Body, and blackish Stooles, thin Ʋrine and pale, sometimes thick and lived. These are the most material Signs where the several Hu­mours predominate.

Diseases being reduced, as above, to a few Heads, according to the peccant Humours, their Method of Cure consequently may be much contracted, with respect to the Hu­mours, [Page 12] the Part offended, and the manner, whether by Obstructions, Tumour, or other­wise. I shall here purposely omit treating on the Inconveniencies succeeding Inanition, being more Diaetetical than Pharmaceutical, a wholesome and moderate Dyet proving sufficient, where 'tis Simple, without the Complication of Praeternatural Humours, and then 'tis included in the following Methods.

For Example, in a Bilious Choli [...]k, Tertian Ague, Jaundies, Erisipilas, one sort of Palsey, &c. Choler is the Disease, and these the several Appearances or Symptomes of the same, according to the Sedes, or pars recipiens, as amongst other Signs is manifest by their frequent Changings from one to another.

And thus also a Defluxion, or Catarrh, pos­sibly caused by a total or partial Suppression of insensible Transpiration, when it falls up­on the Eyes, Ears, Nose, sharp Arteries, Lungs, or Joynts, is distinguished into seve­ral Diseases, yet materially is the same, only invading different parts, and in the maine re­quiring the same Cure, and with equal faci­lity oft times to be pursued.

For the first, direct the most effectual Purgers of Choler, and the Application of sui­table Strengtheners to the part affected, In­ward or Outward.

For the last, after general Catharticks, no­thing [Page 13] seems more proper than Diaphoreticks, and Sudorificks, to promote sensible or insen­sible Transpiration (due regard being had to the Part affected) Evacuation in general being the chief way to overcome Diseases: therefore a Feaver, and all sorts of Fits caus­ed by Nature for Consumption and Dis­charge of the Morbifick Matter, are not to be hindred by the Jesuits Powder, or other Astringents, but treated by Sweating, or other proper Evacuation, that so the Cause may be removed.

Wherein the pretended Tenderness of some Physitians (allowing long Intervals be­twixt Catharticks, or never using them) is real Cruelty to their Patients, giving thereby time to the Disease to recover Strength, and oft times to the hazard of the Patient's Life; for either the Patient is Cured by the first, and needs no Repetition; or not reco­vered, and then indangered by such Delay.

But a Physitian hath done his Duty, when he hath committed nothing he ought not, nor seasonably omitted any thing he ought to have used, be the Success what it will; which notwithstanding always follows a due Course of right means, as wetting doth na­turally the use of Water, and burning the application of Fire; and when success fails, 'tis either because the wrong means were re­lyed [Page 14] on, or the right not seasonably exhi­bited in quantity, both for weight and time. And he certainly is the most ufeful and skil­ful Physitian who can best discover a Disease, and the fittest Method to Cure it; and al­ways in like number, and equally difficult Cases, hath the best Success.

His principal Work therefore (taking it for granted, that Diseases must be expel­led before the Part can be strengthend, as be­ing impossible otherwise to be expiated or transmitted) is to make a wise choice of the forementioned ways of Evacuation, to answer the several Indications, it being very evident, that according to the occasion, one sort is not only more effectual, but also the other may be dangerous; as in the Small-pox Sudorificks are commonly most successful, Bleeding commonly mortal, except very early performed; therefore Nature being the best Guide, seldom or never leaves a curious Ob­server without some Circumstance to lead him into the ready way.

And of all sorts of Evacuation, Vomits are found by long and dayly Experience, the most successful, and yet by the ignorant, most opposed as dangerous and violent, when possibly it may not be so very difficult to prove, that Vomits are the real Cordials, which (by fortifying Nature) enables it [Page 15] to throw off the Disease by Vomit [...] or other­wise, and that 'tis no Malignity in the Vomit which causeth those Gripes and Sickness usu­ally attending it, but the Motion of the Hu­mours which Nature (being revived by the Medicine, improperly called a Vomit) is up­on expelling.

When Vomits are directed according to Art, with respect to the Patient's Strength, Indications for them, and no contra-Indica­tions lying against their Use, 'tis one of the most effectual means for rooting out of Dis­eases, and is confest by Quercetan, Fernelius, Riverius, Willis, and divers others.

So ordered, they do not only empty (as the Vulgar imagine) the Stomach, from which all parts receive their Nourishment, and when foul, can never have good afforded, but both the neighbouring and remoter parts, as the same, and other Authors readily ac­knowledge.

And (though of the six only Inlets of Diseases, the Errours of the Non-naturals, Food is but one) yet shall the Stomach be affected, and sympathize with most, if not all the other parts, though the Disease be caused by any of the other five; for instance, tread upon a Man's Corn, and he shall imme­diately be sick at Stomach; bring him ill Tydings, and though never so sharp set be­fore, [Page 16] his Appetite presently flags: and [...] a Head-ach be caused by Wind or Sun, [...] Stomack shall not escape.

Vomits reach those Humours, no other sort of Evacuation can touch, at least [...] so cer­tainly, nor without more frequent Repetiti­ons: And prepared accordingly, may be given to Old and Young, Men or Women, with Child, or not (but with great Cauti­ousness to the Female Sex) in most, if not all Distempers Beginning, Increase, State or Declination, at all hours Day and Night, when-ever the Stomach is principally, or by consent disordered, always discerned by loss of Appetite, Pain, Heaviness or Fulness at the Stomack, Vomiting, or Reaching to Vomit.

Quercitan sp [...]ng of Vomits in the 17th. Chapter of his Pharmacopeia, declares, That Art must al [...] follow Nature; which of its own [...] endeavours all sorts of Eva­cuation, [...] there enumerated, as Stool, Ʋrine, S [...]t, and Vomit, for the General; and the Exc [...]ments of the Nose and Mouth by S [...]iva [...]n and Spitting, for Particulars; all w [...]ch Ar [...] [...]mnst [...]mitate.

Vo [...]its ( [...] he) antiently were in great Estee [...] and much more in Use than now; for our late Physitians reject them, by reason they do (as they suppose, very much disturb [Page 17] the Body, introducing dangerous Symp­tomes, and that (our Climate being colder than Graece, where Hypocrates and other Graecians used them, and our Inhabitants more Flegmatick) Vomits are not so needful: But these are generally granted to be idle Reasons, and therefore exploded; for on the contrary, Vomits are found to be very useful and necessary for rooting out the most des­perate and most difficult Diseases no ways else to be effected; the mention of which alone affrights our Hen-hearted Physitians. But how can they then boast themselves Friends to Nature who (neglecting the most powerful Remedies, without daring so much as to make Tryal) prove rather her Enemies and Flatterers, seeking to defend her with Helps too weak and inconsiderable, never thinking to attacque her Foe with powerful Weapons, who in the mean time remains unhurt by their gentle Medicines, even despising the milder Vomits; after which, in vain applyed, they dare not return the se­cond time to the same Remedy. This Au­thor enumerates some Cautions in giving Vo­mits, and afterwards declares what Sponta­neous Vomiting is; and further adds, that the Ancients ordered Vomits more unsafe than those of late Days invented; making men­tion of divers extraordinary Cures of Rulan­dus, [Page 18] and afterwards cites two; in the first of which he relates the great Agony a Patient suffered by a Vomit, but yet was Cured, tho forsaken by all the Doctors before. The last is more considerable, for the strange matter brought away, and the great success ensuing, so that he resolves to publish it to the World, to the end those Physitians (who through a worse Fear than that of a Hare, wick­edly condemn this way of Purging) may see their great Errour.

Riverius in his Institutions acknowledg­eth, That Humours contained in the Stomach and Neighbouring Parts, are easier Purged off by Vomit than Stool, it being the shortest way; and though Vomits are not much in use; yet 'tis very certain, that being discreet­ly appointed, they work admirable Effects; for many Intermitting Feavers remaining (notwithstanding other Medicines) immo­veable, are by Vomits only eradicated, as appears by frequent Experiments; which he pursues with divers Instances; and for a further Confirmation, please to take notice of a late Instance of the King of France, the 1st. of July, 1658, who being taken with a Malignant Feaver, removed to Calais, where his life being despair'd of, the Physitians (find­ing his Strength dayly decay, his Disease in­crease, [Page 19] and that the second bleeding in the Foot, on the 8th. of the said Month, gave no Relief) upon a full Consultation in the Presence of the Cardinal, resolved to give him an Antimonial Vomit, which the King took with great hopes of Relief; according­ly the Operation was so happy and speedy, that after emptying the Stomack and Bow­els of a great deal of malignant and adust Matter, he found himself much eased the same Night, next Morning, being the 10th. he took the second Purge, which altho more gentle, work't notwithstanding so well, that in five or six days he was perfectly recovered. If this Remedy had been delayed twenty four hours longer, or that it had not work't with­in twenty four hours, the King's Recovery had been absolutely desperate. This Rela­tion was taken out of the History of the Treaty of Peace Concluded on the Frontiers of Spain and France, Anno 1659.

Diseases, says Böetius, are Cured by the Aegyptians, either with Fasting [...] or Vomits every, or every third or fourth day; for say they, All Diseases proceed from Super­fluity of Dyet, therefore that is like to be the best restorer of Health which takes away the Principles of Diseases. Sydenham, quo­ted by Bonetus in the English Translation, [Page 20] fol. 159. Sect. 13, 14; intimates, That if he were permitted, he would give Vomits in the beginning of all Feavers and Dropsies.

Ʋncerus in Answer to Objections, in Chap. 14. Book I. of the Stone, asserts, That Vo­mits do not weaken the Stomach, unless ir­regularly given; but on the contrary, strengthen it, by carrying off the Humours that infest it.

That Vomits are given in Vomitings to root out Choler the sooner.

That Vomitings in the Stone are not to be hindered, but furthered.

That Vomits have been extreamly helpful in the Stone.

That whatsoever removes the Cause of Diseases, and cleanseth the Stomach of the tartarous Matter, is useful in the Stone; which Vomits do.

That Vomits take off all Humours, prevent the Stone, and Cure it; and may as well be given for it as Purges; which none scruple.

All which he strengthens by Quotations out of divers eminent Authors in the fol­lowing 15th. Chap. To which again he briefly subjoyns his own Opinion.

Willis, pag. 26, & 27 of his Rational Phar­macy, saith, That as the Operation by Vomit [Page 21] is more violent than by Stool; so in most Di­stempers, where 'tis with Judgment directed, it doth more good than ten Purges. For by this the heavy Flegm, untouch'd by Purges, is removed; besides, the Neighbour­ing Parts are cleansed: So that Obstructions there made, and Stagnation of Humours in the Blood, are easily helped, Praeternatural Ferments, and deeply rooted Diseases can by no other means be removed; epecially of the Brain and Nervs. Then giving an Account how they work: He concludes, That most desperate Diseases are best Cured by Vomits, and hardly without them.

Berniers, a French Author of the Memoirs of the Empire of Mogul, pag. 170, in his Voyage of Rachimire, speaks thus in com­mendation of Vomits: By opening of the Plague-Sore, I was my self soon Infected; so that had I not forthwith taken some Butter of Antimony, I might have been as well as others an Example of the little certainty there is of the Plague after the Dew: But this Eme­tick Medicine in the beginning of the Evil, did Wonders, and I kept but three or four days within doors.

Hypocrates and Fernelius are both quoted to this purpose in the Pharmacopeia Augusta­na. Hypocrates in the 17, & 18 Aphorisme of the fourth Book, directed a Vomit to all such as, having no Feaver, complain of loss of Appetite, Gnawing at the Stomach, dark, melancholy Vertigoes or Fumes, or Bitterness in the Mouth: and also to Purge by Vomit, when ever Pains and Illness arise above the Diaphragma; and by Stool when below. And Fernelius in the 3d. Chap. of the 3d. Book of his Methodus Medendi, speaking of Vomits, says, That they are most effectual, and best of all Purges, where moderate and easie; for they draw forth, and empty the true hurtful Humours, and chiefly cleanse all the Filth which hangs in the Capacity and Tunicles of the Stomack, and expel out of the Membranes of the Praecordia, the hollow of the Spleen and Liver, and the Pancreas, the sincere superfluous Humour of all sorts, which for the most part, neither Hiera, nor any other strong Medicine, tho often repeated, can move in the Belly; for the Passages are shorter & readier out of those parts into the Stomach than into the Belly; which makes Vomiting easie. And although at first it on­ly dischargeth the Inward Parts, yet conse­quently it easeth the Head and the rest of the Body.

Wherefore it helps all Diseases ari­sing from the Impurity of the Praecordia, as, Languishing Appetite, Reaching to Vomit, Loathing of Food, Frequent Vomitings, Disten­tion of the Stomack and Praecordia, Jaundice, and Green Sickness, Intermitting-Feavers, Head-Ach, Vertigoes, Night-Mares, Falling-Sickness, Suffusion, and all Diseases of the Head, contracted by the Sympathy of the Praecordia, and brought forth by the Impuri­ties of the same, thrown off upon the rest of the Body; in short therefore, in every Dis­ease, where a languishing Appetite and desire of Vomiting, troubles the Patient, and Purges do not, Vomits must Cure; for what Purges cannot wash away, Vomits root out; and what descends not easily from those Parts into the Bowels, readily returns into the Stomach.

I choose to make the Quotations intire, tho they serve to confirm several of my Positions; which the Judicious Reader may easily ap­ply.

The Reasons therefore why Vomits are so much laid aside, are first, they Cure too soon for some Physitians Advantage, and by their seeming Violence in Operation disgust the Patients; who being for the most part short sighted, choose to avoid a present Trouble though to their future prejudice, rather than [Page 24] endure it for Recovery of Health, or saving Life, as the Author of the History of Venice formerly cited, takes notice, pag. 262, of the Feebleness and Ignorance of Mankind, who not regarding the Future, choose rather to loose all afterward than at present to part with any thing, tho for the safety of the rest; like those obstinate Persons, who rather run the hazard of a Gangraene than endure the Pain of an inconsiderable Incision.

2dly. When they are given, and Patients die after, either by the Malignity of the Dis­ease, or great Progress it had made, or the Patient's unwillingness to repeat them as oft as necessary for mastering any desperate Di­stemper, they usually have the ill luck to bear the blame; whereas the Disease is ge­nerally and truly accused, when insignificant and comfortable Cordials are given without them, though probably the Disease had not got the Victory, if Vomits had been duly pre­scribed; nor is it difficult to prove, that fewer die by some hundreds, if not thou­sands, after Vomits, than after those Com­fortable Cordials. If that therefore were a good Exception, it lyes stronger against Cordials.

So that the Patient's Humour or Inclinati­on concurs here with the Physitian's Interest, not to shorten the Cure by Vomits, but to mul­tiply [Page 25] Fees by protracting it with Cordials: to the great discouragement of Honesty and Skill, which neither pleaseth the Patient, nor en­riches the Possessor.

Much to this purpose speaks the afore­said Author of the Venetian History, pag. 263. That Ill Counsels are most acceptable, and Good not only rejected, but heard with Indignation.

And Riverius also in the 9th. Obser. of the second Cent. complains, that Physitians are under a kind of Necessity to forbear doing their Patients good, to please them: in these words: The Malepertness of our Wo­men imputing every unhappy Success to the Remedies, makes the more prudent Physitians, for fear of Calumny, to abstain from the Ʋse of the best Medicine.

Some offer a seeming great Objection, That Vomits are exceeding dangerous, because of their Violent Operation: Not considering they work the more upon the peccant Humour, nor remembring the ill Consequence of Delay. Where gentle means lead as certainly to the same end, violent are not pleaded for; but where violent will, and gentle will not, they ought to be preferred: for which is most eli­gible, to be one of the nineteen that escape of 20 that leap overboard when a Ship is on fire, or stay behind with five hundred that dread the present danger of Drowning, and are [Page 26] certainly in a few minutes after destroyed with the Ship by fire.

But this Object. against Vomits may easily be removed; for the Violence of their Opera­tion is but remotely the effect of the Medi­cine, it being the natural and immediate con­sequence of the Motion of the Morbifick Matter, and ought as patiently to be born as Labour when a Women is with Child, the Periodick Vomiting Motions being no o­ther than the Periodick Throws in Labour, for the Expulsion of what Nature desires to be freed from, the Reasons being the same, Viz. Irritation, from the uneasiness by the increase of new useless Matter: Time for Natures recovery of strength between every Throw or Vomiting: and the trouble of com­pressing and squeezing out by the expulsive Faculty; and this is no new conceit, for Fernelius in the 3d. Chap. of his 3d. Book of his Rationes Medendi useth the same Com­parison.

Even as the Womb in Labour, with col­lected strength from all parts, contracts it self closely to the upper parts whereby it may bring forth the Birth: So also the Sto­mack tyred with the Injury of things offen­sive, by compressing the bottom is by force wholly moved upwards, throwing out all that is offensive by Vomit. This is the most [Page 27] manifest of all natural Motions, by which the Stomack also springing from its proper place, puts a Force upon the neighbouring Parts to which 'tis fastned, whence ariseth the difficulty and violence in Vomiting, tho to some more, some less.

And it may further be observed, that Per­sons are as sick, when by a Surfeit, Great Bel­ly, Giddiness, or Sea-Voyage they vomit bit­ter or sower Choler, melancholy or tough Phlegm, as when they take a Shop-Vomit, or drink large quantities of Luke-warm Wa­ter, or Posset-Drink, or (as they are called) the milder Vomits such as Groundsel, or Carduus, provided they eradicate the same Matter; and upon taking a Vomit, if that Matter be not brought up or stirred by rea­son of a Congeries of other more ea­sily moved and in the way, or that there is but a small Quantity to be removed, the Patient shall be no more sick than when he drinks so much Wine or Water, which for il­lustration sake, may be plainly proved by the different Working of three of the very same Vomits for substance and measure in the same Person within a few days one after the other: For Instance; the first spending it self upon a large quantity of serous Mat­ter, and some tough Phlegm, gripes but lit­tle, [Page 28] and causes no great Sickness. The 2d. penetrating deeper, and finding little or none of the first Humour to take off its edge, by pumping out the green and yellow Matter, causes Gripes, great Sickness, Faintness, cold Sweats, and almost Convulsions; which is no otherwise than when the same stuff is cast off by Nature without a Vomit. The 3d. Vomit again shall hardly work at all, most of both sorts of the Morbifick Matter being re­moved by the two former, and consequently it causeth little or no Sickness. So that this violence only proceeds from removing the Disease (not to be avoided, if willing to be rid of the same) it not being the immediate effect of the Vomit, for then 'twould always accompany it; which by Experience is found otherwise. But in truth, a Vomit enables Nature to separate and squeeze out those Hu­mours which are imcompatible with, and Praeternatural to it, and that Expulsion being the Work of Nature, is the true Cause of that Pain and Sickness.

And for that Reason there is no more dan­ger in this Artificial than in a Praeternatural or Spontaneous Vomiting, which, or some other effectual Evacuation, must either be endured together, or divided, or the Disease must continue, unless by a present quieting Medicine, a Foundation for future Chronical [Page 29] Distempers, be layed; for Praeternatural Hu­mours, once in the Body, if not ejected, will make their way to one part or other, especially to the weak, if any such, they be­ing altogether incapable of ever after being made useful to the Body.

A Second Objection often brought against their use is, That Nature never made the Sto­mack for Discharge of Excrements upwards.

To which, an Answer may be given, not much unlike one more witty than true, of Sir Francis Pruiyan in another Case to a Gen­tleman reproaching him for using Forraign Drugs, when sufficient were produced at home, according to the common Saying, That every Countrey is furnished with necessa­ry Medicines for the Diseases of the Place which he acknowledged: but withal told him, That if he went beyond Sea for Food, as Wine and Spice, he must do the like for Physick.

And so in this Case the Fundament and o­ther usual Vents are sufficient for discharge of Natural Excrements when the Party is in Health; but if by Plenty, Luxury, and La­ziness Praeternatural Excrementitious Hu­mours are collected to disease Mankind, new ways for their Discharge must likewise be invented, and this Nature directs.

Furthermore, divers Excrements are na­turally [Page 30] voided upwards by Nose and Mouth, and these sort of Humours can seldom or never be carryed away by Stool, nor are they the same that naturally pass that way; but I presume no Salivator will stiffly main­tain this Objection.

A Third Objection is, That granting Vomits to be more powerful than other Remedies, yet 'tis inexcusable to give them upon every slight occasion.

Which truely seems plausible till 'tis con­sidered, That Diseases are not always safely to be trusted, because divers at first have ap­peared mild, which too late have been discovered to be dangerous and malignant, and an opportunity lost may be a Life lost: but no other use of them is pleaded for, ex­cept where Nature directs; or when in all likelihood most safe, and where no other Inconvenience can thereby happen, but a speedier Cure.