A VINDICATION Of Publick Artificiall Baths & Bath-stoves FROM The Objections and Scandalls obtruded on them, by those that do not, or will not know their Great Benefit to the PUBLICK.
By way of Answer to some Fellowes of Our Colledge of Physitians in LONDON and others.
By Peter Chamberlen Docter in Physick▪ and Fellow of the said Colledge.
LONDON, Printed in the yeare 1648.
A Vindication of Publick Artificiall Bathes and Bath-stoves▪
IF Salus Populi be Suprema Lex, These should not begg a Law that bring You Health attended like a Queen with cleanelines, Nimblenes, Pleasure, Strength and Stature.
The great Doctor-makers of the World Hippocrates Galen, Avicen, Paracelsus, and the rest, speaking of them as of Diett, Hipp. de vict. ratione in Mor [...]: acut: Gal: lib. de Sal. Diet. Com. Epid. de Off. lib. 3. de Tuend. San. commend the often use of them, but more in Summer then in Winter: approve severall of them for Digestion, to make one Fatt or Leane, to be a Preparative for Purgation, to be the Perfect Finisher of Cures, to be Abstersive, Aperitive, Resolving, Provoking Urine,Cooling, Heating, Drieing, Moistening, Easing Paines, Inclining to Sleep, Good against Paines of the Head, the Gout, Convulsions, Mischances, Dropsies, Palsies, Paines of the side, Inflammations of the Longs, inward Vlcers,Consumptions, Feavers, yea Most Diseases.
Who then can expect that Docters in Physick, who only pretend to be so for having read these Authors, and for having understood them, and practised by their Rules, & maintaine and justifie their practise by their Precept will seeme so ignorant as to disallow so great and generous a Remedie.
Neverthelesse, there is no doubt but, some way seeke to oppose even their owne good; For Good and Evill are contrary, [Page 2] and Wicked men will grow worse and worse, Tim. 13. 13. Of such men it is an Honour to heare ill, To which Honour (I thank God) I have twice arrived unto; Once for compassionating the generall Miseries and Sufferings of Woemen and Children, by the ignorance and disorder of some Midwifes and Nurses: And now for endeavouring the Publick Health of the Kingdome. But Regium est malé audire & bené facere. Seeca saith, Sit tibi tam triste laudari a turpibus, quàm si lauderis ob Turpia. And a geater then Seneca tells, us The world shall hate us; Let us heare then what Slander, or Malice will say and such as thereby are ignorantly seduced.
This Country is too cold. 1. Obj.
Germany, 1 Ans. Poland, Denmark, and Moscovia are colder, they use them Winter and Summer.
Italie and Greece are colder in Winter then we are in Summer, 2▪ Ans. let us have them in Summer.
They are a Remedie against the Cold, 3▪ Ans. If we complaine of Cold let us have this Remedie.
If Experience approve them not, 4. Ans. none will frequent them, the Losse will be the Adventurers.
There are Private Hot Houses, 2. Obj. And Dr. Grent's Bath.
Dr. Grent hath (indeed) attempted somwhat, 1. Ans. but so, as the Common Wealth is not sensible of the Benifit, and Hee Himselfe hath quitted the Inconvenience, Charge, and Trouble of them, And when Hee pleaseth may adventure a second Losse, or more safely bee an Adventurer as (others) in mine.
Let every man enjoy what he hath▪ 2. Ans. but not hinder what hee hath not:
Other Doctors have them as well as I: 3. Obj.
Why have they not been as zealous to serve the Common-wealth with them as I? 1. Ans. They cannot deny them to be good, that were to contradict their Masters. They will not confesse they fear a Diminution of their owne gaine. That were to obtrude a strange Maxime to the State; That sicknes must be provided for Physitians, not Physitians for sicknes; so sinners for Preachers, and Malefactors for Judges.
If they meane only Bathing-Tubbs, 2. Ans. wherewith they say they canmake shift, I contend not with them, to debarr their [Page 3] venient Priviledge, or compell them to this better accommodation; Yet I prescribed the use of them by Mr. Phillips and Mr. Kellet Apothecaries in little lesse than desperat Diseases, before any (but seaven) that are now Fellowes of our Colledge were Doctors, And have appointed not a few in consultations with them since I came over; And they have been more appointed by others since my Proposall of these publick ones, then in seaven yeares before.
They say they know them (meaning mine) Why then would they take no Cognizance of them till the other day, 3. Ans. notwithstanding the Kings Graunt of them, by Order to Sr. Hen, Ʋain about 10 years since, my Octroy in Holland 4 years since, My Petition in Print, and mine own mention to some of them, (particularly to Dr. Bates) two years since, and the Diurnall divulging them half a year since, and lastly 2 severall Letters from the Honourable Committee.
Who is so deaf as they that will not hear?
But how long have they known them? If long they have been so long uncharitable in concealing them; 4. Ans. if of late then have they been ignorant of them untill now, probably enlightned or provoked to a further information by my Modell or Propositions. And doth it therefore follow, because they know them, the publick must want them? It were farre better they were ever ignorant.
Lastly, If the onely heart-burning be against me, (though Treasure would not be refused from a Turke, 5. Ans. and my long study, experience, and expences in them might answer their Comparison) I had rather lay down all my Merit at the feet of the Parliament, and resign them all my interest (so they would manifest they could do them, and be oblidged no longer to delay them) than that the Kingdom should be longer destitute of so great a good; But if they onely plead for the Dog in the Manger, I dare not so neglect my Native Country and mine own Family, as to let him sleep there.
This will be a Monopoly. 4. Obj.
Can there be a Monopoly of what is not? 1. Ans.
Or where every man is left free to the use of what he hath or to refuse what he hath not? 2. Ans.
[Page 4] Or where no sweat of any brow is exacted without hire, 3. Ans. nor poore mans face ground, nor his Bread engrossed, but rather new imployment, and provisions for their?
Publick Workes are distinct from Monopolies, 4. Ans▪ and are not capable of that Odium.
They are no new Invention. 5. Obj.
In Solomons time there was nothing new under the Sunne, 1. Ans. Yet what we have not had we yet call new. No question but Trees floated one the water before Noah built his Arke; Nor was there ought created new for the Art of Gunns or Printing, and the Loadstone (withou [...] doubt) was from the beginning, though the use but of yesterday,. The water running from Ware in another Channel is deservedly called the New River, and is so allowed by Parliament. The very greivance is, that, Bathes having aunciently been of that admirable vse and efficacy for the Good of Mankind, they are yet in England to be new sought out and Studied.
If they be not new where are there any? 2. Ans.
Publick Artificiall Bathes and Bath-Houses, 3. Ans. with their Architecture, Order, Ʋse, Efficacy, Safety; with some of their Ingredients, and Manner of Decocting them, with their Cisternes, Water-works, Hamaccoes &c. are so very new that they are not understood by many when mentioned, nor the Truth of them beleived when affirmed.
They may be occasions of Sinne. 6. Obj.
We may with the same reason, 1. Ans. pluck down Churches, or anathematize all Publick Meetings, where Men and Woemen appear in the best Clothes and choicest D [...]esse that can possibly tempt the Eye, although some are neither handsome nor cleanly all the weeke after. Who can answer for the Bathes in Sommer setshire, for Innes, for Feastings, for Tavernes, Victualling-Houses, Ale-Houses, All Houses?
These will be Publick, 2 Ans. and Publick places are not so fit for Wantonnes as Privat.
Men and Woemen shall have Places, 3. Ans. or Times and Attendants of each Sex a part.
Abuse ought not to disanull the vse of Good things. 4. Ans.
They are Remedies for the Pex. 7. Obj.
[Page 5] Though Bathes were good for nothing else, 1. Ans. would the Opposers have the whole World infected for want of them, (for that is the fear that Rudius mentions) And the chasted bed is not alwaies exempt by accidentall conversations, or bad Deliveries or Child-bed. Would they then be content to have the Pex without Remedy, that will allow no Remedy for it?
Though they were fit Cures for that Disease, 2. Ans. ought they therefore to be prohibited in all other Diseases? Why do they that will make these Objections use Purging-baggs and Diet Drinks, Spring or Fall, whose chief Ingredients are Sarsa Guaja [...]m, China. &c, the only known Remedies (of Vegetables) against that Infection.
Physitians cannot allow the Water-Bathes as fit Indications of cure. 3. Ans.
Good Remedies they are to prevent but not to cure it, 4 Ans. The reason (perhap [...]) why the Disease was so unknown to the Auncient, or so little known to the Turkes, and Muscovites, notwithstanding their Luxuries.
The Keepers of the Baths will not so disparage the House, 5. Ans. displease their Customers, or hazard their own Profit.
The Patients themselves will not seek for Remedy in such Publick Places, 6. Ans. if they may possibly have it elsewhere. These therefore are onely Arguments against Privat-house or Bawdy-house Bathes, or against the use of Tubbs and Sweating Cradles.
To conclude, the Design of Bathes is Honourable, Vsefull Necessary.
Honourable in being the Praise and Subject of 30 Le [...]rned Physitians, and 50 other Famous Authours. Secondly, In being the Work and Glory of many Great & Mighty Princes and Emperours. The Grand Segnor and Great Duke of Muscovia, not being ashamed to this day, to own the Patronage and Revenue of them. They having been (aunciently) had in Divine Reverence, and now are next in esteeme unto their Mosques.
And lastly in making those Places Honourable that have them, and those People Honourable in Beauty, Stature, and Activity that frequent them.
[Page 6] Vsefull they are in Health and Sicknes. Peace and Warre, Summer and Winter, so proved by Authority, Experience and Arguments, when required.
Necessary they are in All Great intentions of Cure, where other Remedies are nothing beneficiall or sufficient, as Paines of the Gowte, Stone, Childbed: Cure of Many obscure and difficult Diseases in Weomen; Besides Consumptions, Feavers, Melancholy, Leprosie, Plague, Madnes▪ &c.
To the Candid this is sufficient.
Oh that the Worthies of Parliament (whilst others boast with the Tyrant (Ps. 52.) That [...]hey can do evill) would find out [...]way to do Great things w [...] Expedition, and Difficult things with ease, that th [...]nnes of England might be cherished, and not make other Nations happy with our Decay.