month's end as it happens to Women but after a crisis made by a more plentiful or more muddy emission of Urne LXVI Before the said menstrual crisis made soon after sleep either there is felt a drowsiness of the head or weariness of the body and afterwards by a more plentiful Evacuation of Urine all things are quieted LXVII The external causes which ordinarily obstruct perspiration are a cold troubled and moist air swimming in cold water gross and viscous meats the intermission of Corporeal exercise or that of the mind and in robust persons over much abstinence from venery LXVIII External cold obstructs Perspiration in a weak body because its heat is dissipated but in a robust person it augments it for the heat is forc'd to the bottom and reduplicated and thereupon nature is corroborated and upon that the weight of the perspirable matter that is retain'd being by her consum'd the body becomes and is felt lighter LXIX The health of that body is more firm and of longer continuance whose weight in the process of many years is neither augmented nor diminish'd than that of a body whose weight is alter'd every year LXX For a body to be reduc'd to its usual ponderosity by the accession of crude humours is ill but if it be by the addition of such as are concocted it is most wholsome LXXI It is an ill sign when a healthy person becomes of less weight than usual it being suppos'd his course of life be the same as before for there is not any refusion of that wholsome matter which had been lost LXXII The concocted excrements of the belly are of great bulk but little weight they swim on the surface by reason of the air contain'd in them and whatever may be evacuated at one and the same time never exceeds the third part of a pound LXXIII If it happen that in one dayes space through some miscarriage or other there be so great a retention of perspiration as may amount to a pound nature is commonly three days employ'd in the insensible expurgation of that which had been retain'd LXXIV Then does nature make a great insensible evacuation when she endeavours to voyd perspirable matter retain'd by yawnings and extensions of the joynts LXXV The perspirable matter consists of two parts to wit a light and a ponderous LXXVI The ponderous part is so exuberant that living creatures are generated of it as Punaizes lice and the like LXXVII From the more ponderous part of perspiration do proceed the contagious Infections of such as lye together for the light part vanishes but the more ponderous being adhesive does infect LXXVIII They who in the scorching Heats of Summer are obstructed in the exhalation of the perspirable matter are incommodated by Heat but to those who have an absolute freedom of respiration the Heat is not troublesome LXXIX A greater weight differs from a lesser equal healthful because the greater does the more accelerate old Age. Be it suppos'd that some person hath his Health as well when he weighs two hundred weight as at two hundred and five pound we have observ'd that the excess of those five pounds did more accelerate old Age. LXXX Why does Animated Flesh live and not putrify as a carcase does Because it is daily renew'd Why are Children in a capacity of living longer than old men Because they may be more often renew'd since they begin from the lowest weight of the whole latitude and so proceed to the highest for they are capable of most of the Healthful weights Why is there a necessity that old men should die Because they are capable only of the last proportions of weight But why only of those because their fibres are hard and as such cannot be any more renew'd whence death ensues LXXXI Why are they cur'd are who surpriz'd by some dangerous Disease because they are capable of several sorts of Healthy weights for such Diseases take away thirty pounds from mens bodies more or less as the bodies are more or less repleat and as the Disease is more or less hot and according to its continuance APHORISMS Added by the Author LXXXII Old men prolong their lives by frequent Spittings for these being retain'd within the body as being uncapable of coction or digestion hinder perspiration the consequences whereof are suffocation and death LXXXIII Old Age is indeed a Disease but may last a long time if the body be made easily perspirable LXXXIV Venery actual frigidity of the body over-plentiful drinking supping as young men do to be angry more than needs and much exercise all these shorten the lives of old men LXXXV Old men reach not decrepit Age by reason of the weakness of their expulsive faculties Thence it comes to pass that when they drink more than it was requisite they should they urine less and perspire less than they are wont The remedy is that the substraction be equivalent to the addition LXXXVI Insensible perspiration being quite obstructed does not only deprive the chiefest parts of life but also one ignoble part It deprives the chiefest when there is an Apoplexy in the Brain palpitation in the Heart an excess of Blood in the Liver and a suffocation in the Matrix it deprives the ignoble part by Gangrene LXXXVII That Women are troubled with the suffocation does not proceed from the Womb 's compressing the midriff but from the frigidity of the corrupted seed which does not want perspiration LXXXVIII The humours of persons troubled with the Gout though they are most gross are dissolved only by way of vapour LXXXIX Vomiting diverts Urine and perspiration XC The frequent turning of the body in bed since the doing of it requires the assistance of all the muscles does weaken and obstruct concoction and perspiration The remedy is for one to be obstinately resolv d to lye in one and the same posture XCI While the knees are kept actually warm the feet are not chil'd such persons sleep well they perspire more and urine less XCII Looseness of the belly is taken away by those things which augment perspiration of which kind Bathing is one XCIII As the Loadstone is better preserv'd where there is much iron and wine better kept in a great vessel than a litle one So such bodies as are more ponderous yet healthy withal do better preserve strength than such as abate in their weight through want of aliment XCIV They who urine more than they drink do perspire little or nothing at all XCV Why is there an obstruction of insensible perspiration in intermittent Feavers because the peccant humour is in the circumference of the body XCVI In the Dropsy the water in the lower part of the belly is not dissolved because its drought and hardness hinder perspiration XCVII Hot humours being got together into any part are to be entertain'd with hot digestives in order to their dissolution by insensible perspiration XCVIII Why is fainting or swouning beneficial in high Feavers because it causes sweating and a
summer time temperate bodies are less ponderous than they are in winter by about three pounds XXIV In the summer time men are subject to weariness not because the body is more ponderous but because it is less strong XXV In a warm air the body is of less strength as well by reason that with the perspiration there is somewhat of the better spirits exhal'd as because the warmth is not concentrated XXVI There is alwayes by a warm air somewhat dispersed through the whole skin which carries away with it somewhat of the internal good humour XXVII In the summer time we are troubled with heat not principally proceeding from the warmth of the air for every part of the body is warmer than the summer-summer-air but because there is not so much coldness in the summer-summer-air as that the natural heat may be sufficiently concentrated Whence it comes to pass that being so diffus'd it cannot insensibly evacuate that perspirable matter which is of its own nature hot which matter being kept in becomes sharp and is the cause of our being troubled with much heat XXVIII When mens bodies in the hottest seasons upon sleeping in the night or day time perspire abundantly or sweat they become lighter and are not that day troubled with any heat XXIX If a cold Air immediately succeed the summer-Summer-heat there will be occasion'd for the most part that day the retention of about a pound of the insensible excrements XXX If the Summer prove like the Spring so as that mens bodies may be reduc'd to the weight answerable to the Summer it must be the effect of Sweating XXXI At the beginning of Summer if intense heat come of a sudden weariness and faintness ensue which do not continue long though the sultriness be encreas'd for some daies after because the weight of the perspirable body is abated XXXII The same vigour is not so much concern'd in strugling with a lesser as it is with a greater weight of the body XXXIII Perspiration procur'd by the force of warm air or water is hurtful unless the malignancy of it be not ballanc'd by some greater benefit XXXIV Robust bodies perspire more in the Summer time by day in the Winter by night XXXV That impediment of respiration which in the Summer-time is apt to be introductory to a malignant Feaver does hardly in the winter-time cause the least alternation for in the summer mens bodies are fill'd with a perspirable matter of a sharper nature than they are in winter XXXVI To sleep in the Summer-time with the body uncover'd or abroad in the open Air does for the most part dispose it to putrefaction by hindring the perspiration XXXVII The difficulty of respiration does not heat the entrails unless the perspirable matter become sharp by reason of its retention or upon the account of external heat or violent motion XXXVIII In the Summer-time when cold does of a sudden succeed heat the inconvenience of excessive Venery is hardly perceiv'd but if the Air reassume its former warmth men are very sensible of the injury they have receiv'd by the precedent miscarriage XXXIX The injury men receive by the not-immoderate exercise of Venery is commonly ballanc'd by an equal benefit if the heat be concentrated by the cool Air. XL. In the Summer-nights mens bodies are most dispos'd to Feavers by reason of the vicissitude of the Air for at the beginning of the night the Air is enflam'd but about midnight it is more temperate and in the morning cool whence it comes to pass that the usual perspirable matter is not evacuated in such as sleep with the Bed-cloaths off and their bodies are more ponderous which happens not in winter XLI From the Autumnal Equinox to the Winter Solstice we perspire every day much about a pound from thence to the Spring-Equinox we begin to perspire more freely XLII Autumn is an unhealthy season as well by reason that the perspiration is obstructed by the cold then coming in as for that what is not perspir'd becomes sharp and corroding XLIII Autumnal indispositions are avoided if the body be not of greater weight in Autumn than it had been in Summer XLIV That weight which is augmented by degrees is to be abated by degrees XLV The more than usual weight of the body is not to be taken off in the Spring but in Autumn for the cold air then coming in is a greater enemy to the weight XLVI Thou wilt not be troubled with any disease in Autumn if the cold weather then coming in find thee well furnish'd with cloaths if thou use diureticks and wilt be kept in the same weight as before XLVII He who is well cloath'd perspires the better for it and is rendered of less weight XLVIII They who in the Winter-time are commonly troubled with diseases proceeding from the abundance of humours are to be purg'd in Autumn and not in the Spring and ought to be reduc'd to the weight they were of at the beginning of Summer XLIX But if the diseases proceed from some malignant quality the bodies are to be purg'd in the Spring and not in Autumn for the malignancy of the quality is more augmented in Summer than in Winter L. They who at the beginning of the Spring devest themselves too soon and in Autumn are backward in putting on their winter-garments are in Summer apt to fall into Feavers and in Winter to be troubled with distillations LI. The retention of the perspirable matter as it has a sharp quality causes Feavers and Erysipelas's as to its redundancy it causes Apostems Distillations or an evil habit of the body LII External cold by concentrating the heat makes nature so much the stronger by how much it is the more able to bear about two pounds of perspirable matter unevacuated over and above its ordinary weight LIII At the beginning of winter mens bodies are easily reduc'd to their usual weight but in the beginning of Summer it is with much ado that they are reduc'd to the Summer-weight LIV. There would be an uninterrupted healthfulness even to the extremity of age if mens bodies were kept in an equal weight during the four seasons of the year LV. Those bodies whose weights are much augmented and diminished in the space of a year are in great danger LVI The greater variety there is of the weight of any body in the space of a year and the greater the augmentation or diminution of the blood is so much the worse is the condition of that body LVII The augmentation of the weight happens at the beginning of Autumn the diminution at the beginning of Summer LVIII Those bodies whose weight is augmented are in a more dangerous condition than those whose weight is diminish'd APHORISMS Added by the Author LIX THose parts of the body which are cover'd do healthfully perspite but if they be found uncover'd after sleep their pores are condensated by even the warmest air LX. That air which is over cool moist or windy obstructs perspiration whence it
between excess and defect The excess after a plentiful supper of meats of easy perspiration commonly amounts in the space of one night to forty ounces or thereabouts the defect but to fourteen That proportion therefore of meat which will bring thee to two and twenty ounces which is the mean between the other two will promise thee infallible health and long life XLII The opinion of Celsus is not safe for all persons to wit that in the use of the six not natural things men ought sometimes to be sparing and sometimes to exceed XLIII Bodies are with less trouble reduc'd to their usual weight if men take four pounds of meat at dinner and four at supper observing a convenient interval than if they take six at dinner and two at supper XLIV That person destroyes himself by degrees who eats once a day besides his ordinary meals whether he eat little or much XLV The body is made more ponlerous by four ounces of meat that is of much nutriment such as Pork Eeles and all fat things than by six ounces of meat that is of little nourishment such as are small Fishes Chickens small Birds and the like XLVI If there be any difficulty in the concoction of meat which is of littlâ— nourishment it will happen only in the first concoction but if there be a difficulty in the concoction of meat of much nutriment it will happen in all the concoctions XLVII Meat of little nutriment moistens and loosens the belly is soon digested and readily promotes the perspiration of men whether sleeping or waking XLVIII Meat of much nutriment binds the belly if it be noâ— corrupted is of difficult concoction and perspires little XLIX Where there is a difficulty of concoction there is but a slow perspiration L. Not that meat which is fluid but that which is of better juice ought to be eaten first for the Pylorus or Stomach-gut is not at the bottom in men as it is in Dogs LI. Three inconveniences are consequent to mens feeding on variety of meats there is an excess of eating the concoction is less and the perspiration less LII The time of least perspiration is when the stomach is full especially with variety so meats LIII They who vomit up their supper do immediately remove the pain of their stomach but the next morning they feel their bodies more ponderous for vomiting diverts perspiration by attracting the perspirable matter to the inward parts which matter upon the score of its being sharp causes lassitude and heat upon that of its redundancy it causes heaviness LIV. That person who eats more than is requisite is nourish'd less than is requisite LV. They who in their youth are immoderate in their diet make the Stomach larger than it should be whence it comes to pass that it proves a hard matter to reduce them afterwards to a moderate diet LVI If any one be desirous to be reduc'd to a moderate diet let him use food of little nutriment and so the Stomach soon disburthening it self of it will be contracted and reduc'd to a less capacity LVII You will find what quantity of meat you should eat if for several daies together you observe that the body after sleep is without any trouble reduc'd to the same weight LVIII If after a plentiful supper the body be of less weight the next day it happens either by reason of the corruption of the meat or because nature is stir'd up to expel that which is beneficial which is extreamly hurtfull for the body is prepar'd for diseases when those things which are beneficial are evacuated and crudities kept within the body LIX If a man's supper amount to eight pounds and what he has eaten be corrupted in the stomach the next day the body will be of less weight than if the supper had been of three pounds and the meat had not been corrupted LX. Those meats that are most conducive to perspiration are not corrupted nay after watching whole nights they keep a man from weariness and heaviness LXI Meats not apt to perspire are wont to cause obstructions corruptions lassitude pensiveness and ponderosity LXII Then is a living creature in the worst condition when after the concoction is compleated the body seems to be more burthensome than ordinary while yet it is of less weight LXIII If any one has been excessive in eating or drinking and there ensue thereupon such sensible evacuations as are greater than usual the body is next day lighter than usual LXIV Liquid meats supposing an equality as to quantity are more ponderous than the solid the liquids go to the bottom the solid keep on the top a cup of wine or mess of Broath is of more weight than a whole loaf LXV If excess in drinking make the Eies as 't were full of tears it is a sign the body has not perpir'd as much as it should have done LXVI If after much drinking you sweat or urine much it is an argument of either great strength or great weakness LXVII The drinking of cold water obstructs insensible perspiration but augments the sensible LXVIII In these our daies Drinking even in temperate persons is disproportionate for men eat commonly after the rate of twelve Ounces but drink after that of forty and above LXIX In a man of moderate diet the nocturnal perspiration sometimes amounts to three pound in a person who feeds plentifully the stomach being empty before and strong it may amount to five pounds LXX If a body be in its standard of greater weight fasting is beneficial to it if in its mean it is hurtful if in its lesser weight it is much more hurtful LXXI If after long fasting the body be plentifully fed the perspiration amounts to a pound more than it usually does LXXII To eat immediately after immoderate exercise of body or mind is hurtful for the wearied body perspires with some difficulty LXXIII When sober persons and such as are moderate in their diet die betimes their friends wonder at the strangeness of it because they know nothing of insensible perspiration LXXIV Excess of meat and drink does not only keep the acrimony of the perspirable matter which is retain'd lurking in the body but also the deprav'd affections of the parts especially of those that are not the principal and that for a long time which affections when the bodies are purg'd or brought low by much fasting break forth of a sudden and turn into violent distempers LXXV That Physician who is to regulate the diet of Princes if he be ignorant how much and when they daily perspire deludes and does not cure them and if he do them any good it is by chance LXXVI For about the space of four hours after meat most people do hardly perspire a pound thence to the ninth hour two pound from the ninth to the sixteenth hardly a pound LXXVII Then is it the proper time to take refection when the body shall be reduc'd to that weight yet healthful which it was of a