their burden And in case of hanging or strangling letting of blood in great quantity has sometimes saved mens lives that have been executed and this by no other ways that I can think of than by helping to discharge the lungs of their oppression as has been already said 8. And thus we have if our Opinion fail us not discovered the true use of Respiration We have also of consequence freed the heart of almost one half of the task imposed on it by the modern Physitians For since the circulation of the blood consists of two parts viz. First the conveying it from the heart or center to the rest of the body as to a kind of natural circumference And secondly the returning or bringing back of the blood again to the heart The first part we conceive to be the Office of the heart The second part seems to be the work of every particular member to discharge it self of its own superfluities For which purpose nature hath endued them with a tone or tonical motion sufficient for that service the lungs only excepted wherein Nature hath worthily imployed her industry by the additional contrivance of Respiration through the assistance of the Diaphragme which labour of the lungs in Respiration for the returning of the blood to the left Ventricle of the heart seems to equal that of the tone or tonical motion of all the other parts of the body for the lungs convey the same quantity with all the rest that is to say the whole Mass of blood through them and that in as little time as the same passes through the rest of the body And if it carries it not so far it moves â—t so much the faster And so we shall have entitled the lungs to one full quarter part of this work of the circulation of the blood leaving an other quarter to the tonical motion of the body And the first and worthier half of dispensing blood and life through the whole body to the heart as its proper office and duty What part the lungs may justly claim to themselves in the business of Sanguification we shall more conveniently find place to consider of in the following Chapter CHAP. IV. Of Sanguification THe Chyle when separated from the remaining unprofitable parts of our Aliment is by proper vessels of its own the discovery of modern Anatomists conveyed directly into the Subclavial veins and from thence into the right Ventricle of the heart where it is mingled with a larger quantity of blood returning home by the great vein together with which it is immediately transmitted to the lungs where though it make great hast through and moves very impetuously as has been said yet by reason of the length of the way it continues a considerable time and is more perfectly mingled with the blood and wrought up together with it into one Mass and at the same time acquires both the name and form of blood as Physitians term it and so is fitted for the heart from thence to be distributed to the rest of the body where after what manner it is circulated we say not as a thing already sufficiently known and whereof we have delivered our sense already 2. That Chyle is very easily mixt with blood is evident for that it is the matter whereof all blood is made by a farther continuation of that fermentation or concoction begun on it in the stomack Nor yet is the proportion so great between them but that upon mingling the dissimilitude of parts becomes immediately the cause of an extraordinary ebullition which is very much encreased by the reciprocal motion of the lungs whereby the blood is wrought almost all into a froth or foam by that time it gets into the left Ventricle of the heart Which sudden excess of heat is not unlike what happens upon the mingling several Chymical liquors together as Spirit of Wine and Spirit of Turpentine and other such like where the heat becomes so great that it often endangers the vessel they are contained in And this is the cause of that heat a while after meals discernable in Hectical persons and others otherwise affected and which in many appears by flushings in the face Now that the blood is wrought up to that froth we speak of during its passage through the lungs is not only suitable to reason but appears most evidently in those sanguine excretions from the lungs which happen in consumptive persons nor does that frothiness then observable proceed from the mingling with it the air we breath for that at one breathing out or expiration could not be sufficiently performed 3. The blood by several very learned men has not unaptly been compared to wine and in my Opinion the Chyle may as properly be likened to the juice newly pressed out of the Grapes which if it were by certain intervals in a due proportion poured gently into new wine or must as it begins to cool would again renew its ebullition and continue the warmth of it to what degree is requisite and that so long as this practise shall be continued And from this Illustration may be clearly gather'd the necessity and use of eating at least within certain periods or intervals to wit that by the frequent affusion of Chyle the blood may again recover its motion warmth and vigour without which supply it would soon languish cool and congeal and consequently death ensue Now that the lungs are indeed the principal Officina Sanguinis may be farther collected from Consumptions of the lungs wherein all parts of the body are so suddenly extenuated by the affection of the part 4. 'T is probable that the blood during its stay in the lungs does not actually dilate it self and rise into froth but only acquires an aptness so to do as soon as it is at a little more liberty as appears in blood spit out of them and consequently when it falls into the left Ventricle of the heart it immediately dilates it self with great force in the manner of botled Beer and in this manner does for ought I know in great part become the cause of the Diastole or expansion of the heart which being extended beyond its due and natural scituation does again violently contract it self by a power almost all bodies have of restoring themselves and which we call the tone or tonical motion And as we observe in a Switch bowed down or in a Pendulum removed out of its place that they return beyond the perpendicular so it fares in this motion of the heart whereby it is again more contracted than is natural to it and so of it self returns again to expand it self and is again violently distended as before by the influx of more spumy blood from the lungs Now though it may be objected that the pulse in the heart continues many times a long while after it is taken out of the body and when there is no longer any such influx to be pretended as the cause of it To this I answer that such pulse
they make that frothy head or scum observable in Sider Wine Beer and other liquors and this I take to be the natural method of all fermentâ—tion when not checked or otherwise determined by some outward circumstance And this also seems a genuine reason of the depuration and of the casting off the heavier and lighter recrement mentioned before N. 5. to happen in fermented liquors 12. That Bodies are ripened and acquire their due perfection by fermentation is asserted N. 6. but in such case it is necessary that this fermentation be checked or retarded in such sort as is there mentioned both in natural and more artificial fermentations But the most universal Moderator of this motion is what was lately call'd the tone of Air as well as its temperature which daily and hourly changing doth accelerate retard check and put backward this motion and then restores it again by which various and oft repeated course the parts are comminuted their roughness retunded and mitigated and they so disposed of after an inexplicable manner as conduces most to the beauty and perfection of the Body fermented 13. This dilatation and constriction in Bodies fermented caused by the like accidents of the Ambient Air may not improperly be compared with the pulse in Animals having its Systole and Diastole even as they have though by longer periods as of day and night warm weather and cold c. and from hence perhaps is the true cause of pulses in Animals to be lookt for which yet as forreign to our present scope we here enquire not farther after but it will not be improper to observe with common experience that Malt is best made in windy weather and that the best and most lasting Beer is brewed in March and September windy moneths and of an unequal temper Now 't is evident that all winds are moved by gusts rather then equal fluxes from whence probably it is that the Sea is lifted into Waves as it were numbring to us the several impetuous stroaks it received from the winds Thus the motion of all Animals seems to be performed by snatches and jerks and it is indeed a great question among School-Philosophers whether any local motion be strictly speaking continual and not rather consisting of short motions and frequent rests as it were compounded together This Pulse or frequent change in the tone of the Air however it may seem at first view an idle or over-subtil contemplation will upon due consideration be found not only true and the cause of those effects assigned to it in the foregoing Paragraph but that it may also with good effect be made use of in Physick as a notable instrument for preservation of health and the cure of diseases I shall hereafter endeavour to prove in the ensuing discourse That most liquors fermented especially in the beginning conceive heat and become warm even to sense the reason may be partly gathered out of what has been already said namely that the small particles of Air in such liquor become dilated which dilatation is always accompanied with an encrease of heat they mutually making way for and introducing one the other in the Air and bodies participating of Air if not hindred from without to which may be added that all motion is apt to beget heat in the Body moved which is true not only of solid Bodies though more eminently in them but also of liquid Bodies themselves Thus 't is said in making Butter you must neither make too much at once nor yet must it be too violently beaten or shaken for in such case there will be great hazard of over-heating the Butter which as you see is the meer effect of motion in a liquid Body only Besides most liquors fermented abouâ— with a kind of Tartar which afterwâ—â—â— subsideth when the Mass begins to coâ—… the collision of whose rough particles 〈◊〉 against the other may perhaps somewâ—… contribute to the production of this heâ—… though I for my part impute less to 〈◊〉 then the causes before assigned though 〈◊〉 remarkable heat arising in Aqua fortis aâ—…sed upon filings of Iron or Silver is perhâ—… best made out by the collision of its asproâ—… parts against those of the said Metals 14. As concerning particular ferments I shall only observe that congenerous Bodies suffer most and are best fermented by their own proper ferments namely Ale by yeast Dough by Leven Milk by Renet Thus Apples Pears and Grapes and generally all fruit once corrupted or rotten do more easily affect and putrifie those of their own kind then of any other I say more easily for they will though with more difficulty and after a longer time corrupt fruits of a divers kind also and those particular Levens before-mentioned will in like manner though probably not so naturally ferment â—ther Bodies of whose kind they are not â—…s Yest will ferment Dough which yet 〈◊〉 something congenerous to it as proâ—…ng it self originally from Corn or 〈◊〉 and whites of Eggs beaâ—… up 〈◊〉 snowy froth will indifferently supply â—…ant of Yest in either Wort or Dough â—…am verily perswaded that the Yesty 〈◊〉 which may be taken off the top of 〈◊〉 running Drills of water would effect â—…me mingled with Dough unless perâ—… it be not viscous enough wherein it â—…ms only to differ from the whites of â—ggs beaten as is said and it were worth the trying to understand whether a Mass of Dough made with flower and snow only would need any other raising or Leven I have read that in the Countryes about Parma and Piacenza whence those so much valued Parmisan Cheeses come the people make use of Snow instead of Renet This instance however of the white of an Egg beaten may serve very well to illustrate our Position concerning the fermentation of Bodies by the dilatation and constriction of its aereous Particles as also the kneding of Dough and shaking of liquors which is a kind of kneding too the better to make them rise and work will notably confirm what we said of the Tone of the Air its frequent alterations and of windy weather how much they conduce to the better fermentation of most Bodies 15. Note that the reason why the juices of most fruits do soon after expression acquire a strong fermentation seems to be this that not only the liquor is now more at liberty then when mixed with the fleshy parts of the fruit but likewise that the Airy Particles lay very much compressed in the fruit every particular Grape Cherry and Apple being in the nature of a little Bottle which as we see if well stopt hinders the working of Ale or Wine but once opened the liquors straightway ferment and swell very impetuously the compressed Air forcibly dilating it self and this is the reason that fruit a little eaten by the Birds or Snails will ripen much faster than if they had not been entered upon but then the taste will not be altogether so generous and sprightly Thus Apples and Pears gather'd green and hoarded ripen
to drink as the last means left to preserve their lives Which practise as it cannot replenish the veins to that measure it already emptied them so it evidently concludes that emptiness of the Vessels is not the true cause of perishing for want of food Much less can the continuation of Suction from the exhausted Vessels to the Stomack be the cause of hunger For first such hunger could not be immediately appeased after eating the Vessels receiving no part thereof till a considerable time after when distribution begins to succeed concoction as is well known and confessed Secondly 't will appear to such as shall duly consider it that the Vessels or Veins are then fullest when the Stomack is emptiest è contra the emptying of the Stomack beginning with the filling of the Guts and Veins Nor shall we need other arguments against this Suction though it were easie to charge it with more difficulties than that the owners of it will be forced to prove there is some such power of moving by attraction drawing or Suction which will be a harder matter than it appears at first sight Though as not making to our present purpose I shall not determine ought concerning it 3. In confirmation of this our Assertion viz. That the concoction of the stomack is a kind of fermentation it will not bâ— amiss to shew the reason of some circumstances of it And first concerning that preparation which meat receives in the mouth by chewing or jawing of it which is rather a bruising than mincing and it is a common observation that flesh minced very small is of much harder concoction than if eaten by bigger pieces and a sufficient reason is withall assigned that meat minced slips down into the stomack before it be duly masticated or chewed which is so necessary an antecedent of concoction that the Arabian Physitians are wont to say That he that chaws not his meat well hates his own Soul Now that any thing bruised will soon after corrupt is evident in all fruits which will sooner putrisie after bruising than if they were cut with a sharp knife into many pieces Thus a flesh-wound made without bruising will commonly heal again with little or no corruption but not if the part were bruised at the same time Thus the common practise is to bruise Whitloes to ripen and break them the sooner And thus to conclude our meat by being bruiâ—ed becomes of much easier and speedier concoction which seems to be the reason why Nature has given to most Creatures namely Dogs Wolfes Swine Foxes c. three sorts of teeth to wit Tusks to kill their prey with sharp fore-teeth or cutters wherewith they tear it into smaller pieces And lastly Grinders to chew and bruise it the better to prepare it for the stomack Birds seem to grinde their meat in their Gizards after it is first well soaked in their craps for which purpose they pick up sharp stones and their stomacks are made of two large Muscles one on either side the chief instruments in this work of Moliture or grinding The Locusta or Lobsters has his teeth placed in his stomack and so have the rest of that kind which they imploy for the same purpose 4. Our next observation shall be upon two Rules of Diet commonly given by Physitians the one is that we should not put new meat into our stomack till after a perfect digestion of what was eaten the meal before the reason of which Rule seems to be this That it is necessary thâ— stomack should continue some time empty that so the Fracid Tincture or small corrupted remaining portion of the former meat may have acquired its due acidity whereby it may the better help the succeeding fermentation or concoction And it is no more than if you should advise the House-wife not to make any new Bread till the Leven be grown ripe or sowre enough to leven and ferment the Mass of Dough. The second Rule is that we should leave eating with some small appetite to eat on or that we should rise from Table with an appetite the reason is almost the same with the former and may well be illustrated by the same instance which is that it is requisite the Leven should bear some just proportion to the Mass it is to ferment Thus if we rise with an appetite it will appear that we have not over-charged this ferment of our stomacks for appetite being as is said a sense of pain caused by the sharpness of this acid ferment it follows that this acidity is not yet quite obscured by the late mixture of good and consequently the stomack not charged with more than may be well digested at once by 〈◊〉 And these are Rules very fit to be observed as well by those which are of a more robust nature as of them especially who have weak stomacks and find themselves indisposed after eating 5. 'T is further advised by some Physitians that such as have weak stomacks should forbear drinking till they have neer dined and we commonly observe that drinking just before dinner spoils our eating which it does by diluting this ferment of the stomack whereupon the sense of pain and consequently hunger abates very much or quite ceases for a time And 't is usually seen that they who are great Drinkers are bad Trencher-men and that as well for that much drinking relaxes the tone and extenuates the coats of the stomack as more especially for that it washes away by little and little all this fracid tincture or sowre ferment of the membranes thereof which is as well the cause of concoction as of appetite or hunger 6. Bulls Blood drunk was found a present poyson by the Ancients and Milk taken plentifully and after curdling on the stomack has often been the cause of great and mortal Surfeits the reason of both is the same for that both blood and milk being curdled and brought into one hard lump becomes insuperable to the stomack Whereas if the same be suffered to coagulate before they be eaten and broken into small parts they will have no such effect and instead of poysoning will afford an indifferent good nourishment to the body So far seems Helmont to have missed the mark when he says The cause of this poyson is Imago Irae in Sanguine Taurino And I doubt not but a lump of Beef or a piece of Cheese of the same bigness whole in the stomack would as surely poyson if not more effectually And this may farther confirm what is said in the third paragraph of preparing our Food by chawing c. 7. The inward membranes or skins of the Gizards of most Birds especially such as feed on corn prepared by drying and powdring them are held a great help to concoction Now the acidity of them is very manifest and no doubt they do no otherwise comfort our stomacks than by encreasing and corroborating that ferment so often mentioned Thus the dung of several Animals prepared namely of Wolves Dogs Peacocks
of the whole body are much more compressed than in their natural state of rest and consequently do not only not admit of the usual quantity of blood and humours due to them by circulation but by their violent and frequent contraction do return them back in much a larger proportion than they now receive them whereupon the lungs become over-charged which causes frequent breathing and makes the pulse quicker and stronger than formerly distends the great vein and artery with a greater quantity of blood than is usuall Whereupon the Artery by its pulse and tone endeavours to discharge it self upon the habit of the body which not receiving it in its due and accustomed proportion the blood does in a more than a usual manner fill the vessels of the eyes and other weak parts and either by dissention compression or extravasation of blood or other humor the order and disposition of the parts of the eyes becomes so confused and disturbed that no wonder if blindness immediately or soon after do ensue Now 't is manifest from hence that where the body of an horse is clean that is to say not so full of humors and where blood abounds not over-much this accident shall not easily happen And here we are to observe that though the native tone of the eye do rather exceed that of the other parts than come short of it yet it is not sufficient to resist this influx when the tone of the other parts is so much strengthened by the violent local motions of the body 11. If we a little reflect upon the manner of the Circulation of the Blood and how by very modern discovery the Chyle is first mingled with the blood in the axillary or subclavial veins from whence it passes by the right Ventricle of the heart through the lungs into the left Ventricle from thence to be distributed into the whole body One thing very remarkable will arise to our observation namely that what part of the blood is sent toward the head by the carotides or arteries of the neck flows thither very crude and accompanied with all its excrements it having not yet received or suffered any depuration or alteration from the Reins or Spleen like that which passes into almost all other especially the lower parts of the body though indeed it seems not to be cleansed of the gall till it returns home again through the liver Now though Natures purpose herein be very obscure that the blood thus impure should be designed for the service of the most Noble part yet that so it is will farther appear by the several Emunctories or sinks wherewith the head is in a particular manner provided as the ears eyes nose palat every of which discharge the brain of a several excrement and that no longer useful to the body except what is secerned by the palat which is for the most part again returned to the stomack for the better separating of which Nature has industriously placed about the head so many of those serous vessels called the Ductus Salivares which seem here to perform the same Office to that part of the blood sent to the head which the Reins do execute to the remaining Mass Hence no wonder it is if excessive drinking do so much weaken the brain cause Catarrhs which is nothing but an over-flowing of the Ductus Salivares weaken all the faculties of the Soul and senses and at length enervate the whole body although at the same time the Reins do their duty indifferently well and this especially if the native tone of the brain be weak it being then so much the less able to discharge it self of such superfluous excrements This may be said in general that the blood is thus sent to the brain before depuration in regard of its publick Office that the same may there be farther elaborated as shall best suit with its service in that Noble part Thus much by way of an useful digression may suffice concerning tonical motion and some considerable circumstances of it which as well for the assistance it gives the heart in the circulation of the blood as for the many useful indications from thence arising in the Doctrine of Phlebotomy was most properly to be handled in this Chapter of Sanguification 12. And now I do not much doubt but whoever shall have carefully perused what has been lately said concerning Sanguification and the use of the lungs will as readily conclude with me that the lungs do bear a very principal part in the work of Sanguification for in them the Chyle is perfectly mingled with the blood in them one half part of the circulation is performed and in them the blood seems to free it self first of all from any excrement to wit a fuliginous or rather a vaporous watry superfluity which passeth out together with our breath And this seems the first and chiefest part of Sanguification The second is a farther elaborating the Mass of blood in the arteries which is performed by the pulsive motion of the heart The third and last part is the depuration of the blood whereby its superfluous excrements are separated from it and this is performed by the rest of the bowels thus by passing through the Reins it is dreined of its serous parts Another excrement it seems to leave behind it in the Spleen though of what kind is not yet well determined among the modern Physitians But on all sides it is concluded that while it passeâ— through the liver as through a Streiner iâ— is there purged of choler which in mosâ— Animals is collected in a little bladder oâ— Cistis from whence it is transmitted to thâ— Intestines where it becomes a kind of natural Clyster and provokes to the excerning the excrements of the first ways as they use to term them And this is what lay in our way to say at present concerning Sanguification CHAP. V. That often changing the Air is a friend to health Also a discovery of a new method of doing it without removing from one place to another by means of a Domicil or Air-Chamber fitted to that purpose HAving hitherto shewed what part the air acts in all fermentations and that in respect of its tone and temper Viz. its difference of rarity and density and of heat and cold and that in general only not considering what other dispositions of the Air may make it apt to promote or retard the motion of fermentation whereby it may also powerfully operate to the continuation or destruction of mixt bodies as not so directly serving for the illustration of the Subject we principally intend in this discourse Having farther made it probable that the work of our stomacks upon our Aliments as also that Sanguification it self is a kind of fermentation And lastly having asserted the publick Office of the lungs together with the use of breathing as well in promoting the circulation as elaborating of the blood And having likewise said something of the tonical motion of the body and all this