impossible it should be without such Disturbances as I mentioned would follow if they passed in the Road of the Spirits it is not common Sense that such câ—de Blasts should meliorate or enliven the Spirits to cause Briskness Bravery Serenity Courage Magnanimity as Opium does much less if those Fumes stopp'd and crowded in the Brain and any way hinder'd the Generation of Animal Spirits as the common Assertion is The like is to be said of their passing between the Pia Mater and the medullary Part of the Nerve which cannot be allow'd because of its close adherence thereto with this addition That they would constantly cause a violent Head-ach which Opium and Meals to which Fumes are particularly attributed do often cure So if they got up to the Head between the Pia and Dura Mater it is Head-achs and not the Symptoms of Opium that they would produce which Head-achs as was said Opium and Meals do cure 21. Lastly If they passed by any means quite on the outside of the Nerves and their Membranes viz. the Pia and Dura Mater then must they take their Lodgment if within the Skull between the Dura Mater and the Skull and produce no other Symptom but a Head-ach which as was said Opium and Meals rather cure than produce and if without the Skull it is quite beside the Cushion and the Vaporarians own Intention for in all these last Cases they could not affect the Animal Spirits for good or evil Many and very many things may be added to shew the Impossibilities Inconveniences Incoherences Absurdities c. that attend the Passage of the Fumes and Vapours into the Brain Head c. 22. I had forgotâ— mentioning the Absurdity of its passing up at Gullet and so to the Head because I could not imagine that any one would be so beastly an Animal as to belch up an Argument of that kind considering our very Senses tell us that what comes up that way passes out at Mouth or Nostrils and because if it were so the Operation of Opium c. would be in proportion to our Belching which is ridiculous 23. The greatest Comfort of a Cordial is at first or soon after it is taken but if ' its Comfort were by Fumes or Essluvia's passing to the Bloud or any where besides the Comfort would as their Cause of Fumes do increase for a long time and be more after a good while than at first So 24. If Opium operated by Fumes while at Stomach which must gradually increase continually how comes Opium to be at the height of its Operation in a short time viz. in about half an Hour after it begins sensibly to operate or an Hour at farthest and not increase continually in its Operation as their pretended Cause the Fumes must do by continual steaming 25. If Opium operated by sending Fumes by Passages c. from the Stomach to the Brain I should think that when it has got out of the Stomach as into the Intestines lacteal Veins c. there should be a kind of Interval of its Operation which is never observ'd till it got into the Bloud again therefore it does not operate by Fumes for the Pylorus is always shut but when somewhat is sent downward which would hinder the mounting of the Vapours into the Stomach in order to pass to the Brain 26. If Vapours were the cause of Sleep after Meals then should we be more sleepy two or three Hours after Meals because of the abundance of the Fumes that would be crowded into the Brain by that time but we are more sleepy presently after Meals and if we indulge it but for a quarter of an Hour we are refreshed and far from sleepiness afterward tho' the Fumes if that Hypothesis were true would be much more at Brain two or three Hours after the Meal So it is in the case of Wine if one take a short Nap after some Glasses he may drink a great many afterward without being sleepy which plainly proves that it is not the Fumes of the Wine is the cause of the Sleep because he is not at all sleepy when there must be more Fumes 27. All allow that hot Fumes assaulting the Brain cause Phrensies if that be true then the Fumes of Wine and Opium which are both very hot must always do so but Opium and Wine also do often cause Composure Good Humour Sleep c. which are contrary to Phrensies therefore they do not operate by Fumes 28. If Sleep says Helmont the only Man that I have read who is against Vapours is caused by Vapours ascending from the Stomach to the Head obstructing and intercepting all the Passages of Sensation Motion Speech Iudgment c. as the Schools say then a Disease would have been before the Fall of Adam because Sleep would have been a Disease that is a flatulent and vaporous Palsie 29. All allow Vomitives and Purgers to operate by Irritation or a grievous Sensation of the Membranes of the Stomach Why not Wine Cordials Opium c. by a pleasant Sensation Cujus est Dolor aut Gravamen ejusdem est Voluptas and as a grievous Sensation or Pain causes Melancholy Depression of Spirits Fretfulness Lassitude c. so a pleasant Sensation causes Comfort Elevation of the Spirits Euphory c. But we have not cleared the Way sufficiently for these Matters yet which will in due time be solemnly considered Obj. It may be said That both Vomitives and Purgatives take some time before they operate unless a Nausea upon Aversion causes them to work sooner for Things must have time to insinuate themselves or soak through the Crusta Carnosa of the Stomach and afterwards to affect its sensile Coat which argues that Wine and Cordials which operate immediately do not operate that way but by Fumes or Effuviums passing into the Brain or Bloud Answ. I doubt indeed that this Difference may be an occasion of referring the Effects of Cordials and those of Emitticks and Catharticks to different Causes but it is very strange that they should go so far as the Bloud or Brain to seek for the Cause of the Operation of Cordials which operate in a Moment and go no farther than the Stomach for the Cause of the Operation of Vomatives and Purgatives which take more time to operate especially seeing the Bloud and Brain have no Sensation and that all sensitive Comforts happen by that means I think it were much more proper first to consider the immediate Part upon which they insist when at Stomach especially seeing it is so very sensible before we run roving I know not whither to seek for the Cause of a Thing that works pleases and comforts the Stomach as soon as it is down I take my self running off the proper Subject Matter of this Chapter and anticipating that of another therefore I will be short and deliver my Opinion in this Case by way of Position with a familiar Instance to illustrate it which may in some measure prepare you for the Proof
Parts by its relaxing the Pores of the Kidneys and rendring the Humours more penetrating in some measure by the Volatile Salt 20. It causes a Nausea by its Rosin sticking to and teazing the sensile Coat of the Stomach The Reason why it is generally so long before it causes a Nausea or Vomiting is that its Pleasure does at first prevent it till at last the sticking Rosin urges it by its long Stay and vexatious Adherence 21. It causes Swimmings in the Head by Consent when the Stomach is grieved by that Rosin as you find upon Nauseas before Vomiting or when any Thing does much offend the Stomach as much Drink or Wine which when they have Vomited those Swimmings cease 22. It causes Watching in some Persons who are of very moveable Spirits by actuating and stirring their Spirits by its active Volatile Salt tho' it does at the same time please the Membranes and consequently relax the sensile Parts and thereby cause Indolence the Effect of Relaxation which it also does when People keep themselves from Sleep by voluntary Motion and therefore takes away Pain even when Men Travel c. Besides there are some sort of Persons that upon Ioy good News Pleasure or the like are too much elevated or have a restless Ovation of the Spirits which will not suffer them to Sleep tho' they are in a Pleasant Condition all the time This may be the Case of some that cannot Sleep after Opium tho' they are all the Time as they call it in a Heavenly Condition for as I have said a Quietness of the Spirits is requisite to cause Sleep as well as Relaxation but Relaxation alone and thereby Expansion of the Spirits so that they cannot carry Impressions smartly is sufficient to cause Indolence and the Pleasure to cause a Heavenly or very pleasant Condition Sanctor Stat. Med. Sect. 7. Aph. 28. says That Laetitia perseverans per multos dies somnum impedit Persevering Pleasure may do the same by like Reason that is too much 〈◊〉 or Ovation of the Spirits Sometimes too large a Dose causes Watching by over-actuating and exciting the Spirits Medicum vini generosi Allium says Sanctorius conciliant somnum Perspirationem si vero plus justo sumantur utrumque prohibent perspirabile tamen in Sudorem convertunt that is A little generous Wine and Garlick will cause Sleep and Perspiration but too much hinder both yet they convert the perspirable Matter to a Sweat which Wine and Garlick have the Nature of Opiates and the Reason why they Sweat is the Quantity of the Wine affording more Moisture Hippocrates says 23. A dubious State between Sleeping and Waking is caused when the Relaxation upon the Pleasure of Opium inclines to Sleep but the irreâ—uiete Ovation of the Spirits by the Pleasure and Titillation will hardly suffer it yet highly pleases and puts them in a sweet agreeable Condition CHAP. XIX The Explication of the rare Effects of Opium in a Moderate Dose 1. IT causes temporary Pulses of the 〈◊〉 and sometimes of other Parts by its over relaxing the Parts and causing thereby an Expansion of the Elastick Spirits which as was demonstrated weakens their Motion 2. Faltring of the Tongue does as in Relaxation by Drunkenness proceed from the same Cause 3. Looseness of the Lower Iaw as you see in the Drowsy and Drunken People is from the same Relaxation 4. It sometimes prevents Sweat by causing a very Liberal Perspiration as was shewn for as Sanctorius says who should know it much insensible Perspiration and Sweat cannot consist especially in a Temperate Person who Eats and Drinks moderately Therefore if you keep a Person that Sweats much at Night in a free Perspiration all Day by the Help of an Opiate you 'll much lessen or totally prevent the Sweat at Night as in Consumptive Persons c. 5. It causes Abortion by relaxing the Neck of the Womb which also the Pleasure of Coition sometimes does for the like Reason and would be much more apt to cause it if it continued long as that of Opium does Note the Inconvenience of Coition after Impregnation This is the great Cause that Whores are not apt to bear Children because Frequency of Pleasure does over-relax the Collum 〈◊〉 6. It prevents Abortion when Fear Terrour or any contracting Cause as Grief grievous Passions or Sensations do threaten it by its taking off the Contraction and Grievance that causes it 7 Intumescence of the Lips is from their Relaxation admitting the Bloud and Humours into them in a plentiful manner besides that their Laxity and the Inadvertency occasioned by the Diverting Pleasure or Drowsiness that follows letting the Lower Lip hang down carelesly as is usual in such Cases may by exposing much more of that Lip which is most concern'd in this Effect make it seem larger as a hanging Lip does 8. It may cure a Dropsy as Dr. Wâ—llis doth instance 1. By causing a free Perspiration which is much wanted in those Cases 2. By relaxing the Pores and making way for the Humours to 〈◊〉 3. By causing much Urine as Cantharides Millepedes c do upon the Account of their Volatile-Salt with which Opium abounds 9. It cures Stupors that proceed from Contraction as by Cold c. by relaxing all Parts 10. It causes Anxieties and Distresses by the Rosin sticking and teazing the Stomach 11. Vomitings and Hiccoughs proceed from the same Cause 12. Convulsions are caused by the same Rosin while it continually urges the Stomach to grievous Vomitings which at last draw other Parts as the Stomach usually does when under great Griâ—vances into violent Contractions or Convulsions by consent to endeavour its Assistance because the defensive Contraction growing very high by the almost intolerable and tedious Grievance at Stomach causes a mighty compression of the springy Animal Spirits by which Means they grow very forcible irrequiete and violently springy under the urgency of an enormous Compressure which causes such Convulsive Motions Note That such a violent Compression of the Animal Spirits into a great springiness is the cause of the Strength of Convulsive Motions so that sometimes a strong Man can hardly hold a Child's Limb in such Cases 13. Syncopes Leipothymies and Faintings follow when the sensitive Soul being quite tired and overborn by the Fatigue of such Distresses Vomitings and Defensive Contractions to reject and excuss the said adhering and teazing Rosin yields it self to Rest and le ts go the Reigns of Contraction as being fruitless and no longer endurable whereupon all the sensile Parts being relaxed in the highest degree they thereby grow unfit for Sensation and the Animal Spirits expand as far as the Atmospherical Compressure permits them so that they grow incapable to convey Impressions by which means Sense fails and Motion also for the same Reason because the Animal Spirits loose their springy Endeavours for want of a sufficient Compression to render them flippant for the Purpose which is the Cause as in Sleep that Sense
a very long and lavish use thereof The Inconveniences of leaving off the Use of Opium do bear a certain Proportion to the Time and Quantity that it has been used in 1. Note That the Turks do drink some Water always after the taking of Opium as being the best Menstruum to dissolve it 2. Note That it is usual with them to take a Drachm in the Morning and so much in the Afternoons and so may we as well as they if used to it and 't is a very silly saying that you 'll find in Authors That they are better able to bear it because of the Climate c. whereas the more Northern Persons are better able to take it than the Southern as will hereafter appear most plainly I am told of one near Banbury that takes Two Ounces a Day 3. Note That among the Effects of Opium may be observed many seeming Contradictions yet is there nothing more certain than the several different Matters of Fact which no doubt has been a great Cause to puzzle the World about it and to run Men into strange Absurdities concerning its Operation and all to deviate so far from the Truth that nothing in Nature can be farther unless you 'll say that Heat cools or what pleases the sensitive Soul is at the same time abhorr'd by it Now because these seeming Contradictions in the Effects of Opium are the greatest Rubs to be met with and that the Reader may take the better Estimate of the Undertaking and my Explication of its Effects when I come to it I shall not fear to enumerate them distinctly tho' they will make the strangest Catalogue of Riddles that ever was seen trusting in Him that created this wonderful Medicament that he will enable me to explain all its Effects The seeming Contradictions in the Effects of Opium 1. It causes Sleeping and Watching 2. It causes and prevents Sweat 3. It relaxes and stops Loosenesses 4. It stops Fluxes and causes that of Sweat c. 5. It stupifies the Sense of Feeling yet irritates by that Sense to Venery 6. It causes Stupidity and Promptitude in Business Cloudiness and Serenity of Mind 7. It excites the Spirits and quiets them 8. It is very hot yet cools in Fevers 9. It is hot and bitter yet lessens Appetite even in Cold Stomachs 10. It stops and promotes Urine 11. It relaxes and weakens yet enables us to undergo Labours Iourneys c. 12. It causes and prevents Abortions 13. It stops Vomiting above all things yet causes most violent tedious and dangerous Vomitings 14. It stops Purging in a most eminent manner yet sometimes causes it 15. It is very acrimonious yet as all say obtunds Acrimony however it allays Pain proceeding from Acrimony 16. It causes a furious Madness yet composes the Spirits above all things 17. It causes 〈◊〉 yet sometimes cures them as Willis says 18. It causes Palsies yet have I known it to cure a Palsie 19. It causes Drinâ—ss in the Mouth yet takes off Thirst in Fevers 20. It cures and causes a Hiccough 21. It stanches Blood yet causes the Blood to come outward as appears by the Efflorescence or Redness of the Skin that it causes yet moves the Menses and Lochia 22. We have many Instances of it promoting and hindering Critical Motions 23. It raises very weak People when nothing besides will do it yet it kills other weak People 24. It causes and cures Convulsions 25. It causes Relaxation and Contraction of the same Parts 26. It Relaxes yet causes Rigidity Tension and Erection of the Penis Priapisms c. Thus have I fairly and faithfully laid the whole Onus of the Operations Effects and Contradictory Phenomena's of Opium upon my Shoulders however I come off and clear my self of the Intricacy Mazes and cross Effects thereof by explaining them which none upon the View thereof will think possible and none before me durst as much as enumerate for that End CHAP. VII The Author contrives a Compendious Way of Examining all Opinions concerning the Operation of Opium HAving without any sly or sordid Evasion or considerable Omission which has been the persidious Course of Authors in this Case fully and truly enumerated the sensible and certain Effects of Opium in Humane Bodies and thereby empannel'd a Iust Iury for the Trial of Hypothesises which must be Judged by the Effects or Phenomena's of Opium I will now proceed to their Examination But because it would be endless to take every one particularly into Consideration I will use their Stratagem who blow up Foundations to save the tedious Pecking at all the Parts of the Superstructures which in this Case would require an Age and take up all my Time in demolishing them which may be better employ'd in erecting something that may be useful I have considered and find That the Foundation in which all Authors both Ancient and Modern agree and whereupon they have hitherto endeavour'd to build looking upon it as firm and Warrantable in all Ages is this viz. That Opium operates by diminishing or disabling the Spirits meaning the animal Spirits The Ancients affirming That it did so by an extreme cold Quality c. And The Moderns who observed it to act while it is at Stomach by affecting the Brain Nerves Animal Spirits c. and concluded no Action was perform'd without Contact infer'd and agreed because no visible Passage could be found from the Stomach to the Head that it must of absolute necessity act by Fumes Vapours Auras or Effluviums sent up out of the Stomach to the Brain Nerves c. So that all the remaining Question among the Moderns is Which Way those Fumes or Vapours do the Feat all allowing the Fumes do it One saying That they stuff the Pores of the Brain and so hinder the Generation of Animal Spirits A Second That they constringed and closed the Pores together thereby hindering the said Generation A Third That they fix'd and coagulated the Animal Spirits as Wedelius and others A Fourth That they clouded the Animal Spirits A Fifth That they acted as a Poison as Willis and many others A Sixth That they clog'd the Animal Spirits by adhering to them c. Not knowing nor I think caring what they said so they humour'd their own Imaginations and Hypothesises tho' utterly incapable of solving the Effects of Opium especially its most constant proper and genuine Effects For how can a cold Quality which Opium never had cause a gay and brisk Humour Bravery Magnanimity Euphory in Labour Promptitude to Venus c. And how can Clouds of Vapours hinder the Generation of Animal Spirits by stuffing or constringing the Pores of the Brain Poisoning fixing coagulating clogging or clouding the Animal Spirits cause a fine Ovation thereof a Gay Brave Couragious and Magnanimous Disposition Euphory Promptitude to Venery Serenity Expediteness in Management c. Which are as has been said the constant and proper Effects of Opium Nor indeed was any of those Authors so fool-hardy as to attempt it
of Man because of its ill Effects lavishly used Therefore none can argue from that that Opium diminishes or disables the Spirits any more than Wine or Bread does a Surfeit of which is most dangerous Omnis Repletio mala Panis vero pessima corruptio optimi est pessima That is All Repletion is bad but that of Bread is the worst and the Corruption of the best is the worst The short is this Wine and Opium agree in all their Effects saving such as are Consequences of their different Accidents as the Quantity of Wine that must be used to cause the same Effects with a little Opium and Wine having been fermented and Opium as may be shewn having some crude and viscid Rosin in it which sometimes sticks to the Crusta carnosa c. of the Stomach whence it happens that Wine loads one more heats more and is more troublesome upon those Accounts and that Opium offends the Stomach oftner even in a moderate Dose causing Vomitings Hiccoughs Anxieties Distresses at Stomach Deliquiums c. because of the indigestible Rosin sticking to the sides of the most sensile Stomach as I shall farther prove hereafter by God's Help shewing very easie Ways and Means to separate that Rosin and so make it as safe and less troublesome as it is more effectual than Wine Opium cannot diminish or disable the Spirits because as has been proved it sends no Part Fume or Effluvium to the Brain or Animal Spirits to cause such bad Effects while it is at Stomach yet does it produce them while it is there for as the Vaporarians themselves and indeed all Men allow there can be no Destruction without contact Sanctorius doth well and truely observe by the Help of his Staticks that nothing causes liberal Perspiration but it raises the Spirits it is most certain that nothing in Nature opeâ—s the Pores and causes Perspiration more than Opium Therefore nothing should according to his Observation elevate the Spirits more and indeed nothing does as appears by all that has been said and will yet more plainly appear Loss of Memory by Opium as some argue is not so much a Loss of Spirits as Lanity of the Brain for People in Drink do not want Spirits but there is a great Relaxation of the Brain and its Membranes and of the whole Ienus 〈◊〉 which Relaxation causes a soft loose and labile Brain that like Liquid Things retains no Impression besides that I shall God willing shew you hereafter that Impressions cannot be so well made upon the sensitive Soul by the Animal Spirits upon Relaxations of the Sensible Parts as in Sleep c. for a very plain Mechanical Reason to be shewn in due time Thus have I by the Assistance of its Maker who best knows it cleared Opium from the false Aspersions of an extreme Cold Quality and Parcotick Fumes both which were commonly call'd Venemous fatal and by all the ill Names imaginable but as good Luck is they abused nothing because 't is manifest that there is no such Thing nor has it any Quality by which it diminishes or disables the Spirits as is most evident from the Premises so that all that has been said of Opium by way of Hypothesis to explain its Effects depending upon its diminishing or disabling the Spirits by a Cold Quality or Fumes is come to nothing I wish it had been as innocent CHAP. XII Shews what must be the true Cause of the Operation of Opium ALL the general Foundations upon which Authors either Ancient or Modern erected their several Hypothesises concerning the Operation of Opium having as manifestly appears no real Existence What Enchanted Castles in the Air or vain Phantasms must their Structures be And how like deluded Wizzards must they appear while they seem'd to take high Flights and glorious Prospects of Causes that had no Reality Thus am I left utterly distitute of either Foundation or Model unless I find out that and frame this which I hope may be easily done because the cloudy Supposition of Vapours having vanished away there now remains but Two Ways by which an Internal Medicament can Operate viz. 1. As an Alterative of the Blood c. Or 2. As affecting the Sense of Feeling either grievously as Vomits Purgers c. Or pleasingly as Cordials generous Wines titillating Amphrodisiacks comfortable Warmth Anodynes and such like that please the Nerves and Membranes which way of Operating is too little observ'd by Physicians tho' they take great Notice of the Operation of Things by grievous Sensation as Irritatives to Vomit Purge Salivate c. by their Acrimony whereas the Pleasers of Sensation which must as Contraries have contrary Operations are little regarded or thought of 1. Opium does not Operate as an Alterative of the Bloud c. First Because it Operates while it is at Stomach or at least before it arrives at the Bloud which manifestly appears several Ways as 1. Because it often Operates in a Liquid Form in few Minutes and very commonly in a Quarter of an Hour in which time it must be at Stomach or at least far from arriving at the Bloud 2. Because it has been very often Vomited up after it has Operated and produced its usual Effects for 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 10 and sometimes more Hours as evidently appear'd by the Smell Colour Taste c. of what was Vomited and by its Operation ceasing after such Vomiting of which common Experience and Authors do inform us See Helmont Ius Duumvir 62. where he tells of Opium Operating at Night and Vomited up next Morning 3. It s bare causing Vomiting after it has Operated for a good while is of it self tho' its Taste Smell c. did not discover it an infallible Argument of its Operating while it is at Stomach for 't is against all Reason to imagine that Things should irritate it to Vomit after they are gone into the Bloud and not do it while they are in the Stomach it self as all Vomitories do The Reasons why it stays so long at Stomach are 1. It s Indigestibleness which plainly appears by Stools Urine and Sweat smelling of it when taken in any considerable Quantity all the Coctions Digestions Circulations c. that it passes in the Body signifying very little to it which its causing Itchings in the Skin and affecting the Venereal Membranes after its passing the Bloud do also argue 2. The clamminess of its resinous Parts sticking to the Stomach cause as I shall plainly prove hereafter its long stay in it for if the Rosin be separate from it 't will not then make such a long stay at Stomach as I have often Experienced 4. We actually feel it causing a sense of Pleasure at Stomach during its Operation therefore it is then in it 5. It has been carried off by Stool after it has produced its usual Effects Therefore it Operated before it arrived at the Bloud 6. All Observers do allow that Opium Operates while it is at Stomach
which gave the Occasion as you may remember to the Hypothesis of its Operating by Fumes rising out of the Stomach because they could not think of any other Means by which it might affect the Head Brain Animal Spirits Nerves c. while it was at Stomach but by the Way of Fumes or Vapours It is therefore past all doubt That Opium produces its common Effects while it is at Stomach and before it arrives at the Blood and therefore does not Operate as an Alterative thereof Secondly Because a Grain of Opium which Operates very remarkably bears as Etmuller well observes so small a Proportion to the Bloud that it cannot produce such great and notable Effects as an Alterative thereof for a Grain of Opium to 20 Pound of Blood which an ordinary Man has in his Body is but as 1 to 115200 or if 16 Oucnes be allow'd to the Pound as 1 to 153600. But it is no Wonder if a Grain should affect the Membrane at Stomach since the 1000 part of a Grain of the Vomitory Particles of Crocus Metallorum or Regulus of Antimony does affect it so eminently as many other Things will in a very small Quantity whereas the altering of the Blood to any observable degree requires the Use of Alteratives in great Quantity for several Weeks Which confirms the former Conclusion That Opium does not Operate as an Alterative as to its common and usual Effects II. Opium does not Operate by grievous Sensation or Irritation as Vomits Purgers Errhines Salivators or Apophlegmatizers c. do First Because it manifestly causes a very agreeable pleasant and even charming Sensation Secondly Because it takes away grievous Sensation or Pain thereby stopping Vomiting Purging and all other-Effects of grievous Sensation by Acrimony c. As for the Vomiting that Opium sometimes causes it is only as shall be shewn by its Resinous Parts sticking to the Coat of the Stomach which being separated from it Opium has no such Effect tho' all its good Effects remain So its Purging which happens most rarely and only when a great Quantity is given to Men of strong Digestion it is only from its Rosin digested and resolved in strong Stomachs Hence it is that Dogs and such as have canine Appetites do generally Purge after a great Quantity of Crude or Rosinous Opium whereas such as is not Rosinous causes no such Effect But of these Matters more to your Satisfaction hereafter Thirdly Because it causes all Effects that are quite contrary to those of grievous Sensation It causing an Ovation of the Sensitive Soul and Spirits Pain or grievous Sensation a Depression of Spirits It causing Euphory and Pain Weariness For what tires more than Pain or labouring in Pain It causing good Humour Pain Peevishness Fretfulness and ill Humour Opium causing Relaxation of all Parts Pain Contraction That causing free Perspiration this checking it That causing Sleep this hindering it That causing Contentation Acquiescence this Discontent and Uneasiness That composing this discomposing the Spirits Bloud c. That causing Fluxes by Irritation c. this moderating or stopping them That opening the Pores Pain constringing them Opium preventing the Shaking Fits in Agues Pain bringing them on That causing a large and slow Pulse this a quick hard and narrow Pulse That causing an Efflorescence of the Skin this Paleness That pleasant this unpleasant Dreams That stills Hiccoughs this causes them That takes off Contractions Convulsions c. this causes them To be short Opium causes all the Effects of pleasant Sensation and takes off all the Effects of grievous Sensation What can be a more evident Proof of its acting by causing a pleasant Sensation It were endless to mention all the Proofs that may be made to the same Purpose from Pleasers and Displeasers of Sensation Therefore we fairly conclude That Opium does not Operate by causing a grievoui Sensation and there being no other Way left by which it may Operate It must Operate by causing a pleasant Sensation which is the true and plain Reason why as has been shewn it takes off Pain and causes all Effects quite contrary to that of grievous Sensation Irritations by Acrimony c. which are most eminent upon the most sensible Parts as the Stomach Intestines Venereal Membranes Skin c. as you may observe where the Effects of Opium are enumerated Now gentle Reader consider That Contraries are the true Cure of Contraries What can then cure Pain and all its Effects better than Pleasure 'T is very strange then that Millions for many Ages finding Opium cure or take off Pain and all its Effects above all Things should not attribute its so doing to its causing a pleasant Sensation which is the direct contrary to Pain especially since every Man that took Opium felt an actual Pleasure upon taking thereof pleasant Dreams a pleasant Humour c. It may be said What if it be granted that Opium Operates by a pleasing Sensation which I will Thank none for that have Feeling at Stomach or Reason at Brain how is it possible that such pleasant Sensation should cause and explicate all the various strange wonderful mysterious and very often seemingly contradictory Phenomena's and Effects of Opium Answer As easily as ever I explain'd any Thing in Nature especially if my Tract of Animal Mechanism were published but it is my Misfortune that it is not however it shall not be the Readers tho' it will put me to a great Trouble To evade which is none of my Intention by those Words but rather to bespeak the Reader 's Patience while I am premising some necessary Praecognita requisite to be known before I enter upon the Explication of the wonderful and seemingly inexplicable Effects of Opium I therefore desire the Reader 's Leave to premise some Things of the Nature of Sensation and sensitive Pleasure in order to his more clear and ready Understanding my Explication of this Mysterious and Momentous Matter look'd upon as so dark and abstâ—use a Business to this day that some have not only yielded it up as a Thing hidden from Mankind but have earnestly and seriously argued that it acted absolutely by an occult Quality reserved in a special manner as is the Nature of Spirits from our Knowledge That it has been so hitherto I think none can deny as the Circulation of the Bloud was for Thousands of years tho' the very Motion was seen by Millions so as the Cause of the Operation of Opium has been felt by a far greater number it therefore will if I fail not in explaining it appear so clear that it will be much wondered at like that of the Circulation of the Bloud why so obvious a Thing was not found by every one that used Opium But whatever Opium is God's Methods are unsearchable and often his Wise Providence bestows good Gifts upon the Unworthy that his free Goodness may appear To whom be all Glory Praise and Thanksgiving for ever and ever Amen Note That while I am upon the
Spoons and cause no more Effect than Oil of Olives and Spirit of Sal Amenoniack taken inwardly one acting too softly lazily and greasily to cause any brisk and agreeable Ovation of the Spirits and the other too rudely stinging the Membranes therefore we must proceed in our Enquiry Fourthly Opium has a sort of Resinous Sulphur that is loose and not united with the Volatile Salt which plainly appears 1. Because if you dissolve Opium in Water cold or hot or any Watery Menstruum you 'll find a good quantity of Rosin undissolved at bottom while the Volatile Salt is all or most dissolved in the Water especially if the Water be often repeated and quite separated from the Resinous Part which subsides without any more trouble which shews that the Volatile Salt and it are not combined but in a very loose and distinct manner 2. Because if you first dissolve Opium in Spirit of Wine which imbibes the Rosin it is easily again precipitated by plain Water leaving behind it all or most of the Volatile Salt in the Form of a red Tincture in the Menstruum as it does also in the former Case Note That the Resinous Part of Opium has no Effect as an Opiate for if it be well washed with Water as was said it has no Operation of that kind or so little that it is not worth the minding but all the Vertue Specifick Taste Smell c. is carried away in that red Tincture which has all the good Effects of Opium as Experience assures us 3. Because if Opium be very much torrefied most of the Volatile Salt is evaporated and with it most if not all the Vertue of Opium but the Rosin remains as a deadish Stuff in Respect of the good Effects of Opium tho' it is as shall be proved the Producer of the ill Effects thereof Therefore this Rosin must be wholly rejected Fifthly The Red Tincture aforesaid has all or most of the Volatile Salt in it 1. Because Water is the Proper Menstruum for Saline Things and that the Tincture reduced to an Extract gives very much in moist Weather which Quality it must have from the Volatile Salt because it has very little Fixed Salt 2. Because the Specifick Bitterness which proceeds from Volatile salt and Oily Parts is wholly in that Red Tincture 3. Because that Tincture has also the Specifick Rankness of Smell that the Volatile Salt as was shewn gives the Opium by the Help of some Oily Parts 4. Because that Tincture reduced to an Extract has the biting Taste of Opium which as was shewn proceeds from its Volatile Salt 5. Because that Extract incides discusses resolves is Psilothrick titillates to Venery causes Itchings in the Skin acrimonious Sweats c. all which are as was shewn the Effects of Volatile Salt But what need I insist so much upon its Effects to prove it When 6. It appears by Crystalization of the said Tincture after it has been evaporated to a due degree that it contains the Volatile Salt in it which in a cool Place shoots to elegant Crystals and that 7. It is found therein by Chymical Operation by Fire Sixthly The said Tincture is Oleose 1. Because the Redness of the Tincture must be from Oily Parts for pure sincere Volatile Salt gives no such Tincture 2. Because it is bitter one Ingredient of which Taste is ever Oily Parts as was said 3. Because of its rank smell like Sem. Viril which proves it to be Sulphureous for the Volatile Salt alone has only a quick smell or Urinous at farthest 4. Because it is of a Hot Taste when reduced to an Extract which Heat of Taste considered distinctly from its pungent or biting Taste must be from Sulphureous or Oily Parts 5. Because Spirit of Wine and other Spirituosulphureous Menstruums do readily dissolve it when reduced to an Extract 6. Because the Extract softens with dry warmth as Sulphureous or Oily Things do 7. Because a true Sal-Volatile-Oleosum wherein the Volatile Salt and Oily Parts are intimately combined as you find in all Blouds Tinctures of several Plants that have such a Sal-Volatile-Oleosum is red 8. Because it could not otherwise so finely please the Membranes cause Sleep compose the Spirits c. if it were all Volatile Salt which is wholly pungent and acrimonious mightily opposes Sleep and causes a great stir in the Bloud and Spirits But as I said as to its Volatile salt what need I insist upon its Effects When 10. It s Inflammability after it is reduced to an Extract and dried puts it out of all Question And that 11. An Oil may be separated from the Volatile Salt tho' not without Trouble because that as is requisite to compleat it in the highest degree Seventhly The Oily Parts and Volatile Salt are very intimately and strictly combin'd as fairly appears 1. By the Difficulty to separate them 2. By the Redness of the Tincture as in Bloud c. for when Oily or Sulphureous Particles are loose therein they make either a white Colour as the Rosin does in the Drops that fall out of the Incisions in the Heads of the Poppies which are Milk white or leave the Volatile Spirit perspicuous as in a sort of artificial Sal. Volatile-Oleosum that is sold at the Apothecaries Shops in London 3. Because it imparts its Tincture which depends upon both to all Menstruums 4. Because it imparts its Vertue which depends upon both to all Menstruums 5. Because it imparts its Specifick Smell which depends upon both to all Menstruumt 6. Because it imparts its Specifick hot and biting Taste which depend upon both the Oily and Volatile Particles to all Menstruums 7. Because it will hold its Vertue many years which it could not if the Volatile Salt and Oily Parts were not very strictly combined 8. Because that notwithstanding the Digestion at Stomach it has held its Specifick Vertue Smell and Taste after it has been in it 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 18 or more Hours as appear'd by its Operating so long and afteward its being Vomited up with the same Taste and Smell that it had at first than which there cannot be a greater Argument 9. Because it has been carried off by Stools which had its Specifick Smell after many Hours remaining in the Stomach 10. Because its Operation in general lasts long Charas mentions one that it Operated with for about 30 Hours and Wedelius another whom Opium caused to Vomit constantly about 18 Hours after it was taken 11. Because it has its Effects upon the Venereal Membranes after it has passed the Digestion at Stomach the Effects of the Choler and Succus Pancreatus in the Duodenum been strained through the Coats of the Intestines into the Lacteals and through the Glandules of the Mesentery mixed and circulated with the Bloud c. 12. Because after all that it has its Effect upon the Skin by causing an Itching therein 13. Because it not only causes Acrimonious Sweats but such as evidently smell thereof
by diminishing or disabling the Spirits except it be that the pernicious Rosin may do something of that kind by its aforesaid ill Effects but by pleasantly affecting the Membranes at Stomach Venereal Parts c. 2. That Sleep is caused by Relaxation and quieting the Spirits 3. That Pleasure especially if intense and lasting as that by Opium comforts enlivens encourages and causes an Ovation of the sensitive Soul and Spirits and Displeasure causes Sadness Dejection c. 4. How Pleasure must cause Complacency Satisfaction Content Acquiescence and Composure of the sensitive Soul and Spirits as Grievances cause the contrary 5. How Pleasure elevating and keeping up the Spirits and causing an entire Relaxation of the Defensive and a great Relaxation of the Vigilative Contraction which tire the sensitive Soul must cause Euphory or easie undergoing of Labour Iourneys c. without Lassitude as Experience shews 6. How Pleasure causes Relaxation of all the sensile Parts 7. How the said Relaxation as in Sleep does by suffering the Animal Spirits to expand and thereby making them unfit to carry Impressions smartly which is necessary to convey a sense of Pain for a smart Impression is the very cause of it take away Pain To which you may add That the sensitive Soul's attending willingly to the Sense of Pleasure is diverted from Pain and that a Sense of Pain cannot be in the same Subject with Pleasure which being therefore once excited Pain must disappear but that of taking away all smartness of Impression by Relaxation is a plain Mechanical Cause 8. How therefore all Fluxes that are caused by or require a grievous Sensation or Irritation by Quantity or Quality to maintain and continue them by causing a Contraction of the Parts to squeese out the Humours must be moderated for want of Sensation upon such Relaxation to irritate the Parts as it happens in Sleep or in any Case where Relaxation and thereby Expansion of the Animal Spirits incapacitates them to carry Impressions smartly which is of the Essence of Pain as has been shewn 9. How Perspiration must be promoted by Relaxation which opens the Pores 10. How that by the same Means Sweat also must be promoted if the Body be full of moisture 11. How Opium or Semen Animale being of the same Principles and of like Principles with Cantharides Pismire Bees Garlick c. must excite to Venery cause Itchings of the Skin c. 12. How Opium may by too high an Ovation of the Spirits cause Watching while Pleasure causing Relaxation c. may take away Pain for Relaxation as in Sleep Syncopes c. is enough to take away Pain but to Sleep Quietness of the Spirits is also required as well as their Expansion by Relaxation so that Pain may very well be taken off without Sleep as it often is by Opium that always relaxes 13. How the Pleasure that Opium causes is as was said by the same Principles and therefore of the same Nature with that which Animal Seed causes upon the Membranes but that Animal Seed causes it only upon one Part and Opium upon the Membranes of the Stomach Venereal Parts and all other in general and that only for a Moment but this of Opium for many Hours by which Means the Effects of Relaxtion by Pleasure come to be more remarkable as after much Wine whose Effects is somewhat lasting and internal as that of Opium is 14. How the Rosin of Opium causes its ill Effects by its Indigestibleness adhering Quality and tedious stinging of the exquisitely nice Coat of the Stomach by continually teazing and urging it by its Actimony and acute Volatile Points or Spiculâ— Therefore having 1. A most perfect and compleat Sol-Volatile-Oleosum in Opium of the same pleasing Principles as to all Membranes as Animal Seed is to the Membranes of Venus whereby they must be pleased tickled and relaxed 2. A pernicioâ—s Rosin indigestible sticking and arm'd with acrimonious and stinging Points which must highly offend the most sensile Coat at the Stomach I am now ready by God's Assistance to explain every Phenomenon or Effect of Opium however Amazing and Mysterious hoping they will not remain long so CHAP. XVI The Explication of the Effects of Opium used Externally ITS Effects Externally used are of Two sorts either I. As an Opiate or pleasing Tickler of the Membranes Or II. As an Alterative of the Parts that it is applied to First As an Opiate or Pleaser of the Membranes it has the same Effects as Opium used internally and for the same Reason therefore the Cause of its Operation in this Case will be better seen by the Explication of its Internal Effects which are far more perfect compleat and certain Secondly As an Alterative of the Parts that it is applied to which are the following viz. 1. It incides resolves and discusses by its pointed penetrating and volatile Salt insinuating it self into the Parts and Humours of the Animal because its Particles are fine minute and agreeable thereto as Menstruums to the Things to be dissolved Then by its Volatility it discusses what it has so incided and resolved 2. It mollefies and relaxes by its Sal-Volatile-Oleosum so resolving the Parts and Humours and thereby kindly loosening them Thus Opiates as Solanum Lethale or deadly Night Shade Hemlock Mandrake c. come to be of excellent Use in hard Tumours of the Spleen Tophousness c. 3. It Maturates and Suppurates for the aforesaid Reasons for nothing can better dispose towards Maturation and Suppuration than relaxing mollefying and resolving 4. It exulcerates or causes Blisters or at least rubifies tender Skins if it be very strong because of its Volatile Salt as Cantharides Spearwort and other Things do upon the same Account But this Effect belongs mainly to the true Mastack or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that drops from the Incisions made in the Heads of the Poppies more especially the Theban which affords a most powerful Iuice for Exulcerating or Blistering is but a stronger fuller and therefore painful Resolution as you see by the Cuticle upon Blisters resolved into a kind of Jelly 5. It is Psilothrick for the same Reasons for while it so resolves the Parts it loosens the Roots of the Hair and so causes its shedding 6. It hurts the Eyes because of its Acrimony by Reason of the Volatile Salt 7. It causes Itching in the Skin by the Titillation of the same Volatile Salt as you find by the Application of Squills and the like 8. It excites Venery by the same Titillation on the Veneral Membranes CHAP. XVII The Explication of the Effects of Opium used internally in a moderate Dose NOte That because Opium has been generally hitherto used either Crude or with its Rosin in it the Effects of Opium are accordingly considered as common Experience thereupon has given Opportunity of Observing them but as I proceed I shall shew you where the Resinous Part of Opium is concern'd in the Effect 1. It is manifest why Opium may well
only in those Membranes but also in the more exquisitely disposed Membranes for Sensation at Stomach and soon after all over the Body 5. It prevents and takes away Grief Fear Anxieties Peevishness Fretfulness c. for the aforesaid Reasons which cause a blith gay and good Humour Promptitude Courage c. for it is impossible to be gay and good Humour'd Serene Chearful Courageous and Magnanimous and at the same Time Sorrowful Fearful Peevish Fretful c. If the bare Sense of an ordinary Meal of Meat at Stomach which causes but a slow Pleasure in comparison with Opium takes off the Peevishness Fretfulness c. that the grievous Sensation of Hunger causes how much more must the intense and charming Pleasure caused by Opium that is so agreeable even far beyond Wine it self as has been set forth take away all ill Humours Fretfulness Peevishness c. Obj. But it may be said That Sleepiness which depends also upon Relaxation as the Effects of Pleasure do causes a Peevish Fretful Humour as is commonly observed Ans. It is so far otherwise in the Case of Opium that it is quite contrary for 1. The Sleepy are not Peevish unless you put them by some Means out of the Pleasure of enjoying Sleep or Relaxation for if you let them alone they will not trouble you with Peevishness nor any ill Humour but it is the calling them from their relaxed Condition to the grievous Task of Contractions that vexes them so that it is the Want of continuing under the Relaxation that frets them and the more because the Fatigue and Tedium of Contraction did put them upon the Relief of Sleep of which if disappointed they are much vexed But in the Case of Opium you cannot so easily rob them of their Pleasure which they carry continually within them in an uninterrupted manner unless some very grievous Thing happens which causes more defensive Contraction than the Opium causes Relaxation tho' even this also is generally soon overcome by the Pleasure continually inviting the Relaxation and promoting it whereas the Interruptions thereof are transitory but at the worst it is but taking more Opium and the Work is done for I observe that the Dose of Opium must be sufficient to introduce such a Sense of Pleasure as causes a Relaxation of the Contraction caused by the Grievance Hence it is certain that a greater Pain requires a larger Dose of Opium as has been intimated 6. All know that Pleasant Diversions as Musick Pleasant Iests and Stories fine Sights c. do cause Euphory and an easie undergoing of Iourneys Labour c. Therefore if such interrupted transient and slight Pleasures do it so much it will be easily granted me that a continual and more intense Pleasure that is always present without any Interruption or Intermission as that of Opium must cause a more eminent and permanent Euphory proportioned to the Pleasure which causing Relaxation prevents the Fatigue or Lassitude that is caused only by Contractions either Vigilative Dâ—fensive or Intentive as I have proved So that I do not conceive how the Noctambuli or such as Walk in their Sleep can ever be tired if they Travelled ever so far if they could Eat and Drink because the Relaxation of the Sleep recruits them as much as they spend of Spirits c. so Persons that cause such Relaxation by Opium and so repeat it as to maintain the Relaxation can hardly be weary which is the true plain and Mechanical Reason why the Turks and other Eastern People do by the Help of Opium perform prodigious Iourneys without being tired which may therefore in Allusion to the Noctambuli be call'd Opiambuli or Opambuli as being a kind of Artificial Noctambuli because they are much relax'd by the Pleasure that Opium causes as the other are by Sleep Qui Laetitiâ aâ—iciuntur says Sanctorius nuâ—lam in Itinere Defatigationem sentiunt That is The Merry are not Weary as the Saying is because Mirth being pleasant causes Relaxation as Opium does in some measure Note That as to all the foregoing serene and brisk Effects a full and liberal Perspiration which it also causes as will be shewn contributes much thereto a posteriori for as Fire burns slowly and dully if the Smoak does by any means return upon it and very serene if not so it is with the Flame of Life if clouded with or clear'd from Vapours by Perspiration Sanctor Sect. 7. Aph. 17. Mâ—lancholia superatur liberâ Perspiratione Aph. 30. 31. Edulia aperientia Gaudium movent That is Such as open the Pores and cause Perspiration cause Ioy or Mirth 7. It lulls sooths and as it were charms the Mind with Consent and Acquiescence for the several Reasons couched in the Premises and because the fine continual and charming Pleasure of Opium such as some Glasses of generous Wine causes must needs have such an Effect 8. It quiets allays and composes all Perturbations and Commotions of the sensitive Soul Spirits c. 1. Because it so lulls sooths and charms the sensitive Soul as is aforesaid who is the Original of all Motions in the Animal 2. Because all Motions are by the Relaxation proportionably abated as was demonstrated Thus Opium takes off Hysterick Fits Fevers from Commotions of the Spirits convulsions Stops Hemerrhages or Bleeding c. 9. It causes a Relaxation of all the sensile Parts of the Body by Reason of the great and continual Pleasure that it causes and how Pleasure causes Relaxation I have shewn in Chap. 14. 10. It causes Indolence or Exemption from Pain by causing so high and lasting a Pleasure 1. Because that Pleasure takes up the Attention of the sensitive Soul who delights in 't 2. Because a sense of Pleasure and Pain cannot be at the same Time in the same Subject being they are Contraries 3. Because the Membranes being relaxed and the Animal Spirits expanded the Impressions of Pain cannot be carried to the sensitive Soul because they cannot convey Impressions smartly being thus relaxed and expanded as has been demonstrated by the Comparison of a Gut half full of Air c. and all Impressions of Pain must be smart or else they are not Impressions of Pain for gentle Impressions are such as belong to Oils smooth and soft Things or when the Animal Spirits can hardly carry any Impressions but gently as in Sleep and other Relaxations as that upon Pleasure c. which is our Case Note That it will cause Indolence without causing Sleep because Sleep requires Relaxation and Quiet of the Spirits but Indolence requires only Relaxation as was shewn which always follows the charming Pleasure of Opium 11. It stops moderates or palliates most Fluxes and promotes Perspiration because the Relaxation takes away the sense of the Irritation of Humours which causes a Contraction to squeese them out and that the same Relaxation opens the Pores to let the Fâ—mes out which pass by their own Levity upon the opening of the Pores Nihil magis says Sanctorius
the Pleasure yet was neither discovered for many Thousands of years especially considering also that in the Case of Opium Thousands of Ingenious Men have diligently enquired after the Cause of its Operation who made no farther step in 't than to state Things that have not as much as Existence viz. a Cold Quality and 〈◊〉 flying from the Stomach to the Head to be the Cause thereof Therefore it is plain That neither is he that Planteth any Thing neither he that Watereth but GOD that giveth the Increase of Knowledge and of other Things To whom be all Glory CHAP. XX. The Explication of the Effects of the Declination of the Operation of Opium in a Moderate Dose 1. A General Return of all Diseases and Disasters when the Operation of Opium is over because it does not as was shewn operate as an Alterative but a pleasing Diverter of the sensitive Soul for some Time during which it causes a general Relaxation of all the sensile Parts whereby the Animal Spirits being expanded grow unsit to convey Impressions smartly which is requisite to cause a sense of Pain c. as has been often said But it cures several Distempers viz. such as pleasing and comforting the sensitive Soul composing the Spirits Relaxation Perspiration Sweat c. can quite take away Of which more particularly when we come to speak of the Use of Opium in Cure 2. Sweat happens in the Declination of its Operation as Sir Theodore Mayern my self and others have observed because that now all the Parâ—s contracting which by their Relaxation suspended all Humours during its Operation do Mechanically squeese out the congested Humours there being less Room in the Body as was said of Sweat upon awaking by the Return of the Vigilative Contraction after Relaxation during the Sleep which is to be compared to the Relaxation during the Operation of Opium and the Return of the Contraction when 't is ended besides that both upon the Going off of the Operation and Awaking the Motion of the Heart growing more vigorous as it does upon Motion by the Intentive Contraction does more powerfully propell the Humours out at the Pores as happens in Sweat upon Motion 3. Frequent making of Water happens partly by the Titillation of the Volatile Salt as by Cantharides c. that is now separated from the Bloud partly by the Contraction of the whole Body squeesing it out at the Kidneys as when People are Cold they make more Water for that Reason 4. A Looseness may and does happen sometimes from the like Contraction squeesing out the Humours that were suspended during the Relaxation by the Opium which is common for such Contractions to cause as by Cold Terrour c. and because Sensation grows more nice and irritable by the Humours by Reason of the Contraction which is the more for the Grievance of failing of the Pleasure of Opium Therefore 5. Diseases Pains c. seem worse upon the Return of the Grievances because of the great Ease they had during the Operation of the Opium Contraria inter se magis elucescunt and it is particularly observed of Pleasure That it leaves Men worse then it found them Thus a Man is worse more sad c. Post Coitum more Melancholy after all sorts of Pleasure insomuch that it is grown to a Proverb viz. After Merry comes Sorry or After Mirth comes Sorrow as also Minus gaudebis minus dolebis Therefore 6. Melaneholy does often if not always happen in some degree after its Operation is ended 1. Because of the Return of the Contractions or Toil of the sensitive Soul 2. Because as was said the Sense of Pleasure newly lost aggravates the Sorrow as has been shewn after Coition c. 7. The Pulse is narrow because the Contraction returns with Melancholy and Return of Disasters improve when that so happens as it generally does 8. Itching of the Skin happens about this time because that now the Volatile Salt which causes Tuillation is arrived as far as the Skin upon its march out of the Body CHAP. XXI The Explication of the Effects of Opium in an Excessive Dose THE Cause of most of these Effects will be evident from the Explication of the former because the Difference is only in the Quantity of the Opium therefore I am often necessitated to speak much the same as I have done before You cannot expect any good Effects from its Excess any more than you have from Wine tho the best of Cordials next to the Sal. Volatile Oleosum of Opium but rather less because Opium is join'd to a pernicious Rosin which you may be sure will be very grievous to the Stomach in great Quantities if it was so in little The Evil Effects in this Case do mainly proceed either from too much Relaxation as in Drunkenness or from the Rosin at Stomach 1. A Heat at Stomach is caused by the intense Heat of the Opium in a great Quantity it being sensibly a very hot Thing 2. The Sense of Weight at Stomach is caused by the great Relaxation that it causes which renders the Stomach proportionably weak and unable to endeavour its own Relief so that the Rosin c. lie heavy upon 't Thus we find a great Heaviness at Stomach when any Thing grieves it that it cannot reject or discharge 3. Gaity of Humour is caused at first as by the Pleasure of a great Quantity of Wine by its pleasing Agreeableness to the Membrane at Stomach till the Relaxation grows enormous as by a great Dose of Wine suddenly drank to which it is very like in all its Effects except such as proceed from the Rosin sticking at Stomach which Wine has not 4. Sardonick Laughter is caused as you see in Drunken People when they are disabled by the great Relaxation that they cannot well Express themselves by the failing Tongue they endeavour it by a silly kind of fained or made Laughter as they call it while the pleasing Titillation at Stomach much inclines them to Mirth if they knew how to manage and carry it on 5. Laxity and consequently Debility of all Parts is caused by the extraordinary Relaxation of them by a continual and permanent sense of Pleasure which happens considerably in the Momentary Pleasure of Venus much more in this continual and lasting Pleasure when a great Dose makes it intense as in Drunkenness 6. Alienation of the Mind is caused as in Drunkenness by an over Relaxation of the Brain and its Membranes 7. Loss of Memory happens by the same Means as in Drunkenness So 8. Darkness of Eyes is caused by a Relaxation of the Coats and Membranes of the Eyes but mainly by the Expansion of the Animal Spirits by that Relaxation which as in Sleep renders them unfit to convey the Impressions of Light c. 9. Laxity of the Cornea is from the same Relaxation 10. Appearance of various Colours happens by as was said the unevenness of the Cornea c. when so relaxed whereas when 't is duely
which looking not unlike an Apoplexy makes Authors say that Opium causes Apoplexies Such as escape Death do so generally by 34. Plentiful Purging which is occasioned by a great Quantity of the Rosin of Opium meeting a strong Digestion and fixed Salts as has beeâ— said 35. Sweats that smell of the Opium are caused 1. By the Openness of the Pores by Relaxation 2. By Plenty or at least sufficiency of Moisture for that End for otherwise as was shewn it would be only insensible Perspiration 3. By the great Quantity of Volatile Salt attenuating the Humours 4. By the strict intimate and even indissoluble specifick Union or Combination of the Volatile Salt and Oily Parts which makes it hold its specifick Smell to the last 36. Violent Itchings in the Skin must of necessity follow a great Quantity of Opium since it causes such Itchings as was shewn in a small Quantity by the Titillation of its Volatile Salt Note That these Effects do not all happen to all Men that take it in an excessive Dose but some to one and some to others as was intimated in Chap. 5. according as they are more or less troubled with the Rosin Quantity Relaxation c. CHAP. XXII The Explication of the Effects of a long and lavish Use of Opium AS an Excessive Dose of Opium is Intemperance for one time so a long and lavish Use of it is an habitual Intemperance for a long time therefore if you could not rationally expect good Effâ—s in that Case any more than from the best Wine taken suddenly in a vast Quantity it follows that you cannot expect good Effects from an habitual Intemperate Taking of it any more than from a long and lavish Drinking of Wine tho' both are excellently good in their Kind but that the Opium has the pernicious resinous Part join'd with it There is nothing so good whereof an intemperate Use is not mischievous God having so ordered it to deter from and punish Intemperance and the Abuse of his Creatures Therefore ill Effects are not always to be imputed to the viciousness of the Things used but frequently of the Person that imprudently uses them 1. Relaxation and Debility of all Parts is contracted by the habitual over-relaxing thereof by the lavish Use of Opium 2. An Inhability of doing any Thing without it is contracted by the habitual Pleasure Comfort Promptitude and Euphory it causes when taken without which the sensitive Soul becomes lazy listless and averse to all Actions it is as iâ— a Man used to Dance to Excellent Musick were required to do it without any Musick at all nor as much as Thoughts of it or mumbling it within himself Or that one who Drinks nothing but Wine and Eats the best should be suddenly denied both and forced to live upon Bread and Water Or that such as always take Tobacco at their Studies should be suddenly debarr'd thereof and required to Study without it How very listless would a Man be in such Cases Tho' hardly any of the Comparisons come up to that of Opium because of the charming Pleasure mighty Euphory and Promptitude that it causes it is as if one were supported and wholly depended upon Cordials and suddenly denied them c. 3. An Inhability of getting up in the morning till it is taken and begins to operate proceeds from the same Cause A Mechanical Reason may be expected here also as to these Matters but it will hardly bear it any more than how the Will or Appetite causes the first Impulse toward voluntary Moti n all that can be said is that without the Opium the sensitive Soul is when he does any Thing to act under the Toil and Difficulties of a full vigilative Contraction as being awake intentive Contraction as acting and defensive Contraction as being grieved when the Operation of Opium is over as after Veneral Pleasure c. so that now he labours under the great Disadvantages and Drudgery of all the Three Contractions whereas by the Pleasure fine Titillation of Opium and Relaxation consequential thereunto he was eased of all the Defensive Contraction which is the most grievous and in great measure of the Vigilative as has been shewn which makes Working Iourneying c. very easie to him Therefore it is as if one that delights in Musick Danced to Charming Melody in beloved Company with pleasing Refections of Wine c. and in the other Case as if one laboured in Grief or Pain Now suppose that one used never to Act or Work without such mighty Pleasant Advantages and Causes of Euphory were required to act under the Pressure of the Three Contractions or in Grief or Pain how listless would he be to Act Work get up c. 4. A dull moapish and heavy Disposition must be the Effect unless it be while they please comfort and enliven themselves by the Opium because their Brain is habitually over relaxed which is the very Case of old Drunkards who have as 't is said drank away their Parts by such an habitual Relaxation of the Brain which over-much Sleeping causes also upon the Account of the like Relaxation therefore they must be moapish till the pleasing Titillation of Opium enlivens them 5. Diminution of Appetite is caused by an habitual Relaxation of the Stomach taking away its Sensation and suspending the Menstruum from flowing to it as freely as it should and would if there were a due Contraction to squeese it out 6. Weakness of Digestion happens from the same Causes 7. Dropsies are caused by the Relaxation weakning the Parts and making them thereby susceptible of Humours as also by Diminution of Appetite and Digestion as in old Drunkards 8. Decay of Parts or Wit happens from habitual Relaxation of the Brain and its Membranes as in old Drunkards 9. Weakness of Memory proceeds from the same Cause as in old Drunkards 10. Stooping in the Back is caused by the habitual Relaxation of the Parts which weakens and causes them to comply with our Tendency and Use of bending forward and yield to the greater Weight that is generally speaking on the foreside of the Back-bone or Perpendicular so that Stooping must gradually follow those conspiring Causes as it does in habitual Drunkards whose Parts are relax'd 11. Early Decrepiteness must proceed from the aforesaid Relaxation spoiling the Tone of Parts and causing Want of Appetite Digestion c. in the manner before shewn 12. Shortness of Life must be the Effect of the same Causes 13. Acrimony of Blood proceeds from the Abundance of Acrimonious Volatile Salts taken in the Opium wherein it is much more acrimonious than our natural Volatile Salt and in greater Quantity proportionably Therefore it can be no Wonder that 14. It excites Inclination to Venery by that acrimonious Salt which is analogous to that of Cantharides Ants Bees c. 15. Frequent Inclinations to make Water is also a known and common effect of such a Salt by its irritating and soliciting the Bladder c. 16. Priapisms
Principles of Motion by which all ill Matter is effectively subdued when they act with Alacrity and Vigour they being the Principal Agents and we Physicians but as was said Ministers or as Handmaids to offer or hand good Matter Medicaments or Instruments to those Principal Agents of Nature and that this Sal-Volatile-Oleosum of Opium is the most proper Matter or Medicament we can put into Nature's Hands so invigorated appears manifestly in that 5. Its Principles are the most agreeable to the best noblest most active and predominant Principles of our Bodies as has been proved most evidently plene plane nor is it only agreeable but 6. More vigorous and powerful to actuate reduce alter or exalt our Principles according to the Direction of our invigorated Nature or sensitive Soul and Spirits which having so convenient an Instrument and highly qualified a Matter will soon alter the perverse renew the decaid acuate the dull and elevate the depressed effete and pall'd Humours of our Bodies especially seeing 7. That the Sal-Volatile-Oleosum of Opium being so agreeable and powerful must be the greatest Resolver of Humours that can be imagined for all Resolution is by an Agreement of Particles which makes them easily miscible insinuate into and penetrate each other especially if one be somewhat more vigorous and penetrating than the other as the Sal-Volatile-Oleosum has been plainly proved to be Thus it is that all Menstruums do so resolve things of their own Nature and so purifie and cleanse them by taking to themselves what is meerly and purely of the same Nature and rejecting or letting go their Hold of what is otherwise Where it is worth noting how upon the Account of the intimate Combination and Union of the Volatile Salt and Oily Parts in our Panacea it is dissolvable in all Menstruums and consequently an universal Resolvent of all the Humours of our Bodies which its external resolving of all Humours and Tumours does also prove Now if it be such a Resolver of which there is no Place to doubt then as Claudius de la Courvee says it must excell all Things in altering and reducing all the Humours of our Bodies to a good and agreeable Condition Nor does it only thus resolve them and thereby separate as was said the good from the bad but 8. When it has so done it by the amicable Agreeableness of its Sal-Volatile-Oleosum composing Faculty strict Combination of its Principles joins to concentrates congregates and as it were cements the best and most agreeable into a close Union and firm Texture by as was said the Direction of invigorated Nature which is of it self the good being once separated from the bad highly sufficient without any other Help to unite Parts so agreeable and of themselves inclined to unite and combâ—ne tho' all tho Parts of Opium like those of the great Dissolvent were gone and when that is done 9. The high discussive Quality of the Sal-Volatile-Oleosum must be very effectual for the Difflation and Discussion of the sever'd effete Particles which must be highly assisted and improved by the brisk and chearful Motions of Nature viz. the sensitive Soul and Spirits so as is aforesaid invigorated Nor is this all but to compleat and perfect the Operation 10. It lays open all the Pores of the Body as has been Demonstrated 〈◊〉 them out and give the ill Particles their â—inal Exit by the most natural and plentiful Way of Evacuation leaving the Body free from all Miasms and Impurities 11. I have sufficiently shewn how unalterable it is in it self Chap. 15. so that like the Liquor Alcahest it is not made to be subdued but to subdue and resolve Humours Now what can be required more in a Medicament and how can the sensitive Soul and Spirits or Nature so invigorated and endued with all Euphory and Chearfulness by this glorious Medicament whose Principles are not only agreeable to our noblest ones but more powerful and intimately combin'd so resolving of Humours ready to unite the good and to discuss the bad and carry them off by the Pores ever fail being duely administer'd of good Effect in altering all the Humours of our Bodies Hippocrates in his Book De Naturâ— Hominis states the Cause of Diseases to be a Disgregation of Humours by which he seems to imply that the Power of congregating and concentrating of Humours were sufficient to accomplish a Panacea which is but one single Qualification in eleven of our Sal-Volatile-Oleosum tho' this alone as is experienced even in common Preparations of Opium suffices very often to cure Diseases by composing Commotions as in Diary Fevers from Perturbations c. Thus the bitter and firm textured Cortex as I have shewn in my Book De Febribus intermittentibus takes off Ague Fits by re-combining the segregated Humours with the Bloud which it suddenly doing leaves a Disposition in the Bloud when ever it meets with a segregating Cause as Purging violent Motion Insolation intemperate Drinking c. to a Relapse by a second Separation of the Morbid Matter from it as you have it more at large in my said Book p. 166 167 c. 242 243 c. where you may see how Opiates conduce very much to a speedy Cure by the Cortex by composing c. Martianus says Coâ—m de locis in Homine p. 76. Opium sist it prohibet humorum Disgregationem That is Opium hinders Disgregation of Humours Now you may perceive the true Qualifications of a Sal-Volatile-Oleosum so much sought for by the Learned as a Panacea and how far the common ones that are sold in the Apothecaries Shops are from being such Sylvius indeed had an excellent one with which he did many and great Cures which being considered had he not confessed his Ignorance of the Cause of the Effects of Opium and the Narrative he makes of its Vertue and Performance in his Preface to the first Book of his Praxis and that he delighted so much in the Use of Opium even when he was young that he was call'd by the Name of Doctor Opiatus and that he declares no Oil was added in its Preparation and that it is intimated that the Oil and Volatile Parts were strictly combined would have made me suspect that it was the Sal-Volatile-Oleosum of Opium that he used which if it was not I dare be confident that notwithstanding all its Excellency it was not as good I am very well satisfied that a true and consummate Sal-Volatile-Oleosum is not to be made barely by Art Enquirers might have better success if they sought it among the Natural Tribe of bitter Plants that are agreeable to the Stomach which have all in them a Sal-Volatile-Oleosum but how to pick and cull is I think best seen by the requisite Qualifications of a Panacea that I have stated There have been many in whose Hands bitter Things have been as a Panacea One in Germany cured most Diseases with Wild Sage Some have done great Things with Agrimony others
Parts themselves do also duly contract which Opium hinders 6. You have much the same Reason not to give them soon after other large Evacuations where a due Contraction of the Parts is requisite as after Tapping or Paracentesis in Dropsies Child-birth c. 7. Opiates are best given in the Morning to cause Euphory or brisk Effects because the Refreshment gain'd by the Night's Sleep does not only concur towards Euphory and Briskness but also much oppose Sleepiness and Drowsiness which are not consistent with brisk Effects VI. As to Persons 1. It is not convenient to give Opiates to Persons very young or very old 2. They agree better with Men than Women or Children With Men of a robust and hard rather than of a weak fine tender and soft Texture with such as have a strong Digestion than a weak and in general with the strong rather than the weak Therefore 3. Never give them to Persons that are very weak especially if they take or digest no sustenance or extreamly little for Reasons already given nor to such as are near their End or almost expiring ☞ Except it be for want of Opium or by Extremity of Contraction by Terrour Pain Cold Convulsions c. for then it will do Wonders in preserving People that are otherwise past all Hopes by relaxing taking away Pain Contractions c. 4. It is not so agreeable to the very fat or moist because they may be over-relaxed nor to the very lean and dry c. especially to cause sleep because it is apt to irritate and actuate their Spirits too much by which means Sleep is much hinder'd VII As to Maladies and Diseases c. I. Opiates are not convenient in Relaxations as such as general Palsies Hemiphlegia's Palsies of the Eyes Deadness of them Dilatation of the Pupil Relaxation of the Tympan of the Ear of one side of the Face which makes the other side contract and and so draw the Face awry for 't is not a Spasm or Convulsion as Men imagine of the contracting side but a Resolution of the other which permits the Antagonist Muscles of that side to contract without Opposition and draw the Face toward the strong or sound Side Relaxation of the Uvula or the annex'd Valu◠which last is known by Snuffling without any other evident Cause or by observing that it does not shut in sounding u in but cut c. by it self Relaxation of the Larynx and Windpipe which is known by a hoarse kind of Whisper without a Cold or any evident Cause Of the Pharynx or Gullet which is known by a Depravation of swallowing without Pain or Tumor or any evident Cause A Paralytical Asthma or difficulty of Breathing wherein Men heave the Shoulders without any apparent Cause Relaxation of the Stomach as when Meat stays too long at Stomach c. A. Palsie of the Intestines or Guts as when one is bound and cannot refer it to any other Cause Of the Bladder when one cannot make Water without any other Cause to refer it to Relaxations of the Sphincters of the Bladder and An◠that is when Urine or Ordure fall from one involuntarily nor are they convenient in Baths unless great Relaxation as for Passage of the Stone c. is intended Nor in Ruptures as Bronchocele of the Windpipe Exomphalos of the Navel Bubonocele of the Groin or the Fall of Humours Guts Fat c. into the Scrotum or of the Fundament Womb or the Vagina c. except it be to reduce them Nor in Lunations Sprains Laxity and Weakness of Ioints Limbs Back c. Extensions of Nerves Tendons Ligaments c. Nor where Relaxation does or may improve the Distemper or do harm as in Apoplectical and soporose Cases as Coma Caros Lethargy c. Weakness of Memory Stupidity Morosi◠Nightmare Drunkenness c. Syncopes and Faintings from Relaxation as the original Cause as from Excess of Ioy Pleasure Large Evacuations when the Parts cannot well and duly contract upon what remains as after Child-Birth profuse Hemorrhages Tapping or Paracentesis or any large Evacuation of Humours in Dropsies of the Belly Breast or Head nor as has been hinted in Dropsies tho' without any such Evacuation unless it be upon some special Consideration of the learned nor in Tremblings or Shakings of the Head or Hands c. from Weakness as in old Age Nor in Fluxes from Relaxation as too much Sweat Gonorrhaea Simplex Diabetes nocturnal Pollutions Chylou◠Flux Lientery involuntary Flux of Urine or Ordure and some sorts of immoderate Fluxes of the Menses or Lochia which owe their Cause to Relaxation or Aptitude to Abortion from that Cause and indeed generally in Women with Child lest it should cause Abortion by relaxing the Neck of the Womb. Or where Contraction is beneficial as to empty a foul or replete Stomach Choler c. by Vomiting or Stool or an ill Humour any way Therefore II. Opiates are not convenient when grievous Sensations are useful as to excite Expectoration when Matter threatens Suffocation in Vomicas Pleurisies Peripneumonias Consumptions Spitting of Blood c. When Hunger calls for Food and Restauratives that of stuffing at Stomach excites Vomiting that of Urine solicites us to a due Excretion thereof that of ill Matter at Guts causes an Evacuation thereof so that when a Crisis is to be by the Help of grievous Sensation or Irritation Opiates are not convenient for it takes off the Sense of Irritation but when a Crisis is to be by Relaxation as by opening the Pores to cause Sweat Perspiration c. then is it of excellent Use So that great Question that has very much puzzled the learned whether Opium is convenient before a Crisis c is plainly and mechanically answer'd III. Opiates are not convenient where Titillation by the Acrimony of volatile Salts is the Cause of the Disease as in troublesom Erections Priapisms Nocturnal Pollutions Venereal Furies too much Salacity and Titillation Itchings of the Uterus Scrotum Penis Skin in general c. IV. I scarce need tell any that Opiates are inconvenient when the Meconium of Children should be evacuated or when one is bound in Body or apt to be so but there may be a Time when the learned Physician may think fit to give them even to the Costive in urgent Cases for he can order somewhat along with them or soon after to open the Body who may also see Cause sometimes to vary from these general Rules when Necessity and good Reason direct him so to do tho' they are nevertheless general in their Nature and not to be transgressed without special Cause and mature Deliberation V. Opiates are not so convenient where there is much slimy moist and phlegmatick Humours by Reason that the Parts are subject in such Cases to be too much relaxed I have been the fuller especially upon the Head of Diseases that I may hereafter have nothing to do but to shew the beneficial Use of Opiates duly prepared more particularly of the Panacea's
't is best liked and most suitable to People's Minds Palate c. II. The Dose moderate except it be 1. Where some by Accident require otherwise as Pain Loosenesses Vomitings and to titillate the Venereal Membranes because remote which see in the respective Chapters of the Use of Opiates in those Cases 2. Where the general Rules direct otherwise as in the soft fleshed People Children Women c. where the Dose must be less III. The Vehicle must be the same as is directed to Compose but in old People 't is observed that smooth Spirituous Things as good Ale c. conduce very much to cause Sleep because Sulphurs do qualifie-the Volatile Salt of the Opium as was shewn IV. The Time in general is at the due distance before Bed-time that is directed in the general Rules but Opiates may be given at any Time when the Case requires as in the Small-Pox about 12 1 or 2 in the Afternoon according as the â—tions which happen in the Afternoon or towards the Evenings do seise them and in Agues at the due distance before the Paroxysm invades them 〈◊〉 that the Operation thereof may be fall and compleat before the Time that the Fits are to begin and so in all other Câ—ses of the like â—ind V. The Regimen in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Twosold Aspect 1. To promote 〈◊〉 2. To compose and quiet Motions 〈◊〉 â—tions of the Spirits 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quiet being the Two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As to the first the Regimen must be the same as is directed in the Chapter of the Use of the Panacea c. to relax but as to composing and quieting the Spirits I shall add somewhat tho' Relaxers are generally good for this Purpose unless join'd with some agitating Accidents as Heat or the like 1. As to Diet it should consist of cooling incrassating inviscating Things that are not aromatick acid or saline such are Milk-Meats Emulsions Almond Milks Chicken Broth with cooling Herbs Water-gruel fresh and young soft Flesh Lettuce Purstane Spinage Herb Mercury Mallows and such like Mucilages as of Quince Fleabane c. The Drink may be Milk and Water Whey or such unfermented Liquors or smooth Small Beer not too old for all stale Drink is naught Water where it agrees c. 2. Rest of Body and Spirits must be contrived by all means as by leaning lying or sitting still without any motion after it is taken till Bed-time and therefore let the Person if the Season permits be as much undressed as may be in a loose Garment or Morning-Gown all that Time and be help'd off with his Cloaths that he may not agitate his Body when sleepy and not before let him go into a cold Bed in Summer and but a little warm'd in Winter and only have what Bed-cloaths suffices and pleases him best and then lie absolutely still without Noise Light or Fire in the Room 3. Rest and Tranquility of Mind is very necessary which should be not only free from grievous Passions but from all Excess of Joyous ones which too much agitate the Spirits 4. The Air should be moist and moderate and if not such by the Weather render'd so by Art especially in Fevers 5. All Evacuations should be made that may any way disturb his Sleep before he betakes himself to it nor should the Stomach be overfull or empty lest any Grievance may be thereby created 6. Emollient tepid Baths Fomentations Feetwashes c. do finely dispose People to Sleep but take care they be not too hot for heat causes a stir of Bloud and Spirits which is an Enemy to Sleep 1. Note That long Sleeps after great Fatigues or long Watching ought not to be very frightful if the Dose was moderate and that the Person takes Sustenance 2. Note That old or dry Persons or such as are very unapt to Sleep after Opiates are often caused to Sleep by smooth Wine Ale Cowslip Wine or the like because the gentle Oiliness of such Liquors do correct the Acrimony of their Volatile Salts and at the same time cause a Sense of Pleasure which relaxes and causes Sleep It has been observed that even Ambergrise and Musk which exagitate the Bloud and Spirits cause old Men to Sleep which happens by their fine Sulphur readily fastening upon the acrimonious Volatile Salts as Spirit of Wine does upon Sal Ammoniac which being mixed do soon coagulate Therefore I am apt to think that Camphire would be of excellent Use to correct the Opium and the volatile Salts of the Body in such Cases because it is Experimentally certain that it corrects the Acrimony of Urine of Semen Virile Cantharides c. 3. Note That the drier the Body is the more unapt are Opiates to cause Sleep therefore dry Bodies as of old Men Hectical Persons c. should be well moistened by incrassative Moisteners as Emulsions and such Things as are above mentioned and ordered in the Chapter of the relaxing Use of Opiates From what is said I do conclude that Opiates do cause Sleep very readily where the Oily Parts abound and that Things that have a fine Oleous Sulphur are very good Correctors of it where acrimonious Volatile Salts abound in order to cause Sleep and that hence it is that some ancient People will often Sleep better by the Use of the aforementioned smooth fermented sulphureous Liquors than by the Use of Opium from all which it appears that Sleep is not such a Property of Opium as People make it to be because that besides relaxing Sleep also requires a great Rest of the Spirits and the sensitive Soul It seems very probable from the Premises that Anodyne Sulphur of Vitriol would be excellent to cause old Men to Sleep for it doubtless causes Sleep only by obtunding and qualifying our Volatile Salts as White 〈◊〉 and other Balsamicks will often do CHAP. XXXVI Of the Use of the Panacea of Opium c. to stop Fluxes IT palliates moderates and stops Fluxes 1. By taking away the sense of the Irritation of Humours which cause Contraction to squeese them out and promote their motion 2. Because it composes and stills the motion of Humours by the Relaxation and the Sleep that it causes which quiets motions 3. Because thereby and by its combining Agreeableness and Texture it congregates the disgregated Humours 4. Because the Relaxation suspends the Humours 5. Because it discusses ill Humours 6. Because the Pores being opened by the Relaxation the Humours that caused the Fluxes are gradually perspired by that most natural and universal sort of Evacuation for 't is plain Reason and common Observation that a plentiful Evacuation at Pores stops Fluxes per Anum c. and if it continues perfectly cures them ☞ Hence it is that the Use of Opiates continued does happily not only palliate but perfectly cure Diarrheas Dysenteries Defluxions Catarrhs c. It therefore follows that it is of great Use 1. To palliate moderate or cure all Fluxes that proceed from Irritation of Humours as Vomitings
Loosenesses caused by the Humours of the Body or Things given as Diarrheâ—s Dysenteries Artificial Purging Iliack Passions Cholera Morbus after the Humour is somewhat spent Defluxions Catarrhs immoderate Spitting Gonorrhea Notha that is of slimy Humours by Reason of Acrimony Fluor albus from the like Cause or any other Flux of that Kind 2. To moderate or cure Fluxâ—s that proceed from too much motion of the Bloud Humours c. as Hemorrhages at Nose Lungs Stomach by the Hemorrhoids Pissing of Bloud immoderate Flux of Bloud by the Menses Lochia Stool c. when they proceed from that Cause as may also some Defluxions 3. To stop Fluxes that proceed as Hippocrates says from Segregation of Humours by composing and combining them from which Cause many such Fluxes as I have mentioned do happen But it is not advisable to use them in Fluxes that are apparently or very probably for speedy and ready Benefit otherwise as was said of Pain use them to respite Nature which they do as Sleep does nay in many Cases the Continuance of their Use may quite Cure them for the several Reasons given in the beginning of this Chapter What a pleasant Cure then do some refuse that reject them leaving their Patients to be worn out with dismal Pains tedious and profuse Evacuations want of Appetite and Digestion the common Consequences of Diarrheas Disenteries c. I. The Form of Opiates in this Case should generally be solid because it sticks better to its Work whereas the fluid is more subject to be evacuated in Diarrheas Dysenteries and Vomitings tho' sometimes the Liquid may be convenient in Vomitings as when that Form is more agreeable to the Stomach or that you would have a more speedy Effâ—ct c. In other Fluxes where the Opiate is not liable to be evacuated too soon it is indifferent what Form you use II. The Dose in Fluxes where 't is probable some Part of the Opiate may be carried off without Effect as in Vomitings Diarrheas Dysenteries Choleras c. the Dose must be generally speaking pretty large otherwise a moderate Dose may serve In such Cases due Consideration is to be had of what is lost by the Evacuation at which you may easily guess in Vomiting by what comes up if its Colour Smell Taste be observed as also by the Frequency and Violence of the Vomiting and noting how the Stomach clears it self of what is ingested by the Quantity and lastly by the Effect of which if what was given fails more of the Opiate must be given by degrees till it stops the Vomiting in some measure In Loosenesses give Half the first Dose every Four Hours till the Flux begins to be moderated then be more wary in giving it for what is afterward given may have its full Effect therefore be very cautious by giving but small Quantities both in this Case and in Vomiting when they are moderated in some degree because Opiates then have their full Effect without any Diminution or Opposition thereof In other Fluxes a moderate Dose may serve as in Desluxions Catarrhs c. however let the Dose rather incline to the highest than the lowest and suffice if possible to cause Sleep which is a great Effect in these Cases III. The Vehicle in Vomiting should be small in Quantity pleasant comfortable and warming lest you should by either Quantity or Quality give any offence to the Stomach pleasing it answers the same Intent with the Opiate it self and has often good Effect without Opium for indeed every Pleaser is proportionably an Opiate and Opiâ—m is only such in an intense and permanent manner therefore the Vehicle must be agreeable as Wine Hippocras or Wine burnt with Spices Rosemary c. or the best Cordials or Wine with some 〈◊〉 Câ—viare or Anchovis or a little old Châ—ese dissolved in it upon the Fire according as the Person likes one or the other which last tho' not used in common Practice are of very great Benefit where they are pleasing and well liked of In Loosenesses such Wines and Cordials as are sâ—bastringent should be afforded after the peccant Matter is evacuated to comfort the Bowels but the mentioned Salt Things are not convenient in this Case In Defluxions incrassative Composers are the best Vehicles as Emulsions c. See the Vehicles for Composing for they are all proper in this Case also IV. The Time is at any Hour when there is Occasion but Sleep conducing the proper Time will be unless Need otherwise requires at the due and directed distance before Bed-time V. The Regimen 1. As to Diet in Vomitings offer nothing to the Stomach but such Things and in such Quantities as was directed for Vehicles only in Vomiting before the grieving Matter is discharged it will be often convenient before the Opiate is given to give good Quantities of innocent Diluters as luke-warm Water plain or Carduus-Posset between the Vomits to dilate and render the Vomiting more easie but when you would stop the Vomiting use but small Quantities of such Things as are above directed for Vehicles Diluters in great Quantity do also succeed very well in Loosenesses to wash off the ill Humours before the Opiate is given and it is the best Practice that can be but the Chalybeate Waters are the very best for that Purpose tho' Posset or very thin Chicken or Mutton Broth are useful for it answers all good Intentions it dilutes and quâ—lifies the peccant Humours strengthens the Bowels leaves a binding Quality after the Dilution is made restores Appetite and Digestion which are both much amiss in such Cases and adds moisture to the Bloud which is under a Frâ—t or Febricula for want thereof because all Liquids are carried off by Stool but much of this goes to the Bloud where it also washes off ill saline Particles so that believe me it is of it self a most compleat and adequate Remedy in such Cases if taken to 3 or 4 Quarts for 1 2 or 3 Days 1. Solid Meats or Things hard of Digestion must be avoided because the Digestion is infirm but Milks thicken'd with Rice or Flower Rice Gruâ—s a light Bread or Rice Pudding Gellies Marmalet a Tâ—st out of Claret with Nutmeg Cinnamon and some Loaf Sugar Emulsions Almond Milk Cheese-Cakes Custards and all subastringent Incrassatives are best as also in all Defluxions 2. As to Sleeping and Waking that 's good and this bad 3. As to Rest and Motion that is convenient this not 4. As to Passions the joyous are convenient the grievous not 5. As to Air the dry and temperate is best 6. As to Excretion and Retention what is said above is sufficient saving that Vomits are very often convenient especially if the Looseness is occasioned by the Stomach to moderate it before the Opiate is given CHAP. XXXVII Of the Use of the Panacea of Opium c. to cause Fluxes or Evacuations as Perspiration Sweat c. IT as was shewn promotes some Fluxes or Evacuations by relaxing and opening
13. Some of the Ancients applied it to the Perinâ—um Kidneys Region of the Pubis c. to chill Venus by the cold Quality they attributed to it which is all Stuff grounded upon that most absurd Hypothesis 14. They also attributed its Psilothrick Quality to Cold than which nothing does more fasten and cause the Hair to grow as you see in Winter-Time when all Furrs are longer and fastned better to the Skin Into what Fooleries a false Opinion will lead People 15. It has been used by Hieron Mercurialis in Ulcers of the Womb with Success and without danger as he says L. 4. de Morb. Mul. c. 7. p. 281. 16. It has kill'd People in Clysters by sâ—icking to the Intestinum rectum which was doubtless by Reason of its Rosin for it has nothing in it besides the Rosin that can stick to do any manner of Harm which is a most demonstrative Reason of the Perniciousness of its Rosin for if it can â—ill there much more where there is such exquisite Sensation as is at Stomach However 't is known by Experience that Venice Treacle and Diascordium are because of the Dissemination of the Opium and smallness of the Quantity safe in Clysters and very useful in Dysenteries and Diarrhaeas as our Panacea must be that has no Rosin in it and dissolvable in Water or any Humours of the Body 17. It may be used in Suppositories when the Rosin is separated from it but I would not advise the Use of above 4 Grains in this Case or if 8 or ten be used the Suppository should not remain long in the Body This I say for Caution's sake 18. It has been used reduced to an Oointment or Balsam with Oil of Roses c. to the Soals of the â—eet to cause Sleep with good Success 〈◊〉 Polidamus L. de Doloribus Capitis p. 78. 19. D. Francisc. Hildesheâ—m asserts that it takes away Pain in Cauteries â—ut says it is apt to cause Grangrens 20. Crollius in his Basil. Chym. p. 235. says That 2 Pills of Opium each containing 8 Grains being put up into the Nostrilâ— stopt a desperate Haemorrhage at Nose but I should hardly â—rust it in this Case Possibly the Bloud might stop by some other Cause a small Deliquium not observed or the like for Deliquiums still all Motion by a sudden Relaxation which as has been said suspends all Humours and weakens the Motion of the Heart if it does not sometimes quite take it off for the Time Secondly as an Alterative Emplostick c it as was shown incides resolves discusses molleâ—ies maturates suppurates and is psilothrick and titiâ—lative Therefore is of Use 1. In Phlegmatick and Oedematous Tumours 2 In windy Tumours Pains Stitches c. 3. To ripen Boils Buboes Abscesses and the like 4. In all hard Tumours of the Spleen Breasts Cancers Tophousness c. in which Cases it is as other Opiates are of excellent Use by their powerful resolving and relaxing Faculties 5. To cause Nourishment of Parts Increase of Milk c. by Relaxation as Sleep Puberty Pleasure c. do as has been shown 6. To cause the shedding of Hair by Resolution of the Parts as by a Caustick Vesicatory c. with which it agrees in its exuâ—cerating Faculty when it is very strong as the true Maslach or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have not 7. To excite to Venery by its titillating Volatilâ— Salâ— if apply'd to the Perinaeum YE blessed Minds who in an instant know What in five Thousand Years none here below Could learn How mean are we how great are you O for your happy State while dull Mankind Oft see and fâ—el the Things they cannot find Who did not see the Bloud move to and fro Yet could none its Circulation know Till God enlighten'd Harvey then did he Perceive what others seeing could not see So till God was to my Enquiries kind Millions sought and felt what they ne're could find What is vain Man without th' all knowing Mind To whom all Glory be all Thanks and Praisâ— As was is now and fit to be always Amen Amen Amen FINIS
with us for Reasons given in Chap. VIII See Bellonius l. 3. c. 15. p. 179. Erastus Disp. de Sapor p. 6â— Georg. Andreae Itenerar Ind. l. 2. c. 9. p. 12. Camerar Oper. Subcis l. 1. c. 93. p. 437. Erastus Disp. de Narcot Oberndorf Historians also add That when the Great Turk makes a considerable War the Soldiers buy up all or most of the Opium which may be worth a Merchant's Observation for it thereupon grows dear and is much cheaper in times of Peace 5. It prevents and takes away Grief Fear Anxieties Peevishness Freâ—fulness c. These are necessary Consequences of the former Effects 6. It causes Euphory or easie undergoing of all Labour Iourneys c. and that far beyond all Wines and hot Cordials or Spirits therefore it is very much used in Turky and the Eastern Countries in laborious Undertakings great Iourneys c. which Men perform by the help of Opium after a prodigious and almost incredible manner But the Matter of Fact is so common and usual that there is no place of doubt besides that some who tried it among us have found it so 7. It lulls sooths and as it were charms the Mind with Satisfaction Acquiescence Contentation Equanimity c. How should it fail to cause these Effects since it causes all the former gay pleasant and brave Humours Dr. Willis and others having no true Experience or Knowledge of Opium imagined that it caused Courage Bravery Equanimity c. by stupifying the Senses Brain c. making People inadvertent dull and inapprehensive which is a great Mistake and a groundless Conceit for it is a most certain Truth which millions can affirm that it produces those Effects by an Ovation and Pleasure of the sensitive Soul and Spirits as generous Wine does before Men are suddled or overcome with it How else could they at the same time be more serene and apt for the Management of any Business and neat Dispatch of Affairs as it is most certain they are These fundamental Mistakes about Opium have been as you 'll find hereafter one great cause why its Operations have puzzled and quite baffled all Enquirers 8. It quiets allays and composes all Perturbations and Commotions of the Spirits or sensitive Soul Bloud Humours c. as in Hysterical Cases Diary Fevers that proceed from Passions as Anger Grief Terrours c. from violent Motion Labour Heat Iourneys Convulsions c. or from Pain and stops Bleedings that proceed from such Commotions 9. It causes a Relaxation of all the sensible Parts of the Body as the Membranous and Nervous This is notorious by its Effects as causing Perspiration Sweat Relaxation of Sphincters Vilatation of the Pupil of the Eye Relaxation of the Cornea and all other Effects of Relaxation as you 'll find more particularly hereafter 10. It causes Indolence or exemption from Pain as all know and allow and that when Sleep does not intervene 11. It stops moderates cures or paliates all Fluxes excepting those by the Pores or such as depend as that does upon Relaxation as when Sphincters are weak or paralytical but these last are unnatural Accidents 12. It mightily promotes insensible Perspiration 13. It prevents Shiverings in Ague-Fits and such-like Cases if given in due time and quantity which shall be shown in the Curative Part. 14. It prevents and cures Colds 15. It causes a larger and slower Pulse supposing no accidental Cause to the contrary 16. It causes Driness in the Mouth 17. It has most Effect in warm and moist Weather 18. It has more Effect upon lax and fine textured Persons as Women Children c. therefore Women seldom use it in Turky and the other Eastern Countries where it is commonly used by the Men. 19. It causes an Efflorescence of the Skin barring Accidents of Cold c. 20. It is observed by all that it mainly affects the Genus Nervosum and animal Spirits and not the Bloud and Humors 21. It increases Seed in some measure 22. It causes a great promptitude to Venery Erections c. especially if the Dose be larger than ordinary which I would have Men believe without experimenting it not that I fear to be confuted but lest any should injure themselves by too great a Dose This is one great Cause if not the chief why the Infidels of Turky and the Eastern Nations especially where Poligamy is allow'd as among the Turks c. use Opium so much it never â—ailing to produce this Effect in hale and healthy People if the Dose be sufficient as is too notorious in all or most Countries from Greece to Iapan inclusively who use Opium for that end But as to the Truth of this Effect of Opium not only Authors and all the People of those Eastern Nations but several Merchants Factors and Travellers now living in London can attest That it is used for that purpose in those Countries with Effect yea some in our own Nation that use Opium in large Doses can attest the same upon Experience in their own Bodies Those who desire to be satisfied may also read Ioh. Iacob Saar his Itinerar Ind. p. 11. Olearius's â—tinerar Persio l. 5. c. 15. 18. B. D. D. Sacks Tom. 11. Epher German Obs. 69. p. 126. Bauchin p. 450. Cardanus Scaliger Nich. Monordei Fogâ—lius de Turcarum Nepenthe Bellonius and others whose Words I do not repeat partly for Modesty's partly for Brevity's sake It does I confess look like a Riddle that a most relaxing and stupifying Medicament which takes away much of the Sense of Feeling and consequently Irritations to Venery as one would think should notwithstanding irritate thereunto cause Erections c. however it is most certain tho' a seeming Contradiction of which sort you have many more among the Effects of Opium Usual and frequent tho' not constant Effects of Opium used internally in a moderate Dose 1. Sleep which is so far from being a constant Effect of Opium that it will in me and many other Persons prevent Sleeping even when otherwise inclin'd to it 2. Pleasant Dreams 3. Stopping of Vomitings 4. Stilling the Hiccough 5. Taking off Convulsions and Contractions 6. Causing Meat to stay long at Stomach 7. Moderation and prevention of Hunger 8. Sweat 9. The Flowing of the Menses tho' not observed by vulgar Physicians 10. The Flowing of the Lochia which is as little observed 11. Voiding of the Stone 12. Delivery of Women 13. Deadness of the Eyes as you see in Drunkenness 14. Dilatation of the Pupil 15. Growth of the Breasts Penis and Increase of Milk 16. Veneral Dreams 17. Nocturnal Pollutions 18. Itchings in the Skin 19. Much Urine 20. Nausea 21. Swimmings in the Head 22. Watching 23. A kind of dubious State between sleeping and waking 24. It stops Hemorrhages in many cases Many more Instances of this kind might be given of its frequent and usual Effects in Diseases but it would be endless and needless since we have mentioned the Prime General and Fundamental Effects upon which
increase more and more and make one more and more remote from waking 4. Why should warm Baths Fomentations Feetwashes Head-washes warm moist Weather the Act of Venery the Pleasure of sweet Melody gentle rubbing of the Head in a pleasant manner scratching the Back where it itches and all gentle Pleasures that are consistent with lying or sitting still which do all cause a very free Perspiration of Fumes at the Pores that are then most certainly opened by all those Causes as may be proved by statick Demonstration Magnifying Glasses c. cause Sleep seeing they all cause a spending of the Fumes Obj. Some half-witted unthinking Caviller may say That such Things stir up the Vapours c. Answ. What such mean by Vapours stirr'd is not easily determinable but this I know that all stir of Humours or any other thing hinders Sleep and that the longer such Causes of opening the Pores and consequently of perspiring Fumes do last the more we are inclin'd by them to Sleep so that the more our Fumes have been spent the more we are inclined to sleep which is a strange Contradiction if Fumes be the cause of Sleep I can but smile to think how most Physicians come to call several things Vapours First they say that Sleep is from Vapours then call every thing Vapours right or wrong that inclines us to sleep by reason of that false Supposition How then comes Camphire not to be a great Causer of Sleep that is so apt to evaporate 5. Fear Sorrow Grief Melancholy Depression of Spirits Cold c. do most certainly close the Pores as appears by statick Experiments by which means Vapours are much crowded in the Body yet all such Grievances do hinder Sleep as they also do the Effects of Opium and Drunkenness Therefore they do not proceed from Fumes as the World imagines for then these things that crowd in the Fumes and Vapours would promote not hinder Sleep 6. If Fumes are the cause of Sleep then are the cause of Sleep and Vertigo's as the Vaporanians allow the same it follows then that we could never sleep without a Vertigo 7. Many as Dr. Willis says eat their Meat take their Drink c. as other People yet do not sleep at all for many Weeks together which were impossible if the Fumes of Meat and Drink caused Sleep for they by eating and drinking must have those Fumes and consequently Sleep as other People if that were true Thirdly They suppose and take it for granted which I do not for I know the contrary That Opium while it is at Stomach can affect the Brain c. no other way but by Fumes which is a most groundless Supposition For 1. How should a Lump of Curd at Stomach or the Hast of a Knife swallow'd and many such things which can send no Fumes to the Head cause Convulsions Head-achs Vertigo's Syncopes Leipothymies of the whole Man Manias Furors c. if there were not another way for things to affect the Nervosum Genus c. while at Stomach besides sending up Vapours to do it But of this matter to shew how a thing at Stomach may affect the Brain and the whole System of the Nerves c. and how Opium does it without Fumes the 17 18 19 20 c. Chapters will shew you at large Therefore I shall say no more of this at present for it is fit for us first to overthrow that Supposition of Fumes and Vapours before we establish our own For farther Satisfaction then as to that general Supposition of Fumes let us duly and fully consider Things for it is not a slight matter to proceed against a General Opinion that has continued through all Ages or to wipe off the Prejudices acquired thereby Observe 1. That the Brain is a Principal Part. 2. That it is very soft tender and next to a Fluid 3. That very small fine and gentle Things do highly offend it as the Effluvia's of sweet or ill-scented Things causing hysterick and epileptical Fits Syncopes Faintings c. It is also notorious among us Physicians that a little Fume scarce sensible as to Quantity or Quality rising from a Toe Finger c and arriving at the Brain causes dreadful epileptical Fits Vertigo's c. 4. That our Wise and Provident Creator has therefore secured and fortified all the Avenues of the Brain in a more particular manner by several Circumvallations viz. First With the Pia Mater Secondly With the Dura Mater called so from its Hardness Solidity and Strength Thirdly With a strong Skull of a round or arched Figure Fourthly With the Pericranium All which belong to it particularly besides other Integuments common to it with other Parts as 1. The Skin 2. The Cuticle 3. The Membrana Carnosa 4. The Periostium All which do surround it and after all it is Thatched as it were with Hair 5. That the same Providence has taken care which is very observable that none of the Objects of Sensation nor probably any Particle or Effluvium that flies from them should ever reach the Brain but only bare Impulses and they not immediately convey'd but by the Intervention of a fine tenuious soft gentle and most agreeable Aura viz. the Animal Spirits lest any Offence should be given in the least manner to this most tender delicate principal Part and Royal Seat of the Soul all which Care had never been without Necessity for God and Nature do nothing in vain And if you 'll duly consider the Organs of Sensation that are near the Brain you 'll find that they are contrived as Shutters to exclude all extraneous Particles from the Brain for Impulses might have been contrived without their Intervention because they do not alter or improve the Impulses received from Objects for if they did we should not have true notice of Things And seeing they do not alter or improve the Impulses of what Use should they be but to exclude extraneous Particles Eumes Effluvia's c. For instance The tremulous Motion of the Air in the case of Sound would have as truly hit the Auditory Nerve or Membrane without the Tympan and very often much truer without it because of the several Faults and Disorders that it is liable to Yet so necessary was it thought by the best of Iudges who cannot err that it was rather to be placed there with all its Inconveniences that might follow than any way expose the Brain though to the most gentle of Bodies viz. the Air by which in all probability the Animal Spirits themselves are nourished or sustained Were it not that extraneous Particles or Air would offend the Brain What need is there of the Tympan when we know as well by Experience as by the aforesaid Reasons that a Dog c. can hear as well without it upon the first taking it off but that the Hearing will afterward decay because the Brain c. being exposed will be injured What is evident in the case of the Ear may be made so
the Spirits by any means for there is nothing so good in Nature but will do it if used unduely or immoderately as Wine Bread Milk Honey Sugar Beer c. in excess for I intend that it does not do it when duely and moderately used 1. That which refreshes the Wearied and highly prevents Weariness must add to or excite the Spirits which is directly contrary to diminishing or disabling them but Opium does in a most eminent manner refresh the Wearied and prevent Weariness therefore it does not diminish or disable the Spirits Some have been so silly and inadvertent as to object that it refresh'd the Weary only by Sleep It is Matter of Fact that it refreshes them whether they Sleep or no and that without failing as often as it is used in that Case Others that were no Wiser have said that it only took off the sense of Weariness by stupifying which happened by the diminishing or disabling of the Animal Spirits Bare Insensibleness cannot enable the Spirits to Labour with eminent Briskness and Alacrity as Men most certainly do after Opium is taken being finely enlivened and invigorated as with generous Wine if they do not know this to be true let them for shame hold their Tongues till they know Matter of Fact which if they will not they proclaim themselves to be idle and impertinent Babblers but if they will patiently and wisely abstain arguing till they are satisfied as to Matter of Fact then will they be past Opinion and Hypothesis in that Case for they will have sensible and certain Knowledge of the contrary and the Truth of what I say which will end all Controversy and precarious Squabbles upon false Suppositions as the manner is that cannot lead them to what is Right but by meer chance and never to a true Knowledge that they are in the Right which makes it none in effect for they can do nothing with Assurance but only suppose and hope they are in the Right when they are as much out to their Patient's sorrow as Physicians have been in the cold Quality and Fumes of Opium It is true that a Grain or Two of Opium will if a Man composes himself sitting or lying still cause a Sleepiness equal to that caused by spending the Spirits by a Day 's Labour but spending of the Spirits is not the only no nor best proportioned or more adequate cause thereof as I have shewn If loss of Spirit were the adequate cause of Sleep how should good and generous Wine cause Sleepiness after that eminent Rate as it does in most People How should the most pleasing Musick incline such as lie or sit still to sleep but if one Dances thereto it makes him more lively and brisk than ordinary The like exactly do Wine and Opium if Men lie or sit still but otherwise they make them much more brisk and lively and able to undergo Labour Action c. Which Note that you may not any more wonder that Enliveners and Exciters of the Spirits do cause Sleep as well as Diminishers thereof and observe that they are all pleasing things as Musick Wine and Opium which cause Pleasant Dreams Pleasant Watchings Pleasant Humours c. Expect more of this Matter in the following Chapters and all by degrees according as I Judge the prejudiced World will bear Things For a great Paradox how true soever must not be abruptly obtruded but gently and gradually ushered in by insinuating Reasonings otherwise it will be entertained like a rude Stranger that contradicts a Multitude in Fashions and Customs that they have always used and judged to be the very best however blameable Consider that if Opium diminished or disabled the Spirits proportionable to the Sleepiness that it causes as a hard Day 's Labour does then if Opium were given a Man after a hard Day 's Labour it would be as it were adding another hard Day 's Labour to cure it the Day 's Labour and Opium impairing the Spirits alike Think what a miserable Condition the poor Man would be in especially if Sleep did not make him some amends it would be such as were utterly intollerable but so far is Opium from any such Effect that it refreshes him tho' he Sleep not at all after the hard Day 's Labour and not only so but will enable him to Work all the following Night with great Alacrity if need requires it What a Condition would those be in who take a Drachm of it twice a day for 10 20 or 30 years Nay how could any possibly do it for half 10 days if a Grain or Two destroyed the Spirits so much as to cause Sleepiness thereby as hard Labour does Which they must allow that assert it causes Sleep by diminishing or disabling the Spirits But some may say tho' very inconsiderately that it only disables them for the time of its Operation That is strange indeed considering that even during that time they are mostly enabled to Work or Labour tho' tired before and that it 2. Causes Comfort Refreshment Ovation of the Spirits all the time of its Operation as Wine moderately taken does especially if People keep themselves in Action Labour c. otherwise indeed they may fall asleep upon the comfortable satisfaction contentation of Mind and acquiescence of Spirit that it occasions as Wine does 3. The first Effect that we find of Opium which may therefore probably be a very leading fundamental and significant Effect is that it causes a most agreeable pleasant and charming sensation about the Region of the Stomach which if one lies or sits still inclines him to Sleep if not it makes him gay good humour'd brave c. It is a Pleasure so sweet and delicious that tho' I endeavour'd to express it by the Ovation of the Spirits upon Joy a good Genius informing a Man or the Helmâ—sians Archeus in his best Humour or a continual Vâ—real Pleasure Wine drank ad Hilaritatem c. yet I doubt all my Ways of expressing it do come short of the charming Complacency that it causes Therefore if Wine Musick a good Meal agreeable Frication of the Head or Back the sound of Waters c. do incline us to Sleep by the Pleasure thereof which lulls and sooths us to it as is most certain if we sit or lie still much more must the high Charms of Opium cause it That it is a Pleasure that affects by one of our Senses namely by Feeling is indisputable for it is not a Pleasure of the Eye Nose Tongue or Ear and it must be sensitive because caused by Matter and that Opium has doubtless the like Effect upon Brutes who have no other Pleasure but what is sensitive That it is at Stomach is also evident where we can be pleased only by the Sense of Feeling That it is involuntary and pleases us whether we will or no and that the same Particles excite Venery Itching c. Now all the Senses especially Feeling and particularly that at Stomach are given us for
Watches and Sentinels to discover and give notice of what is or is not good and agreeable to our Animal Nature That upon notice of what is good and agreeable Pleasure Comfort Satisfaction c. are conceived otherwise Displeasure Discomfort and Dissatisfaction What diminishes or disables our Spirits does us the greatest Evil that can be and consequently Sensation would according to its Office give us such notice thereof as would cause Displeasure c. otherwise these Sentinels that God and Nature have appointed for faithful Notice would instead of trusty service which is the End they are made for deceive us and consequently do us mischief rather than good which is very Prophane if not Blasphemous to assert as being highly abusive of God's Goodness and Wisdom to make Things in Nature that would not only not answer but act quite contrary to their Ends it follows then that what causes such a mighty agreeable and pleasant Sensation at Stomach which is the greatest and most accurate Judge of what is or is not agreeable to the Animal cannot be destructive or disabling of its Spirits which are the most excellent and useful Things that belong thereto Therefore Opium which so mightily recommends it self to pleases and comforts the greatest Iudge that God has given to a sensible Creature to discern what is good and evil for it cannot diminish or disable our Spirits One may say what I dare not that the Sensation at Stomach may deceive us We may deceive our selves and say so when that which pleases the Stomach does not please our perverted Imagination which makes no Argument let us therefore consider Things where there is no such vain Imagination to contradict the good Ends of Nature if the Stomach and Senses in a Brute or meer Animal which has no other means to Judge of what is good or evil for it should not Judge aright all the Animals in the whole World would soon perish It is the vain Opinion of Men that perswades them that Things are cold when hot c. as in the Case of Opium when the Senses truely inform that it is hot If you 'll stand to your Imaginations and Suppositions for such all must be without the Information of Sense against the Dictates of Sensation you must inevitably err But one may say Is the Sense at Stomach such an infallible Guide always I believe it will be very hard to give many Instances to the contrary and prove it well however if we do or may allow something of this Kind to a perverted Stomach at certain times to avoid a squabble about it it is never to be allow'd That all the Stomachs in the whole World should be pleased with one and the same Thing at all times and yet that this Thing should be so highly pernicious to the Animal as to diminish or disable its Spirits Then indeed it would follow that the most exquisite Sense at Stomach to discern what is or is not agreeable to the Animal were absolutely in vain which no Man of Reason that has any Apprehension of the Wisdom of God and Nature can assert 3. What is more notorious than that Pleasure or being pleased raises and Displeasure or being grieved depresses the Spirits Are not all People pleasant gay and good humour'd brisk prompt c. when pleased Do not Men Travel or Labour with more Ease in Pleasant Company c. But of these Matters and the Reasons thereof more in the following Chapters 4. How can Opium that revives People when they are so dispirited that they are even almost dying as when Opium is wanted by such as use to take it in Deliquiâ—ms and Agonies from Paiâ— c. diminish or disable the Spirits It is plain Contradiction to say that it should Next to Opium nothing revives People in such Cases better than Wine and those Things that produce the same or like Effects have like Nature and who can say that Wine that was made to glad the Heart of Man diminishes or disables the Spirits Or that Opium which produces all the sprightly enlivening and encouraging Effects of generous Wine in a more eminent manner than Wine and in the 10000th Part of its Quantity and for a longer time than Wine causes them should diminish or disable the Spirits For Instance Wine and Opium in a due quantity but Opium in a far less quantity as was said cause a pleasant gay and good Humour Courage Bravery Magnanimity Promptitude in Business Expediteness in Management Serenity Euphory or easy undergoing of Labour Iourneys Fatigues c. Both take away Sadness Grief Melancholy Fear Depression of Spirits c. Both cause Promptitude to Venery Sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus So Wine and Opium prevent and cure Cold open the Pores promote Perspiration and Sweat especially the following Mornings as Sir Theodore Mayern my self and others have observ'd of Opium and is notorious as to Wine Both cause Sleep and take away the Sense of Pain and require a greater Dose than ordinary in Proportion to the Pain Both take off Shiverings from Fear Cold or Ague Fits and cause Mirth Contentation and Acquiescence Driness of the Mouth Thirst a Sense of Heat within us a Dreaming Condition pleasant Dreams if the Quantity of Wine be not grievous by its Heat Load c. Nâ—cturnal Pollution and in some Constitutions both cause Vigilancy but Wine and Opium cause that more rarely than Sleep Both stop and cause Vomiting if they stay too long at Stomach Both moderate Hunger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are good in a canine Appetite Both cause Swimming in the Head c. So Both in an Excessive Dose Do cause at first Mirth and afterward a kind of Drunken Soper in some in others Fury or Madness Sardonick Laughter and Weight at Stomach Vomitings Hiccoughs great Heat at Stomach Debility and laxity of all Parts Faltring of the Tongue Scotomies and Darkness of the Eyes Vertigo's Laxity of the Cornea of the Eye Dilatation of the Papilla Deadness of the Eyes to the View Loss of Memory Venereal Fury a high Colour profuse Sweats Purging sometimes Alienation of the Mind Loss of Memory and lastly greater or lesser Effects according to the Dose Constitution c. So A long and lavish Use of both Causes a dull and moapish Disposition Dropsies Fall of Humours upon Weaken'd Parts a Sleepy Disposition Want of Appetite Weakness of Digestion Aptitude to Sterility and Abortion early Decrepiteness Stooping in the Back Trembling of the Hands Weakness of Memory Shortness of Life Difficulty and Danger in suddenly leaving them off Revive such as sink for Want of either and supply the Want of each other How can any have the Face to say that a Thing which agrees so with generous Wine in Effects can be a Diminisher or Disabler of the Spirits The Mischiefs of excessive Doses and lavish Use of either is no Argument against their inspiriting Nature if it were then Wine is no Cordial tho' made to glad the Heart
by squeezing in some Cases and stop it by shutting the Pores in other Cases 10. It is by it that Contraction that Fear Cold c. closing the Pores and repelling the Bloud stanch Bleeding So happens also a greater Contraction of the Pupil of the Eye by the same Cause 11. It is the Violence of this Contraction upon Fear Terrour Pain Cold c. closing the small Vessels of the Animal Spirits and thereby repelling them causes the Shivering in those Cases by the Renitency of the elastick Animal Spirits springing back again toties quoties having gain'd more elastick Force by the very Compression it self which that Contraction causes so that by reason of the dubious velitation or skirmishing between the repelling Contraction and the springing Spirits happens a tremulous Motion as of quavering Springs which Shivering in Ague-Fits did formerly lead me to the Situation of the Cause of Agues when I writ my Book De Febribus intermittentibus in the Angustiae at the end of the Vessels which terminate in the Membranes the grievous Sensation of which causes all the Shivering that happens in any Case to Animals 12. By the same Contraction when very violent and of the whole Body cold Sweats happen in Pain Fear Terrour c. while it violently squeezes out the outmost and therefore coldest Moisture of our Bodies as Laundresses do Water out of wet Linnen by Contortion Thus if you dip one half of a wet cold Sheet in hot Water wrapping the hot side within the cold or let a warm Sheet that is contorted cool on the out-side of it and then wring it as Women do Linnen the Water that first exudates will be cold for in this Case the closing of the Pores avails nothing to hinder it as long as the expressing Force masters it more especially in Animal Bodies wherein the Parts are so contrived that Humours design'd for Exoretion cannot well return and therefore must upon Contraction run out Hence it is that Alum or Vitriol which are very astringent and therefore close the Pores will notwithstanding cause the Mouth or Nose to run very plentifully with Moisture by contracting all the Membranes about the Mouth or Nose and thereby squeezing out the Moisture design'd to be excern'd which cannot return because the Parts are contriv'd against the return or readmittance thereof whereas Alum or Vitriol will stanch or stop Bloud by the same Contraction because it may return as not being design'd to be excern'd either into the Arteries and so pass by other Branches thereof or which is more ready and natural keep its course into the Veins So the two Riddles that I have known some Proud Physicians amaz'd at tho' but Trifles of Alum and Vitriol causing the Spittle c. to come out instead of stopping it by their Astringency and their stopping Bloud at Nose at the same time they cause the Snot or other Humours to run out are unfolded 13. It is by this mighty Contraction growing to an enormous degree that the Animal Spirits being violently compressed grow exceeding irrequiete as upon Convulsions in great Pain or very grievous Sensation at Stomach c. while the sensitive Soul compressing them with mighty Force and somewhat disorderly and unevenly because of the Confusion and Hurry he is in to relieve the Animal they by their springiness fling up and down with great Vigour This makes convulsive Motions have great Strength 14. The Body under this Contraction is manifestly shrunk by measure especially when the Sensation is very grievous but most of all if they cause a general Convulsion which I manifestly observed in a little Bitch that was convulsive all over for three Hours and was just expiring when I gave her the Sal Volat. Oleos of Opium which perfectly restored her by relaxing the Vessels Some may think it strange That Nature should contrive a more nice and smart Sensation which the Contraction of the Vessels of the Animal Spirits must cause by compressing them c. in Pain and by it which becomes so much the more acute whereas one would judge That Nature would rather contrive its Ease than improve its Smart You are to know That the Pain is in order to relieve the Animal by exciting all its Powers to defend expel or reject the Cause and that without a grievous Sensation the sensitive Soul is neither minded nor excited to do it and the more the Pain is the more it is stirr'd up to Self-preservation and as was shewn the more vigorous do its Motions grow by the Compression of the elastick Spirits to perform that Work so Nature not regarding the Pain which is rather for good as much as taking away the Cause advances that for this Purpose like a wise Physician who finding a Grievance at Stomach not sufficient to excite effectual Vomiting to throw away the grieving Cause adds to the Grievance by giving a Vomit which because as was said Nature is proportionably excited to and invigorated for Self-preservation sufficiently sollicites and enables it by a stronger Contraction to reject the grieving Matter As the greater the Relaxation is the more is the Rest of all Parts and the weaker the Animâ—l Spirits because less compressed the gentler are all Motions as you see in Sleep consequently the less is the Expence of Spirits so that in Sleep we generate more than we spend and are thereby recruited So the more the Contraction is the more violent is the Motion of the Heart Intestines and of all Parts and consequently the Expence of Spirits is the greater Therefore it can be no Wonder That Contractions do cause great Commotions of Spirits Diary Fevers c. when you consider 1. That the sensitive Soul is by the grievous Sensations c. that cause them put upon a great Fret Concern and Hurry to defend the Animal and lays about him all manner of ways for Self-preservation 2. That the Animal Spirits are by means of great Compression caused by the defensive Contraction in a very forcible Springiness which causes all the Actions that are continual involuntary and of course to be perform'd with great Violence proportionable to its compressed Elasticity Besides that 3. The Systoles of the Heart are oâ—tener repeated All which conspire to cause greater Commotions upon grievous Sensations whereby Diary Fevers c. are caused which are easily and naturally cured by Sleep or Relaxation at present compose and quiet those Perturbations Who knows tho' it is not my Business to discuss it at present but that the Contractions in the cold Fits of Agues have a great hand in causing the hot ones How otherwise should Opium by only taking away the grievous Sensation of the cold Fits take off or prevent the hot Fits also But of this in my often-mentioned Tract though not so often as it grieves me that it is not published How reasonably may we now expect That pleasant Sensation may cause quite contrary Effects to that of grievous Sensation viz. Relaxation and all its Effects
which have been in some measure enumerated in the Case of Natural Sleep in this Chapter viz. Satisfaction Composure of Frets and Commotions as of diary Fevers hysterick Fits c. Perspiration quieting of Vomitings Hiccoughs c. lessening of Feeling and consequently a stop and moderation of all Fluxes that depend upon Irritation of Humours as Diarrhea's Dysenteries Catarrhs Vomitings Driness of the Mouth as in Sleep for want of the Contraction to squeeze the Spittle out of the Glandules into the Mouth Nocturnal Pollutions c. But of the Nature and Effects of Pleasure you 'll find more in the next Chapter Besides the Vigilative and Defensive Contractions which seem to be Things of course upon Waking and Grievances the sensitive Soul has a Contraction at Will as that of the Pupilla when an Animal is intent upon Seeing of the Tympan when intent upon Hearing of the Musoles of the Legs when intent upon Walking and so of all the Muscles of the Body which I call Intentivâ— Contraction that he can perform either along with or without the other Contractions or without any great degree thereof as when one is considerably relaxed with the Pleasure of Wine very good News c. nay sometimes even in Sleep as is manifest by the Noctamâ—uli or such as walk in their Sleep and such as speak strike c. while asleep And as the Defensive Contraction does all it can in our Defence without the Direction of the Will as in Vomiting Sneezing Purging c. upon sensible Irritation so this Intentive Contraction does all it can to the same Purpose by the Direction and Dictates thereof Note That inâ—ensile growing Things that do not move as Trees c. have none of these Contractions but what happens by Cold and Compression of the Atmosphere which are sufficient it seems for Nutrition but not for Sense and Motion it follows That in compleat Syncopes when the sensitive Soul gives over all Contractions that we are much in the state of a Plant. All those three Contractions viz. the Vigilative Defensive and Intentive do because they promote Motion and cause it more or less as you find the Vigilative causes much more of it than Sleep and the Defensive more than that c. spend the Spirits cause Weariness c. The Vigilative Contraction does of it self without any considerable Grievance or Labour that is without the Denfensive or Intentive Contraction tire the sensitive Soul in about 16 Hours Hence it is that the idlest Person that is most free from Care Trouble or Pain cannot well hold out without the Recruit of Sleep any longer The Defensive Contraction or that of Grievances being added to the Vigilative Contraction the Spirits are faster spent and the Person tired proportionably sooner according as the Grievance is more or less and consequently the Endeavours of the sensitive Soul to be rid thereof To both which Contractions viz. the Vigilative and Defensive if you add the Intentive or Labour then are you sooner and more tired than by only those two former Contractions for this last Case is labouring in Pain or under a Grievance which notoriously tires Man or Beast sooner than ordinary The direct contrary to which is sleeping soundly and sweetly without Trouble Pain or Dreams for a dreaming Condition has too much of the vigilative Contraction in it to be pure Relaxation and Recruit Now according as these Contractions are or are not added one to another we are sooner or later before we are tired speaking generally and not considering Custom and Habit which concerns us not You see that all the three Contractions conourring do soon and sadly tire us that no two of them tire us as much as the three together that iâ— neither the Vigilative and Defensive without the Intentive nor the Vigilative and Intentive without the Defensive and the Vigilative alone least of all Yet allowance must be made for the Intensness of the Defensive and Intentive for either of these two being very intense may tire as much as both in a moderate degree Thus a Man may be tired with violent Labour in four Hours tho' not in Pain as much as one that moderately labours in some small Pain for the same time Observe That we recruit in eight Hours generally speaking as much by relaxation in Sleep as we spend by vigilative Contraction in sixteen I take the Reason of that to be That Relaxation widening all the Passages of the Body the Nutriment is admitted into them more fully and freely as the Bloud is into the Skin in Sleep and all Relaxations which cause an Efflorescence thereof in those Cases Hence it is that we are so much recruited and nourished in Sleep that Children grow more than others proportionably that Relaxers cause the Breasts c. to grow Note What a mighty Restaurative Relaxation is By its help for eight Hours in twenty four we can watch all and labour most of the other sixteen all the days of our Life It follows That if we could any way half relax the vigilative Contraction while we Labour take a Iourney or the like that we might perform prodigiously without being â—ired Hence it is That because Pleasure as has been intimated relaxes as Grievances contract of which you may expect farther Proof in the next Chapter that such as work or travel pleasantly diverted all the time are tired very little or nothing in a long time and that some will dance whole Nightâ— with sweet Musick and agreeable beloved Company without being so much tired as they would be if they us'd the same Motions for a quarter of the time without either of the pleasant Diversions The like is to be said of any other Pleasure as drinking a good Glass of generous Wine every half hour or so often as to continue the sense of its Pleasure at Stomach all the time they labour or travel for 't is a vulgar Errour tho' the universal Sentiment of Mankind both Learned and Unlearned That Wine Cordials c. do comfort elevate and excite the Spirits as 't is call'd by adding their Spirits to or joining them with ours whereas it is only by causing a pleasant Sensation particularly at Stomach For which Paradox I am obliged tho' in great haste to come to the Explication of Opium to give my Reasons which are as follows viz. 1. It cannot be imagined how a sensitive Creature as such can conceive any Comfort or be sensible thereof but by Sensation To say he is comforted and not sensible of the Comfort is a Contradiction for Comfort as such belongs to a perceiving Being and an Animal as such perceives nothing but by the Senses and therefore there can be no Comfort but by pleasant Sensation nay as such it is his Comfort So Musick pleasant Sights Odours and agreeable Objects of all the Senses are comfortable because pleasant I hope that none will say That Musick Sights good News c. which highly comfort have any Spirits to add to ours The
be well removed This proves how useful Removals may be and how convenient in Plague Time it would be to remove to the Wind-side of a Town or City that is tainted according as the Wind changes and how convenient Winds are to convey away the Effluviams and good Stomachick Cordials that are warm and pleasant to fortifie the Stomach and open the Pores which all Things that cause a sense of Pleasure do as Wine Spirits c. to which if some good Preparation of Opium were added it would be most convenient How many Stories have we of Persons well fill'd with Wine who wonderfully escaped Infection I pray God this Hint may be improv'd to the Preservation of Mankind Therefore I add that much may be in a good Quantity of Wine in this Case 1. Because Quod intus est prohibet alienum that is What is within hinders ingress of another Thing 2. Because the Perspiration will be the greater both upon the Account of the greater opening of the Pores by the Pleasure of the Wine and the greater Quantity of Matter to be perspired carry off the venemous Particles 3. Because the Sensitive Soul is thereby much comforted refreshed and invigorated but I would have the Wine so used as to keep a continual Warmth Pleasure and Comfort at Stomach which is the main Cause of all the good I think a Glass every Hour after taking 2 or 3 at first may hit the Mark best the Reason of which will appear hereafter Thirdly The Stomach 's exquisite Disposition to Sensation above all other Organs and Membranes appears by this viz. That the Offences of the other Organs of Sensation even by their proper Objects do often affect the Stomach more than those very Senses or Organs themselves For Instance If we smell a great Stench the Stomach is often more offended thereat than the Nose as is manifest from the Vomitings Faintings and Deliquiums that are caused by the Stomach upon that Account so the bare Seeing Feeling and Tasting of a nasty Thing do cause Nauseas c. at Stomach yea the very naming of such Things has much offended it and caused such Effects which may be thought very strange considering that there pass no Effluvias from the sound of Words but the Reason will appear in the following Paragraph Fourthly All Passions Commotions and Perturbations that happen in the Body do often affect the Stomach and sometimes so grievously as to cause Nauseas Vomitings great Anxieties at Stomach Faintings c. Thus Fear Terrour Surprizes Anger Grief Pain in other Parts c. causing some Motion in the Animal more than ordinary of which the Stomach being sensible do cause the aforesaid Disturbances Therefore it is no Wonder if the Hearing one mention a Nasty Thing which causes an Abhorrence and the Motions consequent thereunto should as was said in the precedent Paragraph cause the nice Stomach to be offended It is most manifest from the Premises that no Organ or Membrane can compare with the Stomach as to its exquisite Disposition for Sensation it follows then That Grievances or Pleasure at Stomach must have the greater Effects 1. Because the Intenseness of either will be proportionable to the Sensation 2. Because the Powers of the Animal that are to defend it which are Contractions are affected according to the Sensation and that it is there most requisite sensibly to affect them 3. Because what affects the Stomach influences the whole Animal more than the Sensation of any other Part. 4. Because of the considerable Stay that Things make at Stomach to cause Grievance or Pleasure whereas that of Pleasure is generally very momentary in other Cases 5. Because being within the Body we carry our Pleasure or Grievance with us as a Vade Mecum wherever we go and therefore 6. It is a Pleasure c. that cannot so well be taken away from us as that of the Tongue Ear Nose Eye c. may by removing the Objects and therefore it remains with us in our very Sleep as far as we are capable of Sensation at that Time causing pleasant Dreams c. and so agreeably entertaining us Sleeping or Waking when the Pleasure of all the other Senses fails us Which will appear farther hereafter The Pleasure at Stomach excells even that of Venery if not in Intenseness yet in several other Respects viz. 1. Because of its duration that of Venus being momentary but that of Wine at Stomach lasts a good while and that of Opium many hours 't is therefore that the Effects of these Two are more remarkable and taken notice of 2. Because that at Stomach may be continued as long as we please by a new supply of Wine Opium Cordials c. 3. Because it may be excited when and as often as we please if we have those Cordials at Hand 4. Because it is not attended with any Expence of Strength Depression of Spirits c. as that of Venery but the quite contrary viz. with more Vigour Elevation of the Spirits c. one being by Emission and the other upon Admission of what is agreeable It is for the several Reasons contain'd in the Premises that the Effects of Grievance as Hunger c. or Pleasure are more considerable and remarkable at Stomach and that Things agreeable thereto have by way of Eminence gain'd the Name of Cordials That Wine Spirits Opium c. do cause a more permanent and notable Gaity Pleasantness Good Humour Serenity Promptitude Ovation of the Spirits or Sensitive Soul Bravery Courage Magnanimity Euphory or easie undergoing of Business Relaxation with all its Effects as Deadness of the Eye Dilatation of the Papilla Perspiration c. which are hardly noted in other short Pleasures unless it be in that eminent tho' short one of Venus which is a Pleasure of the same sense of Feeling as that of Opium and Wine are Therefore pleasing the Stomach is one of the greatest Things to be regarded in the Practice of Physick to Comfort Satisfie or Compose the Spirits by which Means I have often performed such Cures that neither I nor I suppose any other could otherwise perform namely Dejections of Appetite Untowardness at Stomach c. when all the ordinary and usual Means have failed by asking them what they mostly desired or long'd for and letting them have it or if they could not tell of any Thing that they long'd for I have mentioned to them all the Relishing Things that I could think of and such as were grateful to the Stomach till they fasten'd upon somewhat that they liked or fancied and then being given them it generally had the desired Success The Stomach is grieved for it will concern us to know how because Opium causes Vomiting c. generally speaking 1. By Things hard of Digestion as heavy Bread Mushroms Rosins and such like 2. By Things acrimonious or pungent as Vomitories of Asarabacca Groundsil Squills c. which abound with Volatile salt 3. By Things that stick to the Stomach which
and Motion fail together of the great Perspiration and all other Effects of Relaxation in such Syncopes or Leipothymies in a yet higher degree than in Sleep wherein the sensitive Soul does not quite let go the Reigns of Contraction as appears by the Motions that remain as of the Heart Intestines c. tho' far more remiss in Sleep than in a Waking State Note That such Leipothymies are as was hinted of the same Nature as Sleep is but that they are suddain more profound and not so usual natural and of course as Sleep is which makes them more amazing and surprizing therefore it follows that they are as Sleep is a Means of Recruit when all working and tugging by Defensive Contractions fail and so the last Refuge of the sensitive Soul when over-tired in order to recover Strength for a fresh Engagement with the Enemy as being tired at Night the sensitive Soul loosens the Rigns of Contraction to enable him the better to fall to his Work the next Day This you 'll find by all Reason and Experience to be the true State of Leipothymies upon Grievances and Fatigues tho' not hitherto minded that I know of Many true and useful Consequences do hence follow as That we are not always to disturb them or put them out of these recruiting Leipothymies by grievous Means as Prickings Pinchings c. but only by Cordials and Refreshing Things as you would Treat a Person much tired or by letting them take their Nap if I may so call it if there be not very eminent Danger But 't is endless and besides my Purpose to make a particular Discourse of this Matter which will belong more properly to my Tract of Animal Mechanism 14. Death happens sometimes tho' very rarely and that in very weak People that take little or no Sustenance because either when fallen into such Syncopes they never come out of them by Reason that they have not within them wherewith to recruit their Spirits or that Opium taking them much spent and tired with Distempers causes as in weak and wearied People a most profound Sopor which not recruiting them who take or digest no Sustenance they must rather grow weaker and weaker for somewhat is spent while we live and consequently the Sleep or Sopor more and more profound till they Sleep their last for want of some Recruit which is the very Thing that naturally lessens Sleep and awakes us when there is no other apparent Cause for as the being tired and want of Recruit causes Sleep so the having it causes Waking or which is the same in Effect no farther need of Relaxation for Recruit's sake so that the sensitive Soul fall to his useful Work of Vigilative Contraction for Sense and Motion's sake 15. It sometimes causes Purging which happens as far as I have observed or can learn only when it is given in a good Quantity to Persons of a strong Digestion or canine Appetite The Case is thus When Persons that are of a strong Digestion take a Resinous Opiate in good Quantity they do in great measure by their fixed Salts at Stomach and strong Digestion subdue the Volatility of the Opium and dissolve its Rosin which then as acrimonious Rosins or Vomits subdued by fixt Salt use to do causes Purging Hence it is that it generally if not always Purges Dogs and People of a high canine Appetite and that sometimes meeting such fixed Salts it Purges the Consumptive Bartholine says That Mandrake Iuice purges when it meets with acrimonious fixed Salt Erastus and Quercelan do agree That it has a Purgative Quality but that it does not always exert it 1. Because it takes away the Sense of Irritation 2. Because it is given in too small a Quantity The Reasons are Just and Right and not only consistent with but confirm what I say Note That this is not intended of the Purging that happens after the declination of its Operation which is as you 'll find from another Cause therefore this does not smell of the Opium as the other does because it is past and gone before that in the Declination happens Of which more in its proper Place 16. It raises and revives some Persons that are almost expiring in Two Cases One is when such as have been used to take it are even expiring for want of it of which more hereafter The other Case is when violent Contraction as from Pain Cold Vomitings and Grievous Passions as Terrour c. are the Cause that People are almost expiring for it takes off the Contractions by relaxing c. 17. It stays very long at Stomach when the Rosin thereof sticks to the Stomach and is there detain'd Besides that the Stomach being relaxed and having little sense or motion as in Sleep does not soon digest it or discharge it It is fine in this Case and all other to observe how Sensation and Motion go Hand in Hand keeping equal Pace and equal Proportion as it plainly must be by the Principles of Relaxation and Contraction which I have stated and proved 18. It causes stoppage of Urine sometimes especially in old People by over relaxing and causing a kind of a temporary Palsie of the Bladder as was shewn and taking away the sense of the Irritation of the Urine which should contract the Bladder to squeese it out by which Means it happens sometimes that the Bladder comes to be so over extended beyond its due Tone that they cannot contract it to make Water in all which Cases strong Contracters as Cold Terrours c. immediately cures them the very putting the Scrotum to the Edge of a cold Chamberpot has effected it several times by my Advice tho' if need be you must come to Dashing of cold Water upon the Region of the Bladder or Pumping on it or Dipping in it c. so Terrour and causing a very smart Pain especially near those Parts will do much but Cold is the readiest and best Remedy 19. It sometimes proves dangerous after great Hemorrbages or Evacuations as Tapping in Dropsies c. because the Relaxation hinders the Parts duely to contract upon what remains which may cause great Mischiefs as Discontinuation of Motion c. Thus have you all the constant frequent and rare Effects of Opium taken internally in a moderate Dose so naturally easily plainly and mechanically explicated that People may in my Judgment more admire how all fail'd of discovering the manner of their Production than that I found it as Men are apt to think of the Circulation of the Bloud which now as I hope the Effects of Opium do seems very obvious both which Cases are to me very strong Arguments of a Being that rules and disposes darkens and illuminates c. as he pleases when I consider that both the Circulation of the Bloud and the Cause of the Operation of Opium viz. Pleasure at Stomach c. fell under the Senses of many Millions who in one Case saw the Bloud move and in the other felt
contracted it is round even polite and truely represents Things 11. Deadness of the Eyes to the View is as has been shewn from the Laxity of the Cornea which makes it flag lie loose look dully and not duely reflect a smart and brisk speck of Light as it does when tense round and polite by its Contraction on the contain'd Humours which then duely fill it 12. Faltring of the Tongue is from the same Relaxation as in Drunken Persons 13. A Sopor is from the same Relaxation over all the sensile Parts of the Body by which Means Sense and Motion are diminished or lost by the Expansion of the Animal Spirits which as has been said being not duely compressed become unfit for both at the same time 14. A slow and wide Pulse is from the same Cause because the said Relaxation permits the Arteries to widen and the Animal Spirits to expand and consequently renders the motion of the Heart slow which is the cause of the Pulse 15. A high Colour or Efflorescence of the Skin has been explain'd 16. Looseness of the Iaw and Lips is from the same Relaxation as was shewn and so is 17. Intumescence of the Lips as has been shewn 18. Difficulty of Breathing may be from Two different Causes either by the Relaxation weakening the requisite Motions for want of Compressure of the Animal Spirits and by the Flaccity of the Parts themselves Or by a great Grievance at Stomach upon the Account of the Rosin sticking to it and causing a Convulsion of those Parts both which may happen 19. Fury and Madness may also happen either by the exalted Pleasure of its Titillation as in Drunkards who therefore scarce know what they do the Mind being as was said alienated Or it may happen as I have often known a kind of Madness to be produc'd by a great Grievance at Stomach which may well be from the Rosin grieving and teazing the nicely sensile Stomach They may be easily distinguished one viz. that from the Rosin at Stomach being with great Distresses Anxieties Convulsions c. and the other without any 20. Venereal Fury proceeds from the high Titillation of the Venereal Membranes by the Volatile Salt of so much Opium as if Cantharides Bees c were taken internally but that these cannot so agreeably titillate those Parts as Opium does whose Volatile Particles are render'd more pleasing by oily ones and therefore much of the Nature of Semen Virile 21. Priapisms are caused by the same continual Titillation 22. Violent Itchings of the Skin are caused by the same tickling Volatile Particles in great Abundance proportionable to the excessive Dose 23. Nauseas are caused by the Rosin sticking at and soliciting the Stomach to Vomit 24. Swimmings in the Head are by conseâ—it because the Stomach is grieved by that Rosin as is observed in many Cases from a grieved Stomach upon a Tendency to Vomit as when it is overloaden with Wine or indigestible Victuals or when Persons are Sea or Coach-sick c. for it is not in these last Cases because the Brain is offended as People imagine that they are Sick or Vomit but the Swimming in the Head and Offence of the Brain happens because the Stomach is offended by the Motion of the Coach or Ship by Reason of its most exquisite Sensation which the Effluvias of a Cat pestiferous Particles and Commotions caused by mear Passion can and do offend as was said so as to cause Vomitings Anxieties c. much more then may the Motion of a Ship or Coach do it I shall not here enter into Controversie with those that assert That it is the Head is first offended in a Coach or Ship it is sufficient for my Purpose that Grievances at Stomach do commonly cause Swimmings in the Head for taking off those Grievances cures them as Eating when it is from the Grievance of Hunger or Wind at Stomach and discharging the Stomach of a great Load of Wine Ale or indigestible Matters when such Things cause it do cure such Swimmings in the Head The Way how Grievances at Stomach do cause those Swimmings is by causing a Contraction as all Grievances do but especially those at Stomach of the Membranes of the Brain as it does of all other but mainly of these because very sensile by which means the Animal Spirits being compressed grow more irrequiete and skipping up and down and the Compression not being continually alike in general or the Arteries affording an uneven and forcible supply of them or Fumes from the Bloud by the Compression nor affecting all Parts of the Brain with equal Force because the Pleasure endeavour to relax c. there must thence arise Eddies Vortices or Whirls thereof which cause Swimmings Vertigo's c. according as they happen to be moved That they happen from such Contraction is manifest 1. Because the Grievance at Stomach can add nothing else to the Brain or its Membranes 2. Because they are taken off by pleasing the Stomach and consequently by Relaxation as by a Glass of Wine Victuals an Opiate that is not resinous c. It is here well worth your notice That all consent of Parts a Thing much admir'd is only by Contraction or Relaxation which suddenly affect the whole Systeme of the Nerves and Membranes 25. Vertigo's are from the same Cause 26. Vomitings are caused as was said by the great Grievance of the acrimonious Rosin sticking to the Coat of the Stomach 27. Hicconghs are from the same Cause which happen upon the decay of Power vigorously to Vomit dwindling into those fruitless Convulsive subsultory Ierâ— or Half Endeavours 28. Distresses and Anxieties must necessarily attend such a grievous Sensation and Desection of Naturâ— Endeavour as being overborn and disabled to work for it self 29. A turbulent Pulse must be an Effect of the foregoing Tumults 30. Convulsions happen as was shewn by the enormous Compression of the Animal Spirits by Reason of the violent Contraction upon the great Grievance by the Rosin at Stomach which causes them to skip and fling up and down very forcibly under the squeese of the Compression and possibly skirmishing under the Vicissitudes of it and Relaxation 31. Faintings and Leipothymies are caused as has been explain'd by the sensitive Soul's being over-tired by the Fatigue of Defensive Contraction and yielding himself to Rest from all Contraction as the last Relief c. whereupon Sense and Motion do fail for want of Compression to render the Spirits springy active and fit for the Purpose 32. Cold Breath is but a necessary Consequence of the Loss of Motion and therefore of Heat by such Leipothymies and Faintings 33. Death is caused Two manner of Ways that is either by an utter Expense of Spirits and thereupon a Dereliction or Extinction of the sensitive Soul by reason of those Distresses and Fatigues upon the Account of the invincible Rosin Or by too much Relaxation disabling all the motions of the Body as in such as dye being dead Drunk
That when People are in an untoward Condition or as they call it out of Sods the next day after Drinking Men often advise taking the Hair of the same Dog that is drinking some of the same Wine or Liquor it is best for them to use it as I just now directed for their Case upon the good Effect of the Wine ceasing is much like that upon the going off of the Operation of Opium which may also in this Case be used instead of Wine to procure a better and blither Condition for that day that uses to be very troublesome to Drinkers 3. Note That good Preparations of Opium may be conveniently used to Horses to prevent their being tired or take off their Weariness and cause them to go on but I would not advise any Preparation in this Case but the liquid Panacea in good Ale or Beer and that only in the same Quantity as is used to Men till farther Experience emboldens the Practice By such means I cannot doubt it any Iade may be made to appear lively go well c. CHAP. XXXII Of the Use of the Panacea c. to compose the Sensitive Soul Spirits c. I Have shown how and why it composes and quiets the sensitive Soul Spirits Bloud Stomach c. and by that means allays all the Fury Commotions Perturbations and turbulent Exorbitances thereof and that often without Sleep but much better with it It follows therefore 1. That it prevents and takes off all Frets and turbulent Passions of the sensitive Soul as Anger uneasie Agitations and Tosses of the Mind Peevishness Fretfulness Discontents Disquietudes Dissatisfactions Murmurs turmoilings and vexatious Thoughts Anxieties Solicitudes c. and all the evil Effects thereof as Watchings Waste of Spirits or Strength Lossitudes Hypochondriacal Melancholy Cachexies Scurvies c. But these last belong most properly to its Alterative Faculty or Vertue 2. All involuntary furious Agitations of the sensitive Soul and Spirits as Madness more especially Melancholy Madnesses or such as proceed from grievous Thoughts or Apprehensions Losses Crosses Despair Fears Terrours or the like but they are not so good in Merry Madnesses as those from Ioy Venereal Fury and such-like which answers the great Disputes about Opiates in Madnesses Deliriums Epileptical Fits Convulsions general and particular as those of the Head Rising of the Lights Vomitings Hiccoughs Sabbings Keckings Convulsive Asthma's Palpitations and Tremblings of the Heart Shakings and Shiverings upon Fear Terror Cold Pain Ague-Fits Convulsive Colicks Hysterick Fits Iliack Passions c. 3. All Fevers and Frets of Humours that happen from any of the aforesaid Causes Or from any violent Motion voluntary or involuntary as Labour Running Hewing Fighting or any vehement Exercise Ratlings Tossings Concussions in Coaches Waggons Boats in stormy Weather violent Riding c. Or from Heat of Fire Sun Baths Hot-Houses Bagnio's Crowds lying too many in one Bed or with too much Clothes Or from grievous Sensation Irritation or Pain as Fevers upon Inflammations Abscesses Buboes Stone Colick Cardialgia Wounds Fractures Dislocations Confusions Amputations Lithotomy Paracentesis or any painful Operation of the Noble Art of Chirurgery Agony or Pain of the Small-Pox as its second Fever and the like Or from Fluxes as tedious and turbulent Vomitings Diarrheas Dysenteries Cholera's Iliack Passions artificial Purging and all symptomatick or immaterial Fevers whatsoever which either never had any Matter but proceed from such agitating Causes as I mentioned or remain as some do after the grieving Matter is carry'd off by Vomiting Purging c. I forbore mentioning Pleurisies and Peripneumonia's among the Fevers that it prevents or takes off because there are great Disputes whether Opiates are convenient in those Cases which I hope to determine Unless it be when the said Distempers are come to that pass that it is dangerous to cause Sleep or take away any of the Sense of the Irritation of the Matter to be expectorated lest it should be too much amass'd in the Bronchias or Wind-pipe and so choak the Person I see no cause to forbid them any more than Sleep or Opiates in other Inflammations wherein they are highly beneficial to give Ease cause Sleep compose the Spirits and take off or at least moderate the Fever But I see many good Reasons to use them 1. Because as a Sal-Volatile-Oleosum they reserate and resolve clammy Humours and are so agreeable in Principles as Menstraums should be to the thing to be resolved I cannot doubt but Red Poppy is upon Experience stated a Specifick in those Cases for that reason 2. Because these Distempers as Hippocrates speaks are from a segregation of Humours by Agitation c. and Opiates excellent Composers thereof 3. Because they are such great Discussers and 4. Open the Pores to let the discussed Matter quite out of the Body 5. Because it may be that by its Relaxation upon such Resolution the lodged Matter may be caused to flow off and circulate again and so be gradued discussed and carried off by the open Pores 6. Because it envigorates Nature to perform those Things And 7. Gives Ease and Recruit of the Spirits by Sleep So that all Things considered I think as Experience assures us that Red Poppy or Opiates in due Quantity are the very best Remedies that can be used Hence it is that Wedelius calls Opium an Antipleuritick Specifick he having observed as I and others have done That the whole Course of the Disease and Expectoration will succeed much better by their Use. He adds also That he has very often cured them by its help without letting of Bloud which is an infallible sign of their good Effect since the Pleurisie can hardly be cured without Bleeding I cannot see how an Effect that bears such Analogy to Sleep can do any more Harm than Sleep Etmuller also advises the giving of Opiates not only in the Beginning but also during the Increase of the Pleurisie or Peripneumoniae So that I conclude That they are of excellent Use in those Diseases unless it be when Sleep or them may cause too much Insensibleness of the Bronchias and so retard Expectoration when the Case is such that the Want thereof may endanger the Person 's being choak'd We have also many Histories of Persons cured in other Fevers by large Doses of Opiates I suppose that resinous Opiates causing Vomiting and great Disturbances by reason of ill Digestion in those Cases might be one great Cause of People's Fears and Ieolousies in giving Opiates which is easily prevented by giving liquid Opiates void of any resinous Particles as the liquid Panacea c. 4. It does by composing quieting and appeasing the Motion and Perturbation of the Bloud conduce much to the stop of its Efflux in Hemorrhages or Bleedings that are unnatural as at Nose in spitting and vomiting of Bloud bleeding at the Hemorrhoids in Dysenteries pissing of Bloud c. and sometime in profuse Menses when they happen from a Fever or too much Motion of the Bloud and
which argues That the Specifick Combination of the Oily and Volatile Parts baffles all Coctions Digestions Circulations and Percolations that have happened in the Body Dioscorides and Aeginela speaking of Opium say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The smell of the Medicament is expanded over the whole Body Which Things of its Nature do as Garlick Onions Semen Animale which causes Rankness all over Male Creatures as Rams Boars Bulls c. 14. Le Febure in his Chymistry Part 2. p. 33 says That Opium has a Volatile Salt inseperably mixt with Sulphur or Oily Parts 15. Wedelius in his Opiologia Lib. 2. Sect. 1. Cap. 4. P. 91. speaking of Opium says Sal ejus cum sulphure intime combinatum sudores efficit that is Its salt being intimately combined with sulphur or Oil causes Sweat And Lib. 2. P. 143. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obtinuit non facile dissipabilem that is It has a contexture not easily dissipable 18. All know how apt Volatile Salt and Oily Parts are to combine Therefore Opium acts and produces its usual good Effects by a Sal-Volatile-Oleosum somewhat more active than that in our Membranes whose Principles are most intimately and strictly combined and so that it is qualified in the highest degree for our Purpose Because 1. It agrees in Principles with our Membranes 2. That its Sal-Volatile-Oleosum is more active and vigorous than that of the Membranes to actuate and excite the Spiritus insiti and finely to tickle and gratifie the Membranes 3. That the Volatile Salt and Oily Parts being so intimately combined do deliciously qualifie one the other for that Purpose While the Oily smooths and lenifies the Volatile Salt and the Volatile Salt actuates and quickens the Oily And that being so combined 4. Both conspire to a permanent and exalted Pleasure of the Membranes especially at Stomach and the Venereal Parts where they are so exquisitely disposed for Sensation Therefore the Sal-Volatile-Oleosum of Opium separated from its Rosin is most consummate and best qualified that possibly can be imagined to please gratifie and finely to titillate our Membranes or Organs of Sensation which was the Thing required I cannot better illustrate its Nature than by the most exalted Thing in an Animal viz. it s Semen Therefore for Confirmation of its Principles and Excellency therein I will consider its Likeness and Agreement therewith 1. In being both a Sal Volatile-Oleosum 2. In having a more active vigorous and exalted Sal-Volatile-Oleosum than any Part of the Animal 3. In having the Volatile Salt and Oleous Particles intimately combined for Semen Animale will as Opium keep very long uncorrupted as appears by its long stay in the Vesiculae seminales of some Animals that do not excern it in many years 4. In that both are apt to mix with all forts of Menstruums and both Mole minima Virtute maxima 5. In having much the same Smell viz. a rank and vehement one 6. In tainting the Body therewith as has been shewn 7. In being much of the same Weight as appears by both sinking in Water c. 8. The Taste must in all Probability have a Rankness in it like that of Opium because it gives a rank Taste to the whole Body of Male Creatures 9. Both excite Venery cause Erections Venereal Fury and Nocturnal Pollutions c. 10. Both cause Boldness Courage and Magnanimity which are reckon'd among the Effects of Opium and are the common Effects of Plenitude of Seed in Animals that are otherwise pusillanimous in Times of Copulation so Modest and Sheepish Boys grow much more assured â—old and as they commonly call it Manlike upon Puberty and Girls grow more Womanlike in their Dispositions and 't is my Observation That the Men who breed most of the Sem. Virile are generally if not always the most Valiant 11. Both do cause a great Relaxation upon the Pleasure thereof as appears after a good Dose of Opium and upon Emission of the other by the Deadness of the Eyes or Laxity of the Cornea in both Cases Dilatation of the Pupill Floridity of the Skin large Perspiration laxity of the Limbs Sleepiness loss of Memory and Sense alienation of the Mind a wide Pulse Indolence loss of Feeling in both Cases and other Signs of Relaxation 12. Both Opium and Puberty cause a growth of the Penis Breasts and increase Milk by Reason of the Relaxation that they cause which as in Sleep causes the greater Nutrition but of the manner how it happens upon Relaxation more hereafter if there be occasion Hence it is 13. That both Opium and Puberty are apt to bring down the Menses and open the Viae by the Relaxation and that Marriage or the Pleasure of Venereal Acts do by the like Relaxation promote the Menses That both Opium and such Acts are apt to cause Miscarriages by relaxing the Neck of the Womb c. 14. Both cause Sadness and Dejection when the Operation is over as indeed Pleasure generally does especially if intense 15. Both Opium and Sem. Animale prevent Lassitude and cause Euphory or easier Undergoing of Labour Hence it is that Stone Horses will not be so soon tired when full thereof and quickly recover if tired which might doubtless be observed in other Animals but that they are not used to Labour and so not obvious to be observed 16. Authors do say That Sem. Virile takes of Venereal Impotence procures Love c. which doubtless must be by exciting to Venery as Opium does Thus the Genitals of Bucks Boars Bucks of Hares Cocks c. do as Opium excite Venery and the Seed of Animals as of a Camel and the aforesaid Creatures come to be esteemed Hypnoticks and doubtless all Animal Seed especially of the more Salaceous Creatures is an Opiate in some degree To be short The main if not all the Difference in their Effects arises only 1. From the Different Parts that they affect because Opium affects the Stomach the Venereal and all the Membranes in general and Sem. Animale only the Venereal Parts immediately tho' an intense Pleasure of one Part does affect the whole 2. That Opium does affect with a Sense of Pleasure more permanent viz. for many Hours as has been said and that the Pleasure of the other is Momentary Therefore Opium acts by causing an intense permanent and charming Pleasure of the Membranes in general but more particularly of the Stomach and Venereal Parts as being more exquisitely disposed for Sensation for the Preservation of the Individuum and Species It cannot be much wondred at considering our Active Principles are a Sal-Volatile-Oleosum and that Opium is such and that we naturally carry an Opiate within us that in some Cases our ordinary Sal-Volatile-Oleosum or that of the Choler Semen c. being by some accident exalted towards the Nature of Opium may have the Effect of an Opiate upon us by causing Sopors and Lethargick Distempers Fuâ—or uterinus by Titillation c. Thus the Spume of some Male Animals Mummy c.