His drie distemperature is the cause of an accident which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a shrinking together and drienes of the christalline humour thereby becomming as it were white Hippocrates in his third booke of Aphorismes obserueth that this disease doth seldome happen but to olde folke and wee iudge it incurable The christalline may shift out of his place many waies for either it may shift to either side or rise higher or fall lower or it may shrinke further into the eye or come forward toward the forepart of the eye Howsoeuer it remoue and shift The accidents that fall out when the christalline humor is remoued out of his place it hurteth the sight very much if it bee sunke farre backe into the eye it causeth that wee cannot behold things which are neere at hand if it be set too forward it letteth from seeing a farre off if it be more to the one side or to the other we see a squint and when it is too high or too low euery thing seemeth two because they are not leuell The diseases of the watrie humour The waterish humour being also a part as well as the others hath his particular diseases If it be too much dried as it falleth out very oft in cataracts it taketh the sight cleane away If his store be greatly diminished the christalline humour drieth the grape-like coate withereth the hornie membrane shrinketh and the outward light is not rebated As concerning the glassie humour writers haue not noted any diseases properly belonging thereto but in my iudgement it is subiect to the same affects that the waterish both in his temperature substance and quantitie The diseases of the coates The tunicles of the eye are sixe but there are not any moe then three which haue been noted to haue particular diseases that is to say the coniunctiue the hornie and the grape-like for no man hath designed any vnto the cobweb-like net-like or glassie one The diseases of the white coate Inflammation The diseases proper vnto the coniunctiue are three inflammation the naile called in Latine Pterigium and mortification The inflammation of this membrane is sometime so sleight as that it healeth of it self and then it is called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The cause thereof is for the most part outward as smoke winde the Sunne dust open ayre the smell of onyons if this inflammation be greater it is absolutely called Ophthalmia if it bee very great in so much as that it causeth the white to be very much puffed vp and thereby the apple of the eye to seeme to stand in a hollow the Greekes doe call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are inflammations proceeding of blood others proceeding of choler others of fleagme The differences of the inflammation of the the eye and some of melancholie Galen speaketh both of moyst drie ones Hippocrates of symptomatical and criticall ones Trallian of such as are accompanied with a consumption and such as are not of maligne ones such as are vsuall in the plague time such as are not maligne of continuall ones and such as keepe ordinary returnes The naile The second kind of disease is called Pterigium This is a sinewy flesh which beginneth to grow most commonly at the great corner of the eye and from thence spreadeth it selfe like a wing vnto the apple of the eye it is also sometime like vnto a naile it followeth very often the inflammations that are not orderly cured it is accompanied with some itching as also with a little rednes and with some teares The seuerall sorts of it There are many kindes of it which are all distinguished either by their colour or manner of fastning of themselues or by their substance or greatnes As for the difference of colour there are white red and yellowish ones They differ in respect of their fastning because some sticke fast and close to whereas others doe suffer themselues to bee easily separated They differ in substance because some are thicke and some thin some soft some hard some membranous like skinnes some fatty and like vnto grease and some varicous which are like vnto a net knit and made of many small veines and arteries The bignes maketh the last difference for some are so small that they passe not the white othersome so great as that they reach vnto the apple of the eye and doe greatly hinder the sight The third and last disease proper to the white tunicle Mortification is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blacknes or the mortification of the eye Paulus Aegineta and Aetius had defined it a bursting of the veines of the eye which causeth the blood to settle it selfe all vnder the white tunicle and the hornie also making all things seeme red vnto the eye The cause hereof is ordinarily outward as some blow or fall sometimes it is inward as the fulnes of the veines and the thinnesse of the blood There are some other diseases of the white tunicle as pustules and white spots in maner of a skarre but they are common with this vnto the hornie membrane The diseases of the hornie membrane Pustules The diseases of the hornie membrane are pustules common maligne and cankerous vlcers the retention of purulent matter called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the skarre and the rupture The pustules are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Grecians and Bothor of the Arabians These are like vnto little bladders proceeding of a thin and waterish humour which gathereth amongst the small skinnes of the hornie membrane and setteth them vpon the stretch The diuers sorts of pustules Their differences are knowne by their colour for some are blacke and therefore growing betwixt the first and second leafe and some are white and do grow betwixt the third and fourth leafe They differ in situation because some are more superficiall and others more deepe They differ in respect of matter because some doe rise of a cholericke humour others of a cleere and thinne water Vlcers commonly happening in the hornie membrane If the purulent matter continue long after that the pustules bee broken it maketh an vlcer in the hornie membrane The Phisitions both Greeke and Arabian make seuen sorts of vlcers three inward and foure outward the first of the inward is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three vlcers within the hornie membrane of Paulus Aegineta and Auicen annulus of others Fossula that is to say a small streite hollow vlcer hauing no matter in it the second is wider and not so deepe Paulus calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Auicen lilimie the third is very filthie and croustie the Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arabians Alficume The outward vlcers are foure The foure vlcers in the vtter part of the horny membrane the first is like vnto a grosse smoke and maketh the apple of the eye blacke they call it 〈◊〉
I am of minde that as concerning mad men and them which haue much heate about the inward parts or bowels and in the braine wine is very contrarie but in melancholike persons that are colde and drie as those of whome wee intreate in this place a little white or claret wine which is neither sweete nor thicke but indifferently delaied is very good Zeno said oftentimes that wine doth mitigate the sharpenes of mens manners as water taketh away the bitternes of Lupines And Auerrhoes writteth that wine reioyceth the minde and spirits Artificial wine One may make in the vintage time an artificiall wine with Borage and Buglosse which is most singular in all melancholike diseases and drinke his first draught thereof either at dinner or at supper If a man doubt the sweete sent hee may cast a bunch of the flowres of Borage onely or of the hearbe it selfe also into the wine which he ordinarilie drinketh Watching is altogether enemie to those that are troubled with this disease for we must with all the skill and cunning we can procure sleepe the meanes to doe it follow in the next chapter Moderate exercise may serue to very good purpose but it must be done in pleasant and delightsome places as gardens medowes greene-plots in places where there are many water springs or some riuers a man must not tyre himselfe in these exercises he must rest himselfe oft Melancholike persons should neuer be alone they should alway haue some such companie left with them as might best like and please them sometimes they must bee flattered and yeelded vnto in some part of that which they desire for feare least this humour which is rebellious by nature and giuen to selfe wilfulnes should grow raging and furious some whiles they must be chid for their foolish imaginations as also reproched and made ashamed of their cow-hardinesse they must be imboldned to the vttermost that we can and praised in their actions and if they haue in some cases done something worthie of praise wee must put them oft in minde thereof vphold them with merrie tales wee may not call to their minde any thing that might cause them to feare not yet bring them any vnpleasant tidings To be short wee must turne backe and driue away as much as wee can from their vnderstanding al maner of passions ouerthrowing the mind especially choler feare and sadnes for as Plato saith in his Dialogue called Charmides the greatest part of the mischiefes that fall vpon the bodie doe come from the minde Musicke very meete for melancholike persons The old writers doe commend Musicke in all melancholike diseases whether they bee hot or cold The Arcadians did reclaime the maners of such as were sauadge and vnnurtured by Musicke Empedocles Agrigentinus did mitigate and appease the furiousnes of a certaine young man with the melodiousnes of his song Clinius the Musition as soone as he perceiued his melancholike fit to come vpon him would betake him to his harpe and keepe backe by this meanes the motions of the humour Dauid also when the euill spirit came vpon Saul made him merrie with his harpe and he found ease thereby The belly must be kept soluble The belly must bee kept alwaies soluble in all melancholike diseases and therefore if it neede wee must stirre it vp by all the meanes we can CHAP. IX How we must cure such melancholike persons as haue the disease growing in the braine All melancholike diseases are rebellious and very hard to be cured DAily experience plainly teacheth vs that all melancholike diseases are rebellious long and very hard to cure and the reason thereof is as cleere for the melancholike humour is earthie and grosse enemie to the light contrarie to the two principles of our life heate and moysture resisting the meanes and remedies neither giuing eare to good aduise nor yet obeying the holesome precepts of Phisicke And to be short it is the very scourge and torment of Phisitions Aristotle in his seuenth booke of Ethikes sayth that melancholike folk haue alwaies something which doth gnaw and feede vpon them and this is the cause why they are alwaies running after the Phisition and yet we ought not to leaue them helplesse I will set downe in this chapter the most speciall remedies that I haue been able to obserue together with the order how such melancholike persons must be handled Three sorts of remedies requisite in melancholike diseases It seemeth vnto me that for the cure of melancholie wee had neede of three kindes of remedies that is to say diminutiues alteratiues and comfortatiues The diminutiues are either letting of blood or purgation As concerning the letting of blood which is vniuersall Blood-letting respecting the whole body Galen appointeth it to be ministred in that melancholy which is within the veines and throughout the whole habite of the bodie and willeth that if the blood issuing shew fayre and thinne that it bee stayed by and by but in that melancholie which hath his seate in the braine and which commeth of a colde and drie distemperature he hath forbidden it most expressely The Arabians commend in the cure of this kinde of melancholie Blood-letting respecting some particular parts the letting of blood called particular to the taking away of the conioyned cause they open the veines of the forehead of the nose and of the eares they set cupping-glasses vpon the shoulders hauing first scarified the place they apply horseleaches vpon the head and in all melancholike diseases whether essentiall or accidentall they cause the hemorrhoides to be opened hauing the eleuenth Aphorisme of the sixt booke for their ground and warrant which saith that in melancholike and mad men the varicous tumour or hemorrhoides appearing doe heale the same but all these particular openings of a veine haue no place in the beginning of this disease Purging Wee must begin with that other kinde of euacuation which is purgation It may bee performed by the often vsing of Clister Decoctions Syrupes and Opiates the forme of an ordinary Clister for melancholike persons shall be such as followeth Take of the rootes of Holihocke one ounce of the leaues of Mallowes Mercurie 〈◊〉 Clister Violets and Hops of each a great handfull of Anise and Linseede of each two drammes of Damaske prunes one dozen of the flowers of Borage and Violets and of Barlie a handfull boyle all together in cleere water and straine them adde thereto afterward of Cassia an ounce of Catholicon halfe an ounce of oyle of Violets two ounces and as much of honie of Roses make thereof an ordinary Clister A potion minoratiue The Arabians vse in the disease of melancholie pilles of Aloes of Hiera and of Lapis lazulus but I doe not so well like of this forme as of the liquide it were better therefore to vse decoctions This potion may serue in the beginning for a minoratiue Take of Licotice halfe an ounce of Polypodie of the oke three
arise of the corruption of the ayre and of the manner of life The ayre may alter and change vs three maner of waies by his qualities by his substance and by his sudden alteration and chaunge that which is too cold too hot and too moyst is apt to beget rheumes the hot ayre doth it by resoluing and melting such humours as are contained in the braine for thus it maketh them the more apt to fall downe the colde ayre is the cause of distillations because it presseth the braine together and euen as a spunge full of water being pressed wee may behold the water to run out like a riuer on euery side euen so the braine being shrunke together by colde letteth all her humours glide and slip away the same cold ayre may also bee the cause of rheumes by repelling and causing to retire the naturall heate from the vtter parts to the inner The Southerne and Northerne windes are mightie causes to moue and make rheumes for those doe fill the braine and make it heauie but these doe cause it to shrinke together Long tariance inthe Sun or open ayre doth effect as much The sudden change of the ayre and alteration of seasons are of the number of those causes which inforce the rheume As also if the seasons doe keepe their naturall temper as Hippocrates hath very well obserued in his third booke of Aphorismes the yeare will greatly incline vnto rheumatikenes If together with this partie alteration or vtter ouerthrow of the temperature there bee any particular defect in the substance of the ayre as some secret and hidden corruption or infection then it will ingender a popular and pestilent rheume The maner of liuing may likewise bee put in the scrole of outward causes which doe ingender and beget the rheume much eating and drinking doe likewise fill the braine and this is the cause why drunkards and gluttonous feeders are ordinarily subiect vnto the Wrangling rheume .. Great abstinence may likewise cause rheumes in attenuating and making thin the humours as also for that the stomacke being emptie and not prouided of any thing to fill it selfe withall is constrained to make attraction of such moysture as is in the parts neere about Long watching continuall studie extreame violent passions of the minde in as much as they spend and waste the naturall heate and coole the brainer doe ingender rheumes to liue all idle doth keepe the excrements vnconsumed Great euacuations but especiallie oft letting of blood and in great quantitie do cast headlong the body into old age and make it altogether rheumatike Much sleepe puffeth vp the bodie and maketh it moyst especially that which is taken at noonetide And thus much for the outward causes which may cause and mooue the rheume let vs now come vnto the inward The inward causes are either remote or else conioyned the remote which it pleaseth some better to call Antecedents haue relation to the euill disposition of the braine head liuer stomacke and sometimes of the whole bodie The distemperature of the braine causeth rheumes The cold moyst and hot distemperature of the braine doe oftentimes cause rheumes the cold and moyst of their owne nature the hot by way of accident the cold distemperature weakeneth naturall heate doth not make good disgestion of nourishment neither yet spend and waste vnnecessary superfluities whereupon it followeth that it must needs store vp abundance of excrements The hot distemperature attracteth more nourishment then it can well disgest and moe vapours then it can dispatch and make away withall There are some which haue very wittily obserued that the closenes of the substance of the braine is oftentimes the cause of rheumes because it retaineth the vapours and suffereth them not to spend by breathing out and euaporation The euil shape of the head The bad forme or shape of the head is likewise very forcible to procure rheumes for such as haue thc seames of their head very close set together or which haue not any at all as wee haue seene very many are subiect to distillations because the vapours retained doe turne into water and in deede the seames were chiefly made to serue for a vent and as it were a chimney vnto the braine The distemperapture of the lower parts The distemperature of the lower parts and especially of the liuer and stomacke is one of the most ordinarie causes of the rheume if wee beleeue Auicen the prince of the Arabians For from the liner being excessiuely hot doe come as it were from a great burning cole many hot exhalations which by the cold temperature of the braine doe congeale and turne into water I say further that they which haue a very hot liuer haue also their veines very hot in such sort as that there rise continually very hot vapours from them The cold distemperature of the stomacke ingendring many crudities my also be a cause of rheumes for thereby al the bodie is cooled the second disgestion not being able to correct the errour of the first But if it should so bee as that all the causes should concur and iumpe together that is to say that the braine should bee cold and moyst the lieu hot the stomacke cold there were no doubt but that thereupon would follow a perpetuall generation of excrements in the braine and this is that which the Arabians would haue sayd when they wrote that an vnequall distemperature of the principall parts is the greatest occasion of distillations And thus much concerning the remote causes The more neere or antecedent causes not onely of rheumes but of all other fluxes of humours are three The causes more necrely procuring rheumes are three The partsending the part sending the part receiuing and the nature of the humour In the part sending wee obserue his high situation and his strength if it bee indued with these two qualities it will easily cast his burthen vpon all the inferiour-parts which are as it were vassals vnto it Hippocrates hath well obserued it in the booke of the wounds of the head when he sayth that amongst all the parts of the head the brow is most subiect vnto inflammation because the brow is contained but euery fluxe is from the part containing vnto the part contained the brow is contained both in respect of the low situation thereof as also in respect of the production of vessels The part receiueth the humour either because it is inferiour or because it is weake The part receiuing or because it draweth it vnto it Euery inferiour part is subiect to receiue the burthen of that which commanded it but and if the part be weake it will yet be the more apt This weakenes commeth either of it selfe and from the proper nature of the part or else by some accident The weake part the rare and spungie parts are naturallie weake such as are all the glandules and it seemeth that nature of set purpose hath made them such to the end that they should receiue
the excrements and superfluities of the principall parts Hippocrates hath debated this matter so well in his booke of Glandules as that a man cannot tel how to adde any thing therevnto The skin was by nature made weak to the end it might containe al the superfluities that are frō within whereupon some call it the vniuersall emunctorie Parts may also be weak by some accident as by a fall or blow or some distēperature in what maner soeuer they bee weake it maketh them apt to receiue the refuse of their neighbour parts How the part attracteth the humour to it selfe The last cause is the part his attraction of the humour The Arabians haue acknowledged three causes of this attraction heate paine and the auoyding of vacuitie Heate attracteth of it owne nature because it rarifieth the parts neere about attenuateth and maketh thin the humours and enlargeth the waies and passages for the humour to runne through How paine attracteth Paine doth not attract of his owne nature because it is an affect of feeling but feeling is a patient and no agent and euery one of the sences is executed by taking in of some thing but the humours flow to the pained part by reason of the weakenes of the same as also because the naturall heat thereof is weakened by the paine and cannot well concoct the humour it must needes bee that it should stay in that place They who affirme that the humour floweth vnto the part which feeleth the paine because nature sendeth thither both spirits and blood that she may comfort the same doe deceiue themselues in my judgement and offer great wrong vnto nature for if she knew that such a part stood in need of spirits and blood she would know therewithal that in sending this blood she should profit the part nothing at all but rather hurt it so that paine doth not properly attract and draw The last cause of distillations is imputed to the humour For if it bee thin in substance hot in temperature sharpe and pricking in qualitie it will be a great deale the more apt to flow CHAP. V. A generall order of diet to be obserued for the preuenting and curing of Rheumes and distillations I Will follow the same order and course in the laying downe of this regiment which I haue taken in the other two going before Wee must therefore so dispose of all the sixe things which are called not naturall as that they may not only hinder the engendring of rheumes but also consume and cure the same being alreadie begotten Let euery man therefore make choise for himselfe of such an ayre as is temperate in his actiue qualities and as for the passiue that it bee altogether drie I say that it must be temperate in heate and cold because that a hot ayre resoluing the humours of the braine and a cold pressing them out causeth them to fall downe aboundantly If the ayre bee too cold it may bee corrected with good fires made of Iuniper Rosemarie Bay-tree Oke and Fig-tree if it be exceeding hote it may be cooled with hearbs and flowers that are indued with such propertie There must care be had to auoide the Northerne and Southerne windes because the one filleth the head full and the other presseth it out You must not abide much in the Sunne-beames nor yet in the open ayre The windes which pearce through chinkes and rifts are extreamely dangerous for the rheume The inequalitie of the ayre as Celsus obserueth very well doth mightily further the begetting of rheumes it is called an vnequal aire when it is now hot now cold As concerning the passiue qualities the ayre-must in all maner of distillation incline vnto drines and for that cause it is good to dwell vpon mounted places and such as are farre from riuers In meates three things are to be obserued the quantitie qualitie and manner of vsing them As concerning the quantitie In meats three things are to be obserued all repletion and full gorging is enemie to such complexions as are subiect vnto rheumes we may not at any time eate to the full it is better to rise from the table hungrie and hee cannot but fare the better which cutteth of one meale in a weeke As concerning the qualitie it must bee contrary vnto the disease or the cause thereof the cause of rheumes is a superfluous humour so that it will bee fittest to vse such meates as may dry vp the same All vaporous meates in generall must bee abstained as also meates that are grosse windie full of excrements and hard to disgest In the maner of vsing of these meates there must many rules bee obserued as there must no new meate bee taken into the stomacke before the former bee throughly disgested You must content your selfe to feede vpon one onely dish and that such as is good for varietie filleth all full of cruditie and it mingleth it selfe with the blood in the veines and ministreth rheumatike matter vnto the braine You must vse to eate more at dinner then at supper in as much as sleepe which succeedeth supper within a short time doth send great store of vapours vnto the braine which are afterwards turned into water The bread must bee of good wheate and throughly baked Bread not cleane purged from his branne but retaining a little branne and mixt with some salt it must neuer be eaten hot at the latter end of meate you may eate bisket wherein some Anise and Fennell seede haue been put Rosted meates are much better then boyled Flesh and of them such as doe not abound with humours we allow the vse of Capon Pigeon Partridge young Hare Kid Hart Feasant Quailes Turtle doues and all birds of the mountaines all which maybe interlarded with Sage and Hissope of the mountaines The vse of water-fowles Porke Lambe Mutton and young Veale is forbidden broths and pottage are very ill Fish is exceedingly contrary Fish All sort of milk-meates is an enemie in rheumatike diseases as also all maner of pulse As concerning hearbes Hearbes the Arabians recommend vnto vs Sage Hissope Mints wilde Time Margerome Rosemary Burnet Cheruill Fennell and Costmarie Aetius tolerateth Coleworts and Leekes but he forbiddeth in expresse tearmes Garlick Onions because they send vp many vapours and all cold moyst hearbes as Lettuse Purcelane Sorrell and such like All fruites that abound in moysture Fruites as Apples Plums Melons Cucumbers and Mulberies are forbidden But as for such as haue propertie to drie as Pine apples small nuts Pistaces Almonds Peares Quinces Figs drie Raisines Medlers Ceruisses they may be vsed after meate And thus much concerning meate As concerning drinke Drinke cold water and all maner of licour that is actually cold it is enemie to al such as are subiect to the rheume if so bee that such rheume be not extreame hot pricking and accompanied with an ague Barley water with a little Sugar and Cinamome is very good and fit or a Ptisane or
oblique maner into the membrane coniunctiue or white coate before spoken of This skilfull peece of worke hath laine secret vntill this age wherein an ingenious Anatomist named Fallopius hath detected the same The other ther springeth from the great corner Pleasant deuised names for euery one of the sixe muscles and fastneth it selfe in the little drawing the eye in oblique maner towards the eare We will giue for sport sake vnto euery muscle his proper name and so that which draweth the eye vpward shall be called proude and haughtie and that which moueth it downeward humble and lowly that which moueth it toward the nose reader or drinker because in reading or drinking we turne our eyes toward our nose the fourth which moueth the eye toward the lesse corner disdainefull or angrie for that it maketh vs looke awrie the two oblique or circular ones shall be called rowling and amarous because they make the eye to moue priuilie and to cast out wanton glaunces The error of the old writers about a sementh muscle All Anatomists doe adde a seuenth muscle which should couer the nerue opticke keepe it firme and stay the eye that it goe not out of his place but they are deceiued for there is no such found but in fourefooted beasts which haue their eyes so much hanging downe toward the earth but man ordinarilie carying his face lifted vp to Heauen had not neede of any such Some there be which thinke this muscle to be as necessarie for men as beasts to the making of a setled and direct motion and such as should resemble the musicall rest as also to keepe the eye staied and stedfast when we doe earnestlie behold any thing but I assure you that such direct and bent motion is made when all the sixe muscles together indifferently doe stretch their fibres as in like sort when they slacke themselues the eye standeth not still but moueth incessantly If these assertions doe not satisfie them then let them shew me this seuenth muscle that I may beholde it with mine eye and I will beleeue them CHAP. VII Of the sixe coates of the eye THe eye being christallike cleere and of a waterish substance within required necessarilie some staying holde by bodies more stable and stedfast for otherwise the humours would tumble as storme-beaten ships neuer being at rest The necessitie of the coats of the eye Therefore nature to preuent this mischiefe hath framed certaine little filmes or skins which are called of some tunicles or coates which vnite and fasten together the whole eye cause the seuerall humors to abide within their proper bounds and therewith all conuey their nourishment vnto them The certaine number of these tunicles is not throughly concluded of for some make moe and some fewer Hippocrates doth acknowledge but foure Galen hath obserued fiue That there are but fiue tunicles or coats and the Anatomists of our time make vp the number of nine As for my selfe hauing with all carefulnes perused the leaues of this booke of nature I cannot finde any more then sixe which are the white the hornie the grape-like cobweb-like net-like and glassie coate For whereas some doe count of one that should be like vnto the eye-bries it is nothing else but an appendant part of the vitreous as that which they call the hard coate is a parcell of the hornie As concerning the ninth which is made of the endes of the muscles there is no shew of reason why it should be called a tunicle proper to the eye For if this were graunted it would also follow that the common membrane which couereth the muscles of the eye should be graced with the same priuiledge The first therefore and largest of all the rest That the white tunicle is the first is called the white coate or the white of the eye or otherwise the coniunctiue membrane I say nothing in this place of the greeke and latine names for that a man may see them in mine Anatomie This tunicle is very strong and riseth from the edges of Pericranium it compasseth not the eye round about or euery where for it endeth at the circle called Iris by reason of the varietie of the colours thereof I confesse that there are three vses of this coate The threefold vse of the same The first whereof is that it letteth all annoyance which might happen to the eye by the hardnes of the bones about it The second to hold the eye firme least that either by some maner of excesse or els some ouer violent motion it should fall out of his place The third and last is to stand fast vnto al the sixe muscles as whereupon they should not faile to finde sure footing The hornie membrane The second membrane is called Cornea or hornie because it is cleere polished as the hornes of lanternes be or because it may be diuided into many little skins or thinne membranes it is also called hard because of his hardnes and for that it commeth from the thicke membrane compassing the braine called Dura mater The substance thereof is thicke for the better withstanding of outward miuries it is also transparent or through cleere that thereby the light may quickly passe through it it is smooth polished and without all colour because that seruing as a glasse or spectacle vnto the christialline humour it would haue made euery thing which wee should haue looked vpon to haue been of the same colour with it selfe if it had been of any colour at all this is also the cause why there are not any veines or arteries to bee seene in it But if it happen that this skinne grow white as sometimes it doth through vlcers in the same or by hauing been scorched by some hot thing in such sort as the Turkes vse them which will see Mahomet his sepulcher the sight is lost the glasse being darkned This tunicle serueth for three purposes The threefold vse of this coat For first it serueth to defend the humours secondly to compasse and keepe them in and thirdly to bee in stead of a spectacle vnto the christalline humour The grapelike coate The third tunicle is called Vuea being like vnto the skinne of a blacke grape it is also called Choroides because it containeth all the vessels which serue for the nourishing of the other coates or because it commeth from the thin and tender skin compassing the braine called Pia mater which is of Galen oftentimes called Choroides This skinne compasseth the eye round about except before onely where being bored through it maketh a little round hole which is called the apple and is the principall window of the eye which being shut in by chataracts causeth vs to line in continuall darknes and this is the onely coate that is partie-coloured On the fore side it is as it were blacke thereby to hold together the forme of obiects on the innermost or hinder side it is blew greene and of many other colours thereby
it but it cannot see any more then one at a time if the obstruction be euen in the middest of the apple of the eye all the things which it beholdeth will seeme to be deuided and as it were clouen and withall it is not possible for such persons to see the middest of the obiect if the water be not as yet gathered close together but that it be scatteringly dispersed here and there one shall see as it were flies to flie in the ayre The differences of Cataracts are gathered from their greatnes The differences of Cataracts substance colour fastning situation and maner of growing For there are some great and some small some thicke and some thin some white some of colour like ashes or chalke some red some blacke Their inward causes and some of a citrine colour The inward causes are the humours and vapours which grow thicke the humours come either from the braine by the sinewes veines and arteries or else are ingendred in the member it selfe by reason of the weakenes of the concocting and expelling facultie The imaginations going before Cataracts Cataracts haue alwaies for their forerunners certaine false visions which men call imaginations for men thinke they see flies haires or threeds of a spider web in the ayre which yet are not there The cause of these visions is a darke shadowie vapour got betwixt the hornie membrane and christalline humour This vapour sheweth not it selfe in his proper forme for then the grape-like coate should as well be seene but in one of those formes which are in the ayre it is true that the christalline humour iudgeth these vapours to be without the eye because it is so accustomed to see outward obiects that it thinketh that which is within the eye to be without it These vapours rise sometimes from below sometimes from the humours which are in the braine or in the eye it selfe The diseases of the muscles of the eye The wrested eye The diseases of the muscles of the eye are principally three the wrested or wrie eye the shaking eye and the astonished eye The wrested eye is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is caused either of a Palsey affecting some of the muscles and then the part diseased yeeldeth vnto the sound part as it happeneth in all other parts that haue the Palsey and opposite muscles or else it is caused of a conuulsion affecting some of the muscles and then the sound part of the eye yeeldeth vnto the diseased Whatsoeuer it is this disease is caused either of drynes or of superfluous moisture now in this disease the eye is wrested and set a wrie many waies The diuerse sorts thereof as on high a low and then there is nothing seene but the white of the eye Hippocrates calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the eye is wrested to either side and maketh the squint eye The shaking eye The shaking eye called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a fault in the muscles of the eye being so much weakened that they cannot holde the eye still All the auncient writers haue beleeued The error of the ancient writers that this shaking of the eye did proceede of a seuenth muscle which doth imbrace the nerue opticke but they deceiued themselues for it is not found in men as I haue shewed in the historie of the eye I beleeue then that as the pausing motion which naturallie holdeth the eye firme and immoueable is then accomplished when all the sixe muscles draw equally that euen so this shaking is caused when the said muscles loose their fibers not drawing or bending the same at all The fixed eye There is a disease cleane contrary to this as when the eyes are let in the head and cannot moue Hippocrates calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it happeneth then when the muscles haue lost all their power of mouing either by obstruction or Palsie possessing die sinew that bringeth motion The diseases of the sinew of sight Obstruction The diseases of the nerue opticke are obstruction compression the Palsie the falling and bursting therof a hard and melancholike humour inflammation Obstruction is suddainlie caused through a cold grosse humour in as much as the hollownes of the sinew is very smal It is pressed together through some blowe Compression Palsey the Palsey taketh it by reason of some thin and waterish humour which doth mollifie and soften it The falling thereof is called in Greeke The falling of it together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the membranouse endes thereof fall together not leauing any space for the marrowie substance which should be betwixt them the bursting thereof commeth of a blow The breaking of it after which the eye first starteth out and after sinking in againe pineth away All these diseases of the sinew of sight doe make one common disease which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Arabians Gutta Serena This as Aetius doth very well define it Gutta Serena is a blindenes and vtter losse of the sight without any fault or let appearing in the eye this blindenes commeth by hindering of the course of the inward light The disease of the spirits Day blindnes Night blindnes The best learned Phisitions doe number the spirits among the parts of the eye and assigne them their diseases as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the first one cannot see but in the darke as in the dawning of the day and twylight for at midday this disease will not let a man reade In the other it falleth out cleane contrarie for it causeth that a man cannot see except he be in a very cleere light some impute this vnto the spirits those which haue subtile and thin spirits cannot see in a great light because such spirits 〈◊〉 therby scattered such as haue grosse spirits haue neede of a cleere and bright light to enlighten them Loe here in a short briefe the principall diseases of the eye I meddle not with those of the eye-lids of the corners of the eye or of the bordering parts because I feare me I haue wandred too farre out of my way alreadie hauing purposed with my selfe onely to shew the excellencie of the sight and how men may learne the waie to preserue the same I will therefore returne againe into my way CHAP. XIII A generall and most exquisite regiment for the preseruation of the sight in which it handled very particularlie whatsoeuer may hurt the eyes as also whatsoeuer is profitable for them IT is now high time to mixe some profitable thing with the pleasant and delightsome whosoeuer they bee that feele some impairing of their sight or feare some future weakenes of the same shall see in these two chapters whatsoeuer precious and excellent thing that is to be found in the gardens of the Greeke Arabian or Latine Phisitions for the preseruation thereof
were asleepe because the substance of their braine is too thicke and the spirits laboured therein too grosse these are no fit men for the vndergoing of weightie affaires neither apt to conceiue of profound mysteries a bed and a pot full of pottage is fitted for them Whereunto the sanguine complexion is inclined The sanguine persons are borne for to be sociable and louers of companie they are as it were alwaies in loue they loue to laugh and bee pleasant this is the best complexion for health and long life because that it hath the two maine pillars of life which are naturall heate and moysture in greatest measure and yet such folke are not the fittest for great exployts nor yet for high and hard attempts because they bee impatient and cannot belong in doing about one thing being for the most part drawne away either by their sences or els by their delights whereto they are naturally addicted Cholerike persons being hote and drie haue a quicke vnderstanding The properties of a cholerike persons abounding with many sleight inuentions for they seldome sound any deepe and hidden secrets it fitteth not their fist to graple with such businesses as require continuance of time and paines of the bodies they cannot be at leisure their bodies and spirits doe let them their spirits are soone spent by reason of their thinnesse and their weake bodies cannot indure much watching I will adde also that one thing which Aristotle mentioneth in his Ethickes as that they loue change of things and for this cause are not so fit for consultations of great importance The melancholike are accounted as most fit to vndertake maters of weightie charge and high attempt That melancholike persons are ingenious and wittie Aristotle in his Problemes sayth that the melancholike are most wittie and ingenious but we must looke that we vnderstand this place aright for there are many sorts of melancholie That there are three sorts of melancholie there is one that is altogether grosse and earthie cold and drie there is another that is hot and adust men call it atrabilis there is yet another which is mixed with some small quantitie of blood and yet not withstanding is more drie then moyst The first sort which is grosse and earthie maketh men altogether grosse and slacke in all their actions both of bodie and minde fearefull sluggish and without vnderstanding it is commonly called Asse-like melancholie the second sort being hote and burnt doth cause men to be outragious and vnfit to be imployed in any charge There is none then but that which is mixed with a certaine quantitie of blood that maketh men wittie and causeth them to excell others Why melancholike men are wittie The reasons hereof are very plaine the braine of such melancholike persons is neither too soft nor too hard and yet it is true that drynes doth beare the sway therein But Heraclitus oftentimes said that a drie light did make the wifest minde there are but small store of excrements in their braine their spirits are most pure and are not easilie wasted they are hardly drawne from their purpose and meaning their conceit is very deepe their memorie very fast their bodie strong to endure labour and when this humour groweth hot by the vapours of blood it causeth as it were as kinde of diuine rauishment commonly called Enthousiasma which stirreth men vp to plaie the Philosophers Poets and also to prophesie in such maner as that it may seeme to containe in it some diuine parts See here the effects of the foure complexions and how they may all foure be within the bounds of health It is not then of these sound melancholike persons that we speake in this treatise We will intreate onely of the sicke and such as are pained with the griefe which men call melancholie which I am now about to describe CHAP. IIII. The definition of Melancholie and all the differences of it DIseases commonly take their names either from the place which they seaze vpon or of some irkesome accident accompanying them Whence melancholie tooke his name or of the cause which causeth them Melancholie marcheth in his hinder-most ranke for this name was giuen it because it springeth of a melancholike humour Wee will define as other good authors doe a kinde of dotage without any serue hauing for his ordinarie companions feare and sadnes without any apparant occasion Dotage in this definition standeth for the Genus the Greekes call it more properlie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Delirium The diuerse sorts of dotage There are two sorts of dotage the one without a feuer the other with a feuer that which is ioyned with a feuer is either continuall and haunteth the sicke continually or else it taketh him at certaine times distinguisht by distance that which is continuall is properly called frensie and it commeth either through the inflammation of the muscles called Diaphragma and this is the cause why the auncient Greeke writers do call the said muscle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that dotage which commenth by fit happeneth commonly in burning agues and in the stage or full strength of feuers tertains and it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other sort of dotage is without a feauer and it is either accompanied with rage and furie and then it is called Mania or madnes or else with feare and sadnes and then it is caled melancholie Melancholie therefore is a dotage What dotage is not coupled with an ague but with feare and sadnes We call that dotage when some one of the principall faculties of the minde as imagination or reason is corrupted All melancholike persons haue their imagination troubled for that they deuise with themselues a thousand fantasticall inuentions and obiects which in deede are not at all they haue also verie oft their reason corrupted Why melancholie is not accompanied with a feuer Wherefore we cannot make any doubt whether melancholie be a dotage or no but it is ordinarylie without a feuer because the humour is drie and hath these two qualities coldenes and drynes which are altogether contrarie vnto putrefaction so that there cannot any putrisied vapour breath out of them no more then there doth out of meere ashes which might be conueyed to the heart there to kindle the fire and procure a feauer Feare and sadnes are vnseperable companions of this miserable griefe for some reasons which I will set downe in the chapter following Beholde here the description of melancholie as it is a symptome or accident which hath relation to some action hurt and hindered that is to say to the imagination and reason depraued and corrupted This accident is as it were an effect of some cause and dependeth immediatlie vpon a disease for as the shadow followeth the bodie euen so the symptome followeth and accompanieth the disease Melancholie is a similar disease All the Phisitions both Greekes and Arabians doe thike that the cause of this accident
least the blood beginning to waxe hot should rouse vp the flesh and thereby renew the olde fire Take away idlenesse take away bellie cheere and quaffing of strong drinkes and without doubt lecherie will fall starke lame The Poets faigne that Ladie Lecherie could neuer insnare notwithstanding all her wiles and subtile inchauntments these three Goddesses Pallas Diana and Vesta Pallas painteth out vnto vs the state of warriours Diana of hunters and Vesta of such as are giuen to fasting and austerenes of life If all these plots and an infinite number moe set downe by Nigidius Samocrates and Ouid in their bookes of the remedies of loue proue nothing worth and that the bodie bee fallen into such extremitie as that it compelleth the minde to follow the temperature thereof then must wee hindle these amorous persons in such maner The same course of Phisicke is to be taken with these amorous ones and after which is appointed for the melancholike and after the same order which I haue appoynted for the melancholike in the chapter going before and almost with the very same remedies wee must purge at sundrie times and with gentle medicines the humour which hath grauen such a drie distemperature in the braine we must moysten him by vniuersall bathes and by particularly applying of remedies vnto particular places by an order of diet that is very moyst you shall feede him with broths with Almond-milke with mundified barley made into a creanie with the broth and milke of a kid If watching doe oppresse him then you shall make your choise out of such medicines as I haue set downe against it You must also sometimes cheere vp the heart and the spirits with some cordiall Opiate Diuelish and forbidden meanes There are certaine remedies which the old writers haue set downe for the cuting of this raging loue but they are diuelish and Christians ought not to vse them They cause the partie to drinke of the blood of him or her which is the object of the mischiefe and doe warrant that the parties griefe shall incontinently dye and decay The historie of Faustina very strange to consider I haue read in Iulius Capitolinus that Faustina the wife of Marcus Aurelius confessing her griefe caused to be assembled all the Chaldeans Magicians and Philosophers of the countrie to haue a speedie and certaine remedie for this her maladie they in the end gaue counsaile to cause the teacher of defence secretly to bee slaine and to cause his wife to drinke of his blood and the same night himselfe to lye with her This thing was accordingly put in practise and Faustina her fire was quenched but so as that of this fierie coniunction was ingēdred Antoninus Commodus which was one of the most bloodie and cruell Emperours of Rome resembling rather the swash buckler than his father and which neuer stirred from amongst the companie of masters of defence See here how Satan vseth euery day his malicious crafts and as it were a sea of deceiuers and brasen faced fellowes which goe about abusing the world CHAP. XII Of the third kinde of melancholie called the windie or flatuous melancholie and of his differences THere is a third kinde of melancholie which is the sleightest and least dangerous of all the rest but the most difficult and hard to be throughly knowne for the greatest Phisitions doe make doubt of his essence causes and particular seate of residence it is commonly called Hypochondriake or flatuouse Why it is called the Hypochondriake or windie melancholie Diocles his opinion because it hath his seate vniuersally in the region of the bodie called Hypochondria it is called the windie or flatuouse malancholie because it is alwaies accompanied with windines Diocles supposed it to be an inflammation of Pylorus which is the nether mouth of the ventricle because the partie affected doth feele himselfe greatly oppressed in that place as also greatlie pained and swelled in the stomacke enduring a vehement heate and as it were a burning fire throughout his bellie and much windines which breaketh vpward with a waterishnes which ordinarilie runneth out of the mouth as if it were some humour flowing from the braine Galen his opinion Galen in his third booke of diseased parts seemeth to approue this opinion neuerthelesse it hath been confuted and reproued by all the later Phisitions for that if it were an inflammation of the stomacke it would be accompanied with a continuall seuer and the disease would be sharpe or of a shott crisis but wee see the contrarie for the Hypochondriake melancholie is a diuturne disease not iudged but in longtime and seldome consorted with an ague Theophilus thinketh that it is an inflammation of the liuer Theophilus his opinion and of the entrals if he meane that it is a drie inflammation called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his opinion is the better to be liked of but if he vnderstand by inflammation the tumour called Phlegmon which is a swelling caused of blood against nature it may be condemued in him as well as in Galen for that euery Phlegmon of the liuer and guts is counted in the number of sharpe diseases The difinition of the Hypochondriake disease The most learned Phisitions of our time haue defined the Hypochondriake melancholike to be a drie and hote distemperature of Mesenterium the liuer and spleene caused by an obstruction comming of grosse humours which being heated doe breath abroad many vapours which cause al such accidents as we wil speake of in the next chapter This definition contayneth all the essence of the Hypochondriake melancholie in as much as it toucheth and teacheth the parts The parts affected in this disease The midriffe and the causes of the disease The partes where the Hypochondriake melancholie is begotten are the Mesenterium liuer and spleene the Mesenterium hath a large compasse for it contayneth a million of veines an infinite number of glandules and all that red substance which is called Pancreas This Mesenterium is as it were the mine of a million of diseases and especiallie of intermitting agues There may rest and grow hote the humour causing the Hypochondriake melancholie and that not alone in the veines thereof but oftentimes in the red substance called Pancreas which commeth very neere vnto the stomacke and lieth vpon the gut Duodenum or Pylorus and heereby may Diocles and Galen be excused which tooke the nether mouth of the stomacke for Pancreas by reason that these two parts doe touch one another The liuer The other part where the Hypochondriake breedeth is the liuer That the Spleene is for the most part the seate of this disease when it is much heated and draweth from the ventricle the meates therein halfe disgested or else burneth the humours very much and keepeth them in his owne veines but that part which procureth the Hypochondriake melancholie most of all is the spleene in as much as nature hath made it for the purging of the blood
of feculent and melancholike iuyce in such sort as that if it attract and draw not the same vnto it or cleanse it not to nourish it selfe withall or expell not that which is superfluous as in dutie it ought we neede not doubt but that this grosse iuyce casting it selfe into the next veines doth there take an vnnaturall heate and maketh a marueilous hurlie-burlie in the whole order of nature Thus you may heere beholde and learne the parts affected in Hypochondriake melancholie The cause of the Hypochondriake disease that is to say the Mesenterium the liuer and the spleene The cause of their disease is an obstruction for the veines of these parts are stuffed and filled of some kinde of humour This humour is sometime simple as onely a naturall melancholike humour or a humour adust and made of blacke choler or else a flegmatike and raw humour sometimes it is mingled of two or three together which falleth out a great deale more oft but alwaies it is required that this humour should growe into some excessiue heate for to cause the Hypochondriake disease to arise thereof If the matter be cholericke or adust it is quicklie and easilie set on a heate if it be colde by nature as is fleagme and melancholie the long continuance of it in that place and the breathing of it out being hindred may cast it into a heate or else there neede no otherthing but a little leauen which will be supplied by a small portion of choler adust to leauen the whole lumpe and set it in a heate this heate hath been called of olde writers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in such maner as that we may define the Hypochondriake disease to be a drie inflammation of the veines of Mesenterium The diuerse sorts of this disease senterium the liuer and spleene rising of the suppressing of some grosse humours from this definition we shall gather all the different sorts of the Hypochondriake disease which are taken either from the part affected or from the matter or from the accidents thereof If we looke vnto the parts affected we shall finde three kindes of the Hypochondriake disease that is Hepatike Splenetike and Meseraicke The Hepaticke The Hepaticke is caused through the fault of the liuer which draweth by his excessiue heate ouer-great a quantitie of crudities from the stomacke and also it selfe ingendreth through the same distemperature ouer hote humours which it either retayneth in his owne veines which are in so great number as that no man can describe them or else distributeth them amongst all the braunches of the veine called Porta The Spleneticke commeth through defaulte in the Spleene The Splene-t cke when it cannot either attract disgest or expell the melancholike humour These defects happen when it is too great or too little or when being puffed vp with winde it cannot attract or retayne all the feculent and grosse part of the blood whereupon it must needes cast much of it out againe and all the bodie growe leane This is it which Hippocrates hath obserued very well in his Epidemikes when hee saith that they who haue a great Spleene become leane of their bodie and the Emperour Traianus was wont to compare the Spleene vnto the Exchequer for looke how the inriching of the Exchequer is the impouerishing and ruine of the people euen so the greatnes of the Spleene doth make a thin and leane bodie the smalnesse also of it comming through default of the framing facultie may be an occasion of this accident for being disabled thereby to attract or retaine all that melancholike humour which it ought it is constrained to cast it vp againe and to disperse it throughout all Messenterium There is a house of great nobilitie which is subiect vnto this Hypochondriake disease there haue been three or foure of them which haue died at the age of thirtie fiue and no other cause found of such vntimelie death but onely the littlenes of the spleene for it was so little and straite as that it could not doe his office The Mesenteriacke The last kinde of the Hypochondriake disease is that which is called the Meseraicke which is begotten either in Panchreas or in the veines and glandules of the Meseraicke membrane Hippocrates and many other Phisitions do acknowledge an Hypochondriake disease caused of the wombe or matrix after the suppression of the tearmes or some other matter it causeth the same accidents that the other and is oftentimes most fierce and furious because of merueilous sympathie which the matrix hath with all the rest of the parts of the bodie The second difference The second difference of the Hypochondriake disease is in respect of the matter there is one kinde which is made of that melancholie which is colde and naturall which keeping it selfe within the veines and being there pinched for lacke of roome groweth hote another is caused of an adust and burnt humour and the third of fleagme and other raw crudities mixed with some small quantitie of choler The last difference The last difference is taken from the accidents for there is some kinde of Hypochondriake disease that is sleight and easie and there is some other that is more churlish and violent There is some but young and in the beginning and there is other some which is come to his state and perfited CHAP. XIII The signes of Hypochondriake melancholie and the causes of all the accidents that accompanie it The accidents of the Hypochondriake disease complete and come to his perfection THe Hypochondriake disease being throughly growne and perfected is commonly coupled with an infinite number of grieuous accidents which by times holde the partie with such pangs as that they thinke to dye euery moment for besides the feare and sadnes they suffer as common accidents to all maner of melancholie they feele a burning in the places called Hypochondria they heare continually a noyse and rumbling sound throughout all their bellie they are beaten with winde on both sides they feele a heauines in their breast which causeth them to fetch their breath double and with a feeling of paine oftentimes they spit a cleere and thinne water they haue a swilling in their stomacke as though it did swimme all in water they feele an extraordinarie and violent kinde of mouing of the heart called the beating of the heart and on the side of the spleene there is something which biteth and beateth continually they haue some little cold sweats accompanied sometimes with a little sowning their face is oftentimes very red and there appeareth to them in maner of a flying fire or flame which passeth away their pulses doe change and become little and beating thicke they feele a wearisomnes and feeblenes all ouer their bodie and yet more specially in their legs the bellie is neuer loose in the end they grow leaner and leaner by little and little The particular causes of all these accidents The cause of heate All
these accidents depend vpon the generall cause which I haue set downe but wee must therewithall search and finde out the speciall The heate and burning which they feele on the spleene side on the liuer side and about Mesenterium commeth of the burning of this grosse humour whether it bee flegme or blacke choler which in this his heate comming as it were to boyle is puffed vp and sendeth his vapours into all the parts neere thereabout The noyse which they heare in euery part of their bellie The cause of windines commeth of the winde which doth runne to and fro in euery place and doth so much accompanie this melancholike disease as that for this cause old writers haue intituled it the windie melancholie wee will obserue in the begetting of this windines the materiall and efficient cause The materiall is a grosse blacke cholerike or flegmatike humour The materiall cause These two humours are almost alwaies mixt in this disease because that the liuer being ouerheated as it is ordinarily in Hypochondriake persons attracteth and snatcheth from the stomacke which is his very neere neighbour such meates as are no better then halfe concocted so that there is heaped together a world of crudities within the veines by such attraction of the liuer as also there is made a broode of hot and burnt humours by the distemperature of this noble part in such maner as that thereby is caused to bee continually in the veines some humours that are raw and not sufficiently concocted and other some that are ouer much concocted the crude and scarse disgested was attracted too speedily the ouer much concocted and burnt was begotten in the member it selfe The weakenes of naturall heate is the efficient cause of windines The efficient cause for in mouing and stirring of the matter it is not able to ouercome it throughly and although the agent or naturall heat should be strong enough yet not being like vnto the matter in proportion it may be called weake The cause of heauines The heauines which they feele in their breast commeth either of winde or grosse vapours which beare downe the muscle called Diaphragma the principal muscle of respitatiō or else they pitch themselues vpon the muscles running betwixt rib and rib or lastly within the coates of the ribs either inward or outward and hence come those great tormenting paines which rise vp to the shoulders and goe downe againe oftentimes vnto the armes by the continued proceeding of the membranes and sympathie of the muscles The cause of the water and swilling which they haue within them The water which melancholike persons doe ordinarily auoide at their mouth is one of the most infallible tokens of the Hypochondriake disease if wee will beleeue Diocles the cause thereof must be imputed vnto the coldnes of the stomack which filleth all full of crudities This coldnes commeth of the excessiue heate of the liuer which draweth the chylous matter out of the stomacke altogether vnprepared wasteth and consumeth all the fat of the stomacke and seedeth rauenously like a gulligut vpon the heate of all the parts neere about it I adde further that oftentimes while the humour is neere vnto boyling the crudest parts thereof are cast backe againe into the stomacke and cooleth it in such sort as that wee may obserue therein the two kindes of cold that is to say the priuatiue and the positiue as the Philosophers are wont to speake The cause of the beating of the heart The inordinate motion of the heart and all the arteries is caused of the vapour of this matter so stirred which setting vpon the heart with great force and seeking the ouerthrow thereof as commonly happeneth in euery conflict and fight causeth it to bestirre it selfe with a double diligence but so as that therein it looseth oftentimes his iust and well proportioned stroke and thereby the pulses also faile sometimes in that iust measure and time which they ought to keepe The causes of the rednes and flushes appearing in their face The cause of their colde sweates The rednes which appeareth in the face the vniuersall beatings ouer all the bodie and the tickling stingings which they feele in euery place as it were little Pissemires ariseth either of a sharpe and subtile winde or else of vapours sent from the lower parts Colde sweates happen when the vapours rising from the places called Hypochondria as from a fournace doe pitch themselues vpon the skin which is a great deale more colde and therefore doth congeale and turne them into a thicker substance The cause of their lassitude The lassitude or wearisome feeblenes which they feele in all their parts commeth partlie of vapours which running amongst the emptie spaces of the muscles and mingling themselues with the substance of the sinewes doe make them more loose and lanke and make as it were a sencelesnes and partlie of crudities and waterish parts which are in the blood The cause of their leanenes Leanenes happeneth because there is defect and want of sufficient store of good and laudable blood The bellie is hard and giuen to costiuenes by reason of the excessiue heate of the liuer which wasteth all the moisture of the excrements CHAP. XIIII Very worthie and not able histories of two persons grieued with the Hypochondriake disease THere are found sometimes diseases so straunge in their kinde as that euen the best able and most sufficient Phisitions know not what to iudge of them I haue feene two Hypochondriake persons so raging mad as that the former ages neuer saw the like and it may be the ages to come shall not see such other two of a long time The first historie There was at Mompelier an honest Citizen of a melancholike disposition and by constitution most subiect to blacke choler who hauing been grieued by the space of two or three yeares with a milder and lighter kinde of windie melancholie suffered the disease to growe so farre as that at length he saw himselfe brought to this extremitie He felt twise or thrise euery day a light kinde of mouing all ouer his bellie but chiefely on the side whereupon the spleene lieth there was also so great a noyse made in his bellie as that not onely the sicke partie but also all those that stoode by heard the same This rumbling would last about halfe a quarter of an houre and afterward vpon the suddaine a vapour or winde seazing vpon the midriffe and the breast did lye so wonderfullie heauie vpon him and so accompanied with a drie cough as that all men would haue thought him to haue beene short breathed This accident being somewhat lesned all the rest of the bodie was in such sorte shaken that you would haue iudged it like vnto a ship tossed with a most raging storme he heaued and set and his two armes were seene to moue as if they had indured some conuulsion In the end these windes hauing coursed through his whole body