may make it to stinke 4. The qualitie either of diet or drugs as hath bene said of the good smell of vrines may likewise procure vnto it an euill smell Looke at large what Sauonarola saith of this point if thou be disposed to see further But what certaintie doth the smell of the vrine affoord vs whosoeuer shall thinke to helpe his vncertaine coniectures by the same should leape out of the frying pan as the prouerbe saith into the fire In the first place it is to be obserued that as well in sicknesse as in health vrines may offer no pleasing smell to the nose and yet the party may be free from any danger at al. But because healthfull folkes seldome send their vrines to the Physitian we will let them passe and come to the sicke I will let Scribonius speake for me Concerning the sicks vrine saith he most do teach vs that stinking vrines signifie putrefaction of humours in so much that by the difference of the smels they take vpon them to iudge of the seuerall humours so putrified O wise woodcockes I willingly yeeld to them that stinke or strong smell doth argue putrefaction in such vrines but of which parts shall this putrefaction be whether of the bladder onely or of the Liuer also of the chest or other members Nay so farre off is the stinking smell from giuing vs any particular notice of the disease that it cannot so much as affoord vs any certaine generall knowledge of the same For many sweet smelling simples saith Montanus may cause a most stinking vrine Cholericke and hote complexioned men void often very strong smelling vrines howsoeuer free frō any disease as I haue often obserued in my selfe And by what meanes I pray thee shouldst thou from the stinking smell of the vrine know putrefaction or how can this putrefaction procure this stinking smell If this were so then would it necessarily follow that whosoeuer were seised with a feauer proceeding from putrefaction of humours should voyd stinking vrines the which is most false The truth of this assumption may from hence appeare that for the most part among an hundred sicke of such feauers scarce shalt thou find one of their vrines so to smell nor yet their bloud at the opening of a veine And for this cause well said Sauonarola in his treatise of Vrines that there are other signes also to be obserued in the annoying of putrified members if we purpose well and orderly to examine trie and finde out any skill concerning vrines And indeed a thousand causes there are which may alter and change their smell By the smell then onely there can neuer be any certaintie collected to informe our iudgements concerning any disease But I am afraid the Reader will take it ill that I so long detaine him among so vnpleasing smels and my selfe begin to waxe wearie of so vnworthie a thing and as I neuer tooke any pleasure in the same so here I leaue it to them that like it better But if I should yet enter vpon the tast I feare I should be worse taxed I can tell no man their tast by mine owne experience Salt they haue alwayes bene counted as the teares likewise If any be incredulous I will not hinder him If our vrinemongers had no better beere allowed them they would not so much adore the pissepot as some of them do But yet if any purpose to practise this point I wish him to go to the Arabians who haue written so curiously concerning this point and it may be in regard of their aromaticall drugs their vrines may be of better taste then those of our Europaeans who feed on grosser food As for the other two qualities the sound and touch we will send them all in one ship to Arabia with their fellowes and now we come to the colours CAAP. III. Of the colours of Vrines how deceitfull they proue and first of the colour commonly called palew or light saffron IF euer vrine proued a strumpet it is of all other parts of the vrine most apparently to be seene in the colour For as sometimes some of the most infamous stewes strumpets infected it may be with the poxe do most curiously decke and adorne by curious painting sumptuous apparell and such other enticing trickes their lothsome and filthie carkasses to the end they may more easily deceiue such as will be caught in their snares doth it not often fare euen so with the colour of the vrine For oftentimes when they make the fairest shew doth not euen death knocke at the doore My purpose is not here to make any phylosophicall discourse concerning the causes of colours in generall and then to apply the same to vrines in particular and so to insist vpon each seuerall colour for this might proue too tedious and perhaps not so pertinent to the purpose we haue in hand And yet notwithstanding I will say something of each of the chiefe and principall colours by the which it may more easily be conceiued that the like deceit may be seene in the others like vnto them Now my purpose is to begin with that colour which is the best of all others being as it were the rule and square whereby we do discerne and iudge of the failings and defects of all the rest This colour is called in Latin Subrufus subaureus or subcroceus and in English palew or light saffron This colour our Physitians do generally account the best of all others and that it best betokeneth exact concoction Neither yet must this first and best colour arguing good concoction be simply and in it selfe so considered but restrained to flourishing age For in old men women and children whose vrines especially childrens do commonly decline towards white and pale it doth betoken that their bodies are too hote either by reason of diet exercise or some other meanes But if one should bring vnto thee such an vrine how couldst thou tell whether it were an old or a yong mans a womans or a childs the messenger not acquainting thee with the particular circumstances It may be thou wilt say the contents will make the case cleare I answer that many causes may depriue them of contents in part or altogether as hereafter shall appeare in the contents and how the substance may alter hath bene said alreadie The common opinion is the higher the colour is the greater heat is argued which opinion to be most false erronious shall hereafter in other colours appeare Besides may not a little extraordinarie watching fasting rheubarb saffron madder roots or such like colour the vrine without any excesse of heat And will the seuerall seasons of the yeare produce no alteration in the vrine that I say nothing of an infinite number of other causes which may in like manner alter them But one signification of such a coloured vrine I cannot here passe by which I remember I once read in an English vrine booke to wit that a maide
red yet saith Galen all are coloured with a greater or smaller portion of bloud therewith mingled Neuerthelesse that this same colour of vrine is procured by the mixture more or lesse not of bloud alone but also of an high coloured choller ioyntly or seuerally according to the greater or smaller quantitie thereof is not by a small number of learned Physitians maintained as also that this same colour of vrine is often and vsually seene in hote and acute diseases is not vnknowne to the very vulgar and vnlearned sort of people Now a many causes may bring foorth this effect this colour of vrine higher or lower appearing in a many hote and acute diseases which would puzzle a good Physitian by the bare sight of such an vrine to know what disease it were But yet is not this rule so infallibly true that it admitteth of no exception as is the opinion of many And therefore most erroneous and dangerous is the practise of such as vpon the bare sight of an high coloured vrine presently without any further deliberation or enquiry of circumstances both prescribe Phlebotomie and administer all maner of cooling medicines to the great ineuitable danger and preiudice of the patient from the which errour also the learned Arabian Auicenna is not free as our learned late writers haue well obserued And as I deny not but that this may often prooue true so on the other side it is most certaine that the vrine may be of such a colour and yet either proceed from a cold cause or else from some imbecillitie and weakenesse as cometh somtimes to passe in Dropsies c. But lest this should seeme stuffe of mine owne braine and hatched at home heare from the mouth of a worthie Author something concerning the same purpose It is not seldome obserued that the vrine by reason of a commixtion of bloud with it doth appeare of a red colour but by reason that it is either thicke or clotted it is no great difficultie to discerne the same But that so thinne a bloud should bemingled with it that not the substance of the vrine but the colour onely should be altered is but seldome seene Such a case befell a young man of 28. yeares of age or neare by This young man voided an vrine of an high red colour and thinne substance for many dayes together being very like to the vrines made in hote acute feauers The aforesaid patient had vsed the aduice of diuers ancient learned Physitians who had appointed him such meanes as are vsed for the cooling of hote Liuers At length he repaired to my selfe at that time but a young Physitian Looking on his vrine and withall seeing it of so high a red colour as also perceiuing him who was there present free from any feauer I asked him whether heretofore he had complained of any which he denyed adding moreouer that for some moneths by-past he had felt a chilnesse and coldnesse together with a great extenuation or leannesse and shortnesse of breath ioyned with a generall decay of strength as also that hitherto he had found no benefit by such meanes as he had vsed All which hauing attentiuely heard I thought good to keepe by me the said vrine vntill the next day and then to view the residence thereof the which was of a colour like vnto bloud as being indeed nothing else but bloud the vrine aboue it being but very little dyed with a pale yellow colour shewing no signe or token at all of any feauer For the which cause I did then collect that there was no exorbitant heate in his Liuer but a great weakenesse in the kidneyes by reason whereof the ends of the small veines being opened and loosened let some part of the bloud passe away And therefore I tooke a new course for curing of the same by vsing such meanes as were fit for the corroborating and strengthening of the kidneyes and veines not omitting fit and conuenient diet and among other things goats milke And so at length the vrine came to its owne naturall colour againe his bodie also enioying the benefit of nourishment as it was wont in former times and thus in a short time recouered his vigour strength and former perfect health againe Such an excretion of bloud which cometh thus to passe by reason of the loosenesse and widenesse of the mouthes of the small veines or yet of the thinnesse of bloud is commonly called Diapedesis that is as much as a streining through It cometh also to passe that some bloud is voyded by vrine many other wayes sometimes some great stone fretting the passages betwixt the kidneyes and the bladder called Vreteres bloud doth also accompanie the vrine but withall it is blacke and clotted The stone continuing for some certaine space in the bladder prooueth likewise sometimes the cause of this inconuenience and that especially after riding or some other violent motion of the bodie In women also some part of their menstruous fluxe is sometimes intermingled with it Sometimes againe the bloud issuing out of the gummes being suddenly stopt doth search for it selfe a passage through the bladder The kidneyes being wounded first doth bloud issue out by the vrines and afterwards matter mingled with it as it befell that woman which was stabbed in the loynes with a dagger first voyding blouddie vrines then afterwards mingled with matter vntill such time as both the wound and the kidneyes were cured And that this was a wound in the kidneyes did plainly appeare by some portion of the same taken out of the wound The exulceration of the kidneyes is also accompanied with bloudie vrine after the which vnlesse remedie be in due and conuenient time procured matter doth follow It is likewise sometimes seene that decrepit old men do voyd vrines mingled with bloud which are of a blackish colour accompanied with some red the which doth declare that the vigour and power of the kidneyes is almost quite abolished But I wish thee yet to lend thine eare a little to the same Author yet againe in a storie or two more which will adde not a little light to this matter The vrine doth appeare of a reddish colour not onely when the Liuer is surprised with a Gangrene or the bodie with any hote or acute disease such as are Tertian agues burning feauers inflammation of the internall parts but often also in the debilitie weakenesse and coldnesse of the Liuer or stomach proceeding from long and lingring diseases The like tincture it receiueth now and then in the extreame pinching Collicke passion when as some tough and clammie humours possessing the guts do hinder the passage of the faecall excrements A Gentleman of account saith he voyded vrine of a very high red colour howbeit free from any feauer being at the same time much tormented with the Collicke accompanied with a retention of the faecall excrements After the iniection of an anodine or mitigating glister the paine was much eased and withall
shall be found faultie or his drugs any wayes vnsufficient the aforesaid persons fine him at their pleasures as also set a reasonable rate or taxe vpon all his drugs and compositions and that according to the rising or falling of the prizes of the drugs Neither yet may the Apothecarie of himselfe make mixe or compound any great composition of many seuerall ingredients vnlesse the Physitians one or more being present first see all the seuerall ingredients and then allow of the same He can likewise take no apprentice into his seruice but such as first shall be sworne faithfully to make and compound according to the Physitians prescriptions not altering any thing in his bill without his knowledge and allowance the which oath the Physitians haue power to exact of the aforesaid apprentices Of this so laudable and praise-worthy a constitution this benefit they reape that first of all the inhabitants are neuer vnfurnished of fit and sufficient Physitians to whom in time of need they may haue recourse for good and wholesome counsell as also that the inhabitants in their extremitie are preferred before strangers The moderation of fees likewise in regard of their standing stipends is some ease to the purses of priuate men but especially to the poorer sort to whom by this meanes they are the better enabled to affoord their counsell for little or nothing The countrey round about findeth likewise euery where learned Physitians to aduise with as also good and sufficient stuffe neither fustie not sophisticate and that at a reasonable rate Now how farre we come short of this so laudable and worthie pollicie those that know any thing are not ignorant We are apt enough to imitate that which is naught in our neighbour nations and why make we not vse of such things as deserue praise and commendation From the aforenamed nation we haue so well learned quaffing and carrousing together with their vnhappy healths indeed hinderers of all health that it seemeth now to be naturalized amongst vs and why are we not as forward for this and such other laudable constitutions as tend to the benefit of the common-wealth But now to our purpose One thing which doth principally encourage all manner of cozeners and euery ignorant and vnsufficient person to aduenture vpon this profession is the vaine and idle inspection of Vrines as it is at this day euery where practised by meanes whereof most people are perswaded that the Physitian is able to find out not onely the disease in generall but euen euery signe and circumstance of the same I my selfe haue often bene importuned to tell that by this signe which the wits of all the wisest Physitians in the world could neuer assuredly and certainly find out To instance but in one thing to wit the discerning of the conception whether a woman be with child or no there is not an Empiricke or quack-saluer in the countrey that will not make thee beleeue he can tell thee that assuredly Our she-physitians for such monsters now this countrey yeeldeth will say no lesse But heare the iudgement of a learned French Physitian concerning this point To abuse the inspection of vrine to know whether a woman be with child or no belongeth to a cozening impostor and not to an honest Physitian howsoeuer some haue not bene ashamed to vent such vanities But of this at more length hereafter now let vs proceed to the maine matter to wit to handle this subiect in order CHAP. II. Of the vncertaine iudgement affoorded vs by Vrines in generall together with their limitation to certaine diseases and that out of many learned writers IT is growne now adayes a common custome by the sole and bare inspection of the vrine to vndertake to declare and lay open the whole disease together with the state and constitution of euery part of the body without any regard had to such things as the most wise and circumspect Physitians haue left vs in this case to be considered the which notwithstanding is as impossible to bring to passe as by the heat or cold of an house to iudge of the perfection of the same together with the soundnesse of the walles and timber thereof or yet by the rubbish of any house carried to some other place to find out the statelinesse of the former building To this end and purpose besides the authorities produced in the former Discourse I will yet bring in a cloud of witnesses to confirme this mine opinion And in the first place I will set downe some famous authors condemning this vromantical coniecture and limiting and confining it within its lawfull lists and limits Afterwards also shall appeare how our iudgement may erre and mistake euen in some such diseases as may sometimes by the same be discerned proceeding afterwards to instance in some particular diseases where shall not be omitted the confutation of the erronious opinion of the vrines of women with child as also of finding out of the sexe thereby Then will we proceed to a particular confutation of all the parts of vrine whereby shall be set downe the true vse of the same Now the first author that shall march in the auantgard of this batallion shall be the learned Langius and that both in regard of his great worth and learning as also because our former author Forest I meane had singled out these two following Epistles as making for the same purpose to set downe at the end of his discourse of vrines which I haue thought good with some other authorities to insert into this place Concerning Physitianâ— who by the inspection of the Vrine onely do rashly and vnaduisedly pronounce their opinion concerning the nature and substance of any disease It seemeth not a little strange to thee kind gossip how it should come to passe that the same and reputation of Germane Physitians should be so little set by either at home or abroad since notwithstanding praised be God Germanie is a very fruitfull soile stored with most excellent wits where the liberall Arts and sciences do not a little flourish insomuch as that most noble and illustrius Picus Earle of Mirandole truly praise-worthie and euer to be admired as well for his high pedegree and noble descent as for his excellent and admirable gifts in good learning did witnesse that the riuer of Tiber had now of late runne into the Rhene and yet for all this the noble facultie of Physicke lyeth contemned and despised The causes of the same I haue elsewhere declared to be diuers whereof this is the chiefe to wit that the chiefe and principall part of Physicke diagnosticke or semioticke which teacheth vs to know the nature causes and substance of the disease by the signes and grounds of the same is either not knowne at all or at least altogether in regard of their idlenesse neglected while as the ordinarie sort of Physitians do onely labour to know and discerne the nature and substance of the disease by the
sole and fraudulent indication of the stuckring vrine But it is acknowledged of all true Physitians that the ground and beginning of finding out aright the true method of curing diseases is the knowledge of the disease together with the place seised with the same which is not knowne by the bare inspection of the vrine onely being but a doubtfull signe but as Galen saith well the knowledge of the disease is collected by meanes of the place affected together with the disposition of the same besides nature which being the internall cause of the disease or the disease it selfe annoying the action it is no maruell if the signes of each be common to both and thus is the disease and place affected discerned and knowne both by the parts of the substance therof the contents adherents the action interessed together with the accidents of the disease from the parts of the substance of the part affected as if we shall perceiue any gristle of the windpipe to be spit vp with coughing it doth argue and indicate to vs an exulceration of the lungs together with a consumption of the same From the contents as if thou shalt perceiue the chyle that is the meate receiued into the stomacke and a little altered or the ordure issue out of a wound thou mayest from thence safely collect that either the stomack or guts are wounded Such things also as do adhere or grow to the part do both declare the disease and the part annoyed therewith For if vpon a fracture of the scull there grow out little round lumps like vnto little mushromes it doth argue the dammage and hurt of the membrane or skin couering the braines No lesse doth the hurt of the action bewray as well the hurt of the organe and instrument of it as the disease it selfe as the retention of the vrine doth argue an obstruction in the pipes conueighing the vrine from the kidneyes to the bladder or the excessiue fluxe of the same being crude and not concocted doth argue the indisposition of the kidneyes Ioyne yet with the former as most pregnant proofes and testimonies of the disease these inseparable accidents of the same commonly called pathognomonica the which the disease it selfe doth procure and beget as a stinging and pricking paine in the side ioyned with a burning feauer doth argue not onely a Pleurisie but also that the skin or membrane which enuironeth the ribs is inflamed And vnto all the aforesaid signes thou mayest if thou wilt adde the intricate knowledge of the pulse of the arteries rather then the vncertaine iudgement by vrine the which as we do not altogether reiect so do we not attribute so much thereunto as these impostors do Now what extraordinarie paines some of the ancient Physitians tooke in searching out any thing which might affoord them any knowledge or insight in the nature of the disease thou mayest from hence collect that to the end they might more easily find out the nature and qualitie of the humour faulty and abounding in the bodie they did tast of the very sweare that was rubbed off the bodie in the hotehouses as also of that superfluous matter found in the eares like as the horse-leaches were wont to taste of the horses dung whom for that cause that pleasant Poet Aristophanes calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what if by the authoritie of Hippocrates I should prooue that the colour of the tongue and the rest of the bodie giueth vs more assured and certaine knowledge of the state of the humours contained in the body and inward bowels then the vrine And yet this the ordinarie sort of vrine-monging Physitians will neuer be able to discerne as not being present with the patient For as in the yellow Iaundise a yellow and saffron like colour of the skinne doth better declare any obstruction of the gall-bagge and an ouerflowing of choler ouer the whole bodie then the vrine so doth in like sort the leaden colour of the face and the rest of the bodie demonstrate better vnto vs some indisposition of the Liuer and spleene then the vrine No lesse also doth the colour of the tongue and tast it findeth performeth the like For such as is the humor aboūding in the stomacke or veines especially when it groweth fierce and vnruly with such a colour and tast is the tongue most commonly imbrued Wherefore well and learnedly said the worthy Hippocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the tongue giueth vs notice as well of the state and nature of the vrine as of all the rest of the humours of the body But if thou wilt yet further contend and contest with me behold I will appeale to Galen who ought to be as our common Maister so Iudge also in such cases of controuersie The sweate saith he giueth vs notice of the humours super abounding in the whole bodie but the vrine onely of such as are contained within the veines And howbeit these be the chiefe elements and grounds of the most principall part of physicke called diagnosticke without which the other part called therapeuticke or handling the cure of diseases cannot subsist and that they be conuinced by most pregnant proofes and testimonies yet will they neither giue place to the same nor yet obserue and marke them but trusting to the vrine onely loytering idle at home like the Physitians of Alexandria and sitting in their chaires like Apolloes Priests or some old wise fortune-teller by her crystal looking-glasse it is a wonder to heare how doubtfully and perplexedly without any sight of the sicke but looking on the vrine onely they will with brazen faces prate of the patients sicknesse yea further yet will pronounce of life and death thereby and that for so small a gaine as scarce would the most common hedge-whore be hired for the same What great ambiguitie and doubtfull speeches good Reader need they here to vse lest they be taken tripping Now if it shall happen that any old wife that bringeth the vrine shall find them out thou wouldest wonder to see the changes of their countenances But as if this were yet a small matter to prate by the sight of the vrine onely they are not ashamed to prescribe physicke to the parties whom they haue neuer seene and that by reading of bookes of the which experiments they haue neuer made any triall at all to whom thou mayest most iustly obiect the ancient Prouerbe A mariner by his booke or sea card But Hippocrates and the ancient Physitians of the race of Asclepiades not superficially but solidly learned did neuer settle their iudgements concerning the substance of the disease vpon the vrine alone no nor yet if some contents had proceeded from the substance of the kidneyes bladder or parts contained in them and so issued out with the vrine but did rather by the colour contents swim or sublimation obserue the strength of the naturall parts about the liuer and stomach as likewise the concoction of
the humours in the veines to the end that in feuers they might find out the times of the same and so might more easily foretell the time of the future crise whether the same were like to be hopefull and healthfull or dangerous and deadly and withall to find out the fittest time for purging The which Galen Hippocrates his true interpreter doth intimate vnto young Physitians in these words The vrine giueth notice of these parts to wit the liuer kidneyes bladder and the strength of the vessels which containe the bloud and the weakenesse of the same as also that facultie which engendreth the humors but as concerning the infirmities of the braine the chest and lungs there be other signes and symptomes of the same whereby their diseases are discerned All these things therefore the wise Physitian is to enquire search and find out from the sicke himselfe and not from the vrine For this cause well said Damascenus in his Aphorismes Concerning diseases pronounce not rashly thine opinion neither yet looke thou vpon the vrine vntill such time as thou hast first seene the sicke and of him demanded and found forth euery circumstance belonging to the disease With him doth Rhazes an Arabian Physitian agree in his Aphorismes in these words It becometh the Physitian to aske diuerse questions of his patient to the end he may attaine to the internall cause of the disease that by such meanes he may afterwards be able to pronounce sound iudgement according to reason neither yet let him be ashamed to aske of the patient whether the disease be within or without the veine But our Physitians being like vnto the lazie sedentarie Physitians of Alexandria lest they should be by the vulgar people who do commonly beleeue that the Physitian knoweth all by the vrine taxed of ignorance are ashamed to aske of the patient the causes and symptomes of his disease And to the end they may the better accommodate themselues to the foolish humor of the simple and more ignorant sort they are not a whit afrayed to prate of diseases by the inspection of the vrine onely But would to God the truth were with them in greater esteeme then any popular applause and that they would be warned by the Poet Persius If troubled Rome do too much dispraise any thing then not to rest and relie vpon her iudgement and that they would both ingenuously confesse and tell the people how fraudulent and deceitfull pernicious and lying is this manner of inspection of the vrine brought in by some Physitians and impostors of later dayes to the great mischiefe of mankind Then for certaine would they be more carefull and diligent in searching out the natures of diseases by their causes the hurt and hinderance of the action as also by the Paâ—hognomonicke signes and then without all doubt should they cure a great many moe as also by this meanes should their names become a great deale more famous both among their owne friends and acquaintance and among strangers And by this meanes also should these wandring and cozening rogues impostors apostaticall monks perfidious Iewes enemies to all Christians the ignorant Parish-Priests alchymists and all the rabble of such rake-hels but I had almost forgotten those old trots fortunetellers be thrust out from professing physicke all the which offenders not hauing learned so much as the first grounds and principles of naturall Philosophie or Physicke do without controll or punishment trie their desperate remedies by the death of many a man Wherefore there could nothing be deuised more profitable and beneficiall for the good of the commonwealth then that at length all Christian people were freed from the tyrannie and mischiefe of these cruell impostors who by meanes of the secret obseruation of the vrine vnknowne to the vulgar sort do conceale their owne ignorance and haue as drones do into the Bec-hiue crept into this profession By the premisses I hope thou hast heard what is the cause that Physicke and the Professors of the same are not of so high an esteeme in these our countries at this time Of the differences of signes by the which Physitians do discerne and know diseases and do presage the future issue of the same As I heare these barbarous and wicked persons falsly assuming vnto themselues the name of Physitians do mutter and grumble against me because of condemning their mad rash and foole-hardie finding out of diseases by meanes of the vrine onely for whose slanderous backbiting I care not a rush For such as cannot helpe I see not how they can hurt me No more can I conceiue what the Physitian can performe as concerning the cure of the disease being ignorant of the nature and estate of the same For this cause the ancient Physitians did with great labour trauell and industrie search out the cause the nature and substance of the disease from the which the indications of remedies are deriued and not from the vrine onely but from the signes called Pathognomonicke and from the whole concourse of the symptomes or accidents who did likewise deuide Physicke principally into two parts to wit that which we commonly call Therapeuticke whose most large and common scope is to cure diseases by contrary remedies and into that part which we call Diagnosticke whose most common scope is to discerne the whole and sound from the like and the sicke and infirme from the whole being vnlike the one to the other And this part of Physicke doth farre excell the other to wit the Therapeuticke the which without the Diagnosticke is of small vse or profit And because it did lay open the perfect and absolute knowledge of the disease by meanes of the signes Pathognomonicke proper and peculiar to euery disease together with the concurrence of accidents which the Empiricks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were nothing else but the collection by obseruation of certaine accidents and circumstances of diseases the later Physitians therefore gaue it the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that part of Physicke which handleth the signes of diseases Wherefore we cannot but much wonder at Galen a man of so great learning who besides two hundreth and fiftie bookes written of diuerse sciences and of all the other parts of Physicke aboue foure hundreth all being likewise written in so good order and method that notwithstanding he hath not brought to full perfection this so noble a part of Physicke called Diagnosticke but onely dispersedly here and there especially in that booke called the Constitution or ordering of the Art of Physicke hath as it were sowne some seeds of the same But yet Auicenna Rhazes and other Arabian Physitians and such among the Greeks as haue written of late after Galen as Paulus Aegineta Aetius Actuarius and Alexander Trallianus following the footsteps of the ancient Empiricks did collect and gather together in euery seuerall Chapter which did discourse of the disease a great number of the signes and seuerall accidents of the same but so
one not without cause auouch that the vrine giueth notice of some infirmities of the place through which it passeth not primarily and principally but by accident to wit by reason of the contents thereof which are nothing else but excretions proceeding from those parts which do conueigh and carrie the vrine Wherefore Hippocrates witnesseth that if any do void by vrine either grauell or little thinne scurfe or matter like vnto scales or coursest dressings of bran little gobbets of flesh congealed bloud matter or small haires or threeds like vnto the small veines knit together vnder the creuices taile these things declare that the bladder is annoyed with a scab and the kidneyes with the stone suppuration the rupture of some veine or some other infirmitie But lest any should rashly apply the signes of vrine to any other then the aforenamed diseases this famous father of Physitians doth adde immediatly Take heed therefore lest thou be deceiued the party making such an vrine when the bladder is amisse for then such vrines belong not to the whole body but ought to be referred to the bladder onely There is yet another fearefull and dangerous disease belonging to the kidneyes called Diabete or Poldropsy being an extraordinarie fluxe of the vrine called of the Greekes by reason of this vnsatiable desire of drinking Dipsacus This disease is answerable to the disease called Lienteria and for this cause they are continually forced to drinke all which being nothing at all changed in colour substance or in smell they do voide forth againe as they receiued it and that by reason of the imbecillity of the returning and altering powers and faculties of the kidneyes Now that such an vrine is the proper and pathognomonicke signe of this disease no man of vnderstanding I thinke will denie Followeth now the third sort of signes of concoction of superfluities to wit the excretions of the bellie belonging to the first concoction the which being soft fashioned according to the concauitie of the guts and somewhat fastened or stiffe being also voyded at the accustomed time and answering in proportion to the food receiued then as saith Hippocrates they do shew forth and declare the strength of the naturall faculties of the stomacke together with the good digestion thereof These three sorts of superfluities then giue particular notice of the proper state and disposition of such parts of the bodie as they passe thorow together with the strength of the naturall powers and first the superfluities of the meate do argue and declare the force and strength of the stomacke For this cause the Emperour Antoninus his groomes of his stable did daily both taste and smell to the ordure of his stately horse knowne by his greene furniture to know whether he had well digested his food or not Now the vrines are signes of the state of the bloud in the veines and disposition of the Liuer which is appointed to be the hote harth or kitchin for concoction of the humours The spittle in diseases of the chest is vnto vs a signe and token of concoction or cruditie and those of the first sort to wit of cruditie are for the most part euill and often proue very dangerous the others againe are often messengers of an healthfull and long looked for crisis whence is this saying of Hippocrates Concoction doth portend and signifie both the speedinesse of the crise and assured health but on the contrarie cruditie doth menace and threaten either the breaking forth of some tumour or great swelling or else some great paine or griefe or yet a relapse into the same disease againe There are yet many moe decretorie signes which concerne the future crise as also diuerse prognosticke signes foreshewing life or death the full explication of which would rather require a great volume then an Epistle the which haue bene exactly described by Hippocrates but especially the intricate signes of prediction by the pulse as also the signes both of the disease it selfe and of the place affected or interessed the which also I willingly passe ouer by reason that their power force efficacie and signification doth depend vppon the signes of concoction neither are there any amongst all the signes of concoction more necessarie for the Physitians vse then these pathognomonicke signes And tell me I pray thee how shall the Physitian euer be able to cure vncouth and vnknowne diseases vnlesse the pathognomonicke signes first lay them open to his view and consideration in the finding out of which the ancients tooke so great paines as hath bene said alreadie But since it is not the worke of the Physitian but of nature to concoct and cure diseases it shall be very needfull for the Physitian to know assuredly the vigor and strength of the naturall power and force whether it be like to ouercome the disease or to faint vnder the burden of it by which meanes we shall attaine vnto more certaine and assured signes of life and death then euer did those soothsayers and wizards whom the Romanes did maintaine for the benefit of their sicke people whose prophecies and predictions no man of sound iudgement will euer beleeue to containe any matter of truth But such prognosticke signes as are collected from concoction are so firme and sure that Galen doth boast and brag that he was neuer by them deceiued Now our pisse-prophet Physitians are either vtterly ignorant of them or else notwithstanding set light by them who notwithstanding sitting idle at home are nothing at all ashamed by the vrine alone to deliuer their Delphian oracles concerniug all diseases who neuerthelesse haue neuer so much as tasted of this so noble part of Physicke called diagnosticke without the which the other to wit therapeuticke can neuer subsist yet are they neither ashamed to assume vnto themselues the cure of vnknowne diseases nor yet to arrogate and vsurpe the name of Physitians Farewell and write backe vnto me againe after what method and order this diagnosticke part of Physicke ought to be both written and taught Thus farre Langius We will now proceed to some moe authorities prouing the imposture committed by some assuming to themselues the skill of discerning any disease by the inspection of the vrine onely and then will we produce some authorities to tell vs what diseases may by the vrine be seene and how in the verie same we may sometimes be deceiued From the premisses it may plainly appeare how easily such Physitians are deceiued who trust too much to the iudgement of the vrine onely for such may well be compared to the vulgar sort of people who are of opinion that not onely the disease it selfe but euen the primitiue or externall cause may also be seene in the same as did appeare by that clowne who reproched a very learned Physitian because he could not discerne his cart and oxen in his vrine Now that this our assertion is true it may easily appeare in that the vrine may alter and change vpon diuerse
occasions as by the quantitie and qualitie of diet by reason of excessiue motion by plentifull euacuation c. Of the erronius and preposterous iudgement of diseases by vrine Georgius Rithamer a Gentleman of Vienna being incited by the great concourse of people which did daily in so great abundance stocke about this base roguing and câ—zening Empiricke who came hither of late to heare his opinion concerning their vrines woulds needs likewise in some matter heare his opinion Hauing discoursed a little with this Scoggia concerning the errand he came for casting his eyes vpon the table he espied a Greeke booke lying vpon the same whereupon he began presently to smell out his knauerie For this cozening varlet was altogether ignorant of all manner of learning and good literature insomuch that he could scarce speake two Latine words and as for the Greeke so farre was he from vnderstanding the same that he knew not so much as one letter of that language as being brought vp vnder an Empiricke as ignorant as himselfe He afterwards confessed vnto vâ— that the stoâ—e where he lodged had two doores at one of the which people ordinarily entred to talke with him the other ioyned close to the kitchin at the which a blind woman went out in who asked people before they came to speake with the Impostor what their errand was and then hauing learned what she would returned againe by the same way acquainting the villaine with the whole matter and seuerall circumstances by which meanes he did exceedingly abuse the simpler sort of people It came to passe another time that a certaine graue matrone did most earnestly require that she might haue accesse to him for he would not easily admit euery one to his presence to the end his credit might seeme the greater affirming likewise to this blind woman that her husband was now readie to dye by reason of his excessiue bleeding at the nose vnlesse he had some present remedie prouided She being at length let in he told her presently without asking her any question thy husband bleedeth at the nose and so wrote her downe some thing in a paper with the which she departed euery where did magnifie and extoll the great skill of this notorius cozening raskall O most execrable fraud and imposture And yet now adayes not a few not without great â—urt and preiudice to the poore distressed patients do thus increase their meanes and by the like imposture posture purchase to themselues no small gaine Such a one is that notable impostor the Iew I meane practising his imposture at Vienna these many yeares by past But heare againe the cunning imposture of another of these knaues recorded by the same author It is not vnknowne to many how that a few yeares ago there liued here a certaine cozening knaue who by the bare inspection of the vrine onely did most boldly and confidently affirme that euery one whose vrine was brought to him was either surprised with that feauer coÌ„monly called Synochus or else would tell them some strange and more then ridiculous and monstrous tales as that some drop of bloud was fallen downe from the heart into the neather belly so had produced the disease or else that the heart was enuironed about as it were with some bonds which did bind it hard with many other such ridiculous conceits After the deliuerie of this his so ridiculous vrinarie oracles he prescribed most commonly for euery one to sweat administring to this end and purpose this medicine following well knowne to euery Apothecaries apprentice to wit a litle Venice treacle mingled with a litle Campher and after their sweating he caused them bleed abundantly In this age wherein we liue there is euery where in these our countries so great and so frequent a number of them which without any controll or punishment euen in the best Cities and townes both wheres and Iewes as also any desperate villaine and bold ignorant Empirickes do kill and destroy the simple and ignorant people And all of them by meanes of this so necessarie a signe doth nothing else but practise their imposture Surely such rogues ought most seuerely and exemplarily to be publickely punished and to be banished out of all well gouerned Cities and commonwealths like as we see robbers and theeues by the high wayes to be driuen out of the thickets and forrests to be punished But alas so farre are we from banishing this abuse that many of good worth amongst our selues haue required and do yet require not of my selfe alone but of many others also both iudicious and learned Physitians that by the sole inspection of the vrine without any further inquisition or artificiall coniecture going before we should Prophet-like tell them whether the vrine be a mans or a womans of what age the partie is what is the nature of the disease as also what the antecedent and primitiue cause of the disease may be and whether they haue contracted the same by drinking of bad wiâ—es by eating too many puddings or any such like thing Now if thou shalt herein professe thy selfe ignorant and canst not Lyncius-like see all this and more in the vrine thou shalt heare them reply thou art a dunce knowing nothing and that they haue bene with them who haue told them wonders by the water Thou seest then how absurd an opinion is crept in not among the vulgar sort onely but euen among many others also who would seeme to be of a more refined vnderstanding as also what great danger doth from hence arise But yet when as in some cases with certaine cautions we do attribute some certainty to the vrine in giuing vs some notice either of the securitie of the disease or yet the danger of the same we are so farre from maintaining and vpholding such base bâ—ld varlets that we desire nothing more then the driuing of such dunces out of all well gouerned countries and commonwealthes But now let vs proceed to declare the vncertainty of this signe together with the limitation of the same to some certaine diseases wherein it giueth vs best satisfaction and we will begin with the famous Fernel Now the vrine if it be neither mingled with too much drinke or with some other mixture giueth vs cleare and euident notice of the qualitie of the humours contained in the Liuer and great veines but more obscurely of such as are contained in the small veines and euery part of the bodie And a little after It doth in like manner euidently declare and set forth the infirmities of such parts as it passeth through as of the kidneyes the vrine-pipes the bladder and the yard For although it make no long abode nor stay in those passages yet doth it cleanse away any filth or vncleannesse if any there be For this cause doth it shew forth the infirmities of such parts as it doth immediatly touch And againe afterwards But now because the custome hath so preuailed that besides
diuerse died among the rest my counsell was craued for a maid about twentie yeares of age suddenly suffocated by an Impostume in her stomach which after her death did appeare by the great abundance of bloud and matter cast out of her mouth At my coming to her I found her depriued as well of speech as of sense and reason and scarce liued aboue 2. houres after my departure But I will now relate a true historie of the deceitfulnesse of the vrine in a consumption of the Lungs In Aprill 1622. my counsell and personall presence for a Gentlewoman in Bedfordshire being desired I repaired thither where I found her infirmity to be a Quotidian feauer accompanied with some accidents which did somewhat amaze her During my abode in that place there was brought to me the vrine of a young Gentleman dwelling hard by to haue my opinion of the same Hauing well viewed it I found it both in colour and contents answerable to the most healthfull mans vrine But after certaine interrogatories I found that he had bene for a long time troubled with a cough Being desired to see the partie I found that he had bene for a long time vexed with this cough accompanying an vlcer in the lungs and seeing in him strength now decayed with an Hippocraticall face deaths trustie messenger I left him to the Prognosticke which within lesse then the space of three weeks was verified Now would I willingly demand of the most cunning Pisse-prophet what could he haue found out by either of these vrines or could he euer haue attained to the height and depth of these diseases by the bare inspection of the vrine onely And if he had bene beholden to the vse of the best perspectiue glasse that euer was made could he euer haue seene any such matter in the vrine But concerning this point we will here surceasse and proceed to the diseases within the veines CHAP. III. That euen in diseases of the Liuer and within the veines the vrine doth often deceiue the most skilfull Physitian NOw it may seeme a small matter to instance in diuerse diseases without the veines the vncertaintie of iudgement in diseases by the vrine onely but it will perhaps seeme more pertinent to declare that the like vncertaintie sometimes is found in some such diseases as seeme to affoord vs greater certaintie as in feauers c. Now that the vrine is not alwayes a certaine signe in euery feauer may from hence appeare that often in that feauer commonly called Synochus cum vel sine putredine that is that kind of continuall feauer which proceedeth from the abundance of bloud with or without putrefaction the vrine differeth little or nothing from the vrines of such as liue in perfect health as witnesseth Paulus Aegineta The reason why such vrines proceeding of so hote a cause yet do not appeare of so high a colour is because of the same immoderate and excessiue heate which being increased by meanes of the feauer conuerteth the bloud it selfe into the nature of choler and thus are such vrines not of so high intense a colour as those which proceed of choler Hence also may the error of such Physitians easily appeare who neuer admit of Phlebotomie but when the vrine is of high and intense red colour thinking that this doth alwayes argue abundance of bloud which neuerthelesse is most false as hath bene said And besides in that the vrines affoord vs but some generall notice of the cruditie and concoction of the disease they can neuer informe our iudgement whether the feauer be primarie or a principall guest or symptomaticall accompanying the disease as the shadow doth the bodie as is to be seene in Pleuresiet and diuers other internall inflammations which is notwithstanding of no small moment for the methodicall curing of the disease And yâ—t moreouer how canst thou euer tell whether it be an intermittent or continuall feauer by this vncertaine signe Neither Hippocrates nor Galen did euer presume to know so much howsoeuer Aâ—â—uarius in this as in many other things concerning this point hath troubled himselfe more then he needed But againe what if the feauer be composed of diuers humours melancholy being one which will not alwayes colour the vrine Galen himselfe instructing vs what vrines accompanie a Quaâ—tane in the beginning of the same saith they are thin white and waterish and a little after he ascribes the like vrines to the beginning of a Quotidian And I know for certaine that sometimes in the beginning of a Quaâ—tane the vrine cannot be discerned from a sound and healthfull mans And handling hereafter the colours of vrines I shall make it appeare that these thin white waterish vrines do often accompanie other diseases It is also worth the obseruation that Galen himselfe where as of set purpose he handleth both the differences and signes of seauers maketh so small account of the vrine that he neither nameth it among the signes of the Quotidian Tertian Quartane nor yet of such as are continuall or without intermission And a learned Physitian borne in this kingdome setting downe all the signes of a Tertian not omitting the pulse yet maketh no mention of the vrine But what if any malignitie be ioyned with a feauer may it not marre thy iudgement It hath euer bene so agreed vpon by the learned and daily experience teacheth vs this truth that when greatest danger is nearest it is then there least of all to be discerned But concerning this point heare yet the authoritie of a learned man borne within this land speaking of that fearefull and terrible feauer called commonly the sweating sicknesse The vrine in this disease was somewhat coloured thicke in substance variable and inconstant in the swimme and sublimation for nature kept no certaine rule or order by reason of the violence of the venome and in all other parts kept within compasse Now to any vulgar eye so great danger in the like vrine could neuer haue appeared I my selfe haue viewed many more dangerous to the outward appearance and yet neither death nor danger was to be feared The vrines in maligne and pestilent feauers are very variable and hard to lay hold on In some the vrine differeth nothing from a healthfull mans sometimes againe but a little as in this last instance Againe in others it followeth the nature of the humour shewing onely the abundance and putrefaction of the humours as I my selfe obserued 1610. at London in a lustie young fellow seruant to a Gentleman a friend of mine and dwelling in the Strand neare to Charing-crosse This fellowes vrine was very high coloured with a copious residence of red and some yellow contents and the feauer kept the periâ—d of an intermittent Tertian ague as was related vnto me and was accompanied with a painefull swelling in the throate his bodie plethoricke and cacochymicke and of a strong constitution and in the Aprill of his age For this cause I prescribed
which maketh an vrine of this colour desireth the companie of a man Doth not our maister vrine-monger now diue into the depth of the matter But good man I know what I can assure thee that Tom and Dicke in the countrey can tell as well that Maud the dairy maide would be married by the reflected rayes and benigne aspects of her superiour orbs vpon their hemisphaers and the suffering some syllibub and some other commodities committed to her custodie now and then to come into their possession by this meanes hindering her mistresse to further her selfe in her suite as the most cunning pisse-prophet in all the countrie shall do by the vrine if he had as many eyes as euer had that watchfull Argus or his nose weighed downe with spectacles The sanguine and best complexioned which by consequence should produce the best vrines are not alwayes the most amorous Many as ill coloured drabs as euer any hath seene haue not sometimes bene behind the best complexioned Gentlewoman in the land in such a case And it is held by many that such are for the most part solaces But now let vs proceed to some instances of these outward glorious appearances of vrines of the best note which neuerthelesse falsified the trust reposed in them And first I will instance in one taken out of a learned Germane author and then I will adde one of mine own experience The iudgement of diseases by the sole inspection of the vrine is hard to attaine vnto and of great difficultie for sometimes it commeth to passe that the vrine as well in colour as in all other points doth shew it selfe of a very laudable conditioÌ„ to the view of any indicious eye when notwithstanding death standeth at the doore the reason of this being that all diseases are not easily discerned nor yet the dangers of them perceiued by the vrine alone but such especially as haue their being in the bladder veines kidneyes and Liuer As it came to passe anno 1581. in a yong man about 24. yeares of age newly married This yong mans vrine being as well in colour as contents most like vnto an healthfull vrine he being neither depriued of his accustomed appetite either to meate or drinke neither troubled with excessiue headeach thirst watching anxiety and tossing of his body too and fro nor yet distempered with any noysome heate which might by feeling be discerned The pulse notwithstanding being weake frequent and swift with great inequalitie and feeblenesse gaue vs some coniectures of I know not what kinde of feauer the which now and then was not without some exacerbations Hence was I of opinion that the vitall facultie did then by little and little decay the vse and necessitie whereof in euery action of this life is not without great cause thought to be of such weight and moment that not onely doth it suffice as matter for the rest but doth also stirre vp and perfect the same in cherishing them after a most kinde and effectuall manner in so much as no part of the body can enioy the benefit of nourishment without the influence of this vitall facultie This yong man therefore being now wholly depriued of the said spirits it was no maruell if nature now decaying and winâ— by the counsell of a certaine Physitian being denied him now for certaine dayes he did vpon the eight day make an exchange of this cottage of clay for a farre better and happier inheritance But to omit many other stories by my selfe and others obserued which would yet most pregnantly prooue and confirme the same yet especially in the yeare 1617. did this most manifestly and plainly appeare In the foresaid yeare being generally moist for the most part the Winter not Winter like furnished with such frosts and tempestuous stormes as are not vnseasonable for that time of the yeare it came to passe that besides the small poxe measels and diuers other diseases there reigned not onely in Northamptonshire but in many other places of the kingdome a certaine kind of maligne if not pestilentiall feauer the which by reason it sweept away the lustiest people of either sexe we may and that not without good reason call it Stoup gallant In this disease as cometh often also to passe in others of the like nature the vrines of some such as liued not long after did appeare to the eye both for colour and contents of as laudable a condition as the vrine of the soundest and healthfullest man in this kingdome But among many I will mention but one whereof I my selfe was an eye-witnesse These foresaid feauers in the towne of Northampton and places adioyning in the Spring of the yeare were very frequent fierce and furious towards Sommer they began somewhat to relent reassuming their former fiercenesse towards the Haruest quarter In the aboue named yeare and quarter about the latter end of September a married woman of good account and reputation liuing within this towne of Northampton was surprised with the foresaid feauer of the which because at the first it assaulted her after the manner of an intermittent Tertian ague she made but small reckâ—ning but after the space of three or foure dayes fearing that which afterwards came to passe being also hereunto perswaded by some of her friends she vsed the aduise of another Physitian and my selfe In a few dayes were by vs administred all such meames as either in reason or our daily experience we thought fittest to expell the cause of her disease and restore her to her former health againe But contra vim mortis non est medicamen in hortis Wherefore at length discharging that debt which all the sonnes of Adam owe she was freed from the miseries of this mortall life and entred into the possession of a better Two or three dayes before her death her vrine might both for colour and contents haue giuen such satisfaction and content to the most eagle-eyed Physitian that none by the sight of the same could euer haue suspected any imminent danger In like manner if any one had felt her pulse without due consideration of the former dangerous accidents which could not be concealed from a iudicious eye obseruing withall sensibly approach the dissolution of this crasie cottage he would no doubt with old Agag haue concluded Surely the bitternesse of death is past CHAP. IIII. Of red vrines and how easily one may thereby be deceiued and of pissing bloud PAssing by many other colours of vrine which Authors do here mention attributing to each of them a seuerall signification of all which it were too much this short Treatise should take vpon it to discourse considering also that the vncertaintie of the same may be partly collected from that which hath bene said alreadie and partly by some things yet to be handled hereafter now I will cleare this point concerning red vrines This colour of vrine howbeit it hath many degrees some being of an higher and some againe of a lower coloured
and commeth by certaine turnes and set times and with such a one was troubled a certaine Nun mentioned by Musa who euery moneth vpon the suppression of her monethly disease did pisse bloud in abundance Archembault the Counseller by turnes did sometimes cast vp by the mouth and sometimes did voyd it downewards by stoole and againe at other times by the yard Some at the passing away of the Spring do pisse bloud and this I find written by Archigenes that some do by certaine turnes voyd great store of bloud by the yard being first collected in and about the kidneyes and that they find themselues much eased thereby I am very familiarly acquainted with one Donatus Arrigonius a merchant of our towne who in his iourney to the faire of Bohan which is held three or foure times a yeare in his iourney obserued that he was surprised with the Iaundise Afterwards as he was vpon his iourney homewards to Mantua and fast asleepe in his Inne being accompanied with another friend who lay in the same bed with him vpon the sudden there issued out at his yard of its owne accord great store of blackish bloud in so much that his companion being all wet with the bloud wakened him being almost halfe dead and with much ado at length brought him home to Mantua againe but withall quite freed from his Iaundise A certaine yong man after the eating of great store of garlicke pissed afterwards great abundance of bloud and after a little while signes of an impostume in the kidneyes might be obserued to wit some matter issuing forth from the same from whence I did collect that the sharpnesse of the humour had caused an excoriation in these parts by meanes of the opening of some veine I did see at Mothon a man who with a fall off a ladder filled halfe a chamber pot with the bloud he pissed who immediatly after the taking of a little Lemnian earth did recouer the bloud came without any vrine and that perhaps because the contusion was not farre distant from his yard About some nine or ten yeares ago an Inne-keeper of Northampton a fat and corpulent man hauing now and then voyded some small quantitie of bloud with his vrine did notwithstanding but little regard the same vntill such time as he fell into a totall suppression of vrine the paine whereof made him cast forth such pitifull cries and complaints that his sorrowfull neighbours did much commiserate his distressed estate His wife no lesse perplexed then amazed at this so sudden and vnexpected accident at his desire sent to intreat my ayde and counsell in this his so great extremitie Some halfe an houre or lesse after the administration of a diureticke drinke inwardly and a Cataplasme outwardly applyed to his share he filled almost a chamber pot with bloud some small quantitie of vrine being mingled with the same whereupon followed immediatly case and alleuiation of all his former annoyance The same night about an houre after he sent me a little wooden dish almost halfe full of gobbets of congealed and clotted bloud resembling the substance of the Liuerie selfe The next morning againe he sent me an vrinall almost full of bloud voyded at the same place no vrine to the iudgement of the eye at the first to be discerned mingled with the same I caused him bleed oftner then once besides other fit and conuenient remedies as well in diet as otherwise and yet this fluxe continued lesse or more for some few dayes after In the space of one weeke he lost in all aboue a gallon of bloud For preuention I wished him besides gooddiet hard to be obserued by people of that profession with corroboratiue and other medicines fit for that purpose with speciall regard to the Liuer not to neglect Phlehotomie at least euery Spring and Faâ—l which he duely put in practise for the first yeare and for anything I could euer heare was litle or nothing troubled after that time with this infirmitie After this he liued at least three yeares and then dyed suddenly of the cause whereof here to discourse were besides my present purpose Diuerse others haue now and then by me bene obserued troubled with the like euacuation without any great hurt or hinderance to their health whom to auoide prolixitie and tediousnesse I here willingly passe by onely one I will touch but in two words A little child aboue fiue yeares of age vsed at diuerse times to pisse pure bloud not keeping any certaine times or turnes This the Gentlewoman her selfe the childs grandmother dwelling not farre from the towne of Northampton told me who did likewise affirme that she had not discerned any hurt he had sustained by the same yet notwithstanding for feare of some future inconuenience and after ensuing danger was desirous to vse some meanes for preuention which being by some occasions then deferred the child afterwards departed out of these quarters into another countrey where what since befell him I cannot tell But now let vs proceed to some other colours of vrines for here I thinke hath bene found as small certaintie as in the former CHAP. V. Of blacke vrines and that they are not alwayes so dangerous as they are deemed as also of blew ash-coloured or leaden and greene coloured vrines together with their seuerall significations and vncertainties THe highest and intensest of all other colours is the blacke the which when it presenteth it selfe to the view of the eye in any vrine it striketh no small feare and terror in the minds of most men yea and sometimes of those of no ordinarie vnderstanding That this feare was not altogether without some ground may be seene by some passages of our old father Hippocrates who doth peremptorily affirme that as well in men as in women blacke vrines are alwayes dangerous And of the like opinion and iudgement was once his trustie interpreter Galen confidently auouching that he neuer knew any one recouer whose vrine was altogether blacke howbeit the danger was the lesser if the residence onely were blacke lesse againe if the middle part or swimme and least of all if the cloud onely were of this colour Howbeit the same Galen in another place affirmeth That if there be a retention of a womans monethly fluxe of melancholicke bloud there is no cause of feare if in such a case the vrine appeare blacke to the eye And againe in the storie of that woman who being surprised with sicknesse the second day after she was brought to bed the third day she voyded thinne blackish vrines Galen speaketh of no further inconuenience to ensue vppon the same but maketh onely mention of a certaine commotion and agitation of the humours of the body ioyned with a a certaine conflict and yet of all sorts of blacke vrines this thin blacke is counted the best Blacke vrines may be voyded both in health and also in sicknesse especially by way
crude or raw humours And not so onely but in the infirmities of the kidneyes also Hippocrates in his Aphorismes affirming that such vrines do both signifie infirmities of the kidneyes and the long continuance of the disease But from the froth we come to the smoke or vapor in the vrine of the which an Italian Physitian maketh mention as is forced to be beholden to the Arabians for the same Smoke or vapor saith he is sometimes to be seene in the vrine and cannot be by euery one conceiued It is engendred sometimes of a thicke adust matter and then with the continuance of strength signifieth the long continuance of the disease sometimes of an hote adust matter and with the decaying of strength prognosticateth death sometimes also of raw phlegme somewhat adust and signifieth the prolonging of the disease And if it continue all the time of the disease it portendeth death or raw phlegme which may be discerned from matter by the stinking smell But because our sight is not so sharpe in this Iland we will leaue these smokie vrines to the sharpe sighted Italians and Arabians But if any such smokie stuffe be found in any English vrines it must needs be best obserued in our cōmon Tobacconists whose vrines it is a maruell that they are not wholly conuerted into smoke But of this frothie and smokie stuffe sufficient this being likewise so idle an opinion that of its owne accord it vanisheth away into smoke howbeit I thought good to acquaint the Reader with all the hid mysterie of the imposture and abuses concerning vrines But now something concerning the fat swimming on the top of vrines Such vrines haue this fat swimming on the top sometimes in a greater and sometimes in a smaller quantitie and sometimes againe like oyle and sometimes also couering all the ouermost part of the vrine like a spiders web These fat vrines also signifie sometimes a wasting of the whole bodie if there be a feauer ioyned with the same or of the kidneyes onely if without it This feauer is sometimes very speedy and swift in operation wasting suddenly not the fat onely but the solid substance of the body also called therefore by our Physitians Febris colliquans and such are often Pestilentiall feauers It is againe sometimes an Hecticke which endeth in a Marasme vnlesse it be first preuented But how shall one be able by the bare sight of the vrine onely to discerne all these seuerall circumstances and differences But this is yet worth the obseruing saith Roganus that when as these wasting or consuming feauers haue welnigh wasted away the whole bodie then are no more such wasting excretions which he calleth syntectica excrementa either fat vrines or faecall excrements to be seene For the fleshie parts being hardned and dried vp that which melteth and wasteth away falleth now no more into the guts or the passages of the vrine but passeth away like a vapour This Galen setteth downe by a very prettie and pertinent comparison taken from flesh broyled on a gridiron Now if any one should conceiue some better hope by reason that this fat matter did no more appeare should he not misse the marke the case being now farre more dangerous then before The words of Scribonius make not a little to cleare this point in hand By these fat vrines saith he some do teach vs that we may easily discerne and know all the kinds of a feauer Hecticke by reason it signifieth a wasting and melting of the parts of the bodie But whatsoeuer reason we render of the same Galen notwithstanding in expresse words affirmeth that the vrine of such as are surprised with a feauer Hecticke hath no certaine signification Experience also doth teach vs that some being of a cholericke constitution of body as also such as haue eaten fat meates or haue fat kidneyes vse often to make fat vrines What reason is there then to pronounce either a feauer Hecticke or yet any wasting or consumption thereby This is not erronious onely but full oftemeritie also The truth of this assertion may also in this more plainly appeare that many haue dyed of such consumption and wasting who neuer notwithstanding had any fat swimme on their vrines Sometimes it hath bene also obserued that the vessell wherein the vrine hath bene carryed to the Physitian hath before contained either oyle or some other fat matter which hath by this meanes bene communicated to the vrine It is therefore the Physitians part diligently to enquire concerning all the circumstances of the disease and not by the inspection of the vrine onely peremptorily to pronounce any thing Thus farre our author Many of my friends and patients haue voyded vrines with this fat like a spiders web floting on the top for diuerse yeares together and yet were neuer subiect to any consumption or wasting either in the whole bodie or their kidneyes And how easily one may be deceiued in these fat vrines may by this which followeth appeare It is not yet full three yeares since I had vnder my cure in Northampton towne a countrey woman diseased of that infirmitie which we call Lienteria or the fluxe of the stomacke whom one day visiting and viewing her vrine I perceiued some fat like vnto some drops of oyle swimme on the top of it which was againe the next day after to be seene after the same manner she then seeing me narrowly view the same told me that the vrine was vnaduisedly made both the dayes in a vessell wherein some oyle had before bene contained What then if such an vrine had bene brought out of the countrey either to my selfe or yet to any other Physitian without any further information But we proceed now to the rest CHAP. VIII Of the cloud swimme or sublimation together with diuerse sorts of grounds or residences and the vncertaintie of their significations IN the first place we are to obserue that all vrines are not accompanied with contents but many depriued of them which may proceed from diuerse causes As namely in case of cruditie and the concoction being good yet may some obstruction hinder any contents to passe The like may be by fasting procured and want of food which may also make the vrine of an higher colour The inflammation of any part of the bodie by drawing of the humours thither may produce the like effect In lasks also or fluxes of the bellie as the vrine shall be the lesser so shall the contents be few or none at all Some certaine constitutions also gather no setlings in their vrines and such as are in present health and eate much haue a more copious residence and in Winter it doth more abound then in Sommer Laborious and very painfull people may also haue little or no contents at all in their vrines The time of the sicknesse in which this cometh to passe is also narrowly to be obserued for in the beginning and increase of acute
diseases then this want of contents argueth great defect of naturall strength and vigour In the declining of the disease it is not a messenger of so bad newes yea although it were in the vigour and strength of it And moreouer that many diseases are brought to a happie and expected issue without any contents at all is no vncouth thing What certaintie then can be collected either by the presence or yet by the absence of the contents Now howbeit heretofore some contents on the top of the vrine haue bene mentioned yet are these last mentioned most commonly and constantly to be seene ordinarily in vrines and therefore are more properly called contents and so to be vnderstood by that name Now all these three cloud swimme and grounds haue one and the same materiall cause and their generation is also alike differing onely in place and situation according to the weight of the matter and the concoction of the disease When the disease is yet crude and not concocted yet in some forwardnesse thereunto then appeareth that which is commonly called a cloud for the proportion and analogie it seemeth to haue with the clouds of the aire When the disease is yet in a better forwardnesse then is to be seene in the vrine that which is commonly called the swim or sublimation hanging as it were betwixt the ouermost and neathermost region of the vrine But when nature hath now gotten the vpper hand of the disease then doth this which we call ground settle to the bottome of the vrinall My purpose is not here to enter into a large discourse concerning the engendring of this substance and farre lesse yet the controuersies about the same which I leaue to be discussed in the schooles my intent here being onely to discouer the vncertaintie of iudgement which these contents do affoord vs. Now when thou seest the cloud swim or residence what canst thou pronounce but some generall and indefinite verdict concerning the cruditie or concoction of the disease but what this thy disease is thy vrine will neuer reueale vnto thee nor any of the rest of the signes and circumstances to be obserued in diseases And howsoeuer the materiall cause of all these three be one and the same differing onely in circumstances yet may sometimes the one be without the other Whersoeuer there is a swim saith Scribonius there is also a ground or residence which may also be vnderstood of a cloud howbeit the ground may be without the former to wit if it do not containe such a flatuous matter as raiseth the same vp according to the testimonie of Galen Moreouer the best and most healthfull vrine is accounted such as hath no such cloud nor swim in it as witnesseth the same Galen And moreouer if they be present the iudgement by them is yet vncertaine For who can tell whether this cometh to passe by way of crisis or otherwise vnlesse he weigh in the ballance diuers other circumstances according to the which criticall dayes are accustomed to be tried And besides the premisses all vrines do not suddenly settle and they assigne vs seuerall times for the vrine to settle in some assigne vs halfe an houre some the sixt part of an houre c. But better it were when they are setled then to giue out our iudgement of them For I haue often let vrines stand by me and could see no setling till the next day Now what couldest thou haue iudged of such an vrine the first day especially if the messenger according to the common custome had hyed him home What couldest thou haue said concerning the same And yet is this a case which cometh not seldome to passe Moreouer these contents do sometimes suddenly vanish away and that after an houre or two after the voyding of the vrine Iâ— may then plainly by the premisses appeare saith the same Author what counterfetting iuggling and deceit they vse and how wicked their practise is who without any other coiudicant signes do by the vrines onely giue out sentence concerning the infirmities of the bodie of man their causes and beginning their subiects adiuncts c. Now something concerning the seuerall sorts of grounds or contents in the vrine must likewise be said that the errours and impostures in this point as well as in other parts of the vrine may be layd open to the capacitie of the most ignorant As in the colours therefore so in the contents we will begin with the best of all others That then is â—â—â—unted the best sediment setling or ground which is white duly knit and stable and that continually all the time of the sicknesse and that which declineth from the foresaid laudable conditions is accounted worse and that so much the more as it doth decline from them It is generally agreed vpon among Physitians that great store of yellow grounds argueth great store of yellow choler in the bodie and the lighter coloured it be it argueth the lesse the higher coloured the greater excesse Now besides that thou canst not tell what particular disease proceeding from choler there being diuers it may signifie as whether an Ague or some other disease and againe if an Ague of what sort or kind continuall or intermittent so much lesse art thou able to tell the time of it which notwithstanding maketh not a little to informe thy iudgement concerning the vrine For if at the first there be either small quantitie of choler or yet none at all and then it after increase abundantly which is knowne by changing from a white thin to a saffron coloured ground it is a signe and token that nature doth vnburden it selfe of this heauie ballast of choler and so consequently that health is like shortly to ensue But if after a saffron colour it change to a white it is a bad signe especially without signes of concoction for the which cause it will be requisite that thou obserue the seuerall alterations of the vrine and then be well acquainted with the state and nature of the disease of the patient The like may be said of red residence the which in the beginning of diseases doth not portend any good and that by reason it argueth great store of cruditie which hindereth the concoction of the bloud and such are commonly seene in bastard Tertian Quotidian Agues But yet such Feuers as are incident to Plethoricall and Carechymicall constitutions oppressed with abundance of bloud and bad humors if they attaine to their expected issue must needs be accompanied with such or the like residence The bare inspection of the vrine onely will neuer acquaint thee with the particular Sometimes both the afore-mentioned contents are to be seene in one and the same vrine which is sometimes deadly and sometimes againe proueth a fore-runner of safetie and â—â—â—uritie I will instance in two examples of mine owne experience to make the truth of this appeare About some three yeares ago or a little aboue a
say something of the blacke which may seeme to threaten greatest danger Such dust falling to the bottome either blacke or of a leaden colour proceeding of melancholie is thought to signifie fluxe of the Emeraudes present or shortly to follow and sometimes vomiting of bloud As also sometimes paine in the reines loynes c. and stopping of the Flowers and at other times paine and diseases of the Spleene c. In the beginning of the yeare 1623. my counsell and personall presence was craued for a Ladie in Northampton-shire of good account In the bottome of the vrinall wherein her vrine was put for certaine dayes together some such blacke dust might be seene which a graue Diuine there present thought to be so dangerous that he told me he had seldome seene them liue many dayes after the sight of such coÌ„tents in their vrines And howbeit some strange and troublesome accidents did terrifie the spectators who beheld her with vulgar eyes yet did her pulse put me in better hope which was shortly seconded by a happie and prosperous issue the Ladie recouering her former health againe Neither heard I any complaint of such things as these contents are said to signifie But hauing now finished both colours and contents with other things belonging to this subiect it is perhaps now exspected I should say something of the manner of pissing as concerning not a little the matter in hand CHAP. IX Of the manner of pissing the retention or stoppage of vrine totall or in part as also of inuoluntarie pissing both in sicknesse and in health THe manner of pissing is either hard and vneasie or else inuoluntarie As for the first the action is interessed three manner of wayes as witnesseth Hollerius and others First there is a great desire to pisse but cannot be effected without force and hard straining sometimes not without paine Secondly there is the like desire but the vrine passeth away but by drops Thirdly there is a stoppage or obstruction of the vrine that it is not voyded at all or else so little that it is to small purpose Painefull and vneasie pissing may come to passe either by the acrimonie and sharpnesse of the humour or by the imbecillitie or weakenesse of the retentiue facultie proceeding for the most part from cold the which painfulnesse may in like manner be procured by reason of some inflammation clotted or congealed bloud an vlcer a stone c. Suppression of vrine proceedeth from diuerse causes sometimes by meanes of the obstruction or stoppage of the guts and sometimes againe by meanes of the emulgent or sucking veines and that againe two manner of wayes to wit either by reason of the weakenesse of the drawing or sucking qualitie or else by obstruction This suppression is likewise procured by the obstruction or stoppage of the Kidneys and Vrine-pipes and by meanes of the weakenesse thereof By reason of the obstruction of the aforesaid passages it cometh also diuerse wayes to passe as either by meanes of an inflammation knob or bunch of either of these parts or others adioyning or else by reason of a stone clotted or congealed bloud or some tough phlegme impacted and cleauing fast to the place as also sometimes howbeit seldome by reason of some holes in the kidneyes and that after the voyding of some stones as Mercatus hath obserued Suppression of vrine is likewise sometimes caused by meanes of the bladder or parts thereto adioyning it being also thereby interessed And in the first place by reason of the want of the sense of feeling the sinew descending from the loynes and the hucklebone being loosened Secondly by reason of the failing of the expelling power of the bladder c. Thirdly the exceeding great quantitie of vrine distending and stretching out of the bladder detained longer then is conuenient may bring this sometimes to passe Fourthly the resolution or loosenesse of the muscles of the neather bellie which haue likewise some interest in the furtherance of this excretion Fiftly by the totall ouerthrow of the expelling facultie as we see sometimes come to passe in burning Feauers as witnesseth Hippocrates Sixtly by the defect and fault of the vrine-pipes and that diuerse manner of wayes for sometimes the muscle which shutteth vp the bladder is clinged together by a conuuâ—sion the passage is likewise stopt either by the meanes of some tough clammie humours some clotted bloud matter knob or bunch or any tumour the outgrowing of some peece of flesh some wart or scarre and finally by reason of a stone stopping vp the passage by the neck of the bladder Seuenthly by the consent of the places adioyning the bladder and the vrine-pipes are sometimes so shut vp that they cannot freely deliuer the vrine which cometh often to passe in women by reason of the nearenesse of the wombe Eightly by meanes of a Palsie or resolution of the bladder The vncertaintie therefore of the vrine in diseases of this nature and kind may as euidently appeare as in any of the premisses And there being so many causes producing paine and difficultie in making of vrine to which of them wilt thou ascribe it Againe if there be a retention of the vrine what wilt thou send to the Physitian And if such an accident come to the cure of some Empiricke or vnskilfull Physitian his conceit will straightway leade him to some stone and so according to their ignorance in this art exhibite strong diuretickes or medicines prouoking vrine as I haue sometimes obserued which are so farre from procuring the intended good that they produce rather a contrary effect Of a suppression of vrine by meanes of clotted bloud I haue instanced alreadie This last Spring a young Gentleman of Leicestershire of good worth trauailing towards London thorow this Towne of Northampton was suddenly surprised with a suppression of vrine Being afraid of a stone in his bladder howbeit he had neuer heretofore complained of this infirmity yet tried he what the art of Surgerie could doe by meanes of a Catheter thrust vp thorow his yard towards the necke of his bladder together with some other meanes which notwithstanding tooke no effect The next morning about eight of the clocke I was sent for to the patient whose belly began to swell and some fumes to ascend into his head By meanes of a gentle opening inlep together with a Cataplasme applied to his share it pleased God to accomplish his desires howbeit a messenger had bene already sent away to bring with him an expert Surgeon to make incision He voyded that day abundance of vrine of a laudable colour and answerable contents so that none could find any fault in the same and the next day he went forward in his intended iourney towards London The passage of the vrine in this patient was somewhat narrow as seemeth and that by reason of some former infirmity and perhaps some wind gathered in the great gut might make some compression of the
the vulgar sort concerning the staining of the vrinall Historie This Parson a chiefe proctor for auâ—um poâ—abile in Northampton shire Absurd opinion of a Physitian affirming one to be bewitched by the vrine onely Many things alter the iudgement of the vrine Accidents of vrine twofold Diuerse significations of great abundance of vrine in health Aphor. vltimo lib 4. Lib. 4. degeneratione anâ—m cap. 4. In sicknesse Historie Mercur. lib. de vrinâ— cap 6. ex Marco Gatinaria Guil. Adolph Scribon devrin inspect pag. 41. 42. Another Small quantitie of vrine by diuers meanes Idem ibidem Aphor. 83. lib. 4. Another Mercur. lib. de vrin cap. 6. Of the smell of vrines Vrines without smell Vrines smelling well Stinking vrines with their seuerall significatioÌ„s Galen lib. 5. de simplie med facult Lib. de vrin cap. 3. rub 1. Loco prius citato Medici certe de hac iudicandi ratione scribentes digni essent qui in dies lotium potare cogerentur VpuparuÌ„ potius quam Medicorum haec tractatio erit Idem ibidem Vrina meretrix Palew and light saffron colour Called the key of vnknowne knowledge or a shop of fiue windowes Leuinus Lemnius de occuitis naturae mirac lib. 2. cap. 37. Historie Iacob Douinetus apol lib. 1. cap. 8. In the yeare 1617. many dangerous maligne feauers Another 1. Sam. 15. 32. Dangerous to let bloud vpon the bare sight of an high red coloured vrine Rhamb Dod. obseruat medic cap. 32. Historie Idem Dâ—d in schol Idem obseruat medicin cap. 31. Historie Another Idem Ibidem Vrine sometimes red by reason of the cruditie of the stomach Lib. 1. cap. designis quotidianae intermitt In comment in praedict locum Hieron Reusner in schol ad cap. 22. Ioh. Willich de prob vrin Per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of pissing of bloud Aretaeus Cappadox lib. 4. cap. 3. diuturn morb Holler Schol. ad cap. 52. lib. 1. de morb Vde ibidem plura vt apud Schenck obseruat medicin lib. 3. tit de sang mictu Historie Marcell Donat. lib. 4. cap. 29. hist med Another Another Another Another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippoc. prognost lib. 2. aph 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in coac sect 27. aph 16. 1. de cris cap. 12 alibi Comm. 3. in lib. 3. epid Comm. 3. in lib. 1 epid Of blacke vrines Historie Iohann Bel. for comm in lib de vrin Gal. attrib pâ— 72. Another Guil. Adolph â—cribon lib. de â—rinar inspect Actuar lib. 2. cap. 20. de iudie. â—rin Another Blacke vrines critical in diuers diseases Thomas a Vega comm ad lib. 6. Gal. de loc affact pag. 342. Nocturnae 〈◊〉 diurnae febre Another Anton. Valet exercit 40 ad Holler de morb intern Another Andr. Laurent anat lib. 1. quaest 38. Francise Valer. comm ad libr. Gal. le constit art med pag. 355 Another Another Iacob Douinâ—â— apol lib. 3. cap. vlt. Another Of a bastard Tertian in my selfe Another Iohann Crato consil medicin col 446. aedit Hanou. in fol. 1612. Another Amatus Lusitanus centar 5. turat 54. Mercur. lib. de vrin cap. 6. Of blew vrines Of greene vrines 3. de rat vict acut Historie Guil. Adolph Scribon de inspect vrin prope finem Of popiniay greene oylie vrine Of ash-coloured or leaden coloured vrines Of thin white vrines Rondelet lib. de vrin cap. 15. Their diuers significations Forest obseruat medic tomo 1. lib. 2. schol ad obseruat 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippcrat prognost lib. 2. aph 30 Historie Another Of thicke white vrines Historie Nichol. Flerent serm 3. tract 10. cap. 21. Another A Petro Sphaerorio medico referente Schenck lib. 3. obseruat medicin lib de vrin Another Iohann Schenck ibidem Another Holler inter raras obseruat num 2. Another Idem schol ad cap 30 lib. 1. de morb intern Another Of the circle ring or garland Not mentioned by the ancients Lib de vrin cap. 31. de circulo The originall of it It is twofold Leo Reganus de differ vrin lib. 1. cap. vlt. Posteriores eiusdem coronae iuditia subiecerunt veteribus non vsitata in quibus iustae saepe causae desiderantur verum vt scenae inseruiamus eadem iudicia subdere placet Villich de probat vrin part 4. cap. 39. Loco proxime citato Idem Reganus de prouid ex vrinis lib. 3. cap. 8. Idem lib. 2. de caus vrin cap. 9. Of bubbles spume or froth Idem lib. 2. de caus vrin cap. 9. See before in the beginning Schol. in cap. 30. part 4. Iodoâ—â— Willich de probat vrinar Comment 3 librâ— prorrh Aph. 34. sect 7. Sauonarola de vrin cap. 3. rubr 17. Of smoke or vapour in the vrine Of fat swimming on the top of vrines Gal. Comm. 3. in lib. 3. epid De prouid ex vrinis lib. 3. cap. 6. Lib. 1. meth med cap. vlt. Guil. Adolph Scrib de inspect vrinar prope finem 3. de praesagit ex puls Historie 〈…〉 All vrines are not accompanied with contents And may proceed from diuers causes The cloud The swimme The ground Loâ—o proxime citato 2. Prorrh 1. 2. in 6. epid 37. Seuerall times to be assigned for the setling of vrine Et ex his prâ—inde vniuersis optime facillimeque intelâ—igi pâ—sse opinâ—r â—uantuâ— fucus â—â—anta deceptio â—uanta denique malignitas sit omnium illorum qui absque alijs coiudicantibus vllis nude simpliciter ex allata sibi vrina aliquas corporis male affecti causas originem subiecta adiuncta sic deinceps vel exploratissime se cognoscere posse autumant Idem Sâ—ribon ibid. Of yellow contents or grounds Red residence Historie Another Bloudie residence and the seuerall causes of the same Historie See somewhat in the colours heretofore Purulent or matterie residence Schol. ad cap. 50. lib. 1. de morb intern Historie Lib. de vrin cap. 38. Red vetches or fitches Brannie and sealie contents Scales Haires in the vrine Comm. 1. ad aph 76. sect 4. Loco proxime supra citato Historie Schenck obseruat medic lib. 3. tit de vrina Sandie or grauelly residence Aph. 79. sect 4. Historie Ibidem Flesher Worms reiected by vrine Rondel de vrinis cap. 38. Montuus Idem Rondel lib. de morb cognos cap. 17. Historia Didymi Obrechti ad finem libri Rondel de vrinis adiecta Loco iam supra citato Ibidem Hieron Cardan comm in aph 76 lib. 4. Ambros Par. Chirurg lib. 19. cap. 3. De occult nat mirac lib. 2. cap. 40. Obseruat medicin l. 3. sect 312. Alexand. Bened. anat lib. 2. c. 22. Iohann Renodaeus de mat med lib. 3 cap. 33 antidot lib. 1. sect 1. cap. 20. circa finem Motes in the vrine together with their seuerall significations Of dust in the vrine Historie Of painfull and vneasie pissing Suppression of vrine The seuerall causes of the same De internor morb curat tomo 3. lib. 4. cap. 12. Suppression of vrine by meanes of the bladder
confusedly and indistinctly that hardly couldest thou discerne one manner of signe from another insomuch as thou mayest not without cause call their Diagnosticke Physicke the confused chaos of Democritus And further they do not instruct vs sufficiently what signe of the disease doth argue or shew foorth the greater or smaller strength But there is in Germanie at this day a sort of idle prating fellowes more foolish then any others who as if all the signes of euery disease were to be seene in the vrine are not ashamed by the sole and bare inspection thereof to prate and pronounce sentence concerning the substance of the disease and the life and death of the diseased as hath bene said alreadie To the end therefore that their impudencie may be made manifest and layd open to euery one I purpose to insert something in this Epistle concerning the differences of signes to the end that I may minister occasion to some others more learned then my selfe to handle the same by an absolute exquisite method the which taske I will also willingly vndertake for the good of the sicke if I may obtaine so much time and leisure that at length this so hainous a fault and worthy of no small punishment may be banished from among the companie of all honest and ingenuous Physitians and a right and perfect method as well for discerning as for curing may be set downe Now it is granted as well among Phylosophers as Physitians that the effects and accidents do indicate and declare their causes It is likewise well knowne that the accidents are nothing else but the effects of the disposition of the disease No man therefore can deny that the accidents of which number are also the actions interessed and some things which essentially do adhere thereunto do indicate and declare as well the disease as the place affected as being the harbour and receptacle of the same and vnto which the remedies ought to be applyed Now as concerning the accidents some of them are called by the Greekes Epiphaenomena that is such as do appeare indeed but vanish away againe before the disease be at an end others againe called Pathognomonica which being of the essence of the disease do both begin and end with the same And these be inseparable and certaine signes of the disease the concourse of which doth more certainly and truly declare vnto vs the nature manner and kind of the disease then any vrine can do As a continuall feauer together with a pricking and stinging paine in the side a great cough and shortnesse of breath when as they concurre together and come as it were all at one instant are euident and certaine signes of a Pleuresie But other accidents which do after succeed are called Epiphaenomena or Synedreouonta as if thou shouldest say assessors or assistants to the disease vnto the which also they are not inseparably annexed nor yet haue their originall together with the same but for the most part either seldome or after a doubtfull manner do accompanie the disease not making vp the substance but certaine differences of diseases As in a Pleuresie a red bloudie or yet yellowish spittle a paine extending it selfe to the breast bone or neather part of the midriffe watching deliberation and terrible dreames these accidents are called assistant or accompanying and do declare either the difference of the disease or else the mildnesse or malignitie of the same Now it behooueth the Physitian to ponder and expend with himselfe in such a concourse of accidents equally the strength of euery accident apart and to compare together such as be dangerous with the other which do promise greater securitie For if those which are dangerous do vanquish and ouercome the strength and vigour of nature either by their force or number then mayest thou boldly pronounce that danger is not farre from the doore And againe on the contrary if such as do promise securitie be of greater power then the former then shall the sicke escape out of the deepe danger of Scylla and Charybdis and by the vertue and power of a happy Crisis saile forth into the hauen of health and that yet more assuredly if in the meane time perfect signes of concoction shall appeare Amongst such signes some are called Decretorie or Iudicatorie other signes of cruditie and concoction others againe do foretell the securitie or danger of the disease Now the signes of concoction after the beginning of the disease is past ouer and the humours by meanes of the naturall heate well concocted sequestred and separated from that which is putride and corrupt do appeare about the time of the increasing or vigour of the disease in the vrine spittle suppuration of Impostumes which is not vnlike vnto concoction performed in the veines as also in other excretions for the excretions of euery part of the body as also of the humours which are nothing else but the superfluities and relickes of concoction do shew foorth the indisposition of the same Wherefore in the infirmities of the chest and instruments of respiration a spittle white euen of an equall consistence is alwayes a good and laudable signe of concoction But if the sicke be not at all able to spit out any thing then doth it shew foorth absolute cruditie and if he should chance to spit a spittle without any mixture being thin waterish of a leaden colour or of the colour of verdigrease it doth not onely argue cruditie but doth also portend the vtter ouerthrow of the patient But the vrine being an excretion of the second concoction doth certainly shew foorth the crudity and concoction of the humours contained in the veines guts liuer and places adioyning the said parts being annoyed either with feauer inflammation Scirrhus or yet any other distemper whatsoeuer For if the same both in colour and substance be like vnto such vrines as are vsually seene in perfect health hauing a residence white euen and like vnto well concocted matter it doth truly witnesse vnto vs not onely the concoction of the disease especially in feauers but also that the naturall force and power is a great deale stronger then the disease and therefore that it is like to obtaine the victorie in the conflict with the crisis But by this meanes the vrine is no Pathognomonicke signe and yet a necessarie signe of concoction and cruditie and worth the obseruing in feauers diseases of the neather belly or intrails and places adioyning to them Wherefore Galen in the exposition of the predictions of Hippocrates doth grant that the vrine doth shew foorth and demonstrate the state and disposition of the parts of the liuer kidneyes and bladder as likewise of the strength or weaknesse of the vessels containing the bloud and of the naturall power and vertue which is the ingenderer of the humours howbeit the same Galen againe affirmeth that there are other Pathognomonicke signes belonging to the braines lungs mother sinewes c. And yet notwithstanding might