the yeare cold doth cause aboundance of ventosites And when winde is gathered in the body by reason of the former causes there is found a distention of the ventricle of the colick gowt chiefly on the left side with a noyse The wandring distenting paines running heere and there through the whole body There is heard wind issuing at all occasions both vp and down from whence commeth some ease there is remarked often a singing in the eares The colik with other diseases arysing of wind troubleth often Canon XX. The externall causes of sicknesse called of the Greekes procatartik commonly named primitives should be diligently searched for they lead vs as well to the knowledg of the cause intern as of the disease for aire meat and drink to warme watching great and violent motion anger and the suppression of the excrements ingenders hote humours and hote diseases In the contrare cold food with a cooling aire sleepe Idleset feare and all evacuation immoderat causes cold humors and cold diseases Dry diseases ordinarly accompanies the hote causes and the humide the cold For hote doth ordinarly bring with it drouth and cold humiditie because it is the mother of crudities For to find out then exactlie the cause and effect of the maladie which is hid it is needefull by a diligent inquisition and interrogation of all things which commonlie are called not naturall causes to learne of the sick if he hath exposed himselfe to an intemperat or impure aire if he hath committed any excesse in meat and drinke or in watching and labouring or if he hath bene too fierce in Venus service or if the spirit hath not beene troubled by passions or if any ordinare evacuation bee not suppressed as the monethly courses to women and the flux of the aemrodes to men and so much the rather wee ought to inquyre carefully of the things past because the ignorance of the causes is not without great danger for if a fever should fall into long watching fasting or over great dallying with Venus then without consideration of the cause of the disease presently they would draw blood and purge should they not thinke you hazard his life seeing the disease to haue come from evacuation For in the contrare wee ought rather to repare the forces by analeptiks or restoring things and not augment it by Phlebotomie and cathartiks For to foresee the issue of the Disease Canon I. THe fundamentall laws of the Prognosticks are taken from things naturall not naturall and conter nature as of the springs for we foresee and foretell the sicknesse to be salutare or mortall short or long by the force the constitution of the body and age of the Patient the season the forme of life by the cause the espece and seige of the evill with the symptomes which wee remarke in the change or diminution of the actions the excrements and the qualities of the body Canon II. If the forces bee strong to obtaine the victorie over the disease without doubt the sick shall escape if not shall die For none dies so long as their force remaines but so soone as the forces beginnes to yeeld to the burden of the sicknesse then followeth death Now to foretell the day of death yee must remarke how farre the sicknesse surpasseth the forces and remarke the most violent accesse for if one doth perceive the sicknesse so to outrepasse the forces that they cannot bee able any longer to resist death shall follow presently but if it appear otherwise it shall be longer so that the origine of Prognosticks consists in the conferring of the forces with the sicknesse For if nature bee strong enough to overcome the sicknesse then the person shall escape but if it bee so weake that it cannot obtaine the victorie death of necessity will follow and yee must wait on the one or the other sooner or later according as the forces are stronger or weaker hence it appeares that all the other signes salubres or mortals are no otherwise foresignes of death or life but because they point foorth the forces or weaknesse of nature in the combat with the sicknesse Canon III. It is a great helpe to health to bee of a mediocre constitution of body that is neither too fat nor too leane for such a bodie hath great forces to resist vnto any disease that doth present the selfe but where this mediocrisie is not a grosse bodie is in a worse case then a small for who are of that taillie dies sooner then they that are of the other because the veines and arteres of growne fat people are narrow and strait therefore hath both litle blood and spirits so that the age concurring vpon a light occasion the naturall heat is choaked or extinguished But they that are of a leane and thin constitution because they haue the veines arters larger and also more blood spirits which in them doth not so shortly incurre the danger of death yet so it is that they are sooner troubled by externall causes and that for lacke of flesh and greise so the grosse are more obnoxius to interne injuries the leane to extern Canon IV. Youth hath great force to withstand the disease because it hath store of naturall heat requisit to the concoction and excretion of the evill humors Contrare old age is not able to resist because of the defect of force not having much naturall heat Hence it is that sicknesse are longer in old people then young because they abound in cold humors the digestion whereof cannot be but in a long space by reason of the weaknesse of their naturall heat yea the greatest part of sicknesse that arrives to old people doth convoy them to their grave Canon V. The Spring is verie wholesome and no wayes mortall when it keeps the temperature but in Harvest the diseases are very strong and deadly for the most part First because being cold and dry is diametrically opposed to our life which consists in heat and moisture and so hinders the generation of blood whereof our bodie is made and nourished Secondly because it receives from the Summer preceeding the body languishing and wearie Thirdly because it beat back within the body the superfluous humors melted by the heat of Summer and come foorth to the skin to the end they may goe foorth The fourth because about the twelfth hour it opens the pores of the body by the heat and incontinent thereafter becomes cold it ryses within the bodie as an enemy to extinguish by its qualitie maligne the naturall heat already feeble and languishing Moreover it gathers store of crudities within the body the which doth choak the naturall heat and that by the vse of fruits which it furninisheth The Summer hastenes sicknes but the Winter doth retarde them because in the Summer the pores being open the evill humors of the body being melted by the heat of the aire are suddainly dissipat but in Winter they being closed by the cold they are retained within
respiration is made more frequent by reason of the vse but shortned because the capacity interior of the breast is made more strait The promptitud of rendring blood by the seages aemerodes monethly courses water nose and spitle Moreover a continuall sweating during the time of the disease is a token of plenitud Canon XVI Cacothymie is three fold cholerick melancholick and phlegmatick the causes that gathers aboundance of choler are signes preceeding the same such are The complexion hot and dry for commonly there ingenders much choler in men of a hot and dry complexion by reason of the conformity of this humour with that temperament The manlie age which is betwixt 25 and 35. for in that choler doth abound because the naturall heat is much more dry and active then than before a great part of the inbred moist or sap being consumed by it The Summer for the byle is more abundant than by reason of the circumsisting air which makes the blood more hote and dry The climat hot and dry the precedent dyet of these same qualities Such like great exercise travell anger care watching fasting and abstinence doth all gather byle Moreover the ordinar evacuation of bile by vomit by the stoole the water the sweat suppressed The consequent markes of abounding Choler are The whole colour of the body pale yellow or blackish drawing neere to that of Iandise or browne for when the temperament is excessive in heat the colour is black The state of the body dry leane small for such proportions are commonly bylous as also hairie with the haire red for it is the excrement of byle But more the black for black haire is when the exhalation burnt by the force of the heat is changed in black but the red is when it is not so burnt The greatnesse of the veines extended by the heat for they who hath great veines are of complexion hote but who hath strait and narrow veines are of cold for it is heat that doth inlarge The heat sharp and byting to the toucth Promptitud of courage and a disposition to anger and revenge The sense lively light and suddaine The spirit subtile and of good invention for the subtilitie and industrie of the judgment comes of the humor bylous The sleepe little and light accompanied with inquyetud great watching testifying the great drynes of the braine frō the which they flow or else from aboundance of a humor bilious with them The dreames of fire warre and things furious The pulse vehement hastie and hardie Bitternesse of the mouth losse of appetit great thirst venting of choler vpward and downward with the bellie often constipat The water yellow byting inflammed with little grounds The diseases bilious frequent as fevers fierce and ardent raverie jandies herpes or ring-worme erysiple pustuls cholericks dispersed through the whole body Canon XVII The melancholick distemper is knowne first by the causes productives of melancholie as are The temperature cold and dry with a debility of the melt or hote from the beginning but become cold by change for if any hote and dry before by an adustion of the blood ingenders much black bile hee becomes cold and dry and in end melancholick The declining age which is betwixt 35 and 45. for melancholie doth abound in that age for succeeding to the youth which is the most bilious of all it receives the bile burnt The harvest in it also melancholie abounds for succeeding to the Summer it receaves the brunt bile from it Grosse food and viscuous as browne bread porcks flesh beif haires flesh Harts flesh chiefly salted thick black wine beir and old cheife The life sad occupied in great affaires in contemplation studying without recreation or exercise of the body for by it the natural heat diminisheth and the humors becomes grosse and thick The suppression of melancholy that vsed to bee by the aemrodes monethly courses seages with scabs or by medecine As also by the signes of melancholy predominant in the body as are the colour browne or blackish of the face and all the body the skinne full of scabs hardnesse swelling and paine of the melt The habitud of the body dry and lean the visage sad and heavie feare silence solitarinesse vrine imagination conceits for the constancie of the spirit comes of an humour melancholick The mind slow to wrath but being incensed hard to bee appeased The sleep troubled with horrible dreams as with sightes of evill spirits tortoures of death sepulchres and other things feareful The pulse litle slow hard The appetit depravat sometime disordinat by reason of a sowre mater adhearing to the orifice of the stomacke The water clear and whyt where there is no melancholy mixed but thick and black where there is some mixed The diseases melancholicks frequently arriving Canon XVIII The knowledg of a pituitous distemper is taken from the causes antecedēt procreating it and the signes assequent following it the antecedent are the complexion of the body cold and humid the old age which is from 49. to the tearme of life for in that age by reason of the weaknes of the natural heat much flegme is ingendred The Winter because that season as reporteth Hip replenishes the body with flegme both because of the length of the nights and also by reason of the abundance of raine The rainie reason for the watrie aire which doth inviron the body gathers quantity of pituitous humors and of watrie superfluities The great vses of humid and moist meat the frequent drinking of water and any kynd of excesse either in meat or drinke idlenesse and want of exercise with a sedentarie or sitting life long sleep but especially after meat The following markes of flegme are the colour of the face and all the body somewhat whitish grayish or livid beeing withall swelled the whole body growne and fat for fat folke are commonly cold and phlegmatick grease being ingendred by the coldnesse of the habitude of the body the veines and arteries little and strait as comming of little blood and few spirits the skin whit and soft without hair because the complexion cold and humid is no wayes hairie The haire is whit because procreat of flegme all the senses of the body heavie and lazie the spirit stupid the sleep profound the pulse little small soft Slow digestion oft belshing with a sowr taste a desire to vomit the water whitish crud and troubled sometimes with a thick ground Pituitous and flegmatick diseases frequently occurring or cold catarrhes and the like Canon XIX The antecedent causes pointing a windy Cacochymie are the stomack cold and humid with the debility of naturall heat proceeding of a simple intemperature or with humors indigested The melt swelled and bouden vp with melancholy hindering by a sympathie the digestion of the stomack Meats windy as raw fruits beanes pease chesnuts and the like Overmuch drinke too much vse of boyled meat drunkennesse and gluttonie Lacke of exercise great sleepe the age the countrie the season of
Canon VI. Among the constititions of the seasons the dry is more wholesome and not so deadly as the rain for it gathereth no excrements and resists better to the putrefaction the humid in the contrar causes many superfluities from whence are the generation of diseases when the seasons are constant keeping there temperature ordinar so that all things doth naturally fall out in them the diseases are lykewayes constant and facily to be vnderstood but when the season is inconstant so are the sicknes variable and hard to be vnderstood for there crise is accompanied with dangerous symptomes where they suddenly cause death or ells leaves a matter to a new sickenesse When the sicke proves a good second to the physitian fighting againes the sicknes it is easie to obtaine the victorie Now when he beleues the physition and puts in practise his ordinances hee serves him for a second and declares himselfe enemie of the disease in the contrar if quyting the physition he takes part with the disease accomplishing that which hee desyres he hazards his life two wayes the one in leaving the physition aboue in combat the other in serving as a second to the sickenesse which was before alone for it is certaine two is stronger nor one Canon VIII The greatnes of the sickenesse followes the greatnes of the cause for as a light cause produces a light evill even so a great causeth a great Hence a vehement cause contrar nature is a most certaine indice of a great and dangerous sicknes Canon IX Byle causes still quicke diseases which are termined or ended within few dayes because it is easilie resolved by its subtilitie but melancholie is the most viscuous of all the humors and makes longest accesses because it is dry cold and thicke being the lyfe of the blood Next to melancholy is phlegme in difficulty of digestion and expulsion by reason of its viscositie Canon X. The diseases that hath some resemblance with the nature bodily constitution and age of the diseased are lesse dangerous then these that hath no conformity for all sicknesse hot cold dry moist being conforme to the complexion age and bodily constitution of the sicke and also to the season hath so much lesse danger as it is lesse removed from the naturall constitution and so may more easily returne as proceeding frō a lighter yea a slighter cause As in the contrare the disease that hath no affinity neither with the temper taillie nor age of the Patient or with the season is much more dangerous then the former being further removed from the naturall complexion and therefore worse to cure as proceeding of a greater and stronger cause So that of two burnt fevers equall in grandure that which fals out in the Summer to a young man leane of body of temper hot shall not be so dangerous as that which fals out in the Winter to an old man of a fat body and cold complexion Canon XI Meeke and gentle relenting diseases are commonly long but the sharpe fyrie and fierce are ended within fourteene dayes and the extreame hot in seven dayes There can no certain prediction be made of hot sharp diseases either for health nor death for by that they are quickly ended they become on a suddaintie great so that both for the greatnesse of the disease with the suddaine change which befals in the crise as also because the humor is often transported from one place to another the issue is vncertaine wherefore while the humor is in its motion we must suspend our judgement for it is not certain whether it will rush on a noble or ignoble part within or without by passages conveniable or not conveniable thogh the humor were staied in one place yet the Physician ought not resolutly affirme that the sick shall escape but with this provision that no new change befall and that hee follow the advise and keep the regiment prescribed When a woman with child is overtaken by any firie hot disease shee is in danger of her life for a hot fyrie fever requyres a strait dyet which shee cannot admit least the child being frustrat of his food shee be broght to bed before the time and if oft to save the child yee give the mother often to eat the fever thereby growing yee shall precipitat the mother in a manifest hazard of her life and if it be any other strong sicknesse without fever as a epilepsie apoplexy convulsion shee shall never be able to support the vehemencie of it Canon XII To foretell the event of the disease yee must consider diligently the part that is offended whether it bee noble or ignoble publick or privat for the condition dignitie and necessitie of the part that suffereth are of great importance for the pronouncing of a sentence to the profit or prejudice of the sick Canon XIII In all diseases the constancie of the reason not troubled with the bounty of the appetit still readie for taking of whatsomeever shall bee offered to it is a good signe and the contrare is an evill the satlednesse of the reason and sharpnesse of the appetit are numbred among the good markes because the former beares witnesse of the temperat disposition of the braine the menings or tayes of the harnes and of the marrow of the backe the medrife and all the nervous parts and the latter shews the integritie of the stomack and lever In the contrare the alienation and troubling of the reason and the losse of appetit are evill signes because the one betokens the animal parts to be affected the other the naturall All they that are troubled with paine or dolour in any part of the body whatsomeever and are not sensible of it hath the reason troubled because the apprehension doth not perceiue in any measure the evill Canon XIV It is good to sleep in the night to make reparation of the spirits animals and digestion of the humors by the meanes of the heat that enters within the center of the body and to watch in the day for the clearing of the same spirits to give motion to the humors and to make expulsion of the excremēts but it is a verie pernicious signe not to sleepe night nor day for continuall watching commeth either of the dolour paine and torment that they suffer or of the drynesse of the braine which in end will cause an alienation of the mind Sleepe likewise surpassing the borders of mediocrite is in like maner evill because it is a marke of extreame coldnesse of the braine which causeth a lethargie if it bee mixed with humidity or catalepsie if with drynesse When in a sicknesse sleepe is noysome and hurteth there is danger of death for if the sleep hurts that time that hath bene accustomed to helpe much as in the decline of any sicknesse it is not without cause that it foretelleth death and that because the heat reteared within the body the time of the sleep and by this meanes increase Notable neverthelesse
and the time opportune A crise is knowne to be perfyt and assured by the restablishing of the functions naturalls vitals and animalls by the coction of the excrements or by qualitie or forme of the body reduced and made conforme to the naturall Canon XXX Yee must not trust to any ease or aleagment which falls without cause nor feare evill symptomes ariving against reason for the most part of those are inconstant and doth not last a long time for when any vehement diseases ceaseth of the selfe without any evacuation either by sweat vomit flux downward or hemorrage vpward or without any signe of concoction one must not take that ease to be assured neither must one beleeve to it seing it doth threaten with something of greater evill which follow thereon As also one must not be affraighted of the evills that befalls without or rather contrare reason as difficultie of breathing raverie shiviring reduplication of the fever seing they are not constant nor of long last and so farre from signifying any thing evill that on the contrar they presage often a good crise which shall arive to the great ease of the patient The right methode of curing the disease Canon I. WHosever will exactly keepe the method of right proceeding in the cure ought to begin at the first indications then come to those that followes them Afterward to the next and never leave off till they haue come to the end pretended Wee take heere indication for that which serves to teach vs the way in the cure of the disease to attaine to health Canon II. The forces before all things ought to be keeped in those who are diseased after the indication of the forces followes the consideration of the indisposition which is proposed to be cured The forces wills allways their conservation and the indisposition its ablation Now as the forces are keeped or conserved by their like so the indisposition is taken away by the contrary Canon III. In all diseases where the efficient cause is yet present you must begin your cure at the same for it is impossible to cure perfytly any disease whileas the cause that doth ingender it is present so the maladies ceaseth never till the evill humors ingendring them bee banished which doth lurke within the body Canon IV. After the taking away of the cause you must next turne you to the disease ingendred of the cause keeping for a generall rule first the ablation of the cause efficient and next of the maladie Canon V. The cure of the symptome is never first intended but alwayes that of the maladie which causeth the symptome Yet when the symptome minaceth with death or greater and suddainer danger then the disease it selfe the cure of it may bee first attempted Canon VI. While as the disease is growing wee must hinder the growth of it and take away that part that is already ingēdred The generation of that which is to come is hindred by taking away the cause antecedent and the maladie alreadie ingendred is banished by taking away the cause conjoynt Canon VII In all diseases caused of fluxion yee must first stoppe that which floweth yet next draw foorth that which already is flowed Therefore the cure of a phlegmon catarrhe and of all other diseases that are caused by a fluxion lookes all to two buts the first is that the humour which runneth yet bee stayed the other that that part of it which is already in the part bee evacuat Canon VIII In all diseases complicate the one whereof cannot be cured without the other there must respect bee holden to order now method or order requyres still the cure of that first which hindreth the cure of the other as if a phlegmon were accompanied with a vlcer yee must first take away that then cicatrize this Canon IX When two indications are directly opposit one to another yee must not regard so the one that yee misregard the other but rather having as good mind of this as of that make a mixture as equall as ye can As for example if one be troubled by two so contrarie diseases that the one desires a hot the other a cold remead yee must then make vse of one temperat to that end it do harme neither to the one nor to the other but rather help both So when the stomack is cold and the lever over hot things temperat are convenable and all that is mixtioned of hot and cold things or the alternative vse of the one and the other Hence is it that when a phlegmon is in its grouth there is mixed repercussives with digestives Canon X. When there is remarked a repugnance among the indications after you haue well considred that which is taken from the forces and also the indication of the cause the disease thou shall follow the most important of all not neglecting howsoever the other Canon XI It is a maxime most necessarie that commands to cure first the most importunat danger For the indisposition that is the first principall cause of precipitating the diseased in any danger ought first to bee helped Wherefore excessive watching cruell paine all evacuation out of measure chiefly of blood the suppression of superfluities and other like symptomes which weakens the forces and augments the disease in such sort that there may arrive quickly some danger constraines often the Physitian to quyt the cure of the sicknesse to occur to these symptomes Canon XII The generall method of curing diseases is accomplished by the convenable quantity and quality of the remedies with the maner and time of vsing of them Canon XIII It is requyred that all the remedies bee contrare in quality to the disease for contraria contrariis curantur For if all that which is immoderat be contrare to nature and that which is moderat agreeable to nature of necessitie it will follow that that which is out of measure must bee brought to measure by its contrare in like degree out of measure Hence is it that all diseases ingendred of repletion are cured by evacuation and these that proceed of evacuation by repletion and such like of the rest Canon XIV The temper of the body diseased with the disease it selfe shews the measure of the contrarietie forasmuch as it is not enough to apply cold remedies to a hot disease if that be not done with a measure reasonable otherwise not equall in measure it is to bee feared that there remaine some portion of the disease or being excessive that one disease contrar to the other bee moved For to occur to this wee must know the nature of the body that is to be handled to that end that vnderstanding how farre the disease exceeds mediocritie one may exactly measure the proportion of the refrigeratiue remedie Therefore the quantity of everie remead ought to be measured according to the complexion of the sick and the greatnesse of the sicknesse Canon XV. The contrare remedies must be put in vse litle by litle and now and
within is pierced then the wind doth blow forth at the hole Moreover the forme of issuing foorth is remarked for the better vnderstanding of the part that is troubled so the blood that proceedes of the arteries because of the abundance of the spirits doth issue with force in a leaping manner but if flowing and deadly from the veine also if any peece of the part troubled doe come forth alone it signifieth the place or seat to be neere by but if it bee mixed with the excrements it declares to bee higher and further removed The accidents points also at the place so the pearle declares the eye to bee molested the swelling of the right lisk the lever and that of the left the melt The symptomes manifests the place for ravery designes the braine to bee distempered the cheeks verie red the lights to be inflammed the losse of appetit the indisposition of the stomack the excrements like to the washing of raw flesh the debility of the lever Canon V. Thus having found out the part that is troubled next yee must search whether it is by Idiopathie or by Sympathie because it is requisit first to help the part that is troubled by the owne proper desert so Idiopathie is a proper indisposition of the part as is the pearle of the eye Sympathie is an indisposition which befalls any part by the fault of another And that either because of the defluxion of an humour falling from one part to another or by reason of the defect of the naturall facultie requyred for the action of the part sometimes it fals out that a part of a long trouble by a sympathie in end turnes to bee troubled by an Idiopathie Idiopathie is either privatiue or consecutiue so it is expedient to remark whether the disease bee privatiue that is bee first or consecutive that is doth flow from another An Idiopathie is by this discerned from a Sympathie when the sore is alone continuall and without intermission and receaves neither increase nor diminution by the augmentation or declination of any disease that is in any other part but remaines still in one state and condition the remeds applyed serving for the good of the same it is a signe that the indisposition is Idiopathetick But when it followeth another disease growes according to the growth of the same and also is mitigat by the same remeades and when the remeades applyed to it selfe doth not help it is then by Sympathie so the paine of the head arising from the stomack is distinguished from the dolour that comes of the proper fault of the braine in that it succeeds to a desire to vomite a heavie rifting evill smell or taste in the mouth with a falling away or lypothomie and when it growes with the indisposition of the stomack not receiving help from the topicks applyed to the head Canon VI. Having found out the part of the body offended next yee must make inquisition of the indisposition The indisposition that hindreth action is called morbus or sicknesse that which followeth it is termed Symptome and that which ingenders is named cause so that all indisposition against natur is either morbus symptoma or causa The Symptome is knowne of the selfe without other signes because it is objected still to some of our senses but the disease and the cause for the most part are removed from our senses but they are known by the Symptomes which are the signes to wit by the actions hurt by the excrements and by the accidents of the bodie Canon VII Maladie or sicknesse is an indisposition against nature that hurts immediatly the action of the part affected whensoever then thou perceives the action to be hindred or hurt then is it a disease Sicknesse or maladie is triple similare instrumentall and common the first hurts the action of the part similare the second troubles the vse of the organick the third hinders both wherefore if the action of the part in so farre as it is similare be hurt the disease shall bee similare if in so farre as an instrument it shall bee instrumentall and if they both befall together it shall bee common The action of the part similary is hindred by a simple intemperature as heat cold moistnesse and drouth or by one composed as hot and dry hot and humid cold and dry cold and humid that either with or without mater The vse of the organe is preverted by the fault of the greatnesse nombre situation oftest by conformation and obstruction both the one and the other is troubled by the breach or solution of continuitie in the parts as by phlegmon scirrh or any other tumour contrare nature as also by vlcere wound fracture or luxation so in temperature is a sicknesse similare obstruction a disease organick and solution of the continuitie sicknesse common The diversitie of especes are known by the varietie of the actions hindered so the continuall desyre of sleepe signifieth an indisposition cold and moist of the braine a continuall waking shewes a hote and dry pulse frequent quick and vnaequall a fever suchlike the kind of the paine points foorth the disease as a dolour inflammative a hot distemper a stupefactive a cold The excrements serveth also to find out the espece of the sicknesse as sand in the water shews a gravell the meat sent foorth below without change declares a lienterie suchlike the accidents of the bodie so the colour greene shewes an oppilation in the liver browne colour an obstruction in the melt a blak tougne a burning or fever the nailes crooked a consumption ptisie the cheekes red a peripneumonie Among those accidents they that are proper and inseparable are holden for most certaine because they haue a great demonstrative facultie Canon VIII The nature and situation of the place serves much to the knowledge of the kind of the sickenesse for everie part hath the owne prope sicknesse so the eyes onely are subject to a pearle the neires and bladder to the stone the puddings to wormes and not the stomacke the heart can never suffer a vlcer profound nor the lights any dolour Canon IX The better taking of the disease you must diligently consider the things antecedent such are the nature the habitude the age the countrie the season the disposition of the aire the forme of lyfe of him who is diseased and the sickenesse wherewith hee vses to be molested for one is soonest overtaken with the disease with the which there nature hath greatest familiaritie So hote diseases are most frequentlie incident to hot bilious persons as cold sickenes to cold lumpish nature and that alswell to those who are such by nature habitude and age as to those who are so by reason of the region the season and the constitution of the aire And albeit that all sort of sickenesse may befall to all sort of persons all ages in all place time yet they fal on most frequētly the temperament age place time with the
which they have some affinitie An Epidemik sicknesse is knowne incontinent by the running of it among the people seazing on many at one tyme al hereditar disease as the epilepsie the gravell the gowt is suspect to be incident to those who are procreat of parents sicke of such infirmities Moreover often men finds the kind of the disease by the usage of the things which hurts or helps for the hote intemperature doth increase by the vse of hote things but is mitigate by the vse of cooling things the cold intemperature of the contraire Canon X. After the acquyred knowledg of the disease make search thereafter for the cause of it the which is either extern or intern the intern is two fold antecedent or conjoyned First then seeke out the cause conjoyned because it produceth immediatly the disease It is therefore needefull to search whither it be winde or any other superabundant humor as blood bile melancholie or phlegme or any other thing contrare natur as stone lump of blood worms or any other sort of excrement The colour natur of the place the kind of the dolour and the sort of the excrement with the praedominant humor in the bodie will serve for markes Canon XI For when the part in flāmed is red it is full of blood when yellow full of byle but that which is cold and whyt is replenished with phlegme when blackish with melancholy for the colour of the skin doth commonly point forth the humor is within Divers parts are appointed for the ingendring of diverse humors excrementitious as the lever for breeding of yellow byle the melt of black byle the stomack the tryps and the braine of phlegme the neers and the bladder of the gravell and stone the tryps of wormes The paine pricks sore when it is caused of choler it is moderat when it proceeds of blood blunt when of melancholy phlegme or wind except it bee when they mak great distention through their aboundance If that which issueth forth by the excrements of the part affected bee a portion of that which is continued within it it shews either by the colour or substance what it is wee shall speak heereafter of the predominant humour Canon XII After the knowledg of the cause conjoynt it follows know whether it bee alone or if it bee fostered or furnished by any other cause antecedent That which gathered is by way of congestion through the fault of the part offended is reput to bee alone but when all the bodie or any part of it doth exoner the selfe on the member affected of any superabundant humor the which overburthened there is then a cause antecedent which doth accompany the conjoynt so there be two sort of causes interne to the which remead must be vsed Canon XIII The cause antecedent of the sicknesse is double the one is named Plethor or plenitud the other is called Cacochymi Plethor is a repletion of all the humours aequallie augmented or of blood only Cacochymie is a repletion of Choler melancholy or phlegme the signes both of the one and the other are taken both from the causes antecedent which doth gather the humor as from the temperature of the whole body and of the principall parts from the age season constitution of the aire region maner of living and of the evacuation ordinar suppressed as also from the accidents that befall all the qualities of the body such as bee the colour the habitud the fashions the functions animall vitall and naturall as from the sleep dreams pulse concoction excrements of the diseases ensuing and of the things that hurts and profites Canon XIV There bee two sorts of plenitud the one called plenitudo ad vires in the which the blood although it be not excessive neither in quantity nor qualitie overcharges never the lesse the weake forces of nature the other is plenitudo ad vasa the which in quantity surpasses the naturall limits or bounds and this either light or gentle when it fills only the cavity of the veines not farre exceeding mediocritie or it is excessive when it extends so that it almost rives the veines through the fulnesse of it by too great aboundance and althogh it bee verie excessive it may bee so that nature bee not chooked by it for commonlie the force growes with the blood but if it fall out that the forces bee abaited then it is plenitudo supra vires When then in a plethor the bodie is on no wayes by a too great weight lasie or heavie and the force remaines stil in a state it is onely a plentitud ad vasa But when the bodie becomes heavie lasie doyled the fleepe troubled and profond seeming to carie as it were some thing while hee sleepes it is then plenitudo supra vires Canan XV. The causes that ingenders blood in aboundance are signes antecedents of a plenitud as the complection temperat of all the whole bodie but chiefly of the lever and the heart or else moderatly hot and humid The age growing for the bairnes and young men hath much blood because they are not farre from there principes of naturall generation The spring also for in it the blood abounds for then the cold ceaseth and there falls out waters Also good fare a plesant past lyfe without care moderat excersise and sleepe The naturall evacuation of blood suppressed or the artificiall of long intermitted The accidents which showes the domination of blood in the bodie are the signes consequent of blood such bee The colour of the face and all the bodie red by the ordinare custome or mixed of red and whyt The swelling of the veines aequalie appearing through all A manifest bending of the vessels being full of blood by measure A lazines or wearying comming of it self without any labour vnder the which the joynters by reason of their weight with great difficultie doe move the selfe for it is when the great veines over full of blood doe exoner themselves in the litle and they againe in the muscels so that they are filled and bended The habitude of the bodie fleshie because it doeth proceed of an aboundance of blood yea the mediocer fleshy acompanied of a heat benigne and vaporous for that is a signe of nature temperat which ingenders aboundance of blood The fashions and cariag merrie joviall peaceable gentle because they are marks of a body well disposed The heavinesse of the head proceeding from the aboundance of vapours ascending vpwards The sleepe profound and pleasant with dreames of things pleasant The pulse strong great and full for in it the veines are so full that they doe infuse a part in the neighbors arters by an anastomosie the which being filled causes such a pulse and that not onelie in the shakle bones but also in the temples the fingers and over all the body The respiration more difficill and frequēt chiefly after exercise because the muscells of the breast are made lazie throgh the aboundance of blood hence it is that the
mediocre to these of a middle age because that old men indures easily hunger next to them that are at the entry of the declining age worse then these young men worst of all boyes for they that are growing hath much of the natural heat and therefore hath much need of nourishment otherwise their body should consume but there is but little heat in old bodies wherefore they need not much nourishment because that too much should choake it Canon XXIX The great cavities in the body in Winter and in the Spring are naturallie hoter then at any other time and the sleep longer wherefore in these the dyat may bee larger heere by the cavities wee must vnderstand the stomacke the whole bellie containing the puddings and the rest of the naturall parts that are appointed for digestion But if yee desire to know why the natural heat is augmented in Winter Arist. attributs the cause to the circumsisting air that is colder chasing by this meanes the naturall heat inward while as in the Summer it extends the selfe ordinarly through the whole body towards the heat that is without as familiar to it Hence is it that in the Summer its substance is dissipat and exhals but in Winter it is holden in and keeped there and therefore all the coctions are the better made Canon XXX As to the forme and maner of dyat one should eat lesse in the Summer the Harvest ofter but in the Winter and Spring more seldome but more aboundantly because in the Summer and the Harvest hardly doth one digest meat in Winter verie easily but in the Spring some way well Canon XXXI Yee must nourish gentlie and repare by little and little the bodies that hath beene extenuat of long time and restore quickly these that hath quickly beene taken down Canon XXXII You must give meat to the sick when as the sicknesse gives intermission or release during the accesse abstaine from giving for meat then is hurtfull because that it withdraws nature from the digestion of the humor to the concoction of the nouritour as also because by it the cause of the disease is augmented Canon XXXIII Among the operations of chirurgerie phlebotomie or drawing of blood keepes the first rank because it is the common remead of diseases which proceeds of plenitud or fulnesse for by it an evacuation is made of the humors equally being for this the most exquisit of all other meanes Canon XXXIV Phlebotomie is not only a remead evacuative but also revulsive and derivative for it is profitable when wee turne the course of the flux to the opposit part or desires to turne it asid to the neighbour part Canon XXXV Wee must draw blood in hot fevers 'till the spirits faile and heart saint if so bee the forces bee strong also in great inflammations and extreame paines for if one draw blood in hot fevers till the heart faint all the body is incontinent cooled and the vehement heat extinguished to diverse after it there followeth a flux of the bellie and a sweat By this meanes some are wholly freed of the fever others receives great ease the vehemencie of their sicknesse having passed This sort of bleeding is likewise good in great inflammations both for the former reasons and for that it stops the flux causing the inflammation and so hinders the growth of the phlegmon by this same it appeaseth the great dolours caused of the heat of the fever and of the inflamtions wherefore there is not found a remead more soveraine for insupportable dolours than it Canon XLV You must draw much blood if the sicknesse doeth vrge and the forces doe permit if not by litle and litle and at diverse tymes for all extreame evacuations are dangerous and cheifly bleeding being al at once Canon XXXVII They to whom purging and blood drawing is profitable ought to be purged and bled in the spring For that season is very proper to make evacuation by phlebotomie or pharmacie because that at that time there is no extraordinar heat for to weaken the body by exhalation nor great cold to make it stiffe by congealing the humors in it nor yet inaequall to disturbe the forces but rather a mediocre temper Canon XXXVIII You must not without great cause or deliberation open a veine to a woman with child because that a woman with child bled is broght to bed before the time if the chyld be great because having drawne blood of a woman with chyld the chyld thereby frustrat of his food famishing in the matrix of the mother breaketh his bonds and seeketh foorth for nourishment and that before the time except the mother abound in blood for then yee may be so farre from fearing it that in the contrar if it be not administrat both the mother the child are in danger as hath beene remarked in the persons of the most illustrious dames in the court of France least the child should be choaked by the too great aboundance of blood Canon XXXIX Purgative medicines should be ordained to cacochymike diseases these that purges the bile to bilious they that phlegme to phlegmaticks and so of the rest for the cure of one cacochymie is made by a purgation which is particularly appropriat to the humor thaâ— exceedes and among the alterative potions the cold are appointed for the hot the hot for the cold the dry for the humids and the humid to the dry for the hot mistemper would be made cold and the cold made hot and such like of the rest Canon XL. Strong potions would be given to strong diseases and gentle medicins to more meik and gentle for extreame remedies are fitest for strong diseases hence the Romane oratour desyrous to show how a curagious man should interprise hazards sayes in the presenting of himselfe to dangers he must imitat the custome of the medicins that handles gently those that are but lightly troubled but in greater diseases are constrained to make vse of remedies more dangerous and doubtsome Canon XLI Wee must expell those things that requyres to be expelled by the wayes most proper whither nature chiefly tends and divert them if they make not there course by the way they ought the physition then ought curiously to mark the motion of nature and the inclination of the humor redounding to that end that if it tend to any place fitting to help it in the contrar if it seek for one vnfitting to hinder it and to draw it off that course So if phlegmatick or melancholick humors take the course downeward and nature haue essayed already to banish by the retract the fever the physition ought to prescribe a clister or some other proper remead for to stir vp nature and if a bilious humor bend vpward and nature strive to expell it at the mouth a vomit is expedient to be taken for that is to draw thither the humor whither nature aimes cheifly and if yee doe otherwise you shall change the order and course of nature
either by reason of its weaknesse or the maliciousnesse of humors overcome the cause of the disease shews that nature no wayes strengthned or comforted by this meanes but rather hurt is ready to succumbe vnder the burden of the disease being stronger Canon XV. The pulse is the faithful messenger of the heart bringing certaine news of death and life The pulse great and strong is a token of force on the which is builded the hope of recoverie of the health but the pulse litle weake and languishing shews the weaknes of the vitall facultie from whence is the feare of death the inequality of the pulse is alwayes evill when it perseveres the intermission of it in young men is most dangerous for it threatneth with present death if it bee not from an obstruction and oppression of the arters it is lesse dangerous in bairnes and least of all in old men Canon XVI Yee must know that the respiration and breathing free without stoppe is very wholesome in all sharpe or quicke diseases Because it denotes the temperature of the breast and of the parts therein contained As also the respiration remainting whole declares the naturall heat yet to be strong for to fight valiantly with the disease in the contrar the difficultie of breathing showes the indisposition of the vitall parts and the suffocation of the forces For the respiration frequent and great is a signe of some inflamation of the parts within the breast but the great and rare foreshow a future alienation of the Spirit as the respiration little and rare betokens as death because it beares witnes of the exstinction of the naturall heat which one perceives clearly by the coldnes of the breath ishuing at the nostrells and the mouth Canon XVII It is a good signe to have still a whole heart for they that falls often in lypothimy or swowning without a manifest cause dies in end suddenly because of the debilitie of the vital faculty Canon XVIII The coction of the humor appearing in the excrements of the sicke signifies the crise to be shortly with an assurance of health But the crudity denotes either that there shall be no crise or that the patient is mightily troubled or that the disease shall be longer or afterward it shall returne or that death shall follow on it For as when the coction is made when nature is victorious of the causes of the disease so the contrar befalls when shee is overcome by them So the foecall mater beeing soft aequall and yellow and not having an evill smell is judged to be good because it is well digested Suchlyke the water of a mediocer consistence of colour some what yellow having grounds whyt vnited and aequall is reput singulare good because it beares witnes of the digestion of the humour vitious and consequently of the victorie of nature over it in the contrar the dejection liquid and waterie whyt and pale is reput evill because it is crude or raw as also the vrine waterie and small whyt and shyning out of measure is not good because it is raw and without digestion Canon XIX When the excrements of the sicke are not verie different from the excrements of the whole it showes the disease to be light but if there be a verie great difference yee must apprehend the disease to be deadly For the excrements much different showes nature to be overcome by the greatnes of the disease Therefore the foecall mater black livid green stinking are mortall because they are whole alienat from there naturall constitution and the water that is blacke and thicke and troubled as that of oxen are most evill because extreamly removed from the naturall The same mixed in colour foreshowes a long disease for they denote diverse indispositions caused of diverse humors and therefore it is necessar that nature imploy a long tyme to the coction having so many enemies to combat with The vrine in the which yee see grease swiming like Spider webs are thought evill because they declare a melting of the body by an extraordinar heat Canon XX. Sweats are good in all sharp or fierie diseases when they fal out on the critick days and causeth the fever wholly to cease they are good also when they make the disease more easie to the Patient providing they be vniversall But this which brings no ease and serves to no vse also these that are cold and appeares only about the head the face and neck are most evill for in a hot fyrie and quick fever they prognostick death and in a gentle the longnes of the disease a cold sweat rūning without ceasing in great aboundance is a marke of long disease because it comes of a great quantity of a grosse and cold mater which cannot easily bee dissipat neither dantoned by the naturall heat as a hote sweat wils a short disease being caused of a subtile mater which matter in short space will bee dissolved Canon XXI If the visage of the sick bee like to the countenance of whole persons it is a very excellent signe chiefly if it looke like it self being whole In the contrare it is a verie evill signe when it is different from the naturall and when it is hideous to behold as it is then when the nose is sharpe the eyes hollow the temples abaited the eares cold and drawne in the lap of the eare turned the skin of the face hard extended and dry the colour of the face pale or blacke livid or lead coloured For if this deformity do not proceed of a manifest cause as of lack of sleepe or meat or of a flux of the bellie without doubt it presages death to be near seing this great extenuation is made by the malignity of the disease Canon XXII Where there is perceived a change through the whole body so that it is now cold then hot sometime of one colour then of another it foretels a long disease For the indisposition diversly mixed are still longer then these that are of a fast forme or fashion for nature cannot danton moe at once Now the changing of qualities and humors demonstrats the disease to bee caused of diverse humors in the coction whereof nature hath need to imploy much time for according to the varietie of humors within there appeares varietie of colours without Canon XXIII It is a good signe to have the hypochondres that is the space vnder the short ribs on either side soft equall and without dolour but verie evill to haue them hard bended inequall and painefull for as the former shews the good temperature of the epigastrick muscells of the mesentary the liver the melt and the stomacke so the latter declares an intemperature to wit an inflammation a skirrh or wind to bee in these parts In all diseases it is good that the parts about the navell and the inferior part of the bellie bee grosse fat and in good case but evill when they are extenuat and leane for the hypocondres grosse and fleshie