in the bodies of Beasts we have been inclin'd to think partly by the having Chymically analyz'd as they phrase it the blood of divers Bruits as Sheep Deer c. and found its Phlegme Spirit Salt and Oyle very like that of humane bloud and partly by our having observ'd in the bodies of severall Bruits not excepting Fishes Wormes Imposthumes and the like some of which seem'd manifestly to spring from such causes as are wont to produce resembling distempers in men and if the acute Helmont had been a more diligent dissector of Beasts he would perchance have escaped the Error he after others run into and into which his Authority hath tempted others to run when he affirm'd that the Stone was a disease peculiar to men for that in the bodies of Beasts especially very Old ones Stones are sometimes to be found not only severall Butchers have assur'd me but you may gather partly from that taken out of an Oxe's Gall which I have formerly mention'd which was about the bignesse of a Wallnut but principally from what I elsewhere deliver'd on purpose to disprove that fond assertion and greater leasure may upon another occasion invite us to mention some pathologicall Observations made in diseased Beasts by which were we not willing to hasten we might now perhaps much confirme what we have propos'd touching the possibility of illustrating by such Observations the nature of some of the Diseases incidenâ— to humane bodies And here we may also consider that there are diverse Explications of particular Diseases or troublesome Accidents propos'd by Physitians especially since the Discoâ—ery of the Bloods Circulation wherein the Compression Obstruction or Irritation of some Nerve or the Distension of some Veine by too much Bloud or some Hinderance of the free Passage of the Bloud through this or that particular Vessell is assign'd for the cause of this or that Disease or Symptome Now in diverse of these cases the Liberty lately mention'd that a skilfull Dissector may take in Beasts to open the Body or Limbs to make Ligatures strong or weak on the vessells or other inward parts as occasion shall require to leave them there as long as he pleaseth to prick or apply sharp liquors to any nervous or membranous part and whenever he thinkes convenient to dissect the Animall again to observe what change his Experiment hath produc'd there such a Liberty I say which is not to be taken in humane bodies may in some cases either confirme or confute the Theories proposd and so put an end to diveâ—se Pathologicall Controversies and perhaps too occasion the Discovery of the true and genuine causes of the Phaenomena disputed of or of others really as abstruse To this let me adde that there is a whole classis of diseases to be met with in Physitians Books which proceed not originally from any internal distemper of the Patient but are produced by some exterior Poyson and are therefore wont to be call'd by Doctors Morbi à veneno orti to the more acurate knowledge of divers of which Diseases Experiments made on Bruits may not a little conduce For though I deny not that some things may be Poysons to Man thâ—t are not so to some Beasts and on the contrary as we have more then once given to a Dog without much harming him such a quantity of Opium as would probably have suffic'd to have kill'd several Men yet the greater number of Poysons being such both to Man and Bruits the liberty of exhibiting them when and in what manner we please to these which we dare not do to him allows us great opportunities of observing their manner of operation and investigating their Nature as our selves have tryed and that sometimes with unexpected events as when lately a Cat ran mad so that her Keeper was fain to kill her upon a large dose of Opium which we caus'd to be given her And on this occasion I shall not scruple to transcribe an Observation out of a Discourse I some years since writ to a Friend about the tuâ—ning Poysons into Medicines because that Treatise I am like for certain reasons to suppress The words as I there finde them are these Before I take leave of Vipers or Adders as some will have those that here in England commonly pass for Vipers it will not be impertinent to tell you That it may be justly doubted whether they be to be reckon'd amongst poysonous Creatures in such a sense as those other venomous Creatures who have in them a constant and if I may so speak gross and tangible Poyson for it may be suppos'd that the venom of Vipers consists chiefly in the rage and fury wherewith they bite and not in any part of the Body which hath at all times a mortal property Thus the madness of a Dog makes his teeth Poysonous which before were not so And Authors of good repute supply us with instances of hurts in themselves free from danger that have been made fatal by a Venom created by the fierceness of the inraged though not otherwise poysonous Creatures that inflicted them And Baccius if I mistake not in his Treatise De Venenis tells us a memorable Story whereof he affirms himself to have been an eye-witness of a Man who was kill'd within three days by a slight hurt received in his left hand from an inraged Dung-hill Cock And that no parts of the Viper have any constant inherent Poyson in them I have been induced to suspect upon this Experiment That dissecting some live Vipers there came in accidentally a strange Dog to whom I gave the Head Tail and Gall which are the parts supposed to contain the Poyson of one of them and the Head and Gall of another wrapt up in meat after which I locked the little Dog up in my own Chamber and watched him but fouÌ„d not that he was sick or offered to vomit at all but onely lap'd up greâ—dily some drink which he espyd in the Room nor was he alone very jocund for divers hours that I kept him in but liked his entertainment so well that he would afterwards when he met me in the Street leave those that kept him to fawn on and follow me And having since related this Experiment to an inquisitive Friend of mine he assured me That to satisfie himself further in this particular he gave to a Dog a dozen Heads and Galls of Vipers without finding them to produce in him any mischievous symptome To which I shall adde That the old Man you know that makes Viper Wine does it as himself tells me by leaving the whole Vipers if they be not very great perhaps for some moneths without taking out the Galls or separating any other part from them in the Wine till it hath dissolved as much of them as it can And though it may seem somewhat improper whil'st we are discoursing of Poysons to insist on a remedy against them yet the mention of Vipers recalling into my minde a memorable Experiment which I tryed
Anima Mundi furnished with various Passions which watchfully provides for the safety of the Universe or that a Brute and Inanimate Creature as Water not onely has a power to move its heavy Body upwards contrary to speak in their Language to the tendency of its particular Nature but knows both that Air has been suck'd out of the Reed and that unless it succeed the attracted Air there will follow a Vacuum and that this Water is withal so generous as by ascending to act contrary to its particular inclination for the general good of the Universe like a Noble Patriot that sacrifices his particular Interests to the publick ones of his Countrey But to shew Men by an easie Experiment how little Attraction is perform'd to avoid a Vacuum I have sometimes done thus I have taken a slender Pipe of Glass of about four Foot long and putting one of the open ends of it into a Vessel full of Quick-silver I have suck'd as stronly as I could at the other and caus'd one to watch the ascent of the Quick-silver and mark where it was at the highest and I found not that at one suck I could raise it up much above a Foot and having caus'd a couple of strong Men one after another to suck at the same end of the same Pipe I found not that either of them could draw it up much higher Nor did it appear that by repeated Suctions though the upper end of the Pipe were each time stopp'd to hinder the relapse of the Quick-silver it could at all be rais'd above the seven and twenty Digits at which it us'd to subsist in the Torrecellian Experiment De Vacuo Whereas the same end of that Tube being put into a small Vessel of Water I could at one suck make the Water swiftly ascend thorow the perpendicularly held Tube into my Mouth which argues that the ascension of Liquors upon Suction rather depends upon the pressure of the Air and their respective measures of Gravity and Lightness compar'd to that Pressure then it proceeds from such an abhorrency of a Vacuum as is presum'd And so likewise in the other Question propos'd it is imply'd that there is in a Female Body something that knows the rule of Physitians that of a Plethora the Cure is the convenient Evacuation of Blood and that this intelligent Faculty is wise enough also to propose to it self the double end above-mentioned in this Evacuation and therefore will not provide a Quantity of Blood great enough to require an Excretion nor begin it till the Female be come to an Age wherein 't is possible for both the Ends to be obtain'd that also this presiding Nature is so charitable as that Man-kinde might not fail it will make the Female subject to such Monethly Superfluities of Blood from which Experience informs us that a whole Set of Diseases peculiar to that Sex does frequently proceed And in a word there is a multitude of Problems especially such as belong to the use of the Parts of a humane Body and to the Causes and Cures of the Diseases incident thereunto in whose Explication those we write of content themselves to tell us That Nature does such and such a thing because it was fit for her so to do but they endeavor not to make intelligible to us what they mean by this Nature and how meer and consequently bruit Bodies can act according to Laws and for determinate Ends without any knowledge either of the one or of the other Let them therefore till they have made out their Hypothesis more intelligibly either cease to ascribe to irrational Creatures such Actions as in Men are apparently the Productions of Reason and Choice and sometimes even of Industry and Virtue or else let them with us acknowledge that such Actions of Creatures in themselves Irrational are perform'd under the superintendence and guidance of a Wise and Intelligent Author of Things But that you may not mistake me Pyrophilus it will be requisite for me to acquaint you in two or three words with some of my present thoughts concerning this subject That there are some Actions so peculiar to Man upon the account of his Intellect and Will that they cannot be satisfactorily explicated after the maner of the Actings of meer corporeal Agents I am very much inclin'd to believe And whether or no there may be some Actions of some other Animals which cannot well be Mechanically explicated I have not here leisure or opportunity to examine But for most of the other Phaenomena of Nature methinks we may without absurdity conceive That God of whom in the Scripture 't is affirm'd That all his Works are known to him from the Beginning having resolved before the Creation to make such a World as this of Ours did divide at least if he did not create it incoherent that Matter which he had provided into an innumerable multitude of very variously figur'd Corpuscles and both connected those Particles into such Textures or particular Bodies and plac'd them in such Scituations and put them into such Motions that by the assistance of his ordinary preserving Concourse the Phaenomena which he intended should appear in the Universe must as orderly follow and be exhibited by the Bodies necessarily acting according to those Impressions or Laws though they understand them not at all as if each of those Creatures had a Design of Self-preservation and were furnish'd with Knowledge and Industry to prosecute it and as if there were diffus'd through the Universe an intelligent Being watchful over the publick Good of it and careful to Administer all things wisely for the good of the particular Parts of it but so far forth as is consistent with the Good of the whole and the preservation of the Primitive and Catholick Laws established by the Supreme Cause As in the formerly mention'd Clock of Strasburg the several Pieces making up that curious Engine are so fram'd and adapted and are put into such a motion that though the numerous Wheels and other parts of it move several ways and that without any thing either of Knowledge or Design yet each performs its part in order to the various Ends for which it was contriv'd as regularly and uniformly as if it knew and were concern'd to do its Duty and the various Motions of the Wheels and other parts concur to exhibit the Phaenomena design'd by the Artificer in the Engine as exactly as if they were animated by a common Principle which makes them knowingly conspire to do so and might to a rude Indian seem to be more intelligent then Cunradus Dasypodius himself that published a Description of it wherein he tells the World That he contrived it who could not tell the hours and measure time so accuratly as his Clock And according to this Notion if you be pleas'd to bear it in your memory Pyrophilus you may easily apprehend in what sense I use many common Phrases which custom hath so authorized that we can scarce write of
by onely drinking some of the Infusion of the Root he calls Jaborandi and this after I know not how many Alexipharmaca and Theriacal Antidotes had been fruitlesly administred You will perchance tell me Pyrophilus that these three or four last Instances are of Poysonous Distempers and their Antidotes not of ordinary Diseases and their Specifick Remedies But to thâ—s I have a double Answer and First Many of those Distempers that proceed from Poyson are really Diseases and both call'd by that Name and treated of as such by Physitians And indeed they may well look upon them but as Diseases exasperated by a virulent Malignity which yet appears to be not always easily distinguishable from that of Diseases that proceed not from Poyson by this That otherwise the Physitians of Princes and great Men if after having considered all the inward Parts of their dis-bowell'd Patients could not so often doubt and dispute as they do whether or no Poyson were accessary to their death And Piso who learn'd divers of their detestable Secrets from the Brasilians relates That some of them are so skilful in the cursed Art of tempering and allaying their Poysons that they will often hinder them from disclosing their deleterial Nature for so long a time that the subtle Murtherers do as unsuspectedly as fatally execute their Malice or Revenge These Diseases indeed are wont to differ in this from Surfeits and other resembling ordinary Diseases that in the one the venomous matter that produceth the Disease is at first much more small then in the other the morbifick Matter is wont to be But the activity of this little quantity of hostile Matter doth make it so pernicious that the Disorders it produceth in the Body being much greater then that of ordinary Sicknesses is the cure of such Distempers is the fitter to manifest how powerfully Nature may be succour'd by Remedies that work not by first or second Qualities since such are able to deliver Her from Diseases heightned by a peculiar and venomous malignity To this first I shall subjoyn my next which is That divers Passages of the former Discourse especially what we have related concerning the cure of Agues of the Rickets and of the Kings-Evil may satisfie you That even of ordinary Diseases some at least may be as well cured by Specificks as those produced by Poyson are by Antidotes You may also say Pyrophilus But what if a recommended Spâ—cifick do not onely seem unable to produce the promised Effâ—ct but have Qualities which according to our Notions of the nature of the Disease seem likely to conspire with it and increase it I Answer First That though it is better for a Patient to be cured by a rashly anâ— unskilfully given Medicine then to die under the use of the most skilfully administred Physick yet that the Physitian who looseth hâ—s Patient aâ—ter having done all that his Art prescribed to save him deserves more commendation then he thâ—t luckily châ—nceth to cure his Patient by an irrational course And therefore in such a case as you put Pyrophilus I think the Physitian ought to be very well satisfied of the matter of Fact before he venture to try such a Remedy especially if more ordinary and unsuspected means have not been imployeâ— and found ineffectual for it is not one lucky Cure that ought to recommend to a wary Physitian the use of a Remedy whose dangerous Qualâ—ty seems obvious whereas its vertue must be credited upon Report But then seconâ—ly If the Physitiâ—n be duly sâ—tisfied of the efficacy of the Remedy upon a coâ—petent number and variety of Patients I suppose he mâ—y without â—ashness make use of such Remedies at least where ordinary Medicines have been already fruitlesly try'd CHAP. XVIII THat you may cease to wonder at my daring to say this Pyrophilus I must offer to you three or four Particulars And first it is manifest to those that are inquâ—sitive Thâ—t the true Nature anâ— Causes of several Diseâ—ses are much less certain and much more disputed of among the Doctors themselves then those that are not inquisitive imagine Nor is the method of curing divers particular Diseases more setled agreed on that depending chiefly upon the knowledg of those Câ—uses which as I was saying are controverted 'T is not that I am either an Enemy to Method in Physick or an Undervaluer of it but I fear the generality of Physitiâ—ns for I intend not nor need not all along this Essay speak of them all have as yet but an imperfect Method and have by the narrow Pâ—inciples they were taught in the Schools been perswaded to frame their Method rather to the barren Principles of the Peâ—ipatetick School then to the full amplitude of Nature Nor do I finde that Physitians have yet done so fit a thing as seriously and with the attention which the impoâ—tance of the thing deserves on the one side to enumerate and distinguish the several Causes that may any whit probably be assign'd how the Phaenomena of that disordered state of the humane Body which we call a Disease or its Symptomes may be produced And on the other side by how many and how differing ways the Phaenomena may be removed or the Dâ—seases they belong to destroy'd And if this were analytically and carefully done I little doubt but that Mens knowledge of the Nature and Causes of Diseases and the ways of curing them would be less circumscrib'd and more â—ffâ—ctuâ—l then now it is wont to be And I am apt to think that even Methodists would then finde that there divers probable if not promising Methods proper to divers caâ—es whiâ—h Ways they yet over-look And though in a right sense it be true that the Physitian is but Natures Minister and is to comply with Her who aims always at the best yet if we take them in the sense those Expressions are vulgarly used in I may elsewhere acquaint You with my Exceptions at them and in the mean time confess to you That I know not whether they have not done harm and hindred the advancement of Physick fascinating the mindes of Men and keeping them from those effectual Courses whereby they may potently alter the Engine of the Body and by rectifying the Motion and Texture of its Parts both consistent and fluid may bring Nature to their bent and accustom Her to such convenient Courses of the Blood and other Juices and such fit times and ways of evacuating what is noxious or superfluous c. as may prevent or cure divers stubborn Diseases more happily then the vulgar Methodists are wont to do And indeed it is scarce to be expected that till men have a better Knowledg of the Principles of Natural Philosophy without which 't is hard to arrive at a more comprehensive Theory of the various possible causes of Diseases and of the contrivance and uses of the parts of the Body the Method which supposes this Knowledg should be other then in many things defective and in some erroneous as
did me the favor to tell me by word of mouth as a thing himself had also made was in short this That the Remedy was made by precipitating Quick-silver with good Oyl of Vitriol and so making a Turbith which is afterwards to be dulcified by abstracting twenty or twenty five times from it pure Spirit of Wine of which fresh must be taken at every abstraction But I would not advise you to recommend so furious a Powder to any that is not a very skilful Chymist and Physitian too till you know the exact Preparation and particular uses of it the reason of my mentioning it here being but that which I expressed at the entrance upon this Narrative CHAP. XX. YOu will perchance wonder Pyrophilus that having had so fair an opportunity as the subject of this Essay afforded me of discoursing to you about the Universal Medicine which many Paracelsians Helmontians and other Chymists talk of so confidently I have said nothing concerning the existence or so much as the possibility of it But till I be better satisfied about those Particulars then yet I have been I am unwilling either to seem to believe what I am not yet convinced of or to assert any thing that may tend to discourage Humane Industry and therefore I shall onely venture to adde on this occasion That I fear we do somewhat too much confine our hopes when we think that one generous Remedy can scarce be effectual in several Diseases if their causes be supposed to be a little differing For the Theory of Diseases is not I fear so accurate and certain as to make it fit for us to neglect the manifest or hopeful Vertues of noble Remedies where ever we cannot reconcile them to that Theory He that considers what not unfrequently happens in distempered Bodies by the Metastasis of the Morbifique matter as for instance how that which in the Lungs caused a violent cough removed up to the head may produce as we have observed a quick decay of Memory and Ratiocination and a Palsie in the Hands and other Limbs may enough discerne that Diseases that appear very differing may easily be produced by a peccant matter of the same nature only variously determined in its operations by the constitution of the parts of the body where it setleth and consequently it may seem probable to him that the same searching Medicine being endowed with qualities destructive to the texture of that Morbifique matter where ever it finds it may be able to cure either all or the greatest part of the Diseases which the various translation of such a Matter haâ—h been observed to beget Moreover it oftentimes happens that Diseases that seem of a contrary nature may proceed from the same cause variously circumstantiated or if you please that of divers Diseases that may both seem primary the one is but Symptomatical or at most Secundary in relation to the other as a Dropsy and a slow Feaver may to unskilfull men seem Diseases of a quite contrary nature the one being reputed a hot and dry the other a cold and moist Distemper though expert Physitians know they may both proceed from the same Cause and be cured by the same Remedy And in women experience manifests that a great variety of differing Distempers which by unskilful Physitians have been adjudged distinct and primary Diseases and have been as such unsuccessfully dealt with by them may really be but disguised Symptomes of the distempers of the Mother or Genus Nervosum and may by Remedies reputed Antihysterical be happily removed To which purpose I might tell you Pyro That I not long since knew a Practitioner that with great success used the same Remedies which were chiefly Volatile and Resolving Salts in Dropsies and in not Symptomatical but Essential Feavers And our selves have lately made some Experiments of not much unlike nature with a preparation of Harts-horn of equal use in Feavers and Coughs both of them primary I might on this occasion recur to divers of the Remedies formerly mentioned in several places of this Essay since divers of them have been found effectual against Diseases which according to our common Theory seem to be little of kin one to another And by telling you what I have observed concerning the various operations of Helmont's Laudanum of our Ens Veneris and even of a Medicine devised by a Woman the Lady Kents Powder I might illustrate what I have lately delivered But it is high time for me to pass on to another Subject and therefore I shall rather desire you in general to consider whether or no several Differing Diseases and ev'n some commonly supposed to be of contrary natures be not yearly cured by the Spaa waters in Germany And to assist you in this Enquiry I shall address you to the rare Observations of the famous and experienc'd Henricus ab Heer and to his Spadacrene in the 8 â—h Chapter of which he reckons among the Diseases which those Waters cure Catarrhs and the Distempers which according to him spring from thence as the Palsie Trembling of the Joints and other Diseases of kin to these Convulsions Cephalalgiae I name them in the order wherein I finde them set down Hemicraniae Vertigo Redness of the Eyes of the Face the Erysipelata Ructus continui Vomitus Singultus Obstructions and even Scyrhus's if not inveterate of the Liver and Spleen and the Diseases springing thence the Yellow Jaundise Melancholia flatulenta seu Hypochondriaca Dropsies Gravel Ulcers of the Kidnies and Carunculae in meatu urinario Gonorrhoeas and resembling affections Elephantiasis or the Leprosie fluor albus mulierum Cancers and Scyrrhus's of the Womb Fluxes and even Dysenteries the Worms though very obstinate and sometimes so copious as to be voided in his presence even with the Urine Sterility and not onely the Scabies in the Body and Neck of the Bladder and clammy pituitous Matter collected therein besides Ulcers in the Sphyncter of it but he relates upon the repeated Testimony of an eminent Person that he names and one whom he stiles Vir omni fide dignissimus That this Party being troubled with a very great Stone in his Bladder and having had it search'd by divers Lythotomists before he came to the Spaa did by very copiously drinking these Waters finde by a second search made by those Artists that his Stone was much diminâ—shed the first Year and by the same way of tryal that it was so the second Year And of the Cures of these Diseases the Physitian mentions in the same Chapter as to many of them particular and remarkable Instances and in the beginning of the next Chapter having told his Readers that he expects they should scarce believe these Waters can have such variety of Vertues Caeterum saith he si in Spaa maturè constantibus naturalibus vitalibusque facultatibus venerint aquasque quo dicemus modo biberint indubiè quae dixi vera esse fatebuntur And though we be not bound to believe nor doth he â—ffirm
Rerum c. The Contemplation of Nature though it maketh not a â—hysitian yet it fits him to learn Physick FINIS The INDEX to the Second Part. The Second Part Of the Usefulness of Natural Philosophy SECT I. Of its Usefulness to PHYSICK ESSAY I. Containing some Particulars tending to shew the Usefulness of Natural Philosophy to the Physiological part of Physick The advantage of the Knowledg of Nature towards the increasing the Power of Man and its Use as to Health of the Body and Goods of Fortune pag. 3 That in Man's Knowledg of the Nature of Creatures consists his Empire over them 4 That the Discovery of America is owed to the Knowledg of the Loâ—d stones Polarity 5 That the Martial affairs all over the World were altered by the Knowledg of the Nature of Brimstone and Saltpeter ib How prejudicial the mistake of that Aphorism that if teeming Women be let bloud they will miscarry hath been to Femal Patients 6 The interest of this Knowledg to the Happiness and Life â—f Man 7 The enumeration of those Arts to which this Knowledg is profitable ib. The Method or way intended for the ensuing Discourse 8 The Division of Physick into five parts 9 How the Physiological part of Physick is advantaged by the Knowledg of Natural Philosophy ib. That the Anatomical Doctrine of Man's body recâ—ives light from Experiments made on other Creatures ib. Proved by divers Instances as of the finding the Lâ—cteals and Lymphae-ducts first in Bruit Bodies 10 The Experiment of taking out the Spleen in Dogs ib. The same thing done by Fioravanti in a Woman 11 The Respiration of Frogs divers Hours sometimes Daies under water without suffocation ib. What use Aristotle and Galen made of the Dissections of Bruits 11 12 The Anatomy of Man counted now in Muscovy for inhumane and the use of Skeletons for Witchcraft 12 The Use of the comparison of the parts of Humane Body with those of Beasts ib. Illustrated by divers particular Observations 13 Divers Motions and Actions of Frogs after their Hearts were cut out 14 Observations of the motion of a Chicken 's Heart after the Head and other parts were cut off 14 Of the Vivacity of dissected Vipers 16. and Tortoises 17 Whether there be a necessity of the unceasing influence of the Brain to Sense and Motion 17 That the Silkworm-butterfly is capable of Procreation after the loss of its Head 17 That the Redness of the Bloud is not to be ascribed to the Liver proved by the inspection of the Liver of Chickens unhatcht 18 That the loss of a Limb in all Animals is not irreparable ib. That notwithstanding the great Solution and Digestion of Meat in the Stomachs of Fishes no sensible Acidity is found there 19 Experiments concerning the Solution of Meats and their change of Colours by acid Menstruums 20 VVaies of Artificial Drying and preservation of Plants and Insects 22. and more bulky Bodies 23 Particularly the Schemes of divers parts of Humane Body 24 Of the preservation of an Embryo divers Years by Embalming it with Oyl of Spike 25 Instances of men in the American Mountains kill'd and afterwards preserv'd from putrefaction only by the VVind ib. Of the use of Spirit of VVine for the preservation of Bodies from putrefaction 26 That the Examination of the Juices of Humane Bodies by the Art of Chymistry may illustrate their Use and Nature 27 That the Actions which are common to Men with other Animals being perform'd Mechanically the Skill of Mechanicks must be of Use to Physiology· 28 ESSAY II. Offering some Particulars relating to the Pathological Part of Physick That the Naturalists Knowledg may assist the Physitian to discover the Nature and Causes of Diseases 29. Prov'd by generall Reason 30 By particular Instance of the Cause of the Stone in the Kidnies 31 The cause of that Disease illustrated by the Petrifaction of VVood Cheese Moss VVater c. 32 The Origin of Helmont's Offa alba and Paracelsus his Duelech by the mixture of Spirit of VVine and Spirit of Urine and example of the Generation of the Stone 33 That a terrestrious Substance may lurk undiscern'd in limpid Liquors 34 The Vse of Chymistry in explaining the Nature of and aberrations in our Digestions 35 prov'd by a Catalogue of considerable Observations 36 The Salt and Sulphur have more influence in the causation of Diseases then the first Qualities of Heat Cold c. 37 Observations mad upon the Liquor that distends the Abdomen in the Dropsy 38 Observations on the Calculus Humanus 39 Of the changes that may reasonably be thought to happen to our aliments within the Body 43. Illustrated by the Example of Juices out of the Body 42 43 Difference between vulgar and true Chymistry 44 The Use of the Knowledg of Fermentation 44 Of Periodical Effervences in the Blood without Fermentation 44 45 Of the use of Zoology to the Knowledg of Diseases 46 Helmont's Error refuted that the Stone is a Disease peculiar to Man 47 That the Venom of Vipers or Adders consists chiefly in the Rage and Fury wherewith they bite and not in any part of the Body that hath at all times a mortal property 57 A certain Cure for the Biting of Vipers 59 Of external Application of Poisons and letting them into the Veins of Beasts 60 61 Postcript Experiments of conveying Liquid Poisons immediately into the Mass of Blood 62 63 64 65 ESSAY III. Containing some Particulars relating to the Semiotical Part of Physick That the Improvement of the Therapeutical would alter the Prognosticks in the Semeiotical part of Physick 66. An Instance to that purpose in the Peruvian Bark 67 68 and in Riverius's Febrisugum and a New Cure of the Kings Evill 69 That though no Disease should be incurable yet every Disease is not curable in every Patient 70 That the Hope of doing greater Cures then ordinary hath engaged Artists to make profitable Trials 71 Examples of some unexpected and strange Cures 72 73 Examples of the Cures of Cancers 74 An Example of a Cure of one that was born with a Cataract in the Eye 75. and other Examples of Cataracts strangely cured ib. Examples of the Cure of the Dropsie and Gout 76 77 Examples of the Cure of the Stone 78. The use of Persicaria for that Cure 79. Instances in other Medicines for the same Disease 80. The Use and Success of Millepedes 81. The Argument concerning the Incurableness of â—he Stone answered 82. That there may be a Liquor able to dissolve the Stone that may not be corrosive to any other part 83 84 Examples of those who could digest Metals and Glass 85 86 87 The Descriptions of a Menstruum prepar'd from common Bread able to draw Tinctures from pretious Stones Minerals c. 88 Helmont's Arguments from the Providence of God censured 90 The Argument that Paracelsus outliv'd not the 47th Year of his Age answered 90 The efficacy of Paracelsus his Laudanum 91 Butler's great Remedies 92 93 94 ESSAY IV.
main Truth We plead for in this Discourse is so nearly concern'd in what hath been taught by those that would keep God from being thought to have any share in the Production of the Universe I can scarce forbear as unwilling as I am to digress to represent to You on the present occasion a few Considerations which may assist You if not to lessen the Arrogance of such Persons at least to keep Your self from thinking their Evidence as great as their Confidence is wont to be Now of the Philosophers we speak of some being Atomists and others not it will be requisite to say something to each of the two sorts And because we not long since in an Illustrious Company where You Pyrophilus are not unknown met with one of them who avowedly grounded his Opinions on the Aristotelean or vulgar Physiology We shall first recommend to You two or three Considerations concerning such arrogant Peripateticks For I speak not of that Sect in general of which I know there are divers excellent Men. First then You will in many Passages of the following Essays finde that diveâ—s things that have been very Magisterially taught and confidently believ'd among the Followers of Aristotle are Errors or Mistakes and that as several even of the obvious Phaenomena of Nature do contradict the common Peripatetick Doctrine so divers at least of those that are more abstruse are not explicable by it and as confidently as these his Followers talk of the expounding the very Riddles of Nature yet I remember that he himself somewhere for I cannot call to minde the place did not scruple to confess that As the Eyes of Owls are to the splendor of the Day so are those of our Minds even to things obvious and manifest I shall next take notice That Philosophers who scorn to ascribe any thing to God do often deceive themselves in thinking they have sufficiently satisfied our Enquiries when they have given us the nearest and most immediate causâ—s of some things whereas oftentimes the assignment of those Causes is but the manifesting that such and such Effects may be deduc'd from the more Catholick affections of things though these be not unfrequently as abstruse as the Phaenomena explicated by them as having onely their Effects more obvious not their Nature better understood As when for instance an account is demanded of that strange supposed Sympathy betwixt Quick-silver and Gold in that we finde that whereas all other Bodies swim upon Quick-silver it will readily swallow up Gold and hide it in its Bosom This pretended Sympathy the Naturalist may explicate by saying That Gold being the onely Body heavier then Quick-silver of the same bulk the known Laws of the Hydrostaticks make it necessary that Gold should sink in it and all lighter Bodies swim on it But though the cause of this Effect be thus plausibly assign'd by deducing it from so known and obvious an affection of Bodies as Gravity which every man is apt to think he sufficiently understands yet will not this put a satisfactorie period to a severe Inquirers Curiositie who will perchance be apt to alledge That though the Effects of Gravity indeed be very obvious yet the Cause and Nature of it are as obscure as those of almost any Phaenomena it can be brought to explicate And that therefore he that desires no further account desists too soon from his Enquiries and acquiesces long before he comes to his Journies end And indeed the investigation of the true nature and adequate cause of gravity is a task of that difficulty that in spight of ought I have hitherto seen or read I must yet retain great doubts whether they have been clearly and solidly made out by any Man And sure Pyrophilus there are divers Effects in Nature of which though the immediate Cause may be plausibly assign'd yet if we further enquire into the Causes of those Causes and desist not from ascending in the Scale of Causes till we are arriv'd at the top of it we shall perhaps finde the more Catholick and Primary causes of Things to be either certain primitive general and fix'd Laws of Nature or rules of Action and Passion among the parcels of the Universal Matter or else the Shape Size Motion and other primary Affections of the smallest parts of Matter and of their first Coalitions or Clusters especially those endowed with seminal Faculties or Properties or to dispatch the admirable conspiring of the several parts of the Universe to the production of particular Effects of all which it will be difficult to give a satisfactory Account without acknowledging an intelligent Author or Disposer of Things And the better to clear so weighty a Truth let us further consider on this occasion That not onely Aristotle and those that mis-led by his Authority maintain the Eternity of the World but very many other Philosophers and Physitianâ— who ascribe so much to Nature that they will not be reduc'd to acknowledge an Author of it are wont very much to delude both themselves and others in the account they presume to give us as satisfactory of the Causes or Reasons of very many Effects I will not instance in the Magnetick Properties of Things nor any of those numerous abstrusities of Nature which 't is well known that the Aristoteleans are wont to refer to Sympathy Antipathy or Occult Qualities and strive to put Men off with empty Names whereby they do not so much lessen our Ignorance as betray their own But I shall instance in those more obvious Phaenomena of which they suppose they have given us very satisfactory Accounts If you ask one of those I speak of whence it comes to pass that if a Man put one end of a long Reed into a Vessel full of Water and suck at the other end his Mouth will be immediatly fill'd with that Liquor he will readily tell you That the Suction drawing the Air out of the cavity of the Reed the Water must necessarily succeed in the place deserted by the Air to prevent a Vacuity abhorr'd by Nature If you likewise ask such a Man Why to Women about a certain Age their Purgationes Menstruae do commonly supervene he will think he has sufficiently answered you when he has told you that about that Age beginning to beripe for Procreation Nature has wisely provided that their superfluous Blood should be sent to the Uterine Vessels partly to dis-burthen the Mass of Blood of an useless load and partly to contribute Matter or at least afford Nourishment in case of Conception But though these Solutions are wont to be acquiesc'd in by such as those that give them yet I see not how they can satisfie a rigid Reasoner For not now to mention what may be objected against them out of some Modern Mechanical and Anatomical Observations let us a little consider that to say that the ascent of the Water in the first Problem proceeds from Natures Detestation of a Vacuity supposes that there is a kinde of
Physiological subjects without employing either them or frequent and tedious Circumlocutions in their stead Thus when I say that a stone endeavors to descend towards the Centre of the Earth or that being put into a Vessel of Water it affects the lowest place I mean that not such a Mathematical Point as the Centre of the Earth hath power to attract all heavy Bodies the least of which it being a point it cannot harbor or that a Stone does really aim at that unknown and unattainable Centre but that as we say that a Man strives or endeavors to go to any place at which he would quickly arrive if he were not forcibly hindered by some Body that holds him fast where he is and will not let him go So a Stone may be said to strive to descend when either by the Magnetical Steams of the Earth or the pressure of some subtle Matter incumbent on it or by what ever else may be the cause of Gravity the Stone is so determined to tend downwards that if all Impediments interpos'd by the Neighboring Bodies were removed it would certainly and directly fall to the ground or being put into a Vessel with Water or any other Liquor much less heavy then it self for on Quick-silver which is heavier Stones will swim the same Gravity will make it subside to the bottom of the Vessel and consequently thrust away its bulk of Water which though heavy in it self yet because it is less ponderous then the Stone seems to be light And so in our late instance in the Clock if it be said that the Hand that points at the Hours affects a circular motion because it constantly moves round the Centre of the Dial-plate 't is evident that the inanimate piece of Metal affects not that motion more then any other but onely that the impression it receives from the Wheels and the adaptation of the rest of the Engine determine it to move after that manner And although if a Man should with his Finger stop that Index from proceeding in its course it may be said in some sense that it strives or endeavors to prosecute its former Circular Motion yet that will signifie no more then that by virtue of the Contrivance of the Engine the Index is so impell'd that if the Obstacle put by the Finger of him that stops it were taken away the Index would move onwards from that part of the Circle where it was stopt towards the mark of the next Hour Nor do I by this Pyrophilus deny that it may in a right sense be said as it is wont to be in the Schools that Opus Naturae est opus Intelligentiae Neither do I reject such common Expressions as Nature always affects and intends that which is best and Nature doth nothing in vain For since I must according to the above-mention'd Notion refer many of the actions of irrational Creatures to a most wise Disposer of Things it can scarce seem strange to me that in those particulars in which the Author intended and it was requisite that irrational Creatures should operate so and so for their own Preservation or the Propagation of their Species or the publick good of the Universe their Actions being ordered by a Reason transcending Ours should not onely oftentimes resemble the Actings of Reason in Us but sometimes even surpass them As in effect we see that Silk-worms and Spiders can without being taught spin much more curiously their Balls and Webs then our best Spinsters could and that several Birds can build and fasten their Nests more Artificially then many a Man or perhaps any Man could frame and fasten such little and elaborate Buildings And the Industries of Foxes Bees and divers other Beasts are such that 't is not much to be wondered at that those Creatures should have Reasons ascrib'd to them by divers Learned Men who yet perhaps would be less confident if they considered how much may be said for the Immortality of all rational Souls And that the subtle Actings of these Beasts are determined to some few Particulars requisite for their own Preservation or that of their Species whereas on all other occasions they seem to betray their want of Reason and by their Voice and Gestures seem to express nothing but the Natural Passions and not any Rational or Logical Conceptions And therefore as when to resume our former comparison I see in a curious Clock how orderly every Wheel and other part performs its own Motions and with what seeming Unanimity they conspire to shew the Hour and accomplish the other Designs of the Artificer I do not imagine that any of the Wheels c. or the Engine it self is endowed with Reason but commend that of the Workman who fram'd it so Artificially So when I contemplate the Actions of those several Creatures that make up the World I do not conclude the inanimate Pieces at least that 't is made up of or the vast Engine it self to act with Reason or Design but admire and praise the most wise Author who by his admirable Contrivance can so regularly produce Effects to which so great a number of successive and conspiring Causes are requir'd And thus much Pyrophilus having been represented concerning those that rejecting from the Production and Preservation of Things all but Nature yet imbrace the Principles of the vulgar Philosphy you will perhaps think it more then enough but Object That what is not to be expected from the barren Principles of the Schools may yet be perform'd by those Atomical ones which we our selves have within not very many Pages seem'd to acknowledge Ingenious And I know indeed that the modern Admirers of Epicurus confidently enough pretend that he and his Expositors have already without being beholding to a Deity clearly made out at least the Origine of the World and of the principal Bodies 't is made up of But I confess I am so far from being convinc'd of this that I have been confirm'd rather then unsetled in my Opinion of the difficulty of making out the Original of the World and of the Creatures especially the living Ones that compose it by considering the accounts which are given us of the Nativity if I may so speak of the Universe and of the Animals by those great Denyers of Creation and Providence Epicurus and his Parapharst Lucretius Whose having shown themselves as I freely confess they have very subtile Philosophers in explicating divers Mysteries of Nature ought not so much to recommend to us their impious Errors about the Original of Things as to let us see the necessity of ascribing it to an Intelligent Cause This then is the account of this matter which is given us by Epicurus himself in that Epistle of his to Herodotus which we finde in Diogenes Laertius Quod ad Meteora attinet existimari non oportet aut motum aut conversionem aut Ecclipsin aut orâ—um occasumvè aut alâ—a hujuscemodi ideo fieri quod sit Praefectus aliquis qui sic
P. 49. Piso ib. From the Root Mandihoca that abounds with a very potent Poison there is made not onely excellent Aliment but even Antidote too P. 50. Ex Augustino You ought not to use your Eyes as a Bruit onely to take notice of Provisions for your Belly and not for your Minde Use them as a Man Pry up into Heaven See the things made and enquire the Maker Look upon those things you can see and seek after Him whom you cannot see and believe on Him you cannot see because of those things you see And be not like the Horse and Mule c. P. 75. Epicurus in Epist ad Herod in Laertio As to the Meteors you ought not to believe that there is either Motion or Change or Ecclipse or the rise or setting of them because of any superior President which doth or hath so disposed of it and himself possesses all the while Happiness and Immortal Life Wherefore you must think that when the World was made those implications and foldings of Atoms happen'd which caused this necessity that these Bodies should pass through these Motions There are infinite Worlds some like this some unlike it For since Atoms are infinite as I newly shewed from the infiniteness of the Spaces some in one others in others distant parts of these Spaces far from us variously concur to the making of infinite Worlds P. 75. Lucretius Lib. 5. But how at first when Matter thus was whirl'd Heav'n Earth and Sea the high and lower World The Sun and Moon and all were made I 'le shew For sure the first rude Atoms never knew By sage Intelligence and Councel grave T' appoint the places that all Beings have Nor will I think that all the Motions here Order'd at first by fixt Agreements were But th' Elements that long had beat about Been buffeted now in now carryed out Screw'd into every hole and try'd to take With any thing in any place to make Somewhat at last after much time and coyl Motions and Meetings and a world of toyl Made up this Junto And thus being joyn'd And thus in kinde Embraces firmly twin'd And link'd together they alone did frame Heav'n Earth and Sea and th' Creatures in the same P. 77. Aristot Metaph 12. c. 6. How shall things be mov'd if there be no actual cause For Matter cannot move it self but requires to be mov'd by a Tectonic ' thing-creating Power P. 78. Ciceronis de Thalete He said Water was the Principle of all things but God was that Intelligence that made all things out of Water Ejusdem de Anaxagorâ The delineation and manner of all things he thought to be design'd and made by the power and reason of an infinite Intelligence P. 80. Garcias ab Horto L. 1. simp c. 47. Diamonds which ought to be brought to perfection in the deepest Bowels of the Earth and in a long tract of Time are almost at the top of the Ground and in three or four Years space made perfect For if you dig this Year but the depth of a Cubit you will finde Diamonds and after two Year dig there you will finde Diamonds again P. 93. Arist de Mundo cap. 6. It remains that we speak briefly concerning that 〈◊〉 whose Power preserves and supports all things in like manner as we have compendiously handled other matters For it would seem criminal to pass over the chief part of the World untouch'd having design'd to discourse of the Universe in a Treatise which if less accurate yet certainly may be sufficient for a rough platform of Doctrine Ibid. For God is both the Preserver of all things contain'd in the Universe and likewise the Producer of every thing whatsoever which is any wise made in this World Yet not so as to be sensible of labor after the manner of a Workman or a Creature which is subject to weariness for he is indued with a power which is inferior to no difficulty and whereby he contains all things under his authority even such as seem most distant from him 'T is more magnificent and agreeable to conceive God so resident in the Highest Place that nevertheless his Divine Energy being diffus'd throughout the whole World moves both the Sun and Moon turns round the whole Globe of Heaven and affords the causes of Safety and Preservation of such things as are upon the Earth But to sum up all in brief what the Pilot is in a Ship what the Driver in a Chariot what the chief Singer is in a Dance finally what Magistracy is in a Commonwealth and the General in an Army That is God in the World Unless there be this difference That much toil and manifold cares perplex them but all things are perform'd by God without labor or trouble P. 98. Galen de Plac Hipp Plat Lib. 7. Whereas therefore saith he all Men ascribe that to Art which is made aright in all respects but that which is so only in one or two not to Art but Fortune The structure of our Body gives us cause to admire the excellent Art exactness and power of Nature which fram'd us For our Body consists of above Two hundred Bones to each of which tends a Vein for conveying of nourishment in like manner as to the Muscles which is accompanied with an Artery and a Nerve and the parts are exactly pairs and those plac'd in the right side of an Animal are wholly alike to those in the other Bone to Bone Muscle to Muscle Vein to Vein Artery to Artery and Nerve to Nerve excepting onely the Bowels and some other parts which seem to have a peculiar construction So that the parts of our Body are double and altogether alike among themselves both in greatness and shape as also in consistence which I place in the diversity of softness and hardness As therefore we use to judge of things made by Men acknowledging the skill of a Work-man by the building of a Ship with extraordinary Art so also it behoveth to do in those of God and to admire the Framer of our Body whosoever of the Gods he were although we do not see Him P. 101. Arist de Mundo Cap. 6. 'T is an ancient Tradition saith he diffus'd amongst all Mankinde from our Ancestors That all things were made and produc'd of God and by God and that no Nature can be sufficiently furnish'd for its own safety which is left without the support of God to its own protection P. Ead Thus therefore we ought to conceive of God If we consider His Power He is Omnipotent if His Shape most Beautiful if His Life Immortal and finally if His Virtue most Excellent Wherefore though undiscernable by any corruptible Nature yet He is perceiv'd by such in His Works and indeed those things which are produc'd in the Air by any mutation whatsoever in the Earth or in the Water we ought deservedly to term the Works of God which God is the absolute and soveraign Lord of the World and out of whom
those things as they are discoverable out of mans body may well be suppos'd capable of illustrating many things in man's body which receiving some Modifications there from the nature of the Subject they belong to passe under the notion of the Causes or Symptomes of Diseases If I were now Pyrophilus to discourse to you at large of this Subject I think I could convince you of the truth of what I have proposed And certainly unlesse a Physitian be which yet I fear every one is not so much a Naturalist as to know how Heat and Cold and Fluidity and Compactnesse and Fermentation and Putrefaction and Viscosity and Coagulation and Dissolution and such like Qualities are generated and destroyed in the generality of Bodies he will be often very much to seek when he is to investigate the causes of preternaturall Accidents in men's bodies whereof a great many depend upon the Presence or Change or Vanishing of some or other of the enumerated Qualities in some of the Fluid or Solid Substances that constitute the body And that the Explications of a skilfull Naturalist may adde much to what has hitherto commonly been taught concerning the Nature and Origine of those Qualities in Phisitians Schools a little comparing of the vulgar Doctrine with those various Phaenomena to be met with among Naturall things that ought to be and yet seem not to be explicable by it will easily manifest to you And questionlesse 't is a great advantage to have been taught by variety of Experiments in other bodies the Differing waies whereby Nature sometimes produces the same effects For since we know very little à priori the observation of many such effects manifesting that nature doth actually produce them so and so suggests to us severall wayes of explicating the same Phaenomenon some of which we should perhaps never else have dream'd of Which ought to be esteem'd no small Advantage to the Physitian since he that knows but one or few of Natures wayes of working and consequently is likely to ignore divers of those whereby the propos'd Disease or Symptome of it may be produc'd must sometimes conclude that precisely such or such a thing is the determinate Cause of it and apply his Method of relieving his Patient accordingly which often proves very prejudiciall to the poor Patient who dearly paies for his Physitians not knowing That the Quality that occasions the Distemper may be as probably if not more rationally deduc'd from an other Origine then from that which is presum'd This will scarce be doubted by him that knowes how much more likely Explications then those applauded some ages since of divers things that happen as well within as without the body have been given by later Naturalists both Philosophers and Physitians and how much the Theory of the Stone and many other diseases that has been given us by those many Physitians that would needs deduce all the Phaenomena of diseases from Heat Cold and other Elementary Qualities is Inferiour to the Account given us of them by those ingenious Moderns that have apply'd to the advancement of Pathologie that Circulation of the Blood the Motion of the Chile by the Milky vessels to the Heart the consideration of the effects deducible from the Pores of greater bodies and the motion and figuration of their minute parts together with some of the more known Chymicall Experiments though both of those and of the other helps mention'd just before them I fear men have hitherto been far enough from making the best use which I hope it will dayly more and more appear they are capable of being put to He that has not had the curiosity to enquire out and consider the severall waies whereby Stones may be generated out of the body not only must be unable satisfactorily to explicate how they come to be produc'd in the Kidnies and in the Bladder but will perhaps scarce keep himselfe from imbracing such errors because authoriz'd by the suffrage of eminent Physitians as the knowledge I am recommending would easily protect them from For we find diverse famous and otherwise learned Doctors who probably because they had not taken notice of any other way of hardning a matter once soft into a stonelike consistence have believ'd and taught that the Stone of the Kidneyes is produc'd there by slime baked by the heat and drinesse of the Part as a portion of soft Clay may by externall heat be turn'd into a Brick or Tile And accordingly they have for cure thought it sufficient to make use of store of Remedies to moisten and cool the Kidneys which though in some bodies this be very convenient are yet far inferiour in efficacy to those Nobler medicines that by specifick qualities and properties are averse to such coagulations as produce the Stone But not to mention what a Physitian skill'd in Anatomy would object against this Theory from the nature of the part affected 't is not unlike the imbraces of this Hypothesis would not have acquiesc'd in it if they had seen those putrefactions out of the bodies of men which we elsewhere mention'd For these would have inform'd them that a Liquor abounding with petrescent parts may not only turn Wood as I have observ'd in a petrifying Spring into a kind of Stone and may give to Cheese and Mosse without spoiling their pristine appearance a strong hardnesse and weight but may also produce large and finely shap'd Christalline bodies though those I try'd were much lesse hard then Chrystall in the bosome of the cold water which brings into my mind that I have diverse times produc'd a body of an almost stony hardnesse in lesse then halfe an hour even in the midst of the water by tying up in a rag about the quantity of a nutmeg of well and recently calcin'd Alabastre which being thus ty'd up and thrown into the botome of a bason full of water did there speedily harden into a Lapideous Concretion And that even in the bodies of Animals themselves such concretions may be generated much otherwise then the Hypothesis we have been speaking of supposes may appear by what happens to Craw-fishes which though cold animals and living in the waters have generated at certain seasons in their heads Concretions which for their hard and pulverizable consistence divers Authors call lapides Cancrorum though in the Shops they are often but abusively styled Oculi cancrorum And such strong concretions are affirm'd to be generated in these Fishes every Year which I the less scrupled at because I have not found them at all times in the Head of the Fish And besides these and many more Concretions that had they been observ'd by the Physitians we have been speaking of might easily have kept them from acquiescing in and maintaining their improbable explication of the manner of the Stones nativity There is yet another kind of Coagulation which may both be added to the former and perhaps also serve to recommend the use of Chymical Experiments in investigating the Causes
but in the neck of the Retort a greater quantity of the same adust Oyl incorporated with a pretty quantity of volatile Salt whose smell did readily recall to my minde that peculiar kinde of stink which I had sometimes taken notice of in the volatile Salt of unfermented Urine nor were the taste of these two Salts unlike The caput mortuum consisted of a fine light cole-black Powder not unlike the finest sort of Soot and by weighing but of six Drachmes it inform'd us that above two thirds of the distill'd calculi humani had been as being volatile forced from the Terrestrial Parts even in a close Vessel wherein the caput mortuum though it were left insipid enough yet retained stink enough to make us think it still conteined pretty store of heavy Oyl as indeed having put it into a Crucible and kept it a competent while in a stronger fire we found it reduced to about two Drachmes of a brâ—ttle Mass of insipid white Calx which did not slack or fall asunder like Lime when it is cast into Water To this Example of the usefulnesse of Chymistry to discover the unobserv'd and otherwise scarce discoverable difference of the calculus humanus from other stones we may venture to adde That though some Paracelsians do take too much liberty when they crudely tell us that there are arsenicall vitriolate aluminous and other minerall substances generated in humane bodies yet if they had more warily propos'd their Doctrine it would not perhaps appear so absurd as they are wont to think it who considering only the nature of the Aliments men usually feed upon cannot conceive that such being but either Animals or Vegetables can by so gentle a heat as that of man's body by which they suppose all the changes of the Aliments must be effected be Exalted to an energie like that of such bodies as are compos'd of active Minerall substances and have some of them perchance acquir'd a violence of operation from the fire But we see that Concretions so like Stones which belong to the Minerall Kingdome as to passe generally for such may be produc'd in the bodies not only of men but of sucking children whose Aliment is fluid Milk and it seems a mistake to imagine how many soever do so that Heat must needs be the Efficient of all the changes the matter of our Aliments may happen to undergoe in a humane body where there are Streiners and Solvents and new Mixtions and perhaps Ferments and diverse other powerfull Agents which by successively working upon the assum'd matter may so fashion and qualifie it as in some cases to bring the more dispos'd part of it to be not unlike even fossile Salts or other minerall substances A very eminent person was lately complaining to me that in the fits of a distemper which almost as much puzzls her Physitians as her selfe she sometimes vomits up something so sharp and fretting that after it hath burnt her throat in its passage almost like scalding water it doth not only Staine the Silver vessels that receiv'd it but also work upon them as if it were a Corrosive Menstruum And there dyed a while since a very intelligent person much imploy'd in publick affaires who complain'd to me that in the fits of the strange distemper he labor'd under he divers times observ'd that that part of his pillow which his breath passed along would by the strange fuliginous Steams which that carried off with it be blackt over as if it had been held in some sooty smoak or other We may also consider that the Rain-water which in its passage through a Vine or an Apricok-tree or the like plants is turn'd into a sweet fruit in its passage through those plants that bear Lemmons and Barberries is transmuted into a liquor sharp enough to corrode not only Pearles but Corall lapides cancrorum and other hard Concrets as spirit of Vitrioll would do And writers of unsuspected credit affirme that an Indian fruit whose name I cannnot readily call to mind will speedily corrode and wast the very steel knives 't is cut with if its Juice be left long upon them and we see that some sorts even of our Apples and Peares will quickly black the blades of Knives on which the Juice is suffer'd to continue And least what I freshly mention'd about Limmon trees should be question'd I will here adde that I remember also that I have made not only some other hot and strongly tasted Herbs but even a Ranunculus it selfe to grow and incâ—ease notably in weight as well as bulk though I fed it but with fair water and allowd it nothing else to shoot its roots into Wherefore since this plant is reckon'd amongst those that either are poisonous or want but little of being so and since its operation is so violent that this sort of Vegetables is taken notice of from the experience of Country people to be able by outward application to draw blisters and since neverthelesse that which this plant without any heat discernable by the touch transmutes into so virulent a substance is but so unactive a body as water why may not such aliments as may have in them divers parts of a far more operative nature be in a humane body by an unusuall concourse of Causes and Circumstances so alter'd and exalted as to approach in operations especially upon the more tender parts to those of fossile Salts or other Minerals So that a Chymist might upon such an account without any great absurdity teach some parcels of morbifick matter to be of an Arsenicall or a Vitriolate or an Antimoniall nature especially since we see that sometimes Cancers Ulcers and sharp Juices generated in the body doe by their vitiating and wasting the invaded parts but too much emulate the pernitious operations of Arsnick and of fretting Salts and the infusion of Antimonie doth scarce more stimulate nature to disburthen her selfe both upwards and downwards then doth sometimes an humor such as that which causes the Cholera morbus and perhaps more violent diseases And that such degenerations of Innocent aliments should sometimes happen in discompos'd bodies you will perhaps think the lesse strange if you duly perpend what I lately mention'd of the transmutation of Water into hot and vesicatory substances and if thereto I annex that from a single pound of so common and temperate an Aliment as Bread I can by an easie way and that without addition obteine many ounces of a menstruum which as tryall has inform'd will worke more powerfully upon bodies more compact then some hard mineralls or perhaps Glasse it selfe then a wary Chymist would expect to see Aqua fortis doe These things I have mention'd Pyrophilus to intimate some of the Reasons why I think Chymicall Experiments may be usefully apply'd to illustrate some things in Pathologie either by imitating out of the body the production of some sorts of morbifick matter or by such resolutions of that which is generated in the body as may
conduce to the discovery of its nature And not that I think as Spagyrists do the experiments or notions of vulgar Chymists sufficient to explicate the whole doctrine either of Digestion or of Diseases for it would be very difficult for them to make out the manner of Nutrition or so much as how they that feed only on Vegetables should to propose the difficulty in their own Terms have their Blood and Urine copiously enrich'd with a volatile sulphureous Salt of which sort plants are not wont to yeild any in distillation And much more difficult would it be for them by principles peculiar to Chymists to make out the propagation of Hereditary diseases or how madnesse some other distempers that do not visibly vitiate the organes of those functions that they pervert should not only prove hereditary but lurk very many yeares in the inheriting person's body before they begin to disclose themselves and sometimes too be transmitted from the Grandfather to the Grand-child and skip immediately the intervening Son And therefore I say again that I pretend not that Vulgar Chymistry will enable a Physitian to explicate all or most of the Pathologicall Phaenomena but that True Chymistry may assist him to explicate diverse of them which can scarce be solidly explicated without it And let me adde that he that throughly understands the nature of Ferments and Fermentations shall probably be much better able then he that ignores them to give a fair account of divers phaenomena of severall diseases as well Feavers as others which will perhaps be never throughly understood without an insight into the doctrine of Fermentation in order to which for that and other reasons I design'd my Historicall notes touching that subject Yet I am not sure but there may be effervescences and perhaps periodicall ones in the Blood and other Juices of the body without Fermentation properly so call'd For there may be divers other waies of begetting a praeternaturall heat in the Blood We often see that in Coughs when the flegme is rottten as they speak that is when its former viscous texture is alter'd it does no longer stick fast to the vessels of the Lungs to which it obstinately adher'd before And so at certain times other humors in the body either by growing more fluid themselves or by some change in the Blood whereby it becomes fitter to dissolve such humors may swimme in and be circulated with the masse of blood and thereby occasion praeternaturall heats either by their indisposition to be well and incorporated therewith or by altering its texture or disturbing the wonted motion of its minute parts or by opposing its due Rarefaction as it passeth through the Heart or by obstructing the more slender Vessels and so hindering the free Circulation of the Blood through them perhaps also causing some Extravasation as we see that wounds bruâ—ses are attended with some inflammation more or lesse of the part affected or by some other of the waies not now to be declared And tryall hath taught me that there are Liquors in which the bare admixture of Milk Oyle or other Liquors nay or of cold water will presently occasion a notable heat and I sometimes imploy a menstruum in which nothing but a little flesh being put though no visible Ebullition ensue there will in a few minuts be excited a Heat intense enough to be troublesome to him that holds the Glasse And yet it seems not necessary that this should be ascrib'd to a true fermentation which may rather proceed from the perturb'd motion of the Corpuscles of the menstruum which being by the adventitious liquor or other body put out of their wonted motion and into an inordinate one there is produc'd in the menstruum a brisk confus'd Agitation of 〈◊〉 small parts that compose it and in such an agitation from what cause soever it proceeds the nature of Heat seems mainly to consist But to dispatch I scarce doubt but that if in the history of diseases there were better notice taken of those Phaenomena that agree not with the opinions already in request as well as of those that are thought consonant to them and if also Chymicall tryals were skilfully varied and judiciously applyed to the illustrating of Pathologicall Phaenomena the former might be made conducing to the better explication of the latter especially if the businesse were mannag'd by a Naturalist well vers'd both in Chymicall Experiments and in Anatomy and the history of Diseases without being too much addicted either to the Chymist's notions or the receiv'd opinions of Physitians And as the Naturalist may thus illustrate Pathologie as a Chymist so may he do the like as a Zoologer for either the true knowledge of Anatomy must be much lesse usefull to Physitians then they have hitherto beleived or else the discoveries made by recent Anatomists of the Asellian Pecquetian and Bartholinian vessels by either overthrowing the receiv'd doctrine of Digestions from whose aberrations many diseases spring or at least by making diverse discoveries in relation to the aeconomy of Digestions unknown to the Ancients most probably contribute much to the clearing up of diverse Pathologicall difficulties in the explication of some diseases besides that the very liberty of making those Experiments in live Beasts which are not to be made but in living creatures nor are allowable to be made in living men may enable a Zoologist by giving us a clearer account of divers parts of the body to determine divers Pathologicall difficulties springing from either our ignorance or mistakes of the use of those parts as by the formerly mention'd Experiment of the exsection of a live dogge's Spleen and a watchfull observation of all the diseases upon that Account befalliâ—â—â—im and other Dogs so serv'd much light perhaps may be given to the doctâ—in of the use of the Spleen together with the diseases supposed to depend on that part which I fear is hitherto to the no small prejudice of the Sick by few Physitians throughly understood and by many unhappily enough mistaken And here we may represent unto you Pyr that not only the dissections of sound Beasts may assist the Physitian to discover the like parts of a humane body but the dissections of morbid beasts may sometimes illustrate the doctrine of the causes and seats of diseases For that this part of Pathology has been very much improved by the diligence of modern Physitians by dissecting the bodies of men kill'd by Diseases we might be justly accused of want of curiosity or gratitude if we did not thankfully acknowledge For indeed much of that improvement of Physick for which the Ancients if they were now alive might envy our new Physitians may in my poor opinion be ascribed to their industrious scrutiny of the Seat and Effects of the peccant matter of Diseases in the bodies of those that have been destroyed by them And that the instructions deducible from such observations may be either increased or illustrated by the like observations made
it be confessed to be the fixest body in the World and consequently more fixt then Salt of Tartar which in an open Vessel may be in time made to flie away by a vehement fire And I have likewise by an unusual Method that I have elswhere deliver'd more then once obtain'd from a mixture of crude Tartar and two or three Mineral bodies good store of true Volatile Salt which I could see no just cause not to think afforded by the Tartar But I consesse this may be rather a volatile Salt of Tartar then Salt that is Alcali of Tartar made volatile and therefore the principal thing I mention it for is to shew you that Tartar it self by an unusual way of management may be bâ—ought to afford an unusuall kind of Salt But this I can tell You that an ingenious acquaintance of mine whom notwithstanding my wonted distrusts of Chymists I durst credit affirm'd to me that he had himself seen a true and real Sal Tartari volatile made of Alcali of Tartar and had seen strange things done with it insomuch that he believ'd most of the things that Helmont delivers of it For my part I am inclin'd to think that Salt of Tartar may be made volatile whether in the form of a Sublimate or a Liquor by more wayes then one though not all of them neer equally good and whereas one of the best if not the very best of the wayes of volatilizing it seems to do it principally with Spirit of Wine and the great difficulty of that way consists in bringing this Spirit to associate with the salt I have seen Salt of Tartar of my own brought to that passe which great Virtousi have long in vain attempted to bring it unto namely to flow readily upon a red hot Iron and also to take fire and burn with a conspicuous flame besides that when it had been dry'd by a smart fire to drive away any parts that did not firmly adhere to it it would yet readily dissolve in high rectify'd Spirit of Wine which you know Salt of Tartar will not otherwise do not to mention the change of its Alcalizate taste and other lesser alterations but what I can further say of this matter I must not declare in this place And Pyro That You may not be as many other Virtousi discourag'd from labouring for noble Menstruums by the confident perswasion of many who believe Angelus Sala Guntherus Billychius whom I deny not to have been Learned Men but do not take to have been great Mâ—sters of Chymicall Arcana fit to determine with Authoâ—ity what can and what cannot be done by Chymistry least I say You should be by such mens inconsiderate severitie brought to despair of ever seeing any noble Menstruum that is not sharpe to the taste nor of any of the three peculiar kinds of Saline Liquor Acid as Aquafortis Urinous as the Spirits of Blood Urine and other Animal substances nor Alcalizate as Oyle of Tartar Per deliquium I shall assure you that to my own knowledg there is in the World a kind of Menstruum that consists of a pure Chrystâ—lline substance that is made by the fire and as truely Saline as Salt of Tartar it self which strange Salt though well purified and readily dissoluble as well in dephlegmed Spirit of Wine as common Water and though it be totably volatile whence you may guesse of how Saline a nature it is and also be either way reducible to a noble Menstruum does really tast sweet I mean not in the Chymical sense by want of sowerness as when they say that the Calces of corroded and precipitated things are dulcify'd by frequent ablutions but by a positive sweetnesse And whereas the vulgar Saline Menstruums which alone seem to have been known to Sala and Billychius are so specificated if I may so express it that what an Acid Menstruum dissolves an Alcalizate or an Urinous will precipitate è converso And whichsoever you choose of these three sorts of Menstruums one of the other two will disarm and destroy it I found by trâ—al not only that a Red Tincture of Glass of Antimony being drawn with a Menstruum that was but a degree to this Liquor I could not precipitate it like our common Tinctures either with Spirit of Urine or an Alcalizate Solution But that which is for more considerable though it would readily mix with Acid Spirits as Oyle of Vitriol with Volatile and Urinous Spirits as Spirits of Urine it self and with Alkalizate Solutions yet would neither of these three make any Ebullition at all with it or seem to work at all upon it But of such Matters no more at present CHAP. IX YOu will perhaps expect Pyrophilus that Treating of the advantages that may accrew to the Therapeutical part of Physick from a more accurate knowledg of Natural Philosophy I should tell you with the Chymists that Chymistry it self and much more Physiology in its full extent is not only capable of improving the Pharmaceutical part or Preparation of Remedies for that we have confessed already but also of affording us a new and much better Methodus medendi or skill of using the Helps that Nature or Art hath provided against Diseases And indeed the Physitians Art is so difficult and a man must know so many things to be though not tolerably yet perfectly skilld in it that it may without disparagement to Physitians be thought yet capable of being improved if not of being reformed Hippocrates begins his Aphorismes with a complaint that Life is short but the Art long And Paracelsus himself though he say after his boasting manner Ars est longa vita brevis ubi autem donum finis as he speaks est ibi ars est brevis vita verum longa si arti conferatur Yet expounding the same words a little above he saith Itaque Hippocrates meritò de eo conqueritur nam asseclis ipsius idem accidit Ars medica consistit in Philosophia Astronomia Alchymia Physica meritò igitur dici potest Artem esse longam Multum enim requiritur temporis ad quatuor has Columnas Medicinae disscendas perscrutandas Celsus who hath been stiled Hippocrates Latinorum doth more then once call Physick a Conjectural Art as particularly in that place where he saith Est enim haec ars conjecturalis neque respondet ei plerumque non solum conjectura sed etiam Experientia And well might these great men acknowledg their Art to be difficult since the two Instruments as Galen calls them of finding Arts being Judgment and Experience Hippocrates gives this Character of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that Experience may be uncertaine without the Theory of Physick he that so much builds upon Experiments Paracelsus himself seems to confess where expounding those words of Hippocrates he saith Hoc modo se habuit Medicina in Principio ut nullam Theoriam habuerit sed solum Experientiam hoc laxare hoc constipare quomodo autem
Sizâ—s and Figures of little Bodies imagine they understand the account upon which some Medicines are Purgative others Emetick c. And some Purgative in some Bodies Vomitive in other and both Purgative and Vomitive in most but because they never attentively enquire into it But which is the next thing I have to represent if we duely make use of those fertile and comprehensive Principles of Philosophy the Motions Shapes Magnitudes and Textures of the Minute parts of Matter it will not perhaps be more difficult to shew at least in general that Specificks may have such Operations as are by the judicious and experienc'd ascrib'd to them then it will be for those that acquiesce in the vulgar Principles of Philosophy and Physick to render the true Reasons of the most obvious and familiar operations of Medicines And though the same Objection that is urg'd to prove That a Specifick cannot befriend the Kidnies for Example or the Throat rather then any other parts of the Body lies against the noxiousness of Poysons to this or that determinate part Yet experience manifests that some Poysons do respect some particular part of the Body without equally if at all sensibly offending the rest as we see that Cantharides in a certain Dose are noxious to the Kidnies and Bladder Quicksilver to the Throat and the glanduls thereabouts Strammoneum to the Brain and Opium to the Animal Spirits and Genus Nervosum And if You call to mind what we have formerly deduc'd to make it out That a Humane Body is an Engine and that Medicines operate in it as finding it so we need not think it so strange that there being many Strainers if I may so call them of differing Textures such as the Liver Spleen and Kidnies and perhaps divers local Ferments residing in particular parts and a Mass of Blood continually streaming through all the parts of the Body a Medicine may be quickly by the Blood carried from any one part to any other and the Blood or any Humour mingl'd with it may be as easily carried to the Medicine in what parts soever it be and the Remedy thus admitted into the Masse of Blood may in its passage through the Strainers be so alter'd either by leaving some of its parts there or by having them alter'd by the abovemention'd Ferments or by being associated with some other Corpuscles it may meet within its passage whereby the Size or Figure or Motion of its small parts may be chang'd or in a word it may by some of those many other waies which might if this ESSAY were not too Prolix already be propos'd and deduc'd receive so great an Alteration in reference either to some or other of the Strainers or other firmer parts of the Body or to the distemper'd Blood or some other fluid and peccant matter that it needs not seem impossible That by that time the Medicine crumbl'd as it were into Minute Corpuscles arrives at the part or humour to be wrought upon it may have a notable Operation there I mean Part as well as Humour because the Motion Size or Shape of the Medicinal Corpuscles in the Blood though not by sense distinguishable from the rest of the Liquor they help to compose may be so conveniently qualify'd as to shape bulk and motion as to restore the Strainers to their right Tone or Texture as well as the Blood to its free and Natural course by resolving and carrying away with them such tenacious matter as stuff'd or choak'd up the slender passages of the Strainer or at least Straitned its pores or vitiated their Figure And the same Sanative Corpuscles may perchance be also fitted to stick to and thereby to strengthen such Fibres of the Strainers or such other firmer parts of the Body as may need congruous Corpuscles to fill up their little unsupply'd Câ—vities Meats that are Salt and Taâ—tareous whilst they are whirled about in the Mass of Blood may by the other part of thâ—t Vital Liquor be so diluted and kept asunder so as noâ— to be offensive to any part When they come to be separated by the Parenchyma of the Kidnies from the sweetâ—r parts of the Blood that did before temper and allay them they easily by their Saline pungency offend the tender Ureters and Membranous Bladders of those that are troubl'd with the Stone or Strangurie And perchance 't is upon some such account that Cantharides are more noxious to the Bladder then to other parts of the Body And as Sâ—lt meat thus growes peculiarly offensive to the Reins and Bladder so a Specifick dispos'd to be dissolv'd after a peculiar manner may in the Body either preserve or acquire as to its Minute parts a friendly congruity to the Pores of the Kidnies Liver or other Strainers equally when distemper'd as I formerly observ'd to You that New-milk sweetned with Sugar-candy though it be not wont sensibly to affect â—ny other pâ—rt of the Body nor would have sensibly affected the Kidnies themselveâ— had they not been dâ—sorder'd yet after the tâ—oublesome operation of Cantharides it haâ— a very friendly effect upon the distemper'd Parts Thus a Specifick for one Disease may be resolved in the Body into Minute particles of â—uch Figure and Motion that being fit to stick to other Corpuscles of peccant matter which by their vehement agitation or other offensive qualities diâ—compose the Body and make it Feavouriâ—h may allay their vehement Motion and by altering them as to bigness and shape give them new and innocent qualities instead of those noxious ones they had before Another Specifick may dissolve the Gross and Slimy Humours that obstruct the narrow passages of the Veins as I have observ'd that Spirit of Harts-horn whâ—ch powerfully opens other obstructions and resolves stuffing Phlegm in the Lungs will also though more slowly resolve prepar'd Flowers of Sulphur crude Copper and divers other Bodies and also it may by mortifying the Acid Spirit that oftentimes causes coagulations in the Blood restore that Vital Liquor to its Fluidity and free Circulation and thereby remove divers formidable Diseases which seem to proceed from the Coagulation or Ropinesse of the Blood and on the other side the Minute parts of some Specificks against a contrary Disease may somewhat thicken and fix the two thin and agitated parts of the Blood or of some peccant matter in it by associating themselves therewith as the nimble parts of puâ—e Spirits of Wine and those of high rectify'd Spirit of Urine will concoagulate into Corpuscles bigger and far less Agile And the same Spirit of Wine it self with another Liquor I make will presently concoagulate into a kind of soft but not fluid Substance Nor is it so hard to conceâ—ve that a Specifick may work upon a determinate Part or Humour and let the others alone as if you put for instance an Egge into strong Vinegar the Liquor will operate upon and dissolve all the hard shell and yet leave the tender skin untouch'd And if you cast Coral into