cannot in a short time concoct and subdue several defects or diseases APH. 41. Much sweating caused through sleep without any manifest outward cause signifies that the body is fed with store of food But if this happen to one that feeds sparingly it shews that the body wants evacuation By reason of the evil humors and excrements which are the causes of that sweating APH. 42. When there is much sweat cold or hot always issuing forth the cold signifies a longer the hot a shorter disease Because it shews the matter to be thin which nature can easily concoct and shake off APH. 43. Continual Feavers which afflict every third day more vehemently and do not cease are the more dangerous but if they cease and pause in any manner they signifie that there is no present danger For it sheweth the Phlegm doth not trouble any noble part and that no venemous force hath laid siege to any principal part And natural strength doth recollect it self during the intermission of the Feaver APH. 44. Swellings and pains about the joynts are caused to them who are afflicted with long Agues By the humors setâ—â—ng in those places unless they be carried away by a thick white urine making APH. 45. Those which have swellings and pains of the joynts after long Ague feed over liberally For the disease being gone no other reason can be given for this redundancy of humors APH. 46. If a cold shivering fit the Feaver being without intermission do assail the sick man being already weak it is a deadly sign For it shews nature to be so far spent that it is able onely to stir but not to thrust out the excrement or if it doth the sick man fainteth therewith APH. 47. Excrements avoided in Feavers not intermittent by vomit or spitting if they be of a leaden colour bloody stinking or cholerick they are all evil but if they come forth conveniently they are good Leaden colour because they signifie a mortification of those parts from whence they come bloody because they signifie an opening of some vessels Stinking because they signifie putrifaction Châ—lerick because they testifie abundance of choller APH. 48. In continual Feavers if the exterior parts be cold and the inward burn and the Patient be thirsty it is a deadly sign Because the â—eat of that inward part draws all the blood to it whereby the heart is oppressed APH. 49 In continual Feavers if the lip eye brows or nose be turned aawry if the sick man do not see nor hear which soever of these shall happen the body being weak death is neer at hand For all these are signs that the moving animal faculty suffereth APH. 50. If there happeneth in a continual Feaver defficulty and hardniss of breathing with delirium and doting these signs are deadly Because it signifies that both the brain and the instruments of breathing do suffer APH. 51. Aposthumes in Feavers which are not dissolved in the first Crysis or judgement signifie length of the disease Because they shew that there is a multitude of noxious humors which nature could not expel at one Crysis APH. 52. It is not absurd to weep and shed tears in Feavers and other diseases voluntarily but to weep against the will is very absurd and inconvenient Because that weeping against the will shews a weakness and imbecility in the retentive faculty APH. 53. They have fierce and vehement Feavers who have a tough and clammy moisture about their teeth in those Feavers For those clammy moistures cannot grow there so abundantly without excessive heat which dries up the pituitous humor APH. 54. Those who have long lasting dry coughs in burning Feavers which do not provoke much are not wont to be very thirsty For by that motion which is made in coughing there is some humidity drawn from those places which are adjoyning to the rough artery APH. 55. All Feavers proceeding from tumors in the groyn and other adenous parts are evil except diary Feavers which last but one day For those Feavers come when those tumors are caused by some outward thing as some blow or the like and not by any inward inflammation APH. 56. Sweat coming often upon one sick of an Ague not ceasing is evil for the disease is prolonged and it signifieth that there is much moisture Which abundance of moisture asketh nature much time to concoct and disperse APH 57. If oâ—e have Convulsions or Cramps a Feaver coming dissolveth them Because the Feaver doth heat extenuate and shake off those cold humors which filled up the nervous parts APH 58. If a cold shaking fit doth come upon him which hath a burning Feaver it dissolveth it For a burning Feaver being caused by choller putrifying in the veins and a cold shaking by the cholers being swiftly carryed about the sensible parts of the body it shews that the choler is come out of the veins to the skin APH. 59. An exquisite and perfect Tertian Feaver cometh to his Crysis or state in seven circuits or fits at the utmost An exquisite Tertian is that which is caused by yellow choler carried up and down the sensible parts of the body keeping its nature pure and sincere APH. 60. Those that wax deaf and thick of hearing through Feavers are delivered from it by flux of blood at the nose or by the belly It is no marvel if diseases cease when the noxious humors are translated or carried away APH. 61. Unless the Feaver leave the patient in the odd days it is accustomed to return again If this Aphorism should speak of all Feavers it were false if of acute and continual Feavers it is true APH. 62. Those which have the yellow Jaundise upon Agues before the seventh day have an evil sign Because the yellow Jaundies proceeds from the inflammation of the Liver APH. 63. Those Feavers which have their shaking fits every day are every day dissolved Yet there remains some fire wherby the paroxism is renewed APH. 64. It is a good thing for them which have the yellow-Jaundies coming on them in Feavers on the 7 day ninth eleventh or fourteenth unless the right Hypocondrium be hard for then it is evil For the Hypocondrium being hard signifies there is an inflammation of the Liver APH. 65. In Feavers a vehement heat about the Stomach and a gnawing about the heart is bad Because it signifies an ebullition of choler in the tunicles of the ventricle or stomach APH. 66 Convulsions and vehement pains about the bowels in sharp Feavers are evil For vehement Feavers dry and stretch the nerves like fire and by the same vehemence of heat and drought the bowels are pained APH 67. In feavers great fears or Convulsions after sleep do prognosticate evil For fears signifie the repletion of the head with melancholy humors and Convulsions abundance of phlegmatick humors APH. 68. The breath not keeping its due course is evil for it doth signifie convulsion Caused by the over-drying of the muscles and nerves which move the stomack APH. 69. Urines
a gnawing of the mouth or the stomack a darksom giddiness of the brain and bitterness of the mouth it signifieth that he had need to be purged upwards For these are three symptomes by which the Physician may know the Patient hath need of being purged upward APH. 18. Whosoever having need of hath pains above the Middriff it is a sign he must be purged upwards but the pains which are under the same shew a purging downwards to be needful For which way the humor naturally desires to go that way you must by the help of medicines send it APH. 19. Those which do not thirst while they are purged by a medicinal potion shall not leave purging while they do thirst Because the excrements being evacuated the mouth of the ventricle is dryed up which causeth thirst APH. 20. If there be gripings about the Navel without a Feaver and heaviness of the knees and pain of the loyns they signifie that there is need of purging downward Because that all these symptomes shew that the noxious humors motion and violence is downward APH. 21. Black excrements of the belly like unto black blood coming forth of their own accord both with a Feaver or without are most evil and by how much the more the evil colours are so much the worse the excrements are But such things to be expelled out by a medicine is far better and that by how much the more colours there shall be For if they come out of their own accord it shews there are many ill affected humors in the body which driven out by Physick the body remains sound APH. 22. In the beginning of any disease if black choller come forth either above or beneath it is deadly For it signifies that nature is ill affected which never evacuates superfluous things till they be concocted wherefore if black choller come forth in the beginning of a disease it is evacuated by its proper malice and not by the law of Nature APH. 23. Those which are pined or brought low by sharp or long diseases or by wounds or any other means and do void black choller or as it were black blood do dye the next day following Namely through the imbecility of faculty and greatness of the disease APH. 24. A Bloody flux if it proceed from black choller is mortal Because it ulcerates the entrails with an ulcered cancer which can hardly be cured in the outward parts to which medi caments may be applyed therfore much less there where no such medicaments can be applyed APH. 25. For blood to be carried upward of what kind soever it be is an evil sign but if black blood be avoided downwards it is good For if it be carried upwards it shews there is some vessel opened extended or broken in the upper parts And in this place by carrying upward is meant through the mouth not through the nostrils which for the most part is good APH. 26. If any man being afflicted with a bloody-flux void as it were little pieces of flesh it is a mortal sign For then the exulceration is so great that it can no way be healed APH. 27. To those which have store of blood flowing from what part soever in Feavers their bodies become come moist after they have been refreshed Because the natural heat is weakened by store of blood flowing and though here mention be made onely of Feavers yet it holds in other diseases likewise APH. 28. Those which avoid chollerick excrements downward if deafness come thereupon they cease from avoiding them And those which are affected with deafness are cured of it by avoiding of chollerick excrements He means not a permanent deafness for that is not so cured but of a transitory or supervening deafness caused by cholerick humors molesting the brain which must needs cease when they come down APH. 29. If cold shakings happen to them that are sick of an Ague the sixt day they have a difficult Crysis and we cannot well judge of the disease Because for the most part they presage either death or return of the disease APH. 30. In them which are afflicted with fits of Agues whensoever the Ague shall leave them if it return the same hour the next day it is wont to have a difficult Crysis and determination That is to say it will not easily be dissolved APH. 31. Imposthumes are caused neer the joynts and especially neer the jaw-bones or mandibles to them which feel weariness or lassitude in Feavers Because the heat of the Feaver having drawn the humors up into the head when they fall down again the jaw-bones being very weak cannot expel them to other parts of the body but there they must rest And the joynts heated by motion attract the humors of the body APH. 32. Those which recovering from a disease have a pain in some place shal have Imposthumes or botches in that place He speaks of such as recover and yet have some reliques of feaverish matter remaining in their bodies APH. 33. If any part be pained before the disease there is the seat of the disease Therefore if it be a principal part we must indeavor to divert the humors from thence APH. 34. If a suffocation of the breath do happen upon a suddain to one afflicted with a Feaver no swelling appearing in the jaws or gullet it is deadly For it is a sign that Phlegm stoppeth his breath and respiration without which he cannot live APH. 35. If to one afflicted with a Feaver the neck be suddainly turned awry and he can scarce swallow and no swelling appear it is deadly For it shews there is an inflammation in the muscles lying before the throat or in the throat it self APH 36. Sweats are good to those who are sick of an Ague if they issue forth the third fifth seventh ninth eleventh fourteenth seventeenth one and twentieth thirty and four and thirtieth days for those sweats work the dissolution of the disease those which happen otherwise signifie pain and length of the disease or a return of the same For these are the onely days of Critical sweats in which we may be judge of the dâ—ssolution of the disease APH. 37. Cold sweats with a sharp Feaver betoken death but with a milde and gentle Ague length of the disease Because it shews that the Patients body doth so much abound in cold humors that neither the natural nor the sharp Feavers heat is able to heat them APH. 38 In what part of the body the the sweat is there is the disease Because in that part stick the redundant and noxious humors APH. 39. And in what part of the body there is heat or cold there the the disease is setled Namely in an excessive manner and not proceeding from any external cause for it shews a distemperature contrary to health APH. 40. And when alterations do happen in the whole body and it is sometimes cool and sometimes hot or one colour arises after another it signifies continuance of the disease Because Nature
that is dangerous but we must proceed so far as Nature will bear and tolerate So extreme evacuations are perilous and extreme repletitions are likewise dangerous The former Aphorism was of the quality of humors to be evacuated now this and those which follow treat of the quantity APH. 4. A small and slender diet in long and lingering diseases is always dangerous and in sharp diseases likewise when it is not convenient and again diet reduced to extreme slenderness is as full of peril as extreme repletion and fulness in laborious and painful In this Aphorism Hippocratâ—â— speaks of the diet which fick men ought to use APH. 5. The sick may offend in a slender diet for thereby it happeneth that they grow worse for every error in this case is more dangerous then in a somwhat fuller diet For the same cause a very slender and too precise a diet is somewhat dangerous to sound and healthful bodies because they endure the errors thereof with more difficulty Wherefore a thin and exact manner of diet for the most part is more dangerous then that which is a little more full and plentiful then should be He saith for the most part for Hippocrates meaning is not that a slender diet is absolutely hurtful APH. 6. To extreme diseases extreme and exquisite remedies are best Extreme diseases are call'd those which are most sharp and acute APH. 7. When therefore the disease is very sharp and hath presently most extreme passions and pains we must use a most exceeding slender diet when it is so But when it is not so we may use a fuller diet and as the disease declineth we may by little increase the diet By passions and pains he means symptomes which in these very sharp diseases are seldom but acâ—ompanied with hot Feavers APH. 8. When the force of the disease is greatest then a most sparing diet is to be observed This Aphorism enjoyns that in general which the former doth give order to be done in some particular diseases APH. 9. But we must consider and conjecture by the sick man whether he be able to hold out and persist with the prescribed diet even to the state and uttermost extremity of the disease or may faint or fail and being too weak with such diet may yield the victory to the disease before it retire and be overcome For if the patient were able to indure without food till the extre or course in the recourse of those fits we must use abstinence This Aphorism speaks of intermitting diseases which leave men for a season and then return again APH. 12. The fits and kinds of the diseases the seasons of the year and the observation of the alteration of the times of the fits return if they come again every other day or after a longer interval of time will shew the sharp invasions or extremities of the diseases Likewise signs and tokens are taken from those things which appear afterwards as for example in a Plurisie if the corrupt matter avoided by spitting appear presently in the beginning it declares the disease will be but short but if it be longer before it do appear it declareth a longer continuance of it Moreover Urines excrements of the belly and swets declare whither the diseases will prove easie or difficult short or long For if diseases come in summer they will for the most part proceed from choller and the fits come every third day and last a short time if in wiuter they will proceed chiefly from Phlegm the fits come every day and last longer APH. 13. Old men easily endure fasting those who are in their declining age not so well young men worse and children worst of all especially those who are of a more lively spirit Old when they are above 50 until 70 for those who are decrepit ought to feed often but a little at a time APH. 14. Those bodies that grow have much natural heat therefore they require great store of food or else the body consumeth But old men have little heat in them therefore they require but a little food for much nourishment extinguisheth that heat And this is the reason that old men have not very acute Feavers because their bodies are not so hot This Aphorism shews the reasons of the precedent namely why old men can endure fasting better then young men and children APH 15. The venters by nature are most hot in winter and in the Spring and sleep most long Wherefore in those seasons more abundant food ought to be allowed because they have most natural heat whereby it cometh to pass thaâ— they need more abundant food Of which thing the differences of ages and wrestlers bodies are sufficient proofs Venters are the stomach and bellie And sleep increaseth the natural heat APH. 16. Moist diet is good for all that are troubled with Agues especially for children and others who are accustomed to such diet Because Agues are dry and because custom is a kind of an acquired nature APH. 17. We must also consider whom it may be convenient to feed once or twice a day more or less and by little and little we must attribute something also to custom age season and region Having before spoken of the quantity and quality of food which may be given he now speaks how it ought to be given wherein he saith custom time country and age ought to be considered APH. 18. Sick folk do most hardly brook store of meat in Summer in Winter most easily in the Spring time in a meaner manner Here he expounds more particularly what he spoke generally in the former Aphorism and saith that in Summer they brook no store of food the reason is because then the native heat is weak and languisheth and in Autumn the bodies are obstructed but in Winter the Venters namely the stomach and those parts are very hot and their sleep is long and in the Spring the natural heat evaporates more then in Wiuter APH. 19. Nothing must be given to them neither must they be constrained to take meat which have fits returning at certain determined courses but we ought to diminish food before manifest tokens appeare to judge of the disease To the end that Nature may not be called away from its concoction and digestion APH. 20. We ought not to move alter or change those things which are or justly have been justly determined by Nature either with medicines or other procurements but to let them alone Because Nature by her determiation having shewn she is of herself strong enough needs no help of art APH. 21 Carry those things which are â—o be drawn out thither whether they shall seem to encline and bend by such ways and places as are fittest for conveyance and expulsion If Nature be not able of her self as in the former Aphorism to expel the cause of the disease then let Art help to do it that way as Nature enclines APH. 22. We must move with Medicine those things which are concocted and digested
and not those which are raw and undigested Neither in the beginning of diseases unless they be provoked by their own force and violence which very seldom cometh to pass Nature after concoction doth segregate and expel humors which if she be too languid to do then it is good to help it with medicines APH. 23. Things evacuated and purged are not to be estimated by theÌ„ multitude but advisedly to be considered if those things be avoided and senâ—forth which should and purged which should be it doth good and the sick may easily suffer it but if the contrary be evacuated they do painfully endure it Having in this latter part of this Section spoken of purges given by Physicians He sets down this to put us again in mind of those purgations which come voluntarily from Nature Having said the same thing of them in the second Aphorism SECT. II. The Argument This second Section of which the universal and plenary intention cannot well be assigned and set down hath many things appertaining to the Doctrine of Ages Signes Nature and Purgation APH. 1. IF sleep bring labour and pain in the disease it is a mortal sign but if it bring ease and mitigation of pain the sign is not deadly Sleep may hurt in two kindes the one is common when sick men sleep in the beginning of their fits The other is proper when they slelp at any other times Here we must conceive he speaks of the last APH. 2. When a Delirium or raving is appeased by sleep it is a good signe This is an example of the universal assertion in the preceding Aphorism now the reason of it is because nothing causeth and nourisheth raving more then want of sleep therefore if that cause it to cease it is a signe death is approaching APH. 3 Sleep and watching if they be immoderate and shall exceed a mean are evil For all immoderate things are enemies and adverse to Nature and too much sleep is a sign that the brain is too cool and moist and too little argues that it is too dry APH. 4. Neither satiety nor hunger neither any other thing which shall exceed the measure of Nature can be good or healthful For health is defined to be a symmetry and just proportion and besides too much fasting fils the ventricle with evil humors APH. 5. Weariness and dulness proceeding of their own accord signifie diseases to come Namely such a weariness as comes without any immoderate exercise of the body APH. 6. They which suffer pain of any part of the body and do not in a manner feel it have their understanding distempered and diseased That is to say have any disease or sore which causeth pain and they feel it not APH. 7. Bodies extenuated and wasted with long sickness are to be restored and refreshed by little and little but those which have been brought low quickly and in short time are sooner to be restored For in those who are wasted with long sickness the flesh is wasted in those who are quickly brought low the spirits onely which may sooner be restored then the flesh APH. 8. If any man eating meat after sickness doth not recover strength it argues his body is burthened and oppressed with too much store of food But if the same happen to one feeding meanly we must understand that he hath need of evacuation Because the body being oppressed with noxious humors they hinder concoction wherefore the said humors must first be evacuated APH. 9. How much the more thou shalt nourish and cherish impure bodies by so much the more thou shalt harm and hurt them This gives a reason of the former Aphorism Namely because the aliment which you give to such bodies increases the quantity of vicious humors APH. 10. He who will purge bodies must first make them fluxible Which may be done two ways either by opening the passages or by cutting off and extennating the thick humors APH. 11. It is more easie to be restored with drink then with meat That is to say with a liquid aliment for that is sooner altered and distributed then a solid and if yet greater speed be required they may be recreated with odours APH. 12. Those things which are left behind after the Crysis are wont to bring forth relapses Left because the matter was not fit to be expeld or Nature was so weakened by sickness that it was not able to expel all the noxious humors APH. 13. The night which goeth before the fit or invasion is tedious but the night following is commonly more easie We feel the pains of diseases more by night then by day because in the day time all the senses being awaked are imployed about some other thing APH. 14. The alteration of the excrements not made to the worse part in fluxes of the belly is good Because it is a sign that those noxious humors which by the excrements appeared to be in the body are voided and gone APH. 15. When the upper parts of the throat or gullet are sore or a breaking out of wheals doth arise in the body it behoveth us to look upon the excrements for if they be cholerick the body is also sick but if they be like the excrements of sound persons the body may be cherished without danger For if the excrements make no show of any further inward diseases those wheals signifie that Nature hath been strong enough of her self to drive out the evil humors into those external parts of the body APH. 16. When hunger beareth sway we must rest from much stirring or labour For hunger and exercise together would cast down strength and dry up the bodie too much APH. 17. When over much meat is received against Nature it causeth sickness as the manner of curing diseases proceeding from repletion doth declare Because it oppresses Nature now those diseases are cured by evacuation which shews they were caused by repletion APH. 18. Those thlngs which nourish speedily and plentifully are quickly excreted and voided For being speedily concocted and digested the excrements must also of necessity have a speedy passage APH. 19. Praedictions of death or health in sharp diseases are not altogether certain By reason of the suddain changes which happen in them according to the Nature of the humors which cause those sharp diseases and because the molestant humor runs out of one part into another APH. 20. They which in young age have a moist and loose belly in old age have it dry But those who have it dry in their young age have it moist when they are old This Aphorism is to be understood of those who continue in the same diet when they are old which they used in their younger years otherwise it would not be any way remarkable APH. 21. Drinking of strong wine putteth away hunger By hunger here is meant a disease which is called Appetitus Caninus or Appetentia Canina and those who are diseased therewith can never be satisfyed though they eat never so much APH.
22. Diseases which are bred of satiety and surfeting are cured by evacuation and those which proceed from emptiness are cured by fulness and so in the rest contraries are the remedies of contraries Neither must these contraries be used in an extreme degree for neither too much repletion nor too much evacuation can conveniently be endured APH. 23. Acute and sharp diseases are judged within fourteen days Though some may be judged before yet fourteen days is the uttermost day that can be expected for the judgement or Crysis of such diseases APH. 24 The fourth day is the Index of the seventh the eighth the begining of the week following Also the eleventh day is to be considered for that is the fourth day of the second week And again the seventeenth day is to be considered being the fourth from the fourteenth and the seventh from the eleventh He hath taught us that acute diseases run out to a Crysis within fourteen days which he here explains and shews which are the Critical days for three weeks together APH. 25. Summer Quartan Feavers are for the most part short but the Autumnal long especially those which remain till Winter Because in Summer the superfluous humors being driven into the outward parts of the body are quickly expelled through the pores but they last longer in Autumn for they are some way peculiar to that season because by the forerunning Summer the faculties of the body are weakened and in Winter by reason that then the humors are thickened and the pores shut up by the ambient cold And this is but for the most part for sometimes it may prove otherways APH. 26. It is better that a Feaver should succeed a Convulsion then Convulsion a Feaver For if a Convulsion precede a Feaver it proceeds from fulness which is easily cured by evacuation but if it succeeds it proceeds from emptiness and is very dangerous for the Patient APH. 27. We ought not to be too confident if a sharp disease slacken without any reason Neither much fear those diseases which happen without any reason For most of them are uncertain and do not usually last long For if it slacken without reason it threatens a relapse and if it come without reason it is not much to be feared for it will fall having no good foundation APH. 28. If the body of those which have a sharp Feaver abide all at one stay and is nothing abated or else is melted and wasted away beyond reason it is a very evil signe for the first doth signifie a continuance of the disease and the latter a great imbecility of Nature For the first is caused by a density or thickness of the skin and thickness and gluttinousness of humors and the latter by a thinness or tenuity of the skin and extenuation of humors which commonly is followed by imbecility of Nature APH. 29. In the beginning of diseases if there appears cause for moving of any thing move it But when they are in their state it is far better to let it alone The reason of this Aphorism is laid down in the next APH. 30. Aboâ—â— the beginnings and ends of disâ—â—seâ— all things 〈…〉 calm and remisâ— in 〈…〉 d state more vehement This Aphorism is but the reason of the precedent and explains the formers and its own meaning APH. 31. If the body thrive not with him who after a disease feedeth well it is an evil sign For it signifies one of these two things namely that he takes more food then Nature yet weakened by sickness can digest Or that there is yet such abundance of evil humors left in the ventricle and other parts of the body that whatsoever is put into it presently corrupts with them APH. 32. Those which in the beginning of sickness feed much and do not thrive therewith for the most part do at last fall into a loathing of meat On the contrary those who in the beginning do vehemently abhor food and afterwards desire much meat are more easily freed from their sickness Because feeding hard whilst there be yet reliques of evil humors remaining in the body increases the quantity of those evil humors and so hinders their convalescencie Whereas those who feed sparingly in the beginning oppress not the powers of Nature which increasing do at last expel those remainders of evil humors APH. 33. In any disease if reason be not weakened nor hurt but that it is willing to embrace such meats as are proffered it it is good but if it be otherwise it is evil Because to have ones good understanding sound signifies that the brain and all the nervous parts with the Liver Heart and Ventricles are also well affected whereas if the Reason be hurt it signifies that both the Brain and Ventricle are out of frame APH. 34. They are not so dangerously sick to whose nature age habit or season the disease is familiar and agreeable as they to whom the disease is not agreeable to any of those things By Nature here is meant the temperament of the body by habit whether a body be composed of a soft and tender flesh or of a thick and solid Age and season are easie to be known what they mean howsoever for examples sake acute Feavers are not common to old age the body being then cold and likely are deadly in old men And what diseases have most affinity with each season of the year is shewn in the third Section the Aphorisms 20 21 22 23. APH. 35. It is better in any disease that the parts adjoyning to the Navel and nethermost belly be somewhat thick and gross for the extenuation and consumption of them is evil and then it is not safe to minister purgations working downward Because the thickness and grosseness of those parts signifie that the native heat is more valid and the concoction better APH. 36. Those which are endued with health of body do quickly faint drinking a purging potion and so do those which use bad and corrupt nourishment For in healthful men the purging potion finding no vicious nor redundant humor to draw out and evacuate doth first dissipate the spirits then dissolves those parts which are humid and moist and finally corrupts those which are solid And those which use bad food have sharp and biting humors which being by the medicament driven through the sensible parts of the body do cause fainting APH. 37. Those which are of sound and perfect health of body do painfully and grievously endure purging medicines This Aphorism is more general then the former which expressed but one symptome which befals sound men when they are purged But this includes all the rest APH. 38. Those meats and drinks which are worse yet pleasant are to be preferred before those which are better but yet unpleasant and distasting Because they please the Patient best and because the Ventricle doth more greedily embrace and speedilier concoct those meats and drinks which are pleasant APH. 39. For the most part old men are not so
often sick as young are But being once taken with long diseases they commonly dye Old men are presumed to be more discreet and temperate in their feeding which is the cause of this assertion for those which are not so are more subject to sickness then young men being weaker then they APH. 40. Rheums descending down to the mouth and falling down to the throat do not come to concoction in those which are very old This is as it were an example of the latter assertion of the precedent Aphorism namely that old men once taken with long disease commonly dye APH. 41. They dye suddenly which do often and vehemently swoun and faint without any manifest cause Because it argueth an imbecility of the vital faculty APH. 42. It is impossible to cure a vehement Apoplexie and very hard to cure a weak one For all Apoplexies are caused by a stopping of the animal Faculties from descending any lower into the body then the head APH. 43. Strangled suffocated folk being not as yet dead do not return to themselves if there appear any foam about their mouth Because it is a sign that the Lights are violently wronged APH. 44. Those which are very gross by Nature do enjoy shorter life then those which are lean Because fat mens native heat is weaker then lean mens APH. 45. Change and alteration of place and diet and especially of age free children from the falling evil For when they come to their youthful age they are cured by their hot and dry temperament APH. 46. Of two pains at one time not possessing the self-same place that which is the most vehement doth dull the pain of the other It doth neither cure nor expel the other but onely dull and obscure it APH. 47. Whiles filthy and corrupt matter is digesting pains and Agues do rather happen then when it is come to maturation For when it is maturated the inflammation and burning ceaseth APH. 48. In every exercise of the body when it beginneth to be wearied rest doth presently mitigate the weariness For as he said in the two and twentieth Aphorism of this Section one contrary is the cure of the other APH. 49 Thoke who are accustomed to daily labours although they be weak or old men do more easily endure accustomed exercises then those who are not accustomed to them although they be strong and young Because custom is a second nature APH. 50. Things accustomed a long time although they be worse are wont to be less grievous then those which are unaccustomed wherefore also a change is not to be made to unaccustomed things Because the bodies are subject to changes therefore upon such changes we must also fall upon some unaccustomed diet APH. 51. It is danderous at one time much and suddainly either to empty fill heat or cool or by any other means to move or stir the body For any thing passing the bonnds of mediocrity is an enemy to Nature and that is safe which is done by little and little and especially when an alteration and change is to be made from one thing to another Namely from accustomed to unaccustomed APH. 52. He must not pass forthwith from one medicine to another when all things fall not out so well as they should to him who doth proceed by good reason so that remain still and continue which seemed to him to be so from the Beginning For it is no point of wisdom lightly to recede from that which once you have approved of though it doth not presentely work as you would have it APH. 53. Those which have a moist belly pass their youthful age more easily then those which have the same dry but they pass their old age more hardly and with more difficulty for when they wax old for the most part it is dryed This Aphorism is of it self plain enough and compared with the 20 Aphorism of this Section they expound one another APH. 54. Greatness and tallness of body is comely to the state of young age but to old age it is improfitable and worse then a short stature For it burdeneth old men and makes them go stooping and crook-backed SECT III. The Argument This third book is almost reduced to the discourse of ages or times expressing unto us two common places that is to say the strength and force of ages and the diversity of diseases throughout those ages and times APHORISM 1. ALteration and variableness of the seasons do most especially bring forth diseases and likewise great alterations of cold and heat in those seasons and of other things answering to them in proportion Because they alter the air which we draw in continually with our breaths APH. 2. Some natures are well or ill affected in Summer and some in Winter By natures he means the temperatures and of them the cold and moist temperatures fare best in Summer and the hot and dry worst APH. 3. Some diseases are well or ill affected some more to one time and some to another and some ages more to some one time place and kind of dyet then they are to another He now affirms that to be true in diseases and ages which he had in the precedent Aphorism asserted in temperatures of the body APH. 4. Autumnal diseases are to be expected in those seasons when on the self-same day it is sometimes hot and sometimes cold For not the names but the temperatures of the seasons are the causes of diseases APH. 5. The South wind dulleth the hearing obscureth and darkneth the sight offendeth the head with aches and rheumes procureth and causeth heaviness and faintness in the members When therefore it is frequent and bloweth often such things are incident to the weak and sickly Contrariwise the North wind causeth coughs exasperateth and excoriateth the jaws hardens the belly suppresseth Urine stirs up cold shiverings and shakings ingendereth the pains of the sides and breast Therefore when this wind bears sway those that are weak and feeble must look for such accidents The South wind by reason of its hot and moist Nature and the north wind because of its cold and dryness do work these effects in weak bodies APH. 6. When the Summer is like the Spring time we must expect much sweating in Agues Because by its temperate and moderate heat it draws the humidities of the body to the skin but cannot dissolve them into vapors APH. 7. Sharp Agues are ingendred by great drought and dryness and if the year prove to be for the most part such as the state of the season is such kinds of diseases for the most part must be so expected Sharp Agues are those which quickly end but have heavy and troublesome symptomes APH. 8. In certain moderate times observing their seasonablenes certain and seasonable diseases having a happy determination are ingendred But in uncertain and immoderate times uncertain diseases are ingendred and evil to be judged For diseases follow the nature of the efficient causes and the efficient causes are
likely such as the temperature of the year is APH. 9. In Autumn universally there are most sharp and deadly diseases but the spring time is most wholesom and free from deadly diseases The reasons whereof are first by reason of its ineqnality the mornings and evenings being cold and the midday hot Secondly because the preceding Summer hath made the humors adust Thirdly because the said Summer hath weakened the forces Fourthly because the morning and evenings ambient coldness drives the vicious humors into the body And fiftly because there is abundance of fruits eaten in that season the eating of which breeds store of evil humors APH. 10. Autumn is hurtful to such as are in a consumption By reason of its dryness coldness and inequality APH. 11. Amongst the parts of the year if the Winter be extraordinary dry and the Spring very rainy and subject to southerly winds It must of necessity fall out that in Summer sharp Agues Rheums in the Eys and Bloody-fluxes do happen especially to women and men who are of a moist nature By reason of the abundance of humors which are subject to putrefaction APH. 12. Contrarily if Winter be Southernly full of rain and warm and the Spring dry and northernly women whose child-birth and deliverance happeneth neer the Spring do upon the least occasion suffer abortment and untimely birth or if they be delivered at their due time they bring forth such weak and diseased children that either they die quickly or live but weakly and sickly To others there happen bloody-fluxes and hot inflammations of the eys and to old men rheums which shortly kill them This Aphorisms meaning is plain enough now the particular causes why these several diseases happen are set down at large in GalensComments to which we refer the Reader APH. 13. Summer being dry and the wind northernly Autumn full of rain and the wind southernly vehement pains of the head are to be expected in the Winter following Also coughs hoarsnesses rheums distillings at the nostrils and to some pining Consumptions Having in the preceding Aphorisms spoken of the Winter and Spring he now speaks of the other two seasons namely Summer and Autumn APH. 14. A northernly and dry Autumn is profitable and good to men which are of a moist temperature and also to women to others it causeth hot inflammations in the eys and Feavers partly sharp and partly long and some also are troubled with Melancholly This Aphorism ought to be annexed to the former as part of it APH. 15. Of all the seasons throughout the whole yeer dryness and droughts are more wholsom and less dangerous to mans life then daily showers of rain and moisture This Aphorism by right should have been placed after the 17th of this Section and the 17 after the 5 as Galen shews in his Comment upon this present Aphorism APH. 16. When there is much rain these diseases for the most part are ingendred namely long contlnuing Agues Fluxes of the belly corruption of humors Falling-sickness Apoplexies Squinancies But when there is much drought there happen Consumptions Rheumes in the eys pains of the joynts difficulty in making Urine and passions of the intestines or inward parts This Aphorism is as it were an explication of the former by which some ignorant men might infer that in a dry year there would be no diseases at all ingendred APH. 17. Daily seasons of weather being northernly do close and strengthen the body and make it nimble well coloured and quick of hearing They dry and harden the belly but bite and offend the eys and if any pain have possest the breast they make it more grievous Contrariwise southernly seasons loose and moisten the body and weakens it dull the hearing cause heaviness and giddiness of the head mistiness and dimness of the eys dulness and laziness of the body and make the belly loose and laxative For the northern wind is cold and dry and the southern hot and moist APH. 18. As touching seasons of the year in the Spring and beginning of Summer children and those which are neerest to them in age live in very good health in Summer and some part of Autumn old men live best but in the rest of Autumn and Winter they of a middle age Summer is good for old men by reason of the frigidity of their nature Winter for men in the strength of their age because it abates and is contrary to their bilious temper APH. 19. Any diseases are ingendred in any times of the year yet many are rather caused and stirred in some one more then in another Intending in the following Aphorisms to set down what diseases are peculiar to several times of the year he promises this as a general one APH. 20. In the Spring there happeneth madness melancholly falling-evil fluxes of blood the squinancy rheumes distillations of humors coughs leprosies dry scabs morphues and many ulcerous wheals pushes and pains of the joynts Which diseases for the most part being not dangerous but rather conducing to health by driving out noxious humors out of the inward to the outward parts of the body this Aphorism rather confirms then opposes the latter part of the ninth Aphorism APH. 21 In Summer there are some of those diseases before spoken of in the Spring also continual Feavers and burning Agues and many Tertians and Quartans Vomitings Fluxes of the belly inflammations of the eys pains of the ears ulcerations of the mouth putrefactions of the genitals and sweatings Namely in the beginning of Summer are incident some of those diseases which were also towards the latter end of the Spring for it being of the same temperature they must ingender the same diseases APH. 22. Also many Summer diseases are in Autumn both Quartans and uncertain wandring Agues swellings of the Spleen Hydropsie Consumptions Strangury Looseness excoriations of the bowels aches of hucle-bone Squinancies shortnesses of breath streight pressings or drawing together of the bowels in some part of them the Falling-sickness madness and melancholly The beginning of Autumn and end of Summer have the same affinity as the beginning of Summer and end of the Spring APH. 23. In Winter are ingendred Plurisies inflammations of Lungs Lethargie Rheums in the nostrils hoarsness coughs pains of the breasts sides and loyns head-aches swimmings and giddinesses of the head causing dimness to the eys and Apoplexies This and the precedent Aphorisms concerning seasons are to be understood when seasons do hold their own order and temperature APH. 24 But as concerning ages these diseases do happen to little children and lately born Ulcers in the mouth Vomiting Coughs want of sleep great fears inflammations of the Navil moist runings at the ears Having spoken of the seasons of diseases he now sets down in what ages such and such diseases use to happen beginning with infants newly born APH. 25. The time of Teeth-breeding coming there happen itching of the gums Feavers Convulsions Fluxes of the belly especially when they bring forth