the disease and for these reasons because the milk is sufficiently nutritive and healing and the Saffron a cordial propellent of the cause in ebullition from the Centre to the circumference and for a common drink in the place of Ptysan to use a small decoction of Sulfur which moveth by sweat to the universal emunctory of the skin and dryeth up superfluous moisture lesseneth the quantity of matter and giveth a levamen to the naturall spirits in their motion and for this practise I must return my acknowledgment and respect to Gartias the Portugal Physician Amatus Lucitanus with other Moderns of the same sense prescribeth for an ordinary drink in this disease the decoction of barley with Sorrel which cannot be so siguificant as the decoction of Salsa because their refrigeration constantly will debilitate natural heat and by reason of such a check the motion of nature is impedted and therefore Fernelius affirmeth that hot diseases are more unsafe in their cure then diseases of cold because cold remedies are altogether used as a contrary remedy to heat by which cold correction of preter-naturall heat natural heat it self is also extinguished for which cause the application of constant Apozems ought to be moderately hot and moist there may be much more argumentation upon the point but very little more I conceive à proprio for it is not argumentation that cureth diseases but the seasonable application of specificall remedies and he that will make more haste then good speed shall have little comfort in his undertakings and much less if his remedy be improper for it is the specifical quantity of the remedy that cureth every disease and cures according to Sanctorius consist not in pluralities of medicaments but the property of them answerable to the disease and this is the reason why an old woman doth often by her experience of an imperical medicament make a cure of some particular affect relinquished by Learned practisers both in medicine and Chyrurgery neither are all diseases cured by a contrary remedy though the rule of contrary be universal because it admitteth exception as burning is sooner cured by the scorching heat of fire then by any other cold remedy so also a 〈◊〉 is a convulsive motion and cured by sternation which is a like convulsive motion so also a lassitude by exercise is cured by the like exercise Thirdly a fever is a hot and dry distemper but this distemper is cured by hot and dry remedies â—rgo the disease is cured by its simile for if a tertian or ardent fever be cured by Rhabarb and Scammonie c. which are hot dry then the remedies convein to the cause and not to the fever as a disease and according to Galen lib. 6. Epid. one pain is cured by another Hippocrates lib. 2. Aph. 46. the greater and most vehement pain obscureth the less pain lib. 2. aphor 26. a fever supervening a convuision is good but not a convulsion upon a fever in his 4th Book aphor 57. in a convulsion or distention of the nerves if a fever shall supervene it absolveth the disease in his 5. Book aphor 21. so also is vomiting cured with vomiting and purging with purging Fourthly a Tetanus is cured by pouring water upon the head lib. 5. aphor 25. but a return is from a cold cause and cured by a cold remedy according to Epiphamus Ferdinandus and Avicen lib. fen 4. cap. 1. saith that all diseases are not to be cured by contraries because some are cured by dyet as is expressed formerly in the Small Pox others by their simile as is before said Fifthly those diseases are onely to be cured by contrary remedies that can obtain their contrary remedies for many diseases want their 〈◊〉 remedy such as are diseases in via numero Sixthly an apoplexia ever endeth in a Paralysis which is a resolution of the nerves with a deprivation of sense and motion in the part Gal. lib. 4 de loc affect So that one disease quantum ad causam is cured by the simile In the 7th place according to Arist. one contrary is corroborated by the other contrary being present therefore cures cannot onely be effected by contraries To conclude curing sometimes is effected by occult qualities acting from the property of the whole substance such as are Bezoarticks therefore not by contraries nor is this last proposition true in all things because Hipp. lib. 5. aphor 19. cold parts are alwaies to be warmed except in a flux of bloud so that by this argumentation all diseases are to be cured by their specifical remedy and not by the multiplication of ingredients In my sense the least variety of medicaments in this disease of the Small Pox is most successful for various and often applications and mixture in remedies doth perturb nature as much if not more then continual eating and drinking in a sane body and by irrecoverable vexation of the patient doth frustrate the expectation of the agent To conclude what I have written is agreeable to Antient and Learned Authority and no fanatick conception to make the world believe that these truths were not established before by Learned Professors though not so far extended to vulgâ—r apprehension I am none of that society that dispute against that old axiome quod nihil dictum quod non dictum prius nor hath it been hitherto my fortune to cast any eye upon any Modern that had not his ante-delineation from some precedent and deduced from a former illumination but the addition to invention is common and frequent in every age there are differences in Writers as much as in painters but none did ever pensil a draught to life by a meer copy nor can they do it without copy So that the difference is in the aptitude of some above other to present the copy more lively that only that is the proceed of meer fancy is to sense nothing but confusion and void of any signification nor will appear in art any thing but a monstrosity and in science some vulgar errors some will have the Philosophy of Ducartus to be a new Philosophy of his own coyning but himself will not deny his illumination was from Aristotle Dr. Harvy his circulation of bloud was by the Antients nominated a motion of bloud by the continuation of parts of which none were ignorant though not expert in dissection of living bodies so also is the nova medicina laboratory infired by the antient luminaries and bellowsed up by operators of several and different fancies and these additions are ordinary to invention and such addition is but the extention of a first invention as one that in his travel maketh a discovery of a land unknown before cannot say that land was not in being before and if by the exact travell of a second person a larger discovery be made this discovery is but an inlargement and extension of the first discovery and so may be a succession of discoveries ad infinitum and so it is generally in
disease in fieri and in facto the prognostick of hope or fear in the course and motion of this disease dependeth upon the mutation and alteration of these signs and symptomes in the time and manner of their eruption conjunct with the colour of them as followeth The signs of discouragement after their eruption taken from their colour is when they appear black or green the black being worst and most mortal Again they are more dangerous when their eruption is exceeding in quantity than when they are but few in number because the impurity is sooner corrected and exhausted and the spirits lesse exercised in the expulsion of them those also are of more difficulty that are great and large than the small according to Aetius and a contradiction diametrical to Avicen who saith the largest Pox are most void of danger his words are these translated scil The white are best and safest when they are few in number and large in quantity Yet upon consideration the difference may be reconciled between them without much litigation if Avicen be understood in this sense That the greatest in quantity are best in judgment because they educe with them from the centre to the circumference a greater proportion of peccant humour which is a great disoneration or disburthening of Nature and Aelius to judge the largest in quantity to indicate a greater fulnesse of the peccant cause and more dangerous than the least in quantity because the largest are significants of redundancy in the cause and herein they both agree that the plenitude of matter is the cause of danger because not without more expence of spirit to be cast out but if the same internal redundancy of the cause be equal then the larger eruption is the greatest levamen to Nature Besides this redundancy there are many other concurrences of circumstance which are symptoms of as great danger in this disease such as are the strictnesse and loosenesse of the belly for any spontaneous flux of the belly must be of an ill signification though the cause be plenitude and the evacuation be à potentia naturae because it is a retraction of the matter in motion from the circumference to the centre which manifesteth almost an irrecoverable disorder in natural motion and very few upon such accidents do escape death and Physicians cannot behold this accident of spontaneal purging or vomiting in this disease without narrow hope some rare escapes there hath been reported of which I can be no witnesse of any such recovery Thus having fulfilled my own intention in applying my self to the meanest capacity for observation and use of my own Country which hath given me leave once more to breath in it where I find this disease heretofore of no moment to be now of as great consideration therefore as hitherto I have plainly presented to common view the causes both internall and externall with the signs of it in fieri in facto I shall proceed according to my ingagement to the reason of cure and what remedies are most proper and when to be used or applyed In the curing of this disease the principal scope of the Physician is to assist Nature in its regular motion in the beginning with temperate correctives of the cause by dyet and ayre the dyet according to Paulus Aegineta must be moderate in quantity neither too much nor too sparingly adhibited nor too hot nor too cold in quality if the dyet be too thin the spirits will be enfeebled and of no force or power to move the peccant cause to the circumference which is the universal Emunctory of the body and if the ayre of the place be over-hot the feverish distemper is augmented and the spirits in danger of suffocation therefore upon this hinge of moderation turneth the safety of every person affected with this disease and this course being ordered with judgment and care is instar ommum medicamentorum for there will be little use of any other application except externally to preserve the beauty and comlinesse of the face Yet according to my Theme I shall publish the variety of opinions in the curing of this disease and after a little more enlargement of my own sense I shall leave my self and all my Collations to the consideration of our English world as well knowing other Regions to differ as much from us in Practice as Language and set a value upon their own câ—stom as will admit of no precept to the contrary it appearing in a latitude to be an undervaluing of their own nor can any man perswade the major part of strangers but that they can ride any horse in the world with as much â—ase and confidence as they do their owne Hobby-horses and Asses for in truth those that they do so ride are esteemed by the best Caballarist to be no other But to inlarge my self or explain my sense in the regimen of this disease the whole work consisting in moderation of ayre and dyet without any other mixtures of violence or bland impediments which may altogether pervert or in or by a lesse force retard Nature in itâ— motion the motion of Nature in this case being from the beginning of this disease to the eruption of the Pustules Critical and in Critical motions the least application of any medicament is so dangerous that no expert Physician will admit For Nature hath at this time set her self in a Batalia posture to encounter the enemy vi armis and if upon the charge it shall make discovery of assistance it will retard the present encounter which addeth courage to the enemy and giveth him a greater choice of ground but if any of these auxiliaries should put Natnre into a disorder by conjunction with it the enemy will not neglect the opportunity of conquest and in this argument a Simile may become this place though it be not a perfect demonstration because diseases are as mutineers against natural government Nature when it is it self and without disturbance will give no entertainmeut to a resisting rebellious and heterogeneall quality to incorporate it self into the most noble parts but upon disorder and disturbance then false appetites break in and open tâ—e gates to all heterogeneality to the ruine of the whole government therefore when Nature is harmoniously set the course is to preserve it so by winding up any string at the first relax which maintaineth harmony and preserveth that string from contracting it self by rest and grow so stubborâ— that it cannot be wound up again without fear of ruption which at the first slip might have bâ—en effected with much ease and little fear of dismembring the Instrument and disturbing the harmony but if the relaxation by permanency hath over-stiffned and contracted this fiver of the Instrument yet the musician will not use any violent motion to extend it and reduce it to its former posture but gradatim wind it up till it be properly siâ—ed and harmoniously fitteâ—â— to consent with the rest of the members of
Small Pox is not to be adhibited neither in the beginning oâ— the ebulition nor eruption of the pustules neither is any blouâ— to be drawn safely or withouâ— danger insomuch that neitheâ— Riverius nor any other Authoâ— can afford any certain assurancâ— of the practise of phlebotomy iâ— this disease but rather thesâ— contradictory oppositions between the most Learned Antients and Modern Professors of highest judgement and observation do prove this scope of cure by bloud-letting to be an unsafe and doubtfull remedy in the Small Pox and therefore I thought it my duty to publish so much to my own Nation and in their own tongue that they may be instructed and enabled to avoid the danger of unsafe or rash proceeding in the curing of this disease and if these expressions be insignificant to any persons of another sense I shall leave them as couragious and valiant adventurers and wish their returns may be more successful then of late they havebin I have now most plainly expressed my own sense of bloud-letting in this disease of the Small Pox particularly yet it will admit of a more generall extension to all circumferential motions in nature for without dispute the intention in all afflictions is to expell all peccant and peternaturall causes from the Centre to the universal emunctory or to some particular place of reception from a more noble to a less noble part according to its power in resisting the cause for if it cannot effect a universal evacuation circumfercntial nor an extreme impulsion from the most noble to the most ignoble part such as is from head to foot or from the brest to the back then it moveth obliquely to some emunctory which may obtain the term of a perfect diversion to the next vicine part or else to some neutral which hath a vicinity with both As from the head to the Glandules of the throat Glandules of the groyne which are more remote and so proveth neither a proper diversion nor proper revulsion And in these motions phlebotomy may be indicated either â—or diversion or revulsion or universal evacuation which in Art ought to precede a particular evacuation by which remedy some internal oppilations or obstructions in via may be removed and Nature enabled more universally to free it self of a congestion But since I have not consented to phlebotomy in the Small Pox I am obliged to declare an undenyable regimen in this disease with considerable remedys both external and internal to be applyed and although phlebotomy be in the Catalogue of external remedies yet so of no use in this case by reason that it is as difficult in this disease to find a proper indication to sense as a simple intemperies in a veletudinary person that is such a disease as is without any other complication such a disease imaginary there may be but not demonstrative to sense But if any proper indication with a necessity of coaction for drawing of bloud doth present it self to the agent then as I said in my precedent discourse the application of cupping-glasses upon the shoulders arms and thighs with scarification is the safest remedy with this caution that the scarification be superficiall and not deep lest they enter upon a vein or artery and the evacuation be stopped with much difficulty and danger to the patient And this applicatition thus performed nature is assisted in its circumferentiall motion if there be also a great care and circumspection in the contemperation of the ambient aire of the place that it be not so hot as to suffocate the spirits nor so cold as to repell the humour in motion to the Centre or so congregate and condense the intrinsecall causes that in conatu naturae or in the endeavour of nature to dissolve and open the porosities be inflamed and the disease augmented or totally stop the eruption of the pustules and therefore to be advisedly ordered there are other externall remedies which are to be used in the state of this disease unto the declension for the prevention of Escars and these remedies are commonly the complement of every experienced Nurse But I shall first acquaint the Reader with such remedies as are ordained by Learned and antient practitioners viz. when the matter of the pustules doth corrode and make a deep impression in the face Senertus appointeth a sufficient quantity of Mallow roots to be boiled in the Urine of the Patient Some other Physicians and old Nurses have used an astringent wash which in my sense is not to be andibited because it stoppeth or is the cause of retention of the humor in the face and fixeth the cicatrix Riverius ordaineth oyle of sweet Almonds new prest to anoint the face and as an Anodine to contemperate the acrimony of the humour which in some persons as aqua fortis hath penetrated the bone according to the relation of Gartius Fernelius applaudeth this subsequâ—nt oyntment Take sweet Almonds white Lillies of each one ounce Capons grease three drams the powder of the root of paeonie flower de lys Lithargy of Gold of each halfe the scruple Sugar-candy one scrupâ—e mixe all these in a hot Morter and straine them through a linâ—en cloath and anoint the 〈◊〉 morning and night and after this anointing wash the face with water distilled from Calves feet Gartius out of his observation recommended his unguentum citrâ—num to be in curing the cicatrix a probaâ—um and my self shall present the oyle of Eggs to be most incarnative and generating flesh which doth fill up those cavities and prevent circatrising or vulgarly pittings the flesh not 〈…〉 when they come to 〈…〉 to open them with a 〈…〉 instrument least by the perâ—â—nency of the pustulate 〈◊〉 there be a greater impression of the cicatrix Some other Physicians I know not upon what basis dispute against this order of opening the pustules when they come to maturity and I find their reason for it as weak as their opinion for they urge such a diminution of naturall heat in letting out the puruleut matter upon full maturity that nature is so debilitated that it is disabled to incarnate and by want of this incarnation the cicatrix is more profound but upoÌ„ consideration of the opening of an Apostema when it is mature it is a levamen to nature as much as the taking of the burthen from a Porter doth refresh him and doth prevent the tediosity of naturall industry in mellowing or rotting the Coat in which the matter is involved and consequently a proportionable corroborative to naturall heat and motion and more especially when they are supplyed with remedies that are mundificative and carnative as is before directed in the oyle of Eggs. But because I hate prolixity I do passe over a multitude of other Medicaments well knowing the vanity of being over-active when a less motion is more satisfactory frustra fit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora And therefore out of my own experience and quotidian practise I have
which motion all waters would be but an Ocean of putrefaction to the ruine of all creatures upon the land as in the Sea Moreover the want of exercise doth incrassate the humours and include the malicious quality in such manner that it cannot so suddainly break out into act but is covered like fiery embers under ashes which send forth neither light nor heat till they be stirred up And after this manner this disease is lodged in the subject matter impreceptibly as is reported by Belocatus that this French disease was lodged in certain noble persons of Verona thirty years before any Pathâ—gnomical symptom did appear QUEST IV. Why this disease doth apprehend some persons most maliciously at the first coâ—tion and leave other persons void of contagion though very frequent in the act of Venery and of impure tempers according to sense most apâ— to receive the impression of such poyson I have in my former discourse expressed the differences of capacities to receive the impression of distinct poyson sooner or later and in that discourse the answer to the first part of this question is included that some tempers are like tinder infired and infected at the first stroke or allision of the ayre between two hard bodies when such sparks will make no impression upon straw or flax which in their own nature are very combustible so also are the different constitutions of humane bodies some shall be by this Pest infected in the first act when other persons of corrupt mixture and in sense most disposed to receive inquination or pollution shall not be apprehended with this disease though very frequent in impure congression for that there must be a more proper aptitude to receive this contagion in the first act by that proper temper so infected then in the other which is a disposition more sensibly disposed to receive such contamination in a higher degree and yet they are not so really disposed as the first which receiveth a sensible pollution And this must be an occult quality more latent then patient in them which will incorporate with any mixture which is not generally observable in mixture as for example oyle will not incorporate with water but will separate each from other and yet they are both humid bodies and though not capable of incorporation together yet capable of distinct impregnation either of â—altnesse or sweetnesse but oyle will not receive these tinctures so suddainly nor completely as water and therefore poysons of the sharpest quality are impedited and resisted in their corrosion by oyly substances And this is the reason why some dispositions receive pollution more fully and speedily then others but where there is an homogeneality and samenesse in the matter of mixture there will be a perfect incorporation although they be specifically distinct as the mixture of wine and water in the plant for there is in the juice of that plant both a vinosâ— and aquose quality so mixt that it is difficult to sense to discover any distinction from samenesse or perfect homogenealities but where there is no disposition capable to receive contagion it self yet it may prove a vehicle of conveyance to a subject that is disposed For many persons that have been in Venereal and impure congression with an infected person though not infected themselves yet upon the first act shall conveigh it to another person well-disposed to receive the contamination for qâ—â—cquid recipitur recipitur secundum modum recipientis and is proved by daily observation that Cats Pigeons and other creatures that have commerce with houses infected with the Pest are not infected themselves with the plague yet do conveigh it to other persons disposed to receive the impression of such contagion And according to the observation of Sanctorius the breath of a Cat in a room will affect a consumptive disposition with difficulty of breathing and fainting sweats though the Cat be unseen by the person affected which he made the rule of discovery of a Consumptive inclination in such persons as come within the sphere of the forenamed creature And although the disposition of the subject be the principal cause of receiving the impression of this French disease and production of it into act yet not the onely cause for the continuance or long-stay in venereal act and over-heating themselves with so long and laborious motion is the cause of infection in that act which otherwise might be avoided when these that Sparrow-like are not infected with many impure congressions nor is any contamination so active as that which proceedeth from lively animals by the association of their intense heat as for cold poyson they are potentiall and according to their potentiality more slow and dull in their motion and production of their effect QUEST V. What power this is which is nominated potential and how it deduâ—eth this venenosity into act This term potential ought to be made clear to sense because any cold poyson potential cannot be active of it self nor can nature as an agent natural produce it into act but rather a contemperation or commoderation Nor is it agreeable with my reason that nature should produce poyson into act because nature is most adverse to poyson and poyson a contrary opposite to nature except Epiphanius Ferdinandus can perswade me to the contrary for he will have something alimentable in all poyson and if there be not something nutriâ—ive in all poyson according to his sense there can be no part of poyson as poyson reduced into alimentable act by nature Therefore it iâ—probable that although every â—art of poyson is poyson and as poyson opposite and contrary to nature as it is simple poyson and cannot be alimentable but as a mixt body something may be extracted that may be reducible into aliment or the whole mixture so contemperated with an alimentable may receive such admission into our natural principles as may impregnate as much as the recipient subject is capable to receive and gradatim produced into an act of the same mixture from whence it was extracted according to the quality of the poyson totally hot or cold yet Galen doth urge another cause of nature its production of poyson into act which 〈◊〉 from the repugnancy of nature with poyson by which contestation poysons aâ—e so rareâ—â—ed and by the repugnancy of nature made more subtile and forcible to enter the principles of nature and by this power produce themselves into act and the principles of nature into such compliance as is not much different from idenâ—ity with themselves and upon sâ—ch forceable â—â—trance though it be poyson in tota 〈◊〉 and void of any alimentable condition yet it receiveth entertainment by nature without any sensible impediment to natural action and then digested and so altered by naturall heat as maketh it alimentable and prepared for assimilation And this reason is consented unto by Galâ—n lib. 3. de simplic medic where he affirmeth cold poysons to be attenuâ—ted made hot and changed by the power of natural