parts to the exteriour The other is called perfect whereby nature even as Mistris and Lady governing the body doth absolutely and wholly reject the matter out of the body and this is done either by vomiting or by flux of blood at the Nostrills or by menstrue or by the Hemorrhoides or by sweatings as we have said above A pritty similitude of Avicen concerning Crisis Avicenna had an excellent understanding of Crisis when he saith that The Crisis is no other thing but the strife and contention of two persons pleading the one against the other in a civill case for saith he even as in one civill proceeding there doth concurr four sorts of persons that is to say he which accuseth he who is accused the witnesses and the Judge In like manner do these four concurr also in the Crisis first the accuser who is the power which governs the body secondly the Malady which is accused and thirdly the witnesses are the signes of that Malady and the Physitian is the Judge And even as the civil Judge giving sentence the one of the parties continues sorrowfull and the other is joyfull so in like manner in the Crisis if the signes are bad the Physitian adjudgeth the patient to die and then he and his kindred continue sorrowfull but if the signes be good signifying victory of the powers over the Malady the Physitian makes Judgment and passes sentence that the Patient shall recover and thereby he and his kindred continue joyfull The Common Criticall judgment of no value It is true that the greatest number of Chirurgions do passe Judgement but it is most commonly of no value and that by reason of their not being able to discern that which causeth the said Crisis or rather by reason of his not observing it for if they did calculate well the Critricall daies they would not be deceived in predicting the events and would in no wife fail to hit the Mark. You must take notice in this place that they hold that the Salutary Crisis arives ordinarily the seventh fourteenth or twentyeth day wherefore it is that those dayes are called Criticall dayes They foresee the future Crisis by the signes of Coction which appear the fourth eleventh and seventeenth daies which are called Indicative and Contemplative dayes for according to Hippocrates the fourth day is the Indice of the seventh the eighth is the beginning of the other week the eleventh also is remarkable because it is the fourth of the other week yet the seventeenth is remarkable because it is the fourth after the fourteenth the seventh from the eleventh some do not go to search so many fashions but they hold simply that the Crisis doth use to conclude either the fourth day or the seventh or else the ninth and eleventh and fourteenth daies The Common opinion concerning the Crisis is fallacious As much upon the one side as the other the one party are as good shooters in a Crosbow as the other for it is most certain that the Crisis is either sooner or latter ascribing these daies of decision to the effects of the Moon And so the Astrologers assigne the Indices of Maladies when the Moon is distant in degrees about the fourth part or about half of the Zodiac from the true place where she was at the beginning of the Maladie But because her motion is more quick or slow at sometimes then at others sometimes she arives more late and sometimes more early to such aspects that if it happen that upon a Critical day the Moon is in her house or in her exaltation with Jupiter and Venus which are benevolent and healthfull Planets that doth denote that the change will be good A most true signe concerning the Crisis And if the disease consist in a great affluence of humours it is good that the Moon be in the increase in a quartile aspect or in opposition If the Moon be in the same time in Conjunction with the Sun or Saturn it is an ill signe and denotes that it will be a very dangerous disease or else of a long continuance If the Moon increasing do accompany Saturn precisely in the beginning of the disease it doth denote that the Malady will be of a long Continuance or Mortal But if the disease happens then when she is in her decrease it is a signe that the Malady will not continue long and will not be dangerous for this cause you ought not to sleight the salubrious or nocent signes of the Starrs but to observe them exactly to the end that you may attain the honour of Prognosticating Divinely for the wise man doth oppose himself to the mutation of the heavens made on the earth And that no otherwise then in removing away or repairing the earthly matter wherein the Heavens do operate or else not finding a subject to act upon his Action is turned in an Eclipse The Charity of the Anthour is Commendable Notwithstanding I desire in this place to make known that the fall of an Innumerable multitude of men is occasioned by not knowing any thing but the name and word onely of Crisis and not the cause of the effect And that severall men who by by their extream ignorance cause the Heaven and the Earth to be opened and fix there their eares and do there bound the eyes of their understanding to the end that they may take notice of the earth covering or Entombing their errours which ought rather to serve as Scarlet to make them blush And behold the manner how It is certain that our bodies are moved and inflamed by the superiour bodies otherwise they could not suffer for in the method of the distribution of things the body of the Moon in her Sphere doth by the points of the Zodiac produce that mutation which is made from time to time in all bodies none excepted As for example Example concerning the above named opinion If it happen that some one is taken sick the Moon being in the first point of Aries infallibly on the fourth day following counting from the time of falling sick the Moon is found in a point repugnant in property to that wherein she was at the time of the first falling sick And then is the Crisis made either by vomiting flux of blood flux of the belly or sweatings as we have said before In this day is prohibited the offering force to Nature whether it be by blooding or Physick either solutive or restringent for fear that nature intending to discharge her self by sweat be not forced to do it by other Emunctory and for this cause evacuation is to be practised upon the third or fifth day from the beginning of the sicknesse And none can deny however he be opinionate of himself but that this is true A too Common errour But alas behold the evil which doth often nay most commonly happen That while men are attending the Crisis on the fourth day because of the above mentioned motion of the Moon it happens that the Moon expedites her course and comes on the third day to the point which causeth the Crisis And without taking notice thereof the Physician who would count her hours makes too much haste and onely counts the fourth day for the Crisis and without any other Ceremony being bold causeth the sick person to be blooded or purged and by that meanes sends him to ask St. Peter for his Keys to open heaven with And when the Moon becomes declining or Retrograde she is not come to that point untill the fifth day wherein happens the same oversight Behold the reason why Hippocrates Lib. de flatibus would have the Physitian to have but a few patients and to languish with them for whom as saith Paracelsus he is created father and not Doctor I should enlarge my self further upon this discourse concerning this matter to make seen to the eye and felt by the finger the great errour which is commonly committed in Judgement upon Criticall daies and should shew the true meanes of giving a true Judgement according to second causes of either life or death But because that doth require a greater speculation and that the age of a man will not suffice for it I shall so bear praying to God that he will be pleased so to blesse our Labours that what we do may be to his honour and glory the edification and benefit of our Neighbour and the safety and salvation of our own souls To whom Father Son and holy Spirit be honour and glory eternally Amen To the Benevolent Reader A Quadrine Beleeve not That In Ostentation I have writ this Treatise of Plebotomy But as a friend to life I undertook to shew its operation In this Book A TABLE OF THE Chapters CHAP. I. WHat Phlebotomy is Its properties and that which must be particularly observed for the good performance thereof CHAP. II. How that the Chirurgion ought not to be ignorant of Astrology and of the profit that comes thereby as well for Phlebotomy as for all the Maladies which do happen unto humane bodies The Sympathy of the Starrs therewith and other discoveryes most usefull for a Chirurgion CHAP. III. Of the time of Necessity wherein are shewn the Maladies wherein Phlebotomy doth necessarily fall out CHAP. IV. Of the time of Election for the Inferiour Root and of the Superiour Root which extends its self to to the knowledge of the Starrs as well in the Concurrence which they have to the parts of our bodies as upon the Humours and Maladies which happen therein CHAP. V. That it is necessary that a Chirurgion have the Astronomicall figure in his study or at least in his shop and of the benefit that proceeds therefrom as well to the Patients as those that exercise or practice it which is proved by a History and other examples Also that it is better to mundify the blood than to evacuate it with the discovery of two excellent remedies for that effect CHAP. VI. Of the Veins proper to be blooded for several infirmities which arive to humane bodies together with the benefit and the manner of using of Cupping-glasses with Scarrification and without it and of that which is to be observed in this operation and lastly of Horse-leeches  A short treatise or discourse of Crisis's wherein is demonstrated how men do deceive themselves in the judgement of them not knowing the motion of the Starrs FINIS
vulgar being ignorant of the causes of them do Calumniate and sleight all the Judgments of Chirurgions and their so admirable Art together See how it is weighed and esteemed at nought and contemned by the ignorant and all this by reason of the small care which Chirurgions have to minde it well But to shew that the knowledge of the Starrs is most necessary for a Chirurgion I will insert a History which may serve as an example to those who shall know well how to put it in practice A Remarkable History It happened that at Chatellerault a Chirurgion having blooded a Maid in the right arme in the time when the Moon passed under the signe of Gemini on the next day about noon there came upon her a great defluxion causing inflammation with a feaver at the same time this Maide goes complaining to another Chirurgion saying that one had spoiled her had prickt her Nerve that it rendred her a Cripple using revilings concerning him that had blooded her they appeased her as well as they could promising her it would be nothing and that she should be suddainly cured applying unto her at the same instant a Cataplasm continuing Cataplasm upon Cataplasm and making Revulsion by blooding but notwithstanding all they could do the Arme became extreamly swell'd yea to the danger of her person insomuch that in a short time the same was known through the whose town and behold here the Poor Chirurgion is so disgraced as not to be ever received into any house upon any occasion whatsoever the present age is so scruplous being ignorant of things how they may happen Which he seeing resolved to frame a rational excuse to defend his reputation and to maintain his innocence which he did when there was a pretty Company together in the house of the said sick person his reasons were these That she was upon the point of her Termes and that her body was Cachochymicall and full of humours and that at the time when she was blooded she helpd at the washing a Buck and also to do other business of the house and other things which might excite defluxion and attraction in the part having been blooded before for if so it had been said he that I had prickt the Nerve or Tendon the Accidents would have appeared in the same instant as convulsion Spasm great pain in the part difficulty in the Action none of which happening saith he one may thereby judge that it was none of my fault In Lunar purgations the vein of the Arme must not be opened But that is contrary for his reasons served to fight against himself for since she was upon the point of her purgations he ought not to have been so rash as to have opened a vein on her Arme but rather the Saphena for provoking them and several other reasons which rendered him mute confessing as it were by his silence that he was in fault but if he had known how to have discoursed or argued concerning the science of Astronomie he had been heard attentively in regard that was not vulgar to them Notwithstanding continuing to dresse the Maide she was cured in three weeks but not without having indured a great deal of pain I have been willing to relate this story which happened in the year 1613. in the said Chastelerand in the shop of a Chirurgion named Bureau to the end I might induce and provoke the Chirurgion to learn the Constellation of the Starrs with all his power for otherwise it is impossible that he should come to his intended end of Phlebotomy Elective without some dangerous accident which I have seen happen severall times but for brevity sake I shall passe on Yet notwithstanding Guidon dela Nanche speaking of blooding in his Tract Dela Santé Corporelle saith that he hath seen severall expert and famous Chirurgions of his time as well at Paris and Mont-pelliere as at other good Cities of France and at the Court and Armies-Royall let blood which hath caused swellings in the Armes and other parts which have been blooded and many other evil accidents which as he saith flattering himself did arive by the fault of the Patient pulling back or throwing up his Arme through fear or sudaine apprehension or by having lain upon his Arme after blooding or by sleeping or by having wrought or exercised the Arme. In the second Tome lib. 2. Chap. 16. He here deceives himself exceedingly for if he had searched further he would have found that it is rather the fault of the Phlebotomiser then the Phlebotomised for in regard they are ignorant of the concurrence of the Starrs and of the houre and time wherein they govern the part they commit these blockish and irreparable faults Objection This is also for answer to that which may be objected That several sick persons are blooded at the same time and yet they are not ill It may be so but I say that if there happen no Malady in the part touched with the Lancet yet there happens other Symptomes as vomitting weaknesse vertigo Giddy-headed souning nocturnall paines and sometimes death Accidents ariving in blooding through ignorance of the Starrs Objection But may some say that is by reason of the great evacuation of blood To that I answer that experience lets us see every day that when there hath not been drawn out perhaps an half ounce of blood from the patient that he falls into some one of these accidents Objection Yes but will some reply that is because he hath conceited such a thing but who hath ever heard say that that which one hath premeditated it may be a day or two before is capable to do us hurt when we come to effect it It cannot be in anywise wherefore let us leave all these Trifles and let us follow verity Objection But will some one reply the knowledge of the Starrs with the observation of them is prohibited To that I answer That in truth if one should beleeve that the Starrs had Soveraigne power over men he would be worthy of Censure but we do not find in any place that any person hath ever been blamed for knowing and observing the elevation of the Starrs Advertisment of the Authour For Conclusion I shall content my self to admonish the Chirurgion Phlebotomist to behave himself wisely with reason in the extraction of blood for it is the treasure of life insomuch that you had better conserve and cleanse the blood then to evacuate it inconsiderably in regard that doth shorten our daies and is the cause of severall other Accidents as we have said elsewhere But will some say By what reason would you make use of the extraction of blood in the time of necessity as when a man falls from on high in great Contusions of the interiour and exteriour parts or when one hath received some dry blow or in the Plurisie and other Maladies whereof you discourse in your time of necessity To that I answer that it is true I discourse of it for three
I perceive these to scoff at my pen perceiving I treat of an operation which hath been so learnedly deduced before our time by some of the most sublime personages which antiquity hath produced To this I answer that although one would thinke one could say nothing more upon this subject there having been severall Volumes of it yet notwithstanding they are not performed with that method wherewith I treat of Phlebotomy in this place not following the old opinions because that would be nothing but singing the same song again but discovering the fault which people daily fall into in this so important operation I describe a means so to behave ones self that one shall very seldome fall into irrepairable faults Wherein I do assure my self loving Reader that if putting off all Passions thou dost come with a favourable eye to look on these Lines which proceeding from an honest Leasure do run the hazard of Censure thou wilt confesse that it is not without great consideration that I have put hand to pen to a Treatise of this matter Not that I have been provoked thereunto by any vain-glory but possessed with a good desire to serve the Publique And truly I should have beleeved I had faild of my duty if having received something peculiar from the Liberall hand of the Almighty I should not have distrubuted it to the lovers of true Learning To the end that all their and my workes might be to the honour and glory of God for the edification and health of our Neighbour and to the salvation of our souls To which God Father Son and Spirit be rendred all honour and glory for ever Amen A Treatise of Phlebotomy A TREATISE OF Phlebotomy CHAP. I. What Phlebotomy is It s property and of that which is to be observed particularly for the good performance thereof MAny Philosophers both Graecians Latines and Barbarians after they had diligently contemplated all sorts of Animals curiously sought out their manner of living and compar'd their Condition and Nature with ours have writ that amongst all Creatures breathing and moving upon the Earth Man is more miserable then al Animals and the reasons therefore There is not any more Miserable than Man by reason of his unsatiable desire and disorderly Appetite for continually he is hunting after new food and having found any according to his taste he devoureth them after such a fashion that I exceedingly admire that the bellyes of many are not already rotten and infected by that excesse of drunkennesse and debauchery which they do commit I am amazed in thinking of it And what doth there proceed from it except abundance of Rheums Catharrs and infinite other kindes of diseases which do nothing but adulterate change and corrupt this second part of our generation The treasure of life the seat of the Naturall heate the matter or substance of the seed and of the Milke of the Duggs or Papps that is to say the Blood which is so well dispersed and mingled through all the parts of our bodies that there is not any one of those parts which doth not receive its nourishment from it and there is not any good thing in us which is not maintained and supported by It. It is the Mother of the spirits which does impregnate the seat of the faculties for the maintaining the strength of the whole Body which does foment and entertain its primitive moisture It is so replenished with spirits that the conservation thereof is the cause of our life insomuch that some have esteemed that it was the proper seat and habitation of the Life and that therefore our unruly wills accompanied with our more then unreasonable Debaucheries are causes that this continuance of our lives is almost wholly extinguished One shall see nothing else in the Countryes but Doctors and Docteresses for the renewing of this scource of our lives so many bloodings made improperly that I wonder that instead of helping their Patients they do not destroy them The diligence of the Learned Chirurgion praised Not that I would here blame the diligence of the Learned skilful Physitian and Chirurgian who as friends to nature do endeavour with all their might to preserve her in her health or integrity And that by purging and cleansing or evacuation which last is not to be done but by incision of a Veine This is called Phlebotomy 〈◊〉 word Compounded of the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Veine and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say division of whole parts The derivation of the word Phlebotomy Behold therefore why in particular this word is taken for making incision of a Vein by which evacuation is made of blood and other humors contained with it Galen 13. Method Ch. 6. You must take notice that there are severall sorts of bloodings As of a Veine of an Artery Scarrifications and others we will speak especially as to Phlebotomy For what causes one should open a Vein We make bloodings for six principall causes The first To Evacuate Secondly To divert turn back or make Revulsion Thirdly To Attract Fourthly To Change Fifthly To preserve And sixthly to alleviate which is according as all those who have treated of this matter have defined it But let us content our selves with these two Causes to wit Plethorall and Chachochymicall the one consists in nothing but too great quantity of humors the other in the evil quality How far Phlebotomy doth extend its self But the benefit of Phlebotomy doth not extend it self only to the evacuation of the fulness which ought to be made according to the kinde or difference of it but also to divert and to drain which are the three sorts of evacuation It serves also for great and extream paines principally when they proceed from Tention insomuch that all the learned Physitians and Chirurgions do hold that blooding is a most excellent assured remedy if the rules requisite thereunto be therein well observed yea more ready and secure then Laxative Physick which being taken works immediately and forceth its operation it not being in our power to hinder it Phlebotomy more safe then purging Physick But Phlebotomy the Reines of the Conduct whereof we hold doth nothing but what seems good unto us forasmuch as we do stopp it and draw it forth when we please And in truth among all Chirurgicall operations blooding holds the first Ranke because it is the Common remedy of diseases which proceed from Plethore and Cacochymie as we have said before both which are the Antecedent causes of diseases What Plethore and Cacochymy is Let us then define what Plethore and Cacochymie is and then we will appropriate unto them Revulsion and Derivation Plethore is nothing else then a repletion of all the humors equally increased or else of the blood onely Cacochymie is a repletion of Choller Melancholy or Phlegme Plenitude hath two kindes the one Ad vires and the other Ad vasa there is another added unto them called Supra
called Grande Chirurgerie I speak of it largely enough wherefore I say you shall have recourse to the Ephemerides In the mean time I will persue the declaring upon what parts of the body the Stars do rule with their proprieties And in the first place Aries is hot and dry of the nature of fire he governs the head and face of a man and it is good to blood when the Moon is there unlesse it be in the part which the Moon governs The parts wherein the Signes rule together with their property concerning blooding Taurus is cold and dry of the nature of the Earth and governs the neck and Wind-pipe and it is bad to make use of bleeding the Moon being in that Sign Gemini is hot and moyst of the nature of Ayr and governs the shoulders and Arms and hands is ill for blooding Cancer is cold and moyst of the nature of water and governs the Breast the stomach Lungs and is indifferent neither too good nor too bad for blooding Leo is hot and dry of the nature of fire and governs the back and sides and is ill for blooding Virgo is cold and dry of the nature of the Earth governs the Belly and the Intrals is neither very good nor bad for blooding Libra is hot and moyst of the nature of the Ayr and governs the Navel the Reins and the lower part of the Belly good to blood in Scorpio is cold and moyst of the nature of water and governs the parts for generation is neither good nor bad Sagittarius is hot and dry of the nature of fire and governs the Thighes is good to let blood Aquarius is hot and moyst of the nature of Ayr and governs the Legs is neither good nor bad for letting blood Pisces is cold and moyst of the nature of water governs the Feet and is neither good nor bad to let blood Aries Libra and Sagittarius are very good Virgo Scorpio and Aquarius and Pisces are indifferent Taurus Gemini and Leo and Capricorn are evil Yet we say that the Moon being in Trixe and Sextile with Venus it is a good time to purge Choller by Electuary with the Sun 't is good to purge Flegme by drinks with Jupiter 't is good to purge melancholy by Pills Division of the Signes Furthermore you must take notice that every one of the Signes is divided into 30. Degrees from whence it followes that in the whole Zodiac there are 360. degrees and again every degree is divided into 60. minutes and every minute into 60. seconds and every minute into 60. thirds and so of the rest following until ten The rising and setting of the Signes Besides you must take notice that when we have the longest day of Summer which is to say then when the Sun is in the beginning of Cancer there arises six Signes in a day which do rise directly and in the night six Signes obliquely And on the contrary when we have the shortest day of the year to wit the Sun being in the beginning of Capricorn then six Signes rise in a day obliquely and the six of the night directly but when the Sun is either in th' one or th' other Equinoctial point then they rise three Signes directly and three obliquely in a day and in the night in like manner For there is a Rule that let the day or the night be long or short as you will six Signes rise in the day and six by night so that either for the length or the shortness of the day or night neither the more or lesse Signes do rise For the knowledge of which Signes you must take notice of the Characters following as the Astrologers mark them Aries with such a Sign ♈ Taurus such a one ♉ Gemini such ♊ Cancer ♋ Leo. ♌ Virgo ♠Libra ♎ Scorpio ♠Sagitarius ♠Capricornus ♑ Aquarius ♒ Pisces ♓ Let this suffice for the discovery concerning the 12. Signes let us come now to the 7. Planets whereof we should here make a Table or Figure but because we have sent the Reader to Ephemerides in relation to the Signs we will do the like concerning the Planets contenting my self only in this place to set down their Characters for the discovery of the more easie understanding them and their differences Behold then how the Astrologers mark them Saturne thus ♄ Iupiter thus ♃ Mars thus ♂ Sun thus ☉ Venus thus ♀ Mercury thus ☿ Luna thus ☽ Here followes the difference of the Planets as well for purging and blooding as for the making other operations upon humane bodies Most good ♃ ♂ Indifferent ☉ ☽ ☿ Bad. ♄ ♂ The Chirurgion must Encounter the Starrs And you must take notice that then when Mercury is with a good Planet he augments its goodnesse and with a bad one its Malignity wherefore it is that when one is wounded you must take notice whether Mercury be not with some bad Planet which rules the part wounded and if so then the Chirurgion must Encounter the Starrs and so you must minde these things but most especially in blooding to the end that we having done nothing improperly through our negligence may have an occasion of praise and thanks-giving to the Authour of all things to whom Father Son and Spirit be honour and glory for ever Amen CHAP. V. That it is necessary that the Chirurgion have the Astronomicall figure in his study or in his shop and of the profit that proceeds therefrom as well for the sick persons as for those who exercise it which is proved by a History and other examples As also that it is better to keep cleanse the blood then to evacuate it With the description of two admirable remedies for this end The good desire of the Authour I Should desire by good reason as well for the profit of those who search relief or Remedy from Phlebotomy as for the spiritual contentment of those that practise it to the end that the whole might be to the honour and glory of God that every Chirurgion had within his shop the Astronomicall figure as formerly the Ancients had and who had recourse unto it then when they would know the Domination of a Starr on the part whereon they were to operate observing with all their power the rising and setting of the above mentioned Signes and their constellations insomuch that the Antients have not found it to be unprofitable Of the truth whereof among severall of them Arnoldus de villa nova shall be a most faithful witnesse Therefore I shall again heartily intreat the Chirurgions that they would take heed unto it and not to pretend that their Art is subject to Calumnie seeing it is they themselves which are the cause of their arts being so Calumniated whilst they neglect that which is most necessary to be known in their profession to wit Astronomie The ignorance of Astronomy is cause of great evils Insomuch that not having the knowledge of it there doth arive many evil Accidents and the