Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	effect_n	nature_n	reason_n	3,109	5	5.1421	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11920	The vveapon-salves maladie: or, A declaration of its insufficiencie to performe what is attributed to it Wherein also is described, 1. The severall wayes of making the weapon-salve. 2. The manner of vsing it. 3. Reasons of confirmation to justifie it. 4. Arguments of confutation to overthrow it. By the learned and judicious physitian Daniell Sennertus, Doctor and publique professor at Wittenberg. Translated out of his 5th. booke, part. 4. chap. 10. Practicæ medicinæ.; Practicae medicinae. Booke 5. Part 4. English	Sennerts, Daniel, 1572-1637.	1637 (1637)	STC 22232; ESTC S105181	15,432	35

that the wound it selfe is not to bee annoynted with this oyntment but the weapon or instrument whatsoever it be with which the wound was made or if that cannot be had another weapon or peece of wood but especially Sallow or any other thing dipp'd or smear'd in the blood of the wounded person Neyther think they it availes whether the Patient be present or many miles absent Neyther take they any care of the wounded person but of annointing the weapon yet some order that the wound be every day washed and cleansed with white Wine or Vrine But lest any man should doubt of the effect of this oyntment First of all they produce experience and Rudolphus Goclenius Iunior writeth that he is able to nominate Emperors Kings Princes Earles Nobles whose authority and truth is not to be doubted of which give testimony of the efficacie of this Oyntment Moreover the Patrons of this Oyntment doubt not but naturall causes may be given of this action and Crollius calls them ignorant fooles that doubt of its efficacie or referre the cure to Sorcery And to make it appeare that the cure may be done by a naturall way they prove at large that first there are actions which no corporall touch interceding are done by an hidden Sympathy or Magnetisme as they call it And so the Loadstone draweth Iron although it touch it not with its body and maketh it move toward the Pole the Starres also worke upon inferiour things which they touch not bodily The Cramp-fish affects his hand that toucheth it only with his Iavelin There be some that cannot endure to be where a Cat is though she bee lock'd up in a Chest that they see her not and unlesse the Cat be removed or they goe out of the place they fall into a swoone Dogs know the foot-steps of their Masters and of wilde Beasts too and follow them by their track The shade of the Ewe-tree is hurtfull to many And very many such things which are observed in nature they heape up as examples of hidden actions which because they are most evident in the Magnet or Loadstone are called Magneticall actions in generall Another thing which they presuppose is that there is a spirit of the world diffused over the whole Vniverse which is the conveyer or conveyance of all occult vertues and actions and conjoyneth all the parts of the World and effecteth a wonderfull harmonie between them But thirdly concerning the vertues of this Weapon-salve it self they determine a double operation to bee in it one in the Oyntment it self that is the healing and closing up of the wounds the other which is in the Weapon annointed and carryeth that vertue to the wound They deduce the former operation from those many things of which this Salve is composed from the influence of the Starres and a Syderiall and Elementary conjunction and therefore as hath been sayd some make this Oyntment at a certain time of the yeare and in a certaine position of the Starres The other operation they deduce from the naturall Balsam which with the bloud sticketh fast to the weapon or instrument thrust into the wound and stained with the blood of the wounded person For this Balsam by reason of a sympathy it hath with the part wounded doth communicate that vertue of the Salve to the wound the spirit of the world intervening and mediating betweene them And of this thing they bring other Examples also the Zenith as they call it or the first menstruous blood of young Maides being cast into the fire as they report is very offensive unto the Virgin from whom it flowed The Secundines or after births if they bee ill handled are very dangerous to the Women from whom they come although neyther in this doe they declare themselves plainly enough For Crollius writeth that this Cure is perfected by the attractive magneticall operation of this Salve which by the mediation of the Ayre is brought and conjoyned to the Wound And presently after hee sayth there be three things which by this Medicament doe cause so wonderfull an effect First Naturall Sympathy Second The influence of Celestiall bodyes perfecting their operations by the Elements Third A Balsome which hath a healing vertue and is in every man by nature Reasons against the Defenders of Weapon-Salve But to give our owne opinion of this Oyntment First this maketh it to bee suspected because one manner of composing it is not agreed on but there are many and in some those things are omitted from which others deduce all the vertue of this Salve as appeares plainly out of the fore-named Descriptions Thus Wittichius omits Mosse Fat and Blood which others account the foundation and chiefe part of this Salve and yet all of them promise the same effect and every one extols his owne oyntment for Curing all kindes of hurts done with what kinde of Weapon soever whether Stab or Cut with a blow or a fall although Goclenius and Crollius except those Wounds which are in the Nerves arteries or principall members as the Heart and Braine Whereas others object against the composition of this Salve that the Authors of this Oyntment doe use the Mosse of a man hang'd Mummy warme Blood and Fat of men and doe think the whole power and efficacie of this thing to be in Mans fat and blood and therefore think it superstitious I assent not to them since it is very well knowne that the Fat and sculls of men and Mummy and Mosse are used by other Physitians to cure Diseases without superstition Yet this I advise that forasmuch as Witches and Wizards as appeares out of Apuleius Metamorph lib. 2 3. And Nicolas Remigius lib. 1. cap. 16. Lib. 2. cap. 1. De demonolatria and out of others which have writ concerning Witches That they are wont to use the Blood and Flesh of a Man and other parts of mans body for their Sorceries that every one who will use such things should take heed that hee doe not superstitiously use a Salve for producing a naturall effect and so gratifie the Divell and unawares serve him who is the Enemy both of mans Body and soule which may bee done if wee use such things to those effects which are not in the Naturall power of the things And therefore if they finde event it is rather to bee imputed and ascribed to the Divell laying snares for men by such superstitious meanes than to the thing it selfe Now concerning the effect of this Salve Guilielmus Fabritius Observat 25. Cent. 3. sayth That it doth not alwayes answer their expectation and that it may bee that many have beene healed that have used this Salve and so many great men can testifie yet they can testifie no more then this that one was wounded and that this Weapon-Salve was applyed for the Cure and that hee grew well againe but they cannot testifie whether hee recovered by the efficacy of this Salve For many things may oftentimes bee conjoyned with the effect

which are not the cause of it so that as it followeth not While this man was walking it Lightened therefore his walking is the cause of the Lightening so it followes not This wounded man is healed and hath used the Weapon-Salve therefore the Weapon-Salve is the cause of his healing Vnlesse it may appeare that this effect hath necessarily followed from this Weapon-Salve Nor is the * When that is taken to be the Cause which is not the Cause fallacie of the Cause more frequent any where then in Physicke where oft-times the Cure of a disease is attributed to a Medicine when it proceeds not from it but from nature or some other salve eyther used before or together with it And indeed the reason of Physique is farre different from that of other Arts. For in other Arts the effect altogether wholly dependeth upon the Artificer and if any thing bee done eyther well or ill by him unlesse perhaps by reason of the unfitnesse of the matter and subject for Ex quolibet ligno non fit mercurius or by reason of the Instrument some fault may happen all is to bee imputed and ascribed to the Artificer seeing as I have shewed Instit lib. 1. cap. 1. the subjects of other Arts worke nothing but onely submit themselves to be wrought on but the subject of Physique hath a certaine inbred power whereby assisted by the Physitians help it doth for the most part of its owne accord tend to health whence it is that HIPPOCRATES sayth 6. Epid. Com. 5. Text. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Natures are the Physitians of diseases The point therefore is this that here the state of the controversie is not whether in the Cure of the wounded person now recovered the Weapon-Salve was applyed but whether the Weapon-Salve was the cause of the healing of which now wee are to make enquirie But seeing as it is sayd before Nature may be the cause of closing up a wound and not the vertue of any Medicine by what name soever it be called yea oftentimes wounds are cured with Lard or some other small thing layd to without the help of a Physitian or any other Medicaments Therefore in the cure which is thought to be done by the Weapon salve the closing of the wound is to be attributed onely to Nature as the next and principall cause Which since it is so and it can by no meanes bee denyed now the Question is whether in that cure the healing of the wound be ascribed to Nature onely or whether some efficacie of this Weapon salve doth concurre together with it The former seemeth to me to bee the more probable because it is certaine as was said even now that wounds are very often healed by Nature without the helpe of any Medicament This the inward wounds to which no Medicaments can bee applyed doe testifie and hither tendeth all that discourse of Caesar Magatus concerning the course of curing wounds of which is spoken in the precedent Chapter that the businesse be committed to Nature the heate and temper of the part which is an instrument be kept sound and not be troubled with Medicaments where there is no necessity and sometime such dangerous wounds are healed chiefly by the helpe of Nature and by none at all or else but slender Medicaments applyed so that it may seeme to be ascribed rather to a Miracle then medicaments The observations and examples whereof are every where well knowne Neither are the Patrons of this Oyntment so bold as to extend its power to all wounds seeing as was said Crollius and Groclenius except the wounds of the Principall members and also of the Nerves and Arteries and no man was ever yet found who durst use this Oyntment about such as have beene wounded by Gun shot And who is there that dareth deny that other smaller wounds may be healed onely by Nature yet if any thing fall out in the cure by the Weapon salve which may exceed the power of Nature take heed it bee not done by the helpe of the Divell drawne thereto by some implicite or explicite compact Seeing then Nature onely and immediately closeth up Wounds Salves as hath been shewed before serve for no other use then to conserve native heat and naturall temper of the part or to remove those impediments which hinder nature in its worke we are now to consider whether this Weapon salve can doe those things Where the first difficulty is this whether or no there is any salve at all that can doe any good not being annointed on the wound it self but on the weapon or some other thing stained with the blood out of the wound chiefly if the wounded person be absent and be distant from the weapon that is annointed the space of some certaine miles To prove it they use two reasons as is said before The first is that there is some actions from the occult qualities called Magneticall which worke at a distance and againe that the power of this Oyntment is conveyed to the wound by the Spirit of the world as the Sympathy and Antipathy of many things But neyther Argument proveth the thing they should For first of all though wee grant that there are such actions which mutually do worke upon and suffer one from another though they bee not alwayes united by corporall contact Notwithstanding wh●●her this happen in the Weapon salve or whether any vertue or force be brought to the wound from the annointed weapon through a great distance of place that is not yet proved Neyther doth it follow that because there are miraculous actions of other things therefore this Weapon salve should have such a vertue And that this is not so he who shall enquire into other the like actions of Nature which are done at a distance shall easily perceive Seeing that Operation doth follow the beeing of a thing It is necessary there must bee a certaine Conjunction and mutuall Contact betweene the Agent and the Patient And againe seeing that things betweene which there is action touch not one another with their bodies it is necessary they should touch some other way and that may be two wayes For eyther the thing which is sayd to work at distance sends out somewhat from its body and substance which the Ancients call effluvium seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Over-flowing or Flux the Physitians where they speake of Contagion call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See our Lib. 4. de Febribus cap. 4. Institut Lib. 2. Part. 2. cap. 12. To wit where the smallest parts or atomes flow out of the bodie and the ayre or some other body mediating are transferr'd to another body and doe worke upon it by the vertue which they have common with the intire body from which they flow But such like little bodies and effluxes have no regular motion but are disorderly moved hither and thither according to the motion of the ayre and by any breath are variously dispersed as wee may see

done by another weapon A reason also should be given why the Oyntment should not worke the same effect being in the box which it will doe being annointed on the weapon Neyther can it be as they say that the force of this Oyntment should bee carryed to the wound by the helpe of the Balsome which is in the blood For if that blood it selfe should be reduced into Atomes it were not able to reach through such a great distance Neyther yet they proved that the blood can send forth any such species and if by the benefit of the blood the power of this Salve is carryed to the wound why then should it not carry to the wound the efficacy of other things on which the blood of the wounded is divers times shed which we see is not done As for those things which in particular they alledge of the Secundines and first menstruous blood of Maides and determine that if any abuse bee done to them the women also suffer those things are to be ascribed to the Superstitions of women For if in mankinde the Secundines of women being cast into some sordid place doe annoy the party why is it not so in Brutes when their Secundines are cast into the mire and rot Besides in what place soever these Secundines be buried yet they doe putrifie notwithstanding Why doe not the exuberant lumps of flesh which women burne doe hurt to the women Why doth the first menstruous bloud being burnt annoy the Virgin and not other that commeth after Therefore these things being so wee need not seriously to dispute what power is in this Oyntment for the cure of a wound seeing hitherto we have sufficiently proved that none commeth from the Oyntment to the wound and if this have any power eyther of preserving or cherishing the temper of nature or heate of the part which they call Balsome or drying up excrements they might better apply it to the wounded part then annoint it on the Weapon Moreover if the power and strength of this Oyntment consist in the Fat or bloud of man as some would have it why then doe many of them apply it to the wounds of some Beasts for example of Horses For how great a difference is there betweene a Man and a Horse But now whereas Crollius and some others that I omit not their conceit draw the power of this Oyntment from the Heavens and therefore would have it made in some certaine Position thereof neyther doth this further their cause For they have not yet proved that there is any power of healing eyther in the Heaven or in the Starres or if there were that they so communicate it to this Ointment that it beeing as it were shut up and kept close may bee carried up and downe and when they please bee produced into use Moreover for the manner of using this Oyntment it hath no ground neyther is it without Superstition For first when they make the whole cause of the Cure to bee that the power of this Oyntment is convayed to the wound by reason of that naturall Balsome which is in the blood why then doe they annoint that weapon with which a man was wounded or another weapon or a piece of wood besmeared with the bloud of the wound and doe not annoint the shirt or some other garment of the affected person or a stone or any thing else upon which the bloud is powred if there be not some implicite compact contracted with the Divell And then if the wound bee made by a Stab or point-wise they annoint the weapon on the point towards the Hilt and if with a blow from the edge towards the back and if it may be seene how farre the sword hath penetrated the wound then they annoynt it so farre as it hath penetrated if not they annoint it all which things are superstitious whereof no reason can be given If the power of this Oyntment bee Naturall what effect doth that manner of annoynting produce whether doth it adde any new power or quality If the vertue be naturall there needs no Ceremonies as appeareth in all naturall things The Loadstone draweth Iron and the Iron touch'd with the Loadstone maketh towards the Pole without using any Ceremonies Moreover some annoynt the Weapon once every day some annoint it every other day some every third day some onely once others lest they should faile in the annointing of it doe for a perfect Cure bury the Weapon or a Sallow sticke that is instead of it in the Oyntment which is left in a Boxe but they neglect the Weapon who wholly cover it or that which is instead of it in the Oyntment Others when they have annointed the Weapon keepe it in some temperate place others shut it up in a Chest and all of them take care that the Weapon be not in a place too hot or too cold and that it bee not soyl'd with any durtinesse For if this happen it hindreth the Cure and brings great paine to the affected and wounded person All which things are frivolous and superstitious For seeing that it hath beene sufficiently proved that there is no action of this Weapon salve on the wound being farre asunder from the wound neyther can it cause any Griefe And therefore if it happen according to the desire of him that useth the Medicine it is done by the helpe of the Divell Doubtlesse the bloud of wounded persons is not alwayes spilt in cleane places but sometimes in foule ones it is frozen in Winter the bloody Rags are wash'd in warme water Sticks sprinkled with the bloud are burned and yet the wounded person feeles no hurt Finally they ascribe very impossibilities to this Oyntment and such operations which in one naturall medicine cannot be found For they affirme that all Wounds made with a stab or with a blow by a fall or by a throw may bee cured by this Oyntment But great is the diversity of Wounds according to their severall circumstances and so not one onely Salve but divers are requisite to their Cure A Wound made with a sharpe-pointed weapon is cured without the generation of much corruption But in that which is bruised whatsoever is bruised must needs turne to corruption There is great diversity also in the parts A wound in a fleshy part especially in a sound and well-temper'd man is easily cured but farre more difficult is it to cure a wound given in the Braine Nerves Sinewes Ligaments especially the great Ligaments as those of the Hams They promise also to cure wounds without any Paine which in every part to performe is impossible Verily if a Nerve be prick'd no man can performe that the Patient shall not be pained And therefore to conclude this businesse the cure of a wound which is ascribed to the Weapon-salve is for the most part the worke of meere Nature which not onely cureth small wounds but very great ones which appeares from this that there are such divers descriptions of this Weapon-salve and that some instead of this compounded Weapon-salve use onely Lard or Hogs-grease and yet neverthelesse have cured wounds which the fore-cited Iohan. Colerus in his Oeconom in the place before cited affirmeth hee hath seene But if by the application of this Oyntment any very great wound bee cured so that it seeme to surpasse the strength of Nature this Cure is atchieved by the helpe or power of the Divell himselfe drawne thereto by some close or open compact Neither doth it take away the suspicion hereof will some say namely that all the simples used in the composition of this Oyntment are meerely naturall and that no Characters Conjuratians or Charms are used in the making or using thereof For the Divell can conceale his compact not onely under Characters and Consecrations and a set forme of words but also under naturall causes if at his command things naturall which are used in the first and explicite Covenant to the which covenant others implicitely which use the same things may unawares interpose themselves are us'd to another use then they were created of good and so Magicall and divelish actions are covered and shifted in under the vaile of Magnetique actions It being granted then which for the most part we affirme to be done by the benefit of Nature that the wounded person is healed by this Oyntment it is not impossible but credible that the Divell may some way helpe the body that he may destroy the soule Seeing he is mans greatest enemy and by every way that he can is ready to hurt him and therefore as much as in him lyes he draweth man from God our bountifull Creatour and from meanes ordained by him to things full of Superstition FINIS