with thirst heat wakings and at several turns with swoonings and cold sweats at this time being sent for I prescribed her Cardaic Remedies and such as moved the purgings of the Womb and also a Clyster to be given her at length the Flux of her Belly being provoked the Lochia also came down and the sick Woman being freed from the aforesaid symptoms and the more grievous Disease to wit the Remedies of the Nurses quickly grew well of her Feaver The more plentiful Flux of the Womb hapning to this Woman removed the Procatartic cause of a more grievous Disease wherefore when they had committed so many errors about the ordering her viz. first in stopping the Lochia then what might compensate their defect in hindring the Flux of her Belly yet the Feaver was only light and without any venomous taint impressed on the Blood the like to this I have known to happen frequently to wit when at first the purgings of the Womb have flown very plentifully afterwards when they have flown very sparingly and sometimes stopped the Women in Child-bed have escaped And by the way it is here to be noted that it is wholly dangerous to inhibit or at least divert and cross any motion of Nature incited tho irregular A Noble Gentlewoman about 20 years of Age indued with a smooth and full habit of Body miscarried twice in the space of a Year when she had again Conceived by the prescription of her Physician she provoked a Vomit once a month by drinking plentifully Posset Drink by which she was wont to cast forth much thick tough Phlegm also in the time of her being with Child he Let her Blood 5 times the time of her going being over she was brought to Bed of a Son with very hard Labour the Secundine came whole away and she purged notably on the second day whilst she was lifted upon her feet in Bed that the Sheets and the Blankets might be laid in better order she took Cold and by that means the bloody Lochia wholly stopped and only a little serous Water came away on the third day she began to complain of an acute pain in her right side to which the Women laid Bags of Camomil made hot with Bricks but the distemper grew worse with a bloody spittle on the fourth day of her being brought to Bed a most â—harp pain with a difficult breathing and very Laborious invaded her by the prescription of her Physician then coming to her from the neigbourhood six ounces of Blood was taken away out of the Basilic Vein and she felt sudden ease for 10 hours she was better in the middle of the night the pricking pain returned with its wonted fierceness at length other Physicians being called to Counsel they agreed that it was necessary to open a Vein again in the arm of the distempered side four ounces of Blood being taken away the pain remitted and the sick breathed better then by Diasphoretic Remedies she fell into a great sweat with a quiet sleep But the Pulse was made quicker and weaker also contractures of the tendons in her wrists appeared presently afterwards she talked idly and within 24 hours after she was last Let Blood she departed That this Lady fell into a Pleurisie with a Feaver upon the Lochia being suppressed the cause in some measure seemed to be the Letting of Blood so often in the time of her being with Child for by this means the Blood being accustomed to be eventilated at the arm afterwards growing hot leaving the Womb was carried violently towards the place of its letting forth where when it found not a passage it fixed in the neighbouring side as the next nest to the place of extravasation yea besides the usual manner of a Pleurisie there was no small malignity hapned to this Disease for the Blood being hindred from being let forth of the Vessels began presently to be corrupted in its disposition and in the third day of the Feaver was so much depraved that it could not be any longer fermented in the heart so as to Prorogue Life It was not so with the Wife of a certain Smith who was brought to Bed at what time her Children had the Small Pox in the same House and she her self as it seemed had taken the Contagion of the same Disease for on the second day after her Delivery they began to break forth with a feaverish heat and pain in her Loyns which indeed for three days whilst the Lochia moderately flowed arose rightly into little swellings altho the purging of the Womb was very copious at that time she had the Small Pox very thick all over her Body not only in the superficies of her skin but also they filled the cavity of her mouth and throat so that she could scarce speak or swallow The sixth day of her Lying in the Lochia flowed immoderately from whence presently fell upon the sick a frequent swooning with a flagging of the Small Pox Convulsions and other symptoms of an ill nature which threatned Death soon being sent for I prescribed half a dram of this Powder to be taken constantly every three hours in a spoonful of the following Julep viz. take of the Roots of Tormentil in Powder drams two of the best Bole Armonie dram one of the species of Hyacinth half a dram make a Powder Take of the Compound Water of Scordium of Dragons of Meadowsweet each three ounces of Therecal Vinegar one ounce of the Syrup of Corals two ounces of Harts-horn burnt half a dram make a Julep Besides I ordered to be boyled in her Broths and in every thing she drank the Roots of Tormentil by these Remedies the purging of her Womb was soon wholly stopped and the Small Pox by degrees being ripened came off without any grievous symptom Indeed this case was difficult and was cured with great danger viz. for either the Lochia or the Small Pox to have been restrained inwardly was very dangerous and yet the more full eruption of the one hindred the motion of the other so long as either moderately proceeded things being permitted to the conduct of Nature was moderately well but when one of them became ill the work of Art was required and it was requisite to bridle the Lochia but to provoke the Small Pox. CHAP. XVII Of Epidemical Feavers HAving meditated rather a Commentary than an intire Tract I had thought here to have concluded our Discourse of Feavers But forasmuch as certain Epidemical Feavers do often spread which observe no Laws nor can be brought to any certain rule of Doctrine but being irregular vary every year and for that reason as often as any of them increase or spread abroad presently it is called the new Disease therefore I thought it worth our while because general precepts concerning these Feavers are not to be delivered to subjoyn some particular Histories of some of this kind for out of the various provision of symptoms whereby they are wont to be noted the nature and the whole
shops or dispensatory are to be prescribed but magistralls as cause arises according to the appearances of the admirable Symptoms A gentle vomit Purge blood-letting ought in the first place to be ordained and to be repeated as often as shall seem fit As to specisick medicines also and appropriate in these cases when the chief Indication shall be to mend the temper of the Nervous juice you may try many and by their effect judge of their virtues Therefore it may be lawfull to try what the Remedies indued with a volatile or armoniac salt may effect For this end the spirits and salts of Harts-horn Blood soot and the flowers and spirits of Sal-armoniac are taken These helping nothing you must come to Chalybiats or Steel medicines the tinctures and solutions of Corall and Antimony are given which kinde of medicines are exhibited in such a dose and form and so often that some alteration may be made by them on the whole blood or nervous juce Further If successe shall fail in such like you must then proceed to Alexipharmaca which help against poysons and the malignancy impressed on the humours to wit to institute from these decoctions and distilled waters of vegitables powders Conserves and other preparations and to compound variously some with others and to administer them diversly It is likely that those kinde of medicines which are wont to be helpfull to such as are bitten by a viper or a mad Dog or that have taken woulfs-bane or poyson may be usefull also in the aforesaid Convulsions It may be lawfull here according to the example of Gregory Horstius in his tract of the malignant Convulsive disease and also of wonderfull Convulsions to prescribe magisterial Remedies in the form of a purging Electuary and also of a powder and Convulsive Antidote and to compound them variously partly of simple Alexipharmacks or poyson resisters and partly of Antiepilepticks or things good against the falling Evil. CHAPTER X. Of the Passions Commonly called Hystericall THE hysterical passion is of so ill fame among the Diseases belonging to women that like one half damn'd it bears the faults of many other Distempers For when at any time a sicknbss happens in a womans body of an unusual manner or more occult original so that its Cause lyes hid and the Curatory Indication is altogether uncertain presently we accuse the evill influence of the womb which for the most part is innocent and in every unusual Symptom we declare it to be something hysterical and so to this Scope which oftentimes is only the subterfuge of Ignorance the medical Intentions and use of Remedies are directed A description of the hysterical passion The Passions which are wont to be referred to this cense or order are found to be various and manifold which rarely happen in diverse women or which come wholly after the same manner The most Common and which commonly are said to constitute the formal Reason of the hysterical distemper are these viz. A motion in the bottom of the belly and an ascention of the same as it were a certain round thing then a belching or a striving to vomit a distention and murmur of the hypoehondria with a breaking forth of blasts of winde an unequall breathing and very much hindred a choaking in the throat a vertigo an inversion or rolling about of the eyes oftentimes laughing or weeping absurd talking sometimes want of speech and motionless with an obscure or no pulse and deadish aspect sometimes Convulsive motions in the face and Limbs and sometimes in the whole body are excited But universal Convulsions rarely happen and not unless this disease be in the very worst state Because for the most part the Tragedy of the Fit is acted without Contraction of the members only in the inferior belly Thorax and head to wit in some of them or successively in all women of every age and Condition are obnoxious to these kinde of Distempers to wit Rich and poor Virgins wives and widdows I have observed those Symptoms in maids before ripe age also in old women after their flowers have left them yea sometimes the same kinde of Passions infest men as plainly appeared by the example already shewed As to the causes of those symptoms most ancient The causes of the Symptoms inquired into and indeed Modern Physitians refer them to the ascent of the womb and vapours elevated from it The former opinion although it plead antiquity seems the less probable for that the body of the womb is of so small bulk in virgins and widdows and is so strictly tyed by the neighbouring parts round about that it cannot of it self be moved or asccnd from its place nor could its motion be felt if there were any as to that vulgar opinion or Reason taken from the vapours we have often rejected it as wholly vain and light for just reasons elsewhere But we judge the passions but now described do neither always nor at all proceed from the ascent or the vapours of the womb and that indeed other very famous Physitians have already determined For in times past Charles Piso and of late the most learned Highmore have vindicated the womb from all fault and the passions which are commonly call'd hystericall are thought by this latter to arise from the blood most impetuously rushing on the Lungs and by the other from a serous colluives heaped together neer the origin of the Nerves How probable this latter opinion doth seem shall appear from what follows But as to the opinion deliver'd by Doctor Highmore concerning this thing tho it be far from our Custom to contradict any ones opinion and that it is almost unlawfull for me to diffent from this famous man yet because our Pathologie standing on a contrary basis viz. the cause of the hystericall distemper being imputed more immediately to the nervous stock than to the blood will seem to be only asserted unless we shew the Reasons which combat against that hypothesis and forours therefore taking leave here we will try more exactly either opinion put as it were in a ballance In the fit therefore commonly called hysterical this famous man supposes Doctor Highmores Opinion Examined the blood for that it is thin flatulent and with a certain effervescency to rush too much in heaps into the pneumonick vessells and the vessells of the heart and in them to broyl up impetuously and so to stuff up the lungs and very much to aggravate them that neither they can exercise their motion nor that the blood can be drained from the bosom of the heart Hence from the blood stagnating in the Praeoordia a great oppression difficult breathing and often none with a melting of the vital Spirits were wont to be inferred then the diaphragma that it might give place to the Lungs more and more distended and that breathing at least might be some way made is carried downward with a mighty and long continued Diastole and so by pressing down the Intestines it
used all that Night this Youth seemed to be in a little better condition so that in the morning he continued a long time from sleep but began to role about his Eyes hither and thither and to set himself up a little yet without speaking or knowledg of those that were about him before noon his Eyes being shut again he wholly lost the use of every Animal faculty he lay for three days as it were Apoplectick with an high and vehement Pulse with a palpitation of the Heart and a difficult and painful breathing his Pulse at length growing lesser by degrees he dyed the thirteenth day of the Feaver On the fifteenth of February his Sister somwhat lesser than he was began to complain of a pain and torments in her Belly a trembling in her hands and a painful tension or stretching out of the Muscles of her Neck with a Feaverish intemperance and thirst on the last day of February she growing plainly into a Feaver could not keep out of her Bed moreover she was troubled with a wandring heat now in her Face now about her lower parts also she became heavy and somnolent and awaking from sleep could not presently come to her self On the first of March she was lightly Purged and with ease with an expression of Rhubarb her Urine was thick and red elso petechial red spots as in the rest were conspicuous we gave her after that for four days at several times to wit after the interval of every six hours space ten drops of the spirit of Harts-Horn in a Spoonful of Cordial Julep the aforesaid symptoms afterwards leisurly remitted and this sick child tho slowly recovered health without a manifest through Crisis About the same time her little Brother younger than any of these fell sick almost after the like manner who yet a loosness arising Naturally of it self for many days voyding Choleric and greenish stuff was easily cured Also in the same Family many other Domestics and some strangers coming to help them the evil being propagated by Contagion fell sick of the same Disease who notwithstanding at length became well tho with difficulty and slowly without any regular Crisis being made That this Feaver was malignant plainly appears by the Contagion Mortality and appearances of spots and many other signs tho that infecting Contagion whereby it spread from one to another shewed it self slow and of lesser Efficacy because between the sicknesses of each of them many days and oftentimes weeks hapned to be that the infection of this tho acute Disease and the dissemination on others was scarcely finished in four months space in the same House The Feaver about the first beginning seemed gentle and mild not very terrible as to burning but the matter being heaped together from the deflagration of the Blood became presently untameable hard to be exterminated also enemical to the Brain and Nervous stock wherefore in each of them the beginning of the Disease was to be known rather by the torpor and somnolency than the fervor and heat also the Crisis tho by several ways attempted viz. by Sweat Flux Bleeding did not happily succeed but for most part the Blood growing turgid with the critical motion endeavoured to transfer the Feaverish matter upon the dwellings of the Animal Spirits yet it self notwithstanding became not putrified by this means but that about the standing of the Disease both humors to wit the Blood and Nervous Juice being vitiated by an impure mixture together and grievously touched caused the event of the Disease to be either deadly or extream dangerous CHAP. XV. Of the Measles and Small-Pox IN the next place we refer the Small-pox and Measles to the rank of pestilential and malignant Feavers which indeed are mixt Distempers consisting at once according and contrary to our Nature As to their Original they have their seminary born with us but as to the effect they produce preternatural symptoms and as the Plague it self poysonous so that they constitute ar it were a certain peculiar kind of Feavers proper indeed to men but after another manner than Porphyrius has assigned for it happens for every man only and once to be distempered with the Small-pox or Measles if perchance any one lives free their whole life or another more often fall into these Distempers they are rare and unusual events of Nature which lessen not common observation yea t is fully confirmed to wit that all and only men are obnoxious to the Small-pox and Measlles and are wont to be rid of them at one sickness Concerning the Small-pox we will treat of them apart from the Measles what the cause of them is then what signs and symptoms they have and lastly what things belong to the Crisis and Cure Concerning the Causes we ought to consider in the first place what is the secret leading Cause to wit which renders only and all mankind and that once obnoxious to this Disease Secondly we will inquire concerning the evident Causes viz. by what and how many ways this latent and occult disposition is wont to be now sooner now later deduced into Act. Thirdly it shall be declared what is the conjunct cause to wit by what motion and alteration of the Blood the figure of this Disease is produced 1 As to the first this disposition or Natural predisposition which inclines human kind to this Disease seems to be a certain evil or impurity of the Blood conceived in the Womb among the first Rudiments of Generation almost all Authors would have this ascribed to the Menstruous Blood which Opinion seems not altogether improbable because in a womans Womb otherways than in most other living Creatures there is generated a certain Ferment which being communicated to the mass of Blood affords to it vigour and spirit and then at set periods procures a swelling up and an excretion of the superfluous Blood but at the time of Conception when the Menstrua wholly cease very much of this ferment is bestowed on the Faetus or Child and its Particles being Haeterogeneous to all the rest as a certain extraneous thing are confused with the mass of Blood and humors with which being involved and separated one from another lurk or ly hid a long while yet afterwards at some time being moved or stirred up by some evident cause they ferment with the Blood and induce to it an ebullition and then a Coagulation from whence very many symptoms of this Disease arise These fermentative seeds somtimes are few and gentle and so involved with other little Bodies as they do not easily appear and are brought into act somtimes they are more and stranger so that on the least occasion they are ripened into this Disease hence indeed some are taken sooner with the Small-Pox in their tender years others more slowly and not till full or more ripe age also some easily receive the contagion but others converse often with the sick without danger The sooner that any one hath this Disease the more secure they are
CHAP. XVI Of Feavers of Child-bearing Women VUlgar Experience abundantly testifies that the Feavers of Women lying in are very dangerous beyond the disposition of other common Feavers also that the same differ very much as to their essence from both a simple and putrid Synochus plainly appears from their signs and symptoms rightly weigh'd wherefore I believe it not to be from the matter to handle after malignant Feavers the acute Diseases of Women lying in being exceeding neer of kin to those for their mortality or perniciousness Yet before I shall enter upon the unfolding these Diseases it behoves us to consider their subjects viz. the Bodies of Women in Child-bed after what manner they are predisposed and by what provision they are made obnoxious to these kind of sicknesses Concerning this the first thing that offers itself is that the Flux of the menstruous Blood is wholly convenient to be suffered by human kind and at this time for Women concerning whose nature and original we shall not inquire in this place but it shall suffice to note that in them the particles of the Blood to be periodically thrust forth are very Permentative which if reteined in the Body beyond the wonted manner of Nature are very often the cause of many Diseases unless only when a Woman conceives with Child For all the time of her being big Bellied the monthly Flowers are stopped without any incommodiousness and in the mean time milk or the alible juice is disposed in great plenty about the parts of the Womb for the nourishment of the Child but after the Birth this daily suppression of the monthly Flowers is recompensed by a copious flowing forth of the Lochia or what comes away after the Birth and the milk within three days having wholly left the Womb springs forth plentifully into the Breasts at which time Women lying in are wont to be troubled with a small Feaver If that the milk be driven away from the Breasts it restagnates again towards the Womb and is thrust forth together with the Lochia under the form of a whitish humour In the mean time the Womb after the Birth becomes subject to various distempers for oftentimes its tone is hurt the unity is dissolved and many other accidents are induced which render Women lying in subject to danger wherefore that their acute Diseases may be rightly unfolded it is convenient for to consider chiefly these three things viz. first the nourishment of the Child or the Generation of Milk both in the Womb and in the Dugs and the metastasis or translation of it from one to another Secondly the purging of the Mothers Blood or the profluvium of the Lochia after a long suppression of the Menstrua Thirdly the condition of the Womb after the Birth and its influence on other parts of the Body And these being premised we will speak of the Feavers of Women lying in viz. both the milkie and the putrid called and that deservedly malignant by reason of its deadliness First the Milk and nourishing humour being heaped up in the parts of the Womb for the nourishment of the Child are of a like nature tho somewhat different in consistency Milk is indeed more thick because it ought to be received in at the mouth and to be kept in the Ventricle and afterwards it more thin portion to be conveyed to the mass of Blood The other alible Juice is more thin and like the water of distilled Milk because 't is immediately poured into the Blood of the Embryo thorow the umbilick Vessels without any previous digestion Either Juice is supposed to come from the Chyle fresh made in the mothers stomach what is reposed or laid up in the Breast is more thick and white by reason of the more thin or open strainer and coction in the greater Glandulas on the contrary it happens in the Womb ootherwise where the Glandulas are smaller and the Straining more close But there is a great disagreement among Authors concerning the passages by which this humor is carried both in the Breasts and into the Cake of the Womb. Some contend that Milk only is begotten of the Blood more plentifully cocted in the Glandulas which yet by reason of the immense dispense of Milk which consists not with the Blood this seems not probable Others affirm that the Chyle or Milkie humor is immediately conveyed from the Viscera of Concoction thorow occult passages without any alteration into either receptacles But in the mean time while these passages lie open it seems indeed to me more likely that from the meat taken into the Mothers Stomach a portion of the Chyle thence made is presently supped up into the Veins which having obtained the vehicle of the Blood before it be assimilated by it is said up in the Glandulas destinated here and there for the receiving of it being carried by the Arteries and lastly separated from the mass of Blood for as it appears that drink being plentifully taken presently passes thorow the whole mass of Blood and is rendered by Urine like water and as old Ulcers by means of the Blood coming between prey upon the nutritious humor from the whole Body and pour it forth under the shape of a putrified matter Why may not the alible Juice in like manner being strained by the Collander of the Glandulas before it has indued the colour of Blood go into a Milkie humour This indeed seems more probable because whilst the Milk is carried from the Womb into the Breasts and on the contrary passing thorow the mass of Blood it is wont to stir up a perturbation thorow the whole with a feaverish intemperance besides in the first days after the Birth when the Glandulas do less rightly perform the office of secretion Beasts who have not the Lochia give a bloody Milk which is drawn forth of their Udders that is mixt with Blood by reason of the plenty of it flowing forth together Secondly As to what belongs to the Menstrua being suppressed in the time of being with Child and the Lochia plentifully coming away after being Delivered we say that after the Conception of the Child the Menstrua ought to be suppressed by Divine Designation for that the flowing of them often causes abortion then because the Vessels are filled by a continual stilling forth of the alible juice into the parts of the Womb the mass of the Blood doth not arise into swellings up to be allayed by the menstruous Flux For the same reason Women for the most part have not their courses so long as they give suck Perhaps in some indued with a more hot Blood the monthly courses flow both whilst they are Big-bellied and in the time of their giving suck but that more rarely and is wont not to happen without trouble yet in the mean time the Menstrua being suppressed during the time of being with Child because much less of the nutritious humor is expended at that time for Milk they much more deprave the Blood
head moreover a leaping up of the tendons in her wrists also she had sudden concussions of her wholy Body yet still her loosness held to her were administred by the prescripts of several Physicians Cordials and other Remedies and kinds of Administrations carefully but nothing profited her Pulse being more weak and her strength leisurely wasting she died on the ninth day after she was delivered This Feaver very much depended upon the vitious provision of the Body as the procatartic cause for I have often observed that it fares ill with Women Lying in who when Big bellied devoured fruit and any unwholsom trash and living without motion or exercise indulged themselves with ease and rest the Blood by reason of the previous Cachexie conceived a burning without any evident cause as it were of its own accord But growing hot laying inwardly still its recrements and impurities caused the Diarrhea neither yet was its mass made more pure by its almost continual excretion yea rather being still more depraved in its mixtion or crasis the Blood at length wholly departed from its proper disposition and became unable to be fermented in the heart whereby heat and breath might be every where dispersed The loosness excited by the motion of Nature was untowardly stopped especially by the use of astringent things for this I have often observed never to be done without paying for it because the Flux of the Belly has cured some that have been ill but in this Lady and in many others as has abundantly appeared to our experience altho it did not take away the Feaver yet it freed her from the more grievous distempers of the Brain and nervous stock from whence this sick person was wholly free from a Delirium nor was struck with Convulsive motions till reduced almost to extremity The Mother of a Family and a Gentlewoman about 36 years of Age or upwards being with Child of her seventeenth Child was troubled and very anxious lest she should die of that Child-bearing But God favouring she was delivered well enough of a Son and for three days after she was very cheerful on the fourth day when she had eaten more than she should do of a Chicken a little before night she fell into a feaverish Distemper with vomiting and a stopping of the Lochia all night she lay restless and without sleep the next morning she had four stools and seemed somewhat eased about Noon about which time I came to her she complained again of heat and thirst as also a palpitation of the heart and of the ascent of some substance in her throat her Pulse was quick and small her Urine red the Lochia scarce appeared I ordered her Juleps Cordials and things to purge the Womb besides a fomentation for the bottom of her Belly also her Legs and Feet to be rubbed often with warm Wollen Cloaths at going to sleep I gave her of Laudanum one grain with Saffron Pouder half a scruple in a spoonful of Treacle-water She slept well and the Lochia came down plentifully and by that means with a slender dyet and continuing to provoke moderately the Flux of the Womb for a few days she became very well The immoderate eating of flesh as an evident and almost only sufficient cause without any great provision or vitious predisposition induced the Feaver The Lochia restagnating into the Blood increased its intemperance and presently brought troubles upon the nervous kind but in the mean time the Blood altho growing hot did not undergo any great corruption but when the recrements heaped up by the Surfeit were sent forth by the loosness and the Blood the Lochia being restored began to be purged forth again after its wonted manner this Feaver wanting a further malignant ferment quickly vanished A noble Lady young and fair was brought to Bed of a second Child and for six days as to the Lochia and other accidents she was well and wholly free from the suspicion of any intemperature she ate flesh daily and rising from her Bed was brisk and chearful in her Chamber on the seventh day without any manifest cause a shivering came upon her with a Feaver and a lessning of the Lochia but not suppressed to the tenth day after her Delivery she was only moderately feaverish whilst the purgings of the Womb yet flowed she remained free from any grievous symptom but then although she was greatly feaverish she was more cheerful than ordinary and seemed more confident of her health at Night she slept little or nothing the morning following at which time I first visited her she clearly raved the Lochia were stopped also her whole Body was shaken with horror the tendons in her wrists were pulled together so that I could hardly distinguish her Pulse which in the mean time was weak unequal and very quick I said she would die quickly unless God should miraculously restore her by his Divine Power however six grains of Oriental Bezoar being given her in a spoonful of Cordial Julep brought upon her a plentiful sweat with a better Pulse then other Cordials being given wiâ—â— due intervals gave some little hopes tho I doubted they would not continue aâ—tâ—r four hours from the time that I came the sick Lady had of her own accord a great Stool and presently her strength wholly failed her and within half an hour she died When there hapned nothing of ill to this Lady as to her Delivery or Womb so pernicious a Feaver and so suddenly Mortal could not happen without a great and malignant procatarsis of the Blood and humors whether a more full Dyet or taking Cold or any other evident cause gave a beginning to this is uncertain because the Women and Nurses helping her knew of no manifest occasion of her sickness The Feaver being inkindled the infection of the Blood could not be wholly carried away by the purging of the Womb tho long continued tho for that reason the more cruel symptoms came not presently upon her yet the evil still lurked within and the Disease being very acute shewing it self with a swift motion on the fourth day when Nature should have indeavoured a Crisis the matter of the Feaver being moved but not overcome as it were in a moment overturned at once the Brain and nervous parts whence Death was to be expected and suddenly followed A Woman well known who had scarce passed the twentieth Year of her Age of a florid countenance and slender Body after her being brought to Bed when the Lochia flowed immoderately made use of some astringent Remedies by the counsel of those about her by which means they were wholly stopped but a Flux of her Belly succeeded which when it had increased for three days the Women gave her other things for the stopping her Loosness nor were they frustrated in the success in the mean time in the place of the former evil they had brought a most dangerous Feaver and distempers as it were hysterical for the unhappy Gentlewoman Lying in was troubled
the explosive Convulsive motions of the containing Bodys For although we conclude that the middle of the brain The disease affects secondarily very many parts of the Nervous System is always the primary seat of the Epilepsie and that from the beginning the morbific matter is layd up wholly in that Region yet the distemper growing grievous this being more plentifully spread thorow the head enlarges its bounds so that it being strowed here and there and far and neer stretched out Spasmodic particles are cast into the rest of the Brain and also into the nervous appendix like gunpowder or explosive seed whereby it comes to passe that at the first approach of that disorder of Spirits Convulsions follow sometimes in these sometimes in those parts and not rarely thorow the whole Body CHAPTER III. The Differences of the Epilepsie and the reasons of some of the Symptoms are unfolded Also its Curatory Method is represented THus far of the essence and the Causes in generall of the Epilepsie it shall be now our next task to explicate the differences of this Disease also the reasons of some of the accidents and Symptoms belonging to it to which we will lastly add Observations and Histories of sick people with the method of Curing The most notable difference of the Epilepsie is wont to be taken from the Subject to wit that the brain or part of it labouring with this disease is either primarily and Idiopathetically or properly affected or secondarily and not but by consent with other parts concerning the former kinde we have hitherto discoursed as to the other to wit in which the falling down seems to arise from some place without the head and then lays hold of it secondarily and as it were by a blast sent from elsewhere It is to be observ'd that this kinde of distemper as Galen hath noted proceeds either from the external or internal parts The Reason of the Epilepsie which is said to be excited by consent we meet with many examples of Epilepticks in whom the fit being just coming upon them a spasm is felt with a numness in the hand or toe or other particular member which presently from thence as it were with a pricking of tingling creeps towards the head which when it hath attained immediately the sick party falls flat on the Earth and is hurried into Insensibility and disorder of spirits and other proper demonstrations of the Symptom of the falling sickness neither is it a less usuall proaemium of this disease that there first arises as it were a conflict in the stomach spleen womb Intestines genitalls or other inwards or that some kinde of perturbation is raised in some of them then from that place the ascent of as it were a cold air is perceived to which distemper follows the accession of the falling evill with its most horrid provision of symptoms hence it was commonly believed that the cause of the Epilepsie lay hid in the part seen to be so primarily affected and propagated its evil to the brain of its self innocent The Conjunct Cause of the Epilepsie consists only in the brain But in very deed as to this we must say that in every Epilepsie not only the procatartick or remoter Cause but also the conjunct remains wholly in the Brain to wit that the spirits inhabiting it being disposed to explosions and there being explosed bring on or Cause every falling Evill As to those praeliminary Symptoms in some Epileptical people they sometimes have the place of an Evident Cause and sometimes only of a signe For when the evill disposition of any inward as the stomach spleen or womb happens with the disposition of the Epilepsie as often as any perturbation is begun in that distempered Inward it easily happens by reason of a transmission of the ferment from thence or a continuation of the spasm to the head an Epileptical fit is excited in the Brain prae-disposed to act But these kind of symtoms of the falling evil which being suscitated from without seem to propagate the distemper to the Brain do often arise from the consent of the Brain it self and are only signs of the approach of the Epileptical Fit or of the spirits beginning to be exploded in the brain For when the animal spirits planted in the middle parts of the Brain and Cerebel and also those in the oblong pith or marrow neer the beginnings of the Nerves are so filled with an heterogeneous Copula that for the Casting of it off they are ready to bring on the assault of the Disease before they are all exploded heap by heap some spirits lying more outward in some private Nerves because they are destitute of the wonted influx of their superiors fall into certain inordinations and so begin spasms which spasms as it is often the manner in this kinde of distemper begin at the extremities or ends of the Nerves inserted to this or that member or Inward from whence by degrees they creep forward to their beginnings whether being come forth with the spirits thorow the whole Encephalon before disposed to explosions being moved by that spasms and so being snatch'd away with a fiery enkindling are suddenly exploded or thurst out so they seem to stir up the Epileptick Fit beginning at first from themselves as it were secondarily and by instinct brought from some other place After this manner sometimes the Histerical passions when beginning in the bottom of the belly they are Communicated to the Brain are thought to arise from those Viscera and to be stirred up by their fault when in the mean time the morbific cause subsists chiefly about the beginnings of the Nerves as we have elsewhere signified and shall again show hereafter when we come to treat particularly of the Spasmodick distempers There yet remain other differences of the Falling sickness to wit that it is either haereditary or acquired again either kind is variously distinguish'd Other differences of the Epilepsie by reason of the Age or time in which it first comes upon one to wit when the first coming of it happens before or about the puberty or being of ripe age or after it further as to the Efficacy of the disease into strong and weak for as much as the Paroxysms or fits are with or without the disorder of spirits and falling as to its inordinate manner whose assalts are wandring and uncertain moreover it is wont to be distinguished according to the peculiar symptoms in these or those sick people by reason of some disposition or manifold Idiosyncrasy or propriety of the Temperament But from what has been said before of very many of the Symptoms which are to be met with in this Disease the causes do easily appear so that there will be no need here to consider all of them but of some of them which seem more intricate it will not be from the matter to discourse in this place We will therefore first of all inquire why those sick of this Disease
afore-prescribed Remedies Or the aforesaid Ingredients excepting the Liquoris and Raysons may be boyled in vi pints of Hydromel or water and hony or meath to the Consumption of the third part The dose â„¥ iiii to vi If that the aforesaid Method consisting in the use of Catharticks and Specificks being for some time tryed and altogether in vain you must come to Remedies of another kinde Great Remedies and chiefly to those called Great or Notable In this rank are placed Diaphoreticks Salivation Bathes and Spaws Alphonsus Ferrius affirms that he had cured many Epileptical people with a decoction of simple Guaicum being prescribed twice in a day and taken to vi or viii ounces and its second decoction drunk as in the cure of the Pox instead of ordinary drink If to such a decoction the roots of Paeony and other specificks should be added perhaps it would be more efficatious It seems probable that a Salivation strongly excited from Mercurie and afterwards a sudoriferous or Sweating-Diet following might certainly cure this Disease What Baths or Spaw-waters are able to do I have not observ'd either by my own or others experience Perhaps I have made tryall that our Artificial Spaws sometimes have been available in Curing the Epilepsie to wit both those impregnated with Iron and also with Antimony and taken in a great quantity for many days CHAPTER IV. Of other kinds of Convulsions and first of the Convulsive Motions of Children AFter the Epilepsie as it were the principal Spasm in the chief place excited to wit within the middle part of the brain the other Kindes of Convulsions come to be treated of in order The differences of those are best taken from a twofold kinde of cause and the various manners and accidents of either We have already shown that all Spasmodic distempers do flow either from the meer irritation of the spirits or from their explosion by reason of the cleaving of an Elastick Copula to them or jointly from both together wherefore the manifold Ideas of Spasms may be distinguished and distributed into certain Classes as it happens for this or that cause or either together to remain in the various places of the Encephalon or the nervous Appendix For indeed the Spasmodic matter or the explosive Copula of the Spirits finding a passage chiefly and most often thorow the Brain and sometimes in some measure thorow the extremities of the nerves subsists either about the origine of the nerves or their middle processes or their outmost ends or abounds in their whole passages as shall be by and by more particularly declared Further an irritation stiring up Convulsions by it self or with a previous remote cause although it be made every where in the nervous stock yet it chiefly and more frequently produces such an effect about the beginings middle processes and foldings or ends of the Nerves But the same Kinde of Cause and effects are after one manner in Infants and children and another in youths and those of riper age Since therefore we have determined particularly to consider all the kindes of Convulsions we will first discourse of the Convulsive motions of Infants and Children Infants and children happen so ordinarily and frequently to be tormented with Spasmodick Distempers that this is reconed the chief and almost the only Kinde of Convulsions for the Symptoms of this kinde in other more ripe people are wont to be called by other known Names and referred to the Epilepsie hysterick hypochondriac Collie passions or also to the Scurvie but in children they are called as it were by way of Excellency Convulsions As to this we must observe that children are found to be greatly obnoxious to Convulsions chiefly about two seasons to wit within the first month after they are born or about their breeding of Teeth Although it often happens that the assaults of this Disease may come also at other times and from certain other Causes In the first place therefore it very often happens that children newly born or at least er'e they are two months old are afflicted at every turn with Spasms excited in divers parts for that inversions of the eyes distortions of the cheeks and Lipps or tremblings yea Contractions of the Tendons and frequent jerkings or leapings forth of the members and sudden shakings of the whole Body infest them and that the same effect likewise sometimes afflicts the praecordia appears plain enough because whilst the Spasms busie the Limbs and outward members also the face becomes now pale now of a livid or dead Colour from the blood stagnating in the heart and the Lungs being at that time contracted As therefore Spasms are wont to infest three Regions of the Body in children to wit the parts of the head and face the outward members and Limbs and the Praecordia and viscera we observe now these regions now those now two or all together to be possessed by the morbific Cause to wit as it is fixed either about the beginings or ends of the nerves and when the former of these happens as the superior part of the oblong pith the middle or the lowest part of the spinal marrow is touch'd one or more parts together are assaulted by the morbifick Cause As to the other Causes of this Distemper to wit the procataric and evident those of the former Kinde do chiefly consist in two things first that all the parts of the Head in infants are very weak and abound with a viscous humidity to wit the Brain less firm and the tone of the nerves very loose so that they are not able to bear the more light force of every matter but the Spirits inhabiting them are easily incited into irregular motions or Spasms by the proper liquour wherewith those parts are watered if it flows never so little immoderately or at least more plentifully than for the measure of so little strength But in the second place because it appears by observation that children not only nor all who are of a more tender Constitution are found to be prone to this Disease therefore this ought to be rather accounted for a reason of the more remote morbid Cause that the Blood and nervous Juce are originally vicious in some Infants by reason of evills contracted from the womb For that the sanguineous mass wanting eventilation for many months past becomes impure in children newly born wherefore broad and Red puttings forth like the small pocks shew themselves through the whole skin in most children soon after they are born to which sort of wealks or efflorescences if they are hindred or repressed oftentimes dangerous exulcerations about the parts of the mouth follow Hence we may deservedly suspect such impurities of the blood sometimes to be poured forth into the brain and nervous stock considering their debility and for that reason Spasmodic Distempers to arise to wit whilst the blood being vitious from the womb endeavours to purifie it self it transfers its faeculencies into the head which were wont to be
Bodies are that are most fit for Fermentation and which are less convenient for it Secondly What things are requisite about Fermentation to wit what are wont to promote or also to hinder its motion in every Subject Thirdly How manifold the motion of Fermentation is and the end of it also what are the effects and alterations which follow it As to the first That all Bodies when tending to perfection may truely Ferment they are required In the first place That there be some parts loose and disjoyned otherwise the Fermentative Particles will not be stretched forth or move from place to place Wherefore in the more hard compacted things or in viscous things or too much boyled or evaporated to a spissitude or dryness Fermentation does not succeed What are Liquid as Wine Beer the Juices of Fruits and Herbs easily and quickly swell up next to these what are soft tho they are of a thicker Consistency as Bread and most Eatable things and Medicinal Compositions Secondly It is required that there be an Heterogeneity of parts or a confusion of all the Principles together to wit that some Particles do oppose others and stir them into motion For the more simple Bodies in which one or at most two Elements only are strong with a very small proportion of the rest are unapt to Ferment because like Particles or Symbolical Elements lie benumed and quiet But between the unlike there arises presently a strife for domination and some provoke others into motion Thirdly There is a third condition that there be neither too much Crudity nor Maturity of parts in the body Fermenting In the former the active and subtil Particles are not easily extricated from the more thick nor are brought into motion as it appears in Juices which are pressed forth from unripe Fruit also in Beer which is made of Barly or Mault not come forth or germinated In the latter the Particles being made too volatile are not contained in the bond of the mixture but presently evaporate and dispose their Subjects to Putrefaction Wherefore Juice expressed from Summer Fruits or others too ripe will not easily pass into Wine but it will quickly corrupt And for this reason extravasated blood milk and urine do not Ferment but quickly putrifie As to the second thing proposed there are many ways by which Fermentation is either promoted or hindred The first and chiefest is the adding of a certain Ferment to the body Fermenting the Particles of which when being first placed in vigor and motion may raise up the others idle and sluggish in the to-be-fermented Mass and may drive them into motion But there is a two-fold Ferment either absolute which is the same kind of Body in which the active Particles being altogether placed in their vigor are notably in motion and so whilst they are committed to the Subject in Fermenting snatch with them into motion other Particles there of the every kind before sluggish by this means Barm or Yest beaten Eggs and such like stir up a Fermentation almost in every thing Or the Ferment is respective to wit which consists of Particles very much of one kind which meeting other of another kind in the Mass to be Fermented grow hot with them and so produce in the mixture a turgency or rising up of all the parts together After this manner Saline Particles having gotten a Flux grow very hot with other Salines either fixed or alchalisate as appears when acetous Liquors are poured on Corrals Harts Horn shells of Fishes also when the Spirit of Vitriol and the Salt of Tartar are put together a great ebullition is excited There are some accidents and external circumstances which variously conduce either to the provoking or hindring the motion of Fermentation of which sort are chiefly the condition of the Ambient Air the placing or laying up of the body Fermenting and the means of conserving it The Southern Air in which hot and humid Particles every where abound which also entring easily any Bodies obtain the force and place of a Ferment impresses a notable motion of Fermentation in very many things Wherefore in drinkable Liquors it doth not only raise up at first the force of effervescency or growing hot but also for a long while after induces new swellings up in them being Fermented On the contrary the Cold and Northern Air binds up and very much fastens Bodies and in very many things hinders the fusions and flowings of the Elements and oftentimes either hinders Fermentation from being stirred up or restrains it being begun Also the hot Summer Air because it too much moves the active Principles drives away the Spirits and subtile parts exalts the Saline and Sulphureous into a Flux and so perverts their equal motion and either the Sulphur or Salt being too much carried forth it easily brings to Bodies a rancidness or putrefaction or a mouldiness which nothing favours the business of Fermentation It is a vulgar opinion that some select times of the year to wit those in which the Vegetables of every Kind flower cause anew the motion of Fermentation in the Juices and other things prepared of them after they had Fermented a long time before so that Beer when the Barly and Wines in the time that the Vine flowers conceive risings up or new Fermentations they say also that Bread and Flour when the Wheat is in Flower is want to become sooner musty and moldy also that spots or stains of the Juices of Fruits as the Mulberry Blackberry Rasberry and such like being in Cloaths are wont to be gotten forth again at that time when those Fruits are Ripe Concerning these things I ingenuously confess that I have not made tryal of them by my own proper observation so as to dare to affirm it for truth in every part I will therefore lightly pass them over for it would both grieve and shame me lest I should relate false things to Philosophize concerning doubtful things Concerning the laying up of the Fermenting Body these things are chiefly to be observed When things first being to Ferment that they are not to be shut up in too close Vessels neither while the Liquors are hot are they to be put into Bottles or Casks For the Particles at first boyling up and as it were rarified desire a very large space wherefore the Fermentation of Wine or Beer is begun in open large Vessels but when they grow less hot those kind of Liquors lest the Particles being set and moved into motion too much should fly away from the Subject they are kept best either in a cold Cellar or close Vessels In the preparation of Vinegar we observe the contrary to wit it is wont to be placed in a hot place near the Chimney or Oven or exposed to the Suns beams to the end that the vinous Spirit being depressed the Saline part might be exalted into a Flux and so might give a sharpness to the Liquor There is another observation that Liquors do Ferment better in
together disperse a very stinking smell together with these the watery parts flow forth and the frame of the subject breaks or falls down into Earth or a Caput Mortuum This kind of process may be observed both in natural things and also in Subjects prepared by Art Concerning Natural things the disjunction of the Elements and their separation into parts may be seen both in the death of living Bodies or the extinction of life and vegetation and also in the corruption of them being dead and in their reduction to a rottenness As in Vegetables the growth and maturity depend on the combination and mutual cleaving together of the Principles so the decay and death depend on their going asunder and separation in Plants and Fruits being by degrees exalted from a crude and sowr Juice by Spirit and Sulphur they come to maturity to which a sweet tast and smell and a pleasant colour happen then presently the same matter the Spirit and Sulphur and the rest of the Elements leisurely flying away from the subject is soon reduced to a filthiness and rottenness If after the subtil and more pure Particles of Spirits and Sulphur are flown away there still remain plenty of Earth and Salt with some Sulphur the matter does not putrifie but grows dry with an hoariness but if the thick Salt and Sulphur having gotten a Flux break forth from the Subject together with the rest the bond of the mixture being loosened presently the external humidity possesses the spaces left by these and the Body is resolved into rottenness Also all Animals whatsoever have set bounds of their growth and duration For they ascend from their beginning by slow increase to motion and sensation then to the strength and exaltation of Nature in which point they stay not but from thence by equal steps make hast towards their fall If the cause of this kind of limitation be required we say that Mother Nature hath placed in the primigenious seed of every thing such a stock of Spirit Salt and Sulphur which might suffice for the producing the utmost thrids or lineaments of Bodies so that the growth and ascent of the thing to its height or acme is only an evolution or unrowling of that radical matter and protension or stretching it self forth into a greater dimension in the mean time the little spaces and vacuities which are made by the protraction of this matter are filled up by the active Particles supplyed by Nutrition which also by a continual series of motion are ripened exhaled and give place to others succeeding As soon as this seminal matter is unfolded and exalted to the height that it cannot be moved or expanded further the matter is then brought to the state of its perfection from thence some Particles of this Radical substance together with the secondary supplyed from the Nourishment begin to evaporate and others dayly and then others being after this manner consumed both the solid parts by degrees decrease in their substance as also the Nutritious Juice and Blood even decline for the worse till by a long wasting the props of the Body are made dry or withered and the blood so depauperated that it will not suffice for sustenance to the vital fire just as it may be perceived in a Lamp if the Oyl being continually consumed in its place be put water the Liquor is rendered poor and diluted that it is not able any longer to cherish at all the flame of the wick When the Life of Animals perishes either it expires after the aforesaid manner leisurely and like a Candle or Lamp is extinguished the Oyl or Tallow being consumed or it is choaked by a hasty death being snatched away by Fate or the violence of a Disease presently the Spirits with Salt and Sulphur flowing together in the blood and also planted in every part cease from their regular motion and are moved into confusion then they partly exhale from the pores with the vanishing heat and partly being shut up within in the Cavities inordinately Ferment with the remaining Particles and make a swelling up of the inwards and of the whole Body But afterwards the frame of the solid parts being by degrees loosened and the Sulphureous Particles together with the Saline having gotten a Flux begin to evaporate from thence a strong stink and corruption arise The active Principles breaking forth by heaps do often mutually take hold of one another and being combined in the superficies of the Carcase produce Worms at length when they are wholly exhaled from the Subject what remains falls into dust It is a usual thing for Worms to be generated in Vineger when it is corrupted and lost its strength which being exceeding small and somwhat long and smooth like Eels swim in the Liquor and may by the help of Glass be exposed to our Eyes these beeing seen it is commonly said that the sharpness and pricking of the Vineger proceeds from these little Creatures which is a vain thought that deserves not a refutation for they are only to be found in dead Vineger and I pray from whence have they their teeth sufficient for the gnawing of Iron But the whole corrosive force of Vineger is more truly referred to the Salt having gotten a Flux in the mean time those little Creatures seem to be begotten by this means it is sufficiently known that when very many Subjects are brought to putrefaction the active Principles being thrust out of doors yet still affecting their old dwelling remain somwhere about the neighbourhood and being joyned together do often produce living Bodies wherefore when moist things putrifie most often little Worms grow on their Superficies but in Vineger the business is a little different to wit because the Elementary Particles are more fixed therefore when the mixture of the Liquor is wholly dissolved the active Principles although loosened yet breaking very hardly and difficultly from the substance meet together in the bowels of the Subject and there mutually cherishing one another cause those little Creatures in the midst of the waters Also the Bodies of living Creatures being prepared for our Food are disposed towards putrefaction if they are put up for some days till the active Particles are loosened and begin to be in motion tending to exhalation wherefore both the Flesh becomes more flaccid and in eating more tender and soft and if they are kept longer till the Saline and Sulphureous parts being carried forth into a Flux do break out presently a stinking smell and putrefaction is induced There are many ways whereby flesh is wont to be kept from putrefaction the chief of which are that it be pickled with Salt or Spices Things are kept a long time incorrupt and very grateful to the tast with Salt Dead Carkases are imbued with Spices that they may remain a long while in their Sepulchers As to the first Brine or salt Pickle hinders the eruption of the Sulphur and fixes it in the Subject by its embracement and retains it Spices
or to a swelling up and when they being more thickly heaped together begin to enter into a Flux they first of all strike down the Vital Spirits with their sharpness and somwhat overthrow their heat wherefore the Blood becomes colder and is more slowly circulated yea and by reason of the defect of heat the sense of cold is perceived in the whole Body and a pulse very rare exists Moreover when the nervous and solid parts are watered with this sort of acetous Juice for their last nourishment by the Flux of this which happens together with the turgescency of the Blood these sensible parts are pulled and irritated into Tremblings and Convulsions And this without doubt is the true and genuine cause of the cold and shaking which are excited in a fit of the intermitting Feauer to wit the Flux and swelling up of the nourishing Juice degenerated into a Nitrous matter with which the Spirits and Heat being suffused are blunted and the Nervous Bodies being provoked are moved into tremblings But afterwards when these Nitrous Particles being thrust forth from some part into the Superficies of the Body the Blood is somwhat freed from their weight and oppression the Vital Spirits recollect themselves and begin to shine forth but from thence a most intense heat succeeds because both the mass of Blood by reason of the growing hot with the Feaverish matter being loosened and also its mixture being laxed the Sulphureour Particles are more plentifully inkindled in the Heart and because the pores of the skin being possessed by the same matter thrust forth towards the circumference of the Body the vaporous Effluvia are restrained within which do more shake and make hot the Blood that heat persists still in the Blood until that Fermentative matter being wholly burnt out and together with the adust recrements remaining after the burning being fully brought under and subtilised and involved with the Serum insensibly evaporates by sweat or transpiration Thirdly These things being premised it will not be hard to shew the reasons and causes of the intermission as also of the set periods viz. the intermission follows because all the Morbific matter is dispersed in one fit and so till new be substituted there is a necessity that a remission follow But new matter begins to be begot of which the last fit failed to wit the mass of Blood being but now emptied receives the nourishing Juice and perverts it as before by reason of its defect of due making of Blood and of Concoction into a Fermentative matter but its little plenty stirs up little or no trouble or Fermentation but when the Blood is filled to a swelling up it presently ferments and is in Flux even as when new Beer or new Wine shut up a long while in a Vessel at length at a certain time boils up and leapes forth at the mouth of the Vessel But that the Fits or Accessions do for the most part come again at set intervals of times and that so certainly that a Clock is not more exact the reason is because the nourishable Juice is for the most part supplyed from the Viscera to the Blood flowing in the Vessels in an equal measure and manner for tho we do not dayly take exactly so much meat and drink in weight and dimension yet because we for the most part eat at set hours for the satisfying the Appetite from the things eaten and the mass of the Chyme heaped up in the Bowels an equal portion of the nutritious Juice is conveyed to the Blood through the Milky Vessels wherefore if at such hours so much of the nutritious humor is poured into the Blood which increasing to a fulness and swelling up it brings on the fit that day certainly this being finished in the space of the same time sufficient matter is laid up for the following fit But if errors in feeding be committed and that the sick indulging their Appetite eat more plentifully or inordinately the approach of the fit anticipates the wonted hour by reason of the Bloods being filled sooner with the Feaverish matter if that the sick are abstemious and more sparingly take their Food the intermission is drawn out longer If it be yet asked wherefore the periods of intermitting Feavers be not of one kind and of the same distance but that some repeat or come again dayly others on the third or fourth day The cause is the diverse constitution of the Blood to wit whereby it is perverted from its due temper now into a sourish now into an acid or sharp or into an austere or harsh disposition By reason of the diverse evil constitution of this the alible Juice being fresh carried departs more or less from maturation and is perverted into matter apt sooner or later to ferment When the Blood has acquired a sour hot and bilous disposition I suppose that some part of the nourishing Juice is ripened into perfect humor and is assimilated with the Blood and so goes into Food to be carried to the solid parts and is affixed to them but the other part of it from the Blood being too much cocted and depraved is changed into a Feaverish matter and supposing that half of the nutritious Juice is after this manner perverted in double the time in which it is said to have a full Concoction in our Body that is after eight and forty hours this kind of Fermentative matter rises to a plenitude and turgescency and then induces the fit of a Tertian Feaver If that by reason of the austere and pontic nature of the degenerated Blood in which a fixed Salt with an Earthy Faeces is exalted too much and therefore apt to ferment more slowly only a third part of the nutritious Juice is corrupted then in three times the space of the aforesaid time the fit is induced that is after seventy two hours in which the period of a Quartan is wont to be concluded But if by reason of a greater infection of the Blood almost the whole supplement of the nutritious Juice is perverted into a Feaverish matter then in the space of that time in which the plenary coction ought to be absolved in the Vessels and habit of the Body that is after twenty four hours this matter arises up to the motion of turgescency and brings on the Quotidian fit And hence it comes to pass that in a Quartan Feaver strength and courage do not presently fail whilst in a Tertian the sick are wont to become more weak but in a Quotidian Feaver they are sooner brought into languishing and greatest weakness to wit in each as more or less of the nutritious Juice goes into the Food of the Disease so much also is drawn away from the strength and firmness of the Body But more fully of these when we treat of the several kinds of Intermitting Feavers and the Causes of them Against the equal Circuits of these Feavers it is argued that for the most part the fits do anticipate the set time of the
fire grows hot above measure the bond of the mixture for the greatest part is loosed that its Principles are almost wholly drawn away by the Ferment of the Heart and the active Particles being loosned from the mixture break forth as it were into a flame Wherefore the Liquor of the Blood being after this manner rarified in the Heart and as it were inkindled is from thence carried through the Vessels with a most rapid motion and disperses very many Effluvia of heat from its deflagration Hence the whole mass of Blood like water put over the fire continually boiling distends the Vessels pulls the Brain and Nervous parts raises up Convulsions and pains in them very much destroys the Vital Spirits with its heat wasts the Ferments of the Bowels hinders the Offices of concoction and dispensation often depraves the nourishing Juice destinated for the Nervous stock that from thence exceeding great disorders of the Animal Spirits follow yea almost perverts the whole oeconomy of Nature The course of this Disease shews it self after this manner It rarely begins without a procatartic cause or previous disposition to wit the Sulphureous or oily part of the Blood is first too much carried forth and exalted beyond its due tenor which afterwards either of its own accord like Hay not eventilated begins to grow hot or by the coming of an evident cause it is forced into a preternatural heat But when it grows turgid in the first place by reason of the admixtion of a crude Juice with the Blood now a shivering now heat infests which shew themselves unequally like fire which is covered with green wood sends forth now smoak now flame But at length the fire glowing more largely as here the victor fire spreads it self abroad so there sooner than said the whole mass of Blood is inflamed and is urged at once with heat and a most swift motion Nor is this immoderate heat of the Blood appeased before its active particles being loosned from the mixture and then successively inkindled in the Heart are wholly burned out which doth not happen but in the space of many days And then at length this Feaver ceases when the remaining Liquor of the Blood the Spirit and Sulphur being very much consumed being made lifeless and poor is fit only for a weak and small fermentation From this kind of deflagration of the Blood and also of the alible Juice by the same fire burnt out the recrements or little Bodies of torrified matter are heaped up in the Blood which yet do more promote its fervor and ebullition and for a time increase the Feaverish distemper After the Blood hath very much burned forth and these kind of little Bodies are gathered together to a fulness of swelling up the vital Spirit endeavors a separation and tries to concoct and to overcome what it may these adust recrements and then having put a great many of them into a swelling up a Flux being risen strives to shut them wholly out And indeed in the subaction and seclusion of this matter chiefly consists the event of this Disease for if the vital Spirit being strong the Bloody humor when it hath sufficiently burned forth and shall be freed from these adust particles should recover its pristine tenor whereby it is made fit for motion and a due fermentation in the Heart the sick tends towards health but if by a long deflagration and an inextricable confusion of the morbific matter the liquor of the Blood being wanting of Spirits and more pure Sulphur or those same by the impure mixture growing ill being as it were put under the yoak is rendred so lifeless that it is not any longer rarified by the ferment of the Heart or inkindled by degrees its heat and motion together with Life it self decays The procatartick causes which dispose to this Disease are an hot and humid Temper an active habit of Body a youthful Age the Spring time or Summer season a high and rich Dyet besides the often drinking of rich Wines a sedentâ—ry and idle life a Body full of gross humors and stuffed with vitious Juices but above all the rest it appears by observation that the frequent letting of Blood renders men more apt to Feavers wherefore it is commonly said from whom Blood is once drawn that unless they do the same every year they are prone to a Feaver The reason of this is unless I am deceiv'd by the frequent letting of Blood the Sulphur is more copiously gathered together in the mass of Blood in the mean time the Salt which should bridle it and hinder it from raging by this means is drawn away for the Blood the older it grows becomes so much the more Salt the Salt of all the Elements not evaporating But by how much the more the Blood abounds in Salt by so much the less it abounds in Sulphur for Salt eats and consumes the Sulphur and makes it evaporate wherefore they who are lean and abound with a Salt Blood are less prone to Feavers But when by the letting of Blood the ancient Blood is drawn forth in its stead another more rich and more impregnated with Sulphur is substituted so that it becomes less Salt and more Sulphurous Hence it is that those who often let Blood are not only prone to Feavers but also are wont to grow fat because of the Bloods being more impregnated with Sulphureous Juice The evident causes which deduce the latent disposition of this Feaver into act are of the same sort which procure an Ephemeran Feaver and simple Synochus in this rank chiefly come Transpiration being hindred and Surfeiting By reason of the effluvia being restrained the mass of the Blood being increased in bulk grows turgid and conceives a Fervor as it were from a certain ferment inspired anew and cruelly boyls up from thence presently the pores are more obstructed by the infartion of the effluvia and the frame of the Liquor being loosned the particles of the Sulphur exuberating in the Blood leap forth from the mixture and are inflamed by the ferment of the heart as it were by fire put to them and so they enkindle a very intense Feaver But from a Surfeit both an immoderate fermentation is induced in the Blood and also a nitrous Sulphureous matter apt for adustion and an inkindling is conveyed as it were food to the burning Blood In this Feaver four times or seasons are to be observed in which as it were so many posts or spaces its course is performed These are then The Beginning the Augmentation the Height and Declination These are wont to be finished in some sooner in others more slowly or in a longer time The beginning ought to be computed from the time the Blood begins to be made hot and its Sulphur to conceive a burning untill the ardors and burnings are diffused thorow the whole mass of Blood The Increase or Augmentation is from the time that the Blood being made hot and inkindled thorow the whole burns forth
c. arise somtimes from the Blood being in a rage and so stirring up inordinate motions in the Brain and somtimes also from the nervous Juice being depraved and therefore made improportionate to the regiment of the Animal Spirits But most often these kind of symptoms are frequent in Feavers by reason of the translation of the Feaverish matter from the bosom of the Blood into these parts For the Blood being full of the adust recrements remaining after the deflagration endeavors like the flowring of new Wine to subdue and exclude them from its Company by every manner of way which a Flux being arisen when it cannot expel by Sweat Urine or bleeding it oftentimes transfers to the substance of the Brain and there fixes them and from hence chiefly the aforsaid distempers when they are fixed and firmly rooted draw their original when as the lighter and that are easily moved often proceed from the afore-recited causes 9. Convulsive motions happen in Feavers for divers causes somtimes because of the matter being heaped together in the first passages which there haules the membranous parts with its notable pravity and then by the consent of the nervous stock the Convulsion is presently Communicated to the beginning of the Nerves in the Brain and by that means draws aside now these and now those parts by which means Worms abounding in the Viscera sharp humors being stirred and strong Medicines induce Convulsions or secondly when the Feaver is a partaker of some malignity so in the small Pox Measels or the Plague frequently Convulsions happen to wit because the Blood is altered from its benign and natural temper into a destroying and venomous by which the Nerves and their beginnings are pierced and forced into Convulsions Also oftentimes without the suspition of malignity in a putrid Feaver Convulsive motions are induced by reason of the translation of the Feaverish matter to the Brain as was but now intimated so I have often observed when the Disease is not presently cured with the Crisis the sick ly by it with a tedious sickness and are made obnoxious to tremblings and Convulsive motions Thirdly and lastly for the most part in every Feaver which terminates in Death Convulsive motions are the sad forerunners of it which I think to happen not only from the malignity of the matter with which the nervous stock is pulled and pierced but because the Spirits very much exhausted and debilitated do not sufficiently blow up and distend the Bodies of the Nerves wherefore being released from their wonted extension and tonick motion they are however by a more weak indeavor of the Spirits agitated into a disordered motion 10. A syncope or swooning is wont to be raised up several ways in Feavers but chiefly for these three causes to wit either from the mouth of the Ventricle being distempered which part as it is interwoven with a manifold texture of Nerves is very sensible and because from the same branch of the sixth pare little shoots of Nerves are equally derived to the heart and to the Ventricle of the Orifice of the Ventricle so implanted with Nerves be distempered with any great trouble it is also Communicated to the heart and either the motion is stopped in it or at least an inordinate one is excited whereby the equal Flux of the Spirits and the Blood is interrupted for a time I knew one in an acute Feaver taken with a frequent swooning which distemper wholly ceased after he had cast forth by Vomit a long and smooth Worm Secondly a syncope also is somtimes induced because the invenomed matter is circulated with the Blood which suddenly fixes and extinguishes the vital Spirits and congeals the Blood it self that it is apt to stagnate in the heart as usually happens in the Pest small Pox c. of which we shall speak particularly hereafter Thirdly a syncope is wont to happen by reason of the more rare texture of the Spirits which as they are very tender and subtil are easily unbent by any immoderate motion or pain so I have known some who being quiet in bed have found themselves well enough but being removed from one place to another presently have swooned away 11. The pain of the Heart happens in Feavers when the Ventricle and especially its Orifices by reason of the manifold insertions of Nerves being very sensible are beset with a sharp and bitterish humor or else with an acid and corrosive for hence a pain and trouble arises from the acrimony of the humor after the same manner as when the sphincter of the fundament is afflicted in Cholloric dejections with pain and molestation 12. By reason of the same cause Vomiting and nauseousness are wont to be excited to wit by the Ventricles being beset and irritated to a Convulsion from an extraneous matter and not akin to it self Such an excrementitious matter may be gathered together in the Ventricle by three ways for either the aliments partly by reason of a want of an acid ferment by which they should be rightly Cooked and partly by reason of the burning heat of the Ventricle are roasted into such a Corruption or Secondly this kind of matter is laid up in the Ventricle from the Arteries terminating in its Cavity as uses to happen in the small Pox the Plague and malignant Feavers or Thirdly meer Choler being pressed forth from the Choleduct Vessels into the empty intestine by reason of an inverse motion and as it were Convulsive of that intestine it is poured into the Ventricle want of Appetite also happens by reason of the Ventricles abounding with vitious Juices and because the acid ferment is wholly perverted by the scorching heat These kind of distempers of the Ventricle and Viscera somtimes arise from an excrementitious matter to wit alimentous degenerated in the concoction heaped together a long while before the Feaver in the first passages which not seldom becomes the occasional cause of the Feaver it self but somtimes nauseousness want of Appetite Vomiting pain of the Heart c. are the immediate products of the Feaver for when the day before the sickness those distempered have been well enough in their Stomack as soon as the immoderate heat of the Blood was induced whilst it boiled up above measure both the Effluvia and the recrements being wonted to be evaporated outwardly also the bilous humor flowing out of the Choleduct Vessels are poured into the Ventricle by which its Crasis is overthrown also the Reliques of the Chyle and other contents in the Viscera are egregiously depraved from whence the aforesaid Distempers draw their Original 14. No less frequent a symptom in Feavers is a Diarrhea or Flux of the Belly which somtime happens about the begining of the Disease and arises for the most part either from the Bile flowing forth of the Coleduct Vessels into the Duodenum or from the recrements of the Blood and Nervous Juice poured forth from the Arteries and the passage of the Pancreas into the intestines All the
wherefore children most often escape old men or such as are of years are more in danger viz. in children or young people transpiration is more easie also the habit of the Body more firm and healthful But altho the venomous seeds of this Disease for the most part are wont to be dispersed or blown away at once and with one sickness yet it somtimes happens that a part of the ininfection being still left the sick have fallen into this Disease twice or thrice 2. The evident cause which stirs up these fermentative seeds and most often brings them into act may be said to be threefold viz. The contagion received from some place the disposition of the Air and the immoderate perturbation of the Blood and Humors It is most manifest by daily experience that this Disease doth come upon others and spread abroad by contagion viz. from the infected Body continually flow Effluvia which being received by other Bodies presently like poyson they ferment with the Blood and suscitate or awaken the lurking or sleeping seeds of the same Disease Homogeneous with themselves and dispose them into the figure or Idea of this Disease neither is the infection only communicated by contact but at a distance They who live within the same house or neighbouring to the sick easily receive the infection also it is cherished in Cloaths and dissipated afar off and transferred to more remote places They who are of kin one to another soonest infect each other also they who are fearful and extreamly dread this Disease more readily fall into it For by fear the Particles of the infection are conveyed inwardly from the superficies of the Body At what time the contagion spreads and that the Small-pox are Epidemical all other Diseases almost degenerate into this Secondly a certain peculiar disposition of the Air notably induces the Small-pox hence most often it becomes Popular and rages ordinarily through whole Regions Cities and Villages hence also it more often exists in the Spring and Autumn because at that time especially diverse manners of little Bodies and by that means tumultuating flow about in the Air which we draw in with the vital Air and so various effervescencies of the Blood and Humors and Ideas of Diseases are raised up Neither doth this Disease become only more frequent and Epidemical for these Causes but also it gets a manifold Nature that somtimes the Small-pox are deadly and as it were pestiferous and somtimes they are more mild and benign to wit as they have contracted more or less of malignity from the Air hence also somtimes black and livid Whelks or Pustils appear and have much of the Nature of the Plague Thirdly somtimes tho the tinder of contagion be absent and that no malignant constitution of the Air had gone before yet by reason of the Blood and Humors being immoderately disturbed the Small-pox do arise so I have known some to have fallen into this Disease from a surfeit or immoderate exercise when none besides in the whole Country about hath been sick of it to wit the seeds of this evil lying hid without any previous infection being stirred up by a too great fervor of the Blood and being associated gathering together easily defile and infect the whole mass of the Blood with their ferment 3 So much for the secret leading and evident causes but as to the conjunct cause viz. which is the formal reason of this Disease or the manner of its being made the business seems a little more intricate It is commonly wont to be compared to Must growing hot or Beer when it Purges in the Vat For if you put to these Liquors any thing of ferment as their Particles are Heterogeneous and of wonderful activity presently they diffuse themselves through the whole substance of the Liquor they exagitate the more thick and impure Bodies against which they are dashed beat them asunder and role about them until a flowring being made they drive the same from the intimate embrace or company of the Liquor to the outmost superficies After the like manner the Heterogeneous seeds of this Disease are thought to ferment the Blood and then by a certain eruption of Whelks or Pustles like the flowring purifies it But indeed if we should more strictly consider the business there will appear here a great difference because the infection of the Small-pox is as it were a ferment but corruptive and compels the Blood to grow hot not towards perfection but depravation for when the Particles of this venomous infection strike against the receiving subject they presently raise up little Bodies like to themselves and born with us with which being associated they pass through the whole mass of the Blood and make it to grow highly turgid and to boil up and after some time growing fervent to go into parts and to be coagulated viz. the dispersed seeds of the Poyson dissolve the mixture of the Blood presently profligate the more pure Spirits then they joyn its more thick Particles to themselves and by their adhesion render them as it were congealed The portions being so coagulated together with the infolded seeds of the poyson being left by the rest of the Blood in its circuit between the extremities of the Vessels are affixed to the skin by which means if Nature being strong enough doth cast forth the whole poyson with the congealed Blood the remaining mass of the Blood altho made poorer remains however in a condition to continue life and health but if the Blood being too excessively congealed cannot be purified after this manner or if portions of the Blood growing together with the poyson do not fully break forth or at last do stagnate within they wholly corrupt the Liquor of the Blood or else being affixed to the Viscera and especially to the Heart they destroy their constitution and strength Portions of the congealed Blood with the poyson begin to break forth about the fourth day now sooner now later because coagulation is not presently induced but after some time in which the venom unfolds it self and ferments the Blood with its effervency First light portions of the infected Blood and those but few in number like to Flea-bites are fixed in the skin quickly after more appear and those first broke forth by the accession of new matter and by the continual appulsion of the congealed Blood increase and are elevated into a tumor then these whelks at first red being by degrees increased at length grow white viz. the Blood being thrust forth of the Vessels with the poyson by reason of the heat and stagnation is changed into matter about the seventh day after the eruption the white tumors grow crusty into a dry scab for the more thin part of the matter being evaporated the rest grows hard which then having eaten and broke off the Cuticula or outward thin skin falls away from the flesh or next skin When the infection of the Small-pox is at once impressed on the Blood and
than the same being restrained at the time of suckling the Child are wont to do yea from them being long suppressed in the former condition an as it were envenomed taint is impressed on the mass of Blood which unless it be purged forth by the daily Flux of the Lochia presently after being brought to Bed produces grievous and almost malignant Distempers Wherefore that I may give my opinion of the flowing of the Lochia I say that this bleeding proceeds immediately from the Vessels being broken by which the after-Birth did stick to the Womb and that by this way the excrementitious Blood and humors being partly heaped up about the Womb during the time of being with Child and partly flowing from the whole mass of the Blood are evacuated viz. whilst the Womb at first intumified in its bulk falls down presently after the Birth and is contracted into a lesser space the Blood is plentifully pressed forth from the Vessels opening into it But besides forasmuch as during the suppression of the courses the bloody mass is imbued with very fermentative Particles as soon as after the Birth the mouths of the Vessels are opened forthwith as it were at the instant of a more large Flux of monthly courses the whole Blood grows hot even as Must or new Wine upon the opening the Bottle and indeavours to purge forth the highly fermentative particles out of its bosom by the going away of the Lochia as it were the flowring And therefore besides the Blood which in the first days oftentimes flows pure by reason of the fresh opening of the Vessels afterwards is sifted forth matter very much discoloured viz. livid and green and this very stinking This kind of Flux is wont to continue at least for 14 days yea in some for a month and if that by reason of any error it be stopped before the mass of Blood be throughly purified by such flowring presently a Feaver very dangerous with horrid provisions of symptoms is wont to be induced of which we shall speak anon in its proper place The third consideration previous to the Doctrine of Feavers belonging to Women in Child-bed is chiefly about the Womb it self to wit how it is affected after Child-bearing and what influence it has on other parts of the Body As to the first there are chiefly two accidents upon which the acute Diseases of Women in Child-bed very much depend viz. First The falling down of the Womb or the reduction of it from the bulk of ingravidation to its natural site and magnitude Secondly the solution of the unity within its cavity by reason of the breaking of the connexion or tying to the cake of it or after-Birth When the Child with what wraps it about is put forth presently the sides of the Womb it self before very much amplified or enlarged do mutually close and by the help of the Fibres leisurely contract themselves into a narrower space by reason of this kind of contraction the Blood and Corruptions or matter are plentifully pressed forth from the Vessels and Pores of the Womb and are thrust forth with the Lochia But sometimes it happens by reason of some preternatural things conteined in the Womb as part of the secondine or after Birth a Mole or piece of Flesh clodders of Blood c. also if there happen after a painful Birth a Contusion or great Dilaceration that the Womb cannot rightly draw it self together but by an inverse motion of the Fibres ascends upwards and is lifted up into a bulk also the membranes being affected with a Convulsion it self is still tormented with torments as if it were yet in Travel which kind of Distempers if they long continue by reason of the Orifite of the Womb being tied together with the Convulsive motion the Lochia are oftentimes stopped also from hence grievous symptoms follow and very often the Feaver is either first excited or it happens being for some other cause induced to be rendred far more dangerous Secondly as to the solution of the unity from the cake of the Womb being broken it comes to pass that the Birth either at its just time or precipitous being too much hastened then the secundine is cast forth either whole or being torn or pull'd away part of it being left behind it is cut off as it were in half If the Child be born at its just time and the Birth with what inwraps it comes away from the cavity of the Womb as ripe fruit from a Tree whole and without violence the mouths of the Vessels are somewhat unlocked and the Lochia moderately flow but from hence no grievous symptom is to be feared but if the Child not being yet ripe for the Birth is pulled away or breaks forth as it were by force although the Cake with the membrane is pulled away whole yet the Vessels being torn a greater hemorrhage or bleeding and at length an Ulcerous disposition follows the little mouths of the Vessels spewing forth a stinking matter If that part or the whole secundine sticks to the sides of the Womb after the Birth it there putrifies and sends forth very stinking matter or corruption and stirs up wicked distempers oftentimes the Orifice of the Womb is shut up and retains within gobbets of clodder'd Blood little pieces of Membranes or Flesh which putrifying by reason of the heat impoyson the Blood and humors flowing together to that place by Circulation from the whole body also by a troublesome itching or provocation they stir up the parts of the Womb being so very sensible into Convulsions When therefore hurt is brought to the Womb from Child-bearing after the aforesaid ways the same is quickly communicated to other parts not without trouble to the whole body which thing indeed is wont to be done by a double means For first this happens because the Lochia being hindred from being thrust forth presently restagnate or flow back upon the mass of Blood and infect it as it were with a virulent taint moreover from the contents putrifying in the Womb either the substance it self of the matter or the Particles coming away from the cadaverous substance are mingled with the Blood and nervous juice passing thorow that place and quickly infect their whole liquors Secondly hysterical Distempers are more largely extended by reason of the notable consent which happens between the Womb and the Brain with the Fibres and Membranes of the whole body by the means of the nervous passage for when the extremities of the Nerves planted about the parts of the Womb are driven into Cramps and Convulsive motions by reason of the presence of some hurtful humor the Convulsions there received presently creep more largely upwards by the indeavours and circumduction of the Nerves towards the Brain and so it happens to the Viscera to be successively inflated and cruelly haled together and the Brain it self at length to be pierced and its functions to be as it were overwhelmed hence from the convulsive motions arising about the
the mass of Blood it is there first of all heaped up more plentifully than that the whole may go into nourishment or be received into the Breasts wherefore the Milk not only in its passage to the Breasts but also in its return towards the Womb brings forth the Feaver to wit by reason of either passage thorow the Blood But however the cause of this Disease is ordained it matters little or nothing towards the Cure for this is wholly committed to Nature and so long as the Lochia are in good order it proceeds for the most part happily without any Physical help because after the growing hot of the Blood for three or four days either a plentiful sweat or a more free transpiration cures this Distemper to wit either the Particles of the Milky humor degenerate in the assimulating or the adust recrements remaining after the deflagration of the Blood or both of them at once supplying the food or tinder of the Feaver are by little and little subdued and evaporated out of doors which being excluded the Blood becoming free from the extraneous mixture quickly recovers its pristine condition yet in the mean time certain vulgar Rules are wont to be observed about the admission of the Milk into or the driving away of the same out of the Breasts If the Milk too plentifully springs into the Breasts that their inflamation as also the immoderate growing hot of the Blood may be prevented at that time a more thin and sparing dyet to wit no flesh broths and also in a less quantity is to be ordered also the Breasts are to be frequently drawn If it be not commodious for the Mother to suckle her Child it is usual after the first or third day of her being Delivered to cover all the Breasts over with Sear-Cloaths moderately binding as the Plaister of Red-lead e. for so the spongious substance of the Glandulas is somewhat constrained or closed together whereby they less readily receive the milky humor flowing thither yet this kind of Remedy ought to be cautiously administred lest if the Milk be wholly excluded or driven out of the Breast too abruptly restagnating suddenly in the Blood it induces its disorder the prodromus or forerunner of the Putrid or Malignant Feaver of which it remains that we speak next The Putrid Feaver of Women in Child-bed WOmen Lying in from the fault of an evil affected Body as by the Contagion of a received Pestilential Air are found to be too obnoxious to the Putrid or rather Malignant Feaver but all do not a like receive the Infection of this sort of Disease for poor people Labouring Women Country Women and others accustomed to hard Labour as also Viragoes and Whores which are brought to Bed clandestinely bring forth without any great difficulty and then after a little time leaving their Beds return to their wonted Labours But more rich Women tender and fair and most living a sedentary life as if participating after a more grievous manner of the Divine Malediction bring forth in pain and then presently after the Birth they are subject to difficult and dangerous chances the reason of which seems to lie in this that those who are used to much exercise continually agitate and eventilate the Blood and therefore fewer infectious taints from the monthly Flowers being suppressed do gather together for the matter of a Disease moreover laborious and nimble Women as they have their nervous parts more firm therefore they are less subjected to convulsive motions and to the passions commonly called hysterical on the contrary in delicate and idle Women the mass of Blood in the time of their going with Child becomes very impure and fermentisible besides because they have the system of the Nerves and the Brain soft and weak upon every light occasion they suffer distractions of the animal Spirits and inordinate motions of the nervous parts And here by the way it is to be noted that Women more than men and that some of the same Sex before others are sensible of the affections called hystorical not so much by the default of their Womb as for that they are of more weak constitution of Brain and nervous stock for in those so affected the passions of anger sadness fear as also all troublesome and more strong objects easily pervert the dispositions and functions of those parts which when they are once hurt for the most part afterwards are accustomed to those irregularities But we will return from whence we have digressed The Feaver but now proposed is wont to infest Women Lying in indeed at various times and by reason of divers occasions now presently after the Birth especially if it be difficult and laborious now it arises in the first now the second third or fourth week yet the sooner it begins the more safely it is wont to be cured The Type or Figure of this Disease is performed almost after this manner After a previous indisposition an open feaverishness for the most part with a shivering or horror constitutes the first assault which is followed with heat and afterwards succeeds a sweat perhaps for a day or two they have various reciprocal fits of heat and cold then the Blood being wholly inkindled the Lochia if not before suppressed either flow smally or are wholly stopt If the Disease be acute and of a swift motion it comes to its height on the third or fourth day then an intense heat with a very troublesome thirst a vehement pulse and quick pertinacious wakings a great inquietude of the whole Body that they are continually tossing themselves in their Beds hither and thither a thick Urine and high coloured and other most grievous symptoms are wont to trouble them whilst the Feaver is after this manner at its height no Crisis is to be expected for I never saw this Disease cured by a critical sweat but that the business was still very precipitously acted as after the Blood was grown hot for a little time presently the adust matter being translated to the Brain most dangerous and heavy inordinations of it and the whole nervous stock forthwith come upon them for most often are stirred up convulsive motions of the Tendons wonderful distentions and inflations about the Viscera like to the hysterical passions then sometimes also follow a phrensie or dilerium not seldom a stupefaction and speechlessness the strength is suddenly cast down almost in all without any manifest cause the Pulse becomes weak and unequal and the sick are suddenly precipitated to death If that any perhaps escape either by the return of the Flux of the Lochia or a Lask coming upon it they hardly recover but of a long time I have known in some purple spots to have appeared and certainly in many symptoms that respect either the Blood or nervous juice which argue no light Malignity We will distinguish the causes of this Feaver after the ordinary manner into Procatartic Evident and Conjunct Those of the first sort upon which the
malignity and the greatest perniciousness of the Disease depend are two viz. first a depraved disposition of the Blood from the long suppression of the monthly Flux Secondly after the Birth the evil affections of the Womb from the dangerous Labours of Women who undergo the Divine Malediction appointed them from the Menstrua being long suppressed the Blood not only swells up and its Sulphureous parts being too much carried forth are rendred more apt for burning but besides the mass of the Blood is imbued with very fermentative Particles so that as hath been already hinted as if it were touched with a venemous infection presently growing fervent it is disposed towards putrefaction and corruptive disorders and besides forthwith impoysons the nervous Liquor and renders it infestuous to the Brain and the whole nervous stock These kind of evils being impressed on the Blood ought to be purged forth by the Flux of the Lochia but if after the Birth the Womb be out of order the Lochia are not only stopped and so a purifying of all the Blood is hindred but besides stinking corruptions or defilements are thence bestowed on the Blood and grievously infect it Also by reason of convulsive motions begun about the Womb and from thence continued to other parts inordinations are stirred up in the Blood and juices which oftentimes conspire either the production or the acerbation or growing worse of the Feaver The evident causes which induce an actual effervescency either to the Blood having gotten an ill disposition or invert the vices of the whole Body to the Womb are after a diverse sort A painful Labour a solution of the unity about the Womb a bruise a retention of preternatural things an ulcerous disposition and very many other accidents which are induced by a certain necessity may do this But the occasions that are at the dispose of the Patients and easily to be avoided which are wont to excite this kind of Feaver are chiefly two viz. an ill manner of Dyet and the taking of cold It is an usual thing to give to weak Women after being Delivered on the first or second day the flesh of living Creatures or Broths made of flesh meats and other foods very improportionate to their dispositions from whence presently arise an indigestion and great trouble in the Bowels and a feaverish distemper in the Blood by reason of a more rich nutritious juice than ought to be Besides the errors in Dyet oftentimes hurt is caused for that their Bodies being so very tender also by reason of the labours of the Birth and bringing forth the Child the passages are on every side opened they are exposed too heedlessly to the cold for most of them being impatient of their Bed within a day or two or sooner than they should do rise out of it and put on their Cloaths from whence presently the Pores of the skin being suddenly contracted and the Air being admitted into the parts of the Womb transpiration is hindred and often the Lochia on the sudden are stopped either of which suffices to excite the feaverish distemper The conjunct cause or formal reason of this kind of sickness chiefly comprehends these three things to wit there are present first a very notable discrasie of the Blood that growing hot from the Feaver being occasionally induced it doth not equally burn forth nor leisurely overcome the adust recrements and afterwards critically thrust them forth but the Blood growing hot is presently loosned in its mixture and its frame being unlocked turns and declines towards corruption hence when it grows but a little cool the spirits being shaken out of their dominion are moved into confusion In the mean time the Sulphureous Particles become untamed and fierce wherefore the strength falls down without any manifest cause the Pulse is made weak and disordered after the deflagration of the Blood altho the adust recrements are very much heaped up yet nothing is rightly concocted or separated but the sick being greatly oppressed in Nature tho they continually sweat receive nevertheless oftentimes no ease from thence but the feaverish matter which ought to be thrust forth being transmitted into the head and nervous stock induces there most grievous perturbations of the animal regiment Secondly the Tragedy of this Disease owes no small part of it to the nervous juice being presently made sharp and so improportionate to the Brain and its Appendix for this being infected from the taint contracted from the Blood doth not gently water or pleasantly blow up its subjects but notably hale or pull those tender parts as when an infusion of vitriol is poured upon a Worm and irritates or provokes them into convulsions and into motions as if of dancing or suddenly leaping forth and sometimes wholly overturns their functions hence comes contractures grievous convulsions dilerium wakings and sometimes stupification and the sleepy Disease upon Women Lying in Thirdly whilst these things are done oftentimes a third band of symptoms infest the sick to wit for that the Womb being hurt by some evil moves it self disorderly and is struck with a Convulsion according to these or those parts from thence by and by convulsive motions invade by the membranes and nervous passages the whole Region of the Abdomen wherefore the Viscera and Hypocondria are blown up belchings and grievous vomitings are stirred up then the Distemper creeping upwards and possessing the nervous parts of the Thorax a difficult breathing and unequal a palpitation of the heart a sense of choaking in the throat by reason of the Muscles being there drawn backward and other symptoms through the whole Body are excited the same evil being at last carried to the Brain The Feavers of Women in Child-bed almost never want danger but sometimes it happens about the beginning that they are cured by a slender Dyet and by the Flux of the Lochia being restored but if the feaverish distemper does root it self more deeply that the whole Blood is inkindled and immoderately grows hot the Prognostick ought not to be esteemed of a light Omen and there will be a greater reason of danger if besides the heat being suffused all over the sick are troubled with a frequent shivering if they are affected or molested with a great disquietness and wakings with sudden concussions of the Body or a contracture of the Tendons or if thirdly they complain on the fourth day of a tingling of their ears with a great repletion or fulness of the head you may from thence collect the evil to grow worse viz. a translation of the feaverish and hurtful matter to the Brain nor is it less to be feared if they have on them an oppression and weight of the Praecordia that the sick cannot breath freely nor draw their breath deep and from the bottom of their breast but only from the top and that frequently and sighingly and that they move themselves restlesly hither and thither For this argues the Blood to stagnate in its circulation about the Heart and
contained in its mass that is heterogeneous and to be sifted forth is layed aside into the distempered part as it were a sink wherefore the corruptions of the Blood that ought to be purged forth by the Womb are derived from thence towards the nest of this Disease which when they cannot be sufficiently purged forth by this way both more remarkably corrupt the Liquor of the Blood and render the particular distemper viz. the Squinancy Pleurisie or any other more hard to be cured For the Cure of these kind of complicated distempers presently from the very beginning it should be endeavoured that the Blood being fixed somewhere and begun to be extravasated may be restored to Circulation that it may not impostumate because very rarely Women Lying in are cured of these Symptomatic Feavers by an Imposthume or spitting forth of the corrupt matter Wherefore internal Remedies which fuse the Blood and free it from Coagulation are to be made use of of which sort are chiefly Diaphoretics full of a volatile Salt as Spirit of Hartshorn Soot Urine also the Salts themselves in like manner Shelly and Bezoartic Powders Lapis Prunellae Decoctions and Juleps of Vegetables provoking Urine or the terms with all which ought to be mixed what by experience are found proper for the distempers of the Womb Besides discussing Remedies which may drive away the impacted matter and disperse it of which sort are Liniments Fomentations and Cataplasms are diligently to be applied In the mean time the more impetuous motion and immoderate effervency of the Blood are to be removed and its purgings by all the ways possible transferred to the inferior parts For this end Frictions Ligatures Epispastics and if need be Scarifying about the Feet and Legs are to be administred if the distemper very much growing worse a taking away of Blood be indicated unless there be a great fulness in the whole Body and a very acute inflamation in the distempered part it will be best to open a Vein in the Foot or to take away Blood from the hemorrhoid Veins by Leeches But if necessity urges it may be done in the Arm it self if after that Letting Blood if another be admitted let it be done in the Leg but you are to be warned that in these cases the opening a Vein is to be ordered very cautiously for unless it brings present help which I have rarely known it to do immediately the Pulse being made more weak the business of the sick becomes much worse The Dysentery takes its rise almost for the like cause with the aforesaid distempers but in this because the extravasated Blood is presently poured forth nor being retained in the Body becomes there troublesome or is any more corrupted and as this Flux makes an excretion near the Womb and does not afterwards dreive it to any other place there is less of danger to be feared from this Disease than from those aforesaid yet oftentimes this Disease is fatal to Women in Child-bed for that indeed the rather because things attempering the Blood and moderately binding are ordered for the Dysentery for these are found too apt to inhibit the Flux of the Lochia wherefore in this case until the Women Lying in are sufficiently purged by a long Flux the Cure of the other Disease is to be omitted and the fierceness of the symptoms is to be allayed only with gentle asswaging things The indications of the Small Pox do not only differ from those above described but indeed they are beset with contraries to themselves for they require as hath been said that the Flux of the Lochia should be moderately staid yet in the mean time that the flowring forth of the Blood and a gentle sweat ought to be continued for when in this Disease the invenomed ferment is twofold and the corrupt Particles of the Blood are carried outwardly in a twofold way you must beware lest that the lesser and straiter part should draw to its door the whole matter or more than it were able to send forth therefore lest the Lochia flowing more plentifully should recall inwardly the venom apt to flower outwardly the manner or way of Dyet is somewhat to be changed and specially those things which have a poyson resisting force and are also astringent as the roots of Tormentil and Bistort are to be boyled in the Broths of the sick also Powders Juleps and Opiats indued with such like virtue are convenient to be administred at due intervals yea in this case by no means Women should be indulged that they might eat flesh or Broth made of it or to rise out of their Bed but the quiet both of mind and Body is to be procured as much as may be and a Dyet to be ordered of those things that move not the Blood and the business almost wholly to be committed to God and Nature What hath already been said concerning the acute Diseases of Women in Child-bed may easily be illustrated with Histories and Observations But examples which may be brought in this thing for the greatest part are mournful and of an ill chance because those Feavers for the most part end in Death But to describe these kind of sicknesses does neither confirm the work of the Physitian nor render approved the method of Medicine altogether taken in them however because the knowledg of these may make for the better discovery of this Disease I shall here propose some singular cases of Women Lying in and variety of symptoms in which altho the forms and means of Cure more sparingly occur yet we may have some rules of precaution of no contemplable use A Gentlewoman in her six and twentieth year of her Age brought forth her sixth Child with very difficult Labour and not without danger of her Life yet presently after she began to be better on the second day she eat a whole Chicken on the third rose out of her Bed and sate in a Chair for four hours the night following she found her self ill at which time her Milk came into her Breasts which by the application of Diaculum Plaisters soon vanished the next morning she complained of a weariness and as it were an ulcerous pain of her whole Body also of a vomiting nauseousness and fulness about the Ventricle and Hypochondria the following night was full of trouble on the fifth day she was plainly in a Feaver she felt now a shivering now a heat every where increasing she nauseated every thing and was troubled at her Stomach moreover being unquiet and without sleep the Lochia flowed little but a whitish humor commonly called the Flux of the Milk came away In the evening she had a weight and as it were a sleepiness about her forehead and temples and began to sleep a little but awaking in half an hour being disturbed with Phantasms she complained of her head as if increased in bulk also of her jaws being set that she could not open her teeth and her fists being strongly clutched she seemed as
born not from the Contagion communicated by the Air and immediately fixing its evil on men but rather from a certain feaverish predisposition or nature impressed somewhile before on our Bodies because of the intemperance of the Year which at length having gotten maturity on the least occasion is brought into Act and so breaks not forth into this Feaver so much as it sifts it forth For when about the Calends of July the Air was immoderately hot with a most intense heat for many days is easily altered our Blood towards an hot and bilous intemperance by which as 〈◊〉 â—ine growing more hot than it should do the sweet part and the spirituous was much consumed in the mean time the Saline and Sulphureous was too much carried forth that by that means the Liquor easily contracted a rancor or sourness We have in another place shewn that this kind of disposition of the Blood whereby indeed it turns from a sweet and spirituous temper into a bilous or choleric is most apt for intermitting Feavers Hence the alible juice which is continually carried into the mass of Blood is not rightly concocted nor assimilated into Blood but perverted as it were into an extraneous and fermentative matter which arising to a fulness in the bosom of the Blood it self and growing turgid according to its increase at set periods as we have already shewn induces the fits of the intermitting Feaver when therefore from the great burning heat of this Summer the Blood almost of all men becoming more hot than usual was very much scorched it is no wonder if from thence it should contract a great aptitude for intermitting Feavers But why not whilst the fervor of the Heaven was yet urgent but a little after this Disease spread it self the reason is because this indisposition is not impressed on our Blood at once or at one time but by little and little and not but of a long time and therefore Diseases like Fruits are chiefly ripened in Autumn after the foregoing heat of the Summer This aptitude or feaverish disposition all do not contract alike those whose Blood is of a more hot Nature and abounds more in Sulphur and for that cause is sooner scorched also such who labour or stay long in the heat of the Sun and open Air by reason of their Blood being more remarkably torrified more easily fell into this Disease wherefore at first it chiefly raged among Husbandmen in the Country of these who had acquired an aptitude to this Feaver from the Blood being before scorched some perhaps fell into this of their own accord the feaverish disposition being leisurely carried forth to a maturity others by reason of a light occasion or evident cause which was wont otherways to stir up the feaverish burning as from taking Cold Surfeit drinking of Wine and the like and others fell sick from the Contagion received of others for as the effluvia constantly came away from the sick when they pierced Bodies predisposed to the like distemper they easily excited the hid powers into Act. As to the third Proposition to wit that the conjunct cause of this Disease and its formal Reason may be known we must put you in mind of those things which we have elsewhere delivered concerning the nature of intermitting Feavers for we suppose the retorrid and bilous constitution of the Blood as the basis of this Disease by reason of which the alible juice being supplied daily as it were in a certain measure is not rightly concocted but by the assation or scorching becomes or goes into a fermentative matter not miscible with the Blood When the Blood is filled to a fullness with this matter which happens at set intervals of times because the alible juice is supplied as it were by a set measure it of its own accord conceives a swelling up and the growing hot or effervescency being excited for the carrying away of this matter causes the feaverish fit which so long indures till this feaverish matter being inkindled and as it were burnt in the heart is wholly dissipated with sweat From these things premised it is made plain that in this distemper we now discourse of there are some things happen by a peculiar way from the common kind of intermitting Feavers and therefore it was noted and that not undeservedly with the appellation of a New Feaver which are First That about the beginning of the Disease fits did a long while afflict the sick without cold or shaking but with a most intense heat thirst and cruel vomiting by which the sweat hardly and for the most part partial and often interrupted succeeded whereby the fit was not finished but of a long time The reason of which may be only laid upon the very choleric disposition of the Blood and being above measure scorched For this proceeding from the domineering Sulphur wholly inhibits the wonted sourness of the Blood which follows its turgency or swelling up and is wont to stir up the cold or shivering and by reason of this kind of temper of the Blood too much roasting and as it were burning the alible juice the Blood growing turgid together with that juice and being stirred up into motion is inkindled more than it is wont in the heart and by its deflagration induces a most intense and troublesome heat with thirst to the sick Cholerick vomitings happen not only at the beginning but in the middle of the fit by reason of the abundance of choler with which the Choleduct Vessels being too much filled infuse the intestines which then a Convulsion being stirred up is easily emptied into the Ventricle sweat hardly succeeds because the bile abounds more than the serum wherefore the feaverish matter being burnt it is not easily sifted forth by sweat but being either mingled with the Blood causes the long effervency or being carried towards the intestines produces Vomiting or a Flux Secondly This Feaver differs from the vulgar intermitting Feaver because after the fit was ended there was no full intermission even to a remission but the sick still remained languishing and thirsty and as to appetite sleep and other accidents very ill which indeed hapned because by the intense heat of the fit more of the Blood and feaverish matter is inkindled than that its recrements remaining after its deflagration are able presently to be dissipated especially because the sweat by reason of the dryness of the matter very hardly succeeds nor is the feaverish matter enough diluted with the serous Latex to be sifted forth wherefore the Blood by its Contagion in the time of the fit not being perfectly freed grows hot still neither the fit being ended doth it get any full truce from the Disease In the mean time whilst the Blood is urged after this manner with almost a continual effervency it differs from a Synochus because in this the Sulphureous part of the Blood being too much carried forth and as it were inflamed causes the Feaver by its deflagration but the continual
Fire and to renew it by little and little with spirit and vigor in a long time yet in the mean time after the heighth of this Disease when the Blood being made more weak and impure could not expel forth of doors this feaverish matter or adust recrements by a critical motion it often transferred it to the Brain and therefore about the height of this Feaver a torpor and stupidity of spirits sleepiness vertigo tingling of the ears tremblings and convulsive motions with a great oppression of the whole animal faculty were most often induced Men of a more cold temperament or in years who were taken with this Disease altho they were but little feaverish were wont however to be in greater danger of Life because in these besides the disposition of the Blood not easily reducible also what was gathered together in the fits that was extraneous and not to be mixed was hardly subdued and difficultly sifted forth of the mass of Blood wherefore both the Blood was still more notably depraved in its Crasis and in every fit more infected by the impure mixture Moreover the nervous Liquor was greatly perverted from its due temper and defiled most badly by the adust recrements continually poured on the Brain Therefore when old men melancholic or otherways sickly persons fell into this Feaver they became presently after its first assault stupified and for the most part vertiginous Tho in the fits the heat was not very sharp and piercing they were however very unquiet and still tossing about oftentimes they talked idly and at random after a long burning either no sweat or only partial and often broke off followed whereby the fit was not fully helped but that in the whole intervals the sick were thsrsty and remained very ill with a driness of the mouth a scurfiness of the Tongue and a suffusion of a viscous filth After some fits their strength being exceedingly cast down they were wholly fixed to their Beds or rise only for a little while could scarce stand or set a foot before another to move from place to place or able to walk in the mean time they laboured with a languishment a difficult breathing a nummedness of senses and a great debility of the whole nervous stock The Urine in most was highly red of a more deep colour and of a thicker consistency than in a common Tertian The Pulse whilst the strength was not wholly cast down for the most part was strong and equal afterwards when the sick became very languishing it was weak and unequal and oftentimes intermitting to which also constructures of the tendons and convulsive motions in the wrists being joyned were for the most part prognosticks of Death Those who leisurely being debilitated declined towards Death some little time before they died lay for the most part without speaking or knowing those about them as it were stupid and it rarely hapned in this Feaver that any one about to die was so perfect in their memory and intellect as to dispose of their Family affairs or to take leave of their friends But it hapned to those who escaped from a deep languishment and almost desperate condition not quickly or suddenly to recover from their manifest evil disposition but lying a long while wavering stupified and without strength that Nature at length not but after a doubtful and difficult strife got indeed scarcely the better of the Disease and then recovered strength by degrees and health lingringly and slowly If the nature and formal reason of this Epidemical Feaver but now described be demanded we say that this as that of the former year properly is an intermitting Feaver for what commonly spread bore that figure altho some here and there more rarely had it continual which we shall by the way mention by and by The seed plot or seminary of this need not be derived from the air being infected with any Infection but rather its leading cause is to be sought from the undue constitution of the year and from thence an indisposition of our Blood being acquired Because in the Spring and Autumn intermitting Feavers have yearly sprung up and increased to wit for that our Blood like to the juice of Vegetables is wont to be more lively moved than usual and to flower at those times Wherefore if the mass of Blood by reason of the foregoing season of the Summer or Winter should be altered from its due temperature and should contract either a sharp or atrabilous disposition or of any other kind its evil dispositions begun before are chiefly ripened about the Equinoxes to wit when the Blood more freely fermenting if that it hath departed from its natural disposition doth not so easily sanguifie but that it will be apt to pervert the alible juice poured to it into an extraneous and feaverish matter When therefore this year had not very much declined from a right constitution as not only the Dog-days going before but that the two solstices and the equinoxes were wholly intemperate it was no wonder if intermitting Feavers more frequent than usual and those noted with some unusual symptoms did increase about the Autumn That therefore an intermitting Epidemical Feaver raged at this time I judg it not to be attributed to the fault of the present Air but to the irregularities of the foregoing season yet from what causes and occasions some symptoms proper to this Feaver and distinct from the common rule of intermitting Feavers did arise will be worth our Inquiry I have already said that the provision that made this Feaver so deadly consisted in two things chiefly viz. the temper of the year now extremely cold then upon it very hot then that it had variously perverted the disposition of our Blood and had distempered the pores of the skin with an undue constitution According to the reasons taken from either I shall endeavour to explicate the accidents of this Disease and to assign the causes of its appearance 1. First We shall observe that the type of this Feaver was various to wit in some with a continual heat in others with an eruption of spots but in most intermitting and like a Tertian and sometimes tho rarely a Quotidian repeating the fits every day or every other day the cause of this diversity we impute to the more strong and potent morbific procatarxy of this year which produced in the Autumn a more common intermitting Feaver than it was wont wherefore in some perhaps indued with a more praved habit of Body it stirred up Feavers something malignant and in whom it caused intermitting Feavers according to the wonted manner of the season it made them to be noted with a peculiar appearance of symptoms 2. Those taken at this time with the Epidemical Feaver whether it was continual or intermitting suffered presently evil Distempers of the head viz. now they were wont to be infested with cruel head-ach now with a stupor or too great distraction of the Animal Spirits The reason of this is that the nervous
distempered with Sweats in the night or perhaps to have an Atrophy or general wasting or to be inclining to a Consumption If the Urine be continually made in a lesser quantity than it should unless there be a larger transpiration it is a sign that the blood is not sufficiently purged from the serous Juyce wherefore there is a necessity that it become more watry and that at length a Cachectical disposition of the body or a Dropsie be brought in But if it be suddenly suppressed or made with pain and difficulty it is a sign of the Stone or Gravel 2. Something is added to the Urine to wit when the colour is heightned and in the mean time the consistency and contents shew themselves in due measure there may then be a suspicion of a Feaverish or Hectical distemper perhaps some evident cause may precede as the use of Baths Heat Surfeit or immoderate Exercise which might have heated the blood or Cold may have heedlesly been taken whence may arise a shutting up of the Pores and difficulty of Perspiration If the urine be of a Saffron-colour and tinges the Linen with yellowness you may say it is the Jaundice but if it be of a Saffron colour or red without a Feaver and doth not dye Linen it shews for the most part the Scurvy or Hypochondriack disposition Though the Colour and Hypostasis may be in good order preternatural Contents are often in the Urine therefore when it grows cold it is troubled and makes a sediment sometimes white and then there is a suspicion of the blood's overflowing with filth also of an impure Ventricle stuffed with excrementitious matter or with Worms sometimes red which often happens by reason of Transpiration being hindred a Consumption and sometimes by reason of a Surfeit or the beginning of a Feaver Preternatural and thicker Contents are sometimes in Urines shewing themselves naturally which denotes a distemper of some part about the urinary passages whence Matter Filth Blood the Whites corrupt Seed or the like are mixed with the Urine and you may easily know by asking how and in what place the Patient is ill what part is distempered and the straining the sediments of those urines will shew what the disease is and you may be more sure of the nature of the distemper When Urines have stood some time copious white sediments are thence made it is not easie at first sight to know from whence they come viz. whether from the whole mass of blood or only from a particular bowel imployed for the preparations of the Serum or the Seed For the impurities of the blood and nervous juyce being deposited under a mealy species in the bottom of the Urinal are wont to cause a suspicion in the Physician of the Whites in Women and of the Running of the Reins in Men such like contents are also seen in Urines which proceed from the urinary and spermatick parts Amidst these ambiguities lest you should guess rashly and confidently by the urine and assert uncertain for certain things and falshood for truth the difference of these kind of urines ought to be indicated after this manner If the contents be universal and their signs be to be applied to the mass of blood for the most part these presently after the making unless sometimes by chance in a Critical separation are wholly inconspicuous as in a thinner substance then the urine being troubled by cold they descend slowly to the bottom and being setled and the Urinal heated they disappear again But if these white settlements are sent from a particular nest they presently disturb and thicken the urine newly made are soon precipitated and vanish not by heat But that it may appear to what bowel these kind of particular contents should be ascribed 't is easily made known to Learned men by other circumstances 3. The Urine is sometimes wholly altered from the natural state the colour and contents which should be therein are wanting and strange things are in their place then indeed is indicated that there is an intemperance in the whole body and that the Concoction in the Bowels and Vessels is depraved you may say the Patient is sick of a Feaver and thence by asking you may learn and presently pronounce that he is distempered with the Head-ach Thirst Heat queasiness of Stomach want of sleep and by consequence with other Symptoms It happens sometimes that the Urine declines from its natural state yet not to shew the distemper the Patient complains of but either the cause of the disease or the consent of some other part with the distempered as if any one should complain of a cruel Head ach or trembling of the Heart and make a watry Urine that doth not denote those distempers but only a crudity in the Ventricle and some obstructions about the Spleen and Viscera which may be the cause of those distempers I say in this case the urine being inspected the chief indications are taken about the Method of Curing and we must not use Cephalick or Cardiack Remedies but either Catharticks which cause Vomit or Purging or Openers and especially Chalybeats But the urine is sometimes vitiated and yet its signification is wholly a stranger to the distemper the Patient complains of as if any one were subject to the sleepy disease or a Lethargy and makes it red and full of preternatural contents its inspection suggests chiefly coindications viz. that we insist not on too hot but temperate Remedies The chief use of Inspection of Urines will be for the observing the state and progress of every disease as also the alterations towards health or death For in Chronical diseases by daily inspecting the urine is made known to the Physician by what degrees the sickness may increase day by day at what time purging or altering Remedies will be most fit and what Medicines will be most profitable hence is to be observed whether Nature prevails on the disease or not and a most certain Prognostication may be drawn from hence either of the hope or danger of health to wit according as the signs of Concoction or Crudity appear in the Urines In acute diseases hence the state and height of the Feaver may be best known at what time the Crises may be expected and with what success when it is best to insist upon Evacuations and when on Cordials The Compass is not beheld with more certainty and diligence by the Mariner or Steers-man than the appearances of Urines ought to be observed by the Physician for fit times and ways of Curing These were what I had to had to say concerning the Judgments of Urine not collected from the vain Traditions of Quacks but what are consonant to reason and truth Besides I know there are ordinarily delivered by Medicasters and Old women almost an innumerable company of Rules and Directions of Urine-divination that the Urinal is no sooner inspected but they will undertake to divine whether it be a man or a woman that is sick how
to wit whether by Accension or by Fermentation or by any other way we shall first in general inquire by what means and for what causes any liquid things are wont to grow hot then we shall consider to which of these the growing hot of the blood ought to be attributed Concerning these we say that there are only three ways or so many kinds of causes by which Liquors conceive a heat viz. first by fire or heat being put to them as when water is made to seeth or boil over the fire or that it grows hot by the heat of the Sun a Bath or Stove or by the dissolution of quick Lime instances of all which are commonly known For the same reason Bath-waters seem to boil For that we may instance in our own Baths to wit they are impregnated neither with Sulphur nor fixed Salt as I have plainly experimented by distilling and evaporating them and by pouring into them precipitating Liquors yea by dissolving them with Sulphur and many other ways They most resemble Lime-water and they as we believe grow hot from a like cause to wit by imbibing the fiery little bodies somewhere hid within the Earth Of these unless it had been superfluous we had here given a fuller description which may perhaps be done at some other time Secondly when saline Corrosives which are of a diverse kind being mingled with themselves or with sulphureous things work mutually one on another with a great strife and agitation of Particles and oftentimes excite heat yea sometimes fume and flame as when the Spirit and Butter of Antimony are poured to or mixed with stygian Water wherein lixivial Salts are melted or with Oyl of Turpentine or other distilled things besides when corrosive Liquors eat metallick Bodies they often grow hot Thirdly and the only way besides as I suppose whereby a liquid thing is made hot is when any humour being very much imbued with Sulphur or Spirit conceives a burning by putting a flame to it and so grows hot by burning forth This is ordinarily seen in oily or very spirituous Liquors being inkindled and inflamed There remain indeed some other ways of Calefaction to wit Fermentation Putrefaction and Attrition whereby more thick Bodies or Solids often conceive a fervour but they produce not such an effect in Liquids whilst the mealy Mass or Dough is fermented the active Particles being stirred up into motion unfold themselves on every side and lift up the bulk or substance of the subject in the mean time for as much as the sulphureous Particles being agitated with them take hold one of another and begin to be combined a certain heat though more remiss is excited in like manner from Putrefaction Dung or wet Hay get an heat to wit for as much as the sulphureous Particles within included are very thickly heaped up together then being combined together they break out in troops yet no Liquors either thin or thick whether they ferment or putrifie do for that reason at any time grow hot For Wines whilst in fermenting they break in pieces the sides of the Tun or overflow the top of the Vessel with a great noise and ebullition do not actually grow hot yea not so much as grow warm The blood being let out of the Body and placed in convenient Glasses either to ferment or putrifie doth not get any actual heat yet in truth we grant the Blood in living Creatures to be fermented and by fermenting to be putrified yea and some other offices of the animal oeconomy to perform the same moreover we have formerly shewed from its Fermentation being hindred or too much increased or otherwise depraâ—ed divers kinds of diseases to be produced yet we deny the heat of the blood to be excited by Fermentation Because neither the blood of more frigid Animals nor Wines nor any other Liquors though agitated with the highest Fermentation are for that reason actually hot And indeed the reason seems evident enough to wit because the sulphureous Particles being raised up in the more thick subjects though they lay hold on one another mutually and being more thickly heaped together raise up heat yet in Liquids the same kind of Particles however stirred up or agitated are immediately disjoyned by the watry coming between and are hindred from their mutual embrace and combination so that they cannot of themselves produce an actual heat For the same reason hard Bodies being rubbed one against another or violently knocked or bruised do not only produce heat but oftentimes fire whenas yet Liquids however shaken and agitated do not grow warm Therefore as there are only three ways whereby actual heat may be begotten in all Liquors we shall inquire to which of these the heat of the Blood may be ascribed First Some say it is the first way from the opinion both of the Ancients and of some of the Moderns the Blood is said to grow hot by reason of some hot thing put to it to wit whilst those affirm an innate heat and these a little flame to be placed in the Heart and to heat the blood passing through it but either of these opinions easily fails from which it is clear that the Heart is a mere Muscle her doth contain in it self any tinder or matter for a flame or heat I know not how implanted fit for their continuance For though it be confessed that on the continual motion of this Bowel which is only animal the Circulation of the Blood doth depend yet the Heart borrows heat altogether from the blood and not the blood from the Heart Secondly As to what respects the second way of making hot a liquid thing to wit whereby a great heat is excited by the mixing of saline Corrosives together or also oily or by corroding a metallick Body I think there is none that will seriously assert that the blood grows hot from such a cause for that its liquor in its natural state is always homogene and although it be stuffed with plenty of Salt it is however with that which is volatile gentle and benign only But there is not to be found either in the Heart or in any other place a saline or any otherwise heterogene Mine whereby the bloody liquor by working or corroding may get or conceive an heat to wit it behoves either such a Mine or the Body to be corroded to be perpetually renewed because the ebullition and heat raised up by the strife of Salts ceases as soon as the Salts are combined or the Body corroded If at any time the saline Particles of the humours in our Body depart from their right temper and become enormous and unbridled for that reason the blood as to heat and motion enters into some irregularities yet it seems impossible that it should originally and perpetually become hot by the congression and strife or corrosion of the Salts Thirdly As to the third way whereby Liquids are made hot though it may seem an uncouth saying That the blood is so inkindled
increased as to their thickness and made short as to their length are made to attract the adjoyning member and stir up local motion 1. In every motion these three things ought to be considered viz. First the original of the Action or the first designation of the Motion to be performed which is always in the Brain or Cerebel Secondly its instinct or transmission of the thing begun to the motive parts which is performed by the commerce of the Spirits lying within the Nerves Thirdly the motive force it self or exertion of the Spirits implanted in the moving parts either into a contractive or elastick force From this threefold Fountain viz. as the business is performed in every one of these in a various manner very many kinds and differences of Motions are deduced 1. As to the original or beginning of Motion we shall take notice that that which proceeds from the Brain with a knowing and auspicious appetite may be called Spontaneous or Voluntary but that which is wont to be excited from the Cerebel where the Law of Nature presides such as are Respiration the Pulse with many others may be called merely Natural or Involuntary either of these is either direct which is stirred up of it self or primarily from this or that beginning as often as the appetite requires this or that thing out of a certain proper and as I may say intestine deliberation and chuses out respective motions so in like manner when the ordinary offices of the natural and vital Function are performed according to the solemn Rite of Nature or the motion of either kind is reflected to wit which depending on a previous sense more immediately as an evident cause or occasion is presently retorted so a gentle titillation of the Skin causes a rubbing of it and the more intense heats of the Praecordia stir up the Pulse and Respiration 2. As to the Vehicle of the Instinct which we suppose to be wholly done by the Nerves for as much as it is performed by a single Nerve or by more at once it is called either a Simple or Complicate Motion then for that some Nerves help motion more or less than others by sooner or later moving this or that member is said to be moved first or by it self and another by consent yea and that consent is wont to be acted or done with neighbouring or more remote parts and that with a diverse respect But we have in another place largely shewn instances of these kind of sympathetick motions as also the causes of each of them and their manner of being made 3. There is another and that a remarkable distinction of Motions taken from the various constitution of the moving parts to wit parts endued with nervous Fibres and in which the motive Spirits dwell either they are Muscles which perform local motions or membranaceous bodies the motions of which are terminated in themselves which therefore we call Intestine As to what belongs to local motion of which only we treat at present although it be confessed by all that the Brain or Cerebel and the Nerves and Muscles together one or more as it were with joynt forces do contribute to this motion also though it may be sufficiently understood that the beginning of the motion to be performed is designed in the Brain or Cerebel and that its instinct is conveyed wholly by the Nerves yet by what means the Muscles perform that work far exceeding any mechanick virtue or operation seems most hard to be made plain That local Motion is performed by traction and doth depend upon the contraction of a Muscle is not only a vulgar Opinion but is also plain by ocular demonstration yet it is very much disputed and variously controverted among Authors concerning the manner of Contraction and efficient Cause some think it enough to say that the Soul it self by its presence doth actuate the Muscle or contract or draw out here and there its Fibres as it were a net spread forth But indeed this is to attribute to the sensitive Soul a supernatural and as it were Divine virtue To wit that the same by its mere Spirit was able to bend and force heavy and very great bodies whither it pleases Further for what end are the motive Organs framed with wonderful artifice and manifold difference unless that after the manner of Machines they might perform their operations by an orderly structure and as it were mechanical provision of parts Truly it will be no hard thing to apply the exercises of a Muscle and of the whole nervous Function and to explicate them according to the Rules Canons and Laws of a Mechanick Before I enter upon this I think it not amiss first to speak something of the make conformation and use of a Muscle in general The ancient Anatomists almost all with one consent did divide the body of a Muscle into Head Belly and Tail taking for the Head the extremity of the Muscle connexed to the part to which contraction is made for the Tail the end or portion of the Muscle inserted to the part to be moved for the Belly the part of the Muscle coming between which is beheld more tumid with a bulk of flesh then for the performing of motion they did suppose the Muscle to swell up about the Head and Belly and so to grow short as to its length and to attract nearer to it self the hanging part yet by what means and for what cause the belly of the Muscle swells up none yet hath clearly unfolded Moreover although the Doctrine of the Nerves hath been much described by the most skilful Anatomists of every Age so that the Muscles of the whole Body as it is thought have been exactly recounted and offices assigned them and monstrous names fitted for the expressing them yet the true frame of a Muscle not yet shewed by others first began to be delivered lately by the most ingenious Doctor Steno He hath found out in every Muscle two opposite Tendons into which both the Fibres go yea and hath taught that the same Fibres wholly which compose strictly on one side the Tendon of the knitting being more loosly joyned do constitute the flesh yet so that some being laid upon others compose the thickness or profundity of the Muscle and some laid nigh to others its breadth or latitude he calls the former Fibres Ordines or Orders but the other Versus or Turnings then the parts and composition of a Muscle being after this manner laid open he aptly reduces its Figure to Mathematical Rules and according to Canons thence taken shews the action to be unfolded because he advertising that in a Muscle with a simple right line all the fleshy Fibres parallel within themselves and for the most part equal are carried from one Tendon obliquely into another and that those Tendons are sowed in the opposite ends or angles of the flesh whereby he most ingeniously describes a Muscle to be a Collection of moving Fibres so framed together that
the wonderful Net but the Arteries again on either side do the same thing as soon as they being knit to the Pia Mater reach the superficies of the Brain as hath been already shewn By these sort of ingraftings of the Vessels in the wonderful Net it comes to pass that an inky liquor being injected into one of the Carotides and forced upwards descends by the Trunk of the Artery on the opposite side as we have elsewhere observed Some rude draught of the wonderful Net is expressed in the third Figure of the following Table The First Figure Shews the ascent of the Carotidick Artery and its situation within an humane Skull before it is carried towards the Brain A. The Trunk of the Artery ascending towards the Skull B. The same whilst it is included in the bony Chanel being clothed with an additional Coat BC. The incurvature or bending of the Artery reaching within the bosom of the Skull representing the bending of a double S. D. The Trunk of the same being carried towards the Brain The Second Figure Shews the ascent of the Carotidick Arteries and their situation in a Horses Skull AA Either Carotidick Artery ascending towards the Skull BB. The Trunk of either having past the Skull pressed down as it were into a valley CC. The communications of either by cross Branches DD. A Branch from either Trunk destinated for the Dura Mater dddd Little shoots on either side sent into the pituitary Glandula or Kernel EE FF Either Carotidick Artery being divided before it reaches the Brain and ascending with a double Trunk The Third Figure Shews the wonderful Net with the pituitary Kernel in a Calfs Skull A. a. The direct Chanel of the Artery B. The Net-like Infoldings of the Vessels stretched out by that Chanel towards the pituitary Kernel C. The pituitary Glandula or Kernel The Fourth Figure Shews after what manner the lateral Bosom goes into the Jugular Vein with a diverting place hanging to it A. The lateral Bosom descending B. That Bosom sliding into the Skull and dilating it self into a large and round Cavity for the receiving of which there is a peculiar Den formed in the outward part of the Skull Fig I Fig II Fig III Fig IIII C. The aforesaid Cavity or diverting place in which the blood about to descend may go aside lest it should else rush too strongly upon the Jugular Vein by which also care is taken that the blood may not flow back or regurgitate out of the Jugular Vein into the Bosom D. The beginning of the Jugular Vein But as the Carotides of whose office and ascent we have hitherto spoken carry the destinated Tribute of the blood to the Brain so the Vertebrals serve chiefly for the watering the Cerebel and the hinder part of the oblong Marrow Hence we observe because the conformation of the Cerebel is alike in all Creatures therefore also the Vertebral Arteries different from the Carotides are found alike in all without any great difference Nor does there seem to be need of any great provision for the admission or entrance of the Vertebral Arteries within the Skull because as they carry a lesser portion of the blood and for that the blood it self that is to be bestowed on the Cerebel is wont there to be agitated or moved with no perturbations of passions or conceptions therefore there is not that necessity that there should be placed any remora or any incitement for its Torrent The Vertebral Artery arising from the branch in the fifth Rib in its whole ascent through the hinder part of the Head passes through the little holes cut in the extuberances of the Vertebrae till it comes near the Basis of the hinder part of the Head where the same being bent down on either side and admitted into the Skull by the last hole excepting where the spinal Marrow goes forth is carried by the side of the oblong marrow but as soon as it is brought to the region of the Cerebel it sends forth branches on either side which cover its superficies and besides on its back side make infoldings no less signal than those commonly called the Choroeides and with larger Kernels more thickly interwoven As those shoots convey the Juyce requisite for the stilling forth the animal Spirits so these convey the heated blood and the purified from the serous Colluvies Further beneath the Cerebel both the Vertebral branches inclining mutually one to another are united as it were for that end that if the flowing of the blood should be stopped on either side it might be supplied from the other to the whole compass of the Cerebel and its neighbouring parts These sanguiferous Vessels covering the Cerebel even as the others do the Brain make signal infoldings both in its outward superficies and in that of the oblong marrow and also within its lappets and folds from which small shoots are sent forth every where into its under-lying substance so that from these a subtil liquor as it were stilled forth and imbibed by the Cortical substance of the Cerebel seems to go into animal Spirits By what means and in what parts of the Head the production of the animal Spirits is performed remains next to be inquired into CHAP. IX Shews by what provision and in what places of the Head the Animal Spirits are begotten Also other Uses and Accidents of the Pia Mater are added FRom the description of the Sanguiducts or Blood-carrying Vessels which cover and weave about on every side the Pia Mater hitherto handled we are led by a certain thread to consider by what provision and in what places of the Brain and its Appendix the production of the animal Spirits is performed 1. As to the first it appears from what hath been already said that the blood is it self the matter out of which the animal Spirits are drawn and that the Vessels containing and carrying it every where through the whole compass of the Head are like distillatory Organs which by circulating more exactly and as it were subliming the blood separate it s purer and more active particles from the rest and subtilize them and at length insinuate those spiritualized into the Brain and its Appendix Concerning this matter to be distilled there is care taken and indeed by the best means that its stock or provision may be still supplied in fit quality and due quantity In respect of the quality from the whole bloody mass a portion highly volatile spirituous and endued with active Elements ought constantly to arise towards the Head which thing succeeds partly of its own accord and partly that it might be more commodiously done care is taken with a certain artificialness to wit the Vertebral Arteries in all Creatures ascending straight and almost perpendicularly do in a manner cause that only the more subtil and light blood is carried upwards the remaining more thick as it were sinking down for the baser offices of the Limbs and of some of the Bowels Yea also the
both to the Brain and Cerebel I say it is not improbable but out of that Protuberance both a passage lyes open into the underlying tract of the oblong Marrow and as it were the high road as also another passage is opened into the Cerebel through the medullar processes of the same Ring But lest there should perchance be a confusion of the animal Spirits and the sensible Species which indeed can hardly be avoided if the way made for their passage should lye open into various passages and manifold apertures therefore concerning this it may well be supposed that the Ideas of the Sounds pass through the Cerebel when they are carried to the common Sensory which region being first past they are at length brought by a by-path viz. through the orbicular Prominences to the chamfered Bodies which perhaps is partly the reason that in the Hearing the perception of the sense succeeds so late and the impulse of the object in respect of sight follows so slowly Whilst therefore the audible Species passes through the Cerebel in some men it leaves in this region for that it is of a soft temper and fit for the receiving impressions tracts and marks of it self and so they obtain musical ears But in others who have a harder frame of the Cerebel they produce no tracts of the same Sounds and therefore such are wholly destitute of the faculty of Musick As therefore we suppose the audible Species to pass through the Cerebel after this manner a reason may be given from hence wherefore Musick does not only affect the Phantasie with a certain delight but besides chears a sad and sorrowful Heart yea allays all turbulent Passions excited in the Breast from an immoderate heat and fluctuation of the blood For since the animal Spirits serving for the motion of the Praecordia are derived from the Cerebel as the perturbations conceived in the Brain the influence being transmitted hither by moving these Spirits in the Fountain it self transfer the force of their Affections on the Breast so the Melody introduced to the Ears and diffused through this Province does as it were inchant with a gentle breath the Spirits there inhabiting and composes them called off from their fury to numbers and measures of dancing and so appeases all tumults and inordinations therein excited From these may in some measure be known the reason of the difference why the hearing Nerves are after a different manner in man and in four-footed beasts for because in these there is little need that the audible Species should pass through the Cerebel either for the reciprocations of the sound heard by the voice or for the impressing there the Tunes of the Harmony for neither is Musick required whatever Poets feign to the taming the Affections which move the breasts of beasts therefore in these I mean in four-footed beasts the annular Protuberance dispensing the animal Spirits to the auditory Nerves and receiving from them the sensible Species requires not so strict an affinity with the Cerebel yea whenas it may suffice that those Nerves arise from the oblong Marrow yet the annular Protuberance as it were a common Porch ought to be prefixed to them to wit in which both the Spirits going out from either side and the sensible Species to be carried to either ought first to be mixed and united together lest otherwise every sound should become double Among the Nerves which are seen to belong to the Cerebel and to perform its offices lastly follow the eighth or wandring pair which indeed hath its rise out of the common Trunk of the oblong Marrow near the place where the last process of the Cerebel is terminated and over against where the pyramidal bodies being produced from the annular Protuberance end so that we think these Nerves also by that process coming between on either side and also perhaps in some measure through the passage of the pyramidal bodies do derive all manner of influence of the animal Spirit from the Cerebel The beginning of these consists of very many fibres and filaments or little threads presently distinct one from another to which belongs from the very beginning of every Nerve a noted Trunk arising out of the spinal Marrow The description of the wandring pair of Nerves and its protension into the Praecordia and some Viscera are added hereafter For the present it shall suffice that we take notice that for as much as this Nerve is bestowed chiefly on the Praecordia the acts whereof are involuntary and are performed without our care or knowledge in sleep as well as waking and for that the same Nerve seems to receive the forces of the Spirits wholly from the nearer fountain of the Cerebel from hence it may certainly be well concluded that the government or oeconomy of the Cerebel regards only the involuntary Function So much for the Nerves which being subjected to the Government and Laws of the Cerebel seem to obey and serve under it among which moreover ought to be placed the fourth pair or the pathetick Nerves of the Eyes to wit which arising out of the first processes of the Cerebel come between that and the orbicular Processes of the use of which we have spoken already Further we shall here take notice that some other Nerves to be described below for that they communicate with the aforesaid Nerves near their originals cause also some involuntary acts to be performed of which sort are first the ninth pair the spinal Nerve accessory to the wandring pair also the Nerve of the Diaphragma and some others as we shall shew more at large in the particular History of the Nerves We may also observe concerning the Nerves but now described which owe their stock to the Cerebel and seem to be designed for the offices of the involuntary Function that sometimes some of them though of another Dominion are compelled to obey the beck and government of the Brain for we are wont to draw the parts of the Face usually moved pathetically and unthought of and also at our pleasure into these or those Configurations or postures we are able also in a measure to alter the motions and actions of the Praecordia and Viscera at the will or command of the Appetite The reason of these is partly because the Nerves of either Government communicate variously among themselves with shoots sent forth one to another so that oftentimes the offices of the one are drawn into the parts of the other But besides we have mentioned before that the sensible impression being inflicted on the parts of the involuntary Function forasmuch as it is vehement like a strong waving of water passing through the Cerebel affects the Brain it self In like manner it may be thought concerning the motion which belongs to those parts viz. that made after the ordinary manner that it is performed by the command of the Cerebel Notwithstanding some more severe Edicts of the Brain by the by-passage of the Prominences belong also to the Cerebel
and determine the Offices of the Inhabitants of it to be performed at the beck of the Appetite As every one sees that violent Passions whether the will be privy or not easily do this why therefore may not the will it self also as occasion requires exercise the same dominion But in the mean time this derogates nothing from the priviledges of the Cerebel that it may not be called a free and municipal City and so Mistress of the involuntary Function for that in some few it is after the manner of the Brain because the Brain it self in many things is compelled to serve the Cerebel and its Government as we have already shewn and is necessarily bound to it For the Brain owes much to the Cerebel forasmuch as it receives from the vital Function which is of its Province the provision of the blood and by consequence the Tribute of the Spirits produced of it so indeed that both these parts though Principals perform mutual offices and as it were in a circle require and accomplish services one for another CHAP. XVIII Of the relation or mutual respect of either Appendix of the Cerebel to wit of the anterior which are the orbicular Prominences and the posterior viz. the Annular Protuberance Also of the remaining portion of the oblong Marrow continued into the Spinal Marrow BEsides the aforesaid Nerves to wit the fourth fifth sixth seventh and eighth pair which are imployed for the performing the tacit Edicts of the Cerebel for every involuntary Function and those equal in number to the rest subject to the Brain that cause the Cerebel to have an Empire divided with it there are also some Processes and Protuberances which being placed before and behind the Cerebel are its Appendixes that are taken into part of the same Office and Ministry The description and use of these are already particularly delivered But for that as a while since we intimated there happens a certain respect or habit between the orbicular Prominences which is the anterior Appendix of the Cerebel and the annular Protuberance which is the other posterior Appendix of the same and that one part is proportionate to the magnitude of the other so as when the natiform Prominences are greater or greatest the annular Protuberance is always smaller or smallest and on the contrary they who have this latter in a very great bulk in them the other is lesser and so for that either part seems to be a peculiar Repository of the Spirits which belong to the oeconomy of the Cerebel when a greater provision of them is laid up in one Store-house therefore there resides a lesser in the other when I say there is this kind of constant relation found between these parts it yet remains for us to find out for what end this is so constituted Seeing that the animal Spirits are disposed within the several parts of the Head in distinct Schemes of Rays through which are variously transmitted as through Perspective-glasses the impressions of sensible things and the instincts of motions to be performed it easily occurs that there are commerces had this way and that way in the natiform Prominences between the Brain and Cerebel and that the Spirits inhabiting the annular Protuberance are Inter nuncii or Messengers going between which transfer the mutual respects of the Praecordia and Viscera as also of the parts that are wont to be pathetically moved But if it be inquired into what kind of commerces and respects those are which the Brain carries to the Cerebel and on the contrary and that either have to the Organs of the vital and merely natural Function we shall in so difficult and very intricate a matter propose our Opinion though with an hesitating and doubtful mind We have before intimated that the orbicular Prominences did deliver to the Cerebel the forces of the Passions to be carried from the Brain to the Praecordia and did receive from it and communicate to the Brain the necessities of the natural Instincts delivered from the Praecordia and Viscera to the Cerebel To these moreover we add that the annular Protuberance serves wholly for the same offices though after another manner to wit this receives the forces of the Passions as it were at a second hand from the Deputiship of the Cerebel and transfers them then immediately to the Praecordia and this seems to be the chiefest office of this part Further the same Ring receives immediately the natural Instincts from the Viscera of the middle and lowest Belly and impresses them on the Cerebel to be conveyed further to the Brain which kind of use it exhibits secondarily by affording only a way of passage For indeed such Instincts having past through the Cerebel we suppose to be formed and perfected within the orbicular Prominences from whence being transmitted into the Brain they draw forth requisite actions without the previous knowledge of it or intention of doing Hence it may be supposed that the annular Protuberance contains chiefly the animal Spirits which perform the intestine commotions of the Affections In every violent passion of the Soul presently the Praecordia are greatly troubled to wit the same being variously drawn together or spread abroad compel the blood into divers fluctuations but indeed a great company of the Spirits somewhere got together and ready for Excursions in a set Battel do perform these disorders and irregular motions of the Praecordia and for that the Spirits can be disposed for this in no other part than here before the beginnings of the Nerves constituted for these offices therefore this Protuberance in a man by reason of the ragings of the Passions to be performed by a certain force and incitation is far greater than in any other Animal For as he is wont to be suddenly and vehemently disturbed therefore the Promptuary or Store-house is required to be more large in which a greater plenty of Spirits may be kept to be bestowed on such inordinations of the Affections Next to a man this part is greatest in a Dog Cat and Fox in a Calf Sheep Goat Hare and other milder Animals it is very small But as the annular Protuberance seems to be the chief Organ or Chest of the Spirits from whence the winds of the Passions destinated for the exciting the Praecordia are conveyed into the breast so we suppose the orbicular Prominences to be a means of passage and the very instruments whereby the instincts and necessities of the Praecordia and Viscera are communicated from the Cerebel to the Brain Yea the animal Spirits dwelling in this as a retiring place do not only transmit these kind of Ideas or formal Reasons of the Instincts but in some measure form and prepare them for the Brain For when as some brute Animals whose Brain is not imbued with a previous knowledge or practical habits chuse and bring forth some spontaneous actions as it were with judgment and deliberation certainly we may believe the intentions of these kind of acts are
through as yet the nervous System and very many Creeks or Bosoms Meanders and highly intricate Recesses or private places in it remain to be viewed therefore although we know it is difficult to proceed with full Sail we have resolved to undertake the task of the Doctrine of the Nerves and the rather because without the perfect knowledge of the Nerves the Doctrine of the Brain and its Appendix would be left wholly lame and imperfect for neither what hath already been delivered concerning them can be sufficiently understood or illustrated nor which I chiefly desire and is the end of the former Disquisitions without those things before known can the Pathology of the Brain and nervous stock be rightly instituted And indeed there are many things which might easily deter any one from such an undertaking to wit the hardness of the work and full of hazard which promises at first sight more difficulty and thorny labour than pleasure or profit Then some will object that this Province is already so perfectly cultivated and adorned by former Anatomists that by a repetition of the same I may seem to have medled with a thing done to my hand But I may readily answer to these first That the Anatomy of the Nerves yields more pleasant and profitable Speculations than the Theory of any parts besides in the animated Body for from hence the true and genuine Reasons are drawn of very many Actions and Passions that are wont to happen in our Body which otherwise seem most difficult and unexplicable and no less from this Fountain the hidden Causes of Diseases and their Symptoms which commonly are ascribed to the Incantations of Witches may be found out and clearly laid open But as to our Observations about the Nerves from our following Discourse it will plainly appear that I have not trod the paths or footsteps of others nor repeated what hath been before told Therefore that according to our determination we may enter upon the explanation of the nervous System we shall comprehend under this name all parts upon which gifted with the animal Spirit Motion and Sense necessarily and immediately depend to wit for the performing either one only or both together in the whole Body But these kind of parts in respect of the Head and marrowy Appendix are like a branching stock or imps growing out of the trunk of a Tree for supposing that the cortical substances of the Brain and Cerebel are in the place of roots and that the substances every where medullar are taken for the stock or pith the nervous germination or budding forth expanded into divarications of Nerves and Fibres will appear like so many little branches twigs and leaves Or if the Head containing in it self the chief part and power of the sensitive Soul be taken for the body of some Luminary as of the Sun or a Star the nervous System shall be that radiant or beamy concretion compassing it about Because the animal Spirits flowing from the Brain and Cerebel with the medullar Appendix of either as it were from a double Luminary irradiate the nervous System and so constitute its several parts the Organs of Motion or Sense or of both together as hath been said The parts of the nervous System as a radiant or beamy texture are either primary viz. the bodies themselves of the Nerves into which the animal Spirits immediately flow from the Head and its medullar Appendix or secondarily which are Fibres planted or interwoven in the Membranes musculous Flesh Tendons and some of the Parenchyma which also contain in themselves animal Spirits but they receive them not but mediately and secondarily derived from the Head through the bodies of the Nerves We have already shewed that the animal Spirits are procreated only in the Brain and Cerebel from which they continually springing forth inspire and fill full the medullar Trunk like the Chest of a musical Organ which receives the wind to be blown into all the Pipes but those Spirits being carried from thence into the Nerves as into so many Pipes hanging to the same blow them up and actuate them with a full influence then what flow over or abound from the Nerves enter the Fibres dispersed every where in the Membranes Muscles and other parts and so impart to those bodies in which the nervous Fibres are interwoven a motive and sensitive or feeling force And these Spirits of every part are called Implanted forasmuch as they flow not within the Nerves as the former with a perpetual flood but being something more stable and constant stay longer in the subject bodies and only as occasion serves viz. according to the impressions inwardly received from the Nerves or impressed outwardly by the objects are ordained into divers stretchings or carryings out for the effecting of motion or sense either of this or that manner or kind Indeed the animal Spirits flowing within the Nerves with a living Spring like Rivers from a perpetual Fountain do not stagnate or stand still but sliding forth with a continual course are ever supplied and kept full with a new influence from the Fountain In the mean time the Spirits in the rest of the nervous kind especially those abounding in the Membranes and musculous stock are like Ponds and Lakes of Waters lately diffused from the chanels of Rivers whose waters standing still are not much moved of their own accord but being agitated by things cast into them or by the blasts of winds conceive divers sorts of fluctuations But because there is no light difference between the motions and consistency of the Spirits and of Waters perhaps it will better illustrate the matter if the Spirits of either kind to wit the inflowing and implanted are compared to the beaming forth of divers rays of light And so when light is let into a dark chamber and presently inlightens the whole we may conceive the particles of the light so swiftly diffused to be of a twofold kind to wit some are bodies sent from the light it self which diffuse themselves every way into an Orb and other luminous particles are as it were Etherial little bodies existing before in the pores of the Air which being agitated by the former and as it were inkindled cause as it were a flamy though most thin contexture stretched out in the whole clearness After the like manner the animal Spirits flowing from the medullar substance into the Nerves are as it were rays diffused from the light it self and the other Spirits every where abounding in the Fibres are as so many lucid particles included and implanted in the Air which are actuated by the former and being stirred up by them into motion perform the acts both of the sensitive and locomotive Faculty That it may the better appear by what means the animal Spirits do irradiate and swiftly pass through the parts of the nervous System both primary and secondary so that light is scarcely carried swifter through a diaphanous Medium than the communication of the Spirits is
besides from the nerves of the fourth fifth and sixth pair certain branches are distributed to some of the same Muscles so that as often as any Animal intends or applies the sense for the perceiving of this or that object these nerves turn about the Eye and compose it at their pleasure for the spontaneous beholding of the same Besides we take notice that the Eyes do get a diverse kind of involuntary motion because in Fear Shame Anger Sadness yea and in all Affections of the Head and Heart whether we will or no the Eyes are respectively figured Wherefore 't is highly probable that these kind of pathetick motions of the Eyes whereof the living Creature is scarce knowing are performed by the help of the other nerves to wit of those coming from the fourth fifth and sixth pair and that more manifestly appears because the same nerves which lend their branches to the Eye take their origines from the Cerebel the office of which we have often shewn to be to dispense the Spirits for the exercise of the involuntary Function But concerning these Nerves of the third pair which are properly called the Moving nerves of the Eyes we observe that in Man a Dog and in some other living Creatures they are found to be somewhat otherwise than in an Ox for either nerve in these as in the rest is carried out of the Skull divided into four branches three of which are carried from thence into three straight distinct Muscles to wit one lifting up the other bringing together the third pressing close the Eye the other branch of it goes forwards further with a single trunk and is implanted in the middle of the Muscle going about the Eye turning obliquely to the inward corner downwards From these it appears that these Muscles to which this nerve belongs in all are sufficient almost of themselves to perform most spontaneous motions of the Eye but where the aforesaid nerve is divided into four shoots it constitutes a small and round infolding out of which many small shoots creep through and variously compass about the trunk of the Optick nerve for what use it is so made we have already intimated The fourth Conjugation of Nerves which we call rightly the Fourth by order and succession although it is accounted the eighth and last by Fallopius hath a diverse origine from all the rest For whereas most of the others proceed from the foot or sides of the oblong Marrow this hath its root in the top of it behind the round Protuberances called Nates and Testes From whence bending more forward nigh the sides of the oblong Marrow it is presently hid under the Dura Mater under which going along for some space and passing through the Skull at the same hole with the rest destinated to the Eye it is bestowed with a single trunk not communicating with any of the other nerves wholly on the Muscle called the Trochlear Muscle Above we called these nerves the Pathetick nerves of the Eyes for although some besides may deserve this name as shall be shewn by and by yet 't is most likely that the proper office of these is to move the Eyes pathetically according to the force of the Passions and instinct of Nature delivered and remanded from the Brain to the Cerebel and so on the contrary from this to that through the Nates and Testes and their medullar Processes For as we have shewn that by the diverse impulse and waving of the animal Spirits dwelling in this by-path there are instituted certain mutual commerces between the Brain and the Praecordia the Cerebel mediating between either it will be of necessity that these nerves rooted in the middle way should be struck by every tending downwards or remove of the Spirits going this way or that way and so the motions of the Eyes to follow the affections of those parts All perfect Animals are furnished with these nerves and in truth as none of them but are obnoxious to Anger Love Hatred and other Affections so every little Creature shew these by the mere aspect and by the gesture it self of the Eyes We see sometimes the greater Pike gaping for his prey first of all to roll about his eyes and to look four then with a swift shooting out of his body to invade the lesser fry of fish CHAP. XXII The fifth sixth and seventh Pair of Nerves are unfolded OF the aforesaid four Pair of Nerves the two former seem chiefly to serve for the Sense only but the two latter for Motion and every single nerve of them destinated to a peculiar Province but this which follows next to wit the fifth Conjugation of Nerves serves for the exercise of either Faculty to wit both of Sense and Motion nor is its Province so strictly bounded that it should belong only to one member for it is distributed to the Eyes Nose and Palate and the rest of the parts of the Face and besides helps in its part in some sort the offices and actions of the Praecordia and almost of all the Viscera This pair which by the Ancients was accounted the third by us the fifth pair and that by right of order or position below the former nerves proceeds with a broad and large trunk from the sides of the annular Protuberance or Process sent out from the Cerebel It consists of very many Fibres gathered together some of which are soft others hard so that the great trunk of it near its beginning is nothing else than a little bundle of very many nerves some of which are bestowed on these parts and others on other parts and in some they perform the offices of motion in others of sense But that so many nerves being destinated to so many several members and remote one from another yet arising together are collected as it were into one bundle the reason is that in all the parts to which those nerves belong a certain Sympathy and consent of actions might be conserved to wit the communion of those nerves is the cause why the sight and smell move spittle and please the Palate nor by any other means are the Praecordia affected according to the various conceptions of the Brain and transmit their affections â—o he several parts of the Face from whence the aspect or countenance of the whole Animal is pathetically figured as shall be shewed more particularly below In the mean time let us deliver a short Hypotype or figure of this Nerve its trunk going out of the sides of the greater Ring sometimes near its beginning but oftner the Dura Mater being first perforated or passed through is divided into two noted branches The first of these tending straight downward going out of the Skull at a proper hole in its descent towards the lower Jaw to whose parts it is chiefly destinated is divided into more branches with which it furnishes the Temple-muscle also the Muscles of the Face and Cheeks Moreover from them shoots and branches are distributed into the Lips Gums
and manifold affinity of this Nerve being also much diffused in the Head the mutual dependencies and confederations of very many of its parts proceed But how this Nerve in other Provinces to wit in the Thorax and lower belly and there about the motions and sensions of the Praecordia and Viscera doth cause various Sympathies of them among themselves and with other parts shall afterwards be more largely shewn when we shall speak particularly of the intercostal Nerve which is rooted in this nerve of the fifth pair where from the manifold communication of this nerve may be easily drawn the reasons of sneezing yawning laughing crying and of other actions merely natural In the mean time the superior branching of the nerve of the fifth pair shews it self after this manner in the Head and almost after the same manner is divaricated in most living Creatures except however that in some presently after its rise it is divided into three great branches one of which is destinated to the lower Jaw the other to the Eye and Nose and the third to the Cheek The Nerve of the sixth Conjugation follows which arising out of the lowest foot of the annular Protuberance and being hid under the Dura Mater presently goes out of the Skull at the same hole with the nerves of the third and fourth pair and is carried with a single trunk into the ball of the Eye but so that near the side of the Turkey Chair it is inoculated with the second branch or the greater of the fifth pair from whence it turns back sometimes one little branch sometimes two which being united with the branches of the fifth pair running back constitute the beginning of the intercostal nerve Then this nerve going forwards is divided into two branches near the ball of the Eye one of which is inserted into the Muscle drawing back the Eye planted in its outward angle and the other being torn into various fibres is bestowed on the seventh Muscle proper to Brutes so that this nerve also seems to serve to those motions of the Eye that are almost only pathetick or excited by natural Instinct For as to the use of the former shoot it plainly appears that it is innate to every Animal in a sudden fear to draw the eyes backward and to look for what is to be feared on either side and behind then as to its other shoot whereby Brutes wink or twinkle the eye it is obvious that this same motion is sudden and extemporary without any previous intention whereby the eye endeavours to shun the injuries of outward things that occur The seventh Conjugation of Nerves accounted for the fifth by the Ancients is imployed about the sense of hearing Of this pair commonly are noted two Processes the one soft the other hard which indeed seem to be two distinct nerves for that although they have their beginnings nigh one another yet are somewhat distinct and are carried to divers Organs in the mean time either agreeing in a certain common respect of use or action For whilst one nerve performs the act of hearing the other supplies some requisites whereby that act may be the better performed wherefore we shall not much strive against the common description of this pair by which it is taken for one The process of this pair or the auditory nerve properly which is called the soft Branch seems to arise in man out of the lower side of the ringy Protuberance and in beasts out of the midst of the lesser Ring In some Dissections I plainly found that this softer nerve having its beginning lower seemed to ascend a little before it went out of the medullar stock and the other more hard nerve seeming to arise higher viz. out of the medullar whitish line leading about the bottom of the fourth Ventricle did descend a little and arose near the meeting with the other This softer nerve is carried into the passage of the stony Bone where entring into the den destinated for the receiving the sound which is on this side the Snail-like winding and the Drum it so infolds it self into the most thin Membrane wherewith that den is covered that as often as the Air implanted in that cavern is moved by the stroke of the external Air made upon the Drum this impression striking this Membrane and stirring up as it were an undulation of the animal Spirits is forthwith carried towards the common Sensory by the passage of the nerve there implanted There will be a more opportune place of discoursing after what manner and by what sort of Organs Hearing is performed when we shall speak of the Senses The other Nerve of this pair or the more hard process which conduces rather to motion than sense passing through the stony Bone at an hole proper to it self arises near the auditory passage where it presently receives into its trunk a branch from the wandring pair brought thither then immediately after that joyning together or coalition it is divided into two branches The first of these tending downwards is bestowed upon the Muscles of the Tongue and the Bone Hyoides the other going about the auditory passage and bending more upwards is divided into three shoots the first of which answering to the nerve of the former division bestows some shoots on the Muscles of the Lips Mouth Face and Nostrils and so actuates some exterior Organs for the forming the voice as the former doth some interior Organs The second shoot of this division distributes its shoots into the Muscles of the Eye-brows and Forehead and the third into the Muscles of the Ear it self The offices and uses of all these have been already shewn the summ of which is that as often as the sound is admitted in especially if it be any ways unusual new or to be wondred at presently by a certain natural instinct the Ears and Eyes erect and open themselves to wit for that end shoots from this nerve are inserted into the Muscles of the Eye-lids and Ears that by the passage of these the Spirits inhabiting either Region might be called out as it were to watch For a like reason shoots from the same hard process of this nerve are distributed both into the Muscles of the Tongue and of the Bone Hyoides as also into those of the Lips and the outward parts of the Mouth that by their passage the sound being transmitted further to these Organs of the voice it being equal or like the same might officiously answer it as were an Echo That the descriptions of the aforesaid nerves might be better understood I have thought good here to represent in the following Figure the branchings of the fifth and sixth pair The seventh pair is fitly delineated in the ninth Figure This Figure shews the Branchings of the fifth and sixth pair of Nerves A. The Nerve of the sixth pair which we place first because it is outmost in the Scheme from whose trunk two shoots a. a. are carried into the two Muscles of the Eye A.
supplied from the blood and less of the Spirits which are brought by the passage of the nerves is bestowed And here it may be rightly inquired into whether the Pulse of the Heart so necessarily depends on the influence of the animal Spirits through the Nerves that it being hindred the action of the Heart should wholly cease For the decision of this we once made a tryal of the following Experiment upon a living Dog The skin about the Throat being cut long-ways and the Trunk of both the wandring pair being separated apart we made a very strict Ligature which being done the Dog was presently silent and seemed stunned and suffered about the Hypochondria convulsive motions with a great trembling of the Heart But this affection quickly ceasing afterwards he lay without any strength or lively aspect as if dying slow and impotent to any motion and vomiting up any food that was given him nevertheless his life as yet continued neither was it presently extinguished after those nerves were wholly cut asunder but this Animal lived for many days and so long till through long fasting his strength and spirits being worn out he died The carcass being opened the blood wiâ—hin the Ventricles of the Heart and the Vessels on every side reaching from thence to wit both the Veins and Arteries being greatly coagulated was gathered into clotters to wit for this cause because the blood though for the sustaining of life it was in some measure circulated yet for the most part it stagnated both in the Heart and in the Vessels The cause of which stagnation I can assign to no other thing than that the Praecordia the influence of the animal Spirits being hindred wanted its usual motions If it should be further demanded from whence the animal Spirits the passage of both the wandring pair being shut up should be supplied to the Heart continuing still its motion I say that this may be done by the returning Nerves as from the knots of which many Cardiack shoots and fibres proceed and besides the end of either nerve meeting with the nerve sent from the upper infolding is united But we shewed already that the animal Spirits may be carried either this way or that way within the passages of the nerves wherefore when the necessity of life urges the provision of the Spirits though lesser being sent from the aforesaid infolding is received by the tail of the returning nerve and from thence by a retrograde passage it was derived into the Cardiack branches and at length into the Heart it self Further there lyes open also another passage and that perhaps more obvious through the passage of the intercostal nerve by this way in a man as well as by the passage of the wandring pair the Spirits are conveyed from the Brain to the Praecordia yea also in Brutes a branch is carried into the Trunk of the wandring pair from the intercostal infolding so that by this by-path some little rills of the animal Spirits if by chance their influence should be hindred through their wonted chanels might be carried to the Heart However that Experiment seems to conclude that the motion of the Heart depends no less upon the inflowing of the blood than upon that of the animal Spirit the total privation of either takes away life an Eclipse of the Spirits wholly takes away from the Heart its motive power and by the defect of the blood forasmuch as the sulphureous Copula is denied to the Spirit implanted in the Heart the vigour and elastick force of the Heart is supprest so that the Pulse being by degrees weakened life is by little and little extinguished Without doubt in the finding out the tenour of the Pulse we ought always to mind what the alteration of the animal Spirits and what the fault of the blood may bring to it There is yet another consideration concerning the Nerves reaching from the Trunk of the wandring pair to the Heart to wit that by their passage not only the solemn influence and state of the Spirits for the equally performing of the vital Function is conveyed but also the instinct of every irregular motion stirred up in the Praecordia by the force of the Passions is in some measure transferred this way I say as to these we ought to discourse and to shew by what means as often as the impression of any Affection exercises the Imagination or rather the Appetite presently the Praecordia are disturbed by the passage of the Nerves and by reason of their various Affections the motion of the blood is diversly altered But because in a man the irregular and extraordinary motions of the Praecordia depend on the intercostal Nerve as much as and perhaps more than on the wandring pair therefore we think good to defer this Speculation till the Theory of that Nerve is proposed In the mean time we will proceed to the other branches of the wandring pair and what next follows we will inquire into the offices and uses of the returning Nerves The returning Nerve in the left side going away from the wandring pair below the aforesaid infolding and sent towards the Aorta is reflected or turned back about its descending Trunk from whence being carried upwards it imparts shoots to the Muscles of the Trachea and the Larynx sent forth by a long tract from either side of the Nerve then its top or height is united with a shoot meeting it out of the Ganglioform infolding Fig. 9. n. **** h. But the returning Nerve on the right side is reflected much higher about the axillar Artery to wit proceeding from the lower infolding of the wandring pair and after the same manner is bestowed on the other side of the Trachea Fig. 9. L. But either returning back about the knots of reflection sends forth towards the Heart very many shoots and fibres which are inserted into its little ears the appending Vessels or its Infoldings What the chief use of this Nerve is we have already shewn to wit being rolled about on both sides the Artery as it were a Windlace it causes the little rings of the Trachea or Weasand to be drawn hither and thither like the folds of a pair of Bellows both for breathing and making a sound But indeed either Nerve forasmuch as it being reflected about the Artery is carried upward into the part to be moved doth move downwards the little rings of the Trachea or Wind-pipe by certain shoots of it also forasmuch as either is terminated in the Nerve sent from the Ganglioform infolding it carries upwards the folds of the Trachea by other shoots of it Hence a reason may be given why the returning Nerves being cut off every Animal is presently dumb to wit because unless the Trachea be moved the breath being blown out passing without any refraction through its cavity as it were through a Pipe alike hollow in its whole passage gives no sound Concerning these Nerves we ought to inquire what is the reason of the difference that the
from this infolding towards the Anus under the inferior part of the straight Intestine imparts to it also frequent shoots so that this infolding the least of all those which are within the Abdomen seems to be constituted for the sake of this Nerve only to wit which lying under the straight Intestine and part of the Colon is inserted into the greatest infolding of the Mesentery From the lowest neighbouring Infolding to which this least owes its original two Nerves going out and being sent down into the Pelvis cause there two infoldings viz. one in either side in which the Nerves coming from the Os sacrum and ingraffed with the former meet from which also the Nerves distributed into the adjacent parts serve unto the several Excretions viz. of the Urine Dung and Seed made in that place for two Nerves enter into the end of the straight Intestine and as many into the Womb or Prostates but one and that a noted one is carried into the Bladder But that we may return to the Intercostal pair after either Trunk of it had sent forth three branches out of which the aforesaid lower infoldings of the Abdomen are mediately or immediately made it descends straight towards the Os sacrum and in its journey sends forth yet one or two branches into the Ureters but as soon as it is come to the beginning of the Os sacrum both nerves mutually inclining themselves to one another are demerged within the bending of the same bone and there nigh its declining and then in its descent they seem to be knit together upon it by two or three processes and so at length either nerve ends in very small fibres which are distributed into the Sphincter of the Anus But sometimes either nerve joyn together into a round infolding nigh one transverse process out of which single infolding the like very small Fibres are produced Further many others from the last Vertebral Nerve meet with and are ingraffed with these Fibres from the intercostal pair inserted into the Anus CHAP. XXVI The Explication of the Intercostal Pair of Nerves which are described in the former Chapter as to their Offices and Uses and first the upper Branching of them is considered THE beginning of the Intercostal Nerve are two or three shoots reflected or turned back from the Nerves of the fifth and sixth pair and united into the same Trunk Fig. 9. D. a. a. b. Here we may wonder at the birth of this Nerve as it were borrowed for it grows as a shrub upon another tree or shrub and therefore dispenses the common virtues and influences of either with a double branching viz. both its own and that of its parent by which ramification or branching it comes to pass that there are very quick commerces and consent between the conceptions of the Brain and the affections of the Praecordia also between the Actions and Passions almost of all the parts of the whole Body which belong to the involuntary Function For in that the Trunk of the intercostal Nerve proceeds from the Nerves of the fifth and sixth pair nigh their beginnings that is a sign that both the influence of the animal Spirits and the instincts for the performing of motions are derived chiefly into it from the Cerebel to wit from whose annular process the aforesaid pairs of Nerves arise But forasmuch as the same intercostal Nerve is rooted in their Trunks and not immediately in the Cerebel this is the reason why the Eyes as also the parts of the Mouth and Face to which the fifth and sixth pairs have regard do answer so readily and unknown to the Cerebel as it were by the same act to the motions of the Praecordia and Viscera which the intercostal Nerve effects and on the contrary the motions of these presently follow the action of those As for example in Sneezing as soon as the nervous Fibres besmearing the Nostrils are wrinkled together by the pulling presently by the passage of the intercostal nerve the Diaphragma by reason of a more deep inspiration or drawing in the breath is for some time depressed then the Cramp of the Nostrils remitting the Midriff also being violently drawn back causes a more strong breathing forth with a vehement blowing of the Air. In like manner on the contrary when by a tickling made upon the Ribs the Diaphragma being affected with a Spasm moves to a cackling noise the Face and Mouth are pathetically figured with it into laughter The intercostal Nerve being slid out of the Skull presently constitutes the Ganglioform infolding Fig. 9. G. it being after the same manner in the Trunk of the wandring pair What the use of these infoldings is in general we have already shewn and clearly for the same reason in this place in the intercostal Trunk where it receives into it self some nerves from elsewhere and sends forth others from it self into the neighbouring parts this infolding as it were a knot in the stem of a flourishing Tree is made that it may be as it were a diverting place for the manifold tendency of the Spirits As to the adventitious Nerves it is observed That by them plenty of subsidiary Spirits are transmitted hither only from the spinal Marrow but by a manifold and frequent passage wherefore in this infolding and again in the following then a little lower nigh the several junctures of the Vertebrae the Vertebral branch comes to either Trunk of the intercostal pair this seems to be so constituted for many uses First That the intercostal Nerve by the reiterated fastening to the solid parts as it were by a frequent stay might become the more firm for the making of a long journey when otherwise its little rope by too much stretching out might be easily broken Secondly By this means it comes to pass that the nerves which are the Executors of the spontaneous and those of the involuntary Function might have both a more certain commerce together and might be sometimes excited into mutual succors Hence Respiration and some other Acts especially what concerns the Act of Venus participate of either Regiment so that sometimes they follow the will and sometimes draw it even by force or unwilling Further when at any time the stock of animal Spirits is deficient in either Province supplies of them are sought from the other to wit as we hinted above if the influence towards the Praecordia be shut up through the ordinary passages viz. the internal nerves their passages requisite for the sustaining of life might be supplied by the Vertebral branches yea it is probable in the partial Apoplexie and in the Incubus or Night-mare when the Cerebel being affected the Spirits destinated for the Heart suffer an Eclipse in the Fountain it self that through these Emissaries to wit the Vertebral branches inserted into the intercostal pair some extemporary Subsidies are carried for the actuating the Heart Thirdly The Vertebral branches by so frequent an insertion are added to the intercostal nerve perchance in some
other thing with various gestures whereof we are ignorant or not willing them we scarcely think or speak any thing but at the same time the hands are flung out here and there and whilst the Tongue hesitates or sticks or the words at it were stick between the Jaws the right hand is exercised as if by its gesture it were endeavouring to draw out more swiftly the sence of the mind Truly that these parts to wit the Hands and Arms do so nearly conspire with the Affections of the Brain and Heart in their motions in some measure in all living Creatures but more eminently in Man the cause seems to be this nerve's coming from the spinal Marrow to the beginning of the wandring pair and communicating with its nerves and receiving from them as it were the note or private mark of the involuntary Function So much for the spinal Nerve which also like a shrub growing from other shrubs hath no peculiar origine but having received various fibres is radicated for the greatest part in the spinal Marrow and as hath been shewn partly in the nerve of the wandring pair Concerning the nerve of the Diaphragma of which we shall speak next many things occur no less worthy remarking As to its beginning it may be observed That it arises from the brachial nerves with a double or triple root to wit two or three shoots going out of the aforesaid nerves grow together into the same Trunk which is the nerve of the Diaphragma In man its first shoot which is also the greatest is produced out of the second Vertebral nerve and when the first brachial nerve arises from the same handful of Vertebral nerves going out at this place the aforesaid shoot is rooted in its origine wherefore when in Brutes the first brachial nerve arises from the fourth or fifth Vertebral the nerve of the Diaphragma also begins its rise far lower two other shoots arise out of the same stocks of the brachial nerves which follow next Fig. 9. Υ. φ. But the Trunk which is made out of these shoots goes forward single through the passage of the Neck and the cavity of the Thorax without any branching forth even to the Diaphragma Fig. 9 χ. where being at last stretched out into three or four shoots it is inserted on either side to the fleshy or musculous part of it so that because the Diaphragma is a Muscle and performs both its motions to wit Systole and Diastole by its own Fibres the office of either nerve is only to carry bands or forces of animal Spirits requisite for the indiscontinued action of that part and also to convey thither the Instincts of the Motions variously to be performed As to the first use of this Nerve viz. for the passage of the animal Spirits the business is performed in this Muscle as it is in the Heart The Spirits flowing into the Diaphragma by the nerves receive subsidiary Forces to wit a sulphureous Copula from the blood upon whose explosion being still iterated by turns and the receiving of new the action of this perpetual moveable depends Concerning the Instincts of the Motions transmitted by the passage of this double nerve we may observe That they are especially in man of a double kind viz. either the action of the Diaphragma merely natural for the performing of Respiration is continually reciprocated according to the uses of the Heart and Lungs and altered many ways in their tenour according to their needs or secondly a certain irregular and unusual motion of the Diaphragma is wont to be excited at the beck of the Appetite or from the instigations of other parts for the which whilst the rest of the Organs of Respiration are compelled to conspire the act it self of Respiration becomes after a various manner interrupted or unequal 1. As to the first of these viz. the unforced motion of this Muscle it may be observed That the Diaphragma with the Muscles of the Thorax and the parts of either conspire in their motion with the action of the Lungs and Heart and that between all these such a joynt action may be sustained it is observed That three or four branches are sent out from the Vertebral nerves in the branches of which the nerve of the Diaphragma is rooted into the intercostal infolding Fig. 9. Τ. and whereas from this infolding the nerves are carried into the Muscles of the Thorax by this means a communication and consent of action is effected between these and the Diaphragma Therefore the Diaphragma drawing with it self the Muscles of the Thorax by reason of other nerves conspires with the Praecordia These in man going from the intercostal nerve are already described and in Brutes from the lower infolding of the wandring pair a nerve is sent down into the infolding of the Thorax to which besides so many shoots and certain fibres reaching forth into the nerve of the Diaphragma are instead of such a commerce 2. The Anomal and irregular motions of the Diaphragma proceed from various causes and from the divers instigation of other parts which also in man become much more signal than in brute Animals because in him the communication is notable by the nerves reaching out from the Cervical infolding of the intercostal pair into the nerve of the Diaphragma which kind of infolding and nerves are wanting in Brutes As to the Species themselves of irregular motions into which the motion of the Diaphragma is wont to be perverted it may be observed That we are able at our pleasure to stop breathing or respiration for some space and presently to take it or draw it out In laughing weeping and singing sometimes the Systole sometimes the Diastole becomes stronger and is made frequenter upward or downward with a repeated shaking which sort of actions of it are made by reason of those near commerces had between the nerve of the Diaphragma and other respective parts of the Breast and Face yea indeed from hence it is effected as we have already shewn that man is peculiarly a laughing Creature Further which we have shewn elsewhere from the Sympathy which happens between the parts of the Mouth and Face with the Diaphragma by those nerves a good reason of sneezing may be given and that Problem of Aristotles easily solved to wit why men alone or chiefly before other Creatures sneeze For the act of sneezing seems to be made for this end that man may not only clear his Nose but that all Torpor or heaviness may be shook off for him from the neighbouring Organs of the Senses yea and from all the fore-part of the Brain which thing easily succeeds if the Membranes and nervous passages besmearing the Nostrils and the Sieve-like Bone like the holes of a Sponge being strongly wrung forth or squeezed together be forced to shed forth their moistures for these parts so emptied presently like a pressed Sponge receive other humors to wit those coming from the neighbouring parts In the mean time that the watry heap
rigor through his whole body and forthwith a Concussion arising made him to quake for a good space But in truth albeit we grant the irritations of the Nervous parts not seldom to serve the turn of the evident Cause and further that sometimes this solitary Cause produces more light and transient spasms nevertheless that the more grievious paroxisms of this Disease and their frequent repetitions by turns may be duly unfolded it behoves us to investigate or search out other and deeper Causes to wit the Conjunct and procatartick Cause Forasmuch as spasms never happen but in a living Body where the Nervous parts are blown up and grow turgid with the animal Spirit we may readily Conjecture that those animal Spirits themselves are as in regular motion so also in the Convulsive the next Instrument of Action to wit so long as they are imbued with a fit and moderate explosive Copula and are moved to that striking forth only by the Command of the Appetite or instinct of Nature they bring forth motions altogether regular but if the same Spirits get to themselves an heterogeneous Copula and too much Elastick or if they are snatched into their Actions more impetuously and vehemently than they should be they even like unbridled Horses pricked forward with Spurs leap forth inordinately or throw off or explode violently their Copula although genuine and natural and so they carry away the containing parts as it were a Chariot tied to them together with themselves with a fierce and perverse motion There is a double Cause and two kinds of Spasms Irritation When therefore as aforesaid the Convulsive motions are chiefly stired up for two Causes hence as many Species of them are ordained For first it happens that a Convulsion is induced without a procatartick Cause or heterogeneous Copula first acquired only from a solitary evident Cause For so a vehement passion impressed on the brain a dissolution of the parts hapning somewhere in the Nervous stock a spasmodick passion is suddenly brought upon some whose brain and Nerves are of a more weak Constitution for that the animal spirits do trouble the containing parts the improportionate Object flying from them and by striking vehemently their Copula though very agreeing it blows them up and so they pull others annexed to them Spasms being after this manner excited because the natural Copula of the spirits in them is stricken more vehemently they are after a manner explosive which notwithstanding quickly leave off and very often pass away with moving of the viscera or Members only with a trembling and some horror into a fainting of the spirits But Secondly Convulsions whose paroxisms are more grevious and stay longer or are oftener repeated seem altogether to depend on a procatartick Cause or a previous disposition and to arise from some other Conjunct Cause besides Irritation And therefore in this Case we suppose A preternatural explosive Copula that the heterogeneous and greatly explosive particles do increase with the spirits acting in this or that region of the Body then from this wicked Combination and restless Collision of this kinde of matter and the Spirits frequent and vehement explosions being brought forth the spasmodick Paroxisms are induced But besides the Elastick Copula which every where happens to the Spirits from the arterous Blood and from whose orderly explosion the motive force is performed according to the Beck of the Appetite or instinct of Nature in all the Nervous parts as we have elsewhere declared also sometimes other kinde of little bodys of a fierce nature or rather like Gun-powder or Nitre come to the Spirits and intimately adhere to them when frequent and suddain divorces of this matter from the Embraces of the Spirits happen from the mutual striking together of the particles the conteining Bodys are variously blown up and so are thrown into Convulsive motions In truth as often as the Spasmodick Affection becoms habitual that the Convulsive Paroxisms arise not rarely on their own accord and without any evident cause but still on every light occasion the procatartick Cause of such a disease consists in the evill disposition of such a sort of animal Spirits For neither is the Serous filth or other less sharp humours although deposited in the very ventricles of the Brain or about the origine of the nerves sufficient to stir up such a sickness For that I have seen in the heads of dead people oftentimes the middle part of the brain and the very beginings of the Nerves wholly covered with a limpid water who whilst they were alive had neither the Epilepsie nor Convulsive Motions But to the producing or these motions very active Bodys are required such as are Saline and Sulphereous which being combined with the Spirits and then on a sudden breaking from them they imitate the combinations and violent explosions of particular mineralls For indeed if in regular and ordinary motion as we have intimated the Muscles cannot get a motive force and elastick strength unless a certain explosion of the animal Spirits be supposed certainly much more lawfully may we assert that epileptick fits and other admirable Convulsions which still happen to be excited complications of the same Spirits with other very firce particles and vehement elisions or strikings of these one against another are required But as to this kind of Sposmodic Copula because it differs from the natural and ordinary which we have elsewhere shewn to be in regular motion and to be supplyed from the blood it behooves us to inquire from whence it comes and by what means and in what places it is wont to get to the Spirits As to the first it is to be observed that Spasmodick explosions do every way happen not only in the muscles to which only they are limited which effect the regular motion but also in the membranes to wit the ventricle mesenterie and other parts almost without blood besides that the explosions themselves in the Convulsive Affection though they are excited contrary to the will of the Appetite and the manner of Nature are far more vehement and do longer continue than in the regular motion out of which it seems to be manifest that the Explosive Spasmodick Copula doth come from some other place than the Effectrice of Regular motion And indeed it is probable that that flows not as this from the arterous blood running every where among the musculous fibres but descends from the Braine with the Liquore watring the Nerves The explosive Spasmodic Copula not immediatly from the Blood but from the Brain and so is heaped up about their beginnings middle processes enfoldings and Extremities as it were the mine of the Convulsive disease Indeed nothing appears more evident than that the Spasmodick Disease doth most often arise by reason of the evill first fixed in the Brain and from thence is transmitted into various parts of the Nervous System for it happens from hence that a vehement Passion as of
fear or Anger or of Sadness of spirit affecting the inhabitants of the Encephalon the passion called Hysteric and Hypochondriac doth so often arise Further that in the evill Crises of Feavours when the adust recrements of the blood are transfer'd into the head Convulsions do generally succeed Moreover and this is the reason why the Vertigo the inflation of the head torpor of the minde and other accidents of the Supreme Region are wont to be the proamium of Spasmes presently following in the Inwards and not seldom in the whole Body Wherefore it is not to be doubted but that the heterogeneous and explosive particles are instilled from the Blood together with the nervous juice into the Brain which afterwards being thrust forth into the nervous stock do there grow to the Spirits and with them bring on a Convulsive disposition In truth the Spasmodick distempers which are either universal or at least occupie many parts of the body at once arise for the most part by this only means But in the mean time we will not deny but that particular Spasms which contain themselves within Certain places the Head being no ways affected are induced sometimes by other means For if the nerves imbibe their humour from either end to wit the root and the extream fragments which both the learned Glisson maintains to be most likely and by us is shewed in our Neurologie not without great probabillity it may be from hence inferr'd that the Spasmodick particles are broght inwardly not only from the beginning of the Nerves but somewhat also by their extremities Therefore that perhaps appears clear and plain enough Sometimes received from the ends of the Nerves that from the spleen being evilly affected Spasms arising about its region do not seldom affect the Hypochondria and Praecordia I have known some from a tumour or ulcer existing in the Mesenterie womb and other inwards were wont to have Convulsions both in the grieved part and also all about it the reason of which seems to be no other than that the heterogeneous particles being more plentifully heaped up in the affected place Creeping also into the nervous fibres planted nigh thereunto supply them with matter for Convulsive motions like to fired gunpowder But indeed Spasms arising from such a cause are not wont to diffuse themselves far about nor always to ascend to the Head These things being thus premised concerning the inward and next Cause of the Spasmodic Distemper which we affirm to arise chiefly and most often from the head it self and in some respect also from the extremities of the Nerves it now remains that we more particularly declare the Various remoter Causes in either Kinde The more remote Causes of Spasms and the manifold provision of this disease The Convulsive Disease therefore for the most part takes its original from the head to wit as often as the heterogeneous and explosive particles being diffused from the blood into the Brain or its medullarie Appendix are afterwards derived to the nervous stock and there grow together with the Spirits But this happens to come to pass from various causes for there are very many ways and means whereby the morbifick matter is admitted into the head and very many also whereby it is deduced into this or that region of the nervous System and according to the various translations of this kind of morbifick matter the divers kinds of Convulsive motions are constituted 1 The mortifick matter is heaped up within the Head by the default both of the blood send-it Therefore that the Heterogeneous and Spasmodick particles are admitted into the Encephalon it is to be imputed to the fault both of the blood sending and of the Brain receiving it 1. When the Blood powrs upon the Head the morbifick matter either all its whole mass is depraved as it frequently happens in malignant feavours also in the Scorbutick cacochymick and chiefly in an originally corrupt Distemper or the Blood of it self innocent and incorrupt receives elsewhere malignant little bodys and afterwards fixes them on the brain so in great impurities of the Inwards and chiefly when any parts are affected with an Inflamation or virulent ulcer or hurtfull ferment for from such mines the taint of the disease the noxious particles bubble up into the blood and afterwards in its passage are laid up in the Brain So by reason that the spleen womb and other inwards being evilly affected Convulsive Diseases are excited which notwithstanding depend more immediatly upon the Brain receiving the corruption of those parts through the commerce of the Blood And also of the brain receiving it 2. But in the second place the Blood however vitious it should be and impregnated with the morbid seed it could not easily leave its Infection on the head unless there were some fault in the Constitution of the brain and its Appendix as long as these parts are well made and are full of vigour they defend themselves and what belongs to them and the doors being shut they admit nothing but an unmixt spirituous Liquour destinated for their use but if either the passages and pores of the Brain are too lax or the door-keeping Spirits leave or are called off from their watches an heterogeneous and morsific matter creeps in together with the nervous juice and unfolds its malignity in the animal government As to the evil disposition of the Brain it self The evil disposition of the brain is either hereditary it is sometimes hereditary So those sprung from parents obnoxious to the Epilepsie or Convulsions are themselves for the most part prone to the same Distempers and indeed the Constitution of the brain may several ways become vitious from the birth for either its temperature is more moist or more dry than it should be or it may be faulty by the excess or defect of either Quallity Sometimes the pores are more lax or its consistency is too soft or too hard and also the Conformation of the parts of the Brain Or acquired and its Appendix may be after an undue manner But sometimes the disposition of the Brain and Nerves originally whole and firm is vitiated by accident and acquires a morbid inclination long Intemperance may enervate these parts as also malignant feavours and chronical Diseases very much debillitate them besides outward accidents as the excess of heat or cold an ulcer or a blow oftentimes perverts their Crases and renders them more incident to the impressions of Diseases But as to the Constitution or irregularities of the animal Spirits by reason of which the heterogeneous and Spasmodick particles enter the brain without any repulse and more easily cleave to it it is to be observed that the animal Spirits are in some more tender and easily dissipable from their very birth so that indeed they are not able to suffer any thing very strong or vehement to be brought to the sense or Imagination but strait they fly into confusions For this Reason women
most part to the head it self and the same Distemper when it begins in the brain as in the Epilepsie is derived in like manner thence downwards to the remote Viscera and also to the exteriour members and Limbs The spasmodic matter causes Convulsions either continued or periodical or by fits The morbifick matter flowing in the heads of the nerves produces divers kinds of convulsions according to their various plenty and dispensation for first of all it is to be observed that the whole passages of the nervous System or of some of its parts through the abundant and exuberant matter are sometimes possessed so that the animal Spirits both flowing in and there implanted being full of an heterogeneous Copula and a perpetual supplement of it are urged into continual Spasms I have known some who have had all the muscles and tendons through their whole body afflicted with Contractions and leapings without intermission I have known others whose thighs arms and other members were perpetually forced into various bendings and distortions and also others I have seen who of necessity were compelled to leap and run up and down and to beat the ground with their feet and hands and if they did it not they fell into cruel Convulsions of the Viscera and Praecordia 2. If the explosive and heterogeneous Particles be combined with the Spirits in a lesser plenty they stick to them without tumult or perturbation untill after some time both Particles leaping again one from another and from their striking one another raise up Convulsive paroxysms which sort of Paroxysms are periodical and are repeated exactly at certain hours which happens by reason of the morbifick matters being dayly poured upon the nervous stock with an equal dimension and therefore about the same space of time it is also dayly heaped up to an explosive plenitude or they are wandring and uncertain in others for that the heterogeneous particles are poured in with a lesser company and so arise not to an explosive fullness under a long time when in the mean time the more full heaping of them together and their explosion are wont to happen sometimes more often and sometimes more seldom by reason of several occasions or evident causes hence it comes to pass that the Spasmodic Distemper is sometimes altogether attributed to the evident cause when indeed if a more remote convulsive cause had not gone before such a cause had stir'd up none Therefore that we may say something of the evident causes of Convusions The Evident causes of Spasms we have already observ'd if they be more vehement and happen to a weak and tender constitution of Brain and nervous stock they are sometimes solitary or of themselves cause convulsive passions but as often as the Spasmodick Distemper is heavier and being made habitual is wont to return oftener though the evident Cause be manifest and bears the blame of the effect nevertheless it is to be suspected that a procatartick or more remote cause exists and is the more strong efficient though it lies hid within for unless the Spirits are imbued with an heterogeneous Copula they would not be so easily nor so often driven into involuntary and praeternatural Explosions We meet with a double order or Glasses of Evident causes The Evident Cause twofold viz. Filling and Irritateing for either they are of that sort which increases the procatarick or more remote and brings it sooner to an explosive fullness as are an ill manner of living and errors in the six non-naturals which by infecting the blood and nervous juice heap up to a Saturity in greater plenty on the Spirits heterogeneous particles and by that means do the sooner procure Spasmodick accessions Or 2dly the evident cause is said to be whatever stirs and irritates suddenly the spirits that they presently fall into explosions and whatever it be that causes them to strike off their Copula and of this sort there are very many accidents that provoke the spirits The irritateing Cause stirs up Spasms direct or reflected planted now within the Head and now within the nervous System to convulsive motions by a divers instinct as is wont in the regular motions which motions are either direct or reflected 1. Of the former kinde chiefly are violent perturbations of the minde wherewith the spirits of the brain being agitated and confused they excite others lying within the nervous stock and often praedisposed to irregular explosions so a vehement fear anger or sadness do not only introduce epileptical and hysterical fits to those that are disturbed in their health but sometimes cause to divers others palpitation and trembling of the heart and also horrid convulsions of the members and Limbs 2. As to the other kinde of evident cause to wit whereby Spasms are excited by a reflected Act this indeed comes to pass not unfrequently as often as any heavy trouble with an irritation of the fibres and spirits happens any where to the nervous stock for that this trouble being by and by communicated to the chief fountains of the Spirits to wit the brain or Cerebell from thence inordinate and violent motions against the will of the minde that is convulsive being begun they are returned back for so either worms physick or sharp humours cruelly hauling the coats of the Intestines cause spasms in those parts and not seldom in the outward members So much for the several kindes of causes the conjunct procatartick and evident whereby convulsive Diseases becoming habitual and are wont to be repeated with more grievous Paroxisms do arise But as we have assigned another species of this Disease where the Paroxysms depend on an evident solitary cause or at most only from irritation the Spirits being not yet praeoccupied with an explosive Copula it is now next to be inquired into by what and how many ways this may come to pass Concerning this in general it is affirmed that the Spasmodic fits produced by mere irritation are either lighter and quickly passing away or more grievious and not seldom deadly as when poyson is taken or when they come upon an overpurging medicine Moreover it is noted when the morbifick or irritative matter falls upon the tales themselves or the foldings of the nerves that it also not rarely becomes explosive The irritateing Cause distinguished as to the places affected as to the subjects and so Spasms produced also from mere irritation as we have already noted are certain explosions these being thus premised we will dispatch the business in hand The irritation of the Nervous parts which is wont to cause convulsive motions happens in various places and from various matters which are incongruous and inimical to the spirits and fibres As to the things enemies to the Nature of the spirits you may observe besides poysons The places affected are the beginnings the extremities and the middle processes and foldings of the Nerves and the excess of cangible quallities which are inflicted from without many
exterminated by the putting forth the Red-gum or red spreadings thorow the skin Wherefore a water now thin and Serous now thick and sticking and either participating of praeternatural Salts and sulphures is layd up within these or those recesses and Cavities of the Brain Cerebel and oblong pith the recrements of which when they begirt the beginings or ends of this or that nerve and sometimes many together affix on the Spirits inhabiting them heterogeneous particles and apt for Spasmodic or Convulsive explosions For as soon as the nerves have deeply imbibed such particles the spirits being burthened with their Copula endeavour either of their own accord or being incited by evident Causes to thrust and shake it off and so they enter into Spasmodic or Convulsive explosions The evident Causes which bring on Convulsive motions in children praedisposed are of two Kindes viz. In the first place whatsoever stir up unwonted effervescencies of the blood whether they be excesses of heat or cold a too plentifull nourishment or hotter then should be the changes of the air and weather and chiefly the periodical times of the Moon for by reason of these and other the like occasions the Blood growing more hot than by right it should be affixes sooner to the Spirits an heterogeneous Copula even to a fullness and causes it presently to be struck off and exploded by them throughly disturbed 2ly An Irritation in almost every part of the nervous System does not seldome bring into Act a Spasmodic or Convulsive Disposition wherefore not only an excess of tangible qualities outwardly inflicted but the milk Coagulated in the stomack choler or other sharp humours or also wormes knawing the Intestines are wont to excite Spasms or Convulsions Besides these kinde of evident Causes as they are stronger sometimes induce Spasmodick Distempers of themselves and without a praevious Disposition even so worms and perchance sharp humours cause Convulsive motions to some children at least to the more tender That it might more certainly and to the sense appear what kinde of morbific matter might be in Convulsive motions I have opened the dead bodies of many which this disease had opprest I have allways in vain sought the cause within the Visecra and first passages of Concoction In the heads of many a serous water being heaped up within the Cavity under the Cerebel and distending the Membrane which cloaths the oblong pith or marrow did overflow the beginings of the nerves in some no footsteps of this Disease appeared so that what sticking to the Spirits did irritate them into explosions was of so imperceivable a bulk and its originall so altogether hid that it could not be found out by the most perspicatious scrutiny of the sight Sometime past in this City many chilbren of a certain woman dyed of this Disease at length the fourth as the others dyed within the month we dissected the Head and here no serous Colluvies or water did overflow the ventricles but only the substance of the Brain and its appendix was moister then ordinary and looser what was most worthy of observation was that in the Cavity which lyes under the Cerebel upon the trunk of the oblong pith we found a remarkable heap of clotter'd and as it were concreted blood but in truth it is uncertain whether this matter deposited there from the begining had primarily caused the convulsions or rather whether this blood being extravasated and expressed by the contraction of the parts planted round about was not the effect and product of the Convulsions and not the cause of them for also in Apoplectical people this kinde of Phaenomenon ordinarily happens which yet we shall afterwards shew to be rather the effect than the cause of the disease Indeed the heterogeneous Particles which flow to the blood from the womb are wont to be sent away through efflorencies or Cutaneous Pustles in the whole Body in many children in others being poured on the head are the material cause of the Convulsive Distemper may be inferr'd besides the reasons before recited from the remedies chiefly helping For that in little children obnoxious to this haereditarie Disease the Convulsive fits are best prevented if that an issue be made Presently after they are born in the nape of the neck and blood drawn with a Leech from the jugular Veins for the corruptions of the nervous juce are brought away by that and the impure buddings of the blood are diverted from the head by this by these ways of Administrations when before two or three children of the same Parent have dyed of Convulsions soon after they were born all the rest have been freed from the same evill 2ly Thus much concerning the Convulsive motions of Children which are wont to infest them by reason of an Infection contracted from the womb â—f that at this bout they should escape the Disease it self or at least its deadly strokes nevertheless about rhe time of breeding teeth they would be found at last to be obnoxious to the same danger for when the Teeth especially the greater are about to cut oftentimes a feavour is excited to which not seldom Convulsions are Joyned and though at this Time children are grown stronger and may better bear the fits of the disease then when new born yet the convulsive Distemper now stirred up by no other grievous occasion becomes very dangerous and sometimes deadly But forasmuch as childern who fall into feavours about the time of breeding of Teeth are not all tormented with Convulsions it therefore follows that some disposition to this disease either innate or acquired doth precede and that the pain caused from the breeding the Teeth is to be esteemed only the means of a more strong evident Cause to wit Children who being indued either with a Cacochymia or juce causing ill digestion or with a more weak constitution of the brain and nervous stock have their animal Spirits too much adulterated or dissipable are sometimes disposed for the coming of Convulsive distempers wherefore when so acute pain together with a feavor afflicts that latent disposition is brought into Act. If it be here ask'd for what reason a feavour and then Convulsive motions following thereupon come to those Praedisposed in teething it may be answer'd that either effect may be attributed to the pain as the immediate Cause We experimentally know by our selves what the torment is that follows an irritation about the roots of the Teeth in truth so great and so cruell that a more cruell can scarce be for that one or two notable shoots of the 5th pare of nerves reaches to the roots of each Tooth which when it ss hauled by the sharp particles of the Blood or other humours there layd up causes a most sharp sense of trouble or pain by its Corrugation But this kinde of Vellication or hauling of this Nerve happens thus to children breeding teeth because that the membranes and fibres are every way distended by the Teeth now increasing into a greater bulk and
as yet included within the scarce hollow gums hence the blood being hindred in its Circulation causes a tumour and so presses the nerves and also pours on them the more sharp particles of the Serum by which being notably pulled or hauled they are tormented with Corrugations and painfull Spasms Therefore when so cruel pains happen to children from their breeding Teeth it is no wonder if a feavour and also Convulsive motions sometimes follow the former of these happens both for as much as the blood being hindred about the pained part is not circulated with its wonted and equall course wherefore it becomes inordinatly moved in the whole Body and besides because Spasms being stirred up somewhere in the nervous stock the corrugated and contracted nerves presse together and pull the Arteries and by that reason stir up irregular and feavourish fluctuations in the Blood But sometimes Couvulsions happen in breeding Teeth both because the blood growing hot sends forth heterogeneous particles to the animal government and so stirs up the spirits into explosions and besides also when this acute pain and as it were a Lancing follows upon the teeth being about to cut it communicates a very troublesome and irritative sense from the affected parts to the first sensorie presently from thence the motion of the rage is retorted by the same or other neighbour nerves which by reason of a praevious disposition doth not rarely become convulsive Besides these two occasions of Convulsions which are wont to be chiefly and more often in children to wit the times of Infancy and breeding Teeth this Distemper also is excited at other Times very often and for other Causes For in whom the Seeds of the Spasmodick Disposition is sown they sometimes unsold themselves presently after the birth and are ripened into morbid fruit or else lying hid for a while they now come before the breeding of Teeth and follow a long time after it and by reason of other evident causes to wit either external or Internal of which sort are a sickly or breeding nurse milk Coagulated in the stomack or degenerating into an acid or bitter putrifection a feavourish distemperature of the head Ulcers or wealks of other parts suddenly vanishing the Changes of the aire the Conjunctions oppositions and aspects of the Sun and moon and such like they at length break forth into Act from an uncertain event Concerning these there is no need that we should particularly discourse When all the Children of a man dwelling in the neighbourhood dyed of Convulsions within the space of three months at length to prevent that fatal event they sought for remedies for a child newly born I being sent for a few days after the being brought to bed first advised the making an Issue in the nape of the neck then that the next day after a leech being applyed to the jugular veine of each side two ounces of blood should be taken away besides that about every conjunction or opposite aspect of the Sun and moon about five grains of the following powder should be given in a spoonfull of Julap for three days morning and evening Take of humane Skull prepared of the root of the male Paeonie each ʒ i. of the powder of Pearls ʒ ss of white sugar ʒ i. mingle them and make a very fine powder Take of the waters of Black Cherries ℥ iii. of the antiepileptic of Langius ℥ i. of the Syrrop of the flowers of the male Paeonie ʒ vi mingle them also I order'd that the nurse at the same times should take a draught of whey or posset drink in which were boyled the seeds and roots of the male Paeonie and the leaves of the Lilly of the Vally the Infant for about four months was well but then began to be troubled with Convulsions at which time the same Remedies being administred both to the child and to the nurse in a larger dose vesicatories also were applyed behind the eares and blood was taken by the sucking of a Leech from the jugular veins within two or three days the child grew well afterwards whenever within four or five months the Convulsions return'd it was cured again by the use of the same Remedies After half a year the Convulsive motions wholly ceased but a painfull Tumour arose about the lower part of the Spinae dorsi or back-bone from which proceeded a certain distortion of the Vertebrae or joynts of the back bone and a weakness of the legs and at length a Palsie It seems in this case that the Spasmodic or Convulsive matter being wont to come upon the brain first and beginings of the nerves entring at last the Spinal marrow and being thrust out at its further end it wholly stopt up the heads of the appending nerves and shut out the passage of the Spirits to wit because other narcotick and more thick had joyned themselves to the explosive particles The Curatory Method against the Convulsive Distempers in Children IT is to be endeavour'd either to prevent the Convulsive passions threatning Children and Infants or to cure them being already begun For if the former children of the same parent were obnoxious or lyable to Convulsions that evill ought to be prevented timely The Preservation of Infants from Convulsions by the use of Remedies to those born after It is usuall for this end to put into the mouth of the child newly born some antispasmodick Remedy assoon as it begins to breath from hence some are wont to give them some drops of the purest hony others a Spoonfull of Canary sweetned with Sugar and some again oyl of Sweet Almonds fresh drawn to some may be given half a Spoonfull of epileptic water or one drop of oyle of Amber Besides these first things given to Infants which certainly seem to be of some moment certain other Remedies and means of Administrations ought to be used to wit let one spoonfull of Liquor proper to this distemper be drunk twice a day as for example Take of the water of black Cherry and of Rue each ℥ i ss of the Antiepileptic of Langius ℥ i. of the Syrrup of Corall ʒ vi of prepared Pearl gr xv mix them in a Viol. On the third or fourth day after the birth let an Issue be made in the nape of the neck then if it be of a fresh Countenance let a little blood to about ℥ i ss or ii ounces be taken by the sucking of Leeches from the jugular veins having a care lest the blood should flow out too plentifully in its sleep let the temples and the hinder part of the neck be gently rub'd with such a like oyntment Take of oyle of nutmegs by expression ʒ ii of Capive ʒiii of Amber ℈ i. Let an Amulet be hung about the neck of the roots and seeds of the greater Paeonie a little of the hoof of an Elke being added to it Moreover antispasmodick Remedies should be dayly given to the Nurse The Method of Curing to be used to the Nurses Let her
heaviness and torpor of her head in some measure but about noon all the clouds being discussed she was wont to obtain a fair and screne disposition of her whole head untill the next morning the same Symptoms would return again Who shall rightly weigh these Symptoms need not suppose them vapours arising from the womb or spleen and in those seek for the morbific cause in vain which truly may more certainly be placed in the head it self for it seems that by reason of a great sadness which happens often to women at the beginning a great debility together with a vitious taint was impressed on her brain so indeed that the animal spirits derived to the brain and Cerebell brought with them heterogeneous particles of a mixt kinde viz. Partly narcotick of stupifying and partly explosive or rushing forth which kinde of Copula when they had more plentifully conceived through sleep they were stirred up to the shaking of it of by mere fullness as soon therefore as the woman was awakened the same spirits being moved either a bending downward being made below they were depressed upon the beginnings of the Nerves and there being explosed they excited Convulsions of the viscera or leaping back towards the middle of the brain and being there struck off they brought in those frequent and terrible Insensibilities In truth this distemper was somewhat akin to the Epilepsie but that the morbific matter was not as yet stayed within the regal palace of the brain or its middle part so that there it might infect the spirits within their Fountains but yet the same heterogeneous Copula did cleave more strictly to them dissociated or disjoyned below and dividing themselves into various and lesser rivolets according to the beginnings of the Nerves In the mean time the spirits whereby they might shake off that matter being often explosed caused the stupor and Insensibility but bending to some other place they rushed upon the beginnings of the Nerves for that reason caus'd those Spasms or Convulsions of the viscera But that the fits come only in the morning after a plentiful sleep the reason was because the heterogeneous Copula of the spirits coming to them with the Nervous juce was at that time gathered together to a fit fulness for explosions which being then wholly shaken off the sick person remained therefore all the rest of the day free from the distemper till the next day when the nights sleep had brought to the head a new supplement of morbific matter the like fit returned in the morning which perhaps as the sleep had been shorter or longer was moved now within the brain now near the nervous origine But it may be observ'd that Convulsions have arisen from the nervous origine An Observaon of a distemper as it wre hysterical in a man being chiefly affected not only in the female sex as the weaker and more lyable but sometimes these kinds of distempers have been excited in men from the like procatartic cause Some years since being hastily sent for from a stranger who lodged in this Citty at first sight I suspected that he was possess'd and believ'd that he had more need of Exorcisms than of Medicines He was about Forty years old who had now for about three years at certain set times of the year been wont to be troubled with convulsive Motions whilst he by chance lodg'd here for a few days about his occasions by reason of a great sadness he had a fit of his sickness greater than usuall He was wont for two or three days before-hand to feel the coming of his disease to wit from a great commotion within the forepart of the head almost a continual Vertigo and frequent dimness of his eyes But the fit coming on him at first his eyes were variously roled about and inverted then a certain bulk like a living animal was seen to creep from the bottom of his belly upwards towards his heart and breast and from thence to his head I my self pressing his belly with my hand felt very plainly this kinde of motion and as long as I hindred this round thing from ascending with both my hands and all my strength he found himself indifferently well but as soon as this swelling creeping upwards by degrees had reached the head presently the members of the whole body were cruelly pull'd together that he would dash himself against the walls or posts as if possest by an evill spirit He could hardly be held and restrain'd by four strong men with all their force but that he would leap from them and fling out his arms feet and head here and there with divers manners of motions when he ceased from leaping forth or strugling his members would be strongly extended and his muscles stiff as if troubled with the Cramp or stiff extension such a fit would last about a quarter of an hour then coming to himself he would talk soberly and walk about in his Chamber he knew what he had suffer'd and ask'd pardon of the standers by presently after he began to draw his eyes inward and swiftly to role them about then presently the convulsive distemper returning acted the like Tragedy as before and after this manner he would have five or six of these kinde of convulsive fits within three hours space In the midst of one of these fits a vein in his Arm being opened and a large orifice made the blood flowed out slowly and was seen presently to be congealed and so indeed that being received into the dish it did not flow about after the manner of Liquors with a plain and equal superficies but like melted fewet drop'd into a cold vessell one drop being heaped upon another it grew to a heap The reason of the aforesaid Case If this strange distemper had hapned to a woman it would presently have been said that it was the mother or histerical and the Cause of it would have been laid on the fault of the womb especially for that the ascent of something like a bulk began the fit from the bottom of the belly But when this common solution which most often is the mere subterfuge of Ignorance cannot be admitted in this case it seems most congruous to reason to referr all these Symptoms to the evill affections of the brain and nervous stock For truly it may be plainly gathered that the cause of the disease did lye hid in the head it self by the Symptoms preceding the fit which did denote a very great agitation of the spirits within the head that inflation of the brain and heavy swimmings which constantly came just as the fit was coming upon him the turnings of the eyes manifestly argue that heterogeneous and explosive particles did adhere to the spirits dwelling within the Encephalon near to the beginnings of the Nerves So that this case comes near to the nature of the Epilepsie excepting that the spirits within the middle of the brain did not admit an heterogeneous Copula nor being explosed in
white sagar â„¥ ii make a Julap The dose 4. or 6. spoonfulls twice in a day after a dose of a solid medicine Take of millipedes or chesslogs cleansed i pint of Cloves cut â„¥ ss put to them i quart of white-wine let them be distill'd in a glass-Cucurbit The dose â„¥ i. to â„¥ iss twice in a day For poor people medicines easie to be prepared may be prescribed after this manner Take of the Conserves of the Leaves of Rue made with an equal part of sugar â„¥ vi take of it the quantity of a nutmeg twice in a day drinking after it of the decoction of the Seeds and Roots of Burdock in whey or posset-drink made of white-wine Or there may be prepared a Conserve of the leaves of the Tree of Life with an equall part of Sugar dose Ê’ss to Ê’ i. twice in a day Take of millipeds prepared Ê’ iii. of ameos seedsÊ’ i. make a powder divide it into 10. parts take a dose twice in a day or 12 Sows or woodlice brused and white-wine put to them let the juce be wrung out make a draught let it be taken twice a day In the mean time while these Medicines are taken Inwardly it is sometimes convenient to raise blisters with Vesicatories in the nape of the neck and behinde the ears for so the serous and sharp humours are very much brought away from the head besides sneezing powders and such as purge Rhume from the head often give signal help The taking away of Blood from the Sedal veins or the foot ought sometimes to be itterated yea and the Distemper urging Plaisters or Cataplasms are profitably applyed to the soles of the feet It is also beneficial to apply drawing medicines about the calves and thighs CHAPTER VI. Of Convulsive Motions whose cause subsists about the extremities of the Nerves or within the nervous foldings SOmetimes Convulsive distempers do arise without any fault in the Head by the irritation and explosion of the spirits remaining about the extremities of the nerves which plainly appears because when medicines haul sharply the Ventricles or Intestines or worms gnaw them there do not only follow Convulsions in those parts but besides convulsive motions do sometimes torment or are retorted on the members and outward Limbs for indeed as we have shown elsewhere when the sense of a very grievous Trouble torments any part and from that is communicated to the chief Sensorie presently from thence an involuntary and irregular motion is wont to be reflected on the spirits in that place irritated and that not only by the same nerves to which the sense of the pain was carried but sometimes also the Convulsion is reciprocated by others either neighbouring or altogether extraneous So the Stone being fixed in the Ureters and irritating very much its nervous fibres excites Convulsive motions not only in the distemperd Vessell but almost in all the Viscera of the Abdomen So that the urine being suppressed Torments diffused here and there and very often horrid Vomitings follow Wherefore 't is not at all to be doubted but that both diseases and some Convulsive Symptoms are very often induced by reason of an outward hurt brought to the Tops of the Nerves terminating within the membranes muscles or Viscera yea in the hysterical hypochondriacal and certain other passions if at any time Convulsive motions are excited in the hurt head by the fault of the womb spleen or other Inward verily they arise by this only means to wit by the Trouble of the rest of the parts being translated this way through the Nerves but in no wise by the Vapours to the brain and are propagated all about into various Regions of the Body Convulsions begin from the ends of the Nerves both by reason of irritation But it should here be noted that although the evident Solitary cause forasmuch as it is strong and vehement may sometimes induce Convulsions of it self and without a praevious disposition because indeed the Animal Spirits being irritated beyond measure begin greater and more than ordinary explosions as in overgreat purging and Vomiting and the fits of the Collick and Stone is ordinarily wont to happen yet in many other Convulsive Distempers whose fits are often and habituall besides the irritation made about the extremities of the nerves which serves for the most part for the evident cause also a certain more remote cause is present to whose efficacy the assault of the disease is chiefly beholden to wit when Convulsive motions are wont to be excited and at every turn repeated by the fault of the Spleen womb or other private part it may be suspected that the animal Spirits of the Fibres in the distemperd part and those disposed in its neighbouring parts had first contracted an heterogeneous explosive Copula And by reason of an Explosive Copula by which being filled to a running over they were provoked by a light occasion to Convulsive explosions Then those being first begun about the extremities of the nerves creep upwards by the passage of the same nerves and are often caryed to the same nervous origine and sometimes beyond to the middle of the brain from whence lastly being reflected on the nervous stock they also secondarily cause the Convulsions of the members and Limbs But after the Brain and a Superior portion of the nervous System are wont to suffer and be affected often by the Convulsions below excited the spirits inhabiting those parts also begin to be themselves adulterated at length and to admit an heterogeneous and explosive Copula and so to acquire in part a procatartick cause hence at length a Convulsive procatarxis or more remote cause becomes Common to either end of the Trunk of the same nerves and the animal spirits of one nerve or more being evilly disposed both at the head and tail conceive explosions from either part and deliver them presently to the other as shall be more largely declared below when we treat particularly of hysterical and other passions in the meantime we will add some histories and observations of Convulsions arising from the farther ends or extremities of the Nerves Observation 1 A fine maid about the 16th year of her age falling from her horse and lighting upon a Stone grievously hurt her left breast from whence a Tumor arose with pain which Symptoms notwithstanding by the use of medicines at the beginning seem'd to be mitigated and to be indifferently well for a long time after Three years after she having taken cold and having observed but a bad course of dyet all things began to be exasperated the hurt part swelling into a bigger bulk troubled her with an accute and almost continual pain that the sick Virgin for the cruel torment could take no rest for many days and nights neither could she suffer the glandula's of her Breast being then made more tumid to be either touch'd or handled yea nor any noyse or shaking to be made in the Chamber When to this Tumour about
to degenerate into a Cancer they had applyed fomentations and Cataplasms of hemlock and mandraks and other stupifying and repercussing things this gentlewoman began to suffer certain Convulsive affections infesting her very often At first as often as the pain in her breast did most cruelly torment her she felt in that place prickings also convulsions and contractions running about here and there then presently her Ventricle and hypochondria and often the whole Abdomen were wont to be inflated and very much distended with an endeavour of belching and Vomiting by and by the same distemper being leasurely translated to the superior parts excited Insensibility to which shortly after Convulsive motions succeeded in the whole Body so strongly that the Sick party could scarce be held by three or four strong men These kinde of fits at first were wandring and only occasionally excited to wit they would come as often as the pain of her brest was strained by some evident cause Afterwards these Convulsions did more often infest her and at last they became habitual and periodical twice in a day to wit they were wont to come again constantly at so many set hours after eating And when after this manner the sick Gentlewoman had been miserably afflicted for six months at length she began to be molested with a vertiginous Distemper of her head exercising her almost continually for which evill when a fomentation of aromatick and cephalick herbs had been a good while administred to her head she became better as to the giddiness but then she was perpetually infested with a quite new and admirable Symptom viz. an empty cough without spitting night and day unless when she was overwhelmed with sleep After this worthy Virgin had tryed without much benifit diverse medicines and remedies prescribed by several Physitians she was at last helped by making use of the most temperate Bath at the Bath then being presently married after she had conceived and was brought to bed she by degrees grew well If the reasons of the whole disease and its Accidents be inquired into The reason of this without doubt the convulsive distemper was first of all excited from the tumour or pained place of the breast the cause of which was partly the most sharp sense of pain being impressed from its fibres and nervous parts but partly by the heterogeneous Copula being affixed on the spirits inhabiting those fibres and nerves for truly it may be suspected that the most sharp humour impacted in the Tumor which perhaps had in some sort flowed thither by the passages of the Nerves being repercussed by the use of Topicks had entred the fibres and nervous filaments or little strings disposed thorow the whole border or neighbourhood and so the heterogeneous and explosive Copula had clove to the spirits for the shaking off of which as often as by pain they were excited they entred into convulsive explosions and together with them other spirits flowing within the neighbouring Nerves by consent of the forms as it often happens were exploded after the same manner Then the convulsive distemper when it first had begun in the extremities of the Nerves being continued thorow their passages even to the head was wont to cause the insensibleness and from thence leaping back upon the whole nervous system the convulsive motions of the Limbs and all the members The fits about the beginning of the sicknesse being excited after this manner by reason of pain from the distemper'd part were carried secondarily to the brain and its appendix But afterwards when the spirits inhabiting those places being often explosed by sympathy had so loosned and weakned the pores of the containing parts that there lay open a passage within the same for all heterogenious particles to enter with the nervous juce the convulsive procatarxis or more remote cause also increased in the head and the spirits inhabiting the Encephalon being infected with an heterogenious Copula they themselves begun the convulsive fit or at least afforded the first instinct to its assalt which did return for the most part at such set hours after eating because the morbific matter was carried in together with the nervous juce almost in an equal dimension In truth in such cases where the convulsion being generall doth possess almost all the parts of the whole nervous system successively we may suspect that the animal spirits had contracted an heterogenious and explosive Copula in the whole nervous stock which when it is arisen at the set time to a fullness incites the spirits themselves at the appointed time in like manner to explosions and the same explosion being begun somewhere is propagated in order to all after the manner of a fiery enkindling As to that empty cough which succeeding the fomentation of the head exercised this sick person allmost incessantly for many months it seems that this Symptom should depend altogether from the nervous origine being distemper'd and not at all on the stuffing of the Lungs for she did not avoid any thing with the cough and if at any time that force of coughing was violently restrained presently she was troubled with the sense of choaking in her Throat So that as it is very likely the morbific matter laid up near the nervous origine being rarified and stirred by the fomentation entred more deeply the heads of the nerves appointed for the Lungs and stirred up in their fibres and filaments perpetuall convulsions after the like manner as when the nervous juce which waters the fibres and tendons of the Muscles being made sharp and degenerate induces to those parts continual leapings and contractions hence when a Convulsion or spasm was stop'd in some branches of the distemper'd Nerves so as she could not cough presently the Convulsive motion running into other branches of the same neighbour Nerve stirred up that choaking in the Throat I will here propose another example of a Convulsion arising from the extremities of the Nerves being affected Observation 2 A noble Matron of fifty years of Age after her courses had left her for about half a year began to complain first in a pricking pain of her left pap then afterwards that distemper leaving her she was ill about her ventricle for there arose an hard and as it were a schirrous Tumour with a sad pain upon this came an inflation of the stomach with difficulty of respiration a nauseousness and frequent Vomiting Then the disease encreasing with a more sharp pain running about here and there she fell into Convulsive distempers of the ventricle to wit in that place she was allmost continually troubled with Convulsions variously running about just as if her ventricle had been torn to pieces Besides a constant perturbation of minde with thirst and watchings and a freqnent deliquium of spirits as if she had been just dying exercising this sick Lady All which symptoms she plainly perceiv'd to arise from that Tumour in her ventricle They saw that all vomitory cathartical antiscorbuticall and hysterical
that sense of choaking in the Throat so often excited in the convulsive fits did proceed But there will be a more fit place to speak of this when we shall particularly handle the convulsive diseases and symptoms We shall now endeavour to search into what remains of the last kind of Convulsions of which we made mention above to wit which relies on the nervous Liquor being infected thorow its whole mass with heterogenous and explosive particles and for that reason irritateing the whole processes of the Nerves and the nervous bodies into universal Spasms or Convulsions and those either continual or intermitting CHAPTER VII Of Convulsive Motions arising from the Liquor watering the nervous Bodies and irritating their whole processes into Convulsions THat Convulsive distempers do sometimes wander thorow the whole nervous stock and infest now these parts now those now many together is so noted and obvious almost to dayly experience that nothing can be more we may therefore take notice in these that the tendons of the Muscles do every where leap up and are drawn together with spasms in others some exterior members are bended or stretch'd forth with various flections and contortions here and there after divers manners we have seen some forced by the unbridled and untamed force of the spirits as if struck with madness to run or leap about or strongly to smite with their feet or fists the earth or any objects which if they should not do forthwith they would fall into swooning fits and horrid Ecclips of spirits It would be too tedious to enumerate all the cases of universal Convulsions wandring thorow the whole nervous stock But the symptoms of this kind Chiefly three kinds of causes of universall Convulsions tho they are various and manifold may be reduced nevertheless to three chief Heads to wit forasmuch as they depend chiefly upon three kindes of causes for indeed in these wandring Convulsions we ought to suppose the whole nervous Liquor to the vitiated and the animal spirits flowing every where in the same to be adulterated and for that reason to be allmost perpetually exploded Take notice then that this kinde of Infection is most commonly impressed on the nervous juce and the spirits every where flowing in it by one of these three ways viz. 1st By Poysons or witchcraft 2dly From malignant or ill-cured feavours in which the morbific matter is poured forth on the Brain or nervous stock Or 3ly when the nervous Liquor by a long tract of time by reason of the scorbutic or otherwise vitious distemper doth degenerate from its due constitution into sour or acid or any otherwise praeternatural and Convulsive Liquor we will here consider of each of the aforesaid cases and first of all of the fits of Convulsion which are produced by poysons or Sorceries From poysons and sorceries First therefore it is somewhere shown by us that some poysons do act rather on the nervous Liquor than on the blood which depraving it most strongly induce Convulsive distempers And it appears clearly from the eating of Hemlock From poysons of the rank of vegitables the laughing-Parsly man-drakes the furious nightshade wild Parsnips and other hurtfull herbs how soon after horrid Contractions of the Ventricle numbness delirium Convulsions twitches of the tendons in the whole body were wont to follow From a mad Dog Besides those kinde of Convulsions follow upon the biting of a mad Dog and other venomous beasts where the Virulent infection being received by the nervous juice and lurking a long while in it at last puts it self forth and infects and poysons the whole mass of Liquor in which it was involved with its ferment But what doth yet more illustrate it are the admirable Symptoms the truly painfull Convulsions and unweariable dancing which Authors have related to follow upon the biting of the Tarantula and indeed might seem fabulous unless that the truth of the Thing were asserted by many men of good Credit both ancient and modern For besides Mathiolus and Epiphanius Ferdinand Gassendus and Kircher add that themselves were eye-witnesses of this distemper yea it is said 't is a known thing in Apulia and found almost by dayly experience that in that part of the Country there are Phalangii or a certain kinde of Spider which is called Tarantula from Tarenta an ancient City of Apulia This little Animal being very frequent in the Summer often bites the heedless Countryman and infects him with its Venemous stroke from whence presently succeed a pain in the hurt part with a Tumor and itching by and by in various parts of the body a numbness and Trembling also Convulsions and loosnings of the members and other Convulsive Symptoms with a great loss of strength as may be collected from Mathiolus Ferdinand and others relating the wonderfull effects of this Disease But truly what these Authors say concerning the cure of this Distemper and is practis'd commonly thorow the whole Country is worthy of great admiration for those stung with a Tarantula as very sick as they are as soon as they hear musical Instruments presently they are eased of their pains and leaping into the middle of the room they begin to dance and jump about and so continue it a long while as if they were well and ailed nothing but if it happen that the Fidlers leave off never so little a while they straitways fall to the ground and return to their former pains unless by the incessant musick they dance and leap till the poyson be wholly shaken off For this end therefore Musitioners are hired and are changed by turns that without intermission of the noise those who are bitten may dance so long till they are quite cured Thus saith Mathiolus to which Ferdinand adds that poor people do expend almost all their substance in these fidlers and musitians who wander up and down all that Province and by playing to these Tarantulasized people make much benifit they dance or leap about in the villages and publick streets and fields some one day some one week and others more To these Authours the most learned men Gassendus and Kircherus agree both of which have related it from their own observation that they have known such affected and they assert that they are not affected or excited indifferently with any musick but with certain kinds of Tune and that they dance to some measures before others Let us inquire a little further into the Reasons of these aforesaid Accidents The reason of the symptoms of those bitten by a Tarantula if we may follow our conjecture in this first place 't is without doubt that a certain venemous infection is fixed on the humane body from the bite of this little creature which tho it being less infestous to the blood and vital spirit as soon as ever it passes from it into the nervous Liquor it presently unfolds it self thorow its whole mass like leaven and infects the animal spirits flowing every where in it
same disease did fall upon our Countrey men here and there also at other times for that of late in this City all the younger people of a certain family were sick of it yea I remember that some time past very many laboured with such a feavour Out of the many histories and examples of sick people which it rendred when it was epidemical I will here propose one or two A strong and lively young man about the beginning of the spring 1661 falling Observation 1 sick without any evident cause without any great heat or thirst he became suddenly weak and as if enervated with a dejected appetite and languor of spirits Cathartick Remedies Antipyretics or allaying of heat digestives and also antiscorbuticks and others of various kindes administred by the prescriptions of the most famous Physitians availed nothing But notwithstanding the sick man hitherto languishing with a slow and wandring feavour with a quick and feeble pulse a deep-colour'd urine had kept his bed a fortnight besides being reduced to the greatest leanness he complained of a giddiness and as it were the fluctuation of a sound in his head and a tingling noyse in his ears Altho he was troubled with a great stupor yet his sleeps were mightily troubled and broken with delirious fables After four days when the feavour was not yet declined it was thought good to take away four or five ounces of blood by Leeches from the sedal veins from hence the feavour began to be much exasperated for a great intense heat with thirst watchings and almost continual tossing of the body also the tongue dry and scurfy appeared then quickly a troublesome cough with abundance of discoloured spittle followed to him were administred almond and barly-drinks with temperate bechicks or things to stop coughing boyled in them water of milk distill'd with snails and pectoral herbs the shelly-powders prepared nitre and often Cordial opiats which notwithstanding scarce giving any help the sick man still became more weak when in this manner being sick above two months space the feavourish distemperature and cough also dayly growing worse he seemed near death at length a voluntary sweating arising so that every night or every other night he sweat abundantly and from thence finding himself better using then the aforesaid Remedies he grew well within six weeks Till I had seen many sick people after the same manner I suspected this disease to be alltogether an hectick feavour with a consumptive disposition of the Lungs but when I saw many others at that time fall sick ordinarily after the like manner I easily instituted the Aetiologie or national account of this feavour such as I have already described to wit that the blood because of the intemperature of the year and perhaps from errors in dyet The reason of it had contracted a vitious procatarxis or remote cause Then it growing feavourishly hot and presently carrying its impurities to the brain and so depraving the juice watering it and the nervous stock induced the vertiginous distempers with a stupor a languishing of spirits and an atrophy of the whole body but so long as the blood did transfer its recrements from its own bosom into the brain and nervous appendix the feavourish heat continued more gentle and milde But afterwards when the tending downwards of the morbific matter by the opening of the hemorhoid veins was drawn away from the brain the same being first retained within the bloody mass increased the feavour then being poured on the Lungs excited the cruel cough with plentifull spittle but forasmuch as the flesh of the Lungs remained free from putrefaction as soon as the serous water was sent away by a more plentifull sweating the sick man became free both from the feavour and phthisis or Consumption that seemed so deplorable Observation 2 In the mean time whilst he lay sick I visited another about 12. years of age after the like manner affected But this when I was firâ—t sent for having been sick above a month was reduced to the leanness of a Skelliton besides he was troubled with a vertigo with a noise in his ears and deafness and also with a violent cough with yellow and as it were consumptive spittle his pulse was quick and feeble his urine red and thick his appetite much dejected his spirits so languid and his strength so cast down that he could not keep out of his bed I gave this youth to drink often in a day water distill'd from milk with snails and temperate herbs besides I ordered him an open decoction such as is in use for the Rickets to be daily taken instead of his ordinary drink by the help of which Remedies he was restored to his health in a months space At this time I was sent for to many other people of every age and sex distemper'd by the same disease now clearly Epidemical for it running thorow whole families not only in this City and the neighbouring parts but in the Countries at a great distance as I heard from Physitians dwelling in other places increased very much Those for the most part labouring with this feavour so be they were otherwise whole grew well by the fit use and order of medicine and dyet but it hapned very often but ill to those who were indued with a weakly constitution of brain and nervous stock or broken with age but not seldom the case of the sick became dangerous because the Physitians were not wont to be sent for presently after the beginning of the disease yea scarcely before it had more deeply spread abroad its roots and the opportunity of healing was past Observation 3 For that reason this feavour became very deadly in the family of a certain Noble man among his children originally obnoxious to Cephalic distempers About the vernal Aequinox a Boy of about eleven years of Age began to be sick At first without any vehement heat or thirst a dejection of appetite and want of strength came upon him Besides an almost continual giddiness did trouble him with a frequent danger of fainting that he often thought he was just dying By the advice of a certain woman attending him they dayly gave him Clisters then when from the foulness of the mouth and Tongue manifest signes of a Feavour appeared this Emperick on the fifth day gave him a vomit of the Infusion of Crocus metallorum and on the seaventh day a Cordial powder being administred she incited the sick youth covered with blankets to sweat his skin hardly began to be moist but presently he began to talk idly complained that his Cap was fallen into the water by and by becoming speechless within four hours whilst I was sent for he expir'd before I came Observation 4 A little while after the same disease fell upon his yonger Sister whose sickness however because it was accompanied with a frequent and humid Cough was thought at first to be only a taking of Cold but within a few days this Cough became plainly Convulsive so that
then when the evident causes daily fixing the infection more on the bloud and humours did happen upon this remote hereditary cause for there were many chances and unfortunate accidents which continually brought sadness and melancholly upon this Gentleman indeed therefore the nervous Liquor being imbued above measure with a fixed and Scorbutic salt became highly sharp and irritative like aqua fortis or the Stagma's of Vitriol and so continually incited the Spirits and the bodys containing them into Corrugations and contractions just as the aforesaid Liquors when poured upon worms do the same thing Why this Distemper grew worse by the use of the Baths But that this disease leasurly at first increasing was quickly brought into a much worse condition by the use of the hot Bathes the reason easily appears It is known by experience that the hot Bathes do very much exalt and quickly bring to the hight the Sulphureous-saline particles in the humane body and otherwise morbid which abound in the Bowells and humours viz. do render them more fierce by agitating them throughly and force them from their first passages into the blood and from thence into the Brain and nervous stock yea and joyn together those that were before seperate and idle and incite them into a certain fermentation wherefore those who are hereditarily obnoxious to the Gout or Stone and have not as yet suffer'd any fits of those distempers very often feel the fruit of either disease in themselves to grow ripe soon by the use of the Bathes When therefore in this sick person both the blood and Liquor watering the Brain and nerves were imbued both with narcotick or stupifying and convulsive particles and also when they did degenerate from their sweet and balsamy Disposition that towards a saltish and this into a sour Ciaemul of a Stagma of Vitriol the use of the hot minerall waters was so far from bringing help that on the contrary these evills for that very cause presently grew all very much worse and the Disease proceeding from the humors being so depraved as to their temper and mixture could never be cured by any medicines no easier than vinegar may be reduced into wine When this Gentlemans body being at last dead of the Phthisis or Consumption was opened by me we could finde but very few foot-steps of these kinde of most grievous Symptoms Hence as it appear'd the Palsie and Convulsion did not depend so much on a thick and copious matter heaped together somewhere in mines as of an evill affection of the animal Spirits who are subtle and Invisible I will lay forth what was worthy taking notice of in the anatomy of this person Things worthy to be noted in the body being dissected The Abdomen being opened the Caule as is wont to be in most who dye of a Consumption and other Chronical Diseases was putrified and almost consumed In the mean time the Ventricle Intestines Pancreas and Mesentery were well enough to wit the membranes were firm well coulour'd and free from any ulcer or hard swelling There grew to the greater Intestines certain excrescencies like to the ears of a mouse for that there were very many of these kinde of things out of either side of the Colon and right intestine they shewed like twins at certain distances like the branches of Trees The like I formerly found in a Consumptive person The Reason of this seems to be that the nourishment in Consumptive people though it be deficient about the more solid and outward parts yet sometimes within neer the fountains of the nourishing juice performs more than it ought and for that cause superfluous and unnaturall additions grow forth The milt or Spleen which always is thought ill of and of most Physitians condemned for being the Principal cause of the Scurvy and of all other distempers appear altogether blameless and free from any fault For as in most sound people we observed it was of a darkish Colour soft and of an equal superficies free from any obstruction or swelling indued with vessells and fibres distinct and firm enough out of its substance flowed black biood when it was cut The Liver which indeed might be wondred at was indifferently well neither was it from so long and grievous a sickness become harder then usuall or scirrhous or planted with little whelks but it was somewhat big and of a darkish colour The Kidnys though free from any ulcer or gravell were not however free from fault for in the middle of the right Kidney was seen a great cavity distinct from the Tunell and much greater then it full of clear water the like I have very often found in hydropical people But indeed this perhaps arose from the serum deposited in that kidny that could not easily be strained thorow its passages and pores for that the serum subsisting therein had in the beginning made for it self a little den which afterwards by degres was inlarged and when for this Reason the secretion of the serum and its passing forth by the ureter were something hindred its Latex restagnating into the blood brought in the grievous trouble to the head which indeed was the rather to be suspected because also the left Kidny being mightily extenuated and consumed contained many Cisterns and Cavities full of clear water The Lungs growing on every side to the Sternum or part of the breast where the ribs meet sides and Diaphragma seem'd without any distinction of Lobes of one substance only of putrid spongy flesh staâ—fed throughout with a frothy or ichorous matter without doubt the sick man had not contracted this evill so long before to wit when he was not able to perform any exercise of the Body nor stay in bed that it might breathe out any thing more freely the faeculencies and recrements of the blood which were wont to evaporate thorow the skin being layd up in the Lungs were the cause that they grew together among themselves and with other parts and did vitiate their tone and conformation wholly so that a Consumption being at last arisen was the effect and product and not the cause of the rest of the distempers wherewith he had bin a long while miserably afflicted In either ventricle of the heart blood was concreted into a solid whitish substance and bak'd like flesh which being formed neer the Cavities and processes of the vessells of the Heart resembled the figure of a Serpent with a manifold divided tail than which indeed nothing is more usual in many dead People after long sickness The reason of which is that the Blood being without life from long sickness and from thence circulated slowly about the Praecordia begins to stand or stagnate in the heart and depending vessells and by that means is congealed leasurely into this kinde of fleshy Concrete When the Skull was opened we sought among its contents the chief Cause of the Disease The first thing that occurr'd was the bulk of the brain was less than it should be
lifts up the ahdomen and hypochondria and feins a motion as it were the arising of a globe But afterwards the vital function labouring after this manner the animal faculty arises in its aide wherefore a necessity of motions in various parts urging the animal Spirits being driven impetuously into the beginnings of the nerves produce divers manners of Convulsions running here and there The Author endeavours to confirm this Opinion by the great help in this disease had by the taking away the bloody excretion both from things helpfull and things hurtfull in this paffion But though I cannot but praise this Doctrine of the suffocation of the womb as very ingenious and cunningly wrought yet that I do not consent to it in all things some reasons of great moment clearly hinder me Truly I confess that I do not understand how in some hysterical persons to wit who are of a more frigid temperament and are often troubled with the Pica and longing disease the blood should so immoderatly boyl up in the Lungs without any conspicuous notes of its growing hot in some other place I have known young maids by reason of the green-sickness as it were without blood to wit whose blood indeed being without life did remain without any exercise in the heart and was from thence difficâ—ltly enough drawn forth into the Lungs who yet were grievously obnoxious to the passions called hysterical Certainly it is not probable that the blood of these persons growing immoderatly hot should rush impetuously into the Pneumonick vessells and should stuff up their pores and passages very thickly when in the mean time such become short-breath'd by reason of the absence of the blood from the Lungs or its difficult admission to them Besides by what means comes it to pass that this violent course of the blood into the Lungs which is supposed to be made in this Fit brings forth no Inflammation in them for that the blood being too much heaped or rapidly put into any part is easily extravasated and is wont to excite an Inflammation hardly to be shaken off From whence it is therefore in the hysterical distemper the blood entring violently into the Lungs and distending them does not cause a peripneumonie or impostume of the Lungs Or wherefore the distempers as it were hysterical come not on an Inflammation of the Lungs otherwise caused wherefore it seems improbable that the blood swelling up with its proper anger or heat should rush into the Lungs and by stuffing them renders them too immovable and so secondarily and consequently induce Convulsions of the Diaphragma and other parts but it may rather seem that by reason of the Diaphragma and other organs of breathing being first affected with a Convulsion the blood should be forced to stagnate in the praecordia Besides it may be observ'd that the Lungs are not always afflicted before other parts for oftentimes the convulsive Symptoms begin elsewhere and not rarely bear the region of the breast wholly untouch'd Because in some the vertigo and Corruscations or sparklings of the eyes begin the fit to which succeed either weeping or laughing or convulsive motions of the Limbs without any straitness of the breath or oppression of the heart in others before respiration troubles them any way a swelling in the bottom of the belly with a vomiting and rumbling of the belly begins and often ends the fit so that the difficulty of breathing oftentimes follows these Symptoms at a great distance and is wont to be prevented by the tying strictly of swathing-bands about the hypochondria Moveover it seems that this ascent as it were of a certain round thing from the Hypogastrium or lower part of the belly can never proceed from the depression of the Diaphragma because in the hysterical fit this part is not always pressed down towards the lower parts but oftentimes drawn up to the higher parts and drives the Lungs upwards so that the spirit or breath being almost shut forth threatens the danger of Choaking By these and other reasons The hystericall distemper chiefly belongs to the Brain and nervous stock we are at length perswaded to that opinion that the distemper named from the womb is chiefly and primarily convulsive and chiefly depends on the brain and the nervous stock being affected and whatever inordination or irregularity from thence happens about the motion of the blood is only secondary and is made dependingly by the Convulsions of the Bowells But that this doth consist within the bounds of the head both the comparing of the symptoms which happen in the living and the anatomical observations of the dead clearly shew because we may observe that this distemper often takes its rise from a sudden fear great sadnesse or anger or other violent passion in which the spirits inhabiting the brain are chiefly affected besides to some an ill manner of dyet and various accidents whereby the humours being vitiated are heaped more plentifully within the head at first brings this evil Yea the manner of the fits clearly evinces the same forasmuch as a fullness of the head a vertigo a sparkling of the eyes a ringing noyse of the ears begin in many the hysterical fit and often conclude it Besides I have opened some women dead of other diseases tho while they were sick very obnoxious to hysterical passions in whom the womb being very well I have found in the hinder part of the head the beginnings of the nerves moistned and wholly drowned with a sharp serum as shall be more largely declared anon Having weighed these and other Reasons we doubt not to assert the Passions commonly called Hysterical to arise most often for that the animal spirits possessing the beginning of the Nerves within the head are infected with some taint to wit they being either acted or brought into Confusion or being tincted with vitious humours get to themselves an heterogeneous and explosive Copula The cause of the disease most often begins about the beginnings of the nerves which they carry far away with themselves into the Channells of the nerves and when the same spirits are filled to a plenitude with that Copula thorow all their series or orders either of their own accord or being occasionally moved they enter into explosions and so stir up Convulsive motions But that such a Copula adhering to the spirits is chiefly derived together with them into the interior nerves the reason is because in this passage towards the praecordia and viscera the animal spirits by reason of the distemper of the minde are very much disturbed wherefore they more easily admit any evills brought from another place and more readily conceive irregularities For the animal spirits chiefly for this occasion contract a convulsive disposition forasmuch as they from a violent impression are perverted out of their Courses and their wonted manner of Influence and acting hence they not only repeat their inordinations but also receive the heterogenious particles into their embraces and more easily
combine with them Wherefore forasmuch as the animal spirits running thorow the nerves of the wandring pair and Intercostals are continually entangled with all perturbations both of the Concupiscable and irascible Appetite it is no wonder if they acquire a convulsive disposition before the rest It being supposed which indeed ought to be supposed that the animal spirits have contracted an heterogenious and explosive Copula The same cause afterwards disposed thorow the whole passage of the Nerves now the nervous origines and carried it together with it self into the interior nerves and spread it thorow all their passages it will not be hard to assigne the Reasons of the hystericall fit and of all its Symptoms For first of all the disease being ready to fall upon one oftentimes the Vertigo a rolling about of the eyes and a certain inflation of the brain as it were praevious skirmishings are stirred up because the whole band of the Spirits being in readiness for explosions the more light companies of them leaping back towards the brain are first struck off then Presently a perturbation succeeds in the bottom of the belly or hypochondria for that the Spirits within the enfoldings here and there are next disturbed For we have elsewhere shown if at any time the animal Spirits are exploded in a certain whole Series those which abode in the extream parts first of all enter into that assertion Wherefore the beginnings of this Disease are found to be or the most Part in the head and Bowells but that the Convulsions are first perceived now in the bottom of the belly now in the hypochondria the reason is because the morbific matter is sometimes carried by the passage of the intercostal nerve into the utmost mesenteric enfoldings but sometimes the same being slid down not beyond the ends of the wandring pair subsists much neerer to wit about the enfoldings of the spleen or stomack When therefore the animal Spirits as hath been shown within the nervs of the wandring pair and intercostals are imbued from their origine The reason of the hysterical symptoms unfolded even to their utmost ends with an heterogeneous and explosive Copula they at length either from mere fullness or by an irritation somewhere made are stirred up to explosions in which affection if any Spirits leap forth towards the middle of the brain they induce the Vertigo the inflation and other praevious accidents of the head but the Spirits inhabiting the other extremity of the nervous Trunk viz. the mesenteric enfoldings begin chiefly to be exploded which presently by their letting off compell the lower Parts of the hypogastrum to be lifted up and contracted upwards and so induce the ascention of a certain bulk as it were of the womb then when the upper parts of the enfoldings of the mesentory are by degrees intangled with the same distemper and the bowells annexed to the same are elevated and drawn forceably towards the upper parts the violent swelling of the Abdomen as it were with a certain leaping forth succeeds Further the Ventricle is not only elevated by changing its place all its fibres to wit the direct oblique and transverse being affected at once with the Convulsion is often distended like a blown bladder hence very often vomiting or at least a rumbling and murmur of the hypochondria are excited but as soon as the Spirits being exploded with a certain series it comes to the Region of the Thorax the diaphragma being drawn together with an huge diastole is sometimes depressed and so meeting with the ascention of the viscera causes an Inflation and high intumescency or swelling up with a mighty strugling so that the laces of those in this distemper must be forthwith loosned or else they are in danger of falling into a trance In the mean time the Diaphragma being so depressed and its diastole continued the bloud remains almost immovable in the praecordia and so by its stagnation causes a great oppression and very often a faâ—ling of the vital function Further the Convulsion of the Diaphragma happens sometimes towards the upper parts and so that driving the Lungs upwards induces a violent Systole and protracted longer than it should be and when by this means the blood is driven forward into the pneumonic vessells and is not at last received from the bosome of the heart it stagnates there and besides in the whole Body from whence the oppression of the heart and oftentimes a swooning yea sometimes a want of speech and motion now with a blewness of the face and now with a dead aspect follow After these things are acted in the lower and middle Region at length the distemper reaches to the head by the passage of the nerves as it were a fiery inkindling and the spirits being there exploded leaping now towards the middle of the brain produce a swimming in the head and often symptoms very like the Epilepsy sometimes the spirits there exploded rush into the beginnings of the other Nerves and there stir up the like explosions wherefore hysterical people towards the end of the fit often Laugh or weep or talk Idly sometimes the parts of the face and mouth yea sometimes the arms and other members are troubled with convulsive motions and so when at length all the spirits which had contracted an heterogeneous Copula are exploded the fit ends but presently after matter for another fit begins to be gathered together From whence the diversity of the symptoms happens It sometimes happens that the convusive disposition is not drawn out so long and largely for besides that oftentimes the nerves only of the wandring pair and the intercostalls are troubled with it that neither the brain nor the outward members are at all molested yea sometime neither the interior nerves themselves are possessed with the morbific cause thorow their whole processes for the convulsive Disposition as we but now intimated oftentimes arrives not beyond the enfoldings of the spleen or stomack and then the fit beginning from the inflation of the ventricle or left hypochondrium is thought to arise not from the fault of the womb but of the spleen which kinde of distemper by and by being brought to the Thorax and there involving the Diaphragma and Lungs with a Convulsion stops respiration and the motion of the heart or in some manner perverts it but then from thence the fit passes over now with and now without a great perturbation of the Head These things happen indeed after a various manner according as it happens that the morbific matter or explosive Copula descending from the head is gathered together as it were heaps of gun-powder more or less now in this now in that part But concerning which matter by what means the same being brought forth in the head first affects the beginnings of the nerves and so constitutes the procatartick or more remote Cause of the passion called Hysterical now remains next to be inquired into The more remote Cause of
the diseaâ—e suâ—… either nephâ—… begâ—…ings of the Nerves As to the morbific matter or explosive Copula which cleaving to the spirits flowing within the head and with them derived into the nervous passages is often the cause of the distempers commonly termed of the Womb we say that this as in other kinds of Convulsions is the heterogeneous particles poured forth from the blood which yet are wont to be affixed to the spirits flowing into the beginnings of the nerves cheifly for two causes to wit either by the fault of the spirits themselves or by the force of the matter it self instances of either kinde are ordinarily met with It sometimes happens that the animal spirits planted within the brain and in the passage leading from it to the praecordia are very much disturbed by a sudden passion as of fear anger sadness c. And forced into disorders and that by that means they being driven out of their orders do acquire to themselves heterogeneous particles whereever met with and combine with these that by and by for that reason they acquire an explosive disposition as we have already declared Further in the second place sometimes the morbific matter it self being made more fierce and strong in spite of the succour of the animal Aeconomie or rule is poured forth into the brain and its appendix from the bloody mass which cleaving fast to the spirits presently disposes them into explosions This is ordinarily discerned in the evil crises of feavours also in some malignant distempers also in Scorbutic and other Chronical diseases ill cured An ill or weak constitution of the brain or nervous stock whether it be hereditarie or acquired by reason of an ill manner of living very much cherishes these causes For in bodies so disposed both the animal spirits from every light occasion are moved in Confusion and the passages of the brain and nervous System more easily lye open for the running in of the heterogeneous and explosive matter In truth for this reason women are more obnoxious to convulsive distempers than men and some women then others as we will shew more largely hereafter But altho these kinde of passions of women called hysterical most often proceed from the fault of the head or from the morbific cause arising within the Encephalon yet sometimes such distempers are stirred up Or near the womb or other Inwards by reason of a Cause beginning somewhere else viz. Now in the womb now in the other Bowells and of this Convulsive Pathologie there are chiefly two heads viz. 1st Sometimes it happens that a Tumour or an ulcer This last happens after a twofold manner or a congestion of sharp humours arises in the membranous parts about the womb or planted about the other Viscera and often irritates the parts so distemper'd by reason of the breaking of the union into painfull Convulsions then forasmuch as the animal spirits placed round about and those inflowing Either by reason of the dissolution of the union are moved into frequent disorders they at length getting to themseves heterogeneous particles sent either from the distemper'd part or from some other place are disposed to convulsive assaults and when first of all the convulsive motions happen only in the neighbourhood of the affected place to wit that the bulk ascending in the lower part of the belly or its swelling up be only perceived afterwards they are propagated by the passage of the nervous bodies and by the consent of the convulsion there begun leasurely into the other viscera of the lower belly then to the praecordia and lastly into the head it self and the distemper being thus by little and little delated to the spirits inhabiting the brain they moreover having gotten in their proper Sphear an heterogeneous Copula retort the same back to the viscera and so the morbific cause being made reciprocall is begun at either end of the nervous Trunk Some time past I have seen a noble virgin in whom a small Tumour arising with most cruel pain below the Os pubis did stir up huge Convulsions first in the lower belly and afterwards ascending to the Praecordia and head were at length stretch'd to the outward members for once or twice in a day after that great pains did torment her in the affected part the abdomen and by and by the hypochondria were wont to be lifted up then difficulty of breathing on an Insensibility succeeded and presently the distemper being brought outwardly most horrid Convulsions and Contractions of the members and Limbs followed Sometimes it also happens that convulsive symptoms are induced in Child-bearing women by reason of some hurt or evill brought to the womb Harvie Relates that wonderfull convulsions were caused by the injection of some sharp thing into the womb So sometimes tho rarely it happens that a morbific matter or explosive Copula is fixed to the spirits dwelling about the extremities of the nerves and near the womb immediately from the place there affected and without fault of the brain There yet remains another case or manner of affecting 2. Or by reason of an obstruction of the Nervous juice by which the convulsive disposition is produced from the fault or the parts lodg'd at a great distance from the brain tho in the mean time the taint which is the cause of this distemper is often mediately communicated to the brain it self to wit when at any time the nervous juice is hindred somewhere in its motion or circulation from thence stagnating in the nervous parts and loading them does often bring in a convulsive disposition So when some usual Evacuation whereby the superfluities of the nervous Liquor were wont to be sifted forth is stopp'd as from Issues suddenly shut up or old ulcers dryed up without a purge many fall into convulsive distempers Yea it may obtain here some place what is wont commonly to be noted for a cause of the hysterical passions in maids and widdows to wit the untimely restraint of the seminall humour which ought to be bestowed about the pleasure of Venus at least if they receive help from the state of a conjugal Life it therefore happens because the restagnations of the nervous humour which often fix a taint to the brain and nervous stock by this means are prevented Moreover the nervous juice flows back towards its beginning because its passage is somewhere shut up by a swelling or cancrous Tumour Lastly in this City a notable instance of this kinde of distemper hapned viz. A certain maid of 12. years of age had contracted an hernia or burstness hence by the order of her Mother she wore a truss ill fitted for a fortnight not without great pain and torment a little hard knot much pressing upon the glandulas of the Groin within this space when before she was perfectly well she began to complain of a giddiness and heavy dulness of her head and so a little after she felt convulsive and as it were hysterical distempers
frequently salling upon her rogether with it great swellings arose behinde her ears and in her neck of the same side to which she was never before obnoxious in all her life It is not to be doubted in this case but that from those Glandulas which are the Emunctuaries or sinks of the nervous Liquor being too much pressed together the superfluities of that humour wont to be sent away from thence by the Lymphatic vessells restagnating in the head brought forth those evills because the arising of the aforesaid symptoms so suddenly and manifestly followed upon the wearing of that Truss upon the Groin that even her Mother laid the cause of the Disease upon that occasion Besides also I have observed in others the recrements of the nervous humour being somewhere stopp'd in their Course restagnating towards the head have not only brought in convulsive symptoms but from thence the Kings Evill Objections against the aforesaid hypothesis answered So much for the formal Reason of the different original of the distemper called hysterical as also of the genuine Causes of its symptoms Out of which it seems to appear plainly that those passions do not depend always on the womb but much more often on the fault of the brain and of other parts of the nervous stock But many things are objected against these which according to the old opinion cast all the blame on the womb To wit it seems so to be done because the assault of this disease invades almost only women yea and women that are not well about their womb viz. Child-bearing women or such who have their courses stopt are chiefly obnoxious to it Besides it may be argued from things helpfull for it because a plaister worn upon the lower part of the belly also a strict girding of the belly and hypochondria by which the ascent of the womb may be hindred do not seldom drive away the fit just falling on them this also shews it that sweet things held to the nose brings on the fit and stinking things drive the same away it is said to happen quite contrary if the same things be laid to the belly or privy member That we may wipe off these objections we say first that the symptoms which seem hysterical do not only happen to women for we have shown already by the history brought by us that a certain man has been obnoxious to those kinde of fits with the ascention of a bulk in the bottom of the belly but that women are much more often troubled with those convulsive diseases than men two reasons may be shown viz. First for that their animal constitution is much weaker to wit they have the brain and nerves softer and of a less firm texture that they are not able to suffer any thing strongly or to resist every injury also the animal spirits in them being more prone to flight and distraction more easily admit an heterogeneous and explosive Copula from hence Women from any sudden terror or great sadness fall into mighty disorder of spirits when men from the same occasion are scarcely disturb'd at all Secondly women more readily receive the convulsive disposition because they gather a more plentifull heap of the morbific matter for that whilst they lead for the most part a sedentary Life the blood for want of ventilation becomes more impure besides in this sex it originally abounds with heterogeneous and fermentative particles wherefore it is convenient for it to be more often purged by the flux of their Courses by which notwithstanding not always what is extraneous and incongruous is wholly cast forth from the bloody Mass but that there remains that which being poured on the brain and its appendix as occasion is given becomes the cause of the convulsive distemper Moreover when the menstrual flux being stop'd a convulsive disposition is occasioned it is not therefore to be thought that such a distemper is rais'd up from the womb but that the bloody mass being more than usually imbued with heterogeneous particles carries them together with the nervous juice to the head yea chiefly for this reason also child-bearing women are found obnoxious to the passions as it were hysterical for besides that the membranes of the womb being hurt a convulsion there begun by reason of the felt trouble creeps upwards and is at last communicated to the head it most often happens that the blood being infected by the termes being retained grows hot with a feavourish burning and then instead of a crisis the malignant infection is carried to the brain from whence convulsive and not seldom soporiferous or sleepy distempers are excited But that it is argued that this disease seems to be hysterical because Remedies applyed about the abdomen often bring help it will be easy to shew that the morbific cause planted in the mesentery oftner than in the womb is sometimes either taken away by that means or restrained from its Influence besides the same kinde of applications about the hypogastrium are no less profitable altho the original of the distemper be derived from the head it self for we have shewn before that when the heterogeneous and explosive matter descending from the head brings a convulsive disposition to the spirits disposed within the whole processes of the interior nerves the convulsive motions therefore excited begin from the extremities of the nerves and so creep upwards towards their beginnings so that first of all the viscera of the lower belly then the praecordia and lastly the brain it self are affected but if the outmost spirits viz. those dwelling in the enfoldings of the mesentery be restrained from entring into explosions all the rest in the remaining nervous passage continue in their orders and this plaisters worn upon the navel do often effect for they repress and compel into order with their odour the spirits from leaping forth yea also not seldom they shake off and drive away the Copula cleaving to them wherefore when the explosions there about to be made are restrained the convulsive fit is wholly prevented which yet is more apparent for that if the Convulsion begun in the lower belly and from thence ascending like a Globe be presently suppressed and by a strong binding together of those parts it be hindred that it creep not upwards oftentimes the convulsive passion is broken off the praecordia and the brain being untouch'd wherefore it is a common custome for sick women to binde strictly the Epigastrium with swaths or rolers and so to stop the progress of the symptoms towards the upper parts For when the animal spirits enter into Convulsions successively as it were a fiery enkindling where-ever the tinder or cherishing matter is cut off or intercepted the distemper is there restrained As to the various effects of odors to wit that sweet things bring on the fit but stinking things drive the same away it may be said that the former do loosen the animal spirits by pleasing them and too much release them from their
wonted tasks of Influence and so provoke them ready to be exploded in such disorders yea and as a flame put to them do somewhat inkindle them but on the contrary stinking things repress the spirits drive them back from excursions and exorbitances and compell them into order yea like sulphur mixt with aurum fulminans take away from them their explosive force What we have hitherto said of the passions called from the womb hysterical will yet more clearly appear if for the Confirmation of our Hypothesis we shall add arguments taken from anatomical observations I will therefore lay before you a notable Case by which the former reason and Causes of the convulsive distempers may be very much illustrated A very noble Lady of a most curious shape Observations and highly indued with a virtuous disposition of minde and manners of late lived near to this place who being for many years obnoxious to convulsive distempers for that she had originally or hereditarily contracted this sickly disposition and had experienc'd the fruits of this morbid seed almost every lustre of her age but chiefly as often as she was with child for she very frequently miscarried was wont to be tormented above measure with convulsive passions as it were hysterical because presently after the restraint of her monthly flowers the heterogeneous particles being translated to the brain and nervous stock caused fits of this most cruell distemper After she had newly conceived in the first months according to her old custom she was presently molested with convulsive distempers about the nineth week of her big belly from taking cold she fell into a dangerous feavour in which very acute pains tormenting her in her loyns and bottom of her belly for many days seem'd to threaten an abortion but these pains as the event shew'd rather to be termed Colical proceeded from a sharp humour falling down into those parts from the brain by the pipes of the nerves for towards the declining of the feavour this matter being somewhere else translated a great loosness or Diarrhaea pains of the feet and as it were an ulcerous disposition succeeded As soon as this Lady became well from her feavour and those pains the convulsive distempers returned for every morning wakeing from sleep she was wont to suffer Convulsions and cruel contractions about the parts of her face and mouth as also in her armes and thighs which symptoms without doubt did arise from a serous heap or gathering laid up in the head about the beginnings of the nerves and by them imbibed together with the nervous juice more deeply in sleep and when afterwards the same matter was carried by the pipe of the interior nerves into the foldings of the Mesentery and loyns most cruel pains of those parts and also fits as it were hysterical did most grievously infect her But these convulsive motions of her face and members after a little time ceased but yet she still remained weak and without strength with a pale countenance an infirm and trembling gate and desirous only of congruous food and hot Liquors about the end of the third month at which time she was wont continually to miscarry her menstrua broke forth which coming away for two or three days together with little pieces of broken membranes she expected to miscarry But that flux ceasing pains as it were of one in labour in her abdomen and loyns as before arose and for the space of a week tormented her day and night at length having used a bath of Emollient herbs and afterwards put to bed to sweat she brought forth the burthen of her womb the conception so coming away with mighty pain was about the bigness and like the figure of a Turkie egg the exterior coat of it was torn and broken the interior remaining whole contained about half a pint of clear water and nothing else besides there appeared no shape of a childe or any rudiments that it would ever be one Afterwards for 4. or 5. days her flowers flowed forth with some pieces of broken membrances in the mean time pains with their wonted fierceness tormented her and when the space of a week being elapsed they left not off of themselves remedies at length were sought to allay them To this end first Liniments Fomentations Baths and Clysters were often administred also medicines purging the filth of the womb on which the cause of all the evill was cast were taken inwardly Short intermissions of her tortures followed upon the use of the former but then the distemper returned with great trouble yea the disease much increasing in three weeks time got many other horrid symptoms for besides the pains in her belly and loyns which became more cruel every day also she was shortly after tormented in her back neck shoulders as also in her arms and thighs with most cruell pain and that more bitterly as soon as she was warm in her bed besides she was afflicted with a frequent giddiness vomiting and nauseousness and often in a day with most grievous convulsive fits viz. First a bulk was seen to ascend in the bottom of her belly and presently it lifted up her whole belly forceably by and by respiration being restrained an Insensibility with a dead countenance succeeded after that she had thus lain as one dead for three or four minuts of an hour she was wont suddenly to leap up that she could hardly be held down or kept by those standing by then follow'd cruell contractions and distortions in all the parts of the mouth and face as also in all the members of the body These symptoms were indeed judg'd to be hysterical because this noble Lady so lately had miscarried But weighing every one of these I was at last of this opinion that the cause of either fit viz. Both the dolorifick and the convulsive did depend wholly on the evill affection of the brain and nervous stock and that without any fault of the womb for that a sharp humour being heaped up within the head did from thence descend thorow the passages of the Nerves into parts at a great distance which lodging upon the membranes and fibres and fermenting with the humour flowing in from the bloody mass did irritate them very much and so stir'd up most cruel pains Then afterwards when the heterogeneous and explosive particles being admitted with what humour within the head and entring into the nervous passages did cleave to the spirits therefore the convulsive disposition then breaking forth into grievous fits was induced as shall be by and by more largely laid open Instituting Curatory Intentions according to this kinde of Aetiology I order'd to have blood taken from this sick Lady at what time she most grievously laboured out of the Saphena vein and within two days to be given her a gentle Cathartick and that to be reiterated once or twice in a week Also on other days Morning and Evening I gave her spirits of Harts-horn and at other hours twice or thrice in
a day of the powder of Pearls and Crabs-eyes with a dose of the following Julap Take of the water of Snails and of worms magisterial each â„¥ iii. of Saxifrage and black cherries each â„¥ iiii of hysterical water â„¥ ii of the syrrop of Corralls â„¥ i ss of the tincture of CostorÊ’ i. mingle them The bath of sweet herbs was frequently used when necessity urged she took Opiats always with good success Vesicatories were applyed to the inward part of either thigh also to the hinder part of her neck also Fomentations Oyntments Clysters Cuping-glasses Sneezing-powders with many other manner of administrations were prescribed according to the exigences of the symptoms By this method observed for about 14. days the noble Lady having received very much ease was wholly rid of her convulsive fits Yea the torments of her Bowells and members and the other symptoms being very much lessen'd she hoped quickly to recover her health But after this partly by reason of an ill order of dyet which the sick Lady always indulg'd her self in or taking little but chiefly by reason of a sudden passion of fear and sadness which an unluckie accident hapning within her own house had caused she fell into a relaps by and by the disease growing into a much worse Condition for both the Convulsions and pains did infest her more bitterly yea and her stomach being almost tyred out with continual vomiting would not admit either of food or medicines She took Asses milk for some days with some success which notwithstanding for as much as breeding Choller in her stomach she found it troublesome she shortly omitted at length in spite of all Remedies prescribed carefully by the Consultation of many Physitians my noble patient from day to day grew worse and by degrees death approached Two days before her death the torments of her belly and loyns very much abated and she became more than usually chearfull and conceived some hope of Recovery But in the mean time she complained of a pain and great heavyness in her head and about the beginning of the night she selpt foundly but being awakened she fell into a very horrid convulsive fit which presently pass'd into a quick deadly Apoplexie for being made insensible and speechless she left this life within twelve hours When various judgments had passed about the cause of the sickness The rational account of the disease taken from anatomical Observations of which this illustrious Lady dyed most flinging all the evills on the distemper of the womb others on an Ulcer or Imposthum which they suspected lay hid somewhere about the viscera of the abdomen it pleased her friends that her dead Carcase kept long opened for the Funeral should be dilligently inspected and so the genuine Causes of the disease and her death might be investigated which task being left to my care I executed with all the dilligence I was able Therefore in the first place it was worth observation about the habit of the body that the members and lower parts nigh and beyond the seats of the pains were very much wasted as her thighs quite worn away appeared like a Skelliton In the mean time her face neck and arms remained full and plump enough from whence it appears that the nervous Liquor does help no less to the business of nourishment than to the exercise of the animal faculty wherefore when that Liquor being much hindred in its passage the loyns and belly taken up with the continual Convulsions did not descend with a due influx to the inferior parts they for that reason became presently both without strength and lean and wasted This kinde of Atrophie differs in this from other hectical wasting which happens from the vice of the blood because in this latter an hippocratick or wanish face is the chief signe of the Disease in that first mention'd the countenance and aspect show little or nothing of evill The dead body of this noble Lady tho very lean and that her bowells were all the emptied yet quickly putrified for within 40. hours all the skin was discolour'd and appeared in this part livid in that green and in others blackish and her Corps so suddenly putryfying yielded a most horrid smell the reason of which without doubt was that by reason the muscles were exercised with perpetuall Convulsions the principles of their mixture were so much loosned that they being in a readiness for dissolution quickly after death fell asunder one from another after the like manner as we may observe of the flesh of wilde beasts which being tyred with a long course or beaten to death with Clubs for this much sooner putrifies then the flesh of those which are kill'd quickly and peaceably Her belly being opened the Intestines and ventricle appeared whole enough viz. Intire and well colour'd but they were emptie and as it were blown up for as much as they were troubled almost with perpetual evacuations viz. Those placed above or below in all this Cavity no foot steps of an Ulcer or Imposthum were perceived Whilst we were searching the cause of the disease and rolling the Inwards here and there there was something met within the mesentery worthy notice to wit about its middle where it is fixed to the back and contained the greater folds of the nerves a substance somewhat loose and inflated as it were with many little bladders equalling an hands breadth was seen after that manner as when in a shoulder of Veal the inter-space of the muscles are blown up by the Butchers that those parts might swell up and seem fuller and fatter In this place of the mesentery because it was more tumid and softer we thought some humour the cause of the pain to lodg there but opening it I found only the membranes to have been loosned one from another and to conclude nothing but winde within its inter-spaces which seperation of the membranes and devulsion one from another was without doubt induced by the frequent Convulsions or explosions of the spirits which within the enfoldings and nervous fibres there thickly planted were almost continually provoked and those Convulsions hapned by reason of the heterogeneous and explosive particles being derived thither from the head by the pipe of the Nerves But as to those torments of the belly and as it were an ascent of a bulk or substance in the convulsive distempers and the inflation of the Abdomen it is not to be doubted but that the seat of the morbific cause did lye hid in that part of the mesentery but because so much suspition was had of the womb being chiefly affected we did next inquire how much this Inward deserv'd it Therefore having dilligently searched the tunnell placed within the Os pubis I found the womb in its due place and as to all parts sound and well furnished its body was drawn to its just proportion altho it was but 5. weeks since she had miscarried viz. It was like a small pear in figure and magnitude the
Glandulas on either side of the bottom of it which are called the testicles appeared very small and flaggy without any superfluous or virulent humour contained in them the body of the womb whereever it was dissected equal'd a thumbs breadth in thickness its inward Cavity was no bigger than what would hold a bean within this hollowness as use to be in the Caverns of other Inwards was included a mucous or dreggy matter in a very small quantity but in truth about the womb or its appendix there was nothing to which might be imputed as a morbific cause of the symptoms but now described from whence therefore it may be demonstratively concluded as I at first thought that the passions termed from the womb hysterical are most often excited from some other cause than the fault of the womb The Intestines being removed we found also the reins sound enough but one of them was of an unusual figure viz. It was cleft into many lobes like the Kidney of a Calf The Milt Pancreas and Caul without fault the ventricle was much blown up and its inward Coat was plain without folds or wrincles which certainly hapned by reason of its frequent Vomiting this Inward being almost continually troubled with Convulsions Besides for this reason the tone of the stomach being broken it did neither rightly desire or concoct the food or aliment The Liver very much differ'd from a sound constitution for it was tumid and somewhat hard of a pail colour like rotten wood wholly dry and without blood and this without doubt the frequent use of Cordiall and highly hot liquors had effected The Lungs were of a blewish colour and every where obstructed and stuff'd with a stinking and frothy matter Certainly this Inward and the Liver had been vitiated of a long time wherefore as the blood being degenerate and very much depraved of a long time from its right temper had yielded the first seeds of this sickness so also it afforded a constant cherishment of it But indeed we sought and that not in vain for the chief and as it were originall cause of the disease in the head therefore the skull being taken off the vessells of the Meningae and those creeping about the brain appeared full and distended with blood when in the rest of the body scarce any blood had flowed forth in the cutting of it the thicker meninge being removed thorow the other thin and pellucid one was discerned a clear water filling the enfoldings and crevices of the brain and as it were overflowing its whole substance In truth the serous heap of waters had filled full all the Cavities and inward places of the brain the enfoldings of the choroides or net-like membranes of the brain being a long while immersed in water and as it were boyled were become discolour'd and half rotten nigh to the beginning of the Splanchnick nerves or belonging to the Spleen the water insinuating it self very much had separated the pia mater from the trunk of the oblong marrow or pith for two fingers breadth without doubt the morbific matter descending from the head by the passage of these nerves into the enfolding of the mesentery was the cause of the pains and Convulsions Further the same matter also afflicting the heads of other nerves and paffing thorow their pipes produced afterwards these most cruel distempers in other parts to wit almost every where of the whole body As to the Cure or means of healing used in the passions commonly called Hysterical forasmuch as the symptoms of this disease are very much convulsive The Method of Curlng the hysterical distempers therefore it is fit that anti-spasmodic or anti-convulsive Remedies such as were before described should be chiefly indicated but when these distempers most often happen to the female sex in whom for the most part the menstrual flux and other accidents of the womb do challenge a part in the morbific cause therefore medicines respecting the various dispositions of the womb are to be added to the former and many ways to be compounded with them The Therapeutic or Curatory Indications are either Curatory to be administer'd in the fit or preservatory which are instituted out of the fit that take away the cause of the disease and prevent its comings or accessions 1. As to the first if the fit is wont to be light and without other perturbation of the spirits it may be permitted to pass away of it self Curatory but if it being more heavily troublesome there will be need to bring some help to nature much oppressed this only thing is to be done that the spirits being freed from the Embraces of an heterogeneous Copula they may remit their inordinations and explosions for this purpose it is grown into use to put to the nose stinking and ill smelling things the scents of which compell and repress the too fierce spirits ready to leap forth into their orders and also shake off from them the heterogeneous Copula and often drive it quite away Asafaetida Castor Galbanum being put into fine Linnen and applyed to the nostrills are convenient also burning of Partridg feathers old skins and sulphur Besides the spirits and oyl of sut or of Harts-horn do not seldome help yet I have known these kinde of fumigations being very troublesome to some women to increase the fit it is probable that the same sometimes may too much irritate the spirits and drive them into greater disorders and as stinking things put to the nose so the like poured into the mouth do often bring help wherefore we give often with good success to hysterical people Tinctures of Castor Solutions of Assafaetida and Galbanum spirits of Harts-horn and Sut with proper waters Take of the spirits of Harts-horn from 12. to 15. and 20. drops let them be taken in a little draught of the following Julap Take of the waters of penny Royall and mugwort each ℥ iii. of the water of Briony compound ℥ ii of Castor tyed in a knot and hung in the glass ʒ ss of the whitest sugar ℥ i. mix them Take of the Tincture of Castor ℈ i. to ʒ ss let it be taken ia a little draught of small beer Take of Assafaetida and Galbanumʒ ii let it be dissolved in spirit of wine to the extraction of a red tincture The dose ℈ i. in two or three spoonfulls of featherfew water Riverius very much crys up that of Solenander Take of musk and of dragons-blood each ℈ i. take more or less of it in water of Lillies of the Valley ℥ iii. or iiii John Anglicus commends parsnip-seeds or the seeds of Penny-royal in wine or other proper Liquor as a most certain Remedy If the fit persisting a long time should cause want of speech or motion the more sharp Clysters as of bryony-Roots and Carminatives boyled in water are to be administred and frictions of the thighs and feet are to be order'd and if they shall yet grow stronger Cupping-glasses are to be applied to
the belly and groin yea also let them be often provoked to sneezing it is convenient to give some in the middle of the fit a draught of simple cold water or in which Champhir had been dissolved Preservatory 2. The preservatory Indication comprehends these three Intentions viz. In the first place to take away or to derive to some other place the impurities of the blood apt to be poured forth on the brain and nervous stock Secondly to fortifie the brain and so to strengthen the indwelling spirits that they may either not at all receive or may easily shake off the heterogeneous Copula Thirdly to amend whatsoever is enormous in the womb and contributes to the convulsive disposition 1. The first Intention is performed by purging and phlebotomy and other common ways of purifying and purging the blood and humours If there be opportunity for an emetic I judge it best allways to begin with it especially in Cacochymicks or bodies full of evill humors in the longing disease and Pica and in such whose great load of viscous phlegm stuffed within the folds and coats of the ventricle hinders the virtues of other medicines The next day after the Vomit unless any thing bids the contrary let blood be taken in women of a hotter temper presently from the Arm and afterwards if need be from the foot or from the sedal veins with Leeches but in bodies troubled with obstructions and less hot let blood be taken more sparingly and more rarely and only in places scituate below the womb After these Evacuations if they are to be ordered rightly performed once within six or seven days a purge is to be prescribed according to the following forms Take of pill-fetida major Ê’ i ss of the resine of Julap xii grains of Tartar Vitriolat and Castor each ℈ i. of ammoniac dissolved in hysterical water what will suffice to make xii pills for iii. doses Or take of the resine of Jalap gr xviii of CalomelausÊ’ i. of Castor ℈ i. make a powder let it be divided into iii. parts for iii. doses let it be given in the pap of a roasted apple or in Conserves of Borage so those induced with a more hot temperament a dose of extract or our solutive syrrop may conveniently be administred for the revulsion of the morbific matter from the head Issues made in the calf of the leg or thigh and sometimes vesicatories legatures and painfull rubbings are wont to be administred But not only a purging of the blood and a revulsion of its recrements from the head but an alteration of its Liquor and reduction of it to its due temperament have here a place Wherefore in some hysterical people steel Medicines help in others the use of Spaw-waters or whay in others the baths are wont to be signally profitable The second Intention to wit the rectification of the brain and animal spirits is performed with Cephalic and properly anti-convulsive medicines which indeed ate to be diligently exhibited almost every day when they do not purge or bleed since there are various species of such like Remedies and several manners of administrations we will here add some of the more choice forms Take of the Lees of bryony Assa fetida Castor each Ê’ i. of the Salt of Coral Amber Tin each Ê’ ss of Galbanum dissolved in hysterical water what will suffice to make a Mass dose half a scruple to ℈ i. morning and evening drinking after it a dose of proper liquors Or Take of the seeds of Wilde-parsnips of nettles each Ê’ ii of vitriol of SteelÊ’ i. of the extract of Gentium featherfew each Ê’ i ss with what will suffice of the syrrop of Mugwort make a mass let half a dram be taken after the same manner If the form of a powder pleases better Take of the Roots of Virginian snakeweed and Contrayerva each Ê’ i ss of Coral prepared of Pearls of white-Amber each Ê’ i. mingle them make a powder Dose ℈ i. to half a dram morning and evening with an appropriat Liquor Opiats are Composed after this manner Take of the Conserves of the flowers of the Lilly Convallis of the male-paeony of betony each â„¥ ii of the seeds of Paeony of red Coral prepared each Ê’ ii of the powder of Cretic DittanyÊ’ i ss of the salt of wormwoodÊ’ ii with what will suffice of the syrrop of the rinds of Citrons make an Electuary The dose morning and evening the quantity of a nutmeg After the same manner may be given to poor people Conserves of the Tree of Life or of the leaves of Rue twice in a day The Liquors appropriat against the hysterical affections and to be drunk after the aforesaid Medicines are either distilled waters which are to be taken by themselves or with other things in form of a Julap or decoctions or tinctures and Infusions Take of the water of Mugwort and of penny Royal each half a pint of histerical water â„¥ iiii of the Tincture of Castor â„¥ ss of the Syrrop of Coralls â„¥ i ss mix them The dose from â„¥ i to â„¥ i ss with any of the medicines afore described Take of the leaves of Penneroyall of Fetherfew of either Southernwood of Calaminth of Nep and of either Horehound each i handfull of the Roots of Bryonie â„¥ iiii of the seeds of Parsnips â„¥ ii cut and brused put them into white-wine or Cider six pints and so distill them according to art Take of the Root of the male Peony Angelica Valerian each â„¥ ss of the leaves of mugwort ground Pine Calaminth Peneroyal and Missletow of the Oak each i handfull of the Seeds of either wilde Parsneps eacâ—Ê’ iii of Raifins i. handfull let them be boyled in 4 pints of Spring-water to the half add to it of white-wine lib i ss strain it and keep it in close vessells The dose â„¥ iii or 4 twice in a day Take of the wild-Parsnep Seeds brused â„¥ ii of Castor â„¥ i let them be put into a Glass with i quart of white wine The dose â„¥ ii twice in a day 3. As to the third Intention which inhibiting the disorders of the womb doth promote the cure of the passion called hysterical I say first of all what in times past was believed concerning the Cause and scope of curing the disease that the womb did ascend therefore that it ought to be reduced into its right place is altogether fictitious as we have elsewhere shown The falling down of the womb or its coming forth oftentimes happens but rarely or never produces the hysterical Distempers Besides the dislocation of the womb in childbearing Women sometimes happens presently after their bringing forth to wit when the body of the womb being made Capacious and newly emptied doth not sink down or fall within the Tunnel in its right place but upwards inclines now to the right side now to the left and there being drawn together like a purse is folded into a great bulk which kinde of bulk remaining long nigh
where there is a predominancy of adust Sulphur and in wandring effervescencies in scorbutical and unequall heats both of the blood and nervous stock by it self or mixed with other medicines as an enforcement but yet in more tender Constitutions 't is dangerous lest the tone and fibres of the ventricle should be hurt by its acrimony and too great constriction or astringency 6. In the last place follows the astringent Crocus Martis or the Crocus of Steel prepared by fire through a long Calcination viz. The filings the off-scourings or thin plates of Iron should be so placed in a reverberating fornace that they may be continually heated by a most strong flame The filing being thus exposed to the naked fire first of all it grows reddish and runs together into little hard round balls but after 3. or 4. days swelling up suddenly into an higher heap it becomes extream light impalpable and of a most curious purple Colour In this preparation the Sulphureous and saline particles whilst by the force of the fire they begin to come away from the concreet do mutually take hold one of another and so being combined together grow into little balls but afterwards those particles both Saline and Sulphureous being wholly profligated and fiery particles succeeding in their place the whole mass swelling up into a bulk and made as it were spungie becomes most light A Medicine thus prepared in some Cases is of most excellent use and second to none of the Chalybeats to wit almost in all extravasations or too great eruptions of the Serum and blood as in outward haemorrhages or in inward bleedings in the Diarrhaea the Diabatis and in a vehement Catarrh also I have known no remedy better than this in the Ascitis or in the beginning of a Dropsie and this also I have heard to be highly approved of lately by a most famous and expert Physitian of our own Country Concerning which medicine notwithstanding since it is wholly destitute both of Saline and sulphureous Particles and consists almost only of earthly and fiery particles it is very ambiguous by what faculty it operates and produces so praise-worthy an effect in man's body for there seems to be in this left no more Caput mortuum or dead head or terra damnata then in vitriol or in any of the other mettalls distilled be a most intense fire As to this if I may Conjecture it seems first that to this preparation some Activity is due whereby it exerts it self and unfolds its virtues either by shutting up obstructions or by binding together the Vessells or nervous fibres of the Viscera from the fiery particles shut up in the most fixed earth and from them breaking forth within the body But the chiefest reason of helping consists in this that the earthy particles the Saline by which they were strickly held being wholly gone desire greedily to be reunited to them or such like Wherefore this Crocus martis being immersed in our Bodies snatches to it self whatsoever Salts it meets with and intimately binds them and so while it sucks up like a sponge very many saline particles it takes away many enormities arising chiefly from the flux of the Salts By this means Burnt harts-horn Spodium and Antimony Diaphoretic when they bring help exert or put forth their virtues CHAPTER XII Of the Convulsive Cough and Asthma An example of a Cough meerly Convulsive THe history before related doth clearly manifest that sometimes a Cough may be caused without any great fault of the Lungs by reason of the sliding down of the morbific matter upon the pneumonick nerves or those belonging to respiration to wit where it was shown in the Case of the noble Virgin labouring with Convulsive fits and also with a grievous and continual giddiness that when by the prescript of the Physitian a fomentation of Cephalic Decoction was applyed to her head presently the Giddiness ceas'd and in its place follow'd a great Cough without any Spitting but night and day almost perpetually troubling her which without doubt hapned by reason of the Convulsive matter being driven from the brain into the beginnings of the nerves This kinde of example of a Cough meerly Convulsive more rarely happens in persons of ripe years as the like distemper I have not often seen But in children 't is usual This distemper frequent enough in children also sometimes I have known it in Men for a cough to arise from a serous Colluvies overflowing the Lungs which when at first it was Simple and moderate afterwards it became vehement and Convulsive so that in Coughing the Diaphragma being drawn upwards and held in a long Systole or frequently repeated the Lungs being greatly straitned were much hindred in their motion In the mean time by reason of the breathing being hindred and the blood being restrained within the Praecordia and for that cause stagnating in other places the sick were in danger of being choaked and often acquired a livid or dead countenance But in this Case besides the Convulsions raised up about the Praecordia by the force of Coughing the Ventricle also being often brought Into a consent cast forth by vomit whatever it contained in its bosom yea and I know in some tender ones after this manner affected the Disease wandring from thence into other parts did raise up Convulsive motions in the Face eyes and limbs and at length became deadly This kinde of Convulsive Cough is very frequent among children and some years lays hold on so many that it seems to be plainly Epidemical when it roots it self it is very difficult to be cured by Remedies yea often being long protracted it is hardly otherwise to be cured but by the state of the year being changed If the causes of the aforesaid Case be inquired into it will be so plain The reason of it to refer the procatartic or more remote cause to the redundancy of the Serous humour in the bloody mass and in some sort in the whole body a portion of which matter dropping forth from the little mouths of the Arteries on the Lungs creates the ordinary Cough afterwards when the serous Colluvies or heap of waters yet exuberateing in the Blood and stuffed with Convulsive particles is also heaped up within the head the same entring the pneumonic nerves increases the simple into a Convulsive Cough For when those nerves being irritated first about their extremities are exercised above measure for that reason they more easily imbibe the Convulsive matter laid up nigh their beginnings and so when at length they are driven into irregular motions in two places to wit in the head and at the tale and that for two distinct causes viz. from the irritation of the Spirits and from their explosion it is no wonder if the Cough at first Common being afterwards brought into this evill state becomes so cruel and Convulsive Moreover when it sometimes happens that the same matter heaped up in the head does enter some other nerve
sorts of Convulsions in Children 30 Of Convulsive Diseases in those of ripe age 31 Three kinds of such Convulsions ibid. Histories of such Convulsions 33 34 35 36. How the Convulsive matter flows into the Nerves 32 Why Convulsions proceed from the extremities of the Nerves 38 Why the blood is soon congealed in Convulsive distempers 39 How to cure Convulsions in Men and Women 39 40 Of Convulsions from the extremities of the Nerves and the nervous infoldings 41 42. Reasons of such Convulsions so coming 42 Histories of such Convulsions 42 43 44 45. Of Convulsions arising from the nervous liquor 46 Three kinds of causes of universal Convulsions ibid. Of Convulsions arising from poysons and sorcery ibid. Of Convulsions caused by the biting of a mad Dog 46 47. Of Convulsions from the Tarentula 47 Of Convulsions coming by Witchcraft 48 The reason of them ibid. What Convulsions argue Witchcraft 49 Of universal Convulsions from Feavers ibid. And the reason of the symptoms ibid. A description of an epidemical Convulsive disease in Hassia 50 The reason of it ibid. Of universal Convulsions from the Scurvy 60 The kinds of such Convulsions 61 The nature of the broken Convulsion ibid. An History of it ibid The reason of the symptoms and cause of the disease 63 Why it grew worse by Baths 64 The nature and manner of continued Convulsive distempers 66 Histories of such ibid. The Cure of them 67 68 71 75. Of Convulsions from the Hypochondriacal distemper 90 Convulsive Diseases see Epilepsie Of Convulsive diseases of those of ripe age 31 Of an epidemical Convulsive disease in Hassia and the reason of it 50 The nature of a continual Convulsive disease 66 The cure of such Convulsive diseases 67 68 71. Of a Convulsive Cough see Cough Convulsive Matter how it flows into the Nerves 32 Convulsive Astmah see Astmah Copula Praeternatural a cause of Convulsions 4 The explosive spasmodic Copula not from the blood but from the brain 5 Cough Convulsive 102 An example of it ibid. It s Cure 106 Cramp Or Tetanon what 1 D. Diet To be prescribed in convulsive Feavers 59 Dog Convulsions from the biting of a mad Dog 46 E. Electuaries For the Epilepsie 23 For Convulsions in Men and Women 40 Elixirs For the Epilepsie 23 Emeticks See Vomits and Purges Emperical Remedies for the Epilepsie 23 Emulsion For a convulsive Feaver 59 Epilepsie Or Falling-sickness when made 7 The Epilepsie a chief kind of Convulsion 12 Its description and history of the disease 12 13. The seat of the disease 13 The difference of Authors about it 13 14. The primary subject of the disease 14 15. The Epilepsie affects the Nerves secondarily 15 The differences of the Epilepsie 16 The conjunct cause of the Epilepsie where only it consists ibid. Other differences of the Epilepsie 17 Why those troubled with the Epilepsie fall down with violence ibid. Why troubled with the foam at the mouth ibid. Why beat and knock their breasts 18 Prognostications of the disease ibid. How changed into other diseases ibid. Of the Curatory part of the Epilepsie 19 22 23. In what the virtue of specificks consists in their curing the Epilepsie 20 Histories of the Epilepsie 20 Explosion What is meant by it 2 F. Falling-sickness See Epilepsie Falling Down violently in the Epilepsie why 17 Feavers Of universal Convulsions from Feavers 49 A description of an Epidemical Feaver infesting the brain and nervous stock 1661. 51 Its cause and symptoms ibid. Why it chiefly invaded Women Children and phlegmatick persons 54 Why hardly cureable ibid. Filling And irritation causes of Convulsions 9 Foaming At the mouth in the Falling-sickness how it comes 17 G. Gassendus His opinion of the explosion of the animal spirits 3 H. Histories Of the Epilepsie 21 Of Convulsions in Men and Women 33 34 35 36. Of Convulsions arising from the extremities of the Nerves and nervous infoldings 42 43 44 45. Of some Epidemical Feavers 55 56. Of a rare Convulsive Feaver 59 60. Of a broken Convulsive distemper 61 Of a continued Convulsive distemper 66 67. 68 69 70 71 72. Of some troubled with Mother-fits 83 84. Of Hypochondriacks 95 96. Of Convulsive Astmahs 104 105 106. Hypochondriac Passions often proceed from Convulsions 33 Of the Hypochondriack distemper 90 A description of its affections ibid. This distemper belongs to the Nerves 91 The causes of it ibid. Dr. Heighmores opinion of it examined ibid. The Reasons of the Hypochondriacal symptoms 94 The influences of the Spleen thereupon ibid. The cure of this disease 97 Hysterical Passions often proceed from Convulsions 33 Of an Hysterical distemper in a Man 37 The reason of it 38 Of the Hysterical passion commonly called the fits of the Mother 76 A description of it 76 77. The causes of the symptoms 77 Dr. Heighmores opinion of it examined ibid. This distemper chiefly belongs to the brain and the nervous stock 78 The cause of it chiefly about the beginnings of the Nerves 79 And afterwards displayed through the whole ibid. The reason of its symptoms ibid. From whence the diversity of the symptoms happen 80 The more remote cause of this disease ibid. How the Womb is assected in the Histerical distemper 81 The Womb not always in fault in these fits 82 An account of this disease taken from some Anatomical observations 85 86. The cure of the Hysterical distemper 87 88. How to preserve one from it ibid. I. Infoldings Of the Nerves the seat of Convulsive matter 45 Intentions In curing the Hysterical passion 88 89. Irritation A cause of Convulsions 4 How the spirits are explosed by irritation and how it causes direct and refected Convulsions 9 The irritating cause distinguished ibid. How it affects the beginnings of the Nerves 10 How the extremities and middle parts ibid. Julaps For the Epilepsie 24 For Convulsions in Men and Women 40 For an Epidemical Convulsive Feaver 59 L. Liquor Of the Nerves a cause of Convulsions 46 Liquors To cure Convulsions in Children 30 Lungs Affected a cause of the Convulsive Astmah 103 M. Medicines Of steel see steel Medicines Method Of curing the Epilepsie 22 23. Of curing the Convulsions in Children 29 Of curing Convulsions in Men and Women 39 Of curing some Epidemical Feavers 57 58. When insensibleness or madness accompanies them 59 Of curing a continued Convulsive distemper 67 71 73 75 168. Of curing an Hysterical distemper 87 88. Of curing Hypochondriacal distempers 97 Of curing the Convulsive Cough 106 Of curing the Convulsive Astmah ibid. Minenges Not first affected in the Epilepsie 14 Mother Fits See Hysterical passion Mortifick Matter of Convulsions how disposed in the head 7 How sometimes carried from the brain into the Nerves ibid. When it causes the Epilepsie ibid. How it affects the spirits falling on the Nerves and how it causes continuals Convulsions and how by fits ibid. Motions How regular motion is made 1 Of Convulsive motions ibid. Of Convulsive motions in Children 25 Of Convulsive motions beginning from the extremities of
the Nerves 41 42. The difference of the motions of a Muscle 1 How the motion of a Muscle is made 2 Muscle Its motion see motions N. Nerves Sometimes Convulsive motions are received from the ends of the Nerves 6 How the morbific matter is thrust forth from the brain on the Nerves 7 The Nerves in Children and those of riper years differently by the morbific matter ibid. How the morbific matter falling on several parts of the Nerves affects the spirits 8 How the beginnings middle and ends of the Nerves are affected in Convulsions 9 10 11. The nervous System secondarily affected in the Epilepsie 15 Distempers arising from the origine of the Nerves distinguished 31 By what means the Convulsive matter flows into the Nerves 32 Wherefore Convulsions begin from the extremities of the Nerves 38 Of such Convulsive motions beginning from the exmities of the Nerves and within the nervous infoldings 41 42. The infoldings of the Nerves the seat of Convulsive matter 45 The Liquor of the Nerves causes Convulsions 46 The scorbutick disposition of the juice of the Nerves causes universal Convulsions 60 61. The cause of the Hysterical passion most commonly begins about the beginnings of the Nerves 79 The nervous juice obstructed a cause of the fits of the Mother 81 The Hypochondriacal distemper belongs to the Nerves 91 The Nerves sometimes the cause of the Convulsive Astmah 104 Nurses Of Infants how to be ordered to cure Children of Convulsions 29 O. Observations Worth noting in the Falling-sickness 21 In Convulsions in Men and Women 33 34 35 36. In Convulsions arising from the extremities of the Nerves and nervous infoldings 32 43 44 45. In some Epidemical Feavers 55 56. A rare observation 59 An observation of a broken Convulsive distemper 61 62. Observations on a continued Convulsive distemper 66 68 69 70 71. Observations on the fits of the Mother 83 84. Anatomical observations of the distemper of the Mother fits 85 86. Observations on Hypochondriacal persons 95 96. Observations on the Convulsive Astmah 104 105 106. Opinion Of Gassendus of the explosion of the animal spirits 3 Of Dr. Heighmore of the Hysterical passion 77 His opinion of the Hypocondriacal passion examined 91 Oyntments For the curing Convulsions in Children 29 P. Pills For the Epilepsie 23 For such as are troubled with Convulsions 41 Plasters For the Epilepsie 24 Powders For the Epilepsie 23 For Convulsions in Children 29 For Convulsions in Men and Women 40 Poyson Of Convulsions arising from poyson 46 Prognostications Of the Epilepsie 18 Purges For the Epilepsie 22 For Convulsions in Men and Women 39. R. Remedies Great for the Epilepsie 24 Remedies for a cold constitution troubled with Convulsions 40 For an hot constitution troubled with Convulsions ibid. Repletion And emptiness not the cause of Convulsions 3 S. Scurvy Of universal Convulsions arising frow the Scurvy 60 Sneizing Powders for the Epilepsie 24 Spasms See Convulsions How they differ from Convulsive motions 1 Specificks In what their virtue consists in the curing the Falling-sickness 20 Several Specificks for the Epilepsie 22 Specificks for curing Convulsions in Men and Women 40 Spirits For such as are of an hot constitution and troubled with Convulsions 41 Spirits The Animal spirits the instrumens of regular motions in the body 1 The explosion of the Spirits makes the motion of a Muscle 2 Gassendus his opinion of the explosion of the animal Spirits 3 How the Spirits are disturbed by the morbifick matter falling on the several parts of the Nerves 8 How the Spirits are exploded by reason of irritation ibid. The Spirits in the middle of the brain the primary subject of the Epilepsie 14 15. Spleen Its use 92 93 Its influences producing the Hypochondriacal symptoms 94 Steel Medicines and their preparations 99 100 101. T. Tablets For such as are troubled with Convulsions 41 Tarentula Of Convulsions arising from the biting of the Tarentula 47 Why Musick allays the poyson of the Tarentula 47 Teeth Breeding sometimes causes Convulsions in Children and why 27 28. How to cure such Convulsions coming of Teeth 30 Tenasmus What it is 11. Three kinds of it 12 Tetanon What it is 1 V. Vomits For the Epilepsie 22 For Convulsions in Men and Women 39 St. Vitus Dance described 48 The reason of it ibid. W. Waters Distilled for the Epilepsie 24 For Convulsions in Men and Women 40 41. Witchcraft A cause of universal Convulsions 48 How falsly imputed and how to know Convulsions coming of Witchcraft 49 Womb How affected in the fits of the Mother 81 Not always in fault in those fits 82 Worms A cause of Convulsions in Children 30 FINIS