either by reason of its weaknesse or the maliciousnesse of humors overcome the cause of the disease shews that nature no wayes strengthned or comforted by this meanes but rather hurt is ready to succumbe vnder the burden of the disease being stronger Canon XV. The pulse is the faithful messenger of the heart bringing certaine news of death and life The pulse great and strong is a token of force on the which is builded the hope of recoverie of the health but the pulse litle weake and languishing shews the weaknes of the vitall facultie from whence is the feare of death the inequality of the pulse is alwayes evill when it perseveres the intermission of it in young men is most dangerous for it threatneth with present death if it bee not from an obstruction and oppression of the arters it is lesse dangerous in bairnes and least of all in old men Canon XVI Yee must know that the respiration and breathing free without stoppe is very wholesome in all sharpe or quicke diseases Because it denotes the temperature of the breast and of the parts therein contained As also the respiration remainting whole declares the naturall heat yet to be strong for to fight valiantly with the disease in the contrar the difficultie of breathing showes the indisposition of the vitall parts and the suffocation of the forces For the respiration frequent and great is a signe of some inflamation of the parts within the breast but the great and rare foreshow a future alienation of the Spirit as the respiration little and rare betokens as death because it beares witnes of the exstinction of the naturall heat which one perceives clearly by the coldnes of the breath ishuing at the nostrells and the mouth Canon XVII It is a good signe to have still a whole heart for they that falls often in lypothimy or swowning without a manifest cause dies in end suddenly because of the debilitie of the vital faculty Canon XVIII The coction of the humor appearing in the excrements of the sicke signifies the crise to be shortly with an assurance of health But the crudity denotes either that there shall be no crise or that the patient is mightily troubled or that the disease shall be longer or afterward it shall returne or that death shall follow on it For as when the coction is made when nature is victorious of the causes of the disease so the contrar befalls when shee is overcome by them So the foecall mater beeing soft aequall and yellow and not having an evill smell is judged to be good because it is well digested Suchlyke the water of a mediocer consistence of colour some what yellow having grounds whyt vnited and aequall is reput singulare good because it beares witnes of the digestion of the humour vitious and consequently of the victorie of nature over it in the contrar the dejection liquid and waterie whyt and pale is reput evill because it is crude or raw as also the vrine waterie and small whyt and shyning out of measure is not good because it is raw and without digestion Canon XIX When the excrements of the sicke are not verie different from the excrements of the whole it showes the disease to be light but if there be a verie great difference yee must apprehend the disease to be deadly For the excrements much different showes nature to be overcome by the greatnes of the disease Therefore the foecall mater black livid green stinking are mortall because they are whole alienat from there naturall constitution and the water that is blacke and thicke and troubled as that of oxen are most evill because extreamly removed from the naturall The same mixed in colour foreshowes a long disease for they denote diverse indispositions caused of diverse humors and therefore it is necessar that nature imploy a long tyme to the coction having so many enemies to combat with The vrine in the which yee see grease swiming like Spider webs are thought evill because they declare a melting of the body by an extraordinar heat Canon XX. Sweats are good in all sharp or fierie diseases when they fal out on the critick days and causeth the fever wholly to cease they are good also when they make the disease more easie to the Patient providing they be vniversall But this which brings no ease and serves to no vse also these that are cold and appeares only about the head the face and neck are most evill for in a hot fyrie and quick fever they prognostick death and in a gentle the longnes of the disease a cold sweat rūning without ceasing in great aboundance is a marke of long disease because it comes of a great quantity of a grosse and cold mater which cannot easily bee dissipat neither dantoned by the naturall heat as a hote sweat wils a short disease being caused of a subtile mater which matter in short space will bee dissolved Canon XXI If the visage of the sick bee like to the countenance of whole persons it is a very excellent signe chiefly if it looke like it self being whole In the contrare it is a verie evill signe when it is different from the naturall and when it is hideous to behold as it is then when the nose is sharpe the eyes hollow the temples abaited the eares cold and drawne in the lap of the eare turned the skin of the face hard extended and dry the colour of the face pale or blacke livid or lead coloured For if this deformity do not proceed of a manifest cause as of lack of sleepe or meat or of a flux of the bellie without doubt it presages death to be near seing this great extenuation is made by the malignity of the disease Canon XXII Where there is perceived a change through the whole body so that it is now cold then hot sometime of one colour then of another it foretels a long disease For the indisposition diversly mixed are still longer then these that are of a fast forme or fashion for nature cannot danton moe at once Now the changing of qualities and humors demonstrats the disease to bee caused of diverse humors in the coction whereof nature hath need to imploy much time for according to the varietie of humors within there appeares varietie of colours without Canon XXIII It is a good signe to have the hypochondres that is the space vnder the short ribs on either side soft equall and without dolour but verie evill to haue them hard bended inequall and painefull for as the former shews the good temperature of the epigastrick muscells of the mesentary the liver the melt and the stomacke so the latter declares an intemperature to wit an inflammation a skirrh or wind to bee in these parts In all diseases it is good that the parts about the navell and the inferior part of the bellie bee grosse fat and in good case but evill when they are extenuat and leane for the hypocondres grosse and fleshie
Canon VI. Among the constititions of the seasons the dry is more wholesome and not so deadly as the rain for it gathereth no excrements and resists better to the putrefaction the humid in the contrar causes many superfluities from whence are the generation of diseases when the seasons are constant keeping there temperature ordinar so that all things doth naturally fall out in them the diseases are lykewayes constant and facily to be vnderstood but when the season is inconstant so are the sicknes variable and hard to be vnderstood for there crise is accompanied with dangerous symptomes where they suddenly cause death or ells leaves a matter to a new sickenesse When the sicke proves a good second to the physitian fighting againes the sicknes it is easie to obtaine the victorie Now when he beleues the physition and puts in practise his ordinances hee serves him for a second and declares himselfe enemie of the disease in the contrar if quyting the physition he takes part with the disease accomplishing that which hee desyres he hazards his life two wayes the one in leaving the physition aboue in combat the other in serving as a second to the sickenesse which was before alone for it is certaine two is stronger nor one Canon VIII The greatnes of the sickenesse followes the greatnes of the cause for as a light cause produces a light evill even so a great causeth a great Hence a vehement cause contrar nature is a most certaine indice of a great and dangerous sicknes Canon IX Byle causes still quicke diseases which are termined or ended within few dayes because it is easilie resolved by its subtilitie but melancholie is the most viscuous of all the humors and makes longest accesses because it is dry cold and thicke being the lyfe of the blood Next to melancholy is phlegme in difficulty of digestion and expulsion by reason of its viscositie Canon X. The diseases that hath some resemblance with the nature bodily constitution and age of the diseased are lesse dangerous then these that hath no conformity for all sicknesse hot cold dry moist being conforme to the complexion age and bodily constitution of the sicke and also to the season hath so much lesse danger as it is lesse removed from the naturall constitution and so may more easily returne as proceeding frō a lighter yea a slighter cause As in the contrare the disease that hath no affinity neither with the temper taillie nor age of the Patient or with the season is much more dangerous then the former being further removed from the naturall complexion and therefore worse to cure as proceeding of a greater and stronger cause So that of two burnt fevers equall in grandure that which fals out in the Summer to a young man leane of body of temper hot shall not be so dangerous as that which fals out in the Winter to an old man of a fat body and cold complexion Canon XI Meeke and gentle relenting diseases are commonly long but the sharpe fyrie and fierce are ended within fourteene dayes and the extreame hot in seven dayes There can no certain prediction be made of hot sharp diseases either for health nor death for by that they are quickly ended they become on a suddaintie great so that both for the greatnesse of the disease with the suddaine change which befals in the crise as also because the humor is often transported from one place to another the issue is vncertaine wherefore while the humor is in its motion we must suspend our judgement for it is not certain whether it will rush on a noble or ignoble part within or without by passages conveniable or not conveniable thogh the humor were staied in one place yet the Physician ought not resolutly affirme that the sick shall escape but with this provision that no new change befall and that hee follow the advise and keep the regiment prescribed When a woman with child is overtaken by any firie hot disease shee is in danger of her life for a hot fyrie fever requyres a strait dyet which shee cannot admit least the child being frustrat of his food shee be broght to bed before the time and if oft to save the child yee give the mother often to eat the fever thereby growing yee shall precipitat the mother in a manifest hazard of her life and if it be any other strong sicknesse without fever as a epilepsie apoplexy convulsion shee shall never be able to support the vehemencie of it Canon XII To foretell the event of the disease yee must consider diligently the part that is offended whether it bee noble or ignoble publick or privat for the condition dignitie and necessitie of the part that suffereth are of great importance for the pronouncing of a sentence to the profit or prejudice of the sick Canon XIII In all diseases the constancie of the reason not troubled with the bounty of the appetit still readie for taking of whatsomeever shall bee offered to it is a good signe and the contrare is an evill the satlednesse of the reason and sharpnesse of the appetit are numbred among the good markes because the former beares witnesse of the temperat disposition of the braine the menings or tayes of the harnes and of the marrow of the backe the medrife and all the nervous parts and the latter shews the integritie of the stomack and lever In the contrare the alienation and troubling of the reason and the losse of appetit are evill signes because the one betokens the animal parts to be affected the other the naturall All they that are troubled with paine or dolour in any part of the body whatsomeever and are not sensible of it hath the reason troubled because the apprehension doth not perceiue in any measure the evill Canon XIV It is good to sleep in the night to make reparation of the spirits animals and digestion of the humors by the meanes of the heat that enters within the center of the body and to watch in the day for the clearing of the same spirits to give motion to the humors and to make expulsion of the excremēts but it is a verie pernicious signe not to sleepe night nor day for continuall watching commeth either of the dolour paine and torment that they suffer or of the drynesse of the braine which in end will cause an alienation of the mind Sleepe likewise surpassing the borders of mediocrite is in like maner evill because it is a marke of extreame coldnesse of the braine which causeth a lethargie if it bee mixed with humidity or catalepsie if with drynesse When in a sicknesse sleepe is noysome and hurteth there is danger of death for if the sleep hurts that time that hath bene accustomed to helpe much as in the decline of any sicknesse it is not without cause that it foretelleth death and that because the heat reteared within the body the time of the sleep and by this meanes increase Notable neverthelesse
are markes of force but the small and extenuat are evill both as signes and as causes forasmuch as they are signes of the debilitie of the parts extenuat and causes that the digestion is not well elaborat in the stomack nor the sanguification in the lever for the grossenesse or fatnesse of the epigastre or low parts of the belly augments the natural heat by the which the parts within being warmed they digest better the meat and so makes better blood Canon XXIV As to the consideration of these things that fals out in the body if yee remarke any good signe yee must not thinke for that that assuredly the sick shall escape neither although there do appeare any evill signes that hee shall die for a good signe may bee over weighted by an evill being great And on the contrare an evill may be overcome a good being stronger Canon XXV The disease quyts the sick either wholly at once by way of crise or by litle and litle by way of resolution Crise is a suddaine change of the disease into health or else into death which is then when nature separats the vitious humours from the good and that for to expell them Of it there bee two sorts the one is by excretion and the other by absesse that comes by a flux of blood or sweat or a flux of the bellie or vomit or flux of the vrine Canon XXVI The good crise arives on the 7.14 or 20 day wherefore these dayes are called Criticks The future crise was foreseene by the signes of digestion appearing the 4.11 and 17. day hence these dayes are called of of the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in dicatives contemplatives for according to the doctrine of Hip. the 4. day is the indicative of the 7. the 8. is the beginning of the next moneth the 11. is also remarkable because the fourth of the second weik the 17. is also to bee observed because the 4. after the 14. and the 7. from the 11. Canon XXVII When the crise is to bee on the 7. day there is perceived on the fourth day preceding a red cloud in the water and other signes correspondent for because the 4. day is the pointer out of the 7. if there appeare any signe of concoction that day it forwarnes the crise to bee on the 7. day Where then there appeares a clowd in the water not only red but whyt and yet rather a whyt hypostasies or ground vnited and equall if so bee the motion of the sicknesse bee suddaine it is a presage of the future crise When the crise draws neare the night preceeding is verie troublesome but that which follows is ordinarly more easie to indure For while nature is making a separation betwixt the good and evill humors that fals out that in this exercise of nature the disease is much troubled But so it is that this great worke appeares the night before the crise because the sleepe is interrupted but the night that follows the crise perfyte they are much more at their owne ease because nature is disburdened of superfluous humors Canon XXVIII The vniversall signes by the which one discernes the espece of the crise to come are taken from the kind of the disease from the part that is diseased and from the nature of the Patient For hot and quicke diseases are ordinarly judged by excretion but the cold and long by abscesse If there bee an inflammation in the gibbous part of the lever yee must expect a crise by a flux of blood at the right nostrile or by a flux of the vrine if the inflammation bee in the hollow part of it then yee must expect it by a flux of the belly or vomishment or sweat The inflammations of the braine and of all the head are commonly judged by an haemorragie at the nose but that of the stomack and mesenterie by vomishment or a flux downeward Moreover a flux of blood fals oftenest to young men cholericks overtaken with a hot fever and a flux of the bellie to old men phlegmaticks There the common and now heere the proper prognosticks of everie crise Rednes of the face extreame dolour of the head and the necke a beating of the arters in the temples the distention of hypochondres with dificultie of breathing a dimnes tnd watering of the eys singing of the eares and itching of the nostrell◠prognosticks the crise to be a flux of blood by the nose A heat and heavines of the loynes with a paine and extention of the hypograster foreshowes a crise to be by a flux menstruall A suppression of the water with a pricking shivering through the whole bodie with the pulse soft and waterie and the exteriour parts of the bodie hote and vaporous betokens that it will be by sweat Rifts ventosites or winds a bending of the belly and paine of the neires by a flux of the belly losse of appetit or lothing of meat with a thrawing of the heart and sorenes of the head with a dissinesse great spitting bitternesse in the mouth and a trembling of the vnder lip prognosticks a future crise by vomit When the signes of concoction hath gone before and when the motions of a crise hath beene perceived then it may be exspected by a flux of the vrine if there doeth not appeare any marke of a crise by a flux of blood not by sweat flux of the belly vomit and specialy when the patient feels an heavines in the hypograster and an heat about the end of the privie member having also made much water thicke and grosse during his disease or if he be aged and sick in the Winter it foretells it the rather A heavines and paine of the head with a profoundity of sleepe and deafnesse succeeding immediatly to a difficultie of breathing suddenly ariving without any manifest cause to one sick with a long disease points foorth an absesse to be behind the eare But if there be no signe of a paritude and that the sicke hath had his vrine of a long tyme cleare and vndigested and when he finds a heavinesse a paine a bending or tension a heat in the hypochondres ye must exspect an absesse in the lower pairts If any part of the bodie hath beene hurt before there shall the aposteme or absesse be An absesse falls out most frequently in winter and after on imperfyt crise Canon XXIX Moreover a good crise ought to be signified before in the day of indication and should fall out in a critike day with a manifest excretion or notable absesse without dangerous accidents It ought also to be perfyt I call a perfyt crise that which evacuats all the vitious mater And on imperfyt that which evacuats but one part for the former is sure but you must not beleeve the latter for the evill humors remaining after a crise are wont to make one recidiwe Moreover a crise is iudged to be good by reason of the convenable qualitie and reasonable quantity with the forme agreable