has found the use of Cuppings Leitches and Frictions to be very beneficial in these Fevers The cause wherereof being enquired into will also confirm this Hypothesis For these being used in several places of the Body as they alwayes are when beneficial by their raising the Flesh and Skin they do shake and loose throw all the circumambient parts that congealed and clotted Blood obstructing the capillary Veins which does facâ—litate the arterial Blood to run more easily throw them and that by clearing these Passages of Obstruction And for Frication and Rubbing of the Skin that makes such Impressions on the capillary Vessels by pressing them hither and thither that it must necessarly force the obstructing Matter into motion again And moreover the benefit that even in Fevers has redounded to some by riding yea when the Patient was necessitate to be held on Horse-back for a while can be no other wayes accountable but by the Impressions that the jogging of the Body makes on the fixed and coagulated Humores to set them again a going Now as to these Phaenomena which are hurtful in Fevers it is no less certain that these being duely pondered will also confirm this Hypothesis for it is clear that in many Fevers the sick are poured forth all in Sweats And that without any ease thereby but rather with great hurt and weakening Therefore as our experimented Author observes these ought not to be indulged but rather checked Now this Phaenomenon may be easily solved by considering that the serosity of the Blood is in this case by the frequent Pulses squeezed out from the Globuls whereby the Blood being much thickned the obstructions are increassed while Sweats called criticall and giving ease which rarely fall out in long and great Fevers Because these are nourished of a copious and viscide fewel in the first wayes fall out in diseases only caused by perspirable matter first attenuat and comminuted and nixt expelled by Sweat and as this evacuation is altogether the effect of Nature so it rarely succeeds happily by stimulating Medicines Which after its wisely argued is most reasonbly concluded by Sydenham in his Schedula Monitoria And further as our Author observes and dayly experience also confirmes it is very much Hurtful to Persons in Fevers to ly continually in the naked Bed For the continual Heat of the Bed doth exceedingly lash enervat and relax the tone and firmness of the pores and fibers Whereby they shrinke and creep in And so retain the perspirable matter which ought to be evacuate throw them and this matter retained recoiling on the Blood does much increase all the tumult and disorders there But by exposing of the Body to a moderat refrigeration by putting on the Cloathes some Hours in the day the Natural Heat is both Concentrate to expel that perspirable Matter and the Tone and Firmness of the Pores and Fibres are restored to give a free passage to it And this is very suitable to the Experimental doctrine of Sanctorius who finds and Declares reasonably that the inward heat being by the external heat too much diffused is not sufficiently Concentrate bended to expel the perspirable matter as it happens in Aestival heat that is very troublesome to the Body not so much because of any vehement Impressions it makes thereon For every part of the Body is hotter of it self then the external heat affecting it But because of the detension of the Perspirable matter through the defect of sufficient Concentration of the Internal heat to expell it And indeed this state of the internal heat does also render iâ— subject to several indirect and refractive Motions instead of the direct motion by which the perspirable matter should be sweeped â—orward and expelled so the lesion of perspiration upon these reasons seemes in this case to be amended by the Patients keeping out of the naked Bed several hours of the day and lying on the top of the Bed with their Cloaths on And in that Situation rather than the upright posture of the Body the vacillant reflux of the Blood unto the heart is also promoved as was shown And also as our Author observes it is hurtful in Fevers and several other Diseases to ly with the Head much depressed it being more conducible to ly with it raised somewhat because in that posture the lighter finner Particles of the Blood as Des Cartes thinks are sublimed up to the brain for the generation of nervous Liquor and Spirits and the grosser and heavier parts are carried by a descent downward And so in that posture only there is an ascent of the Blood throw the Arteries unto the Head in so much that the subtilest Particles thereof prove alone obsequious to the Impulse And if it chance that any grosser parts mixed therewith do endeavour likewayes to ascend they secede and turn off at the axillarie Branches So that nothing but the most sublime parts of the Blood in this posture does ascend like the subtile Spirits of Wine which are only carried so high as is fit to separate them from the Phlegm But when the head lyes level with the Body and that especially in Sickness and when the Blood is vitiated in its Particles and Motion because then and in that posture there is no ascent to the Head nor descent to the rest of the Body the grosser parts of the Blood being carried indifferently to the Head do there generate Obstructions Which must certainly produce all such Phoenomena as are competent to the Brain and Nerves being affected SECT XV. Some Difficulties concerning the Hypothesis Answered IF perhaps there remain any difficulty in the mind concerning this Scheme because it may be thought that the Blood being alwayes first strained throw the narrow Vessels of the Lungs before it come to have difficult passage in the small Vessels betwixt the Arteries and the Veins that it should leave or Imprint some marks of its grosness in the Lungs To Answer this difficulty it is fit to premise something concerning the progress and pedigree of Sanguification And therefore it may be reasonably thought very likely that the Lungs are not only the Colatory for and Test of the Bloods sufficient Attrition and Comminution but also they by their Braying and Levigating thereof give the same the outmost Perfection and Complement which they do by their continual motion and agitation For their contraction and dilatation meeting with the Pulse of the Blood coming from the Heart into the Lungs must necessarly make such impressions on the Particles of the Blood going throw the Arteries of the Lungs as will attenuate smooth and polish them and thereafter the Lungs sends them thus levigated and intimately mixed with the Air back again and that under the notion and name of Arterial Blood unto the Heart to be dispersed by it as a Pump throw the whole Body And indeed that the Blood receives its outmost perfection in the Lungs and not in the Heart As is commonly
accounted is clear from this that the Blood which is sent from the right Ventricle of the Heart by pulsation unto the Lungs is nothing different from the rest of the Venal Blood While the same Blood being immediatly sent back to the left ventricle of the Heart from the Lungs has before it enter the heart both the colour consistence and rarefaction proper to the Arterial Blood And differs nothing from the Arterial Blood in the Aorta or great artery Now in the case of a Fever althô the grosser Particles or Globuls of the clotted Blood returning from the Veins into the Lungs are grinded and levigate over again and then the Blood gives small token of its fault Because being so near it is also under the brisk impressions of the Hearts motion and also being crumbled by its passage throw innumerable ramifications and small capillary vessels in the Lungs while they are likewayes under a perpetual Systole and Diastole it is so attenuaâ— and grinded that any tendency to coagulation or obstruction is soon put off But yet when such Blood comes to the extremities of great Arteries where the force and strength of pulsation cannot be propagated in proportion to the Bloods slowness there then it must loyter and stop And moreover in some Fevers which are indeed very dangerous ones the slowness of the Blood 's passage even throw the vessels of the lungs is conspicuous that always making high difficult frequent breathing And moreover the Blood is also depurate and defecate from its crudities and viscosities by its passage through the Lungs And so by their taking care of the whole and endeavoring to repair the faults of the other functions they smart for them and become the Seat of many Diseasâ—s themselves for that same viscosity and grosness of the Humores does frequently make blemishing Impressions on them by obstructing tumefying their glands many of which obstructions are shaken off by the force of respiration but not always For althô the Motion of the Systole and Diastole of Lungs contrarying alwayes the direct Motion of the Blood in the vessels of the Lungs must subtilize attenuat the Blood So that it stickes not easily in the Channels of the Lungs yet often the fault of the former functions is so deep ingrained that the Blood sent here cannot be sufficiently attenuated and the crudities and viscosities expelled by the glands of the Lungs But does obstruct and tumefie them And breeds that disease called Pâ—hisis or Comsumption of the Lungs Now this Disease being of as universal extent among Chronick Diseases as a Fever is among acute ones is most Learnedly treated by Dr Morton in his Pthifilogia But alas as he wisely observes the Practise in this Disease is rarely attended with success For this reason that the Disease steals on the Patient unawares And before he peâ—ceives he is irrecoverably taken with the Distemper It is then hoped it will be thought no impertinent or useless digression if to instruct every one against the surprize of such a remediless attack there be transferred here from his work which is in Latine such apposite signs as may admonish every one of the aproach of that Disease and put them upon their guard in case of imminent danger to prâ—vide the timeous help of a faithful and skilful Physician The first sign he gives is The Descent from Parents that have been Pthisical For this Disease seems most hereditary of all Distempers 2 An evil frame of the Breast whether natural or aâ—cidental and that is either narrow or strait 3 A small Voice and Hâ—low 4 White and soft Skin with a thin habit of Body 5 A soft and Phlegmaticâ— habit of the Muscules 6 Oppression or Weight in the Breast 7 Thoughtfulness anxiety sadness and anger without a manifest cause 8. The Suppression of usual evacuation by Issues old Ulcers or any other usual 9 Spitting of Blood 10 A continual haughing of Viscide and black plegm in the â—orning 11 Salt or sharp phlegm haughted up 12 A pronness to copious evacuation of spittle either with or without an evident cause 13 An continued and increasing prostration of appetite without any other Disease accompanying it and with oppression of the Stomach and Spontaneous Laâ—â—itude in time of digestion 14 A Troublesom and continual Heat especially in the Soles of the Feet and Palms of the Hands cheiâ—ly after meat with a Pulse something too frequent 15 A shortness of Breath with difficulty of respiration 16 A great disposition to the Cough which is brought on frequently either by a slender or no evident Cause at all which is the most evident signe of an imminent Pthisis And the more of these signes there be the more still is the danger Now this Disease having alwayes a Fever accompaning it and that with an exacerbation some houres after Meat answering exactly to the time when the Chyle comes to the Blood doth also confirm the foresaid Hypothesis of Fevers For the chyle coming with the Venal Blood unto the Lungs to receive there its attrition and perfection While they are affected with obstructions and tumors in â—heir glands that must be superficâ—ally done And many of the Particles of the Blood do therefore return back to the Heart without sufficient elaboration which coming to the small Channels oâ— the Arteries betwixt them and the veins pass there also with difficulty So that to distribut the nourishment a fâ—equent Pulse is raised until the Particles by often passing that way be yet farther polished attenuated And so passing with greater ease the Fever and Pulse is remitted If any shall yet judge that this grosness of the Blood should be rather productive of tumors and inflamations then of Fevers It is to be considered that Fevers and Inflamations have that common to them both that they use to be generate together And also Fevers do depend on tumors inflamations which shews they are near of Kin to one another but yet they seem to differ in this that Fevers depend on an universal altho lesser grosness of the Blood which makes it with difficulty pass the small vessels and tremors depend as upon greater grosness so upon total obstruction of the Blood or other Liquores in some particular vessel And oftentimes they are generate and propagate by compression And perhaps it is the perverse figuration of some particles of the Blod or humours in respect of the Pores and Channels of a vessel which wholy stoping makes a total stagnation therein and this stagnation making a compression on the neighbouring vessels and these again upon the next adjacent affects them all with stagnation likewayes And thus that obstruction that begins in a point may have the sphere of its activity so extended as to infect all the neigâ—ouring parts with that tumour as is seen in a Thorn which pricking the Flesh doâ—s compress the next adjacent vessâ—ls and makes the Blood to stagnate therein And they again compressing these nixt
of the Balâ—om and Mercury of life and that of Helmont making it an Imparity of one part of the Archeus that thereby is affected with Wrath and Indignation Because they seem altogether enigmatical vain bring more obscurity then light to this dark Subject therefore we leave them both Next follows the Opinion of that Hero in Medicine Sylvius who has placed the Pathognomick signe of a Fever in the Pulse preternaturaly frequent having conjoyned therewith Trouble Pain or the blemish of any function requisite for the felicity and ease of Life The cause whereof which makes to him the Essence of Fevers is either first a too great and Permanent Rarefaction of the Blood made by a violent Heat breaking out of the Effervescence of the Blood Or secondly any Acrimonius Acide Lixivial or Muriatique salt carried thorow the Veins together with the Blood and gnawing the Parenchyma of the Heart or thirdly any flatulent halitous Matter brought with the Blood to the Heart and augmenting the expansion thereof Fourthly any sharp or hard thing in the Pericardium or other wayes externally grating upon the Heart This Great-Man to whom Medicine this day is much indebted as being the first that clearly discovered the Errors and Dilusions of the Schools has also found out a more efficatious and sure practice in many Diseases Yet he there being none able for all things has fallen into some Errors of Theory about his triumvirat Humor and the effervescence of these Humors in the Intestines and Heart and about the motion of the Bile towards the Heart All which subsequent and more acurate anatomical Inspection having found to be otherwayes his Hypothesis of Fevers being established upon these must necessarly fall Yet these that reject this his Theory do imbrace his Practice in the Cure of Fevers In the last place follows the Opinion of Barbet placing a Fever in the circulation of the Blood increased which Opinion since it seems directly contrary to what we think most probable with the confirmation then thereof it will necessarly of it self evanish SECT VII Containing a New and Mechanical Hypothesis of the Essence of Fevers with the cause efficient and occasional of the frequency of the Pulse and that matterial or occasional cause also farther Mechanically traced IT seems very probable that all the Physicians holding the former Opinions have Erred and the Fountain of all their mistakes appears to be that fundamental error as the acurate Bontikoe observes that they took the immediate efficient cause of the motion of the heart to be the blood and that the frequent motion thereof and the Arteries did alwayes depend upon some alteration of that blood but that this must be otherwayes seems plain because the Heart of some Animals being cut out when they are alive and holden in the hand will beat a long time without a drop of Blood So the motion of the Heart seems not to depend on the Blood but on some other cause perhaps on the influx of the animal Spirits proceeding from the Brain by the remainder whereof inviscate in the Heart the motion seems to be continued after the separation thereof from the Body The next fundamental Error and observed likewayes by the same Author seems to be that they esteemed the intension of Heat alwayes to depend on the rapide efflux or circulation of the Blood and that it was both a sign and effect thereof The contracy of which appears by an Inflamation or Tumour where the Member affected is vexed with a great Heat and kind of Fever which is oft times communicate to the whole Body and here it is clear that the Blood is rather stagnant then swiftly moved and the Fever that is communicate from the Inflamation certainly shewing a near resemblance betwixt them perswades that a certain degree of Incrassation from this Fountain of Co-agulation And accompanied also with a frequent Pulse does affect the Blood as the Ignorance then of the concurring occasional cause of that frequency of the Pulse gave rise to all the Errors about this subject so the bringing to Light the true cause thereof will make all these Errors evanish For clearing then of this it is to be considered that the Body of Man being a curious Machine the motion wherewith it is enâ—ueâ— like other Machines as it has an efficient cause so it has a final cause thereof And in respect the final cause is alwayes the reason of placing the efficient cause and that the Idea thereof is still in the mind of the Architeck before the Idea of the efficient This makes the Idea of the efficient to be alwayes shaped subservient to the Idea of the final Cause And must also make the structure of the efficient in the Fabrick of the machine to be moulded to that final Cause likewise instructed qualified Suitable to attain the end of the motion that is to say that it may have a faculty of Intension and Remission to be regulate and moderate according to the exigence and necessity of the final to be productive of the end of its being put there At least in so far as the Contrivance of a Mechanism will go As in a Watch whose Spring is so contrived that it may be Bended or Slackned for attaining the end of its motion And it seems also probable that in every motion in Nature it s only the end that both puts the Efficient and sets it a going and therefore it must be still by that end that the motion must be regulate Hightned or diminished As it is seen when Mariners do exercise the Pump of the Ship it s alwayes with respect to the breaking in of Water at the Leaks Which being in great quantity does excite to frequent and vigorous Pumping to save the Ship Much after the same manner it seemes probable that this motion of the Heart which is nothing but a Pump designed to lay in the alimentitious Juice and so has for its end a proportionable proportional reparation of the functions and parts suitable to their Consumptsion and Waste And that by the sending to them throw the Channels of the Arteries the arterial Blood which is to be dispersed in such quantity and time as may answer to the reparation of their Consumptsion and Waste The Body consisting which seemes to deny it all consistance in a continual Flux and succession of new parts coming in place of the old that are wasted like a River which has nothing Identitious but the Channel And so this final cause would seem to require an efficient whither that be the first Impellent the Archeus or Spirits indued with a capacity and aptitude not only to continue but also to incite and quicken this motion according to the exigence of the final as when the Intervention of any stops or Impediments of the motions of the Blood does Interveen to overcome which its necessarie that the efficient of the motion be bended to Superate these stops and gain t is
the small channels and conduites betwixt the Arteries veins In which passage for the most part it depositates its nutritious parts or particles So it is very probable that slowness of the bloods motion to overcome which the heart excites frequent pulses doth for the most part proceed either from the number or magnitude of these Globules augmented or some viâ—iation of their spherical figure as their scabricity and the like Or further thorow the viscidity of the serum into which as a vehicle they swim and are carried And thô from any of these alone this slowness of the blood may clearly proceed yet it is certain that the ingemination and complication of these causes rendring the groseness of the Blood more intense may also render the slowness of its motion more contumacious To conclude then as by this scheme here laid down seemes indeed may be given pretty clearly both a rational discovery a Mechanical solution of the nature phenomena of Fevers so it appears that former explications thereof having raised so many fumy efferveseences and turbid fermentations concerning them could never yet bring the matter to a digested pellucide and defecat conclusion but having clouded the eyes with the mist of â—iry phantasmes still left the mind boiling and working in the tumult of commotion doubt and difficulty SECT VIII Shewing that the Heat in Fevers is the â—ffect of the slow Motion of the Blood And how Heat is made may be consistent with that slowness SInce by what is said the rapid Circulation of the Blood in Fevers seems to be overturned And that the rapid motion thereof was the only adequate Reason commonly given to solve the Phaenomenon of Heat in Fevers Because swift and violent motions used often times to produce Heat in Bodies althô we perceive motion to produce Heat in no bodys but where it is acompanied with grating and grinding of hard solid parts on upon another but never in fluids and so we find the violent motion of the Body produces Heat therein by the atâ—rition which the Museules make on themselves and the adjacent parts Which also produces a thickness of the Blood and in consequence slackens its motion It remains to inquire to what parent this off spring of Intenss and Feverish Heat can be most properly legitimate The inquiry into this Phaenomenon may not only discover how Heat is made but will perhaps also further establish the Hipothesis of Fevers already laid down For if we take a view and find that all these things which as external causes bring Imoderate Heat that the same do bring on a pace with them thickness and crassness of the Blood Which is necessarly followed with the slowness of its motion And so to supply the parts with proportionable reparation suitable to the waste that is made the Acceleration is stimulated and frequent pulses are excited in proportion to that thickness and slowness of the Blood as it falls out in vehement motions of Body and Minde Great and long heat of the Sun and fire the excessive abuse of strong Liquors and in perspiration impeded c. In the vehement motion of the Body beside the above mentioned grateing of the muscles upon one another and upon the parts adjacent exciting heat there is also such a waste of spirits and particles of the Blood and humours which in motion do exhale that to make proportionable supply and refocillation with the arterial blood the heart is made to mend its pace As also that copious eruption of exhalations which sometimes comes to the degree of sweat leaving the Blood and Humors more gross and thickned must necessarily also increase the slowness of its motion which therefore crave greater and repeated force to squeeze it forward into these narrow Channels And so from all these circumstances in violent motion there is raised a paroxisme as to Heat and Pulse altogether resembling a Fever Which is muâ—h after the same manner also produced by all the rest of external causes exciting Heat but with this difference that the Heat coming from the abuse of spirituous Liquors as apears by the Spirit of Wine which being poured upon Blood doth immediately co-agulate the same comes from their immediate incrassating and coagulating effect upon the Blood Which Incrassation has likewayes and for the same cause that stimulating effect upon the Heart And how stopt perspiration produces Heat shall be in its due place shown Whence we may conclude that all Intense Heat grivous to the Body is the genuin effect of the grosness of the Blood as it is clear by the contemplation of the Community of the Causes and the Community of the Phoenomena Natural and Practical belonging to both and shall afterward more fully be shown Having thus far premised It remains to clear how this Thickness and Grossness of the Blood produces also intense Heat And that the same Heat does not establish but rather evert both the Effervessence of the Blood and the swiftness of that motion thereof by some called the circulation and by others the circuit of the Blood In prosecution whereof it is to be noticed that in the natural state of Health the Heat is more strong and veget then in the valetudinary state where it is fretting and with trouble felt For in the state of Health the Rayes of Heat now whither or not these be thickly compacted together troops of Spirits it seems not worth the while to contend these Rayes I say do chearfully and pleasantly glide with the arterial Blood throw the Channels of the Arteries in a fluid sequacious and yeilding enough and by passages open sufficiently toward all the Bowels Organs and Habit of the Body for their refoccilation in which for the most part they are consumed And so from the continual efflux of these Rayes chearfully accomplshed does result the faelicity and ease of Life and integrity of the functions of the Oeconomy But in the state of sickness and cheifly in the heat of Fevers these rayes or Companies of Spirits flowing throw a viseuous crass-medium such as the arterial Blood then is and also approaching the narrow Channels of the arteries partly obstructed and partly beset with scabricity by means of this viscous Blood these rayes I say must undoubtedly in there passage throw that viscid and unequal Medium suffer refraction And in their approach to the extremities of the arteries thus obstructed or vitiated they must suffer Reflection or Collision Such modifications then of the rayes of heat seeme likely to produce the same effect on the sense that the like modifications of the rayes of Light and of Sight do It being known that the diversity or inequality of the medium throw which these pass and by which they are refracted Or the variety of the superficial textures on which these inciding are therefrom also reflected doth occasion Impressions on the organe of Sight whereby the object is represented either some way depraved or greater or more multiplied then it
found the business so or so to hold in the state and continuation of health it was likewise very obvious unto him may be so too unto any considering person seriously pondering the mater that this subtile insensible because little noticed often times vitiated evacuation altho but in part any long time lesed that it must heaping up copious morbifique matter sow the seeds and become the fewel of manifold Diseases which any slender and dispositive cause may soon precipitate into the continent and immediate cause of a Disease Therefore that sagacious Man observes from statical Experience that the foreseeing of the approach of Diseases is more certain and timeous by the observation of the perspiration then from the Lesions of the Actions The due expulsion of this perspirable matter depends upon the integrity of all the concurring causes thereof whither efficient matterial or instrumental And as an efficient here beside the first impellent the common efficient of all the motions of the Body the Air by its elasticity and expansive power seems to have no small influence thereupon for the Air being in the act of inspiration drawen into the lungs and the vesicles thereof filled thereby by the Heat of the lungs it is also rarefied and thereby requiring a greater room does also by its force distend these vesicles whose structure being with a narrow entry and large cavity the Air therein contained and in expiration compressed is not all in proportion to that compression expelled at the orifice of the vesicle but some thereof must be forced also into the smal branches of the pulmonick vessels be mixed with the Blood in the pulmonick vein returning to the heart and this air being once gotten into the capillar Veins of these pulmonick Vessels by the continual expansion and contraction of the Lungs throw which these Vessels are interspersed that air is pressed and driven on with the Blood towards the greater trunks of that Vein For the motion therein being made from a lesser cavity unto a greater is by that structure of the Organ more easie and the Bloods advance facilitated and its regress hindered So that by the motion of the Lungs alone and without any Pulses it is not only thus carried to the left ventricle of the Heart but receives its whole complement and perfection in the progress by the continual agitation of the Lungs which do attenuat and grind and most intimately commix it with the air as appears by the Blood in that Pulmonick Vein which has its colour more florid and is it self more spumose and rarified then before its ingress in the Lungs and that alone by the Airs congress and agitation therewith And further the mixture of the Air with the arterial Blood is clear by that Experiment of Mayow Page 144. who putting venal Blood into the pneumatick engine and pumping of the Air therefrom found it made only a small ebulition But having used arterial blood so it made a wonderful expansion and boiled up into a great deal of spumosity and that by reason of the great Quantity of Air contained therein which expanding upon the weakning the pressure of the ambient Air does dilate it self and the Blood in which it is inviscate in proportion to the pressure of the Air that remained after the Pumping And further the ingress of the Air into and mixture thereof with the blood is clear by this phaenomenon that the superfice and extremities of the body become tumified when the body is heated by motion for then there are ordinarly more frequent and greater inspirations of Air into the Lungs which the violent motion of the Body disperses thorow the several Members As also the same is made further evident because the Hypothesis gives only the clear solution how the skine rises upon the application of cuping glasses for the Air within the Body finding the Air within the Glass not of equal resistance doth by its elasticity expand it self and raise the flesh therewith And moreover the Airs influence and activity for promoving of perspiration as an efficient is plain by the above-mentioned experiment of Mayow for the arterial blood appears turgid with such arerious particles because these by their volatility serve to sweep off the perspirable matter And further that same blood exhausted and stripp't off these aerious particles is by the Veins carried back to the Lungs to be of new impregnate therewith And likewise the Necessity and Utility of the Aires sweeping and sifting thorow the Body by its entry at the Lungs and going throw the Arteries and out again at the pores disperse devery where throw the superfice of the Body appears from this as Helmont observes tractat de blas hum that heat alone is not sufficient to expel all these reâ—rements that are in the Blood and Body For Heat in its operation as in destellation leaves alwayes a great remander or caput mortuum Yea as Boil observes in the origin of formes the most limpide rain water being a hundred times redistilled leaves alwayes some Earthy and fixed recrements that can be altered by no vehemency of fire so that to eliminate and expell this perspirable matter without recrements beside the action of heat there is further required some other proper volatilising efficient which the Air may be clearly judged to be For as Helmont and Tachenius observes timber putriefying in the free Air gives by calcining little or no fixed Salt And dry Herbs give far less quantity thereof then green Herbes do For this reason that the Air being the proper menstruum of that Salt Yea even of the same Salt within our Body does dissolve extract it And likewise the influence that pure Air has upon our Bodies and which is observed by Helmont must be also from this reason For in serene and cold Air we eat and digest better Because that Air not being Saturat with fuliginous and noxious Particles In running its course throw the Body sweeps out powerfully the perspirable matter and for the like reason these that Sail long on the Sea eat very much and have fewer sensible excrements then otherwayes Because the continual and swift motion of the Body not only promoves digestion and distribution of the aliement as will be shown afterward but also promoves perspiration by the continual agitation and shaking of the Body Which looses any of the Particles of the perspirable matter that incline to stick in the passages and pores and so the Air more easily sweeps off that perspirable matter And also as our worthy Author Sydenham observes long riding has the same effect and it may be thought for the same reason and the effects of both these motions are likewise observed by Sanctorius in his Aphorismes Sect 7. where he shews that ryding respects most the expulsion of the perspirable matter above the Loynes And that ambling is most wholsome but trotting unwholsome and that the being long carried in a Boat or in a Litter is also most wholsome as
disposing to perspiration It follows next to be shown that the due expulsion of this perspirable matter seems further to depend upon the integrity of the instrumental matterial and nearest causes thereof such as The strength and firmness of the Fibers and Glands of the skine The convenient aperture of these passages and pores thorow which it must go And lastly the sufficient tenuity and sequacity of that perspirable matter But what things help or hurt here will be too great a Digression to mention seeing the Author Sanctorius may be consulted concerning it himself and because that very useful Treatise is scarce to be had we have therefore placed down after all a select parcel of his Statical Aphorisms It remains then only now to shew that one or more of these requisites to perspiration being vitiated that perspirable Matter may be retained and accumulate about the borders of the capillary vessels until by its burden and bulk it provok the Fibers to its expulsion by sweat all sweat especially giving ease coming from a great and undue collection of perspirable Matter seems therefore never to be a Natural Excretion or to have place or use in perfect Health and is only profitable in so far as it shuns a greater evil and carries the same respect to the Excrements of the third concoction that a Flux of the Belly does to these of the first or second and those that sweat most perspire least in the Natural order manner as Sanctorius shews Aphoris Sect. 1. That Sweating is not good because it abates the strength of the Fibers yet seing it diverts a worse evil it may be called respectively good But if Nature either out of Sluggishness or Weakness do not provide against the retention of this perspirable Matter by Sweat or some otherwayes it being still farther accumulate threatens a Disease and very often a Fever after this manner for this perspirable Matter retained being wholly excrementitious and unapt to be indued with Spirits degenerates into viscosity and it may be into Purulency and lying into the confines of the Veines among the fibres of the Flesh which being irritated by its bulk and uselessness do wring it out into the Channells of these Veines And so being easily absorbed by the refluent Blood it infects by its viscidity and Purulency the Particles and globuls of the Blood Increassing there bigness and vitiatng there Spherical figure Which Blood thus vitiat being carried back to the Heart by the Veines and from it into the Arteries to be dispersed throw the whole Body is with much difficulty admitted into the small capillary vessels by reason of the disproportion of these globuls unto the conduites or their scabricity making their passage difficult so that the heart is forced to double its pulses to drive on the Blood to supply the craving parts with their due nourishment And albeit oftentimes the heart doth by this assiduous labour overcome these obstructions for the vigorous agitation of the Blood and of these globuls upon an another doth so attenuate and polish them that they are made to pass without sticking and so many thereof as are not redintegrable as perspirable matter are expelled Yet sometimes these obstructions by their obstinacy from the copious Retention and the continual Accession of perspiâ—able Matter may not only elude these strenuous endeavours of the Heart but also be so encreased that sterving all the Functions they may overwhelm the Oeconomie and put a total and permanent stop to the motion of the Blood which really and formally makes extinction of Life Now that the Progress and Pedigree of a Fever may be after this manner is much more probable because it is very consonant to the Sentiment of Sanctorius who in the first Section of his Aphorisms declares That the perspirable Matter retained neither being discussed by Nature nor by a Fever superveening presently disposes the Body to a Malignant Fever By the which may be understood a Fever of the highest degree that depends upon contumacious Obstructions and is extraordinary dangerous And in the next Aphorisme he sayes Such as are in Fevers grow worse and worse if their perspiration be diverted by excessive applications of Medicines from an unskilful Physician And so seems to be acted the first seene of a fever which seldom proves tragical unless by a preposterous officiousness For by the strength of Nature alone or by some little Art viz. By Sweating Bleeding and other easie means it is for the most part brought to an happy conclusion Unless which very oft falls out a Mass of crude Matter generated from the Errors in the other Non-natural things and lodged in the first wayes as the Ventricle Intestines Meseraick Veins becoming as it is very apt to do a fewel to this Disease make it both long and dangerous Now this Crude Matter seems to be nothing else but the Recrements of the imperfect perfunctorious Digestion of the Stomack and other Bowels the search therefore into the cause of such Recrements amassed up directly lead us in relation to the discovery first to make inquiry how perfect and natural Digestion is made Then passing over the commonly received Fermentation the Aliments in the Stomack which seems justly to be rejected here for the same Reason that Effervescence is repudiat in Fevers this operation not only succeeding always without Eventilation or Rest the requisites to Fermentation but altogether refusing them And so this action of the Stomack seeming much more intelligible to be made Mechanical does rather consist in a grinding or attenuation of the Aliments by which they are made chyle for the requisites to compleatly expede Digestion are first the contraction of the Ventricle and closs embracing of the contained Aliment and next the gentle and continual compressive rowling of the Aliment already closs embraced by the Stomack and that by the continual motion of the Diaphragma depressing it and the motion of the abdomen again repressing it Which motions reciprocally coming and going upon the Aliment close Imbraced in the Stomach may be thought to have upon it the like mellowing effect that the rowling of the hand upon an Aple or other fruit alwayes has and that by the continual attrition the Particles of the Aliment have upon one another they are mellowed into Chyle And further what may be the Joint effect of the Stomacks Imbracing and Contracting it self closs upon the Aliment to promove this atrition of the Particles will further appear by the consideration of the effect of Monsieure Papines digester by which bones are softned with no other artifice but by the vessel so contrived that it Imbraces the contained matter with compression upon all sides by which these Stems Vapors which in ordinary boiling breake out being Imprisoned do make their Rambles throw the whole contained matter and give such twitches thereon that they do so far attenuate the Bones as to make Iellie of them Now beside this compression and rowling of the Aliment
sudden Depletion of the Veins as taking away the Resistance gives the Arteries freedom to squirt the Arterial Blood more freely into the Veines And consequently to sweep away all stopes and rubbish in the way But it is to be observed here that upon the opening of any Vein this scouring of the Passages is most effectually performed in these conduits that are betwixt the Arteries and that Vein These Arteries being first and most sensible of the removeal of the counter Ballance that lay against them catch the opportunity by emptying themselves precipitantly into that Vein to sweep powerfully the interjacent Passages From this may be offered a proposal for improvement of Phlebotomy to wit if it may not be thought the most effectual and most universal way to clear the Obstructions throw the whole Body that in place of Bleeding in one Member the same were used at the four Extremities And also in the same quantity which is used in one Bleeding and that by opening the Vein in each Arm in each Foot For thus there being at once made a depletion of so many Veins containing a counter Ballance against the Arteries answering to them the Arterial Blood would by its quick springing into these Veins powerfully scoure all these Passages betwixt them and these Veins from which would follow a sudden chearful and universal efflux of the Blood from and Reflux thereof back again to the Heart which motion was before slowly partially and superficially performed for the Arteries not emptying themselves cleaverly enough into the Veins there is little room made in them to receive the returning Venal Blood so there follows almost a stagnation in both Notwithstanding of the frequent and assiduous attempts of pulsation of the Heart If we consider further the other Phoenomena of Phlebotomy we will also find that they concur both to the establishment of this Solution and of the principal Hypothesis As the benefit thereof in Hemorhagies which has been violently strained by the patrons of Effervescence and of the rapide motion of the Blood to favour their Theories but being narrowly pondered will appear both to evert theirs and establish this For Hemorhagies especially these in Fevers come most part from the Arteries not because the Blood then circulates more rapidly for in that case meeting with no obstruction it would have no occasion to burst the Vessels But rather because it is not received a pace into the Veins as it is sent from the Arteries breaking its bounds and brusting its Vessels it s poured out another way And the proper Remedy of this being Phlebotomy doth clear this because it diminishes the pressure of the venal Blood lying on the Borders of the Arteries whereby they overcome and work off any obstructions betwixt them the Veins and emptying themselves easily therein the Blood does no more deviat into those Ruptures But that this Remedy may be more speedily effectual it would seem to require the opening of the Vein that directly answers to the Artery that is broken as more immediately taking of the contranitency lying on it At least this would be done after the opening of one at more distance which althô oftentimes at first is to be done yet sometimes it falls out to be done without effect and then this immediate Vein ought to be opened And farther an Hemorhagy from the venal Blood turgent brusting the Vessels or from Acrimony contracted by its Stagnancy corroding them yielding likeways to this Remedy gives also the same Confirmation For the Stagnation of Blood in great quantity in the Veins does not only swell their Coats and weaken their Tone by which they contract to thrust the Blood back to the Heart but may also so far streach them as to make a Rupture And this is most effectually cured by Phlebotomy for the Veins being emptied the Coats shrink in and the Rupture is closed And farther the Blood upon that emptying making its Circuit more quick to and from the Heart is nowayes apt to deviaâ— or secede again into these Ruptures And here by the way may be observed why an Hemorhagy from the Veins is not so usual as from the Arteries if it fall out it is more easily stopâ—d in them then the Arteries the reason of which is both from the different Nature of the Blood contained in these Vessels and the different structure also of the Vessels themselves in respect of the motion of the blood therein For the Arterial Blood being more spirituous and volatile is easily evacuate at any chink As also the Blood in the Arteries making its progress from a wide place of the Channel unto a narrower any obstructing matter it meets with is by its motion more impacted and rivetted into the narrower part of the Channel Which occasions the Arterial Blood to burst its passage another way Whereas the motion of the Blood in the Veins is from a narrower place of the Channel into a wider so any obstruction is easily carried before the Blood As also it occurrs here to be observed that for the self same reason the Arterial Blood thô it make no faster advance from the Heart then the Venal makes its return to it and also althô it be more spirituous and volatile then the Venal Yet it needs the help of Pulsation to carry it on which the Venal needs not The reason of this seems to be the same different structure of these Vessels in respect of the Bloods motion in them For the Arterial Blood making its progress as is said always from a wider place of the Arterie unto a narrower needs the force of the Pulse to drive it foreward But the Venal contrarywayes moving from a narrower place of the Vein into a broader is served with less force the contraction of the Coats of the Vessels with the help of Respiration at every turn pressing on the great Veins within the Trunk of the Body and the Valves hindering its return is sufficient alone to carry it back to the heart There is moreover another Benefite to be remarked in Phlebotomy beside the simple depletion of the Veins and the former beneficial consequence thereof that is this if the Vessels or the Arteries situated beyond the Orifice made in the Vein do contain any Labefacted Rheumatick or Purulent Blood such is most part voided the more opime and pure being retained The reason of this Phoenomenon appears to be thus when the circuit of the Blood is not throwly perfected many of the Globuls or Particles thereof stagnating become torpid and purulent and such for the most part are accumulat toward the inner Superfice of the Trunk's of the Vessels the more Opime Part being carried in the middle of the Channel toward the Heart As is observed in a River or Torrent which alwayes drives Heterogeneous grosser Bodies toward the Brink This seems the true state and disposition of the Blood in the Veins when Phlebotomie being used exhibites such Blood for
the Vein being opened such Blood as is nearest the Superfice of the Vessell comes first out which diminishing the Pressure of the venal Blood on the borders of the Arteries adjacent the Arteriall Blood rushing into the veins Imbraces and caries along with it the opime Particles of the Blood unto the heart leaving these behind that are unapt or incongrous to the genius motion Imbraces of the Spirits Whence it happens that more of these vitiat Particles are heaped up together toward the side of the Channel For such by their congruity and similitude involved in mutual Imbraces sticke closs by others And so this stream of labefacted Particles coming first out at the orifice of the Vein does not only close it to the opimer Blood but they following close stick to one another make like a Thread Spun out at the Orifice And it is known with how much the greater Stream the Blood springs forth of the Vein cut by so much the more it appears Labefacted and the Patient has also more ease thereby Because the Blood stagnating turgent in the Veines the Labefacted part thereof no wayes obeying the motion of the Spirits of the Opime Blood but deviating into corners is easily thrust out at Chinks and Holes In so far as Concerns the first and last coming out of this vitiated Blood and the appearing thereof also thus different in the measures receiving it It would seem when it comes first out that these Particles either lay most in the Veins or that the Contranitencie of the venal Blood against the Arteries being lesser such Particles are also soon casten off from the Arterial Blood coming into the Veines But on the other hand when these Particles ly deeper in the Arteries or Capillary vessells Or where the Stagnation or Cantranitence of the venal Blood being more yields only to a greater effusion of Blood the segregation and expulsion of these Particles is slower the labefaction apears most in the last measures For which reason and also in the case where the Patient can more easily bear the same quantity of Blood to be evacuat by degrees rather then all at once it would not be impertinent alwayes to make some stops of the Orifice till the Blood being cooled give the marks of its temper whence may be made a computation of the due measure and quantity of the present Evacuation From all these things thus transacted it is evident that the integrity of the Functions and the serenity of Health does depend on this motion and circuit of the Blood duly performed except it be in the affects of the Brain and Nerves the Foundation wâ—ereof is also laid by some latent vice of this motion of the Blood And farther that this course may throwly proceed and that the reflux of the Venal Blood may not only furnish matter to the efflux of the Arterial Blood but also that the Venal by its stagnating may not overballance it or with its weight hinder the arterial Blood to squeeze out any obstacles of its motion sticking into the Channels of the Veins such is the wonderful providence of nature I say to dispatcâ— the incumbrance of this Motion epecially from the weight of the venal Blood pressing against the Arteries that sick People without considering so much are put at once under the Remedies and effects of their evils by their lying down upon the approach of any fitt of Sickness For as the Famous D. Lower has observed in Tractatu de Corde the native Gravity of the venal Blood below the Heart augments its pressure against the arteries more when the Body is upright than when that situation is changed into a plain level posture by lying down for then the venal Blood flowing like a River in a lâ—vel Channel and so being more easily carried back to the Heart both takes off the contranitencie from the Arterial Blood does at the same time supply the Heart with Matter for new Arterial Blood and also hands about the motion of the Arterial Blood into the veins and thus the Symptoms impendent are warded off And much for the same reason it is as is observed to good purpose by several Practitioners that sick People can with more safety ease endure Phlebotomy lying on a Bed then sitting upright because in that situation the Pressure of the venal Blood against the Arterial being less is not only with less quantity of Blood let out taken off but also the intercepted course of the venal Blood to the Heart in that posture is sooner redintegrated If there shall yet remain any doubt of the Verity or Probability of the Hypothesis of the slowness of the Blood in Fevers from the viscosity crassness and the obstruction of the Channels thereby because the blood drawn off feverish persons oftimes remains without any solid coagulation from which many Authours have deduced the tenuity of the Blood But the more closs consideration of this Phaenomenon will shew it far otherwayes for it is certain that Blood drawn does coagulate the crass and heavie Particles subsiding and the thinn and watry Parts sweeming above upon this very reason that the serosity is endued with suteable Levity and Tenuity and the clotty parts have their due ponderosity and crasness with such dimension in respect of the tenuity of the serosity as may make the separation So that by the Levity and Tenuity of the Serum the grumous parts fall to the bottom and on the other hand by the gravity and proportionable dimension of grumosity the serosity sweems on the top But if after refrigeration the Blood remain without distinct serosity and grumosity it truely denotes either the tenuity of the serum to be vitiated and its viscosity augmented Or the grâ—vity at least the dimensions of the solid Particles in respect of the serosity to be altered And so the Solid Parts and Globuls of the Blood are kept in the Embraces of the serosity Each balancing another so equally that no Percipitation or Secretion of the Crass from the thinner parts is made SECT XII Purging in Fevers considered from Reason and Authority THE next practical Phaenomenon to be considered with its use and utility in Fevers and how it clears the supposed Hypothesis is Purging as coming in the Method of our Author immediatly after Phlebotomy And is only required when there is plenty of Fewel to nourish the Disease lodged in the first wayes the Stomack Intestines Mesentere Which by its emitting of Crudities into the Region of the Blood introduces new Obstructions the former being scarce well subjugat and subdued and causes the continuance of the former Scenes in a Theater very much disposed thereto And that by joyning forces with the Perspirable matter retained scarce yet eliminated whose choke Nature severally and separate would be able to sustain but being altogether unequal to their joint assault without fresh supplies she must thereto yeild and succumb Then is most welcome the aproach
end then it must necessarly double its Force and Stroaks Otherwayes every light Impediment or Obstacle which were equivalent to and of equal moment and Force with the moderate and odinare career of the motion of the Blood would put a stop thereto And indeed there is in a River something of a resemblance of this faculty thô from an other kind of efficient yet for the same or the like end For any Impediments put to barr or dam up a River are soon overpoised by the swelling Force of the Water above them till in proportion it overcome the strength of the stop Now if it were otherwise every Impediment equivalent only to the present current of the River either put by Accident or Designe would interrupt their course to the great hurt of Mankind and the blemish of the Worlds fabrick Seing then the returnes of Reparation to the parts and functions ought to be made both in time and quantity in proportion to the waste by the efflux of the Arterial Blood from the Heart as the vehicle and thorow the arterys as the conduites of these recruites When this is done vegetlie integrally without any stop or delay then redounds felicity ease and integrity of the functions and life But when that efflux is retarded or stopt either by reason of the Blood it self or some stopage in the extremities and small channels of the vessels or by reason of immoderate and unusual waste beyond the proportion of the ordinary supply as falls out in immoderate exercise and motion And so I say when by reason of any these causes the heart cannot convey and lay in the desired suppliment in due proportion and timeously by stroaks repeated at the usual intervals then it does by precipitating the stroaks and straiting the intervals of the pulsations endeavour what in it lyes to overcome the slowness of the motion of the Blood to come so near as it can to the due and proportional distribution of nutriment in respect of the waâ—te But if notwithstanding of these sedulous endeavours of the heart by the redoubling of the pulsations that slowness of the Blood shall by a gradual encrease of the thickness and of obstructions in the capillary vessels prove yet so obstinare as still to be augmented then this leads straight to the porch and gate of Death Death being nothing else but a total and permanent cessaâ—ion and defect of this distribution If there remain yet any difficulty to comprehend this Scheme because this incitation of the pulse being only a natural action and proper to the Animal part thus circumstantiate is made too like an effect of Reason and savours too much the acting for an end or of a voluntary motion to be applicable here To answer this reasonable doubt since it is very plain that Nature in the structure of the outward parts of Animals has acted so much Reason and Design as importing clearly that the Idea of their end has regulate their fabrick has also made the structure of all their parts terminate into such a perfection of the Animal that the most rigide survey can find nothing wanting As is most ingeniously displayed by the Honourable and Learned Boyle in his Treatise of the Final Causes of natural things Why should not the same Architect also have instructed the Function and inward parts with faculties to be exerted less or more according to the particular exigence of the Animal But especially that radical and fundamental one of supplying all the rest with sufficient provision and nouâ—ishment that it should be endued with a faculty to accelerate when the nâ—urishment either by its fault or immoderate waste is more then it ought in its Returns delayed Otherwayes every light cause that did retard the accession of reparation or did waste it much beyond the ordinary recruite would soon precipitate the Animal into inevitable ruine And also seing most Animals are endued with swifness beyond their ordinary pace whereby they flee dangers why should they not be endued with the like inward faculty to escape dangers internal that frequently threaten them And indeed all these efforts which we call from Irritation giving a Resemblance of such a faculty as this argue as much reason and acting for an end as this that 's here laid down does For the Impression made in the place being resented in the Brain the Fountain of Sense and motion the Irritation or endeavour to be rid of the offending cause has its effects in the place first invaded or beset and why should not the starving of the parts as much querelous as the surcharge of them is be as well heard and have also its releif so far at their least as motion can help them And there is yet a clearer resemblance of such a natural Action as this to be seen in the Pupil of the Eye which without consent of the will Contracts and delates it self so much as is needful for the comodity of seeing viz. Dilating where there is too little Light to let in more and convey the Species into the Eye and Contracting when there is too much Light and letting in only so much Light as is necessary to Paint the Species in the Eye And althô there is a Phaenomenon and case in Fevers which seems to oppugne this Hipothesis yet it is hoped that the same being duely considered will rather confirm and clear it and the Casâ— is this in some Fevers the Pulse is not altered as to the frequency or Vigour yet these portend great imminent danger which Phaenomenon or slowness of the Pulse comes from this that althô the final Cause of its motion be here craving enough of the acceleration of the Pulse for reparation in proportion to the waste yet it seems the efficient or Impellent of this motion or the first spring thereof that should answer exactly the exegencies of the final Is either stupified attacqued or befettered and so there is no strugle or essay to overcome the Impediments and Supply proportionably the waste And as this case is of all Fevers the most dangerous commonly giving the name of malignant so it brings the oeconomie for the most part soon to dissolution To unfold yet further this paradoxical Hypothesis if any desire to know upon what nearest and immediate cause this slowness of the motion of the arterial blood or delay of Reparation which excites the pulse to acceleration does depend unto this not impertinent inquiry that an apposite answer may be made it is to be adverted that the blood is made up of innumerable little globules swiming in a limpide watery serum As being observed by Loewenhoek with help of the microscop is also delivered and described by him and as it s very probable that these Globules do naturally require to be of such a bulk figure and number and the serosity wherein these swim doth also require to be of such tenuity and quantity as may best facilitate the motion and course of the Blood throw