Scars following the Corrosion of a Dysentery or Looseness or interrupted by its own viscidity or slime squeez'd into its Vessels from the Guts and afterwards congeal'd of which we have a plain Instance in the Case of drinking cold Liquors after a violent hot Exercise for as much as the heat melts the slime and the motion drives it into the Vessels and the sudden arrival of cold Liquor cuts off its retreat by causing its Coagulation so that it either stagnats or proceeds with the Chyle to the Blood and depraves its Crasis This viscidity or crudity of the Chyle or of the Humor its Companion is the true cause of all Chronical Distempers falsly imputed by the Ancients to Obstructions or contrary Qualities of the Bowels That there are Obstructions I do not deny Some in the Blood Vessels causing Inflammations Others in the Lymphatic or perhaps those of the Chyle causing the rupture of the Vessels and effusion of the Lymph upon the Cavities of the Body And others again in the Bowels appearing in the form of Imposthumes and Schirrus's But these are rather the effect than cause of Chronical Diseases That stagnation of the Liquors in their respective Vessels is occasion'd by their viscidity The viscidity is caus'd by acid Crudities attending the Chyle and debauching the Blood and Lymph Moreover the proneness of Imposthumes to suppurate and that of Schirrus's to become Ganeers are solid proofs of their being caus'd by a viscous acid And as to the Antipathy of the Bowels 't is inconsistent with the Laws of Circulation The Blood and Spirits are equally the cause of heat all over the Body if all the parts be equally 〈◊〉 pos'd for their Reception 'T is true indeed a particâ—â—â—â— Bowel or external part may be occasionally weakâ—â—â— and suffer a Relaxation of its Fibres or by vertue of acid pointed Particles darted into its Bosom like that of a Thorn into the Finger may be disturb'â— with Heat and Inflammation while the others retain their cooler Temperature But it plainly appears that these effects are not owing to any Radical Antipathy in the Qualities of the Bowels but the occasional unequal Distribution of the viscous acid Particles It remains therefore to be concluded upon that the acid Crudity of the Chyle impress'd upon it in the first Passages is the natural and obvious cause of Chronical Distempers and that Obstructions may be effected by the long duration of these Distempers but cannot claim the priviledge of being their Causes This Hypothesis will be set in a clearer light by surveying the Symptoms and the Method of Curing these Chronical Distempers The former are acid Belchings Wind loss of Appetit Gripings and noise in the Guts incident heat and Inflammation Looseness c. the natural Progeny of an acid Crudity And as touching the latter the whole Circle of Specifics is generally made to center in an aperient Vertue Now the Preparations of Steel and Lead do justly lead the Van of this numberless Catalogue And how these astringent Medicines should be intitled to an opening Vertue all the Posse of Writers is at a loss to explain Whereas 't is an obvious Solution that these metallin Particles suck up and incounter the acid Crudity and transform it into a vitriolic Concrete which is afterwards evacuated under the form of black Excrements So that it opens or unlocks the Passages only indirectly by subduing the hostil Intruder Antiscorbutic volatil salin Medicines and Gums are likewise us'd Now they attinuat the viscous Humor precipitat the rank acid fortifie the Stomac the original source of the Evil and whet the Bile And here by the way 't will not be improper to take notice that the Essences commonly prepar'd from volatil Antiscorbutic Herbs as the Essence of Scurvygrass c. fall short of the original vertue of their Herbs as containing only the volatil Salt strip'd of the fix'd Salt which withal is very useful Upon which account I prefer the Quintessences made of the Oyl and both the Spirits one prepar'd by Fermentation and the other by Putrefaction These two being mix'd with the distill'd Oyl by long Digestion and frequent Cohobation And besides all Antiscorbutic Spirits prepared by Fermentation ought to be frequently cohobated in order to extract the fixed Alcalin Salt Tartar also is a great Specific in these Cases But its Cream is too acid Let it be mix'd with half the quantity of Salt of Tartar dissolv'd in warm water after Fermentation filtrated and set to evaporat Thus its Acidity is conquer'd It s volatil Spirit or rather that drawn from the Dregs of Wine or the Carminative Spirit prepar'd from Nitre Tartar and Spirit of Wine and all volatil Preparations of Tartar are of wonderful efficacy in clearing the first Passages correcting the Digestive Ferment and conquering the acid of Wine that we in these Countries are so obnoxious to In the Animal Province Man's Urine given to drink and all urinous Spirits and Salts especially the Spirit of Salarmoniac prepar'd with Quick-lime are noted antiacids in all Chronical Distempers The Spirit of Ants and that of Earth-worms are famous Anti-scorbutics Of the Mineral Family Steel is the Head It ought not to be much impregnated with an acid otherwise it will not dissolve in the Body The best way of giving it is either in crude Powder or by way of extract taken from its Infusion in the Juice of Apples Quinces or of Tamarinds or a Tincture taken from the same with Spirit of Scurvygrass The Tincture of Steel prepar'd with Spirit of Bread is likewise a proper form It s Crocus is best prepar'd by sprinkling it with Juice of Cichory and exposing it to the Sun Next to Steel is Lead especially its Sugar and the Antiphthisical Tincture prepar'd from it and vitriol of Steel with Spirit of Wine From these Premises we infer that the Cause of all Chronical Distempers is a viscous acid Crudity either bred in the Stomac or caus'd by the vicious Effervescencies of the Gall and the Juice of the Pancreas in the Guts Upon which Account all Stomachical attenuating anti-acid Medicines are the true Antidote of these Diseases And whoever attempts to cure 'em without a special regard to the Stomac and first Passages shoots short of his Mark The forms of Recipe's shall be inserted in the particular Description of the respective Diseases SECT XIV Of Diseases relating to the Lungs and Organs of Respiration THUS far we have consider'd the Chyle in its separat State It remains now to survey its state of Complication with the Blood The mix'd Mass of Blood and Chyle is carried from the Axillary Vein to the descending Trunc of the Vena Cava from thence 't is convey'd to the right Ventricle of the Heart and before its entry into the left Ventricle is thrown into the Lungs by the Vena Arteriosa The Lungs are a heap of little Bladders joyn'd by a simple Membran endow'd with moving Fibres and require to be dilated before the Blood
Clysters in the beginning of the Disease However for mitigating these Symptoms let Cataplasms of Rue-leaves Raddish-roots Salt Pigeons Dung and Elder Vinegar be applied to the soles of the Feet and palms of the Hands or the Temples and Forehead fomented with the dissolution of Nitre in some convenient Water or anointed with the Ointment of Alabaster and express'd Oyl of Poppies but so as to have a care of stopping the Pores and hindering transpiration Inwardly exhibit the emulsions of the Cold Seeds Poppy Seeds c. Anâ— add Opium to the other Specifics after the first two or three Days are elaps'd If a Drousiness and inclination to sleep attend the Pest let Opium Treacle and all Compositions partaking of it be avoided let Tincture of Caster and Vinegar be frequently taken inwardly and applied to the Nose or Frankincense Bayberries and Pepper beaten up with the Yelk of an Egg be applied to the Fore-head A symptomatical bleeding at Nose is cur'd by applying a Toad under the Arm-pits washing the Hands and Feet with Vinegar applying to the Forehead Neck and Temples Cataplasms of Chalk and Potters Clay beat up with Vinegar and giving inwardly large quantities of Nitre Spirit of Vitriol Spirit of Salt and Opiats mix'd with astringent Juleps After the Bleeeding is stop'd a gentle laxative may be exhibited if other Circumstances allow of it Thirst is also abated by Nitre especially Nitrum Antimoniatum or clarify'd Whey with Juice of Citrons mix'd with the Spirit of Salt and Gelly of Hartshorn A gnawing at Heart and vomiting is cur'd by the following Electuary Take of the Conserve of Mint vitriolated Conserve of the Pulp of Citrons of each an ounce and a half preserv'd Citron-peel and Diascordium of each six drams Confection Alkermes two drams Salt of Wormwood a dram with the Juice of Quinces Make an Electuary In the mean while foment the Stomac with a mixture of the Spirit of Wine Apoplectic-water Venice Treacle and Camphyr or anoint it with express'd Oil of Nutmegs and the distill'd Oyls of Wormwood and Mace and apply afterwards the Plaister of Caranna or that of Tacamahac mix'd with Venice Treacle and Balsam of Peru. A Looseness or griping of the Guts attending a Plague are accounted for by exhibiting Diascordium Opium absorbent Powders Extract of Treacle or that of Tormentil Camphyr Vinegar and dulcifi'd Spirit of Salt A suppression of Urine happening about the Crisis is a token of critical sweats If it assault the Patient at any other time let the Pubes be anointed with Oyl of Scorpions and Ointment of Marshmallows and all blistering Plaisters omitted Swooning palpitation of the Heart and anxiety proceeding from the Stomac are alleviated by absorbent Powders If they proceed from clotted Blood or the convulsive motion of the Spirits let the Confection Alkermes Castor Spirit of Harts-horn and that of Sal-Armoniac be exhibited externally sprinkle the Face and Temples with cephalic mixtures join'd to Castor and Vinegar of Roses A Prunella or Quinsey is mitigated by applying outwardly to the Neck a Bag quilted with Elder-flowers and Safron sprinkl'd with Spirit of Sal-Armoniac or gargling the Mouth with the Decoction of Germander Self-heal and red Roses in Barley-water mix'd with Nitre and Sal-Armoniac As for the Spots resembling Flea-bitings which frequently appear in the Back Arms and Legs the above mention'd Sudorifics especially Myrrh Castor Camphyr and the volatil Salts are most proper All manner of Cold must be carefully avoided and the Body rub'd all over every Day with a Bag of hot Salt or salt Petre and cupping-glasses frequently applyed to the Back Arms and Legs and frequently taken off SECT XVI Of Disorders relating to the motion of the Blood from the Heart to the Extreme Parts HAving thus dispatch'd the Disorders relating to the Fermentation or intestin motion of the Blood we come now in order to consider those of its circular progress The Blood receiving new Life in the Lungs throws it self with fresh vigour into the left Ventricle of the Heart inlarges its Capacity and distends its Fibres This distention or irritation of the Fibres of the Heart occasions an unwonted crowd of Spirits which repair thither from the Brain contract the whole Heart straiten its Cavity and impetuously squeeze out the Blood into the great Artery In like manner the distention of the Artery caus'd by the eruption of the Blood solicits the Spirits to sally out and contract their offended Fibres and drive the blood forwards 'till it arrive at the Veins thro' which it steers an easie Course to the Heart moving without offence or irritation from narrow Passages into broader Channels so that the Veins whose Tunicles are soft and not over-touchy are in no danger of being provok'd to Contractions by a languid impoverish'd Mass This successive contraction and dilatation of the Heart and Arteries call'd by the Ancients Systole and Diastole the former occasion'd by the Spirits repairing to them and the latter by the violent irruption of Blood are what we call the Pulse This we generally inquire after where the Arteries are most accessible viz. About the Wrists Temples and Ancles in order to discover the state of the Blood And if we find the Artery much dilated by turgid Blood we call it a large Pulse if the if the Blood move forcibly and impetuously we term it strong if the Arteries yield to the touch and do not seem to resist or rebound we stile it a Soft Pulse If the Blood move swiftly the Pulse is Frequent and if the Heart and Arteries be suddenly and much irritated 't is Quick Now Small Weak Hard unfrequent and flow Pulses are the direct reverse of these Circulation is of use to renew the strength of the Blood in the Lungs and supply all the Parts of the Body with Nourishment For 't is the united Mass of Blood and Chyle that furnishes the spermatic parts with Chyle or milky imperfect Blood and those that are sanguin with finish'd Blood according to the natural Demand of the respective Parts CHAP. I. Of the Palpitation and trembling of the Heart WHEN the Blood circulats thro' the Heart it occasions a regular Systole and Diastole But a palpitation of the Heart is a disorderly convulsive unequal vehement Contraction and sometimes scarce perceivable in the Arteries tho' at other times exalted to that pitch that it makes an audible noise A trembling of the Heart is a weak imperfect Contraction Both are equally owing to the irritation of the Heart but with this difference that a palpitation is attended by a violent and resisting strength and a trembling by a yielding weakness This irritation is sometimes the effect of the sharpness or over-bearing quantity of Serum or of Worms in the Heart-purse or of little Wheals or Excrescences within and about the Heart or great Arteries sometimes it proceeds from little Clotts of Blood left by the vicious Mass in the Heart or from a provoking Acid prevailing in the Mass of Blood as it passes along or
Generation and Corruption of different Bodies Therefore our modern Philosophers have thought fit to depart from the common Elementary Road and search for the Elements of Bodies among these minute particles which by combining or separating from one another in greater or lesser proportions alter the Constitutions of Bodies and transform 'em into others of a different mould See the Houourable Mr. Boyl of the Original of Forms and Qualities As I take it these Particles that enter into the Composition of all Bodies and are the most immediat Elements into which they resolve may be justly divided into four Classes 1. The Saline Particles which are either Acids Alcali's or Nitrous 2. The Fat Oyly Parts 3. The Watery and 4. The Earthy These I say are the most immediat Principles of dissolv'd Body's I do not advance them for the first and simplest nor for the last for even these may be resolv'd into others and most of 'em into Water Perhaps the Watery Particles have a better Title to that Character The various twisting of 'em together according to the respective seminal Vertue may give rise to most if not all Compounds which dissolve into Water again when the seminal Power ceases to operate Our Body is immediately fram'd of these four sorts of Particles especially of Salt and Sulphur which are the chief Ingredients of the Blood Chyle and other Juices The seminal Power determines 'em to such a particular concretion as appears in our Organs and the respective Texture and Proportion establish'd among 'em is the Gauge and Measure of our Temperaments The Changes that happen to Bodies are chiefly occasion'd by the Activity and Various Engagements of the Saltish Particles Fermentation and Effervescency which are the most remarkable motions in our Bodies are totally owing to them The former is an Intestine motion of the minute Particles occasion'd by the mutual Jarrs of Acid and Alcali salts which disturbs all the other parts and terminates either in the final dissolution of the Body or such an alteration as a New Union and Temperature of the Salts may allow of Effervescency or Boyling is a much stronger motion occasion'd by the greater Purity and Sharpness of the Salts The more subtile penetrating parts of our Body are the Principle of Life and Action When they cease to perform their wonted motions death takes place Their regular and undisturb'd motions are the measure of Health and the least disorder among 'em is justly call'd a Disease They are nothing else but the Subtiler and more Volatile Parts of the Blood separated in the Brain which by Reason of their Activity are called Spirits tho in effect material divisible and liable to Corruption When they are mix'd with the Blood and serve to enliven and exalt its Mass Accompanying it through all the Parts of the Body they are call'd Vital Spirits and are imploy'd in Vital Functions but when they 're Lodg'd in a different Apartment and Confine ' emselves to the Nerves and Brain they are engag'd in the Animal faculty In this Office they resemble the Bodies of Light and are therefore call'd Incid but in the other they fire-like exalt and elevate the Blood Vid. Willis de Anim. Brutor There is nothing more Conducive to a regular Practice of Physic than a right understanding of these two Faculties and the several disorders they 're obnoxious to The Animal faculty depends upon the regular motion of the Spirits and a sound Constitution of the Brain and Nerves This I design to treat of Annon The Vital faculty consists in the regular motion of the Blood Chyle and the other Juices The external motion of the Blood is its Circulation but its Intestine motion is what we call a Fermentation Both these must be preserv'd in their due tenor The Encumbrances of Circulation are remov'd or prevented by Sudorifics which attenuate and dissolve the Blood and put it into a swifter but equal motion But the more present relief is from Blood-letting which lessens the quantity of the Blood and makes way for a freeer Circulation by emptying the Vessels or to speak with the Ancients Evacuates and Ventilates the Blood 'T is indifferent what Vein be open'd when we only design to evacuate or lessen the quantity for that will certainly follow open what Vein ye will So in a General Plaethora all choice of Veins is ridiculous But if there be any particular Inflamation that seizes only one particular Member then indeed Cases are alter'd Not that I establish even then any necessity of distinguishing Veins in one and the same Member As if there be an Indication for letting Blood in the Arm I think 't is much at one whether the Cephalic Median or Basilic Vein be opened But 't is chiefly in regard of the Superior and Inferior Regions of the Body that a difference must be observ'd The Heart is the Centre of the Body and divides the Upper Region from the Lower Now if there happen any Inflammation in the Upper Parts opening a Vein in the Lower Regions as in the Foot diverts the Blood for the descending branch of the Aorta being thereby in some measure empty'd the blood will more plentifully flow into it than into the ascending branch where the Stoppage or Inflammation blocks up its way This is call'd an Universal Revulsion A particular Revulsion or Aversion is when a Vein is opened in the same Region and Neighbourhood with the part affected as if in a Quinsey they let blood in the Arm. If the very next Vein or the Vein through which the standing blood must naturally return to the Heart be opened 't is call'd a Derivation As in a Quinsey we first make a General Revulsion by bleeding in the Foot to divert the Universal Mass of the blood from feeding the Inflammation Then for a more particular Revulsion we bleed in the Arm in order to draw off the stagnating blood through a Neighbouring Channel If this do not take off the Inflammation quite we breath a Vein under the Tongue in order to disengage and evacuate the standing blood that ought naturally to pass that way In this Sense all these Celebrated Effects of blood-letting are very consistent with the Rules of Circulation which in the Sense of the Ancients were altogether unexplicable But the Universal Revulsion must always lead the Van for fear a particular one should encrease the Inflammation by inviting the blood to the Adjacent Parts I 'll only stay to present you with a Remarkable Instance of the bad Consequences an ill-tim'd Aversion or Derivation may produce I borrow it from Lindanus in his Practical Comment upon Hartman A Surgeon of Amsterdam was seiz'd with an Inflammation in his Right Eye He sent for some Old Physician that order'd him to be bled in the Right Arm Accordingly he was bled which sensibly Augmented the Inflammation The next day the Oracle was consulted again He to mend the matter order'd him to be bled in the Left Arm the Consequence of which was that
into a round uniform Globe and are call'd Conglobatae some into a Cluster call'd Conglomeratae The former convey their Juice thro' Lymphatic Vessels into the left axillary Vein where it dilutes and prepares the Chyle for an easie union with the Blood and likewise promotes the fermentation of the Blood in the Heart and Lungs as being of a volatil Spirituous Nature The latter throw their Juice into some noted Cavity as the Spittle into the Mouth the Juice of the Sweat-bread into the Guts c. These Juices as separated or suck'd from the Blood partake of acidity which is temper'd by the Animal Spirits repairing to the Glandules they being condensated and incorporated with the Liquor The Separation of this Liquor is frequently disturb'd by the Obstructions of the Glandules of which else where ART I. Of Catarrhs A Catarrh is a preternatural Defluxion of Lymph from the Conglamerated Glandules into some noted Cavity of the Body especially the Throat Breast and Head where these Glandules are very plentiful and their Lymph is most liable to alterations from the Air. A Catarrh therefore proceeds from the Constriction of the Fibres of the Glandules occasion'd by some provoking Causes These Causes are either External or Internal The former are the malignity of the Air in Epidemical Catarrhs sharp Steams and external Cold contracting the Fibres hindring a free Transpiration and so occasioning the redundancy stagnation and provoking sharpness of the Lymph The internal Causes are the sharpness or Acrimony of the Blood and consequently the Lymph occasion'd by an imperfect Digestion in the Stomac Scorbutical Salts c. Or the occasional Corruption of the Peculiar Nutritious Juice of the Glandules which being deprav'd sticks to their sides and provokes 'em to Contractions This degeneracy of their Juice arises from external injuries or whatever internal Cause is apt to weaken or exhaust their innate Spirit When the Fibres or innate Spirits of the Part are weaken'd the Catarrh is Habitual and apt to relapse in other Cases 't is only Accidental and generally take its rise from external Occasions When a Catarrh begins 't is Thin and Sharp as being the pure Lymph without mixture but afterwards by its continued Flux it depraves the nutritive Juice of the Glandules which mixes with it and renders it Thick and Temperat When the Lymph is very Corosive and Sharp 't is usually call'd a Hot Rheum when 't is Thick and Slimy 't is entitled Cold. There is yet a Spurious sort of Catarrh near ally'd to this above-mention'd viz. The Stagnation of the serous part of the Blood in any parts either before or after its conversion into Lymph as when Nocturnal Cold or the Diminution of the ordinary transpiration causes pain in the Limbs This is not properly a Catarrh but a stagnation of Serum or Lymph caus'd by the Constriction of the Fibres of the part in which 't is lodg'd Thus the Tooth-ach Scorbutic pains in the Limbs Bastard Pleurisies c. are of the same kind The Causes from which they take their rise are much the same as those of the Genuin Catarrh Sometimes the true Catarrh causes Feavers which are particularly accounted for in the Section of Feavers An imminent Catarrh is usher'd in by a weariness of the Joynts heaviness of the Head dullness of the Senses and Froth making a circle in the Urine If the Lymph be thin and sharp 't is mostly voided in the Night time and a slow Feaver increasing towards the Evening accompanies it if it be thick and slimy 't is equally troublesom at all times but the Symptoms are more remiss If a Catarrh recur frequently in the same part or if the part be influenc'd by the alterations of the Weather 't is a sign that the nutritive Juice of the Glandule is deprav'd and its innate Spirit weaken'd If it be caus'd by the Crudites or imperfect Digestion of the Stomac it distinguishes it self by frequent relapses either in the same or different parts by the Person 's propensity to spit and sweat much and the thinness and paleness of the Urine Catarrhs in the Breast or Wind-pipe are apt to cause a Cough or Phthisic In old Persons they 're scarce curable by reason of the weakness of their Digestive faculty the natural Laxity of their Glandules flatness of their Spirits and Acrimony of the Serum A Catarrh in the Glandules of the Brain is apt to cause Palsies Lethargies and such like disorders of the Spirits That from the Nose and Mouth is least dangerous especially if the Matter come quickly to Concoction As to the Cure let the following Cautions be minded 1. The best Evacuaters are Diuretics and volatil Sudorifics When the Stomac is faulty Vomits and Purges are proper but not in other Cases 2. Chronical or Habitual Catarrhs proceeding from the Acrimony of the Serum as in old and Scorbutical Persons are influenc'd by the Moon and therefore Preservatives ought always to exhibited before the new Moon 3. Opiats are of excellent use especially in the beginning of a Catarrh arising from external Causes They ought always to be mix'd with volatil Salts and proper Specifics Towards the height of the Disease or in epidemical and critical Catarrhs they must be cautiously us'd 4. Issues and Blistering Plaisters are of use for draining the Lymph or relieving a particular part but they cannot remove its Cause Therefore in scorbutical Cases or when the Evil is inveterat and scarce curable à Priori we must insist on such a palliative Cure being directed thereto by nature which frequently throws out the Lymph by Ulcers in the Legs 5. Bleeding is not proper But in some particular Cases as when the Body is very Plethoric or Blood suppress'd in the Body or when the Catarrh falls upon a noble part 't is allowable These Cautions being premis'd let 's now Consider the Indications As 1. The Activity of the Cause and sense of the Part ought to be impair'd by Opiats 2. The quantity of the Lymph must be lessen'd its vicious quality corrected and the solid part cleans'd by volatil Sudorifics 3 The Stomac must be strengthen'd its due digestion retriev'd and the solid part fortify'd by balmy Aromatics The specifics proper for these purposes are Mother of Thyme Rose-mary Avens-roots Juniper-berries and all Aromatics Sassafras especially its Tincture prepar'd with the spirit of wild Thyme Amber and all it preductions especially the succinated spirit of Harts-horn Myrrh Sulphur or its Flowers Mastic-wood and Sperma Ceti From such Ingredients we make several Prescriptions such as the Decoctions of Woods the infusion of Aromatic and Stomachical Herbs in Wine an Electuary of the Rob of Juniper-berries mix'd with Spices c. The Cure of sharp and thick Humors vary's as that of dry and wet Coughs In scorbutical Cases we always add some preparation from the Pine-tree When we exhibit Purgatives we mix 'em with the Specifics as in Crato's Pills of Amber Jalap sweet Mercury and in inveterat Cases Hellebor are recommended
his Compositions admirably well Contriv'd In a word every Period of his Writings may furnish us with convincing Proofs of his Infinit Reading clear Apprehension solid Judgment large Experience and unsully'd Integrity As for the Abridgment or Translation I shall neither trouble the Reader nor my self with any Apology for it If the Imperfections are only such as the hurry of the Press the Injunctions of Booksellers the limited Number of sheets and the Common plea of oversights may account for I have some Title to bespeak forgiveness of the Reader If it be justly charg'd with grosser faults I can offer no deference that 's sufficient THE CONTENTS OF THE Introduction SECT I. Of the General Vertues of Med'cines p. 3 Sect. II. Of the Vital Functions of the Body p. 5 Sect. III. Of Acid Alcalin Pituitous and Serous Cacochymies or Corruptions of the Juices in the Body p. 12 Sect. IV. Of the Med'cines that Evacuat the Corrupt Juices of the Body p. 17 Chap. I. Of Vomiting Med'cines Ibid. Chap. II. Of Purging Med'cines p. 25 Chap. III. Of the Med'cines that provoke Vrine p. 35 Chap. IV. Of the Med'cines that procure Sweat p. 38 Sect. V. Of the Animal Faculty p. 41 Sect. VI. Of the Choice of Practical Authors p. 45 The Contents of the First Book SECT I. Of the Appetit and the Disorders 't is Obnoxious to p. 47 Chap. I. Of the loss of Appetit p. 48 Chap. II. Of the Depravation of the Appetit p. 56 Chap. III. Of an Immoderat or Dog-Hunger p. 59 Sect. II. Of the Disorders of Thirst p. 62 Chap. I. Of Immoderat Thirst. Ibid. Sect. III. Of Diseases relating to the Chewing Faculty p. 66 Chap. I. Of the Contorsion of the Muscles of the mouth or a Dog-Cramp Ibid. Chap. II. Of the Loss Corruption Blackness Looseness Numness and Chilness of the Teeth p. 68 Sect. IV. Of the Diseases that hinder swallowing p. 72 Sect. V. Of the hindrances of Chylification p. 74 Chap. I. Of Diseases Incumbring or Extinguishing Chylification p. 74 Chap. II. Of Wind in the Stomac or Guts p. 79 Sect. VI. Of the Diseases that hinder the Retention of Food in the Stomac p. 83 Chap. I. Of a Vomiting and Loathing of Meat Ibid. Chap. II. Of a Vomiting of Blood p. 87 Sect. VII Of Pains in the Stomac p. 90 Sect. VIII Of disorders hindring the due separation of the Chyle from the Excrements in the Guts p. 96 Sect. IX Of disorders relating to the Expulsion of the Excrements by Stool p. 98 Chap. I. Of the Diseases which impair the Evacuation by Stool Ibid. Art I. Of Costiveness Ibid. Art II. Of the Iliac Passion p. 102 Chap. II. Of the Diseases which inlarge the Quantity of Excrements voided by Stool p. 106 Art I. Of a Lâ—oseness Ibid. Art II. Of the Disease call'd Cholera p. 112 Art III. Of a Lienteria p. 114 Art IV. Of the Looseness call'd Caeliaca p. 115 Chap. III. Of Depravations relating to the Expulsion of Excrements by Stool p. 116 Art I. Of a Dysentery Tenesmus Hepatic Flux and Itching of the Anus Ibid. Art II. Of the Piles p. 125 Sect. X. Of Worms in the Guts p. 130 Sect. XI Of Pains in the Guts and Particularly of the Colic p. 132 Sect. XII Of the Vicious Postures of the Guts p. 141 Chap. I. Of Ruptures Ibid. Chap. II. Of the Downfalling of the Anus p. 144 Sect. XIII Of the Encumbrances of the Chyle in its Passage from the Guts p. 146 Sect. XIV Of Diseases relating to the Lungs and Organs of Respiration p. 150 Chap. I. Of Inspiration Abolish'd or Suffocation p. 150 Chap. II. Of Inspiration deprav'd or difficult Breathing p. 152 Art I. Of Asthma's Ibid. Art II. Of a Hiccough p. 158 Art III. Of the Night-mare p. 160 Chap. III. Of Disorders relating to Exspiration p. 161 Art I. Of Immoderat Sneesing Ibid. Art II. Of disorders of the Voice p. 162 Art III. Of a Cough p. 164 Art IV. Of a Choaking Catarh p. 171 Sect. XV. Of the Accidents that disturb the transformation of the Chyle and fermentation of the Blood p. 193 Chap. I. Of Feavers in General p. 195 Chap. II. Of Intermitting Feavers p. 204 Chap. III. Of Continual Feavers p. 230 Chap. IV. Of slow Feavers p. 244 Art I. Of Catarrh-Feavers or such as proceed from the Lymph separated in the Round Globe-like Glandules ib. Art II. Of Feavers proceeding from the Lymph of the Conglomerated Glandules or such as are roll'd into a Cluster p. 247 Chap. V. Of malignant Feavers p. 254 Chap. VI. Of the Small Pox and Measles p. 265 Chop VII Of the Plague and Pestilential Feavers p. 273 Sect. XVI Of Disorders relating to the Blood 's motion from the Heart to the outer Parts p. 281 Chap. I. Of the Palpitation and Trembling of the Heart p. 282 Chap. II. Of Swoonings p. 286 Sect. XVII Of Nutrition p. 290 Chap. I. Of a Consumption and Phthisic p. 291 Chap. II. Of Immoderat Nutrition or Corpulency p. 300 Chap. III. Of a Deprav'd Nutrition p. 302 Art I. Of a Cachexy Leucophlegmacy and Anasarca Ibid. Art II. Of a Vniversal Dropsy p. 305 Art III. Of the Yellow Black and White Jaundice p. 314 Art IV. Of the French Pox. p. 318 Art V. Of the Hypochondriacal and Scorbutical Diseases p. 326 Art VI. Of Breakings-out in the Skin p. 346 Sect. XVIII Of Diseases hindring the regular Reflux of the Blood to the Heart p. 353 Chap. I. Of Inflammations Ibid. Art I. Of a Quinsey Thrush and Falling of the Uvula or Palat of the mouth p. 356 Art II. Of Inflammations of the Stomac Guts and Fundament p. 360 Art III. Of Inflammations of the Mesentery Sweet-bread and Caul p. 362 Art IV. Of Inflammations of the Internal Parts of the Breast and Particularly of a Pleurisy and Peripneumonia p. 364 Art V. Of Inflammations and Vlcers of the Liver and Spleen p. 371 Art VI. Of Inflammations and Vlcers of the Kidneys p. 373 Art VII Of Inflammations and Vlcers of the Bladder p. 375 Art VIII Of a Phrensy or Inflammation of the Membrans of the Brain p. 377 Art IX Of the Genuin and Spurious Inflammations of the Eyes p. 378 Art X. Of Inflammations and Vlcers in the Ears p. 383 Chap. II. Of the Effusion of Blood into the Cavities of the Body and Particularly of an Empyema p. 384 Chap. III. Of a Bleeding or the Bursting of the Blood Vessels p. 389 Art I. Of Bleeding at the Nose and Gums p. 394 Art II. Of a Spitting of Blood p. 396 Sect. XIX Of Diseases relating to the Alterations of the Blood in the Spleen Liver and Kidneys p. 399 Chap. I. Of Distempers relating to the separation of Serum in the Kidneys p. 401 Art I. Of an Ischuria in the Kidneys or a Suppression of Vrine arising from the want of a due separation in the Reins Ibid. Art II. Of the Stone in the Kidneys p. 405 Art III. Of a Diabetes or Excessive flux of Vrine p. 414 Art IV. Of
As for the first A preternatural frequency of the pulse from an internal cause is accounted by Silvius a peculiar and infallible Symptom of a Feaver tho' some malignant Feavers seem to make an exception to the Rule For the most part the pulse is also swifter Now these effects are plainly resolvable into the fermentation of the Blood or the irritation of the Heart and Spirits occasion'd by a foreign ferment As for the second A Chilness shivering and shaking differ only gradually The first is only a light Convulsion of the Skin and contraction of the pores resembling the sense of Cold tho in the mean while the Body feels hot to the External touch If the muscles are likewise affected it creates a shivering and sometimes a stiffness These effects proceed from a prevalent Acid which twitches the membranous parts and corrupts the mass of Blood In the beginning of intermitting or Continual Feavers these Convulsions chiefly affect the internal and noble parts But after the height of Malignant or Favourable Feavers they are seated for the most part in the external Membrans and portend Critical eruptions The third Symptom is the immoderat Heat of the Body I call it only a Symptom for 't is not Essential to a Fever as some would have it For some diseases are attended with a preternatural Heat that are not accompany'd by a Feaver and besides there are some Feavers that are not hot but on the contrary notably Cold. Tho' this advance may sound like a paradox 't is back'd by Hippocrates Avicenna Galen Bartholin and Helmont Nay I my self have met with an instance of an intermitting Feaver that had no hot fits at all which I cur'd after the common evacuations by a mixture of Spirit of Sal-armoniac and Spirit of Scurvy-grass exhibited in the intermitting days and a Powder of Tartar vitriolated or Salt of Wormwood with prepar'd Crabs Eyes taken some hours before the invasion of the Paroxysm To return to the preternatural heat which for the most part attends Feavers 't is sometimes moist when the fibres of the Skin are unbended and the steams of the humours copiously exhal'd Sometimes when these fibres are contracted 't is dry If the Acid Salts are not much exalted 't is meek and tolerable but if these sharper Salts abound in the Blood the heat gives a biting and fiery impression to the external Organs of touching This preternatural Heat springs immediatly from the boyling and struggling of the Salts in the mass of Blood The Occasional Cause is an Acid which sometimes infects chiefly the Spirits and then the heat is remisser than when it principally affects the Blood It destroys the establish'd proportion of the Salts and so gives rise to vicious fermentations To make good this assertion namely that an Acid is the principal author of excessive heat and consequently of Feavers themselves it will not be improper to mention the following Observations 1. All wounds and ulcers are offended by Acids by reason of the Inflammation and heat occasion'd by them And Alcali's perform the cure 2. Pleurisies Quinsies and all inflammations are still attended by acute hot Feavers Now they are the product of Acids and yield only to Alcalin Remedies 3. The same may be said of St. Antony's fire 4. Intermitting Feavers spring from an Acid Crudity prevailing in the stomach and are only cur'd by absorbent Alcali's 5. Catarrhous feavers proceed from the Acid sharpness of the Limpha and are cur'd by Volatil temperat Medicines 6. The Measles and Small-pox are attended with a remarkable heat and Feaver before the eruption Now the prevalency of an Acid in these cases is plainly evinc'd by the corrosion of the Skin suppuration of the Pimples and method of Cure 7. Arthritic pains are oft-times usher'd in by Feaverish Symptoms Now their Cause is an Acid and the cure consists in subduing it 8. The Feavers which follow the stopping of an itch or crusty scab in Children are the natural offspring of the Acids retain'd in the Body by means of that suppression 9. Hectic Feavers always attend purulent internal Ulcers which partake of acidity 10. Children are oft-times seiz'd with Feavers and gripings by virtue of the corrupt Acid of the Milk 11. The high Colour of the Urine in Feavers must needs proceed from a prevalent Acid for Alcali's give a contrary Tincture 12. Immoderat use of Wine produces the same Symptoms as a Feaver by means of its Acid Tartareous parts 13. Hypochondriac persons are obnoxious to Inflammations c. by reason of the prevailing Acidity in the first passages 14. The Heart-burning resembles the Symptoms of a Feaver and is caus'd by a gnawing Acid in the mouth of the stomac 15. That according to Tachenius the hot vegetable Remedies are proper against a predominant Acid and the cold vegetables against an Alcali The plain truth is this All hot vegetables have a fat rosinous Acid which if set at liberty is notably hot but if they be digested with fix'd Salts the fat Acid is retain'd by the fix'd Salt and then they yield a thin meagre Spirit of noted excellency in hot diseases as I have often experienc'd by the simple Spirit of Sal-armoniac 16. That the pain and heat remaining after burning proceeds from the keen Acid particles shot into the part and is remov'd by Alcali's Some derive the excessive heat attending Feavers from the Bile but several medicines near ally'd to the Choler expel the heat and besides its Patrons cannot determin whether it should proceed from its Acid or Alcali since 't is equally intitled to the possession of both The fourth Symptom is the Alteration of Urine When the Chyle or Blood is viciated Nature indeavours to discharge the Heterogeneous particles by this passage which accordingly impart to the Urine a high or flat tincture according to the degree of the peccant Acid which is equally the Cause of this and all other Symptoms attending Feavers The immediat subject of Feavers is the Blood and Spirits The alteration of Pulse and Urine clearly infers that the Blood is affected the Critical Sweats the Jaundice and sometimes the Acid tincture of the Blood ensuing Feavers are plain Demonstrations of the same truth The feaverish tendency of Aches the efficacy of Opium in appeasing febrile commotions and the nature of some malignant Feavers that produce no notable alteration in the Blood and Urine make it to appear that the discomposure of the Spirits is properly call'd a Feaver From whence I infer that Heat or Chilness are not essential to a Feaver and that the Heart or any other solid part are not the immediat subject 'T is true the febrile source may lodge in some corrupt or vitiated part but it only causes a Feaver by disordering the Blood and Spirits This remote Cause of Feavers ought to be heedfully distinguish'd from their Effects of the same Nature namely when in their declination any solid part is seiz'd with a swelling obstruction c. according to the various disposition of
a hard matter to distinguish Quotidians from double Tertians These last are known by this that either the Paroxysms have an alternat correspondence the first to the third second to the fourth c. Or the intervening Paroxysm comes later while the other two observe their set Periods or in Progress of time it intirely disappears and two Fits recur every other Day A precedent or succeeding simple Tertian discovers likewise a double Tertian So that true Quotidians are very rare and some are so hardy as to deny that there are any such But several good Authors have vouch'd for the Affirmative There are some Erratic Intermitting Feavers that observe dark Periods peculiar to themselves and some call'd Wandring which have no set times at all The grand Symptoms of intermitting Feavers are a chillness shivering and shaking follow'd by heat and that by plentiful Sweats Before the invasion of the Paroxysm the Patient is molested with a Yawning and Stretching a weariness of the Joints and unquietness or tossing in Bed The Nails become livid and blue a gentle chillness seizes the Loins and Back afterwards it creeps to the Belly and by degrees overspreads the whole Body especially the extreme Parts Then follows a shivering and sometimes a violent concussion of all the parts of the Body During the cold Fit several sorts of pains affect the Joints the Guts are grip'd and make a murmuring noise and the Pulse is render'd more frequent but withal weaker and lesser nay scarce perceivable When the coldness abates a difficulty of breathing insues with a notable heat and thirst the Pulse is strengthen'd and inlarg'd If the Pulse be small 't is a sign of great Malignity The Tongue becomes dry the Neck and Temples are seiz'd with a beating heat attended with frequent respiration head-ach watching and sometimes doating The heat declining is follow'd by sweating and voiding Urine After which sleep takes place and the Symptoms disappear In Tertians the heat and thirst are greatest And in Quartans the cold shaking and weariness of the Joynts are most troublesome This is the ordinary manner of Invasion But withal there are some irregular Feavers that depart from this method As the cold Feavers that have no hot Fits and the hot Tertian Feavers that are not usher'd in by cold Sometimes but very rarely the Order is inverted and the heat precedes the cold Fit Oft-times these Feavers begin regularly and afterwards degenerate or on the contrary begin in a disorderly manner and by continuation become regular If the Pulse be very small the Strength abolish'd the Breast disturb'd the Spirits disquieted in the beginning of the paroxysm and afterwards Pushes and Spots appear in the Skin the Feaver is malignant and very dangerous Tho' some are inclin'd to exclude malignity from the whole circle of intermitting Feavers Tho' intermitting Feavers may differ in their Periods and some occasional Symptoms they all proceed from one and the same Cause and require the same method of Cure as appears by their frequent permutation The general efficient Cause of all Motion is the Spirits but the occasional material Cause which provokes them to such irregular Motions is a vicious acid ferment bred in the Stomach and first Passages by the depravation or weakness of the digestive Faculty This Opinion is justified by the preternatural Appetit that sometimes attends Feavers the frequent Cures perform'd by Fasting by excessive Drinking and Vomiting or by eating greedily what was long'd for and the notable exasperation or relapse of the Disease occasioned by any error in Diet or earing unacceptable Food 'T is true such Feavers may sometimes proceed from the Air or quality of the Food but very rarely The disorders of the Spleen and Liver do frequently attend Quartans and Tertians but they are rather their Effects than Causes or perhaps they may remotely indispose the Body and render the Paroxysms more obstinat The suppression of the Terms or obstruction of any part may produce the like Effects but still the immediat Cause is lodg'd in the Stomac or first Passages which insinuats it self into the remains of indigested Food and so multiplies the Cause of repeated Paroxysms Now by means of this Acid all the Symptoms and Periods of Paroxysms are thus accounted for If the Chyle be not well digested in the Stomac and duly separated from the grosser parts by the interposal of the pancreatic and choleric Juices in the Guts it degenerates from its temperat volatil saline Quality and becomes acid or viscid and accordingly when it joins the Blood fixes its saline volatil oyly Particles and thickens the whole Mass Thus its fermentation is impair'd and by consequence the Pulse is weaken'd and diminish'd but withal render'd more frequent by the irritation of the Heart The heat of the Body is extinguish'd and the Spirits disorder'd by the indisposition and vicious fermentation of the Blood from whence issues the weariness of the Joints When this Acid begins to exert it self it twitches and contracts the nervous and membranous parts the Coats of the Guts and Stomach with the annex'd choleric and pancreatic Vessels the fat Membrane or Panniculus Carnosus c. the natural Consequences of which are a shivering shaking pains of the Joints and violent Vomiting of white or green matter which is nothing else but a mixture of the pancreatic and bilious Juices perverted by this irregular fermentation and causing gripings of the Guts a coldness of the Belly and many other Symptoms These Symptoms are allotted only to the beginning of the Paroxysm For after that this acid has for some time stifled the volatil oyly parts of the Blood they make head against it and the mutual Encounter creates a notable effervescency which ends in discharging the vanquish'd acid in a vehicle of attenuated Serum by Urine or Sweat From hence we deduce the other Symptoms of heat burning the vehemency and largeness of the Pulse plentiful Sweats the clearness of the Urine at first and its subsequent muddiness The Acid being thus subdu'd and evacuated the Feaver and concurring Symptoms intermit till such time as the remaining Miasma's be provok'd afresh or supplied by new recruits from the Stomac If this intermitting ferment be cramp'd by a vicid pituitous Vehicle the Paroxysm is longer and the Symptoms meeker than when it is master of it self and at liberty to display its utmost energy From whence we gather the difference of acute and chronical spurious and regular Feavers In these Northern Countries 't is highly necessary to take notice of scorbutic and hypocondriac Diseases as the frequent Companions of intermitting Feavers Those which we call erratic are always scorbutic unless they be caus'd by Imposthumes of the internal parts which seldom happen The signs of a scorbutic Feaver are anxieties of the Breast rending pains of the Joints floating pains or convulsions of the lower Belly either before or in the Paroxysm vomiting of green or yellow Matter and the eruption of livid or red Spots towards the end of the
carefully to distinguish between the real fat Crust which is usual in continual and intermitting Feavers and proceeds from the excessive Heat which melts the internal Fat and is always uniform as to its Colour and Appearance and the apparent Crust familiar to Hypocondriac and Scorbutic Persons which is nothing else but the concretion of vicious Salts and when the Chamber-pot is a little inclin'd appears green or parti-color'd like a Peacock's Tail In the beginning of a Hectic the Belly is costive but when 't is further advanc'd and the Stomac and Digestive faculty quite gone they are molested with a Looseness which together with melting Sweats off-fallings of Hair and universal Consumption of Body at length finishes their Days A Perfect Hectic Feaver may be consider'd in its several degrees 1. When the Nutritious Juice is dispers'd and mis-apply'd 2. When not only the simple Nutritious Juice but the fat and what was already appropriated to particular solid parts is melted down and consum'd 3. When besides these Symptoms the Fibres of the solid parts are manifestly dry and wither'd The last degree is incurable If a Hectic be occasion'd by disorders of the Bowels or internal Ulcers if it follow continual or intermitting Feavers or chronical Distempers if the Hairs fall off and the Person be old or molested with a Looseness or Lienteria attended by a ghastly Countenance and swellings of the Feet and Legs they are all fatal Symptoms especially the last three If it be a principal independent uncompounded Hectic the direct Indications of Cure are to temper the Acrimony of the Blood and Acid Viscosity of the Lymph and to corroborat the Stomac For which purposes observe 1. That Bleeding Purging or any Evacuations are improper unless the first Passages be stull'd with Crudities for which a gentle Laxative is allowable but in a small Dose by reason that Hectic Persons are very easily Purg'd 2. If it arise from the Stomac as it frequently do's Vomits and the use of Elixir Proprietatis are very effectual 3. That by all means Loosenesses and excessive Sweats must be curb'd the former by Quinces red Roses Chalybeat Milk c. The latter by Opiats given at Night in small Doses 4. That all sweet things Sugar Hony c. ought to be cautiously avoided by reason that they are offensive to the Stomac and impart a viscidity to the humors of the Body If the Feaver be Simptomatical a particular regard must be had to the principal Disease and above all to the Stomac If it follow a continual or intermitting Feaver a Vomit if convenient may be administred and after that there 's nothing better than Sal-Armoniac and Poterius's Antihectic If it follow an Ulcer of any internal Part vulnerary Sulphureous Medicines are proper especially the Balsam of Sulphur prepar'd with express'd Oyl of Almonds distill'd Oyls are too sharp or this Balsam thus prepar'd may be mix'd with a little Oyl of Aniseeds Turpentin dissolv'd in the â—olk of an Egg or human Fat or the Decoctions of vulnerary or pectoral Herbs are likewise proper After the principal Diseases and the state of the Stomac are taken care of the Hectic Feaver it self must be accounted for by exhibiting temperat attenuating Medicines The essential Salt of May-dew or its Spirit with the Flowers of Violets Borrage and Bugloss infus'd in it the Phlegm of Vitriol that comes over before the Spirit if it be rectify'd the Juice or Dew which sticks to the Herb call'd Rosasolis the Juicy fat Herbs Fruits and Seeds such as House-leek Plantan Succory Marshmallows Lettuce Purslain Borrage Bugloss Fistic Nuts sweet Almonds Sebestins the four cold Seeds white Poppy Seeds and especially Currans or Raisins whether by way of Pulp or Decoction with Sassafras China and Elecampane Roots or Fermentation with Wine or Preparation with Juice of Apples are all noted Specifics for this purpose Crabs Eyes and Pearls are sovereign Antihectics if we could resolve 'em into their primitive milky Liquor from whence they sprung Terra foliata Tartari and its Liquor well prepar'd is likewise of good use Antihecticum Poterii is a noble Medicine if it be very well separated from the Sulphur of the Tin As thus Take five parts of purify'd Tin and four parts of the Regulus of Antimony Melt and fix them with triple the Quantity of Nitre While the mixture stands melted stir it with a wooden Spatula that by so doing the Sulphur of the Tin may evaporat Afterwards dissolve the mixture and reserve for use the white Powder that sinks to the Bottom Diaphoretic Antimony mineral Bezoar Ivory Coral mix'd Sal-Armoniac or Arcanum Duplicatum or with Mynsicht's Magistery of Lead or Sugar of Lead are very convenient where the Heat is more intense Some give thirty drops of the Antiphthifical Tincture prepar'd from Sugar of Lead and Vitriol of Steel Allum or its Spirit mix'd with Spirit of Wine is much applauded Spirit and Oyl of human Blood are recommended by Mr. Boyle If Grief or any passion of the Mind threaten a Hectic give twice a Day forty drops of the Tincture of Coral with Spirit of stags-Stags-heart Some receive great Benefit by a Milk Diet of Womens Asses Goats and Cows Milk But it ought to be commencd before the strength is very much impair'd or the Digestion lost In a word 't will be proper to mind these Cautions 1. That the Hectic be not attended by a putrid Feaver or a Head-ach or distention of the Hypochondria or a foul Stomac and weak Digestion 2. That while Persons use Milk they Eat or Drink little else 3. That all Acids be avoided and a little Sugar added to the Milk to prevent its Curdling 4. That the Milk be taken warm and with a fasting Stomac either by sucking it from the Breasts or drinking it when just milk'd for fear of any Alteration from the Air. 5. That the Physician ought to try first if the Milk Diet agree with the Patient's Constitution as after a gentle Purgation let him exhibit three or four ounces of Milk and if there insue no sense of weight about the Stomac Hiccough Squeamishness increase of Heat or acceleration of the Pulse he may exhibit a Pint every Morning and Evening And after drinking of it the Patient must not sleep or use violent Motion The Food of Hectic Persons must be temperat and juicy as Broth decoctions of Rice or Barley Pullets Capons Hens Ducks fed with Frogs and Cocles Snails fed with Sugar and Meal and boil'd in Hen-broth juice of River-Crabs made up with Butter or mixt with the Oil or Decoction of sweet Almonds Oysters if the Stomach be able to digest 'em and the Appetit covet 'em Eels c. But under a Milk Diet let the Patient abstain from Meat CHAP. V. Of Malignant Feavers A Feaver is call'd Malignant when 't is attended by more dismal Symptoms than its visible Cause is wont to produce Malignity is not inseparably united to Contagion there being some contagious Diseases that are not
from its irregular and unequal turgescence Upon which account the suppression of the Terms the Scurvy and Hypocondriac Sickness are frequently follow'd by palpitations of the Heart Sometimes it takes its rise from the slow and stagnating condition of the Blood and by consequence from whatever crosses or thwarts the circular progress But of all its Causes the most frequent is the occasional disorder of the Nerves and Animal Spirits occasion'd either by Fear Anger strong Smells c. Or by hysteric and hypocondriac Passions and the indisposition of the Spleen For the Nerves of the Heart and those of the lower Belly especially of the Spleen entertain a mutual Commerce by vertue of which the contraction of these Nerves is continued to the Heart and in its progress resembles the ascent of Fumes or Steams from the Spleen and Intestins The facility of this communication is much inhanc'd by the scorbutic or acid Constitution of the Blood which is equally dispos'd to provoke both the Nerves of the Heart and those of the Bowels As for Diagnostics A palpitation of the Heart is discover'd by laying one's Hand upon the Breast If it proceed from a Dropsy of the Pericardium or Obstructions in and about the Heart the Pulse is small and slow respiration difficult and the Body inclining to a Consumption and Hectic Feaver If it proceed from Worms in the Heart-Purse it returns without manifest cause the Breast is molested with gnawing pricking corroding pains the Patient is frequently troubl'd with a pale Countenance intermitting Pulse and a prodigious unquietness and sometimes sudden swoonings or epileptic Fits If it take its rise from the hypocondriac Disease it is frequently interrupted and when it comes is usher'd in by a murmuring noise in the Belly or attended by disorderly Symptoms in the Abdomen and a sense of constriction of the Heart as if it were squeez'd betwixt two Hands If it flow from a scorbutic Original it does not invade when the Person lies quietly in Bed but upon the least motion of Hand or Foot displays it self and is frequently accompany'd by swoonings A trembling of the Heart is attended by a prostration of strength and an unequal weak languishing Pulse The Remission or intermission of the Pulse following a Palpitation of the Heart prognosticates Swoonings If a Palpitation proceed from a scorbutic cause or accompany malignant Symptoms 't is very dangerous If it be occasion'd by Worms in the Pericardium or Excrescences in the Heart or adjacent parts 't is incurable If it happen in one's Youth it prevents Old Age. The Indications for Cure are to remove the irritating cause Opium impairs only the sense of irritation but has no influence upon the cause it self wherefore it ought to be very cautiously us'd especially considering that a Palpitation or trembling is frequently attended by a notable weakness In hypocondriac or Scorbutic cases perhaps it may not be improper Blood-letting is also dangerous yet if the stagnation of the Blood give rise to the Disease or if the Patient be young and the Blood boil high 't is in some measure allowable as when a Palpitation is caus'd by Fear suppressing of wonted evacuations or a violent commotion of the Body Of all Palpitations of the Heart those of a convulsive Character that spring from Scorbutic or Hypochondriac causes or in a word from prevailing Acid are the most frequent and require a particular regard Earthy Ingredients Steel and volatil Salts are Medicins most in use against these and all other sorts of Palpitations The Tincture of Coral prepar'd with a Menstruum of May-Dew or Snow and mix'd with some cordial Liquor is an universal Specific Now of the Cordial Ingredients Baum is the Head Its Spirit or primum Ens or the Essence of Amber-grise extracted with it is an admirable support for decaying Nature The Leaves of Baum and those of Borrage sprinkled with Rose-water and Vinegar are applied outwardly to the Heart with good success Next to Baum are Cloves Citrons Orange-peel Rosemary Zedoary Elecampane Dill and their various productions The Essence of Saffron given inwardly and a Bag of Saffron and Camphyr hung over the pit of the Breast are of good use The Essence of Ambergrise and Mosch are celebrated Medicins but Ambergrise injoys a stupifying quality which may be extinguish'd by putting it into fermentation as in the preparation of Spiritus Rosarum Ambratus Besides there are some studious Men and hysteric Women that are easily offended by this and all other oily volatil Salts in the room of which we may substitute the meagre thin Salts such as the Spirit of Sal-Armoniac and dulcifi'd Spirit of Nitre The Essence of Juniper-berries prepar'd with their own Spirit the carminative spirit de tribus the volatil Salt of Vipers the spirit and volatil salt of Harts-horn the spirit volatil Salt and distill'd Oyl of Amber the Essence of Castor mix'd with Camphyr the Oyl of Cinnamon the Syrup of the filings of Steel Whey and all anti-hypocondriac Ingredients are much approv'd Externally in a Hysteric or Splenetic Palpitation we apply the same things as are proper against the Causes Take of prepar'd red Coral native Cinnabar and chalybeat diaphoretic Antimony half a scruple volatil salt of Harts-horn three grains distill'd Oyl of Cloves a drop Make a Powder Take of the Tincture of Coral prepar'd with the spirit of Stags-heart two drams the spirit of Roses impregnated with Ambergrise a dram Dose thirty or sorty drops in Cinnamon-water Take of Cinnamon-water impregnated with Quinces an ounce the Cordial-water of Saxony an Ounce Essence of Juniper Berries two drams Essence of Saffron half an ounce Spirit of Venice Treacle camphoris'd a dram distill'd Oyl of Cinnamon for Men or of Amber for Women four drops shake and mix them Dose a spoonful or two Oft-times not only the Heart but the Arteries especially that leading to the Spleen and that of the Temples are seiz'd with a palpitation The cause is an inflammation of the Place or stagnation of the Blood or Convulsions of the Spleen and adjacent parts affecting the Tunicles of the Artery The first two are remov'd by Sudorifics and the last by Steel and anti-hypochondriac Medicines CHAP. II. Of Swoonings THere are three kinds or rather degrees of Swooning viz. Lipothymia Syncope and Asphyxia In a Lipothymia beside that the Pulse is weaker and less the Senses both internal and external are eclips'd and animal Motion both voluntary and natural does in a manner fail all which symptoms go easily off again and the Patient is restor'd to health In a Syncope the symptoms are more tragical the Pulse Sense and bodily Motion are quite extinguish'd Respiration is scarce perceivable the Heart is much oppress'd a cold clammy Sweat and Paleness covers the Body and sometimes the Excrements come away of their own accord In an Asphyxia all things are yet worse so that the Patient lies as one dead without any Pulse or sign of Life Now in order to discover the cause of
this diminution of the Pulse and want of Strength we must call to mind that the vital force of our Body is founded radically in the Blood but exerts it self by its most subtile active and moveable part call'd the Spirits which being volatiliz'd by the inspired Air in the Breast like Rays of Light are diffus'd through the whole Body either in a vital Capacity together with the Blood in the Arteries or separately by the Brain and Nerves under the Character of animal Spirits When therefore the Blood by reason of its less quantity or viscidity and acidity or want of active Salts is unfit to undergo the vital Fermentation in the Breast the Spirits must of necessity fail whence ensues a weakness and languishing that steals on by degrees This vicious constitution of the Blood is oftentimes occasion'd by some error in Diet after acute Diseases or follows the indiscreet management of chronical Distempers supposing the Blood to be rob'd of its Spirits and the Chyle to be over power'd with Crudities arising from the weakness of the stomachical Ferment and flatness of the Bile But if on a sudden the vital fermentation of the Blood in the breast is interrupted and by consequence the luminous Ray of the vital and animal Spirits fail or if incident external Objects pour disorder and confusion on the animal Spirits then follows a sudden prostration of Strength and cessation of Sense and Motion which according to its various degrees is call'd either Lipothymia Syncope or Asphyxia Now the vital fermentation of the Blood is interrupted either by immoderat evacuations of any Humour or Juice such as the Blood seminal Liquor hydropic Water corrupt Matter c. or by its coagulation occasion'd by Poison or the unfriendly miasms of corrupt Matter issuing froman Imposthume in the Heart The external Objects that disorder the Spirits are such as excite violent and sudden passions of the Mind as Frights Grief Joy Anger also strong and disagreeable Smells the sight of Animals to which we have a natural Antipathy and whatever affects the upper Orifice of the Stomac which by consent influences all the other Nerves of the Body Upon which occasions the Spirits are hindered in their wonted motions either by oppression or fixation as in sudden Frights or dissipation as in excessive sudden Joy or deviation as in Cramps and Convulsions of the Heart A weakness and languishing without any manifest cause prognosticats the sudden invasion of Diseases especially those of a Scorbutic Character If it succeed to acute Diseases it threatens either a Relapse Dropsie or intermitting Feaver In the beginning of any Disease 't is a sign of Malignity Syncope's and Lipothymi's are more or less dangerous according to the measure of their duration and the character of their symptoms and if after the use of suitable means the Patient is not awak'd they prove dangerous Those occasion'd by an effusion of Blood or other Humours are safer than others that spring from an internal acute Cause If they are attended by anguish of Heart and restlessness they proceed from the Stomac and are less fatal when the left side of the orifice is affected In fine the more clammy and copious the cold Sweat is so much the more dangerous is the Syncope The Cure is compass'd by the continu'd use of volatil Aromatic Medicines which promote the vital Fermentation exalt the Blood sharpen the unactive Bile remove the clamminess of the Blood and withal restore the digestive force of the Stomac Such are the Spirit of Wine or generous Wines impregnated with vegetable Aromatics as Take of Rosemary curl'd Mint of each a Handful Sage and Baum of each half a handful Roots of the genuin Acorus Elecampane and Fennel an Ounce the four lesser hot Seeds of each a Dram Cinnamon Cubebs Cloves Mace of each two Drams cut bruise and tye them in a Bag to be infus'd in Wine of which take a draught in the Morning fasting and at Meals In scorbutical and hypochondriac cases Scurvy-grass Cresses Peper-wort c. may be added together with some drops of the Spirit of Sal-Armoniac anisated dropt into each draught We may also use stomachical Essences and Elixirs Aqua Vitae aploplectic and epileptic Waters c. Volatil oily Salts and a hundred such like to be taken thrice a Day Morning Noon and at Bed-time and also before eating Now as to sudden fainting and swooning we must endeavour when the Fit is present to remove it and when 't is over to prevent its relapse There are three sorts of Medicins in use during the Fit viz. 1. Spirituous sulphurous and oily ones such are all inflamable Aromatic Spirits prepar'd by fermentation distill'd Aromatic Oyls and compound apoplectic Waters 2. Spirituous Alcali's sharp volatil urinous Spirits and Salts which are always the better for being well charg'd with Oyl 3. Sharp volatil Acids especially Vinegar which wakens the Senses and rallies the dissipated Spirits Sometimes we join 'em to Opiats for staying the convulsive motions of the Spirits Thus the Principal Remedies used in a Syncope are Generous Wines Cinnamon its Water and distill'd Oyl and all its preparations all Apoplectic Waters Spirit of Lilly of the Valley prepar'd by fermentation spirit of Venice Treacle both simple and compound distill'd Oyl of Cloves Cordial and Apoplectic Balsams all volatil Salts spirit of Stagg's Heart spirit of Harts-horn prepar'd with Amber spirit of Roses prepar'd with Amber to which if the Salt of Vipers or that of Amber is added 't is almost an infallible Remedy Moreover the Elixir of Citrons or their Spirit sharpen'd with the volatil salt of Harts-horn the quintessences of Baum and Angelica the Essence of Saffron mix'd with a grain or two of volatil Salt of Harts-horn the Tincture of Coral prepar'd with spirit of Stagg's Heart the Tincture of Gold the volatil Salts impregnated with distill'd aromatic Oyls such as rectified spirit of Sal-Armoniac joined with aromatick spirit of Wine are all of excellent use if exhibited in convenient Vehicles such as Baum-water prepar'd with Wine Penny-royal and Cinnamon-water Aqua Vitae or Matthiolus's Elixir vitae Water of Stagg's Heart Mynsicht's hot cordial Water and for Women Swallow-water with Castor c. to which may be added Camphyr or spirit of Treacle camphoris'd As for Acids we use spiritous and Generous Wine the Juice of Citrons Juice or Syrup of Rasberries conserve of the Pulp of Citrons mix'd with Diascordium Vinegar impregnated with Castor Vinegar of Marigold-flowers or the Flowers of the Lilly of the Valley or those of Elder of Rue c. As for Narcotics Helmont's Laudanum Opiatum in a small Dose Venice Treacle Mithridat Extract of Treacle and such like Compositions are proper In the use of these Remedies we must have a principal regard to the antecedent Causes For example if the Syncope is caus'd by poyson proper Antidotes must be added and a Vomit exhibited especially when the Poyson lurks in the first passages When the Cause is lodg'd in the
Stomac or Abdomen Vomits are also proper Hysteric causes require Zedoary Castor volatil Salts and other Hysteric Remedies Externally the same Remedies are appli'd to the Nostrils Temples Pulse Lips and pit of the Stomac The Water of Lilly of the Valley the Apoplectic Balsam Oyl of Cinnamon and that of Citrons Oyl of Amber and Oyl of Cloves are the common Specifics for that use some say that Fumigation with Amber alone is of notable efficacy If the Syncope and Lipothimia proceed from unreasonable evacuations excessive Sweating Heat Labour Fatigue Anger Joy or ungrateful smells let Acids be exhibited as also a Vomit if there be occasion The Swoonings of malignant Feavers are accounted for by exhibiting Camphyr in a small quantity mix'd with Laudanum Opiatum and other Antidots When they are occasion'd by frights excessive Bleeding or immoderat sadness spirituous oily Remedies take place and if the Paroxism is dangerous a Vein may be open'd If we fear a Syncope from an excessive flux of the terms Opiats join'd with Acids and prepar'd Coral are of excellent use For Old Persons there 's nothing equals the following Powder Viz. Take of Ambergrise or Musk eight grains which dissolve in twelve drops of Oyl of Cinnamon and half a Scruple of Oyl of Cardamums add prepar'd Pearl half a Scruple whitest Sugar-candy two ounces Make a Powder SECT XVII Of Nutrition THE eternal motion of our active Principles disturbs the repose of the solid Parts unties their Bonds and exposes 'em to decay In order to repair this their loss the Blood laden with Chyle being finish'd in the left Ventricle of the Heart sets out from thence and makes a Tour round the Body it visits every Part and measures out suitable Recruits which are strain'd thro' the Pores of the Part and nourish it by way of apposition or else ferment with the Guardian Spirits that defend the Place and being thereby coagulated and transform'd into a likeness with the Part consolidat and give occasion to its growth Thus all the Members of the Body are either augmented in our Youth or nourish'd and preserv'd from decay during the remainder of our lives Now the hindrances of a regular Nutrition are such as relate either to the deficiency or want of due Nourishment or to its redundancy or to its depravation CHAP. I. Of a Consumption and Phthisic NUtrition is deficient when the Bones Cartilages and Membranes wither and the Fat and muscular Flesh which are only capable of Consumption are accordingly consum'd If the Fat alone be melted down it amounts to no more than a leanness but if the dewy Muscles are consum'd without restoration we call it a Tabes or form'd Consumption The Causes of a Consumption relate either to the Spirits or nutritious Juice The former are the deficiency or dissipation of the Spirits the one caus'd by the vicious Crasis of Blood or Indisposition of the Brain the other by Fatigue Venery Study or Grief Those relating to the nutritious Matter are first its defect occasion'd by the scarcity or want of proper Food and consequently of Chyle The obstruction of the Vasa lactea the Schirrous Tumors of the Pylorus or those of the Mesentery so frequently met with the compression or wounding of the Ductus of the Breast all which cut off the communication of the Chyle with the Blood Worms in the Guts sucking up the Chyle Excessive evacuations of the nutritious Juice either in Company with the Blood in excessive Bleedings or otherwise by Loosenesses immoderate Sweats runnings of the Reins Whites Ulcers and excessive Venery The second cause relating to the Nutritious Juice is its depravation occasion'd either by a weak digestion in the Stomac or the saltness and viscidity of the Blood or Lymph that follows Acute or Intermitting Feavers or retains to Scorbutic and Hypocondriac Constitutions In fine the Crudities of the Stomac and degeneracy of the Blood are the common causes of a Consumption and reciprocally promote one another The former occasion a saline putrid taste in the Mouth and provoke the Lungs and Larynx to Cough as they pass after joining the Blood The latter viz. The degeneracy of the Blood renders it unfit for nourishing the Parts and is occasion'd either by the crudity of the Chyle or the Ulcer of some Bowel or external part that taints it as it passes In which last case it procures a Phthisic A Phthisic therefore is generally taken for a Consumption arising from the Ulcer of any Bowel or external part as of the Reins Liver and especially the Lungs which are most liable to be vitiated by the Air and the recrements of degenerat Blood 'T is distinguish'd from a Vomica of the Lungs by this Mark viz. That the latter is a close Ulcer inclos'd within its own Membranes and fill'd with laudable Pus whereas a phthisical Ulcer is open and voids sordid corrupt Matter Tho' a Phthisic be generally imputed to an Ulcer of the Lungs yet it may arise from the Corrugation Schirrus or any other disorder of the Lungs or Bowels that disturbs and depraves the Blood It s remote causes are the acrimony and saltness of the Blood or Lymph which is frequently owing to Crudities from the Stomac and was represented by the Ancients as a Catarrh or defluxion from the Head Wounds Bruises clotted Blood or heterogeneous Matter in the Breast Inflamations of the Lungs or Pleura ending in Suppuration the Corrosion of the small Pox corrosive steams as those of Aqua-fortis Quick-lime c. Drinking of Acid Tartarin Wines or Vinegar smoaking Tobacco irregular Passions of the Mind c. A Phthisic propagats it self by a hereditary Succession and is so very contagious that the Breath of a Phthisical Person will corrupt the Lungs of another and convey its virulency thro' the Breasts of a suckling Woman The signs of a Consumption are these a sharp Nose hollow Eyes low Temples the Laps of the Ears contracted the Fore-head dry and hard the Complexion pale and livid the Ribs and Shoulder-blades bend outward the Cartilage of the Breast is bow'd the Back-bone sharp and prominent the Belly falls low the Hips are loose or quite consum'd the Legs Arms Feet and Hands are dry the Knuckles protuberant the Nails bow'd the Skin wrinkled and flaggy the Urin is cover'd with Fat the Veins of the Body are every where apparent and the Hairs fall off Nocturnal Sweats are common to all Phthisical Persons and melting loosenesses and swellings of the Feet conclude the Tragedy If a Consumption or Phthisic proceed from an obstruction of the Glandules of the Mesentery intercepting the Chyle the Belly is swell'd and molested with a hollow heavy Pain the region of the Navel is hard and the Excrements are liquid or mix'd with Chyle If it proceed from a weak digestion or crudities from the Stomac the Symptoms observe this order viz. After much care anger drinking or some such Error in the use of the not natural things there insues a prostration of strength and
The most common sort of Dropsie is that call'd Ascites which begins at the Feet and in a short time reaches the Belly and Scrotum This Serum whose Extravasation causes a Dropsie for the most part is deposited into the respective Cavities by the Blood circulating in the Arteries 'T is true the Rupture and Obstruction of the lymphatic and milky Vessels may cause a Stagnation or Extravasation but that happens by accident Whereas the standing and direct source of Dropsies is the vicious Crasis of the Blood as being unqualified for digesting and assimilating its Serum and its languid Motion giving the Serum an opportunity of squeezing through the Vessels especially about the Capillary Arteries where the influence of the Heart the primum mobile is but very small and more easily communicable to the thick resisting Blood than to the weak yielding Serum Now that the slow motion of the Blood will occasion a Transmission of the Serum is plainly made out by Dr. Louer 's Experiment of tying a Ligature about the Vena Cava under the Heart and that the vicious Crasis or Crudity of the Blood occasions an imperfect Turgescence and a weak Propulsion from the Heart is too evident to need a proof I grant that there are some melting Dropsies that proceed from the Colliquation of the Humours originally contain'd in the part without the assistance of foreign Serum as in Hectic Feavers and after hot acute Diseases but these are not proper Dropsies as being only Symptoms of a Colliquation According to this Hypothesis we need not be at a loss to scan the Influence of remote Causes 'T is an obvious Conjecture that whatever weakens Digestion accumulats Crudities enfeebles the natural Functions and in a word all Chachectic Disorders are apt to degenerat into Dropsies The suppression of Urine and that of insensible transpiration are either the Causes or inseparable Companions of a Dropsie Nay I doubt much if an universal Ascites can ever take place unless the Kidneys be disorder'd And 't is a notorious observation to this purpose that whoever drinks much and does not piss proportionably may justly make account to encounter a Dropsie e're he dies and that whoever attempts the Cure of a Dropsie without Diuretic Medicines is but lamely equip'd for his Office The drinking of Brandy and Sulphureous Liquors that melt down the Humors sharpen the Lymph and relaxat the Stomac the inconsiderat use of cold Water immediatly after violent Heat the suppression of any wonted Evacuation and excess of any Flux whether of Blood or other Humors the attenuation of the Serum by the use of Mercury the Jaundice and inactivity of the Bile Chronical Agues mismanag'd Asthma's Phthisics and Spitting of Blood and in fine whatever weakens Nature renders the Blood uncapable to assimilat the Chyle or retards its circular Motion and disturbs its due Targescence these I say are the natural Authors of a Dtopsie The tumors of the Mesentery Liver and other Bowels do generally accompany this Disease but oft-times are rather effects than Causes The Symptoms of a Dropsie display themselves after this method The Feet at first begin to swell and receive Pits by the pressing of one's Finger in the Night time the swelling abates but regains new force the succeeding Day By degrees it reaches to the Abdomen and Scrotum and frequently affects the Prepuce and Testicles The Water thus inclos'd in the Belly sometimes possesses one side sometimes both and as the Person turns in his Bed it rolls with a noise and sometimes visibly from one side to the other in the mean while the Breast Neck and upper Parts waste and decay The Face and Hands sometimes swell An itching and oft-times a scab molests the Skin and spots or wheals beset the Legs A slow Feaver pursues him and increases towards the Evening The Pulse is small frequent and a little hard An unquenchable Thirst loss of Appetit straitness of the Breast shortness of Breath especially in the Night time and a dry Cough oft-times usher in a Dropsie Big belly'd Women are oft-times apt to suspect a Dropsie without occasion The signs which serve to undeceive 'em are these In a Dropsie the Face is pale and Livid the Eyes are rob'd of their sparkling Vigor the Water contain'd in the Belly Floats to and again falls as the Woman turns her self and is very weighty The swelling is soft equal and bends downward it do's not impair the Flux of the Terms but diminishes the quantity of Urine and gives it a high Tincture and causes a violent Thirst all which Symptoms are contrary to those of Being with Child The Hydroâ—ic Water is not always of the same Colour as being either Green Yellow or Blackish c. But 't is generally salin and sharp apt to corrode the Bowels and to cause Ulcers on the Legs or to cast a Froth like Lather when mix'd with other Water nay the distention and stiffness of the Membrans inwrapping it seems to argue that it ferments within and provokes them to Contractions As for Prognostics If a Dropsie follow Chronical Diseases or indiscreet Purgation or invade those whose strength is decay'd if it be attended by unspeakable Thirst Coughing Schirrus of the Bowels difficult Respiration scarcity and redness of Urine hardness of the Belly extreme inappetency or a melting Feaver Ulcers or livid Spots in the Legs Black Excrements when the Person do's not use Steel These I say are dismal Circumstances whereas the Reverse of 'em are look'd upon as hopeful Signs Convulsions and Apoplexies succeeding a Dropsie are very fatal The Cure turns upon two indications 1. To remove the stagnating Serum 2. To prevent its further increase by retrieving the due Crasis of the Blood and fortifying the Stomac in order to a regular Chylification The first is answer'd by Evacuations and abstaining from Drink Of evacuating Medicines Purgatives are the first especially the Roots of the Common Flower-de-luce and Elaterium or the Juice of the wild Cucumber The former do's not only evacuat but enjoys also an alterative Vertue and is given to three drams in Infusion or its Juice express'd to half an ounce with a scruple of the Powder of Soldanella Elaterium or its Extract prepar'd with Spirit of Wine Tartaris'd given to fifteen grains is fitly joyn'd with sweet Mercury The Infusion or Decoction of half an ounce of Bryony with Salt of Tartar is of excellent use against Dropsies of the Womb. When the Serum is mix'd with viscous Humors Coloquintida or the extract of Troches Alhandal ought to be added The lunar Pills made of the Crystals of well refin'd Silver prepar'd with Spirit of Nitre or Aquafortis or Mercurius Vitae render'd Laxative by mixing it with sweet Mercury are also noted Purges against Dropsies To which we may add the Rosin of Jalap the Infusion of a handful of the Flowers of Acacia in Whey the Syrup and Conserve of Peach Flowers Gutta Gamba given in Powder to sixteen grains or its Rosin given to twelve
straiten'd they are always Costive and Laxatives operate better in them than proper Purgatives If an Artificial or Natural Vomiting happen they throw up Acid Matter which stupifies the Teeth and corrodes a Copper Vessel so as to render it rusty After eating they are oft-times seiz'd with a gnawing pain in the Stomach reaching along the Back from the lower part to the Neck of the Gullet which some miscall Nephritic Pains as also by sudden flushings in the Face wringing pains in the Guts palpitations of the Heart perturbation of Mind and a difficulty of breathing occasion'd either by viscous Crudities distending the Stomac or Convulsions of the Midriff and Muscles of the Breast or Wind in the Abdomen hindring the descent of the Midriff In process of time hard Tumors sometimes infest the Intrals and the convulsive Contractions of the Fibres of the Branches of the Arteria Caeliaca cause beatings about the Loins While their Stomac is empty they are apt to be giddy and dull they 're liable to Head-aches loss of Memory Fear Grief aukward Dreams and vain Imaginations Their Pulse is very inconstant and all their Symptoms lyable to periodical Exasperations Frequently they are sensible as it were of Fumes rising upward from the Belly and the Paroxysm resembles a Hysterical Fit In the Paroxysm the Colour and Consistence of their Urine is inconstant but when 't is over returns to a natural Order These are the Symptoms of Hypochondriac Persons but all of 'em are rarely to be seen in one Person The most certain Symptoms that always attend are Gripings and Wind in the Guts a weak Stomac Costiveness and perturbation of the Head The Symptoms being thus premis'd let us now enquire after their Cause The first Cause is a vicious Acid in the Stomac enlarging the Appetit but unfit for Digestion Hence ensues an Acid Crudity in the first Passages which depraves the Crasis of the Blood prevents the due separation of volatil Spirits upon which the Lymph becomes Acid and the Bile inactive These are the sources of all the preceding Symptoms since Wind Noise griping in the Guts and costiveness are the natural result of a viscous Acid in the first Passages as flushings in the Face arise from its effervescence with the Bile The Convulsions of the nervous Membranes in several parts of the Body are the effect of its irritation its Crudity impairs the due fermentation of the Blood and causes a palpitation of the Heart and difficulty of breathing it depraves the Nutritious Juice of the Bowels which settles into hard Swellings and occasions a degeneracy and austerity in the Spirits hence Fear Melancholy irregular Thoughts and uncooth emotions ensue The remore causes that promote Crudities are acid Liquors or salt Victuals or such as are dryed in Smoak since both partake of the Acid Spirit of Salt or Soot Want of motion to promote Digestion and the speedy assimilation of Chyle nocturnal Study or Care exhausting the Spirits impoverishing the Blood and rendering the Lymph Acid So much for the Symptoms and Causes of the Hypocondriac Disease When this depravation deriv'd from Acid Crudities in the Stomac is carried so high that the Blood Lymph and all the Juices of the Body are notably perverted and the vicious Acid becomes volatil malignant and apt to multiply its influence by Contagion or Hereditary Succession it is stil'd the Scurvy and is generally attended by such a numberless train of various Symptoms that 't is customary to charge it with every uncommon Symptom even of other Diseases The peculiar Qualities of this scorbutical Ferment are these 1. An aptness to attack the Glandules and pervert their Lymph 2. A mortal Enmity to the nervous Systeme as appears by the following enumeration of its Symptoms Scorbutical Persons are troubled with a weariness weakness sense of weight and a dull obscure pain in the Limbs Their Appetit is either too fierce or quite dejected Their Gums are liable to Excrescences Swellings and Ulcers and when rub'd void either a saltish bloody or serous humour their Teeth are loose and corroded their Mouth stinks their Spittle is very salt and sometimes plainly Acid especially in a Morning they are oft-times molested with Nocturnal Sweats and Red Yellow or Black Spots upon the Arms and Legs sometimes as small as Flea-bites sometimes as large as a Crown-piece and sometimes the Limbs are beset with rough scaly Swellings like Measles their Skin oft-times itches and when 't is scratched becomes red or tends to a sordid Ulcer Their Urin is high colour'd or precipitats a red sandy fleshcolour'd sediment or fastens red friable Sand upon the sides and bottom of the Urinal a fat Crust or Skin swims on the top and if look'd upon side-ways appears parti-colour'd like a Peacock's Tail after the Urine is thrown out the Urinal retains a blueish Colour which is not easily wash'd off They are infested with a difficulty of Breathing and wandring Pains gird the Loins and Back and wring nay sometimes distend and harden the Belly and are oft-times follow'd by red Pimples in the Skin which disappear suddenly Sometimes they are seiz'd with nocturnal Pains in their Limbs shifting from the Arms to the Feet and è contra After violent wringing Pains their external parts frequently become paralytic Sometimes Convulsions and Hysterical Symptoms seize ' em Sometimes setled fix'd pains invade the Head and Limbs especially in the Night-time and resemble those of the French Pox. Sometimes their Legs are infested by hard stony Concretions that are void of pain unless they walk The Stomac is frequently provok'd to vomiting and their Guts to bloody Stools which are voided without gripings and after the other Excrements and so are easily distinguish'd from the Bloody-flux or the Piles They are also liable to frequent effusions of blue or greenish Blood from other parts of the Body and to a St. Anthony's Fire in their Legs which if indiscreetly manag'd becomes a Gangrene or a malign Ulcer Their Pulse is unequal frequently very small and oft-times intermits When the Disease is inveterat they 're subject to Catarrhs Defluxions Excoriations Ulcers and Consumptions From these premises we draw this Conclusion that the immediat cause of the Scurvy is a volatil saline Acid which irritats the Nerves and Membranes sharpens the Lymph Debauches the innate Spirits of the parts and perverts the equal temperature of the Blood The remote Causes are the Sea-Air impregnated with salin Acid Vapors salt and viscous Food Laziness Weakness of Digestion Infection a hereditary Conveyance and the influence of Chronical Diseases Charleton distinguishes a hot Scurvy proceeding from a Sulphur and a fix'd Salt from that which is Cold and springs from an Acid as likewise Willis who refers the cause of hot and cold Scurvy's to the prevalency of Sulphur or Salt But all these differences proceed only from the various Constitutions of Patients thwarting or promoting the efforts of the scorbutical Cause A Scurvy frequently joins it self to other Distempers in so much
mix'd with Camphyr and the Waters of the Flowers of Beans Solomon's Seal and Frog's-spawn or an Ointment made of Pepper Ginger Brimstone and Vngentum Pomatum In desperat Cases we must have recourse to Mercurial Compositions If the Skin be discolour'd by the Heat of the Sun Pushes Pimples or otherwise its natural Colour may be retriev'd by applying the Juice of Citrons or Vinegar impregnated with the Flowers of Beans Solomon's Seal Jasmin and white Lilly Flowers The Spirit of Wine Camphoris'd the Essence of Benzoin mix'd with fair Water are also recommended As also Powders made of dry'd Venice Soap white Poppy-seeds Starch Lupins Florentin Orris Magistery of Marcasite Mosch and Zivet or of Briony and Cuckow-pint Roots with Sugar of Lead and sweet Mercury which are mix'd with the Waters of Figwort-roots white Lillies Solomon's Seal Flowers of Beans and Roses and so applyed in the form of a Calaptasm Some mightily covet the Oyl of Talk as an admirable Cosmetic but since 't is not to be had genuin the Oyl of Tartar per Deliquium will supply its room The Decoction of Sublimat Mercury in common Water the water being boyl'd till the Acrimony be quite extinguish'd and than mix'd with Cerues and after a fresh gentle boyling clarify'd with the white of an Egg is a Wash of infinite use in Counterfeiting Colours The Mange or Scurf that frequently besets the heads of those who are lyable to the Scurvy French-Pox or Leprosie seems to arise from an Acid ingag'd in a viscid Vehicle that stagnats upon the out-Parts and shuts the Pores It is cur'd internally as the Scab Externally let the Head be frequently wash'd with the Decoction of the Herbs Southernwood Betony Celandin Soapwort Mallows the Roots of Marsh-mallows sharp pointed Dock and Burdock Pease Bay-berries and Coloquintida Let these Ingredients be boyl'd in Lye and reserve the strain'd Liquor as a wash for the Head Before we conclude this Chapter 't will not be improper to take notice of the sheding or off-falling of the Hairs which is remedy'd by washing with the Decoction of Rosemary Southernwood Hony Myrtle Berries Linseed and Oyl of sweet Almonds in Wine The Ingredients being first infus'd for twenty four hours and then boyl'd till the Moisture be consum'd and the remaining Juice express'd for use If the Hairs are gray we may indeavour to change their Colour by combing with a Leaden Comb wet with Aqua Fortis in which Silver is dissolv'd it being qualify'd with common Water Some commend the Ointment of Tobacco sharpen'd with Oyl of Bricks for an Universal Alopecia and exhibit inwardly the Essence and Decoction of Woods with Chalybeats SECT XVIII Of Diseases hindring the regular Reflux of the Blood to the Heart THERE are three Cases in which the regular return of Blood to the Heart is hinder'd 1. In Inflammations when the Blood stagnats in its Vessels 2. In Empyema's when the Blood is extravasated and lodg'd in some Cavity within the Body 3. In Haemorrhogia's or external Bleedings CHAP. I. Of Inflammations INflammations are occasion'd by the stagnation of the Blood in any part viz. When the Quantity imported is larger than what returns by the Veins The Symptoms attending 'em are 1. A Redness 2. A Heat 3. A Swelling and 4. Pain which is either accompany'd with a sense of the distention of the Fibres and Nervous Parts or a beating as arising from the rebounding of the Blood when disappointed of its Passage or a pricking as caus'd by the sharp Salts when strugling and tending to suppuration Now that stagnating Blood is apt to produce those effects is too plain to need a Proof The remote Causes which promote this Stagnation are either External or Internal The former are the occasional Compression Contusion or Distortion of the Vessels Pains or the shrinking and contraction of the Nervous Fibres and consequently of the Capillary Vessels as in Arthritic Pains and the Tooth-ach or when a Thorn or Wasp stings the Part. The internal Causes relate either to the general Disposition of the Blood Or the Infirmity of a particular Part. Those of the first sort are the thickness and viscidity of the Blood or its being Clotted by a prevailing Acid. Hence the infusion of an Acid Liquor into a Dog's Vein redundancy of Blood and the inconsiderat assumption of cold Liquors or exposing ones self to the cold after hot Exercises are apt to produce Inflammations Nay the Blood of Pleuritic Persons is visibly clotted when let forth and all the Medicines both internal and external that are recomended for Inflammations are such as dissolve or attenuat the thicken'd Blood and drink in the Acid. The Causes relating to a Particular part that is frequently more lyable to Inflammations than its other Companions are the weakness of the Innate Spirit of the Part the Relaxation Distention or disorder of its Fibres and the hidden remains of an Acid all owing to preceding Inflammations especially if they degenerat into Ulcers If the Acid be very prevalent the humor hardens and becomes a Schirrus not far distant from a Cancer If the Volatil Alkali and the Acid be more equally match'd they ferment together and combine into a salin purulent matter that discharges it self by an Ulcer If the stagnation be so great that small quantities of Blood cannot Pass and the innate Spirit of the Part cannot Correspond with the Animal Spirits the Blood corrupts and Causes a Gangreen If the Alcali of the Blood be more vigorous and powerful than the Acid it unlocks the Blood and discusses the Inflammation If an Inflammation happen in a temperat Season to young healthy People and settle only in a fleshy Part it is less dangerous than if it siez'd a Nervous Part or attack'd Cachectic old Persons For the most part all Inflammations are acute and accompanied by a Feaver As for the Cure of Inflammations Purging is pernicious Perhaps upon the account of the Feaver a gentle Laxative may be allow'd Or if the Belly be Costive a Clyster of Whey and Hony may be injected Bleeding is very proper espicially in the Beginning as well by way of Revulsion in the opposit side to the part affected as by way of Aversion in the same side at some distance and by way of Derivation just by it But we ought to be cautious of not over-doing and weakening the Patient or of being mis-led by the Practices of some in hotter Climats that cannot be look'd upon as precedents in ours What remains of the internal Cure is admirably accounted for by administring Volatil Sudorifics that unlock and attenuat the Blood and Absorbent Powders that inbibe the Acid. Of the former sort are the Spirits of Sal-Armoniac volatil Salt of Harts-horn Venice Treacle the Spirit of Venice Treacle Camphoris'd and especially the Spirit Essence Syrup or Water of Elder Flowers To all which we frequently add Laudanum Opiatum especially if unquietness thuart the design of Sweating The Absorbents are Harts-horn Ivory Unicorns-horn Diaphoretic Antimony Mineral Bezoar and
proper If it proceed from metallin or mercurial Fumes Cinnabar of Antimony and antimonial Sulphurs ought to be mix'd with human Bones and exhibited in order to procure Sweat The Decoction of Elecampane and Fennel Roots in Wine taken Morning and Evening the Person being cover'd in order to sweat is famous for expelling and correcting Mercury in the Body Leaves of Gold or Medicines partaking of Gold are proper in this case to be given inwardly and an Ointment of Gold may be applied outwardly As for external Remedies Forestus recommends rubbing and washing the Part with fresh Urine In room of which you may use what follows Take of Aqua Articularis for external use three or four Ounces Spirit of Earth-worms an Ounce and a half Spirit of Ants six or eight Drams Essence of Castor three or four Drams mix and bathe the part affected Petrus à Castro orders the part to be frequently fomented with distill'd Water of Nettles The Leaves of an Ash infus'd in Lees are commended If the Trembling be inveterat the natural Bathes or artificial Bathes of a Decoction of Ants ty'd in a Bag are incomparably useful CHAP. III. Of the Diseases in which the Animal Spirits cease to move ART I. Of an Apoplexy WHEN Persons are seiz'd with Apoplexies they are like dead People in every respect except the beating of their Pulse Breathing and the color of their faces If the Respiration be much impair'd the Pulse very low and scarce perceptible and the Person snort and froth at the Mouth 't is a violent Fit If the whole Body be equally seiz'd 't is an universal Apoplexy If only one side of the Head and Body or the Trunk of the Body alone or a particular part by it self be affected while the others are at ease 't is call'd a particular Apoplexy 'T is usual among Writers to refer the Apoplexies of particular Parts to Palsies but indeed these Disorders of particular Members proceeding from internal Causes and call'd by them Paralytic were by the Antients accounted slight Apoplexies Vid. Hip. Sect. 2. Aph. 42. The Cause of Apoplexies may be deriv'd from the failure of the motion of the Animal Spirits either in the Cerebrum or Cerebellum If in the latter the Circulation of the Blood and Motion of the Heart are in a manner quite extinguish'd If the Animal Spirits be hindred to visit the Heart by the Convulsion of its Nerves or such other Causes the same effect will follow These Causes are call'd Privative which do not affect the Spirits immediatly but only prevent their Excursions or withdraw the matter of their Generation as all Obstructions of the Brain a Fall c. The positive Causes are such as stupify the Spirits or render 'em unfit for performing their Office as narcotic Medicines c. A privative Apoplexy is occasion'd by stopping the Circulation of the Blood This is caus'd either by an Obstruction in the Brain imprisoning the Spirits or by the Compression tearing or breaking of the Blood-vessels As when external Violence is us'd an Apoplexy may be caus'd by the Ligature or Compression of the Carotid Arteries and consequently the interruption of the Blood in its Passage to the Brain This Hippocrates understood by his Obstructio Venae it being customary among the Antients to signify by Veins the Arteries and Nerves The other privative Apoplexies proceeding from internal Causes are rather owing to the stoppage of the Blood in the Veins and its subsequent Stagnation in or Distention of the Brain for suppose one of the Carotid Arteries were straiten'd by some internal Cause the other Artery communicating with it would supply the Brain with Blood and so no Apoplexy would insue upon that occasion 'T is the hindrance therefore of the Reflux of the Blood and its subsequent Stagnation that in internal cases distends the Brain straitens its Passages extinguishes the motion of the Animal Spirits and so causes the Apoplexy Sometimes the Blood is so thick and congeal'd that of it self it stops in the Vessels within the Brain without any determination to that effect from the Blood Vessels as in Heart-swooning which is a case not only parallel but near a kin to this it stagnates in the Lungs The Antients deriv'd the cause of an Apoplexy from a Collection of Serum in the Ventricles of the Brain but Anatomical Dissections make it appear that the Brains of Apoplectic Persons are not always molested with any such matter and that several People are who were never seiz'd with an Apoplexy in their Lives It remains therefore to be concluded that the immediat Cause of all Apoplexies is the Abolition either of the motion of the animal Spirits or of the Circulation of the Blood The remote Causes with reference to a defective Circulation of the Blood are sudden Cold excessive Heat gormandizing in a sedentary way of Living washing the Head with warm Water and then exposing it to the Cold Swellings in the Scull suppression of wonted Evacuations of Blood using Dragons Blood after violent Purges immoderat Venery especially in old Age Anger and all turbulent Passions of the Mind With reference to the motion of the animal Spirits the remote Causes of Apoplexies are a Contusion or violent Commotion of the Brain by Thunder Cannon shooting c. any sudden and impetuous Force that drives inwards the Lymph which waters the Cortical part of the Brain Impostumes or any vitious matter lodg'd in the Head all which straiten the Passages of the Brain and Original of the Nerves and so cramp the Spirits that they cannot perform their wonted Office Excessive Drinking may occasion a Prevalency or Redundancy of Serum in the Brain that presses down the Walls of the Passages Accordingly we sometimes meet with great quantities of Serum in dissecting the Heads of such as die of Apoplexies The Small-pox or Scab struck inwards and several other Causes may likewise produce the same effect Upon this account I shall not scruple to admit the distinction of privative Apoplexies into such as are Sanguin and those which are Serous tho a nice Theorist might cavil against it The former kind is apt to invade those whose Blood is thick and prone to congeal the latter for most part seizes old decrepit Catarrhous Constitutions Mercurial and subterranean Vapors not only clog the Spirits but thicken the Blood and so cause a privative Apoplexy As for positive Apoplexies caus'd by an immediat Depravation and Fixation of the Spirits I am of Helmont's Opinion that not only external things but an internal Ferment bred in the Stomac oft-times causes ' em This I am induc'd to believe by these Considerations 1. Vomits sharp Clysters and stomachic Medicines are sovereign Remedies against a positive Apoplexy which is a sign that the Stomac is concern'd 2. The Steams of Coals Smoak of Tobacco and eating ungrateful Food cause Apoplexies Now undoubtedly these affect the mouth of the Stomac most immediatly 3. I remember an instance of a Woman that was seiz'd with a
Urine in which case Take of Pellitory of the Wall two handfuls of Parsley the whole Herb one handful Boil them in Water Bruise them into a Pulp and with two Ounces of Oil of Scorpions make a Cataplasm to be applied to the Pubes Or Let the Pubes and Perinaeum be fomented and then anointed with the following Liniment viz. Take of Cony Fat or Ointment of Marshmallows an Ounce Oil of Scorpions half an Ounce Mix c. Of Melancolic Deliriums THE Doatings of Melancoly are free from a Feaver They ought to be heedfully distinguish'd from the Melancoly it self which is a principal Disease arising from internal Causes attended by a sorrowful fullen peevish pensive Humour an unaccountable Straitness and Anxiety of the Breast a proneness to Anger and a facility of being frighted Whereas those are for the most part occasion'd by external Causes The Epithet of Melancoly is join'd to them not as if Melancoly and Grief were inseparable Companions for some are merry and sportive but because they proceed from a vicious fix'd acid Humour which the Antients call'd Melancoly All Persons seiz'd with this sort of Doating have peculiar Symptoms and Humours according to the variety of their Objects and the manner in which they are carried out in pursuit of ' em But in general they all jump in the following Particulars 1. The Mind and Thought are always confin'd to one Object or one Set of Objects 2. Fear and Anxiety still haunt them tho they imagin themselves rich Monarchs c. and seem to be tickl'd with the Fancy yet still the Joy is but short-liv'd and Fear Vexation and Trouble fill its room 3. They all sleep little or none at all or if they happen to sleep are still haunted with fearful Dreams and scaring Phantasms 4. All of 'em have their lucid Intervals 5. The Disease is more apt to disappear or remit upon some sudden alteration of Diet or any other such occasional Cause than by all the force and application of Art 6. The Source of the Disease is always seated in the lower Belly Upon which account Vomiting is the most sovereign Remedy 7. The Cure never succeeds without abating the immoderat Watchings 8. Foolish Deliriums are ofttimes cur'd by foolish Remedies which serve only to rectify the Fancy as a Man imagining Serpents to be in his Belly was cur'd by conveying Serpents into his Excrements and giving him occasion to think that they were voided by himself We may read a great many such Instances in Thonerus Platerus Forestus c. The Seat is referable only to the Imagination or Fancy which receives the Ideas of Objects convey'd thro the external Senses and stamp'd upon the Spirits Now if these Animal Spirits degenerat from their lucid temperat Quality and perform uncouth awkward Motions the rational Soul must needs consequently entertain it self with sutable Ideas Tho this kind of Delirium be different from Melancoly it self yet it do's not invade any but such as have a Melancoly disposition of the Blood and Spirits which by the way is the true reason why it do's not always follow where its ordinary Causes take place Suppose we then that a melancoly Person meets with an Object which is extreamly agreeable or disagreeable to him and is forcibly stamp'd upon the mind by the introduction of some violent Passion Love Grief Fear c. as if a Hypocondriac Person be molested with a murmuring noise in the Guts resembling the croking of Frogs This fills him with fear and amazement It determines the Spirits to new Passages which they are unwilling to forsake The Idea of the frightful Noise still haunts his thoughts till at length by the repeated and continu'd Rack and inuring the Spirits to that unwonted particular Motion of Thought the Rational Soul is brought into a habit of entertaining and dwelling upon that Subject and so the Person is insensibly wrought into the fix'd Opinion that Frogs are lodg'd in his Belly Now that the Spirits being forcibly driven into new Channels are apt to persist in the same course and are unwilling to return to their wonted Devoirs is evidently made out by the Influence of Passion or any weighty Concern upon Watchings or the Dreams of sleeping Persons which is only owing to the proneness of the Spirits to retain the same new Passages as the preceding Business and the Commotion it occasion'd had so effectually cut out for ' em The verity of this advance may be likewise evinc'd by the many Instances of Persons liable to this Distemper The Doating that follows Melancoly being thus accounted for our next business is to offer the Causes of Melancoly it self They are either external or internal The former are such Objects as are apt to occasion violent Passions which immediatly disorder the Spirits and consequently the Blood and first Digestion The latter are such Circumstances of Diet and way of living as alter the Juices of the Body which impart the respective quality to the Blood and Spirits This Constitution of the Blood and Spirits is ofttimes natural and hereditary arising from the nature of the Seed for so much as most of our Humours and Propensity to particular Passions is owing to the natural Idio-sincrasy of the Blood and Spirits All melancoly Dispositions that have a tendency to Doating owe their immediat Original to some vicious Fermentation or Digestion in the first Passages The remote Causes may be sometimes external sometimes internal but they never reach the length of Doating till they have stamp'd a vicious Character on the Belly and its Entrails Some imagine a Chymeric Melancoly proceeding essentially from the Head but if they view the matter throughly they 'l find cause to acknowledg their Error 'T is usual to ascribe Melancoly to the Spleen And doubtless in melancolic Constitutions the Spleen may be damag'd by the Stagnation of the Blood in the Arteries and may serve to exasperat the Disease it being a part enrich'd with good store of Nerves and communicating with the wandring and intercostal Pair cannot well miss of being prejudic'd by the membranous Convulsions that Hypocondriac Persons are subject to But originally the Spleen is faultless and the principal Cause must needs be a vicious Acid bred in the first Passages that thickens the Blood and destroys its due Fermentation This is evinc'd both by the Symptoms and Method of Cure The former are a voracious Appetite a constipated Belly and Acid Belchings the visible Effects of an Acid sculking in the Stomac or first Passages As for the Cure it turns upon absorbent Anti-acid Medicines The Blood thus perverted by the prevailing Acid stands accountable for the difficult Respiration beating of the Heart and the like Symptoms It is not so productive of volatil lucid Spirits as otherwise upon which account they become stiff and more fix'd and consequently apt either to move irregularly in the Brain or still to retain the same course of Motion In the former case the Doatings are wandring and
undetermin'd In the latter the whole force and vigour of Thought is confin'd to one Object so that ofttimes the melancoly Persons are enabled to discourse and reason about it with much more accuracy than in their healthy state when other Objects claim a larger share in their Thoughts and cramp their Application to that one Oft-times the sick Person reasons calmly on any other Object beside that of his Melancoly by reason that the Spirits are not so keen and eager in pursuing the former The change of Air and Seasons or of any not natural thing sensibly alters the Crasis of the Blood and Spirits and consequently the nature of this Delirium either by quite extinguishing or heightning or depressing it or by removing it from one Object to another As Wine by altering the state of the Blood and Spirits first makes some Men cheerful then inspires 'em with a talkative Humour afterwards disposes 'em to Strife Anger Madness c. and last of all covers 'em with drousiness and sleep Melancoly being grounded on the Constitution of the Blood and Spirits becomes an inveterat Companion and ofttimes propagates it self by an hereditary Succession especially among Women who convey the Legacy to their Daughters that surely visits 'em when with Child or upon point of delivery if not at other times It is ofttimes cur'd by the Stratagem of cheating the Patient into a contrary Humour or Passion which if forcible and strong recals the Spirits from the Passages in which they deviate 'T is highly necessary to obviat Melancoly betimes before its Settlement Now a melancolic Disposition is usher'd in by these Signs The Person is troubled in sleep and haunted by aukward Dreams he becomes fullen and sorrowful and courts solitude he is pensive and apt to dwell long upon one thought and is timorous to a high degree If he begin to tell ridiculous Stories and withal is full of his own Wisdom the Delirium is at hand Let the Causes be diligently inquir'd after If it proceed from the Passions of the Mind the Pulse is low inconstant contracted ofttimes unequal and sometimes resembles the Motion of Emmets or Worms and when the Mind is unbended by chearfulness c. the Pulse is proportionably alter'd If Melancoly steal on by degrees without the influence of external Objects and be follow'd by wandring unfix'd Deliriums it proceeds from the Hypochondriac Distemper and is attended by the Palpitation of the Heart Anxiety of the Breast acid Belchings a murmuring noise in the Guts constipation of the Belly Wind an uneasy obscure Pain in the left side of the Abdomen with a Pulsation in the same place or in the Back a notable heat in the Forehead and wandring Inflammations over the Body If it proceed immediatly from the Depravation of the Blood it remits now and then the Patient is querulods and anxious oppress'd with Grief and Sorrow and a frequent Palpitation of the Heart If Melancoly be caus'd by Passions of the Mind or external Objects 't is much more easily cur'd than when it ows its Original to the internal Indisposition of the Blood and Spirits If it be follow'd by Doting recur frequently or claim a hereditary Privilege it accompanies the Person to the Grave If it be occasion'd by preceding Diseases as Feavers Phrensies c. a regular Diet carries it off It is more uncommon among Women than among Men yet the Cure of the former is more difficult especially if they be with Child or pass'd the season of their Terms If the Countenance be chearful If the Delirâ—ums begin to relent If the Urine exchange its thin Consistence for that which appears thick muddy and black If a Flux of the Emrods or Womb insue If a Sâ—ab and such like Eruptions beset the Skin we hope a Recovery If the Person be subject to uncouth Laughter or Crying immoderat Grief attended by a sort of Fury it tends to a Palsy or Apoplexy or Convulsions If he obstinatly decline eating or drinking or totally deprive himself of Sleep he posts to his Grave We are now arriv'd at the Method of Cure which consists in rectifying the Blood and Spirits by proper Correctives and reducing the Animal to orderly Motions The following Remarks are worthy our observation upon this matter 1. The remote Cause must be taken off either by moral Perswasions or deceiving the Person with some cunning Stratagem so as to bring him off the melancolic Fancy If the Cause be internal as suppression of the Terms the hypocondriac Disease c. it must be particularly taken care of In geneneral the hypocondriac Specifics and comforting Cephalic Medicines are always proper 2. Vomiting is an essential part of the Cure and ought to be frequently repeated 3. Let the Physician be very cautious in visiting the Patients alone for they hate the Person that pretends to cure 'em and retain the Odium even after they are cur'd 4. When the melancolic Fancy is deeply lodg'd within 'em they ought to be undeceiv'd by the means of some Stratagem or Trick 5. By all means the Belly must be kept open If it do not answer every day of it self let Clysters or lenitive Draughts provoke it 6. During the Solstices and Equinoxes the Person ought to ply proper Preservatives for fear of the Relapses which are wont to happen at those times 7. Blood-letting is improper excepting the Case of Suppressions Inflammations and Plethora's or where Madness is fear'd Willis fancies that when the old unactive Blood is drawn forth it gives occasion to the Generation of new spirituous Blood but he should have remembred that 't is Blood that begets Blood and that by Blood letting Stupidity and dull Folly is promoted Trepanations Issues and blistering Plaisters are sometimes us'd with Success 8. In the beginning of the Disease Purgatives may succeed to Vomits but in the progress of the Distemper they are very improper Dieuretics are incomparable Medicines for this Disease Melancolic People naturally void large quantities of Urine and its deep Tincture muddiness or blackness betokens the declension of the Distemper 10. The Hypochondria must be particularly taken care of in all sorts of Melancolies 11. By all means let Sleep be promoted by moist temperat Food c. 12. Opiats ought not to be exhibited alone nor before the Acid in the Stomac be remov'd by the universal Evacuations They ought to be mix'd with Specific and moistening Ingredients Externally Anodyn Fomentations for the Head Washes for the Feet c. are very proper 13. Their Diet must be very regular Their Food nourishing moist and temperat as Milk Raisins Apples c. A Glass of generous Wine is very proper now and then a moderat Exercise and the regular Evacuation of Excrements ought to be heedfully procur'd Now of the Medicines answering the foresaid intentions Antimony is the chief both in its vomiting and purgative Capacity but especially the former This and all other Emetics must be given in very large Doses tho it is proper to
mad or not in order to prevention the manner of the Discovery is this apply and rub upon the Wound Crum of Bread till it is impregnated with the moisture and if a Dog will neither eat nor smell to it or dies if he does 't is a sign the Creature was mad Sometimes this Disease is accompany'd with a Feaver and sometimes not The Signs that attend its beginning are an anxious heaviness of Heart Anger without a manifest Cause complaining of the offensiveness of the Ambient Air heaviness of the Body c. The Signs of a perfect Rabies are Convulsive Distentions of the Members a bloated Face anguish of Heart frothing at Mouth frightful Eyes barking like a Dog or otherwise aping the infecting Animal restlesness perpetual Watching c. but especially an Hydrophobia or shrinking at the sight of any Liquor If taken at the beginning it may be cur'd with proper Remedies but if it is come to perfection and accompany'd with an Hydrophobia it is an acute Distemper which seldom admits of Cure but brings Death the second or third or at most the fourth day from the Invasion of this Symptom In the Cure of this fatal Distemper two Periods of times are to be noted 1. That of receiving the first Hurt or Wound 2. That of the supervening Madness and subsequent Hydrophobia To begin with the latter we must endeavour by all means to explode that venomous Ferment already possessing the Mass of Blood This must be done by internal Antidots as well common as specific such are Roots of Gentian and Swallow-wort Galen's Mad-wort Rue St. John's-wort Pimpernel Carduus Benedictus Fuller's Thistle Sage Betony Myrrh and the like As Take of the Leaves of Rue Sage Plantan Polypody Vervain common Wormwood Mint Mugwort Baum Betony St. John's-wort Lesser Centory of each a convenient quantity beat them into a Pouder to be taken from one to two Drams in hot Broth or a draught of Wine or in half a Dram of Venice Triacle and Syrup of Lemmons for forty days together at least The Waters of Germander Carduus Benedictus Tormentil Triacle white Maiden-hair and the like are convenient Vehicles for such Pouders Moreover seal'd Lemnian and Melitean Earths are good also Venice Triacle Mithridat Electuarium de Ovo c. but above all Theriaca Diatessaron with Opium As Take of the Water of the Flowers of St. John's-wort an Ounce and a half Venice Triacle half an Ounce Bezoardic Tincture a Dram and a half Essence of Crabs-eyes a Dram mix them for one Dose Or Take of Venice Triacle one Dram Salt of Wormwood half a Dram let them be taken in a Draught of sharp Wine The use of these and such like Antidots must be persisted in for two or three Months for oftentimes after it has lain hid for some Months nay sometimes years the Hydrophobia will again show it self so that tho the use of Sudorifics may yet that of Specifics ought not to be discontinu'd As for example Take of prepar'd Crabs-eyes burnt Hartshorn prepar'd and prepar'd Jaw-bone of a Pike of each a Dram. Mix and make a Pouder The River-Crab alone is a Specific against the biting of a mad Dog It must be gathered in the Dog-days and calcin'd alive A Dram or two of the Ashes with a Dram of Pouder of Gentian may be given in a Cup of good Wine the Patient being prepar'd for Sweating But the better way of exhibiting River-Crabs is to distil them being well bruis'd with an Alembic in a Water-bath so you shall have the fam'd Water of Crabs and what remains at bottom may be given inwardly from half a Dram to a whole one in their own distill'd Water adding Pouder of Gentian-root or Pimpernel Or Take of Venice Triacle a Dram River-Crabs thus prepar'd Roots of Pimpernel of each half a Dram. The Root of the wild Rose-tree is commended by the Antients Staeckerus us'd to give a Dram of Pouder of Gentian mix'd with as much Venice Triacle every Morning for three days injoining the Person to fast five or six hours after and make account to sweat having first ty'd on the Wound Garlic Rue and Salt bruis'd and mix'd in the form of a Cataplasm which Method he says never fail'd him Some Remedies are taken from the mad Creature it self such as its Blood pulveriz'd given to a Dram for three days Its Hair Heart or Liver boil'd or pouder'd Some plunge the Patient into cold Water over head and ears suddenly keeping him under Water a small time Purging is sparingly to be us'd and that only when the Hydrophobia is but just a beginning in this Case white and black Hellebor as also Species of Hiera picra are proper Strong Diuretics are not amiss among which Valerian and Cantharides are Specifics As to the Wound by which the Infection is receiv'd so soon as possible the malignant Poison is to be drawn forth lest it diffuse it self through the blood Let the Hair of the mad Creature if it can be had be laid on the Wound or the place being scarify'd and cleans'd with the exactest care apply this Cataplasm Take one of the sharpest Onions five Cloves of Garlic and half of its Root Venice Triacle six Drams with half an Ounce of Yest make a Cataplasm Several other things may be added such as Hony Mustard-seed Germander Gentian c. Some apply the Liver or Flesh of the Creature as also live Pigeons others use Scarification and Cupping-glasses others wash the scarify'd Wound with Wine or its Spirit camphoris'd Brine Salt Water Decoction of Germander or Gentian-root in Water or Wine applying afterwards the following Plaister Take six Ounces of Wax Oil of Olives and Goats Fat of each three Ounces melt them and add of best Frankincense half an Ounce The Wound is to be kept open for some time or even enlarg'd and if it is clos'd up before the compleat Cure of the Disease it must again be open'd But the most safe and withal the most speedy Remedy is burning with a hot Iron or an actual Cautery which utterly destroys all the Poison abolishing its seminal Crasis and so leaves the Patient secure as to the fear of dismal Events This were the proper place to treat of the Delirium Musicum occasion'd by the biting of the Tarantula and cur'd by Music but seeing it is not to be found with us we shall pass it over As for Deliriums proceeding from poisonous things whether taken down by the Mouth or drawn in with the Breath the first is cur'd by a Vomit given at first and the last after universal things are premis'd by Vinegar Castor and Camphyr given together or separately with proper Medicines As for Love-fits they are remov'd partly by rational Perswasions and partly by such Medicines as have been prescrib'd in Melancoly and Melancolic Distempers with this only difference that the milder sort will here prevail AN ABRIDGMENT OF ETMULLERUS HIS Practice of PHYSIC c. BOOK III. Of the Diseases peculiar to the
half Carminative-water an Ounce Water of Pennyroyal half an Ounce Spcrima Ceti a Dram Crabs-eyes prepar'd a Scruple Diaphoretic Antimony half a Scruple volatil Salt of Amber eight Grains Syrup of Cinnamom six Drams Mix them If the Symptoms are grievous we must have recourse to Laudanum Opiatum but always remember to mix it with such Ingredients as provoke the Courses If the Courses are at hand or begin to flow a Vein may be open'd in the foot if they are not look'd for till after some days Blood may be taken from the Arm. Externally such things as are prescrib'd in the convulsive Cholic and hysteric Passion may be us'd Also this Fomentation Take of Bay-leaves Wormwood of each two handfuls Pennyroyal a handful Flowers of Roman Chamomil and Flder of each half a handful Roots of Angelica and Lovage of each two Ounces Bay-berries an Ounce Juniper-berries half an Ounce the four greater cold Seeds of each two Drams cut bruise and boil them with a sufficient quantity of Wine in a close stopp'd Vessel ART II. Of the lesser quantity of the monthly Flux SOmetimes the viscous toughness of the Blood proceeding from a default in Chylification is such that the Terms flow too sparingly upon which insues a Palpitation of the Heart difficulty of Breathing and a beating Pain about the Loins In curing this we must strive to provoke the Courses by all such specific Remedies as were order'd for the cure of their Suppression such as half a Dram of Venetian Borace with some drops of Essence of Saffron given in Pennyroyal or Cinamon-water also the Decoction of Savine its Extract and Oil Myrrh Castor volatil Salt of Amber and such like Blood may be drawn forth from the Foot Cupping-glasses with Scarification may be applied to the Legs or Thighs Fomentations of emollient Ingredients mix'd with such as provoke the Terms may be used if need be ART III. Of the Flux of the Terms by drops IF there 's an Acrimony in the Blood with toughness and thickness or if the Passages and Vessels be narrow there follows a dropping Flux of the Terms which is either continual or lasts every Period much longer than it ought ending sometimes in an exulceration of the Womb. If the Blood is gross and thick 't is a stubborn Evil. This is cured in like manner as the immoderat Flux Steel and Chalybeat Medicines are the top Medicines for compassing the Cure also loosning and alterative Bags with hysteric Ingredients may be used with good success If the Vagina is excoriated vulnerary Injections will be convenient ART IV. Of several other defaults of the Courses SOmetimes the Courses have not their due Colour but are either watry-colour'd whitish livid yellowish black or ting'd with divers ugly Colours all which proceed from the ill Disposition of the Blood and Chyle to cure which after a Vomit let Chalybeat Remedies Aloe Myrrh and Saffron or compound Tincture of Tartar be given If the smell of the Menstrual Blood offend by reason of the Putrefaction begun in the Womb-Vessels occasion'd by its sluggish Motion there We must endeavour to restore its usual swiftness Myrrh Saffron Elixir Proprietatis compound Tincture of Tartar Essence of Myrrh Amber and its Essence Balsam of Sulphur with Turpentine Preparations of Aloe with Mercurius dulcis do notably answer this Design If the Courses come sooner or later than ordinary or observe no certain period the default is in the Crasis of the Blood perverted and the Genitals notably infeebled This Distemper is ever a Forerunner of a Cachexy and ends either in a total suppression or a Dropsy Steel and Coral and the noble Medicines prepar'd from them accomplish the Cure But we must continue for some time in the use of them joining such things as either promote or retard the Flux as occasion shall require Of Steel we have its Crocus's and Essences artificial Spaws artificial Vitriol of Mars Poterius's Pills c. From Coral we have its Sublimation with Sal Armoniac and its Precipitat and Tincture To all which we may aâ—d sometimes stimulating Aromatics as Cinnamom Myrrh Saffron c. sometimes retarding Opiats and sometimes Purifyers of the Blood such as Fumitory Germander Monks Rhubarb lesser Centory black Hellebor and such like If the hypogastric Vessels terminating in the outer Neck of the Womb be naturally mishapen or misplac'd or deprav'd by any supervening Obstruction and accordingly deny egress to the fermenting boiling Blood it forces its Passage through other parts of the Body such as the Eyes Mouth Nose Breast Navel c. and that either with or without order of time In curing this Dilsorder regard being had to the sound or cachectic Disposition of Body we must endeavour not to suppress the Flux but bring it to the natural place Internals are of little use in the Paroxysm but out of it volatil Aromatics may be us'd to open the obstructed Vessels When the Flux is at hand the Saphaena may be opened also Cupping-glassies may be apply'd to the Groin to the Calfs of the Legs and insides of the Thighs sometimes with and sometimes without Scarification in order to turn the force of the Blood to the lower Parts bathing of the Feet is also useful To open the Vessels of the Womb external Fomentations may be apply'd to it Fumigations of Coloquintida Pessaries with Hellebor Aloe and such like may be us'd sharp Clysters are likewise not to be omitted Or the Decoction of Pennyroyal Camomil Savine with Coloquintida may be injected into the Womb. And thus much shall suffice for the Disorders of the Terms CHAP. II. Of the white Flux in Women THIS Disease being ally'd to the former shall have place in this Chapter The external Neck or Vagina of the Womb is a glandulous Membran whose confus'd Glandules every where open into its Cavity especially two glandulous Prominences encompassing the Urinary Passage which in time of Coition emit a whitish Liquor somewhat thick and glutinous If the matter of this genital Liquor is too copious spirituous or sharp or if the foresaid Orifices are somewhat loose and flaccid there ensues a Flux of that seminal Liquor that disappears and returns by intervals This Flux is sometimes inoffensive to the Patient as being but little and seldom but if it continue long it must be cured by diminishing or tempering the seminal Liquor or by straitning the over-loose parts Two or three Ounces of the Juice of Citrons or Lemmons may be taken every Morning for a long time to moderat the heat and acrimony of the matter also Turpentine taken in an Egg or with the Yelk of an Egg mix'd with Willow-flower-water but especially the Decoction and Extract of the Flowers of the white flower'd dead Nettle or the Infusion of Clary in Ale Externally we use astringent Baths and Fomentations But if through default of the Blood and Chyle the Liquor separated and collected by these Glandules becomes too sharp and either simply Salt or tinctur'd with acidity and
Pellitory of Spain Euphorbium and Oil of Amber When the Tumors are thus ripen'd we open 'em with a Launce and apply a Caustic of the Ointment Aegyptiacum the dulcify'd Earth of Vitriol and Salt for extirpating the Membrans But if the Excrescence be hard and stubborn 't will be needful to set aside all discussing or suppurating Ingredients and cut up the skin cross-ways so as not to touch the Membran then separat the one from the other and cut out the Membran with the inclosed Tumor by the Root and after all stop the bleeding and cleanse the Ulcer as in other cases Sometimes when the nervous Fibres in the Skin are tore or corroded they throw out their nutritious Juice which settles into Warts and in the Toes of the Feet where the nutritious Juice of the Bones is squeez'd out into hard Corns Some of these Warts and Corns are fix'd so deep into the Tendons that they cannot be extirpated without incurring the danger of Inflammations Convulsions or Gangrenes But others are only superficial and easily remov'd Warts are extirpated by applying the Juice of Celandine or the Ashes of Briony mix'd with its Juice or the Juice of Spurge scarifying the part gently before Application Some commend an Ointment of Hony with the Spirit of Sulphur and the Solution of Sal Armoniac in Water or the Juice that Snails cast forth when rub'd with Salt but the best method of rooting them out is to touch 'em with Butter of Antimony or Aqua fortis or rather to burn them out with a hot Iron If they are pendulous and hang by a small Root a thread of Silk ty'd about the Root will cut off their nourishment and make 'em fall off As for the venereal Warts that generally invade the Genitals we apply the Solution of sublimat Mercury and Allum in Plantain-water As for Corns we order the Feet to be wash'd and the thick Skin to be scrap'd off then we apply Galbanum or Gum Ammoniac or the Plaister of Hemlock with Mercury soften'd in the Oil of Bricks Some recommend pieces of raw Beef or Onions mix'd with Soap in the form of a Cataplasm If these prove successless we apply Aqua fortis or Butter of Antimony mix'd with Hony taking care to defend the neighbouring parts and take off the Eschara with the Plaister Diachylon with Gums But if the Corns lie deep and be fix'd in the Tendons 't is dangerous to apply Caustics or to cut them with a Knife tho in other Cases such Operations may succeed Sometimes we meet with spungy Swellings about the Joints that proceed from the nutritious Juice of the Membrans mix'd with the glutinous Matter that bedews the Joints The best way of curing 'em if so be they admit of a Cure is to throw astringent Pouders upon 'em such as the Sugar of Lead Vitriol Calaminar Stone and sometimes precipitat Mercury Stronger Caustics or Emollient Ointments or manual Section are for the most part very dangerous by reason of their tendency to Cancers 4. The fourth Class was allotted for the Tumours of the Blood-Vessels which are of two sorts 1. Those of the Arteries call'd Aneurisma's 2. Those of the Veins call'd Varix's The former are occasion'd by cutting the Artery in Blood-letting or relaxating its Coats by violent Motion Crying c. or by the Corrosion of some internal Cause all which are apt to occasion a Collection of Blood about the injur'd part of the Artery and consequently a Tumor The Signs are a Swelling rising gradually according to the Pulsation of the Artery if the Artery lie near the Skin its Color is reddish when the Swelling is press'd by ones Finger it sinks and disappears without it be inveterate 'T is cur'd by opening a Vein in the opposite part of the Body avoiding all oily fat things and applying Bole Armenic Frankincense Earth of Vitriol Dragon's Blood and Laudanum Opiatum with a Plate of Lead and a strong Ligature In France they follow a new Method as for example in the Arm they squeeze the superiour part of the Artery so close that no Pulse is perceiv'd then they open the Tumor with a Launce and remove the congeal'd Blood Having discover'd the Wound of the Artery they apply to it a little ball of Vitriol wrap'd up in Cotton and the Pouders of Sarcocol Frankincense and Pine-tree-Rosin with Tow and above all Bolsters cover'd with the common Digestive and ty'd down with a strong Ligature The upper Bolsters are renew'd every day but the Ball of Vitriol which is no bigger than a Pea and which is insensibly dissolv'd by the Blood that soaks thro the Cotton is suffer'd to continue till it fall off The immediate Cause of a Varix is the Relaxation and Distention of the softer Fibres of the Veins The remote Causes are the thickness of the Blood or the Compression of corresponding Veins as when the Iliac Vessels being straiten'd by big Bellies occasion a Varix in the Veins of the Legs The Diagnostics are the Turgidity and blewish Blackness of the Veins It seldom requires a Cure unless it be painful or threaten a Rupture Ulcer or Gangrene If it be very painful we apply the Ointment Populeum with Mucilages of Flea-wort and Fenugrec-seeds the Oil of Chamomil and Flower of Beans If they are ulcerated apply the Plaister of Frog's Spawn with Hartshorn Frankincense and sweet Mercury If the Tumor be very high and apt to break open it with a golden or silver Needle and apply a Plate of Lead or foment with a Spunge soak'd in the Decoction of Allum Salt and the Fruit of Acacia in Vinegar or apply a Cataplasm of the Flower of Lupins dry'd Goat's Dung and Vinegar in which a hot Iron has been five times extinguish'd remembring still to tie a strong Ligature about the part If the Varix is open and bleeds excessively apply the Pouder of Hog's Dung or Clouts dip'd in the Solution of Steel and Allum In the mean while we ought to take care that the Ligatures do not hinder the Circulation of the Blood and exhibit inwardly attenuating Sudorific Decoctions CHAP. II. Of Wounds THE Nourishment of wounded parts and the Blood which flows from 'em being corrupted by the external Air become acid corrode the nervous Fibres extinguish the innate Spirit and produce all the tragical Consequents of Wounds The Wounds of internal parts are discover'd by the lame performance of their respective Offices or by the alteration of Excrements voided by ' em Wounds of sanguine parts ought to be carefully distinguish'd from those of the Nerves or Membrans as also the Curable from the Incurable some of which are mortal some not The mortal are said to be such either when an internal Bowel essential to Life is disabled or when the Blood Spirits or Vital Juices are too copiously evacuated or thrown upon some Cavity from which they cannot be retriev'd Thus the Wounds of the Heart are not always mortal without they reach into the Cavities especially the left