in which is a small quantity of moisture like Urine so that the Heart is as it were in a sort of Bladder It was form'd after this manner in a Case for its better defence Of the Liquor there is but just as much as is necessary for the refreshment of the Heart and to preserve it from being over-heated It distils from the Heart which draws to it part of the moisture which the Lungs reserve from the Drink For when any one drinks most of it falls into the Stomach the OEsophagus (a) The Gullet being as it were a Tunnel which receives what we swallow whether Liquid or Solid But the (b) The upper-part of the Wind-pipe Pharynx draws a little of the Liquor into its cleft the Epiglottis which is as it were the lid of the Pharynx hindering the greatest part of it from falling into it As a proof of this if we make any Animal whatsoever especially a Hog drink Water tinged with blue or red and cut his throat while he is drinking we shall find this water charged with the Tincture But every one is not fit to make this experiment We are not to make any difficulty of believing that part of the drink slips into the Aspera Arteria But it may be ask'd how comes it then to pass that in drinking too swift the Water getting into the cleft of the Pharynx raises a violent Cough It is because the quantity of the Water being too great opposes directly the return of the Air from the Lungs in expiration Whereas when a little slips in at the clift slipping gently down the sides of the Aspera Artiria it hinders not the Air from Rising But on the contrary facilitates the passage by moistening the (c) Wind-pipe Aspera Arteria The Heart draws the moisture from the Lungs at the time of inspiration and after the Air hath servâ—d the use of the Heart it returns by the way it came But the Heart sucks up a part of the moisture which passes into its Bag letting the rest return with the Air. This Air being return'd as far as the Pallate (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 escapes thro a double passage and it is necessary that it shou'd go out and the moisture also they being of no use to the nourishment of the Body How can Wind and Crude water serve for the nourishment to a man not but that one and t'other have their use for they serve to fortifie the Heart against the Evil it is naturally afflicted with that is excessive heat The Heart is a very strong Muscle not for its Tendons but for the hardness and compactness of the Flesh It has two distinct Ventricles in one inclosure (e) E. v 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one on one side and t'other on t'other which are not like to one another the one is on the right-side at the mouth of the great Vein and the other on the left and they take up almost the whole Heart The cavity of the first is greater than that of the latter and is more soft but it extends not quite to the point of the Heart the extremity of which is solid it appears as if it were sewed or fixed to the Heart The Left Ventricle is situated directly under the Left Nipple to which it answers in a right Line and where its pulsation or beating may be felt Its sides are thick and it has a cavity like that of a (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mortar which answers to the Lungs which moderate by their nearness the excessive heat of this Ventricle for the Lungs are naturally cold and receive a further refreshment by the inspiration of the Air. Both these Ventricles are rough and as it were coroded within especially the Left (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The natural fire or heat which is born with us has not its Seat in the Right and it is something wonderous that the Left which receives from the Lungs an Air which is not temper'd or mix'd shou'd be the most rugged it was likewise made thicker than the other for the better preservation of the aforesaid heat The Orifices of these Ventricles are not visible till the Ears of the heart be first open'd or cut off and its head or basis When they are cut off we find two Orifices in either Ventricle but the Vena Cava which comes out of one of them is not seen after it is cut These are the Fountains of Human Nature and from hence flow those Springs that serve the whole body These are the streams that give life to Man and when they dry up he dies At the Exit of these Veins the Vena Cava and great Artery and all round the mouth of these Ventricles there are certain soft and hollow bodies called the Ears of the heart they have not however any perforations like the Ears nor do they serve to hear sounds but they are the Instruments by which Nature draws the Air and shew themselves the Work of an Ingenious Workman who considering the Heart ought to be very (h) The Author says this place is very obscure that he has translated it as well as he cou'd that if he has not succeeded extraordinarily in it that he has for his comfort the company of the rest of the Interpreters in his misfortune solid as being form'd of blood coagulated or thickned at the mouth of the veins and that it ought to have likewise the faculty of drawing has fix'd Bellows to it as Smiths do to their Forges that it might draw the Air by this means In confirmation of this we see the Heart in one part continually agitating it self and the Ears in particular to dilate and subside in their turns I am likewise of opinion (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the small veins draw the Air in the Left Ventricle and the Artery in the Right I say likewise that that which is soft is most proper to draw and to be inflated and that it was necessary that (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the Author supposes the right Ventricle of the Heart to be meant * But I rather think that the Auricles were still intended as by comparing them with the precedent and subsequent expressions will appear what was fix'd to the Heart shou'd be refreshed since it partakes of the heat but the Engine which draws the Air ought not to be so large lest it shou'd overcome the heat I ought likewise says Hippocrates to describe the hidden Membranes of the Heart (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are an admirable Work some are spread within the ventricles of the Heart like Spiders Webs they close the Orifices of the ventricles of the Heart and send their threads into the substance of the Heart They seem to me to be (m) See the Chapter of the Nerves the Nerves or the Tendons of this Entrail and the Origin or Place from whence they spring (n) Tâ—â— Aorta signifies
the great Artery only in all the succeeding Anatomists hâ—â— Hippocrates under that name comprehends the Vena Arteriosa also the Aortae These Membranes are disposed by pairs for to every Orifice Nature has fram'd three which are round above in the form of a Semi-circle Those that know these Membranes wonder how they can shut the Aortae And if any one (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which words Foesius translates thus Siquis veteris instituti probè gnarus mortui animalis corde exempto hanc quidem demat illam vero reclinet neque aqua in cor penetrare nec Flatus emitti poterit And Cornarius much after the same manner Siquis veteris eximendi cor mortui moris goarus aliam auferat aliam reclinet neque aqua c. Why these Translators render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by that of Mos or Institutum which it does not signifie is a mystery to me it ought to be translared Ordo with relation to the Membranes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Erotian is an Attick Word signisâ—ing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Order I explain alsâ— the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ancient by the term Natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordo vetus seu naturalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Erotian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 auferat I read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmet which I suppose to be the true reading but that the former crept into its place through the error of the Copists misled by affinity of the sound of those two Words who understands the ancient Order or the natural Order and Disposition of this Membrane takes out one rank or keeps one rank stretch'd and closes the other neither water nor wind can get into the Heart These Membranes are disposed with more Art or more Exactness on the Left-side than the Right The reason of this is because the Soul of Man or the Reasonable Soul which is above the other Soul has its Seat in the Left ventricle of the Heart This Soul has not its nourishment from the Meat which comes from the Belly but from a pure luminous Matter separated from the Blood This Matter which serves for Aliment to the Soul is abundantly furnished from the neighbouring Receptacle of the Blood and casts its Rays round as the Natural nourishment which comes from the Intestines and Belly is distributed into all parts and for fear lest that which is contained in the Artery shou'd hinder the course of the nourishment of the Soul and give a check to its motion the Orifice of this Artery is closed as aforesaid for the great Artery is nourished from the belly and intestines and not by this first or principal nourishment But the great Artery is not nourished by the blood which we see as is manifest by opening the left ventricle of any Animal for we find it quite empty or find nothing in it but serous humour or a little Bile and the aforesaid Membranes but the Artery is never without blood nor the right ventricle This Vessel therefore gave occasion to the making of those Membranes for the passage out of the right ventricle is likewise furnished with Membranes but the blood moves upon that side but feebly This way is open on the side to carry the blood thither for its nourishment but it is shut towards the heart so that way is left for the air to pass insensibly from the lungs to the heart not in great quantities for the heat which in this part is but feeble wou'd be over-power'd by the cold the blood not being naturally warm no more than water which receives its heat from elsewhere tho most believe it 's hot in its own nature This Book of the Heart will give us the greatest Idea of the Anatomy of Hippocrates and his exactness but it is one of those that is not acknowledgâ—d either by Erotian or Galen What the Author says in the beginning of this Book of the passage of one part of the drink into the Lungs being a very ancient Opinion and maintained by Plato who must have it from the Physicians that preceded him of which Hippocrates was most considerable we might infer that the Book in which this Opinion is maintained is his but those who forged this Book might on purpose insert this opinion to warrant its antiquity We shall see hereafter further proofs that it is spurious in the Chapters of Aristotle and Erasistratus This opinion is repeated in the Book of the Nature of the Bones It is indeed amply refuted in the fourth book of Diseases but most Authors agree this later book not to be Hippocrates's We shall find something more of importance in the Chapters of the Fibres We have seen already three different Opinions taken from the Writings of Hippocrates concerning the Origin of the Veins there is yet a fourth and what is more particular This later opinion is to be found in the same book with the third I mean the book of the Nature of the Bones in which the Veins are derived from the Head The passage is this The veins which are spread thro' the body and which give it (p) See the Chapter of the Nerves the spirit the flux and the motion are all branches of one Vein whence it draws its Origin or it terminates I know not but supposing a Circle a beginning is not to be found Something like this is what we read in (q) De locis in hom sub initia another place There is no origin or beginning in the body but the parts are equally both beginning and end for in a Circle there is no beginning There are some other passages parallel to these (r) Lib. de Alâ—men The nourishment comes from the inward parts to the hair nails and outward superficies It goes likewise from the external parts and superficies to the internal All agree consent and conspire together in the body And a little after (s) Ibid. The great Principle reaches to the extremities and the extremities to the great Principle (t) Ibid. The Milk and the Blood come from the superfluity of the nourishment or are the remainder of the nourishment of the body (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word is to be found in the first book of Diet. We find there likewise these following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to turn about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gyration or turning round 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terms used by Hippocrates to signifie the Mechanism of our bodies by an allusion to the methods used by Artificers of all sorts in their Shops The Circulations go a great way in relation to the Faetus and to the nourishment after the nourishment is perform'd what remains returns and turns to Milk and becomes nourishment to the Mother and afterwards to the Faetus And again the same way which leads upwards leads also downwards or there is but one way which goes both upwards and downwards
that distinguishes himself from all other Males by a fierce and truly Masculine Air which is peculiar to him I translate the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the French word Air which might be rendred Species in Latin which answers exactly to the Greek the Etymologie being the same The dissections that Aristotle made of several different sorts of Animals Quadrupeds Birds Fishes and Insects had taught him divers things concerning the use of the parts of each of these Kinds We shall not go about to examine here what he delivers of the difference of their parts and uses because that would lead us too far from our Subject We shall only touch here in a few words upon what relates to the structure and use of parts common to all perfect Animals such as Men and all Quadrupeds Aristotle esteem'd the heart to be the Origen and Source of the veins and blood The blood says he goes from the heart into the veins (g) De Part. An. lib. 3. cap. 4. Those that find the Circulation of the Blood in Aristotle will have some difficulty to get over this Passage but it comes not from any part into the heart He says that there come two veins out of the heart one from the right side which is the largest and the other from the left side which is the least which he calls the Aorta where by the by we may take notice that this Philosopher (h) Hist Anim. lib. 3. cap. 5. as Galen says is the first that gave that name to the great Artery which proves that the book i of the Heart wherein this name is found is not Hippocrates's Aristotle thought that these two veins distributed the blood to all parts of the body He says elsewhere that there were in the heart three Cavities which he calls ventricles Of these three ventricles that in the middle of whose scituation he gives no other account is the common principle of the other two altho' it be the least the blood which it contains is also the most temperate and pure The blood of the right ventricle is the hottest and that of the left the coldest This latter ventricle being the biggest of the three These three ventricles says he communicate with the lungs by vessels different from the two great veins which disperse themselves thro the whole substance of the Lungs He made not only the veins of the vessels which contain blood to come out of the heart but he would have the Nerves also to take their Origine from thence for which opinion this was his ground (k) Hist An. lib. 3. cap. 5. The biggest Ventricle of the Heart says he contains small Nerves and it is a true Nerve in its extremities having no Cavity and being stretched after the manner of Nerves in the place where it terminates towards the Articulation of the bones He says also in another place (l) De part Anim. lib. 3 cap. 4. that there are abundance of Nerves in the heart which are of great use because the motions come from thence which are made by contracting and extending By this latter passage he seems to design the Tendons which serve to dilate and contract the heart and if we have observed before that Hippocrates confounded the Nerves with the Tendons and Ligaments Aristotle does not appear to have distinguished them any better nor to have known the use of the true Nerves In another place he affirms (m) Hâ—st Animal lib. 3. cap. 5. that the Nerves are not continuous but scatter'd here and there about the places of the Articulations by which it is visible he meant the Tendons If he had known the use of the Nerves he would not have said (n) De part Animal lib. 2. cap. 10. that none but the parts which had blood could feel or had sensation nor would he have maintained (o) De part Anim. lib. 2. cap. 1. that the flesh is the proper Organ of sensation as for motion if he attributes it to the Nerves or says 't is made immediately by the Nerves 't is easie to see that the Nerves there meant were either the Tendons or Ligaments As for the common principle of motion and sensation Aristotle places it in the Heart which he looks upon also as the principle of the nourishment of all the parts of the body by the means of the blood which it sends to them as the Focus which contains the natural fire upon which depends life as the place where the passions have their birth and where all the sensations terminate In a word as the true seat of the Soul and that not because the Nerves have their Origine from thence as some imagine but because it is the reservatory of the blood and spirits He formally maintains (p) lâ—b de Spiritu that the spirits cannot be contained in the Nerves But if Aristotle attributes such noble uses to the heart the brain was in his opinion but a heap of Water and Earth without blood and without sense The office of this Cold Lump was says he to refresh and moderate the heat of the heart But besides that he gives elsewhere this Office to the Lungs he does not account for the manner how the brain should be capable of discharging it And altho' the brain be plac'd immediately upon the spinal marrow and fix'd to it yet he pretended that the substance of that marrow was-quite different from that of the brain being a sort of blood prepar'd for the nourishment of the bones and consequently hot whereas the other was cold He made otherwise so little of the brain that if he did not absolutely reckon it amongst the excrements he thought it ought not to be ranked amongst the parts of the body which had any continuity or union with the rest that he look'd on 't as a substance of a peculiar nature and different from all the rest of the body As for the rest of the Viscera as the Liver the Spleen and the Kidneys he thought that their first and chief usage was to support the veins which would be pendulous but for them and to strengthen them in their place Besides this first use he assigned them some others The Liver helped to the digestion of the meat in the stomach and the guts by the warmth which it imparted to those parts of which we shall speak more particularly in the Sequel The Liver was not of such universal use and is according to him but accidentally necessary to collect and concoct the Vapours which rise from the Belly hence it is that Animals in whom these vapours take another course have but a very small Spleen as Birds and Fishes whose feathers and scales are form'd and nourish'd out of this moisture And these Animals for the same reason says he have neither kidneys nor bladder (q) De part Animâ—l 〈◊〉 3 â—ap 7. The Kidneys also according to him are onlâ— for conveniency their office is to imbibe part of the
receive life and sensation He affirms elsewhere that it is this faculty which gives nourishment preservation and growth to all things The manner wherein nature acts or its most sensible administration by the means of the faculties according to him consists on one side in attracting what is good and agreeable to each species and in retaining preparing or changing it and on the other side in rejecting whatever is superfluous or hurtful after she has separated it from the good The Physick of Hippocrates generally turns upon this hinge as also upon that inclination which as he supposes every thing has to be joynâ—d with what agrees with it and to remove from all that is contrary to it self supposing first an affinity between the several parts of the body which is the reason that they sympathize reciprocally in the ills they suffer as they share the good that arrives to them in common according to the great Maxim which he establishes (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that every thing concurs consents and conspires together in the body with relation to the animal O Economy as we shall find more particularly in the following Chapter Thus I have shown what it is that Hippocrates calls nature He no otherwise describes this principle of so many surprizing operations unless it be that he seems to compare it to a certain heat whereof he speaks after this manner (f) De Carâ—â—bus What we call heat or hot seems to me to have something of immortal in it that understands all that sees and knows as well what is present as what is to come At least we find a great resemblance between the effects which he ascribes to that heat of which more hereafter and those which he attributes to nature As for the rest altho Hippocrates acknowledges in some places fire water air and earth or fire and water in particular to be the first elements of the bodies yet he seems in others to admit three different principles the solid the liquid or the humid and the Spirits which he explains otherwise (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Equidem lib. vi sect viii by the container the contained and that which gives motion But as he particularly made use of these principles to explain all the accidents of humane body we shall forbear to give his meaning of them till we come to that Chapter In one of Hippocrates's Books which is entituled of Flesh (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter is more natural and answers the subject of the Book better according to others of principles we find something very singular concerning the formation of the universal world and of Animals in particular He at first supposes that the production of man or his being that he has a Soul that he is in health or that he is sick all his good and ill fortune in the world that he is born or dies to proceed from things (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elevated and above us or the coelestial bodies By this we may understand the Stars the influences of which according to this Author have no small power over humane bodies But he explains himself when he ascribes all the above-mention'd things to that immortal heat of which above that is generally suppos'd to be the same thing with what he calls nature in other places The greatest part of the heat continues he that I have describ'd having gainâ—d the highest place at the time of the Chaos form'd that which the ancients call'd the Aether another part of this heat or the greatest part of the heat which remain'd continuing in the lowest space which is call'd Earth there was a meeting of Cold and Dry there and a great disposition to motion A third part keeping the middle space between the Aether and the Earth made what we call the Air which is likewise somewhat hot At last a fourth part that lay nearest to the Earth and was the thickest and most humid of all form'd what we call water All these things having been jumbled together by a circular motion at the time of the above-mention'd Chaos that portion of heat which continu'd in the earth being dispers'd into several places and divided into several parts in one place more and less in another the earth was dried up by this means and form'd as it were (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 membranes or tunicles in which the matter growing hot as it were by a sort of fermentation that which was most oyly and least moist was quickly burnt and so form'd the Bones but that which was more viscid and in some measure cold not being combustible form'd the Nerves or rather the Tendons and Ligaments which are hard and solid As for the Veins they were form'd of the coldest and most viscid parts the more glutionous parts being dry'd by the heat and from thence came the Membranes and Skins of which they are compos'd The cold particles which had nothing in them oleous or viscid being dissolv'd produc'd the humour or liquor which these Membranes inclose The Bladder with its contents were form'd after the same manner as were also all the other cavities In those parts continues Hippocrates where the glutinous exceeds the fat the Membranes are made and in those where the fat is stronger than the glutinous Bones are produc'd The Brain â—â—ing the (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Capital City seat or proper place of cold and glutinous which the heat cou'd neither dissolve not burn t is first of all formed of the membranes in its supersâ—â—e and afterwards of bones by the means of a small portion of fat which the heat had roasted the marrow of the back-bone is made after the same manner being cold and glutinous like the brain and consequently very different from the marrow of the bones which being only fat is not cover'd with any membranes The heart having likewise a great deal of glutinous matter in it became haâ—d and glutinous flesh inclos'd in a membrane and hollow The Lungs being near the heart are thus formed The heart by its own heat presently dries up the most viscid part of the moisture makes a sort of scumm full of Pipes and Channels being likewise filled with divers little veins The Liver is made of a great quantity of moist and hot that has nothing fat or viscid in it so that the cold being too strong for the hot the humid is coagulated or thicken'd Upon the same foot Hippocrates reasons about the production of the Spleen the Reins and some other parts What we have already cited may serve to give a Specimen of his manner of Philosophizing Upon which I make this reflection that this System of Hippocrates seems to be not very different from that of Heraclitus the heat by which the former supposes all things to have been produced being very near the same thing with fire which according to the latter was the origine or principle of all Bodies as we have observed above
and Lentile Broth in which was Honey and Vinegar When the sick man had taken this Mess he made him vomit and after having bathed in a hot Bath as soon as he was cool he drank Ciceon with water and in the evening was permitted to eat light victuals as much as he could In the following Fit he bathed hot and after being cover'd with abundance of Cloaths forc'd sweat and drank a potion made with the Roots of white Hellebore of the length of three fingers a Dragm of Trefoil Juice of Laserpitium the weight of two Beans with pure Wine and if he had an inclination to vomit he vomited if not a vomit was given after purging the Head At other times he should use a light sharp Diet and if the Fit took him fasting the vomiting Medicine was omitted In a Diarrhaea and Dysentery with gripes and swelling of the Feet Hippocrates observes that Meal boil'd in Milk that is Milk-Porridge was more serviceable than Goats Whey which he made use of before He adds that another person sick of the same distemper did well upon eating boiled Asses Milk He had before observ'd (yy) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We may see in this instance which is in the beginning of the above mentioned Book several other ways of using milk that Whey and Milk in which red hot Flints had been quenched had relieved a person in the same case by which we may see that Hippocrates made use of any thing but Milk to these distempers In another place he proposes for the same distemper Beans boil'd with Rubia Tinctorum in fat Broth. There is yet another very peculiar Remedy for a Dysentery in the Chapter of the Writings of Hippocrates CHAP XXIV Of Womens Distempers THe body of Women being made otherwise than that of Men as likewise its peculiar distempers these depend chiefly upon the Matrix and are very numerous as we may see by the list before given Hippocrates has attributed a great number of these to the displacing of the part aforesaid which he supposes might not only be relax'd and hang out but that it might likewise be retracted as far as the Liver or Heart and even to the Head or turn Its Orifice to the right or left or backwards or forwards Of all these motions that according to Hippocrates which was accompanied with the most dismal symptoms was the retraction of it whereby it ascended and press'd the Liver the Head and the upper parts this producing in Women a sudden change of Colour grating of the Teeth and other symptoms like Epileptick a difficulty of breathing even to absolute suffocation a privation of sense and an universal cold like death To remedy this Hippocrates order'd the upper part of Belly to be swathed pressing the Matrix gently downwards and forcing open their Mouths poured down the richest Wine and after they were come to themselves gave them a purge and after that Asses Milk If the disease was obstinate after having reduced the Matrix to its place he gave them a decoction in which was Castor Conyza Rue Cummin of Ethiopia Rhadish-Seeds Sulphur and Myrrh He burnt under their Noses likewise stinking things such as Wooll Pitch Castor Brimstone Leather Horns and Feathers and the snuff of a Lamp just extinguish'd with intention to fetch them to themselves to make them sweat and to restore the Matrix In the mean time he anointed below with sweet Oyls and Liquid Perfumes such as that which he call'd (a) See the Chapter of exterior Reme dies Netopum He likewise used divers other Remedies both internal and external amongst which we must not forget the Pessaries These were a sort of Suppositors to thrust up the Neck of the Matrix (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were made of Wool or Lint mixt with divers other things Oyl Wax Powder c. it was made round and like a finger In the disease before mentioned Hippocrates made Pessaries made with Castor Myrrh Peucedà num Pitch Melanthium and sometimes even (c) A sort of a Fly resembling Cantharides There was likewise an Herb of this name the Bruprestis and Cantharides mixing all these with Oyntments and Wool It is observable that the use of Pessaries was very common among the Ancients and that it was almost the universal Medicine in Womens cases They us'd it almost for all intentions to relax to lenifie to draw to irritate to cleanse and dry the Matrix c. using sometimes Oyls and Fat sometimes the juice of Herbs sometimes things very irritative as Nitre Scammony Tithimale Garlick Cummin Cantharides and the like and sometimes restringents as the Rind and Flower of Pomgranates Sumach and sometime Aromaticks and Plants of sweet Smell Nor was it in the suffocation of the Matrix only that these Pessaries were in use but in all other distempers of that part They were imploy'd to provoke or check the Menses against Relaxations superfluity of Humours Ulcerations and Inflamations the Dropsie Fluor Albus and Sterility they procur'd Abortions and brought away dead Children and the Secundines and promoted the purgations of Women after Labour c. Hippocrates used yet other Medicines in the cure of the aforesaid distempers We shall examine his method of treating two opposite distempers the suppression of the Menses and the too great quantity or too frequent returns of them The first of these he cur'd (d) De moâ—b mulâ—er lib. 1. de natura muliebâ—i by purgers and vomits And after the use of sharp Pessaries Perfumes Fomentations and hot Baths twice a day he gave inwardly several Medicines which experience had taught him to be very powerfully moving that way He us'd sometimes upon this occasion Crâ—thmus or Sampier boil'd in Wine made of the Tree call'd Taeda the Herb Mercury and Chiches But if these Remedies were too weak he prepar'd a drink in which were five Cantharides without heads wings or feet Water-caltrops Anthemus Smallage-seeds and fifteen dry'd eggs infus'd in sweet Wine To the same intention he gave likewise the leaves and flowers of Ranunculus infus'd in the same Wine Dittany of Crete Hogs Fenel Panax Peonis Roots Seeds of white Violets the Juice of Colworts of Laserpitium to the quantity of a Verch and Cress-seeds these two latter infus'd in Wine or Bitch's Milk Hippocrates used likewise divers other Simples not mention'd here In an immoderate Flux he charges to abstain from (e) Lib. de loâ—◠〈◊〉 hâ—minâ— Bathing and any thing that may heat from all Diuretick Medicines or Laxative and to make the Bed highest at the feet and to use restringent Pessaries (f) De morb mul. lib. 2. He order'd the Belly and lower parts to be fomented with a Sponge or Cloths dipt in cold Water or to drink a composition of Parsly-seeds dried at the fire and sifted and the seed of Hedge Mustard prepar'd the same way Peplium or Poppy-seeds sifted with course Flower Nettle-seeds Moss of the Wild Olive Gauls Rue Marjorum Pennyroyal
was much the same with that of Hippocrates He blooded and purged after the same manner and upon the same occasions His particular method in every distemper may be seen in (e) Acuti Pass l. 3 c. 17. Caelius Aurelianus The same Author reports that Diocles caused all those that were troubled with the Iliack passion to swallow a Leaden Bullet a Medicine of which I find no mention in Hippocrates and which might perhaps be of Diocles's own invention He distinguished between the Ileus and Chordapsus which two names Hippocrates seemed to give to the same distemper Diocles signified by the former of these names a distemper of the intestina tenuia and by the latter of the intestina crassa He practised also Surgery and invented an instrument to draw out the head of a Dart when it was left in the wound which was called by his name in Celsus his time He invented also the manner of (f) Galen de Faâ—ciâ—s Bandage for the head which went also by his name Galen observes that this Physician was the first that wrote of Anatomical Administration that is of the manner and order of dissection for the better displaying the parts of the body He gave at the same time this account for the Silence of those that preceded him and of the motives that induced him to write upon that subject (g) De Adminisâ— Anatom lib. 2. Before Diocles says Galen Physick being almost entirely limited to the family of the Asclepiades the Fathers taught their Sons Anatomy and bred them from their infancy to the dissection of Animals So that it going from Father to Son by way of Manual Tradition it was needless to write of the manner because it was as impossible they should forget it as their Alphabet which they learnt almost at the same time But the Art of Physick spreading beyond this family by means of the Scholars of Hippocrates Diocles wrote upon this subject in favour of those whose Fathers were not Physicians Thus far Galen of Diocles who nevertheless by Galen's own report had made no great progress in Anatomy He satisfied himself with what his predecessors had done who were no great Anatomists as we have already observ'd Galen testifies likewise for Diocles that he practiced Physick out of a principle of Humanity as Hippocrates had done and not for Pront or Glory which were motives upon which other Physicians acted He speaks of him elsewhere as a great man in his Art and affirms that he was master of it in every part Athenaeus mentions a piece of Diocles which treated of Poysons and another which teaches (h) This Book was entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manner of dressing victuals Athenaeus tells us of several other antient Physicians that wrote upon this latter subject and mentions amongst others Philistion whom we have spoken of before Erasistratus Philotimus Glaucus and Dionisius Their design in probability was not so much to please the taste as to render the food more wholesom Nevertheless Plato complains (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Art of Cookery was crept into Physick under pretence of dressing for health whereas it had the quite contrary effect and he asserts that this Art is just of as much use in Physick as (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Art of washing and perfuming is to the Gymnastick of which we have already spoken He calls the art of Cookery and the art Washing and Beautifying the flatterers of Physick and Gymnastick Diocles wrote likewise the distempers of Women He compos'd also a Book entitled of the weeks wherein he treated undoubtedly of the critical days after the manner of Hippocrates There was also another Diocles of Chalcedon who is cited by (l) Medicament local l. 7. c. 4. Galen but I know not when he lived CHAP IX Praxagoras PRaxagoras came a little after Diocles living at the latest about the time of Aristotle His Fathers name was (a) De dissectiones â—ulv cap ult Nicarchius b He was at the Isle of Cos as well as Hippocrates and of the same Family that is of the Asclepiades with this peculiarity () Method Med. lib. 1. that he was the last the Family being extinct in him This is the observation of Galen with which Suidas does by no means agree who says there were seven descendants from Hippocrates all Physicians who successively bore his name but I am rather apt to credit Galen Praxagoras is reckon'd the third after Hippocrates who worthily maintain'd the honour of rational Physick Galen speaks honourably of him as a man that understood his business excellently well He left several Books which are lost Galen cites some of them as that of the use of abstinence those of the ordinary and extraordinary symptoms of Diseases another entituled of natural things or things which naturally happen and another of Medicaments He past in his time for a great Anatomist but all that he wrote upon that subject being lost we know nothing of his Sentiments except that he believed with Aristotle that the Nerves come from the Heart He added (d) Galen de decret Hippocrat â—laton that the Arteries turn to Nerves as their cavities grow straight towards the extremities He held with this Philosopher that the brain was of little use and look'd upon it as only an appendix to the spinal Marrow He maintain'd also that the (e) De dignoseeâ—d Puls l. 4. cap. 2. Arteries contain'd no Liquor an opinion which we shall see driven farther by Erasistratus From hence we may conclude that Praxagoras was the first Author that distinguish'd the arteries properly so call'd from the veins The Physicians of the preceding ages having indifferently call'd both veins and arteries by the name of veins Praxagoras was the first that distinguish'd with more exactness than before the humours or juices of the body (f) See the Anatomy of Hippocrates and Aristotle Rufus Ephesius reports that he said of these juices that one was sweet another (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equally mix'd or temperate (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another resemosed Glass which was a sort of flegin very penetrant another sower another nitrous another of the colour of a Leek another salt another bitter another like the yolk of an Egg. He added besides these two other sorts of Juices one which he call'd (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Raking that is which produced a sense in the part as if it were scrap'd with a Knife or some such Instrument the other he call'd (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These names as well as those taken from the colour of a Leek and the Yoâ—k of an Egg are really new But those of sowre bitter nitrous c. were applied by Hippocrates to the same things before fix'd (l) Introduct capâ— 9. Most diseases according to him depended upon these dispositions of the humours and it was his opinion that it was in vain to look any where else than into