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
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
in the Chapter of that Philosopher Several passages may be taken out of the first Book of Diet to confirm what we have advanc'd In a word says he in one place of this Book the Fire has disposâ—d all things in the body in imitation of the Vniverse c. But while we are upon the Philosophy of Hippocrates lest the Alchymists shou'd take it ill at our hands we must by no means omit this passage in the first Book above-mention'd viz. that those that work in Gold beat it wash it and melt it by a gentle Fire because a violent fire is not proper for such a business 'T is pretended that Hippocrates here had an Eye on the mystery of the Philosophers Stone of which we shall have occasion to speak in the second part of this History And this may suffice for his Philosophy Let us now descend from the general principles of bodies to the particular principles of the human body and leaving all Philosophical reflections let us see what observations we can find in Anatomy there for those properly belong to the History of Physick Those that are minded to see more particularly how far Hippocrates carried his Philosophy may consult the Books de Flatibus de natura hominis the first de natura pueri de dieta and some others But the Reader ought to be inform'd that the above-mention'd treatises are suspected to be spurious and not to belong to him His opinion concerning the seat of the Soul is to be found in the following Chapter CHAP. III. Of the Anatomy of Hippocrates 'T Is a difficult matter to give a just extract of the Anatomy of Hippocrates for three things hinder us from knowing so much of this subject as it is necessary we shou'd In the first place we find several contradictions in the writings of Hippocrates or rather in those that are ascrib'd to him Secondly tho we shou'd heap together all that he says of each part 't would be an imperfect account and not very coherent Lastly tho so many faults had not crept into the Text as there have or there were less disagreement in the original MSS. yet his stile is so concise and there are some places in him so obscure as being frequently expressed in terms peculiar to himself that are not to be found elsewhere that 't is extreamly difficult for one to understand him aright tho he is never so great a master of the Greek Language For this reason we should very much regret the loss of one of Galen's Books intituled The Anatomy of Hippocrates if we had not just reason to suspect this Author of partiality when he engages for the interests of this antient Physician sufficient proofs whereof we shall see below that purely belong to Anatomy The helps that a man might expect to find upon this occasion from the modern Commentators is but inconsiderable If any light is to be had from them we ought rather to trust the antient interpreters than those of our Age because it is to be feared that the latter full of their new discoveries imagine they see them every where like those that can discover in Homer the most hidden mysteries of all Arts and Sciences or those quick-sighted Genelemen that can find the Philosophers Stone in all Books whatever let the matter they treat of be what it will That we may not be charg'd with being guilty of this prepossession which we have condemn'd our selves we will faithfully set down all that we cou'd find relating to this argument in the works of Hippocrates and take particular care not to omit the least thing about which the Anatomists of the following ages have had different opinions or pretended to make any discovery that so we may give every man his due and rob none of the praise that really belongs to them I will not pretend to confine my self to a certain order but indifferently set down every thing as it comes to hand and refer the Reader that expects a continu'd description or a greater insight into the nature connexion situation of the parts of the body to a full treatise of Anatomy which he will find in the Chapter of Galen (a) De locis in homine The nature of the Body says Hippocrates is the principle or foundation on which all the reasoning of Physick is built One wou'd be apt to infer from hence that he had a mind to recommend Anatomy as one of the principal means by which we may discover the nature of the body What helps to confirm this conjecture we find that immediately after he teaches what is the situation composition and use of the several parts 'T is undeniable that Hippocrates wou'd have us study the nature of the body but we may discover by some other places that he thought we cou'd arrive to the knowledge of it no way so well as in the practice of Physick for he laughs at those who fancy'd themselves to be great Physicians because they knew something in Anatomy (b) De Prisc medâ—cin Some Physiciansiand Philosophers says he pretend that a man can't understand the art of Physick unless he knows what man is what is his first formation and after what manner his Body is made But for my part I am of opinion that all that has been said or written about nature by these people belongs more to the art of Painting than it does to Physick and am perswaded that a man can't know nature clearly but by the means of Physick as those that are well skill'd in that art will soon perceive Here he seems to address himself to the Philosophers that preceeded him and to these of his own time who as we have observ'd had thrust themselves into this profession and were the first that began to instruct themselves in Anatomy It has been remarked above that the Asclepiadae the Predecessors of Hippocrates had other helps of knowing the humane body besides Anatomy As for Hippocrates 't is probable that he did not neglect this latter way as being related to Philosophy which he had carefully studied There wou'd not be the least pretence to doubt of this if the little Book or fragment attributed to him and intituled little Book or fragment attributed to him and intituled Anatomy was really of his writing but this is not certain since Erotiam who has given us a Catalogue of Hippocrates's Books makes no mention of it Be it as it will we shall see anon how far he advanc'd in this Science either by Anatomy or any other method which we have touch'd upon in the Chapter of Asclepiadae Hippocrates owns in one place that the (c) Lib. de Aliment Veins come from the Liver which is the origine and fountain of them as the Heart is of the Arteries In another place he maintains that the Veins and Arteries proceed equally from the Heart (d) Lib. de Carnibus There are two hollow Veins that come from the Heart one of which is call'd the
Artery and the other the Vena Cava At that time all the Blood Vessels were indifferently call'd Veins and the word Artery properly signify'd the (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aspera arteria or the Wind-pipe Nay Hippocrates gives the name of Veins to the Ureters and seems to bestow the same appellation upon the Nerves as we shall take notice below besides there are but few places where he formally distinguishes the Arteries from the Veins and where he calls them Arteries which may render the credit of those books or at least of those passages suspicious where this distinction is to be found The Artery adds he immediately after contains more heat than the Vena Cava and is the receptacle of the Spirits There are other Veins in the Body besides these two As for that which is reported to be the largest of all and next to the heart it runs thro the Belly and the Diaphragm and dividing itself into two streams visits either Kidney towards the Loins Above the heart this Vein divides to the right and to the left and ascending to the head distributes itself to either Temple We may continues he joyn the other Veins to this that are also very large but to speak all in a word all the Veins that are dispers'd thro the whole Body come from the Vena Cava and the Artery Here are already two opinions concerning the Origin of the Veins and Arteries There is a third likewise to be found in two several passages in Hippocrates whether in respect of the Origin of the Veins or in respect of your distribution (a) Lib. de Ossium naturâ de Natur. humanâ The largest veins of the Body are says he dispos'd after this manner There are in all four pair the first pair come out behind the head and descending down the back part of the neek on each side of the spine come to the Hips and Thighs pass on thro the Legs to the outside of each Foot For this reason in all pains of the Back and Hips bleeding in the veins of the Hams and external Ancles are of great relief the second pair coming likewise from the Head run behind the Ears down the Neck they are callâ—d the Jugulars and run within the Spine down the Loins where they divide on either side towards the Testicles and Thighs and the inside of the Hams from thence through the inward Ancles to the inside of the foot For this cause in all pains of the Testicles and Loins bleeding in the veins of the Hams and internal Ancles is very serviceable The third pair come out of the Temples and run along the Neck towards the Shoulders and Lungs from thence one turning from the right a little towards the left runs under the Breast to the Spleen and Kidneys the other likewise turning from the left to the right runs under the Breast to the Liver and Kidney And these two branches terminate in the Rectum The fourth part coming out of the fore part of the Head and Eyes run under the Lungs and the Clavicles and from thence thro the upper part of the Arm pass over the bending of the Elbow to the back of the Hands and Fingers and thence they return again thro the palm of the Hand on the inside of the Elbow and under the Arm to the Arm-pits and upon the surface of the side one to the Spleen and the other to the Liver At length both branches running over the Belly terminate in the privities To salve the contradiction between these two last passages it may be urg'd that the Book of the nature of the Bones from whence this latter is drawn is not Hippocrates's but Polybius his Son-in-Law's Neither Galen nor Erotian take notice of this Book among the works of Hippocrates They have not so much as taken notice of the name tho they seem to have explain'd certain words found in it There is a passage of (b) De Generat Anim. lib. 3. cap. 3. Aristotle wherein this Philosopher speaking of the Origin and destribution of the Veins and relating the several sentiments of the Physicians thereupon cites these very words of this Book of the nature of the Bones which we have translated and cites them as Polybius's This proof were sufficient but it removes not all the difficulty for we read the very same words in the Book of Human Nature which Galen maintains strongly to be Hippocrates's pretending to prove it by the Authority of (c) Platon Phaedr Plato who as he says has quoted a passage out of it tho others have ascrib'd this Book to Democritus Nevertheless Galen himself (d) De Hippocrat Platon decreâ— l. 6. c. 3. But Pelops Galen's Master was of another mind maintaining that Hippocrates held as himself also did that the Veins and Arteries as well as Nerves had their Origine from the Brain denies this later opinion touching the origin and destribution of the Veins to be Hippocrates's or even Polybius's but affirms that it must have been foysted surreptitiously into the Text. But this is not probable for we find the same opinion in the Book de locis in Homine There is another difficulty relating to the Book of the flesh or of the principles from whence was taken what we said in the first place that the Veins and Arteries came out of the Heart Aristotle in the afore-cited passage after having remarked that almost all the Physicians consented with Polybius to bring the veins from the Head concludes they were all in an error not knowing that they came from the Heart and not from the Head If Hippocrates be the Author of that Book of the Flesh wherein this opinion of Aristotle is plainly laid down how is it likely this Philosopher should not know it Why should he not as well have read the Writings of Hippocrates as those of Polybius From hence we may infer that this Book is no more Hippocrates's than that of the Nature of the Bones Perhaps Aristotle chose rather in this place to cite Polybius or Synnesis of Cyprus and Diogenes Apolloniates Physicians of small reputation in comparison of Hippocrates than to cite Hippocrates himself whose Name we sind but in (e) Politâ—c li. 7. cap. 4. one place of his Works and there mentioned only en passant perhaps I say he has omitted to quote him out of malice or envy Plato shew'd more honour having made honorable mention of him in several places Perhaps the Book in question was not Hippocrates's for neither do we find the Title of it in the List that Erotian gives of his Works Of the description of the HEART Amongst the Anatomical Books ascrib'd to Hippocrates there is none written with more exactness than that of the Heart which being very short we give you here the entire Translation of it The Heart says the Author of this Book is of a Pyramidal figure its colour is a deep red It is encompassed on all sides with a clos'd Membrane
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
(w) De Loc. in Hom. All the Veins communicate and run one into another for some are joyn'd immediately together others communicate by small veins which run from the Trunk of one to another and which serve to nourish the flesh (x) De Natur. hom There are a great number of different veins which come from (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So read all the MSS. says Foesius Yet Galen reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Vena Cava the Ventricle or Belly by which the nourishment is conveyed into all the parts of the body The same nourishment passes also from the great veins as well internal as external to the belly and the rest of the body These veins supply one another reciprocally with nourishment those without to those within and those within to those without (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epidem lib 6. sect 6. The flesh draws from the belly and likewise from without and our senses discover to us that all the body is transpirable from within to without and from without to within Hippocrates speaks in another place of the (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Diet. acut See the whole passage at length in the Chapter of Blood letting rest of the blood and spirits in the Vessels which supposes a precedent motion We have both related and render'd as exactly as possible the foregoing passages concerning the motion of the blood spirits and nourishments in the body because they seem to point at the most considerable Anatomical discoveries of our Age. Hippocrates did unquestionably acknowledge a sort of circulation of the blood and humours the aforecited passages are in express words He uses also in another place a term by which the Greeks used to signifie (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. de humor in prin the reflux of the Sea to express the return of the humours from the skin to the centre of the body It is necessary here to avoid a fallacy in giving to Hippocrates the honour of a discovery reserved to our Age to make the following Remarks It is apparent that this ancient Physician held this flux and reflux or this circulation to be made thro' the same Vessels which carry'd and brought back indifferently from the Centre to the Circumference and from the Circumference to the Centre again As for what escaped the known Vessels it pass'd according to him (c) De morb lib. 4. thro insensible channels and ways undiscoverable which yet were open as long as the Animal liv'd according to the principles laid down by him and related by us that all consents conspires and agrees together in the body or that all is transpirable from within to without and from without to within If these Principles served his turn in this case the attraction spoken of before and the faculties subservient to Nature brought him off easily for the rest that is that the motions of the blood and humours were usually determined by necessity and attraction (d) De Nat. â—uer The blood says he which by the order of nature descends but once a month to the Womb flows thither every day while the (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seed or Faetus therein contained draws what is necessary for it according to its strength and has its respiration greater or less at first the respiration of the Faetus being very small little blood comes from the Womb but as by this respiration increases the Faetus draws more blood and it descends in greater quantities into the Womb. Nor does the Faetus only draw but all the parts likewise (f) De Morb. lib. 4. The Ventricle or Stomach says Hipporates elsewhere is a fountain which furnishes all the body when it is full but when it is empty it draws in its turn from the body which exhausted it The Heart the Spleen the Liver and the Head are the fountains which supply the other parts and in their turns draw from them There are in Hippocrates a hundred passages like these some of which we shall take notice of in the sequel The Office of Nature or the Faculties is according to him to regulate the attraction and provide for all the necessities of the Animal Nature as we have observed or its Faculties nourish and make every thing to grow and increase We shall add but a word or two more upon the subject of the motion of the blood in the Veins and Arteries by which we may judge of the Idea Hippocratet has had of it There are says he (g) De loc in Hom. This Book is by universal consent agreed to be genuine two other (h) By this name Hippocrates understands as well the Arteries as Veins veins which beat continually these veins are the only ones in the body that contain no blood for the blood turns from ' em Now that which turns away or returns is a contrary motion to that which comes forward on that side so that the first retiring or withdrawing from these veins and that which comes from above endeavouring to descend they do not agree but push one another by turns and mix and circulate one with another which produces the pulsation or beating of these veins We say nothing at present of the extraordinary motions of the blood and humours we reserve them for the next Chapter I know that some of the greatest (i) Riolan and several others Anatomists and Physicians of the Age Men very learned in the Languages and all sorts of Literature have done and yet do believe that the aforecited passages go abundance further We shall have occasion to examine their Opinion in the Second Part of this History Of the BRAIN (k) Lib. de Gland Galen supposes this Book to be spurious The Brain is reckoned by Hippocrates among the Glands because it appeared to him of the same nature being white fryalble and spungy as they were And he believed that the Brain sucked up the superfluous humours of the body like the other Glands which being all of a spungy nature imbibe says he moisture easily But there is this further of the Brain That the Head being hollow and round draws incessantly like a sort of Cupping-glass the moisture from the rest of the body which rises in the form of a vapour after which it being over-charged it sends it down to the lower parts especially the Glands from whence come Defluxions and Catarrhs Hippocrates in some other places makes the Brain (l) Lib. de Morb. sacro the Seat of Wisdom and Vnderstanding altho' as we have seen before he lodges the (m) Lib. de Corde Soul which is the same thing with the (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnderstanding in the Left Ventricle of the Heart Hippocrates takes notice elsewhere that the Brain was (o) De loc in hom cloathed with two Membranes the one thick and the other thin We shall have further occasion to speak of the Brain and its Membranes when we
place where the Meat it putrified or is concocted We find both these expressions in Hippocrates He calls the Stomach in the passage we have cited the putrifying Belly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (b) Lib. de Aliment He uses elsewhere the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is which begins to putrifie speaking of the nourishment or food in the stomach But we find much oftner the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coction and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Concoct This digestion according to him is made by the heat of the Stomach which he calls a part all Nervous which joins to the Liver on the Concave-side We must further take notice that the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie the same thing in our Author The latter signifies often in Hippocrates the Orifice or mouth of any Vessel or part whatsoever as of the Bladder of Gall the Matrix c. (c) Lib. de Anatom Hippocrates seems not to distinguish more than two Guts one which is straight about the length of a dozen Cubits being afterwards full of folds some says he call it Colon. And he observes in another place (d) De Morb. Epidem This Gut in a Man is like that of a Dog but that in a Man it is bigger This Gut is suspended by or fasten'd to a part which he calls Mesocolon that is the middle of the Colon and that part it self is fasten'd to the Nerves which come from the spine of the back and pass under the belly The second named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is furnished with abundance of flesh all round and ends in the Anus Elsewhere he says This latter Gut is Porous and adds some particulars concerning the Intestines which shall be remembred when we come to the Reins Of the LIVER Hippocrates says of the Liver that it abounds more with blood than the rest of the Bowels and that there are in it two eminencies which they call Ports He says further That the Liver has five Lobes or is divided into five Parts We have seen before that he has made in another place the Origin of the Veins He observes that several Bronchiae pass from the Heart to the Liver and with these Bronchiae the great vein by which the whole body is nourished He elsewhere calls this vein (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Liver-vein he assigns to the Liver the Office of separating the Bile which it does by the means of its veins which draw whatever is Bilious or proper to make Bile in the Aliment Of the SPLEEN The Spleen beginning from the last of the short Ribs on the Left-side stretches its self out like the print of a Manâ—s foot it receives one vein that divides it self into an infinite number of strings like the threads of a Spiders web which are full of blood and diffused through its whole substance It is fasten'd or hangs to the Omentum which it furnishes with blood by divers small veins Hippocrates says in one place that the Spleen is (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fibrous He says also that it is soft and spungy and by that means draws from the Ventricle which it is near to part of the moisture which comes from the drink the rest being afterwards suckâ—d up by the Bladder of Urine Of the LUNGS The Lungs have according to Hippocrates five Lobes like the Liver they are cavernous rare and pierced with divers holes like Spunges (a) De prise Med. For this reason it draws from the neighbouring parts the moistures they contain Of the Membrane which separates the Belly from the Breast The name which Hippocrates gives to this Membrane which separates the Belly from the Breast is the same by which the Greeks signify'd (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mind or Vnderstanding The most ancient Physicians called it so out of a perswasion that it was the Seat of the Understanding making it to divide the function attributed as we have seen before to the Heart which is near it Not that this was the generally received opinion it was believed false even in the time of Hippocrates If the book of the Falling Sickness be his the Author of this book expresses himself thus The Part which is called Phrenes is falsly so callâ—d and at random This name is grounded upon an b opinion and not upon any thing real for I sce not how this part contributes to Prudence or Understanding All that it does is that when any one is surprized with any great and sudden joy or grief it beats and causes thereby a sort of uneasiness or pain for it is sine and more strongly upon the stretch than any other part of the body having no belly or cavity to receive what is good or what is bad but being alike encumbred with one or t'other This part says he perceives or has sense but it is not the Seat of Wisdom no more than the Heart wherefore the name of this is as improper as that of the Ears of the Heart which have no hearing In another place Hippocrates says of this Membrane That it has its Origin near the Back-bone behind the Liver and in one that it is nervous and strong He says yet in another place That this Membrane causes madness and folly when the blood stagnates there or moves too slowly Of the Reins the Ureters and Bladder of Urine Our Author speaking of (a) De Off. Nat. the Reins numbers them amongst the Glands or at least he seems to think that they have Glands and those more gross than the rest of the body but it seems more probable that he meant the Glands near them whatever they were than those of this part He had said a little before to the same purpose That the Intestines had the biggest of all which drew the moisture therein contained He believed That the Reins drew likewise the moisture from the nearest Glands and sent it to the Bladder He supposed in another place That this moisture came from the drink and that the Reins by a faculty peculiar to themselves having suck'd a part from the veins near which they are situated it filtred or run through the substance of â—em like water and descended into the bladder by the veins which lead thither while the rest of the drink soak'd immediately thro' the Intestines into the same bladder the Intestines or Intestine being very spungy and porous in the part contiguous to it Of the Organs and manner of Generation We find in Hippocrates the names of the principal parts distinguishing the bâ—xes but he says nothing of their structure He has this only concerning the Vesiculae Seminales That there are on either side the Bladder little bodies like â—oney combs in which the seed is contained He believed that it came from all parts of the body but particularly from the Head descending by the veins behind the Ears down the spinal Marrow and into the Reins As for the manner
other times when he intended to purge more strongly he took the flower of Copper and Hellebore after that he shook the Patient violently by the shoulders the better to loosen the Pus This Remedy which is found in (b) De morbis lib. 2 de internis affectionibus two places of the Works of Hippocrates is attributed by Galen to the Cnidien Physicians which we have spoke of in the precedent Book The Physicians of the succeeding Ages have practis'd it no more whether they had no Patients that wou'd suffer it or whether they thought it of no benefit which is most probable These ancient Physicians invented this Remedy to raise a cough upon what they observed that it was the only means by which the Pus cou'd be naturally evacuated from the Breast and be as it were pump'd out of the Lungs CHAP. XVI Whether Hippocrates made use of Purgations or Superstitious Purifications which we spoke of above WE have seen in the first Book of our History that Melampus and Polyides us'd certain Purgations or Expiations which had regard to Crimes as well as Distempers It seems Hippocrates also approv'd of this practice when he says (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. de decenti habitu That a Physician ought to have knowledge of the Purgatives or Purifications beneficial to life (b) A Modern Translator of Hippocrates Cornarius has understood it this way and in effect we cannot explain this passage or word otherwise for he does not treat here of the Purgations that we spoke of in the foregoing Chapter And the other Interpreters or Commentators on Hippocrates that have taken it in this latter sense are mistaken But we may say That seeing he meets with variations in the Original (c) Some Manuscripts read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular which intirely alters the sence and that signifies nothing if you don't refer it to the follewing word which is also very obscure Manuscripts in relation to the word in question and that all this passage there being compris'd in it that which immediately follows is but obscure perhaps Hippocrates meant to speak quite another thing (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A freedom from Superstition which is one of the qualities he requires in a Physician in the same place where he makes a parallel betwixt a Philosopher and one of this Profession appears contrary to it For how indeed does the necessity which he wou'd impose on a Physician to understand purifications which consisted of some superstitious ceremonies agree with the freedom from every thing that is superstitious It 's true that another translator of Hippocrates's reads this last word otherwise and takes it (e) Calvus translates as if â—e had read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the contrary sense But the inclining to superstition or a superstitious fear of the Gods is not that which they have accus'd the Philosophers of no more than the Physicians between whom they say Hippocrates endeavours to make a comparison in this passage We have nothing to do besides but to read the Book intitled of the Sacred Distemper to see how Hippocrates openly laughs at all the ridiculous ceremonies they practis'd in his time to cure this distemper and in particular the expiations and purifications they perform'd on this occasion We will not relate any thing he has said above to avoid being tedious we 'll only remark that he puts those that meddled with expiations Magicians Mountebanks and impudent Boasters that promise more than they mean and have nothing to perform Weâ—ll remark I say that he puts all these sorts of fellows in the same rank ending a long discourse which he makes on this subject with these words more worthy of a Christian than a Pagan as he was It is says he the Deity that purifies us and washes us from our greatest sins and from our most enormous crimes It is the Divinity which protects us and it is only in the Temples which are the habitations of the Gods that we ought to seek to purisie ourselves of whatâ—s unclean I know this Book to be suppos'd to belong to some other Author But however it be that Hippocrates used only remedies purely natural and never proposed any superstitious ones is an Argument he was never for them We may see further how he elsewhere (f) Lib. de his quae ad virginem spectaut rallies the women of his time that were troubled with the Mother for offering to Diana rich Garments He does not stick to say that the Priests who advis'd these poor women thus abused them wretchedly CHAP. XVII Of Blood-letting and of the Application of Cupping-Glasses BLood-letting was another method of evacuating or taking away the superfluity of what was in the Vessels and parts which Hippocrates us'd Another aim he had in it was to divert or recall the course of the Blood which was going where it ought not to be A third end of bleeding was to procure a free motion of the Blood and Spirits as we may gather from the following passage (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He says elsewhere in the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bladder slopt When any one becomes speechless of a sudden Hippocrates says it is caus'd by the shutting of the Veins especially when it happens to a person otherwise in good health without any outward violence In this case the inward vein of the right Arm must be open'd and more or less blood taken away according to the age and constitution of the Patient Those that lose their Speech thus have great flushings in the face their Eyes are stiff their Arms are distended their Teeth gnash they have palpitations of the Arteries they cannot open their Jaws the Extremities are cold (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interceptiones Spirituum in venis and the Spirits are intercepted in the Veins If pain ensues it is by the accession of the black Bile and sharp humours For the Internal parts being vellicated or irritated by these humours suffer very much and the Veins being also irritated and dried distend themselves extraordinarily and are inflam'd and draw all that can flow to them so that the Blood corrupting and the Spirits not being able to pass through the Blood (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their natural passages by their ordinary passages the parts grow cold by reason of this Stagnation of the Spirits Hence comes giddiness loss of speech and convulsions If this disorder reaches to the Heart the Liver or to (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It ought to be observ'd that he makes no mention here of the brain nor of the nerves the great Veins From hence come also Epilepsies and Palsies if the defluxions fall upon the parties nam'd and that they dry up because the Spirits are deny'd a passage thro them In this case after Fomentation a Vein must be open'd while the Spirits and Humours are yet (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suspended
into the lungs (c) Gell. llb. 17. cap. 11. Macrob. lib. 17 cap. 15. which made one of the Ancients say that Plato gave posterity occasion to laugh by meddling with that which was not his business But he that said this did not consider that Hippocrates and other Physicians before spoken of were themselves of this opinion and that Plato apparently spoke only after them This Philosopher imagined also another part or sort of soul which desired not only meat and drink and all that was necessary for the body but which was the Principle of all appetites or desire in general This soul was posted between the Diaphragm and the Navel it was quartered in the lowest part and farthest from the head that it might not by its agitations and commotions disturb the reasonable soul which is the best part of us in its meditations and thoughts for the common good These troubles or disturbances of the inferiour soul were excited by Phantasms or Images presented to it by the liver the liver having been polishâ—d and made shining that it might reflect the Images which were communicated to it to produce trouble tranquility or pleasure in the inferiour soul according as the liver is it self troubled by the bitterness of the Bile or sedate and calm thro' the predomination of sweet Juices opposed to the Bile Besides what we have already said of the heart and of the soul lodged there Plato held this further concerning it The heart says he which is at the same time (d) Viâ—â— Pag. the source of the veins and of the bloud which (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See pag. whirls rapidly in all parts of the body is set (f) See pag as a Centinel or Serjeant that when the Choler is inflamed at the command of the Reason upon the account of some injustice committed either without or within by the desire or passions presently all that is sensibly in the body disposes it self by opening all its pores to hear its menaces and obey its commands The opinion of this Philosopher concerning the manner of respiration is no less peculiar He believed that there was no vacuum in the world but that the Air which escaped out of the Lungs and Mouth in respiration meeting that which surrounds the body without pushes it so that it forces it to enter thro' the pores of the skin and flesh and to insinuate it self into the most remote parts of the body till it fills the place which the other left after which making the same way out again by the Pores it forces that without to enter by the mouth into the lungs in inspiration We see by this that Plato confounded transpiration with respiration pretending that both one and t'other were performed together as it were by two semicircles As for the flesh he thought it compounded of water fire and earth and a certain sort of sharp leaven biting and salt These are some of Plato's thoughts of a humane body in its natural state As for the causes of its destruction which are diseases old age and death he supposed in the first place that the bodies which are about ours disolv'd and melt it continually after which every substance which gets loose or exhales returns to the principle from whence it was drawn he supposes in the second place that the blood which is according to him a fluid matter form'd of the Aliments by a peculiar artifice of nature which cuts and reduces them into small pieces by means of (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire which rises in our stomach after the air or breath He supposed that this blood whose redness was an evident token of the impression of this fire served to nourish the flesh and generally the whole body and to fill up the vacant spaces of it as it were by a sort of watering or general inundation This being supposed he maintained that while we were young this bloud abounding in all parts not only supply'd what was dissipated or diminished of the flesh which as was said was perpetual but after having fill'd up what was wanting it furnish'd matter of increase to the mass of the body from hence it is that in our youth we grow and become larger but when we are advanced in years more of the substance of our body is spent than the bloud can supply or restore therefore we diminish by degrees Those principles also of which our bodies consists which Plato calls Triangles which in our youth were stronger than those of which the Aliments were compounded reducing them easily to a substance like themselves become disunited and relaxed by having so long endured the shock of other triangles this causes old age which is followed by death especially where the triangles whereof the spinal marrow consists are dissolv'd and disunited so that the bands by which the soul was fasten'd to it are intirely broken and let it loose As for diseases which attack us in all ages and precipitate the usual time of death he suppos'd that our bodies being composed of the four Elements before named the disorders of these Elements were the chief causes of them These disorders consisted in the excess or deficiency of any of these Elements when they did not preserve the proportion of their first mixture or when they changed place leaving their own place for another To explain himself more particularly he adds that the fire exceeding produced continual and burning fevers that if the air over-ballanced it produced quotidian intermitting Fevers If the Water Tertian Fevers and if Earth Quartanes The Earth being the heaviest of all the Elements must have quadruple the time to move it self in that the fire has and the rest of the Elements in proportion Plato did not confine himself to these generals only but proceeded to the particular explication of the changes that befall our bodies in relation to the bloud and humours which are the immediate causes of distempers While the bloud says he maintains its natural state it serves to nourish the body and to preserve health But when the flesh begins to corrupt or to melt and dissolve the humour which comes from it entring into the veins carries this corruption along with it and changing the bloud in several manners turns it from red to yellow and bitter or sower or salt so that that which was pure Bloud becomes part Bile and Phlegm or Serosities What we call Bile says Plato is particularly produced from the dissolution of the old flesh it is an humour that assumes divers forms and is very changeable both as to colour and taste but it is chiefly distinguished into two sorts the yellow Bile which is bitter and the black Bile which is sowre and pricking As for the Phlegm and Serosities or Water Plato seems to confound them or to make but one sort of humour of them The Phlegm according to him is produced from the new flesh and the serosities or waters which are designed by the particular names of sweat