your Substitutes upon do most unreasonably and irreligiously take upon you to â—uâ—tifie For without Controversie ye first suggested and instituted this way for their livelihood fomenting them as long as they pleased you but after that becoming numerous they were forced to take another course to live not able to subsist in a competent manner by your Insufficient Ridiculous Aphilosophical Praescriptions which now many of the more serious perspicacious sort do set no better estimate upon than to put to common use so that should they so far condescend as to lay aside their more sure Card of exerting that faculty of Practice which their seduliâ—y Pharmacopaean Inspections Officiousness to the Sick â— more frequent and better Optical Trials of Effects of Medicines of their own Manual praeparation than ye would studie to attain to have disciplined them in Add moreover their propensity first to embrace Chymical Remedies which ye then renounced and openly detested against Witness Mr. Iob Weal an Apothecary on Ludgate-Hill whom the Galenists prosecuted with Vatinian hatred as I have often heard him tell the Story for preparing Lac Sulphuris an effectual and no whit perillous Medicine which the Collegiates having entred his Shop threw into the streets are not these rare Supervisors declaring against him as guilty of a most horrid crime for making and perhaps giving what then should he not use that Talent ye wanted so dangâ—rous as ye falsly laid to his Charge a Chymical Mineral Powder for the succour of those Patients when your Cacostomastick drossie Compositions could not in the least relevate Should I say Apothecaries I mean the best endowed Philo-Chymists having through your supine voluptuous Folly got the better end of the Staff resign it up again into your hands I Question whether or no ye would be able to maintain them and their Families so great an haâ—red doth dayly encrease among the more cautious Scrutators of things against your lethiferous way of transmitting your formal Physical Bills to be made up by your Deputies that I scruple not to declare openly the compleat Spagyrick Philosopher will in a short time run you dowâ—â—n despight of all your Davus-like Tricks or Vulpones Counterfeit Plots to wit the owning your selves â—ictitiously among the Vulgar to be the true Chymists and boasting that no Salve safe for any Sore but what your Method shall secure scribling and promising great things but not daring to stand to any equal Experiments for the right determination of Medical Truth Now your imperious Government drawing to an end as appears by certain Signs you catch at this or that poor beggarâ—y shift to keep it up for your lives then what care you let it fall no whit troubled that your Names will stink worse than your Carcases in the Nostrils of all deserving Graceful Persons for as much as ye would not through head-strong passions and sordid affections subscribe at this day when the Truth of things appear more clearly to a Legitimate powerful way of Healing As this Hen. Stubbs hath slanderously abused Dr. Merret for vindicating in equity the Confection of his own Remedies and for not persevering in the former mortal beaten tract of Practice Moreover as he likewise disallows of any Apothecaries to Practise though endowed with such gifts which may justly entitle them to a capacity to opitulate or relieve any wofully wounded wretch by virtue of a Balsamical sulphurous Powder which formerly they condemned to the Kennel but now approve it yet know not how to make it a right or not duly to administer it So this shameless and no less unskilful Censurer first debases then rashly but unjustly reproves that not easily to be matchâ—d Heroe the Honor of our Nation the Lord Bacon in that he gives so weak an account of the Sweating Sickness so that he esteems this brave Experimental Philosopher worthy to be laughed to scorn by every understanding Physician because the shallow Brain of this Medicaster sâ—uffed full of superficial Traditions and Notions was never yet able to dive into the Central Causes of Diseases The Noble Indagator of Truth pronounces these words as they are cited pag. 28. of Hen. Stubbs his Specimen accurately describing the Sweating-Sickness thus It was a Pestilent Feaver but not seated in the Veins and Humors for that there followed no Carbuncle no Purple or livid Spots or the like the mass of Blood being not tainted only a malign vapour flew to the heart and seised the Vital Spirits which stirred Nature to strive to send it forth by an extreme sweat Who but such a profound Searcher into Nature as my Lord Bacon could at that time have given such an Essential Character of the Sweating-Sickness which is reputed by this Putationer as a thing ridiculous I shall with as much brevity as I can examine every particular Phoenomenon belonging to the foresaid Disease expounding the Genuine sense of his Lordships words The material Cause of this truculent Disease proposed by him is a Malignant Vapour i. e. Gas Sylvestre an incoercible Spirit which by reason of its subtilty resembling the Vital Spirits could readily mix it self with them forthwith infecting the same especially those about the Heart whereby the Plastick power of the Archeus as an efficient cause the perfect Idaea or image of this specifique Disease is pourtrayed part of the Vital Spirits being as it were tinged by the intermixture of these Contagious particles and part remaining in its integrity being exasperated at the presence of such an hostile Intruder stirs up Nature i. e. musters up all the faculties forces or strength belonging to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Arcâ—eus and withal summoning the Latex or Lympha to be assistaâ—t to the ablution and ablation of this fermenting malignant impurity which is sent forth by an extreme sweat The inward procuring occasional excitative cause was a Pestilent Venome a tabefying matter immediately lodging in the degenerate Juices about the Stomack and Spleen Helmonts Duumvirate not in the Veins or Fictitious Humors which sending forth foetid putrefactive particles annoying the Archeus caused an indignation or fretting disposition at presence of that which is altogether exotick and incongruous with Nature whereupon it thus put upon a stress exerts all its powers and faculties to the expulsion of such a virulent Guest performed most conveniently by large Sweats before which there must necessarily precede a Feaver from the Collision conglomeration tumult and confusion of the vital Spirits thus assaulted as is frequently observed to fall out when any thing extraneous to life getteth into the flesh to wit a thorn or splinter so that the Feaver is but a consequent of the fury and rage of the Archeus and a praecedent of the expulsion of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the matter of the Disease The Argument which this knowing Lord uses that the Hyperidrotick or Sweating-Sickness was not primarily in the mass of Blood i. e. the purest called Sanguis because there was no eruption of a Carbuncle Purple or
Livid Spots which shews saith he it was not tainted which Reason did very well become him for in reality the effects of this Anomalous poyson was most eminent in the Serum or Latex a concomitant of the Blood a great depraved quantity whereof was at that time collected in the Body through the then unaccustomed ill natural texture of the Air loathsome exhalations lurking in its magnale or porosities arising from the influence of the Coelestial Luminaries unwholsome Esculents or Potulents as likewise a peculiar Idiosyncrasie Disposition of the Body capable to be at that time above others thus affected not omitting that certain exorbitant Passions might generally disturb the Vital Oeconomy of this Nation Now by means of these Procatarlick Causes an absolute Poyson was hatched up by degrees in the Stomach and parts adjacent whose Fermental Emanations polluted the Latex chiefly making also a colliquation of the Chyme or Cruor to be rid of which the stomachical Archeus principally strains it self the vital Spirits of the whole as yet undefiled co-adjuvating being well fortified by Art to throw out by large Sweats the contaminated products of a specifick Poyson centrally latitant exceeding active at first by its spreading Odour but in a short time becoming effete and languid if all things wâ—re ordered aright In which work if nature were assisted by fitting Alexipharmacie and the ambient Air intercepted that the virulent Atoms might have free vent all things succeeded well if otherwise it seldom fell out but that the sweating Person miscarried As for the Opinion of Polydore Virgil and Hollinshed which H.S. cites with great applause 't is in real truth not only ridiculous but also pernitious to wit That a Deadly burning Sweat so assailed their Bodies and distempered their Blood with a most ardent heat that scarce one of many hundred that sickned did escape with life Let any good intelligent Person judge indifferently who comes nighest the very formal definition of the aforesaid Calamity our Lord or these Aristotelick rarely qualified Humorists who sound nothing else to us as to a Cure but Burning Sweating Temperaments very Hot Hot Death at first in the Pot and Death at last and so it was and ever will be as long as this wretchless credulous Age gives so much countenance to such wilfully ignorant Torturers and Executioners of Mankind as I dare verifie by fact this Stubbs and all his Co-partners to be I am sure I can assert from a thousand Experiments that the fore-quoted Authors knew nothing of the Immediate Intrinsecal Cause of that Pestilential Malady for what they describe are Relollaea meer Symptoms Effects Products Outward Appearances As for the prime Morbifick Agent which sets all on work and the Nest where all the Mischief is brooded that they leave altogether untouched These men are like to Cure Diseases well who are so egregiously to seek in their Fundamental Causes and yet forsooth they go about boldly to affirm that they are the only Philosophers because they can Prate and Tongue it Rhetorically and Logically hereby gulling silly Auditors who are led by these Ignes fatui at length into the pit of Destruction You cavil at our Lord because he says Nature did strive to send forth its virulencie by an extreme Sweat Whereas your beloved Authors tell you all that recovered were recovered by the continuance of a moderate Sweat This say you Experience and Observation taught them but 't was but Galenical and that may be certainly verified of you to be the Mistress of Fools for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None but a Pyrotechnist can explore as he ought healingly I pray Sir what but Nature should strive to send forth the virulencie Doth not Hippocrates tell us what is infallible Naturae i. e. Vitales Spiritus sunt Morborum Medicatrices which you ought to imitate in Deed and not as you Word it then the Quarrel would quickly be at an end between us But the Extreme Sweat it seems stumbles you But why should that An Extreme Disease must have an Extreme Remedy this Hipp. doth also dictate in extremis Morbis extrema exquisite Remedia sunt optima Malo Nodo malus Cuneus But let us know a little strictly what is meant by an Extreme Sweat and a Mâ—derate in relation to this truculent Plague The extreme Sweat i. e. very large was according to the Story Mortal the Moderate Salutary which I deny 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quateuus meer Sweaâ—s for according to my observation this 23 years all malignant pâ—stilential Feavers the Pest it self and the Griping of the Guts which holds a fair proportion with the Sudor Anglicus did all receive a most certain and expâ—dite Cure bâ—st by extreme large Sweats if the sâ—rength were kept up otherwise no Sweat more or less is of any significant Benefit Quiequid fit virâ—ute Naturae fit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whaâ—soâ—vâ—r Evacuation is attempted by Nature robust directly supported is performed plentifully impetuously and incontinently not driblingly by piece-meals In this feral Calamity there was at the first onset a strong resisting Enormontick or impulsive Motion of Nature to eject with all speed that malignant Vapour couched about the Hypocondries that flew at the heart infecting the vital Spirits thereof also those about the mouth of the Stomach which the Ancients called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likewise sending a miasme to the aquâ—ous Liquor colliquating the Chyme or Cruor by extraordinary extreâ—e Sweat which became Mortal because the vital Spirits were quickly tired for want of due support from without and in that they were not fortified at first by lusty spirituous liquors which those Humorists thought at first in those days to be too hot therefore enjoyn'd Posset-drinks made perhaps after the mode of one of our Modern timorous Colleagues in time of the Plague with Ale and Water or Barley-water Iulebs of Rose-water and Pippin-posset thin Wâ—ter-gruel lest the Blood should be inflamed and the party over-sweat himself Whereas the Common people left in those days to themselves being better Experimentatorâ— taught those Learned Doctors a more salutary Method of curing this Anomâ—lous Plague after the same sort as our Seamen of late years have instructed our Society of Physicians if they would leaâ—n to any good purpose For since they left those scurvy Qualities of Heat and Cold as they were taught by those Aristotelian Impertinent Non-sensical Doctors they have given with admirable success to the miserable Sick-Souls afflicted with the Calentures and Sâ—urvy suffering intolerable thirst and restlessness Brandy Rack by it self or made into Punch and other strong Liquors whereby the weak Tone of the Stomacâ— hath been confirmed the Vitals elevated and the Disease carâ—â—ed off by Sweat and Urine so that now having rid themselves in greatest part of this Deadly cooling Doctrine they can make their Voyages loosing few or no men on the other side before as long as they walked according to your Dâ—structive Rules their men
dropped away like rotten sheep having scarâ— Mariners enough left alive to râ—turn their Shâ—p home Thus the plain People of those days being sadly cut off in great numbers by this Atrocious Mortality upon this strait began to make some Rational Trials of their own and found out at length that a draught of strong Ale Aqua-vitae with Saffron a little Sack if they could get it and some Confection or Cordial as Mithâ—idate Treacle c. did if they kept themselves covered reliâ—ve and cure them which these scrupulous mâ—â—r Opinatâ—rs did in the beginning either totally forbid or gave as they usually exhibit at this day other good Remedies in too small a Quantity left they should over-heat their Blood and further their extreme Mortal Sweats Thus these congruous Remedies impowred the Animals to get the better of this peculiar Poyson the principal intrinsecal occasion of all outward appearances by hindring its Fâ—rmental Odour taking away its â—abefying colliquating properties by repressing this Malign Vapour or Mâ—phitical exhalation which had still recoursâ— to the heart aiming at the extinction of its Light than by exterminating it and the contaminated Latex first by extreme sweat wherby the infected person being carefully kept from the Air may soon be brought into a moderate sweat that more leisurely discharged the relicks of the polluted juyces and hereby effectually restored the Patient the fountain of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being stopped the Accidental evacuation being altered to a Substantial the Symptomatical to a Critical Well then the sum is that the extreme sweats either spontaneously happening or procured by Art were mortal as you relate because upon the fresh Access of this sudorifique misery the whole burden rested upon the shoulder of Nature extremely overpowred withal finding no redress by that Vain Gross Clogging Weak Miserable Opitulation or Assistance they pretended to give them being worse than you now administer to poor Languid Souls at this day which I am certain is bad â—nough How then was it possible but that upon the first invasion of this cruel â—vil those Sweats must needs prove fruitless ineffectual and extremely mortal sith their very Dietetical â—raescriptions and Medicines could deserve no better Title suffering Nature to be horribly worriâ—d by a domâ—stique Enemy till such time the Plebeian taught them better things I could produce a multitude of Instances to make good what I have here published but one belonging to my self shall serve for all the whole story is set down at large in Loimotomia out of which I shall only excerp what may be most apposite to my purpose After the Dissection of a Pestilential Body Anno 1665. out of a serious Inquisition not a vain presumption as Zoili tax me I was smitten with a Pestilential Arrow which entring through my hand dabling incogitantly in the Cadaverous gore pierced to my Central parts the Stomach and Spleen where the Active Poyson setled ejaculating virulent black Eâ—sluviums at my heart and head causing a dizziness in the one and a tedious oppression in the othâ—r Finding my self struck I was resolved while I was Compos mentis to use the best of my Medicines and that in large quantity which I was certain by iterated trials were Safe and Effectual I was experimentally instructed as likewise sensible by no small number of reddiâ—h Spots one or two being livid forthwith appearing that a great part of my Blood was coagulated in facto esse the rest in fieri if not suddenly prevented by the congelative power of â—his poyson I pursued to the atmost the taking of those Remedies which nâ—ver failed during the Contagion to restâ—re to health any one tractable and capable thereof My greatest Design was to get a large sweat such an one as you call extreme which with much ado I attained in an hour or two promoting it continually with a vast measure of Diaphoreticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—dicines pregnant with particles of â—ighest affinity with the Vital 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Blas which the Aristotelians or Galenists would have protested against as worse than the Plague because in their Dogmatical Fancies too Hot and Burning In the space of two or three hours after the first assault of the Pest I attained a very great moisture all over my Body which trickling continually down after an excessive manner was for many hours yea days wiped off by those then presâ—nt In this condition of extreme sweats sliding down my skin for six days and nights I remained well covered not permitting my self to put my hand out of the Bâ—d upon the seventh day I arose able to foot it I believe a mile and the ninth I went down walking lustily about the House Thus did I act with several of my Patients at that fatal time promising and performing the same By the extract of this Tranâ—action Hen. Stub may understand unless he be desperately perverse that a man cannot sweat too much in any malignant Disease supposed the vigour of the Stomach and Archeus be sustained and repaired with what is lively The same Matter Means Quantity and Method I usâ—d often for the Cure of the Pest with known happy success at that time I also proposed the same Remedy before and after that exigence proportionably to any whom a pestilential Feaver had seized according as the individual Patient Magnitude of Sickness indicated Neither do I find any difference at all in the happy fruits of my Medicaments whether the Poyson be more Congelative and Concretive as at that season a while past or more Colliquative turning the Juyces as it were into a melting grease and invading the thinnest Liquors as doubtless was the effects of that Venome which reigned some score years past being the main Reason why as our Noble person says there followed no Carbuncle no Purple or Livid Spots because the inquinated matter was disposed to be carried away by abundant of Sweats without any residue of any puncticular curdled Inhaesion or restagnation of Corrosive putrefactive filth in the skin Therefore the Argument used by this great Pirastick or Explorator of Natural Causes is very Authentick that it was not in the mass of Blood or your Imaginary Humors but only i.e. Essentially in the Viâ—al Spirits because there followed no Purple or Livid Spots or the like For had it been primarilâ— in the blood it could not have been otherwise but that the colliquative dissolutive Poyson must needs have made a Synthesis Coagulation and Grumosity in the Blood at the same time it caused a preternatural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a corruptive rarefaction thereof for according to an approved Philosophical Maxim Omne solvens eadem opera qua solvit etiam coagulatur Dissolving parts of every common Menstrum are in that very Act coagulated so that after this sense had the tabid matter only possessed the Blood as its chief Subject for its residence there would have been after this enormous Sweating a Caput Mort or some gross matter remaining