Whereupon we sacrifice free Bowls of Bacchus's Blood to our Friends Health till we loose our own and indulge our selves in large proportions of this bewitching Juice till it ceaseth to be an object of Thirst and Taste too and do Drench our selves like the worst of Bruits in this stupifying Liquor till we bury our selves and Parts in it And sometimes without a Metaphor we first disguise our Countenances and then deface that Image wherein God hath most graciously Constituted us the highest of Sublunary Creatures Thus I beg pardon for my Digression in stepping out of the way to meet my Patients who want my Advice as a Physician wherein I make bold to speak my most humble desires that they would give Controul to their irregular Appetites in confining their Objects within the due limits of rectified Reason in reference to the preservation of their Health and Life which all Men design as their great satisfaction and happiness But to return again to our Province the Object of Thirst may perhaps seem after a manner to admit not only of Liquors but also solid Bodies too as Sal Prunellae Stones of Plumbs and many other hard Bodies and Masticatories which being frequently roulled up and down the Mouth do satisfie the importunity of Thirst which they accomplish not by any primary Operation as Liquors but accidentally by grating upon the Salival Glands seated in the Tongue Palate and adjacent places as the Tonsils and Parotides lodged near the Roots of the Tongue and Ears so that Masticatories and the like being Chewed do compress the fruitful Salival Glands big with Liquor which liberally ouseth out through many Ecretory Ducts upon frequent pressures Thirst is often appeased by streams of Liquor flowing out of the salival Glands made by the appulses of Solid Bodies whereupon streams of Salival Liquor overspreading the Membrane of the Tongue Palate and Gulet do appease the trouble of Thirst So that Men Bruits and other Animals have secret Channels of Liquor seated in the upper Apartiment out of which do issue many Rivulets of thin Juice besprinkling the seats of Thirst But the common and natural way of gratifying their Appetite is by Caressing themselves with free draughts of Liquor as an Object to give frequent allays to their Needs as often as they shall be sollicited by their Appetite in order to supply the defects of Nature and in moistning the Membranes investing the Gulet Fauces and Mouth the immediate subjects of Thirst The first requisite condition of affecting the Object of Thirst The first requisite of Thirst is Moisture is Moist which is the chief disposition of it because as fluid it bedeweth seemingly divers but truly one continued subject of Thirst by taking away its drought and roughness by rendring it pliable and easie to Nature Whereupon Solid Bodies precisely taken cannot be the Object of Thirst by reason they cannot primarily give an allay to it produced by the moistning of dried parts but only accidentally appease it by the squeesing of Liquor out of the Salival Glands which is an unkindly way of gratifying our sollicitous Appetite which tendeth to the drinking outward not inward Liquors as the proper and usual remedies of Thirst The second requisite condition qualifying the Object of Thirst The second requisite of Thirst is the thinness of Liquor that Liquor should be affected with a thin ingeny the more easily to insinuate it self into the secret passages of the Membranes the allodgments of Thirst else the Liquor when received into the Mouth and Gulet will speedily slide away and make little or no impression in the Membranes as not bedewing them with a grateful Moisture which ought to take away the disquiet of Thirst And therefore it s well consulted by Nature that Liquors should have a kind of apertive nature to open the Compage of the Coats relating to Thirst to enter into their Interior Recesses to render them moist for some time and to complace the hot and somewhat dry temper of the parts concerned in Thirst Some do make Cold a third qualification The third requisite of Thirst is cold which is not necessary to appease Thirst as an ingredient disposing the Object of Thirst but this doth only assist Moisture and is not a necessary requisite condition in Liquors ordained to take off the trouble of Thirst because though they are actually hot yet being received in greater proportion do satisfie our Appetite Or when we are accustomed to warm Drink for a long season then Cold seemeth odd and unpleasant to us So great an influence hath Custome like another Nature upon us to over-rule our irregulaer Appetites for our Interest and Preservation and not only Drinks outwardly warmed but also mixed strong Liquors which are inwardly hot in their Temper have a power to qualifie our over-eager appetite of Thirst And the manner of percieving the Object of Thirst is conceived by a great Author not to be accomplished by any Superinduced Quality but by way of Remotion and Defect of which we are sensible in Thirst but in truth the Membranes relating to some part of the Mouth have a manifest sense of Driness frequently produced by the heat of the Blood having frequent recourse to the subject of Thirst whereupon Nature finding its own need and uneasiness is readily prompted forthwith to apply such apposite Remedies as will repair a natural decay hinted to us by Thirst Whereupon our natural indigence The immediate ground of Thirst proceedeth from a driness of the Membranes of the Mouth founded in the absence of due Moisture flowing from a driness affecting the Membranes of the Mouth and thence imparted by the continuation of Nerves to the common Sense and Fancy which is represented above to the Understanding whose Dictates are conveyed to the Will giving her Despotick Summons to the Interior Faculties who immediately obey her Commands calming the querulous motion of the Appetite in pleasing it with a delightful Draught of Liquor And this of the Coats indisposing the subjects of Thirst is lodged not only in the Surface but in the inward Contexture which is naturally besprinkled with a free Moistness and consequently when the Membranes find an evident alteration of their own Constitution which being not superficial and advantagious but inward and substantial is forthwith represented to the upper Region of the Brain to give order to the inferior powers to repair the inward losses of Nature by the outward support of Liquid substances received into the Body The subject of Thirst is more large and diffused then that of Hunger The subject of Thirst is much larger then that of Hunger which is principally confined to the upper Orifice of the Stomach but this of Thirst is dilated through the Palate Tongue Fauces and Gulet in reference to a common Membrane overspreading them all which lieth easie and quiet when bedewed outwardly and inwardly with a due source of Liquor which being exhausted rendreth the said common Coat disaffected and
with each other do produce fierce Ebullitions and they insinuate themselves in order to Nutrition into the pores of Membranes and Nervous Filaments which being of acute Sensation are highly irritated and enraged by different Elements fretting and gauling their most tender Compage productive of tormenting Agonies Nutrition is performed by various Liquors and most racking pains in a Rheumatism To render this Hypothesis more clear I will speak somewhat of the manner of Nutrition as more conducive to the better understanding of it which is accomplished by various Liquors the one is the more mild part of the Blood which much resembleth the Albuminous Juice of an Egg and will Coagulate lâ—ke it when held over the Fire in a Spoon Another Liquor is that of the Brain transmitted between the many Filaments of Nerves into all parts of the Body These two Liquors of several Families and Dispositions associating in the habit of the Body wherein they being severed from the Red Crassament are transmitted into the Pores of numerous Vessels integrating the Muscular parts and these Chrystalline and Nervous Liquors being of a clammy nature do easily admit an accretion and assimilate with the substance of the Muscles when conveyed into their innumerable Pores Heterogeneous principles make great Fermentation in the Body Whereupon these various Juices consisting of Heterogeneous principles of Acids and Alkalies of Volatil and fixed Salts which being highly indisposed and embodied in ill habits of Body do raise great Tumults and Ebullitions in different Liquors endued with disagreeing Tempers which being compounded of fierce Salts and Acids highly disputing each other and being Extravasated in the Interstices of the Vessels into whose numerous Pores they are immitted in order to Accretion and Assimilation with the substance of the Fleshy parts So that the Nerves being Systems of many Filaments are most highly aggrieved and tormented with Vellications in a Rheumatism produced by enraged Fermentative Atomes of various furious Salts and Acids relating to the serous parts of the Blood and Animal Liquor endeavouring in the empty Spaces of the Vessels to unite and incorporate with the substance of the most delicate parts of Body the subject of Sensation Whence may easily be inferred The antecedent cause of a Rheumatism proceedeth from Humours in the Vessels what are the antecedent and continent Causes of a Rheumatism the one being In fieri the other in factu esse The antecedent relateth to the serous parts of the Blood and Nervous Liquor immitted into it by the Termination of the Nerves discomposed by tumultuary Alkalies and Acids raising high Ebullitions in different Juices while they are immured within the confines of the Vessels The continent cause of a Rheumatism obtaineth the same Matter with the antecedent and differeth in the parts affected and both agree as being derived from divers Salts the one fixed the other brought to a Fluor and so turneth Acid and they are Discriminated by reason the Antecedent cause flowing from various fixed Saline and Acid Elements embodied in the Mass of Blood are contained and circulate in the Arteries and Veins and the Continent cause proceedeth from the same principles The continent cause of a Rheumatism is derived from different ill Liquors seated in the Interstices of the Vessels disaffecting the Serous parts of the Purple and Nervous Liquor confaederated and then impelled out of the Arteries into the empty spaces of the Muscles in order to be transmitted into the Veins and in their passage some Particles are received in order to Nutrition into the pores of the Vessels to repair their lost Particles by Assimilation whereupon the Preternatural Fermentative parts of different Liquors making angry Effervescences in the substance of the Nervous Filaments do produce vexatious pains the immediate or continent cause of a Rheumatism The Procatarctick cause may proceed from ill Diet Ill Diet is a Procatartick cause of a Rheumatism from too large an assumption of variety of gross Flesh not well digested by reason of Acid Ferments transmitted out of the extreamities of the Arteries or from Depraved Liquor distilling out of the Terminations of the Nerves into the Cavity of the Stomach perverting its laudable Concoction or from eating of Meats highly salted or dried with Smoak or from drinking of small Wines full of Tartar which produce an Alimentary Liquor in the Stomach impraegnated with gross Saline Particles which being carried through the Intestines and Thoracic Ducts into the Subclavian Vessels doth embody with the Blood vitiating its temper and disposing it for the production of a Rheumatism The various Seasons of the Year do much disorder the Constitution of the Body Heat and cold do alter the Constitution of the Body occasioned by different tempers of the Air sometimes Hot and presently after Cold as in the Spring and Autumn wherein Nature is surprised in a suddain different alteration of Air and when the Pores have been enlarged by heat they are immediately shut up by Cold and the fiery and Saline Particles and Acid steams of the Blood and Nervous Liquor are suppressed a prohibita Transpiratione whereupon the various sharp Saline Recrements endued with Fermentative Particles do make great bussles in the Body and vex the parts Violent Labours and Exercises Violent Labours and too great indulgence of Venery and the suppression of wonted Evacuations are a Procatartick cause of a Rheumatism and extravagant Passion and an immoderate indulgence of Venery as also the suppression of the wonted evacuation of Blood by the Nostrils Haemorrhoides or Menstrua do highly discompose the Vital and Nervous Liquor in the Vessels and enrage the Morbifick Matter of a Rheumatism by raising the Fermentation of various Juices consisting of Acid and Saline parts the antecedent cause lodged in the Vessels impelled into the habit of the Body and so become the continent cause of the Disease disquieting the Nervous parts by giving them sharp pains Thus having given a brief Account of the Procatarctick Causes I will now with Permission attempt to shew the different Influences these various kindly and unkindly primitive causes do produce by making good or ill Disposition and Concoction in the Stomach Blood and Nervous Liquor in the Vessels and habit of the Body in reference to Nutrition whence arise Natural or Preternatural Fermentations of several Liquors composing or disturbing the quiet of the Nervous parts The Blood affected with a laudable Disposition The Blood in a natural state is not too fixed nor too volatil obtaineth a kind of Mediocrity of state as Learned Dr. Willis hath well observed as being neither too Fixed nor too Volatil And the parts of the Blood may be said to be too fixed when the Elements of Sulphur Salt and Earth are so firmly united in a close bond of mixtion that they cannot easily be parted as when Liquors are not well Concocted by natural heat and due Ferments as out of Wine made of unripe Grapes it is difficult to extract a Salt
and ill habit of Body frequently fell into a Rheumatism accompanied with Vomitings proceeding from Acid Particles transmitted by the Capillary Arteries terminating into the Stomach and from Bilious Humours transmitted from the Liver through the Hepatick Duct into the Duodenum and from thence into the Ventricle which took away his Appetite and spoiled the Concoction of Aliment making a crude Chyle and an ill Mass of Blood consisting of fixed Saline parts and a depraved Succus Nutricius infected with Acid Atomes which raised the Ebullition of the Blood impelled into the empty spaces of the Vessels which gave him Pains which were often alleviated by Blood-letting gentle Purgatives Diet Drinks and distillations of Milk prepared with temperate Antiscorbuticks But at last this worthy Gentleman being impatient at his frequent returns of his Rheumatism he made use of Empyricks great Promisers and little Performers who contrary to Art he being much weakned by an inveterate Disease gave him churlish Purgatives and ill prepared Minerals which wholly took away his Strength and motion of his Limbs and at last his Mass of Blood and Succus Nutricius being depraved fell into an Emaciation of his whole Body which gave a period to his Life to the great grief and trouble of all that were known to him he having been a Person of high Honour and Generosity Treating at his House Strangers as well as Friends with a most obliging Civility and Kindness Doctor Glysson is of this Sentiment A Rheumatism derived from Sulphureous and flatulent matter That a Rheumatism taketh its birth not from Saline but Sulphureous Vapours associated with a Flatus which as I humbly conceive being very fierce raiseth a great Ebullition of the Blood and is very afflictive to the Nervous parts in its passage through the substance of the Body Whereupon the Blood in violent Gouts being affected with enraging Oily Particles and accompanied with restless Wind is impelled by the terminations of the Arteries Pain proceeding in a Rheumatism from the tension of Nervous Fibrils into the Interstices of the Membranes encircling the Muscles which being of a close and tender Compage the tumultuary Purple Liquor is forced through it with great pain proceeding from the great tension of many Minute well-struck Nervous Fibres And these Membranes immuring the Muscles are not only afflicted with troublesome Tensions caused by the Elastick Particles of Wind but with sharp pricking pains derived as I conceive Tension of the Nerves is caused by the Elastic particles of Wind. from the impulse of the Blood affected with hot Sulphureous parts making its way through the Interstices of the numerous Fibrils endued with most accute sense The beating pricking and tensive pains in a Rheumatism Pain is hightned by the interstices of the Membranous parts obstructed are much aggravated as I conceive by reason both the Interstices of the Filaments constituting the Membranes enclosing the Muscles and the empty spaces of the Tendinous and Nervous Fibres integrating in a great degree the body of the Carnous parts are often much obstructed which rendreth the passage of the furious Blood consisting of Sulphureous and Flatulent Vapours very difficult and torminous A Rheumatism doth sometimes afflict the whole Body An universal Rheumatism is caused by the Muscles of the whole Body disaffected which may be stiled a Universal Rheumatism proceeding from an ill Mass of Blood transmitted into the proper Membranes or into the Interstices of the Tendinous and Nervous Fibres relating to all or the greatest part of the Muscles of the Body afflicted with universal pains when the Patient looseth the use of his Limbs A Waterman of a hot plethorick and ill habit of Body Rowing hard put himself into a great Sweat and a very free Transpiration which was suddainly checked by a cold Air shutting up the Pores of the Skin whereupon Nature was surprised by hot Sulphureous Particles of an ill Mass of Blood intercepted by a checked Transpiration returning to the Heart by the Veins and thrown out again from the Center to the Circumference by the Arteries into the Interstices of the proper Membranes encircling the Muscles and into the empty spaces of the Nervous and Tendinous Fibres chiefly framing the Carnous parts whence do ensue raging pains proceeding from Oily flatulent Particles torturing the tender Compage of Membranous and Nervous Fibrils In order to a Cure I advised repeated Blood-letting Bleeding Purging Diuretick and sweating Medicines are proper in a Rheumatism contemperating Diet Drinks Purging Diuretick and Sweating Medicines whereupon the Patient was perfectly restored to his former Health Universal Rheumatisms are rare wherein the Muscles of the greatest part of the Body are surprized with pain at one Instant as in the former case but most commonly some few Muscles are afflicted in one part of the Body which proceedeth from some Particles only disaffected with hot Fermentative Atomes conveyed into the empty spaces of the Membranous and Nervous Fibres and as more parts of the Blood are more infected with the Minera Morbi they run into several Muscles by the branches of Arteries inserted into the body of Muscles This kind of Rheumatism admitteth a easie Cure by reason some Muscles of the Body are only afflicted and an great part of the Mass of Blood hath a good Constitution as not acted with ill Ferments productive of this Disease The method of Curing a Rheumatism is made up of three Indications The Curative Indication The first is Curative which relateth to the Paroxisms in speaking a quiet repose and ease to the Patient The second Indication is preservative in reference to the Intermission of the Fits of a Rheumatism The preservative Indication to take off or at least to prevent the Violence of the Fits The third is Vital The Vital Indication which consists in the choice of proper Aliments or in the Administration of Cordial or Restorative Medicines to comfort and give strength to the Patient to render him able to encounter high afflictive pains very frequent in this Disease The first Indication relateth to the continent cause to Cure the Disease by wholly appeasing or at least mitigating the pains affecting the Membranous Nervous and Tendinous parts of the Muscles proceeding from the high Fermentations of the different Vital and Nervous Liquor enraged by fixed Salts and Acids and sometimes with Sulphureous which are all accompanied with Flatulent Matter making great contests in the empty spaces of the Vessels So that two Intentions do seem to offer themselves in this Indication The first is to take off or at least abate the high discomposure of the Nerves The second is the manner of doing it which is by taking away the matter of the Disease and by giving an allay to great Effervescenses caused by various Ferments of the Blood and Nervous Juice which is to be effected by Phlebotomy and by Purging Alterative and Anodine Medicines Blood-letting is chiefly to be celebrated in the beginning of a
vulgarly called Hiccops The Hiccop also is fetched from a Pestilential Fever A Hicrop from a Pestilential Fever whose essence consisting in a venenate nature infecting the Animal Liquor and Spirits propagated from the Par Vagum into the Nerves of the Stomach whereby it endeavoureth to throw off the malignant steams of the Fever associated with the Nervous Liquor afflicting the Stomach in various disorderly Motions constituting Hiccops A worthy Relation of mine descended from an antient Family was highly tortured day and night with frequent Hiccops for some time before I had the happiness to wait on him which did come from pestilential Steams received from the infection of the Plague indisposing the Blood and nervous Juyce imported by the Caeliac Artery and Par Vagum into the Vessels and Fibres of the Stomach which were often provoked by the venenate Infection of the Nervous Liquor causing Convulsive agitations in the Stomacick Fibres which were allaied by cordial and temperate Medicines provoking Sweat and gentle Opiates which were very significant in charming these troublesome vibrations of the Ventricle by which the pestilential steams of the Blood and nervous Juyce were discharged through the pores of the Skin and afterward the tone of the Fibres were invigorated with proper Specificks as most agreeable to the Stomach Hiccops may be also produced by a Succus Nutricius A Hiccop from an ill Succus Nutricius affected with sharp or saline Particles having recourse inward by the Par Vagum inserted into the Coat of the Stomach whence the Fibres of it are irritated producing divers unkindly Girkes made up of contrary Motions to free it self from the pungent Acrimony of the nervous Liquor affecting the Stomacick Fibres A Knight of great quality being freed in a moment from great pains of his Limbs was immediately surprized with frequent Convulsive Motions of the Stomach proceeding from the vitiated nervous Liquor flowing into the Fibres implanted into the Stomach Whereupon I advised cordial Julaps and gentle Diaphoretick Powders which threw off the acide saline Particles of the Blood and nervous Liquor by Sweats and insensible transpiration and I also prescribed him frequent Draughts of excellent Claret a Cordial as good as grateful in Gouts of the Stomach which remitteth the Distemper into the Limbs and by its pleasant astringency doth at once comfort and strengthen the Stomach and free it from Hiccops and Vomitings so that the Patient by these and such like cordial Applications was restored to his Health and lived many years And in order to the Contents overcharging the Ventricle A Hyccop from too great a quantity of Meat and Drink and from bilious and pancreatick Liquor and from flatulent Matter which do indicate Purgatives and productive of Hiccops by too great a proportion of Aliment or by Bilious and ill pancreatick Juyces purging Medicines are indicated to ease the Stomach of its unkindly burden and if it be much distended above its unnatural Dimensions by flatulent Matter the over-streined Fibres are to be set at liberty by emollient and discutient Remedies and afterward corroborated by astringent Specifick's by Wines medicated with bitter Ingredients as most agreeable to the Tone of the Stomach which is outwardly to be fomented with warm Emollient and Discutient Decoctions as allaying pain and lessening the extravagant Distention of the Stomach and its Convulsive Motions If the Hycop proceed from a cold and moist humor impacted in the substance of the Stomach An Hiccop from a cold and moist Humor impacted in the Stomach which denote Hydragogues and drying and warm Diet-Drinks Hyccop proceeding from ill prepared Medicines of a venenate nature it is to be Treated with Hydragogues inwardly received and outwardly with warm Comfortable Medicines of a drying temper to reduce the lost Tone of the Stomach which happeneth in Hydropick Distempers perverting the Tone of it And if after violent Purgings and Vomitings a Hiccop succeedeth caused by a great Driness or Corrugation of the Ventricle or from the Acrimony of ill Humors or from Drenches Drops or Pills affected with a poisonous Nature often given by Quacks Emulsions are to be advised which do moisten and relaxe the Stomach as also Oils and Bevoartick Medicines which do fortifie the Bowels and correct the malignity of poisonous Applications which ill practisers Advise out of Ignorance instead of wholsome Medicines And if the Stomach be drawn into Consent in reference to Hyccops Hiccops are often cured by Blood-letting in inflammations of the viscera derived from the Diseases of the adjacent parts of the Liver Intestines Spleen c. Those Maladies are to be cured by Blood-letting Purging Alterative and Corroborative Medicines as the nature of the Diseases and the parts affected require And above all if the Stomach labour under intolerable pains Indivers cases Opiates are very powerful in taking away Hiccops and tortures of Convulsive Motions so that the Patient sinketh under the burden of it in great Syncopes Lypothymies threatening a period to Life First Cordial Julaps mixed with gentle and afterward with more powerful Opiates are to be advised to take off the quickness of sensation of the Stomacick Fibres and also to calme Convulsive Motions Cephalick Medicines of Apozemes mixed with drops impraegnated with volatil saline Particles to relieve the distressed Stomacick Nerves and to restore their Tone and Vigor to celebrate their useful and necessary Functions instituted by Nature The various sort of Aliment consisting of disagreeing Elements make oftentimes great disputes in the Stomach during the time of Digestion whereupon clouds of Steams do arise from the mutual refractions of different Particles causing flatulency made of turbulent heightened Vapours which oppressing and distending the Stomacick Fibres do put them upon Contraction first below and then by rising upward the floating windy Steams are thrown out of the Stomach into the Gulet and Mouth with a hissing noise vulgarly called Belching Belching proceeding from flatulent and crude indigested Matter which often take their rise from crudities of ill-digested Meat and Drink offending sometimes in quantity and other times in quality found in flatulent kinds of Aliment as Beans Pease Chesnuts Turneps Carrets Parsnips Radishes c. Belchings are also produced by the acide Reliques of Concoction Belchings derived from the reliques of Concoction and from bilious and pancreatick Recrements and from a quantity of acide and serous Humours dropping out of the capillary Arteries into the Cavity of the Stomach and by bilious and pancreatick Recrements cast out of the Liver and pancreas First into the Intestines and afterward into the Ventricle which being made up of Heterogeneous Particles do engage in great Conflicts with each other whence arise Tempests of Wind mixed with watry Vapours provoking the tender Fibres to contract the Stomach and force them out with variety of noises according to the different nature of the flatulency which is caused sometime by pituitous clammy Humours the products of viscide
observable in the compage of divers Transparent Minerals and in some kinds of Talk and in divers Gems whose curious Fabrick though commonly reputed to be one entire Substance is fitted up of many thin Accretions so admirably set together with so exact a closeness that it cannot be discerned but by a curious Eye where those Transpatent Jewels have some fine edges unequally terminating them or when they are broken some of these Flakes integrating the body of Gems do scale off by reason of the close juxtaposion of their thin Accretions is loosened and shattered in the violent agitation of their parts Another Instance may be given in other precious Stones which being cut and polished to give them Lustre and Beauty as the Hyacinth and Saphire whose frame being strictly inspected by putting them into several Postures and by opposing them various ways to the Light the fine closures of the thin Flakes may be discovered And this Observation may be made good in unwrought or ruff Diamonds The edges of rough Diamonds plainly discove able by Glasses in the several commissures of the Laminae of which they are framed which being viewed with select Glasses give a clear sight of the commissures of the Plates which were not so exactly joyned in a perfect Plain but their minute unevennesses were discoverable running like small edges one above another Another way of Experimenting these flaky compages of Jewels is made by the common practice of Artists Another way of Experimenting this is by rendring Diamonds split by Tools according to the grain of the Laminae of which they are made in splitting of Diamonds which is accomplished by forcing the Steel Instrument according to the grain of the Stones else they cannot be rendred fissile but will break off short deceiving the attempt and expectation of the Artificer Which to prevent they so place their Tools upon frequent trial in such a posture as will follow the Ducts of the fine Plates which being of unequal thickness do not always run in perfect Phisical Plains but make Angles in the bodies of the Stones which hinder their exact splitting into equal pieces And now I suppose it may be worth our Scrutiny how those Transparent Bodies consisting of numerous thin Plates as so many fine coagulations may partake of Light whose flaky contextures having more or less Rarity make different refractions and so impart greater or less irradiations to these Diaphanous Substances which being originally Fluid Bodies have loose Compages fitted for the trajection of Rays produced by many minute passages ranked in such order As Pores for the most part are placed directly opposite to Pores throughout the frame of these Diaphanous Bodies and when the small Ducts are irregular as not answering one another the beams of Light are reflected by opace Interstices and so play as I conceive between fine the commissures of these flaky Textures and therein communicate many bright reflections which give a lustre to Transparent Bodies CHAP. II. Of Natural and Artificial Fermentation of Liquors as holding Analogy with those of Mans Body HAving given you some Account of the nature of Dense and Rare Transparent and Opace Bodies it may seem to follow of Course to speak somewhat of Thick and Gross Thin and Subtle Substances The first is so entituled as having a hard and compact Cosistence made up chiefly of fixed Salt and Earth and of little or no Volatil Parts as is observable in divers kinds of Stones And sometimes hard Bodies are composed of gross Sulphur fixed Salt and Earth which are originally of a loose compage in solutis Principiis and afterwards concreted in the bowels of the Earth as Minerals and Metals Of which it is not my intendment now to entertain you any longer designing to speak at this time of Substances less crass of the qualification of Vegetables and Animals and of more Fluid Bodies which are termed more or less gross as they participate of greater or less degrees of Density And on the other hand Substances are called thin and subtile which are Spirituous and Volatil full of Motion and Activity These opposite Schematisms of Grossness and Subtilty Grossness and Subtilty the great instruments of Intestine motion of Density and Rarity are made by different positions and Frames residing in one Matter and are like Twins strugling in one Womb and the great Machins of Fermentation causing various intestine Motions as so many brisk Disputes in the inward recesses of Bodies to reduce each other to greater Maturity and Perfection The more spirituous and subtle Particles are confined within the Bowels of the more Gross when they are entertained for a mutual Advantage the Gross fixing the over-subtle and the Spirituous again speak their returns in advancing the more crass Particles and the more Subtle vainly aspiring to flie upwards and embody themselves with Airy Particles are rendred more modest and less active within the more sober limits of solid parts which are improved in their active converse with more Spirituous Substances thereby gaining more refined Dispositions And Nature hath most prudently instituted upon the account of contrary Principles various natural Operations Three conditions acquired to Intestine motion which are very much assisted and promoted by Artificial Contrivances and they are very numerous and can hardly be reduced to distinct Tribes and Families And may be chiefly stated under these three Heads The first is The Frame and Constitution of those Bodies that are more or less subject to Intestine Motion The second implies such requisite Conditions as will advance or give an allay to Fermentation in a due Subject Matter The third speaketh the great variety of Intestine Motion and to what end it is Consigned and what effects and alterations are the Products of it As to the first Classis That Bodies should acquire such a Disposition The first qualification of Bodies subject to Fermentation is to be of a loose Compage as Fluid Bodies as is perfective of their Nature in a proper Intestine Motion First That Bodies should be endued with an open and loose Compage wherein the Volatil Particles may freely expatiate wherefore viscous Bodies whose moister Particles are evaporated to a grossness or solid Substances which are Concreted by fixed saline parts little or no ways subject to Fermentation But Liquors whose substances are more easily Expanded are very obnoxious to Intestine Motion as the various Juices of Grapes and other Fruits and Plants And all potulents as Fluid Bodies have loose Compages beset with numerous Pores big with Aethereal and Airy Particles which by their elastick qualities puff up liquid bodies rendring them disposed to many Intestine Motions The second Requisite in order to Fermentation The second qualification of Bodies capable of Fermentation is to be endued with contrary Principles is That Bodies should consist of contrary Principles and Dispositions which making great Conflicts to subdue each other and by entring into a more intimate Confederacy do speak a
other as Bones Cartilages Ligaments which admit little or no Fermentation by reason of their great Driness and Solidity But the less solid and more tender parts as Veins Arteries and Nerves are the Repositories of fluid parts and are so many Systems made up of numerous Tubes of several sizes preserving and receiving the various motions of different Liquors so that Vessels or other more solid parts are only capable of some little Fermentation as their Minute Pores are receptive of fluid parts in order to Nutrition Whereupon the solid and dry parts precisely taken are disposed by Nature to little Intestine Motion which is chiefly assigned to Fluid Bodies as having greater empty Spaces not firmly adhearing to each other may more easily be Dissociated so that this loose Compage of Liquors is of an Expansive disposition made by several Intestine Motions proceeding from Substances broken into small Particles consisting of contrary Qualities and various Figures The Liquors therefore in which Fermentation is resident in Mans Body are principally Chyle and Blood The Fermentative Liquors of Man are Chyle and Blood The first receiveth its rudiment in the Mouth where the Aliment being broken into small Particles by Mastication is inspired with airy and aethereal Atomes and impregnated with Salival Liquor The manner of production and exaltation of Chyle made by various Ferments in several parts of the Body and then being conveyed through the Gulet into the Stomach is exalted with the greater parts of serous and nervous Liquors exuding out of terminations of the Arteries and Nerves by which the Chyle being first the prepared in the Stomach is thence transmitted through the Pylorus into the Intestines where it is improved by new Ferments of the Pancreatick Juice and Nervous Liquor the one coming out of the Excretory Ducts of the Pancreas and the other distilling out of the more narrow extremities of of the Nerves And then this Milky Liquor is farther impelled by the peristaltick motion of the Intestines and assisted by the compression of the Diaphragme into the Milky Vessels conveying it into the Mesenterick Glands where it receiveth a farther elaboration by Nervous Liquor dropping out of the Nerves of the Mesentery inserted into its Glands From whence the Chyle afterward passeth by a second kind of Vessels into the common receptacle where it is embodied with the Lympha rendring the Chyle more attenuated and fitted for Motion into the Thoratic Ducts importing the prepared Chyle into the Subclavian Veins where it entereth into confaederacy with the Subclavian Veins putting it into a new Fermentation by reason of the crude Clymous parts very different from the nature of Blood The Vital Liquor being broken by impetuous motion into Minute parts consisting of contrary Elements and various Figures consisting of Spirituous and Gross of Volatil and fixed Salin and Sulphureous Particles of Acid The Blood consisting of Saline and Sulphureous parts and of Acid and Alcaly hath intestine motitions in the Ventricles of the Heart promoted by nervous Liquors and Alcaly which variously acting and reacting upon one another do cause Intestine Motion in the chambers of the Heart where the Blood receiveth a farther Exaltation as associated with Nervous Liquor squeesed out of the extremities of Nerves terminating into the inward Walls of the Ventricle and out of the right by the contraction of the Heart the Purple Juice is briskly forced through the Pulmonary Arteries into the substance of the Lungs where it is inspired with Nitroaereal Particles conveyed thither through the Vesicles the appendant Vessels to the Bronchia giving it a Scarlet hue and a gentle flame of Life And the Blood being afterward transmitted by the Pulmonary Veins into the left Ventricle of the Heart and thence through the common and ascendent Trunks of the Aorta and Carotide Arteries where it receiveth new impregnation of Nervous Liquor distilling out of the small nervous Fibres inserted into the inward arterial Coats into the Cortical Glands wherein ariseth a soft Fermentation produced by volatil saline Particles lodged in the substance of the ambient part of the Brain So that the various and chief Ferments subservient to Fermentation by which it is highly promoted in the production and improvement of Chyle and Vital Liquor are Salival Juice the serous Liquor extracted out of the Blood the Pancreatic Juice and the airy and aethereal Particles Salival Liquor hath a fermenting Quality Salival Liquor is endued with a Fermentative Ingeny as made up of many various Elements and though it be a clear Tranparent Substance yet it is not a simple Body being compounded of many Elements and is more gross than Water and more fluid than the mucous matter of the Nostrils and is not frothy in its own nature being so rendred by the mixture of Air and the motion of the Tongue and Teeth in Mastication And it is of as great difficulty as importance to describe its Nature and Properties which are as admirable as useful because in Mastication it entreth into association with the broken Aliments very variously affected as being Moist Dry Oily Saline and there is no Alimentary Substance of whatsoever qualification that will not mix with this rare Juice â—â—d incorporate with it And whereas other simple and Heterogeneous Humours as Water Spirit Oyl Saline Liquors and the like being mixed do part again from each other and nevertheless do all associate with Salival Juice Salival Liquor is a kind of universal menstruum as embodieth with different Liquor by whose mediation these different Principles are reconciled to each other Therefore this salival Liquor seemeth to be a universal Menstruum which embodieth with and prepareth all Masticated Aliments of what disposition soever and accompanieth it into the Ventricle to give it a farther Exaltation which the Salival Juice performeth by vertue of many Elements of which it is Integrated Salival Juice is a Composition of watry and nervous Liquors impregnated with Saline Oily and acid Particles and is the first Ferment of the Alimentary Liquor in the Mouth The second Ferment of Chyle in the Stomach is the serous Liquor of the Blood The third Ferment of the Chyle in Intestine is Pancreatic Juice it being a Composition of large Watry and some Nervous Liquor and of Volatil Saline and some oily and acide Particles very well commixed This rudiment of the first Concoction of the Meat by the mixture of Salival Juice in the Mouth is more elaborated in the Stomach by Serous Liquor dreined from the Blood and transmitted into the cavity of the Stomach where it insinuates it self into the substance of the Aliment and severeth the Alimentary Liquor from the grosser Faeces by a kind of Precipitation which it effecteth by its Watry Saline and some very few Acide Particles affecting this Serous Liquor which very much contributeth to the production of Chyle in the Stomach which being carried into the Intestines is farther attenuated and improved by the Pancreatic Juice which is
and by dashing them against the various Angles and disagreeing sides of fluid Particles do distort their natural Motion in right Lines causing them to make many Reflections from Angle to Angle and Side to Side thereby forcing these aethereal Emanations embodied with Air to make a long stay within the narrow limits of nutricious vital and nervous Liquors to impregnate them with spirituous Particles and excite their most sluggish Principles to greater degrees of activity whence procede Intestine Motions to mature those indigested Liquors to render them more fit Instruments of Life Sense and Motion Having Treated of aethereal Particles Air is exalted by Coelestial Emanations as Fermentative in Humane Bodies I Design now to speak somewhat of Air as receptive of those more Coelestial Influences and very much contributing to Fermentation perfective of all other as well as Humane Bodies And as preliminary to it I will briefly discourse the nature of Air as abstractly taken and afterwards of the different Influences of Minerals Vegetables and Animals impregnating Air and rendring it Fermentative And Lastly what Influences it hath upon the Body of Man by insinuating it self according to secret pores into the Veins and as received by more large cavities upon mastication into the Mouth Stomach Intestines and by inspiration into the Aspera Arteria Bronchia and Vesicles of the Lungs through which it is conveighed into the Substance of them where it meeteth the Blood and by degrees impregnates the whole mass of it As to the nature of Air Air is a simple body denuded of all corporeal effluxes if it be considered as divested of all extraneous Particles the Emanations of Coelestial and sublunary Beings it is a simple Body consisting of most minute and subtile parts which being in perpetual Motion caused by the pulses of Heat do render it fluide as having an open Compage Air is of an expansive nature as made of Elastic parts whose parts are most readily severed one from another by steams issuing out of the Earth and other sublunary Bodies it hath also an expansive disposition as composed of elastic Particles and is often condensed as compressed by the weight of incumbent Bodies which being taken off the Air enjoyeth its freedom by enlarging it self by a kind of Spring unto its natural expansion And is very light in its own nature Air being light in its own nature groweth more ponderous by the association of Steams and groweth more ponderous by the constant effluxes of other Bodies which perpetually vent themselves into the Air rendring it more weighty whose upper Region pressing down the lower and at last making the surfaces of inferior Bodies as Water Mercury and other fluides unequal by raising them up many degrees in Cylinders above their natural Sphaere Learned Mr. Mr. Hook describeth Air to be a Tincture of terrestrial and watry Bodies dissolved into it Hook maketh Air a Tincture or Solution of Terrestrial and Aqueous Bodies dissolved into it and agitated by it just as Cochenele is nothing but some fine dissoluble parts of that Concrete licked up or dissolv'd by that fluide Water and from this Notion this curious Author conceiveth an Account may be intelligibly given of the Condensation and Rarefaction of Air. This opinion though it is most ingenious and full of probability yet it may seem somewhat short of Truth in that it supposeth the Aether excluding Air to be a fluide medium in which all other Bodies do move and swim And apprehendeth Air to be meerly a Tincture and Composition of other Bodies to which I cannot fully subscribe because I humbly conceive that Air is not only a Compage made up of extraneous parts Air in its own nature is a simple fluid Body but is in its own Nature precisely taken an entire simple and fluide Body composed of most numerous subtile elastic parts and is not only impregnated with aethereal Particles but also with fruitful Emissions flowing out of various sublunary Bodies And Air according to my apprehension is a distinct Substance from Aether as having a peculiar Essence in the Creation of the Universe and was not constituted originally of various steams or of a saline Substance dissolved by the agil and fluide aether but in its first principle is a homogeneous Body consisting of many minute similar parts and afterwards advanced with divers Caelestial Emanations and tinged with different effluvia proceeding from Mineral Air is exalted with aetheral Particles and embodied with various effluxes issuing out of the treble Order of sublunary Entities Vegetable and animal Bodies which being heterogeneous do affect it with Fermentative Dispositions Metals and Minerals being of a Compact Substance do emit fewer effluvia then vegetables in respect their Pores are more minute and their Bodies more dry but because these solid Substances are also impregnated with volatil Particles of Salt Sulphur Bitumen and the like they breath out many effluxes into the Air by which it is made more active and fit for Fermentation as consisting of heterogenous Elements So that the Air is a vehicle of infinite effluvia of various tempers exhaled out of the Earth Air is a vehicle of various steams some earthy others watry some Saline others Oily some Watry others Fiery and Sulphureous and Saline some proceeding from common Salt Alum Nitre and others from Vitriol and Armoniac which are exhaled by the Sun out of the Earth near the Surface and others more violently emitted out of its Bowels and inward Recesses by subterraneous Fires into the Atmosphaere making great agitations of the Air somewhat resembling the waves of Water which making Appulses successively one upon the neck of another do cause a continued Motion as long as the extraordinary Effluvia breathed out of the Earth do last These various Emissions raised out of the Earth Steams arising out of the Earth and Minerals are made of different Elements and give the Air a Fermentative disposition and flowing from different Watry Saline and Sulphureous Elements do in all probability produce the various Meteors sometimes seated and floating in the Air hence arise variety of Winds and the different seasons of Heat and Cold Rain Snow Hail Dews and Frost which make divers impressions upon Vegetables and Animals So that the innumerable company of steams swimming in the Air breathed out of the Earth and Minerals acted with quick Motions consisting of innumerable minute Bodies of different Natures Shapes and Sizes hurried with most impetuous Motions do hereby give the Air a Fermenting disposition Having given you a glimpse of the steams arising out of Minerals infecting the body of Air and therein contributing to Fermentation I will now God willing speak somewhat of the effluxes of Vegetables The effluxes of Vegetables affect the Air with a Fermentative quality how they inspire the Air and impart to it a fermentative ingeny wherein three considerables seem at the first sight to present themselves the structure of Vegetables the various
of the Creation below God's Image in Man consisteth in Original Righteousness and Dominion over the Creatures God called a Council of the Trinity Faciamus hominem ad Imaginem nostram Let us make Man after our Image as Man representeth his Maker in Original Righteousness and Dominion over the Creatures Per modum imaginis and the other Sublunary Creatures do represent him Per modum vestigii as expressing him only by way of Footstep in more obscure Characters of Entity and Knowledg Man being constituted of two Essential Parts Man is a noble Compound of two essential parts Soul and Body the one material and mortal the other immaterial and immortal Soul and Body their rare Union is to be received with great Wonder rather then perfect Knowledg that two different Natures made up of Heaven and Earth the one of a Divine the other of a Humane Extract the one Immaterial and Immortal the other Earthy and Corruptible should be so well reconciled in one third as to enter into an intimate Confederacy and converse in one Person in whom different Essences do mutually assist each other in various Operations mean Sensitive being ministerial to more sublime Intellectual Functions and divers Effluvia as so many Emanations streaming from outward Objects do make by several Motions and Contacts appulses upon many Nervous Expansions Intellectual operations performed by the ministery of the Senses the seats of different Sensations celebrated in outward Organs whence they are conveyed by the continuation of Fibres to the inward Sensory judging and determining the Appulses of the outward Senses and afterward representeth them to the more Divine Faculty of the Understanding which apprehendeth them under the notion of Good and Evil whose dictates incline the Will to choice or refusal Sciences are formed by abstracted notion of the Understanding as perfective of or destructive to the Subject The Understanding also hath more elevated conceptions in Theory as ending in pure Knowledg in its more divine and abstracted Notions by which they are severed from material Circumstances therein giving a kind of eternity to Entities under common Apprehensions the immediate Foundes of various Sciences modelled according to higher or lower Abstractions made by the Understanding whose great perfection in Nature is to be heightned above the Ministry and converse of outward Organs The perfection of the Understanding is a reflex act in its more noble Reflex Acts wherein it apprehendeth the dignity of its own Essence and considereth its proper Acts and Operations which are yet more enobled by Supernatural assistances Faith is an assent to Holy Writ as founded upon Divine Authority which is faithful and infallible and cannot deceive nor be deceived granting us power above all Sense to give our full assents to the most high Mysteries of the Incarnation of our most Blessed Saviour and of the most holy and undivided Trinity Quatenus nituntur Authoritate revelantis As they are revealed in Divine Writ As founded upon Authority which is Faithful and cannot deceive and Infallible and cannot be deceived And we are able to pay by his most Gracious aid a holy transport of Wonder Adoration Eucharist and Obedience Mans duty to pay thanks to his Creator for the great perfections of his Humane Nature to our most Great and Glorious Creator Preserver and Redeemer for the excellencies of our Humane Nature as adorned with Natural and graced with Divine Perfections Thus having Treated in general of Man as consisting of Essential parts and their more eminent Faculties and Operations My intendment at this time is to descend as my more proper Task to consider the Fabrick of the Body as invested with common Intiguments according to the order of Nature the outward and inward Skin The Cuticula being the Surface of the Body The Cuticula may be truly stiled Natures outward Vest the Scarff Skin called by the great Master of our Art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is first in view and one of the last in Generation because the Body must be first Formed before it is Clothed and is denominated by the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Celsus Summa Cutis which maketh the Convex Surface of the Body as it were a very fine Efflorescence and polishing of the inward Skin not much unlike the coat of an Onion Paraeus conceiveth it to be a spurious brat of the true Skin deriving its birth from the Excrementitious superfluity of the Capillary Veins Arteries and Filaments of Nerves Hypocrates judgeth it to be the Surface of the true Skin indurated by the coldness of the Air 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Extremum corporis aeri expositum necessario pelliculam contrahit occursu frigidi ventorum Which account will scarce satisfie a curious enquiry because the outward Skin hath its first Formation in the warm bed of the Vterus where it is no ways exposed to the coldness of ambient Air by which it cannot be Condensed but hath with all other parts its first production in the Vterus from the more viscide parts of the Seminal Liquor protruded to the Surface of the Body relating to the Foetus The Cuticula is produced of Seminal Liquor in time growing more and more solid till at length it formeth a curious thin Membrane which Labour and Cold render hard rough and brawny as it is most conspicuous in the ambient parts of the Body much exercised and exposed to the severity of Frost and Winter blasts The Cuticula I conceive may be termed an integral part of the Cutis The Cuticula is an integral part of the Cutis which would be imperfect without it as the finishing and inclosure of it because without the outward Skin the inward is imperfect rude and unpolished An Eye-sore to the Spectator looking uncouth and bloody Snakes Vipers and the like annually strip themselves from this thin Vest and by degrees put on a new one And Men after long and acute Sicknesses are disrobed of this finer Veil The Cuticula lost in sickness is repaired by the Nervous Liquor near akin to the Genital Juice Nature providing another produced by the Succus Nutricius severed from the blood in the Cutaneous Glands and transmitted by Ducts into the Surface of the Skin where the moister parts of this clammy Liquor being exhaled it is concreted into a thin Tunicle encircling the inward Skin or it may be which is more probable that this fine Film is repaired by a milder Albuminous Juice distilling out of the Nerves inserted into the Skin near akin to that primogenius matter out of which the Cuticula was first generated in the Uterus This Nervous Liquor not unlike in colour and substance to the White of an Egg is Whitish Transparent and Viscide naturally inclinable to Coagulate and Agglutinate to the outward surface of the Cutis which I conceive may be accomplished after this manner The Nervous Liquor gently flowing out of the extremities of the Nerves
Scorbutic Habit was interspersed with those soft Tumours nothing else but Cutaneous Glands distended with unnatural Recrements filling up the Interstices of the Vessels CHAP. VI. Of divers Diseases incident to the Skin commonly called Itch Scabs and Scurfe THe Skin is obnoxious to many troublesome Disaffections which disguise the Face and whole surface of the Body among which the Itch and Scab as so many vexatious Diseases may justly claim our notice that we may enquire into their Nature which maketh way for a Cure most acceptable to Patients who are desirous to quit such importunate Guests giving frequent disposures ingrate Eye-sores and nasty Itchings attended sometime with a dry Skurfe and Scab and other times with divers moist Wheals tipped with white Heads as so many Minute Ulcers determining in Scabs upon Frication speaking a high delight to countermand the afflictive solicitations of burning Itchings To give this Disease a Description it may be termed The Itch is an eruption of Matter into Pimples seated in the skin derived from watry and saline Particles a breaking out of the Skin in various Pimples sometimes overspreading the whole Surface and other times bespecking only some parts of the Body proceeding from serous Humours consisting of watry and saline Particles transmitted by the Capillary Arteries and spued out through Excretory Vessels of the inward Skin and at last encircled within many small exclosures of the outward Skin raised into little Protuberancies vulgarly called Pimples dressed with white Cones big with purulent or serous Matter which being highly rubbed to ease us of a tickling pain the thin Walls encompassing this salt Liquor are broken and the nasty Matter gusheth out besmearing the Surface of the neighbouring Skin which being dried up is productive of Scabs much deforming the beauty of the fine ambient parts And that we may know the Causes and Symptoms of these Cutaneous Diseases it is requisite we should pry into the nature of them whether salt Humours lodged within the limits of the Skin as primarily produced in it or transmitted from some other part and in what Wombs this Disease is conceived and afterward delivered out of these Matrices by numerous Ducts into the most outward parts where it is attended with violent Scratchings to appease a torturing Itching As to the origen of these afflictive Distempers we cannot justly charge it upon the defects of the Viscera nor upon the Blood as composed according to the commonly received opinion of the Antients of Flegm yellow and black Choler and pure Blood or considered seperately from the other Humours which cannot be discerned by the most curious Eye as so many distinct Humours integrating the Mass of Blood which are no ways seperable from each other by the contrivance of Art Wherefore I humbly conceive it more agreeable to Sense and Reason The matter of this Disease are salt Particles degenerating into a Fluor that the Minera Morbi is a thin transparent Liquor lodged in the Glands appertaining to the Skin rendring it plump and graceful so that this Humour being dispoiled of the native purity of its volatil saline temper degenerates into a Fluor and an acide indisposition which is fed by new supplies of depraved soure Liquor of the Blood and animal Juice conveyed by the Capillary Arteries and Nervous Fibrils into the Cutaneous Glands Whereupon these serous Liquors are composed of a double Matter of an old Stock and a new supply of Fuel the one resident in the Minute Glands the other derived to them from the Vital and Animal Liquor which being made up of Heterogeneous Principles do after the manner of different Salts as Alkalys and Acids make great Fermentations in these depraved Humours which being thrown out of the Cutaneous Glands by Excretory Vessels are condensed into a kind of concreted Matter filling and distending the parts of the Skin and afterward one part of the serous Liquor pressing another forward do lift up the outward from the inward Skin defacing the smoother Surface with many small Prominencies And the government of the ambient Region of the Body The gross and salt parts of the Blood do produce a Fever by obstructing the Pores of the Skin and hindring a free transpiration cannot be so inviolably conserved but that the Glandulous Liquor of the Skin may often degenerate from its proper Ingeny into an ill disposed Ferment which doth not only give a trouble to the skirts of the Body but also infecteth its more inward Recesses with unnatural Intestine Motion Hence the Humour a guest of the Cutaneous Glands growing gross and ill qualified as divested of its fine clear disposition obstructeth the Pores of the Glands and Excretory Ducts hindring a free Transpiration often producing Feverish Distempers or else the compage of the Skin is disordered when these Minute Glands are overcharged with so great a quantity of gross serous Liquor soliciting the Nervous Fibrils to an Evacuation which is suppressed by the obstruction of the Excretory Vessels relating to the Glands so that the serous glandulous Humour being stopped from its due Passages is forced to recoil into the extreamities of the Veins and imported from thence by smaller and greater branches through the Vena Cava into the right Chamber of the Heart as being by its brisk contractions dashed against the Walls of this noble Engine which disperseth the depraved Vital Liquor into all the apartiments of the Body Whereupon the Blood being associated with this troublesome confaederate repairing to the Heart doth so highly aggravate it that in order to its own defence the Heart is forced to protrude it downward through the descendent Trunk of the Aorta and emulgent Arteries the branches of it into the Glands of the Kidneys where this Serous Liquor transmitted at a great distance from the Cutaneous Glands is secerned from the Blood and discharged by the urinary Tubes into the Pelvis and Ureters But that we have recourse to the Cutaneous Distempers from whence we have made some Digression These noisom breakings out in Ulcerous Tumours proceed from many Causes producing the ill affections of the Serous Liquor an inmate of the Cutaneous Glands in the loss of its native purity upon many accounts First The Glandulous Liquor gaineth a Fermentation as mixing with the Blood When the Glandulous Liquor entring in a new association with the Serous derived from the Blood is impelled by the Capillary Arteries into the Glands of the Skin where the foul mass of Blood is depurated from its grosser Recrements which impart Fermentative indispositions to the Glandulous Liquor as being Incorporated with the watry Saline Juice newly communicated from the Purple Liquor which give it an unnatural Effervescence whence arise various Coagulations of the serous Recrements contained in the Cutaneous Glands producing sometimes Pustles other times skurfie Flakes disgracing the elegant Politeness and lovely colour of the Skin The second cause may be the access of this Scabby Ferment The Scabby Ferment stagnant in
and Wine not fine and upon the fret and small crab Wines full of Tartar and we must all be very careful that our Meat and Drink be not prepared with Mineral Waters which do infect the Mass of Blood with bad Elements apt to Concrete In relation to more intimate Causes the impure Recrements of the Blood This Disease is Cured by Purgatives Bleeding Antiscorbuticks Diureticks Chalybeat and Antimonial Medicines and Decoctions of China and Sarsa and Nervous Liquor debased with Tartar and gross Sulphureous parts Cathartick Medicines are to be Administred which purge off the serous parts of the Blood which is also to be lessened by opening a Vein Whey prepared with the tops of Pine and Firr is a proper Medicine in this Case as also other Antiscorbutical and Diuretick Apozemes mixed with Sarsaparilla and China which may be taken with Chalybeate preparations made either in form of an Electuary or Syrupe and also Purging and Diuretick Minerals are of great use in this Leprous Distemper to take off the acide saline Particles of the Blood and restore it to its former Purity If this Leprosie ariveth to so great height as to infect a main part of the Blood and Nervous Liquor with corrupt Heterogeneous Particles and gross Tartar degenerating into a venenate nature imparted to the Purple Liquor impelled by the Arterial Branches and Capillaries into the Cutaneous Glands and by their Excretories into the surface of the Body incrusted with a whitish Scurff and Scales Purging and Mercurial Preparations backed with Diet-Drinks of China and Sarsa are very efficacious in a Leprosie it is not to be Eradicated without Purging Medicines and sometimes with Mercurial and other times with Antimonial Preparations backed with Apozems of China Sarsaparilla Sassafras Viper Wine to sweeten the Blood and discharge the Mineral Administrations which cannot be effected without Purgatives in Decoctions of Sarsa and China and with Sudorifick Medicines And thereby the Blood disaffected with Leprous Ferments consisting in a Malignant nature is defaecated from acide saline parts severed in the Cutaneous Glands and thence conveyed into the Skin whereupon it is disguised with a white dry Crust which doth indicate cleansing and drying Topicks when Universals have been Administred which consummate the Cure of a Leprosie CHAP. XI Of the Membrana Adiposa vulgarly called Carnosa of the Fat Membrane HAving Described the Cuticula and Cutis the outward and inward Skin the first the Scarfe Skin being a thin white Vail covereth the whole Body with a fine Dress by which it is rendred Beautiful courting the Spectator to Love and Admiration The other more useful and warm Habit The fat Membrane is Natures thick Robe to secure the Body against cold the fat Membrane investeth the noble frame of Mans Body as with a thicker Robe safely to immure it against cold blasts and Storms lest they should surprise the Vital flame and condense the more thin and volatil parts of the Blood floating in the Ambient parts rendring it more unfit for Life and Motion The Body being uncased and stripped of the thin This Membrane is fleshy in Beasts but fat in Man and thicker more outward Vests the Membrana Adiposa discovereth it self which is fleshy in Bruits as Bullocks Deer Sheep Goats Dogs and the like in these Animals it is a Carnous Membrane a musculous Expansion overspreading the Fat as with a Coat but in Humane Bodies the order of Nature is inverted and the Membrane is not lined but faced with Fat which is lodged immediately under the Skin The Fat Membrane being of a different nature as composed of various substances receptive of a diverse Treatment under a double notion either considered abstractly as a Membrane or as its surface is inwrapped in Fat This Membrane is not framed of one simple Coat This Membrane oft-times is made of many Tunicles but sometimes as learned Diembroeck will have it of a treble and quadruple Tunicle but this is rare being composed of a double Coat The outward is hollowed with many Minute Cells dressed with various shapes and sizes as so many Minute Repositories of Fat. As to its inward Coat it is more Membranous The inward Coat is composed of many Fibrils variously interwoven with each other being made up of numerous fine Fibrils which shooting themselves divers ways in length breadth and obliquely are curiously interwoven with each other so that the Interstices being filled up with an intercurrent white Juice are rendred more equal and plain especially in its lower Surface as it consisteth of variety of Fibres running in several positions in being capable to endure Extension after divers manners and is thereby rendred more strong and secured from Laceration unless great violence be offered to it The inward Membrane is more plain This Membrane â—s conceived to be one because the several Coats are so firmly and closely united that they can scarce be parted and so closely conjoyned to the outward that it requireth a curious Hand to sever them which hath drawn divers Anatomists into a belief that they are but one Membrane beautified with two Surfaces of which the outward is more unequal as punched with divers small holes the receptacles of concreted Sulphureous Particles This Membrane is more beautiful in Infants and young Children which are more lean as being painted with blushes of Red and White derived from Blood tinging the outward Surface which being unequal is somewhat filled with Vital Liquor the forerunner of Fat in more mature Age. Vesalius and Velverda Some Persons have moved their Skin by vertue of Carnous Fibres seated in the Membrana Adiposa two renowned Anatomists report that some Persons by the interposition of this Membrane have been able at their pleasure to move their Skin both in Back and Breast which in them was a great variety of Nature not recounted by any other Authors as far as I can learn And this unusual motion of Back and Breast was accomplished as I conceive by Carnous Fibres inserted into the Membrana Adiposa by reason this action was celebrated by a thin Muscular Expansion here the immediate machin of voluntary motion This Membrane in Bruits The Membranae Carnosa in Bruits is a thin Carnous Expansion or Muscle is a thin Cutaneous Muscle immediately surrounded with the Skin which celebrating various concussive motions by frisking up and down the Skin giveth a disturbance to the importunate guess of Flies and freeth it from other ill accidents which discompose their ease and quiet This Muscular Expansion of other Animals in whose dissection most Anatomists have been commonly exercised hath given occasion to deceive them thereby giving their opinion that this Membrane was also Carnous in a Humane Body which is found only in its Neck and Face and other parts are discerned to be Membranous Therefore in a Humane Body it may truly obtain the appellative of Membrana Adiposa because in most parts it is of a membranous nature being a fine
the Fleshy parts of the whole Body which is more rare upon which a strong compression being made by the Fingers a dent is remanent in the Muscular parts by forcing the Vessels inward whence they are lodged more close to each other by squeezing the serous Recrements into some neighbouring parts The Ancient and some Modern Physitians assigne the cause of an Anasarca to the fault of the Liver to its cold Temper producing a pituitous Mass of Blood which supposeth the Liver to be the instrument of Sanguification an opinion repugnant to the Laws of Anatomy and to the aeconomy of Nature because no Lacteal Vessels can be discovered by the most Curious and Industrious late Anatomists that import Chyle into the Liver in order to its greater refinement and assimilation into good Blood Whereupon I conceive it more reasonable to assign another use to the Liver The use of the Liver is to be a Colatory of the Blood to be a Colatory of the Blood which is effected by making a secretion of Bilious Humours in its numerous small Glands from whence it is transmitted by many Excretory Channels into the Hepatic Ducts and bladder of Gall as into greater Cisterns In opposition to this Opinion of laying the blame upon the Liver in the production of a Leucophlegmatia it may be Objected That many have Died in whom being opened the Liver hath appeared to be very good Aretaeus is of a different sense from the former Physitians who doth attribute the cause of an Anasarca not to the cold Constitution of the Liver but to the Colliquation of Humours which must arise from a great heat Colliquating the parts of the Body which seemeth to oppose Experience Because Persons labouring for the most part with a Dropsie have but a faint natural heat depressed by a multitude of pituitous and serous Recrements which are the antecedent Causes when moving in the Vessels and the Continents when impelled out of the Arteries and lodged in the Spaces passing between the numerous Vessels As to the Primitive and Procatartick Causes of an Anasarca which differ from evident Causes by reason the Procatartick suppose an internal indisposition of Humours Procatartick causes suppose an indisposition of the Body which the Evident do not proceeding often from a Luxurious Diet from the immoderate gratifying our Appetite in frequent and full Glasses of Wine and variety of Dishes Garnished with well fed Flesh and the eating of Meat hard of Digestion or by receiving new Aliment before the former is Concocted which do produce an ill digested Chyle the Materia substrata of a pituitous Blood perverting its aeconomy and Constitution by rendring it full of fixed Saline and Sulphureous parts by reason an unassimilated Chyle doth vitiate the Fermentation of the Blood and depress its Spirituous Particles and renders its first Elements gross and unactive productive of watry Humours the fore-runners of an Anasarca Whereupon the Causes of this Disease are divers An Anasarca differeth from an Ascitis in the parts affected First An abundance of watry Humours settled in the habit of the Body and differeth from an Ascitis in the parts affected by reason the Tumour in an Ascitis is produced by a quantity of serous Recrements parted from the Blood and lodged in the capacity of the Belly and a Leucophlegmatia is a Swelling arising from the same Humours seated in the empty Spaces of the fleshy parts Another Cause as I humbly conceive may proceed from a crude Chyle Crude Chyle a cause of an Anasarca extracted either out of a great quantity or from gross Meats hard of Concoction or from a languid natural heat or from ill ferments of the Stomach whereupon the Alimentary Liquor groweth gross as indigested which is transmitted through the Intestines Lacteal and Thoracie Ducts into the Subclavian Veins where it runneth confused with the Blood as unfit to be turned into good Blood and being impelled by a long progress out of the Crural Arteries into the Thighs and Legs and by the Axyllaries into the Arms and Hands doth stagnate in the Interstices of the Muscles relating to the lower and upper Limbs whence they grow Extended above their natural Dimensions which may in some sort be produced by the crude Chyme which cannot be received into the small Extreamities of the Veins A third Cause of an Anasarca Gross serous Humours may be a cause of an Anasarca may be deduced from the grossness of the Serous and Chrystalline parts of the Blood which are rendred unactive and apt to be Condensed by the unnatural heat of the Blood whereupon it is very probable that this Transparent Humour being thickned as torrefied by the Blood is not readily admitted into the small Orifices of the Veins whence the substance of the Muscular parts may be swelled by a superabundance of serous Particles having lost their Circular Motion as not being associated with the Purple Liquor Whereupon The causes of an Anasarca do proceed A laesa Sanguificatione as I conceive all the Causes of an Anasarca do flow A laesâ— Sanguificatione Either because the serous Particles of the Blood are not conveyed by the Emulgent Arteries into the Glands of the Kidneys or not separated and discharged through the Carunculae Papillares into the Pelvis and Ureters Or else because the indigested Chyle is transmitted through the Lacteal and Thoracic Ducts into the Mass of Blood when the decaied parts of the Blood consisting of gross Saline and Sulphureous Particles being put into a Fermentation are confederated with the most Spirituous and Volatil whereupon they work upon the similar parts of the Chyme in order to the production of the more generous Liquor of Blood which being not well Elaborated in their first rudiment in the Stomach are not easily assimilated into the Blood Crude Chyle is not easily assimilated into Blood so that the more gross Recrements do lose their Motion in their passage between the Vessels and thereby do swell the habit of the fleshy parts by enlarging the empty spaces of the Veins Arteries and Nerves stuffed up sometimes by watry sometimes by gross Chymous and other times by thick serous Chrystalline parts And all these Errors produce a depraved Mass of Blood and thereby vitiate the Succus Nutricius transmitted into it out of the Extreamities of the Nerves whence the Vital Liquor is much dispirited as consisting of the depressed Particles of gross Salt and Sulphur the principles of an ill qualified Mass of Blood And because the chief antecedent Cause of an Anasarca is the ill Fermentation of the Purple Liquor I will first describe the true nature of Blood and then give an account of a Leucophlegmatia flowing from an ill Sanguification The Mass of Blood in its natural Capacity The Mass of Blood is composed of many parts is composed of a Red Crassament Chrystalline Nervous and Limphatick Liquors and Chyle the Materia Substrata of Purple Juice passing confused in the Vessels
Rheumatism Blood-letting is most beneficial in the beginning of a Rheumatism when the Patient hath strength and before the Disease is too much Confirmed when it is most beneficial in a hot Temper of Body or in Youth and in Middle-Age wherein Blood-letting may be most safely Administred both to diminish the ill Mass of Blood and to give controul to the Extravagant disputes made between fierce Combatants of disagreeing Dispositions the fixed Salts and Acids and sometimes Sulphureous and Flatulent Particles associated with the Blood and Nervous Liquor inflicting great pains upon Nervous and Tendinous Fibres of the Muscles Purging Medicines are most safely advised after Blood-letting Purging Medicines are most proper in the declination of a Rheumatism and in the declination of a Rheumatism when the Paronysmes do abate lest in the beginning of the Disease the pains should be aggravated especially in strong Purgings which being of a churlish disposition do raise the Fermentation of different Humours and highten the Disease whose offensive Matter is best discharged Purging is most profitable when the ill Humours receive a Coction when a Coction is made and the Recrements of the Blood and Nervous Liquor are severed from their more pure parts whereupon the Matter of the Disease groweth more pliable after Coction and is more easily transmitted by the Terminations of the upper and lower Miscenterick Arteries inserted into the inward Coats of the Intestines The Purging Medicines serviceable in this Disease are numerous The several kinds of Purging Medicines good in a Rheumatism as divers sorts of Arthritick Powders Medicines made of Hermodactiles Mechoacan Diagridium Syrupe of Buckthorn given in Decoctions of Sarsa Parilla Some Physicians advise Pilulas de Duobus and other more strong Purgatives which may prove less successful except in Robust Constitutions by reason they weaken the Body and enrage its unquiet Humours which do imbitter the pains of this Disease When the Patient is strong some do deem Vomitories very proper in a foul Stomach which have frequent inclinations to Vomiting caused by Bilious and Acid Ferments thrown into the Cavity of the Stomach out of which they are ejected by Emetick Tartar of Mynsicht and by Sulphur and Flowers of Antimony and most safely by Emetick Wine And not only Purgatives and Vomitories but also Alteratives Several sorts of Diet drinks and Powders and Chalybeats proper in a Rheumatism consisting of Diet Drinks made of Sarsaparilla China Lignum Sanctum in cold and moist tempers of Body Testaceous powders of Crabs Eyes and Claws Egg-shells Pearl and the like and Chalybeats mixed with Antiscorbuticks are very proper to sweeten the Blood and alleviate pains and to correct the ill habit of Body in Rheumatisms And in order to repair the decaies of Nature in Emaciated Bodies reduced to a kind of Hectick Scorbutick Fevers in this Disease when highly Chronic Restorative and Cordial Medicines are to be advised as distilled Milk prepared with Antiscorbuticks and Snails mixed with new Milk as also Asses Milk and Decoctions of China Sarsaparilla c. Whereupon in inveterate Rheumatisms Purging and Bleeding are improper in Hectic Bodies when Patients are reduced to great Weakness and thereupon are not capable of Purging and Bleeding the Vital Indication is to be highly considered and nourishing Medicines are to be prescribed which will support Nature in a languishing Condition and will dulcifie and refine the Mass of Blood by rendring the fixed Salts more Volatil and by sweetning the Acids and the depressed Fermentation may be raised by exalting the Depauperated particles of the Blood and Nutricious Juice by proper Diet Drinks and Milk mixed with distilled Milk and at last to observe a Milk Diet which I know hath Cured inveterate Rheumatisms A French Merchant of London a Person of great Civility and Virtue of a hot and dry Constitution and of an ill habit of Body was severely treated many Years with a Rheumatism which brought him very low as being oppressed with a Scorbutick Hectick Fever proceeding from the Scurvy and a tedious Rheumatism whereupon I advised now and then gentle Lenitives temperate Antiscorbuticks A Milk-water prepared with Antiscorbuticks and Restoratives and Alteratives contemporating the heat attenuating the fixed Saline parts of the Blood and sweetning the Acids of the Nutricious Liquor And in fine I advised a Milk Water prepared with temperate Antiscorbuticks and Restoratives and ordered the distilled Milk to be drunk with new Milk and at last I prescribed as the Crown of all that raised him to a great degree of Health who was so weak that he was confined to his House for many Years and afterward by the Grace of God and help of proper Medicines was able to walk Abroad with strength and vigor leading his Life with great pleasure to the joy of his Physician and great comfort to his dear Friends and Relations When Purgatives Blood-letting and Alteratives have been advised When Universals have been premised Topicks may be applied Topicks may be applied to breath out the offensive Matter to ease pain and to strengthen the Nervous and Tendinous parts consisting of Anodine and Discutient Emollient Medicines And my humble Advice is not to make use of Astringent cooling Opiates outward Applications which hinder Sweats Repelling Medicines dangerous in a Rheumatism and a free Transpiration whereby the hot Sulphureous Saline and acid particles of the Blood and Nervous Liquor are not emitted through the pores of the Skin and the matter of the Disease being repelled have a recourse to the Noble parts and produce sleepy Diseases Inflammations of the Lungs and Pleura Squincie in plethorick and ill habits of Body A Knight of Glocestershire being of an ill Constitution of Body did long labour under a Rheumatism accompanied with Swellings of the Muscular parts which were abated by the Application of improper Topicks which repelled the ill Humours from the Ambient parts to the inward recesses of the Body and at last were transmitted by the Extreamities of the Caeliac Arteries into the Stomach causing frequent Hiccops and Vomitings which were much appeased by drinking free draughts of generous Claret and warm Cordial Medicines taking away the Hiccops and Vomitings by remanding the peccant Matter to the confines of the Body rendred painful and unquiet which gave great ease and repose to the Praecordia and inward parts whereupon he enjoyed his Health and Repose for many Years A Knight of the Bath being a Gentleman of Honour and Fortune of an ill plethorick habit of Body was highly afflicted with a Rheumatism productive of severe pains immediately alleviated upon the Application of a Cataplasm whereby the Humour settled in the outward were repelled into the inward parts whereupon the Patient was surprised with a continued Fever associated with an Inflammation of the Lungs in which he Coughed up great quantities of Blood and phlegmatick Matter Whereupon I advised Blood-letting Cordials Pectoral and Diaphoretick Medicines to lessen the offensive Matter by
many Processes The second is very large and may be subdivided into five small Venters CHAP. XXI Of the Appetite of Hunger HAving delineated the Structure of the Stomach its Tunicles Arteries Veins and Fibres of which it is Integrated I will now present you step by step as in several Courses with somewhat very grateful to your Palate with Hunger and Thirst those great Incentives courting us to the reception of Aliment as grand Sauces to render ordinary Meat and Drink high Delicacies to our Taste which treat us with great Gust and Delight And when in great discomposures of our Temper we have lost our Hunger and Thirst those natural provocatives to Eat and Drink the haugh gousts of made Dishes the best suppletories of Art speak little or no satisfaction to our faint Appetites and Palates out of Taste Our Glorious Maker in his most Wise Aeconomy Hunger and Thirst are Natures ministers inviting us to Eat and Drink hath made Hunger and Thirst the eager desires of Meat and Drink to be great instruments of Labour and Diligence to pursue all proper Methods relating to the good Offices of our several Callings to procure Meat and Drink as great supports of our Life and Subsistance As to Hunger the most significant Appetite in order to preserve our Natural Being I will take the freedom with your leave to propound to you as my Apprehension leads me the Circumstances the object about which it is Conversant and subject in which it is resident and its manner of Operation the chief ingredients that Circumstantiate and lastly the cause that constitutes this useful Appetite of Hunger Aristotle Hot and dry according to Aristotle are the object of Hunger and his Followers having assigned the Appetite of Hot and Dry as the object that entertaineth Hunger which seemeth very strange because divers kinds of Aliment as proper Objects as any can be propounded of Hunger are of a contrary nature Cold and Moist or Temperate at least as all Liquid forms of Aliment made of Corn Milk the most simple and wholsome Diet whereupon it is of most easie Digestion and less offensive to the Stomach which if more generally received would prevent ill habits of Body and variety of Diseases the necessary products of wanton Appetites and lessen the Practice of Physitians and the expense of long Courses of Physick the due punishment of Luxury and Pompous Treats Which do not chiefly consist in the prime qualities of Hot and Dry but in other more grateful Tastes of more delicious well tempered Acids and Sweets which Italians great Masters of Palates call Dulce Piquante So that the Ratio formalis 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 as taking off the roughness of the Ventricle belonging to the proper object of Hunger is not constituted of hot and dry but of sweet and lenient Aliment which do countermand the roughness of the Stomach and by it soft unevennesses do fill up the Interstices of its Folds and do give a check to the keen pursuit of Aliment and satisfie the troublesome importunity of the Appetite Whereupon the Antients The object of Hunger may be founded in Saline and Sulphureous and well tempered Acids and Alkalys have not so well as might be placed the object of Hunger in the more remote and less useful first Elementary qualities which is more reasonably founded in the more near and active Chymical Principles of Saline and Sulphureous and in well tempered Acids and Alkalys as full of fixed and Volatil Spirits the instruments of Fermentation subservient to the Concoction of Aliment in the Stomach by reducing it to a laudable Fluor which disposeth it to a secretion of Fluid and Alimentary parts from the more solid and gross Faeces that the white Liquor being Extracted might be readily entertained into the Intestines and Milky Vessels and be thence dispensed into the Subclavian Veins to associate with the Blood to give due supplies to repair the decays of Nature Learned Doctor Glysson is of opinion that the most essential part of Aliment consisteth in a nutricious succulency with which all Meat doth more or less abound as being apt to be advanced into Chyle which is contained in it as the Philosophers phrase it Non in actu exercito sed in actu signato Not actually but virtually by reason Aliment hath not in it an Existent Milky Humour but a Matter only praeviously disposed consisting of a mild delicate Temper as impraegnated with Fixed Sulphureous and Saline allaied with some Earthy Particles which are the immediate object of Hunger Galen Hunger is not seated in Suction by reason it is inconsistent with the Circulation of Blood which is managed by an Impulse and his Admirers phancy the object of Hunger to be seated in a kind of sense relating to Suction with which the Stomach is affected This opinion laboureth under great difficulties because if there be any such action it must be assigned to some empty Vessels attracting Liquor in to satiate them which doth suit with the Arteries which import Vital Juice to the Ventricle nor doth this assertion comport with the Veins which export the Blood imported into the substance of the Stomach by the Arteries So that this Conjecture that Hunger hath Suction for its Object is opposite to the aeconomy of Nature and the laws of Circulation which is performed by an Impulse wherein one Particle of a fluid body presseth another forward which is inconsistent with Suction or Attraction Having discoursed briefly of the Object which externally acteth the Stomach in reference to Hunger I will now endeavour to recount some requisite conditions qualifying it in order to the appetite of Aliment The first condition of Hunger is the laudable disposition of the Blood which consisteth first of all in a laudable Constitution flowing from the good temper of the Blood which being removed in its unnatural Feverish Ebullition produceth a nauseousness a faint Appetite or rather an aversion to Nourishment But a Question may be started Upon what reason the unnatural heat dejecteth the Appetite Which is raised upon this account Because it perverteth the Acid or rather the Saline disposition of the Ferment relating to the Stomach into Sulphureous Distempers and the unkindly Effervescence of the Ventricle disordereth the due opening of the Compage of the Aliment and spoileth its natural Colliquation The second disposition of the Stomach productive of Hunger The second disposition requisite to Hunger is the vigorous tone of its Fibres is the firm Compage of the Stomach which being a Nervous and Membranous part consisteth in a vigorous tone of its Fibres as they are endued with a due Tenseness which being lost in an overmoist disposition the tone of the Ventricle groweth flabby and lax which is also produced in the immoderate heat of the Summer weakning the strength of the Fibres when the Vital and Animal Liquor and Spirits are exhausted by too much heat enlarging the Pores of the Skin And on the other
dry the immediate subject of Thirst And there are divers Dispositions The first disposition rendring the subject capable of Thirst is the acuteness of the Nervous Fibrils which render this Subject capable of Thirst The first is its acute Sense as being a large Membranous Compage made up of great variety of Nervous Fibrils freely drawn out by Nature and close struck and rarely interwoven and because they have various Ranks running above and below long-ways cross-ways and obliquely so that every way this rare Contexture is garnished with numerous Filaments the subjects of quick Sensation The second natural qualification of this Membrane the seat of Thirst The second quality of the Membrane the seat of Thirst is to be affected with moisture is to be endued with Moisture both in its Ambient parts and in its more inward Penetrals which is very conducive to the happy constitution and repose of the subject of Thirst which groweth peevish and disordered when destitute of its due Liquor which being defective from without is supplied within with natural Fontanels the numerous Salival Glands in the Mouth and neighbouring parts to water the Membranes encompassing the Tongue Palate Throat and Gulet The third condition qualifying the Membranes liable to Thirst The third condition of Thirst is the driness of the Membrane the subject of Thirst is the natural inclination they have to suffer Driness caused by the neighbourhood of the Heart and Aorta parts always in Motion and heat and the frequent ejection of hot fuliginous Vapours out of the Bronchia and Aspera Arteria with the expired Air and by its perpetual access into the subject of Thirst parching it with the hot steams and flame of Life and besides all this the Stomach being emptied of its Alimentary Liquor is rendred dry which is afterward communicated to the Gulet and Throat These several causes are productive of driness in the Tongue Palate and the rest leaving them sensible of a rough disposition which nature endeavoureth to alleviate by the reception of fluid and moist Particles The fourth requisite putting the faculty of Thirst into act is the tender and delicate constitution of its Subject whose frame is made up of many Nervous Filaments full of exquisite Sense which is easily discomposed upon the least disorder of Driness by reason it is the natural temper of the Membranes relating to Thirst to be superficially besprinkled and inwardly softned with Moisture which being altered by the withdrawing of Liquid Particles or their consumption by Heat the aggrieved faculty groweth impatient and resenteth its disposition of Driness and representeth its case by an appeal made to the superior court of the Understanding and Will who give their Commands to inferior Agents as so many Officers of lower Degree to supply the needs of the Tongue Palate Throat and Gulet which speedily giveth ease and pleasure Thirst hath more or less steps to greater or less Intenseness as it is hightned or lowred by the different degrees of Drought affecting the Membranes of the Faculty flowing either from the Evacuation of the natural fountains of Salival Liquor seated in and about the Mouth moistning the Coats belonging to the faculty of Thirst or from the vehement drying heat of the neighbouring parts The subject of Thirst The first discomposure of the Membrane the seat of Thirst is from â—â—s driness and roughess is obnoxious to divers Disorders First Because it is a fine Contexture framed of delicate Minute Nerves whereupon it is highly discomposed by Roughness and Driness which importeth an unnatural sensation and touch to the Membranes of the Mouth and neighbouring parts disordered by an uncouth hardness and Asperity Secondly The second diaffection of the subject of Thirst is Stiffness proceeding from violent heat The subject of this Faculty looseth its pliableness by reason of Drought whence the Membranes of the Mouth grow stiff and uneasie to the Tongue in giving a check to its repose and freedom of Motion Thirdly The subjects of Thirst the Coats of the Mouth are sometimes so parched with violent heat of Malignant Fevers that they grow rigid and uncapable of Extension cracking into Chinks and Furrows and are also besmeared with a clammy Matter spued out of the Salival Glands by their Excretory Vessels upon the surface of the Tongue and Mouth where the Viscid Matter growing more Indurated is afterward accreted to the Membranes appertaining to Thirst sometimes huing them with Pale and Yellow othertimes with Brown and Black as so many dismal Characters speaking the great prevarications of our Tongue and Palate giving us the opportunity of sad reflexions upon our Guilt in the glass of our Sufferings I will close this Discourse with the Causes productive of Thirst of which some are Primary and far fetched and others more near and Immediate The first cause of Thirst may be fetched from the heat of the Blood The first may be borrowed from violent heat of the Blood having constant recourse to the Membranes the seats of Thirst which taketh its birth from a great Ebullition in Putrid Fevers flowing from opposite Elements which being in high contest with each other are not easie to be reconciled under one Chain of Mixtion whereupon the Blood doth tend to Putrefaction always accompanied with Effervescence a cause generative of Drought which is also derived from the smoaky steams of the Vital Flame when highly acted with violent Motion passing through the Branches of the Bronchia into the common Channel of the Aspera Arteria and from thence into the Cavity of the Mouth which it affecteth with driness of which Thirst is an immediate Resentment represented by the continuation of Nerves as so many instruments of Sensation The second Cause of Thirst The second cause of Thirst may be derived from want of moisture is the defect of Liquor issuing out the Salival Glands as so many Minute Lakes seated in the Tongue Palate Lips Ears and internal parts of the Mandibles which are appointed by Nature to moisten and intenerate the Membranes relating to Thirst If the little Fountains be dried up either by some unkindly Heat or by the overmuch detainment of Blood from its natural Course or diverted to some other parts as in divers Cronick Diseases of Dropsies or any large evacuations of Sweat Urine or Stool wherein the Salival Fontanels are drained and the tender Membranous Compage belonging to Thirst groweth over solid hard and dry giving great offence to the Tongue and Mouth Gulet and Stomach whereupon they immediately covet draughts of Liquor as a Boon to gratifie the importunate desires of a querulous Sollicitrix Another cause of Thirst may be an ill disposed Salival Liquor The third cause of Thirst may be an ill qualified Salival Liquor which in its native purity is Thin Watry and Transparent and tinged with no disgustful Quality disaffecting the Tongue and Palate But when this Juice is impraegnated with Gross Saline and Acid Particles in confederacy
speaking of a Lientery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lientery doth throw off the Meat not putrified and moist not painful whereupon the Body decayeth and a few lines after this great Author doth seem farther to assert this Hypothesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore when it is produced meaning a Lientery the Meat is cooled and moistened and a quick dismission made of the not putrified Aliment whence this inference may seem to be made that if an ill or rather no Concoction of the Stomach which the Antients called improperly a Lientery or smoothness of the Guts the Meat is over-hastily expelled the confines of the Stomach unputrified whereupon it may be conceived Meat is Concocted in the Stomach-without Corruption and Putrefaction that if the Meat had been longer entertained in the Ventricle it would have acquired a putrefaction But I beg pardon for this apprehension because I conceive we are bound in Duty to receive the sense of the Antients with Candor and then the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being not taken strictly which I humbly conceive was the true sense of our great Master Hyppocrates do signifie Meat unconcocted in which little or no separation of parts was made by natural Heat exciting the Ferments of the Stomach to a Concoction of the Aliment Learned Dr. Highmore seemeth to concur with Hypocrates Dr. Highmore's opinion that Concoction is a putrefaction and separation of parts in his sense relating to the manner of Digestion in his Third Chapter De Ventriculo Verumenimvero nondum nobis constat cur non calore tantum humido hoc est menstruo proprio animae tanquam instrumento opus hoc perficiatur cum coctio nihil aliud sit quam putrefactio partium separatio But notwithstanding it doth not appear to us saith the Learned Author why this Work is not accomplished by moist Heat only as a proper Menstruum the instrument of the Soul when Concoction is nothing else but a putrefaction and separation of parts And this his Assertion concerning the work of Nature he endeavoureth to Illustrate by the operations of Art Adhaec in administrationibus Chymicis hoc solummodo efficiente calore scilicet in corpore humido in particulas corporis insinuante producatur ut in maceratione digestione putrefactione fermentatione quibus operationibus a calore humido mistum aliquo modo dissolvitur vel compage naturali soluta ad artificialem aptius redditur quae operationes in omni separatione vel singulae vel altera earum permittuntur Furthermore This Learned Author affirmeth in Chymical Operations this may be produced by Heat working only in a moist Body insinuating it self into inward recesses of it as in Maceration Digestion Putrefaction and Fermentation by which operations the mixed Body is after a manner dissolv'd in a moist Heat as its natural Compage is loosened which is most fitly resembled to Art whose Administrations either all or one of them are premised in every operation Ingenious Vanhelmont as I humbly conceive being a person of greater Fancy than Judgment granteth the same putrefaction in order to Chylification though upon more improbable terms saying in his Book De Spiritu Vitae page 576. In nobis autem etsi cibus cum potu quadantenus putrescant nimirum ista putredo est modus atque medium transmutandae rei in rem attamen in digestionibus nostris per ejusmodi putrefactionem actionemque fermenti lienari non educitur ex oleribus leguminibus frumentalibus aut pomis spiritibus aquae vitae Siquidem naturae nostrae intentio non est sibi procreare aquam vitae verum longe aliud in nobis est Fermentum quo res resolvuntur in Chylum atque aliud quo res putrescant atque separantur in aquam vitae But though Meat and Drink do after a manner putrify in us to wit that putrefaction is a kind of transmutation of one thing into another yet in our Digestions the Spirit of the Water of Life is not extracted out of Pot-Herbs Pulse Corn Apples by the same putrefaction and action of a Ferment derived from the Spleen because the designe of our Nature is not to procreate for it self a Water of Life but a far different Ferment in us by which things are resolved into Chyle and another by which things do putrify and are separated for the Water of Life Here the witty Author doth plainly hold that Meat and Drink are resolved by putrefaction in reference to Concoction and that the Vital Spirit is not immediately produced out of divers sorts of Aliments in the Stomach by putrefaction and action of the Ferment relating to the Spleen by which the nourishment is resolved into Chyle and another Ferment by which the alimentary Liquor doth putrifie and is separated from the Liquor of Life and here he plainly affirmeth that Meat and Drink are turned into Chyle and Chyle into Blood which he stileth as I conceive the Water of Life by putrefaction telling a little after Tot nempe esse Fermenta Digestiva specifica tot putrefactionum varietate that there are many specifick digestive Ferments as there are distinctions of putrefactions In order to make a Reply to the improbability of this opinion it may be reasonable to give an account of the nature of putrefaction which Aristotle thus defineth lib. 4. meteorum cap. primo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That putrefaction is a corruption of the proper and natural Heat existing in a moist Body by extraneous Heat is Lodged in an ambient Body This definition doth comprehend in it Putrefaction is made in a moist Body by ambient Heat which corrupteth the natural all the terms of a perfect demonstration wherein it doth demonstrate the proper Affection to be in a proper Subject by a proper Cause The proper Subject is a moist Body for nothing is capable of putrefaction but under the notion of moisture and the Cause is ambient Heat which is not only seated in the Elements of Air and Water but in every Body encircling another within its warm embraces which may give a trouble to its inward native Heat by rendring it too intense and unkindly so that in fine putrefaction is a corruption of the natural Heat so far destructive of the material dispositions of the Body that it cannot entertain its more active and noble Principle as its ultimate perfection which is confounded by extraneous Heat Whereupon according to this definition of Aristotle if the natural Heat and inward Principles of the Aliment be corrupted by the ambient Heat of the Stomach and neighbouring parts the viscera and the different operations of the various Ferments corrupting the body of the Nourishment lodged in the Ventricle The putrefaction of the Aliment depraveth the mass of Blood it must necessarily induce such depraved Dispositions into the alimentary Liquor which are inconsistent with the support of the mass of Blood as it is compounded of pure Spirituous Sulphurous and Saline Particles great enemies
Relaxation of the Fibres rendring them unfit for action it indicates the opening of a Vein to sollicite the Motion of the Blood settled in the spaces of the Vessels and also Emollient and Cooling Apozems are to be advised to take off the Inflammation by softening the Tumour and attempering the Mass of Blood And in case an Inflammation do degenerate into an Abscess of the Stomach attended with gross and serous Recrements The Abscess and Ulcer of the Stomach is Cured by cleansing and drying and consolidating Diet Drinks it indicates cleansing and drying Medicines And as an Ulcer the consequent of an Abscess it supposeth a violated union of parts and requireth Consolidating Applications to reduce the broken Fibres to Union Tone and Vigor in order to their proper actions of Retention and Concoction of Aliment The Emaciation of the substance of the Stomach is Cured by cold and moist and Restorative Drinks In reference to an Emaciated indisposition of the Stomach as it ariseth from a hot and dry Temper in a Hectick Fever it is Obviated with Cold Moist and Restorative Drinks reducing the Blood and integrals of the Stomach to their natural Temper and Constitution The irregular distention of the Stomach The Inflation of the Stomach is Cured by Emollient and Discutient Medicines proceeding from an Inflation of Wind over-much streining and weakning the Carnous and Nervous Fibres doth denote Purging Emollient and Discutient Medicines to free the Stomach from its importunate Guests and to bring the Fibres to their former Temper and Strength to give them the advantage of Contracting themselves for the repose and due Fermentation of the Aliment A Cure also may be had The foulness of the Stomâ—ch is dischaâ—ged by Vomiting Purging and opâ—ning Medicines aâ—d Astringents at last to strengthen the Tone of the Stomach to take away the depraved Concoction of the Stomach depending upon the abundance of Cholerick Recrements floating in the Ventricles whereupon gentle Vomiting Purging and Aperient Medicines are to be advised to discharge the Stomach of its troublesome attendants and afterward bitter and astringent Apozems Testaceous Powders are to be given to strengthen the Tone of the Stomach to conserve its Contents till the Milky Tincture is extracted by a due Intestine Motion The Concoctive Faculty is not only disaffected by reason of the lost and weakned Tone of the Stomach but also by the distempered natural Heat by ill Ferments and by default of the Aliment As to the first The heaâ— of the Stomach doth denote cooling and tempâ—rate Julaps The Concoction is much discomposed sometimes by too intense and othertimes by too remiss Degrees of natural heat of the Stomach chiefly if not wholly derived from the Vital Spirits and heat of the Blood the cause of Life and Intestine Motion which if disordered in Fevers doth indicate cooling Medicines and temperate Cordial Julaps and Apozems which do attemper the Mass of Blood whose fiery Steams and Recrements are also very happily discharged by the Cutaneous Glands secerning the hot and impure parts of the Blood from the more temperate and pure through the Excretory Ducts and Pores of the Skin which may be safely promoted by gentle Diaphoreticks whereupon the disaffected heat of the Blood is reduced to its natural Temper and the Concoctive Faculty repaired As to the remiss Degrees of heat in the Stomach The cool and moist temper proceeding from serous Recrements is Cured by gentle Hydragogues and warm Diureticks they may spring from cold and moist Humors diluting the Blood in Hydropick Distempers whose Potulent Matter overchargeth and chilleth the Purple Liquor which may be discharged by gentle Hydragogues and warm Diureticks sometimes impraegnated with Acid and sometimes with Lixivial Salts and sometimes with fixed and saline Particles volatized by the Heat and Spirit and principally by the Volatil Salt of the Blood whence it being put into Fermentation caused by the active and pungent parts of different Salts hath recourse to the Kidneys in whose Glands a separation being made and the watry Liquor disserviceable to the Blood is discharged by the Urinary Vessels into the Pelvis and Ureters and the depurated Blood returned again by the Emulgent and hollow Vein into the Heart and so passeth by several Vessels of the Lungs and through the left Ventricle of the Heart into the descendent Trunk of the Aorta and Caeliack Artery into the Stomach whose heat is enlivened by the separation of the watry Recrements of the Blood in the Kidneys and by the temperate Drinking of moderate Astringent Wines which do chear up the remiss heat and strengthen the infirm Tone of the Stomach The ill Ferments of the Stomach the efficients of the bad Elaboration of Aliment is caused by gross Air affected by ill Steams by indisposed Salival Serous and Nervous Liquor First A good Air doth highly assist the Concoctive Faculty The Air is ill qualified when Stagnant in woody Countreys upon defect of Winds which purge it by Motion or when the Air is corrupted by gross Exhalations arising out of Fenny or Marish Ground or out of standing Waters as Lakes and great Ponds which grow putrid and stench the Air which is also spoiled by noisome Vapors exhaling out of dead and corrupted Bodies not interred or out of Grounds praegnant with ill and poisonous Minerals Wherefore my humble Advise is To make as good provision as may be by seating our selves upon the sides of Hills or dry Grounds in a free and serene Air or if our Houses be built by our Ancestors near Woods or rather in them to cut so much of them down to give an advantage of open Air which much attenuateth the Blood and assisteth Concoction as mixed with the masticated Aliment in the Mouth whereby it doth insinuate it self with it and open its Compage and fit it for a due Fermentation in the Stomach whereupon the alimentary Liquor is extracted by a separation of the faeculent parts from the more pure and beneficial to nature The Concoction also is very much frustrated The defect of salival Liquor is repaired by moist Medicines restorative Drinks and Broths and all kind of thin Suppings either by the defect of good quality in the salival Liquor or by its too sparing quantity when for want of its due proprtion solid Aliment remaineth hard so that it cannot be easily masticated in the Mouth wherein it is broken into small parts with great difficulty as being not diluted with salival Liquors a good Menstruum ordained by nature to assist the Teeth in the Comminution of nourishment which is found in Hectick Fevers and other Chronick hot Distempers of the Body exhausting the Serous Liquor of the Blood and salival Juyce flowing from it which is repaired by the assumption of restorative Drinks Broths Wine thin Apozems made with China and Sarsaparilla Emulsions made of cooling Seeds Barley Water and the like And the salival Liquor is an impediment to Concoction The ill
its Divarications terminating into the Coats of the Stomach whence the Fibres grow senseless and stupid wholly unmindful of their duty of Contraction producing the greatest misdemeanor of the Expulsive Faculty the loss of its Function whereby it giveth no ease to the Stomach by taking off its burden of Recrements the reliques of Concoction The lost Tone of the Stomach flowing from the Fibres of the Brain Another disaffection of the expulsive Faculty of the Stomach floweth from the compression of the Fibres of the Brain by a quantity of extravasated Blood Cephalick Potions are good in this distemper compressed by a quantity of Stagnant Blood lodged in the Cortex of the Brain and intecepting the admission of the animal Liquor into the Extreamities of the nervous Fibrils doth indicate Blood letting to make good the circulation of it and to discharge the Brain from its importunate extravasation destructive of the Principal and sometimes of all the Functions relating to the Head The lost Tone of the Stomach is derived also from the grossness of the Nervous Liquor stopping up the Origen of the Nervous Fibres whence the propagation of the animal Liquor and Spirits is hindred into the eighth pair of Nerves implanting many Branches into the Stomach This Disease doth denote cephalick Decoctions mixed with Aqua Paeoniae Comp. Brion Comp. Lavendul Comp. c. Cephalick Pills and Electuaries compounded of Conserves of Lime Flowers Lillies of the Valley Flowers of Betony and Rosemary mixed with Powder of Amber Castor c. and made up with some cephalick Syrup Drinking after it a large Draught of a specifick Julap which do attenuate the gross Saline parts of Blood and Animal Liquor rendring them fluid and fit to be received into the extreamities of the nervous Fibrils in the Brain and to pass into the Interstices of the Filaments of the Par Vagum and its Branches inserted into the Stomach whereupon the Tone of the Stomacick Fibres is rectified disposing them to exert their due expulsive Operations caused by the influence of a well qualified animal Liquor giving vigor to the Fibres seated in the Stomach in order to discharge its Excrements and Reliques of Concoction The second Error of the expulsive Faculty may be deduced from a remisness in doing its Duty of Contraction The Second Error of the expulsive Faculty is the faintness of the Tones relating to the Stomacick Fibres wherein the Stomacick Fibres being faint and lazy by reason they are not acted with good animal Liquor and Spirits as the efficient of soporiferous Diseases lodged in the upper Apartment of the Head whereupon the Fibres of the Stomach being destitute of laudable nervous juyce render the expulsive Power stupid and unactive The remiss action of the Stomacic Fibres may also proceed from a cold and moist Distemper in Hydropic and other Chronick Diseases The weakness of Stoma-Fibres flowing from a cold and moist distemper produced by a super-abundance of watry Humors not secerned in the Glands of the Kidneys and transmitted by the urinary Ducts and papillary Caruncles into the Pelvis and Ureters whereupon the Blood groweth watry and is returned through the Heart and Lungs by variety of Vessels into the descendent Trunk of the Aorta and thence watry Blood passeth by the Caeliac Artery into the Stomach imparting to it a cold and moist indisposition whereby the Fibres of the Ventricle are rendred flabby and unable to perform such a Contraction as is requisite for a due expulsion of the dregs of Concoction altogether unprofitable to Nature in point of Refection of the Body by Aliment which it vitiateth by its over long stay in the Stomach instituted primarily by Nature to be a receptacle of Meat and Drink and not of Recrements which the Stomach dischargeth as irksom to it The remiss Action of the expulsive Faculty The weakness of Stomacick Fibres may proceed firm the too free Draughts of cold water and other cooling Liquors which is cured by warm and drying remedies caused by weak Stomacic Fibres may also arise from immoderate Drinking of cold Water and other cooling Liquors which do confound the natural heat of the Stomach and make its Fibres stupid and flaccide whence the Ventricle groweth insensible of its burden and faint in Contraction in order to the discharge of Faetulencys a grand impediment to Concoction The faint Tone of Stomacic Fibres proceeding from a cold and moist distemper in Hydropic Diseases doth signifie warm and drying Remedies and the depuration of the purple Liquor is effected by purging and diuretic Medicines expelling by Urine and Stools the watry Recrements of the Blood and Stomach whose weak Tone is afterwards repaired by bitter and astringent Remedies as Wine prepared with Steel and Decoctions of Gentian Roots Enula-Campane the tops of Centaury the less and also Thirty or Forty drops of Elixir proprietatis taken three or four times a day in a draught of old and generous Rhenish Wine The third kind of disaffection The depraved action of the Stomach is when the Fibres are ever-contracted in Purging Vomitings Hyccops c. incident to the Stomach and that none of the least is the depraved action of the expulsive Faculty when it is too much heightned and aggrieved when the Fibres of the Stomach are receptive of great degrees of Contraction then are instituted by naure as in Purgings Hyccops Nauseatings Vomitings and in both Purgings and Vomitings immediately succeeding each other as in a Disease called Cholera In Purgings the Stomach beginneth to contract her right annular and oblique Fibres near the Left Orifice of the Stomach where its Cavity is first lessened and step by step more and more as the Fibres contract themselves toward the Pylorus where the Ventricle being contracted must by consequence discharge offensive Humors out of the Confines of the Stomach into the Duodenum so that Purging may be described an excretory Motion of the Ventricle briskly performed by a vigorous tone of Fibres gradually contracting themselves from the Left to the Right Orifice as from Term to Term Vomiting is the unkindly Motion of the alimentary Liquor and Reliques of Concoction The inverted peristaltick motion of the Guts doth cause the Stomach to throw up recrements and the pituitous Humors incrusting the inside of the Stomach as also of the bilious and pancreatick Liquors transmitted from the Liver and Pancreas by an inverted peristaltic Motion of the Duodenum into the Ventricle which doth solicit the Stomacic Fibres by a troublesome importunity to eject all offensive Recrements the bounds of the Stomach upward wherein it prudently consulteth its ease and quiet which is also frequently discomposed by a thinner and more troublesome Matter the result of an ill Concoction received into the bosom of the Stomach which I conceive is generated after this manner Meat and Drink are admitted into the Ventricle and their Elaboration in order to Digestion is matured by Heat and Ferments entring into the Compage
of Chyle Blood and Nervous Liquor which serveth as a Caement to assist the more firm union of solid Particles arising out of the Saline and Earthy parts as the immediate matter of the Stone of the Kidney and other parts The Efficient Causes requisite for the generation of the Stone The efficient causes of the Stone are instrumental or principal are also Instrumental and Principal The first is Heat which may be stiled an Antecedent Cause as seated in the Blood which being first rendred gross by intense Heat as having some watry parts which make a recourse to the Kidney where they being faeculent do stay some time in the Capillaries whereupon the gross parts are apt to adhaere to the sides of the Vessels by reason they are long detained in the Glands of the Kidneys and thence borrow the first disposition and origen of Concretion Others assign the Instrumental Cause of it to Cold Some assign cold to be the cause of the Stone which doth gather together the loose Particles of Nitrous Salt which they conceive may be well performed in the Kidneys and Bladder as well as a Urinal This seemeth very improbable because the Body is enlivened by a principle of Heat derived from the Blood So that in reason it cannot be apprehended that such Coldness as long as the Body is acted with Life can be found to give a power of Concretion to the Saline and Earthy parts of Liquors And it may seem more probable in some manner to attribute a Coagulating principle to the Ferment of the Kidneys as the Vessels have Particles of Lixivial Salt sticking to them separated from the Blood in its passage through the empty spaces of the Vessels whereupon this Lixivial Ferment doth impraegnate as I conceive the serous parts of the Vital Liquor and give them not only a disposition of being secerned but also a fitness of having the Saline and Earthy parts of the Blood to be severed from it and prepared for Concretion where these gross parts do stay in the Interstices of the Vessels to which they are accreted by reason they cannot be readily received into the Minute Orifices of the Urinary Ducts The principal and most active Efficient Cause The principal efficient cause of the Stone is a petrifying principle of the generation of Stones in the Body of Man is derived from a petrifying Principle A succo aut spiritu lapidescente and not from Elementery qualities of Heat or Cold as some imagine of which one doth evaporate the watry particles of Liquors and give them greater consistence and the other doth congele liquid bodies and put a restraint upon their fluid nature by confining them to a proper place but the production of firm Concretion in more solid bodies as Stones must be fetched from a different principle of Lapidescent Juice or Spirit by turning the Tartar of gross Liquors into the hard compage of Stones And the cause of Petrifaction cannot be solely attributed to Salt The cause of petrifaction cannot be assigned solely to Salt but as mixed with Earth as having an inward principle of Concretion and though common Salt made up of Minute Particles may swell by many accretions into great Lumps and though the Coalitions of many small saline parts may constitute hard bodies as in Salt of Geman and Fossile and Marine Salt yet these saline Concretions are different from those of Stones as being less hard and solid and more friable So that the principle of Petrifaction doth suppose not only Saline but also Earthy parts which give Consistence and the other bind the Earthy more close together which is rendred more firm by a Chymous Clutinous Matter whence the compage of Stones becometh more compact and hard then that of Salt alone most conspicuous in artificial Coagulations made by coction of Salt Water and also in natural saline Concretion produced by an innate principle in the Bowels of the Earth so that a due proportion of Salt and Earth is requisite to form a strong Concretion by reason the Earthy parts do hinder the solution of Saline when they are moistned with Liquid bodies and the Saline do give the bond of mixtion lest the Earthy being destitute of Salt should constitute a loose Body in the form of Powder whereupon too great a quantity of Salt cannot turn an inconsiderable part of Earth into Stone Whence it may be inferred that upon a due proportion of Earth being observed by Nature the greater quantity of Salt doth make a more solid and firm Concretion So that Saline and Earthy parts being united in a due quantity Saline and earthy parts incorporated in a due proportion do produce the Stone and embodied with a petrifying Juice or Spirit do generate the Stone in Humane Bodies This Petrifying Liquor is found in every Soil impraegnated with Minerals and mixed with the Juice of the Earth giving a growing disposition to Grass which is the nourishment of most Animals we feed on whereupon this Lapidescent Juice is entertained into our Bodies with our Aliment which is not secerned in the Stomach caused by the weakness of its Concoctive Faculty not well extracting the Alimentary Liquor and separating the Heterogeneous parts from it whereby the Chyle vitiated with Mineral Juice is carried through the various Lacteal Vessels into the Blood and transmitted with it through the Heart and Lungs and afterward the Descendent Trunk of the Aorta and Emulgent Arteries into the glands of the Kidneys wherein the Lapidescent Juice The manner of the production of the Stone mixed with saline and earthy particles of the Serous Liquor do turn them into Sandy Particles or little Stones which being caemented by a clammy indigested Chyme do increase their Dimensions as concreted into a larger Stone dilating the Interstices of the Vessels and the Cavities of the Urinary Ducts and Pelvis which give great pain discomposing our Ease and Repose And if these Sandy Particles be carried farther through the Ureters into the Bladder the Urine groweth turbid by reason the parts are not well embodied and equally mixed so that the loose saline and earthy Particles of Urine accompanied with a petrifying disposition falling to the bottom of the Bladder do Coagulate into a Stone which receiveth greater and greater Dimensions by the access of newly petrified saline and earthy Accretions And now I will endeavour to give some account how Stones are generated in all parts of the Body which proceedeth from the various Alimentary Vital and Nervous Juice as also Pancreatick Bilious and Serous Liquors The Stone generated in the Stomach of an Indian Animal The generation of the Bezoar Stone resembling a Goat is derived from saline and earthy Particles extracted out of wholesome Plants associated with a Petrifying Juice whence ariseth the origen of the Stone in the Ventricle which is very small at first and afterward enlargeth more and more as it receiveth new thin saline Accretions which encircle it like so many fine
so that they have no near correspondence with each other by the transfusion of Liquor out of the Arteries into the Veins if they were related to each other by mutual Inosculations And this may be rendred clear Experimentally by making a Ligature upon the Preparing Vessels near the Testicles and a quantity of Liquor being emitted into the Trunk of the Spermatick Artery above the Arterial Branches grow big below and at the same time none of the venal Branches are at all concerned in this Injection as keeping the same uniform Dimensions they had before and if the Ligature of the Spermatick Vessels be taken off and Liquor be freely injected by a Syringe into the Arterial Trunk above the Liquor will descend gradually into the Testicles and from thence be reconveyed into the Veins and afterward fill the Branches of the Pyramidal body and no way affect the Arteries associated with them And it doth not only contradict Experience too The Inosculations of Arteries with Veins would hinder the generation of Seminal Liquor in the Testicles that the Preparing Arteries should have Inosculations with the Veins but also being supposed this ill Consequence will follow that the Blood descending out of the Trunk of the Aorta into the Spermatick Arteries would from thence be immediately impelled through the Anastomosis into the Veins So that the course of the Vital Liquor would be so far intercepted as not at all to be poured into the substance of the Testicles whereupon they would not communicate the Serous and Chymous Particles to the Parenchyma of the Testicles wherein they are to be severed from the Red Crassament of the Blood as a subject matter of Genital Liquor The structure of the Testicles which discriminates a Man from the other Sex is the subject of our present Discourse as they are encircled with many Tunicles beautified with an elegant Figure composed of a uniform substance and various Vessels and enobled with an excellent use The Tunicles The Tunicles of the Testicles or Coats investing the Testicles differ in largeness structure and fineness Vesalius Diemerbroeck Westlingius and most Anatomists have enumerated only Four but Columbus and Lindanus have given out a fifth and have been more curious in their Phancy then Nature in her Production and have made two of one Coat And therefore I will insist in the steps of most Anatomists in assigning only four Tunicles enwrapping the Testicles which being framed together do represent a Purse consisting of outward thicker stuff furnished with many Linings the Cabbanet of two precious Stones These Tunicles may admit another division of common and proper The division of the Tunicles of the Testicles into common and proper of which the first is External vulgarly receiving the appellative of Bursa from the Figure of a Purse composed of Leather and from this thick Coat the whole compage of Tunicles borrow their denomination of Scrotum which was originally given to any Pouch made of a Skin or Hide The make of the Scrotum or Burfa and upon this account it is called so in Man And its outward Skin called Bursa is nothing else but a composition of Cutis and Cuticula of the outward and inward Skin which is much thinner then in other parts of the Body adorned with many small Arteries Veins and Nervous Filaments interspersed with fleshy Fibres curiously interwoven This outward Coat is destitute of all Fat Christopher Riedenger an Amsterdam Chirurgeon giveth an account of Mr. Martin Schatius who as the Chyrurgeons conceived laboured with a Hiernia Intestinalis which no Art or Industry could so far reduce but there always remained beside the Testicle a Tumour as big as an Egg. So that when this Person was Dead the Chyrurgeon of Amsterdam being desirous to see the Hiernia they could not reduce opened the Body and more especially the swelled Scrotum wherein upon a curious enquiry they discovered a quantity of Fat growing to the bottom of the Scrotum and some parts of the Ileon fastned to the vaginal Coat by the interposition of many Fibres And I conceive the cause why Nature is so kind to it self The reason why the Scrotum hath no Fat. as to deny all Fat to the inside of the Scrotum is to keep it from a troublesome Extension which would give a discomposure and hinder the quickness and ease of Progressive Motion and furthermore this uneasie Lining if stuffed with Fat would disorder the Relaxation and Corrugation of it Which as I apprehend hend proceedeth from the various disposition of Carnous Fibres This outward thick and rough Coat The Seam of the Scrotum is divided into two equal Apartiments by a Suture or Seam running the whole length of the Bursa by which the Scrotum is distinguished into a right and left Region The second common Coat or Vest of the Testicles The second Coat of the Testicles called Dartos is lodged immediately under the Bursa stiled Dartos and taketh its origen from the Membrana Carnosa a thin Muscular Membrane dressed with many Carnous Fibres and accommodated with many Ramulets and Veins shading this fine Coat which revive it with the course and recourse of Vital Liquor And by the help of this Covering assisted with fleshy Fibres The use of the fleshy Fibres of the Dartos the neighbouring Coat called the Bursa contracteth and purseth up it self whence it is endued with various Folds and Wrinkles especially when it is exposed to the cold Air which causeth the Carnous Fibres to contract themselves and narrow the dilated Dimensions of the first Coat of the Scrotum And I have read a History of a Man who had a power given him by Nature flowing from the Carnous Fibres to contract his Scrotum at pleasure as some Men have a freedom to contract their Foreheads when they please which proceedeth from the Muscular Fibres lodged under the Skin in the Forehead And it is further observed by Women skilful in Nursing of Children The cotraction of the Scrotum in Children is a sign of Health that the contraction of the Scrotum is an emblem of Health and Strength and they think it an ill Omen in Infants when they Suck to have a relaxed Scrotum proceeding from the Muscular Fibres which are not able to contract the Scrotum an argument of weakness in the Body The proper Membranes or Vests more nearly encircling the Testicles The proper Membranes clothing the Testicles are two The first is stiled Erythroeides from its red Colour as adorned with great variety of Blood Vessels and thereupon Paulus Aegineta calleth it Capreolaris as Enameled with divers Vessels The first Membrane is called Erythroeides resembling the Minute Branches of Vines And others call this third Coat Unginalis as enclosing the Testicles as in a Sheath The second proper coat is stiled Vaginalis The rise of the Cremaster Muscles derived from the Coat relating to the Rim of the Belly and to the outward
severed from the more watry do associate with the Serous parts of the Blood are carried through secret passages into the bosom of the Vesicles by which the Lympha is received into the root of the Lymphaeducts and the red Crassament into the extremities of the Veins And this Hypothesis of the production of Faeminine Seed in the Glands of the Testicles may be farther confirmed by reason many Globules The Globules of the Ovaries are a company of Glands or Systems of greater Glands appear after Coition encircling the Vesicles of the Testicles which are requisite to prepare a greater quantity of Liquor transmitted into the Vesicles after they are Impregnated in order to the Formation of the Foetus The seat of the generation of Seminal Liquor in Women as well as Men are numerous Minute Glands encompassing the Vesicles of the Ovaries into which the extremities of all Vessels are implanted Viz. of the Preparing Arteries and Veins and of the Nerves and Lymphaeducts which render the Glands Colatories of the Vital and Nervous Liquor which are brought into the Parenchyma of the Glands by the Arteries and Nerves wherein a separation being made of the more proper Particles for the generation of Seeds the more unprofitable are reconveyed by the Veins and Lymphaeducts The principles productive of Seminal Liquor in the Glands belonging to the Ovaries of Women are the more mild Albugineous parts of the Blood and the more select parts of Succus Nutricius The Materia Substrata of Semen is the more milde part of the Blood confederated with Nervous Liquor which being highly impregnated with Volatil and Spirituous Particles of Nervous Juice do associate with and exalt the more soft and Chrystalline humour of the Blood So that the Seminal Liquor consisting of different Elements of Vital and Nervous Liquor are endued with Fermentative Particles by which they are rendred fit for the procreation of Seed These Elements of Blood and Nervous Liquor passing through the Cortex and Medullary processes of the Brain and the bony Cartilaginous The Nervous Liquor concurreth to the formation of the Vis Plastica Membranous and Muscular parts of the whole Body that they might impart to them Life Sense and Nourishment do borrow from them their likeness and communicate the same Images to the Seminal Liquor produced in the Glands and transmitted to the Vesicles whereupon it is affected with a Plastick vertue productive of the several Liquors and more solid Integrals of the whole Body The Seed of Women is different in temper and qualities from that of Man The Seed of Woman is different from that of Man by reason it hath its propagation from Blood and Nervous Liquor which are more cold and moist in the Female than Male whereupon the first principles of the Semen being of a meaner nature in Women the Seed it self will follow their constitution which is more Crude and watry as less Concocted by a more faint heat working upon lower principles of Vital and Nervous Juice CHAP. XXIII Of the Diseases of the Womb and their Cures THe Womb being a noble Utensil framed by Nature for the propagation of Mankind is liable to many Diseases various kinds of Swellings Abscesses Ulcers Gangrens Cancers c. The first Tumour I will treat of is an Inflamation The inflamation of the Womb. proceeding from too great a quantity of Blood or from the grosness of it derived from thick unassimilated Chyme associated with Vital Liquor impelled through the Hypogastrick and Spermatick Arteries into the substance of the Womb in which it Stagnates by reason the Extremities of the Hypogastrick and Spermatick Veins being very small are not able to give a reception to the exuberant and gross Blood producing a great heat and beating pain in the womb which is more inward in the body of it and if the Vagina be affected the outward Orifice may be discerned to be tumefied and red as beset with divers turgid small Veins resembling Cobwebbs and the Inflamation of the Body and Neck of the Womb is ever attended with a Symptomatick Fever In order to the Cure of this Disease after an Emollient Clyster hath been administred Pleeding is proper in an inflamation of the Womb. Bleeding is to be celebrated in the Arm to divert the course of the Blood from the womb and for derivation of the Blood to the neighbouring parts Cupping-glasses may be applied under the Breasts and to the Loins In Cachochymick Bodies gentle Lenitives may be given In Cachochymick bodies Purgatives may be administred as Syrup of Peach-flowers Cassia Tamarinds Syrup of Roses-Solutiv Violets Cichory with Rhubarb The Lenitive Electuary c. and strong Purgatives must be forborn lest the Flux of the Menstrua be provoked and the Vitious humours have a violent recourse to the womb Vomitories are not safe in the inflamation of the Womb. whereupon strong Vomitories are dangerous as making a great agitation of humours whereby the inflamed womb is highly discomposed Alterative and Cooling Medicines are very proper to give an allay to the high Effervescence of the Blood in reference to the Fever Alterative and Contemperating Medicines are good in this Distemper and in want of Rest dormitive Potions may be safely advised as giving repose and a check to the Inflamation This course of Physick proved very successful to the wife of a Captain relating to one of the King's Ships A course of Physick given in â—an Inflamation of the Womb. who had a pain in her Groin and Back accompanied with a Symptomatick Fever and other symptoms belonging to the Inflamation of the womb The Patient had been first treated Emperically by a Man-Midwife well versed in his own Profession but ignorant in the practice of Physick who first gave her a strong Vomit which highly irritated the sharp humours and applied Leeches to the Haemorrhoides making a greater Flux of Blood to the parts affected whereby the Inflamation and Fever grew higher whereupon I thought it proper to draw Blood from the Vterus by opening a Vein above in the Arm and also by advising Cooling and Atemperating Decoctions allaying the unkindly Fermentation of the Blood and by prescribing proper Medicines to be injected into the Vagina Uteri and Cataplasms may be applied made of Purslain Endive Plantain Night-shade Water-Lillies and Vine-leaves This method of Physick gave ease and recovered this sick Patient who hath lived many years in health since she hath been restored by the mercy of the Great Physician Sometimes the womb is affected in the Neck and other times in the Body of it with a hard indolent Tumour proceeding from gross Chymous Blood imported by the Hypogastrick and Spermatick Arteries into the substance of the womb where the Chymous Particles not assimilated into Vital Liquor are concreted by Saline Particles into a hard Swelling commonly called a Scirrhus A Saleman's wife being much aggrieved with a Tumor in the Vagina Uteri easily discerned by the Finger of an
Arteries into all parts of the Colliquated Seed The Blood is first arayed with a white palish colour and afterward is clothed in Scarlet which proceedeth from Motion and Heat giving the Blood a red tincture as by an Intestine Motion causing an Effervescence in it as Fruits by long Coction acquire redness much resembling that of Blood especially those that are pregnant with an abundant Succus Nutricius And the rare method of Nature is very remarkable in the production of the different parts of the Body The fluid and soft parts of the Body are first formed wherein She beginneth with most moist and soft as next a kin to the fluid Seminal Liquor which is liquid is best disposed for immediate formation of moist parts whereupon the Vital liquor being Fluid is first generated in the ambient parts of the Seminal Matter as it is colliquated by the heat of the Uterus and afterward transmitted into the more inward Recesses when the Vein is formed as soft and membranous and so is the first formed solid part as having much affinity with the nature of Seminal Liquor CHAP. XXVI Of the Generation of a humane Foetus THis most noble part the Blood is first formed in the Seminal Liquor by whose influence and irradiation of Spirits The system of all parts of the Body are animated by Vital Principle seated in the Blood The system of all parts belonging to Animals are first animated as by a Vital principle much constituting them and giving vigor and heat to the Seminal Liquor in reference to the delineation of all Similar parts successively produced out of which all Organick as the Viscera and Muscles are formed which compleat the Animal and give it a power of augmentation and nutrition which is a kind of second and continued Generation quoniam ex iisdem principiis animal nutritur ex quibus generatur and the Blood much assisteth the Genital Liquor in its Architectonick Spirit in distinguishing one part from another and is that first Particle in which the Soul doth chiefly reside the prime Author of Life Sense and Motion Some Professors of our Faculty do give the primogeniture to the Brain Some Anatomists do give Primogeniture to the Brain Heart and Liver arising together out of three Bubles or Vesicles but this Hypothesis contradicteth Autopsy which is clear to those that curiously have inspected the several Processes of the Generation of a Chicken in which the prerogative of Primogeniture is due only to the Blood whose rays first dawn in the outward circumference of the Albuminous Orb and afterward diffuse themselves through all regions of it which is evident not only in an Egg but in the first Conception of every Animal The Blood first generated in the ambient parts of the Seed The first motion and progâ—ess of the Blood is carried by Veins into the center of it where the red Point or beating Vesicle is generated the first rudiment of the Heart from which many Fibres or Capillaries do proceed the first origens of Arteries and the roots of the Veins take their roots in the outward parts of the Seminal Liquor wherein the Vital Liquor beginneth its motion toward the beating Vesicle from whence it is impelled by Arteries into all parts of the Seminal Liquor The Vital Liquor may truly assume to it self the privilege of the first Genital Particle because it appeareth first in the circumference of the Seed The Blood first appeareth in the circumference of the Seed before any Veins or beating Point can be discovered in the center of it and it is very agreeable to reason that the Blood should be generated before the Veins beating Point and Arteries as the part contained is the principal and therefore the first in the order of Nature because the other parts are subservient to it and are propagated enlivened cherished and nourished by it as by a principle of Life and Heat as also Intestine and Local Motion and the beating Point Sanguiducts and Viscera The Blood is the first principle of Life Heat Intestine and local motion are so many Organs ministerial to the motion and depuration of the Blood which is the first Genital Part and the beating Vesicle its first instrument of motion plainly visible in the first conception of all Animals and appeareth less than a spark lifted up and down according to the reception and exclusion of Blood caused by Diastole and Systole distending and narrowing the Ventricles of the Heart and the Systole maketh the Pulsation produced by Contraction causing a Vibration of the Heart which is the same time imparted to all Arteries of the Body commonly called the beating of them So that the first step or period in the Generation of a Foetus The first step in the Generation of a Foetus is the Blood and its Receptacles is the Blood with its receptacles The Punctum Saliens The rough-draught of the Heart and Vessels the Veins and Arteries but the substance of the Heart consisting of two Auricles Ventricles and Cone with Vessels and Fibres lodged in the Compage of it is found in the third procedure of Generation The second period in the formation of an Embryo The second process of Generation is the production of a kind of Worm or Maggot is manifested in the production of a kind of Worm or Maggot and as it groweth into a clammy substance it seemeth to be divided into two parts the upper is Orbicular and seemeth to be distinguished into three Vesicles the Brain Cerebellum and one of the Eyes Another part of this Mite the first rudiment of the Body relating to a Foetus resembleth the Keel of a Ship A third period of Generation appeareth in formation of a kind of Keel as the first draught of the Spine and is a Superstructure leaning upon or accrescing to the Trunk of the Vena Cava all along its length And in the formation of the Head the Eyes first may be first discovered and the Delineation of the Body is made immediately after and out of the rough draught of the Spine the sides do arise as those of the Ship are built upon the Keel being formed of one similar substance adorned with white lines expressing Natures design of the Ribs as the first rudiments of them and out of the rudely Delineated Spine the Trunk doth grow and afterward the Bones Muscles and Limbs are distinguished into Joints These two rough Delineations of the Head and Body appear The rudiment of the Spine and Head do early appear and may be distinguished at the same time and afterward when they receive greater degrees of increase and perfection the Body doth far exceed the Head in dimensions In the first formation of the Trunk there is a great disproportion between the Body and Limbs which in time grow longer and longer Children new born have long Bodies and short Limbs and Children new born have long Bodies and short Limbs and would go
Garment doth detain the Effluvia of the Blood and disorder its temper and cause an Effervescence especially if the vital Liquor be vitiated with sharp Saline Particles and surcharged with a quantity of ill Recrements which having a recourse to the Lungs do offend their fine Compage and often provoke a Cough ushering in a Consumption Thus having given some account of a Consumption in point of its Causes an ill mass of Blood as associated with a depraved nervous Liquor and Lympha I will now make bold to speak somewhat in relation to the subject of this Disease the Lungs as they are disposed to the reception of this tabide Malady A Tabide Disease may proceed First A Conception may proceed from an ill conformation of the Breast from the ill conformation of the Breast Secondly from the innate weakness of the Lungs and from a Hereditary indisposition propagated from Consumptive Parents or Thirdly from Antecedent Diseases of the inflammation of the Lungs or Pleura or from frequent Coughing up Blood or from an Empyema To which may be added a gross Air as clogged with noisom Smells and Foggs or envenomed with mineral Exhalations coming out of the Earth which do make ill impressions on the Blood and nervous Liquor rendring it gross and apt to stagnate and putrify inductive of a Tabide Disease destroying the curious soft frame of the Lungs The Conformation of the Breast is very advantageous to the reception of Air into the inward recesses of the Lungs in Inspiration and to the exclusion of Effaete Air mingled with the hot steams of the Blood in Expiration the First is highly promoted by the strong Fibres of the intercostal Muscles and the motion of a well framed Diaphragme and on the other side if these machines of motion be ill framed or affected with some Disease the Thorax cannot be dilated in order to give a free reception to the expanded Lungs in Inspiration hence in deformed persons that have gibbous Backs and narrow Breasts the cavity of the Lungs is so contracted that it intercepts the free play of the Lungs making a difficulty of Breathing and rendreth them obnoxious to a Pthisis proceeding from a gross dispirited and stagnant putrifying mass of Blood caused by the defect of the nitrous elastick Particles of Air not freely received into the Vessels of the Lungs in order to the refinement and exaltation of the Blood The innate weakness of the Lungs The innate weakness of the Lungs disposeth to a Consumption doth very much contribute to their Tabide Affection which consists in a laxe Compage of the Bronchia and Sinus easily permitting the sharp Recrements of the Blood to pass into their Cavities and by reason the carnous Fibres of the Wind-pipe and its Branches are not strong they cannot briskly contract to expel the Blood and its superfluities extravasated in the Cavities of the Bronchia and their appendant Sinus whereupon the stagnant Blood putrifies and corrupts the fine vessels of the Lungs Having entertained you with the procatarctick and conjunct Causes of a Consumption I will take the liberty now to give you a taste of fresh Air Good Air very advantageous to the Lungs in which the Lungs highly please themselves to take their fill as most grateful to Nature to preserve the soft flame of Life consisting in the motion of the Blood which Air promotes by her nitrous elastick Particles whereupon when it is moist and gross as in Fenny Grounds it loseth much of its purity and bounty and discomposeth persons troubled with Coughing and then a serene Air fanned with gentle wind and influenced with a mild heat proves amicable to the Lungs afflicted with some kind of Coughs proceeding from thick Blood abounding with gross sulphureous Particles so that thin Air of the Mountains free from all smoak and gross vapours is very acceptable to persons affected with Coughs that have firm Pipes and Sinus of the Lungs to which the more nitrous sharp elastick Particles of Air are acceptable as being conducive to attenuate and incide the gross chymous Particles of the Blood lodged in the Bronchia and their appendant Cells But on the other side the Persons endued with tender laxe Vessels An over thin Air aggravates the defluxion of humors into the Lungs which are highly opened by thin sharp Recrements distilling out of the extremities of the Bronchial and Pulmonary Arteries into the Cavities of the Bronchia a thin piercing Air big with pure nitrous Particles highly increaseth the Cough and by attenuating the over thin and sharp Recrements of the Blood and by opening the porous and tender frame of the Receptacles of Air doth cause a greater defluxion of acide humours more enraging the Cough in this kind of Consumptive Persons who are less afflicted in the gross smoke and sulphureous Air of Cities that burn Turf and Cole which gratifies Coughs derived from thin acrimonious humors often cured with Sulphureous Balsamick Medicines which are very proper in Ulcers of the Lungs upon this account Sulphur may be called the Balsome of the Lungs when they are oppressed with Coughs flowing from saline Particles brought to a Fluor affecting the Blood which being extravasated in the empty spaces of the Lungs do highly irritate their membranous frame endued with acute sense by violent Coughing which the thick sulphureous parts of Air as giving some allay to the nitrous Particles do much appease and in some degree take off the Acidities of the Blood Lympha and nervous Liquor and make way for the cure of Consumptive Coughs produced by sharp acrimonious Humors As to the Prognosticks of a Cough The Prognosticks of a Cough they are not dangerous in strong healthy Bodies who have a firm Compage of Lungs not affected with gross or sharp saline Recrements and free from an acute Fever But in sickly Persons Divers kinds of humors expectorated by Coughing inclining to a Consumption that are tortured with violent Coughing proceeding from thick clammy Humors sometimes Yellow and other times Greenish there is imminent danger especially if the great Cough be accompanied with high dejection of Spirit and decay of the fleshy parts difficulty of Breathing and a constant slow Fever derived from the Effervescence of the Blood and when the Disease groweth more prevalent wherein the Spittle becometh highly discoloured as gross and putrid flowing from an Ulcer of the Lungs attended with a Hectick Fever coming from the Ulcerous Matter infecting the Blood in its passage through the Lungs and with frequent cold Sweats arguing the great decay of the vital heat and strength and then the Disease hath little of hope as being accompanied with fatal symptomes In order to the cure of this Disease The First Indication of a Cough Three Indications are offered The First is To take a way the unkindly heat of the Blood productive of Defluction of serous Recrements destilling into the Bronchia and appendant Sinus of the Lungs The Second