these varicous bodyes are called Parastatae Assisters because they superficially assist and are knit to the testicles according to their length or long-wayes Out of the Parastatae proceed the Vasa ejaculatoria or leading vessels being of the same substance as their progenitors that is solid white and as it were nervous Their quantity is indifferent their figure round and hollow that the seed may have a free passage through them yet they seeme not to be perforated by any manifest passage unlesse by chance in such as have had a long Gonnorrbaea They have like temper as the Parastats betweene which and the Prostates they are seated immediatly knit with them both as both in the coat and the other vessels with the parts from whence they take them But we must note that such like vessels comming out of the parastats ascend from the botom of the stones even to the top in which place meeting with the preparing vessels they rise into the belly by the same passages and bind themselves together by nervous fibers even to the inner capacity of the belly from whence turning backe they forsake the preparing that so they may run to the bottome of the share-bone into the midst of two glandulous bodies which they call prostats scituate at the neck of the bladder that there meeting together they may grow into one passage For thus of three passages that is of the 2 leading vessels and 1 passage of the bladder there is one common one in men for the casting forth of seed and urine A Caruncle rising like a crest at the beginning of the neck of the bladder argues this uniting of the passages which receiving this same passage which is sufficiently large is oft times taken by such as are ignorant in anatomy for an unnaturall Caruncle then especially when it is swolne through any occasion These leading vessels are two in number on each side one Their action is to convey the seed made by the testicles to the Prostats and so to the necke of the bladder so to be cast forth at the common passage But if any aske whether that common passage made by the two leading vessels betweene the two glandulous bodyes be obvious to sense or no We answer it is not manifest though reason compell us to confesse that that way is perforated by reason of the speâ—maticle grosse and viscous matter carryed that way But peradventure the reason why that passage cannot be seene is because in a dead carcasse all small passages are closed and hid the heat and spirits being gone and the great appeare much lesse by reason all the perforations fade and fall into themselves Yet certainely these passage must needs be very straite even in a living man seeing that in a dead they will not admit the point of a needle Wherefore we need not feare least in searching whilest we thrust the Catheter into the bladder it penetrate into the common passage of the leading vessels which runnes within the Caruncle unlesse peradventure by some chance as a Gonnorrâ—aea or some great Phlegmon it be much dilated besides nature For I have sometimes seene such passages so open that they would receive the head of a Spatherne which thing should admonish us that in searching we take great care that we doe not rashly hurt this Caruncle for being some what rashly handled with a Catheter it casts forth blood especially if it be inflamed But also the concourse of the spirits flowing with great violence together with the seed much helps forward such ejaculation thereof performed through these straite passages by the power of the imaginative faculty in the Act of generation After the leading vessels follow the Prostatae being glandulous bodyes of the same substance and temper that other Glandules are Their quantity is large enough their figure round and some what long sending forth on each side a soft production of an indifferent length They are composed of veines nerves arterics a coate which they have from the neighbouring parts and lastly their proper flesh which they have from their first conformation They are two in number scituate at the roote of the necke of the bladder some what straitly bound or tyed to the same to the leading vessels and the parts annexed to them But alwaies observe that every part which enjoyes nourishment life and sense either first or last hath connexion with the principall parts of the body by the intercourse of the vessels which they receive from thence The use of the Prostats is to receive in their proper body the seed laboured in the testicles and to containe it there untill it be troublesome either in quantity or quality or both Besides they containe a certaine oily and viscide humor in their glandulous body that continually distilling into the passage of the urine it may preserve it from the acrimony and sharpnesse thereof But wee have observed also on each side other Glandules which Rondeletius calls Appendices glandylosae Glandulous dependances to arise from these Prostats in which also their is seed reserved The 10. figure where in those things shewed in the former figure are more exactly set forth aa A part of the Midriffe and of the Peritonaum with the ribs broken bb cc The Convex or gibbous part of the Liver marked with bb the hollow or concavous part with cc. d e The right and left ligaments of the Liver f The trunke of the gate veire g The trunke of the hollov veine h l The fatty veines both left and right i The ascent of the great â—â—ery above the hollow veine and the division thereof k The Caliacall artery n n The emulgent vessels oo pp The fat tunicles or coates torne from both the kidneys qq The ureters that goe unto the bladder t u. The right spermaticall veine which ariseth neare to u. x y. The double originall of the left spermaticall veine x. from the emulgent y from the hollow veine α The originall of the spermaticall arteries β Certaine branches from the spermaticke arteries which runne unto the Peritonaeum γ The passage of the spermaticall vessels through the productions of the Peritonaeum which must be observed by such as use to cut for the Rupture δ The spirie bodden bodies entrance into the testicle it is called Corpus varicosum pyramidale The Parastatae ζ The stone or testicle covered with his inmost coate 〈◊〉 The descent of the leading vessell called Vas deferens V y. The Bladder * The right gut ξ The glandules called prostatae into which the leading vessels are inserted Ï The muscle of the bladder Ï‚Ï„Ï… Two bodies of the yard 〈◊〉 and Ï„ and ν his vessels φχ. The coat of the Testicle 〈◊〉 The muscle of the Testicle ψ. his vessels ω. CHAP. XXX Of the Vreters NOw it seemes sit to speak of the Vreters bladder and parts belonging to the bladder Therefore the Vreters are of a spermaticke white dense and solid substance or
flesh and cicatrized which doth not seldome happen in opening of Arteries unskilfully performed and negligently cured therefore Aneurismaes are absolutely made by the Anastomasis springing breaking Erosion and wounding of the Arteries These happen in all parts of the body but more frequently in the throat especially in women after a painfull travaile For when as they more strongly strive to hold their breath for the more powerfull expulsion of the birth it happens that the Artery is di ated and broken whence followes an effusion of bloud and spirits under the skin The signes are a swelling one while great another small with a pulsation and a colour not varying from the native constitution of the skinne It is a soft tumor and so yeelding to the impression of the fingers that if it peradventure be small it wholy vanisheth the Arterious bloud and spirits flying backe into the body of the Artery but presently assoone as you take your fingers away they returne againe with like celerity Some Aneurismaes doe not onely when they are pressed but also of themselves make a sensible hissing if you lay your eare neare to them by reason of the motion of the vitall spirit rushing with great violence through the straitnes of the passage Wherefore in Aneurismaes in which there is a great rupture of the Artery such a noyse is not heard because the spirit is carryed through a larger passage Great Aneâ—rismaes under the Arme pits in the Groines and in other parts wherein there are large vessells admit no cure because so great an eruption of blood and spirit often followes uppon such an incision that death prevents both art and Cure Which I observed a few yeares agoe in a certaine preist of Saint Andrewes of the Arches M. Iohn Maillet dwelling with the chiefe President Christopher de Thou Who having an Aneurisma at the setting on of the shoulder about the bignes of a Wall-nut I charged him hee should not let it be opened for if it did it would bring him into manifest danger of his life and that it would be more safe for him to breake the violence thereof with double clothes steeped in the juyce of Night-shade and Houselike with new and whayey cheese mixt therewith Or with Vnguentum de Bolo or Emplastrum contra rupturam and such other refrigerating and astringent medicines if hee would lay upon it a thin plate of Lead and would use shorter breeches that his doublet might serve to hold it too to which hee might fasten his breeches instead of a swathe and in the meane time he should eschew all things which attenuate and inflame the blood but especially he should keepe himselfe from all great straining of his voyce Although he had used this Diet for a yeare yet he could not so handle the matter but that the tumor increased which he observing goes to a Barber who supposing the tumor to be of the kinde of vulgar inpostumes applies to it in the Evening a Causticke causing an Eschar so to open it In the Morning such an abundance of blood flowed forth from the tumor being opened that he therewith astonished implores all possible ayde and bidds that I should be called to stay this his great bleeding and he repented that he had not followed my directions Wherefore I am called but when I was scarce over the thre should he gave up his ghost with his blood Wherefore I diligently admonish the young Chirurgion that hee do not rashly open Aneurismas unlesse they be small in anignoble part and not indued with large vessells but rather let him performe the cure after this manner Cut the skinne which lyes over it untill the Artery appeare and then separate it with your knife from the particles about it then thrust a blunt and crooked needle with a thred in it under it binde it then cut it off and so expect the falling off of the thred of it selfe whiles nature covers the orifices of the cut Artery with new flesh then the residue of the cure may be performed after the manner of simple wounds The Aneurismaes which happen in the internall parts are uncurable Such as frequently happen to those who have often had the unction and sweat for the cure of the French disease because the blood being so attenuated and heated therewith that it cannot be contayned in the receptacles of the Artery it distends it to that largenesse as to hold a mans fist Which I have observed in the dead body of a certaine Taylor who by an Aneurisma of the Arâ—erious veine suddenly whilest hee was playing at Tennis fell downe dead the vessell being broken his body being opened I found a great quantity of blood powred forth into the Capacity of the Chest but the body of the Artery was dilated to that largenesse I formerly mentioned and the inner Coate thereof was bony For which cause within a while after I shewed it to the great admiration of the beholders in the Physitions Schole whilest I publiquely dissected a body there the whilst he lived said he felt a beating and a great heate over all his body by the force of the pulsation of all the Arteryes by occasion whereof hee often swounded Doctor Syluius the Kings professor of Physicke at that time forbad him the use of Wine and wished him to vse boyled water for his drinke and Crudds and new Cheeses for his meate and to apply them in forme of Cataplasmes upon the grieved and swolne part At night he used a ptisan of Barley meale and Poppy-seedes and was purged now and then with a Clyster of refrigerating and emollient things or with Cassia alone by which medicines hee said hee found himselfe much better The cause of such a bony constitution of the Arteries by Aneurismaes is for that the hot and fervid blood first dilates the Coates of an Artery then breakes them which when it happens it then borrowes from the neighbouring bodies a fit matter to restore the loosed continuity thereof This matter whilest by litle and litle it is dried and hardened it degenerats into a Gristely or else a bony substance just by the force of the same materiall and efficient causes by which stones are generated in the reines and bladder For the more terrestriall portion of the blood is dried and condensed by the power of the unnaturall heat contayned in the part affected with an Aneurismae whereby it comes to passe that the substance added to the dilated and broken Artery is turned into a body of a bony consistence In which the singular providence of nature the handmaide of God is shewed as that which as it were by making and opposing a new wall or bancke would hinder and breake the violence of the raging blood swelling with the abundance of the vitall spirits unlesse any had rather to refer the cause of that hardnesse to the continuall application of refrigerating and astringent medicines Which have power to condensate and harden as may
Spirits Therefore now wee must speake of the Spirits CHAP. X. Of the Spirits THe spirit is a subtile and Aery substance raised from the purer blood that it might be a vehicle for the faculties by whose power the whole body is governed to all the parts and the prime instrument for the performance of their office For they being destitute of its sweet approch doe presently cease from action and as dead do rest from their accustomed labours From hence it is that making a variety of Spirits according to the number of the faculties they have divided them into three as one Animall another Vitall another Naturall The Animall hath taken his seate in the braine for there it is prepared and made that from thence conveyed by the Nerves is may impart the power of sence and Motion to all the rest of the members An argument heereof is that in the great Cold of Winter whether by the intercepting them in their way or by the concretion or as it were freezing of those spirits the joynts grow stiffe the hands numme and all the other parts are dull destitute of their accustomed a gillity of motion and quicknesse of sense It is called Animall not because it is the Life but the cheife and prime instrument thereof wherfore it hath a most subtile and Aery substance and enjoyes divers names according to the various condition of the Sensoryes or seates of the senses into which it enters for that which causeth the sight is named the Visive you may see this by night rubbing your eyes as sparkling like fire That which is conveyed to the Auditorie passage is called the Auditive or Hearing That which is carried to the Instruments of Touching is termed the Tactive and so of the rest This Animall spirit is made and laboured in the windings and foldings of the veines and Arteryes of the braine of an exquisite subtile portion of the vitall brought thither by the Carotidae Arteriae or sleepy Arteryes and sometimes also of the pure aire or sweete vapour drawne in by the Nose in breathing Hence it is that with Ligatures we stoppe the passage of this spirit from the parts we intend to cut off An Humor which obstructs or stopps its passage doth the like in Apoplexies and Palsies whereby it happens that the members scituate under that place doe languish and seeme dead sometimes destitute of motion sometimes wanting both sence and motion The Vitall spirit is next to it in dignitie and excellency which hath its cheife mansion in the left ventricle of the Heart from whence through the Channells of the Arteryes it flowes into the whole body to nourish the heate which resides fixed in the substance of each part which would perish in short time unlesse it should be refreshed by heat flowing thither together with the spirit And because it is the most subtile next to the Animall Nature lest it should vanish away would have it conteined in the Nervous coat of an Artery which is five time more thicke than the Coate of the veines as Galen out of Herophilus hath recorded It is furnished with matter from the subtile exhalation of the blood and that aire which we draw in breathing Wherefore it doth easily and quickly perish by immoderate dissipations of the spirituous substance and great evacuations so it is easily corrupted by the putrifaction of Humors or breathing in of pestilent aire and filthy vapours which thing is the cause of the so suddaine death of those which are infected with the Plague This spirit is often hindred from entring into some part by reason of obstruction fulnesse or great inflammations whereby it followes that in a short space by reason of the decay of the fixed and inbred heat the parts doe easily fall into a Gangrene and become mortified The Naturall spirit if such there be any hath its station in the Liver and Veines It is more grosse and dull than the other and inferior to them in the dignitie of the Action and the excellencie of the use The use thereof is to helpe the concoction both of the whole body as also of each severall part and to carry blood and heate to them Besides those already mentioned there are other spirits fixed and implanted in the simular and prime parts of the body which also are naturall and Natives of the same place in which they are seated and placed And because they are also of an Aery and fiery nature they are so joyned or rather united to the Native heate that they can no more be separated from it than flame from heate wherefore they with these that flow to them are the principall Instruments of the Actions which are performed in each severall part And these fixed spirits have their nourishment and maintenance from the radicall and first-bred moisture which is of an Aery and oyly substance and is as it were the foundation of these Spirits and the inbred heat Therefore without this moisture no man can live a moment But also the Cheife Instruments of life are these Spirits together with the native heate Wherefore this radicall Moisture being dissipated and wasted which is the seate fodder and nourishment of the Spirits and heate how can they any longer subsist and remaine Therefore the consumption of the naturall heate followeth the decay of this sweet and substance-making moisture and consequently death which happens by the dissipating and resolving of naturall heate But since then these kinde of Spirits with the naturall heate is conteined in the substance of each simular part of our body for otherwise it could not persist it must necessarily follow that there be as many kinds of fixed Spirits as of simular parts For because each part hath its proper temper and encrease it hath also its proper spirit and also it s owne proper fixed and implanted heat which heere hath its abode as well as its Originall Wherefore the spirit and heate which is seated in the bone is different from that which is impact into the substance of a Nerve Veine or such other simular part because the temper of these parts is different as also the mixture of the Elements from which they first arose and sprung up Neither is this contemplation of spirits of small account for in these consist all the force and efficacy of our Nature These being by any chance dissipated or wasted wee languish neither is any health to be hoped for the floure of life withering and decaying by litle and litle Which thing ought to make us more diligent to defend them against the continuall effluxe of the threefold substance For if they be decayed there is left no proper Indication of curing the disease so that we are often constrained all other care laid aside to betake our selves to the restoring and repayring the decayed powers Which is done by meats of good juyce easie to be concocted and distributed good Wines and fragrant smells
in them as in the perfection of Arte the Rules which may be prescribed to preserve health are contained But Galen in another place hath in 4. words comprehended these things not Naturall as things Taken Applyed Expelled and to be Done Things Taken are those which are put into the body either by the mouth or any other way as the Aire meate and drinke Things Applyed are these which must touch the body as the Aire now mentioned affecting the body with a diverse touch of its qualityes of heat cold moysture or drynesse Expelled are what things soever being unprofitable are generated in the body and require to be expelled To be Done are labour rest sleepe watching and the like We may more distinctly and by expression of proper names revoke all these things to sixe which are Aire Meat and Drinke Labour and Rest Sleepe and Watching Repletion and Inanition or things to be expelled or retained and kept Perturbations of the Minde CHAP. XIII Of the Aire AIre is so necessary to life that we cannot live a moment without it if so be that breathing and much more transpiration be not to be separated from life Wherefore it much conduceth to know what Aire is wholsome what unwholsome and which by contrariety of qualities fights for the Patient against the disease or on the contrary by a similitude of qualities shall nourish the disease that if it may seeme to burden the Patient by increasing or adding to the disease we may correct it by Arte. So in curing the wounds of the head especially in Winter we labour by all the means we may to make the aire warme For cold is hurtfull to the Braine Bones and the wounds of these parts and heat is comfortable and friendly But also the aire being drawne into the body by breathing when it is hotter than ordinarie doth with a new warmth overheate the heart lungs and spirits and weaken the strength by the dissipation of the spirits too much attenuated so being too cold in like manner the strength of the faculties faints and growes dull either by suppression of the vapoures or by the inspissation or thickning of the spirits Therefore to conclude that Aire is to be esteemed healthfull which is cleere subtile and pure free and open on every side and which is farre remote from all carrion-like smells of dead carkasses or the stench of any putrifying thing whatsoever the which is farre distant from standing pooles and fennes and caves sending forth strong and ill vapours neither too cloudy nor moist by the nearenesse of some river Such an Aire I say if it have a vernall temper is good against all diseases That aire which is contrary to this is altogether unhealthfull as that which is putrid shut up and prest by the straitnesse of neighbouring mountaines infected with some noysome vapour And because I cannot prosecute all the conditions of aires fit for the expelling of all diseases as which are almost infinite it shall suffice here to have set downe what we must understand by this word Aire Physitions commonly use to understand three things by the name of Aire The present state of the Aire The Region in which wee live and the season of the yeare Wee spoke of this last when wee treated of Temperaments Wherefore wee will now speake of the two former The present state of the Aire one while for some small time is like the Spring that is temperate otherwhiles like the Summer that is hot and drie otherwhiles like the Winter that is cold and moist and sometimes like the Autumne which is unequall and this last constitution of the Aire is the cause of many diseases When upon the same day it is one while hot another cold we must expect Autumnall diseases These tempers and varieties of constitutions of the Aire are chiefely and principally stirred up by the windes as which being diffused over all the Aire shew no small force by their sodaine change Wherefore we will briefly touch their natures That which blowes from the East is called the East-winde and is of a hot and drie nature and therefore healthfull But the Westerne winde is cold and moist and therefore sickly The South winde is hot and moist the Author of putrifaction and putride diseases The North winde is cold and drie therefore healthy wherefore it is thought if it happen to blow in the dogge-dayes that it makes the whole yeare healthfull and purges and takes away the seedes of putrifaction if any chance to be in the aire But this description of the foure windes is then onely thought to be true if we consider the windes in their owne proper nature which they borrow from these Regions from which they first proceede For otherwise they affect the aire quite contrarie according to the disposition of the places over which they came as snowie places Seaes Lakes Rivers Woods or sandy plaines from whence they may borrow new qualities with which they may afterwards possesse the aire and so consequently our bodies Hence it is we have noted the Westerne winde unwholsome and breeding diseases by reason of the proper condition of the Region from whence it came and such that is cold and moist the Gasconies finde it truly to their so great harme that it seldome blowes with them but it brings some manifest and great harme either to their bodies or fruits of the earth And yet the Greekes and Latines are wont to commend it for healthfulnesse more than the rest But also the rising and setting of some more eminent stars doe often cause such cold windes that the whole aire is cooled or infected with some other maligne qualitie For vapours and exhalations are often raised by the force of the stars from whence windes cloudes stormes whirlewindes lightnings thunders haile snow raine earthquakes inundations and violent raging of the sea have their original The exact contemplation of which things although it be proper to Astronomers Cosmographers and Geographers yet Hippocrates could not omit it but that he must speake somthing in his book De aëre aquis where he touches by the way the description of the neighbouring Regions and such as hee knew From this force of the aire either hurtfull or helping in diseases came that famous observation of Gnido of Caulias That wounds of the head are more difficult to cure at Paris than at Avignion and the plaine contrarie of wounds of the legges for the aire of Paris compared to that of Avignion is cold and moist wherefore hurtfull and offensive to the wounds of the head On the contrary the same aire because it obscures the spirits incrassates the bloud condensates the humors and makes them lesse fit for defluxions makes the wounds of the legges more easie to be healed by reason it hinders the course of the humors by whose defluxion the cure is hindered But it is manifest that hot and drie places make a greater dissipation of the naturall heate
the Winter season we are troubled with the cold and moist aire and at the same time have much heate inwardly for the inner parts according to Hippocrates are naturally most hot in the Winter and the Spring but feaverish in Summer so the heat of Summer is to be tempered by the use of cold and moist things and much drinke In the temperate Spring all things must be moderate but in Autumne by little and little we must passe from our Summer to our Winter diet CHAP. XV. Of Motion and Rest HEre Physitians admonish us that by the name of Motion we must understand all sorts of exercises as walking leaping running riding playing at tennis carrying a burden and the like Friction or rubbing is of this kinde which in times past was in great use and esteeme neither at this day is it altogether neglected by Physitians They mention many kinds of it but they may be all reduced to three as one gentle another hard a third indifferent and that of the whole body or onely of some part thereof The friction is called hard which is made by the rough or strong pressure of the hands spunges or a course and new linnen cloth it drawes together condensates bindes and hardens the flesh yet if it bee often and long used at length it rarifies dissolves attenuates and diminishes the flesh and any other substance of the body and also it causeth revulsion and drawes the defluxion of humors from one part to another The gentle friction which is performed by the light rubbing of the hand and such like doth the contrarie as softens relaxes and makes the skinne smooth and unwrinckled yet unlesse it be long continued it doth none of these worthy to be spoken of The indifferent kinds consisting in the meane betwixt the other two increaseth the flesh swells or puffes up the habite of the body because it retaines the bloud and spirits which it drawes and suffers them not to be dissipated The benefit of exercise is great for it increases naturall heate whereby better digestion followes and by that meanes nourishment and the expulsion of the excrements and lastly a quicker motion of the spirits to performe their offices in the bodie all the wayes and passages being cleansed Besides it strengthens the respiration and the other actions of the body confirmes the habite and all the limbes of the body by the mutuall attrition of the one with the other whereby it comes to passe they are not so quickly wearied with labour Hence we see that Country people are not to be tired with labour If any will reape these benefits by exercise it is necessary that he take opportunity to beginne his exercise and that he seasonably desist from it not exercising himselfe violently and without discretion but at certaine times according to reason Wherefore the best time for exercise will be before meate that the appetite may be encreased by augmenting the naturall heate all the excrements being evacuated lest nature being hungry and empty doe draw and infuse the ill humors contained in the guts and other parts of the body into the whole habite the liver and other noble parts Neither is it fit presently after meate to runne into exercise left the crude humors and meats not well concocted be carried into the veines The measure and bounds of exercise must be when the body appeares more full the face lookes red sweat beginnes to breake forth we breathe more strongly and quicke and begin to grow weary if any continue exercise longer stifnesse and wearinesse assayles his joints and the body flowing with sweate suffers a losse of the spirituous and humid substance which is not easily repaired by which it becomes more cold and leane even to deformitie The qualitie of exercise which we require is in the midst of exercise so that the exercise must be nether too slow and idle neither too strong nor too weake neither too hasty nor remisse but which may move all the members alike Such exercise is very fit for sound bodies But if they be distempered that sort of exercise is to be made choise of which by the qualitie of its excesse may correct the distemper of the body and reduce it to a certaine mediocritie Wherefore such men as are stuffed with cold grosse and viscous humors shall hold that kinde of exercise most fit for them which is more laborious vehement strong and longer continued Yet so that they doe not enter into it before the first and second concoction which they may know by the yellownesse of their urine But let such as abound with thinne and cholericke humors chuse gentle exercises and such as are free from contention not expecting the finishing of the second concoction for the more acride heate of the solid parts delights in such halfe concocted juices which otherwise it would so burne up all the glutinous substance thereof being wasted that they could not be adjoyned or fastened to the parts For the repeating or renewing of exercise the body should bee so often exercised as there is a desire to eate For exercise stirres up and revives the heate which lies-buried and hid in the body For digestion cannot be well performed by a sluggish heate neither have we any benefit by the meate we eate unlesse wee use exercise before The last part of exercise begun and performed according to reason is named the ordering of the body which is performed by an indifferent rubbing and drying of the members that so the sweat breaking forth the filth of the body and such excrements lying under the skinne may be allured and drawne out and also that the members may be freed from stifnesse and wearinesse At this time it is commonly used by such as play at tennis But as many and great commodities arise from exercise conveniently begunne and performed so great harme proceeds of idlenesse for grosse and vicious juyces heaped up in the body commonly produce crudities obstructions stones both in the reines and bladder the Goute Apoplexie and a thousand other diseases CHAP. XVI Of Sleepe and Watching THat this our speech of Sleepe and Watching which we now intend may be more plaine we will briefely declare what commoditie or discommoditie they bring what time and what houre is convenient for both what the manner of lying must bee and the choise thereof what the dreames in sleeping and what paines or heavinesse and cheerefulnesse after sleepe may portend Sleepe is nothing else than the rest of the whole body and the cessation of the Animall facultie from sense and motion Sleepe is caused when the substance of the braine is possessed and after some sort overcome and dulled by a certaine vaporous sweete and delightsome humidity or when the spirits almost exhaust by performance of some labour cannot any longer sustaine the weight of the body but cause rest by a necessary consequence by which meanes nature may produce other from the
by Galen in the place before mentioned Cacochymia that is an evill juyce whether the Repletion proceede of a Cholericke Melancholicke Phlegmaticke or serous humor Now Inanition or evacuation is no other thing than the expulsion or effusion of humors which are troublesome either in quantitie or qualitie Of evacuations some are universall which expell superfluous humors from the whole body such are purging vomiting transpiration sweats phlebotomie Some particular which are performed onely to evacuate some part as the braine by the nose palate eyes eares the lungs by the weazon the stomacke by vomite and stoole the guts by stoole the liver and the spleene by urine and ordure These evacuations are sometimes performed by nature freeing it selfe of that which is troublesome to it otherwhiles by the Art of the Physition in imitation of nature And againe one of these is good and requisite when onely the humor which is hurtfull either in quantitie or qualitie is evacuated The other not requisite or immoderate when the profitable humors together with the unprofitable are expclled But what evacuations soever these be they are performed and done either by the scratching and rubbing of the skinne as when a cholericke salt or serous humor or some windinesse lying betweene the skinne and the flesh cause itehing For by scratching the skinne it gets passage out which is manifest by the effluxe of a serous matter burning or causing scabbs and ulcers if the humor be somewhat grosse but insensible and not so manifest if it be windinesse the skinne by that rubbing being rarefied and the grosse flatulency attenuated Wherefore they doe ill who hinder their Patients from scratching unlesse they scratch so cruelly and hard that there may bee danger by reason of the great heate and paine thereby caused of some defluxion or falling downe of humors into the part Or these evacuations are performed by much matter evacuated frow an opened Bile or running ulcer a Fistula or such like sores Or by sweats which are very good and healthfull especially in sharpe diseases if they proceede from the whole body and happen on the criticall dayes By vomit which often violently drawes these humors from the whole body even from the utmost joints which purging medicins could not evacuate as wee may see in the Palsie and Sciatica or Hip-goute By spitting as in all who are suppurated either in the sides or lungs By Salivation or a Flegmaticke fluxe by the mouth as in those who are troubled with the French Pockes By sneesing and blowing the nose for by these the braine opprest with moisture disburdeneth its selfe whether it be done without or with the helpe of sternutatories and errhines wherefore children and such as have somewhat moist braines purge themselves often this way By hicket and belching for by these the windinesse contained in the stomacke is often expelled By urine for by this not onely Feavers but which is more to bee admired the French-Pockes hath often beene terminated and cured For there have beene some troubled with the Pockes in whom a fluxe of the vicious and venenate humor could not by unctions of quicksilver be procured either from the mouth or belly yet have beene wonderfully freed by aboundance of urine both from danger of death and their disease By bleeding for nature hath often found a way for grievous diseases especially in young bodies by bleeding at the nose and by their courses in women By a â—uxe or laske purgation sweats insensible evacuation and transpiration for so tumors the matter being brought to suppuration doe sometimes vanish away and are dissolved both of their owne accord as also by dissolving or discussing medicins We doe the same by exercise diet hot-houses long sleepe waking and shedding of teares By sucking as with cupping glasses and horse-leaches in wounds made by venemous bitings In all such kinds of evacuations wee must consider three things the quantity quality and manner of evacuation As for an example when an Empyema is opened the matter which runnes out ought to bee answerable in proportion to the purulent matter which was contained in the capacity of the breasts otherwise unlesse all the matter bee emptied there may happen a râ—…e the matter should be white soft equall and nothing stinking Lastly you must let it forth not altogether and at one time but by little and little and at severall times otherwise not a little quantitie of the spirits and heate doth flow out together with the unprofitable matter and so consequently a dissolution of all the powers CHAP. XVIII Of the Perturbations or Passions of the minde THe Perturbations are commonly called the accidents of the minde because as bodily accidents from the body so may these be present and absent from the minde without the corruption of the subject The knowledge of these must not be lightly passed over by the Chirurgion for they stir up great troubles in the bodies and yeeld occasion of many great diseases of which things Ioy Hope and Love may give a apparent testimony For by these motions the heate and spirits are sometimes gently sometimes violently diffused over all the body for the enjoying of the present or hoped for good For then the heart is dilated as to embrace the thing beloved and the face is died with a rosy and lively colour For it is likely that the facultie it selfe is stirred by the object by whose power the heart it selfe is moved For it is first necessary before wee be moved by any Passions that the senses in their proper seates in which they are seldome deceived apprehend the objects and strait as messengers carrie them to the common sense which sends their conceived formes to all the faculties And then that each facultie as a Iudge may a fresh examine the whole matter how it is and conceive in the presented objects some shew of good or ill to bee desired or shunned For what man that was well in his wits did ever fall into a laughter unlesse he formerly knew or saw somewhat said or done which might yeeld occasion of laughter Therefore Ioy proceeds from the heart for the thing causing mirth or joy being conceived the facultie moves the heart which shaken and moved by the faculty which hath dominion over it is dilated and opened as ready to embrace the exhilarating object But in the meane time by the force of that dilatation it sends forth much heate and spirits together with the bloud into all the body A great part of which comming to the face dilates it the forehead is smooth and plaine the eyes looke bright the cheekes become red as died with Vermilion the lips and mouth are drawen together and made plaine and smoth some have their cheekes dented with two little pits which from the effects are called laughing cheekes because of the contraction or curling which the muscles suffer by reason of their fulnesse of bloud and spirits all which to be briefe
implicite or mixed diseases we may draw Indications from these 3. heades From that which is most urgent From the cause and From that without which the disease can not be taken away such are Bitternesse of paine a defluxion into a part a Varix or bigge swollen veine a distemperature if they be joyned with a disease Cause of the disease which two oftē indicate require medicines contrary to the disease Symptomes CHAP. XXIII Of certaine wonderfull and extravagant wayes of Curing diseases AS Monsters sometimes happen in nature so also in diseases and in the events and cures of diseases I understand by monsters certaine marvellous successes in diseases or certaine wayes of curing them which swarve from Arte and happen besides reason nature and common use Alexander ab Alexandro and Peter Gilius tell that in Apulia a part of Italy they have a certaine kind of Spider very frequent the natives call it Tarentula Petrus Rhodius calls it Phalangium The Inhabitants finde these Spiders in the first heate of Summer so venenate and deadly that whomsoever they touch with their virulent biting he presently without he have speedy remedy deprived of all sense and motion falls downe or certainely if he escape the danger of death he leades the remnant of his life in madnesse Experience hath found a remedy by Musicke for this so speedy and deadly a disease Wherefore as soone as they can they fetch Fidlers and Pipers of divers kinds who by playing and piping may make Musicke at the hearing whereof he which was fallen downe by reason of the venemous bite rises cheerfully and dances so long to their measures and tunes untill by the painfull continued shaking and agitation of the whole body all the malignity is dissipated by transpiration and sweates Alexander adds that it happened once in his sight that the Musitions their winde hands failing them ceased playing and then the Danser presently fell downe as if hee had beene dead But by and by the Musicke beginning anew he rise up againe and continued his dansing till the perfect dissipation of the venome And that it hath happened besides that one not so perfectly healed certaine reliques of the disease yet remaining when a long time after he heard by chance a noise of Musitions he presently fell a leaping and dansing neither could he be made to leave before he was perfectly cured Some affirme according to the opinion of Asclepiades that such as are Franticke are much helped with a sweet and Musicall harmony Theophrastus and Aulus Gellius say that the paine of the Goute and Sciatica are taken away by Musicke And the Sacred Scripture testifies that David was wont by the sweet sound of the Harpe to refresh and ease King Saul when he was miserablely tormented by his evill spirit Herodotus in Clio tells that Craesus the King of Lydia had a Sonne which of a long time could not speake and when hee came to mans estate was accounted dumbe but when an Enemie with his drawne sword invaded his father overcome in a great fight and the City being take in which hee was not knowing that hee was the King the young man opened his mouth endeavoring to cry out and with that striving and forcing of the Spirit hee broke the bonds and hinderances of his tongue and spoke plainely and Articulately crying out to the Enemie that hee should not kill King Craesus So both the Enemie withheld his sword and the King had his life and his Sonne had his speech alwayes after Plutarch in his booke Of the benefit to be received from our Enemies tells that a Thessalian called Proteus had a certaine inveterate and incurable ulcer in a certaine part of his body which could not be healed before hee received a wound in a conflict in the same place and by that meanes the cure being begun afresh the wound and ulcer were both healed Quintus Fabius Maximus as Livye writes was long and very sicke of a quartaine Ague neither could have wished successe from medicines administred according to Arte untill skirmishing with the Allobroges hee shaked off his old feaverish heate by a new heate and ardent desire of fighting It was crediblely reported to me of late by a Gentleman of the Lord of Lansackes Chamber that there was a French Gentleman in Polonia who was greivously tormented with a quartaine Feaver who on a time walking upon the banke of the River Wixell to take away the irkesomenesse of his fit was thrust in jeast into the River by a friend of his that met him by chance by which although hee could swim as hee also knew that thrust him in hee conceived so great feare that the Quartaine never troubled him after King Henry the second commanded me to goe from the Campe at Amiens to the City Dorlan that I might cure those that were hurt in the conflict with the Spaniards the Captaine S. Arbin although at that time he had a fit of a quartaine ague yet would hee be present at the fight in which being shott through the side of his necke with a Bullet hee was strucken with such a terror of death that the heate of the Feaver was asswaged by the cold feare and he afterwards lived freed from his Ague Franciscus Valleriola the famous Physition of Arles tells that Iohn Berlam his fellow Citizen troubled with a Palsey of one side of his body for many yeares his house taking fire and the flame comming neere the bed in which he lay he strucken with a great feare suddenly raised himselfe with all the force hee had and presently recovering the strength of his body leapes out at the window from the top of the house and was presently cured of his disease sense and motion being restored to the part so that afterward hee went upright without any sense of paine who lay unmoveable for many yeares before Hee tells the like in the same place of his cosen Iohn Sobiratius hee was a long time lame at Auignion by reason that the nerves of his hams were shrunke and drawne up so that hee could not goe being moved with a vehement and suddaine passion of anger against one of his servants whom hee endevored to beate hee so stirred his body that forthwith the Nerves of his hams being distended and his knees made plyant hee began to goe and stand upright without any sense of paine when hee had beene crooked about the space of six yeares before and all his life after he remained sound Galen tells hee was once fetched to stanch the bleeding for one who had an Artery cut nere his ancle and that by his meanes hee was cured without any danger of an Aneurisma i a relaxation of a veinous vessell and besides by that accidentall wound hee was freed from most greivous paine of his hippe with which he was tormented for foure yeares before but although this easing of the paine of the Sciatica happened according to reason by the
little men who have a shorter Chest because the Heart is so neere as to touch the Diaphragma this Lobe is not seene yet it is alwayes found in Dogges The Lungs represent the figure or shape of an Oxes foot or hoof for like it they are thicker in their basis but slenderer in their circumference as you may see in blowing them up by the weazon with your mouth or a paire of bellowes They are compounded of a coate comming from the Pleura which on each side receives sufficient number of nerves from the sixth conjugation and also of the Vena arteriosa comming from the right ventricle of the heart and the Arteria venosa from the left as shall be shewed in the Anatomy of the heart besides the Aspera arteria or Weazon coming from the throat and lastly its owne flesh which is nothing else than the concretion of cholerick blood poured out like foame about the divisions of the fore-said vessels as we have said of other parts The body of the Lungs is one in number unlesse you will divide it into two by reason of the variety of its site because the Lobes of the Lungs stretched forth into the right left side doe almost involve all the heart that so they may defend it against the hardnes of the bones which are about it they are tyed to the heart cheifly at its basis but to the roots of the ribs and their vertebra's by the coat it hath from thence but by the vessels to these parts from whence they proceed But oft times presently from the first and naturall conformation they are bound to the circumference of the ribs by certaine thin membranous productions which descend from thence to the Lungs otherwaies they are tyed toe the ribs by the Pleura The nourishment of the Lungs is unlike to the nourishment of other parts of the body for you cannot find a part equally rare light and full of aire which may be nourished with blood equally thin and vaporous In temper they incline more to heat than to cold whether you have regard to their composure of cholerick blood or their use which is to prepare and alter the aire that it hurt not the heart by its coldnes The Lungs is the instrument of voice and breathing by the Weazon or windpipe For the Lobes are the instruments of voice and the ligaments of respiration But the Larinx or Throtle is the chiefe instrument of the voice for the Weazon first prepares the voice for the Throtle in which it being in some measure formed is perfected in the Pallate of the mouth as in the upper part of a lute or such like instrument by the help of the Gargareon or uvula as a certaine quill to play withall But as long as one holds his breath he cannot speak for then the muscles of the Larinx Ribs the Diaphragma and the Epigastrick muscles are pressed downe whence proceeds a suppression of the vocall matter which must be sent forth in making or uttering a voice Nature would have the Lungs light for many reasons the first is that seeing they are of themselves immoveable they might be more obsequious and ready to follow the motion of the chest for when it is straitened the Lungs are straitened and subside with it and when it is dilated they also are dilated and swell so big that they almost fill up all the upper capacity thereof Another cause is that by this their rarity they might more easily admit the entring Aire at such times as they have much or suddaine necessity as in running a race And lastly that in Pleurisies and other purnient abscesses of the Chest the Pus or matter poured forth into the capacity of the Chest may be suckt in by the rare substance of the Lungs and by that meanes the sooner sent forth and expectorated The use of respiration is to coole and temper the rageing heat of the Heart For it is cooled in drawing in the breath by the coole aire and in sending out thereof by avoiding the hot fuliginous vapour Therefore the Chest performes two contrary motions for whilest it is dilated it drawes in the encompassing aire and when it is depressed it expels the fuliginous vapour of the Heart which any one may easily perceive by the example of a paire of Smithes bellowes CHAP. X. Of the Pericardium or purse of the Heart THe Pericardium is as it were the house of the Heart which ariseing at the basis thereof either the ligaments of the vertebra's situate there or els the vessels of the heart yeilding it matter is of a nervous thick and dense substance without any fibers It retaines the figure of the Heart and leaves an empty space for the heart to performe its proper motions Wherefore the bignes of the Pericardium exceeds that of the heart It consists of a double coate one proper of which wee have spoken another common coming from the pleura and also of veines arteries and nerves the vessels partly comming from the mamillary partly from the Diaphragma chiefly there where it touches it the nerves come on each side from the sixt conjugation It is onely one placed about the heart and annexed to it at the Basis thereof by its membranes to the originall of the Lungs and the vertebra's lying under them and by the vessels to the parts from whence it received them It is of a cold and dry temper as every membrane is The use thereof is to cover the heart and preserve it in its native humidity by a certaine naturall moysture contained in it unles you had rather say that the moisture we see contained in the Pericardium is generated in it after death by the condenfation and concretion of the spirits Although this seemes not very likely because it growes and is heaped up in so great quantity in liveing bodyes that it hinders the motion of the heart and causes such palpitation or violent beating thereof that it often suffocates a man For this Palpitation happens also to hearty and stout men whose harts are hot but blood thin and waterish by reason of some infirmity of the stomack or Liver and this humour may be generated of vapours which on every side exhale into the pericardium from the blood boileing in the ventricules of the heart where kept in by the density thereof they turne into yellowish moisture as we see it happens in an Alembeck Nature would have the pericardium of a dense and hard consistence that by the force thereof the heart might bee kept in better state for if the Pericardium had beene bony it would have made the heart like iron by the continuall attrition on the contrary if it had beene soft and fungous it would have made it spongy and soft like the Lungs CHAP. XXX Of the Heart THe Heart the chiefe mansion of the Soule the organe of the vitall faculty the beginning of life the fountaine of the vitall
spirits so consequently the continuall nourisher of the vitall heate the first living and last dying which because it must have a naturall motion of it self was made of a dense solide and more compact substance than any other part of the body The flesh thereof is woven with three sorts of fibers for it hath the right in the inner part descending from the basis into the point that they might dilate it and so draw the blood from the hollow veine into the receptacles thereof and the breath or aire from the lungs by the Arteria venosa it hath the transverse without which passe through the right at right angles to contract the Heart and so drive the vitall spirits into the great Artery Aorta and the cholericke blood to the Lungs by the vena arteriosa for their nourishment It hath the oblique in the midst to containe the Aire and blood drawne thither by the forementioned vessels untill they be sufficiently claborate by the heart All these fibers doe their parts by contracting themselues towards their originall as the right from the point of the heart towards the basis whereby it comes to passe that by this contraction of the fibers the heart dilated becomes shorter but broader no otherwise than it is made more long and narrow by the contraction of the transverse but by the drawing of the oblique it is lessened in that part which lookes towards the vertebra's which chiefly appeares in the point thereof It is of an indifferent bignes but yet in some bigger in some lesse according to the diverse temper of Cold or hot men as wee noted in the liver The figure thereof is Pyramidall that is it is broader in the basis and narrower at his round point It is composed of the most dense flesh of all the body by the affusion of blood at the divisions and foldings of the vessels and there concrete as it happens also to the other Entrailes For the blood being there a litle more dryed than that which is concrete for the making of the Liver turnes into a fleshy substance more dense than the common flesh even as in hollow ulcers when they come to a cicatrize It hath the Coronall veines and arteryes which it receives either on the right side from the hollow veine or on the left from the basis at the entranc of the Artery Aorta You cannot by your Eye discerne that the Heart hath any other Nerves than those which come to it with the Pleura Yet I have plainely enough observed others in certaine beasts which have great Hearts as swine they appeared seated under the fat which covers the vessels and basis of the heart lest the humid substance of these parts should be dissolved and dissipated by the burning heat of the Heart Whereby you may perceive that the heat of the heart is different from the Elementary heat as that which suffers fat to grow about this Entraile where otherwise it doth not concrete unlesse by cold or a remisse heat which thing is chiefly worth admiration The Heart is one alone scituate most commonly upon the fourth Vertebra of the Chest which is in the midst of the Chest Yet some thinke that it inclines some-what to the left side because we there feele the motion or beating thereof but that happens by reason of its left ventricle which being it is filled with many spirits and the beginning of the arteryes it beats far more vehemently than the right It required that seat by the decree of Nature because that Region is the most safe and armed and besides it is here on every side covered as it were with the hands of the Lungs It hath connexion with the fore mentioned Vertebra's but by the parts composeing it with those parts from whence it hath them with the Lungs by the Vena arteriosa and the Arteria venosa and lastly with all the parts of the body by the Arteries which it sends to them all It is of a hot and moist temper as every fleshy part is The action thereof is first to prepare the blood in its right ventricle for the fit nourishment of the Lungs for from hence it is that Galen saith this right ventricle was made for the necessity of the lungs Secondly to generate the vitall spirits in its left ventricle for the use of the whole body But this spirit is nothing els than a certaine middle substance between aire and blood fit to preserve and carry the native heat wherefore it is named the vitall as being the author and preserver of life In the inner parts of the heart there present themselves to our consideration the ventricles and the parts contained in the ventricles and between them such are the Valvulae or valves the vessels and their mouthes their distribution into the lungs the wall or partition and the two productions or Eares of the heart which because they are doubtfull whether they may be reckoned amongst the externall or internall parts of the heart I will here handle in the first place Therefore these Auriculae or Eares are of a soft and nervous substance compact of three sorts of fibers that so by their softnesse they might the more easily follow the motions of the heart and so breake the violence of the matters entring the heart with great force when it is dilated For otherwise by their violent and abundant entrance they might hurt the heart and as it were overwhelme and suffocate it but they have that capacity which we see given by nature that so they might as it were keep in store the blood and aire and then by litle and litle draw it forth for the use or necessity of the heart But if any enquire if such matters may be drawne into the heart by the only force of the Diastole ad fugam vacui for avoiding of emptinesse I will answere that that drawing in or attraction is caused by the heat of the heart which continually drawes these matters to it no otherwise than a fire drawes the adjacent Aire and the flame of a candle the tallow which is about the weake for nourishments sake Whilest the heart is dilated it drawes the aire whilest it is drawne togeather or contracted it expells it This motion of the heart is absolutely naturall as the motion of the Lungs is animall Some adde a third cause of the attraction of the heart to wit the similitude of the whole substance But in my judgment this rather takes place in that attraction which is of blood by the venae coronales for the proper nourishment of the heart than in that which is performed for attraction of matters for the benefit of the whole body These eares differ in quantity for the right is far more capacious than the left because it was made to receive a greater aboundance of matter They are two in number on each side one scituate at the Basis of the heart The greater at
the entrance of the hollow veine into the heart the lesse at the entrance of the veinous and of the great Artery with which parts they both have connexion We have formerly declared what use they have that is to break the violence of the matters and besides to bee stayes or props to the Arteria venosa and great Arterye which could not sustaine so rapid and violent a motion as that of the Heart by reason of their tendernesse of substance Of the ventricles of the Heart THe ventricles are in number two on each side one distinguished with a fleshy partition strong enough having many holes in the superficies yet no where pearcing through The right of these ventricles is the bigger and incompassed with the softer and rarer flesh the left is the lesser but is engirt with a threefold more dense and compact flesh for the right ventricle was made for a place to receive the blood brought by the hollow veine and for distributing of it partly by the vena arteriosa into the Lungs for their nourishment partly into the left ventricle by sweating through the wall or partition to yeild matter for the generation of the vitall spirits Therefore because it was needfull there should be so great a quantity of this blood it was likewise fit that there should be a place proportionable to receive that matter And because the blood which was to bee received in the right ventricle was more thicke it was not so needfull that the flesh to containe it should be so compact but on the contrary the arterious blood and vitall spirit have need of a more dense receptacle for feare of wasting and lest they should vanish into aire and also lesse roome that so the heat being united might become the stronger and more powerfully set upon the elaboration of the blood and spirits Therefore the right ventricle of the heart is made for the preparation of the blood appointed for the nourishment of the Lungs and the generation of the vitall spirits as the lungs are made for the mitification or quallifying of the Aire Which works were necessary if the Physicall Axiome bee true That like is nourished by like as the rare and spongious lungs with more subtle blood the substance of the heart grosse and dense with the veinous blood as it flowes from the Liver that is grosse And it hath its Cororall veines from the Hollow veine that it might thence drawe as much as should be sufficient But the left ventricle is for the perfecting of the vitall spirit and the preservation of the native heat Of the Orifices and Valves of the Heart THere be foure Orifices of the heart two in the right as many in the left ventricle the greater of the two former gives passage to the veine or the blood carried by the hollow veine to the heart the lesser opens a passage to the vena arteriosa or the cholerick blood carryed in it for the nourishment of the lungs The larger of the two other makes a way for the distribution of the Artery Aorta and the vitall spirit through all the body but the lesser gives egresse and regresse to the Arteria venosa or to the aire and fuliginous vapours And because it was convenient that the matters should bee admitted into their proper ventricles by these orifices by the Diastole to wit into the right ventricle by the greater orifice and into the left by the lesser and because on the contrary it was fit that the matters should be expelled by the systole from their ventricles by the fore-mentioned orifices Therefore nature to all these orifices hath put cleaven valves that is to say sixe in the right ventricle that there might bee three to each orifice five in the left that the greater orifice might have three and the lesser two for the reason we will presently give These valves differ many wayes first in action for some of them carry in matter to the heart others hinder that which is gone out that it come not back againe Secondly they differ in site for those which bring in have membranes without looking in those which carry out have them within looking out Thirdly in figures for those which carry in have a pyramidall figure but those which hinder the comming back againe are made in the shape of the Roman letter C. Fourthly in substance for the former for the most part are fleshy or woven with fleshy fibers into certaine fleshy knots ending towards the point of the heart The latter are wholy membranous Fiftly they differ in number for therebe only five which bring in three in the right ventricle at the greater orifice and two in the left at the lesser orifice those which prohibite the comming back are sixe in each ventricle three at each orifice Lastly they differ in motion for the fleshy ones are opened in the Diastole for the bringing in of blood and spirit and contrary wise are shut in the systole that they may containe all or the greater part of that they brought in The membranous on the contrary are opened in the systole to give passage forth to the blood and spirits over all the body but shut in the Diastole that that which is excluded might not flow backe into the Heart But you shall observe that nature hath placed onely two valves at the Orifice of the Arteria Venosa because it was needfull that this Orifice should bee alwayes open either wholy or certainely a third parte thereof that the Aire might continually be drawne into the heart by this orifice in inspiration and sent forth by exspiration in the contraction of the heart Whereby we may gather this that there is but one third part of that Aire we draw into the heart in breathing sent forth againe in the forme of vapour in exspiration because nature would have but one third part of the orifice to ly open for its passage out Therefore the exspiration or breathing out and the systole of the heart and arteryes is shorter than the inspiration so that we may truely say that the inspiration or drawing the breath in is equally so long as the exspiration is together with the rest which is in the middest between the two motions CHAP. XII Of the Distribution of the Vena arteriosa and the Arteria venosa HAving hitherto shewed the originall of each of the vessels of the Heart we must now speake of their distribution The Vena arteriosa or the arterious veine and the arteria venosa or the veinous arterie each proceeding out of his proper ventricle that is the right and left are divided into two large branches one of which goes to the right and the other to the left hand the one lying crosse wayes over the other the veine alwaies riding over the arterye as you may understand better by the sight of your eyes than by reading of bookes These branches at their
Animall Spirit and necessary sense serving the whole body and to subject it selfe as an instrument to the principall faculties as to reason The braine is twofold the fore and hinde The hinde by reason of its smallnesse is called the Cerebellum the litle or After-braine But the fore by reason of its magnitude hath retained the absolute name of the braine Againe this fore-braine is two-fold the right and left parted by that depression which wee formerly mentioned of the Meninges into the body of the braine But this division is not to be here so absolutely taken as though the Braine were exactly divided and separated into so many parts but in the sense as we say the Liver and Lungs are divided a pretty way whereas at their Basis they have one continued body The outward surface of the Braine is soft but the inward hard callous and very smooth when on the contrary the outward appeares indented and unequall with many windings and crested as it were with many wormelike foldings CHAP. VII Of the ventricles and mamillary processes of the Braine FOr the easie demonstration of the ventricles of the braine it is convenient you cut away a large portion thereof and in your cutting observe the blood sweating our of the pores of it But besides it is fit you consider the spongy substance by which the excrements of the braine are heaped up to be presently strained out and sent away by the hollow passage In the substance of the braine you must observe 4 ventricles mutually conjoined by certaine passages by which the spirits endued with the species of things sensible may goe from one into another The first and two greater one on each side are placed in the upper braine The third is under them in the middle part of the braine The fourth and last at the fore side of the Cerebellum towards the beginning of the spinall marrow The two formost are extended the length way of the braine in the forme of a semicircle whose hornes looke or bend outwards They are spacious and large because it was meet the Spirits contained there together with their excrements should be there purified and clensed but in other ventricles the pure and already elaborate spirits are onely received These ventricles are white and smooth in their inner superficies but that on each side they have an extuberancy at the midst of the semicircle scituate at the basis of the Pillar of the middle ventricle towards the nose under the Septum lucidum or cleere partition severing or parting in sunder these two ventricles This Septum lucidum or cleare or thin partition is nothing else than a portion of the braine indifferently solide but very cleere that so through this partition the animall spirits contained in these two ventricles may mutually passe and bee communicated and yet no other grosser substance may peirce the thin density thereof Wherefore it is not to be feared that the water contained in one of the ventricles may passe to the other through this partitiō as I have oft times observed to the great admiration of the spectators in the dead bodyes of such as dyed of the Palsy in which I have found the ventricle of that side which was taken with the palsy much dilated according to the quantity of the water contained therein the other being either wholy empty and without any or certainly no fuller than in any other dead through any other occasion For some affirme that there is a certaine kind of waterish moisture alwaies to be found in the ventricles which may be made by the condensation of the Animall spirits by the force of the deadly cold But these two first ventricles of the braine goe into one common passage as both the bellowes of a fornace whereby the spirit instructed with the species of things goes into the under or middle ventricle from theformer In these same first ventricles the Plexus Choroides is to be considered and in like manner the passage by which the grosser excrements are driven or sent into the pituitary Glandule The Third Figure represents the Cerebellum with the wormy processes separated from it AB The right and left part of the After-braine C D The anterior and posterior regions of the middle part of the After braine E The anterior wormy processe F The posterior wormy processe GG In this place the After-braine did grow to the spinall marrow H The cavity in the spinall marrow maketh the forth ventricle I K. The anterior and posterior processes of the braine called vermi-formes or the wormy processes This Plexus Choroides is nothing else but a production of the Pia mater diversly folded with the mutuall implication of veines and arterys woven in the forme of a net These vessels are of magnitude and capacity sufficient both to yeild life and nourishment to that particle to which they are fastened as also for the generation of the Animall spirits as which take fit matter from the veines stretched fourth into this same Plexus the hinde artery and veine Torcular and also from the aire entring into the braine by the mamillary processes But the mamillary processes are certaine common waies for conveyance of the aire and smells into the braine and carrying of excrements from the braine For thus in them who have the Catarrhe and Corizae or pose neither the aire nor smels can penetrate into the braine whence frequent sneesings ensue the braine strongly moving it selfe to the expulsion of that which is troublesome to it But of the excrements of the braine whether bred there or proceeding from some other part some are of a fumide and vaporous nature which breathe insensibly through the Sutures of the skull Others are grosse and viscide of which a great part is expelled by both these productions or through each of them For thus in the Pose you may see some who have one of their nosthrils stopt the other running and some who have both obstructed The most proper benefit of the two first ventricles of the braine is to entertaine the Phantasie as in a convenient seat and habitation seeing the minde there estimates and disposes in order the species of things brought in from the externall senses that so it may receive a true judgement of them from reason which resides in the middle ventricle The third ventricle is seated betweene the hindermost extremityes of the former ventricles and the last ventricle of the Cerebellum In this sixe parts present themselves to our consideration that is the Psalloides or Arch the Conarium or pine Glandule the Buttockes wormelike productions the Bason and passage which is from this middle into the last and hindemost ventricle The Psalloides or arch is nothing els but the cover of the middle ventricle resembling a roofe borne up with three stayes or pillars the one whereof is extended to the nose under the Septum lucidum the two other on each side one looke
next to the first passing entire forth of the skull imparts some small branches to certaine muscles of the neck and throttle and then descending into the chest it makes the recurrent nerves and dispersed over all the parts of the two lower bellyes it passes even to the bladder and testicles as wee shewed in the former booke The seventh is inserted and spent upon the muscles of the bone Hyois the tongue and some of the throtle to give them motion it passes forth of the skull by the hole of the nowle bone at the extuberancies thereof CHAP. IX Of the Rete Mirabile or wonderfull Net and of the Wedge-bone THe Animall spirit is made of the vitall sent from the heart by the internall sleepy Arteryes to the braine For it was requisite that it should be the more elaborate because the action of the Animall is more excellent than that of the vitall nature hath framed a texture of Arteryes in many places running crosse one another in the forme of a Net diverse times doubled whereupon it had the name of the wonderfull Net that so the spirit by longer delay in these Labyrinthean or maze-like turnings might be more perfectly concocted and elaborate and attaine to a greater fitnesse to performe the Animall functions This wonderfull Net scituate at the sides of the Apophyses clinoides or productions of the wedgebone is twofold that is divided by the pituitary Glandule which is scituate betweene the said Apophyses Clinoides having the wedgebone lying under them next to the Crassa Meninx being perforated on the right and left side next to which lye bones as rare as a sponge even to the Pallate by which the Phlegme is purged by the mouth and nose and therehence I thinke that spattle flowes which such as have a moist braine continually spit out of their mouth The Eight figure of the braine A The Braine B The Cerebellum or after braine C A processe of the brain but not that which is called Mammillaris D D The marrow of the backe as it is yet within the skul E The Mammillary processe or instrument of smelling F The opticke nerve G The coate of the eye into which the opticke nerve is spread H The nerve that moveth the eye or the second payre I The third conjugation or the harder and lesser branch of the nerves of the third conjugation brought forward K The fourth conjugation or the greater and thicker nerve of the third payre bending downward L A branch of the nerve marked with I which goeth to the fore-head M Another branch of the nerve I reaching to the upper jaw NN A nerve proceeding from the branch I intexed or woven with the coat of the nose O The nerve of the temporall muscle issuing from the branch I. P A nerve contorted of the nerves K and b. Q A nerve proceeding from the branch K to the sockets of the upper teeth R A nerve creeping from the nerve K to the lower jaw S. A surcle of the branch R offered to the lower lip TT Other surcles from the branch R attaining to the lower teeth VV A branch of the nerve K diffused into the coate of the tongue X X The fourth paire of sinews which goe into the coat of the pallat Y The fifth paire of sinews which are the nerves of hearing a the membrane of the eare unto which that fifth nerve goeth b c two small branches of the fifth conjugation uniting themselves with the nerve P. à the eight conjugation or a nerve of the fifth paire attaining unto the face ee the sixt paire of nerves f A branch from the nerve e reaching to the muscles of the neck g Small branches derived unto the throttle or larynx h the byfurcation of the nerve into two branches iii An inner branch hanging to the rackbones and strengthning the intercostall nerves and is therefore called Intercostalis kk Surcles of the utter branch going to the heads of the muscles to the breast-bone and to the coller-bones l m branches of the right nerve l making the right Recurrent nerve m n the insertion of the recurrent sinews into the muscles of the larinx o p branches of the left nerve making the left recurrent sinew p. qq branches from the sixt conjugation going to the coate of the lungs r small nerves of the heart and of the purse thereof called the Pericardium as also some approaching to the coats of the lungs s nerves on either side sent to the stomack t the right stomacke nerve going to the left orifice of the stomack u u the left stomack nerve going to the right orifice of the stomack x a nerve from the branch u passing into the hollownes of the liver y the nerve belonging to the right side of the kell z the nerve belonging to the collick gut α a nerve creeping to the gut called duodenum and the beginning of the ieiunum or empty gut β a nerve implanted in the right side of the bottome of the stomacke γ a nerve belonging to the liver and bladder of gall δ a nerve reaching unto the right kidney 〈◊〉 a branch reaching the Mesenterium and the guts ζ a branch sprinkled to the right part of the bladder η a branch going through the left part of the kel θα surcles derived to the collick gut and the kel χ small branches inserted into the spleen λλ a nerve approaching to the left side of the bottome of the stomack μ a branch belonging to the left side of the Mesentery and the guts ν a branch which attaineth to the left kidney ξ small nerves creeping through the left side of the bladder o the seven paire of finewes 〈◊〉 a branch derived from the sixt coniugation to the muscles which arise from the processe called Styloides 〈◊〉 a branch of the seaventh coniugation which goeth to the muscles of the tongue of the bone hyois and of the throtle or larinx 〈◊〉 A coniunction or coition of the 6. and 7. paire into one nerve These Apophyses clinoides are certaine productions of the Osbasilare or wedge-bone called the Saddle thereof between which as I said the pituitary glandule lies with part of the wonderfull net There is a great controversie amongst Anatomists concerning this part for Vesalius denies that it is in man Columbus admits it yet hee seemes to confound it with the Plexia Choroides Truely I have observed it alwayes after the manner as Sylvius alledges against Vesalius It remaines that we recite the perforations of the skull because the knowledge of these much conduces to the understanding of the insertions of the veines arteryes and nerves CHAP. X. Of the holes of the inner Basis of the Scull IN the first place are reckoned the holes of the bone Ethmoides then those of the optick nerves thirdly of the nerves moving the eyes Fourthly of that portion of the nerves of the fourth conjugation which goe to the temporall muscles Fifthly are reckoned these holes scarse visible
or Antagonist rests or keeps holieday that when that which is said to open the eye is imployed the opposite thereof resting the upper eye-lid should be drawne towards its originall as we see it happens in convulsions because the operation of a muscle is the collection of the part which it moves towards its originall Therefore seeing such a motion or collection appears not any where in the eye-lid I thinke it therefore manifest that all the motion of this upper eye-lid depends upon this broad muscle and that it alone is the author of the motion thereof The originall of this broad muscle is from the upper part of the Sternon the clavicles the shoulder blades and all the spines of the vertebra's of the neck but it is inserted into all these parts of the head which want haire and the whole face having diverse fibers from so various an originall by benifit of which it performes such manifold motions in the face for it so spreads it selfe over the face that it covers it like a vizard by reason of the variety of the originall and the production of the divers fibers of this muscle But I have not in the description of this muscle prosecuted those nine conditions which in the first booke of my anatomy I required in every part because I may seeme to have sufficiently declared them in the description of the muscles of the Epigastrium Wherfore hence forward you must expect nothing from me in the description of muscles besides their originall insertion action composition and the designation of their vessels CHAP. IIII. Of the Eye-lids and Eye-browes BEcause wee have fallne into mention of the Eye-lids and Eye-browes and because the order of dissection also requires it we must tell you what they are of what they consist and how and for what use they were framed by nature Therefore the Eye-browes are nothing els than a ranck of haires set in a semicircular forme upon the upper part of the orbe of the Eye from the greater to the lesser corner thereof to serve for an ornament of the body and a defence of the eyes against the acrimony of the sweat falling from the forehead But the Eye-lids on each side two one above and another below are nothing els than as it were certaine shuttings appointed and made to close and open the eyes when need requires and to containe them in their orbes Their composure is of a musculous skin a gristle and haires set like a pale at the sides of them to preserve the eyes when they are open chiefly against the injuries of small bodyes as motes dust such like These haires are alwaies of equall and like bignesse implanted at the edges of the gristly part that they might alwaies stand straight and stiffe out They are not thick for so they should darken the eye The gristle in which they are fastened is encompassed with the pericranium stretched so far before it produce the Coniunctiva It was placed there that when any part thereof should be drawne upwards or downewards by the force of the broad muscle or of the two proper muscles it might follow entirely and wholy by reason of its hardnes They call this same gristle especially the upper Tarsus The upper and lower eye-lid differ in nothing but that the upper hath a more manifest motion and the lower a more obscure for otherwise nature should have in vaine encompassed it with a musculous substance CHAP. V. Of the Eyes THe Eyes are the instruments of the faculty of seeing brought thither by the visive spirit of the opticke nerves as in an aqua-ducte They are of a soft substance of a large quantity being bigger or lesser according to the bignesse of the body They are seated in the head that they might overlooke the rest of the body to perceive and shum such things as might endanger or endamage the body for the action of the eyes is most quick as that which is performed in a moment which is granted to none of the other senses Wherefore this is the most excellent sense of them all For by this wee behold the fabricke and beauty of the heavens and earth distinguish the infinite varietyes of colours we perceive and know the magnitude figure number proportion site motion and rest of all bodyes The eyes have a pyramidall figure whose basis is without but the Cone or point within at the opticke nerves Nature would have them contained in a hollow circle that so by the profundity and solidity of the place they might be free from the incursions of bruising and hurtfull things They are composed of six muscles five coats three humors and a most bright spirit of which there is a perpetuall afflux from the braine two nerves a double veine and one artery besides much fat and lastly a Glandule seated at the greater angle thereof uppon that large hole which on both sides goes to the nose and that lest that the humours falling from the braine should flow by the nose into the eyes as we see it fares with those whose eyes perpetually weep or water by reason of the eating away of this glandule whence that affect is called the Fistula lachrymalis or weeping Fistula But there is much fat put between the muscles of the eye partly that the motion of the eyes might be more quick in that slipperines of the fat as also that the temper and complexion of the eyes and chiefly of their nervous parts might be more constant and lasting which otherwise by their continuall and perpetuall motion would be subject to excessive drynesse For nature for the same reason hath placed Glandules flowing with a certaine moisture neere those parts which have perpetuall agitation CHAP. VI. Of the Muscles Coats and humors of the Eye THere are sixe muscles in the eye of which foure performe the foure direct motions of the eye they arise from the bottome of the orbe and end in the midst of the eye encompassing the opticke nerve When they are all moved with one endevour they draw the eye inwards But if the upper only use its action it drawes the eye upwards if the lower downewards if the right to the right side if the left to the left side The two other muscles turne the eye about the first of which being the longer and slenderer arises almost from the same place from which that muscle arises which drawes the eye to the right side to the greater corner But when it comes to the utmost part of the inner angle where the Glandula lachrymalis is seated it ends in a slender Tendon there peircing through the middle membrane which is there as through a ring from whence it presently going backe is spent in a right angle towards the upper part of the eye betwixt the insertions of those 〈◊〉 muscles of the which one draws the eye upwards the other directly to the outward corner as it is
and condition of the matter which flowes downe and generates the tumor also they are knowne by such accidents as happen to them as colour heat hardnesse softnesse paine tension resistance Wherefore paine heate rednesse and tension indicate a sanguine humor coldnesse softnesse and no great paine phlegme tension hardnesse the livide colour of the part and a pricking paine by fits melancholy and yellowish and pale colour biting paine without hardnesse of the part choler And besides Impostumes have their periods and exacerbations following the nature and motion of the humors of which they are generated Wherefore by the motion and fits it will be no difficult matter to know the kinde of the humor for as in the Spring so in the morning the bloud is in motion as in the Summer so in the middest of the day choler as in Autumne so in the evening melancholy as in Winter so on the night the exacerbations of phlegme are most predominante For Hippocrates and Galen teach that the yeare hath circuits of diseases so that the same proportion of the excesse and motion of humors which is in the foure seasons of the yeare is also in the foure quarters of each day Impostumes which are curable have foure times their beginning increase state and declination and we must alter our medicines according to the varietie of these times We know the beginning by the first swelling of the part The increase when the swelling paine and other accidents do manifestly encrease and enlarge themselves the state when the foresaid symptoms increase no more but each of them because at their height remaine in their state immoveable unlesse the very matter of the tumor degenerate and change it selfe into another kinde of humor The declination when the swelling paine feaver restlesnesse are lessened And from hence the Chirurgion may presage what the end of the tumor may be for tumors are commonly terminated foure manner of wayes if so be that the motion of the humors causing them be not intercepted or they without some manifest cause doe flow backe into the body Therefore first they are terminated by insensible transpiration or resolution secondly by suppuration when the matter is digested and ripened thirdly by induration when it degenerates into a Scyrrhus the thinner part of the humor being dissolved the fourth which is the worst of all by a corruption and Gangrene of the part which is when overcome with the violence or the abundance or quality of the humor or both it comes to that distemper that it looses its proper action It is best to terminate a tumor by resolution and the worst by corruption suppuration and induration are betweene both although that is far better than this The signes by which the Chirurgions may presage that an Impostume may be terminated by resolving are the remission or flacking of the swelling paine pulsation tension heat and all other accidents and the unaccustomed livelinesse and itching of the part and hot Impostumes are commonly thus terminated because the hot humor is easily resolved by reason of its subtilty Signes of suppuration are the intension or encrease of paine heat swelling pulsation and the feaver for according to Hippocrates paine and the feaver are greater when the matter is suppurating then whan it is suppurated The Chirurgion must be very attentive to know and observe when suppuration is made for the purulent matter oft times lies hid as Hippocrates saith by reason of the thicknesse of the part lying above or over it The signes of an Impostume degenerating into a Scyrrhus hardnesse are the diminution of the tumor and hardnesse remaining in the part The causes of the hardnesse not going away with the swelling are the weakenesse of nature the grosnesse and toughnesse of the humor and unskilfulnesse of the Chirurgion who by too long using resolving things hath occasioned that the more subtile part of the humor being dissolved the rest of the grosser nature like earthy dreggs remaines concrete in the part For so potters vessels dried in the Sunne grow hard But the unskilfull Chirurgion may occasion a Scyrrhous hardnesse by another meanes as by condensating the skinne and incrassating the humors by too much use of repercussives But you may perceive an Impostume to degenerate into a Gangrene thus if the accidents of heat rednesse pulsation and tension shall be more intense than they are wont to be in suppuration if the paine presently cease without any manifest cause if the part waxe livide or blacke and lastly if it stinke But we shall treate of this more at large when we come to treate of the Gangrene and Sphacelus A sodaine diminution of the tumor and that without manifest cause is a signe of the matter fallen backe and turned into the body againe which may be occasioned by the immoderate use of refrigerating thinge And sometimes much flatulencie mixed with the matter although there be no fault in those things which were applied Feavers and many other maligne Symptomes as swoundings and convulsion by translation of the matter to the noble parts follow this flowing backe of the humor into the body CHAP. IIII. Of the Prognosticks in Impostumes TVmors arising from a melancholy phlegmaticke grosse tough or viscors humor aske a longer time for their cure than those which are of bloud or choler And they are more difficultly cured which are of humors not naturall than those which are of humors yet contained in the bounds of nature For those humors which are rebellious offend rather in qualitie than in quantitie and undergoe the divers formes of things dissenting from nature which are joyned by no similitude or affinitie with things naturall as suet poultis hony the dregs of oile and wine yea and of solid bodies as stone sand coale strawes and sometimes of living things as Wormes Serpents and the like monsters The tumors which possesse the inner parts and noble entrailes are more dangerous and deadly as also those which are in the joints or neere to them And these tumors which seaze upon great vessels as veines arteries and nerves for feare of great effusion of bloud wasting of the spirits and convulsion So impostumes of a monstrous bignesse are often deadly by reason of the great resolution of the spirits caused by their opening Those which degenerate into a Scyrrhus are of long continuance and hard to cure as also those which are in hydropicke leprous scabby and corrupt bodies for they often turne into maligne and ill conditioned vulcers CHAP. V. Of the generall cure of Tumors against Nature THere be three things to be observed in cure of impostumes The first is the essence thereof the second the quality of the humor causing the impostume the third the temper of the part affected The first indication drawne from the essence that is from the greatnesse or smallnesse of the tumor varies the manner of curing for the medicines must
iiij ol com â„¥ iij aquae com quantum sufficit fiat cataplasma or â„ž rad lilior alb altheae an â„¥ iij fol. malvae parietar senecionis ana m. j. coquantur in hydromelite pissentur trajectis adde farin sem lini â„¥ ij â—xungiae suillae ol liliorum an â„¥ iss fiat cataplasma Or â„ž malvae bismalv violar an m. j. caricarum ping n. x. passul â„¥ ij coquantur in aq com tusis traiectis adde nâ— ellis com â„¥ ij ung basilicon butyri recent ana â„¥ j fiat cataplasma You may profitably use for the same purpose Empl. Diachylon magnum or Basilicon Or â„ž Empl. Dyachil mag â„¥ iij. ung basilicon â„¥ j ol liliorum â„¥ ss Of these mixed together make a a medicine for the foresaid use When the heat paine feaver and other accidents shall remit when the tumor hath a sharpe head when by the pressing of your finger you finde the humor to flow as it were to and fro then you may know that it is ripe Wherefore without any further delay the tumor must be opened lest the matter too long shut up corrode the adjacent parts and the ulcer become sinuous and fistulous For this usually happens especially then when the matter is venenate or maligne or when the swelling is neare a joint or at the fundament or such like hot and moist places For by the decree of Hippocrates wee should anticipate the maturation of such tumors by opening They may be opened with an incision knise or causticke and that either actuall or potentiall For if the patient shall be hartlesse and lesse confident so that he either cannot or will not endure any instrument you must make way for the matter by a potentiall cautery You may also doe the businesse by another slight as thus Thrust the point of a sharpe knife or lancet through a brasse counter that it may stand fast in the midst thereof then cover it diligently with some Emplaister or Cataplasme that neither the Patient nor standers by perceive the deceit then laying on the plaister as that you would make a passage for the matter by that meanes but when you have fitted the point to the part where it is fit to open the tumor so guide the Counter with your fingers that you may presently make an impression into the Tumor sufficient for excluding the matter I have here expressed three deliniations of such Instruments that you may use these either bigger lesser or indifferent as occasion shall serve Counters with the points of Knives or Lances put through them A. shewes the Counter or peece of Silver B. shewes the point of the Lancet Other Instruments for opening Abscesses Rings in which litle knives lyebid fit for to open Abscesses The Deliniation of a Trunke or hollow Iustrument going with a spring A. Shewes the thicker pipe B. Shewes another which enters and is fastened in the other by a scrue C. The point of the Instrument looking out D. The spring which forces the Instrument But there are seven things which must be diligently considered in opening all sorts of Impostumes The first is that you put your knife to that part of the Abscesse which is the softer and yeelds to the impression of your fingers and where it rises into a head or point The second is that you make choise of that place for dissection which is the lowest that so the conteined impurity may the more readily flow out and not stay in the passage The third is that it be made according to the wrincles of the skin and the right fibers of the Muscles lying next under the skin The fourth is that you turne your knife from the larger vessels and Nerves worth speaking of The fifth is that the matter conteined in them be not evacuated too abundantly at once in great Abscesses lest thereby the strength be dejected the spirits being much wasted together with the unprofitable humor The sixth is that the affected part be handled as gently as you can The seventh is that after the opening when the matter is evacuated the Abscesse be clensed filled with flesh and lastly consolidated and cicatrized But seeing that commonly after such sections some part of the Tumor remaines all the conteined humor being not wholy suppurated the Chiurgion may perceive that this is an implicite affect that is a Tumor and Vlcer But the Cure thereof must be so that you take away the Tumor before the ulcer for the ulcer cannot be healed before the part be restored to its nature Therefore the suppuratives formerly prescribed must be used and the ulcer must be dressed for two or three dayes with this following Medicine â„ž Vitellum vnius ovi terebinth Venetae ol Rosar an â„¥ ss fiat medicamentum Then you must seeke to clense it by this following Medicine â„ž Mellis ro sar â„¥ j Syrupi rosar tereb Venet. an â„¥ jss far hordei â„¥ ij fiat medicamentum ad usum For this very purpose there is a singular Detersive made of Appium or Smallage of which this is the description â„ž Succi appij plantag beton an â„¥ j Mellis commun â„¥ v terebint Venet. â„¥ iiij farin Hordei Orobi an â„¥ ij anÊ’j coquatur mel cum succis quibus consumptis addantur sarinae pulveres misceantur omnia ad formam unguenti But if you would clense it more powerfully you may use Vnguentum Apostolorum or Vnguentum Aureum and Aeyptiacum mixed according to the scope you conceive in your minds when the ulcer shall seeme sufficiently clensed it shall be filled with flesh and cicatriâ—ed after the manner we shall declare in the proper treatise of the cure of Vlcers CHAP. XI Of seavers and the cures of these â—eavers which accompany Plegmons AMongst the Symptoms which most usually accompany Phlegmons afflict all the body of the patient Feavers are the cheife that is hot and dry distempers kindled in the heart and thence by the Artery is sent over all the body yet those which usually follow this kinde of Tumors are Ephemerae that is Diary unputrid Synochi or putrid Synochi Of whose nature and order of cure I will here briefly relate what I have learnt from my Masters that is Doctors of Physicke as I have beene conversant with them in the practise of my Arte. The Ephemera or Diary that is of one day is a hote and dry distemperature kindled in the vitall spirits It hath that name because by its owne nature it tarryes not above the space of one day or twenty foure houres by reason it is kindled in a subtie easily dissipable matter The efficient causes of this Feaver are wearinesse hunger drunkennesse anger fury sorrow watching great and peircing cold Adustion Bathes and manner of living inclining more to heat than ordinary applying using or drinking of acride medicines as Poysons or of hot meats and drinkes to conclude all the efficient causes common to all Feavers
divers times done with good successe But if it cannot be so done it will be better to put to your hand than through idlenesse to suffer the patient to remaine in imminent and deadly danger of strangling yet in this there must very great caution be used for the Chirurgeon shall not judge the Vvula fit to be touched with an instrument or caustick which is swolne with much enflamed or blacke blood after the manner of a Cancer but hee shall boldly put to his hand if it be longish grow small by litle and litle into a sharpe loose soft point if it be neither exceeding red neither swolne with too much blood but whitish and without paine Therefore that you may more easily and safely cut away that which redounds and is superfluous desire the patient to sit in a light place and hold his mouth open then take hold of the top of the Vvula with your sizers and cut away as much thereof as shall be thought unprofitable Other-wise you shall binde it with the instrument here under described the invention of this instrument is to be ascribed to Honoratus Tastellanus that diligent and learned man the Kings Physition in ordinary and the chiefe Physition of the Queene mother Which also may be used in binding of Polypi and warts in the necke of the Wombe The Deliniation of constrictory rings fit to twitch or binde the Columella with a twisted thred A. Shewes the ring whose upper part is some-what hollow B. A double waxed thred which is couched in the hollownesse of the ring and hath a running or loose knot upon it C. An iron rod into the eye whereof the fore-mentioned double thred is put and it is to twitch the Columella when as much thereof is taken hold of as is unprofitable and so to take it away without any fluxe of blood When you would straiten the thred draw it againe through this iron rod and so straine it as much as you shall thinke good letting the end of the thred hang out of the mouth But every day it must be twitched harder than other untill it fall away by meanes thereof and so the part and patient be restored to health I have deliniated three of these instruments that you may use which you will as occasion shall be offered A Figure of the Speculum oris by which the mouth is held and kept open whilest the Chirurgion is busied in the cutting away or binding the Vvula But if an eating ulcer shall associate this relaxation of the Vvula together with a fluxe of blood then it must be burnt and seared with an hot iron so thrust into a Trunke or Pipe with an hole in it that no sound part of the mouth may be offended therewith A hollow Trunke with a hole in the side with the hot iron inserted or put therein CHAP. VIII Of the Angina or Squinzy THe Squinancy or Squinzy is a swelling of the jawes which hinders the entring of the ambient aire into the weazon and the vapours and spirit from passage forth and the meate also from being swallowed There are three differences thereof The first torments the patient with great paine no swelling being outwardly apparent by reason the morbificke humor lyes hid behinde the almonds or Glandules at the Vertebrae of the necke so that it cannot be perceived unlesse you hold downe the tongue with a spatula or the Speculum oris for so you may see the rednesse and tumor there lying hid The patient cannot draw his breath nor swallow downe meate nor drinke his tongue likes Gray-hounds after a course hangs out of his mouth and he holds his mouth open that so hee may the more easily draw his breath to conclude his voyce is as it were drownd in his jawes and nose he cannot lye upon his backe but lying is forced to fit so to breathe more freely and because the passage is stopt the drinke flyes out at his nose the eyes are fiery and swollen and standing out of their orbe Those which are thus affected are often suddainely suffocated a foame rising about their mouthes The second difference is said to be that in which the tumor appeares inwardly but litle or scarse any thing at all outwardly the tongue Glandules and jawes appearing some what swollen The third being least dangerous of them all causes a great swelling outwardly but litle inwardly The Causes are either internall or externall The externall are a stroake splinter or the like things sticking in the Throat or the excesse of extreme cold or heat The internall causes are a more plentifull defluxion of the humors either from the whole body or the braine which participate of the nature either of blood choler or flegme but seldome of Melancholy The signes by which the kinde and commixture may be knowne have beene declared in the generall treatise of tumors The Squincy is more dangerous by how much the humor is lesse apparent within and without That is lesse dangerous which shewes it selfe outwardly because such an one shuts not up the wayes of the meate nor breath Some dye of a Squincy in twelue houres others in two foure or seven daies Those saith Hippocrates which scape the Squincy the disease passes to the lungs and they dye within seven dayes but if they scape these dayes they are suppurated but also often times this kind of disease is terminated by disappearing that is by an obscure reflux of the humor into some noble part as into the Lungs whence the Empyema proceeds and into other principall parts whose violating brings inevitable death sometimes by resolution otherwise by suppuration The way of Resolution is the more to be desired it happens when the matter is small and that subtle especially if the Physition shall draw blood by opening a veine and the patient use fitting Gargarismes A Criticall Squincy divers times proves deadly by reason of the great falling downe of the humor upon the throtle by which the passage of the breath is sodainely shut up Brothes must be used made with Capons and Veale seasoned with Lettuce Purslaine Sorrell and the cold seeds If the Patient shall be some what weake let him have potched Egges and Barly Creames the Barly being first boiled with Raisons in water and Sugar and other meates of this kinde Let him be forbidden wine in stead where of he may use Hydromelita and Hydrosachara that is drinkes made of water and Hony or water and Sugar as also the Syrupes of dryed Roses of Violets Sorrell and Limons and others of this kinde Let him avoide too much sleepe But in the meane time the Physition must be carefull of all because this disease is of their kinde which brooke no delayes Wherefore let the Basilica be presently opened on that side the tumor is the greater then within a short time after the same day for evacuation of the conjunct matter let the veine under the tongue be opened let cupping-Glasses
the same decoction for such heat which is actuall resuscitateth strengtheneth the heat of the part which in this disease is commonly very languid Then the Patient shall go into a Bathing-tub which is vailed or covered over just as we have described in our Treatise of Bathes that so he may receave the vapour of the following Decoction â„ž Fol. Salviae Lavend Lauri major Absinth Thym. Angelicae Rutae ana M. ss Florum Chamaem Melil Anethi Anthos ana P. ij Baccar Laur. Iuniper Conquassatar ana â„¥ j. Caryophyl Ê’ ij Aquae fontanae Vini albi ana lb. iv Let them be all put in the Vessell mentioned in the Treatise lately described for use The patient shall keepe himselfe in that Bathing-tub as long as his strength will give him leave then let him be put into his bed well covered where he shall sweat againe bee dried and rest Then let him be presently anointed with the following ointment which Leonellus Faventinus much commends â„ž Olei Laurini de Terebinth ana â„¥ iij. Olei Nardini petrolei ana â„¥ j Vini malvatici â„¥ iv Aqua vitae â„¥ ij Pyrethri Piperis Synap Granor. lunip Gummi hederae anacard Ladani puri an â„¥ j. ss Terantur misceantur omnia cum Olets Vino bulliant in vasi duplici usque ad Vini consumptionem facta forti expressione adde Galbani Bdillit Euphorbil Myrrhae Castorei adipis ursi Anatis Ciconiae an Ê’ij Make an ointment in forme of a liniment adding a little wax if need shall require Or you shall use the following remedy approved by many Physitions â„ž Myrrhae aloes Spicaenardi Sanguinis draconis thuris opopanacis Bdellii Carpobalsami amemi sarcocollae eroci mastio gumml arabici styrac liquidae ladani castorei ana â„¥ ij Moschi Ê’ j. aquae vitae â„¥ j. Terebinthinae venetae ad pondus omnium pulverabuntur pulverisanda gummi eliquabuntur cum aqua vitae aceti tantillo And let them all be put in fit vessels that they may be distilled in Balneo Mariae and let the spine of the back and paralytick limbes be anointed with the liquor which comes from thence I have often tried the force of this following Medicine â„ž rad Angel Ireos floren gentian cyperi ana â„¥ j. Calami aromat Cinam Caryophil nucis Mosch macis ana Ê’ ij Salviae major Iuae arthriticae Lavend rorism satureiae puleg. calament mentastri ana M. ss florum chamaem melil hyperic anthos staechad ana P. j. Concisa omnia contundantur in Aqua vit Vini malvat. an lb. ij infundantur And let them be distilled in Balneo Mariae like the former let the affected parts be moistened with the distilled liquor of which also you may give the patient a spoone full to drinke in the morning with some Sugar For thus the stomach will be heated and much phlegme contained therein as the fuell of this disease will be consumed You must also appoint exercises of the affected parts and frequent and hard frictions with hot linnen clothes that the native heat may be recalled and the excrements contained in the parts digested You may also use the Chymicall oyles of Rosemary Tyme Lavander Cloves Nutmegs and lastly of all spices the maner of extracting whereof we shall hereafter declare in a peculiar Treatise CHAP. XIV Of Sowning SOwning is a suddaine and pertinacious defect of all the powers but especially the Vitall In this the Patients lie without motion and sense so that the Ancients thought that it differed from death onely in continuance of time The cause of sowning which happens to those that are wounded is bleeding which causeth a dissipation of the spirits or feare which causeth a suddaine and joint retirement of the spirits to the heart Whence followes an intermission of the proper duty as also of the rest of the faculties whilest they being thus troubled are at a stand Also Sowning happens by a putrid and venenate vapour carried to the heart by the Arteries and to the Braine by the Nerves by which you may gather that all sowning happens by three causes The first is by dissipation of the spirits and native heat as in great bleeding And then by the oppression of these spirits by obstruction or compression as in a feare or tumult For thus the spirits fly back hastily from the surface and habit of the body unto the heart and center Lastly by corruption as in bodies filled with ill humors and in poysonous wounds The signes of Sowning are Palenes a dewy and sudden sweat arising the failing of the pulse a sudden falling of the body upon the ground without sense motion a coldnesse possessing the whole body so that the Patient may seeme rather dead than alive For many of these who fall into a sowne dye unlesse they have present helpe Therefore you shall helpe them if when they are ready to fall you sprinckle much cold water in their face if that the sowning happen by dissipation of the spirits or if they shall be set with their faces upwards upon a bed or on the ground as gently as may be and if you give them bread dipt in wine to hold and chew in their mouths But if it be caused by a putrid vapour and poysonous aire you shall give them a little Mithridat or Treacle in Aqua vitae with a spoone as I usually do to those which have the plague or any part affected with a Gangreene or sphacell But if the patients cannot be raised out of their sownes by reason of the pertinatious oppression and compression of the spirits about the heart you must give them all such things as have power to diffuse callforth and resuscitat the spirits such as are strong wines to drink sweet perfumes to smell You must call them by their owne name lowd in their eare and you must pluck them somewhat hard by the haires of the Temples and neck Also rub the temples nostrils wrests and palmes of the Hands with Aquavitae wherin Cloves Nutmegs and Ginger have beene steeped CHAP. XV. Of Delirium i. Raving Talking idly or Doting DOting or talking idly here is used for a symptome which commonly happeneth in feavers caused by a wound and inflammation and it is a perturbation of the phantasie and function of the mind not long induring Wherefore such a doting happens upon wounds by reason of vehement paine and a feaver when as the nervous parts as the joynts stomach and middriffe shall be violated For the Ancients did therefore call the Middriffe Phrenae because when this is hurt as if the mind it selfe were hurt a certaine phrensie ensues that is a perturbation of the Animall faculty which is imployed in ratiocination by reason of the community which the Diaphragma hath with the Braine by the nerves sent from the sixth Conjugation which are carried to the stomach Therefore doting happens by too much bleeding which
with a desire to vomit or goe to stoole or with yawning and when hee shall change his colour and his lips looke pale then you must stop the blood as speedily as you can otherwise there will be danger lest hee poure forth his life together with his blood Then he must bee refreshed with bread steeped in wine and put into his mouth and by rubbing his temples and nosethrilles with strong vinegar and by lying upon his backe But the part shall bee eased and freed from some portion of the impact and conjunct humor by gently scarifying the lippes of the wound or applying of Leaches But it shall bee diverted by opening these veines which are nighest to the wounded part as the Vena Puppis or that in the middest of the forehead or of the temples or these which are under the tongue besides also cupping-glasses shal be applied to the shoulders sometimes with scarification sometimes without neither must strong and long frictions with course clothes of all the whole body the head excepted be omitted during the whole time of the cure for these will be available though but for this that is to draw backe and dissipate by insensible transpiration the vapours which otherwise would ascend into the head which matters certainly in a body that lyes still and wants both the use and benefit of accustomed exercise are much increased But it shall bee made manifest by this following and notable example how powerfull blood-letting is to lessen and mitigate the inflammation of the Braine or the membranes thereof in wounds of the head I was lately called into the suburbs of Saint German there to visite a young man twenty eight yeeres old who lodged there in the house of Iohn Martiall at the signe of Saint Michaell This young man was one of the houshold servants of Master Doucador the steward of the Lady Admirall of Brion He fell downe headlong upon the left Bregma upon a marble pavement whence he received a contused wound without any fracture of the scull and being he was of a sanguine temperature by occasion of this wound a feaver tooke him on the seaventh day with a continuall delirium and inflammation of phlegmonous tumor of the wounded Pericranium This same tumor possessing his whole head and necke by continuation and sympathy of the parts was growne to such a bignesse that his visage was so much altred that his friends knew him not neither could he speake heare or swallow any thing but what was very liquide Which I observing although I knew that the day past which was the eight day of his disease he had foure saucers of blood taken from him by Germaine Agace Barber-surgion of the same suburbs yet considering the integrity and constancie of the strength of the patient I thought good to bleed him againe wherefore I drew from him foureteene saucers at that one time when I came to him the day after and saw that neither the feaver nor any of the fore mentioned symptomes were any whit remitted or aswaged I forthwith tooke from him foure saucers more which in all made two twenty the day following when I had observed that the symptomes were no whit lessened I durst not presume by my owne onely advice to let him the fourth time blood as I desired Wherefore I brought unto him that most famous Physition Doctor Violene who as soone as he felt his pulse knowing by the vehemencie thereof the strength of the Patient and moreover considering the greatnesse of the inflammation and tumor which offered its selfe to his sight hee bid mee presently take out my Lancet and open a veine But I lingred on set purpose and told him that hee had already twenty two saucers of blood taken from him Then sayd he Grant it be so and though more have beene drawne yet must we not therefore desist from our enterprise especially seeing the two chiefe Indications of blood-letting yet remaine that is the greatnesse of the disease and the constant strength of the Patient I being glad of this tooke three saucers more of blood hee standing by and was ready to take more but that he wished mee to differ it untill the after noone wherefore returning after dinner I filled two saucers more so that in all this young man to his great benefit lost twenty seaven saucers of blood at five times within the space of foure dayes Now the ensuing night was very pleasing to him the feaver left him about noone the tumor grew much lesse the heat of the inflammation was aswaged in all parts except in his eyelids and the lappes of his eares which being ulcerated cast forth a great quantitie of Pus or matter I have recited this history purposely to take away the childish feare which many have to draw blood in the constant strength of the patient and that it might appeare how speedy and certaine a remedy it is in inflammations of the head and braine Now to returne from whence we digressed you must note that nothing is so hurtfull in factures and wounds of the head as venery not onely at that time the disease is present but also long after the cure thereof For great plenty of spirits are conteined in a small quantity of seed the greatest part thereof flowes from the braine hence therefore all the faculties but chiefly the Animall are resolved whence I have divers times observed death to ensue in small wounds of the head yea when they have beene agglutinated and united All passions of the minde must in like sort be avoided because they by contraction and dissipation of the spirits cause great trouble in the body and minde Let a place be chosen for the Patient as farre from noise as can be as from the ringing of bells beatings and knocking 's of Smithes Coopers and Carpenters and from high-wayes through which they use to drive Coaches for noyse encreases paine causes a feaver and brings many other symptomes I remember when I was at Hisdin at the time that it was beseiged by the forces of Charles the fifth that when the wall beaten with the Cannon the noise of the Ordinance caused grievous torment to all those which were sicke but especially those that were wounded on their heads so that they would say that they thought at the discharging of every Cannon that they were cruelly strucken with staves on that part which was wounded and verily their wounds were so angred herewith that they bledde much and by their paine and feavers encreased were forced with much sighing to breathe their last Thus much may serve to be spoken of the cure in generall now we will out of the monuments of the ancients treate of the particular CHAP. XV. Of the particular cure of Wounds of the head and of the musculous skinne LEt us beginne with a simple wound for whose cure the Chirurgion must propose one onely scope to wit Vnion for unlesse the wound pierce to the scull it is
and overheated part The bleeding must not bee stanched presently upon the receiving of the wound for by the more plentifull effluxe thereof the part is freed from danger of inflammation and fulnesse Wherefore if the wound bleede not sufficiently at the first you shall the next day open a veine and take blood according to the strength and plenitude of the patient for there usually flowes no great store of blood from wounds of this nature for that by the greatnesse of the contusion and vehemencie of the mooved ayre the spirits are forced in as also I have observed in those who have one of their limbes taken away with a Cannon bullet For in the time when the wound is received there flowes no great quantity of blood although there be large veines and arteries torne in sunder thereby But on the 4 5 6. or some more dayes after the blood flowes in greater abundance and with more violence the native heate and spirits returning into the part The belly must be so qualified that he may have at the least one stoole a day either by nature or Art and if by Art then rather with a glister than purging medicines taken by the mouth for that the agitation of humors chiefely in the first dayes of the disease is to be susspected least we increase the defluxion falling downe upon the wounded part Yet Galen writes that both the evacuations are heere needefull that is blood-letting and purging though the Patient bee neither phethoricke nor repleate with ill humors But the care hereof must be committed to the judgement of the learned Physition Paine if ioyned with inflammation shall be mitigated by anointing the parts neere unto the wound with Vnguent nutritum composed with the juyce of Plantaine Housleeke Nightshade and the like Vnguentum Diacalcitheos described by Galen dissolved with vinegar oyle of Poppyes and Roses is of no lesse efficacy nor unguent de bolo nor divers other things of the same faculty though properly no anodynes as those which are not hot and moyst in the first degree but rather cold but yet not so as to have any narcoticke faculty Now these forementioned things asswage paine for that they correct the hot distemper and stay the acride and cholericke defluxions whose violence is more than cold After the use of repercussives it will be good to apply this following cataplasme â„ž Micae panis infusae in lacte vaccino lb. j. ss bulliant parum addendo olei violacei rosar an â„¥ iij. vitellos ovorum nu iiij pulver rosar rub flor chamaem meliloti an â„¥ ij farin fabar hordei an â„¥ j. misce fiat cataplasma secundum artom Also in this case you may easily make a medicine of bread crummes boyled in Oxycrate and oyle of Roses The cure of Tumors if any associate the wound may be found in their proper place Natures motion whether to suppuration or any such thing must still be observed and helped by the Physition and Chirurgion as the ministers or servants thereof CHAP. X. Of Bullets which remaine in the body for a long time after the wound is healed up LEaden Bullets lye in some parts of the body some whiles seaven eight or more yeares so that they neither hinder the agglutination of the wound neither doth any other symptome happen thereupon as I have diverse times observed untill at length by the strength of nature forcing them and their proper weightines bearing them downewards they shew themselves in some lower part by their swelling or bunching forth and so must be taken forth by the hand of the Chirurgion For they say Lead hath a certaine sympathy and familiarity with mans body chiefely the fleshy parts thereof Wherefore it neither putrifies its selfe nor causeth the flesh to putrifie besides it hath an excellent faculty in cicatrizing old ulcers But bullets of stone Iron and of any other mettall are of another nature for they cannot remaine any long time in the body without hurt for Iron will grow rusty and so corrode the neighbouring bodyes and bring other maligne symptomes Yet a Leaden bullet cannot remaine any long time in nervous or noble parts without danger CHAP. XI How to correct the constitution of the ayre so that the noble parts may be strengthened and the whole body besides BVt because as we have formerly told you there are some times wherein even small wounds made by Gunshot prove deadly not by their owne fault but the fault of the ayre therefore also the Chirurgion must have this care that he correct the ayre with all diligence and reduce it to a certaine quality and moderation of substance and strengthen the noble parts and whole body besides which may be performed by the following medicines which are to be taken inwardly and applyed outwardly In the morning three houres before meate let the Patient take some certaine quantity as the Physition shall thinke fit of the electuary Diarbodon Abbatis or Aromaticum rosatum triasantalon biamoschum laetificans Galeni or some such other like And you shall apply some such Epitheme as is heere described to the heart and Liver â„ž aquae rosar â„¥ iiij aquae buglossae aceti boni an â„¥ ij coriandri praeparati â„¥ ss an.Ê’j. sant rub Ê’ss utriusqueÊ’ss camphorae ℈ j. croci ℈ ss pulver diarhod Abbat Ê’ij theriacae Mithridatij an â„¥ ss pul flo chamaem melil an Ê’iij misce fiat epithema Let it be applyed warme by dipping a scarlet cloath therein You shall frequently put odorifferous and refrigerating things to the patients nose to strengthen the animall faculty as â„ž aquaerosar aceti boni an â„¥ iij. an.Ê’j. Let a linnen ragge dipped herein be now and then put to the patients nose for the same purpose he shall carry a Pomander about him and often smell thereto As â„ž ros rub violar an Ê’iij baccarum myrti juniperi santal rub an Ê’ijss styracis calamit Ê’ij aq rosarum quantum satis est lique fiat simul cum cerae albae quod sufficit fiat ceratum ad comprehendendos supradictos pulvers cum pillillo calido ducatur in pomum Or â„ž rad Ireos Florent majoran calam aromat ladani â—enzoini rad cyperi caryophll an Ê’ij Moschi gra 4. fiat pulvis cum gummi tragacanth quod sufficit Or else â„ž ladani puri â„¥ j. Benzoini â„¥ ss styracis calamit Ê’vj ireos Flor. â„¥ ss caryophyll Ê’iij majoran ros rub calami aromat an Ê’ss in pollinem redigantur omnia bulliant cum aqua ros quantum sufficit colentur colata liquefiant cum justa cerae albae quantitate styracis liquidae â„¥ j fiat ad modum cerati moschiÊ’j Also you may corroborate the animall faculty by application of frontalls as also procure sleepe and ease the paine of the head as â„ž aq ros â„¥ ij olei ros papav an â„¥ iss aceti boni â„¥ j. trochis de camphora Ê’ss fiat
Cacoethe For the cure by reason that all these Vlcers have a large extent for some are more maligne and ill to be cicatrized than othersome it is also necessary to have divers medicines ready and at hand distinct both in their faculties and the degrees thereof so that it is no marvaile if they oft faile of their purpose who with the same medicine dresse and thinke they shall heale all maligne Vlcers This following medicine described by Asclepiades is much commended by Galen â„ž squamae aeris aeruginis rasae an â„¥ j. cera lb. ss resinae laricis â„¥ jss quae liquari possunt aridis affundantur and make an emplaister to bee laid onely upon the Vlcer for you must lay a defensative about the Vlcer for feare of inflammation But Galen saith that the following Epuloticke of Primion excells the rest as that which to desperate Vlcers which many have taken in hand and left as uncurable was of certaine and approoved use â„ž soreos â„¥ iij aluminis scissilis calcis viuae an â„¥ ij thuris gallarum an â„¥ iiij cerae lb. j â„¥ iij. sevi vitulini lb. j. â„¥ vij olei veteris quantum sufficit fiat emplastrum CHAP. XI An advertisement to the young Chirurgion touching the distance of times wherein maligne Vlcers are to be dressed TO shew the use of Asclepiades his medicine described in the former Chapter and convince the errour of these Chirurgions who thinke they doe well for their patients if they twise or thrice on a day dresse maligne Vlcers I have heere thought good to digresse a little from my purpose and to interpose Galens authority Rightly saith Galen hath Asclepiades added these words to the formerly described medicine And loose this after three dayes and foment the Vlcer and fasten the same emplaister being washed and apply it againe for unlesse the medicine adhere long to the skin it will doe no good Which thing notwithstanding many Physitions have beene ignorant of thinking if they wiped away the Sanies from the Vlcer thrice on a day they should doe better than those who did the save but twice a day But those who dresse it but once a day are reprooved by the patients as negligent But they are much mistaken for you must remember as we have delivered in most of our writings that the qualities of all neighbouring bodies do mutuall actuate and affect each other in some degree although the one thereof bee much more powerfull for by this reason in space of time they become somewhat alike though they otherwise differ much But when the quality of the medicine shall bee like in species to the body to bee cured there followes the better successe Wherefore he which moved by these reasons first appointed to use the emplaster formerly applyed is worthy of commendations and we ought to follow him much the rather seeing that which he found out by reason is approoved by experience Neither did he unadvisedly command to foment the wound every third day that is at every dressing for seeing it is a powerfull medicine therefore it stands in neede of mitigation Thus much Galen whose opinion grounded on reason he can againe confirme with another reason It is already sufficiently knowne that medicines can doe nothing in us unlesse by the force of the native heate which stirres up the faculty of the medicine to operation But in Vlcers which are absolutely maligne the native heate of the affected part is very languid being broken and debilitated by the presence of the preternaturall heate so that it stands in need of a great space of time to actuate the vertue and faculty of the medicine Wherefore if in that time when as the native heate hath much moved and stirred up the faculty of the medicine the ulcer be loosed or opened and that emplaister cast away which was layd upon the part and a fresh one layd in steede thereof the heate implanted in the part is either dissipated by the contact of the ayre or is weakned and driven in and that endeavour which was made by the emplaister was to no purpose being as it were stopped in the midst of the course But a new emplaister being layd on the heate of the part must undergoe a new labour so to stirre up the faculty to bring it to act For all medicines are what they are in faculty Equall to this is their errour who by too oft renewing their emplaisters on the same day doe too powerfully clense for so they doe not onely take away the excrementitious humors both Sordes and Sanies but also the alimentary juice to wit the Rob Cambium and Gluten which are the next matter for procreating of laudible flesh Wherefore it is not good to dresse Vlcers so often in one day and to loose them to apply new emplaisters unlesse some grievous symptome as paine force us to doe it which requires to be asswaged and mittigated by the often changing and renewing of Anodyne medicines CHAP. XII How to binde up Vlcers FOr the binding up of Vlcers you must alwayes beginne your bandage at the Vlcer Now the Rowler must be so large that it may not onely cover and comprehend the Vlcer but also some portion of the adjacent parts above and below and let it presse the Vlcer with that moderation that it may only presse out the excrementitious humors For so the ulcer wil become dry and consequently more neere to healing as it is observed by Hippocrates Let this be the measure of your binding that it be neither too straite for hence would ensue paine and defluxion nor too laxe for such is of no use You may moysten your boulsters and Rowlers in oxycrate or in red and astringent wine especially in Summer when you have bound it up the part must be kept quiet For according to Hippocrates those who have an ulcer in the legge ought neither to stand nor sit but to lye on a bed Wherefore when the legges are ulcerated the armes must be exercised by handling lifting up and casting downe of divers things But on the contrary if the armes be ulcerated the legges must be exercised with walking or frictions from above downewards if the patient cannotendure to walke So the humors and spirits which with more violence and greater plenty runne downe to the part affected may be drawne backe and diverted CHAP. XIII Of the cure of particular ulcers and first of those of the eyes FOr that in Galens opinion the diverse indication in curing diseases is drawne from the condition of the part to wit the temper complexion site sigure use dull or quicke sense Therefore having breefely handled the generall cure both of simple and compound and implicite ulcers I thinke it fit to treate of them now as they are distinguished by the parts beginning with these of the eyes These according to Celsus are sometimes caused by pustules or a sharpe defluxion which frets or eates in sunder the coates
being present it is dangerous to draw the nerves and tendons too violently for hence would ensue an impostume convulsion gangrene and mortification Therefore Hippocrates forbids you to defer such extension untill the third or fourth day Fractures are thought dangerous whose fragments are great and fly out especially in these bones which are filled with marrow on the inside When broken or dislocated bones cannot be restored to themselves and their naturall place the part wasts for want of nourishment both for that the naturall site of the veines arteries and nerves is perverted as also because the part it selfe lyes immoveable or scarce moveable whereby it commeth to passe that the spirits doe not freely flow thereto as neyther the nutritive juice commeth thither in sufficient plentie When the dislocated or broken member is troubled with any great inflammation it is doubtfull whether or no a convulsion will happen if wee attempt to restore it or the parts thereof to their seat therefore it is better if it may bee done to deferre the reducing thereof so long untill the humor which possesses the part be dissolved the tumor abated and the bitternesse of paine mitigated CHAP. IV. The generall cure of broken and dislocated bones TO cure a broken and dislocated bone is to restore it to its former figure and site For the performance whereof the Surgeon must propose three things to himselfe The first is to restore the bone to its place The second is that he containe or stay it being so restored The third is that he hinder the increase of maligne symptomes and accidents or else if they doe happen that then he temper and correct their present malignitie Such accidents are paine inflammation a feaver abscesse gangrene and sphacell For the first intention you may easily restore broken or dislocated bone if presently as soon as the mischance is got or else the same day you endeavour to restore it for the bitternesse of paine or inflammation which may trouble the patient is not as yet verie great neyther is the contraction of the muscles upwards as yet very much or stubborne Therefore first of all the Patient with his whole bodie but especially with the broken or dislocated part as also the Surgeon must bee in some place which hath good and sufficient light Then let trusty and skilfull attendants be there good ligatures and also if need so require good engines His friends which are present let them see and hold their peace neyther say nor do any thing which may hinder the Worke of the Surgeon Then putting one hand above that is towards the center of the body and the other below as neare as hee can to the part affected let him stretch forth the member for if you lay your hand any distance from the part affected you wil hurt the sound part by too much compression neyther will you much avayle your selfe by stretching it at such a distance But if you only endeavour below with your hand or ligature assisting to make extension thereof it will be dangerous if there bee nothing above which may withstand or hold lest that you draw the whole bodie to you This being done according as I have delivered it is fit the Surgeon make a right or straight extension of the part affected for when the bone is eyther broken or out of joynt there is a contraction of the muscles towards their originall and consequently of the bones by them as it is observed by Galen Wherefore it is impossible to restore the bones to their former seat without the extension of the muscles But the part being thus extended the broken bones will sooner and more easily be restored to their former seate Which being restored you shall presently with your hand presse it downe if there be any thing that bunches or stands out And lastly you shall binde it up by applying boulsters and splints as shall bee fit But if the bone bee dislocated or forth of joynt then presently after the extension thereof it will be requisite to bend it somwhat about and so to draw it in The Surgeon is sometimes forced to use engines for this worke especially if the luxation be inveterate if the broken or luxated bones be great and that in strong and rustick bodies and such as have large joynts for that then there is need of greater strength than is in the hand of the Surgeon alone For by how much the muscles of the Patient are the stronger by so much will they bee contracted more powerfully upwards towards their originals Yet have a care that you extend them not too violently lest by rending and breaking a-sunder the muscles and nerves you cause the forementioned symptomes paine convulsion a palsie and gangrene all which sooner happen to strong and aged bodies than to children eunuches women youthes and generally all moyst bodies for that they are lesse hurt by violent extension and pulling by reason of their native and much humiditie and softnesse For thus skins of leather moystened with any liquor are easily retched and drawn out as one pleaseth but such as are dry hard being lesse tractable will sooner rend and teare than stretch further out Therefore the Surgeon shall use a meane in extending and drawing forth of members as shall be most agreeable to the habits of the bodies You may know the bone is set and the setting performed as is fit if the paine be asswaged to wit the fibres of the muscles and the other parts being restored to their former site and all compression which the bones moved out of their places have made being taken away if to your feeling there bee nothing bunching out nor rugged but the surface of the member remaine smooth and equall and lastly if the broken or dislocated member compares with its opposite in the composure of the joynts as the knees and ancles answer justly and equally in length and thicknesse For which purpose it must not suffice the Surgeon to view it once but even as often as he shall dresse it For it may happen that the bone which is well set may by some chance as by the Patients unconsiderate turning himselfe in his bed or as it were a convulsive twitching of the members or joynts whilest he sleepes the muscles of their owne accord contracting themselves towards their originals that the member may againe fall out and it will give manifest signes thereof by renewing the paine by pressing or pricking the adjacent bodies which paine will not cease before it bee restored to its place and hereof the Surgeon ought to have diligent care For if whilest the Callus is in growing one bone ride over another the bone it selfe will afterwards be so much the shorter and consequently the whole member so that if this errour shall happen in a broken legge the Patient will halt ever after to his great griefe and the Surgeons shame Wherefore the Patient shall take heed as much
Therefore universall medicines being premised cupping glasses shal be applyed to the originall of the spinall marrow and the shoulders as also cauteries or Setons the eye shall be pressed or held downe with clothes doubled and steeped in an astringent decoction made of the juice of Acacia red roses the leaves of poppy henbane roses and pomegranate pills of which things poultisses may bee made by addition of barly meale and the like There is sometimes to bee seene in the eye an affect contrary to this and it is termed Atrophia By this the whole substance of the eye growes lanke and decayes and the apple it selfe becomes much lesse But if the consumption and emaciation take hold of the pupill onely the Greekes by a peculiar name and different from the generall terme it a Phihisis as Paulus teacheth Contrary causes shall bee opposed to each affect hot and attractive fomentations shall be applyed frictions shall be used in the neighbouring parts and lastly all things shall be applyed which may without danger be used to attract the bloud and spirits into the parts There is another affect of the eye of affinity to the Proptosis which by the Greeks is termed Chemosis Now this is nothing else than when both the eye-lids are turned up by a great inflammation so that they can scarce cover the eyes and the white of the eye is lifted much higher up than the blacke Sometimes the Adnata changing his wont looketh red besides also this affect may take its originall from externall causes as a wound contusion and the like But according to the variety of the causes and the condition of the present affect fixed and remaining in the part divers remedies shall be appointed CHAP. XIV Of the Ungula or Web. THE Ungula Pterygion or Web is the growth of a certaine fibrous and membranous flesh upon the upper coate of the eye called Adnata arising more frequently in the bigger but sometimes in the lesser corner towards the temples When it is neglected it covers not onely the Adnata but also some portion of the Cornea and comming to the pupill it selfe hurts the sight thereof Such a Web sometimes adheres not at all to the Adnata but is onely stretched over it from the corners of the eye so that you may thrust a probe betweene it and the Adnata it is of severall colours somewhiles red somewhiles yellow somewhiles duekish other-whiles white It hath its originall either from externall causes as a blow fall and the like or from internall as the defluxion of humours into the eyes The Ungula which is inveterate and that hath acquired much thicknesse and breadth and besides doth difficultly adhere to the Adnata is difficultly taken away neither may it bee helped by medicines whereby scars in the eyes are extenuated But that which covereth the whole pupill must not bee touched by the Surgeon for being cut away the scar which is left by its density hindereth the entrance of objects to the cristalline humour and the egresse of the animall spirit to them But oftentimes it is accompanied with an inflammation of the eyes a burning itching weeping defluxion and swelling of the eye-lids That the cure may rightly and happily proceed hee must first use a spare diet purging medicines shall be given and bloud taken away by opening a veine especially if there be great inflammation For particular remedies this excrescence shall be eaten away or at least kept from growth by dropping into the eye collyrium of vitrioll described in wounds of the eyes But if that wee profit nothing by this meanes it remaineth that wee take it away with the hand after the following manner You shall set the patient upon a forme or stoole and make him leane much backe and be so held firmely that he may not fall nor stirre then must you open his sore eye putting therein the speculum oculi formerly described in treating of the wounds of this part and then must you lift up the Web it selfe with a sharpe little hook with the point turned a little in and put under the midst of the Web when you have lifted it a little up thrust a needle threaded with a smoth threed between it the Adnata then taking hold of the hooke and the two ends of the threed drawne through with the needle and lifting up the Web by them you shall gently begin to separate it from the substance of the eye lying there-under beginning at the originall thereof with a crooked incision knife and so prosecute it even to the end yet so as you hurt no part of the Adnata nor Cornea The figures of little hookes a needle and crooked incision knife Little Hookes A needle A crooked incision knife Then must it bee cut off with a paire sissers and the white of an egge beaten with some Rose-water laid thereon and often renewed Afterwards the eye must every day be opened lest comming to cicatrization the eye-lids shall be glewed together in that part whereas the Web is taken away which also shall bee hindred by putting of common salte sage and cummin seeds into the eye being first champed and chawed in the mouth There are some who in stead of the crooked knife separate the Web from the Adnata with a horses haire others do it with a goose quill made ready for the same purpose taking heed that they hurt not the caruncle at the corner by the nose for it will follow if that you draw the Web away too violently and if it be cut there will remain a hole through which during the rest of the life a weeping humour will continually flow a disease by the Greeks termed Rhyas If after the cutting there be fear of inflammation linnen rags moystned in repelling medicines formerly prescribed in wounds of the eye shall bee layd thereupon CHAP. XV. Of the Aegilops fistula lachrimosa or weeping Fistula of the eye AT the greater corner of the eye there is a glandule made for the receiving and contayning the moysture which serveth for the lubricating and humecting the eye least it should dry by continuall motion This Glandule sometimes by a sanguine or pituitous defluxion falling violently from the brain swels impostumates ulcerates with an ulcer not seldome degenerating into a fistula so that in successe of time it rotteth the bone that lyeth under it of such fistulaes some are open outwardly and these usually have their originall from a phlegmon other some are inwardly and those are such as at first swelled by the defluxion or congestion of a phlegmaticke matter so that there appeareth no hole outwardly but onely a tumor of the bignesse of a pease this tumor being pressed floweth with a sanious serous and red or otherwise with a white and viscide matter and that either by the corner of the eye or by the inside of the nose Some have this matter flowing continually others have it onely monethly which is proper
were swimming upon the watery humour and whereas the place ought to bee empty opposing it selfe to the internall faculty of seeing whereby it differeth from spots and scars growing upon the horny coate and Adnata It sometimes covereth the whole pupill otherwhiles but the one halfe thereof and somwhiles but a small portion thereof According to this variety the sight is either quite lost weake or somewhat depraved because the animall visive spirit cannot in its entire substance passe through the density thereof The defluxion of the humour whence it proceeds is either caused by an external occasion as a stroake fall or by the heat or coldnesse of the encompassing ayre troublesome to the head and eyes or else it is by an internall meanes as the multitude or else the acride hot and thin quality of the humours This disease also sometimes taketh its originall from grosse and fumid vapours sent from a crude stomacke or from vaporous meats or drinks up to the braine and so it falleth into the eyes where by the coldnesse straitnesse and tarrying in the place they turn into moysture and at length into that concretion or filme which wee see The signs may be easily drawne from that we have already delivered For when the cataract is formed and ripe it resembleth a certain thin membrane spred over the pupill and appeareth of a different colour according to the variety of the humour whereof it consisteth one while white another while blacke blew ash-coloured livid citrine greene It sometimes resembleth quicksilver which is very trembling and fugitive more than the rest At the first when it beginneth to breed they seeme to see many things as flyes flying up and downe haires nets and the like as if they were carelesly tossed up and down before their eyes sometimes every thing appeareth two and somewhiles lesse than they are because the visive spirit is hindered from passing to the objects by the density of the skin like as a cloud shadowing the light of the Sun Whence it is that the Patients are duller sighted about noone and surer and quicker sighted in the morning and evening for that the little visive spirit diffused through the aire is dispersed by the greater light but contracted by the lesse Now if this filme cover halfe the pupill then all things shew but by halfes but if the midst thereof bee covered and as it were the center of the Christalline humour then they seeme as if they had holes or windowes but if it cover it all then can hee see nothing at all but onely the shadowes of visible bodies and of the Sun Moone Stars lighted candles and the like luminous things and that but confusedly and as by conjecture CHAP. XX. The physicall cure of a beginning Cataract A Beginning Cataract is hindred from growing and concretion by diet conveniently and artificially prescribed by the abstinence from wine especially more strong and vaporous and forbearing the use of meates which yeeld a flegmaticke juice and vaporous as pease beanes turneps chesnuts and lastly all such things as have the faculty of stirring up the humours and causing defluxion in the body such as are all salt spiced meats as also garlike onions mustard The immoderate use of venery hurts more than all the rest for that it more violently exagitates the whole body weakens the braine and head and begets crude humours Let his bread be seasoned with some fennell seeds for it is thought to have a faculty of helping the fight and clearing the eyes and dissipating the misty vapours in the stomacke before they can ascend to the braine Wherefore by the same reason it is good to use marmelade of quinces conserve of roses and common drige powder or any such like composed of things good to break wind or corroborate the ventricle Phlebotomie and purging if they be requisite shall be fitly appointed Ventoses shall be applyed to the shoulders and necke the phlegmaticke matter shall be diverted and evacuated by the mouth with using masticatories in the morning There be some which believe that a beginning cataract may be dissipated and discussed by often rubbing the eye-lids with the fingers and in like sort by the often and earnest beholding of the Starres and the Moone when it is at the full looking-glasses diamonds and all other such like bright shining things I beleeve that by beames plentifully and suddenly brought and diffused over the eye directly opposite against some bright shining thing it may seeme to have a penetrating dividing dissolving as also a consuming and drying faculty Besides also the hot breath of him who holdeth in his mouth and chaweth fennell seeds aniseeds coriander-seeds nutmeg cinamon cloves and the like hath a great faculty the eyes being first gently rubbed with the finger it being breathed in neare at hand and often received to heat attenuate resolve digest and diffuse the humour which is ready to concrete Moreover this collyrium of John Vigo is thought very powerfull to cleare the eyes strengthen the sight hinder suffusions and discusse them if at any time they concrete and beginne to gather ℞ hepatis hircini sani recentis lib. ii calami aromatici mellis an ℥ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 succiruta ʒiii aquae chelidoniae faniculi verbenia cuphosiae an ʒiii piperis longi nucis moschatae caryophyllorum an ʒii croci ℈ ii floris rorismarini aliquantum contriti m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sarcocolla aloës hepaticae an ʒiii fellis raiae leporis perdicis an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. terantur omnia tritisque adde sacchari albi ℥ ii rosatiʒvi conjiciantur in alembicum vitreum distillentur in balnco Mariae Let this distilled liquor bee often dropped into the eyes But if you prevaile nothing by all these medicines and that the cloudy and heaped up humour doth daily encrease and thicken then must you abstaine from remedies and expect untill it bee no more heaped up but thickned yea untill it seeme to be growne somewhat hard For so at length it may bee couched with a needle otherwise if this same skin shall not be ripe but more tender than is fitting when you shall come to the operation it will be broken and thrust through with the needle and not couched On the contrary if it bee too hard it will resist the needle neither will it suffer it selfe to bee easily couched Wherefore it is requisite that the Surgeon know when it is ripe and he must diligently observe the signes whereby he may discerne a ripe Cataract from an unripe and that which is cureable from that which is uncurable For that only which is ripe and curable is to be couched that which is unripe that is such an one as is more tender and as it were crude and that which is more hard and dense and lastly that which is uncureable must not bee attempted at all CHAP. XXI By what signes ripe and curable cataracts may bee
discerned from unripe and uncurable ones IF the sound eye being shut the pupill of the sore or suffused eye after it shall be rubbed with your thumbe bee presently dilated and diffused and with the like celerity returne into the place figure colour and state it is thought by some to shew a ripe and confirmed cataract But an unripe and not to bee couched if the pupill remaine dilated and diffused for a long while after But it is a common signe of a ripe as also more dense and consequently uncurable suffusion to bee able to see nor distinguish no visible thing beside light and brightnesse for to discerne other objects sheweth that it is not yet ripe Therefore the sound eye being shut and pressed the pupill of the other rubbed with your thumbe is dilated enlarged swelleth and is more diffused the visive spirits by this compression being as it were forced from the sound into the fore eye But these following cataracts are judged uncurable that is such as are great such as when the eye-lid is rubbed are nothing dilated or diffused whose pupill becommeth no broader by this rubbing for hence you may gather that the stopping or obstruction is in the opticke nerve so that how cunningly and wellsoever the cataract bee conched yet will the Patient continue blind you shall do no more good in couching a cataract which is in an eye consumed and wasted with a Phthisis Also that cataract is uncurable which is occasioned by a most grievous disease to wit by most bitter and cruell paines of the head or by a violent blow Such as are of a plaister-like green blacke livid citrine and quicksilver-like colour are usually uncurable On the contrary such as are of a Chesnut colour or of a skye or sea-water colour with some little whitnesse yeeld great hope of a happy and successefull cure CHAP. XXII Of the couching a Cataract AFter you shal know by the forementioned signes that the Cataract is curable it remains that you attempt the couching thereof but so that there be nothing which may hinder For if the paine of the head cough nauseousnes or vomiting at that time trouble the patient you shal then bestow your labour in vaine Wherefore you must expect untill these symptomes be gone Then make choice of a season fitting for that purpose that is in the decrease of the moon when the aire is not troubled with thunder nor lightening and when as the Sunne is not in Aries because that signe hath dominion over the head Then let the Surgeon consult a Physitian whether purging or bloud-letting be convenient for the Patient so to resist plethoricke symptomes otherwaies ready to yeeld matter for relapse Two dayes after you must make choice of a place furnished with indifferent or competent light and the Patient being fasting shall be placed in a strait chaire so that the light may not fall with the beames directly upon him but sidewise The eye which shall bee cured must bee made more steddy by laying and binding wooll upon the other Then the Surgeon shall feate and place himselfe directly against the Patient upon a seat somewhat higher and bidding the Patient put his hands downe to his girdle he shall hold the patients legges betweene his knees One shall stand at the Patients backe who shall hold his head and keepe it from stirring for by a little stirring hee may lose his sight for ever Then must you prepare and make ready your needle and thrust it often into some strong thicke cloth that it may bee as it were smoothe by this motion and for the performance of the worke in hand with the lesse paine somewhat warmed It must bee made of iron or steele and not of gold or silver it must be also flatted on the sides and sharpe pointed that so it may the better pierce into the eye and wholly couch the Cataract once taken hold of and lest it should slip in the Surgeons hand and be lesse steddy it shall bee put into a handle as you may see by the following figure A needle inserted in a handle for the couching of Cataracts All things being thus in a readinesse you must bid the patient to turne the sight of his eye towards his nose and the needle must be boldly thrust for it is received in a place that is voyde and onely filled with spirits directly by the coat Adnata in the middle space between the lesser corner the horny coat just against the midst of the Cataract yet so as that you hurt no vein of the Adnata then by stirring it as it were diversly untill it come to the midst of the pupill and suffusion When it is come thither the needle must bee inclined from above downewards to the suffusion and there to be stirred gently untill by little and little it couch or bring downe the Cataract as whole as may be beneath the compasse of the pupill let him still follow it though couched with his needle and somewhat violently depresse and keep it down for some short space that so it may rest and stay in that lower place whether it is depressed The Surgeon shall try whether it firmely remaine there or no bidding the patient presently to move his eye For if it remaine constantly so and doe not returne againe the cure is perfect Then must the needle be lifted up by little and little neither must it presently be taken forth that if the Cataract should beare up or rise againe that it might againe and so often whilst the worke is yet hot and all things in a readinesse be couched towards the lesser corner untill it be fully and surely hid Then must you draw backe the needle gently and after the same manner as you put it in lest if you use not moderation you bring backe the Cataract from whence you couched it or grievously offend the crystalline humour the prime instrument of sight or the pupill with danger of dilating thereof Some as soone as the worke is done give the patient something in his hand to looke upon but Paulus approves not thereof for hee feares lest his endeavouring or striving to see may draw backe the Cataract Wherefore it is more wisedome and better presently after the drawing forth of the needle to put on a soft ragge the white of an egge beaten in rose-water with a little choice alume and so apply it to the eye and neighbouring parts for to binde and binder the inflammation then also you must together therewith bind up the sound eye lest by stirring to see it might together therewith draw and move the fore eye by reason of the sympathy and consent they mutually have by the opticke nerves After all things are thus performed the patient shall bee laid in a solt bed so placed that his head may lye somwhat high let him be laid far from noise let him not speake nor eate any hard thing that may trouble
feavers we open a veine to breathe out that bloud which is heated in the vessels and cooling the residue which remaines behind The fift is to prevent imminent diseases as when in the Spring and Autumne we draw bloud by opening a veine in such as are subject to spitting of bloud the squinancie pleurisie falling sicknesse apoplexie madnesse gout or in such as are wounded for to prevent the inflammation which is to be feared Before bloud letting if there bee any old excrements in the guts they shall bee evacuated by a gentle glyster or suppository lest the mesaraicke veines should thence draw unto them any impuritie Bloud must not be drawne from ancient people unlesse some present necessity require it lest the native heat which is but languid in them should be brought to extreme debility and their substance decay neither must any in like sort be taken from children for feare of resolving their powers by reason of the tendernesse of their substance rareness of their habit The quantity of bloud which is to be let must bee considered by the strength of the patient and greatnesse of the disease therefore if the patient bee weake and the disease require large evacuation it will bee convenient to part the letting of bloud yea by the interposition of some dayes The veine of the forehead being opened is good for the paine of the hind part of the head yet first we foment the part with warme water that so the skin may be the foster and the bloud drawne into the veines in greater plenty In the squinancie the veines which are under the tongue must be opened assant without putting any ligatures about the neck for feare of strangling Phlebotomie is necessary in all diseases which stop or hinder the breathing or take away the voice or speech as likewise in all contusions by a heavie stroake or fall from high in an apoplexie squinancie and burning feaver though the strength be not great nor the bloud faulty in quantity or quality bloud must not be let in the height of a fever Most judge it fit to draw bloud from the veines most remote from the affected and inflamed part for that thus the course of the humours may be diverted the next veines on the contrary being opened the humours may be the more drawne into the affected part and so increase the burden and paine But this opinion of theirs is very erroneous for an opened veine alwaies evacuates and disburdens the next part For I have sundry times opened the veines and arteries of the affected part as of the hands feet in the Gout of these parts of the temples in the Megrim whereupon the paine alwayes was somewhat asswaged for that together with the evacuated bloud the malignitie of the Gout and the hot spirits the causers of the head-ach or Megrim were evacuated For thus Galen wisheth to open the arteries of the temples in a great and contumacious defluxion falling upon the eyes or in the Megrim or head-ach CHAP. LX. How to open a veine and draw bloud from thence THE first thing is to seat or place the patient in as good a posture as you can to wit in his bed if he be weak but in a chaire if strong yet so that the light may fall directly upon the veine which you intend to open Then the Surgeon shall rub the arme with his hand or a warme linnen cloth that the bloud may flow the more plenitfully into the vein Then he shall bind the veine with a ligature a little above the place appointed to be opened and hee shall draw back the bloud upwards towards the ligature from the lower part and if it be the right arme he shall take hold thereof with his left hand but if the left then with his right hand pressing the veine in the meane time with his thumbe a little below the place where you meane to open it lest it should slip away and that it may bee the more swolne by forcing up the bloud Then with his naile hee shall marke or designe the place to be opened and shall annoint it being so marked with butter or oyle whereby the skin may be relaxed and the lancet enter more easily and therefore the section may be the lesse painefull He shal hold his lancet between his thumb and fore finger neither too neer nor too far from the point he shall rest his other three fingers upon the patients arme that so his hand may be the more steddy lesse trembling Then shall he open the vein with an incision agreeable to the magnitude of the vessell the indifferent thicknesse of the conteined bloud somewhataslant diligently avoiding the artery which lies under the basilica the nerve or tendon of the two-headed muscle which lyes under the Median veine But for the Cephalicke it may be opened without danger As much bloud as is sufficient being drawne according to the minde of the Physician he shall loose the ligature and laying a little boulster under hee shall with a ligature bind up the wounded part to stay the bleeding the ligation shall be neither too strait nor loose but so that the patient may freely bend and extend his arme wherefore whilest that is in doing he must not hold his arme streight out but gently bended otherwise he cannot freely bend it The figure of a Lancet to let bloud withall CHAP. LXI Of Cupping-glasses or ventoses CUpping-glasses are applyed especially when the matter conjunct and impact in any part is to be evacuated and then chiefly there is place for sacrification after the cupping-glasses yet they are also applyed for revulsion and divertion for when an humour continually flowes down into the eyes they may be applyed to the shoulders with a great flame for so they draw more strongly and effectually They are also applyed under womens breasts for to stop the courses flowing too immoderately but to their thighes for to provoke them They are also applyed to such as are bit by venemous beasts as also to parts possessed by a pestiferous Bubâ— or Carbuncle so to draw the poyson from within outwards For as Celsus saith a Cupping-glasse where it is fastned on if the skin be first scarified drawes forth bloud but if it bee whole then it draws spirit Also they are applyed to the belly when any grosse or thick windinesse shut up in the guts or membraines of the muscles of the Epigaâ—trium or lower belly causing the Collick is to bee discussed Also they are fastned to the Hypocondry's when as flatulency in the liver or spleene swels up the entraile lying thereunder or in too great a bleeding at the nose Also they are set against the Reines in the bottome of the belly whereas the ureters run downe to draw downe the stone into the bladder when as it stops in the middle or entrance of the ureter You shall make choice of greater and lesser Cupping-glasses according
the gums by acride vapours rising to the mouth but the lips of Leprous persons are more swolne by the internall heat burning and incrassating the humours as the outward heat of the Sun doth in the Moores The eighth signe is the swelling blacknesse of the tongue and as it were varicous veins lying under it because the tongue being by nature spongious and rare is easily stored with excrementitious humours sent from the inner parts unto the habit of the body which same is the cause why the grandules placed about the tongue above and below are swolne hard round no otherwise than scrophulous or meazled swine Lastly all their face riseth in red bunches or pushes and is over-spread with a duskie and obscure redness the eies are fiery fierce and fixed by a melancholick chachectick disposition of the whole body manifest signes whereof appeare in the face by reason of the forementioned causes yet some leprous persons have their faces tinctured with a yellowish others with a whitish colour according to the condition of the humor which serves for a Basis to the leprous malignity For hence Physicians affirme that there are three sorts of Leprosies one of a redish black colour consisting in a melancholick humour another of a yellowish greene in a cholericke humour another in a whitish yellow grounded upon adust phlegme The ninth signe is a stinking of the breath as also of all the excrements proceeding from leprous bodies by reason of the malignity conceived in the humours The tenth is a hoarsnesse a shaking harsh and obscure voyce comming as it were out of the nose by reason of the lungs recurrent nerves and muscles of the throttle tainted with the grossenesse of a virulent and adust humour the forementioned constriction obstruction of the inner passage of the nose and lastly the asperity and inequality of the weazon by immoderate drynesse as it happens to such as have drunk plentifully of strong wines without any mixture This immoderate drinesse of the muscles serving for respiration makes them to bee trouled with a difficulty of breathing The eleventh signe is very observable which is a Morphew or defaedation of all the skin with a dry roughnesse and grainy inequality such as appears in the skins of plucked geese with many tetters on every side a filthy scab and ulcers not casting off onely a branlike scurfe but also scailes and crusts The cause of this dry scab is the heat of the burning bowels humours unequally contracting and wrinkling the skin no otherwise than as leather is wrinkled by the heat of the Sun or fire The cause of the filthy scab serpiginous ulcers is the eating and corroding condition of the melancholy humour and the venenate corruption it also being the author of corruption so that it may be no marvell if the digestive faculty of the liver being spoyled the assimulative of a maligne and unfit matter sent into the habit of the body cannot well nor fitly performe that which may be for the bodies good The twelfth is the sense of a certain pricking as it were of goads or needles over all the skin caused by an acride vapour hindred from passing forth and intercepted by the thicknesse of the skin The thirteenth is a consumption and emaciation of the muscles which are betweene the thumbe and fore-finger not onely by reason that the nourishing and assimulating faculties want fit matter wherewith they may repaire the losse of these parts for that is common to these with the rest of the body but because these muscles naturally rise up unto a certaine mountanous tumor therefore their depression is the more manifest And this is the cause that the shoulders of leprous persons stand out like wings to wit the emaciation of the inner part of the muscle Trapezites The fourteenth signe is the diminution of sense or a numnesse over all the body by reason that the nerves are obstructed by the thicknesse of the melancholick humour hindring the free passage of the animal spirit that it cannot come to the parts that should receive sense these in the interim remaining free which are sent into the muscles for motions sake and by this note I chiefly make tryall of leprous persons thrusting a somewhat long and thick needle somewhat deep into the great tendon endued with most exquisite sense which runs to the heel which if they do not well feele I conclude that they are certainly leprous Now for that they thus lose their sense their motion remaining entire the cause hereof is that the nerves which are disseminated to the skin are more affected and those that run into the muscles are not so much therefore when as you prick them somewhat deep they feel the prick which they do not in the surface of the skin The fifteenth is the corruption of the extreme parts possessed by putrefaction and a gangrene by reason of the corruption of the humours sent thither by the strength of the bowels infecting with the like tainture the parts wherein they remain adde hereto that the animal sensitive faculty is there decayed and as often as any faculty hath forsaken any part the rest presently after a manner neglect it The sixteenth is they are troubled with terrible dreames for they seeme in their sleep to see divels serpents dungeons graves dead bodies and the like by reason of the black vapours of the melancholie humour troubling the phantasie with black and dismall visions by which reason also such as are bitten of a mad dog feare the water The seventeenth is that at the beginning and in the increase of the disease they are subtle crafty and furious by reason of the heat of the humours bloud but at length in the state and declension they become crafty and suspicious the heat and burning of the bloud and entrailes decaying by little and little therefore then fearing all things whereof there is no cause distrusting of their owne strength they endeavour by craft maliciously to circumvent those with whom they deal for that they perceive their powers to faile them The eighteenth is a desire of venery above their nature both for that they are inwardly burned with a strange heat as also by the mixture of flatulencies therewith for whose generation the melancholick humour is most fit which are agitated violently carried through the veins and genitall parts by the preternaturall heat but at length when this heate is cooled and that they are fallen into a hot and dry distemper they mightily abhor venery which then would bee very hurtfull to them as it also is at the beginning of the disease because they have small store of spirits and native heat both which are dissipated by venery The nineteenth is the so great thicknesse of their grosse and livide bloud that if you wash it you may finde a sandy matter therein as some have found by experience by reason of the great adustion and
glasses applyed with much flame to sundry parts of the body are good Also bathes of warme water with a decoction of such things as resist poyson as southerne wood calaminte rue betony horehound penny royall bayes scordium smallage scabious mints valerian and the like are good in this case Also sweates are good being provoked so much as the strength of the patient can endure But if he be very wealthy whom we suspect poysoned it will be safer to put him into the belly of an oxe horse or mule and then presently into another assoone as the former is cold that so the poyson may bee drawne forth by the gentle and vaporous heate of the new killed beast yet doe none of these things without the advise of a Physitian if it may conveniently be had CHAP. VII How the corrupt or venemous Ayre may kill a Man THE aire is infected and corrupted by the admixture of maligne vapours either arising from the unburied bodies of such as are slaine in great conflicts or exhaling out of the earth after earth-quakes for the aire long pent up in the cavities and bowells of the earth and deprived of the freedome and commerce of the open aire is corrupted and acquires a maligne quality which it presently transferreth unto such as meet therewith Also there is a certaine malignity of the aire which accompanieth thunders and lightnings which favoures of a sulphureous virulency so that whatsoever wilde beastes shall devoure the creatures killed therewith they become madde and dye immediately for the fire of lightning hath a farre more rapid subtle and greater force than other fires so that it may rightly be termed a Fire of Fires An argument hereof is that it melteth the head of a spear not harming the wood and silver and gold not hurting the purse wherein it is conteined Also the aire is infected by fumigations which presently admitted into the body and bowels by the mouth and nose in respiration by the skinne and arteries in perspiration doth easily kill the spirits and humours being first infected and then within a short space after the solid substance of the principall parts chiefly of the heart being turned into their nature unlesse the man be first provided for by sneesing vomiting sweating purging by the belly or some other excretion For that poyson which is carryed into the body by smell is the most rapid effectuall by so much as a vapor or exhalation is of more subtle quicklier piercing essence than an humor Yet not withstanding wilt thou say it is not credible that any can be kild by any vapor raised by the force of fire as of a Torch or a Warming-pan for that the venenate quality of the thing that is burnt is dissipated and consumed by the force of the fire purging and cleansing all things This reason is falsly faigned to the destruction of the lives of carelesse people for sulphureous brands kindled at a cleere fire doe notwithstanding cast forth a sulphureous vapour Whether doe not Lignum aloes and Juniper when they are burnt in a flame smell lesse sweetly Pope Clement the seventh of that name the Uncle of our Kings Mother was poysoned by the fume of a poysonous Torch that was carryed lighted before him and dyed thereof Mathiolus telleth that there were two Mountebanks in the market place of Sicnna the one of which but smelling to a poysoned gilly-flower given him by the other fell downe dead presently A certaine man not long ago when he had put to his nose and smelled a little unto a pomander which was secretly poysoned was presently taken with a Vertigo and all his face swelled and unlesse that hee had gotten speedy helpe by sternutatories and other meanes hee had died shortly after of the same kinde of death that Pope Clement did The safest preservative against such poysons is not to smell to them moreover some affirme that there are prepared some poysons of such force that being anointed but on the saddle they will kill the rider others that if you but anoint the stirrops therwith they will send so deadlie poysonous a qualitie into the rider through his boots that he shall die therof within a short time after which things though they be scarce credible because such poysons touch not the naked skin yet have they an example in nature whereby they may defend themselves For the Torpedo sends a narcoticke and certainelie deadlie force into the arme and so into the bodie of the Fisher the cords of the net being between them CHAP. VIII That every kinde of Poyson hath its proper and peculiar Signes and Effects AS poysons are distinct in species so each species differs in their signes and effects neither is it possible to find anie one kinde of poyson which may be accompanied or produce all the signes and effects of all poysons other-wise Physitians should in vaine have written of the signes and effects of each of them as also of their proper remedies antidotes For what kind of poyson shall that be which shall cause a burning heat in the stomack bellie liver bladder kidneies which shall cause a hicketting which shall cause the whole body to tremble and shake which shall take away the voice and speech which shall cause convulsions shall weaken the pulsificke facultie which shall intercept the freedome of breathing which shall stupesie and cast into a dead sleepe which shall together and at once cause a Vertigo in the head dimnesse in the sight a strangling or stoppage of the breath thirst bleeding feaver stoppage of the urine perpetuall vomiting rednesse lividnesse and paleness of the face resolution of the powers and manie other things all which are caused by all sorts of poyson Lastly no bodie will denie but that hot poysons may kill more speedily than cold for that they are more speedily actuated by the native heat CHAP. IX The Effects of Poysons from particular venemous things and what Prognosticks may thence bee made IT is the opinion of Cornelius Celsus and almost of all the antients That the bite of everie beast had some virulencie but yet some more than othersome They are most virulent that are inflicted by venemous beasts as Aspes Vipers Water-snakes and all kindes of Serpents Basiliskes Dragons Toads Mad dogges Scorpions Spiders Bees Waspes and the like They are lesse maligne which are of creatures wanting venome as of Horses Apes Cats Dogges not mad and manie other things which though of their owne nature they are without poison yet in their bites there is something more dolorisicke and ill natured than in common wounds inflicted by other occasions I beleeve that in their slaver or sanies there is something I know not how to terme it contrarie to our nature which imprints a maligne qualitie in the ulcer which also you may observe in the tearings or scratchings of such creatures as have sharpe clawes as Lions and Cats Moreover manie affirme that they have found by
resembleth silver in the colour and is in perpetuall motion as if it had a spirit or living soule There is a great controversie amongst authors concerning it For most of them affirme it hot amongst whom is Galen Halyabas Rhases Aristotle Constantine Isack Platearius Nicholas Massa they maintain their opinion by an argument drawn from things helping and hurting besides from this that it is of such subtle parts that it penetrates dissolves and performeth all the actions of heate upon dense and hard mettals to wit it attenuateth incideth dryeth causeth salivation by the mouth purgeth by the stoole moveth urine and sweat over all the body neither doth it stirre up the thinner humours onely but in like sort the grosse tough and viscous as those which have the Lues Venerea find by experience using it either in ointments or plasters Others affirme it very cold and moyst for that put into emplasters and so applyed it asswageth paine by stupefaction hindring the acrimony of pustles and cholerick inflammations But by its humidity it softeneth scirrhous tumours dissolveth and dissipateth knots and tophous knobs besides it causeth the breath of such as are anointed therewith to stinke by no other reason than that it putrefies the obvious humours by its great humidity Avicens experiment confirmes this opinion who affirmeth that the bloud of an Ape that drunke Quicksilver was found concrete about the heart the carcasse being opened Mathiolus moved by these reasons writes that Quicksilver killeth men by the excessive cold and humide quality if taken in any large quantity because it congeales the bloud and vitall spirits and at length the very substance of the heart as may bee understood by the history of a cetaine Apothecary set downe by Conciliator who for to quench his feaverish heat in stead of water drunke off a glasse of Quicksilver for that came first to his hands hee dyed within a few houres after but first hee evacuated a good quantity of the Quicksilver by stoole the residue was found in his stomack being opened and that to the weight of one pound besides the bloud was found concrete about his heart Others use another argument to prove it cold and that is drawne from the composition thereof because it consists of lead and other cold mettals But this argument is very weak For unquencht Lime is made of flints and stony matter which is cold yet neverthelesse it exceeds in heat Paracelsus affirmeth that quicksilver is hot in the interior substance but cold in the exterior that is cold as it comes forth of the mine But that coldnesse to bee lost as it is prepared by art and heat onely to appeare and bee left therein so that it may serve in stead of a tincture in the transmutation of mettals And verily it is taken for a rule amongst Chymists that all metals are outwardly cold by reason of the watery substance that is predominant in them but that inwardly they are very hot which then appeares when as the coldnesse together with the moysture is segregated for by calcination they become caustick Moreover many account quicksilver poyson yet experience denyes it For Marianus Sanctus Baralitanus tels that hee saw a woman who for certaine causes and affects would at severall times drink one pound and an halfe of quicksilver which came from her againe by stoole without any harme Moreover he affirmeth that hee hath knowne sundry who in a desperate Cholick which they commonly call miserere mei have beene freed from imminent death by drinking three pounds of quicksilver with water only For by the weight it opens and unfolds the twined or bound up gut and thrusts forth the hard and stopping excrements he addeth that others have found this medicine effectuall against the cholick drunke in the quantity of three ounces Antonius Musa writes that hee usually giveth quicksilver to children ready to dye of the wormes Avicen confirmeth this averring that many have drunke quicksilver without any harme wherefore hee mixeth it in his ointments against scaules and scabs in children whence came that common medicine amongst the countrey people to kill lice by anointing the head with quicksilver mixed with butter or axungia Mathiolus affirmeth that many think it the last and chiefest remedy to give to women in travaile that cannot bee delivered I protest to satisfie my selfe concerning this matter I gave to a whelpe a pound of quicksilver which being drunke downe it voyded without any harme by the belly Whereby you may understand that it is wholly without any venemous quality Verily it is the onely and true Antidote of the Lues Venerea and also a very fit medicine for maligne ulcers as that which more powerfully impugnes their malignity than any other medicines that worke onely by their first qualities Besides against that contumacious scabbe which is vulgarly called Malum sancti manis there is not any more speedy or certaine remedy Moreover Guido writes that if a plate of lead bee besmeared or rubbed therewith and then for some space laid upon an ulcer and conveniently fastned that it will soften the callous hardnesse of the lips thereof and bring it to cicatrization which thing I my selfe have oftimes found true by experience Certainely before Guido Galen much commended quicksilver against maligne ulcers cancers Neither doth Galen affirm that lead is poysonous which many affirm poysonous because it consists of much quicksilver but hee onely saith thus much that water too long kept in leaden pipes cisternes by reason of the drossinesse that it useth to gather in lead causeth bloudy fluxes which also is familiar to brasse and copper Otherwise many could not without danger beare in their bodies leaden bullets during the space of so many yeares as usually they doe It is declared by Theodoricke Herey in the following histories how powerfull quicksilver is to resolve and asswage paines and inflammations Not long since saith hee a certaine Doctor of Physick his boy was troubled with parotides with great swelling heat pain beating to him by the common consent of the Physicians there present I applyed an anodine medicine whose force was so great that the tumor manifestly subsided at the first dressing and the paine was much asswaged At the second dressing all the symptomes were more mitigated At the third dressing I wondring at the so great effects of an Anodine Cataplasme observed that there was quicksilver mixed therewith and this happened through the negligence of the Apothecarie who mixed the simple Anodine medicine prescribed by us in a mortar wherein but a while before he had mixed an oyntment whereinto quicksilver entred whose reliques and some part thereof yet remained therein This which once by chance succeeded well I afterwards wittingly and willingly used to a certaine Gentlewoman troubled with the like disease possessing all the region behind the eares much of the throate and a great part of the cheeke when as nature helped by common
such a phrensie by inflaming the braine that the patients running naked out of their beds seeke to throw themselves out of windowes into the pits and rivers that are at hand In some the joynts of the body are so weakned that they cannot goe nor stand from the beginning they are as it were buried in a long swoune and deepe sleep by reason that the feaver sendeth up to the braine the grosse vapours from the crude and cold humours as it were from greene Wood newly kindled to make a fire Such sleeping doth hold him especially while the matter of the sore or Carbuncle is drawne together and beginneth to come to suppuration Oftentimes when they are awaked out of sleepe there doe spots and markes appeare dispersed over the skin with a stinking sweat But if those vapours be sharpe that are stirred up unto the head in stead of sleepe they cause great waking and alwayes there is much diversitie of accidents in the urine of those that are infected with the Plague by reason of the divers temperature and condition of bodies neither is the urine at all times and in all men of the same consistence and colour For sometimes they are like unto the urine of those that are sound and in health that is to say laudable in colour and substance because that when the heart is affected by the venemous Aire that entreth in unto it the spirits are more greatly grieved and molested than the humours but those i. the spirits are infected and corrupted when these do begin to corrupt But Urines onely shew the dispositions of the humours or parts in which they are made collected together and through which they passe This reason seemeth truer to me than theirs which say that nature terrefied with the malignity of the poyson avoyds contention and doth not resist or labour to digest the matter that causeth the disease Many have their appetites so overthrowne that they can abstaine from meat for the space of three dayes together And to conclude the variety of accidents is almost infinite which appear spring up in this kinde of disease by reason of the diversity of the poyson and condition of the bodies and grieved parts but they doe not all appeare in each man but some in one and some in another CHAP. XIIII What signes in the Plague are mortall IT is a most deadly signe in the Pestilence to have a continuall and burning Feaver to have the tongue dry rough and black to breathe with difficulty and to draw in a great quantity of breath but breathe out little to talke idely to have phrensie and madnesse together with unquenchable thirst and great watching to have Covulsions the Hicket heart-beating and to swoune very often and vehemently further tossing and turning in the bed with a loathing of meats and daily vomits of a greene blacke and bloudy colour and the face pale blacke of a horrid and cruell aspect bedewed with a cold sweat are very mortall signes There are some which at the very beginning have ulcerous and painefull wearinesse pricking under the skin with great torment of paine the eyes looke cruelly and staringly the voyce waxeth hoarse the tongue rough and stutting and the understanding decaying the Patient uttereth and talketh of frivolous things Truely those are very dangerously sicke no otherwise than those whose urine is pale black and troubled like unto the urine of carriage beasts or Lye with divers coloured clouds or contents as blew greene black fatty and oylie as also resembling in shew a Spiders Web with a round body swimming on the top If the flesh of the carbuncle be dry and blacke as it were feared with a hotiron if the flesh about it be blacke and blew if the matter doe flow back and turne in if they have a laske with greatly stinking liquid thin clammy blacke greene or blewish ordure if they avoyd wormes by reason of the great corruption of the humours and yet for all this the patient is never the better if the eies waxe often dim if the nostrils bee contracted or drawne together if they have a grievous crampe the mouth bee drawne aside the muscles of the face being drawn or contracted equally or unequally if the nailes be blacke if they be often troubled with the Hicket or have a Convulsion and resolution over all the body then you may certainly prognosticate that death is at hand and you may use Cordiall medicines onely but it is too late to purge or let bloud CHAP. XV. Signes of the Plague comming by contagion of the Aire without any fault of the humours YOU shall understand that the Pestilence proceeds from the corruption of the aire if it be very contagious and disperse it selfe into sundry places in a moment If it kill quickly and many so that whilest sundry persons goe about their usuall businesse walke in the places of common resort and through the streets they suddenly fall downe and dye no signe of the disease or harme appearing nor any paine oppressing them for the malignity of the corrupt Aire is quick and very speedy in infecting our spirits overthrowing the strength of the heart and killing the patient The patients are not troubled with great agitation because the spirits dissipated by the rapid malignity of the poyson cannot endure that labour besides they are taken with frequent swouning few of them have Bubo's few have Blains come forth and by the same reason their urines are like to those of sound men CHAP. XVI Signes of the Plague drawne into the body by the fault and putrefaction of humours FOrmerly we have reckoned up the causes of the corruption of humours from plenitude obstruction distemper and the ill juice of meats Now must wee deliver the signes of each corrupt humour which reignes in us that it may be reduced to soundnesse and perfection of nature by the opposition of its contrary or else bee evacuated by physick Therefore if the body be more yellow than usuall it is a signe of choler offending in quantity and quality If more black then of melancholy if more pale then of phlegme if more red with the veines swolne up and full then of bloud Also the colour of the rising blaines tumours and spots expresse the colour of the predominant humour as also the excrements cast forth by vomit stoole and otherwise the heavinesse and cheerfulnesse of the affected body the manner of the present feaver the time of the year age region diet Such things as have a cutting penetrating attenuating and cleansing faculty take away obstruction By meanes of obstruction feavers oft-times accompany the Plague and these not onely continuall but also intermitting like tertians or quartaines Therefore that Plague that is fixed in the infection or corruption of a cholericke humour shewes it selfe by the forementioned signes of predominating choler to wit the heate of the skin blaines and excrements as also in the quicknesse of killing and vehemency of the symptomes bitternesse of
strain it through a cloth when it is cold let it be given the patient to drink with the juice of Citrons Those that have accustomed to drink Sider Perry Beer or Ale ought to use that drink still so that it be clear transparent and thin and made of those fruits that are somwhat tart for troubled dreggish drink doth not only engender grosse humors but also crudities windiness and obstructions of the first region of the body whereof comes a feaver Oxycrate being given in manner following doth asswage the heat of the feaver and represse the putrefaction of the humours and the fiercenesse of the venome and also expelleth the water through the veines if so bee that the patients are not troubled with spitting of blood cough yexing and altogether weake of stomacke for such must avoyd all tart things Take of faire water one quart of white or red vinegar three ounces of fine Sugar foure ounces of syrup of Roses two ounces boile them a little and then give the patient there of to drinke Or take of the juice of Lemmons Citrons of each halfe an ounce of juice of soure Pomegranates two ounces of the water of Sorrell and Roses of each one ounce of faire water boyled as much as shall suffice make thereof a Julep and use it betweene meales Or take of Sirupe of Lemmons and of red Currance of each one ounce of the water of lillies foure ounces of faire water boyled halfe a pinte make thereof a Julep Ortake of the syrups of water Lillies and vinegar of each half an ounce dissolve it in five ounces of the water of Sorrell of faire water one pinte make thereof a Julep But if the patient be young and have a strong and good stomacke and cholericke by nature I thinke it not unmeet for him to drinke a full and large draught of fountaine water cold for that is effectuall to restraine and quench the heat of the Feaver and contrariwise they that drinke cold water often and a very small quantity at a time as the Smith doth sprinkle water on the fire at his Forge doe encrease the heat and burning and thereby make it endure the longer Therfore by the judgment of Celsus when the disease is in the chiefe encrease and the patient hath endured thirst for the space of three or four daies cold water must be given unto him in great quantity so that he may drink past his satiety that when his belly and stomacke are filled beyond measure and sufficiently cooled he may vomit Some doe not drinke so much thereof as may cause them to vomit but do drinke even unto satiety and so use it for a cooling medicine but when either of these is done the patient must bee covered with many cloaths and so placed that hee may sleepe and for the most part after long thirst and watching and after long fulnesse and long and great heat sound sleep commeth by which great sweat is sent out and that is a present helpe But thirst must sometimes be quenched with little pieces of Melons Gourds Cucumbers with the leaves of Lettuce Sorrell and Purslaine made moist or soked in cold water or with a little square piece of a Citron Lemmon or Orange macerated in Rose water sprinkled with Sugar and so held in the mouth and then changed But if the patient be aged his strength weak flegmatick by nature given to wine when the state of the Feaver is somewhat past and the chiefe heat beginning to asswage he may drink wine very much allayed at his meat for to restore his strength and to supply the want of the wasted spirits The patient ought not by any meanes to suffer great thirst but must mitigate it by drinking or else allay it by washing his mouth with oxycrate and such like and he may therein also wash his hands and his face for that doth recreate the strength If the fluxe or lask trouble him he may very well use to drinke steeled water and also boyled milke wherein many stones comming red hot out of the fire have beene many times quenched For the drynesse and roughnesse of the mouth it is very good to have a cooling moistening and lenifying lotion of the mucilaginous water of the infusion of the leeds of Quinces psilium id est Flea-wort adding thereto a little Camphire with the Water of Plantain and Roses then cleanse and wipe out the filth and then moisten the mouth by holding therein a little oile of sweete Almonds mixed with a little syrupe of Violets If the roughnesse breed or degenerate into Ulcers they must be touched with the water of the infusion of sublimate or Aqua fortis But because wee have formerly made frequent mention of drinking of water I have here thought good to speake somewhat of the choice and goodnesse of waters The choice of waters is not to be neglected because a great part of our diet depends thereon for besides that we use it either alone or mixed with wine for drink we also knead bread boile meat and make broaths therewith Many thinke that rain water which falls in summer and is kept in a cisterne well placed and made is the wholesomest of all Then next thereto they judge that spring water which runnes out of the tops of mountaines through rocks cliffes and stones in the third place they put Well water or that which riseth from the foots of hils Also the river water is good that is taken out of the midst or streame Lake or pond water is the worst especially if it stand still for such is fruitfull of and stored with many venemous creatures as Snakes Toads and the like That which comes by the melting of Snow and Ice is very ill by reason of the too refrigerating faculty and earthy nature But of spring and well waters these are to be judged the best which are insipide without smell colour such as are cleare warmish in winter and cold in summer which are quickly hot and quickly cold that is which are most light in which all manner pulse turneps and the like are easily and quickly boyled Lastly when as such as usually drink thereof have cleer voices and shrill their chests sound and a lively and fresh colour in their faces CHAP. XXII Of Antidotes to bee used in the Plague NOw we must treate of the proper cure of this disease which must bee used as soone as may be possible because this kinde of poyson in swiftnesse exceedeth the celerity of the medicine Therefore it is better to erre in this that you should think every disease to bee pestilent in a pestilent season and to cure it as the Pestilence because that so long as the Ayre is polluted with the seeds of the Pestilence the humours in the body are soone infected with the vicinity of such an ayre so that then there happeneth no disease voyd of the Pestilence that is to say which is not pestilent
for your use and so soone as the patient doth thinke himselfe to be infected let him take foure ounces of that liquor then let him walke and sweate He must leave sweating when he beginneth to waxe faint and weake or when the humour that runs downe his body begins to waxe cold then his body must be wiped with warme clothes and dryed The patient ought not to sweat with a full stomacke for so the heat is called away from performing the office of concoction also he must not sleep when he is in his sweat lest the malignity goe in wardly with the heat and spirits unto the principall parts but if the patient bee much inclined to sleep hee must bee kept from it with hard rubbing and bands tyed about the extreme parts of his body and with much noise of those that are about him and let his friends comfort him with the good hope that they have of his recovery but if all this will not keepe him from sleepe dissolve Castoreum in tart Vinegar and Aqua vitae and let it bee injected into his nostrils and let him bee kept continually waking the first day and on the second and third even unto the fourth that is to say unto the perfect expulsion of the venome and let him not sleep above three or foure houres on a day and night In the meane time let the Physician that shall bee present consider all things by his strength for it is to be feared that great watchings will dissolve the strength and make the patient weake you must not let him eate within three houres after his sweating in the meane season as his strength shall require let him take the rinde of a preserved Citron conserve of Roses bread toasted and steeped in wine the meat of a preserved Myrabolane or some such like thing CHAP. XXIII Of Epithemes to be used for the strengthening of the principall parts THere are also some topick medicines to bee reckoned amongst Antidotes which must be outwardly applyed as speedily as may be as cordiall and hepaticke Epithemes for the safety of the noble parts and strengthening of the faculties as those that drive the venenate aire farre from the bowels they may be made of cordiall things not onely hot but also cold that they may temper the heat and more powerfully repercusse They must be applyed warme with a scarlet or a double linnen cloth or a soft spunge dipped in them if so be that a Carbuncle doe not possesse the regions of the noble parts for it is not fit to use repercussives to a Carbuncle You may make Epithemes after the following formes ℞ aquar ros plantag solan an ℥ iv aquae acetos vini granat aceti an ℥ iii. santal rub coral rub pulveris an ʒiii theriac vet ℥ ss camph. ℈ ii croci ℈ i. carioph ʒss misce fiat epithema Or else R. aqu ros plantag an ℥ x. aceti ros ℥ iv carioph sant rub coral rub pulveris pul diamargarit frigid an ʒiss caphurae moschi an ℈ i. fiat epithemae Or ℞ aquar rosar melissae an ℥ iv aceti ros ℥ iii. sant rub ʒi caryophyl ʒss croci ℈ ii caphurae ℈ i. boli arm terraesigil zedoar an ʒi fiat epithema Or else ℞ aceti rosat aquae rosat an lb. ss caphuraeʒss theriac mithridat an ʒi fiat epithema Or else aqu rosar nenuph. buglos acetosae aceti rosar an lb. ss sant rub ros rub an ʒiii flor nenuph. violar caphur an ʒss mithrid theriac an ʒii terantur misceantur simul omnia When you intend to use them take some portion of them in a vessell by its selfe wherewith let the affected bowell be fomented warme CHAP. XXIIII Whether purging and bloud-letting bee necessary in the beginning of pestilent diseases SO soon as the heart is strengthened corroberated with cordials antidotes we must come to phlebotomy purging As concerning bloud-letting in this case there is a great controversie among Physicians Those that wish it to be used say or affirme that the pestilent Feaver doth infixe it selfe in the bloud and therein also the pestilent malignity taketh its seate and therefore it will soone infect the other humours unlesse that the bloud be evacuated the infection that remaineth in the bloud be thereby taken away Contrariwise those that do not allow phlebotomy in this case alledge that it often commeth to passe that the bloud is voyd of malignity when the other humours are infected with the venemous contagion If any man require my judgement in this doubtfull question I say that the pestilence sometimes doth depend on the default of the aire This default being drawne through the passages of the body doth at length pierce unto the entrals as we may understand by the abscesses which breake out one while behind the eares sometimes in the arme-holes and sometimes in the groines as the braine heart or liver are infected And hereof also come Carbuncles and other collections of matter and eruptions which are seene in all parts of the body by reason that nature using the strength of the expulsive faculty doth drive forth whatsoever is noysome or hurtfull Therefore if the Physician will follow this motion of nature he must neither purge nor let bloud lest that by a contrary motion that is by drawing in from without the motion of nature which proceeds outwardly from within should be troubled So wee often see in those who are purged or let bloud for such Buboes as come through unlawfull copulation that the matter is thereby made contumacious and by drawing it inwardly it speedily causeth the French Pocks Wherefore when Buboes Carbuncles and other pestilent eruptions appeare which come through the default of the Aire we ought to abstain from purging and phlebotomie but it is sufficient to fore-arme the heart inwardly and outwardly with Antidotes that are endued with a proper vertue of resisting the poyson For it is not to bee doubted but that when nature is debilitated with both kindes of evacuation and when the spirits together with the bloud are exhausted the venemous Aire will soone pierce and be received into the empty body where it exerciseth its tyranny to the utter destruction thereof In the yeare of our Lord God 1565. in which yeare there was great mortality throughout all France by reason of the pestilence and pestilent diseases I earnestly diligently enquired of all the Physicians Chirurgians of all the Cities through which King Charles the ninth passed in his progresse unto Bayon what successe their patients had after they were letten bloud and purged whereunto they all answered alike that they had diligently observed that all that were infected with the Pestilence and were letten bleed some good quantity of bloud or had their bodies some-what strongly purged thence forwards waxed weaker and weaker and so at length dyed but others which were not let bloud nor purged but took cordiall
Antidotes inwardly and applyed them outwardly for the most part escaped and recovered their health for that kind of Pestilence tooke its originall of the primitive and solitary default of the Aire and not of the corruption of the humours The like event was noted in the hoarsenesse that we spake of before that is to say that the patients waxed worse and worse by purging and phlebotomie but yet I doe not disallow either of those remedies if there be great fulnesse in the body especially in the beginning and if the matter have a cruell violence whereof may bee feared the breaking in unto some noble part For wee know that it is confirmed by Hypocrates that what disease soever is caused by repletion must be cured by evacuation and that in diseases that are very sharpe if the matter do swell it ought to be remedied the same day for delay in such diseases is dangerous but such diseases are not caused orinflicted upon mans body by reason or occasion of the pestilence but of the diseased bodies and diseases themselves commixed together with the Pestilence therefore then peradventure it is lawfull to purge strongly and to let a good quantity of bloud lâ—st that the pestilent venome should take hold of the matter that is prepared and so infect it with a contagion whereby the Pestilence taketh new and farregreater strength especially as Celsus admonisheth us where he saith that By how much the sooner those sudden invasions doe happen by so much the sooner remedies must be used yea or rather rashly applyed therefore if the veines swell the face waxe fiery red if the arteries of the temples beat strongly if the patient can very hardly breathe by reason of a weight in his stomacke if his spittle be bloudy then ought he to bee let bloud without delay for the causes before mentioned It seems best to open the liver veino on the left arme whereby the heart and the spleene may be better discharged of their abundant matter yet bloud-letting is not good at all times for it is not expedient when the body beginneth to waxe stiffe by reason of the comming of a Feaver for then by drawing backe the heat and spirits inwardly the outward parts being destitute of bloud waxe stiffe and cold therefore bloud cannot bee letten then without great losse of the strength and perturbation of the humours And it is to be noted that when those plethoricke causes are present there is one Indication of bloud-letting in a simple pestilent Feaver and another in that which hath a Bubo idest a Botch or a Carbuncle joined ther with For in one or both of these being joyned with a vehement strong burning Feaver bloud must be letten by opening the veine that is nearest into the tumour or swelling against nature keeping the straightness of the fibres that this being open the bloud might be drawn more directly from the part affected for all and every retraction of putrefied bloud unto the noble parts is to be avoyded because it is noysome and hurful to nature and to the patient Therefore for example sake admit the patient be plethoricke by repletion which is called Advasa idest unto the vessels and Advires idest unto the strength and there withall he hath a tumour that is pestilent in the parts belonging unto his head or necke the bloud must bee let out of the cephalick or median veine or out of one of their branches dispersed in the arme on the grieved side But if through occasion of fatte or any other such like cause those veines doe not appeare in the arme there bee some that give counsell in such a case to open the veine that is betweene the fore-finger and the thumbe the hand being put into warme water whereby that veine may swell and be filled with bloud gathered thither by meanes of the heate If the tumour be under the arme-hole or about those places the liver veine or the median must be opened which runneth alongst the hand if it be in the groine the veine of the hamme or Saphena or any other veine above the foote that appeareth well but alwaies on the grieved side And phlebotomie must bee performed before the third day for this disease is of the kind or nature of sharpe diseases because that within foure and twenty houres it runneth past helpe In letting of bloud you must have consideration of the strength You may perceive that the patient is ready to swoune when that his forehead waxeth moyst with a small sweate suddenly arising by the aking or paine at the stomacke with an appetite to vomit and desire to goe to stoole gaping blacknesse of the lippes and sudden alteration of the face unto palenesse and lastly most certaincly by a small and slow pulse and then you must lay your finger on the veine and stop it untill the patient come to himselfe againe either by nature or else restored by art that is to say by giving unto him bread dipped in wine or any other such like thing then if you have not taken bloud enough you must let it goe againe and bleed so much as the greatnesse of the disease or the strength of the patient will permit or require which being done some one of the Antidotes that are prescribed before will be very profitable to be drunk which may repaire the strength and infringe the force of the malignity CHAP. XXV Of purging medicines in a pestilent disease IFyou call to minde the proper indications purging shall seeme necessary in this kinde of disease and that must bee prescribed as the present case and necessity requireth rightly considering that the disease is sudden and doth require medicines that may with all speede drive out of the body the hurtfull humour wherein the noy some quality doth lurke and is hidden which medicines are diverse by reason of the diversity of the kinde of the humour and the condition or temperature of the patient For this purpose sixe graines of Scammonie beaten into powder or else tenne graines are commonly ministred to the patient with one dram of Treacle Also pils may be made in this forme Take of Treacle and Mithridate of each one dram of Sulphur vivum finely powdred halfe a dram of Diagridium foure graines make thereof Pils Or Take three drams of Aloes of Myrrhe and Saffron of each one dram of white Hellebore and Asarabacca of each foure scruples make thereof a masse with old Treacle and let the patient take foure scruples thereof for a dose three houres before meate Ruffus his pils may be profitably given to those that are weake The ancient Physicians have greatly commended Agarick for this disease because it doth draw the noysome humours out of all the members and the vertues thereof are like unto those of Treacle for it is thought to strengthen the heart and to draw out the malignity by purging To those that are strong the weight of two drams may be given and to those that
dilatations of the artery of the navell But when the mother is dead the lungs doe not execute their office and function therefore they cannot gather in the aire that compasseth the body by the mouth or aspera arteria into their owne substance or into the arteries that are dispersed throughout the body thereof by reason whereof it cannot send it unto the heart by the veiny artery which is called arteria venalis for if the heart want aire there cannot bee any in the great artery which is called arteria aorta whose function it is to draw it from the heart also by reason thereof it is wanting in the arteries of the wombe which are as it were the little conduits of that great artery whereinto the aire that is brought from the heart is derived and floweth in unto these little ones of all the body and likewise of the wombe Wherefore it must of necessity follow that the aire is wanting to the cotyledons of the secundines to the arterie of the infants navell the iliacke arteries also and therefore unto his heart and so unto all his body for the aire being drawne by the mothers lungs is accustomed to come to the infant by this continuation of passages Therefore because death maketh all the motions of the mothers body to cease it is farre better to open her body so soone as shee is dead beginning the incision at the cartelage Xiphoides or breast-blade and making it in a forme semicircular cutting the skinne muscles and peritonaeum not touching the guts then the wombe being lifted up must first be cut lest that otherwise the infant might perchance be touched or hurt with the knife You shall oftentimes finde the childe unmoveable as though hee were dead but not because he is dead indeed but by reason that he being destitute of the accesse of the spirits by the death of the mother hath contracted a great weakenesse yet you may know whether hee be dead indeed or not by handling the artery of the navell for it will beat and pant if he be alive otherwise not but if there be any life yet remaining in him shortly after he hath taken in the aire and is recreated with the accesse thereof he will move all his members and also all his whole body In so great a weakenesse or debility of the strength of the childe the secundine must not bee separated as yet from the childe by cutting the navell string but it must rather be laid close to the region of the belly thereof that thereby the heat if there be any jor remaining may bee stirred up againe But I cannot sufficiently marvaile at the insolency of those that affirme that they have seene women whose bellies and wombe have bin more than once cut and the infant taken out when it could no otherwise be gotten forth and yet notwithstanding alive which thing there is no man can perswade me can be done without the death of the mother by reason of the necessary greatnesse of the wound that must be made in the muscles of the belly and substance of the wombe for the wombe of a woman that is great with childe by reason that it swelleth and is distended with much blood must needs yeeld a great flux of blood which of necessity must be mortall And to conclude when that the wound or incision of the wombe is cicatrized it will not permit or suffer the womb to be dilated or extended to receive or beare a new birth For these and such like other causes this kinde of cure as desperate and dangerous is not in mine opinion to be used CHAP. XXXII Of superfoetation SUperfoetation is when a woman doth beare two or more children at one time in her wombe and they bee enclosed each in his severall secundine but those that are included in the same secundine are supposed to bee conceived at one and the same time of copulation by reason of the great and copious abundance of seed and these have no number of daies between their conception birth but all at once For as presently after meat the stomacke which is naturally of a good temper is contracted or drawn together about the meate to comprehend it on every side though small in quantity as it were by both hands so that it cannot rowle neither unto this or that side so the wombe is drawne together unto the conception about both the seeds as soone as they are brought into the capacity thereof and is so drawne in unto it on every side that it may come together into one body not permitting any portion thereof to goe into any other region or side so that by one time of copulation the seed that is mixed together cannot engender more children than one which are devided by their secundines And moreover because there are no such cells in the wombes of women as are supposed or rather knowne to bee in the wombs of beasts which therefore bring forth many at one conception or birth But now if any part of the womans wombe doth not apply and adjoine it selfe closely to the conception of the seed already received lest any thing should be given by nature for no purpose it must of necessity follow that it must be filled with aire which will alter and corrupt the seeds Therefore the generation of more than one infant at a time having every one his severall secundine is on this wise If a woman conceave by copulation with a man as this day and if that for a few daies after the conception the orifice of the wombe be not exactly shut but rather gape a little and if shee doe then use copulation againe so that at both these times of copulation there may be an effusion or perfect mixture of the fertile seed in the wombe there will follow a new conception or superfoetation For superfoetation is no other thing than a certaine second conception when the woman already with childe againe useth copulation with a man and so conceiveth againe according to the judgement of Hippocrates But there may be many causes alledged why the wombe which did joyne and close doth open and unlose it selfe againe For there bee some that suppose the wombe to be open at certaine times after the conception that there may be an issue out for certaine excrementall matters that are contained therein and therefore that the woman that hath so conceived already and shall then use copulation with a man againe shall also conceive againe Others say that the wombe of it selfe and of its own nature is very desirous of seed or copulation or else being heated or enflamed with the pleasant motion of the man moving her thereto doth at length unclose it selfe to receive the mans seed for like-wise it happeneth many times that the orifice of the stomack being shut after eating is presently unloosed again when other delicate meats are offered to be eaten even so may the wombe unclose it selfe againe at certain seasons
whereof come manifold issues whose time of birth and also of conception are different For as Pliny writeth when there hath bin a little space between two conceptions they are both hastened as it appeared in Hercules and his brother Iphicles and in her which having two children at a birth brought forth one like unto her husband and another like unto the adulterer And also in the Procomesian slave or bond-woman who by copulation on the same day brought forth one like unto her master and another like unto his steward and in another who brought forth one at the due time of childe-birth and another at five moneths end And againe in another who bringing forth her burthen on the seventh moneth brought forth two more in the moneths following But this is a most manifest argument of superfoetation that as many children as are in the wombe unlesse they bee twinnes of the same sexe so many secundines are there as I have often seene my selfe And it is very likely that if they were conceived in the same moment of time that they should all bee included in one secundine But when a woman hath more children than two at one burden it seemeth to bee a monstrous thing because that nature hath given her but two breasts Although wee shall hereafter rehearse many examples of more numerous births CHAP. XXXIII Of the tumour called Mola or a Mole growing in the wombe of Women OF the greeke word Myle which signifieth a Mill-stone this tumour called Mola hath its name for it is like unto a Mill-stone both in the round or circular figure and also in hard consistence for the which selfe same reason the whirle-bone of the knee is called of the Latines mola and of the Greeks Myle But the tumor called Mola whereof we heere entreate is nothing else but a certain false conception of deformed flesh round and hard conceived in the wombe as it were rude and unperfect and not distinguished into members comming by corrupt weake and diseased seed and of the immoderate fluxe of the termes as it is defined by Hippocrates This is enclosed in no secundine but as it were in its owne skinne There are some that thinke the Mola to bee engendered of the concourse or mixture of the womans seed and menstruall blood without the communication of the mans seed But the opinion of Galen is that never any man saw a woman conceive either a Mola or any other such thing without copulation of man as an hen laieth eggs without a cock for the onely cause and originall of that motion is in the mans seed and the mans seed doth onely minister matter for the generation thereof Of the same opinion is Avicen who thinketh the Mola to be made by the confluxion of the mans seed that is unfertile with the womans when as it because unfruitfull onely puffes up or makes the womans seed to swell as leaven into a greater bignesse but not into any perfect shape or forme Which is also the opinion of Fernelius by the decrees of Hippocrates and Avicen for the immoderate fluxes of the courses are conducing to the generation of the mola which overwhelming the mans seed being now unfruitfull and weake doth constraine it to desist from its enterprise of conformation already begun as vanquished or wholly overcome for the generation of the mola commeth not of a simple heat working upon a clammy and grosse humour as wormes are generated but of both the seeds by the efficacy of a certaine spirit after a sort prolificall as may be understood by the membranes wherein the mola is enclosed by the ligaments whereby many times it is fastened or bound to the true conception or child engendered or begotten by superfoetation and finally by the encrease and great and sluggish waight If all men were not perswaded that the conflux of a mans seed must of necessity concurre to the generation of the mola it would bee no small cloake or cover to women to avoide the shame and reproach of their light behaviour CHAP. XXXIIII How to discerne a true conception from a false conception or Mola WHen the mola is enclosed in the wombe the same things appear as in the true and lawfull conception But the more proper signes of the mola are these there is a certaine pricking paine which at the beginning troubleth the belly as if it were the cholicke the belly will swell sooner than it would if it were the true issue and will be distended with greater hardnesse and is more difficult and troublesome to carry because it is contrary to nature and voyd of soule or life Presently after the conception the dugges swell and puffe up but shortly they fall and become lanke and laxe for nature sendeth milk thither in vaine because there is no issue in the wombe that may spend the same The mola will move before the third month although it be obscurely but the true conception will not but this motion of the mola is not of the intellectuall soule but of the faculty of the wombe and of the spirit of the seed dispersed through the substance of the mola for it is nourished and encreaseth after the manner of plants but not by reason of a soul or spirit sent from above as the infant doth Moreover that motion that the infant hath in its due and appointed time differeth much from the motion of the mola for the childe is moved to the right side to the left side and to every side gently but the mola by reason of its heavinesse is fixed and rowleth in manner of a stone carried by the weight thereof unto what side soever the woman declineth her selfe The woman that hath a mola in her wombe doth daily waxe leaner and leaner in all her members but especially in her legges although notwithstanding towards night they will swell so that shee will bee very slow or heavie in going the naturall heat forsaking the parts remote from the heart by little and little and moreover her belly swells by reason that the menstruall matter resteth about those places and is not consumed in the nourishment of the mola she is swolne as if she had the dropsie but that it is harder and doth not rise againe when it is pressed with the fingers The navell doth not stand out as it will do when the true issue is conteined in the womb neither do the courses flow as they sometimes do in the true conception but sometimes great fluxes happen which ease the waight of the belly In many when the mola doth cleave not very fast it falleth away within three or foure moneths being not as yet come unto its just bignesse and many times it cleaveth to the sides of the wombe and Cotyledons very firmely so that some women carry it in their wombs five or sixe yeeres and some as long as they live The wife of Guiliam Roger Pewterer dwelling in S. Victors street
opinion of Galen who saith that Scrophulaes are nothing else but indurate scirrhous kernels But the Mesenterium with his glandules being great and many making the Pancreas doth establish strengthen and confirme the divisions of the vessels Also the scirrhus of the proper substance of the wombe is to bee distinguished from the mola for in the bodies of some women that I have opened I have found the wombe annoyed with a scirrhous tumour as big as a mans head in the curing whereof Physicians nothing prevailed because they supposed it to bee a mola contained in the capacity of the wombe and not a scirrhous tumour in the body thereof CHAP. XXXVII Of the cause of barrennesse in men THere are many causes of barrenness in men that is to say the too hot cold dry or moyst distemper of the seed the more liquid and flexible consistence thereof so that it cannot stay in the womb but will presently flow out again for such is the seed of old men and striplings and of such as use the act of generation too often and immoderately for thereby the seed becommeth crude and waterish because that it doth not remaine his due and lawfull time in the testicles wherein it should be perfectly wrought and concocted but is evacuated by wanton copulation Furthermore that the seed may be fertile it must of necessity be copious in quantity but in quality well concocted moderately thicke clammy and puffed up with the abundance of spirits both these conditions are wanting in the seed of them that use copulation too often and moreover because the wives of those men never gather a just quantity of seede laudible both in quality and consistence in their testicles whereby it commeth to passe that they are the lesse provoked or delighted with venereous actions and performe the act with lesse alacrity so that they yeeld themselves lesse prone to conception Therefore let those that would be parents of many children use a mediocrity in the use of venery The woman may perceive that the mans seed hath some distemperature in it if when shee hath received it into her wombe shee feeleth it sharpe hot or cold if the man be more quick or slow in the act Many become barren after they have beene cut for the stone and likewise when they have had a wound behind the eares whereby certaine branches of the jugular veines and arteries have been cut that are there so that after those vessels have been cicatrized there followed an interception of the seminall matter downewards and also of the community which ought of necessity to be betweene the braine and the testicles so that when the conduits or passages are stopped the stones or testicles cannot any more receive neither matter nor lively spirits from the braine in so great quantity as it was wont whereof it must of necessity follow that the seed must bee lesser in quantity and weaker in quality Those that have their testicles cut off or else compressed or contused by violence cannot beget children because that either they want the help that the testicles should minister in the act of generation or else because the passage of the seminall matter is intercepted or stopped with a Callus by reason whereof they cannot yeeld forth seed but a certaine clammy humour conteyned in the glandules called prostatae yet with some feeling of delight Moreover the defects or imperfections of the yard may cause barrennesse as if it be too short on if it bee so unreasonable great that it renteth the privie parts of the woman and so causeth a fluxe of bloud for then it is so painefull to the woman that shee cannot voyde her seed for that cannot bee excluded without pleasure and delight also if the shortnesse of the ligament that is under the yard doth make it to bee crooked and violate the stiffe straightnesse thereof so that it cannot be put directly or straightly in the womans privie parts There bee some that have not the orifice of the conduit of the yard rightly in the end thereof but a little higher so that they cannot ejaculate or cast out their seed directly into the wombe Also the particular palsie of the yard is numbred among the causes of barrennesse and you may prove whether the palsie be in the yard by dipping the genitals in cold water for except they do draw themselves together or shrinke up after it it is a token of the palsie for members that have the palsie by the touching of cold water do not shrinke up but remaine in their accustomed laxity and loosenesse but in this case the genitals are endued with small sense the seed commeth out without pleasure or stiffenesse of the yard the stones in touching are cold and to conclude those that have their bodies daily waxing leane through a consumption or that are vexed with an evill habit or disposition or with the obstruction of some of the entrals are barren and unfertile and likewise those in whom some noble part necessary to life and generation exceedeth the bounds of nature with some great distemperature and lastly those who by any meanes have their genitall parts deformed Here I omit those that are witholden from the act of generation by inchantment magick witching and enchanted knots bands and ligatures for those causes belong not to physick neither may they bee taken away by the remedies of our art The Doctors of the Cannons lawes have made mention of those magick bands which may have power in them in the particular title De frigidis maleficiatis impotentibus incantatis also St. August hath made mention of them Tract 7. in Joan. CHAP. XXXVIII Of the barrennesse or unfruitfulnesse of women A Woman may become barren or unfruitfull through the obstruction of the passage of the seed or through straightnesse or narrownesse of the necke of the wombe comming either through the default of the formative facultie or else afterwards by some mischance as by an abscesse scirrhus warts chaps or by an ulcer which being cicatrized doth make the way more narrow so that the yard cannot have free passage thereinto Moreover the membrane called Hymen when it groweth in the midst or in the bottome of the neck of the wombe hinders the receiving of the mans seede Also if the womb be over slippery or moreloose or slack or over wide it maketh the woman to bee barren so doth the suppression of the menstruall fluxes or the too immoderate flowing of the courses or whites which commeth by the default of the wombe or some entrall or of the whole body which consumeth the menstruall matter and carrieth the seed away with it The cold and moyst distemperature of the wombe extinguishes and suffocates the mans seed and maketh it that it will not stay or cleave unto the wombe and stay till it be conconcted but the more hot and dry doth corrupt for want of nourishment for the seeds that are sowne
the street Warmoesbroects a sow farrowed sixe pigs the first whereof was a monster representing a man in the head face fore feet and shoulders but in the rest of the body another pigge for it had the genitalls of a sow pigge and it sucked like the other pigs But the second day after it was farrowed it was killed of the people together with the sow by reason of the monstrousnesse of the thing Here followeth the figure thereof The effigies of a monster halfe man and halfe swine Anno Dom. 1571. at Antwerpe the wife of one Michaell a Printer dwelling with one John Molline a Graver or Carver at the signe of the Golden Foot in the Camistrate on St. Thomas his day at ten of the clocke in the morning brought forth a monster wholly like a dogge but that it had a shorter necke and the head of a bird but without any feathers on it This monster was not alive for that the mother was delivered before her time but she giving a great scritch in the instant of her deliverance the chimney of the house fell downe yet hurt nobody no not so much as any one of foure little children that sate by the fire side The figure of a monster like a dogge but with a head like a bird Lewis Celleus writeth that hee hath read in an approved author that an Ewe once brought forth a Lion a beast of an unlike and adverse nature to her Anno Dom. 1577. in the towne Blandy three miles from Melon there was lambed a Lambe having three heads the middlemost of which was bigger than the rest when one bleated they all bleated John Bellanger the Chirurgian of Melon affirmed that hee saw this monster and he got it drawne and sent the figure thereof to mee with that humane monster that had the head of a Frogge which we have formerly described The figure of a three-headed Lambe There are some monsters in whose generation by this there may seeme to be some divine cause for that their beginnings cannot be derived or drawne from the generall cause of monsters that is nature or the errors thereof by reason of some of the forementioned particular causes such are these monsters that are wholly against all nature like that which we formerly mentioned of a Lion yeaned by an Ewe Yet Astrologers lest there should seeme to be any thing which they are ignorant of referre the causes of these to certaine constellations and aspects of the Planets and Stars according to Aristotles saying in his Problemes in confirmation whereof they tell this tale It happened in the time of Albertus Magnus that in a certaine village a Cow brought forth a Calfe which was halfe a man the townesmen apprehended the heards-man and condemned him as guilty of such a crime to be presently burnt together with the cow but by good lucke Albertus was there to whom they gave credit by reason of his much and certaine experience in Astrologie that it was not occasioned by any humane wickednesse but by the efficacy of a certaine position of the starres that this monster was borne CHAP. XIII Of monsters occasioned by the craft and subtlety of the Devill IN treating of such monsters as are occasioned by the craft of the Devill wee crave pardon of the courteous Reader if peradventure going further from our purpose wee may seeme to speake more freely and largely of the existence nature and kindes of Devills Therefore first it is manifest that there are Conjurers Charmers and Witches which whatsoever they do performe it by an agreement compact with the Devill to whom they have addicted themselves for none can be admitted into that society of Witches who hath not forsaken God the Creator and his Saviour and hath not transferred the worship due to him above upon the Devill to whom he hath obliged himselfe And assuredly whosoever addicts himselfe to these magicall vanities and witch-crafts doth it either because hee doubts of Gods power promises study and great good will towards us or else for that hee is madded with an earnest desire of knowing things to come or else because disdaining poverty hee affects and desires from a poore estate to become rich on the sodaine It is the constant opinion of all both ancient and modern as well Philosophers as Divines that there are some such men which when they have once addicted themselves to impious and divellish arts can by the wondrous craft of the Divell doe many strange things and change and corrupt bodies and the health life of them and the condition of all mundane things Also experience forceth us to confesse the same for punishments are ordained by the lawes against the professors and practisers of such arts but there are no lawes ordained against those things which neither ever have beene nor ever came into the knowledge of men for such things are rightly judged and accounted for impossibilities which have never beene seene nor heard of Before the birth of Christ there have beene many such people for you may finde in Exodus and Leviticus lawes made against such persons by Moses by whom God gave the law to his people The Lord gave the sentence of death to Ochasias by his Prophet for that he turned into these kinde of people We are taught by the scriptures that there are good and evill spirits and that the former are termed Angells but the latter Devills for the law is also said to be given by the ministry of Angels and it is said that our bodies shall rise againe at the sound of a trumpet and the voice of an Arch-angell Christ said that God would send his Angells to receive the elect into the heavens The historie of Job testifieth that the Devill sent fire from heaven and killed his sheep and cattell and raised winds that shooke the foure corners of the house and overwhelmed his children in the ruines thereof The history of Achab mentioneth a certaine lying spirit in the mouth of the false Prophets Sathan entring into Judas moved him to betray Christ Devils who in a great number possessed the body of a man were called a Legion and obtained of Christ that they might enter into swine whom they carried headlong into the Sea In the beginning God created a great number of Angells that those divine and incorporeall spitits might inhabite heaven and as messengers signifie Gods pleasure to men and as ministers or servants performe his commands who might be as overseers and protectors of humane affaires Yet of this great number there were some who were blinded by pride and thereby also cast downe from the presence and heavenly habitation of God the creator These harmefull and crafty spirits delude mens mindes by divers jugling trickes and are alwaies contriving something to our harme and would in a short space destroy mankinde but that God restraines their fury for they can onely doe so much as is permitted them Expelled heaven some of them inhabite the aire
others the bowels of the earth there to remaine untill God shall come to judge the world and as you see the clouds in the aire some-whiles to resemble centaures otherwhile serpents rocks towers men birds fishes and other shapes so these spirits turne themselves into all the shapes and wondrous formes of things as oft times into wild beasts into serpents toads owles lapwings crowes or ravens goats asses dogs cats wolves buls and the like Moreover they oft times assume and enter humane bodies as well dead as alive whom they torment and punish yea also they transforme themselves into angells of light They feigne themselves to bee shut up and forced by magicall rings but that is onely their deceit and craft they wish feare love hate and oft times as by the appointment and decree of God they punish malefactors for we read that God sent evill angels into Egypt there to destroy They houle on the night they murmure rattle as if they were bound in chaines they move benches tables counters props cupboards children in the cradles play at tables and chesse turne over books tell mony walk up down roomes and are heard to laugh to open windowes dores cast sounding vessels as brasse and the like upon the ground breake stone pots and glasses and make other the like noises Yet none of all these things appeare to us when as wee arise in the morning neither finde we any thing out of its place or broken They are called by divers names as Devills evill Spirits Incubi Sucubi Hobgoblines Fairies Robin-good-fellowes evill Angels Sathan Lucifer the father of lies Prince of darkenesse and of the world Legion and other names agreeable to their offices and natures CHAP. XIV Of the subterrene Devills and such as haunt Mines LEwis Lavater writes that by the certaine report of such as worke in Mines that in some Mines there are seene spirits who in the shape and habite of men worke there and running up and down seeme to doe much worke when as notwithstanding they doe nothing indeed But in the meane time they hurt none of the by-standers unlesse they bee provoked thereto by words or laughter For then they will throw some heavie or hard thing upon him that hurt them or injure them some other way The same author affirmes that there is a silver Mine in Rhetia out of which Peter Briot the Governour of the place did in his time get much silver In this Mine there was a Devill who chiefly on Frie-dayes when as the Miners put the minerall they had digged into tubbes kept a great quarter and made himselfe exceeding busie and poured the minerall as he listed out of one tubbe into another It happened one day that he was more busie than he used to be so that one of the Miners reviled him and bad him bee gone on a vengeance to the punishment appointed for him The Devill offended with his imprecation and scoâ—â—e so wrested the Miner taking him by the head that twining his necke about hee set his face behinde him yet was not the workman killed therewith but lived and was known by divers for many yeeres after CHAP. XV. By what meanes the Devills may deceive us OUr mindes involved in the earthy habitation of our bodies may bee deluded by the Devills divers waies for they excell in purity and subtlety of essence and in the much use of things besides they challenge a great preheminence as the Princes of this world over all sublunary bodies Wherefore it is no marvell if they the teachers and parents of lyes should cast clouds and mists before our eyes from the beginning turne themselves into a thousand shapes of things and bodies that by these juglings and trickes they may shadow and darken mens mindes CHAP. XVI Of Sucubi and Incubi POwerfull by these forementioned arts and deceipts they have sundry times accompanied with men in copulation whereupon such as have had to doe with men were called Sucubi those which made use of women Incubi Verily St. Augustine seemeth not to be altogether against it but that they taking upon them the shape of man may fill the genitalls as by the helpe of nature to the end that by this meanes they may draw aside the unwary by the flames of lust from vertue and chastity John Ruef in his book of the conception and generation of man writes that in his time a certaine woman of monstrous lust and wondrous impudency had to doe by night with a Divell that turned himselfe into a man and that her belly swelled up presently after the act and when as she thought shee was with childe she fell into so grievous a disease that shee voided all her entrailes by stoole medicines nothing at all prevailing The like history is told of the servant of a certaine Butcher who thinking too attentively on venereous matters a Divell appeared to him in the shape of a woman with whom supposing it to bee a woman when as hee had to doe his genitalls so burned after the act that becomming enflamed hee died with a great deale of torment Neither doth Peter Paludanus and Martin Arelatensis thinke it absurd to affirme that Devills may beget children if they shall ejaculate into the womans womb seed taken from some man either dead or alive Yet this opinion is most absurd and full of falsitie mans seed consisting of a seminall or sanguineous matter and much spirit if it runne otherwaies than into the wombe from the testicles and stay never so little a while it loseth its strength and efficacy the heat and spirits vanishing away for even the too great length of a mans yard is reckoned amongst the causes of barrennesse by reason that the seed is cooled by the length of the way If any in copulation after the ejaculation of the seed presently draw themselves from the womans embraces they are thought not to generate by reason of the aire entring into theyet open womb which is thought to corrupt the seed By which it appeares how false that history in Averrois is of a certaine woman that said she conceived with child by a mans seed shed in a bath and so drawne into her wombe she entring the bath presently after his departure forth It is much lesse credible that Divells can copulate with women for they are of an absolute spirituous nature but blood and flesh are necessary for the generation of man What naturall reason can allow that the incorporeall Divells can love corporeall women And how can we thinke that they can generate who want the instruments of generation How can they who neither eate nor drinke be said to swell with seed Now where the propagation of the species is not necessary to bee supplied by the succession of Individuals Nature hath given no desire of venery neither hath it imparted the use of generation but the divels once created were made immortall by Gods appointment If the faculty of
is insipide and flegmaticke For Vinegar is made by the corruption of wine and the segregation of the fiery and aiery parts wherefore the wine becomming sowre there remaines nothing almost of the former substance but phlegme wherefore seeing phlegme is chiefly predominant in Vinegar it first rises in distillation Wherefore he that hopes to distill the spirit of Vinegar hee must cast away the phlegmaticke substance that first rises and when by his taste he shall perceive the spirit of the Vinegar he shall keepe the fire there under untill the flowing liquor shall become as thicke as honey then must the fire be taken away otherwise the burning of it will cause a great stinch The vessells fit to distill aqua vitae and Vinegar are diverse as an Alembicke or Retort set in sand or Ashes a Coppar or brasse bottome of a still with a head thereto having a pipe comming forth thereof which runs into a worme or pipe fastned in a barrell or vessell filled with cold water and having the lower end comming forth thereof whose figure wee shall give you when as wee come to speake of the drawing of oyles out of vegetables CHAP. IX Of the manner of rectifying that is how to encrease the strength of waters that have beene once distilled TO rectifie the waters that have beene distilled in Balneo Mariae you must set them in the Sunne in glasses well stopped and halfe filled being set in sand to the third part of their height that the water waxing hot by the heate of the Sun may separate it selfe from the phlegme mixed therewith which will be performed in 12. or 15. dayes There is another better way to doe this which is to distill them againe in Balneo with a gentle fire or if you will put them into a retort furnished with his receiver and set them upon crystall or iron bowles or in an iron mortar directly opposite to the beames of the Sun as you may learne by these ensuing signes A Retort with his receiver standing upon Crystall bowles just opposite to the Sunne beames A. Shewes the Retort B. The receiver C. The Crystall bowles Another Retort with his receiver standing in a Marble or Iron mortar directly opposite to the Sun A. Shewes the Retort B. The Marble or Iron mortar C. The receiver CHAP. X. Of distillation by filtring YOu shall set three basons or vessells of convenient matter in that site and order that each may be higher than other that which stands in the highest place shall conteine the liquor to bee distilled and that which stands lowest shall receive the distilled liquor Out of the first and second vessell shall hang shreds or peeces of cloth or cotton with their broader ends in the liquor or upper vessell and the other sharper ends hanging downe whereby the more subtle and defaecate liquor may fall downe by drops into the vessell that stands under it but the grosser and more feculent part may subside in the first and second vessell You by this meanes may at the same time distill the same liquor divers times if you place many vessells one under another after the forementioned manner and so put shreds into each of them so that the lowest vessell may receivethe purified liquor In stead of this distillation Apothecaries oft times use bagges This manner of distillation was invented to make more cleare and pure waters and all juices and compositions which are of such a liquid consistence You may take an example of this from Lac Virginis or Virgins milke of which this is the description â„ž litharg auri diligenter pulveris â„¥ iij. macerentur in aceti boni â„¥ vj. trium horarum spaâ—â—o seorsim etiam in aqua plantaginis solani rosarum aut communi sal infundatur then distill them both by shreads then mixe the distilled liquors and you shall have that which for the milkie whitenesse is termed Virgins milke being good against the rednesse and pimples in the face as we have noted in our Antidotary The description of vessells to performe the distillation or filtration by shreds A Shewes the vessell B The Clothes or shreds CHAP. XI What and how many wayes they are to make Oyles YOu may by three meanes especially draw or extract the oyles that you desire The first is by expression and so are made the oyles of Olives nuts seeds fruits and the like Vnder this is thought to bee conteined elixation when as the beaten materialls are boyled in water that so the oyle may swimme aloft and by this meanes are made the oyles of the seedes of the berries of Elder and Danewort and of bay-berries Another is by infusion as that which is by infusing the parts of plants and other things in oyles The third is by distillation such is that which is drawne by the heate of the fire whether by ascent or by descent or by concourse The first way is knowne by all now it is thus take almonds in their huskes beate them worke them into a masse then put them into a bagge made of haire or else of strong cloth first steeped in water or in white Wine then put them into presse and so extract their oyle You may doe the same in pine apple kernells Hazell nuts Coco nuts nutmegs peach kernells the seeds of gourds cucumbers pisticke nuts and all such oiely things Oyle of bayes may be made of ripe bay-berries newly gathered let them be beaten in a morter and so boiled in a double vessell and then forthwith put into presse so to extract oyle as you doe from Almonds unlesse you had rather get it by boyling as we have formerly noted Oyle of Egges is made of the yoalkes of Egges boiled very hard when they are so rub them to peeces with your fingers then frie them in a panne over a gentle fire continually stirring them with a spoone untill they become red and the oyle be resolved and flow from them then put them into a haire cloth and so presse forth the oile The oyles prepared by infusion are thus made make choise of good oyle wherein let plants or creatures or the parts of them bee macerated for some convenient time that is untill they may seeme to have transfused their faculties into the oyle then let them be boiled so strained or pressed out But if any aquosity remaine let it be evaporated by boyling Some in compounding of oyles adde gums to them of which though we have formerly spoken in our Antidotary yet have I thought good to give you this one example â„ž flor hyper lb ss immittantur in phialam cum flo cent gum elemi an â„¥ ij olei com lb. ij Let them be exposed all the heate of Summer to the Sunne If any will adde aqua vitae wherein some Benzoin is dissolved he shall have a most excellent oyle in this kind Oyle of Masticke is made Ex olei rosati â„¥ xij mastich â„¥ iij. vini optimi
branches and shootes at certaine times of the yeere are cut from this tree by the appointment of the King of that province the barke of which is that we terme Cinnamon This is sold to no stranger unlesse at the Kings pleasure and he setting the price thereof it is not lawfull for others to cut any thereof Galen writes that Cinnamon is of very subtle parts hot in the third degree and partaking of some astriction therefore it cuts and dissolves the excrements of the body strengthens the parts provokes the courses when as they stoppe by reason of the admixture of grosse humors it sweetens the breath and yeelds a fine taste and smell to medicines hippocras and sauces Of Cinnamon there is made an excellent water against all cold diseases and also against swoonings the plague and poysons The composition thereof is this Take of the choysest and best Cinnamon one pound beate it grossely and put thereto of Rose water 4 pints of white wine halfe a pint being thus mixed put them into a glasse and so let them stand in infusion 24 houres often stirring of them Then distill them in Balneo Mariae closely luting the receiver and vessels least the spirit should fly away CHAP. XIII Another manner how to draw the essence and spirits of herbes flowers seedes and spices as also of Rubarbe Agaricke Turbith Hermodactiles and other Purgers YOu may extract the essences and spirits of the things mentioned in the title of this chapter as thus Take Sugar Rubarbe Cinnamon or any other materiall you please cut it small or else beate it then put it into a glasse with a long necke and poure thereupon as much aqua vitae as shall be sufficient to cover the materials or ingredients to overtop them some fingers bredth then stop up the glasse very close that no ayre enter thereinto Thus suffer it to infuse for 8 dayes in balneo with a very gentle heate for thus the aqua vitae will extract the facultyes of the ingredients which you shall know that it hath done when as you shall see it perfectly tinctured with the colour of the ingredients The eight dayes ended you shall put this same aqua vitae into another vessell filled with the like quantity of the same materialls prepared after the same manner that it may also take forth the tincture thereof and doe thus three or foure times untill the aqua vitae be deepely tinctured with the colour of the infused Ingredients But if the materialls from whence you desire to extract this spirit or essence bee of great price as Lignum Aloâ—s Rubarbe c. You must not thinke it sufficient to infuse it once onely but you must goe over it twise or thrise untill all the efficacie be extracted out thereof you may know that it is all wholy insipide These things thus done as is fitting put all the liquor tinctured and furnished with the colour and strength of the ingredients into an Alembecke fitted and closely luted to its head and so put into Balneum Mariae that so you may extract or draw off the aqua vitae to keepe for the like purpose and so you shall have the spirit and essence remaining in the bottome Now if you desire to bring this extract to the height of honey set it in an earthen pot well leaded upon hot ashes so that the thinne part thereof may be evaporated for thus at length you shall have a most noble and effectuall essence of that thing which you have distilled whereof one scruple will be more powerfull in purging than two or three drammes of the thing its selfe CHAP. XIIII How to extract oyle out of Gums condensed juices and rosines as also out of some woods ALL oyles that are drawne out of Gummes oyely woods and mettalls are extracted by that vessell which we vulgarly terme a Retort It must bee made of glasse or jugges mettall well Leaded and of such bignesse as shall be convenient for the operation you intend though commonly it should be made to hold some gallon and an halfe of water the necke thereof must be a foote and an halfe or at least a foote long The receiver is commonly a viall whereinto the necke of the Retort is fitted and inserted Then the Retort shall bee set in an earthen pan filled with ashes or sand and so set into a furnace as you may see by the following figure Of gummes some are liquid some solide and of the solide some are more solide than othersome those that are solide are more troublesome to distill than the liquide for they are not so easily dissolved or melted neither doe they yeeld so well to the fire so that oft times they are burnt before they bee dissolved whence it is that some for every pound of solide gumme adde two or three pounds of most cleare and liquide oyle of Turpentine Besides liquide things are also hard to be distilled because when as they come to be throughly hot at the fire they swell up so much that they exceed or runne out of the Retort and so fall into the receiver as they were put into the Retort especially if so be that the fire be too hot at the first Many to shunne this inconvenience adde to the things put into the Retort some sand as it were to balast it withall The figure of a furnace with his earthen pan and receiver A. Shewes the fornace B. The earthen pan or vessell to set the Retort in C. The Retort or Cucurbite D. The receiver Oyle of Rosin and Turpentine is thus made take two or three pounds of Turpentine and put it into a Retort of such largenesse that three parts thereof might remaine empty and for every pound of Turpentine adde three or foure ounces of sand then place the Retort in an earthen pan filled with sifted ashes and set it upon the fornace as is fit and to the necke thereof fit and closely lute a receiver Lastly kindle thereunder a soft fire at the first least the contained materialls should runne over encrease this fire by little and little and take heed that the things become not too hot on a suddaine At the first a cleare and acide liquor will drop out wherein a certaine sediment uses to concreat then will flow forth a most cleere oyle some-what resembling the watry and phlegmaticke liquor then must the fire be some what encreased that the third oyly cleare thinne and very golden coloured liquor may rife and distill but then also a clearer and more violent fire must be raysed that so you may extract an oyle that will be red like a carbuncle and of a consistence indifferently thicke Thus therefore you may extract foure kinds of liquors out of Turpentine and receive them being different in severall receivers yet I judge it better to receive them all in one that so by distilling them againe afterwards you may separate your desired oyle now there will ten or
twelve ounces of oyle flow from an ounce of Turpentine This kind of oyle is effectuall against the Palsie Convulsions punctures of the nerves and wounds of all the nervous parts But you shall thus extract oyle out of waxe take one pound of waxe melt it and put it into a glasse Retort set in sand or ashes as wee mentioned a little before in drawing of oyle of Turpentine then destill it by encreasing the fire by degrees There distills nothing forth of waxe besides an oyly substance and a little Phlegma yet portion of this oyly substance presently concreats into a certaine butter-like matter which therefore would be distilled over againe you may draw â„¥ vj or viij of oyle from one pound of waxe This oyle is effectuall against Contusions and also very good against cold affects CHAP. XV. Of extracting of oyles out of the harder sorts of Gummes as myrrhe mastich frankincense and the like SOme there be who extract these kinds of oyles with the Retort set in ashes or sand as we mentioned in the former Chapter of oyles of more liquid gums adding for every pound of gumme two pints of Aqua vitae and two or three ounces of oyle of Turpentine then let them infuse for eight or ten dayes in Balneo Mariae or else in horse dung then they set it to distill in a Retort Now this is the true manner of making of oyles of Myrrhe Take Myrrhe made into fine pouder and therewith fill hard Egges in stead of their yoalkes being taken out then place the Egges upon a gridiron or such like grate in some moist place as a cellar and set under them a Leaden earthen panne the Myrrhe will dissolve into an oilely water which being presently put into a glasse and well stopped with an equall quantitie of rectified aqua vitae and so set for three or foure monthes in hot horse dung which past the vessell shall be taken forth and so stopped that the conteined liquor may be poured into an Alembecke for there will certaine grosse setling by this meanes remaine in the bottome then set your Alembecke in Balneo and so draw off the aqua vitae phlegmaticke liquor and there will remaine in the bottome a pure cleare oile whereto you may give a curious colour by mixing therewith some Alkanet and a smell by droping thereinto a little oyle of Sage Cinnamon or cloves Now let us shew the composition and manner of making of balsames by giving you one or two examples the first of which is taken out of Vesalius his Chirurgery and is this â„ž terebinth opt lb. j. ol laurini â„¥ iiij galbani â„¥ iij. gum elem â„¥ iiij ss thuris Myrrhae gum hederae centaur majoris ligni aloës an â„¥ iij. galangae caryophyll consolidae majoris Cinamoni nucis moschat zedoaniae zinzib dictamni albi an â„¥ j. olei vermium terrestrium â„¥ ij aq vitae lb. vj. The manner of making it is this let all these things be beaten and made small and so iâ—fused for three dayes space in aqua vitae then distilled in a Retort just as wee said you must distill oyle of Turpentine and waxe There will flow hence three sorts of liquors the first watrish and cleare the other thinne and of pure golden colour the third of the colour of a Carbuncle which is the true Balsame The first liquor is effectuall against the weakenesse of the stomacke comming of a cold cause for that it cuts flegme and discusses â—â—atulencies the second helpes fresh and hot bleeeing wounds as also the palsie The third is chiefly effectuall against these same effects The composition of the following Balsamum is out of Fallopius and is this â„ž terebinth clarae lb. ij olei de semine lini lb. j. resinae pini â„¥ vj thuris myrrhae aloes mastiches sarcocollae an â„¥ iij. macis ligni Aloes an â„¥ ij croci â„¥ ss Let them all be put in a glasse Retort set in ashes and so distilled First there will come forth a cleere water then presently after a reddish oyle most proâ—â—table for wounds Now you must know that by this meanes we may easily distill all Axungia's fatts parts of creatures woods all kinds of barkes and seeds if so bee that they be first macerated as they ought to bee yet so that there will come forth more watry than oyly humidity Now for that wee have formerly frequently mentioned Thus or frankinsense I have heere thought good out of Thevets Cosmography to give you the description of the tree from which it flowes The frankincense tree saith hee growes naturally in Arabia resembles a pine yeelding a moisture that is presently hardened and it concreates into whitish cleare graines fatty within which cast into the fire take flame Now frankincense is adulte rated with pine-rosin and Gumme which is the cause that you shall seldome finde that with us as it is here described you may finde out the deceit as thus for that neither Rosin nor any other gumme takes flame for Râ—sin goes away in smoake but frankincese presently burnes The smell also beâ—ayes the counterfeite for it yeelds no gratefull smell as frankincense doth The Arabians wound the tree that so the liquor may the more readily flow forth whereof they make great gaine It fills up hollow Vlcers and cicatrizes them wherefore it enters as a cheefe ingredient into artificiall balsame frâ—nâ—… alone made into powder and applyed stanches the blood that flowes out or wounds Mathiolus faith that it being mixed with Fullers earth and oyle of Roses is a singular remedy against the inflammation of the breasts of women lately delivered of childe CHAP. XVI The making of oyle of Vitriall TAke ten pounds of Vitrioll which being made into powder put it into an earthen pot and set it upon hot coales untill it be calcined which is when as it becomes reddish after some five or sixe houres when as it shall bee throughly cold breake the pot and let the vitrioll be againe made into powder that so it may be calcined againe and you shall doe thus so often and long untill it shall be perfectly calcined which is when as it shall be exactly red then let it be made into powder and put into an earthen Retort like that wherein aqua fortis is usually drawne adding for every pound of your calcined vitrioll of tile shreds or powdered bricke 1 quarter then put the Retort furnished with its receiver into a fornace of Reverberation alwayes keeping a strong fire and that for the space of 48 houres more or lesse according to the manner and plenty of the distilling liquor You shall know the distillation is finished when as the receiver shall begin to recover his native perspicuity being not now filled with vaporouse spirits wherewith as long as the humor distills it is replenished and lookes white Now for the receiver there are 2 things to be observed The first is that it bee great and very capacious
of an hand and he said he felt there a great paine and smarting and likewise in his reines inso much that hee could not take any rest night or day neither had hee any appetite to eate but to drinke enough it was told mee hee fell often into faintings and swoonings and sometimes as it were into an Epilepsie and had often-times desire to vomit with such a trembling that hee could not carry his hands to his mouth Seeing and considering all these great accidents and the forces much abated truly I was much grieved to have gone to him because me thought there was little appearance that he could escape Notwithstanding to give him courage and good hope I told him that I would quickly set him on foote by the grace of God and the Physitions and Chirurgions helpe Having seene him I went a walking into a Garden where I prayed to God that hee would give me the grace to cure him and that hee would give a blessing to our hands and medicaments to combate against so many complicated maladies I bethought in my minde the wayes I must keepe to doe it They called mee to dinner I entred into the kitehin where I saw taken out of a great pot halfe a Mutton a quarter of Veale three great peeces of Beefe and two Pullets and a great peece of Bacon with great store of good Hearbes Then I said to my selfe this broth was full of juice and of good nourishment After dinner all the Physitions and Chirurgions assembled we entred into conference in the presence of Monsieur the Duke of Ascot and some Gentlemen that did accompany him I began to tell the Chirurgions that I mervailed much they had made no apertions in the Marquesses thigh which was all apostemated and the matter which issued out was very foule and stinking which shewed it had a long time lurked there and that I had found with my probe a Caries in the bone and small scales which were already separated they made mee answer hee would never give consent and likewise it was almost two monthes since they could winne him to put on cleane sheets on his bed neither dust one scarce touch the coverlet he fee lt so great paine Then said I for to cure him we must touch other things than the coverlet of the bed Each one said what hee thought best of the Lords greefe and for conclusion held it altogether deplorable I told them there was yet some hope because of his youth and that God and nature doe sometime such things which seeme to Physitions and Chirurgions to bee impossible My consultation was that all these accidents were come by reason of the bullet hitting neare the joynt of the knee which had broken the Ligaments tendons and aponeureses of the muscles which tye the sayd joynt together with the Os femoris also nerves veines and arteries from whence had followed paine inflammation aposteme and ulcer and that wee must begin the cure by the disease which was the cause of all the sayd accidents that is to say to make apertions to give issue to the matter reteined in the interspaces of the muscles and in the substance of them Likewise to the bones which caused a great corruption in the whole thigh from whence the vapors did arise and were carryed to the heart which caused the sincope and the feaver and the feaver an universall heate through the whole body and by consequent depravation of the whole Occonomie Like-wise that the said vapours were communicated to the braine which caused the Epilipsie and trembling and to the stomacke disdaine and loathing and hindred it from doing his functions which are cheefely to concoct and disgest the meate and to convert it into Chyluâ— which not being well concocted they ingender crudities and obstructions which makes that the parts are not nourished and by consequent the body dryes and growes leane and because also it did not doe any exercise for every part which hath not his motion remaineth languid and atrophiated because the heate spirits are not sent or drawne thither from whence followes mortification And to nourish and fatten the body frictions must be made universally through the whole body with warme linnen cloathes above below on the right side and left and round about to the end to draw the blood and spirits from within outward and to resolve any fuliginous vapours retained betweene the skinne and the flesh thereby the parts shall be nourished and restored as I have heretofore sayd in the tenth booke treating of wounds of Gunshot and wee must then cease when we see heate and rednesse in the skinne for feare of resolving that wee have already drawne and by consequent make it become more leane As for the Vlcer which he had upon his rumpe which came through too long lying upon it without being remooved which was the cause that the spirits could not florish or shine in it by the meanes of which there should bee inflammation aposteme and then ulcer yea with losse of substance of the subject flesh with a very great paine because of the nerves which are disseminated in this part That wee must likewise put him into another soft bed and give him a cleane shirt and sheets otherwise all that wee could doe would serve for nothing because that those excrements and vapors of the matter retained so long in his bed are drawne in by the Systole and Diastole of the Arteries which are disseminated through the skin and cause the spirits to change and acquire an ill quality and corruption which is seene in some that shall lye in a bed where one hath sweate for the Pox who will get the Pox by the putrid vapours which shall remaine soaked in the sheets and coverlets Now the cause why he could in no wise sleepe and was as it were in a consumption t' was because he eate little and did not doe any exercise and because hee was grieved with extreame paine For there is nothing that abateth so much the strength as paine The cause why his tongue was dry and fowle was through the vehemence of the heate of the feaver by the vapors which ascended through the whole body to the mouth For as we say in a common proverbe when an Oven is well heate the throate feeles it Having discoursed of the causes and accidents I sayd they must be cured by their contraries and first we must appease the paine making apertions in the thigh to evacuate the matter retained not evacuating all at a time for feare least by a sodaine great evacuation there might happen a great decay of spirits which might much weaken the patient and shorten his dayes Secondly to looke unto the great swelling and cold in his Legge fearing least it should fall into a Gangreene and that actuall heate must bee applyed unto him because the potentiall could not reduce the intemperature de potentiâ— ad actum for this cause hot brickes must bee applyed round about on which should bee cast a
potus Let him take it in the morning for foure or five dayes In steed hereof you may make a potion of one dramme of Sperma ceti dissolved in buglosse or some other of the waters formerly mentioned and halfe an ounce of syrupe of Maiden-haire if the disease yeeld not at all to these formerly prescribed medicines it will be good to give the patient for nine dayes three or foure houres before meate some of the following powder â„ž rhei torrefacti rad rub majoris centaurei gentianae aristolo rotundae an â„¥ ss give Ê’j heereof with syrupe of Venegar and Carduus water They say that the water of greene Walnuts distilled by an Alembicke is good to dissolve congealed and knotted blood Also you may use bathes made of the decoction of the rootes of Orris Elecampane Sorrell Fennell Marsh-mallowes Water-ferne or Osmund the waterman the greater Comfery the seeds of Faenugreeke the leaves of Sage Marjerome the floures of Camaemile Melilore and the like For a warme bath hath power to rarifie the skin to dissolved the clotted blood by cutting the tough mitigating the acride humors by calling them forth into the surface of the body and relaxing the passages thereof so that the rebellious qualities being orecome there ensues an easie evacuation of the matter by vomit or expectoration if it flote in the stomacke or be conteined in the chest but by stoole Vrine if it lye in the lower parts by sweates and transpiration if it lye next under the skin Wherefore bathes are good for those who have a Peripneumonia or inflammation of their Lunges or a Pleurisie according to the minde of Hippocrates if so be that they be used when the feaver begins to be asswaged for so they mitigate paine helpe forwards suppuration and hasten the spitting up of the purulent matter But we would not have the patient enter into the bath unlesse he have first used generall remedies as blood-letting and purging for otherwise there will be no small danger least the humors diffused by the heate of the bath cause a new defluxion into the parts affected Wherefore doe not thou by any meanes attempt to use this or the like remedy having not first had the advice of a Physition CHAP. III. How we must handle Contusions when they are joyned with a wound EVery great Contusion forthwith requires blood-letting or purging or both and these either for evacuation or revulsion For thus Hippocrates in a contusion of the Heele gives a vomitory potion the same day or else the next day after the heele is broken And then if the Contusion have a wound associating it the defluxion must be stayed at the beginning with an oyntment made of Bole Armenicke the whites of egges and oyle of roses and smyrtles with the pouders of red roses Allome and mastich At the second dressing apply a digestive made of the yoalke of an egge oyle of violets and Turpentine This folfowing Cataplasme shal be applyed to the neare parts to help forwards suppuration â„ž rad althae lilio an â„¥ iiij sol malv. violar senecionis an M. ss coquantur complete passentur per setaceum addendo butyrirecentis olei viol an â„¥ iij. farinae volatilis quant sufficit fiat cataplasma ad formam pultis liquidae Yet have a care in using of Cataplasmes that you do not too much exceede for too frequent and immoderate use of them makes wounds plegmonous sordide and putride Wherefore the wound after it is come to suppuration must be cleansed filled with flesh and cicatrized unlesse haply the contused flesh shall be very much torne so that the native heate forsake it for then it must be cut away But if there be any hope to agglutinate it let it be sowed and other things performed according to Art but the stitches must not be made so close together as when the wound is simple and without contusion for such wounds are easily inflamed and swell up which would occasion either the breaking of the thred or flesh or tearing of the skinne CHAP. IV. Of these Contusions which are without a wound IF the skinne being whole and not hurt as farre as can be discerned the flesh which lyes under it be contused and the blood poured forth under the skin make an Ecchymosis then the patient must be governed according to Art untill the maligne symptomes which commonly happen be no more to be feared Wherfore in the beginning draw blood on the opposite side both for evacuation and revulsion The contused part shall be scarified with equall scarifications then shall you apply cupping-glasses or hornes both for evacuation of the blood which causes the tumor and Tension in the part as also to ventilate and refrigerate the heate of the part least it turne into an Abscesse Neither must we in the meane while omit gentle purging of the belly The first topicke medicines ought to bee astrictives which must lye some short while upon the part that so the Veines and Arteries may be as it were straitned and closed up and so the defluxion hindred as also that the part it selfe may be strengthened This may be the forme of such a remedy â„ž Albumina everum nu iij. olei myrtini rosacei an â„¥ j. boli armeni sanguin dracon an â„¥ ss nucum cupress gallarum pul aluminis usti an Ê’ij incorporentur omnia addendo aceti parum fiat medicamentum Then you shall resolve it with a fomentation Cataplasme and discussing emplaisters CHAP. V. By what meanes the contused part may be freed from the feare and imminent danger of a Gangreene GReat Contusions are dangerous even for this cause for that a Gangreene and mortification sometimes followes them which Hippocrates teacheth to happen when as the affected part is growne very hard and liquide Wherefore when the part growes livide and blacke and the native colour thereof by reason of the affluxe of the concreate blood is almost extinct chiefely to ease the part of that burden cupping glasses and hornes shall be applyed to the part it selfe being first scarified with a Lancet or else the following Instrument termed a Scarificator which hath 18 little wheeles sharpe and cutting like a razour which may be straitened and slacked by the pins noted by D. and P. This instrument is to be commended for that it performes the operation quickly and gently for it makes 18 incisiones in the space that you make one with a Lancet or knife A Scarificator A. Shewes the cover B. The Boxe or Case Then shall you foment the part with strong Venegar wherein the roootes of radish or of Dragons Cuckow-pint Saelomons Seale Auripigmentum and the like have beene boyled for such acride things doe powerfully heat resolve and draw the concreate blood from the inner part of the body unto the skinne which by its setling in the part affected prohibits the entrance of the vitall spirits
the preservers of its integrity yea also extinguisheth the native heate of the same part Now wee must not use these things but with great discretion least so we draw not onely that blood which is poured forth of the vessels but also the other which is contained in the vessels Moreover also we must not use them unlesse when the defluxion is stayed For small contusions which Galen judgeth by the softnesse of the contused part it will bee sufficient to apply to discusse them Virgins waxe dissolved and mixed with Cummim seedes Cloves the roote of blacke Briony which hath a wonderfull faculty to discusse all blackenesses and sugillations for the same purpose you may also apply wormewood brused and so warmed in a dish and sprinkled over with a little white wine Also fry wormewood with oyle of cammomill branne the powder of Cloves and Nutmegs adding thereto a little aqua vitae then put it all in a linnen cloth and apply it hot to the part The following emplaster doth powerfully discusse congealed blood ℞ Picis nigrae ℥ ij Gum. Elemi ℥ ij styracis liquidae terebinth com an ℥ ss pul sulphuris vivi ℥ j. Liquefiant simul fiat Emplastrum and let be spred upon leather and so applyed CHAP. VI. Of that strange kinde of symptome which happens upon contusions of the ribbes THe flesh contused sometimes by great violence becomes mucous and swolne or puffed up like Veale which the butchers blow up the skinne remaining whole This is seene and happens chiefely in that flesh which is about the ribs for this being bruised either by a blow or fall or resitencie or any other such like cause if you presse it with your hand a certaine windinesse goeth out thereof with a small whyzzing which may be heard and the print of your finges will remaine as in oedema's Vnlesse you quickely make fit provision against this symptome there is gathered in that space which the flesh departing from the bones leaves empty a certaine purulent sanies which divers times foules and corrupts the ribs It will be cured if the mucous tumor be presently pressed and straightly bound with ligatures yet so that you hinder not the breathing when as the affect happens upon the ribs and parts of the Chest Then apply to the part a plaister of Oxycroceum or diachylon Ireatum with the emplaister de meliloto also discussing fomentaions shall be used The cause of such a tumor is a certaine mucous flegme seeing that nature is so weake that it cannot well digest the nourishment and assimulate it to the part but leaves fomething as it were halfe concocted No otherwise than the conjunctive coate of the eye is sometime so lifted up and swolne by a stroake that it startes as it were out of the orbe of the eye leaving such filth or matter as wee see those which are bleard eye to be troubled withall because the force and naturall strength of the eyes is become more weake either by the fault of the proper distemperature or the aboundance of moysture which flowes thither as it happens in those tumors which are against nature For flatulencies are easily raysed from a watrish and flegmatique humors wrought upon by weake heate which mixed with the rest of the humor the tumor becomes higher CHAP. VII A discourse of Mumia or Mummie PEradventure it may seeme strange what may be the cause why in this Treatise of curing contusions or bruises I have made no mention of giving Mummie either in bole or potion to such as have falne from high places or have beene otherwise bruised especially seeing it is so common and usuall yea the very first and last medicine of almost all our practitioners at this day in such a case But seeing I understood and had learnt from learned Physitions that in using remedies the indication must alwaies be taken from that which is contrary to the disease how could I how can any other give Mummie in this kinde of disease seeing we cannot as yet know what Mummie is or what is the nature and essence thereof So that it cannot certainely be judged whether it have a certaine property contrary to the nature and effects of contusions This how it may have I have thought good to relate somewhat at large neither doe the Physitions who prescribe Mummie nor the Authours that have written of it nor the Apothecaries that fell it know any certainty thereof For if you reade the more ancient Serapio and Avicen to the moderne Matthiolus and Thevet you shall finde quite different opinions Aske the Merchants who bring it to us aske the Apothecaries who buy it of them to fell it to us and you shall heare them speake diversly heereof that in such variety of opinions there is nothing certaine and manifest Serapio and Avicen have judged Mummie to bee nothing else but Pissasphalthum now Pissasphaltum is a certaine forth or foame rising from the Sea or Sea waters this same foame as long as it swimmes upon the water is soft and in some sort liquid but being driven upon the shore by force of tempest and working of the sea and sticking in the cavityes of the rockes it concreates into somewhat a harder substance than dryed pitch as Dioscorides faith Belonius saith that Mummie is onely knowne to Aegypt and Greece Others write that it is mans flesh taken from the carcases of such as are dead and covered over in the sandes in the desartes of Arabia in which Countrey they say the sands are sometimes carried and raysed up with such force and violence of the windes that they overthrow and suffocate such passingers as they meete withall the flesh of these dryed by the sand and winde they affirme to be Mummy Mathiolus following the more usuall and common opinion writes that Mummie is nothing else than a liquor flowing from the Aromaticke embalments of dead bodyes which becomes dry and hard For understanding whereof you must know from all manner of antiquity that the Egyptians have beene most studious in burying and embalming their dead not for that end that they should become medicines for such as live for they did not so much as respect or imagine so horride a wickednesse But either for that they held an opinion of the generall resurrection or that in these monuments they might have something whereby they might keepe their dead friends in perpetuall remembrance Thevet not much dissenting from his owne opinion writes that the true Mummie is taken from the monuments and stony tombes of the anciently dead in Egypt the chinkes of which tombes were closed and cimented with such diligence but the enclosed bodyes embalmed with precious spices with such art for eternity that the linnen vestures which were wrapt about thē presently after their death may be seene whole even to this day but the bodies themselves are so fresh that you would judge them scarce to have been three dayes buryed And yet in
it is of the same colour as the hair of the land-hare is it hath a hole in the head out of which hee putteth a certaine peece of flesh and pluckes it backe againe when as he is seene Paulus Aëtius Pliny Galen and Nicander are of one opinion and agree in this that if a woman big with child do too earnestly look upon one she will vomit presently after abort They which have drunk this poyson saith Dioscorides are troubled with paine in the belly and their urine is stopped If they doe make water then is it bloody they run downe with stinking sweat which smels of fish a cholericke vomiting sometimes mixed with blood ensues thereon Aëtius writes that all their bodies turne yellow their faces swell and their feete but chiefly their genitall member which is the cause they cannot make water freely Galen writes that it is the property of the Sea-hare to exulcerate the Lungs Their Antidote is Asses milke Muskedine or honyed Wine continually drunken or a decoction of the roots and leaves of Mallowes It is good for the falling away of the haire I have here given you the figure thereof out of Rondeletius his book of fishes The figure of a Sea-Hare CHAP. XXXIV Of the Poyson of Cats NOt onely the braine of a Cat being eaten is poysonous and deadly to man but also their haire their breath yea and their very presence to some prove deadly For although any hair devoured unawares may be enough to choake one by stopping the instruments of respiration yet the haires of cat by a certaine occult propertie are judged most dangerous in this case besides also their breath is infected with a certain hurtfull malignitie For Mathiolus saith that he knew some who being so delighted with Cats that they could never go to bed without them have by so often drawing in the aire with their breath fallen into a consumption of the Lungs which occasioned their death Moreover it is manifest that the very sight of their eies is hurtfull which appeares by this that some but seeing or hearing them presently fall downe in a sowne yet I would not judge that to happen by the malicious virulency of the Cat but also by the peculiar nature of the party and a quality generated with him and sent from heaven When as saith Mathiolus a certaine Germaine in winter time came with us into a stove to supper where as were divers of our acquaintance a certaine woman knowing this mans nature lest that hee should see her kitling which shee kept and so should goe away in a chafe she shut her up in a cupboard in the same chamber But for all that hee did not see her neither heard her cry yet within a little space when hee had drawne in the aire infected with the breath of the Cat that quality of temperament contrary or enemy to Cats being provoked he began to sweat to looke pale and to cry out all of us admiring it Here lies a Cat in some corner or other neither could he be quiet untill the Cat was taken away But such as have eaten the braines of a Cat are taken with often Vertigoes and now and then become foolish and mad they are helped by procuring vomit and taking the Antidote against this poyson that is halfe a Scruple of Muske dissolved and drunke in wine There bee some who prescribe the confection Diamoschâ—m to bee taken every morning foure houres before meat By this you may gather that it is not so fabulous that the common sort report that Cats will kill or harme children for lying to their mouthes with the weight of their whole bodies they hinder the passage forth of the fuliginous vapours and the motion of the Chest and infect and stifle the spirits of tender infants by the pestiferous aire and exhalation which they send forth CHAP. XXXV Of certaine poysonous Plants HAving described the poysons that come from living creatures I come to speake of such as are from Plants beginning with the Sardonian herb which is also called Apium risus this is a kinde of Ranunculus or Crow-foote and as it is thought the round leaved water Crow-foote called Marsh-crow-foote or speare-wort it taketh away the understanding of such as eate thereof and by a certaine distention of the nerves contracts the cheekes so that it makes them looke as if they laughed from this affect came that proverbiall speech of the Sardonian laughter taken in evill part His Bezoar as one may terme it is the juice of Balme The juice fruit and substance of Napellus taken inwardly killeth a man the same day or at the furthest in three dayes yea and such as escape the deadly force thereof by the speedy and convenient use of Antidotes fall into a hecticke feaver or consumption or become subject to the falling sicknesse as Avicen affirmeth And hence it is that barbarous people poyson their arrowes therewith For the lippes are forthwith inflamed and the tongue so swells that by reason thereof it cannot bee conteined in the mouth but hangs out with great horrour their eyes are enflamed and stand forth of their head and they are troubled with a Vertigo and sowning they become so weake that they cannot stirre their legges they are swollen and puffed in their bodies the violence of the poyson is so great The Antidote thereof is a certaine little creature like a Mouse which is bred and lives on the root of Napellus being dryed and drunke in pouder to the weight of two drammes In want hereof you may use the seed of Raddish or Turneps to drinke and anoint the body also with the oile of Scorpions Dorycinum and Solanum Manicum or deadly night-shade are not much different in their mortall symptomes or effects Dorycinum being drunke resembleth milk in tast it causeth continuall hicketting it troubleth the tongue with the weight of the humour it causeth blood to bee cast forth of the mouth and certaine mucous matter out of the belly like that which commeth away in the bloody fluxe A remedy hereto are all shell Fishes as well crude as roasted also sea-lobsters and crabbes and the broth or liquor wherein they are boyled being drunke Now the root of Solanum manicum drunke in the weight of one dram in wine causeth vaine and not unpleasing imaginations but double this quantity causeth a distraction or alienation of the minde for three dayes but foure times so much kills The remedies are the same as these prescribed against Dorycinum Henbane drunken or otherwise taken inwardly by the mouth causeth an alienation of the minde like drunkenness this also is accompanied with an agitation of the body and exolution of the spirits like sowning But amongst others this is a notable symptome that the patients so dote that they thinke themselves to be whipped whence their voice becomes so various that somtimes they bray like an asse or mule neigh like
a horse as Avicen writes The Antidote is pistick nuts eaten in great plenty treacle also and mithridate dissolved in sacke also wormewood rue and milke Of Mushromes some are deadly and hurtfull of their owne kinde and nature as those which broken presently become of divers colours and forth with putrefie such as Avicen saith those are which be found of a grayish or blewish colour others though not hurtfull in qualitie yet eaten in greater measure than is fitting become deadly for seeing by nature they are very cold and moist and consequently abound with no small viscosity as the excrementitious phlegme of the earth or trees whereon they grow they suffocate and extinguish the heat of the body as overcome by their quantity and strangle as if one were hanged and lastly kill Verily I cannot chuse but pittying Gourmondizers who though they know that Mushromes are the seminary and gate of death yet doe they with a great deale of doo most greedily devoure them I say pitying them I will shew them and teach them the art how they may feed upon this so much desired dish without the endangering of their health Know therfore that Mushromes may be eaten without danger if that they be first boyled with wild peares but if you have no wilde peares you may supply that defect with others which are the most harsh either newly gathered or dryed in the sun The leaves as also the bark of the same Tree are good especially of the wild for peares are their Antidote yet Conciliator gives another to wit Garlick eaten crude whereto in like sort vineger may bee fitly added so to cut and attenuate the tough viscous and grosse humors heaped up and in danger to strangle one by the too plentifull eating of Mushromes as it is delivered by Galen Ephemerum which some call Colchicum or Bulbus sylvestris that is medow saffron being taken inwardly causeth an itching over all the bodie no otherwise than those that are netled or rubbed with the juice of a Squill Inwardly they feelegnawings their stomacke is troubled with a great heavinesse and the disease encreasing there are streakes of blood mixed with the excrements The Antidote thereof is womans milke Asses or Cowes milk drunken warme and in a large quantity Mandrage taken in great quantity either the root or fruit causeth great sleepinesse sadnesse resolution and languishing of the body so that after many scritches and gripings the patient falls asleep in the same posture as hee was in just as if hee were in a Lethargie Wherefore in times past they gave Mandrage to such as were to bee dismembred The apples when as they are ripe and their seeds taken forth may be safely eaten for being green and with their seeds in them are deadly For there ariseth an intolerable heate which burnes the whole surface of the bodie the tongue and mouth waxe dry by reason whereof they gape continually so to take in the cold aire in which case unlesse they be presently helped they die with convulsions But they may be easily helped if they shall presently drinke such things as are convenient therefore Amongst which in Conciliators opinion excell radish seeds eaten with salt and bread for the space of three dayes Sneesing shall be procured if the former remedy do not quickly refresh them and a decoction of Coriander or Penny-royall in faire water shall be given them to drinke warme The ungratefull taste of the juice of blacke poppy which is termed Opium as also of Mandrage easily hinders them from being put into meate or drinke but that they may be discerned and chiefly for that neither of them can kill unlesse they be taken in a good quantity But because there is danger lest they bee given in greater quantity than is fitting by the ignorance of Physitians or Apothecaries you may by these signes finde the errour There ensues heavie sleepe with a vehement itching so that the patient oft times is forced thereby to cast off his dull sleepe wherein hee lay yet keepes his eye-lids shur being unable to open them But by this agitation there flowes out sweat which smels of Opium the bodie waxeth pale the lippes burne the Jaw-bone is relaxed they breath little and seldome When as their eyes waxe livid unlesse they bee drawne aside and that they are depressed in their orbe we must know that death is at hand The remedy against this is two drammes of the pouder of Castoreum given in wine Hemlocke drunken causeth Vertigo's troubleth the minde so that the patients may bee taken for mad men it darkeneth the sight causeth hicketting and benums the extreme parts lastly strangles with convulsions by supressing or stopping the breath of the Arterie Wherefore at the first as in other poysons you must endevour to expell it by vomit then inject glysters to expell that is got into the guts then use wine without mixture which is very powerfull in this case Peter Aponensis thinks the Bezoar or Antidote thereof to bee a potion of two drams of Treacle with a decoction of Dictamnus or Gentian in wine He which further desires to enform himselfe of the effects of Hemlock let him read Mathiolus his commentary upon Dioscorides where as he treats of the same subject Aconitum called so of Aconis a towne of the Periendines where as it plentifully growes According to Mathiolus it kils Wolves Foxes Dogges Cats Swine Panthers Leopards and all wilde beasts mixed with flesh and so devoured by them but it kills mice by onely smelling thereto Scorpions if touched by the roote of Aconite grow numme and torpid and so die thereof arrowes or darts dipped therein make uncurable wounds Those who have drunke Aconite their tongue forthwith waxeth sweet with a certaine astriction which within a while after turneth to bitternesse it causeth a Vertigo and shedding of teares and a heavinesse or straitnesse of the chest and parts about the heart it makes them breake wind downewards and makes all the body to tremble Pliny attributes so great celerity and violence to this poyson that if the genitalls of female creatures bee touched therewith it will kill them the same day there is no presenter remedy than speedy vomiting after the poison is taken But Conciliator thinks Aristolochia to be the Antidote thereof Yet some have made it usefull for man by experimenting it against the stinging of Scorpions being given warme in wine For it is of such a nature that it killeth the party unlesse it finde something in him to kill for then it strives therewith as if it had found an adversary But this fight is onely when as it finds poyson in the body and this is marvellous that both the poisons being of their own nature deadly should dye together that man may by that meanes live There are divers sorts thereof one wherof hath a flower like an helmet as if it were armed to mans destruction