suspend my judgment about this matter It so happens sometimes that the Marrow which is found between both Tables of the Cranium is by a forcible stroke crushed and squeezed out which the Bloud also by the same force extravasate and so this Marrow with the Bloud conceives an Acido-corrosive Acor by which it induceth rottenness on the Internal Table of the Cranium and so sometimes the acrid and aqueous Humor proceeding from the perished Bone infects the Meninges and Brain it self and infers sudden and unexpected Death some Weeks yea some Months after the hurt received the Cranium in the mean while on the out-side appearing whole not shewing either Fracture or Fissuren Such Examples are here and there described by Author that have written of Chirurgy The Cranium with the Dura-mater being hurt sometimes in the space of 24 hours ariseth a Fungus in magnitude almost as large as an Hens-Egg which the most famous Malpighius judgeth to derive its Original from those Glandules hurt of which the Cortex of the Cerebrum is compounded and which according to his Opinion end in the Roots of the Nerves into which they transmit their nervous Juice received from and purified by the Arteries It is by almost all Authors seriously advised that no Wounds of the Head be sewed up and indeed very well When Wounds of the Head were bound up Vesalius always used a Wax-candle lighted not a Suet-candle because fatness hurts the Bones to the end it might in some measure temperate the cold of the ambient Air but at this time some Chyrurgeons use a certain Brass Vessel filled with live Coals which Vessel is in Dutch called een bedpan The middle space that is between both Tables of the Cranium is found to be much thinner in Children than in Men full grown which is as I judge very fit to be well observed by Chyrurgeons when they either use a Trepan or Lancets for otherwise it may happen that they may perswade themselves they are not yet come to the middle space when in the mean time they hurt the Meninges it self Some before they use the Trepan chuse to make a cross-like Incision of the Flesh others a Triangular but my Father always esteemed the Circular Incision best and so he separated and took away all that portion of flesh from the Cranium In Operating some dip their Trepan in Oyl for temperating the heat as they say but evily because Oyl as we have often said is inimical to the Bones wherefore common Water may in this case better serve The Ancients opinionated that the Marrow and Brain in Animals increased in the first Quarters of the Moon therefore at the Full Moon they forbid the use of a Trepan But at this time Experience hath taught that the Brain in the Cranium and the Marrow in the Bones of Animals do no more abound in the Increase of the Moon than at any other time thus this Opinion superstructed on so sandy a Foundation falls to ruine The Ancients would not permit the Trepan to be put in Sutures but we have Chirurgeons at this time who do this without fear It sometimes happens that the Duramater very firmly adheres to the Cranium yet this is but seldom and is beside the usual custom To the Meninges lying bare Scultetus applies Oyl of Roses Celsus Vinegar both err the one more the other less What can Oyl effect unless it be the obstruction of the Pores and Passages of that membrane and so impede the Circulation of the Bloud and Humors But Vinegar will coagulate the Bloud and Humors circulating through the Meninges and so not a little hinder the circular motion of them What shall then be here applied Honey or Syrup of Roses but best is the Syrup being less sharp which may be put in hot with a round Lint having a Thred tyed thereunto The Trepan being used it sometimes happens that no Evil is found upon the Meninx but the Pus lies hid under the same When this is seen the Meninx must be cut that passage may be made for the Pus to flow out Here is no cause of fear that the Pia-mater will be hurt because the interjacent Pus prevents that I remember that this Apertion of the Meninx was happily instituted at Arenacum A Patient wounded in the Head should rather assume Meats liquid than solid For otherwise the motion of chewing may somewhat molest the wounded part and indeed more especially if the Wound be inflicted in the Temples If Sneezing sieze any one wounded in the Head it will undoubtedly too much shake his Brain and hurt the Wound Therefore it would be prudence so soon as Sternutation is perceived to approach to prevent the same which may easily be effected if at that time we often rub the greater Angle of either Eye with our Fingers In a Wound of the Head Anger and Venery must above all things be shunned because they very much disturb the Brain and so infer no small damage to the miserable Patients as frequent Experience daily proves Thus I shall now at length put an end to this Observation after I have said that here I have offered none but thing rare and worthy of note For all other things pertinent to Wounds of the Head are largely enough treated of by Parey Hildanus Scultetus and other writers of Chirurgy which to repeat here I judge would be wholly needless OBSERVAT. II. Of a Wound penetrating the Thorax A Young man Thirty years of age received a Wound between the sixth and seventh Rib if you reekon from the inferiour with a Sword which penetrated into the Cavity of the Breast as was experienced by a Probe gently thrust in as also by the Air impetuously enough issuing out from the Wound The Patient in the mean while eat well and complained little Because this Wound was not sufficiently opened to give Exit to the Pus we put in a Tent made of Spunge with a Thred tyed to it and by this means the Wound was the next day very well opened Therefore we then applied a Tent made of a scraped Lint and anointed with a good Digestive with a Plaister temperating Acidity and a good Ligature In the mean while the Patient drank twice a day three Ounces of the following Apozem â„ž Of the Herbs Colts-foot Maiden-Hair Scabious of each Mij Leaves of the Fir-tree Mj. Raisins stoned â„¥ iij. Fennel-seed â„¥ ss Barley Mij Boyl all in equal parts of Common Water and French Wine and use the Colature which also when necessity requires may be injected by a Syringe into the Cavity of the Breast being at that time mixed with an Ounce or two of Honey of Roses The Wound thus handled for several days emitted a little Pus and the Patient was otherwise very well therefore we daily formed the Tents shorter and so the Patient was in six Weeks time wholly recovered of this Wound The Probe with which the deepness of the Wound was searched was not Iron because this Metal
could that Fume excite such horrid Phoenomena's Answer Thus The Stalk being hollow within and perforated onely with a very small hole and also outwardly compressed on every side by the Boys hand the more volatile and less cohering Particles were forced from within outward but seeing all those could not at once pass out together the one urged the other and so were driven out far more swiftly No otherwise than as we see Water forced out of a Syringe though the Pistil be but gently or very slowly thrust forwards or as we discern by an easie compression of the sides of Bellows the Air through the Pipe or Nose thereof is driven out with very great force But some one may perhaps ask me of what nature those dusty Particles are To him I answer They are Accido-corrosive and sharply cutting That such Acid-Particles are in this Stalk is sufficiently evident by the frequent use thereof in stopping Bloud For when a small part of this Stalk is put into a sanguiferous Vessel wounded the Bloud is stayed partly by reason of the stringy Particles folded one within the other and closing the Orifice of the open Vessel and partly by reason of the Acid-Particles of that hollow Stalk which coagulate the Bloud as Milk is coagulated by an Acididity infused Therefore these Acid-Particles with great force driven through the aforesaid Stalk deeply penetrated into the Pores of the Eyes and interior-Superficies of the Eye-lids and so with their cutting sides excited the Nervous Fibres there dispersed to a motion more vehement by which Vehemency the Mind first perceived the sense of pain which was augmented by that Distention which took beginning thus The Pores being obstructed by the Particles of that Stalk the Vapours wanted their natural Exit and so were collected within the small Pipes of the Membranes in the form of Humour which in a very short time waxed sowre by reason of the Acid-particles of the said Stalk acting as a Ferment no otherwise than as we see any sowre Ferment taken in a small quantity to convert a great mass of Dough into its own Nature These Acid-Particles I say with the acuteness of their sides forcibly striking upon the Nervous-Fibres drew to those parts a more copious influx of Animal Spirits than usual whence arose certain slight Contractions which notwithstanding proved sufficient in some measure to impede the Circulation of the Bloud and Humours circulating through the small Veins of those circulating parts For they were in this case helped by the Vapours within the Veins of those parts converted into Water When the Bloud conteined in the Capillary Vessels and the Humours in the Veins were thus stagnized they likewise in the aforesaid manner waxed sowre and were coagulated and by that means rendred more unapt for Circulation Hence it is sufficiently manifest whence the Redness and Tumour of the Eyes and Eye-lids had their Original But whence proceeded that continual efflux of sharp Tears From the aforesaid the true cause thereof is easily gathered and it is thus Certain Acid-Particles forced from within that hollow Stalk had entred the Pores of the Glandules and Lachrymal Vessels and there by their irritation exciting certain Convulsions did continually force out Tears But whence were they imbibed with a more than usual sharpness There is no mortal Man who by the taste onely finds not Tears to be Saline wherefore these in their passage with the acid Particles there inherent were invaded with a certain sudden Effervescency These things being by me for some small time considered of I soon ceased to admire that that Fume should be the cause of so great Evils thence ensuing and also at that time discerned that the Cure would not be difficult For I knew that hot Milk coagulated by an Acidity if digested with some fit Salt would again be dissolved in the space of one hour Like wise I knew Vinegar was easily deprived of its sharpness by infusing Crabs-Eyes or Lithargyry therein Also I understood the reason of that Effervency which is excited by commixion of the Saline Oyl of Tartar with the Acid Oyl of Vitriol Hence I concluded that the Bloud coagulated by Acidity might again be made fluid and the sowreness temperated by Crabs-Eyes Lithargyry and many other Medicines containing much Salt such are White-Vitriol Gum Ammoniac Sagapenum Galbarum c. Therefore I being called the third day after the Boy was hurt instilled hot into his Eyes some Drops of a certain Collyrium compounded of White-Vitriol and other things mixt with convenient Waters and upon the Eye I applied a Plaister of Gum Ammoniac Galbanum Sagapenum Lithargyry c. spread upon a Linnen-cloth This I changed daily twice and commanded the Boy should be kept in a dark place by which means in the space of two Weeks he recovered his pristine Sanity OBSERVAT. II. Of the use of an Issue and its way of Operating A Young Maid Thirteen years of age had for several years been afflicted with dolour and redness of her Eyes and tumour of her Eye-lids which after sleep were closed together by a viscous Humour concreted into a Rosin-like matter This Ophthalmy for a long tract of time was attempted to be cured by two Surgeons but not overcome I being afterwards sent for judged the cause of the Disease to be the too great Acidity of the Bloud and a Ferment of the same nature produced from that Bloud and firmly inherent in the Pores of the Eyes and Eye-lids there causing the Bloud in the Capillary Vessels and the Humours in the small Veins to become too acid and be coagulated and stagnized For from these few signs it was not difficult to judge of the aforesaid apparent Symptoms Moreover I firmly perswaded my self that the Maid might soon be cured provided that Acidity could be temperated and expelled by the Pores of the Eyes and Eye-lids and that acid Bloud purged out of the Body wherefore I used a Collyrium consisting of Medicaments containing much Salt and besides that applied to the Eyes a Plaister made of like things But I did little good by this method for so soon as any part of that Ferment was rendred temperate and cast out shortly after a new Ferment arising from the Bloud succeeded in place of the former Seeing this I for several weeks purg'd the maid twice a week but in vain At length I found the Assertion of the famous Silvius which is written in the first Book of his Praxis Chap. 2. in the 26 Section to be most true viz. That there are scarcely any purging Remedies at least known to us which can purge out acid Humours from the Bloud Finding the matter thus I judged it high time to betake my self to the searching out of better Remedies and whilst I was occupied in consideration thereof the following Experiment came seasonably into my mind and it is this When you have a Compound of Water and Oyl mixt and would separate the one from the other proceed thus If you would
have the Oyl to pass through a Filter of Paper the Water remaining in the Filter you must first anoint the Paper with Oyl but if you would filter the Water onely and have the Oyl remain in the Paper then you must first well moisten the Paper with Water But what is the cause of this Phoenomenon The Pores in Oyl are otherwise figured than in Water therefore that most subtile matter of the World which flows through the branched particles of the Oyl much differs from that which passeth through the moist and smooth particles of the Water Suppose to your self Water put into Paper first imbibed with Oyl and you will easily discern that the same must necessarily be debarred entrance by that most subtile matter proceeding from the Oyl contained in the Pores of the Paper and not able to enter through the Pores of the Water otherwise disposed as also by the most subtile matter of the Water unable to enter the Pores of the Oyl inherent in the Paper But if Oyl hasten to pass through Paper before moistned with Oyl then the most subtile matter of either of them holds parallel and what passeth out from one part enters through another and on the contrary So Oyl approacheth to Paper anointed with Oyl and is filtred through it and if it happen that any aqueous Particles poured in should in any measure obstruct this Filtration they must be removed to the sides and so taken away Often pondering this Experiment in my mind and the reason thereof I at length cut a small Wound called a Fontinel or Issue in the sick Maids Arm and kept it open by a-Pea put in and dairy renewed and by this means many Humours freely circulating through the Veins of the Arms by reason of those passages interrupted by the Wound made concentred in that Issue were changed into Pus and by long staying there waxed acid and like a sowre Ferment infected the Pores of the Veins nigh to the Issue Therefore whensoever certain bitter sweet or other Particles of the Bloud endeavoured to enter the aforesaid passages the Pores of which were filled with that acid Ferment they were repelled by a most subtile Matter every way unlike themselves no otherwise than as in the above-recited Experiment we have even now explained but when the acid Particles of the Bloud approached they had access without repulse and entred the passages nigh the Issue which were before infected with the acid Ferment but if Particles of another nature intruded themselves they were repelled by the same most subtile Matter which admitted the acid Particles like it self to enter those passages imbibed with Acidity no otherwise than as one Magnet is seen to approach to another by reason of particular Rays which proceeding from one Magnet enter the other without impediment and so exclude all intermediate Air. By this means I happily effected that which I had before in vain attemped by Catharticks For the Bloud was daily disburthened of a large quantity of Acidity by the Issue and this Evacuation the better succeeded because what was in the mean time externally allied rendred the acid Ferment more temperate and attracted it through the Pores of the Eyes and Eye-lids which being too much enlarged and distorted were again restored to their natural state by gentle Astringents This last work I effected with a Cataplasm prepared onely of Wild-Tansey or Silver-weed boiled unto softness in Water For this Herb contains in it self much volatile Salt which first evaporating from the Cataplasm did temperate the acid Ferment and attract it through the Pores but the more gross and astringent Particles which besides its volatile Salt this Herb possesseth came forth last and being gently Astringent closed the Pores of the Eyes and Eye-lids as was fit almost after the same manner as we see Cinnamon and Nutmeg in a Diarrhaea by their volatile and aromatick Salt first to temperate and extract from the Pores of the Bowels the acid and irritating Ferment and afterward by their more gross Particles with gentle force to constringe the too much dilated Pores of the Bowels and Vessels Thus this young Maid within one month after her Issue was made recovered her pristine state of health and so remains to this day After this Maids Cure was in this manner compleated I cured many others according to my wish OBSERVAT. III. Of a Gangrene IN the year 1680 September 7. A Woman Sixty years of age was suddenly afflicted in her Back Breast and left Arm with many Blisters rising containing a limpid Water and very painful yet in the mean while she could eat well and was not sensible of any internal dolour Therefore she neglected Remedies for two days which being elapsed I was called Then I opened the Blisters and found the subjacent Skin and Flesh black and gangrenenate For that very acid and corrosive Ferment lay hid unmoved and indeed very deep within the Pores of those parts and whilst it lay so unmoved it could infer no dolour because pain is excited by motion of the Fibres of the Nerves more than usual and the Body being unmoved another part cannot move But when that acid corrosive Ferment was expelled from its own Pores by the Humours issuing from the Pores of the Arteries and circulating through the Veins of the Parts very great dolour was suddenly excited and the Humours circulating were speedily coagulated and by that Ferment changed into a corrosive Acidity Now the more slippery flexile and smaller Particles of those coagulated Humours were by the Humours following them driven up to the Superficies of the external Cutis which because the Pores were constringed by the cold Air they could not penetrate therefore elevated the same on high in form of Blisters but the more gross more acid and more ponderous Particles remained in the bottom and so corroded the small Fibres of those parts that the circulating Humours could no more enter into them and hence the Gangrene of those parts took beginning It being now obvious to me that the aforesaid corrosive Acidity was peccant in this case I could readily conclude what Remedies were fit to be applyed viz. Such as I had known to render like Acidities more temperate And because I knew that Spirit of Nitre and the Acidity of Salt would wax sweet by Spirit of Wine adjoyned therefore I made a Lavament of Spirit of Wine to which I added Lethargyry Crabs-eyes Spirit of Scurvy-grass Chalk and other things resisting Acidity I often in a day applied this Lavament with a Linnen-cloth four double and in the mean time the Patient every two hours took two Spoonfuls of the following Mixture temperating Acidity that part of that coming through the Arteries to the parts affected might contribute help to the Remedies externally applied ℞ Water of Bawm ℥ iij. Treacle-water Mathiolus his Aqua Vitae of each ℥ i. Sugar Perlat ʒiij White Coral prepared ʒj Crabs-Eyes prepared ʒj ss Bezoardic Dinerale ℈ j. ss Spir. Harts horn xx Drops
Vessels stagnized whence the tumour and redness almost all over the Eye had their beginning The Bloud stagnizing in the Capillary Vessels especially that which lay extravasate in a short time assumed Acidity and then with its cutting Particles sooner than usual and more vehemently shook the small Fibres nigh whence that burning heat and dolour derived their Original Moreover the acid Particles of the same stagnized and coagulated Bloud by their irritation excited certain light Concussions in the Glandules of the Eye whence the Liquors contained in them viz. Tears were expelled almost continually which were more sharp than usual For they being saline in their eflux excited a certain suddain effervescency with the acid Particles of the Bloud stagnized inherent in the passages But the Dolour of which I spake did not onely proceed from the acid and cutting Particles but also from the Leaden-Bullet within the Eye turned now hither and then thither again and this was that Dolour which remitted when the Patient held his head backward because then that Bullet lay unmoved and rested upon the Bony Orbit of the Eye But when the Patient inclined his Head to his Breast then a very acute dolour was perceived because the Bullet was again moved and pressed the wounded part of the Eye A great part of the Pupil was covered with that fibrous and white Matter so that Globuli Coelestes the Coelestial Globes could not enter through the Pupil to excite the small Fibres of the Optick Nerve dispersed through the bottom of the Eye therefore no man hath cause to wonder that the Patient was wholly deprived of the sight of his wounded Eye But it may rather be cause of admiration that the right Eye which was not hurt by the Bullet should in the mean while be vexed with redness and dolour yet I shall endeavour to remove this cause of Wonder There is no man but sometimes experimentally finds in himself that one Eye being moved he can scarcely retain the other unmoved The reason of this is because the Animal Spirits suddenly passing from the Brain through the Nerves into the Muscles of one Eye can scarcely be terminated but some of them will at the same moment of time pass into the Muscles of the other Eye Whence it is manifest that when one Eye is pained that is when in it is present a more vehement agitation of the small Fibres than usual then I say a greater abundance of Animal Spirits by reason of the Pores in the Brain then more open must needs flow not onely into the Eye affected but also into the found Eye in which by this means are produced certain light Contractions which in some measure constringe the small Passages and sanguiferous Vessels and by that means the Circulation of the Bloud and Humours is in some sort obstructed so that they in a short time wax acid and by their cutting Particles infer dolour which is attended with Redness proceeding from the Bloud stagnized in the Capillary Vessels Things standing thus I predicted to the sick Noble-man an impossibility of recovering the sight of his wounded Eye in which he readily acquiesced saying He would give me eternal thanks provided I could preserve the fight of his other Eye This I suddenly promised him Therefore proceeding to the Cure of this Wound I judged my principal work was to restore the Cireulation of the Bloud and Humours impeded and then to repress the external Air and temperate the Acidity In order to this I first for temperating the Acidity instilled hot into both his Eyes some few drops of the following Collyrium twice a day rx Water of Eye-bright Of Celandine of each ℥ ij Of Hysop ℥ j. Crabs eyes prepared Coral prepared of eachʒj Troches alb Rhasis ℈ ij ss Saccarum Saturni ℈ j. ss Tutia prepared ℈ ij Make a Collyrium Then I applied to the Eyes two small Bags filled with Faenugreek Hysop Lavender-flowers and other things abounding with volatile Salt afterward instead of these I applied Plaisters containing much Salt such as is found in Gum Ammoniac Sagapenum c. And at length I so bound both Eyes that they remained unmoved and kept the Patient in an hot and dark place But to take away all occasion of wonder which some one or other may perhaps conceive because I had so much trouble to cure the right Eye which was not wounded I purpose here to subjoyn Reasons which I judge sufficiently valid I did not this that I have done so much in respect of the right Eye as of the left For if the right Eye had remained open the sick man would often have moved it and seen with the same That external motion of the right Eye scarcely ever happened but the left Eye was also moved and hence how much the dolour in the wounded Eye would have been exasperated he can easily conjecture who hath at any time experienced with how great dolour a wounded Hand or Foot is moved from place to place Moreover if the right Eye had not been closed without doubt it would with the sight have touched many Objects at one time or other and that could not have been without the producing of some internal motion de novo by the Celestial Globes in the small Fibres of the Optick Nerve because indeed the least fibre in the opticknerve in the right Eye cannot be moved but at the same time the small Fiber of the same Order in the Optick Nerve of the left Eye must necessarily be moved also This is evidently apparent by the following Figure which the famous Rohaultius also used in his Physical Treatise never to be sufficiently commended but for an end far other than mine He shews the way by which two Images whereof one is described in the right Eye the other in the left when they come to the Brain might give Conception to the Mind of one onely Image In this Figure each Eye hath delineated onely five small Fibres that thereby the matter may be more easily conceived But what is here spoken of five small Fibres may be understood of many more viz. that there is no small Fiber of the Optick Nerve of the right Eye can be moved but the Fiber of the same Order in the left Optick Nerve will presently be moved also The reason is because these Fibres joyn together and are terminated into one point Thus to the right Eye in a short time both pristine Sanity and entireness of sight returned but the left Eye could not be healed before the Month of March in the Year following About that time all Tumour and Redness passed away the livid colour being long before discussed The Bullet stuck fast to one part or other of the Eye and so remained unmoved and to the Bloud and Humours their free Circulation was restored And then the Humours by the Wound interrupted circulating through those small passages continually deposited certain Particles to the sides of the Wound which Particles by reason of the similitude of the
deduceth extream dolour and other Phaenomena's occurring in a Wound of the Nerve from a far other cause than I do For he thinks some of the Fibrils in the Nerve being cut the other as yet intire suffer so much the more by a continued stretching produced by the Animal Spirits and that hence ariseth Dolour Convulsion and other Evils frequently observed in such cases But with the leave of so great a man this Cause pleaseth me not seeing from it I cannot conclude that the pallid and insensible Cutis is frequently separated from the adjacent part This Cause of his is repugnant to Experience which teacheth that the Puncture of a Nerve is more dangerous than if the Nerve were cut to the midst For in a Nerve cut to the midst many more Fibrils are cut than in a Nerve prickt in which often but a few Fibrils onely are hurt But it is certain that Sylvius did himself believe his own reason not sufficient seeing in the same Twenty third Chapter of his Second Book he saith that Phaenomenons exhibiting themselves in the Puncture of a Nerve seem to him more like a Dream than to any observation made by the Senses Therefore that I may put an end to this Observation I say that in the wound of a Nerve Acidity is peccant and that such Medicaments should be applied as infringe Acidity For this Cause is commended Oyl of Wax and Ear-wax but acid things are not fit here to be used which was well observed by Felix Plaiterus who in his Book of Observations page 468 saith Acidity is very inimical to the Nerves OBSERVAT. II. Of Dolour of the Head A Man Forty two years of Age was vexed with a most vehement dolour of his Head and indeed that only about the Temple of one side where it remained fixed which Affect if any one will for this cause insignize with the name of a Clavus let him for me I judged the cause of this Dolour to be an Acido-corrosive Humor there lying hid and stagnizing by reason of Obstruction very pertinaceous There was one studious of Medicine present who perswaded himself that the cure of this Affect would be best performed by Sudorificks which by reason of the pertinacy of the Obstruction in this Disease I judged equally as impossible as in the Panaritium which I never heard to have been healed by Sudorificks though the same Affect derives its original from an Acido-corrosive Humor for it is but a very small portion of the Sudorifick that can arrive to the pained part Therefore I rather applied to the affected part Powder of Cantharides with his own Spittle formed into a Vesicatory about the evening and left it on all night The famous Sylvius to Cantharides addeth Vinegar thinking there would thence arise a certain Fermentation and so the Vesicatory operate the better Yea the most Learned Willis also adjoyns acid things to many forms of Vesicatories which I my self have often imitated but as often observed that after the space of a whole day no Blisters have been raised by the Cantharides when I mixed them with Vinegar viz. for this reason because the Volatile Salt of die Cantharides was enervated by the Vinegar in which Salt the principal Virtue of them consists Coming the next day I beheld a large Blister raised by the Cantharides and understood that the sick-man was wholly eased of his pain But I could not perswade my self that this dolour was removed by the Blister raised and by reason of the Water flowing from the same when opened For the Water that issued out was neither sharp of taste nor could be such because had it been so it must needs have inferred some dolour on the subjected skin before apertion of the Blister which notwithstanding it did not although the Cutis the Epidermis being by this means removed be of it self sufficiently sensible as is apparent because it is often hurt and feels pain by the ambient Air. What was it then that removed that Dolour The Volatile Salt of the Cantharides which by the Vapours passing out through the skin stirred up to a sufficiently swift motion penetrated to the Acido-corrosive humor and temperated and cut the same and took away the obstruction But whence then did the Blister derive its original I say that in the mean time when the more volatile Particles of the Cantharides had penetrated far enough for correcting the peccant Humor other more grose and more acid Particles subsisted about the Cutis in which they brake certain Fibrils which crisping up together did so obstruct the small passages that the Humors in circulation were partly impeded and so gathered together in the Superficies of the Cutis and elevated the Cuticle into the form of a Blister which might easily happen because the Fibrils which joyn die Cutis with the Cuticle were now broken in sunder by the aforesaid more gross and more acid Particles of the Cantharides But some one may perhaps here say that that Water should not have been there congregated but rather have passed out by the Pores of the Cuticle by which we so often see Sweats to issue out To him I answer the most gross Parts of the Cantharides remained and adhered about the Cuticle and very much constringed the Pores thereof which should seem strange to no man who even but once in his life-time hath seen how easily by heat of fire Parchments may be crumpled up and that the common Fire which so crumples them doth also sometimes excite small Blisters wholly like those that are raised by Cantharides but because the Pores of the Cuticle were so closed therefore the Vapours otherwise freely exhaling were accumulated and augmented the abundance of Humor contained in the Blister If any man not as yet plainly convinced by our way of reasoning believes that the long lying on of the Cantharides by reason of the Blisters raised helps until his mind be altered by the Authority of some approved Writer I would have him go to Lazarus Riverius who in his Third Century Observation 4. declares that a Vesicatory left on but a quarter of an hour had in that time wholly removed the dolour of a Bees sting no Blisters being raised by reason of so short delay Francis Redi in a Treatise of Insects affirms that he had seen a white shining Humor undoubtedly Acido-corrosive flowing out from the Stings of Scorpions and it is very probable that such an humor in the Punctures of Bees doth in like manner flow from their Stings which is the cause of dolour Hence it is now manifest that the dolour of which Riverius speaks vanished because the acid Humor which flowed out from the Bees Sting and excited dolour was temperated by the Volatile Salt of the Cantharides But that the Stings of Bees are hollow no man will wonder who hath at any time seen the Glass-Pipes made by Art which are used for examining and beholding the Bloud and other Liquors through a Microscope seeing they though small
quantity of white shining Pus but when I would by pressure with my finger in some measure further the efflux of the Pus behold soon after a piece of a Tobacco-pipe equalizing the length of the Middle-finger presented it self to sight which with an Instrument I drew out of the lately-made Orifice The Pus being gradually evacuated I in a short space of time healed this Affect after the manner of other Abscesses so that in this Cure nothing hapned worthy of observation But the piece of Tobacco-pipe unexpectedly issuing out of this Abscess gave occasion to the By-standers not onely of admiring so rare a Phaenomenon but also made them presently to fly to the Devil and his Inchantments The Ignorant and therefore superstitious and miserable vulgar men presently hasten to the Devil the accustomed but impious Asylus of their ignorance when any Effect presents it self to them the like of which they never before saw If they see any thing the cause of which they know not they do not presently ascribe that to the Devil having often before beheld the same so the stupendious actions of that Belching out of Fire which cannot but be known by all the Inhabitants of these Regions are by them accounted natural and not taken for delusions of the Devil viz. because these are such things as they have often seen though they cannot render a reason of them being wholly ignorant of the cause So sometime since there was an Italian at Lugdunum in Batavia who after the drinking a great quantity of clear Water vomited up the same into various Chrystalline Vessels not limpid as before but it was in every of the Vessels of a diverse colour and taste This effect frequently seen excited the people ignorant of the cause to so great admiration that they uttered not so much as one Whisper about the Devil But Mr. Overcamp presently found out the cause of this Phaenomenon as he relates In primogenito Ingenii sui Partu viz. that in the Chrystalline Vessels he both saw and smelt divers subtile Oyls which in one Vessel tinged the Water with one colour in another with another Not without reason did Virgil say Felix qui potuit Rerum cognoscere Causas He was happy that knew the Causes of things For they being known we shall not much wonder at Phaenomenons before seen much less with the decieved Vulgar refer them to a certain imaginary power of the Devil whereas it is well understood that the Common people seldom have any regard to the causes of things But omitting these what was the reason that a piece of a Tobacco-pipe came forth of this Affect whereof we are now writing When I had well examined the Patient I by him understood that about six Months before when he walked in the streets taking Tobacco he fell down and internally hurt his Jaws with the Pipe from which hurt abundance of Bloud did often flow out viz. because a piece of the Pipe broken off deeply forced into his Jaw first produced this Haemorrhagia and afterward the above-recited external Abscess below the Ear out of which when opened the piece of Pipe was taken OBSERVAT. VII Of a small Stone contained in the Vrinary Passage A Little Boy five years old suddenly complained of a pain of his Yard and could not make water I as I then judged with an Iron Probe touched a small stone as big as a Pepper-corn but very rugged contained in the Urinary passage How this Stone should infer so vehement dolour and stop the Urine I purpose not at this time here to explain Fit Instruments by many Authors commended in this case were now by me made use of but in vain What then was to be done I presently gave to the sick Child two spoonfuls of the following Mixture ℞ Antinephretick Water Water of Stone-Parsley Of Fennel of each ℥ j. Fernelius his Syrrup of Althea ℥ ss Crabs-eyes ʒj Salt Prunella ʒ ss Salt of Bean-stalks ℈ j. Mix these Then I commanded the Mother to apply her mouth to her young Son's Yard and suck for some time as much as she could and by this means the Stone was in a short time drawn forward to the extreamity of the Ureter from whence then it was easily drawn out with the Forceps and so this little Boy was quickly safely and pleasantly freed from this so very painful Affect We must speak with the Vulgar but not judge with them according to the common Proverb I said the Mother sucked though in the mean while I am certainly perswaded that Sucking effects little but all Motion is made by Pulsion It is true the Mother applying her Mouth to the Yard and strictly closing it round about with her Lips caused the Belly to swell by contraction of the Diaphragma and so the external Air by its pressure forced the small Stone to the extremity of the Yard contained in the mouth of the Mother which did so much the more easily happen because that little Air contained in the Mothers mouth by the heat there existing rarified and so being more weak than the external Air forced from the swelling Abdomen made the less resistance as rarified Air contained under a Cuppin-glass made hot prevents not the subjected Cutis from being lifted up into a Tumor the pressure of the external Air contributing thereunto This Propulsion of the Stone was also not a little furthered by the almost continual agitation of the Tongue commodiously applied But no man should here wonder that the pressure of the Air hath so great force for this effects many other things much more wonderful and is the cause that two Brass-Hemispheres from which the Air hath been in a great measure removed by a Wind-Instrument do so very firmly adhere each to other that the weight of a Thousand pounds would not be sufficient to separate them again whereas they may very easily be disjoyned when the Air is again intromitted as I with my eyes have beheld at Lugdunum in Batavia in the Laboratory of Burcher de Volder a most acute Professor of solid Philosophy in that place If any man desires to know more of these things let him consult the Magdeburgic Experiments adorned with Brass Figures OBSERVAT. VIII Of a Contusion suddenly healed A Man about Thirty years of age in a Tennis-Court received a Ball with great force struck by a Racket just upon his right Eye whence exceeding great dolour presently arose The Patient remembred that he had seen others after the same manner hurt to be presently healed by cold Water onely applied immediately after the stroak therefore he presently to the contused part applied his Handkercheif moistned with cold Water and when that waxed warm he again dipped it in other fresh cold Water The next day after this hurt his Friends that had heard of his misfortune came to visit him but seeing both eyes very sound and well they were amazed having before firmly perswaded themselves that the eye which had received so vehement a stroak
Bloud with the Acidity was coagulated therefore the Spittle burthened with this Coagulate exhibited the afore-mentioned Saline taste to the Tongue So Common Salt which we daily use with our Meats ceaseth not to taste Saline though it hath not a little Acidity permixt with it self as Spirit of Salt extracted by Chymical Distillation doth plainly teach The end of the Third Decade DECADE IV. OBSERVAT. I. Concerning the Indisposition of the Gum. A Matron Forty years of age very much afflicted with the Scurvey complained of an excessive pain of her Gum which was very much corroded and at the least touch immediately poured out Bloud and besides her fore-Teeth were loose Also the Patient according to the common custom after Bloud-letting had been often purged but in vain How the Acidity in some sort corrosive should be the cause of this dolour corrode the Gum and make the Teeth loose I forbear in this place to explain because I judge the case to be sufficiently clear of it self This Evil doth sometimes degenerate into that Malady which we in Dutch call De Water-kanker therefore not to be slightly regarded My order was that the sick Woman should as much as was possible abstain from acid things and unto her I gave the Spirit of which I spake in the last Observation of the foregoing Decade and did also prescribe the following Medicament to be externally used â„ž Tincture of Gum Lacca â„¥ j. Spirit of Scurvy-grass Ê’iij Oyl of Tartar per Deliquium drops xiij Make a Mixture With this Medicament the Gum was four times a day touched and washed and so in a few days the diseased Woman was freed from her pain and the out-flowing of Bloud from the Gum ceased and the Teeth were no longer loose but that part of the Gum that was eaten away grew up no more at which no man should wonder because it is as impossible for part of the Gum consumed to be regenerated as a Finger once cut off to grow again Sometimes a certain Lapideous matter grows upon the Teeth which by its roughness lacerates the Gum in which case the precedent Medicament must in no wise be used unless this Lapideous matter be first removed with some fit Instrument If you desire to know the way of preparing Tincture of Gum Lacca consult Frederick Deckers that most famous Practitioner in his Practical Observations about the Method of Healing page 15. Before I finish this Observation I cannot forbear to tax the frequent errour of those men who use Oyl of Vitriol for whitening black Teeth For though this immediately takes away the blackness of the Teeth yet it afterward hurts them because it corrupts the Volatile Salt which is naturally found in great abundance in the Teeth It would be far better for those that delight in white Teeth always after Meat to wash and cleanse their Mouths with pure Water and once in a Week rub their Teeth with the powder of Porcellane Earth which is China If any man either cannot or will not give credit to my words saying Acidity as Oyl of Vitriol and other like things hurts the Teeth let him at least give credit to Solomon the wisest of Kings who speaking by the Spirit of GOD said As Vinegar to the Teeth and as Smoak to the Eyes so is the Sluggard to them that send him Now if Vinegar according to the testimony of Solomon be so inimical to the Teeth what damage will not Oyl of Vitriol infer which is much more sharp and far more corrosive OBSERVAT. II. Of an Ambustion A Man Thirty years of age setting fire to Gun-powder burnt his whole Face and both his Hands whence presently arose redness and exceeding great pain to asswage which the Patient applied Ink which was as it hapned ready at hand Had you seen the Patient in this state you would have affirmed you saw the Devil unless you could with the Aethiopians perswade your self the Devil is white which Opinion Sir Thomas Brown in his Pseudoxia Epidemica seems to favour contrary to the Testimony of the holy Scripture which saith in the Revelation of St. John Chap. 19. vers 20. The dwelling of Satan is a lake of Fire burning with Brimstone But the Smoak of Brimstone burnt as our above-recited Author philosophizeth is known by frequent experience to whiten Wollen Garments as Stockings and other things and hence he concludes that whatsoever is found in Hell must needs be white These things onely cursorily mentioned let us omit them and come to the matter it self I being called to the Patient applied to the parts hurt Onions bruised with common Honey Which Remedy is very profitable to burnt parts if presently applied whilst the Skin is yet entire for that being hurt vehement dolour will undoubtedly follow the use of this Medicament which shews that then it is in no wise convenient The next day many Blisters all over his Face and both his Hands presented themselves to sight which the third day after the accident being opened poured out no small quantity of Limpid Water Then I prescribed the following Cerot â„ž Ceruss Pulp of the Root of the greater Comphry of each lib. j. Lithargyry Lapis Calaminaris Oyl-Olive Wax of each â„¥ vj. Make a Cerot In the preparation of which it is to be noted that to the Oyl and Wax first melted together the Pouders beaten very fine and sifted must be added and when these are almost cold the aforesaid Pulp must be mixed which Pulp is thus extracted The Roots are first made clean and then cut into thin round slices which afterwards boyled in common Water till they are soft are then squeezed through a fine Linnen-Cloath With three Ounces of this Cerot I mixed as much of Unguentum Aureum the description of which is found in the Amsterdam or Augustine Pharmacopoea and this Medicament spread upon fine and soft Linnen Clothes I applied to the parts hurt and by this means our Patient was perfectly healed in a short time Whence the redness and dolour proceeded you may easily understand if you do but consider that the Gun-powder fired and so posited in a most swift and very vehement motion had hurt and broke many Fibrils of the Cutis For hence the dolour manifesting it self in that Ambustion may easily be judged of the continuation of which Dolour proceeded from the Obstruction of many small passages by reason of the broken Fibrils in which the Humors stagnized and distended the adjacent parts and then also waxed acid and by this means tore and cut in sunder the aforesoid Fibrils The Blisters were raised by the Humors stagnizing and coacervated about the Cutis which being constringed by the flame they could not penetrate I applied Onions with Honey that with their abounding Volatile Salt they might open the constringed and stopt Pores of the Cuticle temperate the acid Humors and restore to them their usual Circulation The third day I opened the Blisters for had I sooner opened them the subjacent Cutis would have suffered
are and how difficultly they can be consolidated also hence whence proceeds Bloud excreted with the Urine when the Reins are wounded is easily understood Whilst I am speaking of the Reins I call to mind a certain Question often bandied about among Physicians viz. which way the Drink a little after it is assumed cast out by the Urinary passage can come so soon into the Bladder or whether it first comes to the sanguineous Mass or not touching the Bloud presently and immediately hastens to the Reins or Bladder The latter seems more probable and is confirmed by the following Experiment If a Vein be cut in any one a little after he hath eaten Garlick or Asparagus neither the Bloud extracted nor the whey-like Humour floating above it shall have either the odour or taste of the Garlick or Asparagus eaten when in the mean while the Urine shall manifestly exhibit the odour of Garlick or of Asparagus Now whether this Urine pass out through the Pores of the Stomach and Bowels from within looking outward and through the Pores of the Bladder from without looking inward under the form of Vapours having surrounded the Cavity of the Belly and so at length is conveyed to the Bladder or rather hath its tendency thither by a peculiar passage I shall not at this time dispute though the latter Opinion seems to me most probable Wounds inflicted in the bottom of the Bladder are very full of danger but those that wound the fleshy neck of the Bladder are oftentimes consolidated by reason of the abundance of sanguiferous Vessels and multitude of small passages conveying the nutritious Humors This is what we daily experience after the exection of Stones viz. that though those wounds be healed yet sometimes the Urine flows from the sick involuntarily by the Yard the reason of this is because in Section and Extraction of Stones not a few Fibres of the Spincter Muscle of the Bladder are cut in sunder and broken But if in the Cavity of the Belly some of the small Lymphatick Vessels be wounded may not an Ascites be by this means produced What shall I say such a case seems not to be impossible though I cannot remember that I have in my practice seen any such thing or elsewhere read of it Dolour of the Testicles in perilous wounds of the Abdomen is a sign of approching death as the most experienced Parey testifies I have here hitherto spoken of wounds of the Abdomen inflicted from without there is yet a Wound remaining to be spoken of which is inflicted from within viz. as when in an Ascites the Navel bursteth partly from the great distention of Water and partly from the acuteness of the cutting Particles floating upon that Water So I remember an Hydropick Maiden-Child aged five years which her Navel being after the aforesaid manner burst dyed in a few days after In such a disruption of the Navel diligent heed is to be taken that the Water flow not out too fast therefore here must be prescribed an Apozem prepared of Guaiacum Sarsaparilla and other things Some affirm that if the Moon shine upon a wound whatsoever it be that wound cannot be healed without difficulty but whether this be true or no I know not It is certain that the cold Air hurts wounds but whether that be more injurious when the Moon shines than at any other time is indeed what I have not as yet experienced Mr. Blankard in his Medico-Physical Collections saith that Spirit of Wine mixt with Spirit of Sal-Armoniac doth very much profit in Wounds and so saying doth not a little confirm my Opinion whereby I judge Acidity hurtful in every wound and that our principal care ought to be employed in correcting that OBSERVAT. IV. Of an Artery of the Arm wounded A Souldier Forty years of age was wounded with the point of a Sword in his Arm below the Cubit from which wound the Bloud issued with great force and indeed with intermediate stops as if forced out of a Syringe by intervals That Artery was wounded which is touched when we feel the Pulse of the sick We have known Bleeding at the Nose to kill some and have read that the hasty flowing out of Bloud after Extraction of a Tooth hath killed others If the opening of such very small Arteries can infer Death into how great danger of life shall the Aperture of so great an Artery precipite the miserably-wounded party Therefore because so great danger is sited in delay I judged the Cure was to be presently set about and accordingly so soon as I came I applied two Lints pleated together cross-wise a little above the wound over them putting a sufficiently strict Ligature Then to the wound with Lint I applied the following Medicament mixt with the White of an Egg. ℞ Root of Tormentil ℥ ij Acorn Cups Galls of eachʒj ss Mastich ℥ ss Bole armenac Terra sigil of each ℈ 14. Mix and make a Powder In the mean while the Patient often took two Spoonfuls of the following Mixture ℞ Water of Plantane ℥ ij Of Roses ℥ j. Sugar perlate ʒiij Sanguis or Sanguinis Draconis ʒss Terra Sigillata ℈ ij Salt prunell Gr. 25. Laudanum Opiat Gr. 3. Make a Mixture The Bloud thus stopping we did not unbind the Wound before the third day and then from the Wound issued out a little Pus but no Bloud Thus was this wound so very full of danger with the help of a good Digestive very well consolidated after the manner of other wounds in two Months space This Wound was very dangerous but would have been much more perilous if it had been inflicted above the Cubit because there is found one onely great Artery which below the Cubit is divided into two sufficiently large Branches so that one of them being closed by Art the Bloud may freely pass through the other It sometimes happens that the Bloud from an Artery wounded below the Cubit running out with great force cannot be stopped in the above-prescribed manner therefore at such a time certain Iron-Instruments must be used which I have always by me though I cannot in words well give a plain Description of them I remember two that were by this means cured by my Father So also I have by me an Iron-Instrument by the help of which my Patron Consul and Ordinary Physician of Stenovicum as he told me had happily stopped the Bloud flowing out from the Artery Carotides in the Neck of a Fox wounded Therefore forasmuch as wounds of the Arteries are so very dangerous as we see I thought good in this place to subjoyn a double caution The first is that we do not after the manner of the Ancients in dolour of the Head and other affects attempt to use Arteriotomy about the Temples Forehead or elsewhere For greater benefit from the opening of an Artery than from the simple cutting of a Vein is not to be expected Secondly Least judging an Aneurisma to be a vulgar Abscess we unawares cut
thrust out through the Skin the Affect is mortal of greater danger if restored than if not restored For if it be not restored an Inflammation Convulsion or sometimes Death follows Secondly Foulness of that Member will be present And Thirdly an uncurable Ulcer which if it happen to be covered with a Cicatrice that by reason of softness is easily broken If it be restored it infers very great danger of a Convulsion Gangrene and Death But some fear dangers of this kind onely in the great Articles viz. in the Wrist Shoulder Talus and Thigh which by reason of the strength of the Tendons and magnitude of the Ligaments and Vessels prohibit Restitution Then he adds If a Convulsion follows the Joynt must be presently again Dislocated My purpose is no otherwise to answer these words of Scultetus than by an exact and faithful Declaration of the Medicines we applied to this our Patient seeing thereby it will be sufficiently manifest how well or how ill the above-named Author hath written First We washed the Bone of the Tibia forced out of its seat with Spirit of Wine warm for removing the coagulated Bloud and Filths adhering then sufficient Extension being made we set the dislocated Bone in its place applying to the Wound a good Digestive with a fit Plaister superposited not omitting a Lavament temperating Acidity and a Common Ligature The Leg thus bound up was laid upon a soft Cushion and so the Patient was carried to his Bed over which hung a Rope by the help of which he could raise his Body as I said in the precendent Operation and at the Feet of this Sick-man we set up a Board that the Clothes with their Weight might infer no detriment to the wounded Leg. The Leg affected by reason of the abundance of Pus flowing out of the Wound was dressed twice a day But in the mean while most vehement dolour exercised its Tyranny on our sick Patient who was both feverish and had a Delirium passing whole night almost without sleep or if he was between whiles somewhat refreshed with sleep a little after that was excited the aforesaid Terrour of which we spake in the precedent Observation whence the Talus was often of some measure distorted again To remove the Dolour Fever Watchings and Delirium the Patient at time assumed some of the following Mixture ℞ Water of Betony ℥ iv Of Bawm ℥ j. Syrup of Card. Bened. ʒiij Antimony Diaphoretic ʒj Salt prunella antimoniate ʒss White Corals Crabs-Eyes of each ℈ j. Laudanum Opiat Gr. 4. Make a Mixture But the Talus as often as it was found distorted after sleep was reposited By this means the space of three Weeks being scarcely elapsed the Fever and Delirium ceased then also but more slowly the aforesaid Terrour vanished and at length the Dolour and Watchings likewise But here I call to mind one thing which I had almost forgot viz. that two Abscesses arose in the affected Leg one nigh the Wound the other in the External part of the Leg but both these Abscesses after Apertion were healed In process of time very many Fragments were separated from the Bone of the Tibia which we then gently and easily took out of the Wound and upon the fungous flesh which was seen in the Wound we strewed almost every day once the Powder of Burnt Allum and so at length a Cicatrice came in sight which from day to day increased more and more so that about the sixth Month the whole Wound was almost covered Wherefore the Patient began to walk with Crutches but by this motion the Wound was again inlarged so that it closed not in every part which should seem strange to no man For I at this day know two who after Dislocation of the Talus with a Wound had an Ulcer several years But what if after setting the Dislocated Talus the Patient had been afflicted with a Convulsion must we needs have followed the counsel of Scultetus and again have dislocated the Article so lately set in its place I think not seeing I see no cause that should incite us to such an Action In this place I render not a Reason of many Phaenomenons and indeed considerately least I should set before the Readers a Dish of Crambe twice cookt For I think I have here omitted no reason of any Phaenomenon which may not be found in one or other of the foregoing Observations OBSERVAT. VII Of a Nose hurt by Winters-Cold A Young Maiden Sixteen years of age in Mid-Winter in extream cold Weather complained of a Tumor Redness and Dolour in the Tip of her Nose and she had been often before afflicted with this Evil in the Winter-Seasons The coldness of the Air both within and without affecting the Nose the Bloud in its very small Vessels and the Humors in their small passages were in some measure stagnized and in process of time contracted a certain Acor whence the Tumor Redness and Dolour were easily excited But whence was it that this Evil had now several times returned in the Winter This Return proceeded from no other cause than because the small Vessels and Passages were the first time so distorted by the Bloud and Humors stagnizing and waxing acid that afterwards they could never so well return to their pristine state but they would in Winter-time much impede the Circulation of the Bloud and Humors This Affect in Dutch called de Roud is without danger as to life yet in the mean while it is not a little displeasant to young Maids accounting their own Form whatsoever it is as their chiefest good and therefore are often willing rather to lose their Life than their Beauty This Evil I wholly removed in a few days with a Linnen-Cloath onely anointed with Sperma Ceti I shall not now dispute what that is which is known by the Name of Sperma Ceti whether it be the Seed of that great Fish or a certain Substance which is found in the form of thick Oyl in certain small Cells in the Head of the Whale about the largeness of Goose-Eggs or lastly whether it be a certain artificial Composition of the Brain of some Fish dried made up with a Lixivium of Lime In this place I say I will not dispute of this matter it sufficeth me that much Oyly Volatile Salt is contained in the aforesaid Medicament which corrects the Acidity in the bloud and stagnizing Humors This Evil is wont to invade not only the Tip of the Nose but also the Fingers Toes and Soles of the Feet To attempt to render a Reason of this would be superfluous seeing it is manifest that the cold Air doth more affect the Extreamities of the Body than other parts and small Vessels are sooner obstructed than others more capacious To prevent this Evil Cupping-glasses with Scarification are wont to be applied but improperly because the Obstructions are not by this means removed but multiplied and the distorted Vessels are not reverted to their pristine state but more