the decoction of Comfrey roots do the like but purging is also first required Some Physitians do commend the decoction of Nettle seeds CHAP. VII For the Chlorosy or Green-sickness IF the Patients pulse be quick take away seven or eight ounces of bloud from the left arm otherwise not Two days after her bleeding or if she doth not bleed in the morning fasting give her a Vomit consisting of an ounce of Oxymel of Squils and half an ounce of infusion of Crocus Metallorum mixt together Give her posset drink after every fit of vomiting according to the custom of a vomit The next day after her vomit let her begin to take of a Chalybeate Electuary and continue it from thence forward for the space of one and twenty days She may take the quantity of a Nutmeg of it at a time twice every day viz. in the morning fasting and at four in the afternoon exercising after it In the mean time once in seven days let her purge with two scruples of Pilulae Cochiae made up into five Pils The Chalybeate Electuary is as followeth Take conserve of Scurvigrass 3 ounces conserve of roman Wormwood two ounces Species Dianisum two drams salt of Steel a dram and half Tartarum vitriolatum and red Coral prepared of each a dram Saffron two scruples with as much syrupe of Hysop as is sufficient mix them together into an Electuary There are many other several ways of curing this disease as by a Cordial by Pils by an Apozeme by a Bag. The particular forms whereof are hereunder written The Cordial TAke Maskadel half a pinte syrupe of Wood-sorrel three ounces Mint water an ounce Gascons powder a dram and half Saffron a dram mix them together Let her take two spoonfuls of this Cordial at a time every morning fasting at four in the afternoon and at night to Bedward so long as it shall last The Pils TAke Aloes Rosata two drams Myrrh a dram Saffron half a dram Faecula Brioniae Faecula Aronis salt of Steel of each two scruples with syrupe of Lemmons as much as shall be sufficient Make them up into a Mass Out of which make Pils of the bigness of large Peas Give her three of these Pils every morning fasting so long as they shall last and let her exercise after them The Apozeme TAke Harts-tongue Betony and Maiden-hair of each a handful Raisins stoned two ounces Liquorice an ounce the roots of red Madder Parsley Fennel and Asparagus of each half an ounce two large Nutmegs Mace a dram and half Boyl them all together in five pintes of spring water over a gentle fire in an earthen vessel close covered until there be but two pintes remaining Strain away the ingredients and dissolve in the strained liquor common Triacle four ounces salt of Steel a dram Let her drink eight or nine spoonfuls of this Apozeme warm every morning fasting exercising after it and as much at four in the afternoon so long as it shall last The Bag. TAke Scurvy-grass two large handfuls Watercresses and Brooklime of each a handful Raisins stoned four ounces Dates two ounces Sena an ounce and half Sassafras an ounce Anniseeds Caruay seeds Coriander seeds prepared of each half an ounce Put them all together in a Bag and tun it up into three gallons of small Ale when it is three dayes old let her begin to drink of it Let her drink half a pinte every morning fasting and as much at four in the afternoon so long as it shall last Some are cured onely by exercise without any other means whatsoever and indeed without exercise all things else are in vain CHAP. VIII To prevent Abortiveness or Miscarriage IT is a common observation that they that have once miscarried are more subject to miscarry again then they that have never miscarried before Wherefore I would advise them that have never miscarried by no means to take or do any thing to prevent Abortment lest thereby they bring upon themselves that which they do without cause fear But whosoever hath once by any accident whatsoever miscarried she is thereby rendered in much danger of after miscarriages whensoever she shall be with childe To prevent this let her observe as near as she can the time when the occasion was given of her former abortment and when she shall be again with childe let her bleed in the right arm seven ounces more or less according to her strength sixe weeks before the time of her former miscarriage As if she should have formerly miscarried when she was sixteen weeks gone with childe or thereabouts when she shall be with childe again let her bleed when she is about ten weeks gone But if she can know exactly to a day how long she was gone with childe when the occasion of her former abortment was given and also doth certainly know the very time of her conception again let her omit her bleeding until a just fortnight before the time of her former miscarriage After she is let bloud let her take the quantity of a Nutmeg of this following Electuary thrice a day viz. in the morning fasting at four in the afternoon and at night to bedward so long as it shall last always drinking after it five or sixe spoonfuls of Red wine The Electuary TAke conserve of red Roses three ounces conserve of Sage flowers two ounces conserve of the flowers of water Lillies an ounce the powder of Date stones two drams fine Bole powdered a dram with as much syrupe of Comfrey as is sufficient mix them into an Electuary Let her use moderate exercise during the time of her being with child and by all meanes let her diet be whatsoever she hath a minde to Some have used onely the powder of Date-stones and fine Bole mixt together with good success This following Plaister applied athwart the small of the back is very good The Plaister TAke Emplastrum ad Herniam an ounce Bees waxe half an ounce Cyprian terpentine and oyl of Myrtils of each two drams Melt them together and spread it upon leather to be applied as above written Let her boyl Shepheards purse and Comfrey roots in her broth and let a gad of Steel be quenched in all the Beer she drinks It is good for her to sweat a little now and then but rather let it be procured by exercise then any sweating Medicine whatsoever CHAP. IX Of Sterility or Barrenness THe cause of Barrenness proceedeth commonly from the distemper of the Womb which is either too moist or too dry both which I shall prosecute in their order and first of the first The too much moisture of the womb proceedeth either from the knowledge of several men as commonly in Whores or else from the loose and humid temperament of the whole body as sometimes in other women The womb being too much humected and moistened doth thereby lose its retentive faculty of keeping the seed the slipperiness whereof must be corrected by altering the moist temperament of the body TAke a Cock
as it wil contain that so it may be stiff like unto a suppository though bigger tye it up and leave the string hanging whereby it may be pulled out upon occasion Use this Pessary unto her so often until her womb be throughly cleansed then let her drink a quarter of a pinte at a time of this following drink thrice a day for the space of thirty or forty days The Drink TAke of the wood of Guajacum half a pound Guajacum bark four ounces the roots of China and Sarsaparilla of each two ounces Liquorice an ounce and half Raisins stoned four ounces boyl them a little over night in two gallons of water in an iron pot close covered let them infuse all night the next morning boyl them again until half the liquor be wasted strain it and drink thereof as aforesaid In some women this disease may be cured by this following Apozeme alone without any other course of Physick And many have been cured â—nly with these following Pills The Apozeme TAke Motherwort a handful Ceterach and Maidenhair of each half a handful Raisins stoned two ounces Liquorice an ounce Cassa lignea half an ounce red Madder roots half an ounce squinanth two drams Boyl all these in six pintes of water in an earthen vessel close covered over a gentle fire until half be wasted Strain away the ingredients and dissolve in the strained liquor salt of Steel two drams syrupe of the five opening roots six ounces Let her drink a quarter of a wine pinte of this Apozeme warm every morning fasting and as much at four in the afternoon for a fortnight or three Weeks together and let her alwayes exercise after it The Mass for Pils TAke Aloes two drams Trochis of myrrh a dram and half Trochis of Alhandal half a dram Castoreum two scruples Diacrydium twenty grains powder them finely and with as much juyce of Garlick as shall be sufficient make them into a Mass Let her swallow two scruples of it made into five pils every fourth morning so long as it shall last Some after all possible means used in vain have at length been cured only by the drinking of water Doubtless those physical Waters which purge either by Seat or Vrine would be much more efficacious Married women have their present fit taken away by the knowledge of their husbands and Widdowes and Maids are oftentimes thorowly cured by marriage Ale is very hurtful as also strong Beer and whatsoever else is vaporous and doth fume much into the brain CHAP. V. For the falling down of the Womb. MAny women have this distemper yet know not what it is and are ashamed to ask counsel of a Physitian concerning it They observe a hard bearing down in their birth in some of the bigness of a Gooses egg though in others less It is scarce in any woman at all times alike but at several times beareth down more or less according as she hath lately more or less strained her body by walking or other exercise It is at first caused commonly by hard travel in childe-bearing which weakeneth the womb and doth relax the adjacent parts Take Plantain Shepheards purse and Knotgrass of each a handful dried Mint half a handful Comfrey roots an ounce Bistort and Tormentil roots of each a quarter of an ounce sweet Fennel seeds half an ounce bruise the roots and seeds and cut the hearbs then boyl them all together in three pintes of water until half be wasted when it is almost boyled put into it a pinte of red-Red-wine Strain it and sweeten the strained liquor with six ounces of syrupe of Quinces Let her take nine spoonfuls of this Apozeme every morning fasting and as much at night to bedward for the space of twenty days Let her in the mean time use frictions or Cupping-glasses to her breasts Let her neither stand nor walk much Let her very often receive into her nosthrils sweet and grateful sinels as the fume of Benzomin Storax Labdanum Rose-water c. Let her wear a plaister of Oxycroceum athwart her back Let her never keep her urine too long Able Physitians report that some women have been cured of this distemper by fear onely Let the Patient be perswaded that the bearing down or swelling must be seared with a hot iron and let an iron be put into the fire and other such like preparations made in the sight of the Patient that she may really think that she must be immediately cauterized the apprehension and fear of this will without doubt cause the Womb to shrink up and return to its proper place If the Womb be ulcerated it must not by any means be reduced into its place untill the Vlcer be healed CHAP. VI. To stop the flowing of the Whites LEt the Patient purge with this following Potion Take Sena two drams Agarick a dram white Ginger half a dram Tartarum vitriolatum half a dram infuse them all night in a quarter of a pinte of White-wine in the morning dissolve in the strained liquor an ounce of the whitest Manna and give it her to drink with due observation of thin broth after every stool according to the custome of Purging After two dayes intermission give her this following potion called commonly The white Potion TAke Venice terpentine washt in Plantain water half an ounce the yolk of a new laid Egg Plantain water four ounces incorporate the yolk of the Egg and the Terpentine together in a mortar then by degrees mixe them with the plantain water and give it her to drink in a morning fasting so soon as it is mixt Let her keep in and drink a draught or two of broth before she eateth any thing else Lay this following Plaister athwart the small of her back The Plaister TAke Venice Terpentine washt in Plantain water sixe drams white Waxe half an ounce white Sealed earth two drams Melt the waxe and terpentine together in an earthen porrenger then take it from the fire and when it is almost cold stir in the white sealed earth being first finely powdered and spread it upon Sheeps leather to be applied as above written Three weeks after let her take the same purging Potion again and so once every three weeks until she perceive the cause to be wholly abated The same things which cure the Gonorrhaea or running of the Reins in a man do also cure the immoderate flowing of the Whites in a woman This following Electuary alone hath cured many The Electuary TAke Diacatholicon Diaprunum Lenitive Electuary of each an ounce and half Venice Terpentine wash'd in Plantain or Red-rose water two ounces Sena powdered a dram and half Anniseeds in powder two drams mixe them all together into an Electuary of which let her take the quantity of a Nutmeg every morning fasting and as much at four in the afternoon so long as it shall last Gellies of Isinglass and Harts-horn stop the Whites but they are not safe until the body be sufficiently purged The Mucilage of Quince seeds and
be small Beer or rather small Ale If the cause be a thin and putrid humour it will appear by that which comes from her which will be discoloured and stinking Let her first take this following purging Potion The Potion TAke Sena three drams Rubarb and Agarick of each a dram Caruay seeds and Coriander seeds prepared of each half a dram infuse them in a quarter of a pinte of White-wine for the space of twelve houres Strain them and put to the strained liquor an ounce and half of syrupe of Roses and five drops of oyl of Vitriol Give it her to drink in a morning fasting with due observation according to the usual manner of purging After she hath purged let her take plentifully of conserve of Red-roses vitriolated for the space of a week then let her purge again as formerly After that continue her with this following Electuary until she be well The Electuary TAke conserve of Red-roses vitriolated four ounces conserve of Barberies two ounces Lapis haematites two drams Dragons blood a dram and half Crocus Martis a dram with as much syrupe of Quinces as shall be sufficient make it into an Electuary of which give her the quantity of a small nut five or sixe times a day If her flux return before her body be altered stay it by a second application of Cupping-glasses to her breasts as above written Let her diet be the same with that before mentioned For flesh meat doth beget both a sharp and also a putrid humour in the body whereupon it is so strictly forbidden immediately after child-birth besides upon the account of a Feaver lest it should put either a sharpness or else a putrefaction upon the bloud and thereby cause a greater flux It is a common observation that they that are much inclin'd to the immoderate flowing of the Months are almost continually bound in their bodies which is oftentimes the cause wherefore this immoderate Flux doth so long continue For Nature endeavouring to discharge her self of some superfluous humour by the common sink of the body the Guts finding that passage stopt throws it out by that passage which is most open Wherefore whatsoever is given to stop this immoderate flowing of the Months it will be to no purpose except a due regard be had to the keeping of the Patients body soluble which must not be by strong and violent purgers but by such Medicines as do but gently purge and withall have a power to cool the body and allay the sharpness of humours of which sort are Catholicon Lenitive Electuary Diaprunum syrupe of Damask roses c. The same things which are commonly given unto those that bleed much at the nose or vomit bloud are also very good in this case As the juices of Plantain and Nettles the powder of Colophony Dragons bloud Lapis haematites the powder of Acorn cups the powder of Comfrey â—â—ots c. But above all things let the Patient be conversant in a cool ayr In the Summer time let the room wherein she is be cooled with green boughs and let water be sprinkled upon the floor and in the Winter time let there be little or no fire in the room Vpon a Miscarriage and sometimes after Childe-bearing it hath been observed that the bloud which the Patient voids being drunk in White wine doth immediately stay the immoderate Flux Insomuch that many Midwives account this as a great secret and mixe it privately lest they should communicate their skill to others I have some acquaintance with a Gentlewoman who could by no means possibly be cured who was brought so weak with this continual flux of bloud that she alwayes fainted away when she was but turned in her bed insomuch that her friends and Physitians despaired of her life seeing that all those means which have been effectual to others proved not at all succesful to her At length she was advised to have a live Toad put up in a Napkin and bound to her back which was no sooner done but her flux of bloud was staid from thence forward and to the admiration of all this Gentlewoman was thereby recovered CHAP. IIII. For the rising of the Matrix or Womb called commonly the Mother THe present paroxysme or fit is first to be abated After that the cause must be taken away otherwise upon the least disturbance of minde during her whole life time she must expect several fits in the like Nature To abate the present fit first of all apply a Cupping-glass to her navel after it hath continued on some few minutes take it off and lay two or three grains of Civet received into a little cotton or lint upon her navel and keep it on with a plaister of Galbanum as broad as the mouth of a Cupping glass Let the plaister remain on so long as it will stick Then proceed to take away the cause but in the mean time lest the fit should return before the cause be wholly abated give her now and then as often as you please a spoonfull or two of compound Pyony-water sweetned with white Sugar-candy and let her sometimes take a whift or two of Tobacco in a pipe or if she observe a fit approaching let another take tobacco and blow the smoak to her for this is better then the smoak of feathers or Assafoetida The cause of this distemper is a putrid humour collected in the womb proceeding from too great a quantity of bloud in respect of the patients strength to govern it First breath a vein in the right arm to the quantity of seven ounces of bloud The next day after if the patient be of a sanguine complexion or melancholick let her bloud in the foot to the quantity of about eight or nine ounces The day after bleeding give her this following Clyster The Clyster TAke Mugwort Penny royal the flowers of Centuary of each a small handful Chammomile and Mellilot flowers of each half a handful Bayberries and Cummin-seeds bruised of each two drams French barley half an ounce boyl them in a pinte and half of water until half be wasted strain away the liquor and dissolve therein an ounce of Diaphaenicon the yolk of an egge and two drams of Venice-terpentine washt The Venice terpentine must be first mixt with the Yolk of the egge in a mortar and so be incorporated into the rest of the liquor by degrees The next day after her Clyster let her purge with three four or five pils of Extractum Rudii more or less according to the constitution of her body whether easie or hard to work upon The day after purging let her make use of this following Pessary The Pessary TAke Mugwort and Feaversue of each half a handful Diaphaenicon and Venice terpentine of each six drams species hiera picra three drams beat them together into a mass then make a little bag of sarcenet shaped like unto a suppository but let it be bigger both in thickness and length Then crowd so much of the mass into it
also a heat proportionable But this just order and proportion might be violated if Nature had not appointed valves to do what on their parts is to be done that blood which is in the hollow vein in its motion upwards might some of it passe beyond the heart and enter into the subclaviary veins if Nature had not placed valves there to forbid it there might I say be in the subclaviary veins blood as much heterogeneous as that in the heart whereas the heat is not there accordingly And so if there were not valves in the meetings together of other veins there might be a return of some blood and consequently too great a mixture at too great a distance where it should want heat sufficient to govern it We have perceived sensibly in severall creatures that the blood of the heart and adjacent parts doth differ from that blood which is in the extreme parts but we never could perceive any sensible difference of that blood which is in the severall veins of the extreme parts yet notwithstanding we have concluded that there is a difference The reason is because we know that all that blood which is found in the heart came from the severall veins of the extreme parts We know likewise that if that blood which was in the extreame parts in severall veins had not differed there could not have resulted in the composition thereof such a manifest difference as for example I know some few springs meeting together which make up a brook able to turne a mill this brook in its farther descent meets with another brook of such-like pedegree as was the former the water still descending increases into a river Now knowing that this river is nothing else but the mixture of waters flowing from such severall springs although the waters of these severall springs seeme not to differ amongst themselves yet there being a manifest difference between the river water and that of the springs the river water being able to bear soape and yest whereas the water of any one of these springs severally is of no use either for brewing or washing I must necessarily conclude that the springs do also differ If I had not this argument of the river to convince me I confesse I should think there were scarce any difference in the severall waters of all these springs yet they which doe wholly drink water say that they could never yet find the water of any two springs in all respects alike Braceletts or such as physitians call periapta if they be used loco et jure they doe performe a manifest alteration upon mans body for we know by experience that camphor included in a nodule and hung about the necks of Children hath cured divers agues in a short time without any other means whatsoever the bloodstone is known by experience to stanch bleeding pyony roots either cure or abate epilepticall fitts with many others Many have been cured of lingring and cacheticall distempers onely by the change of the aire They which have hot and costive bodies do not excerne by seat and urine a third part of what is ingested yet their bodies are not at all increased either in weight or bulke Infectious diseases which are seated cheifly in the spirits are sooner received by a body that is sweating then by the same body at on other time Hot bodies are sooner fluxed by unctions or plaisters wherein there is mercury then bodies more temperate The same body sweating is also sooner fluxed by such like unction or plaister then at another time Salivation is stayed and the mercury carryed out of the body by sweating From these observations digested and made to conspire in one there seeme unto us to result these three conclusions First there is in mans body a continuall circulation of spirits through the pores whereby the miasmes of the aire are received into the body and the excrementitious vapours expired Secondly the pores are of two sorts the one kind for expiration wherein the motion of the spirits and vapours is from the base to the point and the other for inspiration wherein the motion of the returning spirits together with the infection of the aire is from the point to the base Thirdly the pores for inspiration are valvous that is so contrived that the spirits cannot possibly goe out again the same way they came in We meane by spirits that vapour or effluvium which by the naturall heat is raised from the syncere humours of the body or from that part of the masse of blood which is uncorrupted now the spirits being an exhalation from the purest blood they are also in themselves pure and are so continued by this regular motion which Nature hath provided them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an aphorisme recorded by wise Hippocrates Nature cannot remaine in the same state there is nothing in the whole world stands still if we rightly consider it All bodies are either continually acting upon their owne excrement and so moving towards a higher degree of perfection or else they are suffering by some excrementitious matter and declining towards a state of corruption now whether they act or suffer they have in them a circular motion which is the only condition by which this action or passion is performed as for example A peece of pure and polished iron if it be wetted and put into a moist aire which is not agreeable to its nature will corrupt and by degrees become more and more corrupted untill the whole body thereof be converted into rust But on the contrary iron that hath contracted rust will refine and purifie it selfe if it be oyled and kept in a dry aire the reason of this is the motion of the spirits which are bound by the law of Nature to keep a just correspondence between the body and the ambient aire This regular motion of the spirits is as the first wheele in a clock or as the primum mobile to the lower sphaeres in the greater world the spirits moving do put the secondary spirits into a motion of consent and the secondary spirits do move the lighter humours and so at length by a subordination of motion the grossest humours are constrained to move and the whole body is continued in and preserved by this perpetuall motion hereby the influences of the heavens which wander in the aire are ushered in the body hereby sensation is performed and a just intelligence given unto Nature how in each moment the aire doth stand affected We have observed that if the head be but moderately heated the whole body is immediately put into a sweat yet if the body be very hot and the head cold sweat is not procured The head and those parts that are nervous and membranous are most prone to sweat They which are prone to the epilepsie convulsions or any other distemper proceeding from the obstruction of the brain are not at all proclive to sweating They which are subject to sweat much have seldome the headach and so on the
the spirits of the body acting upon the spirits of the medicament by almost infinite of examples but for brevities sake I shall propound two or three Let any one swallow ten or twelve seeds of coloquintida whole he shall have the seeds again in his excrements yet notwithstanding his body shall be purged this is a sufficient argument to convince any one that it is the spirits of the medicine that purgeth Let the seeds of coloquintida be powdered and mixed with honey and then spread upon leather and applyed to the belly and this also purgeth this is another cogent argument to demonstrate that as the spirits of medicaments do operate even so they are carryed by the spirits into the body Three seeds of coloquintida in powder purge as much as twelve seeds whole This at the first sight should seeme to be an argument to prove that it is the substance of things that worketh but when we seriously consider that the seeds whole do also worke although not so powerfully and that purging medicines do also work by outward applicacation we must conclude that the reason why the seeds powdered worke more than the seeds whole is because the spirits of medicines being lock'd closer up in their parts do disperse themselves but moderately whereas after they are opened and their parts separated they doe fly away with more alacrity hence it is that all manner of drugs if they be kept entire doe retain their virtues longer then when they are powdered Here we may take notice of a vulgar errour which is generally received concerning the virtues of simples which they say are either actually or in power as if the body did reduce them out of power into act I confesse the heat and moisture of the body may so soften them and open their parts that they may spend their virtues faster no otherwise than as if they were infused or decocted but I deny that there is any essentiall difference between their power and their action because they do alwaies act although according to severall circumstances with more or lesse vigour but this concerns not our present purpose Those things that alter the body doe not onely in a generall way make evident these positions which we have delivered in that it doth plainly appeare that it is their spirits which doe act upon the spirits of mans body c. But they doe also confirme the same if we consider them severally in their private and particular operations as for example Cordials and such things as are spirituous are commonly given with good successe indifferently unto all that faint and swound away although such like fainting or swounding in several persons doth proceed from severall causes the reason of this is because the result of all things which do injury to the body is the fixing stopping or intercepting of the spirits so that such like cordials which have power to rescue the arrested spirits do for the present revive the body in that they doe move the said spirits which are the cause of all other motion Those things which doe violently purge if they be given without any preparative unto those bodies wherein there is a tenacity of humours they doe commonly cause Syncopes or sudden faintings away The reason is because the atomes of such like purging medicines finding those passages bolted up through which they should enter into the intestines are immediately carryed into the nerves where they doe intercept or confound the regular motion of the spirits The reason also wherefore purging and vomiting medicines do oftentimes procure sweat is because their spirits are carryed into the nerves Opium doth allay pain and doth cause sleep the reason of the first is because it thickens the spirits and intercepts their motion towards the brain The reason of the second also is because it doth by condensing the spirits shut up the sensories Those things which are drying and astringent as china guajacum sarsaparilla conserve of red roses vitriolated c. do oftentimes prove analepticall The reason is because they do fix the spirits which are the chief instruments of nutrition Camphor causeth sleep by attenuating the spirits and causing expence thereof Milke and some other things which being eaten are straightway converted into a milky nature as almonds the foure greater cooling seeds c. do resist drunkennesse The reason is because they do precipitate the spirituous part of beer wine or any other liquor which would sly up into the brain and disturbe the regular motion of the spâ—riâ—s â—o we see posset drink is lesse vapoâ—ous than beer or ale because the spâ—râ—â—s of the said beer or ale are precipitated with milke Sâ—l Pâ—â—unellae Vinegar and al acide juices are proficuous in pestilentiall diseases The reason is because they do precipitate that mercuriall vapour which doth intercept the motion of the spirits No otherwise than Aqua fortis which is made of vitriol and saltpeter doth precipitate and tame quicksilver and make it lesse fluid and vaporous New milke warme from the cow and milke suck'd from a womans breast is a great restorative The reason is because it doth in a more than ordinary manner increase the spirits which are the chief instruments of nutrition Those things which are knowne by experience to be hurtfull to the eyes and to dimme the sight as garlick lettice colewort c. do it upon no other account than by thickning the visive spirits and on the contrary where the eye sight is not perfect it is oftentimes helped by such things as do rarifie the said spirits as fennell betony Eyebright c. Here we must take notice that condensation and rarefaction are not of themselves hurtfull or profitable to the sight but as they do retard or accelerate the motion of the visive spirits which is the next and immediate cause of seeing they do by consequence become hurtfull or profitable The water of the sperm of froggs preventeth the spreading of a gangrene by intercepting the spirits which would carry the septick quality of the extreme part gangrenated nearer unto the centre of the body In contused wounds the part is preserved from mortification by injecting of spirit of wine into the wound or fomenting the part therewith the reason is because it doth both comfort the spirits rarefie the pores that so the motion of the spirits in the part may not be hindred Adde hereunto the virtue of actual heat in any manner of distemper whatsoever either outward or inward They that are well versed in chirurgicall operations cannot but know the efficacy of hot stupes And so in feaverish distempers those things which are given actually hot provided they nourish not too much do sooner quench thirst and abate the praeternatural heat of the body than cooling Iulapes The reason is because heat doth open the pores and by consequence make way for the spirits to move This motion of the spirits Courteour Reader is that we did intend in this inconsiderable treatise to propound unto thee Wherewith we were loath on a sudden to interrupt thee thinking it more convenient first to broach some tenets which are involved in it under the notion of Paradoxes Yet we presume that upon serious consideration thou wilt looke upon all we have here written as Orthodox And that for two reasons First because all operations of externall things upon mans body are reducible to reason upon this account And secondly because there is no contradiction in the whole Series of our discourse but each position doth so confirme another that in the whole there is such a symmetrie as doth become the simplicity of truth FINIS