[1]In his Treatise of Fevers,c.4.
[1]In his Treatise of Fevers,c.4.
MADAM,
YourAuthoris not onely against Phlebotomy or Blood-letting, but against all Purging Medicines, which he condemns tocarry a hidden poyson in them, and to be a cruel and stupid invention.But certainly he shall not have my assent; for if they be Poyson, they are a very beneficial Poyson; and Physical Purgations, in my opinion, are very necessary and profitable for the prolonging of life, and taking away of diseases, provided they be proper for those diseases in which they are used; and so is Phlebotomy, Vomits, and the like: but Medicines are often wrong applyed, and many times the disease is so various, that it is as hard for a Physician to hit right with several Medicines, as for a Gunner or Shooter to kill with Powder and small Shot a Bird flying in the Air; not that it is not possible to be done, but it is not ordinary, or frequent: neither doth the fault onely lie in the Gun, Powder, or Shot, but in the swiftness of the flight of the Bird, or in the various motion of the air, or in a hidden wind, or mist, or the like; for the same Gunner may perhaps easily kill a Bird sitting in a bush, or hopping upon the ground. The like may be said of Diseases, Physicians, and Medicines; for some diseases have such hidden alterations, by the sudden changes of motions, that a wise Physician will not, nor cannot venture to apply so many several medicines so suddenly as the alteration requires; and shall therefore Physicians be condemned? and not onely condemned for what cannot be helped by reason of the variety of irregular motions, but what cannot be helped in Nature? For some diseases are so deadly, as no art can cure them, when as otherwise Physicians with good and proper medicines, have, and do as yet rescue more people from death, then the Laws do from ruine. Nay, I have known many that have been great enemies to Physick, die in the flower of their age, when as others which used themselves to Physick, have lived a very long time. But you may say, Country-people and Labourers, take little or no Physick, and yet grow most commonly old, whereas on the contrary, Great and rich Persons take much Physick, and do not live so long as the common sort of men doth. I answer: It is to be observed, first, that there are more Commons, then Nobles, or Great and rich persons; and there is not so much notice taken of the death of a mean, as of a noble, great, or rich person; so that for want of information or knowledg, one may easily be deceived in the number of each sort of persons. Next, the Vulgar sort use laborious exercises, and spare diet; when as noble and rich persons are most commonly lazie and luxurious, which breeds superfluities of humors, and these again breed many distempers: For example, you shall find few poor men troubled with the Gout, Stone, Pox, and the like diseases, nor their Children with Rickets; for all this cometh by luxury, and no doubt but all other diseases are sooner bred with luxury, then temperance; but whatsoever is superfluous, may, if not be taken away, yet mediated with lenitive and laxative medicines. But as for Physicians, surely never age knew any better, in my opinion, then this present, and yet most of them follow the rules of the Schools, which are such as have been grounded upon Reason, Practice, and Experience, for many ages: Wherefore those that will wander from the Schools, and follow new and unknown ways, are, in my opinion, not Orthodoxes, but Hereticks in the Art of Physick. But to return to yourAuthor, give me leave,Madam, to consider what his opinions are concerning the Purging of Choler;Come on, says he to the Schools,[1]Why doth that, your Choler following with so swift an efflux, stink so horribly, which but for one quarter of an hour before did not stink?To which it may be answered, That though humors may not stink in themselves, yet the excrements mixt with the humors may stink; also the very passing thorow the excrements will cause a strong savour. But yourAuthorthinks, Thatby passing through so suddenly, the humors cannot borrow such a smell of stinking dung from the Intestines.Truly, 'tis easily said, but hardly proved, and the contrary is manifest by putting clear, pure water into a stinking vessel, which straightway is corrupted with an ill smell. He talks also ofVitriol dissolved in Wine, which if it be taken, presently provokes vomit; but if after drinking it, any one shall drink thereupon a draught of Ale or Beer, or Water, &c. he indeed shall suffer many stools, yet wholly without stink.I answer: This expresses Vitriol to be more poysonous, by taking away the natural savour of the bowels, then Scammony, Coloquintida, Manna, Cassia, Sena, Rhubarb, &c. to all which yourAuthoris a great enemy; and it is well known to experienced Physicians, that Medicines prepared by the art of fire are more poysonous and dangerous then natural drugs; nay, I dare say, that many Chymical Medicines, which are thought to be Cordials, and have been given to Patients for that purpose, have proved more poysonous then any Purging Physick. Again yourAuthorsays,It is worthy of Lamentation, that Physicians would have loosening things draw out one humor, and not another, by selection or choyce.My answer is, That natural drugs and simples are as wise in their several operations, as Chymists in their artificial distillations, extractions, sublimations, and the like; but it has long been observed by Physicians, that one simple will work more upon one part of the body, then upon another; the like may be said of humors. But give me leave to tell you,Madam, that if yourAuthorbelieves magnetick or attractive cures (as he doth, and in whose behalf he makes very long discourses) he doth in this opinion contradict himself. He may say, perhaps, There is no such thing as what Physicians name humors. But grant there be none, yet he cannot deny that there are offensive juices, or moveable substances made by evil, as irregular digestions, which may be troublesom and hurtful to the nature of the body. Or perchance he will say, There are such humors, but they are beneficial and not offensive to the nature of the body. I answer: Then he must make an agreement with every part of the body, not to make more of these humors then is useful for the body. Also he mentions some few that took Purging Physick, and died. Truly so they might have done without taking it: but he doth not tell, how many have died for want of proper and timely Purges. In truth,Madam, 'tis an easie thing to find fault, but not so easie to mend it. And as for what he speaks of the weighing of those humors and excrements, which by purging were brought out of some Princes body, and how much by the Schools rules remained, and of the place which should maintain the remainder; I onely say this, that all the several sorts of juices, humors, or moveable substances in a body, do not lie in one place, but are dispersed, and spread all about and in several parts and places in the body; so that the several Laxative medicines do but draw them together, or open several parts, that they may have freedom to travel with their chief Commanders, which are the Purging medicines. But yourAuthorsays, the Loadstone doth not draw rust. And I say, no more do Purging drugs draw out pure Matter: for it may be as natural for such medicines to draw or work onely upon superfluities, that is, corrupted, or evil-affected humors, juices or moveable substances, as for the Loadstone to draw Iron; and so it may be the property of Purges to draw onely the rust of the body, and not the pure metal, which are good humors. But few do consider or observe sufficiently the variety of Natures actions, and the motions of particular natural Creatures, which is the cause they have no better success in their cures. And so leaving them to a more diligent inquisition and search into Nature, and her actions, I rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and humble Servant.
[1]In his Treatise of Fevers,c.5.
[1]In his Treatise of Fevers,c.5.
MADAM,
I find yourAuthorto be as great an enemy to Issues, Cauteries, Clysters, and the like, as he is to Blood-letting and Purging; especially to Issues, which he counts to be blasphemous against the Creator, and blames much the Schools for prescribing them. But concerning Blood-letting and Purging, I have declared my opinion in my former Letters; and if you desire my judgment of Clysters and Issues, I must needs tell you, that it is well known these many ages, that in such diseases which lie in the guts, and cause pain in the head, and stop the ureteres, Clysters have been very beneficial, but wise Physicians do not prescribe them, unless upon necessity: As for example; if the disease in the Guts proceed from cold or wind, they prescribe a Sack-Clyster, with oyl of Walnuts; and if the disease in the guts proceed from a sharp or bitter humor, then they prescribe Milk, or Posset, sweetned with Sugar: the same if the guts be too full of excrements or slime. But in case of diseases in the head or stomack, they prescribe attractive Clysters, to wit, such as draw down from the upper into the lower parts, wherein the Physical drugs are; and if the guts be too dry, or dryer then their nature requires, they prescribe moistening Clysters, such as have not onely wetting, but slimy qualities. And surely Clysters properly and timely applyed, are a safe, speedy, easie and profitable medicine, and far more safe then Chymical Salts, Tartars, Spirits, or the like. Next concerning Issues and Cauteries, yourAuthor, I say, is so much against them, as he counts them a blasphemy; for says he,[1]I have beheld always an implicite blasphemy in a Cautery, whereby they openly accuse the Creator of insufficiency in framing the emunctories; for I have bidden above a thousand Issues to be filled up with flesh.Also,That which God hath made whole and entire, that it might be very good, seems to the Schools, that it should be better if it be kept wounded.Truly,Madam, in my opinion, it is no blasphemy at all, neither directly nor indirectly, to make Issues, but a meer superstition to believe the contrary,viz.that they are blasphemy, and a great folly not to make them when need requires it to the preservation of ones health.God has made our body whole and intire, says yourAuthor: by which he will prove that no holes must be made in the body to let out excrementious matter, and therefore he thinks that body to be whole and intire which is without an Issue, when as yet our bodies have numerous issues, which are the pores of the skin, to let out sweat; and therefore if he counts that body not to be whole and intire that has Issues, then no humane body is intire. Certainly, no Artificial Issue will make the body maimed, but it will nevertheless continue whole and intire although it has Issues. He says it is Blasphemy; But how will he prove it? Surely not by the Scripture; and if not by the Scripture, then it is a blasphemy according to his own brain and fancy. 'Tis true, God gave no express Command to make Issues; but according to yourAuthor, God did never create Diseases, and so there was no need either to make such Issues in bodies as to let out distempered Matter, or to give any command for them; but we might as well say, we must not use any Physick, because it is not so natural to man as food, and serves not for the nourishment of the body, but onely to keep off, or drive out diseases: Also no stone must be cut, but man must rather indure torment and death. But setting aside this superstitious doctrine of yourAuthor, it is evident enough, and needs no proof, that Cancers, Fistulas, Wenns, Eating-evils, Madness, Fevers, Consumptions, Rheumes, Pleurisies, and numerous other diseases, are not better cured then by Issues, or making of wounds, either by Lancets, Pen-knifes, Scissers, Rasors, Corrosives, Causticks, Leeches, or the like. And although yourAuthorsays, Thatthat Matter which proceeds from, or out of an Issue, is made in the lips of the wound, and not in the body; for it cannot possibly drain or draw out any moisture, either from within or between the skin and the flesh, having no passages: Yet if this were so, how come Fistulas, Cancers, and the like diseases, to have passages from within the body to the exterior parts, so, as to make a wound, out of which much sharp and salt humor issues? which humor certainly is not made in the lips of the wound, but in the body: Also whence comes the humor that makes the Gout? For though the swelling and inflammation will sometimes appear exteriously, yet after some time those tumors and humors retire back into the body from whence they did flow; but he might as well say that Pit-falls or Sluces do not drain Land from a superfluity of Water, as that Issues do not drain the body of superfluous humors. Wherefore I am absolutely of opinion, that the Practice of the Schools is the best and wisest Practice, as well in making Issues, letting blood, Purging by Siege or Vomits, as any other means used by them; for by Issues I have seen many cured, when no other medicines would do any good with them; and letting blood, I am confident, hath rescued more lives, then the Universal Medicine, could Chymists find it out, perchance would do. So also Clysters and Vomits, skilfully applied, have done great benefits to the life of men; for every part and member hath its peculiar way to be purged and cleansed; for example, Clysters principally cleanse the Guts, Purges the Stomack, Vomits the Chest, Sneezing the Head, Bleeding the Veins, and Issues drain the whole body of naughty humors: All which remedies, properly and timely used, keep the body from being choak'd with superfluities. There are several other ways of cures besides for several diseases, but I leave those to learned and skilful Physicians, who know best how and when to use them to the benefit and health of their Patients, although yourAuthorfinds much fault with them, and blames them for suffering men to die miserably; but God has given power to Nature to make certain dissolutions, although uncertain diseases, and uncertain remedies. Neither hath she in her power to give Immortal Life to particular Creatures, for this belongs to God alone, and therefore no Universal Medicine will keep out death, or prolong life further then its thread is spun, which I doubt is but a Chymæra, and an impossible thing, by reason there are not onely so many different varieties in several diseases, but in one and the same disease, as no Universal remedy would do any good. But yourAuthoris much pleased with Paradoxes, and Paradoxes are not certain Truths: Wherefore it is better, in my judgment, to follow the old approved and practised way of the Schools, grounded upon Experience and Reason, then his Paradoxical Opinions. To which Schools, as yourAuthoris a great Enemy, so I am a great Friend, as well as,
Madam,
Your Ladiships
humble Servant.
[1]Of Cauteries.
[1]Of Cauteries.
MADAM,
I approve well of yourAuthorsopinion,[1]ThatDrink ought not to be forbidden in Fevers; but yet I would not allow so much as to drown and oppress the Patients life, but onely so much as to refresh and moisten him; and therefore the best way is to drink little and often. But as for Wine, which yourAuthorcommends in Fevers, I am utterly against it, unless the Fever proceed from a cold or crude cause, otherwise cooling Ptisans are most beneficial to those that are sick of a continual Fever, which for the most part is a general Fever throughout the whole body, one part infecting the other, until they be all infected, like as in the Plague. And to let you know the proof of it; when I was once sick beyond the Seas, I sent for a Doctor of Physick who was an Irish-man: and hearing of some that knew him, and his practice, that he was not successful in his Cures, but that his Patients most commonly died, I asked him what he used to prescribe in such or such diseases? where amongst the rest, as I remember, he told me, That he allowed his Patients to drink Wine in a Fever. I thought he was in a great error, and told him my opinion, that though Wine might be profitable, perhaps, to some few, yet for the most part it was very hurtful and destructive, alledging another famous Physician inFrance, Dr.Davison, who used in continual Fevers, to prescribe onely cooling Ptisan, made of a little Barley, and a great quantity of Water, so thin as the Barley was hardly perceived, and a spoonfull of syrup of Limmon put into a quart of the said Ptisan; but in case of a Flux, he ordered some few seeds of Pomegranats to be put into it, and this cold Ptisan was to be the Patients onely drink: Besides, once in Twenty four hours he prescribed a couple of potched Eggs, with a little Verjuice, and to let the Patient blood, if he was dry and hot; I mean dry exteriously, as from sweat; and that either often or seldom, according as occasion was found: Also he prescribed two grains of Laudanum every night, but neither to give the Patient meat nor drink two hours before and after: Which advice and Practice of the mentioned Physician concerning Fevers, with several others, I declared to this Irish Doctor, and he observing this rule, cured many, and so recovered his lost esteem and repute. But yourAuthorbeing all for Wine, and against cooling drinks, or Julips, in hot Fevers, says,That cooling means are more like to death, to cessation from motion, and to defect; but heat from moderate Wine is a mean like unto life.To which I answer, first, That cold, or cooling things, are as active as hot or heating things; neither is death more cold then hot, nor life more hot then cold; for we see that Frost is as active and strong as burning heat; and Water, Air, and Earth, are as full of life, as Fire; and Vegetables, Minerals, and Elements, have life as well as Animals: But we, feeling a Man's flesh cold when he is dissolving from an Animal, think death is cold; and seeing he was hot before the same alteration, say, Life is hot: Also finding an animal, when it is dissolving, to be without external local Motion, we say it is dead; and when it hath as yet this local motion before its alteration, we call it alive; which certainly is not proper. Next I say, that a wise Man when his house is fired, will fling or squirt water upon it, to quench it, and take out all moveables lest they should increase the flame; likewise he will make vent for the flame to issue forth. But perchance yourAuthormay say, that Fevers are not hot. Truly, in my opinion, he might say as well that Fire is cold. Again, he may say, That although the effect be hot, yet the cause is cold. I answer: That in some diseases, the effects become so firmly rooted, and so powerfull, that they must be more look'd upon then the cause: for such variety there is in Nature, that oftentimes, that which was now an effect, turns to be a cause, and again a cause an effect: For example; A cold cause often produces a hot effect, and this hot effect becomes again a cause of a cold effect: Which variation is not onely a trouble, but a great obstruction to wise Physicians; for Nature hath more varieties in diseases, then Physicians have remedies, And as for drink, if Fevers be neither hot, nor dry, nor require drink for want of moisture; then I see no reason why drink should be urged, and those Physicians blamed that forbid it; for if thirst proceed from an evil digestion, drink will rather weaken the stomack; for heat and driness draw soon away the drink in the stomack, and putting much into a weak stomack doth rather hurt then good. But if necessity require it, then I approve rather of raw and crude Water, then of hot inflaming Wine. And so taking my leave, I rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and humble Servant.
[1]Of Fevers,Ch.12.
[1]Of Fevers,Ch.12.
MADAM,
In yourAuthorsTreatise of Fevers, I find one Chapter[1]whose Inscription is,A Perfect Curing of all Fevers, wherein he declares the secrets of the Cures of Fevers, consisting all in Chymical Medicines. But considering, that if all Fevers could be cured by such Medicines, then all Physicians would strive to obtain them; I can hardly believe (by yourAuthorsfavour) that any such perfect curing of all Fevers can be effected, but that yourAuthorsprescriptions, if they should come to the tryal, might fail as well as any other. Likewise he mentions a Medicine ofParacelsus, NamedDiaceltesson, or theCoraline Secret; which, he says, cures radically the Gout no less then Fevers: Which if so, I wonder why so many Great, Noble and Rich Persons, groan so much under the pains of the Gout; certainly it is not for want of cost to have them prepared, nor for want of an ingenious and experienced Chymist; for this age doth not want skilful workmen in that Art, nor worthy and wise Physicians, which if they knew such soveraign medicines, would soon apply them to their Patients; but I suppose that they finding their effects to be less then the cost and labour bestowed upon them, forbear to use them. Moreover, he mentions[2]another remedy for most diseases, by him call'dDriff, prepared also by the Art of Chymistry; but I believe all those remedies will not so often cure, as fail of cure, like as the Sympathetical Powder; for if there were such soveraign medicines that did never fail of a successful effect, certainly men being curious, inquisitive, and searching, would never leave till they had found them out. Also amongst Vegetables, the herbChameleonandArsmartare in great request with yourAuthor; For, says he,they by their touching alone, do presently take away cruel diseases, or at leastwise ease them.Which if so, I wonder that there is not more use made of them, and they held in greater esteem then they are; Also that yourAuthordoth not declare the vertue of them, and the manner and way how, and in what diseases to use them, for the benefit of his neighbour, to which end, he says, all his labours and actions are directed? But again, yourAuthorconfirms, as an Eye-witness,That the bone of the arm of a Toad presently has taken away the Tooth-ach at the first co-touching.Which remedy, if it was constant, few, in my opinion, would suffer such cruel pains, and cause their teeth to be drawn out, especially if sound. Likewise of the mineralElectrum or AmberofParacelsus, he affirms[3]to have seen, thathung about the neck, it has freed those that were persecuted by unclean spirits, and that many simples have done the like effects; but surely,Madam, I cannot be perswaded that the Devil should be put away so easily; for he being a Spirit, will not be chased by corporeal means, but by spiritual, which is Faith, and Prayer; and the cure of dispossessing the Devil belongs to Divines, and not to Natural Philosophers or Physicians. But though exterior remedies, as Amulets, Pomanders, and the like, may perform sometimes such effects as to cure or preserve from some diseases, yet they are not ordinary and constant, but meerly by chance. But there are more false remedies then true ones, and if one remedy chance to work successfully with one distempered person, it may fail of its success applyed to others in the same kind of distemper; nay, it may cure perhaps one and the same person of a distemper once, and in the return of the same disease effect little or nothing; witness those remedies that are applyed in Agues, Tooth-aches, and the like, especially Amulets; for one and the same disease in several persons, or in one and the same person at several times, may vary and change so often, and proceed from so different causes, and be of so different tempers, and have such different motions, as one and the same medicine can do no good: And what would the skill of Physicians be, if one remedy should cure all diseases? Why should they take so much pains in studying the various causes, motions, and tempers of diseases, if one medicine had a general power over all? Nay, for what use should God have created such a number of different simples, Vegetables, and Minerals, if one could do all the business? Lastly, yourAuthorrehearses[4]some strange examples of Child-bearing Women, who having seen terrible and cruel sights, as Executions of Malefactors, and dismembring of their bodies, have brought forth monstrous births, without heads, hands, arms, leggs, &c. according to the objects they had seen. I must confess,Madam, that all Creatures are not always formed perfect; for Nature works irregularly sometimes, wherefore a Child may be born defective in some member or other, or have double members instead of one, and so may other animal Creatures; but this is nevertheless natural, although irregular to us: but to have a Child born perfect in the womb, and the lost member to be taken off there, and so brought forth defective, as yourAuthormentions, cannot enter my belief; neither can yourAuthorhimself give any reason, but he makes onely a bare relation of it; for certainly, if it was true, that the member was chopt, rent or pluckt off from the whole body of the Child, it could not have been done without a violent shock or motion of the Mother, which I am confident would never have been able to endure it; for such a great alteration in her body, would of necessity, besides the death of the Child, have caused a total dissolution of her own animal parts, by altering the natural animal motions: But, as I said above, those births are caused by irregular motions, and are not frequent and ordinary; for if upon every strange sight, or cruel object, a Child-bearing-woman should produce such effects, Monsters would be more frequent then they are. In short, Nature loves variety, and this is the cause of all strange and unusual natural effects; and so leaving Nature to her will and pleasure, my onely delight and pleasure is to be,
Madam,
[Your] faithful Friend, and humble Servant.
[1]Ch.14.
[1]Ch.14.
[2]In theCh.namedButler.
[2]In theCh.namedButler.
[3]Ch. Of the manner of entrance of things darted into the body.
[3]Ch. Of the manner of entrance of things darted into the body.
[4]Ch.Of things injected into the body.
[4]Ch.Of things injected into the body.
MADAM,
YourAuthorreproving the Schools, that they forbid Salt to some diseased persons, as pernicious to their health:Good God, says he,[1]how unsavoury are the Schools, and how unsavoury do they bid us to be!But I suppose the Schools do not absolutely forbid all diseased persons to abstein from salt, but onely not to use it excessively, or too frequently; for experience proves, that salt meats have not onely increased, but caused diseases, as the Stone, the Gout, Sciatica, Fistula's, Cancers, sore Eyes, sore Throats, and the like: I do not say, that those diseases are always bred with the excess of salt diets; for diseases of one and the same kind, may be bred variously; but this hath been observed, that whosoever is affected with such diseases, shall after a salt meal find himself in more pain then before; wherefore a constant or common salt diet cannot but be hurtful. Neither are those persons that feed much on salt meats, or use strong drinks, take number for number, so healthful or long-lived, as those that are temperate and abstaining. Next, yourAuthor[2]bewailsThe shameful simplicity of those, that give their Patients Leaf-Gold, Pearls, and bruised or powder'd pretious Stones, as Cordials, in fainting fits, and other distempers: For, says he,they may be dissolved, but not altered; wherefore they cannot produce any powerful effect to the health of the Patient.Truly,Madam, I am not of his mind; for were it that those remedies or cordials could not be transchanged, yet their vertues may nevertheless be very beneficial to the sick: For example; a man that is assaulted by enemies, or by chance is fallen into a deep Pit, or is ready to be strangled, and in all not able to help himself, yet by the help of another man, may be rescued and freed from his danger, and from death, using such means as are able to release him, which either by drawing his Sword against his enemies, or by throwing a rope down into the Pit, and haling him out, or by cutting the rope by which he hung, may save him, and yet neither the man, nor any of his Instruments, as Sword, Rope, Knife, and the like, need to be transchanged. The like may be said of the aforementioned medicines or remedies; which if they be not transchangeable, yet they may nevertheless do such operations, as by their natural active qualities and proprieties to over-power the irregular motions in the natural parts of the body of the Patient; for many diseases proceed more from irregular motions then irregular parts: and although there is no motion without matter, yet one and the same matter may have divers and various changes of motions, and moving parts will either oppose or assist each other without transchanging. And truly,Madam, I wonder that yourAuthordoth condemn such Cordials made of Leaf-gold, Pearls, powdered precious Stones, or the like, and yet verily believe, that Amber, Saphires, Emeraulds, Beads, Bracelets, &c. outwardly applied or worn, can cure more then when inwardly taken; surely, if this be so, they cure more by Faith, then by Reason. But it seems yourAuthorregulates the actions of Nature to the artificial actions of his Furnace, which although sometimes they produce wonderful effects, yet not such as Nature doth; for if they cure one, they commonly kill ten; nay, the best of their Medicine is so dangerous, as it ought not to be applied but in desperate cases: Wherefore Wise Physicians must needs be Provident and Cautious when they use them. And so leaving them, I rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and humble Servant.
[1]Of the disease of the Stone,c.3.
[1]Of the disease of the Stone,c.3.
[2]Ch.Of the reason or consideration of diet.
[2]Ch.Of the reason or consideration of diet.
MADAM,
I will not dispute yourAuthorsopinion concerning the Plague of Men, which he says,[1]doth not infect Beasts, neither doth the plague of Beasts infect Men; but rather believe it to be so: for I have observed that Beasts infect onely each other, to wit, those of their own kind, as Men do infect other Men. For example: the Plague amongst Horses continues in their own kind, and so doth the Plague amongst Sheep; and for any thing we know, there may be a plague amongst Vegetables, as well as amongst Animals, and they may not onely infect each other but also those Animals that do feed on those infectious Vegetables: so that Infections may be caused several ways; either by inbreathing and attracting or sucking in the Poyson of the Plague, or by eating and converting it into the substance of the body; for some kinds of poyson are so powerful, as to work onely by way of inbreathing. Also some sorts of Air may be full of infection, and infect many Men, Beasts, Birds, Vegetables, and the like; for Infections are variously produced, Internally as well as Externally, amongst several particular Creatures; for as the Plague may be made internally, or within the body of a particular Creature, without any exterior infection entring from without into the body, so an external Infection again may enter many several ways into the body. And thus there be many contagious diseases caused meerly by the internal motions of the body, as by fright, terror, conceit, fancy, imagination, and the like, and many by the taking of poysonous matter from without into the body; but all are made by the natural motions or actions of animate matter, by which all is made that is in Nature, and nothing is new, asSolomonsays; but what is thought or seems to be new, is onely the variation of the Motions of this old Matter, which is Nature. And this is the reason that not every Age, Nation, or Creature, has always the like diseases; for as all the actions of Nature vary, so also do diseases. But to speak of the Plague, although I am of opinion, that the Plague of Beasts doth not infect Men, unless they be eaten; nor the plague of Men, Beasts; yet Magistrates do wisely in some places, that in the beginning of the plague of Men, they command Dogs and Cats to be kill'd, by reason, as yourAuthorsaith,The skins and flesh of Brutes may be defiled with our Plague, and they may be pestiferous contagions unto us.I will add one thing more, which doth concern the Poyson of Measels, whereof yourAuthoris saying,[2]Thatit is onely proper to humane kind.What kind of Measles he means, I know not; but certainly Hogs are often affected with that disease, as is vulgarly known; but whether they be different diseases in their kinds, and proceed from different motions, I will let others inquire. And so I rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1]In the Plague-grave,ch.17.
[1]In the Plague-grave,ch.17.
[2]Ch.Call'd,The Lunar Tribute.
[2]Ch.Call'd,The Lunar Tribute.
MADAM,
Concerning the disease of the Stone, yourAuthorseems to be of an opinion, That the stone in the Bladder, and the stone in the Kidnies, are not made after one and the same manner: For, says he,[1]The Bladder and the same Urine in number procreates a duelech of another condition, then that which is made in the Kidney.And truly,Madam, it may be so; for there are several ways or modes in irregularities, as well as regularities, and not every kind is alike, no not every Particular, but there is some difference between them: Wherefore, it may very well be, that the corporeal motions that make the stone in the Kidneys, are not just alike to those that make the stone in the Bladder; and as each sort of stone is different, so their particular causes ought to be different; but this is to be observed, that generally all diseases which produce hardness, are made by contracting, condensing and retenting motions, and therefore the remedies of them must be dilating, rarifying and dissolving. Next yourAuthorsays,The Stone is not bred by heat, but heat is rather an effect of the stone; neither is a certain muscilage, or a slimy, snivelly Phlegme the cause or matter of the stone, but the stone is the cause of the phlegme.But, in my judgment, it seems more probable, that a slimy matter is more proper for a stone to be made of, then that a stone should make slime, except it be in its dissolution; that is, when the stone, as in its generation or production it did change from a slimy or liquid substance to a stone by condensing and contracting motions, doth, by dilating and rarifying motions, dissolve again into such a liquid and slimy body. I will not say always, to wit, that the stone must needs be resolved into a slimy matter, but oftentimes it may be so. Neither can I absolutely affirm that either heat or cold onely is the cause of a stone; for some may be produced by hot, and some by cold contractions and densations, there being as many several sorts of stones as there are of other Creatures: But this is to be well noted, that as some sorts of hot contractions do make stones, so some sorts of hot dilations do dissolve them: The like of cold contractions and dilations. Again: yourAuthorspeaking of the womb wherein the stone is made;Every generated thing or being, says he,must of necessity have a certain place or womb where it is produced; for there must needs be places wherein things may be made before they are bred.I answer: As there is not any body without place, nor any place without body, so the womb is not the place of the body generated, neither before nor after its generation, no more then a man can be said to be in a room when he is not there, but every body carries its place along with it. Moreover, concerning the voiding of bloody Urine, which happens sometimes in the disease of the Stone, my opinion is, That it doth not always proceed from the Stone, but many times from the breaking or voluntary opening of some Veins. But as for the cure of the disease of the Stone yourAuthor,[2]is pleased to affirm,That no disease is incurable, and so neither the disease of the Stone,For he himself has cured many of the Stone to which they had been obedient for some years.Indeed,Madam, I fear his words are more cheerful then effectual; however it may be possible, if the Kidneys be no ways impaired, or the Bladder hurt; but if there be some such imperfection in either or both, then it is as much, in my opinion, as to say, Man can do more then Nature doth: Neither can I believe, that then any of yourAuthorsChymical preparations, asAroph, Ludus, Alkahest, and the like, if they were to be had, would do any good, no norDaucus, or wild Carrot-seed, if the disease be as yet curable, will prove an effectual remedy for it, although yourAuthoris pleased to relate an example of a man, to whom it did much good; for I can affirm the contrary by other the like Examples, that it never did any good to those that used it; nor the liquor of the Birch-tree, whose venue and efficacy I do not believe to be so great as yourAuthordescribes:[3]But for the stoppage of Urine, Marsh-mallow and oyl of Almonds, which he despises, I approve to be good, and better then any of his Unknown, Chymical Secrets; for those Chymical Medicines, as he himself confesses, are hard to be had, especiallyAlkahest, which is onely to be obtained by a Particular favour from Heaven, and is rather a supernatural Gift, then a natural remedy. But yourAuthordoth wisely, to commend such remedies as can never, or with great difficulty be obtained, and then to say that no disease is incurable. And so leaving him to his unknown secrets, and those to them that will use them, I am resolved to adhere to the Practice of the Schools, which I am confident will be more beneficial to the health of,
Madam,
Your real and faithful
Friend and Servant.
[1]Of the Stone,ch.6. See thech.called,A Numero-Critical Paradox of supplies.
[1]Of the Stone,ch.6. See thech.called,A Numero-Critical Paradox of supplies.
[2]Ch.7.
[2]Ch.7.
[3]Ch.8.
[3]Ch.8.
MADAM,
YourAuthorspeaking of theGout, and of that kind of Gout which is calledHereditary, says,It consists immediately in the Spirit of Life.First, as for that which is called an Hereditary Disease, propagated from Parents upon their Children; my opinion is, That it is nothing else but the same actions of the animate matter, producing the same effect in the Child as they did in the Parent: For example; the same motions which made the Gout in the Parent, may make the same disease in the Child; but every Child has not his Parents diseases, and many Children have such diseases as their Parents never had; neither is any disease tied to a particular Family by Generation, but they proceed from irregular motions, and are generally in all Mankind; and therefore properly there is no such thing as an hereditary propagation of diseases; for one and the same kind of disease may be made in different persons, never a kin to one another, by the like motions; but because Children have such a neer relation to their Parents by Generation, if they chance to have the same diseases with their Parents, men are apt to conclude it comes by inheritance; but we may as well say, that all diseases are hereditary; for there is not any disease in Nature but is produced by the actions of Nature's substance; and if we receive life and all our bodily substance by Generation from our Parents, we may be said to receive diseases too; for diseases are inherent in the matter or substance of Nature, which every Creature is a part of, and are real beings made by the corporeal motions of the animate matter, although irregular to us; for as this matter moves, so is Life or Death, Sickness or Health, and all natural effects; and we consisting of the same natural matter, are naturally subject as well to diseases as to health, according as the Matter moves. Thus all diseases are hereditary in Nature; nay, the Scripture it self confirms it, informing us, that diseases, as well as death, are by an hereditary propagation derived fromAdamupon all Posterity. But as for the Gout, yourAuthorsdoctrine is,[1]That Life is not a body, nor proper to a body, nor the off-spring of corporeal Proprieties,[2]but ameer No-thing; and thatthe Spirit of Life is a real being, to wit, the arterial blood resolved by the Ferment of the heart into salt air, and enlightned by life,[3]and that the Gout doth immediately consist in this spirit of life. All which how it doth agree, I cannot conceive; for that a real being should be enlightned by Nothing, and be a spirit of Nothing, is not imaginable, nor how the Gout should inhabit in the spirit of life; for then it would follow, that a Child, as soon as it is brought forth into the world, would be troubled with the Gout, if it be as natural to him as life, or have its habitation in the Spirit of Life. Also yourAuthoris speaking ofan Appoplexy in the head, which takes away all sense and motion.But surely, in my opinion, it is impossible that all sense and motion should be out of the head; onely that sense and motion, which is proper to the head, and to the nature of that Creature, is altered to some other sensitive and rational motions, which are proper to some other figure; for there is no part or particle of matter that has not motion and sense. I pray consider,Madam, is there any thing in Nature that is without motion? Perchance you will say, Minerals; but that is proved otherwise; as for example, by the sympathetical motion between the Loadstone and Iron, and between the Needle and the North, as also by the operation of Mercury, and several others; Wherefore there is no doubt, but all kinds, sorts and particulars of Creatures have their natural motions, although they are not all visible to us, but not such motions as are made by Gas, or Blas, or Ideas, &c. but corporeal sensitive and rational motions, which are the actions of Natural Matter. You may say, Some are of opinion, that Sympathy and Antipathy are not Corporeal motions. Truly, whosoever says so, speaks no reason; for Sympathy and Antipathy are nothing else but the actions of bodies, and are made in bodies; the Sympathy betwixt Iron and the Loadstone is in bodies; the Sympathy between the Needle and the North is in bodies; the Sympathy of the Magnetic powder is in bodies. The truth is, there is no motion without a body, nor no body without motion. Neither doth Sympathy and Antipathy work at distance by the power of Immaterial Spirits, or rays, issuing out of their bodies, but by agreeable or disagreeable corporeal motions; for if the motions be agreeable, there is Sympathy; if disagreeable, there is Antipathy; and if they be equally found in two bodies, then there is a mutual Sympathy or Antipathy; but if in one body onely, and not in the other, there is but Sympathy or Antipathy on one side, or in one Creature. Lastly, concerningswoonings or fainting fits, yourAuthorsopinion is, that theyproceed from the stomack: Which I can hardly believe; for many will swoon upon the sight of some object, others at a sound, or report, others at the smell of some disagreeable odour, others at the taste of some or other thing that is not agreeable to their nature, and so forth: also some will swoon at the apprehension or conceit of something, and some by a disorder or irregularity of motions in exterior parts. Wherefore, my opinion is, that swoonings may proceed from any part of the body, and not onely from the stomack. But,Madam, I being no Physicianess may perhaps be in an error, and therefore I will leave this discourse to those that are thorowly learned and practised in this Art, and rest satisfied that I am,
Madam,
Your Ladiships
humble Servant.