CHAP. VII.Of theProvisionin Man’s Body againstEvils.
Of theProvisionin Man’s Body againstEvils.
Having taking a transient View of the Structure, and Lodgment of the Parts of human Bodies; let us next consider the admirable Provision that is made throughout Man’s Body, to stave off Evils, and to discharge[a]them when befallen. For the Prevention of Evils, we may take the Instances already given, of the Situation of those faithful Sentinels, the Eye, the Ear, and Tongue, in the superiour Part of the Body, the better to descry Dangers at a Distance, and to call out presently for Help. And how well situated is the Hand to be a sure and ready Guard to the Body, as well as the faithful Performer of most of its Services? The Brain, the Nerves, the Arteries, the Heart[b], the Lungs; and in aWord, all the principal Parts, how well are they barricaded, either with strong Bones, or deep Lodgments in the Flesh, or some such the wisest, and fittest Method, most agreeable to the Office and Action of the Part? Besides which, for greater Precaution, and a farther Security, what an incomparable Provision hath the infinite Contriver of Man’s Body made for the Loss of, or any Defect in some of the Parts we can least spare, by doubling them? By giving us two Eyes, two Ears, two Hands, two Kidneys, two Lobes of the Lungs, Pairs of the Nerves, and many Ramifications of the Arteries and Veins in the fleshy Parts, that there may not be a Defect of Nourishment of the Parts, in Cases of Amputation, or Wounds, or Ruptures of any of the Vessels.
And as Man’s Body is admirably contriv’d, and made to prevent Evils; so no less Art and Caution hath been us’d to get rid of them, when they do happen. When by any Misfortune, Wounds or Hurts do befal; or when by our own wicked Fooleries and Vices, we pull down Diseases and Mischiefs upon our selves, what Emunctories[c], what admirable Passages[d], are dispers’d throughoutthe Body; what incomparable Methods doth Nature take[e]; what vigorous Efforts is she enabledto make, to discharge the peccant Humours, to correct the morbifick Matter; and in a Word, to set all Things right again? But here we had best take the Advice of a learned Physician in the Case: “The Body, (saith he,) is so contriv’d, as to be well enough secur’d against the Mutations in the Air, and the lesser Errors we daily run upon; did we not in the Excesses of Eating, Drinking, Thinking, Loving, Hating, or some other Folly, let in the Enemy, or lay violent Hands upon our selves. Nor is the Body fitted only to prevent; but also to cure, or mitigate Diseases, when by these Follies brought upon us. In most Wounds, if kept clean, and from the Air,——the Flesh will glew together, with its own native Balm. Broken Bones are cemented with theCallus, which themselves help to make”. And so he goes on with ample Instances in this Matter, too many to be here specify’d[f]. Among which he instanceth in the Distempers of our Bodies, shewing that even many of them are highly serviceable to the Discharge of malignant Humours, and preventing greater Evils.
And no less kind than admirable is this Contrivance of Man’s Body, that even its Distempersshould many Times be its Cure[g]; that when the Enemy lies lurking within to destroy us, there should be such a Reluctancy, and all Nature excited with its utmost Vigour to expel him thence. To which Purpose, even Pain it self is of great and excellent Use, not only in giving us Notice of the Presence of the Enemy, but by exciting us to use our utmost Diligence and Skill to root out so troublesome and destructive a Companion.
FOOTNOTES:[a]One of Nature’s most constant Methods here, is by theGlands, and theSecretionsmade by them; the Particulars of which being too long for these Notes, I shall refer to the modern Anatomists, who have written on these Subjects; and indeed, who are the only Men that have done it tolerably: Particularly, our learned Drs.Cockburn,Keil,Morland, and others at Home and Abroad: An Abridgment of whose Opinions and Observations, for the Reader’s Ease, may be met with in Dr.Harris’sLex. Tech.Vol. 2. under the WordsGlands, andAnimal Secretion.[b]In Man, and most other Animals, the Heart hath the Guard of Bones; but in theLamprey, which hath no Bones, (no not so much as a Back-bone,)the Heart is very strangely secur’d, and lies immur’d, or capsulated in a Cartilage, or grisly Substance, which includes the Heart, and its Auricle, as the Skull——doth the Brain in other Animals.PowersMicros. Obser. 22.[c]Here[from the Pustules he observ’d in Monomotapa]were Grounds to admire the Contrivance of our Blood, which on some Occasions, so soon as any Thing destructive to the Constitution of it, comes into it, immediately by an intestine Commotion, endeavoureth to thrust it forth, and is not only freed from the new Guest; but sometimes what likewise may have lain lurking therein——for a great while. And from hence it comes to pass, that most Part of Medicines, when duly administred, are not only sent out of the body themselves; but likewise great Quantities of morbifick Matter: As in Salivation, &c. Dr.Sloane’s Voy. toJamaica, p. 25.[d]Valsalvadiscover’d some Passages into the Region of theEar-drum, of mighty Use, (among others,) to make Discharges of Bruises, Imposthumes, or any purulent, or morbifick Matter from the Brain, and Parts of the Head. Of which he gives two Examples: One, a Person, who from a Blow on his Head, had dismal Pains therein, grew Speechless, and lay under an absolute Suppression and Decay of his Strength; but found certain Relief, whenever he had a Flux of Blood, or purulent Matter out of his Ear; which after his DeathValsalvadiscover’d, was through those Passages.The other was anapoplectical Case, wherein he found a large Quantity of extravasated Blood, making Way from the Ventricles of the Brain, through those same Passages.Valsal. de Aure hum.c. 2. §. 14. and c. 5. §. 8.[e]Hippocrates Lib. de Alimentis, takes notice of the Sagacity of Nature, in finding out Methods and Passages for the discharging Things offensive to the Body, of which the late learned and ingenious Bishop ofClogher, inIreland, (Boyle,) gave this remarkable Instance, to my very curious and ingenious Neighbour and Friend,D’Acre Barret, Esq;viz.That in the Plague Year, a Gentleman at the University, had a large Plague Sore gather’d under his Arm, which, when they expected it would have broken, discharg’d it self by a more than ordinary large and fœtid Stool; the Sore having no other Vent for it, and immediately becoming sound and well thereon.Like to which, is the Story ofJos. Lazonius, of a Soldier of thirty five Years of Age, who had a Swelling in his right Hip, accompany’d with great Pain,&c.By the Use of emollient Medicines, having ripen’d the Sore, the Surgeon intended the next Day to have open’d it; but about Midnight, the Patient having great Provocations to stool, disburthen’d himself three Times; immediately upon which, both the Tumor and Pain ceas’d, and thereby disappointed the Surgeon’s Intentions.Ephem. Germ.Anno 1690. Obs. 49. More such Instances we find of Mr.TongesinPhilos. Transact.Nᵒ. 323. But indeed there are so many Examples of this Nature in ourPhil. Trans.in theEphem. German. Tho. Bartholine,Rhodius,Sennertus,Hildanus, &c. that it would be endless to recount them. Some have swallow’d Knives, Bodkins, Needles and Pins, Bullets, Pebbles, and twenty other such Things as could not find a Passage the ordinary Way, but have met with anExitthrough the Bladder, or some other Way of Nature’s own providing. But passing over many Particulars, I shall only give one instance more, because it may be a good Caution to some Persons, that these Papers may probably fall into the Hands of; and that is, The Danger of swallowingPlum-stones,Prune-stones, &c. SirFrancis Butler’s Lady had manyPrune-stonesthat made Way through an Abscess near her Navel.Philos. Trans.Nᵒ. 165. where are other such like Examples. More also may be found in Nᵒ. 282, 304,&c.And at this Day, a young Man, living not far off me, laboureth under very troublesome and dangerous Symptoms, from the Stones ofSloesandBullace, which he swallow’d eight or ten Years ago.[f]Grew’s Cosmol.§. 28. 29.[g]Nor are Diseases themselves useless: For the Blood in a Fever, if well govern’d, like Wine upon the Fret, dischargeth it self of all heterogeneous Mixtures; and Nature, the Disease, and Remedies, clean all the Rooms of the House; whereby that which threatens Death, tends, in Conclusion, to the prolonging of Life.Grew ubi supr. §. 52.And as Diseases minister sometimes to Health; so to other good Uses in the Body, such as quickning the Senses: Of which take these Instances relating to the Hearing and Sight.A very ingenious Physician falling into an odd Kind of Fever, had his Sense of Hearing thereby made so very nice and tender, that he very plainly heard soft Whispers, that were made at a considerable Distance off, and which were not in the least perceiv’d by the Bystanders, nor would have been by him before his Sickness.A Gentleman of eminent Parts and Note, during a Distemper he had in his Eyes, had his Organs of Sight brought to be so tender, that both his Friends, and himself have assur’d me, that when he wak’d in the Night, he could for a while plainly see and distinguish Colours, as well as other Objects, discernible by the Eye, as was more than once try’d.Boyl. deter. nat. of Effluv. ch. 4.Daniel Fraser——continu’d Deaf and Dumb from his Birth, till the 17ᵗʰ Year of his Age——After his Recovery from a Fever, he perceiv’d a Motion in his Brain, which was very uneasy to him; and afterwards he began to hear, and in Process of Time, to understand Speech,&c.Vid. Philos. Trans. Nᵒ. 312.
[a]One of Nature’s most constant Methods here, is by theGlands, and theSecretionsmade by them; the Particulars of which being too long for these Notes, I shall refer to the modern Anatomists, who have written on these Subjects; and indeed, who are the only Men that have done it tolerably: Particularly, our learned Drs.Cockburn,Keil,Morland, and others at Home and Abroad: An Abridgment of whose Opinions and Observations, for the Reader’s Ease, may be met with in Dr.Harris’sLex. Tech.Vol. 2. under the WordsGlands, andAnimal Secretion.
[a]One of Nature’s most constant Methods here, is by theGlands, and theSecretionsmade by them; the Particulars of which being too long for these Notes, I shall refer to the modern Anatomists, who have written on these Subjects; and indeed, who are the only Men that have done it tolerably: Particularly, our learned Drs.Cockburn,Keil,Morland, and others at Home and Abroad: An Abridgment of whose Opinions and Observations, for the Reader’s Ease, may be met with in Dr.Harris’sLex. Tech.Vol. 2. under the WordsGlands, andAnimal Secretion.
[b]In Man, and most other Animals, the Heart hath the Guard of Bones; but in theLamprey, which hath no Bones, (no not so much as a Back-bone,)the Heart is very strangely secur’d, and lies immur’d, or capsulated in a Cartilage, or grisly Substance, which includes the Heart, and its Auricle, as the Skull——doth the Brain in other Animals.PowersMicros. Obser. 22.
[b]In Man, and most other Animals, the Heart hath the Guard of Bones; but in theLamprey, which hath no Bones, (no not so much as a Back-bone,)the Heart is very strangely secur’d, and lies immur’d, or capsulated in a Cartilage, or grisly Substance, which includes the Heart, and its Auricle, as the Skull——doth the Brain in other Animals.PowersMicros. Obser. 22.
[c]Here[from the Pustules he observ’d in Monomotapa]were Grounds to admire the Contrivance of our Blood, which on some Occasions, so soon as any Thing destructive to the Constitution of it, comes into it, immediately by an intestine Commotion, endeavoureth to thrust it forth, and is not only freed from the new Guest; but sometimes what likewise may have lain lurking therein——for a great while. And from hence it comes to pass, that most Part of Medicines, when duly administred, are not only sent out of the body themselves; but likewise great Quantities of morbifick Matter: As in Salivation, &c. Dr.Sloane’s Voy. toJamaica, p. 25.
[c]Here[from the Pustules he observ’d in Monomotapa]were Grounds to admire the Contrivance of our Blood, which on some Occasions, so soon as any Thing destructive to the Constitution of it, comes into it, immediately by an intestine Commotion, endeavoureth to thrust it forth, and is not only freed from the new Guest; but sometimes what likewise may have lain lurking therein——for a great while. And from hence it comes to pass, that most Part of Medicines, when duly administred, are not only sent out of the body themselves; but likewise great Quantities of morbifick Matter: As in Salivation, &c. Dr.Sloane’s Voy. toJamaica, p. 25.
[d]Valsalvadiscover’d some Passages into the Region of theEar-drum, of mighty Use, (among others,) to make Discharges of Bruises, Imposthumes, or any purulent, or morbifick Matter from the Brain, and Parts of the Head. Of which he gives two Examples: One, a Person, who from a Blow on his Head, had dismal Pains therein, grew Speechless, and lay under an absolute Suppression and Decay of his Strength; but found certain Relief, whenever he had a Flux of Blood, or purulent Matter out of his Ear; which after his DeathValsalvadiscover’d, was through those Passages.The other was anapoplectical Case, wherein he found a large Quantity of extravasated Blood, making Way from the Ventricles of the Brain, through those same Passages.Valsal. de Aure hum.c. 2. §. 14. and c. 5. §. 8.
[d]Valsalvadiscover’d some Passages into the Region of theEar-drum, of mighty Use, (among others,) to make Discharges of Bruises, Imposthumes, or any purulent, or morbifick Matter from the Brain, and Parts of the Head. Of which he gives two Examples: One, a Person, who from a Blow on his Head, had dismal Pains therein, grew Speechless, and lay under an absolute Suppression and Decay of his Strength; but found certain Relief, whenever he had a Flux of Blood, or purulent Matter out of his Ear; which after his DeathValsalvadiscover’d, was through those Passages.
The other was anapoplectical Case, wherein he found a large Quantity of extravasated Blood, making Way from the Ventricles of the Brain, through those same Passages.Valsal. de Aure hum.c. 2. §. 14. and c. 5. §. 8.
[e]Hippocrates Lib. de Alimentis, takes notice of the Sagacity of Nature, in finding out Methods and Passages for the discharging Things offensive to the Body, of which the late learned and ingenious Bishop ofClogher, inIreland, (Boyle,) gave this remarkable Instance, to my very curious and ingenious Neighbour and Friend,D’Acre Barret, Esq;viz.That in the Plague Year, a Gentleman at the University, had a large Plague Sore gather’d under his Arm, which, when they expected it would have broken, discharg’d it self by a more than ordinary large and fœtid Stool; the Sore having no other Vent for it, and immediately becoming sound and well thereon.Like to which, is the Story ofJos. Lazonius, of a Soldier of thirty five Years of Age, who had a Swelling in his right Hip, accompany’d with great Pain,&c.By the Use of emollient Medicines, having ripen’d the Sore, the Surgeon intended the next Day to have open’d it; but about Midnight, the Patient having great Provocations to stool, disburthen’d himself three Times; immediately upon which, both the Tumor and Pain ceas’d, and thereby disappointed the Surgeon’s Intentions.Ephem. Germ.Anno 1690. Obs. 49. More such Instances we find of Mr.TongesinPhilos. Transact.Nᵒ. 323. But indeed there are so many Examples of this Nature in ourPhil. Trans.in theEphem. German. Tho. Bartholine,Rhodius,Sennertus,Hildanus, &c. that it would be endless to recount them. Some have swallow’d Knives, Bodkins, Needles and Pins, Bullets, Pebbles, and twenty other such Things as could not find a Passage the ordinary Way, but have met with anExitthrough the Bladder, or some other Way of Nature’s own providing. But passing over many Particulars, I shall only give one instance more, because it may be a good Caution to some Persons, that these Papers may probably fall into the Hands of; and that is, The Danger of swallowingPlum-stones,Prune-stones, &c. SirFrancis Butler’s Lady had manyPrune-stonesthat made Way through an Abscess near her Navel.Philos. Trans.Nᵒ. 165. where are other such like Examples. More also may be found in Nᵒ. 282, 304,&c.And at this Day, a young Man, living not far off me, laboureth under very troublesome and dangerous Symptoms, from the Stones ofSloesandBullace, which he swallow’d eight or ten Years ago.
[e]Hippocrates Lib. de Alimentis, takes notice of the Sagacity of Nature, in finding out Methods and Passages for the discharging Things offensive to the Body, of which the late learned and ingenious Bishop ofClogher, inIreland, (Boyle,) gave this remarkable Instance, to my very curious and ingenious Neighbour and Friend,D’Acre Barret, Esq;viz.That in the Plague Year, a Gentleman at the University, had a large Plague Sore gather’d under his Arm, which, when they expected it would have broken, discharg’d it self by a more than ordinary large and fœtid Stool; the Sore having no other Vent for it, and immediately becoming sound and well thereon.
Like to which, is the Story ofJos. Lazonius, of a Soldier of thirty five Years of Age, who had a Swelling in his right Hip, accompany’d with great Pain,&c.By the Use of emollient Medicines, having ripen’d the Sore, the Surgeon intended the next Day to have open’d it; but about Midnight, the Patient having great Provocations to stool, disburthen’d himself three Times; immediately upon which, both the Tumor and Pain ceas’d, and thereby disappointed the Surgeon’s Intentions.Ephem. Germ.Anno 1690. Obs. 49. More such Instances we find of Mr.TongesinPhilos. Transact.Nᵒ. 323. But indeed there are so many Examples of this Nature in ourPhil. Trans.in theEphem. German. Tho. Bartholine,Rhodius,Sennertus,Hildanus, &c. that it would be endless to recount them. Some have swallow’d Knives, Bodkins, Needles and Pins, Bullets, Pebbles, and twenty other such Things as could not find a Passage the ordinary Way, but have met with anExitthrough the Bladder, or some other Way of Nature’s own providing. But passing over many Particulars, I shall only give one instance more, because it may be a good Caution to some Persons, that these Papers may probably fall into the Hands of; and that is, The Danger of swallowingPlum-stones,Prune-stones, &c. SirFrancis Butler’s Lady had manyPrune-stonesthat made Way through an Abscess near her Navel.Philos. Trans.Nᵒ. 165. where are other such like Examples. More also may be found in Nᵒ. 282, 304,&c.And at this Day, a young Man, living not far off me, laboureth under very troublesome and dangerous Symptoms, from the Stones ofSloesandBullace, which he swallow’d eight or ten Years ago.
[f]Grew’s Cosmol.§. 28. 29.
[f]Grew’s Cosmol.§. 28. 29.
[g]Nor are Diseases themselves useless: For the Blood in a Fever, if well govern’d, like Wine upon the Fret, dischargeth it self of all heterogeneous Mixtures; and Nature, the Disease, and Remedies, clean all the Rooms of the House; whereby that which threatens Death, tends, in Conclusion, to the prolonging of Life.Grew ubi supr. §. 52.And as Diseases minister sometimes to Health; so to other good Uses in the Body, such as quickning the Senses: Of which take these Instances relating to the Hearing and Sight.A very ingenious Physician falling into an odd Kind of Fever, had his Sense of Hearing thereby made so very nice and tender, that he very plainly heard soft Whispers, that were made at a considerable Distance off, and which were not in the least perceiv’d by the Bystanders, nor would have been by him before his Sickness.A Gentleman of eminent Parts and Note, during a Distemper he had in his Eyes, had his Organs of Sight brought to be so tender, that both his Friends, and himself have assur’d me, that when he wak’d in the Night, he could for a while plainly see and distinguish Colours, as well as other Objects, discernible by the Eye, as was more than once try’d.Boyl. deter. nat. of Effluv. ch. 4.Daniel Fraser——continu’d Deaf and Dumb from his Birth, till the 17ᵗʰ Year of his Age——After his Recovery from a Fever, he perceiv’d a Motion in his Brain, which was very uneasy to him; and afterwards he began to hear, and in Process of Time, to understand Speech,&c.Vid. Philos. Trans. Nᵒ. 312.
[g]Nor are Diseases themselves useless: For the Blood in a Fever, if well govern’d, like Wine upon the Fret, dischargeth it self of all heterogeneous Mixtures; and Nature, the Disease, and Remedies, clean all the Rooms of the House; whereby that which threatens Death, tends, in Conclusion, to the prolonging of Life.Grew ubi supr. §. 52.
And as Diseases minister sometimes to Health; so to other good Uses in the Body, such as quickning the Senses: Of which take these Instances relating to the Hearing and Sight.
A very ingenious Physician falling into an odd Kind of Fever, had his Sense of Hearing thereby made so very nice and tender, that he very plainly heard soft Whispers, that were made at a considerable Distance off, and which were not in the least perceiv’d by the Bystanders, nor would have been by him before his Sickness.
A Gentleman of eminent Parts and Note, during a Distemper he had in his Eyes, had his Organs of Sight brought to be so tender, that both his Friends, and himself have assur’d me, that when he wak’d in the Night, he could for a while plainly see and distinguish Colours, as well as other Objects, discernible by the Eye, as was more than once try’d.Boyl. deter. nat. of Effluv. ch. 4.
Daniel Fraser——continu’d Deaf and Dumb from his Birth, till the 17ᵗʰ Year of his Age——After his Recovery from a Fever, he perceiv’d a Motion in his Brain, which was very uneasy to him; and afterwards he began to hear, and in Process of Time, to understand Speech,&c.Vid. Philos. Trans. Nᵒ. 312.