A KEY

TO

GALEN’S METHOD OF PHYSIC.

The general use of physic.

I shall desire thee, whoever thou art, that intendest the noble (though too much abused) study of physic, to mind heedfully these following rules; which being well understood, shew thee the Key of Galen and Hippocrates their method of physic: he that useth their method, and is not heedful of these rules, may soon cure one disease, and cause another more desperate.

That thou mayest understand what I intend, it is to discover in a general way of the manifest virtues of medicines.

I say of the manifest virtues, and qualities, viz. Such as are obvious to the senses, especially to the taste and smell: for it hath been the practice of most Physicians, in these latter ages as well as ours, to say, when they cannot give, nor are minded to study a reason, why an herb, plant, &c. hath such an operation, or produces such an effect in the body of man: It doth it by an hidden quality, for they not minding the whole creation, as one united body, not knowing what belongs to astral influence, not regarding that excellent harmony the only wise God hath made in a composition of contraries (in the knowledge of which consists the whole ground and foundation of physic) are totally led astray by Tradition.

It is the manifest qualities of medicines that here I am to speak to, and you may be pleased to behold it in this order.

• Section. 1. Of the Temperature of Medicines.
• Section. 2. Of the appropriation of Medicines.
• Section. 3. Of the Properties of Medicines.

SECTION I.

Of the Temperature of Medicines.

Herbs, plants, and other medicines manifestly operate, either by heat, coldness, dryness, or moisture, for the world being composed of so many qualities, they and only they can be found in the world, and the mixtures of them one with another.

But that they may appear as clear as the sun when he is upon the meridian, I shall treat of them severally, and in this order

• 1. Of Medicines temperate.
• 2. Of Medicines hot.
• 3. Of Medicines cold.
• 4. Of Medicines moist.
• 5. Of Medicines dry.

Of Medicines Temperate.

If the world be composed of extremes, then it acts by extremes, for as the man is, so is his work: therefore it is impossible that any medicine can be temperate, but may be reduced to heat, cold, dryness, or moisture, and must operate, (I mean such as operate by manifest quality) by one of these, because there is no other to operate by, and that there should be such a temperate mixture, so exquisitely of these qualities in any medicine, that one of them should not manifestly excel the other, I doubt it is a system too rare to find.

Thus then I conclude the matter to be, those Medicines are called temperate (not because they have excess of temperature at all in them) which can neither be said, to heat nor cool so much as will amount to the first degree of excess, for daily experience witnesses that they being added to medicines, change not their qualities, they make them neither hotter nor colder.

Their use. They are used in such diseases where there is no manifest distemper of the first qualities, viz. heat and cold, for example; In obstruction of the bowels, where cold medicines might make the obstruction greater, and hot medicines cause a fever.

In fevers of flegm, where the cause is cold and moist, and the effect hot and dry; in such, use temperate medicines which may neither encrease the fever by their heat, nor condensate the flegm by their coldness.

Besides, because contraries are taken away by their contraries, and every like maintained by its like, they are of great use, to preserve the constitution of the body temperate, and the body itself in strength and vigour, and may be used without danger, or fear of danger, by considering which part of the body is weak, and using such temperate medicines as are appropriated to that part.

Of Medicines hot.

The care of the ancient Physicians was such that they did not labour to hide from, but impart to posterity, not only the temperature of medicines in general, but also their degrees in temperature, that so the distempered part may be brought to its temperature, and no further; for all things which are of a contrary temperature, conduce not to cure, but the strength of the contrariety must be observed, that so the medicine may be neither weaker nor stronger, than just to take away the distemper; for if the distemper be but meanly hot, and you apply a medicine cold in the fourth degree, it is true, you may soon remove that distemper of heat, and bring another of cold twice as bad. Galen, de simp. med. facul. lib. 3. cap. 12.

Then, secondly, Not only the distemper itself, but also the part of the body distempered must be heeded; for if the head be distempered by heat, and you give such medicines as cool the heart or liver, you will bring another disease, and not cure the former.

The degrees then of temperature are to be diligently heeded, which antient physicians have concluded to be four in the qualities, viz. heat and cold, of each we shall speak a word or two severally.

Of Medicines hot in the first degree.

Those are said to be hot in the first degree, which induce a moderate and natural heat to the body, and to the parts thereof; either cold by nature, or cooled by accident, by which natural heat is cherished when weak, or restored when wanting.

Effect 1. The first effect then of medicines hot in the first degree, is, by their sweat and temperate heat to reduce the body to its natural heat, as the fire doth the external parts in cold weather, unless the affliction of cold be so great that such mild medicines will not serve the turn.

Effect 2. The second effect is, the mitigation of pain arising from such a distemper, and indeed this effect hath other medicines, some that are cold, and some that are hotter than the first degree, they being rationally applied to the distemper. These medicines the Greeks call Anodyna, and shall be spoken of in their proper places. In this place let it suffice that medicines hot in the first degree, make the offending humours thin, and expel them by sweat, or insensible transpiration, and these of all others are most congruous or agreeable to the body of man, for there is no such equal temperature of heat and cold in a sound man, but heat exceeds, for we live by heat and moisture, and not by cold.

Medicines then which are hot in the first degree, are such as just correspond to the natural heat of our bodies; such as are hotter or colder, are more subject to do mischief, being administered by an unskilful hand, than these are, because of their contrariety to nature; whereas these are grateful to the body by their moderate heat.

Effect 3. Thirdly, These take away weariness, and help fevers, being outwardly applied, because they open the pores of the skin, and by their gentle heat prepare the humours, and take away those fuliginous vapours that are caused by fevers.

Discommodities.] Yet may discommodities arise by heedless giving even of these, which I would have young students in physic to be very careful in, lest they do more mischief than they are aware of, viz. It is possible by too much use of them, to consume not only what is inimical in the body, but also the substance itself, and the strength of the spirits, whence comes faintings, and sometimes death: besides, by applying them to the parts of the body they are not appropriated to, or by not heeding well the complexion of the patient, or the natural temper of the part of the body afflicted, for the heart is hot, but the brain temperate.

Effect 4. Lastly, Medicines hot in the first degree, cherish heat in the internal parts, help concoction, breed good blood, and keep it good in temper, being bred.

Of Medicines hot in the second degree.

These are something hotter than the natural temper of a man.

Use. Their use for such whose stomachs are filled with moisture, because their faculty is too hot and dry; they take away obstructions or stoppings, open the pores of the skin, but not in the same manner that such do as are hot in the first degree, for they do it without force, by a gentle heat, concocting, and expelling the humours, by strengthening and helping nature in the work; but these cut tough humours, and scatter them by their own force and power when nature cannot.

Of Medicines hot in the third degree.

Those which attain the third degree of heat, have the same faculties with those before mentioned; but as they are hotter, so are they more powerful in their operations, for they are so powerful in heating and cutting, that if unadvisedly given they cause fevers. Use. Their use is to cut tough and compacted humours, to provoke sweat abundantly; hence it comes to pass they all of them resist poison.

Of Medicines hot in the fourth degree.

Those medicines obtain the highest degree of heat, which are so hot that they burn the body of a man, being outwardly applied to it, and cause inflammations, or raise blisters, as Crowfoot, Mustard-seed, Onions, &c. Of these more hereafter.

Of cooling Medicines.

Physicians have also observed four degrees of coldness in medicines, which I shall briefly treat of in order.

Of Medicines cold in the first degree.

Those medicines which are least cold of all, obtain the first degree of coldness; and I beseech you take notice of this, that seeing our bodies are nourished by heat, and we live by heat, therefore no cold medicines are friendly to the body, but what good they do our bodies, they do it by removing an unnatural heat, or the body heated above its natural temper.

The giving then of cold medicines to a man in his natural temper, the season of the year also being but moderately hot, extinguishes natural heat in the body of man.

Yet have these a necessary use in them too, though not so frequent as hot medicines have; and that may be the reason why an all wise God hath furnished us with far more hot herbs and plants, &c. than cold.

Use 1. Their use is first, in nourishment, that so the heat of food may be qualified, and made for a weak stomach to digest.

Use 2. Secondly, To restrain and assuage the heat of the bowels, and to cool the blood in fevers.

Therefore if the distemper of heat be but gentle, medicines cold in the first degree will suffice; also children, and such people whose stomachs are weak, are easily hurt by cold medicines.

Of Medicines cold in the second and third degree.

Use 1. Such whose stomachs are strong, and livers hot, may easily bear such medicines as are cold in the second degree, and in cases of extremity find much help by them: as also by such as are cold in the third degree, the extremity of the disease considered, for by both these the unbridled heat of choler is assuaged.

Use 2. Also they are outwardly applied to hot swellings, due consideration being had, that if the inflammation be not great, use those that are less; if the inflammation be vehement, make use of medicines cold in the second or third degree, always let the remedy correspond to the just proportion of the affliction.

Use 3. Thirdly, Sometimes the spirits are moved inordinately through heat, thence follows immoderate watchings, if not deprivation of the senses, this also must be remedied with cold medicines, for cold stops the pores of the skin, makes the humours thick, represses sweat, and keeps up the spirits from fainting.

Of Medicines cold in the fourth degree.

Lastly, The use of medicines cold in the fourth degree, is, To mitigate desperate and vehement pains, stupifying the senses, when no other course can be taken to save life: of the use of which more hereafter.

Of moistening Medicines.

There can be no such difference found amongst moistening medicines, that they should surpass the second degree. For seeing all medicines are either hot or cold, neither heat nor cold, seeing they are extremes, can consist with moisture, for the one dries it up, the other condensates it.

Use. Phylosophers therefore call moisture and dryness, passive qualities, yet have they their operation likewise; for moist medicines lenify and make slippery, ease the cough, and help the roughness of the throat. These operations are proper to medicines moist in the first degree.

Those which are moister, take away naturally strength, help the sharpness of humours, make both blood and spirits thicker, looses the belly, and fits it for purgation.

The immoderate or indiscreet use of them dulls the body, and makes it unfit for action.

Of drying Medicines.

Drying medicines have contrary faculties to these, viz. To consume moisture, stop fluxes, and make such parts dry as are slippery, they make the body and members firm, when they are weakened by too much moisture, that so they may perform their proper functions.

Yet although the members be strengthened by drying medicines, they have notwithstanding their own proper moisture in them, which ought to be conserved, and not destroyed, for without it they cannot consist: If then this moisture be consumed by using, or rather over use of drying medicines, the members can neither be nourished, nor yet perform their proper actions.

Such medicines as are dry in the third degree, being unadvisedly given, hinder the parts of the body they are appropriated to, of their nourishment, and by that means brings them into consumption.

Besides, There is a certain moisture in the body of man, which is called radical moisture, which being taken away, the parts must needs die, seeing natural heat and life also consists in it, and this may be done by too frequent use of medicines dry in the fourth degree: And it may be this was the reason of Galen’s writing, that things dry in the fourth degree, must of necessity burn; which is an effect of heat, and not of dryness, unless by burning, Galen means consuming the radical moisture.

The use then of drying medicines, is only to such bodies, and parts of the body, as abound with moisture, in which observe these rules.

1. If the moisture be not extreme, let not the medicine be extremely drying.

2. Let it be proper to the part of the body afflicted, for if the liver be afflicted by moisture, and you go about to dry the brain or heart, you may sooner kill than cure.

Thus have we briefly spoken of the first qualities of medicines, and in the general only, and but briefly, because we shall always touch upon them in the exposition of the other qualities, in which you must always have an eye to these.

SECTION II.

Of the appropriation of Medicines to the
several parts of the body.

That the qualities and use of these medicines may be found out, and understood by every one, and so my country reap the benefit of my labour, they shall find them presented to their view in this order.

Medicines appropriated.

• 1. To the head.
• 2. To the breast and lungs.
• 3. To the heart.
• 4. To the stomach.
• 5. To the liver.
• 6. To the spleen.
• 7. To the reins and bladder.
• 8. To the womb.
• 9. To the joints.

CHAPTER I.
Of Medicines appropriated to the head.

By [head] is usually understood all that part of the body which is between the top of the crown, and the uppermost joint of the neck, yet are those medicines properly called Cephalical, which are appropriated to the brain, not to the eyes, ears, nor teeth; neither are those medicines which are proper to the ears, proper also to the eyes, therefore (my intent being to write as plain as I can) I shall subdivide this chapter into these parts.

Medicines appropriated

• 1. To the brain.
• 2. To the eyes.
• 3. To the mouth, and nostrils.
• 4. To the ears.
• 5. To the teeth.

For what medicines are appropriated to an unruly tongue, is not in my power at present to determine.

Of Medicines appropriated to the brain.

Before we treat of medicines appropriated to the brain, it is requisite that we describe what the nature and affection of the brain is.

The brain which is the seat of apprehension, judgment, and memory, the original of sense and motion, is by nature temperate, and if so, then you will grant me that it may easily be afflicted both by heat and cold, and it is indeed more subject to affliction by either of them, than any other part of the body, for if it be afflicted by heat, sense and reason, it is immoderately moved, if by cold, they languish, and are dulled, to pass by other symptoms which invade the head, if the brain be altered from its proper temper.

Also this is peculiar to the brain, that it is delighted or offended by smells, sights, and sounds, but I shall meddle no further with these here, because they are not medicines.

Cephalical Medicines may be found out from the affections of the brain itself. The brain is usually oppressed with moisture in such afflictions; therefore give such medicines as very gently warm, cleanse, cut, and dry: but withal, let them be such as are appropriated to the head, such as physicians say (by an hidden quality) strengthen the brain.

Again, if you consider the situation of the brain, you shall find it placed in the highest part of the body, therefore it is easily afflicted with hot vapours: this punishes a man with watching and head-ache, as the former did with sottishness and sleepiness, in such cases use such Cephalecs as gently cool the brain.

To make Cephalecs of Narcoticks, or stupifying medicines, is not my intent, for I am confident they are inimical both to brain and senses. Of these, and such medicines as also purge the brain, I shall speak by and by. To return to my purpose.

Some Cephalics purge the brain, some heat it, some cool it, some strengthen it; but how they perform this office peculiarly to the brain, most physicians confess they could neither comprehend by reason, nor describe by precepts, only thus, they do it by an hidden quality, either by strengthening the brain, thereby descending it from diseases, or by a certain antipathy between them and the diseases incident to the brain.

Lastly, For the use of Cephalics, observe, if the brain be much afflicted, you cannot well strengthen it before you have purged it, neither can you well purge the brain before you have cleansed the rest of the body, it is so subject to receive the vapours up to it; give cooling Cephalics when the brain is too hot, and hot Cephalics when it is too cold.

Beware of using cooling medicines to the brain when the crisis of a disease is near: how that time may be known, I shall (God assisting me) instruct you hereafter, let it suffice now, that according as the disease afflicting your head is, so let your remedy be.

Of Medicines appropriated to the eyes.

Take such medicines as are appropriated to the eyes under the name of (Ocular Medicines) I do it partly to avoid multiplicity of words, and partly to instruct my countrymen in the terms of art belonging to physic, (I would have called them [Ophthalmics] had not the word been troublesome to the reading, much more to the understanding of a countryman) as I even now called such medicines [Cephalics] as were appropriated to the brain.

Ocular medicines are two-fold, viz. such as are referred to the visive virtues, and such as are referred to the eyes themselves.

Such as strengthen the visive virtue or the optick nerves which convey it to the eyes (say Doctors) do it by an hidden virtue, into the reason which no man can dive, unless they should fetch it from the similitude of the substance: And yet they say a Goat’s liver conduces much to make one see in the night, and they give this reason, because Goats see as well in the night as in the day. Yet is there no affinity in temperature nor substance between the liver and the eyes: However Astrologers know well enough that all herbs, plants, &c. that are under the dominion of either sun or moon, and appropriated to the head, be they hot or cold they strengthen the visive virtue, as Eyebright, which is hot, Lunaria, or Moonwort which is cold.

As for what appertains to the constitution of the eyes themselves, seeing they are exact in sense, they will not endure the least inconvenience, therefore such medicines as are outwardly applied to them (for such medicines as strengthen the visive virtues are always given inwardly) let them neither hurt by their hardness nor gnawing quality, nor be so tough that they should stick to them. Therefore let ocular medicines be neither in powders nor ointments, because oil itself is offensive to the eyes, and how pleasing powders are to them, you may perceive yourself by just going into the dust.

Medicines appropriated to the mouth and nose.

Apply no stinking medicine to a disease in the nose, for such offend not only the nose, but also the brain; neither administer medicines of any ill taste to a disease in the mouth, for that subverts the stomach, because the tunicle of the mouth and of the stomach is the same: and because both mouth and nostrils are ways by which the brain is cleansed, therefore are they infected with such vices as need almost continual cleansing, and let the medicines you apply to them be either pleasant, or at least, not ingrateful.

Medicines appropriated to the ears.

The ears are easily afflicted by cold, because they are always open, therefore they require hot medicines. And because they are of themselves very dry, therefore they require medicines which dry much.

Medicines appropriated to the teeth.

Vehement heat, and vehement cold, are inimical to the teeth, but they are most of all offended by sharp and sour things, and the reason is, because they have neither skin nor flesh to cover them, they delight in such medicines as are cleansing and binding, because they are troubled with defluxions and rheums upon every light occasion; and that’s the reason the common use of fat and sweet things, soon rots the teeth.

CHAPTER II.
Of Medicines appropriated to the breast
and lungs.

The medicines appropriated to the breast and lungs, you shall find called all along by the name of [pectorals] that’s the term Physicians give them, when you heat them talk of pectoral Syrups, pectoral rows, or pectoral Ointments.

They are divers, some of which regard the part afflicted, others the matter afflicting.

But although sometimes in ulcers of the lungs, we are forced to use binding medicines, to join the ulcer, yet are not these called pectorals, because binding medicines are extreme hurtful to the breast and lungs, both because they hinder one’s fetching his breath, and also because they hinder the avoiding that flegm by which the breast is oppressed.

Such medicines are called pectorals, which are of a lenifying nature.

Besides, Those which make thin matter thicker are of two sorts, viz. Some are mild and gentle, which may safely be administered, be the matter hot or cold which offendeth; others are very cold, which are used only when the matter offending is sharp.

But because such medicines as conduce to the cure of the phthisics (which is an ulceration of the lungs, and the disease usually called, the consumption of the lungs,) are also reckoned in amongst pectorals, it is not amiss to speak a word or two of them.

In the cure of this disease are three things to be regarded.

1. To cut and bring away the concreted blood.

2. To cherish and strengthen the lungs.

3. To conglutinate the ulcer.

And indeed some particular simples will perform all these, and physicians confess it; which shews the wonderful mystery the all-wise God hath made in the creation, that one and the same simple should perform two contrary operations on the same part of the body; for the more a medicine cleanses, the more it conglutinates.

To conclude then, Pectoral Medicines are such as either cut and cleanse out the compacted humours from the arteries of the lungs, or make thin defluxions thick, or temper those that are sharp, help the roughness of the wind-pipe, or are generally lenitive and softening, being outwardly applied to the breast.

CHAPTER III.
Of Medicines appropriated to the heart.

These are they which are generally given under the notion of Cordials; take them under that name here.

The heart is the seat of the vital spirit, the fountain of life, the original of infused heat, and of the natural affections of man.

So then these two things are proper to the heart.

1. By its heat to cherish life throughout the body.

2. To add vigour to the affections.

And if these be proper to the heart, you will easily grant me, that it is the property of cordials to administer to the heart in these particulars.

Of Cordials, some cheer the mind, some strengthen the heart, and refresh the spirits thereof, being decayed.

Those which cheer the mind, are not one and the same; for as the heart is variously disturbed, either by anger, love, fear, hatred, sadness, &c. So such things as flatter lovers or appease the angry, or comfort the fearful, or please the hateful, may well be called cordials; for the heart, seeing it is placed in the middle between the brain and the liver, is wrought upon by reason, as well as by digestion, yet these, because they are not medicines, are beside my present scope.

And although it is true, that mirth, love, &c. are actions, or motions of the mind, not of the body; yet many have been induced to think such affections may be wrought in the body by medicines.

The heart is chiefly afflicted by too much heat, by poison, and by stinking vapours, and these are remedied by the second sort of cordials, and indeed chiefly belong to our present scope.

According to these three afflictions, viz.

• 1. Excessive heat.
• 2. Poison.
• 3. Melancholy vapours.

Are three kinds of remedies which succour the afflicted heart.

Such as

1. By their cooling nature mitigate the heat of fevers.

2. Resist poison.

3. Cherish the vital spirits when they languish.

All these are called Cordials.

1. Such as cool the heart in fevers, yet is not every thing that cooleth cordial, for lead is colder than gold, yet is not lead cordial as gold is, some hold it cordial by a hidden quality, others by reason.

2. Such as resist poison; there is a two-fold resisting of poison.

1. By an antipathy between the medicine and poison.

2. By a sympathy between the medicine and the heart.

Of the first we shall speak anon, in a chapter by itself. The latter belongs to this chapter, and they are such medicines, whose nature is to strengthen the heart, and fortify it against the poison, as Rue, Angelica, &c. For as the operation of the former is upon the poison, which afflicteth the heart, so the operation of the latter is upon the heart afflicted by the poison.

To this class may be referred all such medicines as strengthen the heart either by astral influence, or by likeness of substance, if there be such a likeness in medicines, for a Bullock’s heart is of like substance to man’s, yet I question whether it be cordial or not.

3. And lastly, Such as refresh the spirits, and make them lively and active, both because they are appropriated to the office, and also because they drive stinking and melancholy vapours from the heart, for as the animal spirit be refreshed by fragrant smells, and the natural spirits by spices, so are the vital spirits refreshed by all such medicines as keep back melancholy vapours from the heart, as Borrage, Bugloss, Rosemary, Citron Pills, the compositions of them, and many others, which this treatise will amply furnish you with.

CHAPTER IV.
Of Medicines appropriated to the stomach.

By stomach, I mean that ventricle which contains the food till it be concocted into chyle.

Medicines appropriated to the stomach are usually called stomachicals.

The infirmities usually incident to the stomach are three.

• 1. Appetite lost.
• 2. Digestion weakened.
• 3. The retentive faculty corrupted.

When the appetite is lost, the man feels no hunger when his body needs nourishment.

When digestion is weakened it is not able to concoct the meat received into the stomach, but it putrifies there.

When the retentive faculty is spoiled the stomach is not able to retain the food till it be digested, but either vomits it up again, or causes fluxes.

Such medicines then as remedy all these, are called stomachicals. And of them in order.

1. Such as provoke appetite are usually of a sharp or sourish taste, and yet withal of a grateful taste to the palate, for although loss of appetite may proceed from divers causes, as from choler in the stomach, or putrefied humours or the like, yet such things as purge this choler or humours, are properly called Orecticks, not stomachicals; the former strengthen appetite after these are expelled.

2. Such medicines help digestion as strengthen the stomach, either by convenient heat, or aromatic (viz. spicy) faculty, by hidden property, or congruity of nature.

3. The retentive faculty of the stomach is corrected by binding medicines, yet not by all binding medicines neither, for some of them are adverse to the stomach, but by such binding medicines as are appropriated to the stomach.

For the use of these.

Use 1. Use not such medicines as provoke appetite before you have cleansed the stomach of what hinders it.

Use 2. Such medicines as help digestion, give them a good time before meat that so they may pass to the bottom of the stomach, (for the digestive faculty lies there,) before the food come into it.

Use 3. Such as strengthen the retentive faculty, give them a little before meat, if to stay fluxes, a little after meat, if to stay vomiting.

CHAPTER V.
Of Medicines appropriated to the liver.

Be pleased to take these under the name of Hepatics, for that is the usual name physicians give them, and these also are of three sorts.

• 1. Some the liver is delighted in.
• 2. Others strengthen it.
• 3. Others help its vices.

The palate is the seat of taste, and its office is to judge what food is agreeable to the stomach, and what not, by that is both the quality and quantity of food for the stomach discerned: the very same office the meseraik veins perform to the liver.

Sometimes such food pleases the palate which the liver likes not (but not often) and therefore the meseraik veins refuse it, and that is the reason some few men fancy such food as makes them sick after the eating thereof.

1. The liver is delighted exceedingly with sweet things, draws them greedily, and digests them as swiftly, and that is the reason honey is so soon turned into choler.

2. Such medicines strengthen the liver, as (being appropriated to it) very gently bind, for seeing the office of the liver is to concoct, it needs some adstriction, that so both the heat and the humour to be concocted may be stayed, that so the one slip not away, nor the other be scattered.

Yet do not hepatical medicines require so great a binding faculty as stomachicals do, because the passages of the stomach are more open than those of the liver by which it either takes in chyle, or sends out blood to the rest of the body, therefore medicines that are very binding are hurtful to the liver, and either cause obstructions, or hinder the distribution of the blood, or both.

And thus much for the liver, the office of which is to concoct chyle, (which is a white substance the stomach digests the food into) into blood, and distributes it, by the veins, to every part of the body, whereby the body is nourished, and decaying flesh restored.

CHAPTER VI.
Of Medicines appropriated to the spleen.

In the breeding of blood, are three excrements most conspicuous, viz. urine, choler, and melancholy.

The proper seat of choler is in the gall.

The urine passeth down to the reins or kidneys, which is all one.

The spleen takes the thickest or melancholy blood to itself.

This excrement of blood is twofold: for either by excessive heat, it is addust, and this is that the Latins call Atra Bilis: or else it is thick and earthly of itself, and this properly is called melancholy humour.

Hence then is the nature of splenical medicines to be found out, and by these two is the spleen usually afflicted for Atra bilis, (I know not what distinct English name to give it) many times causes madness, and pure melancholy causeth obstructions of the bowels, and tumours, whereby the concoction of the blood is vitiated, and dropsies many times follow.

Medicines then peculiar to the spleen must needs be twofold also, some appropriated to Atra bilis, others to pure melancholy; but of purging either of them, I shall omit till I come to treat of purging in a chapter by itself.

1. Such medicines are splenical, which by cooling and moistening temper Atra bilis: let not these medicines be too cold neither, for there is no such heat in Atra bilis as there is in choler, and therefore it needs no such excessive cooling: amongst the number of these are such as we mentioned amongst the cordials to repel melancholy vapours from the heart, such temper and assuage the malice of Atra bilis.

2. Those medicines are also splenical, by which melancholy humours are corrected and so prepared, that they may the more easily be evacuated: such medicines are cutting and opening, and they differ from hepaticals in this that they are no ways binding; for the spleen being no ways addicted to concoction, binding medicines do it harm, and not good.

3. Sometimes the spleen is not only obstructed, but also hardened by melancholy humours, and in such cases emolient medicines may be well called splenicals, not such as are taken inwardly, for they operate upon the stomach and bowels, but such as are outwardly applied to the region of the spleen.

And although sometimes medicines, are outwardly applied to hardness of the liver, yet they differ from splenicals, because they are binding, so are not splenicals.

CHAPTER VII.
Of Medicines appropriated to the reins and
bladder.

The office of the reins is, to make a separation between the blood and the urine; to receive this urine thus separated from the blood, is the bladder ordained, which is of a sufficient bigness to contain it.

Both these parts of the body officiating about the urine, they are both usually afflicted by the vices of the urine.

• 1. By stones.
• 2. By inflammation.
• 3. By thick humours.

Medicines appropriated to the reins and bladder are usually called Nephriticals, and are threefold; some cool, others cut gross humours, and a third sort breaks the stone.

In the use of all these, take notice, that the constitution of the reins and bladder is such, that they abhor all binding medicines because they cause stoppage of urine.

Take notice, that the reins and bladder being subject to inflammations endure not very hot medicines.

Because the bladder is further remote from the centre of the body than the kidnies are, therefore it requires stronger medicines than the kidnies do, lest the strength of the medicine be spent before it be come to the part afflicted.

CHAPTER VIII.
Of Medicines appropriated to the womb.

These, physicians call Hystericals, and to avoid multiplicity of words, take them in this discourse under that notion.

Take notice that such medicines as provoke the menses, or stop them when they flow immoderately, are properly hystericals, but shall be spoken to by and by in a chapter by themselves.

As for the nature of the womb, it seems to be much like the nature of the brain and stomach, for experience teacheth that it is delighted with sweet and aromatical medicines, and flies from their contraries.

For example: a woman being troubled with the fits of the mother, which is drawing of the womb upward, apply sweet things, as Civet, or the like, to the place of conception, it draws it down again; but apply stinking things to the nose, as Assafœtida, or the like, it expels it from it, and sends it down to its proper place.

CHAPTER IX.
Of Medicines appropriated to the joints.

The joints are usually troubled with cephalic diseases, and then are to be cured by cephalic medicines.

Medicines appropriated to the joints, are called by the name Arthritical medicines.

The joints, seeing they are very nervous, require medicines which are of a heating and drying nature, with a gentle binding, and withal, such as by peculiar virtue are appropriated to them, and add strength to them. It is true, most cephalics do so, yet because the joints are more remote from the centre, they require stronger medicines.

For removing pains in the joints this is the method of proceeding.

Pain is either taken away or eased, for the true cure is to take away the cause of the pain, sometimes the vehemency of the pain is so great that you must be forced to use Anodines (for so physicians call such medicines as ease pain) before you can meddle with the cause, and this is usually when the part pained is inflamed, for those medicines which take away the cause of pain being very hot, if there be any inflammation in the part pained, you must abstain from them till the inflammation be taken away.

SECTION III.

Of the propriety or operation of Medicines.

CHAPTER I.
Of Emolient Medicines.

The various mixtures of heat, cold, dryness, and moisture in simples, must of necessity produce variety of faculties, and operations in them, which now we come to treat of, beginning first at emolients.

What is hard, and what is soft, most men know, but few are able to express. Phylosophers define that to be hard which yields not to touching, and soft to be the contrary. An emolient, or softening medicine is one which reduceth a hard substance to its proper temperature.

But to leave phylosophy, and keep to physic: physicians describe hardness to be two-fold.

1. A distention or stretching of a part by too much fulness.

2. Thick humours which are destitute of heat, growing hard in that part of the body into which they flow.

So many properties then ought emolient medicines to have, viz. To moisten what is dry, to discuss what is stretched, to warm what is congealed by cold; yet properly, that only is said to mollify which reduceth a hard substance to its proper temperature.

Dryness and thickness of humours being the cause of hardness, emolient medicines must of necessity be hot and moist; and although you may peradventure find some of them dry in the second or third degrees, yet must this dryness be tempered and qualified with heat and moisture, for reason will tell you that dry medicines make hard parts harder.

Mollifying medicines are known, 1. by their taste, 2. by their feeling.

1. In taste, they are near unto sweat, but fat and oily; they are neither sharp, nor austere, nor sour, nor salt, neither do they manifest either binding, or vehement heat, or cold to be in them.

2. In feeling you can perceive no roughness, neither do they stick to your fingers like Birdlime, for they ought to penetrate the parts to be mollified, and therefore many times if occasion be, are cutting medicines mixed with them.

CHAPTER II.
Of hardening Medicines.

Galen in Lib. 5. de Simple, Med. Facult. Cap. 10. determines hardening medicines to be cold and moist, and he brings some arguments to prove it, against which other physicians contest.

I shall not here stand to quote the dispute, only take notice, that if softening medicines be hot and moist (as we shewed even now) then hardening medicines must needs be cold and dry, because they are contrary to them.

The universal course of nature will prove it, for dryness and moisture are passive qualities, neither can extremeties consist in moisture as you may know, if you do but consider that dryness is not attributed to the air, nor water, but to the fire, and earth.

2. The thing to be congealed must needs be moist, therefore the medicine congealing must of necessity be dry, for if cold be joined with dryness, it contracts the pores, that so the humours cannot be scattered.

Yet you must observe a difference between medicines drying, making thick, hardening, and congealing, of which differences, a few words will not do amiss.

1. Such medicines are said to dry, which draw out, or drink up the moisture, as a spunge drinks up water.

2. Such medicines are said to make thick, as do not consume the moisture, but add dryness to it, as you make syrups into a thick electuary by adding powders to them.

3. Such as congeal, neither draw out the moisture, nor make it thick by adding dryness to it, but contract it by vehement cold, as water is frozen into ice.

4. Hardness differs from all these, for the parts of the body swell, and are filled with flegmatic humours, or melancholy blood, which at last grows hard.

That you may clearly understand this, observe but these two things.

• 1. What it is which worketh.
• 2. What it worketh upon.

That which worketh is outwardly cold. That which is wrought upon, is a certain thickness and dryness, of humours, for if the humour were fluid as water is, it might properly be said to be congealed by cold, but not so properly hardened. Thus you see cold and dryness to be the cause of hardening. This hardening being so far from being useful, that it is obnoxious to the body of man. I pass it without more words. I suppose when Galen wrote of hardening medicines, he intended such as make thick, and therefore amongst them he reckons up Fleawort, Purslain, Houseleek, and the like, which assuage the heat of the humours in swellings, and stops subtil and sharp defluxions upon the lungs; but of these more anon.

CHAPTER III.
Of Loosening Medicines.

By loosening here, I do not mean purging, nor that which is opposite to astringency; but that which is opposite to stretching: I knew not suddenly what fitter English name to give it, than loosening or laxation, which latter is scarce English.

The members are distended or stretched divers ways, and ought to be loosened by as many, for they are stretched sometimes by dryness, sometimes by cold, sometimes by repletion or fullness, sometimes by swellings, and sometimes by some of these joined together. I avoid terms of art as much as I can, because it would profit my country but little, to give them the rules of physic in such English as they understand not.

I confess the opinion of ancient physicians hath been various about these loosening medicines. Galen’s opinion was, that they might be referred either to moistening, or heating, or mollifying, or evacuating medicines, and therefore ought not to be referred to a chapter by themselves.

It is likely they may, and so may all other medicines be referred to heat, or coldness, or dryness, or moisture: but we speak not here of the particular properties of medicines, but of their joined properties, as they heat and moisten.

Others, they question how they can be distinguished from such as mollify, seeing such as are loosening, and such as are emolient, are both of them hot and moist.

To that, thus: stretching and loosening are ascribed to the moveable parts of the body, as to the muscles and their tendons, to the ligaments and Membranæ; but softness and hardness to such parts of the body as may be felt with the hand: I shall make clear by a similitude, Wax is softened, being hard, but Fiddle-strings are loosened being stretched. And if you say that the difference lying only in the parts of the body is no true difference, then take notice, that such medicines which loosen, are less hot, and more moistening, than such as soften, for they operate most by heat, these by moisture.

The truth is, I am of opinion the difference is not much, nay, scarce sensible, between emolient and loosening medicines; only I quoted this in a chapter by itself, not so much because some authors do, as because it conduceth to the increase of knowledge in physic, for want of which, this poor nation is almost spoiled.

The chief use of loosening medicines is in convulsions and cramps, and such like infirmities which cause distention or stretching.

They are known by the very same marks and tokens that emolient medicines are.

CHAPTER IV.

Of drawing Medicines.

The opinion of physicians is, concerning these, as it is concerning other medicines, viz. Some draw by a manifest quality, some by a hidden, and so (quoth they) they draw to themselves both humours and thorns, or splinters that are gotten into the flesh; however this is certain, they are all of them hot, and of thin parts; hot because the nature of heat is to draw off thin parts that so they may penetrate to the humours that are to to be drawn out.

Their use is various, viz.

Use 1. That the bowels may be disburdened of corrupt humours.

2. Outwardly used, by them the offending humour (I should have said the peccant humour, had I written only to scholars,) is called from the internal parts of the body to the superfices.

3. By them the crisis of a disease is much helped forward.

4. They are exceedingly profitable to draw forth poison out of the body.

5. Parts of the body over cooled are cured by these medicines, viz. by applying them outwardly to the place, not only because they heat, but also because they draw the spirits by which life and heat are cherished, to the part of the body which is destitute of them: you cannot but know that many times parts of the body fall away in flesh, and their strength decays, as in some persons arms or legs, or the like, the usual reason is, because the vital spirit decays in those parts, to which use such plaisters or ointments as are attractive (which is the physical term for drawing medicines) for they do not only cherish the parts by their own proper heat, but draw the vital and natural spirits thither, whereby they are both quickened and nourished.

They are known almost by the same tokens that attenuating medicines are, seeing heat; and thinness of parts is in them both, they differ only in respect of quantity, thinness of parts being most proper to attenuating medicines, but attractive medicines are hotter.

CHAPTER V.
Of discussive Medicines.

The nature of discussing (or sweating) medicines is almost the same with attractive, for there are no discussive medicines but are attractive, nor scarce any attractive medicine but is in some measure or other discussing. The difference then is only this; that discussive medicines are hotter than attractive, and therefore nothing else need be written of their nature.

Use. Their use may be known even from their very name; for diseases that come by repletion or fulness, are cured by evacuation or emptying; yet neither blood nor gross humours are to be expelled by sweating, or insensible transpiration (as they call it) but the one requires blood-letting, the other purgation, but scrosus or thin humours and filthy vapours, and such like superfluities, are to be expelled by sweat, and be wary in this too, for many of them work violently, and violent medicines are not rashly to be given.

Caution 2. Besides, swellings are sometimes made so hard by sweating medicines, that afterwards they can never be cured; for what is thin being by such medicines taken away, nothing but what is perfectly hard remains: If you fear such a thing, mix emolients with them.

Caut. 3. Again, sometimes by using discussives, the humours offending (which physicians usually call the peccant humours) is driven to some more noble part of the body, or else it draws more than it discusseth; in such cases, concoct and attenuate the matter offending before you go about to discuss it.

From hence may easily be gathered at what time of the disease discussive medicines are to be used, viz. about the declining of the disease, although in diseases arising from heat of blood, we sometimes use them in the encrease and state of them.

They are known by the same marks and tokens attenuating medicines are, viz. by their burning and biting quality, they being very hot, and of thin parts, void of any biting quality, therefore they contract not the tongue in tasting of them.

CHAPTER VI.
Of repelling Medicines.

Repelling medicines are of contrary operation to these three last mentioned, viz. attenuating, drawing, and discussive medicines: It is true, there is but little difference between these three, some hold none at all; and if you will be so nice, you may oppose them thus. And so medicines making thick, correspond to attenuating medicines, or such as make thin, repelling medicines are opposed to such as draw, and such as retain the humours and make them tough, are opposite to such as discuss, some hold this niceness needless.

2. The sentence of authors about repulsive medicines is various.

For seeing an influxion may be caused many ways, a repulsive hath got as many definitions.

For such things as cool, bind, stop, and make thick, stay influxions, and therefore repulsives are by authors opposed, not only to attractives, but also to attenuating, and discussing medicines.

But properly such things are called repulsives, which do not only stay influxions, (for so do such medicines which stop and make thick) but such as drive the humours flowing to, or inherit in the place, to some other place.

The truth is, binding is inherent to repulsives, so is not coldness nor making thick: Yet such as are binding, cold and thin in operation, are most effectual.

Your taste will find repulsives to be, tart, or sharp, or austere, with a certain binding which contracts the tongue.

Use 1. Their use is manifold, as in hot tumours, head-aches, or the like.

Use 2. By these in fevers are the vapours driven from the head, Vinegar of Roses is notable.

Time of giving. They are most commodious in the beginning and encrease of a disease, for then influxions most prevail.

But seeing that in the cure of tumours there are two scopes, 1. That that which flows to it may be repelled. 2. That that which is already in it may be discussed; repulsives are most commodiously used in the beginning, discussives in the latter end.

In the middle you may mix them, with this proviso, that repulsives exceed in the beginning, discussives in the latter end.

Caution 1. If the matter offending be of a venomous quality, either abstain from repulsives altogether, or use purging first, lest the matter fly to the bowels and prove dangerous, especially if the bowels be weak.

2. Also forbear repulsives, if the pain be great.

3. Lastly, Have a care lest by repulsives you contract the pores so much, that the matter cannot be removed by discussives.

CHAPTER VII.
Of cleansing Medicines.

Cleansing medicines can neither be defined by heat, nor coldness, because some of both sorts cleanse.

A cleansing medicine, then, is of a terrene quality, which takes away the filth with it, and carries it out.

Definition.] Here, to avoid confusion, a difference must be made between washing and cleansing.

A thing which washeth, carries away by fluxion, as a man washeth the dirt off from a thing.

A cleansing medicine by a certain roughness or nitrous quality, carries away the compacted filth with it.

This also is the difference between cleansing and discussing medicines, the one makes thick humours thin, and so scatters them, but a cleansing medicine takes the most tenacious humour along with it, without any alteration.

Besides, of cleansing medicines, some are of a gentler nature, some are more vehement.

These are not known one and the same way; for some are sweet, some salt, and some bitter.

The use of cleansing is external, as the use of purges are internal.

They are used to cleanse the sanies and other filth of ulcers, yea, and to consume and eat away the flesh itself, as burnt Alum, precipitate, &c.

When these must be used, not only the effects of the ulcers, but also the temperature of the body will tell you.

For if you see either a disease of fulness, which our physicians call [Plethora] or corrupted humours which they call [Cacochyma] you must empty the body of these, viz. fulness by bleeding, and corrupt humours, or evil state of the body, by purging before you use cleansing medicines to the ulcer, else your cure will never proceed prosperously.

CHAPTER VIII.
Of Emplasters.

By Emplasters, here, I do mean things glutinative, and they are quite contrary to things cleansing.

They are of a far more glutinous and tenacious substance.

They differ from things stopping because they do not stop the pores so much, as stick to them like Birdlime.

They have a certain glutinous heat, tempered both with coldness and moisture.

From these plasters take their names.

Their taste is either none at all, or not discernable whether hot or cold, but fat, insipid, or without taste, or sweet, and viscous in feeling.

Their use is to stop flowing of blood, and other fluxes, to cause suppuration, to continue the heat, that so tumours may be ripened.

Also they are mixed with other medicines, that they may the better be brought into the form of an emplaster, and may stick the better to the members.

CHAPTER IX.
Of suppuring Medicines.

These have a great affinity with emolients, like to them in temperature, only emolients are somewhat hotter.

Yet is there a difference as apparent as the sun when he is upon the meridian, and the use is manifest. For,

Emolients are to make hard things soft, but what suppures, rather makes a generation than an alteration of the humour.

Natural heat is the efficient cause of suppuration, neither can it be done by any external means.

Therefore such things are said to suppure, which by a gentle heat cherish the inbred heat of man.

This is done by such medicines which are not only temperate in heat, but also by a gentle viscosity, fill up or stop the pores, that so the heat of the part affected be not scattered.

For although such things as bind hinder the dissipation of the spirits, and internal heat, yet they retain not the moisture as suppuring medicines properly and especially do.

The heat then of suppuring medicines is like the internal heat of our bodies.

As things then very hot, are ingrateful either by biting, as Pepper, or bitterness: in suppuring medicines, no biting, no binding, no nitrous quality is perceived by the taste, (I shall give you better satisfaction both in this and others, by and by.)

For reason will tell a man, that such things hinder rather than help the work of nature in maturation.

Yet it follows not from hence, that all suppuring medicines are grateful to the taste, for many things grateful to the taste provokes vomiting, therefore why may not the contrary be?

The most frequent use of suppuration is, to ripen Phlegmonæ, a general term physicians give to all swellings proceeding of blood, because nature is very apt to help such cures, and physic is an art to help, not to hinder nature.

The time of use is usually in the height of the disease, when the flux is stayed, as also to ripen matter that it may be the easier purged away.

CHAPTER X.
Of Medicines provoking urine.

The causes by which urine is suppressed are many.

1. By too much drying, or sweating, it may be consumed.

2. By heat or inflammation of the reins, or passages whereby it passes from the reins, it may be stopped by compression.

Urine is the thinnest part of blood, separated from the thickest part in the reins.

If then the blood be more thick and viscous than ordinary, it cannot easily be separated without cutting and cleansing medicines.

This is for certain, that blood can neither be separated nor distributed without heat.

Yet amongst diureticks are some cold things, as the four greater cold seeds, Winter-cherries, and the like.

Although this seem a wonder, yet it may be, and doth stand with truth.

For cool diureticks, though they further not the separation of the blood one jot, yet they cleanse and purge the passages of the urine.

Diureticks then are of two sorts:

1. Such as conduce to the separation of the blood.

2. Such as open the urinal passages.

The former are biting (and are known by their taste) very hot and cutting, whence they penetrate to the reins, and cut the gross humours there.

Bitter things, although they be very hot, and cut gross humours, yet are they of a more dry and terrene substance than is convenient to provoke urine.

Hence then we may safely gather, that bitter things are not so moist nor penetrating, as such as bite like Pepper.

CHAPTER XI.

Of Medicines breeding flesh.

There are many things diligently to be observed in the cures of wounds and ulcers, which incur and hinder that the cure cannot be speedily done, nor the separated parts reduced to their natural state.

Viz. Fluxes of blood, inflammation, hardness, pain, and other things besides our present scope.

Our present scope is, to shew how the cavity of ulcers may be filled with flesh.

Such medicines are called Sarcoticks.

This, though it be the work of nature, yet it is helped forward with medicines, that the blood may be prepared, that it may the easier be turned into flesh.

These are not medicines which breed good blood, nor which correct the intemperature of the place afflicted, but which defend the blood and the ulcer itself from corruption in breeding flesh.

For nature in breeding flesh produceth two sorts of excrements, viz. scrosus humours, and purulent dross.

Those medicines then which cleanse and consume, these by drying are said to breed flesh, because by their helps nature performs that office.

Also take notice that these medicines are not so drying that they should consume the blood also as well as the sanies, nor so cleansing that they should consume the flesh with the dross.

Let them not then exceed the first degree unless the ulcer be very moist.

Their difference are various, according to the part wounded, which ought to be restored with the same flesh.

The softer then, and tenderer the place is, the gentler let the medicines be.

CHAPTER XII.
Of glutinative Medicines.

That is the true cure of an ulcer which joins the mouth of it together.

That is a glutinative medicine, which couples together by drying and binding, the sides of an ulcer before brought together.

These require a greater drying faculty than the former, not only to consume what flows out, but what remains liquid in the flesh, for liquid flesh is more subject to flow abroad than stick to together.

The time of using them, any body may know without teaching, viz. when the ulcer is cleansed and filled with flesh, and such symptoms as hinder are taken away.

For many times ulcers must be kept open that the sanies, or fords that lie in them may be purged out, whereas of themselves they would heal before.

Only beware, lest by too much binding you cause pain in tender parts.

CHAPTER XIII.
Of Medicines resisting poison.

Such medicines are called Alexiteria, and Alexipharmaca, which resist poison.

Some of these resist poison by astral influence, and some physicians (though but few) can give a reason for it.

These they have sorted into three ranks:

1. Such as strengthen nature, that so it may tame the poison the easier.

2. Such as oppose the poison by a contrary quality.

3. Such as violently thrust it out of doors.

Such as strengthen nature against poison, either do it to the body universally, or else strengthen some particular part thereof.

For many times one particular part of the body is most afflicted by the poison, suppose the stomach, liver, brain, or any other part: such as cherish and strengthen those parts, being weakened, may be said to resist poison.

Such as strengthen the spirits, strengthen all the body.

Sometimes poisons kill by their quality, and then are they to be corrected by their contraries.

They which kill by cooling are to be remedied by heating, and the contrary; they which kill by corroding, are to be cured by lenitives, such as temper their acrimony.

Those which kill by induration, or coagulation, require cutting medicines.

Also because all poisons are in motion, neither stay they in one till they have seized and oppressed the fountain of life, therefore they have invented another faculty to stay their motion, viz. terrene and emplastic.

For they judge, if the poison light upon these medicines, they embrace them round with a viscous quality.

Also they say the ways and passages are stopped by such means, to hinder their proceeding; take Terra Lemnia for one.

Truly if these reasons be good, which I leave to future time to determine, it may be done for little cost.

Some are of opinion that the safest way is to expel the poison out of the body, so soon as may be, and that is done by vomit, or purge, or sweat.

You need not question the time, but do it as soon as may be; for there is no parlying with poison.

Let vomiting be the first, purging the next, and sweating the last. This is general. But,

If thou dost but observe the nature and motion of the venom, that will be thy best instructor.

In the stomach it requires vomiting, in the blood and spirits, sweating, if the body be plethoric, bleeding, if full of evil humours, purging.

Lastly, The cure being ended, strengthen the parts afflicted.

CHAPTER XIV.
Of purging Medicines.

Much jarring hath been amongst physicians about purging medicines, namely, whether they draw the humours to them by a hidden quality, which in plain English is, they know not how; or whether they perform their office by manifest quality, viz. by heat, dryness, coldness, or moisture: it is not my present scope to enter the lists of a dispute about the business, neither seem it such an hidden thing to me that every like should draw its like, only to make the matter as plain as I can, I sub-divide this chapter into these following parts.

• 1. Cautions concerning purging.
• 2. Of the choice of purging medicines.
• 3. Of the time of taking them.
• 4. Of the correcting of them.
• 5. Of the manner of purging.

Cautions concerning purging.

In this, first consider diligently, and be exceeding cautious in it too, what the matter offending is, what part of the body is afflicted by it, and which is the best way to bring it out.

Only here, by the way, first, have a care of giving vomits, for they usually work more violently, and afflict the body more than purges do, therefore are not fit for weak bodies; be sure the matter offending lie in the tunicle of the stomach, else is a vomit given in vain.

Vomits are more dangerous for women than men, especially such as are either with child, or subject to the fits of the mother.

What medicine is appropriated to the purging of such a humour, for seeing the offending matter is not alike in all, the purging medicine ought not to be the same to all. I shall speak more of this anon. As also of the divers ways whereby medicines draw out or cast out humours, viz. by lenifying, cleansing, provoking nature to expulsion, and (which is stranger than the doctor’s hidden quality) some purge by binding, but indeed, and in truth, such as are properly called purging medicines, which, besides these faculties, have gotten another, by which they draw or call out the humours from the most remote parts of the body, whether these do it by heat or by an hidden quality, physicians are scarce able to determine, it being very well known to modern physicians, though the ancients denied it, that many cold medicines purge.

There is this faculty in all the purges of Galen’s model, (because he gives the whole simple which must needs consist of divers qualities, because the creation is made up of and consists by an harmony of contraries) there is (I say) this faculty in all purges of that nature, that they contain in them a substance which is inimical both to the stomach and bowels, and some are of opinion this doth good, namely, provokes nature the more to expulsion; the reason might be good if the foundation of it were so, for by this reason nature herself should purge, not the medicine, and a physician should help nature in her business and not hinder her. But to forbear being critical, this substance which I told you was inimical to the stomach, must be corrected in every purge.