Thus it being proven, that Philosophy is not so ancient as Medicine, the next thing the Doctor demonstrats is, That Reasonings in Physick and Astronomy, [Page 38] should both stand upon the same Foun­dation; which in the next Paragraph he proves thus.

‘But because (says he Parag: 5.) we understand that the most ancient Phy­sicians alledged that Diseases came from the Anger of the gods, and that Astro­nomy was the first Science that was stu­died by the most ancient Philosophers, and that at the same time the Stars were called by the Names of the gods, it is very probable that these ancient Physicians treated of such Diseases that for the most part follow the Seasons. Whence it follows, that according to the Opinion of the most ancient Phy­sicians and Philosophers Reasonings, in Physick and Astronomy, should both be founded on the same Principles.’ The Argument runs thus.

The most ancient Physicians were of opinion, That Diseases came from the Anger of the gods, and Astronomy was first cultivat by the most ancient Philoso­phers, and at the same time the Stars were called by the Names of the gods. Erg: [Page 39] These ancient Physicians in the beginning treated of these Diseases, that follow u­pon the change of the Weather. This is the First Conclusion, and the Second is like unto it: And therefore Reasoning in Physick and Astronomy, &c. q. [...]. d.

Now although this Demonstration be in its self very clear, yet to fit it for vul­gar Capacities, I will illustrat it by an Argument of the same kind, but a litle more evident and easie to be understood, which runs thus.

The most ancient Apothecaries admi­nistred Clysters by a Bagg. And the most ancient Irish made their Horses draw the Plough by the Tail, and about the same time Ireland was called Teague-land, Ergo according to the Opinion of the most an­cient Apothecaries and Irish, Husbandry and Pharmacy should proceed upon the same Grounds. But to make the thing a litle more clear, I'll give you another of the same kind.

Tom Trueman gave Hob the Millar a Box on the Ear, and a Lobster catch'd a [Page 40] Hare about the same time that Julius C [...]e­sar was murder'd in the Senate. Erg: (N. B.)

However ridiculous you may think these Arguments, they are every whit as conclusive as the Professor's, only with this difference, that these conclude no­thing, while the Doctor's, by a Trick of Leger-de-main, prove the quite contrary of what he designs. For he tells us, that the old Physicians first treated of these Diseases that follow the change of the Seasons, because they believed that Di­seases came from the Anger of the gods: Whereas this very Belief made them ne­glect those we properly call Diseases, looking upon them as altogether super­natural, and thinking there was no other way to remove them, but by appeasing their angry Dieties with Sacrifices and Prayers. And therefore we are told, that Podalyrius and Machaon, who fol­lowed Agamemnon to the Trojan War, did great Service to their fellow Soldiers, in [Page 41] curing their Wounds, without medling any further, for the very Reason just now mentioned, which I will give you in Cel­sus's words. Padolyrius & Machaon bello Trojano ducem Agamemnonem secuti, non mediocrem opem commilitonibus suis attule­runt. Quos tamen Homerus non in pesti­lentia, neque in variis generibus morborum aliquid attulisse auxilii, sed vulneribus tan­tummodo ferro & medicamentis mederi soli­tos esse proposuit. Eodem (que) authore disci po­test morbos ad iram deorum immortalium re­latos esse, & ab iisdem opem posci solitam. So much for the First Conclusion. The Second is of the same Mettal, and is so far from the Truth, that the quite con­trary follows from this very Opinion, that Medicine is older than Philosophy. Whence it's clear, that the Dr's. Argument cuts its own Throat, and is truly Felo de se.

Philosophy being now sent a packing, and the physical Causes at it's Heels, let us proceed to the Work, and pursue close­ly this Method of the Astronomers, in order to the establishing of certain Princi­ples. ‘These (says our Orator, Parag. [Page 42] 10,) did not receive into their Art the Opinions of Orators, nor made use of Fables which might please the common People, for explaining the Motion of the Stars; but by a long train of Ob­servations made in divers places, and at sundry times, and by comparing to­gether the Phoenomena of the motions of the Heavens, by a Method familiar to themselves, and useful to all, did de­fine these Powers, by which Bodies in motion did move towards other Bodies, either in motion or rest.’ And this is the Method by which we are to find out these Principles in Medicine, that are as certain as these things we know by our Senses, as the Doctor alledgeth Pag. 14. and a­bout which Men skilful in Mathematicks, and freest from Prejudices are agreed. Par. 6. ‘And do we still doubt (says he) that Medicine is to be brought to per­fection the same way? For indeed all bodies are of the same Nature, and e­very one may be changed into any other of what kind soever; and so all Bodies whatsoever their bulk or size be, are [Page 43] subject to the common Events of Mo­tions and Mutations. Whence it fol­lows, that the Laws and Affections of the Fluids and Canals in the Body of Man, may be defined, when either we shall have made more Observations, or rightly compared these which are made already.’ Parag. 11.

Can any thing be better said? Is not our lot fallen in happy times, in which we shall see this Conjectural Art erected in­to a Science, and setled on such sure Prin­ciples, by which we may as certainly Cure Diseases and foretel their Events, as the Astronomers do the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon, the rising and setting of the Stars, &c. But since the most part of Physicians are ignorant of this Method, it were Charity in the Dr. to furuish us with Ephemerides's, by which we might make yearly Almanacks of Diseases and their Cures.

But before I come to the Examination of this learned Speech, I must tell you that the Doctor has destroyed the Certain­ty of these Principles in his Problem de [Page 44] Inventoribus, &c. For there he tells us that nothing that depends upon the faith of Hi­story, as the Principles of Astronomy do, can ever be so certain as these things we know by our Senses: And here he tells us, that the Principles of Physick must, like those of the Astronomers, be as certain as the Objects of our Senses, i. e. They must be both as certain, and not as certain at the same time, which is a downright Contra­diction. Whence you may observe, that these who contradict themselves, as well as Lyers, had need of a good Memory.

Now all this Jargon about such Princi­ples, is a Tale of a Tub, a meer Romance of the Doctor's own making, the spawn of his own Imagination, and are only to be found there, where he had e'en best keep them, for few else will venture to harbour such dangerous Guests.

Nothing can be of more fatal conse­quence in the practice of Medicine, than this idle Notion and vain Conceit. For he that pretends to such Principles, may venture on any thing, and set up for Cur­ing Diseases as certainly, as the Astrono­mers [Page 45] can define the Motions of the Cele­stial Bodies, which none but a Mounte­bank or Quack-salver will ever pretend to. But since one of the charactaristick Marks of these Principles is, That they must be such about which the Mathema­ticians do agree, why are they so cruel as not to agree, and give us a printed List of them, that we may not practise any more in the Dark, and suffer Men to die after the old fashion? But what shall we do in the mean time? Let us e'en be jog­ging on after the old manner, and do what is most Probable and Reasonable, till our Deliverance come: For he that will venture to do nothing in Medicine without a Demonstration, may chance to make both his Patiens and himself share with Buridanus's Ass, which coming to a place where two ways met, and having no Demonstration for taking the one before the other, stood still and dyed of Hunger. In which I think she was Troppo Mathema­tico, which is in plain English a Fool.

But should not the Physicians in imi­tation of the Astronomers, make Obser­vations [Page 46] at different times and divers pla­ces, and compare these together, and not take up Principles at random from the Opinions of Orators? This Orator has no reason to be affraid that Physicians will take their Principles from him. And whereas he says, They should make Ob­servations, &c. What else have they been doing above these 2000 Years? not in imitation of the Astronomers, for Medi­cine seems to be older than Astronomy, (at least according to the Doctor) but of the Great Hippocrates, (whose Aphorisms are so many Conclusions drawn from a long tract of Observations) or rather of Nature it self; without so much as ever dreaming of imitating the Astronomers, more than the Man in the Moon. For wise Men always knew and know still, that Medicine is of a quite other Nature than Astronomy. For after they had made their Observations and compared them, they found that different places re­quired frequently different Methods: and that one thing was expedient at Rome, a­nother in Aegypt, and a third in France. [Page 47] And not only so, but that the Age, Con­stitution, Manner of Life, Sympathies, Antipathies, &c. was to be taken notice of. Hence it is that Celsus saith, Quod vix ulla perpetua praecepta Medicinalis ars neceperit. And in another place, Ergo vetustissimus Auctor Hippocrates dixit, me­deri oportere & communia & propria intuen­tem. Hence also it is that Medicine is called by Pliny, Ars Interpolaris. But that in Astronomy in was far otherwise. For they found that their Observations agreed, and that the Celestial Bodies observed the same Laws in all places, that the Sun in an Year, the Moon in a Month, &c. finished their Course, and returned to the same place. Any Body that understands the very first Principles of Medicine, knows that it is an establish'd Maxime among Physicians, A juvantibus & nocentibus opti­ma petitur Indicatio; which for ever debars it from the benefit of these Principles the Doctor pretends to find out by this A­stronomical, or rather Lunatical Method.

But to show you how absurd this No­tion is, and how inconsistent the Doctor [Page 48] is with himself; consider but a litle, that the great Design he proposes to himself is, to set up Medicine ab omni Philosopho­rum secta liberam, free from all Sects and Hypothesis whatsoever; and yet at the same time he will have us to imitate the Astronomers who are divided into Sects, and have different Systems: that is, we must follow them, by not following them at all, which I think is the safest way by farr. Is not this a hard Task-master, to require the same Tale of Bricks, and yet give us no Straw? This brings us under the Aegyptian Bondage, and puts us in a far worse condition than ever we were at Rome, according to the Doctor's Dream, which is no more to be regarded here, than in any other part of the Ora­tion, which is one continued Mistake from the beginning to the end. What is the Matter? shall not the Physicians be allow­ed to frame to themselves different Hy­potheses (if they please) for explaining the Phoenomena of Diseases, as well as the Astronomers for explaining these of the Celestial Bodies? No, by no means: For [Page 49] Medicine was free born, and lived a long time so, and will never thrive till it re­cover its ancient Liberty, and enjoy its native Prerogative, and have nothing to do with any Sect, Party or Faction what­soever.

But if the Doctor will needs have us follow this Method, why has he not told us how far, whether at a distance or slow­ly, or fast and closs at the heels? Which latter if we do, we may chance to break our Necks, or fall into some Ditch or Bogg, as these who have Ignis fatuus or Willawisps for their Guide: Yea, into these very Inconveniencies he would have us to shun. Nothing can be of more dan­gerous consequence, than to set up a pra­ctical Art, and a speculative Science upon the same foot, For in this there can be no hazard in framing and following as many different Hypotheses as you please. What prejudice does the World sustain, I pray, whether the Sun be the Center about which the Planets dance (allowing even the dull Earth to be one of the Ring) as Maids about a May-pole? Or the [Page 50] Earth the fixed Point about which these glorious Luminaries turn? In all this nobis nec seritur, nec metitur. But if Astronomy were such an Art as Physick is, all these Hypotheses which before were innocent, would have more fatal Consequences, than any I know in Medicine, and change the very Methods of Curing. Wherefore let us take a Ramble through the Heavens, and suppose for a litle, that these Cele­stial Creatures may be subject to Collicks, Gouts, Gravels, Epilepsies, and all that Troop of Diseases that flew out of Pand [...] ­ra's Box, as well as we; and that the A­stronomers are their Physicians: Let us see then what will become of it? I sup­pose then the Moon, when she is eclipsed, is in a fainting Fit; for what Eclipsis is in the Greek, the same is Diliquium in Latine, and in English, Fainting. The Shepherd Endymion perceiving this, begun to be moved with Compassion towards his kind hearted Mistress, and will needs consult the most knowing Physicians in the Disea­ses of the Starrs; and who should he choose but P [...]olomy▪ and Copernicus, both Physi­cians [Page 51] in Ordinary to the Moon: He de­signed also to have Tycho Brahe the Dane present, but he had been drunk over Night and was taking a Nap: He carries them to see the Patient. Now let us hear the Consultation. Copernicus being the youn­ger spoke first thus. By all the Signs and concurrent Symptoms it seems to be be­yond doubt▪ that this Ladys Disease is no­thing else but deliquium animi, proceeding from Vapours occasioned by the Earth, from which noxious Steams arise, because of the Sun's absence, by whose benign In­fluence all Creatures enjoy Life and Health Strength and Vigour; especially this wor­thy Lady, who can no more be without [...]t▪ than we without Air. That this is the immediat Cause of the Disease seems [...]o me certain▪ But this is not enough, but the procatartick Cause must be enqui­ [...]ed into, from which, if I be not mistaken, [...]he principal Indication, both for curing this Disease and preventing a Relapse, must be [...]aken. We must find out then the Rea­ [...]on why the Moon falls so frequently in­ [...]o the shaddow of the Earth, which causes [Page 52] these [...]ainting Fits▪ and see whether the Cause be Internal in the Moon herself, or External in the Sun or Earth. I am of O­pinion that it is not in the Sun, who being fixed in the Center, as a Sentinel to his Post, can never do amiss so long as he holds his Station: And therefore if there be any broken Heads abroad, no body can blame him, who is as innocent as the Child unborn. For the Earth it is but a dull, senseless, unactive Mass, and tho it be always a Rambling, yet it has neither so much Wit or Malice to put such a Trick on a fair Lady, her kind Neighbour. The Cause then must be Internal, and ly in the Lady her self, who has been a long time over Head and Ears in love with Endymio [...] as every Body knows, and for the mos [...] part she goes down every Night, to kis [...] the Shepherd, as he lyes asleep upon th [...] tender Grass, and frequently missing th [...] way, (for Love is blind) she falls into th [...] shaddow of the Earth. And this I judg [...] to be the true Cause, which being foun [...] out, the Cure is easie. For love bein [...] nothing but a kind of Madness, I thin [...] [Page 53] nothing can be more proper than great E­vacuations by Purging, Blooding, &c. and puting her under a strict Regimen, for sine Cerere & Bacho friget Venus. Then spake Ptolomey thus. You have spoke very well (said he) both as to the Disease and its im­mediat Cause, the knowledge of which is not sufficient, as you very well remarked: But, if I be not mistaken, you have miss'd the Procatartick Cause altogether, by rea­son of your wrong Hypothesis: Here it is that you and I differ in the Cause, and I am affraid we disagree also in the Cure. My Opinion is then, that neither the Moon nor the Earth is to blame. For the Lady Moon is not in Love, as you alledge, and what she did to Endymion, proceeded not from an amourous Wantoness (which I confess is a kind of Madness) but from meer Generosity, or rather Charity, which is a Virtue, and can never lead any Body out of the way. For Jupiter having con­demned him to a perpetual Sleep, because he had been a litle too homely with Jun [...], she stole him away from him, and hid him in a Cave under a Mountain, and stept [Page 54] down sometimes at Night to see how his Head lay, without any sinistruous design. And for the Earth, I maintain she is fixed to her Post, and her Ear nail'd to the Cen­ter, and cannot in the least budge thence, and therefore she cannot be the Cause. For your Hypothesis that makes the Earth turn round is false; for it is only the reeling and turning of your own Heads makes you imagine so, as these who have a Vertigo, imagine all things turn round. The Cause then must un­doubtedly ly in the Sun, who is a precise kind of Gentleman, and will not step out of his Road to please any Body, but will needs make Visits both to the Head and Tail of the Dragon, according to his old custom; by which means, his poor Sister, who cannot live without his presence one Moment, falls into fainting Fits, in some of which she may chance to die one time or another. And therefore, in my humble Opinion, the Sun ought to be soundly put­ged with Hellebore, and Blooded ad animi deliquium, according to the Method of the Ancients, for his Disease is certainly a [Page 55] downright Madness: For who but a Mad­man would make any Body run the ha­zard of their L [...]fe for a meer Visit of Ce­remony. And lest you may think it strange that I apply the Cure to the External Cause and not to the Patient, I have for a Pre­sident the Great Hippocrates, who cured a great Pestilence by kindling great Fires, and thus correcting the Malignity of the Air. Beside, there is nothing more ordi­nary than to apply Sympathetick Powder to the Weapon that made the Wound. And this is my Opinion grounded on my Hypothesis, and to which you ought to submit, you being but a young Man, and I your Senior. That will I never do, said the other, for my Hypothesis, according to which I proceed in the Cure, is as good as yours, and large better. And so they ended without concluding any thing, though both great Mathematicians. Wherefore we see the Moon subject to these Fits to this Day. From all which you may understand how safe it is for Earthly Physicians to imitate these Hea­venly, or rather Lunatick ones: And in [Page 56] such an Art as Medicine is to follow the Method of the Astronomers.

Now the Doctor having demonstrat the Excellency and Usefulness of this Method, crys out, Et nos dubitamus, &c. And do we doubt that Physick is not to be brought to perfection the same way? We must doubt till we have better Grounds to be­lieve. ‘Are not all Bodies (says he) of the same Nature, and may be changed in­to one another,’ &c. as above. Well reason­ed, all Bodies can be changed into one a­nother, as Elephants into Oysters, Sun Moon and Stars into Dunghils, Watches into Woodcocks. Here is a strange Me­tamorphosis. Would it not be pretty to hear one cry, Who will buy a Goose? and when you come to buy it, you find it a Pigg, at least you may perswade the Sel­ler so, by this Reason, That every thing may be changed into another of what kind soever. But as universal as the Professor thinks this Transmutation to be, yet there are some things altogether incapable of this Change: As for Example, these that are crack't from their Cradle can never be [Page 57] made sound; for their Disease is vitium orga­ni & a privatione ad habitum non datur regres­sus. I confess they may be Cured by a Mi­racle, as the Man was that was born blind: But these that believe no Miracles have no reason to expect that one will be wrought in their Favours.

But that you may not take this for a piece of Counter-banter, I'll show you that this Reasoning is every whit as ridi­culous and absurd as I represent it. For though all Bodies may be said to be of the same Nature, in respect of their common Essence and Properties as Extension, Divi­sibility, Mobility, &c. yet it will not fol­low that they ever can be changed into one another, or come under the same Laws; except the Doctor mean, that for ought we know the thing implies no Contradi­ction, from which nothing at all can be concluded. The Laws of Nature are e­stablished by the Author of Nature: But how far their Limits extend we know not. Yet we have reason to believe that He has set them their Bounds that they cannot pass: For we find that every thing propo­gates [Page 58] after its kind, and some Transmu­tations are very hard: For we can hard­ly make a good Fire of Ice, though a cer­tain Author affirms, That in Island it is become so dry with Age, that the In­habitants make very good Fewel of it. But granting all this, how will it follow that the Laws and Affections of the Fluids and Canals in the Body of Man may be defined? Very well; for all Bodies be­ing of the same Nature, and subject to the same common Laws of Motion, the Ter­restial as well as the Celestial, these we see not, as well as these we see. And the Astronomers, by a Method familiar to themselves, and useful to all, having found out and defined the Laws and Affections of the latter, whose Motions and Regula­rity is obvious to our Eyes. Therefore the Physicians by the like Method may find out the Laws and Affections of the Fluids in the Body of Man, whose Or­der, Figure or Motion, they cannot see, though inlightned with the Mathematicks, as we shall see when we come to examine the Professor's Demonstration of the Uni­formity [Page 59] of the Pores. The Argument is just such another as this, One that sees well may be a good Painter: Erg: One that is stone blind may be so too. If the Professor would be so kind as to assist us with Mathematical Spectacles to see the Animal Spirits, the Form, Figure and Con­texture of their Parts, and all the small Filaments and Pores by which all the Se­cretions are made, we would thank him for the Favour, and then think of follow­ing these Star-gazers. But though he could make our Bodies as transparent as Crystal of the Rock, so that we could see with the naked Eye, all the order and harmony of the Microcosm, as well as we do the Mo­tions of a Clock, we should by this means have a more curious and useless Specula­tion, but never a whit more useful or suc­cessful Practice; Physick would still be a Conjectural Art, and Physicians still Gues­sers, and Men dye after the old fashion, and Mathematicians be mistaken, and Fools speak Nonsense. If indeed the Professor would teach us how to take down the Ma­chine and set it up again, to take out a [Page 60] crack't Spring, and put in one that is sound and whole; and when the Pendule runs too fast to add some weight to the Ballance, and make the Vibrations more regular and equal and slow; then there would be some hopes of seeing some Mens Clocks go better, and strike more regularly: Yet after all, I must confess, there would still be some Watches that all the World would never make go right.

The Professor has hitherto only shew'd us in general the Usefulness and Advan­tage of this New Method: But now he comes closs to the Point, and makes Ap­plication to a particular Case, to show us the Power of his infallible Principles, and the heroick Exploits of his new knight Errants, the Mathematical Causes: Than which nothing can be more just; for all the Proof of the Pudding is in the eating. But if ever the Doctor make a good Pud­ding with this Seasoning, I'll eat the P—.

‘Because (says he Parag. 25.) I said that it was not necessary for Physicians to search out Physical Causes, and that this may seem a hard Saying to the Phi­losophers: [Page 61] Therefore I'll illustrat and confirm the whole Matter, by an Ex­ample that none can except against.’ This is the first time that ever I heard, that the knowledge of Physical or Natural Causes was altogether useless to a Physician. And therefore no wonder that not only Philo­sophers, but all pretenders to common Sense think this a saucy and senseless Say­ing. Are not all evident Causes natural ones? But if the Doctor understands the first Principles of natural Bodies, the springs of their Actions, and the way and manner of their workings; I know none but some light nodled Mountebanks that follow this ignis fatuus, or false Light, or pretend to take any practical Indications thence, no more than from Mathematical Causes. For, as I told you before, neither Hippocrat nor Galen thought any such knowledge neces­sary. But that this is not the Doctor's Meaning▪ I will shew you by and by; for he himself alledgeth the knowledge of such Causes, as the Physicians call Physical or Natural, very useful in the practice of Me­dicine. But let us hear him out.

[Page 62] ‘The Physicians (says he) that wrote before us of the Diseases of the Eyes, in which a kind of Images or Semblances appear before them, and trouble the Sight, confidently affirmed that the phy­sical Cause of this was, some litle Cor­puscules or Motes sweeming in the wa­try Humor of the Eye, which moving hither and thither up and down, imprint on the Retina, as it were the resemblance of Flies, or such like things, which we think we see before us.’ And in this the Doctor alledgeth they wete very much mistaken.

Here is a sad and lamentable Story, that poor Mortals should have been so long haunted with those Spectres or Ghosts (for so our Orator calls them) which are of a quite different Nature from all others of that kind, which for the most part haunt Men most in the Night; but those are most troublesome in the Morning, especi­ally after a rousing Cup. Is it not sad to think that no Body appeared for so long a time, that had skill enough to conjure these Spectres? But I see not what the Pro­fessor [Page 63] can say for himself, since he knew how to have sent them a packing with his Mathematical Rod, 8 or 9 Yea [...]s ago. For you must know that the design of build­ing this Castle in the Air, is not so late as one would imagine, the Materials has been a long time a preparing for it.

For the Doctor had a learned Discourse on this Subject, out of which this is ex­tracted, in the Year 1685, about which time it was prophecied that the Labd would begin to Thrive. The Prophecy is this.

By which it appears that it was to thrive in Medicine, as well as other things. And this seems in some measure to illustrat the former Prophecy. Pray mark the Har­mony.

In this Discourse the Doctor treats some eminent Physicians like School Boys, tel­ling us, That they like Sheep followed [Page 64] the Flock that went before them. These Beasts that followed the Herd were Pla­terus, Sen [...]rtus, Riverius, &c. which were not such Dunces, nor blind Admirers of the Ancients, as our Orator would make them. But since those were the Sheep in Medicine, I wish the Doctor would tell us who were the Goats, that we might se­parat the one from the other. There is one Passage more in this Discourse that ought to be taken notice of, and may be of great use to those that love a Cup, viz. That these Ghosts haunt Folks most in the Morning after drinking of Wine, but (N. B.) especially Ale. Whence I observe, that if we must needs take our Collation, that it be ra­ther in the pure Blood of the Grape, than in muddy Ale: For if that make some Hob­goblings appear, this will make you ima­gine you see whole Legions of Devils. A second Observation is, That these evil Spirits are always raised with D [...]unkeness: Whence it follows, that the way to lay them is to go sober to Bed. But let us go on.

‘I affirm (says the Doctor) that no Cor­puscles sweeming in the aqueous Humor▪ [Page 65] or contain'd within the Eye, can imprint their Image on the Retina.’ And I affirm the contrary, and so we are quits. But it must not go so: ‘For (says he) whoever consi­ders well how large the Diameters of the Eye must be, and what are the Laws of Refraction, will find, that the Image of any thing within the Eye, which is placed before the Retina, must be pro­jected outwards, and can never make a­ny impression on the Retina, and there­fore can no ways affect the Sight.’ And I say, whoever considers the Laws of Sense and Reason will sind this Passage stark Nonsense. As for his Laws of Refraction, since he has not told us what they are, I am not concerned in them: For a Law not promulgat is as good as no Law at all. But the Doctor out of an excess of Chari­ty has dispensed with these Criminals be­ing tried by the Laws of the Dioptricks, and remitted them to the Judge Ordina­ry Experience, who is very impartial. ‘But (says he, in the above-mentioned Discourse 1685.) the thing is so clear, that without the help of the Opticks, [Page 66] it may be demonstrate every Day by Experience: For if any thing be brought so near the Eye, that it almost touch the Cornea, the Eye will have no impression of it, nor any perception at all.’ Now though this be as false as Transubstantiation, and equally contradicts the Testimony of our Senses, yet many considerable Advan­tages result from it. The First is for those who have tender and weak Eyes, who cannot endure the Light; for they may keep their Eyes almost quite shut constant­ly (which will contribute very much to the Cure) and nevertheless see every whit as well as if they were wide open: For when any thing is brought so near the Cornea that it almost touch it, as the Eye lids no doubt do, it will make no impres­sion upon the Eye at all, nor any ways obstruct the sight. The Second is for those who have a Cataract growing on the Eye, to convince them of a Mistake they all labour under, which is, that they see al­ways something like Midges or Flies that trouble the sight; to convince, I say, these poor deluded Creatures, that it is only a [Page 67] deception of the Sense, and sickness of their Brain, and consequently that they must be treated as these who are Hypocondriack or Mad, without taking any notice of their Eyes at all. The Third and Last is universal and useful for all, which is, To make Men see through a Mil-stone, as well as the most transparent Crystal, by making the Object almost touch the Cornea: For then you will see every whit as well as if nothing were in your way at all. I hope no Man will doubt of these Conclusions, since you have the Professor's word to war­rand them. Ipse dixit.

But all is not yet done, he has another String to his Bow; and I make no doubt with this two-fold Cord these poor Hob­goblings will be strangled. For he fore­seeing that an Objection might be made, that although these litle Corpusculs could not be said properly to make any impres­sion on the sight; nevertheless they might produce the like effect, by hindring some Rays of Light that come from the Object to penetrat to the Retina, and so hide some parts of the Object from our sight, has [Page 68] armed himself with an Effatum, which he never wants upon occasion. The Effatum is this, That there is no point of any visible Object, from which there comes not Rays of Light to every point of the Cornea; so that although many points of the Cornea were co­vered with Spots, nevertheless all the parts of the Objects would be seen. This Effatum may truly be called Effartum, which comes from Fartum a Pudding: For never was Pudding more stuffed with Meat, than this is with Nonsense. Do not we see Objects by the Rays of Light that comes from them to the Retina, and if there come none from them at all, they cannot be seen (ex­cept Men have Cats Eyes, who, they say, see in the Dark) and by the same Reason if there come no Rays from any assignable part or point of the Object to it, there can be no perception of that part at all. Now if there be any Spots on the Cornea, or in the acqeous Humor, and if the Rays com­ing from any part of the Object fall on them, they can never penetrat into the bottom of the Eye, and so can make no sensation of these Parts there, which con­sequently [Page 69] must be hidden from our sight. Do not all opack Bodies cast a Shaddow? And are not these Spots such? By what In­chantment then have they been wheedled out of their Birth-right? I have found where the knack lyes, which is here, That these litle Bodies are Witches or Wizards, which Children say have no Shaddow: And with this Reason I am content, till the Doctor find a better.

You see it was not without a Cause that the Doctor was angry with the Old Physicians, and that he had just ground to disposess the physical Causes, and banish them from the Common-wealth of Medi­cine: But it was as just that some other should be put in their room, who will prove a great deal better Subjects than they: And these are the Mathematical Causes.

‘But (says he) if that Point of the Re­tina, or Net in which the Rays that come from any visible point of the Object, should meet, be covered or compressed, so that the Image cannot reach it, there will be no sensation of the Object at all. [Page 70] And if the same thing fall out in many points of the Retina, all these things will come to pass that the Physicians believed for so long a time was trans­acted in the watry Humor.’ And be­lieve so still for any thing the Doctor has said to the contrary. But he goes on. ‘E­very Body knows that the Retina is a kind of Net, knit or woven of the Fi­laments of the optick Nerves.’ That's true good Doctor, but no Body knew it was a Net to catch Flies, till you told them. ‘This Flie-trap is invironed with the sanguiferous Vessels that creep along the bottom of the Eye, especially in that part where the entry to the optick Nerve is. Therefore if the Eye be so placed, that the Rays must needs fall upon that point of the Retina, there will be no representation of the Object. This will easily be found to be true, if two Objects be exposed to our view in the same Line paralel to the Horizon, a litle higher than the Eye, and about a Foot and a half distant from one ano­ther: Then shuting the left Eye, and [Page 71] directing the right towards the Object on the left Hand, as the nature of the Eye requires: First we shall see both Objects distinctly; then coming to such a point, the Object on the right Hand will evanish, while in the mean time we see all round distinctly.’

Here one would almost swear, that the Professor was playing at Cross-purposes with this long winded Story of the Net in the bottom of the Eye, with which he designed to catch his Adversaries the Old Physicians, as Spiders catch Flies; but these Foxes are too cunning for him, and in stead of catching them he has spread a Net for his own Feet. For the Doctor proposes a question that no Physician hitherto could Answer; and no wonder, since they were ignorant of this new Me­thod, and never dreamed of Mathemati­cal Causes. The Question is, What is the Cause, of a kind of litle Images of dif­ferent Colours, but for the most part black that appear before some Folks Eyes like Flies or Midges? The Old Physicians Answer, that it is Motes that sweem in the [Page 72] aqueous Humor of the Eye that makes this Impression and Appearance. But the Professor rejects this, and nauseats it as musty with Age: The Reason then, says he, of the appearing of these Images is, because no Image at all appears. ‘For the Rays of Light (says he) falling on these Points of the Retina, where the the Filaments of the optick Nerves are covered with the sanguiferous Vessels, there will be no Image of the Object at all.’ And to convince you the more of the truth of this, he illustrates the Matter wonderfully by a very apposite Similitude, of two Objects placed as a­bovementioned, whereof one disappears at such a distance. For the Question be­ing, What is the Reason we come to see Objects we saw not before, which trouble our sight? It is Answered by this Simi­litude, because we loose the sight of these we saw before. Is not this well answered? Can any thing be more just, than he that looses at one hand, should gain at ano­ther? Thus many hard Questions may be answered, that are both curious and [Page 73] useful: As wherefore hath a Horse four Feet? Because a Man hath two. Where­fore do you see the Steeple of Edinburgh? Because you see not the Castle of Dum­bartoun. Why do you scratch your Head? Because I do not scratch my Breech. But there is another part of the Question that remains still to be answered by this Si­militude, viz. What is the Reason, that where ever we go these Spectres haunt us, and we see them distinctly? It is An­swered, because in the paralel Case an Object we saw before disappears at a cer­tain distance, but stepping either forewards or backwards it presently appears again.

Here is one of the most excellent Dis­coveries that ever the World was blessed with, for curing Suffusions, Pearls on the Eye, and Obstructions of the optick Nerves that are not total: By which the Doctor may become more famous for Curing the Diseases of the Eyes, than ever Sancta Lucia was. For that which was done formerly by the old dogged Method of Purging, Blooding, Cupping, Blistering, &c. is now performed in the [Page 74] twinkling of an Eye; for advance, or re­tire, to the right hand about, or to the left, change the posture of your Eye but a hair breadth, and by the virtue of Hocus pocus, presto be gone, the work is done.

In the Conclusion the Doctor tells us, that though the Physicians hitherto have been ignorant of the physical Causes of these Diseases; yet he thinks that he has explained their Mathematical or Medical Causes, the knowledge whereof is very useful and profitable for Physicians.

Who can doubt of the truth of this, af­ter the Doctor has given so pregnant a Proof of this in the above-mentioned Case? Wherefore I exhort all Physicians who are ignorant of the Mathematicks, to betake themselves seriously to that study whate­ver their Age or Experience be (for it is never too late to learn) if ever they de­sign to Cure Diseases Cito, tuto & jucunde, which they can never pretend to without the knowledge of their Mathematical Causes. Which was the thing to be demonstrat.

Now the Doctor having done his work, closes all with an Utinam, as with a Grace [Page 75] after Meat, (which was very well minded, for he forgot to say one before it) ‘I wish, says he, that I could as easily and clear­ly explain all the Diseases of the Body of Man and their Cures, I have done this.’

And I wish I could as easily refute all Errors, as I have demonstrat this Oration to be stark Nonsense, and down-right Gibberish. And thus I have done with the Inaugural Oration, which is the ground work of all.

I proceed next to examine the Doctor's Dissertations or Discourses, and to take a view of the statly and magnificent Fabrick he has reared upon this Foundation. Here you shall have the Solution of many great and weighty Problems (not Triffles or matters of Moon-shine) in which Man­kind is as highly concerned, as to know whether Balaam's Ass had a short Tail or a long, or in what Language she reproved her Master. But such as they are no Body hi­therto could solve them; because, says the Doctor, they begged a great many things that were doubtful, obscure and uncer­tain; [Page 76] (which I think none but a Knave would ask, and none but a Fool grant) whereas by Principles plain and easie to be understood, the Matter may be expe­ded. This plain and easie Geometrical Method the Doctor follows all along in imitation of his great Master Archimedes, who beg'd but as much Ground as to set his Foot on, and he would remove the whole Earth, and toss it like a Tennis-ball up and down the Air. This was but a poor Demand, yet poor as it was no Body would give him his asking, being affraid the Experiment might cost them too dear; for though their persons might be secure, no Body could be found that would ensure their Glasses and China Dishes. But in this I think they were a little too peevish and nice. Had I been in those Days and had had but one Foot of Ground bordering u­pon the terrestial Glob, he should have had it at a very easie Rate: And I should have been as litle affraid of his performing his Undertaking, as I am of the Doctor's per­forming his, though I resolve to grant him all his asking, although it were tentimes more.

[Page 77] The First Discourse that presents it self is that De motu [...]anguinis per vafaminima. In this the Doctor designs to be as good as his Word. For in his Oration, as I told you before, he says, He thinks he ‘can­demonstrat, that there are no Fer­ments in the Glandules of Man's Body, and that all the Pores and Orifices of the Vessels have one and the same kind of Figure.’ We shall see by and by whether or no his Thought has beguiled him for once.

The principal Design and Scope of this Discourse, is to explain how Secretion is transacted in the Body of Man. You know that a great many Fluids are separat from the Mass of the Blood, as the Liquor of the Nerves, the Lymph, the Bile, the U­rine, &c. Now here the Doctors differ, some maintaining the Doctrine of Fer­ments, others who pretend to a more sub­tile and refined Philosophy, imbrace the mecanick Hypothesis, which explains all Secretion by the different Figures of the Pores and Particles of the Fluids: Some join both together. The Doctor under­takes [Page 78] takes to demonstrat the Absurdity of these, and to prove that all the Pores are alike in Figure, and differ only in size, and by this Hypothesis pretends to explain Secre­tion.

Here the Doctor has to do with Men of his own mettal Des Cartes and his Fol­lowers, Mathematicians all over; and no doubt there will be a sound blow: For no War is so cruel as that amongst Brethren. Who can withold crying to see

For my part I am litle concerned, I shall only look on and see fair play.

The Mechanists to illustrate their Opi­nion, adduce the Example of a Sieve, ha­ving holes of different Figures, as Triangu­lar, Circular, Square, &c. through which they alledge that Bodies of the same Fi­gure and Size will pass, while others of a different Figure cannot though no bigger than the former.

The Doctor on the contrary alledgeth that the similitude is altogether imperti­nent, [Page 79] because it is not (according to him) difference of figure, but of bulk that makes one thing pass and another not. Therefore sayes he Sect. 9. ‘All bodies that pass throw a sieve, must be less, whatever, their figure be, then those that do not, pass: that is (as he explains himself) they must have less Diameters. For if all the Diameters of those that pass not, be no greater then the Diameters of those that do pass, then of necessity they must pass mixed together. From whence it follows that diversity of figure in the pores and particles of fluids, is not sufficient except we suppose likewise dif­ference of bulk which alone without this superfluous diversity of figure will do the job.’

To which the Mechanists answer that nothing is more absurd than to assert that it is only difference of bulk and not of fi­gure by which secretion can be explain'd, and that things of the same bigness though of different shapes will necessarly pass mix­ed together. For every body knows that two skrew nails every way alike in bulk, the [Page 80] Diameters of the one no manner of way bigger then the other, only because of some small difference in the figure. Viz, when the spiral line of the one runs cross or contrary to that of the other. I say every body knows, that the one of those will enter where the other cannot. Yea which is more some bodies can be assig­ned whose bulk and Diameters are every way less, then that of others, and yet these less will not pass where the greater do, (but I have told the Doctor too much at once for any thanks I am like to have for it) which downright destroys the Doctors opinion, who it seems has not consulted his Analyticks well in this, to suffer him­self to be skrewd out of it, by a poor vice­nail. That which beguiled the Professor is (and he ows me thanks for the discove­ry) that the thing holds in some figures, though not in all: But it is dangerous from a few particulars to infer an univer­sal conclusion. What can be more unjust then to alledge that all men are Rogues, Cheats, or Fools, because some are such? Or to judge all Physicians Atheists, be­cause [Page 81] some Miscreants of that Profession has been such fools, as to value themselves for that very thing (thinking nothing could prove them men but denying God) I say Fools or Mad-men; because it is on­ly the Fool that hath said in his heart that there is not a God, and none but a madman will express it with his mouth: which is a demonstration to me that all Atheists are such.

What a shame is it for a Professor who teaches others, to make such a wrong step, as to conclude that because difference of bulk is sometimes the cause of such a thing, therefore it is alwayes so?

He should have considered that it is in the oeconomy of the little world, as it is in that of the great, For as in this, there are some men civil and courteous: others rude and unmannerly, surly and dogged, snar­ling and currish; so in that, there are some pores and particles whose figure is smooth equal and plain: and others whose sur­faces are rough and unequal: these may [Page 82] be called surly currish or snarling pores, those civil and well behaved ones. Now suppose a pore to be smooth, and a [...]cube or (done &c. as smooth comes to its door, they may enter freely, pass and repass without trouble or molestation, providing their Diameters be no greater then those of the pore. There is nothing but civili­ty here. But if a cross-grain'd cilynder, such as my skrew nail, comes to a pore whose spiral line runs cross to its, it may well knock at the door, but not enter: then they must needs fall a scolding. What sayes the nail, why may not I pass as well as that fellow that entered just now, who can pretend to no better rank or quality then me who am in every Diameter alike? You he sayes the pore he is a civil gentle­man, and passes discreetly, and you are cross-grain'd and surly, quite contrary to my humor, get you gone, or I'le send you a packing with a vengeance. And from this cause [...]imagine proceed the sharp con­flicts between Acids and Alkalies, Viz. from a ramcounter between dogged, ill natur'd pores▪ and such snarling [...] who [Page 83] when they have grapled a while, till they are almost quite out of breath, at last make a peace: for Pax quaeritur bello.

But this is not all the Doctor has to say, for granting all the orifices of the vessells had such determinat figures as Triangles, Squares, Paralelograms &c. fitted for re­ceiving Cones, Cubes and Prisms, and all other kindes of particles, that are to be separat from the mass of the blood in the glandules, granting this (as he alledgeth) no secretion will follow upon it. For that this way may be effectuat, it is necessary not only that those particles be equal to, and of a like figure with the orifices, but that they be scituat the same way, when they come to enter. As for example, that a cubick particle of salt, or any other thing, may enter into a square Pore, it is not only necessary that the one be equal to the other, but that it be scituat the same way, i. e. that the Angles and Sides of the cube answer exactly to those of the O­rifice; for this is the only way it can en­ter. The same holds in cones &c. But there are infinit other ways these particles [Page 84] may be scituat at their approaching the O­rifices, which will hinder their entry. From all which the Doctor concludes, that no secretion can be made this way, because there is but one cause can▪be assigned for it, and infinit causes that may hinder it. And this is the pith and Marrow of the Doctors objection, though not in the same words as it is proposed by him.

Now here is a great deal ado, which a­mounts to no more but a may be, and, as we use to say, what may be may not be. The Doctor cannot deny that the thing is pos­sible, which is enough to blunt the edge of his pretended demonstration: for what is demonstrat is so certain that the con­trary is impossible. Nothing can be more ridiculous than to reason thus. For though there be but one way such a thing can be done, and ten thousand wayes to hinder it: yet if the thing be determined to act that one way, the ten thousand possible impediments amount just to nothing at all. If the Doctor be so generous as to grant his Adversaries that the particles have cer­tain determinat figures, why will he deny [Page 85] them certain determinat motions and scitu­ations? And when he assigns me a cause▪ why such a Pore or particle is Triangu­lar, Square, &c. then I'le tell him what determines the scituation of these li­tle solids such a particular way, when they approach the Orifices of the secretory vessels. There is but one way I know of for a Rop-dancer to keep himself from falling, and that is by ballancing his body and keeping it in an equilibre, and a great many wayes he may fall, and yet for the most part he does not fall: when a Cat is thrown from a height, for the most part she falls on her feet, though there are many other wayes, she may fall. Now let us suppose these Cubes, Cones, &c. to be as dextrous at entring the Pores▪ as the Rope-dancer is to ballance himself, or the Cat to fall on her feet, and the work is done. I may suppose also that these litle bodies are of a stiff and stubborn, self­conceited nature (as for the most part litle folks are) and will enter no way but one, just as the loadstone will draw nothing but iron, though you should present a [Page 86] thousand other things, and the needle touch'd by it will turn but one way, tho there be almost infinit otherwayes it may turn. You see Sir the Doctor has de­monstrat Mathematically, that secretion cannot be performed this way, which since it is daily done in the body of man, it must certainly be performed some other way. And here we come to the pretended demonstration of the uniformity of figure in all the Pores, which the Doctor con­cludes to be round: and by this plain ea­sie way he pretends to explain secretion.

‘A circle sayes he, Sect. 14. is the largest, and most capacious of all fi­gures that have the same Diameter with it self, and will admit the plains of all fi­gures whatever way they be scituat, providing their Diameters be no greater then its own: Therefore since it is in­finitly more probable, that bodies com­ing to any Orifice that is not circular, will not answer exactly to it, it is high­ly probable also that by forcing their entry, they will change the figure of the Orifice into such as will give free pas­sage [Page 87] to bodies of any figure, or scituat any way, i. e. they will make it cir­cular▪ Which will yet more certainly come to pass, if that which runs into the Orifice be liquid: for in that case, though the Orifice were not circular, nevertheless, seing the parts nearest the centre▪ i, e. the Sides, are more pressed and thrust outwards by the liquor, than the parts that are farther from the cen­ter, i. e. the Angles, and since the Sides of the Orifice are flexible and easily yeeld, it follows that all the parts of the Orifice will necessarly be thrust out to the same distance from the centre,’ i. e. the Orifice will at last become circu­lar▪ q. e. d. Here is a long and perplexed demonstration with four times, id est, to which I ad a fifth to make it a dose, i. e. it is all down right non-sense. Here is the demonstration long lookt for, which

And lands all in infinitly more probable, and very likely i. e. a probable demon­stration, i. e. no demonstration at all▪ But [Page 88] such as it is, let us consider it till we get a better.

‘It's highly probable sayes he that the Pores, though they were not circular will at last become such, by the litle corpus­cles of different figures, striving to enter and foreing their way.’ To which I an­swer that there is not the least shadow of probability for it, yea it is altogether im­probable, and quite contrary to the Laws of Nature, and the oeconomie of the litle world. For suppose a cube striving to en­ter a square Orifice, should apply its cor­ners to the sides of the square, providing they be equally hard, they may well play at hard heads a while together; but in my humble opinion the cube would come of with the loss of his bolspreet, and if he continue to play tricks still, may not only chance to level his nose with his cheeks, but also to smooth all his angles, and make himself round in stead of the Pore, and by this means take a Tartar: for every School Boy knows that the an­gle of any thing is sooner broke of than the side.

[Page 89] But the Doctor may urge, that if one single Cub were engaged with a single Pore, it would fall out as I suppose: but he is back'd with a great Troop of confederat Cubs, Cilynders and Prisms, which like a Torrent come on rap rap on the Orifice, and at last by forcing their way, reduce the irregular Orifice to order, by making him smooth and round. Now tho' I should grant that they might thus force their way, yet it will not follow that even they can make the Pore circular (for it is capable of almost an infinite number of o­ther Figures) except they be supposed to combine together, and fight under the Banner of the Archaeus. But though this were [...] there is one thing remains, that quite marrs this Design, which is, That the Pores get always fresh Recruits from the Blood & Spirits, which makes them able to stand their Ground, and maintain their Post against the Assaults of these Bravado's. What the Doctor subjoins is altogether as impertinent as the former, viz. That this will more certainly come to pass if that which runs into the Orifice be liquid, [Page 90] &c. for it is contrary to the Laws of the Oeconomie of the Body of Man. Do not we see those Parts which are most pressed▪ best nourished: And hence it is that they that use Hands and Feet most, have them bigger and stronger than others: And therefore if we should suppose with the Doctor, that the parts nearest the Center are more press'd than these further off, it will not follow, that the Pores will change their Figure, no more than that a Man's Mouth will grow round if he eat many Plums. How comes it pass that the val­ [...]uloe Sigmoides and Mitrales are not quite worn before this time, by the motion of the Blood? And whence is it that the Nostrils maintain their irregular Figure so many Years against the liquid Air, that Day and Night runs through them, and are not become circular long ere now? Or that the Uvula, which stands out like a promontory, is not wash'd away by the Waves of the same Element that [...]oss con­tinually against it?

Now this Paralogism, or rather Deli­ration, is not only believed by the Doctor [Page 91] and his Admirers to be a Mathematical Demonstration, but (as he says himself) is approven for such, by two of the most famous Mathematicians in Europe. From which I observe, that most famous Ma­thematicians may fall into foul Mistakes; and that implicite Faith is as necessary in the School of Archimedes, as in the Church of Rome. For to believe a Dream to be a Demonstration in contradiction to our Reason, and Bread to be Flesh, contrary to our Senses, is equally absurd.

But that I may not seem to deal a litle too severely with the Doctor (for summum jus, summa injuria) in refusing Demonstra­tive Evidence, and casting Mathematical Certainty, I'll grant him for once, that all the Pores of the Body, and Orifices of the Vessels are round of necessity, and by the very Laws of Nature, and that this Dream is as good a Demonstration as any in Eu­clid. Let us see then how Secretion will be performed this way.

The only Secretion that I think will follow, is a kind of Secretion, which may be called no Secretion at all, or more pro­perly [Page 92] Confusion. For either the Pores by which the Bile is separat are narrower, or wider, or of the same bigness with those through which the Urine is separat in the Reins. If the First, then the Bile would flow in greater abundance into the Reins than into the litle Bladder that contains the Gall, because of the wideness of the pas­sage. If the Second, then the Urine would go in greater quantity into the Receptacle of the Bile, than into the Reins, and thence into the Intestins; which I think would be very convenient, and save the Expence of many a Clyster: For Fowles who have their Ureters inserted in the intestinum rectum, let both fly together. If the Third, why then should they go into different Receptacles, and not pass equally both ways? except we suppose that Dolaeus Bogles stand Sentinels at the Orifices, and suffer none to enter but these that have the Archaeus Pass, to go into such or such a quarter. The Matter, as I conceive, may be clearly explained thus, according to the Doctor's, Hypothesis, which sup­poseth all the Pores round, and only dif­ferent in size.

[Page 93] The Body of Man, you know, is called the Microcosm or litle World; in which there must be a Government, as well as in the great World. One of the fundamen­tal Laws of all Government is Property, without which all must run into Confu­sion and Disorder. There must be likewise some Supream to see the Laws put in execution, and every Man's Right main­tained. Now in the Oeconomie of Man's Body every ones Right is setled by Law. The Blood, the Bile, the Animal Spirits, the Urine, &c. have all their own Terri­tories assigned them: The Head for one, the Veins and Arteries for another, the Reins for a third, and so on. While these live peaceably together under the Govern­ment of the Archaeus, all is well, the Body is in good Health: For as the thicker cannot pass where the thinner may, so the thinner dare not pass where the thic­ket does, without being punished by Law. Now if notwithstanding all this, they come to invade one anothers Properties, and the Blood go by the way of the Urine, and the Chyle by Stool, and the Bile by Vo­mit, [Page 94] then an Intestine War is raised in the Microcosm; which if the Archaeus can com­pesce, all is in peace again: And if not, the Oeconomie must go to ruine, and resolve into the state of Nature: where, they say, all things are all Mens, i. e. Nothing is is any Mans. And this is the only way that Secretion by Pores of the same figure only differing in bigness, can be explained without Confusion: And so once more I have helped the Professor out of the Mire.

The Doctor now having got the Victo­ry (not without my Help) claps his Wings and crows, extols his Geometrical Me­thod to the Skies, telling us Sect. 17. That‘he cannot but rejoice in behalf of Medi­cine and this happy Age, in which Geo­metry is brought to such perfection by many skilful Artists, especially by Isaac Newton, that there is ground to hope, that by the help of Principles which that great Man has found out, the Virtues and Qua­lities of Medicaments, which are for the Comfort and Succour▪ of Mankind, will be more certainly discovered.’

[Page 95] Now as the Doctor cannot but rejoice, so I cannot but be sorry and pity some Men in this Age, who are given up to be­lieve Lies, and publish to the World Dreams for Demonstrations. And if this were all, it were no great matter; for it is but natural for Men to be fond of their own Imaginations, though never so ugly: But to see some who pretend to common Sense, and an ordinary stock of Learning, fall down before those Idols, or Nothings (for an Idol is nothing) and worship not the Works of their own Hands, but the Spawn and deformed Brood of other Mens Brains, is such a piece of Absurdity that can hardly be matched, and such a degree of Madness that nothing can excuse but in­vincible Ignorance, or vitium organi. What this great Man may do by his Principles for the advancement of Medicine, I know not: But if what the Doctor has given us he a foretaste of the Fruits we are to ex­pect, we have reason to look for nothing but sower Grapes that will set our Teeth on edge, and give [...] the Gripps to boot.

[Page 96] These are but Rodomontado Expressions that arise from ill digested Thoughts, as Belching does from the Crudity of a weak Stomack. Men may brag what they please, and tell us of their Dreams and Visions, and their new Methods of per­fecting Medicine: But I maintain there is no other Method but that of the Ancients, especially of Hippocrat, by which we can advance that Art, and no wonder since it is the Method of Nature. And for finding out the Virtues and Qualities of Medi­cines, we must learn that from the School­master of Fools, and his two Ushers Ana­logie and our Senses: For the Mathema­ticks can no more assist us here, than the Lunaticks. But this may seem a litle too bold, since the Professor has explained clearly by these Principles the Virtues of Mercury and Opium, which leads me by the Hand to his Discourse De causis di­versae molis qua fluit sanguis per palmonem natis & non natis.

This learned Man in the beginning of this more learned Discourse, tells us that we should not undertake the solution of [Page 97] a Problem by a great many Postulats, which may be done by a few: That is to say, we need not Hercules's Club to break an Egg when we may do it with the tip of our Finger. And therefore says he, ‘I am not pleased with those that explain the Operation of Mercury by a kind of Salt, like to that which is extracted from the Ashes of Plants, by the means of which it units it self with the acid Hu­mors, and purgeth them out of the Ves­sels.’ The Doctor is not pleased with those, and I am not pleased with him, while he pretends to explain the Opera­tion of Mercury by its Gravity; because I find nothing in his Reasons but grave Nonsense, which I will weigh in a just Bal­lance. That Mercury is very heavy, no Body can deny; and yet the lightest No­dles are full of it, which seems a Paradox. That it works by its Weight or Gravity, is false and absurd, which the Doctor proves himself to save me the trouble. ‘For Gold, says he, reduced into a Li­quor, or any form fit to mix with the Mass of the Blood, will have virtue pro­portional [Page 98] to its weight, and consequent­ly will exceed all other Medicines as far in virtue,’ as it surpasses them in weight. Here you have a Chain of excellent Dis­coveries, the first link whereof is Gold, the second Mercury, the third Silver, the fourth Lead, and so on according to their weight. Now according to this Doctrine, Gold being most heavy will prove much more effectual in the Cure of the French Pox, and some other Diseases, by Salivation than Mercury, which the meanest Sur­geon-baber knows to be false. Let Mon­tebanks talk what they please of their Au­rum potabile, I maintain that Gold is a much better Drug in the Pocket, than in the Stomack, and that Aurum potandum is ve­ry far preferable to Aurum potabile. By the same Rule of Proportion it likewise fol­lows, that Silver and Lead, being next to Mercury in weight, must also be next in Virtue, and may come up to it by increas­ing the Dose, as we do in other Medicines. Thus may you have a cheap domestick Drug that may serve for the Cure of all these Diseases Mercury is good for. But [Page 99] since Ball without Powder is but dull and unactive, I think it will not be amiss to Charge the Piece with Jesuits-Powder, and then you can scarce miss the Mark. One would think here was proof enough of the wonderful effects of Gravity: But this is not all, it is a fertile Principle, and pro­duceth many strange things. For the Do­ctor tells us in another of his Discourses, ‘That Baths, whatever their nature be, have the same Virtue, providing they be made of Liquors equally heavy:’ Nam, saith he, operantur vi solius gravitatis. This Discovery is altogether New, which both the Ancients and Moderns were ignorant of. For though Bellinus attributes some­thing to the weight of the Liquor; yet he never dreamed that they work vi so­lius gravitatis: For he proves that the Li­quor of the Bath enters into the Mass of the Blood with the Virtues of these things it is impregnat with. This Invention is worth Gold, at least it will save a great deal of Money that was expended on Jour­neys to the Baths in England, France, &c. For if you know but the Secret to make [Page 100] any Liquor to have the same weight with those, it will have the same virtue, and if you doubt of the truth of it, you have the Professor's word for it. But the Im­provement may be carried on further. For the same holds in Lotions, Fomentations and Embrocations, Ointments and Plai­sters, that must needs work all the same way. Here is an excellent Discovery for finding out Succedaneums or Quid pro Quo. For if you want any Ointment or Plaister of such or such a virtue, if you can re­member the proportion between the bulk and weight, you may presently have one like it. By this means you may make an Ointment that will have the Virtues of the Balm of Gilead or Peru externally, the ba­sis of which may be a T—d; which will be an excellent Improvement of this do­mestick Commodity. As for Bathing ne­ver concern your self what the Liquor is, whether Milk, Wine or Brandy, or Cows Piss, if you please: And its no matter what it be impregnant with, Hemlock or Henbane, Camomile or Mallows, the steams of a pocky Rogue, or Musk or [Page 101] Ambergrise: For if the one weigh no more than the other, you are as secure as the Professor's Word can make you. Nam operantur vi solius gravitatis. And thus you have a new Improvement of the Me­dicina statica that Sanctorius never dreamed of. But before I leave this, there is one Advice that I would give concerning In­ternal Baths, whether Cold or Hot, which are more frequent and ordinary in this Countrey than External ones, and it is this: That ye do not trust this Doctrine, but reject it as heretical; for though in these the Liquors work only by their Gra­vity, in those they work only by their Levity: For the lighter the Liquor the more intoxicating it is; for as far as Brandy exceeds Claret in lightness, so far it surpasses it in▪ the Virtue of Fudling. But this by the by.

It's now high time to consider the main End and Design of this Discourse. You may be sure it is no Triffle; Aquila non captat muscas. The Design then is, to An­swer a hard and difficult Question, pro­posed to the Learned by Harvey, which [Page 102] is, How the Embryo or Foetus lives in the Womb after the 7 Month, without breath­ing in the Air by the Wind-pipe, and ne­vertheless if it be born in the seventh Month, it presently breaths in air; yea without breathing it can scarce live one Moment: But though it continue longer than the ninth Month, it enjoys both Life and Health. Sect. 14.

Here is that knotty Question that has pu­zell'd so many, a great deal harder than any ever Sphynx proposed to the Inhabitants of Thebes, and (which is sad) which no Body hitherto could Answer, till the Professor, like another OEdipus appear'd, or rather like a second Alexander, and cut asunder the Knot he could not unty. Let us hear this Mistery opened up.

I will not waste Paper in translating the Doctor's tedious, perplexed and confused way he answers the Question, but will give you the substance of it in as few words as I can. Since Life is maintain'd by the circulation of the Blood, it is necessary as well before the Child be born as after­wards. But while it is in the Womb, the [Page 103] Lungs being clapt together, the Vessels necessarly must be compress'd, and so li­tle or no Blood can circulat that way: Wherefore it circulats from the great Vein into the great Artery, by two other ways Nature hath provided, the one a Canal, the other an Anastomosis: And so the In­fants Life is preserved in the Womb with­out breathing. But so soon as it is born, and has once breathed in air, by which the Lungs are blown up, the Vessels are no more pressed, and so the Blood finds an easier passage through the Lungs, than by the ways above-mentioned, which therefore at last come to be stopt, and dried up, because the Blood runs no more in that Channel. Now when these ways are stopt, and no other way left for the Blood to circulat but by the Lungs, if that be stopt too, the Animal must needs dye, because the Blood cannot circulat; and this Passage is stopt when the Ani­mal does not breath.

After the writing of this, the Doctor finding his Demonstration lame (which I cannot say it is, for it has never a Legg [Page 104] to stand on, and lameness is a defect of the Leggs) he tells us in the 14 Sect. of his next learned Discourse, That there remains one Phaenomen concerning Respi­ration to be further explained, which per­haps he did not make plain enough in its proper place, viz. ‘That while the old Ca­nals are open in a Puppie; yet if it has once breathed in air, upon the stoping of the Wind-pipe it quickly dyes, though not altogether so soon,’ as one that is old­er. I confess if the Professor answer this, he bids fair to gain the Point: For here the difficulty lyes, according to his No­tion of the necessity of Breathing. But I know he can no more do it, than he can tell me how many Hairs was in Aescula­pius's Beard, or Pegasus's Tail; which if he do, I am content he make a Rope of them to hang all his Adversaries, where I may be sure to have a kick among the rest. But let us hear him out, and not stop his Breath, while he is discoursing of Breathing. ‘For, says he, if the Wind­pipe be stopt after Inspiration, a part of the air which remains in the Lungs, is [Page 105] rarified and expanded that the Blood cannot pass through them, the Vessels being pressed by the elastick force of the Air; and the Blood cannot all cir­culat by the other Canals, though they be still open, nor did it ever pass all that way; and therefore the Creature dies, the Blood being coagulat in the right Ventricle of the Heart.’

This reasoning of the Doctor's is just like the strugling of a blind Mare in a quag-mire, the further in the deeper: So every new Explanation he brings is a fur­ther degree of Confusion. The Beast in the quag-mire may be excused because she is blind: But I know not what can be said for the Professor who has Eyes and sees not, though assisted with a pair of Ma­thematical Spectacles. I wonder how any Man who has a grain weight of Mother wit, can think to make such Brass Mo­ney, or rather Fairy-money (which bears the Image and Superscription of Nonsense) pass in the World for good Coin. Here is indeed a Demonstration, that carries not so much as a shaddow of probability [Page 106] along with it. What Countrey Clown would not laugh at such a Reason as the Professor gives for the Puppies Death, which is, That the passage by the Lungs being stopt, though the old Canals be open yet the Blood will not go all that way, be­cause it never went all that way before. This is indeed a Witticism that surpasseth all those of Teague-land that ever I heard, of which the knack lies here, That either some part of the Blood knows not the way, having never trod that path before; or if it had, being but very young, it has quite forgot the way, for five or six Minuts may be as much to it, as so many Years to one well grown; and so when the poor infant Blood groaps in the dark for the way, and cannot find it, it coagulats in the right Ventricle of the Heart, and so the poor Puppie dies, because the Circulation is stopt.

But, laying Jesting aside, I'll tell you in good Earnest where I think the pith of the Argument lies, if it have any at all, viz. That the passage by the Lungs being now entirely stopt, which it was never before, [Page 107] there is not room enough by the other two for all the Mass of the Blood to pass. To which I say, Let it e'en step on slowly and take the more time, and it will come to its Journeys end before Night: For though the circular Motion of the Blood be necessary for Life; yet it needs not al­ways run as if it were chased. There are scarce two in the World in whom it is e­qual, and Men live both in Winter and Summer, in hot and cold Climats; and so will the Puppie in spite of this Medico­mathematical Demonstration, and find to its comfort the truth of the old Proverb, That it is better to be condemned by ten Physicians than one Judge. And thus I have prevented the shedding of innocent Blood, or rather the stoping of it.

But it is pity Men should live in Igno­rance, and therefore I'll bring a Child to instruct the Professor, which I hope he will not take ill: For as a Fool may give a wise Man good Counsel sometimes, so may an innocent Child, in whom the Prin­ciples of Nature are not debauch'd with too much Learning which makes Men [Page 108] mad, give a Lesson to a Professor of Me­dicine. Let us hear then how the Child will answer a paralel Case. There is a Conduit for conveying Water to the House divided into three Branches, one whereof goes to the Kitchin, another to the Stables, and a third to the Brew-house. Now Child, if one should stop rhe Branch that goes to the Stables, what will become of the Water that went thither? No doubt, says the Child, we shall have it at the Brew-house and Kitchin. No Child, that cannot be, for the Water never went all that way before. What then, says the Child, what should hinder it to go now, since there are two patent ways by which it may go? I have told you already, Child, because it never went all that way before. What will then become of it, Sir, say you? It will stop, Child, and the Water of the two other Branches will stop also, to bear it company in good manners, and so the Water will stagnat at the Fountain, and you shall dye for want of Water, and this is demonstrat by a learned Physician, who is likewise a great Mathematician. That [Page 109] is none of my business, says the Child, as long as the other two Canals are open, we shall have Water in spight of his Mathe­maticks, and live maugre a Demonstration.

From this Mathematical Demonstration redounds a confiderable Advantage to the Lieges and Damage to the Tinkers: For these Rogues when they mend one Hole, ordinarly make two, but here by stoping one, you stop three. q. e. d.

In this place the Doctor takes occasion to inquire into the force of Thunder that stops the Breath all of a sudden, and choaks Men in the very twinkling of an Eye. Here you shall see that the Doctor is in­deed Mysta Naturae, penetrats into the in­most Recesses of Nature.

The Reason the Doctor gives for suden Death occasioned thus, is, ‘The suden and great Expansion of the Air, whose Particles, says he, become both lighter and larger, and so cannot enter into the Lungs:’ And so the Blood cannot cir­culat because the Lungs will clap together and compress the Vessels: And therefore the Creature who is thunder-struck must [Page 110] presently dye, the Circulation being stopt. The Doctor told you just now, That the Puppie dies, because when once it has breath'd in air, some Particles which re­main still in the Lungs are so rarified and expanded, that they blow up the Lungs to such a degree, that the Vessels are pres­sed together, and the Circulation stopt: And here you are told that the Circula­tion is stopt meerly because there is no air in the Lungs at all; which is indeed very odd that it should fall out just at the very nick of time that one is killed with Thun­der. Whereas I think it would fall out quite otherwise; for the Particles of the Air that are in the Lungs would be affraid to come out for the Thunder. The Pro­fessor says, he was the more confirmed in this Opinion, by seing one opened who ‘was killed with Thunder at Edinburgh, where nothing was to be observed that might occasion his Death, except this wonderful shrinking and clapping toge­ther of the Lungs.’

Here is a wonderful Explication of the wonderful Effects of Thunder, and of its [Page 111] way of working. And here I cannot but wonder that this Mathematical Archer, one of the true Sons of Apollo, should ne­ver once hit the Mark with his geometrical Arrow; One hit for the Honour of the Nation, that we may not be ashamed of our Glory. But let us examine this thun­dering Gibberish.

‘The Air, says he, being expanded or rarified,’ it cannot enter into the Lungs, What then? Cannot we live a Minut or two without Air? No doubt and more. How comes it to pass then, that those who are thunder-struk fall down dead in an in­stant, as one shot through the Head? But why should the Air, being rarified, not enter into the Lungs? Because, says the Doctor, the Particles become larger and lighter. Here is an excellent Dish of Non­sense dressed a-la-mode. For any Body knows that in rarifying of Liquids the parts become not larger but less, for one is divided into a Thousand or more in­definitly. If the Air were like to Brass, or any other malleable Matter, what the Do­ctor alledgeth might follow. The Par­ticles [Page 112] of the Air then by Rarifaction be­come more subtile and penetrating, and rush hither and thither on all quarters with the greater violence, according to the force of the Impellent; which will be so far from hindering it to enter into the Lungs, that it will rather run into them like a Torrent, and by blowing them up press the Vessels, and so stop the Circu­lation: And consequently if any dye by this Accident, it must not be for want of Air, but for having too much. Moreo­ver one would think that in this Case the Air being rarified, would become like a large Cupping-glass, and occasion not on­ly the swelling of the Lungs, but of the whole Body, rather than their clapping together. The Example of the Lungs be­ing clapt together in him the Doctor saw opened, is so Childish that I almost blush to repeat it. What! does not every Body know, that those who die either a natural or violent Death, if their Wind-pipe be o­pen, dye in the act of Exspiration, and not Inspiration? And therefore we say when any Body dies, That they breath'd [Page 113] Out their last, and not that they breathed In their last; and so no wonder the Lungs be clapt together. Moreover if the Ex­pansion or Rarefaction of the Air be the cause of this Phaenomen, how comes it to pass that many are scorched with Thun­der and Gun-powder who are killed by neither, since there is reason to believe the Air as much rarified in these as in the a­bove-mentioned Case? If this Doctrine hold, it will make one afraid of a very F—t, for that expands the Air after its own fashion, as is evident by the Crack.

Being now almost breathless in pursu­ing this Demonstration about Breathing, it is high time to refresh our selves a litle: Wherefore I will intertain you with the Doctor's Discourse, De motu quo cibi in ventriculo rediguntur ad formam sanguini re­ficiendo idoneam.

Here I promise you a Dish of as well dressed Chile as ever you tasted. Nothing could come in better season after a Treat of Air, which though it be absolutly ne­cessary for our subsistence, yet it is but a lent Diet alone, there must be some more [Page 114] solid substance, to make this Vestal Flame, or lamp of Life burn: Even as in Fire, which without both goes out. This so­lid Substance I confess is easily found; but all the matter is to know how it is digested and turned unto Nourishment; which is as necessarly for a Physician to know, as it is for a Cook to understand how the Fire assimulats its Fewel, and whether or no the igneous Atoms that insinuat themselves into the Pores of the Meat while it is a boiling or frying, be nothing but raments of the third Element sweeming in the first, as Fish in Water, before he can make you a good Potage, or Fricasie of Chickens.

The Doctor in order to the establishing of his own Opinion, first refutes his Ad­versaries. And here he is like to have a hard pull for it (for the greater the Op­position, the more glorious the Victory) for he has a number of Surly, Sour-look­ing, Saucy Fellows to encounter, armed with sour and salt Ferments, and Stygian Liquors, and Vanhelmonts Archaeus, and Dolaeus Bogles to grample with: Where­fore [Page 115] he had need of Armour that is proof: For these Ferments cut like aqua fortis: But the Archaeus and Lemures are worst of all, for nothing will do with them but Conjuration.

We come now to the Question to be answered. viz. How the Meat is to be digested. i. e. What Power, or Faculty, or Ferment, dissolves the Meat in the Sto­mack, and makes it fit for Nourishment?

Many different Opinions have been a­bout this, as well among the Ancients as Moderns. The Opinions of the Ancients were Four. Some followed Hippocrat, who affirmed Heat was the Cause of Conco­ction. Others maintained with Plistonicus, the Disciple of Pythagoras, that the Meat did putrifie or rot in the Stomack, and so that Concoction was Putrefaction, and con­sequently that the Stomack was a kind of Dung-hill. The Third was that of Era­sistratus (and this is the Doctor's, which I believe he takes to be new, though it be more than 1600 Years old) who held, that Meat was bruised or grinded in the Sto­mack, and so the Stomack by consequence [Page 116] was a kind of Mill, and digesting nothing but grinding. The Fourth maintained with Asclepiades, that what we call Con­coction is no Concoction at all, but that the Meat raw and undigested as it is eaten, is distribute through the Body. This was the briskest Fellow of them all, who came in at the broad-side, and told them that they were debating about nothing, for there was no such thing as Concoction. I wonder the Doctor was not of his side, since they seem to be of a party: For as this Man maintained that Concoction was no Concoction at all; so the Doctor gives us Demonstrations which are no Demon­strations at all.

Among the Moderns some followed the Ancients: Others, salt and sour Ferments, some had recourse to the Archaeus, &c. The Doctor only begs one thing for to refute his Adversaries Opinions, which is so just that no Body can refuse it, viz. ‘That whatever the Cause of Concoction be, it must be such that will not either dis­solve the Stomack, or other solid Parts of the Body, as it were with a chymical [Page 117] Fire,’ or aqua fortis. This is altogether as rea­sonable as to demand, that the Pot that boils our Broath be such as the Fire will not melt down while the Broath is a boiling. This being granted, the Doctor soon stops his Adversaries Mouths, by ▪asking them, ‘How it comes to pass that that which dissolves the Meat in the Stomack, whe­ther it be Heat, Ferment, or Putrefa­ction, does not dissolve the Stomack al­so, since it dissolves not only Meat of the same kind, but that which is much more solid?’

I verily believe, that not only the Do­ctor himself, but his Admirers also thinks this an insurmountable difficulty, which no doubt has made him reject these Opi­nions, and imbrace one so absurd, as his will be found. It is strange to see how Men are in love with their own Dreams and Delusions, and how they see other Mens Faults, and are blind to their own. For the same Objection that is against these Opinions, holds against the Doctor's. For if he ask them, how it comes to pass that the Stomack is not dissolved as well [Page 118] as the Meat in it? They may ask him, how it comes that the Stomack by bruis­ing and grinding Meat of the same nature with it self, and much more solid too, is not grinded to dust and crumbled away to nothing long ere now? The Doctor Answers, That whatever damage the Sto­mack sustains that way, is soon repaired by the Blood. Whatever force is in this, it makes as much for any of the contrary Opinions as for his; and so the Stygian Lake, or Chymists Laboratory, or Cooks Shop, or Dung-hill, may maintain its Right against the Mill. I am sure none but these that think very litle, or drink very much, would find any difficulty in this which puzells this learned Man so sore, that he thinks it unanswerable. For the things which we digest, cannot pro­perly be said to be of the same nature with our Stomack, or other parts of our Body; for they differ as much as living things and dead: For what we eat must first die, and cease to be nourished, before it can be digested. And were the Stomack and other parts of the Body of the same [Page 119] nature, as the Professor alledgeth, with these things we digest, we should ly under the same necessity of preserving our Bodies with divers Pickles and Spices, as we are to keep Beef and Mutton from corrupting with Salt; and so we should be all talk­ing and walking Mummies. But lest the Doctor nnderstand not this, I remit him to the School-master of Fools for instru­ction, who will inform him that Worms live frequently in the Stomack, in spight of Heat, Fermentation, Putrefaction, &c' and sometimes in spight of Physick and Physicians too.

Thus you see the Professor has given his Adversaries a Morsel they can never concoct: But lest it may chance to putrifie, he must prevent that too, and take ano­ther word of Dr. Lister: For the Professor cannot away with this old musty stinking Opinion, and no wonder, for it turns his Mill into a Jacks, and makes it good for nothing but grinding T—s. ‘There are other Reasons, says he, why we reject the Opinion of the learned Mr. Lister. For this Gentleman will needs have the [Page 120] Meat to rot in the Stomack, because it is in a warm place, without the Animal. But this (says the Doctor) does not an­swer the Question, for one may still ask, What is the reason that Flesh out of the Stomack does not corrupt or putri­fie so soon, or if it do, it does not turn to Chile? Which nevertheless the same Flesh will do in the Stomack, in a very litle time.’ This is just such a Question as if one would ask, Wherefore the wind of the Microcosm smells worse than that of the Macrocosm, and why the Vapours pent up there corrupt so soon? But I won­der the Doctor does not see that this will put the Water by his Mill, and hinder it to go, except he make it go with wind, of which he never wants plenty. For I would ask him, How it comes to pass, that the Stomack of any Animal, taken out and fill'd with Meat, and pressed between the two Hands, never turns the Meat into Chile, which nevertheless it will do in a very short time when the Stomack is in the Ani­mal? The Doctor will readily▪ Answer, that it is not Motion considered in gene­ral [Page 121] that is the Cause of Concoction, but a certain kind of Motion, so and so cir­cumstantiat, peculiar to the Stomack. So will his Adversary reply, that it is a cer­tain kind of Putrefaction that cannot be defined, and yet Putrefaction it is, or Cor­ruption still, and is a juster Notion of the thing than any I have met with. But a­mong all the Opinions I have met with, none is so ridiculous and absurd as the Doctor's, as he has stated it. For to tell us, that the motion of the Stomack may contribute to the Concoction, is that which no Body will deny: But to say it is the a­dequat efficient Cause (for the Doctor as­signs no other) is every whit as absurd as to affirm, that because Meat helps to pre­serve our Life, therefore we need neither Drink, Sleep, nor Air. Yea it is mani­fest to any considering Man, that from the Motion of the Stomack we can no more have an Idea or Notion of Conco­ction, than from the Idea of a Wind-mill, we can frame one of a Solan-goose.

But notwithstanding of the Absurdity of this Opinion, I am content to let it pass [Page 122] for it usefulness. What can be of more excellent use than this Doctrine? For sick People whose Stomacks are weak, and Di­gestion bad, may have Chile prepared in a Dog's Stomack, which must be taken out of the Dog either dead or alive, and any kind of Meat put into it you please, which by tossing up and down a few Hours will turn into Chile, fit for nourishing the Patient, whose Throat if it chance to be closed, it may be injected into the Veins. This new Invention will quite discard Consumes and Gelees, and in place of that Physicians will order thus. R. Chyli bene praeparati & in ventri: cani [...]s. a. digest: un: iij. &c. After all we are no further concerned with Concoction, than to know what is easily concocted: And to take care that there be some proportion between the so­lid and the liquid, otherwise the Mill will never grind well, whatever some Physi­cians may say to the contrary.

I am now come to the Doctor's last Dis­sertation, De circulatione sanguinis in anima­libus genitis & non genitis, which is the most sublime of all, & very proper to crown the [Page 123] work: For the other Discourses were but Medico-mathematical, but this is Mathe­matico-medical. It is dedicat Mathemati­corum Amantibus, To Our Right Trusty and well beloved Cousins and Counsellers the Ma­thematicians, greeting. I can compare it to nothing so fitly as a Beggar's Cloak, which is made up of Clouts of divers Colours, some new, some old: Or rather to a frugal Supper, where the cold Meat that was left at Dinner, is served up a­gain to furnish out the Table, with the addition of some litle Kick-chaws. For the Doctor presents you here with a cold Dish of his Problem de Inventoribus war­med again.

The principal Design of this Discourse is to demonstrat the Advantages that re­dounds to the World by the Discovery of the Circulation of the Blood. But before the Doctor come to this, he demonstrats that Harvey was the first Discoverer of this great Mistery, and that the good old Man Hippocrat knew no more of it than he did of the Irish Tongue: And he is so hot and eager in the pursuit of this, that [Page 124] one would think he had forgot his main End, and himself too.

The Circulation of the Blood (says the Doctor in the beginning of his Dissert:) is the ground and foundation of all Medicine. And therefore we need not wonder that he look on the Ancients with an Eye of dis­dain and contempt, as ignorant Dunces, since they were ignorant of this Founda­tion, on which Medicine is built: And despise also the Moderns, who though they know it, still practise after the old fashion, and use Derivations and Revul­sions and Blooding at different parts of the Body. And therefore if those deserve to be beaten with few stripes, these deserve to be soundly whip'd: For those were blind, but these have Eyes and see not, and no wonder since they make no use of Mathematical Spectacles. Let us hear then the practical Improvement the Do­ctor has made of this Noble Invention? The original Cause of the Apoplexy, Le­thargy, Coma and other Diseases of the Brain, were as litle known to the Ancients (if we give Credit to the Doctor) as the [Page 125] Head of Nile. The Divine Hippocrat himself was forced to recur to the asylum ignorantiae of Divine: And the Moderns for all their fair and specious pretences, have said no more. And no wonder since they sought the Cause where it was not, imagining it was to be found in the Nerves and Pores of the Brain, whereas all this time it lurk'd in the Arteries like a Fox in his Den, and might have done so still, had not this Mathematical Hunter, get­ting the Advantage of the Wind, ferreted it out of its Hole. Now if you desire to know how the Doctor found out the true Cause of these Diseases? It was by the Mathematicks, as you shall see by and by. For after a tedious Discourse of the different Figures of the Conduits or Vessels through which the Fluids run, some whereof have their sides convergent, some divergent, and others paralel, he concludes that it is chiefly in those whose sides are convergent, where reasonably we may ex­pect Obstructions: And since the Arteries are such, we are to seek the Cause of the above-mentioned Diseases in these, which [Page 126] formerly was supposed to ly in the Nerves. The Case is plainly thus in a few words.

The Vessels or Conduits through which any Liquor runs, are either such as are larger and wider, at the place where the motion begins, and become still narrower and narrower the further they go: Or narrower where the motion begins in them, and still grow wider the farther they go: Or they are equally wide all along from the one end to the other. We have not, according to the Doctor, much reason to suspect any Obstructions in the two last, but only in the first, because what goes in at one end, will easily go out at the other, and therefore we are to seek them chiefly in the Arteries, which grow still narrower the further they are from the Heart; which come to be ob­structed thus, according to the Doctor. ‘The litle solid Particles that sweem in arterial Blood, when they come to meet together in any part of the Arterey, where the passage is strait, make as it were a kind of Arch, or Vault, which is supported by the sides of the Artery [Page 127] inclining one towards another. And it is evident (says he) that this Bar, or Stop, will be the stronger the more it is pressed by the current of the Blood.’ And thus you have the true Cause of the Obstructions that befall the Arteries ne­cessarly by the Laws of Mecanism. But there is one thing especially to be obser­ved in the building of Arches, which is, That the Butresses or Supports on which the Arch stands, be such as will not easi­ly yield, otherwise down it comes in a trice. Now the sides of the Arteries be­ing in a perpetual motion, it will be as hard to build a Bridge between them▪ while we are alive, as to build a Castle in the Air: And therefore the only fit time to begin this geometrical Arch is, when we are dead: For the motion of the Arteries being then ceased, there is sure Ground for laying the Foundation. By which you may understand what a false and groundless Notion this is, That Ob­structions are more frequent in the Arteries than in the Veins or Nerves, which I con­fess the difference of the Figure would oc­casion, [Page 128] if all other things were equal; but the perpetual motion of these, marrs all. But false and groundless as it is, it is all the Argument the Doctor has to refute the Opinion of Sylvius and Willis: Which be­ing done, he proceeds to explain his own Opinion of sleepy Diseases, as Apoplexy, Lethargy, &c. and at the same time gives us a just account of the nature of Opium.

‘It is evident (says he Parag. 24.) that upon the taking of Opium there follows a warm Sweat, and that the Blood in the beginning is rarified. If therefore such a quantity of Opium be taken, as may rarifie the Blood in the Brain to such a degree, that the litle Arteries that are mixed with the Nerves there, may press them more than ordinary, and so hin­der the free passage of the nervous Li­quor, the Creature will seem to sleep, and all these things will fall out which we observe in sleep and sleepy Diseases, proceeding from a Cause within the Ves­sels. Whence it follows (saith he Par. 25.) that Wine and Spirit of Wine, and all Liquors that are rarified easily and [Page 129] suddenly, by heat or any other way, may occasion Sleep and sleepy Diseases. Yea Liquors that are not apt to rarifie, if they be taken in a sufficient quantity and carried in such abundance to the Brain as is requisite for dilating the Ar­teries sufficiently, and consequently for pressing the Nerves.’ Therefore we need not wonder that some are drunk with Water.

One would think, that while the Do­ctor is speaking of sleepy Diseases, and the Qualities of Opium, that he were asleep himself, or had taken a Grain or two of the Juice of the Poppie, this Discourse looks so like Raving. For if the Cause of Sleep, and sleepy Diseases, be the Ra­rifaction of the Blood, then every thing that rarifies the Mass of the Blood would occasion these Diseases, that is, every thing that is proper for Curing the Apo­plexy, &c. would likwise occasion it: As Spirit of Hart-horn, salt Armoniack, Oyl of Amber, Rosemary, Tincture of C [...]ftot, &c. which are Remedies used with good success in those Diseases, and rarify ex­ceedingly [Page 130] the Mass of the Blood, would [...] inevitably either bring on or increase the Malady. This is one of the most won­derful and useful Discoveries that ever the World was blest with, and will make any Body a Physician in a triee. For when you come to a Patient, you have no more to do, but ask him what was the occasion of his Sickness? Was it a surfiet of a Veni [...] son pastie? Then be sure to eat as much the next day, and you shall be Fish-whole. Was it a furfiet of Drink? Then take a Hair of the Dog that bit you: For

So much of the nature of sleepy Diseases and their Cure, both Mathematically ex­plained. I come next to examine the som­niferous quality of Opium.

I will not trouble you at present with the different Opinions either of the Anci­ents or Moderns, concerning the Nature [Page 131] and Virtues of Opium, especially where its somniferous quality lies. Some main­tained it was Heat, others Cold; some a Viscosity, others a Narcotick, Sulphur, &c. But most were of Opinion, that it is an oc­cult Quality, that is to say, they knew not what it was. And this no doubt is the only right Opinion, and is excellent­ly well expressed by Thomas Diaphorus in the Malade Imaginare. Quare facit Opium dormire Thoma? Quia habet virtutem dor­mitivam. No doubt the Professor thinks this a very ridiculous Answer, otherwise he had never given himself the trouble to seek out another, which nevertheless upon trial will be found to bear the same Image and Superscription.

But the Professor must say something: He is obliged to it by his place: For one that has a publick Salary for Talking or Writing, is obliged to chat, tho he should speak Nonsense; as well as a Town-piper is bound to play through the Streets Mor­ning and Evening, though he should play quite out of Tune. For a dumb Profes­sor is as useless a thing, as a Piper that [Page 132] wants the nether Chops, or a Fiddle with­out Strings.

Opium then, according to the Doctor, makes one sleep, because it rarifies the Blood, which is evident, says he, because it provokes a warm Sweat; Whence it follows clearly, that every thing that ra­rifies the Blood, i. e. every thing that makes one sweat will provoke Sleep, and have all the other Virtues of Opium, i. e. all Sudorificks will be Opiats, i. e. this is all stark Nonsense. But Nonsense as it is, many Advantages attend it. We shall not need to go far to find Laudanum, for almost every thing will afford it in plenty Sometimes, you know what, may supply its place, for the very sight of it, much more the smell or taste, will make one sweat. Yea the most troublesome and uneasie Pas­sions we are subject to, even those that disturb our Rest and hinder Sleep, will furnish us with a Quieting Draught: For Anger and Vexation, &c. which make Men sweat to purpose by their Sudorifick, i. e. their Somniferous Quality, will quickly [Page 133] allay our Passions and lull us asleep, even as

By this you may clearly see, that Tho­mas Diaforus and the Professor, give the same Answer in different Terms: And no wonder, since great Wits for the most part agree. Thomas says that Opium makes one sleep because it has a sleeping Quality in it: And the Professor tells us, it is because it has a rarifying Quality. But since eve­ry thing that rarifies the Mass of the Blood (that is, every thing that makes us sweat) does not provoke Sleep, this rarifying Quality of Opium must have some specia­lity or specifick Virtue in it, that no Body knows, i. e. an occult Quality, a sleepy Virtue, Virtutem dormitivam. Which was the thing to be demonstrat. Now since the Professor has answered every whit as well as Thomas, no Body in Justice can refuse him the same Complement. Bene responde­re, dignus est intrare in nostro docto corpore, and to be a Professor in any University of Christendom.

[Page 134] But I must ask the Professor one Que­stion about Opium before I have done, which is, That since Sleep and sleepy Diseases are occasioned by the Dilatation of the small Arteries in the Brain, which press the Nerves, how it comes to pass, that the Arteries that are intermixed with the Nerves that serve for Respiration and the motion of the Heart, are not pressed as well as those which serve for voluntary motion and sensation, and consequently why Sleep does not alway occasion a dif­ficulty of Breathing? To this the Profes­sor answers very wittily, ‘That the Heart which is a Muscle, and the Muscles or the Breast have no Antagonists, and therefore [...] Animal Spirits will do their turn.’ And therefore though it can­not be denied▪ that the Nerves that go to the Heart and Breast must be pressed by the Arteries, as well as the rest, yet nei­ther the Pulse nor Breath get any sensible hurt by it, when the Dose is moderat, or the Sleep natural: Because a very few Spirits is sufficient for this great Work, there being no Antagonist Muscles in hi [...] ­der [Page 135] it: And very litle will do a great deal where there is no opposition in the way.

Now this Discourse of the Doctor's a­bout Antagonist Muscles, is antagonist to Truth, and antipodes to Sense and Expe­rience. As for the Heart, its Diastole is as natural as its Systole: And tho it can­not be said to have an antagonist Muscle, yet it has the equivalent; yea in my opinion a stronger Adversary to graple with: For, besides the motus restitutionis, which is ve­ry near in kin to antagonist Muscle, it has the Blood to squirt out into the Arteries, which requires no small force. But any Body that has seen live Dissections, and thrust their Finger into the Heart of a dy­ing Animal, will find that no small stock of Spirits is necessary for such a task.

What he says concerning the Muscles of the Breast, is so gross a Mistake, that the meanest Student in Medicine would be [...]shamed to fall into the like: For they [...]ave antagonist Muscles, and these consi­derable ones too, tho the Doctor alledgeth [...]ey may be reckoned as good as [...]ome all: But he may turn the Tables and [...] [Page 136] over again, and he will find the con­trary. Is the Sacrolumbar, the Triangular and the Internal Intercostals of no force at all? Here is the depth of Anatomy. But if those be not sufficient alone, they have the confederat Troops of their Allies, the muscular Fibers of the Aspera arteria or Wind-pipe to assist them at a Call. And I assure you sometimes they stand in need of their help; as in the Acts of Cough­ing▪ Singing, Laughing, &c. all acts of Expiration, in which the Breast is contra­cted, and require more Spirits than any act of Inspiration I know. But why should we multiply Causes without necessity? Gravity alone is sufficient to do the thing, thus. When we breath in Air, the Chist of the Breast is inlarged, and the Ribs are pulled upwards, in so much that the o­blique Angles they made with the Back▪bone, becomes right ones; all which is performed by the Muscles that serve for Inspiration; and when these remit thei [...] action, the Breast by its own native Gra▪vity falls down again, and shrinks into i [...] former shape; in which it remains till t [...] [Page 137] Muscles pull it up by the Ears again. And this is the Doctor's Opinion of the matter, in his Discourse, De causis diversae molis, &c.

This Doctor is the luckiest Man that e­ver breath'd, for finding out Succedaneums or Quid's pro Quo's. We wanted here an Antagonist Muscle to help the Breast down again. The Doctor tells us, the weight will supply the place, no more is necessary. We tumble down the Hill of our own ac­cord, but we must have force and strength to mount up again. Now the weight of the Breast being sufficient for the act of Expiration, and doing the duty of an An­tagonist Muscle must resist the act of In­spiratton, as much as if it were one, and therefore there will be need of the same supply of animal Spirits, to overcome this weighty Adversary, which would be ne­cessary to vanquish an antagonist Muscle: And consequently the same Dose of Opium that makes one sleep, would stop both the motion of the Heart and Breast, if its som­niferous Virtue be such as the Doctor has assigned: Yea, Sleep it self would kill without Mercy.

[Page 138] From this Opinion, that Expiration is performed by the weight of the Breast▪ many weighty Instructions may be dedu­ced for the good of Mankind.

The First is for Nurses, either wet or dry, that they take special care, when they hold out Children, that their breech be not higher than their Breast: For in this posture, if they chance to breath in Air, which they must needs do, in order to blow something out at the other end, if in this posture, I say, when the Ribs make right Angles with the Spina dorsi, they chance either to be perpendicular to the Horizon▪ or make acute Angles with it, in a very few Minuts the Child will dye, tho not breath out its last; because there is no antagonist Muscle to draw the Ribs down again, and the weight cannot determine them one way more than another, while they are pendicular, and in the other Case it will determine them the quite contrary way. They must also take notice then Children never go on all Four; for then the Gravity which served for Expiration will now help Inspiration; by which means [Page 139] the motion of the Breast will cease, and the Infant breath in its last.

The Next Instruction is for Jockies and Ferriers, to teach them how to Cure wind­broken Horses. Which is done by making them walk on their hinder Legs upright, or ly on their Back: For in either of these postures the weight helps the Expiration, but in their natural posture it hinders it.

The Third and last is for Trumpeters and Pipers, &c. who to make them blow better, should lay a weight on their Breast, as Smiths do on their Bellows, which will very much help their Expiration: And even Experience teacheth us, that pressing the Belly will make one rift at the wrong End, which is a kind of Expiration too. Are not these useful Instructions both for Man and Beast?

By what has been said, any Body may be fully satisfied of the power and effica­cy of this Geometrical Method in Medi­cine, and that the Mathematicks are ab­solately necessary for a Physician; even al­together as much as the knowledge of the Chess is for the General of an Army. And [Page 140] that you may not take this for a Jest, I must tell you it was pronounced in earnest by the infallible Judge of Controversies the Pope, in favours of one of his Ne­phews; for which he gave these Reasons, it being pronounced extra Cathedram. He that understands the Chess, said he, knows how to muster his Men, to draw them up in battle Rank, to Attack, Defend, For­tify his Camp, Pursue his Victory, Secure his Retreat, &c. And these are the only Qualifications necessary for a General. Now no Body can deny but that the Pro­fessor has at least as fair a Plea for Infalli­bility in his Conclusions pronounced in Cathedra, as the Pope has for his Decisions extra Cathedram. From all which it fol­lows clearly that the Mathematicks are as necessary for the one, as to play at Chess for the other.

But lest you call the Professor's Autho­rity in question, I'll draw the paralel more exactly, and shew you that there is just as much reason for the one as the other, there being the same affinity between Me­dicine and Mathematicks, that is between [Page 141] the Art of War and the Chess. For Me­dicine is nothing but the Art of making War against the Enemies of the Microcosm, these Hostes humani generis. And the Phy­sician, who is the Wariour, must under­stand how to fortify the Place regularly, and defend it against the Attacks of the Enemy. And this is that part of Medi­cine we call the Preservative. He must likeways know, how to expell the Enemy when entered the place, either by Force or Stratagem; to beat them off with Bul­lets of Mercury, and blow them up with Jesuits-powder, which is as necessary in Medi­cine as Gun-powder in War. Now no Man is able to do this well, and to purpose, but he that understands Fortification, which is a part of the Mathematicks. Ergo no Man can be a good Physician except he be a Mathematician. Q. E. D.

Now I have done with Mathematical Medicine. And what I have said of its real Worth and Excellency, will sufficiently convince the Learned Mob, and all these that admire what they know not (for whose Instruction this was written) that [Page 142] its Author is not only a deep Philosopher, and profound Mathematician, but the most eminent Physician that ever this poor Na­tion was blest with. And if any Man be either so dull, as not to assent to a Mathe­matical Demonstration, or so humorsome and perverse, as to strugle against his own light, he ought to be cudgell'd into com­pliance, and forced to confess with his Mouth what he cannot believe with his Heart, and cry out with the Rable, Great is Diana of the Ephesians, the Image that fell down from Jupiter.