First, The Air.

No Changes or Alterations happen in the Air without causing some Alterations in Animal Humours and their Spirits, es­pecially those of the Asthmatic, the Air being admitted into the Lungs, and every where compressing all the external Parts of the Animal, according to its several [Page 64] degrees of weight or pressure; it must af­fect the Spirits, which are also of an Ela­stic Quality, and expand themselves the more the external pressure of the Air is abated. This Mr. Boyle has sufficiently proved. For Animals are wonderfully inflated or blown up in his Vacuum; the Eyes start out, and they Vomit; but up­on the readmission of Air, they subside in­to their former bigness; and in very high mountainous places, 'tis observed, by reason of a less pressure of the Atmosphere, that Vomiting, Choleras, Hemorrhages, and Dyspnaea's happen. The Respira­tion is most particularly affected by the Alteration of the pressure, because in In­spiration, the Air, by virtue of its Elasti­city, expands the Vesiculae of the Lungs, and therefore that expansion must alter according to the different pressure and ela­sticity of the Air. For want of this due Expansion in the Vacuum, the Circula­tion of the Blood is stopt in the Lungs, and the Animal dies Convulsive: And that the pressure of the Air being weakned, occasions short breathing, is not only evi­dent by those who have been on very high Mountains; But Helmont describes an Asthmatic, of whom he tells us, Mon­tanis [Page 65] locis pejus se habet, ideoque Bruxellis vix pernoctare audet: And it will more fully appear, by comparing the Observa­tions made of Weather by the Barome­ter, with the Changes in the Spirits of Asthmatic Persons, and their Fits, which succeed on the Changes of Weather.

I will first prove that the Spirits of Ani­mals be very Elastic, and those of Asth­matics much more so, because very windy.

If the Experiments above mentioned are not sufficient to convince the Reader, let it be consider'd, that the Spirits of Vegetables are very Elastic, and force their Vessels in very high Fermentations, and in bottled Liquors; that the Changes of the Weather make Vegetable Liquors clear or turbid, and set them to Fer­ment again; upon the Changes of the Year, Wines Ferment: And the same Changes may be observ'd in Animal Hu­mours, upon Changes of the Weather, and the Times of the Year, which shews the Similitude of their aerial Spirits, which keep the same Expansion and Pres­sure as the Air it self has, which is the great Instrument of the Agitation by which Fermentation is managed, and also the chief cause of fluidity in Liquors, as [Page 66] well as the clearness of their consistence. That the Animal Spirits are Elastic, ap­pears by the Inflation of the Belly, and all the Habit of the Body in those who die Convulsive, their whole Body being excessively swelled; and in Poison'd Bo­dies the same happens when the Poison comes by those Medicines which act much on the Spirits.

All Liquors, as Milk and Blood, are raised into Bubbles in Vacuo Boyliano, up­on the Pumping of the Air, which is oc­casion'd by the Rarefaction of the included Air and Spirits; and that Air is included in Animal Humours, is evident by the application of Cupping-Glasses, by which the pressure of the external Air being re­moved, the Internal Spirits and Air be­come rarefied by its Heat, and swell the solid Parts in which they are contained.

I will next consider how the Spirits of the Asthmatics are affected in the diffe­rent States of Air, and shew that those Effects are produc'd in Animal Bodies, by the same cause as the Alterations are in a Weather-Glass.

In a dry state of Air, the Spirits of the Asthmatic are most lively, and they breath free, there being then no Vapors [Page 67] in it, or Fumes to weaken the pressure of the Air; for in Serene Weather the Mer­cury stands higher than in other states, because a larger Cylinder of Air unmix'd, presses up the Mercury in the Barometer, and by this heavy pressure of the clear Air, the Spirits of the Asthmatic are kept from that Expansion, which ordinarily produces the Fit. 'Tis observ'd that the Intervals of the Fits are largest in dry set­led Weather.

When any Mist arises, the Asthmatic breaths difficultly, and finds an Oppression on his Spirits, especially a Straitness and Fulness at the Stomach, upon Changes of Weather, though the Fit does not always succeed that complaint. The Moisture of the Air is most prejudicial to the Asth­matic, whilst the watery Vapours retain the nature of Exhalations, because then they act most on the Spirits, and cause the Inflation at the Stomach.

The Rain when it falls, does not much affect the Asthmatic, but the watery Va­pours which precede it one, two, or three Days, because the Vapours weaken the pressures of the Air, as appears by the Barometer, which sinks sometimes before Rains, and great Storms, and the Asthma [Page 68] Fits happen two or three Days usually be­fore such Changes; but I have observ'd the Animal Spirits to be more nice, and predict the Alteration before the Wea­ther-Glass. It is observ'd by Seamen, that if there be any bad Weather in a Month, it usually happens two or three Days before, or after the Full or Changes of the Moon, which is the reason why the Asthmatic Fits happen at those times. The pressure of the Air being weakned by the Vapours, the windy Asthmatic Spirits expand themselves, and inflate the Pneumonic Nerves and Membranes, and occasion the Asthmatic Fits before great Rains.

All damp Houses and fenny Countries, and those Winds that bring fenny Vapours and Mists, by altering the pressure of the Air, very much affect the Spirits of the Asthmatics; and such the East Wind often brings, which at its first coming usually give, the Asthma Fits, upon very great Winds and Storms, though no Rain follows, the Mercury sinks lowest of all; for these drive away a great quantity of the usual Cylinder of Air, by which the pressure of the Air is alter'd; and before great Storms I have frequently observ'd [Page 69] great Asthma Fits. It was one of Van Helmont's Observations, Al [...]as observavi, quae spirante Boreâ statim vel in Hypocau­stis Asthmate plecterentur insontes. The South Wind is also offensive by the moist Air it brings, but the West and North are least prejudicial here in England.

From other Causes I have observ'd the Fits of the Asthma to happen, in all the various Points of the Winds, so that the Changes of the Air and Winds only dis­pose or incline the Asthmatic to their Fits, and oft occasion them; but such acci­dental Fits are short, and I generally ob­serve them to trouble the Stomach most, where a Windiness inflates it, and hinders the depression of the Diaphragme, but no great alteration happens in the Lungs; for the Fit goes off with Wind, and a little Spit, and loose Stools.

In Summer the Asthmatic Fits are most frequent, and grievous; the Asthmatic are most impatient with Heat, especially that of the Fire, before which they do not willingly sit, but most of them, taught by long Experience, chuse to sit on the side of it. The heat of the Fire rarefies the Air, or over-heats it, so that it ex­pands the Animal Spirits in the Lungs, [Page 70] and disposes them to their Asthmatic In­flations. So we observe in Dogs, a great Dyspnea occasion'd by lying too hot near the Fire.

Van Helmont observes, Aestate saltem saepius & saeviùs infestat accessus, quam hyeme, which is generally true, though I have discoursed some who complain most of the Winter. These Winter Asthmatics have a Catarrh join'd with their Asthma. I had once a Patient who was a fat Wo­man, who complain'd of her Winter Asthma; she Spit very much, and com­plain'd of frothy Urine, and Stools like Barm, who by a Diarrhaea was run very Consumptive, and during the continu­ance of that, she had none of the Asthma.

That Vegetable Spirits are expanded by Heat, appears by the Thermometer, and the Animal are alike expanded by the Heat of the Sun, Fire, Clothes, and the Bed, or a Crowd, or close Room, because of the hot Air in them are very offensive. All Heat weakens the pressure of the Air, as it appears in Cupping-Glasses, and that being weak, it cannot easily expand the Bladders of the Lungs; therefore Asth­matics seek a moderate cool and free Air, which makes a more vigorous pressure on [Page 71] their Lungs, and cools their expanded Spirits, which thereby does refresh them; they love the Windows open, and to be carried into the open Air in a Chalash, to avoid all hot Places, and Weather, which Suffocate them.

The Fit of the Asthma is generally in­creased by the Heat of the Bed, and it usually seizes them there, and they are obliged to rise out of it, and they can bear a great degree of Cold, in sitting up all Night with the Windows open on them, because of the great Expansion of Animal Spirits by the Fit.

I have often had great Fits when the Weather has continued very clear, and only very hot Weather has succeeded, to which I then imputed the Fits.

In very cold Weather the Fits of the Asthma are less violent, because that com­presses the Expansion of the Spirits; but before any great Snows, the Asthmatic usually have a Fit, and that a severe one; or, or least, when the Fit does not suc­ceed, they feel a Fulness at Stomach.

The Quicksilver falls in the Glasses for want of pressure in that state of Air, and occasions or gives way to the Expansion of the Spirits; and before such Storms of [Page 72] Snow, the Spirits feel very uneasy and restless, and some Rheumatic Pains affect the Temples, or top of the Head, with a lightness in the Head, and other Pains are observ'd in the Limbs: Hence it appears that frozen Vapours have the same effect on the Barometer, and the Spirits, as the floating moist Vapours have, and the rea­son of both is a less pressure in the Air at such times.

In calm frosty Weather the Mercury stands high, the cold Air being condens'd weighs most; and in such Weather the Asthmatic is most free from Fits, for by compression of the Spirits the Asthma is hindred.

The Mercury stands highest in the cold Easterly and Northerly Winds, because the cold condensed Air is drove hither by those Winds; and since that Air is heavi­est, we must impute the Fits occasion'd by them to a sudden check of Perspira­tion, which produces the Effervescence, on which the Asthmatic Inflation depends, and not only to the want of pressure in the Air.

In extreme cold Weather the Circula­tion is more stop'd in the External Parts by the compression of Air, and therefore [Page 73] then the serous Humours are carried in­wardly towards the Belly, Lungs or Brain, where they pass those Glands, after the manner of a Defluxion.

Any kind of Smoak offends the Spirits of the Asthmatic, and for that reason many of them cannot bear the Air of Lon­don, whose Smoak, like Fire it self, irri­tates their Spirits into an Expansion. I al­ways observ'd the Smoak of Wood more Suffocating than that of Coal, and more apt to occasion a Cough.

The fetid smell of a Candle put out, or the smell of melted Grease, will often occasion a Fit: And I remember an Asth­matic Lady had a severe Fit by the smell of an Ointment she boiled. Horstius has a Remarkable Story of a Woman who grew Asthmatic, by holding her Head over the smell of a Lixivium, for the ma­king of Soap, of which she died after 7 Years; and in her Wind-pipe opened, black Glands were observ'd, of the big­ness of Peas or Beans, to which the Fit was imputed.

A Lady inform'd me that she smoak'd Tobacco for an Hysterical Pain in her Sto­mach, by which she fell into the Asthma, for which Astrop-Waters gave her some Relief.

[Page 74] During the Fit of the Asthma, the smoak of Tobacco is so offensive, that it very much straitens the Breath, if it be smoak'd the first Day of the Fit, and much endangers a Suffocation. There are many Asthmatics that cannot bear the smell of it, therefore its Foetor is injurious at any time, its Heat thickens the Phlegm, and rarefies their aerial Spirits, making them restless; all the good it can do, is, to discuss the Windiness after the Fit abates, and to help the Coughing up the Phlegm; but it generally over heats the Air in the Hu­mours of Animals, and raises the Fermen­tation too much.

There is a Remarkable Instance in Bo­netus, of an Asthmatic who fell into a vio­lent Fit, by going into a Wine-Cellar, where the Must was fermenting; and this shews how much the Spirits may be disturbed by Fumes, which are capable of Rarefying them, or else causing a Fer­mentation in the Humours, which will certainly cause their Expansion to produce an Asthma Fit.

The Fumes of Metals dry the Lungs, and especially those of Quicksilver, which may corrode the Trachea, or at least irri­tate the Spirits there, and determine their [Page 75] motion much towards the Lungs, where the Fumes are received. Fumus Mercurii (qui ut larvatus semper est tamen Mercu­rius) statim laringem praecludit, & con­stringit: Helmont gives us this Obser­vation; from whence we may observe the Stipticity of Mercury, and that Stipicity was observ'd by Avicenna in Mercury, which Taste is always injurious to the Asthma: Those Fumes which Irritate, may vitiate the Trachea, and produce the Humid Asthma, as Helmont describes the Asthma from such Fumes.

The Dust of other Metals fills the Lungs and irritates them, and the Fumes dry the Lungs like Flesh dried with Smoak, and this Asthma is to be cured by moistening them with Oil, and Milk-Diet, Mucilaginous Pectorals, and open Air.

Mineral Poisons are best corrected by Mineral Medicines; Mercur. Dulcis with Lenitive Purges, Antimonium Diapho­reticum with Theriaca to Sweat, Sulphur Flowers unite with Mercury.

There are some Instances of Shortness of Breath occasion'd by Thunder, and helped by Sulphur Medicines, and Vomi­ting; to which those who are Thunder­struck, [Page 76] and recover, are inclin'd, as I have been told.

Not only foetid offensive Smells occa­sion the Asthma Fits, but those also that are strong scented and sweet, and most Asthmatics are affected by Perfum'd Wa­ters and Medicines, as the Chymical Oils offend by their strong Odors. There is a Relation of a Monk, in Helmont, who when he eat Fish fry'd with Oil, Ruit extemplo anhelitu privatus, sicut vix praefo­cato distinguatur; and this Observation Helmont farther confirms, Vidi frequentes, quae suave olentium odore praeter cephalal­gias, & syncopes, confestim in extremam respirandi difficultatem inciderent.

Since I have given these Instances of the great Influence of Smells upon Animal Spirits, I will beg pardon to digress a little, to consider the nature of Smells, that by comparing what I shall say of them with my [...]ormer Discourse of Animal Spirits, I may give a general account of these great Effects produced by Smells.

I will describe the Matter of Smells, then their Differences and Manner how they variously affect the Animal Spirits.

The [...]phrastus has observ'd that every thing that is unm [...]'d is without smell, as [Page 77] well as taste, therefore all Simple Bodies are without smell, as Water, Air, and Fire are without smell; but that the Earth alone has a smell, because most mixt.

Tastes and Odors are therefore chiefly to be observ'd in Juices of Plants or Ani­mals, or Metals, and it is is a particular Texture in those Juices, which arises from the mixture of the Principles of things, (viz. the Oil, Acid, Earth, and Water) which strikes the Organ of Taste, with a particular taste, and the same specific tex­ture and mixture was necessary to pro­duce a particular smell, which every Plant and Animal has peculiar to it self; for what gives the taste in the form of a Li­quor, if it be Rarified and ascends into the Air in Vapour, it strikes the Organ of Smelling with a particular Odor.

Since there is no Odor without Taste, nor Taste without some Odor, and the Odor in Wines and Fruits are changed with their Tastes; the matter of both Tastes and Smells appears to be the same which gives such a vicinity and sociable accord to both those Senses, that Plants are said to taste as they smell, and è con­tra; and we use the names of Smells, as Foetid and Aromatic, to express our Tastes; [Page 78] and, I think, we ought also to use the Names of Taste, to express the great va­riety of our Smells, as I shall do here­after.

Odors are not sufficiently distinguish'd into their Species, which want Names, and they must be borrow'd from the tastes of Plants.

Odors are commonly distinguish'd into pleasant or grateful [...], and ungrateful or ill smells [...]; but since all Animals have a great variety in their Food, and that was design'd to be grateful to them both in Taste and Smell, the different Temperament of each Animals Humours and Spirits must make one Food grateful to some, which will prove very ungrate­ful to others: So it may be observ'd of Birds of Prey, as Kites, Crows, delight in putrid Flesh, which is to Mankind ve­ry ungrateful and unnatural; therefore the gratefulness or disagreeableness of a Taste or Smell consists in its suitable Na­ture to the Spirits of each particular Ani­mal.

Every Animal has his peculiar Odor, according to the particular Temperament of the Humours, which is pleasant and sincere in the Vigour of its Age, and in [Page 79] perfect Health; it is sweet in Youth, but strong, virose, at the Seasons for Coition, or when the Humours are changed by Age or Diseases, they smell ill, strong, rank, as in Rabbets, Goats, Deer.

The Matter and vaporous Nature of Smells in Plants and Animals, does most immediately represent the Nature of the Spirits of Animals, and their various States.

1st. Odors are very volatile, lighter than the Air in which they swim, and such are the nature of Animal Spirits vo­latile, invisible, as Odors, and the effects of a thorough Digestion; for Plants have not their true Odor till they be full ripe, and in Flower; Wine smells more odori­ferous than their unripe Must, and Plants in their native Soil are better ripened, and therefore more odoriferous than in the Garden Soil, where there is too much crude Juice: And in a Morning, after a perfect Digestion of Animal Humours, we are sensible that our Spirits are most pure, active, and lively.

2dly. The Matter of Smells in Plants, is chiefly an Oil, or Turpentine, or Rosin▪ in Animals a greasy or fat Substance▪ Wine and Oil does most easily imbibe and [Page 80] dissolve Odors, because of the similitude of oily Substance; and in Oil of Ben and Almonds we usually preserve Aromatics. In Animals the most odorous Juices are Oily, as Musk and Castor; nothing smells stronger than the Axungia's, and all these readily mix with Oil, by reason of their oily nature.

Amongst Minerals the Bitumens, which are of a strong smell, have an evident Oiliness, as Ambergrease, and Petroleum, and Sulphur is ready mix'd with Balsams.

3dly. All Aromatics give a briskness to the Spirits, and please them if smelt to, and supply a larger quantity, if deficient, and are therefore accounted Cordials; foetid Smells are accounted Hysteric Me­dicines, and inlarge the Expansion of Spi­rits; and since Smells act so immediately on the Spirits, there must be a great simi­litude betwixt their oily Substances.

But these effects of Smells on the Spi­rits, must be more particularly consider­ed, and for that end I will divide Smells into their several Species, and give the Names of Tastes to several of them, whose Effects being well known, it will be more easie to assign the true Effects of their Smells on Animal Spirits.

[Page 81] I will giveAvicenna's Opinion of Tastes, and their Virtues,Non est possibile ut sa­pores dulcis, & amarus, & acutus, & salsus sint nisi in substantià calida; neque ponti­cus, Stypticus, & acetosus, nisi in substantia frigida; & similiter odores acuti non sint nisi in substantia calida; odores quando (que) signifi­cant sapores, sicut odor dulcis, & acetosus, & acris & amarus; sapores sunt octo dul­cedo, amaritudo, & acuitas, & salsedo, ace­tositas, ponticitas, Stypticitas, unctuositas.

I will reckon all the following Smells amongst the hot Smells, which affect the Head, and expand the Spirits, and give them a quicker Motion.

1st. Acrid Smells, which are pungent; and Authors call this [...], but these may be very much distinguish'd, accord­ing to the Degree of Acrimony; for a cress Acrid is milder, such as Mustard; then a corrosive Acrid, such as Garlick, or Squills; and Acrids may be distinguish­ed by the Aromatic, or Bitterness, or Foe­tor joined with them.

These kind of Smells are most specific to those indispositions of Spirits, which happen to arise from that state of Humors which requires a hot acrid Taste to cor­rect them; in Hypochondriac cases we [Page 82] excite the Animal Spirits by volatile Salts, and we give the same inwardly: In Hy­steric cases, we discuss the flatulent Va­pours by foetid and acrid Gums, both out­wardly and inwardly, so that it may be a Rule, where any Taste is necessary and useful inwardly, we ought to apply the same, if Odorous, outwardly, to rectify any Disorders of Spirits, that may happen in that case; and why may we not infer, that since any Medicine externally applied to the Smell, very much gratifies it, the same may be given inwardly to alter the Cacochymia, from whence the disorder'd Spirits are produced? This seems a piece of natural Reasoning, whereby Brutes discover their Medicines when they are Sick, and they eat what pleases their Smell; and if any Medicine or Meat pleases both Taste and Smell, we readily use it. If the piercing and volatile Nature of acrid Smells be consider'd, we shall never ap­ply them to Hysterics, where the Spirits are over-volatile and fiery, which seem only proper for the stupid, dull, contract­ed State of Animal Spirits.

2dly. All Aromatic Smells, as well as Tastes, are hot, and they have either a great Acrimony, or a Bitterness join'd [Page 83] with them; fresh Orris is bitter, and ex­ulcerates the Skin, Myrrh, Costus, Cin­namon, Cassia, Juncus Odoratus, Cy­perus, are described by Theophrastus to be hot, acrid and styptic, for which Tastes they are used as Medicines.

The milder Aromatics have a sweet­ness, as Fennil, Aniseed; but all strong Aromatics a bitter Taste: These Smells are on the account of their Acrimony and Bitterness very hot; these Aromatic Smells we apply to fainting Persons, and the same are very useful inwardly in a languid state of Blood and Spirits. These vola­tile oily Salts or Balsams are easily infus'd in Vinous Spirits, and if they be put into Wine as the Antients used, (viz. they commended Wines impregnate with Myrrh, Cedar, Rosin, &c.) they affect the Head much, and raise the Circulation of Blood, and Expansion of Spirits, and by similitude of oily Parts assimulate them­selves with the Animal Spirits.

These Aromatic Smells will not agree with the choleric, hot, fiery Spirits, be­cause the Aromatic inwardly in that state of Humours are too hot, burning and in­flaming the Humours and Spirits. 'Tis this excessive Heat of odoriferous Medi­cines [Page 84] which gives a vertiginous Motion to the Spirits of hot Constitutions, and too much expands the windy Spirits, and thereby produces a Dyspnaea.

3dly. Foetid Smells, which the old Writers call [...], Gravis Odor, this is offensive to the Spirits, as Aromatics are grateful; if they be Narcotic, they stu­pify the Spirits, and allay Pains, Watch­ings, stop Bleedings at Nose, and too great a volatility of Spirits, and their great expansion in Convulsions: And these Foetids, though very acrid in Taste, and very bitter, yet because of a peculiar tex­ture cause a coolness of Spirits, and there­fore may be reckon'd amongst the cooling Smells; but all other Foetids, as Assafoeti­da, Castor, volatile Salts, Amber, Sulphur, and the fume of the Fat of a Sea-Calf, Horns and Hoofs are of very hot Parts, very volatil, they expand the Spirits more than Aromatics, but because they prevent their tumultuous Expansions by changing their motions or texture, they are use­ful to some Hysteric Women, but ex­tremely offensive to others, who cannot bear the least of those foetid Smells. And Pliny relates that the Antients did by burn­ing Bitumen, try whether their Slaves [Page 85] were Epileptic or not; Accenso lapide gagate explorabant Epilepsiam in servis vena­libus; by which one might conclude, that Bitumen, and other Foetids, are inju­rious to Convulsive cases, especially when they come near to be Epileptic; in which cases I should doubt of Castor, Assafoetida, Powders of the Skull, Vipers, Toads, Worms, the Stones of Horses, or Secun­dine, all these being strong Foetids, rare­fy tumultuous fiery Spirits into violent Fits, and drive more morbifie Matter in­to the Nerves of such Persons, which are too open to receive extraneous Matter.

All poisonous Plants, whether Narco­tic or Corrosive, are very Foetid; such as Napellus, their Foetor offends the Spirits, and their Burning or nauseous Taste, the Palat, that thereby Animals might be na­turally taught to avoid them.

All putrid things are very Unwhole­som in our Diet; and Theophrastus well observes, [...], the Foetor gives us an aversion to it, therefore I should always avoid giving Mummy, or other putrid Parts of Animals, as Skulls, Rennet; to these who have a violent Aver­sion, especially if we smell their putrid or virose Odor.

[Page 86] Foetid Smells outwardly, and Foetid Medicines inwardly, are useful always in the same case, viz. Lethargic and great Dulness of Spirits; the Antients gave Ca­stor from ℈i. to ʒss. and ʒi. for a Dose; for 5 days, they u'sd the same quantity in Cly­sters, they mixt it in Sternutories, or used its Fumes, and they anointed it outwardly, and in very hot Bodies they contrived to temper its heat, by giving it in Oxymels, or Vinegar, and not in Brandy Spirits, as we improperly do. 'Tis plain to me, that Foetids do more good after their Acrimony is abated by Vinegar, than in a finer Solu­tion: We therefore act very odly, when we study more for a Menstruum, which shall curiously dissolve a Gum, but neg­lect an experienc'd Vehicle, which makes it better to agree with our Constitutions. Vinegar does not dissolve Gums well, but coagulates them; but nothing corrects their corrosive Acrimony like it: Water is their most natural Menstruum, which turns them into their original Milk, and Brandy Spirits only dissolve the resinous Part, and not the whole Gum.

The cool Smells are those which abate the Heat, Motion, and Expansion of our Animal Spirits.

[Page 87] 1st. Crude Smells, such is that of fresh Plants which are set in Rooms to correct the heat of the Air, as Vines, Nymphea Leaves, Willows, and all Plants of a crude Juice, Meadow sweet, and fenny Plants. The smell of a green Turf is used to be held to the Noses of them that are struck with a Damp, to recollect and cool their Spirits, which are too much rarefied by the Sulphur Fumes.

2dly. Acid smells, such as is that of Vi­negar: The Seamen use Vinegar much to correct the putrid Air of their Ships, by washing the Wood and Beams of their Cabins with it. This is therefore very agreeable to the Sick in many cases.

The smell of Vinegar removes the nau­seousness, and prevents Vomiting, and cools.

Omnes odores ex quibus sentitur mordi­catio sunt calidi, & bene redolentia, qua­propter dolorem capitis pariunt, & illi ex quibus sentitur acetositas, omnes sunt frigidi. Avicenna.

The smell of the Fumes of Vinegar is proper for many Hysterical Women, who cut Rue and Nutmeg, then sprinkle it with Vinegar, so they tie it in a No­dulus to smell to: This will most [Page 88] effectually compress the expanded Spirits, for Acids make the Blood black, which the curious Microscope impute to the Globuli crouded together, as they do the Floridness to the Division and Separation of the Globuli.

Vinegar will cool the Elastic Particles, and abate their Expansion, for that cor­rects all volatile Salts, thickens Oils, coa­gulates milky Juices, cools Inflammations, stops Evacuations and Fermentations, and has all properties contrary to the acti­on of Fire, and all hot Animal Princi­ples, for they rarefy and expand the Spi­rits and Humours, and make them more agile, elastic, fermenting.

Vinegar agrees with Fevers and all In­flammations, and Effervescences of Hu­mours; therefore the smell of Vinegar is very suitable to all Nervous Effects de­pending on such Diseases, such is the Hy­steric Fits and Inflations of Spirits I have described, and in all furious Dispositions of Spirits, where their motions are tumul­tuous, in Deliriums, Phrenetics.

3dly. The Narcotic Smells, such as Primrose, Poppies, give a Heaviness to the Spirits, and dispose them to a less Ex­pansion; therefore we may add these to [Page 89] a Nodulus with Vinegar to compose the Spirits.

Sweet Smells, such as the Writers call [...], seem to be Cordials refreshing the Spirits, but neither so strong as to dis­compose them, but so warm as to conti­nue the motion or expansion.

A strong ( [...]) Smell is when there is very much of a Smell in any thing which makes a violent impression on the Spirits. The heat of Fire, or of the Sun, or grind­ing, causes the Vapour in which the smell is, to rise plentifully into the Air, and act briskly on the Spirits: Strong Inspi­ration through the Nose, and snuffing up any Liquors, gives a more evident Im­pression on the Sense.

A mild Smell, Mollis, or [...], is a weaker Impression by a more languid Ha­litus, Quicquid tenue & molle in odoratu, infirmum est.

The Sensibleness of the Trachea is very evident, because all Asthmatics are of­fended by the least Dust made by sweep­ing of a Room, or making of a Bed. I knew one who was a Malster, who told me he could not bear the Dust of Corn whilst it was removed. And Helmont gives a remarkable Instance of a Monk [Page 90] employ'd in pulling down Buildings, who grew Asthmatic; and he says of him, Quoties deinceps locus aliquis vertitur, vel al as ventus pulverem excitat, mox concidit fere praefocatus, pene praecluso anhelitu [...]a­cet moribundus. In this case the Dust ir­ritates the Skin of the Trachea, and there­by occasions a tumultuous motion of Spirits, which of themselves are always disposed in Asthmatics to expand too much, and cause the Constriction in the muscular Fibers of the Bladders of the Lungs, and those of the Bronchia.

Secondly, Of Diet, or Meats and Drinks agreeable or injurious to the Asthma.

I shall next treat of such Meat and Drink which Experience shews us is a­greeable to Asthmatics, and what is most disagreeable to them, by occasioning their Fits.

All strong Liquors are very injurious to the Asthmatic, and this is confirm'd by their constant Experience of shortness of Breathing upon any Debauch by them.

Strong Wines inflame the Spirits, and all strong Malt Liquors increase the Fits of the Asthma, and shorten the Intervals [Page 91] by expanding and rarefying the Spirits, by raising a violent Fermentation in the Sto­mach, as also by breeding great quantity of viscid Phlegm, whereby the Lungs are oppressed and stop'd: But Brandy above all Liquors is most pernicious to the Asthma, it rarefies the windy Spirits most of all, and certainly gives a violent Fit. And since Spirits are so evidently Suffo­cating to Asthmatics (for Punch will im­mediately give me a Dyspnaea) we may thence infer, That the Animal Spirits in the Asthma are too much rarefied or ex­panded, and that whatsoever is contrary to Brandy Spirits, as Watery and Acid Liquors, they will best agree with Asth­matics: And since this is by my Experi­ence found to be true, I may infer the same thing, à Nocentibus as well as Ju­vantibus, that the Spirits and Humours are too much rarefied in the Fits of an Asthma; this seems to me the true natu­ral way of discovering the unknown state of Humours in occult Diseases, for that Diet is most agreeable in every Disease which is contrary to the state of Humours which produce it, a cooling Diet to ra­refied hot Humours, and a hot aromatic acrid Diet to a crude mucilaginous serous [Page 92] State. If then I consider the Nature of any Diet, that sick Persons by Experience find most agreeable, I may by that be instructed, that the Nature of the Disease is contrary to it; and if I know what are the Tastes and Temper of a Diet which agrees with the Disease, I may chuse the same Temper and Tastes somewhat stronger, but of the same kind in my Medicines, and those will prove most Specific to the Disease, and that particular Constitution which has experienced the Diet. As for Example; I have observ'd Sack, Sherry, Frontiniac, and all other rich Wines to be the occasion of Asthma Fits, by raising a Fermentation in the Sto­mach, and an Ebullition in the Blood, which ends in an Inflation of the Pneu­monic Membranes and Fibres; but on the contrary I observe, that Mead, or Mulsum unfermented, Wine and Water are the most agreeable Liquors, because they are not apt to [...]erment and raise Wind in the Stomach, and therefore do not agitate or rarefy the Humours and Spirits, neither do they thicken the Lym­pha Lactea, and occasion much Phlegm. By this certain Experience, and my Ra­tionale on it, I learn to avoid all hot Diet, [Page 93] and consequently all hot Medicines in the Asthma, and I am taught to use all the cooling methods, which create no Wind, nor Phlegm, nor rarefie the Spirits, and it is of no small moment in the Asthma, and many other cases not to offend in our Liquors, as to the sort of it, or its quan­tity; for our Healths, in Chronical cases, much depends on our Liquors, which by raising accidental Ebullitions occasion our Fits.

All fermenting Wines, or new Drinks have an intestine Agitation of aerial Spi­rits, which they communicate to the Spi­rits of Animals, such an effect in a high degree all bottled Liquors have, which, by reason of its Windiness is very disa­agreeable to the Asthma. By this Obser­vation 'tis plain, that all windy Liquors and Medicines are to be avoided by Asth­matics; therefore, if possible, they must abstain from fermented Liquors, which are more or less Windy, and they ought to live on Decoctions of Woods, or some other watery Decoctions of Herbs.

I know an Asthmatic, who upon any tendency towards a Fit, drinks plentifully of Milk and Water, which presently al­lays the Inflation of his Stomach.

[Page 94] Water with a burnt Toast is a good Liquor for young Stomachs, but the aged, whose Spirits are less hot, cannot bear such poor Liquors; and frequent Fits oft make the Spirits languid, and then they require a moderate Spirituous Liquor, such is a small Ale of Six-strike in the Hogshead, which is the strongest Asth­matics ought to drink, with green Broom or Gill dried, putting lbss. of either to be hung in a Bag in six Gallons of this small Ale, for ordinary drink at Dinner.

All drinking betwixt Meals is injurious, especially all morning or evening draughts of Wine or Malt Liquors, for that raises unnatural Windiness in the Stomach: My general Custom is to drink Toast and Water every morning half a pint, to drink about a quart of Broom small Beer at Dinner, and at night to take a Toast and Mead, or Hydromel for my Supper, or else Bread eat with a Glass or two of Wine and Water: And then in the Win­ter lbss. of Mum agrees well; all hot Li­quors, as Coffees, Theas; of Cephalic Herbs, as Sage, &c. or Stomachic, as Buckbean, which is a Centaury I have tri­ed, but find none so good as Toast and Water.

[Page 95] No Distemper requires more orderly Diet than the Asthma, but especially a moderation in Drinking, that the Serum of the Blood may not abound too much, and a constant use of those Liquors that are moderate, neither too hot nor cool, but suited to the Constitutions and Age. I know a fat Asthmatic who was much relieved by drinking very little of any Li­quor.

From these Observations of the Nature of hot Diet, and its disagreement, I may argue, that all hot Tastes, as Aromatics, Acrids, Gums, Fetids, or Balsams, or Oils, or Resins, or Salts, by raising a Windi­ness and Rarefaction of Humours and Spirits, are likewise injurious to the Asth­matic.

As to the Food of Asthmatics, I ob­serve that all that which produces a vi­scid Chyle, thickens the Humours, creates Phlegm and Wind, and stops the Breath­ing, such is that of Pudding, Crust, and most Meal-meats, of Rice, Wheat, Peas, Beans; and Milk-meats, as Cream, Cheese, &c. and amongst Flesh-meats, those which abound with a Mucilage, as Fish, Eggs, young Creatures, young Pigs, and the Extremity of Animals, and Jelly-Broths, [Page 96] Oysters; all which breed a thick Chyle, which stops in the Lungs in the Spitting Asthma, and that oppresses them.

From this Experience I may infer, that no mucilaginous Gums or Medicines, Sy­rup or Pectorals of that nature, can be convenient for the Asthmatic, but rather Medicines which attenuate without heat, and proper to dissolve a thick mucilagi­nous Chyle, without exciting an Effer­vescence, such as the following Vinegar.

Galen makes Pythagoras the Author of Vinegar of Squills, which he began to use about the 50th▪ Year of his Age, and lived to 117. Galen's Prescript is the same as in the Dispensatory, which he highly com­mends against all Flatuosities: It makes the Senses quick, the Colour good, and the Respiration easie; it helps Digestion, it loosens the Belly, it provokes Urine, discusses Wind, and abates the Fulness of Flesh. He observ'd the Pthisical cured by this when desperate; it cures the E­pilepsy, and prevents it; it helps the Gout, and Rheumatic Pains, and Hardness of Liver, and Spleen.

The Wine of Squills is commended by Galen for the same Diseases: Galen uses lbxij. of Wine to one of Squills, but [Page 97] the Dispensatory but viii. and he menti­ons Honey two or three parts to be ad­ded to make it more acceptable; his Dose was ℥i. (which is too much) before meat, and half an Ounce after it. This Digestive the Antients constantly used as part of their Diet, and Emperors used it to prolong their Lives.

The less the Asthmatic are nourished, the longer are the Intervals of the Fits, and the clearer is their Breaths; for if we eat moderately, we substract the quanti­ty of our Chyle, and we better Digest what we take; but any Excess raises a tumultuous Fermentation in the Stomach and Blood, which produces a Rarefacti­on in the Spirits. So true is Hippocrates Observation, If a man eats and drinks little, he shall have no Disease.

Though we eat moderately, yet in 10 Days, or 14 at most, the Asthma Fit re­turns from a Fulness of flatulent Chyle, or nutri [...]ious Juices, which, like the mor­bific matter of an Ague, will not through­ly assimulate with the Blood, but Fer­ments with it, and part of that is forced into the Nerves upon every Fit; but from such a flatulent Cacochymia windy Spi­rits are always prepared.

[Page 98] The Asthmatics are best Fasting, and under a very frugal and simple Diet, which I shall here mention, because I have had so much occasion to touch on many other particulars of Diet.

They may use Water-Gruel cool, not hot, for Breakfast, or Toast and Water, as I have mentioned; and the same may be their Supper, if agreeable, or else Small Beer, or Ale, with Bread: The Asthma­tic must eat for Dinner of one or two Dishes at most, Beef, Mutton, roast Veal, Rabbets, Birds, Pork.

All Water-Fowl is heavy, slimy, having too much of the moorish crude Taste in it.

All Pickles, Sauces, Oysters, Salt Meats are very injurious to the Asthmatic▪ and all smoak'd meats; for these raise a Fer­mentation too high in their Stomachs, and produce a great disturbance in the Blood and Spirits.

Sallads and Fruits are too cold, and crude, and windy, for most Asthmatics; Cabbage▪ Turneps, Colliflowers, all which are of the cress Taste, and are found very windy on the Stomach of Asthma­tics.

[Page 99] The Asthmatic must eat no Flesh Sup­pers, for if he do, it frequently proves fatal, or else very suffocating if a Fi [...] happen after it.

By all the Reflections on our Diet for the Asthmatic, we learn, that the Medi­cine must be like the Diet, contrary to the Disease, that is, of a cooling, attenua­ting, carminative Temper, not spirituous, windy, viscid; and such is Galen's Medi­cine: The acid cools and discusses Wind, and the better attenuates the viscid Hu­mours.

Thirdly, Of Exercises▪

All violent Exercise makes the Asth­matic to breath short, because their Lungs are frequently oppress'd with Tubercula; and if the Exercise be continued it occa­sions a Fit, by putting the Spirits to a great Expansion.

The most agreeable Exercise is Riding, the greatest are Sawing, Bowling, Ring­ing of a dumb Bell, Swinging, Dancing; Walking is more vehement than Riding, but not so great as the other; those Ex­ercises that move the Arms, exercise the Lungs most.

[Page 100] In a Fi [...] no motion is convenient till the Fit is going off; and I find Riding to help Expectoration; the rubbing of the Breast heats it, and occasions the Fit; and the rubbing the extream Parts moves the Blood too much, though that is commend­ed by Authors, and a Decoction of Guai­cum to preserve Perspiration of Windy Spirits.

They who use no Exercise in the Inter­vals of Fits, soon fall into Cachexies, Le­thargies, Dropsies, through too much Se­rum, loss of Appetite, and Consumption, for want of Perspiration and Expectora­tion: But in the Fit all Exercise endangers Suffocation.

Fourthly, Of the Passions.

I will next describe the Effect of Pas­sions in producing the Fit. A fatal Or­thopnea is described by Forestus from a Fright.

The Passion of Anger makes the Spirits restless, and apt to produce the Fit, and the Asthmatics observe in themselves great restlessness of Spirits the day preceding the Fit; and Hippocrates's Aphorism advises all Asthmatics to abstain from Anger and Shouting.

[Page 101] Fear, Sollicitude, and much Study, dis­composes the Spirits, and produces a rest­lesness in them, which may occasion a Fit; the Asthmatics are commonly Hy­pochondriacal, which the frequent Fits produce, though that is supposed to de­pend on the other.

Study inflames the Spirits, and too much rarefies them; and all violent mo­tions of the Spirits quicken the Pulse, and thereby produce the Asthma and Ephe­mera.

All the related occasions are observ'd by Helmont, who says, Denique & aliàs quae ex potu sacchari, vini hispanici, ex ira, tristi nuntio, vel etiam objurgatè luctuoso mox Asthmate corriperentur; and of these he gives Examples. And I have observ'd that Reading or Writing is very injurious in the Fits, and highly disorders the Asth­matic.

Fifthly, Of Excretions, Natural, Physical, and Preternatural in the Asthmatic.

The Asthmatic always makes a great quantity of pale Water in the Fit, the first day, but at the going off the Water is of a high Colour, with a thick feverish Sediment.

[Page 102] I cannot perceive much driness or faint­ness to attend the pale Water; and since that happens only in the beginning of the Fit, I cannot believe a true Diabetes oc­casions it, but rather an Effervescence of Humours, (which is at last evident by the high colour'd Water) may at the begin­ning of the Fit throw off a good quan­tity of crude Serum, which may be the matter of the pale Water; but I am inclined to believe that the true cause of the pale Water is the Asthmatic straitness, which stops the Circulation of the Serum through the Lymphatics; for if the mo­tion of the Lympha up the Thoracic du­ctus be forc'd by the compression of the Belly in Inspiration, in the Asthma, that being defective, and the motion of the Diaphragme being hindred, it must fol­low, that the Lympha must stagnate in the Lymphatics; and if that Serum which should return from the Kidneys through the Lymphatics be stop'd in its Circula­tion, for want of the pressure of the Dia­phragme, then all the Serum which comes in the Arteries into the Kidneys must pass into the Ureters, because it cannot cir­culate through the Lymphatics; and this happens till the Serum is very much aba­ted. [Page 103] I remember an Ingenious Experi­ment of Mr. Nuycke, who teaches us to make Ligatures on the Veins and Lym­phatics, whereby the Liquor injected through the Arteries is forc'd into the Ure­ters; and this seems to confirm my Con­jecture about the pale Water.

In the Fits of the Mother the pale Water flows in great quantity, because the mo­tion of the Serum is stop'd in the Lym­phatics, by the convulsive Constrictions, or the stop put to the motion of the Dia­phragme.

A fat Woman, who lived long an Asth­matic, told me she found benefit by drink­ing her own Water, and that she observ'd that before the Fit [...] came it grew very salt. I have tasted my own pale Water, but never observ'd it either sweet or sour con­siderably, but rather very salt.

Alum will not curdle it, as it does other nutritious Juices, which inclines me to believe that the pale Water is none of the nutritious Juices, but that this Serum ought to be carried off by the Fits, as ap­pears by this, because when it is stop'd a Dropsy usually succeds.

That the pale Urine is from the Serum is manifest, because it tastes as salt as any [Page 104] ordinary Urine. I evaporated it in a Spoon, and it left only a brown saltish Se­diment; it smells as strong of Saltness as any ordinary Urine.

The quantity of pale Urine made in one Night was about two Quarts, though I drank not half a Pint at Supper time.

The Sediment left upon evaporation was not viscid, but sandy and gritty, and tasted very salt, and therefore had none of the Succus Nutritius in it.

This pale Urine would not coagulate Milk though mixt with it, and therefore no great acid was in it.

From the past Reflections I conclude the pale Water to be the thin part of the Serum of the Blood, with a great quan­tity of Salt in it.

Helmont observ'd before the Fit, that the Saliva in an Asthma was salt; but this I was never sensible of in my self, but that it is usually viscid or mucilaginous the day before the Fit.

As to Spitting and Coughing, that is common at the latter end of the Spitting Asthma, upon the going off of the Fit: The first and second day they spit little, but more the third, when the straitness goes off, and then the mucilaginous Phlegm [Page 105] digesting and putrifying, it loses its visci­dity, and so comes up easier. The Phlegm indigested is like the White of an Egg, and the first Spits of the Asthma are streak­ed, or feathered, and like a Spiders Web, of a blackish colour, from Blood, or some acid Splenetic Juice, which probably be­ing of a Salt nature, it shoots into Figures: This Phlegm comes from the Glandulous Coat of the Trachea, which by the con­striction of the Bronchia is expressed from that Skin. This Spit Helmont calls Guttas caeruleas liquato tragacantho similes; it has the same Pellucid clearness as that Gum dissolved: And he farther observes, In­gravescente senio, graviores screatus, si quid forte sub finem exscreetur, tantillum id, non prioris & causae occasionalis rationem subire debet, sed potius producti vicem habet, ex magnâ coarctatione, & injuria pulmoni il­lata. He believ'd it to be the Succus Nu­tritius of the Membranes, which later Anatomists know to be a glandulous Lym­pha.

Mr. Nuycke observes a Blackness in the excretory Vessels of the salivatory Glands, so that this black Humour is commonly mixed with the slimy Lympha.

[Page 106] No Pectoral can do any thing towards the curing or preventing of the Fit, whe­ther oily or detersive, but at the latter end of the Fit, the oily and sweet Pecto­rals help the Expectoration of the viscid Phlegm, which gathers in the Bronchia during their constriction, and it is no oc­casion of the Fit, but the product of it; for if it were so, the Fit would not come so suddenly as it does; and before the Fit I never was sensible of an Oppression or Stuffing of Phlegm, though I spit much after a Fit.

Vomiting very much relieves the Asth­matic by evacuating a great quantity of this Phlegm, or mucilaginous Slime from the Stomach and Lungs, which appears to me all of the same nature, but after some small time the Fits will return a­gain.

I have often vomited a Choleric Matter in the beginning of the Fit, which I im­puted to the vehemence of the Fit, and some compression on the Guts, or the Gall Bladder, and to be purely accidental.

I have discoursed an Asthmatic, who was extreamly troubled with violent mo­tions of Vomiting in the beginning of each Fit, and nothing compos'd it like [Page 107] drinking Water; this Gentleman told me that he received much benefit by drink­ing Bath Water, which cured him of his Asthma for some Years, but the Asthma returning, he came to Bath the second time, where I met him; he was of a full Habit of Body, he drank the Waters, but durst not adventure to bathe; he lives near Northampton.

The giving of a Vomit will put some Persons into Fits, tho' it generally relieves the straitness and oppression at Stomach in all Asthmatics, but that will soon re­turn, and the Phlegm be again evacuated into the Stomach. The breeding of this great quantity of mucilaginous Slime both in the Stomach and Lungs, depends much on the frequent stop given to Circulation of Humours by the Asthma Fit; for 'tis the motion of Humours, and quick cir­culation that dissolves the mucilaginous Liquors of Animals; but if they once re­mit that motion, they naturally thicken like Gelly-Broth as it cools.

The want of the motion of the Dia­phragme in the Asthma Fit, may occa­sion the stagnation of the Contents in the Guts, as well as the Chyle in the Lacteals, and also the Blood in the Mesentery; for [Page 108] these are all helped by its depression in Respiration: From this stagnation of Hu­mours the Guts may be irritated into In­flations, which will hinder their natural Peristaltic Motion, and all the Humours stagnating will be much rarefied, become windy, and swell their Vessels, so that the Asthma has these degrees; First, there is a straitness in the Bronchia and Vesicu­lae, that hinders the descent of the Dia­phragme, and the defect of that gives the pale Water and Inflations in the Belly.

Bleeding, though never so oft repeat­ed, will not cure the Asthmatic, but a little for the present relieve the straitness and suffocation. It is agreeable to young Persons, but very prejudicial to old habi­tuated Asthmas, who at present are not much relieved thereby, but after some time they become Cachectic.

No Diuretic Balsam, or Turpentine, can prevent a Fit, nor cure it, but they rather make it worse, by rarefying and heating the Humours and Spirits.

Some Persons during some critical Eva­cuations, as Dysuria, Loosness, or Ulcers, have no Fits of the Asthma; and I have heard some commend Issues on that ac­count; and I have been inform'd that [Page 109] King William during the running of the Sore upon his Shoulder, made by the bruise of the Cannon-Bullet at the Battel of the Boyne in Ireland, was free from any trou­ble of his Asthma.

I have observ'd the Asthma to be better in some after the Legs begin to swell, be­cause then the Blood is not so much in­clined to Ferment, nor the Spirits to be rarefied; I have known others much better by copious Urine which relieved them.

A Gentlewoman about 60 Years old being always Asthmatic, fell into a Diar­rhaea, by which she was freed from Stone, Cholic, and Asthma; but that being per­mitted too long, run her into a Consump­tive state, and extreamly wasted her fat Body, and disposed her to Surfeit upon every occasion: I cured her by Rhubarb Purges, Steel, and Bitters. This Diar­rhaea is dangerous to thin Asthmatics, i [...] it be stop'd it makes them worse; in this case we must neglect the original Disease▪ and cure it as an ordinary Scorbutic Diar­rhaea, by S [...]yptics, Laudanum, and Dige­stives.

As to Sweat in a severe Fit, 'tis very great sometimes, and in Bed very hot, [Page 110] and without any benefit to the Asthmatic, I have oft taken Spirit of Hartshorn to produce Sweat▪ and to put by the Fit, but it had not that effect, but made the following Fit more violent. The sitting up all Night does make the Asthmatic sub­ject to Rheumatic Pains, and Cachexies.

As to Stools, the Asthmatic are seldom bound; and in the beginning of a [...] Fit, as soon as they rise out of Bed, they have a loose Stool, and most of them are easily Purged.

I could not find that by Purging I could commonly prevent a Fit, but I observ'd that Purging did frequently occasion the Fit; and if a Purge be given in the Fit, it causes an extraordinary Tumult in the Spirits, and endangers a Suffocation, for which reason I doubt of the sincerity of those Authors, who prescribe it in a Fit: It gives the same Disorder as Purging in a Fever, but is more dangerous.

I knew an Asthmatic who made a great quantity of pale Water, and had running Pains in his Limbs; the pale Water made him lean and sainty▪ though it tasted somewhat brackish, and not sweet, as he informed me; he had frequent Fits once in 14 days, he was oft eas'd by Vomiting [Page 111] with Oxmel Scilliticum, and Oil; that which was peculiar in this case was, that, he was always very much bound, for which he used Clysters, Le [...]itive▪ Elect. Extract. Ecph. cum Aloe, and for his Dia­betes, Aqu. calcis Composita: This Asth­ma was very grievous as oft as the Body▪ was bound extraordinarily, and to that he always imputed his Fit: This Asthma▪ upon the stopping of the Diabetes, ended in a Dropsy with a Hectic Fever, with Hypochondriac Winds and Gripes, of which he died.

What Salivation can do in the Asthma I know not; but since no Evacuation which I have mentioned, as Purging, Bleeding, Vomiting, Sweating, Diuretics or Pectorals, can either cure▪ or prevent the Fits, as I have experienc'd, though they have sometimes reliev'd and palliated it, I must confess I cannot expect any be­nefit by Salivation (unless it can cure some of the Scrophilous Tubercula of the Lu [...]gs) for Salivation is only the great Evacuati­on of the Serum of the Blood, it depresses the Fermentation of the Blood more than raises it, and the Blood [...] becomes more viscid after Salvation, which is injurious to the Asthmatic straitness: But that I [Page 112] might be better satisfied about the success of Salivation, I desired my Ingenious Friend Dr. Gibbons, that he would commu­nicate the succe [...]s of some Experiment he had made in the Asthma, of which he gave me the following Account, in his Letter to me on the 20th of September, 94. I have once or twice given Mercurial Medicines in an Asthma with success; but the Pa­tients were Leprous likewise, which indu­ced to me give them.—I have found Gas Sulphuris frequently given, very effi­cacious when other things have signified nothing.—And in Hysteric Asthma's, Laudanum seldom fails.

Sixthly, Of Sleep, and Waking, how they affect the Asthmatic.

I have observ'd the Fit always to hap­pen after Sleep in the Night, when the Nerves are filled with windy Spirits, and the heat of the Bed has rarefied the Spirits and Humours, but the next day Sleep composes the disorder of the Spirits.

The Night before the Fit the drowsi­ness and slight Headach are signs of the Matter entring into the Nerves, and it is like the Sleepiness in the beginning of [Page 113] the Fit of an Ague, from an Oppression upon the Spirits by serous Humors, which then occasion also a R [...]tching and Yawn­ing.

I have found that by late sitting up, I have put by the Fit for a Night or two, and I have found it commonly necessary to rise out of Bed, especially in the Sum­mer time, and to sleep in a Chair the first Night of the Fit; two Nights before the Fit Asthmatics want sleep frequently.

Narcotics are accounted dangerous to Asthmatics by some Authors, because they apprehend that they make a greater stoppage in the Breath and Pulse, and thicken the viscid Humours of the Asth­ma, if given in any great Dose; but if in a moderate quantity, they are the fittest Medicines to compress the Inflations; and Riverius's Experience confirms it, and all our Moderns, as well as the Antient Wri­ters▪ used it in the Asthma.

I wish we had in common use a Prepa­ration of Opium with an acid, that I am certain would prove more agreeable to the Asthma, because the acid best cor­rects the Opium, and that makes all acrid and bitter Medicines more suitable to that Disease.

[Page 114] The Antient Writers often object a­gainst the knowing of the Nature of all Medicines by the Tastes; that Narcotics are hot by being bitter, acrid and foetid, and yet they cool the Humors and thicken them.

To which I may Answer, that Narco­tics by those Tastes produce hot Effects, as well as cool in our Humours; Narco­tics are Diuretics, and evidently Diapho­retics, by their bitterness and acrimony, and they cause an itching in the Skin some­times; many of them are also Vomito­ries, and Purgers, as Tobacco, which is a Solanum, and Solanum lignosum is Purging; all which Qualities depend on the Acrimony of them. But besides this Taste, there is an evident mucilage in Narcotics, as appears in Poppy-leaves, which always cools; but the chief Effects of Opium lies in the fetid Smell, which being destructive to the Spirits by a par­ticular texture of its Principles, they be­ing stupified, evaporated, or made less elastic; the motion of the Heart and Cir­culation of Humours are stop'd, on which the coolness and viscidity accidentally de­pends, that all these Effects are produc'd by the hot Tastes of the Narcotic is plain, [Page 115] because strong Spirits long used, and all hot Regimens, as hot Baths, hot Drinks, do accidentally chill our Bodies, and eva­porate our Spirits: Camphire cools by its discussing Quality, being a vola [...]il a­crid oilous Salt, it opens the Pores, and evaporates hot Humours. The Nature of other Poisons, as Vegetables, lies in their Foetor and Acrimony, as well as in Opium, which we can never Mechani­cally explain, because we never can know the Textures of the Vegetable Juices, nor the Nature of Animal Spirits; but we must be contented, that we can distin­guish by our Tastes and Smells those Plants that are Narcotic and Poisonous from other Plants, by their offensive Foetors and Corrosiveness.

I shall next describe those Diseases which produce the Asthma as a Symp­tom.

1st. The Suppression of the natural E­vacuations of Blood by the Haemorrhoids or Menses, which being stop'd, do occa­sion a great Oppression of the Lungs, by the Viscidity or Fulness of Blood stagna­ting in the Blood Vessels, which oft makes them varicose, and not only hinders the Circulation there, but occasions a com­pression [Page 116] on the Bronchia and Vesiculae, for the Veins and Arteries accompany the several Branches of the Trachea, which keep the middle, and the Veins lie over them, and the Arteries underneath; and by this it appears, that the Stagnation of the Chyle or Blood in those Vessels, may compress the Bronchia, and by that pro­duce a constant Wheezing in them; and this is to be cured by restoring the defi­cient Evacuations of Blood. This stop­page of the Haemorrhoids I have observ'd increase the Fits in many Asthmatics, who were troubled with them, and during their Flux the Asthma was very much re­lieved.

This stop of the Haemorrhoids is an occasion of a Scorbutic Spitting of Blood in many Asthmatics; this Hawking up Blood return'd every Afternoon in a par­ticular Asthmatic towards four of the Clock, and I could not stop it by any Evacuations, or Styptics; but the Cortex immediately cured it.

2dly, By a great quantity of Blood Ple­thoric Persons have an Oppression in the Lungs, which gives them a Dyspnaea, till it be emptied by profuse Bleeding, and Purging, with a spare Diet.

[Page 117] 3dly, A Polypus in the Heart and Lungs, upon any motion gives a Shortness of Breath, because the Blood cannot freely circulate through them, without oppres­sing the Bronchia; this gives also a Palpi­tation and intermitting Pulse, and upon violent motion they die suddenly; and this is incurable.

4thly, The Coagulation of the Chyle in the Lungs produces the Asthma, and of these Asthmas there are many Instances given in Authors: This arises from drink­ing cold Water, or washing in it whilst the Body is very hot, which by a sudden compression of rarefied Humours coagu­lates them, and from hence came the Ca­tarrhus Suffocativus, which suddenly kills many Children, who drink cold Water being hot: This is without Intermission, and accompanied with a Fever. Upon this I believe the Pulmonic Asthma in broken Winded Horses, frequently de­pends; it is a continu'd Asthma upon any motion, they have a dry Cough at first, but after some time they vent some Slime by their Nostrils, and are easier whilst their Bodies are kept open by a moist Food; they have a dry Cough, which is a sign of some great Obstruction in the [Page 118] Lungs; they breath thick and short, which differs from the Asthma, because that is a high Breathing, and the Inspi­rations are very high, and both Inspira­tion and Expiration very rare and slow, the Muscles in the Abdomen, which cause Expiration, labour as well as the Dia­phragme, which helps Inspiration, as we may observe by the motion of the Flank out and inward: The Diaphragme, be­cause the Air is not freely admitted into the Lungs, moves but little downwards, as in ordinary Respiration, and the Expi­ration returns very quick, and causes a trembling motion in the Flank of the Horse thus affected.

The Crock in a Hawk is usually im­puted to some strain in the Membranes, which contains the Air in the Belly by hard Flying, and is never recover'd.

5thly, The Viscid Serum in a Peripneu­monia obstructs the Blood Vessels, and the Glandules of the Lungs with Viscid Phlegm, and the Dyspnaea produc'd by it is at first without Stertor, but that by long continuance strains the nervous Fibers and Membranes, and disposes them to Asth­matic Inflations. And from this cause the common Pneumonic Humid or Spit­ting [Page 119] Asthma takes its Original, which is attended with much Spit as the Fit goes off. It is observ'd that the inward Skin of the Trachaea is Glandulous, Ʋnctuoso humore perfunditur contra aeris asperitatem; and by the Constriction of the Bronchia a great quantity of this is expressed during the Fit; for the Circulation of the Blood and Chyle being retarded by the Fit, some of the Chylaceous Mass is obliged to pass the Glands of the Membranes in the Trachaea. If a Liquor be injected into the Arterial Vein of the Lungs, some of it will pass into Trachaea, and this way the slimy Spit passes in the Asthma Fit; which by its colour and consistence ap­pears of a Chylous Nature.

These Pneumonic Spitting Asthma's have been observ'd upon Dissection to have Tubercula or Schirrosity in the Lungs, and they frequently turn to an Ab­scess, and that into an Empyema; but that small Tubercula alone will not produce the Asthma is plain, because all Consump­tive People who have them are not Asth­matic.

The Lungs usually in these Asthma's adhere to the Sides, which makes only short Breath'd upon any motion, for which [Page 120] Inconvenience Authors commend the motion of the Arms and Breast, and E­mollient Bathes, and Milk; but all these Asthmatics usually die Consumptive.

This Pulmonic Asthma depended ori­ginally on a Fever, and so does the several Fits of it, which force some Chylaceous Lympha through the Glandules of the Lungs, and that produces the Spitting Asthma.

These Fits come suddenly, and with out any sense of Matter collected in the weakned Glands before the Asthma Fit, but it flows through them in the Fit, so that an Inflammation of the Lungs does not produce the Asthma in all Persons, but only the Spitting Symptoms in those who have a Cacochymia, which disposes them to this Disease, or else it occasions large Tubercula.

6thly, The Stones in the Lungs pro­duce an Asthma, which is continued, and not periodic: Of this Helmont gives a remarkable Instance, Invenitur sinistri la­ [...]eris lobus in dissecto corpore durus, & [...] pu­mice lapidescens, plures (que) ejusmodi lapillos sparsim per pulmonis regionem vidi. This was the case of a Presbyter who lived a sober Life, but of a sudden grew Hoarse, [Page 121] and afterwards Asthmatic; he lived a Year with this Disease.

7thly, In the Pica and other Cachexies, the viscid Chyle stagnates in the Lungs, and occasions a Dyspnaea; and the Ca­chectical Serum in the Hydropical fills the Lymphatics of the Lungs with Se­rum, and extends them into Hydatides, which oppresses the Lungs, and gives a Dyspnaea, and these frequently break and fill the cavity of the Breast with Water, and then the Legs swell, and they can never lie down without danger of Suffo­cation; there is a slow mild Fever, a dry Cough, great Thirst, an Ebullition or Fluctuation of Water, fainting Fits, a painful Anxiety about the Cartilago Ensi­formis, a Blackness in the Face: In this case some Antihydropical Wine is ne­cessary to Purge off the Serum.

This is Horstius's Prescription:

Take Roots of Enula, Campana, Orris,ad ℥ss.Liquorish ʒii.Sena ʒx.Agaric. Trochse ℥ss.Tops of Elder ʒiii.Leaves o [...] Carduus, Horehound, of eachM. i.Flowers of Elder, Cham. ad P. i.Seeds of Fennil, Rue, &c. ʒi.Raisins ℥i.Ginger, Mace, Cin­namon,ad ʒss.Saffron ℈ss.make an Infu­sion in lbii.of White Wine, take a draught for four days.

[Page 122] Vomiting relieves them, and strong Purging, with Diuretic Salts and bitter Vinegars.

8thly, A long Catarrh ends in an Asth­ma, for that enlarges the Passages of the Glands into the Trachea, and disposes them to receive any flux of mucilaginous Slime, upon any Effervescence of Humors, and this usually happens in the great Changes of the Year, and gives an Anni­versary Asthma, which a Catarrh pre­cedes and accompanies, and that ends in much Spitting. It may be observ'd, if the Asthmatic catch Cold, and have a Rheume in the Teeth, Throat, or Head, within a Night or two the Fit will follow. In this case 'tis plain the Effervescence which usually attends all Catarrhes, pu­shes some slimy Lympha on the Lungs, which produces the Fit.

As the Peripneumonia produces a Fit of the Asthma in those disposed to it, and cannot produce it in others not so prepa­red; so it is in Catarrhs, the Phlegm a­bounding in a Catarrh cannot produce the Asthma in those who are not disposed to it, but it lays the ground for the Spitting in the Asthma, and excites a disposition to that Disease, which was la [...]ent before; [Page 123] and whensoever the Chylaceous Matter gathers or flows into the Glands, it irri­tates the Bronchia, and gives the Con­striction of the Blood and Air Vessels to produce another Fit.

A young Boy had the Asthma almost from his Birth, upon catching Cold, which occasion'd a great running at his Nose, and constant Wheezing; no Medicines relieved him, but he died suddenly, being one Year and half old.

If a long Catarrh produces any Tuber­cula in the Lungs that are large, and they constantly oppress the Bronchia, by that means a constant Asthma may be produ­ced which is truly Pulmonic, like that in Broken-winded Horses, which frequently comes after a long Cold, and they are Asthmatic upon any motion.

The sign of the Breeding of a Tuber­culum, is when any one in good Health begins to breath short, and as that en­creases a Stertor is observ'd in Breathing. There is an Example in Hippocrates of the Daughter of Agasius, who being a Girl, breath'd short from a crude Tuberculum, which did not easily digest, but when she was with Child it broak, and she became Asthmatic. By this we find that a Tu­berculum [Page 124] may produce the Asthma, whose Fit will return as oft as the Chylaceous Matter fills that Tumor, for then it must constringe the Bronchia, and that Asth­ma is truly Symptomatical, depending on that Tumor, and not the windy Ca­cochymia.

The Itch repelled, or Ulcers stop'd up, may occasion an Asthma, by filling the Blood with too much malignant Serosity, and that either flows through the Glan­dules of the Lungs or Brain, and excites an Effervescence in the Humours.

If a flux of Serum falls on the Stomach, and Intestines, that occasions Gripes and Inflations there, and many loose Stools, and then the Asthma Fit appears very little in the Nerves, the Fits are very short, and little Spitting happens; these sort of Fits frequently happen from a Ca­tarrh, as appears by a Loosness, but if any defluxion of Serum oppresses the Bronchia, it causes much Spit, and the straitness on the Bronchia, and the same Inflation there in its muscular Membranes, which happen in those in the Belly, when the Defluxion of Serum runs through those Glands, but if the Defluxion of Se­rum passes the Glands of the Brain, the [Page 125] straitness is most with dulness in the Head, and the Fit is longer.

9thly, The Asthma depends on Fevers, the Small Pox oft leaves viscid Matter in the Lungs, which upon any Effervescence of Blood stops that, and the Chyle, and that stoppage occasions an Inflation in the Lungs. I am certain the Small Pox en­creased the Asthma in my self, and others I have discoused with. Horstius gives an Example of an Asthmatic who died of an Imposthume in the Lungs in that Disease.

A Young Gentleman about Twenty, was taken with an Asthma after a Pleu­risy, which Spring and Fall gave him great trouble, but after he had had the Small Pox, his Asthma was very severe, and drew his Breath with more difficulty. He complain'd to me of straitness in the Sternum about the middle of it; he could lie on either side, and does not Wheeze: The straitness takes him in a Morning, and Spits more now than at first; he found some Benefit by this Method, by gentle Vomiting, and Purging with gentle Pills, and Castor Pills at Night. I anointed him with Anticonvulsives, and Emollients; he used an Antiscorbutic Diet-Drink, and an Anti-asthmatic Syrup; by these he con­tinu'd [Page 126] well some time, but the Fits return sometimes; I gave him the Cortex, but it occasion'd more straitness at the Stomach.

Intermitting Fevers are often the occa­sions of the Asthma Fit, as appears by the Instances above mentioned, and then it cannot be cured without a plentiful Dose of the Cortex; but Bleeding, Vomiting, Clysters, and Blisters must precede, and in great Faintness Anti-spasmodics.

About Eight Years since I had an Inter­mitting Fever, with Swooning Fits e­very Afternoon, to this I impute the setled Periods of my Asthma: In this I used great quantities of the Cortex, and ʒii. of Spirit of Hartshorn every Day, which then very much reliev'd me; but no Pectorals nor Balsams, or Purging, Vomiting, Bleeding, nor a long use of the Cortex would put any stop to the Periods of the Fits, till I used an Oxymel hereafter described, and bitter Thea of Buckbean, with an exact Diet.

A Gentlewoman of a lean Habit of Body had been Asthmatic from her Youth, after she had had the Small Pox, to which she imputed it; but these Fits came seldom but upon taking Cold, or the turns of the Year; but after the Quar­tan [Page 127] Ague, which was cured by the Cor­tex, it came frequently towards Morn­ing, and she had also a pain on the left Side. I gave her a Vomit of Oxymel Scil­liticum, she Purg'd with Pil de Hieracum Agarico, de Succino, ad ℈i. once in a week, afterwards she used a Decoction of the Cortex with an Hysteric Julep, and Hy­steric Pills, with an Asthmatic Syrup, be­cause she was very subject to Hysteric Fits, and did not Spit after her Fits; she drank an Antiscorbutic Diet Drink, and the Decoction of Bitters, without Sena, for a long time, by which she continu'd well for Twelve Months, but then the A­gue return'd again with the Asthma Fits, which were cured by the same method. And by this Instance, and the former I mention'd, I learn, that the Hysteric Asthma depended on an Intermitting Fe­ver, as well as the Spitting Asthma, and that both of them have the same Periods, of which I must observe two sorts; for the one, in Pulmonic or Hysteric Asthma's, happens once in Ten Days, or Fourteen Days at farthest; and the other only upon Changes of the Year, when Intermitting Fevers return usually; therefore such Asthmatics ought to use the Cortex [Page 128] Spring and Fall, after Vomiting, Bleed­ing, and Purging.

I knew a Divine, who after the Quar­tan Ague was every Spring seized with the Asthma, to whom I recommended the method mention'd.

Every Fever will not occasion an Asth­ma Fit, neither had I any in the Small Pox; therefore where the Asthma is a Symptom, there seems to be a crude fla­tulent Cacochymia in the Blood before the Fever came, and a flatulency of Spi­rits, which being rarefied by the Fever, produces the Asthmatic Symptoms, with Windiness in the Stomach, much Spit­ting, Intermitting Pulse, Palpitation, Coldness, Fainting; which Symptoms oft appear, attending an Astmatic Fever. If Tubercula in the Lungs stop'd the Fe­verish Blood, and occasion'd the Asthma, then that would happen in all Fevers to Asthmatics, which I am certain does not, but some Intermitting Fevers occasion it; and upon curing that, it goes into its old Periods again.

Mr. B. of Warwickshire, was first seiz'd by the Asthma in Spain, as he thought by eating of Fruits there; he was then Twen­ty-five Years old, and was forc'd to leave [Page 129] tha [...] Country, because when the Rains fell i [...] violently held him.

His Grandfather had the Asthma▪ and died of it about the Fortieth Year of his Age; but his Father and Mother were very healthful, and never had any Asth­ma; but some of his Brothers and Sisters are subject to the same Disease so that it was a Disease in the Family, but yet missed one Generation.

This Gentleman for the space of Ten Years was Asthmatic in a high degree▪ for which he oft bled, which made him Consumptive; his Stomach was apt to Surfeit by Eggs, Sallads, potted Meats, which gave severe Fits; he used Steel, and Gums, and volatil Salts, which did him great Injury. In London Air his Fits were much as in the Country; about the Thir­ty-fifth Year of his Age he had a Fever, and then his Fi [...]s left him for Three Years, but he Spit and Coughed much more, and that way evacuated the Matter of the Asthma; [...] last an Intermitting Fe­ver returned on him, but the usual Me­thod proved unsuccessful, and the Cortex oppressed his Stomach▪ Asses, Milk pur­ged him, no Pectorals relieved him; he drank Sarsa Drinks▪ Emulsions, Pearl [Page 130] Juleps with Bals. Sulp. Anis in Syrup of Balsam, and other Balsams; he died He­ctic in the Winter; I open'd his Tho­rax, and found the Lungs to stick to the Pleura on both sides; there were many Tubercula in his Lungs, and some puru­lent Matter, and I found a small Schirrus on the Skin: This Consumption was in­troduced by the Intermitting Fever, and probably all the Tubercula were the Ef­fects of it. Asthmatics have no short Cough betwixt the Fits, which makes me doubt whether they commonly have any Tubercula, especially when I observe they can use great Motion without Whee­zing.

10thly, If a Vomica break in the Lungs, it by a sudden Inundation of Matter oc­casions a fatal Asthma.

An Empyema oppresses the Lungs as the Dropsy does, and hinders their Expan­sion, and the Empyema has a great Fever in the beginning, which grows milder as soon as any Matter is concocted, and then it has all the Signs of a Consumption to accompany it.

It usually succeeds the breach of a Vein, or Vomica Sanguinea, the Inflammation of the Lungs or Pleura, the Quinsey, Le­thargy, [Page 131] Wound or Ulcer, Pthisic, or the ripening of a Tuberculum.

11thly, Every external Compression of the Lungs, may cause a Pulmonic Asth­ma, as too much Fat about the Heart, the growing of the Lungs to the Dia­phragme, Pericardium.

The Gibbous are Asthmatic, because of the contortion of the Spinal Marrow, the compression of the Nerves, or the ill shape of the Cavity of the Breast, which straitens the Lungs.

The Asthma often causes a Gibbosity in young Persons, and that is observed to be fatal ante P [...]bertatem.

I have described the several kinds of Compression of the Lungs, or Bronchia, by which Inspiration is hindred, as too much Blood, a Polypus, Coagulation of Chyle, Hydropical Serum, Tubercula, Empyema, and all external Accidents that compress the Lungs, but there re­mains one other, which is in the Cavity of the Belly, viz.

12thly, The Tumours of the Viscera, which produce a spurious Asthma, as that of the Liver, Spleen, Kidneys, Pan­creas, and all Hydropical Tumours: I remember a Patient who had a great Tu­mour [Page 132] on the left side of his Belly, which gave a great Dyspnaea; I found in him upon Dissection, a Bladder filled with clear Salt Water, containing about a Gal­lon of it; this Bladder grew on the Spleen, and stuck to the Muscles of the Belly, so that if it had been tapped, it would have sunk; and the Water might have been evacuated; this Tumour by its greatness stop'd the motion of the Diaphragme, and caused that Dyspnaea that killed him.

I once observed a Diabetes to end in a Tumour amongst the Muscles of the Bel­ly, which gave the Patient a continual Cough, Rheum, and Shortness of Breath when he lay down, but he had no Cough all day, and this ended in a Consump­tion.

Those who have a Dyspnaea from the Tumours of the Belly, can sleep and breath easiest lying on their Belly.

The Inflation in the Guts and Stomach which happens by a flux of Serum on them on great Changes of Weather, often gives a short Fit with Windiness, which hinders the descent of the Diaphragme, and that gives the difficulty of Inspira­tion.

[Page 133] I shall next describe those Symptoma­tic Asthmas, which succeed Cephalic Dis­eases.

1st. I have observed an Asthma in very old Persons after a slight touch of an A­poplectic Fit, or Giddiness, which at first makes them to fall to the Ground; this Asthma lasts some weeks, and sometimes months, with loss of Appetite, and it ends in Oedematous Tumours of the Legs, and there seems to me always in this case a Dropsy in the Breast: Vomits of Oxy­mel very much relieve these Patients: Bitters and Diuretics agree, but Purging did never agree with them: I have given some of them strong Purgers without much advantage. This Asthma in half a Years time proving fatal to these Patients, I have observed this to happen to fresh-colour'd old Men, that have sipped much, though not very intemperately of strong Liquors, and every Night they have se­vere Fits, but in the day also a continued Dyspnaea.

The Gout also oft ends in a fatal Dysp­naea. A Gouty Lady who first had an Apoplectic Fit, by Medicines had her Head very much cleared of that, but a severe Asthma in a small time succeeded, [Page 134] neither Bleeding, Blisters, or any volatile Medicines gave the least relief.

Dr. Willis describes a Convulsive Asth­ma after Headach, Giddiness, and Le­thargy.

I have observed an Asthmatic Fit to seize Persons who were in an Intermitting Fever, with an Inflammation of the Lungs, and Delirium, and this proves always fa­tal, notwithstanding Bleeding, Blisters, &c. The Blood in these cases is very Rheu­matic, and there is a great pain in the hinder part of the Head.

2dly, Hysterical Fits frequently occa­sion the Asthma, because the Convulsions oft stop the motion of the Diaphragme, and binding and straitning the Bronchia and blood Vessels, by the Nerves, which encompass them, that disposes all the dis­ordered or ill digested Spirits to move that way, to inflate and constringe the Lungs and Heart.

Hippocrates imputes the hysterical Dis­ease very much to Wind, because of the frequent eructations, and windiness of the Belly, or pains of Back or Loins: This windy Spirit in hysterical Fits is more fu­rious, and inflates the Muscles, but in the Asthma the high flatulencies being eva­porated, [Page 135] they only inflate the nervous Fi­bres of the Membranes of the Lungs: And we may observe the hysterical Fits to end in the Asthma, and for that reason it must be a less degree of expansion than the Spirits have in the hysteric Fits. Hy­sterical Women hold their breaths long through the Convulsion of the Muscles of the Belly during their Fit, and therefore may by stopping the motion of the breath, strain the Nerves and Membranes, and dispose them to receive windy Spirits, when admitted into the Nerves.

The frequent Convulsions, by retard­ing the motion of Humours, may at last make them mucilaginous and slimy, by which they are better prepared to retain the Spirits in the form of Wind, and the frequent disorders of the Spirits spend much of the volatile Parts, so that the Spirits after long Fits, have neither a true volatility, or a thin Lympha to float in, and upon these accounts the Spirits be­come Asthmatic, and the solid Parts are disposed to the same, by the Convulsions and Strainings mentioned.

Helmont calls this hysterical Asthma, Caducum Pulmonis; and he affirms of it, Quicquid Epilepticum Adultum sanat, sa­nat etiam Asthmaticum.

[Page 136] It will not be improper here to compare the Fits of the Spitting and Hysterical Asthma.

In the Spitting Asthma there is no less Inflation of the Lungs, and the same rigidity in the Spitting Asthma, as in the Hysterical, which is commonly called a Convulsion, but is more like a continued Inflation, or Catalepsis.

The Lungs in the Spitting Asthma are vitiated by Tumours frequently, which stop the Circulation of the Blood, Spirits, and Chyle, and the filling the Lungs, may produce the Inflation, or Rigidity, and then this constriction may be called a Symptom of the Diseases of the Lungs; but in the Hysteric Asthma, the Disease first began in the Nerves, where a con­striction is made on the blood Vessels, and Bronchia, and those Humours stagnating help the Inflation and Rigidity of the Lungs by their fulness.

The Hysteric Asthma in time degene­rates into the Spitting, after Humous have been oft stop'd on the Lungs by frequent Fits, and the Glandules there filled and become Schirrous Tubercula, they ob­struct the Circulation of Chyle, causing it to pass in small quantities into the [Page 137] Bronchia, where it causes the Spit.

Those who are most subject to the Spit­ting Asthma, who are of a lean Habit of Body, and are subject to Rheums, and glandulous Swellings in their Youth, which are inclining to the Scrophulous Obstru­ctions; these are most subject to the Tu­bercula of the Lungs, and much Spitting; they have too much Appetite, and are troubled with Hypochondriacal Flatuo­sities.

I observed some fat Hysterical Women who have had the Hysterical Asthma, in which they Spit little after Twenty Years continuance, but have the same sort of Spit as the lean Asthmatic, clear and mu­cilaginous, streaked with black.

Whatsoever Causes produce the Fit of the Hysterical Asthma, produce the same in the Spitting Asthma, as Changes of Weather, Heat and Cold, violent Moti­ons, Passions, Wine, Surfeits; in neither kind of Asthma can they bear the heat of the Bed; since the same Causes produce the Fits in both sorts of Asthmatics, there is certainly the same Effervescence in both, which occasions the Fits, and that is plainly proved; for at the end of the hysteric Asthma Fit, the Water appears [Page 138] feverish, with a thick Sediment; and I observe that there is the same Interval betwixt the hysteric Asthma Fits, as there is in the spitting Asthma; and there is the same quantity of pale Water in both kinds of Asthma.

Since therefore these two kinds agree in the same sort of Constriction of the Bronchia, in the same Effervescence of Humours, occasioned by external Causes, all these two kinds differ in, is, the first occasion that produced them, and the Spitting attends the one and not the other, the reason of which I impute to Inflam­mation of the Lungs, or a Catarrh, and the other rises after Hysterical Fits, or a Fever.

In both sorts there is the same flatulent and mucilaginous Cacochymia, which by the Effervescence is forced upon the Lungs in the one, and on the Nerves in the o­ther.

3dly. Hypochondriac Fits occasion ano­ther sort of Asthma, without Wheezing; the Breath is short, the Sternum oppres­sed, flatulencies are in the Stomach, gid­diness in the Head, with fear of Swoon­ing; in these the Lungs are not much af­fected, but the Sternum, or Membranes [Page 139] of the Breast, as the Mediastinum, and this must be cured as the original Cause requires, by Vomiting, Purging, Chaly­beats, and Cephalics.

4thly. When the Scurvy affects the Nerves with too much sharp Serum, it produces the Asthma Convulsivum, with straitness of the Breast. This is Dr. Wil­lis's Opinion; and for that he uses volatile Spirits, Tincture of Antimony, Sulphur, Castor, Lavender, Flowers of Sal Ar­moniac, Benzoin, Elixir Proprietatis: He prescribes Sudorifics, sharp Clysters, Diuretics, for the evacuating of the Se­rum.

Dr. Willis relates a History of a Con­vulsive Asthma, from the Serum in the hinder part of the Head, and violent Fits of the Asthma seizes them in lying down; and this succeeds other Diseases, or Ca­chexies, and is a deplorable state.

Zecchius observes an Asthma without Stertor; when the Constriction or Angu­stia falls on the blood Vessels, more than on the Bronchia, he imputes the Cause of Asthma wholly to a Catarrh from the Head, and prescribes the usual methods for it to the Head, which is as absurd as the explication of a Catarrh descending [Page 140] thence; yet we must allow that in the Asthma there is a real flux of Serum, ei­ther through the Lungs or Nerves, and all defluxions like the Asthma are apt to return.

Zecchius observes many other useful things relating to the Asthma, which I will mention.

1st. He observes that Asthmaties are hurt by hot Medicines, and that in cold Climates, if dry, they have best Health, and that the South Wind is injurious; for the heat of their Liver, that is, their Blood (of which the old Writers made the Li­ver the Fountain) he advises, the depu­rated Juice of Cichory, and Goats-whey; he observes also a Crudity in the Sto­mach.

2dly. He observes that the Asthma is Respiratio tarda, magna, rara; and to his Honour be it, that no other Authors, who generally call the Asthma Respiratio Densa, have given a true Description of it but he; and he observes the Cough the Asthmatics sometimes have in Expiration, which puts then to great pain, because their Lungs are not full enough of Air to cause a Cough; he observes also, that the Urine is thick and turbid in the Fit.

[Page 141] 3dly. In the Fit he prescribes Medicines mixt with Acids, thus,

Take simple Oxymel ℥jss.Oxymel of Squills℥ss.Sal Armoniac ℈i.Saffron iij. gr.pow­dered, or Ammoniacum℈i.Musk iij. gr.Saffron ii. gr.with Oxymel of Squills; make Pills, take them in a Potch'd Egg. He com­mends this Cleanser for the Lungs,Tur­pentine washed℥i.Sulph. ʒi.Ammonia [...]um dissolved ʒii.make Pills, and let the Pa­tient dilute his Wine with the Decoction of Misletoes.

He observes the Praeludia of the Fit to be a heaviness in the Head, and a Distil­lation, with a small Cough, to prevent which Zecchius well advises a Clyster, and a Blister, and a Narcotic at Night▪ and afterwards Ammoniacum dissolved in Oxymel, which cleanses and dilates the Lungs, and dries them, without any im­moderate heat.

First, By Bitters.

I have long used bitter Wines, but those inflame the Blood and Spirits.

Dr. Lowers's bitter Tincture with Steel did me no service, but great injury. I have heard some Cachectical Persons com­mend [Page 165] Wormwood Beer and Wine, but they are generally too hot.

I have used many Ounces of Elixir Proprietatis prepared with volatile Salts, and Hiera Picra infused in Sack, without any benefit, and that prepared with fixed Salt is as mischievous to the Asthmatic; but Elixir Proprietatis prepared with an Acid is less heating, and a truer digestive, and more convenient for Asthmatics a­gainst their Cachexies.

I have used great quantity of Hore­hound in vain, as lbss. to six Gallons of very small Table-beer, it produces much Urine, and was pleasant enough, though a very strong Bitter, of the taste, nature, and quality of the Verbascum, to which class I therefore think it referrible; but a long use of this did me no service. But I very much relieved a Cachectical Asth­ma, by a long use of Syrup of Horehound in Hyssop-water, which was taken Morn­ing and Night for three Months.

I tried great quantity of dried Buck­bean in Thea for my Breakfast, I drank half a pint of this with or without Sugar all Winter every Morning; this agreed with my Stomach, as Centaury Thea did, which I also have frequently used with [Page 166] Sugar; both these Theas agreed in Co­lour, Taste, and Virtue, for which reason I call Buckbean a Marsh Centaury.

I tried the bitter of Broom, putting of green Broom lbss. to six Galons in a Bag; this agreed with my Stomach, and help­ed my Appetite, though it did the Asth­ma no good. I have known it to pro­duce much Water in the Cachectical, and help the Hydropical Asthmatics: Neither boil the Broom nor dry it, for then it has a nasty smoaky leguminous Taste; use equal quantity with Hops.

Since Oxymels with bitter acid Cepha­lics, and Pectorals, are generally com­mended by Authors, I thence learned, that a bitter Acid was useful to Asthma­tics, and I observed that they usually pre­scribed their bitter Gums, and acrid Me­dicines to be dissolved in Oxymels, or drank with a Posca.

I was frequently reliev'd by the follow­ing Oxymel, and my Fits kept off many Months; I used the Prescriptions of Au­thors in vain, wherein they order the so­lution of Gum Ammoniacum, because they failed me in not prescribing a suffi­cient quantity of Gum Ammoniacum, as Physicians formerly did err in the small [Page 167] quantity of the Cortex: This dissolution seems to me convenient, and I use it till I have spent three Ounces of the Gum.

℞ rad Zedariae ℥i. Coq. in aqu. Font, lbii.ad lbiss.Colaturae adde aceti ℥iv.in quibus dissolvatur Ammoniaci ℥i.Colaturae adde Mellis ℥iv.Coq. & dispumatur, & coletur, Capiat colatur. Cochl. 3. Mane & V [...]speri per menses aliquot.

There is a very volatile Acrimony in Ammoniacum, which affects the Roof of the Mouth, besides the Bitterness, by which it sensibly opens the Passages of the Lungs, and inlarges the Breath; it helps the Digestion, and discusses Winds, it produces gentle Sweats, and sensibly in­vigorates the Nerves; but I found it ne­cessary to follow the Antients method, in correcting its bitterness and acrimony by Vinegar, and that makes it more cool; but sometimes I used it thus, ℞ Rad. E­mul. candit. ℥i. Coq. in aq. lbii. in Cola­turâ calida; Dissolvatur Ammoniaci ℥i. & Mellis ℥iv. This was without Vinegar; The Ammoniacum is best dissolved by Water, but it is no ways disagreeable to the Asthmatic, till Vinegar is added to abate the heat of its great acrimony and the bitterness, and by the Experience I had [Page 168] of this Medicine I learned, that no acrid nor bitter would agree with the Asthma­tic, unless they were corrected in their heat by an Acid; I therefore usually added Vinegar of Squills ℥iii. to the former Pre­scription.

Dioscorides commends Aristolochia de­cocted in Water. I have used that and Gentian, of each ℥i. infused in lbi. of Vinegar; 'tis not disagreeable. Briony and Centaury are commended by the An­tients for the Asthma.

All Acrids are forbid by Galen in the Dyspnaea, because they rarefy the Hu­mors, and dissipate the thinner part, by which Humors are made more thick. If Acrids be used, they must be used in small quantity, and well diluted by Liquids, or rather corrected by Acids.

I like the drinking of Mum in an Even­ing, half, or a whole Pint, for that helps Digestion, and keeps the Body open, both which are useful to the Asthmatic; thin Constitutions may use this all Winter for Supper with Dutch Bisket, and it will feed them.

The Theriaca Diatessaron is a good, old and useful Medicine, if taken at a Night, and some Oxymel after it, to cool its heat.

[Page 169] The bitter Decoction may be used for a Month every Morning, to help Dige­stion, with some drops of the Elixir Pa­racelsi in it.

Centaury, Gentian, or Carduus, may be used in all our small Beers, ℥i. to each Gallon; or else Broom, Horehound, or Pinetops, Germander, Woodsage, or Gill lbss. in four Gallons for ordinary Drink; or use Thea of Centaury, Gentian, Buck­bean.

Secondly, By Salsoacid Digestives.

Some Asthmatics have drank their own Urine every Morning, and found much advantage by it, which gave me a hint of using Sal Armoniac Preparations.

The Acid Spirit of Sal Armoniac di­stilled from that and Sugar, and made into a Tincture; and ʒiii. to lbi. of a Tin­cture of Cordial Flowers, 'tis useful if gi­ven in Water, to a spoonful, or two, or three, in the Cholic, and Fits of the Mo­ther; and the Flowers of that Salt, which are rarefied from the common Salt, are given in intermitting Fevers; or else the common Salt of Sal Armoniac may be given as a Digestive, or the volatile Salt [Page 170] fixed with Spirit of Vitriol gr. vii.

Sal Succini is a Salsoacid Volatile, I used some Drams of it without any be­nefit.

Aqua Calcis compound seems proper to correct the Phlegm, and cure the Diabetes attending all Asthmas, and to raise the Digestion; I tried it, but it heated the Blood extreamly, dried the Mouth by its stypticity and saltness, and made the following Fits worse, neither would agree with any other to whom I recommend­ed it.

Three Drams of common Sal Armoniac is prescribed in ʒi. Cyathis of Aqua Mulsa by the old Writers.

Thus also they used Sal Armoniac in their Diet; Take Sal Arm. lbi. Pepper, common Salt, ad ℥iii. Seeds of Rocket, Am­meos, ad ʒii. Hyssop, Thyme, ad Mii. Smal­lage, and Parsley-seeds, of each ℥ii. Origa­num ℥i. pound and searse them for a Powder; half a Spoonful may be used in Diet; and 'tis much commended for Windiness and Diseases of Breast and Eyes.

If the Niter of the Antients was Uri­nous, we have nothing so like it as Sal Armoniac, but they prescribe them and describe them as different Medicines in [Page 171] the Asthma, but they used them both in it, for their cooling and attenuating Qua­lities.

I have observed the Merchants to try the Salt Petre before they buy it, by throw­ing it into the Fire, to see whether it will crack, for then they reject it as full of common Salt. I think the best substitute of the Aphronitum may be Sal Prunel, and a volatile Salt, for they will have a lixivial Taste, and ferment with an Acid, and Nitrum regeneratum, and tart nitrated is of a like taste and quality. All volatile Salt exposed to the Air, has a cool taste like Niter, and may be mixed with Spirit of Niter.

Thirdly, By Chalybeat, or Vitriolic, and Sulphurous Digestives.

Extractum Ecphracticum cum Aloe, seems the best digestive for Asthmatics, for tho' the Steel by its stypticity stops the breath, yet Aloes helps the Steel off the Stomach. Most Asthmatics complain that Steel heats them, stops their Stomachs, and Breaths, and thickens the Phlegm, and at last produces a severe Effervescence which gives the Fit.

[Page 172] Baccius assures us, that Steel-waters by their stypticity offend the Asthmatic, in them they occasion Rheums and Catarrhs and fill them full of Serum; the Steel af­fects the Head with a drowsiness and gid­diness, as all Steel Wines do: Those I have recommended to the Steel Waters have much complained of them; and the German Spaw-waters did increase my Fits; but I will confess I have discoursed some Persons, who have been much bet­ter for those Waters, the quantity of cool Water doing more service than the Steel could do injury.

I believe Vitriolum Martis inconvenient, because of its great stypticity; though it raises no Effervescence in the Blood, yet whatever gives a violent motion to the Humors produces the Asthma. All Steel Wines are mischievous, as well as all other Medicines infused in Wine. Lower's In­fusion of Steel and bitter, swelled my Sto­mach, that I could not bear it, because of the strong Waters in it.

The Effervescence of the Chyle we call a hot Flatulency, and that of the Blood an Ephemera Fever; both these ought to be stopt, and the occasions avoided, as Surfeits, much Drinking, stoppage of the [Page 173] Pores, violent Motions, Passions, Study, all these Causes rarefy the Air included in the Bubbles, which constitute the fluids in Animals, and thereby produce Flatu­lencies, Effervescencies, Heat, and Ex­pansion of Spirits.

For the suppression of all Effervescen­cies in our Humors, the Method prescri­bed in the Cure of Ephemeras, and the Asthma, must be used, but for prevent­ing it nothing more likely than the use of the Cortex. Take ℥i. of it after your quarterly Vomits and Purges; I boil it in Pectoral Drinks, for in substance the styp­ticity of it oppresses the Stomach, and makes a greater straitness than usual.

Though the Cortex cannot prevent the Fits in a Pneumonic Asthma depending on a great Tuberculum, nor in the flatu­lent Asthma, where there is a great Ca­cochymia, yet I perceive it greatly relieves the Sweats and Faintness attending the Fits, and Head-achs, and makes the In­tervals of the Fits longer, but it is no ways proper to give it in a Fit, for then it ex­ceedingly huffs up the Stomach.

It seems to me a rational design, to try more Antifebriles against the Asthma, after general Evacuations and Digestives [Page 174] are tried, of which kind this seems proper in the Summer time, and it is commend­ed by Rulandus as very good in the Asthma.

Take 20 or 30 Leaves of Houseleek, pound them, and express the Juice, put­ting to them first a little Water, and two drams of Sal Armoniac: This Houseleek and Salt are proper to prevent Efferves­cies in the Blood, for which reason also we may try Ribwort, Plantain; for Plan­tain is used against intermitting Fevers: Boil Mij. in Posset-drink one Pint.

I drank the Water distilled from the Juice of Houseleek lbiv. with ℥ii. of Sal Armoniac in a Sand Furnace; this cools well, but a Syrup would have been much better.

These are the best Febrifuges to be used in the Summer.

1. Watery cool Liquors, distilled Milk, Water drinking, Decoctions of Sarsa.

2. Acids▪ as the Tartar Acids and A­cerbs, acrid Acids of Vinegar, Sulphur Acids, Salsoacid Spirits, vitriolic Acids, nitrous Acids.

3. Vitriolated Salts, or Salfoacids, Sal Armoniac, Niter, Sal Prunel, Sal Suc­cini.

[Page 175] In the Winter Bitters are the best Fe­brifuges, as Venice Treacle, bitter De­coction, Oxymel Scilliticum, and the Acetum, Elixir Proprietatis, with an Acid.

The watery Toast and Water for ordi­nary Drink, or else lbi. in a Morning, after Dinner lbss. and as much at Night. Maxima continentium febrium remedia, haec duo sunt, venesectio & frigida potio.

The old Practisers gave as much cold Water to drink, as the Patient could bear, lbiii. or iv. and they affirm, Ipsius febris qua febris aqua frigida est remedium. I am very well assured, that if an Asthmatic could drink no fermented Liquor, he would rarely have the Asthma Fits. I usually drank lbi. of Water heated with a Toast in the beginning of my Fits.

The Decoction of the Woods is very useful Morning and Night.

Take Liquorish bruised ℥i. steep it in fair Water all Night (about lbii.) with­out heat, and drink every Morning a large draught, or else use it for ordinary Drink; others must use a fifth or sixth part of Sack or White Wine, with a large proportion of Water; others may use Waters boiled with Cinnamon, or Aniseed, and Raisims. [Page 176] I use this Hydromel, Take Honey lbi. boil it in one Gallon and a half of Water to one Gallon, scum it well, then add to it Ginger 3 races, Cloves 30, boil it and strain it, then when 'tis cold bottle it, and use it Night and Morning with a Toast and Butter, or else for ordinary Drink.

Take boiling Water lbii. Cinnamon ʒii. the crum of white Bread a good quantity, Sugar ℥iii. steep them, and put them through Hippocrates Sleeve.

'Tis usual to add an Acid to the Water, and then less Water will do; thus, Take Water lbi. Spirit of Vitriol ℈i.

This Water drinking is very agreeable to all Chronical Diseases, in which there is an Effervescence of Humors, as the Gout, from whence it is observed, Ra­rissimum exemplum ut quis Hydropota fiat Arthriticus. By Water drinking all Salt and other vitious Tastes of our Humors are diluted, and made more mild and less corrosive: Water drinking is proper for all Defluxions which depend on the Ephe­mera, as Head-achs, the Hysterical, Fal­ling Sickness, Tremblings, dull Sight, the Melancholic, Bilious, Hemorragies, Putri­factions of the Mouth, Fluxes of Humors by Stool, Urine, the Womb, and is cer­tainly [Page 177] very useful for all the hot Cacochy­mias, as well as all very hot burning Fe­vers. I have oft put by my Fits, and cured the Inflation of the Stomach by the Hydroposia, for which reason I cannot but recommend this to other Persons.

The next and most prevalent cooling Taste, is, of the Acid Febrifuges, which coagulate the consistence of Humors, ga­thers or compresses the Globuli of the Blood, and makes the Blood of a blacker colour; they cool the Spirits, and prevent their too great rarefactions: I will first con­sider the varieties of Acids, common Ve­getables, and then those observable in Ani­mals, and Minerals, and propose the best Forms of them that I could collect out of Authors, to be tried in the Asthma.

1. The styptic acerb Tastes, such is Plantain, Polygourd, spotted Aresmart, Sorrel, the Seda; amongst these the Sedum Majus has been tried, and recommended in the Asthma by Rulandus, as I mention­ed above. Dr. Baynard tells me a Rela­tion of a Woman relieved in the Asthma by Sorrel, a Posset-drink made with the Juices of the Seda, or Sorrel may be tried, or a Syrup made of the Juices, and dis­solve it, an ounce of it in four ounces of [Page 178] the distilled Water of the same Plant, and use in with ʒss. of depurated Niter, or gr. 15. of Sal Armoniac. See the Se­rum de Sed [...] in Bates's Dispensatory.

The Virtue of these Acerbs is to cool Inflammations, Fevers, and astringe all Fluxes of Humours: Their Tartareous Acidity makes them cooling and diuretio, and their Stipticity makes them proper for intermitting Fevers, and in these Cases these acerb Acids must be used.

The most Physical Acerbity we ob­serve in the Fruits of Trees, as in Med­lers, Services, Quinces, Granates, Rhue, Opsoniorum, Barberries, Grapes, Sloes, Bilberries, Cherries, Pears.

The most acerb Tastes are too styptic for the asthmatic; but the fermented Acids are commended in the Asthma, as old Verjuice and Vineger.

The acerb Taste depends on the want of a due Fermentation in the Fruits, for in a farther and perfect Maturation, they become sweet and more acid, with a less Astringency: The crude acerb Juice of Grapes has no Acrimony, but Vineger having undergone, first, a vinous or per­fective Fermentation, and after that, a se­cond putrefactive Fermentation, it be­comes [Page 179] something acid, and is properly an Acid acrid: From Fruits fermented by Nature a pure Acid is produced, such is that of ripe Fruits, and I call it,

2. The tartareous Acid; such is the Juice of Limons, Lime Juice; this may be called the sweet Acid; in these there is a Tartar too cool, but no Stypticity to bind; but these Acids purge most, and are used chiefly for Thirst and Fevers; but these ferment too much for the Asth­ma.

Take Conserve of Wood Sorrel, Hipps, Rob of Berberries; each ℥i. Crem. Tart. ʒiij. Syrup of Limons; mix them.

Drink Limonade, Limon Posset-drink, or Verjuice Posset-drink, Decoction of Pippins, sweetned with the Syrup of Li­mons, Citron, adding Spirit of dulcified Salt, Niter or Vitriol.

All Meats ought to be acidulated with Oranges, Limons, Sorrel, and the Drinks too, as Barly Water, lbij. Juices of Oran­ges or Limons, ℥iiij. Cinnamon Water, and Syrrup of Rasberries, of each ℥iij. sweet dulcified Spirit of Niter, ℈ij.

See Tabulae Tartareae, and Cicera Tartari in Bates, and Julapium Fragorum and Ide­um, for proper Forms.

[Page 180] Instead of common Salt use Tartar poudered with all your Meats, or Cream of Tartar, ℥ij. with Juice of Oranges, ℥ij. may be dissolved in lbii. of Barley Broth to loosen the Belly; one Spoonful of crude Tartar may be used in Broth, to loosen in a Morning, or else Honey and Cream of Tarter mixed; take three Drams.

Pulvis hepaticus rubeus is made of Cream of Tartar irrorated with Spirit of Vitriol: It cools and prevents Drunkenness.

Take Cream of Tartar irrorated with Spirit of Vitriol, Crabs-Eyes prepared with Vineger, of each ℥i. Oyl of Cinna­mon, Cloves, of each ʒss. Sugar, lbss. make a digestive Powder.

3. I will next consider the acid acrid, or Vineger Acids, and give the Forms.

The old Posca made of Vinegar ℥i. Wa­ter lbi. given ʒvi. three or four times in a Day: 'Tis good for the Cholera and He­morrhages, and consequently for all other Effervescences: Rose Water, Vineger di­stilled, and Sugar, of each ℥i.

Pliny commends Vineger Medicines as very useful, Vini Vitium transit in Reme­dia; it excites our Appetites, and recom­mends our Meats to our Palates: It may be mitigated with Water or a Toast, [Page 181] Wine, Pepper, Salt makes it hotter, otherwise Vineger is of its self of a cooling; and no less discussing Quality; it ferments with the Earth, and breaks Stones, which Fire cannot; by which we observe that 'tis proper for Stones; if it be drank it takes off Nauseousness, Hickops, and sneezing by smelling to it: Vineger is useful in Eye Medicines, and in Garga­risms for the scorbutic Putrefaction of the Mouth.

Vineger is proper for diary Fevers, from Heat of the Sun, and for Thirst; and for these the Ancients used the Aceta Theriacalia.

Vineger was used by the Ancients for leprose Scurfs, Ulcers, Bites of mad Dogs, or other venemous Stings; outwardly for Hemorrhages, 'tis applied with a Sponge, and two Cuatha may be taken inwardly to dissolve the Blood.

Vineger is applied to the Procidence of the Arms or Vulva; it helps the old Cough, Orthopnea, and Decays of the Teeth.

Agrippa had his Legs immersed into hot Vineger in a cruel Fit of the Gout; by this it appears, and many other Prescrip­tions, that Acids were used outwardly for [Page 182] the Gout, and Crato used Oyl of Vitriol five Drops in Broth to prevent the Gout.

The old Writers always used the Acid of Vineger and Niter to cool the Hu­mours, and to abate the Heat, Acrimony, and Bitterness of strong Medicines: I will give Pliny Commendation of the Ace­tum Scyllicitum, which all the old Writers commend in the Asthma.

The old Vineger of Squills is most ap­proved of; it is profitable in the Acidity of Digestion, and to those who vomit fa­sting; it cures the Stench of the Mouth, Lungs, and Gums; confirms the Teeth, gives a healthfuller Colour to the Face, helps Deafness by gargarising, sharpens the Sight; 'tis proper for the Epilepsie, melancholic, vertiginous, hysterical, brui­sed, infirm Nerves and Faults of the Kidneys: Thus the Ancients used their medicated Vinegers instead of acid Spirits, and false acid chymical Salts, and they seem more natural to our Humours than the others: From the medicated Vine­gers they order a Posset-drink thus, take two Spoonfuls of Vineger, mix them with lbi. of Milk, to make a Posset-drink, and any specific Juice or Scurvy-grass may be added.

[Page 183] The Spirit of Vineger is not so acid as the common Vineger, and less to be va­lued, but the Dose is ʒij. to ℥ss. in any Julap. Tincture of Steel with Spirit of Vineger, Tincture of Opium with Vine­ger, may be used in hot Cacochymias.

Sylvius preserved himself from the Plague by Vineger, one Spoonful in the Morning. Vineger is good in Surfeits, Vomiting, Hickops; and outwardly ap­plied to the Stomach with Leaven and Mint. Vineger corrects Opium, if a Draught be taken after it: I think we want an Opiate extracted with Vineger and Canary for a Menstruum, or Vineger Spirit alone; this is more proper for the Asthma and Fevers, than the Brandy Spirits: The Fumes of Vineger excite the Lithargy, and those that faint by Dissipa­tion of Spirits by bathing: Vineger hin­ders Imposthumes, and inwardly and outwardly is used for the Erisipelas; it is proper for the Scab, Impetigo, Burning, it is proper for the Gout, with Sulphur in Embrocations, it stops Fluxes of Blood; the Vapour of Vineger cures the Noise in Ears and Deafness, and the same Fume is good for the Dropsy: Vineger is com­mended for an old Cough, and Dyspnea. [Page 184] Avicenna gives these Virtues of Vineger. I will not only commend Vineger with the Ancients, but also tell its Faults as they observed them.

Vineger is injurious to the Hypochon­driacals, because they too much abound with an acid acrid Humour, but for some Diseases of the Spleen, as Tumours, In­flammations, Galen commends it both outwardly and inwardly; Vineger usu­ally gripes the Hypochondrias.

Vineger does Injury to the Womb by stopping the Menstrua, which are pro­duced by an Orgasmus, Effervescence, Ebullition, or Turgescence, which im­plies not only a quick Circulation of the Blood, but also an intestine or fermenta­tive Motion before the Menstruum hap­pen for two or three Days, which gives Pains in the Back and Loins, with a Las­situde, Pulsation and Heaviness in the Limbs, Pain in the Head, Inflation in the Hypochondria, and I hope by these Symp­toms I may say that Women have then an Ephemera, which occasions the Flux of their Blood, which being rarified, sti­mulates the circulating Vessels for its Ex­cretion: But Vineger, if mixed with Bit­ters or Hony, does not suppress the Men­strua, [Page 185] but is proper to cool and cleanse the Womb.

4. Vineger produces Sterility, by re­pressing the Flatulency of Spirits, and co­agulating the Sperm, which it will do as it does coagulate Milk.

5. Vineger is injurious to the Nerves and Nervous Parts when obstructed in a Palsie, but no way in those Diseases which depend on the hot Cacochymias, as Deliriums, Phrenities, Epilepsies, Con­vulsions, Asthmas, Fevers.

6. Vineger corrodes the Parts ulcerated, as the Guts and Kidneys; it extenuates the Body, by evacuating the Succus Nutriti­us; it depresses the natural Fermentati­on of Humours, and breeds the Dropsy and Cachexy in cold Constitutions.

Vineger is made more acrid and acid by Distillation from Niter, Salt, and Sal armoniac; or if ℥ss. of Sal armoniac be added to distilled Vineger; by this it will dissolve Stones and Metals.

The Ancients made purging Vineger with Sena or Agaric, and an Elixir Salu­tis may be made with the same Ingredi­ents as that in Bates's only; use Vineger for the Menstruum, or else Vineger with an equal Quantity of Spirit of Wine. Ga­len [Page 186] prescribes Aloes to be dissolved in Vineger, or else Scammony, or ʒi. to lbi. Hiera Picra may be infused in it, as well as in Canary or Brandy; the Oxy­sacchary, made by the Infusion of Crocus Metallorum in Vineger, are certainly more agreable and most innocent: I have observed stomachic Vinegers with Quin­ces or Mint, diuretic Vinegers with Juni­per Berries, cordial Vinegers with Cloves, styptic Vinegers with Roses, pectoral Vinegers with Squills, diuretic, antihy­dropical Vinegers with Elder Flowers, cephalic Vinegers with Rosmary Flow­ers, uterine Vinegers with Myrrh or Sa­vine, Pennyroyal, Castor, Assa-foetida; Vineger with Niter or Sal Armoniac for the Stone; Aromatics and Hony may be added to all the Vinegers, or Suger to make them more agreable: We prescribe ℥iv. of Vineger with Pepper for Obesity every Morning, I have often doubled. Whether ℥iv. of the Cortex might not be infused in lbi. of Vineger, to the great Advantage of hot Patients, who cannot well bear the bitter: A styptic Vineger may be made with Sloes, lbss. in lbii. of Vineger, or else by the Infusion of Oak Bark; an alexipharmic Vineger is best of [Page 187] Venice Treacle, Myrrh; of each ℥i. Saf­fron, Camphir; of each ʒi. Vineger, lbii. or prescribe thus, Syrrup de Scordio, Aqua Epidemica, ʒio. Aceti Bezoardic, Dos. Cochl. i. ad iii.

For pectoral Cases, ℞.Aceti Scyllitici, Syrrup. de Prassio, Aqua Brion. composit. cum ʒiv.Dos. Cochl. i.

Infinite are the Prescriptions I have met with in the Ancients, made of Vine­ger, with all Sorts of Specifics; but I shall reserve them for a Treatise of simple Me­dicines, digested under their several Tastes, but here design to add more about the Use of Oxymels, which were the pe­ctoral Acids of the Ancients, but I must not omit that Bellis Minor is an Acid acrid, and may be properly infused in Vineger; the Chymists use a Tincture of the Flow­ers with Spirit of Vitriol for the Asthma: Anagallis Flore Phaeniceo may be infused in any Liquor for Fevers, being an acrid Acid, and so is Ʋrsa Solis, in Aqua Theri­acalis: All the Tythimals and Hellebores are corrected by Vineger, which shews the Virtue of Vineger to correct vitious Humours which are corrosive.

The most acid Oxymel hath the fourth Part of Vineger, in respect of the Hony, [Page 188] the most sweet, the eighth Part in viscous Humours the Acid is to be used, and in others the sweeter.

Take of any pectoral Decoction, lbiiij. Acetum Scylliticum, lbss. Hony lbij. boyl it and scum it.

I have made OxymelScylliticum thus; ℞.Aceti & Mellis cum lbss.Aquae lbss.co­que cum Scyllae℥i.& Macis, adde cum lbi.& reservetur.

The acid Spirit of Turpentine is the best Diuretic, and the Acid of Guaicum the best Acid diaphoretic amongst Vegetables.

I think not fit to multiply any farther Receipts from vegetable Acids, but will pass to the Acids of Animals, where But­ter-milk Posset-drink is the chief, and Butter-milk distilled with Sorrel or Li­mons; and these I may call the Tartar Acids in the Chyle of Animals.

The Salso-Acids from Urin, or volatile Salts mixed with Acids, as Sal armoniac: Let the Patient drink six Ounces of his own Urine with Specifics: Take Niter and Sal armoniac, dissolve them in Vineger, and crystallize them, or Sal Polychrest. lbi. Sal armoniac, ℥i. dissolve and crystal­lize them.

[Page 189] Take the volatile Salt of Sal armoniac or Harts-horn, fix it with either Spirit of Sulpher, Niter, Vitriol, or Salt, putting as much as will dissolve it, then filter and crystallize it, or evaporate it to be a facti­tious Sal armoniac.

Take Flowers of Sal armoniac, Grains xv. in Conserve of Hipps for a Month, or the acid Spirit of Sal armoniac, mixing ʒiii. in a lbi. of the Tincture of Cordial Flowers, the Dose one Spoonful in fair Water Night and Morning.

℞.Flowers of Sal armoniac, ℈i.Aquae An­gelicae, Cardui,aa. ℥iss.Syrup. Citri, ℥ss. mix for a Sudorific.

℞.Flowers of Sal Armoniac, Mortiat.℈i.take it in a Spoonful of Wormwood Wine in the Dropsy.

℞.Take Sal Prunel. ʒiij.Volatile Salt of Harts-horn, ʒi.Flowers of Benjamin ʒss,mix them, Dose ℈i.ad ʒss.

℞.Juice of House leek, lbiv.Sal Armoni­niac,℥ii.distil them, or else use them in a Syrup with Sugar for the Asthma.

Sal armoniac may be used for common Salt.

Amongst Minerals we have Sulphur Acids, which are to be used in Fevers.

[Page 190] Ol. Sulph. ℈ss. ad ℈i. in four Ounces of Purslane Water.

Gas. Sulph. one, two, or three Spoon­fuls in a Glass of Water, or any Julap or pectoral Ptysan.

Take spring Water, lbiii. Spirit of Sulphur, Liquorice, Coriander Seeds; of each ℥ss. boyl them in a Glass Vessel: Bri­ony Water, lbss. Ol. Sulph. ℥ss. Dos. Cochl.

Take any Cordial or specific Water or Brandy ℥iv. Ol. Sulph. per Campanam cin­nam aa. ℥ss. Digest them to a Tincture; the Dose is thirty Drops in Beer.

Take any pectoral Syrup, lbss. Ol. Sulph, ʒi. the Dose is one Spoonful.

All the Drink or Wine may be sulphu­rated; many heat their Drink with a sul­phureous hot Coal, and light their To­bacco with a Match, and the Tobacco may be washed in sulphurated Water; the Water cleanses away much Filth, and the Sulphur Acid corrects the narcotic Quality of Tobacco.

2. The salse acid Spirits, which are properly diuretic and stomachic.

℞.Aqua Feniculi, Flores Sambuci, ad lbi.Raphani composit Lucubric. Syr. de 5 Ra­dicibus. add ʒiij.Sals. Absynthii ʒij.Spir. Salis ʒi.Dos. Coch. 3. cum quolibet Liquo­re

[Page 191] [...] The sweet Spirit of Salt, twenty Drops in Beer.

Sal▪ Gem. may be used as common Salt, or the Rock Salt found in Cheshire may be powdered and used as common Salt.

3. Vitriolic Acids, for the cooling the Blood, Oyl of Vitriol, or Spirit, six Drops in Broth or Water, ℥vi.

Plantain Water, ℥x. Spirit of Vitriol, ℥ss. Ol. Vitriol. Grains four in Wine or Broth, twice in a Week: Crato gives it for the Gout, and he prescribes thus; Syrup of Betony ℥iij. Oyl of Vitriol, Grains nine. He first gives one, then two or three Spoonfuls to them fasting, and says it helps a pituitous and moist Stomach, for it ve­hemently dries, deterges, and astringes, and excites the Appetite; but by its Use the arthritic are made Cachectical, and it injures dry Bodies.

The Tincture of Roses, with Spirit of Vitriol is useful in Effervescences, Fevers, Inflammations; in which Cases the Mi­neral Acids are most useful.

Hartman used Oyl of Vitriol with Man's Grease externally, for an Atrophy of any Part.

Give volatile Spirit of Vitriol, twenty Drops in a cephalic Julap, for the Epilep­sy.

[Page 192] Elixir Vitriol is useful for the Appetite, ℈i. to ʒi.

Mixtura Simplex ℈i. to ʒv. in Aqua Lactis is a Diaphoretic in Fevers.

Spirit of Vitriol is mixed by Chymists, with Cream of Tartar, or Crystals of the Juice of Wood Sorrel.

Take Hydromel, aromatized with Ginger lbss. Cream Tartar ℥ij. or Tar­tar vitriolated ℈ij.

If Vitriolum Martis be convenient, give it with Oyly Pectorals thus;

Take Juice of Liq. or Bals. Lucutell. one Ounce, Tart. Vitriolate, and Vitriolis Martis, of each ʒi. mix them with Oyl of sweet Almonds, or Syrup of Balsam: The Dose is ʒi. or ℥ss. and drink the An­tiscorbutic Milk Water after it.

This Method may agree with the Hy­pochondriac Asthmas, or else Extractum Ecphracticum, to an Ounce of which add Vitriolum Martis ʒi. make it into Pills.

4. Nitrous Acids to cool in Fevers.

℞. Aqua Cardui lbij. Rob. Ribi. aa. ℥x. Sacchari ℥ij. Nitri prep. ʒij. this cools.

Barly Water lbiij. Niter ʒss. Syrup of Violets ℥iij. take it with Rhenish Wine.

[Page 193] Niter may be used instead of [...] ▪ in Broth or with Meat.

Sal Polychrestum ʒi. take it in Water.

℞. Vitriolum Martis ʒi.Arcanum Du­pli [...] Sal Prunell.aa. ʒij. Dose ℈i. in long Fevers.

Take Niter [...]ii. Vineger lbi. the Dose is one Spoonful in great Effervescences.

The most powerful Cooler is made by Distillation of Spirit of Niter and Oyl of Vitriol.

Spirit of Niter is d [...]lcified, and the Dose ℈i. two or three times in a Day, or in a pectoral Decoction, or else Spirit of Niter three Drops in a carminative Julap for Cholick and Flatulency.

Take Sal Prunellae, Cream of Tartar, and Powder of Liquorice, and Sugar Can­dy, of each ʒij. Dose ʒi.

Avicenna observes that Niter has no Stypticity, but cleanses much, and is gi­ven in a Decoction of Rue and Dill: It cures Leanness, but a great Use of it blackens the Choler.

Bartolet commends a [...]actitious Niter with Spirit of Niter, and Oyl of Tartar to make the Diospoliticum, which because of the Niter is laxative, and good for Fla­tulencies.

[Page 194] Take Diaspoliticum ℥i. Hony ℥vi. Sal Armoniac ℥ss. mix them: The Ancients gave Diaspoliticum before or after Meats; it may be given in Broth.

If the Rue▪ Cummin, Pepper, and Niter be in equal Parts, it loosens the Bel­ly; commonly the Niter is but half a Part.

I would make a Diaspoliticum thus: Powder of Cinnamon▪ Nutmegs, of each ʒii. Niter▪ ʒi. Sugar Candy ℥ij. Mix them with Gum Dragon dissolved, Lozenges may be made, and ʒii. of Flower of Brimstone added. Or thus:

Take Niter ℥i. Sugar ℥ii. Ol. Cinnam. or Nutmegs or Cloves ℈ss. the Dose two Drams in Water.

Salts vitriolated, Diagridium, Grains three or four, Tartar vitriolated ʒss. take it in Wormwood Wine, for Drop­sies to purge.

Take Tart. vitriol. Salt Prunell. Cream of Tart. aa. ℥ss. Sugar. Candy ℥i. for twelve Doses, take one Morning and Night.

Take Tartar, Vitriol, ℥i. Rhenish Wine, lbi. Decoction of Barley with Raisins lbi. Syrup of Violets and small Cinnamon Wa­ter, of each half a Pound, the Dose is ℥iii. [Page 195] twice in a Day; 'tis a Digestive and Fe­brifuge.

Hartman orders it thus.

Tartar vitriolated ℥i. dissolve it in a Pint of Wine of Squills; add to it two Pints of a Decoction of Raisins, Cinnamon ℥ss. boyl them in three Pints of Water to lbii. take a Draught thrice in a Day.

℞. Tartar prepared with Niter ℥i. O­range Pills ℥ss. infuse them in a Pint of Parsly Water.

Take Sal Prunell. ʒi. Spirit of Vitriol Grainsten, in a Decoction of Barly, and the Roots of Sorrel.

℞. Sal Armoniac▪ ʒi. Niter ℥ss. Bo­rax ʒss. Flowers of Sulphur ℈i. to the colliquated Niter in a Crucible add the rest.

Arcanum Duplicatum ℈i. in Broth: The Ancients used ʒv. of common Salt to make Epythimum, purge and boyled them in Aqua Mulsa: Twelve Grains of Sal Succini may be given in a Julap, or the acid Spirit of Amber twelve Drops to thirty when an Acid is necessary for cephalic Cases.

I could not omit the various Species of acid Medicines, because no Fit of the [Page 196] Asthma can be cured or prevented with­out an Acid.

The Galenical Acids, for Flatulencies and Effervescencies, were Vineger and Niter; the chymical are the acid Spirits, and mixed Salts: But because a long Use of Acids corrodes the Belly, soures Hu­mours, dries the Succus Nutritius, sup­presses the natural Rarefaction of Hu­mours, and introduces a Cachexy instead of the Effervescence, the Ancients wisely mixed their hot Medicines, as Acrids, Aromatics, and Bitters, with their acid Medicines, and the bitter helps the Di­gestion of Humours, whilst the acid cor­rects their Effervescence, and both toge­ther keep the Body soluble, and drive out the Flatulencies.

Trallian boyls Marrubium in his Oxy­mel.

All Authors agree, that the asthmatic Medicines ought to be inciding without any vehement Heat, because by Heat the Humours become more viscid; therefore no hot Pectoral ought to be used, but in an Oxymel, nor no Sulphur without Ni­ter, or acrid Gums without Vineger▪ ac­cording to ancient Practice: From whence I learnt Galen's bitter Acid, [Page 197] of which I take ʒij. or ℥ss. every Night when I fear a Fit, and drink Toast and Water after it; this generally cures the Inflation at the Stomach, and puts off the Fit; At first it ought to be taken fourteen Nights together, but after­wards three Nights before and after the Change of the Moon, and upon Surfeits, and Changes of Weather, and ill Dige­stion, and when the Inflation affects the Pit of the Stomach.

I will give some Remarks out of Ga­len, to shew his Opinion, and Cure of the Asthma: He calls those asthmatic, who breath like one out of breath by run­ning; and he observes they inspire too little, though their Breast is much dila­ted, because of a Straitness in their Lungs, caused by an empyematic Hu­mor, or by an Inflammation, or by vi [...] ­cid Humors, or else a Tumor like an Ab­cess: He cures the viscous Humours by Evacuations, and the Use of attenuating and deterging Medicines; and the vis­cous Humors require much Drink to di­lute and expectorate them: He observes that all Medicines for the Asthma, ought to attenuate without Heat, and for that purpose, Vineger and Oxymel of Squills [Page 198] are useful; and since all thick Humors are made more viscid, by too much Heat, he doubts of the Use of Millepedes, which attenuate and discuss much.

He observes those Medicines which cool too much; such as the Opiates, are injurious, by thickening the Humors; such are Poppy, Mandrake, Hemlock, Henbane, and Fleabane, Linseed, by their Mucilage.

He commends all Astringents.

He commends moistening, both in Di­et and Medicine, for diluting thick Hu­mors, and commends a thin Diet. 'Tis observable, that most of the hot Medi­cines he cites from Archigenes, are taken with Vineger, or Niter, or Oxymel, or Water; of which I will give an Instance thus.

Take Seeds of Rue ℥ss. Aristolochia, Southernwood, Wormwood, Ammoni­ac, Sulphur, aa. ℥ss. make Pills with Vineger, give two with ℥iiij. of Oxy­mel.

He purged with Coloquintida, or Ela­terium, and gave Niter or Salt in Aqua Mulsa after them.

From Andromachus he had this Medi­cine; take Squills, Sulphur, Bitumen; ad Dos. ʒss. cum Oxymilite.

[Page 199] He mentions Eugenius, who mixt Opi­ates with Pectorals, for the Abfcess; the hot Pectoral, as Myrrh, Sulphur, Bitu­men, Gums, are recommended.

Avicen commends Niter with the De­coction of Hyssop, Oxymel with Iris and [...]epper, and other Acrids, as Nettels, Leeks, Cabbage boyled in Vineger, and puts to his Ptysans, of Hyssop, Thyme, Origanum, Niter instead of Salt; and or­ders the Breast to be covered with Oyl, Niter, and Salt, soaked with Wool; the Chapter of the Cure of the Asthma is lost unhappily.

Trallian approves of the mixing the hot Medicines with the cool, for viscous Hu­mors in thin Bodies and Fevers, and says, that in such Cases all the Physicians used Mustard Seed, Niter, and Sulphur; but he treats not particularly of the Asth­ma.

Aegineta vomits withRaphanus▪and commends Niter thus;Verum in his qui suffocantur: ℞. Aphronitri ʒiij.capiat in Aqua Mulsata cyathis tribus, aliquando cum Cardiamomo, facit & ad coxendium Morbum: Or℞. Aphronitr. ʒix.Sulph. ʒss.Piperis ʒi.dato▪ cochl. cum Aqua ca­lida.Take Mustard Seed ʒi. Niter ʒss. [Page 200] Elateri [...]m℈ss. mix them and make eightPastilli; the Dose is two; it vomits with­out Trouble.

Oribasius commends the Vineger of Squills, as well as all the former; he commends two Parts of Orris, with one of Niter, to rub the Breast; and mentions many bitter and acrid Medicines.

Aesius perfectly transcribes all the for­mer Authors; he says▪ in a crude Tuber­culum there is neither great Weight, nor are they much asthmatic; but if it ri­pens, a Fever attends it, with putrid Spit afterwards.

He commends Wormwood, Orris, Castor with Vineger; he uses Coloquinti­da with Acetum Scylliticum, and Elateri­um with Niter.

Actuarius cures the Asthma as a Ca­tarrh.

Cornelius Celsus has all the hot Pecto­rals, but that which I like is datur utiliter aut Nitrum, aut Nasturtium.

Nicolas Myrexsa has many Anticlotes for the Asthma, but his Diospoliticum, in which there is Niter, is the best.

Marcellus commends Acetum Scylliti­cum, and prescribes Sulphur, Niter of each ʒi. Abrotan. p. 1. give two Spoon­fuls, with hot Vineger.

[Page 201] Avicenna observed the Paroxysms of the Asthma to be like those of the Epilep­sy and Convulsion, and prescribes the Medicines for a Catarrh, strong Vomits and Purgers: He uses Medicines mixed with Acids, Cummin Seeds, or Nettle Seeds, and Squills with Vineger, and prescribes thus: Take Castor, Ammonia­cum, Aristolochia rotunda, of each ʒi. mix them with the Rob of Grapes, and give the Quantity of a Bean with Oxy­mel.

He commends Bitters, the Decoction of Centaury, or five Drams of Aristolo­chia rotunda every Day, in Water or Gentian constantly: He prescribes Arsnic or Sulphur, whose Fumes are acid. And Arsnic inwardly in Aqua Mellis; but all this seems hazardous, and 'tis better to use what he advises, attenuating Medicines, without any vehement Heat: He much extols Crocus, and a Decoction of Faenu­greeck, with Figs and Hony.

He cautions much against Baths and flatulent things; he prescribes Aphonitri ℥ss. Seed of Nausturtion ʒij. in a Decocti­on of Hydromel.

Avicenna de Juvamentis Syrupi acetosi, observes, that it incides, subtiliates, and [Page 202] opens without Heat, & hujusmodi via, est magni Juvamenti, multae Ʋtilitatis, & Sufficientiae in arte Medicinae: This extin­guishes Fevers, and cools the Liver (that is, the Blood) and incides gross Humors, allays Thirst, in Inflammations; other acid Syrups have a Stypticity, as that of Apples, or too much Water, as the Sy­rup of Citrons; but the Syrup of Vineger cools Choler, and excites Appetite, in­cides Phlegm, and 'tis proper for the Asthma, and the Squill Vineger, he re­commends in Epilepsies, if made into a Syrup, and then it does not injure the Nerves, but this Syrup is inconvenient in Excoriations, and the Cholic, and Pain of the Womb, and Palsies, Tremors, in which it injures the Nerves, and the Me­lancholic Influxes of Urine and the Spit­tle, and in Rheumatic Pains of the Back and Knees, and in the Cancer, and those who have a Sowerness at the Stomach; it hinders Coition and Fertility, and it in­troduces the Dropsy in those who are not of a hot Constitution, and much Flesh. From these Observations we may learn the Benefit and Injury of all acid Medi­cines.

[Page 203] Joh. Anglus Prescribes the Lungs of a Fox, two Drams, in Aqua Mellis, and says, it is Medicina Sublimis & experta in Asthmate. He recommends Ammonia­cum in an Oxymel, or Nettle-seeds, boil­ed with Figs in Barley-water: He ad­vises the Juice of Fenil with Milk, to sucking Children: He prescribes Medi­cines too hot, supposing the Asthma to depend on viscid Humours, and a Ca­tarrh.

Horstius gives many Examples of the Asthma, and Cures them by Oxymel Cratonis, or Quercitan's Oxymel de Peto: He Purges the Hydropical with Pills of Hiera, with Agaric ʒi. Diagr. gr. v. Oil Fenil, make Pills: He gives Balsam of Sulphur in a Diuretic Oxymel.

Sennertus thinks the Asthma does not depend on a Catarrh from the Head, but the Arteries, and that what is imputed to a Flatus ought to be attributed to a rare­fied fermenting Serum; and he believes Piso's Opinion, That this Disease de­pends on an Effervescence of the Serum.

This is Crato's Oxymel▪

Take Hyssop, Veronica, Scabios. Hore­hound, Origanum, Penyrotal, Carduus,of each M. i.Orris ʒvi.Ginger ʒiss.Agaric [Page 204] ℥ss.infuse them three Days in a Glass-Vessel warm, in lbiss.of Vinegar, Speedwell and Carduus Water, of each lbss.boyl them; and to lbiss.add Honey lbss. The Dose is two or three Spoonfuls.

Sennertus advises this, to shew his Opi­nion of Acids,Take Pectoral Water ℥vi.Syrup of [...]rehound℥iss.Spirit of Vitriol℈ss.mix them.

Hartman commends Vomits of Aqua Benedicta, and this,

Water from Bryony-roots lbss.Spirit of Vitriol or Sulphur ℥ss.Dose one Spoonful; and also Sal Armoniac rectified from decre­pitated Salt in Wormwood Wine.

Sylvius imputes the Asthma to a Flatus, and partly to a Catarrh, and recommends a mixture of a volatile oily Salt, with a dulcified acid Spirit.

Dr. Willis observes the Orgasmus, or Effervescence in the beginning of the Asthma Fit, and prescribes Sal Prunel in cool Juleps to check it; but I could ne­ver find any benefit by his hot Pectorals, and Antispasmodics, Tincture of Castor, of Sulphur, Spirit of Sal Armoniac, Syrup of Garlic, &c. All that I found useful in him was a Vomit, and Opiates; he takes too little notice of Niter, Oxymels, and common Sal Armoniac.

[Page 205] The best Medicines of the Antients, and the present Age, has too much fol­low'd his unsuccessful Practice by hot Me­dicines, no way suited to the Febrile Ef­fervescence in the Asthma, which requires an Acid to abate the heat of all his Spe­cifics.

Sir Theodore Mayherne treats the Asth­ma as a Catarrh by too hot Pectorals Sulphur of Benjamin, Saffron, which are intolerable to the Asthmatic, if not given in cool Liquors, or with Acids.

Etmuller observes, That there are more humid Asthmas, through the fault of the Stomach, than that of the Lungs, and that happens in the Hypochondriacal and Seorbutic: He recommends the fol­lowing Digestives; Sal Armoniac ℈ss. cum gr. xv. Tartar Vitriolat, Crem Tar­tar, and Salt of Tartar, Spirit of Salt or Niter dulcified, Arcanum Duplicatum, Elixir Proprietatis Paracel [...]i, Spiritus Carminativus secretus; and Prescribes thus, ℞ Hyssop-water ℥iij. small Cinnamon-water, Oxymel S [...]ylliticum, Briony Compound water, of each ℥i. Cum Ammoniacum dissolved in Vinegar ʒii. Spir. salis ducl.

For Flatulencies thus, [...] the Carmi­native Seeds, and give them with Spirit of [Page 206] Niter▪ dulcfied, or Spirit of Niter, or Spirit of Aniseeds, and give it in a De­coction of Camomil-flowers, with Aniseeds nad Caroways in Beer. He gives Spirit of Sulphur in distilled Water in the Fit, and commends the Asthmatic Spirit of Verdi­grease, Sulphur, Ammoniacum, 20 or 30 drops in Briony-water.

He says the Convulsion of the Dia­phragme gives an Asthma without Ster­tor, or Cough, and he describes the Pneu­monic Asthma from Mineral Fumes, Ab­scess, Vomica, Empyema, coagulated Blood, Serum, Cachexy, Terror, drinking cold Water when hot, crude Tuberculae, Grando Stones, Gibbosity.

Helmont gives many Asthmatic Histo­ries, and disproves the Opinion that it is from Phlegm, because it happens sudden­ly, and goes off without Spitting, and that the Spit is the product of the Fit, from the Injury done to the Lungs, and therefore he thinks Pectorals useless, and Medicines to the Head upon the account of Catarrhs; and confutes the Opinion, that the growing of the Lungs to the Sides is the occasion of the Asthma.

Grembs is an Helmontian, and prescribes Cinnabar of Antimony; he uses Oxy­mels, [Page 207] and Syrup of Tobacco; he observes that a Cachexy or Hydrops at the begin­ning resembles the Asthma, and they are to be cured by Purging, and Dige­stives; but the Vis Crescitiva of the Vis­cera by Mercury. He observes some Asthmas to depend at last on a Vomica; condemns Purging in the Dropsy of the Breast, and only allows a Paracentesis.

Riverius describes the Asthma as a Ca­tarrh, and gives all the hot Pectorals; but prudently adds O! Sulphuris to his Oil of Sugar, and prescribes Spirit of Sulphur 4 or 5 drops in Broth, and prescribes his Gum Pills thus, ℞ Ammoniacum Bdellum dissolved in Vinegar of Squills, of each ℥ss. Flowers of Sulphur ʒiii. Oxymel of Squills q. s. make Pills, Dose 4. Lac Sulphuris is milder than the Flowers, and may be given in an oily Mixture: He commends the Oxymel with Agaric, and this is his best Medicine; Take Cinnanon-water ℥ii. Oxymel of Squills ℥i. take one spoonful of­ten.

I have mentioned all these Authors Pra­ctice, to shew they always used the mix­ture of some Acid, with their Anti-Asth­matic; and I could not withstand the common Practice of hot Pectorals, and [Page 208] Anti-Convulsions, if I had not so much Authority as well as Success by the con­trary Method I have proposed. I shall next add those Prognostics which the old Writers give, That young Men are difficultly cured; old Men, and the He­reditary Asthma is only palliated; Chil­dren are usually Suffocated by it: If a Pe­ripneumonia happen with the Asthma, and Phrenitis, I generally observed it fa­tal. The Asthma usually ends in a Con­sumption in lean Bodies, and then Tuber­cula are bred in the Lungs, by the Hu­mours frequently stop'd on the Lungs, as I have observed in a Dissection of a Consumptive Asthmatic, for whom I am certain no hot Pectorals can be conveni­ent. It seems to me much more con­venient to keep the Tubercula from Im­posthumating by Acids, and by a cool Regimen, than to endeavour to cure them by a hot one.

The Polypus in the Heart oft kills Asth­matics suddenly, and the Asthma fre­quently ends in Abscesses, Tumours, Vo­micas, Ulcers, Spitting of Blood.

The Liver is stopt, and the Asthma­tic are subject to the Jaundice, both in the spitting and dry Asthma.

[Page 209] The Dropsy or Tympany succeeds the Asthma, either from too serous Constitu­tions, or the Rupture of the Lymphatics, by the Tumors of the Viscera, which compress them or the Constriction of the Blood Vessels.

As to the Head, the Asthma very much affects that, with Pain, Fulness, Vertigo, Lethargy, Apoplexy, or Palsy.

Dr. Willis gives a History of a Convul­sive Asthma, after a Vertigo, Pain of the Head, with a fear of Swooning, which after a few Days became a Lethargy, and this settled into a Paroxysm of the Asthma; and this he cured by Vomiting with Sul­phurs of Antimony, Cream of Tartar, of each gr. vi. taken in the Pap of an Apple, and Purging with Resin Jalap gr. v. Merc. Dulcis gr. xii. Castor gr. iv. Ammoniac. solut. q. s. f. Pil.

I remember an old Asthmatic, who was troubled with difficulty of swallow­ing, upon which his Asthma left him; he seemed to me to have some Tumor, or Palsy in the Oesophagus, but no Me­thods would relieve it; but since that he has continued seven or eight Years with­out the Asthma, who formerly had the Fits periodically for fourteen Years, and [Page 210] they were ocasioned, as he tells me, by drinking Small Beer: The Powder of Ju­niper-berries most relieves the Difficulty of his Swallowing.

I have observed many Asthmatics, to have the Stone and Gravel, and to die of it, with a stoppage of Water.

A Patient, who had a Convulsive Cough from his Father, was seized with the Asthma, and a sort of Diabetes, with frequent returns of an Intermitting Fever, with Lethargic Symptoms; he spit much, and had sharpness of Urine, and frequent Stools; but the Decoction of the Cortex, Vomiting, and Steel-waters cured him for a Twelve Month, when he relapsed into the same Symptoms: His Legs swel­led, the Asthma returned by Fits; he was obscurely Feverish, and died full of Flesh. All these Symptoms depended on an Intermitting Fever originally.

I have observed divers Asthmatics with Rheumatic Pains, and Looseness at last, and others consume by a Diabetes, and a great quantity of Water is made out of the Fits, as well as in them; and when this flux of Water stops, the Asth­matic become Hydropic, their Legs swell, and their Breasts are filled with Water.

[Page 211] I shall add some particular Cases of Asthmas, communicated to me by my Ingenious Friend Dr. Fred. Slare.

Mr. Orlibar of the Temple▪ having been some Years Asthmatic, died suddenly; in his Body opened, the Lungs were free from any Imposthumation, or other Cause of his Death; but the Ventricles of the Bram were full of Water, and on that depended his Drowsiness, [...], and a constant Asthma upon motion long before his Death.

Capt. Brent had the Asthma with swel­led Legs, and could not he down in his Bed▪ he died suddenly, by stooping to take up an Orange; his Breast and Head were full of Water.

He gave me also a farther account of a Child very Ricke [...]y with a swelled Head, who was for some Months Asthmatic, without any Injury appearing in the Lungs, by Dissection, but the Head was full of Water.

Dr. Slare gave me a particular account o [...] Sir Patient Ward's Asthma, with an Hae­moptoe, which lasted about a Year: He often hawk'd up Blood mixt with tough Phlegm; the Cortex did him no Service, after he became Hydropical, the Legs and [Page 212] Belly swell'd; two spoonfuls of the Acetum Scylliticum vomited him, and made him to make much Water; then Steel and Diuretics relieved him for some time; and Laudanum help'd his Dyspnea always. When he was opened, 4 or 5 Quarts of Water was found in his Belly, and two in his Breast, his Lungs were without Schirrous Matter, or Tubercula; the Lungs stuck to the Right Side: He be­lieves this Asthma to have been Nervous, and the Dropsy to have happened at last: He observed the Left Kidney full of Wa­ter, and Hydatides encompass it without, from whose Rupture the Dropsy might come; the Cartilages of the Sternum were grown Osseous, the Gall in the Bladder was thick and muddy; there appeared no Vestigia of the Haemoptoe mentioned, upon his Lungs.

The Inundation of the Brain, Breast, Abdomen, by an Hydropical Serum, is commonly the effect of an old Asthma, and the Anasarcous Tumors of the Body, depend all on the frequent Constriction of the circulating Vessels, by the Asthma Fits, by which they are weakned, ob­structed, and broken, and the digestion of Humours decays; as the Circulation [Page 213] is depressed, a thin Serosity also gives matter to all the sorts of Dropsy, into which the Asthmatic fall, through too much Bleeding, or Haemorrhages, as it might be in the Case described.

I shall next give a remarkable Case, communicated to me by the Ingenious and Learned Dr. Tyson, by which my Hypothesis will be plainly demonstrated, that the Asthma Fit may depend on the contraction of the Vesiculae, and Bronchia of the Lungs; and how far that may de­pend on the straining the Lungs by swift running, or the Causes the Dr. mentions I must leave the Reader to judge.