THE URINALL OF PHYSICK.
CHAP. I. Of the Division and Order of this Book.
BEcause that nothing done confusedly can be well understood of the Readers, for every thing the better order it hath, the better it may be understood, and is much more easily remembred, when the order of it is well and certainly known:The sum of this Book. I have therefore digested this Book orderly, as I shall here set forth, to the intent that you may read, as it were in grosse the whole Book, and thereby keep it the better in remembrance.
1 First, therefore I will declare the nature of urine, what it is, and how it is ingendred within man, and how it passeth forth from man.
2 Secondly, of the order of receiving it in a convenient vessell. And of the time and place meet to consider it.
3 Thirdly, how many things are to bee considered in urine: and how many wayes they may be altered in a healthfull man.
4 Fourthly, what significations and tokens may be gathered of urine, concerning any alteration in man, past, present, or to come,
5 Fiftly, to what use in medicine urine may serve: and of other good uses of it to mans commodity.
6 And last of all, I wil declare certain diseases touching urine, which either let it, or cause it to void unwillingly: with the Medicines and remedies meet for the same.
CHAP. II. How Ʋrine is ingendred in Man and how it passeth forth.
AS unto them that are learned and know by the Art of Anatomy the scituation of the parts of man, and the naturall office [Page 3]of every part, it is easie enough to perceive the originall generation and cause of urine, without any example: so unto them that neither know the scituation, nor offices, no, neither yet the names of the parts of mans body, it is scarce possible to make them to perceive the generation of urine, without some sensible example. But because it is very hard to find an artificiall example, which can alone duely expresse this work of nature, I will use therefore an example of a natural work, which shall expresse in many points this thing, though not in all; for such can there none be, but the thing it self.
And in as much as this example is not easie to be understood of all men, though the most part do now a daies partly know it by experience of finding springs of waters, I will first propose an artificiall example, to make both the other to be the better perceived.
An example of Stilling.It is daily seen in distilling of Waters, that the temperate heat of the fire doth separate the purest part of the juice from the herbs, and also from the grosser juice. This by naturall lightness is drawn into the head of the Stillatorie, where by the coldness of the helmet, it is made somewhat grosser, and so through naturall heat descendeth and [Page 4]passeth forth by the Pipe of the Stillatorie.
The Originall.And as the Art of man useth to make this water, so doth nature use to make the water of springs, whereof come all rivers, streams and floods, except the sea. For seeing the earth is not perfectly sound and thick of substance,Cause of springs. as stones and some woods appeareth to be, but it is hollow and full of holes, as you see that cork is: so that the air which by his subtleness pierceth into never so little a hole, entreth and filleth this hollowness, nature so leading to it, because no place should be emptie: In which place by the coldness of the earth, the air is turned into water, as you may see in walls and pillars or stone, namely, of marble, how the coldness of the stone turneth the air into water, and hangeth full of drops, which sometimes trickle down apace, as if they did swear. So when the earth hath turned the air thus into water, then doth it drop down and gathereth together, and so runneth out as it can finde or prepare way. As long therefore as there is hollownes in that place, with such sort or coldnesse, and none other let, the Spring of water shall never cease. But if the way by any means be stopped, then the water turmoileth and [Page 5]laboureth, either to expell that let, or to make a new way.
The causes of diversity in tast of Water.Now this water being thus ingendred of the air which hath no taste, is also naturally without all taste: but the tast that it hath is the taste of the vaines of earth or mettall, by which it doth run. And that is the cause that some waters are sweet, and some soure; some fresh, and some salt, and otherwise diversly tasted; some also are hot, and some cold, and with other like qualities endued, according to the ground whereby it passeth. But of this I will not now speak, because I have appointed for it a peculiar Treatise, if God grant me time: Only this I say now, that a man that is expert, can by the colour, tast, and other qualities of the water which he seeth, tell what vains of earth or mettals is in that place whence that water cometh, though he see it not.
And this water is expelled out of his first place, as unprofitable there to remain; and yet when it is come forth thence, it is good for divers and sundry uses.
The generation of urine.Thus may we thinke of the generation and use of urine or mans water.
Is shall not need that I here reckon exactly the places, causes,Three Concoctions. and the order of the three concoctions which go before the generation [Page 6]of urine, but it shall suffice to tell briefly, that of the meat and drink together concocted in the stomack is made rude blood: (if I may so call it) which rude blood is wrought again, and made more perfecter in the liver: and thirdly yet more purified in the hollow vein, where the urine is separate from it, as whey from milk, but yet may not exactly be called urine, till it come into the reins or kidnies, which draw it out of the hollow vein, by a certain naturall power resting in them. And then doth the reins or kidnies alter it perfectly into urine, as the coldnes of the ground turneth air into water. But you must take this comparison or similitude to be spoken of the alteration it self, and not of the cause.
Now when Urine is thus made like to that fashion of water (as I said) then as the water passeth forth from his first place, by issues outward, so doth the urine descend from the reins by certain veins (as it were) called Water pipes, and runneth into the bladder, from whence at due times it is expelled forth, if the way be not let. So that you may compare the reins to the head of a conduit, the water pipes, to the conduit pipes, the bladder to the conduit, and the shaft to the rock of the conduit.
And further as the water doth declare by taste and colour the qualities of the earth, or veins of mettall, whereby it runneth, and from whence it commeth, so the urine by colour, and other wayes, declareth of what sort the places that it cometh thorow, and humors that it commeth from are affected.
And yet not only serveth for this, but also as the water, though it depart from the earth as superfluous in that place, yet in other places and to other purposes it is greatly profitable. So the urine, though it be expelled as a superfluous excrement, yet beside the commodity of judgement, which it giveth of the parts that it cometh from, it doth also serve for divers uses in medicine, and other good commodities: Of both which, I will anon orderly write, after I have declared certain things appertaining to the due judgement of it.
- A. Is the liver.
- B. The hollow vein
- C. Veins by which the reins do draw the urine, and therefore be called sucking veins.
- D. The reins.
- E. The water Pipes.
- F. Is the Bladder.
- G. The spout of the yard.
All the other parts beside, appertain to Generation and seed.
CHAP. III. What Ʋrine is, and what tokens it giveth in generall.
YOu have heard now how urine is ingendred, from whence it cometh, and by what places it passeth, which things all, to the intent that you may the better keep in minde, you shall note this short definition.
The definition of urine.Urine is the superfluity or wheyie substance of the bloud into a hollow vein, conveyed by the reins and water pipes, into the bladder. So that hereby you may plainly perceive, that if the bloud be pure and clean, and none other grief in the reins, Water-pipes, Bladder, nor Shaft, then shall the urine so declare it, being also perfect and pure in substance and colour, and all other tokens according to the same. But if there bee any grief in any of those parts, or the blood corrupt by any means, then shall the urine declare certain tokens of the same, as I shall anon particularly expresse.
But first it shall be necessary to instruct you of the vessel place, and time, meet to judge urine, and of the manner of receiving it.
CHAP. IIII. Of the form of the Ʋrinall, and of the place and time meet to judge urine, and how it should be received.
THat urine should be kept to see, which is first made after midnight commonly, or namely when the patient hath slept long: but you must take heed whether the patient be man or woman,The order to receive urine. that they make not their urine in another vessel first (as many use to do) and then pour it into the urinall when it is setled, for that causeth much deceit and error in the judgement of it. And if that the Patient cannot well make it in the urinall, either by weaknesse, or any other cause, then let them make it in another vessel; but see that it be clean and dry; and as soon as the water is made, pour it forth presently into the Urinall altogether, and leave no part of it out, as some curious folk do use to put the clear part only into the urinall and cast away the dregs, as though it stood not with their modesty to bring such foul gear to the Physitian, others of such like foolish mind. Pour it therefore in wholly and let not the urinall stand open, namely in a dusty place, but stop it close with a glove or [Page 11]other leather, and not with cloth, paper, nor hay, and let it be brought to the Physitian within six hours at the furthest, for after that time it cannot well be judged.
The Urinal.Now as touching the Urinall, it should be of pure cleer glasse, not thick, nor green in colour, without blots or spots in it, not flat in the bottome, nor too wide in the neck, but widest in the midle, and narrow still toward both the ends, like the fashion commonly of an egg, or of a very bladder being measurably blown (for the Vrinall should represent the bladder of a man) and so shall every thing be seen in his due place and colour. If neither the grossenes of the Vrinall neither the colour, nor spots shall let the true sight of the colour and substance of the urine, and the contents of it: neither the deform fashion of the urinall shall alter the regions or rooms of the urine.
Likewise concerning the place meet to behold urines,The place you must look that it be neither too dark, so that your sight should not discern perfectly, either the colour, substance or contents, for lack of light: neither yet that your fight be likewise deceived, if the place be too light, as in open light or beams of the sun.
The time.Besides this also you must mark the time [Page 12]due to behold urines, but because there can no one time be assigned certain and exact to judge all parts of it, I will briefly shew the order of the things to be considered in their time.
First, when the urine is made, while it is yet somewhat hot, you shall consider the colour of it: for that may best bee discerned then; and likewise the thickness of the substance of it, which if it be mean, shall then be best seen. All other things, as the bubbles and the contents shall be best judged somewhat after, when the urine is somewhat cooled, and they be duly setled in their proper places.
CHAP. V. How many things are to be considered in Ʋrine.
NOw leaving this as a brief instruction of the generation of the Water or Urine,Four things to be considered in Urine, viz. Substance, Colour, Quantitie, Contents. and of the manner of receiving it in vessels due, with time and place meet to consider it. I will particually declare how many things are to be considered in it, which are commonly named four, that is the Substance, the Colour, the Quantity, and the Contents; [Page 13]and the Savour thereto may be added as the fift; to the which fift, if you shall joyn stableness and order, as two accidents common to the first four things, (but yet no lesse to be considered then they) then shall you judge the more certainly.
Stablenes is called,Stableness. when the urine continueth certain daies together of one sort. And if it alter every day,Unstableness. Order. then is that called unstableness or changeableness, to which thing order doth appertain: For order is the following of one thing after another, as black coloured urine after white, green or pale. I mean not, because that so it ought to follow, but only that you must observe how it doth follow. For black Urine doth not signifie the same if it follow after green urine, as it doth if it follow after white urine: so that the order ought also to be marked.
But now to return to the four first things.
Substance is called in urine,Substance. the urine it self, in respect of the thickness or thinness of it: So that there are 3.Three sorts of substance in urine. sorts of substance in urine: thick, thin, and mean.
Thin substance is called,Thin. when you may perceive well the joynts of your fingers through the urine.Thick. And contrariwise it is called thick, when you cannot well see your [Page 14]fingers through it: and that is in the middle between extream thick and extream thin,Mean Colours. is called, mean,
Colours are divers, but the principall are these six, white, pale, flaxen, yellow, red, and black. And all the other colours are contained under these six.
Light white as Chrystallse, snowie.As under white, ate contained clear as chrystal, white as snow, and pure as water, which three are light whites.
Waterie. Dark white as milke-white, horny gray, pale, flaxen, yellow.Then are there other three more darker, as milk white, cleer like horn, and grey.
After white, followeth pale colour, and then flaxen, after it followeth pale, and then yellow, which may be called golden, for it is the colour of pure gold.
Light saffron, saffron colour. Claret. Red. Crimson. Purple. Blew. Green.After it followeth light saffron, and then saffron, then claret colour, and then red, after it crimson, and then purple, and then blue.
Then is there green of divers kinds, as light green, green as grasse, stark green, and dark green.
There are also oil colours (that is popingay green) of three sorts: as of green, light oily,Oylie. stark oily, and dark oily.
Ash colour.After these is there Ash colour like unto lead; and after it, as last of all cometh black. And these be the chief colours.Black.
Now as touching quantity, it is also in three sorts; much, little, and mean.
Quantity. Much.Then it is called much quantity, when it exceedeth the measure of a mans drinking.
And then is it called little,Little. when a man pisseth lesse then he drinketh.
And that is mean,Mean. when a mans pissing and his drinking is of like quantity. All this must be considered by due proportion.
The contents are all things in the water,Contents. that be of another matter and substance particularly, then is the urine:Sediment. Sublation. Cloud. as the sediment or ground, the sublation or swim, and the cloud, To these are added other dis-form contents, like hairs, like huskes, like bran, and such other.Crown. And also the crown of the urine, with the bubles, and other things swimming on the top of it.
For the better understanding of these contents, you must note that the whole urine from the top to the bottome, is divided commonly into three rooms or regions.
Four rooms or Regions. Ground or Sediment.The lowermost is the region of the ground or sediment: so that the grounds or sediments are the contents that occupie the lowermost region. Or yet more properly, the sediment is called a certain substance of grosser matter then is the urine, like to a quantity of very watery flegm, which fleeteth [Page 16]a little above the bottome of the urine: But if it be so light, that it swim in the middle region of the urine, then is it called the sublimation or swim.
Sublimation or Swim.And if it bee yet more lighter, so that it doth fleet in the highest part of the urine, then it is called a cloud: whereby you may perceive that the ground, the swim, and the cloud are but one thing in substance,Cloud. and differ onely by lightness and height, and taketh his name according to the region that it occupieth. But yet again note, that every one of the 3.Another division of the three Regions. regions, is farther devided into other parts also; whereby you may know exactly, how far all contents differ from the just room of their region; so that the whole urine must be divided into eleven just parts, of which the nether region occupieth four, the fift is the void room between that and the middle region, which containeth 3. more, that is to say, the sixt, seventh, and eight. And then the pinch is a void room between the middle region and the highest, which highest region, containeth the other two parts that remain, that is the tenth and the eleventh, as this Figure sheweth which hereafter followeth.
ABove these 3. regions, about the very brink of the urine, you may see a certain ring as it were, going about, and that is cal'd the crown.Crown.
Highest of all things in the urine are the bubbles which either go about with the ring only,Bubbles. or else fleet in the middle of the urine onely, or else both. Yea sometime they cover all the whole top of the urine.
Beside these, there is oftentimes as it were flotes or fattiness on the top,Fattiness. and sometime certain spots only, which are like to drops of oil. And these commonly are the whole contents. For as for gravell or stone, or any like thing is contained under the name of d [...] form contents.
You shall also understand, that in the contents must the substance, the quantity and colour bee observed.
The Substance is either equall or unequall.Substance.
Equal Substance is called,Equall. when the ground swim, or cloud, (for to them appertained this consideration) is not tattered and dispersed, but justly knit together.
Unequall is contrary,Unequall. when it is thinner in one part then in another, or flittered out, and not joyntly and uniformly joyned together.
The quantity must be considered in respect to a mean,Quantitie. which it you know well, then may you soon judge that to bee overmuch, that is more then it: and that to be too little, that is lesse then it: But this mean quantiry must you learn of a perfect whole water, and best by the teaching of some good Physitian.
Of colours I have spoken before sufficiently for their varietie.
CHAP. VI. What a perfect Ʋrine is, and also how many wayes all parts of the Ʋrine may be altered in a healthful man.
NOW that you know the difference of such things that ought to be considered [Page 19]in urine, before you shal learn by consideration of them, to judge of the person that made it, how he is disposed in his body: you must first know how many waies the parts of the urine may bee changed in a healthfull man. For the better understanding of which thing, and of all that shall be said hereafter, I will first define what a perfect whole urine is, which as, it betokeneth no grief in it self, so it is a true, rule to examine all other urines by that, which are not whole, but declare in them some grief.
A perfect whole urine is mean in substance and in quantity,A perfect whole urine Galen c. 12. Crisib. and in colour pale, or party saffron, with a white ground, duely knit and stable, without bubbles and other evill contents.
So that this perfect whole urine declareth the difference of all other urines; For every urine the more it agreeth with this, the better it is: and the more it differed from this, the worse it is, as I shall anon particularly declare.
And here you must mark, that this perfect whole urine is not only taken of a perfect whole man, but also of the lustiest time of mans age, that is at thirty yeers: or more largely, between twenty five and thirty five. For in every age doth the urine alter, as you shal hear by and by.
The difference of Ʋrine by age in men.
THe Urine of children differeth but little in colour from pale,Children. or light saffron, and in substance it somewhat exceedeth in thicknesse the substance of yong mens urine,Galen 2. presag. Hippoc. 13. and hath much ground in it. And the more they do grow in age, the higher waxeth the colour,Young men. the substance the thinner, and the less is the ground. And therefore when age is most freshest,Men. the colour is pale (so that the urine of flourishing youth or perfect manhood, is pale or light saffron) and there resteth, and goeth no higher, and the ground of it is mean. But now after that time the more age increaseth and youth decayed, the more the colour changeth from pale toward white,Age. and the ground waxeth leffer and darker: so that the urine of old men is thin and white, with little ground, inclining unto cruditie.
Of the Ʋrine of Women by age.
THe Urine of women which are temperate in health and in their flourishing youth,Women. doth decline somewhat from pale and light saffron toward white, and the substance [Page 21]is in manner thin, but it hath more ground then mens urine;Young women. now all they that be under this flourishing age, the younger they be, the whiter coloured is their urine, and the more ground it hath; and if they be elder, the more aged they are,Aged women. the whiter also is their urine, but the ground is ever less and lesse. And this you may see how both diversity of age, and diversitie also of kind or sexe, causeth alteration in urine, without change of health; for you must understand all these ages with perfect health.
The diversity of Ʋrines, according to the times of the yeer.
Even as the diversity of ages alters urine, so doth the times of the yeer. For the more that the spring time draws toward heat the more the urine gathereth high colour,Spring. departing from pale and flaxen, toward pale and light saffron: and the inequality of substance changeth into a due equality according to nature, and the ground doth waxe thinner, and the quantity is more in respect to that is drunk: so that about the midst of the spring they return to a mean.
In the beginning of Summer, the colour appeareth pale and light saffron,Summer. and the substance [Page 22]mean, the ground white, duly knit and stable, but yet thinner then a mean ground. And the more that the Summer proceedeth and draweth to the highest, the lesser is the quantity of urine, in comparison to the drink and the ground, changeth from his naturall whiteness to a palish colour and is much lesser and thinner. And this thinnesse glystereth withall, and inclineth toward golden and saffron colour.
When Harvest commeth,Harvest. then the colours do return to a mean again: but the thinness and brightness remaineth still; the ground also is still obscure and little, but yet it is white, duely knit and stable. And as Harvest goeth forward, so the urine returneth to a mean in all things.
In the middle of winter and thereabout, the urine keepeth due quantitie, but the colour inclineth toward white, and the ground is over great, but in all other points it is mean.
And as Winter goeth on,Winter. the substance of urine appeareth divers, and the colour white, the quantity greater in respect to the drink, and the contents greater and unconcoct; but toward the spring time they return towards a mean as I have before said.
Yet beside these, also diversity of countries [Page 23]causeth diversity of urine, even by the same reasons as doth the times of the yeer.Countries alter urine. For countries that be temperate exactly, make urine like unto the spring time. And those countries that be hot and dry make urine like unto summer. And contrariwise, cold and moist alter water, as doth winter. But countries that are drie and distempered between heat and cold, make urine like harvest.
Meats drinks and medicines.Also meats and drinks, and order of dier, causeth urine to alter, and medicines also, as not only experience teacheth, but also Hippocrates witnesseth in the sixt Book of his Epidemies, (or raining sicknesses) in the fift part and the fifteenth sentence, as for example:Meats of light concoction. Those meats that are light of concoction and good in substance, cause good and temperate urine with pure contents: but contrary meats cause discoloured urine, and thin, with strange contents.
Meats of hard concoction.Meats that will not concoct, make lesser contents, and divers in substance. Evill cause greater contents, and in nothing duely formed. And as the quality of meats doth alter urine, so doth the quantity also. For if a man have eaten much, and not concocted it, his urine shall be thin and white, and sometime without ground. But if this [Page 24]crudity (or rawness in stomack) continue long, the urine will become divers in substance,Drinking of wine. and in contents.
Also wine drunk abundantly causeth alteration in urine.
But now contrariwise, if a man doe fast long,Fasting long. his urine will appear fiery and saffron coloured, and thin with lesser ground.
But if a man suffer famine, and do not nourish,Suffering of famine. his water shall be thin and white, with a certain glistering, and without ground.
Moreover, exercise and rest changeth urine:Labour. for through excessive labour, the urine changeth from light saffron, and at length becommeth saffron coloured, with little ground, thin, and higher coloured then it should be. And some time there fleereth on the top a certain fattness, specially after overmuch wearinesse.
But idleness and rest doth contrariwise cause white urine,Rest. with greater and grosser ground.
Furthermore sleep,Sleep Watching. and watching, if they exceed measure, they alter urine; but there is a difference between both sleepe and watching comming of sickness, and them both when they be taken willingly in health. For if that sickness cause overmuch sleep, [Page 25]then is the urine whitish, with substance either fully thick, or but partly thin, and the contents many and undigest.
Naturall sleep.But if that such sleep come naturally the urine is not so white, but rather flaxen, and the substance mean, with greater and well concoct contents.
Voluntary sleep.And likewise they that have watched purposedly, and not by reason of sickness, their urine is bur little changed. But if they watch for any sickly cause,Watch in sickness. their urine will change but little at the beginning: but with continuance the contents will be dispersed, and at the last clean wasted, and the substance of the urine waxeth thinner and thinner, by little and little, and the colour inclineth either to white and watery, or unto golden saffron, oylie, or black, according as the cause is that maketh it so to change.
Of alteration by complexion, I will write in the next Chapter.
Now have you heard as touching alteration of urine in health, according to diversity of ages, both in men and women, times of the yeer, countries, meats and drinks, labour, rest, sleep, and watch: so that you must have regard to these in all judgements both in health and in sicknesse. For if these be not diligently marked, they may [Page 26]cause great error, as you may well consider.
What is to be considered in urineFirst therefore, in every urine you must consider, whether it be a mans or a womans, and what age he or shee is of, then what time of the yeer it is, and what country, what meats and drinks the person used; and likewise of labour and rest, sleep and watch: And then must you consider how every one of these doth alter urine: so that if the altering of them from that healthfull urine (whereof I spake in the beginning of this Chapter) be but such as one of those foresaid things would cause, then may it not be judged to come of any disease, as for example. High coloured water in summer (so that it pass not saffron colour) or white coloured water in winter, should rather be reckoned to come of the time of the yeer, then of any sickness: and likewise of other things.
CH AP. VII. What be the generall qualities that alter the parts of Ʋrine.
BEfore I treat of the signification of the parts of Urine, I think it good to instruct [Page 27]you of the generall qualities which cause all alterations in urine: whereby you shall perceive not only what every urine doth betoken (as I shall anon set forth) but also if you mark well this Chapter, you shall see the cause why every urine doth so signifie.
You shall understand therefore, that there be four chief and only qualities, whereof all things that are both in the Sea and Earth are made: as man and beast, fish and fowl, trees, herbs, stones, and mettals. These four qualities are heat, cold, moistness and driness: and these four continuing duly tempered (as nature ordered them first in every perfect body) be the cause of continuall health. But if they bee altered wrongly, then doe they cause diseases diversly, according to the diversitie of the alterations: And as they doe cause diseases, so they change the colour, substance, and other parts of the urine, whereby wee may conjecture the cause of the disease; and so consequently the disease it self, though sometime it declareth the disease it self, and not the cause thereof.
But now to come to the matter meetest for this time,Passive and active qualities. you shall mark that two of these four qualities are named Passive, and they cause but small alteration in comparison. [Page 28]The other two are called Active, and they cause great alteration.
The Active qualities are heat and cold, and the Passive qualities are driness and moistness.
When Moistness therefore exceedeth alone,Moistness. it dulleth the naturall colour of urine, thicketh and ingrosseth the substance, and increaseth the quantitie. And as the over-part of it above waxeth rough and troubled, so the ground increaseth and continueth raw and unconcoct.
But dryness doth diminish the quantity of urine,Dryness. and also the contents: It maketh it thin in substance, cleer and bright, and causeth mean colour, and the ground appeareth grosser.
Likewise heat,Heat. if it exceed measure but little, it maketh pale and light saffron colour in the urine. But if heat exceed greatly, it causeth golden and saffron colour, with mean substance, and a little brightness; the ground is mean, in respect to the quantity of urine, but it declineth from the due whiteness toward saffron colour.
But cold on the other side maketh urine turn to white colour,Cold. and changeth the substance from a mean. And if the cold increase, the urine will alter from mean substance, [Page 29]and therefore consequently will bee either thin or grosse. If it be thin or unpure, the ground shall le either obscure and little, or much, and that divers and unconcoct.
And this is the working of these four qualities when they exceed alone.
But and it two of them exceed together, there may result of that sort four other distemperances; as hot and dry, hot and moist, cold and dry, and cold and moist.Compound distemperatures of qualities. Now what alterations these and every one of them doth cause the urine, you may easily conjecture, if you keep in mind that which I said of the four simple qualities, and so adde together the alterations.
And this must you remember therewith, that where they both agree in any alteration, they cause that alteration to bee the greater: and where they be contrary, they cause the alteration to be nearer to a mean: howbeit somewhat to help you, take this brief declaration.
As a temperate man doth make that perfect urine, written of before,A temperate man. (in Chap. 6.) so the urine of a sanguine man (which is hot and moist) shall be yellow, or light saffron coloured, by the reason of the heat, and somewhat gross, by reason of the moisture.
A cholerick man.In a cholerick man (being hot and dry) the urine shall be in colour as in sanguine man, but in substance thin, by reason of the dryness.
A melancolike man.The urine of a melancholy man (whose nature is cold and dry) shall be white through the cold, and cleer for the dryness.
A flegmatick man.The flegmatick man (which is cold and moist) maketh urine white through cold, and thick by the moisture, for as heat and cold altereth the colours, so dryness and moisture changeth the substance. Now if you have remembred all that I have written before, then shall you be the meeter and better able a great deal to preceive the reasons of the tokens which vrine doth give. And so shall your knowledge be the more certain, if you know not only the thing, but also the cause of it. Now therefore will I write of the signification of the parts of urine, particularly, that you may perceive that first, and chief commoditie of urine which it worketh for mans health.
CHAP. VIII. The significations of the parts of Ʋrine particularly.
I Told you in the sixt Chapter of this Book what urine was most perfect, sound, and healthfull of all other. And I said, that it was the rule and tryall to examine all other urines by, so that the neerer that any urine was to it, the better it was; and the further that it declineth from it, the worse it is. This I said, should be as a generall rule, which thing to be true in healthful men, you may perceive by that I have written already. And that it is also true in sick men. Hypocrates witnesseth, saying, That Ʋrine is best, whose ground is white, duly knit and stable, all the time that the sickness prevaileth. But Galen to supply that that is understood in this saying, and so to make it perfect, addeth thereto, That it must be of colour partie golden or pale, and of a mean substance between thick and thin. And also in these things is required stableness, to make it a perfect Urine; for that which is untable in any part, in that it is not perfect.
Here were a place to speake of the difference of this changeableness or unstableness; [Page 32]for there is one sort called ordinary, and another called unordinarie, and of both these are there divers differences. But because they depend of an exacter judgement then unlearned men can well attain unto, I overpass them for this time, and will declare the other differences of urine, whereby it altereth from this mean urine, in all parts particularly.
Substance of urine.And first will begin with the substance of urine, the which (as I said, before) is of three kindes, thick, thin, and mean.
A mean urine is that, that is in the middle between extream thick,Mean. and extream thin. And as it is mean between them in substance, so is it mean in signification, for it doth betoken (of it self) only good temperance and health. But the other two betoken distemperance and default of concoction, and that diversly, according to the diversity of the causes of them, as you shall now consequently hear.
Fist to speak of thin urine, either it doth still so continue thin,Thin urine. as it was first made, or else it doth shortly waxe thick and troubled. That that doth continue still thin doth betoken lack of concoction, and so doth the other also; but yet this that continueth thin betokeneth more lack of conoction, for it betokeneth that nature hath not yet begun to concoct. And therefore is that water, a sign of extream crudity or rawness in nature. But that that waxeth thick, after [Page 33]it; beginneth to cool, though it betoken lack of concoction, yet doth it declare that nature hath begun to concoct alreadie, notwithstanding it is an evill urine, for it signifieth that nature hath need not only of great strength to perform that concoction which she hath begun; but also that there is required long time to the performance of the same. For the which cause, Galeu calleth this, Of all Ʋrines the worst.
Thus have you heard touching crudity and concoction, what thin urine doth signifie, so that all thin urine betokeneth crudity. And beside that doth further betoken (as witnesseth Hypocrates) gatherings or apostumations stumations in the nether parts of the bodie, namely, if it continue so very long, and the patient escape death.
Thin and white.Furthermore, if such thin urine have with it a light whiteness, it is a very evill sign. For if it be in a burning ague, it is a token of frensines. But if the patient be fransick alreadie, and the urine doth so continue, it doth most commonly betoken death. And if the escape death (the which is seldome scen) then shall he be long sick, and escape hardly.
Thin urine also betokeneth divers other things: as the stopping of the reins, and of the water veins. And likewise, if a man have had much bleeding, or laxe, or pissing, his urine will be white and thin, and almost without ground: Like manner in old [Page 34]age, and long weakness of sickness. Also in young children if it continue long, it is a deadly sign.
Yet thin urine doth sometime betoken the end of sickness and recovery of health: as in Agues (namely quotidians) if at the beginning of them and so after, the urine did appear thick and troubled, and especially if the colour amend therewith.
Thin and flaxen.And if it be thin substance, and of flaxen colour, then is it better then thin and white: for because the colour is better though the substance bee all one; so that though it betoken some weakness and lack of concoction, yet not so much as doth the other, for the colour is meanly concoct: that is to say, naturall heat is meanly increased.
Thin and golden.But if it be thin and golden, it is yet more better then thin and flaxen: for the colour is more exact and this betokeneth concoction half compleat, for that which it lacketh in substance, it hath in colour.
Thin and saffron.After this is there thin and saffron coloured, which betokeneth first lack of concoction, and beside that default of nourishment, as in a young man that fasteth long: And sometime it betokeneth that excess of heat in the inner parts of the body, doth cause cholerick humours to abound, as in the fever [Page 35]tertian. Beside all this, it betokeneth thought, carefulness, and watching, and also overmuch labour, and taking of heat in the Sun.
And thus have you heard the significations of thin urine, both alone, and also with such colours as it can be coupled.
Now shall you hear what thick urine doth betoken, both alone, and also with such divers colours, as it may be coupled.
Thick urine (which is, so I mean, when it is first made) either it doth continue still thick,Thick. or else it doth settle, and waxe clear. If it continue still thick, it betokeneth that that disturbance which was in the blond, that is to say, the rage of sicknesse doth still continue strongly: and that naturall strength is but weak. This urine is not so good as that which doth settle and waxe cleer. For that doth betoken that the disease shal shortly be overcome: howbeit there remaineth yet somewhat of that distemperate trouble in the blood: yet nature hath the over-hand and expelleth the matter of the grief, and therefore is such a urine called good, but yet it betokeneth some lack of concoction, though not so much as that which continueth troubled and thick still.
Also thick urine (if it be exceeding thick) doth betoken death, as Hypocrates saith, [Page 36]And the urine that is thick and troubled, like beasts urine, doth betoken head ach, either present already, or shortly after to come. If thick urine appeare in an ague, where thin urine went before, it betokeneth that the sickness will abate straight waies, for it declareth that nature hath overcome the matter of the sickness: but if it appear thick at the beginning of the ague, and do not waxe thin in process of time, it betokeneth plenty of matter, and weakness of nature; so that there is fear lest nature should be overcome, except the colour do amend.
Thick urine also, betokeneth opennesse of the water pipes and reins.Thick and white. And if it bee thick and white, it betokeneth great plenty of raw humours and sundry kinds of flegm to be gathered in the bodies: and betokeneth also (namely if it be much) that those gatherings, which might be looked for in sore agues shall not ensue, for the matter which should cause them deparreth out by urine: but the whiteness of this urine is bright as snow. For if it be somewhat darker like the whiteness of milk, it is a token of the stone, either in the bladder or reins, namely, if such urine chance in the end and amending of sickness.
But if the colour of it be grey, it betokeneth [Page 37]not only plenty of matter in the body, but also that the whole body is possessed with a dangerous sickness, whereof oftentimes it chanceth the patient to break out with blisters and heat in his skin.
Thick and claret.Next after this followeth thick claret colour (for flaxen, yellow, nor saffron colour doth not agree with thick urine) and it doth signifie that the disease shall continue long, specially if the ground of it be also of claret colour. But yet this disease without perill of death.
Thick and red.Thick urine, if it be red coloured, doth betoken abundance of blood, as is seen in continuall Agues, and in all perillous Agues, as witnesseth Theophylus. If this water come by little and little, it is an evill token, for it doth alwaies declare danger.
And if that sort of urine (in such Agues) do waxe trouble, so that there come with it deafness of hearing, and ach of the head, with pain in the neck and in the sides of the belly, it betokeneth that the Patient shall have the falling evill within a seven night.
Thick and crimson.And if a thick urine have a crimson colour, If it bee burning Agues, and the Patient then have the headach, it betokeneth that a chief criticall sign either is then present, or else night at hand.
Thick and blew.But if the urine be thick and blew coloured, it signifieth diversly, as the persons are that made it. For in them that are in way of recovery, it betokeneth that the shall escape their grief. It signifieth also pain in the water-pipes, or else that the party hath runn much.
And if it appear such in old men, and that continue long, it declareth not only that the bladder is infected with evill humours, but commonly also that he shall be rid of them. But if it come after the grief of the stone, it declareth that the grief shall be turned into the strangurie.
Thick and green.Thick urine and green, namely in Agues is a token of the yellow Jawnders, either present, or ready to come.
Thick and ash coloured.Thick urine and ash coloured, if it appear in Agues and do not settle, it is a sign of madnesse, But in the burning Ague, it betokeneth that the strangurie will come shortly.
Thick and black.But if a black colour appear in thick urine, it betokeneth sometime well, as in the end of the Fever Quarten, and of melancholike madness, for it betokeneth that the melancholike matter, which caused the diseases, doth avoid out.
But sometimes it is an evill token, for it signifieth that either the blood is burned [Page 39]through exceeding heat, or else that naturall heat is clean quenched through deadly cold, and therefore is commonly called a deadly sign, namely in sharp Agues, if it have an evill savour. And so meaneth Galen, when he saith, that he marked, The thicker that a black water is, the worse it is, and moreover, That he never saw any escape, which made such Ʋrine.
And thus have you heard of the significations of thin and thick urine, with such colours as may be coupled therewith.
Now will I write a littler of the colours alone, and of such tokens as come chiefly of them, rather then of the substance or any other part of the urine.
Colours of urine.The colours of urine declare commonly, how heat and cold do reign in the body, so that the white the urine is, the greater is the cold, and natural heat lesse; and the higher coloured that the urine is, the greater is the heat.
But to speak particularly,White. that you may perceive it the better. If the urine be white, it is a sign that concoction faileth quite, and the lighter coloured, the worse.
Pale colour in better somewhat,Pale. though it also declare lack of natural heat and strength.
And flaxen colour,Flaxen. though it betokeneth [Page 40]beginning of concoction, yet it is not perfect: howbeit it may be well taken, if all other signs be good.
Pale, light saffron.Pale and light saffron (as you have heard before) are the best colours and most temperate, which betoken exact concoction.
Golden saffron.But golden and saffron colour declare excess of heat.
Claret red. Crimson Purple. Green oily.Claret is next, and then red, after it crimson, and then purple, then green, and last of them is oily urine, which as they goe in order, so they declare, greater and greater heat with increase, not only of the qualitie, but also of the matter containing the same.
Blew ash-colour.But now of the other side, blew urine, and ash colour, are tokens of excessive cold, sometime with matter, and sometime without; and so like wise of black urine, howbeit it cometh sometime of excess of heat.
But how you may know the differences both of it and all the other, now will I shew in order, with the rest of their significations.
White urine,White. if it come in great quantity, in a whole man, it betokeneth much drinking of thin wine.
But if it be mean in quantity, with a due ground, it declareth cold distemperance of the liver. The urine doth appear white, with a dis-form and unconcocted ground, in them [Page 41]that have the dropsie. But in old men, white urine is no great evill sign, as you may perceive by that I said before of Ages, how they alter urine. But in yong men, and such as are of freshest age, it is a worse sign, and specially if it have either no contents, or else evill contents. And if urine continue long time white without changing, it betokeneth painfull beating of the head, daselling of the eies, and giddiness, and also the falling evill, lothsomness of good meats, and lusting sometime after evill meats, greedie hunger, pain in limbs, and painfull moving of the sinewes, and divers griefes of the head and reines, and also pain in the fundament, and great weakness by sickness, for all these doe follow continually lack of concoction, either cold, or stopping of the urines and conduct, or transposing of the humours.
But the differences of these cannot easily bee known of every man, yet such as are learned may gather certain distinctions of them by the accidents which follow diseases.
Milk white, horn white, gray.Dark white colours, as milk white, white, white like horn, and grey, If they appear in the beginning of Agues, and in the increase of them, they doe betoken much pain. But [Page 42]in the decrease of Agues, they declare especially if it come plentifully.
Pale, flaxenPale urine and flaxen, do not lightly appear in Agues, except they be easie Agues, and short, as those which continue but one day, but if that it do follow after burning Agues, it declareth that they be fully dissolved.
Pale, saffron.As for pale and light saffron, they are (as I said before) the best and most perfect colours, namely, in young men and fresh youth. But in old men, women and children (whose urine, as I have said, declineth toward white and pale) it doth betoken that their bodie is too hot, either by reason of their diet, or else of their exercise. But in as much as it is but mean excesse, it declareth but small grief.
Golden and saffron coloured urine, if it be either somewhat thin,Golden saffron colour. or very thick, either it hath no ground, or else very few, and dark contents. But in this they differ, that golden urine declareth excess of heat, and matter also, by reason of meats, sharp medicines, chafing of the bloud through anger, heat of the bowels, or else heat of the time of the yeer.
But saffron colour appeareth rather with default of matter, through some affection of [Page 43]the mind, watching, heat of the sun, labour, and such like things, which increase thin and yellow choller, and diminish naturall heat, so that the cause of this colour is choler it self, increased either in quantity, or else in qualitie. But in old men and women, and such other, there is some greater cause that occasioneth it, for it signifieth an Ague cometh of saffronly choler dispersed through the whole body; after which there followeth commonly giddiness, headach, bitterness of the mouth, lothsomeness of meat, thirstiness, Also in yong men, such urine is caused through much exercise, and use of hot meats.
Of Claret and red Ʋrine.
Claret urine.CLaret and red urine is coloured either of the mixture of red choler, or else of the corruption of bloud; such urine oftentimes great before Agues. For when the blood doth so abound, that it cannot be duly laboured, nor can take no ayre, there is engendred a certain corruption, which as it is red of colour it self, so it causeth the urine to be red in colour if it be much, else it maketh only claret colour. But if it be exact red lik grain, it betokeneth that bloud issueth into it, out of some veins nigh to the reins, [Page 44]which either are broken, or other waies opened. But how it may be known from whence it commeth, and how, there are many means to search, but because they are not light to perceive, I will reserve them for Physicians that are learned. This colour of it self is no great evill sign, namely in young men, for it betokeneth excess of bloud, which may well bee born of them. But in old men it is a very evill sign, for it betokeneth either long sickness, or else death, sith nature is so weak that it cannot keep in her natural humour. And if that red colour, come of red choler, as it doth in young men, for the most part and not of blood (which thing a learned Physician may conjecture partly by the former diet, and other signs more) the accidents shal be the more troublous; howbeit yet not so evill, as when it commeth of saffron or golden choler, for this causeth greater thirst, and more troublous sleep then the other.
Of Crimson colour.
Crimson colour.CRimson colour is a token that the good humours of the bodie are burned, and turned into red or black choler, which cause worse griefs then the other; howbeit if it [Page 45]have a good ground, the grief is the more moderate: But if it have either no contents for a space, or else evill contents, and the urine appear like a thick myste, but somewhat glistering light, it is a sign that nature needeth such strength to recover her selfe to her own state. Notwithstanding such urine is caused sometime in whole folk, by reason of much labour, and long journying, and then it hath some good signs therewith. But in them that have a sharp Ague, such crimson colour of urine doth betoken that corrupt blood doth abound, and that it doth putrifie, and turn into choler. And commonly they that make such urine, doe thirst much, and are dry in their mouth, and are troubled in their sleep, and feel sharp Agues, and are half distract and feel pain of the liver with coughing.
Howbeit, yet these signs, may be sometimes as well good as bad, according as the colours do change to better or worse.
Of Purple Colour.
Purple colour.PUrple colour declareth need of much strength before it can be altered to a good urine.
This urine is a sign of burning choler. And if it do continue very long, it is a token [Page 46]of the yellow Jaunders, with abundance of gross and corrupt choller, gathered in the liver. And at the beginning there goeth with it some spices and grudgings of the Ague, with a little thirstiness; but unless there bee discretion used in the diet of such a Patient, it may turn to a much worse disease.
Of Green Ʋrines.
Green colour.GReen colour is an evill and a dangerous token, for it needeth not only long time, but also cotinual strength to bring it again to a good trade. The higher that this colour is, the more it declareth that choller exceedeth the other humours: which if it be any more burned, will cause black urine, of which I will anon speak. But if green colour come of wasting of the fat, then is it somewhat like to oylie colour, or popinjay green: but if it come of abundance of purpelish colour, and through increase of his qualitie, then doth the colour incline more toward black, and glistereth with shadowie green, drawing very nigh unto black. After green choler followeth madness, parbreaking, and avoiding of choler, sometimes with matter, or else burned: and also continuall thirstiness, and burning heat of the tongue, [Page 47]straightness about the stomack. And like other things. But if the patient continue strong, and the colour of the urine do waxe lighter, there is good hope, else there is great fear, least of the dryness and burning, there do follow contraction of the sinews, which will kill the patient.
Of Oilie Ʋrine, or Popinjay Green.
Oilie urine, popinjay green.OYlie Urine is of three sorts, as I said in the first Chapter, that is, light oylie, stark oylie, and ddark oylie.
Oylie urines are a token of unnatural heat, and the higher that the colour is, the greater is the heat. And also they betoken melting of the fat within a man, for of it are they so coloured. But at the beginning, when there is a little fat melted, the urine is light oylie. For if it look stark oylie, then it signifieth that the disease increaseth. But if it come once to dark oylie, then is the disease sore increased. Hippocrates in the seventh Book of his Aphorisms speaking of fatness in urine, saith thus: Who so maketh urine with fatty flotes comming much and fast, they have sharp pains in the reins.
Which sentence though it seem more to appertain to the contents then to the colour, [Page 48]yet doth not onely Galen, but also Aetius, Actuarius, and also another Grecian, (whose name I know not) expound it amongst colours: and by it declare the difference to know whether that wast or melting of fat be in the reins it self, or in other parts of the body. For if it come fast together (as Hippocrates saith) then commeth it from the reins it self, and betokneth the wasting to be in them. But if it come softly and increase by little and little, then doth it declare that the whole body is overcome with unnaturall heat, and that the fat of it doth wast: it doth betoken (as Act. witnesseth) a wasting Ague, consuming the body.
Of blew Ʋrine, Ash colour, and Black.
BLew colour, Ash-colour, and Black, do differ only in lightness and darkness. For ash-colour is darker then blew: and black is darker then any of them both.
Blew colour.Blew colour sometime cometh of moderate melancholy, and then is the urine somewhat thin in substance. And sometime it commeth of great cold, and then it is thick in substance. And sometime it is a token of mortifying of some part. Yea, and sometime even of whole nature: namely, if the colour change to worse and worse, and there went [Page 49]before no token of concoction.
Ash-colour.Ash coloured urine commeth of like causes, and betokeneth like things. Howbeit it is so coloured many times, when the party that made it, hath been fore beaten an bruised. But in this you need not the help of urine, for you may see the walts and tokens of the stripes in his body.
Black urine.Urine which is extream black, sometime betokeneth extream heat, and sometime extream cold, the which both you may distinctly discerne, if you doe observe order of alteration in the colours of the urine that the patient made last before. For if his urine before were green, or like thereto, then doth the black urine which follows it, betoken extream heat. But if it were last before blew or ash coloured, then doth it signifie extream cold. This black colour though it be commonly an evill and deadly sign, as I said before, (speaking of thick urine and black) yet sometime it is a good token.
For in all diseases lightly that come of melancholy matter, it betokeneth that the matter doth avoid, and so the sicknes to end. And such urine doth appear many times after purgations or other meats and drinks which purge the splene; namely, if a man do labour upon them, that was before diseased of the splcen.
Howbeit, sometime meats and drinks of like colour cause black urine, as Galen witnesseth, namely, after dark red wine, and Allegant.
But in moderate Agues, if such black urine doe appear, it is a token of death, except it be on some Criticall dayes. And likewise in sharp agues, especially if the savour be strong and stinking: unless it come of some grief of the bladder
Quantitie of urine.Let this suffice for this time, as touching colours. Now for the quantitie of urine, as when it is mean, it is a good token: so when it is either too much, or too little, it is an evill sign, except it come of such cause, (as I shewed before) that altereth urine in a healthfull man.
Much in a whole body.As first excessive quantitie of urine, commeth of much drinking of thin wine, as Rennish wine, and such like. But that shall you thus know: for the colour will be whitely, and the substance thinner then a mean: the contents also will be divers, and not duly knit, Likewise if there be aboundance of raw humours in a man unconcocted, and yet nature persevering strong, then is there great quantity of urine, and somewhat thin of substance, but not so white as the other, and the contents of this are better. Also (as Hippocrates saith) much Ʋtine made in 4. Aph. 3. [Page 51] the night, is a token of small sege; so that if any impediment let naturall sege, then will the quantity of urine be the greater. But in this as the colour is mean, so is the ground both greater and grosser, yet in healthfull folk may the urine, by another means also be greater then a mean, and that may be by medicines which provoke urine, but then is the colour more natural then the last that I spake of, and the ground is thinner of substance, so that it is dark and scarcely scene, and then is there a certain glistering in the urine it self.
Little urine in a whole body.Now contrarie waies, and of contrary causes cometh small quantitie of urine. For it cometh sometime of lack of drinke, or dry meats, and then is the colour light saffron, with a smal ground, but yet somewhat gross. Also both meats and medicines that are clammie, and apt to stop the water pipes, do cause little urine, but then is the ground also little and thin.
Besides these, much sege causeth urine to be lesser, for if the one excrement be greater then nature would, the other must needs be lesse, if the body be healthful. In this urine, as you may partly know the cause of it by the knowledge of the excessive sege, so will the urine it self be thinner, and the ground very [Page 52]dark, thin, and not duely knit. And thus many waies may this alteration appear in a healthfull body.
Much urine in a sick body.Now in a sick person, much urine either betokeneth the dropsie, and then is it like water, with a raw and diverse ground, or else if it be white, thin, and without ground, then doth it betoken the pissing evill. And this urine (as witnesseth Galen in in his first Book of Judicials) is the worst of any other of like sort, Diabete. I mean which declare lack of concoction, for it declareth the decay, yea I may say, the utter extinction of two naturall powers that is, the retentive power, and the alterative power also.
Much urine, in colour fierie, and light saffron, or of any like colour, is to be feared, namely, if it be coupled with evill contents; But if it be of crimson or purple colour, and so proceed, especially if no concoction went before it, then doth it encline to evill, and betokeneth a certain mortifying and wasting of the whole composition of the body.
But if much urine come in an Ague, namely toward the end, and that there went before it little urine, thick and rud die, then is that a good token,4. Aph. 69. as witnesseth Hypocnates for it betokeneth the Ague to be at an end. And this Urine will bee white and thin [Page 53]moderately, and will have a mean ground.
Little uril in a sick body.Now little quantity of urine, with a grosse ground, unduly knit and unconcoct, is an evill token; for it betokeneth the weakness of the alterative power, which is not able to extenuate, concoct, neither alter the matter, and therefore doth it with much difficulty pass forth in such grossnes. Howbeit, if there follow after it a more thinne urine, with the ground well and duly knit, and stable, then is it without fear. For this latter urine (as you heard before) is a token that the cause of the other is overcome and vanquished.
This little quantitie of urine cometh sometime in vehement Agues, and then is the violent heat, cause thereof. Sometime also it cometh of the stopping of the water-pipes, not only through clammy meats and drinks, but also of some disease or grief in them.
And this now shall suffice for an Introduction, as touching the substance, colours, and quantitie of urine.
It followeth next,Contents. to speak of the contents which so greatly help to the right judgement of urine, that Hippocrates (in his second book of Prognostications) doth by them only yen, and that by one of them (I mean the ground (pronounce the judgement [Page 54]of a perfect urine; saying, That that is the best Ʋrine, Sediment. which hath his sediment or ground, white, duly knit and stable, and that continually all the time of the sickness.
Now seeing this great Clerk and Father of Physick, doth thus esteem the ground, it shall not seem unmeet, that I orderly doe write briefly of those principall things that are to be considered, as touching the contents; and first of all of the ground, which hath alteration (as you have heard) both in substance, colour, and quantitie.
But now as touching the substance? then is it only mean, when the third concoction in the veins is perfect. For the ground is the excrement (as you might say) of that third concoction, and is like in forme to matter, save that it is more duly knit together then is matter, and doth not smell so evill as it; or else you may liken it to thin fleam.
Grosses ground.This Ground is then gross, when the veins are replenished with raw humors, Howbeit this grosseness or thickness is not alwayes an evill token; for sometime it is a sign that nature hath prevailed against the crude humours which caused diseases, and doth expell such superfluous excrements. And that shall you discerne by the goodness, of the colour, and also if it come in the declining [Page 55]of the sickness: for if it come at the beginning, either in the increase of the sickness, then are they to be suspected as evill; especially if they bring with them evill colours.
Thin ground.A thin ground, being also pure, and so cleaving to the bottom of the Urinal, that it will not lightly rise, though the urinall be shaked, it is a token of great weakness of nature in the third concoction, and such a ground appeareth most in white and watrie urine. Howbeit sometime a thin ground cometh by the reason that the raw humors are extenuate through naturall heat, which getting new strength, doth extenuate and disperse all grossness of raw humors within the veins. For the propertie of heat, is to knit and bind together thin things, and to extenuate and disperse grosse and raw things.
Colour of the ground.Now as touching the colours of the ground, the perfect ground is neither exceeding white, neither yet pale, but mean between both, for if there appear any such excessive white, neither yet pale, but mean between both, for if there appear any such excessive white, then is it some rag of phlegmatick matter, or else matter extreamly concocted, which commeth from some inward member being sore; and that you may discern (as I said before) by the toughnes, and by the savour.
And if any man be desirous to know the cause why the ground is white of colour, let him remember, that the ground is the superfluous excrement of the bloud being perfectly concocted in the veins. Now that the bloud it self, when it is exactly concocted, is turned into a white, or at least, a party white colour, you may conjecture by the generation of milke, and also the seed of man, yea, and of matter, which all three are nothing else but bloud, exactly concocted, save that matter cometh of evill bloud.
And therefore whensoever the ground hath in it any other colour then white, it is no good token: As first, if it be pale and flaxen coloured,Pale, Flaxen. then it is swarved from his right and commendable colour. Howbeit, yet it may be born as but meanly evill, because that that colour commeth of small excess of choler.
But if it be more higher coloured by choler, so that it be saffron coloured,Saffron. Actuarius. then is it an evill token (as Actuarius saith) for it declareth that choler is excessively increased, either by the order of diet, or else by the corruption of bloud, or some other wayes. Howbeit Hippocrates in his Aphorisms, 7. Aph. 32. seemeth to say the contrary; for he saith, That when the ground is so coloured [Page 57]of choler, especially if at the beginning of the sicknesse it were waterie to sight, then doth it betoken a quicke sickness; that is to say, as Philotheus expoundeth it,Philotheus. a sicknesse, that will shortly be ended, and so it may justly be called a good sign. Notwithstanding as in this point it is a good token, in that it signifieth that the disease is nigh the end, so it may be called (as Actuarius calleth it) an evill sign because it doth betoken a cholerick sickness, and that choler doth unnaturally abound.
And if this answer do not content you, (though it content Antonius Musa) than may you say more better (as I thinke) thus:Antonius Musa. That if the ground be at the beginning of the sickness coloured with choller, and so increase (as Actuarius seemeth to mean) then is it an evil token indeed, for it declareth both the abundance, and also the encrease of choler. But if the ground, at the beginning of a cholerick disease were watry, that is, white and thin, and afterward turn to saffron colour, which is the exact colour of choler: or elso to a yellow colour (which is somewhat lesse cholerick) then is it a token that the cholerick matter, which before lay lurking in the body, doth now begin to avoid; and so the cause of sicknesse, [Page 58]thus by nature expelled, health must needs follow.
As contrariwise, if after yellow or saffron colour it change unto whiter, and there be no certain token of concoction, then it is an evill sign, and a token of phrensie. Howbeit, if there be any token of certain concoction, then is the same a good sign, so that if you take heed, you may perceive here what a necessary thing it is to observe order in the alteration of urine, of which I have partly spoken before.
Claret colour. Red. Bloudie.Now therefore to goe o [...]n If the ground bee of claret colour, either red or blew, the token is not good. For these bloody colours come either of too much abundance of bloud, or else by reason that the retentive power is so feeble, that it cannot keep in the good humors, but suffreth them to run out.
Claret red.Claret colour and red, doe betoken a certain default of concoction in the veins, and that through the excess of red choler. But yet this default is but mean and without danger, seeing that the hurt is only by quantity, whereas some other do hurt both by quantitie and qualitie also.
Bloodie grounds are altogether worse then red (though they be better then ashcoloured,Bloudie. [Page 59]and black) for they betoken that the bloud is nothing duely wrought, especially if their quantitie be much, withall, for then the quantity of matter doth let the powers to work, which thing yet as it may be born, so it declareth need of long time to recover health.
But if this doe come through weakness of the powers in themselves, then is it an extream evill sign: for it betokeneth that the powers are overcome with weariness in working, and be not able to keep in the good and profitable humors. Which thing to discern more exactly, you shall take artificiall conjectures by other circumstances, which give also tokens of judgement; namely, as by the age of the person, by his order of dyet, and such like.
Blew. Ash-colour. Black.Now to make an end with the other colours which are of a dark hew, as blew-ash-colour and black: These of all other are the worst, and most envious to nature, and the nearer they cleave to the bottome of the urinall, the worse they are.
These colours come of a black melancholy humour, being ingendred within the veins, or else coming from some other part into them: or else it betokeneth deadly mortifying. But sometimes it cometh of [Page 60]sore bruising and stripes, and generally it cometh (namely the black) either of excessive cold or excessive heat.
And now for a conclusion, whatsoever I have said of the ground, you shall understand the same to bee spoken of the swim, and the cloud; for they are in kinde but one thing save that they differ in lightness and heft, and therefore also in places. But the judgement of their substance and colour, is much after one rate, though some difference there be, as you shall hear hereafter.
And likewise of their quantity,Quantitie which as it is then only commendable when it is mean, so if it be greater then a mean, it doth declare some alteration in man, though not alwayes extreamly evill, for sometime it is a token of fatting, or growing to a corporateness,Great. and that it doth signifie, if none other evill sign be coupled with it. For though the person seed much on nourishing meats, and that with rest and an idle life yet naturall heat appeareth so strong, that she can easily concoct such meats. According to this saith Galen in his Judicials, that the plenty of the ground in urine betokeneth certain and exact with concoction: And that as the body is repleat with crude humours, so it declareth that those same be [Page 61]in expelling out at that present time. And for this cause (saith he) in all children commonly, and in men also which feed much, or bee of some other cause replete with humors, their urine hath a great ground.
Also oftentimes it chanceth the pores of the skin to be stopped, so that inch excrements as were wont to pass out by them, are inforced to seek a new passage, which they find most readiest by the urine, and thereof are the contents, and namely the ground, oftentimes encreased. And all these waies chance in health. But in sickness, it chanceth many and grosse superfluities do appear in the urine, as often as the naturall powers, namely, the alterative or concoctive power being weakned, such crude humours pass out undefied.
So doth it chance (as witnesseth Alexander Trallianus) That the urine of them which have the Collick, Tral. 2. cap. 33. is flegmatick and hath a great ground. But if the contents be either great, or gross in the beginning, or in the augmenting of sickness, (namely if the Patient have any notable Ague) it argueth abundance of humours, to the concoction of the which there needeth both strength of naturall powers, with time and good speed.
Little Contents.And now contrary wayes must you judge of the smalness of the contents, for they be caused either of great labour, long fasting, stopping, or obstruction of the veins, and such like parts, or else of slacknesse of concoction. And (as Galen saith) when the body is replete with crude and raw humours,Gal. 2. pres. Hip. 26. then is the ground great, but if the body be replenished with cholerick humors, then is there in the urine either little ground or none at all; but in such case it is well, if there be any sublimation or swim.
Urine without ground.Now seemeth the place most meet to speak of such urines as have no ground at all, nor other orderly content, and that will I doe by the order of the colours of the urine, according as Actuarius proceedeth.
The urine that is very white, and exceeding thin, and so lacketh the ground, doth betoken either some notable obstruction, either immoderate cold, or else cruditie and lack of concoction. And as these tokens may be greater or lesser, so shall the things which they betoken bee judged in like rate, either more, or lesser.
But if the urine bee pale coloured, or flaxen, and then lacketh contents, as it doth declare lesser obstruction, so it doth signifie as great cruditie, as the other before.
And so shall you judge of urine that is yellow or flaxen coloured. For in them it appeared, that naturall heat doth prevail. Notwithstanding such things (I mean the default of the ground with those colours) may chance (as often they doe) through vehement pain, immoderate labour, long watching, and also default of matter.
But such urines as be higher coloured then these that I have named, by their colours they declare the qualities of the humours which doc prevail: and also betoken a certain putrefaction, and cruditie in the veins.
It chanceth also sometimes, that some gathering sore being in some of the principall members, by his unnaturall heat withdraw thither the matter (even as it were by cupping) and so doth cause the urine to have no ground. And though, indeed, it is never a good token to lack the ground in a urine, yet it is lesse to be complained of, if the colour and substance draw nigh to a mean; for in such a case it betokeneth, that though nature be somewhat slack, yet will shee shortly gather strength, so that there shall appear a ground in the urine.
Now to shew you the reason, why it chanceth no ground to appear in the urine: First, [Page 64]in case of cruditie, when there wanteth perfect concoction, there must needs want also the contents in the urine; for they are the excrements (as you might say) and the superfluities of the third concoction. Likewise though concoction be perfect enough, yet may there want the contents, if there be any notable obstruction or stopping of the veins, namely, seeing the contents are somewhat gross of substance, and therefore unable to pass, if the way be any thing stopt.
After the same sort shall you judge of long fasting and default of meat, and moreover of such meats as are unapt to concoct. For in all such cases, there can be ingendred few or no contents.
And contrariwise, though nature doe work many superfluities, yet if the wombe be so loose that it yeeldeth many seges, then as the urine shall be the lesser, so shall the contents be few or none: for nature then doth expel by sege, those superfluities, which should cause the contents.
And likewise, when there is in any part of the bodie an inflammation or excessive heat, which doth draw matter to it, either that any of those parts are weak, unto which nature is wont to expell such superfluities; for in all such cases there may want the [Page 65]ground, and the other contents in the urine. And as for some of them (I mean cruditie and opilation) they may be well enough born withal, unles their continuance be long.
But now again, there is great difference touching the time of the sickness in which it chanceth, for in the beginning and increase of sharp Agues, if the ground be lacking, it betokeneth great weaknesse of naturall strength, which if not prevented, may continue unto the chief strength of the sicknesse. And after such an urine, there doth follow much waking and disquietness, halfe madness and trouble of mind, and all those shall bee according to the greatness of the Ague, either extream or mild. And sometime it is a token that there shall bee a gathering sore in some part of the body, namely, if other agreeable causes come therewith, as a winterly disposition of the aire, with an uncertain state of sickness, and unconstant alteration, and mean weakness of the Patients power. But in the declination of the sickness, such urine ought not greatly to be blamed, for then hath nature escaped the brunt of sickness, though she be yet weak. Yea, and in the chief strength of sicknes (as well as in the declination) it may seem no orange thing, if nature (as though already [Page 66]she had the over-hand) do gather her power together, and draw a little nourishment to her self, and thereby causeth little or no ground to appear. But afterward when shee is somewhat refreshed, and doth more liberally nourish the body, then doth shee shew forth contents in the urine. And lightly the order of the contents is such, that first there appeareth a cloud, which afterward doth gather wore strong and weightie substance, and doth become a swim or sublimation: And last of all, when it hath gathered a right naturall whitness, and due substance, then will it grow to a ground.
CHAP. IX. Of difform Contents.
OTher things should I here speak of, as touching the Judiciall of the contents, both of their stableness, that is, their continuance in good form, and of their due knitting, being neither tittered, nor dispersed, nor yet overmuch clodded together. But because the exact judgement thereof exceedeth the capacitie of mean wits (for whose sake I have written this Book) and cannot lightly be perceived of them, but by the Instruction [Page 67]of a lively voice, I wil for this time overpass the exact and perfect declaration of them reserving it to a place more due: And now will I briefly over-run the other things which remain to bee considered in urine, but yet not without some mention of those other, as occasion commeth: and first those difform Contents which occupie the place of the ground,Difform contents. and therefore take his name also.
Of this sort there are four principall: the first is in bigness of a small fatch, and red coloured, which you may call therefore red fatches, because of their likeness. These (as witnesseth Galen) are ingendred of the consumption and wasting of the flesh when the fatness is already melted away. Red fatches 6. Epid. But in this there is great difference, for sometime it is only the wasting of the reins, and sometime of the whole body: as if there appear in the urine tokens of due concoction, then is that wast in the reins onely. But if there appear in the urine default of concoction, (namely being great) or if the patient have an Ague, then is it the wast of the whole body, and that standeth well with reason, that when it betokeneth the wast of the whole body, there must needs appear default of concoction; for in such case those [Page 68]parts which are the Instruments of concoction are so weakned, that they cannot do their office. These contents, by reason that they are gross and heavie, therefore they appear alwaies in the bottom of the urinall.
Other difform contents there be also, of which some are like bran,Brannie contents. and some like scales. And of those that are like bran, there is one sort smaller, and another grosser; the smaller sort is like the bran of Wheat that is finely ground, and those may I call fine bran. The grosser is like bran of Barley, or of evill ground wheat, and may therefore be called gross bran,Fine bran. Gross bran. for it is thrice as big as the other.
The third sort which is like Scales,Scales. hath no notable thicknesse, but onely breadth and length. These three doe betoken waste of the strongest parts of the bodie; but yet not all alike, as Hippocrates doth declare in the second Book of his Prognosticks. Howbeit, because that place of Hippocrates is so difficult, that scarcely the great learned men can agree thereon, I will not now meddle therewith, but will write Actuarius mind of those three.
When the Ague (saith he) is grounded in the bottome of the veins, then there appeareth such fine bran. Fine bran. Howbeit, sometimes [Page 69]it is a token of the onely grief of the bladder being scabbed, as witnesseth Hypocrates, 4. Aphor. 77. But then hath the Patient no Ague, and again, there doth appear tokens of concoction in the urine. But when it cometh of the whole body, this is the cause thereof; The Ague getting power and prevailing unto the hard parts of the body (as in those Agues which are called Fevers hectike) then in the striving between those parts and the Ague, the Ague having the masterie, doth by his violence raise of such brannie scurffe. For the nature of fire (whose operation the Ague hath) is to work according as the matter is that it findeth, either to melt it, if it be a liquid and unctuous thing, either else to scale it and fret it, if it be hard and unpliant: and the harder that the matter is, the greater scales it fretteth off; which thing you may see by daily experience, how fire melteth wax and tallow, and such like, turning them into liquids: whereas of iron and of ocher metals,Scales. it maketh scales and not liquor.
But when the Ague hath attained and overset, not onely the substance of the veins, but also the strong parts of the body, and doth melt and waste them, then doth there appear in the urine, scales, broad [Page 70]and thin, which you shall know to come of the whole body (as I said of the other before) if the Pacient have an Ague, or there appear default of concoction in the urine: else if these two be absent, it may come of the blistering of the bladder, as Hippocrates writeth 4. Aphor. 81. and namely, if there be in the urine an evill savour withall.
Now to speak of the great and grosse bran,Gross bran. which as it is much greater then the other, so doth it declare a greater strength or the Ague, and that in the whole body, and all the parts of it, enflaming and burning the whole substance thereof, and therefore is it not only the worst of them all, but is nigh unto a deadly sign,Note. and that either by the waste and consuming of the great and strongest parts of the body, or else by the burning or drying up of the bloud. Which two things you may discern asunder by the colour of them. For if they be red, then come they of the burning of the bloud; but if they be white, then come they of the wast of the strongest parts of the body.
Of this kind of contents speaketh Hippocrates saying:Hippoc. 7. Aphor. 31. In whatsoever Agues there doth appear grounds like unto grosse bran, it is a token that the sickness shall continue long. Which saying, Galen doth understand [Page 71]so to be true, If the Patient have sufficient strength to continue with such sickness, else it may be a sign rather of short life, then of long sickness. For as that token is commonly deadly, so those few that doe escape, do recover hardly, and not without the long sufferance of the violence of that cruell Ague.
Now as touching the foreknowledge of it, whether the patient may endure with it or no, that shall you gather of the multitude, order, and stableness or unstableness of it. For if they be many in number, and proceed to worse and worse, then it is an evill and mortall sign, and doth declare that nature is wearied and doth quite faint thorow the waste and decay of the whole constitution of the body: But contrariwise, if they appear few, and do alter continually unto lesse evill tokens, then is there good hope of health. And this shall suffice as touching these.
Ragged scraps.Now to speak of the rest, of the ragged scraps, hairs, and other like: First you shall understand, that sometime a good ground is coupled with certain evill and unconcted fragments of' all sorts of humours, for sometime there appeareth with the contents certain ragged scraps, enclining [Page 72]in colour toward a yellow, or a white, or else some such like, if those appear in great quantitie, they declare the matter to be half unconcoct, and that the humour (whose scraps they are) doth abound in the depth of the body, and is as dust or burned, but if they bee few, then declare they the malice of the humour to be milder, and that the use of evill meats doth cause them, the greater that such ragged scraps are, the lesser adustion of humours they declare to be in the veins, and the lesser they be, the greater heat they do betoken. For the cause of such ragged scraps is excessive heat, which doth turn those humors into a thickness, and as it were a bony nature, by reason that they have remained long in certain veins, and were neither dissolved, nor extenuated, nor yet quickly expelled by urine.
Besides these there are hairs of sundry lengths,Hairs. some an inch, and some an handfull long, some longer, and some shorter; and these are in colour whitely, and do betoken grief of the reins. These are ingendred in the water-pipes, which go from the reins to the bladder, so that as long as those water-pipes are in length, so long may those hairs also be, which are a gross and baked humor, wrought in form of a hair.
Of those speaketh Hippocrates, saying;4. Aph. 76. In whose Ʋrine soever there doth appear little peeces of flesh, either as it were hairs, those same come from the reins, namely, if the urine be thick. Howbeit these are sometimes seen in such mens urines as feel no grief in the reines, but only have fed some continuing space on flegmatick meats, which will prepare matter to such diseases, as they do also to many other griefs, of which to speak in this place it is meet.
But to go on with this thing that wee have in hand, beside such ragged scraps and hairs (as I have spoken of) there appear sometimes in the ground of the urine, and also dis-parkled abroad in the urine it felf, sundry and divers kinds of motes (as it were) which do declare that there is grief dispersed in sundry parts of the body.Motes.
And this now may suffice, as touching contents of every kind: Therefore now will I a little repeat out of Actuarius of the diversitie of judgement,The places of the contents. The lowest region.
That ground which fleeteth nigh to the bottom of the urinall, being in other points also good and mild, doth betoken no strange thing. But if it be unconcoct and deformed, it betokeneth default in nature, And if his [Page 74]parts be disparkled asunder, it betokeneth a dimness in nature, which doth not resist the rebellion of noysome humors, so that in such case there appeareth need both of long time, and also more strength to overcome that evill. But as it is commendable that the ground fleet nigh the bottome of the urinall, so is it discommendable if it lye flat on the bottome of the same.
The middle region.Now as touching the swim or sublimation, if it be good in colour and other waies, then doth it differ only in place from a right ground: and that cometh of an unnaturall windiness, which maketh it to be so light, and to fleet above his due place, but if his colour and other like points bee evill, yet then doth it betoken lesse evill, then if it were in the right place of the ground.
the highest region.But now as touching the third and highest region, which is the place of the clouds. If there appear a light and thin cloud, it betokeneth no small grief of the head. But this difference is there in the clouds, the better that they be in colour and substance, the farther they differ from a right good and naturall Content. And therefore need they long time to return thereunto. And contrary wayes, the worse that they are in colour and substance, the less they are to be [Page 75]blamed, by reason of their place, which is so much distant from the naturall place of Contents. For this is a generall rule: The lower that good contents fleet in the urine, (excepting alwaies such as cleave to the had bottom) the better they are. And contrary wayes of evill contents and such like, the higher they fleet, the lesse evill they betoken.
The proportion of the regions, to the parts of man.Now to make an end of this. You shall observe a certain proportion that is between the parts of the urine, and the parts of mans body. The highest part of the urine doth betoken, the highest part of the body, namely the head, and such other neer unto it. The middle region of the urine doth represent the middle parts of man, as the breast, the bowels, and the parts about them. The nether region of the urine doth purport the lowest parts of man, from the bowels downward. And if you mark well this proportion, you may the easier judge the griefs of the parts of man.
For when the contents which in colour and substance are naturall, and yet by the abundance of windiness be lift up to the higher part of the urine, it declareth some great pain to be in the head. And in like manner, when the swim or sublimation [Page 76]doth declare grief, that grief must be lodged to be in the middlemost parts of man (as I said before) and so of the other.
A gain, as this proportion between the regions of urine, and the parts of mans body doth declare that place in certain height, so doth it in breadth also by like proportion, if you doe duly mark the side, unto which the contents do decline.
And if you mark wel what I have said, you may perceive the only cause of most such griefs, when the contents is only disordered in place, cometh of an unnaturall windines, but yet commonly annexed with phlegmatick and unconcocted matter.
And as the windiness doth cause disorder in the contents, so it causeth also another kind of things not to be neglected in urine, and that is bubbles:Bubbles. which sometimes flote in the ring or garland onely, and sometimes in the middest of the urine onely, and other times doe cover the whole face of the urine.
The Bubbles which stand round about over the garland only, and continue without parting, if they be of the same colour that the urine is, they declare great pain co be in the head, and that in all parts of the head, if the Bubbles joyn together without parting. But and if they occupie only the one [Page 77]half of the garland, then is that pain in the one half of the head. And so forth may you judge by like proportion.
But if they doe part in sundry places, and joyn not all together, it is a token that the pain is the lesser, and cometh of a weaker cause. The more yellower that their colour is, the greater they declare the pain in the head to be. If they be white, or rather whitish, and stand about in the compasse of the garland, they betoken little pain or none. And if the urine bee thin withall, they betoken weakness of naturall heat, or else the opilation and stopping of the reins, namely, if there appear no ground in the urine. This doth Hippocrates witness, saying;7. Aph. 14. When in the urine there swimmeth bubbles, they betoken grief in the reins: And also that it shall long continue. The reason of the long continuance (as Galen and Philotheus doe both declare) is, because that the grief commeth of cold and tough phlegmatick matter, which always is long before it may overcome. Pliny also saith,Lib. 28. c. 6. that that urine is evil, which is ful of bubbles and thick, in which if the ground be white, it is a token that there shal be grief either about the joynts, or else about the bowels. Howbeit, yet sometimes the bubbles are not [Page 78]an evill token, but contrariwise, a good token of concoction, and declare that nature doth now apply her self wholy unto concoction. And this do the Bubbles signifie, when they appear in the water, in which they were not seen long before And therefore in an Ague, we may conjecture the declination of it, when we see bubbles to appear after that sort; except it be so that they appeared in the urine at the beginning of the sickness, and hath so continued still: For then they declare grievous pain to be in the head, yea and that dangerous, if the urine also be thin in substance. But if the substance of the urine be thick, then the bubbles are not so evill a sign, neither declare so greivous danger.
Sometimes in stead of Bubbles which doe not appear when they should, it sufficeth that there appear a gross some (as it is sometimes seen to rise upon wine) and it doth betoken even the same thing that the Bubbles do,Tome. especially in the declination of the Ague, of which I spake a little before.
These Bubbles do appear very thick about the garland, in the urine of him that hath the issue of seed, or wast of nature. Sometime also there are seen in the Bubbles certain small scrapps (as you would say) much like [Page 79]hairs in grossness, and so such length sometime that they reach from the one side of the bubble unto the other, and sometimes longer, and sometimes shorter, which things may come either of the wasting of the reins, or else of the shedding of nature.
The cause of the generation of bubbles, and also of the dispersing and elevation of the contents, is an unnaturall windiness. Of which, as there are divers kindes much differing asunder, partly in multitude, partly in substance, and partly also in quality, so doth the bubbles engendred of them diversly varie, according unto those differences, whether they be sole and severall, or joyntly many knit together. But windiness if it be grosse, then doth it puffe up such Bubbles; and if it be subtile, then doth it rather work a dispersion in the contents, and is not able nor meet to cause Bubbles. And hereby may you know the qualitie of the windiness, and likewise also the quantitie. For there appeareth lesse quantitie of windinesse to bee where the contents onely are dispersed, then where such Bubbles be ingendred.
Now as touching the other qualities of it, as heat and cold (which are the chief qualities indeed, and molt active) you may judge [Page 80]them by the colour of the bubbles. For as pale colour, and other low colours declare coldnes of that windiness, so high colours enclining toward yellow or higher, be certain tokens of heat.
Bubbles that are small, and thick knit together in the garland or the urine, doth betoken a grosse windiness, whose cause cannot easily be vanquished; for the grossness and toughnesse that is in them, will not suffer them to swell great, and that causeth them to be so small. And contrariwise, the greater that the bubbles be, and the more bouled, the more they declare that windines that causeth them to be severed from tough matter. Moreover, the colder that such windiness is, the lesser grief is felt of them,
Bubbles in the urine of old men, namely being great and large, doe betoken cold windinesse, but sometime such bubbles are a sign of rheum distilling from the head into the lights, especially if the Patient at the entring of Summer were very hot, and so did drink much, which matter, the head being dryed, did draw unto him, and did distill again part of it down into the lights, whereof commeth a cough, and part of it into the womb, which thereby is moved to laxe.
CHAP. X. Of the Garlanded other like things.
AS I have compendiously, and yet not very slightly spoken of those former parts to bee considered in urine, so will I briefly speak of a few more, which may not well be omitted, and so make an end of the Judiciall.
The Garland.First, therefore in the over-part of the urine, round about the edge of the urine there appeareth a garland, circle, or ring, which doth there appear, by reason that the higher part of the urine being thinner than the rest, and more subtiller, and therefore doth not only more sooner alter, but doth more readier declare the alteration. Howbeit sometime there doth appear no ring at all; and that is when the colour of the urine, and of it is all one, by reason of the great force of the cause which altereth the urine, but yet so that nature doth match that humour, and is neither overcome by it, neither yet hath overcome it. For if nature have plainly either got the victorie, or lost it, then is there another colour in the garland, then is in the rest of the urine.
Now if the colour of the urine be evill, and the colour of the garland better, it is a token of health. As if the colour of the urine bee yellow, red, or crimson, or any such like, and the colour of the garland be white, or whitely, it is a token full of good hope; but when the colour of the whole urine, is evill, and the colour of the garland worser yet, then is it an evill sign. As when the colour of the urine is green or purple, and the garland worse coloured, then is it a plain token that nature is overcome, and that the evill humours have gotten the upperhand.
Of these more particularly doth Egidius treat, but yet not more truly nor more sufficiently, his words are these: If the circle of the urine be thick and waterie, it is a token that the hinder part of the head is oppressed with phlegmatick matter; but if it be purple-coloured and thick, then is the forepart of the head overcharged with blood.
A pale and a thin circle declareth the left side of the head to be troubled with melancholy matter; but if it be red and thin, it betokeneth choler to abound in the right part of the head.
Leddy or ash-colour.A Leadie or Ash coloured circle, doth signifie the falling Evill, through the great grief of the brain.
And further declareth that such grief shall proceed by the sinnews into the other parts of the body. But if after such a leadie colour there follow a reddsh colour, that is a good token; for then doth nature gather strength again, and the powers of the brain reviveth.
If the colour of the garland be green,Green. and the Patient have a burning Ague, it is to be feared, least that the abundance of choler shall cause a Phrensie.
Black colour in the circle doth sometime betoken mortification,Black. and sometime only extream heat. But these shall you distinct (as I said before of the urine it self) by the order of the colours. For if green colour went before, then doth the black betoken adustion through heat, but if his colour last before was ash-colour, then is it a token of death, comming through the dominion of cold. And thus much as touching the colours may suffice for this time.
Quivering in the garland.Sometimes also you shall perceive a quivering and trembling in the garland, and that declareth grief in the back-bone. And thus many tokens be taken of the circle or garland.
Sometimes there will appear fleeting on the urine, certaine scum or fattiness,Fattiness. sometimes like drops of oyle, and sometime [Page 84]like a thin spiders web, and these both doe betoken the melting of the fat within the body, as Hippocrates witnesseth in his Prognosticks,7 Aph. 30. howbeit in his Aphorisms he doth assign it as a token of the grief of the reins peculiarly, saying; In whole urine there fleeteth fattiness, and that much at once, they have pain in the reins, but shall not long endure.
This Aphorism doth Galen understand so to be true, if that fattiness appear quickly and much at once; else if it come by little and little with longer continuance, so doth it not betoken wast only of the fat about the reins, but rather throughout the whole body, which sign yet is not alway evil, except it continue long; for if it continue but a little while, it declareth no great evill.
Now to goe forth with other signs; If the urine have a stinking savour,Stinking savour in urine. it is ever an evill sign, for it doth betoken some putrefaction more or lesse; as of the bladder onely, by some blister or sore in it: and that most certainly, when the stinch is very great, and there appeareth also scales in the urine, and matter. But if there be matter in the urine, and the stinking savour but mean, then doth it declare the sore to be in some other part of the body. But this ever is [Page 85]true, that matter in urine is a token of a sore. And if in continuance of time the matter and stinch doe abate, it is a good token, but if the other continue or increase, it is an evill sign. If the urine doe stinke, and there appear no matter in it, then is it a token of some mortifying. For if there be in the urine mean tokens of concoction, then is the mortification in some one part of the body; but if the other signs in the urine be evill, then is that mortification rather of the whole body, then of any one part of it.
And thus have I over-run briefly the chief things to be considered in urine, which (I say) are appertaining or annexed to the urine it self. Howbeit two other things there are, which though they be more plainer then these other, yet may they be overpassed no more then the other: that is to say, blood coming forth with the urine, and gravell expelled there with also.
Blood coming forth with urine,Blood. doth declare some sore to be in the reins or bladder (as Hippocrates writeth in his Aphorisms) or else some vein to be broken about the reins, namely if it come suddenly, and without manifest cause. Howbeit as Galen, Oribasius, and divers others do declare, and reason also with experience doth consent, [Page 86]there may appear blood in the urine also, if that there be such a sore in the liver, or in the shaft. But in any of these cases, the pain felt in the place and part, will utter from whence the blood commeth.
Now to speak of gravell: Hypocrates saith,Gravell. In whose urine there appeareth gravel in the bottome, they have the stone in the bladder, or else in the reins, as Galen addeth; but commonly if the stone be in the reins, the gravell will be red, as Hypocrates declareth in his sixt Book of his Epidemies, And thus now will I make an end of the judicial of urine.
CHAP. XI. Of the Commodities and Medicines of Ʋrine.
THe greatest commodity of urine is already declared: that is, That it doth declare unto man, the manifold diseases which happen unto him; and thereby doth not only give him knowledge of the cause, and so consequently of the cure of the same, but also warneth him before of the grief to come, whereby he may take an occasion to eschew it, if he will be diligent.
Now as this is the greatest commoditie of urin, so it hath many other as well in use of medicine as other waies, of which I will write some, though not all. And first out of Plinie, Plinie. which reciteth strange operations of the urine of a Hedge-hog, and of a Beast that the Greeks call Leontophon, and moreover of the Beast Lynx, which I omit now with many other: but this will I not omit,Urine of man. that Hosthanes saith: That if a man let his own urine drop upon his feet in the morning, it is good against all evill. And that it is good for the gout, we may perceive by Fullers, which never have the gout, by reason that their feet are so often washed with it.
Ostrich urine.The same Plinie writeth, That the Ʋrine of an Ostrich, will do away blots and moles of Inke.
Also that if Urine be tempered with water of like quantitie, and so powred at the roots of the trees, it will both nourish them (as many men say) and also drive all noyance from them.
The urine also of men or oxen, tempered with hony, and given to Bees,Bees. will cure them that are poysoned with the flower of the Cormier or Cornoiller tree.
And likewise if Beans be steeped in urineBeans. [Page 88]and water three daies before they bee sowed, some judge that they will increase exceedingly.Dioscorides Stinging Adders, &c. Dioscorides saith, That a mans own urine is good to be drunk for stinging of Adders, and against poison, and also against the dropsie when it doth begin: And for the stinging of the sea-Adders, of scorpions, and dragons; it is good to soke the stinged part withall.
Dogs urine.The urine of Dogs is good to soke the place that is bitten with a Dog, and to cleanse manginess, and itchinesse, if salt peter be added thereto. And that that is old will more strongly cleanse scales, scurff, scabs and hot pushes. Also it stayeth fretting sores, namely, on the privie members. Furthermore it stincheth mattering eares, if it be dropped thereinto, and if it be sod in the rind of a Pomegranate, it expelleth worms out of the ears.
Childes urine.The urine of a child under 14. yeers of age, doth cure the toughness of breath, if it bee drunken. If it be sod in a brazen vessell with honey, it healeth creythes, and also the web and the tey in the eie. There is made of it and copper, good soulder for gold.
Dregs of urine.The dregs of urine is good for Saint Anthonies evill, if it be nointed thereon, so that (as Galen doth wisely add) the sore be cooled [Page 89]first with some other thing, and bee not burning. If it be heated with oyle of privet, and laid to the womb of a woman, it will asswage the grief of the mother, and cureth also the rising of the same. It cleanseth the eie-lids, and the creythes in the eyes.
Oxe stale.Oxe stale being tempered with myrrh, and dropped into sore eares, healeth the pain of them. The urine of a wild Bore,Wild bore. is of the same vertue if it be kept (as Sextus Platonicus writeth) in a glasse, and dropped warm into them, but it hath a more peculiar property in breaking of the stone, and to expell the same, if it be drunke.
Goats urineGoats urine drunke every day, with Spikenard, and three ounces of water, is good for the dropsie, for it expelleth urine by the sege, and it cureth pain of the ears, if it be dropped into them.
Asse pisse.Asse pisse (as it is written) is good for the grief of the reins, if it be drunke.
Mules stale.Mules stale (as Paulus Aegineta saith) is good to heal pain in the joynts.
Camels and goats stale.The stale of Camels and Goats also doth provoke sege, and therefore is good for them that have the dropsie.
Sextus Platonicus. Sextus Platonicus saith, That Goats urine (if it be drunke) doth provoke womans terms, and cureth pain in the eares being [Page 90]droped into them, and being mixed with mulset wine,Paulus Aegineta. and so dropped into the eares, it draweth out matter, if there be any.
Wild Bore.The urine of the wild Bore with mulset vineger, is good for the falling evill, if it be drunke.
Dogs pisse.A Dogs piss tempered with dust, and laid in wool, will heal corns marveilously, and destroy warts.
Childes urine.A childs urine will heal the stinging of a Bee, Waspe and Hornet, if the place bee washed therewith.
Mans urine.A mans urine will cleanse the freckles and spots in the face. And if a woman cannot be delivered of the after burden, let her drinke mans urine, and she shall be delivered straight.
Collumella saith, that the best dunging for yong shots of trees,Collumella. is mans urine, namely, which hath stood half a yeer. For if you water vines or apple-trees with it, there is no dung that will cause so much fruit as it will doe: and not only that, but it causeth also the savour and the taste both of the apples,Sheeps urin and of the wine, to be much the better.
Constantinus Affricanus saith, That the urine of a Sheep, Constantinus Affricanus. or an Oxe, with some hot oil, is good for the grief in the cars that cometh [Page 91]of cold. Urine (as Vitalis de Furno saith) fretteth,Vitalis. dryeth, and burneth, and is good for the grief of the spleen, if it be drunk, as Gontilis writeth.
Asse stale.The Urine of a male Asse, as the same Vitalis saith) tempered with Nardus doth increase and preserve hair.
And as some say (by the writing of Marcellus Virgilius) Ʋrine is of no smal nourishment, M. Virgilius. for divers folk in the time of dearth, have been preserved by the onely use, and drinking of it.
Also Marcellus the Practitioner,Marcellus. in the 27. Chapter doth witnesse; That the Ʋrine of a man is good for divers diseases of the wombe and bowels, and namely for the Collick, because that partly with provoking of vomit, and partly by occasion of seges, it expelleth strongly all noysome humours, and for the same cause doth common Practitioners keep it still in daily use.
Ʋldericus Huttenus. Ʋlderick Hutten also witnesseth, That he did drive away the Ague above 8. times with the only drinking of his own Ʋrine, at the beginning of his sickness. And many still doe use the same practise, and it proveth well.
Marsilius Ficinus.Likewise Marsilius Ficinus writeth that Many men doe use to drink urine for the Pestilence; [Page 92]which thing did Galen write long before him, and also Paulus Aegineta; and doe testifie also, that it preserved them that dranke it: a the least way as they thought.
All urine (as Galen writeth) is hot in vertue,Galen. and sharp (as saith Aegineta) howbeit, it differeth according to them that make it. For the hotter they are that make it, the hotter is it also, and likewise the colder urine comet h of a colder body.
Mens urine is the weakest of all other, except tame barrow hoggs; for they in very many points agree with man, but the urine of wild Bores is stronger.
Mans urineMens urine is of as strong cleansing vertue as any thing else, and therefore doe Fullers use it to scoure and cleanse their cloth. And in cure of grief s also for the same reason, it is used to soke, and wash maunginess, and scabbedness, and running sores that are full of corruption and filth, and specially if they have in them putrified matter, and for such sores on the privie members it is good, and for mattering eares, and for scales and scurf, if the head be washed in it.
I have healed with it many times sores on the toes, namely, which came of bruises, and were without inflammation, and that in servants and husbandmen, which had a [Page 93]journey to goe, and no Physitian with them, bidding them to wet a small clout with it, and to put into the sores, and then to bind a cloth about it, and as often as they listed to make water, to let it fall on their sore toes, and not to take the cloth away till it were quite whole.
That medicine which is made of childes urine, called of some men in Greek,Chrisocola Chrysocola (that is to say, gold soulder) because men use to soulder gold. This (I say) is exceeding good for sores that are hard to heal. For this medicine doe I use for the chiefest, mixing it with such other things, as are good for such like sores:
In the time of Pestilence in Syria, many did drinke Childrens urine and mens also, and thought that they were preserved by it.
Of urine also, do Alchumysts make divers things,Alchumists. as salt, and other things moe.
And many other commodities there bee of urine, as for washing and scouring, and other like, which for briefness I over-passe, and the rather, because they are commonly known of all folk.
Of the Diseases touching Ʋrines, and the Remedies for the same.
NOw to come to that I promised, as touching the griess which hinder urine, or expell it disorderly, either in time oftner then is meet, or in qualitie, with other fashions then is agreeable to it, or like other sorts, I will briefly write, not intending to reach the art of curing them, (which would require a longer Treatise, and a meeter place) but onely to name certain of the most common diseases, and to set after them such simple and uncompound medicines only which cure those griefs.
Stopping of urine. The stone.First therefore, touching the hinderance or stopping of urine, it is not unknown, that one common cause is the stone, which sometimes is in the reins, and sometime in the bladder. I shewed you before, that commonly you may discern those two asunder, by the colour of the gravel, but the more sure token is the grief in the sick part.
Now for the cure of the same, doth these medicines serve, which follow. But as I have alwaies said, you shal use them with the counsell of some learned Physitian; for there is great difference both of the grief, and of the medicines.
- Astra Bacca.
- Ameos.
- Angle toches sod.
- Betony.
- Bryony root.
- Bylgrum.
- Chamamel.
- Capers Bark, namely of the root.
- Claret seed.
- Clot seed.
- Dock root.
- Fenel seed, and root.
- Goats blood.
- Gladian.
- Gromell.
- Gum of Plumtree, and Cherry tree.
- A hedge Sparrow.
- Harebell.
- Kneholm root and Berries.
- Madder root.
- High Mallows seed and Root.
- Mogwort.
- Parseley.
- Pelliter of Spain.
- Pyony Berries which are black.
- Radish.
- Sampere.
- S. Johns Wort.
- Sperage.
- Seholm.
- Swines Fenell.
- Sothern Wood-seed.
- Sour Almonds.
- Tent-Wort.
- Tutsan Berries.
- Water Plantine.
- Winter Gilli-flower
And beside these there are divers others.
Also the Stone it selfe that came from a [Page 96]man, being braid and drunken, will breake and expell that other within him.
Beside the stone, also it causeth the urine to be clean stopped, by reason of weakness of the expulsive vertue, and some times through clodds of blood, which rest in the shaft. Sometimes also through tough and clammie humours, and sometime through some swelling within the yard, and divers other wayes also, of which the declaration is too long for this place and time: but another time I entend to write of them at large, and of all other griefs of mans bodie.
But to return to this matter that is in hand, One other stop of urine there is, which doth not clean let it, but causeth it to avoid lesser then it should; and this commeth of like causes as that other last did, save that the cause is less, according as the stay of urine is, and therefore the cure in both is much like. For if it come of weakness of the expulsive vertue, then with the use of other hot meats and drinks, those medicines are good which doe provoke urine, as these be that follow.
- Annise-seed.
- Ally-saunders.
- Alkakengi.
- Basyle.
- Bylgrum.
- Cammock.
- [Page 97]Charlock.
- Chervell.
- Carawayes.
- Calamus Aromaticus.
- Cubebes.
- Dictany of Candie.
- Dragance.
- Fumitorie.
- Fatchys.
- Flower delyce.
- Garlike.
- Ground pine.
- Ginger.
- Helecompane.
- Honey.
- Juniper and the Berries.
- Lase saverie.
- Leeks. Mints.
- Margerom.
- Maiden hair.
- Navew. Nepte.
- Negella Romana.
- Nettle. Pepper.
- Pye Ryall.
- Quinces.
- Rue. Rosemary.
- Rocquet.
- Savine.
- Sage. Saverie.
- Time.
- Valerion.
- Wild Marjoram.
- Wild Parseley.
- Wild Time.
- Water Cresses.
- Woodbinde.
with many other, and namely those for the most part, which I named besore to be good for the stone. But there must be discretion in the use of them.
Besides those, is there a disease named the Strangurie (which some corruptly call the Strangurion) in which Disease the urine doth continually drop forth,Excess of urine. as fast as it cometh into the bladder. And therefore may it well be noted the first kinde of such [Page 98]griefs as provoke forth, and further urine excessively. For that strangurie these Medicines following are noted good.
- Alisander.
- Astra Bacca.
- Brokelime.
- Ceder berries.
- Ceterake.
- Calamus Aromaticus.
- Gladiane.
- Knot grasse.
- Kneholm.
- Sperage.
- Seholm.
- Spatula Fetida.
- Turpentine washed.
- Wilde Fennell.
- Water mints.
But you must consider (as I have often said) that as the disease may come of sundry causes, so it must have sundry cures. For most commonly these are good that I have written, yet such may bee the cause of the sickness, that they may do harme, therefore take alwayes counsell of some learned Physitian.
Another kinde of excessive making of urine cometh of the weakness of the retentive vertue in the reins, whereby the Patient pisseth as fast as he drinketh,Flux of urine. Pissing evill. The piss gout. and that in like quantitie. This I may call the flux of urine, or pissing evill: or aster the imitation of the Greeks, the pisse gout. For which disease it is not greatly commendable [Page 99]to set forth medicines with the onely bare names. Howbeit, if I doe it, I trust no man will the rather misuse them, namely being warned so often to take no medicines without counsell, and specially in this thing, For some of the Medicines must be received inwardly, and some of them emplaistred outwardly.
- Apples.
- Dates.
- Elecompane.
- Perys.
- Myrtle Berries.
- Night shade.
- Cycory. Comferie.
- Endive. Paritarie.
- Penny wort. Lettis.
- Lintels. Pomegranat.
- Purselane.
- Vine leaves.
Other defaults there be of excess of urine, as of them which cannot keep their urine, and namely of children, which pisse their beds. This disease cometh oftentimes of the dissolution of the muscle which should keep the urine, and therefore requireth cure meet for it, and unmeet for this place, and such shortnesse. Wherefore for this time here I will make an end, trusting that all men will with as gentle heart receive this my writing, as I of gentleness have taken the pains to set it forth.
Additions. Of the diversities of Colours, and of the making of them.
BEcause that it is not very easie for every man to distinguish colours duly asunder, I thought it good at the end of this Book, a little to touch the distinction and making of them, namely of such as are mentioned before in this Book.
Milk white.Milk white, by the name of it self doth sufficiently declare what it is; for it is the very colour of milk, though the substance need not to be so thick in the urine, as in the milk, for the colour must be understood several from the substance, both in this and all other colours, which thing would be remembred, for it might else (as it hath often done) deceive the simple folk.
Horn white.Horn white in like manner hath his name of the thing that it assimuleth most, for it is like the white and cleer part of a horn of a lanthorn, or such like.
Grey is like the white part of a mans nail next unto the joynt,Grey. or like hoar hair that is not very white, for gray is so much darker then horn white, as horn white is darker then milk white.
Pale colour hath a certain appearance of yellow in it,Pale. but is exceeding little. If you seeth a peece of the rind of Pomegranate, and then put to it thrice as much clean water, it will be a pale colour.
But if you put thereto little or no clean water, it will be flaxen coloured,Flaxen. that is somewhat more yellower then pale.
After it followeth pale,Pale. which is a kind of light yellow, something lighter in colour then crown gold.
For the colour of pure gold (as an angell Yellow. or royall) is a right yellow colour.
Light saffron.A light saffron colour is, that colour that saffron doth make when it is steeped in water, and laid light on any white. For if it be laid on deep, then doth it make a full saffron colour.Saffron. For that is called a saffron colour, which saffron doth die, and not that that is in the saffron it self. sor that is very red,Red. Claret. and is higher then claret, which is a mean colour between saffron and red, as if it were made of them both mixed together.
Crimson is a dark bloody colour,Crimson. well known by his own name, but is not in urine so light as it sheweth in cloth.Purple. Purple, needeth not to be much described, being so commonly known, howbeit if you will see the making of it, mixe a dark crimson, with [Page 102]an orient blew, and it will be purple. And because that many men be deceived in the latin name of this colour, you shall observe that it is not that which in Latin is called Purpureus color, (as most men think) for that is rather a crimson, but it is called, more peculiarly Purpura violacea, or Passeus color.
Blew colour is the colour of the cleer Skie,Blew. or of Azure. Howbeit, in urine it is not so orient, but if you will mix pure white (as white lead, or pure lime) with due portion of right black (as cole dust, or other like) then there will of these àmount that blew, which is ascribed to urine.
Green is a compound colour of blew and yellow duly tempred together.Green. And the right green have I in this Book called a stark green.Stark green. But if the yellow do exceed in it, then is it a light green; and contrariwise, if the blue do exceed,Light green. then is it a dark green: Of this green doth Dioscorides mean, when hee doth say of divers herbs, that their leaves be black; and sometime when he noteth whitelines to be in herbs, he meaneth a light green, though he other times understandeth thereby a certain horiness; of which thing in mine Herball you shall read more exactly.
Oylie.Oylie colours differ from green oylie in [Page 103]their lightness of hue, and thinness of substance in the urine where they appear. The light oyly is somewhat lighter,Light. (or rather) brighter and more glittering then light green,Stark. So is the stark oylie brighter then the stark green, and the dark oylie then the dark green,Dark. which all cometh through the thinness or substance in the urine.
Ash-colour is darker then blew, and is made of the same sort that blew is,Ash-colour. save that it requireth more of the black by twofold. This is the colour of lead, which is much darker then the inner part, though indeed both are one colour, and differ onely in brightness and darkness, which ought rather to be called the hue of colours, then colour.
Now as for black, I need not to speak any whit, for as all men do know it,Black. so these very letters do shew it, which though of all other it be most deadly, yet is it surely of all the most mightie, for it overcommeth all colours, and none can change it, so that well it may be called the colour of death. For as death overcometh all bodies, so black doth damp all colours; beside, that it is the messenger and token of death, which is the end of all things, and black the end of colours.
The Exposition of certain VVords.
NOw for because I was inforced to use some (though but few) terms in this Book, which be not wel known of the most sort of men, though a great number know them well enough, by often talking with Physitians, I thought it good here to declare some certain of them, for the aid of the most simple sort.
Ages.
Because that in the judgement of urines, the differences of ages ought to be considered, you shall understand that the chief differences of them are four, that is to say, Childhood, Youth, Manhood, and Old-age, for though there be commonly 7.Childhood. Ages reckoned, yet these be four principall, and the other three be comprehended under these four, childhood endureth from the hour of birth till the end of 14. yeers of age, and is of complexion hot and moist. At the end of 14. yeers beginneth youth,Youth. and lasteth till the 25 yeer, and this age of all other is in complexion the most temperate. From 25. until 35. yeers,Manhood. is the flourishing of manhood, but yet that manhood lasteth (though not in full freshness) until 50. yeers of age, and this age is of complexion hot and dry. From 50. yeers [Page 105]forward, is the time or age peculiarly called,Age. in which time mans nature is cold and dry, and not moist, as many doe falsely thinke.
Alterative Active 9. Brightness.Active qualities, see the title of qualities.
Alterative vertue, see in the title of vertues.
Brightness in urine must be marked for a several thing from cleerness. For the bright-nesse betokeneth the orientness and the beauty of the colour, with a certain glistring. And cleerness is referred to the substance of urine,Clearness. and is ever annexed with thinness of it. Yet is it a divers qualitie from thinness. So may an urine be cleer in substance, by the reason of his thinness, and yet not bright in colour, and not cleer in substance, but this would be well pondered, lest this necessarie distinction, cause a negligent confusion.
Criticall dayes.Criticall dayes be such dayes, on which there is (or may be) perceived some certain token and great alteration in the sick body, either to health or death, or continuance of sickness. What these be, more at large I will hereaster (God willing) declare in a Book peculiarly, because it requireth more largeness of words, then is meet for this place. But one thing I must tell you, that the same dayes also be called Judiciall,Judiciall dayes. but not Indiciall, for the Indiciall daies are of another kind: but yet associate no these other.
Cruditie is the rawness of the meat in the stomack,Cruditie. when the naturall operation of it cannot duely digest the meat which it hath received; and therefore the urine which declareth default of such digestion, is called a crude, raw, and unconcoct urine.
Cupping is commonly known,Cupping. that it needeth no declaration.
Cloddie urine.A cloddie urine is that which hath in it clods of bloud, or other crude matter, or any clusterings of difform contents.
Dark ground is not meant of the darkness of colour, but rather of the slenderness of substance, so that it can scarcely bee discerned to be any ground, by reason that it is so neer in shape and substance to the rest of the urine.Dulness. Dulness of colour is contrary to brightness, so that when the colour lacketh all brightness, then is it clean dulled, and whatsoever thing causeth decay of such brightnesse, that thing dulleth urine.
Those contents be called divers,Divers. which have neither their own right form, nor any other certain, but are altogether disordered and out of form, rather seeming to be many, then to be one.
Duly knit,Duly knit. is a property of due contents, when they are not tattered, ragged, nor jagged, nor flittering asunder, nor yet are not [Page 107]so clammed together, as tough fleam, or any such thing, but are in a moderate mean between both these.
A gathering.A gathering sore, is that sore that is caused of the excessive recourse of humours into any part of the body, as a bile, or any other like.
Harvest,Harvest. seek times of the yeer.
Judiciall dayes.Judiciall daies, seek Criticall dayes.
Inequalitie of substance in urine doth appear to be the difforments and disagreeing of the parts of it together;Inequalitie. as when it is thin in one part, and thick in another. Howbeit, it is as well used for the alteration from a mean substance to thicknesse or thinnesse, or other wayes unnaturall. Obstruction,Obstruction. is a stopping commonly of the veins, and such great conduits (which convey blood or any other humour) so that the thing which they should convey cannot freely pass as it ought. But if the like stopping happen in the pores of the skin, (I mean those unsensible holes, by which sweat passeth out) so that neither sweat, nor any like excrement may pass that wayes, then is it most named Oppilation. Howbeit,Oppilation. as these words be sometimes used the one for the other, so they be applied also to other sundry parts of the body; but evermore they betoken [Page 108]such stopping in that part, that natures work is hindered thereby.
Principall membersPrincipall members (as to our purpose now) are these 3. the brain, the heart, and the liver.
Passive:Passive. seek Qualities.
Putrefaction is commonly known to signifie,Putrefaction. rotting.
Qualities active,Qualities. are named heat and cold, because they are more apt and able to work, then to be wrought. And contrarie waies, driness and moisture are named passive, or suffering qualities, because they are more ready to be altered by the working of heat and cold, then to work themselves; howbeit yet they doe work also.
The four times of sicknesse.There be in sickness four principall parts of time, to be observed of Physitians: The beginning of sickness, the increase or augmenting, the standing or chief force of it, and the declination or asswaging of it.
The beginning.The beginning is, from the time that sicknesse hath overcome mans strength, and brought him to lie down, till there doe appear manifest signes of concoction of the matter,The increase. whereof the disease cometh, at which time, the sickness waxeth fiercer and fiercer: and while it so continued, that time is called the Increase and augmenting [Page 109]of sickness, but when the violence of the sicknesse is at the most, so that the rage of it is at one stay, and neither increases nor decreases,The state. that time is called the standing, stay, state, or chief strength of the sickness. And after that the furious rage of sickness doth abate, and calm his cruell stormes, then is the declination of the sickness: after which (if the Patient escape as very few die in the declination) then followeth recovery to health again.Declination. And these be the four generall or universall times of sickness. Beside these there be other times more particular,Times of the yeer. wherof now to speak I need not. The diversity of times in the yeer are duly to be observed, for they do much alter mans body.
The Spring.The Spring time increaseth blood and bringeth all the parts of the body to a temperance, as nigh as it can. For it of all other times is the most temperate, neither excessively hot, nor cold; neither moist, nor dry; but of a just temperature, as Galen proveth abundantly in his first Book of Temperaments, where he doth much blame them that name it to be hot and moist, which he saith, is of all other the most pestilent state of air. This Spring, after Galens minde, doth begin about the tenth day of March, and endeth about the 14. day of April, so [Page 110]that it lasteth, but 6. weeks, and 2. dayes. For at the rising of the Pleiades (which is now in our time about the 24. day of Aprill) he saith that Summer doth begin.Summer. Which Summer is in complexion hot and dry, and therefore meet to increase choler, which in that time doth abound. The Summer lasteth 21. weeks.Harvest. Harvest doth begin after Galens minde, about the 17. day of September, and lasteth 7. weekes. The Harvest, is dry of complexion, but neither only hot, nor only cold, but is distemperate in hear and cold. For in the morning and evening it is cold, and at noon it is hot. So may it not be called justly (as men do name it) cold and dry. In this time doth melancholy increase. At the end of Harvest, about the seventh day of November, doth Winter begin, which time is cold and moist;Winter. and therefore increaseth flegm, which is like in complexion unto it. And the Winter lasteth till the 10. day of March; so, is it in length about 17. weeks and a half, and then beginneth the Spring time again. And this is the course of the year, after Physick. Other men which intreat of Husbandry,Another sort of these times. do part the yeer into 4. equall parts, giving 3. months to every time. Unto the Spring they give February, March, and April. To the Summer. May, [Page 111]June, and July. Unto Harvest, August, September, October. And unto winter they appoint November, December, and January. Why the Physitians part the yeer one way, and writers of husbandry another way, at more convenient time I will declare.
Vertues. Attractive.Vertues naturall are four. The first is, That which draweth nourishment into due places, and that is called the attractive vertue. The second,Alterative. is it that altereth the nourishment into a due form to nourish the body, and is called the alterative vertue. The third is that vertue,Retentive. which keepeth in the good nourishment, till the alterative vertue hath duly altered it, and therefore is called the retentive vertue. The fourth, is called the vertue expulsive,Expulsive. because his office is to expel those superfluous excrements which are left, when the other vertues have done their office duly.