PHYSICIANS think Continual Fevers arise from the Fault of some Liquor or Body, stirring up Phae­nomena, which all knows are pro­per to Fevers; to which Body or Liquor, they attribute the Name of Morbifick Mat­ter. Some will have this Matter to be an Humor that's usually excern'd by these in Health, but so changed in sick Persons, that it both begets the Symptoms of Fe­vers, [Page 2]and of its own accord, that is, by the natural Force of the Blood cannot be expell'd: Others think it comes from without, calling it, a Miasma; and being join'd to the Liquor that's naturally to be secern'd, that it kindles a Fever. It's not much matter which of them be truest, be­cause they come both to one, whether the Matter morbifick comes from without, or whether the Humor within be chang'd to the morbifick Matter.

II. Physicians fell into these Opinions, after they observed Fevers to come upon the supprest Transpiration of the Skin, or any other Evacuation, to which the Ani­mal was us'd, being stop'd or diminished. But the Thing seem'd very manifest to these who observed what way Fevers ended. Some they saw end by Sweat, Others by copious Urine, Some by Flux of the Belly, and a Crise to come by a Se­cretion, provocked throw any Glands, conveighing the Humor out of the Ani­mal: Wherefore they were perswaded, that it was some morbifick Matter nursed the Disease, which ought to be expell'd [Page 3]out of the Body, after they had brought it into that fluidity, or so changed it (which they call the procuring of Concoction and Digesting) that it might be cast out of the Body.

We do not debate of that Concoction so much celebrate; but only enquire, What Evacuation or Secretion is to be chosen in curing Fevers, if perhaps any be to be chosen? In this Search we shall be silent of the Cure by Blooding, because we pur­pose only to inspect these Evacuations that fall out by ways naturally open in the healthy Animal, and which Physicians aim at after Blooding, when they judge it fit to be done.

III. But because there is an Opinion of Writers, now Famous, that Fevers arise by the Fault of the Ferments proper to e­very part, or by the Fault of the ferment­ing Parts of the Blood: And this Opinion pleases Fopps, because it makes them Phi­losophers, and Physicians furnished with a stock of Three Words: I'le propose this Thing in the Words of the ingenious Ni­colas Steno out of the Prodromus of his Dis­sertation [Page 4]of a Solid naturally contain'd within a Solid. His Words are. ‘Beside the subtile Fluid penetrating all things, at least we observe three kinds of Fluids in Animals: The First is External, the Second Internal and Common, the Third Internal and proper to each Part.’ By the Word External Fluid, I understand not only that in Animals which incompasseth the outward, like the Atmosphere, but al­so that which touches the rest of the Su­perfices of the Body, that are continuous by the greater Passages with the foresaid Superfice, such as the Superfice of the Aspera Arteria, and the Superfice of the way of the Aliment, &c. Therefore he says, "I call that the Inward Fluid, which does not communicat with the External Fluids, but by the intermediat small Holes of the capillary Vessels. The External Common Fluid is that which is contain'd in the Veins and Arteries in the lympha­tick Vessels, and it may be in the Nerves. The Internal Proper Fluid is that which incompasseth the capillary Vessels of the Common Fluid, and is divers, according [Page 5]to the Places. Then he adds, that the Reason why in divers places from the same Blood, divers things are excerned, depends upon the Places, whose consideration, he says, is absolved by these Three.

1st. By the consideration of the capil­lary Vessels of the internal common Fluid, in which they are only taken up, who ascribe all to Cribration throw divers Pores, of which number I was once one.

2dly, By the consideration of the pro­per internal Fluid, about which only are conversant, these who attribute to every Part a particular Ferment; whose Opinion partly may be true, although the Name of Ferment go upon a Comparison taken from a thing too peculiar.

3dly, By consideration of the Solid of every particular part, to which they seem chiefly to adhere; who by attributing to every Part its form, show that they ac­knowledge something proper to the Part, but unknown to us, which according to that knowledge of Matter which we al­ready have, can be nothing else but the porous Superfice of that Solid, and the [Page 6]subtile Fluid going throw these Pores. He says, I should go too far beyond the pur­pose, if I would apply these foregoing things to explain these things that befal daily our Bodies, and cannot be explain'd otherwise. It suffices here to have insi­nuat, that from the external Fluid many ways Particles are separate and carried in­to the internal common Fluid, by the me­diation of Cribration; whence likewise they being secern'd several ways, and transmitted to the proper internal Fluids, by the new Cribration, they are applied to the solid Parts, either by the way of the Fibres or Parenchims, according as they are determin'd by the unknown pro­perty of every place, that is included in the consideration of these Three preceed­ing Things.

IV. But we in a Dissertation of the Cir­cuite of the Blood throw the the smallest Vessels, had and publish'd at Leyden the 1st. January 1693. Although we shew'd these Ferments not to be found in the Bo­dies of Animals; yet that we might acco­modate it to their Capacities that does [Page 7]not take up Demonstrations, we are pleas'd to propose the whole Matter, so as it may be understood by new Beginners. From these Things that are described here in the Words of Steno, it may be asked, by what way, from the same Blood, so many di­vers Liquors are secern'd, why in the Li­ver Bile, and the Reins Urine, and other Things in the rest of the Parts? The An­cients thought this was done by Attracti­on, whose Sentence to explain better than they could themselves, it will be easy to him that understands Newton's Writings. Some Physicians of late having exploded the word Attraction, have committed this Work to Ferments, which they constitute different in various Glandules, or in divers Colatories. But we shew'd that there are no Glandules which have different Pores, because the Artery and the Vein, no Glan­dule interveening, are stretcht out into one and the same Vessel, which Autopsia or Sight confirms. We shew'd also, that the Orifices of all the Vessels are circular, and alike. Whence it follows, that there is no place for the First and Third of Steno's [Page 8]Considerations. But also it follows hence (that having laid aside Attraction that those Men reject, and which being admit­ted there had been no need of Ferments) by the defect of Glands, instructed with Pores of different figures, that the Fer­ments of those proper internal Fluids, pro­per to every Part, behoved all to be wash'd out of the Orifices, by the Force of the Blood going throw the Arteries. And if they stick any where, they will stick in every place, making no distinction of the places (for there is none) and therefore any Secretion will still go out by every place, having no respect to Ferments. Be­cause if alike Ferments stick to alike Ori­fices, there will be no diversity, nor no use of Ferments. But if you affirm, that in alike places, unlike Ferments are de­riv'd from the Blood, and repair'd from its Mass, the Question comes back to the first, viz. How is it, that from the Blood in the Arteries of the Liver, that are like the Arteries of the Reins, is secern'd a Fer­ment, serving for the secerning of Bile? Or why the Particles that repair this Fer­ment, [Page 9]go rather into the Liver than to the Reins, especially no Attraction interveen­ing.

V. Neither is it only for the Reasons here, and in the other Dissertation mani­fest, that there is no divers Ferments pecu­liar to every Part; but that may be also known from the known Properties of the Blood. For what way shall any Part draw from the Blood a Ferment proper to its self, and fit for no other Part? Or how shall it repair the Ferment diminished or vitiat, or pluck from the gliding Fluid the Fer­ment that it has not in its Mass? It's known to these learned in Chymy, that no Acid can be drawn from the Blood of Animals that can excite Fermentation, or Efferve­scence with the Alcaly in the Blood. And that no burning Spirit proceeds from Blood or parts of Animals, like that which comes from these things that ferment: Therefore these Ferments cannot be brought from the Mass of Blood nor repair'd, nor Fer­mentations be brought into the Blood at the nod of Sylvies or Willis, to excite Fe­vers.

[Page 10] VI. I oft wonder'd that so many suffer­ed themselves to be beguil'd, while they glory that the Natures of Things are made known to them. Many of the old Physi­cians assign'd Qualities, or a Tempera­ment made up of Qualities, to every Part, by whose help the Actions and Secretions were govern'd: Our Authors of Ferments justly esteemed the Qualities and Tempe­raments for the Refuge of Ignorance; be­cause without Foundation or any adjuvant Phaenomena's they were feigned; neither were they known to any but by their Name. They said therefore, that there was a peculiar Ferment that did preside over every Part and Secretion. But these Great Improvers of Medicine knew no more the Nature of these Ferments, than the Ancients knew the Nature of Tempe­raments; neither is the Nature of any Fer­ments proper to any place more known, to any of our Men, than the Nature of occult Qualities is known to the Peripa­teticks. Whence it is too clear from this Opinion, that nothing New is brought into Medicine, but a Word, or the use of [Page 11]a Word, as I long since admonished in that Dissertation of the Circulation of the Blood throw the smallest Vessels.

VII. Let us go to other things. We have written it to have been observed, that Fe­vers are terminated by the augmented cutanious Secretion, and sometimes by the augmented Secretion throw the salival Glands, and oft-times also by a Secretion throw the renal Glands, or by a Flux su­perveening throw the Glands of the Li­ver, Pancreas or Intestines. We need not speak of other kinds of Crisis here, unless perhaps you would add to the rest the Jaundice superveening upon a Fever. Then we observe that there are no excretory Vessels, and no Glands serving for Excre­tion in our Bodies (that is, Arteries termi­nating in excretory Vessels) which cannot be augmented unto such an amplitude, that they may be fit to receive and secern any Humor, that naturally is fit to be secern'd in other Glandules. Because we observe in Jaundice, that that thick Li­quor, which naturally is secern'd in the the Glands of the Liver, is secern'd in the [Page 12]cutaneous Glands, and that too much Se­cretion of Spittle by the salival Glands is restrain'd by provocking of Sweat, and that a Flux of the Belly is stopped by turn­ing the Humor into the ways of Tran­spiration open'd by Sudorificks, and that Salivation binds the Belly; but the Flux of the Belly being stirr'd up again, that Salivation stops, which, as other Secre­tions, is staid by a Flux of Urine.

VIII. In Fevers especially it is to be observed, how oft any Liquor is carried throw any place, enlarged by the help of Art or Nature; and how that there is no Fever but the like has been terminat by Secretion, throw the sudorifick Glandules, oftner than by any other Secretion. So that there is no kind of febrifick Matter that cannot be brought throw the Glands alotted for Transpiration: And though either by the fault of some restrain'd Se­cretion, or the stopt motion of the Hu­mor, or the fault of the Fluid, introduced by the chiliferous Vessel, any part of the Blood, or any Humor may be chang'd in­to any Nature; yet this is not the Que­stion, [Page 13]but only, in what and how much condition of fault, while it excites Fevers, it uses to be driven or perverted. In solv­ing this Question, Experiments are of use, by which it is shown that this is the Pro­perty of febrifick Matter, that it can and uses to go out by all the Vessels; but the thing will be more clear by the following, in the which we will search, what respect the natural Secretions have, and what from that respect can be drawn, proper for the present Design. viz.

IX. From the Aphorisms 3, 6, 21, 59 and 60. of the First Sect. of Sanct. The Excretions in the given time keep this pro­portion for the most part.

• By the Belly — 4
• By the Bladder — 16
• By Respiration —6
• By the Skin — 60, 59, or 40.

Whence it is manifest, that Perspiration is the double sum of other Secretions (we take here the middle quantity of Perspi­ration) and twelve times as much as the Belly's Excretion. But I admonish here, Excretion stirr'd up by the Mouth is ac­counted [Page 14]for Perspiration: For the little Bladders of the Lungs are no less expos'd to the Air than the superfice of the Skin, neither Perspiration naturally breaking forth out of the Vesicles of the Lungs can be hindered more than that which rises from the superfice of the Skin. Because Perspira­tion passes throw the Pores of the Vessels expos'd to the Air. Therefore there is no sudorisick Vessels lengthned like Pipes (although we use that Appellation com­monly) in the Skin more than in the Lungs, in which there are no sudorifick Canals. If then, that I may return, that Excretion made by the Mouth be reckon'd with Per­spiration, the cutanious Excretion will be triple the sum of the rest, and 14 times as much as the Belly's: Wherefore Perspira­tion will be with us at least ten times as much as the Secretion of the Belly. For Perspiration coming out of the Lungs is equal to the excess that any one would ascribe to the Padua Perspiration beyond the British.

X. Because Fevers and many other Di­seases arise both from the cutanious Secre­tion [Page 15]supprest, as well as from any other supprest, and that the cutanious is the double of all the rest, or triple: Therefore the suppression of the half, or third part, of the perspirable Matter, will beget a Fever equal to that, that the suppression of all the rest begets. And because cuta­neous is ten times as much as the Belly Excretions: Therefore the diminution of the tenth part of the perspirable Matter will beget a Fever equal to that, that the suppression of the whole Belly begets. For the same causes the help of the half, or third part, of Perspiration, will do as much in puting away a Fever, as the help of all the rest will do: And the help of the tenth part of Perspiration will be of as much avail, as the Belly Excretion altogether. And the whole Perspiration will be of as much avail, as ten Belly Excretions.

❧ XI. The Thing it self cries indeed, seing that the Matter of any Secretion may be conveighed by any other augmen­ted, and since any may by any way be augmented by the exhibition of a profita­ble Medicine: And lastly since Secretions [Page 16]proportionally augmented, keep that mea­sure they naturally had: Therefore a grea­ter heap of morbifick Matter, in a certain time, may be brought out by cutaneous Secretion, than by any other whatsome­ver, in that proportion that the quantity of cutaneous, or skin Secretion, naturally bears to any other Secretion in a natural state. Wherefore a Disease is sooner ta­ken away by Evacuation by the Pores of the skin, than by any other Secretion what­somever, and that on the foresaid Suppo­sition. From these it follows, that a Di­sease cannot be so soon put off by making an increase of Stools, as it may be by in­creasing the cutaneous Secretion, except the increase of the Belly be to the increase of the Cutaneous, in the inverse Reason of Secretions, or as the bulk of the Cu­taneous is to the bulk of the Belly in the natural condition. Wherefore the Secre­tion by the Belly must be a Hundred times more than the Natural, that it may eva­cuate as much in a Day, as in the like time Perspiration only Ten times more than the Natural evacuats. Or a whole [Page 17]Man must evacuate by the Belly a Hun­dred times in that time he uses to stool once, and Two Hundred times, or Three Hundred times, who Twice or Thrice: But he who in the space of a Day in Health useth to stool Ten times, he, when he is Sick, if he would be Cured by Stooling, must stool a Thousand times.

XII. From the Premisses it follows, that any supposed Fever (and indeed the same will hold in any Disease arising within the Animal) it is Ten times more probable that it will be Cured by Sweating than by Stooling: For since the tenth part of Perspi­ration is equal to Belly Secretion & as easily hapens, or Perspiration made by the 10 part of the Skin; therefore the probability of the Cure by any Perspiration, is Ten times more than the probability of the Cure by Stools: For it is clear that Stools are only one way, but there are Ten Cases in which Stools do not happen, viz. as many as there are Quantities of Perspiration equal to Stools: And therefore the expectation of Stools is One to Eleven, and the expecta­tion of the Cutaneous is as Ten to Eleven (see the Writings of the Geometritians) [Page 18]and the expectation of the Cutaneous is Ten times as much as that we expect of the Stools, or the value of the hope of the first, is Ten times the value of the hope of the second. And it becomes the pru­dent Physician to endeavour these Things that will not deceive his Hope.

XIII. We have already discoursed of Se­cretions that are augmented by Medicines taken within the Animal, and the ways of the Blood's Circuit. Therefore what is said of Belly Secretions belongs to that, that is done in the Glandules of the Liver Pancreas & Intestines, the increase of which is occasioned by Purgatives, properly so cal­led, or breaking into the Animal beyond the first Ways.

For as to that Belly Excretion that is made by Lenients which frees the first Ways from Filth sticking there, these no more re­late to Purging, or Belly Secretion augmen­ted, than washing of the outward Skin is re­ferred to the same. For these Lenients only promove Perspiration of the Intestines like to that of the Skin: For the Pores of the In­testines being opened, there breaks forth [Page 19]a greater bulk of Perspiration, than from the like portion of the upper Superfices of the Body, and these Pores are opened by Medi­cines cleansing Filth, chiefly by fit Emeticks.

It's fit here to admonish the proportion of Secretion given by Sanctorius obtains in sound Bodies, in which this most deserving Physician has examined all the Stools (made up of these things which went in to the la­cteal Vessels, and which went not in) But we chiefly discourse of Excrements sent from the Mass of Blood by the Canals of the Li­ver and Pancreas and intestinal Glands. For in sound Bodies, not using Medicines, this Excretion, by ways conveying liquors from the Mass of Blood, is a very small quantity, and in these that are costive this is scarce observable. Wherefore the respect that the Cutaneous Secretion has to the Belly, will be much more than Ten to One, or also more than a Hundred to One. What may be de­duced hence any Body may see.

XIV. Let there be Two Elastick Canals or Conduits, having Orifices alike upon un­equal Diameters, let them receive at every Pulse quantities of alike Liquor, proportio­nal [Page 20]to the Orifices. From these Things that the Elements teaches it is manifest.

First if the number of the Pulses in the lesser Pipe▪ be more than the number of the Pulses in the greater, in the inverst reason of the Orifices, the quantities of the Liquors that in the given time flow throw these un­equal Chanels, will be equal, but the velo­city of the Liquid flowing throw the lesser, will be more than the swiftness of that flow­ing by the greater in proportion to the Pulses.

Secondly, If the number of the Stroaks or Pulses in the greater be more (that is, if the Times or Vices in which the greater Ca­nal receives it's Liquor be more in number than the Vices that the lesser receives its li­quor) the quantity of the Liquide running throw the greater, in the given time, will be greater than the other in the compound reason, according to the proportion that the number of the Pulses of the greater, bears to the number of the Pulses of the lesser, with the respect that the Orifice of the greater, has to the Orifice of the lesser. But the swiftness of the Liquor flowing throw [Page 21]the greater, will be greater in swiftness than that flowing throw the lesser, in the above­mentioned proportion of Pulses.

From which it follows, where the Pulse is more frequent than the Natural, that is where the number of the stroaks is greater, in the reason first expos'd (as it is in Fevers) thesw feness of the Liquor going throw the Arteries is greater, although the Pulse be al­so less than the Natural, that is, if the Canal becomes less, and is less dilated. Moreover if the number of the Pulses in the greater Canal be greater, that is, if the Pulse be both more frequent than the Natural, and also greater than the Natural, then the quantity of Blood carried through the Arteries in the given time will be much more than the Na­tural, viz. in the compos'd Reason declar'd in the second place. This case happeneth oft in Fevers, & the Velocity of the Blood must be according to the proportion of the Pulses or of the frequency. Let them see who are concerned, what way these Phaenomena's of the Pulses may be explain'd by the circuit of the Blood, slower than the Natural, & ascri­bed to Fevers by moe Medicasters than one.

[Page 22] Now by your leave Gentlemen, having spoken so much of Perspiration, I will ex­plain and demonstrat Bellinus his Theorem: For none that I know, although it be a most pretty one have given the Demonstration of it. The Theorem is thus.

The whole quantity of Perspiration com­ing every Minute from a Shred, whose weight is a Scruple, is 1200 part of a Scrup. That I will shew by the following Method.

Sanctorius declares, that in the space of 24 Hours the Perspiration is 50 Ounces, which makes 1200 Scrup. that is, 50×24 Scrup. Therefore we perspire in the space of an Hour 50 Scr. and every Minute of an Hour there is perspir'd in the whole Body 5 six parts of a Scrup.

Since then the midle quantity of the weight of the Body of Man is 160 lib. which are equal to 60000 Scr. or 50×1200 there is every Hour expir'd from the whole Body a quantity of Perspiration, which is 1200 part of the Body: And therefore from every part of the same there will expire the 1200 part, or in the space of an Hour there will go out of every Scrup. the 1/1200 of a Scrup. [Page 23]Therefore in that Man whose sum of the Shreds by which Perspiration is driven is 1/60 of his whole Body, that is (of a Man of midle weight) 3 lib. that sum will be at least 1000 Scrup. Therefore there behoves to sweat out by those 1000 Scrup. every Hour 50 Scrup: or by 1 Scrup. every Hour 50/1000 Scrup. must sweat out, that is 1/20 Scrup. And therefore in the space of a Minute, or 1/60 part of an Hour there will sweat out through 1 Scrup: 1/60×20 or 1/1200 Scrup: as Bellinus finds.

And because the weight of Perspiration, all things being considered, is according to the weight of the Body perspiring. There­fore in a Body of 120 lib. or 45000 Scrup. the Perspiration in 24 Hours will be equal to 900 Scrup: and Perspiration every Hour will be equal to the 37½ Scrup. Whence every Hour there perspires 1200 part of the [Page 24]Body, and so proportionably of every part and Scruple, because 45000 Scrup: make 1200×37½ Scrup. Wherefore in that Bo­dy in whom the outmost Cuticle of the U­terus, Intestins, Lungs, Jaws, &c. made about 2 lib. the sum of the Shreds also by which Perspiration last went throw, was at the least 750 Scrup: or the 60 part of her Body. For she died of an immoderat Issue or Emo­ragy of Blood from the Womb, the third Day after Child-birth, but her Body was 106 lib. Now throw these 750 Scrup. there behoved every Hour to come out 37½ Sc. that is every Hour out of every Scruple to come out 37/750 ½ Scrup. that equals 1/20 Scru. seing 20×37 ½ equals 750: Therefore e­very Minute or 1/60 of an Hour, there will come out throw 1 Scr. 1/60×20 Scr.=1/1200.

Q. E. D. i. e. Quod Erat Delirandum.