1. Alimentary Substances, austere and astringent.

AUSTERE, astringent, ve­getable Substances, are such as contain an acid essential Salt, combin'd with Earth, and very little Oil; as,

[Page 244] Several sorts of Plumbs, and some sorts of Pears, distinguishable by their rough styptick Taste.

Quinces, which by their Quality are often useful to weak Stomachs, and in stopping of Fluxes of Blood.

Pomegranates, which contain a Juice styptick, and extremely cooling.

Barberries, Medlars, Cornelian Cher­ries, all beneficial in Bloody-Fluxes.

Sorrel, useful in Spitting of Blood, and Stinking Breath.

Purslain, succulent, subacid, with a cooling nitrous Salt.

Burnet, astringent, with a gentle spicy Quality, vulnerary.

Tamarinds, cooling, astringent, yet laxative to the lower Belly.

Capers, astringent and diuretick.

All Pickles, especially Samphire, which is stimulating. Such sort of Substances by their Acidity and a­stringent Quality offend some Sto­machs.

[Page 245] There are Wines of the same Qua­lity, known by their rough austere Taste; as likewise all acidulated and chalybeat Waters.

Strong Waters or spirituous Liquors contract and harden the solid Parts most of all.

2. Alimentary Substances softening and relaxing.

The Juices of most sorts of ripe Garden Fruits, as Cherries, are cool­ing, and laxative to the Bowels; their Kernels are good for the Gravel in the Kidneys.

Strawberries, which by their fra­grant Smell seem likewise to be cor­dial. The Seeds, which are obtain'd by shaking the ripe Fruit in Water, are an excellent Remedy against the Stone: The Juice of Strawberries and Limons in Spring-Water is an excellent Drink in bilious Fevers.

[Page 246] Oranges, those that are sweet are more relaxing than the bitter or Se­ville Oranges, which nevertheless are not heating; these are an excellent Remedy against the hot Scurvy.

Citrons and Limons, their Juices more cooling than that of Oranges. Sour Limons do not possess this re­laxing Quality very much, they be­ing somewhat styptick.

Apples, which are likewise pecto­ral, cooling, and lenitive; they dif­fer considerably as to the Kinds of them, and their Qualities may be easily known by their Taste.

Pears have most of the same Qua­lities; some Kinds by their high Fla­vour seem to be more cordial than Apples.

Peaches, which are likewise cordial and pectoral.

Sweet Plumbs, those of the austere Kind are astringent.

Mulberries, pectoral, corrective of the bilious Alkali.

[Page 247] Apricocks, unless mellow, are ra­ther somewhat styptick.

Gooseberries, extremely ripe, are le­nient; unripe, they are sour, and ra­ther astringent.

Currants are good in Spitting of Blood, extremely cooling, and some­what astringent. The Jelly or Rob of Currants, mix'd with Water, is a most excellent Drink in bilious Fe­vers.

Grapes taken in moderate Quanti­ties help the Appetite and Digestion; in great Quantities, they resolve the Bile too much, and produce Fluxes; dry'd, they are pectoral.

Figs are great Subduers of Acri­mony, useful in Hoarseness and Coughs, extremely emollient, and by relaxing the Urinary Passages, diu­retick, useful in bloody Urine; it has been always believed that the immoderate use of them generates Lice.

[Page 248] Plants of the low pomiferous Kind, as Melons, Pompions, Gourds, Cucum­bers, contain a cooling Juice, with a nitrous Salt; that of Melons and the Ananas is rich and cordial; they are diuretick; and there are Instances, when eaten in great Quantities, they have produced bloody Urine; they ought to be taken fasting. The Juice of Cucumbers is too cold for some Stomachs, and ought not to be taken by such as have thin and poor Blood; if the Stem upon which they grow be bruised, the Pulp of the Fruit grows bitter, and has the Effect of Coloquintids. The Juice of an unripe Cucumber is purga­tive. Cucumbers are useful in bloody Urine.

All Fruits which contain a sub­acid essential Salt, much Phlegm, and a small Quantity of Oil, have this lenient Quality; as likewise the emol­lient Pot-Herbs; as,

[Page 249] Cole, Cabbage, Coleworts, which are soft and demulcent, without any Acidity. The Jelly or Juice of red Cabbage, bak'd in an Oven, and mix'd with Honey, is an excellent Pectoral.

Lettuce, which has a milky Juice, with an anodyne or opiate Quality, resolvent of the Bile, proper for me­lancholy People, diuretick, and good in Stranguries, especially when eat raw; it is reckoned to increase Milk.

Cichory and Dandelion have some of the same Qualities, with a small degree of Bitterness extremely agree­able to the Stomach, and not heat­ing. The Juice of the Dandelion is a Remedy in intermitting Fevers.

Spinage, emollient, but not very nourishing; it is reckoned good in Inflammations of the Bowels.

Beets, emollient, nutritive, and relaxing.

Carrots, good in nephritical Cases, antiacid, and fattening.

[Page 250] Parsnips, useful in phlegmatick Co­licks; the Plant from which Apopo­nox is taken, is a sort of Parsnip.

Skirrets, useful in bloody Urine, and Spitting of Blood.

Scorzonera, demulcent in the Small­Pox, Meazles, and pestilential Fevers, and for Gouty People; the express'd Juice better than the Decoction.

Goats-beard, an alimentary Root, has most of the Qualities of Scorzo­nera.

Emollient likewise are all farinace­ous or mealy Substances.

Barley, which is deterging, tho viscous in a small degree; the De­coction and Cream of Barley are proper in inflammatory Distem­pers.

Rice, nourishing, good in Hae­morrages, or Fluxes of Blood.

Mays is not so easily brought to Fermentation as other Grains, there­fore more viscous.

[Page 251] Wheat, the properest of any Grain for Bread, which, when not entirely purged from the Bran, is laxative, and stimulating to the Bowels.

Rice, the Bread, more acescent and less nourishing than that of Wheat.

Oats, cleansing, resolving, and pectoral; Oatmeal and Butter out­wardly apply'd dry the Scab on the Head.

Millet, diuretick, cleansing, and good in Diseases of the Kidneys.

Panick, aperient, boil'd with Milk, demulcent, temperating Acrimony.

Pease contain a soft Oil, without any spicy Quality; therefore are ex­tremely demulcent, and temper Acri­mony.

Beans and Kidney-Beans have the same Qualities; they are reckoned diuretick, and good for the Stone.

It has been commonly reckoned, because of the Viscosity of Pease and Beans, that People who live a se­dentary [Page 252] Life should not feed much upon them.

The Animal Oils; Cream, Butter, and Marrow, are all lenient and nou­rishing: Marrow is excellent in the dry Scurvy with crackling of the Bones, where it performs its natural Office.

Of all Drinks, Whey is the most relaxing, so are warm Water and De­coctions of mealy Substances, and Panadas, or Bread boil'd in Water.

3. Diluting Substances.

Water and watery Liquors, without any saline Substance; Decoctions of mealy Substances; Robs and Gellies of Garden Fruits in Water.

Resolving is bringing a Fluid which is new concreted into the State of Fluidity again. Such are

All Substances which are sapona­ceous, or contain Salt and Oil; therefore most ripe Garden Fruits [Page 253] have this Quality, and Honey most of all vegetable Substances. Mere dilu­ting dissolves and carries off Salts.

4. Anti-acid, or contrary to Acidity or Sourness, are,

All Animal Diet in general, be­cause no Animal has any acid Salt in it, especially Flesh roasted; tho' not so easy of Digestion as boil'd.

The Animals which feed on other Animals must have this Quality stronger than those who feed on acid Vegetables; such are most Fishes, all Birds which feed upon Worms and Insects, several Kinds of Water-Fowl, Woodcocks, Snipes, and several Kinds of small Birds, which for that Reason afford a higher Aliment than those that feed upon Grains or other Vegetables.

The Flesh of Animals differs accord­ing as they are terrestrial, aquatick, or amphibious. Fishes contain much [Page 254] Oil, and amphibious Animals par­ticipate somewhat of the Nature of Fishes, and are oily; and the same Species of Animals differs according to the Soil and Air it lives in, and the Nourishment which it takes, as those in Marshes and Mountains; the Flesh of Oxen, Sheep, Deer, in different Pasturage; and this is in none more sensible than in Hogs Flesh.

Young Animals from their Age and the Nature of their Aliment have more tender Fibres, and more superfluous Humidity than old Animals, which have their Fibres tougher, and the Juices more exalted and relishing.

Mutton by Experiment is the most perspirable of all animal Food, and Hogs Flesh and Oysters the least.

The Flesh of Animals which take and digest a great Quantity of Food, and consequently use strong Exercise, must be nourishing, because they have strong Sanguification, such are [Page 255] Pigeons; and the same is true of some Fishes.

The Nature of most sort of ani­mal Diet may be discovered by Taste and other sensible Qualities, and some of those general Rules above-men­tion'd, without particular Disquisi­tions upon every Kind.

Eggs are perhaps the highest, most nourishing and exalted of all animal Food, and most indigestible, be­cause no body can take and digest the same Quantity of them as of other Food.

Shell-Fish are nourishing, and their Oil is corrected by their Salts, which make it pungent and stimulating.

But, as was said before, all Ani­mal Diet is Anti-acid or Alkalescent.

Vegetables used in Aliment anti­acid are such as of themselves turn foetid or stinking, rather than four.

All the Cole or Cabbage Kind.

Asparagus diuretick or aperient; by the foetid Smell which it gives [Page 256] the Urine it is suspected to be hurt­ful to the Kidneys.

Parsley and Celery, both contain a pungent Salt and Oil, diuretick and aperient, bad in Bloody-Fluxes.

Garlick, Rockambole, Onions, Shalot, Leeks, these abound with a pungent volatile Salt and Oil, are extremely diuretick, and, when stimulating Diu­reticks may be safely us'd, are very effectual: Garlick has been found by Experience to be a very excellent Re­medy in Jaundices and Dropsies, and in Asthmas proceeding from a cold viscous Phlegm. All these Plants are hurtful in Cases where the Blood is too much dissolv'd, in Spitting of Blood, and bloody Urine.

Cresses, Radishes, Horse-Radishes, Mustard, abound likewise in their se­veral degrees with a pungent Salt, and as they subdue Acidity, are very improper where the Blood verges to the contrary State of a putrescent Alkali; and in general they are fitter [Page 257] for old People, and cold Constitu­tions, than the young and sanguine. Mustard is a very powerful Remedy in viscous cold phlegmatick Cases.

Dilse, a Sea-Plant, antiscorbutick. There are other Sea Plants us'd as Aliment, which contain a temperate Sea-Salt, very useful in Scurvies; as Laver, which is the Lactuca Marina, or Sea-Lettuce, and Sea-Cole, or Cale.

Carrots, Turnips, Parsnips, are An­ti-acids of a milder Kind.

Nettles, good against Haemorra­ges.

Such as abound with a soft Oil, which operate by blunting the Acri­mony of the Salts, as most sorts of Nuts; most of which are hard of Digestion, yet possess some good me­dicinal Qualities.

Walnuts are cordial, anti-hysterick, and gently sudorisick.

Hazle-Nuts, good against Spitting of Blood.

[Page 258] Chesnuts are good in Female Weak­nesses, and afford a very good Nou­rishment.

Almonds, Pectoral.

Pistachos, nourishing and stimu­lating.

Olives are anti-acid by their Oil, but all oily Substances beget an Acri­mony of another sort.

Truffles, which have an exalted Oil, and a volatile Salt of a grateful Sa­vour, are heating.

Morelles have some of the same Qualities; and so have Earth-Nuts and Potatoes, which are very nourishing.

Mushrooms, which contain an Oil of a volatile Salt; therefore they are best corrected by Vinegar; some of them being poisonous, make the rest suspicious; the poisonous Kinds ope­rate by a sort of Suffocation, in which the best Remedy is Wine or Vine­gar and Salt, and Vomiting as soon as possible.

[Page 259] Acidity is likewise cur'd by dilu­ting, therefore Water is an Anti-acid.

5. Acid Substances are,

Most ripe Garden Fruits, fermen­ted Liquors, small Wines, with lit­tle Oil, and much Tartar, Vinegar, sour Milk, Butter-Milk. Several Plants known by their Taste, as Sor­rel, &c. Those of the mealy Kind are acescent, that is, being kept they turn sour rather than corrupted and stinking.

6. Those things which resolve glutinous and fat Substances, are

Spices, as Cinnamon, Mace, Nut­meg, Cloves, Ginger, Pepper. These abounding with a high exalted Oil, and volatile Salt, by which Principles they are heating, and act strongly both on the Fluids and Solids; Gin­ger is perhaps one of the best of [Page 260] them. All Spices are bad for me­lancholy People.

Of the same nature are the Vege­tables used in Seasoning, as Thyme, Savory, Marjoram, Rosemary, Mint, Orange and Limon-Peel, Fennel, which contains a subtil Spice, balsa­mick, warm, and stimulating; Cher­vil, of the same nature; they are good in phlegmatick cold Constitu­tions: Sage is stimulating, drying, astringent; us'd in great Quantities it will produce Temulency, or Drunk­enness.

All Soaps and Soapy Substances, and consequently ripe Fruits, the Juices of pungent and aromatical Plants, all those Substances resolve Solids, and sometimes attenuate or thin the Fluids.

7. Stimulating.

All Salts in general, both acid and alkaline; all acrimonious Oils, and [Page 261] all Substances that abound with them, for by their Oil they obstruct the Extremities of the small Vessels, and by their Salts they irritate the Solids, consequently all the Substances men­tioned in the foregoing Article are stimulating, and all fermented Spirits, the Effect of which is very sudden.

Extreme Cold stimulates, producing first a Rigor and then a glowing Heat; those things which stimulate in the extreme degree, excite Pain.

8. Incrassating or Thickeners of the Humours, are

All things which expel the liquid Parts strongly, so as to thicken what remains. Therefore violent Exercise or Labour produceth this Effect; the Blood of labouring People is more dense than that of the sedenta­ry. A due Consistence of the Blood is very necessary for Health, and this is acquir'd chiefly by Exercise; all [Page 262] things which provoke great Secre­tions, especially Sweat, produce this Effect at last.

9. What renders the Blood acrimonious or sharp

Are such things as increase its Ve­locity; for by mutual Attrition Salts are produc'd.

Whatever attenuates the Humours.

Whatever resolves Concretions, and turns them fluid; for whatever putri­fies, is acrid.

Acrimony is threefold: Acid, which is produc'd from Vegetables lying long in the Stomach; no animal Sub­stance produceth Acidity, except Milk.

Great Quantities of Oily Substances, for Animal Humours, by Heat, stink and grow foetid, like Oil.

Express'd Oils are mild.

Distill'd Oils turn acrid.

[Page 263] Oils entirely deprav'd of their Salts are not acrid.

Alkaline Acrimony is produced by fix'd Salts, by fix'd Alkalis, and vo­latile Alkalis, taken in great Quanti­ties; and by essential Salts of Vege­tables, of which sort are Sugar, Manna, and Honey.

Alkaline Acrimony is produc'd by all Vegetables which abound with a pungent volatile Salt and Oil, as Mus­tard, Garlick, Onions, Horse-Radish, Cresses; and by all Spices. All things which create Pain, render the Humours sharp.

10. Abaters of Acrimony or Sharpness.

Express'd Oils of ripe Vegetables, and all Preparations of such, as of Al­monds, Pistachos, and other Nuts.

Emulsion of the Seeds of Barley, Oats, &c.

Decoctions of farinaceous Legumes, as Pease, Beans, &c.

[Page 264] Native Animal Oils, as Fat, Cream, Butter, Marrow, especially the last, which is excellent in some Scurvies.

All insipid inodorous Vegetables are demulcent.

Jellies, Broths of Animal Sub­stances not high seasoned, acid Sub­stances in respect of alkaline, and al­kaline in respect of acid.

Fermented burning Spirits subdue Acidity, and are very often a present Remedy when the Stomach is affec­ted with it. Spirit of Wine dulcifies Spirit of Salt, Nitre, or Vitriol; but then those Spirits have other bad Ef­fects.

Absorbents, as Chalk, Crabs Eyes; but these are not alimentary, except calcin'd Hartshorn, which has some­thing of this Quality.

Nothing abates Acrimony of the Blood more than an equable Motion of it, neither too swift nor too slow; for too quick a Motion produceth an alka­line, and too slow an acid Acrimony.

11. Coagulators of the Humours.

Those things which expel the most fluid Parts, as in the Case of incras­sating, or thickening; and by those things which suck up some of the fluid Parts, as Absorbents.

All Vegetables, which make a black or purple Tincture with the Vitriol of Mars, such as Galls do. Juices of unripe Vegetables, and the juices of all austere Vegetables which coagulate the Spittle, and being mix'd with the Blood in the Veins would produce Polypus's in the Heart, and Death.

All burning fermented Spirits have this Quality in a strong degree.

12. Those things which accelerate the Motion of the Blood, are

All stimulating, diluting, and at­tenuating Substances; what relaxeth the Veins, as Frictions, Bathings, [Page 266] Compressions by Ligatures often re­mov'd, Sneezing, Coughing, Laugh­ing, and several other natural Mo­tions.

Those things which take off the Causes of Acceleration, retard the Motion of the Blood.

13. Those things which increase Milk.

What generates quickly a great Quantity of Chyle, as thin Broths, Ptisanes of Barley or Oatmeal, Pa­nadas, but nothing more than Milk with Salt and Sugar; Cream, if the Milk be not too thick, Malt Drink, not strong, or stale; a due degree of Exercise or Labour. Eating much Flesh-Meat abates Milk.

14. Substances expectorating.

Such as cleanse and open, as mild vegetable Oils, such as that of Al­monds or Olives; soapy Substances, [Page 267] especially Honey; Emulsions of fari­naceous Substances, Decoctions of e­mollient Vegetables, Sugar.

Sometimes stimulating Substances are necessary to dissolve viscid Phlegm, and excite a Cough.

The mild Vapour of warm Liquids, especially warm Water.

And such things as are endued with an opiate Quality by incrassating the Phlegm.

15. Lenitive or laxative of the Belly.

Animal Oils, fresh Butter, Cream, Marrow, Fat Broths, especially of those Parts which are about the Me­sentery; Livers of Animals, because of the Bile which they contain; the express'd Oils of mild Vegetables, as Olives, Almonds, Pistachos, and the Fruits themselves; all oily and mild Fruits, as Figs; Decoctions of mealy Vegetables, these lubricate the Inte­stines; some saponaceous Substances [Page 268] which stimulate gently, as Honey, Hy­dromel, or boil'd Honey and Water, and even Sugar it self, especially unrefin'd.

Such lenitive Substances are pro­per for dry atrabilarian Constitutions, who are subject to Astriction of the Belly, and the Piles, and will operate when stronger medicinal Substances are sometimes ineffectual; but such lenitive Diet hurts those whose Bowels are weak and lax.

Lenitive are likewise watery Sub­stances; and even common Water or Whey, drank in cool Air, and walking after it; sour Milk and But­ter Milks have the same Effect.

There are other Substances which stimulate more, even new Milk, es­pecially Asses Milk, when it sours on the Stomach; and Whey, turn'd sour, will purge strongly.

Jellies made of the solid Parts of Animals contain a sort of ammonia­cal Salt; Shell-Fish, as Oysters, the same, by which they are lenitive; [Page 269] most Garden Fruits, by the Salts which they contain, produce the same Effect; some of them, as Grapes, will throw such as take them immo­derately, into a Cholera Morbus, or incurable Diarrhoeas; all Fruits when they have this Effect, are flatulent; Wine and spirituous Liquors are not so useful in such a windy Colick, as Water, which is much the best Re­medy after a Surfeit of Fruit. The express'd Juices of several Vegetables, because of their essential Salts, stimu­late the Bowels.

All fossil Salts, as Sea-Salt, Rock-Salt, &c. have this Quality; a Diet of salted Flesh throws Ships Crews sometimes into Diarrhoeas.

16. Diuretick.

All Decoctions, Emulsions, Oils of emollient Vegetables, such relax and lubricate the Urinary Passages; they ought to be taken in an empty [Page 270] Stomach, an open Air, and with gentle Exercise.

Diluents, as Water, Whey, Tea, small Ale without Hops.

Substances stimulating, by which Quality all Salts whatsoever are diu­retick.

Soaps which resolve solid Substances, any Salt, Oil, Salads of pungent Herbs, with Oil of Olives, and Vi­negar, are diuretick.

By this saline Quality, the Juices of Shell-Fish, of Oysters, Muscles, Crabs, Crawfish, and the Soups made of them, are diuretick.

Vegetables which have little Oil, and a great Quantity of essential Salt, are diuretick, Parsley, Celery, Sorrel, Chervil, Eringo.

Vegetables which are aromatick and balsamick, Saffron, Asparagus, Nutmeg; these affecting the Urine with an Odour, have some specifick Quality of this Kind.

[Page 271] All anodyne Substances which take off Spasms and Contractions of the membranous Parts, and all which subdue any particular Acrimony, are diuretick.

For provoking of Urine, one should begin with the gentlest at first, as the lenient, relaxing, diluent, de­mulcent, and last of all the stimu­lating.

The Blood may be cleans'd, and the Salts of it carried off perhaps better by Urine than any other Se­cretion.

17. Sudorificks.

Such things as relax the Vessels of the Skin, by which Quality many things which are diuretick, are like­wise sudorifick; warm Water and Honey, Barley-Water, Friction, and tepid Vapours, apply'd to the Skin, operate by this Quality.

[Page 272] Substances anodyne, by abating Spasms, relax, and by that Quality prove sudorifick.

Such things as dissolve and dilute the Blood, thus cold Water.

Water, Vinegar, and Honey, is most excellent Sudorifick us'd by Hip­pocrates; it is more effectual with a little Mace added to it.

Those things which determine the Motion of the Fluids towards the extreme Parts, increase the Strength and Frequency of the Pulse, as vio­lent Exercise, all Cordials, Spices, thin and sharp Wines, Juices of Li­mon, operate by these Qualities.

The Matter of Sweat is the most spirituous and nutritious Part of the Blood, nor is it to be forced without apparent Indications. It contains the same lixivial Salts with Urine.

Sweating often thickens the Blood, and sometimes thins and dis­solves it.

[Page 273] Sudorificks are to be varied ac­cording to the Cause of the Disease which it is design'd to remove.

18. Diaphoreticks or Promoters of Perspiration.

What helps the Organs of Dige­stion, because the Attenuation of the Aliment makes it perspirable.

Such things as constrict the Fibres, and strengthen the solid Parts; Exer­cise to a degree less than what pro­vokes Sweat.

Substances which stimulate in a small degree.

Air, moderately warm.

There are likewise Aliments more and less perspirable. See Sanctorius.

19. Emenagogues.

Such as produce a Plethora or Ful­ness of the Vessels, consequently such as strengthen the Organs of Di­gestion, [Page 274] so as to make good Blood, especially Exercise; such as carry off the Foeces and Mucus, deobstruct the Mouths of the Lacteals, so as the Chyle may have a free Passage into the Blood.

Substances saline or soapy, that is, consisting of Salt and Oil.

Such as relax, and take off the Resistance of the Vessels of the Womb, Fomentations, and tepid Bathings of the lower Parts of the Body.

What accelerates the Reflux of the Blood from the lower Parts to the Heart, Friction, Walking, especially Dancing.

What stimulates and promotes the Excretion of the Blood, especially some of the Plants which abound with a pungent Salt, and a high ex­alted Oil, as those us'd in seasoning Aliment, Savory, Thyme, Marjo­ram, Penny-Royal, &c. Vapours acrimonious.

20. Heat is produc'd in animal Bodies

By the Application of hot things. By increasing of Attrition or Rub­bing of the Fluids and Solids, to which Heat is proportional.

Therefore whatever increaseth the Velocity of the Blood, by stimula­ting, heateth, as spirituous fermented Liquors, and when the Heat is in­creas'd, the Velocity of the Blood is certainly increas'd.

What increaseth the Density of the Fluids, heateth, for a denser Fluid is hotter than a rarer; and thus it is that Cold it self at last heateth.

Whatever straitens the Vessels so as the Channels become more narrow, must heat, because in that Case the Attrition is made greater; therefore strait Clothes, thick Coverings, heavy and cold Air, but especially cold Baths, heat: All who are subject to Haemorrages ought to avoid these [Page 276] things. In Consumptions and Atro­phy, the Liquids are exhausted, and the Sides of the Canals collapse, therefore the Attrition is increas'd, and consequently the Heat.

21. Cold is produc'd in animal Bodies.

By Causes contrary to the for­mer, viz.

By whatsoever diminisheth the projectile Motion of the Blood, by weakening the Force of any Stimu­lus; therefore diluting things are cooling, as Whey, Water, Milk and Water, both as they abate Acrimony, and relax the Vessels.

What is contrary to any particular Acrimony, is cooling, as alkaline Sub­stances in respect to acid, and acid Substances in respect of alkaline; and soapy Substances, if the Heat pro­ceeds from an oily or viscous Cause.

What expels any Stimulus out of the Body, cools.

[Page 277] Those things which attenuate and dilute by diminishing the Density of the Fluid; thus Nitres, and those Ve­getables, which have nitrous Salts in them, cool.

Tepid Baths cool by relaxing the Vessels; and Air, when it is light, is more cooling, caeteris paribus, than when it is heavy, because it com­presseth the Vessels less.

All those who have lax Fibres and Vessels are naturally cooler than those that have strait.

22. Cephalick.

Such things as attenuate the Fluids which circulate through the capillary Vessels of the Brain, and abound with a volatile Oil, Salt, and Spirit, and are known commonly by a grateful Flavour and Odour, as Mar­joram, Balm, Sage, Rosemary.

Those things which affect the Nose with a grateful Smell, and are not [Page 278] hot, by their Odour promote the Se­paration of the Animal Spirits.

23. Cordial

Are all such things as increase and facilitate the animal or natural Mo­tions, the Power of, moving the Muscles, or circulating the Fluids.

What increaseth the Strength of the Heart, is not always a Cordial; for in inflammatory Distempers, by in­creasing the projectile Motion of the Blood, the Strength may be dimi­nished.

What increaseth the Force of the Heart so as to give a due degree of projectile Motion to the Blood, is a Cordial.

What produceth a due Quantity of Animal Spirits, necessarily facili­tates the animal and natural Mo­tions.

Such are all Aliments which put the nutritious Juices in such a State [Page 279] of Tenuity and Heat as approacheth to the White of an Egg, while it is hatching; those are commonly Meats and Drinks of easy Digestion, nou­rishing, of a Flavour grateful to most Palates.

Such as determine and settle the irregular Motions of the Animal Spi­rits; therefore, anodyne Substances, and what abate Spasms and Convul­sions, are Cordial.

Such as stimulate and excite the Spirits, as Spices and Vegetables, which abound with a volatile Salt, Oil, and Spirit.

In short, whatever relaxeth the too strict Vessels, or straitens the too lax; what thickens the too thin, or attenuates the too thick Fluids, is a Cordial.

24. Carminative, or Expellers of Wind.

Wind is elastick and rarify'd, pent up in some Vessel of the Body, [Page 280] which by its Expansion creates a Tension or Convulsion in that Part.

Every thing which takes off that Convulsion, is, properly speaking, carminative.

Therefore what relaxeth or open­eth so as the clastick Air may escape, as warm Water drank plentifully, Bathing, Fermentations, and all things which abate Pain, and those things which abound with volatile oily Salts, are carminative.

As those Spasms are often occa­sion'd by some acrimonious Sub­stance which constringeth the Fibres of the affected Part; whatever is con­trary to that particular Acrimony, is carminative.

25. Anthelmintick, or contrary to Worms.

All things which are known by Experience to kill them, as Oils of all Kinds; Honey taken upon an [Page 281] empty Stomach, or after some gentle purging Medicine.

Substances which by their small pungent and sharp Particles kill them without hurting the Intestines, as all Fish Bones and Hartshorn pow­der'd.

Those things which purge and ex­pel them out of the Body, of which kind there are several alimentary Sub­stances.

26. Anodyne, or Abaters of Pain of the Alimentary Kind.

Such things as relax the Tension of the affected nervous Fibres, as Decoc­tions of emollient Substances; those things which attenuate and remove the Obstruction, or destroy the par­ticular Acrimony which occasions the Pain, or what deadens the Sensation of the Brain by procuring Sleep; some Alimentary Substances are en­dued with this Quality, as Saffron, [Page 282] Lettuce, Cichory, Wine, and inflam­mable Spirits.

This being a sort of a compendi­ous Alimentary Dispensatory, makes it unnecessary in the following Rules to repeat constantly the same things, it being sufficient to mention the In­tention or Design to be pursued in the Diet.

When there are Contra-indications, that is, when different Symptoms de­mand opposite Methods one must a­dapt the Method to the most urgent Symptom.

When the Disease is complicated with other Diseases, one must consi­der that which is most dangerous. These may serve for general Rules.

Lax and weak Fibres.

PAleness, a weak Pulse, Palpita­tions of the Heart, flabby and slack Flesh, Laziness, Lassitude, Bloat­edness, scorbutical Spots are Symp­toms of weak Fibres.

Leanness is no Sign of weak Fibres, for though the bundle of Fibres which constitute the Muscle may be small, the Fibres themselves may be strong and springy.

Such as have weak Fibres ought to avoid all great Evacuations, espe­cially Letting of Blood, Substances viscous, and hard of Digestion, a se­dentary Life, and moist Air.

They ought to take Aliment fre­quently, in small Quantities, nourish­ing, [Page 284] and of easy Digestion, such as Milk, Broths and Jellies of Flesh Meat, Panadas, &c. Their Drinks ought to be austere Wines mix'd with Water, or any Wine mix'd with chalybeat Water; and to use in their Aliment styptick austere Vegetables, such as are enumerated N^o 1, as far as their Stomachs can bear them.

Too strong and springy Fibres.

A Body hard, dry, scraggy, hairy, warm, with firm and rigid Muscles, a strong Pulse, Activity and Prompt­ness in Animal Actions, are Signs of strong, rigid, and elastick Fibres.

Such Constitutions are subject to inflammatory Distempers.

They ought to avoid the Diet pro­per in the contrary State.

Their Nourishment ought to be emollient and cooling, the Pulps, Juices, Jellies, Mucilages, and De­coctions of Vegetables mentioned [Page 285] N^o 2. animal Oils, and all things which relax and increase Fat, avoid­ing all things seasoned with Spice and Salt: Their Drink, Water, Bar­ley-Water, Whey; and especially to avoid fermented Spirits, which to such are extremely hurtful.

Bathing in tepid Water is benefi­cial to such Constitutions, and im­moderate Labour or Excercise hurt­ful.

Plethorick Constitutions.

The Signs of a Plethorick Con­stitution, or of such as abound with laudable animal Fluids, are evident.

The Causes of it are a good Sto­mach, nourishing Diet, a good Di­gestion, little Exercise, much Sleep, and Suppression of usual Evacuations, especially Perspiration; therefore the avoiding these, and inducing their Contraries, are the proper Cure.

[Page 286] A plethorick Constitution is sub­ject to a Stoppage of the Circula­tion, and consequently to Suffoca­tion, Ruptures of the Vessels, and sudden Death; therefore it ought to be speedily broke by proper artificial Evacuations, and restoring the usual natural ones.

Long Abstinence is not proper for plethorick Constitutions, for it thick­ens the Fluids; frequent Blood-let­ting, in small Quantities, often in­creaseth the Force of the Organs of Digestion, fattens, and increaseth the Distemper.

They ought to avoid oily and nourishing Substances; watery Ve­getables, as being less nourish­ing than animal Diet, are proper; and Fish rather than Flesh: In a Lent Diet People commonly fall a­way.

Sanguineous Constitutions.

Such are known by their Com­plexion, or Colour of their Counte­nance and Skin: They are subject to Haemorrages, Inflammations, es­pecially of the Lungs, Impostuma­tions, and often to scrophulous Dis­tempers.

All things which accelerate the Motion of the Blood are hurtful to sanguineous Constitutions, as violent Exercise and Watching.

Acid Substances, N^o 5, especially Vinegar, are useful; the copious Use of Vinegar brings Paleness.

The sanguineous ought to avoid the copious Use of all things that a­bound with an acrimonious Salt and high exalted Oil, as Mustard, Onions, Garlick, Leeks, the Herbs us'd in Seasoning, mention'd N^o 6, and in general, all Spices.

Constitutions subject to Acidity.

Sour Belchings, a craving Appe­tite sometimes of unusual things, as in the Case of the Green-Sickness, Colical Pains, dry Gripes, change of the colour of the Bile from Yellow towards Green, a sour Smell in the Excrements and Sweat, paleness of the Skin, lowness of the Pulse, and some sort of Eruptions of the Skin, are the common Signs of such a Constitution.

The chief Seat of Acidity is in the Stomach and Intestines, from whence it will sometimes pass into the Blood, and other Juices.

Such ought to abstain from the copious use of acid alimentary Sub­stances, mention'd N^o 5, they ought not to eat much Bread, nor take grea [...] Quantities of mealy Substances, no [...] drink much of fermented Liquor especially sour and thin Wines.

[Page 289] Their Diet ought to be rather of animal Substances than vegetable: The Flesh of those Animals which live upon other Animals is most an­ti-acid, as several Birds, and Water-Fowl; tho' those are offensive to the Stomach sometimes, by reason of their Oiliness. Vegetable and ani­mal Oils are often agreeable to such Stomachs, as Almonds, Pistachos, Cream, Butter, Marrow.

Their Diet ought to consist, in general, of Substances mentioned N^o 4.

Water or Wine not sour or thin, is their proper Drink.

They ought to use much Labour or Exercise, for labouring People have commonly a good Digestion, and subdue the Acidity of their Ali­ment.

Acidity in the sucking Infant is to be cured by an alkaline Diet in the Nurse.

[Page 290] To know whether Eruptions of the Skin come from an acid or alka­line Cause, one must attend to the previous Diet and the concomitant Symptoms; (Children, by eating un­ripe Fruit often, have Eruptions up­on their Skin) the Lentor, itching Colour, and State of such Eruptions, not inflammatory, nor tending to Suppuration, point rather to an acid Cause, and the Success of the Cure often demonstrates the same, such being often heal'd by animal alka­line Salts.

Constitutions abounding with a spon­taneous Alkali.

This Constitution is more natural to Human Bodies, because all animal Substances are alkalescent.

Heat, Thirst, hot nidorose Belch­ings, Foulness of the Tongue and Pa­late, a bitter and hot Taste in the Mouth, Sickness, Loathing, bilious [Page 291] Vomitings, Stools with a cadaverous Smell, Pains in the Belly, with Heat, are Symptoms of an alkaline State of the Humours in the Stomach and Bowels.

Such a State disposeth the Hu­mours of the whole Body to Heat, Inflammations, and Putrefaction, hin­ders Nutrition, and often causeth Eruptions on the Skin, dark, livid, lead-colour'd and gangrenous, and what is commonly called the hot Scurvy.

Such Constitutions ought to avoid alkaline Substances, mentioned N^o 4, viz. an animal Diet, especially Fat, Spices, and all Vegetables which a­bound with an acrimonious Salt and high exalted Oil, and the copious use of Salts in general; all animal Salts are alkaline; Sea-Salt and Rock-Salt, tho' they are of a mix'd Na­ture, rather increase the Disease; Salt-Petre is the most cooling and pro­per.

[Page 292] They ought to use plentifully the acid Substances mentioned N^o 15, to live much upon Aliments made of Grains or mealy Substances, to eat much Bread, and season much with Vinegar; thin Wines, Wine mix'd with Water, Water with Juice of Limon, and especially Milk and Wa­ter, are proper Drinks.

Those who feel no Inconvenience in taking Acids, ought to take them plentifully.

People of such Constitutions ought not to use violent Exercise, nor long Abstinence, which disposeth to such a State, and after long Abstinence they ought not to eat plentifully; they ought to use liquid rather than solid Aliment.

Plethorick Constitutions are sub­ject to fall into this alkaline State of the Fluids, which is more dangerous than that which proceeds from Aci­dity, for the Bile (which is here re­dundant) is the strongest Anti-acid, [Page 293] and when it is highly exalted, and acrimonious, is capable of producing all the dreadful Symptoms of malig­nant and pestilential Fevers, as is evident from the Experiments that were made in the Plague of Mar­seilles. There is nothing corrects the Acrimony of the Bile so much as the acid Diet above-mentioned; therefore one cannot be too early and quick in discerning a Tendency to such a State, and observing if the Person be ple­thorick, hot, or dry; if the Air be hot; if bilious Fevers reign; if there be any Acrimony in the Faeces, Urine, Sweat; or a yellow; Cast in the Skin; with the Signs above-mentioned, by an early Application of proper Reme­dies, many dangerous and fatal Di­seases might be prevented.

Phlegmatick Constitutions.

Sickness of the Stomach, a Sense of Fulness without eating; Crudities [Page 294] or Meat remaining in the Stomach undigested, Dejection of Appetite, Wind coming upwards, but especial­ly tough Phlegm frequently rejected by Vomiting, Inflations and Tu­mors of the Belly (sometimes short Breath) and Paleness, are Signs of a phlegmatick Constitution; when a Child grows pale, and his Belly swells, as happens to those that are rickety, there is certainly tough Phlegm in the Intestines, which commonly shuts up the Mouths of the Lacteals, and hinders the Nourishment from pas­sing: Persons of such Constitutions ought to avoid mealy Substances un­fermented, unripe Fruits, and all viscous Nourishment; they ought not to let Blood, except upon urgent Occasions, nor provoke Sweat, which thickens the Humours.

Their Diet ought to be alkalescent, of Substances mentioned N^o 4, be­cause whatever brings them into an alkaline State, is a proper Cure for [Page 295] the Disease; therefore soapy Sub­stances, which consist of a pungent Salt and volatile Oil, Spices, Salt, Garlick, Onions, Leeks, and the warm Vegetables us'd in Seasoning, Thyme, Rosemary, Savory, Basil, Marjoram, and in general, every thing which exalts the Bile; for bi­lious and phlegmatick Constitutions are opposite; and even Children so diseas'd ought to use a warmer Diet, than what seems proper to their Age without it.

Phlegmatick Persons ought to drink fermented Liquors and generous Wines, such as put the Blood in a vigorous Motion. Warm Water dis­solves Phlegm, but it relaxeth too much.

Thickness of Blood.

Thirst, Leanness, Excess of ani­mal Secretions, as of Urine, Sweat, liquid Dejections, too strong a Per­spiration, [Page 296] are Signs and Effects of too great Thinness of Blood.

For such, the Diet prescrib'd in Debility or Weakness of Fibres, is useful; Milk boil'd with Grains, es­pecially Rice, rather solid than liquid Aliment, and austere Wines for Drink.

Oily or fat Constitutions.

Fat People ought to eat and sleep little, and use much Exercise, in which the Cure chiefly consists.

Whatever heats moderately, sti­mulating Substances abounding with a pungent acrid Salt, as Mustard, Horse-Radishes, Garlicks, Onions, Leeks, Spices, and the aromatick Plants us'd in Seasoning, Saffron, carminative Seeds, Meats high sea­son'd with Salt, Pepper and Vinegar, are all proper, and dissolve Fat; they have only one Inconvenience, that they create Thirst, and great Quan­tities [Page 297] of Liquids increase the Disease, by diluting and relaxing the Solids; Salt is a great Dissolver of Fat.

Fat People ought to avoid oily Nourishment; but Soaps, which con­sist of Oil and Salt, are proper, be­cause they are resolvent; therefore Honey, Sugar, and ripe Garden-Fruits are useful.

Some of the astringent Substances, mentioned No 1, are useful, because their Fibres are commonly too lax.

Whatever promotes Perspiration, and therefore Frictions of the Skin, are useful.

Their Drink ought to be thin Wines; Coffee and Tea, as they di­lute and stimulate moderately, are useful; great Quantities of oily fer­mented Liquors increase Fat; mere Water relaxeth too much; moist Air is hurtful to fat People, by relaxing the Fibres, and stopping Perspira­tion.

Melancholy or atrabilarian Constitutions.

A Tendency to this is known by Darkness or Lividity of Countenance, Dryness of the Skin, Leanness, a quick penetrating Genius, a slow Pulse, and Respiration, Obstruction of the Belly, and too great Applica­tion to one Object.

To such, all things which heat and promote too great a Perspiration, as all Substances that abound with an acrimonious Salt and volatile Oil, are hurtful, which the Reader may see in the First Chapter. Nourish­ment viscous and hard of Digestion, and nothing more than salted and smok'd Flesh or Fish; in general, every thing that thickens the Fluids, or reduceth them to a pitchy Con­dition.

Astringent austere Aliment, men­tion'd N^o 1, and austere Wines, are hurtful.

[Page 299] Too cold and too hot Air are both hurtful, for in such States of Air, melancholy Persons are always worst.

Diluting is beneficial, especial­ly with Water impregnated with some penetrating Salt, Substances which cool, relax the Belly, and resolve the Bile; Barley-Water, Whey, ripe Garden Fruits, emollient Pot-Herbs, especially Lettuce, Ci­chory, Dandelion, and Honey most of all.

There is one Caution to be ob­serv'd, That the Diet ought to be opposite to the particular Acrimony which occasions the Disease; for if it proceeds from too great Acidity, in such a Case an animal Diet, Broths made of Flesh-Meat, and even Eggs, are proper; if the Cause be alkaline, the contrary Method is useful.

Faulty Motion of the Fluids.

The Blood and other Fluids of a Human Body, are often not only peccant in their Qualities, but Mo­tion, which may be either too flow, too quick, or in some of the Vessels totally obstructed.

Those who have too slow a Circu­lation, are to be consider'd, as in the Case of phlegmatick and fat People; and those who have too quick a Circulation are to be consider'd, as in the Case of such as are bilious, hot, and alkaline; and the respective Diets are proper.

In Obstructions of the Vessels in­flammatory, the Aliment ought to be cool, slender, thin, diluting, a­voiding the copious use of Substan­ces of a saline Quality, which sti­mulate, and consequently may in­crease the Inflammations, unless in some Cases where there is hopes by [Page 301] volatile Salts to attenuate the Fluid, and remove the Obstruction, or where the Intention is to produce a Suppuration; but it is certain that any stimulating Substance, when it does not remove the Obstruction, increaseth the Inflammation.

In cold Tumors, where the In­tention is to dissipate and attenuate, the Diet ought to be diluting and stimulating, consisting of such Sub­stances as are of a soapy Nature, that is, of Salt and Oil.

Wounds.

The Aliment of such as have fresh Wounds ought to be mild, that is, without stimulating or saline Sub­stances, of easy Digestion, of such sort as keeps the Humours from Pu­trefaction, and renders them oily and balsamick.

When a Suppuration is to be pro­moted, the Aliment ought to be [Page 302] more copious and warm, because such induceth a Putrefaction.

When a Sore is healing, the Pa­tient is in some measure in the Case of an Infant that is growing, whose Aliment ought to be such as lengthens the Fibres without Rupture, for it is by such an Elongation of the Fibres that Sores heal; and indeed the Chi­rurgeon ought to vary the Diet of his Patient as he finds the Fibres lengthen too much, are too flaccid and produce Fungus's, or as they harden and produce Callosities; in the first Case Wine and spirituous Liquors are useful, in the last hurt­ful.

Women in Childbed are in the Case of Persons wounded.

Fevers, with their various Symptoms.

RIGOR, Coldness. A right Regi­men during the Rigor or cold Fit in the beginning of a Fever, is of great Importance, and Mistakes of dangerous Consequence: A long continued Rigor is a Sign of a strong Disease, and is in it self an. Approach towards Death; during the Rigor, the Circulation is less quick, and the Blood actually stag­nates in the Extremities, and pres­sing upon the Heart creates great Anxieties, and may produce Con­cretions about the Heart, and in other Parts of the Body; therefore a Rigor increaseth an Inflammation. Those who die of Quartan Fevers, die in the cold Fit; and indeed there [Page 304] is no Mischief but what may pro­ceed from a Rigor of long Dura­tion.

In such Rigors, all warm Cordials and stimulating Substances are im­proper, for the first acting with force upon the right Ventricle of the Heart, may drive the Blood with too much Force through the Lungs; and stimulating Substances, by con­stringing the Vessels, often increase the Symptom.

In such a Rigor, nothing is more proper than Water, which dilutes and relaxes at the same time, and will sooner terminate the cold Fit, and throw the Patient into a Sweat, than the warmest Cordial; if a very small Quantity of Rhenish Wine be mix'd with the Water, it will be still more effectual: In this Case strong Fric­tions of the Extremities relieve.

Anxieties. In Anxieties which at­tend Fevers, when the cold Fit is over, a warmer Regimen may be [Page 305] allow'd; and because Anxieties often happen by Spasms from Wind, Spices are useful.

In those Anxieties, Soapy Sub­stances which dissolve the Blood, are indicated; ripe Fruits; some of the lactescent Plants, as Lettuce, Endive, &c. and especially Honey, have this Quality.

Thirst. In Thirst attending Fevers, Liquors should not be drank quite cold; for cold Liquors, by constring­ing the Glands of the Palate and Throat, do not quench Thirst so well as Liquors moderately warm: In this Case subacid Liquors should be drank plentifully; all Salts increase Thirst, except Nitre, and dulcify'd Spi­rit of Nitre mix'd with Water, is very proper in this Case; so are Barley­Water and Emulsions, except in great Weakness and Flatulencies of the Sto­mach, in which Case Water mix'd with a small Quantity of Rhenish Wine, is best of all.

[Page 306] Sickness, Vomiting. This is one of the most troublesome Symptoms at­tending a Fever, because it renders the Patient incapable of taking any thing.

This Symptom is often prevented by giving a Vomit; or cur'd by pro­moting the Vomiting for a while by tepid Water.

During the Symptom, acid Li­quors, and ev'n such as are austere and astringent, are indicated, because such strengthen the Fibres of the Stomach; and indeed Nature directs Patients to such a Diet, for they co­vet subacid Liquors, and abhor fat and oily things.

Diluting, and sometimes relaxing the Belly, and carrying the bilious Salts downwards, often cures this Symptom.

Attention is to be given to the Appetites of Patients, in this and many other Cases, who have some­times coveted odd things which [Page 307] have reliev'd them, as Salt, Vine­gar, &c.

Vomiting, from a bilious Cause, is cur'd by subacid Liquors; Vomit­ing, from some putrid Cause, by Salts of all Kinds; in such a Case, Water-Gruel with Cream of Tartar, Rhenish Wine and Water, Jelly of Currants, Marmalade of Quinces, Sorrel boil'd in Broths well skimm'd from Fat, are beneficial.

If the Vomiting comes from a phlegmatick Cause, Spices, and bit­ter things will relieve. The Counter­poison must be adapted to the Cause; for Example, in Poison from Subli­mated Corrosive, and Arsenick.

In the First, alkaline Substances; in the Second, oily Substances are proper; in both, diluent.

It is easy to judge of the Cause by the Substances which the Patient throws up.

[Page 308] Whether Vomit may be safely or properly given, must be judg'd by the Circumstances; if there be any Symptoms of an Inflammation of the Stomach, a Vomit is ex­tremely dangerous.

Wind and Spasms are occasion'd by the feverish Heat expanding the ae­rial Particles in the Fluids.

Whatever is anodyne and quiets Convulsions, and what abates the Heat, relieves this Symptom.

Weakness, or the Impotence of ex­ercising animal Motion which attends Fevers, proceeds from too great Ful­ness in the beginning, and too great Inanition in the latter end of the Disease; for whatever stops or re­tards the Circulation in the smallest Vessels, especially those of the Brain (which either of these Causes will do) produceth this Symptom. Those two Causes demand different Me­thods, in the first emptying and dilu­ting; [Page 309] in the latter, a more plentiful Nourishment, the use of Wine dilu­ted with Water, and Spices in small Quantities, Jellies, Broths, the alka­lescent Quality of which may be cor­rected with some acid, unless there be Signs of Acidity, and in that Case the Diet ought to be contrary to the Cause of the Symptom; Viper-Broth is both anti-acid and nourishing.

In Debility, from great Loss of Blood, Wine, and all Aliment that is easily assimulated, or turn'd into Blood, is proper; Blood is required to make Blood; a small Quantity of Blood brings the Patient into danger of a Dropsy.

Frictions of the extreme Parts re­lieve Weaknesses, as they promote the Flux of the Juices and Spirits in the Joints and Limbs.

Fat People are most subject to this Symptom of Weakness in Fevers, because the Fat, melted by the fever­ish Heat, obstructs the small Canals, [Page 310] and consequently produceth this Symptom. This is evident by the great Loss of Fat such People sustain in Fevers. In the latter end of Fe­vers, such are weak by the Laxity of the Fibres, and the Emptiness of the smaller Vessels; such therefore must be treated with particular Care, viz, after due Evacuations, diluting strongly both by Drink and Clysters, avoiding all things oily, and using Sugar, Honey, and ripe Fruits.

Cordials made of spirituous Li­quors are not the best Remedies for this Debility, tho' they increase the Force of the Heart, and are necessa­ry sometimes to keep up the vital Functions, they rather coagulate the Fluid; they add Strength to the Mill, but congeal the Stream. Whatever makes the Circulation more free through the small Vessels, is a Cor­dial.

Heat; the Degree of which may be known by the Thermoscope, the [Page 311] Sensation of the Patient, the Intense­ness of the red Colour of the Urine, the Sizeness of the Blood, the Dissi­pation of the fluid Parts, which renders it thicker; the Hardness, Strength, and Frequency of the Pulse, which makes the Friction the stronger, to which the Heat is pro­portional, the bad Disposition of the Humour, and the dry Temperament of the Body.

Feverish Heat is moderated by Blood-letting, by muscular Rest, by moderate Ligatures which compress the Veins only, and often removed from Joint to Joint, by a mechanical Rea­son, retard the Circulation; of such sort is dry Cupping, bathing the lower Parts, watery Liquors for Drink, not cold, but tepid; subacid, as Jel­ly of Currants dissolved in tepid wa­tery Liquors; Decoctions of mealy Substances acidulated, Substances a­nodyne, Substances which dissolve Concretions, as Sugar, Honey, and [Page 312] the simple Oxymel, often used by Hippocrates, plentiful diluting, and restoring as much Water to the Blood as is dissipated by the Heat; all de­mulcent and relaxing Substances, cooling the Air in the Room, open­ing the Curtains, and removing too thick Bed-clothes; all stimulating and slyptick Substances to be avoided, be­cause they increase the Force of the solid Parts.

Delirium. Too great Alacrity and Promptness in Answering, especially in Persons naturally of another Tem­per, is a Sign of an approaching De­lirium: In a feverish Delirium there is a small Inflammation of the Brain; therefore any thing which increaseth the Circulation in the lower Parts, and diminisheth the Pressure on the Brain, is beneficial, as immerging the Feet in warm Water; nothing relieves the Head more than the Piles, therefore Suppositories of Ho­ney, Aloes, and Rock-Salt, ought [Page 313] to be try'd, relaxing by emollient and watery Substances, both in Drink and Clysters, especially Bar­ley-Cream and Barley-Gruel.

Coma Sleepiness. A Coma will proceed either from a Pressure upon the Originals of the Nerves, by too great Repletion; or from a Penury of Spirits by too great Ina­nition.

Old Men are subject to Comas by the Tenacity of the Fluids circula­ting in the Brain, which being re­solved by the Fever, obstruct the small Canals of the Brain: In young People it commonly proceeds from Fulness, and is best cur'd by letting Blood, and relaxing the Belly. The Sign of such a Fulness is, a red Countenance, and Eyes inflamed; if it proceeds from a glutinous Oil, it ought to be attempted to be resolv'd by Water, nitrous Salts, Soaps, and subacid Liquors.

[Page 314] People recovering from Comas, must take at first soft Nourishment, and in small Quantities.

Watchfulness. This Symptom, which is sometimes call'd a Coma Vigil, often precedes too great Sleepi­ness, and is perhaps the most ill-bo­ding Symptom of a Fever.

The Expedients in such a Case are extreme Care to keep the Pa­tient from Noise, and what makes any strong Impression upon his Senses, some of those Helps us'd in a Deli­rium, because this is an Approach to­wards it; a moist softening Diet; all Preparations of Barley, Emulsions of Poppy Seeds, and Almonds, Ali­ment of some lactescent Plants, espe­cially Lettuces, Decoctions of Scor­zonera Roots, Almond Cream, and what is call'd Winter Flummery, us'd as Aliment; Tea, made of Cowslip Flowers, relaxing gently the Belly.

[Page 315] Boerhaave proposes some mecha­nical Expedients which may perhaps have a good Effect, as a soft Noise of Water distilling by Drops into a Bason, and the Patient trying to reckon them.

The Air perfum'd with the Smell of soporiferous Plants, as Poppies, Mandrakes, Nightshade, Bean Flow­ers.

Application of Cloths dipp'd in Vinegar to the Temples.

Opiats must never be given but after great Evacuations.

Convulsions. It is of the utmost Importance to know the Cause and the Seat of this Disease, which is of­ten obscure.

In Infants they commonly pro­ceed from Acidity in the Stomach, and are cured by terrestrial Absor­bents; in such indeed Convulsions attending Fevers are not quite so dangerous.

[Page 316] Convulsions arising from some Acrimony in the Stomach, or from something vellicating a Nerve in its Extremity, and not in its Original where it ariseth from the Brain, are not very dangerous.

Convulsions which arise from great Evacuations, as great Haemorrages attending Fevers, are dangerous.

Convulsions arising from Inflam­mations of the Membranes of the Brain are commonly fatal: The Symptoms attending them are a great Heat, a hard Pulse, and a De­lirium: The Remedies, and even those from Diet, are to be us'd ac­cording to the Seat of the Disease.

If from the Stomach, such Ali­ments as are contrary to the par­ticular Acrimony, Acid Alkaline, or Oily, residing there, as in the Case of Vomiting.

If from something impacted in the Brain, warm volatile and spicy Substances will increase the Disease; [Page 317] in that Case, Substances which re­lax and dilute are proper, especially such as open the Belly; which, See in the First Chapter; and in general, the Regimen prescrib'd in a Coma, or Delirium.

Violent Sweats proceed from a Laxity of the Vessels, and too vehe­ment a Circulation of the Blood.

Profuse Sweats deprive the Blood of its most fluid Parts, thicken, and often cause Obstructions; it is not good Practice to push Sweating too much in Fevers, except in such as are pestilential.

In profuse Sweats, Care at least should be taken, by diluting, to re­store the Liquid which the Blood loseth, and to use the Methods ad­vised in too great Heat, by taking away some of the Coverings of the Bed, and admitting of cool Air, and using a Diet moderately astrin­gent; Wine, Spices, and spirituous Liquors, in this Case, have often a [Page 318] good Effect; spirituous Liquors thick­en the Fluids; Sage is a good Re­medy in the Case of profuse Sweats.

A Diarrhoea Looseness proves often a dangerous and fatal Symptom in Fe­vers, it weakens, excoriates and inflames the Bowels, occasions Bloody-Fluxes, thickens the circulating Juices, and exhausts the Strength of the Patient; notwithstanding, a critical Diarrhoea is not to be stopt, for fear of in­curring these Dangers.

Attention is to be given to the Cause of Acidity; it is to be cur'd by Anti-acids; but, as in Fevers, the Cause is more frequently alkaline and bilious, Acid or four things resolve, and it happens that oily Substances by blasting the Acrimony will do good in Diarrhoeas. Oily Substances of themselves do not irritate or pro­voke Diarrhoeas, they only lubricate or make the Bowels slippery. Diar­hoeas arising from Quantities of Fruit are often cur'd by Emulsions.

[Page 319] Vomiting, by evacuating the irri­tating Cause, often cures such Diar­rhoeas.

Anodyne Substances are proper, and generally speaking, solid and dry Aliment, rather than liquid.

Inflammatory Eruptions. In all these of any kind whatsoever, as Small-Pox, Meazles, Scarlet Fever, Purples, the Intention in Diet ought to be, to avoid strong Sudo­rificks, which push out too great a Quantity of the Matter upon the Skin; to use cooling and temperate Diluents, which keep the Matter flu­id and moveable, so that it may be secern'd from the Blood; to keep warm during the Eruption; and that then Diet be cool; for which Reason the moderate Use of Acids, as Juice of Limon, is indicated.

A due Attention to the few Rules above-mention'd, in the several Symp­toms, will prove very successful in the Cure of most Fevers. I shall [Page 320] only add a few more according to the various Kinds of Fevers and In­flammatory Distempers.

An Ephemera, or a Fever of one Day, is cur'd by Abstinence, Rest, and Diluting; and the same Method will prove effectual if the Fever lasts se­veral Days, and is not putrid, or attend­ed with a greater Inflammation and Acrimony, and Obstruction of the Vessels in some Parts of the Body, amongst which is what is commonly call'd, a Causus, or burning Fever.

The Causes of such a Fever are various; Errors in the Non-Naturals, Air, Meat and Drink, Rest and Mo­tion. Such a Fever will be rais'd by Vehement Exercise or Labour, Heat of the Sun, by long Thirst, by the immoderate Use of fermented and spirituous Liquors; and hot things, as Spices; and by great Lassitude en­dured any way, especially in hot Weather.

[Page 321] Its Symptoms are a burning Heat in the Skin, a Sensation of extreme Heat inwardly; sometimes Coldness in the extreme Parts; Dryness of the Skin, Mouth, and Nostrils; a Dryness and Roughness of the Tongue; laborious and short breath­ing; great Thirst; Loathing, Sick­ness of the Stomach, and Vomiting; Anxiety, Restlesness, Weariness; some­times a Cough and Hoarseness; Watch­fulness and Delirium, and Exacerba­tion every other Day.

Such a Fever is often resolv'd by a bleeding at the Nose, which ought not to be stop'd unless it endangers Life. It is likewise often in the cri­tical Day resolv'd by Sweating, Vo­miting, Looseness, and Spitting of thick Phlegm. The fatal Signs are commonly bloody Urine, Difficulty of Swallowing, watery Sweats about the Head and Face, without Relief; Coldness of the Extremities, Trem­bling, too great a Looseness; and [Page 322] sometimes an Inflammation of the Lungs.

The Regimen, in such a Fever, is keeping the Air of the Room pure and cool, untainted with Fire, Smoke, or the Breaths of many People; they ought to have no more Bed-clothes than barely protects them from Cold; their Curtains ought to be kept open so as to renew the Air; and their Posture in lying, as erect as they can bear; the Sick, in this Condition, covet all these things, and their Con­traries offend them.

Their Drink ought to be cool, mild, subacid, tepid, given in moderate Quantities, and often, as Water with Juice of Limon or Tama­rinds.

Their Aliment ought to be light, of farinaceous Vegetables, as Water-Gruel, Preparations of Barley, with some Juice of Limon; Rice boil'd in Whey, and strain'd. Roasted Apples in the Progress of the Disease; a lit­tle [Page 323] toasted Bread with Rhenish Wine and Water, Jelly of Currants; Broths and Jellies made of animal Substances are rather too alkalescent, at least they ought to be qualify'd with Juices of Limon, or some acid.

Sometimes such alimentary Sub­stances as gently stimulate the Belly, are useful, as some ripe Fruits, Straw­berries, Currants, Mulberries.

The Symptoms increase by the Use of hot things given either as Ali­ment or Medicine.

Intermitting Fevers.

They are (at least in this Country) very obstinate, often return in spite of all Remedies, and by long Con­tinuance they degenerate into Hepa­tical Fevers, and many chronical Dis­tempers, as Jaundice, Dropsy, Schir­rus's, and Scurvies; therefore in this Disease a right Method, both of Me­dicines and Diet, is of great Impor­tance. [Page 324] There is a great Variety in these Diseases, as to the Intervals of Times between the Paroxysms; Ter­tians sometimes redouble their Paro­xysms, so as to appear like Quotidians. I think it may be taken as a general Rule, That the greater Distance of Time there is between the Paroxysms, the Fever is less dangerous, but more obstinate.

There is a different Regimen to be us'd during the Continuance and Absence of the Paroxysm; and in the Paroxysm itself, during the Rigor or cold Fit, the Heat and the Sweat.

During the Rigor, the Regimen prescrib'd in the foregoing Part of this Chapter, in the Article of Fever­ish Rigors, is proper in all Fevers, and Care is to be taken by all pro­per Methods to shorten that Period as much as possible, and by tepid Di­luents to bring on the Sweat soon, but not to push it beyond its due Measure, because an intermitting Fe­ver [Page 325] relaxeth and weakens the Body extremely.

Between the Paroxysms, too great Abstinence is hurtful as much as too great Repletion; as intermitting Fe­vers are often of long Continuance, extreme Abstinence is impractica­ble, and would reduce the Pa­tient to a Condition not to be able to sustain the Shock of the next At­tack.

Between the Paroxysms, such Sub­stances as temper, correct, and sub­due the bilious Alkali, as acid Sub­stances, nitrous Salts, small thin Wines with Water, Chicken Broth with Juice of Limons; Wine with Bitters infused, are proper; Cichory and Dandelion are useful, because the ex­press'd Juices of them cure intermit­ting Fevers in warm Countries; the Physicians of these Countries likewise use astringent Vegetables, See Chap. I. N^o 1.

[Page 326] Exercise, to as great a degree as the Patient can bear, is extremely beneficial between the Paroxysms.

But the chief Remedy of all is to endeavour to prevent the cold Fit, by getting to Bed, by Frictions, and some sudorifick and warm Liquor; for by putting off the cold Fit some Agues have been cur'd.

Letting of Blood seldom does good, and often a great deal of Hurt in intermitting Fevers; but the Con­dition of the Patient is to be consi­der'd in this Case.

Intermitting Fevers have been ob­served to free from some Chronical Distempers, as the Gout and Con­vulsions, but they often induce great ones themselves.

INFLAMMATORY DISEASES.

Palsy.

A PALSY is an Immobility of a Muscle from Relaxation, in­superable by the Will or any Endea­vour of the Patient; sometimes the [Page 368] Sensation or Feeling is either totally abolish'd, or dull, with a Sense of Tingling: A Palsy is opposite to a Convulsion in the first; there is an Ineptitude to Motion from the too great Laxity in the Second; an In­eptitude to Motion from too great Tension, and a Relaxation of a Muscle, must produce a Spasm in its Antagonist, because the AEquili­brium is destroy'd. The best Rules of Diet in this Disease are taken from the Knowledge of its Causes. Whatever stops either the Flux of the Spirits, or the Flux of the Blood to any Part, induceth a Palsy, for both are necessary for Sense and Motion; such are all the Causes of an Apo­plexy, an Epilepsy, extreme and last­ing Pains, the Suppression of usual Evacuations either natural or mor­bid, Translations of morbific Mat­ter in acute Distempers; whatever distends, distorts, compresses, or contracts the Nerves; strong and [Page 369] strait Ligatures, Luxations, Frac­tures, any Inflammation in the Inte­gument, or membranaceous Sheath of a Nerve, especially in the Ganglia, where they are tied together; Serous Defluxions, Excess in astringent Ali­ment, especially unripe Fruits; drink­ing too much warm Water, which is weakning and relaxing; Excess in Coffee, or Tea; extreme Heat; extreme Cold; poisonous Vapours of Arse­nick or Mercury.

A Palsy is more or less dangerous according to the Cause, the Extent, and Seat of the Disease; when the Original of the Disease is in the Brain, it is most dangerous; when it seizeth the Heart, or Organs of Breathing, fatal; because Life cannot be continued a Moment without the Use of those Parts.

The Regimen in this Disease ought to be warm, attenuating, consisting of spicy and cephalick Vegetables, such as create a feverish Heat, be­cause [Page 370] such is necessary to dispel the Viscosity. Of Vegetables, soapy; of such as consist of an acrid, vola­tile Salt and Oil, Mustard, Horse-Radish, &c. stimulating by Vomits, Sneezing, relaxing the Belly, purg­ing and diluting strongly at the same time, promoting Sweat by such Motions as can be us'd, or other Means, by strong Frictions, &c.

Bleeding is to be us'd or omitted according to the Symptoms which affect the Brain; it relieves in any inflammatory Disposition of the Coat of the Nerve.

Epilepsy, Convulsions.

The Causes of which are some­times an hereditary or family Dispo­sition from Parents; a sudden Fright of the Mother when with Child of the Patient; an Affection of the Brain by a Contusion; Abscess, acri­monious Serum, Splinter of a Bone [Page 371] or sharp Instrument; Inflammation, Corruption, Erosion of the Meninges or Membranes of the Brain; Fulness, Heat, Drunkenness, intense Study, strong Passions, especially sudden. Terror; all violent Affections and Ir­ritations of the Nerves in any Part of the Body; especially by something acrimonious in the Stomach or Bow­els, by Worms, by Teething, and Acidity in the Stomach in Infants; by some Contagion or purulent Mat­ter after acute Diseases; Suppression of usual Evacuations, the Menses, Haemorroids; hysterical Affections con­tracted by Accidents in Lying-in; and often by too great Inanition; the smallest irritating Cause will induce a Fit in such as are subject to it, and such ought to be prevented with great Care.

There is no Disease which insests Mankind more terrible in its Symp­toms and Effects, the worst of which are a weakening and perhaps an A­bolition [Page 372] of the Faculties of the Mind; whether the Cause of the Disease be in the Brain, is easily known from the concomitant Symptoms.

The Intentions in the Cure of the Disease must be different, accord­ing to the Cause; Bleeding, and plentiful Evacuations, when there is a Plethora or inflammatory Disposi­tion in the Brain; Aliments without Acrimony, demulcent, avoiding every thing which stimulates, taking such things as are opposite to the particu­lar Acrimony which causeth the Dis­ease, relaxing the Belly without irri­tating; in acute and periodical Pains, anodyne Substances; if the Disease is the Consequence of an hysterical Disposition, a warmer Regimen is necessary; if the Cause is in the Sto­mach, generally anti-acid Substances relieve; if they are not flatulent, se­veral have been cur'd by a Milk-Diet, but it will do hurt when there is Acidity in the Stomach; when the [Page 373] irritating Cause is in some outward Part of the Body, it is proper to era­dicate it by Suppuration.

The common Custom of apply­ing stimulating things, as volatile Salts and Spirits to the Nose, during the Fit, is generally speaking perni­cious.

Epilepticks ought to breathe a pure Air, unaffected with any Steams, even such as are very fragrant. Their Diet ought to be nourishing, of ea­sy Digestion, avoiding Hogs Flesh, Water-Fowl, and all Vegetables that are pungent, windy, and generally speaking all Fruits, especially Nuts; with little Wine, and none, if they have not been accustom'd to it; they ought not to turn round, nor stand on Precipices, to keep regular Hours for Repast and Sleep, for every un­usual thing is a Stimulus; but of all things the most necessary is the avoiding the Occasions of violent [Page 374] Passions, and keeping themselves chear­ful.

Melancholy, Madness.

The Constitution which disposeth to such a State, the Causes, Symp­toms and proper Regimen in it is describ'd Chap. II.

This being a Disease more terrible than Death, extremely obstinate, in­vading sometimes by insensible de­grees, and hard to be cur'd when it has taken place, the Approaches to­wards it ought to be carefully ob­serv'd.

These are commonly obstinate Watchfulness, or short Sleeps, trou­blesome and terrible Dreams, great Solicitude and Anxiety of Mind, with Sighing, sudden Fits of Anger without any Occasion given, Love of Solitude, Obstinacy in defending trifling Opinions, and Contempt of [Page 375] such as are about them, Suppression of usual Evacuations, as of the Menses in Women, and Haemorroids in Men; great Heat, Eyes hollow and fix'd, immoderate Laughter or Crying without occasion; too great Loquacity, and too great Taciturni­ty; by Fits; great Attention to one Object, all these Symptoms without a Fever.

When this Disease is hereditary it is seldom cur'd.

The atrabilarian Constitution, or a black viscous pitchy Consistence of the Fluids which most frequently occasions this Disease, makes all Se­cretions difficult and sparing; the Intention therefore ought to be to render the Humours fluid, move­able, and carry them out of the Body, especially the Bile, which is viscous; Sudorificks indeed are [...] so proper, because they thicken.

To use the Aliment prescrib [...]d Chap. II, in atrabilarian Constitutions [Page 376] Boerhaave gives an Instance of a Patient who by a long use of Whey, Water, and Garden-Fruits, evacuated a great Quantity of black Matter, and recovered his Senses. Cold Bath, and especially a sudden Immersion in the Sea, has done good by acting upon the Nerves and Spirits; where­ever there is any Uneasiness or Sen­sation of Pain, one ought to solicit the Humours towards that Part, or to make the proper Evacuations from them, especially (if it be possible) to procure the Piles, which seldom miss to relieve the Head.

The Madness which proceeds from a Plethora, or too great Fulness, is cur'd by plentiful Bleeding and Purg­ing.

The Weakness which succeeds the Madness requires a more refreshing and warm Diet, especially the use of Chalybeat Waters.

Scurvy.

This is a Disease impossible to be defin'd by Words containing any simple or distinct Idea; it is rather a Name us'd to denote a Multitude of Symptoms, different, and sometimes opposite in their Causes and Cures.

It is a Distemper of the Inhabi­tants of cold Countries, and amongst those, such as inhabit marshy, fat, low, moist Soils, near stagnating Water, fresh or Salt; invading chief­ly in the Winter such as are Seden­tary, or live upon salted and smoak­ed Flesh and Fish, or Quantities of unfermented farinaceous Vegetables, and drink bad Water; such as are Hypochondriacal and Hysterick; and sometimes such as have taken the Peruvian Bark, either in great Quan­tities, or without proper Evacuations. From these Causes the best Rules are taken for Prevention.

[Page 378] Its Symptoms are a spontaneous Lassitude or Sensation of Weariness, being unrefresh'd by Sleep, laborious Breathing upon small Motion, cold Tumours in the Legs going off and returning; sometime Paleness, or a livid Colour of the Countenance; Spots on the Skin of various Co­lours, red, violet-colour'd, yellow, livid; sometimes an ill Smell in the Mouth, painful and bleeding Ero­sions of the Gums, and by these the Teeth growing bare and loose; Hae­morrages of all kinds, Ulcers; un­tractable, especially in the Legs, with a gangrenous Appearance in the Skin; the Itch; a dry crusty Eruption, and sometimes a small degree of Lepro­sy in the Skin; the Blood, when let, black, grumous, the red part without a due Consistence; the Serum saline, and of a yellowish Green; wander­ing Pains in the Limbs, increasing by the Warmth of the Bed, sometimes a feverish Heat.

[Page 379] These Symptoms proceed from an ill Temperature of the Blood, too thick or too thin, being of a saline Constitution, either from an acid, alkaline, or muriatick Cause, and ac­cording to the Cause, demands very different and oftentimes opposite Re­medies. See Part First, of acid and alkaline Constitutions.

The Scurvy of Mariners is gene­rally cured by Acids, as all sorts of ripe Fruits, Limons, Oranges, Butter-Milk; alkaline Spirits hurt them; and acid Spirits, as that of Salt, does them good; when the Symp­toms are attended with a Foetor of any kind, either in the Urine, Mouth, Breath, with Drought, Heat, Hae­morrage of the Gums, or of any kind, such a Disease will be cur'd by acescent Substances, and none better than Whey: In this Scurvy Chalybeat Waters are generally ef­fectual.

[Page 380] If the Scurvy be entirely muria­tick, proceeding from a Diet of salt Flesh or Fish, the Vegetables commonly called Antiscorbutick, as Water-cresses, Scurvy-Grass, and Brook-Lime may be given with Suc­cess, but tempered with Acids, as the Juice of Oranges and Limons; and the Pot-Herbs which are anti­acid in this Case are a proper Diet; but if there be a high degree of Heat and Inflammation, the hot An­tiscorbuticks will do hurt.

If the Patient be pale, cool, with­out Thirst, with pale or natural co­lour'd Urine, with a previous Diet of acescent Substances, the Erup­tions not of a high inflammatory or livid Colour, the warm Antiscorbu­ticks, animal Diet, and animal Salts, are proper.

There is great Attention to be given to the Condition of the Mouth, Gums, and Teeth, in the Scurvy, from which the Nature and [Page 381] Degree of the Disease may be guess'd at.

Violent Purging always hurts scor­butick Constitutions; lenitive Sub­stances relieve.

Bleeding is not proper, unless where the Symptoms are urgent, and the Case is inflammatory.

A Scurvy, from an alkaline Cause is more dangerous than from an Acid.

Cachexy, or ill Habit of Body.

This is likewise a general Word to express a great Variety of Symptoms; most commonly it denotes such a Distemperature of the Humours as hinders Nutrition, and weakens the vital and animal Functions, pro­ceeding from Weakness of the Fi­bres, and an Abuse of the Non­naturals, and often from severe acute Distempers: It sometimes disposeth to Consumptions, sometimes to Leu­cophlegmacy, [Page 382] Bloatedness, and Drop­sies; it is attended often with Palpi­tations of the Heart. The Rules for Diet must be drawn from the Symptoms. See Chap. I. of this Part.

Consumption pulmonary.

This Disease is a Decay of the whole Body, from an Ulcer of the Lungs, the Matter of which is mix'd, circulates with, and infects the Blood, and by its Acrimony infects the whole Mass of the Fluids.

This Disease makes up above a tenth part of all the Bills of Mortality about London, is often the Product of a scrophulous Constitution, or King's-Evil, seldom invades after Thirty Years of Age, may be pre­vented, but seldom admits of any other than a palliative Cure, and is generally incurable when hereditary, but easily so when it proceeds from an accidental Cause.

[Page 383] It is often preceded by a Spitting of Blood, occasion'd by its Acrimo­ny, and too great a projectile Mo­tion, with Slenderness and Weakness of the Vessels; to which Persons of a fair rosy Complexion, long Neck, and narrow Chest, are often subject; Aliment too viscous, obstructing the Glands, and by its Acrimony cor­roding the small Vessels of the Lungs (an Organ of a slender Texture, through which the Half of the whole Blood passeth, and which is never at rest) after a Rupture and Extravasa­tion of Blood, easily producing an Ulcer, then a small Fever, dry Cough, Heat, Flushing after Repast; when the new Chyle enters the Lungs, short Breath, a Disposition to Sweat after Sleep; all these Symptoms, when the Blood is most copious and hot, between the Ages of 16 and 30; such a Disease may be indue'd by the Suppression of Evacuations natural and artificial, by any great [Page 384] Force upon the Lungs, from some accidental Cause; by too hot, full, and acrimonious Meat or Drink, by some acute Disease, the Meazles or Small-Pox.

The Blood is ejected from the Lungs with some small Pain, Heat, Oppression on the Breast, florid, and frothing, with short Breathing, and a small soft quick Pulse.

If after such Haemorrage from the Lungs, the Symptoms increase, Short­ness of Breath, Flushing in the Face, a Cough, hectick Fever, but especi­ally Rigours and Chilliness invading irregularly, with Weakness, one may be sure that there is a Suppura­tion.

In a Haemorrage from the Lungs, no Remedy so proper as Bleeding, often repeated; Stypticks are often insignificant, and if it were possible that they could operate immediately upon the affected Part, so far as to make a Scar, when that fell off [Page 385] the Disease would return. Both in­crassating and styptick Substances work universally, but they would hurt the Lungs if given before the Vessels are empty'd. Balsamick Sub­stances often hurt by their too great Heat.

The Intention here is by Diet to abate the Acrimony and projectile Motion of the Blood, after repeated Bleeding; to keep strictly to a Milk Diet, with farinaceous Substances, as Rice and Barley, Milk with roasted Apples, Jelly of Currants, or the Jelly of any ripe subacid Fruit, which is cooling, and very agreeable to the Stomach; Milk and common Water, or Barley-Water, for Drink, taking the Aliment frequently, and in very small Quantities, for fear of charging the Lungs with too great a Quantity of Chyle at a time. (See Part I. Chap. II.) Avoiding all vio­lent Motion, or any thing that puts the Lungs upon a Stretch. Acri­mony [Page 386] is likewise corrected by oily Vegetables, not such as contain a volatile or high exalted Oil, but those whose Oil is mild, as Almonds, Pistachos, Dates, &c.

The English Consumptions, gene­rally speaking, proceed from a scro­phulous Disposition; in the first Ac­cess of such a Disease any Substance which is deobstruent, without much Acrimony, is beneficial, but what heats disposeth to Suppuration.

There is likewise a Consumption from an Empyema, after an Inflam­mation of the Lungs, which may be known from a Weight upon the Diaphragm, Oppression of the Lungs, a Difficulty of Breathing, and Ina­bility to lie on one Side (which is that which is found) a perpetual Cough and Fever, with Thirst, Flush­ing of the Cheeks, Weakness, and Decay of Appetite.

The Cure of such a Case is chi­rurgical, by opening the Side; if the [Page 387] Ulcer is not broke, it is com­monly call'd a Vomica, attended with almost the same Symptoms as an Empyema, because the Vomica com­municating with the Vessels of the Lungs must necessarily void some of the putrid Matter into these Vessels, and taint the Blood.

The Ulcer may break suddenly in­to the Larynx, with the danger of Suffocation; or inwardly, and the Matter may by degrees be expectora­ted. The Event of the Disease de­pends upon the Symptoms, especi­ally the Nature of the Pus; that which swims in Water, without any ill Smell, is better than what sinks, is livid, and smells of putrify'd Flesh.

There may be a Consumption with a purulent Spitting, when the Vomica is contain'd in a Cyst or Bag, upon the breaking of which the Patient is commonly suffocated.

[Page 388] In this Case the same Intentions must be pursued in the Diet, as in a Wound or any other Ulcer. The Aliment cool, demulcent, vulnera­ry, and not drying or hot, but con­sisting of Quantities of liquid things, even though they provoke Sweat. It is a common Mistake that acid things hurt the Lungs. The Gas Sulphuris may be given with Success in any Disease of the Lungs, but at some distance of Time from Milk, Vine­gar, and Honey, is proper and deter­gent; anodyne Substances relieve the Cough; gentle Exercise by Riding, is beneficial; by an extremely exact Regimen a consumptive Person may hold out for Years, if the Symptoms are not violent.

The Sweats and Diarrhoea attend­ing Consumptions are generally fatal Symptoms, but must be reliev'd by a Diet proper in these Cases, not in­terfering with what is formerly ad­vis'd.

[Page 389] Consumptions are induc'd by Pu­rulency in any of the other Viscera; the Regimen must be very near the same as in the Pulmonary.

Dropsy.

This Disease is commonly an Ex­travasation of Serum receiv'd in some Cavity of the Body; I say com­monly, for there may be a Dropsy by a Dilatation of the serous Ves­sels, as that in the Ovarium, where­in the very Membrane of the Ovum is extended with the Water, and at the same time thickened so as to keep it from Rupture.

Therefore this Disease may happen wherever there are serous Vessels; a Hydrocephalous, or Dropsy of the Head, which is only incurable when the Serum is extravasated into the Ventricles of the Brain, and gene­rally fatal in Infants, when the Su­tures [Page 390] are clos'd, and the Skull will yield no more.

A Dropsy of the Breast is attend­ed with almost the same Symptoms as an Empyema, and cur'd by the same Chirurgery.

A Dropsy of the Lungs, either by Hydatides, or by Lymph, extrava­sated in the Body of the Lungs.

A Dropsy in the Forepart of the Windpipe, emulating a Bronchocele.

A Dropsy in the Ovarium, Testes, Scrotum, or Uterus.

An Ascites, or Collection of Wa­ter in the Abdomen. 1. In the Du­plicature of the Peritonaeum. 2. Be­tween the Peritonaeum and the Bow­els. 3. When the Water is contain­ed in the membranaceous Coat of the Glands.

Sometimes the Air is so rarify'd in the Tumour as makes it hard and tight like a Drum, and from thence it is call'd a Tympany; when the Ten­sion [Page 391] is from Air, it is easily distin­guish'd by the Specifick Gravity of the Patient, and so is Water.

When the Lymph stagnates, or is extravasated under the Skin, it is cal­led an Anasarka.

Whatever hinders the Return of the Lymph into the Veins, or breaks the lymphatick Vessels, or obstructs the absorbent Vessels, so as the Lymph cannot be absorb'd or ex­hal'd, produceth a Dropsy: Any Stoppage of the Circulation will pro­duce a Dropsy, as by strong Liga­ture, or Compression.

The most common of these Causes are an hereditary Disposition; swil­ling down great Quantities of cold watery Liquors, which are not void­ed; violent acute Distempers; stub­born Obstructions of the Viscera; the Jaundice, obstinate intermitting Fevers, Bloody-Fluxes; great Evacu­ations, especially of Blood; Aliment [Page 392] viscous and of hard Digestion; inve­terate Scurvies; but the most com­mon of all is the habitual and co­pious Use of fermented and spiritu­ous Liquors.

The Effects are a Swelling of the Legs at Night by degrees, still as­cending higher; a Swelling of the Belly increasing; and in a Tympany founding and tense like a Drum; sometimes the Sensation and Noise of fluctuating Water, Shortness of Breath, Thirst, Urine in too small Quantity, no Sweat; The stagnating Serum at last turning acrimonious, exulcerates and putrifies the Bow­els, producing most dismal Symp­toms.

The best Cautions and Rules of Diet may be taken from the Enu­meration of these Causes and Ef­fects.

The Intentions to be pursued are, removing the Causes, as Ob­structions, [Page 393] dissolving the Viscosity or Tenacity of the Lymph, and eva­cuating it out of the Body.

The Viscosity of the Lymph is best corrected by such Substances as contain abundance of alkaline and volatile Salts, Spices, acrimonious pungent Vegetables, saponaceous Sub­stances; what they are the Reader may see Chap, I. of this Part.

The only Contradiction to this is too great Heat and Thirst, to which Regard is to be had, and do indi­cate the Use of Acids, Juice of Li­mons, Oranges, Sorrel, &c. I think it may be taken for a general Rule, when the Urine is high-colour'd, that Acids are proper, for they are opposite to that alkalescent State of the Humours, and resist the Putre­faction, which is the Effect of acri­monious Serum.

The Drink should be sparing; but forasmuch as the Thirst is sometimes intolerable, the Patient may be in­dulg'd [Page 394] the free Use of Spaw-Water and Rhenish Wine.

The Aliment should be dry, diu­retick. See Chap. I. Diureticks of the acid Kind are the safest.

The Chirurgical Operations for drawing off the Waters are to be left to the Judgment of the Physi­cian.

Nothing is more beneficial than strong Frictions of the Skin, which attenuate and promote the Circula­tion of the stagnating Serum.

Vomiting, in strong Constitu­tions, has prov'd often very effec­tual, for the Concussion of the solid Parts dissolves and dispels the stagna­ting Humours; and even Clysters of proper Ingredients are very benefi­cial.

Violent Purgers, by dissolving the Blood, have prov'd often pernicious.

Many have been cur'd by Absti­nence from Drink, eating dry Bis­cuit, which creates no Thirst, and [Page 395] strong Frictions four or five times a Day.

When the extravasated Serum is evacuated, the Diet ought to be such as strengthens the solid Parts, allow­ing Spices and generous Wine, and especially the Use of Chalybeat Wa­ters, Abstinence from other Sorts of Liquids, dry Food and Vegetables, astringent, Exercise, especially Riding; and in general, such a Diet as ge­nerates good Blood.

If the Serum stagnates long, it turns acrimonious, and commonly renders the Patient feverish and thirsty. Acid or sour things are the properest both to prevent and cure these Symp­toms, as they are opposite to that alkaline Putrefaction.

Gout.

This is a Disease which may affect any membranous Part, but common­ly those which are at the greatest [Page 396] Distance from the Heart or the Brain, where the Motion of the Fluids is the slowest, the Resistance, Friction, and Stricture of the solid Parts the great­est, and the Sensation of Pain by the Obstruction of the small Vessels and Dilaceration of the nervous Fibres ex­treme.

The most common Seat of it is in the Foot, its Tendons, Nerves, Membranes, Ligaments, and Perio­stea, or Membranes investing the Bones.

The most common Causes of it are an hereditary Disposition (which operates more strongly in this Dis­ease than in any other) a too rich and high Diet, and too copious Use of Wine and other spirituous Li­quors, especially at Supper; Excess in some other Pleasures; a full gross Habit of Body; the too copious use of acid or sour things, the Gout be­ing the only Disease in which they are very hurtful to Human Bodies; a [Page 397] sudden chilling of the Feet after Sweat, or drying them at the Fire after being wet and cold; a seden­tary Life, with a plentiful Diet, and intense Study, and Application of the Mind; most commonly a Gouty Constitution is attended with great Acuteness of Parts, the nervous Fi­bres both in the Brain and the other Extremities being delicate; and there are Instances where Wives have got it from their Husbands by Infection, so Boerhaave says; Females and young People are not subject to this Disease, unless where it is hereditary.

A proper Regimen of Diet is ne­cessary in this Distemper, because it does not admit of very many Helps from Medicines, and there are no better Rules than Abstinence from those things which occasion it.

It seems to be a Disease of the nervous Parts, which makes it so hard to cure; Diseases are so as they are more remote in the Thread of the [Page 398] Motion of the Fluids, by the con­stant and regular Returns of it in some People, and their Freedom from it after the Morbid Matter is ex­hausted; it looks as there were regu­lar Accumulations and Gatherings of it, as of other Humours in the Bo­dy, growing perhaps in some People as Corns.

As one of the Causes of the Gout is the Suppression of Sweat and Per­spiration, the procuring a due de­gree of these seems to be the best Pre­ventive of it; if the Feet could be made to sweat, in due time it would prevent the Gout, which invades in such Constitutions of the Air as sup­press Perspiration.

Violent Purging, in Absence of the Paroxysm, by agitating the Hu­mours often hurts, and during the Paroxysm, may draw the Gout in­wardly.

The best Diet is Abstinence from acid Substances; the moderate use of [Page 399] such as promote Perspiration, as Sub­stances aromatical, and volatile Salts, which relieve the Gouty, as they make the Body perspirable; diluent Liquors, taken in such a degree as not to hurt the Stomach; Modera­tion in the Quantity of Food and spirituous Liquors; Exercise without Fatigue; but especially Frictions of the extreme Parts, daily, and often repeated; all possible Methods of making the Feet sweat, and much Sleep.

In the Paroxysm, as temperate and cool, and diluent a Diet as the Patient can bear; Abstinence from Opiats, except when the morbid Matter is separating (by Opiats any Irruption goes on better) the constant Use of them will hurt; keeping the affected Part warm, without the Ap­plication of Cataplasms, ev'n such as are emollient, weaken and relax too much, and have been sometimes found to distort the Parts.

[Page 400] It is of the utmost Importance to know if any Disease proceeds from a Translation of the Gouty Matter; for the Methods, especially Evacu­ations, us'd in an original Dis­ease, would be very improper in a Gouty Case, where the Intention must be to draw the Gout down to the Feet, by Blisters apply'd to the Thighs or Legs, and acrid inflammatory Ca­taplasms and Plaisters; therefore when any Gouty Person is disappointed of a Paroxysm which he expected by the Season, or the previous Symp­toms, and instead of it is seiz'd with another Disease, let him speedily consult his Physician.

If a Gouty Person can bring him­self intirely to a Milk Diet, he may so change the whole Juices of his Bo­dy as to eradicate the Distemper.

The Approach of a Fit of the Gout is easily known by the inward Disorders, as Wind, Sickness, Cru­dities in the Stomach, a Drowsiness, [Page 401] these join'd with the Season or Wea­ther, if such a one by a statical En­gine could regulate his insensible Perspiration, he might often by re­storing of that, foresee, prevent, or shorten his Fit.

Greensickness, Obstructions.

The Symptoms of this Disease are evident, a due Age of the Pa­tient, with an Obstruction of the Menses, a Fulness, sometimes Pains about the Loins, a Laziness, Inac­tivity, which is both the Cause and Symptom of the Disease; a quick Pulse, often emulating that of a hectick Fever, Palpitation of the Heart, Difficulty of Breathing up­on the least Motion, a livid Circle about the Eyes, Diziness of the Head, sometimes an Appetite of odd things, as Chalk, Tobacco­Pipes, proceeding from an Acidity [Page 402] in the Stomach, a Paleness of the Face and Skin, unnatural Haemor­rages from the Mouth, Nose, and other Parts, hysterical Symptoms.

Young Persons under a womanly Age are often troubled with some of the same Symptoms, but not from that Cause; and Women ob­structed have not always the fore­mention'd Symptoms; in those, the Signs of Gravidity and Obstructions are hard to be distinguish'd in the beginning.

This Disease is the Parent of ma­ny other dangerous Diseases, and af­ter six Months hardly to be cur'd.

What is to be consider'd in this Case, is chiefly, if there be a suf­ficient Fulness or Deficiency of Blood, different Methods are to be taken, in those two Cases, Bleeding, which may relieve in the first Case, will do hurt in the Second Motion; Ex­ercise, Frictions, Bathings, Clysters, [Page 403] Fumigations often repeated are ve­ry beneficial.

Substances abounding with vola­tile oily Salts, Substances saponace­ous, aromatical, as those Vegetables which abound with a volatile Oil.

When there is not a sufficient Plethora, a Diet wholesome, plenti­ful, and nourishing, at the same time strengthening the Organs of Digestion, is often effectual.

After Relaxing, such Substances as strengthen the solid Parts in ge­neral, are beneficial; it is by this Quality that Steel operates so strong­ly in this Distemper, and likewise as being an Antiacid. See Chap. I. No 18.

A Woman who by some unusual Haemorrage has that natural Defect supply'd, is only to be cur'd by topical Remedies.

Diseases of Infants.

Infants new-born, before they have taken any Aliment, often have the whole alimentary Duct filled with a glutinous cheesy Matter, and all of them have a Meconium, or sort of dark-colour'd Excrement in the Bowels, which ought to be purg'd off.

Most of the Diseases of suckling Infants proceed from Milk growing sour and curdling in the Stomach; the Cure of which is to be effected First, By attenuating this curdy Mat­ter; and Secondly, by expelling it out of the Body; it may be digest­ed by the Infant by Abstinence from Sucking for several Hours; Honey and Water, with a little Wine, at­tenuate and dissolve; and some gen­tle purging Syrup, as Syrup of Ci­chory with Rhubarb, expels the pec­cant [Page 405] Matter; oily Substances are apt to turn rancid on the Stomachs of Infants; Clysters and warm Fomen­tations, and other Applications of aromatical Substances to the Sto­mach and Belly, are useful in this Case.

Antiacids, especially the Absor­bents, are more effectual in the Dis­eases of Infants than in any other.

Opiats and anodyne Substances are dangerous.

Volatile Salts are hurtful to Infants, being too active, and operate some­times as Opiats.

Gall is the greatest Resolvent of curdled Milk: Boerhaave has given at a time one Drop of the Gall of an Eel with Success.

Gentle Carminatives, as Fennel-Water, Mint-Water, relieve.

The Colick, green Stools, Vomit­ing, Wind, and Convulsions, all depend upon this Acidity, and [Page 406] when that is rectify'd the Symptoms cease.

Diseases of Infants, and the Cure of them, depend very much upon the Diet of the Nurse. See Part. I. Page 93.

When Children begin to feed up­on Substances on which Infects de­posite their Eggs, especially Fruits, they are often troubled with Worms, for want of a sufficient Force of Di­gestion to destroy these Eggs.

The most common Sort in Chil­dren are the round or Earth-Worms.

The Symptoms occasion'd by the Motion and Biting of these Worms are Loathing as it were from a Fea­ther in the Throat, a Vomiting, Looseness, Fainting, a feverish Dis­position, with a small quick pulse, Itching of the Nose, Grinding of the Teeth, Fits, Paleness, a craving Appetite, Weakness, and when the Worms are large they consume the [Page 407] Moisture, and instead of Looseness will occasion Astriction of the Belly, with a Swelling; Worms will perfo­rate the Guts.

Children subject to Worms ought not to live much upon Milk, Cheese, or ripe Fruits, nor take much Su­gar; some Insects lay their Eggs in Sugar.

The Gall of Animals, and Mer­cury, kill Worms, and destroy their Nests; it is found by Experience that the Water in which Mercury is boil'd has this Effect; all Bitters a­mong alimentary Substances; Honey and Oil given by the Mouth, or Clysters, have a good Effect; they may be taken together fasting; any Substance which by its Pungency can wound the Worms, will kill them, as Steel, Hartshorn, Cora­line, Coral powdered, Fish Bones. See Chap. I.

[Page 408] Above a tenth Part of Infants die in Teething, by Symptoms pro­ceeding from the Irritation of the tender nervous Parts of the Jaws, occasioning Inflammations, Fevers, Convulsions, Looseness, with green Stools (not the worst Symptom) and in some, Gangrenes: It is plain that such a Case ought to be treated as any other inflammatory Distemper.

When the Symptoms of Teeth­ing appear, the Gums ought to be relax'd by softening Ointment, the Jaws fomented with emollient De­coctions, and the whole Head to be kept warm; when the Teeth is rea­dy to cut, the upper Part rubb'd with hard Substances, which Infants by a natural Instinct affect, and when there is a manifest Tension of the Gum by the Tooth, then it ought to be cut; but this Operation ought not to be perform'd too soon.

[Page 409] In the Convulsions it is necessary to give volatile Spirits, which they can bear better than when they are new-born.

The Rickets is another Disease to which Children are subject: It has been reckoned a Disease unknown to the Ancients, uncommon in hot Countries, and more common in England than any other Northern Country.

Children have this Disease from sickly Parents, and especially from Mothers of a weak lax Constitution, living on a various, high, and plen­tiful Diet, without Exercise; and Children born healthy, often con­tract the Disease from an unwholsome Nurse.

A Diet of farinaceous Substances infermented, as of Pudding, much Butter, wet or ill-air'd Linen, cuta­neous Eruptions repell'd, or ill cur'd, exposing their lower Parts too long [Page 410] to cold Air, may bring, or at least increase this Disease.

The Disease may be foreseen by the Child's being long in taking to his Feet; when it takes place the Child grows lean, the muscular Flesh decays, and grows flabby, the Skin loose and flaccid, the Epiphyses of the Bones about the Joints of the Arms grow big, the Belly swells, the Blood-Vessels about the Neck en­large, and so does the Head it self, the Bones grow crooked; these are the outward Appearances, the Con­stitution of the inward Parts is often much worse.

It is highly probable that this Dis­ease proceeds from a redundant Aci­dity, because Vinegar will soften and crook tender Bones; and this Symp­tom must happen in Children when there is no Strength in the Muscles to support them, or they must be inflected to that Side where the [Page 411] Muscle pulls strongest. Contrary to the common Rules for the Aliment of Children, the Diet of those that are Rickety ought to be moderately warm, even making use of Spices or carminative Seeds. They ought to forbear unfermented farinaceous Substances, new Bread; and rather use Biscuit. Their Diet should be pretty much of flesh Meat, such as are commonly call'd White Meats, and rather roasted than boil'd, such Diet being anti-acid. They may be allow'd a moderate Quantity of Wine.

I knew a rickety Child cur'd by a very great Indulgence of fermen­ted Liquors, but it is not an Experi­ment that I would advise.

Frictions of the Back-bone and Joints with Flannel, smoak'd with pe­netrating aromatical Substances, and fomenting the Joints with old Malaga Wine, have prov'd often very effec­tual.

[Page 412] They ought to use as much Exer­cise as they are capable of, but espe­cially by Voiture or Carriage. Care must be taken to open the Obstruc­tions in the lower Belly by Vomits and proper Purgations, where the Seat of the Disease chiefly lies, and after that the Cold Bath is a very proper and effectual Remedy.

I have lanch'd out of my Sub­ject under this Head, mentioning some medicinal Helps, because the Nurses in such Cases are often the Physicians, which nevertheless they ought not to be when they can get better Advice.

Small-Pox.

Though I took notice of this Disease in the Article of Feverish Irruptions, yet it being one of the most dangerous and universal that infests Mankind, I shall add a few [Page 413] more Rules which may be of use to such as have not the Advice of an able Physician.

The greatest and most important Strokes for the Recovery of the Pa­tient, must be made at the time of the Invasion, or first State of this Disease; therefore it is necessary to know the first Symptoms of it; ma­ny have suffer'd by mistaking it for another Disease.

In general, young Persons who have not had the Disease ought to be extremely careful to avoid great Irregularities in their Diet, because the Small-pox which are occasion'd by such often prove dangerous. This Disease is likewise more dan­gerous as the Fluids are more ex­alted and dissipated, and the So­lids more strict and compacted, and consequently more so as People are advanc'd in Age.

[Page 414] This Disease may be easily com­municated by the Contagion or Steams of an infected Person swim­ming in the Air, and drawn in by the Breath, or perhaps by the Pores of the Skin; and it is evident by Inoculation that the smallest Quanti­ty of the Matter mix'd with the Blood produceth the Disease, tho' not so quickly as those volatile Steams.

The first Symptoms are a Chil­ness, Rigor, succeeded by a Fever and constant Heat, a certain Splen­dor or Shining in the Eyes, with a little moisture; this is very observable in Children; a great Pain in the Head, with Dulness, Drowsiness, Sleepiness, a pain in the Back in some, but Pains in the Limbs in all, Anxiety, Inquietude, notwithstand­ing their Drowsiness, Loathing, Sickness of the Stomach, Vomiting, and in Infants Convulsions shortly [Page 415] before the Eruption. The Blood let the first time, florid; after a second time sizy.

It is evident that in this State the Disease ought to be treated as any other inflammatory Distemper, by such Methods as if it were possible to hinder any Suppuration at all, and to resolve and digest as much of the feverish Matter as we can; for the longer the Eruption is a com­ing, and the smaller when it comes, the Disease is less dangerous; there­fore all the Methods prractis'd in the beginning of inflammatory Dis­eases are here necessery, with a par­ticular Care of cleansing the ali­mentary Duct by Vomiting and Clysters, the Impurities of which will be carried into the Blood.

There is not yet found any par­ticular Antidote to the poisonous Stimulus of this Distemper; the learned Boerhaave is of opinion, [Page 416] that if any such could be found, it must be in Antimony, or Mercury intirely destitute of all Acrimony: The Effects of Mercury on all Ul­cerations are very manifest.

Bleeding, which is extremely use­ful in the beginning of the Disease, is not so proper and useful when it is advanc'd.

In the first Stage the whole Ha­bit of the Body ought to be re­lax'd, a free Perspiration thro' the Skin, without violent Sweating, pro­moted; the Viscosity or Toughness of the Fluids taken off by diluents; the alkalescent State of the Salts cor­rected; all these things are effected by emollient Fomentations apply'd inwardly in Clysters, and why not outwardly to the Skin? Such are us'd successfully in other Eruptions, as Erysipelas, Shingles, by a slender Diet of Decoctions of farinaceous Vegetables, and copious drinking [Page 417] of cooling Liquors, with nitrous and acid Salts, and other acid Sub­stances, mix'd with them; no Flesh, unless it be small Chicken-Broth; no Spice; the Air ought not to be spoil'd by Heat, nor the Cover­ings of the Bed so thick as to pro­mote Sweat.

The Greatness and Danger of this Disease is estimated by the Quan­tity of Eruptions on the Face and other Parts of the Head; therefore the Matter ought to be solicited by all possible Methods to the lower Parts, especially the Legs, by Fo­mentations, Bathing, Epispasticks, Blistering, and through the whole Disease keeping the Feet and Legs warm; the Breast and Head not any more cover'd than to keep them from the Impression of cold Air.

During the Filling and Ripening of the Pustles, the Diet may be more plentiful, but still not hot or [Page 418] inflammatory, with the due Use of anodyne Substances: In this State Demulcents, or what abates Acri­mony; and where the Circumstances of the Patient require it, a Spoon­ful or two of Canary Wine, twice or thrice a Day, are proper: The Diet in this State ought likewise to be adapted to the particular Symp­toms of the Disease, as cleansing, attenuating, expectorating; to pro­mote the Spitting, diuretick; when that is suppress'd, and Clysters dilu­ent, without any Stimulus, frequent­ly injected, are beneficial in every Stage of the Disease.

When the Age, Temperament, high Pulse, and especially a Watch­fulness and Delirium, all would seem to demand it in any other Case, why not Bleeding in this State? which I know to have been us'd with great Success; a great many Vessels are in this State almost im­pervious [Page 419] by the Fluids; those who die of this Disease have inward In­flammations, especially in the Lungs; those Reasons seem to justify Bleed­ing.

Indeed the gangrenous Disposi­tion which appears in the malig­nant Kind, is a Reason against it, but hardly any thing will do good in these extremely malignant Cases.

In such malignant Kinds, all that is left is at last to try evacuating the morbifick Matter by other ways, as Epispasticks and Stools procur'd by lenitive Substances, not irritating, which would only agitate the Hu­mours and increase the Fever.

Gravel, Stone.

A Stone or stony Matter may grow in any Part of a Human Bo­dy; for when any thing insoluble sticks in any Part of the Body, it [Page 420] gathers a Crust about it; a small Drop of concreted Blood may grow to be a Stone, for by the Evapora­tion of the most fluid Parts it grows hard, and by the Attraction of new Matter increaseth Blood, and a Human Calculus, or Stone, yield the same Contents by Chy­mical Trial, tho' in an inverse Or­der.

These stony Concretions happen most commonly in the Kidneys and Bladder; and indeed if the Tartar and other Contents of the Urine were not constantly voided, such Concretions would happen to every Human Creature; for the Urine of the most sound Person being in­spected with a Microscope, after it has stood a while, will discover a black Speck, which is Sand, and wherever this Sand sticks it grows still bigger, by the apposition of new Matter: When such Concre­tions [Page 421] happen in the Kidneys, and are expell'd or drop into the Ure­ters, it makes what we call Gra­vel; when they lodge and stick in the Body of the Kidneys, and grow to such a Bulk as not to drop into the Pelvis, or pass by the Ureters, they make the Stone in the Kidneys: The Symptoms of which are a dull Pain in the Kidney, most commonly bloody Water; upon a sudden Jolt, vio­lent Motion, Pain in Stooping; Pain in the Thigh, Sickness in the Sto­mach, Colical Pains, various Changes in the Colour of the Urine, black, bloody, pale, occasion'd by some­thing sharp or scabrous wounding the small Blood-Vessels; if the Stone is smooth and well bedded, per­haps this may not happen. Fleshy Filaments, or Matter voided by Urine, are suspicious Symptoms of a Stone in the Kidney, especially [Page 422] if the Patient has been subject to Voiding of Gravel.

When a small Stone is lodg'd in the Body of the Kidney, it does not create Pain, nor much when it falls into the Pelvis; but when it falls into the Ureter, and sticks, the Pain is most acute; it often stops at the Flexure and Valve of the Ureter, and sometimes in the Urethra, or Passage of the Urine from the Bladder; while it stays in the Bladder it creates no Pain, but remaining there long it grows a confirm'd Stone, too big to be pass'd by the Urethra: The manner of its Concretion is by concentrical Rings, like an Onion, about the first Kernel, which shews the Cause to be Attraction. This is not on­ly true of a small Stone, but any solid Body lodg'd in the Bladder will make the Kernel of a Stone; the Experiment of a Bullet's pro­ducing [Page 423] this Effect has been try'd upon a Dog; and such an Acci­dent has happen'd to a Man by a Wound, in which a Bullet has dropt into the Bladder.

The Symptoms of a Stone in the Bladder are a Titillation about the Neck of the Bladder, and the Parts thereabout; a frequent Needing to make Water; a Sensation of Weight in the lower Belly, under the Shear-Bone, with a great Pain, especially upon any sudden Motion, which causeth a Concussion of the Blad­der, a Dribling, Difficulty, and a momentary Suppression of Urine by the Stone, shutting up the Orifice of the Bladder, attended with a Te­nesmus, or needing to go to Stool, and a burning Pain in the Urethra; sometimes a white Mucus in the Urine; tho' this last Symptom will happen without a Stone in the Bladder.

[Page 424] The Regimen in the Stone in the Kidneys is by diluent and soft Diureticks to try to expel it, if it is small enough to pass; if the Stone is brittle, it will often crumble and pass in the Form of Gravel; if the Stone is too big to pass, the best Method is to come to a sort of a Composition or Truce with it; the Diet ought to be cool and diluent, as far as possible to hinder its Growth; to use Diureticks that gent­ly resolve, as Parsley, Fennel, Scor­zonera, Sassafras, Mallows, and Tea, Dandelion, Cichory, Oats, Barley, Honey, Honey and Vinegar; Ni­trous Salts, as Spirit of dulcify'd Nitre; the most soft cooling Dilu­ent of all, is Whey; the best Emol­lients are Decoctions of Marshmal­lows, Linseed-Tea.

Bathing in tepid Water, Clysters, seasoning the Aliment moderately with Sea-Salt, for the immoderate [Page 425] Use of it is resolving and diuretick; the Belly, in all Cases of the Stone, ought to be kept lax and open.

In a confirm'd Stone of the Kid­neys too violent Exercise is dange­rous.

During the passing of a Stone, one should avoid at first all strong Stimulating; relaxing and lubrica­ting the Passages, and quieting the Spasms by Opiats is certainly the best Method; and where Bathing cannot be conveniently had, Ox­Bladders, half full of warm Water, apply'd constantly to the affected Part may be usefully substituted. Letting of Blood taketh off a Ten­sion better than any thing, and is very necessary where the Symptoms are violent; when the Parts are suf­ficiently relax'd, stimulating Diure­ticks may be us'd more safely, espe­cially if associated with Opiats.

[Page 426] As to Dissolvents of the Stone, all that have hitherto been propos'd are chimerical; Helmont talks of Bulls Blood; Goats Blood is rather a bet­ter Dissolvent.

The surest way to hinder the Generation of a Stone, is to pro­cure a Diarrhoea by Whey, Broth, and a liquid Diet; and indeed what would not one do to prevent so pain­ful a Disease?

When the Stone is fallen to the Bladder, Care should be taken to make it pass as soon as possible, for the Reasons above-mention'd; if all the Symptoms abate without the passing of the Stone, it is not certain that the Stone remains in the Bladder, because a very small Stone may pass insensibly by Urine; if the Stone has pass'd, it is not cer­tain that the Fit is over, for there are often more, and the usual Remedies ought not to be left off.

[Page 427] The Irritations of the Membranes of the Bladder by a Stone, may be much mitigated by the Injection of the Oil of Linseed or Almonds, in­to the Bladder.

Such as are subject to the Gravel or Stone ought to be careful of their Diet, to use such Aliments as gene­rate a small Quantity of Foeces, or relax the Belly; Aliment demulcent, as Pease; a Decoction of Chick-Pease is a Remedy in a Fit of the Stone; they ought to drink Whey in the Spring, and take Honey in seve­ral Forms, if it agrees with them; Rice, Barley, Millet, are all good in this Case; nothing makes Stones or Gravel pass more easily than Opiats.

If the Stone sticks in the Ure­thra, emollient Fomentation of the Parts, Oil injected, or in case of great Extremity, an Instrument with a Cavity like a small Spoon, [Page 428] dipt in Oil, may fetch out the Stone.

The Stone in the Bladder is not only a painful, but a mortal Dis­ease, if not extracted. The Diet of a Patient in such a Case is such as of a wounded Person, nourishing, with­out Acrimony.

Let the Reader look into the Ar­ticle of Inflammations of the Kid­neys, where there are some Direc­tions proper for all who are subject to the Stone or Gravel.

Rheumatism.

The Disease seems to be an in­flammatory Disposition in the serous Part of the Blood, affecting the lym­phatick Arteries, and therefore af­fecting those Parts where the Vessels are the narrowest. The Blood, as in other inflammatory Cases, is sizy, the alkalescent Salts in the Se­rum [Page 429] producing coreaceous Concre­ [...]ons.

The common Methods us'd in this Case are certainly proper; these are, repeated Bleedings and Purges, interposing Anodynes, and gentle Sudorisicks; and Blisters when the Pain is obstinate in one Part.

As for the Diet, it ought to be cool, diluting, and chiefly Vegeta­ble.

If there be a specifick in Aliment is certainly Whey; I knew a Per­son subject to this Disease who could never be cur'd by any other Me­thod but a Diet of Whey and Bread. A Milk Diet is likewise effectual for changing that saline Constitution of the Serum of the Blood.

Cream of Tartar in Water-Gruel, taken for several Days, will abate the Pains and Swellings considerably, by its Acidity correcting the alka­lescent Salts in the Blood.

[Page 430] In obstinate Sciatical Pains, Blis­tering and Cauteries have been found effectual, and the most penetrating Medicines, especially the ethereal Oil of Turpentine mix'd with Honey.

I have lanch'd out of my Sub­ject in this Article, because of many common People who cannot always have good Advice.