THE GENERAL PRACTISE OF MEDICINE. Comprehending the most remarkable maxims appertaining to the Diagnosis, where, by every disease is known, the Prognosis, whereby the issue is foreshown, and Therapia, which pointeth out the methodick, proceeding in the cure. Collected out of the most famous, both Ancient and Modern writers, for the use of such as be ignorant of the Greek and Latin tongues. By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. EDINBURGH, Printed by john Wreittoun. 1634. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir THOMAS HOPE of Craighall Knight Baronet, Advocate general to his Majesty of great Britain, in his Kingdom of Scotland, Wisheth all health and happiness, etc. IT is reported of Caesar (Right Honourable) that oft times he praised his Soldiers goodwill, although they wanted skill: And Cicero aswell commended stammering Lentulus for his painful industry, as learned Laelius for his passing eloquence: Which considered (although wisdom did will me not to strain further than my sleive would stretch) I thought good to present this small Treatise to your H. protection, hoping your H. will out of your accustomed clemency, accept it, and take my well meaning for an excuse of my boldness, in that my poor will is not in the wane, whatsoever this imperfect work doth want. The Emperor Trajan was never without suitors, because so courteously he would hear every complaint. The Lapidaries continually frequented the Court of Adobrandinus, because it was his chief study to search out the nature of stones. All that courted Atlanta were hunters, and none sued to Sappho but Poets: Wheresoever Maecenas lodgeth, thither no doubt will Scholars flock. And your H. being a worthy favourer and fosterer of learning, hath forced many through your exquisite virtue, to offer the first fruits of their study at the shrine of your Courtesy. But though they have waded far and found mines, and I gadded abroad to get nothing but mites: yet this I assure myself, that they never presented you their treasure with a more willing mind, ●hen I do this simple trash, which I hope your H. will so accept. Resting ●herefore upon your wont clemency, I commit you to the Almighty. I. M. To the Gentlemen Readers, Health. PAN blowing upon an oaten Pipe a little homely music, and hearing no man dispraise his simple cunning, began both to play so loud and so long, that they were more weary in hearing his Music, than he in showing his skill, till at last to claw him and excuse themselves, they said, his Pipe was out of tune. So Gentlemen, because I have before time rashly reached above my pitch, and yet your courtesy was such as none accused me, I have once again adventured upon your patience, but (I doubt) so far as to be read of my folly, you will at the last say, as Augustus said to the Grecian that gave him oft times many rude verses: Thou hast need (quoth he) reward me well, for I take more pains to read thy works, than thou to write them. But yet willing to abide this quip, because I may countervail it with your former courtesy, I put myself to your patience, and commits you to the Almighty. Farewell. I. M. THE PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. CANON I. THE methodick practising in Physic hath first a knowledge of the disease, next fortelleth the event of it, and last goeth about to cure the same. For that part of Physic which is called Therapeutic, followeth still the diagnostic & prognostic: for whosoever will use profitable remedies, should first remark the things present, next forwarn the future, because it is necessare to understand the present estate of the disease, to that end that the remedies proper may be used, then to foresee that which is to come, for the more boldly attempting of the cure, if there be hope of health: or else to foretell the danger, if one do fear death, otherwise to abstain wholly from the enterprise: if one doth fear inevitable death: for we should never enterprise the cure of desperate diseases: much less promise health, or at the least take the business in hand after a due premonition of the danger of it. Canon II. Now to come to the perfect knowledge of the disease, ye must first search the place, next the kind, and then the cause, if the place be manifest of the self, it resteth to find out the espece of disease, and then the cause. Canon III. The place is known by the action hurt or hindered, by the sort and seat of the pain, by the excrements, and accidents, or proper symptoms: although that all these signs do not at all times appear all together, yet still some of them doth kith. Canon. IV. The action offended shows the part from whence it proccedes to be indisposed for a functioun animal, vital, or natural being troubled declares some of those parts to be affected, so the hurt of the reason, imagination, and memory shows the brain to be sick, the loss of sense and motion manifests the nerves or else there origine to be grieved: difficulty of breathing, wills the lights or some of the instruments of respiration to be interessed, the pulse commoved shows the heart to be troubled. The stop of the descent of the meat, shows the vizorne to be hurt, the digestion hindered, the stomach, when the body is not nourished, the lever is mistempered. The espece or sort of sickness points forth also the place, so a pain with a pulsation is from the nerve hurt or offended, with punction from the membrane distended, with convulsion, from the drawing of the nerves or tendons with violence, dolour with tension shows the veins repletion out of measure: when it is profound it declares the membran covering the bone called Periostium to be diseased, when soft and gentle without great pain it is in the flesh: when heavy and blunt, it points forth some of the entrails to be grieved. The situation of the pain makes known the seat of the disease also, so if it be in the right hypochondre or under the short ribs on the right side, it declares the lever to be hurt, if under the left side, the melt: for wheresoever is the pain there is the sickness: wherefore we must not omit to inquire of the sick person on which side he lies with greatest ease: for if it be without he lies best on the whole side, but if within, best on the sore. That which issueth forth of the body indicats also the part affected, so if by cough there is thrown forth any part of a girstle, there is no doubt the light pipes are torn: if in the water there is found any piece of flesh, it betokens the neers to be hurt: if in the draught, there is found any piece of skin, it signifies the puddings to be ulcerat. The stomach is known to be hurt when the meat or chile doth issue forth at the wound, and if the fecall matter come forth it shows the puddings to be wounded, so the water issuing wills the bladder to be wounded, and when the Pleura that covers the ribs within is pierced, than the wind doth blow forth at the hole. Moreover the form of issuing forth is remarked, for the better understanding of the part that is troubled: so the blood that proceeds of the arteries, because of the abundance of the spirits doth issue with force in a leaping manner: but if flowing and deadly from the vein: also if any piece of the part troubled do come forth alone, it signifieth the place or seat to be near by, but if it be mixed with the excrements, it declares to be higher and further removed. The accidents points also at the place, so the pearl declares the eye to be molested, the swelling of the right lisk, the lever, and that of the left, the melt. The symptoms manifests the place, for ravery designs the brain to be distempered, the cheeks very red, the lights to be inflamed, the loss of appetit, the indisposition of the stomach, the excrements like to the washing of raw flesh, the debility of the lever. Canon. V. Thus having found out the part that is troubled, next ye must search whether it is by idiopathy or by Sympathy: because it is requisite first to help the part that is troubled by the own proper desert, (so idiopathy is a proper indisposition of the part as is the pearl of the eye.) Sympathy is an indisposition which befalls any part by the fault of another. And that either because of the defluxion of an humour falling from one part to another, or by reason of the defect of the natural faculty required for the action of the part: sometimes it falls out that a part of a long trouble by a sympathy, in end turns to be troubled by an idiopathy. idiopathy is either privative or consecutive, so it is expedient to remark whether the disease be privative, that is, be first, or consecutive, that is, doth flow from another. An idiopathy is by this discerned from a Sympathy, when the sore is alone, continual, and without intermission, and receaves neither increase nor diminution, by the augmentation or declination of any disease that is in any other part, but remains still in one state and condition, the remeds applied, serving for the good of the same, it is a sign that the indisposition is Idiopathetick: But when it followeth another disease, & grows according to the growth of the same, and also is mitigat by the same remeades, and when the remeades applied to itself doth not help, it is then by Sympathy, so the pain of the head arising from the stomach▪ is distinguished from the dolour that comes of the proper fault of the brain, in that it succeeds to a desire to vomit, a heavy rifting, evil smell or taste in the mouth, with a falling away or lypothomie, and when it grows with the indisposition of the stomach, not receiving help from the topics applied to the head. Canon VI. Having found out the part of the body offended, next ye must make inquisition of the indisposition. The indisposition that hindereth action is called morbus or sickness, that which followeth it is termed Symptom, and that which engenders is named cause: so that all indisposition against nature is either morbus, symptom, or causa. The Symptom is known of the self without other signs, because it is objected still to some of our senses: but the disease and the cause for the most part are removed from our senses, but they are known by the Symptoms which are the signs, to wit, by the actions hurt, by the excrements, and by the accidents of the body. Canon VII. Malady or sickness is an indisposition against nature, that hurts immediately the action of the part affected, whensoever then thou perceives the action to be hindered or hurt, then is it a disease. Sickness or malady is triple, similare, instrumental, and common: the first hurts the action of the part similare, the second troubles the use of the organic, the third hinders both: wherefore if the action of the part, in so far as it is similare be hurt, the disease shall be similare, if in so far as an instrument, it shall be instrumental, and if they both befall together it shall be common. The action of the part similary is hindered by a simple intemperature, as heat, cold, moistness, and drought, or by one composed, as hot and dry, hot and humid, cold and dry, cold and humid, & that either with or without matter. The use of the organ is preverted by the fault of the greatness, number, situation, oftest by conformation, and obstruction: both the one and the other, is troubled by the breach or solution of continuity in the parts, as by phlegmon, scirrh, or any other tumour contrary nature, as also by ulcere, wound, fracture, or luxation, so in temperature is a sickness, similare: obstruction, a disease organic, and solution of the continuity sickness, common. The diversity of especes are known by the variety of the actions hindered, so the continual desire of sleep signifieth an indisposition, cold and moist of the brain, a continual waking shows a hot and dry pulse frequent, quick, and unaequall, a fever: suchlike the kind of the pain points forth the disease, as a dolour inflammative a hot distemper, a stupefactive, a cold. The excrements serveth also to find out the espece of the sickness, as sand in the water shows a gravel, the meat sent forth below without change, declares a lienterie: suchlike the accidents of the body, so the colour green shows an oppilation in the liver, brown colour an obstruction in the melt, a black tougne, a burning or fever, the nails crooked a consumption ptisie: the cheeks red, a peripneumonie. Among those accidents they that are proper and inseparable, are holden for most certain, because they have a great demonstrative faculty. Canon VIII. The nature and situation of the place serves much to the knowledge of the kind of the sickness for every part hath the own prope sickness, so the eyes only are subject to a pearl, the neires and bladder to the stone, the puddings to worms and not the stomach, the heart can never suffer a ulcer profound nor the lights any dolour. Canon IX. The better taking of the disease, you must diligently consider the things antecedent such are the nature, the habitude, the age, the country, the season, the disposition of the air, the form of life of him who is diseased and the sickness wherewith he uses to be molested: for one is soon overtaken with the disease with the which there nature hath greatest familiarity. So hot diseases are most frequently incident to hot bilious persons as cold sickness to cold lumpish nature and that alswell to those who are such by nature, habitude and age as to those who are so by reason of the region, the season and the constitution of the air. And albeit that all sort of sickness may befall to all sort of persons, all ages in all place & time, yet they fall on most frequently the temperament age, place & time with the which they have some affinity. An Epidemik sickness is known incontinent by the running of it among the people, seizing on many at one time: all hereditar disease as the epilepsy, the gravel, the gout is suspect to be incident to those who are procreate of parents, sick of such infirmities. Moreover often men finds the kind of the disease by the usage of the things which hurts or helps, for the hot intemperature doth increase by the use of hot things but is mitigate by the use of cooling things, the cold intemperature of the contraire. Canon X. After the acquired knowledge of the disease make search thereafter for the cause of it, the which is either extern or intern, the intern is two fold, antecedent or conjoined. First then seek out the cause conjoined, because it produceth immediately the disease. It is therefore needful to search whither it be wind or any other superabundant humour as blood, bile, melancholy or phlegm, or any other thing contrary nature, as stone, lump of blood, worms or any other sort of excrement. The colour & nature of the place, the kind of the dolour and the sort of the excrement with the predominant humour in the body will serve for marks. Canon XI. For when the part in flammed is red, it is full of blood: when yellow, full of boil: but that which is cold and whit is replenished with phlegm, when blackish, with melancholy, for the colour of the skin doth commonly point forth the humour is within. Divers parts are appointed for the engendering of divers humours excrementitious, as the lever for breeding of yellow boil: the melt, of black boil, the stomach, the tryps, and the brain of phlegm, the neers and the bladder, of the gravel and stone, the tryps of worms. The pain pricks sore when it is caused of choler, it is moderate when it proceeds of blood, blunt when of melancholy, phlegm, or wind, except it be when they make great distension through their abundance. If that which issueth forth by the excrements of the part affected, be a portion of that which is continued, within it, it shows either by the colour or substance what it is: we shall speak hereafter of the predominant humour. Canon XII. After the knowledge of the cause conjoint it follows, know whether it be alone or if it be fostered or furnished by any other cause antecedent. That which gathered, is by way of congestion through the fault of the part offended, is reput to be alone: but when all the body, or any part of it, doth exoner the self on the member affected of any superabundant humour, the which overburthened, there is then a cause antecedent, which doth accompany the conjoint, so there be two sort of causes intern, to the which remead must be used. Canon XIII. The cause antecedent of the sickness, is double, the one is named Plethor or plenitud, the other is called Cacochymi, Plethor is a repletion of all the humours equally augmented, or of blood only. cacochymy is a repletion of Choler, melancholy or phlegm: the signs both of the one and the other, are taken both from the causes antecedent, which doth gather the humour as from the temperature of the whole body, and of the principal parts, from the age, season, constitution of the air, region, manner of living, and of the evacuation ordinar suppressed, as also from the accidents that befall all the qualities of the body: such as be the colour, the habitud, the fashions, the functions animal, vital, and natural, as from the sleep, dreams, pulse, concoction, excrements, of the diseases ensuing, and of the things that hurts and profits. Canon XIV. There be two sorts of plenitud, the one called plenitudo ad vires, in the which the blood, although it be not excessive, neither in quantity nor quality, overcharges never the less the weak forces of nature: the other is, plenitudo ad vasa, the which in quantity surpasses the natural limits or bounds: and this either light or gentle, when it fills only the cavity of the veins not far exceeding mediocrity: or it is excessive when it extends, so that it almost rives the veins through the fullness of it by too great abundance: and although it be very excessive, it may be so that nature be not chook by it, for commonly the force grows with the blood, but if it fall out that the forces be abaited, than it is plenitudo supra vires. When then in a plethor, the body is on no ways by a too great weight, lazy or heavy, and the force remains still in a state, it is only a plentitud ad vasa. But when the body becomes heavy, lazy, doyled▪ the fleepe troubled and profond, seeming to carry as it were some thing, while he sleeps, it is then plenitudo, supra vires. Canan XV. The causes that engenders blood in abundance, are signs antecedents, of a plenitud as the complexion temperate of all the whole body, but chiefly of the lever, and the heart, or else moderately hot and humid. The age growing for the bairnes and young men hath much blood, because they are not far from there principes of natural generation. The spring also for in it the blood abounds for then the cold ceaseth and there falls out waters. Also good fare: a pleasant past life, without care, moderate exercise, and sleep. The natural evacuation, of blood suppressed: or the artificial of long intermitted. The accidents which shows the domination of blood in the body, are the signs consequent of blood, such be, The colour of the face and all the body red, by the ordinare custom or mixed of red and whit. The swelling of the veins aequalie appearing through all. A manifest bending of the vessels, being full of blood by measure. A lazines or wearying coming of itself without any labour, under the which the jointures by reason of their weight with great difficulty do move the self, for it is when the great veins over full of blood do exoner themselves in the little, and they again in the muscles, so that they are filled and bended. The habitude of the body fleshy, because it doth proceed of an abundance of blood, yea the mediocer fleshy acompanied of a heat benign, and vaporous, for that is a sign of nature temperate which engenders abundance of blood. The fashions and cariag merry, jovial, peaceable, gentle, because they are marks of a body well disposed. The heaviness of the head proceeding from the abundance of vapours ascending upwards. The sleep profound and pleasant, with dreams of things pleasant. The pulse strong, great, and full, for in it the veins are so full, that they do infuse a part in the neighbour's arters by an anastomosie, the which being filled, causes such a pulse and that not only in the shackle bones, but also in the temples, the fingers, and over all the body. The respiration more difficile and frequent, chiefly after exercise, because the muscells of the breast are made lazy through the abundance of blood, hence it is that the respiration is made more frequent by reason of the use, but shortened because the capacity interior of the breast is made more straight. The promptitud of rendering blood by the seages, aemerodes, monthly courses, water, nose, and spittle. Moreover a continual sweeting during the time of the disease, is a token of plenitud. Canon XVI. Cacothymie is three fold, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic: the causes that gathers abundance of choler, are signs preceding the same, such are, The complexion hot and dry, for commonly there engenders much choler in men of a hot and dry complexion, by reason of the conformity of this humour with that temperament. The manly age which is betwixt 25 and 35. for in that, choler doth abound, because the natural heat is much more dry and active then, than before a great part of the inbred moist or sap being consumed by it. The Summer, for the boil is more abundant than by reason of the circumsisting air, which makes the blood more hot and dry. The climate hot and dry, the precedent diet of these same qualities. Such like great exercise, travel, anger, care, watching, fasting; and abstinence doth all gather boil. Moreover the ordinar evacuation of bile by vomit, by the stool, the water, the sweat, suppressed. The consequent marks of abounding Choler, are, The whole colour of the body, pale, yellow or blackish, drawing near to that of jandise or brown: for when the temperament is excessive in heat, the colour is black The state of the body, dry, lean, small, for such proportions are commonly bylous, as also hairy with the hair red, for it is the excrement of boil. But more the black, for black hair is when the exhalation burnt by the force of the heat is changed in black, but the red is when it is not so burnt. The greatness of the veins extended by the heat, for they who hath great veins are of complexion hot, but who hath straight and narrow veins, are of cold, for it is heat that doth enlarge. The heat, sharp, and biting to the toucth. Promptitud of courage, and a disposition to anger and revenge. The sense lively, light and sudden. The spirit subtle, and of good invention, for the subtility and industry of the judgement comes of the humour bylous. The sleep little and light, accompanied with inquyetud, great watching, testifying the great dryness of the brain from the which they flow, or else from abundance of a humour, bilious with them. The dreams of fire, war, and things furious. The pulse vehement, hasty and hardy. Bitterness of the mouth, loss of appetit, great thirst, venting of choler upward and downward, with the belly often constipat. The water yellow, biting, inflammed, with little grounds. The diseases bilious frequent, as fevers fierce and ardent, raverie, jandies, herpes, or ringworm, erysiple, pustuls, cholericks dispersed through the whole body. Canon XVII. The melancholic distemper is known first by the causes productives of melancholy, as are: The temperature cold and dry, with a debility of the melt, or hot from the beginning, but become cold by change, for if any hot and dry before, by an adustion of the blood engenders much black bile, he becomes cold and dry, and in end melancholic. The declining age which is betwixt 35: and 45. for melancholy doth abound in that age, for succeeding to the youth, which is the most bilious of all, it receives the bile burnt. The harvest, in it also melancholy abounds, for succeeding to the Summer, it receaves the brunt bile from it. Gross food and viscuous, as brown bread, porcks flesh, beif, hair's flesh, Heart's flesh, chiefly salted, thick black wine, beir, and old chief. The life sad occupied in great affairs in contemplation, studying without recreation or exercise of the body, for by it the natural heat diminisheth, and the humours becomes gross and thick. The suppression of melancholy that used to be by the aemrodes, monthly courses, seages, with scabs or by medicine. As also by the signs of melancholy, predominant in the body, as be: the colour brown or blackish, of the face and all the body, the skin full of scabs, hardness, swelling and pain of the melt: The habitud of the body dry and lean, the visage sad and heavy: fear, silence, solitariness, urine, imagination, conceits: for the constancy of the spirit comes of an humour melancholic. The mind slow to wrath, but being incensed, hard to be appeased. The sleep troubled with horrible dreams as with sights of evil spirits, tortoures of death, sepulchers, and other things fearful. The pulse little, slow, hard. The appetit depravat sometime disordinat by reason of a sour matter adhering to the orifice of the stomach. The water clear and whit, where there is no melancholy mixed, but thick and black where there is some mixed. The diseases melancholicks frequently arriving. Canon XVIII. The knowledge of a pituitous distemper is taken from the causes antecedent, procreating it, and the signs assequent following it, the antecedent are, the complexion of the body, cold and humid: the old age which is from 49. to the term of life: for in that age, by reason of the weakness of the natural heat, much phlegm is engendered. The Winter, because that season as reporteth Hippolito: replenishes the body with phlegm, both because of the length of the nights, and also by reason of the abundance of rain. The rainy reason, for the watery air which doth environ the body: gathers quantity of pituitous humours, and of watery superfluities. The great uses of humid and moist meat, the frequent drinking of water and any kind of excess, either in meat or drink: idleness and want of exercise, with a sedentary or sitting life: long sleep, but especially after meat. The following marks of phlegm are, the colour of the face and all the body somewhat whitish, grayish, or livid, being withal swelled: the whole body grown, and fat, for fat folk are commonly cold and phlegmatic, grease being engendered by the coldness of the habitude of the body: the veins and arteries little and straight, as coming of little blood and few spirits, the skin whit and soft without hair, because the complexion cold and humid is no ways hairy. The hair is whit, because procreate of phlegm: all the senses of the body heavy and lazy: the spirit stupid, the sleep profound, the pulse little, small, & soft. Slow digestion, oft belshing with a sour taste, a desire to vomit, the water whitish, crud, and troubled sometimes with a thick ground. Pituitou and phlegmatic diseases frequently occurring, or cold catarrhs, and the like. Canon XIX. The antecedent causes pointing a windy cacochymy, are, the stomach cold and humid, with the debility of natural heat, proceeding of a simple intemperature or with humours indigested. The melt swelled and bouden up with melancholy, hindering by a sympathy, the digestion of the stomach. Meats windy, as raw fruits, beans, pease, chestnuts, and the like. Overmuch drink, too much use of boiled meat, drunkenness, and gluttony. Lack of exercise, great sleep, the age, the country, the season of the year cold, doth cause abundance of ventosites. And when wind is gathered in the body by reason of the former causes, there is found a distension of the ventricle, of the colic gout, chiefly on the left side, with a noise. The wand'ring distenting pains running here and there through the whole body. There is heard wind issuing at all occasions both up and down, from whence cometh some ease: there is remarked often a singing in the ears. The colik with other diseases arising of wind, troubleth often. Canon XX. The external causes of sickness, called of the greeks procatartik commonly named primitives, should be diligently searched, for they lead us as well to the knowledge of the cause intern, as of the disease, for, air, meat, and drink to warm, watching, great and violent motion, anger, and the suppression of the excrements, engenders hot humours, and hot diseases. In the contrary, cold food with a cooling air, sleep, Idleset, fear, and all evacuation immoderate causes cold humours, and cold diseases. Dry diseases ordinarily accompanies the hot causes, and the humid, the cold. For hot doth ordinarily bring with it drought, and cold, humidity, because it is the mother of crudities. For to find out then exactly the cause and effect of the malady which is hid, it is needful by a diligent inquisition, and interrogation of all things, which commonly are called, not natural causes, to learn of the sick if he hath exposed himself to an intemperate or impure air, if he hath committed any excess in meat and drink, or in watching and labouring, or if he hath been too fierce in Venus' service, or if the spirit hath not been troubled by passions, or if any ordinare evacuation be not suppressed, as the monthly courses to women, and the flux of the aemrodes to men, and so much the rather we ought to inquire carefully of the things past, because the ignorance of the causes is not without great danger: for if a fever should fall into long watching, fasting, or over great dallying with Venus, then without consideration of the cause of the disease, presently they would draw blood and purge, should they not think you hazard his life, seeing the disease to have come from evacuation: For in the contrary we ought rather to repair the forces by analeptiks or restoring things, and not augment it by Phlebotomy and cathartiks. For to foresee the issue of the Disease. Canon I. THe fundamental laws of the Prognostics, are taken from things natural, not natural, and conter nature, as of the springs: for we foresee and foretell the sickness to be salutare or mortal, short or long, by the force, the constitution of the body and age of the Patient, the season, & the form of life, by the cause, the espece and siege of the evil, with the symptoms, which we remark in the change or diminution of the actions, the excrements and the qualities of the body. Canon II. If the forces be strong to obtain the victory over the disease, without doubt the sick shall escape, if not shall die. For none dies so long as their force remains: but so soon as the forces begins to yield to the burden of the sickness, then followeth death. Now to foretell the day of death ye must remark how far the sickness surpasseth the forces, and remark the most violent access, for if one doth perceive the sickness so to outrepasse the forces, that they cannot be able any longer to resist, death shall follow presently: but if it appear otherwise it shall be longer: so that the origine of Prognostics consists in the conferring of the forces with the sickness. For if nature be strong enough to overcome the sickness, than the person shall escape: but if it be so weak that it cannot obtain the victory, death of necessity will follow, and ye must wait on the one or the other sooner or later, according as the forces are stronger or weaker: hence it appears that all the other signs salubres or mortals are no otherwise, foresignes of death or life, but because they point forth the forces or weakness of nature in the combat with the sickness. Canon. III. It is a great help to health to be of a mediocre constitution of body, that is, neither too fat nor too lean; for such a body hath great forces to resist unto any disease that doth present the self: but where this mediocrisie is not, a gross body is in a worse case than a small: for who are of that taillie, dies sooner than they that are of the other: because the veins and arteries of grown fat people are narrow and straight & therefore hath both little blood and spirits, so that the age concurring, upon a light occasion, the natural heat is choked or extinguished: But they that are of a lean and thin constitution, because they have the veins & arters larger, and also more blood & spirits, which in them doth not so shortly incur the danger of death: yet so it is that they are sooner troubled by external causes, and that for lack of flesh and greise, so the gross are more obnoxius to intern injuries, the lean to extern. Canon IU. Youth hath great force to withstand the disease, because it hath store of natural heat requisite to the concoction and excretion of the evil humours. Contrare, old age is not able to resist, because of the defect of force, not having much natural heat. Hence it is that sickness are longer in old people then young, because they abound in cold humours, the digestion whereof cannot be but in a long space, by reason of the weakness of their natural heat: yea the greatest part of sickness that arrives to old people doth convoy them to their grave. Canon V. The Spring is very wholesome and no ways mortal, when it keeps the temperature: but in Harvest the diseases are very strong and deadly for the most part. First because being cold and dry is diametrically opposed to our life, which consists in heat and moisture, and so hinders the generation of blood whereof our body is made and nourished. Secondly, because it receives from the Summer preceding the body languishing and weary. Thirdly, because it beat back within the body the superfluous humours melted by the heat of Summer, and come forth to the skin, to the end they may go forth. The fourth because about the twelfth hour it opens the pores of the body by the heat, and incontinent thereafter becomes cold: it ryses within the body as an enemy to extinguish by its quality malign the natural heat already feeble and languishing. Moreover it gathers store of crudities within the body, the which doth choke the natural heat, and that by the use of fruits which it furninisheth. The Summer hastenes sickness, but the Winter doth retard them, because in the Summer the pores being open, the evil humours of the body being melted, by the heat of the air are suddenly dissipat, but in Winter they being closed by the cold they are retained within. Canon VI. Among the constititions of the seasons the dry is more wholesome and not so deadly as the rain, for it gathereth no excrements and resists better to the putrefaction, the humid in the contrar causes many superfluities from whence are the generation of diseases, when the seasons are constant keeping there temperature ordinar, so that all things doth naturally fall out in them, the diseases are lykewayes constant and facilely to be understood, but when the season is inconstant, so are the sickness variable and hard to be understood, for there crise is accompanied with dangerous symptoms where they suddenly cause death or else leaves a matter to a new sickness. When the sick proves a good second to the physician fight against the sickness, it is easy to obtain the victory. Now when he believes the physician and puts in practise his ordinances he serves him for a second and declares himself enemy of the disease: in the contrar if quyting the physician he takes part with the disease accomplishing that which he desires, he hazards his life two ways the one in leaving the physician above in combat, the other in serving as a second to the sickness which was before alone, for it is certain two is stronger nor one. Canon VIII. The greatness of the sickness follows the greatness of the cause, for as a light cause produces a light evil, even so a great causeth a great. Hence a vehement cause contrar nature is a most certain indice of a great and dangerous sickness. Canon IX. Boil causes still, quick diseases, which are termined or ended within few days because it is easily resolved by its subtility, but melancholy is the most viscuous of all the humours, and makes longest accesses, because it is dry cold and thick, being the life of the blood. Next to melancholy is phlegm in difficulty of digestion and expulsion by reason of its viscosity Canon X. The diseases that hath some resemblance with the nature, bodily constitution, and age of the diseased, are less dangerous than these that hath no conformity, for all sickness, hot, cold, dry, moist, being conform to the complexion, age, and bodily constitution of the sick, and also to the season hath so much less danger, as it is less removed from the natural constitution, and so may more easily return, as proceeding from a lighter, yea a slighter cause. As in the contrary, the disease that hath no affinity, neither with the temper, taillie, nor age of the Patient, or with the season, is much more dangerous than the former, being further removed from the natural complexion, and therefore worse to cure: as proceeding of a greater and stronger cause. So that of two burnt fevers equal in grandeur that which falls out in the Summer to a young man lean of body, of temper hot, shall not be so dangerous as that which falls out in the Winter to an old man of a fat body and cold complexion. Canon XI. Meek and gentle relenting diseases are commonly long, but the sharp, fiery, and fierce are ended within fourteen days, and the extreme hot in seven days. There can no certain prediction be made of hot, sharp diseases, either for health nor death, for by that they are quickly ended, they become on a suddenty great: so that both for the greatness of the disease, with the sudden change which befalls in the crise, as also because the humour is often transported from one place to another, the issue is uncertain, wherefore while the humour is in its motion, we must suspend our judgement, for it is not certain whether it will rush on a noble or ignoble part, within or without by passages conveniable or not conveniable: & though the humour were stayed in one place, yet the Physician ought not resolutly affirm that the sick shall escape, but with this provision, that no new change befall, and that he follow the advice and keep the regiment prescribed. When a woman with child is overtaken by any fiery hot disease, she is in danger of her life, for a hot fiery fever requires a straight diet, which she cannot admit, lest the child being frustrate of his food she be brought to bed before the time: and if oft to save the child, ye give the mother often to eat, the fever thereby growing ye shall precipitat the mother in a manifest hazard of her life, and if it be any other strong sickness without fever, as a epilepsy, apoplexy, convulsion, she shall never be able to support the vehemency of it. Canon XII. To foretell the event of the disease, ye must consider diligently the part that is offended, whether it be noble or ignoble, public or private, for the condition, dignity, and necessity of the part that suffereth, are of great importance, for the pronouncing of a sentence to the profit or prejudice of the sick. Canon XIII. In all diseases the constancy of the reason not troubled: with the bounty of the appetit still ready for taking of whatsomeever shall be offered to it, is a good sign, and the contrary is an evil: the satlednesse of the reason, and sharpness of the appetit are numbered among the good marks, because the former bears witness of the temperate disposition of the brain, the meanings or tayes of the harness, and of the marrow of the back, the medrife and all the nervous parts, and the latter shows the integrity of the stomach and lever: In the contrary, the alienation and troubling of the reason, and the loss of appetit, are evil signs, because the one betokens the animal parts to be affected, the other the natural. All they that are troubled with pain or dolour in any part of the body whatsomeever, and are not sensible of it, hath the reason troubled, because the apprehension doth not perceive in any measure the evil. Canon XIV. It is good to sleep in the night to make reparation of the spirits animals and digestion of the humours, by the means of the heat that enters within the centre of the body, and to watch in the day, for the clearing of the same spirits, to give motion to the humours, and to make expulsion of the excrements: but it is a very pernicious sign not to sleep night nor day, for continual watching cometh either of the dolour, pain, and torment that they suffer, or of the dryness of the brain, which in end will cause an alienation of the mind. Sleep likewise surpassing the borders of mediocrite, is in like manner evil, because it is a mark of extreme coldness of the brain, which causeth a lethargy if it be mixed with humidity or catalepsy, if with dryness. When in a sickness sleep is noisome and hurteth, there is danger of death: for if the sleep hurts, that time, that hath been accustomed to help much, as in the decline of any sickness, it is not without cause that it foretelleth death: and that because the heat reteared within the body the time of the sleep, and by this means increase. Notable nevertheless either by reason of its weakness or the maliciousness of humours overcome the cause of the disease, shows that nature no ways strengthened or comforted by this means but rather hurt, is ready to succumb under the burden of the disease being stronger. Canon XV. The pulse is the faithful messenger of the heart, bringing certain news of death and life: The pulse great and strong is a token of force, on the which is builded the hope of recovery of the health, but the pulse little, weak and languishing, shows the weakness of the vital faculty, from whence is the fear of death: the inequality of the pulse is always evil when it perseveres, the intermission of it in young men is most dangerous, for it threateneth with present death, if it be not from an obstruction and oppression of the arters, it is less dangerous in bairnes, and least of all in old men. Canon XVI. Ye must know that the respiration and breathing, free without stop is very wholesome, in all sharp or quick diseases: Because it denotes the temperature of the breast, and of the parts therein contained. As also the respiration remainting whole, declares the natural heat yet to be strong for to fight valiantly with the disease in the contrar, the difficulty of breathing shows the indisposition of the vital parts, and the suffocation of the forces. For the respiration frequent and great, is a sign of some inflammation of the parts within the breast: but the great and rare, foreshow a future alienation of the Spirit, as the respiration, little and rare, betokens as death, because it bears witness of the exstinction of the natural heat, which one perceives clearly by the coldness of the breath ishuing at the nostrils and the mouth. Canon XVII. It is a good sign to have still a whole heart, for they that falls often in lypothimy or swooning without a manifest cause, dies in end suddenly, because of the debility of the vital faculty. Canon XVIII. The coction of the humour appearing in the excrements of the sick, signifies the crise to be shortly with an assurance of health. But the crudity denotes either that there shall be no crise, or that the patient is mightily troubled or that the disease shall be longer, or afterward it shall return, or that death shall follow on it. For as when the coction is made, when nature is victorious, of the causes of the disease, so the contrar befalls when she is overcome by them. So the foecall matter being soft, equal, and yellow, and not having an evil smell is judged to be good, because it is well digested. Suchlyke the water of a mediocer consistence of colour some what yellow, having grounds whit, united and equal is reput singular good, because it bears witness of the digestion, of the humour vicious and consequently of the victory of nature over it, in the contrar the dejection liquid and watery whit and pale, is reput evil, because it is crude or raw, as also the urine watery, and small whit and shining out of measure is not good, because it is raw, and without digestion. Canon XIX. When the excrements of the sick are not very different from the excrements of the whole, it shows the disease to be light, but if there be a very great difference ye must apprehend the disease to be deadly. For the excrements much different, shows nature to be overcome by the greatness of the disease. Therefore the foecall matter black, livid, green & stinking are mortal, because they are whole alienat from there natural constitution and the water that is black and thick and troubled as that of oxen are most evil, because extremely removed from the natural. The same mixed in colour foreshows a long disease, for they denote divers indispositions caused of divers humours, and therefore it is necessary that nature employ a long time to the coction having so many enemies to combat with. The urine in the which ye see grease swimming like Spider webs, are thought evil, because they declare a melting of the body by an extraordinar heat: Canon XX. Sweats are good in all sharp or fiery diseases when they fall out on the critic days, and causeth the fever wholly to cease: they are good also when they make the disease more easy to the Patient providing they be universal. But this which brings no ease and serves to no use, also these that are cold and appears only about the head, the face, and neck are most evil: for in a hot fiery and quick fever they prognostic death, and in a gentle the longnes of the disease: a cold sweat running without ceasing in great abundance, is a mark of long disease, because it comes of a great quantity of a gross and cold matter, which cannot easily be dissipat, neither dantoned by the natural heat: as a hot sweat wils a short disease, being caused of a subtle matter, which matter in short space will be dissolved. Canon XXI. If the visage of the sick be like to the countenance of whole persons, it is a very excellent sign, chiefly if it look like itself being whole. In the contrary, it is a very evil sign when it is different from the natural, and when it is hideous to behold, as it is then when the nose is sharp, the eyes hollow, the temples abaited, the ears cold and drawn in, the lap of the ear turned, the skin of the face hard extended and dry, the colour of the face pale or black, livid or lead coloured. For if this deformity do not proceed of a manifest cause, as of lack of sleep or meat, or of a flux of the belly, without doubt it presages death to be near, seeing this great extenuation is made by the malignity of the disease. Canon XXII. Where there is perceived a change through the whole body, so that it is now cold, then hot, sometime of one colour then of another, it foretells a long disease. For the indisposition diversely mixed, are still longer than these that are of a fast form or fashion, for nature cannot danton more at once. Now the changing of qualities and humours, demonstrats the disease to be caused of divers humours, in the coction whereof, nature hath need to employ much time: for according to the variety of humours within, there appears variety of colours without. Canon XXIII. It is a good sign to have the hypochondres (that is, the space under the short ribs) on either side soft, equal, and without dolour: but very evil to have them hard, bended, inequal and painful, for as the former shows the good temperature of the epigastrick muscells, of the mesentary, the liver, the melt, and the stomach: so the latter declares an intemperature, to wit, an inflammation, a skirrh or wind to be in these parts. In all diseases it is good that the parts about the navel, and the inferior part of the belly be gross, fat, and in good case, but evil when they are extenuat and lean, for the hypocondres gross and fleshy are marks of force: but the small and extenuat are evil, both as signs and as causes: forasmuch as they are signs of the debility of the parts extenuat, and causes that the digestion is not well elaborat in the stomach, nor the sanguification in the lever, for the grossness or fatness of the epigastre or low parts of the belly augments the natural heat, by the which the parts within being warmed they digest better the meat, and so makes better blood. Canon XXIV. As to the consideration of these things that falls out in the body, if ye remark any good sign, ye must not think for that, that assuredly the sick shall escape, neither although there do appear any evil signs that he shall die, for a good sign may be over weighted by an evil, being great: And on the contrary, an evil may be overcome, a good being stronger. Canon XXV. The disease quyts the sick either wholly at once by way of crise, or by little and little by way of resolution. Crise is a sudden change of the disease into health, or else into death, which is then when nature separats the vicious humours from the good, and that for to expel them, Of it there be two sorts, the one is by excretion, and the other by absesse, that comes by a flux of blood or sweat, or a flux of the belly, or vomit, or flux of the urine. Canon XXVI. The good crise arrives on the 7.14. or 20 day, wherefore these days are called Critics. The future crise was foreseen by the signs of digestion, appearing the 4.11. and 17. day: hence these days are called of of the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is in dicatives, contemplatives: for according to the doctrine of Hip. the 4. day is the indicative of the 7. the 8. is the beginning of the next month, the 11. is also remarkable, because the fourth of the second weik, the 17. is also to be observed, because the 4. after the 14. and the 7. from the 11. Canon XXVII. When the crise is to be on the 7. day, there is perceived on the fourth day preceding a red cloud in the water, and other signs correspondent: for because the 4. day is the pointer out of the 7. if there appear any sign of concoction that day, it forwarnes the crise to be on the 7. day. Where then there appears a cloud in the water not only red but whit, and yet rather a whit hypostasies or ground, united and equal, if so be the motion of the sickness be sudden, it is a presage of the future crise. When the crise draws near, the night preceding is very troublesome, but that which follows is ordinarily more easy to endure. For while nature is making a separation betwixt the good and evil humours that falls out, that in this exercise of nature the disease is much troubled. But so it is that this great work appears, the night before the crise, because the sleep is interrupted: but the night that follows the crise perfect, they are much more at their own ease, because nature is disburdened of superfluous humours, Canon XXVIII. The universal signs by the which one discerns the espece of the crise to come, are taken from the kind of the disease, from the part that is diseased, and from the nature of the Patient: For hot and quick diseases, are ordinarily judged by excretion, but the cold and long by abscess. If there be an inflammation in the gibbous part of the lever, ye must expect a crise by a flux of blood at the right nostrile, or by a flux of the urine, if the inflammation be in the hollow part of it, than ye must expect it by a flux of the belly, or vomishment, or sweat. The inflammations of the brain and of all the head, are commonly judged by an haemorragie at the nose, but that of the stomach and mesentery by vomishment, or a flux downward. Moreover a flux of blood falls oftenest to young men cholericks, overtaken with a hot fever, and a flux of the belly to old men phlegmatics. There the common, and now here the proper prognostics of every crise. Redness of the face, extreme dolour of the head and the neck, a beating of the arters in the temples, the distension of hypochondres with difficulty of breathing a dimness tnd watering of the eyes, singing of the ears, and itching of the nostrils prognostics the crise to be a flux of blood by the nose. A heat and heaviness of the loins with a pain and extension of the hypograster, foreshows a crise to be by a flux menstrual. A suppression of the water, with a pricking & shivering through the whole body, with the pulse soft and watery and the exterior parts of the body hot and vaporous, betokens that it will be by sweat. Rifts, ventosites, or winds, a bending of the belly, and pain of the neires by a flux of the belly: loss of appetit or loathing of meat with a thrawing of the heart and soreness of the head, with a dissinesse, great spitting, bitterness in the mouth, and a trembling of the under lip prognostics a future crise by vomit. When the signs of concoction hath gone before, and when the motions of a crise, hath been perceived: than it may be expected by a flux of the urine, if there doth not appear any mark of a crise by a flux of blood, not by sweat, flux of the belly, vomit, and specially when the patient feels an heaviness in the hypograster, and an heat about the end of the privy member, having also made much water thick and gross during his disease, or if he be aged, and sick in the Winter, it foretells it the rather. A heaviness and pain of the head, with a profoundity of sleep and deafness, succeeding immediately to a difficulty of breathing suddenly arriving without any manifest cause, to one sick with a long disease, points forth an absesse to be behind the ear. But if there be no sign of a paritude, and that the sick hath had his urine of a long time clear and undigested, and when he finds a heaviness, a pain, a bending or tension, a heat in the hypochondres, ye must expect an absesse in the lower pairts. If any part of the body hath been hurt before, there shall the aposteme or absesse be. An absesse falls out most frequently in winter and after on imperfyt crise. Canon XXIX. Moreover, a good crise ought to be signified before in the day of indication and should fall out in a critike day, with a manifest excretion, or notable absesse: without dangerous accidents. It ought also to be perfect. I call a perfect crise, that which evacuats all the vicious matter. And on imperfyt, that which evacuats but one part for the former is sure, but you must not believe the latter, for the evil humours remaining after a crise, are wont to make one recidiwe. Moreover a crise is judged to be good by reason of the convenable quality and reasonable quantity, with the form agreeable, and the time opportune. A crise is known to be perfect and assured by the restablishing of the functions naturals, vitals and animals, by the coction of the excrements, or by quality or form of the body reduced and made conform to the natural. Canon XXX. Ye must not trust to any ease, or aleagment which falls without cause, nor fear evil symptoms arriving against reason, for the most part of those are inconstant and doth not last a long time: for when any vehement diseases ceaseth of the self without any evacuation, either by sweat, vomit, flux downward, or hemorrage upward, or without any sign of concoction one must not take that ease to be assured, neither must one believe to it seeing it doth threaten with something of greater evil which follow thereon. As also one must not be affraighted of the evils that befalls without, or rather contrary reason, as difficulty of breathing, raverie, shiviring reduplication of the fever, seeing they are not constant nor of long last, and so far from signifying any thing evil, that on the contrar they presage often a good crise which shall arrive to the great ease of the patient. The right method of curing the disease. Canon I. WHosever will exactly keep the method of right proceeding in the cure, aught to begin at the first indications, then come to those that follows them. Afterward to the next and never leave off, till they have come to the end pretended. We take here indication for that which serves to teach us the way in the cure of the disease, to attain to health. Canon II. The forces before all things ought to be keeped in those who are diseased: after the indication of the forces, follows the consideration of the indisposition which is proposed to be cured. The forces wills always their conservation, and the indisposition its ablation. Now as the forces are keeped or conserved by their like so the indisposition is taken away by the contrary. Canon III. In all diseases where the efficient cause is yet present, you must begin your cure at the same for it is impossible to cure perfectly any disease, whileas the cause that doth engender it, is present: so the maladies ceaseth never till the evil humours engendering them be banished, which doth lurk within the body. Canon IU. After the taking away of the cause, you must next turn you to the disease engendered of the cause, keeping for a general rule, first the ablation of the cause efficient, and next of the malady. Canon V. The cure of the symptom is never first intended, but always that of the malady which causeth the symptom. Yet when the symptom minaceth with death, or greater and suddainer danger than the disease itself, the cure of it may be first attempted. Canon VI. While as the disease is growing, we must hinder the growth of it, and take away that part that is already engendered. The generation of that which is to come, is hindered by taking away the cause antecedent, and the malady already engendered is banished by taking away the cause conjoint. Canon VII. In all diseases caused of fluxion, ye must first stop that which floweth yet: next draw forth that which already is flowed. Therefore the cure of a phlegmon, catarrh, and of all other diseases that are caused by a fluxion, looks all to two butts, the first is, that the humour which runneth yet be stayed, the other, that that part of it which is already in the part be evacuat. Canon VIII. In all diseases complicate, the one whereof cannot be cured without the other, there must respect be holden to order: now method or order requires still the cure of that first, which hindereth the cure of the other: as if a phlegmon were accompanied with a ulcer, ye must first take away that, then cicatrise this. Canon IX. When two indications are directly opposite one to another, ye must not regard so the one, that ye misregard the other, but rather having as good mind of this as of that, make a mixture as equal as ye can. As for example, if one be troubled by two so contrary diseases, that the one desires a hot, the other a cold remead, ye must then make use of one temperate, to that end it do harm neither to the one nor to the other, but rather help both. So when the stomach is cold, and the lever over hot, things temperate are convenable, and all that is mixtioned of hot and cold things: or the alternative use of the one and the other. Hence is it that when a phlegmon is in its growth, there is mixed repercussives with digestives. Canon X. When there is remarked a repugnance among the indications, after you have well considered that which is taken from the forces, and also the indication of the cause, the disease, thou shall follow the most important of all, not neglecting howsoever the other. Canon XI. It is a maxim most necessary, that commands to cure first the most importunate danger, (For the indisposition, that is the first & principal cause of precipitating the diseased in any danger, ought first to be helped.) Wherefore excessive watching, cruel pain, all evacuation out of measure, chiefly of blood, the suppression of superfluities, and other like symptoms, which weakens the forces, and augments the disease, in such sort, that there may arrive quickly some danger, constrains often the Physician to quit the cure of the sickness to occur to these symptoms. Canon XII. The general method of curing diseases is accomplished by the convenable quantity and quality of the remedies, with the manner and time of using of them. Canon XIII. It is required that all the remedies be contrary in quality to the disease, for contraria, contrariis curantur. For if all that which is immoderate be contrary to nature, and that which is moderate agreeable to nature: of necessity it will follow that that which is out of measure must be brought to measure by its contrary in like degree out of measure. Hence is it that all diseases engendered of repletion, are cured by evacuation: and these that proceed of evacuation by repletion, and such like of the rest. Canon XIV. The temper of the body diseased with the disease itself, shows the measure of the contrariety: forasmuch as it is not enough to apply cold remedies to a hot disease: if that be not done with a measure reasonable, otherwise not equal in measure, it is to be feared that there remain some portion of the disease, or being excessive that one disease contrar to the other be moved: For to occur to this we must know the nature of the body, that is to be handled to that end that understanding how far the disease exceeds mediocrity, one may exactly measure the proportion of the refrigerative remedy. Therefore the quantity of every remead aught to be measured according to the complexion of the sick, and the greatness of the sickness. Canon XV. The contrary remedies must be put in use little by little, and now and then make intermission, for it is dangerous to evacuat all at once, or yet to fill, to heat, or cool, or to change the body suddenly in any other manner, for all that which is excessive is enemy to nature, but that which is done by little and little, is without danger, for it is therefore surer to serve yourself moderately of contrary remedies, then to use excessively and suddenly, for as much as nature doth not suffer sudden changes without hazard. Canon XVI: When diseases are in the beginning, then move that which seems good to be moved, but when they are in their vigour, it is better to let them alone in rest, for it is more expedient to use remedies in the beginning, then in height of the disease, for two reasons, the one because the accidents are weaker at the enters and at the end, then in the height: the other, because nature wholly employed at that time about the coction and excretion of the humour noisome, ought not to be diverted or hindered by any remeed, for seeing the digestion is then, it is better in the beginning to evacuat a part of the humour vicious, that nature may the more easily overcome the rest: but when the malady is in its vigour, nature occupied already about the concoction, it is no more time to use evacuation. Canon XVII. If the espece of the sickness be so obscure that thou can not take it up at the first, make no haste in using remedies, rather suffer nature to work it out herself, for being helped by a good dyat, in end she shall banish the sickness forth. Where she shall make it manifest. For a remead uncertain and doubtful cannot be ordained, without prejudice. If perhaps thou be constrained to use one at the least, let it be light, to that end, that if it be not profitable, at the least it be not hurtful. Canon XVIII. A simple cure is sufficient for a simple disease, but when it is composed with an other, than it requires a composed remeed. Canon XIX. For the accomplishing of the cure it is not enough that the physician do his duty but that the sick also & they that are about him, that there be nothing wanting of that which is required, for it is requisite that the diseased strive to fight with the disease, with the medicine, and so obey him, and not give way to his pleasures, having about him people sitting for his service, being well lodged, and furnished with commodities needful. Canon XX. The medicine that doth all things according to reason, although that things succeed not according to expectation, ought not to change his bute, or end proposed in his method purposed from the beginning. For that is but small wisdom to quit lightly that which seemed expedient although the success hath not been according to expectation, for as the mark of a drop of water falling on a stone, doth not appear sensibly, but after a long space it falls, even so in raw or undigested diseases which receives no coction, but with difficulty, unto the which when reason hath found that which is conveniable, according to all indications considered one after other: one must not leave off the course intended, although there hath no manifest utility been found from it, if that some other accident do not fall out, which doth constrain to quit the first purpose, for we have reason to use the remedies which those indications did furnish. Canon XXI. There be three sorts of remedies, by the which all indispositions are cured that be curable, to wit by dyat, by chirurgie or manual operation, and pharmacy or remeeds outward and inward, it is needful that the diat be repugnant to the sickness and familiar to nature, for wholesome food is that which is contrary to that, which is contrary to nature, and like to that which is according to nature, so hot meats are conveneable to cold diseases, and cold meats in hot diseases, moist or humid meats, for the dry, and drying, for the weak and moist, wherefore it is expedient to prescribe a straight dyat to fat fleshy peoeple for such a dyat drieth. Canon XXII. Meat and drink more pleasant to the taste, but less profitable is to be preferred to that which is more profitable and pleasant, for one must sometime permit meats which are not best, not only to gratify the sick but also for his further good, because the stomach embraces more straight and keeps better the meat that we take willingly, and with great contentment, yea digests it better. In the contrary, it rejects with disdain these things that are disagreeable to the taste because they move a press of vomiting, or cause some fluctuating, or inflation in the stomach, therefore we must pleasure the sick in things that are not very hurtful. Canon XXIII. In the ordaining of the dyat, there must respect be had of the custom, for things of a long time accustomed, although worse, commonly hurts less than these which are not in custom. Canon XXIV. When the disease is in its vigour, it is necessary then to use a very slender or weak dyat, as well for the greatness of the symptoms, as for the coction of the humour, for we must not hinder nature's coction of the humours by the coction of the meat. Canon XXV. When the disease is violent and quick, it causes incontinent extreme pain and dolour, wherefore we must use a most sharp and weak dyat, because such a disease is in the vigour the first days, as the grievous symptoms which do incontinently accompany it from the beginning bears witness. For a most sharp sickness is that which attains to its height, that is, in the first four days or little after. Canon XXVI. So soon as the sickness by its violence doth show that it is drawing near the height then a straight dyat must be enjoined: but when the height is long in coming as it falls out in long diseases, than a more large dyat would be used, till the approaching of the height, or a little before, and then ye must restrain it. Straight and small dyats are still dangerous in long diseases, because they abait the forces which ought to be conserved in their integrity, to that end it may resist to the length of the disease. Canon XXVII. When the body is not clean, the more you nourish it, the more ye hurt it: for seeing the body full of vicious humours, hath more need of evacuation than nutrition: it appears that they should not be too much nourished, because these evil humours gathered a long time in the body, spoils the food newly received: so that thereby the cacochymy is augmented to the double, which falls out chiefly then when the stomach is foul: for even as mixing of clear water with muddy, it becomes all muddy and troubled: even so the meat, although pure and clean of itself, yet taken in to great quantity in a foul body, becomes wholly corrupt. Canon XXVIII. A larger dyat must be granted to bairnes then old folk, and a mediocre, to these of a middle age: because that old men endures easily hunger, next to them that are at the entry of the declining age, worse than these young men, worst of all boys: for they that are growing hath much of the natural heat, and therefore hath much need of nourishment, otherwise their body should consume, but there is but little heat in old bodies: wherefore they need not much nourishment, because that too much should choke it. Canon XXIX. The great cavities in the body, in Winter and in the Spring, are naturally hotter than at any other time, and the sleep longer: wherefore in these the dyat may be larger, (here by the cavities we must understand the stomach, the whole belly containing the puddings, and the rest of the natural parts that are appointed for digestion.) But if ye desire to know why the natural heat is augmented in Winter, Arist. attributs the cause to the circumsisting air, that is colder chase by this means the natural heat inward, while as in the Summer it extends the self ordinarily through the whole body towards the heat that is without as familiar to it. Hence is it that in the Summer its substance is dissipat and exhals, but in Winter it is holden in and keeped there, and therefore all the coctions are the better made. Canon XXX. As to the form and manner of dyat, one should eat less in the Summer & the Harvest & ofter, but in the Winter and Spring more seldom, but more abundantly: because in the Summer and the Harvest hardly doth one digest meat, in Winter very easily, but in the Spring some way well. Canon XXXI. Ye must nourish gently, and repair by little and little the bodies that hath been extenuat of long time, and restore quickly these that hath quickly been taken down. Canon XXXII. You must give meat to the sick when as the sickness gives intermission or release, & during the access abstain from giving▪ for meat then is hurtful, because that it withdraws nature from the digestion of the humour to the concoction of the nouritour, as also because by it the cause of the disease is augmented. Canon XXXIII. Among the operations of chirurgery, phlebotomy, or drawing of blood, keeps the first rank: because it is the common remead of diseases which proceeds of plenitud or fullness, for by it an evacuation is made of the humours equally, being for this the most exquisite of all other means. Canon XXXIV. Phlebotomy is not only a remead evacuative, but also revulsive and derivative: for it is profitable when we turn the course of the flux to the opposite part, or desires to turn it aside to the neighbour part. Canon XXXV. We must draw blood in hot fevers till the spirits fail and heart saint, if so be the forces be strong, also in great inflammations and extreme pains: for if one draw blood in hot fevers till the heart faint, all the body is incontinent cooled, and the vehement heat extinguished, to divers after it, there followeth a flux of the belly and a sweat. By this means some are wholly freed of the fever, others receives great ease, the vehemency of their sickness having passed. This sort of bleeding is likewise good in great inflammations, both for the former reasons, and for that it stops the flux causing the inflammation, and so hinders the growth of the phlegmon: by this same it appeaseth the great dolours caused of the heat of the fever, and of the inflamtions: wherefore there is not found a remead more sovereign for insupportable dolours, than it. Canon XLV. You must draw much blood, if the sickness doth urge and the forces do permit, if not by little and little, and at divers times, for all extreme evacuations are dangerous and chiefly bleeding being all at once. Canon XXXVII. They to whom purging and blood drawing is profitable, aught to be purged and bled in the spring. For that season is very proper to make evacuation by phlebotomy or pharmacy, because that at that time there is no extraordinar heat for to weaken the body, by exhalation, nor great cold to make it stiff, by congealing the humours in it, nor yet inaequall to disturb the forces but rather a mediocre temper. Canon XXXVIII. You must not without great cause or deliberation open a vein to a woman with child, because that a woman with child bled, is brought to bed before the time, if the child be great, because having drawn blood of a woman with child: the child thereby frustrate of his food, famishing in the matrix of the mother, breaketh his bonds, and seeketh forth for nourishment, and that before the time, except the mother abound in blood: for than ye may be so far from fearing it, that in the contrar if it be not administrat, both the mother & the child are in danger as hath been remarked in the persons of the most illustrious dames in the court of France: lest the child should be choked by the too great abundance of blood. Canon XXXIX. Purgative medicines should be ordained to cacochymike diseases, these that purges the bile to bilious, they that phlegm, to phlegmatics, and so of the rest, for the cure of one cacochymy is made by a purgation which is particularly appropriate to the humour tha● exceeds, and among the alterative potions the cold are appointed for the hot, the hot for the cold, the dry for the humids, and the humid to the dry, for the hot mistemper would be made cold, and the cold made hot, and such like of the rest. Canon XL. Strong potions would be given to strong diseases, and gentle medicines to more meik and gentle, for extreme remedies are fittest for strong diseases: hence the Roman orator desirous to show how a curagious man should enterprise hazards, says, in the presenting of himself to dangers, he must imitat the custom of the medicines, that handles gently those that are but lightly troubled, but in greater diseases are constrained to make use of remedies more dangerous and doubtsome. Canon XLI. We must expel those things that requires to be expelled, by the ways most proper whither nature chiefly tends: and divert them if they make not there course by the way they ought: the physician than ought curiously to mark the motion of nature, and the inclination of the humour, redounding: to that end, that if it tend to any place fitting, to help it, & in the contrar, if it seek for one unfitting, to hinder it and to draw it off that course. So if phlegmatic or melancholic humours take the course downward and nature have essayed already to banish by the retract the fever, the physician ought to prescribe a clyster or some other proper remead for to stir up nature, and if a bilious humour bend upward, and nature strive to expel it at the mouth, a vomit is expedient to be taken, for that is to draw thither the humour whither nature aims chiefly, and if ye do otherwise, you shall change the order and course of nature, constrain the forces, and put the sick in hazard. Canon XLII. In very sharp sickness ye must purge the same day, if the humour be moved. For it is not good to dryve over time, then, as says Hip. for fear lest the evil grow, the forces become weaker, and the wand'ring humours cease on some noble part. When then in most sharp or violent diseases, we perceive nature to be touched with a great and ardent desire to discharge the self of the superfluous humours, we must purge incontinent. And because that that desire doth not often overtake nature to disburden the self of vicious humours, in the beginning of such diseases we must advise well to use purgations at such a time of such a sickness. Canon XLIII. When you are to purge the body, you must prepare the body before & make the humours fluxile: other ways the purgation will not be without great pain & difficulty, grinding of the belly, inquyetud, fainting, debility of the pulse, and dissolution of the forces: Now for to make the body fluxile, you must open all the passages of it, and make the gross humours liquid that are within. Canon XLIV. You must purge the humours digested and prepared, not the raw and unprepared, neither in the beginning of any disease, except they be moved and have no fixed place. For as nature is by no means moved to the evacuating of any humour: except it have first prepared the matter, so the physician ought to purge the matter that is digested, not that which is undigested, because undigested humours are slow to be moved, by reason of their viscosity and grossness, so that they stop the passages that goes from the extremities of the body to the belly, from the which the medicine doth draw them, and by this means moves troublesome symptoms by their not going forth. Canon XLV. You must purge women with child, if the matter be moved betwixt the fourth, and seventh month, but sooner or later, is to be feared, for the infant is fastened to the matrix of the mother, after the same manner that the fruits are to the trees, fruits newly budded hath there stalk so tender, that being beaten by any violent wind, they fall easily to the ground: but with time being more firmly fixed, they fall not so easily, until the time they become unto there maturity, and then they fall off themselves without violence. Even so fares it with women incontinent after their conception, if they leap or fall in any sliprie part, or yet move by any means either the spirit or the body, their new conception easily falleth forth, So fares it, with them, when the children are great. But in the mid term of their time they are with child, they adhere faster to the matrix, & are not so subject to be expelled: wherefore women with child, may suffer stronger motions at that time without hurting their fruit, and so may be better purged. Canon XLVI. When the crise is, or when it hath already been and the humours are finally expelled, we must move nothing, nor change nothing, neither by physic nor any other thing that may irritat nature, but rather suffer nature to work it out herself: for seeing the crise is a work of nature, and not of the physician, when she is about it, or hath already obsolved it, the physician ought to move nothing, but rather suffer her for fear of troubling her action, which she is wholly employed about the bussines. But if the crise hath been unperfyt, it is the duty of the medicine to purge that which rests of the vicious humours fearing least by process of time, putrifying within the body, they renew the sickness. Canon XLVII. During the caniculare days, laxative medicines are not good, for all strong purgations are hardly supported that time, for three reasons. The first because all purgatives being naturally hot, inflammes the body already warm by the heat of the air. The second is because they dissipat the forces already weakened by the vehemency of the heat. The third because the action of a purging medicine, & that of the environing air are contrary, for as much as that doth draw from without, inward, and this from within, outward. Canon XLVIII. The lower part of the belly or epigastre, being far extenuat, cannot suffer without danger, purgations by the stool. Canon XLIX. When a defluxion on any part that is troubled, you must repel it: wherefore repercussives that have virtue to bind are proper in the beginning of any defluxion, for two respects: the one because they fortify so the part, that it receives not so quickly the supper fluities that doth aboard: the other because they press forth the most subtle portion of that which is already placed there. FINIS.