Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

Of the Crampe. cap. 13.

A Cramp is a violent shrinking of si∣newes,* 1.1 taking awaye and hindering wilfull moouing. And such shrinking commeth sometime of too great repleti∣on, sometime of great abstinence, some∣time of too great colde,* 1.2 as it fareth in handes and lippes that bée sore a colde, that finneth they may speake or clitch, or stretch theyr fingers. Such shrin∣king that commeth of vtter colde is holpe with heat, and néedeth none other medicine. But yet let the patient take heede, that hee put him not sodeinly to greate heate, For of sodeine smiting of coldnesse to the vtter partes of the si∣newes commeth full sore ach. And so the vtter partes of the limme shall ake full sore. The shrinking that commeth of abstinence hath these tokens. Some∣time commeth before passing running of bloud, or of the wombe, or of the mo∣ther: sometime trauaile or abstinence ouer his might, that trauayleth or ab∣steineth: Sometime passing heate, as in a mans body that hath a sharpe A∣gue: Sometime déepenesse and ach of wound, sharpnesse and strength of me∣dicine taken. In all these the Crampe commeth of too greate drinesse of kinde and of wasting of substantiall moy∣sture. And therefore the sinew shrinketh and riueleth, as Parchment put in the fire. And therefore the waye of spirites in the sinewes be stopped, and the ver∣tue of lyfe and of ruling is let. All such Crampes be deadly, if they endure.

Therefore it is said in Apho. the cramp of cholarik is mortall. In the beginning hot womans milke helpeth this cramy, if it be done hot thereto & if it bee shed all about vpon the brawn of the chéeks and vpon the ridge bone and the necke, and the roots of the sinewes. Also water with Wooll and Oyle bound vppon the place of sinewes helpeth. The third

manner of Crampe that commeth of re∣pletion, falleth oft to fat men & fleshly,* 1.3 and wel fed, and gorrells: And commeth of shedding & spreading of the sinewes: and is more easily holp. For it is holpe with hot ointments, with baths, & snee∣sing, and laratiues, as Constantine tra∣cheth. If feauers come vpon this shrink∣ing, that is best remedie. And therefore it is sayd in Aphor. Feauers comming vpon the crampe, helpeth the euill. This Cramp hath three manner of lunds, one is called Epitestanus, when the hinder sinewes shrinke and haue the Crampe: That other is called Eprocustenus, & is when the further sinewes toward the brest shrink: And the third is called Ce∣thanus, and is when the farther and the hinder shrinke. In these three kindes of Crampes is no perfect cure, when they come of abstinence as it is sayde.

* 1.4There are foure kindes of Spasmos or cramps, the first is named Empro∣sthotonos, the which is whē the head is drawne downward to the breast. The second is named Thetanos, & that is when the forhead & all the whole bo∣dy is drawen so vehemently, that the body is vnmoueable. The third is na∣med Opisthotonos, & that is when the head is drawn backward, or the mouth is drawne towarde the eare. The fourth kind is named. Spasmos, the which doth drawe the sinewes verye streight & asperusly in the feete and legges.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Spasmos. Cō••ultio Kindly mouing.
• * 1.2

  Contrac∣tio Neruo∣rum. Very cold
• * 1.3

  Corpolē••.
• * 1.4

  Addition