The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

CHAP. IX. Of the Lungs.

THe Lungs are of a soft substance and flesh, rare and like a sponge, of a various colour pale red, their quantity is sufficiently large; for most commonly they * 1.1 are divided into 4 lobes disioined with a manifest and visible division, on each side two, whereby they may be the more easily opened and contracted, and the aire may the better enter.

Besides also in large bodyes, who have a very great chest, there is found a fifth lobe, arising from the second lobe of the right side, as a cushion, or bolster to beare up the hollow veine ascending from the midriffe to the heart.

In little men who have a shorter Chest, because the Heart is so neere as to touch the Diaphragma, this Lobe is not seene, yet it is alwayes found in Dogges.

The Lungs represent the figure or shape of an Oxes foot, or hoof, for like it they * 1.2 are thicker in their basis, but slenderer in their circumference, as you may see in blow∣ing them up, by the weazon, with your mouth or a paire of bellowes. They are com∣pounded of a coate comming from the Pleura, which on each side receives sufficient * 1.3 number of nerves from the sixth conjugation; and also of the Vena arteriosa comming from the right ventricle of the heart, and the Arteria venosa from the left, as shall be shewed in the Anatomy of the heart; besides the Aspera arteria or Weazon com∣ing from the throat, and lastly its owne flesh, which is nothing else than the concretion of cholerick blood poured out like foame about the divisions of the fore-said vessels, as we have said of other parts.

The body of the Lungs is one in number, unlesse you will divide it into two, by reason of the variety of its site, because the Lobes of the Lungs stretched forth into the right & left side doe almost involve all the heart, that so they may defend it against the hardnes of the bones which are about it; they are tyed to the heart, cheifly at its basis, but to the roots of the ribs and their vertebra's by the coat it hath from thence; but by the vessels to these parts from whence they proceed. But oft times presently * 1.4 from the first and naturall conformation they are bound to the circumference of the ribs by certaine thin membranous productions which descend from thence to the Lungs, otherwaies they are tyed toe the ribs by the Pleura.

The nourishment of the Lungs is unlike to the nourishment of other parts of the * 1.5 body; for you cannot find a part equally rare, light and full of aire, which may be nourished with blood equally thin and vaporous. In temper they incline more to heat than to cold, whether you have regard to their composure of cholerick blood, or their use, which is to prepare and alter the aire that it hurt not the heart by its coldnes. The Lungs is the instrument of voice and breathing by the Weazon or windpipe. For the Lobes are the instruments of voice, and the ligaments, of respiration. But the

Larinx or Throtle is the chiefe instrument of the voice, for the Weazon first prepares the voice for the Throtle, in which it being in some measure formed is perfected in the Pallate of the mouth, as in the upper part of a lute, or such like instrument, by the help of the Gargareon or uvula as a certaine quill to play withall.

But as long as one holds his breath, he cannot speak; for then the muscles of the Larinx, Ribs, the Diaphragma and the Epigastrick muscles are pressed downe, whence proceeds a suppression of the vocall matter, which must be sent forth, in making or uttering a voice.

Nature would have the Lungs light for many reasons, the first is that seeing they * 1.6 are of themselves immoveable, they might be more obsequious and ready to follow the motion of the chest, for when it is straitened, the Lungs are straitened and subside with it; and when it is dilated, they also are dilated, and swell so big that they almost fill up all the upper capacity thereof.

Another cause is that by this their rarity they might more easily admit the entring Aire, at such times as they have much, or suddaine necessity, as in running a race.

And lastly, that in Pleurisies and other purnient abscesses of the Chest the Pus or matter poured forth into the capacity of the Chest may be suckt in by the rare sub∣stance of the Lungs, and by that meanes the sooner sent forth and expectorated.

The use of respiration is to coole and temper the rageing heat of the Heart. For * 1.7 it is cooled in drawing in the breath by the coole aire, and in sending out thereof by avoiding the hot fuliginous vapour. Therefore the Chest performes two contrary motions, for whilest it is dilated it drawes in the encompassing aire, and when it is depressed it expels the fuliginous vapour of the Heart; which any one may easily perceive by the example of a paire of Smithes bellowes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Their sub∣stance, quantity. The Lobes thereof.
• * 1.2

  Figure.
• * 1.3

  Composition.
• * 1.4

  The sticking of the lungs to the Ribs.
• * 1.5

  Their nourish∣ment.
• * 1.6

  Why the lungs are light.
• * 1.7

  The use of Re∣spiration, or breathing.