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

CHAP. XXX. Of the Heart.

THe Heart the chiefe mansion of the Soule, the organe of the vitall faculty, * 1.1 the beginning of life, the fountaine of the vitall spirits, & so consequently the continuall nourisher of the vitall heate, the first living and last dying, which because it must have a naturall motion of it self, was made of a dense solide and more compact substance than any other part of the body.

The flesh thereof is woven with three sorts of fibers, for it hath the right in the inner part descending from the basis into the point, that they might dilate it, and so * 1.2 draw the blood from the hollow veine into the receptacles thereof, and the breath or aire from the lungs by the Arteria venosa; it hath the transverse without, which passe through the right at right angles, to contract the Heart, and so drive the vitall spirits into the great Artery Aorta, and the cholericke blood to the Lungs by the vena arteriosa, for their nourishment; It hath the oblique in the midst to containe the Aire and blood drawne thither by the forementioned vessels untill they be suf∣ficiently claborate by the heart.

All these fibers doe their parts by contracting themselues towards their originall, as the right from the point of the heart towards the basis, whereby it comes to passe that by this contraction of the fibers the heart dilated becomes shorter, but broader, no otherwise than it is made more long and narrow by the contraction of the trans∣verse, but by the drawing of the oblique it is lessened in that part which lookes to∣wards the vertebra's, which chiefly appeares in the point thereof.

It is of an indifferent bignes, but yet in some bigger, in some lesse according to * 1.3 the diverse temper of Cold or hot men, as wee noted in the liver.

The figure thereof is Pyramidall, that is, it is broader in the basis, and narrower at * 1.4 his round point.

It is composed of the most dense flesh of all the body, by the affusion of blood at * 1.5 the divisions and foldings of the vessels, and there concrete; as it happens also to the other Entrailes. For the blood being there a litle more dryed, than that which is con∣crete for the making of the Liver, turnes into a fleshy substance more dense than the common flesh, even as in hollow ulcers, when they come to a cicatrize.

It hath the Coronall veines and arteryes, which it receives either on the right side * 1.6 from the hollow veine, or on the left from the basis at the entranc of the Artery Aorta. You cannot by your Eye discerne that the Heart hath any other Nerves than those * 1.7 which come to it with the Pleura.

Yet I have plainely enough observed others in certaine beasts, which have great Hearts, as swine; they appeared seated under the fat which covers the vessels, and basis of the heart, lest the humid substance of these parts should be dissolved and dissipated by the burning heat of the Heart. Whereby you may perceive that the heat of the heart is different from the Elementary heat, as that which suffers fat to grow about this Entraile, where otherwise it doth not concrete unlesse by cold or a remisse heat, which thing is chiefly worth admiration.

The Heart is one alone, scituate most commonly upon the fourth Vertebra of the * 1.8 Chest, which is in the midst of the Chest. Yet some thinke that it inclines some-what to the left side because we there feele the motion or beating thereof; but that happens by reason of its left ventricle, which being it is filled with many spirits, and the beginning of the arteryes, it beats far more vehemently, than the right. It required that seat by the decree of Nature, because that Region is the most safe and

armed, and besides it is here on every side covered as it were with the hands of the Lungs.

It hath connexion with the fore mentioned Vertebra's, but by the parts com∣poseing * 1.9 it, with those parts from whence it hath them; with the Lungs by the Vena arteriosa, and the Arteria venosa, and lastly with all the parts of the body by the Arteries which it sends to them all.

It is of a hot and moist temper, as every fleshy part is. The action thereof is, first * 1.10 to prepare the blood in its right ventricle, for the fit nourishment of the Lungs, for from hence it is that Galen saith; this right ventricle was made for the necessity of the lungs. Secondly to generate the vitall spirits in its left ventricle for the use of the whole body. But this spirit is nothing els than a certaine middle substance be∣tween * 1.11 aire and blood fit to preserve and carry the native heat, wherefore it is named the vitall, as being the author and preserver of life. In the inner parts of the heart there present themselves to our consideration the ventricles and the parts contained in the ventricles and between them; such are the Valvulae or valves, the vessels and their mouthes, their distribution into the lungs, the wall or partition, and the two productions or Eares of the heart; which because they are doubtfull, whether they may be reckoned amongst the externall or internall parts of the heart, I will here handle in the first place.

Therefore these Auriculae or Eares are of a soft and nervous substance, compact * 1.12 of three sorts of fibers, that so by their softnesse they might the more easily follow the motions of the heart, and so breake the violence of the matters entring the heart with great force when it is dilated. For otherwise by their violent and abundant en∣trance they might hurt the heart, and as it were overwhelme and suffocate it; but they have that capacity which we see given by nature, that so they might as it were keep in store the blood and aire, and then by litle and litle draw it forth for the use or necessity of the heart. But if any enquire, if such matters may be drawne into the heart by the only force of the Diastole ad fugam vacui, for avoiding of emptinesse; I will answere that that drawing in, or attraction is caused by the heat of the heart; which continually drawes these matters to it no otherwise than a fire drawes the adjacent Aire, and the flame of a candle the tallow which is about the weake for nourishments sake. Whilest the heart is dilated it drawes the aire, whilest it is drawne togeather or con∣tracted, it expells it. This motion of the heart is absolutely naturall, as the motion of the Lungs is animall. Some adde a third cause of the attraction of the heart; to wit the similitude of the whole substance. But in my judgment, this rather takes place in that attraction which is of blood by the venae coronales for the proper nourishment of the heart, than in that which is performed for attraction of matters for the benefit of the whole body.

These eares differ in quantity, for the right is far more capacious than the left be∣cause * 1.13 it was made to receive a greater aboundance of matter. They are two in number, on each side one, scituate at the Basis of the heart; The greater at the entrance of the hollow veine into the heart, the lesse at the entrance of the veinous and of the great Artery with which parts they both have connexion. We have formerly declared * 1.14 what use they have; that is, to break the violence of the matters, and besides to bee stayes or props to the Arteria venosa and great Arterye, which could not sustaine so rapid and violent a motion as that of the Heart by reason of their tendernesse of substance.

Of the ventricles of the Heart.

THe ventricles are in number two, on each side one, distinguished with a fleshy * 1.15 partition strong enough, having many holes in the superficies, yet no where pearcing through.

The right of these ventricles is the bigger and incompassed with the softer and rarer * 1.16 flesh; the left is the lesser but is engirt with a threefold more dense and compact flesh; for the right ventricle was made for a place to receive the blood brought by the hollow veine, and for distributing of it, partly by the vena arteriosa into the Lungs

for their nourishment, partly into the left ventricle, by sweating through the wall or partition, to yeild matter for the generation of the vitall spirits.

Therefore because it was needfull there should be so great a quantity of this blood, * 1.17 it was likewise fit that there should be a place proportionable to receive that matter. And because the blood which was to bee received in the right ventricle was more thicke, it was not so needfull, that the flesh to containe it should be so compact; but on the contrary the arterious blood and vitall spirit have need of a more dense re∣ceptacle, for feare of wasting and lest they should vanish into aire; and also lesse roome that so the heat being united might become the stronger, and more power∣fully set upon the elaboration of the blood and spirits.

Therefore the right ventricle of the heart is made for the preparation of the blood * 1.18 appointed for the nourishment of the Lungs, and the generation of the vitall spirits, as the lungs are made for the mitification, or quallifying of the Aire. Which works were necessary, if the Physicall Axiome bee true; That like is nourished by like, as the rare and spongious lungs with more subtle blood; the substance of the heart grosse and dense, with the veinous blood as it flowes from the Liver, that is grosse.

And it hath its Cororall veines from the Hollow veine, that it might thence drawe as much as should be sufficient.

But the left ventricle is for the perfecting of the vitall spirit, and the preservation of * 1.19 the native heat.

Of the Orifices and Valves of the Heart.

THere be foure Orifices of the heart, two in the right, & as many in the left ventri∣cle; * 1.20 the greater of the two former gives passage to the veine, or the blood carried by the hollow veine to the heart; the lesser opens a passage to the vena arteriosa or the cholerick blood carryed in it for the nourishment of the lungs.

The larger of the two other makes a way for the distribution of the Artery Aorta and the vitall spirit through all the body; but the lesser gives egresse and regresse, to the Arteria venosa, or to the aire and fuliginous vapours. And because it was con∣venient that the matters should bee admitted into their proper ventricles by these orifices, by the Diastole, to wit, into the right ventricle by the greater orifice, and into the left by the lesser, and because on the contrary it was fit that the matters should be expelled by the systole from their ventricles by the fore-mentioned orifices.

Therefore nature to all these orifices hath put cleaven valves, that is to say, sixe * 1.21 in the right ventricle, that there might bee three to each orifice; five in the left, that the greater orifice might have three, and the lesser two, for the reason we will presently give.

These valves differ many wayes; first in action; for some of them carry in matter to * 1.22 the heart, others hinder that which is gone out that it come not back againe; Secondly they differ in site, for those which bring in have membranes without, looking in; those * 1.23 which carry out have them within looking out. Thirdly in figures, for those which carry in, have a pyramidall figure, but those which hinder the comming back againe * 1.24 are made in the shape of the Roman letter C. Fourthly in substance, for the former * 1.25 for the most part are fleshy, or woven with fleshy fibers into certaine fleshy knots ending towards the point of the heart. The latter are wholy membranous.

Fiftly they differ in number, for therebe only five which bring in, three in the right ventricle at the greater orifice, and two in the left at the lesser orifice; those which * 1.26 prohibite the comming back are sixe in each ventricle, three at each orifice. Lastly * 1.27 they differ in motion; for the fleshy ones are opened in the Diastole for the bringing in of blood and spirit, and contrary wise are shut in the systole, that they may con∣taine all or the greater part of that they brought in. The membranous on the contrary are opened in the systole to give passage forth to the blood and spirits over all the body, but shut in the Diastole, that that which is excluded might not flow backe into the Heart. But you shall observe that nature hath placed onely two valves * 1.28 at the Orifice of the Arteria Venosa, because it was needfull that this Orifice should bee alwayes open, either wholy, or certainely a third parte thereof; that

the Aire might continually be drawne into the heart by this orifice in inspiration, and sent forth by exspiration in the contraction of the heart. Whereby we may gather this, that there is but one third part of that Aire we draw into the heart in breathing, sent forth againe in the forme of vapour in exspiration, because nature would have but one third part of the orifice to ly open for its passage out. Therefore the exspira∣tion or breathing out, and the systole of the heart and arteryes, is shorter than the in∣spiration, so that we may truely say, that the inspiration, or drawing the breath in, is equally so long as the exspiration is together with the rest, which is in the middest between the two motions.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What the heart is, and of what sub∣stance.
• * 1.2

  The three sorts of fibers of the Hear••.
• * 1.3

  The magnitude
• * 1.4

  Figure.
• * 1.5

  Composition
• * 1.6

  The proper vessels.
• * 1.7

  The Nerves,
• * 1.8

  Number and site.
• * 1.9

  Connexion.
• * 1.10

  Temper and action.
• * 1.11

  What the vi∣tall spirit is.
• * 1.12

  The Auriculae Cordis, or eares of the heart.
• * 1.13

  Their magni∣tude and numbers.
• * 1.14

  Their 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.15

  The partiti•…•… betweene the ventricules of the Heart.
• * 1.16

  Why the right ventricule is more capaci∣ous and lesse compact.
• * 1.17

  Why the right ventricle is more capaci∣out and lesse compact.
• * 1.18

  The action of the right ven∣tricle.
• * 1.19

  The action of the left ven∣tricle.
• * 1.20

  The uses of the foure orifices of the Heart.
• * 1.21

  The valves.
• * 1.22

  How they differ.
• * 1.23

  Action. Site.
• * 1.24

  Figure.
• * 1.25

  Substance,
• * 1.26

  Number.
• * 1.27

  Motion.
• * 1.28

  Why there be onely two valves at the Arteria venosa