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

CHAP. I. A Generall description of the Head.

HAving hitherto declared two generall parts of mans body, that is, the Naturall and vitall, it is now fit to betake our selves to the last, that is, the Animall, beginning with the head.

Whrefore we will first define the head, then divide it into its parts; thirdly describe each of these parts; fourthly demon∣strate them after the order they offer themselves to our sight in dissection.

The head therefore is the seat of the senses, the Pallace and habitation of reason and wisedome, from whence as from a * 1.1 fountaine infinite actions and commodities arise. It is seated above the rest of the body, that the Animall spirit from thence, as from a tower, may governe and mo∣derate * 1.2 the whole body, and performe all actions according to the praescript of nature. By the head we understand all that which is contained from the Crowne of the head to the first vertebra of the neck.

The best figure of the head is round, lightly flatted on each side, extuberating some∣thing * 1.3 to the fore and hinde part thereof. For from hence is taken an argument of the goodnesse of the senses; on the contrary, those which are exactly round, or acu∣minate, and sharp towards the top, are not thought good. The head is devided into the face, forehead, temples, the forepart, the crowne and hinde part. * 1.4

By the face we understand, whatsoever is contained between the Eye-browes and the lower part of the chin. By the forehead, all the space from the eye-browes even to the Coronall future. By the temples, whatsoever is hollowed from the lesser Corner of the eye, even to the eares. By the forepart of the head, whatsoever runnes in length from the top of the forehead, or the Coronall suture, even to the suture lambdoides, and on each side to the Ossa petrosa, the stony bones, or scaly sutures. By the Crowne we signifie a certaine point exquisitely in the midst of the Sagittall future, which is suf∣fyciently knowne. By the Occiput or hindepart of the head, that which is terminated by the suture lambdoides, and the first vertebra of the neck.

Of all these parts there be some simple, some compound, besides some are con∣taining,

some contained. Of the containing some are common to all the parts of the head, as the skinne, the fleshy pannicle and pericranium; others are proper to certaine * 1.5 parts, as the fleshy panicle to the neck, face, forehead, and skin covering the Cranium, the common coat of the muscles to the fat and face; The skull and both the Meninges to the braine.

The parts contained are the substance of the braine, the foure ventricules, and the bodyes contained in them, the nerves, the mamillary processes; the Plexus Choroides or * 1.6 Rete Admirabile, the Glandula Basilaris, and others of which we will speak hereafter.

Wee must now speak of the containing parts beginning with the skinne; for the order of teaching requires that we take our Exordium from the more simple, but first we will say some thing of the haires.

The haire is nothing els than an excrement generated and formed of the more * 1.7 grosse and terrene portion of the superfluities of the third concoction, which could not be wasted by insensible transpiration. The benefite of it is, that consuming the grosse * 1.8 and fuliginous or sooty excrements of the braine it becomes a cover and ornament for the head.

This haire of the head and eye-browes have their originall from the first confor∣mation of the infant in the wombe, the rest of the haires of the body arise and grow forth as the body growes and becomes more dry, of which sort are the haires which cover the Chin, armeholes, groines and other parts of our bodyes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What the head is.
• * 1.2

  Why seated in the highest place.
• * 1.3

  The figure.
• * 1.4

  The division thereof.
• * 1.5

  The •…•…ining parts of the head.
• * 1.6

  The parts conteined.
• * 1.7

  What the haire is.
• * 1.8

  The use there∣of.