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

CHAP. VII. Of the ventricles and mamillary processes of the Braine.

FOr the easie demonstration of the ventricles of the braine, it is convenient * 1.1 you cut away a large portion thereof, and in your cutting observe the blood sweating our of the pores of it. But besides, it is fit you consider the spongy substance by which the excrements of the braine are heaped up, to be presently strained out, and sent away by the hollow passage. In the substance of * 1.2 the braine you must observe 4 ventricles, mutually conjoined by certaine passages, by which the spirits endued with the species of things sensible, may goe from one into another. The first and two greater, one on each side are placed in the upper braine. The third is under them in the middle part of the braine. The fourth and last at the * 1.3 fore side of the Cerebellum, towards the beginning of the spinall marrow. The two formost are extended the length way of the braine in the forme of a semicircle, whose hornes looke or bend outwards. They are spacious and large, because it was meet the Spirits contained there together with their excrements, should be there purified and clensed; but in other ventricles, the pure and already elaborate spirits are onely re∣ceived. These ventricles are white and smooth in their inner superficies; but that on each side they have an extuberancy at the midst of the semicircle, scituate at the

basis of the Pillar of the middle ventricle towards the nose under the Septum lucidum or cleere partition, severing or parting in sunder these two ventricles.

This Septum lucidum, or cleare or thin partition, is nothing else than a portion of * 1.4 the braine indifferently solide, but very cleere, that so through this partition the animall spirits contained in these two ventricles may mutually passe and bee commu∣nicated, and yet no other grosser substance may peirce the thin density thereof.

Wherefore it is not to be feared, that the water contained in one of the ventricles * 1.5 may passe to the other through this partitiō, as I have oft times observed to the great admiration of the spectators in the dead bodyes of such as dyed of the Palsy, in which I have found the ventricle of that side which was taken with the palsy much dilated, according to the quantity of the water contained therein, the other being either wholy empty and without any; or certainly no fuller than in any other, dead through any other occasion. For some affirme that there is a certaine kind of waterish moisture alwaies to be found in the ventricles, which may be made by the condensation of the Animall spirits by the force of the deadly cold. But these two first ventricles of the braine goe into one common passage, as both the bellowes of a fornace, whereby the spirit instructed with the species of things goes into the under, or middle ventricle from theformer. In these same first ventricles the Plexus Choroides is to be considered, and in like manner the passage by which the grosser excrements are driven or sent into the pituitary Glandule.

[illustration]

The Third Figure represents the Cerebellum with the wormy processes separated from it.

AB, The right and left part of the After-braine.

C D, The anterior and po∣sterior regions of the middle part of the After braine.

E, The anterior wormy processe.

F, The posterior wormy processe.

GG, In this place the Af∣ter-braine did grow to the spinall marrow. H, The cavity in the spinall marrow maketh the forth ventri∣cle. I K. The anterior and posterior processes of the braine, called vermi-formes or the wormy processes.

This Plexus Choroides is nothing else, but a production of the Pia mater diversly * 1.6 folded with the mutuall implication of veines and arterys woven in the forme of a net. These vessels are of magnitude and capacity sufficient, both to yeild life and nourishment to that particle to which they are fastened, as also for the generation of the Animall spirits, as which take fit matter from the veines stretched fourth into this same Plexus, the hinde artery and veine Torcular; and also from the aire entring * 1.7 into the braine by the mamillary processes. But the mamillary processes are certaine common waies for conveyance of the aire and smells into the braine, and carrying of excrements from the braine.

For thus in them who have the Catarrhe and Corizae or pose, neither the aire, nor smels can penetrate into the braine; whence frequent sneesings ensue, the braine strongly moving it selfe to the expulsion of that which is troublesome to it. But of the excrements of the braine, whether bred there, or proceeding from some other part, some are of a fumide and vaporous nature which breathe insensibly through the Sutures of the skull; Others are grosse and viscide, of which a great part is expelled

by both these productions, or through each of them. For thus in the Pose you may see some who have one of their nosthrils stopt, the other running, and some who have both obstructed. The most proper benefit of the two first ventricles of the braine is to entertaine the Phantasie as in a convenient seat and habitation, seeing the minde * 1.8 there estimates and disposes in order the species of things brought in from the ex∣ternall senses, that so it may receive a true judgement of them from reason which re∣sides in the middle ventricle.

The third ventricle is seated betweene the hindermost extremityes of the former * 1.9 ventricles; and the last ventricle of the Cerebellum. In this sixe parts present them∣selves to our consideration, that is the Psalloides or Arch, the Conarium, or pine Glan∣dule, the Buttockes, wormelike productions, the Bason and passage which is from this middle into the last and hindemost ventricle. The Psalloides or arch is nothing els, but the cover of the middle ventricle, resembling a roofe borne up with three stayes or pillars, the one whereof is extended to the nose under the Septum lucidum, the two * 1.10 other on each side one, looke towards the backe part of the braine. This is the reason of this figure which is outwardly convexe and inwardly concave, to wit, that there might be free space for that motion which the Animall spirit inwardly produces, and besides that it might more easily sustaine the burden of the braine lying upon it. For an arched figure is the most convenient of all other to sustaine a waight.

The Conarium or Pine glandule, is a small Glandule of the same substance with * 1.11 the braine, round and somewhat long, like a pine Apple, from whence it hath the name; this Glandule is seated over against a small hole which descends to the lowest ventricle. It hath this use, to strengthen the division of the vessells led thither with the production of the Pia mater for the generation of the animall spirits, and the life and nourishment of the braine.

The Nates or Buttocks are subjected or placed under this Glandule, that is, bodies * 1.12 of a solid and white substance drawne out in length like a childs buttocks, especially in beasts, and cheifly in a sheepe. These buttocks have such a solid substance, that so they may keepe open and free the passage, or channell that runnes downe from the middle to the lower ventricle, by meanes of which the Braine participates with the Cerebellum.

The worme is a production of the Cerebellum or After-braine, to wit a por∣tion of the same being in the top or beginning and as it were in the entrance thereof, * 1.13 being like many litle circles or wheeles mutually knit together by slender mem∣branes; and it is so called because it resembles those thicke white wormes which are found in rotten wood. It doth as it were performe the office of a porter to the formerly mentioned passage, that it may give way and entrance into the Cerebellum to a necessary quantity of spirits, when need requires; lest that, if they should rush with a suddaine violence into the Cerebellum, they might confound the imprinted notions of things to be remembred.

The Pelvis or Bason is a passage appointed for the carrying away of the grosse ex∣crements * 1.14 by the palate, and is so called because it hath the similitude and use of a bason or Tunnell: it descends from the third ventricle into the Glandule which is seated betweene the processes of the wedge-bone called the saddle thereof, as you may perceive by putting in a spatherne. Now there remaines the last of the sixe parts proposed to our consideration in the third ventricle, that is, the Channell or passage running from this third ventricle into the fourth, for the use formerly men∣tioned.

This Channell descending in its originall from the Bason, goes from thence under the buttocks into the last ventricle, the Meninges being perforated; which that you * 1.15 may shew, it is fit you put the end of a spatherne through it. The benefit of the third ventricle is; that it may be as a Tribunall or judgment seate to the Reasoning facul∣ty, when the minde will draw conclusions from things seene.

The fourth ventricle is seated in the place we formerly mentioned; it is lesse than * 1.16 the rest, but more solide; lesse as that which was not to receive the spirit before it was purified, and clensed from all impurities; but more solid that it might con∣taine it the safer. The use therof is, to be as a Treasury and store-house of the opinion,

and judgments which reason shall decree, that when neede requires, wee may fetch and draw them from thence as laid up in store. I know Galen, and the Greeke Phy∣sitions have not so distinguished in places the three fore-mentioned facultyes; but have written, that they all are all over confused through the whole substance of the braine, which opinion also Fernelius in his Pathologia hath renewed. Yet I had rather follow this opinion, as commonly received and celebrated by the Arabian Phy∣sitions.

The Mammillary processes are the instruments and passages of smelling, being of * 1.17 the same substance with the braine, and like nerves, which runne out from the hinde hornes of the upper or foremost ventricles of the braine to the Ethmoides and spon∣gy bones of the nose, that hence they may receive the divers kinds of smells, and carry them into the Braine. But although they be like nerves, yet they are not ac∣counted nerves because they go not out of the scull.

[illustration]

The Fourth and Fift figures of the Braine.

Figure 5.

R R R, The lower superficies of the callous body reflected.

S T V, The triangular surface of the Fornix or Arch.

X X, The lower part of the partition of the ventricles continuated with the Arch.

Y Y, The upper part of the partiti∣on continued with the callous body.

Figure 6.

A A A, The lower surface of the Arch.

B C, Two corners of the Arch, by which it is continuated with the ventricles.

D E, The right and left ventricles.

F G, Arteries climbing up from the sleepy arteries through the lower side of the ventricles for the for∣ming of that complication of ves∣sels which is called Plexus cho∣roides.

H, A vessell issuing out of the fourth Sinus under the Arch, and passing into the third venticle.

I K L, The division of this vessell, a part whereof goeth to the right venticle at K, and another to the left at L.

M N, The Plexus choroides made of the artery F G, and the vessell H.

O O, Small veines passing thorough the ventricles of the braine, pro∣duced from the vessels K and L.

P, Other veines arising from the same, dispersed without the ventricles into the Piamater. Q. A passage from the third ventricle unto the Bason or Tunnell. R S, Canales or Sinus graven or furrowed in the substance of the ventricles, in which the phlegme is led along to the orifice of the foresaid passage marked with Q.

[illustration]

The Sixth figure of the Braine.

Figure 10.

A A, Parts of the spinall marrow cut from the braine.

BC, The places where th•…•… marrow did grow un∣to the braine.

D E, The Testicles. FG, The buttocks, H. the pine-glandule.

From I to K, A part of the third ventricle go∣ing to the fourth, under the Testicles.

K L M N, A part of the fourth ventricle which is engraven in the mar∣row. O, The top of the fourth venticle. P, The place where the spinall marrow goeth out of the skull. Figure 11. AB. Parts of the opticke nerves. C D, The sleepy arteries. E, The Bason or Tunnell hanging downe. F, A hole or perforation of the dura meninx, through which the Tunnell reacheth unto the glandule. GG, Parts of the second conjugation of sinnewes. Figure 12. A, The Glandule. B, The Bason or Tunnell called Peluis or Infundibulum. C D E F, The foure holes thorough which the phlegmaticke excrement issueth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The substance of the braine is porous and swe••••s forth blood.
• * 1.2

  The foure ventricles thereof.
• * 1.3

  The magni∣tude of the upper ventri∣cles of the braine.
• * 1.4

  The Septum Lucidum.
• * 1.5

  Why the Palsie o•• ••••de i•…•… presently com∣municated to the other.
• * 1.6

  The Plexus Choroides.
• * 1.7

  The Processus Mammillares.
• * 1.8

  The use of the upper ventricles of the Braine.
• * 1.9

  The seat of the third ven∣tricle of the braine. The parts to be considered in it.
• * 1.10

  What the fornix or Arch is, and the use therof.
• * 1.11

  What the Conartum or pinc Glandule is.
• * 1.12

  What the Nates or But∣tocks are.
• * 1.13

  What the worme is.
• * 1.14

  Here the Pel∣vis or Bason is confounded with the Tunnell.
• * 1.15

  The Channell from the third into the fourth ventricle.
• * 1.16

  The fourth ventricle of the Braine.
• * 1.17

  The use of the Mammillary processes.