and substantive word shewes the humor bearing dominion, but the latter or adjective that which is inferiour in mixture. But if they concurre in equall quantity, there will be thereupon made Erysipelas Phlegmone; Erysipelas oedema; Erysipelas scirrhus.
Galen acknowledges two kinds of Erysipelaes, one simple and without an ulcer, the other ulcerated. For Choler drawne and severed from the warmnesse of the blood, running by its subtlety and acrimony vnto the skin, ulcerates it; but restrai∣ned by the gentle heat of the blood, as a bridle, it is hindred from peircing to the top of the skin, and makes a tumor without an ulcer. But of unnaturall choler are caused many other kinds of cholericke tumors, as the Herpes exedens, and Miliaris, and last∣ly all sorts of tumors which come betweene the Herpes and Cancer. You may know Erysipelaes cheifly by three signes, as by their colour, which is a yellowish red; by their quicke sliding backe into the body at the least compression of the skin (the cause of which is the subtlety of the humor and the outward site of it under the skin, whereupon by some an Erysipelas is called a Disease of the skin) Lastly by the num∣ber of the Symptoms, as heat, pulsation, paine. The heat of an Erysipelas is far greater than that of a Phlegmon, but the pulsation is much lesse; for as the heat of the blood is not so great, as that of choler, so it farre exceeds choler in quantity and thicknesse, which may cause compression and obstruction of the adjacent muscle.
For Choler easily dissipable by reason of its subtlety quickly vanishes, neither doth it suffer it selfe to be long conteined in the empty spaces betweene the muscles; neither doth an Erysipelas agree with a Phlegmon in the propriety of the paine. For that of an Erysipelas is pricking and biting without tension, or heavinesse, yet the primitive, antecedent and conjunct causes are alike of both the tumors. Although an Erysipelas may be incident to all parts, yet principally it assailes the face, by reason of the rarity of the skin of that place, and the lightnesse of the cholericke humor flying upwards. It is ill when an Erysipelas comes upon a wound, or ulcer, and al∣though it may come to suppuration, yet it is not good; for it shewes that there is obstruction by the admixture of a grosse humor, whence there is some danger of erosion in the parts next under the skin.
It is good when an Erysipelas comes from within outwards; but ill when from with∣out it retires inward. But if an Erysipelas possesse the wombe it is deadly, and in like manner if it spread too far over the face, by reason of the sympathy of the mem∣branes of the braine.