CHAP. XIV. Of Sowning.
SOwning is a suddaine and pertinacious defect of all the powers, but especi∣ally the Vitall; In this the Patients lie without motion and sense, so that the Ancients thought that it differed from death onely in continuance of time. * 1.1 The cause of sowning, which happens to those that are wounded, is bleeding, which causeth a dissipation of the spirits: or feare which causeth a * 1.2 suddaine and joint retirement of the spirits to the heart. Whence followes an intermission of the proper duty as also of the rest of the faculties, whilest they being thus troubled, are at a stand. Also Sowning happens by a putrid and venenate vapour, carried to the heart by the Arteries, and to the Braine by the Nerves; by which you may gather that all sowning happens by three causes. The first is, by dissipation of the spirits and native heat, as in great bleeding. And then by the oppression of these spirits by obstruction, or compression as in a feare, or tumult; For thus the spirits fly back hastily from the surface and habit of the body, unto the heart and center. Last∣ly, by corruption, as in bodies filled with ill humors, and in poysonous wounds. The signes of Sowning are Palenes, a dewy and sudden sweat arising, the failing of the pulse, a sudden falling of the body upon the ground without sense & motion, a cold∣nesse possessing the whole body, so that the Patient may seeme rather dead, than a∣live. For many of these who fall into a sowne dye unlesse they have present helpe.
Therefore you shall helpe them, if when they are ready to fall, you sprinckle much * 1.3 cold water in their face, if that the sowning happen by dissipation of the spirits, or if they shall be set with their faces upwards, upon a bed or on the ground, as gently as may be; and if you give them bread dipt in wine to hold and chew in their mouths. But if it be caused by a putrid vapour and poysonous aire, you shall give them a little * 1.4 Mithridat or Treacle in Aqua vitae with a spoone, as I usually do to those which have the plague, or any part affected with a Gangreene, or sphacell. But if the patients can∣not be raised out of their sownes, by reason of the pertinatious oppression and com∣pression of the spirits about the heart, you must give them all such things as have power to diffuse, callforth and resuscitat the spirits, such as are, strong wines to drink, sweet perfumes to smell: You must call them by their owne name, lowd in their eare, and you must pluck them somewhat hard by the haires of the Temples, and neck. Al∣so rub the temples, nostrils, wrests and palmes of the Hands with Aquavitae, wherin Cloves, Nutmegs, and Ginger have beene steeped.