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IT is not sufficient to know that Amputation is necessary; but also you must learne in what place of the dead part, it must bee done, and herein the * 1.1 wisedome and judgement of the Chirurgion is most apparent. Art bids
to take hold of the quicke, and to cut off the member in the sound flesh; but the same art wisheth us, to preserve whole that which is sound, as much as in us lies. I will shew thee by a familiar example how thou maist carry thy selfe in these difficulties. Let us suppose, that the foote is mortified even to the anckle; here you must atten∣tively marke in what place you must cut it off. For unlesse you take hold of the quicke flesh in the amputation, or if you leave any putrefaction, you profit nothing by amputation, for it will creepe and spread over the rest of the body. It befits Phy∣sicke ordained for the preservation of mankind, to defend from the iron or instru∣ment and all manner of injurie, that which enjoyes life and health. Wherefore you shall cut off as little of that which is sound as you possibly can; yet so that you ra∣ther cut away that which is quicke, than leave behind any thing that is perished, ac∣cording to the advice of Celsus. Yet oft times the commodity of the action of the * 1.2 rest of the part, and as it were a certaine ornament thereof, changes this counsell. For if you take these two things into your consideration they will induce you in this propounded case and example, to cut off the Legge some five fingers breadth under the knee. For so the patient may more fitly use the rest of his Legge and with lesse trouble, that is, he may the better goe on a woodden Legge; for otherwise, if ac∣cording to the common rules of Art, you cut it off close to that which is perished, the patient will be forced with trouble to use three Legges in stead or two.
For I so knew Captaine Francis Clerke, when as his foote was strucken off with an * 1.3 iron bullet shot forth of a man of warre, and afterwards recovered and healed up, hee was much troubled and wearied with the heavy and unprofitable burden of the rest of his Legge. wherefore though whole and sound he caused the rest thereof to bee cut off, some five fingers breadth below his knee; and verily hee useth it with much more ease and facility than before in performance of any motion. Wee must doe otherwise if any such thing happen in the Arme; that is, you must cut off a little of the sound part as you can. For the actions of the Legges much differ from these of the armes, and chiefly in this that the body restsnot, neither is carried upon the armes, as it is upon the feete and Legges.
The contro∣versy decided.
Lib. 7. Cap. 33.
An observa∣ble History.