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OF VLCERS, FISTVLA'S, AND Haemorrhoides. THE THIRTEENTH BOOKE. (Book 13)
CHAP. I. Of the nature, causes, and differences of Vlcers.
HAving already handled and treated of the nature, difference, causes, signes and cure of fresh and blood wounds, reason & * 1.1 order seeme to require that we now speake of Vlcers; taking our beginning from the ambiguity of the name. For accor∣ding to Hippocrates, the name of Vlcer most generally taken * 1.2 may signifie all or any solution of Continuity; In which sense it is read, that all paine is an Vlcer. Generally, for a wound and Vlcer properly so called; as appeares by his Booke, de Vlceribus. Properly, as when hee saith, it is a signe of death when an Vlcer is dryed up through an Atrophia, or defect of nourishment. Wee * 1.3 have here determined to speake of an Vlcer in this last and proper signification. And according thereto wee define an Vlcer to bee the solution of Continuity in a soft * 1.4 part, and that not bloody, but ••ordide and unpure, flowing with qui••••ure, Sauies or any such like corruption, associated with one or more affects against nature, which hinder the healing and agglutination thereof; or that we may give you it in fewer words according to Galens opinion; An ulcer is a solution of Continuity, caused by * 1.5 Erosion. The causes of Vlcers are either internall or externall. The internall are through the default of humors peccant in quality rather than in quantity, or else in both, and so making erosion in the skinne and softer parts by their acrimonie and ma∣lignitie; Now these things happen eyther by naughty and irregular diet, or by the ill disposition of the entrailes, sending forth and emptying into the habite of the body this their ill disposure. The externall causes are, the excesse of cold seazing upon any part, especially more remote from the fountaine of heate, whence fol∣lowes paine, * 1.6 whereunto succeeds an attraction of humors and spirits into the part, and the corruption of these so drawne thither by reason of the debility or extincti∣on of the native heate in that part, whence lastly ulceration proceeds. In this num∣ber of externall causes may be ranged, a stroake, contusion, the application of sharpe and acrid medicines, as causticks, burnes; as also impure contagion, as appeares by the virulent vlcers acquired by the filthy copulation or too familiar conversation of such as have the French disease. How many and what the differences of Vlcers are, you may see here described in this following Scheme.