CHAP. XVI. Signes of the Plague drawne into the body by the fault and putre∣faction of humours.
FOrmerly we have reckoned up the causes of the corruption of humours from plenitude, obstruction, distemper, and the ill juice of meats. Now must wee deliver the signes of each corrupt humour which reignes in us, that it may be reduced to soundnesse and perfection of nature by the op∣position of its contrary, or else bee evacuated by physick. Therefore if the body be more yellow than usuall, it is a signe of choler offending in quantity and * 1.1 quality. If more black, then of melancholy; if more pale, then of phlegme; if more red, with the veines swolne up and full, then of bloud. Also the colour of the rising blaines, tumours and spots, expresse the colour of the predominant humour, as also the excrements cast forth by vomit, stoole and otherwise; the heavinesse and cheer∣fulnesse of the affected body; the manner of the present feaver; the time of the year, age, region, diet. Such things as have a cutting, penetrating, attenuating, and clean∣sing faculty, take away obstruction. By meanes of obstruction feavers oft-times ac∣company the Plague, and these not onely continuall, but also intermitting, like terti∣ans or quartaines. Therefore that Plague that is fixed in the infection or corruption of a cholericke humour, shewes it selfe by the forementioned signes of predomina∣ting choler, to wit, the heate of the skin, blaines and excrements, as also in the quick∣nesse of killing, and vehemency of the symptomes, bitternesse of the mouth, a paine∣full and continuall endeavour of going to stool, by reason of the acrimony of choler stimulating and raking the guts in the passage forth. That which resides in the cor∣rupt substance of grosse humours, as of bloud, sheweth it selfe by many and plentifull sweats, by a scowring, by which are avoyded many and various humours; and oft-times also bloudy matter that proceeds from corrupt phlegme, it invades with more sound sleep, & a causeless weariness of all the members; when they are awakened out of their sleepe, they are not seldome troubled with a trembling over all their joints, the entrance and way of the spirits into the members being obstructed by the grosse∣nesse of the humours. That which is seated in the corruption of a melancholy hu∣mour, is accompanied with heavinesse and paine of the head, much pensivenesse, a deep and small pulse. But the most certaine signe of the Plague residing in the cor∣ruption of the humours, is to bee taken from the urine. For the signes of the vitiated * 1.2 humours cannot but shew themselves in the urines: therefore troubled urines, and such as are like those of carriage beasts, as also blacke and greene, give certaine no∣tice thereof. But some are much troubled with thirst, others not at all, because cho∣ler or Phlegme sometimes onely putrefie in the stomacke or orifice of the ventri∣cle, * 1.3 sometimes besides they will weaken the governement of the naturall faculties of the part, as of the appetite. But if the feaver happen by the default and infection both of the Aire and Humours, then will there bee a great confusion of the fore-mentioned signes and symptomes.