Praxis medicinæ, or, the physicians practice vvherein are contained inward diseases from the head to the foote: explayning the nature of each disease, with the part affected; and also the signes, causes, and prognostiques, and likewise what temperature of the ayre is most requisite for the patients abode, with direction for the diet he ought to obserue, together with experimentall cures for euery disease. ... Written by that famous and worthy physician, VValter Bruel.

The Causes.

It is caused for the most part by melancholy humours, which are the dregs of blood, and are caught into the spleene from the veines of the body, and there remaine for a long time. Or else it is caused, because all the veines of the body doe flow with such melancholy blood; for this bowell by nature is appointed to receiue it; or it is gathe∣red in the spleene in so great abundance, that the passages are stopped, thorow which this excrement is thrust out of the spleene into the stomacke, or belly. Sometimes such store hereof is gathered in the spleene, that it doth stretch the whole substance thereof: So that when such plenty is therein gathered, first a loose tumor is bredde, and then remaining long in the bowell, because of the weaknes of the expulsiue faculty, or else for some other cause, in time by force of heate it doth grow thicke and hard, whereby great abstruction of the veines and passages are caused, thorow which the spleene was wont to be purged: in time also this matter doth grow hard, and hereof is caused the Schirrhus of the spleene. This also happens in the infla∣mation of the spleene, whenas such medicines are applied, that are astringent aboue measure, or else dissolue the

strength too much. Sometimes it is caused by watry and phlegmy humours, deriued thither from some other place, as may bee perceiued in those who haue escaped long, cold and moist diseases.