The haven of health Chiefly gathered for the comfort of students, and consequently of all those that have a care of their health, amplified upon five words of Hippocrates, written Epid. 6. Labour, cibus, potio, somnus, Venus. Hereunto is added a preservation from the pestilence, with a short censure of the late sicknes at Oxford. By Thomas Coghan Master of Arts, and Batcheler of Physicke.

CHAP. 194. Of Milke.

MIlke is made of bloud twise concocted, or as I∣saak Iudaeus defineth it,* 1.1 Lac non est aliud nisi sanguis secundo coctus in uberibus: For untill it come to the paps or udder, it is plaine bloud: but afterward by the pro∣per nature of the paps it is turned into milke. Diosco. giveth this commendation to milke generally,* 1.2 Lac generatim omne boni succi est, corpus alit, aluum emollit, stomachum & intestina inflatione vexat. But this last in∣convenience may bee holpen, as he teacheth after∣ward:

minus inflat quodcunque semel fervefactum est.* 1.3 And I was wont to helpe it by putting in a little pepper, Cloves and Mace. Milke, notwithstanding that it seemeth to be wholly of one substance, yet it is com∣pact or made of three severall substances, that is to say in effect,* 1.4 of Creame, Whey and Cruds. O•• Creame is made Butter, and of Cruds Cheese, of which I shall entreat afterward. But of milke there is great diffe∣rence, not onely concerning the kindes; but also tou∣ching the time of the yeare. For Cow milke is thickest and the milke of a Cammel is thinnest,* 1.5 and the milke of a Goate is betweene both. Wherefore in the gover∣nance of health,* 1.6 Goats milke is best, and Cow milke is next. Yet the goodnesse of the pasture helpeth much to the goodnesse of the milke: for ill pastures make ill mylke, and good pastures make good milke: for such as the food is such is the bloud, and such as the bloud is,* 1.7 such is the milke, as Galen excellently pro∣veth, by example of Goats which fed on Spurge and Scammony, whose milk was very laxative. Also by ex∣ample of a Nurse; who having fed much of wilde herbs after she gave sucke to a childe, infected the same with many sores and byles. And touching the time of the yeare I say, that in the spring time, mylke is thinnest, and at the fall of the leafe it is thickest and best accor∣ding to that old saying,* 1.8 when ferne waxeth red, then is milke good with bread. And how naturall and nou∣rishing a meat, Mylke is, may be perceived not onely by children, who live and like better with that, than with any other thing: but also men and women, who being used from their childhood for the most part to Milk, and to eat none or little other meat but milk and Butter, appeare to be of good complection and fashi∣on

of body. And no marvaile: for where milke is well digested, it engendreth good bloud, and giveth great nourishment, yea, it is a restorative for them that bee wasted or in a consumption, or be leane, as appeareth in Scho. Sal. in these words.* 1.9

Lac hecticis sanum, caprinum, post camelinum, Ac nutritivum, plus omnibus ast asininum,* 1.10 Plus nutritivum vaccinum, sic & ovinum, Ad sit si febris, caput & doleat, fugiendum est.

Whereby it appeareth that Goats Milke is princi∣pall in a consumption, Quia mediae est consistentiae,* 1.11 as Ga∣len saith, because it is not so thinne as Camels milke or Asses milke, nor so fat and thicke as Cow milke or Sheepes milke, yet common experience proveth that womens milke sucked from the breast is with∣out comparison best of all in a consumption, Wher∣of a notable example was shewed of late yeares in the old Earle of Cumberland,* 1.12 who being brought to utter weakenesse by a consuming Fever, by meanes of a Womans sucke together with the good counsaile of learned Physitians, so recovered his strength, that be∣fore being destitute of heires male of his owne body, he gate that most worthy gentleman that now is inhe∣ritour both of his fathers vertues and honour. But in the last verse it is said that milke hurteth them that have the ague or the head ach: the reason is,* 1.13 because in bodies that bee distempered, it is lightly corrup∣ted in the stomacke, and is turned into cholerick fumes, which both inflame the body and grieve the head.* 1.14 Also milke is hurtfull to them that have the Cholicke or stone, or obstructions of the Li∣ver or Splene. But it is especially good for them which be oppressed with melancholy, which is a com∣mon

calamity of students.* 1.15 And for this purpose it should be drunke in the morning fasting abundantly, new milked warme from the udder. But who so would use it, should cause the beast to be milked into a vessell wherein are first put a few leaves of Speare Mynt, a little Sugar or pure Hony. For by this meanes it shall neither rise in the stomacke afterward, nor yet turne into cruds, and after it should abstaine both from other meats and exercise for three or foure houres, for so doing it may purge the belly, which is one good property that milke hath:* 1.16 for because it is buttery, it washeth and cleanseth the intrailes, and is good against pricking paynes of the Lungs, guts, reynes, and bladder. But otherwise if the Whey bee consumed by any meanes, Milke rather bindeth the belly than looseth, and may be used as a medicine for a laske in this manner. Take Milke warme from the Cow,* 1.17 or else new milked, and heate a gad of Steele or Iron glowing hot in the fire, and quench it therein, so doing nine or tenne times, together, then drinke it fasting and it will helpe. Yet some I have knowne almost growne to a flix, that by drinking of milke well boyled without salt, and well spiced with cinamome, or with chalke shaven into it, have beene eased in short time.* 1.18 But so long as the Whey is in it, it is ra∣ther laxative: for Whey of it selfe is very laxative, and may well be used of such as be costive, because it looseth the belly gently. And for this cause (as Galen writeth) Veteres ad alvum subducendam;* 1.19 hoc potu plurimo uti videntur. And this I can say of experience, that if it be commonly drunke at the spring of the yeare, and especial••y in May, it bringeth the body to good tem∣per, and is good against itch, skabs, Morphew, and

other impediments, without the skinne, and maketh a good colour in the face, (as I suppose) for that it pur∣geth Choler and Melancholy, and qualifieth the heat of the stomacke and liver: all which properties are briefely set forth in Scho. Sal. in one verse.* 1.20

Incidit{que} lavat, penetrat, mundat quo{que} Serum.

Some use to boyle Fumitory, Hartstong, Endive, or Succory, Scabiouse, Violet leaves, Sorell, and such like cooling herbes in the Whey,* 1.21 and so it is made more ef∣fectuall for the foresaid purposes, and who so needeth may use this decoction, for it is of great force.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Par 5. What milke is.
• * 1.2

  Lib. 2. c. 6 4.
• * 1.3

  How the windi∣nesse of m••lk may be holpen.
• * 1.4

  Three substan∣ces in milke.
• * 1.5

  Three sorts of milke.
• * 1.6

  Goats mylke is best.
• * 1.7

  Lib. 3. de Ali fa. cap. 15.
• * 1.8

  What time of the yeare milk is best.
• * 1.9

  Cap 34.
• * 1.10

  The degrees of milke in goodnesse.
• * 1.11

  Lib. 3. de ali fa. cap. 15.
• * 1.12

  The Earle of Comberland cured of a con∣sumption by womans milke.
• * 1.13

  Why milke is unwholsome in Ag••es or Head ache.
• * 1.14

  Milke is ill for the Collick or stone, and cau∣seth obstructi∣ons.
• * 1.15

  Milke good against me∣lancholy
• * 1.16

  Whether milke be loosing or binding.
• * 1.17

  A medicine for a la••ke.
• * 1.18

  Whey.
• * 1.19

  Lib. 3 de. ali. fa. cap. 15.
• * 1.20

  Cap. 36.
• * 1.21

  A cooling de∣coction of whey good for many purposes.