Wherein is demonstrated that Anatomy is not onely profitable, but of abso∣lute necessitie for Physitions and Chirurgions. CHAP. VIII.
AS Geographie is worthily accounted a great euidence for the credite of an History, so to them that any way appertaine to the art of Physicke, the knowledge of mans body seemeth to be very necessary, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For the Nature of the body is the first thing to be spoken of in the Art of Physicke. Againe, Hippocrates in his Booke de Flatibus, maketh but one Idea of all diseases, It is onely the variety & * 1.1 difference of places, that maketh the difference of diseases. Hee therefore that will be igno∣rant of the Historie of the parts of Mans bodie, he shall ill distinguish and discerne the af∣fections of the same, worse cure them, and worst of all foretell who are likely to recouer and escape, and who not.
The discerning and iudging of a disease, consisteth in two things, namely, the know∣ledge * 1.2 of the euil affect, & the knowledge of the part so affected. The signs of the part affe∣cted, are drawne and deriued from many Fountaines (as it were;) but especially from the scituation, and from the action empaired. For hee that knoweth the action of the sto∣macke to be concoction, if the concoction be empaired, he may easily discerne that the stomacke is ill affected. He that knoweth the Liuer to bee placed on the right side of the paunch, if the right hypochondrium or side before, or do swell, hee will presentlie affirme, that the Liuer and not the spleene is ill affected. Now this scituation, as also the actions of all the parts are taught and demonstrated vnto vs by anatomy onely.
For Prognosis or prediction of the euent of diseases, Hippocrates maketh three chiefe and maine heads of it: Those things that are auoyded, the action impaired, and the habite of the bo∣dy * 1.3 in the colour, figure, and magnitude or quantity; all which are discerned onely by Anato∣my. Now how much the knowledge of the seuerall parts of the bodie auayleth towardes the curing of diseases, Galen hath verie well expressed in the beginning of his Booke de Os∣sibus: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (saith hee) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, All things that concerne the action of healing, haue that for their scope or direction which is naturally disposed, or in a * 1.4 good and lawdable constitution. Hippocrates in his Booke de officina Medici giueth this rule, That the Physition should first looke into those thinges that are alike one to another, and then to those things that are vnlike: insinuating thereby, that he that knowes the perfect Sanitie or health of euery part, shall easily discerne if it fall from that perfection, by the perfection which remaineth in other like parts not tainted. Aristotle in his first Booke de Anima, v∣surpeth a rule of Geometry, That which is straite and right (saith he) doth not onely mea∣sure it selfe, but bewrayeth that which is oblique or crooked. In like manner, how shal a Physition restore or set right bones that are broken or out of ioynt, if hee be ignorant of their naturall place, figure, and articulation? The exquisite method of healing cannot bee performed but by indications, and indications are not onely deriued from the disease, but also from the part affected, and the remedies must bee changed and altered, according to