Mikrokosmographia a description of the body of man. Together vvith the controuersies thereto belonging. Collected and translated out of all the best authors of anatomy, especially out of Gasper Bauhinus and Andreas Laurentius. By Helkiah Crooke Doctor of Physicke, physitian to His Maiestie, and his Highnesse professor in anatomy and chyrurgerie. Published by the Kings Maiesties especiall direction and warrant according to the first integrity, as it was originally written by the author.

QVEST. VI. Of the Excretion of the Seede, by what power or Facultie it is accomplished.

COncerning the excretion or auoyding of seede, there remaines two things to be * 1.1 handled, two doubts to be cleared. First, by what power or Faculty this excre∣tion is made, by the Naturall or by the Animall. Secondly, why there is so great pleasure in the emission of seede. Both these doubts it shall not be hard to assoil, yet because we would giue the Reader full satisfaction, we wil insist somwhat the more par∣ticularly vpon them.

That the excretion of seede is altogether Naturall may thus bee demonstrated. Because euery excrement is driuen foorth by the power of Nature, and seede is an excrement. So * 1.2 the menstrual blood which is a profitable excrement of the last Aliment of the fleshy parts is purged onely by the force of Nature at certaine times and determinate courses; where∣vpon we cal them Courses. So the Chylus which is the excrement of the stomack, although it be profitable is thrust downe into the guts by the ingenite faculty of the same stomacke onely. So the excretion of the excrements of the belly and of the bladder is meerely Natu∣rall. Moreouer for the excretion of seed, Nature hath ordained no Muscles at all, for there

appeare none in the spermaticall vesselles nor in the Testicles nor in the Prostate Glan∣dules.

Happely you will say there are the muscles called Cremesteres which compresse the Lea∣ding * 1.3 vessels, by which compression the seede is strayned forth; but we do not acknowledge that vse of the Cremaster muscles, because in the vesselles of seed which are in women there * 1.4 are no such muscles found, who notwithstanding auoyde seede as well as men as hath bin proued. Hereto may be added the authority of Hippocrates, at least of Polybius in his book * 1.5 de genitura, who referreth the cause of excretion to the spumy or frothy nature of the seed, which thence being turgid and not able to containe it selfe in his place, maketh way for his owne euacuation.

On the contrary that the excretion of seede is Animal these arguments may perswade: First, because neither whilest we wake, nor in our sleepe there is any such excretion vnlesse * 1.6 the force of the imagination goe before it. Secondly, because in the auoyding of seed the legges and the armes are contracted and the whole body suffereth a kinde of convulsion; whereupon as wee haue already sayed, Democritus calleth coition a light Epilepsie or falling sicknes. Thirdly, because that excretion is made sometime slower sometimes sooner ac∣cording to our arbitrary will and discretion. Finally, because it is alwayes ioyned with plea∣sure, now pleasure is an affect of the sensatiue faculty which is meerly Animall.

We are of the same opinion concerning the eiaculation of Seede that wee were of con∣cerning * 1.7 the erection of the yarde, to witte, that it is a mixt action of a Naturall and an A∣nimall. It is Animall because it hath imagination going before and pleasure alwayes ac∣companying it. It is Naturall, because it is made when Nature is prouoked either by an it∣ching or tickling quality, or oppressed with a burden of aboundance and that without the help of muscles.

But it must be remembred that we here speake of that profusion of seede which is Na∣turall, * 1.8 not of that which is symptomaticall, which they call the Gonorrhaea or running of the reynes; which neither hath any imagination going before nor pleasure accompanying it, neither yet is driuen out by the strength of Nature, but falleth away by reason of the acri∣mony of the seede, the weaknes of the vesselles, their convulsion and the inflamation of the neighbour parts: finally, which bringeth vpon the Patient an extenuation and consump∣tion * 1.9 of the whole body. Witnes that Satyre in Thaso whose name was Grypalopex, of whom Hippocrates maketh mention in the 7. Section of the 6. Booke Epidemiωn, who at the age of 25. yeares poured out his seed in great aboundance night and day, and in the 30. yeare was vtterly consumed and so dyed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Whether the excretion of seede be Na∣turall or Ani∣mall.
• * 1.2

  That it is na∣turall. Reason 1.
• * 1.3

  Obiection.
• * 1.4

  Answere.
• * 1.5

  Hippocrates au∣thority.
• * 1.6

  That it is ani∣mall. Reason. 1.
• * 1.7

  What we con¦clude of. It is a mixt action.
• * 1.8

  The causes of the running of the reynes.
• * 1.9

  A story of a Satyre.