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. XI. Of the Temperament and motion of the Lungs.

COncerning the Temperament of the Lungs, there is question among the Ma∣sters of our Art. Some hold them in the actiue qualities to bee cold, others to be hot. Those that would haue them cold giue these reasons for their asser∣tion.

First, because their whole frame and structure consisteth of spermaticall that is cold parts: these are, the gristly artery, the arteriall veine, and the venall artery.

Secondly, because they are made to refrigerate the heart, wherefore they are called the Fanne of the heart.

Thirdly, because they are subiect to colde diseases, as obstructions, shortnes of winde, difficulty of breathing, and knottines called Tubercula.

Fourthly, because they abound with flegmaticke and cold humors, which is discerned by that we cough vp.

Lastly, they alleadge an authoritie and a reason out of Hippocrates, the authority, for that he sayth, The Lungs are of their owne nature cold, and are farther cooled by inspiration. Hip∣pocrates ground out of which they draw this argument is where hee sayeth in his Booke de Alimentis, The Lungs do draw a nourishment contrary to their body, whereas al other parts draw that which is like to them. From whence they reason thus. The Lungs draw vnto them∣selues blood attenuated in the right ventricle of the heart and are therewith nourished. That bloud being very hot, their substance (if Hippocrates sayd true, who is sayde neuer to haue deceiued any man, nor neuer to haue beene deceiued himselfe) must needes bee cold. But these arguments may thus bee answered.

To the first, the vessels are not the substance of the Lungs but the flesh; which is made of a hot and frothy bloud.

To the second, that they refrigerate and coole the heart not by their owne Tempera∣ment, but because they drawe and containe outward ayre, which is alwaies colder then the heart though it he neuer so soultry hot.

To the 3. that their vessels because they are many and diuersly implicated are subiect to ob∣structiōs, but their flesh which is their true substāce is subiect to inflamations & hot affects.

To the fourth, that the aboundance of flegme which we cough vp, is not generated by the natiue temper of the Lungs but falleth continually from the head which is the recep∣ticle of cold excrements into the Lungs, so saith Hippocrates, Many Catarrhes or Rheumes fall into the vpper venter, that is the Chest. The lower part also as the stomack and the hypo∣chondria do send vp plentiful vapors which the Lungs with this continuall motion do mixe with the foresaid humor & thence commeth the whitnes. And as for Hippocrates authority

it may bee answered that hee compareth the temper of the Lungs with the remper of the heart and then indeed they are cold, as also the aer of a hot-house is cold in respect of the heart.

In the other place we say that Hippocrates speaketh of the aer inspirated or breathed in, not of bloud; and so that place proueth that the Lungs are hot rather then cold, because they draw aer which is cold and contrary to their body which is hot. But the truthis, that the contrariety he speaketh of in that place is rather a contrariety of motion; as if hee should say, other parts draw a nourishment like vnto themselues frō an inward store. house which is the Liuer into the very vtmost parts of the body; but contrariwise the Lungs draw the nourishment of the spirits, that is, the aer by the outward parts, that is, the nose and the mouth into the inward, that is, the heart. Although I am not ignorant that Galen in∣terpreteth those words otherwise which shall not be necessary to make mention of in this place.

It seemeth therefore that the Lungs are not cold; which yet will better appeare if wee can proue them to be hot. Three arguments we will be contented with; one from their substance, another from their nourishment, and a third from their vse. Their substance is fleshy soft & spongy, made as it were of the froth that ariseth of the hot bloud in the boy∣ling; therefore not cold. Againe, they are nourished with thin bloud heated and attenu∣ated in the right ventricle of the heart, which seemeth to haue beene made especially for the Lungs sake. Lastly, their vse is to prepare aer for the generation of the vitall, that is, the hottest spirit; they must therefore be hot. Thus Physitions reason on either side. I will onely heere put a doubt, reseruing the determination to another place.

The Rheume falleth out of the head, part into the Lungs and part into the stomacke; Nature in both places worketh vpon it. The stomacke boyleth it againe, attenuateth it if it be thick, and of some part of it maketh good bloud; the rest it auoydeth into the guttes where another vse is made of it; and if the heate of the stomacke be languide and weake so that it cannot sufficiently mitigate it, we then helpe Nature.

The Lungs quite contrary do thicken that part which falleth into them and that neces∣sarily, for else it could neuer he auoyded; for it must be a solid body that the aer must lift vp before it in our coughing, because there is no passage for it downward appointed by Na∣ture; and therefore it is, that thinne and subtle Rheume maketh a dry cough because the aer is not able to intercept it, but it trickleth downe the sides of the weazon still prouoking vs to cough, but in vaine because it hath not a compacted body which the aer might intercept till by time it be ripened, that is, grow thicke and then it is brought vp; or if of it selfe it do not thicken we thicken it by Art. Wee may therefore iustly wonder at this contrary worke of Nature; surely coldnesse in the Lungs can not thicken it, it being so neere to the foun∣taine of heate nor the ayer which is the moistest of al Elements cannot dry it: besides that, the Lungs are of themselues very moist as we shall prooue by and by. Againe, if heate in the Lungs do thicken it, why should it not thicken it also in the stomacke; but we see that cold stomack; doe onely make thicke and viscid flegme.

Truely heereunder lyeth a great mystery worthy of another place to be discussed in, to which therefore we will referre it and proceede to the second qualities of the Lungs, and enquire whether they be moist or dry. It may seeme they are dry, because their passages doe alwayes remaine open and neuer fall together, which is an argument of their hardnes and drynesse. Againe, Galen saith (in his 4. booke de vsu partium) they are nourished with chollericke bloud, but chollericke bloud is dry. Lastly, Hippocrates saith the Lungs are the seare of drought; for he appointeth two places of drought, the stomack & the Lungs. Concerning which, is that notable edict of Hippocrates (in Epidemijs.) The way to appease and satisfie thirst is to drinke cold water and to breathe in cold aer. These arguments we will first answere before we determine the contrary.

To the first we answere, that if the opennes of their passages argue their drinesse, then should the braine also be dry whose ventricles are alwayes open and do not fall together in the strongest concussions or motions of the head, as in sneezing and fits of the Epilepsie or falling sicknesse. As therefore the braine is harder in the ends of the ventricles thereof (in which respect Anatomists cal that part the Callous body as we shall heare heereafter): So the Lunge where it compasseth the vessell is somewhat harder: or say rather, that the stif∣nesse and hardnesse of the branches of the Sharpe and Rough Artery do hold it out & keep the passages in a kinde of distention.

To the second we answere, that Galen by bilious or Cholericke blood meaneth thin and attenuated blood laboured in the right ventricle of the heart, which no man will say is drie but rather abundantly moist, as being mingled with aer the moistest as we saide of all Ele∣ments. To the last we answere, that the Lungs indeede if they be torrified are the state of drought, because they dry vp the moisture of the heart and the partes adioyning; but if they be naturally disposed they are no cause of drought. It remaineth therefore that the Lungs are not dry, and then they must needs be moist; which yet further to prooue wee want not arguments beyond all exception. First, because they are soft; for as hardnesse is a sure note of drinesse so is softnesse of moisture, but the substance of the Lungs is soft and lax, of which the very touch is a sufficient witnesse. Besides Galens authority is plainely for it, where he saith in his 4. Booke de vsu partium, The flesh of the Spleene is soft indeed & laxe, but nothing to the substance of the Lungs which is the softest, the loosest and the lightest.

Auicen interposeth saying, That the flesh of the Lungs is not soft of his owne nature but by ac∣cident or euent, because they lie steeped & drunken as it were in the moisture which faileth from the head, therefore he saith they are not soft but maddid; which if it were so, then wold they be drier in those bodies that haue dry braines, and more ouer would in al other bodies become drier, as the moisture which falleth from the head is exhausted and dried vp, both which are contrary to all experience. We therefore conclude that the Lungs are naturally moist, and by so much moister then the liuer by how much they are softer. And thus much of the temperament of the Lungs, now followeth their motion. Concerning which I find three opinions; one of Aristotles, another of Auerrhoes; the third of Galen and the Physiti∣ans. Aristotle in the 6. chap. of his third booke De Partiammalium thinketh, that they haue the original of their motion from the heart on this manner.

The heate of the heart being encreased, with a kinde of violence lifteth vp the Lungs & then aer entreth for the auoiding of vacuity and empcinesse that infest enemy of nature; the colder aer setleth the boyling of the heate, as we see cold water beeing powred to boyling watersetleth it; as therefore in the diffusion of the heate the Lungs are dilated, so the heat residing or setling they are contracted and the aer expressed or driuen out. Auerrhoes ioy∣neth so far with Aristot'e that he thinketh the heare to be the author of Respiration, but he saith that the Lungs follow not the motion of the Chest, but are mooued by a proper and peculiar power of their owne, because else there should be a violent motion which shoulde be perpetuall, that which is vtterly against the rules of nature. True it is (saith he) that there is a wonderfull consent betweene the Chest and the Lungs, which is the cause that one of them cannot moone or rest but when the other mooueth or resteth, yet neither of them is cause or originall of the others motion. The third opinion is of Galen and the Physitians to which also we encline, who thinke the Lunges are not mooued by an inbred or proper power of their owne, for where are their Fibres and the strength of Filaments or strings for that purpose? Neither by the faculty of Pulsation which ariseth from the heart by which the arteries are mooued, & that because the motion of the Lungs somtimes doth intermit, sometimes is quicker and slower as we list: neither by the animall faculty because there be no Muscles: but we conceiue that the Lungs are mooued by an accidentary motion, as fol∣lowing the motion of the Chest to auoid vacuity. For when the Chest is distended the Lungs are filled with aer and enlarged, and when that is contracted they are emptied and fall. Galen establisheth this his opinion with this reason, because there is no disposition of the body found wherein the Lungs are mooued when the Chest remaineth immoouable: which thing Experience also confirmeth. For if the Chest be opened so as the aer may get in by the wound, the Lungs become immooueable; because the aer being gotten into the void and empty space taketh away the necessity of the motion of the Lungs which is to a∣uoid vacuity as we haue saide: but if the Chest be sound, it is of necessity that it beeing di∣stended the Lungs also should be dilated for auoyding of that vacuity. And whereas Auer∣rhoes obiecteth that there is no violent motion perpetual, and yet the motion of the lungs should be violent if it should follow the motion of the Chest. I answer, that the inference is very absurd, for euery motion is not violent which is mooued after anothers motion, for by that reason the bones also should be mooued with a violent motion. But why are not the Lungs wearied with their perpetuall motion? I aunswere, because they are almost in∣sensible.

Notes

• Of what tem∣per the lungs are. That they are cold. Reasons.
• Authority.
• A reason drawne from Hippocrates.
• Answere to the argu∣ments.
• Whence the phlegme com¦meth that we cough vp. How it be∣commeth white.
• Hippocrates expounded & retorted.
• That the lungs are hot. 3. arguments.
• A notable doubt put.
• Why the Rheume must be thickened before it bee coughed vp. Whence dry coughes cōe.
• A mystery of Nature.
• That the lungs are dry Arguments
• Answered
• Galen expoun∣ded.
• Arguments to proue the Lungs moyst.
• Auicens con∣ceite.
• Confuted.
• The determi∣nation.

  3. Opinions. Aristotles.
• Auerrhoes.
• Galens. The Lunges not mooued by any proper power of their owne. Not by the fa∣culty of Pul∣sation.
• Not by the A∣nimal faculty. But by acci∣dent or Con∣sequence.
• Galens reason.
• Experience.
• Answere to Auerrhoes.
• Why the Lunges are neuer wearie.