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. II. Of the motion of the Heart and the Arteries or Pulse, a Philosophicall discourse.

THE busie wit of man obseruing the perpetuall motions of the heauens, hath long trauelled to imitat•• the same, and in making experiments, hath framed excellent and admirable peeces of workmanship, whilest euery one carried a perpetuall motion about himselfe, which happly hee little remembred or thought vpon, and that is the perpetuall motion of the heart, which from the day of birth, til the day of death, neuer ceaseth, but moueth continually: by what engines & pullies, what poyses and counter-poyses, what affluencies and refluencies this perpetuity is accomplished, we imagine will neither be vnprofitable nor vnpleasant to vnderstand, espe∣cially to those who desire to know and acknowledge the admirable workes of God in this little world of the body of man, as wel as his great administrations in the greater. We read of Aristotle, that when hee was in banishment in Chalcide, and obserued the seauen-fold Eb∣bing and Flowing in one day & a night of the Euripus ornarrow Frith between Aulis and the Iland Eubra, and could not finde out the cause of it, he pyned away euen to death with

sorrow. Me thinks therefore that euery man when he puts his hand but into his bosome and feeleth there a continuall pulsation, by which hee knoweth his owne life is gouerned, should also bee desirous to vnderstand what maner of engine this is, which being so small that he may couer it with his hand, hath yet such diuersities of mouing causes therein, espe∣cially considering that a little skill to cleere and dresse the wheeles may keepe this watch of his life in motion, which otherwise will furre vp and stand in his dissolution. We will therefore a little payne our selues, to discourse of the manifold difficulties wherein the cau∣ses of this motion are so intangled, that some not meerely learned haue thought, that they are onely knowne to God and Nature and to none other.

The motion therefore of the heart is double; one naturall, the other depraued. The naturall we call the Pulse, the other we call Palpitation: the one proceedeth from a Natu∣rall faculty, the other from an vnnaturall distemper: the one is an action of the heart, the o∣ther a passion. Our discourse shall be onely of the naturall motion which consisteth of a dilatation called Diastole, a contraction called Systole, and a double rest betweene them.

Aristotle imagined the onely cause of this motion to be heate, but perpetuated by the continuall affluence of oylie moysture, which as continually is consumed as it is ministred, euen as oyle put to a lampe: but the dilatation (sayth hee) commeth from ebullition or boyling of the bloud, whereby it riseth and occupieth a larger place, yea and powreth it selfe out into all the cauity adioyning thereto: and this he illustrateth by an example taken from boyling water; water when it boyleth riseth vp and occupieth larger place then it did before, but if you blowe cold ayre into it, it presently falleth; right so is it (sayth he) in the heart of a man the heate boyleth vp the bloud, and the cold ayre we draw in by inspiration settleth it againe: and this is farther proued because the pulses of yong men are more liue∣ly and stronger then of old, of whole men then of sicke, of waking men then of sleeping, because their heate is more vehement, and the feruor or working of their bloud more ma∣nifest. These things are very probable, and carry (I must needs say) a great shew of trueth, but if they be weighed in the ballance of Anatomy they will bee found but light. Herein was the Philosophers error that he vnderstandeth the heart to be distended or dilated, be∣cause it is filled: contrariwise, the Anatomist vnderstandeth the heart to bee filled because it is dilated.

In the depraued motion or palpitation of the heart it is distended indeede, because it is filled either with water or with vapours, but in the proper and naturall it is dilated by an in∣bred power of his owne, and being dilated drawes in bloud and spirits, and so is filled, like as a Smithes bellowes being opened by the power of the smith is filled with ayre whether hee will or no; bladders whilest they are filled are distended, those fill in the dilatation, these dilate in the filling.

Beside this conceite of Aristotles, others haue diuersly deuised concerning this motion. Erasistratus, Hiracledus, Erithreus, conceiued that the motion of the heart was from the A∣nimall and vitall faculties together. Auerrhoes, that it was from the appetent and senti∣ent soule; and that the heat was but the instrument which the appetite vsed: others thought that nature onely moued the heart, because alone it is sayd to bee principium motus, or be∣ginning of motion in those things that are moued: others, that the dilatation of the heart was from the soule, and the contraction meerly naturall, the sides of the heart falling down with their owne waight, like as in the disease called Tremor, or the shaking palsie; the facul∣ty of the soule continually rayseth vp the heade, and the waight beareth it downe againe, whence the perpetuall shaking proceedeth.

But trueth is, the motion of the heart is no trembling but a constant and orderly moti∣on; neither is the contraction caused by the waight of the heart, it buckling vnder the bur∣then of it selfe, but the greatest strength of the heart is in the contraction, whereby it hur∣leth forth (as the lightning passeth through the whole heauen) his spirites into the whole body, and excludeth oftentimes not without violence, the fumed vapours into the arteriall veine. But before we set downe our resolution concerning this matter, a few things are to be first established.

There is a threefold motion; Violent, Animal, and Naturall: of violent motions none at all can be perpetuall, whereupon wee may conclude that no Art can make a perpetuall motion. Animall motions are all voluntary: this Galen well describeth in the fifth Chap∣ter of his second Booke de motu musculorum, where he sayeth, If thou canst settle and ap∣pease those things that are moued or done at thy pleasure, and againe mooue or doe that

was at rest or was not done, that action or motion is truely voluntarie; if moreouer thou canst doe any thing swifter or flower, oftner or seldomer at thy pleasure, these actions are obedient to thy will. Finally, the Naturall motion is manifold, as a thing may diuers waies be sayd to be naturall.

There is one simple naturall motion which is accomplished only by nature and the E∣lementary forme; with this motion heauy things moue downeward, and light things vp∣ward.

Secondly, all motions are called Naturall which are opposed to violent motions; so the motions of the muscles, though they be voluntary, are sayd to be naturall, if they be na∣turally disposed.

Thirdly, all motions are called Naturall which are not Animall, that is, voluntarie: So Galen sayeth in the place before quoted, that the motion of the heart is not of the soule, that is, of the will, but of nature: & againe, the motion of the heart is of Nature, the motion of the chest, of the Soule.

So that Galen in his 7. Book de vsu partium, deliuering but two kinds of faculties, the one Animall, the other Naturall, vnderstandeth all that to be Naturall which is not Animall or voluntary. Now we conclude, that the motion of the heart is Natural in the third accep∣tion; that is, that it dependeth neither vpon the will, nor simply vpon Nature; but vpon the vitall faculty of the Soule which is Naturall: not vpon the wil, because wee can neither stay it nor set it going againe, neither slacken nor hasten it at our pleasure: not simply vp∣on Nature, for in a body that is animated, that is, that hath a Soule, nothing mooueth but the Soule, otherwise there should be more formes then one, and more beginners of moti∣on then one, which true and solid Philosophy will not suffer. This Soule is the Nature it selfe of the Creature, which that it may preserue the vnion between the body and it selfe, moueth the heart, concocteth in the stomacke, reboyleth in the Liuer, and perfecteth the bloud in the veines. When we say therefore that the motion of the heart is Naturall, wee meane that it is from a naturall faculty of the Soule which is not voluntary. And that this motion is natural, all the causes of it do euidently shew.

There be three immediate causes of the pulse, the Efficient, the End or finall cause, and the Instrument, all Naturall.

The Efficient cause is the vital faculty, which imploieth it selfe wholly about the gene∣ration of spirits, which by that perpetuall motion are brought foorth, for in the Diastole or dilatation it draweth bloud and ayre. In the Systole or contraction it draweth out the spi∣rits already made, and their excrements.

The Finall cause (which you may call either the vse or the necessity at your pleasure) is three-fold; the nourishment of the spirituous substance, which is kept in the left ventri∣cle of the heart; the tempering and moderating of it (for there was great danger, that be∣cause of the continuall motions the heart should be inflamed, vnlesse it had beene ventila∣ted with ayre as with a fan) and the expurgation of smoky or fumed vapors.

The Instruments also of this motion are Natural, not Animall. Galen calleth the Ani∣mall instruments, the Muscles and the Nerues: the heart is no muscle, vnlesse wee speake a∣busiuely, because of the fastnes and colour of his flesh; and for nerues there are none that reach vnto his ventricles. There is indeed a small surcle or tendrill from the sixt coniuga∣tion that maketh the Recurrent, which is disseminated in the purse and Basis of the heart, but the heart standeth in no need of it for his motion; for if this nerue be intercepted with a string, or (which is the surest way) his originall which is easily perceiued by the sides of the weazon; yet neuerthelesse is the heart moued as also the arteries, as in Dogges we haue of∣ten made experiment. Seeing therefore all the causes of the hearts motion be Naturall, we may conclude that it selfe is natural, comming from the vitall faculty which is not volūtary.

But that the trueth of this conclusion may more playnely appeare, some obiections must bee answered, which otherwise would breede scruple in the mindes of them that are not so sufficiently grounded in these secrets of Nature.

First therefore say some, all naturall motions are continuall; but the motion of the heart is interrupted with a double rest, one betweene each motion. Let vs admit that one sim∣ple Naturall motion is continuall: yet when there are two natural motions and those con∣trary, there must needs be a rest betweene them.

Secondly, they say, no natural motion is compound: but the motion of the heart is compound. I answere, The motion of the heart is not compound, but double; not simple,

because of two contrary motions cannot be made one compound motion; neither of ma∣ny motions is made one motion as one line of many poynts.

Thirdly, they vrge vs further thus, with Aristotle in the 7. Booke of his Metaph. Whatso∣euer is moued by Nature is moued to some end, which end when it hath obteyned, then it resteth; as water being heated, if by it own force and proper forme it be cooled, neuer gro∣weth hot againe by the same forme or force. Wherefore if the heart be moued natural∣ly, it is mooued that it may be dilated or contracted; when therefore it is dilated, why is it contracted? and when it is contracted, why is it dilated againe? I answere, that that is true in a motion that is purely and meerely naturall; but the motion of the heart is from the vi∣tall faculty of the Soule, which hath a naturall instinct and knowledge of his owne vse, and according to the diuers appetites of that naturall instinct moueth diuersly. For when the heart is contracted, it desireth to be dilated that it may draw in cold ayre, when it is dilated or distended, it desireth to be contracted to auoyde the smoke and soote that by his heate are ingendred: so the vitall faculty of the Soule which is sensible of his owne want, moueth the heart perpetually with diuers motions, according as the needs of the Soule do require. By which this motion of the heart is distinguished from other motions of the Naturall fa∣culty of the Soule, to wit, of the wombe and the stomacke. For the motion of these parts is not perpetual, because there wanteth a perpetuall obiect, neither doth any necessity vrge, the finall cause it is not alwayes at hand, but the heart hath a continual obiect, necessity and end: for it wanteth perpetuall nourishment, tempering and expurgation. Finally, they contend that the motion of the heart is not Naturall, because it is to two contrary poynts, but opposite and contrary motions are onely performed by the Animall faculty: so the arme is lifted vp and pulled downe onely by the will. I answere, that in things without life this is true, but all things that haue life, yea euen in plants themselues there is motion to contrary poynts. I say more, there is neuer in the Soule one motion, but presently re∣sulteth another opposite or contrary vnto it: so in nutrition, the attraction of the Aliment is from the Soule, so is also the expulsion of excrements from the same Soule. The Soule is so diuine a thing, that not only it doth many things beside the lawes of other formes, but also is the author of contraries; for it moueth vpward and downeward and beyond the Na∣ture of Elements, to the right hand, to the left. and circularly. The motion of the earth is simple and vniforme, the motion of the Soule manifold, because the forme of the earth is one and simply simple. The Soule is simple, manifold, and manifold wayes: Simple in his Essence, manifold in his Power and Vertue, and manifold wayes in his knowledge of ob∣iects, from which his operations and actions are drawne.

We therefore conclude that the motion of the heart is Naturall, and proceedeth from the vitall faculty for a certaine end and purpose of Nature, and that it doth so proceede, these two arguments doe necessarily auerre.

First, because in the dilatation there is a certaine and determinate kinde of bloud and ayre drawne perpetually through the same set and determinate vessels. In the contraction likewise the smoky ayre and the spirits are thrust out by certayne vessels.

Secondly, because the flesh of the heart is wouen with all kindes of fibres. If therefore those seuerall fibres doe in other parts some draw, some contract, and some loosen, either they are superfluous in the heart (which to say, is to blaspheme Nature) or else they haue the same vses in the heart that they haue in other partes. VVee sayed it proceeded for a certaine end, because this faculty neither worketh voluntarily as the Animall, nor accor∣ding to the power of the Agent in respect of that which suffereth, but for meere necessity. The stomack, although it be not hungry, yet it concocteth so much meat as is put into it, if it can: but the heart is not moued but as necessity vrgeth, making a pulse either swifter or slower, as the vse of Nature is to haue a slow or quick pulse.

Notes

• Euery man carries a per∣petuall moti∣on about him
• The cause of Aristot. death.
• The heart cō∣pared to a smal watch.
• The motion of the heart double. The natural motion.
• Aristotles con∣ceire of the cause.
• A pregnant example.
• Another in∣stance.
• Wherein was the Philoso∣phers error.
• Comparison.
• Erosistratus. Hiracledus.
• Auerrhoes.
• Other opini∣ons.
• The cause of the snaking palsie.
• The kinds of motions.
• Voluntary motions.
• Natural moti∣ons manifold.
• The resoluti∣on of the que∣stion.
• Three imme∣diate causes of the pulse. The efficient.
• The Final.
• The instru∣ment.
• That the nerue helpeth not the moti∣on of the hart
• The first ob∣iection.
• Answere.
• The second. Answere.
• The third.
• Answere.
• How the mo∣tion of the heart diffe∣reth from that of other parts.
• The fourth. Answere.
• The diuinity of the Soule.
• Multiplicity
• The conclusi∣on.