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 of the Braine.

THE Physitians and the Peripatetikes in this do agree, that the brain in the Actiue qualities is cold, in the Passiue moyst. But heere in they differ, that Aristotle in the seuenth Chapter of his second booke De partib. Animalium and in the fift Chapter of his booke De Somno & Vigilia, determines that the braine is actually cold and ordained to refrigerate or coole the heart. Contrariwise, the Physitians say that it is Actually hot. For Galen in his eight booke De Placitis Hip. & Platonis saith, that the brain is hotter then the most soultry aer in summer. * 1.1 Some there are that do thus reconcile Galen and Aristotle; There is (say they) a double temperament of the braine, the one In-bred, the other Influent: by the In-bred temper, the proper composition and the marrowy substance, the braine is very cold; but by the influent temper it is hot, for it is full of spirits and intertexed with very many small Ar∣teries.

If you respect the in-bred temper, then is the temperament of the braine and the spinall marrow one and the same, because they haue the same marrowy substance. If you respect the Influent temper, then saith Galen in the ninthe chapter of his second booke De Temperam. the braine is hotter then the spinall marrow, as well because there passe vnto it more Arteries, as also because many fumid exhalations do ascend vnto it. Some say, that the braine is simply and obsolutely hot; but colde comparatiuely, because it is the coldest of all the bowels. And Galen in Arte medica writeth, That a hot braine is col∣der then the coldest heart. In which respect Hippocrates in his booke de Glandulis calleth

the braine 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Seate of Coldnesse. But I cannot approue this opinion. For if the brain be colder then the skinne which is in a meane betwixt the extremes, then it is simply cold and not hot. Now that it is colder then the skin Galen teacheth in his second booke de Temperamentis.

It will be obiected, that if the braine be laide bare it will presently be refrigerated * 1.2 by the aer, whereas the skin is not affected therewith. I answer, that the braine is altered * 1.3 by the aer, because it is not accustomed thereto as the skinne is; so the Teeth beecause they are accustomed to the aire do not grow blacke as other bones do if they bee layde bare. Or againe, that the braine is hotter to feele to then the skin, because it is couered with the scull and the membrane and hath many complications of the arteries therin. We determine therefore that the Braine of his in-bred temper is colder then the skin, but by his influent temper is hotter. That the Braine should be colde it was very necessary least a Member set a part for continuall cogitation or discourse should bee enflamed and set * 1.4 on fire. Againe, that the animall spirits which are very fine and subtill might be retained and not vanish away.

Finally, that our Motions and Sensations should not be rash or phanaticall as they are in such as are phreneticall, that is, haue their braines in flamed. It may be obiected, if the Braine be cold, how then doth it ingender animal and attenuate vitall spirits; for these are * 1.5 the workes of a vehement heare? I answer, that the spirits are attenuated in the textures of the small arteries, & in the strayghtes of those passages: & that the animall spirit is formed not so much by any manifest qualitie such as is heate, as by an in bred and hidden pro∣prietie.

But the reason why the spirits of the extreame hote Heart are thicker then those of the * 1.6 very cold Braine must not be referred to the weaknes of the heate which is the worker, but to the disposition of the matter which is the sufferer. For the heart maketh vitall spirits of of thicke blood brought vnto it through the hollow veine: the Braine maketh Animall spirits of subtill and thin vital blood and spirits: so a weaker heate boyleth a thin and easily concocted aliment, whereas a very strong heate will hardly ouercome a thicke aliment. It remaineth therefore that in the actiue qualities the braine is cold.

That in the passiue qualities it is moist both by the in-bred and influent temper no man I thinke is vnresolued: for it appeareth euen to the touch. Now it was by nature * 1.7 created moist, as well for more perfect sensation, (for sensation is a passion; and those things that are moyst do more easily receiue the images and representations of things offe∣red vnto them) as also for the originall and propagation of the nerues which would not haue beene so flexible if the braine had beene hard. Adde heereto that if the braine had beene hard it had also beene heauy and the waight and hardnesse thereof would haue bin offensiue to the sinewes.

Finally, it was made moist least being a member destined to perpetuall motion sensa∣tion and cogitation it should haue beene inflamed if the moysture had not bin an impedi∣ment thereto. But if you compare the two qualities together, then we say that the braine is more moist then cold: for amongst the moist parts it hath a third place, among the cold parts almost the last.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Reconciliatiō of Aristotle and Galen.
• * 1.2

  Obiection.
• * 1.3

  Solution.
• * 1.4

  Why the braine ought to be cold.
• * 1.5

  Obiection. Solution.
• * 1.6

  Why the spi∣rits of the ex∣treame hot heart are thic∣ker then the Animall spi∣rits.
• * 1.7

  Why the braine was made moist.