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.

Whether the Spermaticall parts can reioyne againe after they be violated and seuered. QVEST. VIII.

COncerning the coalition or reioyning of Spermaticall partes there is great contention; I know that many, as well of the ancient as later writers haue, and do maintain; that they may all reioyn 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; that is, according to the first intention, as Chirurgians vse to speake, and this they establish by these arguments. Where the Efficient, Materiall, and Finall causes of co∣alition are, there is nothing to hinder a reiunction; but in young, growne and aged men, this threefold cause is present, therefore in all such there may be coalition: the Maior pro∣position of it selfe is cleere enough; the Minor is thus confirmed. The Efficient cause of coalition is the forming faculty, which vseth heate as her instrument; this faculty is seated naturally in euery part, but more manifestly in the solid parts then in the fleshy. The Mat∣ter of the spermaticall parts is seede, of which there is sufficient plenty, as for nutrition and accretion or growth, so also for a newe generation. Hippocrates also, Galen and Aristotle, doe agree, that the seede is an excrement, or rather surplusage of the last concoction; now the last and most absolute aliment is plentifull enough, neuer fayling vnlesse it be in the vt∣most limit of decrepit age, and therefore the excrement or surplusage of it is not wanting. Moreouer according to Hippocrates, veines, arteries, nerues, and all spermaticall parts haue the power of procreating seed. Neither is the Finall cause wanting, for a broken bone and a diuided veine, doe after a sort desire and striue to be reunited; because the solace and com∣fort of Nature consisteth in vnion, as her sorrow and desolation in solution. They haue al∣so another argument not inelegant; Hollow vlcers are filled vp with new flesh, intertexed and wouen with small and capillarie veines, arteries and sinewes; for that flesh is sensible, it liueth and is nourished, therefore of necessity by veines, arteries and sinewes.

Who is so mad that he dare exclude the teeth out of the number of spermaticall parts? but they grow againe after they be extracted. Hippocrates in his book de Carnibus, maketh a threefould generation of the teeth. The first from the seede in the wombe; the second from milke; the third from more solid aliments. Now if by the transmutation of the ali∣ment the spermaticall parts doe encrease, why shall they not be reunited, seeing that accre∣ation is one of the kinds of generation? Galen in the seauenth chapter of the fift booke of his Method, and in the fourteenth of his Method writeth, That he hath seene many sculdered & reunited arteries. He telleth a story of a young man who had an artery diuided in his arme, which afterward did perfectly reunite againe. Also in his 91. chapter of his booke de arte parda, and in the fift chapter of the sixt booke of his Method, hee affirmeth that the bones of Children may reunite. These are the reasons which they vrge, and wherewith they goade vs to subscribe, that spermaticall partes euen according to the first intention, may reunite themselues.

Those which haue giuen vp their names against this opinion, doe labour to prooue the contrary by authorities and by reasons. And first they oppose the sixtieth Aphorisme of the sixt section; If a bone, a gristle, a nerue, or the fore-skin bee cut, they neuer reunite againe. Galen in the 8. and 10. chapters of his first booke de semine, as also in the 87. chapter de ar∣te parua, writeth that the fleshy parts doe easily conglutinate, spermatical neuer. And in the 91. chapter Artis paruae, he esteemeth a fracture in a bone to bee incurable, because bones doe not reunite according to the first intention. These authorities are seconded by Reason; first, both the Efficient and Material causes of reunition are wanting. The Efficient is the formatiue facultie, which is onely in the seede, whose drowsie & lusking faculty is onely brought in∣to act by the heate of the wombe. True it is, that there remaineth in the solid parts, a fa∣culty conseruing the figure of the part; but to make any thing anew is proper onely to the seede, the Efficient therefore is wanting.

Neither is there any Matter at hand, as the seede; which being generated onely in the testicles, how can it be transferred to the head, the arme or any other part?

Out of these waues and stormes of opinions, that wee may redeeme and establish their minds that are yet incertainely tossed to and fro, and set them safe aland in a quiet harbor, wee will determine the whole question by three conclusions, and these conclusions shall haue three foundations. The first is taken out of the determinations of Galen, in the 90. and 91. chapters de arte parua, and is on this manner. There is a double reunition of dissol∣ued

parts; One after the first scope, another after the second scope or intention. The first inten∣tion is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; that is, in Agglutination which we call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The second 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; that is, in Colligation which wee cal 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The first is sometimes accomplished without any medium, that is, ought comming betweene; as in flesh which being cut or diuided, is presently glued together; sometime with a medium of the same kinde, which we call medi∣um homogeneum. The second intention is accomplished with a medium of another kind, which wee call medium heterogeneum, as with a Callus, Cicatrice or scarre, and such like which are not of the same kinde with the part dissected or separated. Now that parts may reioyne according to the first intention and by a homogeny medium or meane, many things are required. First, the strength of the Efficient, to wit, of the formatiue faculty and of the natiue heate. Againe, a due disposition of the Matter, which must be plentiful, that it may suffice nutrition, accretion, and a new generation. Moreouer it must bee ministred not by little and little, but togetherward, that is, it must bee sodainely and at once altered, that nothing of a diuers kinde may interpose it selfe betweene the disioyned parts in the time of that alteration.

Another foundation is this; Of spermaticall parts some are soft, as veines; some harder, as arteries and nerues; some hardest of all, as bones. The third foundation, That in In∣fancy and Child-hood all the spermatical parts are exceeding soft, and the bones like curd∣led or gathered butter, and coagulated or sammed cheese; but in those that are growne to further yeares, they become dryer, and in old men very dry, because our life is nothing else but a drying of the spermaticall parts.

These foundations being thus layd, we conclude thus triplewise. First, that fleshy parts are easily regenerated, and doe reunite according to the first intention; but spermaticall parts very hardly. Secondly, in Children and moyst natures, all the spermaticall parts, e∣uen the bones may reunite by a homogenie meane; in those that are growne some parts may, but not all; veines often, arteries more rarely; bones neuer. In old men there is no hope of coalition in a nerue, membrane, arterie, veine or skinne, which is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; none in a gristle broken, eaten a sunder, torne or dissected, which is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; none in a bone broken which is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Thirdly, in all ages and sexes euen to the vtmost extent of old age, all the spermaticall parts will reunite according to the second intention, that is, by a medium or meane heterogenie, or of a diuers kinde, which in a bone is called Callus, in the rest a Cicatrice, or a scarre.

The truth of the first conclusion is thus confirmed; the mutation or change of bloud in∣to flesh, is easie and expedite, because it is accomplished by a light and almost single and simple alteration. For bloud is red, hot and moyst; so also is flesh, redde, hot and moyst; one thing only is required; that the bloud be incrassated; there is therfore a fit & apt dispo∣sition of the matter. The Efficient is likewise very strong, because fleshy parts are hotter then spermaticall: whereupon it commeth to passe that they sodainly reunite, sometimes without any meane at all; sometimes with a Meane, but alwayes of the same kind and ho∣mogenie; yea oftentimes the flesh groweth so importunately in woundes (which wee call hyposarchosis) that we are constrayned to inhibite and restrayne the increase with corraside Liniments and poulders. But on the other side, the spermaticall parts doe very hardly re∣unite according to the first intention, because of the weaknes of the Efficient, the ineptitude or vnfitnesse of the Matter, and the siccitie or drynesse of the parts. The Efficient is heate, which being weake, hath enough to doe to intend conseruation and nutrition, and there∣fore cannot perfectly restore the decayed and vanished substance of the solid parts. It is enough (sayth Galen in the 59. chapter Artis paruae) if it hinder them from being exiccated or dryed vp. How shall it then laudably indeuour a new generation, when it cannot preserue them in that state in which Nature produced or brought them foorth? Haply there will be a sufficiency of Matter, but it cannot flow together ward and at once, because the mu∣tation or change of bloud into a bone, cannot be accomplished but by long interpolation and many meane alterations: first into marrow, then into glew, and so into seede; of red it must become white, of moyste it must become drie, of liquid it must bee incrassated or thickned; in a worde, it must alter the temper and all the qualities. Wherefore, because the aliment doth not flow but by little and little to the nourishment of the bones and the sper¦maticall parts; it commeth to passe, that the excrement which resulteth or ariseth out of the nourishment, doth interpose it selfe betweene the disioyned parts before the bloud can passe thorough those diuers alterations, and so breedeth a Callus. There is also another

impediment from the neighbouring parts; as if they bee fleshy they preuent the c̄oalition by filling vp the vacuitie or empty space.

The last cause of the difficulty of coalition, is the siccity and hardnesse of the spermati∣call parts. For those things that are dry are very hardly vnited; and the Philosopher in all mixtions requireth some watery moysture, that by it as by a glew, all the rest may bee v∣nited.

The second conclusion is thus strengthned: Children because they are not far off from the principles of generation, haue the Efficient cause very strong and forcible: they haue aboundance of naturall heate, plenty of spermaticall Matter and that very apt, which is so∣dainly and easily changed, because of the softnes and supplenesse of the spermaticall parts. In growne men the veines because they are soft and beside at rest from growing and ex∣tension, are easily glued together; but the arteries very hardly, as well by reason of their continuall motion which hindereth reunition, as also because of the hardnesse of their coates, for they are (as sayth Herophilus) fiue-fould thicker then the veines. Some haue obserued that many parts, albeit they be soft doe neuerthelesse not reunite, because of the excellency and necessity of their action; for that the creature dyeth before they can be re∣united; so the flesh of the heart being disseuered is neuer reunited, because the man dieth instantly, by reason of the interception of a duty or function of absolute necessity for the preseruation of life.

The third conclusion is so euident of it selfe, that it needeth no probation at all; for at all times spermaticall parts doe reunite by a heterogenie meane. If the skin bee wounded there euermore groweth acicatrice or scarre vppon the separation. A broken bone is al∣wayes and at all times souldered with a knotty Callus; notwithstanding for further illustra∣tion two problemes or difficulties are to be cleered.

The first, why if a bone be caued or hollowed by an vlcer so as there is any losse of the bone, the flesh can neuer be generated ouer it? For Hippocrates in the 45. Aphorisme of the sixt section sayeth, All vlcers that are Annual must of necessity loose some part of the bone vnder them, and the scarres or Cicatrices become hollow. Why doth not the flesh insinuate it selfe into the hollow place of the perished bone? Or if there be a Callus generated, why is there not also flesh generated about it? I answere, that flesh cannot bee generated in the cauitie of the bone, because flesh is not made but of flesh, a nerue but of a nerue; now the lippes or extreame verges of the cauitie are bony: what therefore shall they endeuour to generate? Surely either nothing at all, or else a bone or a Callus. If in the place of that which is lost there be no body substituted, then is there no foundation layde whereupon flesh may arise. The bone it selfe in dry and hard bodies cannot be regenerated; therfore Nature not being able to doe that she would, doth that shee can, so shee maketh a Callus. But what is the reason why no flesh can grow vpon this Callus? Because flesh is a liuing and animated thing, and a Callus without life altogether: now that which is animated, and that which is inanimated, that which liueth and that which is dead, do differ in the greatest difference, that is in the kinde and very forme; wherefore the Callus which is without life, cannot be a foundation to build flesh vppon which hath life. That a Callus is without life, may be demonstrated, because it is produced of the excrement of the bone and the neigh∣bour parts. If it be obiected, that if it bee without life and not nourished, it could not en∣dure and grow all the time of a mans life, which that it doeth is more then manifest: the answere is at hand; It encreaseth not by nutrition, but by apposition of the matter, as the haires, and the nailes; againe, it endureth as long as the bones receiue any nourishment, from which there alwayes redoundeth an excrement, whereby it is preserued.

The second Probleme is; why if the Callus come from the excrement of the bone, is it not generated in a sound bone which also yeildeth an excrement? Because, when the bone is weakned by a wound, the excrements are more plentifully driuen vnto it from the neigh∣bour parts; euen as all the parts that border vpon a wounded part, doe thrust downe their superfluities vnto it. And thus I thinke I haue touched, I hope cleered, all difficulties which concerne the coalition of the spermaticall partes; it is therefore nowe high time to turne our discourse some other way.

But before we leaue the field, it shall not be amisse to disparkle all the forces of our ad∣uersaries, that we may be sayd to haue gayned an intire and accomplished victory. The first argument of the first opinion is true onely in Children; for in old men euery man will confesse there is both a weakenesse of the Efficient, and a want of the Matter. The se∣cond

is a captious Sophisme, made to intrap the ignorāt. For it is not necessary that wher∣soeuer there is sence, there also should be a nerue, for then the whole body should bee a nerue; it is sufficient, if a nerue be deriued vnto the part, by whose illustration and irradia∣tion, all the particles of that part haue sence; the same we may say of Veines and arteries. For Mathematicall or locall contaction is not required to euery action, but onely physi∣call and naturall.

For their third argument, I answere, that there is not the like reason of the teeth, and of other bones; for the teeth after they be drawne doe growe againe, by reason of theyr End, and by reason of their Matter. By reason of their End, because they are ordained to chew, mittigate, and prepare the meate for the stomacke: and therefore as they encrease euen till the end of our age for our necessity, because they are continually wasted by attri∣tion or rubbing one against another; so for the same necessity they are regenerated when they faile. Beside, if you regard the matter of their generation, there is aboundance of it contained in the cauities of both the iawes; add heereto, that the teeth are not incompas∣sed with any other part which should hinder their generation.

Fourthly, they vrge, that Accretion and Nutrition are kinds of generation; but bones do grow and are nourished, why therefore may they not be revnited? Wee answere, that this is the order and dispensation of Nature; that first the part be nourished; then, if there be any ouerplus, that the part encrease into all dimensions; and after this expence, if there yet remaine any surplusage of aliment, that then it may go to the restoring of the want or defect in the part; but seede is neuer generated in that quantity, that it should be sufficient for nourishment, accretion, and beside for a new generation.

In the wombe indeede the Spermaticall parts are easily generated, because both the matter is copious, and there is moreouer 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a double Workeman, one in the seede, another in the vessels, or as some thinke, in the substance of the wombe; but af∣ter wee are borne, they are hardly generated, because one of the workemen is absent, which formerly was in the seede, or assistant vnto it. As for the authorities of Galen, they do not conclude either that all spermatical parts do admit coalition, or som alwayes; and therefore we willingly subscribe vnto them, without any praeiudice vnto our cause.

The argument of the other Opinion, which denieth the formatiue faculty to the sper∣maticall parts, yeelding it onely to the seede, is easily ouerthrowne; because the seede (ac∣cording to Hippocrates, Aristotle, Galen, and all Physitians) containeth in it the Idea or formes of all the parts, which it receiueth from the solid or spermaticall parts. True it is, that in the Bones there is, that I may so say, a power to bonify or make bones, in the veins to veinefy, so there be an apt disposition of the matter. But when wee say that Bones are nourished, encreased, and do revnite by seede, we do not vnderstand prolificall seede such as is apt for generation; that is onely in and about the Testicles, where it attaineth his forme and perfection, but we vnderstand something like vnto seede. Finally, the autho∣rities of Hippocrates and Galen, doe conclude onely, that the hinder parts cannot revnite, which thing we haue already demonstrated in the second Conclusion. And thus much of the second question.

Notes

• Proofes that the spermati¦call parts may reunite. The first ar∣gument.
• Hippocrates. Galen. Aristotle.
• The second argument.
• The third ar∣gument. Hippocrates.
• The fourth. The fifth. Galen.
• The contrary opinion Authorities for it.
• Hippocrates.
• Reasons.
• What is to be thought. Three con∣clusions, and 3. foundatiōs. The first foun∣dation. A double re∣unition.
• What are the first and se∣cond intenti∣ons in Coali∣tion.
• What things are required to the first in∣tention.
• The second foundation. The third.
• The triple conclusion.
• First. Second.
• Third.
• The confirma¦tion of the first conclusi∣on.
• A threefold cause why spermatical parts do not reunite. 1 The weak∣nes of the Ef∣ficient.
• 2 The indispo¦sition of the Matter.
• 3 The hard∣nes and sicci∣ty of the parts.
• The confir∣mation of the 2. conclusion.
• Herophilus.
• The confir∣mation of the 3. conclusion.
• The first pro∣bleme.
• The answere to it.
• Obiection. Solution.
• Obiection. Solution.
• The 2. pro∣bleme. Solution.
• Answere to the former obiections. To the first.
• To the secōd.
• To the third.
• To the fourth
• Answer to the authorities of Galen.
• Answere to the argumēts of the second opinion.
• To the autho∣rities of Hip∣pocrates & Ga∣len.