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.

CHAP. IIII. Of the Haires of the whole body.

THE haires in Greeke, are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because wee mowe or poule them. Persius cals them Cirri, from the Greeke verbe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.1 which signifieth to cut. In Latine they are called Pili. Almost euery liuing creature that ingendreth within it selfe is furnished with this couering, some more, some lesse: and yet there are, which in stead of haires, haue prickes, as Hedge-hogges and Porcupines; others haue Feathers, as Birds (& therefore * 1.2 the sauour of Feathers and haires when they are burnt are alike,) others Scales, as Fishes.

Haires are bodyes engendred out of superfluous excrement of the third concoction, torrified by the naturall heate; and they grow especially where the skin is thinnest & most * 1.3 temperate, and where there is for theyr nourishment some proportionable quantitie of moysture. So that for their generation or production and their conseruation, foure things are required. The heate for an efficient cause, the Matter, out of which they are generated * 1.4 or produced, a conuenient place for their production, and fit and competent nourish∣ment, or rather apponed matter to be continuallie ministred for theyr preseruation.

The Matter of the haires is either remote, or more immediate. The remote matter is a * 1.5 superfluous moysture, which the kernels or Glandules which are disposed in the sobby and waterish places of the body could not sucke vp; which moysture therefore is thrust out in∣to the skin. Hence it is, that wheresoeuer there are any Kernels there are also haires: & verily Hippocrates in his Booke de Glandulis, assigneth the same profit vnto them both. The * 1.6 Glandules to receyue that matter which applyeth vnto them; the haires to gather it into their nourishment or for their production, being expelled by nature as a superfluitie. So we see there are Glandules behinde the eares where also are haires, vnder the arme-pittes haires and Glandules; in like manner in the flankes and the groyne. And if in anie part * 1.7 there be Glandules and no hairs, Hippocrates in the place next aboue quoted, rendreth the reason, because there is too great plenty of moysture. For wee see that in sobby and suck∣en grounds seede will not take roote, nay the grasse it selfe will not grow where the water standeth continually.

The next and immediate matter of the haires, according to Galen in the fifte chapter of his second Booke de Temperamen: is a sooty, thicke and earthy vapour, which in the time * 1.8 of the third concoction, when the aliment is turned into true nourishment of the parts, is eleuated by the strength of the action of naturall heate, and passeth thorough the pores of the skin. The efficient cause is as we saide, a moderate action of the naturall heate, which * 1.9 exiccateth or drieth this moysture or these sootie and thicke vapours, and thrusteth them out by the transpirable passages of the skinne. For the vapour being thicke, in his passage leaueth some part of it selfe, to wit, the grossest, in the very outlet where it is impacted, & by a succeeding vapour arising whēce the former did, is protruded or thrust forward; and so * 1.10 one vapour continually solliciting and vrging another, they are wrought together into one body: euen as in chimneyes we see by the continuall ascent of soote, long strings of it are gathered as it were into a chaine. The difference is, that the straitnesse of the passages of the skin, where through the matter of the haires is anoyded, formeth them into a small roundnesse, euen as a wyre receyueth that proportion whereof the hole is, where through it is drawne.

The manner of the out-gate of this matter, is thus. When by the continuall appulsion or arriuall of such vapour to the skin, the pores are plenarily obstructed, then the next vapour * 1.11 that striueth to be at liberty, smiteth the former; which by reason of the straitnesse of the passage, is driuen out into the forme of a cord. He that would see an expresse image of this manner of production, let him resort to a Glasier, when he extendeth his mettall into the

guttered lead wherein he fastneth his glasse, and he shall perceiue how the artist hath made an engine, whereby an inch of lead is driuen out into a foote of length. It was necessary therefore sayth Hippocrates in his booke de carnibus, that this sooty excrement should haue * 1.12 a clammy or glewy substance, yet without any fatnesse or greasinesse at all. Wherefore, wheresoeuer in the body, especially in the outward parts, there gathereth together any such glewy or clammy excrement, there the naturall heat bringeth forth haires; and this is the cause why in the arme-holes and about the priuy parts, yea and in all the rest of the body haires growe plentifully. Now that part of the haire that is impacted in the pores of the * 1.13 skinne, may fittely bee resembled to the roote of an hearbe sticking in the ground, and that which beareth out of the skin, to the hearbe it selfe.

There is also required a conuenient place, as a foundation wherein the rootes of the * 1.14 haires may be established, and that is the skinne, which of all other parts is fittest for their breading, sayth Galen in his first chapter of the second booke de Temperamentis; because it is neither too dry nor too moyst; for as neither in Marrish and Fenny ground, nor in one that is ouer dry and worne out of heart can any thing bee brought forth: so in an ouer moyst or ouer dry skin no haire can grow. For though the skin be accounted dry, yet in a man it is not without some moysture, as it is in those creatures which are couered ouer with a stony or crusty shell; as Oysters, Lobsters, Crabs and such like; and in such as lurke * 1.15 in dennes, as Snakes; and those that haue scales, as Fishes; in all which haire cannot grow, because their skinnes are truely and altogether dry. Moreouer, the skin ought not to be too soft and moyst, like Cheese new curded; for then it would not holde the rootes of the hayre because of his thinnes; and beside, after the pores were as it were bored by the excre∣ment, they would fall together again, the parts being so fluid that they would run into one another and bee exquisitely reunited: But moderately dry to hold the haire to his roote, * 1.16 and moderately hard, not vnlike a cheese already well gathered and somewhat pressed, for so it would bee better thrilled and perforated by the issuing humour; which perforations also would remaine, the dry body not suffering the parts to reunite, but to consist, and so by the continuall exiture of the matter, the pores would bee more fistulated. It must also be slack and thinne. Wherefore considering the whole skin is full of pores, whereout som∣thing is continually breathed by the naturall heate which disperseth, attenuateth, and carri∣eth away with it selfe no small part of the inward moysture, it followeth, that in all parts of the body the haires may issue forth, euery pore hauing a haire in it to keepe it open, for the better breathing or thrusting out of exhalations: yet we must except the skin of the palms and soales of the hands & feet, because, as some say, in thē there is a large Tendon immedi∣atly vnder the skin, which being exceeding thicke and dry, makes it vncapable of haires; but I cannot admitte of that reason, seeing a Hare hath also that broad tendon, and yet * 1.17 hath not those parts voyde of haire. Therefore wee say that nature hath made those partes hairelesse, both for vse that they might be the more sensible, as also for motion.

Now that the thinnes of the skin is required for the production of haires, it appeareth by the example of scarres; for if you raise a blister by scortching the vpper skin or cuticle, after it is healed, and the vpper skin is growne thicke no haire will rise out of the scarre, be∣cause it hath no pores in it.

The haires be of two kinds, some are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, congeniti, bred with vs, as the haire of the head, of the eye-browes, of the eye-lids. These are bred in the child while it is yet in the wombe, and are resembled not vnto hearbes that grow by sowing, but vnto such plants as nature bringeth forth of her owne accord; and such do not necessarily follow the tem∣perature of the body.

Other haires are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, postgeniti, bred after the skin is growne thin, * 1.18 which hapneth in Boyes when they beginne to breed seede, in Girles when their monthly courses begin to flow; these come out in three places, answerable to the three places where nature bringeth forth the former kinde; First about the priuities, secondly vnder the arme holes, thirdly in the chin and cheekes. Those that are gelded before the age of foureteen * 1.19 yeares, haue no haires growing on their chinne: the reason is, because the wayes of the seede are not opened, and by castration are after intercepted; and therefore the skinne doth not rarifie: if after those haires be growne the Testicles be taken away, those haires also fall, excepting in the groyne. Againe, in women those hayres which wee called post∣geniti doe arise later, neuer in the chinne, because there is not so great agitation of the hu∣mor in the act of generation in women as can rarifie the skin so farre from the place where

the seed is engendred; and yet wee see, that in some women after their Courses are staide, * 1.20 the haire begins to bud on their chins. It may also fall out, that both men and women may be without any of the postgeniti by some naturall desect, contracted in their generation.

The forme of the haires is expressed by certaine accidents; for they do vary in thicke∣nesse and thinnesse, hardnesse and softnesse, length and shortnesse, streightnesse and cur∣lednesse, * 1.21 multitude or scarsity, as also according to the quality of the skin, and the naturall propriety or condition of the parts in which they are fixed. Moreouer, they differ in co∣lours, whitenesse and blacknesse, and middle colours betweene them; so also by reason of age, and growth of the body. The chiefe cause of their thicknesse and thinnesse is the skin saith Aristotle, 5. gener. Animal. j. which in some is thicke, and in others thin; in some rare, * 1.22 and in others thight and compact. Another cause is the variety of the moisture lying vnder the skin, for in some it is clammy, in others waterish: so out of a thicke skin, thick & hard haire, and out of a thin skin, thin and slender haires are produced.

And if the skin be rare and thicke, the haires are also thicke, by reason of the abundance of earthly substance, and the laxity of the passages. But if the skin be more thight and com∣pact though it be thicke, they come out thin, by reason of the narrownesse of the passages. So if the vapour whereof they are bred be waterish, because it is quickly dryed vppe, they growe not much in length; but if it bee clammy and glutinous, because it is not ea∣sily dried vp, they spread themselues in length. So that the cause of the length and short∣nesse of haires, is the abundance or scarsity of the humor wherewith they are fed. And hence it is, that the haires of the head are the longest of all the bodie, because the Braine * 1.23 affoordeth a great deale of a clammy moysture, and because the braine is bigger then the other Glandules; they are also crasse or thicke, because the skin of the head is exceeding thicke, yet rare and containing much moisture. The haires of the head in Latine, are cal∣led Capilli, quisi capitis pili: in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifieth to cut. In men they * 1.24 are called Caesaries à frequēti caesione, because they are often cut: and in Women Coma, be∣cause they bestow great paines in combing and curling them. They are also in Woemen diuided by a line, which in Greeke is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in Latine discrimen, in English the shed. Now the haire is either straight or curled, eyther by reason of the exhalation it selfe, or of the pores whereout they passe. Of the exhalation the vvhich of being smoa∣ky, * 1.25 by the heate and drought maketh the haire curled. For it hath a double course, the earthy and dry part downeward, the hot part vpwarde: hence it boweth not downe right, but wrinkingly, because there is in it but little moisture, & much dry and earthy mat∣ter; and this we may perceiue, if we parch haires in the Sun, or neare the fire: for the cris∣ping of the haire is as it were a kinde of convulsion because it wanteth moisture: or else we may say, the haire curleth by reason of the drinesse of the temper; and therefore all Black-Moores haue curled or crisped haire.

By reason of the constitution of the pores wherein they are implanted. For when the exhalation is so weake, as that it cannot make a straight way for it selfe, it * 1.26 giueth a forme to the pore answereable to it owne contortions. But if the exhalation bee strong enough, yet it cannot ascend directly vpwardes, by reason of the hardnesse of the * 1.27 skin, then it turneth side-long, like as we see the smoake and the flame when it is hindred, to mount streight vpwards, diuideth it selfe and turnes aslant. Wherefore both by reason of the imbecility of the exhalation, and of the hardnesse of the skin, the roots of the haires grow awry. Now it standeth with good reason that they should growe and continue still such as they were framed at the roote. For no hard or dry body can be extended streight forth, vnlesse it be first softned and mollified.

Those that haue aboundance of moisture, and the pores streight, haue their haire also streight. Againe, long haires are soft, but the curled are hard. Moreouer, haires encrease * 1.28 & grow more or lesse according to the Nature of the skin, and the condition of the parts where they are implanted. In the head they grow in greatest length and abundance, next in the Beard, because that skin is moderately hot & dry, especially when the haires are fine and slender. But the haires of the eye-browes and of the eye-lids, are smal and grow not al∣most at all: but for the most part, keep alwayes an equall magnitude, and seldome fall, be∣cause they haue vnder them a hard body, like vnto a gristle. For those haires that spring from soft and moderately moyst parts, encrease very much, as those of the head and the beard; and Galen addeth those of the arme-pits, and about the priuities: but those that a∣rise out of hard and dry places, are small and almost of no growth: yet in some the eye∣browes

grow so hairy in olde age, as that they are constrained to cut them, or else they would offend their eyes. Haire buddeth in the chin, when the skin beginneth to rarifie or * 1.29 grow thin; the matter of it is a moysture sent thither from the head, as Hippocrates hold∣eth in his Booke de Natura pueri, and these haires make the Beard, which is not alike in e∣uery man; for some about their chin and lips haue great store of haire, some haue no haire there, but very much on their cheekes.

Aristotle in the third Booke de Histor. Animal. the 11. chapter saith, that the haires vse to grow extraordinarily in some diseases, especially in consumptions; hee addeth also, in old bodies and dead corpes they receiue augmentation both in length and thicknesse, but do not spring anew.

They varie likewise in colour, and are answerable to the predominant humor, for such * 1.30 as the humor is which the flesh draweth vnto it (saith Hippocrates,) such also is the colour of the haire.

Galen in his second Booke de Temperamentis, and the fift Chapter, saith, that the haire becomes blacke, when the vaporous excrement scorched by the heate is changed into a perfect soote; and somewhat red, when the excrement impacted in the passage is not yet altogether growne black; but yellow, when the vapour is lesse scorched; for the excrement that is so impacted, proceedeth of yellow and not of blacke Choller. White haires are made of Flegme, and the colours betwixt these of a mixture of Flegme and choller.

But a question may be asked, why in Beastes the colour of the haire followeth the colour of the skinne; and in men it is far otherwise; far the whitest men and women, haue often * 1.31 haire coale blacke. Aristotle maketh answere 5. de generatione Animal. 3. and 3. Histor. 11. Because, sayth hee, a mans skin is thinner then the skin of any other Creatures of his mag∣nitude; and therefore the skinne cannot affoord any matter of haire of it selfe, or reteyne the excrement driuen to it so long as to giue it his owne colour.

The haire varyeth also by reason of the region and the diuerse dispositions of the ambi∣ent ayre; so those that inhabite a hotte and dry country, haue hard, blacke, dry curled and * 1.32 brittle haire, and of small growth, as the Egyptians, Arabians and Indians: contrariwise those that inhabit in a moyst and cold climate haue soft haires which grow moderatly, are small or fine, straight and reddish, as the Illirians, Germans, Sarmatians and all the coast of Scythia, as Galen sayth. But such as inhabit a temperate tract betweene these, haue hayre of greater growth, exceeding strong and somewhat blacke, moderately thicke, neither al∣together curled, nor altogether straight.

They vary also by reason of age; for little children haue little haire, because as yet their skin hath no pores, nor any sootie excrement applying vnto it: when they beginne to * 1.33 cotten, which is about xii. and xiiii. yeares of age, their haires are small and weake; but as their youth growes strong, and their flourishes grow vpon them, which is towards xv. & xviii. then their haires grow many, great and strong, as well because their skin is growne full of pores, as also for that they abound with sootie excrements.

Those that are well in yeares haue hard haire, because their skin becomes hard & thicke in old age, by reason of their coldnesse and siccity. So we see some men when they grow in yeares, become bald eyther for want of hot and clammy moisture, or because naturally and originally their skin was somewhat too dry, or else as Hippocrates saith, because they a∣bound * 1.34 with Flegme, which being stirred in their heads by carnall copulation, and so grow∣ing hot; when it arises into the skin, it scorcheth the rootes of the haire and so causeth them to fall off; and that is the reason, why neyther Eunuches nor children vse to growe balde. Now this baldnesse begins commonly in the forepart of the head, because (saieth Aristotle 5. generat. Animal. 3.) it is dryest, for there the skin lyeth vpon the bare bone, with∣out any interposition of fat, as it is in the Nowle.

In like manner, Men growing olde become gray-headed; not by reason of drought, for we see often that many haires become gray together, but nothing can vpon a suddaine * 1.35 become dry: the true cause is putrifaction for want of ventilation, and therefore those that haue their heads continually couered, grow sooner hoary then others, as Aristotle obserued. Galen in his second Booke de Temperam. and the 5. chapter, saith, that before the * 1.36 skin of the head is growne to extreame drinesse, the haires become weak for want of con∣uenient foode, and white because the nourishment wherewith they are fed, is as it were the dregges of Flegme, which in processe of time remaining about the skin, do putrifie.

Of all parts the Temples are first hairy, because they are very moyst by reason of the

great Muscles which lye vnder them. Now euery Muscle is fleshy, and flesh is moyster then eyther bone or skin. Next vnto them, the forepart of the head growes white; last of all, the haire about the priuities and the eye-lids; but no body growes bald in the temples or in the hinder part or nowle of the head.

The haires are fed by moysture, therefore Hippocrates saith, they grow most plentiful∣ly * 1.37 where they finde moderate moysture for their foode, which Aristotle saith, is disposed at their roote; for if you plucke them vp, that moysture is drawne vp with them: besides, the haire is thicker at the roote then in the rest of his length, because it hath some of that moisture newly applyed to it. From these humors are exhalations raised, and nature turnes the thickest and clammiest of the excrements, into the nourishment of the haires. There∣fore when they are well fed, and with lawdable aliment, they encrease apace, and are mo∣derately crasse or thicke. But when they are cut, they do not beginne to grow vp againe where the Sheeres diuided them, but at the root, from whence they issue, and so they en∣crease and are nourished by apposition, as the teeth are; not by the excrements of faultie and vicious humors, but by excrements of the third concoction: otherwise, they would not fall off, but rather encrease in those that haue the French disease and the Leprosy, con∣sidering that in such bodies the Excrements of vicious humours are exceeding aboun∣dant.

The vse of haires in generall is foure-fould. First for a couer; secondly for a defence; * 1.38 thirdly for an ornament vnto the partes vnder them; fourthly to consume and waste away the thicke and fuliginous or sooty excrements. So the haires of the head which are in great aboundance, (for of all creatures a man hath most haire on his head) do couer the braine, and shelter it from ouer much cold or heate. For mans braine being in proportion grea∣ter * 1.39 and moyster then any other creatures, it requireth accordingly a more carefull guarde and preseruation; for that which is the moystest will most easily grow hot and cold againe. And because the brain is seated farre from the fountaine of heat, and neare vnto the bones, and vnder them is not couered with any fatnesse; the haires are prouided both to fence it, and to keepe it warm. They also waste and consume the thicker excrements; and because it is not behoofefull for vs that wee keepe our heades alike couered in all ages of our life, times of the yeare, countries and constitutions of bodies; therefore we may fit our selues vnto the times, & weare them either longer or shorter; but if they be altogether shauen off, they proue the cause of defluxions. The haires of the head haue not onely this vse to couer the cheekes and chinne (which women doe with veiles and maskes) but also they serue for ornament. For it is a venerable sight to see a man when he is come to the yeares fit for it, to haue his face compassed about with thicke and comely haire. Nature there∣fore hath made the vpper part of the cheek and the nose without haire, least the whole face should be wilde and fearce, vnbeseeming a milde and sociable creature such as a man is. In women the smoothnesse of their face is their proper ornament; they needed no ensigne of maiesty because they were borne to subiection. And Nature hath giuen them such a form of body as is answerable to the disposition of their minde. To conclude, the vse of hayre is diuers, according to the seuerall places where they are: as for example, the haire of the eye-browes serue for to receiue the humour falling downe from the head, and those of the eye-lids to direct the sight, and so of the rest.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The names of haires. Arist. 5. gener. Animal. 3.
• * 1.2

  Haires and Feathers of a like substance
• * 1.3

  Wherof hairs are ingende∣red.
• * 1.4

  4. things re∣quired to the production of haires.
• * 1.5

  The matter. Remote. Hip de nat. pu∣ert.
• * 1.6

  In principio, where are Glandules, ther are hairs
• * 1.7

  Exception, & the Reason.
• * 1.8

  The immedi∣are matter. Galen.
• * 1.9

  Their effici∣ent.
• * 1.10

  The manner of their pro∣duction. Comparison.
• * 1.11

  A s••t Compa∣••••on.
• * 1.12

  Hippocrates.
• * 1.13

  Comparison.
• * 1.14

  The conue∣niency of the place for hayres.
• * 1.15

  A dry skin ad∣mitteth not hayres. Nor a sort.
• * 1.16

  But moderat∣ly dry & thin.
• * 1.17

  Why there is no haue in the palmes & soales. Why haires grow not vp∣pon scars. 2. kinds of haires. Arist. 3. hist. Animal. 11. Congeniti.
• * 1.18

  Postgeniti
• * 1.19

  How the haires fall in such as are gelded.
• * 1.20

  Why women haue no berds
• * 1.21

  The formes of the haires, and the cau∣ses of them al. Their colours
• * 1.22

  The causes of their crassi∣tude.
• * 1.23

  Of their lēgth The haires of the head are the longest.
• * 1.24

  The names of the haires of the head.
• * 1.25

  The causes of the strcitnesse or cuiling of the haire.
• * 1.26

  Of Curling.
• * 1.27

  Comparison.
• * 1.28

  Of streight haires.
• * 1.29

  The Beard.
• * 1.30

  The causes of the colours of the haires.

  Hippocrates.

  De Nat pueri.

  The humour.

  Galen.

  When Black.

  Reddish.

  White.
• * 1.31

  Why mens haires are not of the colour of their skin.
• * 1.32

  The Region.
• * 1.33

  How haires alter acording to ages.
• * 1.34

  Hippocrates

  De Nat. pueri.

  The reason of baldnesse.
• * 1.35

  Why old men grow gray.
• * 1.36

  3. Hist▪ Animal.
• * 1.37

  How haires are nourished
• * 1.38

  The vses of the haires.
• * 1.39

  Man more braine then a∣ny other cre∣ature.