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. V. Whether it be heate or colde, whereby Fat is congealed.

THE diuers yea contrary gusts of opinions amongst ancient Physitians about the generation of fat, hath raised such a tempest in our Art, that the Waues are not to this day setled. There needeth therefore some Aeolus, mulcere hos fluct us to appease these waues, to call in the windes, or to abate them into a calme, which we will at this time intend to do in want of better helpe as well as we may. And because we would not bee accumbred with the variety of names which are vsually giuen to this substance, you shall vnderstand, that pingueào, adeps, auxungia, and * 1.1 sevum, are promiscuously vsed by Physitians, albeit Aristotle and Galen haue taken great paines to distinguish them euery one from another. To which places, we refer those who desire heerein satisfaction. For we will onely paine our selues about the temper and gene∣ration of fat at this time.

Galen is of opinion, that fat is congealed by colde, and that he expressely declareth to∣gether * 1.2 with the manner of it in this manner. VVhen the asery and more oyly part of the bloud sweateth through the thin coates of the Veines in maner of a dew, and lighteth vp∣on the colder parts such as are Membranes, it is then by the power of the cold condensed: And hence it is, that women are for the most part fatter then men, because they are colder; & the same reason is of al other creatures growing fatter in the winter time, as do also those * 1.3 that haue smaller vessels; now we know, that the smalnes or narrownesse of the vessels, is caused by the coldnesse of the temper. And if at any time those creatures which haue large vessels do not yet grow fat, it is not from their naturall, but from an aduentitious temper acquired by accident (to wit) by diet and order of life. Moreouer, that fat is congealed by colde, hence it is euident, because by heate it is presently molten and liquefied. The Lower * 1.4 Belly because it is Membranous and farre remooued from the fountaine of heate, is there∣fore couered ouer with a leafe of fat, which sometimes is of great weight; but the parts vn∣der the breast haue lesse fat about them. And this is the Philosophy of Galen, and almost all the Greeke and Arahian Physitians. Those that hold the contrary, do thus demonstrate the matter of Fat to be hot, the worker of it heat, and the effects of it hot. For the matter, Galen himselfe acknowledgeth it to be made of the aery fat & oily part of the blood, as also is cho∣ler. and seede; and therefore those creatures that are fat grow barren, and if wee would fat any thing, we first lib or geld it. And Aristotle saith, that that which is fat, is neither earthy * 1.5 nor watry, but airy, and therefore it floateth alwayes aboue. Now ayre wee know is hot and moyst. That the efficient or working cause is hot, Aristotle first of all men prooued, where he saith, That fat is made by concoction or boyling, but it is onely heat which con∣eocteth or boyleth any thing. And in his Problemes he giueth this reason, why that which

is fat is not of ill sauour, because (sayth he) it is not crude or raw, but concocted. This opi∣nion of the Philosopher doth the learned Veiga follow and Argenterius, as also Laurentius Ioubert, who set foorth an elegant and subtile Paradoxe concerning the nature of fat. The weight of the principall reasons for this opinion, we will as briefely as wee can set before you. All concretion is made by that which is actually cold, as is seene in Ice, oyle, honie, and such like, which by the outward cold aire are congealed: but there is no such actuall * 1.6 cold in a liuing body; the bones are verie hot if they bee touched, and all the Membranes are actually hot, for the membranous stomacke boyles the Chylus, the membranous blad∣der bur••eth the Flegme euen into a stone. Autcen saith, That the Membranes are hotter then the Braine; now the barine is hotter then the most soulery hot aire that is in the heate of Summer: but the Summer heate melteth and congealeth not; the coldnesse therefore of the Membranes cannot congeale the fat. Againe, the heart which is the hottest of all the inward parts, and in perpetua'l motion, is yet compassed about the basis with aboun∣dant fat. About the Membranes of the Braine, which are watred as it were with aboun∣dance of blood, and wouen with many thousand vessels, neuer any fat adhereth: nor vnto the coates of the bones. Old men and melancholy persons, whose temper is cold, haue yet * 1.7 little fat. The Kidneyes which are very hot, and bake, yea burne Flegme into stones, haue yet about them abundance of fat. Beside, the fat is a liuing part of the bodye, because it hath a certaine and definite forme or figure, & is whitened by the power of the membrane which altereth it; now who euer durst say, that a liuing part of mans body was made by a∣ctuall cold? We may also add the authority of Galen fauouring their opinion, where hee saith, That in cold and dry bodies the fat is larded amidst the flesh, not about the membra∣nous * 1.8 coates; but euery one will confesse that flesh is hot. Finally, the effects do teach vs that fat is hot. For Galen reckoneth it among concocting Simples; and the fatty kall (saith he, in his Booke of the vse of Parts) by his heate furthereth the concoction of the stomack; beside, it easily taketh fire. Wherefore they referre the cause of the concretion or con∣gealing with Aristotle, to the fastnesse and thightnesse of the Membranes. For say they, the ayery and fat part of the bloode, passeth easily through the rare and spongy flesh: but when it commeth to the Membranes, there it is stayed and congealed by heate, and be∣commeth white through the operation of the spermatical part to which it adhereth, to wit the Membrane. Add heereto the authority of Hippocrates, who saith, That heate is the seate and residence of Fat. * 1.9

Thus you see the battell pitcht on either side, and contrary Ensignes and Armes in the field. Both parts cannot be maintained. It is more safe to side with the old Legions led by Galen, and followed by the Ancients, then with new and vpstart Nouices; wherefore, * 1.10 we will determine thus; I wish it may be with approbation of the best.

The Matter of Fat is avery and oyly, the Efficient cause a congealing colde, yet not ab∣solute and actuall (for there is no such colde in any liuing creature) but lesse hotte, which * 1.11 Philosopers take for colde, so that the fat is congealed not by parts that are absolutelie cold, but by parts that are lesse hot then others, such as are Membranes. But this may bet∣ter be exemplified, then taught by precept. Lead as soone as it is taken off the fire, * 1.12 although it be yet fiery hot, caketh together: this concretion is eyther by vertue of heat or cold; not by a fiery heate, for that melted it before; not by actuall cold, for if you touch it thus caked, it will burne; therefore by a remisse heate, which to it is in stead of colde. For there is a certaine degree of heate, which will not suffer Lead to cake, nor Fat to curdle. This degree is onely in the fleshy parts; whence it is that fat neuer growes about them. But Membranous parts, because they haue not the same degree of heate, doe curdle the Oylie part of the blood into fat. When a Vessell of boyling water is couered, though the co∣uer * 1.13 be hot, yet the vapour of the water turneth into a steame vppon it, and will stand in drops, yea will run from it in water, as we see in Stils, though the head be so hotte that a man cannot touch it. What then is the reason? Because in the Couer there is a lesse heate then in the boyling water. For it is heated onely by a vapour, the water immediatelie by the fire; The lesse heate therefore of the Couer or head, is in stead of colde to the boyling water.

In like manner, in Melancholy men their hot and boyling entrals raise vapours, which when they come to the skin which is lesse hot then the entrals, are gathered and thickned * 1.14 into sweate. So the breathing vapours of all the lower parts being raised into a hot braine which yet is lesse hot then the lower parts, are turned into water, & fal down in Rheumes,

Gowts, and such like. As for this manner therefore wee say that Fatte curdles by colde, that is, by a lesser heate then will melt it; so wee say the Brayne is cold, that is, lesse hot, although it be hotter as we haue sayd, then the ayre can bee in the heate of summer. That summer ayre or hot gleames wee call hot, and so they are; yet are they colde in respect of * 1.15 fire, yea cold in respect of the heate of a liuing creature; the heart by them being refrigera∣ted: for our life is proportionable to fire; and it is a true rule in Metaphysicks (that is in Lo∣gicke,) * 1.16 that meanes are contrary to their extreames, else should not liberality which is a vertue, be contrary to couetousnes and prodigality, which are the extreames and vices.

These things being thus first determined, we will now answere the argument vrged a∣gainst vs. First, we deny that all concretion or coagulation is done by actuall colde; for as it is sayd, Lead yet firie hot, will congeale; and whereas Fat groweth to the heart, which is the hottest of all the parts, we answere, that herein is a great document of the wonderfull * 1.17 and prouident wisedom of Nature, who hath thus prouided least in perpetuall motion the hart should gather so great a heat as should waste & consume it; for which cause also saith Hippo. it lyeth in water much like vrine, that it might euer be fresh, & as it were flourishing.

Chrysippus that notable Stoicke in his booke of Prouidence, sayeth that the finall cause o∣uercommeth both the efficient and matter in naturall thinges; and Aristotle against Demo∣critus * 1.18 sayth, that in the workes of nature the end is the first and chiefe cause, for it moueth the other causes, it selfe being immoueable. I know that our aduersaries will obiect, that nature indeuoureth nothing against her owne lawes, shee should therefore haue made the heart temperate. But let me retort their owne weapon against them, Nature should haue made the heart originally temperate, that there might haue beene no neede of breathing cold ayre; how absurd this opposition against the wisedome of nature is, no man but seeth. For the heart was necessarily to bee created very hotte, because in it is the hearth and fire whereby the naturall heate of all the parts is preserued and refreshed. If they thinke not the Fat of the heart necessary, let them remember that it groweth not in the ventricles, nor in the flesh of the heart, but onely vpon the Membranes, of the vessels, which are parts lesse hot then any of the other. Some there are which add further that this Fat is a part of the heart, because it keepeth alwayes the same figure and circumscription, and is not melted by fire, but rather torrifieth.

For the Membranes of the Braine, we say they haue no Fat, because there was no vse of it; yea it would haue hindered the breathing out of the smoaky vapors by his clamminesse. * 1.19 For the Braine like a cupping glasse draweth continually and sucketh vp the expirations of the inferior parts, to which if the Comb-like sutures of the Skul did not gape and giue way, the Braine would be made as it were drunke with their aboundant moystures. Beside, Fat would haue hindred the motion of the Brain, for it moueth perpetually as the Pulse doth, as we shall shew in due place; wherefore in the Braine there wanteth the finall cause of Fat. The materiall cause is also wanting, because there is required a great aboundance of bloud for the nourishment of the brain, and for the generation of Animall spirits; it behoued not therefore that it should be conuerted into Fat. Old men and those that are melancholy are seldome fat, because the material cause of it is wanting, for they are too dry. The Fat of the * 1.20 Kidneyes compasseth not the flesh, but their membranes only. Aristotle saith that both kid∣neyes are fat, but the right lesse then the left, because it is the hotter. And whether the Fat be a liuing part, we shall dispute in our next exercise. Finally, whereas Galen sayth that in cold and dry bodies the Fatte is Larded through the flesh, not through the coates or mem∣branes; we answere that by flesh in that place he vnderstandeth the muscles which are co∣uered * 1.21 with their proper coates, to which coates the fat groweth, because they abound with bloud and veines; but in those coates that are most distant, whereof he there speaketh, be∣cause of their drynes there wanteth matter of Fat; for you may remember wee taught you before, that Fat is not ingendred but only where there is an ouerplus of bloud which swea∣teth through the spongy flesh after it is satisfied. Now in cold and dry bodies such as Galen there speaketh off, ther is no such aboundance of bloud that there should be any ouerplus. The effects of Fat which they mention conclude nothing; it is true that Fat is a concocting medicine, and that the Fat of the Kall relieueth the heat of the stomacke, but not primarily and of it selfe, but by euent, because the thicknes and visciditie or clammines of it hindreth the euaporation of the heate, which by that meanes is doubled; besides it stoppeth vp the pores, that the piercing cold cannot reach vnto it. Wherefore it heateth the stomacke, as * 1.22 cloathes heat the body, not by adding heat, but by keeping the naturall heat in, and exter∣nall

cold out. That it easily flameth, proceedeth from his oyly and aery matter, so Cam∣phire * 1.23 burneth in the fire, which yet all men take to be cold.

Moreouer the effects doe not proue the efficient cause of Fat to be hot; for oyle which becomes thick and congealed in winter, presently taketh flame, and yet no man will deny but that it is congealed by the externall cold of the ayre. We therefore conclude that Fat is curdled by cold, that is, by a lower or more remisse degree of heate, & that it groweth * 1.24 or adheareth onely to membranes; because their heate is weaker, as hauing no continuity with the heart, and therefore depriued of that plentifull influence of heat therefrom, which the other parts of the body doe inioy which haue a more notable continuity with it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The names of Fat. 2 de partib. A∣nimal. 4. & 11. de sim∣pl med. c. Fa∣cultat.
• * 1.2

  How Fat is curdled.

  Galens opinion by cold.
• * 1.3

  Why women are fatter thē men.
• * 1.4

  Arguments to proue that it is curdled by heate.
• * 1.5

  3. de hist. anim.

  2 de partibus Animal.
• * 1.6

  That cold cā∣not congeale the fat.
• * 1.7

  Melancholy men seldo he Fat.
• * 1.8

  The effects of fat are hot.
• * 1.9

  Pinguis sedem & metropolim esse calidum
• * 1.10

  The determi¦nation.
• * 1.11

  What kind of cold curdleth Fat.
• * 1.12

  Exemplifica∣tions.
• * 1.13

  Lesse heate is taken for cold.
• * 1.14

  Why Melan∣choly men sweate much.
• * 1.15

  It is a fiery∣heat that we liue by.
• * 1.16

  Meanes are contrary to their ex∣treames.

  Answere to the former arguments.
• * 1.17

  The wonder∣full prouidēce of nature.
• * 1.18

  The finall cause is the first and chie∣fest in works of nature.
• * 1.19

  Why there is no fat in or a∣bout the braine.
• * 1.20

  Why melan∣choly men are leane.
• * 1.21

  Galen expoun¦ded.
• * 1.22

  How fat hea∣teth the sto∣macke.
• * 1.23

  Why Fat flames.
• * 1.24

  The conclusi∣on