The castel of helthe gathered, and made by Syr Thomas Elyot knight, out of the chief authors of phisyke ; whereby euery man may knowe the state of his owne body, the preseruation of helthe, and how to instruct well his phisition in sicknes, that he be not deceyued.

Lettynge of bloudde. Cap. vi.

THe parte of Euacuation by lettyng of blud, is incision or cuttyng of the vayne, wherby the bloud, whiche is cause of syckenes or grefe to the hole body, or any particular part therof, doth most aptly passe. The commodities wherof, be∣inge in a moderate quantitie, and in a due tyme taken, be these that folowe, it clarifieth the wytte, and maketh good memory, it cl••s••th the bladder, it drieth the brayne, it warmeth the ma••owe, be∣inge in the bones, it openeth the herynge, it stop∣peth teares or droppynges of the eyen, it taketh

away lothsomnes, and confirmeth the stomak, it norisheth that, which is propre to nature, and the contrary expelleth. It is thought, that therby life is prolonged, and the matter makyng syckenesse shortely consumed. Wherfore lettynge of bloude is not only expedient for them, whiche are full••of bloud, or haue abundāce of strength, but also for them, in whom, without plenitude, callyd fulnes, inflammations begyn to be in their bodies, or by some outwarde stroke, the bloude being gathered within, by collection therof, do fele griefe or dis∣ease. Also where there is moche peyne felte, or de∣bilitie of some member, wherof is supposed to be ingendred some greuous disease. Moreouer they whiche vse excesse of meates and drynkes, maye be cured by lettynge of bloudde. But those, whi∣che be temperate, kepynge good diete, be holpen without lettynge of bloud: as by fricasies, vsing of bathes, exercise, walkynge, and tydyng mode∣rately. Also vnctions with oyles and oyntemen∣tes, callyd Diaphoreticae, whiche by euaporation, do shortely euacuate the fulnesse. All be it, if the ful∣nesse be of melancolye bloud, than alwaye nedes muste be lettynge of bloudde. Aboundaunce of melancolye bloudde is knowen by these sygnes. There is felt in the entrayles, or within the bulke of a man or woman, a weyghtynesse with tensi∣on or thrustyng outwarde. and all that part, whi∣che is aboue the nauel, is more heuy, than it was wont to be. Also moch vain and fatty, the residc̄ce or bottom thycke, troublous, and fatte. somtyme

blacke poushes or boyles, with inflamation and moch peyne. These must be shortly let bloud, and the melancoly humor also purged by siege. They whiche haue crude or raw humors, must be ware¦ly let bloudde, before that syknesse ingender, but hauynge the feuer, in no wyse. Concerninge let∣tyng of bloud, these thinges folowyng, wold be hadde in continuall remembraunce, and be afore thought on. In abundance of the bloud, the qua∣litie and quantitie, the greatnesse of the sycknes, and if it be present, or loked for. also the diete pre∣cedynge, the age and strength of the persone, the naturall fourme of his body, the time of the yere, the region or coūtrey, the present state of the aire the disvse of accustomed exercise, the cessyng of e∣uacuations vsed before. In qualitie consyder, of what humour the fulnesse procedeth. In quanti∣titie the abūdance of that, which is to be purged. In siknes, if it be dangerous or tollerable: if the siknes be present, it requireth the more diligēce: if it be loked for, it may be the better proporcioned. In diet, the custom in eating & drinking, must be specially noted. In yong men & womē, lettyng of bloud wold be more liberall. In old men & yonge children, it wold be scarser: stronge men may su∣steyne bledyng, they which ar feble, maye not en∣dure it: Large bodies haue greater vessels, than they, whiche be litell. leane men haue more blod, corporate men haue more fleshe. The tyme of the yere must be specially marked. For in the begyn∣ning of springe tyme is the best letting of bloud,

as Dribasius sayth, and so dothe continue, after the opinion of Arnolde, vnto the eighte calendes of Iune. Aetius affirmeth, that in wynter, or in a colde countrey, or where the person is of a very colde nature, the vaynes shulde not be opened. And Damascene saythe, They whiche in youthe haue vsed to be moch let bloud, after they be thre score yeres olde, their nature waxeth colde, and naturall heate is in them suffocate, speciallye if they were of a colde complexion. but that is to be vnderstande, where they that are in helth, are of∣ten let bloud. For in the lapse from helthe, and in dyuers diseases, wherin the bloude is corrupted, or where it ingedreth impostumes, or resorteth to any place, where it ought not to be, or passeth by any other cundyte, than nature hath ordeyned, or where it is furious or inflamed, or by any other meanes bredeth greuous diseases, in all these ca∣ses, it ought to be practised, ye sometyme in aged persons, women with childe, and yong infantes. For in extreme necessitie it were better experience some remedy, than to do nothynge. Al other thin∣ges concernynge this matter, pertayn to the part curatiue, whiche treateth of healyng of sycknes, wherof I wyll not nowe speake, but remytte the reders to the counsayle of discrete phisitions.

Notes

• A〈…〉〈…〉oldus de uilla noua.
• Oribasius su medici nae com∣pendio.
• Acti. ll. 3
• Cor. Cel∣sus li. 3.
• Oriba. su. Arnoldus de uilla noua de flobotho∣mia. lo. Dama scenus in arte med.