Every man his own doctor in two parts, shewing I. how every one may know his own constitution by certain signs, also the nature and faculties of all food as well as meats as drinks ... : the second part shews the full knowledge and cure of the pox, running of the reins, gout, dropsie, scurvy, consumptions and obstructions, agues ... / written by John Archer.

CHAP. I. An Advertisement. (Book 1)

WHo ever thou art, thou mayest if not already be assaulted with the common Enemy of Man∣kind, Sickness or Disease, and therefore a way to prevent Sickness or an absolute cure if diseased, I think need no strong arguments for acceptation, what I intend by this small Treatise, is the benefit

of all diseased people, whether noble or ignoble, who it may be have sighed if not groaned many Months or Years under some obnoxious distemper, which Fear, shame, poverty, or it may be unskilful Physitians by their Faraginious Receipts, have rather fixed to then freed their bodies from, or I in my practice and study in Physick, which now draws near the prospect of twenty years, in which time having perused many Authors and scrutinised into the secrets of Physick, both Theorical and Empirical, have made this observation that most volu∣minous Authors are in use, but flat and dull, and it may be said of too many, nihil dictum, quod non dictum prius, and their e∣laborate volumns, are chiefly (actum age∣re) and their chief use is but to amuse and confound the Vulgar with admiration of the tedious and almost inextricable laby∣rinth, wherein young Physitians are com∣monly involved, as saith Ingenious Simp∣son, how many great volumns of Gallen, Hippocrates, Diascordes, Actuarius, Rasis, Serapio, Aetius, Averoes, Hurnius, Ferne∣lius, Senertus, Riverius, cum multis aliis. What tedious peice of Anotamy of Vel Singius, Riotanus, Bartholimus, spigelius

paraeus, &c. Do some peruse, how many unprofitable discourses for argumentation sake in the Theory of Physick, are they in∣gaged in, how many hundred plants do they burden their memory with, what a confu∣sed jumble of varieties of pulses do they pulse their heads withall, what a multitude of symtomes good and bad, what long dis∣courses of difference of Urine, and to con∣firm all, what long Pilgrimages into Italy, and the Universities there do they make, and after all this cannot as some have in∣geniously confessed, and the people expe∣rienced, cannot I say cure one poor Di∣sease.

These things considered, I cannot but wonder and say, Quors••m haec omnia, why so much noise and so little Wool, I mean so much ado to inform our judgements and nothing the nearer to cure Diseases, being only enabled to discourse learnedly of the proceeds of Phlegmatick, Chollerick, and adust humours and now whilst meer Me∣thodists are sufficiently satisfied, when they can say, Sie dixit Galenus, vel Hippocra∣tes, we can with more comfort say, experi∣entia docet, for experience is the Mistress

of knowledge, and the best knowledge is taken from experience.

What I have writ is only to shew that experienced Physick is most profitable though some Doctors will direct things they have read or heard a good and excel∣lent report of, and so add things as they judge of alike quality according to that Maxime, vis vnita fortior, and so confound the Medicine with their mixture, and quite spoil the operation of its genuine effication, so that Physick is best which is grounded upon Observation of successful experi∣ments, not that I disswade or speak against the Theorick of Physick, nor the true me∣thod of the Learned, provided they give the upper hand to successful experiments, for Nature in the cure of any Diseases, is not tyed to any of our prescribed method, not but consideration is to be had to diffe∣ring causes and persons.

And now what I have experienced I shall here insert as to the cure of these great and Chronick Diseases, being most common and all most difficultly cured, viz. Gout, Dropsie, Scurvy, Gonorrhea, Con∣sumptions,

Obstructions, and in speaking of them I shall describe their symptomes, cause, and regiment in Cure very briefly, and those that make tryal of my Medicines, shall by Gods grace find them very effectu∣al, where every one may be his own Doctor if they please, observing the Rules annexed, the motive that induced me to put forth this little Treatise, may well claim Charity her self to Patronise it, for in my daily practice, how many do I meet with, that have wandred from one Physitian to another and yet not cured, nay some, yea very many think the Cure as bad as the Disease, I mean for fear of having it disco∣red, for too many have receiv'd damage thereby, besides the excessive gain of some Physitians, who for every Ulcer they cure, will themselves be covered with a Rich Roab, not to mention the ignorance and dishonesty of many professors, that not be∣ing able to give a diffinition of a disease will yet undertake to cure, by default of whom many good people have perished in Estate, health, and credit, especially in Ve∣nereal Distempers. Therefore I shall first shew what each Disease is, and its certain Sign to know it, and to avoid all mistake,

I have set down certain and safe ways of Government, with directions in taking that Physick, is most suitable in each Disease, which I have here prescribed being certain and safe, all performed by a few Medi∣cines as you will find, and for the certainty of their goodness, I will not entrust any to prepare them, nor the delivery of them from my own house, and there only deli∣vered, for the best Medicine, not well and truly prepared, may make a failing in cure. So wishing preservation of health to the sound, and recovery of health to the sick, to the Poor I shall be willing to give advice freely, and to all that are in any doubt I shall readily resolve them. For often∣times where the Disease is great, dangerous, or a complication of Diseases, it is necessa∣ry to consult with your Doctor, where no prescribed rule can in all circumstances, be adaequate without the sight of the pati∣ent in all occasions I shall willingly resolve any doubts or Fears and shall manifest my self thy Faithful Friend.

J. A.