Of Drying Medicines.
DRying Medicines have contrary faculties to these; viz. To consume moisture, stop fluxes, and make such parts dry as are slippery, they make the Bo∣dy and Members firm, when they are weakened by too much moisture, that so they may perform their proper functions.
Yet although the Members be strengthened by dry∣ing medicines, they have, notwithstanding their own proper moisture in them, which ought to be conser∣ved, and not destroyed, for without it they cannot consist: If then this moisture be consumed by using, or rather over-use of drying Medicines, the Members can neither be nourished, nor yet perform their pro∣per actions.
Such Medicines as are dry in the third degree, be∣ing unadvisedly given, hinder the parts of the Body they are apropriated to, of their nourishment, and by that means brings them into a Consumption.
Besides, There is a certain moisture in the Body of Man, which is called Radical Moisture, which be∣ing taken away, the parts must needs die, seeing na∣tural heat and life also consists in it; and this may be done by too freequent use of medicines dry in the* 1.1 fourth degree: And it may be this was the Reason of Galen his writing. That things dry in the fourth de∣gree must of necessity burn; which is an effect of heat, and not of driness, unless by burning, Galen mean consuming the Radical moisture,
The Use then of drying Medicines is only to such Bodies and parts of the Body as abound with moi∣sture, in which observe these Rules,
- 1. If the moisture be not extream, let not the medi∣cine be extream drying.
- 2. Let it be proper to the part of the Body afflicted; for if the Liver be afflicted by moisture, and you go about to dry the Brain or Heart, you may sooner kill than cure.
Thus have we briefly spoken of the first Qualities of Medicines, and in the general only; and but brie∣fly, because we shall alwaies touch upon them in the Exposition of the other Qualities, in which you must alwaies have an eye to these.