IN this, first consider diligently, and be exceeding cautious in it too, what the matter offending is, what part of the Body is afflicted by it, and which is the best way to bring it out.
Only here by the way first, have a care of giving Vomits, for they usually work more violently, and afflict the Body more than Purges do, therefore are not fit for weak Bodies, be sure the matter offending lie in the tunicle of the Stomach, else is a Vomit gi∣ven in vain.
Secondly, Vomits are more dangerous for Women than Men, especially such as are either with Child, or subject to the Fits of the Mother. This is the first Caution.
Secondly, What Medicine is apropriated to the purging of such a humor, for seeing the offending matter is not alike in all, the purging Medicine ought not to be the same to all. I shall speak more of this anon. As also of the divers waies whereby Medi∣cines draw out or cast out humors, viz. By lenify∣ing, clensing, provoking Nature to expulsion, and (which is stranger than the Doctors hidden Quality) some purge by binding, but indeed and in truth such as are properly called purging Medicines, which be∣sides these faculties have gotten another, by which they draw, or call out the humors from the most re∣mote parts of the Body, whether these do it by heat, or by an hidden quality, Physitians are scarce able to determin, it being very well known to modern Phy∣sitians though the Ancient denied it, that many cold Medicines purge: For my part I shall forbear the Dispute here, not because I am not able to answer it, but because I would train up my Country men first a little better in the Grounds of Physick, it be∣ing my Opinion that yong Physitians as well as yong Christians ought not to be led into doubtful Dispu∣tations. This is the Second Caution.
Thirdly, There is this Faculty in all the Purges of Galen's Model (because he gives the whol Simple, which must needs consist of divers qualities, because the Creation is made up of, and consists by a harmo∣ny of contraries) there is (I say) this Faculty in all Purges of that Nature, that they contain in them a substance which is inimical both to the Stomach and Bowels, and some are of opinion this doth good, namely, Provokes Nature the more to expulsion; the reason might be good if the Foundation of it were so, for by this reason Nature her self should purge not the Medicine, and a Physitian who takes his name from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which signifies Nature, should help Na∣ture in her business and not hinder her. But to for∣bear being critical, this substance which I told you was inimical to the Stomach, must be corrected in every Purge; And this is my Third Caution.
Fourthly, The choice of Purging Medicines is very difficult, they are not Physick for every Ignoramus to prescribe, for some purge gently, some violently, some are apropriated to Flegm, some to Choller, some to Melancholly, and some to Water, or sero∣sus humors: Consider this but duly, and withal, what mischief may accrue by giving a Medicine pur∣ging Choller, in a Disease proceeding of Flegm or watry humors, you may easily see without a pair of Spectacles, that it cannot but weaken the Spirits ex∣ceedingly, and abate Natural heat, which is all Na∣ture hath to help her self in such a case, as also hinder the clarification of the Blood which is done by Chol∣ler, thereby encreasing the Disease, and opening a gap to let out Life, and let in Death; It were vain to recite what mischiefs may follow the giving of violent Purges to weak Bodies, or to strong Bodies where the humor offending is not tough and viscous, but fluid and easie to be carried away, I shall touch upon them by and by, only here you may see reason enough, why I am so long upon this Subject.
Lastly, When you perfectly know the humor offen∣ding, the convenient Medicine, and fit correction for it, the time and manner of using it remains to be enquired into.
These I thought to premise by way of Caution be∣fore I come to the matter it self intended, and so much the rather because people from one Generation to a∣nother have been so trained up in ignorance by Phy∣sitians who have absconded the Method of Physick from them, that now like mad men (oppression ha∣ving almost, if not altogether made them so) when they all any thing, they take any Purge what their next Neighbor adviseth them to, right or wrong 'tis no matter, their wit in, and consideration of the business being much at one.