The disease of London, or, A new discovery of the scorvey [sic] comprising the nature, manifold differences, various causes, signs, prognostics, chronology, and several methods of curing the said disease by remedies, galenical and chymical : together with anatomical observations, and discourses on convulsions, palsies, apoplexies, rheumatisms, gouts, malignant fevors, and small pox, with their methods of cure and remedies : likewise, particular observations on most of the fore-mentioned diseases / by Gideon Harvey ...

THE DISEASE OF LONDON. CHAP. I. Containing A Praemissory Discourse of the SCORVEY. (Book 1)

1. The Design of the Treatise. 2. The Synonyma's and Derivation of the Scorvey. 3. Whether the Scorvey was known to Hippocrates or Ga∣len? that it's contagious and haeredi∣tary. 4. That the Scorvey is of about 200 years standing.

I Will not resume, what by others hath so oft been chaw'd upon, and that take for a reason, if I do not tell you a Story out of Eugalen, Solomon Albertus, or Wierus, a sort of people, that from one another re-col∣lected

a most prodigal number of Scorbutick Symptoms, by the same Rule of Arithmetical Progression, Ga∣len made use of in mustering his Cen∣turies of Pulses, an impertinent vari∣ety, more imaginary, than percepti∣ble by the subtillest Aranean Tact. By what I here condemn, you may conjecture, I praetend to divulge some∣thing particular, in such terms, as shall as little tire you in the reading, as me in writing. To commence my Dis∣course from the Description of my Subject, seemeth most expedient, wherein an exactness ought to be aimed at, exceeding what hitherto hath been heeded, which may oblige such, as when meeting with a distem∣per, they are not well acquainted with, are compelled to tell the Patient, it is the Scorvey.

§ 2. Scorbutus and Scorvey (quasi Scorbey) are words bastardized from Scorbeck, a Westphalian Primitive, denoting a Hoarse Throat, probably a Symptom, that antiently attended that Disease, and in these dayes is now and then observed a Concomi∣tant,

especially among the Danes, where it passed by the name of Scher∣mund; who moreover being oft rack'd with tearing pains in their legs, gave them the name of Schor∣bein, or Tear-leg. By the way, I must here take notice of a vulgar error, in the Orthography of the word Scurvey, which ought to be written Scorvey, as being derived from the word Scorbeck. The Low Dutch discerning; it oft ex∣erciseth its fury on the Guts, by causing insufferable Gripes, chuse to call it Scheurbuyck or Tear-belly; also de Blawe Shuit, from those blew spots, that haunt Scorbutick Legs. From the stink of Breath and foulness of the Gums, the Italians name it La Marcia di Bocca, or Scornobocca, implying a corruption of the mouth. But if it be proper to derive the denomination of a Disease from its chief Symptoms, the word Gingipedium (crassa & pingui Miner∣va) expresseth its nature more amply, declaring it most incommodious (gin∣givis & pedibus) to the gums and legs; and it may be conjectured, this kind of Nomenclature was twisted together out of those two Antick

words latinized 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the former denoting a foulness of mouth, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; or a foul mouth, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the latter being expounded a Disease of the legs, as may be inferred from Pliny Histor. Natur. lib. 35. cap. 3. In Ger∣mania trans Rhenum castris a Germa∣nico Caesare promotis, maritimo tra∣ctu fons erat aquae dulcis solus, qua po∣ta intra biennium dentes deciderent, compagesque in genibus solverentur, stomacacen Medici vocabant, & Scelo∣tyrben: i. e. The Campagne being removed by Germanicus Caesar to the other side of the Rhyne in Germany, there was onely one Fountain of sweet water, in a tract near the Sea, where∣of drinking, in two years time their teeth would fall out, and the compo∣sure of their knees would be quite relaxed; the Physicians called it Sto∣macace and Scelotyrbe.

§ 3. The use of these words seem∣eth to be of a far ancienter date, than Pliny's age, since Strabo a Sub∣ject of Augustus Caesar, in the Six'h Book of his Geography, about the

end, relates the Roman Army, that was transported into Arabia, to be in∣fested with a Disease called Stomacace and Scelotyrbe. Galen also in that Book de Definitionibus Medicis, makes men∣tion of a Scelotyrbe. But not onely, whe∣ther those Maladies implied by these two obsolete words, but whether those great Spleens described by Hippocrates de Morbis Intern. 2. Praed. 2. Prognost. the Black Jaundice, the Ileos Haema∣tites, or the Black Vitiligo (being a deformity of the Skin, haunted with large duskish spots) be not the same Disease, Modern Physicians term the Scorvey, hath been controverted by most, that have handled this Subject. That each of these have a resem∣blance in their Causes and Symptoms to the Scorvey, needs no debate; for according to Hippocrates in the prae∣cedent Citation, in those great Spleens The Belly is puffed up, afterward the Spleen doth also swell, and is h••rd, and acute pains happen to the Spleen, the colour is also changed and looks black, pale, and like a Pomegranate shell; and an ill smell cometh out of their mouth, and the gums scent ill and separate from

the teeth; and on the legs there break out Vlcers, also nocturnal Pustuls; and the parts are extenuated, and their ordure is not evacuated. The Ilios Haematites is also decipher'd with features not unlike the former: The Disease, saith Hippocrates, beginneth about the Autumn, and therein these things happen: There commeth an ill scent out of the mouth from the teeth, and the gums separate from them; and blood floweth out of the nostrills; and sometines ulcers break out on their legs, and other things appear, and the co∣lour groweth black, and the skin thin. The curiosity praedominating so much among Authors, touching the iden∣tity of primaeval and subsequent Dis∣eases, might be construed very super∣fluous; for the result, whether it be so or not, contributeth no more light to the scrutiny of the Scorvey, than a Candle to the Sun at Noon-day; though perchance exercitii gratia, and for reputation of being versed in Antick Lectures, it may be per∣mitted to be ventilated. The opini∣on of the major part of the learned, infers from the near alliance of Sym∣ptoms,

the Great Spleens of Hippo∣crates to be the Scorvey; and some o∣thers by the same reason are convin∣ced, the Black Jaundice, the Ileos Hae∣matites and Black Vitiligo, are no other. If this inference be received, Hypochondriack Melancholy, Hyste∣rick Passion, Quartan Ague, and most other Splenetick Maladies, may be reduced as Species to the Gender of the Scorvey. But upon a strict sur∣vey your aestimate will conclude, that the distinction of Diseases doth not depend so much on common acci∣dents, as properties; or to speak phy∣sically, on Pathognomonics, derived from a Specifick qualification, in their Causes, Parts affected, and Sym∣ptoms. Thus the pro••gumenal cause of the Scorvey, though its vulgarly at∣tributed to Melancholy, or rather Salt vitiated or degenerated to a praeterna∣tural, and in that qualification may be a common parent to this, the Great Spleens, Black Jaundice, and the rest; yet the more nice insinuation of others hath detected the Salts of the Blood so specifically receded from their natural Constitution in the Scor∣vey,

and to have indued such pere∣grine qualities, that they are not ca∣pable to give birth to any other Dis∣ease than this. Moreover, by most the part affected and harth of the praeal∣leged distempers, are determined u∣nically the Spleen; in the Scorvey the Stomach (by some the Pancreas) the Spleen and Liver; and some do al∣so accuse the brain, though per dente∣ropathiam. Among the Symptoms the difference is most perspicuous, the exufflation of the Spleen is not al∣wayes discovered in the Scorvey, though in great Spleens never absent: In the Ileos Haematites there is loss of blood by Stool, attended with tear∣ing Gripes; which in this distemper is not assumed for a Pathognomonic. The Scorvey: is particularly malig∣nant, because it is contagious, and so radicated, that for some months, and fraequently years, it doth praedo∣minate over the most potent of Medi∣cines; and Infants oft bringing Scor∣butick Seminaries with them into the world, speak it haereditary; insomuch that on some Families the Scorvey hath been intailed with their Estates.

These Praedicates certainly are not convertible with the fore-mentioned Diseases, and therefore ought not so rashly to be pronounced the Scorvey; which moreover is Endemick, the o∣thers Epidemick and Pandemick. Thus far no sensible error can be incurred, if upon comprise of the whole, these Diseases are conceded to be Scorbu∣tick, in the same terms, as one may aptly explain a Pleurisie, an Empye∣ma, an Inveterate Cough, and many other Pulmonic Diseases, Asthmatic, but not an Asthma; unless derived from Saline Scorbutic Procatarctic and Proe∣gumenal Causes.

§ 4. The Scorvey, in respect of its primar appearance, seems to bear no certainty in Chronology, since some describe it a distemper, that for some Ages hath harrassed the crazy inhabi∣tants of the world; others will not al∣low it a Disease of longer date, than Authors of the last Century record its first budding among the Danes, Sax∣ons, and Westphalians; which is with∣in the time of Two hundred years at most. This latter sentiment is easily

supported by this Argument; viz. No Disease described by any of the Greek, Latine, or Arabian Physicians, doth exactly quadrate in Parts affect∣ed, Causes, and Symptoms with this Northern Scorvey; and therefore may be inferred a new up-start Dis∣ease: especially that sort of Scorvey, which in my Little Venus I term Epi∣demick. Probably an objection may be offer'd, that since those Procatar∣ctic and Proegumenal Causes, had their being many Ages past, and con∣sequently an influence on humane Bodies, they must necessarily (ac∣cording to that trite Axiome, Posita causa ponitur effectus) have constitu∣ted their effect, viz. the Scorvey. To this is replied, History maketh no report of those occasions, that are im∣powered to produce this Malady. The Graecians, among whom those great Spleens of Hippocrates, being nearest of kin to the Scorvey, were so popular, lived in a benign air, and were constantly imployed in Warlick Exercises, whereby they were divert∣ed from Melancholy, or other dull Passions, from Excess of Sleep or

Sloath, and other inconveniences: so that those External Causes, that now concur in the production of the Scor∣vey, had no praevalence on them; and therefore improbable, our Distem∣per should have been engender'd then, or any time before. But waving other Causes, and considering only, it is an Endemick Disease, which hath its chief dependance on the Air, and particular disposition of the Clime, wherein alterations happen by evapo∣rations from Sea or Earth, and Coe∣lestial Irradiations, which being so various and fraequent, it's no wonder, if the Scorvey be a recent producti∣on, or if every moneth or year Dis∣eases of new aspects emerge.