Van Helmont's works containing his most excellent philosophy, physick, chirurgery, anatomy : wherein the philosophy of the schools is examined, their errors refuted, and the whole body of physick reformed and rectified : being a new rise and progresse of philosophy and medicine, for the cure of diseases, and lengthening of life / made English by J.C. ...

CHAP. II. The Causes of Duelech, or the stone in man, according to the Antients.

1. The rashnesse of the Schooles. 2. The supposed matter of Duelech, and the effects of the same. 3. Those causes of the Antients are rejected. 4. Think∣ing hath deceived the Schooles, whereby they supposed the effect to be the cause it self. 5. The progresse of humane nature is every where alike. 6. The errour of the Schooles, in the causes of Duelech, is proved. 7. Some Rashnesses, disclemencies and sluggishnesses of the Schooles. 8. A faulty Ar∣gument of the Schooles in the efficient cause of Duelech it self. 9. Argu∣ments drawn from sense. 10. That Duelech is made of the Ʋrin it self; but not of the contents thereof, distinguished in opposition to the Ʋrine. 11. Con∣sequences upon the ignorance of causes. 12. the wearisomenesse or grief of the Author. 13. An handicraft operation of the Author, rejecting the causes of the Schooles assigned to Duelech. 14. A Maxime opposite to the Schooles. 15. The vanity of Tartar in the Stone. 16. Pray ye, and it shall be given unto you.

THe hoard of Tartars being already long since cast out and re-cleansed elsewhere, [unspec 1] which through the Captain Paracelsus had invaded Diseases. I must now in this place, wage War with the Precepts of Galen, in the causes of Duelech or the stone in Man. For indeed, the Schooles having forgotten a quaternary or fourfold number of natural Causes, have made mention of two causes onely, for the Generation of Due∣lech. And so that likewise, they agree with me, in the name and number of Causes onely; but not in the thing it self. For truly, they teach, that the matter, and efficient, are the parents of the stone. And so, their own conscience urging them, they deny its Form and End, or Causes; or do either insufficiently treat of the stone, or at length, exclude Duelech out of the Race of natural things. Yea, seeing they will have every efficient cause to be external, they leave it to be concluded by their young Beginners, that Duelech is naturally constituted, and doth depend onely from an external effici∣ent Cause.

The Schooles therefore call the matter of the stone, a certain Muscilage, which they [unspec 2] call a slimy or snivelly phlegme: but they will have the efficient cause of the stone, to be Heat, as well that external Heat of the Bed, &c. as that of the Bowels it self being badly affected. Wherein, at the very entrance, they forsake their own Patron; who denies the efficient cause in natural things, to be internal. Duelech therefore, shall be caused onely by heat.

I am of a contrary judgement. I have shewed by handicraft Operation, that no [unspec 3] muscilage, as such, ever is, hath been, or can be, the matter [ex qua] or [whereof] of the Stone. But if the muckinesse it self, be sometimes laid hold of by the true mat∣ter of the stone, and be shut up under the same: it stonifies indeed, from the seed of Due∣lech, together, otherwise, with the proper matter of Duelech, but not by reason of its being a muscilage, or as it is tough and slimy.

For first of all the undistinct observance of the Schooles their experience, hath deceived [unspec 4] them. For they beheld the snivelly urine of those, who now carried a stone in their Bladder: and they presently thereupon, suspending a further diligent search, cryed out, Victory; and bare in hand, that they had found the immediate and containing cause of the Stone. Truly, first the Schooles are miserable: but much more miserable are the infirm or sick. For if they had once looked behind them, they had easily seen, that the stone being rightly cut out, that and before accustomed balast of muckinesse or sni∣vel, doth also presently cease in the urine of that infirm person. For from hence the Schooles might have been able certainly to know, that if, that muckinesse, which is voi∣ded before, while the Stone was present, were any kind of cause and matter of the same,

that should surely be made, either from the Bladder it self, or from the stone, or should be sent unto the Bladder from elsewhere. If therefore it was sent from elsewhere, verily when Duelech was cut out, it ought as yet to be bred, sent thither, and daily voi∣ded forth: since the cutting and taking away of the stone, hath respect onely to the Blad∣der: but in no wise, unto the part which is otherwise remotely distant, the bringer forth, and sender of continual snivels. But if such a muckinesse proceeded from the stone, or next from the Bladder, it shall not any way, be a cause; but rather an effect of the stone, presupposing the stone to be present. For the Bladder is hurt in its digesti∣on, by so cruel and troublesome a Guest as the stone is; wherefore as impatient there∣of, it continually weepes out the undigested part of its owne nourishment, because it cannot perfect and promote it: and therefore it successively sends for new. Therefore that snivel is not the matter [whereof] of the stone: but the mournfull effect hereof. And therefore they badly accuse that muscilage for the matter of the stone: For they see, and do not know what they have seen. They call phlegme, one, and indeed a separated humour of the four first humours arising in sanguification or blood-making, which is the last nourishment in digestion, and the immediate and spermatick or seedy nourishment of the solid members proceeding from the venal Blood, being totally digested, it being degenerated in its passage, by reason of the indisposition of the part to be nourished. For the stone hath nothing which is vital in it self, nor hath it any thing vital out of it self, which may afford, or stir up a muscilage from its seed; And much lesse is Nature solicitous of, or doth intend the increase of the stone, that from its owne continual nourishing warmth, it should think of procreating that, where∣by it may intend and confirm its enemy, and own destruction within; especially, if the direction of the same doth depend on an un-erring intelligence or understand∣ing.

For the Schooles, if ever they made trial from Charity towards their Neighbour, or [unspec 5] a care of knowing, they ought at least, to have run over unto some such like things. To wit, that a web, or moat in the eye, doth against ones will, stir up continual teares. That the Bone Ethmoides, or straining bone being stopped with snivel, doth continually provoke the liquor Latex, and powres forth snivel, in a Pose. That the Squinancy also, thus froaths up an uncessant and mucky spittle: even as also, that the bloody flux drops down the proper snivel of the Bowel, together with blood. For then, they had easily seen, that snivel is made, and doth continually issue from the Bladder, being thus besieged by Duelech: but not that the Tear is the cause of the web in the Eye, or that the watery Latex being largely powred out, doth stop up the spongy bone in the forehead: or that mucky spittle doth procreate the Squinancy. For such is the perpetual commerce of the whole Body, that a member being hurt, or the power thereof, its Inhabitant: the fun∣ctions of the same do go astray, and its digestion is forthwith vitiated, and the nourish∣ment thereof, being otherwise lively, doth for the most part, degenerate, that if it de∣clines not into a spermatick disposition; at leastwise, it doth into a mucky or snivelly one. For so, the Bladder weepes out the continual muck of its owne defiled nourishment, while the stone is present: and ceaseth so to do, when it is absent. Therefore by such a muck being granted, they endeavour too frivolously to prove, to wit, that the mate∣rial cause of the stone, is that, which, the stone being there placed, is by accident, and occasionally, effectually made. In the next place, if such a mucky snivel, being bred [unspec 6] in the urine, were the matter [whereof] of the stone, and heat were the proper effi∣cient cause thereof: and that both these causes being present, were sufficient; truly see∣ing the effect, when sufficient causes are granted, doth unexcusably, of necessity succeed: therefore, all such mucky snivel, would of necessity, become a stone is the Bladder: No otherwise than as the whole milk simply, is coagulated at once by the Runnet. And so, the Bladder, should presently be filled up with one onely stone, or it should be false, that the causes being granted, which are requisite for the constituting of a thing, the thing it self must needs be made, or be. Neverthelesse, in the tearmes proposed, that muckinesse being continually present (at leastwise successively) under the heat of the Bladder, doth not wholly passe over (as otherwise should be required) into a stone, according to the similar, simple, and homogeneal unity of it self: but is wholly voided out. Therefore the two constitutive causes of the Stone, assigned by the Schooles, can neither be true, nor sufficient ones.

Wherefore, I greatly admire at so great a sluggishnesse of diligently searching, nor [unspec 7] that in so many fore-past Ages, there hath been any one of that curiosity, who hath once hitherto dryed that Snivel voyded out of the Bladder, with any degree of heat. For

he had learned and certainly known, whether a stone would ever be made thereby; or indeed, any brickle sand-stone even as if he did dry the snivel of the Nostrils in a plate of mettal. It is therefore an intolerable thing, that none of the Schooles their Profes∣sours, hath hitherto cherished the Urine, together with the aforesaid Muscilage, with a due lukewarmth, that he might have learned, that the stone grew together in Urinals or Chamberpots, not from the snivel: but well or successfully in respect of the Urine. I am deservedly angry, that in things of so great moment, from whence, notwithstand∣ing an infernal sentence of punishment hangs almost over the head of the Schooles: the extinguishment of Charity, yea, and the very denial of Knowledge are manifestly proved: yet that they have never hitherto considered, that as long as they live, nothing can ever be dryed up or wither in the Bladder: or that ever the action of heat is requi∣red for the hardening of the stone, that the watery parts should be consumed; but that the more grosse parts, should at once, by the same endeavour, be more toughly co-thick∣ned. For otherwise, if they suppose the necessity of their efficient heat to be such, that like Lime, in its maturity, the stone being cherished by heat, doth grow together; Now the Universities confound themselves, while they see, that clear and transparent urine, layes aside its sandy or stony crusts in the cold, and in Urinals or Chamberpots. They behold (I say) Stones to be brought to maturity, without heat; and also that the U∣rine of healthy persons, doth affix sands and scaly plates on Urinals. Neither likewise, doth this very thing thus come to passe, if the Vessel being close shut, the urine be all the day long, most grosly cherished by heat: therefore it is the part of ignorance, that by all the clear-sightednesse of Phisitians, the difference hath not yet been discerned be∣tween the coagulation of a flint, in a Spring or River, and the drying of Clay that is made by heat. Learn ye therefore, oh ye Schooles, of me an unprofitable and the least of [unspec 8] young Beginners: that heat is through occasion of the loines: but not the occasion of the stone, or of the adhering sand. That is, the stone is not from heat, but heat from the stone: even as heat ariseth in the finger, from a Thorne being thrust into it; but the Thorne is not there made by heat. For ye have heard the wailings of the Strangury or pi••sing by drops, but not of heat in the stone of the Bladder: even as otherwise, ye have heard complaints of heat in the Disease of the stone of the Kidnies; wherefore, if heat were the efficient cause of the stone: there would be far greater complaints in the stone of the Bladder; Because this stone, by reason of its greater hardnesse, should also be the [unspec 9] of-spring of a greater heat and drying, than that of the Reines. And the rather, because that, doth almost continually swim in the Latex or urinal Liquor: whereas the Kidney, doth not any thing detain the trans-sliding u••ine. Surely the stone of the Bladder should have need of a violent heat. For the diseased complain of a sharpnesse, burning heat, and pain. But these things are not felt in the nest of the Stone, even as in the Nut of the Yard. Therefore Children have known how to distinguish of the sense and place of sharpnesse and pain: but not the Schooles. But moreover, although the urine may seem biting and sharp as if there were the burning of fire, as in the Strangury: yet being voided, it is not any thing more hot, or sharper to the tast, or more salt than it was wont, or is meet to be. There is an apparent burning and tartnesse of the urine: not indeed, from a true heat, or any sharpnesse of the urine: but onely, by reason of the forreign∣nesse of some certain small quantity of sharpnesse, through a Ferment being co-mixed therewith: which thing, the Strangury teacheth, being contracted by new Ales, and those as yet fermenting from a sharpnesse. Therefore Macc, or Saffron being taken (for they must be sharp and hot Medicines, yea reaching to the very place, if they ought to help; and therefore, by their odour testifying their presence in the urine) the aforesaid burning heat for the most part, ceaseth.

For it is a Philosophical truth, that the stone increaseth by the same causes, whereby it a∣riseth, [unspec 10] and so on the other hand: But stones being joined to our Chamber-pots, do con∣firm that the stone is naturally made, and at leastwise, without an actual heat of the Cham∣ber-pot and encompassing Ayr: or that heat is not required unto its constitution: there∣fore the stone is made and increased materially of the urine; but not of a vital musci∣lage: nor that it doth require heat for its efficient cause; and much lesse, an excesse of the same heat. For the mucky snivel doth not appear rejected or cast forth, unlesse the stone be first present in the Bladder: and so, the cause, as slow, should have come after its ef∣fect. For I have observed, that if any one did pisse through a thick Towel, and found not a muscilage herein: yet but a few houres after that time, his urine being strained thorow, and filtred into a clean Glass, had yielded a thin and red sand, equally adhering thereunto; neither also, had it fallen down more plentifully about the bottome, than it

stuck about the sides of the Glasse. And that thing had thus happened in a cold encom∣passing Ayr. Wherefore, even from thence, any one ought to be more assured, that that sand had not gone forth with the urine, in the beginning of his making water (because it was not yet bred) neither that it was actually in the urine, For otherwise, it had stood detained in the Towel, however thin it had been, like the atomes of Potters earth. Or if the Towel being not thick enough, had deceived him: yet at least, it had presently rushed unto the bottome, in the likenesse of sand, or a settlement: neither had it af∣fixed it self in its making, in so great a grain, and with so great a distance of equality, to the sides of the Vessel: Because it had wanted a glew, whereby it might have been able to glew it self thereunto. In the next place, seeing that sand wants a glew throughout its whole Superficies, except in that part; wherein it adheres to the Chamberpot or Uri∣nal: it is sufficiently manifest, that at one and the same instant, wherein that sand was made, it was likewise also glewed thereunto. For from thence, any one ought to be the more assured (if he had ever toughly laboured in a diligent searching out of the truth) that since that sand applyed it self to the Glasse of its owne free accord, that it was also generated, far after the making water, to wit, in the immediate instant before its affix∣ing: but that, it being affixed, however the most small it was in it self, it afterwards en∣creased by additions. Which effects, indeed, as they are wrought by a common nature growing or glistening in the urine, and not from a particular atome of sand, which af∣fixed it self to the Vessel; Hence also, it equally departed, and that, at once, out of the whole urine. For from this so ordinary and daily handicraft Operation, if the love of Health were cordially seated in the Schooles; they ought for some Ages before now, to have known (nor indeed from an argument drawn from a Similitude, and far fetcht; but altogether from the Identity or same linesse of the urine and stony sand it self) that for as much as that sand had grown together from the matter of the urine, to wit, of the same matter, from whence the stone also was: and that indeed though a muscilage of the matter, and heat of the place were absent (for the pewter Chamberpot stands in the cold encompassing ayr) and likewise without the suspition of the affect of the stone, or an infirmity of the pisser (for also any the unblamed urine of healthy persons, gene∣rates this sand and applyes it self to the urine) therefore the sand and stone in us, pro∣ceeds from stony causes; to wit: the same, from which the urine becomes of a sandy grain in the Glasse without us, being also healthy persons. Which thing, being by me [unspec 11] seen, I seriously sighed, and certainly knew, that the Schooles had erred in the knowledge of the cause, and that they do even to this day stumble in curing of the Stone; the which, notwithstanding, they rashly assume to themselves, and presume of. I greatly bewailed the stupidities and false devices of so many Ages; and more, that the unhappy Obedi∣ences, strict Clientships, paines, and deaths of the sick; the untimely destructions of Families; and lastly, the spoyles of Widows and Orphans, had happened under unfaith∣ful an ignorant helpers, who deceived the World with the name of Phisitians.

For then I knew in good earnest, that I knew nothing, who had learned my princi∣ciples [unspec 12] from such as knew nothing. I therefore disdaining the long since blinde igno∣rance of my presumption, cast away Books, and bestowed perhaps two hundred Crownes in Books, as a Gift upon studious persons (I wish I had burned them) be∣ing altogether resolved with my self, to forsake a Profession that was so ignorant, if not also, full of deceit.

At length in a certain night, being awaked out of my sleep, I meditated, that no Schollat was above his Master; yet I resolved in my mind, that many of my School-fel∣lowes had exceeded their Teachers: but the truth of that Text was brought unto me, name∣ly, That a man did watch and build in vain, unlesse the Lord did co-operate. I knew there∣fore, likewise, that we do teach any one in vain, unlesse the Master of all Truth shall also teach us within, whom none of his Disciples hath ever surpassed, Therefore I long and seriously searched, after what manner I might attain the knowledge of the Stone, from this Master. For truly, I most perfectly knew, that Authors had not so much as the least light, and that therefore, neither could they give me that Knowledge: But I confes∣sed my self to be a great Sea of ignorance, and an Abysse of manifold darknesses, and to [unspec 13] want all light; unless it were one onely Spark, that so, piercing my self, I might acknow∣ledge, that nothing was left unto me. And so, although I frequently prayed, yet pre∣sently after, I despaired in my mind. At length, making a thorow search of my own self; I found, that I was my self, free from the stone. For I had never felt any pain of my Reines, or had taken notice of one onely sand therein: Yet I had now and then be∣held that sand adhering in the Urinal, yet without any sliminess, or disturbance of heat,

or local pain. For I wondered, that having powred out my urine, a sand should stick to the sides of the Urinal, and be so fastened thereto, at so great a distance of equality, that it denyed all fore-existence of matter falling down. It once happened, that I was conversant with some noble Women, the Wives of Noblemen, and so also with the Queen her self, from the third hour after noon, even to the third hour after midnight, at London in the Court of Whitehall; For they were the Holy-day-Evens of Feastings in the Twelf∣dayes. But I made water, when those Women first drew me along with them to the Kings Palace: wherefore, for civility sake, I with-held my urine for at least 12 houres space. And then, having returned home, I could not, even by the most exact viewing, find so much as the least mote of sand in my urine. For I feared, least, my urine having been long detained, and cocted beyond measure, would now be of a sandy grain. Where∣fore I made water the more curiously through a Napkin; but my urine was free from all sand. Therefore the next day after, in the morning, I pissed new urine through a Towel, and detained it in a Glass-Vrinal as many houres (to wit, twelve): And at length, I manifestly saw the adhering sand, to be equally dispersed round about where the urine had stood: lastly, pouring forth the urine, I touched that sand with my finger. And being perfectly instructed by my owne experience, I concluded with my self; That forasmuch as the urine was by me the pisser, detained for 12 houres space, and yet it contained no sand, neither that I had cast it forth: and that otherwise, in the lesser space of a day, sand had been condensed in my urine, and fastened to the Glazen-shell, in the encompassing ayr of [the Month called J January: I knew more certainly than certainty it self, that a sliminess of matter was no way required for that sand, and that the heat of the mem∣ber did in no wise effect the coagulation of the Stone. I thereupon taking my pro∣gress home, cast from me, the Doctrine of the Schooles, and presently the Truth took hold of me. For I being confirmed, and no longer staggering by reason of doubt, be∣lieved, as being certainly confirmed, that the internal and seminal cause of the stones in men was unknown to Mortals. With a great courage therefore, I again disdaining all the Books of Writers, cast them away, and expelled them far from me. Neither de∣termined I to expect the ayd of my Calling from any other way than from the Father of Lights, the one onely Master of Truth. And presently I gave a divorce to all acci∣dental occasions and mockeries of Tartar: and also to any whatsoever Artifices, more than those which more shew forth the course of Nature. Because I knew that Nature doth no where, primarily work out seminal transmutations by heat or cold, as such; al∣though [unspec 14] she be oft-times constrained to make use of those, for the excitements, or impe∣diments of inward Agents.

I knew therefore that vain were the devices of Paracelsus, concerning Tartar; to this end at least, invented by him, that he, as the first, might be reckoned to have thrust [unspec 15] in the Generation of the Stone into the universal nature of Bodies and Diseases, by the history of stones feigned from the Similitude of the Tartar of Wine. For although he perfectly cured Duelech (as his Epitaph doth premonish) yet he obtained not the spe∣culative knowledge thereof in the like measure, as he did the most powerfull use of an Arcanum. For so, very many experiments, wander about amongst Idiots: the causes whereof they notwithstanding know not. Therefore the help of Books forsook me, and the voyce of the living forsook me, which might teach me, while present; yet I knew, that wo was to the man, that trusted in man.

Good God, the Comforter of the poor in spirit, who art nearer to none, than to him who with a full freedome, resignes up him∣self and his Endowments into thy most pleasing Will; and seeing thou enlightnest none more bountifully, Oh Father of Lights, than him, who acknowledging the lowliness of his owne nothingness, puts confidence onely in the good pleasure of thy Clemency. Grant thou, Oh thou profound Master of Sciences, that I may rather be poor in spirit, than great with Child or swollen through knowledge. Grant me freely an understanding that may purely seek thee, and a will that may purely adhere unto thee. Enlighten thou my nothing-darknesses as much as thou wilt; and no more, than that I may suffer my self to be directed according to length, breadth, and Depth, unto the Reward of the Race pro∣posed be thee unto me; nor that I may ever in any thing decline from thee to my self. Because I am in very deed, evil; Neither of my self, have I, am I, can I be, know I, or am I able to do any thing else. Unto thee be the glory, which hath taught me to acknow∣ledge my owne nothingness.