CHAP. XVII. A narrow search into the Essential thinglinesse of a Fever.

HItherto as well the modern, as more antient Physitians have considered the na∣ture and essential thinglinesse of Fevers, from the speculation of heat, as well in∣ternal, [ 1] as that of the encompassing heat of Summer: And also they have measured that essence by the sharpnesse, cruelty, multiplicity of the occasional matter, or from the malignity of one, or more of the four feigned humours: For so they have shut up the gate before their own judgments, whereby they ought to have entred: For truly the manner of making in Fevers, and its internal efficient, and seminal matter, have remain∣ed neglected; they have contemplated of a Fever only in its being made; and so, thus they have withdrawn from themselves the knowledge of its essence; whereas other∣wise, the manner of making above distinguished, uncloathes the internal thinglinesse of a Fever, which the Fever that is made includeth, the understanding of man not being able to pierce things by its own power, which it hath on purpose shut up from it self.

I have therefore taught above, from what active and vital beginning a Fever ariseth seminally, and materially in us; that is, entirely: For the essential thinglinesse of Fevers being perfectly taught by their manner of making, makes manifest the thinglinesse of the efficient whereby it is formed: Because it begs all its determination from the life.

For therefore the true Ental and essential thinglinesse differs in the whole circumfer∣ence [ 2] from the Antients their suposed thinglinesse (to wit, the accidental one) of Fevers: For the accidental Being it self (which is the very supposed Fever of the Antients) differs in the whole predicament from the substantial and vital Being of Fevers, and from their seminal Beginning, progresse, co-fitting, action, sequestration, defilement, and immediate property, being drawn, to wit, as well from the motherly part of the intern∣al and vital matter, as from the fatherly part; to wit, from the thinglinesse of the vital efficient principle.

For truly Physitians hitherto, place every disease among naked qualities: But I have demonstrated, that heat is not the essence, or of the essence of Fevers; but a meer ac∣cident, seperable from a Fever, and that which is accidentally, and by intervals adjacent to a Fever.

Now it remaines for the knowledge of a Fever, and its remedies, to contemplate of the [ 3] manner of its making, while it is in making that the tree may be bewrayed by its fruites: Page  1007 Therefore almost every Fever, presently after its beginning, abhorrs and is averse to fleshes, fishes, meat-broths, eggs, and whatsoever things may soon be corrupted with∣in the stomach: For fleshes and fishes only by a lukewarmth do voluntarily depart into corruptions proper unto them, and would hasten stinks as it were to the bound of a dead carcase.

And these, when they slide down into a stomach that is deprived of its accustomed due and digesting ferment, do through the lukewarmth of that place alone, hasten into the corruption of themselves. For feverish belchings do from hence become of a strong savour, and therefore for soure belchings to happen upon burntish or stinking ones, Hippocrates will have it to portend a good Omen or presage; because that the digestive ferment of the stomach (which constraines all things to wax soure) testifies by soure bel∣ching, that it hath returned: The which otherwise, being absent, sleeping being hindered, or suppressed, fleshes, and those things which are ready easily to pu∣trifie are presently corrupted: Whence afterwards yeellow, leeky, and bitter vomit∣ing is stirred up, from the pottage of the Steward being corrupted: This is the cause why whatsoever things do easily putrifie, are presently made hatefull in Fe∣vers.

But at least wise, from hence it is manifest, that the stomach is the stage of a Fever∣ish combate: And then thirst presently gives its voice for this conception, accompanying [ 4] most Fevers.

Yea and in the great, and dayly cold of intermitting Fevers, thirst is more cruel, and the vomiting of that yellow dreg more abundant, than otherwise, in the sharpest [ 5] heates of continual Fevers: For neither therefore, must we make an escape unto the wonted hiding places, as if only the outward parts were cold, but that the inward bowells were hot, and did most mightily burn with heat: To wit, from whence, under cold, so great importunity of heat did molest: Far be it from being willing to impose by so ma∣nifest trifles, on the truth! For truly in the beginnings of intermitting Fevers, horrours and colds are felt, no lesse within than in the joynts: Therefore indeed the inward dens are shaken by reason of Cold, even so, that the teeth & joynts bewray nothing but inward cold.

But Feverish rigours are appeased as soon as the fury of the internal cold hath be∣come milder: But that thirst is decietfull; Because it is that which not only drink doth not quench, and which doth miserably delude the drinker; but also it teacheth that it was not caused by a defect of moisture: But if a fervent heat within (otherwise worthy to be laughed at) be supposed to be, as long as it stirs up a cruel cold out of its inner chamber: At least wise, doth not that heat, the houshould guest of Fevers, (although it be not yet complayning, or hitherto felt) while it is dispersed, and the cold is driven away, [ 6] doth it not I say get it self strength in going? And unfold it self? Not indeed after the manner of a substance extenuated by enlarging, but by acting after the manner of heat in∣creasing: Even so as the hand being made cold by snow, if it recover heat, it waxeth hot more and more, and far more powerfully than that which is made hot by the fires side. Why therefore if thirst be made by inward heat, at least, is it not quenched by drink: Why also, heat being now increased, and by occasion of the Fever, enlarged unto its state, doth not thirst likewise increase; but rather is for the most part, mittigated?

Is it not manifest from hence, that thirst doth not spring from heat; but from a far different root? Especially, when as oft-times the sharp distillation of Sulphur, either quenches the thirst, or at leastwise, mightily allayes it. Therefore the sudden aversnesse of appetite, and abhorrency of meates, and a disdainfull choice of drinks in Fevers, a thirst almost unsatiable, vomiting, loathing, anguish, together with sighs, sometimes continual watching, lastly frequent drowsinesse, or doating delusions, discover and ac∣cuse the stomach, and the neighbouring places thereof to be the place or sink of a Fever.

For therefore a slow and more stubborn Fever is frequently loosed by the appetite of unwonted things (to wit, of a herring and smoaked things) it hoping by such an un∣thought [ 7] of matter, to subdue the guest its enemy: For such unwonted things do please, not indeed because they are fit for digestion, or nourishment (because it is that, which then is nothing in the same place:) but because they blot out the impressional Idea of the Archeus, and feverish seal, no otherwise than as after another manner, inordinate foods do occasionally stir up forreign, or silent Idea's of fits in the Archeus: For if a Fever had appointed its nest far from thence, all food ought also to be first transchanged in the stomach.

And therefore, by how much the farther it deviates from thence, by so much the more, the vigour of meates, and quality of their former life is prostrated: Where∣fore, Page  1008 if a Fever, otherwise of long continuance, be vanquished by the appetite, and enjoy∣ment of that unaccustomed food; it denotes, that a Fever is not far remote from the member desiring it.

Indeed, elsewhere soure belching also, returnes with an appetite: But at least wise it [ 8] is manifest from the premises, that the veines of the stomach draw not unto the liver, as the meseraick veines do; but rather that they are designed for nourishing of the stomach: The which I have elsewhere, concerning digestions, diligently and advisedly explained: For truly oft-times, things that were taken for two days before are rejected by vomit, thirst not hindering it.

Therefore the Pylorus (the lower porter of the stomach) as long as the Fever bears command, doth not rightly performe his office; and the thirst which ariseth in that two dayes space, doth diverse times return, vex, and again wax mild: And the Pylorus knows not for what end he so stubornly shuts himself, and so greatly deteineth that drink within the stomach, the sink of Fevers: Wherein then especially the goodnesse of digestion is not hoped for: but rather a long delay, and conse∣quent corruption of that which was cast in: He knowes not I say, to what end he utters so mad effects, while as from such deteinments, he procreates yellow and bit∣ter excrements, which hitherto have deluded the unwary with an image of the Gaul, and that he dasheth forth those excrements abundantly, in vain, and without easement. For from thence I conjecture, that the appetitive faculty of meates and drinkes implanted in the orifice or upper mouth of the stomach, hath declined into the Pylorus, all things be∣ing confused above and beneath, and therefore that a mad thirst doth equally molest; because the Chaos of the feverish confusion is tossed immediately in the forreign fold of the Pylorus.

For neither is that thirst allayed by drink, which is not in its own place, to wit, in the orifice of the stomach, whose office alone it is to denounce the defects of nourish∣ment.

A Fever therefore hath a poyson, and it is a manifold serpent, which is entertained a∣bout the Pylorus, and a little beneath it, or which sits in the hollow bought of the sto∣mach: For there are oft-times ridiculous doatages, elsewhere also furious ones, according to the condition of that poyson: But that serpent oftentimes stirs up thirst, oft-times also anguishes, faintings, and soundings or frequent bitter vomitings, or also those that are impatient and unsufferable of nourishment alone; or continual watchings, and at ano∣ther time drowsie evils supply the roome of these.

At leastwise at its first entrance, the ferment of the stomack, together with a desire of eating do presently faile: Neither therefore doth Anatomy vainly complain, that the difficulties of dissections next under the Pylorus, do exceed any other of the whole body, by reason of a multitude of vessels in-writhed with glandules.

For hence the exorbitances of the nourishment that is badly digested, and badly distribu∣ted, and liekwise of the drosse or liquid dung, being alienated out of its circle, or the dege∣neration of the nourishable and spermatick humour, do concur or run together, whence the family-administration of the stomach is overthrown: For truly all of them concur in the manifold texture or weaving of those vessells, and also a comixture of excrements: For which causes poyson ariseth, and the nourishments are estranged from their scope; they undergoing also, various alterations through delay.

The which while the Archeus of the same place, well percieveth to be in his jurisdicti∣on, be being vexed, troubled, and as it were mad, doth as yet diversly more alter those excrements, and according to the perswasion of their poysons, formes together diverse Idea's of his own preturbations, that he may expresse the Protheus of the Poets, and re∣present a various tragedy of Fevers: Yet the Metamorphyzings, and ends of this poyson∣ous contagion, are not therefore the objects of Physitians: For neither is the variety of the poysons, or sumptomes to be so much regarded, as the dignity of the place, and dis∣turbance of the Archeus, and afterwards, by what means the poyson may be restrained, and the aversenesse, and stird up confusion of the Archeus may be reduced: For these being appeased, the Fever straightway ceaseth, and those things which do there materially offend, are easily tamed by nature, and retire it self as rightly subdued: This way in∣deed, Fevers do presently depart at the arrival of some one Arcanum, but the remain∣der of expulsion is committed to the shoulders of nature, that Hippocrates his dignity may be preserved; That natures themselves are the Physitiannesses of diseases: These things, of continual, like as also of intermitting Fevers, and the birth-place thereof.

Page  1009 But the Quartane Ague alone being an Out-law, hath seemed to have more inwardly, or piercingly entred, or to have extended it self to the Spleen, without the Cottages of the stomack: Nevertheless it keeps its equal progress, and unfolding, upon the Archeus of the place; while as it committing the errours of digestion within its own Cottages, stirs up its furies at set periods.

Again, there is altogether a strange, and very unwonted Seat, Propagation, and un∣accustomed perplexity of healing of malignant, camp, and purple or spotted Fevers, &c. to wit, while as stinks, &c. are drawn into the body by the inbreathed Endemicks of places, Fens,, Minerals, Fumes, Hospitals, sick Folks, and stinking odours: The which while they pierce through the lungs into the breast through the Midriff, do strike the connexed superficies of the stomack, and decypher the idea of their own poyson∣somness in the nourishment that is immediatedly to be assimilated: The which being therefore degenerate, stayes it self there, and invites the Archeus of the place into its own furies: whence the unwonted Tragedies of Fevers do issue, to wit, very cruel, stub∣born, and deceitful ones: Because they stir up the more dangerous drowsie evils, watch∣ings, and madnesses, and anguishes, according to the spur of every poyson there bred, diversly stirring up the perturbations of the Archeus of life: So of late, Fevers have arose without thirst, heat, and tempest, for the confoundings of Physitians; because indeed they stir up Fevers in nothing more secure than the other: for some do swiftly, or slowly kill with some small beginning of cold, and that quickly ending; yet no less cruelly than those which molest with a great fierceness of Sympromes.

At leastwise now it is manifest, why vomitory Medicines do not any thing help that Fever of the stomack, and there uttering the signs of its Mansion: For although vo∣mitory remedies may seem to tame the product of a Fever, yet they take not away the occasional producer planted in the Bought, and external part of the stomack. We may therefore be led by the hand from the Fever it self, and presently the indications fetcht from thence, will teach, that all those anguishes do begin, and are stirred about the sto∣mack.

A wonder it is surely, that the Schools do nevertheless as yet accuse the Liver, and Choler, or Phlegm, to wit, putrified ones: since they observed that dejections or purg∣ings [ 10] by stool being promoted by Art, or the violence of nature, have nothing profited! For sleep brings labour in a Fever, but not in healthy persons; because sleep ariseth from the stomack, but not from the Liver, (the which more largely elsewhere;) But the original vice of a Fever, and its occasional matter is of that which is changed, and therefore also the changing action of the thing changing, and of those nourishments changed, is manifestly felt about the stomack: And therefore the solemn definition of [ 11] the Schools is ruinous, which decreeth a Fever to be first kindled, and begun from the heart: But the occasional matter of Fevers is changed nourishment, immediately to be assimilated, that perhaps will be admitted for the stomack; but it will not be alike easie to conceive the dross or liquid dung to be retrograde or to go back from the Mesen∣tery.

But surely although that thing doth regularly offer it self in healthy persons, yet not in Fevers, whereunto therefore any exorbitancy is singular, and proper: For so the li∣quid dung passeth from the womb of the urine, and seats of the stone, through an un∣direct departure, unto the Pleura, unto the veins of the stomack, and vessels of the gut Duodenum: Of which deviation there is no reason, but the very liberty of the confusion of the Archeus.

In the nex place (I will rehearse it) neither doth a Fever it self alwayes flow from, and is directed by a former occasional cause: For truly the Archeus himself, although he be not solicited by an external error; yet from the offence of his own incontinen∣cy, he now and then of his own accord taketh to him furies, and is luxurious through a proper insolency of liberty: For he tumulteth, and from a light errour frameth the Idea's of his own indignation no otherwise then he is oft-times stirred up from a ridiculous cause: And the which is less wonder in the universal Archeus, if he stumble; seeing he only is chief for the governing of so divers functions of faculties.

For because the Center of the malady hath placed the place of its exercise about the [ 12] stomack, vain are the emptyings of the veins, and theevings of the strength: For truly the blood is void of fault: The which I have above sufficiently demonstrated. And it is alike ridiculous, to be willing to strengthen, or comfort by Alkermes, Gems, and Pearls beaten; I say to be willing to corroborate where the enemy bears rule within, Page  1010 and drives the life it self head-long into all disorder, and confusion of dissolution: For the Enemy who was able to prostrate the health being entire, and strength being strong, will despise whatsoever shall be objected for comfort, while himself is present.

In vain therefore do they intend the helping of Symptomes, if a conquering Medi∣cine be not present, and the which may restrain the confusion of the vital Archeus: The which indeed is the essential, and principal Effectresse of cures. And it is matter of grief to intend the corroborating of the faculties with one hand, which the other hand dejecteth by solutive Medicines, and blood-letting.

A plausible remedy therefore is measured from the effect, if it appeaseth the tumult of the Archeus, and extinguisheth the Idea of the Fever: For the place of the Fever being pacified, or the prison opened, the Archeus who before beat down all things, because confused, being now quiet, expels the enemy, and the occasional matters, the prison being opened, do suddenly flow forth: And that thing we contemplate of in a most difficult, and desperate case: For truly the contagion of the Pox or fowl disease being taken away, the bonie, and hard bunches vanish away of their own accord: Else∣where also desperate Imposthumes happen oft-times from the guidance of nature alone: so unwonted declinings, dissolvings, resolvings, and departures are acknowledged even by the Humourists: And therefore I hope they will be the more readily inclining about the voluntary expulsion of the occasional matter of a Fever: At leastwise that help is not to be sought from solutive medicines, as neither from the theevish remedies of the vital faculties.

Surely the fury of the Archeus being first appeased, which forms feverish Ideas, what, and what sort of things ought to be, are easily afterwards sequestred: And that thing the sick do easily bear, and they find themselves the better thereby, as they are eased of a load∣ing weight, and the confusion of perturbations sprung up in them: Therefore the know∣ledge of the essential thingliness of a Fever banisheth the hope which Physitians move from the cutting of a vein, solutive medicines, Scarrification, and Cantharides, to wit by reason of one fault, lest they should seem to have made their Visits in vain, and to ask a reward from deceit.

But seeing that the Fever being well nigh overcome, the Archeus composeth himself to tranquillity or rest, as by Crises's, Sweats, or by bleeding at the nose, or also by the [ 13] Hemethoides or Piles, as it were the remaining wresiling of furies, he hath oft-times brought quietness, and health; That indeed hath deceived Physitians, and they have placed all their hope in the Horsleech, and Blood-letting: neither have they considered that a meet remedy being administred, presently even the most swollen veins of the fundament do disperse without the effusion of blood; neither that they do hinder the at∣tainment, or preservation of health, which otherwise should be impossible, if the blood of the Hemethoides were infamous with so foul a Character as it is decyphered to be. The choice therefore of Remedies in Fevers, is to be drawn from Secrets, whereof as there is a famous variety, so also a hidden, or unknown preparation: For the chief are those which pacifie the tumult stirred up in the life: Those which follow, are such as overcome the poyson of a Fever: But those are more famous which contain both together. Last∣ly, There are some which are serviceable expulsively, to wit by a plausible cleansing, and resolving: Wherein the liberality of the Almighty is wonderful, which hath directed crude Simples for Fevers, and the which being moderately prepared, do mow down a Fever like a Sithe.

Surely I should rejoyce to make these manifest, but events experienced by my hurt, have affrighted me from it: For about the end of the last past age, I had begun to cure by the distillation of Sulphur, and Vitriol: I also told what those unaccustomed, and unknown Remedies were:

But at first Physitians shewed their Glove corroded, and resolved by the aforesaid Remedies, that they might affright the sick, that his stomack could not endure the same.

But when as afterwards, the false paint of the Physitians their dispraising nothing hin∣dering, they saw those that were cured by me to be in good health, they bad some things to be distilled by my fugitive servants, which they had seen, and learned: Hence indeed Chymical Medicines passed over into the hands of Merchants and Apothecaries.

Neither indeed should I envy it, but that all things would be set to sale, as adulterat∣ed, as long as Gain, and Covetousness shall prevail: Surely it is to be grieved at, that nothing of these remedies is handed forth to Mortals, which is not most miserab∣ly adulterated.

At leastwise I will declare for those that are ingenious, That the spirit of the salt of Page  1011 Tartar, if it shall dissolve Unicorns-horn, Silver, Quick-silver, the stones of Crabs, or some one of those Simples, it cures not only a Fever, but also many diseases sufficient∣ly. But not that I hope that Silver, Quick-silver, or others of like sort are to pass thorow into the veins:

It is sufficient for me, that that spirit of the Alcali salt being by these bodies reduced into a volatile, and coagulable salt, and reduced in the shop of the stomack unto the rule of the meats, passeth thorow it into the Meseraick veins, at least being carried that way by the Urine, and by passing thorow them, licketh, and resolveth the filths there grown, through a forreign power assumed to themselves. Surely I could willingly commu∣nicate many, and more easie remedies of like sort, if the drowsiness and sluggishness of Physitians had not affrighted my pen, who gape only after gain, and expose the life of mortal men under the trustiness, and desire of lucre of the Apothecary, and his wife.

But as to a Quartane Ague, I am wont to drive that away by an Emplaster com∣posed of a few resolving, and cleansing Simples; neither hath it ever deceived me, ex∣cept that in fat or gross persons, the obediences thereof are the slower.