Aero-chalinos, or, A register for the air for the better preservation of health and cure of diseases, after a new method / by Nathaniel Henshaw.

CHAP. II. That Chylification is a sort of Fermen∣tation, and how distribution is per∣formed. (Book 2)

1. THe Stomack or Ventricle in animals, designed by Nature for the Office of Chylification, commonly called the first Concoction (and which is, as it were, the root of all Vegetation or nutrition in them) seems at first birth but ill fitted for such a work, till the Coats or Membrances there∣of, have been well stained or seasoned by the receipt of an aliment so prepared, that it want little more than warmth, to the per∣fecting of that operation upon it, which is expected from the Stomack. And thus, for all animals that suck, Nature has provided for their first food, a kind of corrupted Milk, usually called Beastings, which gives, as it were, the first tincture to their tender Stomacks, and whereby they seem enabled to concoct more perfect Milk,

which they begin to draw after a day or two. Which Milk also by degrees becomes more thick and harder of concoction, pro∣portionably to the encrease of strength, in the stomack it self, till by little and little, they begin to alter their diet, and forsake the Teat, for such other food as is most proportionable to their respective Natures.

2. This Tincture, thus imprinted on the Stomack, may very properly be termed a ferment, and seems to bear a just proporti∣on with Leven, which is a small part of the Mass of Dough, suffered to grow sowre, while the rest is converted into bread, which if not hindred, would have all turn∣ed into leven likewise. Thus after the Chyle is conveyed from the Stomack into the Guts, from thence to be distributed through the whole Body: some small part that remains sticking to the coats of the Stomack, soon after acquires that acidity, due to all fermentation not interrupted: which after some time begins to grieve and afflict the Stomack with its sharpness: the sense whereof, we usually call hunger: which sense of pain (or hunger) continues to grow more and more, (that which caused

it becoming still sharper and sharper) till by the reception of new aliment, the acidi¦ty of the said Tincture or Leven, be so mi∣tigated and allayed, that the Stomack be∣ing, as it were, healed by application of these new, benigne, and uncorrupted juices, is no longer sensible of any pain or molesta∣tion: which then puts an end to the desire of eating. But if food be forborn, or withheld, the pain so long encreases, till it at last destroys the sense of the part, and introduces a sphalelus, Gangrene or Mortifi∣cation in the Stomack: which is afterward soon conveyed to the heart and brain, by its communion of Vessels, and so at length becomes the death of the Animal. Which seems rather to be the cause of death, in such as perish by hunger, than the empti∣ness or inanition of the Vessels, which, though much exhausted, are yet found in such cases, with a considerable quantity of blood in them. Nay, 'tis a frequent pra∣ctise in the Desarts of Arabia (as I am in∣formed by some that have travelled in the Levant) to let their Camels blood after se∣veral days fasting, and to give them their own blood to drink, as the last means left

to preserve their lives. Which practise, as it cannot replenish the veins, to that mea∣sure it already emptied them: so it evi∣dently concludes, that emptiness of the Vessels, is not the true cause, of perishing for want of food. Much less can the continua∣tion of Suction, from the exhausted Vessels to the Stomack, be the cause of hunger. For first, such hunger could not be imme∣diately appeased after eating, the Vessels receiving no part thereof, till a considera∣ble time after, when distribution begins to succeed concoction, as is well known and confessed. Secondly, 'twill appear to such as shall duly consider it, that the Vessels or Veins are then fullest, when the Stomack is emptiest (& è contra) the emptying of the Stomack, beginning with the filling of the Guts, and Veins. Nor shall we need o∣ther arguments, against this Suction (though it were easie to charge it with more difficul∣ties) than that the owners of it, will be forced to prove, there is some such power of moving by attraction, drawing or Sucti∣on, which will be a harder matter than it appears at first sight. Though as not making to our present purpose, I shall not deter∣mine ought, concerning it.

3. In confirmation of this our Assertion▪ viz. That the concoction of the stomack is a kind of fermentation, it will not b•• a∣miss to shew the reason of some circumstan∣ces of it. And first, concerning that prepa¦ration, which meat receives in the mouth, by chewing or jawing of it, which is rather a bruising than mincing: and it is a common observation, that flesh minced very small, is of much harder concoction, than if eaten by bigger pieces; and a sufficient reason is withall assigned, that meat minced, slips down into the stomack, before it be duly masticated or chewed, which is so necessa∣ry an antecedent of concoction, that the Arabian Physitians are wont to say, That he that chaws not his meat well, hates his own Soul. Now that any thing bruised will soon after corrupt, is evident in all fruits: which will sooner putrisie, after bruising, than if they were cut with a sharp knife in∣to many pieces. Thus a flesh-wound, made without bruising, will commonly heal again with little or no corruption, but not if the part were bruised at the same time. Thus the common practise is to bruise Whitloes, to ripen and break them the sooner. And

thus to conclude, our meat by being brui∣••ed, becomes of much easier and speedier concoction, which seems to be the reason why Nature has given to most Creatures, namely, Dogs, Wolfes, Swine, Foxes, &c. three sorts of teeth; to wit, Tusks to kill their prey with, sharp fore-teeth or cutters, wherewith they tear it into smaller pieces: And lastly, Grinders to chew and bruise it, the better to prepare it for the sto∣mack.

Birds seem to grinde their meat in their Gizards, after it is first well soak∣ed in their craps, for which purpose they pick up sharp stones, and their stomacks are made of two large Muscles; one, on either side: the chief instruments in this work of Moliture, or grinding. The Locusta or Lob∣sters has his teeth placed in his stomack, and so have the rest of that kind, which they imploy for the same purpose.

4. Our next observation shall be upon two Rules of Diet, commonly given by Physitians: the one is, that we should not put new meat into our stomack, till after a perfect digestion of what was eaten the meal before: the reason of which Rule,

seems to be this; That it is necessary th•• stomack, should continue some time empty, that so the Fracid Tincture, or small cor∣rupted remaining portion, of the former meat, may have acquired its due acidity: whereby it may the better help the suc∣ceeding fermentation or concoction. And it is no more than if you should advise the House-wife, not to make any new Bread till the Leven be grown ripe, or sowre enough to leven and ferment the Mass of Dough. The second Rule is, that we should leave eating, with some small appetite to eat on; or that we should rise from Table with an appetite: the reason is almost the same with the former, and may well be il∣lustrated by the same instance, which is, that it is requisite, the Leven should bear some just proportion, to the Mass it is to ferment. Thus if we rise with an appetite, it will appear that we have not over-char∣ged this ferment of our stomacks, for ap∣petite being, as is said, a sense of pain cau∣sed by the sharpness of this acid ferment; it follows, that this acidity is not yet quite obscured by the late mixture of good, and consequently the stomack, not charged with

more, than may be well digested, at once by 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And these are Rules, very fit to be ob∣served, as well by those which are of a more robust nature, as of them (especially) who have weak stomacks, and find them∣selves indisposed after eating.

5. 'Tis further advised by some Physiti∣ans, that such as have weak stomacks, should forbear drinking, till they have neer dined: and we commonly observe, that drinking just before dinner, spoils our eating, which it does, by diluting this ferment of the sto∣mack, whereupon the sense of pain, and consequently hunger, abates very much, or quite ceases for a time. And 'tis usually seen, that they who are great Drinkers, are bad Trencher-men: and that as well, for that much drinking relaxes the tone, and extenuates the coats of the stomack, as more especially, for that it washes away by little and little, all this fracid tincture, or sowre ferment, of the membranes thereof, which is as well the cause of concoction, as of appetite or hunger.

6. Bulls Blood drunk, was found a present poyson by the Ancients, and Milk taken plentifully, and after curdling on the sto∣mack,

has often been the cause of great and mortal Surfeits: the reason of both is the same; for that, both blood and milk being curdled, and brought into one hard lump, becomes insuperable to the stomack. Whereas, if the same be suffered to coagu∣late (before they be eaten) and broken into small parts, they will have no such effect, and instead of poysoning, will afford an in∣different good nourishment to the body: So far seems Helmont to have missed the mark, when he says, The cause of this poy∣son is, Imago Irae, in Sanguine Taurino. And I doubt not but a lump of Beef, or a piece of Cheese, of the same bigness, whole in the stomack, would as surely poyson, if not more effectually. And this may farther con∣firm, what is said in the third paragraph, of preparing our Food, by chawing, &c.

7. The inward membranes, or skins of the Gizards of most Birds (especially such as feed on corn) prepared, by drying and powdring them, are held a great help to concoction. Now the acidity of them is ve∣ry manifest, and no doubt they do no other∣wise comfort our stomacks, than by en∣creasing and corroborating that ferment so

often mentioned. Thus, the dung of seve∣ral Animals prepared, namely of Wolves, Dogs, Peacocks, &c. have been approved of in divers diseases, or distempers of the stomack and guts, for the same cause. Nay, I have heard that Paracelsus, his Occidental Civet prepared, will make an excellent Peptick, for them that can dispense with such homely remedies.

8. It is a famous Question among Physiti∣ans, Whether it be better to make a meal of one only dish of meat, or to eat of se∣veral meats at the same setting? and it is commonly determined, in favour of the simpler diet. But it seems more consonant to our Opinion, to allow rather of several dishes; for that which is easie of concocti∣on, will help to concoct that which is har∣der. Thus good Sauces to meats make them set easie, and light, upon the stomack: the Sauces (being easie of concoction) helping the dissolution of the meats. And we may surely expect, a heartier nourishment from them, than single dishes; as we find by ex∣perience, better broth to be made of seve∣ral sorts of flesh, than of any one; and com∣monly the more variety, the more perfect

is the pottage. And its well known, we are nourished by juices only, and not by the solid part of our food.

9. Where this ferment of the stomack is more acid than is requisite (as it is in Hy∣pochondriacal persons, and such as are troubled with sowre belches) 'tis found by experience, that to make two, three, or four meals in a day, is better than one: and that fasting encreases much the acidity. Tha•• hard meats, as dry bread, Biscuits, and those that are less easie concoction, are more use∣ful than Broths (and other light meats:) which will sometimes (especially taken in a morning, the ferment after long emptiness becoming extraordinary sowre) work so vi∣olently, that they will flow up into the mouth, and with their eagerness, set the teeth an edge, and ferment the very ground. But both in this, and the former rule, 'twill be necessary to take some care, that we do not eat much more of our Ma∣ny dishes, than we should have eat of one, and that the quantity of our meat, at many meals, but equals, or not much exceeds, what we should have eaten at once or twice.

10. 'Tis observed, that sudden change of diet has sometimes proved very fatal, and been often the occasion of dangerous disea∣ses. The reason may well be, that the sto∣mack, having received its tincture or ferment from food of another nature, is but ill pre∣pared for the concoction of those meats, to which it hath not been accustomed, and from which it has as yet received no stain or impression. Such changes therefore must be made by degrees; and thus I have heard, that horses have been brought to live upon flesh: and some men, have indifferently well supported life, with bread and herbs only.

11. Wolves are said, when pressed with extremity of hunger, sometimes to tear the ground, and fill their panches with meer earth: which surely affords them lit∣tle or no nourishment. But it serves for the present, to abate the edge of their appe∣tites, till they meet with some prey, at which time, they easily discharge their sto∣macks of the earth, and fall to better meat. This instance may indifferently well support our Assertion, that hunger is ra∣ther a sense of pain from the acid ferment

of the stomack, than of emptiness from the Suction of the veins.

12. As concoction succeeds best with rest, so motion is said to help distribution▪ Now by distribution, we are to understand the dispersing, of the thinner parts of the Chyle into the milky veins, from thence into the Subclavials, thence into the right Ventricle of the heart, where the Chyle already is pretty well stained, or imperfect∣ly mingled with blood: from whence it takes its course to the lungs, where by the reci∣procations of that part, it is yet more per∣fectly, mixed with the blood. From the lungs, it descends into the hearts left Ven∣tricle: from whence, it is thrown into the Arteries: where by degrees it receives the form and name of blood: and by them is conveyed into all parts of the body. In re∣gard the milky veins, have no attractive power, whereby the Chyle might be suckt into them (as far as could yet be fairly made appear) nor has the Chyle (much less) any such inclination or power of moving it self that way; it remains, that this distribution of the Chyle, is performed by the motion of the body. And thus we find moderate

exercise, soon causes an emptiness in the •…•…irst ways, and begets an appetite. And yet we may likewise observe, that while we sit still, or sleep, this distribution is performed, though not so speedily. Now while we rest, there is no other motion observeable, beside that of breathing, which seems to be the true cause of this distribution of the Chyle, till it comes into the Subclavials: for when we draw in our breaths, the Dia∣phragme or Midriff compresseth the sto∣mack, and gently forceth the Chyle thence into the guts. And again, when we breath out, the Muscles of the belly straight sub∣side, and strongly compress the guts; whereupon the thinner part of the Chyle insinuates it self into the mouths of the milky veins, and by the succeeding parts of the Chyle, is protruded into the Sub∣clavials, where afterward it is moved with the motion of the blood. I do not deny the Peristaltick motion of the Intestines, (whereby the guts distended with Chyle beyond their due tone, do again by their transverse fibres contract themselves) for this is also a partial cause of distribution (as appears in the dissection of live Ani∣mals,

where this motion of the Chyle con∣tinues after the Abdomen or belly is laid o∣pen from one end to the other) but is much strengthened, no doubt, by the Muscles of the belly; besides this Peristaltick motion of the guts, shews indeed in part how they are emptied, but not how they are fitted with Chyle, which is the first part of distribution.

13. 'Tis worthy observation, that Butter melted, and very well beaten (or drawn) the while, becomes a much pleasanter cause, and easier of digestion, than if it be not beaten; and yet all the difference is, that by beating a great quantity of Air, is every where mingled with it, whereby it very much helps the fermentation or con∣coction of our meat in our stomacks, after the same manner as is already said of whites of Eggs, in the former Chapter; and in∣deed all sauses are a kind of additional fer∣ments. That there is great quantity of air in Butter thus beaten, may not only be ga∣thered from hence, that after beating, it takes up more room than it did before, or otherwise would do, if not beaten; but the same particles of air are even manifest to

sense it self, and the whole Mass of Butter appears, beaten up, into a froth, so far is ••t from being made thicker thereby, (as we commonly express our Opinions of it) ••hat indeed it becomes much thinner and lighter, if compared quantity with quanti∣ty, as is manifest.