The aphorismes of Hippocrates, prince of physitians with a short comment on them taken out of those larger notes of Galen, Heurnius, Fuchsius, &c. : with an exact table shewing the substance of every aphorisme.

SECT. VI.

The Argument.

This Section doth almost altogether concern that part of the Art which foretelleth good and evil things to happen in diseases.

APHORISM. 1.

IN a long lubricity and slipperi∣ness of the guts, if a sowerish belching do happen, which was not before, it is a good sign.

For it signifies, that now the food remains a while in the stomack, till such time at least as it begins to concoct.

APH. 2.

Those which have ther nostrils more moist then others by nature,

and their seed also do enjoy their health but badly; but those which have the contrary properties, are more healthful.

By the nostrils he means the brains which purge that way, and by the humidity of the Seed, the humidity of the whole body, the seed coming from the blood.

APH. 3.

In long fluxes of the bowels, loathing of meat is evil, and with a Feaver it is worser.

Because it signifies a mortifica∣tion of the nourishing faculty.

APH. 4.

Ulcers which are every way smooth and bald.

Because of an evil humor lying in the bottom, which eats up the roots of the hair, as salt earth doth the herbs roots which grow on it.

APH. 5.

In the pains of the sides, breast,

and other parts, we must consider whether they increase or differ much, or keep at a stay.

Whither they differ namely in their kind, or in their vehemency, whe∣ther they be pricking▪ stretching, or provoking.

APH. 6.

The diseases and infirmities of the Kidneys and Bladder are of hard and difficult curation in old men.

••hich old age begins at fifty years which Hippocrates confirms in his sixt Book Epidemion where he saith he never saw or knew an ulcer of the reins or bladder cured after fif∣ty years of age.

APH. 7.

Dolours and pains of the bes∣ly being aloft and in the upper part are more light & easie, those which are not aloft are more ve∣hement.

We must understand this word aloft not according to the length and height of the body, but accor∣ding to its depth and thickness, so be those which are not aloft, he means those which are next to the back.

APH. 8.

Ulcers or sores in the body of those which are diseased with the dropsie, are not easily cured.

For an ulcer cannot be cured un∣til it be exactly dryed, which can∣not easily be done in those who have the dropsie, by reason of their super∣abundant humidity.

APH. 9.

Broad wheals are not very full of itching.

For they are not bred by such hot humors as those which are narrow and high.

APH. 10.

Corrupt matter, water or blood

issuing out, by the nostrils, mouth or ears, dissolveth and cureth a vehement and grievous head-ach.

If that the pain proceed from in∣flammation, or abundance of crude humors gathered in the head, for if it proceed from other causes, there must be other cures.

APH. 11▪

The Haemorroides happening to those, which are troubled with melancholly and pain of the Kid∣neys are good.

Both by reason of the evacuation, and because they evacuate such hu∣mors as ought to be evacuated.

APH. 12.

Unless in the cures of Haemor∣roides which have long continued there be one vein kept open, it is to be feared that a Dropsie or Convulsion will shortly▪ follow.

That nature may by that means purge out those evil humors which remain.

APH. 13.

The Hick•••• troubling us is put away by sneezing.

If the said Hicket was caused by fulness For by sneezing not on∣ly the brain: but the stomack also, by reason of the nerves derived un∣to it, is vehemently shaken, where∣by the humors exciting the Hicket are evacuated.

APH▪ 14.

If in him who hath a Dropsie if the water flow from the veins into the belly, the disease is dis∣solved.

If Nature or Physick make eva∣cuation of it from thence.

APH. 15.

Vomiting coming by the meer benefit of nature dissolveth and riddeth away a long flux or loos∣ness of the belly.

By reason of the retraction and drawing back of the humors which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 downward.

APH. 16.

A looseness of the belly, to one afflicted with a Plurisie or inflam∣mation of the Lungs is an evil thing.

Because it signifies the liver to be so affected, by the consent of those parts which serve for respiration, that through weakness it is not able to draw the aliment to it self, and convert it into blood.

APH. 17.

It is good for him who hath a waterish dropping and running of the eys, if he be taken with a flux and loosness of the belly.

Whereby Hippocrates shews us a convenient way how to cure such eys, namely by drawing the humors which cause the disease downwards

APH. 18.

It is a deadly thing when the bladder is wounded, or the brain, or the heart, the midriff, any small

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gut, the Stomack or Liver.

The Greek word for wounded is here 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which signifies deep wounded; for otherwise some of those parts have been wounded and cured as Galen saith.

APH. 19.

A bone perished or cut off, a cartilage, gristle, or sinew, or any little parcel of the eye-lid, or of the foreskin, being diminished, do not grow or joyn together.

Yet they may be knit together by some other kind of substance as we see in bones.

APH. 20.

If blood flow contrary to na∣ture into any concavity it corrupt∣eth and is putrified of necessity.

That is, into any other concavity besides the veins and arteries.

APH. 21.

If the swellings of veins in the legs, called varices; or the Hae∣morroides,

shall happen to them which are mad, their madness is dissolved.

Because nature drives those hu∣mors which cause madness into the more ignoble parts.

APH. 22.

Breaches or fluxes of humors, which descend from the back to the elbow, are dissolved by open∣ing of a vein.

By reason that those humors are thereby evacuated.

APH. 23.

If fear and sadness continue long, it is a sign of melancholly.

Namely without any outward cause, for those who are sad or fear∣ful for any outward cause, their sadness and fear do not commonly last long; but if they do, they will turn to melancholly, if not to mad∣ness.

APH. 24▪

If any small or slender gut be pierced, it doth not grow together again.

This was spoken Aphorism 18. wherefore Galen and Heurnius would have it expunged.

APH. 25.

If the cholerick tumor Erysi∣pulas being outward be returned inwards, it is evil; but if being in∣wards, it is turned outward, it is a good thing.

By this example Hippocrates shews that it is good to have all sores and diseases of tbe body to come from the noble and inward parts to the ignoble and outward ones.

APH. 26.

Those burning feavers are dis∣solved with dotage or raving, in which are trembling shakings.

They are indeed dissolved, but that dissolution at last brings a ge∣neral

dissolution of the body by death

APH. 27

If the corruption, matter, or water do flow out altogether at once from them which are burnt or cauterized, or cut by the Chi∣rurgion for the cure of the inward aposthumation between▪ the lungs and the breast, or of the Dropsie, then the diseased shall question∣less die▪

By these examples Hippocrates shews that all total evacuations made at once, are noxious and dead∣ly.

APH. 28.

Eunuchs or gelded men, are nei∣ther troubled with the Gout, nor with baldness.

Because in Hippocrates time they used a very good diet, and lived ve∣ry temperately they were not trou∣bled with the gout, though now a∣days they be, and their not being

bald comes from their native moi∣sture, which makes them have a ve∣ry thick skin.

APH. 29.

A woman is not troubled with the Gout unless her monthly terms fail her.

The same reasons may be alleadg∣ed for women as were set down in the former, for Eunuchs. But if her terms fail her, then the superfluous humors being driven to the out∣ward parts may cause it.

APH. 30.

A boy is not troubled with the Gout till he hath used Venery.

Ʋnless it come through their seed, or if the parents have had the French pox.

APH. 31.

Drinking of strong wine, a ba••••, a fomentation, phlebotomy, or a purgation doth cure the pain of the eyes.

According as the cause of the disease is, so must the manner of the taking of it away be various.

APH. 32.

Those which stammer are for the most part taken with a long flux of the belly.

Because stammering shews an extraordinary humidity of the tongue, whereof the ventricle of ne∣cessity participates.

APH. 33.

Those which have sour belchings are not much subject to a Plurisie.

Because sour belching is a sign of much phlegm, and the Plurisie for the most part invades those who are troubled with much choller.

APH. 34.

Great swelling veins in the legs called varices, are not incident to them who lose their hair, and if they happen to have varices whose hair do fall, their hair will grow again.

Because those vicious humors which before corrupted the hair, are now gon down into the legs.

APH. 35.

If a cough come upon those which are troubled with a Drop∣sie it is an evil thing.

For it signifies the watery humor to be so increased, that it hath sei∣sed upon the rough artery, and so causeth danger of suffocation.

APH. 36.

Phlebotomy cureth the difficul∣ty of making urine, but we must open the inward veins.

Namely that difficulty which proceeds from inflamation or fulness

APH. 37.

If a tumor appear in the neck to him that is troubled with a Squinancy or Quinzy, it is good.

Because the humors are come from the inward parts to the out∣ward.

APH. 38.

Those who have hidden or deep Cancers are not to be cured of them; for they which are healed die soon, and those which are not healed, live longer.

For fear of provoking or irrita∣ting them.

APH▪ 39.

A Convulsion is caused by re∣pletion or evacuation. So is also the Hicket.

Namely when the nerves are fil∣led with some thick or clammy hu∣mor, or over dryed. And the Hicket is said by Galen to be as it were a Convulsion of the stomack.

APH. 40.

They who have pain about the the hypocondrium without an in∣flammation are cured by a Feaver happening to them.

Because the humors which cau∣sed it are dissolved by the heat of the Feaver.

APH. 41.

If a suppuration or corrupt matter, hidden in the body doth not shew it self, it is by reason ei∣ther of its own thickness, or of that part of the bodies thickness where it lies hidden.

Yet we may find that there is such corrupt matter hidden by two signs namely by the pain, and by a Fea∣ver which it causeth.

APH. 42.

If the Liver wax hard to them which are affected with the yel∣low-Jaundies, it is an evil sign.

For it signifies there is either a hard tumor or an inflammation in the Liver

APH. 43.

The splenetick which are taken with a bloody-flux in the bowel, do dye of the Dropsie, or a slippe∣riness of the bowels, following a long flux.

By splenetick he means those who have a tumor in the spleene, bred there, by a melancholly humor.

APH. 44.

They dye within seven days, to whom the disease called Ileos or pain in the small guts shall hap∣pen after a Strangurie: unless a Feaver supervening, store of urine issue forth.

For the Fe••••••er with its heat con∣cocts and ex••••••••ates the thick hu∣mors, so that they may go out through the passage of the urine.

APH. 45.

If ulcers continue a yeer or long∣er, the bone of necessity must grow foul, and the Cicatrices be hollow.

Because the bone being perished under, the flesh cannot grow up a∣gain as was said Aph. 19. of this Section.

APH. 46.

Those which become Crook∣backt by shortness of wind, or a cough before they attain to ripe∣ness of years, doe die quicklie.

Because their brest or bulk doth not increase as their lungs and heart doth, they must in a short time to suffocated.

APH. 47.

Those are to be let blood or pur∣ged in the Spring time, to whom opening of a vein or purging may do good.

For the Spring time being tem∣perate is most fit for purging or let∣ing blood.

APH. 48.

The difficulty of the intestines & guts, coming upon them which are diseased with the spleen is good.

Because the thick and melan∣cholly humors are thereby eva••ua∣ted as Aph. 4••

APH. 49.

Goutie diseases, the inflammation being asswaged, within fortie dayes decease.

For the inflammation wil be cured within forty dayes, if the Physitian prescribe right, and the patient be truly obedient.

APH. 50.

It must needs be, that a Feaver, and Vomiting of choller must come upon them, which have their brain wounded.

A Feaver, because any principall members inflammation causeth a Feaver, and the vomiting of Choller because of the consent and agree∣ment which is between the braine and the stomack, to which some of the great nerves discend from the braine.

APH. 51.

Those which are in health being sodainly taken with the head-ache,

and presently become dumb and snort, die within seven days, unless a Feaver come upon them in the mean while.

Because the Feaver heats, attenu∣ates and resolves the windie spirit and the pituitous humors which cause these symptomes.

APH. 52.

We must consider in their sleeps if any part of the eyes appear; for if any of the white of them ap∣pears, the eye lidds not being fast closed, if it doe not happen by a Flux of the bellie, or by the taking of some medicinall potion, it is an evil and verie deadly signe.

If it happen not through some externall cause, for it signifies an imbecillitie of the facultie which moves the eye lids.

APH. 53.

That doting which is done with aughter is not so dangerous, as

that which is done with earnest sadnesse.

For it does not proceed from so adust a Choler, as that which is done with earnest sadness.

APH. 54.

Painfull breathings in sharp dis∣eases with a Feaver, as it were of such as sigh, and mourne, are evill.

For it signifies either a hardness of the nerves or muscles, or a weake∣ness of naturall strength, or some affect that causeth paine, or is con∣vulsory.

APH. 55.

Paine of the Gout doe most commonly afflict, and are provo∣ked in the Spring and Autumn.

In Spring because the humors gathered together in the winter are expelled from the stronger parts to the weaker; and in Autumn by reason of its inequalitie, and because

the evill humors gathered together by eating of fruits in Summer▪ settle in those we akest parts.

APH. 56.

The falling down of humors are verie dangerous in melancholie diseases at those seasons. And de∣clare an Appoplexie, or a convul∣sion, or maddness or blindness.

If they fall down to the ventricles of the brain, they cause an Apoplexie if to the nerves a convulsion, if to the substance of the braine madness, if to the eyes blindness.

APH 57,

Apoplexies are caused most especiallie from the fortieth to the sixtieth year.

He means those Apoplexies which proceed from melancholie, which in those times abound in our bodies.

APH. 58▪

If the Call hang foorth of the bodie, it must of necessity putrefie.

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