Praxis medicinæ reformata: = or, The practice of physick reformed Being an epitome of the whole art: wherein is briefly shewed, the true causes, signs, prognosticks, and cure, of most diseases. Published for the benefit of all persons. By Robert Johnson, Med. Professor.

CHAP. IV. Of the Night-mare, and Vertigo.

I Shall treat of these two distempers in one Chapter, because if either of them conti∣nue long; they are Forerunners of the Palsie, or Apoplexy, and sometimes Convulsions, or Epilepsie.

The Night-mare is called in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in Latin 'tis called Incubus ab incubando, quod externa vis quoedam aut moles incubare videtur.

It is called the Night-mare, because it op∣presseth the sick in the Night, at which time they think that some great weight lieth up∣on them, by which they seem to be almost suffocated.

It happens most commonly after the first

sleep, whereby the party oppressed, is depri∣ved of speech and motion, and sometime breathing for a time.

When the fit is upon the sick, they do imagine that some Witch or Hag lieth hard on their Breast or Stomach, (from whence it hath also acquired that Name) in which they cannot stir, nor call for help, though they have a great desire, and do strive very much to cry out, but are possessed with a panick fear.

The cause of this distemper, is most com∣monly intemperance in eating and drinking, especially in the Night; whereby crude hali∣tuous Vapours are bred in such plenty, that nature cannot disperse nor dissolve them be∣fore sleep; and therefore they are raised up to the Ventricles of the Brain, by which ima∣gination, sense and motion are all depraved.

The giddy motion is called in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. obscuritas oculorum.

In Latin 'tis called Vertigo, ex vertendo quod Caput vertere videtur.

In this disease the Animal spirits are wrong mov'd, which makes the sick believe that not onely all things they look on, go in a Circuit about, but their Head and other parts, seem to turn round; which many times causeth them to be in danger of falling, or tumbling headlong.

The cause of the giddy motion, is either external, or internal.

The external are either an intent looking at any object that turns round, or about, espe∣cially if very remote; or a frequent turning about of the Body it self.

The internal cause, is the ascent of flatu∣ous Vapours to the Head, together with the spirituous part of the Bloud, and carried with the Animal spirits, into the passages of the Brain, and Cerebellum; by which the motion of wheeling about is communicated to the Animal spirits, and anon carried to the Cristalline humour of the Eyes, by the Op∣tick nerves; and so a Giddiness seems to be produc'd.

For the Cure of these diseases; seeing they are the Forerunners of the Apoplexy, and Epilepsie; I refer you to those excellent Me∣dicines prescrib'd for the Cure of them.

Let such as are subject to these distempers, be very sparing in their diet; let them avoid all Herbs, Roots and Fruits, that are windy; and all viscous and gross diet, such as is of hard Concoction.

Let the external Causes be remov'd, and the internal causes corrected. Sublata causa tollitur effectus.

Notes

• Incubus.
• Cause.
• Vertigo.
• Cause.