An entire body of philosophy according to the principles of the famous Renate Des Cartes in three books, (I) the institution ... (II) the history of nature ... (III) a dissertation of the want of sense and knowledge in brute animals ... / written originally in Latin by the learned Anthony Le Grand ; now carefully translated from the last corrections, alterations, and large additions of the author, never yet published ... by Richard Blome.

CHAP. X. Of the Diseases, and Death of Animals.

I. What the Cause of Diseases is in Animals. THERE are no Creatures whatsoever total∣ly exempted from Diseases, but according to their different temperament are affected with some or other Bodily Distempers. Some are trou∣bled with a Shaking or Trembling of their Limbs; others are in a manner choak'd up with an Inflam∣mation of the Jaws, commonly called a Quinsie; others are afflicted with the rising of the Lights, &c.

The Reason is plain, because Sanity or Health is a certain disposition of the Body, by which it is rendred capable to perform its Offices. So that when-ever the temperaments of the parts chance to be altered, or its Organs to be intercepted, the Order or Course of Nature being hereby inverted, the Creature must needs be deprived of Health, as falling from its primitive State of Body. So the tremour or shaking of the Limbs proceeds from a debility of the Nerves, or some depraved affecti∣on which haply some foregoing Convulsion had left behind it; or by reason of some frigid Humour, which insinuating through the hidden passages, im∣pells the Members to this motion. So the Quinsie in such sort streightens and shuts up the Jaws of some persons, that they are hardly able to breath, much less to swallow any thing, by reason the In∣flammation or malignant Humour so wholly takes possession of the Nerves, that they are rendred in a manner uncapable of motion, and scarce sufficient for the opening of the Jaws: So the rising of the Lights is incident to those whose Stomach is ob∣structed by certain humours. For since the Blood is strained through the Liver, it may very well so happen, that that which is transmitted from the Milt through the Splenick Vessel, or flows from the Mesentery is corrupted and shuts up the pores through which it is to pass. In like manner we may inquire into the reason of any other Disease which is incident to Animals, ever perverting or disturbing their actions, and hindring their facul∣ties from performing freely the offices of Life.

II. Whence it is that the pain of the Teeth is so sharp and vehement. The pain of the Teeth is a most acute and sensi∣ble pain.

It is not to be imagined, that the Teeth have any sense of pain, since they are all Bone and so∣lid: But this pain vulgarly ascribed to the Teeth, proceeds from those Nerves which terminate at their Roots, and the pain is the greater, First, be∣cause those Nerves being of a very short extent, so much the sooner transmit the imprest motion to the common sensorium. 2dly, Because they hap∣pen to be overmuch stretcht, whereupon that acti∣on of the Internal Object is the more lively pro∣pagated. As we may observe in Musical Chords, that those which are stretcht to the highest pitch, give the acutest or highest sound. 3dly, Because they go right forward without any deviation, by which means the imprest motion is carried the more easily to the inmost parts of the Brain, as appears in the difference between a Rope drawn out into a strait Line, and another laid crooked or winding. But this most acute pain of the Teeth usually ceases upon drawing out of the Tooth, in regard by this means the over-much tension of the Nerves is remov'd, by reason whereof the imprest motion cannot continue to be transmitted so viva∣ciously to the sensorie.

III. Why some Infants die with breed∣ing Teeth. Hereupon it is that Infants die through the ex∣cessive pain of Teeth, which when they begin to breed, they by the violence of their crying so ex∣cessively shake the Brain, and the Membrans co∣vering it, which are very soft and tender, that all the natural faculties of the Infant are exceeding∣ly disturbed and out of order, whereupon the Milk and Blood become corrupt, and the Spirits bred of them, contract an acrimony, which en∣tring into the Nerves through the Muscles excite them more than ordinary, and cause Convulsive Fits, of which they oft die, because the efforts they make, cause the blood to flow in such abun∣dance into the cavities of the Heart, that they be∣come too inflate, and cannot give it a free course, and continue that circulation which is necessary for Life.

IV. Why the Small Pox and Mea∣sels are so common. The Small Pox and Measels are incident to all persons, and most especially when they are Chil∣dren, but if not then, yet at least at some time or other of their Life.

This is because they brought into the world some impure particles which lie skulking here and there in some lurking places of the solid parts, and which in process of time are drawn forth from thence by a ferment or peculiar mat∣ter of the first Element introduc'd by fermen∣tations, and are pour'd upon the mass of blood in which they excite a violent motion, until at length they are cast out through the pores, and appear upon the superficies like little small Ve∣sicles or Bladders. Those that have but few fecu∣lencies stagnating in the Body, are for the most part but lightly invested with them; those that have none of these feculencies, are never troubled with this Distemper during their whole Life, but there are very few that escape. Those that once have them very much, seldom have them again, which is a great sign that the place which gave harbour to the Peccant Matter, is totally clear'd and em∣pty'd thereof. But those who, who having in their Bodies a plentiful stock of this said matter, yet have put forth but few, are in much danger of being infected with them a second time, if not a third. These Distempers are epidemical, and sweep away yearly, especially out of all great Towns and Cities.

V. Whence i•• happens that some feel greater pains at one time than ano∣ther. Many feel great pains returning yearly at some set time, especially such as proceed from old Wounds, or some acute Distempers, which, tho' cured, yet leave a remembrance behind them.

The Reason seems to be this, because in the scars which those Wounds have left, the pores are very much

altered, both as to their Magnitude and Figure, and wholly different from the pores of the rest of the Body. When therefore any change of Air or Season is at hand, another Aether usually ap∣proaches our Earth than before, which rushing in∣to the pores of our Body, easily passes them all, those only excepted which are in the Scar of the Wound, in regard they have a perfectly different Fi∣gure from any of the rest; whereupon the said Aether must needs make a more forcible entrance into the intorted pores of the Scar, and consequently excite a Vellication and Sense of Pain.

VI. The Origi∣nal of the Fre••ch Pox. The Distemper, commonly called the French Disease, had its beginning among the French at the siege of Naples, being till then unknown to all but the Canibals of India.

The Cause of this so foul and poisonous a Mur∣rain, the French ascribe to certain Mariners, who coming from Mauritania to the said Siege to vend their Merchandise, sold instead of the Sea Hogs the Flesh of Men newly killed, salted and barrel∣led up. Which sort of Meat the Soldiers feeding very much on, contracted this Disease, which af∣terwards spread very much by Contagion, and in∣fected those Women with whom they had to do. Nor is this Reason of the French any way disso∣nant from truth, since certain it is that the Cani∣bals who feed upon Mens Flesh, are greatly pu∣nish'd with this Disease. And History testifies, that the Indians, when first discovered, were known to have this Venereal Distemper frequently among them. Because the Eating of Human Flesh begets foul and fulsom Vapours, by which the Head be∣ing wrought upon is Vitiated▪ and the contexture of the Fibres of the Brain corrupted.

VII. Why Men in a Fever are restless. Persons in a Fever are wont to lie all night as if they were sound asleep, when in the mean time they have not one minutes rest, but lie mutter∣ing to themselves, and in a very restless condi∣tion.

The Cause is to be sought from the pores or tracts in the Brain, by which the Animal Spirits are conveyed to the Brain, which are very much obstructed by a certain gross matter which pro∣ceeds from the mass of Blood, in regard the Spi∣rits being at that time not allowed their wonted dilatation, a heaviness to Sleep seems just falling upon them; but by reason of certain acid or acu∣leated Corpuscles adhering to the said Spirits which put them into motion, It happens that some of them break the way, tho' barricadoed or shut up, and stumble upon each other by an oblique course. Whereupon so great an agitation of them, tho' confused, by reason of the divaricated obstacles, cannot but disturb the quiet and cessation of the Animal Function.

VIII. Why in the Palsie the Body drys and falls away. In a Palsie the parts being loosened, pine away, and by little and little consume, till at last scarce any thing is left but Skin and Bone; altho' the Blood at the same time have a free and plentiful course, and circulates after its wonted manner through the whole Body.

The Reason hereof must be supposed to be, for that in this Disease the Nerves are ill-affected, and cannot perform their office, for the Blood is not, as some of the Ancients believed, an adequate nourishment of the parts of the Body, but a certain Juice transfused to them from the Brain, and the Medulla Spinalis, by the mediation of the Nerves. So that since in Paralyticks or those troubled with the Palsie, the Nerves are obstructed, and can no longer supply nourishment; no wonder if in that Disease the parts of the Body dry and wither, and the fleshy substance falls away. Hence it comes to pass, that those who have spongy and moist pores, by reason of their reception of their greater plenty of Alimentary Juice, grow fat: But those on the other side are apt to be lean who abound with Blood; yet by reason of overmuch heat, have their passages straight, and their Nerves not wide enough for the drawing in of Juice.

IX. How some Diseases come to be more tole∣rable than in former times. The Elephantiasis, or vulgar Leprosie, as also that which is called Stomacacce and Scelotyrbe, are now much more mild and gentle than in for∣mer Ages, in which persons were wonderfully tormented and felt intolerable pains.

The Reason is, either because the rigor of the Distemper is much taken off by powerful Medica∣ments now better known than formerly, or be∣cause Nature accustomed to those Distempers, hath induc'd such a Callosity, that they seem now more tolerable than of old, and so much the more tolerable by how much they have been the longer indured. The Reason whereof may possibly be, because the Ardour and Ebullition of the Distem∣per is diminish'd. Or else Nature accustomed to a pain of so long continuance, ceases any longer to struggle so much with it, as being now familiar, and as it were domestick: Or Lastly, Being nou∣rished even by those corrupt humours is the less offended by them. For even as those nasty sorts of Fellows that empty Houses of Office, and cleanse Sinks and Common Sewers, are made by long custom unsensible of the filthy smell: So those that are diseased, for examples sake with the French Pox, after they are used to it, as if they had lost their Sense, are no longer sensible of the defects of the Body, and debilities of Nature; by reason that Nature and the Disease grow at last to be of a party and agree together, and the Hu∣mours of the one are mixt with the Humours of the other.

X. Why Pain increases at Night. When Night comes, pains increase, and are ex∣asperated to a greater heighth.

The Reason is, for that the Humours, quiet be∣fore under covertures and bindings, are mov'd and stirr'd up, so that those Acid Particles formerly imprisoned, take thenceforth an occasion to Velli∣cate, more than before the Nervous Fibrils of those parts in which they are fixt. Whence there must necessarily follow a notable aggravation of pain; as appears in those who are distempared with the Venereal Disease.

XI. Why some sort of Fe∣vers begin with Cold. Some Fevers (or rather Agues, for so they are commonly called in English) begin with cold, in such sort, that not only the extream parts of the Body are seised with cold, but with a certain kind of Action of Horror, the whole Body trembles and shakes.

The Reason is, because Fevers proceed from a certain Humour falling into the Mesentery, or some other part of the Body, which Humour flowing through the Veins, and by that means mixing it self with the Blood, is at length conveyed there∣with, to the Heart, which gives an obstacle to the Blood from being heated there, and dilated as be∣fore, and conveys that heat which it borrows from the Heart to other parts of the Body. Whereupon

a certain tremour must needs arise; and the Febri∣citant or Fever-seised Persons be taken with a sud∣dain shaking of the Members: Which yet never happens, but at the beginning of a Fit. For as Green Wood thrown upon a Fire puts it out, or at least opposes, and resists its heat, but being once kindled, sends forth a fiercer flame than any other Wood: So after that the said Vitiated Humour hath been for some time mixt with the Blood, it grows hot at length, and is dilated in the Heart more than the Blood it self. And this causes the return of the Fit, which lasts so long, till the said cor∣rupted matter is exhaled and reduced to the natu∣ral constitution of the Blood.

XII. Whence the diversity of Fevers arises. Fevers, which are so very incident to Mankind, afflict not the Body always after the same manner: For some affect with a continual burning or violent heat; others intermit; some return more suddain∣ly, some more leasurely, and some anticipate and come before their usual time.

The difference of all these Fevers, arises from the Morbifick Matter which creates the Fit. For tho' that Matter in the former Fit hath been all purg'd away, yet there still remains some fewel or depraved disposition in that place wherein the Humour was first vitiated. Whence it comes to pass, that that which succeeds there anew, is first coagulated, then corrupted, and after some certain time growing to maturity, flows toward the Heart, in the same manner as the former, and creates the same symptoms. Whereupon, if the Morbifick Humour which succeeds into the same place wherein the former was corrupted, wants the maturation of three days, before it mix with the Blood, it produces a Quartan Fever or Ague; if it stand in need of two only, a Tertian: But when the said matter applies to the Heart with a continual onset, and vellicates or twitches it with∣out ceasing, it induces a Quotidian, or continual distemper. Lastly, If the Blood be so vitiated, that between the time wherein the last drop of the depraved Humour flowed out, and that wherein the first drop of the new gathered Humour began to take its course, it cannot be purified, the Fever renues with a more ardent inflammation than ever.

XIII. How a Fe∣ver arises sometimes from Pain. Besides all these several kinds of Fevers, Physi∣tians observe that a Fever sometimes proceeds meerly from a previous pain.

The Reason of all this we shall soon understand, when we consider that pain hence arises, namely, for that the Fibres of the Parts incur danger of Ruption or breaking, if not Ruption it self. Whence sensation of pain arises in the Mind, which is followed by an immoderate influx of the Spirits into all the Nervous Tribe; since there∣fore many little Branches of the Nerves are im∣planted into the Arteries, and feel the said inordi∣nate influx of Spirits; hence it comes to pass, that the Arteries are hurtfully smitten and battered, and that the Blood contained in them is wonderfully streightned and pent in, and its mixture confound∣ed and disturbed. And hence it is that the Fever arises.

XIV. Why after the fit of a Fever the whole Body i•• in pain. After a fit of the Fever we feel a pain all over the Body.

Because since the Feverish Heat which uses to succeed the shakings and cold fit, depends meer∣ly upon this, namely, that the Blood by means of this admixture of the Febrile Matter, rises into a preternatural and vehement heat and ebullition, as moist and green Sticks of Wood laid upon a Fire, do not very easily catch, and burn into a blaze, but when they have once taken, cast a most ardent heat above all the rest of the fewel: Hence it is that by this great effervescence of Blood within the Heart, the particles thereof are more subti∣liz'd, and as if abundance of Salt were mixt with it, the said Blood makes an irruption into the Fibres of the solid parts, and by corroding them, creates that pain which so afflicts us after the Fit.

XV. The Head-ach hath also its ac∣cesses at a certain time. The like dissertation we may make concerning the periodical accesses of the Head-ach, which are daily, by reason of the Morbifick Matter rising and boiling up to a heighth at a set time. But so far varying as to be either before or after Meat, according as the offices of Digestion and Distri∣bution of the Aliments are sooner or later per∣formed.

XVI. Why sick persons grow lean. Those that are sick of a Fever, and opprest with an excessive and unwonted Heat, Leanness and Consumption attend them.

The Reason is, because the particles of the Blood, or Nutricious Juice which are for the nou∣rishment of the Body, and ought to make some stay in the Members, to which they take their course, are more hastily moved and agitated, than to be able to make their due stay, and afford their due nourishment, but either are thrown off by those Members in a nature of Sweat, or pass away by insensible Transpiration; whence the Body must needs be exhausted and become thin and lean for want of nourishment: Just as Plants are dried up and wither, when by the overmuch heat of the Sun, the Juice assigned for their nourishment is too quickly strained within their pores, and without making that stay there which is required, passes away and drops off.

XVII. Whether Diseasescan be known by theUrin. Some there are that pretend to know all Disea∣ses by Urines, as commonly your Quacks and Mountibanks, and some reputed Physitians are not ashamed to undertake the same thing; nay they go so far as to make us believe, that they can tell the Diseases of each part of the Body by the Urin, and whether it be the water of a Young Man or an Old, of a Man or a Woman, of a Woman with Child, or not with Child. But these things I look upon as trifles, for how can it be resolved from the Urin, whether the Eye akes, or the Noso, or the Ear? Whence the Head-ach arises? Whe∣ther there lie any obstructions there undiscovered? whether there be any Distemper in the Arms; whence its pain comes? For that all these things are impossible, both Reason and Experience testifie. I confess indeed that something may be conjectu∣red from Urines, but it can be nothing but what is very general. So if Matter be voided together with the Urin, we may conclude that there is some part Ulcerated, but what part that is, who can resolve? For we see that Matter is voided when the Lungs or Bowels are Ulcerated; and tho' the Urin passes through these Ultimate Parts; yet it is a difficult thing to resolve whether it pro∣ceeds from the Reins or from the Bladder. This is certainly found by experience, that Physitians are very often deceived in this matter. Our judg∣ment therefore of Diseases, especially of those

parts through which the Urin passes not, ought not to rely upon the inspection of the Urin only, but upon the indications that are to be gathered from complaints of the Sick.

XVIII. Whence Deliriums arise in Acute Dis∣eases. Acute Diseases are frequently attended with those unsettlements of Mind, with which sick peo∣ple are mightily subject to be molested, and by which they are hurried into divers hurtful and un∣quiet thoughts.

The occasion of this is, because the Animal Spirits, which by chance, and without any design wander in the Brain, are carried by their own proper motions to open certain pores thereof, in the same manner as they were formerly opened at the presence of some Objects; whereby it comes to pass, that those Objects are perceived under the same Images, as if they were really present, and so affect the Soul residing in the Brain, as if it were smitten by their Species.

So Drunken Men are affected with a kind of Delirium, while the Spirituous Particles of the Wine or Beer boiling by the heat of their Stomach, passes the pores of the Brain, and the Spirits residing therein take away the poise of the com∣mon Sensorium, which nevertheless was required, if a right determination of the Animal Spirits had been made by the Soul. But since the Soul is un∣capable of governing all these Spirits, hence it comes to pass, that they flutter up and down with∣out any order, and without any determination of Mind, fall sometimes upon these, sometimes upon those pores, which occasions all those antick po∣stures, as Dancings, loud Laughters, idle Songs, &c. which are commonly taken notice of in Drun∣kards, which actions last so long, till at length, the choicer part of the Spirits being dispersed, the common Sensorium hath its Aequilibrium or Poise restored it, so that the Mind can at pleasure dispose of the Spirits through the whole Body.

XIX. How a Fe∣ver causes a Delirium in many People. Thus the Blood estuating in Fevers, causes ei∣ther a simple Phrensie, whether the Blood it self takes fire, or carries along with it into the Brain, certain strange and unruly corpuscles, which en∣ter the passages of the Brain, exagitate the Spi∣rits, and either drive them into confusion, or ut∣terly overwhelm them, as commonly happens in Drunkards. Especially if the Brain be weak and loose, and the bilious Blood be turgid and swell with copious sulphur. Neither are there wanting saline and piercing Particles, which enter the pores of the Brain.

XX. How Ani∣mals come at length to die. Animals living spontaneously, freely and with∣out any force upon them, are however at length taken away by Death. Because the Fermentation•• in them grow daily weaker and weaker; hence first results a gross Chyle, a viscous and earthy Blood, and consequently less moveable, and which introduces various obstructions in the Capillary Vessels. For as age comes on, the said Fermentations are more and more diminish'd, and almost totally extinguish'd, whence there must needs arise a sort of Blood yet much more Earthy, and scarce moveable out of its place. The Fibres and Pores of the parts are streightned and grow stiff, and still less and less ad∣mit of, and take in nourishment. Hereupon fol∣low Universal Obstructions, and by degrees all parts of the Body grow lean and waste away, till at length the very snuff of Old Age brings along with it death, or a total dissolution of the Auto∣matick Conjunction in Brute Animals, but in Man∣kind a separation of the Soul from the Body: For there is nothing so natural as that every thing should be dissolved in a retrograde order and manner to that wherein it was formed into a composition and subsistence.