Organon salutis an instrument to cleanse the stomach : as also divers new experiments of the virtue of tobacco and coffee, how much they conduce to preserve humane health / by W.R. ...

To his highly esteemed Friend and Compatriot Judge Rumsey, upon his Provang, or rare pectorall Instrument, and his rare experiments of Cophie, and Tobacco.

SIR,

SINCE I knew the World, I have known divers sorts of Instruments: The first that I was acquainted withall, was Aristotles Orga∣non, or Instrument at Oxford: Another was the great happy In∣strument

at Munster: The third was the Instrument which was made after the dissolution of the late long Parliament; That in Oxford was Instru∣mentum Logicae, The Instru∣ment of Logick; That in Mun∣ster was Instrumentum Pa∣cis, The Instrument of Peace; The last was Instrumentum Politicum, the Instrument of Policy. Now your Instrument is most properly called The Instru∣ment of Health and may take place among the rest. Without controversie it was an Inventi∣on very happily lighted upon, and obligeth all mankinde to give you thanks: For he who findes out any thing conducing to humane

health, is the best Cosmopolite, the best among the Citizens of the World; health heing the most precious jewel of Nature, with∣out which we cannot well dis∣charge our duties to God or man. But indeed there's no perfection of health in this life, where wee converse with the Elements; the best is a valetudinary kinde of disposition; and this proceeds from the perpetuall conflict of the humors within us for pre∣domination▪ which were they e∣qually ballanced, and in peace, Methuselah's yeers would be but a short life among us. Now this Combate, and malignity of the humors ariseth from the Stomach; which, like a boyling

pot on the fire, is still boyling within us, and hath much froth; whence, if the concoction be not very good, there are ilfavoured fumes, and fuliginous evaporati∣ons that ascend into the head; where being distill'd, they descend in Catarrhes and defluxions sometimes upon the Optiques, and that may be called the Gout in the Eyes; if they fall upon the Teeth, it may be call'd the Gout in the Mouth; If into the Hands, 'tis Chiragra; if in the Hip, Sciatica; if in the Knees, Go∣nagra; if in the Feet, Poda∣gra. Now Sir, Your In∣strument serves to take away the grounds of these distempers, by rummaging and scouring the

Stomach, and make it expecto∣rate that froth, or phlegmy stuffe which lodgeth there, and that in a more gentle manner than any Drugge. 'Tis true that Rhu∣barbe is good against Choler, Agarick against Phlegme, and Hellebore against Melancho∣ly; but they use to stirre the humors so violently by their nauseousnesse, that their opera∣tion is a sicknesse of it self all the while. Your Instrument causeth no such thing, nor leaves any lurking dreggs behinde, as Drugges use to doe.

Touching Coffee, I concurre with them in opinion, who hold it to be that black broth which was us'd of old in Lacede∣mon,

whereof the Poets sing; Surely it must needs be salutife∣rous, because so many sagacious, and the wittiest sort of Nations use it so much; as they who have conversed with Shashes and Turbants doe well know. But besides the exsiccant quality it hath to dry up the crudities of the Stomach, as also to comfort the Brain, to fortifie the sight with its steem, and prevent Drop∣sies, Gouts, the Scurvie, together with the Spleen, and Hypocon∣driacall windes (all which it doth without any violence or distemper at all) I say, besides all these qua∣lities, 'tis found already, that this Coffee drink hath caused a greater sobriety among the Na∣tions:

For whereas formerly Ap∣prentices and Clerks with others, used to take their mornings draught in Ale, Beer, or Wine, which by the dizziness they cause in the Brain, make many unfit for businesse, they use now to play the Good-fellows in this wake∣full and civill drink: Therefore that worthy Gentleman, Mr. Mudiford, who introduced the practise hereof first to London, deserves much respect of the whole Nation▪

Concerning Tobacco, which the Spaniards call la Yerva san∣ta, the holy herb; in regard of the sundry virtues it hath: without doubt'tis also a wholsom vegetal, if rightly applyed, and seasonably

taken, It helps concoction, makes one void Rhume, break winde, and keeps the body open: A leaf or two steeped in white Wine, or Beer over night, is a Vomit that never fayles; It is a good Com∣panion to sedentary men, and Stu∣dents when they are stupified by long reading or writing, by dissipating those vapours which use to o're-cloud the Brain: The smoak of it is passing good against all contagious aires; In so much that if one takes two or three puffs in the morning, before he goes abroad▪ there's no infecti∣ous air can fasten upon him; for it keeps out all other sents, accor∣ding to the Axiome, Intus ex∣istens prohibet alienum.

But Sir, I finde that you have made other experiments of these two simples, which though not so gustfull, conduce much to hu∣mane health: And touching your Provang, or Whale-bone Instrument, let me tell you, that it hath purchased much repute a∣broad among Forreiners; In so much that some, in imitation of yours, have found a way to make such an Instrument of ductible Gold, and you know what a cor∣diall Gold is. I have been told of another kind of new Instru∣ment, that will conveniently reach from the mouth, to let in the smoke of Tobacco at the fundament, and it hath done much good. Certainly there are

in Natures Cabinet, many bo∣xes yet undiscovered; there are divers Mysteries and Magna∣lia's yet unknown; there be sun∣dry effects which she would pro∣duce, but she wants the hand of Art to co-operate, and help her, as it were by the way of Mid∣wifery: the world must needs confesse that you have done her a great good Office herein.

So, with my hearty kinde re∣spects unto you, wishing that some happy occasion were offer∣ed, whereby I might be Instru∣mentall unto you, I rest,

Worthy Sir,

Your most affectionate Friend and Compatriot, JAMES HOWELL.