The sixth book of Practical physick Of occult or hidden diseases; in nine parts Part I. Of diseases from occult qualities in general. Part. II. Of occult, malignant, and venemous diseases arising from the internal fault of the humors. Part III. Of occult diseases from water, air, and infections, and of infectious diseases. Part IV. Of the venereal pox. Part V. Of outward poysons in general Part VI. Of poysons from minerals and metals. Part. VII. Of poysons from plants. Part VIII. Of poysons that come from living creatures. Part IX. Of diseases by witchcraft, incantation, and charmes. By Daniel Sennertus, N Culpeper, and Abdiah Cole, Doctors of Physick

THE SECOND PART. Of Occult, Malignant, and venemous Diseases, arising from the internal fault of the Humors. (Book 2)

Chap. 1. Of Malignity and Ve∣nom in general.

THAT is malignant that hath worse symptoms, and is harder to be cured then ordinary. Malig∣nity is an adventitious quality to a disease that makes beyond its nature more difficult or dangerous.

It is from manifest or occult qualities, as when an ulcer is in a part only distempered by a ma∣nifest quality, it may be cacoethick, or of an ill condition, but that is only from manifest quali∣ties. On the contrary, if a part be stung by a ve∣nemous

beast, or bitten, there wil be an ulcer al∣so, but such as is from an occult quality: here we shal speak only of malignity that flows from occult qualities.

Hence it is cleer that malignity differs from poyson, for malignity comes after another dis∣ease, but poyson by i••s pernicious force brings a hidden disease without another disease, so the Plague poyson can kill without a feaver of it self, and so wil Hemlock, Napellus.

Poyson therefore is that which of its own force by an occult way doth vehemently and im∣mediately afflict the body and endanger life, but the doubt is whether it be a quality or a sub∣stance, therefore distinguish it, somtimes it is ta∣ken for the thing poysoned, somtimes for the form of action and hurting our bodies privately. If it be taken for the thing poysoned, it is of a double nature: some are bodies and act by a bodily contract, and though they touch not all with their own body, yet they send forth Atoms and small bodies that infect, and move to & fro in the air in the time of contagion. Others act by intentional species, that is, spiritual qualities that kill, as the poyson of the Torpedo that ben••••••s the hand of the Fisher through the Spear. If poyson be taken for the venemosity it self, it is an occult and dangerous quality.

The differences of malignant and venemous diseases are from the effects and causes, for we are ignorant of their forms, therefore we shall describe every poyson in its proper place by it•• proper signs: but here we shall propound the differences of occult diseases fetcht from their causes▪ they are bred in or without the body; from evil humors bred in the body are divers

sorts of malignant feavers, and pestilent feavers, and the plague.

The causes without the body are divers both malignant and venemous. 1. The air drawn in, Inspiration sent out by transpiration. 2. Bad water drunk. 3. Contagion or Infection any way communicated to the body hurts secretly. 4. Poysons taken have power to cor∣rupt the body. 5. The stingings and bitings of venemous creatures, either piercing the body, or any other waies hurting, as by sight, hissing, venemous breath, or spiritual species. Also ve∣nemous oyntments with which darts or swords are infected: all these poysons are taken from Plants, Animals, or Minerals; of which in order.

Chap. 2. Whether malignant venemous humours are bred in our bodies.

MErcurialis denies it, Fernelius affirms it; and they both bring unsatisfying Argu∣ments.

But Rudius decides the controversie in saying, they are properly poysons which are such of their own nature, and not such as by conception be∣come enemies to our bodies. And true poyson is only that which is bred without the body.

* 1.1Galen seems to favour Fernel▪ against Mercu∣rialis, when he saies that poyson is bred in Dogs when they are mad, which is very infectious, and a pestilent venom breeds of dead carkasses, and if poyson breed in a Dog, why not in a man▪

nor is the external agent only requisite for gene∣ration, but the disposition of the matter is more then the outward acting Instrument.

Chap. 3. How are malignant and venemous humors bred in mens Bodies?

THerefore since poyson is bred in our bo∣dies the difficulty is, how it is bred.

Note first that all the corruptions of our bo∣dies are not to be imputed to the matter alone, or to the efficient. Somtimes the efficient pro∣duceth it, when the venemous quality or dispo∣sition is so fixed that it infects the humors that flow to it: but usually venemous humors are bred in respect of the matter, and they after∣wards turn malignant.

Note secondly that there are divers concocti∣ons in our body, in which new mixtures are made, nor is there a resolution as far as the first matter in every mutation or corruption, but when any thing corrupteth, only the form, and the determinate temper of that form, or the sub∣jects with its accidents perish, and others that are subordinate remain, some with their acci∣dents: hence it is that often some form is mani∣fest which lay hid before. And what Hippo∣crates spake of the powers of humors I find true in the nature of poyson.* 1.2 In man (saith he) there is bitter, sweet, salt and sour, and six hundred more qualities, which according to their plenty and strength have other faculties, by mixture of the mu∣tual contemperation, nor are these seen, nor do they

molest, but any of thes•• are separated, and is alone, then it is evident, and molesteth a man, &c. thus must we dispute concerning poysons. A man feeds upon divers Creatures and Plants; the Plants are fed by dung of Animals and showers, or by floods, and we may find every-where things contrary to our bodies in the dung and excre∣ments of Animals, in the earth, rain and rivers, which are carried with the nourishment into the body, and there exercise their force.

* 1.3Hippocrates gives an Example of this, As when a Woman or a Goat eats wild Cowcumbers, the child or the Kid will be purged, because the milk is made purging. And though it be first made chyle, then blood, and thirdly milk, yet the purging quality is kept after so many changes, when the infant hath suckt.

From whence it is easie to conclude, that ma∣ny things get into our bodies with the nourish∣ment, that have venemous and malignant quali∣ties. For how many men do feed upon Mush∣rooms, Melons, and the like, which breed bad juyce? How many malignant showers fall upon the Plants that feed the Cattel? How many beasts that are mans food, eat venemous Plants and Creatures? The Stork eats Hemlock, the Quail Hellebore, the Ducks Toads which nou∣rish them. Hens eat Scorpions and Serpents, and when man eats these meats, it is no wonder if that poyson which feed them (though after di∣vers concoctions it took divers forms) become hurtful unto man, and be a kind of poyson in him.

Chap. 4. Of the Causes of oc∣cult and venemous Diseases that arise from Humors.

THese Causes are efficient or material. As to the efficients, in regard divers concocti∣ons are made, there must be divers excrements, according to the variety of the parts, one in the liver, another in the heart, another in the stones, womb, and the veins and arteries that contain blood and Spirits, when they are distempered, suffer the blood and Spirits to corrupt, and they are distempered by excess or occult malignity, by which the solid parts are often corrupted, as appears in soul ulcers, gangrens and sphacels.

This evil disposition is somtimes from the pa∣rents to the children, and they produce evil hu∣mors, which cause the malignant Scab or Ele∣phantiasis. Somtimes it is from meat and drink, and venemous medicines that exceed in the first qualities, and secretly hurt the body.

The Stars may do the same. For though they usually nourish the earth with benigne influen∣ces, yet by accident they may hurt this or that person by occult influences,* 1.4 except they keep a proportion, of which hereafter.

Hippocrates shews how much the air condu∣ceth to the breeding of diseases, saying: That change of seas••ns doth chiefly breed diseases, and they are either breathed in, or sent into the bo∣dy by the pores, and the plague comes from the air.

Also imagination and passions may be count∣ed efficient causes: for frights and anger have

caused great diseases. And I observed about six times, that when the plague was here where I live as Professor, that many fell into the plague by anger, which (though it be hard to be ex∣plained) is probable to me. For many bodies are of constitutions subject to the plague, either by the air or other cause, rather then to another disease; and if imagination, fear or anger come upon them, this disposition is easily brought into act, and the good humors may be corrupted by those passions, as Mercurialis shews.

* 1.5Cardan mentions hatred among these causes, it is a passion made of anger and sadness, and cor∣rupteth the humors.

The other cause that corrupteth the humors is material, and makes them malignant or vene∣mous, and the plague is often bred from bad di∣et in time of famine,* 1.6 which Galen saw under Commodus the Emperor. Also Cowcumbers and Pompions produce humors as bad as poyson, if they lie long in the body.

Also good meat not well digested in the sto∣mach, may cause bad chyle, and good blood is never made of bad chyle, but a humor or green choler, which is burnt and corrupted in the li∣ver, and mixed with the blood, and when it rests in the veins, it is scarce perceived, but when it is stirred by the motion of the body or mind, it is worse, and corrupts more, and is separated from the good humors, and brings great diseases, and sudden death.

But meats that have in themselves a malignant venemous quality, as Mushrooms▪ Froggs do this much more.

Chap. 5. Of the differences of Diseases that come from the in∣ternal fault of the Humors.

THere are two chief differences of Diseases from internal humors. The first are ma∣lignant, but kill not, onely cause greater Symp∣toms then the first qualities can produce, with these a man may live long.

The second are such as presently kill, and are well called Venemous.

Of the first sort are the humors that cause an Epilepsie, fear of water, dancing, madness, Scur∣vey, Colick, and malignant Dysenteries, Ele∣phantiasis, Gangrene, and simply malignant Fe∣ve••s. Of the second sort, are the humors that be∣get pestilent feavers, and the plague.

As for the first sort, the Epilepsie and the other diseases are not the evident causes, or from ob∣struction of the ventricles of the brain, nor is fe•••• of water, from the biting of a mad Dog. But this Epilepsie is from a humour or vapor that hurts the membranes of the brain, and the nerves espe∣cially. And fear of water may come from inter∣nal humors without the biting of any mad crea∣ture. Mercellus Donatus hath five Examples of this,* 1.7 and the diseases mentioned are not from manifest qualities, but from malignant, occult and venemous causes.

As for the second kind, the humors are so cor∣rupted, that they do not only turn malignant, but breed deadly diseases, that kil like poyson, as pe∣stilent Feavers and the Plague, Buboes and Car∣bun••les, of which before.

Chap. 6. Of the Signs of dis∣eases that come from malignant venemous Humors that are bred in our Bodies.

THe signs of these diseases are from the cau∣ses mentioned in the fourth Chapter, espe∣cially from the air, which if it keep not its natu∣ral constitution, the humors must needs be cor∣rupted, as experience confirms.

Another sign is when famine hath been either by scarcity or siege, and men have had an ill di∣et, the inward humors are corrupt.

The third is, when no manifest Cause went before, and the man had not to do with any man of the like disease, and there are the signs of ma∣lignity and venom,* 1.8 it shews that it is from the in∣ternal fault of the humors.

And by comparing the strength with the dis∣ease, you may know the event of the disease.

Chap. 7. Of the Preservation from, and Cure of these Dis∣eases.

WEE have shewed the Cure largely before, only if there be a malignant or Epidemical disease stirring, either from air or bad diet, or the like, let it be removed by conve∣nient Evacuations, lest the humors corrupt. And observe from what cause the fault is, that you ma•• apply sit remedies: as Pills de Tribus, Rhu∣barb,

and Syrup of Roses, and the like. These must be repeated at a distance, and good Anti∣dotes used.

After purging, it is good to sweat, and take heed of anger, fear or passions, which stir up the hum••••s that he stil and close, and make a plague without any society with them of the plague.

See for the Cure Lib. 4. de feb. Cap. 6.

Notes

• * 1.1

  6. De lo. aff. c. 5.
• * 1.2

  Lib. de vet. medici.
• * 1.3

  6. Epid. com. 5. tex. 25.
• * 1.4

  Lib. 4. de febr. c. 4. 3. Apho. 1.
• * 1.5

  In lectioni∣bus de pe∣stil. c. 22. 1. de ven. c. 6.
• * 1.6

  Gal. lib. de cib. lo. &. mal. suc.
• * 1.7

  Lib. de hist. med. mirabil.
• * 1.8

  Gal. lib. 1. c•• diss. seb. ••. 4.