The history of philosophy, in eight parts by Thomas Stanley.

CHAP. XXII.

Of the Causes of Diseases.

OF Diseases Plato alledgeth many causes. The first is defect or excesse of the Elements, and a change into places which agree not with their Nature. The second a preposterous genera∣tion of homogeneall parts, as when of flesh is made blood, or choler, or flegme; for all these are nothing but colliquation, or putrefaction. ••legm is a new coll••quation of flesh; sweat and tears, are a kind of Serum of flegm. Flegm intercepted in the outward parts, begetteth Scurse and Leprosie, in the inward being mingled with Melancholy, it causeth the falling-sicknesse. Sharp, and salt flegme engender those affections which consist in rigour, for all bodies that are inflamed with choler must suffer that. A world of various diseases are engendred by choler and

flegm. As concerning feavours; Plato conceiveth that a continu∣all feavour proceedeth from excesse of fire, a quotidian from excesse of air, a tertian from excesse of water, a quartan from ex∣cesse of Earth. It remaineth that we here begin to speak of the Soul, though not without some danger, of repeating the same things.