Dr. Willis's practice of physick being the whole works of that renowned and famous physician wherein most of the diseases belonging to the body of man are treated of, with excellent methods and receipts for the cure of the same : fitted to the meanest capacity by an index for the explaining of all the hard and unusual words and terms of art derived from the Greek, Latine, or other languages for the benefit of the English reader : with forty copper plates.

THE AUTHORS EPISTLE (To the Treatise of Urines) TO Dr. Bathurst.

Worthy Sir,

THE Inspection of Urines, and from them an investigation of directions concerning the Medicinal Practice, began to be esteemed among the Ancients, even from the first beginning of Medicine: for from hence for the making of judgments concerning the Sick, and for the chusing the most fit times for Curing, the great Hippocrates hath chiefly taken both his praenotions, and his precepts, so that that famous and to this day approved statute of old Medicine, to wit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to compose Medicine according to digestions, cannot be observed without rightly consulting the Urinal. Also this seems consonant to common reason, that for as much as we cannot search into the most intimate parts of the sick Body, as it were a Vessel shut up, judgment is sought from the infused liquor, washing all its parts, and tak∣ing from many some little parcels. For neither more certainly do the acidulous or Spaw-wa∣ters, shew the nature of the hidden Mine, through which they are strained, than Urines give testifications of the divers manners of dyscrasies of our Bodies, and their habitudes. Where∣fore the Contemplation of this Excrement, (as vile as it is) hath grown to a Science, and hath exercised the ingenuities of the most excellent Physicians, both Ancient and Modern. Concerning this thing there are many Books extant, writ with great diligence; in which are rehearsed the great differences of Urines, varieties of Colours, and diversities of Consist∣ence, and their Contents exactly described, and distinct precepts are delivered for every excretion of them: Which indeed are esteemed by some of so great certitude, that from the inspection of the water, a signification is sought of any Disease, or of the part affected; yea of every accident concerning the sick. But in this the Common People are egregiously deceived, and still pertinaciously will be deceived, whilst they imagine the knowledge of every Disease, and the prognostication of it cannot be found out, but by inspecting the Urine; and esteem a Physician of little worth unless he undertakes to divine from the Urinal as from a Magical Glass. But indeed, as to what belongs to the Precepts, and Rules whereon the reason of Judgment by Urine doth depend, there are many collected by diligent observation, that are extant, and from thence establish'd with good Reason and Judgment: yet for as much as the signification of Urines is by some too largely extended to particular Cases very many uncertain things interwoven, and some obnoxious to deceit, and others plain∣ly false; therefore who shall confidently pronounce concerning the business of the Sick, by the judgment only of the Water, deserves rather the name of a jugling Quack, than of a Phy∣sician.

But this Doctrine concerning Urines, abounds so ordinarily with errors, that the obser∣vations which belong to its practice, are either wrongfully made, or not well reduced into method. We may lawfully suspect that the observations are not rightly made, because perhaps from one or two particular cases, oftentimes a general rule is established. For Example sake, because some Hydropical people render a thin and watery Urine, therefore it is affirmed, such sort of Urines necessarily denote a Dropsie, when also in some other Diseases such like Urines are made; and sometimes in the Dropsie, the Urines are thick, and full of redness. Also as it is most commonly received, that Urines on which a cream doth swim (as on water that hath Tartar boyled in it) doth denote a Consumption, which is most uncertain, because this sign is more proper and familiar to Hypochondriacks than to Consumptive people: And how many dye of Consumptions without this? Besides, what is generally asserted, to wit, that in all diseases whatsoever, Nature doth make known the Disease by the Urine, is altogether false; because sometimes sick people make their Urine like healthful people; and sometimes those who are very well in health, by reason of some accident (perhaps from the meats eaten) have suspected Urine, varying from the natural state or condition. As to what belongs to the me∣thod, or doctrine delivered by most, concerning Urines, they seem to be altogether Empiri∣cal, and nothing rational: for the naked differences of Urines are rehearsed, and are wont to be distinguished according to their colour, consistency and contents: thence are opposed to the several species of these pathologick significations, collected only from more rare observa∣tions; when in the mean time, the causes of the appearances, nor of the preternatural alte∣rations in the Urines, are not assigned, as they ought to be; nor is the signification of the Urines applyed to the Causes of Disease, but only to the Disease or Symptom; and there∣fore it is most often deceitful, and uncertain; because the same morbifick Cause, and signifi∣cation of the same Urine, may in like manner mediately respect at once divers Diseases, and Symptoms. As for Example, a thin and watry Urine, most often immediately denotes In∣digestion, or a defect of Concoction in the Viscera: nevertheless, by reason of that condition of Crudity, the Green-sickness in Virgins, sometimes the Dropsie, or the white watery phleg∣macy, sometimes Head-aches, and many other diseases arise. But the task which you have required of me, Worthy Sir, to wit, that the notions which in times past we have discoursed together, and conceived concerning Urines, as it were collected notes, and what have since fallen under my own knowledge, by my proper study and observation, concerning this thing, should be fram'd into a little Treatise, and that I should write a plain and new method of Uri∣noscopie. I confess the work greater than can well be performed by our own proper strength: however, I have resolved as much as I am able, to obey you therein. But that a Doctrine or Method concerning Urines may be instituted, beyond the vulgar and plainly Empirical man∣ner of Philosophising, there shall be these two heads of our Discourse. To wit, First that the Anatomy of Urine may be delivered, of what elements and parts it consists; and also its ge∣nesis in our Bo•…•…y; to wit, by what Concoction this kind of Liquor is made, and then by what secretion of some Particles from others. Secondly, That the inspection of Urines in the Uri∣nal may be truly •…•…nfolded, and what may be the Rules, and the Certitude of Uromancy, or divination of the Urine.