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 PREFACE TO THE READER.

THE Romans sometimes promised to themselves an Empire, an Eternity by the hap∣py Augury of an humane Head being turned out of the Glebe; neither could they perswade themselves, that the Capitol should be the Head of the World, unless it had been built upon the Skull of a Man. I do not think of Empires in Arts, nor do I pro∣mise to my self Triumphs by overcoming the World of Letters: But in the mean time, I had wholly frustrated those Illustrious Documents I had long since learned, unless with those Auspices I had laboured in Philosophy, especially the Natural.

For the Province, which I hold in this Academy, requiring that I should Comment on the Offices of the Senses, both external and also internal, and of the Faculties and Affections of the Soul, as also of the Organs and various provisions of all these; I had thought of some rational Arguments for that purpose, and from the appearances raised some not unlikely Hy∣potheses, which (as uses to be in these kind of businesses) at length accrued into a certain System of Art and frame of Doctrine. But when at last the force of Invention being spent, I had handled each again, and brought them to a severer test, I seemed to my self, like a Painter, that had delineated the Head of a Man, not after the form a Master, but at the will of a bold Fancy and Pencil, and had followed not that which was most true, but what was most convenient, and what was rather desired than what was known. Thinking on these things seriously with my self, I awaked at length sad, as one out of a pleasant dream; to wit, I was ashamed that I had been so easie hitherto, and that I had drawn out for my self and Auditors a certain Poetical Philosophy and Physick neatly wrought with Novity and Conje∣ctures and had made a Fucus as it were with deceits and incantations for either of us.

Wherefore all delay being laid aside, I determined with my self seriously to enter presently upon a new course, and to rely on this one thing, not to pin my faith on the received Opini∣ons of others, nor on the suspicions and guesses of my own mind, but for the future to believe Nature and ocular demonstrations: Therefore thenceforward I betook my self wholly to the study of Anatomy: and as I did chiefly inquire into the offices and uses of the Brain and its nervous Appendix, I addicted my self to the opening of Heads especially, and of every kind, and to inspect as much as I was able frequently and seriously the Contents; that after the fi∣gures, sites, processes of the whole and singular parts should be considered with their other bodies, respects, and habits, some truth might at length be drawn forth concerning the ex∣ercise, defects, and irregularities of the Animal Government; and so a firm and stable Basis might be laid, on which not only a more certain Physiologie than I had gained in the Schools, but what I had long thought upon, the Pathologie of the Brain and nervous stock, might be built.

But for the more accurate performing this work, as I had not leisure, and perhaps not wit enough of my self, I was not ashamed to require the help of others. And here I made use of the Labours of the most Learned Physician and highly skilful Anatomist, Doctor Richard Lower, for my help and Companion; the edge of whose Knife and Wit I willingly acknow∣ledge to have been an help to me for the better searching out both the frame and Offices of be∣fore hidden Bodies. Wherefore having got this help and Companion, no day almost past over without some Anatomical administration; so that in a short space there was nothing of the Brain, and its Appendix within the skull, that seemed not plainly detected, and inti∣mately beheld by us. After this, when we entred upon a far more difficult task, viz. the

Anatomy of the Nerves, then very much appeared the plainly to be admired skill of this Man, as also his indefatigable Industry, and unwearied Labour: For having prosecuted, with a most exact search, all the divarications, wandring on every side of the Nerve, how minute or small soever, and immersed, and variously infolded within other Bodies, and so turning over the Labyrinths of the Branches, and shoots of every pair, far and near diffused, he drew out with his own hand the Schemes, Images, or Draughts of them, and also of many passages of the Blood, as they appear in this Tract; which indeed, that they might be faithfully and most exactly shewn, without any falsity or errour, he caused, that no Table might con∣tain scarce any line or the most light passage, whose conformation and exact habitude he •…•…ad not found proved by the marks or inspection of many Animals for that purpose killed.

Besides the helps brought me by his most skilful dissecting hand, it becomes me not to hide, how much besides I did receive from these most famous Men, Dr. Thomas Millington Doctor in Physick, and Dr. Ch. Wren Doctor of Laws, and Savill Professor of Astronomy; both which were wont frequently to be present at our Dissections, and to confer and reason about the uses of the Parts. Besides, the former most Learned Man, to whom I from day to day proposed privately my Conjectures and Observations, often confirmed me by his Suffrage, being uncertain in my mind, and not trusting to my own opinion. But the other most re∣nowned Man, Dr. Wren, was pleased out of his singular humanity, wherewith he abounds, to delineate with his own most skilful hands many Figures of the Brain and Skull, whereby the work might be more exact.

But although instructed by these helps, and as it were hem'd in by the plentiful assistances of these Illustrious Men, I come forth on the Stage, I presume I shall not be however safe from calumny, and free from blame and most just reprehension: because here is inquired into the recesses and most inward dens of the Brain, and its depending parts as it were shut and sealed up; concerning the certain uses of which, scarce any thing may be brought forth, but that, as it may be published and shewn, for the Judgments of the more Learned, so it may be carpt at and torn by the opprobries of detractors. In other parts, where matters appear to the Senses, we do not so easily run upon errours. For in most of the Viscera and Vessels, the Contents and contained humors, as also their passages within the larger Cavities of the containing parts, are discerned by the sight: But in the Brain and Nerves, neither the rush∣ings on or impressions, viz. the Animal Spirits themselves, nor their tracts or footsteps, can any ways be seen. Wherefore to explicate the uses of the Brain, seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, That it understands all things but it self: for in truth, the unwearied labour of the Brain beholds or searches the hidden places of other Bodies, in the mean time the oeconomy or regiment of its own Family and Kingdom being wholly hid and unknown.

But what we profess to be performed by us in the following Tract, and hope for the fu∣ture from the help or labour of others, is chiefly this; to wit, that we have not rashly descri∣bed the parts themselves, of which the Anatomy is instituted, but that we have with diligent care and great trust collected the various appearances and Arguments of Observations by a manifold Dissection. Which things, if you shall delineate out of those Sentences and gran∣ted Decrees, as it were to a Mathematical Rule, and from thence would collect a Theory as yet lame, and that may not appear absolute in all its numbers, no doubt but that a longer time, and the getting of more Observations may give it a more perfect form, that Antiquity may not have said altogether in vain, That Minerva was born from the Brain, Vulcan with his Instruments playing the Midwife: For either by this way, viz. by Wounds and Death, by Anatomy, and a Caesarean Birth, Truth will be brought to Light, or for ever lye hid.