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.

SInce first I began to consider the Operations of Medicines in humane Bodies, and their manner of working, and for some time meditating upon the entire Subject, at length published an Essay of the Rational Curatory part; I became affected with so vehement a desire of farther prosecuting that Speculation, that in all spare hours, (to wit, as frequently as I might be vacant from my practice) I could hardly intend or admit thoughts of any other thing: And that not so much that I might please others, as by often turning in my mind, and writing my Meditations of this Subject, I might be better instructed to prescribe to my Patients. For certainly the not duely weighing the Reasons by which Medicines operate, renders all Physick to be Empirical, and to be governed rather by Chance or Fortune than by Advice; and it frequently comes to pass, that a Medicine rashly administred, is but casting a Die for a Mans life. Wherefore, that I might satisfie my self, and practise Physick (as is usually said) with a safe Conscience, it pleased me to bestow more labour in the search of the true Rea∣sons of physical Energies and Efficacies. And because in this Treatise, we chiefly consider Medicines, respecting certain pri∣vate parts or Regions of the body, and their proper Diseases, therefore we have endeavoured in the first place to perform these three things; viz. First that a most accurate An atomical De∣scription might be given of the parts, (if not already extant) whose Distempers and Remedies are treated of, as to the Fabrick and uses of all their Vessels. Wherefore, turning over the Breast and Lungs, and most diligently viewing their inward re∣cesses and apartments, what thing soever observable either the Ancients or Moderns have published about these, and whatsoe∣ver further by Knife or Microscope we have detected, we have here set forth. In which task, as formerly in some others of the same nature more exactly done, I must confess I owe much to the sedu•…•…ous labour of my most learned Friend Dr. Edmund King, and

to his most dexterous Dissections. And really I esteem it so ne∣cessary to lay the History of the Parts, as a foundation to our Rational Curatory Method, that without it I did believe the whole Superstructure would be meerly phantastical and altoge∣ther unstable, or at least unprofitable. For surely, either to practice Physick, or demonstrate its Operations on humane Bo∣dies, without an exact knowledge of the parts and passages, on which, and by which they work, would seem equally absurd, as if a Philosopher ignorant of Mechanical affairs, should go about to unfold and explicate the Artifice and cunning Workmanship of a Clock moving of it self, according to the Theory of Natural Motion delivered by Aristotle. Wherefore we have view'd with most exact diligence, in the first place, the Subjects of Physick, or the places of Operation in our Bodies, as the Circuit in which we are to move. Then secondly we have not been less soli∣cirous, that according to the Phaenomena of all parts lately de∣tected by Anatomical observation, the true and real Hypotheses of Diseases should be built, whereof we have designed the Reme∣dies; that not still persisting in the thread-bare paths of Ancient Physick, by a certain blind and implicite obsequiousness, after the manner of Beasts, according to the proverb, to be only guided by our Ancestors footsteps; but deriving the Causes and formal Reasons of Diseases from their very Springs, we every where en∣deavour to shew, from what Disposition of Blood and Humours, from what affection of Animal Spirits, from what habitude of Fibres, and of other solid parts, every Disease proceeds. And these things so premised, and laid instead of a solid Foundation, at length in the third place, that the structure of our Curatory method being rightly compacted, may happily rise up and firm∣ly consist, we have gathered together most of the Medicines re∣specting most of the private parts and regions of the body, and the peculiar Distempers thereof, viz. both Simple and Com∣pound, both Old and New, both Dogmatical and Empirical, gathered out of the Physick-books of every Age, as also those chiefly celebrated by Quacks and Nurses; more choice forms of all which, or at the least the chief of them and man∣ner of using, we have aptly assign'd, and annex'd the rea∣sons as to the Preparations, as also the Operations and Effects of them. But that all is not comprehended in this Tract that was omitted in the former, which yet I had hoped might have been, happens from the plenty of matter, and the bulk of the work encreasing upon our hands: For assuredly, it is more than the task of one Man or Generation, to exhibit a compleat Cura∣tory Method, and absolute in all points. For if this Disquisition were more fully instituted as to its Latitude, not only all the Ma∣teria

Medica (which is almost infinite) but also the whole Body of Physick offers it self. Wherefore these our Attempts court not the name of Treatises, but of Essays. Truly it will not be need∣ful for many Physicians, especially those who neglect the Phae∣nomena of Nature, being intent only on their Practice and Gain, to be learned about the Reasons of all Remedies: but to the ge∣nuine Sons of Art, this will be of value, if not to direct, at least to incite them to the Knowledge and serious weighing always of those things they take in hand. And if these small endeavours shall instigate others better to polish that Study, whatsoever Re∣viling I may reap from the malevolent and envious, it shall ne∣ver repent me of my labour. For when I shall be well conscious to my self, that I have not suffered my Faculties although small (as the Talent entrusted with me by God Almighty) to perish through sloth, nor suffered them to be buryed in the earth, but that they may be rendred with some Interest beside the Principal, it will much please me, nay, I shall seriously rejoyce and tri∣umph.