and others after a noted soureness, and ravenous hunger, most certainly expectia fit of the Headach. The reason of which seems partly to be, that those contents of the Ventricle being supped up by the Blood, make it hot, and stir up in the same a Cephalic Tur∣gency or swelling up; moreover, from this kind of sharp Vitriolick, or otherways infestous matter, being heaped up and moved within the Stomach, a Convulsion, or Corrugation very troublesome, is impressed on the Fibres and the extremities of the Nerves there inserted, which immediately being continued into the Head, by the pas∣sages of the same Nerves of the eighth pair, and of the Intercostal, is communicated to the Membranes, and the nervous Fibres, predisposed to painful wrinklings.
By reason of the same Reciprocal Communication, between the Stomach and the Head, a nauseousness and Vomiting, as we said but now, follows upon the Headach, viz. the Membranes being stirred up into painful wrinklings, by the Morbifick matter (even as is wont by a blow or wound) and transferring the evil by the passage of the Nerves to the Ventricle, guiltless of it self, a vain endeavour of Vomiting sometimes arises, nothing remaining within the Ventricle, that should be cast forth: yet some∣times, from a cruel shaking of the Inwards, in striving to Vomit, the Gallish or Pan∣creatick humor, either one or both of them, being thrust forth into the Duodenum, and cast forth by Vomit, is ignorantly taken for the Cephalick matter.
2. The pains of the Head are wont to be imputed no less to the Spleen, than the Ventricle; and indeed 'tis ordinarily observed in Hypochondriacks, obnoxious also to this Disease, when a Pain, Inflation, a Rumbling, or some other Perturbation of the distemper'd Spleen, happens in the left-side, that the Headach, as if raised up by it, by and by frequently suceeds; hence, presently 'tis the voice of the people, that these Va∣pours being sent forth from the disturbed Spleen, stir up the pain of the Head: But in∣deed, we may grant that the Headach arises sometimes from the default of the Spleen, yet reject this opinion, that it ought for this cause to be imputed to Vapors, but indeed either to an evil Ferment, transmitted into the Blood from the Spleen, or from a Con∣vulsion, from thence communicated to the Head, by the Nerves: because in the Spleen evilly affected, the Melancholic humor being degenerate, sometimes into a Vitriolic Nature, sometimes a biting, sometimes a sharp, or otherways infestous, is oftentimes heaped up, which of its own accord being shaken forth, by reason of plenitude, or occasionally by reason of some perturbation, and being confused with the Blood, im∣presses a Fermentation upon it, by which its Liquor rushing by it self on the Membranes of the Head, or growing hot with the nervous Liquor, causes painful pullings or haul∣ings. Further, it is no less probable, that sometimes a Convulsion being excited in the nervous Fibres, which are very much disposed about the Spleen, brought thence by the passages of the Nerves of the wandring and Intercostal pair, and continued to the Head, impresses the like Distemper to the Membranes predisposed to it.
3. A reason may be also rendred, according to the same Pathology, to wit, either from an evil Transmission of the Ferment, or a continuation of the Convulsion, for Headaches which are said to be raised up by consent, from the Liver, Mesentery, the Womb, and other parts.
The habitual Headach, the Aetiology, or the Reason of which, we have already sufficiently handled, is yet divided into certain kinds, to wit, it is either Continual, or Intermitting; but the periods of this are sometimes determined to a certain time, and are sometimes wandring and uncertain: we shall speak briefly of each of these.
1. Sometimes therefore it happens, that some are afflicted with a Continual pain of the Head, to wit, for many days or months, little intermitting, unless when sleep helps; in which case we suppose, that there is not only present a Procatartick or lead∣ing cause, but also a Conjunct, somewhere fixed and constant. For besides that the parts affected, or that are wont to be affected, are weak, and their watering liquor much depraved, is apt to stagnate, or to grow hot with other humors; there is moreover oftentimes excited in them, a breaking of the unity, to wit, an Inflammation, a red and painful swelling, a Scirrhous tumor, or Imposthum, or of some such kind; about which, whilst the humors of divers kinds do meet together, and are heaped up, there arise almost perpetual pains, by reason of the nervous Fibres being continually pulled or hauled. These kinds of Headaches, do not rarely end in sleepy distempers, and at length deadly; for when I have opened the Heads of many dead of these Diseases, the signs or footsteps, declaring the aforesaid kinds of Morbific causes, have appeared; some examples of these shall be added hereafter.
2. The habitual Headach, is for the most part Intermitting, whose sits, as they are certain and Periodical, or coming at a set period of time, are wont often to return in the space of half a day and night, or once in twelve hours. Some more rare cases I have known, which exactly repeating the Fits, came every other day, yea once in a