CHAP. I.

THE pain of the Head is wont to be accounted the chiefest of the Dis∣eases of the Head,* and as it were to lead the troops of the other Af∣fections of that part; for that it is the most common and most fre∣quent symptom, to which indeed there is none but is sometimes ob∣noxious, so that it is become a Proverb, as a sign of a more rare and admirable thing, That his Head did never ake.

The Headach, though it be a most frequent Distemper, hath so various, uncer∣tain, and often a contrary original, that it seems most difficult to deliver an exact Theorie of its appearance, containing the solutions of so manifold, and often opposite things.* This Disease being constant to no temperament, constitution, or manner of living, nor to no kind of evident or adjoyning causes; ordinarily falls upon cold and hot, sober and intemperate, the empty and the full bellied, the fat and the lean, the young and old, yea upon Men and Women of every age, state, or condition. Hence, because they cannot satisfie any one sick with this Distemper, with the causes of it, most commonly they say, they all proceed from Vapours. Further, the Cure of this Disease is more happily instituted, not so much by certain Indications, as by trying various things, and at length, by collecting an Extempory method of Healing, from things helping and hurting. Wherefore, if I should go about to untye this hard knot, by drawing forth the matter more deeply and more accurately, I must ask for pardon, if I am carried, by a long compass, thorow the various Series and Complication of Causes: and if at length, by any means, the Aeriology or the Reason of this Disease may be fully detected, a more certain way to its Cure may be opened.

Therefore,* that we may go on more fully to institute this Pathology, or shewing the Causes or symptoms of this Disease, we ought first of all to unfold the Subject, and the formal reason of this Disease, together with the Causes and differences; then to sub∣joyn the Curatory method, and to illustrate it with some more rare Cases and Ob∣servations.

As to the former, as all pain is a hurt or violated Action, or a troublesome sension or feeling, depending on a Convulsion, or a Corrugation of the Nerves, the Subject of the Headach are the most nervous parts of the Head, that is, the Nerves them∣selves, as also the Fibres and Membranes, and such as are more and most sensible, seated both without and within the skull.* But the parts of this kind, which are af∣fected with pain, are first the two Meninges, and their various processes, the Coats of Page  106 the Nerves, the Pericranium (or skin compassing the skull) and other thin skinny Mem∣branes, the fleshy Panicle of the Muscle, and lastly the skin it self. As to the Brain and Cerebel, and their Medullary dependences, we affirm, That these Bodies are free from pains,* because they want sensible Fibres, apt to be wrinkled and distended: the same, for the like reason, may be said of the Skull.

2. But whensoever pain is excited any where about the nervous parts of the Head, its formal reason consists in this, That the Animal Spirits being drawn one from ano∣ther, and put to flight, cause the containing Bodies to be pulled together and wrinkled, and so stir up a troublesome sension or feeling: But that which so distracts the Spirits, that from thence a troublesome feeling arises, is some improportionate thing, rushing upon the Spirits themselves, or on the Bodies containing them, which entring the Pores of, and spaces between, the Fibres, pulls them one from another, and so drives the spirits dwelling there into disorder.

*3. As to the differences of the Headach, the common distinction is, That the pain of the Head is either without the Skull, or within its cavity: The former is a more rare and a more gentle disease,* because the parts above the Skull are not so sensible as the interior Meninges; nor are they watered with so plentiful a flood of Blood, that by its sudden and vehement incursion, they may be easily distended, or inflamed above measure. Secondly, The other kind of Headach, to wit, within the Skull, is more frequent, and much more cruel, because the Membranes, cloathing the Brain, are very sensible, and the Blood is poured upon them by a manifold passage, and by many and greater Arteries. Further, because the Blood or its Serum, sometimes passing thorow all the Arteries at once, both the Carotides and the Vertebrals, and sometimes apart, thorow these or those, on the one side or the opposite, bring hurt to the Me∣ninges, hence the pain is caused that is interior;* which is either universal, infesting the whole Head or its greatest part; or particular, which is limited to some private region;* and sometimes produces a Meagrim on the side, sometimes in the forepart, and sometimes in the hinder part of the Head.

There are many other differences of this Disease, to wit, That the Pain is either light or vehement,* sharp or dull, short or of continuance, continual or intermitting; its approaches sometimes periodical and exact, sometimes wandring and uncertain. Also by reason of the Conjunct Cause, which (as shall be declared by and by) some∣times is the Blood, sometimes certain excrements of it, as either the Serum, or nourish∣ing juice, or vapours, or wind; sometimes it is the nervous liquor, sometimes a con∣gression or striving of it with the bloody liquor: The Headach may be called, either bloody, and that either simple, or else serous, vaporous, or otherways excrementiti∣ous; or else Convulsive, from the humor watering the nervous Fibres, and irritating them into painful Corrugations.

*Concerning these, that we may proceed methodically, we shall rehearse in a certain order, the various kinds of this Disease, with their Causes; and it seems good, that we distinguish the Pain of the Head to be either accidental, or occasional and habitual: The former is wont to be excited without any foregoing cause, or previous disposition, by the solitary evident cause▪ as when an Headach happens almost to all men after the drinking of Wine.* Surfetting, lying in the Sun, or vehement exercise, also in the fitts of Feavours; to wit, forasmuch as the Blood being incited, more than it was wont, and boiling up immoderately, very much blows up and distends the Membranes it passes thorow;* yea the Serum and Vapors, copiously sent forth, from it, then grow∣ing hot, and rushing on the Membranes, pull and provoke the nervous Fibres.

Secondly, The habitual pain of the Head, hath some procatartick or more remote Cause fixed somewhere, by reason of which it is troubled, either constantly or often; so that though it sometimes intermits, yet it often returns of its own accord, and is excited also upon every light occasion: but this, whether it be continual or intermit∣ting, hath neither always, nor only, the Suffusions or too great Evaporations of the Blood or Serum, for the Conjunct Cause, (although these are often present, where notwithstanding they are rather instead of the Evident Cause, than the Conjunct) but beside, an evil procatarxis, or a certain predisposition, is always affixed to the part affected, or wont to be distemper'd; by reason of which, the aforesaid Causes, also the inordinations of the Nervous Liquor, and the meeting and growing hot of it with the bloody Serum, or the Nutritious Juice, raise up the fits of pains.

Although the more remote Cause of the Headach be manifold and diverse, so that its several kinds can scarcely be number'd, yet for the constituting it, these two, to wit, either one or both of them, do chiefly or for the most part lead the way, viz. First, The evil or weak Constitution of the affected part. Secondly, Then, because of the more easie and ready heaping up of the Morbi•ic matter in it.

Page  107As to the former, the parts of the Head obnoxious to pains, are the Nervous Fi∣bres, belonging to the Membranes, Tendons, the Musculous flesh, and other sensible Bodies; the Morbid provision of which consists in their evil conformation or de∣bility.

Of these,* that the former is sometimes innate and hereditary, appears from hence, because the Disease is often delivered from the Parents to the Children: and seems to be done chiefly by this means: because the covering of the Head being made more thick, or more close than it ought, neither the humors, nor the vapours do easily pass thorow; wherefore being by these restrained, and hindred in their Motion, and so heaped up, the Meninges, Pericranium, and other sensible parts, being too much stuff∣ed, or inflated, or hauled, receive pains: to which happens, that sometimes, by rea∣son of the original intemperance of the Brain, the Humors or Vapours about the parts, hanging like an arch over it, are variously heaped up together.

2. But it more often comes to pass,* that the Vices of an evil Conformation, by which these or those parts of the Head are disposed to the Headach, are contracted a∣new, and that by a various kind of production: for sometimes by Cold taken, by rea∣son of the Northern winds, Snow, or Rain, the Pores of the skin in some region of the Head, yea and the nervous Fibres themselves, are so closed up, or otherwise perverted or weakned,* that they are not able to bear the outward air, nor the agita∣tions of the Blood or Humors, but presently the Headach arises.

Nor is the predisposition of the Headach less rarely produced,* in the disorderly use∣ing the six not natural things. For the Blood being stirred up above measure, upon any cause whatsoever, impresses by its boyling up, or by the insinuation of the Serum or Vapours, a breaking of the unity in some nervous parts, or some other sort of hurt; for which reason, as there is a present Headach, by and by stirred up, so after∣wards there is a disposition to the same,* upon every light occasion. But oftentimes a disposition to the Headach not easily blotted out, is induced by a vehement Passion, Surfeit, Drunkenness, also by a blow, wound, or contusion of the Head: so that either the proper or excrementitious humors being heaped up, and standing in those parts,* being afterwards moved of themselves, or growing hot with other inflowing juices, stir up inflations, or painful haulings or pullings. Yea, I have known Inflamma∣tions, Imposthumes, Whelks, Scirrhous tumors growing to the Meninges with the Skull, and other Diseases of an evil conformation, excited in the Membranes of the Brain; by which, at first for a long time, frequent Headaches, and most cruel, and then afterwards a sleepy and deadly distemper hath been induced; the cause of the Disease not detected, but after death by Anatomy; and indeed it is to be suspected, that inveterate and pertinacious pains in the Head, which return, and dayly become more tormentive, in spight of all Remedies, depend upon some such invincible cause.

2. Not only an evil conformation,2 or the breach of unity, but also sometimes a meer weakness or enervation, renders some parts of the Head obnoxious to the Head∣ach; for when as the Fibres are somewhere so infirm, that they are neither able of themselves to rule the proper humor, nor to resist the incursions of a strange humor; the part so disposed, by reason of any light occasion, is moved into painful wrinklings: These kind of debilities of the Fibres, sometimes external accidents, as the excess of cold or heat; sometimes also errors in Dyet or living, as Surfeit, Drunkenness, and especially sleeping at noon; moreover great Catarrhs, and a long lodging of a sharp Serum are wont to bring in.

So much for the primary more remote cause of the Headach, which is also fixed and rooted: The other cause of it, secondary and moveable, consists in a ready and easie heaping up of the Morbific matter about the predisposed parts, from which come the fits of pains, and their approaches: But as the matter is manifold, it is wont to be heaped up after a diverse manner, and to excite pains which affect after a diverse sort: This, as we have said, is either the Blood, or its Serum, or the nourish∣ing Juice, or the nervous Liquor. Every of these being variously disposed, or imbued with feculences or dregs, are by degrees heaped up about the predisposed parts of the Head, sometimes before the fit; and sometimes, that coming, they are plentifully cast down. But sometimes one only humour with its plenitude and acrimony, distends or provokes the sensible Fibres; sometimes more meeting together, by their mutual growing hot, pull or haule the Fibres, and so stir up painful Convulsions. We shall briefly take notice of the several kinds of these, with their signs, and the manner of their being made. When therefore a part of the Head, as chiefly the Meninges, or some re∣gion of the Pericranium, is predisposed, by reason of an evil conformation or debility, to the Headach; the approaches or fits of the Disease are wont to be excited, by rea∣son Page  108 of the various incursions or coming together of the following humors, sometimes of this, sometimes of that humor, and sometimes of many together.

*1. Sometimes the Blood it self being incited into a more rapid motion, and boiling up into the Head, is straitned or stopp'd in its passage about the predisposed places, and from thence, being by and by heaped up there, distends the Vessels, greatly blows up the Membranes, and pulls the nervous Fibres one from another, and so brings to them painful corrugations or wrinklings. For this reason those obnoxi∣ous to the Headach, are forced to shun all occasions by which the Blood should grow hot above measure, as drinking of Wine, Exercise, Baths, &c.

22. The Serum being more copiously heaped up in the bloody Mass, oftentimes conceives a sudden Flux, either of its own accord through meer fulness, or stirred up by an evident cause, and so presently running forth from the Blood doth not only rush into the Lungs, but very often into the Head, and being poured upon its Mem∣branes or Muscles, is copiously heaped up about the parts predisposed to the Head∣ach, and there induces painful Corrugations and Inflations. Further, the Serum car∣ries with it infestous Recrements, as sulphureous, saline, sharp, acid, bilous, or me∣lancholic, or of some other kind, and fixes them to the nervous Fibres, which cause an acute or dull, a shorter or a longer pain. The Headaches arising by reason of this kind of remote cause, infest more grievously in the Winter time, in a moist Air, and in a Southern Wind: Moreover, Catarrhs of the Face, Mouth, Larynx, and of other parts, oftentimes accompany this Disease.

33. The nourishing Juice, or fresh Chyme, being carried from the Blood to the so∣lid parts, and laid upon them, by reason it becomes improportionate to some parts of the Head evilly disposed, is wont to excite periodical fits of the Headach. For this provision being laid up near some nervous Fibres, because it cannot be assimilated, begins to trouble them or burthen them, after some stay, and at length provokes them into wrinklings to expulse that which troubles them. An Headach proceeding from such a cause, as I have observed in many, doth dayly come at so many hours af∣ter eating, and continues a like space of time; yea the times alter according to the manner of taking their repast, both as to the quality and quantity, and so also the fits of the pains are wont to vary.

44. The nervous Liquor, is a cause of pains, by its inordination, as oftentimes in other parts, so also not seldom in the Head; for this either degenerating from its temper, or being imbued with dregs or filthiness, does not pass thorow so freely the nervous Fibers, but is apt to stagnate, and to be heaped up in them to an irritative fulness: and that chiefly within the Fibres made weak beforehand, or of an evil con∣formation (such as are sometimes the Membranes of the Head) because in these pre∣disposed, the watering Liquor being hindred in Motion, easily arises to an aggrava∣ting or provoking fulness;* so that the Fibres being so filled, like the stomach too much crammed, enter into Convulsions and painful wrinklings, for the putting away their contents, nor do they cease from them, till they are freed of their burthen; which notwithstanding, afterwards being heaped up again, sometimes sooner and sometimes later, cause from thence others, and so again other fits of pains. The Headach ari∣sing from such a cause, springs oftentimes without any notable turgescency of the Blood, and gently and as it were of its own accord, without any errors in dyet or living; yet sometimes it may sooner arise by reason of disorders in the non-naturals, and other accidents: This is wont to come more often in the Morning, and after long sleeping, when the nervous Fibres have drunk in this humor more largely.

5In the aforesaid Headaches, the Morbifick matter is made up for the most part of one singular humor, and so the fits of the pains are something more gentle, and often∣times sooner pass over. But there is another Cause of this Disease, when two humors (like divers kinds of Salts) meet together, and grow mutually hot, and so from the strife of dissimilar particles, the Fibres are very much pulled, and moved into very acute and cutting pains, and are most commonly longer infested with them. In this case one of the champions is always the nervous liquor, but the other, either the se∣rous water or the nourishing juice. We exempt the Blood, because it only washes the passages of the Nerves, and does not enter them deeply; but the nervous humor, by reason of the vices but now recited, sometimes of it self, pulls the containing Fibres, and provokes them into painful Convulsions. If that another humor, either the Nu∣tritious or Serous, (for both of them are wont to be guilty) being little of kin, be plenti∣fully poured upon this so predisposed, and copiously heaped up within the Fibres; pre∣sently all the particles being raised up, strive among themselves, and so by a mutual ef∣fervency, notably distend and haule the Fibres, that from hence from their being long and greatly wrinkled, most sharp and long remaining pains are induced. Whether it be Page  109 this or that humor, meeting with the nervous juice, that causes the Headach, may be easily known from the proper irregularities, above described, of either peccant humor by it self.

By what means,* and for what more remote causes, the humors, either Nutritious or Serous, offend, as often as meeting with the Nervous humour, contained within the Fibres, move the fits of pains, shall be declared anon: in the mean time, I think it suffici∣ently appears, that the more frequent and habitual Headaches are produced chiefly by the fault of the nervous liquor, because this is most intimate both with the Fibres themselves, which are wrinkled, and the Spirits which are moved into painful distra∣ctions; also because the pains of the Head sometimes arise without any disorder or tu∣mult of the Blood, Serum, or nourishing Juice, and these being emptied or allayed, after what manner soever, oftentimes the Headach most pertinaciously continues.

But concerning the nervous Liquor,* when it is the cause of the Headach, we observe that its fault is sometimes universal, and sometimes private: for sometimes it doth acquire its evil from the distempered part: to wit, forasmuch as being constrained to subsist or stagnate within the Fibres, hurt by their conformation, it is so perverted that at length being infested, fermenting either by it self, or with some other humor, it irritates them into painful Corrugations: Yet sometimes, and especially in the more grievous Headaches, we may suppose that the whole Mass of the nervous Liquor is in fault, but the nervous parts of the Head partake of its evil, before any others in the whole Body; because these are the chief and nearest springs of the nervous Liquor, and are also highly sensible: wherefore, the nervous Liquor, when ever it is vicious, either swelling up of its own accord, or growing hot by another humour being poured unto it, within the Meninges and other Membranes of the Head, more than in the other parts of the Body, becomes painful. The thing appears to be so, because a long and grievous Headach is wont to be Cured, not so much by Remedies applyed or pro∣per for the Head, as by those which restore the Crasis or Constitution of the nervous Juice, and the bloody Mass; and such are Chalybeats, or Steel Medicines, and Antiscorbu∣ticks, or Medicines against the Scurvy. Which certainly argues that the nervous Li∣quor, where-ever it is in fault thorow the whole Body, chiefly punishes the parts of the Head.

Thus much for the causes of the Headach,* both the procatartick or foregoing, and the Conjunct: there yet remain others more remote, called Evident, which raise up the former, and provoke them into act, or the painful means of affecting. But they are of a various kind, and of a divers operation: to wit, Whatever things are apt, first,* to transfer the Morbific matter from another place into the part affected; or secondly, to move it before lodging in it; or thirdly, and lastly, which impress on the Fibres themselves, predisposed to painful Convulsions, this Distemper, by the consent of the other parts afar off, they belong to this rank.

As to the former, the Blood and its inmate humors, to wit, the Serous and nu∣tritious; also the bilous, acid, and otherwise vicious recrements, are apt to be moved from various Causes, and to be transferred into the Membranes of the Head, viz. many accidents from without ordinarily effect this, as great and sudden mutations of the Air, or the season of the year, excess of heat or cold, or of moisture, plentiful feed∣ing, drinking of Wine, Bathing, immoderate Venus, violent passions; yea many other occasions sufficiently known, and to be avoided by all subject to Headaches. Fur∣ther, these humors sometimes swell up of their own accord,* and without any exter∣nal Cause, or other ways evident, being moved, drive themselves forward into the Head: in which place, when they come, and settle upon the Fibres before indisposed, though they constitute a part of the Conjunct Cause, yet they, when they are first in mo∣tion or flux, become the means of the Evident Cause. Wherefore, when we have first unfolded, by what means the Blood, with its contents, being carried to the distempered Membranes, stir up Headaches; we shall then shew by what means, and upon what occasions, the same humors are wont to be moved, and to be snatched in∣to the Membranes.

And first the Blood growing hot of its own accord,* and by reason of the strife, and intestine motions of its particles, imparts its trouble to the Head: Its frequent and wandring turgency or boiling up, happens not only in the fits of Feavours, but also without any cause or suspicion of disease, which in others scarce perceiveable, those obnoxious to the Headach sufficiently take notice of and feel; neither doth the blood only bestow the hurt to the Head, from its own proper provision, but re∣ceiving it elsewhere, sends it thither. Oftentimes the Blood receives the incon∣gruous matter from the Stomach, Spleen, Mesentery, Liver, and other parts, or In∣wards, infestous to it self or nervous Stock; which growing hot a little time after, Page  110 that it might extrude or thrust it forth;* it pours it upon the Membranes of the Head, and so produces the Headach, commonly called Sympathetick, viz. by a consent ex∣cited in other parts; which kind of Distemper being transmitted from other parts to the Head, sometimes also it happens after another manner, as shall be by and by de∣clared.

When the Mass of Blood abounds with Serum, it is sometimes excited to the put∣ting it off by meer fulness, wherefore it conceives a flux, or as it were a certain melt∣ing, to wit, by which the thin and watery part may be separated from the thick and bloody. Then, because the Blood becomes more diluted in its swelling up, and passes more swiftly and more copiously thorow the Arteries, than can be carried back by the Veins, almost all that is serous is sent away by the spaces between the Vessels, being poured sometimes on these parts, and sometimes on those, as falling down in many places, it causes tumors or Catharrs, so lying on the Membranes of the Head, it stirs up fits of pains.

*But the serous heap, from many other causes sweating forth from the Blood suffer∣ing a flux, rushes on the Meninges and the Pericranium, and causes in them most trou∣blesome Headaches. A sudden Constipation or closing of the Pores by Cold or Wet, almost constantly produces such a Distemper in most, obnoxious to this Disease. Sharp and thin Wines, Cyder, yea and Beer, that by reason of its soureness is apt to ferment, because they fuse the Blood, and precipitate its serosities, are forbid to those troubled with Headaches, as so much poyson: And lastly, whatever is wont to cause a Flux in those troubled with the Gout, the same also for the like reason causes it in these, for the rising Serum, in either, flows to the distemper'd part, where it oftentimes grows hot with the nervous humor.

*Further, not only the meer and simple Serum of the Blood, dropping forth upon the Membranes of the Head, stirs up pains, but sometimes other humors joyning toge∣ther, and by this passage being admitted to the distemper'd part, encrease the tragedy of the Disease; it often happens, that a thin and watery humor doth suddenly flow forth from the Lymphic Vessels, the Glandula's, and perhaps from the Passages and Pores of the solid parts (in which it is gathered together) and is poured forth into the Blood in the Veins; from whence presently passing thorow the bosom of the Heart, and being confused with the Arterious Blood, and by that soon separated, is cast back by any way it can find; therefore, being partly sent away by the Reins, it causes a flowing down of a clear and copious Urine, also sometimes partly redounding on the Brain or Nervous Originals,* produces Sleepy or Convulsive Distempers, as we have elsewhere shown. Yea sometimes, a certain part of the same limpid humor, be∣ing snatched with the Serum into the Membranes of the Head, raises up fits of a most cruel Headach: For indeed, I have observed in many, a watry and very plentiful Urine, either to precede or accompany the fits of this Disease.

But we may believe other manner of recrements, of the other parts, viz. bile from the Liver, black bilary feculencies from the Spleen, and perhaps incongruous humors from the Stomach, Reins, Pancrace, &c. are supped up by the Serum of the Blood, and deeply boiled with it, by which, whilst it is infected, it more readily conceives Effervescencies, and so rushing impetuously into the Cephalick Vessels, and there fermen∣ting with the nervous Liquor, brings forth Convulsions, and painful and very trouble∣some pullings or haulings.

*The serous heap, whether it be simple, or as we have shown, complicated, is suffi∣ciently infestous to the Head, whenever its usual evacuation, thorow its due and ac∣customed ways, is hindred: viz. whether if the Pores being bound up, transpiration be inhibited, or by reason of the evil distemper of the Reins, an Evacuation by Urine is not copiously performed; either defect greatly punishes those subject to Headaches. Further, the Membranes of the Head are oppressed, by reason of the passages of the Blood being obstructed in other places: for if the lower or middle parts of the Belly, and especially the Liver and Lungs, are troubled with an obstruction, so that the Blood can scarce pass thorow in those places, its more full torrent is directed into other parts, and especially towards the Head; so that for this Cause, I have known to have followed, not only Headaches, but also soporiferors or sleepy, and sometimes deadly distempers.

33. As the Serum in the bosom of the Blood, so the nourishing Juice, that is the fresh Chyme made out of the Aliments, lodges there too, and is circulated with it, and for∣ced to follow its inexorbitances, being as it were in the current of the same River. Wherefore, when the Blood, presently after eating, is carried impetuously or inordi∣nately to the Head,1 and the nourishing Juice being half Concocted or depraved, is fixed there to the Membranaceous Fibres, it causes painful pullings or haulings to follow; Page  111 for hence it is, that exercise, bathing, violent passions, reading, or any serious in∣tention of the Mind, upon a full stomach, hurt those troubled with Headaches.

Sometimes the nutritious Juice is not presently or easily mixed with the Blood,2 but being carried fresh to it, by and by stirs up a turgency, so that many, constantly after eating, are troubled with an high Colour, and oftentimes also with an Headach. This commonly, but amiss, is imputed to the obstruction of the Liver, when indeed it proceeds from an evil disposition of the Blood, hardly bearing the mixture of the fresh Chyme. Wherefore, such a distemper, follows for the most part dangerous Fea∣vours, and especially the Small Pox, and sometimes great Surfeits.

4. There yet remains another sort of Evident Causes,* (to wit, by which the leading Causes, or predispositions to the Headach are actuated) plainly different from the for∣mer irregularities of the Blood, Serum, and nourishing juice; to wit, when Headaches very often most terrible, follow, by reason of Convulsions, begun in other parts, and from them continued to the Head. 'Tis an usual thing for a certain sense, or feel∣ing, of a Formication, or little pricking, to creep forward from the Hypochondria, as also from the region of the Stomach, Mesentery, Womb, yea sometimes from the Members or outward parts, to the Head, and by and by sometime after to excite a pain that will last for a good while. This kind of Distemper, which is wont oftentimes to be the forerunner of the Vertigo, also of the Epilepsie, or the Apoplexie, is commonly believed to be the ascent of Vapours; when indeed it is only a Convulsion, begun in the extremity of some Nerve, which creeping upward towards its original, and then coming to the Skull, for as much as it either is communicated to the parts within the Head, or to the Meninges, either one or both of them, it stirs up Convulsions or pains. Which passions notwithstanding,* follow this Formication or tingling, brought from elsewhere, sometimes as a sign, and sometimes as the cause. We have in another place largely enough unfolded the reason of the former, to wit, it being shown, that when the Morbifick matter possesses the beginnings of the Nerves, or the nearest parts to them in the Head, a Convulsion oftentimes beginning from the ends of the same Nerves, being carried thence upwards towards the places first distemper'd, ascends as it were by a creeping forward: wherefore not only upon the Vertigo, but upon the Headach, a Vomiting comes very frequently.

But further,* an Irritation in some distant Member or Viscera, is sometimes the occa∣sion, and in a sort the cause of the Headach; to wit, when the Morbifick matter is heaped up, even to a fulness of Turgency in the part of the Head already disaffected, there is need only of a light Vellication or pulling of the Containing Fibres, that this matter being stirred, should cause a fit of the Disease; to which movement, it often suffices, that by intimate concent of some distant Inward, as the Ventricle, Spleen, or Womb, with the Head, the nervous Fibres should be pulled or hauled; for pre∣sently from thence, the trouble being communicated by the Nerves, some Membrana∣ceous Fibres of the Head, being evilly disposed, and burthened with the Morbific Mat∣ter, begin to be strained and wrinkled, and so when the Mine of the Disease is moved from its moved Particles, the Fibres are urged into grievous and continual Corruga∣tions.

Headaches that seem to begin after this manner from the Viscera,* and commonly cal∣led Sympathetic, are wont to be ascribed to Vapors, viz. by supposing a Mine of the noxious humor to lye hid in some Inward, from which being moved, whilst the Effluvia ascend into the Head, and there sharply pierce thorow and p•ll the nervous Fibres, pains are excited. We have already so plainly refuted this doctrine, that there is no need here to bring any other reasons to oppose it. But in the mean time, let us in∣quire whether pains of the Head do not arise also by other means, besides a Convul∣sive communication thorow the Nerves, by reason of the Morbific Cause lodging in the Stomach, Spleen, and other places.

Concerning this, we may suppose, that Matter oftentimes degenerate, is heaped up in remote parts, which carries its hurt to the Head, by the passage or Circulation of the Blood.* 'Tis a usual thing for Corrupt humors, viz. sometimes sharp, sometimes acid or austere, to be heaped up in the Ventricle; Bile in the Liver, atrabilary or me∣lancholic dregs about the Spleen, yea and other sort of degenerate Matter about the Mesentery, Womb, or other parts: from which being heaped up to a fulness of swel∣ling up, a Fermentative Miasm or Infection is fixed to the Blood; from which, that, being as it were imbued with rage, impetuously grows hot, and partly by its swelling up, and partly by transferring what is incongruous into the Membranes of the Head, stirs up fierce and cruel fits of pains.

As to the Ventricle,* that it is so, some obnoxious to this Disease have plain ex∣perience. Because some of them, after the Bile or Choler flowing in the Stomach, Page  112 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.

22. 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 Page  113 week, or a month. It is an usual thing, for Headaches, that seem to be driven away, to return again about the Equinoxes or Solstices; to wit, because at these times, the Blood and Humors conceive greater Turgences or risings up, than are wont, and therefore are more apt to grow hot with the watering Liquor of the nervous parts of the Head,* and to renew the wonted fits of pains. But when about these times of the year, Headaches return, they are not prorogued by a longer accession for a great while, but for the most part, having gotten subordinate periods, they are wont to infest at some certain standing hours, for the space of twelve hours.

When therefore a Periodical Headach hath its daily fits, for the most part the rea∣son of these, as of Intermitting Feavors, ought to be sought from the fault of the Mor∣bifick Matter, arising to a plenitude at a set time, and then growing hot. For it may be supposed, that the proper Liquor is perverted somewhere about the Membranes of the Head, and the nervous Fibres evilly disposed, or doth not well pass thorow them; wherefore, when the nourishing Juice, placed also on the same parts from the Blood, is not presently assimilated, nor doth well agree with the other humor; at length, from both of them heaped up together and disagreeing, a mutual growing hot arises, and from thence a painful pulling of the Fibres: but for that the fits of the pains, are not always at the same distance after Eating, but arise in some sooner, and in others later, and sometimes before sleep, and sometimes after; the cause is, that partly the offices of Concoction, and distribution of the Aliments, are performed sometimes sooner, sometimes later; and partly, because in these the nervous Liquor, and in those the nutritious Juice, is most in fault: wherefore, as the fulness of this happens sooner, and of that later, so the times of the fit vary: we shall illustrate these afterwards, with observations made concerning the cases of sick persons.

3. When the fits of the intermitting Headach are wandring and uncertain,* the Pro∣catarxis, or foregoing cause of the Disease, is neither great nor constant, nor is the Evident Cause continual: Wherefore, when that either cause is oftentimes absent, and one of them often wanting, the fits of the Disease are not tyed to certain times, but in some, they are as it were by chance and accidental, in others, in whom a predis∣position to this Distemper is a little more firmly rooted: the pains of the Head more frequently molest, and are ordinarily excited, by reason of various occasions, yea and for some, they are wont to be most certainly expected. The reasons of the fits so variously happening appear clearly above, from the Aetiology delivered of this Disease; besides, the whole business shall be illustrated anon, by examples.