Galen's art of physick ... translated into English, and largely commented on : together with convenient medicines for all particular distempers of the parts, a description of the complexions, their conditions, and what diet and exercise is fittest for them / by Nich. Culpeper, Gent. ...

CHAP. 6. Of a Body Neutral.

THis, as we told you before, carries a threefold sig∣nification.

• 1. As things partake of either extremety swerving from the Rules of Healthfulness.
• 2. As they partake of both of them together equally.
• 3. As somtimes the one exceeds, somtimes the other in resp••ect of time.

1. Taken in the first Sence, it is an exquisite medi∣um between healthful and unhealthful Bodies; And that

• First, Naturally or Simply, as many people are born of unhealthful or sickly Constitutions, so that the Nativity as a cause produceth such an ef∣fect in every age.
• Secondly, According to time, when the Body is neither perfectly in Health, nor yet sick, such a one as the proverb saith, Is neither sick enough to lie in Bed, nor well enough to follow his Imploy∣ment.

2. Taken in the Second Sence, A Neutral Body is such a Body as partakes of diverse contrary qualities ei∣ther in one part of the Body or in diverse; when there is an opposition between them, and this concerns either the Formation of the Body or the Endowments of the mind, or temperature of the parts, when one contrary

appears healthful, the other unhealthful, and this also

• 1. As it appears generally in al the ages of the Life.
• 2. As it appears but particularly at some certain times.
• 3. Taken in the third Sence, it is when the ages of a mans Life, Differ in respect of Health and Sickness as a man may be healthful in his Childhood and un∣healthful in his youth, and the contrary, viz. sickly in his infancy and healthful in Youth &c.

Culpepers Comment.

The First of these needs no explanation, the other two are somthing Obscure, as in the second Galen saith a man may partake of contrary qualities in the forma∣tion of the Body, Viz. A man may have a H••ad too big and feet as much too little, a man may have a Nose exceeding the common bigness, and Eyes as much less than the common proportion, and the like.

2. In the Endowments of mind, as thus, A man may have a very good Apprehension, yet a bad Memo∣ry, a man may have very good Judgment in ordering a Battel and yet be a Coward.

3. In the temperature of the parts, the Liver may be ••oo hot, and yet the Brain too cold; you may under∣stand the rest by these examples which are sufficient to explain Galens meaning.

To the third, When the Ages of a mans Life differ in respect of health and sickness saith Galen, which is no more than thus, to give you one example, A Childs Body or any part thereof may be too hot, by reason of sucking a Chollerick Woman, in youth, either the whol Body or the same part of it may be too cold, imagine the Liver, Brain, or the like, it may be too hot in Manhood, too cold in Age or the contrary to these.

Thus much for Bodies we come now to unfold the Signs.