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THE SECOND PART OF PHARMACEUTICE RATIONALIS, OR OF THE OPERATIONS OF MEDICINES IN HUMANE BODIES. (Book 2)
SECT. 1. Of the Medicines of the Thorax.
CHAP. I. Of the Organs of Breathing and their Use.
IN the former Treatise having essayed to explain the reasons of every Medicine, for the most part we have toucht only upon general Medicines, namely which excite some Evacuation, or recreate and restore the fainting Spirits, or calm those which are too much raging and unquiet: But moreover there are many * 1.1 other Remedies, and those of several sorts, which are supposed to have respect to some peculiar part of the Body, or some particular Disease, and to be appro∣priated to those ends by a certain kind of specific virtue or operation. Now as concerning both the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of these, at least the chief of them, viz. whether it be really so, and for what reason it comes to pass to be so, it seems now worthy to be inquired into: And first of all we will treat of the Medicines of the Thorax, viz. those that are wont to be prescribed against the Cough, Phthisic, Catarrh, Asthma, Dyspnoea, and other Diseases of the Breast.
But since the reasons as well of these Diseases as of medicinal Operations in heal∣ing them seem very abstruse and most difficult to declare: therefore before I enter * 1.2 upon this task, something ought to be premised about the parts themselves, as well touching their uses and ordinary actions, as their sicknesses or preternatural affects. As to the first, the parts of the Thorax are either principal, as the Heart and Lungs, with the Vessels appendent unto them; or subservient, as the membranes and Mus∣cles, with the Diaphragma; as likewise the Ribs, with the Vertebra's; then Pneu∣monic Vessels, with the nervous Fibres and Glandules. The consideration of the Heart and its Vessels doth not properly belong to this place, because not so much the sicknesses of the Breast alone as the general sicknesses of the whole body are usually reckoned amongst its passions. Whereas therefore the remedies appointed to cure the diseases of that region, have special respect to the Lungs, and to the other