The English mans doctor. Or the schoole of Salerne. Or [ph]ysicall obserua[ti]ons for the perfect preseruing of the bodie of man in continuall health. [Wh]ereunto [is] adioyned precepts for the pr[e]seruation of health. Written by [Hen]ricus Ronsouius for [the p]riuate vse of his sons. And now published for all those that desire to [preser]ue their bodies in [perfect] health.

THe ayre by it selfe is hot and moyst, and the attraction thereof is so neces∣sary vnto all liuing creatures, that if the wayes of respiration bee intercepted, and

occluded, they presently die, and all of vs haue experience, that the constitution of the bodie is often changed, eyther by the temperature or distemperature of the ayre: therefore we must prouide with all our study, to chuse the best ayre, as much as may be.

For that is the best ayre which to euerie one is natiue, for as the Philosopher saith, Vniuscuius{que} locus naturalis sui est locati con∣seruantius: besides, a temperate ayre, pure, cleare, and thinne, which lyeth open, and is free from stinkes, infection, or putrifacti∣on; is to be chosen. And on the contrary, that ayre is most bad and hurtfull, which is troublesome, cloudie, impure, stinking, showrie, putride, close, which neither wind nor Sunne doth penetrate, nor purge: in like manner, that is good ayre, which ta∣keth neither venenosity, nor other malign•• qualitie, through the standing waters which in the Summer time are corrupte•• with a pestilent ayre, or with the vapour o•• exhalations, or infected with foeculent ex¦cretions: so that ayre is most maliciou•• which springeth from dunghills, sincke•…•… and other pestiferous places, which dot•• oppresse the heart, and make a difficultie 〈◊〉〈◊〉

breathing, which is ouer hot, or ouer cold, for an hot ayre dissolueth the spirits, it ge∣nerateth thirst, it diminisheth the vitall fa∣culties, and hindereth digestion. A cold ayre doth ingender the Asthma and Ca∣tarrhes: and as this impure ayre doth vitiat the vitall spirits, so must wee be carefull by all meanes to beware of it; so then we must draw an ayre that is pure and temperate, for except a good ayre be drawne in daily, whereby our naturall heat may be ventila∣ted, tempered and cooled, our health must needes bee troubled and endangered, of which it appeareth, where it is said:

Satius esse sub dio versari, quam Cubiculis vndi{que} clausis immorari.

It behooueth also for vs to obserue this thing, that in cold seasons it shall be fit to vse an hotte ayre, or fire for hot things in a cold time: moyst in a drie, and drie in a moist aire, is chiefely fitting and agreeing: also in daily diseases, we see it is sometimes very profitable to change the ayre, for sometimes change of ayre and place doth recouer health that is lost. But whereas the ayre oftentimes is mooued and changed with the windes, and odors, for the winde is no other thing then the aire moued with

the stirring and prouoking of vapours, of which, and of sweete smells, it shall not be amisse somewhat to speake of.