A systeme of anatomy, treating of the body of man, beasts, birds, fish, insects, and plants illustrated with many schemes, consisting of variety of elegant figures, drawn from the life, and engraven in seventy four folio copper-plates. And after every part of man's body hath been anatomically described, its diseases, cases, and cures are concisely exhibited. The first volume containing the parts of the lowest apartiments of the body of man and other animals, etc. / by Samuel Collins ...

CHAP. LIII. The Pathology of the Lungs, and its Cures.

THE Lungs being an aggregate Body, made up of many parts, is subject also to variety of Diseases, viz. An Inflammation, Abscesse, Ulcer, Empyema, Asthma, Cough, Spitting of Blood, and the Dropsy of the Breast, &c.

A Peripneumonia is an Inflammation of the Lungs, * 1.1 attended with an acute Fever, a Cough, difficulty of Breathing, and Redness of the Cheeks; the Patient affected with this Disease, findeth a great Phlogosis in the Breast, accompanied sometimes with heavy, dull, and other times with a pricking pain, a great Thirst, Restlesness, and spitting of Blood; whence it may be infer∣red, that this disaffection taketh its rise from the immoderate effervescence of the Blood, stagnated in the small Blood-vessels, lodged in the Bronchia or membranous Sinus, or from Blood, extravasated in the Interstices of the Vessels; whereupon the Vessels of Blood are swelled, in an obstruction of the small branches of the Bronchial Artery; and when the small Pipes of the Bron∣chia are compressed by the extravasated Blood setled in the empty spaces of the Vessels, causing an Inflammation, swelling of the Lungs, and difficulty of Breathing.

This Disease, * 1.2 (as I humbly conceive) proceedeth from a Phlogosis of the Blood, (making an Ebullition in the Lungs) and from its grossness, as of∣ten mixed with a crude Chyme, stopping the numerous small Bronchial Ves∣sels of Blood. This assertion may be made good, that the obstruction of the minute Sanguiducts, is derived from a viscide gross Blood, by reason the Blood let out of the Vein, when cool, is covered with a White clammy skin, which is nothing else, as I conceive, but concreted crude Chyme, not capa∣ble to be broken into small Particles, and perfectly assimilated into Blood; so that the Blood being associated with the indigested clammy Liquor, and other gross recrements, doth sometimes obstruct the small branches of the bronchial Artery, and other times is extravasated in the Interstices of the Vessels; whereupon it acquireth an Ebullition, as having lost its due circu∣lation in the Lungs.

And furthermore, the sulphureous Particles of the Blood, being embo∣died with the Saline and Earthy (when they are too much exalted by an unnatural Fermentation) the vital Liquor is highly incrassated, and grow∣eth ropy (somewhat resembling over-fermented Wine acquiring a gluti∣nous disposition) productive of an Inflammation of the Lungs.

It is oftentimes observed by Learned Authors, that the Inflammation of the Lungs is sometimes a fore-runner, and other times a Consequent, and oftentimes a Concomitant of the Pleurifie; upon which, great inqui∣ries have been made, by what ways the Morbifick Matter can be translated from the Lungs to the Pleura, or from the last to the former; some conceive, that some part of the Blood being discharged the Pleura into the Cavity of the Breast, may be sucked up into the Lungs, after the manner of a Spunge, which seemeth to oppose the Oeconomy of Nature, who hath clothed the

Lungs with a firm, though thin covering, not capable to admit the gross clammy Blood, coming from the Pleura, and thrown into the capacity of the Thorax.

Whereupon I humbly conceive, * 1.3 that the diseases of the Pleurisy, and the Inflammation of the Lungs, are sometimes Concomitant, and sometimes Suc∣cessive, and are produced by gross viscide Blood, carried into the Pleura and Lungs (by different proper Blood-Vessels) either at the same, or at several seasons, which rendreth the Inflammation of the said parts, to be sometimes companions, and other times separate, when the stagnated Blood hath an Ebullition in the Pleura and Lungs, at one, or several instants of time.

Sometimes an Apoplexy, * 1.4 or Hemiplegia succeed, or are companions of a Peripneumonia; in the First Diseases the gross Blood is transmitted in an exuberant proportion, by the internal carotide Arteries into the Coats, or substance of the Brain, compressing the Origens of the Nerves; and in an Inflammation of the Lungs, the Blood is imported by peculiar Arteries in∣to the substance of their Bronchia and membranous Sinus, in which it stag∣nates, and generates a Feverish effervescence of the Blood.

As to the Prognosticks of this Disease, it is very dangerous, in reference to a difficult Respiration, sometimes speedily cutting the fine Thread of Life; and to an acute Fever, derived from stagnation of Blood, in the most minute bronchial Arteries; as also in the Interstices of the Vessels, which is hardly cured; especially when it is attended with cold clammy Sweats, Con∣vulsive motions, fainting Fits, and a quick weak Pulse, the fore-runners of death.

This disease is also full of danger, * 1.5 when nothing is expectorated, or a thin indigested Matter, and it is more hopeful, when a thick Yellow well con∣cocted Phlegme is easily expectorated, interspersed with a little Blood.

The Indications offering themselves in this disease, * 1.6 are divers, the First is, that the Blood stagnated in the substance of the Bronchia and membra∣nous Cells be discharged by Motion; and that the concreted Blood having so great a recourse to the Lungs, be diverted, and lessened by the free opening a Vein, that thereby the Blood extravasated in the Interstices of the Vessels, may be received into the Origens of the Veins, to make good the circulation of the Blood.

And in this disease, * 1.7 repeated Blood letting is very beneficial, if the Pulse be strong, to take off the great quantity of vitiated Blood, and to procure the stagnate Blood to be conveyed into the extremities of the Veins.

And also pectoral Apozemes made of the roots of Dogs Grass, * 1.8 wild Asparagus, the Leaves of Maidenhair, Coltsfoot, Liquorice, which do at∣tenuate and incide the gross clammy Blood, and other gross Excrements, which stop the Bronchia and vesicular Sinus, and Linctus made of new Lin∣seed-Oil, and Sugar, and oxymel of Squills, mixed with simple oxymel, Syrup of Maiden, * 1.9 Liquorice; and strong Purgatives are not proper in this disease, lest they should enrage the boiling Blood, and carry it more freely into the offended noble parts.

In this case Opiates may not be advised in great watchfulness, * 1.10 by reason they incrassate the Blood, and increase the difficulty of breathing in hindring Expectoration, and render the stagnated Blood more impacted in the small Air-pipes, and their appendant Sinus in the Lungs.

Testaceous Powders of Crabs Eies, Pearl, Sugar of Pearl, Salt of Prunel, * 1.11 and mild Diureticks are very beneficial in this Disease.

And some drops of tincture of Saffron, or Spirit of Saffron, Spirit of Tar∣tar, Spirit of Niter often rectified with Spirit of Wine, may be given in a draught of the Pectoral Decoction, (often in a day) to which may be ad∣ded in the preparing of it, some Flowers of Red or Field Poppy.

If the pain of the Breast be urgent, * 1.12 and in reference to help Expectora∣tion, Ointments made with Oil of Mace, Ointment of Marshmallows, Oil of Linseed mixed with Orange-flower Butter, may be applied to the Breast with Lawn Paper.

Some Cases may be given of this Disease, As First, a Person of Quality, * 1.13 a Knight of the Bath, was highly afflicted with a violent pain in his Foot, whereupon a Pultice was imprudently applyed, without the advice of a Phy∣sician, which repelled the Goutish humor, was afterward transmitted into the small Arterial Branches of the Bronchia, and their appendant Cells, wherein the gross clammy Blood setling in the Vessels, or their empty spaces, caused an Inflammation of the Lungs, accompanied with a great Fever and Thirst, and pricking pain, and much spitting of Blood, and a most difficult Breathing, even almost to Suffocation.

In order to the Cure, I advised, Blood-letting, with a large Orifice of the pierced Vein, and a free Hand; whereupon he found some alleviation; I al∣so advised proper pectoral Apozemes, made up of inciding and attenuating Ingredients, and various Lambitives; in great difficulty of breathing I gave him Elixir Proprietatis; and Spirit of Harts-horn, and Spirit of Saffron are good, either given of themselves, or best in a draught of Pectoral Decoction; where∣upon he expectorated a great quantity of gross clammy Matter, mixed with Blood. I also prescribed often Blood-letting to the Patient (as having a ve∣ry strong Pulse, and a very large mass of Blood) which succeeded very well, it being accompanied with variety of Pectoral Medicines; whereupon the Patient was perfectly recovered to his former health, to the Glory of God, and the great joy of his Physician and Friends.

A worthy Knights Lady was highly afflicted with a Fever, * 1.14 great difficul∣ty of Breathing, and a large quantity of Blood, expectorated with thin spit∣tle, plainly shewing this distemper to be an Inflammation of the Lungs; and to appease it, I often advised a Vein to be freely opened in the beginning of the Disease, but she was inexorable after great sollicitations, and being struck with a great dread, upon the motion of Bleeding, would not submit to the Lancet, so that the generous remedy of Bleeding, being not ad∣ministred, she paid dear for its neglect, even to the loss of her Life, which could not be purchased by the application of many excellent pectoral Medi∣cines.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An Inflamma∣tion of the Lungs.
• * 1.2

  The cause of an Inflamma∣tion of the Lungs.
• * 1.3

  The inflam∣mation of the Lungs is some∣times solitary, and other times accom∣panied with a Pleurisy.
• * 1.4

  An Apoplexy and Hemiple∣gia succeeds the inflam∣mation of the Lungs.
• * 1.5

  The Progno∣sticks of a Peripneumonia
• * 1.6

  The Indicati∣on of a Peripneumonia
• * 1.7

  Blood-letting is very proper in a Peripneu∣monia.
• * 1.8

  Pectoral Apozemes are very good.
• * 1.9

  Strong Pur∣gatives are dangerous in a Peripneumo∣nia.
• * 1.10

  Opiates are disadvantage∣ous in this case.
• * 1.11

  Diaphore∣ticks and Diureticks are safe.
• * 1.12

  Topicks may be applied to the Breast in this disease.
• * 1.13

  An instance of a Peripneumo∣nia.
• * 1.14

  Another in∣stance of an Inflammati∣of the Lungs.