An exact collection of the choicest and more rare experiments and secrets in physick and chyrurgery (both cymick and Galenick) viz. of Leonard Phioravant, Knight and doctour in physick and chyrurgery, his Rational secrets and chyrurgery &c. : whereunto is annexed Paracelsus's One hundred and fourteen experiments : with certain excellent works of G.B. áa ortu Aquitano ; also Isaac Holandus, his secrets concerning his vegetal and animal work : with Quercetanus his Spagyrick antidotary for gun-shot : also certain collections out of some manuscripts of Dr. Edwards and other physitians of note ...

The cause of the Pox and Measels.

The primitive cause as Valetius saith, is by alteration of the aire, in drawing some putrified and corrupt quality unto it, which doth cause an ebullition of our bloud.

The cause antecedent is repletion of meats, which do easily corrupt in the stomack, as when we eat milk and fish toge∣ther at one time, or by neglecting to draw bloud, in such as have accustomed to doe it every year, whereby the bloud doth abound.

The conjunct cause is the menstruall bloud, which from the beginning in our mothers wombs wee received, the which mixing it self with the rest of our bloud, doth cause an Ebul∣lition of the whole.

The efficient cause is, nature or naturall heat, which by that menstruall matter mixing it self with the rest of our blouds doth cause a continuall vexing and disquieting thereof, where∣by an unnaturall heat is increased in all the body, causing an Ebullition of bloud, by the which this filthy menstrual mat∣ter

is seperated from our natural bloud, and the nature being of∣fended and overwhelmed therewith, doth thrust it to the out∣ward pores of the skin as the excrements of bloud, which mat∣ter if it be hot and slimie, then it produceth the Pox, but if dry and subtil, then the Measels or Males. But Mercurialis an excellent writer in Physick, in his first Book, de morbis puero∣rum, cap. 2. agreeing with Fernelius in his Book De abdit is rerum causis, c. 12. doth hold opinion, that the immediate cause of this disease doth not proceed of menstrual bloud, but of some secret and unknown corruption, or defiled quality of the aire, causing an Ebullition of bloud, which is also verified by Valetius, and now doth reckon it to be one of the hereditable diseases, be∣cause few or none doe escape it, but that either in their youth, ripe age, or old age, they are infected therewith. The contention hereabout is great, and mighty reasons are op∣pugned on both sides, therefore I will leave the judgement thereof unto the better learned to define; but mine opinion is, That now it proceedeth of the Excrements of all the four humours in our bodies, which striving with the purest, doth cause a supernatural heat and ebullition of our bloud, al∣waies beginning with a Fever in the most part, and may well be reckoned in the number of those diseases which are cal∣led Epidemia: as Fracastorius in his first Book, De morbis contag. cap. 13. witnesseth this disease is very contagious and infectious, as experience teacheth us: There are two speciall causes why this disease is infectious: The first is, be cause it pro∣ceedeth by ebullition of bloud, whose vapour being entred into another bodie, doth soon defile and infect the same, the second reason is, because it is a disease hereditable; for we see when one is infected therewith, that so many as come neer him, (especially those which are allyed in the same bloud) doe assuredly for the most part, receive the infection also.