Medela medicinæ a plea for the free prosestion and renovation of the art of physick, out of the noblest and most authentick writers ... : tending to the rescue of mankind from the tyranny of diseases, and of physicians themselves, from the pedansism of old authors and present dictators / the author, M. N. ...

THE CONTENTS OF THE TREATISE.

CHAP. I. THat it is for the good of Mankind there should be a Liberty allowed in the Practise of Physick. pag. 1.

That Hippocrates, and Galen, and the Ancients successively, used a liberty in Judgment and Censure towards other Physicians, p. 2, 3. Old Authors not to be upheld against liberty of Judgment, p. 4, 5, 6, 7. The Persecution against Chymical Physicians, when they first be∣gan

to flourish, p. 8, 9. Lord Bacon's Judgment, and others, p. 8, 9, 10, 11. Persecution against the Improvers of Science, p. 12, 13. Regius his opinion for the Reforming of Physick, p. 14. Helmont's Character by Zwelfer, p. 16. Fernelius his opinion of Anatomy, p. 17. The ill usage and malice of the Colledg of Paris, with their Sentences of Con∣demnation against the famous Querce∣tan, and Sir Theodore de Mayern, p. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. The Infe∣rence thereupon, p. 27, 28.

CHAP. II. That there is a great Alteration in the Diseases of this present Time, from what they were in the former. pag. 29

Agues much alter'd, p. 29, 30, 31. Worms eating through the Bowels. Fevers in new forms, p. 32. Womens Diseases grown more severe, p. 33. French Pox much altered from time to time, p. 34, 35, 36. Its influence in the alteration of other Diseases, p. 37. The like of the Scurvy, p. 38, 39, 40, 41, 42. The

alteration of divers Diseases manifested from the weekly and yearly Bills of Mortality; as the Scurvy, p. 43. the Rickets, p. 44, 45, 46. Consumpti∣on, p. 46, 47. Stopping of the Sto∣mack, p. 48. Rising of the Lights, both vulgar names, p. 48, 49. Mother, p. 49, 50, 51. Convulsion, p. 51, 52. Small Pox and Measles, p. 52, 53. The Running Gout, and Rheumatism, p. 54, 55, &c.

CHAP. III. An Inquiry into the Causes of the Al∣teration of Diseases from their ancient State and Condition. pag. 56.

The French Pox and the Scurvy main Causes of the Alteration, p. 56, to 61. The spreading of the Venereous and Scorbutick Ferments occasioned five several ways, p. 62. The Causes why Persons not seeming to themselves infe∣cted, do yet infect others, p. 65. and why it is so various in Persons, as to lurk in some, and rage in others, p. 66, 67, 68, 69, 70. No Caution will serve

to preserve the libidinous, p. 71, 72, 73. The like notions touching the Scur∣vy, p. 74, 75. Ill courses of curing the Pox noted, p. 76, 77, 78, 79. The ill Consequents of bad Cures, p. 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84. Blood-letting bad in Scor∣butick cases, p. 85, 86, 87. Some other proceedings in the like Cases noted; as common Diet-drinks, ordinary Purgers, mistake of the Pox and Scurvy, because of the likeness of their Symptoms, &c. p. 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95. Con∣tagion described, p. 97, 98, 99. The Pox, Scurvy, and all contagious Disea∣ses, able to infect Persons at a distance, p. 100, 101, 102. Reasons why they may lurk many years, p. 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112. What care ought to be used in making second Marriages, p. 108, 109. The manner how the Ve∣nereous and Scorbutick Contagion spreads insensibly; attested by Senner∣tus, Dr. Willis, Kircherus, Sinibaldi, Zacchias, Sir Kenelm Digby, Valle∣sius, Dr. Flud, Greg. Horstius, Ferne∣lius, and Aurelius Minadous, from p. 110. to p. 132. The grosser ways of

Contagion noted, p. 132, 133, 134, 135, 136. How those Contagious Ferments are propagated by Inheritance, p. 136. to p. 143. How by Suckling Children, p. 144, 145. Caution about Nurses, from p. 145. to p. 153.

CHAP. IV.

A further Proof of this great Altera∣tion, by inquiring into the manner of the complication of the Pox and Scurvy, with other Diseases. pag. 153.

The Opinion of Fracastorius and others That the French Lues is communicable at distance, p. 154, 155. The Opinions of Helmont and Grembs, p. 156, 157, 158, 159. All Diseases complicable with the French, 160, 161. The Complicati∣on of Malignant Fevers therewith, p. 162, 163, 164. And of the Hectick, p. 165. Its Complication with Wounds and Ulcers, p. 166, 167. and with other Maladies, p. 168. The like Com∣plications of the Scurvy, p. 169, 170, 171. of the Tinctures and Ferments of the Pox and Scurvy, p. 172, 173. hard to be cured, p. 174.

CHAP. V. An Inquiry into the Alteration of the nature of Diseases, in reference to Ver∣mination, or breeding of Worms. p. 175. Worms a great cause of Fevers, p. 176.

Wormatick matter dangerous, though not animated, p. 177. Kircherus his Opinion about Worms, p. 178, 179. The flight of contagious Attoms, p. 180, 181. That they are sometimes animated, p. 182, 183, 184. Those animated Atoms made visible by the Microscope, p. 185. The cause of Animals out of Putrefacti∣on, p. 186, 187, 188, 189, 190. Experi∣ments shewing the Rise of them, from p. 191. to p. 197. Invisible Worms in the Blood, Humours, and Vessels of the Bo∣dy, p. 198, 199, 200. Examination of the Blood by the Microscope, and further discourse of this, from p. 200. to the end of the Chapter.

CHAP. VI. The Insufficiency and Ʋselesness of the old way of Physick, in respect of Method and Medicines, with a necessity of new. pag. 203.

Men to be encouraged in the new Improve∣ments of Physick, p. 204. The Precepts

of Physick not perpetual, p. 205, 206, 207. Old Methods, why useless, p. 208, 209. Practitioners not to be despised, though no Scholars, p. 211, 212. The old Philosophy prejudicial to Physick, p. 212, 213, 214. Little progress made in the Art till of late, p. 215, 216. Pride of Physicians one cause of it, p. 217, 218, 219. The Physick of Brutes not different from that of Men, p. 220, 221. Those Physicians that are in scorn termed Em∣pericks, not to be despised, p. 225, 226, 227, 228, 229. New Remedies to be in∣vented, p. 230, 231. The vanity of a Set-method, p. 232.

CHAP. VII. A particular Inquiry into the main Philosophical Principles of the Profession of Physick. pag. 233.

The four Elements cashiered by Heurnius, p. 234. Sensible Experiment the best guide to Philosophy and Physick, p. 235. The Examples of Des Cartes, p. 235, 236. Physick ought to have a new foun∣dation, and be re-built from the very ground, p. 237, 238. The excellency of Helmont, p. 239. Galen the great cor∣rupter; his Character, p. 240, 241, 242.

The four Principles called Elements re∣jected, and five other substituted, p. 243, 244. The Doctrine of Qualities exami∣ned and rejected, p. 245, 246, 247, 248. Pyrotechnie necessary to make a Physi∣cian, p. 250. The Galenists, without it, but Physitians in name, p. 251, 252. The common Book-knowledg of little use to Physick, p. 253. The taking Degrees in Physick to be rectified, p. 254. M. Boyle's opinion of the Galenick Principles, p. 256. The cashiering of the Doctrine of Temperaments, and of the Four Hu∣mours, p. 257. to 265. The Five Prin∣ciples owned by Chymical Physicians, p. 265. to p. 269. more coducible to Phy∣sick than the old Principles, p. 269. to 275. The nature and use of the five Chy∣mical Principles, p. 270. to 274. The Galenick Rule of Contraries pernici∣ous, p. 276▪ to the end.

CHAP. VIII. An Offer of divers other Particulars co••side••••ble, in order to the Practise of P••y••••ck. p. 279.

Why Physicians so often fail, p. 280, 281. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stated betwixt the Gale∣•••••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and others, p. 282, 283.

The six Digestions, p. 284, 285, 286. Of the Ferments of the Parts, p. 287. to 293. The mistake of the Schools about Diseases in general, p. 294, 295. Of that vital Spirit called the Archeus, p. 297. to 302. Somwhat of malignancy in all the Diseases of this Age, p. 304, 305.

CHAP. IX. An Examination of divers old Do∣ctrines, which more immediately relate to the Practise of Physick. pag. 306.

The childish Doctrine of Critical days, p. 306. to 311. The mischief that comes by waiting for a Crisis, p. 312. The lit∣tle Agreement that is touching the Cau∣ses of Critical days, p. 313. to 318. They are rejected by Celsus, p. 319, 320. Reason for rejecting them, p. 321, 322, 323. The Opinion of Regius, p. 324. and of Helmont, p. 325, 326. The Do∣ctrine of Pulses examined, p. 327. re∣duced to Ten Primary Differences, p. 328. the rest rejected as phantastick, p. 329, 330, 331. A rectifying of the Doctrines concerning Urines, p. 331, 332. D^r Willis his way most rational, in examining them, according to the 5 Chy∣mical

Principles, p. 333, 334, 335, 336. A Censure of Hippocrates, from p. 337. to 366. Of his Aphorismes, p. 339. to 353 Of his Prognosticks, p. 352. to 362. M^r Boyl's Opinion of them, p. 362, 363, 364. They puzzle rather than direct a Physician, 364, 365. A Censure of Galen, p. 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372. The examination of Phlebotomy, or Blood∣ing; proving it of little use in these North parts of the world, p. 373. Five Prelimi∣nary Points insisted on, in order to the discussion of the main Point, p. 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382. The main Point argued, from p. 383. to p. 429 The Judgment of Zacutus Lus. of the different State of the Blood betwixt Northern and Southern people, p. 384, 385. Bleeding ill for Scorbutick Bodies, p. 385, 386, 387, 388. Why Bleeding is used rather than Purgation, in the finer Climates, p. 389, 390, 391, 392. Why our Fevers and Agues prove worse upon Bleeding, p. 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 399, 400. What persons receive most damage by Bleeding, p. 402, 403, 404, 405, 406. Of Coagulations and Con∣gelations of Blood in Malign Fevers, Small Pox, Measels, and the danger of

Bleeding argued thereupon, p. 408, 409, 410, 411, 412. Evacuation of Blood in Malign Fevers reaches not the Seat, or Matter of the Disease, p. 415, 416, 417, 418, 419. The reason of the different Ef∣fects of Bleeding in the Northern, and in the finer Climates, p. 422, 423, 425. Ig∣norance of proper Remedies first occasion∣ed the practise of Blooding, p. 427, 428. An examination of the State of Medicin, in reference to the old Compositions, from p. 429. to the End. Why to be lay'd aside, p. 429. A Plea for the Interest of Apothecaries, in a rectification of their manner of Pharmacie, p. 430, 431, 432, 433, 434. Advice to them from M^r Le Febure, his Majestie's Apothecary, 435, 436. No way for the Apothecaries to pre∣serve their Trade, but by accommodating themselves to the Chymical Physicians, p. 437, 438, 439. Diseases being New and Occult, require new and extraord. Reme∣dies, p. 440, 441, 442, 443, 444. The dif∣ferent garb of Chymick and Galenick Physicians, 446, 447. Galenick Medica∣ments not rationally grounded, p. 448, 449, 450, 451, 452. Ill contrived in the Composition, p. 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458. Divers Countries ought

to have different Medicaments, p. 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464. An Answer to the Calumnies of the Galenists against Chymical Medicaments, p. 466. to 471. Why Galenists prosper not with using Chymick Remedies, p. 472, 473. Why Galenists are not safe in difficult Cases, p. 473, 474, 475. They and the meaner sort of Practisers compared, p. 476. to 479. A Censure of the old Method, p. 480 to 485. The Chymical Preparations in the common dispensatories very imper∣fect, p. 487, 488. Foul Play of the Gale∣nists, p. 490. to 496. Chymick Remedies not so insisted on, as to exclude the use of Simples, and Single Specificks, p. 496, 497, 498. Other Chymick Remedies to be invented, as well as the more elaborate Preparations, p. 500, 501. Vegetables used by Chymists are as much as Mine∣rals, p. 502. Chymical operations usesul to illustrate the Doctrine of Diseases, p. 503. to 514.