The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latin and compared with the French. by Tho: Johnson. Whereunto are added three tractates our of Adrianus Spigelius of the veines, arteries, & nerves, with large figures. Also a table of the bookes and chapters.

CHAP. VI. Of the Brain.

NOw followeth the Brain, the beginning of the nerves and voluntary motion,* 1.1 the instru∣ment of the first and principal faculty of the Soul, that is, the Animal and Rational. Man hath this part in greater plenty then any other Creature,* 1.2 for it almost fils the whole skull. But if it should have filled it all, the Brain could not be moved, that is, dilated and con∣tracted in the skull. It is of a cold and moist Temperature.* 1.3 The laudable Temper of the Brain is known by the integrity and perfection of the internal and external senses, the indifferency of sleep and waking, the maturity of ripeness of judgment, and constancy of opinions, from which, unless it meet with better and more probable, it is not easie to be moved.

[illustration]

The first figure of the Head, as it appears when the Skull is taken away. The second figure shewing the Brain, the skull and Dura mater being taken off.

• AA, BB, The Dura meninx, or thick membrane.
• CCC, the third Sinus of this mem∣brane.
• DD, the course of the veins as they run through the membrane or the second vein of the Brain.
• EE, the first vein of the brain.
• FFF, Certain small veins which perforate the skull, nnd reach to the Pericranium, or skull-skin.
• GGG, Fibers of the Dura meninx passing through the Coronal Su∣ture, which fibers make the Pe∣ricranium.
• HH, fibers passing through the sa∣gittal Suture.
• II, others passing through the Lambdal Suture.
• K, a knub which useth to grow to the Sinus of the skull.
• L, a cavity in the forehead-bone.
• M, the skull.
• N, the Pericranium or skull-skin.

Fig. 2.

• AAA, a part of the Crasse me∣ninx dividing the brain.
• BB, the third Sinus of the same Crasse membrane opened.
• CC, the beginning of the vessels out of the third Sinus into the Pia mater.
• DDD, the propagation, or branches, of these vessels.
• EEE, the Pia mater, or thin me∣ninx, immediately compassing the brain.
• FFF, certain vessels running through the convolutions or bran∣ches of the brain.
• GGG, certain branches of veins running through the sides of the dura meninx.
• HHH, the thick membrane reflected downward.

You shall know the brain is more hot, by the quickness of the senses and motions of the body, by shortness of sleep, the suddain conceiving of opinions, and change of them, by the slippery and failing memory, and lastly, by easily receiving hurt from hot things, as the Sun and Fire. Such as have a cold Brain, are slow to learning, and to conceive other things, but they do not easily put away their once conceived opinions. They have slow motion to action, and are sleepy. Those who have a dry Brain, are also slow to learn; for you shall not easily imprint any thing in dry bodies, but they are most constant retainers of those things they have once learned; also the motions of their bodies are quick and nimble. Those who have a moist Brain do easily learn, but

have an ill memory, for with like facility as they admit the species of things and imprint them in their minds, do they suffer them to slide and slip out of it again. So clay doth easily admit what character or impression soever you will, but the parts of this clay, which easily gave way to this impression, going together again, mixes, obliterates and confounds the same. Therefore the senses proceeding from a cold Brain are dull, the motions slow, the sleep profound.

* 1.4The action of the Brain is to elaborate the Animal Spirit and necessary sense serving the whole body, and to subject it self as an instrument to the principal faculties, as to reason. The brain is twofold, the fore and hind, The hind by reason of its smalness is called the Cerebellum, (the little or After-brain). But the fore by reason of its magnitude hath retained the absolute name of the Brain.* 1.5 Again, this fore-Brain is twofold, the right and left, parted by that depression, which we formerly mentioned, of the Meninges into the body of the Brain. But this division is not to be here so absolutely taken, as though the Brain were exactly divided, and separated into so many parts; but in the sense as we say the Liver and Lungs are divided a pretty way, whereas at their Basis they have one continued body. The outward surface of the Brain is soft, but the inward hard, callous and very smooth; when on the contrary, the outward appears indented and unequal with many windings, and crested, as it were, with many wormlike foldings.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What the Brain is.
• * 1.2

  The quantity.
• * 1.3

  Temper.
• * 1.4

  The Action.
• * 1.5

  Number.