CHAP. LVI. Of the Diabete; or inabilitie to hold the Ʋrine.
THe Diabete is a disease, wherein presently after one hath drunk, the urine is presently made in great plentie, by the dissolution of the retentive faculty of the reins, and the de∣pravation or immoderation of the attractive faculty. The external causes are the unseaso∣nable and immoderate use of hot and diuretick things, and all more violent and vehement exer∣cises. The internal causes are the inflammation of the liver, lungs, spleen, but especially of the kid∣nies and bladder. This affect must be diligently distinguished from the excretion of the morbi∣fick causes by urine. The loins in this disease are molested with a pricking and biteing pain, and there is a continual and unquenchable thirst: and although this disease proceed from a hot dis∣temper, yet the urine is not coloured, red, troubled, or thick, but thin, and white or waterish, by reason the matter thereof makes very small stay in the stomach, liver, and hollow vein, be∣ing presently drawn away by the heat of the kidnies or bladder. If the affect long endure, the patient for want of nourishment falleth away, whence certain death ensues. For the cure of so great a disease, the matter must be purged, which causes or feeds the inflammation or phleg∣mon, and consequently blood must be let. We must abstain from the four cold seeds, for although they may profit by their first qualitie, yet will they hurt by their diuretick faculty. Refrigerating and astringent nourishments must be used, and such as generate gross humors; as rice, thick and astrin∣gent wine mixed with much water. Exceeding cold, yea narcotick things shall be applied to the loins, for otherwise by reason of the thickness of the muscles of those parts, the force, unless of exceeding refrigerating things, will not be able to arrive at the reins; of this kinde are oil of white poppie, henbane, opium, purslain, and lettuce-seed, mandrage, vinegar, and the like: of which, cataplasms, plasters, and ointments, may be made fit to corroborate the parts, and correct and heat.