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CHAP. X. Of Vomiting.
* 1.1VOmiting is by all the Antients exceedingly commended, not only for the prevention, but also for the cure, especially when as the matter floweth from the brain and stomach; for the phlegmatick, serous and cholerick humors, which usually flow from the joints, are excluded and diverted by vomit, and also there is attenuation of that phlegm, which being more thick and viscid, adhereth to the roots of the stomach: yet you must consider and see, that the patient be not of too weak a stomach and brain, for in this case vomiting is to be suspected. For the time,* 1.2 such as have excrementitious humors flowing down to the stomach through any oc∣casion, as by exercise and motion, must vomit before they eat; on the contrary, such as are over∣charged with an old congestion of humors, must vomit after they have eaten something. Cer∣tainly, it is safer vomiting after meat, then it is before. For the drie stomach cannot, unless with great contention and straining, free it self from the viscid humors impact in the coats there∣of; and hence there is no small danger of breaking a vein or arterie in the chest or lungs, especi∣ally if the patient be straight-chested, and long-necked, the season cold, and he unaccustomed to such evacuation.* 1.3 I remember that with this kinde of remedy I cured a certain Gentleman of Ge∣neva, grievously molested with a cruel pain in his shoulder, and thereby impotent to use his left arm; the Physicians and Surgeons of Lions seemed to omit nothing else for his cure. For they had used purgeing, phlebotomie, hunger, a diet-drink of Guaiacum and China (although his disease was not occasioned by the Lues Venerea) and divers other topick medicines, neither yet did they any thing avail. Now lea ning by him that he was not apt to vomit, but that it was difficult to him,* 1.4 I wished him to feed more plentifully, and that of many and sundry meats; as fat meats, onions, leeks: with sundry drinks; as beer, ptisan, sweet and sharp wine, and that he should as it were over-charge his stomach at his meal, and presently after get him to his bed; for so it would happen, that nature not endureing so great confusion and perturbation of meats and drinks, whereof some were corrupted already in the stomach, and other-some scarce altered at all, nature not enduring this confusion and perturbation, would easily, and of its own accord provoke the sto∣mach to vomit; which that it might the better succeed, he should help forward natures endea∣vor, by thrusting his finger or a feather into his throat, that so the thick and tenacious phlegm might by the same means be evacuated▪ and not content to do thus once, I wished him to do the like the second and third day following:* 1.5 for so it verifieth that saying of Hippocrates, The second and third day exclude the reliques of the first: afterwards, that he should vomit twice a month, chaw mastick fasting, rub his neck and the pained part with aqua vitae, strengthened by infusing therein lavander, rosemarie, and cloves grosly beaten, confirm his arm by indifferent exercise: he performed all this, and so became free from his pain, and recovered the use of his arm. Those who do not like such plentiful seeding, shall drink a great quantity of warm water, wherein ra∣dish roots have been boiled, and they shall have a care least by using their stomachs to this ex∣cretion by vomit, they weaken the digestive and retentive faculty thereof. Wherefore such as can naturally, shall think it sufficient to vomit twice a month.