The practice of physick in seventeen several books wherein is plainly set forth the nature, cause, differences, and several sorts of signs : together with the cure of all diseases in the body of man / by Nicholas Culpeper ... Abdiah Cole ... and William Rowland ; being chiefly a translation of the works of that learned and renowned doctor, Lazarus Riverius ...

Chap. 3. Of Pica and Malacia.

PIca and Malacia, are a depraved Appetite; by which, evil, unprofitable, and hurtful things are desired.

It is called Kitta or Pica from the bird called a Pye, either in regard of the variety of colours, or because it eateth lumps of Earth, for Women in this Disease use to eat Earth and Chalk, and the like: It is called Malacia by Pliny, for these Women through Weakness of mind, and tenderness, want that right and natural Appetite.

This Disease comes of evil corrupt Humors, which are gathered into the Stomach by reason of its hurt Concoction, or else sent from other parts.

Flegmatick and Melanchollick People are most disposed for the production of these Humors, e∣specially Women, to whom this Disease seems proper and peculiar; although somtimes Boyes and Men, though seldom have the same: Eating of evil Diet doth cause this, want of any natural Eva∣cuation, especially of the Terms, Sadness, Distemper of the Liver and Spleen, Obstructions and Weakness, divers diseases of the Womb, and the like.

These Vitious Humors according to the divers degrees of distempers and other dispositions have a diverse nature, from whence come divers appetites of evil things: For since som Humors are crude and inconcocted, others burnt, and adust; some require sowr things, sharp, bitter, and very cold, so that they are delighted with the continual use of unripe Fruits, Vinegar, Juyce of Lemons, Pome∣granats, and Orenges, cold Water, Snow, Ice, and the like. Others desire Earthy, Dry, and Burnt things, as Gloves, Cinnamon, Nutmegs, and other Spices, Salt-Ashes, Chalk, and the like.

This Disease is Common to Women in the Chlorosis, or Green-sickness; to Women great with Child; and such as have their Terms stopped; which staying in the Body corrupt, and ascen∣ding do infect the Stomach, from whence its Actions are depraved, and chiefly the Appetite is taken from its natural Condition.

Boyes are somtimes troubled herewith, and especially if they are born of a Woman that hath the Chlorosis: Nor are men altogether free from it, although it happen seldom; and they are e••pecial∣ly troubled therewith who are Melanchollick, have Obstructions, or want their usual Flux of the Haemorrhoids.

It is Disputed much among Authors, Whether a Depraved Appetite require those Things which are like to the Preternatural▪ State or Distemper of the Stomach, or those that are Contrary? Galen

raised the first Dispute, cap. 3. artis parvae, where he teacheth, That the Stomach being distempered, doth desire Contraries, and in its natural state and temper it desireth things like to its self. Which Doctrine Avicen following, Fen. 13. lib. 3. tract. 2. cap. 10. speaks thus, When there is an evil Hu∣mor gathered in the stomach, different in quality from its own nature, then it doth require things contrary to it; therefore some desire Clay, Coals, Earth, Loam, Chalk and the like, by reason of the quality that is in them, to dry up and cut that which is contrary to the quality of the Humors: But they who are in health desire judicially rather things like, than contraries; for since fancy is much im∣ployed in stirring up of Appetite, and is much stirred up from the disposition of the body, it is pro∣bable that the humor predominating should move the fancy to desire things like unto it; For as chol∣lerick men both in time of health and sickness, do dream of Fire and Anger: and Flegmatick men of Snow, Ice, and Waters: the Apprehension of which things proceeds from the Humors predomina∣ting in the body: So when the seat of Appetite the mouth of the Stomach is affected by foul humors there long con••inuing, they do imprint their similitudes in the Fancy which stirs up the Appetite to desire things like it though never so contrary to reason, which is now overcome by the force of ima∣gination.

Moreover, If things contrary to the disease or its cause were desired by the continual use thereof, the disease would be cured; daily experience confirmeth this.

By which we are taught, That Virgins in the Green-sickness, and Women with Child, do for the most part desire those things which are agreeable to their present Distemper and evil Habit, so that they who have Salt and Adust Humors long for Coals, Salt, Spices, and the like: but they who have Melancholly or Salt Flegm predominating, desire Vinegar, green Fruits, and the like.

As for the Authority of Galen, some wholly reject it; saying, That if it were true, That Diseased Dispositions should desire their Contraries, al sick men, of evil Habit, would desire Meat of good nourishment; which is not true, for we often see that sick men desire evil meats, and refuse good: and we see that bodies inflamed, whether they are in a preternatural state, as in Feavers; or in▪ a na∣tural, as by violent exercise, require cooling.

Some desire to Reconcile this Opinion of Galens, saying, That in this Pica the distemper upon the Stomach is habitual and connatural, and therefore doth cause an Appetite like to a natural, which is for things like it; which may be thus explained, When we say that every natural temper doth require the like, and every preternatural the contrary; the last is to be understood of distem∣pers which come without overflowing moisture; for they which are with much moisture when it is sucked up by the tunicles of the Stomach, do rather desire things like the moisture with which they are wet, because the Humor which now pierceth al the Tunicles although it be noxious, yet it is not troublesome: On the contrary, when the humor only possesseth part only of the Stomach, or is on∣ly in the bottom, the Stomach desires the contrary to that which is offensive unto it; but if it pos∣sess the whol Stomach, and be soaked into its Tunicles, then the natural Faculty is destroyed and so changed, that it doth not desire any thing but what is like to the Humor so soaked in, and so it may be rightly said that the humors was become as it were connatural.

Platerus and Sennertus do easily free themselves from these difficulties, by flying to an occult qua∣lity, and they take occasion from hence, if the Patients so affected should require things like to the cause of the disease, then by the plentiful use of them the disease would be exceedingly encreased, but we see that they wil devour Chalk, Clay, Coals, and the like trash, and receive not the least hurt thereby, by which men that are sound would be almost killed.

Moreover, They say that Women with Child wil often void salt and sowr humors, and yet not re∣quire salt or sowr things, but the contrary. And lastly they affirm constantly that there is no agree∣ment of Coals, Chalk, raw Flesh, and the like with the Humors. And therefore they say that they must not rest in manifest qualities, and that the Cause of this Symptome and wonderful Appetite cannot be taken from them, but they must fly to some occult quality not to be ex∣plained.

Yet Sennertus confesseth that it is probable that this Appetite depraved, should proceed rather from a like than a contrary quality: but what that quality is cannot be explained, because the things which are desired have no agreement with the humors either sweet, salt, or sowr in manifest qua∣lities.

We may Reconcile al these thus:

The desire of Trash is stirred up by humors of the like nature and temper, but these humors besides their native temper have a certain peculiar fault from corruption, which since it cannot be wel explai∣ned, it may be called an Occult Quality.

The Knowledg of this Disease is easie, for the Patient can relate it; it is manifest that the part af∣fected is the mouth of the Stomach, for that is the Seat of Appetite. The Cause also may be found out by conjecture from the supposed desire of things like. For if they desire Coals, Salt, and the

like, we may gather that the disease depends upon Salt and burnt humors, which will more cleerly appear, if any of those Humors be cast forth by vomit or stool, if there be sharp belchings, or salt, a tast bitter, sowr, or salt.

As to the Prognostick; This Disease is Chronical, of continuance, but not very dangerous, if the Body by Nature or Art may be brought to its old condition, which is not very difficult. For in time the Humor offending may be sent forth by vomiting naturally, or by Medicines: and the Terms or Haemorrhoids stopt, which caused this disease first, may in time be discharged; which if neglected, and Nature sinks under the burden, great diseases follow: For when the first Concoction is hurt, it is necessary that the second and third be corrupted, from whence come great Obstructions, evil ha∣bits, and dropsies. Or if the Humor be carried in greater plenty to the Stomach, and partake of grea∣ter Malignity, somtimes it produceth violent Cardialgiaes, or Heart diseases; from whence fainting, swooning, and somtimes death doth follow.

If Women in this disease begin to abstain from trash, and to eat good meat with less disdain, it is a most certain sign of health at hand.

Women with Child use to be freed of this disease about the fourth month, because then the Child is grown greater, and so consumeth more of the humors, and the mother hath sent it forth by often vomitings; but if it last longer, 'tis dangerous; for it signifies that the evil disposition of the Stomach hath taken deep root, which will hardly be pluckt up.

It is better for people in this disease to desire sharp and sowr things; it is worse if they desire things contrary to Nature, as Avicen teacheth, fen. 13. lib. 2. tract. 2. cap. 20. for it signifies a greater di∣stance from the Natural state, which is harder to be cured.

The Cure of this disease is divers, according to the variety of the Bodies affected.

In Women with Child, few Medicines are to be used, by reason of the unfitness of the subject, and danger of Misearriage, but you may give them gentle things, and such as were prescribed in the Cure of want of Appetite to clense and strengthen the Stomach. Nor must you omit blood-letting, which done sparingly and often, is of great consequence.

But in Virgins of the Clorosis, or green sickness, this disease is cured with the same Remedies, which shall be prescribed for the Cure of Clorosis in its proper place.

But the Pica which is in men, is very seldom, because it comes from obstructions of the Liver and Spleen, you may use those things which shall be prescribed for the Cure of them.