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. 5. Of the Hurt Concoction of the Stomach.

THe Concoction of the Stomach called Chylosis, as of all other parts, is hurt three waies, either by diminishing, abolishing, or depraving. This Concoction diminished is called Bradupepsia; the abolished Apepsia; the depraved is called Dyspepsia; all which differences are comprehended in this one word Crudity. Now this Crudity is two-fold: either nidorous, stinking, and acidous, or sharp. The nidorous Crudity is when the nourishment is turned into a stinking, burnt matter, as when the stink of Eggs, or rotten fish, or fryed Oyl, is smelt by belching, which happens often in hot Chollerick Bodies. But a sharp sowr Crudity is when meat turns sowr, and the belchings are sowr, and this comes from a cold distemper. To these you may ad a third difference of Crudities, when by reason of weak heat the matter is imperfectly concocted, and is turned into flegm without sowr∣ness.

The Causes that hinder Concoction in the Stomach may be brought into three Heads, namely, a fault in the Organ, Object, and things External and Internal.

The fault in the Organ comprehendeth all diseases in the Stomach, whether they be Similar, or Organ cal, or Common, all which may overthrow its actions, but distemper is commonly the cause of hurt Concoction; for since Concoction is made by a moderate heat according to Nature, if at any time it want its due moderation, the Concoction is hurt. So a cold distemper of the Stomach which diminisheth the Heat, if it be gentle it only weakeneth the Concoction, and make a Brylypepsia, or slow Concoction. If the cold distemper be greater, it abolisheth Concoction, and makes Apepsia. But a hot distemper doth deprave Concoction, and make a Dyspepsia, which is a difficult Concocti∣on. These distempers are somtimes simple, and in such who have Naturally a weak Stomach, and smal Natural heat; or have a sharp and burning heat, but they are commonly with matter: hence in Hypochondriack Melancholly, much flegm and fermentation of a black Humor use to cause Cru∣dities, Winds, Swellings, Rumblings, and sowr Belchings.

The fault of the Object, that is, the nourishment which is the proper Object of the Stomach, comes many waies, when it offendeth in Substance, Quantity, Quality, time, or Order of being taken.

Nourishment is vitious in respect of its substance, when it is too hard and difficult to be concocted, as Deers flesh, Hairs flesh, especially if old, and made hard with Salt or Smoak, Bread full of Bran, Mushroms, Roots, Pulse, and the like, which are called Dyspepta.

Meats offend in Quantity when too much is taken at once, and therefore cannot be overcome by the heat, hence come Crudities, which are most usual among them who do surfet themselves. If there be less eaten than is required, it may seem to be crude, because too little meat will be burnt and dryed in a Chollerick Stomach.

Meats offend in Quality which are too cold and moist, and windy, or they which are too hot, whereby the thinner part of the Chyle is burnt, and turned into nidorous vapors.

To this may be reduced the Art of Cookery, and Sawce-making; for the divers waies of roasting, boyling, and making of Sawce, do alter the disposition of Meat, by which means they be∣come more easie or hard of Concoction.

The time and order of eating being preposterous, may also spoil the Concoction, as if any one should omit his usual time of eating, and fall to at midnight, or a little before he goes to sleep, fill his Stomach; or if after taking of solid and astringing things, as Cheese, Pears, Quinces, and the like, they take liquid things which do soon corrupt.

Also external things may spoil the Concoction, if they be immoderate: so too cold Air by dulling the natural near, if it be weak or too hot, by dissipating the heat may hinder Concoction; as also im∣moderate exercise, especially after meat, by drawing the natural heat forth from the Stomach to the external parts, and so dispersing it extraordinarily; as also by throwing the Chylus yet imperfect into the Guts. The stoppage of the Belly and other excrements, or an immoderate flux, great wat∣chings, sleep in the day time, great passions of the mind, especialy sadness, and deep study presently after meat, and the like, do not a little hinder the action of the Stomach.

Besides the Causes mentioned, the Hermeticks of late time mention one less usual, and not noted by the Ancients, which also is not plainly demonstrated by them; but it is confirmed by some con∣jectures, not to be contemned; of which we made mention in the explaining of the Causes of Fames Canina. First therefore they ashrm that the Natural Concoction of the Stomach is not made by heat only; but that quick melting of solid meats by which it is converted into Chylus, is from another cause; since Experience teacheth that meat boyling in a pot at a strong fire many daies, will never be dissolved: and bones in a Dogs Stomach are quickly dissolved, and turned into Chylous Liquor; and in the bellies of Fishes which have no actual heat, all that is brought in is dissolved and concocted the same way. Therefore they lay down the principal Cause of this dissolving to be a certain Spirit or sharp Liquor sent from the Spleen into the Stomach, which hath great power to dissolve. And they take this opinion from Galen, by whom it is confirmed that a Melanchollick Humor sent from the Spleen into the Stomach, doth cause appetite, and that either by astringing or wrinkling the inner Tunicle of the Stomach, or pulling of it by its sharpness, which may be opposed; for if it do it by a∣striction, then all astringent things would do the same; and if by pulling, sharp things rather than sowr would provoke Appetite. Therefore they think it more probable, that that humor should stir up Appetite by accident, by causing want of nourishment, by dissolving of that which comes in. And therefore they allow a more noble use of the Spleen than ever the Ancients thought of, namely, to be a chief instrument to serve the Stomach in Concoction: This may be conjectured from Birds which dissolve the hardest seeds, and have a Spleen round about their Stomach or Maw, that it may more po∣werfully inspire that dissolving Spirit, or communicate unto it sowr Liquor. And Helmont from his own experience saith, that that sowr Spirit is very strong in Birds; for he relates that when he was a Boy and kept a Sparrow, he gave it his Tongue, which the Sparrow catching with his Bill disired to

swallow; and that touching the Throat of the Sparrow with the tip of his Tongue, he sound it ex∣ceeding sharp. The dissolving Spirit inherent in the Gizzards of Birds is proved from Physical Pra∣ctice, in which the Gizzards of Hens for to help Concoction are usually prescribed in digestive pou∣ders, and it is credible that they produce that effect by helping the dissolution of the meat, and the same are prescribed in the Stone, and they do much dissolve them; and that is more manifestly de∣clared in that from the Gizzards of Birds, there is a salt taken which is excellent to dissolve the Stone: out of which salt, being in grea plenty in their gizzards, Nature being wi••e and provident knows how to draw a spirit in a living Creature, by help whereof with the natural heat she may dissolve solid nourishment: and it is ordinarily seen, that there is a spirit made of dissolving salt, as of Vitriol, Niter, Armoniack, and common salt, which is more powerful to dissolve.

Therefore the Spirit or sharp Liquor which is sent from the Spleen into the Stomach while it is in its natural state makes a laudable Concoction, but if it be changed it overthrows he actions of the Stomach as aforesaid, from these Positions, That a Dog Appetite was stirred up, when that spirit or acid Liquor, is too active and powerful to dissolve: So on the otherside, if the dissolving power be too weak, or be detective, there followeth a diminished or abolished concoction. Hence Helmont sai••h, That the 1. Aph. of Hipp. Sect. 6. which is this: In long raging of the Guts, if sowr belch∣ings arise, which were not formerly, it is a good sign; is thus to be interpreted, because that sowr belching signifie that that fermentation which was lost by the disease begins to return.

Let us hold up this new Doctrine by our own Experiment, for in the yeer past, 1648. we had a great Flegnatick and Melanchollick Flux for four months, and were brought thereby to extream leanness, by reason al our nourishment turned into a Flegmatick and slimy substance, from the de∣bility of the Stomach which could not wel concoct the same, after many Medicines used al along that time, the chief part wherof prosited little or nothing, at length by the often use of very sharp Vinegar in a few dayes we were perfectly cured of that violent disease; by the force of which Vinegar we may conjecture that the natural sowrness which was almost lost was much restored: We used this Vinegar at our meat with hard Egs, which being cut in pieces we dipped therein, and for some dayes we con∣tinued the use thereof in all our meates: And we manifestly perceived that if the Vinegar was not very sharp it did our Stomach little good.

The Knowledg or Diagno is of this Disease, according to the differences of hurt Concoction is divers: And 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Apepsia and Brady pepsia are known by the same signs only differing in degrees: and these signs are sowr belonings, vomiting or purging forth of food either not, or but half concoct∣ed, some causes of refrigeration went before, there is a weight, extention and inflamation in the sto∣mach, inconvenience by taking cold things; thin urine, waterish, and pale; somtimes thick and red from that impure and silthy juyce which by reason of the imperfection of the first concoction could not be separated from the Chylus, but being sent to the Reins with the serous humor, makes the urin soul, such as meth to be voided by Melanchollick and Scorbutick persons.

See the Explication of this Urine more at large in Sennertus, lib. 3. practimed. part. 8. sect. 2 cap. 7. but the shew Concoction depraved, or Dyspepsia, Nidorous stinking belchings, the like taste or stink in the mouth, sense of thirst and heat, inconvience by hot things.

If the Stomach is affected principall, there wil be the proper signs of its Disease; but if by con∣sent, this sympathy is to be sound out from the proper signs of the part affected: but if the sym∣prome depends upon the fault of external causes, or of the object, it wil appear by the relation of the Patient and those that stand by, from the present or foregoing Constitution of the same.

The Pregnostick is thus made; the fault of Concoction which comes from external causes is easily helped, by taking away those causes is easily helped, by taking away those causes, and by ordering a good diet.

Concoction hurt is more easily cured when it comes of humors which are brought from other parts into the stomach, then when it is only from the stomach: for as if those humors are purged before they fasten any disease in the stomach, concoction is restored.

The Ab••••••shed Concoction of the Stomach is worst of al, because the whol nourishment of the body is frustrated, from whence comes most deadly diseases, as Lientery, Dropsie, Atrophy, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

The Concoction Diminished brings its inconveniencies, as Chollick, Cachexy, or evil Habit, and so••••ume divers sorcs of Drop••es.

The Concoction Deptaved is the Cause of many Evils; of Obstructions, Scabs, Feavers, and the l••ke.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ure is wrought by taking away Causes external, antecedent, and conjunct, which do cause, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and preserve this disease.

And first observe, if the humors be brought from other parts into the stomach, and in this cafe they must first be Evacuated and Revelled, the disease of the part sending those humors is to be amended, and the stomach strengthned, the cures of the diseases of other parts must be taken from their proper Chapters: But the strengtnening of the stomach may be taken from the cure or the Want of Ap∣petite.

But the Hurt which comes to the Concoction from the proper fault of the stomach, that chiefly takes its beg••nning from cold or hot humors; and therfore requires the same cure, which was propoun∣ded for Want of Appetite coming of the same Causes, which we wil not repeat.

Lastly, If the proper Cause of the Hermeticks afore-mentioned be worth observing, you must look to it; first correcting the Evil state of the Lwer, and then restoring the Spirits dissolving, with some acid substance; of whith kind is Spirit of Sulphur, Vitriol, Salt, juyce of Lemons, Pomegra∣nats, Orenges, and Vinegar.