Nine books of physick and chirurgery written by that great and learned physitian, Dr Sennertus. The first five being his Institutions of the whole body of physick: the other four of fevers and agues: with their differences, signs, and cures.

CHAP. X. Of the differences of putred Fevers.

HItherto we have spoken of putred Fevers in general, * 1.1 it re∣mains that now we speak of them particularly. First their differences are a little more cleerly to be explained. And they are taken chiefly from the matter putrifying, and the place of putrefaction.

As for the matter, Feversarise either from choller, or phlegm, * 1.2 blood or melancholly: To which not without reason is added a serous humour, especially that Ichor, which is very evil, easily obnoxious to putrefaction, * 1.3 and causeth the blood and other hu∣mours to putrefie more easily. Whence some are of opinion that Ephemeral Fevers, which commonly are said to arise from Spi∣rits kindled, do all proceed from the ebullition of the serous part of the venous or arterious blood: And much more a Synocha without putrefaction; although the vital Spirits being heat may first allure the heat to the serous humour. The same shew that all Synochaes or Fevers containing, as they are called, which have no periods, as well putred as not putred, do arise from the same aqueous and serous humour, whether putrefying or not putre∣fying; whereof the Tract of Fevers may be seen.

Those Fevers which proceed from blood do all keep a certain continuity and equality; and are neither exasperated daily, * 1.4 nor each other day, nor the fourth day, but those which do arise from Phlegmatick, chollerick, or melancholy humours, all have their periods, whether they are continued or intermittent.

Besides these there are other Fevers, * 1.5 which although they are exasperated, yet have no certain periods, such are those which a∣rise from inflammation, putrefaction, worms, corrupted milk; * 1.6 as in Infants, blood out of the Vessels, chyle, and blood im∣perfect, putrefying in the Mesaraicks.

The matter whereof putred vapours are bred in Fevers, * 1.7 is ei∣ther contained within the vessels or without. The vessels which carry the perfect blood, as the vena cava, and the arteries, or the more imperfect, as the Meseraick veins. * 1.8 Whilest blood pu∣trifies in the vena cava, there arise continued Fevers, whereof some are called Synochaes, or containing Fevers, others conti∣nued instead of a genus and periodick continued. If excremen∣titious humours putrefie in the Mesaraicks, intermittent Fevers are stirred up, but if imperfect blood putrifie in the Mesaraick

veins, continued Fevers are raised, but calm ones.

Putrifying matter without the veslels, * 1.9 sending putred va∣pours to the veins and arteries, kindles continued Fevers. Such are first Symptomatical, which proceed from inflammations of certain parts. Moreover calmer Fevers, which proceed from the stubborness of the guts and their obstructions. Thirdly, those that are caused by an Ulcer, Fistula, and all putrefaction. Fourthly, from corrupt milk, as in Infants, from blood putre∣fying without the vessels, also the matter of Catarrhs, whence they are called Catarrhal Fevers.

Lastly, there are Fevers called Comitatae, or Companions, which are occasioned from matter putrefying in the veins, * 1.10 part whereof when nature either expells out of the body, which hap∣pens in a Diarrhaea, Dysentery, and a Catarrh, or protrudeth into some part, which happens in the Meazles, Small Pox, Stragling pains, Quinsey, Peripneumonie, Phrensie, Erisi∣pelas, oftentimes. Another disease then accompanies the Fe∣ver.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The diffe∣rences of putred Fe∣vers.
• * 1.2

  From the matter.
• * 1.3

  A serous humour.
• * 1.4

  From blood. Phlegm. Choller.
• * 1.5

  Melancho∣ly.
• * 1.6

  From other causes.
• * 1.7

  From the place.
• * 1.8

  within the vessels.
• * 1.9

  Without the vessels.
• * 1.10

  Fevers ac∣companied.