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. XII. Of a Causus, or Burning Fever.

WHereas amongst continued Fevers there is often men∣tion made of a Causus, we are also here to say some∣thing of it: But a Causus is not any difference of a Fever, but rather a measure expressing the quality of fevourish heat. The word Causus is sometimes taken generally, and not so properly, sometimes specialiter, and more properly: Generally for any sort of Fever whose heat is vehement, in particular for a Fever which hath two Pathognomonicks, great heat, extream and

unextinguishable thirst. A Causus properly and in specie so called, is again twofold, legitimate and spurious: legitimate is that which hath alwayes, and that evidently, those two signes joyned with it: an illegitimate is that wherein those two signes are not so evident.

Whence it is manifest that burning Fevers, * 1.1 and such as pro∣perly and in specie are so called, are continued Fevers, and arise from choller. And so a Causus or burning Fever properly so cal∣led, is a Fever continued, Bilions, and indeed either Synocha bilosa, which we have newly handled, or a continued tertian, whereof we are to speak next.

The Pathognomonick signes as we said before, are two, ve∣hement and burning heat, and unquenchable thirst, although the sick shall drink; * 1.2 and the more legitimate the Causus is, by so much these signes are greater, yet the thirst is sometimes resisted if a little cough happen, which may draw humors from the neigh∣bouring parts.

Concurrent signes there are many, as a dry tongue, rough, black, watching, giddiness of the brain, difficulty of breathing, thick and great, and the sick continually blow, opening their mouth, that the hot spirits may the easier exhale.

These Fevers if they are pure, * 1.3 never continue long. For na∣ture cannot long endure such burning and vehement heat; and the Symptomes which accompany it with their vehemency. And for the most part they are terminated the seventh day, some∣times the ninth, eleventh, fourteenth: but the spurious are pro∣tracted longer, and all of them are dangerous according to Hip∣pocrates 4. Aphor. 43. Fevers of what kind soever that have no intermission by the third day, are the stronger, and fuller of dan∣ger. Yet some are more dangerous then others, according to the violence of the heat, and of the Symptomes, and force of the strength, and by how much the greater digression is made from the natural state, by so much the more dangerous is the Fever. Hence if an old man be troubled with a burning Fever, which seldom happens, 'tis deadly, as Galen hath it, 1. Aphor. 14. They lye down in no less danger who are exeedingly burnt in cold air: Who if they have not great strength, neither the signes of concoction appear, it can not be that they should escape, as the same Galen 11. Met. med. cap. 9. writeth. To whom if vehe∣ment Symptomes happen, by so much the more dangerous the disease shall be, whether they are Pathognomonick or superveni∣ent, yet if by the other signes, it be manifest to be a burning Fever, and that thirst be wanting, this also is dangerous, for

it shews the sick either to be in a Delirium, or that the desiring faculty of the stomack faileth.

Black urines are also evil, as also thin, crude, and such as have other ill tokens in them.

But it is good if the sick can easily endure his sickness, the Symptomes being not without vehemency, if he can easily fetch breath; if he complain of pain in no internal part, if he sleep; if he find benefit by his sleep; if the body be equally hot and soft, if the tongue be not too dry, if the urine be good. But if when the signes of concoction appear, and that there is much strength, in a critical day there happen large Hemorrhodes, or bleeding at the nose, without doubt the sick escapeth: For it is proper if there be any other of the pure burning Fevers, that they should be cured by bleeding. Yet sometimes they are determined by Sweats, looseness of the belly, vomits, and imposthums. But there are many Prognosticks of burning Fevers in Hippocrates in Prognosticis, Porrheticus, and Choacis praenotionibus, and there are many expounded in the Institutions, lib. 3. part. 3.

But by what means burning Fevers are to be cured, appears by what hath been spoken of a Synocha bilosa with putrefaction, and those things that shall be said of the cure of the continued Tertian shall make manifest.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Burning Fevers.
• * 1.2

  Diagno∣sticks.
• * 1.3

  Progno∣sticks.