CHAP. IV. Of the cure of putred Fevers in general.
NOw seeing a putred Fever is cherished by the cause con∣taining, * 1.1 Indications in putred Fevers are taken some from the Fever it self, others from the cause thereof. Nor indeed ought vital indications to be neglected. First, a Fever as it is a Fever, indicates cooling things; Moreover as that heat of the whole depends on a hot putred vapour, as on the cause containing, the removal of that is also indicated; but because putred vapours depend on putred matter, they cannot be removed, unless the matter putrified be taken away; putrefaction cannot be taken away except its cause be removed, as we said before. First, all evident causes which are present are to be removed; the antecedent causes and whatsoever is in the body, either of su∣perfluous blood or peccant humours, they are to be prepared. and if occasion require, to be evacuated, streightness of passages if it be external or interal in the bowels, they are to be opened and free ventilation and respiration for the humours is to be pro∣cured, Putrefaction is to be resisted, and the putred humours are to be cooled and dryed; the generation of peccant humours, by ablation of their cause is to be prevented. Yet nevertheless seeing that these indications are often contrary, and that those medicines which are administred for the cause, may make the Fever worse, and the contrary. We must be careful how to perform these intentions. And for the most part, since the Fever comes last, the cause is to be taken away first, since the cause hath more power then the disease, and the cause of a putred Fever be∣ing taken away, the Fever of necessity ceaseth.
Yet if the greatness of the Fever inforce, 'tis necessary to have regard of the Fever first; and afterwards to the taking away of the cause; or certainly if we may first go to the taking away of the cause, we should be very careful that by those things by which we take away the cause, we increase not the Fever. But those