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. I. Of the nature of a Disease.

WHereas we have hither treated of those things that are incident to the body according to Nature, * 1.1 and so have discoursed about health; now I will speake of those things that are preter-natural or contrary to Nature, (for I do not intend to make any distinction betwixt these) They are in number three, a Disease, the cause of a Disease, and Symptomes: in the handling whereof the Pathological part of Physick is delivered.

And first for what belongs to a disease; Although as the name of health is generally attributed to all things that happen to a man ac∣cording to nature, so the name of a disease is given to all things that befal a man contrary to nature, and those are said to be morbi∣fick: yet if we may speak properly, these three, a Disease, the cause of a Disease, and Symptomes, as they differ in the thing, so they may be discerned by their names also.

But whereas a disease is conrrary to nature; * 1.2 but health is that power of acting which is to be performed according to nature: a dis∣ease is an impotency of performing natural actions; and as those who are apt to do those things which are according to nature, are said to be sound; so those are deservedly said to be sick, who are un∣apt to perform those actions.

Moreover the Subject of a disease, as also of health, * 1.3 is only the living parts of a body, as being those to which alone a power of un∣dergoing natural actions is given; But all those things which are not in the number of the living, as humors and other things, which are not able to perform natural actions in a man, cannot be the subject of a disease.

The cause of a Disease or of impotency to perform actions, is an

ill constitution of the parts, * 1.4 as the cause of health is a right disposi∣tion of the same.

Hence a Disease is defined to be an impotency of the living parts of man to perform natural actions, arising from their constitution contrary to nature.

Although according to Galen also to be sick, is not to be able to operate, and so this definition is not contrary to the sense of Galen: yet that out of the definition of diseases, differences, and profitable observations may the better be drawn, Galen retains the same terms of the definition, but places them otherwise, and in the second Chap∣ter of the differences of Diseases, defining a Disease saith; That a constitution of a vitious function contrary to nature is the cause thereof, and in his first Chapter of the differences of Symptomes calls it a disposition contrary to nature, by which action is hurt. Namely as health is a certain quality, or harmony in the qualities in magnitude, number, figure, and other things neceslary for the constitution of each part, by reason whereof the body is disposed, and made fit to perform natural actions. So a Disease is such a qua∣lity by reason of which the same body is rendred unfit to perform the same actions. * 1.5 For the word Diathesis taken generally signifies every quality according to which a man is well and ill disposed, whether it be easily or difficultly taken away. And therefore as certain later Physicians will have it, * 1.6 a Disease is not simply the want of health, and nothing positive, but such a want as proceedeth from a disposition contrary to that disposition, on which health de∣pends, which is wholly something positive, and when a part is wounded or diminished, a quality and disposition is brought into it contrary to that which was present there before in time of health: as a hand that is wounded, is otherwise difposed then that which is well, and that which hath four fingers, otherwise then that which hath five. In brief; a Disease consisteth not only in privation of a good constitution, but in a contrary and vitious constitution.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Thingspr••∣ter-natural how many.
• * 1.2

  The formal reason of a disease.
• * 1.3

  The Sub∣ject of a disease.
• * 1.4

  The causes of a dis∣ease. The defini∣tion of a disease. The Galeni∣call defini∣tion of a disease.
• * 1.5

  Diathesis what it is.
• * 1.6

  A Disease is not only a privati∣on.