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 causes of Diseases, of Intemperature without Matter.

HItherto we have explained the causes of Diseases general, * 1.1 now we will handle them severally. And First, for Dis∣eases of Intemperature: Galen accounts five sorts of Diseases of distemperature by heat; [unspec 1] Motion of the body and mind, * 1.2 which causes heat by too much stirring of the humours and spirits. [unspec 2] Putrefaction which is the cause of heat, because in putrefaction the internal heat, * 1.3 is called forth by the external, and being outward, [unspec 3] is more sensibly hot. Hot things touching our body, * 1.4 and impressing their qualities on our bodies. Co∣stivenesse of body, and Retention of the hot steeme which should passe through our Pores. Lastly, mixture with some hot thing, or hot things taken into our bodies, as Air, Meat, Drink, hot Medicines. [unspec 4] Galen in his fourth Book of the Causes of Diseases of Distemperature by cold, * 1.5 reckons these. The presence of cold things, [unspec 5] the quantity and quality of meats and drinks condense∣ing & rarifying, * 1.6 idleness and immoderate exercise: all which, and if there be any other, may conveniently be reduced into four ranks. For, whatsoever brings a cold distemper to the body, do it either by altering, and by its proper force cooling the bo∣dy; such are cold things, whether outwardly applyed to the body, or taken inwardly, or suffocating the innate heat; such are those things that prohibit the ventilation and blowing of the

fuliginous vapours; [unspec 3] or extinguish the heat by their too great a∣boundance, * 1.7 or dissipate the same by overmuch exercise of the body or mind, a hot constitution of Air, and such like, or through want of food, which poverty may occasion, or by let∣ting too much blood.

Hence it is manifest, [unspec 4] that the causes of hot Distempers when they are in excesse, become the causes of cold Distempers, * 1.8 by dis∣sipating, extinguishing, or suffocating the innate heat.

The causes of overmoist Distempers, may be reduced unto two, the proximity to moist things, or those things that hinder transpitation, and so retain the cold steem of the body.

Dry distemper is occasioned by the contrary causes, to wit, * 1.9 by alteration of drying things, and want of aliment.

Compound distempers are from compound causes; * 1.10 and if the causes of simple distempers are joyned together, there ariseth a compound distemper: yet complication of causes is not always necessary for production of compound distempers; since there are many causes which have in them double qualities, which therefore, if they have equal strength and force, cause a com∣pound distemper; so that the body be so disposed, as it be fit to receive the actions of them both alike.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The eauses of hot di∣stemoen.
• * 1.2

  Exercise.
• * 1.3

  Putrefa∣ction.
• * 1.4

  The proxi∣mity of a hot thing.
• * 1.5

  Costive∣ness.
• * 1.6

  Mixtures of a hot thing. Causes of a cold di∣stemper.
• * 1.7

  Dissipation
• * 1.8

  Drawing away food. Moist.
• * 1.9

  Dry,
• * 1.10

  Of com∣pound di∣stempers.