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. VI. Of Melancholly.

THe third is the Melancholly humour, * 1.1 which commonly is distinguished into Alimentary and Excrementitious; but Alimentary is nothing else then the colder and dryer part of the Masse of Blood.

The Excrementious is twofold, Natural and Preternatural; * 1.2 Natural is that thick and feculent Excrement, which in sangui∣fication which is made in the Spleen, as is abovesaid, is collected and separated for the generation, whereof much meat conduceth, 'Tis of a terrestrious and thick juyce of every sort, especially be∣ing hardned with salt and fuliginous vapours, old Cheese, Cab∣bage, all sorts of pulse, as Pease, &c. a cold and dry constitution of air, cares, fear, sorrow.

The black Melancholly which is generated contrary to nature, * 1.3 although it be sometimes also called by the name of melancholly; yet Physitians for the most part call that Excrement which is na∣turally generated, black Juyce, not black Melancholly; but that which proceeds from adustion is called black Melancholly; and that Excrement is naturally cold and dry; but this Preternatural hot and dry, the worst of all humours.

But adust Melancholly is commonly accounted threefold, * 1.4 One is that which is occasioned by adust blood, and is coun∣ted the least; the second is that which is generated of Melan∣cholly humours if they are burnt. The third is that which pro∣ceeds from adust colour, which is of all the worst. Hence it is manifest, that although all which can generate Melancholly hu∣mours, or yellow Choller, conduce to the generation of black Choller: yet the generation of black Choller, principally de∣pends upon the too great heat burning the humours.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Melan∣cholly.
• * 1.2

  Twofold. Natural.
• * 1.3

  Preterna∣tural.
• * 1.4

  Its kinds.