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. V. Of the Symptomes of the vital faculty.

FOr the Symptomes of the vital faculty there is a palpitation of the heart (a Lypothymy, * 1.1 or an absence of Spirits for a short time) or an Aphyxy, or no Pulse. Palpitation of the heart is when there is a depraved motion of it, swifter then it ought to be, when the heart leaps and strives to fly from that which troubles it.

A Lypothymy, * 1.2 or want of vital spirits is when the Pulse beats swift on a sudden, and then ceaseth to beat at all, or is suddenly taken away with a small, slow and weak Pulse, to which some add an Eclusie, or absense of the vital soule.

A Syncope again is a motion depraved, * 1.3 when the Pulse is much lesser, slower, and weaker then a Lypothymy.

An Asphuxy is a total absence, as it were, of the Pulse, and the highest degree of swooning, and neerest to death: of the other preternatural differences of Pulses we will speak in another place.

Respiration, which is caused by the heart, * 1.4 either is wholly ta∣ken away, Which Symptome the Greeks call Apnoia, or is de∣praved, which they call Dyspnoia; besides these, the respiration is either too great, or too small; too often, or too seldome; too swift, or too slow; equal, or unequal. And lasty, of swift and slow breathings, there are some differences, according to more and lesse; for the first degree is a Dusopme, the second is an Asthma, the third is an Orthopnie, when the sick are forced to fit upright to breath.

Of the Symptomes of the external senses.

FOr as much as belongs to the external senses, * 1.5 first of the sight, that either is wholly lost, as in blindness, & the Disease called Amagrosis, or it is diminished in the disease, which is called Ambluopia and dimnesse of sight, or Muopia which is to see as Mice do; that is, to discern objects which are neer us, and seeming lesse to us then they are. * 1.6 Nutolopea is when any one sees well by day, but very bad in the evening and not by night, or the sight is depraved. When these things which are white seem red, or yellow, those things which are strait, crooked, those things which are whole, seem halfe, and perforated, those things which are single, double; when Cobwebs appear before the eyes, and Flyes, and Gnats, when shinings and glistnings appear, which the Greeks call Marmarugase.

The hearing is either taken away, * 1.7 which disease is called Deaf∣ness, when the diseased can neither hear a great nor smal sound, or it is diminished when loud sounds are heard, but with diffi∣culty, small sounds not at all; which disease is called hardnesse of hearing; the Greek name Barucoia, Ducecoia, Hypocopho∣sis; or it is depraved when there is a hiding in the ears, which disease the Greeks call Ecos and Sorigmos, i. c. a hiding, a whist∣ling, a hissing.

The smel is hurt when it is abolished, * 1.8 diminished, or depraved; when things seem to stink, have in them no ill smell.

Moreover the taste is either plainly taken away, or else dimi∣nished or depraved, * 1.9 when a thing seems to taste otherwise then it doth.

The touch is either wholly lost and can feel nothing, or is di∣minished, * 1.10 which is called Numness, or 'tis depraved, as in pain, or itching, hitherto also belongs want of sense in the teeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Palpitati∣on of heart
• * 1.2

  A Lypo∣thymy.
• * 1.3

  A swoon∣ing. Absence of Pulse.
• * 1.4

  Respirati∣on hurt. Taken a∣way. Depraved. Shortbrea∣thing. Shorter. Shortest.
• * 1.5

  Symptomes of sight:
• * 1.6

  Deprava∣tion of sight.
• * 1.7

  Symptomes of hearing.
• * 1.8

  Symptomes of smelling
• * 1.9

  Of tast∣ing.
• * 1.10

  Of feeling