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. VIII. Of the causes of Symptomes in those things that are sent forth and retained.

AS for what belongs to excretion, and those things which in their whole kind are contrary to nature, * 1.1 and may be generated in the body, as stones, worms, since the same belongs to the causes of Diseases they are spoken of before in the second Part, and the ninth Chapter; but artificial things, as instruments of Iron, Knives, and such like cannot be generated in mans body, but by the inchantments of the Devil are insinuated into the body, or are fitted to parts without, through which they cannot come back, and are there shewen, as it were, going back.

If those things which are wont to be cast forth naturally are cast out another way, * 1.2 which comes to passe because the accustomed ways either are grown together, or ob∣structed, or some way or other shut, for then nature by reason of plenty of matter, which it was wont to evacu∣ate through the usual ways, they being shut, it wearied seeks new ways, either more open, or otherwise, to which some pricking humor leads it, or which it chuseth of its own accord.

Thirdly, the effusion of blood contrary to nature through what place soever happens because the Veins and Arteries are opened contrary to nature, * 1.3 for those reasons which before in the Second part and thirteenth Chapter are explained; and particularly sweating of Blood hap∣pens through the thinnesse of the Blood, rarity and laxi∣ty of the skin, and debility of the retentive faculty. Small pa••cels are cast out of the body, when from any internal part which was wont to be evacuated that way, or in that way by an Ulcer, Putrifaction, and eroded by a sharp humour, and separated from the body.

As for the causes of excretions offending in quality hot ordure is cast out, if choller and hot humours are min∣gled.

If the Liver and Guts are too hot, if hot meats are used. The siege is cold by the extinguishing of the na∣tive heat, the use of cold meats and the mixture of cold humours.

Moist Excrements are cast out either through crudity, when the meat is not concocted, or by obstruction of the Meseraik Veins, * 1.4 by reason whereof the Chyle cannot passe to the Liver, and therefore being mingled with the or∣dure sends it out moist, or by taking of meats that loosen the belly, or by defluctions from the Head to the Guts, or by the effusion of Choller, and other thin humours to the Guts.

But the ordure is become hard by too much heat which consumes almost all the humidity, whether it be that internal heat of the Liver, or of other parts neer there∣unto, or of the whole body, either natural, or preter-na∣tural; moreover from the drinesse of the Guts, or of the whole body. Thirdly, if there be too much Urine, or if there be a continued sweat. Fourthly, by thickning and astringent meats. Fifthly, by long stay in the Guts, by reason whereof the moisture is sucked out. Sixthly, through want of aliment in the parts, * 1.5 and too much at∣traction of the members. The dung is sharp through the mixture of sharp homours, & use of sower meats; 'Tis be∣come faetid through the use of stinking meats, and ill con∣coction, especially by the mixture of divers sorts of meats, as also by the humidity and heat of the body, which dis∣poseth it to putrifaction. Ordure is cast forth with a noise through the mixture of much wind violently break∣ing forth. It becomes white, * 1.6 when choller is not min∣gled therewith, as in the yellow Jaundice, through the use of meats that are whitening, being mixt with plenty of flegm also. * 1.7 It becomes yellow through much much mixture of yellow Choller. It becomes green through aeruginous choller. It grows black by reason of a black humor, by the use of Cassia, and such like. * 1.8 It becomes red by the mixture of blood, or adust yellow choller. It becomes frothy by reason of slimy flegm and a defluxion of windy matter from the head, and mixture of wind.

The causes of the the changed qualities of Urine shall be explained in the following b••ok.

Hot sweats proceed from hot humors either whilest the humors wax hot, * 1.9 or especially when the matter is

overcome, is attenuated and concocted, cold are caused through plenty of cold matter, which cannot be so easily overcome as heat, or by the resolution of spirits and ex∣tinction of the native heat, or through the malignancy of the matter ••he sweat smels by reason of too great plenty of stinking filth, they are yellow in the yellow Jaundice by the mixture of yellow choller. Green by mixture of leek-colou∣red choller, red and bloody by the watrishness and thinness of the blood, loosenesse of the skin, and weaknesse of the retentive faculty, yet there are administred Wines, which being drunk in some discolour their sweat. They are salt for the most part, which consist of a salt and serous excrement. Bitter by the mixture of Choller, sharp by the mixture of sharp humours.

The menstruous blood offendeth in quality whilest it is white, * 1.10 yellow, black, or has any ill colour; moreover whilest it smells foul, and is too watry, which comes to passe whilest the like humors are gathered together in the body, or about the womb, and goes out through it with the menstruous blood.

The spittle is too thick if it be contained too long in the Mouth, * 1.11 and its thinner parts consumed; or if thick matter distil from the head, or be mingled with it, or if it be thickned by heat, which happens in Fevers. It be∣comes frothy through the mixture of spirit, and much air. Spittle borrows its tastes from salt, bitter, sower, hu∣mours, especially cleaving to the Stomach. It receives its colour from humours in the bowels, and the vapours going out of them. 'Tis become white from flegm; Yellow from Choller; Red from Blood; Black from Melancholy, or thick dryed Blood; Green from aerugi∣nous Choller; it acquires a foul smell from inward putrifaction, especially from an Ulcer of the Lungs,

At length the excressions erre in quantity, * 1.12 the excre∣ments of the belly are cast forth in greater quantity then is convenient; First by reason of moist food, especially if after the use thereof store of drink be taken. Secondly, by reason of meats containing little alimentary juice, but much excrementitious. Thirdly, through the ill distribu∣tion of Chyle. Fourthly, by conflux of Excrements from the other parts to the Guts. But fewer then is con∣venient are ejected for contrary reasons; namely, if the meat be hard, and principally if little drink be taken after

it, if the meat be of good juice and nourishment, and be taken in small quantity; if the Chyle be greedily snatch∣ed from the Meseraik Veines; and if Choller, (which is, as it were, the Goad to stimulate and expel dregs) come not much into the Guts.

The quantity of Urine ought to answer likewise to the quantity of drink, but that also is sometimes made in greater or lesse quantity, the causes whereof shall be shew∣ed in the following Book.

The causes of plenty of sweat are rarity of body, * 1.13 strength of the expulsive faculty, aboundancy, and tenui∣ty of Excrements; and therefore in the Crysis of a dis∣ease great sweats arise, whilest all the excrementitious matter together, and at once is put forth. Little sweat is occasioned by contrary causes; namely, by the smal∣nesse, or thicknesse of Excrements, straitnesse of passages, weaknesse of expulsion, by the vehemency of the matter which destroyes heat.

Lastly why Courses sometimes flow more plentifully, * 1.14 sometimes more sparingly then is convenient; above in the Third Part, Second Section, and First Chapter, where we have spoken of suppression, diminution, and flowing of Months.

The end of all the Second Book.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Causes of excrements contrary to nature.
• * 1.2

  ••••eressions through un∣accustomed passages.
• * 1.3

  Of bleed∣ing con∣trary to na∣ture.
• * 1.4

  Causes of excretions peccant in quality. Hot. Cold. Moist. Hard.
• * 1.5

  Of sharp. Faetid.
• * 1.6

  White.
• * 1.7

  Yellow.
• * 1.8

  Red. Black. Frothy.
• * 1.9

  Causes of sweat pre∣ter 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.10

  Of viti∣ous Courses
• * 1.11

  Of the spittle changed.
• * 1.12

  Causes of excrements changed
• * 1.13

  Cause of store of sweat.
• * 1.14

  Of Courses