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 changes in Vrines.

BUt Urines vary also in those that are sound, * 1.1 in regard of temperaments, sex, age, time of the year, sleep, watching, exercises, passions of the mind, and such like, which are called the causes of variations of Urines.

As for the temperaments, * 1.2 hot temperaments have higher co∣loured Urines, and thinner and less sediment, or in stead of a sediment a cloud, or Nubecula; but colder have Urines paler coloured, and few Contents also, unless raw juice, which pro∣ceeds from weaker concoction be mingled with the Urine.

In respect of age, * 1.3 Boyes have white Urines, thicker, with a plentiful sediment; youths thinner with few Contents, but higher coloured; old men have white Urines, but thin and without Contents, unless many excrements meet together, which if they are mingled with the Urines, it happens that the Urine is made thick, and full of Contents; those that are of a middle age have indifferet Urines,

In regard of the Sex, the Urines of men are far higher, * 1.4 or deeper coloured then the Urines of women, thinner, and have fewer Contents, but the Urines of women are paler, and by reason of crude humors, thicker with more plentiful sediment; yet nevertheless the Urines of men and women do not so vary, that they can be known by certain signs, whether it be a mans or womans water, * 1.5 for reasons may be given also in men which produce such Urines, as otherwise are familiar to women; although as in such as are great with child there may be some change of Urine, when the Menstruous blood is retained in them, and from thence no small change is made in the body; yet that change doth not afford a certain sign whether a woman be great, when the same causes of change may be shewen in o∣ther women which are not great, but in some which are more lively, there is little change of Urine.

As for the time of the year, * 1.6 the Urines of every kind in the middle of the spring are moderate, as also in the middle of au∣tumn, but by how much the more the year goes on towards Summer, by so much the more the colour of Vrine is encreased, and the thickness, and Contents are diminuished: in the Sum∣mer also the Vrines are higher coloured, thinner, and have less sediments; in autumn the colour of Vrines and tenuity are lessened: the Urines in the Winter come neerest the best state.

In hot Regions, * 1.7 and under the hotter degrees of Heaven Urines are made deeper coloured; thinner, and of little sediment. In colder Climates they are neerer to the best state.

Those which exercise and labour moderately make well con∣cocted Urines, and in colour, substance, and contents mode∣rate, but those that exercise and labour immoderately, in those first the colour is encreased, and the thickness and contents di∣minuished; but if the exercise continue long, the colour and tenuity is lessened, when the streng this weakned, but those that live idly make Vrines not much coloured, and moreover thick and with many sediments.

In immoderate watchings, first the colour is encreased, * 1.8 but if they continue long 'tis abated: sleep if it be moderate cau∣seth Vrine to be good in all, but if it be immoderate, it encrea∣seth the colour of the Vrine, but abateth the contents and sub∣stance, but if it be protracted longer, it becomes crude.

The passions of the mind, since some encrease the heat, * 1.9 some diminish it, according to the calidity and frigidity which they bring upon the body, they alter the Vrines.

Lastly, * 1.10 Meats, Drinks, and Medicines change the Vrine, and Meat taken moderately causeth a moderate sediment; more plen∣tifully, a more plentiful; thin causeth none; Meats, also Drinks and Medicines have a power of changing colour and smel lof V∣rines.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Causes of changing of Vrines.
• * 1.2

  Vrine of those that are hot and cold.
• * 1.3

  Of Boyes. Youths. Old men. Of middle age.
• * 1.4

  Of men.
• * 1.5

  Of women great.
• * 1.6

  Change of Vrine ac∣cording to the time of the year.
• * 1.7

  According to the Re∣gion, and degrees of Heaven. To exercise and rest.
• * 1.8

  According to sleeping and wak∣ing.
• * 1.9

  Passions of the mind.
• * 1.10

  Meat, Drink, and Medicines.