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 causes of colours in Vrines.

COncerning the causes of colours in Vrine, * 1.1 a golden colour, which agrees to the Vrines of sound men proceeds according to the vulgar opinion from some portion of yellow choller, or

rather from a serous and salt excrement, yet that also something tinctured with choller, which is mixt with the Vrine.

A white Water is made, * 1.2 either because nothing is mingled with it which may colour it, which is properly called aqueous, or because some white body is mixed therewith.

The first cause of aqueous Vrine is Crudity and weakness of the native heat, by reason whereof this excrement is left, * 1.3 as it were imperfect. Secondly, obstructions of the passages through which the matter useth to flow to the Vrine. Thirdly, if chol∣ler, and therewith that salt humor be carried to another place, as happens for the most part in acute Fevers, and Phren∣sies with them. Fourthly, much drink. Fifthly, heat of the Reins and Liver, which plentifully draw drink to them, but do not concoct it. Sixthly, Gravel in the Reins, or Bladder, too much of that which is salt, and thick adheres, but the aqueous flows out.

Vrines of another kind are made by the mixture of some white substance, whether it be flegm, or quitture, or seed, * 1.4 and these Vrines we call milky, yet for the most part they are made thick, and afterwards become clear, and the matter setling in the bottome of what kind it is, may be easily discerned.

A Vrine is somewhat pale, * 1.5 when pale choller in a sufficient quantity, or a little of yellow is mingled with the Urine, but if much pale choller, or yellow in an indifferent quantity be mingled with the Vrine a pale colour ariseth.

If yellow be mixed in greater quantity, * 1.6 the Vrine becomes yellow, yet some times other causes besides internal, external may give a tincture to the Vrine, as Rhubarb, Saffron, the leaves of Senna, and such like.

A ruddy colour in Vrine is caused by choller and blood, * 1.7 and indeed if the Vrine be coloured with blood it doth not look clear, and is properly called Vrine dyed with blood, and has a colour like water, wherein the flesh of animals newly slain have been washed, and is made either in some open vessel for what cause soever, or by the weakness of the Liver and Reins, by reason whereof they cannot contain blood and assimulate it to themselves, or because nature at set times evacuates the blood a∣bounding in the whole body with Vrine; but the blood which is mingled with the Vrine, is either thin, and the Vrine is made red or reddish, or thick, which if much be mingled, the Vrine is made exceeding red, but if little either simply red, or of a pale red, but that Vrine which is coloured by store of choller, the choller colouring it and and making it redder, it

shineth, and is as it were like flame, sometimes also it is made red and thick by plentiful mixture of adust choller, like wine of a blackish, or deep red.

Wine like Vrine is made by the mixture of ceruleous choller, * 1.8 or representing the colour of Woad, as also by the mixture of plenty of red choller: Grapy by the mixture of yellow choller exceedingly dryed, and as it were changed into a Violet colour and degenerating towards black.

A green Vrine is caused by plenty of Aeruginous, * 1.9 and Leck-like colour.

Yellow and black Vrine are sometimes caused by the mixture of external things; * 1.10 as for what belongs to the internal causes, the Vrine is made black when either the melancholy humour is evacuated with it, which happens in those which cumulate melancholy humours in the Spleen, or black choller is mixed with the Urine, or when the heat and spirits are extinguished in the veins, the blood is corrupted and becomes black.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The causes of a golden colour in Vrine.
• * 1.2

  Of a whit.
• * 1.3

  Of an a∣queous.
• * 1.4

  Of milky
• * 1.5

  Of palish. Of pale.
• * 1.6

  Of yellow.
• * 1.7

  Of blood red.
• * 1.8

  Of Vine colour. Of grape colour.
• * 1.9

  Of green.
• * 1.10

  Of yellow and black.