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 the simple differences of Pulses.

ALthough it may be easily collected from these things what the causes are of every pulse, * 1.1 yet because cer∣taine familiar causes concurre, which may afford some be∣nefit to the generation of pulses, namely grosness of body, leanness, an empty place about the artery, weight of the bo∣dy lying next above the artery, and propriety of formation of parts, let us joyne those to the rest, and let us here adde some to these.

The causes of a great pulse containing, are strong force, * 1.2 the use increased, the artery soft; a little pulse is made espe∣cially by the weakness of power, as also diminution of use as also diminution of use and hardness of the artery.

The causes of a high pulse are, strong force, the use increa∣sed, and when an indifferent grosness of body happens, and the place is straight and narrow about the artery; * 1.3 a low pulse proceeds from a languishing faculty, to which happens groseness of body, as being the concomitant cause; somtimes also, the arterie is buried deeper by the naturall framing of the body, whence the pulse is lower.

A broad Pulse is made from a power not altogether so weake, * 1.4 Accidents as being complicate causes are joyned therewith, the place wide, and the bodyes next over it are heavy; * 1.5 the cause of a thin pulse is a weake faculty and a hard artery, the concomitant causes are leanness of body, and thinness and driness of the skin.

The cause of a swift pulse is the use increased, * 1.6 the vertue indifferently strong, and the instrument soft; the cause of a slow pulse is weake power, or the use diminished, * 1.7 or the joyning of both these together.

The cause of a frequent pulse is the use increased with de∣bility of vertue, or hardness of the arterie; * 1.8 of a thin pulse, strength of vertue with use diminished, is the cause.

Of a vehement pulse, * 1.9 strength of vertue is the cause, of a weake pulse languishing strength, proceeding from what cause soever.

A soft pulse proceeds from the softnesse of the Artery, * 1.10 a hard from the hardnesse of the same, from what cause soever it come.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Concomi∣tant causes of pulses.
• * 1.2

  The causes of a great pulse, of a little. Of a high.
• * 1.3

  Of a low.
• * 1.4

  Of a broad.
• * 1.5

  Of a thin.
• * 1.6

  Of a swist.
• * 1.7

  Of a slow.
• * 1.8

  Of a fre∣quent. Thin.
• * 1.9

  Of a vehe∣ment, weak.
• * 1.10

  Soft, hard.