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, XI. Of the causes of the respective differences of Pulses.

NOw followes what belongs to the respective differences of pulses, * 1.1 and first for inequality, the cause thereof is a weake faculty, and an Artery either obtruded, or pressed or too hard, or too soft.

The reason of an intermitting pulse is because the use re∣quires dilatation, and the faculty is ready and prepared that it may satisfie the use, but either tis loaden with plenty of humours, or it is hindred by obstructions or compressure of in∣struments; the same causes of inequality in motion, of swiftnesse and slownesse are rendred, but they are lighter.

The cause of Dicrotus or double striking pulse is an une∣quall distemper of the heart and Arteries, * 1.2 or the facul∣ty varied by reason of an unequall distemper which stri∣ving by a contrary cause in the middle of its Journy, is compelled as it were to begin a contrary mo∣tion.

Unequall pulses under many fingers do proceed either from weaknesse of the faculty, or plenty of humours, or soft∣nesse of Arteries.

Declining pulses which are called Myouroi, * 1.3 proceed from weaknesse of the faculty, whose action by how much the more remore it is from the heart, by so much it is the weaker, or from the placing of the artery, part whereof is more remote from the heart, and is placed more in the out∣side.

The cause of a congregation of many in equalities together are weaknesse of the faculty whither is oppressed, * 1.4 or dis∣tracted, or irritated, and the fault of the instrument, when the artery is either compressed or obstructed, or filled; pulses are made unequallyunequall, from the faculty not weake by its

selfe, but rather burthened, and oppressed, * 1.5 and moreover from the ill disposition of the artery, and tis either pressed by some body that lyeth on it, or some humour, or tumour, but une∣qual equally are made by an infirme faculty; and indeed reci∣procall Myouroi do proceed from a faculty not so weake as those which are deficient.

Intermitting and intercurrent pulses proceed from the same weakness of the faculty, * 1.6 and the instruments compressed and obstructed, yet the faculty; labours more in an in∣termitting, then an intercurrent, and in it doth almost lye still.

Concerning the causes of unequall compound pulses, * 1.7 the cause of an uneven pulses is when the faculty, otherwise strong enough, but now is oppressed by too great plenty of humours, or is hindered by obstruction.

The causes of surging pulses are weaknesse of the faculty or plenty of humours, or exceeding softnesse of instruments, * 1.8 and the faculty is so burthened, and oppressed with its load that it staggers and becomes unconstant.

From the same causes proceeds a vermicular pulse, * 1.9 only that in a vermicular the faculty is not oppressed, but is weak of its selfe but in a formicant, tis very faint, and the use striving, and softnesse of the instrument being joyned therewith.

The causes of a serrine or serrate pulse is a strong faculty and the use increased, * 1.10 together with hardnesse of the arte∣rie; and this pulse is familiar in inflamations of the inter∣nall membrances. * 1.11

A trembling pulse is made, whilst either the pulse is not perceived by reason of the trembling of the part, or it goeth out trembling, or when the heart trembles, and communicates that affect to the artery.

The cause of a hectick pulse is somewhat that is fixed and stable, and sticks to the solid parts, also weaknesse of strength. * 1.12

The harmony is not changed, unlesse the magnitude and celerity of the dilatation and contraction, be altered, but these are not changed except the use be changed, so all the causes of Harmony depend upon the use, for if the Diastole be swifter then the systole, there is a great heate present then, and a great necessity of refrigeration or expulsion of fuligi∣nous excrements, but if the systole be swifter and greater then the Diastole, there is more necessity of protrusion of fuligi∣nous vapours then of cooling.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The causes of inequal∣lity of pulses. Of a sin∣gular ine∣quality and of an intermit∣ting pulse.
• * 1.2

  Of a Dicro∣tus.
• * 1.3

  Of Myou∣rey.
• * 1.4

  A Sistema∣ticall ine∣quality.
• * 1.5

  Myourei Reciproci. Of a defi∣cient.
• * 1.6

  Of the in∣termittent intercur∣rent.
• * 1.7

  Caprizan∣tes.
• * 1.8

  Like waves.
• * 1.9

  Vermicu∣lar, formi∣cant.
• * 1.10

  Serrate.
• * 1.11

  Trembling.
• * 1.12

  Hectick. Rhythmo∣rum.