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. III. Of the Signes of Diseases.

SOme signes of diseases indicate the kind of diseases; * 1.1 o∣thers the magnitude, others the manner, and they are taken from those three fountains, the causes, those things which necessarily inhere, and the effects of the causes, and what force each hath is spoken of in lib: 2. part 2, * 1.2 and there∣fore if any causes are present, or hath gone before, it is a signe of a disease which that cause is apt to produce, but a∣mongst the causes, the dispositions, or inclinations of the body are to be weighed, which are apt to produce this, or that kinde of disease; for every body either fals into a disease like its own constitution, sooner then contrary to it; and that disposition depends on the age, sex, course of life, and manner of dyet.

Neither are those things to be past over, which help and hinder, for if hot things are advantagious, cold things are mischeivous, and a cold disease is understood; the contra∣ry comes to pass if the disease be hot: the same reason is of other tempers also.

Out of those things essentially inhering, * 1.3 or in the pro∣per essence, diseases are easily known in the external parts, and are obvious to the senses, but diseases of the internal parts, although they may be known by those things which essentially inhere, yet not immediatly; but others coming between; so a tumour of the bowels is known by the skin mediating, which is lifted up, by the subjacent parts, and it self is become swolne.

As for what belongs to the effects and symptomes, * 1.4 an action that is hurt, if it be not by some external error, it signifies that a disease is present in that part whence the action is hindred, and indeed an action abolished, and di∣minished, signifies a cold distemper, that a greater, this a

lesser; but depraved actions signifie for the most part a hot distemper, and since an alteration cannot be made sudden∣ly, nor doth the distemper suddenly cease when the altera∣tion is introduced, if the action be suddenly taken away, and suddenly restored, it doth not indicate a disease of in∣temperature, * 1.5 but an organnick: but if the actions are pre∣sently taken away, and remain absent long, either obstru∣ctions occasioned by thick matter, or a cold intemperature is signified; the excrements too much coloured, signifies a hot disease, as also doth dry ordure, but clammy, thick and white dreggs shew a cold distemper, * 1.6 qualities also changed indicate diseases; softness signifies a moist distemper, a pale colour of the body signifies a cold distemper; but a red co∣lour a hot.

As for the magnitude of a disease, * 1.7 if a great cause, and that which hath great force of acting hath gone before in what kind of disease soever, without doubt 'twil generate a great disease, the proper nature of a disease wil easily be∣tray it self, for by how much the more the pathognomick signes (or the signes that discover a disease) shal be grea∣ter, or lesser, by so much it shews a greater or lesser disease; hither to belongs also the worthiness of the part affected, for by how much the part affected is more noble, or can draw more noble parts into consent, by so much the disease is counted the greater moreover the symptomes by how much the more and greater they shal be, to which this hap∣pens, that if the disease do not give way to exquisite, and great remedies, by so much the greater the disease shal be, it is deservedly accounted great.

A malignant disease is likewise known by malignant ve∣nemous causes preceding. * 1.8 Moreover, 'tis the nature of cer∣tain diseases, that in the same manner is they are known, they indicate malignity, such are the Morbus Gallicus, Leaprosie, and such like. Thirdly, malignity discovers it self by the effects, for when no dangerous, or vehement symptome is present which might trouble, the sick nevertheless is un∣quiet and weak, and the disease after smal remisness is swiftly, and vehemently exasperated by sweats, and other excrements, and the sick perceives no manner of ease, es∣pecially if frigidity of the extream parts, or watchings should happen, if in the beginning of sleep, sleep seeme∣troublesome; if the sick without a cause be afraid, waxeth exceeding hot, drops blood, and the other ill signes be pre∣sent, which are spoken of amongst malignant feavers, it argues amalignant disease.

Acute diseases are known from hence, * 1.9 that they are sud∣denly moved, and immediatly after the beginning afford grievous symptomes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Causes, what disea∣ses they shew.
• * 1.2

  Disposition of the body.
• * 1.3

  Essentially inhering.
• * 1.4

  Effects and symptomes.
• * 1.5

  Excretion and retenti∣ons.
• * 1.6

  Qualities changed.
• * 1.7

  Signes of a great dis∣ease.
• * 1.8

  Of a Malig∣nant,
• * 1.9

  Of Acute diseases.