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 XVII. Of the time of the Crisis.

LAstly, it is to be known at what time the Crisis will be, * 1.1 but that fore-knowledge depends upon the fore-know∣ledge of the State, of which we have spoken before, but the chief signes are those of concoction and crudity. If therefore on the first day a manifest signe of concoction appear, and all the rest portend nothing of evill, the Crisis of the disease is to be hoped for on the fourth day; but if on the first day there doth not appeare a manifest figne of concoction, other daies are to be consulted on; and if a signe appeare, in any of the decretory daies, or the next quarternary the Crisis is to be expected.

Moreover those things are to be joyned with the signes of

concoction; which the Ideas, magnitude, motion, and man∣ner of a disease affordeth; for of acute diseases, some at the most are judged in foure daies, some are extended to the seventh, some to the fourteenth, others longer: The altera∣tion of a disease also shewes the Crisis, since it shewes whe∣ther the Crisis will be on an even day, or an odd: Also the times of diseases are to be considered, for in noisome diseases the crisis appeareth not perfectly before the state, only an im∣perfect crisis in the augmentation; but destructive are made either in the beginning, especially if the disease be vehement and the strength weak: To these signes also is to be adjoined the consideration of the time of the yeare, region, age, tem∣parature of the sick, and such like, of which Galen speaketh in the third of Crisis, cap. 4.

But that a Crisis is now present, * 1.2 the criticall signes spoken of and enumerated before, do shew, namely, the night wher∣in the Crisis is to come, which precedes the fit, useth to be more grievous, 3. Aphor. 13. but various perturbations pre∣cede in the body, according as nature is to expell matter through this or that part: Of which before cap. 13. and Galen 3. of Crises, c. 2.

But oftentimes not only the day but houre of Crises may be fore-told, for if we know the day of the Crisis which is to come, we ought to consider in what houre of the day the fit useth to come, and what time of the Paroxysme the sick is most grieved, and that is principally to be observed.

Instead of a conclusion also, it is to be observed what cer∣tain, perfect, and best crises may be known, and the rest to know no otherwise then by the most probable conjectures, wherefore unlesse we can presage somewhat certainly before hand, it is more safe to hold our peace, then rashly pronoun∣cing to be deceived.

Lastly, * 1.3 concerning the Crisis, the stability and instability of the event is to be weighed, but stability of the event and certain health is to be hoped for, if nature be strong, and no Symptome remaine over and above; if all the rules of a good Crisis be present, if the humours are thin and hot, which are easily evacuated, but if nature be weak, and some Symp∣tomes abound, as loathing, and such like: all the good rules of a Crisis are not present, and the humour be colder and thicker, tis lawfull to presage unconstant health, and such may fall into relapse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Signes of the time of Crisis.
• * 1.2

  Signe that of a present Crisis.
• * 1.3

  Signes of sttable and unstable change of diseas••s.