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. XIV. Of evacuation by sweate.

LAstly vitious humours also may be expelled by sweate, * 1.1 for although sweate evacuate in the first place from the circumference, and habit of the body, yet it may evacuate humours also from the rest of the body, and indeed first out of the greater veines and Arteries, and afterwards out of all other parts, namely from whence humours may be driven to the veines, and from thence to the superficies of the body, for they are not conveniently thrust out from the cavities of the stomach, guts, wombe, and such like, to the extremities of the body, and there are other wayes by which they are far more easily evacuated, * 1.2 but the watry humour is evacuated by sweate, which also may be evacuated by Urine, and so may every thin humour and cholerick, as

others also if they are attenuated, but principally sweates are profitably provoked by art in inveterate and cold dis∣cases, and diurnall distillations, in the Palsie, the Sciatica, and other paines of the joynts.

Yet you must be carefull here what the strength can per∣mit, for this is a powerfull remedie, * 1.3 and requires great strength, but principally hot and cholerick persons en∣dure sweate lesse, and not long, nor doe very hot things agree with them; much matter prohibits provocation to sweate, for tis to be feared, least being dilated to the skin, it should shut its small breathing holes, or pores, and so either generate, or increase putrifaction.

As for how much, * 1.4 we must be carefull that we doe not over much provoke sweate, for sweate, if it be too much, weak∣ens the strength exceedingly, resolves the body, and makes it leane, wherefore tis more commodious to cause moderate sweates often, then to debilitate the strength with one that exceeds measure.

But the fit time for provoking sweates is the beginning of a disease, but after universall purging of the body, * 1.5 and in the declination of a disease, but the particular time, when the meate is concocted, and in the declination of diseases, in those which have paroxismes.

But medicines provoking sweate are especially to be ex∣hibited with profit in pestilentiall diseases and in all ma∣lignant matter, by which the malignant matter, * 1.6 the pesti∣lent and venemous matter to the great benefit to the sick is driven from the internall parts, and those that are next the heart to the extremities of the body, and is evacuated by sweate. But Sudorisiques, which are given in such dis∣eases, ought to be of the number of those that resist poyson, that they may together infringe and debilitate the venome. In Administring of which, there is no need of all those rules or observations, which are necessary to be observed in provoking sweates in other diseases, but presently in the be∣ginning of a disease those Sudorifique resisters of poyson are to be given, neither is too much debilitating of strength to be feared.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sweate whence it evacuates.
• * 1.2

  What hu∣mours are evacuated by sweate.
• * 1.3

  Things permitting.
• * 1.4

  How much.
• * 1.5

  When.
• * 1.6

  In what diseases.