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. XVIII. Of Revulsion.

AS for the third fault of humours, * 1.1 namely when hu∣mours recede from their naturall state in respect of qualities, how that is to be amended, from those things which were spoken before of the preparation of humours, and which shall be spoken hereafter of curing of diseases of intemperature, is manifest enough.

But the error in motion is various, * 1.2 and humours decline from their naturall state, if either they are not rightly mo∣ved, that is, when they are moved thither whither they ought not, that is, when they ought to be quiet according to the Law of nature, they are moved at that time; or else are not moved, when they should be moved; or are moved in parts or thither where they ought not to be moved; the first error is called the restraining motion, the second the inciting, the third the helping, the fourth the correcting, and averting to another place.

First therefore humours as they offend in motion afford one indication only, of stopping of motion, * 1.3 of staying the vio∣lence of a humour, or an averting of a humour from a place, to which it flowes contrary to nature, unlesse hap∣pily nature unburthens it selfe conveniently by that meanes, or the body puts away humours that trouble it to some ignoble part of it, but we may satisfy this indication severall wayes, namely if either we take away those things from the humour, which are necessary for motion, or whe∣ther we draw back the same by force, namely, if out of what is thin and fluid we make it thick, if we stop the passages to it, and straighten, and make narrow the wayes, through which it ought to flow, lastly if we prohibit its comming, and bind the passages which are in the part that it may not be conveniently received, but when we cannot hinder these often, or it is sufficient to stay a flux, we call back and re∣tract

those humours by force: Humours are drawn back either by reason of vacuity, or heat, or paine: By reason of vacuity, or rather evacuation humours are drawn back, which power out and evacuate them out the body through other parts, as the opening of a veine, scarrifications, lea∣ches, flowing of courses, Hemmerodes, purging by the Paunch, vomitings, urines, sweats,: By heat and paine they are drawn back, by those things which have power of inciting heat and paine, or have power of performing them both, as are frications, ligatures, lotions, fomentations, ve∣sicatories, causticks, and such like.

An so, * 1.4 although there is one Indicant, namely a fault of the humours in motion, so there is one Indicate, namely, remedy hindring motion, and averting the humour from the part to which it flowes, yet the manners of performing these are various, namely foure, Revulsion, Derivation, Interception, and repulsion.

Revulsion, * 1.5 which the Greeks cal Antispasis, is an averting of a humour flowing into some part, into the contrary; But humours are Revelled, not those which are in the affect∣ed part (for these are properly evacuated out of the part affected, * 1.6 or nigh thereunto) but they are such as do flow to some part, or are about to flow. But since this is com∣mon to every Revulsion, that a contrary motion may be occasioned for the flowing humour, and may move it to a part, not to that whither it tends, but to a contrary; hence it followes, that Revulsion ought not to be to the next, but to the remote and opposite parts, and principally accord∣ing to length, and breadth. As for the other oppositions some observe them also, whilest they make a twofold Re∣vulsion, the one which is simple and absolutely such, or a universall Revulsion as it is called, * 1.7 which observes con∣trariety in respect of the whol body, & in it regards contra∣ry termes, from whencesoever the humours flow, as when we revell from the head to the leggs and feet. * 1.8 But there is another particular Revulsion, or locall, which in one member onely regards contrary termes and opposition of the parts of the same member, and in the same member revels from the anterior parts to the posterior, or from the hinder to the former parts: Which nevertheless scarce de∣serve, the name of a Revulsion: And this former in the be∣ginning of diseases, when the body is as yet very full, is most proper: But the latter is not convenient in the be∣ginning

of diseases; also whereas in revulsion the flowing humour ought to be drawne to the contrary part is manifest, flowings are to be drawn back together to the beginning; hence when humours flow from the whole body, or the be∣ginnings of fluxes lye hid, the revulsion is fitly made to the remote parts, but when the beginning of the flux is cer∣taine, to that the flux is to be re-called, although it be not the remotest part.

In particular, as for the revulsion by opening of a veine, * 1.9 although that also is to be appointed in a distant, and re∣mote place, yet not simply the most remote part is to be chosen for the opening of a veine, but that part which is exactly on the contrary, or which also hath communion of veines joyned to it, or Euthyory which is a certaine di∣rection of vessells, by which the reduction of humours may conveniently be made, and may easily flow from one part into another, and therefore veines, which are open for re∣vulsion sake, rather communicate with the part sending, then receiving, as it is necessary; so we recall blood flowing to the place from whence it begins, and we cause a contra∣ry motion for it; namely we ought here to choose veines which are remote to the part affected, and have communi∣on with the part sending, which are directly opposite to the part affected, either according to longitude, or latitude, hence an inferior part being affected, a veine in the Arme of the same side, a superior part being affected a veine in the Arme of the contrary side, the liver affected the interior veine of the right cubit is to be opened.

As for the Administration of a Revulsion, * 1.10 the quantity of revulsion answers to the quantity of the flux, and strength tollerating, but that is greater which is made with the let∣ting out of a humour, then that which is without it, and there are certaine degrees and differences of magnitude in every kind, every one whereof answers to the certaine error in the motion of the peccant humour.

As for the time of flowing since revulsion ought to be of humours flowing, tis principally to be administred, * 1.11 when the flux begins, but if the flux be more lasting, it ought to be exhibited after the beginning also; but if the flux be lesse so that it may be stopt by derivation, or repulsion, there is no need of revulsion.

The places, to which revulsorie remedies are applyed, * 1.12 are various, according to the variety of the parts affected.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Default of humours according to quali∣ties.
• * 1.2

  In motion.
• * 1.3

  Humours offending in motion what they indicate.
• * 1.4

  How many waies the motion of humors may be hindered
• * 1.5

  Revulsion, what.
• * 1.6

  Revulsion ought not to be to the next.
• * 1.7

  Universall.
• * 1.8

  Particular.
• * 1.9

  Revulsion by opening a veine.
• * 1.10

  The right Administ∣ration of revulsion.
• * 1.11

  The time.
• * 1.12

  Place.