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. XXI. Of Interceptings.

SUch things as doe intercept, * 1.1 for the most part agree with those things that doe repell, and they differ only in re∣spect of place from them; for repellents are exhibited to the part affected; but intercipients to the wayes through which the humour flowes; such like are Defensitives, com∣monly so called, which being endued with a cold faculty, dry, earthly and astringent, stop the comming of the hu∣mours in their passages, and hinder them that they cannot come to the part affected, and since some are more power∣full, others more mild, the strongest are to be used in a grosser habit of body, when the vessells are wider, and the condition of the Aire hotter, which loosens, and dilates the passages, and that there is greater violence of the hu∣mour flowing; if the matter be otherwise, the milder are to be applyed.

But they are most fitly applyed to places void of flesh wherein the vessells are more evident, and open. * 1.2

Tis contrary to the error of humours in motion, * 1.3 when those things which ought to be moved, are not moved at all, as when the months, Hemerhodes, or other accustomed Evacuations are supprest, for then the humours which lye still are to be attenuated, and heated, and the passages to be relaxed, and the straightnesse to be taken away, of which in their place, which if they helpe not, we must come to those things, which can stir up humours by violence, which we have accounted before, namely which drawe humours into some part, by reason of heate, paine, and vacuity.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Intercipi∣ents.
• * 1.2

  Place.
• * 1.3

  Motion of humours taken a∣way.