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 VII. Of preparation and concoction of humours.

AT another time, * 1.1 concoction of humours is to be expect∣ed before purging be appointed, and the Physitian shall studdy to prepare those things which further concoction, and cause more commodious evacuation, for we must distinguish betwixt concoction and preparation, and concoction is attri∣buted to nature, preparation to Art, namely nature only con∣cocts humours, and Elaborates them, and draws them to that perfection, and better state by putrifying which they can re∣ceive, that they may the more conveniently and without prejudice or detriment to the sick be evacuated, but it is not in the power of Art to concoct humours, yet it may be

helpfull to the native heate, concocting both by cherish∣ing and strengthning it.

Besides this true concoction which is the worke of nature only, * 1.2 there are yet other preparations of humours, which are appointed for the more happy concoction, and more profitable evacuation sake, which the vulgar call concoc∣tions also, and medicines effecting them, they call Conco∣quents, or as they commonly speake Digestives.

These preparations are of two kinds the one is that which preceds the concoction which is performed by nature, * 1.3 the other is that which followes it, the former is that which takes away all things which are impediments to nature whereby it may the lesse begin, or happily perfect concoc∣tion, and commonly useth to be called concoction; the quality of humours besides their quantity, hinder concoc∣tion; therefore what qualities soever hinder concoction are to be taken away by their contraries, and hot humours are to be cooled, cold to be heated, dry to be moistned, moist to be dryed, in like manner humours that are too thick are to be attenuated, those that are to thin and sharpe are too be thickned and allayed, and those that are tough to be wiped away or purged.

Namely phlegme which is cold, * 1.4 moist, thick, and dull, requires heating, drying, attenuating, cutting, and deter∣gent medicines.

Yellow choler since it is hot and dry, tis to be corrected with cooling and moistning things, but as it ••s thin, and by its too much tenuity may molest the body, it is to be thickned, the other kinds of choler which are produced by too much adustion, sichence they are now thicker, require extenuation.

Moreover the melancholy humour since it is cold, * 1.5 dry and thick, is prepared with things modernately heating and attenuating and moistning, but black choler, since tis a hot humour very dry and thick, requires cold things, much at∣tenuating and moistning.

The other preparation is that which is appointed when putred humours allready concocted, * 1.6 or others also not pu∣tred, by reason of some impediment are not evacuated without difficulty, unlesse that be taken away.

But sithence humours which ought to be evacuated, ought to be moveable, and the wayes through which they ought to be moved open, hence it easily appeares that there are

two hinderances, which impead the happy purgation of hu∣mours, namely thickness of humours and obstruction of passa∣ges. And therefore the Physitian which would purge as Hippe. commands 2. Apbo. 9. must well prepare, as Galen explaines it, tis to extenuate the thick and dull humours, and open the passagesthrough which they ought to be traduced, and drawn by the force of purging medicines.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Concoction and prepa∣ration of humours differ. Concoction of humours the work of nature.
• * 1.2

  Prepara∣tion of hu∣mourst wo∣fold. Digestion.
• * 1.3

  The first prepation of humours.
• * 1.4

  Phlegme how to be prepared. Choler.
• * 1.5

  Melancho∣ly.
• * 1.6

  Another preparation of hu∣mours.