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 III. Of the cure of diseases of Conformation.

AS for the Errors of Conformation, * 1.1 if the bones are set awry, and ill shaped, in those which are growing, the cure is possible; but in those that are come to ripenesse of yeares, and which grow no more, they are incurable.

But tis a generall Indication which supplyes the fault of the figure, a changing of the part of the viticus figure to the contrary, until it acquires the figure which naturally it ought to have, but this is performed two wayes, by fashion∣ing, and alligation or binding; * 1.2 by fashioning that mending of the figure is to be taken, which by drawing and prossing with the hands, by little and little and often, is perfected; by binding, that correction is understood which is perform∣ed by swathings, and Ferrules, or Canes, namely by which part of the vitious figure by swathings is drawne contrary∣wife, and retained by splintors, least it should bend back againe towards its erroneous figure.

The second sort of diseases of Conformation are in the hollow places, which two generall indications doe helpe, * 1.3 namely to open that which contrary to nature is shut, and to shut that, which contrary to nature is opened.

But amongst diseases in defect the most common is obstru∣ction of passages, * 1.4 whose common Indication is, apertion of obstruction But sith thence the causes of obstruction may be various, particular indications are taken from them, and those being taken away, the obstructions are also opened: Therefore that obstruction which is made by thick and viscid humours, requires attenuating, cleansing, and cutting medi∣cines; amongst which, sometimes the weaker, sometimes the stronger are used, according to the nature of the humour it self, and the condition of the place wherein it resides: But if obstruction be made by many humours, and they con∣trary to nature in their whole kind, the cure thereof consists altogether in evacuation. But if the humour be not contra∣ry to nature in its whole kind, but onely offends in quantity, the Indication is Apokenosis, i. e. That which abounds is to be abated, according to its abundancy: But although all the obstructing causes should be evacuated, yet they differ as well in other things, as also especially in this, that each of them require their peculiar and convenient places: Those which obstruct the Breast and Lungs, are to be ejected by cough, nor can they easily be evacuated any other way: But those which are contained in the Liver, or in Veines, or in Arteries, or in the Reines, are cast out by Urine, the belly, or vomit.

The other kinds of straightness, * 1.5 when the causes are ta∣ken away, they are likewise taken away, things growing together, or Coalescents, since it comes to pass by the grow∣ing together of parts and sides of a passage Indicate a Me∣dicine breaking and taking away that Siccatrizing again.

Constipation Indicates the cause to be taken away, * 1.6 which make that straightness.

Compression since it proceeds from externall causes, rest∣ing upon the passages, the Indication is common, namely, to take away that cause of pressing together, and shutting the passage, but the speciall Indications are various, according to the variety of causes, and the whole cure consists in the abla∣tion of those causes which shall be shewn in their owne place.

Lastly, Subsidence, if it be caused by too much humidity, the part is to be dryed: If the part be wrung hard, and as it were contracted, with drying things, and too many Astrin∣gents, and cold, the contraries, namely, Relaxing and moist∣ning things are to be exhibited.

On the other side, if the passages, * 1.7 and vessels which ought to be shut are opened, and humours flow out from thence, the common Indication is, that the opened vessell is to be shut, which may be performed in the externall parts, with conve∣nient Medicines applyed, and bound: But if the opening be in the inward parts, the manner of performing that is vari∣ous, according to the variety of causes: If it be an Anasto∣mesis, or opening of the mouth of a vessell, the orifice of the opened vessell is to be hardned and bound. If by a Diapede∣sis, thickning and incrassating Medicines are required: If by a Rupture, the broken vessell is to be united, and shut: If from Erosion, Sarcotticks first, afterwards consolidating me∣dicines are required.

Thirdly, If the part which naturally ought to be smooth, * 1.8 should become rough, tis to be made smooth againe, which is performed in the Wind-pipe and Tongue: If that which is evacuated be filled up, or that which is extant be taken a∣way; That is performed in soft parts by Medicines which moisten, and have a clammy nature: But this with abster∣gent Medicines; But in bones whether they are eroded, * 1.9 or have any superfluity annexed to them, the roughness is con∣veniently taken away by shaving.

Smoothness contrary to nature, * 1.10 requires a contrary way of cure, and the naturall roughness is to be brought againe, by abstergent Medicines, and indeed such as throughly cleanse, namely, such as can free the glutinous humours, tenaciously cleaving to the out-sides of the parts, and restore the naturall roughness to the part.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cure of figure in diseases. What they show.
• * 1.2

  How cor∣rected.
• * 1.3

  The cure of diseases in the chan∣nell or passages.
• * 1.4

  Of obstru∣ction.
• * 1.5

  Coalescense
• * 1.6

  Pressing & closing. Compressi∣on.
• * 1.7

  Cure of the opening of Vessels.
• * 1.8

  Cure of di∣seases of the superfi∣cies.
• * 1.9

  Of rough∣ness.
• * 1.10

  Of smooth∣ness.