A compleat history of the most remarkable providences both of judgment and mercy, which have hapned in this present age extracted from the best writers, the author's own observations, and the numerous relations sent him from divers parts of the three kingdoms : to which is added, whatever is curious in the works of nature and art / the whole digested into one volume, under proper heads, being a work set on foot thirty years ago, by the Reverend Mr. Pool, author of the Synopsis criticorum ; and since undertaken and finish'd, by William Turner...

CHAP. II. Instances of Antipathy.

THIS is the Opposite of Sympathy, arising from the Contrariety of innate and undiscoverable Quali∣ties, a secret Ʋnsuitableness in the Nature of one Thing to that of another; where the Properties clash together, and bid Battle, upon a near approach of one to the other. As of the Horse and Camel, Elephant and Swine, Lion and Cock, Bull and Fig-Tree, Naked Man and Adder, Ape and Tortoise, Ape and Eel, Cantharides and the Bladder, Plague and Quick-silver, Plague and Arsnic, Birds and Scare-Crows; Things alive and Things dead and corrupted, as Man and Man's Carcass, Beast and Beast's Blood, &c. But I shall especially Instance in the Antipathies of Mankind against some particular Things.

1. Cardinal Don Henrique de Cardona would fall into a Swoon upon the Smell of a Rose, (saith Ingrassia;) and Laurentius, Bishop of Ʋratislavia, was done to Death by the Smell of them. Schenk. Obs. Med. l. 7. p. 891.

2. Cardinal Oliverius Caraffa, during the Season of Roses, used to inclose himself in a Cham∣ber, not permitting any to enter his Palace, nor come near him that had a Rose about him. Idem Obs. Med. l. 7. p. 891.

3. The Smell of a Rose, or Sight of it at a distance, would cause a Noble Venetian, of the Family of Barbarigi, to swoon, and become like a dead Man. Donat, H. M. c. 3. p. 305.

4. I know a stout Soldier, saith Donatus, who was never able to bear the Smell or Sight of the Herb Rue, but would evermore betake himself to flight at his first Notice of its Presence. Do. His. Med. l. 6. c. 3. p. 307.

5. Johannes è Querceto, Secretary to Francis the First, King of France, was forced to stop his Nostrils with Bread when there were any Apples at Table; and so offensive was the Smell of them to him, that if an Apple had been near his Nose, he would fall a bleeding. Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 307.

6. I have seen, saith Brassavolus, the younger Daughter of Frederick, King of Naples, that could not eat any kind of Flesh, nor so much as taste of it; and as oft as she put any bit of it into her Mouth, she was seised with a vehement Syncope, and falling to the Earth, and rolling her self thereupon, would lamentably shriek out: This she would continue to do for the space of half an Hour, after she was returned to her self. Schenk l. 7. p. 890.

7. Guainerius tells us of himself, That Hogs Flesh was so very great an Enemy to him, that it produced the same Accidents in him that Poison would have done, altho he used but any part of it in Sawces: As also, that when his Mother (who was desirous to accustom her Son to all kinds of Meats) had prepared for him (without his knowledge) a Dish of that Flesh, minced into small bits, and offered it to him to eat; within an Hour after he fell into a Palpitation of the Heart, and thence into a Syncope, thence into a Vomiting, in which he brought up pure Blood; so that they looked for no Life of him. Zach. Quest. Med. l. 2. Tit. 2. p. 73.

8. Olaterius tells us, of a French Boy tabling with his Father, that would eat nothing that was roasted, boiled, or fried, eating only Bread, Fruits and Milk; nor could he eat the finer sort of Bread, but such only as had course Brans in it; his Milk also must be cold, for he could eat no∣thing hot; yet he was of good Habit of Body, fresh, and well coloured. Plot. Obs. l. 1. p. 238.

9. Horstius saith, He saw a Noble Countess tasting of an Udder of Beef, had her Lips sud∣denly swell'd thereby; and the Count told him, That as often as she did eat of it, she was trou∣bled in that manner, the Cause whereof they were ignorant. Sche. Obs. Med. l. 7. p. 891.

10. A Learned Person told the same Author, of a Man at Antwerp that would immediately swoon as oft as a Pig was set before him. Sch. Obs. Ibid.

11. Another tells of a Man of Quality, who at the sight of an Eel is presently cast into a Swoon; yea thô inclosed in a Pie, yet falls he down dead, and so continues till the Eel be take•• off from the Table. Hen. ab Heers. Obs. Med. l. 1. Ob. 29. p. 247.

12. Johan, Heurnicus, as oft as he eat Pepper or Rhadish, was tortured with the cruel Pains of the Cholick. Hen. ab. Heers. Obs. Med. l. 1. obs. 27. p. 249.

13. The mildest Medicines vehemently disturb some Persons, as twas observed in an illu∣strious Lady; for if purged with Manna, she was suddenly taken with Torments, Loathings, Belchings, &c. yet with stronger ones, she was purged without Trouble. Also her Nephew (tho of a bilious Temperament) could never be purged with Manna, so that it seemed a pe∣culiar Property of that Family: Schenck Obs. Med. l. 7. p. 891.

14. A whole Family (saith Donatus) were never able to bear Diaphoenicon, tho never so pri∣vately minced with other Medicines, but would straight reject it by Vomit. Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 308.

15. Scaliger tells of a whole Family that would die at the taking of a little Cassia Fistula. Scal. de Subtil. ad Card. Exercit. 153. p. 531.

16. A Noble Man had such an Antipathy to Oyl-Olive, that all kind of Sawces that were prepared with it, and set in the Room where he was, must suddenly be taken thence, or else he would fall into deadly Faintings. Schen. Obs. l. 7. p. 891.

17. To another, all sweet Things were Poison, as Honey, Sugar; neither could he eat Grapes, Figs, nor Pears, Quinces, &c. Of all kind of Fruits, he only eat Nuts, Almonds, and Pine-Kernels: He delighted in Vinegar, sowre Sawces, and salt Things: And his usual Drink was Water. Schenck. Obs. Med. l. 7. p. 891.

18. Dr. Christianus Ostenfeld having prepared an Infusion of Antimony for a very melancholy Person, the Party upon the sight of it immediately found such a Loathing arise, that he be∣sought him to take away the Medicine, and soon after such an abundance of Humours were voided by him upwards and downwards, that in a short time after he was cured. Bar. H. Anat. Cent. 5. H. 64. p. 134.

19. Rondeletius saith, he knew a Bishop by no means able to take any Physick, but when he had need, he prepared for him a great quantity, which he poured hot into a clean Basin, where he used to stir it to and fro, and to hold his Mouth and Nostrils over the Steam of it, by which he was purged as plentifully, as if he had taken any convenient Medicine for that purpose. Schenck. Obs. Med. l. 3. obs. 3. p. 384.

20. Fallopius prescribed to a certain Abbess Pills, which she never swallowed, but crushed them flat, and so applied them to the Region of the Ventricle, binding them on with a Swathing-Band; and in the space of 4 or 5 Hours she would be as well purged, as if she had swallowed down the Pills. Sch. Obs. Med. Ibid.

21. Donatus tells of a Boy, that if at any time he eat of an Egg, his Lips would swell, his Face would rise with Purple and Black Spots, and he would froth at Mouth after the same man∣ner, as if he had swallowed Poison. Don. Hist. Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 305.

22. Schenckius tells of a Norman, who had never tasted Bread, Flesh or Fish, but fed only upon Eggs, and was therefore called The Weasel. Sch. l. 7. p. 889.

23. Brugerinus saith, he was an Eye-witness of a Maid, who being more than 16 Years of Age, had been brought up only with Milk, without any other Food, for she could not so much as endure the smell of Bread; and if the smallest Particle of it was put into her Milk, she would discover it by the Smell at a distance. Sch. l. 7. p. 890. Who tells in the same Page of Jac. Foro-••viensis, that if at any time he eat Garlick, he was no less tormented, than if he had drank Poison.

24. A certain Spaniard, who had never tasted any sort of Fish, when a Friend of his had in∣vited him to a Supper, and had on purpose given him Fish wrapt in Eggs, he immediately fell into fainting Pressures of the Heart, and Vomitings, &c. so that little wanted but that he had died upon it. Schenck. l. 7. p. 890.

25. Germanicus could not endure the Voice or Sight of a Cock; and the Persian Magi were possessed with an extream Hatred to Mice. Sch. l. 7. p. 889.

26. Another was not able to bear, that an old Woman should look upon him, and being forced to look upon one, intended for Merriment as to him, ended in his Death. Ibid.

27. Another at the sight of a Dog, is not only affrighted, but seized with Convulsions, Bart. Hist. Anat. Cent. 3 Hist. 28. p. 65.

28. A young Lady of Namur, as often as she heard the sound of a Bell, or any loud Voice, so often was she cast into a Swound, so as that she differed not from one dead, Hen. ab. H. 61. Obs. 29. p. 253.

29. A Nun in the Monastery of St. Clare, would be strangely affrighted at the sight of a Bee∣tle; it fell out that some young Girls, cast a Beetle into her Bosom, betwixt her Breasts, which when perceived, she presently fell into a Swound to the Earth, deprived of all Sense, and re∣mained four hours in Cold Sweats; when she came to her self, yet she recovered not her former strength in many days after. Zach. Quest. Med. l. 2. tit. 2. p. 61.

30. A Noble Man of Mantua, would fall in a Syncope, and Cold Sweats, at the sight of an Hedge-hog. Donat. Hist. Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 3. p. 306.

30. A German coming in Winter time into an Inn to Sup, the Woman of the House know∣ing his Temper, hid her young Cat in a Chest, in the same Room where he was to Sup, but though he had neither seen, nor heard it, yet after some time that he had suckt in the Air, in∣fected by the Cats breath, he Sweat and a sudden paleness came on his Face; he cry'd out, that in some corner or other of the Room, there lay a Cat hid. Sch. l. 7. p. 889.

32. A Lady, as oft as she tasted any Raisons, or Sugar, or any other sweet thing, was afflict∣ed with intolerable pain in her Teeth, nor was she freed from it, till she had Eaten something bitter or sharp. Henric. ab Heers. Obs. Med. l. 1. Obs 29. p. 254.

33. Mr. Baker, an ancient Minister in London, was not able to indure the sight of a Cat.