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The Cause almost of every true Stupidity lies in a Nerve, which may be in every Nerve, seeing every Nerve is endued with the sense of feeling, and doth communicate the same to the part into which it is in∣serted, with an influx of the animal spirit and commu∣nication of its own substance, as we have taught in our Anatomical work; the which being thus affected, that communication is intercepted, or wholly, or in part,
impeded, if this come to pass in a Nerve, which be∣ing inserted into a Muscle, together with the sense of feeling doth give it motion too, it must needs be that both a Resolution and Stupidity do happen together, as shall be said in a Palsey; which when it comes to pass in a general Nerve affected and communicated to many parts, there must needs follow also a more general hurt common to many Muscles, * 1.1 and yet not only to them, but also to the Skin and Membranes, seeing from the Nerves of the Muscles, branches carried to these parts also do bestow on them the sense of feeling; but if it happen in some private Nerve carri∣ed to one part only, then it must needs be that that only is hurt; as this shal be more fully explained, in the Re∣solution of Voluntary motion or a Palsey, seeing this Function which is abolisht, is the more excellent.
But from the forementioned affect of the same Nerve, whether it be a general or particular one it may come to pass, that Motion may languish or cease, the sense of feeling remaining nevertheless, either entire, or at least∣wise obtusely, seeing for the exercise of motion, there is, required a greater firength of spirits, than to feeling, as also shal be explained in a Palsey.
Yet it may also come to pass, that a Nerve being affected, * 1.2 there may on∣ly be a Stupidity, motion still remain∣ing in the part, viz. if only a sensitive Nerve be affected, which ends not in the Muscles, but in the Skin or a Mem∣brane, or only in their other immo∣vable bowels; which eminent cuta∣neous Nerves, we have shewed in the divisions of the great Nerves, are only implicated in the Skin and Membranes, and carried to the natural parts, Nerves of the fixth and seventh conjugation do only commu∣nicate the sense of feeling to many of those parts which are not moved; and other sensitive Nerves are carried from the motary Nerves inserted in the Muscles, to those parts also which are not moved, which sensitive Nerves or motary Nerves also being hurt, but carried out of the Muscle, then it happens that that part on∣ly becomes stupid into which they are inserted, either altogether, or in part, according to the greatness of the hurt; yet the cause of all which may be the same as that of a Resolution, only differing in the diverse seat.
Also that Depraved sense of For∣mication so called, * 1.3 with trouble in the parts may happen by reason of any Nerve whatsoever, both Sensi∣tive and Motary, to wit then, when the Animal spirit being retained a while in the stupid or palsied Member doth run back again into it, with a certain force and violence, the impediment being taken away, for then about the ex∣tremity of the Member especially, as about the Fin∣gers whether the spirit is carried at the first violence, or elsewhere also where it reacheth, an itching and sense of pricking doth trouble them up and down, the spirit every where pricking as it were and tickling the mem∣ber, so long, til they being sufficiently flowed to it, the part return to its ancient absolute sense of feeling; the which also somtimes happens upon the strong percussi∣on or smting of some sensible Nerve, as on that which wound about the gibbous part of the elbow runs forth to the little and ring-finger, which being violent∣ly forced by a fall, these two fingers, suffer that sense of Formication for a while til the Nerve which was com∣prest by the blow be dilated again, and the spirit being sufficiently transmitted, the which also may happen in other places in cutaneous Nerves.
As also a Nerve being filled with the Afflux of a cold humor, * 1.4 the members which are affected do perceive a Sense of that Air, or of Cold Water (as we find with our Tongue, the like cold air comes forth out of a hollow Tooth that is troubled with a cold defluxion) The which hot Air or Water from the plenty and violence of a hot spirit, which cannot pass a Nerve obstructed, being there plentifully gather∣ed together, by its heat giving such a sense, in like man∣ner as was said of the Cold, molests the member which it affects; which as it may happen in all the Nerves that bring resolution also or stupidity so also it happens in them which, from the sixth and seventh con∣jugation give motion and sense to the vital and natural parts, it produceth about the Stomach and Gullet that heat we meet with as hath been said: the Causes of which we shal more rightly explain in a Palsey, seeing that doth either go before, or accompany, or follow these affects.
That the Cause of Stupidity may be in the Instrument of the sense of feeling, * 1.5 to wit in the skin and Membranes, seems ve∣ry likely, seeing their substance is made up of a Nerve dilated, not when the native heat being wholly extinguished, these parts die by a Gangrene, but when they are stupid only, so that these instruments of sense either feel nothing or obtusely; the which Fernelius hath writ hath somtimes hapned in the skin of the whol body, as hath bin already said, from Drunkenness; in which case if Wine did not do this by its Narcotick vertue, because it caused a general stupidi∣ty as hath been said in a Consternation of mind, certain∣ly its Narctick faculty did manifest it self only in abolish∣ing the sense of the Skin; the which notwithstanding could scarce be done by Wine or other Narcoticks, but also the vertue of the brain and Nerves must be dulied too; and therefore after the Drunkenness was over, perhaps by reason of the external coldness of the Air, in which Drunkards oftentimes lie astonisht, it might befall this Drunkard also his skin being thus stupified: seeing the cold from without being a long while recei∣ved perhaps may sometimes cause such a stupidity in some part of the skin which endured this cold: for o∣therwise this can scarce happen from an internal cause; bur how it hath hitherto been beleeved that the insensi∣ble and stupid skin of the Elephantiacal is rendred so from some internal cause and Disease of the skin, that being prickt it feels not, and upon what account that is true, we shal declare in the Elephantiasis.
Neither could I ever find, that by an external Nar∣cotick applied to the skin, that could be rendred stupid or free from pain, that I might know somwhat certain, I have applied a Mass of Opium mollified to a Gouty part full of pain, but without any profit; but what they write for truth that this may be done from the touch of a Torpedo not only taken in the hand, but also if it be toucht with a Fishers Rod, it wil stupifie his hand; I seeing I observed no such thing at Mo••tpelior where they handle and eat Torpedoes dare not affirm it for truth; wherefore we say this disease is rare, and which can scarce happen, that the skin only became insensible, the member which it covers not being stupid too by reason of the Nerve affected; unless perhaps occasion
be given, when by reason of an impediment, that the Skin being more thick and hard, then that it can per∣ceive the true feeling of any thing exactly, we would call it the cause of that Stupidity the which notwith∣standing is no waies a true Stupidity.
The Membranes also being Intrinsecally affected, and Nerves not hurt too, a Stupidity can scarce hap∣pen for their sake only.
And neither is that Stupidity which befals the Teeth or rather that trouble when the teeth are an edge from the Teeth alone, * 1.6 because they are distitute of the sense of feeling as other Bones, but that the Teeth are too much exas∣perated and refrigerated by the eating of acid and cold things, which both by their thinness and coldness are e∣nemies to the Teeth and Nerves, that happens from the continuation of the Nerves and the sensible Membrane with their roots, by which it comes to pass that the Tooth it self seems to feel. The like Distemper may be imprest by contact on that part where the Teeth touch, and so their feeling being changed, as when the Teeth being prest in chewing, they press them as swel∣ling up, thence ariseth that trouble some sense which they call the Teeth an edge.
An affect of the mo∣tary Nerve is the Cause of a stupidty hapning with a Palsie Resolution or without it.
An affect of the sensitive Nerve is the Cause of stupidity with∣out a resesoluti∣on.
The affects both of the motary and sensitive Nerves cause Formication
The affect of a Nerve both motary and sensi∣tive induceth a depra∣ved sense of heat or cold.
An affect of the mem∣branes & skin produ∣cing stupidity without palsying.
An affect of the Nerves about the Teeth, causeth a Haemodia.