But a Dyspnaea or Strangling, do divers∣ly offer themselves,
for somtimes it is bred and shews it self, some manifest cause concuring, from which also it is, as shall be said in the causes.
Somtimes difficulty of Breathing hath a Catarrh its companion,
in which also somtimes they are suffocated, all Brea∣thing being suddainly intercepted, and this evil is called a Praefocating, or suffocating Ca∣tarrhe.
Ofttimes it is coupled with affects of the Breast, with a Cough, Wheezing, in that called an Asthma, in which they fetch their breath often with difficulty, as if they were wearied with too much Motion, whence they are called Shortbreathed and Suspirious, and they Cough, but spit forth nothing mattery, and somtimes in their Lungs there is heard a certain Piping, or Wheezing, and this evil assails them either continually, ot upon a slight cause, and it returnes and hath its Exacerbations, and it is of long continuance, and stubborn.
A Dyspnaea is somtimes joyned with a difficulty of swallowing,
and there is a pain or trouble both in the Jaws and Neck, especially in that called a Quinsie or Cynanche, because by reason of their breathing hinderd, they gape like Dogs with their Mouth open, which affect somtimes a Feaver doth accompany.
At other times also the breathing labors highly,
with a resolution of the whol Body in the Apoplectical, and the sick are choaked, as hath been said there: and then a Dyspnaea is somtimes joyned with a Palsie or some Species of Spasm, as hath been said there, that then when they would breath forth strongly, which is required to the uttering a great voice, and being forced to Laugh. Weep, call out, or to Cough they are com∣peld to breath forth powerfully, the which because they cannot do for the causes there exprest, they fall into danger of Suffocation.
Affects of the Womb, somtimes go be∣fore that Species called the Suffocation,
or Strangulation, or Praefocation of the Womb, with which being suddainly seazed, som∣times the breathing being wholly taken a∣way, at othertimes very much hinderd, they are so tormented, as if their Jawes were tyed with a bond, and those thus affected, then they call Hyste∣rical.
A swelling, distension of the Belly, are also with a Dyspnaea in the faults of the na∣tural parts.
But especially in the Hydropi∣cal, to whom it is very troublesome, so that they are forced to breath upright, like to the Orthropneumatical, and lying down they are in danger of Choaking.
There is also a certain Nocturnal suffo∣cation,
that befals those that Sleep, called Pnigalion, or the Night-Mare, because they think and Dream that they are suffocated by some thing lying upon them and pressing them, and afterwards waking, they think that they have sufferd that from an Enemy, or Witch, or Devil, and that they were invaded and opprest by them, whence they call it Ephialtes, and Doating, for a time they do somwhat perswade themselves so.
The Voice, or Vocal breating, which at our pleasure we can wholly omit, yet not make, unless there be a breathing forth, can no waies be long abolisht by rea∣son of Respiration, because that cannot long cease;
Yet it happens that it is utterd obscurely by reason of that, if the brea∣thing be very smal; but more commonly it happens in a Dyspnaea, that the Voice cannot be utterd very clear and loud: but sending forth of the breath not being hin∣derd,
the Voice nevertheless cannot som∣times be exprest by us, or at other times also can only be brought forth silently and lowly; both which som∣times happen in a Palsie, other Motions also being then hurt together, as hath been explained there; but at o∣ther times without this the Voice is lost for a time, and returnes again, as I remember an excel∣lent Physitian Theodorus Zuingerus,
my God-father and Colleague, when we were in the School of my Father Tho∣mas Platerus, that was Master to us both,
hath ofttimes been so Stupified, that he could not answer one word, though asked with threatning, and hath so re∣turned home mute and astonisht, his sences otherwise entire, which Species they call Apolepsie and Hippocra∣tes an Aphony, some would refer it to the Species of a Catalepsie, somtimes also when the Voice is lost, or weak, there is felt a pain in the Jawes, a Tumor, or some other fault, and somtimes it is apparent.
Speech, or an Articulate voice may be intermitted at our desire or will,
but we cannot speak, unless there be a vocal Re∣spiration, and therefore by reason of the defect of the voice, as hath been already said, the Speech is either abolisht, or not sufficiently utterd, but also somtime they cannot speak without an Impediment of the Voice, and they are cal∣led Dumb, in a Palsie either peculiar to the Tongue, or common also to other parts;
somtimes they are both Dumb and Deaf from their Birth; but oftentimes when they can∣not exactly express certain Syllables or let∣ters,
those especially which that they may be pronounced, do require a various doub∣ling of the Tongue, as in R. and S. to be pronounced with a noise or hissing, they Stutter and are called Blaesi, or Lispers, the which also happens with some faults of the Lips, or Teeth, or Jawes.