Platerus golden practice of physick: fully and plainly discovering, I. All the kinds. II. The several causes of every disease. III. Their most proper cures, in respect to the kinds, and several causes, from whence they come. After a new, easie, and plain method; of knowing, foretelling, preventing, and curing, all diseases incident to the body of man. Full of proper observations and remedies: both of ancient and modern physitians. In three books, and five tomes, or parts. Being the fruits of one and thirty years travel: and fifty years practice of physick. By Felix Plater, chief physitian and professor in ordinary at Basil. Abdiah Cole, doctor of physick, and the liberal arts. Nich. Culpeper, gent. student in physick, and astrology.

The Kinds.

THe pain of the Stomach is com∣monly called the Pain of the Heart, * 1.1 this is in the fore part of the Breast, in a soft and naked place, where the Ribs are parted, which is called the Hearts lodge, and reacheth to the left side, as far as the Back. In this place above the rest, there are usual pains and molestations, they differ in that they are either usual or not. The most usual, are such as come new from a new Cause, or a Disease of which they are a Symptom. Their kinds are as they are diversly mani∣fest to sense.

A Compressing or stretching pain called Periodyna, * 1.2 is that in which there is felt a pressing or stretching in the lodge of the Heart, more or less, with loss of Appetite almost, and loathing some∣times, and with belching, and somtimes vomiting, or purging.

This kind comes from some new Cause very often, and either stayeth a while, or comes after meat, and ends with concoction. Somtimes it is the Symptome of divers Diseases, so that there is scarce a person but hath felt it in a Disease, or at other times.

A knawing pain is called Heart-eating, * 1.3 in which there is felt a biting, with prick∣ing in the said region of the Heart, with Compression or Burning somtimes.

This is in many Diseases, and in sound men sometimes when fasting, especially some called Picrocholi, from sharp Choler, have it when they want their Dinner, and it is often with bitterness of mouth, and hindrance of sight.

Some have it chiefly before Supper, when they are given to writing, and lean upon their Stomaches, by which they loose Appetite. They who fear, this pre∣vent it by sitting upright or standing, when they write.

Some have it in the morning before they rise, when they lye long waking, and after they are up, and have been at stool, or broke wind, it is gone. In others it comes as soon as they are up, and goes away with snee∣sing.

Also this Knawing with Compression is after meat, when it is bad, or too much. Of which Bairus makes a private sort of Heart-ach, when they are cold after meat, with sense of this Compression and difficulty of breathing; this is called a turning of the Meat into Flegm: Of which Galen speaks.

This may be at all times, * 1.4 and from other Causes, as it is afore Vomiting, and from outward Injuries and Cold, or from things swallowed that hurt the Stomach. And when any faint∣ing comes with this Disease called Cordiaca, as we shew∣ed in Fainting.

That pain which hath such Heat that it seems to burn, * 1.5 is in sound peo∣ple often, whether full or empty.

That is most usual, in which when they would belch

they feel great burning, the flame as it were, being shut up in the Gullet, and not able to get out, especially af∣ter meat, or violent Exercise: the Germans call it Boyling, * 1.6 we call it a Burning boyling of the Stomach, of which we spake in Difficulty of Belching.

Also this Burning is the Symptom of divers Disea∣ses, of the great pain of the Stomach, where it is bur∣ning, pricking, stretching and beating, and is increased by touching of the part, and reacheth to the Back, and girds the Body like a Girdle, and seems to draw down the Shoulders, and there is labour and pain to swallow and belch, and difficulty of breathing, being quick and little, and there is sometimes a continual Feaver, by which means the Pulse is quick, and Urin high, with Spitting of Blood or Matter. This is called the Infla∣mation or Phlegmon of the Stomach from the Cause of it. And the Imposthume of the Stomach, though it is more properly so called, when it is turned to an Im∣posthume.

Also a most burning pain, with vomiting, and other dangerous accidents, may come from another Disease of the Stomach, called Erysipelas, as we shall shew in the Causes.

The usual pain in the lodge of the Heart is called Cardilaea, * 1.7 distinct from Cardialgia; this comes from a small Cause, and returns often. There are two kinds of it according to the di∣versity of the Nature, in which they are known by this some are of weaker, and others stronger Appetite.

Such Natures as have weak Appe∣tites and other accidents from weak∣ness of Concoction, * 1.8 are subject to u∣sual pains of the Stomach, compres∣sing or stretching, and sometimes knawing, and are troubled from the least offending meat, and other outward things, especial∣ly cold, from which they are forced alwaies to defend their stomaches. These pains come from Weakness of Stomach, and are there described, and are called by the same name.

Those Natures that have stronge ap∣petites, * 1.9 and eat greedily, and gorge themselves, have pains of the stomach, as shall be shewed in the Causes. They are from great excess, and also sharp, or salt Meats: these pains are called a hot distemper, and are described in a hot Constitution.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The pain of the Heart, is the pain of the Sto∣mach.
• * 1.2

  A compressing or stretching pain of the Heart.
• * 1.3

  A knawing pain of the Heart cal∣led Cardi∣ogmos.
• * 1.4

  Cordiaca Fainting.
• * 1.5

  Heart-burning.
• * 1.6

  Boyling of the sto∣mach, or burning.
• * 1.7

  Cardilaea.
• * 1.8

  Weakness of the stomach is called a disturbance of the Heart.
• * 1.9

  A hot stomach is called a di∣sturbance of the Heart.