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 Causes of Deformity.

All the immediate Causes of the Deformities mentio∣ned, depend either upon adherent, as adventitious causes;

those are inherent which come from the birth, as we have declared and they consist either in number or magnitude abounding, or deficient; or in uncomly shape, when parts are not rightly proportioned or divided, or when they are continued or grown together.

And this comes chiefly from the seed of the Parents, * 1.1 of which all parts are made, and Child∣ren sometimes resemble the Fa∣ther somtimes the mother in like∣ness and sex; and if the seed be unclean, not only the externall members of flesh and skin receive the same, but also the hair and the Nayles; because as I have shew∣ed in my Anatomy, they are carti∣lagenous parts, neither do they come from Excrements, as is the vulgar Opinion of hair: but from that seed in the first procreation, as is to be seen in Infants or Embryons. But after what manner the Father or Mothers seed should propagate these Deformities to their Children, is a hard Question, nor otherwise to be defined, but from some in∣decent indisposition of the Seed, which coming from all parts, it receives from the corrupt; and as they offend in figure, magnitude or number, so doth it impress the same in the Childs formation, in the same parts, producing ei∣ther the like in part of the same Deformities. But this doth not alwaies happen, that when any parts exceed or are defective in number or magnitude, the Child should have the same, for often children have their Members com∣pleat, which the Parents have wanted by birth or by am∣putation; though in some they are weaker. But in the hair of the Head and beard, we see often that they are more or fewer, thinner or thicker, and of divers colours like their Parents in the Children, as we shall shew in the Chapter of discoloration. And it is plain that it comes from the Seed, and is hereditary because black Moores have black and curled hair all by Nature, and the cause is the Seed which produceth an obliquity in the Pores of the Skin, so that the hairs which comes through those Pores not directly but obliquely, are curled, so doth the Seed cause these matted locks which some have by the formati∣on of the Pores, when many oblique Pores are joyned to∣gether in the skin, from whence grow more hairs in a lit∣tle place, being curled and wound together, and they are born so.

It may also come from the plenty of Seed, that more and greater parts then are needfull be produced as the contra∣ry from the defect thereof which as it may be in any part, so in the Teeth and Hair that they may be more or fewer. Also the Child may have an unnaturall shape from some other transmutation and commixion of Seed, as by the commixion of two seeds conceived, and their mutuall concretion in certain places, (except they be separated) it may chance that two Children may be brought forth of divers figures: which permutation and commixion of seed, as it may come from divers causes, so from some im∣pression which the Mother conceives either in time of con∣ception, or when she was great with child, from fear or o∣ther affection, or from strong meditation or imagination. As she which being great with child and longeth for some kind of meat which is not fit, produceth a Child which deformity either in number, magnitude, or figure. By which means sometimes it hath as it were new parts resembling others, or something resembling the thing described; ad∣hering to the body from the birth. And among others, we have seen a child have hairs like those of a Mouse upon the Thighs, because the mother being great, strook upon that part with her hand when she drove away a mouse. Many monstrous births have been by these means, which happened from imagination divers wayes, so that Chil∣dren are many times unlike their Parents, because in the time of conception, and when the Woman is great, they have thought upon other people.

This diffimilitude or unlikeness is more incident to be from mankind then any other creature, because it is sub∣ject to more intent and strong meditation and phansie, o∣ther creatures only exercise their senses or things before their Eyes in the time of copulation, and so cause a resem∣blance in shape and colour: as we shall shew in the Chap∣ter of discoloration.

Some originall Deformities may arise from the Mothers blood be∣cause the child is there with nouri∣shed while it is in the womb; * 1.2 not such as are in number of parts in∣creased or diminished; (because e∣very part proceeds from the seed,) but such as are in magnitude exceeding or defective, or in uncomely figure or shape. These Deformities come from the Mothers blood either being too much or too little, or from the change or commixion of the same, as we shall de∣clare when we speak of internall causes.

Divers kinds of deformities come from externall causes as when any hurt or wound divideth the continuity of parts and so spoils the shape, if it be in a sensible part and causeth pain: we have spoken to them in the discourse of pains. Also an unseemly figure may come from an out∣ward force which dislocateth the parts, or breaketh them in regard that there is then a loss of motion in the part, we have spoken thereof in the Chapter of immobility where we spake of Luxations and Fractures.

Other deformities of this kind which are in number magnitude and figure come from divers causes either in∣ternall or externall.

The distempers and faults of the parts which produce deformity from exter∣nall causes come after divers manners: * 1.3 as when by a wound they are cut off or lamed, either by chance, or by chyrur∣gery through necessity for preserving life, as when the parts are consumed by an Ulcer, by exulceration, or often rubbing or when the dead part is cut off in a Gangren; or when in a Rupture the Stones are cut off as sometimes they are, or when the continuity is dissolved by wound, and the wound healed there remains a separation of the parts, or when by exter∣nall force, the Teeth either through pain, * 1.4 or other affliction are pulled out. The hair falls either by acci∣dent externall or by industry, or by Disease called Tinea. The Eyes by violent passion, sometimes thrust forth themselves. Or when by ma∣stichation and biting of hard things, especially if of long continuance, the Jaws are separated from the Teeth; by which the Roots of the teeth being made bare, they are less firm then before; and sometimes fall forth, especially the Foreteeth, having but one Root, when others will scarce fall out except there be an attenu∣ation of the Roots, as we see in dead mens Skulls the Teeth firm and unmoveable when all the flesh is gone. The teeth also are broken by strong biting of Bones cracking of Nuts, &c. It often falls out that they which pick their Teeth with a Kinves point from a foolish custome, very often, do not only take away their smoothness, and make them rough, but wear away their substance by continuall scraping.

As the other cause was violent, * 1.5 so may often use of very hot Meats, so burn the teeth that they may be dryed up at the Roots and be no longer firm, but very loose in their places, and then they offend in scituation, or in number if they fall out from that cause. Or, if by the same Heat of meats the hard substance of the teeth be over dryed, and at length burnt they fall out, or some part crumbles of, and the rest remains broken and weak, or

they become hollow.

And this is the usuall cause that young people have so many hollow and unsound teeth, especially when they eat very hot meats and broaths, which least they should burn their mouths they commonly blow upon first. This is the chief cause why our Germans which love hot broaths so much, have sooner bad Teeth then other people: which is imputed through ignorance to defluxions of Rheum when as we shewed in the pain of the teeth, defluxions cannot fall upon the substance of the teeth. The swallowing of hot meats and presently drinking cold Drink thereupon while the teeth are hot which many have used from their Infancy, causeth teeth to rot and fall out, before they are old, or at least by the sudden change of heat into cold to turn back.

From the like Heat the Roots of Hair being dryed and extenuated, * 1.6 the hair can no longer stay in its Pores, but fall out by the least combing; this is caused by hot water or fire coming to near, therefore when they have killed a Swine they use hot Water to take off the hair, and to take off the Feathers from Poultery, by which means the Roots of the Quills are so dryed that the Feathers fall off; and some loose their Hair after the same manner, provided that there be not such a heat as to stop the Pores and astring the Skin so that they must come both off together; as it often befalls them that dress Hogs with too hot water, this mistake is called in dutch Berbruen, these are the causes, neither can hair fall by moistning the Skin and opening the Pores only, except the water be ve∣ry hot, though it be long used with a moderate heat it will not do the like, and after the other way the teeth will al∣so come forth.

Also Nayles and beasts Hooses with greater heat will come off.

The tender parts may be consu∣med by knawing and rotting Medi∣cines as the Jaws and flesh in the Eyes &c. * 1.7 and there are things cal∣led Psilothra or Depilatoryes which take away hair by Art; these do it rather by consuming the Roots of the hairs then by opening the Pores.

Some of the Deformities mentioned come from internal causes namely, from divers Humors and Diseases or by one part forcing another, as I have shewed, as by Blood, since the parts are not only nourished and augmented by it so long as a Man groweth, but after whatsoever is consumed is restored by the same. And this consuming of parts comes from the Blood divers waies, either in respect of its Quantity and the Fatness of the parts; if the Blood a∣bound in quantity it makes the parts too fleshy by too much Nourishment, and this is not only when Bodies are growing but af∣terwards, * 1.8 and then they grow exceed∣ing fleshy, and if this come not heredi∣tary from the seed and blood of the Parents it must needs come from Blood. Hence it is that plethorick Bodies are so carnous or fleshy, of which Ple∣thory or Fulness as there are divers causes, so often and plentifull feeding is not the least. This Appetite is stirred up by exercise of body, because by that Meat is quickly distributed; therefore Men that exercise moderately grow fleshy and gross, as it was with the wrestlers in old time. Rest also which is the contrary may cause the same, for they which are idle and sedentary, and given to much eat∣ing, seeing they spend little of the substance of their Bo∣dies, and still are devouring grow very big and gross. This grossness may also come from the suppression of Na∣turall Evacuation of blood. Hence Women at that time when their courses leave them, although formerly when they had them constantly and nourished their Children they were lean and slender, grow very corpulent and gross. From these causes you may gather that as from the aboundance of Blood flesh is pro∣duced so by the want hereof there is Leanness and Slenderness. * 1.9

But as the blood causeth flesh to be more or less so it maketh some parts to be greater or lesser, as when the Juyce made thereof, is more proper or less agreeable to such a part. This is so in that time wherein peo∣ple grow as then both soft and hard parts as bones in∣crease, but after only those parts increase which are decreased by externall injuries, * 1.10 as in the teeth Nayles and Hair, but after a di∣vers manner, for in the Teeth if one be not worn away by ano∣ther which is opposite, in chaw∣ing, then the nourishing juyce a∣bounding makes the tooth that hath no opposite to grow longer then the rest; but in the Nayles and Hair if they have too much Nourishment, they grow not only soon longer but thicker. The cause of Nayles growing so, is strong motion about the Roots thereof, when the Hands are often violently exercised and there is an extraordinary attraction of Juyce, hence is it that labouring Men have thickest Nayles. This also may come by often paring, especially if before they be bathed in warm water, for then the juyce attracted makes them by degrees more thick. The same is in hair which when it first comes forth like down upon the Chin if it be often shaved growes apparently thicker and longer. It may also happen that from the defect of that juyce which nou∣risheth Nayles and Hair, that that which growes after cut∣ting is thinner then the former. But it is more usuall that they should fall from the dryness of the Roots for want of Nourishment, especially hair, wherefore when Medicines are made for growing of hair they attract juyce by their heat, as we shall shew in the Treatise thereof, by which the Root is mantained, for the want of juyce is the cause of baldness; for though hair grows upon the Skin of the head and continue some time there, yet after some long before aged, some at the aproach of old Age grow bald, because the Head grows less fleshy and is made up of bones, skin and membranes, therefore that part is soonest dry, and so becometh bald. This may come also from ex∣ternall injuries which dry the body, as from internall Cares, from which Histories mention that Men have not only become gray suddenly by drying the hair, but also bald by drying up the Moisture. In other parts of the Body, as the Nayles if from the same juyce which nouri∣sheth other extuberances arise, in regard they are tumors we shall speak of them in their order.

There is also another Fault in the figure of parts from the aboundance of Nourishment, * 1.11 for by the nourish∣ing juyce, some parts that ought to be disjoyned are united; for if the Skin be taken off, and parts by Na∣ture separated be laid together, the juyce which cometh forth from both will unite them: for this like Glue, conjoyneth wounds and bones.

If the Blood be fat the body is sat, * 1.12 if lean it is lean, for seeing all blood consists of a fat matter, as Milk of a buttery matter, and that by sweating from the Veins in the membranous parts and not by congealing through cold as it was supposed, in regard the Body is alwaies actually hot inwardly, but of its own Nature grows together, being separated from the Blood, and so joyns to the Members as Glue increasing the sub∣stance of the Body; as there is more or less of it in the Blood so there is more or less of it gathered together for the increase of the Body, from which cause rather than from Flesh are bodies greater or less: but this happens not to the whol Body but to those places in which Natu∣rally fat is used to be more then in others, as in the Belly

and breasts of Women &c. The reason why there is more or less fat in Blood is from the quantity of blood, for in much blood there must be much Fat, and hence Bodies grow more fat and fleshy, or more lean and thin. But if Blood, not only in regard of its aboundance hath much Fat in it, but also of its own Nature, though it abound na∣turally in quantity, be over fat, which appears by that which swims at the top after it is taken out, which the vul∣gar Chyrurgions call Flegm, then those Bodies are more fat than fleshy, which Fatness comes not only from the constitution which is inclinable thereunto, but from eat∣ing fat Meats with which some are much affected.

Also divers kinds of Deformities proceed from Humors and Diseases, * 1.13 as Diseases of number deficient, if not from externall causes, as in Ulcers some parts are consumed by suppu∣ration and corruption; * 1.14 which as in other parts, so in the Eyes and Nose, and Gums, which usually are separa∣ted from the teeth by the gravell that grows underneath upon them, and by which they are hindered from uni∣ting together. * 1.15 Also the Loosness and Falling of teeth, comes from a De∣fluxion into the the holes where they are set, which moistneth and loosneth the Fibres and Membranes by which they are knit. And also when any corrupt Humor is in the places where they are set, it causeth them to fall out by corroding of their Roots. As we have observed in great Diseases, * 1.16 that the Teeth have afterwards fallen out. And in the Pox by the use of Quick-silver af∣ter a Flux of spitting, the teeth have been loose and sometimes fallen out.

Also the Falling of hair come from Diseases and evill Humors, * 1.17 when the roots are dried or made less and consumed thereby. This comes from burning Feavers, which do not onely dry the Body, but the Roots of the Hairs which are soft, and so they are attenuated and con∣sumed, as we may observe in the declination of Feavers; In the Alopecia and Ophiasis, when evill Humors are gathered about the Pores of the Skin, * 1.18 they eat and con∣sume the Roots of the hair, and make them fal: this they do by their sharp∣ness and maglignity; and not by loos∣ning them with their moistness as some suppose, because such Humors as are only moist and not malignant and sharp, do never cause Falling of Hair. Which Humors as they may come from divers causes so especially they be sent thither by an acute Disease, and by Heat the Root of the hairs may be dried, which may cause the Falling of hair. And it is manifest that this comes from malignant Humors, because in those Diseases which are venemous and fix more upon the Skin then upon other parts, and produce divers Deformities thereon, as in the Elephantia∣sis and French Pox, the hair chiefly falls away in those places whereunto the Humors have most resorted.

In the Nayls also, as we have said since they are of the same cartilagi∣nous Substance with the hairs, * 1.19 and stick only to the Skin as they do, the same thing may happen: and may suffer from the same causes, with the hair, and fall wholl off from the Fingers, but more sel∣dom, because they are Naturally more firm: yet somtimes from the heat of a Feaver they grow dry about the Roots, or partly consume: and after when the Feaver is gone they grow again with an Impression upon them and a kind of separation.

Also from an evill quality such as takes away hair in the Elephantiasis and French Pox, * 1.20 the Roots of the Nayls may be infected, and receive such a blemish, by which though they fall not off alwaies, as hair doth, or be consumed, yet they may have such a filth that they may appear ugly and deformed thereby.

Also the number of parts is dimi∣nished by another part thrusting off the former; as in the teeth, * 1.21 which in young people grow up by degrees till they throw out the old. This is also but seldome in Nayls, a new growing will cast off that which is above, and this is from aboundance of Moisture.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The indisposition, plenty or want, commission or permutation of the pa∣rents seed is the cause of Diseases naturall in number, magnitude and figure, in the Body or members as in the Teeth Nayles, Hair.
• * 1.2

  The Mothers Blood is the cause of some Dis∣eases naturall in mag∣nitude increased or di∣minished or indecem Figure.
• * 1.3

  A wound or an Ulcer is cause of the lameness or taking off of a part, or separati∣on or division.
• * 1.4

  Force externall cau∣seth falling out of Teeth, or looseness or treating of them, the fall of hair, and gogle Eyes.
• * 1.5

  An outward vehe∣ment heat is the cause of loose Teeth, or falling off them out, or breaking of them.
• * 1.6

  Great heat the cause of falling of Hair.
• * 1.7

  Corroding and putre∣fying Medicines are the cause of consuming of the parts and fal of Hair.
• * 1.8

  Plenty of Blood is the cause of much Flesh.
• * 1.9

  The want of blood cause of leanness.
• * 1.10

  The aboundance or want of nourishment is the cause why some parts are bigger then others as Nayles, Hair which grow thick and long or fall.
• * 1.11

  The nourishing juyce sweating forth is the cause of uniting the parts.
• * 1.12

  Fatness in blood is the cause of fatness in bo∣dy and the contrary.
• * 1.13

  Evil ulcers are causes of consum∣tion of parts.
• * 1.14

  The Gravel of the Teeth makes the Gums sepa∣rate.
• * 1.15

  The cause of loose Teeth is a defluxi∣on into the places where they are set.
• * 1.16

  Also a corrupt Hu∣mor about the Roots of the Teeth causeth their loosness and falling out.
• * 1.17

  A Feaver causeth Hair to fall off.
• * 1.18

  An evil humor a∣bout the roots of the Hair causeth it to fall off.
• * 1.19

  The heat of a Feaver is the cause of impre∣ssion upon the Nayls and of their loosnese.
• * 1.20

  An evil Humor is the cause of the cor∣rosion and filthiness of the Nayls.
• * 1.21

  The teeth and nayles throw themselves or by new.