The remaining medical works of that famous and renowned physician Dr. Thomas Willis ...: Viz I. Of fermentation, II. Of feavours, III. Of urines, IV. Of the ascension of the bloud, V. Of musculary motion, VI. Of the anatomy of the brain, VII. Of the description and uses of the nerves, VIII. Of convulsive diseases : the first part, though last published, with large alphabetical tables for the whole, and an index ... : with eighteen copper plates / Englished by S.P. esq.

CHAP. II. Of the Quantity and Colour of the Urines of Sound People.

THE Quantity of the Urine in sound people ought to be a little less than the humor, or liquid substance daily taken; for moist and drinkable things dayly taken, are the matter it self of which Urines are first made: But these (hunger and thirst urging) are more plentifully required, both that they may suffi∣ciently wash the mass of the Chyme, by which means it may rightly ferment in the Viscera; and that they may serve for a Vehicle, both to the Chyme, whereby it may be conveyed to the bloody Mass, and to the Blood it self, that it might be circu∣lated in the Vessels without thickening; and to the Nervous Juice, whereby it might actuate and water the Organs of sense and motion: when the serous Latex by this means hath bestowed whatever it hath almost of Spirit and Sulphur, for nourish∣ment, Heat, and Motion, it gives way to a new nutritious humour; and it self as unprofitable, being secluded from the Blood, by the help of the Reins is sent away.

The nourishing liquor, which will at last be changed into Urine, of its own nature is divers, viz. now watry, now impregnated with Spirit, now with Salt and Sulphur, and according to the various forces of this or that Element in it Urines are wont to be somewhat altered: However all liquors taken in at the mouth, do not pass thorow our body whole and untouched; but that they undergo mutations in various parts, and lose a little portion of their quantity, before they are made into Urine: For the Latex or Humour to be converted into Urine, is first of all received into the Ven∣tricle, (for I assent not to Reusner, who affirms the same falling for the most part on the Lungs, to cause the more quick making water after drinking) whilst that it stays in the Ventricle, it is there boyled; also impregnated with Salt and Sulphur of its own, or from more solid Aliments dissolved: then very much of it is confused in the blood, with the nourishable juice; which, when it is a long time Circulated, from thence receives a farther tincture of Salt and Sulphur, according to the various temper of the Blood, and its inkindling in the Heart: Hence some portion of it is derived with the Animal Spirit, to the Brain and nervous stock; and afterwards from thence, being made lifeless and weak, is lastly reduced into the bosom of the Blood; after that it hath bestowed on the Blood and Nervous Juice, whatever of ge∣nerous or noble is conteined in the Serum, also no small quantity is consumed by sweat and the other emunctories; what remains, whilst that the Blood continually washes the Reins, a precipitation being made, either by a straining or force of a certain ferment, it is there separated from the Blood, and from thence passes thorow the Ureters into the Bladder, and so is carryed forth of doors.

From the origine and lustration of the Serous Latex, but now described, it plainly appears, that the Urine ought to answer to the quantity of the liquids taken, in somewhat a lesser proportion, perhaps under a third part; which plainly shews the disposition and strength of the Viscera serving for Concoction, as also the temper and distribution of the Blood it self, and after a sort of the nervous juice; moreover it carries with it signs of the affections of the Urinary passages. The quantity of the Urine declines often from this Rule, so that sometimes it superabounds, also some∣times is deficient: and either for a short time, may consist with a disposition not much unhealthful; but if these kind of distempers continue long, they argue a sickly condition. Concerning these we shall speak among the appearances of the Urine in a diseased condition of the Body; we shall now next consider the colour of a sound Urine.

The Urine of Sound People, which is rendred after Concoction is finished in the Body, is of a Citron colour, like Lye a little boyled: which without doubt proceeds from the Salt and Sulphur of the nutritious juice, and the Blood, dissolved in the Concoction, and boyled in the Serum. This colour doth not arise only from Salt (as some would have it) because the Liquor impregnated with Salt, unless it be evapora∣ted to a certain thickness, will not grow yellowish: Also Salt of Tartar, being dis∣solved by melting, continues still clear. What may be objected concerning the Lye of Ashes, I say, there the whole Sulphur is not consumed by burning, but the Citron colour arises from some saline Particles, and others Sulphureous burnt, and sticking together in the Ashes, and then infused or boyled in the liquor. Neither doth the Urine of sound people acquire this same colour from Sulphur only, because Sulphur in a watry Menstruum, is not dissolved unless by the addition of Salt, nor will it give any tincture of it self; but if Salt of Tartar and common Sulphur be digested together in water, or if Antimony be boyled in a saline Menstruum, both liquors will by that means grow yellow like Urine; after the like manner, the saline and sul∣phureous Particles of Aliments, being incocted and most minutely broken in the Se∣rum, by a Digestion in the Ventricle and Intestines, and by a Circulation with the Blood in the Arteries and Veins, impart to it a Citron Colour.

This kind of dissolution of Salt and Sulphur, by whose means the Urines are made of a Citron Colour, is first begun in the Bowels; and afterwards perfected in the Vessels, and very much depends upon the Concoction performed in the Ventricle and the Intestines: For here, by the help of heat and of ferments, the Aliments taken are chiefly subdued; the bond of mixture being broken, the saline and sul∣phureous Particles being most smally broken, and made small, go into a milkie Cream, and from thence the Serum remaining after that Concoction and distribution of that milkie juice, becomes of a Citron colour: after the same manner, as when the Salt of Tartar and common Sulphur being dissolved together, and mixed with some acid

thing, indue a milkie colour; then the contents being separated by setling, the re∣maining liquor grows yellow like Lye. If that the aliments, by reason of an evil disposition of the Ventricle, are not rightly digested in the first Concoction, as in the Longing Disease or Pica, the Dropsie, and other ill dispositions of the Bowels, usually comes to pass, the Urine also is rendred crude, clear, and almost insipid, like Fountain water; but if by reason of the ferments of the Viscera being more than duly exalted, or otherways depraved as in the Scurvy, Hypochondriac distemper, or Feavourish intemperance, the particles of things eaten are too much dissolved in the first Region, by that means Urines are rendred red, and thick.

The Serum, as hath but now been said, being imbued with a lixivial tincture in the first Concoction, and confused in the Blood, so long as it is circulated with it, it is yet further Concocted, and acquires a more deep colour; for the particles of the Blood being roasted and scorched, although for the most part they are laid aside into the Gall bag, yet being in a manner boyled in the Serous Latex, they heigh∣ten its colour; hence the Concoction being ended, the Urine which is first made, is more Pale, and that which is last, more Red. That which is made after long fasting, is yet more high Coloured. Where the Blood is more cold, as in Cachectical people, the colour of the Urine is made less; where the Blood grows raging with a feavourish Heat, and is roasted, the Urine grows highly Red.

Concerning the Urines of sound people, it is worth observation, that which is made after plentiful Drinking, hath no tincture, but is pale like water; of which we shall enquire, by what means the Serous Latex so suddenly slides away out of the Ventricle, (contrary to what is vulgarly believed) and passing thorow all the Chyli∣ferous passages, then the Veins, Arteries, the bosom of the Heart it self, and the turnings and windings of the Veins, and Ureters, is put forth of the Body within so short a space: moreover, how it comes that the Urine being so precipitately made, contrary to most other things, is not only changed into no Colour in its passage, but it also loses its own proper: For as the Proverb is, Our Drink goes thick in, and comes forth thin: or We Drink thick Beer, and Piss clear.

Concerning this we say, that besides the long wandring of the nourishing juice, to wit, whereby, after some stay in the Ventricle, it slides into the Intestines, and from thence thorow the milkie Vessels into new passages, and thence is carried into the Veins, (which carrying about cannot be quickly performed) it is most likely, that there is another nearer passage of the same Nutritious Juce, whereby indeed it may be conveyed immediately and without delay to the Mass of Blood, and perhaps to the nervous Liquor; and therefore, after fasting there immediately follows a most quick refection of strength and spirits, after Eating, and especially after Drinking; which indeed cannot be thought to be made by the Spirits and Vapours; also from such drinking, the Urine is presently rendred, and indeed sooner than it can be thought, that the Mass of the Chyle can be sent out of the bosom of the Ventricle; wherefore, it is not improbable, that when the Alimentous Liquor is entred the Ventricle, pre∣sently the more thin portion of it, which consists chiefly of Spirit and Water, is im∣bibed by its Spongeous Membranes; and from thence being instilled into the little mouths of the Veins, it is presently confounded with the Blood, flowing back to∣wards the Heart. For of this opinion (though not very stubbornly) I always was, That the Chyme was in some measure immediately derived from the Ventricle, and Intestines, by the branches of the Vena Porta, into the Mass of Blood; and as the mil∣kie passages carry it about by a long compass, whereby it may be instilled into the de∣scending Trunk of the Vena cava; so that it may be carried in a more near way, viz. into the ascending Trunk of the same, by these Vessels; forasmuch as the Blood be∣ing made poorer in its Circulation, returning from either part, before it had entred the Heart, it ought to be refreshed with a new juice, whereby it might more lively ferment in the bosom of the Heart; but forasmuch as the much greater part of the Blood is carryed upwards, surely it may seem agreeable to truth, that at least some portion of the nourishing Juice may be added to this, as it were a sustenance, it be∣ing before burnt forth, and almost lifeless, for its new inkindling in the Heart. The Arguments that seem to perswade to this, not of light moment, I could here heap together, but I should so divert far from our proposition: wherefore, that we so suddenly make a waterish Urine after Drinking, I esteem to be done after a man∣ner as was but now said; therefore the Liquor that is carryed so hastily from the Aliments to the Mass of Blood, passing thorow the so narrow windings (as are the

Membranes of the Viscera) being drawn as it were by distillation, the more thick matter being rejected, consists almost only of Water and Spirit; with which indeed it refreshes the vital Spirits, and dilutes the Blood; about which task, when the spi∣rituous part is consumed, the watry Latex, because of its plenty, being heavy and troublesome, is continually sent away by the Reins; and when it comes from the Ven∣tricle, not yet imbued with Salt and Sulphur, nor is long circulated with the Blood, that it might by that means acquire a lixivial tincture, it is rendred thin, and clear.