dishes with water in them will not melt easily; but without it they will; nay we see more, that butter or oil, which in themselves are inflammable, yet by the virtue of their moisture will do the like. Experiment solitary touching yawning. 685. It hath been noted by the ancients, that it is dangerous to pick one's ear whilst he yawneth.' The cause is, for that in yawning the inner parchment of the ear is extended, by the drawing in of the spirit and breath 2; for in yawning and sighing both, the spirit is first strongly drawn in, and then strongly expelled. Experiment solitary touching the hiccough. 686. It hath been observed by the ancients, that sneezing doth cease the hiccough." The cause is, for that the motion of the hiccough is a lifting up of the stomach; which sneezing doth somewhat depress, and divert the motion another way. For first we see that the hiccough cometh of fulness of meat (especially in children), which causeth an extension of the stomach: we see also it is caused by acid meats or drinks, which is by the pricking of the stomach; and this motion is ceased either by diversion, or by detention of the spirits; diversion, as in sneezing; detention, as we see holding of the breath doth help somewhat to cease the hiccough; and putting a man into an earnest study doth the like; as is commonly used: and vinegar put to the nostrils, or gargarised, doth it also; for that it is astringent, and inhibiteth the motion of the spirits. Experiment solitary touching sneezing. 687. Looking against the sun doth induce sneezing. The cause is not the heating of the nostrils; for then the holding up of the nostrils against the sun, though one wink, would do it; but the drawing down of the moisture of the brain; for it will make the eyes run with water: and the drawing of moisture to the eyes, doth draw it to the nostrils by motion of consent; and so followeth sneezing: as contrariwise, the tickling of the Arist. Prob. xxxii. 13. 2 The drum is not directly distended, if at all, by the effort of yawning; but it is pressed on by the air forced into the Eustachian tubes. In man and the mammalia generally, the drum is slightly depressed inwards. It may therefore become convex during yawning, and thus more liable to come into contact with anything inserted into the ear. 3 Arist. Prob. xxxiii. 1., and elsewhere. 4 ↑ Id. ib. xxxiii. 4. nostrils within, doth draw the moisture to the nostrils, and to the eyes by consent; for they also will water. But yet it hath been observed, that if one be about to sneeze, the rubbing of the eyes till they run with water will prevent it. Whereof the cause is, for that the humour which was descending to the nostrils, is diverted to the eyes. Experiment solitary touching the tenderness of the teeth.2 688. The teeth are more by cold drink or the like affected, than the other parts. The cause is double; the one, for that the resistance of bone to cold is greater than of flesh; for that the flesh shrinketh, but the bone resisteth, whereby the cold becometh more eager: the other is, for that the teeth are parts without blood; whereas blood helpeth to qualify the cold: and therefore we see that the sinews are much affected with cold, for that they are parts without blood; so the bones in sharp colds wax brittle: and therefore it hath been seen that all contusions of bones in hard weather are more difficult to cure. Experiment solitary touching the tongue. 689. It hath been noted that the tongue receiveth more easily tokens of diseases, than the other parts; as of heats within, which appear most in the blackness of the tongue. Again, pyed cattle are spotted in their tongues, &c. The cause is (no doubt) the tenderness of the part; which thereby receiveth more easily all alterations, than any other parts of the flesh. Experiment solitary touching the taste. 690. When the mouth is out of taste, it maketh things taste sometimes salt, chiefly bitter, and sometimes loathsome; but never sweet. The cause is, the corrupting of the moisture about the tongue, which many times turneth bitter, and salt, and loathsome; but sweet never: for the rest are degrees of corruption. Experiment solitary touching some prognostics of pestilential seasons. 691. It was observed in the great plague of the last year, that there were seen, in divers ditches and low grounds about London, many toads that had tails two or three inches long at 1 Arist. Prob. xxxiii. 8. 2 See for the statements in this and the two next paragraphs Arist. Prob. xxxiv. 2, 3, 4, and 5. the least; whereas toads (usually) have no tails at all.' Which argueth a great disposition to putrefaction in the soil and air. It is reported likewise, that roots (such as carrots and parsnips) are more sweet and luscious in infectious years than in other years. Experiment solitary touching special simples for medicines. 692. Wise physicians should with all diligence inquire what simples nature yieldeth, that have extreme subtile parts, without any mordication or acrimony: for they undermine that which is hard, they open that which is stopped and shut, and they expel that which is offensive, gently, without too much perturbation. Of this kind are elder-flowers, which therefore are proper for the stone: of this kind is the dwarf-pine, which is proper for the jaundice: of this kind is hartshorn, which is proper for agues and infections: of this kind is piony, which is proper for stoppings in the head: of this kind is fumitory, which is proper for the spleen: and a number of others. Generally, divers creatures bred of putrefaction, though they be somewhat loathsome to take, are of this kind; as earth-worms, timber-sows, snails, &c. And I conceive that the trochischs of vipers, (which are so much magnified,) and the flesh of snakes some ways condited and corrected, (which of late are grown into some credit,) are of the same nature. So the parts of beasts putrefied (as castoreum and musk, which have extréme subtile parts,) are to be placed amongst them. We e see also that putrefactions of plants (as agaric and Jew's-ear) are of greatest virtue. The cause is, for that putrefaction is the subtilest of all motions in the parts of bodies; and since we cannot take down the lives of living creatures, (which some of the Paracelsians say, if they could be taken down, would make us immortal,) the next is for subtilty of operation, to take bodies putrefied; such as may be safely taken. Experiments in consort touching Venus. 693. It hath been observed by the ancients, that much use of Venus doth dim the sight; and yet eunuchs, which are unable But the tadpoles which become toads have; and it is possible that under certain circumstances the tails may not disappear until the limbs are sufficiently developed to make it doubtful whether the animal ought not to be called a toad. Milne Edwards has shown that tadpoles kept in the dark increase in size, but do not undergo the usual transformation. So many idle stories, however, are told in a time of general panic, that it is scarcely worth while to attempt to explain the statement in the text. to generate, are nevertheless also dim-sighted.' The cause of dimness of sight in the former, is the expence of spirits; in the latter, the over-moisture of the brain; for the over-moisture of the brain doth thicken the spirits visual, and obstructeth their passages; as we see by the decay in the sight in age; where also the diminution of the spirits concurreth as another cause: we see also that blindness cometh by rheums and cataracts. Now in eunuchs there are all the notes of moisture; as the swelling of their thighs, the looseness of their belly, the smoothness of their skin, &c. 2 694. The pleasure in the act of Venus is the greatest of the pleasures of the senses: the matching of it with itch is unproper; though that also be pleasing to the touch. But the causes are profound. First, all the organs of the senses qualify the motions of the spirits; and make so many several species of motions, and pleasures or displeasures thereupon, as there be diversities of organs. The instruments of sight, hearing, taste, and smell, are of several frame, and so are the parts for generation. Therefore Scaliger doth well to make the pleasure of generation a sixth sense; and if there were any other differing organs, and qualified perforations for the spirits to pass, there would be more than the five senses: neither do we well know whether some beasts and birds have not senses that we know not and the very scent of dogs is almost a sense by itself. Secondly, the pleasures of the touch are greater and deeper than those of the other senses; as we see in warming upon cold, or refrigeration upon heat; for as the pains of the touch are greater than the offences of other senses, so likewise are the pleasures. It is true, that the affecting of the spirits immediately, and (as it were) without an organ, is of the greatest pleasure; which is but in two things; sweet smells, and wine and the like sweet vapours. For smells, we see their great and sudden effect in fetching men again when they swoon: for drink, it is certain that the pleasure of drunkenness is next the pleasure of Venus; and great joys likewise make the spirits move and touch themselves: and the pleasure of Venus is somewhat of the same kind. 695. It hath been always observed that men are more in 1 Arist. Prob. iv. 3. 3 Scaliger, Adv. Cardan. 236. 3. 2 Id. ib iv. 16. elined to Venus in the winter, and women in the summer.1 The cause is, for that the spirits, in a body more hot and dry (as the spirits of men are), by the summer are more exhaled and dissipated; and in the winter more condensed, and kept entire but in bodies that are cold and moist (as women's are), the summer doth cherish the spirits, and calleth them forth; the winter doth dull them. Furthermore, the abstinence or intermission of the use of Venus in moist and well habituate bodies, breedeth a number of diseases: and especially dangerous imposthumations. The reason is evident; for that it is a principal evacuation, especially of the spirits; for of the spirits there is scarce any evacuation, but in Venus and exercise. And therefore the omission of either of them breedeth all diseases of repletion. Experiments in consort touching the insecta. The nature of vivification is very worthy the inquiry: and as the nature of things is commonly better perceived in small than in great, and in unperfect than in perfect, and in parts than in whole; so the nature of vivification is best inquired in creatures bred of putrefaction. The contemplation whereof hath many excellent fruits. First, in disclosing the original of vivification. Secondly, in disclosing the original of figuration. Thirdly, in disclosing many things in the nature of perfect creatures, which in them lie more hidden. And fourthly, in traducing, by way of operation, some observations in the insecta, to work effects upon perfect creatures. Note, that the word insecta agreeth not with the matter, but we ever use it for brevity's sake, intending by it creatures bred of putrefaction. 696. The insecta are found to breed out of several matters: some breed of mud or dung; as the earth-worms, eels, snakes, &c. For they are both putrefactions: for water in mud doth putrefy, as not able to preserve itself: and for dung, all excrements are the refuse and putrefactions of nourishment. Some breed in wood, both growing and cut down. Quare in what woods most, and at what seasons? We see that the worms with many feet, which round themselves into balls, are bred 1 Arist. Prob. iv. 26., and Hist. An. v. 8. |