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21. But the operation will be much better, and more powerful, if such a bath as we have propounded (which we hold to be the principal matter) be attended with a fourfold course and

10. That which is most consubstantial to the | sicians and posterity will find out better things body of man is warm blood, either of man, or hereafter. of some other living creature. But the device of Ficinus, touching the sucking of blood out of the arm of a wholesome young man, for the restoration of strength, in old men, is very frivolous; for that which nourisheth from within, | order. ought no way to be equal or homogeneal to the 22. First, that there go before the bath a fricabody nourished, but in some sort inferior and sub- tion of the body, and an anointing with oil, with ordinate, that it may be converted. But in things some thickening substance, that the virtue and applied outwardly, by how much the substance moistening heat of the bath may pierce the body, is liker, by so much the consent is better. and not the watery part of the liquor; then let the 11. It hath been anciently received, that a bath | bath follow, for the space of some two hours. made of the blood of infants will cure the leprosy, and heal the flesh already putrefied; insomuch that this thing hath begot envy towards some kings from the common people.

12. It is reported that Heraclitus, for cure of the dropsy, was put into the warm belly of an ox newly slain.

13. They use the blood of kitlings warm to cure the disease called St. Anthony's Fire, and to restore the flesh and skin.

14. An arm, or other member newly cut off, or that, upon some other occasion, will not leave bleeding, is with good success put into the belly of some creatures newly ripped up, for it worketh potently to stanch the blood; the blood of the member cut off, by consent sucking in, and vehemently drawing to itself the warm blood of the creature slain, whereby itself is stopped, and retireth.

15. It is much used in extreme and desperate diseases to cut in two young pigeons yet living, and apply them to the soles of the feet, and to shift them one after another, whereby sometimes there followeth a wonderful ease. This is imputed vulgarly, as if they should draw down the malignity of the disease: but, howsoever, this application goeth to the head, and comforteth the animal spirit.

16. But these bloody baths and unctions seem to us sluttish and odious: let us search out some others, which perhaps have less loathsomeness in them, and yet no less benefit.

17. Next unto warm blood, things alike in substance to the body of a man are nutritives; fat fleshes of oxen, swine, deer, oysters amongst fishes, milk, butter, yolks of eggs, flower of wheat, sweet wine, either sugared, or before it be fined.

18. Such things as we would have mixed to make impression, are instead of all salts, espe- | cially bay-salt: also wine (when it is full of spirit) maketh entrance, and is an excellent convoy.

19. Astringents of that kind which we described, namely, unctuous and comfortable things, are saffron, mastic, myrrh, and myrtleberries.

20. Of these parts, in our judgment, may very well be made such a bath as we design: phy

After the bath, let the body be emplastered with mastick, myrrhe, tragacanth, diapalma, and saffron, that the perspiration of the body may (as much as possible) be inhibited, till the supple matter be by degrees turned into solid. This to be continued for the space of twenty-four hours, or more. Lastly, the emplastering being removed, let there be an anointing with oil mixed with salt and saffron, and let this bath, together with the emplastering and unction (as before) be renewed every fifth day. This malacissation, or supplying of the body, be continued for one whole month.

23. Also during the time of this malacissation, we hold it useful and proper, and according to our intention, that men nourish their bodies well, and keep out of the cold air, and drink nothing but warm drink.

24. Now, this is one of those things (as we warned in general in the beginning) whereof we have made no trial by experiment, but only set it down out of our aiming and leveling at the end. For having set up the mark, we deliver the light to others.

25. Neither ought the warmths and cherishing of living bodies to be nglected. Ficinus saith, and that seriously enough, That the laying of the young maid in David's bosom was wholesome for him, but it came too late. He should also have added, that the young maid, after the manner of the Persian virgins, ought to have been anointed with myrrh, and such like, not for deliciousness, but to increase the virtue of this cherishing by a living body.

26. Barbarossa, in his extreme old age, by the advice of a physician, a Jew, did continually apply young boys to his stomach and belly, for warmth and cherishing. Also some old men lay whelps (creatures of the hottest kind) close to their stomachs every night.

27. There hath gone a report, almost undoubted, and that under several names, of certain men that had great noses, who, being weary of the derision of people, have cut off the bunches or gillocks of their noses, and then making a wide gash in their arms, have held their noses in the place for a certain time, and so brought forth fair and comely noses; which, if it be true, it shows

plainly the consent of flesh and flesh, especially | purges (unless they be very immoderate) it is not

in live fleshes.

28. Touching the particular inteneration of the principal bowels, the stomach, lungs, liver, heart, brain, marrow of the backbone, guts, reins, gall, veins, arteries, nerves, cartilages, bones, the inquisition and direction would be too long, seeing we now set not forth a practice, but certain indications to the practice.

X. The Operation upon the purging away of old Juice, and supplying of new Juice; or of Renovation by Turns.

The history.

Although those things which we shall here set down have been, for the most part, spoken of before; yet because this operation is one of the principal, we will handle them over again more at large.

1. It is certain, that draught oxen, which have been worn out with working, being put into fresh and rich pastures, will gather tender and young flesh again; and this will appear even to the taste and palate; so that the inteneration of flesh is no hard matter. Now, it is likely that this inteneration of the flesh being often repeated, will in time reach to the inteneration of the bones and membranes, and like parts of the body.

2. It is certain, that diets which are now much in use, principally of guaiacum, and of sarsaparilla, china, and sassafras, if they be continued for any time, and according to strict rules, do first attenuate the whole juice of the body, and after consume it, and drink it up. Which is most manifest, because that by these diets the French pox, when it is grown even to a hardness, and hath eaten up and corrupted the very marrow of the body, may be effectually cured. And, further, because it is manifest, that men who, by these diets, are brought to be extreme lean, pale, and, as it were, ghosts, will soon after become fat, well coloured, and apparently young again. Wherefore we are absolutely of opinion, that such kind of diets in the decline of age, being used every year, would be very useful to our intention; like the old skin or spoil of serpents.

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so, seeing they work principally upon the humours. But, the best purges for this intention are those which are taken immediately before meat, because they dry the body less; and, therefore, they must be of those purges which do least trouble the belly.

These intentions of the operations which we have propounded (as we conceive) are most true, the remedies faithful to the intentions. Neither is it credible to he told (although not a few of these remedies may seem but vulgar) with what care and choice they have been examined by us, that they might be (the intention not at all impeached) both safe and effectual. Experience, no doubt, will both verify and promote these matters. And such, in all things, are the works of every prudent counsel, that they are admirable in their effects, excellent also in their order, but seeming vulgar in the way and means.

The Porches of Death.

We are now to inquire touching the porches of death, that is, touching those things which happen unto men at the point of death, both a little before and after; that seeing there are many paths which lead to death, it may be understood in what common way they all end, especially in those deaths which are caused by indigence of nature, rather than by violence; although something of this latter also must be inserted, because of the connexion of things.

The history.

1. The living spirit stands in need of three things that it may subsist; convenient motion, temperate refrigeration, and fit aliment. Flame seems to stand in need but of two of these, namely, motion and aliment, because flame is a simple substance, the spirit a compounded, insomuch that if it approach somewhat too near to a flamy nature, it overthroweth itself.

2. Also flame by a greater and stronger flame is extinguished and slain, as Aristotle well noted, much more the spirit.

3. Flame, if it be much compressed and straitened, is extinguished; as we may see in a candle 3. We do confidently affirm (neither let any having a glass cast over it, for the air being diman reckon us among those heretics which were lated by the heat doth contrude and thrust together called Cathari) that often purges, and made even | the flame, and so lesseneth it, and in the end exfamiliar to the body, are more available to long tinguisheth it; and fires on hearths will not flame, life than exercises and sweats. And this must if the fuel be thrust close together, without any needs be so, if that be held which is already laid space for the flame to break forth. for a ground, that unctions of the body, and oppletion of the passages from without, and exclusion of air, and detaining of the spirit within the mass of the body, do much conduce to long life. For it is most certain, that by sweats and outward perspirations, not only the humours and excrementitious vapours are exhaled and consumed, but together with them the juices also, and good spirits, which are not so easily repaired; but in

4. Also things fired are extinguished with compression; as if you press a burning coal hard with the tongs, or the foot, it is straight extinguished.

5. But to come to the spirit; if blood or phlegm get into the ventricles of the brain, it causeth sudden death, because the spirit hath no room to move itself.

6. Also a great blow on the head induceth sud

den death, the spirits being straitened within the ventricles of the brain.

7. Opium, and other strong stupefactives, do coagulate the spirit, and deprive it of the motion. 8. A venomous vapour, totally abhorred by the spirit, causeth sudden death; as in deadly poisons, which work (as they call it) by a special malignity; for they strike a loathing into the spirit, that the spirit will no more move itself, nor rise against a thing so much detested.

9. Also extreme drunkenness, or extreme feeding, sometimes cause sudden death, seeing the spirit is not only oppressed with over-much condensing, or the malignity of the vapour, (as in opium and malignant poisons,) but also with the abundance of the vapours.

10. Extreme grief or fear, especially if they be sudden, (as it is in a sad and unexpected message,) cause sudden death.

11. Not only over-much compression, but also over-much dilatation of the spirit, is deadly. 12. Joys excessive and sudden have bereft many of their lives.

13. In greater evacuations, as when they cut men for the dropsy, the waters flow forth abundantly, much more in great and sudden fluxes of blood, oftentimes present death followeth; and this happens by the mere flight of vacuum within the body, all the parts moving to fill the empty places; and, amongst the rest, the spirits themselves. For, as for slow fluxes of blood, this matter pertains to the indigence of nourishment, not to the diffusion of the spirits. And touching the motion of the spirit so far, either compressed or diffused, that it bringeth death, thus much.

17. Notwithstanding, use and custom prevail much in this natural action of breathing; as it is in the Delian divers and fishers for pearl, who by long use can hold their breaths at least ten times longer than other men can do.

18. Amongst living creatures, even of those that have lungs, there are some that are able to hold their breaths a long time, and others that cannot hold them so long, according as they need more or less refrigeration.

19. Fishes need less refrigeration than terrestrial creatures, yet some they need, and take it by their gills. And as terrestrial creatures cannot bear the air that is too hot, or too close, so fishes are suffocated in waters if they be totally and long frozen.

20. If the spirit be assaulted by another heat greater than itself, it is dissipated and destroyed; for it cannot bear the proper heat without refrigeration, much less can it bear another heat which is far stronger. This is to be seen in burning fevers, where the heat of the putrefied humours doth exceed the native heat, even to extinction or dissipation.

time before his death. And as touching the want of refrigeration for conserving of the spirit, thus much.

21. The want also and use of sleep is referred to refrigeration; for motion doth attenuate and rarefy the spirit, and doth sharpen and increase the heat thereof: contrarily, sleep settleth and restraineth the motion and gadding of the same; for though sleep doth strengthen and advance the actions of the parts and of the lifeless spirits, and all that motion which is to the circumference of the body, yet it doth in great part quiet and still the proper motion of the living spirit. Now, sleep is regularly due unto human nature once 14. We must come next to the want of refri- within four-and-twenty hours, and that for six, or geration. Stopping of the breath causeth sudden five hours at the least; though there are, even in death; as in all suffocation or strangling. Now, this kind, sometimes miracles of nature; as it is it seems this matter is not so much to be referred recorded of Mæcenas, that he slept not for a long to the impediment of motion as to the impediment of refrigeration; for air over-hot, though attracted freely, doth no less suffocate than if breathing were hindered; as it is in them who have been sometimes suffocated with burning coals, or with charcoal, or with walls new plastered in close chambers where a fire is made; which kind of death is reported to have been the end of the Emperor Jovinian. The like happeneth from dry baths over-heated, which was practised in the killing of Fausta, wife to Constantine the Great. 15. It is a very small time which nature taketh to repeat the breathing, and in which she desireth to expel the foggy air drawn into the lungs, and to take in new, scarce the third part of a minute. 16. Again, the beating of the pulse, and the motion of the systole and diastole of the heart, are three times quicker than that of breathing; insomuch that if it were possible that that motion of the heart could be stopped without stopping the breath, death would follow more speedily thereupon than by strangling.

22. As concerning the third indigence, namely, of aliment, it seems to pertain rather to the parts, than to the living spirit; for a man may easily believe that the living spirit subsisteth in identity, not by succession or renovation. And as for the reasonable soul in men, it is above all question, that it is not engendered of the soul of the parents, nor is repaired, nor can die. They speak of the natural spirit of living creatures, and also of vegetables, which differs from that other soul essentially and formally; for out of the confusion of these, that same transmigration of souls, and innumerable other devices of heathens and heretics have proceeded.

23. The body of man doth regularly require renovation by aliment every day, and a body in health can scarce endure fasting three days together; notwithstanding, use and custom will do much, even in this case; but in sickness fasting

is less grievous to the body. Also, sleep doth | death; destitution of the spirit in the motion, in supply somewhat to nourishment; and on the the refrigeration, in the aliment.

other side, exercise doth require it more abundantly. Likewise there have some been found who sustained themselves (almost to a miracle in nature) a very long time without meat or drink.

Touching the extinguishing of the spirit by the

diseases and violence) we inquire not now, as we foretold in the beginning, although that also endeth in the same three porches. And touching the form of death itself, thus much.

It is an error to think that the living spirit is perpetually generated and extinguished as flame is, and abideth not any notable time; for even flame itself is not thus out of its own proper nature, but because it liveth amongst enemies; for 24. Dead bodies, if they be not intercepted by flame within flame endureth. Now, the living putrefaction, will subsist a long time without any spirit liveth amongst friends, and all due obsequinotable absumption; but living bodies, not above ousness. So then, as, flame is a momentary subthree days, (as we said,) unless they be repaired | stance, air is a fixed substance, the living spirit is by nourishment; which showeth that quick ab- betwixt both. sumption to be the work of the living spirit, which either repairs itself, or puts the parts into a neces-destruction of the organs (which is caused by sity of being repaired, or both. This is testified by that also which was noted a little before, namely, that living creatures may subsist somewhat the longer without aliment, if they sleep: now, sleep is nothing else but a reception and 29. There are two great forerunners of death, retirement of the living spirit into itself. the one sent from the head, the other from the 25. An abundant and continual effluxion of heart; convulsion, and the extreme labour of the blood, which sometimes happeneth in the hæmorr-pulse: for as for the deadly hiccough, it is a kind hoids, sometimes in vomiting of blood, the in- of convulsion. But the deadly labour of the ward veins being unlocked or broken, sometimes pulse hath that unusual swiftness, because the by wounds, causeth sudden death, in regard that heart at the point of death doth so tremble, that the blood of the veins ministereth to the arteries, the systole and diastole thereof are almost conand the blood of the arteries to the spirit. founded. There is also conjoined in the pulse a weakness and lowness, and oftentimes a great intermission, because the motion of the heart faileth, and is not able to rise against the assault stoutly or constantly.

26. The quantity of meat and drink which a man, eating two meals a day, receiveth into his body, is not small; much more than he voideth again either by stool, or by urine, or by sweating. You will say, no marvel, seeing the remainder goeth into the juices and substance of the body. It is true; but consider, then, that this addition | is made twice a day, and yet the body aboundeth not much. In like manner, though the spirit be repaired, yet it grows not excessively in the quantity.

27. It doth no good to have the aliment ready, in a degree removed, but to have it of that kind, and so prepared and supplied, that the spirit may work upon it; for the staff of a torch alone will not maintain the flame, unless it be fed with wax, neither can men live upon herbs alone. And from thence comes the inconcoction of old age, that though there be flesh and blood, yet the spirit is become so penurious and thin, and the juices and blood so heartless and obstinate, that they hold no proportion to alimentation.

30. The immediate preceding signs of death are, great unquietness and tossing in the bed, fumbling with the hands, catching and grasping hard, gnashing with the teeth, speaking hollow, trembling of the nether lip, paleness of the face, the memory confused, speechless, cold sweats, the body shooting in length, lifting up the white of the eye, changing of the whole visage, (as the nose sharp, eyes hollow, cheeks fallen,) contraction and doubling of the coldness in the extreme parts of the body, in some, shedding of blood or sperm, shrieking, breathing thick and short falling of the nether chap, and such like.

31. There follow death a privation of all sense and motion, as well of the heart and arteries, as of the nerves and joints, an inability of the body to support itself upright, stiffness of the nerves and parts, extreme coldness of the whole body after a little while putrefaction and stinking.

28. Let us now cast up the accounts of the needs and indigences according to the ordinary Eels, serpents, and the insecta, will move a and usual course of nature. The spirit hath need long time in every part after they are cut asunder. of opening and moving itself in the ventricles of insomuch that country people think that the parts the brain and nerves even continually, of the mo- strive to join together again. Also birds will tion of the heart every third part of a moment, flutter a great while after their heads are pulled of breathing every moment, of sleep and nourish-off; and the hearts of living creatures will pant a ment once within three days, of the power of nourishment commonly till eighty years be past; and if any of these indigences be neglected, death ensueth. So there are plainly three porches of

long time after they are plucked out. I remember I have seen the heart of one that was bowelled, as suffering for high treason, that being cast into the fire, leaped at the first at least a foot and half

half an hour, by frications and hot baths; and the same physician did profess, that he made no doubt to recover any man that had hanged so long, so his neck were not broken with the first swing.

in height, and after, by degrees, lower and lower, | which fall into swoonings. I have heard also of for the space, as I remember, of seven or eight a physician, yet living, who recovered a man to minutes. There is also an ancient and credible | life which had hanged himself, and had hanged tradition of an ox lowing after his bowels were plucked out. But there is a more certain tradition of a man, who being under the executioner's hand for high treason, after his heart was plucked out, and in the executioner's hand, was heard to utter three or four words of prayer; which therefore we said to be more credible than that of the ox in sacrifice, because the friends of the party suffering do usually give a reward to the executioner to despatch his office with the more speed, that they may the sooner be rid of their pain; but in sacrifices, we see no cause why the priest should be so speedy in his office.

The Difference of Youth and Old Age.

To the sixteenth article.

1. The ladder of man's body is this, to be conceived, to be quickened in the womb, to be born, to suck, to be weaned, to feed upon pap, to put forth teeth the first time about the second year of age, to begin to go, to begin to speak, to put forth teeth the second time about seven years of

33. For reviving those again which fall into age, to come to puberty about twelve or fourteen sudden swoonings and catalepsies of astonish-years of age, to be able for generation, and the ments, (in which fits many, without help, would flowing of the menstrua, to have hairs about utterly expire,) these things are used, putting into the legs and arm-holes, to put forth a beard; and their mouths water distilled of wine, which they thus long, and sometimes later, to grow in stacall hot waters, and cordial waters, bending the ture, or to come to full years of strength and body forward, stopping the mouth and nostrils agility, to grow gray and bald; the menstrua hard, bending or wringing the fingers, pulling the ceasing, and ability to generation, to grow dehairs of the beard or head, rubbing of the parts, crepit, and a monster with three legs, to die. especially the face and legs, sudden casting of Meanwhile, the mind also hath certain periods, cold water upon the face, shrieking out aloud and but they cannot be described by years, as to suddenly, putting rose-water to the nostrils, with decay in the memory, and the like, of which vinegar in faintings; burning of feathers, or cloth, hereafter. in the suffocation of the mother; but especially a frying-pan heated red-hot, is good in apoplexies; also a close embracing of the body hath helped

some.

2. The differences of youth and old age are these: a young man's skin is smooth and plain, an old man's dry and wrinkled, especially about the forehead and eyes; a young man's flesh is 34. There have been many examples of men in tender and soft, an old man's hard ; a young man show dead, either laid out upon the cold floor, or hath strength and agility, an old man feels decay carried forth to burial; nay, of some buried in the in his strength, and is slow of motion; a young earth; which notwithstanding have lived again, man hath good digestion, an old man bad; a which hath been found in those that were buried young man's bowels are soft and succulent, an (the earth being afterwards opened) by the bruis-old man's salt and parched; a young man's body ing and wounding of their head, through the strug- is erect and straight, an old man's bowing and gling of the body within the coffin; whereof the crooked; a young man's limbs are steady, an old most recent and memorable example was that of man's weak and trembling; the humours in a Joannes Scotus, called the subtile, and a school-young man are choleric, and his blood inclined man, who being digged up again by his servant, to heat, in an old man phlegmatic and melancho(unfortunately absent at his burial, and who knew his master's manner in such fits,) was found in that state: and the like happened in our days in the person of a player, buried at Cambridge. I remember to have heard of a certain gentleman that would needs make trial, in curiosity, what men did feel that were hanged; so he fastened the cord about his neck, raising himself upon a stool, and then letting himself fall, thinking it should be in his power to recover the stool at his pleasure, which he failed in, but was helped by a friend then present. He was asked afterward what he felt; he said he felt no pain, but first he thought he saw before his eyes a great fire, and burning; then he thought he saw all black, and dark; lastly, it turned to a pale blue, or sea-water green; which colour is also often seen by them

lic, and his blood inclined to coldness; a young man ready for the act of Venus, an old man slow unto it; in a young man the juices of his body are more roscid, in an old man more crude and waterish; the spirit in a young man plentiful and boiling, in an old man scarce and jejune; a young man's spirit is dense and vigorous, an old man's eager and rare; a young man his senses quick and entire, an old man dull and decayed; a young man's teeth are strong and entire, an old man's weak, worn, and fallen out; a young man's hair is coloured, an old man's (of what colour soever it were) gray; a young man hath hair, an old man baldness; a young man's pulse is stronger and quicker, an old man's more confused and slower; the diseases of young men are more acute and curable, of old men longer, and hard

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