Chap. 12 Of the Necessity of Preparing the Body Before the Use of This Water
It is not in most things the bare and naked knowledge or contemplation of them, that makes them profitable to us; but rather their right use, and oppertune and fit administration. Medicines are not said to be Deorum manus, that is, the hands of the Gods, (as Herophilus calleth them) or Deorum dona; that is, the gifts of the Gods (as Hippocrates beleeved) till they be fitly applyed and seasonably administered by the counsell and advice of the learned and skilfull Physitian, according to the true rules, and method of Art.
Temporibus medicina valet, data tempore prosunt,
Et data non apto tempore vina nocent.
That is,
Medicines availe in their due times,
And profit is got by drinking wines
In timely sort; but in all reason
They doe offend, drunke out of season.
Therefore to know th’ originall mineralls, faculties, and vertues of this worthy acide fountaine, will bee to no end, or to small purpose for them, who understand not the right and true use, nor the fit and orderly administration of it. For not only Physicke or medicines, but also meats, and drinks taken disorderly, out of due time and without measure, bringeth oftentimes detriment to the partie; who otherwise might receive comfort and strength thereby: So likewise this water, if it be not drunke at a convenient time and season, in due fashion and proportion, yea, and that after preparatives and requisite purging and evacuation of the body, may easily hurt those, whose infirmities otherwise it doth principally respect. For medicines ought not to be taken rashly, and unadvisably, as most doe hand over head without any consideration of time, place, and other circumstances; as that ignorant man did, who getting the recipt of that medicine, wherewith formerly he had been cured, made triall of it againe long after for the same infirmity without any helpe or good at all, whereat greatly marvailing, received this answer fro his Physitian: I confesse (said hee) it was the selfe same medicine, but because I did not give it, therefore it did you no good.
To the end therefore, that no occasion may hereafter be either given, or taken by the misgovernment, or overrashnesse of any in using it to calumniate and traduce the worth, and goodnesse of this fountaine, I will briefly here shew, what course is chiefly to be followed and observed by those who shall stand in need of it.
First then, because very few men are thoroughly and sufficiently informed concerning the natures, and causes of their grievances, it will be necessary that every one shold apply himselfe to some one, or other, who either out of his judgement, or experience, or both, may truely be able to give him counsell and good advice concerning the conveniency of this fountaine. And if he shall be avised to use it, then let the party (in the feare of God) addresse himselfe for his way to it, against the fit season of it, without making any long and tedious daies journeys, which cause lassitude, and wearinesse.
Then, being come to the place, he ought after a dayes rest, or two, to have his body wel prepared, & gently clensed with easie lenitives, or purgatives, both fit, and appropriate, as well to the habite and constitution thereof, as also for the disease it selfe, and as occasion shall require, according to the rule of method, which teacheth that universal or generall remedies ought ever to precede and goe before particulars. Now what these are in speciall, to fit every ones case in particular, it is impossible for me here, or any else to define precisely. Ars non versatur circa individua. We may see it true in mechanicall trades. No one shoemaker can fit all by one Last; nor any one taylor can suite all by one, and the selfe same measure.
Yet in regard it may perhaps bee expected that something should be said herein, I say, that in the beginning (if occasion serve) some easie Clyster may very fitly bee given, as well for emptying the lower intestines from their usuall excrements, as for carying away and clensing the mucose slimes contained therein. After that, it will be convenient to prepare the body by some Julep or Apozeme, or to give some lenitive medicine to free the first region of the body from excrements. For otherwise the water might peradventure convey some part of them, or other pecca̅t matter, which it findeth in his passage either into the bladder, or to some other weake, and infirme member of the body, to the increase of that evill disposition which is to be removed, or else to the breeding of some other new infirmity.
Object. Some perhaps will here object and say, that the time of the yeere, in which this fountaine will be found to bee most usefull, will be the hottest season thereof; or (if you like to call it) the dog-daies, when it will be no fit time to purge at all.
Answ. 1. To this I answer and say: First, the purging medicines here required are not strong, and generous but gentle, mild and weake, such as are styled Benedicta medicamenta: which may with great safetie and profit bee given either then or at any other time of the yeere without any danger, or respect of any such like circumstance at all.
2. Secondly I answer; Although this observation of the dog-dayes might perhaps be of some moment in hotter countries, as Greece, where Hippocrates lived, who first made mention of those dales: Yet in colder climates, as England, and such like Countries, they are of little or small force at all, and almost not to be regarded any whit, either in using mild & temperate purgatives, or almost in any other; or in blood-letting: though very many, or most doe erroniously say and thinke the contrary. So that (if there be cause) they may as well and safely then purge, as at any other time: Or, if occasion shall urge, as in plethoricall bodies, and many other cases, a veine may safely (or rather most commodiously) be then opened and so much blood taken away, as the skilfull Physitian shall thinke in his discretion and wisdome to be needfull and requisite.
Let no man here think, that this is any strange position, or a new paradoxe (for the learned know the contrary) or that I am studious of innovation, but rather desirous to roote out an old and inveterate errour, which in all probabilitie hath cost moe Englishmens lives, then would furnish a royall army, in neglecting those two greater helpes or remedies, to wit, Purging, and Blood-letting in hot seasons of the yeare: which in all likelihood might have saved many of their lives, while expecting more temperate weather, they have beene summoned in the meane time, or interim by the messenger of pale death to appeare in an other world.
Wherefore let all those who are yet living, bee admonished hereafter by their examples, not obstinately and wilfully to eschue and shunne these two remedies in hot seasons, and in the time of the Dog-dayes, (much lesse all other manner of physicall helpes) not once knowing so much as why, or wherefore, and without any reason at all, following blind and superstitious tradition, and error, haply first broched by some unworthy and ignorant Physitian, not rightly understanding Hippocrates his saving in all likelyhood, or at least wise misapplying it. Which hath so prevailed in these times, that it hath not onely worne out the use of purging, but also of all other physicke for that season, because most people by the name of physicke understanding purging onely, and nothing else. As though the art and science of Physicke was nothing else, but to give a potion or purge. Then we rightly and truly might say, Filia devor avit matrem.
But for as much as most people are altogether ignorant of the true ground or reason, from whence this so dangerous an error concerning the Dog-dayes did first spring and arise, give me leave a little to goe on with this my digression, for their better instruction, and satisfaction: and I will briefly, and in a few lines shew the case, and the mistake somewhat more plainly.
Hippocrates in his fourth booke of Aphorismes, the fift, hath these words: Sub canicula, & ante caniculam difficiles sunt purgationes. That is, under the canicular, or dog-star, and before the dog-star, purgations are painfull and difficill. This is all that is there said of them, or brought against them for that season, or time of the yeare. A great stumbling-blocke against which many have dashed their feet, and knockt their shinnes, and a fearfull scar-crow, whereat too many have nicely boggled. Here you doe not find or see purging medicines to bee then prohibited, or forbidden to be given at all (much lesse all other physicke) but onely said to be difficill in their working: partly because (as all expositors agree) nature is then somewhat enfeebled by the great heat of the weather; partly because the humours being then, as it were, accended are more chaffed by the heat of the purging medicines; partly, and lastly, because two contrary motions seeme then to be at one and the same time, which may offend nature; as the great heat of the weather leading the humours of the body outwardly to the circumference thereof, and the medicine drawing them inwardly to the center. All which circumstances in our cold region are little, or nothing at all (as formerly hath beene mentioned) to be regarded. For as Jacobus Hollerius, a French Physitian, much honoured for his great learning and judgement, hath very well observed in his Comment upon this Aphorisme; Hippocrates speaketh here onely of those purging medicines, which are strong, and vehement, or hot and fiery; and that this precept is to take place in most hot Regions, but not in these cold Countries, as France, England, and the like.
Over and beside all this, those churlish hot purging medicines, which were then in frequent use in Hippocrates his time, and some hundred of yeares after, are now for most part obsolete, and quite growne out of use, seldom brought in practice by Physitians in these dayes; because we have within these last six hundred yeares great choice and variety of more mild, benigne, and gentle purgatives found out by the Arabian Physitians, which were altogether unknowne unto the ancients, to wit, Hippocrates, Dioscorides, Galen, &c. which have little heat, and acrimony, many whereof are temperate, and divers cooling, which may most safely be given either in the hottest times and seasons of the yeare, or in the hottest diseases. Let us adde to these the like familiar and gentle purging medicines more lately, yea, almost daily newly found out since the better discoveries of the East and West Indies. So that henceforth let no man feare to take either easie purgatives, or other inward Physicke, in the time of the canicular, or dog-dayes.
The same Hollerius goeth on in the exposition and interpretation of the said Aphorisme, and confidently saith: Over & besides that we have benigne medicines which we may then use, as Cassia, &c. Wee know and finde by experience no time here with us more wholsome and more temperat (especially when the Etesian, or Easterly, winds do blow) then the Canicular dayes: so that, wee finde by observation, that those diseases which are bred in the moneths of June and July, doe end in August, and in the Canicular dayes. Wherefore, if a disease happen in those dayes, we feare not to open a veyne divers times, and often, as also to prescribe more strong purging medicines.
Wherefore away henceforth with the scrupulous conceit, and too nice feare of the Dogge-dayes, and let their supposed danger be had no more in remembrance among us. And if any will yet remaine obstinate, and still refuse to have their beames pulled out of their eyes, let them still be blinde in the middest of the cleare Sun-shine, and groape on after darkness; and let all learned Physitians rather pitty their follies, then envy their wits.