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hard to repair: though that division of spermati- | hath been said. Ordinary keepers of the sick of cal and menstrual parts be but a conceit. And the plague are seldom infected. Enduring of this same observation also may be drawn to the present purpose of nourishing emaciated bodies: and therefore gentle frication draweth forth the nourishment, by making the parts a little hungry, and heating them; whereby they call forth nourishment the better. This frication I wish to be done in the morning. It is also best done by the hand, or a piece of scarlet wool, wet a little with the oil of almonds, mingled with a small quantity of bay-salt, or saffron: we see that the very currying of horses doth make them fat, and in good liking.

tortures, by custom, hath been made more easy: the brooking of enormous quantity of meats, and so of wine or strong drink, hath been, by custom, made to be without surfeit or drunkenness. And generally, diseases that are chronical, as coughs, phthisics, some kinds of palsies, lunacies, &c. are most dangerous at the first: therefore a wise physician will consider whether a disease be incurable; or whether the just cure of it be not full of peril; and if he find it to be such, let him resort to palliation; and alleviate the symptom, without busying himself too much with the perfect cure: and many times, if the patient be indeed patient, that course will exceed all expectation. Likewise the patient himself may strive, by little and little, to overcome the symptom in the acerbation, and so, by time, turn suffering into nature.

Experiment solitary touching cure by excess.

62. Divers diseases, especially chronical, such as quartan agues, are sometimes cured by surfeit and excesses: as excess of meat, excess of drink, extraordinary stirring or lassitude, and the like. The cause is, for that diseases of continuance get an adventitious strength from custom, besides their material cause from the humours; so that the breaking of the custom doth leave them only to their first cause; which if it be any thing weak will fall off. Besides, such excesses do excite and spur nature, which thereupon rises more forcibly against the disease.

Experiment solitary touching cure by motion of

consent.

59. The fifth means is, to further the very act of assimilation of nourishment; which is done by some outward emolliments, that make the parts more apt to assimilate. For which I have compounded an ointment of excellent odour, which I call Roman ointment; vide the receipt. The use of it would be between sleeps; for in the latter sleep the parts assimilate chiefly. Experiment solitary touching" Filum medicinale." 60. There be many medicines, which by themselves would do no cure, but perhaps hurt; but being applied in a certain order, one after another, do great cures. I have tried, myself, a remedy for the gout, which hath seldom failed, but driven it away in twenty-four hours space: it is first to apply a poultis, of which vide the receipt, and then a bath, or fomentation, of which vide the receipt; and then a plaister, vide the receipt. The poultis relaxeth the pores, and maketh the humour apt to exhale. The fomentation calleth forth the humour by vapours; but yet in regard of the way made by the poultis, draweth gently; and therefore 63. There is in the body of man a great consent draweth the humour out, and doth not draw more in the motion of the several parts. We see, it is to it; for it is a gentle fomentation, and hath children's sport, to prove whether they can rub withal a mixture, though very little, of some upon their breast with one hand, and pat upon stupefactive. The plaister is a moderate astrin- their forehead with another; and straightways gent plaister, which repelleth new humour from they shall sometimes rub with both hands, or pat falling. The poultis alone would make the part with both hands. We see, that when the spirits more soft and weak, and apter to take the deflux- that come to the nostrils expel a bad scent, the ion and impression of the humour. The fomen- stomach is ready to expel by vomit. We find tation alone, if it were too weak, without way that in consumptions of the lungs, when nature made by the poultis, would draw forth little; if cannot expel by cough, men fall into fluxes of the too strong, it would draw to the part, as well as belly, and then they die. So in pestilent diseases, draw from it. The plaister alone would pen the if they cannot be expelled by sweat, they fall humour already contained in the part, and so ex- likewise into looseness; and that is commonly asperate it, as well as forbid new humour. There- mortal. Therefore physicians should ingeniously fore they must be all taken in order, as is said. | The poultis is to be laid to for two or three hours: the fomentation for a quarter of an hour, or somewhat better, being used hot, and seven or eight times repeated: the plaister to continue on still,

till the part be well confirmed.

Experiment solitary touching cure by custom. 61. There is a secret way of cure, unpractised, by assuetude of that which in itself hurteth. Poisons have been made, by some, familiar, as VOL. II.-3

contrive, how, by emotions that are in their power, they may excite inward motions that are not in their power: as by the stench of feathers, or the like, they cure the rising of the mother. Experiment solitary touching cure of diseases which

are contrary to predisposition. 64. Hippocrates's aphorism, "in morbis minus," is a good profound aphorism. It importeth, that diseases, contrary to the complexion, age, sex, season of the year, diet, &c. are more dangerous than

B2

those that are concurrent. A man would think | into sharp vinegar, hath made a
it should be otherwise; for that, when the acci- the spirits, and stanched blood.
dent of sickness, and the natural disposition, do
second the one the other, the disease should be
more forcible and so, no doubt, it is, if you
suppose like quantity of matter. But that which
maketh good the aphorism is, because such dis-
eases do show a greater collection of matter, by
that they are able to overcome those natural in-
clinations to the contrary. And therefore in dis-
eases of that kind, let the physician apply himself
more to purgation than to alteration; because the
offence is in the quantity; and the qualities are
rectified of themselves.

sudden recess of

Thirdly, by the recess of the blood by sympathy. So it hath been tried, that the part that bleedeth, being thrust into the body of a capon or sheep, new ript and bleeding, hath stanched blood, as it seemeth, sucking and drawing up, by similitude of substance, the blood it meeteth with, and so itself going back. Fourthly, by custom and time; so the Prince of Orange, in his first hurt by the Spanish boy, could find no means to stanch the blood either by medicine or ligament: but was fain to have the orifice of the wound stopped by mens' thumbs, succeeding one another, for the space at the least of two days; and at the last the blood by custom only retired. There is a fifth way also in use, to let blood in an adverse part, for a revulsion.

Experiment solitary touching change of aliments

and medicines.

Experiment solitary touching preparations before purging, and settling of the body afterwards. 65. Physicians do wisely prescribe, that there be preparatives used before just purgations; for certain it is, that purgers do many times great hurt, if the body be not accommodated, both 67. It helpeth, both in medicine and aliment, before and after the purging. The hurt that they to change and not to continue the same medicine do, for want of preparation before purging, is by and aliment still. The cause is, for that nature, the sticking of the humours, and their not coming by continual use of any thing, groweth to a safair away, which causeth in the body great pertur- tiety and dullness, either of appetite or working. bations and ill accidents during the purging; And we see that assuetude of things hurtful doth and also the diminishing and dulling of the work- make them lose their force to hurt; as poison, ing of the medicine itself, that it purgeth not which with use some have brought themselves to sufficiently therefore the work of preparation is brook. And therefore it is no marvel, though double; to make the humours fluid and mature, things helpful by custom lose their force to help: and to make the passages more open: for both | I count intermission almost the same thing with those help to make the humours pass readily. change; for that that hath been intermitted is And for the former of these, syrups are most after a sort new. profitable: and for the latter, apozemes, or preparing broths; clysters also help, lest the medicine stop in the guts, and work gripingly. But it is true, that bodies abounding with humours, and fat bodies, and open weather, are preparatives in themselves; because they make the humours more fluid. But let a physician beware, how he purge after hard frosty weather, and in a lean body, without preparation. For the hurt that they may do after purging, it is caused by the lodging of some humours in ill places: for it is certain, that there be humours, which somewhere placed in the body are quiet, and do little hurt; in other places, especially passages, do much mischief. Therefore it is good, after purging, to use apozemes and broths, not so much opening as those used before purging; but abstersive and mundifying clysters also are good to conclude with, to draw away the relics of the humours, that may have descended to the lower region of the body.

Experiment solitary touching stanching of blood. 66. Blood is stanched divers ways. First, by astringents, and repercussive medicines. Secondly, by drawing of the spirits and blood inwards, which is done by cold, as iron or a stone laid to the neck doth stanch the bleeding of the nose; a.so it hath been tried, that the testicles being put

Experiment solitary touching diets.

68. It is found by experience, that in diets of guaiacum, sarza, and the like, especially if they be strict, the patient is more troubled in the beginning than after continuance; which hath made some of the more delicate sort of patients give them over in the midst; supposing that if those diets trouble them so much at first, they shall not be able to endure them to the end. But the cause is, for that all those diets do dry up humours, rheums, and the like; and they cannot dry up until they have first attenuated; and while the humour is attenuated, it is more fluid than it was before, and troubleth the body a great deal more, until it be dried up and consumed. And therefore patients must expect a due time, and not kick at them at the first.

Experiments in consort touching the production of

cold.

The producing of cold is a thing very worthy the inquisition; both for use and disclosure of causes. For heat and cold are nature's two hands, whereby she chiefly worketh; and heat we have in readiness, in respect of the fire; but for cold we must stay till it cometh, or seek it in deep caves, or high mountains: and when all is done,

we cannot obtain it in any great degree: for furnaces of fire are far hotter than a summer's sun; but vaults or hills are not much colder than a winter's frost.

69. The first means of producing cold, is that which nature presenteth us withal: namely, the expiring of cold out of the inward parts of the earth in winter, when the sun hath no power to overcome it; the earth being, as hath been noted by some, “primum frigidum." This hath been asserted, as well by ancient as by modern philosophers: it was the tenet of Parmenides. It was the opinion of the author of the discourse in Plutarch, for I take it that book was not Plutarch's "De primo frigido." It was the opinion of Telesius, who hath renewed the philosophy of Parmenides, and is the best of the novelists.

own,

70. The second cause of cold is the contact of cold bodies; for cold is active and transitive into bodies adjacent, as well as heat: which is seen in those things that are touched with snow or cold water. And therefore, whosoever will be an inquirer into nature, let him resort to a conservatory of snow and ice, such as they use for delicacy to cool wine in summer; which is a poor and contemptible use, in respect of other uses, that may be made of such conservatories.

71. The third cause is the primary nature of all tangible bodies: for it is well to be noted, that all things whatsoever, tangible, are of themselves cold; except they have an accessary heat by fire, life, or motion: for even the spirit of wine, or chemical oils, which are so hot in operation, are to the first touch cold; and air itself compressed, and condensed a little by blowing, is cold.

72. The fourth cause is the density of the body; for all dense bodies are colder than most other bodies, as metals, stone, glass, and they are longer in heating than softer bodies. And it is certain, that earth, dense, tangible, hold all of the nature of cold. The cause is, for that all matters tangible being cold, it must needs follow, that where the matter is most congregate, the cold is the greater.

driving away of spirits such as have some degree of heat: for the banishing of the heat must needs leave any body cold. This we see in the operation of opium and stupefactives upon the spirits of living creatures: and it were not amiss to try opium, by laying it upon the top of a weatherglass, to see whether it will contract the air; but I doubt it will not succeed; for besides that the virtue of opium will hardly penetrate through such a body as glass, I conceive that opium, and the like, make the spirits fly rather by malignity, than by cold.

75. Seventhly, the same effect must follow upon the exhaling or drawing out of the warm spirits, that doth upon the flight of the spirits. There is an opinion that the moon is magnetical of heat, as the sun is of cold and moisture: it were not amiss therefore to try it, with warm waters; the one exposed to the beams of the moon, the other with some screen betwixt the beams of the moon and the water, as we use to the sun for shade: and to see whether the former will cool sooner. And it were also good to inquire, what other means there may be to draw forth the exile heat which is in the air; for that may be a secret of great power to produce cold weather.

Experiments in consort, touching the version and transmutation of air into water.

We have formerly set down the means of turn. ing air into water, in the experiment 27. But because it is "magnale naturæ," and tendeth to the subduing of a very great effect, and is also of manifold use, we will add some instances in consort that give light thereunto.

76. It is reported by some of the ancients, that sailors have used, every night, to hang fleeces of wool on the sides of their ships, the wool towards the water; and that they have crushed fresh water out of them, in the morning for their use. And thus much we have tried, that a quantity of wool tied loose together, being let down into a deep well, and hanging in the middle, some three fathom from the water, for a night, in the winter time; increased in weight, as I now remember, to a fifth part.

73. The fifth cause of cold, or rather of increase and vehemency of cold, is a quick spirit enclosed in a cold body: as will appear to any that shall attentively consider of nature in many instances. 77. It is reported by one of the ancients, that We see nitre, which hath a quick spirit, is cold; in Lydia, near Pergamus, there were certain more cold to the tongue than a stone; so water workmen in time of wars fled into caves; and is colder than oil, because it hath a quicker spirit: the mouth of the caves being stopped by the for all oil, though it hath the tangible parts bet- enemies, they were famished. But long time ter digested than water, yet hath it a duller spirit: after the dead bones were found; and some so snow is colder than water, because it hath vessels which they had carried with them; and more spirit within it: so we see that salt put to the vessels full of water; and that water thicker, ice, as in the producing of artificial ice, increaseth and more towards ice, than common water: which the activity of cold: so some "insecta," which is a notable instance of condensation and indurahave spirit of life, as snakes and silk-worms, are tion by burial under earth, in caves, for long time: to the touch cold: so quicksilver is the coldest and of version also, as it should seem, of air into of metals, because it is fullest of spirit. water; if any of those vessels were empty. Try 74. The sixth cause of cold is the chasing and therefore a small bladder hung in snow,

and the

like in nitre, and the like in quicksilver: and if | the vapour, and so turneth it back, and thickeneth you find the bladders fallen or shrunk, you may be sure the air is condensed by the cold of those bodies, as it would be in a cave under earth.

78. It is reported of very good credit, that in the East Indies, if you set a tub of water open in a room where cloves are kept, it will be drawn dry in twenty-four hours; though it stand at some distance from the cloves. In the country, they use many times in deceit, when their wool is new shorn, to set some pails of water by in the same room, to increase the weight of the wool. But it may be, that the heat of the wool, remaining from the body of the sheep, or the heat gathered by the lying close of the wool, helpeth to draw the watery vapour: but that is nothing to the version. 79. It is reported also credibly, that wool new shorn, being laid casually upon a vessel of verjuice, after some time, had drunk up a great part of the verjuice, though the vessel were whole without any flaw, and had not the bung-hole open. In this instance, there is upon the by, to be noted, the percolation or suing of the verjuice through the wood; for verjuice of itself would never have passed through the wood: so as, it seemeth, it must be first in a kind of vapour before it pass.

80. It is especially to be noted, that the cause that doth facilitate the version of air into water, when the air is not in gross, but subtilly mingled with tangible bodies, is, as hath been partly touched before, for that tangible bodies have an antipathy with air; and if they find any liquid body that is more dense near them, they will draw it: and after they have drawn it, they will condense it more, and in effect incorporate it; for we see that a sponge, or wool, or sugar, or a woollen cloth, being put but in part in water or wine, will draw the liquor higher, and beyond the place where the water or wine cometh. We see also, that wood, lute strings, and the like, do swell in moist seasons; as appeareth by the breaking of the strings, the hard turning of the pegs, and the hard drawing forth of boxes, and opening of wainscot doors: which is a kind of infusion and is much like to an infusion in water, which will make wood to swell; as we see in the filling of the chops of bowls, by laying them in water. But for that part of these experiments which concerneth attraction, we will reserve it to the proper title of attraction.

it into dew. We see also, that breathing upon a glass, or smooth body, giveth a dew; and in frosty mornings, such as we call rime frosts, you shall find drops of dew upon the inside of glass windows; and the frost itself upon the ground is but a version or condensation of the moist vapours of the night, into a watery substance: dews likewise, and rain, are but the returns of moist vapours condensed; the dew, by the cold only of the sun's departure, which is the gentler cold; rains, by the cold of that which they call the middle region of the air; which is the more violent cold.

82. It is very probable, as hath been touched, that that which will turn water into ice, will likewise turn air some degree nearer unto water. Therefore try the experiment of the artificial turning water into ice, whereof we shall speak in another place, with air in place of water, and the ice about it. And although it be a greater alteration to turn air into water, than water into ice; yet there is this hope, that by continuing the air longer time, the effect will follow: for that artificial conversion of water into ice is the work of a few hours; and this of air may be tried by a month's space or the like.

Experiments in consort touching induration of

bodies.

Induration, or lapidification of substances more soft, is likewise another degree of condensation; and is a great alteration in nature. The effecting and accelerating thereof is very worthy to be inquired. It is effected by three means. The first is by cold; whose property is to condense and constipate, as hath been said. The second is by heat; which is not proper but by conse quence; for the heat doth attenuate; and by attenuation doth send forth the spirit and moister part of a body; and upon that, the more gross of the tangible parts do contract and sear themselves together; both to avoid "vacuum," as they call it, and also to munite themselves against the force of the fire, which they have suffered. And the third is by assimilation; when a hard body assimilateth a soft, being contiguous to it.

The examples of induration, taking them promiscuously, are many: as the generation of stones within the earth, which at the first are but rude earth or clay and so of minerals, which come, 81. There is also a version of air into water no doubt, at first of juices concrete, which afterseen in the sweating of marbles and other stones; wards indurate: and so of porcelain, which is an and of wainscot before, and in moist weather. artificial cement, buried in the earth a long time; This must be, either by some moisture the body and so the making of brick and tile: also the yieldeth, or else by the moist air thickened against making of glass of a certain sand and brakethe hard body. But it is plain, that it is the roots, and some other matters; also the exuda latter; for that we see wood painted with oil- tions of rock-diamonds and crystal, which harden colour. will sooner gather drops in a moist night, with time; also the induration of bead-amber, than wood alone, which is caused by the smooth-which at first is a soft substance; as appeareth uess and closeness, which letteth in no part of by the flies and spiders which are found in it,

and many more: but we will speak of them enter, then long seething will rather soften than distinctly. indurate them; as hath been tried in eggs, &c. therefore softer bodies must be put into bottles hung into water seething with the mouths open above the water, that no water may get in; for by this means the virtual heat of the water will enter; and such a heat, as will not make the body adust or fragile; but the substance of the water will be shut out. This experiment we made; and it sorted thus. It was tried with a piece of freestone, and with pewter, put into the water at large. The freestone we found received in some water; for it was softer and easier to scrape than a piece of the same stone kept dry. But the pewter, into which no water could enter, became more white, and like to silver, and less flexible by much. There were also put into an earthen bottle, placed as before, a good pellet of clay, a piece of cheese, a piece of

83. For indurations by cold, there be few trials of it; for we have no strong or intense cold here on the surface of the earth, so near the beams of the sun, and the heavens. The likeliest trial is by snow and ice; for as snow and ice, especially being holpen and their cold activated by nitre or salt, will turn water into ice, and that in a few hours; so it may be, it will turn wood or stiff clay into stone, in longer time. Put therefore into a conserving pit of snow and ice, adding some quantity of salt and nitre, a piece of wood, or a piece of tough clay, and let it lie a month or more. 84. Another trial is by metalline waters, which have virtual cold in them. Put therefore wood or clay into smith's water, or other metalline water, and try whether it will not harden in some reasonable time. But I understand it of metalline | chalk, and a piece of freestone. The clay came waters that come by washing or quenching; and not of strong waters that come by dissolution; for they are too corrosive to consolidate.

85. It is already found that there are some natural spring waters, that will inlapidate wood; so that you shall see one piece of wood, whereof the part above the water shall continue wood; and the part under water shall be turned into a kind of gravelly stone. It is likely those waters are of some metalline mixture; but there would be more particular inquiry made of them. It is certain, that an egg was found, having lain many years in the bottom of a moat, where the earth had somewhat overgrown it; and this egg was come to the hardness of a stone, and had the colours of the white and yolk perfect, and the shell shining in small grains like sugar or alabaster.

forth almost of the hardness of stone; the cheese likewise very hard, and not well to be cut; the chalk and the freestone much harder than they were. The colour of the clay inclined not a whit to the colour of brick, but rather to white, as in ordinary drying by the sun. Note, that all the former trials were made by a boiling upon a good hot fire, renewing the water as it consumed, with other hot water; but the boiling was but for twelve hours only; and it is like that the experiment would have been effectual, if the boiling had been for two or three days, as we prescribed before.

89. As touching assimilation, for this is a degree of assimilation, even in inanimate bodies we see examples of it in some stones in clay-grounds, lying near to the top of the earth, where pebble 86. Another experience there is of induration is; in which you may manifestly see divers peb by cold, which is already found; which is, that bles gathered together, and crust of cement of metals themselves are hardened by often heating stone between them, as hard as the pebbles themand quenching in cold water; for cold ever work-selves; and it were good to make a trial of pureth most potently upon heat precedent.

ance of time, it will not be harder than other clay of the same lump, in which no pebbles are set. We see also in ruins of old walls, especially towards the bottom, the mortar will become as hard as the brick; we see also, that the wood on the sides of vessels of wine, gathereth a crust of tartar, harder than the wood itself; and scales likewise grow to the teeth, harder than the teeth themselves.

pose, by taking clay, and putting in it divers peb87. For induration by heat, it must be consi- ble stones, thick set, to see whether in continudered, that heat, by the exhaling of the moister | parts, doth either harden the body, as in bricks, tiles, &c., or if the heat be more fierce, maketh the grosser part itself run and melt; as in the making of ordinary glass; and in the vitrification of earth, as we see in the inner parts of furnaces, and in the vitrification of brick, and of metals. And in the former of these, which is the hardening by baking without melting, the heat hath these degrees; first, it indurateth, and then maketh fragile; and lastly it doth incinerate and calcinate. 88. But if you desire to make an induration with toughness, and less fragility, a middle way would be taken, which is that which Aristotle hath well noted; but would be thoroughly verified. It is to decoct bodies in water for two or three days; but they must be such bodies into which the water will not enter; as stone and metal; for if they be bodies into which the water will

90. Most of all, induration by assimilation appeareth in the bodies of trees and living creatures: for no nourishment that the tree receiveth, or that the living creature receiveth, is so hard as wood, bone, or horn, &c. but is indurated after by assimilation.

Experiment solitary touching the version of water

into air.

91. The eye of the understanding is like the eye of the sense: for as you may see great ob

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