Part 6

This function in all these kindes is diminished, depraued, or cleane abolished, but especially in this disease of the mother, we do obserue the offence which is done to the feeling facultie, when the parts are benummed or do not feele at all, or when they feele paine and offence, or when they feele things falsely and otherwise then they are.

Iuxta receptam a medicis sententiam dolorem hic insero licet videatur potius ad simpls̃ ces corporis affectus referendus.

Concerning hearing, although Hyppoc. Rhasis and diuers others doe obserue that sometimes it is hindred: yet it seemes to be in the former kinde where the internall facultie doe suffer. For Mercatus puts it as a difference from the falling sicknes, that in this suffocation of the matrix they doe commonly heare. The priuation of the other sences of seeing, tasting, smelling and feeling, are verie ordinarie in this disease, as you may obserue in the Histories following, and in these quotations.

Hyp: morb. muliebr. lib. 0. caligo ante oculos obuersatur et vertigo, oculi non acute vidẽt nilhil olfaciunt vocata non audit Rhasis 22. cont. in hac passione non audit quando datur in auribus eius vox terribilis. Ægineta loco citato. Instrumentorum sensus apprehensio &c. Auicen narrat plurimum eius quod fuit in ea nisi sit maxima et immoderata AEtius sensus et motus intercipiuntur. Gal. immobiles sine sensu sacẽt Horatius Angenius Epist. 6, Gal. de motu musc. lib. 2 cap. 6. et 8.

The third function is that which giues motion to the whole bodie. This motion serueth either for a voluntary vse onely, or for a naturall vse also. The motions for the voluntary vse are the free motions of the externall members of our bodies: as to bowe the whole bodie and the head by meanes of the backe, to apprehend with the hand, to stand and goe with the feete and legges, to chewe with the iawes, to open & shut the lips & eyelids, to moue the eies, &c. This functiõ is diminished in that affect which we cal lassitudo, werines or vnweldines, wherein we are not able to move so strongly and nimbly as we should.

It is abolished, either by a resolution or palsie where the sound part drawes the sickly part, that is the part resolued, & depending draws the muscles & nerues &c. or by a Spasmus or contractiõ of them where the sick part drawes the sound part, that is, the muscle which is affected, drawes the member which is wel.

Contractio. platerus. Gal. de causis morborũ lib. 2. cap. 7. et loc. affect. li. 34.

A resolution or palsie is either generall of both sides of the bodie exempting the head, or of one side called Hæmiplegia, or yet more particular of the hand, legge, finger, &c. called parapligia.

Petrus Salius pag. 401. tanquam leuis Apoplexiæ Fern. de part. morbis & sympt. li. 5. cap. 3.

Gal. prorhet com. 2. 50. et com. 3. 26. de victus rat. tom. 4. 27. de morb. vulg. com. 2. 56 Gybbus. Trismos. Tortura oris. Strabismus. Spasmus Cynicus.

A Contraction or Spasmus is also of like sortes, sometimes the bodie is held vpright and cannot be bowed any way in that affect which is called Tetanos, sometimes it is bowed forwardes Emprostotonos sometimes backward Opistotonos, somtimes the back is crookt in some part of it, as in Gibbo, sometimes the iawes, lips, face, eyelids, &c. are contracted, wherby they make many strange faces and mouthes sometimes as though they laughed or wept, sometimes holding their mouthes open or awry, their eyes staring, &c. Sometimes the handes, armes, legges, fingers, toes, &c. are contracted, sometimes particular muscles in the sides, backe, armes, legs, &c. one or more at once, as in crampes.

It is depraued where the motions are immoderate, peruerse, inordinate, or indecẽt, as when they are vnquiet, & cannot abstaine frõ motions and gestures, casting their armes and legges to and fro, vp and downe, dauncing, capring, vawting, fencing, and in diuerse maners forming their motions. Also in Convulsions of the members, where they are shaken and pulled by inordinate motions, as wee see in the falling sicknesse. Also in trembling, palpitation, rigor where the teeth do chatter, horror where the haire standes vpright, stretching, yawning, gasping twinckling of the eyes, &c. These impediments and deprauations of motion are dayly obserued in vterne affects: as may appeare by these testimonies. Hyppocrat. de morbi muliebr. lib. 1. Albas oculorum partes subuertit, dentibus frendet, & similis fit his qui herculeo morbo detinentur. Item fit cõuulsio fortis articulorum corporis, claudam facit aut impotentem præ rigore, alias atque alias seipsam iactabit. Horror. Erectæ ceruicis spiratio ipsam tenet, & quicquid ederit aut biberit ipsam molestat. Torpor occupat manus & inguina, & crura & poplites. Magnis pedumigitis conuelluntur gybbosa fit, de nat. muliebr. Gal. lib. de semine cap. 3. Tensiones lumborum & manuum, & pedum viduam apprehendebant loc. affect. 6. 5. Aliis crura & bracchia contrahuntur. Auicenna. minor suffocationum est quæ facit accidere spasmum & tetanum, sine nocumento in ratione & sensu. Quandoque claudit oculos & non aperit eos. Stridor dentium, percussio oculorum, & motus inuoluntarius lacertorum. Rhasis, Stridor dentium cum spasmo & torquedine extremitatum, dolores fortes adeo vt mulierem torquere faciant vndique & caput genibus implicari. &c. Mesue loco superius citato. Aetius. Oculi post multam grauitatem attolluntur, vterus paulatim laxatur & intellectum & sensum recipit. &c.

The animall motions which doe serue for naturall vse, haue their power from the animall facultie, but their vrging and prouoking and cause from the naturall, and are either Respiration, Ingestion, or Excretion. Respiration hath annexed vnto it voyce, and speach, this is diminished or abolished in Suffocation or choaking, from whence this disease which we intreat of taketh his name, as from the most cõmon Symptom which appeareth in it. In difficulty of breathing. In priuation of voyce and speach.

It is depraued when it is done immoderately or inordinately, whether it be voluntarie, or inuoluntarie, as in shortnesse of breath, sighing, yawning, the hickock, sneesing, coughing, belching, vomiting, making of noyses, blowing, and reaching, &c.

Ingestion, or swallowing, is also hurt in this affect, when either they cannot swallow meate, or drinke at all, or with great difficultie.

Excretion is also hurt in this case, by vomit, seege or vrine, &c. when either they cannot performe it being prouoked, or do it out of season, or more then is conuenient. &c.

These Symptoms also appeare in the Suffocation of the Mother. Hyppocrat. de nat. muliebri. Muta deprepentè fit. de morbis muliebr. lingua ipsius refrenatur & hanc non claram habet. Aliquibus etiam vocis priuatio. Spiritus sublimis it, et suffocatio et anhelatio densa ipsam corripit. De nat. muliebr. Tussis detinet & contabiscit & videtur peripnumonia esse, &c. Gal. 9. de compis. Pb. s.l. aliquibus vox intercipitur. loc. affect. 6. 5. aliæ interceptas habent spirationes aliæ suffocationes, &c. Hyppoc. de nat. muliebr. quicquid ederit aut biberit ipsam molestat. Auicen. Abscinditur loquela &c. Rhasis. Strictura anhelitus, squinantia, peripneumonia, apostema in gutture ex cõmunicatione Diaphragmatis cum matrice. Gal. Loco citato humiditas quædam ê locis muliebribus excurrit. &c. Rondalat. cap. 69. Hollerius. cap. 59. Syluius suspirium. Montagnana consilio. 225.

These motions as they belong to the animall facultie are principally hurt by Resolution, contraction, or conuulsion, according as the simple motions are, and therefore we shall not need to stand any longer vppon them in this place: as they belong vnto the naturall facultie, and do receyue offence in that respect shall be declared hereafter in the third general faculty. In the mean time let vs produce some examples of this 2. kind of Suffocation, where the animall faculty doth principally suffer: for examples many times do perswade more then doctrine. Hollerius reporteth that the gouernour of Roan in France had two daughters which were helde with these fits, in such sort as they would laugh an houre or two togither, and confessed that they could not refraine from laughing, although diuerse means to that end were vsed, both by entreaty, and by threates. He tels also of a gentlewoman de Rochpot, who being in these fits would raue, laugh, & weep, her eies being shut. Forestus maketh mention of one Alcida Theodorici at Alkmare a yong lusty maid who was held 24. houres in a most grieuous fit of the mother, wherin she lay as if she had beene halfe dead, hearing what was said about her, but could not speake, nor enioy her other senses. Sometimes she would bee pulled as if she had the falling sickenesse, sometimes would lie still as if she were in an Apoplexie, sometimes she would onely stirre her legges, the rest of her bodie being dull: and although she could not speake, yet she would crie and laugh by turnes, and then be sullen and dumpish, as if she were dead againe.

Alexander Benedictus veronensis testifieth, that he saw a woman in a fit of the Mother, that was besides her selfe, and would sometimes laugh & sometimes crie. Those that attended her, applied Partrige feathers vpon coales vnto her nostrilles, and by chance through want of care there fell a great coale out of the Chafingdish into her bosome, where it burnt her, and made a great blister, but she perceyued it not vntill the next day, and then complained of her breasts. My selfe had a patient in this Citie yet liuing and in good health (whome I will name vnto any whome it may concerne) that endured a violent fitte of the Mother a whole day together: wherein shee had many strong conuulsions, and sometimes did lie as if she had beene dead. Insomuch as the midwiues would haue giuen her ouer, and imputed ignorance vnto mee that I woulde attempt any thing for her recouerie. But her husband being perswaded by me to make triall of some meanes which I had prescribed for her, shee was within three or foure houres deliuered of a childe; yet knew not of it, vntill shee was throughly recouered of her fit, which was fourteene or fifteene houres after, and then she asked her husband what was become of her great bellie. I could rehearse two other such like examples within this citie, which happened not many moneths since.

But we had of late a most rare example of this disease in an Essex Gentlewoman of good note, who being once frighted by squibs, fell into these fits of the Mother, which held her euery day, and whensoeuer else she did eate any comfortable meat, for the space of fifteene or sexteene yeares togither, with such violent conuulsions, as fiue or six strong men could scarce hold her downe. Sometimes her limbes would be contracted, sometimes perticular Muscles, which would cause swellings in diuerse parts of her bodie, sometimes she would be without all maner of sense. And being made beleeue by a stranger Physition that she was bewitched, her fits increased vpon her, and grew to be stronger than before.

Bartholomeus Montagnana reciteth vp 31. seuerall Symptoms of this disease which hee obserued in a Gentlewoman which was his patient. Conuulsions, swoundings, choaking in the throate, sadnesse and lamentation, coldnes ouer her whole bodie, dumbnesse, and yet could heare, drowsinesse, beating of the heart, trembling of the handes, contraction of the fingers, &c.

It were in vaine to heape vp many examples to this purpose, seeing our daily experience doth yeeld vs sufficient store of proofe of the varietie of these Symptoms in the animall facultie.

Cap. 5.

Of that kind wherein the naturall facultie is offended.

The third kinde of this disease is, where the naturall facultie doth principally suffer. This facultie is of great necessitie for the maintenaunce of mankinde and according to the diuerse vses thereof is distinguished. For seeing that nature bringes vs not forth into the world perfect men, in that ripenesse and integritie, of all humaine actions which afterwards we attaine vnto, when wee come to full growth, it was meete to be prouided of such a facultie in our bodies as might encrease our stature, & strengthen the instruments of the whole body, for the better perfection of the actions thereof. And this is called facultas auctrix. Seeing also that wee are made of a fluxible moulde which wasteth and spendeth it selfe many wayes, whereby it standeth in neede of continuall refection and replie: Therefore it was meete to be furnished with such a facultie as might repaire the decay and expence of our substance, by yeelding continually apt matter for the nourishment of the bodie. And that is called facultas altrix. And thirdly seeing, notwithstanding our bodies are continually nourished with the best food, yet they must once die as well as other inferiour creatures doe: therefore God hath indued vs as well as other creatures with the facultie of generation: whereby wee may bee able to make our kind to continue as long as the world shall endure.

These three naturall faculties haue diuerse others attending vpon them, as the faculties of Attraction, Retention, Concoction, Expulsion, Alteration, Formation, &c. Which I will for breuitie sake ouerpasse with their bare mention, because the Symptoms of these faculties are not so euident to the beholders eye, nor so straunge as those of the vitall and animall faculties are, yet that these are also hurt in the suffocation of the Mother, appeareth both by dayly obseruation, and by the authorities of all both auncient and late physitions who haue written of this disease.

And to this place may we referre those accidents often mentioned in this disease. Gnawing in the stomacke, and paines in diuerse partes of the bodie, breaking of wind, vomiting, purging by siege, vrin, or other excretion, loathing of meate, thirst, extraordinarie hunger, swelling in the throat, swelling in the body, in the feet, obstructions in the vaines, cõsumptions, tumors, feuers, priuation of voice, palenesse of colour, rumbling and noise in the belly or throat, like vnto frogs, snakes, or other creatures, or as if they would speake as Hippocrates reporteth of Polymarchus wife.

Hypp. de morbis mulieb. lib. 1 Rhasis con. li. 22. Fernel. de partium morb. lib. 6. cap. 16. Mercatus lib. 2. cap. 2. & 3. Bottonus, & Mercurialis locis citatis. Syluius de mensibus.