Part 10

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 pecca{~COMBINING OVERLINE~}t 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.

CHAP. 13.

=At what time of the yeare, and at what houre of the day it is most fit and meet to drinke this water.=

To speake in generall tearmes, it is a fit time to drinke it, when the ayre is pure, cleare, hot and dry: for then the water is more tart, and more easily digested, then at other times. On the contrary, it is best to forbeare, when the ayre is cold, moist, darke, dull and misty: for then it is more feeble, and harder to be concocted.

But more specially, the most proper season to undertake this our English Spaw dyet, will be from the middest or latter end of June to the middle of September, or longer, according as the season of the yeare shall fall out to be hot and dry, or otherwise.

Not that in the Spring-time, and in Winter it is not also good, but for that the ayre being more pure in Sommer, the water also must needs be of greater force and power. Notwithstanding it may sometime so happen in Sommer, that by reason of some extraordinary falling of raine, there may be a cessation from it for a day or two. Or if it chance to have rained over night, it will then be fit and necessary to refraine from drinking of it, untill the raine bee passed away againe: or else (which I like better) the fountaine laded dry, and filled againe, which may well be done in an hower, or two at most.

Touching the time of the day, when it is best to drinke this water, questionlesse the most convenient hower will be in the morning, when the party is empty, and fasting, about seaven aclocke: Nature having first discharged her selfe of daily excrements both by stoole and urine, and the concoctions perfected. This time is likewise fittest for exercise, which is a great good help, and furtherance for the better distribution of the water, whereby it doth produce its effects more speedily.

CHAP. 14.

=Of the manner of drinking this water, and the quantitie thereof.=

Those who desire the benefit of this Fountaine, ought to goe to it somewhat early in the morning, &, if they be able and strong of body, they may doe very well to walke to it on foot, or at least wise some part of the way. Such, as have weake and feeble leggs may ride on horsebacke, or be caryed in coaches, or borne in chaires. As for those, whose infirmities cause them to keepe their beds, or chambers, they may drinke the water in their lodgings, it being speedily brought to them in a vessell or glasse well stopt.

It is not my meaning or purpose to describe here particularly, what quantitie of it is fit and meet for every one to drinke; for this is part of the taske and office, which belongeth to the Physitian, who shall be of counsell with the Patient in preparing and well ordering of him; who is to consider all the severall circumstances, as well of the maladie or disease it selfe, as of his habite and constitution, &c. Neverthelesse I may advise, that at the first it be moderately taken, increasing the quantitie daily by degrees, untill they shall come at last to the full height of the proportion appointed, and thought to be meet and necessary. There they are then to stay, and so to continue at that quantitie, so long as it shall be needfull. For example, the first morning may happely be 16 or 18 ounces, and so on by degrees to 20. 30. 40. 50. 60. or moe, in people, who are of good and strong constitutions. Towards the ending, the abatement ought likewise to be made by degrees, as the increment was formerly made by little and little.

Here by the way every one must be admonished to take notice, that it is not alwayes best to drinke most, lest they chance to oppresse and overcharge Nature, that would rather be content with lesse. It will therefore be more safe, to take it rather somewhat sparingly, though for a longer time, then liberally and for a short time. But, indeed the truest and justest proportion of it, is ever to be made and esteemed, by the good and laudable concoction of it, and by the due and orderly voiding of it againe.

It will not be here amisse to adde this one observation further; That it is better to drinke this water once a day, then twice, and that in the mornings, after that the Sunne hath dryed up & consumed the vapors retained through the coldnesse of the night, &c. as is formerly declared. After drinking it, it will be needfull to abstaine from meat & other drinke for the space of three or foure dayes. [hours?]