Humane Philosophie which concernes the Bodie

The knowledge that concerneth mans bodie, is divided as the good of mans bodie is divided, unto which it referreth. The good of mans body, is of foure kindes; Health, Beautie, Strength, and Pleasure So, the knowledges are Medicine, or Art of Cure: Art of Decoration; which is called Cosmetike: Art of Activitie, which is called Athletike: and Art Voluptuarie, which Tacitus truely calleth Eruditus Luxus. This Subject of mans bodie, is of all other thinges in Nature, most susceptible of remedie: but then that Remedie is most susceptible of errour. For the same Subtilitie of the subject, doth cause large possibilitie, and easie fayling: and therefore the enquirie ought to be the more exact.

To speak therfore of Medicine, & to resume that we have sayd, ascending a litle higher; The ancient opinion that Man was Microcosmus, an Abstract or Modell of the world, hath beene fantastically streyned by Paracelsus, and the Alchimists, as if there were to be found in mans body certaine correspondences, & parallells, which shold have respect to all varieties of things, as starres, planets, minerals, which are extant in the great world. But thus much is evidently true, that of all substances, which Nature hath produced, mans bodie is the most extreamly compounded. For we see hearbs & plants are norished by earth & waer; Beasts for the most part, by hearbs & fruits; Man by the flesh of Beasts, Birds, Fishes, Hearbs, Grains, Fruits, Water, & the manifold alterations, dressings, and preparations of these severall bodies, before they come to be his food & aliment. Adde hereunto that Beasts have a more simple order of life, and lesse change of Affections to worke uppon their bodies, whereas man in his Mansion, sleepe, exercise, passions, hath infinit variations; and it cannot be denied, but that the bodie of Man of all other things, is of the most compounded Masse. The soule on the other side is the simplest of substances, as is well expressed.

So that it is no marvaile, though the soule so placed, enjoy no rest, if that principle be true, that Motus rerum est rapidus extra locum, Placidus in loco. But to the purpose, this variable composition of mans bodie hath made it as an Instrument easie to to distemper; and therefore the Poets did well to conjoyne Musicke and Medicine in Apollo, because the Office of Medicine, is but to tune this curious Harpe of mans bodie, and to reduce it to Harmonie. So then the Subject being so Variable, hath made the Art by consequent more conjecturall, and the Art being Conjecturall, hath made so much the more place to bee left for imposture. For almost all other Arts and Sciences, judged by Acts, or Master peeces, as I may terme them, and not by the successes, and events. The Lawyer is judged by the vertue of his pleading, and not by the yssue of the cause: The Master in the Shippe, is judged by the directing his course aright, and not by the fortune of the Voyage: But the Phisitian, and perhaps the Politique, hath no particular Acts demonstrative of his abilitie, but is judged most by the event: which is ever but as it is taken; for who can tell if a Patient die or recover, or if a State be preserved, or ruyned, whether it be Art or Accident? And therefore many times the Impostor is prized, and the man of vertue taxed. Nay, we see weakenesse and credulitie of men, is such, as they will often preferre a Montabanke or Witch, before a learned Phisitian. And therefore the Poets were cleere sighted in discerning this extreame folly, when they made Æsculapius, and Circe, Brother and Sister, both Children of the Sunne, as in the verses.

And againe.

For in all times in the opinion of the multitude, Witches, and old women, and Impostors have had a Competicion with Phisitians. And what followeth? Even this that Phisitians say to themselves, as Salomon expresseth it upon an higher occasion: If it befall to me, as befalleth to the fooles, why should I labour to be more wise? And therefore I cannot much blame Phisitians, that they use commonly to intend some other Art or practise, which they fancie, more than their profession. For you shall have of them: Antiquaries, Poets, Humanists, States-men, Marchants, Divines, and in everie of these better seene, than in their profession, & no doubt, upon this ground that they find, that mediocrity & excellency in their Art, maketh no difference in profite or reputation towards their fortune: for the weakenesse of Patients, and sweetnesse of life, and Nature of hope maketh men depend upon Phisitians, with all their defects. But neverthelesse, these things which we have spoken of, are courses begotten betweene a little occasion, and a great deale of sloath and default: for if we will excite and awake our observation, we shall see in familiar instances, what a predominant facultie, The Subtiltie of Spirite, hath over the Varietie of Matter, or Fourme: Nothing more variable then faces and countenances: yet men can beare in memorie the infinite distinctions of them. Nay, a Painter with a fewe shelles of colours, and the benefite of his Eye, and habite of his imagination can imitate them all that ever have ben, ar, or may be, if they were brought before him. Nothing more variable than voices, yet men can likewise discern them personally, nay you shall have a Buffon, or Pantomimus will expresse as many as hee pleaseth. Nothing more variable, than the differing sounds of words, yet men have found the way to reduce them to a few simple Letters; so that it is not the insufficiency or incapacity of mans mind; but it is the remote standing or placing thereof, that breedeth these Mazes and incomprehensions; for as the sence a far off, is full of mistaking, but is exact at hand, so is it of the understanding; The remedie whereof, is not to quicken or strengthen the Organ, but to goe neerer to the object; and therefore there is no doubt, but if the Phisitians will learne, and use the true approaches and Avenues of Nature, they may assume as much as the Poet sayth;

Which that they should doe, the noblenesse of their Art doth deserve; well shadowed by the Poets, in that they made Aesculapius to be the sonne of Sunne, the one being the fountaine of life, the other as the second streame; but infinitely more honored by the example of our Saviour, who made the body of man the object of his miracles, as the soule was the object of his Doctrine. For wee reade not that ever he vouchsafed to doe any miracle about honor, or money, (except that one for giving Tribute to Cæsar) but onely about the preserving, sustayning, and healing the bodie of man.

Medicine is a Science, which hath beene (as wee have sayd) more professed, than labored, & yet more labored, than advanced; the labor having been, in my judgement, rather in circle, than in progression. For, I finde much Iteration, but small Addition. It considereth causes of Diseases, with the occasions or impulsions: The Diseases themselves, with the Accidents: and the Cures, with the Preservations. The Deficiences which I thinke good to note, being a few of many, & those such, as ar of a more open and manifest Nature, I will enumerate, and not place.

The first is the discontinuance of the auncient and serious diligence of Hippocrates, which used to11Narrationes Medicinales. set downe a Narrative of the speciall cases of his patientes, and how they proceeded, & how they were judged by recovery or death. Therefore having an example proper in the father of the art, I shal not neede to alledge an example forraine, of the wisedome of the Lawyers, who are carefull to reporte new cases and decisions, for the direction of future judgements. This continuance of Medicinall History, I find deficient, which I understand neither to be so infinite as to extend to every common Case, nor so reserved, as to admit none but Woonders: for many thinges are new in the Manner, which are not new in the Kinde, and if men will intend to observe, they shall finde much worthy to observe.

In the inquirie which is made by Anatomie, I finde22Anatomia comparata. much deficience: for they enquire of the Parts, and their Substances, Figures, and Collocations; But they enquire not of the Diversities of the Parts; the Secrecies of the Passages; and the seats or neastling of the humours; nor much of the Foot-steps, and impressions of Diseases; The reason of which omission, I suppose to be, because the first enquirie may be satisfied, in the view of one or a few Anatomies: but the latter being comparative and casuall, must arise from the view of many. And as to the diversitie of parts, there is no doubt but the facture or framing of the inward parts, is as full of difference, as the outward, and in that, is rhe Cause Continent of many diseases, which not being observed, they quarrell many times with the humors which are not in fault, the fault being in the very frame and Mechanicke of the parte, which cannot be removed by medicine alterative, but must be accomodate and palliate by dyets and medicines familiar. And for the passages and pores, it is true which was aunciently noted, that the more subtile of them appeare not in anatomyes, because they are shut and latent in dead bodies, though they be open and manifest in live: which being supposed, though the inhumanity of Anatomia vivorum was by Celsus just ly reproved: yet in regard of the great use of this observation, the inquiry needed not by him so sleightly to have ben relinquished altogether, or referred to the casuall practises of surgerie, but mought have been well diverted upon the dissection of beastes alive, which notwithstanding the dissimilitude of their parts, may sufficiently satisfie this inquirie. And for the humors, they are commonly passed over in Anatomies, as purgaments, whereas it is most necessarie to observe, what cavities, nestes & receptacles the humors doe finde in the parts, with the differing kinde of the humor so lodged and received. And as for the footesteps of diseases, & their devastations of the inward parts, impostumations, exulcerations, discontinuations, putrefactions, consumptions, contractions, extensions, conuulsions, dislocations, obstructions, repletions, together with all preternatural substances, as stones, carnosities, excrescences, wormes, and the like: they ought to have beene exactly observed by multitude of Anatomies, and the contribution of mens severall experiences; and carefully set downe both historically according to the appearances, and artificially with a reference to the diseases and symptomes which resulted from them, in case where the Anatomy is of a defunct patient wheras now upon opening of bodies, they are passed over sleightly, and in silence.

In the inquirie of diseases, they doe abandon the cures of many, some as in their nature incurable,33Inquisitio ulterior de Morbis insanabilibus. and others, as passed the periode of cure; so that Sylla and the Triumuirs never proscribed so many men to die, as they doe by their ignorant edictes, whereof numbers do escape with lesse difficulty, then they did in the Romane proscriptions. Therfore I wil not doubt, to note as a deficience, that they inquire not the perfite cures of many diseases, or extremities of diseases, but pronouncing them incurable, doe enact a lawe of neglect, & exempt ignorance from discredite.

Nay further, I esteeme it the office of a Phisition,44De Euthanasia exteriore. not onely to restore health, but to mittigate pain and dolors, and not onely when such mittigation may conduce to recovery, but when it may serve to make a fayre and easie passage: for it is no small felicitie which Augustus Cæsar was wont to wish to himselfe, that same Euthanasia, and which was specially noted in the death of Antoninus Pius, whose death was after the fashion and semblance of a kindly & pleasant sleepe. So it is written of Epicurus, that after his disease was judged desperate, he drowned his stomacke and senses with a large draught and ingurgitation of wine, whereupon the Epigram was made; Hinc stygias Ebrius hausit aquas: He was not sober enough to taste any bitternesse of the stygian water. But the Phisitions contrariwise doe make a kinde of scruple and Religion to stay with the patient after the disease is deplored, wheras, in my judgment they ought both to enquire the skill, and to give the attendances for the facilitating & asswaging of the paynes and agonies of death.

In the consideration of the Cures of diseases, I find a deficience in the Receiptes of proprietie, respecting55Medicinæ experimentales. the particular cures of diseases: for the Phisitians have frustrated the fruite of tradition & experience by their magistralities, in adding and taking out and changing, Quid pro quo, in their receiptes, at their pleasures, commanding so over the medicine, as the medicine cannot commmand over the disease: For except it be Treacle and Mythridatum, & of late Diascordium, and a few more, they tye themselves to no receiptes severely and religiously: for as to the confections of sale, which are in the shoppes, they are for readines, and not for proprietie: for they are upon generall intentions of purging, opening, comforting, altering, and not much appropriate to particular Diseases; and this is the cause why Emperiques, and ould women are more happie many times in their Cures, than learned Phisitians; because they are more religious in holding their Medicines. Therefore here is the deficience which I finde, that Phisitians have not partly out of their owne practize, partly out of the constant probations reported in bookes; & partly out of the traditions of Emperiques; setdowne and delivered over, certaine Experimentall Medicines, for the Cure of particular Diseases; besides their owne Conjecturall and Magistrall descriptions. For as they were the men of the best Composition in the State of Rome, which either being Consuls inclined to the people; or being Tribunes inclined to the Senat: so in the matter we now handle, they be the best Phisitians, which being learned incline to the traditions of experience; or being66Imitatio Naturæ in Balneis, & Aquis Medicinalibus Emperiques, incline to the methods of learning.

In preparation of Medicines, I doe finde strange specially, considering how mineral Medicines have beene extolled; and that they are safer, for the outward, than inward parts, that no man hath sought, to make an Imitation by Art of Naturall Bathes, and Medicinable fountaines: which neverthelesse are confessed to receive their vertues from Minerals: and not so onely, but discerned and distinguished from what particular Mynerall they receive Tincture, as Sulphur, Vitriole, steele, or the like: which Nature if it may be reduced to compositions of art, both the varietie of them will be encreased, & the temper of them will be more commanded.

But least I grow to be more particular, than is agreeable,77Filum Medicinale, sive de vicibus Medicinarum. either to my intention, or to proportion; I will conclude this part with the note of one deficience more, which seemeth to me of greatest consequence, which is, that the prescripts in use, are too compendious to attaine their end: for to my understanding, it is a vaine and flattering opinion, to think any Medicine can be so soveraigne, or so happie, as that the Receit or use of it, can worke any great effect upon the bodie of man; it were a strange speach, which spoken, or spoken oft, should reclaime a man from a vice, to which he were by nature subject: it is order, poursuite, sequence, and interchange of application, which is mightie in nature; which although it require more exact knowledge in prescribing, and more precise obedience in observing, yet is recompenced with the magnitude of effects. And although a man would thinke by the dayly visitations of the Phisitians, that there were a poursuance in the cure; yet let a man look into their prescripts and ministrations, and he shall finde them but inconstancies, and everie dayes devises, without any setled providence or project; Not that everie scrupulous or superstitious prescript is effectuall, no more than everie straight way, is the way to heaven, but the truth of the direction, must precede severitie of observance.

For Cosmetique, it hath parts Civile, and parts Effeminate: for cleanesse of bodie, was ever esteemed to proceede from a due reverence to God, to societie, and to our selves. As for artificiall decoration, it is well worthy of the deficiences which it hath: being neither fine inough to deceive, nor handsome to use, nor wholesome to please.

For Athletique, I take the subject of it largely; that is to say, for any point of abilitie, whereunto the bodie of man may be brought, whether it be of Activitie, or of Patience, wherof Activitie hath two parts, Strength and Swiftnesse: And Patience likewise hath two parts, Hardnesse against wants and extremities; and Indurance of payne, or torment; whereof we see the practises in Tumblers, in Savages, and in those that suffer punishment: Nay, if there be any other facultie, which falles not within any of the former divisions, as in those that dive, that obtaine a strange power of contayning respiration, and the like, I referre it to this part. Of these thinges the practises are knowne: but the Philosophie that concerneth them is not much enquired: the rather I thinke, because they are supposed to be obtayned, either by an aptnesse of Nature, which cannot be taught; or onely by continuall custome; which is soone prescribed; which though it bee not true: yet I forbeare to note any deficiences: for the Olympian Games are downe long since: and the mediocritie of these thinges is for use: As for the excellencie of them, it serveth for the most part, but for mercenary ostentation.

For Arts of pleasure sensuall, the chiefe deficience in them, is of Lawes to represse them. For as it hath beene well observed, that the Arts which florish in times, while vertue is in growth, are Militarie: and while vertue is in State are Liberall: and while vertue is in declination, are voluptuarie: so I doubt, that this age of the world, is somewhat upon the descent of the wheele; with Arts voluptuarie, I couple practises Jocularie; for the deceiving of the sences, is one of the pleasures of the sences. As for Games of recreation, I hould them to belong to Civile life, and education. And thus much of that particular Humane Philosophie, Which Concernes The Bodie, which is but the Tabernacle of the minde.