got a skilful, an honest physician to our mind, if his patient will not
be conformable, and content to be ruled by him, all his endeavours will
come to no good end. Many things are necessarily to be observed and
continued on the patient's behalf: First that he be not too niggardly
miserable of his purse, or think it too much he bestows upon himself,
and to save charges endanger his health. The Abderites, when they sent
for [2859]Hippocrates, promised him what reward he would, [2860]all the
gold they had, if all the city were gold he should have it. Naaman the
Syrian, when he went into Israel to Elisha to be cured of his leprosy,
took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and
ten changes of raiment, (2 Kings v. 5.) Another thing is, that out of
bashfulness he do not conceal his grief; if aught trouble his mind, let
him freely disclose it, Stultorum incurata pudor malus ulcera celat: by
that means he procures to himself much mischief, and runs into a
greater inconvenience: he must be willing to be cured, and earnestly
desire it. Pars sanitatis velle sanare fuit, (Seneca). 'Tis a part of
his cure to wish his own health, and not to defer it too long.
[2861]Qui blandiendo dulce nutrivit malum,
Soro recusat ferre quod subiit jugum.
He that by cherishing a mischief doth provoke,
Too late at last refuseth to cast off his yoke,
[2862]Helleborum frustra cum jam cutis aegra tumebit,
Poscentes videas; venienti occurrite morbo.
When the skin swells, to seek it to appease
With hellebore, is vain; meet your disease.
By this means many times, or through their ignorance in not taking
notice of their grievance and danger of it, contempt, supine
negligence, extenuation, wretchedness and peevishness; they undo
themselves. The citizens, I know not of what city now, when rumour was
brought their enemies were coming, could not abide to hear it; and when
the plague begins in many places and they certainly know it, they
command silence and hush it up; but after they see their foes now
marching to their gates, and ready to surprise them, they begin to
fortify and resist when 'tis too late; when, the sickness breaks out
and can be no longer concealed, then they lament their supine
negligence: 'tis no otherwise with these men. And often out of
prejudice, a loathing, and distaste of physic, they had rather die, or
do worse, than take any of it. Barbarous immanity ([2863]Melancthon
terms it) and folly to be deplored, so to contemn the precepts of
health, good remedies, and voluntarily to pull death, and many maladies
upon their own heads. Though many again are in that other extreme too
profuse, suspicious, and jealous of their health, too apt to take
physic on every small occasion, to aggravate every slender passion,
imperfection, impediment: if their finger do but ache, run, ride, send
for a physician, as many gentlewomen do, that are sick, without a
cause, even when they will themselves, upon every toy or small
discontent, and when he comes, they make it worse than it is, by
amplifying that which is not. [2864]Hier. Capivaccius sets it down as a
common fault of all melancholy persons to say their symptoms are
greater than they are, to help themselves. And which [2865]Mercurialis
notes, consil. 53. to be more troublesome to their physicians, than
other ordinary patients, that they may have change of physic.
A third thing to be required in a patient, is confidence, to be of good
cheer, and have sure hope that his physician can help him.
[2866]Damascen the Arabian requires likewise in the physician himself,
that he be confident he can cure him, otherwise his physic will not be
effectual, and promise withal that he will certainly help him, make him
believe so at least. [2867]Galeottus gives this reason, because the
form of health is contained in the physician's mind, and as Galen,
holds [2868]confidence and hope to be more good than physic, he cures
most in whom most are confident. Axiocus sick almost to death, at the
very sight of Socrates recovered his former health. Paracelsus assigns
it for an only cause, why Hippocrates was so fortunate in his cures,
not for any extraordinary skill he had; [2869]but because the common
people had a most strong conceit of his worth. To this of confidence we
may add perseverance, obedience, and constancy, not to change his
physician, or dislike him upon every toy; for he that so doth (saith
[2870]Janus Damascen) or consults with many, falls into many errors; or
that useth many medicines. It was a chief caveat of [2871]Seneca to his
friend Lucilius, that he should not alter his physician, or prescribed
physic: Nothing hinders health more; a wound can never be cured, that
hath several plasters. Crato consil. 186. taxeth all melancholy persons
of this fault: [2872]'Tis proper to them, if things fall not out to
their mind, and that they have not present ease, to seek another and
another; (as they do commonly that have sore eyes) twenty one after
another, and they still promise all to cure them, try a thousand
remedies; and by this means they increase their malady, make it most
dangerous and difficult to be cured. They try many (saith [2873]
Montanus) and profit by none: and for this cause, consil. 24. he
enjoins his patient before he take him in hand, [2874]perseverance and
sufferance, for in such a small time no great matter can be effected,
and upon that condition he will administer physic, otherwise all his
endeavour and counsel would be to small purpose. And in his 31. counsel
for a notable matron, he tells her, [2875]if she will be cured, she
must be of a most abiding patience, faithful obedience, and singular
perseverance; if she remit, or despair, she can expect or hope for no
good success. Consil. 230. for an Italian Abbot, he makes it one of the
greatest reasons why this disease is so incurable, [2876]because the
parties are so restless, and impatient, and will therefore have him
that intends to be eased, [2877]to take physic, not for a month, a
year, but to apply himself to their prescriptions all the days of his
life. Last of all, it is required that the patient be not too bold to
practise upon himself, without an approved physician's consent, or to
try conclusions, if he read a receipt in a book; for so, many grossly
mistake, and do themselves more harm than good. That which is conducing
to one man, in one case, the same time is opposite to another. [2878]An
ass and a mule went laden over a brook, the one with salt, the other
with wool: the mule's pack was wet by chance, the salt melted, his
burden the lighter, and he thereby much eased: he told the ass, who,
thinking to speed as well, wet his pack likewise at the next water, but
it was much the heavier, he quite tired. So one thing may be good and
bad to several parties, upon diverse occasions. Many things (saith
[2879] Penottus) are written in our books, which seem to the reader to
be excellent remedies, but they that make use of them are often
deceived, and take for physic poison. I remember in Valleriola's
observations, a story of one John Baptist a Neapolitan, that finding by
chance a pamphlet in Italian, written in praise of hellebore, would
needs adventure on himself, and took one dram for one scruple, and had
not he been sent for, the poor fellow had poisoned himself. From whence
he concludes out of Damascenus 2 et 3. Aphoris. [2880]that without
exquisite knowledge, to work out of books is most dangerous: how
unsavoury a thing it is to believe writers, and take upon trust, as
this patient perceived by his own peril. I could recite such another
example of mine own knowledge, of a friend of mine, that finding a
receipt in Brassivola, would needs take hellebore in substance, and try
it on his own person; but had not some of his familiars come to visit
him by chance, he had by his indiscretion hazarded himself: many such I
have observed. These are those ordinary cautions, which I should think
fit to be noted, and he that shall keep them, as [2881] Montanus saith,
shall surely be much eased, if not thoroughly cured.
SUBSECT. III.—_Concerning Physic_.
Physic itself in the last place is to be considered; for the Lord hath
created medicines of the earth, and he that is wise will not abhor
them. Ecclus. xxxviii. 4. ver. 8. of such doth the apothecary
make a confection, &c. Of these medicines there be diverse and infinite
kinds, plants, metals, animals, &c., and those of several natures, some
good for one, hurtful to another: some noxious in themselves, corrected
by art, very wholesome and good, simples, mixed, &c., and therefore
left to be managed by discreet and skilful physicians, and thence
applied to man's use. To this purpose they have invented method, and
several rules of art, to put these remedies in order, for their
particular ends. Physic (as Hippocrates defines it) is nought else but
[2882]addition and subtraction; and as it is required in all other
diseases, so in this of melancholy it ought to be most accurate, it
being (as [2883]Mercurialis acknowledgeth) so common an affection in
these our times, and therefore fit to be understood. Several prescripts
and methods I find in several men, some take upon them to cure all
maladies with one medicine, severally applied, as that panacea, aurum
potabile, so much controverted in these days, herba solis, &c.
Paracelsus reduceth all diseases to four principal heads, to whom
Severinus, Ravelascus, Leo Suavius, and others adhere and imitate:
those are leprosy, gout, dropsy, falling-sickness. To which they reduce
the rest; as to leprosy, ulcers, itches, furfurs, scabs, &c. To gout,
stone, colic, toothache, headache, &c. To dropsy, agues, jaundice,
cachexia, &c. To the falling-sickness, belong palsy, vertigo, cramps,
convulsions, incubus, apoplexy, &c. [2884]If any of these four
principal be cured (saith Ravelascus) all the inferior are cured, and
the same remedies commonly serve: but this is too general, and by some
contradicted: for this peculiar disease of melancholy, of which I am
now to speak, I find several cures, several methods and prescripts.
They that intend the practic cure of melancholy, saith Duretus in his
notes to Hollerius, set down nine peculiar scopes or ends; Savanarola
prescribes seven especial canons. Aelianus Montaltus cap. 26.
Faventinus in his empirics, Hercules de Saxonia, &c., have their
several injunctions and rules, all tending to one end. The ordinary is
threefold, which I mean to follow. Διαιτητικὴ, _Pharmaceutica_, and
_Chirurgica_, diet, or living, apothecary, chirurgery, which Wecker,
Crato, Guianerius, &c., and most, prescribe; of which I will insist,
and speak in their order.
SECT. II. MEMB. I.
SUBSECT. I.—_Diet rectified in substance_.
Diet, Διαιτητικὴ, victus, or living, according to [2885] Fuchsius and
others, comprehends those six non-natural things, which I have before
specified, are especial causes, and being rectified, a sole or chief
part of the cure. [2886]Johannes Arculanus, cap. 16. in 9. Rhasis,
accounts the rectifying of these six a sufficient cure. Guianerius,
tract. 15, cap. 9. calls them, propriam et primam curam, the principal
cure: so doth Montanus, Crato, Mercurialis, Altomarus, &c., first to be
tried, Lemnius, instit. cap. 22, names them the hinges of our health,
[2887]no hope of recovery without them. Reinerus Solenander, in his
seventh consultation for a Spanish young gentlewoman, that was so
melancholy she abhorred all company, and would not sit at table with
her familiar friends, prescribes this physic above the rest, [2888]no
good to be done without it. [2889]Aretus, lib. 1. cap. 7. an old
physician, is of opinion, that this is enough of itself, if the party
be not too far gone in sickness. [2890]Crato, in a consultation of his
for a noble patient, tells him plainly, that if his highness will keep
but a good diet, he will warrant him his former health. [2891]Montanus,
consil. 27. for a nobleman of France, admonisheth his lordship to be
most circumspect in his diet, or else all his other physic will
[2892]be to small purpose. The same injunction I find verbatim in J.
Caesar Claudinus, Respon. 34. Scoltzii, consil. 183. Trallianus, cap.
16. lib. 1. Laelius a Fonte Aeugubinus often brags, that he hath done
more cures in this kind by rectification of diet, than all other physic
besides. So that in a word I may say to most melancholy men, as the fox
said to the weasel, that could not get out of the garner, Macra cavum
repetes, quem macra subisti, [2893]the six non-natural things caused
it, and they must cure it. Which howsoever I treat of, as proper to the
meridian of melancholy, yet nevertheless, that which is here said with
him in [2894]Tully, though writ especially for the good of his friends
at Tarentum and Sicily, yet it will generally serve [2895]most other
diseases, and help them likewise, if it be observed.
Of these six non-natural things, the first is diet, properly so called,
which consists in meat and drink, in which we must consider substance,
quantity, quality, and that opposite to the precedent. In substance,
such meats are generally commended, which are [2896]moist, easy of
digestion, and not apt to engender wind, not fried, nor roasted, but
sod (saith Valescus, Altomarus, Piso, &c.) hot and moist, and of good
nourishment; Crato, consil. 21. lib. 2. admits roast meat, [2897]if the
burned and scorched superficies, the brown we call it, be pared off.
Salvianus, lib. 2. cap. 1. cries out on cold and dry meats; [2898]young
flesh and tender is approved, as of kid, rabbits, chickens, veal,
mutton, capons, hens, partridge, pheasant, quails, and all mountain
birds, which are so familiar in some parts of Africa, and in Italy, and
as [2899]Dublinius reports, the common food of boors and clowns in
Palestine. Galen takes exception at mutton, but without question he
means that rammy mutton, which is in Turkey and Asia Minor, which have
those great fleshy tails, of forty-eight pounds weight, as Vertomannus
witnesseth, navig. lib. 2. cap. 5. The lean of fat meat is best, and
all manner of broths, and pottage, with borage, lettuce, and such
wholesome herbs are excellent good, especially of a cock boiled; all
spoon meat. Arabians commend brains, but [2900]Laurentius, c. 8.
excepts against them, and so do many others; [2901]eggs are justified
as a nutritive wholesome meat, butter and oil may pass, but with some
limitation; so [2902]Crato confines it, and to some men sparingly at
set times, or in sauce, and so sugar and honey are approved. [2903]All
sharp and sour sauces must be avoided, and spices, or at least seldom
used: and so saffron sometimes in broth may be tolerated; but these
things may be more freely used, as the temperature of the party is hot
or cold, or as he shall find inconvenience by them. The thinnest,
whitest, smallest wine is best, not thick, nor strong; and so of beer,
the middling is fittest. Bread of good wheat, pure, well purged from
the bran is preferred; Laurentius, cap. 8. would have it kneaded with
rain water, if it may be gotten.
_Water_.] Pure, thin, light water by all means use, of good smell and
taste, like to the air in sight, such as is soon hot, soon cold, and
which Hippocrates so much approves, if at least it may be had. Rain
water is purest, so that it fall not down in great drops, and be used
forthwith, for it quickly putrefies. Next to it fountain water that
riseth in the east, and runneth eastward, from a quick running spring,
from flinty, chalky, gravelly grounds: and the longer a river runneth,
it is commonly the purest, though many springs do yield the best water
at their fountains. The waters in hotter countries, as in Turkey,
Persia, India, within the tropics, are frequently purer than ours in
the north, more subtile, thin, and lighter, as our merchants observe,
by four ounces in a pound, pleasanter to drink, as good as our beer,
and some of them, as Choaspis in Persia, preferred by the Persian
kings, before wine itself.
[2904]Clitorio quicunque sitim de fonte levarit
Vina fugit gaudetque meris abstemius undis.
Many rivers I deny not are muddy still, white, thick, like those in
China, Nile in Egypt, Tiber at Rome, but after they be settled two or
three days, defecate and clear, very commodious, useful and good. Many
make use of deep wells, as of old in the Holy Land, lakes, cisterns,
when they cannot be better provided; to fetch it in carts or gondolas,
as in Venice, or camels' backs, as at Cairo in Egypt, [2905]Radzivilius
observed 8000 camels daily there, employed about that business; some
keep it in trunks, as in the East Indies, made four square with
descending steps, and 'tis not amiss, for I would not have any one so
nice as that Grecian Calis, sister to Nicephorus, emperor of
Constantinople, and [2906]married to Dominitus Silvius, duke of Venice,
that out of incredible wantonness, communi aqua uti nolebat, would use
no vulgar water; but she died tanta (saith mine author) foetidissimi
puris copia, of so fulsome a disease, that no water could wash her
clean. [2907]Plato would not have a traveller lodge in a city that is
not governed by laws, or hath not a quick stream running by it; illud
enim animum, hoc corrumpit valetudinem, one corrupts the body, the
other the mind. But this is more than needs, too much curiosity is
naught, in time of necessity any water is allowed. Howsoever, pure
water is best, and which (as Pindarus holds) is better than gold; an
especial ornament it is, and very commodious to a city (according to
[2908]Vegetius) when fresh springs are included within the walls, as at
Corinth, in the midst of the town almost, there was arx altissima
scatens fontibus, a goodly mount full of fresh water springs: if nature
afford them not they must be had by art. It is a wonder to read of
those [2909]stupend aqueducts, and infinite cost hath been bestowed in
Rome of old, Constantinople, Carthage, Alexandria, and such populous
cities, to convey good and wholesome waters: read [2910]Frontinus,
Lipsius de admir. [2911]Plinius, lib. 3. cap. 11, Strabo in his Geogr.
That aqueduct of Claudius was most eminent, fetched upon arches fifteen
miles, every arch 109 feet high: they had fourteen such other
aqueducts, besides lakes and cisterns, 700 as I take it; [2912]every
house had private pipes and channels to serve them for their use. Peter
Gillius, in his accurate description of Constantinople, speaks of an
old cistern which he went down to see, 336 feet long, 180 feet broad,
built of marble, covered over with arch-work, and sustained by 336
pillars, 12 feet asunder, and in eleven rows, to contain sweet water.
Infinite cost in channels and cisterns, from Nilus to Alexandria, hath
been formerly bestowed, to the admiration of these times; [2913]their
cisterns so curiously cemented and composed, that a beholder would take
them to be all of one stone: when the foundation is laid, and cistern
made, their house is half built. That Segovian aqueduct in Spain, is
much wondered at in these days, [2914]upon three rows of pillars, one
above another, conveying sweet water to every house: but each city
almost is full of such aqueducts. Amongst the rest [2915]he is
eternally to be commended, that brought that new stream to the north
side of London at his own charge: and Mr. Otho Nicholson, founder of
our waterworks and elegant conduit in Oxford. So much have all times
attributed to this element, to be conveniently provided of it: although
Galen hath taken exceptions at such waters, which run through leaden
pipes, ob cerussam quae in iis generatur, for that unctuous ceruse,
which causeth dysenteries and fluxes; [2916]yet as Alsarius Crucius of
Genna well answers, it is opposite to common experience. If that were
true, most of our Italian cities, Montpelier in France, with infinite
others, would find this inconvenience, but there is no such matter. For
private families, in what sort they should furnish themselves, let them
consult with P. Crescentius, de Agric. l. 1. c. 4, Pamphilius
Hirelacus, and the rest.
Amongst fishes, those are most allowed of, that live in gravelly or
sandy waters, pikes, perch, trout, gudgeon, smelts, flounders, &c.
Hippolitus Salvianus takes exception at carp; but I dare boldly say
with [2917] Dubravius, it is an excellent meat, if it come not from
[2918]muddy pools, that it retain not an unsavoury taste. Erinacius
Marinus is much commended by Oribatius, Aetius, and most of our late
writers.
[2919]Crato, consil. 21. lib. 2. censures all manner of fruits, as
subject to putrefaction, yet tolerable at sometimes, after meals, at
second course, they keep down vapours, and have their use. Sweet fruits
are best, as sweet cherries, plums, sweet apples, pearmains, and
pippins, which Laurentius extols, as having a peculiar property against
this disease, and Plater magnifies, omnibus modis appropriata
conveniunt, but they must be corrected for their windiness: ripe grapes
are good, and raisins of the sun, musk-melons well corrected, and
sparingly used. Figs are allowed, and almonds blanched. Trallianus
discommends figs, [2920]Salvianus olives and capers, which [2921]others
especially like of, and so of pistick nuts. Montanus and Mercurialis
out of Avenzoar, admit peaches, [2922]pears, and apples baked after
meals, only corrected with sugar, and aniseed, or fennel-seed, and so
they may be profitably taken, because they strengthen the stomach, and
keep down vapours. The like may be said of preserved cherries, plums,
marmalade of plums, quinces, &c., but not to drink after them.
[2923]Pomegranates, lemons, oranges are tolerated, if they be not too
sharp.
[2924]Crato will admit of no herbs, but borage, bugloss, endive,
fennel, aniseed, baum; Callenius and Arnoldus tolerate lettuce,
spinach, beets, &c. The same Crato will allow no roots at all to be
eaten. Some approve of potatoes, parsnips, but all corrected for wind.
No raw salads; but as Laurentius prescribes, in broths; and so Crato
commends many of them: or to use borage, hops, baum, steeped in their
ordinary drink. [2925]Avenzoar magnifies the juice of a pomegranate, if
it be sweet, and especially rose water, which he would have to be used
in every dish, which they put in practice in those hot countries, about
Damascus, where (if we may believe the relations of Vertomannus) many
hogsheads of rose water are to be sold in the market at once, it is in
so great request with them.
SUBSECT. II.—_Diet rectified in quantity_.