_MADAM,_
I do not approve of your _Authors_ Doctrine, forbidding Phlebotomy or
blood-letting in Fevers, opposite to the received Practice of the
Schools; his reason is, that he believes there can be no corruption
in the blood. _Corrupted blood_, says he,[1] _cannot be in the veins,
neither doth a state of ill juice consist in the veins; for Gangrenes
do teach, that nothing of Putrified matter can long persist without a
further contagion of it self._ Also he says, _That the blood of the
Veins is no otherwise distinguished by its several colours and signs,
then as wine is troubled when the vine flourisheth._ To which I answer,
first, That I can see no reason why there should not be as well corrupt
blood, or an ill state of juice in the veins, as ill humors in the
body. Perchance he will say, There is no corruption in the body. But
Ulcers do teach the contrary. He may reply, Ulcers are not parts of the
body. I answer, 'Tis true; but yet they are evil Inhabitants in the
body, and the like may be in the Veins. But surely some men may have
corrupted parts of their bodies, and yet live a great while; witness
Ulcers in the Lungs, and other parts. But your _Author_ may say, When
a part of the body is corrupted, it is no longer an animal Part. I
grant it: but yet, as I said, that transformed part may remain in the
body some time without destruction of the whole body; and so likewise,
when some of the blood, is transchanged from being blood, so as not
to be capable to be reduced again, it may nevertheless remain in the
veins without definition of the veins, or of the whole body: Neither
do I conceive any reason, why corrupt blood should Gangrene in the
veins, and infect the adjoyning parts more then corrupted lungs do.
Next, as for the comparison of the various colours and signs of the
blood, with Wine being troubled when the Vine is flourishing; I answer,
That it doth not prove any thing; for we speak of such colours, as
are signs of corrupted, and not such as are signs of troubled blood:
Besides, it is an unlike comparison; for though Wine may become thick
by much fermentation, yet it doth not turn into water, as blood in
some sick and diseased persons will do. But corrupted blood may be,
not onely in the veins of sick, but also of healthy persons; and the
story says, that _Seneca_, when his veins were cut, they would not
bleed, although in a hot Bath, by reason that which was in the veins,
was rather like a white jelly, then blood, and yet he was healthy,
though old; which proves, that it is not necessary for the blood to
be so pure and fluid as your _Author_ will have it. The truth is, the
more fluid the blood is, the weaker it is; like balsam, the more gummy
it is, the stronger it is: but veins, which are the mouth, to receive
or suck in juices, as also the stomack which digests the meat that
after is turned into blood, may be defective either through weakness,
superfluity, obstruction, corruption, or evil and hurtful diet, or
through the disorders of other particular parts, which may disturb
all the parts in general, as skilful Physicians have observed, and
therefore apply remedies accordingly; for if the defect proceeds from
weakness, they give strengthening remedies; if from superfluities, they
give evacuating remedies; if from evil diets, they prescribe such a
course of diet as shall be beneficial, and conducing for the restoring
of health to the whole body. But your _Author_, as I perceive, believes
the blood to be the chief vital part of the body; which surely it is
not: for if it were, the least disturbance of the blood would endanger
the life of the whole body, and the least diminution would cause a
total dissolution of that animal Creature which has blood: Not but
that blood is as necessary as breath for respiration, and food for
nourishment of the body; but too much blood is as dangerous to the
life of the animal body, as too great a piece of food, which cannot
be swallowed down, but doth stick in the throat, and stop the breath,
or so much quantity as cannot be digested, for too great a fulness or
abounding makes a stoppage of the blood, or which is worse, causes
the veins to break, and an evil digestion, makes a corruption, or at
least such disorder as to indanger the whole animal Figure. But some
veins breed more blood, and some less, and some better, and some worse
blood, some hotter, and some colder, some grosser, and some purer, some
thicker, and some thinner; and some veins breed rather an evil juice or
corrupt matter then pure blood; the truth is, blood is bred somewhat
after the manner of Excrements, for the veins are somewhat like the
guts, wherein the excrements are digested. But you will say, A man may
live without excrements, but not without blood. I answer: a man can
live no more without excrements and excremental humors, then he can
without blood: but yet I am not of your _Authors_ mind, that bleeding
and purging are destructive; for superfluities are as dangerous as
scarcities, nay more; like as an house filled with rubbish is in more
danger to sink or fall, then that which is empty; and when a house is
on fire, it is wisdom to take out the Moveables, but a folly to let
them increase the flame. But your _Author_ says, Blood-letting takes
not onely away the bad, but also the good blood, by which it diminishes
and impairs much the strength of the body. I will answer by way of
question, Whether in War men would not venture the loss of some few
friends, to gain the victory, or save the whole body of the Army: or
whether the destroying of the enemies Army be not more advantageous,
then the loss of some few friends? For although some good blood may
issue out with the bad, yet the veins have more time, room, and some
more power to get friendly juices from the several parts of the body,
which will be more obedient, trusty, and true to the life and service
of the whole body. But neither Fevers, nor any other distempers, will
be more afraid of your _Authors_ words, Stones, Spirits, as also Rings,
Beads, Bracelets, and the like toys, fitter for Children to play
withal, then for Physicians to use; then an Army of men will be of
their enemies Colours, Ensigns, Feathers, Scarfs, and the like; knowing
it must be Swords, Pistols, Guns, Powder and Bullets, that must do the
business to destroy the enemy, and to gain the victory: Wherefore in
Diseases it must be Bleeding, Purging, Vomiting, using of Clysters,
and the like, if any good shall be done. 'Tis true, they must well be
ordered, otherwise they will do more hurt then good; for Diseases are
like Enemies, which sometimes take away our Armes for their own uses.
But your _Author_ says again, _That the Matter of a Fever floats not
in the veins, nor sits nigh the heart._ I answer: There are several
sorts of Fevers; for all Fevers are not produced after one and the
same manner, or from one and the same cause, as is very well known
to wise and experienced Physicians; but although some Fevers are not
in the blood, yet that doth not prove, that the blood is never in a
Fever; for sometimes the blood is in a Fever, and not the solid parts;
and sometimes the fluid and moveable humors, and not the blood, or
solid parts; and sometimes the solid parts, and not the blood, nor the
liquid and moveable humors; and sometimes they are all in a Fever; and
sometimes onely the radical parts, and neither the blood, humors, nor
solid parts: and this last kind of Fever, which is a hectick Fever, in
my opinion, is incureable; but the others may be cureable, if there
be not too many varieties of distempers, or irregular motions. And as
for a Fever in the solid parts, Letting of blood, and taking away the
humor, may cure it; for the veins being empty, suck the heat out of
the solid parts, which solid parts cannot draw out a distempered heat
in the veins, and the opening of the veins gives vent to some of the
interior heat to issue forth: Wherefore it is very requisite, that in
all sorts of Fevers, except Hectick-Fevers, blood-letting should be
used, not onely once, but often; for 'tis better to live with a little
blood, and a little strength, which will soon be recovered, then to
die with too much, or too hot and distempered blood. Also Purging, but
especially Vomiting is very good; for if the humors be in a Feaver,
they may infect the vital parts, as also the blood; but if they be not
in a Fever, yet the solid parts or blood may do the same, and so make
the contagion greater; for the humors are as the moveables in a house,
which ought to be cast out if either they or the house should be on
fire; and if a disorder proceeds from the error of a particular part,
then care must be taken to rectifie that part for the health of the
whole: Wherefore Physicians use in some cases Blood-letting, in some
Purging, in some Vomiting, in some Bathing, in some Sweating, in some
Cordials, especially after much evacuation, in some they prescribe a
good diet, and in some they mix and prescribe partly one and partly the
other, and in some cases they are forced to use all these remedies;
for though great evacuations may cause weakness, yet they often save
the life; and there is no Patient, but had rather lose some strength,
then life; for life can gather strength again; but all strong men are
not always long lived, nor all long-lived men very strong; for many
that are but weak, will live to a very old age. Lastly, concerning what
your _Author_ says, that there is but one Choler and Phlegme in Nature;
I answer, That is more then he knows: for all that is in Nature, is
not nor cannot be known by any Particular Creature; and he might say,
as well, the same of particular Metals, as that there is but one sort
of Gold or Silver, when as there is great difference in the weight,
purity, colour, and gloss, of several parts of Gold and Silver; Neither
is all Gold found in one place; but some is found in Rocks, some in
Sand, some in Mines, some in Stones; and so Silver, some is found in
the bowels of the Earth, some in the veins of Stones, and some in other
Metals, as Lead, and Iron, and some in Coals. And the like may be said
of Choler and Phlegme; for they may be several in several places or
parts of the body, and be of different colours, tastes, odours, and
degrees of heat or cold, thinness or thickness, or the like; for though
there is but one Matter in Nature, yet this onely Matter by its several
actions or motions changes into several figures, and so makes several
sorts of Creatures, and different particulars in every sort. And thus,
_Madam_, I have delivered unto you my opinion concerning the cure of
Fevers by Blood-letting: Which I submit to the correction of your
better judgment, and rest,
Madam,
_Your faithful Friend_
_and Servant._
[1] In his Treatise of Fevers, _c._ 4.