_MADAM,_
Your _Author_ reproving the Schools, that they forbid Salt to some
diseased persons, as pernicious to their health: _Good God_, says
he,[1] _how unsavoury are the Schools, and how unsavoury do they bid us
to be!_ But I suppose the Schools do not absolutely forbid all diseased
persons to abstein from salt, but onely not to use it excessively, or
too frequently; for experience proves, that salt meats have not onely
increased, but caused diseases, as the Stone, the Gout, Sciatica,
Fistula's, Cancers, sore Eyes, sore Throats, and the like: I do not
say, that those diseases are always bred with the excess of salt diets;
for diseases of one and the same kind, may be bred variously; but this
hath been observed, that whosoever is affected with such diseases,
shall after a salt meal find himself in more pain then before;
wherefore a constant or common salt diet cannot but be hurtful. Neither
are those persons that feed much on salt meats, or use strong drinks,
take number for number, so healthful or long-lived, as those that are
temperate and abstaining. Next, your _Author_[2] bewails _The shameful
simplicity of those, that give their Patients Leaf-Gold, Pearls, and
bruised or powder'd pretious Stones, as Cordials, in fainting fits,
and other distempers: For_, says he, _they may be dissolved, but not
altered; wherefore they cannot produce any powerful effect to the
health of the Patient._ Truly, _Madam_, I am not of his mind; for were
it that those remedies or cordials could not be transchanged, yet their
vertues may nevertheless be very beneficial to the sick: For example;
a man that is assaulted by enemies, or by chance is fallen into a
deep Pit, or is ready to be strangled, and in all not able to help
himself, yet by the help of another man, may be rescued and freed from
his danger, and from death, using such means as are able to release
him, which either by drawing his Sword against his enemies, or by
throwing a rope down into the Pit, and haling him out, or by cutting
the rope by which he hung, may save him, and yet neither the man, nor
any of his Instruments, as Sword, Rope, Knife, and the like, need to
be transchanged. The like may be said of the aforementioned medicines
or remedies; which if they be not transchangeable, yet they may
nevertheless do such operations, as by their natural active qualities
and proprieties to over-power the irregular motions in the natural
parts of the body of the Patient; for many diseases proceed more from
irregular motions then irregular parts: and although there is no motion
without matter, yet one and the same matter may have divers and various
changes of motions, and moving parts will either oppose or assist
each other without transchanging. And truly, _Madam_, I wonder that
your _Author_ doth condemn such Cordials made of Leaf-gold, Pearls,
powdered precious Stones, or the like, and yet verily believe, that
Amber, Saphires, Emeraulds, Beads, Bracelets, &c. outwardly applied or
worn, can cure more then when inwardly taken; surely, if this be so,
they cure more by Faith, then by Reason. But it seems your _Author_
regulates the actions of Nature to the artificial actions of his
Furnace, which although sometimes they produce wonderful effects, yet
not such as Nature doth; for if they cure one, they commonly kill ten;
nay, the best of their Medicine is so dangerous, as it ought not to be
applied but in desperate cases: Wherefore Wise Physicians must needs be
Provident and Cautious when they use them. And so leaving them, I rest,
Madam,
_Your faithful Friend_
_and humble Servant._
[1] Of the disease of the Stone, _c._ 3.
[2] _Ch._ Of the reason or consideration of diet.