_MADAM,_
Concerning the disease of the Stone, your _Author_ seems to be of an
opinion, That the stone in the Bladder, and the stone in the Kidnies,
are not made after one and the same manner: For, says he,[1] _The
Bladder and the same Urine in number procreates a duelech of another
condition, then that which is made in the Kidney._ And truly, _Madam_,
it may be so; for there are several ways or modes in irregularities,
as well as regularities, and not every kind is alike, no not every
Particular, but there is some difference between them: Wherefore, it
may very well be, that the corporeal motions that make the stone in
the Kidneys, are not just alike to those that make the stone in the
Bladder; and as each sort of stone is different, so their particular
causes ought to be different; but this is to be observed, that
generally all diseases which produce hardness, are made by contracting,
condensing and retenting motions, and therefore the remedies of them
must be dilating, rarifying and dissolving. Next your _Author_ says,
_The Stone is not bred by heat, but heat is rather an effect of the
stone; neither is a certain muscilage, or a slimy, snivelly Phlegme
the cause or matter of the stone, but the stone is the cause of the
phlegme._ But, in my judgment, it seems more probable, that a slimy
matter is more proper for a stone to be made of, then that a stone
should make slime, except it be in its dissolution; that is, when the
stone, as in its generation or production it did change from a slimy
or liquid substance to a stone by condensing and contracting motions,
doth, by dilating and rarifying motions, dissolve again into such a
liquid and slimy body. I will not say always, to wit, that the stone
must needs be resolved into a slimy matter, but oftentimes it may be
so. Neither can I absolutely affirm that either heat or cold onely is
the cause of a stone; for some may be produced by hot, and some by
cold contractions and densations, there being as many several sorts of
stones as there are of other Creatures: But this is to be well noted,
that as some sorts of hot contractions do make stones, so some sorts
of hot dilations do dissolve them: The like of cold contractions and
dilations. Again: your _Author_ speaking of the womb wherein the stone
is made; _Every generated thing or being_, says he, _must of necessity
have a certain place or womb where it is produced; for there must
needs be places wherein things may be made before they are bred._ I
answer: As there is not any body without place, nor any place without
body, so the womb is not the place of the body generated, neither
before nor after its generation, no more then a man can be said to
be in a room when he is not there, but every body carries its place
along with it. Moreover, concerning the voiding of bloody Urine, which
happens sometimes in the disease of the Stone, my opinion is, That
it doth not always proceed from the Stone, but many times from the
breaking or voluntary opening of some Veins. But as for the cure of the
disease of the Stone your _Author,_[2] is pleased to affirm, _That no
disease is incurable_, and so neither the disease of the Stone, _For
he himself has cured many of the Stone to which they had been obedient
for some years._ Indeed, _Madam_, I fear his words are more cheerful
then effectual; however it may be possible, if the Kidneys be no ways
impaired, or the Bladder hurt; but if there be some such imperfection
in either or both, then it is as much, in my opinion, as to say, Man
can do more then Nature doth: Neither can I believe, that then any of
your _Authors_ Chymical preparations, as _Aroph, Ludus, Alkahest_,
and the like, if they were to be had, would do any good, no nor
_Daucus_, or wild Carrot-seed, if the disease be as yet curable, will
prove an effectual remedy for it, although your _Author_ is pleased
to relate an example of a man, to whom it did much good; for I can
affirm the contrary by other the like Examples, that it never did any
good to those that used it; nor the liquor of the Birch-tree, whose
venue and efficacy I do not believe to be so great as your _Author_
describes:[3] But for the stoppage of Urine, Marsh-mallow and oyl of
Almonds, which he despises, I approve to be good, and better then any
of his Unknown, Chymical Secrets; for those Chymical Medicines, as he
himself confesses, are hard to be had, especially _Alkahest_, which is
onely to be obtained by a Particular favour from Heaven, and is rather
a supernatural Gift, then a natural remedy. But your _Author_ doth
wisely, to commend such remedies as can never, or with great difficulty
be obtained, and then to say that no disease is incurable. And so
leaving him to his unknown secrets, and those to them that will use
them, I am resolved to adhere to the Practice of the Schools, which I
am confident will be more beneficial to the health of,
Madam,
_Your real and faithful_
_Friend and Servant._
[1] Of the Stone, _ch._ 6. See the _ch._ called, _A Numero-Critical
Paradox of supplies_.
[2] _Ch._ 7.
[3] _Ch._ 8.