Mixing Medicines According To Disease

CHAPTER XV

This being indeed the key of the work, I shall be somewhat the more diligent in it. I shall deliver myself thus;

1. To the Vulgar.

2. To such as study Astrology; or such as study physic astrologically.

1st, To the Vulgar. Kind souls, I am sorry it hath been your hard mishap to have been so long trained in such Egyptian darkness which to your sorrow may be felt. The vulgar road of physic is not my practice, and I am therefore the more unfit to give you advice. I have now published a little book, (Galen's Art of Physic,) which will fully instruct you, not only in the knowledge of your own bodies, but also in fit medicines to remedy each part of it when afflicted; in the mean season take these few rules to stay your stomachs.

1. With the disease, regard the cause, and the part of the body afflicted; for example, suppose a woman be subject to miscarry, through wind, thus do;

(1) Look Abortion in the table of diseases, and you shall be directed by that, how many herbs prevent miscarriage.

(2) Look Wind in the same table, and you shall see how many of these herbs expel wind.

These are the herbs medicinal for your grief.

2. In all diseases strengthen the part of the body afflicted.

3. In mixed diseases there lies some difficulty, for sometimes two parts of the body are afflicted with contrary humours, as sometimes the liver is afflicted with choler and water, as when a man hath both the dropsy and the yellow-jaundice; and this is usually mortal.

In the former, suppose the brain be too cool and moist, and the liver be too hot and dry; thus do;

1. Keep your head outwardly warm.

2. Accustom yourself to the smell of hot herbs.

3. Take a pill that heats the head at night going to bed.

4. In the morning take a decoction that cools the liver, for that quickly passes the stomach, and is at the liver immediately.

You must not think, courteous people, that I can spend time to give you examples of all diseases. These are enough to let you see so much light as you without art are able to receive. If I should set you to look at the sun, I should dazzle your eyes, and make you blind.

2dly, To such as study Astrology, who are the only men I know that are fit to study physic, physic without astrology being like a lamp without oil: you are the men I exceedingly respect, and such documents as my brain can give you at present (being absent from my study) I shall give you.

1. Fortify the body with herbs of the nature of the Lord of the Ascendant, 'tis no matter whether he be a Fortune or Infortune in this case.

2. Let your medicine be something antipathetical to the Lord of the sixth.

3. Let your medicine be something of the nature of the sign ascending.