hand, than these are, because of their contrariety to nature; whereas these are grateful to the body by their moderate heat.

Effect 3. Thirdly, these take away weariness, and help fevers, being outwardly applied, because they open the pores of the skin, and by their gentle heat prepare the humours, and take away those fuliginous vapours that are caused by fevers.

Discommodities : Yet may discommodities arise by heedless giving even of these, which I would have young students in physic to be very careful in, lest they do more mischief than they are aware of, viz. it is possible by too much use of them, to consume not only what is inimical in the body, but also the substance itself, and the strength of the spirits, whence comes faintings, and sometimes death: besides, by applying them to the parts of the body they are not appropriated to, or by not heeding well the complexion of the patient, or the natural temper of the part of the body afflicted, for the heart is hot, but the brain temperate.

Effect 4. Lastly, medicines hot in the first degree, cherish heat in the internal parts, help concoction, breed good blood, and keep it good in temper, being bred.

Of Medicines hot in the second degree

These are something hotter than the natural temper of a man.

Use. Their use for such whose stomachs are filled with moisture, because their faculty is too hot and dry; they take away obstructions or stoppings, open the pores of the skin, but not in the same manner that such do as are hot in the first degree, for they do it without force, by a gentle heat, concocting, and expelling the humours, by strengthening and helping nature in the work; but these cut tough humours, and scatter them by their own force and power when nature cannot.

Of Medicines hot in the third degree

Those which attain the third degree of heat, have the same faculties with those before mentioned; but as they are hotter, so are they more powerful in their operations, for they are so powerful in heating and cutting, that if unadvisedly given they cause fevers.

Use. Their use is to cut tough and compacted humours, to provoke sweat abundantly; hence it comes to pass they all of them resist poison.

Of Medicines hot in the fourth degree

Those medicines obtain the highest degree of heat, which are so hot that they burn the body of a man, being outwardly applied to it, and cause inflammations, or raise blisters, as Crowfoot, Mustardseed, Onions, & c. Of these more hereafter.

Of cooling Medicines

Physicians have also observed four degrees of coldness in medicines, which I shall briefly treat of in order.

Of Medicines cold in the first degree

Those medicines which are least cold of all, obtain the first degree of coldness; and I beseech you take notice of this, that seeing our bodies are nourished by heat, and we live by heat, therefore no cold medicines are friendly to the body, but what good they do our bodies, they do it by removing an unnatural heat, or the body heated above its natural temper.