The office of the reins is, to make a separation between the blood and the urine; to receive this urine thus separated from the blood, is the bladder ordained, which is of a sufficient bigness to contain it.

Both these parts of the body officiating about the urine, they are both usually afflicted by the vices of the urine.

1. By stones.

2. By inflammation.

3. By thick humours.

Medicines appropriated to the reins and bladder are usually called Nephriticals, and are threefold; some cool, others cut gross humours, and a third sort breaks the stone.

In the use of all these, take notice, that the constitution of the reins and bladder is such, that they abhor all binding medicines because they cause stoppage of urine.

Take notice, that the reins and bladder being subject to inflammations endure not very hot medicines.

Because the bladder is further remote from the centre of the body than the kidnies are, therefore it requires stronger medicines than the kidnies do, lest the strength of the medicine be spent before it be come to the part afflicted.

CHAPTER VIII

Of Medicines appropriated to the womb

These, physicians call Hystericals, and to avoid multiplicity of words, take them in this discourse under that notion.

Take notice that such medicines as provoke the menses, or stop them when they flow immoderately, are properly hystericals, but shall be spoken to by and by in a chapter by themselves.

As for the nature of the womb, it seems to be much like the nature of the brain and stomach, for experience teacheth that it is delighted with sweet and aromatical medicines, and flies from their contraries.

For example: a woman being troubled with the fits of the mother, which is drawing of the womb upward, apply sweet things, as Civet, or the like, to the place of conception, it draws it down again; but apply stinking things to the nose, as Assafœtida, or the like, it expels it from it, and sends it down to its proper place.

CHAPTER IX

Of Medicines appropriated to the joints

The joints are usually troubled with cephalic diseases, and then are to be cured by cephalic medicines.

Medicines appropriated to the joints, are called by the name Arthritical medicines.

The joints, seeing they are very nervous, require medicines which are of a heating and drying nature, with a gentle binding, and withal, such as by peculiar virtue are appropriated to them, and add strength to them. It is true, most cephalics do so, yet because the joints are more remote from the centre, they require stronger medicines.

For removing pains in the joints this is the method of proceeding.