and the like. And these are to be subtilly powdered in the last degree; and this properly agrees with our intent, that it may come to its proper end of elongation, as Avicecna saith in his second Canon Of the Judgment of Medicises that are outwardly applied.

But this powdering cannot be made in metals, except by burning. Which Avicenna affirms in his chapter of the Leraci, concerning the preparation of gold and silver; and in his fifth canon, where Confectio Hyacinthi is

shown.

But certain other men have given rules how to dissolve medicine of thick substance, as Aristotle saith, according to Isaac in his degrees, in his canon Of Pearl, speaking Las: "I have sea certain men dissolve perl, with the juice and liquor whereof morphews being washed, were fully cured and made whole."

But in medicines which are mixt of these plants and animals, a separation of the virtue from the body itself may be made: And their virtue and matter will operate stronger and better alone, than joined with their body.

Because the natural heat is tired, whilst it separates and severs the virtue of the thing from the body which is hard and earthy: And it being tired, the virtue will with greater

culty be carried to the instruments of the senses, so as it may be able to refresh them, and destroy the superfluous moisture, and penetrate to the members of the fourth concoction, that it may strengthen the digestive power of the fesh and skin.

From the weakness whereof certain accidents of old age do proceed; as is manifest in the morphew: because that the natural heat of our body is not always so sufficiently powerful in all medicines, as to separate the virtue from its terrestrial body.

But when the virtue alone is given without the body, the natural heat is not tired, nor is the virtue of the medicine by frequent digestion destroyed in its journey, as it were, while it is carried to the similar parts and the instruments

of

of the senses and so the virtue of the thing will complete its operation, while it does not tire the natural heat.

And Galen agrees with this, as Isaac testifies in his canon Of the Leprosie, saying, "I never saw a man so in "fected cured, but one that drank of wine, wherein a vi66 per had fallen."

And Johannes Damascenus in his aphorisms: "There"fore it was necessary for the purging of the humours "driven down, that the medicine according to the skill

and pleasure of the physician should be turned into the "likeness of meat."

Another hath said, "That that physic which should "pass to the third digestion, should be greedily received, "according to some, with a thing of easy assimilation, such as milk and the broth of a pullet.”

CHAP. III.

Of the Accidents of Old Age and the ɔɔauses of them, and the Signs of Huqt in the Sanses, Imagination, Reason and Memory.

THE accidents of age and old age are, grey hairs, paleness, wrinkles of the skin, weakness of faculties, and of natural strength, diminution of blood and spirits, bleareyedness, abundance of rotten phlegm, filthy spitting, shortness of breath, anger, want of sleep, an unquiet mind, hurt of the instruments, that is, of those, wherein the animal virtue does operate. Now of all these let us see from what causes each accident derives its original.

And in the first place discoursing of grey hairs, we shall take notice of this, namely, that some of these accidents happen even to young men before the time of manhood, and then they are not called the accidents of age, but infirmities,

The

The accidents of age begin in some at the time of manhood:

In others at the time of age, according to the power of the native moisture, and the government of every wise

man:

And in some they use not to come till very old age.

The principal cause of all these is weakness of the innate heat, which is caused two ways, as was said before.

Greyness ariseth from putrid phlegm coming out of the regions of the brain and stomach, as Isaac saith; and not from phlegm alone, but it proceeds from any other putrid humour what ever, as Avicenna saith in his chapter of the Complexions of Ages.

Now this putrid humour is generated many ways:

Sometimes by eating of certain things that breed a putrifying humour, which is the cause of old age, as hereafter will appear.

Sometimes from the weakness of natural heat, which ales in the body, and from abundance of cold, as Aristotle with. For the implanted heat being dulled digests not food, as it used; whereupon a watry humour a little warmed with strange heat abounds, and causes this greyness, as Haly saith in Galen's regiment, where he treats of the regiment of old age.

Sometimes from too great access of external heat. For in his eleventh chapter of his History of Animals the philosopher there saith, that hairs that are covered are sooner grey than those that are seldom covered. For the covering keeps off the wind, and the wind hinders putrefaction.

Sometimes greyness, and putrefaction of the humours arises from the infirmity of the skin: As in the morphew, when through the weakness of that member, the nourishment is not concocted.

For there is in every member a digestive power and heat, which the soul useth as an instrument in performing its

operations. VOL. IV

Hence

Hence it is that an evil constitution happens in some of the external parts, when the inward parts are no hurt, and do perform aright the offices of nature.

But it is to be observed, that the hairs of the temples wax grey sooner, and those of the hind parts later: Because in the fore part there is much moisture, therefore it sooner putrefies. And when this happens in the hairs, after it is once come, it will hardly be removed; but it is a thing less difficult to put a stop to it before it come.

But it often falls out, that many men labouring under some infirmity, have their hairs wax grey; in whom, after they have recovered their health, the hairs return to their former disposition.

Here the cause is, the weakness of natural heat in concocting the nourishment in the external parts; and when strength and health return, the hair grows black.

But Avicenna saith in his fourth canon Of the disposition of those that are recovering their health, that therefore the hairs wax white, because they are deprived of their nourishment, by reason the innate moisture goes out and is dispers'd, which whilst it abides within causeth the blackness of the hair; as is manifest in corn, which is dryed, and grows white by ripening: afterwards when it is wet with dew, its greenness returns.

Besides, there is in every member a natural power residing, which according to its complexion turns the nutriment into the likeness of that member, and differs from that power, which turns the nutriment into the likeness of another member, and from this diversity a weakness in the skin proceeds, as Avicenna saith in his first canon Of Natural powers. But when the virtue of the member is weak, it infects and corrupts the nature aud wholesome juice of the aliment that flows thither. Which being corrupted, all

things that penetrate into that member, are depraved: Like as a good constitution doth alter even bad and unwholesome food, so that it becomes good, apt and convenient for nourishing nature.

Galen

Galen reports, according to Avicenna in his first canon of the morphew, that there is a certain tree, which at its first growth is deadly and poisonous: yet it may be changed so as without any danger it may become wholesome food. And this is done by the planting of it. As there is a tree in Persia poisonous, and whose fruit is hurtful; but being removed into Egypt, and planted there, its fruit is safely eaten; and being brought back again into Persia. it obtains its former poisonous quality.

For this cause medicines were invented that might be applyed to the outward parts, as bathings and anointings. For such medicaments are more useful to remove diseases which arise from the hurt of the fourth digestion, than inward ones; Because the virtue of medicines taken inwardly is rendred so dull and weak of the first and second digestion, that when it arrives at the fourth degree of digestion, it is so broken, that it cannot at all profit, as Avicenna saith in his canon Of Weariness and old age. And so anointings o strengthen the virtue of the fourth digestion.

Which I think to be most true, by reason outward medicaments are nearer the places affected; especially if the humour be purged, or do not offend in the inner parts.

But if the humour aforesaid offend, first of all, the body must be absolutely purged of it.

Then the skin must be made cleaner by a long effusion and provocation of plentiful sweat. And

Thirdly, The virtue in that member, which is ill affected, st be refreshed: Because if the medicine avail not something toward the strengthning the virtue of the part, the humour

B 2

* Of this tree, Dioscorides speaks in his first book, chap. 147. in thes wards. The peach tree is a tree in Egypt, bearing fruit fit for food, goed the stanich: Wherein spiders called Cranocolapta are found, especially a Theo's. The dry leaves reduced to powder, and applyed, stop eruptions biod. Some have declared that this tree is destructive in Persia, and Being translated into Egypt, it changes its uature, and is made use of for