[CHAP. VIII. Of COVGHS.]
There are many several sorts of Coughs, proceeding from several Causes; as, some Coughs proceed from a Superfluity of Moisture; others from an Unnatural Heat; others from a Corruption of Humors; others from a Decay of the Vital Parts; others from sudden Colds upon Hot Distempers: Some are caused by an Interior Wind; some Coughs proceed from Salt Humors, Bitter, Sharp, and Sweet: some Coughs proceed from Flegm, which Flegm ariseth like a Scum in a Pot, when Meat is boiling on a Fire: for
when the Stomack is distemperedly hot, the Humors in the Stomack boyl as Liquid Substances on the Fire; those boiling Motions bearing up the gross Humors beyond the Mouth of the Stomack, and, causing a Dispute between the Breath and Humors, produce the Effect of Straining, or Reaching upwards towards the Mouth, much like the Nature and Motions of Vomiting: but, by reason those Motions are not so strong in Coughing, as in Vomiting, the Coughing Motions bring up only pieces or parts of superfluous Flegm, or gross Spittle. The like for corrupt Humors. Other Coughs proceed from Unnatural or Distempered Heats; which Heats cause Unnecessary Vapours, and those Vapours ascending up from the Bowels, or Stomack, to the Head, and finding a Depression, are converted or changed into a Watry Substance; which Watry Substance falls down, like mizling or small Rain, or in bigger drops, through the passage of the Throat and Wind-pipe: which being opprest, and the Breath hindered, causes a Strife; which Striving, is a Straining; like as when Crumbs of Bread, or Drops of Drink, go not rightly through the Throat, but trouble and obstruct the Wind-pipe, or when any such Matter sticks in the passage of the Throat: for, when any Part of the Body is obstructed, it endeavours to release it self from those Obstructions: Also, when the Vapour that arises, arises in very Thin and Rarified Vapour,
that Rarified Vapour thickens or condenses not so suddenly, being farther from the degree of Water; but when condensed into Water, it falls down by drops; which drops trickling down the Throat, (like as Tears from the Eyes trickle down the Cheeks of the Face) the Cough is not so violent, but more frequent: but if the Rheum be salt or sharp, that trickles down the Throat, it causes a gentle or soft smart, which is much like the touch of Tickling or Itching, which provokes a faint or weak Strain or Cough. Also, Wind will provoke to Strain or Cough: The Motion of Wind is like as if Hair should tickle the Nose. Or, Wind will cause a tickling in the Nose, which causes the Effect of Sneezing: for, Sneezing is nothing but a Cough through the Nose; I may say, It is a Nose-Cough. And Hickops are but Stomach-Coughs, Wind causing the Stomack to strain. Also, the Guts have Coughs, which are caused by the Wind, which makes a strife in the Guts and Bowels. Other Coughs are produced from Decayed Parts: for, when any Part is corrupted, it becomes less Solid than naturally it should be: As for example, The Flesh of the Body, when corrupted, becomes from Dense Flesh, to a Slimy Substance; thence, into a Watry Substance, which falls into Parts, or changes from Flesh, into a Mixt Corrupted Matter, which falls into Parts. The several Mixtures, or Distempered Substances,
and Irregular Motions, causes Division of the composed Parts; but in the time of dissolving, and divisions of any Part, there is a strife which causes Pain: and if the strife be in the Lungs, it causes Coughs, by obstructing the Breath: but, some Coughs proceed from Vapours and Winds, arising from the decayed Interior Parts, sending up Vapours from the Dissolving Substance, which causeth Coughs; and some Coughs cause Decays of the Prime Interior Parts: for, when there falls from the Head a constant Distillation, this Distillation is like dropping Water, which will penetrate or divide Stone; and more easily will dropping or drilling Water do it, as Rheum, will corrupt Spongy Matter as Flesh is: but, according as the Rheum is Fresh, Salt, or Sharp, the Parts are a longer or shorter time decaying: for, Salt and Sharp is Corroding; and, by the Corroding Motions, Ulcerates those Parts the Salt Rheums fall on, which destroys them soon. As for Chin-Cough, 'tis a Wind or Vapour arising from the Lungs, through the Wind-pipe; and as long as the Wind or Vapour ascends, the Patient cannot draw in Reviving Air or Breath, but Coughs violently and incessantly, until it faint away, or have no Strength left; and with straining, will be as if it were choaked or strangled, and become black in the face, and, after the Cough is past, recover again; but some dye of these sorts of Coughs.
[CHAP. IX. Of GANGREN'S.]
Gangren's are of the Nature of the Plague; and they are of Two sorts, as the Plague is; the one more sudden and deadly than the other: The only difference of their Insecting Qualities, is, That Gangren's spread by insecting still the next, or Neighbouring Parts; whereas Plagues infect Forrein, as much as Home-Parts. Also, the deadly sort of Gangren's, infect (as I may say) from the Circumference towards the Center: when as the deadly sorts of Plague, infect from the Center, towards the Circumference. But, that sort of Gangrene that is the weaker sort, infects only the next adjoining Parts, by degrees, and after a spreading manner, rather than after a piercing manner.
But some may object, That Plagues and Gangren's are produced from different Causes; as for example, Extream Cold will cause Gangren's; and Extream Heat causes Plagues.