[CHAP. XVIII. Of Food, or Digestions.]
As I have said, Digestions are so numerous, and so obscure, that the most Learned Men know not how Food is converted and distributed to all the Parts of the Body: Which Obscurity occasions many Arguments, and much Dispute amongst the Learned; but, in my opinion, it is not the Parts of the Human Body, that do digest the Food, although they may be an occasion (through their own Regularities, or Irregularities) to cause good or bad digestions: but, the Parts of the Food, do digest themselves; that is, alter their actions to the Property and Nature of a Human Body: so that Digestive Parts are only Additional Parts; and, if those Nourishing Motions be Regular,they distribute their several Parts, and joyn their several Parts, to those several Parts of the Body that require Addition. Also, the Digestive Motions are according to the Nature or Property of each several Part of the Human Body, As for example, Those Digestive Parts alter into Blood, Flesh, Fat, Marrow, Brains, Humors, and so into any other Figurative Parts of the Sensitive Body. The same may be said of the Rational Parts of the Mind: but, if those Digestive Parts be Irregular, they will cause a Disorder in a well-ordered Body: and, if the Parts of the Body be Irregular, they will occasion a Disorder amongst the Digestive Parts: but, according to the Regularities and Irregularities of the Digestive Parts, is the Body more or less nourished. But this is to be noted, That according to the Superfluity or Scarcity of those Digestive Parts, the Body is opprest, or starved.
[CHAP. XIX. Of SURFEITS.]
Surfeits are occasioned after different manners: for, though many Surfeits proceed from those Parts that are received into the Body; yet, some are occasioned through often repetitions of one and the same actions: As for example, The Eyes may surfeit with too often viewing one Object; the Ears, with often hearing one Sound; the Nose, with smelling one Sent; the Tongue, with one Tast. The same is to be said of the Rational Actions; which Surfeits, occasion an aversion to such or such Particulars: but, for those Surfeits that proceed from the Parts that are received into the Body, they are either through the quantity that oppresses the Nature of the Body; or, through the quality of those Parts, being not agreeable to the Nature of the Body; or, through their Irregularities, that occasion the like Irregularities in the Body: and sometimes, the fault is through the Irregularities of the Body, that hinder those received Parts, or obstruct their Regular Digestions; and sometimes, the fault is both of the Parts of the Body, and those of the Food: but, the Surfeits of those Parts that receive not Food, are caused through the often repetition of one and the same Action.
[CHAP. XX. Of Natural Evacuations, or Purgings.]
There are many sorts, and several ways or means of Purging actions; whereof some we name Natural, which purge the Excremental Parts; and such Natural Purgings, are only of such Parts as are no ways useful to the Body; or of those that are not willing to convert themselves into the Nature and Property of the Substantial Parts. There must of necessity be Purging actions, as well as Digestive actions; because, no Creature can subsist singly of it self, but all Creatures subsist each by other; so that, there must be Dividing actions, as well as Uniting actions; only, several sorts of Creatures, have several sorts of Nourishments and Evacuations. But this is to be noted, in the Human Nourishments and Evacuations, that, through their Irregularities, some Men may nourish too much, and others purge too much; and some may nourish too little, and some may purge too little. The Irregularities concerning Nourishments, are amongst the adjoining Parts; the Errors concerning Purging, are amongst the Dividing Parts.