[1] In his Treatise of Fevers, c. 5.
[XXXV.]
MADAM,
I find your Author to be as great an enemy to Issues, Cauteries, Clysters, and the like, as he is to Blood-letting and Purging; especially to Issues, which he counts to be blasphemous against the Creator, and blames much the Schools for prescribing them. But concerning Blood-letting and Purging, I have declared my opinion in my former Letters; and if you desire my judgment of Clysters and Issues, I must needs tell you, that it is well known these many ages, that in such diseases which lie in the guts, and cause pain in the head, and stop the ureteres, Clysters have been very beneficial, but wise Physicians do not prescribe them, unless upon necessity: As for example; if the disease in the Guts proceed from cold or wind, they prescribe a Sack-Clyster, with oyl of Walnuts; and if the disease in the guts proceed from a sharp or bitter humor, then they prescribe Milk, or Posset, sweetned with Sugar: the same if the guts be too full of excrements or slime. But in case of diseases in the head or stomack, they prescribe attractive Clysters, to wit, such as draw down from the upper into the lower parts, wherein the Physical drugs are; and if the guts be too dry, or dryer then their nature requires, they prescribe moistening Clysters, such as have not onely wetting, but slimy qualities. And surely Clysters properly and timely applyed, are a safe, speedy, easie and profitable medicine, and far more safe then Chymical Salts, Tartars, Spirits, or the like. Next concerning Issues and Cauteries, your Author, I say, is so much against them, as he counts them a blasphemy; for says he,[1] I have beheld always an implicite blasphemy in a Cautery, whereby they openly accuse the Creator of insufficiency in framing the emunctories; for I have bidden above a thousand Issues to be filled up with flesh. Also, That which God hath made whole and entire, that it might be very good, seems to the Schools, that it should be better if it be kept wounded. Truly, Madam, in my opinion, it is no blasphemy at all, neither directly nor indirectly, to make Issues, but a meer superstition to believe the contrary, viz. that they are blasphemy, and a great folly not to make them when need requires it to the preservation of ones health. God has made our body whole and intire, says your Author: by which he will prove that no holes must be made in the body to let out excrementious matter, and therefore he thinks that body to be whole and intire which is without an Issue, when as yet our bodies have numerous issues, which are the pores of the skin, to let out sweat; and therefore if he counts that body not to be whole and intire that has Issues, then no humane body is intire. Certainly, no Artificial Issue will make the body maimed, but it will nevertheless continue whole and intire although it has Issues. He says it is Blasphemy; But how will he prove it? Surely not by the Scripture; and if not by the Scripture, then it is a blasphemy according to his own brain and fancy. 'Tis true, God gave no express Command to make Issues; but according to your Author, God did never create Diseases, and so there was no need either to make such Issues in bodies as to let out distempered Matter, or to give any command for them; but we might as well say, we must not use any Physick, because it is not so natural to man as food, and serves not for the nourishment of the body, but onely to keep off, or drive out diseases: Also no stone must be cut, but man must rather indure torment and death. But setting aside this superstitious doctrine of your Author, it is evident enough, and needs no proof, that Cancers, Fistulas, Wenns, Eating-evils, Madness, Fevers, Consumptions, Rheumes, Pleurisies, and numerous other diseases, are not better cured then by Issues, or making of wounds, either by Lancets, Pen-knifes, Scissers, Rasors, Corrosives, Causticks, Leeches, or the like. And although your Author says, That that Matter which proceeds from, or out of an Issue, is made in the lips of the wound, and not in the body; for it cannot possibly drain or draw out any moisture, either from within or between the skin and the flesh, having no passages: Yet if this were so, how come Fistulas, Cancers, and the like diseases, to have passages from within the body to the exterior parts, so, as to make a wound, out of which much sharp and salt humor issues? which humor certainly is not made in the lips of the wound, but in the body: Also whence comes the humor that makes the Gout? For though the swelling and inflammation will sometimes appear exteriously, yet after some time those tumors and humors retire back into the body from whence they did flow; but he might as well say that Pit-falls or Sluces do not drain Land from a superfluity of Water, as that Issues do not drain the body of superfluous humors. Wherefore I am absolutely of opinion, that the Practice of the Schools is the best and wisest Practice, as well in making Issues, letting blood, Purging by Siege or Vomits, as any other means used by them; for by Issues I have seen many cured, when no other medicines would do any good with them; and letting blood, I am confident, hath rescued more lives, then the Universal Medicine, could Chymists find it out, perchance would do. So also Clysters and Vomits, skilfully applied, have done great benefits to the life of men; for every part and member hath its peculiar way to be purged and cleansed; for example, Clysters principally cleanse the Guts, Purges the Stomack, Vomits the Chest, Sneezing the Head, Bleeding the Veins, and Issues drain the whole body of naughty humors: All which remedies, properly and timely used, keep the body from being choak'd with superfluities. There are several other ways of cures besides for several diseases, but I leave those to learned and skilful Physicians, who know best how and when to use them to the benefit and health of their Patients, although your Author finds much fault with them, and blames them for suffering men to die miserably; but God has given power to Nature to make certain dissolutions, although uncertain diseases, and uncertain remedies. Neither hath she in her power to give Immortal Life to particular Creatures, for this belongs to God alone, and therefore no Universal Medicine will keep out death, or prolong life further then its thread is spun, which I doubt is but a Chymæra, and an impossible thing, by reason there are not onely so many different varieties in several diseases, but in one and the same disease, as no Universal remedy would do any good. But your Author is much pleased with Paradoxes, and Paradoxes are not certain Truths: Wherefore it is better, in my judgment, to follow the old approved and practised way of the Schools, grounded upon Experience and Reason, then his Paradoxical Opinions. To which Schools, as your Author is a great Enemy, so I am a great Friend, as well as,
Madam,
Your Ladiships
humble Servant.
[1] Of Cauteries.