Their stooles, who drinke of it, are commonly of a blackish, or dark greene colour, partly because it emptieth the liver and splen from adult humours, and melancholy, or the sediment of blood: but more especially, because the mineralls intermixed doe produce and give such a tincture.
CHAP. 11.
In what diseases the water of this Fountaine is most usefull and beneficiall.
Over and besides the peculiar and specificall faculties, which this fountaine hath, it sheweth divers and sundry other manifest effects and qualities in evacuating the noxious humours of the body, for most part by urine especially when there is any obstruction about the kidneyes, ureters and bladder: Or by urine and stoole both, if the mesentery, liver, or splen, chance to bee obstructed. But, if the affect or griefe be in the matrix or womb, then it clenseth that way according to the accustomed and usuall manner of women.
In melancholike people it purgeth by provoking the hæmorrhoides, and in cholericke by siege, or stoole. If it causeth either vomit or sweat, it is very seldome and rare.
See here a most admirable worke guided by the omnipotency and wisedom of the Almighty, that a naturall, cleare, and pure water, should produce so many and severall effects and operations, being all of them in a manner contrary one to another, which few medicines composed by art can easily performe without hurt and damage to the party. Wherefore being drunke with those cautions and circumstances necessarily required thereunto, it is to be preferred before many other remedies, as not onely procuring these evacuations; but also (which is more to be noted) staying them, when they grow to any excesse. For seeing that here are minerals contained both hot, cold, dry, aperitive, astringent, &c. there is none so simple but must needs thinke and grant, that it cannot otherwise bee but good and wholesome in grievances, and diseases, which in their owne natures are opposite.
But I may instance in some few, for which it is good and profitable, and therein observe some order and methode; It dryeth the over moist braine, and helpeth the evils proceeding therefrom, as rhumes, catarrhs, palsies, cramps, &c.
It is also good and availeable against inveterate headaches, migrims, turnings, and swimmings of the head and braine, dizzinesse, epilepsie, or falling sicknesse, and the like cold and moist diseases of the head.
It cheereth and reviveth the spirits, strengtheneth the stomacke, causeth a good and quicke appetite, and furthereth digestion.