Some people are taken with violent vomiting, and the excess thereof in some hath been so great as to endanger their lives, yea, cause death: In which case water will be very helpful; for, if a pint of it warmed be drank after every vomit, it will prevent that violent straining, wherein lieth the danger of all vomiting, because to strain violently, when but little will come up, endangers the breaking of some inward vessel. And, besides this, the offending matter will be sooner loosened from the internal part of the stomach, and cast out, upon which the vomiting will sooner cease: For after this manner the famous Sydenham, a most honest writer, did overcome the cholera morbus, or vomiting and looseness, so common in his time, and was found by the weekly bill to kill more than now die of convulsions; for his way was to boil a chicken in four gallons of water, which made a broth not such differing from water, of which he ordered large draughts to be given, and some of it to be taken by clyster, till the whole quantity was spent, if the vomiting did not stop before; which did so take off the sharpness of the matter offending, and wash it out, that the party in a little time became well. And the same was the practice of Sigismundus Grafius, who commends pure water in a vomiting or looseness to be drank in large quantities; for thereby, he saith, the corrosive and sharp humours will be so weakened, that they will no more offend: And he saith, it may be drank cold if the patient be strong, otherwise let it be warmed.
Fluxes.
And in common fluxes without vomiting, a quart or more of warm water drank, will so weaken the sharpness whereby the distemper is caused, that is will soon be overcome, and the gripings eased. And in the bloody flux, which is the most dangerous of all fluxes, the ingenious Cornelius Celsus adviseth a large drinking of cold water as the best of remedies: But then no other substance must be taken till the disease is cured. And Lusitanus, another great physician, affirms, Cent. 1. Obser. 46. that he knew one, who, being in the summer-time afflicted with the bloody flux, drank a large quantity of cold water, and thereby recovered. This large quantity of water, in these fluxes, doth so correct the sharpness of the humour offending, that it can have no power to cause pain, or corrode the vessels, and cause bloody digestions or stools.
Consumptions.
Water also is a drink that conduceth above all things to cure consumptive people; for the digestion being weakened, is the cause of producing a hot fretting nourishment, which is injurious to the tender substance of the lungs, and which constringes and stops up the lymphatic vessels thro’ which the nourishment is to pass to all the parts, so that by degrees the body for want of due supplies consumes: Which obstructions, and that acrimony which causeth them, will be opened and sweetened by the plentiful use of water, if taken before the lungs become ulcerous. Which cure of consumptions by water is recommended in the writings of Dr. Couch, who, in his Praxis Catholica, tells us, that he knew a man cured very soon of a consumption by drinking pure water. And it is said by another, that some have been cured of consumptions by drinking no other drink but water, avoiding all malt liquors, and sharp wines: For wine or any other strong liquor is pernicious in this distemper, whose original is affirmed by Dr Coward to be always in the stomach, from some intemperance in meat or drink.
Flushes in the face.
Some there are who are much troubled with flushing heat in the face, and others with a heat in the back; in both which cases, water used as common drink is the best remedy, with a spare cooling diet: And it is also excellent for such as have red blotches in their face, which proceed from a hot fretting blood, which by water-drinking, and a moderate diet, will be kept under: For as Dr. Duncan, before quoted, doth affirm, those who keep their blood cool and clean, are never troubled with breakings-out, like many others, who may be known to be drinkers of hot drinks, and to use a hot full diet, by their faces being full of blotches.
Cholic.
Water is also commended by the learned for the cholic; large drinking of water hath been found to be an excellent remedy. And it is said by Fortis, that when he practised at Venice, he often gave cold water in the cholic, with good success. With whom an English physician, Dr. Wainwright, in his Mechanical account of the six non-naturals, concurs; for he saith, that water-drinkers are never troubled with the cholic, and that many thereby have been cured, when all other remedies failed: But in this case a quart at least is required.
Small Pox.