Truly if these reasons be good, which I leave to future time to determine, it may be done for little cost.
Some are of opinion that the safest way is to expel the poison out of the body, so soon as may be, and that is done by vomit, or purge, or sweat.
You need not question the time, but do it as soon as may be; for there is no parlying with poison.
Let vomiting be the first, purging the next, and sweating the last. This is general. But,
If thou dost but observe the nature and motion of the venom, that will be thy best instructor.
In the stomach it requires vomiting, in the blood and spirits, sweating, if the body be plethoric, bleeding, if full of evil humours, purging.
Lastly, The cure being ended, strengthen the parts afflicted.
CHAPTER XIV.
Of purging Medicines.
Much jarring hath been amongst physicians about purging medicines, namely, whether they draw the humours to them by a hidden quality, which in plain English is, they know not how; or whether they perform their office by manifest quality, viz. by heat, dryness, coldness, or moisture: it is not my present scope to enter the lists of a dispute about the business, neither seem it such an hidden thing to me that every like should draw its like, only to make the matter as plain as I can, I sub-divide this chapter into these following parts.