Q. Why are colt’s teeth yellow, and of the colour of saffron, when they are young, and become white when they grow up? A. Because horses have abundance of watery humours in them, which in their youth are digested and converted into grossness; but in old age heat diminishes, and the watery humours remain, whose proper colour is white.
Q. Why did nature give living creatures teeth? A. To some to fight with, and for defence of their lives, as unto wolves and bats; unto some to eat with, as unto horses; unto some for the forming of voice, as unto men.
Q. Why do horned beasts want their upper teeth? A. Horns and teeth are caused by the same matter, that is, nutrimental humidity, and therefore the matter which passeth into horns turneth not into teeth, consequently they want the upper teeth. And beasts cannot chew well; therefore, to supply the want of teeth, they have two stomachs, from whence it returns, and they chew it again; then it goes into the other to be digested.
Q. Why are some creatures brought forth, with teeth, as kids and lambs; and some without, as men? A. Nature doth not want unnecessary things, nor abound in superfluous; and therefore because these beasts, not long after they are fallen, do need teeth, they are fallen with teeth; but men, being nourished by their mother, for a long time, do not stand in need of teeth.
Of the Tongue.
Q. Why is the tongue full of pores? A. Because the tongue is the means whereby we taste; and through the mouth, in the pores of the tongue, doth proceed the sense of tasting. Again, it is observed, that frothy spittle is sent into the mouth by the tongue from the lungs, moistening the meat, and making it ready for digestion.
Q. Why do the tongues of such as are sick of agues judge all things bitter? A. Because the stomachs of such people are filled with choleric humours; and choler is very bitter, as appeareth by the gall; therefore, this bitter fume doth infect their tongues; and so the tongue being full of those tastes, doth judge every thing bitter.
Q. Why doth the tongue water when we hear sour and sharp things spoken of? A. Because the imaginative virtue or power is of greater force than the power and faculty of tasting; and when we imagine a taste, we conceive the power of tasting as a means; there is nothing felt by the taste, but by means of the spittle the tongue doth water.
Q. Why do some persons stammer and lisp? A. Sometimes through the moistness of the tongue and brain, as in children, who cannot speak plainly nor pronounce many letters. Sometimes it happeneth by reason of the shrinking of certain sinews which go to the tongue, which are corrupted with phlegm.
Q. Why are the tongues of serpents and mad dogs venomous? A. Because of the malignity and tumosity of the venomous humour which predominates in them.