young Gentleman in the countrey to mine owne knowledge voyded such an vrine for a quarter of a yeare together and by appearance had so continued long before my sight of the same and yet notwithstanding all the euacuations were vsed it continued so more or lesse vntill his dying day His disease was a Dropsie and with the same was ioyned the yellow Iaundise which did outwardly shew it selfe to the view of the eye His Liuer hote and the whole constitution of his bodie participating of the same distemper But in the yeare 1613. a woman of Northampton of good account being with child voyded an vrine with the like residence and that for as long a time at least and yet did their diseases farre differ For besides her being with a liue child for vntill that time was not my counsell craued she was for a many weekes together neuer free from a Tertian Quotidian or both agues conioyned the which were accompanied with a continuall cough proceeding from a thinne salt rheume with spitting of bloud reaching and casting as also a great laske all which accidents or the most of them did not forsake her till neare the time of her deliuerie Phlebotomie for diuerse considerations I durst not then attempt Other euacuations both vpwards and downewards came in greater abundance then was wished It was now deepely imprinted not in her owne onely but in the conceits of her neighbours and others also of good vnderstanding that in regard of her spitting of bloud she was now farre spent in an irrecouerable consumption Vpon the relation of others I inclined to the same opinion But at my first sight of her together with the sight of the bloud she spat vp I changed my opinion And so God adding his blessing to the meanes she vsed by my directions she brought foorth at the time appointed a liue manchild which neuerthelesse liued not aboue the space of a moneth The mother two or three dayes after her deliuerie was surprised with the Measels and afterwards recouered her health againe the which at this present day she yet enioyeth Here was no Dropsie at all nor yet could I euer perceiue any signe of a hote Liuer and the matter of the Iaundise was voyded both by stoole and vrine It may then plainly appeare how farre the diseases may sometimes differ the residence being still alike in two seuerall bodies sexes c. As concerning bloudy residence as was before said of bloudy vrine it may come either of abundance of bloud in a plethoricall body or else by weaknesse of the retentiue power and of the Liuer the which rightly to discerne wee must be acquainted with diuers other circumstances which the vrine can neuer make knowen It hath beene likewise already related that sometimes great quantitie of bloud it selfe hath beene voyded without any danger and sometimes againe after the voyding of a very small quantitie thereof death hath not long deferred his approaches In the yeere 1614. about the beginning of Ianuary my counsell was demanded for a Gentleman dwelling neare Northampton about fiftie yeares of age or vpwards In his vrine at my first comming at him was to be seene great store of yellowish contents cleauing to the bottome of the vrinall wherewith were intermingled some red streakes of bloud And howbeit I often earnestly intreated him to admit of Phlebotomie as the onely remedy to preuent a greater inconuenience yet could I not preuaile vntill such time as bloud now issuing out in great abundance both vpwards and downewards his strength now decaying and hairy irrecouerable occasion ouer past with a too late repentance he would willingly haue paied a good fine for the renewing of the lease of his life but all too late As concerning white blacke leaden or ash-coloured as also greene and blew contents the vncertaintie of these may be in some sort collected from that we haue already said of such vrines and many other matters I willingly passe by and hasten to the rest to wit diuers other sorts of residences or strange contents called by some difforme contents Purulent or mattery residence doth much resemble a white residence or ground which is so much commended for the best of all others and therefore requireth some iudgement to discerne the one from the other and yet is there a crude and vnconcocted residence not vnlike this purulent matter to bee seene as well in whole as in sicke bodies This purulent or mattery residence againe proceedeth either from the kidneyes or the bladder as is most commonly receiued But heare what the learned Hollerius saith concerning the same Neither yet doth this mattery stuffe alwaies proceed from the kidneys or bladder For it proceedeth almost from euery part of the vpper region of the body by the great and admirable industry of nature and by meanes of the body euery where made passable for such a purpose doth disburden it selfe sometimes into the guts and sometimes againe into the bladder A certaine woman voyded not without great paine and torment such purulent and mattery vrines who foure moneths after dyed and the dead corps being opened two stones were found in her heart with many little impostumes the kidneyes together with the other vrinary passages being free from any other hurt Galen saith Roâ—deletius did see an impostume of the Lungs purged by vrine by meanes of the emulgent or sucking arteries The gibbons or backe part of the Liuer the kidneyes bladder and yard make vse of the same passage Now which of these places are affected the griefe and tumor of the part giueth vs notice and not the vrine onely Now red Vetches or Fitches in the residence called therefore Hypostasis orobea or eruarea are recorded by our Authors to signifie either great inflammation of the Liuer or colliquation of the whole body or of the kidneyes onely And so branny contents signifie sometimes consumption of the whole body or of the bladder onely with concoction no Ague and great heat wasting the substance of the Liuer and burning the bloud if it be red So do fine branny contents signifie a collequation or wasting of the solid parts sharpe sicknesse and for the most part mortall and some adde yet that it is sometimes seene in the vrines of women with child And if this residence be red they attribute it to extreame adustion of the bloud Scales called Lamine Squame differ not much in signification To Haires or small filaments in the vrine are attributed also diuers significations as namely a consumption of the whole body a Feuer then being ioyned therewith or else of the kidneyes onely and then is no Feuer to be seene They are according to Galen engendered of a tough Phlegme proceeding from the vse of grosse diet Sometimes also they are said to signifie exulceration of the reines or bladder and sometimes also fluxe of seed from seuerall causes And finally womens white fluxe from the matrixe or wombe
the premisses many there are who like Prophets will seeme to diuine and coniecture by the sole inspection of the vrine many things which concerne the disease whosoeuer therefore for gaining of a little vaine-glorie and popular applause will accommodate himselfe to imitate them let him first of all reckon vp at once whatsoeuer he knoweth by the vrine For by the exchange of many words foolish wits are easily entrapped c. And then concludeth thus Whosoeuer then shall vrge the Physitian as if he were some Prophet by rash aduenturing to deliuer his iudgement concerning the sicke by the sole inspection of the vrine shall carrie backe but vncertaintie and for the most part nothing but doubting for their paines But he or she who after a wise and discreete manner doth craue the counsell of an vnderstanding Physitian shall reape for his paines the fruite of good and wholesome aduice Now let vs heare againe what the Italian Sauonarola sayes to this businesse From the premisses then we may conclude that the knowledge we haue of the vrine doth principally concerne the Liuer and the gibbous or backe part of the same chiefly Next and in the second place concerning the infirmities of the veines thirdly and last of all the infirmities of the other parts of the bodie And a little after From whence we may inferre that the iudgement taken from the vrine onely but especially of most other parts of the bodie excepting the Liuer is not of any power or efficacie Mercatus a learned Spanish Physitian attributeth as much to the sweat as to the vrine But heare himselfe speake Now comming to the infirmities of the Liuer we must declare and lay open such predictions as are taken from the vrine and the sweat for these two do giue vs certaine notice and knowledge not onely of this part and the veines but sometimes also they prooue to be certaine signes of the state of the nourishing or vegetable power ouer the whole bodie The same author in another place giueth the pulse a great preheminence aboue the vrine in many diseases but especially in such as concerne the vitall facultie which place as many others to the same purpose out of many learned and approued authors for breuitie I will here passe by But Liddel howbeit a late yet a learned Physitian and borne in our owne Iland because he speaketh so to the purpose in this point of vrine now in hand I could not nor would not passe by Wherefore since the vrines do chiefly proceed from the superfluitie of the parts of the bodie they can giue vs but a generall knowledge of the disease giuing vnto vs most euident notice of the good or bad disposition of the Liuer the veines the bloud and humours contained in them as likewise of the concoction or cruditie of the humors within the veines Next they shewforth the disposition of such parts as they passe by to wit of the kidneyes vreters or vrine-pipes and the bladder together with such parts whose superfluities they carrie with them but do nothing so well set foorth the state and disposition of such parts as they do not touch and from the which they receiue no excretions or superfluities Againe in the end of the Chapter But we must not rashly pronounce our opinion concerning the disease or yet of the euent thereof trusting solely to these signes of the vrine except we be first acquainted with the state and constitution of the partie and other accidents and occurrences which do concerne him For sometimes in diseases void of danger the vrines are farre vnlike to them which do appeare in perfect health and do shew themselues in a most hideous and fearefull forme especially vpon the approaching of the crisis or when as vpon the sudden by the vigour and strength of nature the obstructions being opened a great part of the faultie matter is expelled forth by the vrine On the other side againe in dangerous and deadly diseases as in Pestilentiall and Hecticke feauers the vrines cannot be discerned from those that are made in perfect health by reason that the malignitie of the disease hath seized vpon the solid substance of the heart and therefore the whole matter of the disease hauing the course thither there is no portion nor part of the same to be seene in the vrine It were no hard matter for me to make an enumeration of many moe authors tending all to the same purpose and so to fill vp many moe pages the which I thinke would be but to small purpose since these â—ew may suffice in stead of many moe all being of the same mind Now howbeit the vncertaintie of this signe hath sufficiently bene proued by the preceeding discourse and it were easie for me to make vp a large volume concerning this particular onely the which howbeit it be not my purpose yet before I proceed to the vncertaintie of the same in diseases of the Liuer and within the veines I will instance in two or three particular diseases The first shall be of an impostume in the head In the yeare 1617. in the beginning of Ianuarie a young Gentlewoman vnmaried and daughter to a Gentleman of worth dwelling not farre from NORTHAMPTON the season being very cold and she before of a crasie constitution was suddenly surprised with swounding fits which ended with an extreame paine especially about the crowne of her head being accompanied with a suppression of her monethly disease The paine was for certaine dayes without intermission howsoeuer sometimes some remission might be obserued as likewise both in her pulse and vrine signes of a feauer did plainly appeare After I had vsed diuers meanes of diuersion as well by Phlebotomie and attractiue glisters as by other meanes not neglecting hypnoticke cordiall and deoppilatiue medicines according to the seuerall occurrences the disease gaue her some reasonable time of intermission with some alleuiation of the accidents The vrine also after a few dayes began to flatter vs with a faire and laudable colour shortly seconded with contents answerable The pulse played his part also and dissembled as well as his neighbour The Gentlewoman to any outward appearance the very day before her death was like to haue liued many not onely dayes but yeares also mouing and stirring with great alacritie and chearefulnesse vp and downe her chamber busied about her ordinarie employments When behold he who spareth not the mightiest Monarchs on an euening knocking suddenly demands his debt long before his day and would scarce allow her full two houres respit for the payment of the same After death issued out of her mouth and nose great abundance of corrupt bloud and matter as was afterwards told me giuing vs intelligence of an Impostume in the head which had occasioned not the former accidents onely but euen death it selfe also About the same time in this towne and countrey about vs diuerse were surprised with Impostumes both in the head and other parts whereof
red yet saith Galen all are coloured with a greater or smaller portion of bloud therewith mingled Neuerthelesse that this same colour of vrine is procured by the mixture more or lesse not of bloud alone but also of an high coloured choller ioyntly or seuerally according to the greater or smaller quantitie thereof is not by a small number of learned Physitians maintained as also that this same colour of vrine is often and vsually seene in hote and acute diseases is not vnknowne to the very vulgar and vnlearned sort of people Now a many causes may bring foorth this effect this colour of vrine higher or lower appearing in a many hote and acute diseases which would puzzle a good Physitian by the bare sight of such an vrine to know what disease it were But yet is not this rule so infallibly true that it admitteth of no exception as is the opinion of many And therefore most erroneous and dangerous is the practise of such as vpon the bare sight of an high coloured vrine presently without any further deliberation or enquiry of circumstances both prescribe Phlebotomie and administer all maner of cooling medicines to the great ineuitable danger and preiudice of the patient from the which errour also the learned Arabian Auicenna is not free as our learned late writers haue well obserued And as I deny not but that this may often prooue true so on the other side it is most certaine that the vrine may be of such a colour and yet either proceed from a cold cause or else from some imbecillitie and weakenesse as cometh somtimes to passe in Dropsies c. But lest this should seeme stuffe of mine owne braine and hatched at home heare from the mouth of a worthie Author something concerning the same purpose It is not seldome obserued that the vrine by reason of a commixtion of bloud with it doth appeare of a red colour but by reason that it is either thicke or clotted it is no great difficultie to discerne the same But that so thinne a bloud should bemingled with it that not the substance of the vrine but the colour onely should be altered is but seldome seene Such a case befell a young man of 28. yeares of age or neare by This young man voided an vrine of an high red colour and thinne substance for many dayes together being very like to the vrines made in hote acute feauers The aforesaid patient had vsed the aduice of diuers ancient learned Physitians who had appointed him such meanes as are vsed for the cooling of hote Liuers At length he repaired to my selfe at that time but a young Physitian Looking on his vrine and withall seeing it of so high a red colour as also perceiuing him who was there present free from any feauer I asked him whether heretofore he had complained of any which he denyed adding moreouer that for some moneths by-past he had felt a chilnesse and coldnesse together with a great extenuation or leannesse and shortnesse of breath ioyned with a generall decay of strength as also that hitherto he had found no benefit by such meanes as he had vsed All which hauing attentiuely heard I thought good to keepe by me the said vrine vntill the next day and then to view the residence thereof the which was of a colour like vnto bloud as being indeed nothing else but bloud the vrine aboue it being but very little dyed with a pale yellow colour shewing no signe or token at all of any feauer For the which cause I did then collect that there was no exorbitant heate in his Liuer but a great weakenesse in the kidneyes by reason whereof the ends of the small veines being opened and loosened let some part of the bloud passe away And therefore I tooke a new course for curing of the same by vsing such meanes as were fit for the corroborating and strengthening of the kidneyes and veines not omitting fit and conuenient diet and among other things goats milke And so at length the vrine came to its owne naturall colour againe his bodie also enioying the benefit of nourishment as it was wont in former times and thus in a short time recouered his vigour strength and former perfect health againe Such an excretion of bloud which cometh thus to passe by reason of the loosenesse and widenesse of the mouthes of the small veines or yet of the thinnesse of bloud is commonly called Diapedesis that is as much as a streining through It cometh also to passe that some bloud is voyded by vrine many other wayes sometimes some great stone fretting the passages betwixt the kidneyes and the bladder called Vreteres bloud doth also accompanie the vrine but withall it is blacke and clotted The stone continuing for some certaine space in the bladder prooueth likewise sometimes the cause of this inconuenience and that especially after riding or some other violent motion of the bodie In women also some part of their menstruous fluxe is sometimes intermingled with it Sometimes againe the bloud issuing out of the gummes being suddenly stopt doth search for it selfe a passage through the bladder The kidneyes being wounded first doth bloud issue out by the vrines and afterwards matter mingled with it as it befell that woman which was stabbed in the loynes with a dagger first voyding blouddie vrines then afterwards mingled with matter vntill such time as both the wound and the kidneyes were cured And that this was a wound in the kidneyes did plainly appeare by some portion of the same taken out of the wound The exulceration of the kidneyes is also accompanied with bloudie vrine after the which vnlesse remedie be in due and conuenient time procured matter doth follow It is likewise sometimes seene that decrepit old men do voyd vrines mingled with bloud which are of a blackish colour accompanied with some red the which doth declare that the vigour and power of the kidneyes is almost quite abolished But I wish thee yet to lend thine eare a little to the same Author yet againe in a storie or two more which will adde not a little light to this matter The vrine doth appeare of a reddish colour not onely when the Liuer is surprised with a Gangrene or the bodie with any hote or acute disease such as are Tertian agues burning feauers inflammation of the internall parts but often also in the debilitie weakenesse and coldnesse of the Liuer or stomach proceeding from long and lingring diseases The like tincture it receiueth now and then in the extreame pinching Collicke passion when as some tough and clammie humours possessing the guts do hinder the passage of the faecall excrements A Gentleman of account saith he voyded vrine of a very high red colour howbeit free from any feauer being at the same time much tormented with the Collicke accompanied with a retention of the faecall excrements After the iniection of an anodine or mitigating glister the paine was much eased and withall
the vrine became of a remisse and light colour such as it was wont to be in his former health After a short space his vrine reassumed againe its former high colour vntill such time as by frequent reiteration of glisters the vrine at length persisted in that laudable state and condition once before begun the bodie also without any artificiall meanes performed its ordinarie functions A Citizen of good account about fiftie yeares of age being freed from a Quartane ague which had held him for the space of foure or fiue moneths fell into that kind of laske which we commonly call Lienteria His excretions by stoole were very liquid and crude and no remainder of the heate of the Ague to be discerned His vrines also were of as high a red colour as is at any time to be seene in the most violent burning feauers or inflammations of the inward parts But yet did I not build vpon any so rotten a foundation but hauing a more watchfull eye on other matters I thought it necessarie in the first place to haue a care of the stomach and in the next place of the Liuer both being by meanes of the former Quarterne ague not a little weakened For this end and purpose I prescribed his diet in qualitie hote and drie allowing him for his drinke the best and strongest wines such as are Sacke and Canarie Physicall meanes were Diagalanga Diatrion-pipereon and such like By continuance of which meanes this much at length was obtained that the saecall excrements did now shew forth good concoctiō the vrines also as in his former perfect health After all the premisses the aforementioned patient assuring himselfe of perfect health did secretly fall againe to the too liberall drinking of beere Immediatly after this disorder the colour of his vrine was againe altred into an high deepe red vndoubtedly declaring vnto vs that sometimes the vrines receiue an high and deepe colour by reason of the cruditie and coldnesse of the stomach After that time therefore he refrained againe from beere vpon the which his vrine returned to its former laudable condition neither did he after that vse any beere vntill such time as he had perfectly recouered his former health againe These things haue I related because of the ignorance and error of many who are perswaded that the vrine cannot be died with so high a colour any other way then by heate who whensoeuer they see such an vrine brought to them the patient being tormented with the Collicke they very vnaduisedly and rashly haue recourse to the cure of a feauer neglecting the cure of the Collicke which by these meanes they are so farre from curing that they do rather much increase the paine of the same But if these men had read Galen to Glauco they could not be ignorant y ◠vrines sometimes do appeare of a reddish colour in cold diseases or at least such as are not very much distempered with heate For writing of the Quotidian ague which hath for materiall cause crude and raw humours thus he writeth In Quotidian agues the vrines are either white or thicke and muddie or else of a red colour Martinus Akakia in his Commentarie addeth that the vrines then become of a reddish colour when as by weaknesse of the Liuer or the veines the red waterish substance issueth out with the vrine Fernelius also lib. 6. pathol cap. 13. writeth that they are not a little deceiued who do ascribe bloudie vrine or that which is of a red windie colour resembling the washings of raw bloudie flesh vnto the imbecillitie and weaknesse of the Liuer for he cannot conceiue how that bloud can come from any other part of the bodie without some indisposition of the kidneys But yet by the leaue of so learned a man many things there be which make against this assertion For oftentimes by experience we see many plethoricke young men feeding on abundance of daintie dishes liuing in ease and idlenesse to pisse bloud by meanes of a relaxation of some veine who by the onely meanes of Phlebotomie together with the application of some Emplasticke remedie to the region of the Liuer about the which place they say they find some weight ioyned with some distention reaching vp to the right shoulder are perfectly cured And who can here I pray thee accuse the kidneyes there being no paine nor trouble at all felt in the making of his vrine And thus may the deceit and vncertaine iudgement had by the varietie of these red vrines in hote or cold diseases easily be conceiued for the which cause I will here surceasse from insisting any more vpon them but now because mention hath bene made of some small quantity of bloud issuing foorth with the vrines we will say something of the abundant pissing of bloud illustrating it by some authorities as heretofore we haue done Now as these vrines of an high and intense red colour do strike a terrour often in the beholders much more doth this liquor of life the bloud it selfe I meane issuing out of the vrinarie pipes and passages cause no small amazement to the eyes of the ignorant and sometimes of the more iudicious beholder of it And yet doth not this alwayes portend so infallible and vndoubted danger as by many is deemed Sometimes indeed the danger is so great that not onely a meane and ordinarie vnderstanding but a more refined iudgement may iustly feare the future danger as in the rupture of some great veine neare the Liuer or the kidneyes after which doth an vlcer often ensue and after a long torturing and tormenting paine Death most commonly maketh an end of their so miserable and painfull life Sometimes againe this fluxe prooueth very safe and secure as in criticall and periodicall excretions But heare I pray thee an ancient Author deliuer his opinion concerning this point Some men there are who by certaine turnes and at certaine times do pisse bloud abundantly being a disease not vnlike to the haemorrhoides or piles The state and constitution of their bodie also is not vnlike for they are very pale dull sluggish and lumpish they loath their food and after this excretion of bloud there followeth a certaine resolution and faintnesse of their ioynts their head notwithstanding becometh much lighter and better But if at this accustomed and wonted period of time there shall happen a suppression or stoppage of the aforesaid fluxe they are presently surprised with a great head-ach their eye-sight waxing dim seconded with a giddinesse and swimming in the head Vpon which occasion it commeth to passe that many of them fall into the falling sicknesse some of them againe being puffed vp and swollen with their eye-sight somewhat darkened do resemble Hydropicke persons others are oppressed with melancholicke diseases and some againe with Paralyticke passions All these inconueniences do follow vpon the suppression of any former fluxe of bloud Sometimes pissing of bloud saith Hollerius is criticall
end that Paracelsus and his Disciples might be thought to surpasse all other Physitians deuised a new way to iudge of diseases by Vrines to wit by diuiding it into three seuerall principles Mercury Sulphur and Salt and so by distillation to finde out that which we demanded Libanius mentioneth a certaine water of separation which besides diuers other effects hath this also that one onely drop of it being mingled with the Patients vrine it maketh a present separation of the aforesaid Elements insomuch that the predominant Element shall apparently lay it selfe open to the sight of the eye and shall withall declare and lay open the cause of the disease Parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus Great cry and little wooll Our Paraceleists would faine feed vs with many such smoaky promises Then come they to weigh the vrine which they will ordinarily in a healthfull and sound man not to exceed eight ounces and a halfe If it exceed this weight they thinke it argueth great abundance of a tartareous or terrestrious substance esspecially if this be to be seene after the separation from whence they do inferre a great number of such tartareous diseases as they call them and yet the wisest of them cannot tell which But let vs heare Reusner speake After the separation of the aforesaid Elements saith he the vapors ascending sticke to some part of the Still answering in situation to that part of the body of man in the which lyeth hid the very fountaine and spring of the disease and doth withall so plainly and clearely represent vnto vs both the kind and the nature of the disease that it may easily appeare to what element and principall part it is to be referred So farre Reusner But let vs now see whether there be any hold to be taken of these more then hyperbolicall promises If we shall narrowly pry into this point I doubt we shall find the old Prouerbe true Out of the frying pan into the fire But heare the cōfutation out of the mouth of a learned Physitian often quoted in this Discourse This doctrine of Thurnheusers saith he cannot by any sound argument be demonstrated For admit that the vrine be separated into seuerall elements according to the seuerall parts thereof yet can nothing but the elementarie qualities as they call them heat cold c. be discerned by the same And by this meanes shall we onely be able to iudge of the diseases of the solid parts as of obstructions exulcerations and the like And is not the vrine an excrement of the bloud contained in the veines that is of one body What vtilitie or profit therefore can come by this separation into seuerall parts Thou shalt thus onely obserue the number of the parts which are in the substance of the bloud and of what nature and kind it is Thou mayest perhaps perceiue it either to bee caused of Mercurie Sulphur or Salt But wilt thou straight-waies maintaine that all Mercuriall diseases are seated in the head onely c. If this bee true then will it follow contrary to that which thou and Paracelsus maintaine that these three grounds or elements are not common to all diseases For I am of opinion that if we will needs vse the names of these three as well such diseases as haue their originall from this Sulphureous and salt matter as any that proceed from a Mercuriall cause haue their root and originall from the head c. Thus farre our Author And may not this opinion seeme so absurd in it selfe that it needeth no further confutation For if when thou hadst vsed all thy art and cunning a countrey-man should aske thine opinion concerning his vrine and thou shouldst tell him hee were troubled with some sulphureous Mercuriall or saltish and tartareous disease would he not laugh thee to scorne and thinke it may be thou hadst beene that day too well acquainted with some pots and pipes of Tobacco And if hee should desire to know what were his particular disease and where or what particular part of the body it had taken vp for its abode would it seeme strange if he looked for some extraordinary skill after so great an outward oftentation And if he should go home and tell his wife of a Tartareous Sulphureous or Mercuriall disease who knowes but she might call him Good-man Wood-cocke for telling her such a tale of Robin-hood But put the case thou mightest yet see some Sulphureous disease as they terme it by meanes of this separation and distillation yet amongst many such Sulphureous diseases vpon which of them wouldst thou fasten thy coniecture As if a Feauer might be found out how may the kind be knowne whether a continuall or inmittent and whether symptomaticall or dependant vpon some other disease or else be it selfe a principall guest with many moe circumstances The like may be said of the other two principles So that it may euidently appeare there is greater vncertaintie in this then the other way But if they will be so skilfoole I wish they would distill the other excrement also for I am sure they may learne of both alike But yet wish I them to take this Prouiso with them that the ioynings of their stils and Alembicks be well luted with lutum moschatum or ambarinum that none of this fragrant smell be carried away with the wind and so some part of this precious liquor lost But it may be when the patient had cast vp his account he would find this manner of casting of waters as they terme it more costly then the ordinary But for my part I wish our vrine-mongers would vse it for by this meanes this great abuse might the better be suppressed But this opinion being so absurd in it selfe needeth no further confutation But fearing some infection or at least annoyance to my nose by such Mercuriall and Sulphureous smels I thinke it is more then time to withdraw my selfe out of so stinking a place The like libertie is allowed thee kind Reader to whom I am afraid I haue now bene too tedious but yet I must once againe intreat thy patience to heare the conclusion and then mayest thou quietly depart in peace CHAP. XI The Conclusion of this whole Discourse where something concerning issue and euent and casuall cures BY the premisses then I hope doth plainly appeare the absurditie of this erroneous and inueterate opinion of magnifying the vrine and the iudgement concerning diseases which may from hence be collected And therefore I hope the iudicious and vnpartiall Reader will with me subscribe to the generall conclusion to wit that there is no certaintie or assurance to be collected for the information of the iudgement either concerning the disease it selfe together with the particular symptomes and seuerall circumstances and yet farre lesse for the cure of the same by the bare inspection of the vrine onely And therefore I cannot see any iust cause why it should not bee pronounced guiltie of man-slaughter at
and commeth by certaine turnes and set times and with such a one was troubled a certaine Nun mentioned by Musa who euery moneth vpon the suppression of her monethly disease did pisse bloud in abundance Archembault the Counseller by turnes did sometimes cast vp by the mouth and sometimes did voyd it downewards by stoole and againe at other times by the yard Some at the passing away of the Spring do pisse bloud and this I find written by Archigenes that some do by certaine turnes voyd great store of bloud by the yard being first collected in and about the kidneyes and that they find themselues much eased thereby I am very familiarly acquainted with one Donatus Arrigonius a merchant of our towne who in his iourney to the faire of Bohan which is held three or foure times a yeare in his iourney obserued that he was surprised with the Iaundise Afterwards as he was vpon his iourney homewards to Mantua and fast asleepe in his Inne being accompanied with another friend who lay in the same bed with him vpon the sudden there issued out at his yard of its owne accord great store of blackish bloud in so much that his companion being all wet with the bloud wakened him being almost halfe dead and with much ado at length brought him home to Mantua againe but withall quite freed from his Iaundise A certaine yong man after the eating of great store of garlicke pissed afterwards great abundance of bloud and after a little while signes of an impostume in the kidneyes might be obserued to wit some matter issuing forth from the same from whence I did collect that the sharpnesse of the humour had caused an excoriation in these parts by meanes of the opening of some veine I did see at Mothon a man who with a fall off a ladder filled halfe a chamber pot with the bloud he pissed who immediatly after the taking of a little Lemnian earth did recouer the bloud came without any vrine and that perhaps because the contusion was not farre distant from his yard About some nine or ten yeares ago an Inne-keeper of Northampton a fat and corpulent man hauing now and then voyded some small quantitie of bloud with his vrine did notwithstanding but little regard the same vntill such time as he fell into a totall suppression of vrine the paine whereof made him cast forth such pitifull cries and complaints that his sorrowfull neighbours did much commiserate his distressed estate His wife no lesse perplexed then amazed at this so sudden and vnexpected accident at his desire sent to intreat my ayde and counsell in this his so great extremitie Some halfe an houre or lesse after the administration of a diureticke drinke inwardly and a Cataplasme outwardly applyed to his share he filled almost a chamber pot with bloud some small quantitie of vrine being mingled with the same whereupon followed immediatly case and alleuiation of all his former annoyance The same night about an houre after he sent me a little wooden dish almost halfe full of gobbets of congealed and clotted bloud resembling the substance of the Liuerie selfe The next morning againe he sent me an vrinall almost full of bloud voyded at the same place no vrine to the iudgement of the eye at the first to be discerned mingled with the same I caused him bleed oftner then once besides other fit and conuenient remedies as well in diet as otherwise and yet this fluxe continued lesse or more for some few dayes after In the space of one weeke he lost in all aboue a gallon of bloud For preuention I wished him besides gooddiet hard to be obserued by people of that profession with corroboratiue and other medicines fit for that purpose with speciall regard to the Liuer not to neglect Phlehotomie at least euery Spring and Faâ—l which he duely put in practise for the first yeare and for anything I could euer heare was litle or nothing troubled after that time with this infirmitie After this he liued at least three yeares and then dyed suddenly of the cause whereof here to discourse were besides my present purpose Diuerse others haue now and then by me bene obserued troubled with the like euacuation without any great hurt or hinderance to their health whom to auoide prolixitie and tediousnesse I here willingly passe by onely one I will touch but in two words A little child aboue fiue yeares of age vsed at diuerse times to pisse pure bloud not keeping any certaine times or turnes This the Gentlewoman her selfe the childs grandmother dwelling not farre from the towne of Northampton told me who did likewise affirme that she had not discerned any hurt he had sustained by the same yet notwithstanding for feare of some future inconuenience and after ensuing danger was desirous to vse some meanes for preuention which being by some occasions then deferred the child afterwards departed out of these quarters into another countrey where what since befell him I cannot tell But now let vs proceed to some other colours of vrines for here I thinke hath bene found as small certaintie as in the former CHAP. V. Of blacke vrines and that they are not alwayes so dangerous as they are deemed as also of blew ash-coloured or leaden and greene coloured vrines together with their seuerall significations and vncertainties THe highest and intensest of all other colours is the blacke the which when it presenteth it selfe to the view of the eye in any vrine it striketh no small feare and terror in the minds of most men yea and sometimes of those of no ordinarie vnderstanding That this feare was not altogether without some ground may be seene by some passages of our old father Hippocrates who doth peremptorily affirme that as well in men as in women blacke vrines are alwayes dangerous And of the like opinion and iudgement was once his trustie interpreter Galen confidently auouching that he neuer knew any one recouer whose vrine was altogether blacke howbeit the danger was the lesser if the residence onely were blacke lesse againe if the middle part or swimme and least of all if the cloud onely were of this colour Howbeit the same Galen in another place affirmeth That if there be a retention of a womans monethly fluxe of melancholicke bloud there is no cause of feare if in such a case the vrine appeare blacke to the eye And againe in the storie of that woman who being surprised with sicknesse the second day after she was brought to bed the third day she voyded thinne blackish vrines Galen speaketh of no further inconuenience to ensue vppon the same but maketh onely mention of a certaine commotion and agitation of the humours of the body ioyned with a a certaine conflict and yet of all sorts of blacke vrines this thin blacke is counted the best Blacke vrines may be voyded both in health and also in sicknesse especially by way
say something of the blacke which may seeme to threaten greatest danger Such dust falling to the bottome either blacke or of a leaden colour proceeding of melancholie is thought to signifie fluxe of the Emeraudes present or shortly to follow and sometimes vomiting of bloud As also sometimes paine in the reines loynes c. and stopping of the Flowers and at other times paine and diseases of the Spleene c. In the beginning of the yeare 1623. my counsell and personall presence was craued for a Ladie in Northampton-shire of good account In the bottome of the vrinall wherein her vrine was put for certaine dayes together some such blacke dust might be seene which a graue Diuine there present thought to be so dangerous that he told me he had seldome seene them liue many dayes after the sight of such coÌ„tents in their vrines And howbeit some strange and troublesome accidents did terrifie the spectators who beheld her with vulgar eyes yet did her pulse put me in better hope which was shortly seconded by a happie and prosperous issue the Ladie recouering her former health againe Neither heard I any complaint of such things as these contents are said to signifie But hauing now finished both colours and contents with other things belonging to this subiect it is perhaps now exspected I should say something of the manner of pissing as concerning not a little the matter in hand CHAP. IX Of the manner of pissing the retention or stoppage of vrine totall or in part as also of inuoluntarie pissing both in sicknesse and in health THe manner of pissing is either hard and vneasie or else inuoluntarie As for the first the action is interessed three manner of wayes as witnesseth Hollerius and others First there is a great desire to pisse but cannot be effected without force and hard straining sometimes not without paine Secondly there is the like desire but the vrine passeth away but by drops Thirdly there is a stoppage or obstruction of the vrine that it is not voyded at all or else so little that it is to small purpose Painefull and vneasie pissing may come to passe either by the acrimonie and sharpnesse of the humour or by the imbecillitie or weakenesse of the retentiue facultie proceeding for the most part from cold the which painfulnesse may in like manner be procured by reason of some inflammation clotted or congealed bloud an vlcer a stone c. Suppression of vrine proceedeth from diuerse causes sometimes by meanes of the obstruction or stoppage of the guts and sometimes againe by meanes of the emulgent or sucking veines and that againe two manner of wayes to wit either by reason of the weakenesse of the drawing or sucking qualitie or else by obstruction This suppression is likewise procured by the obstruction or stoppage of the Kidneys and Vrine-pipes and by meanes of the weakenesse thereof By reason of the obstruction of the aforesaid passages it cometh also diuerse wayes to passe as either by meanes of an inflammation knob or bunch of either of these parts or others adioyning or else by reason of a stone clotted or congealed bloud or some tough phlegme impacted and cleauing fast to the place as also sometimes howbeit seldome by reason of some holes in the kidneyes and that after the voyding of some stones as Mercatus hath obserued Suppression of vrine is likewise sometimes caused by meanes of the bladder or parts thereto adioyning it being also thereby interessed And in the first place by reason of the want of the sense of feeling the sinew descending from the loynes and the hucklebone being loosened Secondly by reason of the failing of the expelling power of the bladder c. Thirdly the exceeding great quantitie of vrine distending and stretching out of the bladder detained longer then is conuenient may bring this sometimes to passe Fourthly the resolution or loosenesse of the muscles of the neather bellie which haue likewise some interest in the furtherance of this excretion Fiftly by the totall ouerthrow of the expelling facultie as we see sometimes come to passe in burning Feauers as witnesseth Hippocrates Sixtly by the defect and fault of the vrine-pipes and that diuerse manner of wayes for sometimes the muscle which shutteth vp the bladder is clinged together by a conuuâ—sion the passage is likewise stopt either by the meanes of some tough clammie humours some clotted bloud matter knob or bunch or any tumour the outgrowing of some peece of flesh some wart or scarre and finally by reason of a stone stopping vp the passage by the neck of the bladder Seuenthly by the consent of the places adioyning the bladder and the vrine-pipes are sometimes so shut vp that they cannot freely deliuer the vrine which cometh often to passe in women by reason of the nearenesse of the wombe Eightly by meanes of a Palsie or resolution of the bladder The vncertaintie therefore of the vrine in diseases of this nature and kind may as euidently appeare as in any of the premisses And there being so many causes producing paine and difficultie in making of vrine to which of them wilt thou ascribe it Againe if there be a retention of the vrine what wilt thou send to the Physitian And if such an accident come to the cure of some Empiricke or vnskilfull Physitian his conceit will straightway leade him to some stone and so according to their ignorance in this art exhibite strong diuretickes or medicines prouoking vrine as I haue sometimes obserued which are so farre from procuring the intended good that they produce rather a contrary effect Of a suppression of vrine by meanes of clotted bloud I haue instanced alreadie This last Spring a young Gentleman of Leicestershire of good worth trauailing towards London thorow this Towne of Northampton was suddenly surprised with a suppression of vrine Being afraid of a stone in his bladder howbeit he had neuer heretofore complained of this infirmity yet tried he what the art of Surgerie could doe by meanes of a Catheter thrust vp thorow his yard towards the necke of his bladder together with some other meanes which notwithstanding tooke no effect The next morning about eight of the clocke I was sent for to the patient whose belly began to swell and some fumes to ascend into his head By meanes of a gentle opening inlep together with a Cataplasme applied to his share it pleased God to accomplish his desires howbeit a messenger had bene already sent away to bring with him an expert Surgeon to make incision He voyded that day abundance of vrine of a laudable colour and answerable contents so that none could find any fault in the same and the next day he went forward in his intended iourney towards London The passage of the vrine in this patient was somewhat narrow as seemeth and that by reason of some former infirmity and perhaps some wind gathered in the great gut might make some compression of the