receive life and sensation He affirms elsewhere that it is this faculty which gives nourishment preservation and growth to all things The manner wherein nature acts or its most sensible administration by the means of the faculties according to him consists on one side in attracting what is good and agreeable to each species and in retaining preparing or changing it and on the other side in rejecting whatever is superfluous or hurtful after she has separated it from the good The Physick of Hippocrates generally turns upon this hinge as also upon that inclination which as he supposes every thing has to be joynâ—d with what agrees with it and to remove from all that is contrary to it self supposing first an affinity between the several parts of the body which is the reason that they sympathize reciprocally in the ills they suffer as they share the good that arrives to them in common according to the great Maxim which he establishes (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that every thing concurs consents and conspires together in the body with relation to the animal O Economy as we shall find more particularly in the following Chapter Thus I have shown what it is that Hippocrates calls nature He no otherwise describes this principle of so many surprizing operations unless it be that he seems to compare it to a certain heat whereof he speaks after this manner (f) De Carâ—â—bus What we call heat or hot seems to me to have something of immortal in it that understands all that sees and knows as well what is present as what is to come At least we find a great resemblance between the effects which he ascribes to that heat of which more hereafter and those which he attributes to nature As for the rest altho Hippocrates acknowledges in some places fire water air and earth or fire and water in particular to be the first elements of the bodies yet he seems in others to admit three different principles the solid the liquid or the humid and the Spirits which he explains otherwise (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Equidem lib. vi sect viii by the container the contained and that which gives motion But as he particularly made use of these principles to explain all the accidents of humane body we shall forbear to give his meaning of them till we come to that Chapter In one of Hippocrates's Books which is entituled of Flesh (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter is more natural and answers the subject of the Book better according to others of principles we find something very singular concerning the formation of the universal world and of Animals in particular He at first supposes that the production of man or his being that he has a Soul that he is in health or that he is sick all his good and ill fortune in the world that he is born or dies to proceed from things (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elevated and above us or the coelestial bodies By this we may understand the Stars the influences of which according to this Author have no small power over humane bodies But he explains himself when he ascribes all the above-mention'd things to that immortal heat of which above that is generally suppos'd to be the same thing with what he calls nature in other places The greatest part of the heat continues he that I have describ'd having gainâ—d the highest place at the time of the Chaos form'd that which the ancients call'd the Aether another part of this heat or the greatest part of the heat which remain'd continuing in the lowest space which is call'd Earth there was a meeting of Cold and Dry there and a great disposition to motion A third part keeping the middle space between the Aether and the Earth made what we call the Air which is likewise somewhat hot At last a fourth part that lay nearest to the Earth and was the thickest and most humid of all form'd what we call water All these things having been jumbled together by a circular motion at the time of the above-mention'd Chaos that portion of heat which continu'd in the earth being dispers'd into several places and divided into several parts in one place more and less in another the earth was dried up by this means and form'd as it were (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 membranes or tunicles in which the matter growing hot as it were by a sort of fermentation that which was most oyly and least moist was quickly burnt and so form'd the Bones but that which was more viscid and in some measure cold not being combustible form'd the Nerves or rather the Tendons and Ligaments which are hard and solid As for the Veins they were form'd of the coldest and most viscid parts the more glutionous parts being dry'd by the heat and from thence came the Membranes and Skins of which they are compos'd The cold particles which had nothing in them oleous or viscid being dissolv'd produc'd the humour or liquor which these Membranes inclose The Bladder with its contents were form'd after the same manner as were also all the other cavities In those parts continues Hippocrates where the glutinous exceeds the fat the Membranes are made and in those where the fat is stronger than the glutinous Bones are produc'd The Brain â—â—ing the (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Capital City seat or proper place of cold and glutinous which the heat cou'd neither dissolve not burn t is first of all formed of the membranes in its supersâ—â—e and afterwards of bones by the means of a small portion of fat which the heat had roasted the marrow of the back-bone is made after the same manner being cold and glutinous like the brain and consequently very different from the marrow of the bones which being only fat is not cover'd with any membranes The heart having likewise a great deal of glutinous matter in it became haâ—d and glutinous flesh inclos'd in a membrane and hollow The Lungs being near the heart are thus formed The heart by its own heat presently dries up the most viscid part of the moisture makes a sort of scumm full of Pipes and Channels being likewise filled with divers little veins The Liver is made of a great quantity of moist and hot that has nothing fat or viscid in it so that the cold being too strong for the hot the humid is coagulated or thicken'd Upon the same foot Hippocrates reasons about the production of the Spleen the Reins and some other parts What we have already cited may serve to give a Specimen of his manner of Philosophizing Upon which I make this reflection that this System of Hippocrates seems to be not very different from that of Heraclitus the heat by which the former supposes all things to have been produced being very near the same thing with fire which according to the latter was the origine or principle of all Bodies as we have observed above
who both calâ—d themselves (c) Bibliotheque univ Histor de Monsieur le Clerc Tom. 3. Children or Grand-children of CHRONOS Sancbhoniathon make HERMES a Phaenician and Son of Misor who livâ—d also about the time we are speaking of (d) De naturâ Deor. â—iceâ—o will have it that there were five Men whâ—â—â—â—â—e the Name of MERCVRY The firâ—◠〈…〉 â—e was Son of CAELUS and DIES 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—toing not so cleanly befel upon the sighâ— of PROSERPINE The second who was Son of VALENS and PHORONIS has hie abode under ground and is the same with TROPHâ—â—â—US The third was Son of JUPITER and MAIA by whom of PENELOPE PAN was begotten The fourth whom the Aegyptians make a scruple of â—aming had NILUS for his Father The fifth whom the Pheneates keep and who slâ—w ARGUS fled into Aegypt for it where he taught â—em the use of Letters and gave em Laws The Aegyptians says Cicero call him THOTH and name the first Month from him If Cicero had consulted the Tradition of the Aegyptians rather than that of the Greeks (e) Atque haec quidem ex vetere Grâ—â—â—â—â— sâ—â—â 〈◊〉 sun D◠〈◊〉 Dâ—â—r from whence he owns himself to have drawn all that he says on this 〈…〉 â—â—â—m'd have made THOTH the eldest of the MERCVRIES or he wou'd have made the first 〈◊〉 he calls the Son of CAELVS to have brought the knowledge of Letters and Laws from Aegypt into Greece since if MERCVRY came to Aegypt from the Country of ARGVS which was Greece it wouâ—d follow That the Aegyptians had learn'd of the Greeks what on the contrary the Greeks learn'd of the Aegyptians as their own Authors confess in a thousand places This way MERCVRY or THOTH will 〈◊〉 â—e the Son of CHAM for CAELVS is JVPITER and JVPITER the same with CHAM or HAMMON as the Greeks call'd him (a) Praeparat Evangel lib. 9. We find in Eusebius a Quotation of Artabanus that says That MOSES having taught the Aegyptians to build Ships and Machines for raising of great Stones for 〈…〉 to make Aquaeducts and Pumps to dâ—â—â— Water and divers Instruments of War And especially having invented Philosophy drew the love of the people so to him that the Priests paid him Honours caâ—al to those they paid to their Gods He adds That the same Priests gave him the Name of HERMES because he understood the explication of their Mystical Writings That which made him believe that MOSES and HERMES were the same person is that some Greek Authors have written that MOSES was contemporary to Inachus the Father of Io who by some has been confounded with Isis to whom HERMES was Counsellor Artabanus finding so luckily to his purpose these two great Men MOSES and HERMES living together of the two made one for the greater honour of the former But if HERMES were the Inventor of Physick among the Aegyptians as we shall see by and by he must have liv'd a long time before MOSES For MOSES himself tells us That there were Physicians in Aegypt four hundred Years before his time in the days of Joseph (b) Praecipit Joseph ministris suis Medicis ut conditent Patrem whose Corps was Embalm'd by the Physicians according to the sacred Text. But beside that Eusebius himself acknowledges that Inachus was some Ages older than MOSES The Scripture it self overthrows the position of Artabanus where 't is said (b) Act. Apost lib 7. that MOSES understood all the Wisdom and all the Learning of the Aegyptians which shews that he learn'd of them not they of him (c) De Vit Mos Philo the Jew enumerating the Sciences that MOSES had learn'd of the Aegyptians mentions only Arithmetick Geometry Poetry Musick and their Symbolical Philosophy which was written in Hieropliphick Characters And he adds That the Greeks taught MOSES the rest of the Liberal Arts that he fetch'd from the Assyrians those who taught him their Learning and from the Chaldeans of whom he learn'd the (*) Astronomy Science of the Stars (d) Stromat lib. 1. But Clemens Alexandrinus says expresly That MOSES was Instructed in Physick by the Aegyptians Now tho the Error of Artabanus be very manifest and this therefore not the proper place to pursue the Discourse of MOSES any further yet that we may not be obligâ—d again to resume it I shall only hint in a few words that probably this Prophet was skill'd in Physick We have had the testimony of Clemens Alexandrinus to the point and we shall see in the sequel that the great Men of Aegypt applied themselves to this Study and that MOSES might have learn'd it there The Chymists (*) Experience convinces us that this can't be true in fact under a miracle and it can't be any proof of his Skill in Physick since he must be supernaturally inform'd if he foreknew the effects of a supernatural production pretend that his reducing to Ashes or Calcining the Golden Calf and scattering the ashes in the Water and giving the Israelites of it to drink is a sufficient proof that he perfectly understood their Art This instance does indeed directly conclude him very expert in Metallicks if we suppose no Miracle in the case but we shall in the second Part of this History shew that this is no proof of his having been a Physician the difference according to us being very great between Metallick and Med'cinal Chymistry To return to THOTH or the MERCVRY of the Aegyptians 't is certain that the Aegyptians and all the Heathens after 'em believ'd him the Inventor of all Arts Sciences (a) Diodorus Siculus lib. 1. Jul. Cas de Bell. Gâ—ll. lib. 6. Iamblich de Mâ—st Aegypt as the Authors here cited testifie of whom the (b) Gâ—den Orat. suas ad Aâ—â—i Maâ—tian Capell de Art Grammaâ— lib. 3 Clem. â—â—x Strom. lib. 6. latter attribute to him the Invention of Physick in particular And therefore 't was undoubtedly that the Ancients usually represented Mercury accompanyâ—d by the Goddess Hygicia that is Health which he brought to Men by this Art We read in (c) Antiq. Judaâ—â— lib. 1. c. 3. Josephus that the Sons of Seth understanding from Adam that the World was to perish by Water and by Fire to preserve their discoveries in Astrology contrivâ—d to build two Pillars one of Brick and the other of Stone on which they Engrav'd all that they knew considerable in that Science thinking that if the Brick were destroy'd by the Deluge the Stone wou'd remain Josephus adds that the Pillar of Brick remain'd in Syria in his time Mercury took the same measures to transmit to Posterity the Monuments of his Knowledge (d) Chronic. lib. 1. Eusebius makes mention uâ—on on the credit of Manetho an Aegyptian Priest of certain Pillars on which THOTH or the first MERCVRY had written many things in Hierogliphicks adding that AGATHODEMON or the second MERCVRY Father of Tat transcrib'd 'em in Greek after the Deluge and compos'd of em Books in the Sacred
to whom she reveal'd the afore-mentioned herb in a dream as a remedy for one of his Slaves who had got a Fall from the top of a Temple She was likewise surnam'd (f) Preserver Saviour Sotera (g) Diodor. sic lib. 4. Cybele Mother of the Gods had likewise the reputation of Teaching remedies for the Diseases of little Children Angitia Daughter of Aeta King of Colchis (h) Sil. Ital. l 8. was the first that discover'd Poisonous Plants or Poisons drawn from Plants Of her the Marsi a People of Italy learnt to charm Serpents She was otherwise called Angerona We sind at least an old (i) Reines Inscript 138. Class 1. In scription wherein this name is joyn'd to Angitia without any point intermediate (k) Macâ—ob lib. 1. Cap. 10. Some think she was callâ—d Angerona because the Romans being epidemically afflicted with the Angina or Quinsy were delivered by means of vows made to her Verrius Flaccus gives a different reason for it Some make Angitia Daughter of the the Sun and the same with Medea who according to others was her Sister This latter liv'd in the time of the Heroes Chiron's Pupils and her adventures are pretty well known (l) Pala phat Fab. lib. 1. What she did was so surprizing that all the World believed her to be an Enchantress 'T was said of her that she made old Folks young again The ground of which was this that she had a secret that dyed white hair black She was the first that advis'd the use of hot Baths to make the Body supple and to cure divers distempers which gave occasion to the People who saw the preparation of Caldrons Water and Fuel and could not guess at the use of 'em to report that she boil'd Men. Old Pelias notwithstanding his great Age making tryal of this new Method and losing his Life by the experiment confirm'd the Fable (m) Diogen apad Stobâ—um There are yet others who agree that Medea was no Sorceress but they give another account of the matter they say that she made the most tender effeminate bodies lusty and vigorous by teaching em the use of certain exercises which made those that saw the change say that she boiled their Flesh to make 'em young Diodorus tells us further that she cur'd by means of herbs the wounds of Jason Laertes Atalanta and the Thespiades Circe a third Sister of Medea and Angitia is no less famous Her skill in herbs got her likewise the reputation of an Enchantress as well as Medea Diodorus tells us that Circe knew abundance of Plants good against Poison She gave her name to that which is called * Eâ—chanteâ—s Night Shade Circaea (n) Aulus Gelâ—us lib. 10. Cap. 2. 〈◊〉 Cap. 8. some Authors say that she had a Son callâ—d Marsus from whom the Marsi were descended Whatever she were the (o) Ciâ—ero de Mat. Deor. lib. 3. Circae ans lookt upon her as their Patroness and paid a religious worship to her Those that would be more particularly informed why Circe was reputed a Magician by the Greeks and that part of Latium where she settled for the Country of Poisons and Enchantments may consult Monsieur Bochart's Phaleg Polydamna Wife to Thon an Egyptian is also of the number of those that understood Physick having had skill in the use of divers remedies of the product of her own Country as Homer observes We shall speak of some of 'em under the head of Helen who follows by and by The same Poet certifies for Agameda Wife of Mulius that she knew allike Medâ—cines that the â—â—eth yielded (p) Propert. lib. 2. Eleâ— 2. 〈◊〉 in Tâ—â—â— she was also call'd Perimeda (q) Tiraquel de Nobil some think her the same person that Homer calls in another place Hecameda that washt Machaon's wounds with warm Water Helen the beauteous Greek so famous in Story no less deserves a place here for her knowledge of the Med'cine which Homer calls Nepenthe which she had of Polydamna This Med'cine as the Etymology of the (r) From the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dolor name shews was so admirable that it easâ—d all Griefs and all Anger and caus'd 'em to forget all misfortunes A man cou'd not weep says the Poet the day that he tasted it tho he had lost his Father or Mother or the dearest Friend in the World The properties of Nepenthe agree very well with those of Opium the only difficulty is that Helen mixt it with the Wine she gave Menelaus's Guests to make 'em more gay and not to stupify ' em To this we may answer that Opium has either of those effects on those that are very much used to it and what is observable is this that wonderful Drug comes from the same Country from whence Helen had her Nepenthe that is Egypt Oenone Rival to the precedent was no less skilful then she (Å¿) Ipse ratus dignam medicas mihi traâ—dit artes Admisitque meas ad sua dona manus Quaecunque herba patens ad opem radixque medendi Vtilis in toto nascitur orbe mea est Mâ— miser am quod amor non est medicabilis herbis Destituor prudens artis ab arte meâ Epist ad Parid. s Apollo says she himself taught me Physick and I know all the medical Roots and Herbs in the World We have already taken notice of some other Women as the Daughters of Hercules and Chiron the Wife and Daughters of Esculapius who were of this number likewise and we shall have occasion to mention more hereafter CHAP. XXXI Athotis Thosothrus Jachen and Solomon Antient Kings and Priests that practis'd Physick BEfore we examine the Progress of this Art after the Siege of Troy to which the Grecian Esculapius brings us and with which we close the first Epocha of this history we are oblig'd to re-ascend a little and return into Egypt the Country of the first Esculapius * Scaliger Canâ— Isagog p. 222 We find there one Athotis second King of the first Dynasty of the Thinites who according to Manetho was very skilful in Physick and wrote himself some treatises of Anatomy The same Author joins with him one Thosothrus a King of the third Dynasty no less expert (t) Galen Inroduct seu Medic The custom of embalming their dead in use among the Egyptians gave 'em more convenience of learning Anatomy than the Greeks had who not daring to touch dead Bodies couâ—d only inform themselves by dissecting of Brutes or when chance presented to em unhappy wretches whose wounds were large enough to discover their Bowels These Kings undoubtedly imitated their Predecessor (u) See the Chapt. of Osiris Osiris who is said to have invented (w) Vide Strabon In this Country the great Men were so far from thinking this Art any diminution to their honour that they engross'd it wholly to themselves forbididing under great penalties any of the People to presume
Flatib all that incommodes Man but this is too general He thought that the blood in good condition nourished and that it was the fountain of the vital heat that it caus'd a fresh colour and good health That the yellow Bile preserv'd the body in its natural state hindering the small Vessels and secret Passages from being stopp'd and keeping open the Drain of the Excrements He thought it actuated the Senses and help'd to the concoction of the Aliment The black Bile was a sort of Ground which serv'd as a support and foundation for other humours The Flegm servâ—d to supple and facilitate the motion of the Nerves Membranes Cartilages Joints and Tongue and other Parts Besides the four first qualities which Hippocrates attributed to the Humours as moisture driness heat and cold it is apparent that he believed they had or might have abundance of others which all had their use and were never hurtful but when one prevailed over the rest or was separated from them Take his own words (e) De prisâ— Med. lib. 2. in the Chapter of Alcmaeon The Ancients says he did not believe that the dry the cold the hot or the moist nor any other like quality incommoded a Man but that whatever exceeded or prevailed of any of these qualities and which Nature cou'd not overcome was that which incommoded the Man and that which they endeavoured to take away or correct so of the sweet the most sweet was the strongest as of the bitter or sowre that which was most bitter and most sowre in short the highest degree of every thing These are says Hippocrates the latest discoveries of the Ancients in the body of Man and which were hurtful There are really in our bodies bitter sweet sowre salt rough and insipid and abundance of others which have different faculties according to their quantity or quality These different qualities are insensible and do not hurt so long as they are in due mixture but if these humours separate and lodge apart then their qualities become at once both sensible and inconvenient From what Hippocrates has here said we may gather that he did not suppose the Matters we have spoken of to act only by what the Philosophers callâ—d first qualities so far from that that he says a little after That 't is not the hot that is of any mighty power but the sowre the insipid c. whether within a Man or without a Man whether in regard of what he cats or what he drinks or what he applies outwardly in what manner soever concluding that of all the faculties there are none less active than heat and cold What we have said of the separation of the humours from one another relate to what Hippocrates says in divers places that the humours move This motion which is the cause of several distempers expresses sometimes by a term it signifies (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impeâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—dine incenli a Fury like that of some Animals that grow Lustful at certain times There are other passages by which Hippocrates seems to impute Diseases (g) Lib. de affectâ— nib lib 〈◊〉 de Morb. to two of these humours only the Bile and Pituita as they offer'd either in quantity or quality or place But as he speaks elsewhere of two sorts of Bile these two humours may be split into three and with the blood make four (h) Lib. 4. de Morb. In some other passages he adds a fifth which is Water of which he supposes the Spleen to be the Spring as the Liver and the Brain are of the Blood the Bile and the Pituita Some of his Commentators make this Water the same with the Melancholy to which Hippocrates seems to substitute it I cannot see how to reconcile their opinion with the Idea he had of that humour he look'd upon 't as we have said before as a sort of Lee of the rest of the humours which will by no means agree with water Nor are they nearer their point for making two sorts of Melancholy one of which we have been speaking and another which ought rather to be call'd black Bile which is only the yellow Bile turn'd black as he supposed by being over-heated and burnt this having nothing in common with water The only support of the opinion in question is that he says in the same passage that this water is the heaviest of all the humours I see no reason why we shou'd not object that this is another System (i) It is ascrib'd to Polyblus his Son-iâ—-â—aw See Book 4. Ch. 1. since it has been always suspected that Hippocrates was not the Author of that Book This water might be something like what Hippocrates elsewhere calls Ichor by which he meant any sort of clear thin Liquor form'd in the body of a Man whether sound or unsound So he calls by this name what runs from a malignant Vlcer and speaks in several places of sharp and bilious Ichors and burning Ichors (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We find yet a third System of the Causes of Diseases in another book Intituled Of Winds or Spirits which is mixâ—d with the Works of Hippocrates but most suppose it not to be his The Author of this book uses sometimes the word Wind sometimes Spirit with this difference That the latter signifies the Spirits or Air and Wind inclosed in the body but the former the Wind without from whence nevertheless he derives that within by means of the Air drawn by respiration and the Air contain'd in the Food we take This book upon reading seems to be one of the most rational and coherent of all Hippocrates's Works He looks upon the Air and the Spirits to be the true Causes of health and of diseases even in preference to the humours which here are only collateral Causes as the Spirits mix with ' em But this later opinion may be reconcil'd with that which we have before allow'd to be Hippocrates's concerning the effects of the humours only alledging that all that has been attributed to them in relation to health or sickness supposes an impulse of the Spirits as the first movers and that therefore Hippocrates nam'd them as we have said before that which gives the motion There is according to Hippocrates as great a variety of external Causes of health and diseases as there is of things without the body of Man which may act upon him as there is of diversity in his Conduct and of accidents in the course of his Life From this Hypothesis it is plain that Health and Sickness in general depend upon the following Causes On the Air which surrounds us what we eat and drink sleep watching exercise what goes out of our bodies and what is kept in and upon the Passions In this number likewise are rank'd those foreign bodies which occur and are sometimes useful yet may often dissolve cut or break the union of the Parts of ours Poisons and venemous
Diet he preferr'd liquid food to that that was solid especially in Fevers for that he made use of a sort of Broths made of Barly that was cleansed to which he gave the name of (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to bray or take off the busk Ptisane wch was a common name as well to these Broths as to the flower of the Grain of which they were made See after what manner the Ancients prepar'd a Ptisane They first steep'd the Barley in Water till it was plump'd up and afterwards they dry'd it in the Sun and beat it to take off the husk After that they ground it and then having let the flower boil a long time in the Water they put it out into the Sun and when it was dry they press'd it close 'T is properly this flower so prepar'd that 's call'd Ptisane They did almost the same thing with Wheat Rice Lentils and other Grain but they gave these Ptisanes the same name with the Grain Ptisane of Lentils Rice c. whereas the Ptisane of Barley was call'd simply Ptisane for the excellency of it When they had a mind to use it they boiled one part of it in ten or fifteen parts of Water and when it began to plump in boiling they added a drop of Vinegar and ever so small a quantity of Anise or Leek to keep it from clogging and filling the stomach with wind Hippocrates prescribes this Broth for Women that have pains in their Belly after being brought to Bed Boil some of this Ptisane says he with some Leek and the fat of a Goat and give it to the Woman in Bed You won't find this Ragou very odd if you reflect on what he has said before of the manner of Living at that time He preferr'd the Ptisane to all other food in Fevers because it soften'd and moisten'd much besides that it was of easie digestion If he was concern'd in a continual Fever he wou'd have the Patient begin with a Ptisane of an indifferent thick consistence and go on by little and little in lessening the quantity of Barley-flower according as the days drew nearer when the distemper was to be at its highest pitch so that then he did not feed the Patient but with what he call'd (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this time also they made use of for nourishment Broths made of a sort of grain or flower made into little grains which they call'd in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Grain and in Latin Alica You 'll see more particularl what it was in the Chapter of Galen or in that of Dioscorides the juice of the Ptisane that is the Ptisane strain'd where there was but very little of the flower remaining to the end that Nature being discharg'd in part from the care of digesting the Aliments it might the more easily hold out to the end and overcome the distemper or the cause of it As to what belongs to the quantity of Aliment and the time of giving it he caus'd the Ptisane to be taken twice a day by Patients that in their health us'd to eat two Meals a day not thinking it convenient that those that were sick should eat oftner than when they were well He also durst not allow eating twice a day to those that fed but once when in health but was willing they might come to 't by little and little In the Fit of a Fever he gave nothing at all and in all distempers where there are exacerbations he forbid nourishment whilst they continued He let Children eat more and those that were become Men or Old less giving nevertheless a great deal of allowance to the Custom of every particular person or to that of the Country And tho' he was of the opinion that too much ought not to be allow'd to the sick for fear of nourishing their distemper yet we must observe that he was not of the judgment of some of the Physicians of his time who prescrib'd them long Abstinence especially at the beginning of a Fever The reason he produc'd for 't was they weaken'd the Patients extreamly the first days of the distemper which oblig'd them afterwards to give them more nourishment in the height of their illness which was the time in his judgment when they ought to give the least He blam'd the Physicians for using them after this manner (a) He call'd it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He also describ'd too great abstinence by the terms of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hunger and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to kill to strangle That they dry'd up their Patients like Herrings before there was any occasion for 't and destroy'd them for want of nourishment Besides in acute distempers and particularly Fevers Hippocrates made choice of nourishment that was refreshing and moistening and he propos'd amongst others Spinach Gourd Orage Melon and Dock He gave this sort of nourishment to those that were in condition to eat or cou'd take something more than a Ptisane The ordinary drink that he most commonly gave to his Patients was made of (b) They call'd this drink in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latin Mulsa eight parts Water and one Honey In some certain distempers they added a little (c) When there was some Vinegar in it they call'd it Oxymel Vinegar They had also another sort of drink like that we spoke of before which one of the Sons of Aesculapius drank when he was wounded (d) They call'd this drink 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mixture This drink was more or less mix'd and differently made up according as the distempers were You find one (e) Hippoc. lib de Intern affect lonibus prescription of it design'd for a consumptive Person the ingredients consist of Rue Anise Selery Coriander juice of Pomegranate the roughest red Wine Water flower of Wheat and Barley with old Cheese made of Goats Milk Hippocrates did not approve of giving nothing but Water to the Sick and tho' he prescrib'd them oftentimes the drinks we are now speaking of for all that he did not entirely forbid (f) See further on in the cure of Diseases upon occasion of the Pleurisie Wine even in acute Distempers and Fevers provided they were not delirious nor had pains in the head The quantity of water he wou'd have them put in 't in health made him judge that it wouâ—d not be hurtful to those that were sick if taken after the same manner Besides he took care to distinguish the Wines proper in these cases preferring to all other sorts White-Wine that 's clear that has a great deal of water in it and has neither sweetness nor flavour This is the Diet that was used in acute distempers As to that in Chronical Diseases you 'll see how it differ'd from the first by the examples we shall bring of the cures of
Tunnel which brought away abundance of Flegm thro the Mouth and thro the Nose or else he took to the same purpose (e) De morb lib. 1. Nitre Marjerom and Cress-seeds which he boyl'd in Water Vinegar and Oyl and while it was on the Fire caus'd the steam to be drawn in by a Pipe We find particularly in Hippocrates a great number of Fumigants for the distempers of Women to provoke their Menses and to check them to help conception and to ease pains in the Matrix and the suffocation of it He us'd on these occasions such Aromaticks as were then known as Cinnamon Cassia Myrrh and several Odoriferous Plants as likewise some Minerals such as Niter Sulphur and Pitch and causâ—d them to receive the vapours into the Matrix by means of a Tunnel (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gargles which are likewise a sort of Fomentations for the Mouth and Throat were also known to Hippocrates He used in the Quinzy a Gargle made of Marjerom Savory Selery Mint and Nitre boyl'd with Water and a little Vinegar When this was strained they added Honey to it and wash'd their Mouths frequently with it They made likewise very great use of (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These three words Hippocrates uses to signify all that is proper to anoint Oyls and Oyntments in order to mollifie and to abate pain to ripen Boils to resolve Tumours to refresh after weariness to make the body supple and divers others particular intentions We shall 〈◊〉 occasion to speak further of Oyntments and Liquid Perfumes hereafter in the Chapter of Prodicus one of Hippocrates's Scholars Hippocrates us'd sometimes Oyl of Olives neat sometimes he infused some Simple into it as the leaves of Myrtle or Roses this latter Oyl was in great request amongst the Ancients There were other sorts of Oyls more compounded Hippocrates speaks of an Oyl or Unguent callâ—d (h) See Dioscorides Susinum which was made of the Flowers of the Iris of some Aromaticks of an Ointment of Narcissus made with the Flowers of Narcissus and Aromaticks infused in Oyl But the most considerable or the most compound Oyntment that he mentions is that which he calls Netopum which he prepar'd particularly for Women Hesychius tells us that it was an Oyntment consisting of a great number of Ingredients Hippocrates speaks likewise of an Oyl or Oyntment of Aegypt which was compounded as it is elsewhere of abundance of Aromaticks which seems to be the same with the Netopum or as Dioscorides calls it Metopium As for another Oyl which was called the white Oyl of Aegypt Galen says (i) De simpl Medicam facuâ—â—â—b lib 2. in one place that it was only very fine Oyl of Olives (k) In glossis Hippocratis but in another place he tells us that it was the same Oyl or Oyntment that was otherwise call'd Mendesium Hippocrates us'd also a sort of Oyntment which he call'd (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ceratum which consisted chiefly of Oyl and Wax which gave name to the Medicine The Composition of one Ceratum which he recommends for the softning of a Tumour and cleansing of a Wound was this Take the quantity of a Nut of the Marrow or Fat of a Sheep of Mastick or Turpentine the quantity of a Bean and as much Wax melt these over a Fire with Oyl of Roses for a Ceratum Sometimes he added mixed Pitch and Wax and putting a quantum sufficit of Oyl made a composition of greater consistence than the former which he call'd (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ceropissus (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cataplasms were a sort of Medicament of less consistence than the two former They consisted of Powders or Herbs steep'd or boylâ—d in water or some other liquor to which they sometimes put Oyl In the Quinzy Hippocrates orders a Cataplasm made of Barly-meal boilâ—d in Wine and Oyl Cataplasms were used with intention of softning lenifying or resolving Tumours or ripning of the Abscesses like the Cerata they had also cooling Cataplasms made of the Leaves of Beets or Olive Fig or Oak Leaves boil'd in Water Hippocrates us'd also a sort of Medicines called a (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De morb muliâ—r lib. 3. Collyrium It was compounded of Powders to which was added a small quantity of some Oyntment or Juice of a Plant to make a solid dry Mass the form of which was round and long which was kept for use Another Composition not much different from the other but in the form the Ingredients being much of the same nature was a sort of (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 which 〈…〉 becauâ—e 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 liâ—e a 〈◊〉 cake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 weight of a Dâ—am Dâ— morb 〈◊〉 â—ib â— Lozange of the bigness of a small piece of Money which was used to be burnt upon Coals for a perfume and to be powdered for other uses as we shall see more particularly hereafter We find likewise in Hippocrates â—s Descriptions for Powders for several uses to take off Fungous flesh and to blow into the Eyes in Opthalmies c. These are almost all the Medicines used externally We shall have occasion to take notice of a certain Composition of this nature in the Chapter of Womens distempers As for the Compound Medicines taken inwardly they were either Liquid or Solid (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those which were in a Liquid form were prepared either by decoction or infusion in a proper Liquor which when strain'd was kept for use or by macerating certain Powders in such Liquors and so taking them together or by mixing divers Liquors together (r) See the Ch. of â—he Diet of the Sick We have given before the preparation of a Potion call'd Cyceon and some others The Medicines in (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to swallow something that is solid Solid form consisted of Juices inspissated of Gums Rosins or Powder made up with them or with Honey or something proper to give the necessary consistence to the Medicine These were made up in a form and quantity fit to be swallow'd with ease Amongst the solid Medicines may be ranked that which is delivered in the first Book of Womens distempers under the Title of (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vatican Copies read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of several ingredients the Salt Medicine There was a third sort of Medicine which was betwixt Liquid and Solid which was a sort of Lambitive which they were forced to keep some time to dissolve in the Mouth that they might swallow it leisurely This Remedy was used to take off the Acrimony of those Humours which falls sometimes upon this part which provoke Coughing and other inconveniencies Honey was the Basis of it as we shall see in some descriptions to come in the relation of some instances of distempers cur'd by Hippocrates's method By all this we
may see what sort of Compound Medicines Hippocrates used If the Book De Affectionibus be his we may infer from thence that he wrote particularly upon this subject The Author in that Book quoting others which treat of Medicaments only These Books bore the title of Pharmaca and Pharmacitis says our Author ut Scriptum est in Pharmacis that is in Libris De Pharmacis Agentibus The word Pharmacitis is an Adjective to which the Substantive Liber which is understood must be joyned Pharmacitis Liber the Book of Medicines But this Book has been ascrib'd to Polybius Son-in-law to Hippocrates and it is remarkable that these Books or this Book of Medicaments is cited no where else by Hippocrates Galen observes that those sort of Books were very rare in those days because the Ancient Physicians used to give a Receipt of the Medicines they used with the History of the distemper they used them for Another thing which is worth our Observation is that the compound Medicines of Hippocrates were but very few and consisted of very few Simples four or five at most We find indeed in Actuarius the description of a very compounded Antidote which he calls Hippocrates's Antidote for which he says the Athenians presented him with a Crown But this is plainly a fiction and one of the specious Titles the Greeks used to give to their Medicines to promote the sale of which we shall see more examples hereafter Here we must take notice that Hippocrates understood Pharmacy or the Art of Compounding or Preparing Medicines (w) Lib. de Theriaca ad Pison This Galen endeavours to prove from a passage of the second Book of the Epidemicks where he introduces Hippocrates speaking after this manner (x) This passage is very obscure as we find it in Hippocrates and Galen or the Author of the Book cited by us giveâ— it us very different from what it is in our Originaly We know the nature of Medicines whereof so many different things are compounded for all are not compounded alike but some after one manner and others after another Some simples ought to be boylâ—d quick others slowly They are likewise differently prepared Some are dry'd some are stampt some are boiled c. The last observation we shall make upon the Pharmacy of Hippocrates is that he not only understood the preparation of Medicines but that he prepar'd them himself or in his own House by his Servants after his own directions This was the practice of the Physicians of those times when neither Pharmacy nor Surgery were become particular professions CHAP. XXIII A List of the Simples us'd by Hippocrates A AGnus Castus Alica Alom Alom of Egypt Scissil Alâ—m Burnt Alom Almonds Amomum * Anagallis Anagyris Alkanet * Ammoniac Gum. Aneth Anise Anthemus or Anthemis Asparagus After-birth humane Asphodil Atriplex * Amber Ass its Dâ—ng Ash-tree Apples B Brass and its Rust Filings Scales and Calx Birthwort Baccharis * Butter Blites Bulbus albus Bulbus parvus growing among the Corn. Bembylium a sort of Melissa Erot. Bryony Buprestis the name both of a Plant and an Animal Beetles Beans Basil Barley Achilles's Barley Bramble Bulls Gall Liver and Vrine C CLivers Goosegrass Cachrys Calamint Calamus aromaticus Cantharides * Capers Cardamomes Casia Castor Cedar and its Rosin Centaury Chalcitis Chamaeleon Chondrus Coleworts Chrethmus Chrysocolla Chrysitis Cinnamon Cneorum Cnidia Grana Cnicus Colocynthis Cucumbers Garden and wild Conyza Coriander Crateogonon Cresses Cumine vulgar and Ethiopian Cyclamen Cyperus Cypress Cytisus Cravfish Cheese Clary Carrots Cinquefoil Cuttle-fish its Bones and Eggs. Chalk D DOg. Daphnoides Daucus Dittany Dittany of Crete Dracontium Dracuncunculus Docks E EBony Elaterium Epipetrum Erviolum Ervum Erysinum Evanthemum Eggs. Elder F FRankincense Frankincense granulated Flower or Meal of several sorts of Grain fine and course Fenugreek Fennel Ferula Fig-tree Garden and wild its Leaves Wood and Fruit c. Frogs Feverfew Fox Dung G GArlick Goose Grass Clivers Goat the Milk Dung Excrements of the Skin Fat and Horns Gourds Gall of Oxen Swine Sea Scorpion c. Galba num Galls Nuts Glans Egyptia Grapes and the mass of 'em after pressing H HEmlock Horns of Oxen Goats and Deer rasp'd and burnt Hellebore white and black Heath Herb Charien Hedgehog Sea Hedgehog Hippomarathrum Hippophae Holoconitis Hyssop vulgar and Cilician Hare's Wool Hemp. Honey Honey of Cedar I JUncus odoratus Iris. Isatis or Wood. Ivie L LOadstone Lettice Lagopyrus Laserpitium Laurel Lentills Lentiscus Lees of Wine Lees of Wine burnt Lotus Lupines Lapis Cyanaeus Magnesius Leeks M MArsh Mallow Mugwort Mushromes Milk Asses Cows Mares Bitches Mastick Tree Mastick Malicorium Mandrake Mallow Meconitis a Meconium purgans Meconium somniferum Meconium an excrement Melanthium Melilot Mint Mercury the Herb. Mulberries Millet Minium Misy Modus a root Molybdaena Moss Mustard Mules Dung Myrica Myrrh Myrrha Stacte Myrtle Myrtidanum N NArcissus Nardus Nitre Nitre red Nuts Thasian Nettle Navelwort O ONions Orache Oats Oak Oyl Oenanthe Oesype Olive Wood Leaves Gall Fruit Stones and Oyl Origanum Orobus Orpiment Orpine P PImpernel Parsley Bastard Pomegranate Pepper Panax b Poppy Peplium Peplus Pompions Parsley Parsley curled Pencedanum Poplar Phaseolus Philistium Pine and its Kernel Peony Pears Pease and dry Purslan Pitch Prassium Pseudodictamnus Pennyroyal Q QUick Lime R RAisins Rhadish Ranunculus Root white Resine Rhamus Rhus Ricinus Rocket Rose Rosemary Rubia Rue S SOthernwood Silver and its Flower Spices of all sorts Stag its horns c. Services or Sorb Apples Sea water Succory yellow Sheeps Fat Marrow and Dung Saffron Sagapenum Sandarach Gum. Savoury Savin Sage Sâ—â—mmony Squills Scolopendrium Salt Saâ—â—â—f Thebes Seseri Sesamum Sesamoides Spodium Sulphur Stavesacre Staebe Struthium Stybis Styrax Soot Sea Calfs Lungs Spelt T THorn white Thorn Egyptian Turnep Turpentine Teda Terra Aegyptiaca Terra nigra Samia Thapsia Thlapsi Time Thymbra Tithymalus Tithymalis Torpedo Tortoise Tragus Tribulus Trefoil Trigonum V VIper Verbascum Verdegrise Verjus Vine it 's Wood Leaves and Tendrels Vinegar Violets white blue Urine W WOrmwood Wax white Wax Wheat Whey Worms Wine of several sorts X XAnthium Z ZEa These are the names that occur in Hippocrates except perhaps a very few which may have escap'd our notice The Greek like most other Languages having suffered great alteration and the names of diverse Plants being chang'd it became within 2 or 3 Ages different to determin what Plants Hippocrates design'd by some of 'em but the number of 'em is so small that the loss is not very considerable CHAP. XXIV Some instances of particular Cures of some Diseases both Acute and Chronical WE shall find here besides the practice of the general rules before laid down several particular Medicines of which no mention has been made We have already seen Hippocrates's distinction between Fevers that were not symptomatical but were of themselves the original distemper and those which attended inflamations We have observ'd that in the first sort of Fevers Diet
familiar an operation to Hippocrates that there is scarce any Chronical distemper wherein he does not propose it In the approach of a Dropsie he cauterized the Belly in eight places about the Liver In pains also of the Head he apply'd eight Cauteries upon that two about the Ears two behind the Head two in the Neck and two near the corners of the Eyes When Cauteries were ineffectual he made an incision all round the Forehead in form of a Crown keeping the Lips of the wound open and supported by putting Lint between them to give a vent to the blood and humours The same incisions he practised in Rheums which fall upon the Eyes and used them as well in the back as the head Those that consider the violence and obstinacy of these sorts of distempers especially they that are subject to them ought not to wonder if he has gone about to cure them by means as rigorous and severe nor is it to be wondered at that abundance of these distempers are reckoned now almost incurable the aversion or horror for Remedies of that nature being so much greater than it formerly was when they were not acquainted with these gentle methods of Physicks in use now adays They made so little scruple of cauterizing or burning any part that it was done even where there was no distemper The Scythian Nomades caused themselves to be burnt in the Shoulders the Arms the Breast the Thighs and the Loins to render their Bodies and Joints more lusty and strong and to consume the superfluous moisture of the Flesh which made them less able as they supposed to draw their Bows and to dart their Javelins They burnt also the Arteries of the Temples and behind the Ears to prevent a (h) See above in the Diseaseâ— of the third Class defluxion upon their Hips usual amongst them from too much Riding To these Scythians we may add the Sarmatians whose Women according to (i) Lib. de Acre aquis locis Hippocrates ride on Horseback use the Bow and Javeling while they are Maids go to War and are not permitted to marry till they have slain three Enemies and sacrificed to their Divinity according to the custom of their Country after they are marry'd they are exempted from War except upon urgent occasions Their right Breast is burnt in their infancy with a red hot Iron to hinder it from growing and to transfer the strength entire to the Shoulder and Arm of the same side For this reason they were call'd Amazons that is to say without Breasts Their History whether true or false is to be found more at large in Justin Strabo and others Hippocrates used also in a pain of the head arising according to him from a Water in the Brain or between the Skull and the Brain a Remedy yet more formidable than the former He open'd the Skull sometimes with an instrument that carried away a piece of the Bone which was call'd (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An instrument for boring Trepanning from the Greek name of the Instrument This operation was chiefly invented for fractures of the Skull to draw out by the hole small pointed ragged pieces of Bones which in these cases pricked the membranes of the Brain or to evacuate extravasated blood or purulent matter which caused several little symptoms or to raise the Skull when it was depressed If Hippocrates used these sort of Remedies for pains of the Head or defluxions upon the Eyes 't is no wonder that he made use of Surgery in Diseases of more danger He boldly open'd the Breasts of those that were troubled with an (l) See above in the Cure of Chronical Diseases Empyema when the gentlest Remedies proved insufficient Fifteen days after he suppos'd the Pus to be form'd or extravasated in the Breast of those that had a Pleurisie or Peripneumony he put them into a warm Bath and setting them upon a Stool shook their Shoulders and laying his Ear to their Breast listned if he heard any noise and on each side This noise according to him was of least danger when on the Left side and the incision made there with more safety if the thickness of the Flesh and the quantity of the Pus hinderd him from hearing the noise he chose that side on which the inflamation and pain had been greatest he made his incision rather behind than before and as low as he could and having first open'd the skin between two Ribs with a large Razor and afterwards taking one more narrow and pointed he wrapt a Rag or something about it so that nothing appear'd but the point so that it appear'd only about the length of the Thumb-nail and thrust it into that depth The Pus being by this means drawn away in sufficient quantity he stopt the Wound with a Tent of Linnen fastned to a string and for ten days together drew every day some Pus The Pus being almost all drawn out he syringed the Wound with Wine and Oyl and let it out about a dozen hours after When the Pus began to be clear like Water and a little thick he put into the VVound a Tin Pipe and as the humour spent itself he lessen'd the Pipe and suffer'd the Wound by degrees to heal up The same operation he usâ—d (m) Lib. dâ— affectionibus in a Dropsie in the Belly making the incision near the Navel or behind near the Hips and drawing off the Water contain'd but he takes express notice that but very few are cured this way In another place he gives this caution that this operation ought to be us'd betimes before the distemper got too much ground and that care ought to be taken not to draw away all the Water at once because those that lose all the Pus or Water at a time infallibly dye (n) Lib. de 〈◊〉 affecâ— In a Dropsie of the Breast after having prepar'd the Patient as in an Empyema he layâ—d bare the third Rib counting from the last and having bor'd it with a sort of Tropanum he drew off a small quantity of VVater and stopt the Wound with a Tent of Linum Crudum and having laid a soft Sponge upon it he swathed the part for fear the Tent should tumble out For twelve days together he continu'd to draw after that he drew as long as it would run endeavouring likewise to dry the Breasts by Medicines and a particular method of Diet. In inflamations of the Thighs Legs and Scrotum he orders boldly to (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scarrisie the parts or to prick them in several places (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a sharp Lancet Hippocrates upon several occasions used the boldest and most difficult operations of Surgery He open'd the Back to discharge an abscess of the Kidneys he drew dead Children out of the Womb with hooks or a hook to which he gave the name of a Claw beeause it was like the Pounce of a
distempers are judgâ—d more by conjecture than Art tho in this case those that have experience are preferrable to those that have not (m) De victus ratione in acutis One Physician often approves what another does not This exposes their Art to the calumny of the people who therefore imagining it to be altogether vain compare it to that of the Augurs of whom one says of the same Bird that if it appears on the Left side it is a good omen if on the Right a bad one and others the quite contrary (n) Praeceptiones We ought never to warrant the success of a Medicine for the minutest circumstances cause the distemper to vary and make 'em sometimes more tedious and dangerous than we expected (o) Lib de arte The end of Physick is absolutely to cure Diseases or at least to abate their violence but those that are desperate ought never to be undertaken that is where the distemper is of it self incurable or become so by the total destruction of the Organs for Physick reaches not so far (p) Lib. de decenti habitu A Physician ought to visit his Patients frequently and to be very attentive to every thing (q) Lib de medico 'T is requisit for the credit of a Physician that he should have a healthy look and a good complexion for men are apt to suspect that he that has not his own health can scarce be instrumental to procure it to another in the same case (r) Ibid de decent habitu A Physician ought to be decent in his habit grave in his manners moderate in all his actions chast and modest in the conversation he is obligâ—d to have with Women no loiterer ready to answer every body with candour sober patient ready to do his duty without disturbing himself (s) â—â—â—â—ceptiones 'T is no dishonour to a Physician when he is in doubt about the method of treating his Patient in any case to call in other Physicians and to consult with them what is to be done to the benefit of the Patient (t) Ibidem In point of Fees a Physician ought to be honest and good natur'd and to have a regard to the ability of the Patient On some occasions he ought neither to ask nor expect a Fee especially if the Patient be a poor man or a stranger whom he is obliged to relieve There are other occasions wherein the Physician may agree with his Patient before hand for his reward that the Patient may with more confidence commit himself to his care and be assurâ—d that he will not desert him (v) Dâ—prisca medicina Those that thought Physick an invention that deserv'd to be attributed to the Gods have not only followed the common opinion but in my mind right reason also This is what Hippocrates says of Physick in general From whence we may draw two inferences of importance to our History First That there were a great number of Physicians in his time although but few good ones Secondly That the use of Consultations was also then establish'd And lastly That Physick was even then exposâ—d to detraction and calumny as well as since CHAP. XXVII Of the Writings of Hippocrates COncerning the Writings of this Ancient Physician there are three things chiefly to be observ'd First The esteem they have always met with Secondly The distinction between those Writings which are legitimate and those that are supposititious Thirdly His Language and Stile In the first place the Writings of Hippocrates have been always had in particular veneration Galen says that what Hippocrates has deliver'd has always been esteemed as the word of a God and assures us that if what he writ be a little obscure thro his brevity or if he seems in certain places to have omitted some little things he has nevertheless written nothing which was not very much to the purpose The Works of Hippocrates says Suidas are very well known to all that study Physick we have such a respect for them that they think what he has said to come out of a Divine Mouth and not a Human. A plain mark of the esteem that all Ages have had for the Writings of Hippocrates is that there is scarce any Author who has had so many Commentators Amongst the most Ancient of them Galen speaks of one Asclepiades Rufus Ephesius Sabinus Metrodorus Satyrus Heraclides Tarentinus Heraclides Erythraeus and one Zeuxis to whom we may add Galen himself and Celsus who have often translated him word for word We shall mention another party of these Authors in the sequel He has had undoubtedly several others among the Ancients without reckoning those that explain'd his obscure words as we shall see by and by And the number of the Moderns is greater as we shall shew in its proper place To come to the distinction of the true Writings of Hippocrates from the spurious we shall begin with a List given by Erotian This Author who liv'd under Nero distinguishing the Books of Hippocrates or those which past for such in his time according to the subject of which they treated ennumerates the following The Books says he which relates to the Doctrine of signs are the Book called the Prognostick two Books of Predictions which two latter are not Hippocrates 's as we shall shew hereafter and the Book of the Humours The Books which relate to Physick and which are the most rational are the Book of the winds of the Nature of Man of the Epilepsie of the Nature of Children of times and seasons The Books concerning the manner of treating distempers are the Book of fractures of the articulations of ulcers of wounds and darts of wounds of the head of the Physicians repository that called Mochlicus of the Emeroides and Fistula's of diet two of diseases of Ptisan of the laces or parts in man two Books of Womens distempers one of barren Women one of Nourishment and one of Waters The Aphorisms and six Books of Epidemick diseases treat of mixt matters Those which follow concern the Art in general the Book entituled the Oath that called the Law and that of the Ancient Physick As for his Ambassadors Speech and the Speech at the Altar they serve only to prove the kindness of Hippocrates to his Country but concern not Physick at all Galen speaks of one Artemidorus Capito and one Dioscorides both of Alexandria who collected and published the works of Hippocrates together He adds that this Edition had the approbation of the Emperor Adrian under whom they livâ—d and who had a great affection for Physick However Galâ—z taxes them with taking too much liberty and changing several words of the Text which they did not understand VVe don't certainly know whether the Catalogue of the Books of Hippocrates publish'd by these Authors were greater than that which Erotian gives us but t is probable it was since Galen who follow'd them very near mentions several Books of Hippocrates's or that past