An Accompt of Some Books

An Accomp of some Books. I. Johannis Wallisi, S.Th.D. Geometriae Professoris in Academia Oxoniensi, Tractatus de MOTU Pars III. A. 1671. in 4°. In this third and last part the Excellent Author (continuing his Doctrine of Motion, begun in the two foregoing parts,) treats, amongst other things, of the Five Mathematical Powers (as they are called,) or noted Engines for the facilitation of Motion; which are Veinis, Axis in Peritrochio, Trochlea, Cochlea, &cuneus (the Leaver, Winch, Pulley, Screw, and Wedge,) with others reducible to them. And particularly, of the Leaver (in its most usual acceptation,) with one support (and therein of the Pinchers and Sheers, &c.) and of a Beam, Cule-staff, &c. sustained by two or more supporters, with the several pressures on each of them, according to their different positions; where also are described six several forms of Flat Roofs, for large Rooms, framed of short Timbers (much shorter than the breadth of the Room,) mutually supporting one another: with methods of computing the weight sustained by every joint. Of several sorts of Winchers, Winders, Capstans, Rollers, Wheels of Engines (with or without teeth,) Boats, Cranes, &c. with the Reason and Measure of their force; As likewise the Wheels of Coaches, Carts, or Waggon, with the Reason of divers circumstances in the Fabrick and use of them. Of Pulleys; of the measure and reason of their strength. Of Screws; with the reason of their great force, and the measure of it; as also, the measure of the Length of the Spiral line about a Cylinder (whence the Screw takes its rise,) and of the Solid content of the Screw. Of the Composition, Acceleration, and Retardation of Motions; and the motion of Projectiles (things thrown, shot, &c.) with the nature of the lines described by such motions. Of Percussion or striking; with the measure and effects of Blows, or Strokes, according as the bodies striking do differently occur one to the other, and the Center of force in such Percussion. Of the Wedge, with the reason and measure of its force. Of Repercussion, Resilition, or Reflexion of Bodies, which he derives from the Spring or Elastick Virtue in them: Of Hydrostaticks, with the Reason and measure of sinking or swimming of Heavy bodies in a Fluid: Of the weight and spring of the Air, and the Counterpoise of the Atmosphere; from whence he derives those effects, which were wont to be ascribed to the Fuga vacui, or Natures abhorring a vacuity; with the Explication and Reason of the several Phænomena of the Torricellian Experiment, and others of like nature, and of the very great contraction and expansion of the Air: Of raising a great weight with a mans breath, blowing a bladder. And the Solution of divers other mechanical questions. II. Danielis Ludovici, Medici Ducal. Saxo-Cothari, de PHARMACIA Moderno Seculo applicata, Dissertationes III. Gothae 1671. in 12o. The Learned and Experienced Author of this Book, having, it seems, really found, that necessity suggests the considerablest and the most necessary, as well as the easiest and cheapest Remedies for Man's health; and having thereupon very successfully follow'd in his practice a method and rules suitable thereunto, to the frequent relief and cure of his Patients, and to his own honor; resolved to publish to the world the substance of his thoughts concerning the Administration of Physick, together with the Sum of his Experience and Practice therein; notwithstanding what the Learned and Industrious Zweißer or others had already said upon this Subject; he being persuaded, that Diseases may as well, if not better, be cured by a few, plain and easily parable Medicins, than otherwise; provided they be by an honest and discreet Physician used with Judgment, according to the nature, temper and condition of the Patient. In reference hereunto, he declares himself in Three Dissertations; In the First, he shews, How the Materia Medica may throughout Nature's three kingdoms (as they speak) be contracted, from that vast and luxuriant heap, met with in Dispensatories pensatories and other Physick-books, to a few simple and yet choice and efficacious Medicins; adding thereunto, both his Method of preparing such remedies for all sorts of diseases, and withall shewing, how to bring them into a small room, to contain the same thus contracted. In this part the Reader will find the Author's thoughts, first touching such Remedies as are pretended to be Universal; and secondly, an Enumeration of some of the choicest Particular Medicaments, of all sorts; as Purgatives, Vomitives, Sudorifics, Astringent, Refrigeratives, Diuretics, Resolving, Discussing, Corroborating, Deterotive, Anodyne, Narcotics, Stomachicks, Hepaticks, Splenetics, Uterine, Topicks, &c. Concerning all which he sticks not to say, that he hath nothing rashly nor groundlessly asserted of the Medicins by him retained or discarded. In the Second he briefly treats of the necessity of Moderating the Rates of Medicins; which yet he doth in such a manner, that on the one hand, Druggists, Apothecaries, &c. may not want encouragement to provide all necessary matter of Physick; and on the other hand, that the Common people may not be alienated from employing honest and skilful Physicians, nor from the use of proper medicins: where he particularly examines the Chymical preparations, (to which he is no Enemy,) and delivers his opinion as to what cheat there is frequently practised in raising them, and how men may be directed to know very near the true rate of many of that kind. In the Third he enumerates the benefits that may redound to Man-kind, by the way of Dispensing Medicins by Physicians themselves, sworn and skilful; as he observeth it to have been in the beginning, and even so late as in the next foregoing Age, and to be still practised in all the Asiatic Countries; Which he saith he adviseth, not to countenance any dangerous way of preparing Medicins, but to secure the making of physic to well-known discreet and experienced Practitioners; conceiving, that thereby the poorer sort of people, finding the Fee and Price of Physick to be in one hand, would be much less shy, than now they are, to repair to good Physicians. Physitians, and more deterr'd from consulting meer Empiricks and Mountebanks, making great havock amongst them; besides that Physick would by that means be much improved; Intruders debarr'd from doing mischief by the indiscreet use of Receipts; and many sudden Accidents, which admit not of the delay of staying for both Physitian and Apothecary (as Apoplexies, Epilepsies, Hysteric fits, &c.) better provided for. Here and there the Author taketh occasion to animadvert on those pretended high Arcana's, Catholicon's, Panacea's, Elixir's, Universal Menstruum's, particularly the Alcahest; yet without denying, that there may be one and the same Medicin so excellent as exceedingly to strengthen and cleanse the body, and to give relief in many diseases. Where he discourseth of fitting Medicins to the Constitution of people, he observeth, that a certain sort of laxative Aloe-pills are properer for Countries and people that drink Bier, than those that drink Wine. And so he noteth, that Venæ-section is more useful to some Nations, than others. If the Author had taken care to have delivered his matter in a clear stile, he would certainly have proved much more instructive, than, 'tis feared, he now will. This Desideratum, we hope, will be satisfied in the second Edition. III. Joh. Bapt. Sylvatici INSTITUTIO MEDICA de iis qui Morbum simulant deprehendendis. Francofurti ad Mænum. A.1671. in 12°. This Italian Author, having represented both the Importance of this argument, and assigned the Causes inducing people either to counterfeit or to hide Diseases (which he reduces to Fear, Shamefastness, and Profit;) enumerates the several Ways, how this Simulation or Dissimulation may be performed. And of these he observeth chiefly three: The first, when a Sickness is pretended by Words only, and really is not; as a Colick, Head-ache, &c. to avoid appearance in publick or for other reasons. The second, when there appear signs and marks of diseases in the Body, but are caused on purpose by Counterfaits for various ends; such as seem to indicate a Fever, Scabbines, Leprosy, an Exulceration of the Lungs by spitting blood, and Gravitation itself, either to raise Compassion, as in Beggars, (as in the last case,) for Succession, as in great Women, making it up by Supposititious Births. The third, when there is really a sickness, but hid and concealed to the utmost; as the Venereal Disease, to avoid publick shame, or the loss of an advantageous match, and especially Love-sickness, cover'd out of modesty, or for other causes, but often inducing a high degree of Melancholy, and sometimes Madness. This being dispatched, he giveth several Directions, first in general; How counterfeited sicknesses may be found out, and the various arts and cheats detected: For the due performance of which, he judgeth it not sufficient to have great Medical Experience, but besides finds it requisite to employ more than ordinary sagacity in exploring all circumstances and outward accidents, and especially those things, that relate particularly to the genius, temper and state of the supposed Counterfeit. Secondly in particular; where he teacheth, how those are to be discover'd, that counterfeit Pain, and pretend Impotency, Sterility, Virginity (circa ultimum hoc argumentum multa differens curiosa, tum de variis eam mentiendi modis, tum de depressio rendae mentitio difficulatibus, tum de Hymenis existentia;) Further those that feign or conciliate Madness, or Insensibleness, for times and occasions; as also such, that raise, by art, Tumors, Scabs, Ulcers, Fevers, and Blood-spitting. Moreover, how to detect disguised Love-sickness, together with divers Examples of its Discovery, and the method and flight employed both in making that discovery, and in curing the malady; for the latter of which he commends chiefly the import of that of the Poet, Intrat Intrat amor mentes usu, dediscitur usu; And the advice of Lucretius; Sed fugitare decet simulacra & pabula amoris, Absterrere sibi atque alio convertere mentem Ac jacere Amorem collectum in Corpora quoque. To which he adds the way of discovering supposed Dæmoniacks, and Enthusiasts; yet acknowledging withall the difficulty of discerning such Impostures; or which he esteemeth many may be ascribed partly to Melancholic, partly to Uterinfits, partly to plain Cheating, as is that of the Ventiloqui. He subjoins the method of finding out women that hide their Conception, and those that counterfeit it: And concludeth all with the skill requisite to discover such as are infected with the Lues Venerea, and study to palliate it with some other Disease; and those also to whom Poison hath been given secretly. IV. QUADRIPARTITUM BOTANICUM Simonis Pauli Medici Regii in Dania Argentorati in 4°. Having been lately questioned by some considerable men (one of whom is a Learned Physician of London,) why no notice had been taken in these Tradts of this Useful piece, we thought good, (alleging, for the excuse of our tardiness herein, this Book's escaping our view hitherto,) to give the ensuing account of it. The Learned Author then undertaketh in it to describe chiefly the Uses and Virtues of those Simples or Plants, which growing in Europe, are by long Experience approved of; treating more particularly of those, that grow in Denmark and Norway, which are the Countries, he is in a more especial manner related to. This Description he performeth in such a Method, that he reduceth the said Plants to Four Classes Alphabetically, according to the Four Seasons of the year; wherein they grow or are in flower; that so the Curious Botanist and others may know, when such and such Plants are to be had and gather'd for use. This he doth, beginning from the Winter-plants, and thence proceeding to the Vernal and Æstival, and concluding with the Autumnal. He inserts in many places divers Remedies and useful Advices for Health: In the doing of which, and shewing himself very particularly concern'd for the cure of the Tabes Anglicæ, (the Consumption,) so much reigning in England, he employeth more than one page in recommending to the English Nation (for whom he expresseth a singular esteem) that Plant, which the Latins call Chelidonum majus vulgare, the greater Celandine, as an approved medicin and no less than a Specifick to cure that Disease, after the use of Antimonial Emeticks; teaching withall, that it is to be prepar'd and used, for that purpose, in its Tincture, together with the Trifolium fibrinum Tabernamontani; and exhorting also diligent Anatomists, to open and well to examine the Liver and other viscera of such, as dye of this sickness, being himself altogether persuaded, that those are the Parts, which are primarily and by idiosyncrasy affected in a Consumption, and the Lungs not otherwise than secondarily and by consent; Where he also taketh notice, that one of the main cautes of the frequency of this Disease among the English is, their eating abundance of sugar and other sweet things, which, in his opinion, do cause a great Obstruction in the Liver and other Entrals, (the origin of Consumptions;) which by the aforesaid Plants is powerfully resolved and opened. See him p. 45. to 49. Further, amongst many other Advices, this Author observeth, that there is hardly any thing more insalubrious, than to eat freshly gather'd Fruit, especially if they were exposed to the Sun; esteeming, that the impression, made by the Sun and the fruit, not being yet dissipated, causeth such a fermentation in the blood, as is inseparable from a Fever. For the cure of a Tertian he advifeth the Patient to take four or five drops of Rosemary Oyl in Carduus benedictus and Fumitory water, and to sweat upon it, the body having been before prepar'd by general Medicins, &c. He omits not, upon occasion to intersperse very curious remarks; as that the Herb, called Gramen Offifragum, hath this property, that, if any Animal do eat of it, the nerves and tendons will be so relaxed, that it shall hardly be able to stir, but be as if its loins were broken: for which he thinks this reason may be given, that possibly in those places, where this Plant grows, there are Mines of Quicksilver or Lead, whence it may derive this quality so hostile to the nerves. There is another particular, among many others, which we cannot leave un-mentioned, viz. That, whereas common Chymists make Sulphur to be the principal Cause of the Colour in Mixts, he rather ascribeth it to Salt, (as he also doth Taste and Smell;) For the proof of which he alledged divers reasons, which he confirms by this Experience; That, to make Black Horses become of a Dapple-gray, you need only give them for some days in the Spring a handful or two of small Oak-buttons mingled with their Oats: And this change of Colour he attributes to the Vitriol abounding in Oak, and which causeth that cracking noise, which is made by that wood when put in the fire. To all which I must add what he noteth concerning the Intestin called Caecum, the Use of which is so much controverted amongst Anatomists, but discover'd by this Author to be, that as the Bladder of Gall is the receptacle of the Gall, so this Caecum is the receiver of the Flatus or winds; and that thence it is, that commonly 'tis found empty or only some clear water in it, which the winds have been turn'd into: Adding, that Nature hath made this Intestin larger in Hogs, Birds of prey, and other Beasts, which which by reason of their voracity are more subject to cru- dities, and therefore to winds, &c. He annexes to the whole several Appendixes; whereof one contains the Doses of the received Emeticks and Purga- tives both simple and compound; Another expatiateth into the praises of Hippocrates: The third considers the several Duties of Physitians, Apothecaries and Chirurgious: The fourth and last delivers a Method of making a good Herball. ERRATA left un-observed in some of the later Tracts. In Numb.73.p.2197.l.2. del. that whole line: that hole in some of the Shop-Kermes being accidental only, and ever on the bottom-part cleaving to the branch; and the time of gathering them for colour is without doubt be- fore they are pierced, and whilest the Animal is yet in vermiculo, and conse- quently the Husk intire. In Numb.74.p.2238.l.38. r.h.6.37'. ib.l.39. in col.2. r h.5.52'. In Numb.75.p.2244.l.3. r.Real Infinites. p.2245.l.8. r.any propor- tion. p.2247.l.uit. r.of 14½. p.2248.l.36.r.not 14½.p.2269.l.36. r.halitum meum. p.2270.l.27.r altit.est peripheria. LONDON, Printed for John Martyn, Printer to the Royal Society. 1671.