An Account of Two Books

An Account of two Books. I. TRACTATUS DUO, prior de RESPIRATIONE; alter de RACHITIDE, A. JOH. MAYOW, &c. Oxon. 1668. The Author in the former of these Tracts, having first given an account, how the Air by its Elastick force is inspired, and upon the dilatation of the Chest, caused by the intercostal Muscles, drawn upwards, rushes into the Lungs, which are thereby expanded, being nothing else but a Body made up of very thin little Membranes, in the form of innumerable small bladders; delivers his thoughts of the Use of Respiration, wavering those opinions, that would have Respiration serve either to cool the heart, or to make the Blood pass through the Lungs out of the right ventricle of the heart into the left, or to reduce the thicker venal blood into thinner and finer parts; and affirming, That there is something in the Air, absolutely necessary to life, which is conveyed into the Blood; which, whatever it be, being exhausted, the rest of the Air is made useless, and no more fit for Respiration. Where yet he doth not exclude this Use, That with the expelled Air, the vapors also, steaming out of the Blood, are thrown out together. And inquiring, what that may be in the Air, so necessary to life, he conjectures, that 'tis the more subtile and nitrous particles, the Air abounds with, that are through the Lungs communicated to the Blood: And this Aereal Niter he makes so necessary to all life, that even the Plants themselves do not grow in that Earth, that is deprived thereof, which yet, being exposed to the Air, and afresh impregnated by that fertilizing Salt, becomes fit again to nourish those Plants. And considering further, what part this Nitrous Air acts, and what operation it performs in the Animal Life, he is of opinion, that this Niter, mixt with the sulphureous parts of the Blood, causeth a due fermentation, which he will have raised, not only in the Heart alone, but immediately in the Pulmonary vessels, and afterwards in the Arteries no less than in the heart. Examining also the reason, why Death so suddenly ensues upon Respiration suppressed, the Blood being then not yet unfit for motion, he inquires yet after another Use of Respiration, which maketh it so very necessary to Life. And considering with himself, that the Life of Animals consists in the Distribution of the Animal spirits, for the supply of which is required the Pulsation of the heart, and the Afflux of the Blood to the Brain, it seems to him, that Respiration is highly necessary to the motion of the heart, forasmuch as the heart is one of the Muscles, the motion of every one of which absolutely requires this Aereal Niter, so that without the same, even the beating of the Heart cannot be performed. But here he declareth, that he seeth not, how that Explosion, by which the Muscles are so suddenly inflated and contracted, should proceed from the Arterious Blood and the Nervous juice. He esteems rather, that the niruous particles proceeding from the inspired Air, do by the Afflux of the Arterious blood everywhere flow between the fibres of the Muscles, and lodge therein; and that the animal spirits, made up of a very vol- tile salt, and not much differing from the distilled spirit of blood, highly rectify'd, do, as often as they are sent from the Nerves for motion, meet with the former niruous and differing particles; by which mixture of a kind of Volatile spirit of blood, and a Salin liquor, united together, is caused that sudden explosion, and consequently the inflation and con- traction of the Muscles. To which Ebullition, he saith, may perhaps something also conduce the Blood, forasmuch as its sulphureous particles, conjoyn'd with the Niter inspired, may render that juice Nitro-sul- phureous, and yet more explosive. And thus he thinks the motion made in the heart, (a muscular substance) to be done no otherwise, than that in other Muscles. Whence he concludeth, that upon the suppressing of Respiration, when that darting Niter, so requisite to all motion, is deficient, the Cardiaque Nerves convey their influx in vain, so that the pulsation of the heart ceasing, and consequently the afflux of the Blood to the Brain, Death must needs follow; but yet that the Animal may live a while without Respiration, forasmuch as the Blood con- tained in the vessels of the Lungs, and impregnated with Air enough, may suffice to maintain for some few moments the motion of the heart. And thus much of the first Tract, the other treating of the Rickets, examines in the first place, wherein Nutrition consists, and finds, That the Nervous juice performs not alone the whole office of that operation, in regard that besides it, the Blood diffused through the Arteries, hath no small share in that work, seeing that the nervous liquor mixt with the blood, causeth a certain effervescence, whereby the matter, fit for nutrition, is pre- cipitated, and that for want of this nervous liquor, the Blood in this distem- per of the Rickets, though it be laudable enough, yet being destitute of its one ferment, is not able to excite Heat in the parts, nor to execute the office of Nutrition. So that the Rickets, in the opinion of this Au- thor, are a disease, caused by an unequal distribution of the Nervous juice, from whose either defect or superabundance, some parts de- prived of nourishment, are emaciated, others, being surcharged, grow into a disproportionate bigness. Proceeding to assigne the Cause of this inequality in the distribution of the Aliment, he finds it not in the in- flux of the Brain, but in the obstruction of the spinal Marrow, whence it happens, that that high way of the passage of the spirits being damm'd up, the parts, to be sustain'd and cherish'd by that nutritious Juice, must needs languish, and fall into an Atrophy and the highest Consumption. Having Having assign'd this cause, he endeavours from thence to deduce all the Appearances and Symptoms peculiar to this Disease, and suggests that upon that ground it ought to be the main intention of the Physician, to remove such Obstructions, and to strengthen the Nerves: subjoynig a general method for curing this Infirmity, and specifying the principal remedies, both Internal and External, to be used therein; among which he chiefly recommends the spirits of Sal Armoniack, Harts-borne, Blood, Urine, &c., as such, that by the high volatility and subtleness of their parts are able to dislodge those Obstructions, which cause this Disease. II. A DISCOURSE concerning PHYSICK, and the many ALUSES thereof by the APOTHECARIES, London, A.1668. in 8°. In this Discourse are chiefly perform'd these Two things. First, The Interest of the Patient, in reference to Physick and Physicians, is soberly debated. And here, the Patients being they, who are most highly injur'd by the unwarrantable practices of those, that are in this Tract accused, the Author represents, that, although many intelligent persons among the People are sufficiently sensible of the Abuses, here manifested, and that it is of absolute necessity, some reformation be made; yet all are not thus persuad'd, since we may daily observe, that many, who are less discerning, being deceiv'd by an Imaginary good, covet unawares their own ruines; and unless they be given to understand, which is the Evil and which the Good, by persons in whom they have reason to confide, they must necessarily run much hazard. The Author therefore hath here endeavour'd to undeceive them, discovering both the many inconveniences, they are liable to, and the many things, whereof most Apothecaries are highly guilty, as Carelessness, Unskilfulness, Unfaithfullness on the one hand, and Intrusion into the Physicians Employment (the Practice of Physick) on the other: on all which accounts, he thinks, he hath demonstrated they are exceedingly injurious to the Publick. In order to the Prevention of such intolerable Abuses of the People he makes this Proposal, That Physicians prepare and dispence their own Medicins, and shews at large, that the Advantages of such a Constitution will be many and great: As, that it will much abate the Expence of Physick; and the Medicins themselves will be more safe and effectual, than now they are, Interest obliging Physicians to have their Physick as good, as they can contrive or prepare; and that such a state of Physick of all other cannot but be most desirable, wherein No Man having the Interest, can have the Power, nor any having the Power, can have the Interest to prepare Medicins unfaithfully; wherein bad men shall be made good, and the good never be tempted to become dishonest: So that, if the Sick have regard either to profit or safety, they will address themselves to those Persons, who supply them with the best of Remedies, and at cheapest rates. Secondly, As to Physicians, the Author tells them, that they must necessarily put their Affairs into some such method, as is here commended, if they have have any concern for their Patients, or intend to improve Pharmacy itself. Here he considers, that if Physicians depend only upon what they read in Books, they shall never promote this Art beyond its present limits; and that, if Physicians in former times had not been knowing in Simples, examin'd their Vertues and Tempers, inquired into their effects, and mix'd them with their own hands, there had been no such Science as Physick; and therefore those things, which gave a being to this noble Faculty, ought to help to make it compleat; towards which is nothing can contribute more than the Improvement of Pharmacy; so neither can anything promote that more, than Physicians taking it into their management. Besides all which, he thinks, it most fit, that they, who exercise themselves in the Practice of Physick, be satisfy'd, their Medicines are good; whereby their mind will be free and without any clog: which would add more difficulties and dangers to a thing, by itself hard and dangerous enough. These and other Considerations, insisted on in this Discourse, will, in the Author's persuasion, induce all Physicians, who have respect to the Good of their Patients, Honour of their Profession, or own Reputation, to put Pharmacy into other hands, and better methods (for which he intimates, that a strong resolution is already taken) than those, wherein now it is; whereby they, who dishonour it (meaning the Apothecaries) will either be reduced to a sense and performance of their Duty, or sufficiently punished. Besides all this, there are interspersed in this Discourse not a few particulars, both Philosophical and Physical; such as concern the Improvement of Natural Philosophy by the exercise of Chymistry in the hands of discreet and able Physicians: the Discovery and use of abundance of Generous Remedies, hitherto industriously concealed by their Possessors from the Apothecaries and Common Chymists, upon the consideration, that they would make a preposterous use of them; such as are the Essences of Plants made by the Union of their Volatile Spirits, Essential Oyls, and fixed Salts; Volatile Salt or Spirit of Tartar, Tincture of Corals, Essences of Pearls and Crabs Eyes, Valentinus's Tincture of Antimony, his Mineral Bezoar, Helmont's Elixir Proprietatis, his Landanus, the Volatil Spirit of Vitriol, the Anodine Sulphur of Vitriol, its Essential Oyle, the Tincture of Gold, &c. All which the Author affirms to have seen himself, and declares himself ready to witness, that they have had extraordinary Effects. And he omits not particularly to insinuate, how much Diet can contribute to the cure or moderation of Distempers; and he affirms boldly, That there is scarce any Chronical Disease, that is cured by the Shop-medicines, which may not be cured with more certainty, ease and pleasure by Drinks, (joyn'd with a regular Dyet) as Wine, Ale, Beer, Cider, &c. impregnated in the time of their Fermentation, with the Vertues of Simples, Animal, Vegetable or Mineral, or their Preparations &c. In the SAVOY, Printed by T.N. for John Martyn, Printer to the Royal Society, and are to be sold at the Bell a little without Temple-Bar, 1668.