An Account of Two Books

Postscript. I had like to have forgotten to advise, that the Experimentum Crucis, and such others as shall be made for knowing the nature of Colours, be made with Prisms which refract so much, as to make the length of the Image five times its breadth, and rather more than less; for, otherwise Experiments will not succeed so plainly with others as they have done with me. An Account of two Books: I. Tractatus de VENTRICULO & INTESTINIS, cui praemititur alius de PARTIBUS CONTINENTIBUS in genere, & in specie de Partibus ABDOMinis; Auth. Franc. Glissonio, M.D. & Coll.Med.Lond.Socio, nec non Soc. Regalis Collegâ. Londini, 1676. in quarto. The eminently learned Author of this Anatomical Treatise, having presupposed the general Divisions of the parts of an Human Body, taken in their largest sense, and their inadequate conceptions, upon the account of which they are in divers respects called Similar or Organical, proceeds directly in this work to the Inferior and more Practical divisions of the said Body. And having first of all divided the Lowermost Venter into its Regions, and designed the parts contained in each of them; he goes on to the division of the Cutaneous parts, and considers the nature, structure, origin, vitality, and uses of the Cuticle and Cutis vera. Where we cannot but take notice, that the Author, as well here, as throughout this whole piece, builds much upon the grounds, he had laid in the Book, he published four years ago, de Vita Natura, wherein he ascribes much to Natural Perception, which he holds to be an Operation anterior to, and more general and more simple than that of, Sense; and in which Perception, accompanied with Appetition and Motion, he makes Original Life to consist, which, to him, is nothing else but the Energetical or Operative nature of any Being subsisting by itself, not producible by any external power, motion, texture, figure, organization or proportion of parts, but by the sole First Cause of all things. Without the help of which Natural Perception he sees nor, how (e.g.) the command of the Imagination can be made known to the Muscles, that do execute them at the beck thereof: Nor, how the Plastique power forms a Chick in an Egg, &c. But to leave this Notion to the Judgment of Sagacious Readers, we take further notice of our Authors opinion, concerning the manner of Transpiration, which he affirms to be made not so much through the Pores, as the very substance of the skin, and yet denies this kind of perspirability to infer a penetration of Bodies, though it do of Substances, by a change of quantity. Having done with the Skin, he discourses of the several marks in the skin, as also of Nails and Hair, of what they have common with the skin, and wherein they differ; why Man is born naked; what Colours do belong or not belong to Hair; endeavouring to explain, why the Hair of Animals, though it be referred to the family of Plants, yet neither are green, nor blew, nor purple; and why the Feathers of Birds are; adding withal the cause of Curled-hair, and the general causes of the Fall of hair. Next, he treats of the Adeps or Fat, and is inclined to believe, that it proceeds rather from the Succus nervosus, than the mass of the Blood. Then he passes on to the Muscles of the abdomen; and there takes occasion, amongst many other things, to discuss that famous question concerning the Inosculation of the Epigastrick vein with that of the Breasts; acknowledging that there are such Anastomoses, but denying that the consent between the Womb and the Breasts (which yet he also grants) depends thereon. To this he subjoyns the History of the Peritoneum and Omentum, declaring their structure and uses, and examining particularly, whether the Omentum be the Seat of the Hypochondriacal winds, and the Sink of the body? Having dispatched this first Part, he proceeds to the other Part of this Treatise, and therein delivers the History of the Gullet, Stomach, and Guts: in the doing of which, he discusses many considerable Questions; E.g. which Animals have gullets, and which not? What is the manner of Rumination, and why some Animals have more stomachs than one? Whether in the stomach there be Lympheducts distinct from the Lacteals? What is the matter, structure, tenacity, tensibility, flexibleness, vitality, and various use of Fibres? Whether there be a natural Perception in them? How the Irritability in Animals is governed and directed by the Imagination and the inward Sensitive Appetite; together with the manner, how the Imagination and Appetite move the Muscles? What kind of Motion it is, wherewith the Brain excites the Nerves; and how the same comes to move some Muscles, and not others? What the Animal spirits contribute to the motion of the Muscles? Whether the Stomach and Guts have a parenchyma, and, if so, whether that be glandular? Why the cecum in Man is less than in other Animals; and why it is double in winged Creatures? &c. Discoursing of the Actions and use of the Gullet, Stomach, and Intestines, he first examines the nature of Hunger and Thirst, and inquires, whether they differ specifically from the five Senses? where occasionally he maintains, that the sense of Touch differs more than in degree from the other senses; and explains, how the pain of Touch differs from the pain of Hunger; adding, that the sense of Taste hath more affinity to Hunger, than that of Touch. Concerning Thirst, he considers, among divers other particulars, that one of the general causes thereof is the defect of the latex: whence he takes occasion to speak of the meaning given by Van Helmont to that liquor, commending, on the occasion, that Gentleman's industry, sagacity, and sincerity, but blaming withal his proneness of inveighing against others. This done, he goes on to the consideration of the Peristaltique Faculty, and the various motions thereof; as also of the powers of Suction, Deglutition, Attraction, Retention, Coction, Distribution of the Chyle, Secretion, Excretion, Flatulosity: Concluding the whole with an Appendix about Fermentation. In all which there occur many notable Disquisitions; E.g. What are the Requisites to a Peristaltique power? What the organs of Suction? What the proper actions of Deglutition? Whether there be any similar Attraction? Wherein consists the Retentive power? Whether the Stomach be the only seat of Digestion? What is the principal means of Digestion; whether it be, (as Mæbius would have it) a spirituous and pungent Salt; and if so, what is the manner of its operation? What degree of Heat is required to Digestion, and whether Heat alone be sufficient for it? What are the the causes of Seeds and Eggs? Whether the approbation of the Idea of a nature to be introduced must be precedent to generation? How the Consent between the parts of Generation, and the Imagination and Appetite of an Animal is performed? What natural Instinct is? What the Archeus is, and how it differs from an inbred simple Spirit? Further, as to the matter of the Chyle's Distribution; how the Stomach disimfites the Chyle? How far the Chyle is imbibed by the Milky vessels; and whether that imbibition is made by a parenchyma? How the pituita is secreted? What are the Ages of Blood; and how exolet Blood fails asunder? What are the Stimulating causes for Excretion? Where he discourseth amply and learnedly of the several sorts of Expulsion, of Crudities, Emeticks and Abstersives? Again, concerning Flatus's; what is the matter, and what the signs of them? How many their kinds and causes? What are the most proper discutients of them? Wherein the Hypochondriac Flatus's do consist? Which are the parts affected in Rheumatisms, together with a considerable cure of a Rheumatism performed by the Author? Lastly, as to Fermentation; What are Imaginary and what Genuine Ferments? What is a Malign, and what a Febrile Ferment? What are the bounds of the beginning, increase, height and decay of Fermentation? &c. For these and many more Disquisitions, handled by our Author, we must refer the Reader to the Book itself. II. PHAR- II. PHARMACOPEE Royale, GALENIQUE & CHYMIQUE, par Moyse Charas, Apothicaire Artiste du Roy en son Jardin Royal des Plantes. A Paris, 1676. in quarto. This Work of the industrious and experienced Monsieur Charas, hath the Approbation both of the Illustrious Parisian Faculty of Physick, and of the most eminent Physicians of Paris, such as are the first Physicians of that King and Queen, the Dauphin, and Monsieur the Kings Brother; who give this Testimony to it, that it contains both what is found best in the Ancients, and what has been discovered by the Moderns in Pharmacy, and that therefore it may be very useful to all those that addict themselves to the study and practice of Physick. The whole Piece is divided into three Parts: The first treats of Generals, such as the Subject, Object, End and Principles of Pharmacy, both Galenical and Chymical; as also of Medicines, and their power in general; of the Choice of the Materia medica, and of the Place and Time fit for that choice: likewise of the Preparation of Medicaments, under which he comprehends Lotion, Trituration, Infusion, Coction, Fermentation, Digestion, Circulation, Cohabation, and many more. To which he adds a Discourse of the Fire and its Degrees, of divers sorts of Furnaces and Cements, as also of the Instruments and Vessels of both Pharmacies, and the way of cutting Glass-vessels, together with the Weight and Measures used in Apothecary Shops. The second, treats of the Galenical Preparations and Compositions, all prescribed or examined and corrected by his French Majesties First Physician; many of which the Publisher affirms to be both assured and curious. This part hath two Books; the former of which considers such Preparations as are used inwardly; the latter, such as are applied outwardly: In both which the Author insists most on matters of greatest importance, and delivers things that are most grounded upon Experience and Reason. The third is spent in the Chymical Preparations of Medicines, whether the matter of them be Vegetables, Animals or Minerals: which sort of Preparations the Author judgeth to penetrate more into the inner parts of the Mixt Bodies, by a dextrous solution. Solution of the parts that compose them, and by freeing them of the impurities which our senses perceive not, whereby the pure substances, which are the principal and most essential parts being disengaged, may with more efficacy and speed produce the effect looked for. And this is performed in three Books, according to the three, lately named, classes of Materials. In the doing of which the Author affirms, that his chief aim being to make known the surest and the easiest means of successfully performing all Chymical Operations, he doth sincerely communicate what himself practiceth, without any reserve, and endeavours so to explain himself in those Preparations that have passed through his hands, that by making those to be well understood, it will not be difficult to succeed in such as he hath not spoken of. And he hopes, that, having in his said Preparations consulted Experience und Reason, and avoided affected prolixities, he shall not be blamed for so doing, and that it will be well taken, that he hath established their virtues, doses and uses upon the principal parts of which the Mixts are composed, upon the several alterations which they receive in preparing them, and upon the Successes which he hath noted of them in the several uses he has made of them in very many occasions. Advertisement, To intimate, that the Publisher of this Tract intends to take another opportunity of Justifying himself against the Alpersions and Calumnies of an immoral Postscript put to a Book called Lampas, publish't by Robert Hooke: Till which time, 'tis hoped, the Candid Reader will suspend his Judgment. Errat. Pag.685.lin.6.leg. KPL pro KLP. Imprimatur, Octob.3. 1676. Brouncker, P.R.S. London, Printed for J. Martyn, Printer to the R. Society, 1676.