108 CULPEPER’s ENGLISH PHYSICIAN, 
_ Capfizating, and difconti inued, pulfes, denote a very bad ftate of the body, both 
refpect to the fluid and folid parts, 
It is carefully to be obferved, that one kind of pulfe is not found in all pests 
for the pulfe depends on the tone of the mofcular fibres, on the influx of the fpirits,, 
and the nature and temperament of the blood; and, as all thefe are furprifingly ya 
rious in human bodies, with refpect to age, fex, the feafon of the year, the climate, 
the method of life, the fleep, and the paffions of the mind, fo .alfo the pulfes vary. 
from-each other according as thefe circumftances differ. Thus men generally have 
a large and vehement pulfe, and'women one of amore flow and weak kind; for the 
former have ftronger fibres and a-hotter blood than the latter. For this reafon alfo, 
the circulation of the blood is brifker in men than in women; and the former do 
not generate fuch loads of redundant blood and humours as women, who. are gene- 
rally weaker, and more fubjeé&t to difeafes, Choleric perfons, and thofe of fangui- 
neo-choleric conftitutions, have a larger, quicker, and more vehement, pulfe, than 
phlegmatic and melancholic perfons; for which reafon the fluids move more quick- : 
ly, theexcretions are made more expeditioufly, and the blood is more. fluid, ia the 
former than in the latter; for the blood of the former is impregnated with a larger 
quantity of oleous and fulphureous parts, which are the fource and matrix of heat — 
and {pirituous quantity. Thus alfo, thofe of a flender habit, who have ftrong fibres, ; 
and large veffels, have a larger and ftronger pulfe than thofe who are fat, have lax 
fibres, and narrow veffels. Hence they are alfo founder, more robuft, and more 
capable of enduring fatigue. This is alfo the reafon why thofe who are naturally 
thick and fat are more readily feized with ficknefs, and deftroyed by it, than thofe 
of flender habits. In infants and children, the pulfe is frequent and foft; whereas, 
_ in old perfons, it is flow and large, whilft in young perfons, and thofe full grown, 
it is large and vehement; for generally infants and children generate a date 
. tity of humours (which are neceflary to their growth), and collect a great deal of for- 
_ des, which is the reafon why infants and children are more generally feized with fick 
nefs, and more readily die of it, than youths and adults, Old perfons have thick blood, 
ut rigid fibres; for which reafon their pulfe is hard, and makes a forcible impref-_ 
fion on the touch 5 but in infants and children the pulfe is foft, on account of the. 
and laxity of the fibres. The pulfe is alfo changed by the feafon of the. 
e exercife of the body, the aliments, and the affections of the mind. In the 
middle of the fpring, the pulfe is large and vehement ; at this feafonalfo the ftrength. | 
is greateft, ‘for which r reafo perfons are at that time moft rarely fick, and recover. | 
moft eafily : in the middie of the fummer the pulfe is quicker and weaker, becaule 
by the intenfe heat the ftrength i is impaired, whilft the inteftine motion of the fluids 
eecer than it ufuallyis, In autumn the pole is flower, fofter, and weaker, si | 
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