LIFE AND DEATH. 377 



clysters, that evacuation may be duly performed. This is 

 certain, that evacuation by sweats commonly advanceth 

 health, and derogateth from long life, but gentle purges 

 work upon the humours, not upon the spirits as sweat doth. 



23. The second inconvenience is, that it may heat the 

 body, and in time inflame it ; for the spirits shut in, and not 

 breathing forth, acquire heat. This inconvenience may be 

 prevented, if the diet most usually incline to the colder part, 

 and that at times some proper cooling medicines be taken, 

 of which we shall straight speak in the operation upon the 

 blood. 



24. The third is, that it may annoy the head; for all 

 oppletion from without strikes back the vapours, and sends 

 them up unto the head. This inconvenience is remedied 

 by purgers, especially clysters, and by shutting the mouth 

 of the stomach strongly with stiptics, and by combing and 

 rubbing the head, and by washing it with convenient lees, 

 that something may exhale, and by not omitting competent 

 and good exercises, that something also may perspire by 

 the skin. 



25. The fourth inconvenience is a more subtile evil; 

 namely, that the spirit being detained by the closing up of 

 the pores, is likely to multiply itself too much ; for when 

 little issueth forth, and new spirit is continually engendered, 

 the spirit increaseth too fast, and so preyeth upon the body 

 more plentifully. But this is not altogether so; for all 

 spirit closed up is dull (for it is blown and excited with 

 motion as flame is), and therefore it is less active, and less 

 generative of itself; indeed it is thereby increased in heat 

 (as flame is), but slow in motion. And therefore the remedy 

 to this inconvenience must be by cold things, being some 

 times mixed with oil, such as are roses and myrtles, for we 

 must altogether disclaim hot things, as we said of cassia. 



26. Neither will it be unprofitable to wear next the body 

 garments that have in them some unctuosity, or oleosity, 

 not aquosity, for they will exhaust the body less ; such as 

 are those of woollen, rather than those of linen. Certainly 

 it is manifest in the spirits of odours, that if you lay sweet 

 powders amongst linen they will much sooner lose their 

 smell than amongst woollen. And therefore linen is to be 

 preferred for delicacy and neatness, but to be suspected for 

 our operation. 



27. The wild Irish as soon as they fall sick, the first 

 thing they do is to take the sheets off their beds, and to 

 wrap themselves in the woollen clothes. 



28. Some report that they have found great benefit in 



