CENTURY I. 25 



rosion, or by a secret malignity, and enmity to na 

 ture ; and therefore such medicines are warily to be 

 prepared and used. The quantity of that which is 

 taken doth also cause purging ; as we see in a 

 great quantity of new milk from the cow ; yea and 

 a great quantity of meat ; for surfeits many times 

 turn to purges, both upwards and downwards. 

 Therefore we see generally, that the working of purg 

 ing medicines cometh two or three hours after the 

 medicines taken : for that the stomach first maketh 

 a proof whether it can concoct them. And the like 

 happeneth after surfeits, or milk in too great 

 quantity. 



37. A second cause is mordication of the orifices 

 of the parts ; especially of the mesentery veins ; as 

 it is seen, that salt, or any such thing that is sharp 

 and biting, put in the fundament, doth provoke the 

 part to expel ; and mustard provoketh sneezing : and 

 any sharp thing to the eyes provoketh tears. And 

 therefore we see that almost all purgers have a kind 

 of twitching and vellication, besides the griping which 

 cometh of wind. And if this mordication be in an 

 over-high degree, it is little better than the corrosion 

 of poison ; and it cometh to pass sometimes in anti 

 mony, especially if it be given to bodies not replete 

 with humours ; for where humours abound, the hu 

 mours save the parts. 



38. The third cause is attraction : for I do not 

 deny, but that purging medicines have in them a di 

 rect force of attraction ; as drawing plaisters have in 

 surgery : and we see sage or betony bruised, sneez- 



