CENTURY I. 27 



that taking cold movcth looseness by contraction of 

 the skin and outward parts ; and so doth cold like 

 wise cause rheums, and defluxions from the head ; 

 and some astringent plaisters crush out purulent 

 matter. This kind of operation is not found in many 

 medicines ; myrobolanes have it ; and it may be the 

 barks of peaches ; for this virtue requireth an astric- 

 tion ; but such an astriction as is not grateful to the 

 body ; for a pleasing astriction doth rather bind in 

 the humours than expel them : and therefore, such 

 astriction is found in things of an harsh taste. 



41. The sixth cause is lubrefaction and relaxa 

 tion. As we see in medicines emollient ; such as are 

 milk, honey, mallows, lettice, mercurial, pellitory of 

 the wall, and others. There is also a secret virtue 

 of relaxation in cold : for the heat of the body bind- 

 eth the parts and humours together, which cold re- 

 laxeth : as it is seen in urine, blood, pottage, or the 

 like ; which, if they be cold, break and dissolve. And 

 by this kind of relaxation, fear looseneth the belly : 

 because the heat retiring inwards towards the heart, 

 the guts, and other parts are relaxed ; in the same 

 manner as fear also causeth trembling in the sinews. 

 And of this kind of purgers are some medicines made 

 of mercury. 



42. The seventh cause is abstersion ; which is 

 plainly a scouring off, or incision of the more vis 

 cous humours, and making the humours more fluid; 

 and cutting between them and the part ; as is found 

 in nitrous water, which scoureth linen cloth speedily 

 from the foulness. But this incision must be by a 



