78 



ZhQtturall HiJtory ; 



Experiment 

 Solitary , 

 touching the 

 Acceleration 

 of Birth. 



353 



Experiment 

 Solitary, 

 touching the 

 Acceleration 

 of Growth and 

 Stature. 



354 



Experiments 

 in Conforr, 

 touching Sul- 

 phur and Mer 

 'rury, two of 

 Paracelfus 

 Principles* 



Shined^ Yet after two Nights, though it were kept in a drie Room, it got a 

 Shining. 



»-J-'He Bringing forth of Living Creatures may be Accelerated in two Re- 

 1 fpects : The one, if the Embryon ripeneth and perfe&eth fooner : The 

 other, if there be fome Caufe from the Mothers Bodj^ olExpulfion or Put- 

 ting it down : whereof the Former is good, and argueth Strength •, The 

 Latter is ill, and cometh by Accident or Difeafe. And therefore the An- 

 cient obfervation is true, that the Child born in the feventh Moneth , doth 

 commonly well But Born in the Eighth Moneth^ doth ( for the moft part) 

 die. But the Caufe aflignedis Fabulous ^ Which is, that in the Eighth 

 Moneth, ihould be the return of the Reign of the Planet Saturn : which ( as 

 they fay ) is a Planet Maligne^ whereas in the Seventh is the Reign of the 

 Moon, which is a Planet Propitious. But the true Caufe is, for that where 

 there is fo great a Prevention of the Ordinary time, it is the lujlinejje or the 

 Childe-^ But when it is lelTe,it is fome indifp option of the Mother. 



TO Accelerate Growth or Stature^ it muft proceed Either from the Plen- 

 ty of the Nourifhment Or from the Nature cof the Nourijhment ; Or 

 from the gnickning and Exciting of the Naturall Beat. For the fit{i,t'xceffe 

 of Nourijhment is hurtfull For it maketh the Childe Corpulent ^ And 

 Growing in Breadth, rather than in Height. And you may take an Experi- 

 ment from Plants, which*, if they fpread much, are feldome tall. As for the 

 Nature of the Nourijhment-, Firft, it may not be too Drie b And therefore 

 Children in Dayrie Countries do wax more tall, than where they feed 

 more upon Bread, and Flefh. There is alfo a received Tale h That boyling 

 oiDaifie Roots mMilke ( which it is certain are great Driers ) will make 

 Dogs little. But fo much is true, that an Over- Drie Nourijhment in C hild- 

 hood putteth backe Stature. Secondly, the Nouriflment muft be of an Of en- 

 ing Nature 5 For that Attenuateth the Juyce, and furthereth the Motion of 

 the Spirits, upwards.Neither it it without caufe, that Xenophon,'m the Nonri- 

 ture of the Perfian Children-, doth fo much commend their Feeding upon 

 Cardamon ; which ( he faith ) made them grow better, and be of a more 

 Active Habit. Cardamon is in Latine Naflurtium-, And with us Water- Creffes; 

 Which, it is certain, is an Herb, that whileft it is young, is Friendly to 

 Life. As for the Quickning of Naturall Heat, it muft be done chiefly with 

 Exercife-, And therefore ( no doubt ) much Going to Schoole, where they 

 fit fo much,hindereth the Growth otchildren^whetens Countrey-P<?ople,that 

 go not to Schoole, are commonly of better Stature. And again, Men muft 

 beware how they give children, any thing that is Cold in Operation •, For 

 even Long Sucking doth hinder both Wit, and Stature. This hath been tryed, 

 that a Whelp , that hath been fed with Nitre in Milk , hath become very 

 little, but extream lively: For the Spirit of Nitre is Cold. And though it be 

 an Excellent Medicine, in Strength of years, for Prolongation of Life yet 

 it is,in Children and young Creatures, an Enemy to Growth: And all for the 

 fame Reafon-, For Heat is requifite to Growth : But after a Man is come to 

 his Middle Age, H^ccnfumeth the Spirits which the Coldnelle of the 

 Spirit of Nitre doth help to condenfe, and correct. 



There bee two Great Families of Things '■> You may tenne 

 them by feverall Names • Sulphureous and Mercureall^which are 

 the Chymifts Words.- ( For as for their Salt* which is t heir Third 

 Principle> 



