Volume 1

The remaining medical works of that famous and renowned physician Dr Thomas Willis ... : With large alphabetical tables for the whole, and an index for the explaining all the hard and unusual words and terms of art, derived from the Latine, Greek, or other languages, for the benefit of the meer English reader, and meanest capacity. With eighteen copper plates / Englished by S.P. [i.e. Samuel Pordage].

  • Willis, Thomas, 1621-1675.
Date:
1681
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The remaining medical works of that famous and renowned physician Dr Thomas Willis ... : With large alphabetical tables for the whole, and an index for the explaining all the hard and unusual words and terms of art, derived from the Latine, Greek, or other languages, for the benefit of the meer English reader, and meanest capacity. With eighteen copper plates / Englished by S.P. [i.e. Samuel Pordage]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    I mean by the name of Principles, not Ample and wholly uncompounded Enti¬ ties, but fuch kind of Subftances only, into which Phyfical things are refolved, as it were into parts, laftly fenfible. By the inteftine motion, and combination of thefe. Bodies are begot, and increafe: by the mutual departure and diffolution of thefe one from another, they are altered, and perilh. In the mean time, what Particles are gathered together in the fubjeCts, or depart away from them, will appear under the form of Spirit, Sulphur, Salt, or of one of the reft. Chap. 11. A defeription of the ‘Principles of (jhymifts, and the Properties and Affections of them. i. Pirits are Subftances highly fubtil, and j&therial Particles of'a more Divine Breathing, which our Parent Naturi hath hid in this Sublunary World, as it were thelnftruments of Life and Soul, of Motion and Senfe, of every thing whilft they of their own Nature are always enlarged, and endeavouring to fly away, left they Ihould too foon leave their fubjedfs, they are bound fomtimqg with more thick Particles, that by entring into them, and by fubtilizing them, and varioufly unfolding them, they difpofe the fubftance to maturity, as is to be obferved in the Vegetation, and Fermentation of Bodies -, fomtimes being reftrained within fome fpaces, to wit, the Veflels or Bowel of living Creatures, they are compelled more often to repeat the fame meafuresof their motions for the performing the works of Life, Senfe and Motion. From the motion of thefe proceed the animation of Bodies, the growth of Plants, and the ripening of Fruits, Liquors, and other prepa¬ rations i they determinate the Form and Figure of every thing, prefixed as it were by Divine defignation: they conferve the bonds of the mixture by their prefence \ and open them, by their departure, at their pleafure : they bridle the irregularities of Sulphur and Salt. The perfection and ftate of every thing confiftsinthe plenty and exaltation of Spirits, and the fall and declination, in their want and defeCt. As to the Subjedts in which the Spirits are: Minerals becaufe they are of a more fixed nature, wanting Motion and Vegetation, are almoft without Spirits, or at leaft are contented with a few. For the birth and growth of Vegetables, they are required in a more moderate quantity. In the Conftitution of a living Creature, where there is greater life of Spirits, for Senfe and Motion, a far more plentiful quan¬ tity is found. In the works of Art, and chiefly in thofe which afeend to perfection, by Digeftion and Fermentation, there are found to be a fufficiently great proportion of Spirits: but in allfubjedts whatfoever, whilft the immerfed Spirits are mingled with the other Principles, their condition or ftate comes under a threefold confidera- tion: for they are either deprefled and fcattered, and fo involved with more thick Particles, that they are very little feen, or (hew forth their powers, as in things undi- gefted, crude and unripe, may be perceived, in which the Spirits can hardly extri¬ cate themfelves into motion, and from which they can hardly be drawn by Diftillation. Orfecondly, the Spirits flying forth from the thick fubftance of the reft, are full of vigor, (hake and rightly difpofe the more grofs Particles, fubtilize the thick, digeft the crude,and bring things to the fteme or height of maturity and perfection : or laft- ly, Spirits having obtained the height of things, do luxuriate and make excurfions out cf the Body : hence thofe that remain, are by degrees leflened of their plenty and ftrength, until being lefs in power than the Particles of the Salts and Sulphur, they are put under their yoak, and by little and little are deftroyed and driven away out of the SubjeCf => on this threefold ftate depends the beginnings or rudiments, the maturity and exaltation, and the defeCt and end of things. It is obferved, when the Spiritous Latex is drawn forth of any Liquor by Diftilla- tion, that the vapor or fleam is not elevated into dew, that is, comes together in lit¬ tle drops or dew, every where poured forth, as it is wont to do in watery things •, but B 2 it