Medicine made to agree with the institutions of nature, or A new mechanical practice of physick ... / by Dav. Stephenson, M.A.

Stephenson, David, M.A.

Date:: MDCCXLIV [1744]

Credit: Medicine made to agree with the institutions of nature, or A new mechanical practice of physick ... / by Dav. Stephenson, M.A. Source: Wellcome Collection.

100/128 page 68

$Difeafes confift in an unufual Change produc’d in the motive Force of the Solids, either of the whole Body, or of fome one or more of its Organs being either rais’d too high, or deprefs’d too low, whereby the Fluids become irregularly circulated and unequally diftributed to the leveral Parts of the Body-, and from thence will follow this other Conclufion, that all the poflible Means, Methods, and Intentions of Curing Difeafes, may be reduc’d to this one of Regulating and Reftoring the Ballance of Motion between the Solids and Fluids, which can only be done by adding or fubftrafting Motion to. or from the Solids, and in determining and regulating the Fluids, both as to their Quantity, Quality, and DiredHon, fo as to keep the animal Machine in the whole, and in all its Parts, poffefs’d with its natural Quantity of Motion. Confequently the whole mechanical EffedEon of all Medicines and Methods of Healing of what Sort foever, may be referr’d to this one Angle Intention, of Increafing or Diminifhing the Quantity of Motion in the Solids and Fluids as it is found requifite, and in Regulating the Direction and Determination of the Motion as it is wanting. From whence we are taught this fundamental Aphorifm and Rule, which comprehends the whole that relates to the Practice both of Phyfick and Surgery, That the Cure of all Difeafes or Ailments, be they of what Kind foever, confifts in adding and fubftradEng Motion, fo as to preferve the animal Machine in the Whole, and in every Part, poffefs’d with fuch a Quantity of Motion as is moft natural, conftitutional, and healthful thereto; and hence we learn, that the whole Efficacy of all Medicines and Methods of Healing confifts in their Fitnefs to produce or deftroy Motion, or change and alter its Direction, and confequently fuch as ferve to anlvver this Intention moft univerfally, fafely and effedtually, are to be efteem’d the beft. It were an eafy Matter to demonftrate the Truth of the aforefaid Principle, would it not occafion too long and unnceffary a Digreffion by running through the feveral Gaffes of Medicines, and fhewing that their whole Intention and Operation confifts in the Quantity of Motion they are capable to produce or deftroy, and in Changing or Regulating this Motion. And it is upon this Account that Emeticks, efpecially fome of the rougher mercurial Kind, have hitherto been efteem’d of fuch great Efficacy in Venerea] Cafes. But as the Effects which Eme¬ ticks of any kind have in this, or any other Diforder, confifts wholly in the univerfal great Momentum and Quantity of Motion that becomes communicated thereby to the whole Syftem of the Solids and Fluids, with the Determination and Direction of the Motion to the central Parts of the Stomach and Inteftines, by which univerfal Shock and Convulfion, the whole Body becomes agitated in its remoteft Parts, whereby ObftrudEons will be remov’d, and if any ex¬ traneous noxious Particles, fuch as the Venereal Virus confifts of, are wedg’d in and impacted into the Pores of the Solids, the fame will by this univerfal Shock become broken, difiodg’d, and fqueez’d out, whereby the Solids being freed of thofe putrid, faline, {Emulating Particles, will coalefce and reunite, recovering their native Spring and Tone. So that all the falutary Ef¬ fects produc’d by Emeticks is wholly owing to the great Quantity of Motion imprefs’d thereby upon the Body, and not to any lpecifick Virtues or occult Qualities, wherewith thofe and other Medicines have been thought to produce the above good Effedts. However, it feems a very unnatural Method of Proceeding, efpecially in the firft and fecond Stages of this Difeafe, and before that it has reach’d and been communicated to the Blood, for to fubjedt the whole Body to fuch a violent Quantity of Motion and Exercife, purely for the Sake of Regulating the Quan¬ tity of Morion, and making a Revulfion from the Penis, which is the only Part as yet fuppos’d to be diforder’d in its natural Motions, efpecially when the faid Member may have the fame, or a much greater Quantity of Motion imprefs’d thereon directly and independantly, without fa¬ tiguing and harraffing the whole Body for that Purpofe, by which imprudent Pradtice it is to be fear’d more Perfons have been deftroy’d than by the Difeafe itfelf. 3. Now to defcend to Pradtice, and to exemplify and illuftrate the Application and Ufe of this new Method, grounded on the foregoing Principles and Reafoning; fuppofe then the Penis arm’d with its Receiver, as at Fig. 10. by means of which Inftrurnent all Sorts of Medicines may be commodioufly apply’d thereto, that are of known Efficacy to anfwer any Intention that may prefent in the Progrefs of the Cure, either for Relaxing, Contradting, Digefting, Incarning, Cicatrizing, Cfr. or which includes all the Intentions at once, that is either to increale or di- miniffi the Quantity of Motion in the Member or Part, as it is found neceffary, until it acquires its proper natural Temperament, Tone and Strength. Thus then the Penis being inclos’d in its Receiver, may be made to receive all the falutary Effedts (which in this Cafe will furpafs any other) that can be obtain’d eitner from a cold or hot Bath, and by Injedting the Air into the upper Space a n o, above the Surface of the Liquor, &c. in the Receiver, denoted by the prick’d Line no, by a Syringe or other proper Engine or Inftrurnent, fuch as aaaa, apply’d to the Pipe z p, the Member may be fubjedted to any Degree of Preffure, the fame as if. the Perfon’s whole Body was immerg’d under Water from the Depth of one Foot, to that of a lttindred, or a thoufand Feet; if fuch a Quantity of Preffure could ever be requir’d \ fo that from the {Emu¬ lating force arifing from toe Coldnefs of the Liquid in the Receiver, together with the great Preffure that may be thus laid upon the Part in all Degrees, by the condens’d Air within the Re¬ ceiver by which Means the Penis may have a much greater Quantity of Motion and Stimula¬ tion communicated thereto, than what can poffibly be done any other Means; by which uniform equable Preffure and Stimulation, thus equably apply’d to the whole Syftem of Veffels in the 1 Penis, t$