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SECT. 5. MEMB. 1. SUBSEC. 1. Particular cure of the three severall kindes: of head Melancholy.
The generall cures thus briefly examined and discussed, it remains now, to apply these medicines to the three particular species or kindes, that according to the severall parts affected, each man may tell in some sort how to help or ease himself. I will treat of head melancholy first, in which, as in all other good cures we must begin with Diet, as a matter of most moment, able oftentimes of it self to work this effect.
I have read, saith Laurentius cap. 8. de Melanch. that in old diseases which have gotten the upper hand or an habit, the manner of living is to more purpose, then whatsoever can be drawn out of the most pretious boxes of the Apothecaries.
This diet, as I have said, is not only in choice of meat and drink, but of all those other non-naturall things. Let air be clear and moist most part: diet moistning, of good juyce, easie of digestion, and not windie: drink clear, and well brewed, not too strong nor too small. Make a melancholy man fat, as Rhasis saith, and thou hast finished the cure.
Exercise not too remisse, nor too violent. Sleep a little more then ordinary. Excrements daily to be avoided by art or nature, and which Fernelius enjoyns his Patient consil. 44. above the rest, to avoid all passions and perturbations of the mind.
Let him not be alone or idle, (in any kind of melancholy) but still accompanied with such friends and familiars he most affects, neatly dressed, washed and combed, according to his ability at least, in clean sweet linen, spruce, handsome, decent, and good apparell; for nothing sooner dejects a man then want, squalor and nastiness, foul, or old cloaths out of fashion.
Concerning the medicinal part, he that will satisfie himself at large (in this precedent of diet) and see all at once, the whole cure and manner of it in every distinct species, let him consult with Gordonius, Valescus, with Prosper Calenius lib. de atra bile ad Card. Cæsium, Laurentius cap. 8. & 9. de mela. Ælian Montaltus de mel. cap. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. Donat. ab Altomari cap. 7. artis med. Hercules de Saxonia in Panth. cap. 7. & Tract. ejus peculiar. de melan. per Bolzetam edit. Venetiis 1620. cap. 17. 18. 19.
Savanarola Rub. 82. Tract. 8. cap. 1. Skenkius in prax. curat. Ital. med. Heurnius cap. 12. de morb. Victorius Faventinus pract. Magn. & Empir. Hildesheim Spicel. 2. de man. & mel. Fel. Platter, Stokerus, Bruel. P. Bayerus, Forestus, Fuchsius, Capivaccius, Rondoletius, Jason Pratensis. Salust. Salvian. de re med. lib. 2. cap. 1. Iacchinus. in 9. Rhasis, Lod. Mercatus de Inter. morb. cur. lib. 1. cap. 17. Alexan. Messaria pract. med. lib. 1. cap. 21. de mel. Piso. Hollerius &c. that have culled out of those old Greeks, Arabians, and Latines, whatsoever is observable or fit to be used.
Or let him read those counsels and consultations of Hugo Senensis consil. 13. & 14. Renerus Solinander cons. 6. sec. 1. & consil. 3. sec. 3. Crato consil. 16. lib. 1. Montanus 20. 21. 229. and his following counsels, Lælius à Fonte. Egubinus consult. 44. 69. 77. 125. 129. 142. Fernelius consil. 44. 45. 46. Iul. Cæsar Claudinus, Mercurialis, Frambesarius, Sennertus, &c.
Wherein he shall finde particular receipts, the whole method, preparatives, purgers, correcters, averters, cordials in great variety and abundance: Out of which, because every man cannot attend to read or peruse them, I will collect for the benefit of the reader, some few more notable medicines.