The Anatomy of Melancholy

yet One thing I will adde, that this kinde of Physick is very moderately and advisedly to be used, upon good occasion, when the former of diet will not take place. And ’tis no other which I say, then that which Arnoldus prescribes in his 8. Aphorism. A discreet and godly Physician doth first endeavour to expell a disease by medicinall diet, then by pure medicine: and in his ninth, he that may be cured by diet, must not meddle with Physick.

So in 11. Aphorism. A modest and wise Physician, will never hasten to use medicines, but upon urgent necessity, and that sparingly too: because (as he addes in his 13. Aphorism.) Whosoever takes much Physick in his youth, shall soon bewail it in his old age: Purgative Physick especially, which doth much debilitate nature.

For which causes some Physicians refrain from the use of Purgatives, or else sparingly use them. Henricus Ayrerus in a consultation for a melancholy person, would have him take as few purges as he could, because there be no such medicines, which do not steal away some of our strength, and rob the parts of our body, weaken Nature, and cause that Cacochymia, which Celsus and others observe, or ill digestion, and bad juyce through all the parts of it.

Galen himself confesseth, that purgative Physick is contrary to nature, takes away some of our best spirits, and consumes the very substance of our bodies: But this without question, is to be understood of such purges as are unseasonably or immoderately taken; they have their excellent use in this, as well as most other infirmities. Of Alteratives and Cordials no man doubts, be they simples or compounds. I will amongst that infinite variety of medicines, which I finde in every Pharmacopœia, every Physitian, Herbalist, &c. single out some of the chiefest.