Articella

¶ On the alteration of members.

We restore the alteration of a member from its place to its proper place in two ways: either we join what is separated, or we separate what is joined. ¶ There are four things necessary for the joining of separated [members]: to join what is separated, to guard the junction, to defend it so that it is not torn again, and to guard the maturity of the place.

¶ On the sufficiency of the division of medicine.

Every medicine is either the tempered exhibition of those six modes that we mentioned above, or a potion, or surgery. ¶ The operation of medicine has a triple effect: interior, such as those we introduce through the mouth, nostrils, ears, anus, or vulva; exterior, such as epithems topical poultices, cataplasms, plasters, and similar things that operate from the outside. ¶ The operation of interior medicine is divided into three: it either dissolves, such as a laxative original: "farmacia"; or it suppresses, such as a digestive agent; or it alters quality, such as cold water in fevers. ¶ Its effect is fourfold: it either diminishes abundance, such as a laxative; or it replenishes need, such as meat or blood; or it constricts what is loosened, such as a stiptic; or it alters quality, such as cold water in fevers.

¶ On surgery.

Surgery is twofold: on flesh and on bone. On flesh, such as to cut, to stitch, to cook likely referring to cauterization or burning to promote healing. On bone, such as to solder, to connect, or to scrape.

¶ On the cognition of species.

The cognition of species occurs in five ways: the discretion of quality, quantity, time, order, and good or evil.

¶ Here begins the book of Philaretus on pulses.

A historiated woodcut initial 'I' depicts a scholar or physician seated at a desk with books, illustrating the academic nature of the text.

We have the intention in the present writing to expound a concise tradition on the business of pulses, to say first what a pulse is, what the utility of the pulse is, what an artery is, why it is called an artery, and from where it arises.

¶ What is a pulse.

We must begin from the first. ¶ A pulse is the motion of the heart and arteries that occurs through diastole and systole for the cooling of the innate heat the vital heat inherent in living bodies and the regurgitation or ejection of smoky superfluities.

¶ How many are the efficient causes of pulses.

The efficient causes of pulses are three: the power making the motion, the utility inducing it, and the obeying instrument.

¶ What is an artery.

An artery is an oblong, round body in the manner of a canal, consisting of two tunics, beginning from the heart and divided into the whole body, containing air and vital spirit a refined breath-like substance supporting life.

¶ From where is it called an artery.

An artery is called from para topyr a Greek derivation meaning to keep or guard the vital air.

¶ From where does an artery arise.