This distemperature is either in manifest qualities, of heate, colde, moisture, drines, according vnto which it is said to be, _Melancholicke_, _Flegmaticke_, _Choloricke_, _&c._ producing _Symptoms_ of the like nature, or in corruption and putrefactiõ of this bloud which breedeth diuers strange kinds of distẽperatures, according to the diuersity of the humor putrefied, the degree of putrefaction or the condition of the cause or author thereof. [Sidenote: _Rondelarius c. 69. Platerus._ _Pereda in pas. et alia._ _Valesius de Tarranta. lib. 6._ _Valesius testatur se deprehendisse circa vterũ hystericarũ croceum humorem fatidissimũ &c. lib. 5. c. 15._ _Mathaus de grad. in 9. Rhasis. ca. 28. Item consilio 84._ _Mercatus._ _Gal._ _Avicen._ _Mercurialis._ _Bottonus locis citatis._ _Hercules Saxonia de plica. ca 14. et. 34._] The other substance which most commonly is found culpable of this disease, is nature or _sperma_: which besides the suspition of superfluitie in some persons, may also receiue diuers sortes of alteration, and likewise of corruption, able to worke most strange and grieuous accidents in our bodies. For as it is a substance of greatest perfection & puritie so long as it retayneth his natiue integritie: So being depraued or corrupted, it passeth all the humors of our bodie, in venom and malignitie. For it must needs be a vehement and an impure cause that shal corrupt so pure a substance, which would easily resist any weake assault: and a substance so pure and full of spirits as this is, must needes proue most malitious vnto the bodie when it is corrupted. And therefore it is compared to the venom of a serpent, a Scorpion, a Torpido, a madde dogge, &c. which in a small quantitie is able to destroy or depraue all the faculties of our bodies at once. [Sidenote: _Syluius, &c._] _Galen_ comparing the corruption of these two together, affirmeth that although from the putrefaction of bloud, diuers most terrible accidents doe arise, yet they are not so deadly as those which proceede from the corruption of nature; and proueth it by this obseruation that diuers women enioying the benefit of mariage, yet through the suppression of their ordinary euacuation falling into this disease, had their respiration and vitall faculties vntouched, although otherwise they were most grieuously affected. Others also hauing those ordinarie matters in good sorte, yet being widdowes and taken with this grief haue felt decay in those faculties as well as in the rest. How these two substances by consent may affect the whole bodie according to their seuerall natures, hath beene shewed before: But one scruple remaineth here to be discussed, namely how this venemous matter may lurke so long in our bodies in silence not shewing it self but at certaine times only. [Sidenote: _Loc. affect. 6. 5. Petrus Salius de affect. particu. laribus pa. 326_] [Sidenote: _Altomarus._]