seldom, according as occasion was found: Also he prescribed two grains of Laudanum every night, but neither to give the Patient meat nor drink two hours before and after: Which advice and Practice of the mentioned Physician concerning Fevers, with several others, I declared to this Irish Doctor, and he observing this rule, cured many, and so recovered his lost esteem and repute. But your _Author_ being all for Wine, and against cooling drinks, or Julips, in hot Fevers, says, _That cooling means are more like to death, to cessation from motion, and to defect; but heat from moderate Wine is a mean like unto life._ To which I answer, first, That cold, or cooling things, are as active as hot or heating things; neither is death more cold then hot, nor life more hot then cold; for we see that Frost is as active and strong as burning heat; and Water, Air, and Earth, are as full of life, as Fire; and Vegetables, Minerals, and Elements, have life as well as Animals: But we, feeling a Man's flesh cold when he is dissolving from an Animal, think death is cold; and seeing he was hot before the same alteration, say, Life is hot: Also finding an animal, when it is dissolving, to be without external local Motion, we say it is dead; and when it hath as yet this local motion before its alteration, we call it alive; which certainly is not proper. Next I say, that a wise Man when his house is fired, will fling or squirt water upon it, to quench it, and take out all moveables lest they should increase the flame; likewise he will make vent for the flame to issue forth. But perchance your _Author_ may say, that Fevers are not hot. Truly, in my opinion, he might say as well that Fire is cold. Again, he may say, That although the effect be hot, yet the cause is cold. I answer: That in some diseases, the effects become so firmly rooted, and so powerfull, that they must be more look'd upon then the cause: for such variety there is in Nature, that oftentimes, that which was now an effect, turns to be a cause, and again a cause an effect: For example; A cold cause often produces a hot effect, and this hot effect becomes again a cause of a cold effect: Which variation is not onely a trouble, but a great obstruction to wise Physicians; for Nature hath more varieties in diseases, then Physicians have remedies, And as for drink, if Fevers be neither hot, nor dry, nor require drink for want of moisture; then I see no reason why drink should be urged, and those Physicians blamed that forbid it; for if thirst proceed from an evil digestion, drink will rather weaken the stomack; for heat and driness draw soon away the drink in the stomack, and putting much into a weak stomack doth rather hurt then good. But if necessity require it, then I approve rather of raw and crude Water, then of hot inflaming Wine. And so taking my leave, I rest, Madam, _Your faithful Friend_ _and humble Servant._ [1] Of Fevers, _Ch._ 12. XXXVII. _MADAM,_