A Counter-Blaste to Tobacco | Page 5

be
found true by proofe, that by the taking of Tobacco diuers and very
many doe finde themselves cured of diuers diseases as on the other part,
no man euer receiued harme thereby. In this argument there is first a
great mistaking and next a monstrous absurditie. For is it not a very
great mistaking, to take Non causam pro causa, as they say in the
Logicks? because peraduenture when a sicke man hath had his disease
at the height, hee hath at that instant taken Tobacco, and afterward his
disease taking the naturall course of declining, and consequently the
patient of recouering his health, O then the Tobacco forsooth, was the
worker of that miracle. Beside that, it is a thing well knowen to all
Physicians, that the apprehension and conceit of the patient hath by
wakening and vniting the vitall spirits, and so strengthening nature, a
great power and vertue, to cure diuers diseases. For an euident proofe
of mistaking in the like case, I pray you what foolish boy, what sillie
wench, what olde doting wife, or ignorant countrey clowne, is not a

Physician for the toothach, for the cholicke, and diuers such common
diseases? Yea, will not euery man you meete withal, teach you a sundry
cure for the same, and sweare by that meane either himselfe, or some of
his neerest kinsmen and friends was cured? And yet I hope no man is
so foolish as to beleue them. And al these toyes do only proceed from
the mistaking Non causam pro causa, as I haue already sayd, and so if
a man chance to recouer one of any disease, after he hath taken
Tobacco, that must haue the thankes of all. But by the contrary, if a
man smoke himselfe to death with it (and many haue done) O then
some other disease must beare the blame for that fault. So do olde
harlots thanke their harlotrie for their many yeeres, that custome being
healthfull (say they) ad purgandos Renes, but neuer haue minde how
many die of the Pockes in the flower of their youth. And so doe olde
drunkards thinke they prolong their dayes, by their swinelike diet, but
neuer remember howe many die drowned in drinke before they be halfe
olde.
And what greater absurditie can there bee, then to say that one cure
shall serue for diuers, nay, contrarious sortes of diseases? It is an
vndoubted ground among all Physicians, that there is almost no sort
either of nourishment or medicine, that hath not some thing in it
disagreeable to some part of mans bodie, because, as I haue already
sayd, the nature of the temperature of euery part, is so different from
another, that according to the olde prouerbe, That which is good for the
head, is euill for the necke and the shoulders. For euen as a strong
enemie, that inuades a towne or fortresse, although in his siege thereof,
he do belaie and compasse it round about, yet he makes his breach and
entrie, at some one or few special parts thereof, which hee hath tried
and found to bee weakest and least able to resist; so sicknesse doth
make her particular assault, vpon such part or parts of our bodie, as are
weakest and easiest to be ouercome by that sort of disease, which then
doth assaile vs, although all the rest of the body by Sympathie feele it
selfe, to be as it were belaied, and besieged by the affliction of that
speciall part, the griefe and smart thereof being by the sense of feeling
dispersed through all the rest of our members. And therefore the skilfull
Physician presses by such cures, to purge and strengthen that part
which is afflicted, as are only fit for that sort of disease, and doe best

agree with the nature of that infirme part; which being abused to a
disease of another nature, would prooue as hurtfull for the one, as
helpfull for the other. Yea, not only will a skilfull and warie Physician
bee carefull to vse no cure but that which is fit for that sort of disease,
but he wil also consider all other circumstances, and make the remedies
suitable thereunto; as the temperature of the clime where the Patient is,
the constitution of the Planets,[G] the time of the Moone, the season of
the yere, the age and complexion of the Patient, and the present state of
his body, in strength or weaknesse. For one cure must not euer be vsed
for the self-same disease, but according to the varying of any of the
foresaid circumstances, that sort of remedie must be vsed which is
fittest for the same. Whear by the contrarie in this case, such is the
miraculous omnipotencie of our strong tasted Tobacco,