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which it falleth in, and who that drinketh of that water ſhall become mad, as ſayth Auicen and Conſtantine in tractu de veneneſis animalibus & venenis. And Ariſtotle ſayth, that the tongues of Adders be blacke, wan, or reddiſh, ſpeckled, ſharpe, and in moouing moſt ſwifte. And that happeneth through the mad & venemous humour, the which ſo ſwiftly moueth the tongue, that one tongue ſéemeth forked and twiſted. And though the tongue of an Adder, that is called Aſpis in Latine, is full of deadly venim while it liueth in the bodie of the Adder:[1] yet when it is taken from the bodie of the Adder and dried, it looſeth the venim: and by it is knowne when venim is preſent. Therefore in the preſence of venim ſuch a tongue vſeth to ſweat. Therfore ſuch a tongue is néedfull and profitable, and is accounted precious among treaſures of kings, though it were venemous, &c.
¶The properties of Spittle. Chap. 12.
THe ſpittle is a flumatike humour, bread in the kindly vaines of the tongue, as ſayth Conſtantine. Spittle is kindly moiſt and white in coulour, and by continuall mouing of the tongue, and the ſpirituall inſtruments it is fomie, weariſh, and ſauourleſſe. For it is able to take all manner ſauour. For if it had a certeine ſauour of his owne, it ſhoulde not receiue other ſauour. Alſo Conſtantine ſaith, that the ſpittle is meane betwéene the ſkill of taſt, & the thing that is taſted. For nothing is taſted by the wit of taſt, but if the ſauour thereof bée preſented by the ſpittle in the limme of taſt. Therefore the Spittle is chaunged and lykened by the ſauour of the thing that is taaſted. Conſtantine ſayth, that Spittle is néedfull to moyſt the mouth, that the mouth be moyſted by the benefit of the ſpittle: and alſo to prepare the firſt digeſtion. For drie meate taken in the mouth, may not be ſent profitablye in the ſtomack, except it be wet firſt, and moyſted by the ſpittle. For without help of ſpittle, a drie thing may not be eaſily ſwallowed. Alſo the Spittle is profitable to either voyding of ſuperfluitie of ye braine, and of the lungs. For ſuch ſnitings made hard or clammie with heate or with colde: cannot ſo eaſilye be ſpitted and put out by the doore of ye mouth, but if they be firſt made able and ſlipper to paſſe out by helpe of the humour of ſpittle. Alſo the ſpittle of a man faſting[2], hath a manner ſtrength of priuie infection. For it gréeueth and hurteth the bloud of a beaſt, if it come into a bleeding wound, & is medled with ye bloud, as in Tractatu de venenis the foreſayd Authours tell. And that peraduenture is, as ſaith Auicen by the reaſon of rawnes. For rawe humour medled with bloud, that hath perfect digeſtion, is contrarye thereto in his qualitie, and diſturbeth the temperance therof, as Authours ſay. And therefore it is that holy men tell, & Plinius ſayth, That the ſpittle of a faſting man ſlayeth Serpents and Adders, and is venim to venemous beaſts, as ſayth Baſilius ſuper illud verbum in exemoron:[3] He ſhall bruſe thine head, and thou ſhalt lie in a waite vpon his héeles and ſteppes Gen. 3. Alſo as Galenus ſuper Aphoriſ. ſayth, In the ſpitting of rawe humour & filth, is tiſik and fluxe bread: And where the ſpittle is held and withdrawen, men die, &c.
Tiſike men alway cough becauſe of the Botch, of the lungs. And by ſpitting they diſcharge themſelues of the matter, of the botch of the lungs, as well as they may. But yet death followeth, when they may not ſpit. For ſpittle helde and kept in with matter, ſtoppeth the vaines of the holes within: and ſo men yt haue the Tiſicke be ſtifled and die. Alſo as Galen ſayth in li. Criſ. betwéene. Sputum and Saliuam, there is difference. For ſpittle that is called Saliua in Latine, is the ſuperfluitie of kindly féeding of the breaſt, and gendereth in good digeſtion. And the ſpittle that is called Sputum, commeth to the breaſt by diuerſe kindly courſes, and by courſes that be not kindly, and is not alwaie digeſted and defied. And therefore Sputum, that Spittle in ſharpe Agues, and Poſtumes, if it paſſe eaſilye with tokens of digeſtion,