age For oftentimes in such manner of eyes are ingendred * Catharactes yet more in som sorts of them then in other As concerning the humor I willinglie subscribe vnto the opinion of Iohannicius and make therein no variance Hereafter followeth the manner of helping the catharact by the needle out of the same author A Catharact is nothing else but a water corrupt or congealed like a curde engendred of humours distempered in the eye betwixt the tunicles and â—et before the sight of the eye and the crystalline humour And of the manner of Catharactes be noted seuen kindes whereof fowre be curable And the first of the curable sort is light euen like vnto white chaulke or alablaster well polished This hapneth oftentimes with a stroake in the eye with a sticke or a stone or anie other outward violence The second kind curable is somewhat white and much resembleth the skie colour It proceedeth from the stomacke and is commonlie caused of euill meats wherof a grosse fumositie resolueth and ascendeth vp vnto the braine from thence falling downe againe into the eyes The third kinde curable is also whitish but enclining vnto the colour of ashes and is commonlie ingendred of paine in the head as megrime and such others Also it is caused sometime thorough great sorrow and heauinesse prouoking great lamentation weeping And somtime of much colde immoderat watching and such like The fourth kinde of Catharactes curable is of citrine colour and is commonly engendred of excesse in meate and drinke euill digestion great labour and sometime of melancholick humours And these which wee haue remembred bee the fowre kindes of Catharactes curable but not vntill they be ripe confirmed And the time of their ripenesse is when the patient cannot see at all anie longer except it bee the brightnesse of the sunne by daie and the light of the moone or a candle by night Now for the cure to proceed orderly first you must purge the braine with these pills ordained for that purpose called Pillulae Hierusolymitanae And giuing the patient this on the one daie on the next following about nine of the clocke while he is yet fasting cause him to sit ouerthwart a stoole in ryding fashion and sit thou also on the same stoole face to face make the patient holde his whole eye close with his hand and in that state charge him so to sit stedfastly not starting in any wise This done first with thy owne hand lifting vp the ouer eye lidde with thy other hand put in thy needle made for that purpose on the side further from the nose and finely thrilling the tunicle called Saluatrix writhe alwaies thy finger to and fro till thou touch with the point of thy needle the corrupt water which indeede is the Catharacts and then begin to remooue downewarde from aboue with the point of thy needle the sayde water which lyeth before the fight and driuing it downe to the neathermost partes keepe it there still with the point of the needle as long space as may serue thee to say fowre or fiue times the Lords Prayer Then remooue easilie thy needle there from and if it happen to rise vp againe bring it eftsoones to the cordes of the eye to the earwarde But heere you must bevvare that after the needle hath touched the Catharact in anie wise you vvryth no more your fingers to and fro till it bee out And after vvhen it is all out cause him to shut his eye and anone make a playster of cotten or flaxen hardes vvith the vvhite of an Egge and laie it vpon the sore eye cause him to lie downe in his bed vntill the 9. day giuing him in straight charge that during all that time he stirre not his eye thrise in the daie and thrise in the night remoue his plasters and make him to lie in a darke place namely all that time For his dyet within the sayd nine daies let him eate reare egs with bread and if he be young strong of body let him drinke water and keepe straight dyet during the time But being in age permit him the vse of wine but well watered Now for the substance of the needle wherewith you worke let it be of gold siluer or at least spanish latten and in no wise of yron or steele for yron and steele is hard and with the hardnesse it dissolueth the substance which it toucheth Or else for this cause if the Catharact be hard it might peraduenture breake in the drawing downe thereof at the point for vron steele be free and brittie and the breaking therof remaining therein might be cause of consumption of the same through the aboundance of teares and greatnesse of paine Furthermore I giue you to vnderstand that the first kinde of Catharacts curable are easie and soone holpen but yet they that bee cured thereof recouer not their sight perfectlie for as much as the humours in the eye bee vnperfect disgregate and dissolued by the bruise and stroake which at the first caused the Catharact The second kinde of Catharacts curable if they bee well cured vvith a cunning workeman in this feate the sight returneth again to his former goodnesse because of the purenesse of the humors which bee not dissolued and also for the aboundance of visible spirits reserued in the eye for these causes I say they bee better then other The third kinde of Catharacts curable after they bee holpen in manner aboue sayde and the sight restored it endureth not long time in that estate vnlesse it bee holpen with medicines as with our Electuarie which is called Dia Olibanorum Hierusolimitanum and by wholsom regiment of diet wherein he must refrain from goats flesh Eeles such otherâ— but especiallie those that might engender rawe humours for certainly I haue proued by experience the same to bee verie euill and noysome in this wise for diuerse haue come vnto me with Catharactes not fully confirmed to vvhome I haue giuen rawe onyons by eating whereof in short space they haue become ripe and readie to the needle Whereupon I gather that rawe Onyons be noysom vnto the sight and inducers of Catharacts Furthermore let not the patient in the winter season if it may be otherwise drink any hot wines in the which bee put sage and rue Let him forbeare as much as may be the companie of women forbid him the vse of all common bathes and stewes But if he will bathe him let it be with a vessell ordained with the decoction of Camomill and other sweete smelling hearbes but in any wise let him keepe his head without the vessell that the fume come not into his eyen for that were noysome The Electuarie of Dia Olibanum is also good to auoide teares and to dry them vp as likewise it is right profitable for all manner paine of the megrime which is caused of fleagme The fourth kind of Catharactes
Here followeth the 5 Section The Argument THe fift Book or Section is variable yet almost it doth wholly intreat of the diseases of women of the good and badde dispositions of the wombe 1 A Conuulsion by taking Elleborus is deadlie 2 A Convulsion after a wound is pernicious and deadly 3 The hicket or a convulsion after a copious flux of bloud is euill 4 After an immoderat purgation which the Greeks call Hypercatharsis a convulsion or hicket is euill 5 If any drunken man do suddainly waxe dumbe he shall die with convulsion vnlesse hee be taken with a feuer or presently recouer his speech at that hower in which the surfet is dissolued 6 Those which are taken with the cramp or distention named Tetanus do die within fowre daies but if they shall ouerpasse them they recouer their health 7 The falling sicknesse which is before ripenesse of age is remoued awaie but that which hapneth after the 25. yeer of the age doth for the most part accompany vs vnto death 8 Those which are sick of a plurisie vnlesse they bee purged vpwardes within fowrteene daies shall haue the disease turned into an impostume 9 A consumption most especially hapneth in those ages which are fro the 18 yeere to the thirty and fift yeere 10 Those which haue the euill cause of the squinancie conuerted into the lungs do drie within seuen daies but if they escape them they are affected with corrupt and filthy matter called empiema 11 If the spittle which they auoid by coughing that are affected with a consumption doe stinke strongly being cast vpon the coles and the haires of the head doe fall off it is a pernicious deadly signe 12 If a flux of the belly happen to them which haue their haire falling awaie by a consumption death is neare at hand 13 Those which cough forth frothy bloud do â—etch and drawe the same out of the lungs 14 If a fluxe of the bellie come vpoÌ„ him which is in a consumption it is a pernicious signe 15 Those which are infected with an impostume by a plurisie if they be purged from the corrupt matter within fortie daies after the breaking of the apostume are cured or otherwise they passe into a consumption 16 Hot water too often vsed bringeth these discommodities tendernesse of the flesh distemperature of the sinewes heauinesse drowsinesse of the minde fluxes of blod swounings faintings of life to which death is incident 17 But the vse of colde water bringeth convulsions the crampes called Tetani blackness cold shakings vsuall in some feuers 18 Colde water is hurtfull to the bones teeth sinews braine and marrow of the backe but that which is hot is good and profitable 19 Wee must heate those things which are ouercold except those which powre forth bloud or are inclined to powre forth bloud in short time 20 Colde water biteth and nippeth vlcers hardneth the skinne hindreth the sorenesse from maturation of the corrupt matter causeth blacknesse bringeth forth colde shiuering fittes of agues convulsions crampes and distention of the sinewes 21 Notwithstanding ther is some time when in the crampe without an vlcer in a well flesht young man in the middest of sommer plentifull powring out of colde water doth call back the heate and so the heate doth dissolue the crampe 22 Hot water yeeldeth vnto vs a great token of security and safety in that vlcer and sore in which it causeth ripe and wel digested matter it softneth and mollifieth the skinne it maketh it thinne it dooth appease paine it mitigateth and asswageth colde shakings convulsions the cramps named Tetani it dissolueth heauinesse and paine of the head it profiteth broken bones very much especially if they bee bare without flesh and principally in the head also it profiteth those things which are mortified exulcerated through colde Lastly it is profitable to eating vlcers in the suÌ„dameÌ„t priuie members wombe bladder to all those hot water is a friend and comforter but cold water is an enemie and a destroyer 23 We must vse cold water to those sores from whence bloud dooth issue or is about to issue and not to be applyed in the same place by which it issueth but to those places from whence it floweth And if anie inflammation or burning of the parts do incline to a red and bloudie colour with fresh cleare bloud apply colde things or cold water vnto them but if the inflaÌ„mations bee inueterate and old it maketh them black Also it helpeth the fiery inflammation named Erysipelas if it be not vlcerated For being vlcerated it hurteth 24 Things that are verie colde as snowe and yee are hurtfull to the breast they procure coughs they cause ruptures of the veins and also rhumes 25 Cold water powred forth aboundantly doth ease and diminish the tumours and paines of the ioints which are without vlceration also gowty swellings and pains and convulsions for the most part dissolueth dolour and pain for a smal benumming hath the force of dissoluing and putting awaie of paine 26 Water that is quickely made hot quickly cold is most light 27 It is good for them which haue great desire to drinke in the night to fall a sleepe being verie thirstie 28 A fumigation or perfume of odoriferous spyces dooth bring forth the terms It would also be profitable for manie other things if it did not breede heauinesse and pain of the head 29 Thou shalt purge a woman with childe if it bee needful the fowrth month after conception and so forwards vntill the beginning of the seuenth month but those that come neere the seauenth month not so much but the foetus being yonger or elder thou shalt abstaine 30 A woman with child a veine being opened aborteth is deliuered before due time and so much the rather if the foetus bee of any bignesse 31 It is pernicious deadlie if a woman great with childe bee taken with anie sharp disease 32 A woman is cured from vomiting bloud her moÌ„thly tearms issuing forth 33 A flux of bloud at the nose is good and healthfull to a womaÌ„ her flowers failing contrarie to the due course of nature 34 If the wombe bee verie laxatiue and loose to a woman with childe there is danger of aborcement 35 Sneesing hapning to a woman grieued with suffocation of the wombe or hauing a painfull and difficult deliuerance is good 36 The monthly courses being discoloured neyther comming forth alwaies in the same maner and time do declare that a purgation is necessarie for the woman 37 If the paps be suddenlie extenuated and become lanke to a woman with childe aborcement dooth follow 38 If one of the dugs be extenuated and become lank to a woman coÌ„ceiued with child with twins she bringeth forth one of them before due time And if the right dug becom sleÌ„der she bringeth forth the male childe before due time but if the left dug becom lank she maketh aborcement of the female 39 If any woman neither with
alike 44 If cleare and white matter doe issue out from them which are affected with corrupt matter betweene the breast and the lunges whē they suffer cauterising or incision they do escapes but if bloodie stinking filthy matter do issue forth they die and cannot escape 45 If cleare and white matter doe issue from them whose liuer is corrupted or apostumated with filthy matter and burnt they recouer health and become sound for the corrupt matter is contained in the coat but if that which commeth forth bee like the lees and dregs of oyle they die 46 Cure and heale pains of the eyes which proceede from drinking of strong wine and bathing in hot water by opening of a veine 47 If a cough come vpon one diseased with the dropsie he is without hope of recouerie 48 Drinking of nete strong wine and the opening of a veine dooth dissolue the diseases stranguria disuria but the inward veines must be opened 49 A swelling and rednesse arising on the breast of him which is grieued with angina it is good for the disease bendeth and inclineth outwardlie 50 They die within three daies whose braine is corrupted benummeds but if they ouerpass them they shall recouer their health 51 Sternutation or sneesing is prouoked out of the hed the braine being much heated or the voide and wide space of the head beeing much moistned for the air inclosed within doth break forth but it maketh a noise because it passeth through a narrow place 52 Those that are grieued with vehement pain of the liuer are deliuered from the paine if an ague come vpon them 53 Those which haue occasion to haue bloud taken frō them must be let bloud in the spring 54 Those which haue fleagm inclosed between the ventricle and the midriffe and the same also painefull vnto them hauing no passage into either of the bellies are deliuerd frō the disease the fleagme being turned and cōuaied through the veins into the bladder 55 Those haue their bellie filled with water and doe die whose liuer replenished with water shal make a breach and eruption of the same into the belly named Omentum 56 Wine being drunk with an equal proportion of water doth put awaie sorrow yawning and colde shaking 57 For this looke in the 4. Section and 82. Aphorism where it is expounded 58 They must of necessitie become dumbe forthwith which haue their braine vehemently shaken and troubled by some outward occasion 59 Hunger and fasting is to be endured of bodies consisting of moist flesh for fasting dryeth the bodie 60 Where there is an alteration in the whole bodie the body becommeth cold and hot againe and changeth from one colour to an other the cōtinuance of the disease is signified 61 Much sweate hotte or cold alwaies issuing forth doth declare that the moisture in a strong bodie is to bee euacuated and purged vpwards but in a weak body downwards 62 If agues become more fierce and vehement euerie third daie without anie intermission they are dangerous But in what manner soeuer they shall cease it signifieth that they want danger 63 Those which are afflicted with long feuers haue little swellings or aches in the ioynts 64 Those which haue long swellings or paines in the ioints after a feuer doe vse too plentifull a dyet 65 If anie giue the meate to one sick of a feuer which hee giueth to a sound and healthfull person he shall strengthen the whole person and increase the maladie of the sicke partie 66 Wee must looke vpon those things which passe through the bladder whether they bee such as issue forth in prosperous health For those which are vnlike thē are vnhealthful signes but those which are like thē are healthfull signes 67 Also whē the sediments if thou shalt suffer them to rest shalt not moue thē doe sinke downe into the bottome like shauings or parings of guttes or such like matter which if they shal befew do signifie that the disease is little but if they shall be many doe signify that the disease is great then it is necessarie that euacuation purgation be made downewards otherwise if the belly being not purged thou shalt giue broaths and nourishment the more thou shalt giue the more thou shalt hurt 68 Crude rawe and vndigested excrements voided downwards doe proceed from blacke choler if they be manie they proceed frō a more copious quantity if they be few they proceede from a lesse quantitie 69 Spittings in feuers not intermitting ash coloured bloodish cholerick stinking are all euil Yet if they come forth conuenientlie and easilie they are good Also if any thing issue out through the bellie bladder or from any other part of the bodie whatsoeuer which shall not restore him to health which is purged then it is euill 70 When any one goeth about to purge vnclean bodies he must make the bodies soluble and fluxible and if hee will purge vpwards the belly must be cōstipated hardned but if he wil purge downewards it must be softned and loosed 71 Sleepe and watch fulness if they exceede a measure are a disease 72 In feuers not intermitting if the exterior partes bee colde and the inwarde be burning and the patient verie thirstie it is a deadly signe 73 In a feuer not intermitting but continuall if the lip nose eye or eye-brow bee peruerted turned awrie if the sicke man doth not see nor heare whatsoeuer of these things shall happē to a weak sick man death is neare at hand 74 A dropsie is ingendred by white fleagme 75 From a laxness loosenesse of the bellie named diarrhoea doth proceed the bloudy flux dysenteria 76 The flux named Lienteria dooth come vpon the bloody flux named dysenteria 77 After the corruption or putrefaction of the bone called in greeke Sphacelismus ther followeth an impostumation of the bone 78 After vomiting of bloud a cōsumption an euacuation of purulent filthie matter doth follow and insue 79 Wee ought to beholde what things they be which passe out by vrines by the belly or womb and what things issue out thorough the flesh And we must also consider and beholde if the bodie do decline or degenerat in any other thing from nature For if little be auoided the disease is little if much be auoided the disease is great and if verie much then it is a deadlie thing The ende of the 7. Section of the Aphorisms of Hypocrates Here followeth the 8. Section The Argument THE intention and scope of this eight book which is the last cannot be assigned because the Aphorisms be variable different yet almost all are reduced to that part of physicke which foretelleth things to come 1 Men aboue 40. yeeres of age being troubled with a phrensie are not cured at all for they are in lesse perill and daunger whose disease is agreeable to their nature and age 2 It is a good thing in what disease soeuer when the eyes doe shed teares for some cause
curable is those that bee of colour citrine more harder then the other and of forme round wherefore it may not be laid right downe in the eie for it will not abide there because of the said roundnesse and hardnesse of it therefore it must be laide in the corner of the eie to the eare ward there be kept with the needle a great while as is aforesaid And thus to conclude I do you to vnderstand there needeth not anie abstinence from meats which be clean and healthsome after the cure is perfectly atchieued saue only in the third kind which thing to be true experience hath taught mee Neuerthelesse it behoueth oftentimes to vse comfortatiues nutritiues for the visible spirits in the eye afterwarde Of the three kindes of Catharacts vncurable THe first kinde of Catharactes vncurable is that which the Physicians of Salerne in Italie doe call Guttam serenam and these be the signes whereby yee may knowe it when the pupil of the ey i. the place of the middest of the eye hath the depth of the visible part blacke and cleare as though it had no spotte and the eyes are alwayes moouing their lids trembling as though it were quickesiluer Verilie this kinde of Catharact is ingendred caused of a corruption in the mothers wombe and therfore they that haue these kinds of Catharactes bee blinde euen at their natiuity of which sort I haue seen many and haue assaied by many waies and medicines to cure them but the successe was not worthy my labour neither yet haue I heard that any other haue sped better in dealing with that sort Neuerthelesse in processe of time I perceiued that of this manner of Catharact ther were diuersities of kinds For som of those persons which had them might see the brightnesse of the sunne went by the way with open eies as though they had perfectly seene yea moreouer som of them might see the stature of a man or a beast or anie other thing and some enioyed this little portion of sight vnto their liues end whereas in othersome it doth vanish awaie and they become starke blinde Therefore assure your selues they that haue such maner of Catharacts be deplorat and without al possibilitie of cure by mans hand For why the nerue optique is deplorate and mortified so that there is no manner of helpe in power of hand or medicine for them and this aforesaide kinde is called Gutta serena because it is engendred of a corruption comming downe from the braine like a droppe of water which one droppe corrupteth and dissolueth all the humour naturall in the eye in so much that from thence forwards the concaue hollow nerues be oppilat and ouerlaid in that the visible spirits may no more passe downe by them into the eye The second kinde of Catharact vncurable is that which doth appeare in the eye of greene colour like water standing in watrie places not much mooued with running This sort is yet worse then al the other and springeth of the immoderate and excessiue coldenesse of the brayne with great beating and diseases of the head with vnmeasurable fasting such like The third and last kind of curelesse catharacts bee those in which the circles may not bee seene within the tunicles of the eye but the eye appeareth all ouer blacke or all ouer white and who so busieth himselfe to cure anie of these three kinds of Catharacts he abuseth his time and labour more worthie to bee reproued for his ignorāce then any wayes commended for his fruitlesse diligence Here followeth the cure of Ophthalmia and other diseases of the eies THis Ophthalmia is an inflāmatiō of the whol eye hapning by som great diffluxion from the brain and in the tunicle of the eie which is called coniunctiua this infirmitie is somtimes cured by dropping into the eye womans milke with the white of an egge and especially if it shall happen from some outwarde cause or from bloud If it chance to happen by some blowe or through colde then the yolke of an egge boyled hard and mixed with oyle of roses and a little saffron must be applyed If it shall happen through dust or smoak wash the eie with colde water if from repletion or fulnesse open the head veine which is a present remedie if the humors be grosse and thicke administer an euaporation of the decoction of lentiles with water also wash the eye with sponges intincted in a decoction of foenugraeck In this disease it is verie good to vse abstinēce from meate and drinke the dyet must incline to colde and moysture Wine egs and all sweete things are hurtfull An excellent Collyrium which doth mitigate re presse and beat backe heat inflammation TAke the muscelage of psyllium of gum dragant of quinces being prepared in rose water of either 3. drams of womans milk giuing sucke to a girle fiue drams of the white of an egge well beaten two drams mixe them and instill thereof into the eye Or else vse this emplaster against an hot fluxe of the eye Take of the iuyce of the hearbe vermicularis of virgapastoris of plantaine of nightshade of endiue of purslan such like with the flowre of barley and oyle of roses make an emplaster which must bee applied to the temples of the forehead or dippe linnen clothes in the iuyces and applie them to the forehead The face may be washed with running water rose-water mixed with a little vinegar so that will alter the biting humor flowing to the eye If the eye happen to bee hurt or wounded with a thorne needle or knife we must presently make repercussion Take bole armonick sanguis draconis tutia prepared gum arabick dragant of either a dram make a powder mix therwith 6. ounces of rosewater in a glasse viol then let it stand in hot water the space of an howr thē afterwards add 1. ounce of the wine of pomgranats so let it stand for 1. whol daie then straine it of that straining put a little into the eie Morn Euen and for to lay ouer you shall frame an emplaster with the iuices of houslike niteshade of either two ounces or in their place take rosewater bole armonicke myrrh gumdragant and araback of either one ounce make it into pouder and so apply it in the form of an emplaster to the eyes for it doth both beat back and cure For spots or webs in the eie beeing remaining after the cure we must presently vse this remedie Take young Pyes out of the nest a little before they are readie to flie let them bee cleane puld and cut in peeces and then distilled of which water put into the eyes an houre before supper and in the morning it remoueth away al redness spots and cataracts this remedie is confirmed by experience some doe affirme the same virtue to be in Consolidaregalis Sometimes the eyes do weepe and water against