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 rose-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 rose-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
the will which is caused by the debilitie of the braine beeing weake and ouer-moist for which cause thou shalt do no more but drop into the eye for xv dayes togither two drops of the water of Tapsus barbatus called in english Hagtaper Againe Rue being dryed and beaten into powder and mixed with hunny and vineger and boyled and after strained through a linnen cloth and the eyes therewith anointed will restraine the vveeping and teares thereof the patient must auoide all things that do euaporat fly vp to the braine if the cause proceed from choler or from bloud it shall bee diuerted by bloud-letting if the cause proceede from fleame it is good to purge with pilles of aureae and imperiales take heede of gargarisms masticatories and apophlegmatismes Bathes of warme vvater are verie conuenient so they bee vsed in the morning fasting for that draweth the matter to the vtter parts If the matter be sharpe applie a repercussiue about the forehead framed with the white of an egge and bolearmonicke and so applyed vpon a peece of linnen cloth If the cause haue proceeded from fulnesse or much drinking of wine let him vse a spare dyet and open the head veine and let him purge with the pils of the 5. kindes of myrobalans his dyet must bee drie for hee must auoid all broaths and liquid things sower grapes and vnripe beeing burnt in an earthen pot to powder and searced verie finelie and put into the eyes doe remoue awaie the teares and rednesse of them A singular remedie for the eyes is to take true frankincense and melted at the fire and so seauen times extinguished in red rosewater and thereof instill into the eye that weepeth An excellent medicin for the eyes that weep for a pearle and dimnesse is this Take halfe an ounce of tutia one dram of red corrall burne them in a vessell of earth then adde thereunto halfe a dram of sine pearle and then beat them small into verie fine powder in a stone mortar and then searce it finely thorough silke and then put therof into the eye this is a great secret How to cure debilitie weaknesse of the sight HIs dyet must be good as in ophthalmia let his head bee well combd with an iuorie combe let him behold things that are greene and beholde himselfe in a steel glasse the vse of triphera dooth comfort very much because it hindreth euaporations by reason of the myrobalans Let him take after his meals Diacitoniton the confection of Coriander prepared Diapliris and sugar of roses in an hot cause Venerie lust is hurtfull and all things that are vaporous Rapes either rawe or boiled are very good Wine vnlesse it be in small quantitie is verie hurtfull There must not be made any stroÌ„g euacuation least the spirits be dissolued An excellent vvater which dooth preserue the sight and good against all manner of spots is in this manner Take Celendine rue endiue betonie roses Silermontaine mallows maiden haire of euery one three handfuls let them be infused in pure white wine for the space of 24. howers and then distilled A Collyrium for the eies which hath bin approued is to take tutia prepared 2. scruples aloes hepaticke one scruple cloues halfe a scruple white vitriol sixe graines and make a fine powder Then take rose-rosewater fenell water of eyther two ounces let it warme vpon the hot imbers then mixe the powder therewith and after a while straine it and put therof into the ey in the mouing An Electuarie which dooth cleare and comfort the sight Take the flowers of eye-bright and of betony of either one ounce fenelseed three drams cubebs maces cinamon and cloues of either one dram long peper halfe a dram let all be made into fine powder then take of the iuice of Rue clarified one ounce and a halfe clarified hony one pint boyle the iuyce with the honie to a perfection and then adding three drams of zedoarie to the former powder make an Electuarie A powder to comfort the sight TAke betonie veruin eyebright celendine hysop penny rioll sage all these being dried in the sunne of euerie one halfe an ounce horehound fenel-seed wild time Coriander prepared the seed of maiotaÌ„ of euerie a dram ginger saffron cloues cubebs nutmegges cinamon long peper galengall of euery one halfe a dram rosemary flowers the citren rynde of euerie one a scruple and of fine white sugar three times the weight of all the rest make all into fine powder or into lozenges with the water of fenell eyebright and betony An houshold receipt for the remouing of any spot or pin and webbe of the eye TAke the iuice of houslick the quantitie that will goe into an egge shell then put therein 3. graines of pure white vitrioll let them boile togither on the hot ashes and then scum the top thereof awaie and drop thereof into the eye morning and euening and close vp the eye with a boulster of linen For all inflammations bloud shotten eies take the iuyce of a limon and drop thereof into the eyes at the entrance into the bed and close vp the eies as is aforesaide and remember that for all inflammations proceeding of an hot cause bloudletting to be the present remedie FINIS THE LIFE of Hypocrates HYpocrates by the testimony of Galen was the son of one Heraclides but others affirm him to be the sonne of Asclepius borne and brought vp in the Isle Cos. His master and instructor was the great Pythagoras Hee was by his nature inclined to goodnesse for he hated loathed and abhorred all pomp worldly pleasures and the vse of venerie Hee constrained all his scholers by an oath to vse silence and secrecie modesty affabiliti and humilitie as wel in manners as apparell He restored the science of physicke beeing lost for the space almost of fiue hundred yeeres euen from the time of Esculapius Hee was in body and stature very little but fayre and exceeding well fauoured He had a good and strong head he went slowely and softly he was verie pensiue and of few words he was no great eater nor glutton hee liued nintie fiue yeeres and vsed often this sentence Hee that wil liue in liberty let him not desire that which he cannot obtaine and hee that woulde haue that which hee desireth let him desire nothing but that which hee may obtaine In like manner He that would liue in peace in this mortall life let him conforme himselfe to him who is inuited to a feast who giueth thankes for all that is set before him and grudgeth not at any thing which is omitted He liued about the times of Eliachim of Malachi of Pereno Socrates Meaning bloud-letting Definition of the eye The cause of teares The partes of the eye Fowre colors of the eye 3. Humors of the eye The Authors opinion Black eies Gray eyes Whitish eyes Note this reason Gray eyes sure of sight Black eyes â—erfect of â—ight Definition of a Catharact Diuision of Catharacts The first curable kinde The secoÌ„d kinde The third kinde The 4. kinde Tokens of â—penesse The cure Dyet The subtance of he needle The first kinde of Catharacts The 2. kinde The 3. kinde The vertue of Olibanum The 4. kinde The first kind of catharacts vncurable The 2. kinde The 3. kinde A good medicin Bloud-letting Collyrium Emplaster A water against in inflammamation of the eye Emplaster Weeping eyes Bathes A powder for the eies Weake sight An excellent water to preserue the sight A Collyrium for the eyes Electuarie to comfort the sight
or occasion but when they weep without a cause it is an euill thing in anie diseases whatsoeuer they be 3 In what Quartan feuers so euer blood shall issue forth of the nostrils it is an euill thing 4 If sweats be caused in the iudiciall daies they are dangerous especially such as issue forth from the forehead like drops of water and bubling water pipes beeing verie colde and aboundant for it must needs bee that such sweate commeth forth with much force long labour and strayning 5 Depression of the bellie after a long disease is euill 6 Incision doth cure those vlcers which are not cured by medicines and those which are not cured by incision are cured by cauterizing but those which are not cured by the cautier are iudged incurable 7 Consumptions are ingendred from the 18. yeer of the age vnto the thirtie and fift yeere 8 The tongue blacke and bloudish when anie of these signes are absent then the euill and maladie is not forcible and signifieth lesse paine 9 The right testicle being cold and hauing a convulsion is a messenger of death 10 The nailes blacke the toes of the feet colde hanging downe or stooping forwards doe declare that death is verie neere 11 Also the extreame parts of the fingers being colde are a signification of death drawing neare 12 Also the lips ashe coloured resolued and effeeblished disordered and peruerted are deadly signes 13 If the eyes bee darkned or cannot abide the light also he which is oppressed with much sleepe great heat is without hope 14 If anie one become raging by little little with furious madnesse if anie one doe not knowe them with whom he hath beene familiar if he doe not hear nor vnderstand it is a deadlie signe 15 Those are more euident signes to them which shall die a little while after if the ventricles or cauities bee lifted and heaued vp swel and bee puffed vp with winde Finis Aphorismorum A BRIEFE discourse vpon the nature substance of the Ey AN eye is a member of substance roūd whol and hard as a ball which may aptly be resembled to a bright bason full of cleer resplendent water fixed in the wel or spring of the hed to minister light to the liuing body by influence of the visible spirit sent from the Cell of phantasie or cōmon wits by a sinew that is called Nervus Opticus with helpe of a greater light ministred without Right well may the place wherin nature hath placed the eye bee tearmed the fountaine or spring of the eye in respect of the abundance of waterie humidities and teares which are often seene to issue flow thereat which happeneth vpon diuers occasions as somtime of inward sorrow and heauinesse of the disstressed heart sometimes of ioy and gladnesse immoderate yea and otherwhiles it proceedeth of the onlie superfluitie abundance of humours ingendred of vnnaturall and distemperate coldnesse And this may suffice to declare briefly what an eye is It resteth now that we shew of what parts it doth consist Touching which matter a certain learned writer called Iohannicius in his introductiō affirmeth that the eie hath seuen tunicles or coates fowre colours and three humours The first of the said tunicles or coats he calleth Retina the second Secondina the third Sclerotica the fourth Aranea the fift Vuea the sixt Cornea the seauenth and last Subiunctiua Of the colours he saith the first is blacke the second Subpallidus that is whitish the thirde Niueus the fowrth Glaucus Now of the humors according to his mind one is called vitreus humor i. a glassie humour the second is called albugineus i. resembling the color of the white of an egge the third is called Crystallinus that resembleth the clearenesse of Crystall And this as I haue expressed is the iudgement opinion of Iohannicius Neuerthelesse I my selfe vpon knowledge attayned by cutting dead bodies am moued to dissent from him both in coats and also in colours Therfore you shal vnderstand my minde also in this matter I find in the studious dissection of the eye the tunicle called salua trix which saueth and keepeth the humors ordeined naturally to be in the member of which duetie it hath that name Secōdly the tunicle or coat called discolorata so named because that while it remains in the eye in it self it hath properly no colour but is varied and diuersly affected according to the diuersities of colours which appeare in the eye For when the crystalline humour is neere the tunicle of the eies then loe they seem of no colour But whē it is deep within them it giueth a shew of 3. colours wherfore I may well conclude that the eie of it selfe it discoloured and of no colour properlie Yet this by obseruation is found to be verie true they which haue the humours very lowe and deepe set in the bodies of their eyes by reason whereof they seeme to be of black colour haue their sight best for a time but when they approache vnto thirtie yeeres and vpward it beginneth to faile and appaire And such as haue the humours placed in the middle or meane region of the eye commonly are indued with good sight both young and olde the colour of their eyes is menable black which is gray Howbeit it is seene that this sort of eies is more subiect vnto Opthalmies Pannicles with diuers other euell affects then those that be of other colours Moreouer I say those that haue the humors more outwardly vnderneath the tunicles as their eyes appeare vnto sight more various and diuers coloured inclining much vnto whitenesse so their visible facultie is not very good neyther in youth nor in age The reason is because in such maner of eyes aboundeth humours and teares more then in others For when the visible spirits descend down by the hollow optique sinewes find about the tunicles of the eye abundance and plentie of vicious humours they be the sooner scattered dissolued from the humours by occasion whereof the sight is more weak feeble in them then in gray eyes which before we called menable blacke And they that haue the sayde graie eyes may seeme to haue their sight more durable for that the crystalline humour being resident in the midst maketh the visible spirits to rest and staie there which by the glasen humour and the saide tunicle are so preserued and kept that they may not readily be dispersed But in them which haue the humours depressed and kept down which as we said before maketh the eie to look blacke the sight is better then in other because the crystalline humour is deep within and therfore the visible spirit comming from the Optique nerue at hand findeth the larger space possesseth plentifullie all the cauitie and hollowness of the eies before it passeth out from the glasen humor and the vppermore tunicles But as I said it dureth not in manie folke vntill
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