The seven books of Paulus Ægineta, volume 1 (of 3) : $b translated from the Greek: with a commentary embracing a complete view of the knowledge possessed by the Greeks, Romans, and Arabians on all subjects connected with medicine and surgeryPaulus, Aegineta
History
The seven books of Paulus Ægineta, volume 1 (of 3) : $b translated from the Greek: with a commentary embracing a complete view of the knowledge possessed by the Greeks, Romans, and Arabians on all subjects connected with medicine and surgery
Paulus, Aegineta
Medicine; Medicine, Arab; Medicine, Greek and Roman
The Prognostics and Aphorisms of Hippocrates are further illustrated
by the learned and interesting Commentaries of Stephanus Sophista,
Theophilus, and Damascius, which were published a few years ago by
Dietz. From the nature of their works, it is impossible to give any
satisfactory outline of their contents within our narrow limits. We shall
merely give one specimen of them. It is stated in one of the Aphorisms
of Hippocrates, that dyspnœa and delirium occurring together in fever,
indicate a fatal termination. Upon which Theophilus and Damascius remark,
that the one symptom implies disease of the heart and the other of the
brain. (Ed. Dietz. T. H., p. 415.)
Celsus gives an elegant translation of this part of the works of
Hippocrates. The following is his version of the description of the
Facies Hippocratica: “Ad ultima jam ventum esse testantur, nares acutæ,
collapsa tempora, concavi oculi, frigidæ languidæque aures et imis
partibus leniter versæ, cutis circa frontem dura et intenta, color aut
niger aut perpallidus.” Other unfavorable symptoms are also strikingly
portrayed: “Mali morbi testimonium est vehementer et crebro spirare:
a sexto die cepisse inhorrescere; pus expuere; vix excreare; dolorem
habere continuum; difficulter ferre morbum; jactare brachia et crura;
sine voluntate lachrimare; habere humorem glutinosum dentibus inhærentem;
cutem circa umbilicum et pubem macram, præcordia inflammata, dolentia,
dura, tumida, intenta, magisque si hæc dextra parte, quam sinistra est;
periculosissimum tamen est, si venæ quoque ibi vehementer agituntur.”
Aëtius and Oribasius, like our author, borrow almost every thing from
Hippocrates and Galen.
Rhases and Avicenna, particularly the latter, treat of the prognostics
in fever very fully. Avicenna, like Hippocrates, sets down deafness as
an unfavorable symptom. Hippocrates had stated, that jaundice coming
on before the seventh day is unfavorable; but Averrhoes affirms, that
all the Indian and Persian physicians reckoned it a favorable symptom.
Rhases considers yellowness of the skin an unfavorable symptom, unless
the fever be of a bilious nature. Alsaharavius says it is an unfavorable
complication when it does not prove critical. It is proper to mention
here that Hippocrates modifies the above prognostic by stating in one of
his aphorisms, that jaundice coming on on the 7th, 9th, 11th, or 14th day
is favorable. (iv. 64.) Alsaharavius states it as a dangerous symptom,
when the patient lies on his back with his legs drawn up. This agrees
with the prognostic of Celsus “Mors denuntiatur ubi æger supinus cubat,
eique genua contracta sunt.” Avicenna and Averrhoes state it as a fatal
symptom when the patient sinks down in bed and exposes his hands and
feet. (Averrhoes, Comment. in Cant. Avicennæ.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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