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
to strengthen your expectations. In like manner you ought to judge of
the other evacuations; or, if none of these symptoms should appear, but
if there be uneasiness occurring on one of the critical days after the
20th; or if, when the disease is at its acme, pains should seize certain
joints, or near the ears, or in other parts; or if not pains, but local
sweats should occur unceasingly in any part of the body, then indeed you
may expect a crisis to take place by abscess, and in that part where the
sweats, pains, or swelling occurred.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. This is taken with very slight alterations from Galen
(Therap. ad Glauc. i: see also, de Crisibus, iii, 2.) The critical
evacuations enumerated by Galen are, those by vomiting, by the belly,
by urine, by sweats, by hemorrhage from the nose, by hemorrhoids,
by the menses in women, by abscesses of the parotid glands, and by
determination to the knees, feet, or some other parts not vital. He says
there are three ways in which a fever may terminate favorably, namely,
by an evacuation, by an imperfect crisis without an evacuation, and by
resolution, that is to say, when the febrile symptoms go off gradually.
There are likewise three unfortunate terminations; for the patient may
die suddenly with much agitation, or in consequence of a metastasis, or
he may be slowly wasted by a marasmus.
Averrhoes enumerates the same kinds of critical evacuation as Galen, and
otherwise treats of them very judiciously. (Collig. iv, 39.) Avicenna
gives a long account of all the circumstances attending the crisis, but
he copies closely from Galen and Hippocrates. (iv, 2, 1.) Haly Abbas,
in like manner, is sensible and correct, but borrows from the Greeks.
(Theor. x, 10.) The account given by Rhases is excellent, but it differs
little from our author’s. (Ad Mansor. x, 27.) In his ‘Continens,’
he gives a full exposition of the Galenic doctrines, with his own
Commentaries. He states, that a crisis may take place in six ways: by
hemorrhage at the nose, by an alvine evacuation, by vomiting, by a
discharge of urine, by a sweat, or by an aposteme. (xxxi.)
SECT. XI.—HOW TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PAST CRISIS BE FAVORABLE.
If a proper evacuation takes place after the concoction, and the fever
is resolved by the critical evacuation; if the patient is freed from
all other symptoms; if his colour has improved in proportion to the
evacuation; if his pulse has become more regular, and his strength
better in rising out of bed; and, what is the most salutary symptom of
all, if these are accompanied by repose of the constitution, this may be
pronounced to be the best possible crisis. If any of these be wanting,
the goodness of the crisis will diminish proportionally to the force of
the diminution.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. This requires no Commentary. See, however, more fully, Galen
and Rhases (l. c.)
SECT. XII.—ON THE PULSE, FROM THE WORKS OF GALEN.
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