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
Haly Abbas gives a most distinct and accurate account of the phenomena
of ephemeral fevers, according to the nature of their remote causes. The
first class are produced by external causes, such as exposure to the heat
of the sun, hot baths, or astringents which occasion constriction of the
pores of the skin. He also inculcates that these causes may likewise
give rise to synochous or putrid fevers. The second class are produced
by calefacient food and medicines. The third class are occasioned by
immoderate exercise, or violent passions, such as anger, fear, and the
like. The fourth are sympathetic affections proceeding from inflammatory
swellings of the glands. He remarks, that in certain kinds of fever the
increase of heat is not felt upon the first application of the hand,
owing to constriction of the pores. (Theor. viii, 3.) His treatment
merits attention. When the fever arises from a hot cause, he directs us
to pour refrigerant liquids, such as vinegar, rose oil, and the like,
upon the head, and to apply to the forehead a cloth moistened with the
same. When the fever is produced by cold, he recommends the warm bath,
with friction, in order to promote perspiration; after which calefacients
may be given; but he forbids wine, if the exciting cause be great, lest
it should occasion a conversion of the complaint into a putrid fever,
which, as he remarks, Galen states not to be an uncommon occurrence. To
prevent this he recommends venesection and the liberal administration of
diluents. The next class of ephemerals of which he treats are intestinal
fevers originating in errors of food and drink. For these he recommends
cooling drink, cooling articles of food, clysters, eccoprotics, and the
like. When the fever is brought on by violent labour, he prescribes the
tepid bath, gentle friction with emollient oils, light food, and a spare
allowance of wine, provided the patient has been habituated to it. When
the fever is produced by violent emotions of the mind, he recommends the
tepid bath, refrigerant food, camphor, and the like. When it arises from
sorrow, he directs us to have recourse to treatment of an exhilarating
nature, the bath, wine, and so forth. For fever brought on by want of
sleep, he recommends soothing treatment, the affusion of tepid water and
wine, if the patient has been accustomed to it. In fevers arising from
glandular swellings, he approves of venesection, and forbids the use
of the bath and of wine. This is somewhat different from our author’s
treatment. The account of the causes and treatment of ephemerals given
by Alsaharavius is so like that of Haly Abbas, that we shall not enter
particularly upon it. Serapion, Averrhoes, and Avenzoar give sensible
expositions of the causes and cure of these fevers; but there is little
in them worthy of attention that is not derived from the Greeks. Avenzoar
states distinctly, that, if neglected or mismanaged, they are apt to be
converted into putrid, or synochous fevers.
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