Prognostic

​7. The hypochondrium is best when it is free from pain, soft, and even, both on the right and on the left sides. But if it is inflamed, or causes pain, or is tense, or if the right side and the left are irregularly situated with respect to each other, all these signs must be guarded against. And if there should be a pulsation in the hypochondrium, it signifies agitation or delirium; but one must examine the eyes of such patients, for if the pupils move rapidly, there is reason to expect that they will go mad. A swelling in the hypochondrium, if it is hard and painful, is worst of all if it should be across the whole hypochondrium; but if it should be on one side, it is less dangerous on the left side. Such swellings signify in the commencement that death will occur within a short time; but if the fever continues and the swelling does not subside after twenty days, it turns to suppuration. And in these cases, a hemorrhage from the nose occurs in the first period, and is highly beneficial; but one must inquire whether they have a headache or dimness of sight; for if any such thing is present, the tendency will be in that direction. But one should expect the hemorrhage rather in those who are younger than thirty-five years. But those swellings which are soft, painless, and yield to the finger, make the crises more protracted, and are less dangerous than the former. And if the fever continues and the swelling does not subside after sixty days, it signifies that there will be an empyema; and this is the case also with those in the rest of the abdomen. Therefore, those which are painful, hard, and large, signify danger of death within a short time; while those which are soft, painless, and yield when pressed by the finger, are more chronic than the former. But the swellings in the abdomen are less prone to form abscesses than those in the hypochondria, and those below the umbilicus are least of all turned to suppuration; rather, one should expect a hemorrhage from the upper parts. But in all swellings which linger about these parts, one must look out for suppurations in the regions. And one must observe the suppurations arising from thence as follows: those which break outwards are best, when they are small, and incline as much as possible outwards, and point to a sharp head; but those which are large and flat, and least of all point to a sharp head, are worst. Of those which rupture inwards, the best are those which do not communicate at all with the outer part, but are circumscribed, painless, and the whole outer part appears of the same color as the rest of the skin. And the pus is best when it is white, uniform, smooth, and has as little offensive smell as possible; but the opposite to this is worst.

​8. And dropsies which arise from acute diseases are all bad; for they do not rid of the fever, and are extremely painful and fatal. Most of them begin from the flanks and the loins, but others from the liver. In those, then, which have their origin from the flanks and the loins, the feet swell, and protracted diarrheas ensue, which neither relieve the pains in the flanks and loins, nor evacuate the abdomen; but in those dropsies which arise from the liver, there is a desire to cough, and they spit up nothing of consequence, and the feet swell, and the bowels are not moved except with difficulty and with hard stools, and swellings occur about the abdomen, sometimes on the right and sometimes on the left, appearing and disappearing.