§1## ΠΕΡΙ ΚΡΙΣΙΜΩΝ.
1.
## ON CRITICAL DAYS 1.
Μέγα μέρος ἡγέομαι τῆς τέχνης εἶναι τὸ δύνασθαι κατασκοπέεσθαι περὶ τῶν γεγραμμένων ὀρθῶς· ὁ γὰρ γνοὺς καὶ χρεόμενος τούτοισιν οὐκ ἄν μοι δοκέῃ μέγα σφάλλεσθαι κατὰ τὴν τέχνην.
I consider that being able to investigate correctly concerning what has been written is a great part of the art; for he who knows and makes use of these things would not, it seems to me, fall into great error in the art.
Δεῖ δὴ καταμανθάνειν τὴν κατάστασιν τῶν ὡρῶν ἀκριβῶς καὶ τῶν νούσων ἑκάστης· ὅ τι ἀγαθὸν, καὶ ὅ τι κινδυνῶδες, ἢ ἐν τῇ καταστάσει, ἢ ἐν τῇ νούσῳ· μακρὸν ὅ τι νούσημα καὶ θανάσιμον· μακρὸν, ὅ τι περιεστικόν· ὀξὺ, ὅ τι θανάσιμον· ὀξὺ, ὅ τὶ περιεστικὸν.
It is necessary, indeed, to learn thoroughly and accurately the constitution of the seasons and of each of the diseases: what is favorable and what is dangerous, either in the constitution or in the disease; what disease is long and fatal, what long and survivable; what acute and fatal, what acute and survivable.
Τάξιν τῶν κρισίμων ἐκ τουτέων σκοπεῖσθαι, καὶ τὸ προλέγειν ἐκ τούτων εὐπορέεται· ἔτι δὲ ἀπὸ τούτων ἔστιν οὓς, ὅτε καὶ ὡς δεῖ διαιτῇν.
From these things one must observe the order of the critical days, and prediction is facilitated by them; furthermore, from these it is possible to know whom, when, and how one must put on a regimen.
§22.
2.
Μέγιστον τοίνυν σημεῖον τοῖσι μέλλουσι τῶν καμνόντων βιώσασθαι, ἐὰν μὴ παρὰ φύσιν ᾖ ὁ καῦσος· καὶ τἄλλα δὲ νουσήματα ὡσαύτως· οὐδὲν γὰρ δεινὸν τῶν κατὰ φύσιν γίνεται, οὐδὲ θανατῶδες·
Now, the greatest sign for those of the sick who are going to survive is if the ardent fever is not contrary to nature; and likewise for the other diseases; for nothing that is according to nature becomes dangerous or fatal.
δεύτερον δὲ, ἐὰν μὴ αὐτή γε ἡ ὥρη τῷ νουσήματι ξυμμαχήσῃ· ὡς γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸ πουλὺ οὐ νικᾷ ἡ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου φύσις τὴν τοῦ ὅλου δύναμιν.
Second, if the season itself does not ally with the disease; for as a rule, the nature of man does not overcome the power of the whole.
Ἔπειτα δὲ, ἢν τὰ περὶ τὸ πρόσωπον ἰσχναίνηται, καὶ αἱ φλέβες αἱ ἐν τῇσι χερσὶ καὶ ἐν τοῖσι κανθοῖσι καὶ ἐπὶ τῇσιν ὀφρύῃσιν ἡσυχίην ἔχωσι, πρότερον μὴ ἡσυχάζουσαι.
Next, if the parts around the face become thin, and the veins in the hands, in the corners of the eyes, and over the eyebrows become quiet, not having been quiet before.
Τοῦτο δὲ, ἢν ἡ φωνὴ ᾖ ἀσθενεστέρη καὶ λειοτέρη γίνηται, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα μανότερον καὶ λεπτότερον, ἐς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ἡμέρην ἄνεσις τῆς νούσου· ταῦτα οὖν χρὴ σκοπεῖν πρὸς τὰς κρίσιας, καὶ εἰ τὸ παρὰ δικροῦν τῆς γλώσσης ὥσπερ σιάλῳ λευκῷ ἐπαλείφεται· καὶ ἐν ἄκρῃ τῇ γλώσσῃ ταὐτὸ τοῦτο γεγένηται, ἧσσον δέ· εἰ μὲν οὖν σμικρὰ ταῦτα εἴη, ἐς τὴν τρίτην ἄνεσις τῆς νούσου· ἢν δ’ ἔτι παχύτερον, αὔριον· ἢν δ’ ἔτι παχύτερον, αὐθημερόν.
Moreover, if the voice is weaker and becomes smoother, and the breath rarer and thinner, there is a remission of the disease on the following day; one must therefore consider these things with respect to the crises, and whether the area beside the fork of the tongue is coated as if with white saliva, and if this same thing has occurred on the tip of the tongue, but to a lesser degree; if indeed these things are small, there will be a remission of the disease on the third day; but if still thicker, tomorrow; if still thicker, on the same day.
Τοῦτο δὲ, τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὰ λευκὰ ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν τῆς νούσου ἀνάγκη μελαίνεσθαι, ἐὰν ἰσχύῃ ἡ νοῦσος· ταῦτα οὖν καθαρὰ γινόμενα τελείην ὑγείην δηλοῖ· ἀτρέμα μὲν βραδύτερον, σφόδρα δὲ γινόμενον, θᾶσσον.
Moreover, the whites of the eyes must necessarily become dark at the beginning of the disease, if the disease is severe; these things therefore becoming clear indicate complete recovery; if gradually, more slowly; but if rapidly, more quickly.
§33.
3.
Τὰ δὲ ὀξέα τῶν νοσημάτων γίνεται ἀπὸ χολῆς ὁκόταν ἐπὶ τὸ ἧπαρ ἐπιῤῥυῇ, καὶ ἐς τὴν κεφαλὴν καταστῇ.
And acute diseases arise from bile, whenever it flows onto the liver and settles in the head.
Τάδε οὖν πάσχει· τὸ ἧπαρ οἰδέει καὶ ἀναπτύσσεται πρὸς τὰς φρένας ὑπὸ τοῦ οἰδήματος, καὶ εὐθὺς ἐς τὴν κεφαλὴν ὀδύνη ἐμπίπτει, μάλιστα δὲ ἐς τοὺς κροτάφους· καὶ τοῖσιν ὠσὶν οὐκ ὀξὺ ἀκούει, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ τοῖσιν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν οὐχ ὁρῇ· καὶ φρίκη καὶ πυρετὸς ἐπιλαμβάνει.
Now the patient suffers these things: the liver swells and is pushed up against the diaphragm by the swelling, and immediately pain falls upon the head, especially upon the temples; and he does not hear sharply with his ears, and often he does not see with his eyes; and shivering and fever seize him.
Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν κατ’ ἀρχὰς τοῦ νοσήματος αὐτέῳ γίνεται διαλιμπάνοντα, τοτὲ μὲν σφόδρα, τοτὲ δὲ ἧσσον· ὁκόσῳ δὲ ἂν ὁ χρόνος τῆς νούσου προΐῃ, ὅ τε πόνος πλείων ἐν τῷ σώματι, καὶ αἱ κόραι σκίδνανται τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, καὶ σκιαυγεῖ, καὶ ἢν προσφέρῃς τὸν δάκτυλον πρὸς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, οὐκ αἰσθήσεται διὰ τὸ μὴ ὁρῇν· τούτῳ δ’ ἂν γνοίης ὅτι οὐχ ὁρῇ, οὐ γὰρ σκαρδαμύσσει προσφερομένου τοῦ δακτύλου.
These things indeed happen to him at the beginning of the disease at intervals, sometimes severely, and sometimes less so; and the further the time of the disease progresses, the greater is the pain in the body, and the pupils of the eyes dilate, and he has dim vision, and if you bring your finger close to his eyes, he will not perceive it because of his not seeing; and you would know that he does not see by this, for he does not blink when the finger is brought close.
Καὶ τὰς κροκίδας ἀφαιρέει ἀπὸ τῶν ἱματίων, ἤν περ ἴδῃ, δοκέων φθεῖρας εἶναι.
And he plucks the threads from the bedclothes, if indeed he sees them, thinking they are lice.
Καὶ ὁκόταν τὸ ἧπαρ μᾶλλον ἀναπτυχθῇ πρὸς τὰς φρένας, παραφρονέει· καὶ προφαίνεσθαί οἱ δοκέει πρὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἑρπετὰ καὶ ἄλλα παντοδαπὰ θηρία, καὶ ὁπλίτας μαχομένους, καὶ αὐτὸς αὐτοῖς δοκέει μάχεσθαι, καὶ τοιαῦτα λέγει ὡς ὁρέων, καὶ ἐξέρχεται, καὶ ἀπειλεῖ, ἢν μή τις αὐτὸν ἐῴη διεξιέναι, καὶ ἢν ἀναστῇ, οὐ δύναται αἴρειν τὰ σκέλεα, ἀλλὰ πίπτει.
And when the liver is pressed further up against the diaphragm, he becomes delirious; and reptiles and other beasts of all kinds, and hoplites fighting seem to appear before his eyes, and he himself seems to fight with them, and speaks of such things as though seeing them, and goes out, and threatens if someone does not let him pass, and if he stands up, he cannot lift his legs, but falls.
Οἱ πόδες δὲ γίνονται αἰεὶ ψυχροί· καὶ ὁκόταν καθεύδῃ, ἀναΐσσει ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου, καὶ ἐνύπνια ὁρῇ φοβερά.
His feet are always cold; and whenever he sleeps, he starts up from sleep and sees terrifying dreams.
Τοῦτο δὲ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἀπὸ ἐνυπνίων ἀναΐσσει καὶ φοβέεται, ὅταν ἔννοος γένηται· ἀφηγεῖται γὰρ τὰ ἐνύπνια τοιαῦτα ὁκοῖα καὶ τῷ σώματι ἐποίεέ τε καὶ τῇ γλώσσῃ ἔλεγεν.
And we know this, that he starts up and is frightened because of dreams, when he becomes conscious; for he relates that the dreams were such as he was both doing with his body and saying with his tongue.
Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὧδε πάσχει.
These things indeed he suffers in this way.
Ἔστι δ’ ὅτε καὶ ἄφωνος γίνεται ὅλην τὴν ἡμέρην καὶ τὴν νύκτα, ἀναπνέων πουλὺ ἀθρόον πνεῦμα.
And there are times when he also becomes speechless for a whole day and night, drawing deep and rapid breath.
Ὅταν δὲ παύσηται παραφρονέων, εὐθὺς ἔννοος γίνεται, καὶ ἢν ἐρωτᾷ τις αὐτὸν, ὀρθῶς ἀποκρίνεται, καὶ γινώσκει πάντα τὰ λεγόμενα· εἶτα πάλιν ὀλίγῳ ὕστερον ἐν τοῖσιν αὐτοῖσιν ἄλγεσι κεῖται.
But when he ceases to be delirious, he immediately becomes conscious, and if anyone questions him, he answers correctly and understands everything that is said; then again a little later he lies in the same pains.
Αὕτη ἡ νοῦσος προσπίπτει μάλιστα ἐν ἀποδημίῃ, καὶ ἤν πη ἐρήμην ὁδὸν βαδίσῃ· λαμβάνει δὲ καὶ ἄλλως.
This disease attacks especially during a journey, and if one walks somewhere along a deserted road; but it also attacks under other circumstances.
§44.
4.
Τέτανοι δύο ἢ τρεῖς· ἢν μὲν ἐπὶ τρώματι γένηται, πάσχει τάδε.
There are two or three kinds of tetanus: if indeed it occurs upon a wound, the patient suffers these things.
Αἱ γνάθοι πήγνυνται ὥσπερ ξύλα, καὶ τὸ στόμα ἀνοίγειν οὐ δύνανται, καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ δακρύουσι θαμινὰ καὶ ἕλκονται, καὶ τὸ μετάφρενον πέπηγε, καὶ τὰ σκέλεα οὐ δύνανται ξυγκάμπτειν, οὐδὲ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν ῥάχιν· ὁκόταν δὲ θανατώδης ᾖ, τὸ ποτὸν καὶ τὰ βρώματα, ἃ πρότερον ἐβεβρώκεεν, ἀνὰ τὰς ῥῖνας ἐνίοτε ἔρχεται.
The jaws are fixed like wood, and they cannot open their mouth, and the eyes water frequently and are distorted, and the upper back is stiff, and they can bend neither their legs, nor their arms and spine; and whenever it is fatal, the drink and the food, which they had previously eaten, sometimes come up through the nostrils.