1. It appears to me a most excellent thing for the physician to cultivate Prognosis; for by foreseeing and foretelling, in the presence of the sick, the present, the past, and the future, and explaining the omissions which patients have been guilty of, he will be the more readily believed to be acquainted with the circumstances of the sick; so that men will have confidence to intrust themselves to such a physician. And he will manage the cure best who has foreseen what is to happen from the present state of matters. For it is impossible to make all the sick well; this, indeed, would have been better than to be able to foretell what is going to happen; but since men die, some even before calling the physician, from the violence of the disease, and some die immediately after calling him, having lived, perhaps, only one day or a little longer, and before the physician could bring his art to counteract the disease; it therefore becomes necessary to know the nature of such affections, how far they are above the powers of the constitution; and, moreover, if there be anything divine in the diseases, and to learn a foreknowledge of this also. Thus a man will be the more esteemed to be a good physician, for he will be the better able to treat those aright who can be saved, having long anticipated everything; and by seeing and announcing beforehand those who will live and those who will die, he will thus escape censure.
1. 1. τὸν ἰητρὸν δοκέει μοι ἄριστον εἶναι πρόνοιαν ἐπιτηδεύειν· προγιγνώσκων γὰρ καὶ προλέγων παρὰ τοῖσι νοσέουσι τά τε παρεόντα καὶ τὰ προγεγονότα καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα ἔσεσθαι, ὁκόσα τε παραλείπουσιν οἱ ἀσθενέοντες ἐκδιηγεύμενος, πιστεύοιτʼ ἂν μᾶλλον γιγνώσκειν τὰ τῶν νοσεόντων πρήγματα, ὥστε τολμᾷν ἐπιτρέπειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους σφέας ἑωυτοὺς τῷ ἰητρῷ. τὴν δὲ θεραπείην ἄριστα ἂν ποιέοιτο, προειδὼς τὰ ἐσόμενα ἐκ τῶν παρεόντων παθημάτων. ὑγιέας μὲν γὰρ ποιέειν ἅπαντας τοὺς ἀσθενέοντας ἀδύνατον· τοῦτο γὰρ τοῦ προγιγνώσκειν τὰ μέλλοντα ἀποβήσεσθαι κρέσσον ἂν ἦν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀποθνήσκουσιν, οἱ μὲν πρὶν ἢ καλέσαι τὸν ἰητρὸν, ὑπὸ τῆς ἰσχύος τῆς νούσου, οἱ δὲ καὶ ἐσκαλεσάμενοι παραχρῆμα ἐτελεύτησαν, οἱ μὲν ἡμέρην μίην ζήσαντες, οἱ δὲ ὀλίγῳ πλέονα χρόνον πρὶν ἢ τὸν ἰητρὸν τῇ τέχνῃ πρὸς ἕκαστον νούσημα ἀνταγωνίσασθαι· γνῶναι οὖν χρὴ τῶν παθέων τῶν τοιουτέων τὰς φύσιας, ὁκόσον ὑπὲρ τὴν δύναμίν εἰσι τῶν σωμάτων, ἅμα δὲ καὶ εἴ τι θεῖον ἔνεστιν ἐν τῇσι νούσοισι, καὶ τουτέου τὴν πρόνοιαν ἐκμανθάνειν. οὕτω γὰρ ἂν θαυμάζοιτό τε δικαίως, καὶ ἰητρὸς ἀγαθὸς ἂν εἴη· καὶ γὰρ οὓς οἷόν τε περιγίγνεσθαι, τούτους ἔτι μᾶλλον δύναιτʼ ἂν ὀρθῶς διαφυλάσσειν, ἐκ πλείονος χρόνου προβουλευόμενος πρὸς ἕκαστα, καὶ τοὺς ἀποθανουμένους τε καὶ σωθησομένους προγιγνώσκων καὶ προαγορεύων ἀναίτιος ἂν εἴη.
2. He should observe thus in acute diseases: first, the countenance of the patient, if it be like those of persons in health, and more so, if like itself, for this is the best of all; whereas the most opposite to it is the worst, such as the following; a sharp nose, hollow eyes, collapsed temples; the ears cold, contracted, and their lobes turned out: the skin about the forehead being rough, distended, and parched; the color of the whole face being green, black, livid, or lead-colored. If the countenance be such at the commencement of the disease, and if this cannot be accounted for from the other symptoms, inquiry must be made whether the patient has long wanted sleep; whether his bowels have been very loose; and whether he has suffered from want of food; and if any of these causes be confessed to, the danger is to be reckoned so far less; and it becomes obvious, in the course of a day and a night, whether or not the appearance of the countenance proceeded from these causes. But if none of these be said to exist, if the symptoms do not subside in the aforesaid time, it is to be known for certain that death is at hand. And, also, if the disease be in a more advanced stage either on the third or fourth day, and the countenance be such, the same inquiries as formerly directed are to be made, and the other symptoms are to be noted, those in the whole countenance, those on the body, and those in the eyes; for if they shun the light, or weep involuntarily, or squint, or if the one be less than the other, or if the white of them be red, livid, or has black veins in it; if there be a gum upon the eyes, if they are restless, protruding, or are become very hollow; and if the countenance be squalid and dark, or the color of the whole face be changed—all these are to be reckoned bad and fatal symptoms. The physician should also observe the appearance of the eyes from below the eyelids in sleep; for when a portion of the white appears, owing to the eyelids not being closed together, and when this is not connected with diarrhea or purgation from medicine, or when the patient does not sleep thus from habit, it is to be reckoned an unfavorable and very deadly symptom; but if the eyelid be contracted, livid, or pale, or also the lip, or nose, along with some of the other symptoms, one may know for certain that death is close at hand. It is a mortal symptom, also, when the lips are relaxed, pendent, cold, and blanched.
2. 2. σκέπτεσθαι δὲ χρὴ ὧδε ἐν τοῖσιν ὀξέσι νουσήμασι· πρῶτον μὲν τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ νοσέοντος, εἰ ὅμοιόν ἐστι τοῖσι τῶν ὑγιαινόντων, μάλιστα δὲ, εἰ αὐτὸ ἑωυτέῳ οὕτω γὰρ ἂν εἴη ἄριστον, τὸ δʼ ἐναντιώτατον τοῦ ὁμοίου, δεινότατον. εἴη δʼ ἂν τὸ τοιόνδε· ῤὶς ὀξεῖα, ὀφθαλμοὶ κοῖλοι, κρόταφοι ξυμπεπτωκότες, ὦτα ψυχρὰ καὶ ξυνεσταλμένα, καὶ οἱ λοβοὶ τῶν ὤτων ἀπεστραμμένοι, καὶ τὸ δέρμα τὸ περὶ τὸ μέτωπον σκληρόν τε καὶ περιτεταμένον καὶ καρφαλέον ἐόν. καὶ τὸ χρῶμα τοῦ ξύμπαντος προσώπου χλωρόν τε ἢ καὶ μέλαν ἐὸν, καὶ πελιὸν, ἢ μολιβδῶδες. ἢν μὲν οὖν ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς νούσου τὸ πρόσωπον τοιοῦτον ᾖ, καὶ μήπω οἷόν τε ᾖ τοῖσιν ἄλλοισι σημείοισι ξυντεκμαίρεσθαι, ἐπανερέσθαι χρὴ, μὴ ἠγρύπνησεν ὁ νοσέων, ἢ τὰ τῆς κοιλίης ἐξυγρασμένα ᾖ ἰσχυρῶς, ἢ λιμῶδές τι ἔχῃ αὐτόν· κἢν μέν τι τουτέων ὁμολογέῃ, ἧσσον νομίζειν δεινὸν εἶναι· κρίνεται δὲ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐν ἡμέρῃ τε καὶ νυκτὶ, ἢν διὰ ταύτας τὰς προφάσιας τὸ πρόσωπον τοιοῦτον ᾖ. ἢν δὲ μηδὲν τουτέων φῇ εἶναι, μηδὲ ἐν τῷ χρόνῳ τῷ προειρημένῳ καταστῇ, εἰδέναι χρὴ ἐγγὺς ἐόντα τοῦ θανάτου. ἢν δὲ καὶ παλαιοτέρου ἐόντος τοῦ νουσήματος, ἢ τριταίου ἢ τεταρταίου, τὸ πρόσωπον τοιοῦτον ᾖ, περὶ τουτέων ἐπανε ρέσθαι, περὶ ὧν καὶ πρότερον ἐκέλευσα, καὶ τἄλλα σημεῖα σκέπτεσθαι, τά τε ἐν τῷ ξύμπαντι προσώπῳ, τά τε ἐν τῷ σώματι, καὶ τὰ ἐν τοῖσιν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν. ἢν γὰρ τὴν αὐγὴν φεύγωσιν, ἢ δακρύωσιν ἀπροαιρέτως, ἢ διαστρέφωνται, ἢ ὁ ἕτερος τοῦ ἑτέρου ἐλάσσων γίγνηται, ἢ τὰ λευκὰ ἐρυθρὰ ἴσχωσιν, ἢ πελιὰ, ἢ φλέβια μέλανα ἐν ἑωυτέοισιν ἔχωσιν, ἢ λῆμαι φαίνωνται περὶ τὰς ὄψιας, ἢ καὶ ἐναιωρεύμενοι, ἢ ἐξίσχοντες, ἢ ἔγκοιλοι ἰσχυρῶς γιγνόμενοι, ἢ αἱ ὄψιες αὐχμῶσαι καὶ ἀλαμπέες, ἢ τὸ χρῶμα τοῦ ξύμπαντος προσώπου ἠλλοιωμένον ᾖ, ταῦτα πάντα κακὰ νομίζειν καὶ ὀλέθρια εἶναι. Σκοπέειν δὲ χρὴ καὶ τὰς ὑποφάσιας τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐν τοῖσιν ὕπνοισιν· ἢν γάρ τι ὑποφαίνηται τοῦ λευκοῦ, τῶν βλεφάρων μὴ ξυμβαλλομένων, μὴ ἐκ διαῤῥοίης ἢ φαρμακοποσίης ἐόντι, ἢ μὴ εἰθισμένῳ οὕτω καθεύδειν, φλαῦρον τὸ σημεῖον καὶ θανατῶδες λίην. ἢν δὲ καμπύλον γένηται, ἢ πελιὸν, ἢ ὠχρὸν βλέφαρον, ἢ χεῖλος, ἢ ῤὶς, μετά τινος τῶν ἄλλων σημείων, εἰδέναι χρὴ ἐγγὺς ἐόντα θανάτου· θανατῶδες δὲ καὶ χείλεα ἀπολυόμενα, καὶ κρεμάμενα, καὶ ψυχρὰ, καὶ ἔκλευκα γιγνόμενα.
3. It is well when the patient is found by his physician reclining upon either his right or his left side, having his hands, neck, and legs slightly bent, and the whole body lying in a relaxed state, for thus the most of persons in health recline, and these are the best of postures which most resemble those of healthy persons. But to lie upon one’s back, with the hands, neck, and the legs extended, is far less favorable. And if the patient incline forward, and sink down to the foot of the bed, it is a still more dangerous symptom; but if he be found with his feet naked and not sufficiently warm, and the hands, neck, and legs tossed about in a disorderly manner and naked, it is bad, for it indicates aberration of intellect. It is a deadly symptom, also, when the patient sleeps constantly with his mouth open, having his legs strongly bent and plaited together, while he lies upon his back; and to lie upon one’s belly, when not habitual to the patient to sleep thus while in good health, indicates delirium, or pain in the abdominal regions. And for the patient to wish to sit erect at the acme of a disease is a bad symptom in all acute diseases, but particularly so in pneumonia. To grind the teeth in fevers, when such has not been the custom of the patient from childhood, indicates madness and death, both which dangers are to be announced beforehand as likely to happen; and if a person in delirium do this it is a very deadly symptom. And if the patient had an ulcer previously, or if one has occurred in the course of the disease, it is to be observed; for if the man be about to die the sore will become livid and dry, or yellow and dry before death.
3. 3. κεκλιμένον δὲ χρὴ καταλαμβάνεσθαι τὸν νοσέοντα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἰητροῦ ἐπὶ τὸ πλευρὸν τὸ δεξιὸν, ἢ τὸ ἀριστερὸν, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὸν τράχηλον καὶ τὰ σκέλεα ὀλίγον ἐπικεκαμμένα ἔχοντα, καὶ τὸ ξύμπαν σῶμα ὑγρὸν κείμενον· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν ὁγιαινόντων κατακλίνονται· ἄρισται δέ εἰσι τῶν κατακλίσιων αἱ ὅμοιαι τῇσι τῶν ὑγιαινόντων. ὕπτιον δὲ κέεσθαι καὶ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὸν τράχηλον καὶ τὰ σκέλεα ἐκτεταμένα ἔχοντα, ἧσσον ἀγαθόν. εἰ δὲ καὶ προπετὴς γένοιτο, καὶ καταῤῥέοι ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας, δεινότερόν ἐστιν. εἰ δὲ καὶ γυμνοὺς τοὺς πόδας εὑρίσκοιτο ἔχων, μὴ θερμοὺς κάρτα ἐόντας, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας, καὶ τὸν τράχηλον, και τὰ σκέλεα ἀνωμάλως διεῤῥιμμένα καὶ γυμνὰ, κακόν· ἀλυσμὸν γὰρ σημαίνει. θανατῶδες δὲ καὶ τὸ κεχηνότα καθεύδειν αἰεὶ, καὶ τὰ σκέλεα ὑπτίου κειμένου ξυγκεκαμμένα εἶναι ἰσχυρῶς, καὶ διαπεπλεγμένα. ἐπὶ γαστέρα δὲ κέεσθαι ᾧ μὴ ξύνηθές ἐστι καὶ ὑγιαίνοντι οὕτω κοιμᾶσθαι, παραφροσύνην τινὰ σημαίνει, ἢ ὀδύνην τῶν ἀμφὶ τὴν κοιλίην τόπων. Ἀνακαθίζειν δὲ βούλεσθαι τὸν νοσέοντα, τῆς νούσου ἀκμαζούσης, πονηρὸν μὲν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖσιν ὀξέσι νουσήμασι, κάκιστον δὲ ἐν τοῖσι περιπλευμονικοῖσιν. ὀδόντας δὲ πρίειν ἐν πυρετοῖσιν, ὁκόσοισι μὴ ξύνηθές ἐστιν ἀπὸ παίδων, μανικὸν καὶ θανατῶδες, ἀλλὰ προλέγειν ἀπʼ ἀμφοῖν κίνδυνον ἐσόμενον· ἢν δὲ καὶ παραφρονέων τοῦτο ποιέῃ, ὀλέθριον γίγνεται καρτα ἤδη. Ἔλκος δὲ ἤν τε καὶ προγεγονὸς τύχῃ ἔχων, ἤν τε καὶ ἐν τῇ νούσῳ γένηται, καταμανθάνειν δεῖ· ἢν γὰρ μέλλῃ ἀπόλλυσθαι ὁ ἄνθρωπος, πρὸ τοῦ θανάτου πελιδνόν τε καὶ ξηρὸν ἔσται, ἢ ὠχρόν τε καὶ ξηρόν.
4. Respecting the movement of the hands I have these observations to make: When in acute fevers, pneumonia, phrenitis, or headache, the hands are waved before the face, hunting through empty space, as if gathering bits of straw, picking the nap from the coverlet, or tearing chaff from the wall—all such symptoms are bad and deadly.
4. 4. περὶ δὲ χειρῶν φορῆς τάδε γιγνώσκω· ὁκόσοισιν ἐν πυρετοῖσιν ὀξέσιν, ἢ ἐν περιπλευμονίῃσιν, ἢ ἐν φρενίτισιν, ἢ ἐν κεφαλαλγίῃσι, πρὸ τοῦ προσώπου φερομένας καὶ θηρευούσας διὰ κενῆς, καὶ ἀποκαρφολογεούσας, καὶ κροκίδας ἀπὸ τῶν ἱματίων ἀποτιλλούσας, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τοίχου ἄχυρα ἀποσπώσας, πάσας εἶναι κακὰς καὶ θανατώδεας.
5. Respiration, when frequent, indicates pain or inflanunation in the parts above the diaphragm: a large respiration performed at a great interval announces delirium; but a cold respiration at nose or mouth is a very fatal symptom. Free respiration is to be looked upon as contributing much to the safety of the patient in all acute diseases, such as fevers, and those complaints which come to a crisis in forty days.
5. 5. πνεῦμα δὲ πυκνὸν μὲν ἐὸν πόνον σημαίνει ἢ φλεγμονὴ ἐν τοῖσιν ὑπὲρ τῶν φρενῶν χωρίοισι· μέγα δὲ ἀναπνεόμενον καὶ διὰ πολλοῦ χρόνου παραφροσύνην δηλοῖ ψυχρὸν δὲ ἐκπνεόμενον ἐκ τῶν ῥινῶν καὶ τοῦ στόματος ὀλέθριον κάρτα ἤδη γίγνεται. Εὔ πνοιαν δὲ χρὴ νομίζειν κάρτα μεγάλην δύναμιν ἔχειν ἐς σωτηρίη ἐν ἅπασι τοῖσιν ὁξέσι νουσήμασιν, ὅσα ξὺν πυρετοῖσίν ἐστι καὶ ἐν τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρησι κρίνεται.
6. Those sweats are the best in all acute diseases which occur on the critical days, and completely carry off the fever. Those are favorable, too, which taking place over the whole body, show that the man is bearing the disease better. But those that do not produce this effect are not beneficial. The worst are cold sweats, confined to the head, face, and neck; these in an acute fever prognosticate death, or in a milder one, a prolongation of the disease; and sweats which occur over the whole body, with the characters of those confined to the neck, are in like manner bad. Sweats attended with a miliary eruption, and taking place about the neck, are bad; sweats in the form of drops and of vapour are good. One ought to know the entire character of sweats, for some are connected with prostration of strength in the body, and some with intensity of the inflammation.
6. 6. οἱ δὲ ἱδρῶτες ἀριστοι μέν εἰσιν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖσιν ὀξέσι νουσμασιν, ὁκόσοι ἐν ἡμέρῃσί τε κρισίμοισι γίγνονται καὶ τελείως τὸν πυρετὸν ἀπαλλάσσουσιν. ἀγαθοὶ δὲ καὶ ὁκόσοι διὰ παντὸς τοῦ σώματος γιγνόμενοι ἀπέδειξαν τὸν ἄνθρωπον εὐπετέστερον φέροντα τὸ νούσημα. οἳ δʼ ἂν μὴ τοιοῦτόν τι ἐξεργάσωνται, οὐ λυσιτελέες. κάκιστοι δὲ οἱ ψυχροί τε καὶ μοῦνον περὶ τὴν κεφαλήν τε καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον γιγνόμενοι καὶ τὸν αὐχένα· οὗτοι γὰρ ξὺν μὲν ὀξεῖ πυρετῷ θάνατον προσημαίνουσι, ξὺν δὲ πρηϋτέρῳ, μῆκος νούσου. καὶ οἱ κατὰ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα ὡσαύτως γιγνόμενοι τοῖσι περὶ τὴν κεφαλήν· οἱ δὲ κεγχροειδέες καὶ μοῦνον περὶ τὸν τράχηλον γιγνόμενοι πονηροί. οἱ δὲ μετὰ σταλαγμῶν καὶ ἀτμίζοντες, ἀγαθοί. κατανοέειν δὲ χρὴ τὸ ξύνολον τῶν ἱδρώτων. γίγνονται γὰρ οἱ μὲν διʼ ἔκλυσιν σωμάτων, οἱ δὲ διὰ ξυντονίην φλεγμονῆς.
7. That state of the hypochondrium is best when it is free from pain, soft, and of equal size on the right side and the left. But if inflamed, or painful, or distended; or when the right and left sides are of disproportionate sizes;—all these appearances are to be dreaded. And if there be also pulsation in the hypochondrium, it indicates perturbation or delirium; and the physician should examine the eyes of such persons; for if their pupils be in rapid motion, such persons may be expected to go mad. A swelling in the hypochondrium, that is hard and painful, is very bad, provided it occupy the whole hypochondrium; but if it be on either side, it is less dangerous when on the left. Such swellings at the commencement of the disease prognosticate speedy death; but if the fever has passed twenty days, and the swelling has not subsided, it turns to a suppuration. A discharge of blood from the nose occurs to such in the first period, and proves very useful; but inquiry should be made if they have headache or indistinct vision; for if there be such, the disease will be determined thither. The discharge of blood is rather to be expected in those who are younger than thirty-five years. Such swellings as are soft, free from pain, and yield to the finger, occasion more protracted crises, and are less dangerous than the others. But if the fever continue beyond sixty days, without any subsidence of the swelling, it indicates that empyema is about to take place; and a swelling in any other part of the cavity will terminate in like manner. Such, then, as are painful, hard, and large, indicate danger of speedy death; but such as are soft, free of pain, and yield when pressed with the finger, are more chronic than these. Swellings in the belly less frequently form abscesses than those in the hypochondrium; and seldomest of all, those below the navel are converted into suppuration; but you may rather expect a hemorrhage from the upper parts. But the suppuration of all protracted swellings about these parts is to be anticipated. The collections of matter there are to be thus judged of: such as are determined outwards are the best when they are small, when they protrude very much, and swell to a point; such as are large and broad, and which do not swell out to a sharp point, are the worst. Of such as break internally, the best are those which have no external communication, but are covered and indolent; and when the whole place is free from discoloration. That pus is best which is white, homogeneous, smooth, and not at all fetid; the contrary to this is the worst.
7. 7. ὑποχόνδριον δὲ ἄριστον μὲν ἀνώδυνόν τε ἐὸν καὶ μαλθακὸν καὶ ὁμαλὸν, καὶ ἐπὶ δεξιὰ καὶ ἐπʼ ἀριστερά. φλεγμαῖνον δὲ, ἢ ὀδύνην παρέχον, ἢ ἐντεταμένον, ἢ ἀνωμάλως διακείμενα τὰ δεξιὰ πρὸς τὰ ἀριστερὰ, ταῦτα πάντα φυλάσσεσθαι χρή. εἰ δὲ καὶ σφυγμὸς ἐνείη ἐν τῷ ὑποχονδρίῳ, θόρυβον σημαίνει, ἢ παραφροσύνην· ἀλλὰ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπικατιδεῖν τῶν τοιουτέων· ἢν γὰρ αἱ ὄψιες πυκνὰ κινέωνται, μανῆναι τούτους ἐλπίς. οἴδημα δὲ ἐν τῷ ὑποχονδρίῳ σκληρόν τε ἐὸν καὶ ἐπώδυνον, κάκιστον μὲν, εἰ παρʼ ἅπαν εἴη τὸ ὑποχόνδριον· εἰ δὲ καὶ εἴη ἐν τῷ ἑτέρῳ μέρει, ἀκινδυνότερόν ἐστιν ἐν τῷ ἐπʼ ἀριστερά. σημαίνει δὲ τὰ τοιαῦτα οἰδήματα ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν θάνατον ὀλιγοχρόνιον ἔσεσθαι· ἢν δὲ ὑπερβάλλη εἴκοσιν ἡμέρας ὅ τε πυρετὸς ἔχων καὶ τὸ οἴδημα μὴ καθιστάμενον, ἐς διαπύησιν τρέπεται. γίγνεται δὲ τουτέοισιν ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ περιόδῳ καὶ αἵματος ῤῆξις ἐκ τῶν ῤινῶν, καὶ κάρτα ὠφελέει· ἀλλʼ ἐπανερωτᾷν χρὴ, εἰ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀλγέουσιν, ἢ ἀμβλυωπέουσιν· ἢν γάρ τι τοιοῦτον εἴη, ἐνταῦθα ἂν ῤέποι. μᾶλλον δὲ τοῖσι νεωτέροισι πέντε καὶ τριήκοντα ἐτέων, τὴν τοῦ αἵματος ῤῆξιν προσδέχεσθαι χρή. τὰ δὲ μαλθακὰ τῶν οἰδημάτων καὶ ἀνώδυνα καὶ τῷ δακτύλῳ ὑπείκοντα χρονιωτέρας τὰς κρίσιας ποιέεται, καὶ ἧσσον ἐκείνων δεινότερά ἐστιν. εἰ δὲ ὑπερβάλλοι ἑξήκοντα ἡμέρας ὅ τε πυρετὸς ἔχων καὶ τὸ οἴδημα μὴ καθιστάμενον, ἔμπυον ἔσεσθαι σημαίνει· καὶ τοῦτο, καὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ ἄλλῃ κοιλίῃ κατὰ τωὐτό. ὁκόσα μὲν οὖν ἐπώδυνά τέ ἐστι καὶ σκληρὰ καὶ μεγάλα, σημαίνει κίνδυνον θανάτου ὀλιγοχρονίου· ὁκόσα δὲ μαλθακά τε καὶ ἀνώδυνα καὶ τῷ δακτύλῳ πιεζόμενα ὑπείκει, χρονιώτερα ἐκείνων. τὰς δὲ ἀποστάσιας ἧσσον τὰ ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ οἰδήματα ποιέεται τῶν ἐν τοῖσιν ὑποχονδρίοισιν, ἥκιστα δὲ τὰ ὑποκάτω τοῦ ὀμφαλοῦ ἐς ἐπιπύησιν τρέπεται· αἵματος δὲ ῤῆξιν ἐκ τῶν ἄνω τόπων μάλιστα προσδέχεσθαι. ἁπάντων δὲ χρὴ τῶν οἰδημάτων χρονιζόντων περὶ ταῦτα τὰ χωρία ὑποσκέπτεσθαι τὰς ἐκπυήσιας. τὰ δὲ διαπυήματα ὧδε δεῖ σκέπτεσθαι τὰ ἐντεῦθεν· ὁκόσα μὲν ἔξω τρέπεται, ἄριστά ἐστι, μικρά τε ἐόντα, καὶ ὡς μάλιστα ἐκκλίνοντα ἔξω, καὶ ἐς ὀξὺ ἀποκυρτούμενα· τὰ δὲ μεγάλα τε ἐόντα καὶ πλατέα, καὶ ἥκιστα ἐς ὀξὺ ἀποκορυφούμενα, κάκιστα· ὁσα δὲ ἔσω ῤήγνυται, ἄριστά ἐστιν, ἃ μηδὲν τῷ ἔξω χωρίῳ ἐπικοινωνέει, ἀλλʼ ἔστι προσεσταλμένα τε καὶ ἀνώδυνα· καὶ πᾶν τὸ ἔξω χωρίον ὁμόχροον φαίνεται. τὸ δὲ πῦον ἄριστον λευκόν τε εἶναι καὶ ὁμαλὸν καὶ λεῖον καὶ ὡς ἥκιστα δυσῶδες· τὸ δὲ ἐναντίον τουτέου κάκιστον.
8. All dropsies arising from acute diseases are bad; for they do not remove the fever, and are very painful and fatal. The most of them commence from the flanks and loins, but some from the liver; in those which derive their origin from the flanks and loins the feet swell, protracted diarrhoeas supervene, which neither remove the pains in the flanks and loins, nor soften the belly, but in dropsies which are connected with the liver there is a tickling cough, with scarcely any perceptible expectoration, and the feet swell; there are no evacuations from the bowels, unless such as are hard and forced; and there are swellings about the belly, sometimes on the one side and sometimes on the other, and these increase and diminish by turns.
8. 8. οἱ δὲ ὕδρωπες οἱ ἐκ τῶν ὀξέων νουσημάτων πάντες κακοί· οὔτε γὰρ τοῦ πυρὸς ἀπαλλάσσουσιν, ἐπώδυνοί τέ εἰσι κάρτα καὶ θανατώδεες. ἄρχονται δὲ οἱ πλεῖστοι μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν κενεώνων καὶ τῆς ὀσφύος, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἥπατος· οἷσι μὲν οὖν ἀπὸ τῶν κενεώνων καὶ τῆς ὀσφύος αἱ ἀρχαὶ γίγνονται, οἵ τε πόδες οἰδέουσι, καὶ διάῤῥοιαι πολυχρόνιον ἔχουσιν, οὔτε τὰς ὀδύνας λύουσαι τὰς ἐκ τῶν κενεώνων καὶ τῆς ὀσφύος, οὔτε τὴν γαστέρα λαπάσσουσαι· ὁκόσοισι δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἥπατος ὕδρωπες γίγνονται, βῆξαί τε θυμὸς τούτοισιν ἐγγίγνεται, καὶ οὐδέν τι ἀποπτύουσιν ἄξιον λόγου, καὶ οἱ πόδες οἰδέουσι, καὶ ἡ γαστὴρ οὐ διαχωρέει, εἰ μὴ σκληρά τε καὶ πρὸς ἀνάγκην, καὶ περὶ τὴν κοιλίην γίγνεται οἰδήματα, τὰ μὲν ἐπὶ δεξιὰ, τὰ δʼ ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰ, ἱστάμενά τε καὶ καταπαυόμενα.
9. It is a bad symptom when the head, hands, and feet are cold, while the belly and sides are hot; but it is a very good symptom when the whole body is equally hot. The patient ought to be able to turn round easily, and to be agile when raised up; but if he appear heavy in the rest of his body as well as in his hands and feet, it is more dangerous; and if, in addition to the weight, his nails and fingers become livid, immediate death may be anticipated; and if the hands and feet be black it is less dangerous than if they be livid, but the other symptoms must be attended, to; for if he appear to bear the illness well, and if certain of the salutary symptoms appear along with these there may be hope that the disease will turn to a deposition, so that the man may recover; but the blackened parts of the body will drop off. When the testicles and members are retracted upwards, they indicate strong pains and danger of death.
9. 9. κεφαλὴ δὲ καὶ χεῖρες καὶ πόδες ψυχρὰ ἐόντα κακὸν, τῆς τε κοιλίης καὶ τῶν πλευρῶν θερμῶν ἐόντων. ἄριστον δὲ καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα θερμόν τε ἐὸν καὶ μαλθακὸν ὁμαλῶς. στρέφεσθαι δὲ χρὴ ῤηϊδίως τὸν ἀλγεῦντα, καὶ ἐν τοῖσι μετεωρισμοῖσιν ἐλαφρὸν εἶναι· εἰ δὲ βαρὺς ἐὼν φαίνοιτο καὶ τὸ ἄλλο σῶμα καὶ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τοὺς πόδας, ἐπικινδυνότερον. εἰ δὲ πρὸς τῷ βάρει καὶ οἱ ὄνυχες καὶ οἱ δάκτυλοι πελιδνοὶ γίγνονται, προσδόκιμος ὁ θάνατος παραυτίκα· μελαινόμενοι δὲ παντελῶς οἱ δάκτυλοι καὶ οἱ πόδες ἧσσον ὀλέθριοι τῶν πελιδνῶν εἰσιν ἀλλὰ καὶ τἄλλα σημεῖα σκέπτεσθαι χρή· ἢν γὰρ εὐπετέως φέρων φαίνηται τὸ κακὸν, καὶ ἄλλο τι τῶν περιεστικῶν πρὸς τουτέοισι τοῖσι σημείοισιν ὑποδεικνύῃ, τὸ νούσημα ἐς ἀπόστασιν τραπῆναι ἐλπὶς, ὥστε τὸν μὲν ἄνθρωπον περιγενέσθαι, τὰ δὲ μελανθέντα τοῦ σώματος ἀποπεσεῖν. ὄρχιες δὲ καὶ αἰδοῖα ἀνεσπασμένα πόνους ἰσχυροὺς σημαίνει καὶ κίνδυνον θανατώδεα.
10. With regard to sleep—as is usual with us in health, the patient should wake during the day and sleep during the night. If this rule be anywise altered it is so far worse: but there will be little harm provided he sleep in the morning for the third part of the day; such sleep as takes place after this time is more unfavorable; but the worst of all is to get no sleep either night or day; for it follows from this symptom that the insomnolency is connected with sorrow and pains, or that he is about to become delirious.
10. 10. περὶ δὲ ὕπνων, ὥσπερ κατὰ φύσιν ξύνηθες ἡμῖν ἐστι, τὴν μὲν ἡμέρην ἐγρηγορέναι χρὴ, τὴν δὲ νύκτα καθεύδειν. ἢν δὲ εἴη τοῦτο μεταβεβλημένον, κάκιον· ἥκιστα δʼ ἂν λυπέοιτο, εἰ κοιμῷτο τὸ πρωϊ ἐς τὸ τρίτον μέρος τῆς ἡμέρης· οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τουτέου τοῦ χρόνου ὕπνοι πονηρότεροί εἰσι· κάκιστον δὲ μὴ κοιμᾶσθαι, μήτε τῆς νυκτὸς, μήτε τῆς ἡμέρης· ἢ γὰρ ὑπὸ ὀδύνης τε καὶ πόνων ἀγρυπνέειν ἢ παραφρονήσειν ἕπεται ἀπὸ τουτέου τοῦ σημείου.
11. The excrement is best which is soft and consistent, is passed at the hour which was customary to the patient when in health, in quantity proportionate to the ingests; for when the passages are such, the lower belly is in a healthy state. But if the discharges be fluid, it is favorable that they are not accompanied with a noise, nor are frequent, nor in great quantity; for the man being oppressed by frequently getting up, must be deprived of sleep; and if the evacuations be both frequent and large, there is danger of his falling into deliquium animi. But in proportion to the ingesta he should have evacuations twice or thrice in the day, once at night and more copiously in the morning, as is customary with a person in health. The faeces should become thicker when the disease is tending to a crisis; they ought to be yellowish and not very fetid. It is favorable that round worms be passed with the discharges when the disease is tending to a crisis. The belly, too, through the whole disease, should be soft and moderately distended; but excrements that are very watery, or white, or green, or very red, or frothy, are all bad. It is also bad when the discharge is small, and viscid, and white, and greenish, and smooth; but still more deadly appearances are the black, or fatty, or livid, or verdigris-green, or fetid. Such as are of varied characters indicate greater duration of the complaint, but are no less dangerous; such as those which resemble scrapings, those which are bilious, those resembling leeks, and the black; these being sometimes passed together, and sometimes singly. It is best when wind passes without noise, but it is better that flatulence should pass even thus than that it should be retained; and when it does pass thus, it indicates either that the man is in pain or in delirium, unless he gives vent to the wind spontaneously. Pains in the hypochondria, and swellings, if recent, and not accompanied with inflammation, are relieved by borborygmi supervening in the hypochondrium, more especially if it pass off with faeces, urine, and wind; but even although not, it will do good by passing along, and it also does good by descending to the lower part of the belly.
11. 11. διαχώρημα δέ ἐστιν ἄριστον τὸ μαλθακόν τε καὶ ξυνεστηκὸς, καὶ τὴν ὥρην ἥνπερ καὶ ὑγιαίνοντι ὑπεχώρεε, πλῆθος δὲ πρὸς λόγον τῶν ἐσιόντων· τοιαύτης γὰρ ἐούσης τῆς διεξόδου, ἡ κάτω κοιλίη ὑγιαίνοι ἄν. εἰ δὲ εἴη ὑγρὸν τὸ διαχώρημα, ξυμφέρει μήτε τρύζειν, μήτε πυκνόν τι εἶναι, καὶ κατʼ ὀλίγον ὑποχωρέειν· κοπιῶν γὰρ ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὑπὸ τῆς ξυνεχέος ἐξαναστάσιος ἀγρυπνοίη ἄν· εἰ δὲ ἀθρόον πολλάκις διαχωρέει, κίνδυνος λειποθυμῆσαι. ἀλλὰ χρὴ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἐσιόντων ἢ δὶς ἢ τρὶς τῆς ἡμέρης ὑποχωρέειν, καὶ τῆς νυκτὸς ἅπαξ, πλείονα δʼ ἐπὶ τὸ πρωϊ, ὥσπερ ξύνηθές ἐστι τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ. παχύνεσθαι δὲ χρὴ τὸ διαχώρημα, ἰούσης πρὸς κρίσιν τῆς νούσου. Ὑπόπυῤῥον δὲ ἔστω καὶ μὴ λίην δυσῶδες. ἐπιτήδειον δὲ καὶ ἕλμινθας στρογγύλας διεξιέναι μετὰ τοῦ διαχωρήματος, πρὸς κρίσιν ἰούσης τῆς νούσου. δεῖ δὲ ἐν παντὶ τῷ νουσήματι λαπαρὴν τὴν κοιλίην εἶναι καὶ εὔογκον. ὑδαρὲς δὲ κάρτα, ἢ λευκὸν, ἢ χλωρὸν, ἢ ἐρυθρὸν ἰσχυρῶς, ἢ ἀφρῶδες διαχωρέειν, πονηρὰ ταῦτα πάντα. ἔτι δὲ πονηρὸν, καὶ σμικρόν τε ἐὸν, καὶ γλισχρὸν, καὶ λευκὸν, καὶ ὑπόχλωρον, καὶ λεῖον. τουτέων δὲ θανατωδέστερα ἂν εἴη τὰ μέλανα, ἢ λιπαρὰ, ἢ πελιὰ, ἢ ἰώδεα, ἢ κάκοδμα. τὰ δὲ ποικίλα, χρονιώτερα μὲν τουτέων, ὀλέθρια δὲ οὐδὲν ἧσσον· ἔστι δὲ τὰ τοιαῦτα ξυσματώδεα, καὶ χολώδεα, καὶ πρασοειδέα, καὶ μέλανα, ποτὲ μὲν ὁμοῦ διεξερχόμενα ἀλλήλοισι, ποτὲ δὲ κατὰ μέρος. φῦσαν δὲ ἄνευ ψόφου καὶ περδήσιος διεξιέναι ἄριστον· κρέσσον δὲ καὶ ξὺν ψόφῳ διελθεῖν ἢ αὐτοῦ ἀνειλέεσθαι· καὶ οὕτω διελθοῦσα σημαίνει ἢ πονέειν τι τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἢ παραφρονέειν, ἢν μὴ ἑκὼν ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὕτω τὴν ἄφεσιν τῆς φύσης ποιήσηται. τοὺς δὲ ἐκ τῶν ὑποχονδρίων πόνους τε καὶ κυρτώματα, ἢν ᾖ νεαρὰ καὶ μὴ ξὺν φλεγμονῇ, λύει βορβορυγμὸς ἐγγενόμενος ἐν τῷ ὑποχονδρίῳ, καὶ μάλιστα μὲν διεξιὼν ξὺν κόπρῳ τε καὶ οὔρῳ καὶ φύσῃ, ἢν δὲ μὴ, καὶ αὐτὸς δὴ περαιωθεὶς ὠφελέει· ὠφελέει δὲ καὶ ὑποκαταβὰς ἐς τὰ κάτω χωρία.
12. The urine is best when the sediment is white, smooth, and consistent during the whole time, until the disease come to a crisis, for it indicates freedom from danger, and an illness of short duration; but if deficient, and if it be sometimes passed clear, and sometimes with a white and smooth sediment, the disease will be more protracted, and not so void of danger. But if the urine be reddish, and the sediment consistent and smooth, the affection, in this case, will be more protracted than the former, but still not fatal. But farinaceous sediments in the urine are bad, and still worse are the leafy; the white and thin are very bad, but the furfuraceous are still worse than these. Clouds carried about in the urine are good when white, but bad if black. When the urine is yellow and thin, it indicates that the disease is unconcocted; and if it (the disease) should be protracted, there maybe danger lest the patient should not hold out until the urine be concocted. But the most deadly of all kinds of urine are the fetid, watery, black, and thick; in adult men and women the black is of all kinds of urine the worst, but in children, the watery. In those who pass thin and crude urine for a length of time, if they have otherwise symptoms of convalescence, an abscess may be expected to form in the parts below the diaphragm. And fatty substances floating on the surface are to be dreaded, for they are indications of melting. And one should consider respecting the kinds of urine, which have clouds, whether they tend upwards or downwards, and upwards or downwards, and the colors which they have and such as fall downwards, with the colors as described, are to be reckoned good and commended; but such as are carried upwards, with the colors as described, are to be held as bad, and are to be distrusted. But you must not allow yourself to be deceived if such urine be passed while the bladder is diseased; for then it is a symptom of the state, not of the general system, but of a particular viscus.
12. 12. τὸ δὲ οὖρον ἄριστόν ἐστιν, ὅταν ᾖ λευκή τε ἡ ὑπόστασις, καὶ λείη, καὶ ὁμαλὴ παρὰ πάντα τὸν χρόνον, ἔστʼ ἂν κριθῇ ἡ νοῦσος· σημαίνει γὰρ ἀσφάλειάν τε καὶ νούσημα ὀλιγοχρόνιον ἔσεσθαι. εἰ δὲ διαλείποι, καὶ ποτὲ μὲν καθαρὸν οὐρέοιτο, ποτὲ δὲ ὑφίσταται τὸ λευκὸν καὶ λεῖον, χρονιωτέρη γίγνεται ἡ νοῦσος καὶ ἧσσον ἀσφαλής. εἰ δὲ εἴη τό τε οὖρον ὑπέρυθρον καὶ ἡ ὑπόστασις αὐτέου ὁμοίη καὶ λείη, πολυχρονιώτερον μὲν τοῦτο τοῦ πρώτου γίγνεται, σωτήριον δὲ κάρτα. Κριμνώδεες δὲ ἐν τοῖσιν οὔροισιν αἱ ὑποστάσιες, πονηραί· τουτέων δέ εἰσι κακίους αἱ πεταλώδεες· αἱ λευκαὶ δὲ καὶ λεπταὶ, κάρτα φλαῦραι· τουτέων δʼ ἔτι κακίους εἰσὶν αἱ πιτυρώδεες. Νεφέλαι δὲ ἐμφερόμεναι τοῖσιν οὔροισι, λευκαὶ μὲν ἀγαθαὶ, μέλαιναι δὲ φλαῦραι. ἔστʼ ἂν δὲ πυῤῥόν τε εἴη τὸ οὖρον καὶ λεπτὸν, σημαίνει τὸ νούσημα ἄπεπτον εἶναι· ἢν δὲ καὶ πουλυχρόνιον εἴη τοιοῦτον ἐὸν, κίνδυνος μὴ οὐ δυνήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος διαρκέσαι, ἔστʼ ἂν πεπανθῇ ἡ νοῦσος. Θανατωδέστερα δὲ τῶν οὔρων τά τε δυσώδεα καὶ ὑδατώδεα καὶ μέλανα καὶ παχέα· ἔστι δὲ τοῖσι μὲν ἀνδράσι καὶ τῇσι γυναιξὶ τὰ μέλανα τῶν οὔρων κάκιστα, τοῖσι δὲ παιδίοισι τὰ ὑδατώδεα. ὁκόσοι δʼ ἂν οὖρα λεπτὰ καὶ ὠμὰ οὐρέωσι πουλὺν χρόνον, ἢν τἄλλα ὡς περιεσομένοισι σημεῖα ᾖ, τουτέοισιν ἀπόστασιν δεῖ προσδέχεσθαι ἐς τὰ κάτω τῶν φρενῶν χωρία. και τὰς λιπαρότητας δὲ τὰς ἄνω ἐφισταμένας ἀραχνοειδέας μέμφεσθαι· ξυντήξιος γὰρ σημεῖα. Σκοπέειν δὲ χρὴ τῶν οὔρων, ἐν οἷσιν αἱ νεφέλαι, ἤν τε ἂνω, ἤν τε κάτω ἔωσι, καὶ τὰ χρώματα ὁκοῖα ἴσχουσι, καὶ τὰς μὲν κάτω φερομένας ξὺν τοῖσι χρώμασιν, οἷσιν εἴρηται, ἀγαθὰς εἶναι νομίζειν καὶ ἐπαινέειν, τὰς δὲ ἄνω ξὺν τοῖσι χρώμασιν, οἷσιν εἴρηται, κακὰς εἶναι, καὶ μέμφεσθαι. μὴ ἐξαπατάτω δέ σε, ἤν γε ἡ κύστις τι νούσημα ἔχουσα τῶν οὔρων τὰ τοιαῦτα ἀποδιδῷ· οὐ γὰρ τοῦ ὅλου σώματος σημεῖόν ἐστιν, ἀλλʼ αὐτῆς καθʼ ἑωυτῆς.
13. That vomiting is of most service which consists of phlegm and bile mixed together, and neither very thick nor in great quantity; but those vomitings which are more unmixed are worse. But if that which is vomited be of the color of leeks or livid, or black, whatever of these colors it be, it is to be reckoned bad; but if the same man vomit all these colors, it is to be reckoned a very fatal symptom. But of all the vomitings, the livid indicates the danger of death, provided it be of a fetid smell. But all the smells which are somewhat putrid and fetid, are bad in all vomitings.
13. 13. ἔμετος δὲ ὠφελιμώτατος ὁ φλέγματος καὶ χολῆς ξυμμεμιγμένων ὅτι μάλιστα· καὶ μὴ παχὺς κάρτα, μηδὲ πολὺς ἐμεέσθω· οἱ γὰρ ἀκρητέστεροι κακίους εἰσίν. εἰ δὲ εἴη τὸ ἐμεύμενον πρασοειδὲς, ἢ πελιὸν, ἢ μέλαν, ὅ τι ἂν ᾖ τουτέων τῶν χρωμάτων, νομίζειν χρὴ πονηρὸν εἶναι· εἰ δὲ καὶ πάντα τὰ χρώματα ὁ ωὐτὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐμέοι, κάρτα ὀλέθριον τοῦτο γίγνεται· τάχιστον δὲ θάνατον σημαίνει τὸ πελιὸν τῶν ἐμεσμάτων, εἰ ὄζει δυσῶδες. πᾶσαι δὲ αἱ ὑπόσαπροι καὶ δυσώδεες ὀσμαὶ κακαὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖσιν ἐμεομένοισιν.
14. The expectoration in all pains about the lungs and sides, should be quickly and easily brought up, and a certain degree of yellowness should appear strongly mixed up with the sputum. But if brought up long after the commencement of the pain, and of a yellow or ruddy color, or if it occasions much cough, or be not strongly mixed, it is worse; for that which is intensely yellow is dangerous, but the white, and viscid, and round, do no good. But that which is very green and frothy is bad; but if so intense as to appear black, it is still more dangerous than these; it is bad, if nothing is expectorated, and the lungs discharge nothing, but are gorged with matters which boil (as it were) in the air-passages. It is bad when coryza and sneezing either precede or follow affections of the lungs, but in all other affections, even the most deadly, sneezing is a salutary symptom. A yellow spittle mixed up with not much blood in cases of pneumonia, is salutary and very beneficial if spit up at the commencement of the disease, but if on the seventh day, or still later, it is less favorable. And all sputa are bad which do not remove the pain. But the worst is the black, as has been described. Of all others the sputa which remove the pain are the best.
14. 14. πτύελον χρὴ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖσιν ἀλγήμασι τοῖσι περὶ τὸν πλεύμονα καὶ τὰς πλευρὰς ταχέως τε ἀναπτύεσθαι καὶ εὐπετέως, ξυμμεμιγμένον τε φαίνεσθαι τὸ ξανθὸν ἰσχυρῶς τῷ ττυέλῳ. εἰ γὰρ πολλῷ ὕστερον μετὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς ὀδύνης ἀναπτύοιτο, ξανθὸν ἐὸν, ἢ πυῤῥὸν, ἢ πολλὴν βῆχα παρέχον, ἢ μὴ ἰσχυρῶς ξυμμεμιγμένον, κάκιον γίγνεται· τό τε γὰρ ξανθὸν ἄκρητον ἐὸν κινδυνῶδες, τὸ δὲ λευκὸν καὶ γλίσχρον καὶ στρογγύλον ἀλυσιτελές. κακὸν δὲ καὶ τὸ χλωρὸν ἐὸν κάρτα καὶ τὸ ἀφρῶδες· εἰ δὲ εἴη οὕτως ἄκρητον ὥστε καὶ μέλαν φαίνεσθαι, δεινότερόν ἐστι τοῦτο ἐκείνων· κακὸν δὲ καὶ ἢν μηδὲν ἀνακαθαίρηται, μηδὲ προΐῃ ὁ πλεύμων, ἀλλὰ πλήρης ἐὼν ζέῃ ἐν τῇ φάρυγγι. Κορύζας δὲ καὶ πταρμοὺς ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖσι περὶ τὸν πλεύμονα νουσήμασι προγεγονέναι, ἢ ἐπιγενέσθαι, κακόν· ἀλλʼ ἐν τοῖσιν ἄλλοισι νουσήμασι τοῖσι θανατωδεστάτοισιν οἱ πταρμοὶ λυσιτελέουσιν. αἵματι δὲ ξυμμεμιγμένον μὴ πολλῷ πτύελον ξανθὸν ἐν τοῖσι περιπλευμονικοῖσιν, ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν τῆς νούσου πτυόμενον, περιεστικὸν καὶ κάρτα ὠφελεέι· ἑβδομαίῳ δὲ ἐόντι καὶ παλαιοτέρῳ ἧσσον ἀσφαλές. πάντα δὲ πτύελα πονηρά ἐστιν ὁκόσα ἂν τὴν ὀδύνην μὴ παύῃ. κάκιστα δὲ τὰ μέλανα, ὡς διαγέγραπται. τὰ δὲ παύοντα ὀδύνην, πάντων ἀμείνω ἀναπτυόμενα.
15. When the pains in these regions do not cease, either with the discharge of the sputa, nor with alvine evacuations, nor from venesection, purging with medicine, nor a suitable regimen, it is to be held that they will terminate in suppurations. Of empyemata such as are spit up while the sputum is still bilious, are very fatal, whether the bilious portion be expectorated separate, or along with the other; but more especially if the empyema begin to advance after this sputum on the seventh day of the disease. It is to be expected that a person with such an expectoration shall die on the fourteenth day, unless something favorable supervene. The following are favorable symptoms: to support the disease easily, to have free respiration, to be free from pain, to have the sputa readily brought up, the whole body to appear equally warm and soft, to have no thirst, the urine, and faeces, sleep, and sweats to be all favorable, as described before; when all these symptoms concur, the patient certainly will not die; but if some of these be present and some not, he will not survive longer than the fourteenth day. The bad symptoms are the opposite of these, namely, to bear the disease with difficulty, respiration large and dense, the pain not ceasing, the sputum scarcely coughed up, strong thirst, to have the body unequally affected by the febrile heat, the belly and sides intensely hot, the forehead, hands, and feet cold; the urine, and excrements, the sleep, and sweats, all bad, agreeably to the characters described above; if such a combination of symptoms accompany the expectoration, the man will certainly die before the fourteenth day, and either on the ninth or eleventh. Thus then one may conclude regarding this expectoration, that it is very deadly, and that the patient will not survive until the fourteenth day. It is by balancing the concomitant symptoms whether good or bad, that one is to form a prognosis; for thus it will most probably prove to be a true one. Most other suppurations burst, some on the twentieth, some on the thirtieth, some on the fortieth, and some as late as the sixtieth day.
15. 15. ὁκόσα δὲ τῶν ἀλγημάτων ἐκ τουτέων τῶν χωρίων μὴ παύηται, μήτε πρὸς τὰς τῶν πτυέλων καθάρσιας, μήτε πρὸς τὴν τῆς κοιλίης ἐκκόπρωσιν, μήτε πρὸς τὰς φλεβοτομίας τε καὶ φαρμακείας καὶ διαίτας, εἰδέναι δεῖ ἐκπυήσοντα. τῶν δὲ ἐκπυημάτων ὁκόσα μὲν ἔτι χολώδεος ἐόντος τοῦ πτυέλου ἐκπυΐσκεται, ὀλέθρια κάρτα, ἤν τε ἐν μέρει τὸ χολῶδες τῷ πύῳ ἀναπτύοιτο, ἤν τε ὁμοῦ· μάλιστα δὲ, ἢν ἄρξηται χωρέειν τὸ ἐμπύημα ἀπὸ τουτέου τοῦ πτυέλου, ἑβδομαίου ἐόντος τοῦ νουσήματος. ἐλπὶς δὲ τὸν τὰ τοιαῦτα πτύοντα ἀποθανεῖσθαι τεσσαρεσκαιδεκαταῖον, ἢν μή τι αὐτέῳ ἐπιγένηται ἀγαθόν. ἔστι δὲ τὰ μὲν ἀγαθὰ τάδε· εὐπετέως φέρειν τὸ νούσημα, εὔπνοον εἶναι, τῆς ὀδύνης ἀπηλλάχθαι, τό τε πτύελον ῤηϊδίως ἀναβήσσειν, τό τε σῶμα ὁμαλῶς φαίνεσθαι θερμόν τε εἶναι καὶ μαλθακὸν, καὶ δίψαν μὴ ἔχειν, οὖρά τε καὶ διαχωρήματα καὶ ὕπνους καὶ ἱδρῶτας, ὡς διαγέγραπται ἕκαστα εἶναι ἀγαθὰ, ἐπιγίγνεσθαι· οὕτω μὲν γὰρ ἁπάντων τουτέων ἐπιγιγνομένων, οὐκ ἂν ἀποθάνοι ὁ ἄνθρωπος· ἢν δὲ τὰ μέν τοι αὐτέων ἐπιγίγνοιτο, τὰ δὲ μὴ, οὐ πλείονα χρόνον ζήσας ἢ τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα ἡμέρας, ἀπόλοιτʼ ἂν ὁ ἄνθρωπος. κακὰ δὲ τὰ ἐναντία τουτέων, ἤγουν δυσπετέως φέρειν τὴν νοῦσον, πνεῦμα μέγα καὶ πυκνὸν εἶναι, τὴν ὀδύνην μὴ παύεσθαι, τὸ πτύελον μόλις ἀναβήσσειν, διψῇν κάρτα, τό τε σῶμα ὑπὸ πυρὸς ἀνωμάλως ἔχεσθαι, καὶ τὴν μὲν κοιλίην καὶ τὰς πλευρὰς θερμὰς εἶναι ἰσχυρῶς, τὸ δὲ μέτωπον καὶ τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τοὺς πόδας ψυχροὺς, οὖρα δὲ καὶ διαχωρήματα καὶ ὕπνους καὶ ἱδρῶτας, ὡς διαγέγραπται ἕκαστα εἶναι κακὰ, ἐπιγίγνεσθαι· οὕτω γὰρ εἰ ἐπιγένοιτό τι τῷ πτυέλῳ τουτέῳ, ἀπόλοιτο ἂν ὁ ἄνθρωπος πρὶν ἢ ἐς τὰς τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα ἡμέρας ἀφικέσθαι, ἢ ἐναταῖος, ἢ ἑνδεκαταῖος. οὕτως οὖν ξυμβάλλεσθαι χρὴ, ὡς τοῦ πτυέλου τουτέου θανατώδεος ἐόντος μάλα, καὶ οὐ φθάνοντος ἐς τὰς τεσσαρεσκαίδεκα ἡμέρας. τὰ δὲ ἐπιγενόμενα κακά τε καὶ ἀγαθὰ ξυλλογιζόμενον ἐκ τουτέων χρὴ τὰς προῤῥήσιας προλέγειν· οὕτω γὰρ ἄν τις ἀληθεύοι μάλιστα. αἱ δὲ ἄλλαι ἐκπυήσιες ῤήγνυνται αἱ πλεῖσται, αἱ μὲν εἰκοσταῖαι, αἱ δὲ τριηκοσταῖαι, αἱ δὲ τεσσαρακονθήμεροι, αἱ δὲ πρὸς τὰς ἑξήκοντα ἡμέρας ἀφικνέονται.