Abhomeron Abynzohar & Colliget Auerroys (Medical Compendium)

nerves coming from the brain: and thence they arise and both are meeting each other on the way. And afterward they divide from one another. And to each eye a nerve extends which joins to the retina, which is surrounding the vitreous humor. And this nerve afterward divides and spreads and extends and becomes subtle and joins with the pulsatile and non-pulsatile veins, from which the retina is woven by the command of divine providence. And there are, for these nerves existing as they are when they spread and extend, certain coverings protecting them from harms, just as tunics are placed upon vessels. And there are also supports sustaining them, just as pins are placed in the handles of knives. And the uvea tunic indeed is assimilated to a grape, in which there is one opening from which light emanates outward. And under this is the albugineous humor together with the spirit, which spirit extends from the crystalline humor to the corneal tunic. And the said tunics and humors all are defending the crystalline [humor] from harms. And when I say spirit, I intend the visible spirit, since any very much subtilized air can be called a spirit according to the opinion of physicians; and I do not speak of spirit according to the opinion of the dialecticians. And these things I have said concerning the spirit so that it may not be possible at all to err from equivocations. Now it follows to treat of the proper ailments of the eyes.

Chap. XV. Concerning pustules and their types in the eyes.

Pustules and small ulcers which happen to the eyes are for the most part red. But the pustules which are created in the alchoznea tend toward whiteness. And there, namely in the alchoznea, sores are born, just as happens in other members with any pustule. And it can also happen from corrosion. And there is a diversification in small pustules, according to the diversity of their types, that is, in hardness and softness, since a hard pustule is that which is created under the third membrane, and a soft one when it arises under the first. But a pustule which arises under the cornea, if it is not directly in the pupil, does not necessarily remove vision. But if it is in the direct line, it removes vision and deprives it entirely; and the cornea is torn, and the eye protrudes outwardly.

Chap. XVI. Concerning variola of the eyes.

Some variola are small, and the cure of them is easy. And some are large, whose cure is difficult. Some are intermediate. And the strongest of these types is that which protrudes so much that it touches the hairs of the eyelids externally, and is similar to the head of a nail; the cure of this is difficult. But if it is small, its cure will be easy. And you should know that there is a difference between variola and a pustule, since variola seems to contain whiteness, but a pustule seems to have no whiteness at its root. And furthermore, from variola it is possible that the pupil may be distorted and go out from its roundness. Wherefore, if the distortion is small, it is sufficient for you in the cure to use a collirium of roses, or a sief of roses ground very subtly with egg white, and let a drop be placed in the eye drop by drop. And refine the regimen. And purge the body with that which is fitting. And what is most praised in purging the head is yerapigra alone, if the body is weak and the time is contrary, or if it is not fit for purgation; and yerapigra with colocynth and almond marrow is praised more than others if the body is strong and the time is temperate; but attend that before the purgation you must begin with phlebotomy of the basilic vein if the body is robust, by drawing a large quantity of blood. And if it is weak, and the time is not temperate, diminish from the cephalic vein by drawing a small quantity. And in this case this sief is fitting, which is: take half an ounce of roses and the thin bark of pine kernels and horsetail, of each five ounces; of saffron, one ounce; of sarcocolla, one ounce; of quince seeds, a fourth part of the weight of all the aforementioned prescription. Let them be ground excellently and sifted most subtly, each thing individually by itself. Afterward, let them be brought together and covered with rose water, and let it remain in it thus for four hours. And mix excellently, and then allow it to rest in this way, and let the clear rose water which will float on top be removed. And let that which is thick and turbid be stored in a glass vessel, and remain thus until it hardens. And then let grains be formed in the manner of coriander seeds; and when necessary, let them be dissolved with egg white and distilled into the eye. However, the earthiness and that thickness which remained from the aforementioned turbid and thick substance at the bottom of the vessel should be ground again, and mixed with rose water, and spread upon vine leaves and plastered over the closed eye. And in summary I say that the cure of this is to refine the regimen continuously until he is delivered. And you should know that any variola which arises in the uvea is curable, except that which is similar to the head of a nail.

Chap. XVII. Concerning the dilation of the pupil and its restriction.

This ailment, namely the dilation of the pupil and its restriction, is wont to happen to children on account of their crying; but it is possible that its restriction is natural. And that then is very good, in that the visible spirit is gathered together and restricted at the same time and is not scattered at the exit; but when it is much at the same time, it exits thence with strength. And dilation indeed also happens, or can happen, from a concussion or striking, or from much holding of the breath, just as happens to women in childbirth. But when the dilation is unnatural, it needs a cure, and this with the siefs fitting for it and with alchool. And attend that the cure is diversified by reason of age and sex, since the cure of infants and women is with siefs, and for the elderly, those who are in extreme decrepitude, the cure is made with a desiccative alchool. And the sief of infants and women is: Take the juice of pomegranate bark, one ounce; of Indian scedcnegi, four ounces; of mandrake, chamomile, flax seed, of each four ounces; of saffron, half an ounce; of quince seeds, one ounce; of psyllium, one ounce. Let the ingredients be ground most subtly and sifted through a thick cloth. Afterward, mix this powder with the aforementioned juice of pomegranate barks, and with five ounces of rose water, and with half an ounce of the juice of mint, alchool. well strained; and place it to a gentle fire, and decoct until it thickens to the manner of a paste; and make therefrom pills to the manner of a chickpea; let them be dried in the shade; and when necessary, let one be dissolved together with the milk of a woman recently milked, and let a drop be placed daily, drop by drop, in the eye. But if with this ailment there is inflammation, you must begin with phlebotomy and with purgation if age does not prevent it, and the strength is strong and the fitting time exists; and when it is so, you must extract from the basilic vein and in a large quantity. But if the strength is weak and the time is inept, then you must diminish from the cephalic vein and in a small quantity. A collirium to be restored to those who are in extreme decrepitude and the elderly, and also those who are established in old age. Take of washed antimony, and of washed tutty, of hematite stone, of lapis lazuli and pearls, and of pomegranate flower, of each five ounces; of saffron, five ounces; of rose water, ten ounces. Let them be ground as we have said before; and once it has been dried, let it be mixed again with rose water, and then it has been well prepared with rose water to be placed in the eye; let it be placed morning and evening until he is delivered. And this powder not only restores him who suffers the dilation of the pupil from an ailment, but also him who has it by nature. But if with the dilation there is inflammation, you must first cure the body with phlebotomy, and afterward with laxatives, as we have said, by plastering the eye from above with fresh rose petals time after time, or with new cotton moistened in rose water, excellent and very fragrant, until the inflammation is sedated. And afterward use the collirium or powder for the elderly, or the sief for children as we have said. And for certain you must have it that if there is negligence in the cure, for the most part they must come to the descent of water into the eye.

Chap. XVIII. Concerning the descent of water to the eye.

The signs of the descent of water to the eye are a scattering of vision, and that there appear before their eyes as it were flying flies or bugs. And these appear to them uniformly, both on an empty stomach and when full. And this water is generated from fumes and vapors ascending from