Abhomeron Abynzohar & Colliget Auerroys (Medical Compendium)

...due to the intersection and union of them, the loss of vision will occur in both eyes entirely, all at once. And regarding this ailment, Haly says that it is impossible to cure. But it seems to me that cephalic phlebotomy, the purgation of the whole body and of the head, and applying an epithem to the head with cotton soaked in rose oil, lily oil, and dill oil, mixed and lukewarm, will perform an excellent operation in this case. And it also seems that distilling the aforementioned warm oils from a height onto the front part of the head through a slender cannula contributes not a little. But in the beginning of an obstruction, we say that rose oil, in which fresh roses have been renewed for several years, is of great benefit. And their food should be light, and of a kind that keeps the stomach and intestines soft and retains lubrication. And you should exert yourself in these things with all your might, since you will be able to assist if the obstruction is weak. And it is also possible that the aforementioned obstruction may occur from an aposteme, and for this reason it can be resolved by the aforementioned means; and from that you will see the success of this cure if something of the vision remains and the obstruction has not been entirely completed and confirmed. For if the obstruction is entirely firm and complete, and he has lost vision entirely, then it is a hopeless light, as Haly says. But with all this, one must abstain from contrary things, and not only in this ailment, but also in all ailments of the whole body, since we maintain abstinence in ailments of the feet. How much more, then, in this one, whose health is so necessary? And you must know that all pungent things have the power to fill the head with vapors and fumed particles, such as onions and garlic and things similar to them; for this reason, they are most harmful to the vision and are altogether a source of blindness.

Chapter XXIII. Concerning the moisture of the eyes.

The diminution of vision in the eyes is of many types, which occurs in the moistures or in the humors of the eyes. And they differ in thickness, subtlety, quality, and quantity, since it is possible that the aforementioned humors thicken beyond the requirement of their nature, or thin out, or the accidental moisture in them increases in quantity; and from this the vision is disturbed with a mild disturbance. And when I speak of thickening or thinning, or excess in quantity or quality, I do not understand that there is a departure that is very superfluous from the natural state, but that a departure begins to occur. For when the exit from the natural state in the aforementioned matters is complete and confirmed, then the cure becomes very difficult, because there is no small difference between a thing that is beginning to thicken and one that is already thickened and confirmed. And the physician must know by himself the signs of these things from the symptoms supervening upon the infirm person, and he should strive with all his power so that the infirm person may return to his pristine and natural state by removing the unnatural symptoms altogether. And these things which have been said suffice only for those who have for a long time operated by themselves in the aforementioned ailments many times, or for those who have studied for a long time in logic and in natural science, and have experience in the knowledge of generable and corruptible things and the like; and they will assist themselves with the aforementioned, and I have not abbreviated this treatise—not putting in the particulars suitable to this—except so that the discourse might not be overly prolonged. And [I do this] although I might know all manual operations particularly, entirely, and perfectly; because, however, from the mere sight of some wound my spirit is weakened to such a point that I arrive at a profound syncope, therefore I abbreviate this treatise, omitting the aforementioned particulars.

Chapter XXIV. Concerning ailments that occur in the mutina or the whiteness of the eyes.

And it happens in the clear whiteness, just as they are accustomed to happen in other members; and the cure for this is, in the beginning, phlebotomy, and the thinning of the regimen, by placing in the eye rose water in which there has lain for a while lint and citron seeds until the water changes color, and afterwards it should be strained and mixed with egg white; and then it should be distilled into the eye daily until it is cleared.

Chapter XXV. Concerning the swelling of the conjunctiva without an aposteme.

And this ailment of the conjunctiva occurs for the most part to the elderly, because of the weakness of their innate heat. And it happens also from the puncture of a fly or something similar. And the cure for this is to place cotton or a piece of linen soaked in this decoction, which
Take of chamomile flowers and flax seeds, of each 1 ounce; water, 5 ounces. Let it be boiled down to the consumption of a quarter part; and let it be strained; and into that strained liquid let 5 ounces of egg white be added, mixing excellently; and let it be distilled into the eye daily, drop by drop, with it being lukewarm; then let the whole soaked [cloth] be placed upon it.

is lukewarm; then let the whole soaked [cloth] be placed upon it.

Chapter XXVI. Concerning the tassa, which is the red drop that forms in the whiteness of the eyes.

This ailment also is in the conjunctiva, namely a red spot or a red drop from the suffering of the pannus or threads similar to it. And the cure for this is cephalic phlebotomy, if the infirm person can bear it, and bloodletting from a dove’s chick under the wing, and distilling that warm blood into the eye daily until he is cleared.

Chapter XXVII. Concerning granules generated in the whiteness of the eyes.

These granules also are generated in the whiteness, just as they are accustomed to happen in the pupil and in other parts of the eye. And the cure for this is to bleed the cephalic vein in the beginning and to purge his body with hierapicra. And afterwards, infuse citron seeds in rose water and distill that same lukewarm water into the eye daily. And after three days, if something remains in the eye, you will mix into the aforementioned rose water some ground licium. And the more aged the ailment is, the more you will add of the licium and saffron; and the more the ailment is diminished, the less of saffron and licium. And what must be placed less of these is that in three [parts] of the aforementioned water you place of each an eighth part of one ounce. And if the ailment is greatly prolonged, it does not hurt to use abstergent and cleansing agents which are without biting, adding some things which have the power to strengthen the eye. And if the ailment has become very inveterate, let this alchool be made: Take of sea foam and burnt copper, of each 5 ounces; anthera and the seeds of mallow flowers, of each 2 ounces; dardachic, 1 ounce. Let each of these be ground by itself and sifted very subtly, and let them be mixed with vinegar, and afterwards dried; and let them be ground again and sifted and mixed with fennel juice; and let them be dried again and ground and mixed with highly aromatized rose water, grinding and drying; and afterwards let them be sifted very subtly through a very thick cloth, and let them be preserved excellently in a glass vessel. And when there is need, morning and evening, let some of the same be placed in the eye until he is cleared.

Chapter XXVIII. Concerning the sebel.

This ailment also is found to happen frequently in the conjunctiva, and it is a certain red texture formed on the surface of the conjunctiva or the whiteness of the eyes. And they are named in Arabic vene altheben, and they are not veins proceeding from the liver, nor arteries coming from the heart, but they are assimilated to veins which are wrapped and woven over the albugo, and sometimes they extend to such a degree that they are found to cover the black [part of the eye]. And it is incumbent upon the physician in the beginning of this ailment to be diligent in purging the infirm person and bleeding him, and applying an abstergent alchool to the eye, like that which we have spoken of recently, and to thin the regimen; and thus he will be cleared, God granting. And if there is laziness in the cure, or for any reason the regimen of it is inept, the ailment will increase and thicken and harden until it inflicts damage upon the vision. Wherefore, when it is thus, there will be a necessity that it pass through the hands of a surgeon. And such collections are named in Arabic scebellium, and [they are] without an aposteme.

Chapter XXIX. Concerning the conjunctiva with an aposteme.

There happens also to the conjunctiva a repletion with an aposteme and without a repletion of the veins, and a repletion of them, and with a redness of the conjunctiva itself and a thickness of the eyelids...