Abhomeron Abynzohar & Colliget Auerroys (Medical Compendium)

or they die. And from this accidental heat, the bodies of the dead putrefy, and the continuities of their limbs dissolve. And when natural heat fails from the governance of anyone’s body, that which happens to the bodies of the dead from the putrid accidental heat—namely, the liquefaction and dissolution of the continuity of the limbs—occurs to him. But praise be to the most high Creator, who placed natural heat for the protection and defense of the aforementioned.

Chapter X. Which is concerning obstruction.

HEc (This) sickness frequently occurs due to the dispersion or derivation of humors to certain small limbs, which obstruct the places of their expirations and their windows to such an extent that the natural heat cannot arrive there. Wherefore, of necessity, an accidental heat arises therein, on account of which that limb is rapidly blackened, and putrefies, and its continuity is separated. And if you touch it at the beginning of its blackening, you will find it hot; and this is manifest, that this is on account of the accidental heat from which the limb putrefies. And this obstruction has many species.

Chapter XI. Which is concerning apoplexy.

HEc (This) sickness, when it happens to anyone, quickly and suddenly takes away his motion and sense. Wherefore, if sense and motion are altogether deprived, the sick person dies even before he can be helped by a physician, and he is suffocated on account of the deprivation of the motion of the chest. But if any of the voluntary motion remains, that motion expels the suffocation. And because in this sickness coldness is found to be burdened upon the complexion itself, therefore a smaller quantity of breath will be able to suffice him than he had been accustomed to do in the time of his health, in that the coldness greatly diminishes the necessity of breathing. And apoplexy sometimes arises from the dispersion of a gross humor, which exists in the final sphere, and by its grossness [reaches] to the noble places of the cells of the brain until they are entirely filled; and the greater the frigidity of the humor causing this sickness, the more slowly it happens and is brought about gradually, and the accidents arise more slowly and not suddenly. Therefore, it is necessary for you to be studious in the cure of this, beginning with the anointing of the head with rose oil in which there is a tenth part of balsam, after it has been warmed, and place upon it a piece of wool anointed with it, which should be somewhat thick. And make him smell good, hot odors, such as alkitram (tar) and musk, each by itself. And if you mix some musk with the alkitram, you will find it of the greatest help. And smelling nigella also avails much, and the odor of the seal of Saint Mary also confers much. And if you know that he can swallow anything, temper a half aureus of old tyriaca alferuc with honey, and give it to him to drink. And anoint his extremities with mastic oil, giving him also some of the same to drink, and wash his feet and legs with hot water. And if he has been relieved in his breathing, make him sneeze once or twice, but only with a wick placed in the nostrils; and if he is seen to improve, do not delay to purge him with a laxative medicine that is intended to evacuate this humor. Use those things that have strong incisive power, such as vinegar and mustard, and those that carry the strength of the medicine to the head, such as garlic. A useful medicine for this sickness: Take of opoponax, six parts; of ustice (birthwort), of polypody, of bdellium, of pitted raisins, of salt, 2 drachmas each; of mustard, 2 drachmas each; of aureus 1; of the pith of safflower, 6 drachmas; of fresh fennel, a quarter part each; of colocynthis, 6 drachmas, mature, a third part of 1 aureus; two grains of catapucia (spurge). Cut the colocynthis minutely and mix it with as much powdered oragaga; and mix all the aforesaid in the manner of an electuary with a syrup made from citron peel and mastic, each, and the dose of it should be 5 aurei. And if the purgation is not sufficient, add 1 aureus, and let it be tempered with the water of a decoction of mastic in which there is sufficient of its odor. And be certain that this is well suited to the laxatives appropriate for this sickness. And take care entirely that you do not mix water

with anything you wish to apply to the head. Nor shall you give him to drink unless he has a valid thirst. And I hope that if the sickness does not kill him suddenly, but has waited a little while, and you have purged him with the aforesaid medicine, that the accidents will be alleviated; and by continuing this cure, he will be entirely delivered. And know that he who suffers from apoplexy, if there is a long space between one breath and another, and he makes it with hardness and heaviness, his death is near. And feed them with wild doves whose heads and necks have been severed, and let them be boiled over a slow fire, and afterwards let their meat be pounded, which is medicine appropriate for them. And sparrows, also, roasted or fried in a pan with almuri (brine), are very useful to them, taking care to keep them away from any cold and gross food.

Prognostic sign.

Chapter XII. Which is concerning freezing.

HEc (This) sickness arises from an obstruction made which is burdened upon the complexion of the brain. And its cure is easier than the cure of the aforementioned apoplexy. Whence it suffices for you to rub the head with subtle clove, commanding him to smell musk and amber. It is also preferred in this sickness to have them smell dendrolibanum (rosemary), and marjoram, and mint, and basil, and to fumigate him with galbanum and amber; and feed him with sparrows and young wild flying doves, and hemp-linnets, and ducks, roasted or boiled in a pan with almuri, or boiled in a pan in an oven. And rub the whole body with a common rubbing between strong and slow. And his water for drinking should be thermal water, if you can find it. If you cannot have this water, make for him a syrup of citron peel and mastic, each, with sugar, and give it to him to drink with water. For I hope that by this regimen the sick person will return to his own health, God granting it.

Chapter XIII. Which is concerning subet.

HEc (This) sickness, indeed, arises when much bad humidity abounds in the substance of the brain with strength, and some coldness has been associated with it. But if the quality of the humidity strongly dominates without the dominance of other qualities, namely coldness and heat, but the two are tempered and equal, or heat has departed a little from equality, then subet does not arise, but a great, heavy, and profound sleep is generated. And know that subet does not occur without groaning or snoring, just as apoplexy, if it is not found without strong and heavy snoring and groaning; but light snoring or groaning—as I have experienced for a long time—is not any signification of these. And the cure of this sickness is to smell pentaphylon (cinquefoil) and the seed of basil, and cloves, and rue. And again, let all the aforesaid be pounded most subtly, and let them be sprinkled upon the skin of the whole head. And distill a little balsam into the ears of the sick person, similarly anointing his nostrils with the same. And give him to drink every morning, on an empty stomach, a fourth part of 1 aureus of the best balsam. And burn before him some tamarisk and scala, and make his bread to be kneaded with water of an infusion of fennel, and give him to eat of vianiso. And if you know that the aforesaid humidity is from an abundance of phlegm in the stomach, purge him with this cathartic: Take of the seed of ustice, and agaric, each, 4 aurei; of polypody, 1 aureus; of colocynthis, a fourth part of 1 aureus. Cut it subtly and mix it with pine nuts, well pounded; then mix this with all the aforesaid, and make a magdaleon (pill) with a decoction of fennel. And you will give of this confection to the sick person 5 aurei with a hot decoction of fennel. And if he is not purged sufficiently, add 1 aureus. And keep watch as is fitting for laxatives. And make him sneeze by placing in his nostrils a wick of cotton, occasionally pulling out a hair or two from his nostrils. And make him be fumigated with tar and frankincense.

Chapter XIV. Which is concerning sirsen calo with alienation.