Abhomeron Abynzohar & Colliget Auerroys (Medical Compendium)

[This] decoction: which purges the stomach of bile. Take: whey of milk coagulated with fig milk, 3 lbs. Infuse in it 3 ounces of the bark of yellow myrobalans and 5 ounces of violets. [Add] 5 ounces of dried Alchacar. Let all remain together in said whey until morning. Then strain them well by rubbing and pressing; and in the aforementioned strained liquid, add a quarter part of an ounce of scammony, mixing with it one ounce of syrup of mastic and one ounce of syrup of quinces. Give [it] to drink, and delay food until it has completed its work. And if he should purge a little from the said potion, give him some of the said whey to drink, waiting as with other medicines. And feed him bread well fermented with chickens or kid meat cooked with pomegranate juice and verjuice. And in this case, female [birds] are more praiseworthy than males; and among them, white ones are better yet, and after those, the variegated ones. And we say that barley water well prepared with sweet water is likewise beneficial to them. But if the said ailment has arisen from putrid humors, then we say that hiera picra with whey of milk is useful and sufficient for them; and also aloe alone with whey is beneficial. And if you mix some agaric with it, it will be better. But if the aforementioned putrefaction is in the stomach, hence arises bad breath and fissuring of the lips; and it is possible that from the said putrefaction a sudden heating of the brain occurs with horrible thoughts. And on account of the impetuosity and strength of the symptoms, the animal spirits are impeded to such a degree that they seem to be true, and they are elevated, and suddenly trampled down, and they are moved by extraneous motions; and from this follows scotomia. And we have seen this many times, that when something suddenly happens to someone that strongly alters the animal spirit, it causes scotomia to occur. And the cure for this is the aforementioned cure, making him smell roses with myrtle soaked in rose water, for he will be liberated with the help of God.

Chapter XIX. Concerning the pain of the whole head, which in Arabic is called baidda.

Strong pain that occurs in the head is sometimes continuous, and sometimes it is with an interval, having paroxysms. And he who has it cannot endure voices and loud vociferations because of the weakness of the auditory nerve, and also because of the weakness of the whole brain; and without a doubt, such voices excite the pain. And do not be surprised, because when there is strong pain in some member, it is increased by a loud voice.

pain is increased by a loud voice

And the cause of this is the air moved by a loud voice, which strikes the painful member, and from this the pain is increased. And this is the opinion of Hali, even in diseases of the eyes, to which some have objected in this regard. Physicians, however, have not [objected] at all; rather, they have adhered entirely to his opinions. And he who has this pain likewise cannot look into a great splendor, because just as the nerve through which hearing tends to the brain cannot bear a loud sound, so the optic nerve through which the visible species comes to the eye cannot sustain great splendor and light; because when there is such strong pain in the whole head, it is impossible that the eyes do not also feel it. It remains for us, therefore, to inquire where and in what place or part of the head this pain principally exists. And without a doubt, the said pain is found in the membrane that moves under the cranium, i.e., the dura mater, or in that which is behind this, surrounding the brain, i.e., the pia mater; and when there is pain in either of the aforementioned, one cannot bear a loud voice or intense light. It remains yet to know what pain is, and the cause of the same. Now, therefore, it has been declared that pain is nothing other than the sensibility of a contrary quality existing in a member. Therefore, when it persists, it will lead to a solution of continuity. And a solution of continuity happens either on account of something extrinsic, such as an incision by a sword or a blow made by some thing, or from a contusion. And there can also be a solution of continuity from valid extension made by superfluous repletion, or from vaporous windiness.

what is pain with scotomia?

And if the said vaporous windiness is made from cold, pain can also become strong from the same, because every thing that has a subtle nature pricks, even if it is cold. And you know that vapor is by its nature subtle. And for this reason, a solution of continuity follows, just as appears in extrinsic things: that when they are stretched strongly beyond what is proper, they are torn and broken. And sharp things, also, when they are received, are a cause of a solution of continuity. And clay similarly, or earth well kneaded with strong vinegar, and externally applied epithems, dissolves the continuity of the skin. And also dryness, when it has exuberated superfluously in the body, with a little extension can easily do the same. And when coldness has overcome to such a degree that the member is frozen and hardened, a solution of continuity follows from it. And also from hot and sharp things received through the mouth or applied externally as plasters, a solution of continuity occurs: as from mustard and spurge, because by their subtlety they penetrate, and they corrode and dissolve continuity. And we see that vinegar, even though that which dominates in its composition is coldness, as Hali says, it breaks vessels and pierces them, and breaks water skins. And a solution of continuity also occurs from coagulation, such as wax and pitch, because when they are coagulated, they break from light extension or a blow from some hard thing. It follows, therefore, that this pain of such difficult and strong sensibility cannot be unless from superfluous repletion and extension existing in a highly sensitive member, such as is the dura mater and the pia mater. And when it is from a cold vapor received there, the pain will be strong and heavy. And if it is from a hot vapor existing in the aforementioned places, you can easily recognize it because the pain will be very acute and biting. And you can also recognize it by touch. And the sign of that which is caused by coldness or by cold vapor is that the patient is pleased by the application of things that are hot in act and potency upon the head, and he seems to receive relief from it and feels great pain in the head with heaviness and ponderosity, and biting and pricking. And that which is caused by heat is a difficult and strong pain with pricking and biting.

And the general cure of this pain is to rectify one's regimen by eating in an orderly fashion and at the proper hours. But if the said pain is from repletion with heaviness, its proper cure is phlebotomy, considering the time, age, custom, region, and complexion. And [if it is] from a cold vapor, it is cured by steaming the head with lavender; and if it is from heat, it is beneficial for him to drink rose water prepared with whole psyllium, for physicians prohibit the grinding of it. But if the aforementioned pain is from an abundance of blood, he is to be bled from the cephalic [vein]. And if you bleed from an artery, it will be much better; but you must know that such blood is retained and solidified with great difficulty, and on account of this you must have with you those things that possess the power to retain blood strongly, such as are hare's hair finely cut and mixed with egg white and gypsum, or myrtle leaves finely pulverized with whole psyllium and myrtle [decoction] with rose water, and placing it over the spot likewise constricts it. And when you wish to incise an artery, constrict it toward its root, so that the blood cannot exit superfluously, incising it with a cold tool and not with fire. And if you recognize that phlegm abounds with the blood, make him use moderate exercise and dryness, such as are turtle doves and sparrows, and things similar to these. Abstaining from eggs and fish, zapamata—which in Arabic is called caride—and from very cold water; but when you wish to give him [water] to drink, you must mix with it some honey or sugar, or decocted raisin juice [boiled] to the thickness of honey, ensuring that he receives it lukewarm. And if you recognize manifestly that the said pain proceeds from hot vapors, incise the artery with a cold incision, making him abstain from every hot thing, and feed him chickens boiled in water with a little oil and salt and vinegar. And you can also...