Disputatio de phrenitide

LVIII.
Diagnostic signs either show an incipient phrenitis or an established one. They are taken either from harmed actions, or from bodily affections, or from excretions contrary to nature, or from retentions; to which can be added a non-intermittent acute fever.

LIX.
The signs of a developing phrenitis are: immoderate thirst, because of the hot and dry disposition; yet they drink little, because they forget; crude, thin, and transparent urine; the bowels are constricted; the pulse is small, yet fast, frequent, and tense; respiration is great and infrequent; the appearance of threads and flies before the eyes; headache; continuous fever; uncontrollable wakefulness; light and turbulent sleep; likewise, horrendous dreams; sometimes they answer questions rashly; forgetfulness; they are prone to anger and quarrels; they grind their teeth; to which can be added a hot and dry temperature and a youthful age, for others are rarely tempted.

LX.
The signs of an already established phrenitis show the affection in one way, and the cause of the disease in another. The affection shows eyes that are vehemently filthy; sometimes a sharp tear flows from one eye; blood drips from the nostrils; they answer nothing prudently; they pull at threads; they pick at straw; and they are tormented by a continuous and acute fever. The tongue is rough. But if the established phrenitis is already victorious, they do not shout and vociferate so much, nor do they strike, but only collect threads and throw their hands here and there; when asked, they scarcely answer, or they speak in a subdued voice so that they cannot be understood by those standing by; they hiccup, and the face is corpse-like and swollen.

LXI.
The signs indicating the proximate cause of phrenitis are taken from the nature of the acting humor, namely bile. For if it is pale or yellow, the patient's behaviors are not so wild and truculent; but on the contrary, if it arises from burnt bile. But if it arises from malignant and poisonous bile, it begins immediately from the beginning with an acute fever, and has the most severe symptoms from the start. Extrinsic causes are known from the report of those standing by; if it arises from some preceding disease, it is known by its own proper signs.