[p. 65] being seized with delirium, and others
dying suffocated with orthopnoee and riles. Such persons the ancients
thought struck, for this reason more especially, that when dead the
affected side was livid, like that of a person who had been struck.
The cause of this is that they die before the pain is resolved, being
seized with difficulty of respiration, and by large and rapid breathing,
as has been already explained, the spittle becoming thick, acid, and
unconcocted, cannot be brought up, but, being retained in the bronchi
of the lungs, produces riles; and, when it has come to this, death,
for the most part, is inevitable; for the sputa being retained prevent
the breath from being drawn in, and force it speedily out, and thus
the two conspire together to aggravate the sputa being retained renders
the respiration frequent, while the respiration being frequent thickens
the sputa, and prevents them from being evacuated. These symptoms
supervene, not only if ptisan be administered unseasonably, but still
more if any other food or drink worse than ptisan be given.
PART 6
For the most part, then, the results are the same, whether the patient
have used the unstrained ptisan or have used the juice alone; or even
only drink; and sometimes it is necessary to proceed quite differently.
In general, one should do thus: if fever commences shortly after taking
food, and before the bowels have been evacuated, whether with or without
pain, the physician ought to withhold the draught until he thinks
that the food has descended to the lower part of the belly; and if
any pain be present, the patient should use oxymel, hot if it is winter,
and cold if it is summer; and, if there be much thirst, he should
take hydromel and water. Then, if any pain be present, or any dangerous
symptoms make their appearance, it will be proper to give the draught
neither in large quantity nor thick, but after the seventh day, if
the patient be strong. But if the earlier-taken food has not descended,
in the case of a person who has recently swallowed food, and if he
be strong and in the vigor of life, a clyster should be given, or
if he be weaker, a suppository is to be administered, unless the bowels
open properly of themselves. The time for administering the draught
is to be particularly observed at the commencement and during the
whole illness; when, then, the feet
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