The foregoing are indispositions of small account. But our eyes are exposed to grievous and various maladies. And because they contribute so large a share both to the conveniency and pleasure of life, they deserve our utmost care to preserve them.

Presently after the appearance of a lippitude, there are certain indications, from which we may form a presage of the event. For, if a discharge of tears, and a tumour, and a thick gum too(2) have commenced at once; if that gum is mixed with tears, and the tears are not hot, also if the gum is white and soft, and the tumour not hard, there is no danger of the disorder continuing long. But if the tears are copious, and hot, the gum little in quantity, the tumour small, and these are confined to one eye; the case will prove tedious, but without danger. And this species of lippitude is not at all painful; but is hardly ever removed before the twentieth day; sometimes it continues for two months, and sometimes not so long.

If the gum begins to be white and soft, and is mixed with tears, or both these have attacked the two eyes at once; the lippitude may be of shorter continuance, but there is a danger of ulcers. Now a dry and parched gum occasions pain, but terminates sooner; unless it have produced some ulcer.

A large tumour, if it be without pain, and dry, is void of all danger; if it be dry, but attended with pain, it commonly ulcerates; and sometimes, from this case it happens, that the eye-lid is agglutinated to the eye. There is room also to fear an ulceration in the eye-lids or the pupil, when besides great pain, there is a discharge of salt and hot tears; or even when after the tumour is removed, the tears flow for a long time mixed with the gum.

It is worse still, where the gum is pale or livid, the tears are scalding, or in great quantity, the head hot, and the pain reaches from the temples to the eyes, also if the person is distressed with wakefulness in the night; for in such circumstances, generally the eye bursts, when it were to be wished, it would only ulcerate. A slight fever is of service to an eye that bursts inwardly. If it breaks and is protruded externally, the case admits of no remedy. If from a black colour, some part of it has become whitish, it continues long. But if it be rough and thick, even after the cure, it leaves some mark.

Hippocrates, the most ancient author we have, has observed in his writings, that the eyes are cured by bleeding, by medicines, the bath, fomentations, and drinking of wine. But he has not explained the proper time for these, and the reasons for their use; in which the principal part of medicine consists. There is also much benefit received from abstinence and clysters.

They are sometimes seized with an inflammation; in which they are at once pained and swelled; and there follows a discharge of gum; sometimes more, sometimes less plentiful, or acrid. In such a case, the principal remedies are rest and abstinence. Wherefore, for the first day, the patient ought to lie in a dark place, and even refrain from speaking; to take no food at all; if he can command himself, not so much as water; if he cannot do that, at least as little of it as possible.

But if the pains are severe, blood must be taken away, and preferably on the second day; but if the case be urgent, on the first; especially if the veins in the forehead swell, the patient be strong, and there is a redundancy of matter: but if the illness be less severe, it calls for a milder cure. It is not necessary to give a clyster, till the second or third day. But a small inflammation requires neither of these remedies; and it is sufficient to rest and fast.

Nevertheless, long fasting is not proper in lippitudes, lest it render the gum more fetid and acrid; but on the second day, some of the gentlest of those things, that generate a thicker phlegm(3), ought to be given, such as sorbile eggs; if the disorder be but slight, pulticula, or bread sopped in milk. On the following days, as much as the inflammation decreases, so much may the quantity of food be increased; but of the same kind; so that above all, nothing salt, or acrid, or extenuating be taken; and nothing be used for drink but water. And with respect to diet, such a regimen is highly necessary.

Now on the first day of the distemper, it is proper to mix p. i. *. of saffron, and p. ii. *. of the finest, whitest flour, with the white of an egg to the consistence of honey; and to spread this upon a piece of linen, and apply it to the forehead, that by compressing the veins, it may restrain the violent flux of gum. If saffron cannot be had, frankincense has the same effect. It makes no difference whether it be spread upon a bit of linen, or wool. The eyes ought to be anointed with the following composition: as much saffron as can be held with three fingers, myrrh, the bigness of a bean, of poppy tears, the bigness of a lentil, are rubbed down together with passum, and daubed over the eyes with a probe. Another for the same purpose consists of myrrh, p. i. *. mandrake juice p. ii. *. poppy tears p. ii. *. rose leaves, hemlock seed, each p. iii. *. acacia p. iv. *. gum p. viii. *. And these are applied in the day time; but in the night, for promoting rest, it is not improper to lay on the crumb of white bread mixed up with wine. For that both restrains the flux of gum, and if any tears are discharged, it absorbs them, and does not suffer the eyes to be glued up.

If the pain of the eyes be so great as to make this application uneasy and too hard, both the white and yolk of an egg must be dropped into a cup, and a little mulse added to them, and these mixed with the finger; when they are incorporated, soft wool combed, ought to be dipped in it, and saturated with it, and applied over the eyes. This is light, and by cooling restrains the gum; besides, it does not grow dry, nor suffer the eye to be glued. Barley-meal also boiled and mixed with a boiled quince is a proper application. And it is no absurd practice to use rather a pencillum squeezed out of water, if the disorder be less severe, if more so, out of vinegar and water. The former applications are to be bound on with a roller, lest they fall off in the time of sleep: but it is sufficient to lay the pencillum on the eyes; both because it can be conveniently replaced by the patient himself, and because, when it has grown dry, it must be moistened again. If the disorder is so great as to prevent sleep for a long time, some of the medicines are to be given, which the Greeks call anodyne: and for a boy, the bigness of a vetch is a sufficient dose; for a man, the bigness of a bean. On the first day, it is not fit to inject any thing into the eye, unless the inflammation be very great: for the gum is often rather invited than diminished by that means. But on the second day, even in a severe lippitude, it is proper to relieve by the injection of medicines, when either the patient has been bled, or a clyster has been given; or it appears, that neither of these was necessary.

There are many collyriums proper for this purpose, invented by different authors; and new ones may still be made; since lenient and gently repelling medicines may be easily mixed in various proportions. I shall mention the most celebrated of them.

The collyrium of Philon contains of washed ceruss, spodium, gum, each p. i. *. poppy tears toasted p. i. *. It is fit to know, that all the ingredients must first be powdered separately, after that mixed and beat up again, dropping in from time to time, either water or some other liquid. Gum, as it possesses some other qualities, so has this peculiar effect upon collyriums, that when they have been long made, and are grown dry, they continue firmly united, and are not friable.

Dionysius’s collyrium: of poppy tears toasted till tender p. i. *. toasted frankincense, gum, each p. ii. *. spodium p. iv. *.

Cleon’s is a very famous one: of poppy tears toasted p. i. *. saffron p. i. *. gum p. *. v. to these, while they are powdered, is added juice of roses. Another, by the same, stronger; of iron scales, which is called stomoma[ FV ] p. i. *. saffron p. ii. *. spodium p. iv. *. lead, both washed and calcined p. i. *. and the same quantity of gum. There is still another of the same author’s, chiefly useful where there is a great flux of gum: of castor p. *. i. aloes p. *. i. myrrh p. *. ii. prepared cadmia p. viii. *. a like quantity of antimony, juice of acacia p. xii. *. the mixture may be kept in a small box. But Theodotus added to this composition toasted poppy tears p. *. i. copper calcined and washed p. ii. *. date kernels toasted p. x. *. gum p. xii. *.

But Theodotus’s own, which by some is called acharistum[ FW ], is thus made: of castor, Indian nard, each p. i. *. lycium p. *. poppy tears the same quantity; myrrh p. ii. *. saffron, washed ceruss, aloes, each p. iii. *. cadmia botryitis washed, calcined copper, each p. viii. *. gum p. xviii. *. juice of acacia, p. xx. *. antimony the same quantity; to these is added rain water.

Besides these, amongst the most common collyriums is that, which some call cythion, others from its ash colour, teprion. It contains of starch, tragacanth, acacia juice, gum, each p. i. *. poppy tears p. ii. *. washed ceruss p. iv. *. washed litharge p. viii. *. these in the same manner are beat up with rain water.

Euelpides, who was the greatest oculist in our age, made use of one, which he had composed himself, and called it trygodes. It contains of castor p. ii. *. lycium, nard, poppy tears, each p. i. *. saffron, myrrh, aloes, each p. iv. *. calcined copper p. viii. *. cadmia and antimony, each p. xii. *. acacia juice p. xxvi. *. gum the same quantity.

The more violent any inflammation is, so much the more it requires to be alleviated by medicines, with the addition either of the white of an egg, or breast milk. But if neither a physician nor a medicine can be got, it mitigates the disorder to infuse either of these into the eyes by a penecillum made for the purpose. But when relief is obtained, and the flux of gum stops, the slight relics of the disorder, that might perhaps otherwise continue, are discussed by bathing and drinking wine. Therefore the patient ought to bathe moderately, being first rubbed over with old oil, and longer in his legs and thighs than the rest of his body; and to foment his eyes with plenty of warm water; next to have warm water first, and afterwards water with the cold just taken off, poured over his head; after bathing, he must guard against being exposed to cold, or wind. After this, his diet ought to be somewhat fuller than formerly(4); but he should abstain from all extenuants of phlegm: the wine he drinks should be mild, inclining to rough, of a moderate age; and in this he ought neither to indulge to excess, nor be too sparing, that the former extreme may not occasion crudity, but that by a just quantity sleep may be procured, and the acrimony lurking within may be sheathed. But if a person in the bath has felt more uneasiness in his eyes than he did before (which usually happens to those, who have made too much haste to get into it, while the flux of gum still continued) he ought to come out immediately; to drink no wine that day; and eat even less than he did the day before. Afterwards, as soon as the discharge of gum is sufficiently stopt, he must return again to the use of the bath.

Nevertheless, it sometimes happens, from some unfavourable circumstance either in the weather, or habit of the patient, that for several days neither the pain, nor the inflammation, and least of all, the discharge of gum ceases. When this is the case, and time itself has brought the disorder to a full maturity for it, relief is to be sought from the same remedies, that is, the bath and wine. For though they are hurtful, while these complaints are recent, because they may irritate and inflame them; yet in the inveterate, which have not yielded to any other remedies, they are commonly very efficacious. For in this, as well as in other cases, when seemingly proper medicines have been tried in vain, those of a contrary nature give relief. But it is expedient for the patient, in the first place, to have his hair clipped close to the skin; next, to foment his head and eyes in the bath, very plentifully, with warm water; then to wipe both with a penecillum, and anoint his head with ointment of iris; to lie in bed, till all the heat acquired in the bath is gone off, and the sweat cease, which was necessarily collected in his head. Then he should make use of the same kind of food and wine above recommended, the latter undiluted; and cover his head, and continue at rest. For after these, either a sound sleep, or a sweat, or a purging, often puts an end to the discharge of gum. If the disorder abates (which sometimes does not happen soon) the same course ought to be pursued for several days, till the cure be completed. If, on these days, he has no stool, a clyster must be injected for relieving the superior parts.

But sometimes a great inflammation arises, and of so violent a nature, that it propels the eyes from their cavity. The Greeks call this proptosis[ FX ], because the eyes fall forward. It is plain such patients require bleeding, if their strength will admit of it: if that cannot be done, a clyster is necessary, and long fasting. The mildest medicines are required in this case. Therefore, some use the first of Cleon’s two collyriums mentioned above. But that of Nileus is the best, and all authors agree to give it the preference to any other.

It is this: Indian nard, poppy tears, of each p. *. gum p. i. *. saffron p. ii. *. fresh rose leaves, p. iv. *. which are brought to a consistence, either by rain water, or light wine, inclining to rough. And it is not improper to boil pomegranate bark, or melilot, in wines, then to bruise it; or to mix black myrrh with rose leaves; or henbane leaves boiled with the white of an egg; or meal, with acacia juice, or passum, or mulse. And if poppy leaves too be added, they will be somewhat more efficacious. When some one of these is prepared, the eyes ought to be fomented with a penecillum squeezed out of a warm decoction of myrtle or rose leaves in water; after that, the medicine is to be applied. Besides, the skin in the back of the head is to be cut, and a cupping vessel applied to it.

If, by these means, the eye is not restored to its place, but continues prominent as before, we may conclude the eye-sight is gone; and that the eye will next grow hard, or be converted into pus. If the suppuration appears in that angle, which is next the temple, an incision must be made in the eye, that vent being given to the matter, the inflammation and pain may cease, and the coats of the eye fall inward, so that the face may be less disfigured afterwards. And then must be used, either the same collyriums with milk, or an egg; or else saffron mixed with the white of an egg. But if it has grown hard, and is mortified, without turning to pus, so much of it must be scooped out, as to prevent a shocking projection; which must be done thus. The external coat must be laid hold of with a hook, and below that the incision made with a knife; then these medicines are to be injected, till the pain be entirely gone. The same medicines are also necessary for an eye, that is first protruded, and afterwards bursts in several places.

It is not uncommon for carbuncles to proceed from an inflammation, sometimes in the eyes themselves, sometimes in their lids; and in the last, they are sometimes in the inside, at other times on the outside. In this case, a clyster must be given; the quantity of food lessened; milk allowed for drink; that the offending acrimony may be sheathed. As to cataplasms and medicines, we must use such as have been proposed against inflammations. And here also the collyrium of Nileus is the best. But if the carbuncle be on the external part of the eye-lid, lintseed boiled in mulse is the most proper for a cataplasm; or if that is not to be had, wheat meal boiled in the same manner.

Sometimes pustules also proceed from inflammations. If this happens in the beginning of the inflammation, the former directions about bleeding and rest are even to be more punctually observed; if later than to admit of bleeding, yet a clyster must be given. If for any reasons that likewise is impracticable, at least the proper diet must be used. In this case too, the mild medicines are necessary; such as that of Nileus or Cleon.

The collyrium which takes its name from Philes, is also suited to this disorder. For it contains of myrrh, poppy tears, each p. i. *. washed lead, Samian earth, which is called after, tragacanth, each p. iv. *. burnt antimony(5), starch, each p. vi. *. washed spodium, washed ceruss, each p. viii. *, which are incorporated with rain water. This collyrium is used mixed either with an egg, or milk.

From pustules sometimes are generated ulcers; and these, when recent, are to be dressed with the like lenient medicines, and mostly the same as I have prescribed above for pustules. There is also a particular application for them, which is called dialibanou[ FY ]. It contains of copper calcined and washed, poppy tears toasted, each p. i. *. spodium washed, frankincense, antimony calcined and washed, myrrh and gum, each p. ii. *.

It happens likewise, that the eyes, either one or both, become less than they ought to be naturally. And this is caused by an acrid flux of gum in a lippitude, also by continual weeping, and wounds badly cured. In such cases, the same mild medicines with breast milk are to be used; and such food as most nourishes and fills the body; and the patient must carefully avoid whatever occasions weeping, and all the anxiety of domestic affairs: and if any misfortune happens likely to disturb him, it must be concealed from his knowledge: acrid medicines and acrid food hurt by occasioning tears, as much as any other way.

There is a peculiar kind of disorder, in which lice are generated amongst the hair of the eye lids. This the Greeks call phthiriasis[ FZ ]. Which arising from a bad habit of body, seldom stops there; but generally after some time there follows a smart flux of gum; and the eyes themselves being greatly ulcerated, it even destroys the sight.

Such patients must be purged by clysters; the hair of their head clipped close to the skin, and the head rubbed for a long time every day fasting. They must diligently practise walking, and other exercises; gargle with a decoction of catmint and a mellow fig in mulse; foment the head often in the bath with plenty of warm water; avoid acrid food; use good milk and wine, and also drink more freely than they eat. Medicines too are to be given internally, of a mild nature, that they may not generate any acrid gum; and others externally applied to kill the lice, and prevent the production of more. For this purpose, of aphronitre p. i. *. sandarach p. i. *. stavesacre p. i. *. are powdered together, and then equal quantities of old oil and vinegar are added, till the whole come to the consistence of honey.

Thus much of those distempers of the eyes, which are cured by mild medicines. There are besides these, other kinds, which require a different treatment, commonly proceeding from inflammations, but continuing even after they

are gone. And in the first place, a flux of thin gum continues in some. To such patients clysters should be given, and their quantity of food diminished. Neither is it improper to anoint the forehead with the composition of Andreas: which consists of gum p. i. *. ceruss, antimony, each p. ii. *. litharge boiled and washed p. iv. *. the litharge is boiled in rain water; and the dry medicines are rubbed with the juice of myrtle. These being spread upon the forehead, a cataplasm of meal is also to be applied over it, made into a paste with cold water, and with the addition either of acacia juice or cypress. It is proper also to make an incision on the top of the head, and apply a cupping vessel there; or to bleed at the temples. The eye ought to be anointed with that composition, which contains of copper scales, poppy tears, each p. *. hartshorn calcined and washed, washed lead, gum, each p. iv. *. frankincense p. xii. *. Now this collyrium, because horn is one of the ingredients, is called diaceratos[ GA ]. As often as I do not subjoin what kind of moisture is to be added, I would be understood to intend water.

For the same purpose is that of Euelpides, which he called memigmenon[ GB ]. In it there are poppy tears and white pepper, of each an ounce, gum a pound, calcined copper p. i. *. During this course, with some intervals, the bath and wine are serviceable. And as extenuating food must be avoided by all that labour under a lippitude; so particularly by those that have for a long time a flux of thin humour. But if they be surfeited with such food as generates a thicker phlegm, as is most common in this kind of diet, they must have recourse to that, which because it binds the belly, constringes the body too.

But ulcers, that do not go off with the inflammation, generally either grow fungous, or foul, or at least inveterate. Their excrescences are best suppressed by the collyrium called memigmenon. The foul ones are deterged both by the same, and by that, which is called smilion.

This contains of verdigrease p. vi. *. gum the same quantity, ammoniacum, minium from Sinope, each p. xvi. *. these are rubbed down by some with water, by others, to make them stronger, with vinegar.

That of Euelpides, which he called phynon, is also suitable to this case; of saffron p. i. *. poppy tears, gum, each p. ii. *. copper calcined and washed, myrrh, each p. iv. *. white pepper p. vi. *. But the application of this must be preceded by an ointment.

The collyrium of the same author, to which he gave the name of sphærion, is of like virtue; of bloodstone washed p. ii. *. pepper six grains, cadmia washed, myrrh, poppy tears, each p. iii. *. saffron p. iv. *. gum p. viii. *. which are rubbed down with Aminæan wine.

He likewise compounded a liquid medicine for the same purpose, in which were the following things; of verdigrease p. *. minium calcined, copperas, cinnamon, each p. iii. *. saffron, nard, poppy tears, each p. i. *. myrrh p. ii. *. calcined copper p. iii. *. aromatick ashes p. iv. *. pepper fifteen grains. These are rubbed with a rough wine, and then boiled with three heminæ of passum, till the whole unites. And this medicine becomes more efficacious by keeping.

For filling the cavities of ulcers of the eyes, the best of all those we have mentioned are the sphærion and the collyrium of Philes. The same sphærion is an excellent medicine for inveterate ulcers, and such as can scarcely be brought to cicatrize.

There is also a collyrium, which though it be serviceable in many cases, yet seems to be most efficacious in these ulcers. It is said to be invented by Hermon. It contains of long pepper p. i. *. z. *. white pepper p. *. cinnamon, costus, each p. i. *. copperas, nard, cassia, castor, each p. ii. *. galls p. v. *. myrrh, saffron, frankincense, lycium, ceruss, each p. viii. *. poppy tears p. xii. *. aloes, calcined copper, cadmia, each p. xvi. *. acacia, antimony, gum, each p. xxv. *.

Cicatrices formed from ulcers are liable to two defects; of being either concave, or protuberant. If they be concave, they may be filled by the sphærion collyrium; or that called asclepias. This consists of poppy tears p. ii. *. sagapenum, opopanax, each p. iii. *. verdigrease p. iv. *. gum p. viii. *. pepper p. xii. *. cadmia washed, ceruss, each p. xvi. *. Canopite.But if the cicatrices are thick, they are rendered thin by the smilion, or canopite collyrium, which last contains cinnamon, acacia, of each p. i. *. cadmia washed, saffron, myrrh, poppy tears, gum, each p. ii. *. white pepper, frankincense, each p. iii. *. calcined copper p. ix. *. with rain water. Pyxinum of Euelpides.Or the pyxinum of Euelpides, which consists of the following ingredients; of fossile salt p. iv. *. ammoniacum thymiama p. viii. *. poppy tears p. xiii. *. ceruss p. xv. *. white pepper, Cilician saffron, each p. lii. gum p. xiii. *. cadmia washed p. ix. *. Yet the composition, which contains gum p. iii. *. verdigrease p. i. *. crocomagma p. iv. *. seems to be the best for removing a cicatrix.

There is also another kind of inflammation, in which if the patient’s eyes swell, and are distended with pain, it is necessary to bleed in the forehead; and to foment the head and eyes plentifully with hot water; to gargle with lentils, or cream of figs; to anoint with the acrid medicines mentioned above; particularly that, which is called sphærion, and which has blood-stone in it. And others are useful too, which are calculated to lessen the roughness; of which I am going to speak.

This commonly follows an inflammation of the eyes; sometimes it is more violent, at other times more slight. Sometimes too a roughness occasions a lippitude, and that again increases the roughness, and in some is short, in others it continues long, and so as to be hardly ever cured.

In this kind of disorder some scrape the thick and hard eye-lids both with a fig-leaf and a specillum asperatum(6), and sometimes with a knife; and turning them up, they rub them every day with medicines. Which ought not to be practised, unless in a considerable and inveterate roughness, nor that often. For the same end is better obtained by a suitable regimen and proper medicines. Therefore we shall use exercises and the bath more frequently: and foment the eye-lids with plenty of warm water. The food must be acrid and extenuating.

The medicine, which is called Cæsarian, contains of copperas p. i. *. misy p. *. white pepper p. v. *. poppy tears, gum, each p. ii. *. cadmia washed p. iii. *. antimony p. vi. *. And this collyrium is allowed to be a good remedy against every kind of disorder in the eyes, except those, that are treated by mild medicines.

That also, which is called Hierax’s, is powerful against a roughness. It consists of myrrh p. *. ammoniacum thymiama p. ii. *. rasile verdigrease p. iv. *. with rain water. For the same purpose that also is proper, which is called canopite, and the smilion, and the pyxinum, and the sphærion. But if compound medicines are not at hand, a roughness may be easily enough cured by goat’s gall or the best honey.

There is likewise a kind of dry lippitude, which the Greeks call xerophthalmia[ GC ]. In this the eyes neither swell, nor run, but are only red, and heavy with some pain, which is commonly slight, also an itching, and the eye-lids without any hardness stick together in the night-time by means of a very troublesome gum: and the less violent in its degree this species is, so much the longer does it continue.

In this disorder it is necessary to walk much, to take much exercise, to bathe often, and sweat in the bagnio, to use much friction. The proper diet is neither such as is filling, nor over acrid, but the middle kind betwixt these. In the morning, when it is evident that the concoction is completed, it is not improper to gargle with mustard, and alter that to rub the head and face a considerable time.

The collyrium best adapted to this case is that called rhinion. Which contains of myrrh p. i. *. poppy tears, acacia juice, pepper, gum, each p. i. *. blood-stone, Phrygian stone, lycium, scissile stone, each p. i. *. calcined copper p. iv. *. The pyxinum also is suitable for the same purpose.

But if the eyes be scabrous, which mostly happens in the angles, the rhinion mentioned already may be serviceable. For the same purpose that may be useful, which contains, of rasile verdigrease, long pepper, poppy tears each p. ii. *. white pepper, gum, each p. iv. *. cadmia washed, ceruss, each p. vi. *. Basilicon of Euelpides. However, there is none better than that of Euelpides, which he called basilicon. It contains of poppy tears, ceruss, Asian stone, each p. ii. *. gum p. xiii. *. white pepper p. iv. *. saffron p. vi. *. psoricum(7) p. xiii. *. Now there is no simple, which by itself is called psoricum; but a certain quantity of chalcitis and a little more than half its quantity of cadmia are rubbed together with vinegar; and this being put into an earthen vessel, and covered over with fig leaves, is deposited under ground for twenty days, and being taken up again it is powdered, and thus is called psoricum. The basilicon collyrium too is generally allowed to be proper for all disorders of the eyes, that are not treated by mild medicines.

But when compound medicines are not to be had, both honey and wine mitigates an asperity in the angles. These and a dry lippitude too are relieved by an application of bread, softened with wine, over the eyes. For since there is generally a humour, which exasperates sometimes the eye itself, sometimes the angles, or eyelids; by this application, if any humour is discharged, it is drawn away, and if it happens to be lodged near, is repelled.

A dimness comes upon the eyes, sometimes from a lippitude, at other times even without that, from old age, or weakness. If the disorder proceeds from the relics of a lippitude, the collyrium called asclepias is serviceable. Likewise that, which is composed of crocomagma.

The collyrium which is called diacrocou[ GD ] is composed peculiarly for this. It contains of pepper p. i. *. Cilician saffron, poppy tears, ceruss, each p. ii. *. psoricum, gum, each p. iv. *.

But if it arises from old age, or weakness, it may be proper to anoint with the best honey, and cyprine and old oil. But it is most expedient to mix together one part of balsam, and two of old, or cyprine oil, and three parts of the most pungent honey. The medicines prescribed above for a dimness from a lippitude, and those mentioned before for diminishing cicatrices, are useful in this case too.

Whoever is troubled with a dimness must walk much, use exercise, frequent bathing, at which time the whole body must be rubbed, but principally the head, with iris ointment till it sweat; after that it must be veiled, and not uncovered, till after he has got home, and the sweat and heat have ceased. Then he must keep to an acrid and extenuating diet; and after the interval of some days use a gargarism of mustard.

A suffusion also, which the Greeks call hypochysis[ GE ], sometimes obstructs the pupil of the eye, where vision is performed. If this disorder be inveterate, it requires an operation to remove it. At the beginning sometimes it is discussed by certain methods adapted to the case. It is expedient to bleed in the forehead, or nose; to cauterize the veins in the temples; by the use of gargarisms to evacuate phlegm; to use fumigations; to anoint the eyes with acrid medicines. The best diet is such as extenuates phlegm.

Nor is a palsy of the eyes (which the Greeks call paralysis) to be cured by any different diet, or different medicines, so that it is needless to do more than describe the distemper. It happens then sometimes in one eye, sometimes in both, either from a blow, or from an epilepsy, or spasms, where the eye itself is strongly convulsed, so that it can neither be directed to any particular object, nor be kept fixed; but moves to and fro involuntarily; and therefore cannot see any thing distinctly.

What the Greeks call a mydriasis[ GF ] is not very different from this distemper. The pupil is dilated, the sight grows dull, and almost dim. This kind of weakness is extremely difficult to remove. Against both disorders, that is, the palsy and mydriasis, we must use the same remedies as have been prescribed in the dimness of the eyes, with a few alterations; thus for the head, to the iris oil must be added sometimes vinegar, sometimes nitre; it is sufficient to anoint the eyes with honey. In the latter disorder some have made use of hot waters(8), and been relieved; others without any apparent cause have suddenly lost their sight. Some of these, after continuing blind for some time, from a sudden purging have recovered their sight: whence it seems the less improper, both when the disorder is recent, and when it is of some standing, to procure stools by medicines, in order to force all the noxious matter into the lower parts.

Besides these, there is a kind of weakness of the eyes, in which patients see well enough in the day-time, but not at all in the night: which never happens to a woman, when her menstrual discharge is regular. But persons labouring under this disorder ought to be anointed with the blood of a liver (particularly the liver of a he-goat; if that cannot be had, of a she-goat) that drops from it while roasting; and they ought to eat the liver itself. They may nevertheless not improperly make use of the same medicines, that extenuate either cicatrices, or an asperity. Some powder the seed of purslane, and add honey to it, till the mixture be of such a consistence, as not to drop off a probe, and anoint with that. They must also use exercises, bathing, frictions.

These disorders all arise from internal causes. But externally the eye may be hurt by a blow, so as to become bloodshot. There is nothing more proper for this case than anointing with the blood of a pigeon, or ringdove, or swallow. Nor is this practice without reason; since the sight of these birds being hurt by some accident, in a little time is restored, and that of the swallow soonest; which gave rise to the fable, that their parents perform by an herb the cure, which is really the work of nature. Their blood therefore is a very proper remedy for our eyes in external hurts, in these different degrees of efficacy; the blood of a swallow is best, next to that of a ringdove; that of a pigeon is least medicinal both to itself and us.

Over an eye that has received a blow, in order to assuage the inflammation, it is also proper to apply cataplasms. Now sal ammoniac, or any other, ought to be very finely powdered, oil being dropped in by degrees, till it acquire the consistence of strigment. Then this is to be mixed with barley-meal boiled in mulse. Upon a review of all the cures published, even by physicians, it is easy to see, that there is hardly one of the abovementioned disorders of the eyes, which may not be sometimes removed by very simple and obvious remedies.