The trygodes of Euelpides.
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.
Nileus’s collyrium.
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.
Of carbuncles of the eyes.