on the sacred disease-第2章

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superficial　so　as　to　be　seen；　near　the　ear　it　is　concealed；　and

there　it　divides；　its　thickest；　largest；　and　most　hollow　part　ends

in　the　brain；　another　small　vein　goes　to　the　right　ear；　another　to　the

right　eye；　and　another　to　the　nostril。　Such　are　the　distributions　of

the　hepatic　vein。　And　a　vein　from　the　spleen　is　distributed　on　the

left　side；　upward　and　downward；　like　that　from　the　liver；　but　more

slender　and　feeble。



　　By　these　veins　we　draw　in　much　breath；　since　they　are　the

spiracles　of　our　bodies　inhaling　air　to　themselves　and　distributing　it

to　the　rest　of　the　body；　and　to　the　smaller　veins；　and　they　and

afterwards　exhale　it。　For　the　breath　cannot　be　stationary；　but　it

passes　upward　and　downward；　for　if　stopped　and　intercepted；　the　part

where　it　is　stopped　becomes　powerless。　In　proof　of　this；　when；　in

sitting　or　lying；　the　small　veins　are　compressed；　so　that　the　breath

from　the　larger　vein　does　not　pass　into　them；　the　part　is

immediately　seized　with　numbness；　and　it　is　so　likewise　with　regard　to

the　other　veins。



　　This　malady；　then；　affects　phlegmatic　people；　but　not　bilious。　It

begins　to　be　formed　while　the　foetus　is　still　in　utero。　For　the　brain；

like　the　other　organs；　is　depurated　and　grows　before　birth。　If；

then；　in　this　purgation　it　be　properly　and　moderately　depurated；　and

neither　more　nor　less　than　what　is　proper　be　secreted　from　it；　the

head　is　thus　in　the　most　healthy　condition。　If　the　secretion　（melting）

the　from　the　brain　be　greater　than　natural；　the　person；　when　he

grows　up；　will　have　his　head　diseased；　and　full　of　noises；　and　will

neither　be　able　to　endure　the　sun　nor　cold。　Or；　if　the　melting　take

place　from　any　one　part；　either　from　the　eye　or　ear；　or　if　a　vein

has　become　slender；　that　part　will　be　deranged　in　proportion　to　the

melting。　Or；　should　depuration　not　take　place；　but　congestion

accumulate　in　the　brain；　it　necessarily　becomes　phlegmatic。　And　such

children　as　have　an　eruption　of　ulcers　on　the　head；　on　the　ears；　and

along　the　rest　of　the　body；　with　copious　discharges　of　saliva　and

mucus；…these；　in　after　life；　enjoy　best　health；　for　in　this　way　the

phlegm　which　ought　to　have　been　purged　off　in　the　womb；　is

discharged　and　cleared　away；　and　persons　so　purged；　for　the　most　part；

are　not　subject　to　attacks　of　this　disease。　But　such　as　have　had　their

skin　free　from　eruptions；　and　have　had　no　discharge　of　saliva　or

mucus；　nor　have　undergone　the　proper　purgation　in　the　womb；　these

persons　run　the　risk　of　being　seized　with　this　disease。



　　But　should　the　defluxion　make　its　way　to　the　heart；　the　person　is

seized　with　palpitation　and　asthma；　the　chest　becomes　diseased；　and

some　also　have　curvature　of　the　spine。　For　when　a　defluxion　of　cold

phlegm　takes　place　on　the　lungs　and　heart；　the　blood　is　chilled；　and

the　veins；　being　violently　chilled；　palpitate　in　the　lungs　and

heart；　and　the　heart　palpitates；　so　that　from　this　necessity　asthma

and　orthopnoea　supervene。　For　it　does　not　receive　the　spirits　as

much　breath　as　he　needs　until　the　defluxion　of　phlegm　be　mastered；　and

being　heated　is　distributed　to　the　veins；　then　it　ceases　from　its

palpitation　and　difficulty　of　breathing；　and　this　takes　place　as

soon　as　it　obtains　an　abundant　supply；　and　this　will　be　more　slowly；

provided　the　defluxion　be　more　abundant；　or　if　it　be　less；　more

quickly。　And　if　the　defluxions　be　more　condensed；　the　epileptic

attacks　will　be　more　frequent；　but　otherwise　if　it　be　rarer。　Such

are　the　symptoms　when　the　defluxion　is　upon　the　lungs　and　heart；　but

if　it　be　upon　the　bowels；　the　person　is　attacked　with　diarrhoea。



　　And　if；　being　shut　out　from　all　these　outlets；　its　defluxion　be

determined　to　the　veins　I　have　formerly　mentioned；　the　patient　loses

his　speech；　and　chokes；　and　foam　issues　by　the　mouth；　the　teeth　are

fixed；　the　hands　are　contracted；　the　eyes　distorted；　he　becomes

insensible；　and　in　some　cases　the　bowels　are　evacuated。　And　these

symptoms　occur　sometimes　on　the　left　side；　sometimes　on　the　right；　and

sometimes　in　both。　The　cause　of　everyone　of　these　symptoms　I　will

now　explain。　The　man　becomes　speechless　when　the　phlegm；　suddenly

descending　into　the　veins；　shuts　out　the　air；　and　does　not　admit　it

either　to　the　brain　or　to　the　vena　cava；　or　to　the　ventricles；　but

interrupts　the　inspiration。　For　when　a　person　draws　in　air　by　the

mouth　and　nostrils；　the　breath　goes　first　to　the　brain；　then　the

greater　part　of　it　to　the　internal　cavity；　and　part　to　the　lungs；

and　part　to　the　veins；　and　from　them　it　is　distributed　to　the　other

parts　of　the　body　along　the　veins；　and　whatever　passes　to　the

stomach　cools；　and　does　nothing　more；　and　so　also　with　regard　to　the

lungs。　But　the　air　which　enters　the　veins　is　of　use　（to　the　body）　by

entering　the　brain　and　its　ventricles；　and　thus　it　imparts　sensibility

and　motion　to　all　the　members；　so　that　when　the　veins　are　excluded

from　the　air　by　the　phlegm　and　do　not　receive　it；　the　man　loses　his

speech　and　intellect；　and　the　hands　become　powerless；　and　are

contracted；　the　blood　stopping　and　not　being　diffused；　as　it　was　wont；

and　the　eyes　are　distorted　owing　to　the　veins　being　excluded　from

the　air；　and　they　palpitate；　and　froth　from　the　lungs　issues　by　the

mouth。　For　when　the　breath　does　not　find　entrance　to　him；　he　foams　and

sputters　like　a　dying　person。　And　the　bowels　are　evacuated　in

consequence　of　the　violent　suffocation；　and　the　suffocation　is

produced　when　the　liver　and　stomach　ascend　to　the　diaphragm；　and　the

mouth　of　the　stomach　is　shut　up；　this　takes　place　when　the　breath　does

not　enter　by　the　mouth；　as　it　is　wont。　The　patient　kicks　with　his　feet

when　the　air　is　shut　up　in　the　lungs　and　cannot　find　an　outlet；

owing　to　the　phlegm；　and　rushing　by　the　blood　upward　and　downward；

it　occasions　convulsions　and　pain；　and　therefore　he　kicks　with　his

feet。　All　these　symptoms　he　endures　when　the　cold　phlegm　passes　into

the　warm　blood；　for　it　congeals　and　stops　the　blood。　And　if　the

deflexion　be　copious　and　thick；　it　immediately　proves　fatal　to　him；

for　by　its　cold　it　prevails　over　the　blood　and　congeals　it；　or；　if

it　be　less；　it　in　the　first　place　obtains　the　mastery；　and　stops　the

respiration；　and　then　in　the　course　of　time；　when　it　is　diffused　along

the　veins　and　mixed　with　much　warm　blood；　it　is　thus　overpowered；

the　veins　receive　the　air；　and　the　patient　recovers　his　senses。



　　Of　little　children　who　are　seized　with　this　disease；　the　greater

part　die；　provided　the　defluxion　be　copious　and　humid；　for　the　veins

being　slender　cannot　admit　the　phlegm；　owing　to　its　thickness　and

abundance；　but　the　blood　is　cooled　and　congealed；　and　the　child

immediately　dies。　But　if　the　phlegm　be　in　small　quantity；　and　make　a

defluxion　into　both　the　veins；　or　to　those　on　either　side；　the

children　survive；　but　exhibit　notable　marks　of　the　disorder；　for

either　the　mouth　is　drawn　aside；　or　an　eye；　the　neck；　or　a　hand；

wherever　a　vein　being　filled　with　phlegm　loses　its　tone；　and　is

attenuated；　and　the　part　of　the　body　connected　with　this　vein　is

necessarily　rendered　weaker　and　defective。　But　for　the　most　it　affords

relief　for　a　longer　interval；　for　the　child　is　no　longer　seized　with

these　attacks；　if　once　it　has　contracted　this　impress　of　the

disease；　in　consequence　of　which　the　other　veins　are　necessarily

affected；　and　to　a　certain　degree　attenuated；　so　as　just　to　admit

the　air；　but　no　longer　to　permit　the　influx　of　phlegm。　However；　the

parts　are　proportionally　enfeebled　whenever　the　veins　are　in　an

unhealthy　state。　When　in　striplings　the　defluxion　is　small　and　to

the　right　side；　they　recover　without　leaving　any　marks　of　the　disease；

but　there　is　danger　of　its　becoming　habitual；　and　even　increasing　if

not　treated　by　suitable　remedies。　Thus；　or　very　nearly　so；　is　the　case

when　it　attacks　children。



　　To　persons　of　a　more　advanced　age；　it　neither　proves　fatal；　nor

produces　distortions。　For　their　veins　are　capacious　and　are　filled

with　hot　blood；　and　therefore　the　phlegm　can　neither　prevail　nor

cool　the　blood；　so　as　to　coagulate　it；　but　it　is　quickly　overpowered

and　mixed　with　the　blood；　and　thus　the　veins　receive　the　air；　and

sensibility　remains；　and；　owing　to　their　strength；　the　aforesaid

symptoms　are　less　likely　to　seize　them。　But　when　this　disease

attacks　very　old　people；　it　therefore　proves　fatal；　or　induces

paraplegia；　because　the　veins　are　empty；　and　the　blood　scanty；　thin；

and　watery。　When；　therefore；　the　defluxion　is　copious；　and　the

season　winter；　it　proves　fatal；　for　it　chokes　up　the　exhalents；　and

coagulates　the　blood　if　the　defluxion　be　to　both　sides；　but　if　to

either；　it　merely　induces　paraplegia。　For　the　blood　being　thin；

cold；　and　scanty；　cannot　prevail　over　the　but　being　itself

overpowered；　it　is　coagulated；　so　that　those　parts　in　which　the

blood　is　corrupted；　lose　their　strength。



　　The　flux　is　to　the　right　rather　than　to　the　left　because　the　veins

there　are　more　capacious　and　numerous　than　on　the　left　side；　for　on

the　one　side　they　spring　from　the　liver；　and　on　the　other　from　the

spleen。　The　defluxion　and　melting　down　take　place　most　especially　in

the　case　of　children　in　whom　the　head　is　heated　either　by　the　sun　or

by　fire；　or　if　the　brain　suddenly　contract　a　rigor；　and　then　the

phlegm　is　excreted。　For　it　is　melted　down　by　the　heat　and　diffusion　of

the　but　it　is　excreted　by　the　congealing　and　contracting　of　it；　and

thus　a　defluxion　takes　place。　And　in　some　this　is　the　cause　of　the

disease；　and　in　others；　when　the　south　wind　quickly　succeeds　to

northern　breezes；　it　suddenly　unbinds　and　relaxes　the　brain；　which

is　contracted　and　weak；　so　that　there　is　an　inundation　of　phlegm；

and　thus　the　defluxion　takes　place。　The　defluxion　also　takes　place

in　consequence　of　fear；　from　any　hidden　cause；　if　we　are　the　at　any

person's　calling　aloud；　or　while　crying；　when　one　cannot　quickly

recover　one's　breath；　such　as　often　happens　to　children。　When　any　of

these　things　occur；　the　body　immediately　shivers；　the　person

becoming　speechless　cannot　draw　his　breath；　but　the　breath　（pneuma）

stops；　the　brain　is　contracted；　the　blood　stands　still；　and　thus　the

excretion　and　defluxion　of　the　phlegm　take　place。　In　children；　these

are　the　causes　of　the　attack　at　first。　But　to　old　persons　winter　is

most　inimical。　For　when　the　head　and　brain　have　been　heated　at　a　great

fire；　and　then　the　person　is　brought　into　cold　and　has　a　rigor；　or

when　from　cold　he　comes　into　warmth；　and　sits　at　the　fire；　he　is　apt

to　suffer　in　the　same　way；　and　thus　he　is　seized　in　the　manner

described　above。　And　there　is　much　danger　of　the　same　thing　occurring；

if　his　head　be　exposed　to　the　sun；　but　less　so　in　summer；　as　the

changes　are　not　sudden。　When　a　person　has　passed　the　twentieth　year　of

his　life；　this　disease　is　not　apt　to　seize　him；　unless　it　has　become

habitual　from　childhood；　or　at　least　this　is　rarely　or　never　the　case。

For　the　veins　are　filled　with　blood；　and　the　brain　consistent　and

firm；　so　that　it　does　not　run　down　into　the　veins；　or　if　it　do；　it

does　not　master　the　blood；　which　is　copious　and　hot。



　　But　when　it　has　gained　s