chewed. Then wash the eyelids with a collyrium, made of the water of quinces, the juice of unripe grapes, box-thorn, aloe, and acacia: of each of thefe let there be one part, and a tenth part of saffron ; and drop fome of it into the eyes.

But if you obferve a turgefcence in the humours, and the eruption to be very copious, fo that puftules will certainly fall upon the eyes, because redness appears here and there in their white part, from the excefs of the inflammation; and alfo find, that what you have applied does not remove that redness, but only leffen it for a time; after which it returns more violently than before, or at least continues as it was, when you began this treatment; you must not proceed any longer in this method, but, instead of these things, drop into the eyes fome of the acid liquor expreffed from mouldy bread, with the Nabathæan bitter, in which there is no vinegar, or other acid.

As to the puftules which break out in the tunica cornea of the eye, these darken the fight, and are to be cured, according to the degree of their thickness, by fuch diffolving remedies as I am going to describe: which indeed are fometimes effectual, and fometimes not; the fuccefs depending upon the matter being more or lefs thick, and upon the greater or lefs firmnefs and drinefs of the body.

But if large puftules fhew themfelves in the tunica uvca, ufe the collyrium of rofe-water feveral times in the day and night with great diligence; or elfe that before mentioned, leaving out the faffron; instead of which, put a fmall quantity of blood-ftone, to keep down the fwelling.

Thefe things are what ought to be known concern

ing the eyes. Care is next to be taken of the throat and mouth, left any eruption there should grieve the patient, and hinder his breathing; for it often happens, that, in a bad kind of the difeafe, terrible fuffocations are brought on, which leave no hopes of a recovery.

Therefore, on the first appearance of the figns of the fmall-pox, let the mouth be gargled with the water of acid pomegranates, or of fumack, or with the juice of mulberries, or with fome of thofe things which we have recommended, (chap. V.), under the head of extinguent remedies; or laftly, if nothing elfe be ready at hand, with pure cold water; and that very often, to prevent a great eruption into the throat and mouth, and strengthen those parts, or at least hinder what is already broken out there from caufing a fuffocation. Be quick therefore, and diligent in applying this cure, efpecially, if from a hoarfe nefs of voice, ftraitnefs in breathing, and a pain in the throat, a neceffity of it fhall appear.

Moreover, if the strength will bear it, take away blood from the cephalic vein; and that even after the whole eruption is over. And if the patient find any thing in his mouth, or throat which hurts him; and yet there is not too great a heat there, neither are his bowels too loofe, let him lick by degrees of fresh butter mixed with white fugar-candy. But if there be any heat and inflammation there, give a linctus of this kind.

Take of fweet almonds decorticated one part; of the feeds of gourd two parts; of white fugar-candy three parts; the mucilages of the feeds of fleawort, and of laurel-berries; a linctus of gum-arabic, alA a 2 monds

monds peeled, and the feeds of the plane-tree, and wheat-flower mix all thefe with a mucilage of quince-feeds.

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In the next place, let us take care of the limbs; for upon thefe a number of very bad puftules often arife, which corrupt them to fuch a degree, that the mufcles, tendons, nerves, and the bones themselves lie bare. Affift therefore immediately, if you obferve the figns of the difeafe to be violent and exceffive; that is, bathe the limbs with fanders, quince-water, Armenian bole, rofes, camphire, vinegar, and rofewater: but take care not to overdo it. If the puftules are very large, open them with an incifion-knife, to let out the matter: and delay not this operation ; for the cafe is dangerous.

Now let us come to the cure of the nofe and ears, left they should be over-filled with the pimples: for this will greatly afflict the patient; and when they break out in the internal part of the ear, there is danger of their coming prefently into the nofe. Take therefore a cotton cloth, upon which camphire has been broken; by the help of this, put into the ear fragrant wine-vinegar, to which has been added quince-water, or the juice of box-thorn. Do this in the morning, and repeat it twice or thrice a-day.

Laftly, if a great pain arifes in the foles of the feet, prepare inftantly to anoint them with warm oil, and foment them with warm water and cotton. If this does not affuage the pain, nor facilitate the eruption, beat up decorticated fefam with milk; anoint with it, and bind it on with cloths, and leave it upon the part all night. In the morning, put the foot into warm water; and repeat the fame again.

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Or bruise dates with butter, and apply them; or, laftly, anoint with the lees of the fefamine oil. For thefe and the like things foften and relax the fkin; and by this means diminish the pain, and promote the eruption.

W

CHA P. VIII.

Of ripening the fmall-pox.

Hen, after the eruption is completed, you obferve the puftales tend too flowly to maturity, and yet that the patient is otherwise in a very good way, as to his refpiration and pulfe, and pretty free from inquietude and anxiety; then it behoves you to affift the maturation of the puftules.

But if, together with a backwardnefs of ripening. after the eruption, you perceive the puftules to become hard and warty, and the patient not at all better; or if his illness increafes; then you are to know that the fmall-pox is mortal. Wherefore have no thoughts of ripening the puftules; for they are of that kind which cannot be ripened.

Now, the maturation of the finall-pox, if curable, is to be effected by fomenting the body with the fteam of a hot decoction in water of camomile, violets, melilot, marth-mallows, and bran, either feparate, or collected together in two bafins; as we have directed above, where we treated of facilitating the eruption.

And if then the patient feems to find relief and refreshment by the fomentation, you are to abftain from thofe fumigations which are commonly employed

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for drying up the puftules; until they ripen of themfelves, and are capable of bearing thofe things which contribute towards drying them up: of which we are now going to treat.

F the puftules are large and very numerous, they

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must be foaked up with fine clean cotton, in which there is nothing that may hurt the patient. And then let fumigations be made with the leaves of dried roses, or with the leaves of the ftorax-tree, or with fanders, or with the leaves of the iris, or the tamarisk : and indeed roses are more convenient in fummer, but tamarisks in winter.

The fmall-pox fometimes abounds with too much moisture. When that happens, order the patient to lie on pounded rofes, or on rice-meal, or on milletmeal, with which a mattress of a thin texture is stuffed.

If the body be full of puftules, lay moist leaves of the iris under the patient; and besprinkle him with an aromatic powder made of aloe, frankincenfe, farcocol, and dragon's blood.

But if the puftules break fpontaneously, or from the quantity of the fluid contained in them, and are flow in drying, treat them in this manner.

Take of fefamine oil one ounce; of Andarene * falt

* Andar is a village, a mile diftant from Aleppo, where a very white foffil falt is found. See Maundrell's journey.

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