CHAP. XII. Of the Ophthalmia, or inflammation of the Eyes.
AN Ophthalmia is an inflammation of the coate Adnata and consequently * 1.1 of the whole eye, being troublesome by the heate, rednesse, beating, renitency, and lastly paine. It hath its originall either by some primi∣tive cause or occasion, as a fall, stroake, dust, or small sand flying into the eyes. For the eye is a smooth part, so that it is easily offended by rough things, as saith Hippocrates, lib. de carnibus. Or by an antecedent cause, as a de∣fluxion falling upon the eyes. The signes follow the nature of the materiall cause, * 1.2 for from blood especially cholerike and thin, it is full of heat, rednesse and paine; from the same allayed with phlegme all of them are more remisse. But if a heavinesse possess the whole head, the original of the disease proceeds therfrom. But if a hot pain trouble the forehead the disease, may be thought to proceed from some hot distem∣per of the Dura water, or the pericranium; but if in the very time of the raging of the disease the patient vomit, the matter of the disease proceeds from the stomacke. But from whence soever it commeth there is scarce that paine of any part of the body, which may be compared to the paine of the inflamed eyes. Verily the greatnesse of the inflammation hath forced the eyes out of their orbe, and broken them asunder in divers. Therefore there is no part of Physicke more blazed abroad than for sore eyes. For the cure, the Surgeon shall consider and intend three things, diet, the eva∣cuation * 1.3 of the antecedent and conjunct cause, and the overcomming it by topicke remedies. The diet shall bee moderate, eschewing all things that may fill the head with vapours; and those things used that by astriction may strengthen the orifice of the ventricle, and prohibite the vapours from flying up to the head; the patient shall bee forbidden the use of wine, unlesse peradventure the disease may proceed from a grosse and viscide humour, as Galen delivers it. The evacuation of the mat∣ter flowing into the eye, shall bee performed by purging medicines, phlebotomy in * 1.4 the arm, cupping the shoulders and neck with scarification, and without: and lastly, by frictions, as the Physitian that hath undertaken the cure shall thinke it fit. Galen * 1.5 after universall remedies for old inflammations of the eyes, commends the opening of the veines and arteryes in the forehead and temples, because for the most part the vessels therabouts distended with acride, hot and vaporous blood, cause great & vehement paines in the eye.
For the impugning of the conjunct cause, divers topick medicines shall be apply∣ed, according to the four sundry times or seasons that every phlegmon usually hath. For in the beginning, when as the acride matter flowes downe with much violence, repercussives doe much conduce 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and tempred with resolving medicines, are good also in the encrease. ℞. aq. ros. et plantag. an. ℥ss. mucagin. gum. Tragacanth. ʒii. al∣bum.