CHAP. XX. Of the physical cure of a beginning Cataract.
A Beginning Cataract is hindered from growing and concretion by diet conveniently and artificially prescribed, by the abstinence from wine, especially more strong and vaporous, and forbearing the use of meats, which yield a phlegmatick juice and vaporous▪ as pease, beans, turneps, chesnuts, and lastly, all such things as have the faculty of stirring up the humors, and causing defluxion in the body, such as are all salt and spiced meats, as also garlike, onions, mustard. The immoderate use of Venery hurts more than all the rest, for that it more violently exagitates the whole body, weakens the brain and head, and begets crude humors. Let his bread be seasoned with some sennel-seeds, for it is thought to have a faculty of helping the sight, and clearing the eyes, and dissi∣pating the misty vapours in the stomach before they can ascend to the brain. Wherefore by the same reason it is good to use Marmelade of quinces, conserve of roses, and com∣mon drige powder, or any such like composed of things good to break winde, or corro∣borate the ventricle. Phlebotomy and purging, if they be requisite, shall be fitly appoin∣ted: Ventoses shall be applyed to the shoulders and neck; and phlegmatick matter shall be diverted and evacuated by the mouth with using masticatories in the morning. There be some which believe, that a beginning Cataract may be dissipated and discussed by often rubbing the eye-lids with his fingers, and in like sort by the often and earnest beholding of the Stars, and the Moon when it is at the full, looking-glasses, diamonds, and all other such like bright shining things. I believe, that by beams plentifully and suddenly brought and diffused over the eye, directly opposite against some bright shining thing, it may seem to have a penetrating, dividing, dissolving, as also a consuming and drying faculty. Besides, also the hot breath of him who holdeth in his mouth, and chaweth fennel-seeds, annis∣seeds, coriander-seeds, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and the like, hath a great faculty, the eyes being first gently rubbed with the finger, it being breathed in neer at hand, and often received, to heat, attenuate, resolve, digest, and diffuse the humor which is ready to con∣crete. Moreover, this collyrium of John Vigo is thought very powerfull to clear the eyes, strengthen the sight, hinder suffusions, and discuss them, if at any time they concrete, and begin to gather. ℞. hepatis hircini sani & recentis lb ij calami aromatici & mellis an. ℥ ss. succi rutae, ʒiii. aquae chelidoniae. foeniculi, verbenae euphrasiae, an. ℥iij. piperis longi, nucis moschatae, ca∣r••ophillorum an. ʒ ii. croci ℈ j. floris rorismarini aliquantum contriti, m. ss. sarcocollae, alces hepa∣ticae, an ʒ iii. fellis ratae, leporis & perdicis, an. ℥i. terantur omnia, tritisque, adde sacchari albi ℥ii. mellis rosati ʒ vi. conjiciantur in alembicum vitreum, & distillentur in balneo Mariae: Let this distilled liquor be often dropped into the eyes. But if you prevail nothing by all these medicines, and that the cloudy and heaped-up humor doth daily increase and thicken, then must you abstain from remedies, and expect untill it be no more heaped up, but thickned, yea untill it seem to be grown somewhat hard: For so it may be couched with a needle; otherwise, if this same skin shall not be ripe, but more tender than is fitting, when you shall come to the operation, it will be broken and thrust through with the needle, and not couched. On the contrary, if it be too hard, it will resist the needle, neither will it suffer it self to be easily couched. Wherefore it is requisite that the Surgeon know when it is ripe, and he must diligently observe the signs whereby he may discern a ripe Cataract from an unripe; and that which is curable, from that which is uncurable. For that only which is ripe and curable, is to be couched; that which is unripe, that is, such an one as is more ten∣der, and as it were crude, and that which is more hard and dense, and lastly, that which is uncurable must not be attempted at all.