on the sacred disease-第3章

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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　strength　from　one's　childhood；　and　become

habitual；　such　a　person　usually　suffers　attacks；　and　is　seized　with

them　in　changes　of　the　winds；　especially　in　south　winds；　and　it　is

difficult　of　removal。　For　the　brain　becomes　more　humid　than　natural；

and　is　inundated　with　phlegm；　so　that　the　defluxions　become　more

frequent；　and　the　phlegm　can　no　longer　be　the　nor　the　brain　be　dried

up；　but　it　becomes　wet　and　humid。　This　you　may　ascertain　in

particular；　from　beasts　of　the　flock　which　are　seized　with　this

disease；　and　more　especially　goats；　for　they　are　most　frequently

attacked　with　it。　If　you　will　cut　open　the　head；　you　will　find　the

brain　humid；　full　of　sweat；　and　having　a　bad　smell。　And　in　this　way

truly　you　may　see　that　it　is　not　a　god　that　injures　the　body；　but

disease。　And　so　it　is　with　man。　For　when　the　disease　has　prevailed　for

a　length　of　time；　it　is　no　longer　curable；　as　the　brain　is　corroded　by

the　phlegm；　and　melted；　and　what　is　melted　down　becomes　water；　and

surrounds　the　brain　externally；　and　overflows　it；　wherefore　they　are

more　frequently　and　readily　seized　with　the　disease。　And　therefore　the

disease　is　protracted；　because　the　influx　is　thin；　owing　to　its

quantity；　and　is　immediately　overpowered　by　the　blood　and　heated　all

through。



　　But　such　persons　as　are　habituated　to　the　disease　know　beforehand

when　they　are　about　to　be　seized　and　flee　from　men；　if　their　own　house

be　at　hand；　they　run　home；　but　if　not；　to　a　deserted　place；　where　as

few　persons　as　possible　will　see　them　falling；　and　they　immediately

cover　themselves　up。　This　they　do　from　shame　of　the　affection；　and　not

from　fear　of　the　divinity；　as　many　suppose。　And　little　children　at

first　fall　down　wherever　they　may　happen　to　be；　from　inexperience。　But

when　they　have　been　often　seized；　and　feel　its　approach　beforehand；

they　flee　to　their　mothers；　or　to　any　other　person　they　are　acquainted

with；　from　terror　and　dread　of　the　affection；　for　being　still

infants　they　do　not　know　yet　what　it　is　to　be　ashamed。