CHAP. 1. Of the profitte, vse, and situation of the eyes.

The excellen­cie of the eyeGOD hath created and framed the eyes with so great cunning, and set in them such maruailous excellencye and beauty, that iustlye they maye bee iudged the most perfect worke which is in our bodye, whether we consider the commodity of them, their vse in mo­uing, their place, their rampiers and de­fences, [Page] the matter whereof they are made, the beautye vvhich is in their forme and shape, or the diuersitye of their colours Concerning their com­modi [...]ye and vse, The vse and commoditie of the eyes. they are giuen vnto man principally to see therevvith and to guide and direct him to the knovv­ledge of God, by the beholding of his fayre and goodly vvorkes, vvhereof we can neither haue knovvledge nor in­stitution by anye other sense, but by the eyes: as also to serue in the place of guiders, and leaders to the vvhole bodye. And by good right they haue such rule and soueraigntie amongest al the senses, and all other partes of the bodye, that those vvhich are depriued of sight either by nature, or by any o­ther mishap doe thinke them selues in great miserye. They coulde not haue beene placed more fitlye then in the highest part of all the body, The place of the eye. as it vvere in a most high tovver, seeing they must serue as spies and vvatch-men to de­fende and guide all the other partes: vvherevnto nature hath made moste cunninglye twoo hollovve places or troughes in the heade named of their roundnes orbitas.

CHAP. 2. Of the rampires & defenses of the eies.

THE eies are compassed and ar­med aboue and beneath, on the right hand, and on the left, and on euerie part, not only for their pro­tection and defence, but also to make them appeare more beautifull & fai­rer. And indeede the nose serueth as a rampire and bulwarke vnto them, purging them and the braine of super­fluous humours. The bones named Ethmoides & Iugale are no lesse com­modiouslie placed for their preserua­tion and maintenaunce. And con­cernyng the eye lyddes wherewyth they are defended and couered: The vse of the eye liddes. they are not onelie an ornamente, but also as gates and drawing bridges, ha­uing their muscles as chaines to lift them vp, and let them downe when it shalbe expedient, either in seing, slee­ping, or waking, and to stay whatsoe­uer might fall into them, and on their edges they haue the haires called Cilia, which are as little pales straight & sure placed in a conuenient distaunce one from another, The hayres of the eye liddes that they might mutu­allie imbrace eche other, whereby the [Page] eie should be more surelie shut. More­ouer, they serue to directe the beames in seeing, that they may looke more straightlie, and in like maner to defend them against litle flies, against the dust, against little chips or shiuers, and such like thinges, which entring into them might hurt them: and they doe also beautifie them being set round about them as a little border. The browes and hayres on them. Not vnlike to these are the browes with their haire, which besides the ornament that the eyes receiue from them, do serue prin­cipallie to defende them against raine and sweate of the head and forehead, which descending downe, might fall vpon them: therfore were they fashi­oned like vnto halfe a circle or crosse, or a little vault, or appenthouse ioint­lie or equallie agreeing at the top of the nose, to the end that the sweat and the raine might haue his course & ea­sie discent on both sides without flow­ing or dropping into them. And least themselues should be anie hinderance vnto the eyes or enter into them, The hayres on the eielids grow little or nothing. God hath created thē & the hairs on the eie lids of such a nature, that either they grow not at all, or els verie little, but [Page] abide almost alwaies in the same estate which the haires of the head and beard doe not.

CHAP. 3. Of the coates and membranes or Partch­memtlike skinnes of the eies.

The matter of the eies most excellent.COncerning the matter wherof the eies are made, it farre excelleth all other parts, whether wee haue re­spect to the membranes or partche­ment-like skinnnes, or to the humors, sinewes, vaines, arteries, muscles, or to the glandulous substance, and kernels whereof they are made. Now because the humours are thinne and moist, The vse of the membranes. na­ture hath giuē vnto them membranes or partchment skins which might fit­lie keep them in their appointed place to the perfourming of their office, which by the searching of the Anato­mistes haue beene noted to bee fiue in number. The first coat of the eie. The first is noted in Latine adnata, alba, adhaerem, coniunctiua, in English the white of the eye. This mē ­brane or partchment skinne is verie thinne and slender, seruing to containe the eye in his circle or collet: whose beginning is from Pericranium, that is [Page] from the skinne which compasseth the the skull, and his ende is in the circle named Iris or the rainbow: this which is called Iris, what Iris is. is a circle in the eie representing manie diuers colours, the vari­etie and number whereof are not to be iudged to proceed frō the humours but from the membrane called vuea. For the humors in all persons are al­waies of like colour, Humors are like in al men. but the circle na­med Iris is not so, because in some mē it appeareth more blacke, in others more white or blew, according to the diuersitie of the colours which are in the membrane called vuea. It was named Iris, which in Englishe signifi­eth a Rainbow, bicause in it do appear such change of colours as are seen in the Rainbow. The second coat of the eie The second membrane or partchment skinne is named Cor­nea, that is, hornie, which is more strong and hard, resembling horn that is made thin & bright, euen such wher­of Lanternes are made, from the like­nesse wherof it seemeth to haue been named Cornea, that is horny. Now god hath so created it, that it should bee a surer defence to all the humors of the eies, & to help the light which the eies [Page] receiue into them, through whose mid­dest it shineth & sendeth out the light euen as the candle which is in the Lan­tern, casteth his light toward the horn whereof the same is made. The horny membrane is not in euery place of the same nature This hor­nie membrane is not in euery part like vnto it selfe: for the former parte of it, which wee may and doe beholde: wherein the apple of the eie is placed and enuironned with Iris, or the Rain­bowe, that part I say, is bright, & hath a through light, that so colours might haue the better passage and entertain­ment, but the hinder part of it is darke and verie thick & grosse, The errour of Arabians. which thing caused the Arabians to make it two membranes. VVe must marke and ob­serue that it is made of manie little skinnes, and as it were thinne barks, which take their beginning from dura mater, whiche is diuided into sun­drie small skinnes. The vse and of­fice of this membrane, is to make the eye round by compassing in all the hu­mours of the same. The third coate. The third mem­brane or partchment skinne is vuea, vvhich is in English like to a grape, be­ing so called, because it hath in the outvvarde parte the resemblaunce of a [Page] blacke grape when it is pressed, vvhose beginning is from the second skinne, compassing the braine, called pia ma­ter, which after it hath enclosed the si­newe of sight, named neruur opticus, spreadeth abroade vnder the hornie membrane, ascending vnto the circle Iris, and yet inwrappeth not the whole eie. For when it is cōmed thus far, then leauing the hornie membrane it ma­keth the hole for the apple of the eie, and bendeth backward to the circle & large circumference of the cristaline humour, vnto which it cleaueth fast, staying the waterishe humour that it should not couer & burie al the whole crystaline humour. The vse. The outward part of it is blacke, to the end it might ga­ther and heape vp in it self, the glitte­ring beames, and that the diuers kinds of colours might be thereby better v­nited, receiued, and conioyned. For as it is the propertie of white to scatter abroade, so is it the nature of blacke to gather together. Diuers co­loures in the eyes. And touching the innermost part of it, it is indued with many colours, that by seeing manie colours we might the better iudge of them, and bee able to distinguishe one [Page] from another when they are offered to our sight. Otherwise, if it had been died but with one colour onelie, then all thinges which our eies doe behold, woulde haue seemed to haue been of this onelie colour: euen as wee see a greene or red glasse maketh all things appeare greene or red. Furthermore, this change and diuersitie of colours refresheth the weried eies in such sort, that before we haue viewed and loo­ked on a thing diligentlie, we stay our eyes for this purpose, that the spirites of sight may as it were, retire them­selues to this diuersitie of colours as to a place of recreation and comfort. This membrane named vuea is soft, least it might hurt the crystaline hu­mor, wherefore v­ [...]ea is soft. and found directlie set to the said humor, that the light might haue more free entrance, and that by his darknesse the passage of the colours might not bee stopped: it is nourished with the veines & arteries of the hornie mem­brane. The apple of the eie. Now that which is seen on the hole or centre of the eye like vnto a black pricke, is named the apple of the eye, by the which we see: and albeit it doth appeare blacke, yet is neither it [Page] nor any thing vnder it black, but tho­rowlie cleere and bright. The 4 coat. The fourth membrane is named in Greek amphy­blestroides, which in English signifieth a casting net, which taketh his begin­ning frō the sinew of sight called ner­ [...]us opticus, whose coate is stretched foorth, and vvouen like to a net of ma­nie veines and arteries, which it recei­ueth from the membrane vuea, both for his nourishment and life, and for the glassie humor wherewith it is clo­thed on the hinder part. The 5. coa [...] The fift is called Arachnoides, because it resem­bleth the Spiders webbe, which is in greeke arachne, whose beginning as som think is from Pia mater, but as o­thers affirme, frō the crystalin humor to wit, from the superfluous matter & excrement of the same. His vse is to enwrap the said humor in all the for­mer parte. Ambrose Pare. Ambrose Pare reporteth one most excellent commodity of the same: that it serueth to the cristaline humor, as a glasse to behold, so that it is vnto it as Lead, whereby it falleth out that the diuers sorts and kindes of visible things which are sent from any part of the obiect, that is frō the thing [Page] which is offered to our sight, may bee retained in the saide humor by such a coniunction, and linking of each to o­ther, as we see in a looking glasse that is made of glasse and Lead, which hath force and power to stay the outwarde face and image from passing through, but holdeth them as it were gathered on a heap in the vppermost part of it.

CHAP. 4. OF the humors vvhich are in the eies

COncerning the humors where­of the eie is made, the first called aqueus, 1. The wate­rish humor. that is, the waterish hu­mor, because it is not vnlike water set­led in the formost part of it, betweene the hornie membrane and that which is called Vuea, and some part of the crystaline humor. It hath the fi [...]st place that it may bridle and stay the raging colours which come vpon it, The vse of the humor and that the hornie mēbrane should not presse down that humor which filleth almost that part of the eye. Celsus. Celsus hath ob­serued that betweene the waterish and cristal humor, ther is a place as it were emptie, being onely filled with bright shining spirite, wherein the Cataracts [Page] are engendered, as we will shevv in the proper place. There is a further com­moditie of this humor to keepe by his moysture the crystall humor, 2. The christa­lin humor. from too much drinesse. The second humor is the Crystall, so tearmed, for the re­semblaunce it hath vnto Crystall in vvhitenesse and shining, to the ende it might more easilie receiue the di­uersitie of colours, The place and vse. as wee see onely vvhite doth. His seat is in the middest betvveen the vvaterish and glassie hu­mor, not onlie ministring nourishmēt and moysture, and so preseruing from drinesse, but also to helpe and preserue the same, and to moderate & appease the rage of spirites and colours, The forme of it. which might hurte it. The fashion of it is rounde, vvhich more easily resisteth outvvarde iniuries: for this figure is hardlie hurt, because it hath no cor­ners. It is true that the roundnesse of it is somevvhat pressed and pinched before and behind, but so that therby it remaineth more sure and stedfast in the place, vvhiche vvas harde to bee done in a round figure. Againe by this cōpression, the colours of such things as we see are retained without any di­spearsing [Page] on either side, vvhiche they must of necessitye haue done, if the fi­gure & shape had been perfectly roūd. It receiueth norishment frō the glas­sie humour, Howe it is nourished. by the helpe of the little veines & arteries vvhich it imparteth vnto it. And it is necessarily required that the glassie humour shoulde make vvhite the blood before it passe to the Cristall humor: for if it vver nourished vvith pure blood vvhiche vvere not vvhite as it is necessarily required. It is giuē to the eie as the first instrumēt of sight, and therefore it is in it as a little cleer Cristall glasse. And albeit the o­ther humors do so shine, that the light may passe through thē as it doth tho­rovv vvater or glasse: notvvithstanding they haue no light of thēselues as hath the Christallin humor, This humor hath light of itselfe. vvhich coulde not receiue the light vvhiche it re­ceiueth outvvardly, if it vvere not par­taker of the same vvithin, & so parta­ker that it agreed naturallie vvith the same. And to proue that it is the first instrument of sight thus it is plain, that after it shall be taken out of the eie, It is the first instrument of sight. & laide vpon anie thing vvritten or im­printed, it shevveth the letter tvvofold [Page] greater then it is in it selfe: and from this obseruation it is supposed that men learned the vse of spectacles. Inuention of spectacles. The thirde is the glassie humour, 3. The glassie humor. so called because in his substance and colour it is like cleare shining glasse vvhen it is melted: it is hollovv in the middest to the ende it might keepe the Cristallin humor vvhereunto it is in place of a covvshin, as the vvaterie humor is placed in the former part of the eye: The place of it. so is this in the hinder part for this pur­pose, that it may represse and keepe in subiectiō somtimes the furious spirites vvhich come vppon the Cristallin hu­mor. How it is nourished. It is nourished by meanes of the veines & arteries vvhich spring from the membrane called of the fourme of a casting net, Amphiblestroides, The greatnes of it. the greatnesse hereof is threefolde, excee­ding both the other membranes.

CHAP. V. OF the sinevves, veines, and arteries, of the eyes.

THE eyes are indevved vvyth tvvo sortes) of nerues or si­nevves vvhereof the first are [Page] called optici in Greeke, The number of the sinewes and vse. and visuales in Latine, vvhich is in Englishe sinevves pertaining to sight, vvhereof either eie hath one proper vnto it, which differ from other sinewes, because they are neither of so sound and firm substance but soft, They differ from other se­newes. and within full of little holes (albeit this hollovvnesse is not so eui­dent in them that are dead) vvhich are as small Conduit pypes and little gut­ters, to carrie vnto the eies the spirites of sight, vvhich in manner of a little flame do issue from the light, by whose help they receiue from the brain both life and povver to see. But before they come to the eyes, after they are gone out from the braines, they are gathe­red togeather like as the yron in a Mill, The forme of them. and make but one only body and conduit, vvhereby the spirite of sight is carried out vvholie and conioyntlie, vvhich appeareth in this, that one eye beeing closed, the apple of the other doth so inlarge it selfe, that by the pas­sage thereout of the vvhole spirit, VVherfore we see as well with one eie as w [...]th both. vve may see as fullie and certainelie vvith one only as vvith both the eyes. This vnion vvas necessarie, least vvhen one thing is offered to our sight, vve should [Page] haue beheld tvvo, to vvitte, vvith ei­ther eye one, so that in looking vpon one man, vvee might suppose to haue seene tvvo. After this coniunction & linking together they are diuided, and ech of them passeth thorovv the holes in the head, and is planted into either eye seuerallie, ending their course in the coat or membrane called amphi­blestroides. Sinewes which moue the eie. The second sort of sinewes are those vvhich serue to mooue the eye, vvhereof ech eye hath one, vvhich beginning neere vnto the aforesaid si­nevves, passing thorovv the holes in the head, are engrafted into the mus­cles of the eie to cause them to moue. And if vve respect the veines, there are tvvo in either eye, Veines in the eye. one vvithin vvhich is deriued from the vessels of the brain vvith the membranes, and the other vvithout, vvhich is plainelie stretched vnto the outvvard parts therof, & spe­cialy to the vvhite of the eie, by means vvherof are stirred vp oftentimes in­flammations and rednesse in the eyes. These help to the nourishment of the eye, as the artery serueth to bestovv life on the same.

CHAP. 6. Of the muscles of the eies.

ANd seeing the eies are giuen to mē to guide the bodie, and to discouer such thinges as might outwardlie hurt them, they coulde not conuenientlie haue beene fastened in one place, and so looke only and continually streight forwarde: therefore God hath giuen to either of them sixe muscles, The number and vse of the muscles. partlie to hold them sure and streight in their places, and partly to change their mo­tions, vpward, downward, to the right hande, to the left, inward, and round a­bout. There are foure of these mus­cles straight, taking their beginning frō the bottome of the circle, in which the eye is placed, The vse of the foure muscles called orbita, which compassing the sinewe of sight doe ende in the middest of the eye, that is to say one in the vppermost part drawing it towardes the nose, an other in the left side drawing it vpwarde, the thirde in the lowest parte drawing it downevvarde, the fourth in the right side dravving it tovvards the eare, and vvhen they haue accomplished their action, they plucke it invvarde. The [Page] other two turne the eie, yet not fullie, but onelie on the side, that it might looke backward. For there is not anie thing to bee seene vvithin, but onelie vvithout the head. The first is verye long & slender, beginning at the bot­tome of the circle named orbita, to­ward the great corner ending vvith a thin tendon, vvhich pearceth thorovv a little membrane or skinne like vnto a ring, vvhich is made fast neere vnto the moyst kernell, from vvhich in we­ping teares proceed, called common­lie glandula lachrymalis, by the vvhich vvhen it hath passed as it vvere by a powly, it maketh a straight corner go­yng forvvarde, vntyll it bee imparted in the vppermost part of the eie. His office is to turne it tovvarde the nose. The vse of the two muscles. The sixt beginneth in the lovvest part of the circle orbita, being verie slen­der, it ascendeth tovvarde the little corner, and imbracyng the vvhole eye vvith a small Tendon, endeth neere vnto the insertion, or implan­ting of the fifte. His office is to turne the eye tovvards the eare.

CHAP. 7. Of the kernels commonlie called the glandules of the eies.

THere are besides the fatte in the eies, three kernels called in La­tine Glandulae, one vvithin the circle, The number and vse of the kernels. an other vnderneath it, and the third aboue, vvhich all serue to keepe the eye moyst and vvet, as shall be ex­pedient, because of their continuall mouing and hot nature, vvithholding also the humors, least in tvvo great a­bundance they flovve vpon them and hurt them. From these kernels issue out teares, either by straightnesse and compression vvhen vve are sorovvful, or by rubbing the eies, as those gallant Dames vse to make themselues vveep, vvhē they vvold obtain their desire at the hāds of their louers, Many causes of teares. either by en­larging as, those vvhich shed tears for ioy, either through vveaknes, as they vvhich vveepe at their death, because their strength is quite decaied, eyther from the abundance of anie humor as it falleth out in thē vvhich are drunke: either by sharpenesse in the humour, vvhich vve may perceiue by smoke, or the pilling of an Onion. Concerning [Page] the thirde kernel, it is placed in the great corner of the eye neere to the nose vpon the little bone in the circle orbita, in vvhich place there is an hole which entreth into the eyes on eache side, to stay the course of the excremēts comming from the brain, frō running into the eyes, as vvee may see it come to passe in such as hauing the said ker­nell chaunged or consumed doe vveep continuallie, as shall be declared in the proper place vvhen vve speake of the disease called Fistula lacrymalis, that is a continuall vvatering of the eies.

CHAP. 8. Of the fourme and figure of the eies.

AL the forenamed parts ioyntly to­gether, do make and frame the eies in the fashion of a Pyramis, that is, Pyramis. of a sharpe steeple, vvhose point tur­neth invvarde to the bottome of the circle called orbita. But if vve consider euerie part thereof seperated from the muscles, vve shall finde them to bee in forme and shape rounde, vvhich is cō ­monly called sphaericall, Sphaere. vvhich is the most excellent and perfectest shape of all others, both in regarde of the easie [Page] and svvifte motion of it to the right hand, or to the left, vpvvard or dovvn­vvard, and in respect it most easilie re­sisteth all outvvarde and forrein iniu­ries.

CHAP. I. Of the eie that falleth out of the place, which disease is called in greek ecpiesmos or proptosis, and in latine pro [...]ipsus, exitus, expres [...]io, exertio. Also of the Oxe eie, or great eie, which is in Greeke named exopthalmia, in latine o [...]u­li prominentia, of the common sort goglo eye.

Definition. EXopthalmia, is a standing out, a lifting vp, and as it vvere a casting foorth of the eie from the hollownesse and circle vvherein it is set and placed as a precious stone within his collet. This affection or disposition is sometimes meerelie naturall, as vvee may see in such as haue great eyes, & to them it is not needfull to applie any thing. But if the eie doe thrust out more and more, vntill it depart vvholy [Page] [Page] [Page 1] out of the naturalll place then com­meth ecpiesmos. Ecplesmos. In some it standeth so farre foorth that it cannot be couered vvith the eielids, and is in such sort re­moued out of the circle, that it han­geth vvithout the bone ethmoides.

This disease commeth either of outvvarde causes, Outward causes of it. as from falling from an high place, by a great stroke on the head, or about the eie vvith a ball or stone: it may grovv also from strang­ling or choking as appeareth in them vvhich vse wrasteling, vvhereunto vve referre the great violent straininges vvhich vvomen suffer in hard trauels, and the stretching which they abide that haue the disease called [...]enesmus. It is incident to them vvhich are trou­bled vvith greeuous vomiting, straightnesse of breath, and vse blovving in great hornes. The invvarde causes a­mongest others are great inflammati­on, Inwarde cau­ses. and flovvinges commonlie called fluxes, vvhich fall vppon the eie, and then this standing out of the eie, be­cause of the inflammation, is called by Celsus proprosis. It may bee called also by an Aposteme, beeing in the sub­stance of the braine, Pr [...]ptosis. or in the skinnes [Page 2] and coates vvhich couer the same, and from too much fulnesse and vvindi­nes, vvhich is heaped together and en­gendred in the eie, as it commeth to passe in the child vvhich dieth and pu­trifieth in the mothers vvombe: and to these may bee added the loosing, and ouermuch mollifiyng of the muscles and membranes, vvhich moue & turn the eye. Signes. According to these causes there are diuers signes vvhereby the disease is knovven. For vvhen the eie falleth out through the abundance of humors, it is greater and grosser then if it fell out by strangling and choking, by straining or blovving (if there bee none other fulnesse of humors) albeit there is in both great stretching out of it: but if it arise from the soft [...]esse & tendernesse of the muscles, and mem­branes, it is not so puffed vp & svvel­led, yea scarceslie can any stretching be perceiued.

Cure in gene­rall.Touching the generall cure, blood letting is most necessarie, and in that place speciallie vvhere the paine and inflammation appeareth, and in like maner apply the cupping glasses, vvith scarrifiyng vpon the shoulders & neck [Page 3] and if it seeme needfull because of the great abundance of humors, you may vse purging, and cut of somevvhat in the dyet of the patient. Cure in par­ticular. But concer­ning particular remedies, as the causes are diuers, so must the medicines bee diuers. For if the stroke be round, or the eye in the thrusting out doe hang, then first of all, let him vvith his hand put it into the place againe, pressing it dovvne gentlie vvith his hande, and vvhen it is either vvholie or in part thus put againe into the place, he must lay on it little stupes made of fine lin­nen cloathes, or such like, vvetting thē in Rose vvater, Plant in vvater, and the vvhite of an egge, or rather make your medicine of an egge, oyle of Roses & vvine, as Aetius appoynteth, Aetius. or some such like.

All these medicines must be applied vvarme, and changed oftentimes, least they heat too much, and so cause sup­puration, that is, bring it to ripe mat­ter. After these remedies, let the eye bee easily kept into the place, vvith a soft Roller, named of Hippocrates, Hippocrates roller. op­thalmos. After this order you shall doe if the like accident proceed from strangling, [Page 4] choking, strayning or vomiting, for the child which is dead or putrified in the mothers womb whē it is drawn foorth: and if it seem conuenient, vse things to mollifie & softē the muscles & membranes which may keepe it in his place, then applye a fomentation with a binding decoction made of the pil of the Pomegranate, Shepheardes purse, Aui [...]en. 3. book. fen. 3. tract. 3. c. 36. Endiue, Poppie, therby to make the part strong, & vpō it lay a Cata­plasm of Beane flovver, Roses, Frankē ­sence, and the vvhite of an Egge. And where the eie semeth ful of vapours, & slimy humors without any inflamma­tion, ther must you vse a fomentation and fume to make thē thin before you doe vndertake the restoring of it into the place, to the end you may waste & dispearse such humors as hinder the restoring of it. But if the eie fall out tho­rovv the greatnes of the inflammatiō, you must take that away and delay the pain. And for this purpose Celsus com­mendeth this Collyrium, that is the eie salue of Nilens. Celsus his col­lyrium. 6. ca. 6 R. Nardi Indici, iuyce of Poppy, ana ʒ .i. Gum, ʒ i. Saphrō, ʒ ij. leaus of fresh roses, ʒ 4. & seeth them in rain water, or tart vvine. Now [Page 5] following this patterne you may ap­point this prescription. R. of Spicknard ʒ j. leaues of roses fresh P, i, the Pom­granate pill ʒ ij. & seeth them in rain water, ℥ iiij. then dissolue therin of the iuyce of blacke Poppie ℈ j. Saffron ℈ s make your Collyrium. In it you shall wet linnen cloathes, folded together, cōmonlie called stupes to be laid vpō the eie. They may vse also this Cata­plasm. R. of the leaues of Poppy & Hē ­bane, ana, m, i. Sorrel leaues & Plantin, A cataplasme. ana, m, i. s red Roses, m i. seeth thē in water with dried Rasins, put therto ʒ ii. of Mirh and the yoke of one egge, make it a cataplasme, & apply it to the eie. In this case those medicines wil be necessarie, vvhich vve shall set down in the disease called opthalmia, vvhich is the inflammation of the eies. But if neither by al these remedies, nor rol­ling, the eie can bee restored into the place, but it styll remaineth readye to fall out and seemeth to hang, then it is to be supposed that the sight is lost, & that the eie is in danger to becom dry and vvithered (bicause nourishment is wāting, which should kepe the parts in their natural moysture) or els to com [Page 6] to suppuratiō. And it is expedient there to open the part towardes the tem­ples of the head vvhere suppuration appeareth to the ende that the filthie slimie matter beeing auoided, the in­flammation and grief may cease: not­withstanding let the coats thereof re­maine safe, and put them againe into the place to eschew hereby the defor­mity which might be in the face, vsing aftervvarde such medicines as may as­swage paine: suche is the white of an egge beaten vvith Rose water & plan­taine. Celsus h [...]s counsell. And in vvhat place through dri­nesse and vvithering the eie shall bee dead, least it cause further infection by putrefactiō, that vvhich standeth forth is to be cut away. He vvhich shall doe this, shall binde thereof as much as is corrupt, filthie, and hanging out, as neere vnto it as it is possible, then must he cut avvay so much as hangeth ouer the ligature or binding, applying in the mean time such medicines as may appease paine and stay inflammation. Aetius. Notwithstanding Aetius vvould haue it staied tyll it come vnto suppuration. Novv vvhich is the best vvay to cut it after it is bound, vvee vvill declare in [Page 7] chapter vvhere vve shall speake of sta­phyloma.

CHAP. 2. Of the leane, vvithered, or diminished eie, which is called in Greeke atrophia opthalmou, in Latin imm [...]tio profunditas macies oculi: Also of the litle eyes, co [...] ­monlie called pinking eies, and in Greek Micropthalmos, in latine paruus oculus.

Atrophia opthalmou is an affection of the eye when al the parts of it are leaner and slenderer than they ought, Definition. and the vvhole eie smaller and lesser then naturallie it should be, vvherup­on there appeareth an hollovv deepe­nesse, it being sunck downe within the circle, and the sight being darkened & dimmed in such sorte, that the thinges vvhiche they looke vppon doe see me much greater then they are. This af­fection differeth from Pthisis, Difference of Atropbia and Pth [...]sis. that is the consumption of the eie, because therein is onelie a diminishing of the apple of the eie, and not of the whole eie. The inward causes are the flowing vnto it of sharp and thin humors, con­tinuall teares, sharp feuers, sadnes, Causes. old ache, great ache in the head: the out­ward, [Page 8] a greatstroke, troublesome cares watching. Micropthal­mos. Micropthalmos, that is the pincking eie is, when any one hath frō his birth so little eies, that they seeme scarcelie opened, albeit they are not suncke downe vvithin the circle more than they should bee, vvhereunto it is not expedient to apply anie medicine, sith nature cannot be amended. But to speake of curing the leane eie in re­gard of generall remedies, Cur [...]. exercise is heere first of all necessarie, then rub­bing of the head and face, and washing of it, and closing the eye-lids to rubbe the eye gentlie vvith the fingers. The Patient must vse to eate good nowri­shing meate, and drinke wine if it bee pleasant. Hee must not meddle vvith his houshold affaires, but commaunde them to be kept from his eares. Con­cerning particular remedies, suche are most commended which be gentle, & asswage payne, as fomentations of vvarme water vvith a spounge, to vse common milke warme, or womans milke, Contrarietie of opinions P. Aeginet [...]. dropping it into the eye, to a­uoid all sharp biting medicines which may prouoke weeping. Notwithstan­ding P. Aeginet [...] vsed this R [...] ʒ i [Page 9] crocomag. ʒ iiij. croci ʒ ij. erug. ʒ i. stāping them in vvater, & so framing them fitlie for his purpose. But it hath beene well obserued, that hee did not this to procure teares, neither to drie as such remedies would do, but rather as it were by tinckling and pricking of it a little, to bring and draw thither the humors and spirits and more plen­tifull nowrishment: vvhich thing is al­so vsuallie done in other leane partes when they rub, and apply sharp medi­cines vnto them, pricking also & bea­ting them, to the end they may drawe to them more store of spirits & blood. Neuerthelesse Celsus reiecteth the a­foresaid medicines which cause teares.

CHAP. 3. Of the bursten and broken eie, called in greeke rexis, in latine ruptio.

RExis is taken generally for the sepe­ration or dissolution of any fleshlie part without a wound: Diuers vses of this worde rexis. notvvithstan­ding Galen placeth it amongst the particuler affections of the eies, Definition by Galen. affirming it to bee a cutte or wounde made by a stroke or anie other cause in the bot­tome of the eye, which sodainely di­uiding [Page 10] asunder the mēbranes or partch mentlike skinne, Definition by G [...]l [...]a. the humours which gouerne the sence of sight are poured out, and scattered abroad The causes are round strokes vpon the eye, a fall from an high place, a violent mo­tion, Causes. stretchynge, and enlarging of the membranes, which being broken are not able to containe the humours in their naturall place, whereupon it commeth to passe that all the eie bur­steth, Cure. and the humours flowe out. It cannot be cured considering the hu­mours are issued forth, and the mem­branes remaine d [...]ye, albeit that some vvill constantly aduouch the aforesaid humors may be engendred againe. For proose of their speache they bring the triall which hath bene made on a pigeons eyes, The humors lost may be restored in a Pigeon. whereof they crushed forth the humors, which neuerthelesse in fifteene dayes they haue found re­couered and restored, and the eyes as plaine and sound as before, which I am able to testifie that I haue seene, but it is not not hath not beene pro­ued true in any man. A strange hi­storie in Ga­len. In deede Galen reporteth a historie not ordinary, but rather incredible of a yong boy which [Page 11] being pricked directly vpon the apple of the eye, the waterish humour issued forth sodainly, by meanes whereof the apple of the eye remained much lesse, and the horny membrane stood forth vvith vvrincles notvvithstanding all this he was healed hauing perfect sight afterwards the humour beeing againe engendred which had before flowed out and perished. VVaterish humour is an excrement. VVhich thing might befall to the waterish humour because it is nothing els but an excrement of the nourishment which is in the Chri­stalline and not any part of seede as the glassye and aforenamed Chrystal­line are, whose decay in this respect is desperate and vnrecouerable. For my part I haue sene much of the waterish humour issue forth when the needle hath bene plucked forth, which was thrust in to take away the cataracts, VVaterish humor may be restored. and afterward in short time the eye hath beene as full great and faire as at the beginning: which yet could not be if all the humors were lost. Therefore the Chirurgian shalbe contented with asswaging the paine, Cure. vvhich he may accomplish partly by generall reme­dies as bloudletting, cuppings on the [Page 12] shoulders to preuent inflamation and flovving of humours, partly by parti­cular remedies, and before all othe [...]s vvith this eye salue of most singuler vertue & easie to be prouided, An excellent easie medic [...]n. vvhich is the bloud of a pigeon hot, vvherein dipping a linnen cloth lay it on the eie, and the rest of the cure is so to bee ordered as the accidents shall require.

CHAP. 4. Of the eie vvhich is troubled or confu­sedlie mixed, and set out of order, called in greeke Synchysis, and in Latin Inflatio [...]culi.

Definition. Synchisis is a breaking or cutting of the eie comming by a stroke or of it self, in the innermost membranes vvith a dispearsing or ouerturning of the humours, and alteration of the ap­ple of the eie, which in the beginning standeth foorth largely, but in the end is made lesse then nature affoordeth it: the humours of the eie in like ma­ner possesse not their naturall place, neither keepe their appointed order, but are carryed hyther and thither, and mingled together (as we say) hād ouer head. This maladie ariseth after a great [Page 13] stroke or inflammation of the mem­brane named Vuea, Causes. because some part in it is broken. Those are more easilie cured, who are most easilie cured. vvhich haue the apple of the eie onelie made broder retaining still his colour and figure, then such as haue it rent, and as it were cut asunder. The cure must be in this order. Cure. If the inter­medling and confusion of humours came by a stroke, first let the corrupt blood be quicklie taken away, then fill vpp the eie with blood of a Turtle or Pigion verie hot, and vppon it lay a Stupe (as it is commonlie named) of linnen cloth, or vvooll vvetted in the white of an egge and oyle of Roses beaten togeather, continuing the vse of it by the space of tvvo dayes or more if neede require it. Or the thirde day yo [...] must vse a fomentation drop­ping into the eye vvarme milke, or vvomans milke, and aftervvarde apply this medicine made of the yokes of egges hard rosted, mingled vvith hony and a little saffron to cleanse the part. In the rest of your cure, you shall haue in redinesse proper medicines for such accidents as may happen.

CHAP. 5. Of the eie vvhich is svvolne, and puffed vp, called in greeke oedema [...]pthal­mou, in latine inflatio oculi.

The diuers significations of Oedema. OEdema is taken in auncient vvri­ters for all kindes of tumors or svvelling, but here vve vse it par­ticularlie according to Galen for a blovving or puffing vp of the eye, Definition by Galen. vvhen it is lifted vp on high, looseth his natu­rall colour, and is hardlie moued, the vvhite part being higher lifted vp then the blacke: Aetius. or as Aetius vvoulde haue it, vvhen the eye (vvithout any mani­fest cause) becommeth puffed vppe, svvolne, and discoloured, through the flovving vnto it of sharpe thin humors vvhich stirr vp itching. Old age sub­iect most to oedema [...]. Others say, that svvelling of the eie vvhich is termed oedema is taken onelie for the tumour vvhich outvvardlie ariseth in eye lid. This affect happeneth manie times to men, the itching beginneth at the cor­ner of the eie, not vnlike to that when one is stinged with a Bee or Gnatte. Causes. This disease is more incident & com­mon in Sommer then other times of the yeeres. The causes are the flowing [Page 15] to it of sharpe waterish humours, or vapours rising from the intrals and as­cending on high, which afterward fall downe vpon the eye, and chiefelie vp­on the white of it called coniuncti [...]a, whiche beeing not so solid and harde as the hornie membrane doth sooner sucke in, and as it were drinke vpp the aforesaid vapours and humours, which causeth it to be raised aboue the hor­nie membrane. In curing of this mala­die, we must looke to that cause which went before, Cure. that it may be turned a­way by frications or rubbinges on the neck back, and armes, by cupping vp­on the shoulders by good diet, by a­uoyding all meates which send vp va­pours, and principally strong wines. In particular you must vse fomentations, which do partlie resolue, partlye com­fort, applying them with a Sponge as Aetius ordaineth. Atius medi­cine. Take of flowers of Camomill and Melilot an. p. i. red Roses, p. ij Sage and Betonie ana p. i. of Fene-greeke, Anise, Fenell, Line seedes ana ʒ iij. seethe them in equall portions of tart wine and Spring vva­ter, apply it with a sponge. In like sort you may lay to the eye this eye salue. [Page 16] Take of the mucilage of Linseede and Fene-greeke drawen vvith vvater of Eye-bright. ℥. ii. Fenell vvater, & rose vvater an. ℥ i. wherein disolue of mirh & Aloes an ʒ s. tutia prepared ʒ i. & with this make your salue. The con­iunctiua or white of the eie is some­times so so svvolne, A necessarie caution. that it goeth foorth of the eielidds, and is redde & shining, vvhich some being ignorant of, would haue cut it. Therefore you must take heede thereunto, sith by little & little the aforenamed remedies will bring it to the owne proper nature, as I haue seen it accomplished contrary to some mens opinions. But if this thing be not speedily atchieued, then the Chirurgi­an must put it gentlie & easily into the place with the point of a rounde prop, which some haue been constrained to doe, the white of the eie standing and stretching beyond the eie-lids.

CHAP. 6. Of the hot burning eie, or Carbuncle in the eie. called in greek anthracosis op­thalmou, in latine, carbunculatio

Definition. ANthracosis in a generall sense, is a hard, crustie, fretting vlcer with flo­wing [Page 17] of humors, & swelling arising in anie part of the body, but speciallie in the eies about the beginning of pesti­lent Feuers hurting not onely the eie, Causes. but also the eie-lids. It hapneth some­times through great inflāmatiō, or ra­ther by melancholike blood boiling & remaining in that place. Signes set downe by Aetius. Aetius giueth these signes to know it, that there ari­seth a little tumor like vnto a Barley corn, red in the beginning in such ma­ner that the sick party thinketh his eie doeth burne, albeit the tumor is not much swolne: for because of the great heat it openeth it selfe & bursteth out, & that which runneth out of it, albeit it be sharp & biting, causeth the top of the carbuncle to be dry & crusty. Infection of parts adioy­ning. It in­fecteth the parts adioining, wherupon ensueth great inflāmation in the eie, in the next partes & in the kernels com­monly called glandules, which are vn­der the eare. Somtime it maketh great rents & vlcerations in the eie, yea the haires fal away, & the eie lids are bare. In the general cure both of that which is in the eie, Cure. and the other on the eie lids, it is expedient that the patient eat little meat, be let blood, & vse glisters: [Page 18] For applying medicines to the place affected, if the Carbuncle bee on the eie lids, Aetins. Ae [...]i [...] commendeth a medi­cine made of Coriander, and Night­shade beaten together with dried Ra­sins, and laid to the Carbuncle. If the Carbuncle growe broder, applie a fo­mentation to the eye of Rose & Vine leaues. Oleum vitri­oli. It shall not be amisse if you stay the saide Carbuncle with laying on it oleum vitrioli in little quantitie and softly touching it. But if the Carbun­cle begin in the eie, the most excellent course is to wash and cleanse the eye with milke, and to seeth together in water, honnie and Beane Flower, or white flower, which you applie like a Cataplasme, Aegineta. and sometime bruise to powder the root of the Flower-deluce and lay one it. Against the great in­flammation the mucilage of fleaseed quinceseede made with Rose water, is wunderfullie commended, & in place of Rose water, you may take Plantain water or milke. If the disease creepe farther, Lentilles sodden with honie are singular, & where it shall continue Oliue leaues or the pill of the Pome­granate sodden in wine then dried, & [Page 19] afterwarde mingled together with ho­nie are most excellent. Novve vvhen you see that the maladie goeth not forward, and that his crustes are ready to fall away they shall vse this medi­cine made of the yoke of an egg hard rosted and beaten vvith a little honie and Saffron vsing it till it be fullie hea­led, or rather oile of egges mingled vvith a litle Venise Turpentine, and a little oyle of Saint Iohns VVort, or els som common cleansing medicine.

CHAP. 7. Of the moist, running, or vveeping eie, called in greek Reuma opthalmou, in latine Fluxus oculi, delachrymatio.

RHeusma opthalmou is a flovving of thin humours, Definition. vvhich in such sort against the will, fall downe into the eyes, that there cannot be a­nie meanes found to stay them. It cō ­meth to some by nature, as vvee haue seene some from their childhood ne­uer hauing drie, but alwaies moist eies, vvith a thin pearsing humour, vvhiche alvvayes was painefull to them. Causes. And it vvill soone stirre vp an inflammati­on, and blearednes, in manie tormen­ting [Page 20] them all their life without admit­ting any cure. Those also which haue great & grosse heads are subiect to it, and scarcely doth any medicine at any time profite them. It may also arise frō some outward causes, as from a Feuer, from some medicine, or sharpe thing which hath beene put into the eie, or fa [...]ne into it, from great weaknesse ei­ther in the facultie which retaineth, or that which digesteth the nourishment in the eie, by the vnskilfulnesse of the Chirurgian, which in curing the disease of the eie called vngn [...]a did cut avvay more of the flesh in the corner of the eie then he ought, vvhereof vve wyll speake in the proper place for a ful dis­charge of all the head touching this part. Concerning the cure, the Chi­rurgian must haue recourse to former medicins set down in the beginning, which are most easie & gentle, vvhich are either generall or speciall. The ge­nerall are, Cure his manner of diet, vvhiche must be of such thinges as haue thicke iuice, sith the humor is thin & sharpe, his purgations, as blood letting, fricti­ons downward, applying the ruptories o [...] seton, and this to bee done with the [Page 21] aduise of a learned Phisition. For the particular cure, Caution in curing. if this affect was caused through the vse of any sharp medicine or by any other thing falling & faste­ned in the eie, let him abstain from the aforesaid remedies vntill he hath takē out that which so vexeth & molesteth the eie, otherwise the patient shal ne­uer be at rest and quietnes, vvhich be­ing doone, hee may vse the medicines there set down. If it proceed frō a con­tinuall course of humors, there shalbe particularly applied a stringent & bin­ding plaisters vppon the head, hauing shaued off the haire, & vpon the fore­head and temples, as R. emplast. contra r [...]pt. & vnguent. de bol. ana. ℥ i. s melt them togeather & make a plaister for your vse, or R. vnguent. desiccat. [...]ub. & comitiss [...]an ℥ ii. Mastich. ℥ s mingle them for your vse. And vpon the eye you shall lay plaisters which are com­fortable and somewhat binding, that thereby the eie may be strengthened and armed against the flowing of hu­mors. Aetius Aetius doth much cōmend this eie salue, vvhiche procureth no great pain nor heat. R. aeris vst. ℥ iii. cadmi [...]e ℥ iii. opii, myrth an [...]. ℥ .iiii. acaci [...]e, gum [Page 22] arab. ana. ℥ vii. s. put them into wa­ter: of these or the like you may make a salue, & vvhen you vvill vse it, put it into the eie, and let him shut his eye a little vvhile and so keepe it in, vvhere­by it cannot bring much paine as the Authour himself affirmeth. And when all the former remedies will not pre­uaile the most singular meane to cure is the cutting of the veines and arte­ries of the head and temples vvhiche dtavveth out the humour if it flovve invvard, Incisiō in the veines and arteries. and cutteth off the course of it, if it be outvvard. For the better per­fecting of this woorke, let the diseased partie be set on a bed, or in a chaire, or binde his necke vvith a Tovvel put about it, vvrithing both ends together that being strait it may presse his neck: let him hold in his breath a short time that thereby the veines and arteries may svvell and appeare more plainlie: For by this meanes the blood and spi­rites vvill rise vp, The compres­sion of the necke causeth the blood to rise vp. and fill the veines and arteries. Then vvith your Launcet o­pen vvhether you vvill, making no greater an issue then you doe in com­mon blood-letting letting run forth s;o much blood as shall be expedient, [Page 23] vvhich, that it may come foorth more speedilie, make straighter sometimes your Tovvell. vvhen hee hath bled sufficientlie, the Rovvler or Tovvell shalbe taken from his necke, and put on the orifice or mouth of the veine or arterie a little burnt linnen cloath, How the blood may be staied. or scraped lint, lay vpon that a plaister ag­glutinatiue that is, vvhich hath vertue to knit and ioine together, vppon that lay a thicke enfolded linnen cloath to the end that the band or rovvler may vvith greater ease keepe fast the veine or arterie. Some vse onely a little drie linen cloth vvrapped together, as they doe in the blood-letting of the arme. The opinion of the old Phisitions. The olde Phisitions haue left in their vvritings that vve must seare the arte­rie least the blood vvill not bee stai­ed, but I haue alwaies stayed it by this binding vvithout causing more pa [...]ne to the sicke partie. Oftentimes the onely opening of a veine or arte­rie, and the auoiding of blood in them sufficeth not to heale and helpe this maladie, because they are filled againe vvith nevve matter vvhich flovveth as before; therefore the counsell of the auncient vvriters is to cut the vessell [Page 24] asunder, that by this meanes you may breake the course and stop the vvay to the humours, Arteries cut asunder. and then it shall not bee vnfit or vnprofitable to seare it, or ra­ther to binde it aboue, and belovv as it is vsed to be done in the veines called varices, vvhich shall bee a debarring of the vvhole passage of the humours. But vvhen this is done, I counsaile you to applie your searing yron to the arm of the sick partie therby to make an issue to this matter, D [...]uerting of the humor. vvhich might Perhaps fal vpon some other part, namelie the Lunges.

CHA.P. 8. Of certaine diseases vvhiche the olde writers haue assigned to the whole eye: and first of such as see best downeward, or things that be neere them, commonlie called po [...]e-blinde, in greek m [...]opiasis, mi­opia, citossis, in latin, lus [...]ositas, nus [...]iositas, propiaqua visio.

Definition. M [...]opiasis, myopia, catopsis is vvhen one cannot see one thing, but such as be verie neere and euen offered vnto his eyes vvith great dif­ficultie pearcing those vvhich are farre of. They vvhich haue this default are constrained vvhen they read to looke [Page 25] verie nigh, imagining oftentimes that they behold little bodies like to flies, or motes vvhich flie in the aire, as vve see it happeneth to those vvhich haue looked verie long on their bookes, or haue vievved anie thing diligentlie. Causes. This affection although it be in some from their birth, yet it proceedeth also from the small quantitie of the spirits of sight, and vveakenesse of the same. Notvvithstanding Aristotle imputeth the cause to the great quantitie, In his booke de generat, animalium. by marking litle children to be most sub­iect vnto it, by reason of the moysture of their braines: in like manner those which haue black eies are more moist, as on the contrarie the like is seene in old men, because of their drinesse: they vvhich haue blevv or gray, or [...]kie co­loured eies are subiect to the disease glaucoma, vvhich hath the same cause from drinesse that the membrane v [...] uea hath from moysture, if vve may so compare one vvith an other. VVherefore some see nea­rer, some far­ther. The rea­son vvherefore some see better neare then farre off, as saith the same Philo­sopher, proceedeth from the situation of the eie. For such as haue them stan­ding foorth cannot see farre, and con­trarivvise [Page 26] they vvhich haue them sunk into their circles doe more easilie dis­cerne things present before them, be­cause the spirite cannot bee so easilie scattered, vvhen the eie is setled deep­lie as vvhen it standeth out. Concer­ning the cure, albeit the olde Phisiti­ons appoint none, accounting it incu­rable si [...]h it ariseth from the vvant of spirites, Care. or îs naturallie incident vnto men, yet sith it proceedeth from the fulnesse of moysture, mine aduise is, to vse cuppings vpon the shoulders and necke, to purge him vvith such medi­cines as dravv from the braine, to drie the head vvith bagges and coyfs made to this purpose, to applie a seton, or ra­ther a ruptorie, either vpon the hinder part of the head, or vppon the armes. And touching other medicins vvhich are to be applyed to the place affected you shall haue recourse to the chapter follovving, intreating of the dimnesse or diminishing of the sight, and ap­pointing such remedies as vvil streng­then and repaire the decayed and dis­pearsed spirites, vvhich are in verie small quantitie.

CHAP. 9. Of the continual dimnes, diminishing, or hinderance of the sight, called in greek amblyopia, in latin, hebetudo, or ca­ligatio.

AMbliopia is a continuall dim­nesse & hinderance of the sight, Definition vvithout any appearance of any thing in the eie: notvvithstanding the sight is darkened, and yet no hurt to be perceiued in the membranes, ney­ther appeareth the apple of the eye made lesser or greater, Causes. or hauing anie other disorder. This disease hapneth either vvhen the spirites are grosse, or the membranes are thick and straight or the humors of the eye are not only grosse, but also slimie. It proceedeth from some long tedious disease, and trouble, bicause the spirits are vvasted: it may come also by age. For old folke besides the thicknes of the mēbranes, and humors, haue the spirites of sight much vveakened, and in fine dimini­shed and lost. Cure. In the generall cure of dimnesse vvhich is caused through the grossenesse of membranes, spirites & humors, you must deale as it is vsed in [Page] the beginning of the cataracts: & tou­ching particular medicins to be appli­ed in any kinde of the perishing of the sight this colliriū is excedingly cōmē ­ded to haue restored (as one vvriteth) sight to him that had beene blinde by the space of nine yeeres. R. succi api [...], foenic. verbase. chamedr. pimpinell. gari­ophil, Holerius. saeluiae, chelidon. rutae. centinod. m [...]rsus gall. farinae, volat. ana. ℥ i. piperis crasso modo triti, nucis moschaiae, ligni a­loes ana. ʒ iii. let them all steep in the vrine of a sounde childe, and a pint of malmsey one houre, then seeth them a little vvhile aftervvard straine them forth, and put the vvater into a glasse stopping it very close: put some of this vvater into his eies vvhen he go­eth to sleepe. Strawberie wine. In like maner put Strau­beries into vvine vvhich is svveete, and boile them together a short time, & of this take euery morning, & of the same make a drinke vvhich you may vse vvith your meat. Others esteeme this vvater as myraculous. They burie vi­pers in doung, An excelent water. vvhereof are ingendred vvormes vvhich they distill, and putte this vvater into the eies. The distilling of vvhite honnie and rose flovvers is [Page 29] most singlar. Leonellus Fa­uen [...]. Leonellus Fauentinus saith hee healed such a disease by dropping into the eie the iuice of the Selandine and that he tried this remedie, to take of vvater vvhich runneth through a veine of vvhite earth, after you cutte the earth, a pint, & put into it the quā ­tity of a nut of amber beatē to grosse povvder, let it stand eight daies in the Sunne, aftervvard put thereof into the eye. Beside the ascrenamed causes. A­uicen saith, 3. booke fen. 3. tract, 4. chap. 24. the decaying of sight may be procured many times by great light or whitenesse, as when one doth a long time looke vpon the Sunne, or vpon snowe, and specially if one come forth of a darke place: so that he can­not see but such thinges as are neare, and those hardly: euen as they which looke vpon any colour suppose they behold some white thing aboue them: Cornarius. Galen. he nameth this affection altum [...]r that is in latin albedo vincens in english too much whitenesse Galen maketh men­tion hereof in his tenth booke of the vse of the parts. This thing befalleth them which are shutte vppe in a darke place, as in dungeons of prisons, and come out sodainly into the light. And [Page 30] some are of this opinion that the chri­stalline humor is so vveake, and so hurt that it is turned vpside downe, as if it were out of the place by the meeting & encoūtring with this great light na­ming this disease in greeke acatastatia christalloidous. Sauanarola. In curing of it the patiēt must vsually behold greene and blewe colours, and be kept in a place neither ouerlight, nor ouerdarke Auicen prai­seth fumes made with wine poured vp­on a bricke, Cure. or rather a decoction made vvith hearbes hauing vertue to dissolue, as Hissope, Melilot, Camo­mill, Sage, Rosemary, and such like: vvhereof may be made also little fo­mentations: as R. of the leaues of Sage Maiorā, Hislope, ana. m. s Betony, eie­bright an m.i. of leaues of Camomill, Melilot, Roses, ana. p. s of Any seedes and fenill ana. ℥ s seeth them in wine and water equally to be vsed with a sponge, and make this your collirium, R. of water of Selandine and eiebright ana. ℥ i. water of Hissope ℥ s in vvhich dissolue Myrrh ʒ s Beniamin, Stirac. Calamitae, ana. ℈ ij. vvhen you haue vsed your fomentation apply this eie­salue to the part.

CHAP. 10. Of those vvhich see not in the night which disease may be called night bl [...]nd­nesse, in greeke it is called Nictalspi [...]sis, in latin Nocturna or Vespertina Caecitudo.

NIctalopiasis is vvhen one seeth nothing in the night albeit he see most clearly in the day, Definition. and in such sort, that as the day passeth, so his sight faileth. This affect groweth from the weakenes of the head, and grossenes of the spirits of sight, Causes. as also from the humours and coates of the eyes and principally of that cornea or horny coate, vvhich are broken and stuffed with a thicke slimye iuice: or as Actuarius affirmeth, 3 book chap. 7. method. it commeth from the impuritie and plenty of humours which being enlightned by the bright­nesse of the cleare aire is able to mini­ster sight but being obscured and made grosse by the shadowe and darkenesse of the night, it troubleth and ouer­throweth the whole action of sight. To this place may bee referred that disorderly affection which is called by some acies solaris, or solana visi [...], Acies solaris, or solana visi [...] that is, vvhen one cānot discerne any thing but by the Sunne beames. In curing [Page 32] hereof these generall things are to bee obserued, Cure. bloudletting in the arme, and corner of the eies and purging ac­cording to the Phisitions aduise: this done moue neesing by putting things fit for that purpose into the nose. Some commende the vse of selandine and eyebright water in drinke. Con­cerning locall medicines Auicen auou­cheth this experiment, Auicen. to take the thinne moysture comming of a goates liuer layd on burning coales, putting thereto a little salte and longe pep­per. Aetius. Aetius extolleth the liuer of a Bucke goate rosted vvith salt and eatē and to put the thinne humour issuing from it into the eyes, or rather whilest it is in rosting to receiue into the eyes the sume arising from it. The gall of a Vulture or any other rauenous byrde mingled with a little iuice of a pigge, and hony is much praised, as also the iuice of Chickweede, or Fenell drop­ped into the eye. Also to receiue the vapour of Rue, Fenell, Eyebright, Selandine, Ligni Aloes, Saffron, sod­den together in vvine or vvater, or els to still them with honny, and put the water into the eyes.

CHAP. 11. Of day-blindnesse, or catts eies, called in greeke hemeralopia, in latin noctur­na visio.

HEmeralopia is, Definition when one seeth better in the night, then in the day but if the moone shine he cannot see: Causes. vvhich thing proceedeth either from the thinnesse and small quantity of the spirites of sight, which are dis­persed by the light of the Sonne, as on the contrarye, they are made strong, thicke and gathered on an heape by darkenesse: or rather because the mem­branes of the eye are ouer slender whereby the spirites can not be retay­ned, but breath forth, and perce tho­rough them. VVee may bring to this place the disease named of the latins tenebrosa affectio, vvhich is, Tenebrosa af­fectio. vvhen one with great paine beholdeth the light though it be but very little. Concer­ning the cure, there must bee regarde had that the sicke partie vse good dyet, Cure. which may procure store of blood, and thicke grosse spirits, if vvant and thin­nesse did first bring this disease: but if it proceeded from the weakenes and slē ­dernesse [Page 34] of the membranes, let the eie bee comforted and strengthned with medicines agreeable thereunto, and which may moreouer make thicke the spirites, as R. gallar. balaust, ana ʒ i. foliorū plantag. betonicae, an. m. s seeth them in ℥ .iii. of sharpe wine in vvhich dissolue acatiae gum. trag. aloes, an ʒ s make your collicium an other R. rosar. rub. fruct. oxiacan. tapsi barbati centi­nod. ana. p. s seeth them in water vn­till it come to ℥ iiij. put into it sarcocol dissolued in a womans milke vvhich giueth suck ℈ s iutiae praeparat aecerus­sae lotae, antimonij loti, ana. ℈ i. or a collirium made of halfe a dramme of olei vitrioli, dissolued in plantaine and rose water is singular.

CHAP. I. Of the squint eye, called in greek Stra­bismus, in latin Strabositas or oculi di­stortio.

Definition. STrabismu [...] is a wresting or writhing, which draweth the sight vnequally: or a conuulsion and pulling of the [Page 35] muscles which moue the eye: or when some muscles of the eye are loosed, and the contrary to them shortened, in such sort, that it is dravven either vpvvard, or downevvard, Obseruation to the right side, or to the left. For sometime in the same part are contrary muscles, equall in number and greatnes, and strength, so that if some of them bee subiect to a palsey, a conuulsion falleth vpon the contrarye: To whome this disease incident. Olde folke manye times by the dravving backe of the muscles being very drie or moist are subiect to this disease, or the like affection, as they also which haue bene vexed vvith any great disease of the head as the falling sicknesse, giddinesse or any o­ther: Causes. I haue seene it proceede in some of hauing too much company with vvomen, the excesse vvhereof doth maruelously scatter the spirites. Children most subiect to it. But commonly it is a malladie most inci­dent vnto childrē presently after their birth, through the negligence of the Nurce, who setteth the cradle in which the infant lieth on the side of the light, & not directly contrary vnto it which maketh the children looking to the light to turne the eie on the side to it, [Page 36] and thus by continuance they are ac­customed to turne their eie awry when the muscles haue attained to a ha­bite, because one sort of them doth so obeye and follovv the contrary which dravv them that these do grovv longer the others shorter. Cure. For the cure if the disease come of fullnesse, softenesse, palseye, in some muscles, it shalbe ne­cessary to purge the braine and to drye it, vvherein the fore-running cause of this disease was contained, to which purpose also let him chewe thinges in his mouth, & put other into his nose, vse good diet, and strengthen the part as much as may bee vvith drying and resoluing fomentations. But if on the contrarye it is engendred by too much vvant, and emptinesse of the blood and spirites, the sicke party must b [...] nourished very vvell, and vse to drinke asses milke. The particular re­medies must bee fomentations which are moist, and the blood of a Turtle or Pigeon dropped into the eie. Paulus A Eg [...]neta appointed a maske for such as had this disease, 3. booke. to the ende they might looke alwaies straight, which is most fit for yong children. The por­trayture [Page 37] vvith the description is in Ambrose Pare his booke, Ambrose Pare his paynes commended which with­out knowledge of the same set downe in the old writers hath very wittely & cunningly inuented the sayd maske & instrument as hee hath done many o­ther, thorough the long obseruation vvhich he had in viewing many disea­ses. Moreouer the Nurse shall drawe her hand ouer the childes eies often­times to repaire the sight. Auicen. Aeginet. Actua [...] Oribas. And follo­wing the counsaile of the old writers there shalbe some redde thing hanged and fastened vpon the temples, or on the contrary eare to the wresting of the eye, that the childe may to that turne the eye, and so amende the de­formed sight. In like maner the cradle shalbee set vvith the contrary side to the light.

CHAP. 2 Of the shaking eye, or horse eye, called in greeke hippos, in latin equus.

HIppos is an affection of the eye comming at the first framing, Definition. and from the birth of the party where­in the eyes cannot abide in one place, [Page 38] but are alwaies shaking, and continu­ally trembling in such maner, that you may beholde the eie going hither and thither vvithout any rest. This affection (as Galen sayth) commeth by the defaulte of the muscle which ma­keth fast the eie, Definition. med. compassing the low­est part of the sinewe of sight yet the latter anatomistes haue not founde this muscle in menne, Later anato­mists dissent from Galen. neither haue I obserued it, albeit in Oxen it is most euident. Therefore I iudge the cause of this trembling to come not from the weakenesse of one, but rather of all the muscles. The same Authour compareth it to the naturall grinding or gnashing of the teeth, In prognost. Hip. com 2. sect 21. vvhich is in vs from our Natiuitie, whereupon Gor [...]eus accompteth it not a disease sith no Phisition hath set dovvne any cure for it. Gorraeus.

Neuerthelesse in labouring to re­dresse this faulte I woulde vse the in­strument called a Maske as wee haue spoken in the former Chapiter, to the ende, that hee which were infected therevvith might not see but by that little hole, whereby the eie shoulde bee compelled to stay in that place in [Page 39] looking which might cause it to re­maine afterwarde stedfast in the same place Some thinke it best to binde or roll the eies for a short time, and a­gaine to vnroll them, which may bee profitable in this affection as also in the squint eie.

CHAP. 3. Of the Senselesse eie, or Palsie in the eie, called in greeke paeralysis op [...]hal­mou, in latin resolutio oculi.

PAralysis is taken for want of sense and motion in the whole bodie, Definition. or in any parte, as vvee see in the eie, when it canne neither bee moued to the right side not to the left, vppe, nor downe because the muscles are be­nummed, and if any sharpe remedie bee laide to, it cannot feele the same. Causes. The causes are the flovving of the hu­mours, and especiallie of fleume, which fall vpon the seconde paire of sinewes cōming from the braine, which spread forth their braunches into the muscles of the eie. Prediction. If the whole eie be loosed it is hardly cured especially in olde folke: if it bee naturall it is vtterly incurable. [Page 40] And vvhere there is hope, you must doe as followeth. The sicke must es­chew strong wines, vaporous & grosse meates, vsing such onely, vvhich are easily digested, and make the humours thinne: if the partie be of a good com­plexion hee shalbee let blood in the arme, thē being prepared with clisters, he shalbe purged, afterward let him vse to chewe certaine proper remedies in his mouth, and haue others put into his nose to drawe dovvne the matter, and vse vomite fasting, yet without great constraint, & also hauing bound the eye before least it might start forth thorough the vehement vomiting. There shalbe applied vnto it cupping glasses on the shoulders, with scarifi­cation, and set bloodsuckers on the temples. His head being shauen make an embrocation of oxirodinum, where­in a little castoreum is melted. In the particular cure the eye shalbe bathed with such herbes as are good for the sinewes, hauing vertue partly to com­fort, A tried re­medie. partly to make thinne, and let a plaister or cataplasme bee layd vpon it made of the same hearbes putting to it a little castoreum carefully proui­ding [Page 41] that it goe not into the eye. Then the vvater of Fenell, Any­feedes, Cynamon, Eyebright, mingled together and dropped into the eye in small quantitye are singular: so is the blood of a Turtle or Pigeon.

CHAP. 1. Of the blovving or puffing vp of the eyelidde called in greeke emphisema opthalmou, in latin inflatio.

EMphisema is taken generally for an heape of windy spirites which are gathered in the emp­ty places of any part, Diuers accep­tions of this worde. as appea­reth in Galen, But it is here par­ticularly vsed for a puffing vp of the vppermost eyelidde vvhen it is lifted vp, losing his naturall colour with hea­uinesse and harde mouing, Def. and in the end becometh pale and wan: and som­times the white doth in parte stand higher then the blacke. There is also a loose svvelling vvithout it rounde a­bout vvhich being pressed downe with the fingers, is sodainly stayed, but pre­sently [Page 42] is filled vp againe. And herein it differeth from the tumor called Oede­ma because it being pressed with the finger, How it differ­reth from oedema. the marke and signe thereof re­maineth afterward, and it proceedeth also from a stroake which compassed the eielidde, which thing is not so to bee seene in this windie swelling of it. Causes. This disease grovveth from some thin humour or vapour vvhich ariseth in it by weakenesse of heat, vvhich is not able to alter the blood to the likenesse of the part, vvhereupon either vvinde or thicke spirites are engendred, which cannot bee dispersed, nor digested, as vvee maye see it happen to such as are sicke of feuers, or vvhich vvatch much and sleepe little, or vvhich haue an ill constitution of bodie, or vvhiche are entring into a dropsie. Cure. In curing of it, you shall vse medicines necessarye for the whole bodie, and particularly shal­bee applied fomentations partlye strengthening, 3 Booke chap. 22. partly resoluing. Pau­lus doth much commend a fomentati­on of vvine and vvater, lentils and ro­ses soden togeather or this R. ros. rub. P j. Flor. ath [...]s. P s. Camomil. melilot. hyssop. absinthii, puleg [...]i, origani ana. [Page 43] m. s. Seeth them in equall portions of vvine and vvater, and applie it vvith a spounge. Aftervvarde you may lay vp­pon it vigoes plaster siue merc. or de baccis lauri, de meliloto. Vigoes plaister Experiment. I haue tried vnguentum desiccatiuum rub. ad comi­tiss. mingled together to dissolue such tumors. Aetius. AEtius praiseth a Cataplasme made of Lentils sodden with a little hony. Now of this ill affect followeth oftentimes heauinesse of the eieliddes called by Auicen, grauitas palpebrae, Grauitas pal­pebrae. 3. Booke fen. 3. tract. 3. chap 9. Cure. when the thinner part is dissolued, or rather when there is vveaknes in the parte, or when it dryeth or consu­meth: In curing of this there must bee vsed contrarye medicines to the former, whose vertue shalbee to make moist and soft: as fomentations of mal­lowes, Holihock, Pellitory of the wall, Branck vrsine, muscelage of Fenegreek and lineseed: of these also may bee fra­med Cataplasms. Emplastrum de muca­ginibus, and that of Vigo aforenamed haue singuler vertue and force to mol­lifie and dissolue.

CHAP. 2. Of the Tettar, Ringworme, or Scabbs on the eielidds, or sharpe fleumy bleared­nes, called in greeke Psoropthaimia in la­tin L [...]ppitud [...]pruriginosa.

[Page 44] Definition. PSoropthalmia is when the eyeliddes are redde, and salt biting teares is­sue from them, the corners of the eyes hauing vlceration and reddnesse vvith much itching. Causes. This proceedeth from salt sharpe fleume flovving dovvne to the eie stirring vp this itching and fret­ting. Cure. To cure it you must chaunge the course of the humour by bloodletting, cupping, rubbing on the shoulders, ab­staining from all salt slimy meates. In particular you must vse fomentations ex posca lenticulae decocto, Collyrium Philoxeni. & rosarum, aftervvardes apply collirium philoxeni vvhich is named of AEtius achariston, because the Patient is not able suffici­ently to requite it: it is this R. cadmiae ʒ. ii. chalcitidis crudae ʒ. i. aloes, obol. ii. aerug. obol. ii. piperis gran. x. florum ro­sarum ʒ. iii. beate them together and vse them. My counsel is to put to them vng. pomat. to bring thē to such a fit & commodious fourme for your vse as is vnguentum de tutia, and then to put some of it into the corners of the eyes. Medicines a­gainst itching For the itching after you haue applied your fomentations vse this collyrium Take Rose vvater and plantine water. ana. ℥ ii. in which boile with a soft fire [Page 45] aloes hepaticae ʒ s of white coporas ℈. ii. of sugar Candie ʒ. i. this eiesalue consumeth & drieth the sharpe fleume and giueth strength to the eie.

CHAP. 3. Of the itchinge or drye ringvvorme, or blearednesse of the eyes called in greeke xeropthalmia in latin arida l [...]ppitudo.

XEropthalmia is a drye blearednesse wherein the eyes are neither puf­fed vp, Definition. nor send forth teares but are onely redde and heauy with paine, Celsus in his 6. book. 6. chap. and in the night the eyeliddes sticke fast, and are as it were glewed together with thicke fleume: which disease is of the longer continuaunce sith the mat­ter is tough and heauy. In curing here­of bathes are most meete, Cure. and good dyet, and particularly such medicines as prouoke teares to the ende to dravv the moysture to the eyes whereunto serueth the playster of AEtius named acharistor. This remedy is greatly prai­sed of Celsus to take breade dipped in wine and applie it to the eye. Celsus. For if therebee any humour it dravveth it [Page 46] forth and beateth back the flowing of other humours vnto it. Novv vvhere­as they vvhich haue this infirmitie are greeuouslie vexed in the morninges, not being able to open their eies, be­cause their eie-liddes are so fast gievv­ed, they must at night vvhen they goe to bedde annoynt them vvith vnguentum de tutia, vvhich vvill hynder the eye-liddes from stickyng togeather.

CHAP. 4. Of the hardnesse of the eye, or harde blearednesse called in greeke Scle­ropthalmia, in latin lippitudo dura, or siccitas oculi.

Def. SCleropthalmia is vvhen the eye-lyddes are more harde then ac­customablye they vse to bee, and also the eye, more slovve in mouing, more redde, more paynefull, especyallie when one a­waketh, the eye-liddes can hardely bee opened, yet no moysture issueth from them and in the corners of the eyes sticketh some fleume dryed and and folded together: and vvhen wee [Page 47] vvoulde turne the eye-lidde, wee can­not doe it easilye, because of the great hardenesse, neyther canne vvee shutte it vvithout paine, Causes. except wee take the aduauntage. This affecte happeneth by the flovvyng of a grosse humour, or after a great inflamma­tion of the eye, when the slimie hu­mour is dryed, eyther of it selfe or by the heate, or it befalleth thorough the default of the Chirurgian, vvho hath applied ouer drying medicines. Cure. In cu­ring hereof, the same remedies are ve­rie conuenient which are before ap­pointed for the drie blearednesse, sith they onely differ in greatnesse the one and the other being drie, 3. book fen [...] tract. 3 ch. 5. Auicen ex­tolleth greatly these remedyes to ap­plye a Fomentation vnto the eye with sponges wette in warme water, and after to put vpon the eye the white of an Egge with oyle of Roses. And vvhere the humour is thicke and very salte hee vseth the mucylage of Fe­negreeke dravven in milke, and such remedies as are of povver and vertue to scatter & mollifye such an humour. For my part I haue oftentimes tryed vnguentum rosatum Mesuae annoyn­ting [Page 48] the eyes vvith it, both within and vvithout, especially at night when hee vvould take his rest.

CHAP. 5. Of the fallng of haire from the eieliddes or bauldnesse of them called in Greeke Maedarosis and Milphosis, in latine Def [...] ­uium pilorum or Glabaties palp [...]bra [...]um al­so of thicknesse ioyned with baldnesse in the eyeliddes, called in greeke Ptilosis [...] latine, Cra [...]sittes callo sapa [...]polrarum.

Definition. MAdarosis is onelye taken for the falling of hayre from the eyelids by a flovving of sharpe humours, and vvhere the hayres do simply fall avvay, and the vtmost part and banckes as it vvere of the eyelids are red like vnto leade the affection is called milphosis or miltosis. The cause according to Auicen is grosse salt matter, Milphosis. which maketh the eyeliddes redde, bringing vlceration to the parts where the haires take roote, Causes. the eye thereby being sometime im­paired and corrupted. [...]ut if the edges and bankes thereof growe thicke and hard in such maner that the haire can­not there bee fastened and perce tho­rough the disease is named ptilosis [Page 85] iointly mixed and compounded of madarosis and xeropthalmia. The cause as Auicen recordeth, is not onely in re­gard of the matter (as when vermine and wormes are engendred, or rather when the humour is salte) but also in respect of the place, as when it is harde and thick, which hindereth the passage of the vapours whereof haire is engen­dred, so that they cannot come to the edges of the eie-lidds. Cure. In the cure you shall haue regard to make sweete this humour so sharpe, and so biting, and if any vermine bee there, they shalbee either taken away, or distroied by me­dicines applied for that purpose. This being done, lay to it such remedies as haue force and vertue to make haire grovve. Auicen aduaunceth mise­dounge beaten to powder, Auicen. as also al­coole cum melle. VVhere the eie-liddes are thicke hee vseth this Cataplasme of Endiue, oile of Roses and white of an egge, cōmending moreouer the vse of bathes in the morning.

CHAP. 6. Of the hardnes of the eie-liddes, called in greeke Scleriasis, in latin Durities pal­p [...]brarum, and of the harde aposteme in them called Se [...]rrosis.

[Page 86] Definition SCleriasis is an harde tumour on the eie-lidde vvith reddnesse, and paine vvhich cannot without much difficul­tie be vvholy taken avvay, beeing of longer continuaunce then an inflam­mation, and vvhen it groweth harder, and the reddnesse of it chaungeth into blewenesse it is named scirropthalmia. Causes. These fall out vpon some great in­flammation which hath gone before. Cure. In the Cure especially the hardenesse being ontvvard you must shut the eie and rub it a long time vvith your fin­ger, and then vse a mollifiyng Fomen­tation, as R. of Mallowes, Holihocke Pellitory of the vvall, Violets an. M.i. Lineseede ℥ s make thereof two bags which seeth in water. After this shall bee applied a mollifiyng plaister, as de mucaginibus, and diachylum ireatum, amongst other Vigoes plaster sine Mer­curio is singular. You may put also in­to the eie Colliria of mucilage of Lin­seede and Quinces, and a little wo­mans milke.

CHAP. 7. [Page 87] Of the roughnesse of the eie-liddes called in greeke Trachoma, in latin As­pritudo: Also of the Figge in the eie-lidds in greeke Sicosis, in latin Ficositas, or Fi­cosa Palpebra, and of the brawnie eie-liddes called in greeke Tilosis, in latin Callosa Palpebra.

TRachoma, Definition. is an inequalitie and roughnesse of both the eie-liddes in their inwarde parte vvith an harde ruggednesse as if the seedes of millet vvere in them. If the maladie grovve farther and there appeare cleftes and rentes and little partes standing forth not vnlike figges it is called sicosis. Sicosis. And vvhen the disease is vvaxed olde and hardened, the eie-lidde becommeth as harde as bravvne, vvhich is called tilosis. Tilosis. This ill affection commeth ma­ny times by the long vse of eie-salues or by a sharpe humour flovving vnto them, Causes. and sometimes without any e­uident cause. Cure. In curing of it after generall thinges accomplished the vse of this collirium is vvonderfully com­mended by AEtius R. testae sepiae, Aetius. ʒ viij. punicis ʒ viij. rubricae sinopiae, am­moniaci thimiamatis an ʒ x. gummi ʒ viij. put them into vvater, wherevvith [Page 88] make an ointement for the eies, and presently vpon the annointing with a sponge, dipped in colde vvater, vvashe the eie-liddes: or R. cadmiae ʒ xvj. aeris vsti ʒ iiij. seminis hiosciami ʒ i. opii ʒ ij. mirrh. fructus ericae, acaciae ana. ʒ iiij. gummi. ʒ viij, bruise them all drie, and put to them womans milke, and then beate them againe, into vvo­mans milke, lay them to the eie, but first looke you haue vsed a Fomentati­on or R. chalcitidis vstae ʒ iij. croci ʒ viij. meli [...]e ix. bruise them with wa­ter, and then drie them, put aftervvard hony vnto them and vse them.

CHAP. 8. Of the Hares eie, or open eie, called in greeke Lagopthalmos, in latin Leporina palpebra.

Definition LAgopthalmos is when the higher eielidde is so dravven backe, that in shutting the eie, the vvhole is not nor cannot be couered vvholy, and in sleepe it is open, as vvee see Hares doe sleepe. Three kindes thereof. There are three kindes thereof according to Auicen: the first is, vvhen the eie-lidde being dravven backe, co­uereth [Page 89] not the vvhite of the eie, vvhich cōmeth either from the first frame of it, or by incision made in the afore­saide eie-lidde, and this is called lepori­nus, that is the hares-eie. The second kinde is when one part of the white is not couered, and thereupon ariseth abbreuiatio that is shortnes, which hath the same causes vvith the former. The third is, when the higher eie-lidde tou­cheth not, nor couereth the lower, which proceedeth eyther of some ker­nell, or outgrovving of flesh, or by a conuulsion of the same eye-lid. Beside the afore-named causes, Causes. this disease may come sometime by the closing vp or as it is commonly called, cicatrizing of a wound or vlcer, and that, eyther vvhere the vlcer doth it of it selfe, as in a carbuncle, or after the eye-lid is verie much cut, and so ouer much loosed, or because it hath beene lifted vp by cut­ting, or hath bene cauterized or feared vnaduisedly. Cōcerning the cure, Cure. if the eye-lid be too short, it is vnpossible to recouer it by any kind of cure or ope­ration: If it vvant but a little, it maye be amended and restored in this man­ner, vvhen you haue felt the sicke par­tie [Page 90] fittely, The manuall operation. you must cutte the skinne a little vnder the browes in manner of a crosse, whose points and corners are turned downe, vvith this considerati­on, that if this default haue arisen from the rash incision & sewing of the eye-lid, you then make your incision vpon the scarre, or where it is drawne backe. The deepenesse of the incision must enter to the gristle, yet not touch it: For if it be cut, the ey-lid falleth down, and afterward cannot be lifted vp. You shall make seperation of the edges in the incision vvith scraped lynt, to the ende that the eye-lid may fall downe, and return equally to his former shape and greatnesse, as also to stay the diui­ded skinne from reioyning, causing a little fleshe to growe and fill vp that place, that afterward the eye maye bee easily and conueniently opened. Con­cerning locall medicines, Locall medi­cines. there maye not be any vsed which a [...]e drying, but only loosing, made of grosse vnctuous things, as a fomentation of mollifiyng and loosing hearbes. Vnguentum basi­licum made of waxe, rosine, blacke pitch, & the sewet of an Oxe is muche cōmended, as the mucilages of quince, [Page 19] senegreeke, and lineseede.

CHAP. 9. Of the inuersion, or turning inside out of the eye, called in Greeke Ectropi­um, in Latine Inuersio.

ECtropium is, Definition. when the lovver eye-lid turneth the inside out, & draw­eth so much backe, that it coue­reth not the vvhite of the eye, nor is ioyned to the other eye-lid which is aboue. This affection is not naturall, but hath growne from too much loo­sing medicines, Causes. or from superfluous flesh which hath growne in the inner parte of it: or rather, as Aetius sayth, Aetius. when the flesh in the corner of the eye is increased and ouergrowne: or by cutting avvay too much of the skinne in a palsey, labouring by that meanes to make it shorter: in like manner, burning, cicatrizing, or cutting in the outwarde parte of the eye-lid, maye bring this fault▪ and old-age also maye procure it. The cure must be diuers, Cure. as the causes are diuers requiring ra­ther the hande of the Chirurgian then medicines: If then it proceede from [Page 92] the ouergrovving of fleshe, and the same be little and tender, it may be a­bated and consumed with medicines properly affected to take away flesh, if it be olde and drie it shalbe cut avvay. The operation shalbee in this order. Take a needle vvith threade in it, and put it thorough the lovvest part of the fleshe which grovveth out, then vvith the same threade lift it vp, and the eie-lidde with it, and with the point of a penknife cutte it by little and little, or with a crooked vause, you may cutte it all at once if you canne, but take heede least you rake any part of the eie-lidde avvay. If the eie-lidde recouer his naturall fashion, and returning invvard doe couer the eie, vve will be content therewith vsing onely medicins, some­what a stringent to close vp that which is cutte away, and to preuent paine and inflammation: but if it fall backe, and returne to the former disorder, An other way of incision. thē must tvvo ouertvvhart incisions bee made gently in the innermost part of the eie-lidde, which shall beginne in the middest and lovver part of it, being drawen both ouerthwartly, one to the great corner, the other to the sesse, nigh [Page 93] vnto the eie-lidde, and hauuing ga­thered both together there vvill bee taken avvay a little piece like vnto the great letter of the Graecians named Λ, being notvvithstanding carefull to a­uoide cutting of the skinne in suche manner: Let the poynt of it be to the lower part and bottome of the eye, & the larger open parte arise and ascende tovvardes the eye-lid. Nowe if this default haue proceeded from incision, burning, searing, cicatrizing in the eye lidde, which hath not beene vvell and cunningly performed, then must inci­sion be made of the skinne in the out­vvarde parte, not farre from the eye-lidde, which beginning at one corner of the eye shall ende at the other, in forme of a crosse, making seperatiōs of the edges vvith lint put betwene them least they should ioyne againe. But if it proceede from olde-age, or of too much loosing, all that which is loose must be outvvardly seared, eyther with a fine instrument, vvhich kinde is cal­led Cauterium actuale, or with a medi­cine which is called Cauterium potenti­ale, with great care that you touch not the eye.

CHAP. 10. Of the eyelids which are tied & ioined togither, called in Greeke Agcylosis, and Agchyloblepharon, in Latine In­uiscatio, or detentio palprebrarum: & of the diuers kindes thereof, named Symphisis and Prophisis blepharon.

Definition. AGchiloblepharon is, whē the eyelids take holde ech of other, and ioine together, so that the eye cannot be o­pened: And it so falleth out sometime in this maladie, that the eye-lidde is knitted to the vvhite of the eye, com­monly called coniunctiua, Causes. and somtime vvith cornea, or the hornie membrane, & this disease is called Simphisis, or pro­phisis blepharon. It is so that from the byrth and conformation of the parte, the eye-lids are ioyned together, as it is also sometime seene in the hole of the eare, yarde, matrice, fundament, mouth, or vvhen an vlcer hath beene negligently and ignorantly cured, ey­ther in the eye-liddes or membranes, coniunctiua or cornea, because in hea­ling of the vlcer, the parts which ought to haue beene seperated, haue beene glewed together. [...]re. Concerning this cure [Page 93] if the eye-liddes are equally ioyned, they must be seperated, vvhich I would haue cunningly doone with the pointe of a little slender launcet, and after the incision, to put betvveene both partes little clothes dipped in some eye-salue vvhich may keepe open the vvounde, Obseruation. vntill both partes be healed▪ but when the eye-lidde is linked and fastened to to the white of the eye or horny mem­brane, the eye-lidde must be with great dexteritie and discretion parted from the eye, cutting rather (if so it must be) the eye-lidde than the eye: vvhich be­ing done, vse such medicines as will a [...] ­svvage paine, to eschevve inflammati­on, flowing of humors, and paine issu­ing from them, and by little and little afterwardes to apply medicines, which may heale and take away the roughnes which the incision hath lefte, stirring it daily, not onely to put the medicine v­pon it, but also to keepe it from ioy­ning together againe, giuing in charge to the patient to lift it vp many times with his fingers. Celsus. Celsus sayth he neuer savve any cured, Mesua. and to his opinion a­greeth Mesua, albeit hee had assayed many thinges, because the eye-lidde [Page 96] is vnseperable from the eye.

CHAP 11. Of the shorte or maymed eye-liddes, called in Greeke Coloboma, in Latin mutilatio, and after Celsus, curtum.

COloboma is heere vsed for any de­fect & vvant, Definition. either in the lippes, eares, nostrels, or eye-liddes, when by nature (as it oftentimes falleth out) these parts are clouen, in such manner as if there had beene some whole piece taken away, and they left maimed. The cause of this defaulte, Causes. is either naturall through the feeblenesse of that facultie and vertue which fashioned the bodie in the wombe, or frō vvant and insuf­ficiencie of matter, vvhereof those partes vvere framed, or from some o­ther accident, as rottennesse, a carbun­cle, or gangrene, which haue eaten & wasted the parte, or by a stroke vvhich hath cutte avvay or made a diuision in the part. C [...]e. As touching the cure, it is vn­possible to restore that vvante vvhich is in the substaunce: that must be na­tures vvoorke, not the Chirurgions hande. But the deformitie of the parte [Page 97] so maymed, may be repaired and reco­uered if it be but little: if it bee great it receiueth no cure, but he vvhich dea­leth vvith it, Prediction. shal make it more ouglie and ill fauoured then it vvas before the cure. The vvay to amende this faulte, vvhen the eye-lid is some-vvhat lame and maymed is, that vvhich is vsed in the disease called hare-lips, you muste cunningly vvith a launcet or crooked Vause, take of the skinne from the outvvarde and invvarde partes, vvhich are to be ioyned▪ and then make fast toge­ther the edges of both partes: but if they cannot conueniently touch eche other, beside this pulling avvay of the skinne, there must be made tvvo crosse incisions on both sides, as vvee haue before sayde in the hares eye, Celsus in his 7. booke. vvhich shall bee turned from the vvound, cut­ting onely the vppermost parte of the skinne. VVhen this is done, there shall be a needle thrust through both the lippes and edges vvithout touching the gristle, and the threade shall bee made fast on eche side as in the Hares-lippes, vvhich Ambrose Pare hath largely set foorth, Ambrose Pare. plainely laying open the portraiture and fashion of that [Page 98] vvhole vvorke.

CHAP. 12. Of a fatte substaunce lying vnder the eye-lidde, called in Greeke Hidaus, in Latine aquula, or palprebarum a­quositas, or vesica.

Definition. HYdatis, is a grovving out of fatte in the higher eye-lid betvvene the skinne and the gristle. In some, & spe­cially in little children vvhich are verie moyste, this fatte grovveth more and more, and causeth many greeuous ac­cidentes ouerlading the eye: and for this cause dravving dovvn the revvme, the eye-liddes seeme svvollen vnder vnder the brovves, neither are they a­ble to lifte vp themselues vvhen neede so requireth. Signes. If anie one presse them dovvne vvith his fingers diuided in sunder, that is betvveene the fingers ariseth vp, vvhen the other vvhich is vnder them is pressed dovvne. Those children (sayth Albucrasis) vvhiche haue this maladie, Albucrasis. lie sleeping alvvaies vpon their face, and at the davvning of the daye are greatly tormented vvyth that abundance of humors which hath [Page 99] beene gathered in the night: they are not able to behold the sunne, but their eye trembleth, and sheddeth teares. Cure. If this disease be but nevvly begunne, it maye bee easily healed vvith resoluing medicines vvithout Chirurgerie: but if it bee of long continuance, it must be taken avvay by manuall operation, that is by the hande of the Chirurgian. VVhen you haue set the sicke partie in a conuenient place, you must presse dovvne the eye-lidde at both corners vvith your fingers, that by this meanes the skinne stretching foorth, maye bee cutte ouerthvvart, your hande remay­ning hanging dovvne, least the skinne or bladder vvherin the fatte is be tou­ched and hurte: and moreouer, that it being opened, the same may be taken avvay ioyntly vvith the bladder. This done, you must preste it out vvith the fingers, or rather vvith a payre of pin­cers plucke it out by the rootes, sith it may be easily seperated, dealing after­ward with it, as you woulde in the di­sease called a VVolf. But if the bladder be cut it procureth great payn, because it sendeth foorth his moysture, vvhich being thinne and small, or as it vvere [Page 100] minced, cannot be gathered againe. If this doe so fall out, you must applye such medicines as vvill bring it to sup­puration, and so consume it, and if it be needfull to vse such as vvill take a­vvay the abundance of flesh called ca­thairetica: least if there remaine anie skinne of the bladder it may engender againe the like disease, as vve see it fall out in vvolfes.

CHAP. 13. Of the corruption or rottennesse in the eye-lids, called in Greeke Mide­sis, or midosis, in Latine putredo.

The diuerse vse of this word [...]. MIdesis taken generally, is com­mon to all partes, yet it is speci­ally vsed for the corruption of the eye liddes, vvhen they seeme much svvol­len, and slimye matter doth distil from them vsually, and they are ouer-laden vvith fatnesse. Causes. The cause of this disease proceedeth from a streame of super­fluous and corrupte humors vvhich fall dovvne vppn the eye-lidde, specially in the invvarde parte of it, vvherein nature hath placed a fatte substaunce to make the eye moyst because of the [Page 101] continuall moouing thereof. Cure. Dioscorides. To cure it Dioscorides saith, Nardus is a singu­ler remedie, sith it bindeth and dryeth the superfluous humors, whose cor­ruption bringeth foorth this disease. Such eye-salues as drie without great sharpenesse are moste fit fot it, as this: R. aquae plantag. & rosar. ana. ℥j. iutiae prepar. aloes lotae an ʒ s. trochischor alb. ras. ℈ j. fiat collyrium. If there bee great corruption, a little vnguentum Aegip­tiaecum dissolued in wine will bee most excellent: but you must bee circum­spect least you hurt the eie.

CHAP. 14. Of the wart or barly corne on the ey­lidde, commonly called (as I sup­pose) a Stian, in Greeke crithe, or posthia, in Latin hordeum, or hordeo­lum.

CRithe is a small, harde, firme, Definition. and somewat long tumor, like vnto a barly corne whereof it hath the name, growing in the outmost parte of the eie-lidde, where the haires bee, which hath his humor contained in a little skinne, and it hardlie commeth to [Page 102] suppuration or ripenesse. Galen. Galen na­meth it in Greeke Posthia, which sig­nifieth desire, as Philippus Imgrassias writeth, because that women when they haue conceiued are naturallie subiect to longing, and desiring of ma­ny thinges, which if perhaps they bee in the power and possession of anye who will not giue it them at their re­quest, It is reported of the Ro­maines. Cure. they curse him with this ma­ladie, and threaten him with crithe, which commonly befalleth them. In curing of it Auicen vseth the bloud of a pigeon, Antonius Musa. or turtle, and this liniment. R. oliban. mirrh. an ʒ ii. ladani. ʒ s boracis ʒ i. cum oleo liliorum fiat lini­mentum. Antonius Musa appointed a plaister of galbanum mixed with nitrum Paulus made a fomentation of sod­den barlye, Aegniet. Galen. Galen of the bloud of rauenous birdes which issueth from them after the head is pulled off, or els a plaister of white waxe. If the matter in it may bee euidently seene, Celsus. Celsus commaundeth to open it, that the hu­mor may run foorth which by the re­sting therein might corrupt the gristle. But if this accident be in the outwarde part, Aetius. to purge and clense it Aetius vseth [Page 103] the yolke of an egge and honie ming­led together, and to engender and re­store flesh, puluis capitalis. If the gristle be corrupted within, then hee turneth the eye-lidde, scrapeth away so muche of the gristle as is decayed and defiled, putteth vpon it orichalcum burned and made in fine powder, and vppon that the yolke of an egge mingled with ho­nie and oyle of roses: on the seconde day he vseth a fomentation, and con­tinueth the former medicine: on the third day he filleth vp the eye-lid with honie, and vpon it applieth a collyrium hauing force and vertue to repell, o [...] beate backe,

CHAP. 15. Of the hailestone of the eieliddes, cal­led in Greeke chalaxion, in Latine grando.

Definition. CHalaxion is an heape of superflu­ous humors gathered both in the higher and lower eie-lid, in fashiōlyke to an hailstone: whē this tumor is pres­sed, it remaineth not fast fixed & vnmouable but chāgeth the place, wherin (as also in the forme▪ it is distinguished frō [Page 104] aforenamed disease hordeum, How it diffe­reth from hor­deum. Aetius. or a stian, Aetius maketh two kindes of them, whereof the one is plainly to be seene in the outward part, in which it grow­eth like vnto litle round knobs, cleare as hayle, out of the which when it is opened issueth foorth an humor like to the white of an egge. The other kinde is a tumor in some parte harde like to a beane, marueilous paynefull, if it bee roughly touched, This kinde is paynefull. yea some­time the extremitie of the paine cau­seth the pacient to fainte and sowne. Concerning the cure, Cure. if the tumor be without the eie-lid, let the incision be outwarde vppon the same, and with a little hooke or other instrument pluck foorth the corne, applying to it incontinently a plaister hauing vertue to knitte and ioyne. But if the hailestone be within the eye-lidde, and shine o­uerthwart the gristle, when you haue turned the inside out of the eye lidde, make incision ouerthwart, and when the corne is taken awaye, vse ioyning and knitting medicines: Paulus in his 6. booke. Some put thereto a little chewed salte to con­sume the humour that maye there re­maine.

CHAP. 16. Of harde knottes vpon the eye-liddes, named in Greeke Poriasis, in Latin Tophus: also of grauell or the stone in the eye-lids, in Greeke Lithiasis, in Latin Lapidescentia, or lapis pal­pebrae.

POriasis is an harde brawnye tumor arising in the outwarde parte of the eye-lidde. Definition. Galen affirmeth it to come also in the inside. Lithiasis is an harde, Galen. white, rugged tumor, in colour resem­bling the Saphire stone. Causes. They are both caused principally by an hardnesse of humors, which are assembled and ga­thered in the eie-lidde, as if the second kinde of Grando afore-named should become drie and thicke, where-uppon should ensue poriasis, and by growing more drie and harde like vnto a stone, shoulde ensue lithiasis. In curing the harde knotnamed poriasis, Cvre. the skinne must be cutte in the outside, and all the the matter taken foorth from the bot­tome, laying afterward vnto it a ioy­ning plaister. In curing the grauell or stone called lithiasis, the eyelidde must be turned, and the incision made in [Page] the inside, drawing the matter of the tumor foorth with an instrument, and then applye vnto it a little salte with spittle. Aetius. Aetius vseth the powder of ori­chalcum burned, and vppon it layeth a defensiue made of an egge, wine, and oyle of roses mingled together, and rolleth ir.

CHAP. 17. Of lice which brede in the eye-liddes, called in Greeke pthiriasis, in Latine pediculatio.

Definition. PThiriasis is, when manie litle broad lice trouble the haires on the eye-lids. Causes. They are ingendred by excessiue eating and drinking, of vncleannes, & ill diet. Cure. In the cure, the pacient must eate good wholesome meate, fith they come onely of ill humors, his haire must be shorne, he must vse fric­tions or rubbings fasting euerie mor­ning, such remedies must be applied as may dry, strengthen, and comforte the head. After this the lice which are en­gendred must cunningly bee taken a­way, & such medicins vsed as may not onely destroy those which remain, but [Page 107] also preuent the generation of other. Aetius. To this purpose Aetius commendeth this medicine, to haue a fomen­tation of Sea water, and then to ap­lie this collyrium. R. alum. sciss, ʒ i, sta­phidis siluest. obol. i. piperis obol. ij. aeris v­sti ʒ i beat them to fine powder, and vse them dry. Celsus vsed this. Celsus. R. sanda­rac. spumae nitri, vuae taminae, beate thē together, put vnto them as much oyle, and also vineger vntill they be as thick as hony. Auicen cōmendeth brimstone to this purpose. Auicen. This is a tried ointe­ment. R. vnguent. rosar. mesue ℥ j. sul­phur. viui. & staphisag. an ʒ s. hydrarg. cum saliua extinct. ʒ i. fiat vngnentum.

CHAP. 18. Of haires growing in the eielids which hurt the eie, called in greeke trichiasis, in latin oculorum a pilis offensio. also of the diuerse kinds thereof.

TRichiasis is, Definition. when the haires which growe either naturally or vnnatu­rally on the eye-liddes, doe hurte and pricke the eye, and cause vveeping. The old writers haue left vnto vs three kinds of them, vvhereof the first is na­med ptilosis, vvhich is, Ptilosis. vvhē the eyelid is loose, & the natural haire falleth round [Page 104] about into the eie, and pricketh it. The second is called districhiasis, Districhiasis. or duplex ordo pilorum, that is, a double order or set of haire, when one hurteth the o­ther as contrary aduersaries. The third is called phalangosis, Phalangósis. or acies pilorum, that is, rankes of haire, when the edge of the eie-lidde with the haire which is vpon it without any relaxation of the eie-lidde is turned and wrested into the eie, in suche manner that the hayre is hidde, neither can it bee seene with­out the eielidde be lifted on high. Causes. The cause of this vnnaturall generation of haire, proceedeth of the abundance of superfluous moisture, which neuerthe­lesse is not sharpe nor biting, euen as the earth being ouer moiste bringeth foorth plentie of hearbes. For if the humor were sharpe or in anye manner fretting, by remaining in the eie-lidde it would de file and corrupte the hayre, which nature had there planted. It migt also cause by increasing and long continuance a loosenesse in the eye-lids. Concerning the cure, if the haires bee vnnaturall which growe there, Cvre. let them be pulled away with pincers, and afterward applye suche medicines as [Page 105] may stay them from grovving againe: of this sort, are antes egges, the gall of a calfe, the bloud of al sorts of frogs: a­mōgst other, rhis of Archigenes is prai­sed vvonderfully, Archigenes medicine. vvhich is made of the bloud and gall of an hedge-hog, vvith castoreum in equall proportion. I con­fesse I haue not seen anie tryal of these remedies, and therefore, after the eye is turned vvhere they sticke, the beste course is, to seare them to the rootes vvith an yron made for that purpose, for this vvill vtterly destroy them. This done, apply such remedies as may pre­uent inflammation, & the escarre be­ing once remoued, the vlcer vvil heale easilye. In this order shall you deale vvith those haires vvhich grovve na­turally, if their turning invvarde offend the eyes. But before you come to seare the place, you must labour to gather and tie vp the haires, vvhich you shall doe more conueniently, if you knitte them vvith other haire vvhich is neare to them, by a plaister framed after the manner of drie stitching. VVhen al are thus gathered and made faste to the outvvarde parte, let them so abyde a good space, that they may not returne [Page 106] into the eie, but receiue another shape: But if the edge of the eye-lidde be al­so turned inward, yet the eye-lidde not loosed, there must be incision made on the inside in a straight forme or line, that by this meanes the skinne may be seperated and let loose, The cure of the olde Phi­sitions. which did draw the eye-lidde inwarde, and the hayre ioyntlie with the same may looke vp­warde. Concerning the curing of ptilo­sis, vvhich is, vvhen the eye-lidde is re­laxed, as vve say, or too much loosed, you shall haue recourse to the opera­tion, vvhich shall bee set dovvne in the chapter follovving, touching atonia, or weakenesse of the eie-lids.

CHAP. 19. Of the loosenesse or weakenesse of the eye-liddes, called in greeke atonia ton blepharon, in latine imbecillitas palpe­brarum.

Definition. AToniaton blepharon, is a simple vveakenesse of the eye-liddes, vvithout appearance of any o­ther outward cause yet the partie thus affected is not able to lift them vp, but is enforced to keepe them shutte, vn­lesse [Page 107] he lifte them vp vvith his hande, vvhich is the cause that they vvhich are in this miserable estate, cannot a­vvake, nor see plainly. Causes. This maladie commeth by the abundance of moy­sture vvhich softeneth and looseth the eye-lidde, vvhich is stretched further then the boundes of nature, so that vvhen one vvould by the benefite of the muscles lift vp his eye-lidde, and open his eye, hee cannot doe it fully, because of the vveakenesse and loose­nesse. Cure. The cure must bee in this or­der. VVhen the Chirurgian hath placed the patient to his liking, hee shall take betvveene his fingers the skinne of the eye lidde (leauing the gristle, vvhich, sith it is not loosed, The gristle must not be cutte. nee­deth not incision) lifting vp so much of it as hee shall thinke expedient in the restoring of the naturall forme to bee taken avvay. For there are tvvoo daungers: one, least too much bee cutte avvaye, for then the eye-lidde will not couer the vvhole eye: the o­ther least too little bee cutte, for then your labour is loste, and the incision vtterly vnprofitable.

Therefore in this consideration, [Page 108] it shall be necessary to marke the place vvith incke, dravving tvvoo straight lines vvhere the incision shall be made In this order, that betvvene the edge vvhere the haires doe grovve, and the nearest of your lines, there be space remaining to thrust in a needle. Celsus.

This done, you shal cut gently, pear­cing the skin vvhich is betvvene the tvvo lines, One kinde of incision. vvhich may bee done all at once, holding vvith the fingers, and lifting vp so much of the eye-lidde as you vvil cut avvaye: aftervvard vvith a penknife, launcet, or cisers cut direct­ly vpon the tvvo lines, taking avvaye the piece vvhich is in the middest: or rather make your incision vppon eche line so long as is requisite, An other kind of incision. and cutte a­vvay that vvhich is in the middest, be­ginning at one ende, and gently remo­uing the skinne vntill you come to the other, and all be cleane taken avvaye. Hauing proceeded thus farre, you shal then ioyne both sides of the vvounde vvith a needle put into the middest, vvhich shal not be vvholy and sodain­ly staied, but commaund the pacient to close his eies, and if the eyelid come not dovvne to couer all the eye, let [Page 109] the point of the needle slippe, if it doe couer all, make it fast: & in vvhat part the skinne of the eye-lid shall bee yet too large, there take avvay your thread vvhich is in the higher lippe of the vvound, and cut avvay so much of it as you see needefull, How to stitch then thrust thorovve the thread againe, and dravve together both the lips or edgcs of the vvounde: and aftervvard at both the endes put thorovv the needle. This part of your vvorke thus finished, you shal then ap­plie a defensiue, and also a medicine, vvhich may ioyne the contînuitie dis­solued. You must be prudent in pulling avvay your needle, least it may procure too great deformitie by the scarre uvhich remaineth. Aeginet. Paulus Aegineta sayth, he knevv Chirurgians vvhich v­sed no stitching, but suche medicines onely as had vertue to close it vp, not­vvithstanding the aforesaid manner of stitching is the surest vvay.

CHAP. 29. Of little pieces of flesh in the eye-lid, or mulbery, called in greeke pladoro­t [...] [...] i [...]la [...] m [...]rum.

[Page 110] Definition. PLadarotes are little soft discoloured bodies growing vvithin the eye­liddes: as sarcosis is an outgrovving of thicke flesh, resembling small pieces of pitch comming foorth vvithin the eie-lidde. Causes. These proceede from corrupte bloud, which engendreth soft, slimie, discoloured flesh, not vnlike the bloud of flesh when it is vvashed. An exul­ceration in the innermost skinne of the eye-lidde vvhich cannot close vp, may also cause this affect for in conti­nuance these doe grovve out, and close vp the vlcer in some parte. Con­cerning the cure, Cure. if they be thicke and grosse, they shall be cutte avvay fine­ly vvith the poynt of a launcet, and and aftervvard let the place bee tou­ched with a little fine salte, allam, or copperas vvater, applying also medi­cines which may drye the eye without great paine.

CHAP. 21. Of the svvollen or stretched out veines called varix or varices, in Greeke cirsos, also of meliceris, steatoma, atheroma.

[Page 111] CIrsos is a stretching foorth of the veine most vsually proceeding of melancholike bloud. Definition. Atheroma is filled with matter like vnto a pulteise of wheat meale. Steatoma containeth matter not much differing from sewit: the humor in meliceris resembleth ho­nie. All these humors are enfolded in a little bladder or skinne, and with the same oftentimes may be founde many other straunge bodyes, as stones, haire, nailes, glasse, yea little beastes, like to flies or gnattes. In the cure, Cure. the skinne of the eye-lidde must be cut e­uen to the bladder which keepeth the humor, and if it be possible it must bee wholy together taken out: for if anye parte remaine, the disease returneth. Therefore, if by occasion you be con­strained to leaue any parte behinde (as sometime it falleth out that must bee cōsumed by medicins which haue ver­tue to mollify & procure suppuration, but in fine such as do clense & increase flesh in the wounde. But concerning varices or swollen veines, Aetius forbid­deth medling with varix. Aetius would not haue them handled, because they are rebellious and malignant for the most parte, as also certaine other [Page 112] redde painefull tumors are in like sorte pestilent and incurable.

CHAP. 1. Of the blacke mortified or bloudshed­ding eie, called in greeke hipospagma, or aimalops, in latin sanguinis effusio, or sugillatio.

Definition. HYposphagma are redde spottes in the ende appearing blacke or blevve, comming from bloud vvhich flovveth in the eie by the veins scattered amongst the skins and coats of the same. This happeneth of some stroke, Causes. crye, fall, or great gushing out of bloud vvhen the mouth of the veynes are opened, or by bursting of them vvhen they are ouer full. They vvhich are troubled vvith this maladie, ima­gine vvhatsoener they see to be redde, because the bloud is not onely disper­sed, VVherefore all thinges seeme redde. & as it vvere spilt amidst the con­iunctiue membrane, or vvhite of the [Page 113] eye, but also in the hornie membrane vvhich maketh them redde, vvherevp­pon it follovveth, that vvhatsoeuer is offered to the sight seemeth redde. The playne proofe vvhereof vve may and doe daily behold in glasses, vvhich be­ing greene, redde, or yellovv, represent to vs all thinges of their colour. Cure. In curing it, bloud-letting is most neces­sary, and of locall medicines, the bloud of a Turtle or Pigeon is excel­lent at the beginning, as is also a fo­mentation of camomill, melilot, hys­soppe, and other hearbes vvhich haue vertue to dissolue. The cataplasme of hyssop sodden vvith covves mylke, Old medicins. is praised of A [...]icen. In olde blevv­nesse or blacknesse Aetius commen­deth this remedy. Put the vrine of a sound boy into a vessel of red brasse, & beate it vvith a brasen pestill many dayes in the sunne, that by this means the moysture may decay: vvhen it is dried, put hony into it, and vse it.

CHAP. 2. Of the puffing vp, or svvelling of the membranes of the eyes, called in Greeke epanastoma octhodes, in Latin [Page 114] ficus, or othewise hymenon epanasta­sis, rebelliones, or membranarum emi­nentiae, & extuberantiae.

EPanastema octhodes, is a tumor or swelling of all the membranes and skinnes in the eye: Definition. and when the affect is greatly increased, it is named hymenon epanastasis, as if the saide skinnes shoulde swell vntill they vvere thrust out of their proper place. This disease ariseth from abundaunce of humours sodainely and ioyntlie fal­ling dovvne vppon the eye, Causes. or from a windye spirite enclosed amongst the skinnes, or rather from an inflammati­on which stretcheth foorth the mem­branes. It may also be caused in like manner, as is set dovvne in that disease when the eye falleth out. The cure shal be the same which is vsed in great inflammations, and falling out of the eye.

CHAP. 3. Of wrinckles in the membranes, called in Greeke rutidosis, or russosis, in latin corrugatio.

Definition. RVtidosis or russosis, is a wrinckling or playting of the coates & skins [Page 115] whereof the eie is made. Some make two kindes of it, whereof the one is in­ward, to wit, when the membrane cal­led vuea is wrinkled, which causeth the disease named pthisis, of which we will speake hereafter. The other is outward when the membranes cornea & adnata are loosed. Causes. This disease groweth of weaknesse & colde, which sufficiently appeareth in this, that it is most com­mō to old folke, as we may see by their wrinckled eies. For the humors being diminished in olde folke, & the spirites become thick, yea the humors so drye, that the eie is vtterly empty, it falleth down, & the membranes are so wrinc­kled & plaited together, that some see not any thing, others with great paine & difficulty. For the plaits & wrinckles being doubled vpon the membranes, they make the hornie membrane so thicke and darke, vvhich should be na­turally plaine and bright, that the thin­ges which are offred to the eies cannot be discerned. Cure hereof hard. There is small hope of the curing hereof, sith it is principal­ly procured by old-age: neuerthelesse that vve leaue not the sicke partie de­stitute of all succour, lette him vse [Page 116] such meates as are fitte to beget and increase good iuice. Let him vse parti­cularly these eye-salues, whose vertue is to make moiste and comforte the membranes. R. euphras. betonicae, verb. gariophyll. ana. m ij. chelidoniae, saluiae an m.iiij. vini albi lib. s. seminis anisi, & feniculi an ℥ j. nucis mosch. ℥ s. cinamom. ℥ ij. aloes hepat. ℥ iiij. distill them to­gether. Thus shall you vse this water: you shal take a little of it, and as much of the mucilage of quinc-eseede mingled together, and thereof put some into the eye. The medicines set downe before for dimnesse of the sight and aftervvard in the chapiter of the cataractes are verie profitable in this case.

CHAP. 4. Of the inflammation of the eye, called in greeke opthalmia, in latin inflam­matio adnatae, ot lippitudo: also of the diuerse kinds thereof, which are che­mosis in greeke, in latin hiatus or hia­tulatio, phimosis, or praeclusio, taraxis, or perturbatio, epiphora or delachri­matio, opthalmia sphacelisousa, or in­flammatio ocularis in sphacelum de­generans.

[Page 117] OPthalmia is an inflammation of the membrane in the eye named coniunctiua, ioyned with swelling, Definition. ex­tension, paine, rednesse, heate, puffing vp of the eye-liddes, which doe hard­lie eyther open or shutte, and cannot suffer touching with the handes. Taraxis. Ta­raxis is taken for a swift inflammation of the eye, being redde and moist, but lesse grieuous then opthalmia, Causes. growing from outwarde causes, as smoke, dust, the sunne, the moone, oyle, rubbing of the eye. Some affirme it commeth by the vse of strong wines, garlike, onions or mustard Chemosis is, Chemosis. when the mem­brane called coniunctiua, is higher lif­ted thē cornea, as if this were in a hole, which beside the rednesse and heate, causeth the eye-liddes to bee turned, so that they cannot couer the eie: Phimosis. con­trary vnto this is phimosis, when by meanes of a greate inflammation, the eye-liddes doe sticke fast eche to other and cannot be opened. Some impute this default to the eye-liddes, but the hurt which they receiue is but an ac­cident in this disease. Epiphora. Epiphora. is taken generally for a sodaine streame of hu­mors in anie parte, as Plinye calleth e­piphoram [Page 118] vteri, ventris. Notwiihstan­ding it is properly vsed for the affecti­on in the eies, when with great inflam­mation, Galen. great quantity of humors flow vnto them Al these aforenamed affec­tions do accompany eche other. The causes are the recourse of bloud, Causes. chol­ler, fleum, & melancholy, & most com­monly bloud & cholar These are signs that it is engendred of bloud, Signes of bloud. rednesse, heate, great swelling with extension, thicke teares & soone dry, softe slimie matter congealed in the corners of the eies, the partie of a sanguine complex­ion. If cholar bee the cause, the tumor is not so apparant, the colour of it som­what pale, Signes of cholar. the paine sharpe and biting, either no teares issue out, or if any do, they are salt and bitter, the slimy mat­ter is drye and grosse, the partie of a cholericke complexion, whereby he is sometime subiect to a tertian ague, & auoideth cholerick excrements. VVhē the swelling is greater, Signes of flewme. more lose, white in colour, the teares without taste, and colde, little or no slimie matter troub­leth the eies, it maye bee supposed to come of fleume, which is called by Ae­tius a colde distemperature of the eye. [Page 119] The generall cure consisteth in bloud-letting, diet, Cure. purging by the aduise of a learned phisition, not omitting in this case the applying of cupping glasses v­pon the shoulders, with scarifiyng if it be thought expedient: & if the inflam­mation be very great, & the maladie violent, it shalbe necessary to open the veines in the temples & forehead, yea to open an artery, as also to apply a fe­lon behind in the necke, or a ruptorie, either on the crowne of the heade, or behinde, or rather vppon the arme, all which remedies bend only their force to alter & turne away the course of the humors. Obseruation. And forasmuch as suche a course of humors for the most part pa­sseth by the vessels which are within, so that it might seeme lost labour to opē such as be without, sith they being emptied of the humor which was in them, yet are filled again frō the humors that are within, because of the fellowshippe which eche hath with other, it must be cōfessed that this cure is not speedy▪ as touching medicins which ar to be ap­plied on the temples & forehead, they must be of force & nature to beat back as emplastrūcōtarupturā, d [...]siccatiuum [Page 200] vnguentum comitiss. vng. oxirhodinum, or oxicrat. and such like. Vpon the eye if the inflammation be little, it shall be sufficient to vse this collyrium of the white of an egge, To asswage great paine. rose-water and plan­taine beaten together. VVhere the paine shall bee vehement applye this: Take of the mucilage of quince-seede, and flea-seede, drawne in rose-water one ounce, in which dissolue trochis. alb. Rhasis sine opio one dramme: make your salue, and apply it warme. If the inflammation doe continue, the afore­said mucilages shall bee drawne in wa­ter of poppye, or in a decoction of it, adding thereunto a little camphire or poppy, and lay vpon the eye this cata­plasme. R, of sodden apples 4. ounces, and with the white of an egge, & wo­mans milke make a cataplasme. A cataplasme asswaging paine. Also a cataplasme of pure cassia, newe and presently drawne is most excellent. A­boue all you must haue especiall care to chaunge and renewe these medi­cines, least they drie, and so cause heat. Not long after you may vse this colli­rium. R. gum arab. trag, ana. ʒ j. cerus. lotae ʒ s opii grana. iij. let them bee all dissolued with the white of an egge, & [Page 201] two ounces of a womans milke giuing sucke. In the declining of this disease, In the decli­ning of the disease. this may be vsed. R. of the mucilage of fenegreeke and quince-seede drawne in rose-water, and water of eye-bright ana. ℥ sj. s wherein dissolue sarcocol. in a womans milke that giueth sucke. ʒ ij aloes lotae ʒ i. mirrh. ʒ. s make an eie­salue. And where there is any greate itching, or rather where the inflamma­tion commeth of fleame, Against itch­ing or inflam­mation. this is a most singular collirium. R. tutiae preparat. aloes lotae ana. ʒ s sarcocol. mirh. an ℈ s. sac­car. cand. ʒ i. vitriol. alb. ℈ s. aquae ro­sar. & foenicul. an ℥ ij. boyle them al to­gether a little while in a violl glasse, & then droppe therof into the eye. Some commend this collirium in all inflam­mations of the eyes, to take snailes with the shelles, and to beate them with a little salte, and thorowe an hy­pucras bagge to let the water hereof distil, which being cleare, Obseruation. put it into the eres. It many times falleth out by long and vnaduised applying of medicines, which doe coole and beate backe, or else by some great inflammation, that the naturall heate is extinguished and choaked, and there-uppon ensueth a [Page 122] worse inflammation then any of the a­forenamed, Opthalmia sphacelisousa. which is called opthalmiae sphacelisousa, which depriuing the ey of the naturall temperature, doth make it corrupt & vtterly perish, which disease is named by Galen in his introduction gangraena opthalmon, Galen. the gangrene, or mortificatiō of the ey. VVhē this hap­peneth, you shall haue recourse to the remedies proper for gangrenes, chan­ging them as the state of the disease & partie shall require.

CHAP. 5. Of the naile of the eie, commonly cal­led the webbe, in greeke pterugion, in latin vngula, or angulus.

Definition. PTerugium is, when the white of the eie called coniunctiua, is increased aboue measure, or when in it is engē ­dred a superfluous growing of flesh, af­ter a continual recourse of humors or scabs, The begin­ning of it. or an inflamed itching. This ma­ladye most cōmonly beginneth to in­crease at the great corner of the eye, nigh vnto the nose, seldom at the lesse, and most rarely it is seene to begin at the higher or lower eye-lid. It is stret­ched [Page 123] vnto the hornie membrane, gro­wing greater and greater vntil it couer the apple of the eie, Three kinds hereof. 1. membraneus and darken the sight. The auncient writers haue made three kindes of it. The first is named membraneus, that is skinny, which is a sinewish skinne beginning at the great corner by little & little stretching and growing outward. 2. adipeus. The second is called of Guido adipeus, that is fattie, which is as a congealed humor that becōmeth round vvhen it is touched to be pulled out: it groweth in the same place with the former. 3. sebel, or pan [...]niculus. The thirde is called of the Arabians Sebel, in Latine panniculus, which is worse then the others, beeing interlaced with grosse red veines, and arteries, resembling a thinne cloth or webbe: vppon this appeareth often­times inflammation, rednesse, and itch­ing. Some of them sticke not to the eie in euerie place, but hold onely by their edges, so that betvveene the nayle and the eye an instrument may be put thorowe. Causes. The cause is a fulnesse in the heade, specially of thinne bloud myngled with salte fleume, and weak­nesse in the eye, vvhich maketh it fitte to receiue these humors.

[Page 102]It followeth oftentimes, the ill curing of an inflammation, whose heate hath bene disorderly asswaged, or els olde & harde slimie matter which hath taken roote in the eye. To what per­sons it is in­cident. In some bodies it is engendred thorow the coldenes of the time and place, as in olde men which abound with salte fleume, or in an in­temperate person. which drinketh so much that he quencheth natural heat: the coldenesse of the time and place doe increase it, when they which are ouerladen with such humors, by colde doe multiply and stirre vp the coutse therof. If the streame of humors bee outwarde, Signes to know the course of the humors. the veines seeme redde and great, there is an obscure darkenesse like to smoke vppon the horny mem­brane, the checkes are redde, and the disease verie much lifted vp aboue the white of the eye, there is great payne and heate on the browes, and the skin named Sebel, groweth in some parte of the eye-lidde. If the course of humors be inward, the veines are not so thicke and redde, the partie neeseth oft, speci­ally if he bee in the sunne, hee feeleth great itching, the eye sendeth foorth teares. This disease, and principally Se­bel, [Page 205] is ioyned with itching, boyling, reddenesse, vlcers, teares, swelling of the eye-liddes, slowe motion of the eye: it so hindereth the sight, that the partie cannot abide the light any long time. The cure is both long and hard. Praedictions. For some are neuer healed, other haue it by inheritance, Auicen. and in certaine it is contagious, yea ( Auicen sayth) it goeth from one eye to the other. That kinde vvhich is vvhite, VVhich be cu­rable or in­curable. and narrowe at the bottome, is easily cured, especially if it sticke not fast in euerie place, but that vvhich hath none of these quali­ties can hardly be healed. There is no dealing vvith a nayle or vvebbe which is thicke, standing foorth, hard, and by consent causing paines in the temples: for this is malicious, and of a cancrous nature. The redde naile being cured, causeth paine in the head, and procu­seth the megrym. Moreouer if the vvebbe be spread ouer the apple of the eye, and be made fast vnto it, Obseruation. the cica­trice vvhich remaineth after it is taken avvay stoppeth the sight. If at the same time there be a cataract and a vvebbe in the eye, and the cataract be but be­ginning, by labouring to take avvaye [Page 126] the vvebbe, the cataract vvill be great­ly increased. Cure. After the generall cure ended, vvhich consisteth in bloud-let­ting, purging, cupping, good or­der of dyet, and other necessarie mea­nes, vvhich may staye the increasing of the vvebbe, and turne avvay the hu­mors, you may cure it eyther by me­dicines, or by the hande of the chirur­gian. If it be but nevvly begunne, it may bee consumed by such medicines as are vsed to make thinne and eate a­vvay the cicatrices in the eyes. Aetius affirmeth that they maye bee consu­med by medicines, whereof this is most singular. Aetius his corosiue. R chaleitidis vstae sxx cadmiae sx. squamae aeris rubri sj, piperis si. But if it be olde and thicke then must it be healed and taken away by incision in this manner. The manner of he manuall operation. The pati­ent must be placed either ouer against the Chirurgian, or rather in such sorte that he may laye his heade in the Sur­geons lappe (as we vse to speake) Let one turne vp one of the eye-liddes, and the Chirurgion the other: if hee sitte ouer against the patient, let hym turne vp the lower, if hee haue his heade on his knees, then the higher [Page 127] eye-lidde. At this same time let the Chirurgian with a paire of pincers, Celsus. or some fitte instrument lifte vp the web, and with the other hande thrust tho­rovve a needle with threade vnder the vvebbe, close by the membrane, wher­unto it is fast ioyned: and leauing the needle there, hee shall take both the endes of the threade which is passed thorovv and by them lifte vp the web: Howe to sepe­rate the web. if it sticke fast in any parte hee shall se­perate it with the poynte of a vause, or cisers, or some suche sharpe, fine, and delicate instrument, vviping a­vvaye the bloud issuing from it at the same instaunt, vntill hee see the vey­nes of the vvebbe decayed and con­sumed by the auoyding of this bloud: continuing his worke vntill hee come to the corner: and marke hovv oft he dravveth the threade, so oft shall hee loose it, vntill hee attaine to the be­ginning of the vvebbe, and the ende of the naturall flesh resting in the cor­ner. Two incon­ueniences. For there is danger of two incōue­niences, one, least some piece of the web remaine behind, whereby it may grow again vnles it be remoued by medicines: the other least he cut the flesh [Page 208] which is in the corner, sith it followeth the vvebbe being violently pulled out, and so may deceiue the chirurgian. If this flesh be cutte, the hole vvhich it did stoppe is opened, vvhereby issueth out vvater continually, vvhich affect the Graecians name Rhyada, of vvhich vvee vvill speake in the proper place. Therefore he must be able to discerne hovv much suffiseth to be cutte avvay, vvhich being done, he shall laye a fine linnen cloth or lint dipped in hony v­pon the eie, and aboue that a defensiue against inflāmation, and three or foure times in a day the patient shalbe dres­sed, and open his eie, least perhaps the eye-liddes glue and ioyne togeather or els sticke to the eye, vvhich is a third inconuenience. A third incon­uenience. You must continue the applying of lint in this order, and in fine use a collirium vvhich may close vp the vlcer. As R. aquae plantag. & rosar. ana. si. sii, tutiae praepar. aloes an s s trochise. alb. Rasis s s. saccaricand. si. If anie other hurtfull accidentes fall out, you shall helpe and heale those, omitting the proper cure for so long time.

CHAP. 6. Of certaine white spots in the mem­branes named cornea, & coniunctiua, called in greeke aglia, or aiglia, in la­tin albicans cicatrix: also of a knotte there arising, in greeke poros, & poro­sis, in latine tophus, or durities adnatae or corneae.

AIglia, Definition▪ is a vvhite spotte resembling a cicatrice gathered vppon the membranes coniunctiua and cornea. Causes. This commeth by a fleume vvhich by little and little is heaped in the parte. It may also proceede of some piece of a vvebbe being left behinde, about the vvhich some humour may he congea­led, and in time come to a scarre. And vvhere these humours become verie harde, there may be seene as it vvere a knotte vpon the membranes coniunc­tiua and cornea, it is called porosis. Porosis. Cure. Con­cerning the cure, if this vvhite spot be very high lift vp, it shall bee consumed avvay vvith the collyrium set down be­fore in the cure of the vveb, or rather if it maye bee conueniently doone, there shall be onely vsed a drying me­dicine. In curing the knot called poros, [Page 130] you shall first pull off the skinne, then applye suche meanes as may consume it, aftervvard vse a drying collirium, which maye also close it vp. But if neyther of these afore-named mala­dies bee muche deformed, neither a great hinderance to the sight, myne aduise is, The councell of the author. to vse such meanes onely as maye staye the increasing thereof anye further. For it falleth out manie times, that vvhilest some haue endeuoured to heale them, they haue made them woorse. Put therefore into the eye a little of tutia prepared, and sugar candie, vvith a little of the dried fishbone called sepia, in eng­lish a cuttle, mingled all together in fine powder.

CHAP. 7. Of the blisters in the hornie mem­brane, called in Greeke phlictaenae, in Latine pustulae: also of their di­uerse kindes.

PHlyctaenae, are little hot blisters ari­sing in the skinnes of the eie, Definition. but especially in the hornie membrane, to vvitt, betvveene the skinnes of it. [Page 131] For it is most certaine that this hornie membrane consisteth of foure lyttle coates or skinnes, Aetius. in regarde vvhereof these blisters are accompted diuerse. Diuers kindes For vvhen they grovve vnder the first skinne, the humor flovving betwene the first and the seconde, then is the matter of the blister more blacke: it is at other times betvveene the se­conde and thirde, or thirde and fourth, and the blister seemeth more vvhite, The blister is blacke. albeit it is hidden in the bottome of the hornie membrane. Now the natu­rall colour of the blister is blacke, but the membrane is white, resembling horne: therefore by how much deeper the blister is hidden in the membrane, by so muche more it representeth the colour of it beeing most grieuous and tormenting, and in danger to make an vlceration, by breaking thorowe the membrane, wherupon might ensue an vtter losse and decay of al the humors. Those therefore which are in the ouer­most part of it are lesse dangerous. Causes. For the most parte they are engendred of cholerick sharp biting humors, or of a thin malicious humor rūning betwene the aforesaid skins. In the general cure [Page] the patient must be carefull to be qui­et, to beware of much light, to vse litle speach, to keepe his bellye loose. Con­cerning locall medicines, hee must vse soft cataplasmes, as is accustomed in great inflammations, vvhich vvil couer not onely the eie, but also the temples, forehead, Aetius. and cheekes, renevving them often least they be too drie. Aetius ap­pointeth this remedie: take the white and yolke of an egge, beaten vvith saf­fron, and a little iuice of poppye, small quantitie of vvine and bread: in lyke manner you may vse sodden quinces. According to these medicins you may appoint such a cataplasme. R. micae pa­nis albi in passo vel lacte tepido macerat. siiii. pulpae cydonior. coctor. sub cineribus sii. croci si. opii s s. make your cata­plasme, adding to it the vvhite & yolke of an egge. The salues vvhich are to be put into the eye, shall bee made of the mucilages of quince-seed, & flea-seede drawne in milke, or rose-water and plantaine. After the heate is delayed and the payne mittigated, you maye put thereto a little myrrhe, fran­kinsence, Celsus salue. and saffron. Celsus prayseth this collyriū. R. mirrh. papaueris lachrim. [Page 132] an si. plumbi elot, terrae samiae, tragac. an siiij. stibii cocti, amyli an svj spod elot. cerusae elot. an sviij. put them into raine-vvater, vse your collirium vvyth an egge, or mylke.

CHAP. 8. Of the vlcers in the horny membrane called generally in greeke elcos, in latin vlcus: also of the diuers kindes of them, as mistines, in greek aclis, in latin caligo, cloudines, in greeke ne­phelion, in latin nubecula, the rounde vlcer, in greeke argemon, in latin vl­cus rotundum, the fierie vlcer, in greek epicauma, in latin vlcus inustum, the pitte, in latine fossula or annulus, in greeke bothryon, holownes, in greeke coiloma, in latin cauitas, the filthy vl­cer, in greeke egcauma, in latin vlcu [...] sordidum

ELcos is taken generallye for anie vlcer in any perte: The diuerse acception of this word. but Galen ap­plieth it to the eye. The olde phi­sitions haue made seuen kindes of thē, 7 kindes. wherof foure are in the ouermost part of the horny membrane, vvhich maye be named outvvard, and three are in­ward [Page 133] in the bottom of the same mem­brane. Achlis. The first of the outward vlcers is called achlis, vvhich resēbleth smoke, or a mistie ayre, of a skye colour, relying vppon the blacke of the eye, possessing a greate parte of it, and vvhen it hath gained the apple of the eye, Gorren [...]. the partie seeth very little. Some suppose it to be a blacke scarre, vvhich beginneth to obscure and make dim the sight. Nephelion. The seconde is called ne­phelion, like to the former, but more deepe and vvhite, occupying lesse roome, because it is not so stretched, not lifted vp▪ yet it hindereth the sight. The thirde is called argemon, Argemon. vvhich is a rounde vlcer in the vvhite of the eye neare vnto the circle named Iris, or the raine bowe: it is white neare to the apple of the eye, and redde in the membrane coniunctiua. Galen. Galen affir­meth it to be an vlceration appearing white in the blacke of the eie, & redde in the vvhite of it. The fourth is cal­led epicauma, Epicauma. which is a fierye boyling vlcer, rough, in colour like vnto ashes, lying vpon the apple of the eie, as if it were a flock of woll. Third booke 22. chap. Notwithstanding Aegineta taketh it for a deepe, filthye, [Page 134] and crustie vlcer. Beside these, there are three other invvarde and deepely settled. The first is named bothryon, Bothrion. which is a little straite deepe vlcer, like to a pricke without filthy matter. The second is coiloma, like to the former, Coiloma. but greater, yet not so deepe. The thirde is encauma, Encauma. which is a filthy and crustie vlcer, out of which commeth most vile, stinking slimy matter, which can hardly be kept clean. Concerning the cure, although some vlcers be litle, Cure. yet if they be not well handled, or vt­terly neglected, they proue malicious. And in what place the humor is sharp and biting, there happeneth elcosis, that is a bursting of the hornie membrane, by meanes vvhereof, eyther all the humors, or parte of them issueth out. Elcosis. This maye also chaunce by inflamma­tion. After the generall cure consi­sting in bloud-letting, purging, cup­ping, rubbing of the shoulders, the chi­rurgian shall carefully consider vvhe­ther there bee any inflammation as sometimes it happeneth, that he maye ease it with the medicins set down be­fore in optholnia, or the inflāmation of the eie. If the vlcer be in the lefte eye, [Page 135] the patient shall lye vppon his left side, and on the contrarye. And accor­ding to the filthinesse of the vlcer, A cleansing medicine. it shall be cleansed vvith medicines fitte thereunto. As with this: take of water, of eye-bright and plantaine an ℥ i. of syruppe of violets ℥ i. s, of sugar candy ℥ s make a collirium. If greater clean­sing be required, you shall vse this▪ take of betony and buglosse vvater ana ℥i. s, of hony of roses, and syrup of worm vvood, ana. ℥ s, of myrrhe and aloes, ana. ℥. i make a salue. The mucilage of fenegreeke is most profitable, if you adde vnto it a little syrup of dryed ro­ses. VVhen the vlcers are cleansed, you must vse drie medicines made of oliba­num, cerufae lotae amili, gum. tragac. plumb vst. & litharg. Celsus. Celsus vsed this medi­cine to cleanse and drie. R. aeris combust & eloti, thuris, stibii combust. & eloti, mirrh. gum. ana. ℥ ij make a salue. This salue may bee dissolued in rose-water, and the mucilages of flea-seed, quince-seed, fenegreeke dravvne in eie [...]bright or plantaine vvater.

CHAP. 9. Of the malicious eating or consuming [Page 136] vlcers, called in greeke nomae, in latin vlcera depascentia.

NOmae are malicious vlcers, Definition. which partly beginne at both the cor­ners, partly at the vvhite of the eie, & sometime at the hornie mem­brane. They gnavve the eye sodainly, especially in corrupt bodies: Signes. there cō ­meth out of them a great quantitie of most stinking slimie matter, vvith ex­ceeding paine▪ the partie hath a feuer, and oftentimes a bloudye flixe. They goe forvvard in such sort, that often­times they consume the partes nexte adioyning to the eyes, Cure. as the muscles and eye-liddes. In the cure the patient shall vse good dyet, and haue his bellye loose: if the veines or arteries in the temple seeme verie full, it shalbe most expedient to let them bleed, and for the eye, the salues set dovvne in the former chapiter are to bee vsed. But if these vlcers creepe further to other partes beside the eye, Aetius. then take scorìa ferri, cerusae, olumbi, washe them all to­gether, vvith vvomans milke make them fitte for your vse, applying them vvith pomaton or oyle of roses, in [Page 137] forme of an oyntment. Novv if these gentle and easie medicins stay not the vlcer from going further, then oleum vitrioli is to bee vsed, vvhich I haue seene stay the course hereof with good successe. And vvhere necessitie doth so require, this cataplasme is muche commended of the olde vvriters: vi­delicet, take tvvo quinces, foure hand­full of nightshade, as much housleeke, seeth them in womans milke.

CHAP. 10. Of the crabbed, or as it is commonly called, canctous vlcer, in Greeke el­cos carcinodes, in Latine vlcus can­ceratum.

Definition. ELcos carcinodes are litle vlcers, hap­ning in the blacke of the eie, which cannot be closed, Aetius. verye painefull, full of swollen vessels, as in the disease called varix: and sometime when they seeme to be closed vp vppon no mani­fest occasion, they open agayne, and become vlcers. Signes. They may be knowne by wandering & running pointed lines which goe to the temples by a sharpe and thin course of humors; the white [Page 138] and blacke of the eye are alvvaies red, the patient refuseth his meate and drinke, the griefe and payne is greatly increased by vsing sharpe medicines. Old folke and women most subiect to this disease. This maladie is incident manye times to olde folkes, by reason of some great inflammation, and to vvomen vvhose moneths are stayed. In curing of it the auncient Phisitions do coun­sell the Chirurgian, to foretell, that the sicke partie cannot bee fullye and perfectly cured: Prediction. the especiall cure must be therefore to asswage the paine by good dyet, purging, cupping, the seton and seating applyed eyther be­hinde on the head, or vppon the arme, Cure. to the ende that the recourse of the humour vvhich might increase the di­sease may be stayed and diuerted.

Amongst locall medicines, the vvhyte of an egge beaten vvith vvomans milk is praised by many: also lintels sodden and steeped in plantayne vvater, or iuyce, the mucilages of quinces and line-seede often renevved. But vvhere greate payne and inflammation is, there you shall vse the cataplas­mes sette dovvne in the chapyter which intreateth of opthalmia, or the [Page 139] inflammation of the eye, that by this meanes the griefe may be mitigated.

CHAP. 11. Of a scarre in the cornea, or hornie membrane, called in greeke oule, in latin cicatri [...]: also of the diuers kinds thereof, as the spotte in the eie, com­monly called argis, and leucoma, in latine albugo: of the vvhite shining scarre, in greeke paralampsis, in latine cicatrix splendens.

Although oule be vsed generally for a cicatrice or scarre in anie parte: Diuers accep­tions of oule. yet Galen taketh it for a vvhite highe scarre vpon the hornie membrane, be­cause of a deepe vlcer [...]t may also hap­pen in the vvhite of the eye, but not so euidently to be seene. The kinds ther­of are aigis and leucoma, Hip. in prophet. Galen in d [...]f. [...]d. vvhen the scarre in the hornie membrane is thicker & higher then the former, arising of a greater vlcer then the former, posses­sing sometimes the circle Iris, or rain­bovve. Some assigne this defaulte to the crystalline humor, which is vvho­ly made vvhite. Paralampsis. Paralampsis is a scarre on the blacke of the eye, more harde, grosse, and shining then aigis. In the [Page 140] cure you must consider vvhether they be hollovv, or standing vp. Cure. If they bee hollovv, Celsus. Celsus vseth this collirium to fill them vp and make them plaine.

R. lachrym. papais. sagap. op [...]pon. an sij. aeruginis siiij. cumini s iiij. pipe [...] s. xij. cadiniae elotae, & cerus. ena. s vj. make them into a salue. Aetius forbid­deth dealing with old scars Aetius giueth counsell not to attempt the curing of verie harde, grosse, olde scarres, sith they cannot bee remooued but wyth sharpe medicines, vvhich vvill cause vlceration in the partes adioyning▪ but on the contrary, others may be dimi­shed with gentle clensing medicines, as aes vstū, squama aeris, flos aeris, calchitis vsta, which shalbe washed & prepared, that their great sharpenesse maye bee delayed: mares milke vvith a little ho­nie is commended. Celsus. Celsus appointeth this collirium. R. gummi sii aerug, si. crocomag. siiij. make of these a salue. It is a most singular remedie to cause a little childe, or some other person who hath a cleane tongue, to licke the scars vvhich are not ouer harde and grosse. This salue vvas giuen to me for an vn­doubted experiment: An experi­ment. take a pynte of vvhite vvine▪ wherein you must put an [Page 141] ounce of tutia vvel prepared to steepe, halfe an ounce of mirrhe, as much a­loes, tvvo ounces of sugar candy, lette it all stande soaking or infusing in a glasse bottel in the sunne by the whole space off the Dog dayes. Others distill this vvater, and put some droppes of it into the eyes. How to chaunge the colour of scarres. Novve to alter and chaunge the blacke scarres to whyte, suche medicines must bee vsed which haue vertue to bring blackenesse vnto it, as galles, the pill of the pomgranet, nux cipresse, vitriolum, litharge, plum­bum vstum, calx lota, sage: of these or such like you may appointe this reme­die. R. calcis lotae ʒ s. litharg. vtriusque ʒ i. cum decocto gallarum, nucū cipress. & saluiae, make your medicine. Al­though the auncient phisitions doe vse these remedies yet I haue not seene a­ny great profite of them, and indeede I haue founde more hurte then helpe reaped thereof, in so much that the vvhite of the eye hath beene chaun­ged blacke: for it cannot bee but that the medicine which is applied to the horny membrane, should flowe vppon that. Therefore they which will vse these, must be very carefull to washe [Page 142] their lime, for auoyding of imminent daunger.

CAAP. 12. Of the eye full of matter or corrupti­on, called in greeke pyosis opthalmou, in latine oculus purulentus: of the kindes thereof, which are a nayle or webbe, in greeke onix, in latin vnguis a putrefied eye, in greeke hipopyon, in latin sanies in oculo.

PYosis opthalmou is an heape or lump of slimy matter, Definition. with inflammation in the blacke of the eye. The olde phi­sitions make two kinds thereof, 2 kindes. where­of the first is named onix, which is whē the corruption or slimie matter is ga­thered by a deepe vlcer, Onix. betweene the skinnes of the horny membrane, and sheweth it selfe in the apple of the eie, about the circle iris or raine-bow, like to the pairinges of nailes. The second is called hipopion, when the corrupte matter is in greater abundance, Hip [...]pion. so that it possesseth halfe the blackc of the eye, or shineth thorovv the horny coat which couereth the whole apple of the eye. Causes. This affection may arise not onely [Page 143] of an vlcer, but also of great paine in the heade, or inflammation in the cor­rupted eye. And beside this inflamma­tion, it may grovve from great abun­dance of humors vvhich breake open the mouthes of the veynes, also by a stroake or fall, vvhich may make the bloud disperse & scatter abroad, which turneth to suppuration or slimy mat­ter, vvhen it is out of the proper ves­sels. VVhen this commeth, the partye feeleth great throbbing paine, the eye is redde round about, Cure and about the temples he hath much paine. To meet vvith these inconueniences, the partie must vvith all speed be letten bloud in the arme, in the temples, in the cor­ners of the eyes if it be possible, vse cupping vpon his shoulders, and medi­cines vvhich maye stay inflammations by the space of tvvoo or three dayes, so long as necessitie doth require. Af­ter this shall be vsed such medicines as vvill resolue and assvvage paine, suche as this is, vvhich for the excellencie is named in greeke isotheen, in latine par deo, A diuine play­ster. it may be called in english a diuine remedie. R. cadmiae ʒ viij. aeris vsti ʒ iiij. rosarum siccar. ʒ iiii. croci ʒ i. fo­lii [Page 144] ʒ i. lapidis scissi ʒ i. mirrh. ʒ i. gum ʒ vi. beate them with sweet wine, and vse them with an egge. The last reme­die. If all these me­dicines heale it not, but still the eye is full of matter fast remaining there, thā must you come to attempt this course and way: Let the patient bee set con­ueniently, hauing one to stay his head: let the Chirurgian holde his eye with one hande, with an instrument called speculum oculi, Speculum oculi in Ambrose Pares booke. of which you maye see the description and picture in Ambrose Pare, and with the other hand with the pointe of a launcet hee shall finely and cunningly picke the hornie membrane vntill hee come to the slimie matter, which by little and little shall he auoi­ded. After this operation ended, hee shall vse medicines which haue vertue to beate backe, and mittigate paine, as the white of an egge beaten with rose and plantaine water: and then applie the remedies before set downe for vl­cers, which may cleanse, increase flesh, and close them vp. The sure ex­perience of th [...]s operatiō. This practise I haue seene performed by Ambrose Pare the kinges chirurgian, and euen most ex­cellently hath he accomplished it, bee­ing at the age of threescore & twelue [Page 145] yeares: and according to his example I haue twise practised the same with­out any hurte, yea with great comforte ensuing there-uppon. The Chirurgian must be prouident, least flesh grow and increase in the incision of the mem­brane, which will bring both hurte and deformitie to the partie. To preuente this danger, this collirium is much commended that no inflammation happen thereby. R. gum. arab. ʒ vi. spodii ʒ iiij. thuris, mirrhae. acatiae, spic. nard. squamae aeris, opii an. ʒ i. with rain water bring them to a perfect forme, & then make them vnto little round bals named tro­chisci: when you will vse them, wette them in the white of an egge with rose and plantaine water.

CHAP. 13. Of the falling out of the membrane v­uea called in greek proptosis ragoides, in latin procidentia: also of the diuers kinds therof, resembling the head of a flie, in greeke miochephalon, in la­tine formicalis ruptura, or muscae ca­put: 2. resembling a grape, in greeke staphiloma, in latin vuatio or vuea: 3. resembling an apple, in greek melon, [Page 146] in latine malum: 4. resembling the head of a nayle, in greeke elos, in la­tine clauus.

PRoptosis is here taken for a starting or falling out of the membrane named vuea, Definition. whē the horny mem­brane is either loosed or broken: & as this malady appeareth greater or lesse, so there are numbred diuerse kindes therof, Miocephalon. hauing names giuen vnto them from the likenesse of thinges vvhiche they doe represente, as miocephalon, when the standing forth of the skinne is little, lyke vnto the head of a flye [...] Staphiloma is of tvvo sortes, vvhereof the first is, when the hornie membrane is lifted vp, or drawne awrye, Staphiloma is of two sortes. eyther because some humours are gathered betweene the skinnes of it, or rather because a vvheale is engendered a­mongst those skinnes, vvhiche maye happen without any breach in the hor­nye membrane. This kind of staphilo­ma causeth onely a standing forth like to a grape, not in colour, sith it is not blacke, but in roundnesse add white­nesse as it vvere an vnripe grape.

The other sorte of Stapholima [Page 147] is, when the horny membrane is by vl­ceration fretted in sunder, in such sort that the coat or membrane named v­uea, slippeth forth, and maketh a round swelling tumor, resembling a blacke grape when it is ripe. Melon. It is called melon, when the vuea issueth foorth a greater quantitie, so that it ouer-reacheth the eye lidde, representing an apple han­ging by the stalke. Elos. Elos is, when vuea being so farre thrust out of the eie-lids becommeth harde and the horny coat round about being brawnie presseth it down, as if it were the head of a naile. Howsoeuer this maladie groweth, it bringeth with it two daungers and dis­commodities, Two discom­modities of this disease. whereof one doth em­paire and decaye the sight, the other doth deforme and disgrace the face. If the sight be lost, there is no recoue­rie: if it bee onely a deformitie in the countenance it may bee helped, Cure. and chiefly by chirurgerie. VVhen the sta­philoma or grape is new, & stirred by inflammation to lifte vp the hornie skin of the eye, it must be cured by salues & cataplasmes appointed for the asswa­ging of inflammations, & also by good order of diet. But if the recourse of hu­mors [Page 148] amongst the skinnes of the hor­ny membrane hath raised this svvel­ling, and therewith paine, you shal vse the mucilages of fenegreeke and line-seede vvith a little honie. VVhen the griefe is somewhat delayed, Aetius. Aetius cō ­mendeth this remedie, to witte, a cata­plasme made of beane flower, and the seedes of roses sodden together in wa­ter. You may in like maner make bin­ding and comforting fomentations, applying them vvarme, with this pro­uiso, that too much heat draw not hu­mors to the place affected. Theodotius collirium. The colliri­um of Theodotius tempred with liquor of cole-worts, applied verie thick vp­pon the eie with a spoonge, and kepte close with a roler, consumeth & dis­perseth this tumor, if it be not of long continuance. And seeing Aetius repor­teth so great fruit and effect of it, I will here set it dovvne. R. cadmiae lotae, stibii loti, acatiae, gummi ana. ʒ xxv. rosar. sic­car. depurgat. ʒ xii. aeris vsti, mirrh, ana. ʒ viii castorii, licii indici, croci, folii, spicae nardi, chalcitidis tostae, cerus. glancii seminis ericae, opii, gall, omphac. ana. ʒ ii. make them all in fine povvder, and frame thereof with vvater little round [Page 149] balles. VVhen you will vse them, you may dissolue them eyther vvith the iuyce of cole-worts, or with the white of an egge. An other medicine for mio­chephalon. R. cadmiae, sqammae aeris, croci an sviij. opii s xii. misios vsti, mirrhae, acaciae, gummi ana. siiii. put them in water. Nowe, that kinde of staphiloma vvhich hath a deepe and large bottom, Predictions. and veines full of bloud is most hardly healed. Those which stande farre out, chaunge their colour, as that which is in vuea, stirre vp vehement paine euen to the temples are incurable. VVhen these signes appeare in stophiloma, none other remedies are to bee vsed, but such as may ease the payne. But where the bottome of them is not narrowe, neither the vlcer of a malicious nature, the cure maye bee performed by bin­ding and rolling not vnfittely in thys order. The manuall operation. The patient shall bee so pla­ced, that he may laye his heade vppon the Chirurgians knees sitting in a chayre. Then thrust thorowe a nee­dle with a double thread in the midst of the roote of the tumor, beginning this worke at the greate corner of the eye, and so pearcing it vnto the lesse: [Page 150] vvhen the threade is passed thorovve, he shall cut off the needle, that there may be tvvoo endes of the threade in the same place, and take twoo endes thereof in one hande, and twoo in an other. This done, hee shall knit one of the threads on a fast common knot, & after-ward with a running knot to the end it maye bee more easily loosed at your pleasure: according to this man­ner you shall tie the other threade. In continuance of time these threades by little and little will seperate and cutte out the tumor. And where the tumor is grosse, you may cut off the top of it, leauing onely the roote of it, in which the threades may bee retayned. For if they fall out, the humours issue foorth wlth the fame, and the eie sincketh downe. Some are not contented vvith tvvo threads, but vvill haue foure. This parte of your vvoorke thus accompli­shed, such medicines must be applied as vvill mittigate paine, which are the white of an egge, beaten in rose wa­ter, or milke, or specially in the bloud of a pigeon, laying vpon it a defensiue to preuente inflammation and other inconueniences. VVhen you wil dresse [Page 151] the partie, you must be carefull least in remouing the cataplasme you plucke avvay the threeades vvhich oftentimes are dried, and sticke fast to the same. Therefore make a little fomentation vvith milke vvhich may moisten it, v­sing the same medicins vntil the threa­des of their ovvne accord fall avvay, ti­yng them straiter if need do so require. VVhen they are fallen avvay, you shal vse gentle medicins vvhich may clense and increase fleshe: after them applye such as may close it vp, vvhereof you haue had before prescripts set dovvne, Chap. 7. & 8. vvhich as occasion is offered, maye bee altered.

CHAP. 1. Of the enlarged or broad apple of the eye, called in greeke mydriasis, or pla­tycoriasis, in latin pupillae dilatatio: al­so of the displaced apple of the eye, in latin pupillae e loco remotio.

[Page 152] MYdriasis or platicoriasis is, Definition. when the apple of the eye doth not al­ter nor change his colour, but is grea­ter then naturally it should be, stretch­ing sometimes vnto the circle iris, or raine-bowe, whereby the sight is ey­ther much empaired, or vtterly lost. They which are troubled with this di­sease, Signes. thinke euerie thing vvhich they see to be greater then it is, which er­rour commeth by the scattering of the spirites at the largenesse of the hole in the apple of the eye. Sometime it is not onely inlarged and stretched a­broad, but it seemeth to be remooued from the middest of the eye, and to haue chaunged his place, which in A­rnoldus is called, pupillae e loco remotio. Pupillae e loco remotio. Novv both these diseases happen ey­ther naturally, or of some other cause. If they be naturall and from the birth, Causes. yet they hurt & hinder the sight. If any other cause haue procured them, it is either outwarde, as by a fall, or stroke: or invvarde by a recourse of humours, vvhich falling dovvne by little and lit­tle, do cause the membrane vuea to be stretched out, where-vpon ensueth the enlarging of the apple of the eye. This [Page 153] disease is hardly cured, Praedictions. because the coat vuea beeing much stretched foorth by his skinnie nature in continuaunce of time becommeth so harde, Blacke eyes haue the apple of the eye great. that it can­not be afterward easily dravvne stray­ter. They, whose eyes are naturally blacke, haue also the apple of their eye great, and for this cause doe easily in­curre this inconuenience. Some see ve­rie well, although they haue this de­fault from their byrth. Cure. Concerning the cure, it is generall in good dyet, pur­ging, cupping, rubbing, bloud let­ting, both in the arme and corners of the eye, or particular in the vse of binding, and strengthening medicines, as fomentations and salues made ex rosis, croco, nardo, thuris cortice, pom­pholyge, spodio, acatia, being proui­dent to auoyde sharpe medicines, be­cause they drawe downe great abun­daunce of humours, Obseruations. vvhich still make the apple of the eye broader. And you must be no lesse circumspect that your medicines binde not ouer-much, least on the contrary the apple of the eye bee ouer strayte and little. Auicen. Auicen commendeth this collirium. Take of the gall of a kidde and craine, of eche [Page 154] three drammes, of saffton one dram, of pepper 170. graynes, of iuyce of ly­quorice fiue drammes and an halfe, of armoniake twoo drammes, as much hony as vvill be sufficient, make them all into fine povvder, and then put to them fenel vvater, and with hony make them into little round balles.

CHAP. 2 Of the consumption of the apple of the eye, called in Greeke Ptisis op­thalmou, in Latine tabes oculi.

PThysis is vsed generally for all kind of decaying and leannesse: Pthisis diuer­slie vsed. not­vvithstanding it is vsed in the old wry­ters for that affect of the eye, Aetius. when the apple of it is made narrower and wea­ker. This default (sayth Auicen) maye be in it from the first beginning, Little eies haue quicke, sight. but they vvhich haue the apple of the eye so little haue their sight moste sharpe and quicke. VVhen this affection is not naturall, Causes. it may grovve by the dry­nesse of the membrane vuea, vvhich is withered and drawne together, or by aboundaunce of moysture descending [Page 155] vpon the same, which maketh the ed­ges and borders of the hole so large, that they touch ech other, and so it is made narrovve: euen as wee see in a sieue made of parchment, the vvhich being wette, the holes thereof are clo­sed vp. Moreouer the drynesse of the waterish humour may procure this di­sease, which beeing dried becommeth lesse, and thereby is the coat that co­uereth it made narrower. VVeakenes of fight causeth all thinges to seeme greater then they are. It may also be engendred thorow great weaknesse and extreme ach of the head. To them which are thus affected, all thinges ap­peare greater then they are of their owne nature: and in truth in alweake­nesse of the sight, the obiects are more great in show, but not so plainely dis­cerned: which errour happeneth by the littlenesse of the apple of the eye. Cure. This order must bee obserued in the cure: If moysture haue brought forth this maladie, it shall bee cured by con­trary medicines. It is profitable to rub the partes aboue it, and also the eyes with the fingers, to vvash the face and head, to rub it, and anointe it with oile of flower-deluce. In like manner to vse some sharpe biting salue which maye [Page 156] dravve moysture vnto the eyes, as this. R. ammon. thimiamat. ʒ i. crocomag. ʒ iiij. croci ʒ ij. aerug siiij. put them in­to water and beate them, aftervvarde make them fitte for your vse. If drynes procured it, Auicen giueth counsell to vse moist and suming meates, Auicen. and vp­pon the place this salue must be appli­ed. R piperis, ammoniac. ana. partes i [...]. olei balsami nonu [...]partis vnius, croci part. i. dissolue the armoniake vvith fenel wa­ter, put vppon it oleum balsami, & then with honye make vp your medicine. The authour accompteth this a moste singular remedie: but in my iudgment, I vvould in place of oleum balsami, take good venice turpentine.

CHAP. 3. Of the webbe or cataract, called in greeke hypochyma, in latine suffusio, gutta, aqua, imaginatio.

HYpochyma is an heape of superflu­ous humors made thicke, Definition. like to a little skinne betweene the horny membrane and the chrystalline humor, di­rectly vpon the apple of the eye, swim­ming aboue the waterish humour in [Page 157] that place which Celsus affirmeth to be void and empty. [...]ernelius. It hindereth the sight, or at least the discerning and iudging of such thinges as are before our eies. Fernelius appointeth the place of it be­tweene the membrane Vuea, and the Christalline humour. Differences herein. The differences of it is borowed from the quantitie or qualitie. From the quantitie, when it is whole, couering all the compasse of the apple of the eie, in such sorte, that the partie cannot see any thing. Some­times it couereth onely halfe of the apple of the eie, How it com­meth to passe that onely some part of the obiectis seene or some part of it ei­ther aboue or beneath, or in the mid­dest in such maner that that onely part of the thing before our face can be dis­cerned which is placed against the part of the eie which is free from this dis­ease, whereby it falleth out oftentimes, that either the partie seeth nothing, or onely some part of thinges. For if that which is offered to the sight be set be­fore the part affected fully, he seeth no­thing, but if hee prie at it with that part of the eie which is sounde he may see clearely. Nowe if the spotte or webbe be in the middest of the eie not touching the edges or borders thereof, [Page 158] euen as a pricke in the middest of a cir­cle, The cataract▪ in the middest of the eie. then the partie seeth onely the ex­tremitie and edges of thinges, in the middest thereof supposing there is a windowe, or couering, Differences from the qua­litie. or some darke place. The differences which are draw­en from the qualities, are either from their essence and substaunce, sith some are thinne, slender, and cleare, tho­rough the which the light of the Sunne may bee discerned, others are thicke and grosse: or from their colour, sith some are like brasse, others white like Plaster or Pearles, others pale colou­red, mixed of greene and white, or greene and yeallowe, others like gold, others blacke, others resembling ashes. Amongest the Arabians, Arabians. cataracta, suffusio, aqua, gutta, imagi­natio are vsed for the same thinges, herein onely is the difference, that imaginatio is called by Auicen, Imaginatio. gutta zala, as it were the beginning of a webbe or cataract, because we imagine vve see that which in deede we see not, when the cataract is as thin and slender as a spiders web. It is then named, Aqua & Gut­ta. aquae and gutta when the cataract beginneth to receiue some forme enlarging and [Page 159] running abroad like water: but vvhen it is thicke and ripe, Gutta obscura. and harder, it is cal­led a cataract, and of Auicen gutta ob­scura. The causes hereof may be a fall, stroake, heate, colde, paine, by vvhose meanes the humor is drawne and ga­thered thither, or rather vapours and humours ascending to the braine, Causes. and from thence descending to the eyes, which in processe of time, and by rea­son of colde are chaunged into vvater, and in fine become thicke and conge­led. In like sorte this maladie may pro­ceed of ill digested nourishment in the eye, or if the nourishment haue beene good, yet the superfluttie of it hath not bene auoyded, which is an excrement of the third digestion. Fernelius. Fernelius thin­keth the cause thereof to bee a course of humors descending by little and lit­tle vpon the sinewe of the sight, which in the beginning cannot be perceiued: A cataract en­gendred in one day. notvvithstanding hee boldly affirmeth to haue seene a cataract made & fra­med in one day. For (saith he) if at one moment a grosse slimie humour maye fall vpon the sinevve of sight, wherup­pon ensueth the losse of the vvhole sight, why maye it not sodainly ingen­der [Page 160] a perfect cataract, hauing before time had recourse vppon the apple of the eye? Signes of the cataract be­ginning. Novve vvhen the vvebbe or cataract beginneth, these signes and tokens are incident to the diseased. They imagine there are before their eyes litle darke things resembling flies: others suppose they see haires, others threades of vvooll, others spiders webbes, others thinke they beholde a circle about the candles vvhen they are light, and sometime tvvo candles for one. VVhen these thinges doe thus fall out, if you looke vpon the apple of the eye, it appeareth cleare and pure, but if you beholde and vievve it more nearely, it will seeme somevvhat trou­bled, and if you compare it with the o­ther eye which is sound, it vvil appeare somevvhat appalled. Predictions [...] couching cata­racts. It hath sometime the colour of the sea as the disease in­creaseth. Concerning praedictions, and foretelling of the euent which vvil en­sue, those vvhich are like to rustie iron or pearles, or haue a greene or ashe co­lour or resemble a turquoise, or sea wa­ter, are fit to be couched: on the con­trary, those vvhich are like to chalke, lead, citrons, blacke or yelowe, cannot [Page 161] be couched with a needle. Beside their colour the substaunce is to bee exami­ned whether it bee fitte and prepared: for that which is enlarged and spread abroade without seperating into pie­ces, Consideration of the sub­stance. returning to his former figure & greatnes is knowne to be curable by this his ripenesse. But if it bee scat­tered into pieces when it is spreadde abroade, it is not yet ready nor fitte to bee couched. Neither may you deale vvith that vvhich is not stretched forth in breadth and largenesse, sith it is an euident signe that the sinevve of sight is stopped, vvhereby the spirite vvhich causeth sight shoulde bee con­uayed forth as vvith a blast made lar­ger: for it is but lost labour sith hee coulde not see any thing albeit that vvere remooued. How to know if the sinew of sight bee stopped. Thus you maye make proofe hereof, if the eie be­ing shutte hee rubbe gently vpon the eie-lidde vvith his fingers turning it sometyme to this side, sometyme ot that, and then lifting vppe the eie-lidde sodainely, consider, if the ca­taract doe spreadde abroade and re­turne againe presently or not. The same obseruation you maye take by [Page 162] closing the other eie wherein is no ca­taract: for in thus doing you shall per­ceiue the spirites inlarged in that which ought to haue beene caried to both the eies.

That cataract is the worst, which commeth either by great sickenesse, The worst ca­taract. or extreme ache in the head, or by a grieuous stroake or wounde. It is in­curable in old men and children which without this imperfection haue their sight decayed. Onely age is a sufficient meane to receiue cure in a cataract if it bee full ripe and the eie be neither too little, nor sunke downe deepe into the head. Concerning the cure, if it be in the beginning of this disease, you shall labour to preuent the further increase thereof by good order of Diet, and by bloudletting in the Fore [...]heade, Cure in the beginning. Temples, and Arme, by Purging, Cupping, Cauterizing, applying of a Seton, and other remidies to be kept in the mouth, or putte into the nose· And touching particular reme­dies, these salues following are highlie praised. R. terebintl [...]. lib. s. sulph. viu [...] ℥ ij. [...]ellis ros ℥ iiij. plantag. & arn [...]gloss, euphras. chelidon. ana. m.ii. let them be altogether [Page 163] distilled in an alembicke of glasse, or this. R. zinzib, cinamon, garioph nucis mosch. gran. parad. ana. ℥ ii s foli­ [...]r. saluiae, m.ii. cardam. masti [...]. cubeb. ga­lang▪ rorism, maioran, lauand, m [...]liss. be­ton. an. ℥i. lette them soake in foure pound of excellent wine, by the space of ten dayes, then distill them. Put tvvo or three droppes of this water in­to the eye, continuing this order a suf­ficient time. But if all the afore-saide meanes both generall and speciall bee not able to heale the cataract, it shall growe vntill it be ripe, without apply­ing any other medicine vnto it. VVhē it is ripe, vvhich may be knovvn by the signes before set dovvne, then enter­prise the worke, but vvith this caueat, that you haue diligent regarde to the time of the yeare, VVhat time is fitest to couch the cataract. vvherein this maye be most fitly atchieued, vvhich is espe­cially the spring time, then sommer, and also if necessitie so require, and the patient be vvilling, vvinter, or the fall of the leafe. But aboue all other things do not aduenture to couch a cataract, either on a rainy, windy, very hoat, or verie colde day. For we haue learned by experience, that the couching of [Page 164] them at such a time stirreth vp gteate, yea almost intollerable paines in the head. Therefore vvhen you haue cho­sen a conuenient time, the partie must eate little, and drinke water, or some other thinne drinke, The patients diet sober. abstaining from vvine by the space of tvvoo or three dayes before you attempt the couch­ing of it▪ and especially on the day be­fore, his eating and drinking must bee vvith marueilous sobrietie. This being done, let him be set in a light place, ha­uing his face turned tovvard the Chi­rurgian, and the light comming direct­ly vppon him, let one holde his heade stedfastly vvithout moouing: for anye little motion of it may bring blindnes vvithout recouerie. The Chirurgian must haue a higher seate then the pati­tient. The affected eye must be kept o­pen, and the sound eye couered vvith a little linnen cloth. Let the Chirurgian rubbe the right eye vvith the left hand, and the left eye vvith the right hande, before he begin his vvorke, or rather lette some childe hauing a very cleane mouth chevv fenell or a [...]-seeds, which vvhen he hath spitte foorth, lette him breath vpon the diseased parte, that by [Page 165] this meanes the cataract may be made more thinne, and smaller. VVhen you haue proceeded thus far, bid him turne the eie which hath the cataract tovvard his nose, as if he would looke vpon him and presently put your needle vnto it, which must be sharp pointed, not slen­der, flatte, nor round, to the end it may enter & pierce more easily, & that the roundnes thereof cause it not to slip v­pon the cataract, then thrust it straight inward, or ouerthwart the membranes named coniūctiua & cornea, in the mid­dest of the blacke of the eie, Obseruation at the cor­ner which is nearer to the temples gui­ding & directing it vpon the middest of the cataract, so that no veine be hurte: neuerthelesse you must thrust boldlye without feare, sith the place is there void, least after it be entred in, the Chi­rurgian though he be cunning, bee de­ceiued, if he lift it vp with the needle, & perceiueth nothing to resist it. Novve when the needle is thrust through, it must be staied on the the top of the ca­taract, & by little and little turned gen­tly to bring the cataract toward the lo­west part of the apple of the eie: & whē it is couched there, you shall presse it [Page 166] downe very hard, that it may abyde in that place. If it doe remaine there, the cure is perfect, if it ascend vp again, thē with the same needle breake and cut it into many peeces, which wil cause lesse hindrance, and require lesse roome. Af­ter this draw out the needle, & lay with in the eie the white of an egge, vvith a linnen cloth folded together, and with out apply somthing to preuent inflam­mation, with a roller binding it vp. These things ended, The patient must be quiet, and vse absti­nence. the sick party must remaine quiet without stirring, lying in his bed, without mouing his head anie way, or verie little, not seeing any great light for a certaine time, abstayning from meate, supping onely thin broth by the space of sixe or seauen dayes, vvithout chewing anie meate with his teeth, because it might dtavve downe humours to the eye, and make the ca­taract ascende agayne. VVhen the in­flammation is ceased, you shall order the patient as if hee vvere grieuouslie vvounded. He maye not bee dressed, nor the eye vnrolled, vntill the second or thirde daie after the couching of the cataract, vnlesse there happen any in­flammation, or great paine.

[Page 167]VVhen you will dresse it, shutte the windovves, and sette a candle lighted behind him, and not before his eyes, or rather farre of from him on the side, Great light is [...]urtfull. least the great light sodainly offerred to his sight, may trouble the eye, & stirre vp the cataract. Novve, sometime in couching of cataracts, Flux of bloud. there happeneth a fluxe of bloud within the eie, in suche sorte, that the humors seeme all redde. This ariseth of bloud issuing out of some little veine or arterie which is cutte or pricked: this bloud mingling with the vvaterish humour, giueth it this red colour, and as it vvere dryeth it so, that the Chirurgian if he haue not seene the like euent, and all that stande by would iudge the eye bursten and vt­terly lost: notvvithstanding about two or three dayes after, when the patient shall be dressed, this bloud will be so vvasted, that no token thereof vvill ap­peare. There are some cataracts vvhich vanish and scatter assoone as the nee­dle is applyed to couch them, because they are not harde and solide to beare the needle, vvhich goeth thorow them as it vvere a greene cheese, Cataractae lact [...]a. vvhereof they are commonly called cataractae [Page 168] lacteae, because their colour and sub­staunce resembleth milke. That the Chirurgian maye meete vvith this in­conuenience, he must labour to loose it, pressing it vvith his needle on euerie side: for by this meanes I haue seene and proued sometime the grossest parte of the cataract to fall avvay, and come lovver, the thinner parte to bee loosed and consumed, and in the end the par­tie hath recouered his sight. Albucrasis. Albucra­sis doth vvrite, that it vvas reported in his time, one had deuised to picke the eye with an hollovve needle, and by the hollownesse of it hee coulde rayse vp and dravve foorth the humour of the cataract. Notvvithstanding I thinke he might sooner raise and dravv foorth the vvaterish humour, then the ca­taract, vvhen it is ripe and readie to bee couched, because it is an harde skinne.

CHAP. 1. Of greene, pale, or gray eyes, called in greeke glaucoma, or glaucosis, in latin glaucoma, or coesii oculi, and by the interpretour of Auicen, viriditas ocu­li: also of the wolues-eie, or curst eie in greeke aethemoma, in latine raui o­culi.

Two significations of glaucoma. GLaucoma is vsed in two sences: for it is taken vnproperly for a webbe cataract or spot which is gathered and dried round about the apple of the eie: which signification some of the olde phisitions haue vsed this worde as Ae­gineta writeth saying, the auncient writers haue supposed Glaucoma and hypochyma to bee one and the same disease, Aegineta. which haue beene onely di­stinguished by the new writers. Galen. Nei­ther doth Galen much discent from this opinion, affirming glaucoma to be like to the webbe or cataract, and that both of them may bee comprehended vnder the same name. Gorraus. Neuerthelesse [Page 171] (as Gorraeus sayth) it foloweth not that they are like. For the cataract is a col­lection and an heape of other humors, then of those vvhiche are naturally in the eye, flovving vnto it from some o­ther place: but glaucoma is properlye vsed when the Cristaline humor is dry and thicke, The difference between glau­coma and hipo­ [...]himc. and the colour of it is green vvhereupon the eies seeme greene or pale. Moreouer, the cataractes are al­vvaies so greate that they ouerspreade and couer the vvhole apple of the eie, and hinder the vvholesight: but glauco­ma possesseth all the Christaline hu­mour, and it is drie in euery part, and by reason of the drinesse it grovveth so thicke. Besides these, cataractes may be cured, but Glaucoma is vncurable, when it hath once attained to perfect­ion as Aegineta writeth concerning the opinion of Rusus. Aegineta. VVhen this affecti­on is onely found in one eye, Heteroglaucosis it is called in greeke Heteroglaucosis, as if that par­ty had vnlike eyes, & of tvvo parrishes. Ther is incident to the Christaline hu­mor, an other maladie, named in greek Argyrias, in latine, Argirias. albedo in Christilloi­de, vvhiche is a vvhite spotte grovv­ing vppon the Christaline humoure, [Page 171] vvhich is easily perceiued if you looke vpon the ey: it hindreth the sight more or lesse, as it is greater or smaller, and may bee accompted the beginner and messenger of glaucoma. In olde time, and euen in these dayes also, greene or gray eyes, called in greeke glauci, in la­tin coesii, vvere muche commended in vvomen, whereupon in Homer Miner­ua is alwaies sirnamed glaucopis, that is, hauing greene or gray eyes. The diuersitie of opinions. Although Aegineta assigne the cause of this di­sease vnto moysture, yet Galen and Hippocrates impute it to drynesse, for vvhich cause olde folke are subiect vnto it. Arist. 5. lib de generat animal. Some haue imagined that a greene colour intermedled with the Crystal­line humour causeth this disease, and maketh this gray or azure color called glaucoma. The cure is to be taken in hand in this order. VVhen you perceiue this maladie beginning, vvhich is eui­dent in the Crystalline humour appea­ring some-vvhat gray, first vse your ge­neral cure, then such medicines as may comfort and staye the Crystalline hu­mour, least it waxe dry and bee frosen: as moist and comfortable fomentati­ons. R. of the toppes of mallovves, ho­lyhocke, [Page 172] violets, ana. m. i. ey-bright, se­landine, an. m. s of camomill flowers, and melilot, an p. s line-seeds, ʒ ii. faenel and ani-seeds an ʒ i. seeth them for a fomentation. This collirium shall be put into the eye. Take of the muci­lage of quince, and line-seed dravvn in water of pellitorie on the vvall, ana. ℥ i. of faenell and eye-bright vvater ana ℥ s dissolue herein of myrrhe and aloes, ana. ʒ s, of beniamin and storax cala­mit, ana. ℈ ii. make a salue of all these. This afore-named ingredience maye be distilled, and the vvater of it will bee verie profitable. Those medicins which haue vertue to dissolue cataractes and vvebbes in their beginning may bee in this case discreetely vsed, as also hoate bread taken out of the ouen, vvherein is baked rhe povvder of ani-seedes and faenell, may be vvell applyed in this or­der. Diuide the breade in the middest, and laye it vpon the eye so hoat as the partie can abide it and let it so remaine vpon the eie a good space. The breath of a sounde and cleane person vvhich hath chewed faenell or ani-seede is not vnprofitable in this case. The distilled vvater of faenell and ani seedes is most [Page 174] singular, if it be vvisely vsed and so are the mucilages of quince, Fenegreeke, and Linseedes dravven in the aforesayd vvaters. There happeneth to the eye an other affection called in greeke, Ae [...]he­moma, [...]themoma. in latine, raui oculi, in French the vvolues eye, or euill boy, and I thinke vvee call it in Englishe, the curst eye, or euill eye, or sometimes greedye eye, vvhiche is, vvhen the humors are all blacke, and thereupon the vvhole eye is blacke. In curing of this seeing it differeth little from glaucoma, you shall haue recourse both to generall and speciall medicines sette dovvne for that disease. Fernellius vvriteth of an o­ther affect incident to the eye, called in Latine, Occulusleoni­nus. Leoninus oculus the Lyons eye in french, the brasen eye, vvhen the eie is redde, cruell, proude, resembling sparkes of fire, as vve beholde in a Ly­on, and in them vvhich haue the lepro­sie. Seeing this affection is ioyned with the leprosie, before you aduenture the helping thereof, you must cure the le­prosie it selfe.

CHAP. I. Of an Aposteme in the great corner of the eye, called in greeke, anchilops, in Latine, abscessus ocularis.

ANchilops and aegilops are somtimes vsed for one selfe same disease, The difference of anchilops & aegilops. but they are most commonly distinguished in this manner. Anchilops is a svvelling or aposteme betvveene the great cor­ner of the eye and the nose vvhiche is not opened, but aegilops, is a fistula pro­cured by meanes of this aposteme. Causes. The cause is an heap of thicke grosse humors like to hony or pulse, vvhiche is some­times wrapped in a little skinne increa­sing by little and little, Predictions. but vvithout a­nye payne. This disease is hardlye cu­red, because the delicatenesse, and ten­dernesse of the bone, vvhereupon the svvelling grovveth, and because it is so neere vnto the eye that the medy­cines may endanger the same. Concer­ning the cure, assoone as the aposteme [Page 175] beginneth, vvith all speed apply medi­cines vvhich haue great force to beate backe, and may bring little astonish­ment: of this kinde and nature is em­plastrum contra rupturam, vnguentum de bolo, comitiss. desiccatiuum rubrum, wher vnto you may adde a little opium. For these medicines will quickly dissolue & disperse that, vvhich is gathered to that place. But if you see the course of hu­mors & inflammation remaining, then such medicines shall be applied, vvhose property is to resolue without sharpnes least by molesting the eye the inflam­mation be increased. Aetius. Aetius appoin­teth this remedie. R. thuris sviij, mirh. sviij. ladani si. cerae sviij. alumin. sciss. siiij. spumae nitri, siiii. [...]oaguli leporis, siiij beat these together, and vvith the grossest part of oleum Ir [...]num make them softe and fitte to bee vsed. If in despite of all these medicines the tumor commeth to suppuration, vvhen this a­posteme must be opened. open it speedely, that the humor may runne out, which if it be in a bagge or skinne, take the same avvay cunningly: and if it cannot be taken away vvithout dan­ger or hurt, consume it vvith pure pou­der of Mercurie, or rather mingle vvith [Page 176] it some cleansing medicine, or suche ike. To make the cure perfect, and to preuent the returning of this maladie some vse to seare the edges of it. The remainder of the cure shall be accom­plished with this medicine: R. olei hipe­riconis ℥ i. gum. Elemi ℥ s. thuris, mirrh. an ʒ ij sarcocoll ʒ j. melt them toge­ther and make a salue. If you perceiue the vlcer doth not heale, you must haue care to obserue, least it turne to a fistu­la, if the bone be corrupted and rotten: & for this cause, the cure shalbe chaun­ged as the condition of the disease doth require.

CHAP. II. Of the weeping fistula, called in greeke, aegilops in Latine, fistula lachrimalis.

AEgilops is a little fistula, in the cor­ner of the eye neere to the nose, Definition. out of which issueth continually fleume or a thinne humor, arising of some for­mer disease, as of anchilops suppurated, but either not speedily opened, Causes. or neg­ligently dressed: or rather it is procured of slymie matter, or moist medicines, or the ayre vvhiche hath altered, and [Page 177] rotted the bone in that part. Signes. This malady vexeth the eie vvithout ceasing, be­ing somtimes red, & pearcing thorovv cuē to the nose. It hath in som, the na­ture & properties of a cācer, & in those the veins at stretched forth, & crooked, the color pale & blewish, the skin hard. If it be touched as gently as is possible, it stirreth vp inflāation in the parts ad­ioining. Praedictions. It is dangerous attempting the cure therof, when it is of a cankrous or crabbed nature: for it hasteth the death of the patient. And it is lost labour to take in hād the cure of it whē the apo­steme toucheth the nose, sith it wil ne­uer be perfectly healed: those which ar in the corner of the eie are curable, but yet the nearer their hole or mouth is to it, the greater difficultye is in the cure: that which is of short cōtinuance may be most easily healed▪ these things thus cōsidered, & the bon corrupted thorow long continuance of the disease, & the cu [...]e set down in the former chapter be not auailable, it behooueth the chyrur­giō to enter into an other course. Let him make wider the mouth of the fistu­la either with the point of his laūcet, Cure. or some other instrumēt, or with a sponge [Page 178] prepared fitly to open and enlarge the same. This don, let him place the pati­ent conueniently, & defend the eie ei­ther with a plate made for that purpose wherof you haue a discriptiō in Ambros Pares book, the kings chief Chyrurgiā, Ambros Pare [...]. or with any other thing cōmodiouslye seruing therunto. Afterward with an actuall cautery (as it is called) seare the bon & the parts which go crosse within the fistula, and especially the ouer most parts of thē, because in that place there is a straight hollownes wherat issueth a thin humor like tears into the vlcer frō the higher and ouerthwart part: If this place should not be dried by searing, it would make the vlcer to short, & ther­by hinder the perfect closing vp of the same. I haue seen Ambrose Pare heale many with good successe, Experience. in short time by whose example I haue most happe­ly practised the like. VVhen this part of your work is ended, you shall vse a dis­gestiue made of turpentine, and oyl of egs: apply within the eye the white of an eg beaten with rose water & plan­tine, wherevppon laye a defensiue, and cōtinue the vse of your digestiue vntill the eschar be remoued. Not long after [Page 179] nature vvill cast of a little scaile from the bone vvhere it was touched vvith the fearing yron, vvhich, vvhether it be with matter or without matter, let not the Chirurgian sodainly and rashly pull any part of it away, Nature must be followed. but vvaite the lea­sure of nature in disburdening it selfe of the same. For vvhosoeuer vvill hastely and by force drawe it away, especiallye before nature haue brought forth flesh betweene the sounde bone, and that vvhich shalbe cast off, hee shall cause a newe rottennesse in the bone. In the meane time, let the vlcer be kept clean, then vse meanes to encrease flesh, last­ly, close it vp vvhen it shall seeme ex­pedient.

CHAP. III. Of the outgrowing of flesh in the great corner of the eye, called in greeke en­canthis, and according to Auicen ad­ditio carnis lachrimalium.

Definition. ENcanthis is a tumor, or addition of flesh to that which naturally grow­eth in the great corner of the eye neare to the nose, or rather when the naturall fleshe groweth beyonde his compasse. [Page 180] Of this there are two sorts. The one is most commonly tender, loose, Two kindes without pain, red in color, yelding easilie to me­dicines. The other is malicious, hard, rugged blewish, hauing pricking pain, not relenting by medicines but is only curable by the hand of the Chirurgy­an. There are three principall causes of this maladie, The first is a flowing, Three causes and an heap of melancholicke humors, vvhich make the flesh in the corner of the eie grosse, as we see it in warts. The second is, vvhen the flesh grovveth out through ill handling of an vlcer vvhich hath beene in that place. The thirde is the remainder of a nayle or vvebbe, vvhich vvas not fully taken avvay, and therefore hath grovven and encreased vnto a more grosse nature. Concer­ning the cure, that vvhich is little, Cure. gen­tle, not malicious may be healed with onely drying medicines, as vvith this, Aetius. commended by Aetius. R. aluminis vsti, mysi Combust. vitriol. an partes aequa­les: make your medicin in this case that Colliriū is most singular which we haue set down before, for the disease called miocephalon. I haue seene the triall of oleum vitrioli, vvherevvith the parte [Page 181] affected hathbene touched, but first of all the eye hath bene sufficiently de­fended. Novv if this flesh vvhich grow­eth out, The manual operation. bee great, and malicious, but not of the nature of a cancer, it shalbe taken away by Chyrurgerie in this ma­ner. The Chirurgian must put thorovv the middest of it a thred, vvhervvith it shalbe lifted vp, then vvith his rasour or cisers he shall cut it, beeing prouident least hee cutte anye part of the naturall flesh adioyning vnto it. Othervvise he shall bring into the place of it a vvorse disease named rhaeas, which causeth the eye to vveepe continually. VVhen you haue finished this vvorke, you shall lay vpon it drie medicines to preuent the grovving of the flesh agayne, procee­ding in perfecting the rest of your cure according to that, which is written be­fore in dealing with the web in the eie.

CHAP. 4 Of the vveeping eye, called in greeke, rhaeas or rhaeades [...]pthalmou, in latine fluxus oculi.

Definition. RHaeas is a diminishing or consūpti­ō of the flesh which naturally groweth in the corner of the eye with con­tinual greeuous vveeping. It ariseth ei­ther [Page 182] by ill curing of the vveb, fistula, or encanthis, Causes. vvhen too much of the glan­dulous flesh or kernels vvhich grovvin that place is cut avvay or consumed by medicines. For hereuppon the teares cannot be stayed, but the eye semeth to vveep alvvaies, yea the cheekes are continually vvet vvith the teares. A double vse of the glandu­lous flesh. For seing ther is a double vse of this glan­dulous fleshe or kernels, vvhereof the first is to stop the hole in the corner of the eye vvhiche hath passage into the nose▪ least the excrements vvhich dis­cēd from the forepart of the brain vp­on the bon called as cribrosum because it resembleth a sieue shuld run into the eye, and it preuenteth the violent car­riage of aire into the eye therby, vvhen we blow or snuff, or any way clense the nose of that filth which is in it The se­conde vse is to couer the little corner conduit in the corner of the eye, by the which the excrements and naturall su­perfluities are conuayed into the nose. This excrement is a thin liquid humor which floweth out in weping, or laugh­ing, and whensoeuer the braine doth disburden it selfe of these superflui­ties. If this humour bee not muche in [Page 183] quantitie, and commendable in quali­ty, then the kernels do receiue, retaine and keepe it, The eye must be kept moist. to sprincle it vpon the eie (as is the office of other glandulous fleshe or kernels placed at thee root of the tongue) to keep it moist, and make it moue more easily, which it could not doe if it were very drie, and it coulde not but bee very drye, sith it is moued continually, whereby it is made hoate. But if this humor contained in the ker­nels offend either in quantity, or qua­lity, it bringeth forth vlcers, teares, and other diseases before set downe. Now when too much of the flesh is taken a­way, either by cutting, searing, or cor­rosiue medicines, there is made not onely a scarre in the place, but also the hole entring into the nose remaineth open, thorough the which the excre­mentes of the braine fall without any hinderance vpon the eie, which procu­reth continuall weeping. Cure. In curing hereof some vse binding medicines to the end they may stoppe the hole, and cut of the passage: others scarrifie the skinne, round about, with incarnatiue medicines (as they call them) labouring to restore, and ingender newe fleshe [Page 184] in place of the former whiche was de­cayed: and when it is growen suffici­entlye they close it vppe and make it dry. But because this kinde of cure is both harde and daungerous, An hard and daungerous cure. manye content themselues with closing vp of the hole, not regarding the restoring of new flesh. These men force not the manifolde discōmodities which spring by stopping of the eie. For first the pas­sage of ordinary excrementes vnto the eie is debarred. Secondly, Aninconueni­ent cure. sith the cica­trice is none other thing but hard dry­ed fleshe, by reason of the thickenesse therof it is not able to receiue & drink vp these superfluities: hereupon ensu­eth cōtinuall teares dropping from the eies. Therfore in regard of this incon­uenience it is more expedient to ad­venture the generation of newe fleshe, then onely to close vp the vlcer.

CHAP. V. Of fretting and itching Vlcers in the corners of the eies called in greeke Peribrosis, and Epinyctis, in latin An­gulorum Erosio, or Pruritus Lachry­malium

PEribrosis is taken for a little itching Vlcer in the corners of the eies, Definition. and [Page 185] there is itching sometime without ap­pearaunce of anye vlcer. Causes. This disease commeth of a salt humor flowing vnto that part, and ther staying: vvhereupon they which are troubled therewith, put their hands often to their eies, take de­light in rubbing them, & suppose often times that there is sand or some other such like thing in their eies. Epinictis. Epinictis is vsed generally for little vlcers grow­ing of their own nature, resembling in the beginning redd wheales, wherein is founde blouddy matter: On the day tyme they are not muche painefull, but in the night season, their tor­mentes are more vehement then could bee immagined to come from so smal a thing. At what time this paine be­ginneth. This paine beginneth vsu­allye about three or foure houres be­fore night, and continueth vntill mid­night, at vvhiche time it ceaseth, in suche sort, that on the morrovve the partye feeleth either verye little or no griefe, neither doth their remaine anye thing, but dry tough matter wherewith the eie-lids are tied and ioyned togea­ther, which you must helpe by annoin­ting the edges & borders with vnguēt de tutia. Plinie. Neuertheles wee according to [Page 186] Plinie: do take epinictis in this place for an vlcer in the corner of the eies wher­out islueth vncessauntly slimie matter. This vlcer it more greeuous then the former, because it is more filthy, malicious, & painefull especially in the night, wherof it is named. Cure of Peri­brosis. After the generall cure, these locall medicines may bee v­sed in peribrosis. Take of the mucilages of quince seeds & linseeds drawn in the water of Plantine and Pellitory of the wall ana. ℥ i. of white coporas dissolued in rose-water ℈i. s mingle them for your vse. VVater of co­poras. This water of white coporas onely I haue prooued with verye good successe beeing prouident least it were too strong. It is a conterpoison against great itching, An history re­ported by Ambrose Pare. which doth so much vexe the partie, that Ambrose Pare the kings counsailour and chiefe Chyrurgian re­porteth hee savv a vvoman constray­ned to vvashe her eyes vvith strong vynegar, findyng in it more ease and comfort then in anye thing vvhich she could vse. Concerning Epinyctis, Cure of Epi­nictis. be­cause it is a more filthye vlcer, it must bee dyligentlye cleansed, to the vvhiche purpose you must dis­solue into the aforenamed salue a [Page 187] little sirrup of wormewood, and hony of roses, or els touch the vlcer with this collyrium which will not offend the eie. Take of rose water & eiebright water ana ℥ i. Myrrh and Aloes ana ʒ .i. vn­guenium egiptiac ʒ .i. s. dissolue thē all togeather and make a salue, dippe a linnen cloath in this salue and touche the eie therewith, and put vpon the eie immediately a medicine whiche maye delaye paine and coole, as the white of an egge beaten with plantine water, or rather in place of it, wash it with straw­bery water VVhē these vlcers are thus clensed the Chirurgian must haue wise consideration in closing them. For o­therwise, there is great danger least the eie-lids sticke togeather, in that maner which is spoke of in the disease named prosphysis, sith both of them are vlcerat. To preuent this, How to pre­uent prosphisis you must vse vnguen­tum de tutia spread vpon a fine linnen cloath and laid betweene the eie-lidds to withholde one from an other. In this doing that which is vlcerated and kept cleane shall heale a part, and the other in like maner. But if this incon­uenience do grow, then you must haue recourse to the chapiter entreating of [Page 188] anchiloblepharon, or the ioyning togea­ther of the eie-lidds.

CHAP. I. Of the stopping of the sinewe of sight, in greek amaurosis, in latin obfuscatio, guita saerena: also of the deceiuing or dimme eie, called in greeke parorasis, in latin halluctnatio, or calltgatio.

AMaurosis most commonly is a hinderance of the whole sight, Definition. without any appearance ther­of in the eie: for the apple of the eie remaineth sounde, and vnchanged the sinewe of sight onely is stopped. Sauonarola seemeth to name the beginning of this disease in greeke parorasis, in latin hallucinatio, Causes. or caliga­tio, which we may name in english the dim or deceitfull sight, vvhen vve take one thing for an other, vvhich thing is a forerunner and messenger of blind­nes. [Page 189] These defaultes befall to some so­dainly, to others by little and little, but so, that either they see nothing, or very little. The difference betweene am­bliopia and la­maurosis. The causes of this vvhich com­meth by little and little are like to that malady which is called in greek amblio­pia, in latine, b [...]be [...]udo. And some haue thought the difference of these two to consist onelye in this, that the causes of ambliopia are lesse, but the causes of a­maurosis are greater and stronger. Now the cause of that which commeth alto­gether sodainly, and (as we say) at one push which is rightly called amaurosis is when the sinew of sight is filled & stuf­fed with thick slimy humors falling in­to the hollownesse of it, which will not suffer the spirit of sight to be conuayed therby into the eye. How to know if the sinew of sight be stop­ped. The way to knovv the stopping of the sinevv of sight, and that no spirite can pass thorow it is this Shut the other eie, & the apple of that eie which is stopped will not appear to be enlarged, vvhiche it vvould be if the spirite of sight were conuaied thereto by the sinewe: for this spirite doth as it were with a blast make the apple of the eie broader. Therfore where this is not apparaunt, you must iudge either the [Page 190] sinevve to bee stopped, or rather that the braine is not able to send spirits to this sinevve vvhiche maye happen by vveakenesse thereof, grovving of long sicknesse trouble, or old age, vvhereby the spirits are vvasted & scattered. Praecedent causes. The forerunners and as it vvere outvvarde causes of this disease are much ravvnes or ill disgestion, drinking of pure vvine, great heat of the sonne, or colde on the head, continuall reading, bathes after meat, vomiting, immoderate company vvith vvomen, holding in of the breath as vvee see in trumpeters: for all these things fill the heade vvith vapours. Be­fore this effect do plainely appeare the party perceiueth great heauinesse in his head, Cure. specially in the root & botom of the eies. In curing those to whome this disease hath befalen thorow fulnes it is necessary to let thē blood on the arme, then on the forhead, to vse cupping vp­ō the shulders with scarrifiing, to purge to obserue good order of diet, to eschue strong vvines, to abstain from fuming meats, to rub the lovver parts, Aetius most excellent salus is much cōmended we haue this salue (saith Ae­tius in great admiratiō and honor Take of Safron ʒi. mirh ʒi. pepper gra. xv. [Page 165] spicknard ob. ij iuyce of Fenell ʒ .xvi. ammoniac. thimiamat. ʒi. honny ℥ v. VVhen they are all beaten finely, pow­er into them the iuyce of Fenell, then beat them agayne vntill they be drye, aftervvard put the honnye vnto them, and keep this salue in a brasen boxe for your vse. Before you do vse this Colli­rium you must haue a fomentation of Sea vvater hot, vvherein dip a sponge and often bathe the eye. This Author approueth the applying of a causticke behind on the head, as also to drye the head. There hath bene seene great fruit and profite by the vse of bagges and coyfes put vppon the heade, vvhen the haire is shauen. Take of the flovvers of staechadis or both sortes of Lauander, Hysope, Betony, Camomill, Ana P. i. red roses P ii. calam. aromat lign. aloes ciperi an. ʒ. i bay leaues, maioram ana. P i. nutmeg, the roote of the flovver deluce, A coyfe to were on the heade. excellent cinnamon an. ʒ ii. s cloues ʒi. s stiracis Calamit ʒ i. am­bargrise gra vi. muske gra. iiii. beat all these to powder and sow them in a lin­nen cloth vvith, bombast made to the fashion of a coyfe. But before he vse it he must rub and stroak downe his head [Page 192] with a little brā, putting vnto it a little salt, vvhich must be made moyst vvith a little vvine. This electuarie is com­mended to comfort the stomack, A comforta­ble electuarie. & to preuent the engendring of grosse fleum in the braine. Take of fine cinnamon. ʒi. and ℈i. cloues ligni aloes, mace a­na. ʒ. s. ginger ℈ s. aniseedes in powder ℈ i. take the equall vvaight of sugar to thē all, & vvith vvormewood vvater make losinges in waight ʒiij. let him vse these in the morning three howres before dinner. Or rather let the patient vse this singular electuarie. R. electuarii human. descript, Mesuae ℥ i. s. aromat ros. ana. ℥ s. mingle them together, and let him take thereof euening and mor­ning before meate the quantitie of a chesnut. I haue not set down here any eye-salues, which haue none vse in this case, sith the default is not in the eye.

CHAP. 2 Of the depression or weaknes in the si­new of sight, called in greeke simptosis in latine, concidentia.

SYmptosis is when the sinevv of sight, Definition. is so flatte, vveak, and pressed down, [Page 193] that there is not anye hollownesse re­mayning in it, because the inside of the skinns do touch ech other. Causes. This thing proceedeth of abundance of humours vvhich fal not into the hollovvnes, but vpon the meer substance of this sinevv vvhich is so much loosed and softened that it falleth dovvn, and one part lieth flagging vppon an other. It maye also come of drines, vvherby it is vvithered and gathered togeather, and becom­meth vvrinckled, as may be euidentlye s [...]ene in olde men, vvhereby the holes and poorie passages therof are stopped This default may grovv in like maner from vveakenesse, Celsus. 7 book chap. 26. albeit the sinevv be neither too moyst, nor too drye. This vvee may beholde in old folke, vvhiche haue the conduit of their vrine so de­pressed thorovv vveaknesse and feeble­nes of the part, that no vvater can passe that vvay. So vve may iudge of this si­nevv of sight, vvhich being feble & de­caied cannot giue enterance and a free course to the conuaying of the spirit of sight into the eye, wherupon the party must of necessitye be depriued of sight. Novv, Cure. although there be small hope of cure▪ yet let not the Chirurgian leaue [Page 194] the sick party destitute of all helpe. For if he perceiue the disease doth grovve from abundaunce and fulnes, In old folke vncurable. the ge­neral and particular remedies set down in ambliopia vvil be fit and agreeable in this case. But if olde age bring this in­firmitie, then it is to be accompted in­curable.

CHAP. 3. Of the breaking asūder of the sinevv of sight, called in greek, aporrexis in La­tine abruptio also of paremptostis or coincidentia.

APorrexis is vvhen the sinevve of sight is broken assunder. Definition. by a stroake, or fall in suche sorte, that presentlye vppon it doth ensue moste desperate blyndenesse because the spyryte of sighte cannot bee carryed vnto the eye. Paremptos [...]. Paremptosis is vvhen the si­nevve of sighte is stopped by meanes of somme humoure vvhiche flovv­eth into the same, because the si­nevve gapeth and seemeth as it were [Page 195] clouen or chincked. The vvaye to dis­cerne and distinguish one of them frō the other is this. If it be vtterly brokē as in aporexis, and seperated from the braine, now to dis­cerne aporrexis from pa­remptosis. by a stroake or fall on the head, first the eie is thrust forth, aftervvard it sinketh in deepe, then it receiueth no nourishment as it shoulde, the sight is vvholy lost vvithout any recouery: and if one of the second paire of sinevvs be broken, the eie hath neither sence, not moouing, but abideth fixed in the cir­cle. But vvhen this sinevve of sight doth onely gape seeming to bee clouen, and as it vvere rent, the eie remaineth in the place, and the sicke partie seeth (as vve say) by fits, especially in short time after, vvhen some parte of the humour which vvas entred into the eie is resol­ued and dispersed, the sinevv is streng­thened, & in some part ioyned againe. Concerning the cure, Cure. the Chirurgian shall haue more care to maintaine and preserue the beauty of the eie, then to endeuour the restoring of the sight vvhich is vtterly lost. And it is to bee feared least some great course of hu­mors, paine, or inflammation, do come [Page 196] vnto the eies, vvhereby they maye bee cōstrained either to fall out of the head or to burst asunder, as vve haue vvrit­ten before. Therefore to auoid and es­chevve the returning againe thereof, you shall haue recourse both to gene­rall and particular medicins vvhich are able to stay and heale the aforesaid in­conueniences vvhensoeuer they shall happen.

WHen I hadde finished this my treatise to be printed, I recei­ued a letter from Mounsieur le Ieune Chirurgian to the king, and to my Lorde the Duke of Guise, a manne muche trauailed and experienced in Chirurgery: the Copy whereof I haue thought good to adde in the ende of this my booke because the disease of the eie whereof hee hath written vnto me is very strange and rare.