Page:Greek Biology and Medicine.djvu/51

 THE HIPPOCRATICS its present action, its future course. Thus he will be able to supplement the patient's faulty statements, gain his confidence, keep clear of blame and be the better able to manage a cure when that is possible. In order that the physician may have such knowledge, the Prognosis gives a close descrip- tion of phenomena common to acute diseases: describes the look of the countenance, the patient's position in bed, the movements of his hands, the respiration, sweats, the dropsies which supervene, the sleep, the urine, faeces, vomitings and sputa, — contrasting these phe- nomena with those of the body in a state of health. That his countenance be like that of a person in health is the best of symptoms, while the worst is that it should show a contrast in every respect; to wit: "a sharp nose, hollow eyes, collapsed temples; the ears cold, con- tracted, and their lobes turned out; the skin about the forehead being rough, distended and parched; the color of the whole face being green, black, livid, or lead colored." " Unless such a face can be at once accounted for by some special reason, like want of food or sleep, the patient will surely die. This is the famous jacies Hippocratka, the [29]