400　BC
  THE　BOOK　OF　PROGNOSTICS
  by　Hippocrates
  Translated　by　Francis　Adams
  THE　BOOK　OF　PROGNOSTICS
  IT　APPEARS　to　me　a　most　excellent　thing　for　the　physician　to
  cultivate　Prognosis；　for　by　foreseeing　and　foretelling；　in　the
  presence　of　the　sick；　the　present；　the　past；　and　the　future；　and
  explaining　the　omissions　which　patients　have　been　guilty　of；　he　will
  be　the　more　readily　believed　to　be　acquainted　with　the　circumstances
  of　the　sick；　so　that　men　will　have　confidence　to　intrust　themselves　to
  such　a　physician。　And　he　will　manage　the　cure　best　who　has　foreseen
  what　is　to　happen　from　the　present　state　of　matters。　For　it　is
  impossible　to　make　all　the　sick　well；　this；　indeed；　would　have　been
  better　than　to　be　able　to　foretell　what　is　going　to　happen；　but
  since　men　die；　some　even　before　calling　the　physician；　from　the
  violence　of　the　disease；　and　some　die　immediately　after　calling　him；
  having　lived；　perhaps；　only　one　day　or　a　little　longer；　and　before　the
  physician　could　bring　his　art　to　counteract　the　disease；　it
  therefore　becomes　necessary　to　know　the　nature　of　such　affections；　how
  far　they　are　above　the　powers　of　the　constitution；　and；　moreover；　if
  there　be　anything　divine　in　the　diseases；　and　to　learn　a　foreknowledge
  of　this　also。　Thus　a　man　will　be　the　more　esteemed　to　be　a　good
  physician；　for　he　will　be　the　better　able　to　treat　those　aright　who
  can　be　saved；　having　long　anticipated　everything；　and　by　seeing　and
  announcing　beforehand　those　who　will　live　and　those　who　will　die；　he
  will　thus　escape　censure。
  2。　He　should　observe　thus　in　acute　diseases：　first；　the
  countenance　of　the　patient；　if　it　be　like　those　of　persons　in
  health；　and　more　so；　if　like　itself；　for　this　is　the　best　of　all；
  whereas　the　most　opposite　to　it　is　the　worst；　such　as　the　following；　a
  sharp　nose；　hollow　eyes；　collapsed　temples；　the　ears　cold；　contracted；
  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。　If　the　countenance　be　such　at　the
  commencement　of　the　disease；　and　if　this　cannot　be　accounted　for
  from　the　other　symptoms；　inquiry　must　be　made　whether　the　patient
  has　long　wanted　sleep；　whether　his　bowels　have　been　very　loose；　and
  whether　he　has　suffered　from　want　of　food；　and　if　any　of　these
  causes　be　confessed　to；　the　danger　is　to　be　reckoned　so　far　less；
  and　it　becomes　obvious；　in　the　course　of　a　day　and　a　night；　whether　or
  not　the　appearance　of　the　countenance　proceeded　from　these　causes。　But
  if　none　of　these　be　said　to　exist；　if　the　symptoms　do　not　subside　in
  the　aforesaid　time；　it　is　to　be　known　for　certain　that　death　is　at
  hand。　And；　also；　if　the　disease　be　in　a　more　advanced　stage　either
  on　the　third　or　fourth　day；　and　the　countenance　be　such；　the　same
  inquiries　as　formerly　directed　are　to　be　made；　and　the　other
  symptoms　are　to　be　noted；　those　in　the　whole　countenance；　those　on　the
  body；　and　those　in　the　eyes；　for　if　they　shun　the　light；　or　weep
  involuntarily；　or　squint；　or　if　the　one　be　less　than　the　other；　or
  if　the　white　of　them　be　red；　livid；　or　has　black　veins　in　it；　if　there
  be　a　gum　upon　the　eyes；　if　they　are　restless；　protruding；　or　are
  become　very　hollow；　and　if　the　countenance　be　squalid　and　dark；　or　the
  color　of　the　whole　face　be　changed…　all　these　are　to　be　reckoned　bad
  and　fatal　symptoms。　The　physician　should　also　observe　the　appearance
  of　the　eyes　from　below　the　eyelids　in　sleep；　for　when　a　portion　of　the
  white　appears；　owing　to　the　eyelids　not　being　closed　together；　and
  when　this　is　not　connected　with　diarrhea　or　purgation　from　medicine；
  or　when　the　patient　does　not　sleep　thus　from　habit；　it　is　to　be
  reckoned　an　unfavorable　and　very　deadly　symptom；　but　if　the　eyelid
  be　contracted；　livid；　or　pale；　or　also　the　lip；　or　nose；　along　with
  some　of　the　other　symptoms；　one　may　know　for　certain　that　death　is
  close　at　hand。　It　is　a　mortal　symptom；　also；　when　the　lips　are
  relaxed；　pendent；　cold；　and　blanched。
  3。　It　is　well　when　the　patient　is　found　by　his　physician　reclining
  upon　either　his　right　or　his　left　side；　having　his　hands；　neck；　and
  legs　slightly　bent；　and　the　whole　body　lying　in　a　relaxed　state；　for
  thus　the　most　of　persons　in　health　recline；　and　these　are　the　best
  of　postures　which　most　resemble　those　of　healthy　persons。　But　to　lie
  upon　one's　back；　with　the　hands；　neck；　and　the　legs　extended；　is　far
  less　favorable。　And　if　the　patient　incline　forward；　and　sink　down　to
  the　foot　of　the　bed；　it　is　a　still　more　dangerous　symptom；　but　if　he
  be　found　with　his　feet　naked　and　not　sufficiently　warm；　and　the　hands；
  neck；　and　legs　tossed　about　in　a　disorderly　manner　and　naked；　it　is
  bad；　for　it　indicates　aberration　of　intellect。　It　is　a　deadly　symptom；
  also；　when　the　patient　sleeps　constantly　with　his　mouth　open；　having
  his　legs　strongly　bent　and　plaited　together；　while　he　lies　upon　his
  back；　and　to　lie　upon　one's　belly；　when　not　habitual　to　the　patient　to
  sleep　thus　while　in　good　health；　indicates　delirium；　or　pain　in　the
  abdominal　regions。　And　for　the　patient　to　wish　to　sit　erect　at　the
  acme　of　a　disease　is　a　bad　symptom　in　all　acute　diseases；　but
  particularly　so　in　pneumonia。　To　grind　the　teeth　in　fevers；　when
  such　has　not　been　the　custom　of　the　patient　from　childhood；
  indicates　madness　and　death；　both　which　dangers　are　to　be　announced
  beforehand　as　likely　to　happen；　and　if　a　person　in　delirium　do　this　it
  is　a　very　deadly　symptom。　And　if　the　patient　had　an　ulcer
  previously；　or　if　one　has　occurred　in　the　course　of　the　disease；　it　is
  to　be　observed；　for　if　the　man　be　about　to　die　the　sore　will　become
  livid　and　dry；　or　yellow　and　dry　before　death。
  4。　Respecting　the　movement　of　the　hands　I　have　these　observations　to
  make：　When　in　acute　fevers；　pneumonia；　phrenitis；　or　headache；　the
  hands　are　waved　before　the　face；　hunting　through　empty　space；　as　if
  gathering　bits　of　straw；　picking　the　nap　from　the　coverlet；　or　tearing
  chaff　from　the　wall…　all　such　symptoms　are　bad　and　deadly。
  5。　Respiration；　when　frequent；　indicates　pain　or　inflanunation　in
  the　parts　above　the　diaphragm：　a　large　respiration　performed　at　a
  great　interval　announces　delirium；　but　a　cold　respiration　at　nose　or
  mouth　is　a　very　fatal　symptom。　Free　respiration　is　to　be　looked　upon
  as　contributing　much　to　the　safety　of　the　patient　in　all　acute
  diseases；　such　as　fevers；　and　those　complaints　which　come　to　a
  crisis　in　forty　days。
  6。　Those　sweats　are　the　best　in　all　acute　diseases　which　occur　on
  the　critical　days；　and　completely　carry　off　the　fever。　Those　are
  favorable；　too；　which　taking　place　over　the　whole　body；　show　that
  the　man　is　bearing　the　disease　better。　But　those　that　do　not　produce
  this　effect　are　not　beneficial。　The　worst　are　cold　sweats；　confined　to
  the　head；　face；　and　neck；　these　in　an　acute　fever　prognosticate　death；
  or　in　a　milder　one；　a　prolongation　of　the　disease；　and　sweats　which
  occur　over　the　whole　body；　with　the　characters　of　those　confined　to
  the　neck；　are　in　like　manner　bad。　Sweats　attended　with　a　miliary
  eruption；　and　taking　place　about　the　neck；　are　bad；　sweats　in　the　form
  of　drops　and　of　vapour　are　good。　One　ought　to　know　the　entire
  character　of　sweats；　for　some　are　connected　with　prostration　of
  strength　in　the　body；　and　some　with　intensity　of　the　inflammation。
  7。　That　state　of　the　hypochondrium　is　best　when　it　is　free　from
  pain；　soft；　and　of　equal　size　on　the　right　side　and　the　left。　But　if
  inflamed；　or　painful；　or　distended；　or　when　the　right　and　left　sides
  are　of　disproportionate　sizes；…　all　these　appearances　are　to　be
  dreaded。　And　if　there　be　also　pulsation　in　the　hypochondrium；　it
  indicates　perturbation　or　delirium；　and　the　physician　should　examine
  the　eyes　of　such　persons；　for　if　their　pupils　be　in　rapid　motion；　such
  persons　may　be　expected　to　go　mad。　A　swelling　in　the　hypochondrium；
  that　is　hard　and　painful；　is　very　bad；　provided　it　occupy　the　whole
  hypochondrium；　but　if　it　be　on　either　side；　it　is　less　dangerous
  when　on　the　left。　Such　swellings　at　the　commencement　of　the　disease
  prognosticate　speedy　death；　but　if　the　fever　has　passed　twenty　days；
  and　the　swelling　has　not　subsided；　it　turns　to　a　suppuration。　A
  discharge　of　blood　from　the　nose　occurs　to　such　in　the　first　period；
  and　proves　very　useful；　but　inquiry　should　be　made　if　they　have
  headache　or　indistinct　vision；　for　if　there　be　such；　the　disease
  will　be　determined　thither。　The　discharge　of　blood　is　rather　to　be
  expected　in　those　who　are　younger　than　thirty…five　years。　Such
  swellings　as　are　soft；　free　from　pain；　and　yield　to　the　finger；
  occasion　more　protracted　crises；　and　are　less　dangerous　than　the
  others。　But　if　the　fever　continue　beyond　sixty　days；　without　any
  subsidence　of　the　swelling；　it　indicates　that　empyema　is　about　to　take
  place；　and　a　swelling　in　any　other　part　of　the　cavity　will　terminate
  in　like　manner。　Such；　then；　as　are　painful；　hard；　and