ABSTRACT
The covering of the heart is [one] of the important members, whatever may be the kind of disease by which it is affected; but if there be in it an inflamed abscess, and it reacheth the heart itself, the heart will suffer sympathetically. When it (z'. e., the covering of the heart) suffereth by itself it doth so in the same way as all the others which are made to suffer; when there is disease in it through the protective tissues and covering of the principal members, it causeth no danger [to life]. Now the heart doth not produce any other shortness of breath, or any other ailment besides those that are mentioned in the preceding Chapter, and in that which is on shortness of breath. When the heart is hot (or, inflamed) it causeth the breath to be drawn in very deeply and rapidly, and it also causeth the expirations to be hot; and it causeth the exact opposite of these things to take place when there is cold in the heart, for by reason of it the breathing becometh short and light. Now, it hath been said above that if there be in
the heart an inflamed abscess, or a hard, red ulcer, or if there be in it anything that causeth a division in its substance, or cancer, a speedy and sudden death overtaketh a man. Therefore it followeth that the heart itself alone receiveth a change of condition, when in addition to a certain [amount of] liquid some deadly chyme either is collected therein, or in the space between it and the tunic that surroundeth it, and that through this there ariseth either palpitation of the heart, or the torture F 1 6 of the whole I body I that hath been mentioned a little way p:~:2:5~ back; but, inasmuch as the whole body suffereth together with the heart, when the condition of the heart is bad, and we are about to bring forward the means for healing, it is necessary for us to diagnose what are the natural conditions of the heart from the unnatural conditions which arise in it.
