Book 1
15
There are two species of the affection; for the colour of the whitish-green species either turns to yellow and saffron, or to livid and black. The cause of these is the same as the cause of the two kinds of bile; for, of the latter, one species—namely, the light-coloured—is yellow, thin, and transparent; but this species is also sometimes tinged so as to resemble saffron or the yolk of an egg. The other is of a darker character, like leeks, woad, or wholly black. There are innumerable intermediate varieties of colour, these being connected with the heat and humours. The viscera, also, co-operate in this; for the viscus is either a bright-red, like the liver, or dark-red, like the spleen. When, therefore, the icterus is connected with any viscus, if from the liver, it bears traces of this viscus, and if from the spleen, of it; and so, also, with regard to all the others. But if it possesses no appearance of any, it is an affection of the general habit. These appear manifest in the white of the eyes especially, and in the forehead about the temples; and in those naturally of a white complexion, even from a slight attack, the increased colour is visible.
15
In cases, therefore, of black icterus, the patients are of a dark-green colour, are subject to rigors, become faintish, inactive, spiritless; emit a fetid smell, have a bitter taste, breathe with difficulty, are pinched in the bowels; alvine evacuations like leeks, darkish, dry, passed with difficulty; urine deeply tinged with black; without digestion, without appetite; restless, spiritless, melancholic.
15
In the whiter species, the patients are of a light-green colour, and more cheerful in mind; slow in beginning to take food, but eat spiritedly when begun; of freer digestion than those of the former species; alvine discharges, white, dry, clayey; urine bright-yellow, pale, like saffron.
