Book 2
3
Unless, then, when everything is against it, the habit, the age, the season, the timidity of the patient, we must open a vein, and even if many symptoms contra-indicate it, but an especial one require it, such as the tongue rough, dry, and black (for it is indicative of all the internal parts). And in all cases we must form an estimate of the strength, whether or not it has failed owing to the pains of the disease and the regimen; for the loss of strength takes place, not only from deficiency, but also from smothering; and if the syncope arise from redundancy, and if inflammation of the hypochondria, or of the liver strongly indicate, there is no necessity for deferring the bleeding. We are to open the hollow vein at the elbow, and abstract the blood by a small orifice, that it may not have a marked effect on the strength; for sudden depletion tries the natural strength: and we must take away much less than if from any other cause; for in syncope, even a slight mistake readily sends a man to the regions below. We must, therefore, immediately give food for the restoration of the strength; for Nature delights in the removal of the old, and in the supply of new things.
