Hippocrates, De morbis popularibus
W. H. S. Jones, Ed.

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PART 6

VI. Now the ardent fevers attacked the fewest persons, and these were less distressed than any of the other sick. There was no bleeding from the nose, except very slight discharges in a few cases, and no delirium. All the other symptoms were slight. The crises of these diseases were quite regular, generally in seventeen days, counting the days of intermission, and I know of no ardent fever proving fatal at this time, nor of any phrenitis. The tertians were more numerous than the ardent fevers and more painful. But all these had four regular periods from the first onset, had complete crises in seven, and in no case relapsed. But the quartans, while in many instances they began at first with quartan periodicity, yet in not a few they became quartan by an abscession from other fevers or illnesses.¹ They were protracted, as quartans usually are, or even more protracted than usual. Many fell victims to quotidians, night fevers, or irregular fevers, and were ill for a long time, either in bed or walking about. In most of these cases the fevers continued during the season of the Pleiades or even until winter. In many patients, especially children, there were convulsions and slight feverishness from the beginning ; sometimes, too, convulsions supervened upon fevers. Mostly these illnesses were protracted, but not dangerous, except for those who from all other causes were predisposed to die.