Dysenteria

Concerning the Malady of Dysenteria

Among the infirmities grievous unto the body of man, there is none more dreadful or lamentable than the Bloody Flux, which is called also Dysenteria by the learned. This disease, being phlegmatic in nature, doth arise from an overabundance of the humor of phlegm, which doth overwhelm the balance of the body and bringeth forth great suffering. It is most oft found amongst those who dwell in cold and damp conditions, such as the narrow alleys of crowded cities or the encampments of weary armies, wherein the natural humors are prone to disarray.

Causes

The causes of Dysenteria are rooted in the cold and moist conditions that nurture an excess of phlegm, and it is often observed that those who dwell in such environments or partake of cold and watery victuals are most prone unto this malady. Moreover, the poor sanitation of crowded cities and the hardships of military campaigns do greatly contribute unto the spread of this disease, for the corruption of the air and the lack of proper nourishment do weaken the body and render it susceptible unto the humoral imbalance.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Dysenteria are manifold and distressing. First among them is the grievous flux of the bowels, whereby the sufferer is afflicted with frequent and violent diarrhea, often mingled with blood, signifying the corruption of the inward parts. This is accompanied by chills and shivering, as the excess of phlegm doth cool the vital faculties of the body, and by sharp cramps and pains within the belly, as though the very guts were wracked by torment. Catarrh doth oft attend this malady, being a further sign of the domination of phlegm, and the bloody stool is a token of the severity of the flux, which doth ravage the entrails and weaken the sufferer unto the point of peril.

Treatment

The treatment of Dysenteria must begin with the restoration of the balance of the humors, chiefly by purging the excess of phlegm. The physician may administer warming and drying remedies, such as infusions of the Dhenian spices: zingiberi, cinnamomum, and karuophullon, to combat the cold and moist nature of the disease. Astringent herbs, such as plantago and tormentilla, may also be employed to bind and strengthen the bowels, and the application of hot poultices unto the belly may provide relief from the cramps and pains. Care must be taken to provide the sufferer with warm and nourishing broths, that their strength may be preserved, and to ensure that they dwell in a place of warmth and dryness, far removed from the cold and damp that did bring forth the malady.

Prognosis

Dysenteria, being grievous and afflictive unto the humors and the very inward parts of man, doth bear with it a grave and perilous prognosis. The condition of the sufferer and the likelihood of recovery are measured by the nature and severity of the flux, the strength of the vital faculty, and the timeliness of the remedies applied. For though many are those who have succumbed unto its ravages, there is hope of deliverance if providence and care attend the afflicted.

If the flux be moderate and the blood mingled therein light and scarce, there is less cause for despair, for the body may yet rally itself with proper medicines and sustenance. Should the stool turn foul and dark, or be accompanied by a putrid odor, it is a sign that the corruption hath spread deep within, and the malady becometh more grievous. If chills and cramps wax stronger, and the vital forces diminish unto lethargy and weakness, the prognosis groweth bleak, for the natural heat, which is the guardian of life, is being overwhelmed by the excess of cold and phlegm.

Furthermore, if the disease continue unabated for many days, leaving the body wracked with unceasing flux, it is often seen that the humors are so greatly disordered that the life of the sufferer hangeth in great jeopardy. Blood, being the essence of vitality, is oft wasted in such cases, leaving the afflicted pale, weak, and near unto death. Yet, if the purgings abate and the belly findeth peace, if warmth returneth unto the limbs and the countenance, then hope of recovery is renewed.

The swiftness of the remedy is of paramount importance, for the longer the malady doth endure, the deeper its roots are sunk into the frame. Those who delay their care or fail to flee from the cold and damp that hath bred the disease do oft find themselves beyond the reach of art and prayer.

The physician and healer must also regard the constitution of the afflicted. If the patient be of strong body and sanguine disposition, they may endure the strain of the flux and arise from the affliction. But if they be aged, young, or already weakened by toil or privation, their chances of survival are greatly diminished, for their vital flame is as a flickering lamp, easily extinguished by the storm of disease.

Thus it is meet that prayers and offerings be made unto the merciful goddess Maya, and unto her son Lamus Sanator, the divine physician, that they may grant strength unto the suffering and wisdom unto those who minister unto them. For even in the darkest of illnesses, the light of divine mercy doth shine, and the afflicted may yet be spared by the grace of the gods.