SECT. LIII.—ON BUBONOCELE, ENTEROCELE, AND HYDROCELE.
Protrusions of the bowels occasioned by rupture of the peritonæum are of a very difficult nature, but those from relaxation are of easier cure; for happening commonly to children of a humid temperament, they, for the most part, can be cured without a surgical operation, by the application of remedies and suitable bandages. The under-mentioned remedies are to be applied; but I must mention, in the first place, that these diseases differ in situation only; for, when the intestine remains in the groin, it is called Bubonocele, and when it falls down into the scrotum, it is named Enterocele. Wherefore, take of pomegranate-rind, dr. x; of unripe gall-nuts, dr. v; boil in three cyathi of austere wine; pound and apply, having previously reduced the intestine and bathed the part with cold water. Loose it in ten days; the patient remaining on his couch thirty days, and drinking of the decoction of cypress with wine; or of cypress balls, three oboli, in diluted wine. This medicine is applicable to children.—Another agglutinative application: Of the roots of comfrey, of the juice of horehound, of bitter almonds, of gum, equal parts.—Another: Of turpentine, oz. iss; of wax, of frankincense, of myrrh, of isinglass, of snails with their shells, of each oz. j; macerate the ichthyocolla previously in vinegar for three days.—Another: Of cypress-balls, i. e. spherical fruit, oz. j; of galls, oz. j; of pomegranate-rind, oz. ss; of taurocolla, oz. iij; of manna, of frankincense, oz. ss; of comfrey, oz. ss; of snails with their shells, oz. j; boil the balls and rind in astringent wine for a considerable time; triturate; mix the other ingredients, and when they are added, use.—Another: Of aloes, of pomegranate-rind, of frankincense, of the juice of hypocistis, of artificers’ glue, of pitch, of bitumen, oz. iss; of sweet wine, q. s.—Another more complex application, which will answer also with adults, when the disease is not of long standing: Of chrysocolla, of taurocolla, of sarcocolla, of ichthyocolla, of gagate-stone, of blood-stone, of Syrian sumach, of manna, of acacia, of each, oz. iss; of the stone pyrites, of native sulphur, of the breathing magnet, of fissile alum, of manna, of frankincense, of each, oz. j; of Brutian pitch, oz. v; of snails with their shells, oz. j; of the dross of silver, oz. iv; of galls, oz. j; of squamæ stomomatis (scales of steel?), oz. j; of copper, oz. j; of bitumen, oz. vj; of myrtle-oil, q. s.; mix the dry things with astringent wine, until the preparation is of such a thickness as not to stain, and then use. If they cannot lie in a recumbent posture, bind the application firmly with a triangular bandage of thick materials and sufficient to retain the intestine. Let them abstain from flatulent food, much wine, frequent baths, strong motion, such as running, leaping, loud crying, and the like. For hydrocele, so as to evacuate the fluid: Of pepper, c grains; of bay-berries, lxxx; of nitre, dr. xx; of wax, dr. xl; mix with half a hemina of oil, and use.—Another excellent application: Of the flower of Assian stone, dr. vj; of grapes deprived of their stones, dr. ij; of Ethiopian cumin, dr. viij; of red nitre, dr. viij; having triturated, apply, fomenting with it late and early. Some also add of sulphur, dr. viij.—Another: Mixing unslaked lime with bath-sordes, apply with cerate; and mix some nitre with the unslacked lime.—Another: Having burnt the root of a cabbage, add the ashes to old axunge that has been melted, and remove it every third day. To prevent a collection of water, use the following malagma: Of wax, lb. iiss; of pitch, oz. iv; of ammoniac perfume, oz. iv; of liquid alum, oz. iss. The plaster of the white poplars and the other epispastics are also applicable.
Commentary. As these diseases will be treated of more fully in the [Sixth Book], it is unnecessary to say much about them at present.
Our author is most indebted to Aëtius (xiv, 22.) Nonnus recommends astringent applications of a similar nature. (192.) When there is difficulty of reduction, Rhases directs the use of the warm bath perseveringly. Haly Abbas remarks that protrusion of the bowels will sometimes occasion constipation, pain, and death. He says nothing of an operation for relieving the strangulation. Alsaharavius declares that he had found all the applications recommended for the cure of these complaints utterly ineffectual after they are fairly formed. He directs us to return the protruded parts, and secure them by means of a bandage, along with a pad of lead and a plaster of pitch, &c. The Surgical treatment of these complaints is minutely described in the [Sixth Book].