SECT. XLV.—ON THE CURE OF STOMACH AFFECTIONS.
If the stomach be weak, we must apply strengthening cataplasms to it, such as those made of dates and wine, and of barley-meal and saffron, and of mastich and aloes; and use embrocations from wormwood, the oil of apples, and of mastich, nard, and wine; and if hot, we must add cooling things, such as the juices of gourd, lettuce, purslain, nightshade, endive, and unripe grapes. But if the bowels appear to be inflamed, it will be proper to add to the embrocations some of the relaxing medicines, such as oil of chamomile and of privet, the grease of a cock or goose and bdellium, ammoniac, or the like; and to the cataplasms, the seed of parsley and fenugreek, the flowers of the marshmallows and chamomile; and, in a word, let the application be a compound of relaxing, attenuant, bitter, and astringent properties.
Commentary. Celsus notices these affections. When there is pain and inflammation about the præcordia, he recommends us to use at first repellent cataplasms, and, when the inflammation abates, to exchange these for hot fomentations, whereby the remains of the complaint will be removed. Pain without inflammation requires no application, as it will be carried off by the fever itself. (iii, 10.)
Galen treats of all sorts of applications for affections of the stomach in his work, ‘De Med. sec. Locos’ (viii.) Our author follows Aëtius. (v, 95.)
For atony of the stomach, Alexander recommends the applications mentioned by our author. When there is ardor of the stomach, a seasonable draught of cold water, he says, may do much good, whereas, if unseasonably given, it will prove highly dangerous. For atony of the stomach, he also recommends hot wine, if not contra-indicated; and most especially friction of the extremities. When it can be borne, the bath, he says, proves beneficial in cases of atony. When there is a sense of cold, he recommends poppies and wormwood. When the stomach is loaded with offensive humours, he directs an emetic of oil and water to be given. This remedy, he adds, sometimes operates downwards with the best effects, and he directs its purgative operation to be promoted by giving suppositories. He concludes, with recommending the stomach to be strengthened by giving a decoction of wormwood with wine, but forbids this medicine until the fever be abated. (xii, 3.)
Of the Arabian authors, Serapion’s account is the fullest, but it is taken almost word for word from Alexander. (vi, 19.) Rhases states that he had often seen bad consequences arise from evacuation having been practised before attending to the stomach. (Contin. xxv.)