SECT. XXXVIII.—ON INFLATION OF THE STOMACH.
The formation of flatus in the stomach arises from the juices or food being dissolved into vapours by a gentle heat. For cold, as it is not of an attenuating and dissolving nature, does not engender flatulence; whilst a violent heat not only attenuates, but likewise dissipates, and thus prevents the formation of flatulence. But a lesser degree of heat dissolves and changes the food, but not sufficiently, and hence flatus is gendered. Wherefore we must attenuate them by calefacient medicines—boiling in oil the seed of cumin, of parsley, of cow-parsnip, and of carrot. When the affection partakes of cold, you may boil rue, bay-berries, gith, and fennel in the oil, and mix bitumen and oil of bays. But if the pain be attended with inflammation, instead of calefacients, you may use relaxants, making a decoction of dill, and mixing with it the fat of a cock and of a goose. Those who have flatulence may be relieved by the decoction of a fasciculus of poley, or a decoction of calamint, having a small quantity of honey and a drachm of pepper mixed with it. These remedies must be applied when the pain is violent; but if it is moderate, fomentations from millet will be sufficient. But a large cupping-instrument that will comprehend the navel often removes the symptom at once. Castor also is of use to them, when taken in a draught with oxycrate, and when applied externally with Sicyonian oil; and it also cures flatulence when attended with tormina. But the ankles of a swine burnt, and taken in a draught, cure tormina and flatulence; and the round birthwort does the same. Pains from obstructions of the bowels, or flatulence arising from thickness of the humours, or from cold, are relieved by drinking undiluted wine after food; and, if sleep follow, it completely removes these complaints.
Commentary. See all the authors referred to in [the preceding Section].
Our author’s treatment, which consists of dry cupping, dry fomentations, and the internal use of calefacients and wine, is what Celsus also recommends. He likewise speaks favorably of exercising the upper parts of the body, of friction, and of using purgatives occasionally, and sometimes, though rarely, the bath. Serapion, Rhases, and Avicenna, recommend similar treatment, namely, purgatives and aromatics, such as aloes, anise, calamint, cumin, and the like. Haly Abbas forbids all flatulent food, such as pulse, milk, and grapes; recommends the bath after much exercise, and before dinner, and the stomach to be rubbed, and a cataplasm of salt and cumin applied to it. He also prescribes many calefacient and carminative articles, such as anise, rue, castor with old wine, also the peppers, theriac, mithridate, hiera picra, &c. Alsaharavius recommends aromatics and carminatives, and afterwards that the pit of the stomach should be rubbed with calefacient oils. Averrhoes directs us to give all solid food, as flesh, puddings, &c. quite cold; but spoon-meats may be eaten as warm as the blood or somewhat warmer. This method, he adds, will clear the head and stomach of wind, beget finer blood, brisker spirits, and cause a lively circulation of all the humours.
Rhases and Avicenna describe ulceration of the stomach very accurately, and also thickening of its coats.
Avicenna mentions rupture of the stomach, but does not say whether he alludes to spontaneous rupture or rupture from accident.
Actuarius has given a more distinct account of hæmatemesis than any other of the ancient authorities. He says the blood may be brought up either pure or of a dark colour, and it may be occasioned either by external injuries or proceed from constitutional causes. The constitutional causes are commonly either general plethora or atony of the liver. In certain cases, he says, it proceeds from rupture of the vessels, and in others from relaxation of them, in others again from corrosion. In melæna, he says, the skin is pale. (De Diagnos. i, 39.)