SECT. XXIV.—ON TERMINTHUS.
Oribasius says, that terminthus is a species of phyma, but that a dark bulla lies over it, which having burst, the part below appears as if excoriated, and when it is divided, the pus is found. But Dioscorides of Alexandria says, “Terminthi are eminences formed in the skin, round, of a dark green colour, like the fruit of turpentine.” These, therefore, are to be cured like other phymatous swellings, by applying the remedies there described.
Commentary. Aëtius gives the same account of terminthus, which is a species of phyma. See Hippocrat. (Epidem. ii, 11; de Humor. xi, 1); Galen (Comment. in Epidem.); Oribasius (Synops. vii, 136.) Avicenna describes these affections by the name of albothin (iv, 7, 3, 1.) He says that they are ulcers produced by black bile; that they appear upon the leg, and are of the same nature as varices.
The terminthus would appear to have been the cutaneous disease to which Willan applied the name of ecthyma.