SECT. XXXII.—ON THORNY SUBSTANCES FIXED IN THE PHARYNX.
Thorns, or the bones of fishes, or other substances, are often swallowed in eating, and fix in different places. Wherefore, such as can be seen we are to extract with the forceps for that purpose; but those which are lower down in the gullet we must manage differently. Some are of opinion that the patient ought to be made to swallow large morsels, such as the stalk of lettuces, or pieces of bread; but others direct us to bind a thread about a small piece of clean soft sponge and give it to the patient to swallow, and then taking hold of the thread to draw it up, and to do this frequently in order that the thorn may get fixed in the sponge and be brought up. Leonidas orders suppurative cataplasms to be applied, such as those from raw barley-flour, in order that the part may be converted into pus and the thorn fall out of its own accord. If we see the patient at the time of swallowing, before digestion has taken place in the stomach, and cannot perceive the substance which is fixed, we may order him to vomit by pushing the fingers or feathers down the throat, for sometimes the thing which is fixed will be brought up with the matters that are vomited.
Commentary. Our author’s directions are mostly taken from Aëtius. (viii, 50.)
Albucasis repeats our author’s directions, and further recommends us, when they fail, to introduce an instrument made of lead, which he gives a drawing of, and either to extract the substance or push it downwards. (Chirurg. ii, 38.) A similar plan of treatment is recommended by Mesue (de Ægr. Gutturis); by Avicenna (iii, 9, 43); and by Alsaharavius (Pract. xii.) When a morsel of food sticks to the œsophagus, Alsaharavius directs that the person should be struck on the back, which will facilitate the descent of it. (6.)