A dry application for ficose eruptions of the head and chin. Of misy, dr. iss; of chalcitis, dr. iiss; of squama æris, dr. j; of fissile alum, dr. j. Having washed, apply this powder in a dry state unsparingly, and allow it to remain. Next day, having again washed, wipe the part with a sponge, and apply it again. A thick scab will then fall from the ulcer. Repeat the same application the following days. The cure will be effected in a few days without leaving a cicatrix; but this medicine operates strongly.
For lice in the head. Direct the head to be scrubbed with the decoction of lupines; or pound together stavesacre and sandarach, and rub them in along with oil or vinegar; or a small quantity of pepper may be added to old oil, so as not to occasion ulceration; or the juice of ivy with honey may be used; or mustard and vinegar; or the gum vernix, or liquid pitch with alum; or the expressed juice of the bay berries; or oil of radishes. I have always succeeded by pounding stavesacre with vinegar and oil, and anointing with this.
Commentary. Drs. Willan and Bateman agree with all the best medical writers of antiquity in describing, by the name of pityriasis, a disease consisting of slight, scaly, and branny exfoliations without ulceration. See Galen (Sec. Loc. i); Alexander (i, 3); Oribasius (Synops. vi, 25); Aëtius (vi, 66); Actuarius (de Sig. Morb. ii, 5); Nonnus (4.) Actuarius, who gives a very distinct account of the disease, states in strong terms the danger of repressing the cutaneous eruption. (l. c.)
It is the porrigo sicca of Celsus (vi, 2), who recommends for it shaving the head, and using slightly repressing applications, “quale est nitrum cum aceto, vel ladanum cum myrteo et vino, vel myrobalanum cum vino.” Marcellus distinguishes the pityriasis from porrigo. (De Med. 4.)
The Arabians, especially Serapion, direct very active general treatment, such as venesection, masticatories, cathartics, and the like. (i, 4.) It is described under the name of furfures capitis by the translator of Haly Abbas. (Theor. viii, 18.) Like the Greeks, he represents it as consisting of small furfuraceous scales without ulceration. Alsaharavius uses the same name, and recommends bleeding, cupping, purging, and external applications of a detergent nature, such as flour of vetches, with vinegar and the like. Avenzoar recommends pills of drastic purgatives, and the ordinary lotions. (i, 1, 10.) See also Avicenna (iv, 7, 1, 24); and Rhases (ad Mansor. v, 1; Contin. xxxvi.) In the ‘Continens,’ the disease is described by the names of furfures and impetigo, for which Rhases recommends liniments containing nitre, sulphur, hellebore, vinegar, &c.
Willan and Bateman describe the psydracia as being small pustules irregularly circumscribed and terminating in a laminated scab. Most of the above-mentioned writers treat of them in the same terms as our author. They seem to be the balchie of Avicenna (iv, 7, 6, 1) who calls them a malignant species of achor. See Galen (l. c.)
Galen, Alexander, Aëtius, and our author describe the exanthemata as being small superficial ulcerations. Drs. Willan and Bateman use it as a generic term for rashes. The exanthemata seem to be the alraba or pustulæ dulces of Alsaharavius (i, 10.) See [Book First, Sect. VI], and [Book Fourth, Sect. VIII], of this Work.
Willan and Bateman apply the terms achor and favus in the same sense as Paulus and the other ancient authors. Octavius Horatianus uses the terms acora and cerio. He says, “Acoræ et ceriones distant, quod ceriones plures cavernas egestionis habent et humorem multo pinguiorem emittunt; acora autem unam cavernam habet, et humorem egerit aquatiorem.” (i, 5.) Galen has treated of these complaints very fully, and his applications are similar to those of our author. See also most of the authorities on pityriasis. The favus is the first species of tinea described by Haly Abbas. It consists, he says, of cells, and discharges a fluid-like honey. The achor is his amada, or third species of tinea, consisting of smaller cells than the former. Alsaharavius describes the favus by the name of alsahara. It contains, he says, a viscid fluid like honey. He recommends for it purgatives, and detergent applications containing nitre, lees of wine, &c. (Pract. i, 9.) The achor is called alsahafa by him. The description which Actuarius gives of papulæ, favus, and ficus is sufficiently distinct, but not different from our author’s. (De Diagnos. ii, 5.)
The other authorities gives the same account of ficus as Paulus. It is Haly Abbas’ second species of tinea, and is described by him as consisting of hard round protuberances. Haly’s fourth species of tinea consists of small ulcers of a mammiform appearance. They are mentioned by our author. Fabricius ab Aquapendente defines the ficus thus: “Tumeur qui est rouge, ronde, quelque peu dure, et de laquelle (etant ulcérée et pressée) sort une matière sanieuse, semblable aux grains de figues.” (Œuv. Chir. i, 1, 13.) He says that Hippocrates and Galen give a different account of it from our author’s; but we can see very little difference between them. Most of the ancient authors recommend the same remedies for ficus as Paulus. The most active of these are stavesacre, and sandarach or red sulphuret of arsenic. They do not appear to have apprehended danger from the free use of arsenic in this way. Galen recommends equal parts of white hellebore, stavesacre, and nitre with oil. (De Med. Sec. Loc. i.) Octavius Horatianus mentions equal parts of pellitory and galls. The same medicines are recommended by Serapion, (i, 5.) See also Oribasius (de Loc. Affect. iv, 11); Celsus (xi, 3); Cælius Aurelianus (de Morb. Tard. iv, 2.) Haly’s remedies consist of galls, litharge, mercury killed (sublimed?), sulphur, and so forth. Among those of Rhases we remark squills, assafœtida, quicklime, mercury, &c. However, he prefers excision. (Continens. xxxvi).
For pediculi in the head, the Arabians recommend nearly the same compositions as our author. They contain arsenic, stavesacre, hellebore, nitre, and the like. See Alsaharavius (Pract. i, 16), and Phases (Cont. xxxvi, 6.) Among the ingredients mentioned by the latter, we remark quicksilver, sulphur, red arsenic, mustard, stavesacre, the oil of oleander, vinegar, &c. These medicines form the ingredients in the compositions recommended by modern writers on this complaint. See Plempius (de Morbis Pilorum), and Amatus Lusitanus (Curat. 58.)