The prescriptions given by Galen from Archigenes and Asclepiades contain misy, chalcitis, burnt copper, orpiment, red arsenic, alum, red nitre, myrrh, saffron, &c. The other Greek authors do but copy from him on this subject.
Avicenna recommends such aromatics as amomum, cloves, and roses, with camphor, hellebore, and the like. Haly makes no mention of escharotics, but recommends aromatics, such as marjoram, cloves, amomum, myrrh, and such like substances. He directs us to purge with hiera, and to gargle with mustard. The substances which enter into the compositions of Alsaharavius are very similar to this. The ingredients in Rhases’ applications are mostly desiccants and aromatics; but a few of them contain escharotics, such as vitriol and red arsenic.
On ulcers. Galen’s prescriptions contain burnt lead, burnt antimony, ceruse, litharge, and the like. Avicenna and Rhases praise the powder of Ruffus, which contains alum, galls, cyperus, myrrh, saffron, and arsenic. For the sweet ulcers Avicenna recommends the same applications as our author. Those of Haly are nowise different.
Sternutatories. Similar lists of substances for exciting and appeasing sneezing are given by Aëtius, Nonnus, Avicenna, and others.
On bleeding at the nose. Most of the remedies mentioned in this Section are taken from Galen (sec. loc. and Meth. Med.) Aëtius repeats his directions (vi, 94.)
Avicenna has surpassed every other author in the accuracy with which he details the phenomena and treatment of epistaxis; but his account is too long for us to do justice to it. His local applications consist of styptics, incrassants, and caustics. He very properly inculcates the propriety of producing revulsion and evacuating the general system by bleeding at the arm, which, he says, should be carried the length of producing deliquium animi. He directs us to apply ligatures to the testicles and extremities, to place the patient in water cooled with ice, and to pour the same upon his head. He says a man will lose from twenty to twenty-five pounds of blood before he dies. Haly’s treatment agrees in most respects with that of Avicenna. He directs us to pour water upon the head, to apply to the forehead a plaster of galls, roses, &c., or a piece of cloth soaked in the infusion of roses cooled with snow and vinegar. He also makes mention of general bleeding, and the application of a cupping-instrument to the nape of the neck. Alsaharavius cautions us not to stop a critical epistaxis. Like Haly, he recommends us, as a general practice, to bleed from the arm if the strength be good, to apply a cupping-instrument to produce revulsion, to pour cold water upon the head, and to snuff up the nostrils water impregnated with the virtues of such astringents as galls, alum, camphor, roses, &c. One of the styptic powders recommended by Rhases contains quicklime, vitriol, galls, and red arsenic. He also directs snow to be applied to the head. In extreme cases he approves of the cautery.
Respecting the manna thuris, mentioned in this Section, see Bernard’s Nonnus (96.) Dale thus explains it: “Manna thuris, offic. sunt micæ, fragmenta, pollen, et farina thuris, quæ ex collisione, dum in saccis vehitur, colliguntur. Alii autem per mannam thuris grana ejusdem intelligunt.” (Pharmacol. 381.)
SECT. XXV.—ON AFFECTIONS OF THE FACE.
How to preserve the face free from wrinkles. Of frankincense, dr. iv; of fucus, dr. iij; of crashed litharge, dr. viij. Dissolve them all in a decoction of bruised ichthyocolla, make trochisks, and use.—Another: Of ivory shavings, dr. viij; of male frankincense, of ichthyocolla, the same quantity. Use as aforesaid.