Quintus Curtius relates that the soldiers of Alexander the Great rubbed their bodies with the juice of sesame, instead of oil, when exposed to intense cold while crossing the Bactrian mountains. (vii, 15.)
Pliny, with his usual terseness, thus states the powers of oil in protecting the body both from cold and heat: “Oleo natura tepefacere corpus, et contra algores munire; eidemque fervores capitis refrigerare.” (Hist. Nat. xv, 6.)
SECT. XL.—FOR PERSONS SCORCHED BY THE SUN.
Persons who have been scorched by the sun should be laid in an airy place, and have their face, hands, and legs bathed with cold water. If thirsty, they may drink cold water, if in the practice so to do; this, however, ought to be done considerately, and not much at a time. Let them also take some food of easy distribution, rather of a fluid than of a solid nature.
Commentary. This Section is taken from Oribasius. (Synops. v, 37.)
When a person has suffered from exposure to great heat, Rhases recommends rest, the tepid bath, and fruits and food of a cooling and moistening nature. When there is headach, he directs the head to be anointed with oil of roses and vinegar. (Ad Mansor. vi, i.)
Averrhoes recommends a person who has suffered from exposure to the sun to be put into a tepid bath, and rubbed afterwards with refrigerant oils. (Collect. iii, 9.)
SECT. XLI.—ON COLLECTIONS OF PHLEGM IN THE STOMACH.
If you should meet with a person who loathes any wholesome food which is offered him, who abstains from food, or, if compelled to take it, becomes sick, who longs after only such things as are acrid, and has no pleasure even in them, but has his belly swelled up with flatulence, is seized with nausea, and enjoys only a short respite by eructations, and on whose stomach everything spoils and becomes acid,—know for certain that the remedies which will afford him relief are such as will clear the stomach of phlegm. I have known one of those so affected, after taking an emetic, consisting of radishes out of oxymel, bring up an incredible quantity of very thick phlegm, by which he has been straightway completely restored to health.