CONTENTS
OF
THE SECOND VOLUME.

[FOURTH BOOK.]
SECT.PAGE
1.On Elephantiasis[1]
2.On Leprosy and Psora[15]
3.On Lichen[24]
4.On Pruritus, or Prurigo[27]
5.On Leuce[31]
6.On white and black Alphi[33]
7.On Stigmata, from the works of Archigenes[36]
8.On Exanthemata[37]
9.On Epinyctides[39]
10.On Phlyctænæ, or Bullæ[41]
11.On Burns[42]
12.For those beaten with Scourges[45]
13.To make Hairs grow on a part that has been burnt[46]
14.For Excoriations[47]
15.For Myrmecia and Acrochordon[48]
16.On Ganglion[50]
17.On Phlegmon[51]
18.On external Abscesses[54]
19.On Gangrene and Sphacelus[59]
20.On Herpes[61]
21.For Erysipelas[65]
22.On Phyma, Bubo, and Phygethlon[71]
23.On Furunculus[73]
24.On Terminthus[75]
25.On Carbuncle, or Anthrax[ib.]
26.On Cancers[79]
27.On Œdema[83]
28.On Emphysema[84]
29.For Sprains and Contusions[86]
30.On Contusions of the Flesh and Ecchymosis[87]
31.On Rupture and tearing of the flesh[88]
32.On Scirrhus[ib.]
33.On Strumæ, or Scrofula[91]
34.On Steatoma, Atheroma, and Meliceris[94]
35.Of Favi[97]
36.On the simple Ulcer[99]
37.On Agglutinants[101]
38.On painful and inflammatory Sores[102]
39.On unconcocted Ulcers, and such as have not suppurated[103]
40.On hollow Ulcers[104]
41.Medicines for cleansing foul Ulcers[106]
42.For Worms in Ulcers[107]
43.On fungous Ulcers[108]
44.On spreading Ulcers, putrid Ulcers, and Phagedæna[109]
45.On Ulcers requiring Cicatrization[112]
46.On the malignant Ulcers called Chironian and Telephian[114]
47.For black Cicatrices[118]
48.On sinuous Ulcers[119]
49.On Fistula[122]
50.For Sores which break out again[125]
51.On Ulcers in the Joints[126]
52.Those things which extract Shafts, Javelins, Thorns, and the like[ib.]
53.On Hemorrhage from Veins and Arteries[127]
54.On Wounds of the Nerves[132]
55.On Ancylosis[137]
56.On Relaxation of the Joints[139]
57.On Worms[ib.]
58.On Ascarides[144]
59.On Dracunculus, or the Guinea-Worm[150]
[FIFTH BOOK.]
1.On the Preservatives from venomous animals in general[155]
2.The general treatment of all persons bitten or stung by any venomous animal[157]
3.On persons bitten by mad Dogs, and on Hydrophobia[162]
4.For the Bites of Dogs that are not mad[168]
5.On Wasps and Bees[ib.]
6.On the Phalangia, or venomous Spiders[169]
7.On the Bite of the Spider[171]
8.On the Sting of the Scorpion[ib.]
9.On the Land and Sea Scolopendra[174]
10.On the Stellio, or spotted lizard[175]
11.On the Mus araneus, or shrew-mouse[ib.]
12.On Vipers and Echidnæ[177]
13.On the Amphisbæna and Scytala[180]
14.On the Dryinus. The Introduction from Galen[181]
15.On the Hæmorrhus, Prester, or Dipsas[182]
16.On the Hydrus, or water serpent[185]
17.On the Cenchrinus[186]
18.On the Cerastes and Asp[187]
19.On the Basilisk[189]
20.On the Sea Pastinaca and Muræna[191]
21.On the Sea-Dragon[ib.]
22.On the Sea-Scorpion[192]
23.The preparation of the blood of the Sea-tortoise[ib.]
24.On persons bitten by Crocodiles[193]
25.On persons bitten by a Man[ib.]
26.On Poisons[194]
27.On the preservatives from Poisons[195]
28.The general treatment of those who have taken any sort of deleterious substance[196]
29.A Catalogue of simple deleterious substances[200]
30.On Cantharides[201]
31.On the Buprestis[203]
32.On the Salamander[204]
33.On the Pityocampa, or pine-caterpillar[205]
34.On the Sea-hare[ib.]
35.On the Red Toad or marsh frog[206]
36.On Leeches[207]
37.On the Chamæleon[208]
38.On Henbane[209]
39.On Coriander[210]
40.On Psyllium, or Fleawort[211]
41.On Conium, or Hemlock[ib.]
42.On the juice of the Poppy[213]
43.On the juice of the Carpesia[218]
44.On Mandragora, or Mandrake[ib.]
45.On Aconitum, or Wolfsbane[220]
46.On Ixia[221]
47.On Ephemeron, or Meadow Saffron[222]
48.On the Smilax, or Yew[223]
49.On the Strychnos Furiosa, called Dorycnium, by some[224]
50.On the Sardonian Herb[225]
51.On the horned Poppy[226]
52.On Pharicum[ib.]
53.On Toxicum[227]
54.On Mushrooms[228]
55.On Bulls’ Blood[230]
56.On coagulated Milk[231]
57.On Heraclean Honey[232]
58.On Gypsum[233]
59.On Ceruse[234]
60.On Lime, Sandarach, and Arsenic[235]
61.On Litharge[236]
62.On Lead[237]
63.On Mercury[238]
64.On white Hellebore, Thapsia, Elaterium, black Agaric, wild Rue, Gith, and the Down of the Cactos[239]
65.On domestic articles, such as Wine and cold Water[243]
[APPENDIX TO THE FIFTH BOOK.]
On feigned Diseases, and the Detection of them[244]
On professional Impostors[245]
[SIXTH BOOK.]
1.Preface to the Surgical part[247]
2.On burning of the Head for Ophthalmia, Dyspnœa, and Elephantiasis[248]
3.On Hydrocephalus[250]
4.On Arteriotomy[253]
5.On Angiology, or section of the temporal vessels, and on burning the same[254]
6.On Hypospathismus[256]
7.On Periscyphismus[258]
8.On suture of the upper Eyelid, and other modes of operating for Trichiasis[259]
9.On burning of the Eyelids by medicines[264]
10.On Lagophthalmos, or Hare-eye[265]
11.On the suture of the under Eyelid, and the burning of it by medicines[266]
12.On Ectropion, or eversion of the lower Eyelid[267]
13.On Anabrochismus and burning with iron[269]
14.On Hydatids[270]
15.On adhesion of the Eyelids[272]
16.On Chalazia, or tumours resembling hailstones[273]
17.On Acrochordion and Encanthis[274]
18.On Pterygia[275]
19.On Staphyloma[277]
20.On Hypopyon of the eye[278]
21.On Cataracts[279]
22.On Ægilops, or fistula lachrymalis[284]
23.On imperforate Meatus Auditorius[286]
24.On substances that have fallen into the meatus auditorius[287]
25.On Polypus[289]
26.On Maimed Parts[292]
27.On Epulis and Parulis[ib.]
28.On the Extraction of Teeth[294]
29.On constriction of the Tongue, or tongue-tied persons[295]
30.On Antiades, or indurated tonsils[297]
31.On the Uva[298]
32.On thorny substances fixed in the pharynx[300]
33.On Laryngotomy[301]
34.On Abscess[303]
35.On Strumæ, or scrofulous glands[307]
36.On Steatoma, Atheroma, and Meliceris[309]
37.On Aneurism[310]
38.On Bronchocele[314]
39.On Ganglion[315]
40.On Venesection[316]
41.On Cupping[324]
42.On burning the Armpit[328]
43.On preternatural fingers, and on persons having six fingers[329]
44.On the operation of burning for Empyema[330]
45.On Cancer[332]
46.On male breasts resembling the female[334]
47.On burning over the Liver[335]
48.On burning over the Spleen[336]
49.On burning over the Stomach[ib.]
50.On Dropsies[337]
51.On Exomphalos, or Prolapsus of the Navel[340]
52.On Wounds of the Peritoneum, and on falling down of the Intestine or Omentum, where Gastroraphé also is described: from the Works of Galen[342]
53.On Deficiency of the Prepuce[346]
54.On Hypospadiæum, or imperforate Glans Penis[347]
55.On Phimus, or Phimosis[ib.]
56.On Adhesion of the Prepuce to the Glans[349]
57.On Circumcision[ib.]
58.Of Thymi on the Penis[350]
59.On Catheterism, and Injection of the Bladder[351]
60.On Calculus[354]
61.On the Parts about the Testicles[363]
62.On Hydrocele[365]
63.On Sarcocele and Tophi of the Testicles[369]
64.On Cirsocele and Pneumatocele[370]
65.On Enterocele, or Intestinal Hernia[372]
66.On Bubonocele, or Inguinal Hernia[377]
67.On Rhacosis, or Relaxation of the Scrotum[379]
68.On Castration[ib.]
69.On Hermaphrodites[381]
70.On Extirpation of the Nympha and Cauda Pudendi[ib.]
71.On Thymi, Condylomata, and Hemorrhoids about the Female Parts of Generation[382]
72.On Imperforate Pudendum and Phimus[383]
73.On Abscess of the Womb[385]
74.On Embryulcia and Embryotomy[387]
75.On Retention of the Secundines[392]
76.On burning the Hips[394]
77.On Fistulæ and Favi[396]
78.On Fistulæ in Ano[399]
79.On Hemorrhoids, or Piles[403]
80.On Condylomata, or Excrescences, and Fissures[405]
81.On Imperforate Anus[ib.]
82.On the Excision of Varices[406]
83.On the Dracunculi, or Guinea-Worms[409]
84.On Amputation of the Extremities[ib.]
85.On Pterygia about the Nails[414]
86.On a bruised Nail[415]
87.On Clavi, Myrmecia, and Acrochordones[416]
88.On the Extraction of Weapons[418]
89.On Fractures and their Differences[427]
90.On Fractures of the Bones of the Head[429]
91.On Fracture and Contusion of the Nose[443]
92.On Fracture of the Lower Jaw, and Contusion of the Ear[445]
93.On Fracture of the Clavicle[447]
94.On Fracture of the Scapula[450]
95.On Fracture of the Breast-Bone[451]
96.On Fracture of the Ribs[452]
97.On Fracture of the Bones of the Loins and Pubes[454]
98.On Fracture of the Vertebræ, Spine of the Back, and Os Sacrum[455]
99.On Fracture of the Arm[464]
100.On Fracture of the Ulna and Radius[464]
101.On Fracture of the Hand and its Fingers[465]
102.On Fracture of the Thigh[466]
103.On Fracture of the Patella[468]
104.On Fracture of the Leg[469]
105.On Fracture of the Foot[470]
106.On the Arrangement of the Limb[ib.]
107.On Fractures complicated with a Wound[472]
108.On the redundant Callus of Fractures[476]
109.On Distortion from the Union by Callus[ib.]
110.On Bones which have not united by Callus[477]
111.On Luxations[478]
112.On Dislocations of the Lower Jaw[479]
113.On Dislocations of the Clavicle and Acromion[482]
114.On Dislocation at the Shoulder[484]
115.On Dislocation of the Elbow[489]
116.On Dislocations at the Wrist and Fingers[492]
117.On Dislocations of the Vertebræ of the Spine[493]
118.On Dislocation at the Hip-Joint[498]
119.On Dislocation at the Knee[505]
120.On Dislocation at the Ankle, and also of the Toes[506]
121.On Dislocations with a Wound[509]
122.On Dislocation complicated with Fracture[510]

PAULUS ÆGINETA.

BOOK FOURTH.

SECT. I.—ON ELEPHANTIASIS.

Well, in my opinion, did Aretæus the Cappadocian say, that the power of remedies ought to be greater than those of diseases; and that for this reason elephantiasis is incurable, because it is impossible to find a medicine more powerful than it. For if cancer, which is, as it were, an elephantiasis in a particular part, is ranked among the incurable diseases by Hippocrates himself, how much more is not elephantiasis incurable, which is, as it were, a cancer of the whole body? But the black bile from which this affection is formed, having a double origin, (for it arises either from the melancholic and feculent part, and, as it were, dregs of the blood, or from yellow bile, both being overheated); the first variety of the black bile produces the reddish elephantiasis, which is the more mild, or to speak more truly, less malignant variety; the others which are more malignant, being accompanied with ulceration of the whole body and falling off of the extremities, are produced by the latter variety, or that from yellow bile overheated. Wherefore, those who are already overpowered by the disease, must be abandoned; but when the affection is in its commencement, so as that none of the extremities has fallen off, nor the surface of the body become ulcerated, nor the hard swellings appeared, and the face merely appears foul, but not altogether unseemly, we must attempt the cure. For not a few, by merely burning the head, have prevented many who were beginning to be affected from being overpowered by this disease. Wherefore, at the commencement of the disorder, we must have recourse to venesection repeatedly, more especially if in spring, when the complaint is most apt to occur, and has its exacerbations. After an interval of a few days, say nine or ten, we may purge them with the pottage of colocynth, not once only but frequently, proportioning the dose of the medicine to its strength. Purging with hiera also suits well with them. After the interval of about ten days again, we must give them the vinegar of divided milk, not in less quantity than three heminæ, nor in greater than five, and on the following days they are to be supported with milk that is not divided into parts, or new-drawn milk; by which means, if the affection yield, the same food may be continued; but if it remains in the same state, after eating acrid things, they must be made to vomit with radishes and frumentaceous articles of food. After these things, purging with white hellebore is proper, twice if possible when in spring, but once only if in autumn. Those, however, who are thoroughly overpowered by the complaint, must be neither bled nor put on a course of hellebore. For neither can a translation of the disease from the superficies to the inner parts, nor a diminution of the offending matter, be any longer accomplished by these means; but the matter is to be determined to the stomach and bowels, and alteratives (metasyncritica), used to dry and constrict the skin. Dry-cupping is also to be applied over the mouth of the stomach and to the hypochondria, and dropaces used to the same places; but after a short interval, the same process is to be repeated, beginning by purging with hiera, and omitting the venesection, which would prove rather deleterious than beneficial. This process is to be repeated three or four times in a year, more especially in the seasons of spring and autumn. The draughts before meals, most suitable for them, are a cyathus of vinegar, with a cyathus of cedria, and two cyathi of the juice of unripe cabbage—they are given mixed together, morning and evening; or, the dried leaves of the herb ironwort, to the amount of a drachm in one cyathus of wine; or, a drachm of hartshorn and a cyathus of the vinegar of squills, is given after the morning walk every day; and other things are to be administered at the same season, such as drs. v of washed squills in honied water, or in honey, as a linctus; or Cyrenaic juice, to the amount of a bitter vetch, mixed with honey and butter; or, dr. ss of the shavings of hartshorn, with two cyathi of wine; or, drs. iij of Æthiopian cumin, with honey, as a linctus. But a more suitable remedy is a drachm of the theriac trochisk, triturated in a cyathus of fine wine, and drunk; and a drachm of the trochisk of squills may in like manner be taken in a draught. And they praise the juice of calamint as a most effectual remedy when drunk, and say that the dose to commence with is three cyathi, which may be increased to six. But of all others the theriac of vipers is the most effectual remedy, both in a draught and when rubbed in externally. But where plenty of these animals can be procured, nothing answers so well as eating the flesh of the vipers boiled in white broth, with much water, salts, leeks, and dill, to the separation of their back-bones, their head and tail being first cut off to the extent of four fingers’ breadth, and their entrails and skin taken away. And theriac salts are in the same celebrity when taken with other food. By using them thus, it happens that the scales, or, as it were, the bark, falls off from the skin.

The regimen is to be as follows: After sleep, having been first rubbed, and the bowels evacuated, let the patient have recourse to gestation and vociferation, then to friction and gymnastic exercises of all kinds, partly by leaping, but more especially by using the halcteres and leather bag. Having wiped off the sweat, let him be rubbed with the grease of a boar, of a wolf, of a goat, or of some winged animal, or with fresh butter; and after a short interval let him bathe, having his body anointed with the juice of fenugreek, of ptisan, or with a little ammoniac dissolved in vinegar. After the bath, having got his body wiped, let him anoint with the oil of lentisk, of wild vine, or of myrtles; and with a little wine, containing alum and ammoniac, so as to be of the thickness of the sordes of baths. Having had his body rubbed again with soft rags, let him rest for half an hour, after which, having drunk water, let him make himself vomit by putting his fingers or a feather down his throat. Having vomited, let him drink the wine of wormwood or of marjoram. The food should be barley bread, or a cake of dried barley flour, and of potherbs, the beet, the lettuce, the radish, leeks, and cabbage sweetened in two waters, and capers. Of sea animals, he may take oysters, pelorides, urchin, all shell fishes, limpets boiled with beets, and old pickle in place of medicine. But let him abstain from wine during the whole continuance of the complaint, and from venery; only he may take a little thin watery wine at the time of his recovery from the purging, at which season all acrid substances must be abstained from, except condiments. Give him ptisan, eggs and chondrus, milk and honey, with bread, mallows, dock, skirret, and fishes with tender flesh; and of fowls, those which contain wholesome juices; and of fruits, the fig, grape, and raisins: but of sweetmeats, those which are prepared from pine kernels, toasted almonds, or bastard saffron. He may take food twice a day, as it is injurious to subsist upon one meal. After taking care of the internal parts, let him use detergent ointments (smegmata) in the bath, from the decoction of beet, or of fenugreek with aphronitrum, soap, or myrobolan, and sometimes apply depilatories. Purslain triturated with vinegar is detergent and also the slender houseleek, and the roots of dock boiled in vinegar, and alum with salts, and red arsenic in equal proportions with wine and oil of lentisk. Also the composition for alphos, consisting of alcyonium, nitre, myrtle, sulphur, and the dried leaves of the wild fig, being rubbed in dry with vinegar; and that from the burnt shell of the cuttle-fish, and pumice, nitre, and burnt Cimolian earth, gum, unripe galls in equal quantity, sprinkled dry, or rubbed in with vinegar. And this one is admirable: Of the roots of dock a bunch to the amount of a handful, of natron, dr. xl; of frankincense, dr. xxv; of sulphur, dr. xxv; it is rubbed in with Egyptian vinegar. And this one is efficacious: Of arsenic, dr. x; of sulphur vivum, dr. viii; of costus, dr. xii; of quicklime, dr. iv; of wax, dr. iv; of dried bay berries, dr. xii; these things are mixed with the juice of white poplar leaves, or with a thick decoction, and they are rubbed in, having the consistence of honey.—Another: Two fasciculi of the roots of dock are to be boiled in vinegar, pounded in a mortar and triturated, then of alcyonium, lb. j; of aphronitrum, oz. viij; of sulphur vivum, lb. j; of the burnt shells of cockles, oz. iv; of chamæleon with its roots, oz. iv; these things are pounded together until they are of the consistence of the sordes of the baths, and are then rubbed in often in the sun, if summer, but if winter, in the bath, until it occasions sweating. And the dry smegma of Æsculapius would agree excellently with these cases, and all the smegmata about to be described, even unto those for alphos, and also those now mentioned, are applicable for those complaints. And the tumid excrescences, whether inflammatory or ulcerous, are to be rubbed with Indian buckthorn: or horned poppy, or aloe, or the Andronian trochisk, or that of Polyides; and let cataplasms be applied of chondrus with the juice of knot-grass or plantain; or of pellitory of the wall, triturated; and the leaves of the green Melisian herb, when pounded with axunge and applied, are wonderfully efficacious, for they redden the parts, but the redness is easily repressed by the application of bread; or of the cerate made from almond oil. By this means their natural colour is restored. When the parts are ulcerated, plasters are suitable: that from diphryges, and the apple one with wine, that called coracium, that made from oxymel, the Andronian trochisk, pompholyx and calamine. It is a symptom that the whole disease is becoming more moderate when the first ulcers are cicatrized. For the dyspnœa of persons labouring under elephantiasis give a draught of five or six slaters in three cyathi of honied water. And some of the general remedies described for dyspnœa will be applicable for them. Of the natural baths we must select, as being most particularly useful, the aluminous and chalybeate, and if possible, such as are cold. It is also particularly serviceable to drink them. And the use of the sand of the sea-shore has the same effect, and so have all the sudorifics. But since this affection is one of those which are easily communicable, no less so than the plague, they are to be removed as far as possible from cities, and lodged in inland and cold situations, where there are few inhabitants, if this can be accomplished; for so they may descend from thence to surrounding places. This is proper partly on their own account and also on account of those whom they might come in contact with. For they themselves will thus enjoy the use of a more commodious air, and they will not communicate the evil to others.

Commentary. Consult Lucretius (vi, 1112); Celsus (iii, 25); Pliny (Hist. Nat. xxvi, 5); Scribonius Largus (102); Cælius Aurelianus (Pass. Tard. iv, 1); Marcellus (De Med. xix); Serenus Samonicus (11); Octavius Horatianus (i, 32); Isidorus (Orig. iv, 8); Vegetius (Mulom. i, 9); Aretæus (Curat. Morb. Chron. ii, 13); Plutarch (Symp. viii, Quest. 9); Galen (ad Glauc. ii, 10; de Causis Morb. 7); Oribasius (Morb. Curat. iii, 62; Synops. vii, 5); Pseudo Dioscorides (Euporist. i, 105); Aëtius (xiii, 120); Actuarius (Meth. Med. ii, 11, and iv, 15); Nonnus (Epit. 233); Psellus (op. medicum); Leo (vii); Myrepsus (De Med. comp.); Avicenna (iv, 3, 3, 1); Serapion (v, 14); Avenzoar (ii, 7, 12, 26); Albucasis (Chirurg. i, 49); Haly Abbas (Theor. viii, 15, Pract. iv, 3, ix, 69); Alsaharavius (Pract. xxxi, 2); Rhases (ad Mansor, v, 35, ix, 93, Contin. xxxv, 26.)

We owe the earliest notice which we have of this disease to the poet Lucretius, who briefly mentions it in the following lines: