Of Medicine, in Eight Books

by Aulus Cornelius Celsus

In the toothach, a disorder, that may justly be ranked even amongst the greatest torments, the use of wine must be entirely forbid; and at first a total abstinence from food must be observed; afterwards it may be taken sparingly, but soft, lest the teeth be irritated by chewing. Then externally, by means of a sponge, the steam of hot water is to be applied, and a cerate made of cyprine, or iris oil spread upon wool, and the head must also be covered. But if the pain be more severe, a clyster is useful, with hot cataplasms applied to the cheek, as also some medicinal hot liquor held in the mouth, and frequently changed. For which purpose is used a decoction of cinquefoil root in diluted wine; and henbane root, either in vinegar and water, or diluted wine, with the addition of a little salt to either of them; and poppy heads not over dry, and mandrake root prepared in the same manner. But in these three, care must be taken not to swallow what is in the mouth. The bark of the root of white poplar, boiled in diluted wine, does very well for this purpose; or hartshorn shavings in vinegar, and catmint with teda[(12)], and a mellow fig; also a mellow fig, either in mulse or in vinegar and honey, and when the fig is dissolved by boiling, the liquor is strained. A probe also wrapt up in wool is dipped into hot oil; and used to touch the tooth itself. Moreover, something like cataplasms are put into the tooth. For which end the inner part of the shell of an acid and dry pomegranate is powdered, with an equal quantity of galls and pine bark, and with these is mixed minium; which being powdered, are brought to a consistence with rain water; or panaces, poppy tears, hog’s fennel, stavesacre without its seeds, powdered in equal proportions; or three parts of galbanum, and a fourth of poppy tears. Whatever is applied to the teeth, a cerate, such as is directed above, ought, nevertheless, to be kept upon the cheek, and covered with wool. Some also bruise and spread upon linen, myrrh, cardamoms, of each p. i. *. saffron, pellitory, figs, pepper, each p. iv. *. mustard p. viii. *. and apply this to the arm of that side, where the painful tooth is; if it be in the upper jaw, in the part next the scapula; if in the lower, on that next the breast; and this relieves the pain; and when it has given ease, it must be immediately taken away.

Now if the tooth be spoilt, we need not be hasty in extracting it, unless there be a necessity for it; but in such a case, to all the fomentations directed before, must be added some stronger compositions to ease the pain. Such as is that, which contains of poppy tears p. i. *. pepper p. ii. *. sory[(13)] p. x. *. these are powdered and mixed up with galbanum, and put round the affected tooth; or that of Menemachus principally for double teeth, in which are of saffron p. i. *. cardamoms, soot of frankincense, figs, pepper, pellitory, each p. iv. *. mustard p. viii. *. Some mix of pellitory, pepper, elaterium, each p. i. *. scissile allum, poppy tears, stavesacre, crude sulphur, bitumen, bay-berries, mustard, of each p. ii. *. But if the pain make it necessary to take it out, a pepper corn stript of its bark, and in the same manner an ivy berry put into its opening, splits the tooth, so that it comes away in scales. The prickle of the planus fish also (which we call pastinaca, the Greeks trygon) is toasted, then powdered, and mixed with resin, which being put round the tooth loosens it. Scissile alum likewise put into the opening disposes the tooth to come away. But it is more expedient to wrap this in a little wool, and then put it in: because in that way it both preserves the tooth, and eases the pain. These are the prescriptions of physicians; but the experience of our peasants has discovered, that for the toothach the herb horsemint ought to be pulled up by the roots, and put into a bason, and water infused upon it, and that the patient should sit down close by it, covered all over with clothes; and then red hot flints are to be thrown into the bason, so as to be covered with the water, and the patient with his mouth open must receive the vapour, close wrapt up as before directed. For both a plentiful sweat follows, and a continued stream of rheum runs from the mouth, which secures health for a pretty long time, and frequently for a whole year.

CHAP. X. OF THE DISEASES OF THE TONSILS.

If the tonsils swell from an inflammation without an ulcer, the head must be covered as in the last disorder, and the part fomented externally with the vapour of hot water; the patient must walk much; lie in bed with his head raised; and use gargarisms of the repellent medicines. The liquorice root too bruised, and boiled in passum or mulse, has the same effect. And it is not amiss to touch them gently with some medicines, which are made in this manner: the juice is squeezed from a sweet pomegranate, and a sextarius of this is boiled over a gentle fire to the consistence of honey; then saffron, myrrh, scissile alum, of each p. ii. *. are powdered separately, and to these are added gradually two cyathi of mild wine, of honey one; after that, they are mixed with the first mentioned juice; and again gently boiled; or a sextarius of the same juice is boiled in the same way, and the following things powdered in like manner are added to it; of nard p. *. omphacium p. i. *. cinnamon, myrrh, cassia, each p. i. *. And these same compositions are proper both for purulent ears and nostrils. The food in this disorder also ought to be mild, lest it exasperate the inflammation.

But if the inflammation is so great as to obstruct the breath, the patient must rest in bed, abstain from eating, and take nothing else but warm water: a clyster must also be given, and a gargarism used of figs and mulse; and the part touched with honey and omphacium. Externally the hot vapour must be applied, but for a longer time, till they suppurate and break of themselves. If pus is contained within, and the tumours do not break, they must be cut. Afterwards the patient must gargle with warm mulse.

But if with an inconsiderable swelling there is an ulceration, for a gargarism there must be added to the cream of bran a little honey, and the ulcers are to be anointed with the following medicines: three cyathi of the sweetest passum are boiled into one; then is added of frankincense p. i. *. saffron, myrrh, each p. *. and the whole is set upon the fire again, till it boil. When the ulcers are clean, he must gargle with the same cream of bran, or with milk. And in this case also a mild diet is necessary; to which may be added sweet wine.

CHAP. XI. OF ULCERS OF THE MOUTH.

Ulcers of the mouth, if they be attended with an inflammation, and are foul and red, are best treated by the medicines prepared from pomegranates mentioned before. And a repellent cream, with the addition of a little honey, is to be held in the mouth often; the patient must walk, and avoid all acrid food. When the ulcers begin to be clean, a mild liquor, and sometimes the best water is to be kept in the mouth: and the use of wine undiluted does service, also a fuller diet, provided it be not at all acrid. The ulcers ought to be sprinkled with scissile allum, and a little more than half its quantity of unripe galls.

If they are already covered with crusts, such as we find in burns, the compositions which the Greeks call antherae[ GI ] are to be applied. These contain of long cyperus, myrrh, sandarach, allum, equal parts; or, of saffron, myrrh, each p. ii. *. iris, scissile allum, sandarach, each p. iv. *. long cyperus p. viii. *. Or, of galls, myrrh, each p. ii. *. scissile allum p. ii. *. rose leaves, p. iv. *. But some mix together of saffron p. *. scissile allum, myrrh, each p. i. *. sandarach p. ii. *. long cyperus p. iv. *. The former are sprinkled on dry; the last is applied with honey; and not only to these ulcers, but to the tonsils also.

But those ulcers, which the Greek call aphthae, are by far the most dangerous; that is, in children; for they often kill them: in men and women there is not the same danger. They begin at the gums, next possess the palate, and the whole mouth; then descend to the uvula and fauces. When these are affected, it is not easy for the child to recover. And the case is more deplorable, if the infant is yet sucking; because it is more difficult to apply any remedy. But in the first place the nurse must be obliged to exercise by walking and such employments as move the superior parts; she must be sent to the bath, and ordered to pour warm water there over her breasts; next, her food must be mild, and such as is not easily corrupted; and if the child have a fever, she must drink water; if not, diluted wine. And if the nurse is costive, she must have a clyster; if phlegm collects in her mouth, a vomit. Then for the infant, the ulcers must be anointed with honey, to which is added that kind of rhus[(14)], which is called Syrian, or bitter almonds; or with a mixture of dry rose leaves, pine kernels, and mint incorporated with honey; or that medicine may be used, which is made up with mulberries; the juice of which is boiled in the same manner as that of the pomegranate to the consistence of honey; and in the same way, saffron, myrrh, allum, wine and honey are mixed with it. Nor is any thing to be given, which may provoke the discharge of humour. If the child is come to more strength, he ought to gargle with such mixtures, as have been mentioned before. And if the milder medicines do but little service here, such are to be used, as by their caustic quality may cover the ulcers with crusts. The scissile allum is powerful, or chalcitis, or copperas. Fasting too, in as great a degree as the patient can bear, does service. The food ought to be mild; however to cleanse the ulcers, it is proper to give sometimes cheese spread with honey.