Of Medicine, in Eight Books

by Aulus Cornelius Celsus

Whether it has yielded to the latter method, or has never resisted, ulcers will be found, either in the inner part[(15)] of the prepuce, or in the glans, or in the penis beyond that; which must, of necessity, be either clean and dry, or humid and purulent. If they be dry, they must be first fomented with hot water; then lycium, with wine applied, or oil lees boiled with the same, or rose oil with butter. If there is a thin humour in them, they must be washed with wine; then a little honey and oil of roses with butter, and a fourth part of turpentine resin must be used. But if pus is discharged from them, first of all they ought to be washed with warm mulse; after which is applied of pepper p. i. *. myrrh p. ii. *. saffron, calcined milsy, each p. ii. *. which are boiled with a rough wine, to the consistence of honey. The same composition is also proper for the tonsils, a moist uvula, and ulcers of the nostrils and mouth. Another for the same purpose: of pepper p. i. *. myrrh p. i. *. saffron p. ii *. milsy p. i. *. calcined copper p. ii. *. which are first rubbed down with a rough wine, then when they have grown dry, they are again rubbed with three cyathi of passum, and boiled to the consistence of viscum. Verdigrease too, with boiled honey, and those compositions, which were mentioned before, for ulcers of the mouth, cure these. But the composition of Erasistratus, or Crato, is a proper application for purulent ulcers of the parts of generation. Olive leaves also are boiled in nine cyathi of wine[(16)], and to these are added of scissile allum p. iv. *. lycium p. viii. *. honey a cyathus and half; and if the quantity of pus be pretty great, this medicine is diluted with honey; if small, with wine. This is a constant rule; after dressing, while the inflammation continues, to apply over it such a cataplasm, as before directed, and to dress the ulcers every day in the same manner. But if pus begins to be discharged in a great quantity, and is fetid, the ulcer ought to be washed with cream of lentils, with the addition of a little honey, or a decoction of olive, or mastich leaves; or a decoction of horehound used in the like manner with honey. And the same dressings must be applied; or else omphacium with honey; or that composition for the ears, which is made of verdigrease and honey; or the composition of Andron; or an anthera, with the addition of a little honey. Some dress all the ulcers, which we have yet mentioned, with lycium and wine.

If the ulcer increases in breadth and deepness, it ought to be washed in the same manner; and either verdigrease, or omphacium with honey, applied; or Andron’s composition; or of horehound, myrrh, saffron, scissile alum calcined, dry rose leaves, galls, each p. i. *. Sinopian minium, p. ii. *. which are first powdered separately; then mixed and rubbed together in honey, till they acquire the consistence of liquid cerate; after which they are boiled in a copper vessel, gently, so as not to boil over; when the drops of it grow hard, the vessel is taken off the fire; and this medicine, as occasion requires, is softened, either with honey or wine. The same composition, by itself, is also good for fistulas.

Sometimes too, the ulcer penetrates to the nerves; and there is a plentiful discharge of humour, and thin sanies and fetid, of no consistence, but like water, in which recent flesh has been washed; there are pains and prickings in the parts. Although this be of the purulent kind, yet it must be cured by mild medicines; such as the tetrapharmacum plaister, liquified with rose oil, and mixed with a little frankincense; or that, which is made of butter, rose oil, resin, and honey, already mentioned. Above all, this ulcer is to be fomented with abundance of warm water, and covered, and not exposed to the cold.

Sometimes also, by these ulcers, the penis under the skin is so consumed, that the glans falls off. In which case, the prepuce itself must be taken off by circumcision. And it is a general rule, whenever the glans, or any part of the penis falls off, or is cut off, that the skin be kept from falling in contact and uniting with the ulcer[(17)], so that it cannot be drawn back afterwards, and perhaps may even obstruct the urinary passage.

Tubercles likewise, which the Greeks call phymata, arise about the glans; which are cauterized either by medicines, or the actual cautery; and when the sloughs cast off, copper scales are sprinkled upon them, to prevent any thing growing there again.

Of a gangrene.

In what we have hitherto described there is still no gangrene; to which, as in the other parts, so more especially here, ulcers are liable. It begins with a blackness. If this seizes the prepuce, a probe must be immediately put under it, and an incision made; then the extremities are to be laid hold of with a vulsella[(18)], and whatever is corrupted must be cut away, and even some of the sound part taken off, and the place cauterized. Whenever any part is burned, the next step is to apply lentils; afterwards, when the sloughs have cast off, the cure is the same with that of common ulcers.

But if a gangrene has seized the penis itself, some of the escharotic medicines must be sprinkled upon it, chiefly that, which is composed of lime, chalcitis, and orpiment. If medicines fail of success, here also whatever is corrupted is to be cut out with a knife, in such a manner as that some of the sound part be taken with it. This rule is as universal as the former, when a gangrened part is cut away, that the wound must be cauterized. But if either by means of medicines, or the actual cautery, the sloughs have grown callous, there is great danger, that when they cast off, a profusion of blood from the penis may follow. Therefore long rest is necessary, and keeping the body almost immoveable, till the sloughs be gently loosened from it in proper time. But if a person either wittingly, or inadvertently, by walking too soon has separated the sloughs, and there ensues a hæmorrhage, cold water must be applied. If that does not prevail, recourse must be had to those medicines, which stop blood. If even these do not relieve, the part must be cauterized carefully and cautiously; and not afterwards exposed to the same danger by any motion whatsoever.