[5.] Cervicalia.) Cervicale was used in a double sense by the Romans, either for a bolster, or a piece of dress resembling the neckcloth.
[6.] And venery, A venere.) It is probable that Almeloveen is wrong in omitting after this a vino, which is in Morgagni’s[ JE ] MS and all his editions especially as a few lines after, our author mentions the condition of allowing wine.
[7.] Nostrils are more open.) In Almeloveen magis pallent. Though the MS and Cæsar and Ruellius read thus, yet it is plain from the text itself that the other editions are right, which have it magis patent; for our author presently adds, in a worse state of the disorder, the contrary symptom: Si nares æque clausæ videntur. Morgagni, Ep, 6. p. 140.
[8.] Aminean wine.) This, says Pliny, has the preference of all other wines, upon account of its strength, and its growing better by age. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. xiv. cap. 2. And thus Virgil says, Georg. 2. line 97.—Sunt et Amineæ vites, fortissima vina.
[9.] Liquid cerate, says Ægineta, such as is used for fractures, is prepared from two parts of oil and one of wax. Lib. vii. cap. 17.
[10.] Syrian oil.) I suppose our author must here mean what was called from its sweetness elæomeli—which Pliny says is produced spontaneously in the maritime parts of Syria. It flows from the trees, fat, thicker than honey, thinner than resin, of a sweet flavour, and is used by the physicians. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. xv. cap. 7.—And to the same purpose Dioscorid. lib i. cap. 37.—To this account P. Ægineta adds, that about two cyathi of this taken in a hemina of water discharge crude and bilious humours by stool; but that this draught is apt to stupefy a person, which, however, is not dangerous, but he would require to be excited. P. Æginet. lib. vii. cap. 3.
[11.] Synanche, or Cynanche.) According to Aretæus, the latter of these names was given to the distemper, either because it was common to dogs, or because these animals, even in health, hang out their tongues. Lib. i. de Caus. et Sign. Morb. Acut. cap. 7.
[12.] His belly must be opened. Si non febrit, venter solvendus est.) This I take to be the general direction; if he has no fever, the intestinal discharge must be promoted—Liquenda alvus, by which I understand the accomplishment of this by diet or medicines, and Interdum etiam ducenda, the use of clysters.
[13.] Lycium or puxacantha, box-thorn, a tree of the thorn-kind. The branches, with the leaves, are bruised and macerated for some days in water, then boiled, and after straining it, is boiled again to the consistence of honey. The best lycium is what will burn. It has an astringent quality. They adulterate it by mixing lees of oil, or the inspissated juice of wormwood or ox-gall in the boiling. Dioscorid. lib. i. cap. 133.
[14.] Frankincense, thus.) It is generally allowed, that what the ancients called thus, goes now under the name of olibanum.