Of Medicine, in Eight Books

by Aulus Cornelius Celsus

The last remedy is to inject by way of clyster[(23)] the cream either of ptisan or alica, for that also will support the strength. Nor is it amiss to hold something refreshing, such as rose oil and wine, to the nose of the person, when he is restless and hot: and if there is any coldness in the extremities, to cherish them with hands anointed and warm. By which means if we have been able to gain these points, that the violence of the sweat abates, and life is prolonged, time itself now begins to work a cure. When he seems to be out of danger, yet we must be cautious, that he do not relapse quickly into the same weakness. Therefore omitting only the wine, he ought every day to take more substantial food, till his body recover sufficient strength.

CHAP. XX. OF THE LETHARGY, AND ITS CURE.

There is also another distemper, which in a different way is opposite to the phrenitic one. In phrensies sleep is hardly obtained, there is a disposition to fool-hardy enterprises: in this there is a languor, and an almost invincible necessity of sleeping. The Greeks call it lethargus[ BI ]. This too is of the acute kind, and unless it is cured, kills quickly.

Therefore some endeavour to rouse such patients by holding to their nose those things, which provoke sneezings, and such as excite by their offensive smell; for instance, burnt pitch, sordid wool, pepper, hellebore, castor, vinegar, garlick, onion. They also burn galbanum by them, or hartshorn; if this is not to be got, any other horn; for when these are burnt, they stimulate by their offensive smell.

But a certain author, Tharrias, affirmed, that this disposition to sleep is concomitant upon a febrile paroxysm, and that it abates, when the latter is gone off: and therefore that such practitioners, as rouse them frequently, give them unnecessary pain. Now it makes a considerable difference whether the patient awakes upon the termination of the fit, or whether the weight of sleep oppresses him, when the fever is abating, or even after its going off. For if he awakes, it is needless to treat him as one asleep: for he is not made better by being awake; but if he be better, he will keep awake of himself. If his sleep is continual, he must in such a case be roused; but at those times, when the fever is lowest, that he may discharge somewhat, and take food. Cold water suddenly poured on excites more powerfully than any thing. After the remission therefore the whole body must be anointed over with a great quantity of oil, and three or four amphorae of water must be poured upon the head, so as to stream over all the body. But this we shall make use of, if the patient’s breathing be equal, if the præcordia be soft. But if the case shall be different, the other remedies are preferable, which were mentioned before. And as to the sleep, this method is the most suitable.

With regard to the cure of the distemper, the head must be shaved; then fomented with a decoction of bay-leaves, or of rue in vinegar and water. And the day after, castor must be applied, or rue bruised with vinegar, or bay-berries, or ivy with rose-oil and vinegar. And mustard is of singular use, both held to the nostrils in rouzing the patient, and if applied to the top of the head or forehead, in removing the distemper itself. Gestation is also useful in this distemper, and especially food seasonably given, that is, in the greatest remission, that can be found. Now gruel is most proper till the distemper begins to decline. And if every day there is a severe fit, this may be given daily: if every other day, gruel after the most severe; after the milder hydromel. Wine also given with seasonable food is of no small use.

But if such a torpor has come after long fevers, all the other rules are to be observed: but three or four hours before the fit, if the belly be bound, castor with a mixture of scammony must be given; if that is not the case, castor alone must be given with water. If the præcordia are soft, the diet must be pretty full; if hard, we must keep to the gruels above-mentioned; something being applied to the præcordia, which can at once repel and soften.

CHAP. XXI. OF THE SEVERAL SPECIES OF THE DROPSY AND THEIR CURE.

The foregoing is an acute distemper; but the case of those, who are troubled with water under the skin, may turn to a chronical disease: for unless it is speedily cured, such patients fall into what the Greeks call hydrops[ BJ ] (dropsy). There are three species of it; for at times the belly is very tense, and there is a frequent rumbling within from the motion of the air: sometimes the surface of the body is unequal, with tumours of different sizes rising over the whole: sometimes water is confined within the abdomen, and upon the body’s being moved, it moves in such a manner, that the course of it may be seen. The first the Greeks call tympanites[ BK ]; the second leucophlegmatia, or hyposarca[ BL ]; the third ascites[ BM ]. An excess of moisture however is common to them all: for which reason ulcers in such patients are not easily healed. This disease often begins of itself; and often succeeds another distemper of long standing, and especially a quartan.