Of Medicine, in Eight Books

by Aulus Cornelius Celsus

Now the remedy, unless there be some contra-indication, is letting of blood. Nor is that sufficient; but goat’s milk must be given warm to the patient fasting, and if he has no fever, his belly must be opened[(12)]; and sometimes purged; and sometimes a clyster must be given, by which means the body being extenuated, the patient begins to breathe more freely. The head also ought to be placed high on the bed, and the thorax assisted with fomentations, and hot cataplasms, either dry or moist; and after that a malagma applied, or a cerate of the cyprine ointment, or that of iris. Then the patient must drink fasting either hydromel, or a decoction of hyssop, or bruised caper-roots in water. It is proper also to give nitre, or cresses, or garlick, toasted, and then ground and mixed with honey: another medicine is thus prepared, honey, galbanum, resin, and turpentine are boiled up together: and when they have come to a consistence, the bigness of a bean is put every day in the mouth, and suffered to lie under the tongue, till it be dissolved: or p. *. & a quadrans of crude sulphur, and p. *. of southernwood are powdered, and mixed in a cyathus of wine, and that is supped warm. And it is not an idle opinion, that a fox’s liver dried ought to be beat, and the powder of it sprinkled upon the drink; or that the lungs of the same animal should be eaten roasted as soon as possible after he is killed, but nothing of iron used in the dressing. Besides these, gruels and light food must be used, sometimes also small austere wine, and sometimes a vomit taken. Whatever is diuretic, is also good; but nothing more so, than walking slowly almost to lassitude, much friction, especially of the lower parts, either in the sun or at the fire, and both by the patient himself and by others, till he sweat.

Of an ulcer in the fauces.

In the internal part of the fauces there sometimes happens an exulceration. In this case most people make use of hot cataplasms externally, and moist fomentations. They advise also the warm vapour to be received by the mouth: by which, others say these parts are rendered softer, and more fit to afford entertainment to the disorder, that already possesses them. But if the distemper can be prevented by these methods, those remedies are safe: if there is reason to fear it is already begun, they are improper. It is undoubtedly dangerous to rub the fauces, for it ulcerates them. Neither are diuretics good: because as they pass, they may possibly attenuate the phlegm of the part affected, which it is better to repel.

Asclepiades, to whom we are indebted for many useful discoveries, in which I have also followed him, recommends the sipping of very strong vinegar, and asserts, that this without any danger suppresses the ulcers. That may possibly prevent a flux of blood, but cannot heal the ulcers. A more proper application is lycium[(13)], which the same author also equally approves; or the juice of leek, or horehound, or sweet almonds rubbed with tragacanth, and mixed with passum, or lint-seed bruised, and mixed with sweet wine. The exercise also of walking and running is necessary. And smart friction is to be used from the breast downwards to all the inferior parts.

The food ought to be neither too acrid, nor rough: honey, lentils, tragum, milk, ptisan, fat flesh, and especially leeks, and whatever is mixed with the latter. The drink ought to be as little as possible, water may be given, either pure, or boiled to a decoction with a quince or dates. Also mild gargarisms: but if these are not successful, repellent ones are good.

This disease is not acute, and yet may not continue long: but requires a speedy cure, lest it turn very severe and tedious.

Of a cough.

A cough, which is contracted in many different ways, is generally a troublesome concomitant of an exulceration of the fauces; and in this case, when the fauces are cured, the cough ceases. Yet it is sometimes found by itself without any other distemper: and when it becomes inveterate, it is hardly possible to remove it entirely. And sometimes it is dry, sometimes it either generates or discharges phlegm.

In this it is proper to drink hyssop every other day; to keep in the breath and run, but by no means in dusty places; and to read aloud, which at first is obstructed by the cough, but afterwards overcomes it; then to walk; then to use also those exercises that employ the hands, and to rub the breast for a long time: after these to eat three ounces of the mellowest figs stewed over the fire.

Besides if it be moist, strong frictions are good with some heating medicines, the head being briskly rubbed at the same time; also cucurbitals used to the breast, mustard applied to the external part of the fauces, till it be a little ulcerated; the drink may be prepared from mint, and sweet almonds, and starch; and beginning with dry bread he may proceed to any other light food.