For promoting a suppuration there is nothing better than that, which is very quickly prepared, and by the Greeks is called tetrapharmacum[ EA ]. It contains equal parts of wax, pitch, resin, and beef suet; if the last cannot be had, veal suet.
10.
Ennea pharmacum.
There is another for the same intention, which is called ennea pharmacum[ EB ], which cleanses more; it consists of nine ingredients, wax, honey, suet, resin, myrrh, rose oil, marrow either of a deer or calf, or beef, or œsypum[(47)], and butter. These also are mixed in equal quantities.
But there are some plaisters, that answer both these intentions at once; which, unless the case requires distinct applications for each, are preferable; otherwise they are worse, and never to be made use of, but either when both intentions are proposed together, or when, though the plaisters are wanted singly, they are not to be had by themselves. But where there is choice, they are to be rejected, and such only applied as are peculiarly suited to the end to be obtained. For example I will mention two.
11.
Attallum plaister.
There is then the Attalum plaister for wounds: which contains of copper scales p. vii. *. soot of frankincense p. xv. *. ammoniacum as much, liquid turpentine resin p. xxv. *. beef suet the same quantity, three heminæ of vinegar, a sextarius of oil.
12.
Judæus’s plaister.
But amongst those, which are proper for a fractured skull, some use that, which is said to be invented by Judæus. It consists of the following ingredients: salt p. iv. *. red copper scales, calcined copper, each p. xii. *. ammoniacum thymiama, soot of frankincense, dry resin, each p. vi. *. Colophonian resin, wax, veal suet cured, each p. xx. *. a cyathus and half of vinegar is added, and less than a cyathus of oil. What the Greeks call tetherapeumena[ EC ], we call curata, cured; when for instance from the suet all the little membranes are carefully taken away, and so in any other medicine.
13.
Diadaphnidon.