Galen, speaking of cancer, says, ‘Some use heated razor blades (ξυραφίοις), at once cutting and burning’ (xiv. 786).
Trident Cautery.
For forming issues over the spleen Paul (VI. xlviii) says:
‘Some pick up the skin with hooks and push through it a long cautery, and repeat this three times so that there are six eschars. Marcellus, however, by using the instrument called a trident or trident-shaped cautery (τριαίνῃ ἢ τριαινοειδεῖ καυτηρίῳ), formed six eschars at one application.’
Vulpes describes an instrument of bronze which he considers to be a trident-shaped cautery. It was found along side an instrument which I take to be a phlebotome. If it is for the purpose described above by Paul it is unusual in being of bronze, and it must have lost a good part of its teeth.
Olivary Cautery.
Greek, πυρηνοειδὲς καυτήριον.
Malignant polypus of the nose is removed, says Paul (VI. xxv), with olivary pointed cauteries (πυρηνοειδὲς καυτήριον); and again, quoting Leonidas, he says empyema may be opened in the same way (VI. xliv).
The special cautery which was used for ‘aegilops’ (fistula lachrymalis) was probably an olivary pointed cautery, as the cautery recommended by both Scultetus and Paré for this is an olivary pointed one. Paul (VI. xxii) says, ‘Some after excision of the flesh use a perforator, and make a passage for the fluid or matter to the nose, but we are content with burning alone, using the cauteries for fistula lachrymalis (αἰγιλωπικοῖς καυτηρίοις) and burning down till a lamina of bone exfoliates.’
Gamma-shaped Cautery.