Note (7) — BOOK VII.

7. Loosing this knot. Soluto nodo.) Morgagni[ JP ] here prefers the old reading, salvo nodo, without loosing the knot, for this reason, that our author immediately orders the knot to be loosed every third day, for changing the string. And thus also it is quoted by Aquapendente, De chirurg. operation. cap. 93.—Celsus has here followed Hippocrates, Lib. de fistul. where he orders the string to be drawn and twisted every day, as much as it is loosened by the putrefaction of the fistula; but he says nothing of untying the knot every day. The difference is not material; for if salvo nodo be the reading, the string must be made tighter in the manner Hippocrates directs. According to the reading of Linden, the method is plain, nor does it seem to be attended with any difficulty; for it is untied twice a day to move the ligature; and also untied every third day, for the sake of introducing a fresh ligature, because the old one must not be suffered to rot.