Note 199 — Second Part. (continued 3)

Very possibly in many cases these affections of the extremities and genital organs owed their existence to anthrax or carbuncle; for not only does Hippocrates (p. 487.) say that ἄνθρακες πολλοὶ κατὰ θέρος καὶ ἄλλα ἃ σὴψ καλέεται (many cases of malignant pustule in Summer-time, as well as other complaints known under the general name of putrefaction) appeared under these meteorological conditions, but Galen likewise (Method. med. bk. XIV., edit. Kühn Vol. X. p. 980.) observed an anthrax epidemic in Asia, that itself began with numerous phlyctaenae (blisterous swellings) resembling millet seeds; these subsequently broke and gave rise to an ἕλκος ἐσχαρῶδες (scabby sore). Indeed the destruction of the skin took place even without the previous occurrence of phlyctaenae. πολλάκις δὲ οὐ μία φλύκταινα γεννᾶται κνησαμένων, ἀλλὰ πολλαὶ μικραὶ καθάπερ τινὲς κέγχροι καταπυκνοῦσαι τὸ μέρος ὧν ἐκρηγνυμένων ὁμοίως ἐσχαρῶδες ἕλκος γεννᾶται· κατὰ δὲ τοὺς ἐπιδημήσαντας ἄνθρακας ἐν Ἀσίᾳ καὶ χωρὶς φλυκταινῶν ἐνίοις εὐθέως ἀπεδάρη τὸ δέρμα. (And often not one phlyctaena is originated on patients scratching themselves, but many minute ones like millet seeds, closely covering the affected part; and when these have broken, a kind of scabby sore is produced. And in cases of anthrax (malignant pustule), which was at one time epidemic in Asia, in some patients even without there having been previous phlyctaenae, the skin was immediately destroyed).—Comp. Galen, De tumor. praeternat. Vol. VII. p. 719. Further, this information is in any case of importance for the more correct appreciation of the facts as to the Plague of Athens.