BOOK SEVENTH. (continued 13)

SECT. XII.—ON TROCHISKS, OR TROCHES.

Trochisks are so named from their form. There are three kinds of them. For some of them are to be swallowed, some injected, and some rubbed in. Of those which are swallowed, some are for restraining the belly, or a flow of blood, or any other discharge, by their cooling, astringent, obstruent, or desiccative qualities, such as that from Egyptian thorn, that from seeds, and the like. Some are anodyne, either by deadening the sensibility, such as the saffron, or by dispelling, like those from aromatic substances. Some act as deobstruents on the spleen, kidneys, and liver, such as that from bitter almonds. Of those which are injected, some are for blunting acrimony, as in dysentery, such as those from pompholyx, starch, and Samian earth, injected with the juice of ptisan, or the like. Some act as astringents upon the alvine discharges, or a flow of blood, as those from alum, acacia, and omphacium, such as that of Philip; or that consisting of Egyptian thorn, injected with the juice of roses or of plantain. Those that are caustic agree with spreading dysenteries, being composed of sandarach, arsenic, quicklime, and burnt pepper; but they are to be injected with the juice of lentils or of rice, the intestine being first washed out with salt water, and the patients having eaten and drunk beforehand, so that none of the powers of the medicine may be carried up to the stomach. Those trochisks which are injected prove serviceable principally in affections below the navel, for their power does not reach higher up. Those which are rubbed in are possessed of similar powers to those which are injected. But the astringent ones are applicable in herpes, exanthemata, intertrigo, hemorrhage, and ulcers attended with discharges, such as that of Andron and that of Polyides. Those possessed of blunting powers agree with carbuncle, and ill-conditioned ulcers, such as the white trochisks, and that from lotaria. Those which burn as those mentioned above, like the Faustian, are applicable in spreading ulcers in the pudenda and anus, and for pterygia and sarcomata.

The trochisk aster. Of saffron, of castor, of spikenard, of cassia, of myrrh, of Lemnian earth, of the bark of mandragora, of each, oz. iv; of carrot, of parsley, of anise, of seseli, of the seed of henbane, of storax, of each, dr. viij. Triturate with wine.

The trochisk trigonus. Of the seed of parsley, of the seed of henbane, of each, dr. ij; of anise, dr. viij; of opium, dr. iij. Triturate with water.

The trochisk from seeds. Of anise, of bishop’s weed, of the seed of fennel, of each, dr. iv; of the seed of parsley, of opium, of the seed of henbane, of each, dr. ij. Triturate with water.

The trochisk croceus, or saffron trochisk. Of anise, of the seed of Cretan carrot, of each, dr. iv; of myrrh, of castor, of each, dr. ij; of saffron, of opium, of each, dr. iij; of the seed of parsley, of storax, of each, dr. iv; of the seed of henbane, dr. vj. Triturate with water.

The trochisk from roses. Of acacia, of gum, of the flower of roses, of pomegranate flowers, of the juice of hypocistis, of galls, of each, dr. iij; of the juice of green roses, of the seed of plantain, of each, dr. j; of Indian buckthorn, dr. j.

The trochisk from corallium. Of the seed of henbane, of frankincense, of each, dr. viij; of Samian earth, of corallium, of Sinopic vermilion, of opium, of each, dr. iv; of starch, of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of each, dr. ij. Mix with the juice of knotgrass.

The trochisk from amber. Of fleawort, oz. v; of mastich, oz. iv; of the scrapings of amber, of iris, of saffron, of each, oz. iv; of opium, oz. ij.

The trochisk from Egyptian thorn. Of Egyptian thorn, of sumach, of frankincense, of acacia, of stone-alum, of the juice of hypocistis, of galls, of Lemnian earth, of corallium, of comfrey, of Samian aster, of aloes, of Cretan cistus, equal parts. Mix with wine.

The trochisk which Galen entitles the aphrodisiasticum clidion. Of the flowers of the cultivated pomegranate, of Egyptian thorn, of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of the juice of hypocistis, of acacia, of each, dr. vj; of buckthorn, of Pontic rhubarb, of opium, of each, dr. iv; of myrrh, dr. ij. Mix with myrtle wine, or the decoction of roses or of myrtles.

The clidion of Oribasius, for dysentery and cæliac affection. Of the immature gall, dr. viij; of opium, dr. iv. Form into pills with water, and give three or four.

The trochisk from hartshorn for dysentery and hæmoptysis. Of snails, dr. xij; of burnt hartshorn, of roasted galls, of roasted acacia, of each, dr. v; obol. xij; of black myrtles, dr. xv; of dried opium, of the juice of hypocistis, of each, dr. v; of the œnanthe, dr. v; of the juice of the root of mandragora, of terra aster, of each, dr. xij; of the sumach used for condiments, dr. xiv; of roasted pomegranate rind, dr. vij; of frankincense, dr. viij; of the roasted bark of pine, dr. xiv; of the seed of henbane roasted, dr. x; of the rhus coriaria, sext. ii; of dark-coloured wine, what will be sufficient to boil the sumach until the wine become thick. When it is strained, add the other things, and form the trochisks.

The trochisk of the Amazons. Of the seed of parsley, of anise, of each, dr. vj; of the hair of wormwood, dr. iv; of myrrh, of pepper, of opium, of castor, of each, dr. ij; of cinnamon, dr. vj. Mix with water.

The trochisk from bitter almonds. Of anise, of the seed of parsley, of asarabacca, of bitter almonds, of the hair of wormwood, equal parts; form, with water, trochisks of dr. j each. Give to those who are free from fever in wine and honey, and to those who have fever in water and honey.

The splenic trochisk from heath. Of the fruit of heath, dr. iv; of white pepper, of Syriac nard, of ammoniac perfume, of each, dr. ij. The ammoniac is dissolved in water, and added to the powders, and trochisks are formed containing a drachm each. The dose is one trochisk, with one cyathus of oxymel.

The trochisk from alkakengi. Of the seed of the cultivated cucumber, stripped of its bark, oz. iv; of the seed of henbane, of hemlock, of each, oz. ij; of fennel, of the seed of dock, of saffron, of pine nuts, of bitter almonds, of opium, of each, oz. j; of alkakengi, sext. iij; of wine, q. s.

The trochisk of Philip, for dysentery. Of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of acacia, of the juice of hypocistis, of opium, of sumach, of frankincense, of myrrh, of saffron, of gall, of aloes, of Pontic rhubarb, of the rind of pomegranate, of myrtles, of each, dr. iv. Mix with austere wine, and form into trochisks of three oboli each. Give to those who are free from fever with wine, and to those in fever with hydromel.

The trochisk of Musa. Of alum, of aloes, of myrrh, of copperas (blue vitriol?) of each, oz. iss; of pomegranate rind, of saffron, of crocomagma, of each, dr. vj, in wine.

The preparation of the crocomagma. Of saffron, oz. ij; of roses, of starch, of myrrh, of aloes, of frankincense, of gum, of each, oz. j; of costus, of spikenard, of each, dr. j, in wine. In the prescription for oil of saffron another mode of preparing crocomagma is described.

The trochisk Nerè, from the works of Hera. Of myrrh, of aloes, of saffron, of each, dr. viij; of fissile alum, dr. c. Mix with water.

The sigillum of Polyides. Of fissile alum, dr. iij; of frankincense, dr. iv; of myrrh, dr. viij; of copperas (chalcanthum?), dr. ij; of the flowers of the cultivated pomegranate, dr. xij; of the gall of bulls, dr. vj (others use dr. xvj); of aloes, oz. j. Mix with austere wine.

The trochisk of Pasion. Of squama æris, dr. xij; of burnt copper, of sal ammoniac, of round alum, of scraped verdigris, of frankincense, of each, dr. viij; of wine, q. s.

The trochisk Andronius. Of the flowers of the cultivated pomegranate, dr. x; of myrrh, dr. iv; of galls, dr. viij; of round birthwort, dr. iv; of copperas, of saffron, of fissile alum, of crocomagma, of misy, of frankincense, of each, dr. ij. Triturate with astringent wine or vinegar.

The trochisk of Faustinus. Of arsenic, dr. xij; of sandarach, dr. vj; of quicklime, dr. viij; of burnt paper, dr. j. Mix with the juice or decoction of myrtles; make into trochisks, and inject along with the decoction of myrtles, of lentils, and of the roots of bramble.

The trochisk from paper. Of burnt paper, lb. ij; of quicklime, of arsenic, of sandarach, of each, oz. j. Mix with the juice of plantain.

The trochisk called Thronus Marcellius. Of burnt paper, dr. x; of sandarach, of arsenic, of squama æris, of fissile alum, of each, dr. iv; of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, dr. iij; of opium, dr. ij; of quicklime, dr. iij; of omphacium, dr. j; of the juice of hypocistis, dr. iij. Mix with myrtle wine, and form troches of four drachms each. When you have boiled the pomegranate rind, myrtles, and roses to a third part, give one trochisk, or simply dr. iv to six cyathi of wine.

The trochisk from cork. Of burnt galls, of burnt paper, of burnt cork, of burnt bread, of each, dr. xv. In another prescription there is added of burnt hartshorn, dr. xv; of arsenic, dr. ij; of sandarach, of quicklime, of each, dr. xv; of acacia, of ceruse, of each, dr. v; of litharge, dr. iij. Triturate in wine.

The trochisk Bithynus. Of pomegranate rind, dr. x; of calamine, oz. iij; of birthwort, of galls, of the root of all-heal, of iris, of copperas, of fissile alum, of chalcitis, of misy, of squama æris, of manna (and some also of costus), of each, oz. iss. Mix with vinegar.

The trochisk from castor, for ulcers, spreading sores, and defluxions. Of saffron, of aloes, of frankincense, of each, oz. j; of the flowers of the cultivated pomegranate, of fissile alum, of castor, of manna, of scraped verdigris, of each, oz. j; of sinopic vermilion, lb. j. Mix with old wine.

The trochisk from castor, for colics. Of myrrh, of castor, of each, scr. vj; of saffron, of opium, of each, scr. ix; of anise, of parsley seed, of carrot seed, of each, oz. ss; of the seed of henbane, scr. xviij.

The trochisk from wine and oil, for the fundament and pudendum. Of ceruse, oz. x; of litharge, oz. v; of frankincense, of the dross of lead, of fissile alum, of each, oz. ij. Triturate with wine that does not contain salt water. At the time of using it, mix with wine and rose oil, or wine and myrtle oil.

The trochisk from Phrygian stone, for the pudenda. Take three Phrygian stones burnt and extinguished, and mix the first with butter or rose oil; the second with wine; and the third with honey, to the extent of oz. ij; add, of the flower of roses, oz. iv; of pomegranate rind, oz. j.

The trochisk from lotaria to the fundament and pudendum. Of ceruse, of starch, of glaucium, of saffron, of alum, equal parts. Triturate with the juice of lotaria or wine.

The white trochisk. Of terra aster, oz. iv; of pompholyx, of ceruse, of starch, of each, oz. ij; of opium, scr. iv. Mix with water.

The trochisk from halicacabus, or winter cherry. Of litharge, dr. xxiv; of ceruse, dr. xij or xxj; of winter cherry, dr. viij; of copperas (chalcanthum), dr. iv; of fissile alum, dr. iv; of vermilion enough to give it colour. Mix with water.

The trochisk from the two hellebores, and also from the two acacias. Of the black and of the yellow acacia, of artificer’s glue (in another prescription of fish-glue), of each, oz. iv; of ammoniac perfume, of glaucium, of aloes, of each, oz. ij; of male frankincense, of black and of white hellebore, of each, oz. j. Mix with vinegar of squills, and at the time of using it dissolve either in the same or in common vinegar, and anoint before and after the bath.

The trochisk Criogenes. Of myrrh, of burnt copper, of round birthwort, of scraped verdigris, of the squama stomomatis, of the straight vervain, of round alum, of each, oz. j; of vinegar, q. s. The vervain is to be gathered when the sun is in Aries. It may be made into a plaster thus: take of the trochisk, of wax, of Colophonian rosin, of oil, equal parts; of vinegar what will be sufficient for the trituration of the trochisk.

The trochisk melanchlorus, or black-coloured. Of myrrh, of aloes, of burnt squama æris, of arsenic, of fissile alum, and of round alum, of iris, of chalcitis, of misy, of fossil salt, of copperas, of ceruse, of natron, of litharge, of the root of all-heal, of calamine, of pomegranate rind, of galls, of round birthwort, of the squama stomomatis, of scraped verdigris, of each, oz. j; of vinegar, q. s. It is formed into a plaster thus: of the trochisk, oz. ij; of Colophonian rosin, of wax, of oil, of each, oz. vj; of vinegar, what will be sufficient for the trituration of the trochisk.

The trochisk pantolmius, for chironian and malignant ulcers, and for discharges. Of cassia, of burnt copper, of ceruse, of litharge, of scraped verdigris, of fissile alum, and of round, and of liquid, and of the plinthitic alum, of the root of all-heal, of the long and of the round birthwort, of pomegranate rind, of copperas, of purslain, of the iris called astragalitis, of chalcitis, of misy, of ammoniac perfume, of sal ammoniac, of verdigris, of iron, of squama æris, of aloes, of diphryges, of frankincense, of galls, of sarcocolla, of burnt lead, of olive leaves, of sori, of myrrh, of liquid melanteria, of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of the Egyptian thorn, of sulphur which has not been touched with the fire, of natron, of red sumach, of Syriac sumach, of chrysocolla, of elm-leaved sumach (rus coriaria), of acacia, of the spuma salis, of omphacium, of arsenic, equal parts. Triturate during the heat of the dog-days with vinegar for thirty days.

The trochisk of Nymphodotus. Of aphronitrum, oz. j; of Alexandrian natron, of Gallic soap, of each, oz. j; of Cappadocian salt, of mastich, of galls, of each, dr. iv; of rose leaves, of amomum, of starch, of each, oz. j; of Indian leaf, dr. j; of fissile alum, of costus, of each, dr. ij; of myrtle wine, q. s.

The trochisk from thapsia, for hemicrania. Of the juice of thapsia (deadly carrot), dr. xvj; of myrrh, dr. viij; of opoponax, of euphorbium, of each, dr. vj; of natron, of the Parthic juice, of each, dr. iv; of pepper, of sagapen, of each, dr. ij; of vinegar, q. s. In using it, rub it in with vinegar, and after six hours wash it off. If you wish to use in a reduced state, mix with equal parts of cerate, and spread it, allowing it to remain for a day and a night.

The trochisk called subdititious, for dysentery and pains of the anus. Of terra aster, of starch, of each, oz. iij; of saffron, oz. ij; of acacia, of tragacanth, of each. oz. j; of castor, of frankincense, of buckthorn, of each, oz. ss; and in hotter temperaments, also, of opium, oz. ss; mix with the juice of fleawort, and form into oblong trochisks.

Commentary. Celsus informs us that they are the same as the pastilli of the Latins. He thus describes their general properties: “Pastilli hæc ratio est: arida medicamenta contrita humore non pingui, ut vino vel aceto, coguntur, et rursus coacta inarescunt, atque, ubi utendum est, ejusdem generis humore diluuntur.” He gives prescriptions for six trochisks. (v, 20.)

Galen remarks that trochisks derive their name from their spherical shape. He treats of them at great length in the fifth book of his work ‘De Comp. Med. sec. gen.’ Many of our author’s receipts are copied from him.

For an account of the Arabian trochisks, see in particular Serapion (vii, 18); Haly Abbas (Pract. x, 14); and Mesue (i, 8.) The following is Mesue’s formula for the trochisks of camphor: “The trochisks of camphor, for ardent fevers, heat of the blood and bile, warm intemperament of the liver, insatiable thirst, jaundice, consumption, and hectics.—℞ Of rose leaves dr. iv; of spodium, of liquorice āā, dr. ij; of yellow saunders, dr. iiss; of the seeds of citrons, melons, cucumbers, and gourds, of saffron, of tragacanth, of gum, of spikenard, āā dr. j; of lignum aloes, of cardomum, of starch, of camphor, āā dr. j; of white sugar, of manna, āā dr. iij. Mix with the mucilage of fleawort and water of roses.” Myrepsus’s formula for the same is little different. He describes the composition of 136 pastils.

Moses Charras gives the following account of trochisks: “They are also called pastils, rolls, cakes, and lozenges. Trochisks were invented as well to preserve a long time the virtue of certain medicaments as to unite together the virtue of several. To which purpose having finely powdered the ingredients, which are to be powdered, they are to be incorporated with some juice, syrup, or other viscous liquor, to make therewith a solid paste, out of which are formed little trochisks, flat, round, triangular, square, long, or otherwise, which being spread upon paper, and dried out of the sun, and at a distance from the fire, to the end they may be dried in all parts alike, may be put up in boxes or pots for use.” (Royal Phar. ii, 21.)

Troches are pharmaceutical preparations still frequently used. According to the directions in the ‘Edinburgh Dispensatory,’ “they are composed of powders made up with glutinous substances into small cakes, and afterwards dried.” There is this difference, however, between the troches of the moderns and the trochisci of the ancients, that all the former are given internally, whereas many of the ancient trochisci were used as external applications. Of this description are five out of the six pastilli described by Celsus. Le Clerc says of them: “Ils differoient des emplâtres, et des collyres, en ce qu’il n’entroit aucune matière huileuse dans les trochisques et qu’ils servoient pour le dedans aussi bien que pour le dehors.” (Hist. de la Méd.)

SECT. XIII.—DRY APPLICATIONS AND ABSTERGENTS (SMEGMATA.)

Of dry applications or powders, some suit with ulcers, and some are applied to the skin. Of those which suit with ulcers, some act as incarnants of hollow ulcers, and some restrain fungous flesh, and some are cicatrizing, some caustic and septic, and some styptic. The incarnative applications act either by cleansing foul ulcers, such as those from tares, birthwort, iris, all-heal, myrrh, frankincense, and aloes; or by drying the superabundant discharge, as those from copper, diphryges, squama æris, burnt paper, the bark of pine and thorn. But these promote cicatrization, either by blunting acrimony and pungency, such as those from pompholyx, starch, ceruse, sphecla (impure potass), the lapis specularis, burnt oysters, terra Samia, and the like, and the compositions from them possess similar powers. Of repressing medicines, some are mild, such as those from squama æris, those from misy and chalcitis, when burnt, and galls; but those from copperas, verdigris, misy, and chalcitis, not burnt, are stronger. The caustics and septics are prepared from quicklime, arsenic, sandarach, and sphecla, which is the burnt lees of wine. All these things when reduced to a fine powder and sprinkled upon ulcers, are less pungent. The coarser the powder to which they are reduced, the more pungent are they. Styptics restrain bleeding, either by astringing or cooling, or proving desiccative or obstruent by burning and forming an eschar; and the materials of them have been mentioned in the section on Trochisks. Of those which are applied to the skin, some cleanse and absterge, such as those from Cimolian earth, pumice, bean-meal, barley-leaven, the flesh of pompions, and the flower of salt; some are attenuant and discutient, such as those from hellebore, alcyonium, sulphur, stavesacre, mustard, pellitory, the seed of the rosemary, lemnitis, or adarce, and the shell of the cuttle-fish. But those having quicklime and arsenic added to them, with some liquid, become depilatory and abstergent. Some are applied to the head in order to dry up the discharge from it, such as those from natron, salts, galls, the rind of pomegranate, and the like. All the smegmata or abstergents should be applied to the skin when it is not anointed.

The dry cephalic application. Of tares, oz. v; of iris, oz. iss; of manna, oz. iss; of birthwort, of squama æris, of each, oz. iss.

Another. Of the bark of pine, dr. vj; of frankincense, dr. iv; of pumice-stone, dr. iv; of iris, dr. ij; of dry rosin, dr. vj; of birthwort, dr. ij.

From aloes. Of aloes, dr. vj; of tares, dr. viij; of manna, dr. iv; of galls, dr. iij; of fissile alum, dr. ij.

The dry application of Manetho from the burnt lees of wine. Of calamine, burnt and washed, oz. j; of terra aster, oz. j; of burnt lees of wine, oz. iv; of lapis specularis, oz. iv; of frankincense, oz. iv; some add, also, of starch, oz. iv.

The melitera of Oribasius. Of chalcitis, of squama æris, of galls, of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of long birthwort, of each, oz. j; of pomegranate rind, of fissile alum, of each, oz. ss.

From oysters. Of calamine, of frankincense, of each, oz. j; of oysters burnt, oz. iij.

The powder from frankincense. Of litharge, of frankincense, of calamine, of ceruse, equal parts.

The powder called aphroditarium. Of frankincense, of squama æris, of rhœdarium (a preparation from sumach), of starch, of ceruse, equal parts.

The Rhodian styptic for spreading ulcers and fungous flesh. Of unripe galls, dr. vj; of galls burnt, and extinguished in wine and dried, dr. xij; of the black squama æris, or, if not, of the red, dr. viij; of copperas, dr. xxiv; of fissile alum, dr. xxvij; triturate for a sufficient number of days.

The powder called flavus. Of burnt chalcitis, dr. xl; of burnt copperas, dr. viij; of burnt misy, dr. x; of burnt copper, dr. v.

The powder called psarus. Of misy, oz. v; of galls, oz. iv; of chalcitis, oz. ij; of squama æris, oz. ij; of copperas, oz. j; of scraped verdigris, oz. ij.

The caustic powder called heliocaes. Of arsenic, lb. j; of calx viva, lb. ij. Triturate with water during the dog-days, then dry and use.

The florid powder. Of cyperus, dr. viij; of myrrh, dr. xij; of sandarach, dr. iij; of the flowers of roses, dr. ij; of saffron, dr. ij; of crocomagma, of fissile alum, of Illyrian iris, of each, dr. ij.

The powder from paper, principally for spreading ulcers of the mouth and those of the pudendum. Of squama æris, of burnt paper, of each, dr. viij; of arsenic, of sulphur vivum, of each, dr. xij; of burnt lead, dr. vj. For the more humid mortifications use it dry, but for such as are dry mix it with rose-oil, and sometimes with honey along with rose-oil.

The powder from butcher’s broom (oxymyrsine), for the same purposes. Of elm-leaved sumach, oz. ij; of the leaves of butcher’s broom, of sandarach, of each, dr. viij; of the dried leaves of willow, of pomegranate rind, of each, dr. vj; of fissile alum, of chrysocolla, of aloes, of crude chalcitis, of squama æris, of arsenic, of common salts, of each, dr. iv.

The powder of Massaliotes. Of roasted natron, of chrysocolla, of Asian stone, of sandarach, of misy, of chalcitis, of fissile alum, of diphryges, equal parts. Use dry.

The dry abstergent application (smegma) called the Æsculapian. Of bay berries, of Alexandrian natron, of roasted salt, of Cappadocian salt, of ammoniac perfume, of aphronitrum, of pumice-stone, of each, lb. j; of black hellebore, of fuller’s herb, of pellitory, of the burnt lees of wine, of stavesacre, of mustard, of cyperus, of fissile alum, of the schœnanth, of iris, of galls, of each, oz. vj; of sampsuchum (a species of marjoram), lb. j; of the seed of the chaste tree, of pennyroyal, of the flour of beans and of lupines, of each, oz. vj; of the black chamæleon, of sulphur, of gum, of frankincense, of pepper, of the root of the wild cucumber, of horehound, of Cimolian earth, of pæony, of the shell of the cuttle-fish, of the leaf of fenugreek, of costus, of cumin, of euphorbium, of spikenard, of each, oz. iij. But Alexander adds the following things: of bitter salts, of salts from nitrous fountains, of Tragesæan salt (“see Plin. xxxi, 61”), of each, lb. j; of adarce, oz. j; of liquid alum, of Celtic, of cnicus, of granum Cnidium, of dried grass, of dried bryony, of each, oz. iij.

The abstergent application from pompions (smegma peponaton). Of frankincense, of mastich, of ammoniac perfume, of each, oz. j; of tragacanth, oz. iss; of the juice of wild grape, oz. ix; of the fresh seed of pompion, oz. iij; of similago, sext. v; the whites of xxi eggs, of iris, oz. iv. Some also use of black hellebore, oz. ij.

Otherwise, that of Crito. Of bean meal, one modius; of similago, sext. iv; of trefoil, of nutben, of Illyrian iris, of each, lb. iv; of ammoniac perfume, lb. j; of costus, lb. j; the whites of seven eggs, of the flesh of pompions, sext. ij; of the juice of unripe grape, sext. ij. Mix, and having formed trochisks, dry, then having pounded and strained, use.

Otherwise. Of tragacanth, of frankincense, of mastich, of ammoniac perfume, of each, dr. x; of the juice of unripe grape, dr. v; of similago, sext. v; of the white of an egg, oz. j; of the flesh of pompions, oz. j. Prepare as above described.

A desiccative smegma for defluxions of the head. Of the tawny-coloured Alexandrian natron, oz. v; of common salts, roasted, oz. iss; of Cappadocian salts, oz. j. Having mixed these with the strongest vinegar, put into a linen bag, and burn in a furnace until it be reduced to cinders. Then having cooled it, rub with it triturated, adding a little wine in the bath.

The soap of Constantine. Of dried roses, of aloes, of galls, of pomegranate rind, of Indian leaf, of sarcocolla, of each, oz. iij; of the flowers of the wild pomegranate, of myrrh, of sandarach, of spikenard, of each, oz. ij; of costus, oz. j; of Gallic soap, lb. j. Mix with the decoction of lupines.

The depilatory powder for the gout. Of mastich, of male frankincense, of stavesacre, of white hellebore, of litharge, of each, oz. iij; of Indian leaf, of starch, of black hellebore, of the flower of Asian stone, of each, oz. j; of alcyonium, of roasted pumice-stone, of Cimolian earth, of sampsuch (marjoram), of each, oz. iij; of spikenard, oz. j; some also add of aloes, oz. j. Having pounded them, keep the powder in a vessel; and when going to use it, put the juice of rice and of ptisan in a pot, and after it boils add of the powder, oz. iss; of Gallic soap, oz. iss; of arsenic, of fissile alum, of each, oz. iss; of sandarach, oz. iss; of recent quicklime, lb. j. Use this unguent thrice a month, on the 9th day of the moon, the 19th, and the 29th, for a whole year, and afterwards once a month on the 29th day of the moon.

Commentary. The terms are thus explained by Blancard: “Diapasma. Plinio, medicamentum aridum ex siccis pulveribus conflatum inspersile, quod aut vestibus ad gratiam odoris, aut ulceri vulnerique variâ ratione, aut potui etiam ad luxum inspergitur, διάπασμα, κατάπασμα, κατάπαστον φάρμακον. Oribasius non malè discrimen inter has voces ex Antyllo ponere mihi videtur ut ἐμπάσματα sint, quæ sudoribus cohibendis, et commovendo pruritui adhibentur: quæ Sympasmata et aspergines Aurelianus nominat: καταπάσματα sunt quæ ulceribus superponuntur, ξήρια etiam dicta: διαπάσματα vero conciliandæ in vento fragrantiæ.” (Lexicon Medicum.) The different forms of medicines are thus characterized by Dr. Blomfield: “Quatuor sunt φαρμάκων genera, quorum principuè mentio fit apud auctores Græcos: φάρμακα χριστὰ, παστὰ, πλαστὰ, et πιστὰ vel πότιμα, quibus interdum additur quintum genus, τὰ βρώσίμα, et sextum ἐπωδὰι, prout eis ad unguendum, inspergendum, emplastro obtegendum, bibendum, edendum, vel incantandum utebantur.” (Glossarium ad Æschyli Prometh. l. 488.) Theocritus uses the word ἐπίπαστον in its medical sense. (Idyll. xi, 2.) He says, no medicine, either in the form of ointment or powder, is a remedy for love. Le Clerc thus explains the medicines of which we are treating: “Les poudres s’appelloient en Grec ξήρια ὀυ ξηρὰ c’est à dire, médicamens secs. On les appelloit Diapasmata, Catapasmata, Catapasta, Sympasmata.” He says of the Smegma: “On s’en servoit particulièrement pour nettoyer le peau, pour ôter le démangeaison, &c.” He adds: “Lorsque il s’agissoit de faire tomber le poil on prenoit des matières encore plus fortes et plus acres que celles qu’on a indiquées, comme de l’orpiment, de la sandaraque, de la chaux vive, et l’on les détrempoit avec les sucs. En ces cas on donnoit à cette composition le nom particulière de psilothrum ou dépilatoire.” (Hist. de la Méd.) On the meaning of the terms see, further, Eustathius (ap. Iliad, iv); Scholiast. Aristoph. (Plaat); and Gataker’s Antoninus (v, 9.)

Celsus gives the following general description of these medicines: “Quædam autem mixturæ medicamentorum sunt quibus aridis neque coactis utimur, sic ut inspergamus, aut cum aliquo liquido mixta illinamus.” The powder of gollas, if prepared according to his directions, would consist of potass, sulphur, quicklime, and orpiment. His ninth preparation of this class is a sternutatory, and the tenth is one for making a gargle. (v, 22.)

Most of our author’s formulæ are borrowed, with a few alterations, from Galen. (De Med. sec. gen. v.)

For a description of the Arabian Pulveres, see, in particular, Haly Abbas (Pract. x, 16,) and Mesue, (i, ix.) Many of Mesue’s compositions are internal medicines, consisting principally of aromatics. Thus, his first preparation, which is intended to dry humidity of the stomach, dispel flatulence, and assist digestion, consists of lignum aloes, oz. ss; of galls, dr. iss; and of white sugar, oz. iss.

Nicolaus Myrepsus, in his copious ‘Dispensatory,’ describes the composition of 50 smegmata and 143 pulveres. The far greater number of the former are intended as applications to the skin in diseases thereof, such as impetigo, leprosy, itch, and the like. The pulveres consist of applications to the skin, sternutatories, gargles, and injections. None of them, we believe, are to be taken inwardly.

SECT. XIV.—ON LINIMENTS TO THE MOUTH AND THROAT.

As much as the coat which lines the mouth is finer and softer than the skin, such a difference must there be with regard to the applications made to the mouth. At the commencement, therefore, of inflammation, medicines for repelling the defluxion are required, such as the dry applications, namely, omphacium, the gall omphacitis, the juice of sumach and of hypocistis, and alum, the bark of pine and of the frankincense-tree, and the flowers of the wild pomegranate tree; and, in a word, all the astringents, with the exception of those which are unsavoury and deleterious; and the liquid applications, such as the juice of the blackberries, both of the brambles and those called mulberries: also the juice of the bark of green walnuts and of pomegranates, more especially such as are acid, and of quinces and Aminean must. Honey is mixed at the commencement solely for the preservation of the medicines. But when the humour lodges in the part, digestive and moderately-repellent articles are to be mixed, such as saffron, myrrh, and the juice of liquorice. And during the whole time that intervenes between the acme and decline, a compound of both kinds is to be used, I mean, the repellent and discutient; and at first the repellent are to be the prevailing ingredients, but afterwards the discutient. In the decline we must use discutients, which have no astringency, such as natron, aphronitrum, origany, hyssop, thyme, calamint, iris, besasa and the like. The liquid application then should be rob, that from boiled must, that from dried figs and palm-nuts, and the sweet must itself with honey. When but a little of the inflammation remains, we are to mix also some sulphur vivum. We must first boil the juice with honey, to the consistence of the more liquid honey, and then sprinkle the powders finely levigated, and afterwards boil moderately until the whole are properly united, and then it is to be laid up in vessels of glass.

The simple liniment to the mouth from mulberries. Of the juice of mulberries, sext. iij; boil until a third part be consumed, add of honey, sext. j, and boil to the consistence of honey.

The compound one from mulberries. Of the juice of mulberries, hemin. vj; boil to the consistence of the sordes in baths, then mix, well triturated, of saffron, dr. j; of myrrh, dr. ij; of the juice of unripe grape, dr. j; of fissile alum, three oboli; of honey, one hemina; and boil to a proper thickness.

Of the bramble-berries. The composition from bramble-berries is prepared in like manner, being more astringent.

The simple one from walnuts. Of the juice of the pounded bark of green walnuts, hemin. v; of honey, hemin. j; it is boiled like that from mulberries.

The compound one from walnuts. In the commencement, and at the acme of inflammations in the mouth, mix of saffron and of alum, of each, oz. j; of myrrh, dr. ij; and in the decline add, as a discutient, of natron, dr. j; of sulphur, dr. j, to the aforementioned proportions of the juice and of honey.

The preparation from the juice of pomegranates. Of the juice of sweet pomegranates, without their kernels, sext. iv; of the juice of acid pomegranates, sext. ij; of honey, sext. j; of the Minnæan myrrh, dr. viij; of crocomagma, of galls, of each, dr. viij; of fissile alum, dr. iv; of Illyrian iris and of omphacium, of each, dr. viij. Prepare like that from mulberries.

The same otherwise. Of the juice of sweet pomegranate bruised with their kernels, sext. vj; of fine honey, sext. j; of fissile alum, oz. j; of myrrh, oz. ss.

The preparation from must. Of must, sext. vj; of galls, of fissile alum, of each dr. ij; of saffron, of myrrh, of each, dr. j. If you mean it for a demulcent, let the must be sweet, but if as a repellent, austere. The middle state has intermediate properties.

The Egyptian stomachic. Of honey, lb. j; of oil, oz. viij; of turpentine, oz. ij; of saffron, dr. iv. They are melted in a double vessel.

The stomachic medicine, from besasa. Of anise seed, of parsley seed, of the schœnanth, of the seed of bishop’s weed, of fissile alum, of Illyrian iris, of besasa (which some call harmala, it is the wild rue), of cinnamon, of troglodytic myrrh, of saffron, of gall, of each, oz. j; of long birthwort, of cassia, of crocomagma, of dried roses, of each, oz. j; of costus, of the fresh ashes of pigeons, oz. iij; of Indian nard, of amomum, of each, oz. ss; of honey, q. s.

Commentary. Celsus thus sums up the general properties of these preparations: “Gargarizationes autem aut lævandi causa fiunt, aut reprimendi, aut evocandi. Lævant, lac, cremor vel ptisanæ, vel furfurum: reprimit aqua, in qua vel lenticula, vel rosa, vel rubus, vel cotoneum malum, vel palmulæ decoctæ sunt: evocant, sinapi, piper.” (v, 22.)

Galen treats of these compositions very systematically, and at great length, in the sixth book of his work, ‘De Comp. Med. sec. loc.’ The far greater number of our author’s prescriptions are copied from it. Myrepsus likewise gives a long list of such like compositions (§ ix.) See also Aëtius (viii.)

SECT. XV.—ON DELICIOUS AND OFFICINAL POTIONS.

Of delicious officinal potions, some are composed of wine, having certain articles added to it, such as pepper, wormwood, sowbread, and many other things, from which they sometimes receive their appellation, sometimes having honey mixed with them and sometimes not; and some are composed from water in which have been boiled apples or roses, with certain juices, such as those of unripe grapes, pomegranates, and myrtles.

On this account the finest scummed honey is mixed with them for the sake of preservation, sweetness, and sometimes of utility. The austere and vinous hydromel brought from Cebyra in small vessels is an exception; for I have known it formed without honey, as the apomel is made from honey alone and water, without any other substance. But those things which are prepared from wine, which are called propotions (or “whets”?) receive sext. j of scummed honey to four of wine and are made without being boiled. Those which are prepared from water and juices, if boiled, receive one part of honey to three of the liquor, about two parts of which are consumed in the boiling; but if they are not boiled they receive one part of honey to two of the liquor. Those things which are not boiled are to be isolated for a sufficient time, and particularly the omphacomel. Those from water require to be boiled, because from their weakness they are readily changed. They are all to be laid up in small pitched earthen vessels, which are to be carefully covered up and deposited in situations above ground until they are concocted. They are to be used as attenuants, and well mixed with water. But the omphacomel after being boiled like must, and settling, is to be covered up. Those composed from wine we use principally in cases which are free from fever, or for the relish only (with the exception of those which are prepared from scammony, the granum Cnidium, or the like purgatives); or in such affections as when we would use the medicines which are the ingredients of them by the mouth. Those prepared from water, or the juices we use in febrile cases, or as sweeteners, when the disease does not admit the use of wines, and sometimes as agreeing with the affections, as apomel for a sialogogue, diuretic, laxative of the bowels, or attenuant of humours; and hydromelon and hydrorosaton in cases of thirst, ardent fevers, resolutions, and derangements of the stomach; and omphacomel, myrteton, rhodostacton, and rhoita, in cæliac and dysenteric cases, and for vomitings and other defluxions. They are frequently used as washes in affections of the mouth.

The hydromelum from the juice of apples. Of the juice of clean quinces bruised, sext. ij; of honey, sext. iij; of water, sext. vj. Boil, scumming it until it be reduced to a third part. Another.—Of clean quinces cut into pieces, lb. v. Boil in sext. j of well-water until they become soft. Then removing them from the fire, after they become cold, strain, and having filtrated the apples throw them away. Having measured the water, mix with it half the quantity of honey, and boil again, scumming it until the eighth part be consumed. Some compose the hydromelum in like manner from sweet apples.

The composition of the hydrorosatum. Of roses deprived of their nails (the white parts of the leaves), lb. iv; of water, sext. v; of honey, sext. ij.

The preparation of the Rhodomelum. Of the juice of quinces, sext. j; of roses, lb. iij; of honey, sext. iij; of water, sext. v. But since the apples are not found at the same season with the roses, these are to be added to honey at the proper season, and when the apples appear, the composition is to be completed.

The preparation of the omphacomel. Of the juice of unripe grapes, sext. iij; of honey, sext. j. Having mixed, expose it to the sun for forty days, or boil.

The preparation of Myrteta. Of the juice of myrtles, sext. iij; of honey, sext. j. Boil till the third is consumed.

Apomel from the works of Phalagrius. Of white honeycombs filled with honey, lb. j; of spring water, lb. iiiss; having broken down the comb and united them, boil the water with the honey until the scum of it and the waxy part swim on the top and is separated, then cool and cover it up carefully.

The composition of rhodostactum. Of the juice of roses without their nails, sext. ij; of honey, sext. j. Boil, scumming it, until the fourth part be consumed.

The preparation of rhætes. Of the juice of pomegranate, sext. iij; of honey, sext. j. Boil to a third part.

Commentary. We shall in the first place give some account of the Propoma. It was a draught generally containing wine, which was taken at the commencement of the supper, or principal meal of the ancients. Horace alludes to it in the following lines:

Catius here condemns the practice of using strong wine for the composition of the Propoma. Old Falernian wine was thought the best. Thus Macrobius says of it: “Mulsum quo probe temperes, miscendum esse novo Hymetto et Falerno vetulo.” (Saturn. vii, 12.) “To the Propoma,” says Athenæus, “were added pepper, Indian leaf, myrrh, cyperus, and Egyptian ointment.” (Deip. ii, 25.) A long list of receipts for Propomata is given by Myrepsus (§ 38.) Most of them contain wine, honey, and aromatics. See a learned Dissertation on the Propoma by Casaubon (in Athen. Deipnos. ii, 17); also Lister (in Apicii Op. i, 1.)

It will be proper here to give some account of the medicated wines, or, as we would now call them, the Vinous Tinctures, of the ancients. Dioscorides details the composition of them very fully in the fifth book of his ‘Materia Medica.’ The following is his prescription for the wine of squills: Take a mina of squills, and having pounded it, sift, and bind it in a thin piece of linen; then put it into 20 sextarii of good fresh must, and allow it to macerate for three months; afterwards strain the wine into another vessel, and cover it up carefully. The wine of quinces is to be prepared by putting 12 minæ of quinces, deprived of their seeds, into a cadus of must, and allowing it to remain for thirty days. Wines from other kinds of apples, such as medlars, services, and pears, may be prepared in like manner. He afterwards gives similar directions for preparing the following medicated wines:

Wine of wild vine.

pomegranate.

roses.

myrtles.

lentisk.

turpentine.

palms.

figs.

sycamores.

resin.

cone of the pine.

cedar or juniper.

cedar-rosin.

pitch.

wormwood.

hyssop.

germander.

cassidony.

betony.

tragoriganum.

bunium.

dittany.

horehound.

thyme.

savoury.

marjoram.

calamint.

fleabane.

aromatics.

myrrh, pepper, and iris.

elicampane.

spikenard.

asarabacca.

wild nard or valerian.

carrot.

sage.

panacea.

sweet-flag.

parsley.

fennel and dill.

hellebore, wild cucumber, or scammony, for procuring abortions.

spurge-flax.

mezerion.

ground-pine.

mandrake.

hellebore.

scammony.

The preparation of these factitious wines is also described by Pliny. (H. N. xiv, 19.) To this class we may refer the Vina condita of Apicius. (Cap. i.) See also in particular Aëtius (iii); Myrepsus (§ 27); Haly Abbas (Pract. x, 21); Serapion (vii, 35); Actuarius (Meth. Med. v, 7.) Actuarius gives the following prescription for preparing a vinous tincture of poppies, which he recommends for coughs, cholera, and such like complaints: Of poppy-heads, c; of liquorice-root, lb. j; of sodden must, lb. c.

SECT. XVI.—ON COLLYRIA AND AGGLUTINATIVE APPLICATIONS.

The materials from which ophthalmic medicines are composed are various. For inspissated and liquid, seeds, fruits, the parts of herbs, and metals are ingredients in them. Of these, some sooth acrimonies, and are, as it were, obstruents, such as pompholyx, spodium, starch, lead, Samian aster, calamine, all washed substances, and the white of an egg. These are to be used after evacuation of the head, for if there should be plethora of it, there will be danger of the coats of the eyes being ruptured by distension. The opposite class of collyria being of an acrid nature, are deobstruents and evacuants of the humours permanently lodged there; such as the Cyrenaic and Median juices, sagapen, euphorbium, and the like. Some are detergents of foul ulcers, such as the squama æris, copper, chalcitis, misy, sori, the flowers of copper, and antimony burnt. Allied to these are those called abstergents, such as arsenic, sandarach, the flower of Asian stone. Some are astringent, and of these such as are moderately astringent are of extensive use for ophthalmies, ulcers, and defluxions, as the leaves, fruit, and flowers of roses, spikenard, Indian leaf, saffron, glaucium, and hypocistis. Those possessed of a stronger astringency are mixed with those remedies which are used for sharpening the sight, such as omphacium, acacia, the flowers of the wild and of the cultivated pomegranate, and galls. Some are concoctive and discutient, such as myrrh, saffron, castor, rosemary, and the juice of fenugreek. Of compound ophthalmic medicines, some are simply called plasta, some xerocollyria, and some hygrocollyria. The first class admit of all the materials formerly mentioned, and agree with all states. They are to be prepared most commonly in spring, for in summer their strength is apt to evaporate, and in winter the articles being constricted do not mix properly. They are to be rubbed with the addition of a fluid, but not in great quantity that the metallic parts may not subside, nor the aromatic float on the surface, but in small quantities, so that it may be rubbed until it is like the sordes of baths. Rain-water should be used, because it is finer and moderately astringent. But if not, those things are to be levigated and triturated with wine or some juice; the metallic substances for a longer time, and the juicy substances for a shorter. At last, after sufficient trituration, we must add the gum, and having formed them, lay them up in copper vessels especially, or in glass. Those prepared from juices are to be used immediately, but the metallic improve by keeping. Of the xerocollyria, some melt down, and absterge callus, sycosis, pterygium, and scabious affections, being composed of chalcitis, verdigris, and misy. Some occasion a discharge of tears, agreeing with obstructions and dimness of sight, and are composed of these things, pepper and spikenard. Some are prophylactics for preventing influxes, such as those from Phrygian stone, sarcocolla, glaucium, aloes, calamine, antimony, and saffron. All these medicines are to be applied to the eyes in a state of the finest powder. But the hygrocollyria are prepared from Attic honey, opobalsam, oil of the most subtile kind from age, the juice of fennel, the galls of different animals, the Cyrenaic juice, and many other things. Those things which are attenuant, calefacient, and purgative are useful for dimness of sight, and incipient suffusions. These and all acrid things are to be used when the head is free from plethora, and when the atmosphere is serene and pure, and the wind is northerly, and not very hot nor very cold. Those preparations called agglutinants are made from such things as are obstruent, agglutinative, constringent, refrigerant, styptic, or desiccative, such as pollen, manna, Samian earth, myrrh, shells, acacia, opium, with the white of an egg. They are glued to the forehead when the humour is not under the scalp, but external to it.

The collyrium monemeron for incipient and old ophthalmies. Of acacia, dr. xxxvj; of gum, dr. xxxij; of calamine, dr. xxiv; of burnt and washed copper, dr. viij; of opium, dr. j. Triturate in austere wine. It is discutient and desiccative.

The collyrium chiacum. Of sinopic vermilion, of the immature gall, of saffron, of the flower of fresh roses deprived of their nails (which we call the pouch), of gum, of each, oz. iv; of opium, oz. j. Triturate with Aminæan, Falernian, or Chian austere wine. But the wine must not contain salt water.

The collyrian cygnarium. Of calamine, burnt and washed, oz. vj; of washed ceruse, oz. iv; of pompholyx, oz. iv; of starch, oz. ij; of tragacanth, of roasted opium, of gum, of each, oz. ij. Triturate with rain-water.

The pale-coloured cygnus. Of calamine, burnt and washed, oz. ij; of terra aster, oz. ij; of ceruse, oz. iv; of pompholyx, oz. viij; of starch, oz. ij; of opium, oz. ij; of acacia, of tragacanth, of each, oz. j; of gum, oz. iv. Triturate with rain-water.

The white cygnus. Of calamine, oz. xv; of ceruse, oz. xvij; of opium, dr. viij; of frankincense, dr. vij; of starch, oz. vij; of gum, oz. xiij. Triturate with rain-water.

The collyrium pelarion for ulcers. Of calamine, of ceruse, of each, dr. xxiv; of acacia, of opium, of each, dr. xviij; of gum, of tragacanth, of starch, of each, dr. ix; of myrrh, dr. iij; of copper, of saffron, of each, dr. iss. Triturate with water.

The brown collyrium, for hypopium and great affections. Of tender calamine, dr. xxiv; of ceruse, dr. xvj; of scraped verdigris, dr. xij; of antimony, dr. viij; of fissile alum, dr. iij; of burnt chalcitis, dr. iij; of Indian nard, dr. iv; of the oil of unripe olives, dr. ij; of copper, dr. ij; of squama æris, dr. viij; of the fruit of heath, dr. xiij; of the juice of poppy, dr. xxiv; of saffron, dr. iv; of castor, dr. iij; of myrrh, dr. vj; of Indian buckthorn, of acacia, of gum, of each, dr. iv; of fresh roses, dr. iiss. Triturate with Falernian, Surentine, Aminæan, or Chian austere wine. It is rubbed in three times a day, in a watery state, being diluted with the juice of fenugreek, then the white of an egg or milk, and at last, with water, thicker.

The collyrium severianum. Of calamine, oz. vj; of ceruse, oz. xij; of tragacanth, oz. iij. Triturate with the juice of fenugreek. Having burnt the calamine, dissolve it in milk and then wash.

The collyrium from decoctions. Of calamine, oz. xvj; of ceruse, oz. viij; of starch, of opium, of tragacanth, of acacia, of each, oz. ij; of gum, oz. vj. Triturate with the decoction of dried roses, of melilots, of poppy, of poppy-heads, of liquorice, in equal parts.

The repellent collyrium, from hydria or water vessels. Of the sand found in copper vessels used for heating water, lb. iij; of calamine burnt and washed, lb. j; of washed ceruse, of washed pompholyx, of washed terra aster, of each, oz. vj; of frankincense, oz. j; of myrrh, oz. j; of the juice of linseed, of fleawort, of ptisan, of fenugreek, of each, lb. j; of tragacanth, oz. vj; of gum, lb. j.

The collyrium of Nilamon. Of calamine, oz. viij; of pompholyx, oz. iv: of ceruse, lb. j; of tragacanth, of gum, of opium, of each, oz. iv. Rain-water.

The collyrium spodiacon, for inflammations, defluxions, and chemoses. Of frankincense, of antimony, of each, dr. c; of calamine, of ceruse, of each, dr. xxiv; of Samian earth, of the juice of poppy, of each, dr. iij; of gum, dr. xv. Triturate with the juice of fresh olive leaves. Prepare the juice thus: having pounded in a mortar the more tender leaves of olive, washed, add a moderate quantity of water, and filtrate through a piece of linen rag.

The tender collyrium from olive leaves. Of frankincense, dr. iv; of antimony, dr. xv; of calamine, dr. xxviij; of ceruse, dr. xlix; of Samian earth, dr. xviij; of opium, dr. vj; of gum, dr. j; of lead, burnt and washed, dr. viij. Mix with the juice of green olive leaves.

The yellow collyrium from green olive leaves. Of burnt copper, dr. xij; of sandyx, oz. xxiv; of olive leaves, oz. ij; of opium, oz. ij; of gum, oz. x. Mix with palm wine, or Aminæan.

The Claudiac collyrium from myrrh. Of glaucium, of sarcocolla, of each, dr. xlviij; of saffron, dr. xxiv; of opium, of myrrh, of bloodstone, of each, dr. vi; of tragacanth, dr. xlviij; of gum, dr. xvj. Mix with Italian wine. To be used with an egg.

Another collyrium from myrrh, for fistula lachrymalis. Of calamine washed, of bloodstone washed, of each, dr. xxviij; of myrrh, of Cyprian spodium, of each, dr. xxiv; of opium, dr. viij; of saffron, dr. iv (but some use dr. viij); of white pepper, grs. xxx; of gum, dr. xvj. Mix with Italian wine. To be used with an egg, and in recent cases diluted with water.

The stacticon of Prosechius. Of calamine, of gum, of each, dr. xx; of antimony, of copperas, of each, dr. viij; of opium, dr. xiv; of scraped verdigris, dr. x; of white pepper, dr. vj; of saffron, dr. viij; of raw misy, dr. viij; of opobalsam, dr. iv. Water.

The hygidium of Ammonius. Of calamine, of copper, of each, dr. xvj; of ceruse, of castor, of aloes, of saffron, of each, dr. iv; of squama (æris?), dr. v; of the flower of roses, of burnt lead, of each, dr. viij; of buckthorn, dr. iij; of the stone schistos, dr. iv; of opium, dr. x; of acacia, dr. xj; of gum, dr. xlviij. Water.

The collyrium Olympus, or Olympiacum. Of acacia, of spikenard, of frankincence, of each, dr. viij; of copper, burnt and washed, of antimony, burnt and washed, of ceruse, burnt and washed, of calamine, of each, dr. xij; of myrrh, of roasted opium, of each, dr. iv; of saffron, dr. v; of scraped verdigris, dr. iij; of the stone schistos, of the red squama, of Indian buckthorn, of the oil of unripe grapes, of each, dr. j; of castor, of the flower of roses, of each, dr. ij; of palm-nuts, dr. iv; in like manner the bones of burnt palms, to the number of v; of gum, oz. v. Rain-water. Let there be soaked in water for three nights and days, of the aromatic reed, of the seed of henbane, of dried roses, of each, dr. iv; of Indian leaf, dr. j.

The collyrium of nard. Of calamine, of saffron, of gum, of each, dr. xxxvj; of burnt copper, dr. xviij; of antimony, of acacia, of each, dr. xxx; of Syriac nard, dr. xij; of opium, of myrrh, of each, dr. xvj. With water.

The small Theodotian collyrium. Of antimony, of acacia, of each, dr. xx; of burnt copper, dr. viij; of ceruse, dr. iv; of myrrh, dr. iv; of verdigris, dr. ij; of aloes, of meconium, of buckthorn, of each, dr. j. Rain-water.

The collyrium rhinarion. Of bloodstone, of the stone schistos, of each, dr. xvj; of burnt copper, of calamine, of verdigris, of each, dr. viij; of opium, dr. v; of chalcitis, dr. ij; of gum, dr. viij. In wine.

The collyrium xyster. Of burnt pumice-stone, of burnt misy, of burnt shells, of each, oz. vj; of calamine, of opium, of burnt chalcitis, of saffron, of hepatic aloes, of castor, of Indian leaf, of each, dr. ij; of antimony, of acacia, of each, oz. j; of burnt copper, oz. iv; of troglodytic myrrh, dr. iv; of spikenard, dr. j; of ceruse, dr. viij; of gum, dr. iv. Rain-water. Some also mix wine.

The hecatomb collyrium for thick cicatrices. Of calamine, burnt and washed, of copper, burnt and washed, of each, dr. viij; of antimony burnt, of the yellow acacia, of gum, of each, dr. xv; of aloes, of galls, of ærugo vermiculata, of castor, of buckthorn, of spikenard, of saffron, of opium, of myrrh, of ceruse, of the shavings of ebony, of chalcitis, of each, dr. j; of roses, dr. lx. Rain-water.

The collyrium from horn, of Galen. Of burnt lead, of burnt hartshorn, of each, oz. ij; of ceruse, of squama æris, of starch, of frankincense, of cuttle-fish, of burnt shell, of verdigris, of myrrh, of gum, of each, oz. j. Rain-water.

The collyrium from frankincense. Of frankincense, oz. vj; of calamine, of pompholyx, of terra aster, of starch, of gum, of each, oz. iij; of ceruse, oz. vj; of squama æris, oz. iv; of tragacanth, oz. iij; of opium, oz. vj. Rain-water.

The Libanian collyrium. Of washed calamine, of starch, of each, dr. xij; of ceruse, dr. xij; of spodium, of pompholyx, of terra aster, of lead, burnt and washed, of tragacanth, of each, dr. viij; of opium, dr. xij; of gum, dr. iv. Rain-water and the whites of twenty eggs. Some add also of myrrh, dr. iv.

The collyrium called the aster of Magnus. Of pompholyx, of calamine, of ceruse, of each, dr. xvj; of lead, dr. viij; of starch, dr. xviij; of frankincense, dr. x; of terra aster, dr. xij; of myrrh, dr. ij; of tragacanth, of gum, of each, dr. viij. Water.

The collyrium Uranium. Of terra aster, washed, oz. iij; of spodium, washed, oz. j; of gum, oz. iv; of antimony, burnt and washed, oz. ij; of squama æris, washed, oz. j; of opium, dr. vj; of calamine, burnt and washed, dr. ij. Rain-water. It is an incarnant and repellent.

The collyrium from the juice of fenugreek. Of calamine, of tragacanth, of each, oz. viij; of ceruse, oz. xxx; of starch, oz. xxx; of opium, oz. j. Triturate with the juice of fenugreek.

The collyrium of Cleon. Of pompholyx, of lead, of each, oz. v; of saffron, oz. iss; of the squama stomomatis, oz. j; of gum, oz. ij. Rain-water. Inject diluted.

The collyrium containing lxxii ounces of roses. Of green roses, oz. lxxii, of calamine, burnt and washed, dr. xxiv; of scraped verdigris, dr. ij; of spikenard, dr. j; of squama æris, washed, dr. ij; of antimony, burnt and washed, of opium, of myrrh, of each, dr. iij; of saffron, dr. viij; of starch, dr. ij; of gum, dr. xxiv. Rain-water.

The white collyrium from roses. Of calamine, burnt and washed, of ceruse, washed, of each, lb. j; of starch, of opium, of tragacanth, of each, oz. iij; of aloes, oz. iss; of gum, oz. iij; of saffron, oz. iss; of roses without their nails, oz. vj. Water.

The collyrium from aloes. Of calamine, of ceruse, of aloes, of each, oz. x; of green roses, oz. vj; of starch, oz. iij; of opium, oz. j; of tragacanth, oz. ij; of gum, oz. iij. Rain-water.

The saffron collyrium from roses. Of spikenard, of dried roses, of aloes, of each, dr. ij; of the white henbane, dr. iss; of saffron, dr. ivss; of glaucium, oz. vj; of sarcocolla, oz. vj; of opium, dr. ij; of tragacanth, oz. j. Rain-water.

The collyrium from roses, of Nilus. Of tender roses, dr. iv; of saffron, dr. ij; of poppy, obol. j; of gum, dr. iv. Rain-water.

The collyrium lynceus for sharpening the sight. Of calamine, of burnt copper, of ammoniac perfume, of each, dr. xij; of myrrh, of bloodstone, of Thebaic opium, of each, dr. vj; of hepatic aloes, of the gall of bulls, of galbanum, of sagapen, of each, dr. iv; of scraped verdigris, of opoponax, of sal ammoniac, of each, dr. j; of gum, dr. vj. Rain-water.

The collyrium Proteus, for the same purposes, and it also attenuates cicatrices. Of calamine, of ceruse, of crude chalcitis, of each, dr. xl; of pepper, dr. iss; of Cyrenaic juice, dr. viij; of saffron, dr. xij; of Thebaic opium, dr. x; of sagapen, dr. xij; of Ethiopian olive, dr. xij; of arsenic, of fissile alum, of each, dr. viij; of myrrh, dr. xij; of ammoniac perfume, dr. xx; of opoponax, dr. xvj; of opobalsam, dr. x; of gum, dr. xx. In rain-water.

The collyrium from the juice of fennel. Of calamine, dr. xvij; of Indian ink, dr. xvj; of long pepper, dr. xiij, and of white, dr. xij; of Cyrenaic juice, dr. viij; of opobalsam, dr. vj; of spikenard, dr. vj; of sagapen, of opoponax, of each, dr. v; of opium, dr. iv; of euphorbium, dr. j; of gum, dr. j. Triturate with the juice of fennel.

The collyrium from opobalsam. Of calamine, of ceruse, of each, dr. viij; of the oil of unripe olives, dr. iv; of white pepper, dr. xvj; of opium, dr. iv; of opobalsam, of gum, of each, dr. xvj. Rain-water.

The collyrium called thalasseros. Of calamine, oz. viij; of verdigris, oz. ij; of Indian ink, oz. viij; of white pepper, oz. iv; of Median juice (assafœtida?) oz. j; of opobalsam, oz. ij; of gum, oz. vj. Water.

The collyrium harmation. Of ammoniac perfume, of burnt copper, of the bark of frankincense, of each. dr. iv; of verdigris, dr. j; of gum, dr. iv. Rain-water.

The collyrium malabathrinum, called also isotheon. Of calamine, dr. xvj; of copper, burnt and washed, dr. xiv; of opium, of Indian buckthorn, of Indian leaf, of Indian nard, of saffron, of aloes, of each, dr. ij; of ceruse, dr. viij; of castor, dr. ij; of myrrh, dr. iv; of acacia, of antimony, of each, dr. xl. With water. To be used with an egg.

The thicker collyrium from wine. Of calamine, of the lapis hæmatitis, and schistos, of each, dr. xl; of burnt copper, dr. xxx; of chalcitis, dr. xxxij; of the seed of poppy, dr. xiij. Having boiled the poppies in water, and strained the juice, add and triturate with palm wine or Aminæan.

Another from wine. Of burnt copper, of the calamine called placitis, of each oz. ix; of bloodstone, washed, oz. vj; of saffron, of myrrh, of aloes, of ammoniac perfume, of each, oz. iij; of Indian buckthorn, of spikenard, of each, oz. j; of white pepper, gr. cl; of the yellow acacia, oz. ix; of gum, oz. iij. Triturate with Falernian or Aminæan wine.

The collyrium from two stones for asperities. Of lapis hæmatitis and schistos, of cassia, of each, dr. xviij; of copper, of calamine, of opium, of scraped verdigris, of each, dr. ix; of gum, dr. ix; of burnt chalcitis, dr. vj. Water.

Xerocollyria. The prophylactic of Galen. Of Asian stone cut into small pieces and burnt in a pot, until it become red-hot and extinguished in butter not old, and then again burnt and extinguished in Falernian wine; and a third time burnt and extinguished in honey, and dried, lb. j; of burnt copper, of white pepper, of Indian leaf, of each, oz. j; of antimony, oz. iss: and when all the things are levigated, and you wish to lay up the medicine, add of the juice of balsam, not thick (for this prevents the preparation from getting dry) but of the most transparent, oz. j. Apply it to the eyelids only, not allowing the pencil to touch the coats, but so that it may only reach the eyelids when opened. They are to be anointed, not once, but often before food and after it, and more especially if a sense of ophthalmy be present. It preserves in a wonderful manner, before every other medicine.

The dry collyrium from saffron. Of sarcocolla, dr. viij; of saffron, dr. iv; of glaucium, dr. iv. Anoint often in the day. Some also add aloes.

Another dry collyrium for xerophthalmy, sycosis, mortifications, and hypersarcoma. Of calamine, dr. x; of chalcitis, dr. xx; of pepper, gr. xv; of Celtic nard, dr. j; triturate the calamine and chalcitis with wine, and when dried add the other things and reduce to a fine powder.

The liquid collyrium from wild carrot. Of the juice of wild carrot, of germander, of cresses, and sometimes of othonna, equal parts. The othonna is the great celandine.

Another, for sycosis, encanthis, and sarcoma. Of roasted misy, dr. vj; of copperas, dr. iv; of Attic honey, sext. j.

The liquid collyrium panchrestus of Erasistratus, having wonderful efficacy, in complaints of the eyes, tonsils, pudenda, and suppurated ears. Of copper, dr. vj; of roasted misy, of myrrh, of each, dr. iij; of saffron, dr. iss; of pepper, dr. j; of Chian wine, and of Cretan must, of each, hemin. iss. Having triturated all the things in the wine until dry, pour in the must and boil to the consistence of honey.

Agglutinants for defluxions of the eyes. Of Samian earth, of manna, of frankincense, of myrrh, equal parts. Adding to it the white of an egg, apply to the forehead spread upon linen.

Another.—Of the seed of henbane, dr. j; of opium, dr. j; of myrrh, dr. ij; of saffron, dr. j; of pollen, dr. iv; the yelks of two roasted eggs. Mix with the white of an egg.

Commentary. Gorræus derives the word collyrium from κολοβὴ ὀυρὰ, i. e. cauda trunca, being expressive of their conical shape. (Defin. Med.) Blancard prefers the derivation from κωλύω and ῥοῦς. (Lexicon Medicum.)

Oribasius states that collyria were applied—to the eye, to the uterus, and to fistulous ulcers. (Med. Coll. x, 23.) It is obvious, therefore, that the ancients used the word in a more general signification than the moderns do. Le Clerc gives the following description of the ancient collyria: “Les uns, qui étoient composés de matières sèches, eurent le nom de ξηροκολλούρια, collyres secs. Les autres, où il n’entroit que des matières liquides, s’appellèrent ὑγροκολλούρια, collyres humides ou liquides. Les ingrediens des premières, qui étoient les mêmes que ceux des collyres entières, étoient des poudres métalliques, de ceruse, de pompholyx, d’antimoine brulé, de vert-de-gris, de chalcitis, de cadmia, et autres semblables. Il y entroit aussi des poudres tirées des plantes, quelques sucs d’herbes, et quelques gommes, comme du saffran, des roses, du suc de chelidoine, et de fenouil, de l’aloes, de la myrrh, de l’opium. On mêloit tous ces ingrédiens et on en formoit des masses que l’on faisait sécher, et dont on faisait de la poudre lorsqu’on vouloit s’en servir. Les collyres liquides étoient seulement composés de matières liquides. On prenoit, par exemple, du miel d’Attique, qui étoit estimé le meilleur, de l’opobalsamum, avec du fiel de vipre, de perdrix, ou de quelque autre animal, et du suc de fenouil. On faisait de cela un mélange, dont on laissoit tomber quelques gouttes dans les yeux de ceux qui avoient la vue foible, ou quelque suffusion commençant.” (Hist. de la Méd. iii, ii, 1.)

The Ophthalmic Collyria are treated of with extraordinary accuracy and minuteness of detail in books iv and v of Galen’s work ‘De comp. med. sec. locos.’ Notwithstanding the success with which the surgery of the eye has been cultivated of late, we are confident that the oculists of the present day might derive still further improvement from an attentive study of these books. It is to be remarked that several of his collyria, as well as those of Celsus, contain opium, so that the use of the vinum opii in modern practice is not an original invention. Many of them contain very powerful escharotics, such as copper and arsenic, which indicates a great degree of boldness in ancient practice. Why is arsenic never used now for the cure of complaints of the eye? Our author’s account of them, which is mostly taken from Galen, is very accurate and deserving of consideration.

All the collyria of Celsus are ocular remedies. As he states, they consist principally of soothing and refreshing medicines variously mixed.

Scribonius Largus describes fully the composition of collyria, which he divides into the soothing and the acrid. The former consist of saffron, gum, tragacanth, calamine, antimony, opium and the like. The latter contain such ingredients as these, burnt copper, verdigris, chalcitis, misy, alum, ammoniac, and galls.

Myrepsus gives prescriptions for 87 ocular collyria, of every possible variety of character.

For the Arabian collyria, see particularly Serapion. (De Antidot. vii, 34.) Camphor is an ingredient in many of them.

SECT. XVII.—ON PLASTERS, AND THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ADDED TO THE BOILING OF THEM, FROM THE WORKS OF ANTYLUS, AND,

On the proportion of wax to oil. Of those medicines which are the ingredients of plasters, some are terrene, as the metals, and some are kinds of stones and earth, as lees, ashes, and shells; some are oily, some tears, some soluble, some inspissated juices, some liquid juices; also a few admit seeds, herbs, and roots. Of plasters themselves, some are vulnerary, and are called bloody, agglutinative, and plasters for fractures, which must be composed of desiccants, not in the extreme, but in the second order complete, and the commencement of the third. Such are willow, oak, cypress, the barks of pine and pitch-tree, myrrh, rosemary, bitumen, aloes, birthwort, the ashes of the wood of vine, ceruse, litharge, and the most of the metals. They are boiled until they do not stain. The cicatrizing plasters are also composed of desiccants, but more so than the agglutinants. Such are, burnt copper, the squama æris and ferri, verdigris, chalcitis, the flower of burnt copper, alum, gall, molybdæna, calamine, pumice-stone, and the shells. The discutient are formed from the calefacient and moderately desiccative, such as birthwort, thapsia, old oil, and the oil of radishes, honey, opobalsam, pitch, turpentine, galbanum, burnt salts, and the flower of salt. The emollient are formed from litharge, fats, marrow, old oil, bee-glue, ammoniac, storax, galbanum, bdellium, mastich, turpentine, the root of marsh-mallows, and of the wild cucumber. The desiccative are made of sulphur, natron, salts, ashes, bitumen. The epispastic are formed from salts, natron, bee-glue, verdigris, leaven, dung, sulphur, turpentine. The digestive are composed of wax, ladanum, dried grape, amomum, saffron, frankincense, pitch, Egyptian mastich, storax, myrrh, galbanum, butter, œsypum, fats, verdigris. The suppurative are formed from water and oil, pollen, wheaten bread, chondrus, butter, the fat of swine and of calves, frankincense, pitch, rosin. The paregoric are made of litharge, ceruse, oil, dill, camomile, starch, white wax. The bloody-plasters (as they are called) are to be applied when the wounds and fractures are recent, and to co-operate with them, sponges soaked in oxycrate are to be bound on, above the pledgets, and are to be loosened on the third day, and the same pledgets and not others, again applied. The emollient, epispastic, discutient, and suppurative are applied after the use of cataplasms and cerates. But the suppurative agree best at the commencement and in cases of extreme pain. Of the boiling of them we will speak afterwards.

The plaster tetrapharmacon, basilicon. Of wax, of Colophonian rosin, of pitch, of bull’s suet, equal parts.

The plaster from the juice of linseed for discussing and breaking. Of old oil, lb. ij; of wax, oz. xx; of Colophonian rosin, of axunge, of each, lb. iss; of litharge, lb. j; of ceruse, oz. vj; of the juice of linseed, oz. vj; of pollen, oz. j; of frankincense, oz. iv.

The plaster from honey. Of litharge, of wax, of oil, of each, lb. iv; of turpentine, lb. ij; of honey, of axunge, of each, lb. j. Another. Of litharge, lb. vj; of oil, lb. vss; of Colophonian rosin, lb. viiss; of wax, lb. iiiss; of honey, lb. iij.

The diachylon, or plaster from juices. Of litharge, lb. vj; of oil, in summer, lb. vij, but in winter, lb. ix; of fenugreek, sext. ss; of linseed, sext. ss; of marsh-mallows, lb. iij. Boil the marsh-mallows and seeds in sext. xx of water, until but a little be left, and of it, mix lb. iv to the oil, and boil until the bubbles cease; then sprinkle with the litharge finely levigated, and boil at a gentle fire until it no longer stain.

The plaster from pollen. Of fine flour, of ammoniac perfume, of each, lb. j; of pine-rosin, of wax, of axunge, of each, lb. iij; of the juice of linseed, q. s.

The botanicon, or plaster from herbs. Of dock, of sordid oil, of the anchusa called the Chærospelethos (it is the Onoclean), of the plantain which has seven fibres (Plantago major?), of each, oz. iij; of oil, lb. vj; of axunge, lb. vj. The herbs, being boiled in the oil, are thrown away, but the other things are melted in the oil.

The plaster from king’s-spears. Of the juice of the root of asphodel, lb. j; of oil of roses, of oil of camomile, of the fat of geese, of each, oz. ij; of axunge, oz. iij; of wax, oz. iv.

The leaven-plaster for breaking abscesses. Of leaven, of axunge, of each, oz. vj; of salts, oz. iv; of pine-rosin, oz. iij; of wax, oz. iv; of aphronitrum, oz. j; of ammoniac perfume, oz. ij; of honey, oz. vj; of soap, oz. ij.

The dothiene, or plaster for furunculus. Of ammoniac perfume, lb. j; of Alexandrian natron, oz. vj; of aphronitrum, oz. vj; of swine’s seam, lb. ij; of wax, lb. ij; of turpentine, lb. j; of old oil, oz. j; of vinegar, q. s.

The plaster from soapwort for discussing strumous swellings. Of litharge, of soapwort, of birthwort, of each, oz. iv; of galbanum, of squama æris, of aloes, of each, oz. j; of manna, oz. ij; of ammoniac perfume, oz. vj; of pine-rosin, oz. xvj; of vinegar of squills, sext. iv; for the trituration of the powders.

The plaster smilium for abscesses. Of old oil, lb. iss; of litharge, of red natron, of sal ammoniac, of the lye of figs called protostacton, of rosin, of each, lb. j; of galbanum, of ammoniac perfume, of each, oz. iij; of copperas, oz. iv; of wax, oz. vj; of verdigris, of opoponax, of each, oz. j; of vinegar, q. s. Boil the litharge and the verdigris in the oil until it cease to stain, and then add the other things.

The plaster from garlic for breaking abscesses. Of wax, oz. vj; of Colophonian rosin, oz. iv; of pine-rosin, oz. iij; of bull’s suet, oz. iv; of yellow natron, oz. iss; the heads of garlic cleansed, xx; of oil, sext. ss. Having boiled the garlic in the oil, throw it away, and mix the other things.

The discutient plaster from apyranon. Of the fat of geese and of pheasants, of each, oz. iij; of old oil, oz. xxvj; of fleawort, oz. iij; of nettle-seed, of the green root of apyranum, of each, lb. j; of white wax, oz. x; of diachylon plaster, oz. ij; of turpentine, oz. j. Having divided the root into small pieces, macerate in the oil with the fleawort and nettle-seed a night and a day; and then having boiled, throw them away, and mixing the soluble substances with the oil, dissolve.

The wheat-plaster for hardness and scirrhous swellings. Of marsh-mallows, of palm-nuts, or of Nicolan dates, of each, lb. ij; of fenugreek, of linseed, of each, sext. ss; of camomile, of melilot, of the bark of palms, of each, oz. vj; of Aminæan wine, sext. vj; of litharge, lb. j; of ceruse, of Colophonian rosin, of each, lb. ij; of wax, of turpentine, of each, lb. j; of old oil, lb. v; of water, lb. ij; of dried bread broken down and sifted, lb. v. The juice of the herbs is extracted by boiling in wine, and the bread is soaked in it; on the day following, the litharge and ceruse are triturated in the water, and afterwards the oil is added and boiled until it ceases to stain; and then the other things are added. Being removed from the fire, the bread is added and stirred strongly. To these are then added, of scraped verdigris, of the flower of salt, of each, oz. vj; of iris, of birthwort, of each, oz. vj; of turpentine, lb. j.

The plaster Pelarion, from the dross of silver, for excoriations and the like. Of wax, of the fat of bulls, of each, oz. v; of the dross of silver, oz. vj; of Colophonian rosin, oz. iv; of pitch, of oil, of each, oz. ij; the dry dross is triturated in wine or the juice of fenugreek. When the dross is not at hand we may use molybdæna.

The plaster from marshmallows, in gouty cases and other indurations. Of the juices of fenugreek, linseed, and marshmallows, of each, lb. iij; of oil, lb. ij; having boiled it until the juice be consumed, add of Colophonian rosin, lb. j; of turpentine, lb. j; of the tear of ivy, oz. iij. When dissolved, having taken it from the fire, add of wax, lb. j, of galbanum, oz. iv, both pounded together, and having dissolved, stir with a spatula.

The plaster kissinon, or ivy plaster, for wounded nerves and punctures, especially chronic. Of red squama, oz. ivss; of frankincense, oz. j; of misy, oz. iss; of chalcitis, dr. iv; of vinegar, vj. Triturate in the summer sun until consumed, when having dissolved, of wax, oz. viij; of oil, oz. xviij (“deest aliquid”); mix. But if a nerve be divided and laid bare, instead of the galbanum, add of turpentine, oz. ij.

The melanchlorus, for the same purposes, and for bleeding wounds. Of pomegranate rind, of burnt copper, of galls, of round birthwort, of sal ammoniac, of squama æris, of fissile and liquid alum (but some instead of the liquid use the round), of iris, of misy, of copperas, of chalcitis, of scraped verdigris, of calamine, of aloes, of myrrh, of frankincense, of the root of all-heal, of litharge, of ceruse, equal parts. All of which are triturated in the sun during the season of summer, with vinegar for a sufficient number of days, and formed into trochisks. It is made into a plaster thus: of the medicine, oz. ij; of wax, oz. vj; of oil, oz. viij; when for wounded nerves the oil is to be old, but otherwise the common.

The plaster from groundsel. Of the juice of groundsel, lb. ij; of old oil, lb. iss; of oil of privet, oz. iv; of old axunge, lb. j; of turpentine, oz. j; of galbanum, oz. ss; of pine rosin, oz. vj; of verdigris, of frankincense, of the medicine œsypum, of each, oz. j; of squama æris, scr. viij; of wax, oz. x; of the old pitch of ships, oz. xiv. Boil the oil with the juice to the consistence of the sordes of the oil in baths, with swine’s seam, and triturate the powders with oil of privet; beat the galbanum with the wax, and put it into a pot. And if the pitch of the ships be dry, having triturated and strained it, weigh and sprinkle it. If it cannot be triturated let it be strained, with part of the oil dissolved, and then let all the things be mixed.

The discutient plaster of Mnasæus. Of wax, of axunge, of each, lb. j; of Colophonian rosin, oz. vj; of litharge, lb. ij; of fine wax, lb. iv.

The Ariobarzanian plaster, for the same affections. Of litharge, oz. iss; of ceruse, lb. j, oz. v; of sea-water, oz. xxv; of old oil, lb. iss; of buccina burnt, oz. viiss; of yellow wax, oz. ix; of turpentine, oz. vj; of frankincense, oz. iij, scr. iiiss.

The plaster from dracunculus, or dragon-herb. Of wax, of Colophonian rosin, of dried pitch, of axunge, of rosin, of each, lb. iv; of ammoniac perfume, lb. ij; of the root of dracunculus, lb. v. The root being dried and triturated is sprinkled, with the other things dissolved.

The plaster called Psittacion. Of wax, of Colophonian rosin, of swine’s seam, of the tender leaves of henbane, or the juice of them, equal parts. But in Alexandria, of wax, lb. iiss; of henbane, lb. ij; of axunge, lb. iiss; of Colophonian rosin, lb. x. This is more discutient.

The myrtle plaster, or emplastrum myrsinatum. Of litharge, of ceruse, of sandyx, of lead, burnt and washed, of each, oz. j; of wax, oz. vj; of myrtle oil, lb. j; of wine, q. s.

The plaster from ceruse, or from eggs. Of white wax, oz. vj; of rose oil, lb. iss; of litharge, oz. ij; of ceruse, oz. ij; of starch, oz. iij; the whites of v eggs.

The plaster Parygron, of Oribasius. Of litharge, oz. iss; of ceruse, oz. iss; of wax, oz. iv; of swine’s seam, oz. vij; of Colophonian rosin, oz. ix; of the juice of linseed, of oil, of each, oz. x. It answers admirably for fissures of the heels. But, says he, it must be kept from ulcers, for it becomes fetid.

The epulotic plaster from calamine. Of burnt chalcitis, oz. ij; of calamine, of manna, of each, oz. j; of wax, of colophony, of myrtle oil, of each, lb. j; of wine, q. s.

The palm plaster, or emplastrum palmulatum. Of old axunge, lb. ij; of old oil, lb. iij; of litharge, lb. iij; of crude chalcitis, oz. vj. First the chalcitis is to be levigated in a proper vessel, or in the sun. After it has become of the consistence of the lees of the oil in baths, add the litharge, previously triturated, and afterwards the suet. After they are properly triturated, boil with a gentle fire until it cease to stain, stirring with palm branches.

The plaster from alkanet, for burns. Of white wax, oz. ix; of rose oil, oz. xviij; let these be melted, and sprinkle upon them of the dried root of the purple alkanet, finely levigated, oz. iv. Another. Of the green root of alkanet, of the hair of horehound, of each, oz. iij. Boil in oz. ix of oil, and throw away. Add to the oil v oz. of white wax and dissolve.

The plaster called pompholygeron. Of pompholyx, oz. ij; of litharge, oz. iij; to be triturated with the juice of linseed, and then to be added when dissolved and cooled; of wax, oz. vj; of the grease of geese or domestic fowls, oz. ij; of chamomile, oz. vj.

The anodyne plaster phycotyche, for the fundament. Of frankincense, oz. xvij; of myrrh, oz. vij; of opium, dr. iv; of fissile alum, dr. ij; of butter, dr. iv; the yelks of iv eggs roasted; of calamine, burnt and washed, dr. iv; of pompholyx, dr. vj; of Tuscan wax, oz. viij; of the grease of geese, dr. xvj; of stag’s marrow, dr. xj; of lead, burnt and washed, dr. viij; of bloodstone, dr. j; of liquid œsypum, dr. iv. Triturate the powders with Italian wine, and mix the soluble substances.

The plaster of Amythaon, for distorted and torn joints. It is also epispastic. Of ammoniac, of wax, of bdellium, of each, dr. viij; of turpentine, of Illyrian iris, of galbanum, of each, dr. xx.

The Aristophanian emollient plaster. Of pitch, lb. iv; of the pitch of ships, lb. ij; of wax, lb. j; of opoponax, oz. j; of vinegar, hemin. j.

The plaster from molybdæna, for hot affections. Of molybdæna, oz. iv; of litharge, oz. ij; of ceruse, oz. ij; of wax, oz. viij; of myrtle oil, lb. ij. Triturate the dry things with wine.

The plaster coracon from oxymel, for the pudendum and spreading sores. Of galls, oz. ij; of squama æris, oz. iss; of chalcitis, of frankincense, of each, oz. j. Triturate with vinegar for a sufficient number of days; then mix of honey, oz. v. But having made separately a cerate from oz. ij of myrtle or rose oil, and of the seam of bulls, oz. viij; of wax, oz. iv; of turpentine, oz. j; having mixed, triturate together, and use like that from paper, both by means of an instrument for extracting pus and by a pledget.

The plaster from vinegar and oil. Of litharge, p. j; of oil, of vinegar, of each, p. ij, some make it iij.

The plaster from agate, being discutient and emollient. Of agate stone, half burnt, oz. iss; of wax, oz. v; of roasted rosin, oz. iij; of oil, oz. j.

The plaster Isis, for bloody wounds, being agglutinative, incarnative, and cathartic. Of squama æris, of burnt copper, of round birthwort, of each, dr. viij; of fissile alum, dr. vj; of ammoniac salts, dr. viij; of frankincense, dr. viij; of ammoniac perfume, dr. viij; of myrrh, dr. xij; of aloes, dr. xij; of galbanum, dr. xij; of the juice of the root of dracunculus, dr. viij; of wax, lb. j; of Colophonian rosin, lb. ij; of old oil, oz. iij; of vinegar, q. s.

The plaster Athena, for foul ulcers, infarctions, and wounded nerves. Of pomegranate rind, of burnt copper, of galls, of round and long birthwort, of sal ammoniac, of ammoniac perfume; of squama æris, of fissile alum and of round, of iris, of misy, of copperas, of chalcitis, of scraped verdigris, of calamine, of aloes, of myrrh, of frankincense, of bee glue, of galbanum, of each, oz. j; of wax, dr. cc; of pitch, dr. cc; of Colophonian rosin, dr. c; of oil, oz. vj; of vinegar, q. s.

The agglutinative plaster from dittany, for the bites of dogs and all sorts of ulcers. Of litharge, lb. ij; of squama æris, oz. iss; of old oil, sext. ij; of diphryges, oz. iij; of gentian, oz. iss; of birthwort, of scraped verdigris, of each, oz. iss; of dittany, of burnt copper, oz. iss; of Colophonian rosin, lb. j; of manna, of galbanum, of aloes, oz. iij; of ammoniac perfume, oz. vj; of bee glue, oz. ij; of common wax, oz. viss. The oil must first be boiled with the litharge, until it cease to stain. Then taking it off the fire, we are to add the verdigris and squama, and again boil until it cease to stain; and again taking it off the fire, add the rosin, the ammoniac sifted, and stir until it cease boiling; and place it at the fire, and when it boils but a little add the copper and diphryges and boil again until it thicken; then add the common wax, and boiling until it cease to stain, put in the bee glue, and after a little the aloes, manna, dittany, birthwort, and gentian, are to be sprinkled finely levigated when but a little cooled.

The Barbaric plaster, for bloody sores, and for promoting the formation of callus in fractures. Of Judæan asphaltos, of dried pitch, of wax, of rosin, of each, lb. j; of turpentine, oz. ij; of litharge, oz. j; of ceruse, oz. iss; of manna, oz. ij; of opoponax, oz. ij; of myrrh, oz. ij; of oil, oz. iij; of vinegar, q. s.

The agglutinative plaster from willows, for hæmoptysis and empyema when applied to the chest. Of misy, of chalcitis, of verdigris, of ceruse, of galls, of fissile alum and of round, of melanteria, of each, oz. vj; of wax, lb. ij; of pine-rosin, lb. ij; of pitch, lb. ij; of pomegranate rind, oz. vj; of asphaltos, lb. ij; of willow-leaves, lb. ij; of the oil of roses, oz. iv; of copperas, oz. vj; of vinegar, q. s. Some add also of turpentine, oz. ix.

The plaster of Nicolaus, for bloody wounds and an agglutinant of sinuses. Of squama æris, oz. iv; of scraped verdigris, oz. iss; of litharge, oz. iss; of long and of round birthwort, of each, oz. j; of fissile and of round alum, of copperas, of each, oz. j; of sulphur vivum, oz. j; of the gall omphacitis, oz. iv; of ammoniac salts, oz. j; of misy, oz. j; of marjoram, oz. j; of chamæleon, oz. j; of the calamine called racemosa, oz. j; of white hellebore, oz. j; of hog’s-fennel, oz. iij; of parsley-seed, oz. ij; of the root of comfrey, oz. iss; of ceruse, oz. iss; of the juice of mandragora, oz. ss; of chalcitis, oz. iss; of Samian aster, oz. j; of male frankincense, oz. j; of aloes, oz. j; of bdellium, oz. ij; of Thebaic opium, oz. ij; of troglodytic myrrh, oz. ss; of ammoniac perfume, oz. j; of fenugreek, oz. vj; of the juice of perdicias, oz. vj; of yellow wax, lb. iij; of Colophonian rosin, lb. ij; of pine-rosin, lb. j; of bitumen, lb. j; of mastich, oz. vj; of black pitch, lb. ij; of old oil, lb. j; of storax, oz. j; of opoponax, oz. iss; of vinegar, q. s.

The Icesian plaster, for strumæ, abscesses, the spleen, joints, and ischiatic disease. Of litharge, dr. cxx; of old oil, sext. ij; of vinegar, sext. j; of verdigris, dr. iss; of the bark of the pine, dr. viij; of chamæleon, with the root, dr. xvj; of euphorbium, dr. xvj; of the juice of hypocistis, dr. xvj; of bee-glue, dr. xvj; of myrrh, dr. xvj; of elicampane, dr. xvj; of pellitory, dr. xvj; of wax, lb. iij.

The plaster of Nero, for blows and all pains of fleshy parts. Of old oil, lb. iss; of litharge, lb. j; of ammoniac perfume, oz. j; of ceruse, oz. iv; of galbanum, of manna, of myrrh, of frankincense, of each, oz. j.

The much-used emplastrum oxyrum. Of dried pitch, dr. ij; of wax, lb. j; of ammoniac perfume, oz. j; of turpentine, lb. ss; of galbanum, oz. ij; of manna, oz. ij; of vinegar, sext. iss.

The agglutinative plaster without wax, or emplastrum aceratum of Galen. It is digestive and promotes the suppuration of ulcers, with oleum ricini and old oil, when spread upon a pledget. Of litharge, lb. iij; of oil of ricinus, or old oil, lb. iv; of the most acrid vinegar, lb. ij; of the black squama æris, of chalcitis, of verdigris, of each, oz. ij. Boil the litharge with the oil to the consistence of the lees in baths; then add the metallic substances, triturated for many days with vinegar.

The plaster from metals. Of chalcitis, oz. j; of misy, oz. ij; of squama æris, oz. iij; of frankincense, oz. iij; of Colophonian rosin, oz. ij; of galbanum, oz. iss; of wax, lb. j; of oil, oz. xv; of vinegar, q. s.

The plaster harmonia, for fractures. Of chalcitis, oz. iv; of squama æris, oz. iiss; of burnt copper, oz. j; of frankincense, oz. ij; of oil, lb. j; of vinegar, lb. j. Boil the metals in the oil until it cease to stain, then add the frankincense.

The emplastrum melinum of Serapion. Of litharge, lb. j; of wax, oz. vij; of ammoniac perfume, oz. iiiss; of galbanum, of verdigris, of each, dr. ix; of Colophonian rosin, oz. vij; of myrrh, dr. j: of oil, hemin. iss. Boil the litharge with the oil until it cease to stain, then add the other things.

The emplastrum anicetum, being agglutinative, discutient, removing scales, and answering with distortions. Of bay-berries, of dried iris, of frankincense, of each, dr. lx; of burnt copper, dr. xx; of natron, of sal ammoniac, dr. xx; of pellitory, of stavesacre, of the seed of rosemary, of the granum Cnidium, of mustard, of pigeon’s dung, of birthwort, of cumin, of verdigris, of cyperus, of the seed of rocket, of each, dr. viij; of vinegar, hemin. xii. Triturate during the heat of the dog-days until the vinegar is consumed, then add, of the thickest decoction of dried figs, oz. ix; and having mixed, form trochisks and dry. In using it, triturate of the trochisks, oz. ij, with vinegar, and mix, of rosin, oz. iij; of Tuscan wax, oz. ij; of oil, oz. ij.

The plaster from darnel. Of pitch, lb. ij; of pine-rosin, oz. ix; of Tuscan wax, oz. v; of oil, oz. iij; of strained bitumen, oz. ij; of the flour of darnel, sext. j; of vinegar, q. s.

The plaster from the juice of mulberry-tree. Of litharge, of dried pitch, of bull’s-seam, of each, oz. viij; of turpentine, oz. iij; of wax, oz. v; of scraped verdigris, of opoponax, of galbanum, of each, oz. j; of the oleum ricininum, oleum susinum, or very old oil, hemin. j; of liquid pitch, hemin. j; of the juice of the mulberry, the fruit of which is called sycomora, hemin. j.

The double-coloured plaster, or dichromos. Of burnt copper, of fissile alum, of ammoniac perfume, of each, oz. j; of wax, lb. j; of Colophonian rosin, lb. j; of swine’s seam, lb. j; of vinegar, q. s.

The Indian agglutinative plaster, for spreading ulcers and hæmoptysis. Of wax, of roasted rosin, of dried pitch, of the liquid Zacynthian bitumen, of each, lb. j; of ceruse, of chalcitis, of misy, of melanteria, of fissile and of round alum, of the gall omphacitis, of the rind of the pomegranate, of each, oz. vj; of vinegar, q. s.

The plaster from the ashes of asps, for discussing strumæ and gout. Of turpentine, of Asian stone, of Judæan bitumen, of each, dr. ccclx; of wax, of bay-berries, of ammoniac perfume, of aphronitrum, of the fat of calves, of each, dr. cccxl; of the lapis pyrites, of quicklime, of each, dr. cxl; of the ashes of asps, dr. cxl; of old oil, hemin. ij. Sprinkle the ashes upon the medicine when cooled. It is prepared also without the ashes, because some have an aversion to them, and it is no less efficacious.

The desiccative and discutient plaster, called leæna or lioness. Of ammoniac perfume, of plumbago, of each, dr. c; of mustard, dr. viij; of the root of chamæleon, dr. xvj; of Colophonian rosin, dr. c; of squama æris, of the root of soapwort, of euphorbium, of verdigris, of each, dr. viij; of birthwort, dr. xvj; of pellitory, dr. viij; of old oil, hemin. j; and of the oil of radishes, q. s.—Another. The leæna for altering and evacuating humours. Of copperas, oz. ij; of arsenic, oz. j; of black hellebore, of cantharides’ breasts, of each, dr. iss; of sandarach, oz. iij; of wax, lb. iss; of roasted rosin, lb. j; of oil, hemin. ij.

The Macedonian plaster. Of wax, of Colophonian rosin, of pitch, of the suet of bulls, of rosemary, equal parts. Having melted and removed them from the fire, sprinkle the frankincense.

The plaster sphærion, for febrile complaints. Of ceruse, of litharge, of quicklime, of each, oz. iij; of wax, oz. iss; of Berenicarian natron, of rose oil, of each, oz. j. Pour the melted things upon the dry and form small balls. In using, melt, of oil, oz. vj, with oz. ij of wax, and add, of the medicine, oz. j, and stir with a spatula. When cooled, bruize with oz. ix of water; add also of rose-oil, oz. iij.

The anti-inflammatory plaster from ochre, both for those cases of inflammation which occur spontaneously, and those occasioned by judicial torture. Of Attic ochre, lb. ij; of chalk, lb. j; of litharge, oz. viij. Triturate with wine, of wax, of Colophonian rosin, of pitch, of pine rosin, of each, lb. j; of turpentine, oz. viij; of oil, lb. ij. It is dissolved thus: of wax, lb. j; of old oil, lb. iij; of the medicine, lb. j. Bruise with wine.

The plaster from cedria, being agglutinative, discutient, and detergent. Of wax, of dried pitch, of each, lb. j; of Colophonian rosin, oz. viij; of cedar rosin (gum juniper?), oz. vj. Having melted them together, boil until they cease to stain.

Another emollient plaster. Of wax, of pitch, of each, oz. viij; of Colophonian rosin, dr. xxv; of bee-glue, dr. xvij; of cedar rosin, dr. xx.

The cicatrizing plaster from pumice-stone. Of myrtle oil, lb. ij; of wax, lb. j; of pumice burnt and extinguished in wine, dr. vj; of the squama stomomatis, dr. vj; of burnt copper, of Cimolian earth, of each, dr. v. It is put upon a pledget, and a sponge out of water is applied above.

The plaster called Paula or Rest, for strumæ and buboes. Of wax, of Colophonian rosin, of natron, of each, lb. j.

The plaster from natron, for carbuncles. Of roasted natron, oz. iij; of wax, of oil, of Colophonian rosin, of each, dr. iss; of Cyrenaic or Median juice, dr. x. It is applied, diluted, upon a pledget.

The plaster from anemone. Of anemone stripped of its nails (“the white parts of its flowers”), oz. ij; of wax, oz. v; of oil, oz. iv; of rosin, oz. vss; of Colophonian rosin, lb. iiss.

The green plaster of Machærion for ischiatic diseases, infarctions of the joints, and abscesses. Of opoponax, of galbanum, of verdigris, of myrrh, of iris, of ammoniac perfume, of birthwort, of each, oz. j; of turpentine, of wax, of the oil of unripe olives, of each, oz. vij.