Of Medicine, in Eight BooksCelsus, Aulus Cornelius
History
Of Medicine, in Eight Books
Celsus, Aulus Cornelius
Medicine, Greek and Roman
If the patient should not be cured even by these means, let his head
be shaved, anointed with old oil, adding to it vinegar and nitre, and
salt water poured upon it; when he is fasting, let him drink castor
and water; make use of no water for drink, unless it has been boiled.
Some have cured themselves of such a disorder by drinking the warm
blood of a gladiator slain. With such people a miserable remedy is
rendered tolerable by a more miserable distemper. As to the assistance
of medicine, the last remedy is to let a little blood from both legs
near the ancle; to make an incision on the back of the head, and apply
cucurbitals; with a hot iron also to make an eschar in two places, in
the back of the head, and below, where the first vertebra is joined
to the head; that by these the noxious humour may be discharged. If
by this method the distemper has not been removed, it will probably
continue for life. To alleviate it, exercise must only be used, and
such food, as has been directed above; and especially every thing
avoided, against which we have given cautions.
CHAP. XXIV.
OF THE JAUNDICE AND ITS CURE.
The distemper is equally known, which is called sometimes
arquatus(39), sometimes regius. If this comes on after the seventh
day of a fever, Hippocrates pronounces the patient to be safe, provided
only the præcordia be soft. Diocles declares without reserve, that if
it comes after a fever, it even does good; if a fever follows it, it is
mortal. Now this distemper is discovered by the colour, especially of
the eyes, in which, what ought to be white, becomes yellow. And it is
generally attended by a thirst, pain of the head, frequent hiccough,
hardness of the præcordia on the right side; and upon violent motion,
a difficulty of breathing, and relaxation of the limbs: and when the
distemper continues long, the whole body turns white, with a certain
sickly paleness.
For the first day it is proper to enjoin the patient to abstinence; on
the second to give a clyster; then if there is a fever, to remove it by
proper diet; if there is not, to give scammony to drink, or white betes
shred in water, or in hydromel bitter almonds, wormwood, anise, but of
the last the smallest quantity. Asclepiades ordered also the drinking
of salt water, and that for two days, with an intention to purge,
rejecting the use of diuretics. Some omitting the former, by the latter
and extenuating diet affirm they obtain the same purpose.
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