Of Medicine, in Eight BooksCelsus, Aulus Cornelius
History
Of Medicine, in Eight Books
Celsus, Aulus Cornelius
Medicine, Greek and Roman
In a little time the case requires gestation, and especially sailing;
to be rubbed three or four times a day with oil and nitre together; to
have warm water poured on after meat; then to apply mustard to all the
parts of the body, except the head, till they be corroded and grow red;
and more especially if the body be firm and strong. Then there must be
a gradual change to such things as bind the belly. Strong roasted flesh
is to be given, and such as is not easily corrupted: boiled rain water
may be given to drink, to the quantity of two or three cyathi at a time.
If the disorder be of long standing, it is proper to swallow the bulk
of a pepper-corn of the best laser; and every other day to drink wine
or water, at times to sup single cyathi of wine, taking food between;
to give a clyster of rain-water egelid; and more especially if the pain
continues in the lower parts.
CHAP. XIII.
OF THE DISTEMPER OF THE SMALL GUT, AND ITS CURE.
To the intestines themselves two distempers are peculiar; one of
which is in the small, and the other in the large gut. The first is
acute: the other may continue long. Diodes the Carystian called the
distemper of the small intestine chordapsus[CZ], that of the larger he
named ileus[DA]. But I observe, that most people now call the first
ileus, and the other colicus[DB]. Now the first occasions a pain,
sometimes above, sometimes below the navel. In either place there is
an inflammation: neither the excrements nor wind can pass downwards.
If the upper part is affected, the food, if the lower, the excrements
are returned by the mouth: in either case there is danger; which is
increased, if the vomiting be bilious, fetid, or various, or black.
[CZ] χόρδαψος.
[DA] εἰλεὸς.
[DB] κολικὸς.
The cure is letting of blood; or applying cucurbitals in several
places, but not to make incisions of the skin every where; for that
is sufficient in two or three places: from the rest it suffices to
evacuate air. Then it is proper to observe, where the seat of the
disorder is; for there is commonly a swelling over it. And if it be
above the navel, a clyster signifies nothing: if it is below, it
is most proper, in the opinion of Erasistratus, to give clysters
sometimes; and this remedy is often of very great service in these
parts. The liquor proper for this is strained cream of ptisan, with
the addition of oil and honey without any thing else. If there is
no swelling, it is most proper to apply the two hands to the top of
the belly, and to bring them down gradually; for thus the seat of
the disorder will be discovered, as it will necessarily resist the
pressure: and from thence it may be determined, whether it is fit to
use clysters or not.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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