The foregoing directions are general: besides which, there are some particular rules for the several kinds of weapons, which I shall immediately subjoin. Nothing is so easily lodged in the body as an arrow, and it goes to the greatest depth. The reasons are, both that it moves with great force, and because it is small. Therefore, it must be extracted more frequently on the opposite part, than on that by which it entered, and especially because it is generally surrounded with beards, which lacerate more, if they be drawn backward than forward. But an orifice being made on the opposite part, the flesh ought to be opened by an instrument made in the form of the Greek letter ν; and when the point appears, if the shaft adheres to it, it must be pushed forward, till it can be taken hold of at the opposite part, and extracted. If that is already broke off, and only the iron head is within, the point must be taken hold of by the fingers, or a forceps, and thus pulled out. And there is no other method of extracting it, when it is thought adviseable to pull it out by the orifice it entered at: for after the wound is enlarged, either the shaft, if that be lodged within, must be pulled out; or if that be not there, the iron itself. But if the beards are visible, and they are short and small, they ought to be broke off with a forceps, and the weapon, when freed of them, to be brought out; if they are larger and stronger, they must be covered with writing reeds split, to prevent their lacerating any part, and thus pulled out. This is the method observed in extracting arrows. [Sidenote: _Of broad weapons._] But if a person has a broad weapon lodged within his flesh, it is not proper to draw it out at the opposite part, lest we add another great wound to the large one already made. It must therefore be pulled out with a certain kind of iron instrument, which the Greeks call the graphiscus of Diocles[GP], because it was invented by Diocles, whom I have already taken notice of among the ancient and greatest physicians. This is a plate of iron, or sometimes of copper, at the one end, having two claws turned downwards on each side; the other perforated and folded back on each side; bent a little at that extremity, which has the claws; and likewise on the other, which is perforated. This is introduced transversely, hard by the weapon; and then, when it has reached its point, it is turned a little, that it may receive the weapon into the perforation. When the point is in the hole, the operator, clapping two of his fingers to the claws at the other end, draws out at once his instrument and the weapon. [GP] γραφίσκος Διοκλέους. [Sidenote: _Of leaden bullets, &c._] A third kind of weapon, which requires sometimes to be pulled out, is a leaden bullet, or a stone, or some such thing, which having broke through the skin, is entirely lodged within. In all these cases, the wound must be enlarged, and what is within must be extracted by a forceps the way it entered.