A pulveribus, qui Aegyptiis fere toto anno ventorum terraeque siccitatis occasione perpetuo familiares existunt, atque ab assiduis sudoribus quibus coeli calore omnia corpora continue abundant, illuvieque quadam immunda redduntur, atque foetentia, ex quo pleraque ipsorum et foetere et pediculis abundare solent. Balneis omnes hi populi utuntur familiarissime pro corporum abstersione, maximeque mulieres, quibus curae magis est corpora ipsarum pulchriora facere ipsorum, illuviem et foetorem corrigentes, ut cariores sint suis viris. Eae etenim saepissime corpora in iis lavant, at mundant ab illuvie, perlotaque variis ornant odoribus ut recte unguentis oleant. Ac veluti Italae mulieres atque aliarum multarum etiam nationum ad capillorum facieique omne cultum adhibent studium, ita Aegyptiae capillorum cultum negligunt ex consuetudine omnes capillos in bursam serico panno paratam concludentes, ac ad pudendorum abditarumque corporis partium ornatum omnem diligentiam adhibent. Pudendis igitur tota cura in balneis ab iis adhibetur. Ea siquidem in primis lavant, pilisque nudant, locaque pudendorum perpetuo glabra gestant, turpeque ibi est mulierum pilis obsitam vulvam habere. Demum lotas eas partes glabrasque effectas variis unguentis etiam exornant. The custom survived in France and Italy in the sixteenth century. Epilation as a purely surgical operation was frequently necessary for the trichiasis consequent on the granular ophthalmia which was so common among the Romans. Paul (VI. xiii) says: 'Turn the eyelid outwards and, with an epilation forceps (τριχολαβίῳ) dragging out the offending hairs, either one, or two, or three or whatever number there are. Then apply a heated olivary probe or an aural probe or some such slender instrument to the place from whence the hair or hairs have been removed.' The numbers of toilet epilation forceps which have been found are enormous. Moreover, forceps of exactly similar form were in use in every household as accessories of the lamp for raising and snuffing the wick, and artisans used them also for the finer manipulations of their crafts; so that by far the largest number of forceps of this type are not surgical instruments, but household implements. However, we have plenty of specimens from purely surgical finds.