same time that the body is loaded with crude humours, the state of the patient is hopeless. If you perceive that the humours are thick, give oxymel always instead of honied water; if it is summer, the patient hot, and fond of cold drink, give him cold oxymel; but when in winter, it must be hot. Baths are most prejudicial to such persons. If, when you are called, syncope has already come on, and the parts which I have mentioned are free from inflammation, give a small bit of bread out of wine, and proceed straightway to the friction in the manner I have described. In those cases in which the syncope is occasioned by yellow bile infesting the mouth of the stomach, we must give cold drink, and administer wine that is thin, of a bright yellow colour, and old. * * * * * COMMENTARY. This Section is taken either from Oribasius (Synops. vi, 27), or Aëtius (v, 97.) These authors, however, merely abridge the account of this subject which is given by Galen. (Meth. Med. xii, 5, and Therap. ad Glauc. i.) Syncope, according to the explanation of Galen, is a sudden prostration of the vital powers, without suspension of the respiration, as in _deliquium animi_. Our author has given a very correct account of Galen’s treatment. He states that, the system labouring under a load, the great indication is evacuation, but that venesection cannot be borne in such cases. In short, he insists that our great dependence must be placed on friction, for the application of which he gives very minute directions. When the pulse suddenly sinks and becomes irregular, he administers wine, unless there be inflammation of the stomach or liver. In cases complicated with crude humours, he pronounces the bath to be most prejudicial, and also disapproves of very cold or very warm air. He is most particular in his directions for the selection of the most proper wine to be used, and gives some interesting observations on the principal Greek and Roman wines used in his time. He concludes his remarks with stating that thick wines ought to be avoided as injurious, and such as are watery and thin as ineffectual, whereas those of a middling kind are to be selected. He particularly praises the Ariusian and the Lesbian. The Falernian he condemns, as being too fragrant and austere, which qualities render it injurious to the head.