When nausea comes on without being produced artificially, it is a clear inference that noxious humours are vexing the stomach. Some feel uneasy, but vomit nothing, the humour being retained in the coats. When the humours are pituitous, we must get them concocted by rest, spare diet, and sleep. But the thinner may be ejected by vomiting, produced either with the juice of ptisan, or with honied water. But those which are viscid and thick, stand in need of attenuant remedies, such as oxymel, and the like. But, when a noxious fluid is detained in the coats, the powder from aloes, called picra, is beneficial, but astringents are pernicious; whereas, if there be much fluid, but not of a noxious kind, astringents will be beneficial, but the aloetic medicine will bring on marasmus. When cold is joined to humidity, we must mix calefacients with astringents. The symptom of the affection being of a cold nature is that there is no thirst, nor sensation of heat. * * * * * COMMENTARY. Oribasius recommends the same treatment. (Synops. vi, 40.) Our author appears to have condensed the lengthy account given by Galen and Aëtius. (ix, v.) Alexander also treats of the subject at great length, but we can only afford room for a few extracts. When the nausea arises from plethora, he directs bleeding; and when the plethora is connected with vitiated humours, he recommends both bleeding and purging. When bilious or melancholic humours occasion the nausea, he recommends dilution at first by giving tepid water or the like, and then evacuations of them by purging or emetics. When the humour is an acrid or sweet phlegm, he recommends oxymel, radishes, and the like. When a serous and thin humour is impacted in the stomach, he evacuates it by procuring vomiting with tepid water or ptisan. (vii, 13.) Serapion appears to have copied from our author. (iii, 5.) See Avicenna (iii, xiii, 5, 8.) Rhases applies over the stomach a cold plaster with snow. When the nausea is oppressive, he promotes vomiting with tepid water. (Cont. xi.) SECT. LVI.—ON VOMITING OF BILE. To those who vomit bile, a cataplasm must be applied, made of dates, the rind of pomegranate, and gall, boiled in wine or oxycrate, along with pounded bread. And acacia, hypocystis, and the flowers of the wild pomegranate and sumach, ought to be added to the cataplasm. A cupping-instrument also, when applied with a strong heat, is of great service. Food ought to be given frequently in small quantities. To those who vomit black bile and have the stomach inflated, apply sponges soaked in hot vinegar of the most acrid qualities, or a cataplasm of the leaves of the ivy boiled in wine. * * * * * COMMENTARY. This is taken from Oribasius (Synops. vi, 41.)