COMMENTARY. Consult Lucretius (vi, 1112); Celsus (iii, 25); Pliny (Hist. Nat. xxvi, 5); Scribonius Largus (102); Cælius Aurelianus (Pass. Tard. iv, 1); Marcellus (De Med. xix); Serenus Samonicus (11); Octavius Horatianus (i, 32); Isidorus (Orig. iv, 8); Vegetius (Mulom. i, 9); Aretæus (Curat. Morb. Chron. ii, 13); Plutarch (Symp. viii, Quest. 9); Galen (ad Glauc. ii, 10; de Causis Morb. 7); Oribasius (Morb. Curat. iii, 62; Synops. vii, 5); Pseudo Dioscorides (Euporist. i, 105); Aëtius (xiii, 120); Actuarius (Meth. Med. ii, 11, and iv, 15); Nonnus (Epit. 233); Psellus (op. medicum); Leo (vii); Myrepsus (De Med. comp.); Avicenna (iv, 3, 3, 1); Serapion (v, 14); Avenzoar (ii, 7, 12, 26); Albucasis (Chirurg. i, 49); Haly Abbas (Theor. viii, 15, Pract. iv, 3, ix, 69); Alsaharavius (Pract. xxxi, 2); Rhases (ad Mansor, v, 35, ix, 93, Contin. xxxv, 26.) We owe the earliest notice which we have of this disease to the poet Lucretius, who briefly mentions it in the following lines: “Est elephas morbus qui propter flumina Nili Gignitur Ægypto in mediâ neque præterea usquam.” Celsus says that elephantiasis is a chronic disease, almost unknown in Italy, but very common in certain countries. He calls it an affection of the whole body, even of the bones. The upper part of the body is covered with frequent spots and tumours, the redness gradually changes to black, the skin is thickened, and covered with hard asperities like scales; the body wastes, but the face, legs, and feet swell; and when the disease is protracted, the fingers and toes become buried in the swelling, and a slight fever comes on, which finishes the patient’s sufferings. Such is his description of the disease. His treatment consists in bleeding at the commencement, abstinence, then supporting the strength, purging, exercise, sudorifics, and friction. Baths are to be rarely used; fatty, glutinous, and flatulent articles of food are to be avoided, but wine is to be allowed, except at the beginning. The body is to be rubbed with pounded plantain. According to Pliny, elephantiasis was never known in Italy until the days of Pompey the Great, when it was imported from Egypt, and raged for a time, but soon became extinct. He describes it as affecting the face in particular with hard, rough, black maculæ, which sometimes spread to the bones, the toes and fingers being swelled. Serenus Samonicus, who is said to have flourished about the beginning of the third century, thus describes the disease: “Est elephas morbus tristi quoque nomine dirus, Non solum turpans infandis ora papillis, Sed cito præcipitans funesto fata venino.” His remedies are the juice of the bark of the juniper, the ashes and blood of the weasel, mint, and various external applications, consisting of ceruse, Egyptian paper, roses, &c. Scribonius Largus recommends sulphur with common oil for lepra, “et quam elephantiam dicunt,” but he gives no description of the latter.