The seven books of Paulus Ægineta, volume 2 (of 3) : $b translated from the Greek: with a commentary embracing a complete view of the knowledge possessed by the Greeks, Romans, and Arabians on all subjects connected with medicine and surgeryPaulus, Aegineta
History
The seven books of Paulus Ægineta, volume 2 (of 3) : $b translated from the Greek: with a commentary embracing a complete view of the knowledge possessed by the Greeks, Romans, and Arabians on all subjects connected with medicine and surgery
Paulus, Aegineta
Medicine; Medicine, Arab; Medicine, Greek and Roman
Albucasis describes the operation in nearly the same terms as Aëtius.
Thus, he directs us to pass a needle armed with a double thread, below
the fleshy excrescence from the left canthus to the right, and stretching
it by means of the threads to cut it out with a broad scalpel. If this
incision does not relieve the eyelid, he directs us to take the specillum
(radius) and applying it to the incision, to evert the eyelid with it,
and then to make two incisions in the inner surface of the eyelid so
that they may meet at an angle below, like the Greek letter Λ. Then this
triangular portion is to be dissected out, and the edges united by a
suture with a woollen thread. When the disease arises from a cicatrix he
directs us to divide it, and then to keep the lips of the wound separate
by the application of a pledget. He concludes with the remark that, as
the disease puts on various forms, a prudent surgeon will show his skill
by restoring the parts to their natural state.
Haly Abbas evidently borrows his description from Aëtius or our author.
The operation here described is very similar to the one practised by
the late Sir William Adams. In the days of Fabricius this operation
was condemned as cruel and troublesome. It will be remarked that the
V operation of modern times is a modification of the operation now
described.
SECT. XIII.—ON ANABROCHISMUS AND BURNING WITH IRON.
When the hairs which irritate the eye are not numerous, but only one,
two, or at most, three, close to one another, we approve of the operation
called anabrochismus. Taking, therefore, a very slender needle, we pass
through its ear (eye?) a woman’s hair or a fine flaxen thread, and
unite the two extremities together in such a manner that the thread
or hair which is passed through may have a double loop; and we pass
another such thread or hair through the loop, and pushing the needle
through the tarsus where the preternatural hairs appear, we introduce
the hair or hairs into the loop by means of an ear-specillum, and draw
it upwards. And if the hair of the eyelash be fixed in it, we draw up
the loop; but if one or more, fall out, we again, by means of the one
at first introduced, draw down the loop, and once more introducing a
hair or hairs, draw them upwards. But if there is only one slender hair
that irritates the eye we draw up another of the ciliary hairs along
with it, anointing them with gum or some other glutinous substance, and
bending them until they unite to the skin. Some preferring burning to
the operation of anabrochismus, turn the eyelid outwards, and with a
hair-forceps dragging out the offending hair, if there is but one, or
two, or three; if there be as many, they apply a double-headed specillum,
or an ear-specillum, or some such small instrument heated, to the
place whence the hair or hairs were removed. For the skin being thus
constricted, no other hair is produced.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account