Alexander Aphrodisiensis assigns, as the reason why the warm bath proves useful in cases of pruritus, that it dispels the phlegm, which is the cause of the complaint. Celsus gives a particular account of scabies, but says nothing of prurigo. Octavius Horatianus recommends us, when the patient is young, to bleed, purge, and use baths medicated with frankincense, natron and sulphur. He also says that the cold bath, and friction with the oil of roses, myrtles, &c., will do much good. Isidorus uses the term prurigo: “Prurigo vocatur perurendo et ardendo.” Marcellus also uses this term, and recommends much the same substances as the others. This affection is clearly described by the Arabians, and is rendered pruritus by most of their translators. Serapion recommends us, if there is a sanguineous plethora, to bleed, and then to purge with myrobalans, colocynth, and black hellebore, and along with these the warm bath is to be used, and the liniments for removing the pruritus, containing vinegar, roses, nitre, &c. The prurigo senilis he pronounces to be incurable. Rhases and Avicenna recommend similar remedies. They treat of prurigo and scabies together, and there is no doubt of their alliance. Hence Bateman says that prurigo, when neglected, terminates in scabies. Haly Abbas says that scabies and prurigo arise from a saltish phlegm. Scabies, he says, consists of reddish pustules, which appear most frequently between the fingers and upon the arms. Prurigo, he adds, is apt to run into scabies. He recommends, as a lotion, vinegar with rose-oil, the use of the warm-bath, and other remedies like those of our author. Alsaharavius says that the disease arises from debility of the expulsive faculty of the body or constriction of the pores. He praises highly the hot bath. Avenzoar states that pruritus arises from bile or a sharpness of the blood. Our author has omitted to treat of _phthiriasis_, for an account of which see in particular Cælius Aurelianus (de Tard. Pass. iv, 2); also, Aristot. (Hist. An. v, 32); Galen (de Comp. Med. sec. loc. i, 8); Pliny (Hist. Nat. xxvi, 86); Haly Abbas (Pract. iv, 7); Plutarchus (in Vitâ Syllæ.) The authorities quoted by Rhases recommend compositions consisting of stavesacre, white hellebore, arsenic, nitre, sulphur, sublimed mercury, and the like. (Contin. xxxvi.) Antiochus, Herod of Judæa, Philip II of Spain, and many other celebrated personages, are said to have died of phthiriasis. Virey accounts for the disease in the following manner: “Il est, en effet, tel tempérament muqueux, telle dégénération des humeurs lymphatiques, dans le phthiriasis ou la maladie pédiculaire, que ces insectes y trouvent une pâture inépuisable, qu’ils se propagent avec une extrême exubérance sous le peau, pénétrent dans le tissu cellulaire, et établissent d’énormes colonies parmi les ulcères qu’ils y forment.” (Hist. des Mœurs des Anim. ii, 207.) Aldrovandi gives a very full history of phthiriasis. (De Insectis, v.) SECT. V.—ON LEUCE.