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
Haly Abbas adopts the division laid down by Galen (Theor. viii, 10.) His
treatment also is quite similar (Pract. iii, 29.)
In the translation of Alsaharavius the three varieties are described by
the names of formica or erysipelas muscina, formica corrosiva (herpes
exedens?), and formica miliaris. He describes the formica corrosiva as
being a dangerous complaint, spreading deeper and deeper. His treatment,
although amply detailed, contains nothing remarkable (Pract. xxix, 9.)
The earlier modern writers on medicine being the servile copyists of the
Arabians, describe herpes by the name of formica, as a disease nearly
allied to erysipelas, and like it arising from corrupted bile. See Guy of
Cauliac (ii, 1), and Theoderic (iii, 16). For the herpes esthiomenos or
lupus they recommend the application of arsenic or the actual cautery.
SECT. XXI.—FOR ERYSIPELAS.
Galen, giving the name of erysipelas, more especially to the swelling
formed of a hot and thin blood, to that which is formed of both blood
and bile, he applies an appellation from the prevailing humour, calling
it erysipelatous inflammation when blood prevails, and inflammatory
erysipelas when yellow bile prevails. But in general the swelling formed
of hot blood and bile is called by him erysipelas. Whatever division
we adopt, it will make no great difference as to the treatment. But it
is proper to know that erysipelas is a most dangerous disease, more
particularly about the head; so that if active treatment be not resorted
to, it will sometimes prove fatal to the patients by suffocation. At
its first appearance then we must open a vein at the elbow, especially
the humeral, or, if it cannot be seen, any one that appears. But if
any thing prohibit venesection we must have recourse to purging by
cholagogue medicines. The same treatment may be applied to erysipelas
of other parts, or we may administer strong clysters. And we are to rub
the parts affected by erysipelas with cooling things, in order to repel
the defluxion, and with moderately heating and moistening things so as
to dissipate that which is collected, before the parts become livid
or black; but the parts which are anointed are to be kept constantly
in a wet state, by frequently changing the applications, which may
be done by cleansing them with soaked sponges: for the heat of the
part by converting them into vapour soon renders it dry. As I have
said, erysipelas at the beginning requires such things as are cooling
and moistening, without astringency; such as house-leek, purslain,
and fleawort; the marsh lentil, endive, and gourd; the nightshade,
henbane, lettuce, and horned poppy. And parsley, and the leaves of
rhamnus by themselves, and made into a cataplasm with bread, are proper
applications; also cerates used with very cold water; but we may mix with
them some opium, the juice of poppy, cicuta, and mandragora, and thus
form them into compound applications. And a cerate may be made of white
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