Galen ascribes the carbuncle to a defluxion of hot, black, and thick blood, which gives rise to blisters, ulcers, and eschars. He directs us to apply to the eschars those medicines the properties of which resemble fire, such as misy, chalcitis, arsenic, quicklime, and sandarach. His particular remedies are quite similar to our author’s. (Meth. Med. xiv), and (ad Glauc. ii.) He mentions the carbuncle as a very unfavorable symptom of the plague. (Epidem. iii, and de Diff. Febr. i, 6.) The account of the carbuncle given by Aëtius is full and accurate, but is entirely derived from Galen. Oribasius, Actuarius, and Nonnus also repeat his doctrines. Actuarius says that the disease is occasioned by melancholic blood overheated. This is much the same as Galen’s theory. Octavius Horatianus recommends bleeding at the commencement, and external applications of an acrid and caustic nature, or the actual cautery itself. When danger is apprehended from a hot cautery, he directs us to use a cold one. In the Latin translation of Avicenna the carbuncle is described by the names of pruna and ignis Persicus. It was called pruna from a black slough which is formed in it, resembling a burnt coal. His account of the disease is ample, but mostly copied from Galen and his successors. Rhases approves of venesection at the beginning, and of the actual cautery. He also recommends an application containing mustard and figs. Alsaharavius describes the varieties of anthrax by the names of _alcubam_ and _alcoasat_. (Pract. xxix, 12.) At the commencement, he approves of general bleeding and leeches, and afterwards of refrigerant and analeptic medicines, to obviate the tendency to sinking. When these things do not succeed, he directs us to use powerful caustics or the actual cautery. Serapion, like Avicenna, describes it under the name of the ignis Persicus. Procopius mentions the anthrax as one of the symptoms of the great plague which he describes. (Persica, ii.) For the carbunculus or anthrax, Brunus and the other writers of that age recommend, at first, bleeding and restricted diet, with maturative applications, such as figs and mustard, or the yeast cataplasm, with oil and salt. When the part becomes black, Theodoricus directs us to have recourse to the actual cautery. (iii, 12.) Municks rather disapproves both of purging and bleeding, but strongly commends the actual cautery, which he greatly prefers to the potential. (Chirurg. i.) Vigierius, however, prefers a paste made from quicklime and soap. V. Manget. (Bibl. Chirurg. i, 374.) The learned Schelhammer speaks favorably both of the potential and the actual cautery. (De Humoribus.) SECT. XXVI.—ON CANCERS.