The seven books of Paulus Ægineta, volume 3 (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
Science
The seven books of Paulus Ægineta, volume 3 (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
Stercus, _Dung_; all kinds of it are of a heating, desiccative, and
discutient nature, but they differ from one another according to the
temperament and diet of the animal which voids it. The dung, then, of
dogs fed on bones, when dried, cures dysenteric affections if taken in a
draught with divided milk (lac scissum), and old ulcers, if mixed with
suitable medicines. In cynanche and inflammations about the tonsils, it
is rubbed into the parts mixed with honey. These complaints are greatly
relieved by the dung of children who have not been permitted to take too
much food. The dung of wolves and the whiter sort which is found upon
certain shrubs, is an admirable remedy for colics, and that, not only
in a draught, but also when appended as an amulet. It may be fastened
either with the wool of a sheep recently killed by a wolf, or the skin
of a stag. Goat’s dung, being more acrid and discutient, discusses
scirrhous tumours when applied externally, more especially upon hard
flesh. When burnt it is more detergent and attenuate. The dung of oxen
has some attractive powers, and, therefore, cures the stings of wasps and
bees. And if the whole body of persons affected with dropsy be rubbed
with cow’s dung in the sun they will be much relieved thereby. Sheep’s
dung with vinegar cures myrmecia, acrochordon, furunculus, and clavus.
That of wild pigeons, being much more acrid than the other kinds, proves
rubefacient when applied with the seed of cardamus. That of domestic
fowls, when drunk with oxymel, vinegar, or wine and honey, causes the
suffocative mushrooms to be vomited, and proves a preservative from them.
Some have given it to drink also in colics. They say also that the dung
of storks, when drunk, is useful in orthopnœa. That of mice, being more
detergent than all others, agrees with alopecia, and when applied to the
anus of children provokes evacuation. The dung of starlings, when they
feed on rice, becomes detergent so as to clear away freckles. That of
land crocodiles removes alphos, as that of the crocodiles of the Nile is
believed to attenuate leucoma (white films on the eyes).
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Our author’s account of the medicinal properties of _Dung_
is abridged from Galen. As we have no wish to see this article restored
to the Materia Medica, we shall not enlarge upon the subject. Those who
wish to improve their knowledge of the medicinal articles mentioned under
this head by our author, may find them treated of _usque ad nauseam_ by
Dioscorides, Galen, Serapion, and Avicenna. Many of them were retained in
the Dispensatory down to a comparatively recent date. For example, the
white dung of dogs, usually called _Album Græcum_, was long used in the
cure of quinsies. See Quincy (140, 206.)
Κοράλλιον,
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