De Medicina |
Translator: Walter George Spencer
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| 85 |
Stomachus lateribus cingitur , atque in his quoque uehementes dolores esse consuerunt . Et initium uel ex frigore uel ex ictu uel ex nimio cursu uel ex morbo est . Sed interdum omne malum intra dolorem est isque modo tarde , modo celeriter soluitur : interdum ad perniciem quoque procedit oriturque acutus morbus , qui pleur iticus a Graecis nominatur . Huic dolori lateris febris et tussis accedit ; et per hanc excreatur , si tolerabilis morbus est , pituita ; si grauis , sanguis . Interdum etiam sicca tussis est , quae nihil emo litur, idque primo uitio grauius , secundo tolerabilius est .—Remedium uero est magni et recentis doloris sanguis missus : at siue leuior siue uetustior casus est , uel superuacuum uel serum id auxili est ; confugiendumque ad cucurbitas est , ante summa cute incisa . Recte etiam sinapi ex aceto super pectus inponitur , donec ulcera pusulasque excitet , et tum medicamentum , quod umorem illuc citet . Praeter haec circumdare primum oportet latus abso lanae sulpuratae ; deinde , cum paululum inflammatio se remisit , siccis et calidis fomentis uti . Ab his transitus ad malagmata est . Si uetustior dolor remanet , nouissime resina inposita discutitur . Vtendum cibis potionibusque calidis , uitandum frigus . Inter haec tamen non alienum e st extremas partes oleo et sulpure perfricare ; si leuata tussis est , leni lectione uti , iamque et acres cibos et uinum meracius adsumere . Quae ita a medicis praecipiuntur , ut tamen sine his rusticos nostros epota ex aqua herba trixa go satis adiuuet . Haec in omni lateris dolore communia sunt : plus negotii est , si acutus quoque morbus is factus est . In hoc praeter ea , quae supra posita sunt , haec animaduertenda sunt ; ut cibus sit quam maxime tenuis et lenis , praecipueque sorbitio eaque ex tisana potissimum , aut ius , in quo porrus cum pullo gallinaceo coctus sit , idque non nisi tertio quoque die detur , si tamen per uires licebit : potui uero aqua mulsa , in qua hysopum aut ruta decocta sit . Quae quibus temporibus danda sint , ex ratione uel adiectae uel leuatae febris apparebit , sic ut in remissione quam maxima dentur , cum eo tamen , ut sciamus non esse eius generis tussi aridas fauces committendas : nam saepe , ubi nihil est , quod excreetur , continuatur et strangulat . Ob quam causam dixi etiam peius id genus esse tussis , quod nihil quam quod pituitam moueret . Sed hic uinum sorbere , ut supra praecepimus , morbus ipse non patitur : in uicem eius cremor tisanae sumendus est . Vt his autem in ipso morbi feruore sustinendus aeger est , sic , ubi paululum is se remisit , alimenta pleniora et uini quoque aliquid dari potest , dum nihil detur , quod aut refrigeret corpus aut fauces asperet . Si in refectione quoque manserit tussis , intermittere oportebit uno die , posteroque cum cibo uini paulo plus adsumere . Atque incipiente quoque tussi , tum non erit alienum , ut supra quoque positum est , uini cyathos sorbere , sed id in hoc genere ualetudinis dulce uel certe lene commodius est . Si malum inueterauit , athletico uictu corpus firmandum est .
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13 The stomach is girt about by the ribs, and in these also severe pains occur. And the commencement either is from a chill, or from a blow, or from excessive running, or from disease. But at times pain is all there is the matter, and this is recovered from be it slowly or quickly; at times it goes on until it is dangerous, and the acute disease arises which the Greeks call pleurisy. To the aforesaid pain in the side is added fever and cough; and by means of the cough, phlegm is expectorated when the disease is less serious, but blood when it is grave. At times also there is a dry cough without expectoration, which is worse than the former condition, and better than the latter. The aparo remedy for severe and recent pain is blood-letting; but if the case is either of a slighter or of a more chronic kind, then this remedy becomes either unnecessary or belated; and recourse is to be had to cupping after incising the skin. It is also appropriate to apply vinegar and mustard upon the chest until this raises ulcerations and pustulations, and then a medicament to draw out the humour that way. Besides the above the side should be first surrounded with a sheet of sulphurated wool; next, after the inflammation has subsided somewhat, have dry and hot foments applied to it. From these transition is made to emollients. If the pain persists for a longer time, it may finally be dispersed by resin plaster. Food and drink should be taken hot, avoiding cold. Along with the above treatment, however, it is not unfitting to rub the lower limbs with oil and sulphur. If the cough has been relieved, the patient should read a little out loud, and now take both sharp food and undiluted wine. Though such are what medical practitioners prescribe, yet our country people, lacking these remedies, find help enough in a draught of germander. The foregoing are the remedies common to all cases of pain in the side: there is more to do if this affection has also become acute. In such cases, besides what has been described above, attention must be given to the following: that the food be as thin and bland as possible, and gruel is most suitable, especially that made with pearl barley, or soup made by boiling a chicken with leeks, and this may be given, but only every third day, if the patient's strength permits of this; the drink should be hydromel in which hyssop or rue has been boiled. The times at which these should be given will become apparent from the way the fever increases or diminishes, so that it should be given when there is least fever, not forgetting, however, that a dry throat must not be combined with that kind of cough; for often when there is no expectoration, the cough is incessant and chokes the patient. On this account I stated above that a cough which brings up nothing is of a worse kind than that causing phlegm to be expectorated. But here the disease does not allow of wine being sipped as prescribed above (10.3); pearl barley gruel is to be taken instead. As these have to sustain the patient during the hot stage of the disease, as soon as there is a little remission, the diet can be increased and also some wine given, as long as nothing is given that will either chill the body or irritate the throat. If the cough persists in convalescence, it will be well on one day to omit the wine, and on the next to take a little extra wine with the food. And also at the beginning of a cough, as stated above, it is not amiss to sip cupfuls of wine; but sweet or at any rate light wine, is the more suitable in this kind of illness. If the malady has become inveterate the body must be strengthened by food fit for an athlete. |
| 86 |
A compagine corporis ad VISCERA transeundum est , et inprimis ad pulmonem ueniendum ; ex quo uehemens et acutus morbus oritur , quem peripleumoniac on Graeci uocant . Eius haec condicio est : pulmo totus adficitur ; hunc casum eius subsequitur tussis bilem uel pus trahens , praecordiorum totiusque pectoris grauitas , spiritus difficultas , magnae febres , continua uigilia , cibi fastidium , tabes . Id genus morbi plus periculi quam doloris habet .—Oportet , si satis ualidae uires sunt , sanguinem mittere ; si minores , cucurbitulas sine ferro praecordiis admouere . Tum si satis ualet , gestando aegrum digerere ; si parum , intra domum tamen dimouere : potionem autem hysopi * cum quo ficus arida sit incocta , aut aquam mulsam , in qua uel hysopum uel ruta decocta sit : frictione uti diutissime in scapulis , proxime ab his in brachiis et pedibus et cruribus , leuiter contra pulmonem , idque bis cottidie facere . Quod ad cibum uero pertinet , huic nec salsis opus est neque acribus neque amaris neque aluum adstringentibus , sed paullo lenioribus . Ergo primis diebus danda est sorbitio tisanae uel halicae uel oryzae , cum qua recens adeps cocta sit : cum hac sorbile ouum , nuclei pinei ex melle , panis uel elota halica ex aqua mulsa ; potui deinde non solum pura aqua sed etiam mulsa egelida , aut si aestas est , etiam frigida , nisi quid obstat . Haec autem altero quoque die increscente morbo dare satis est . Vbi increment um constitit , quantum res patitur , ab omnibus abstinendum est , praeterquam aqua egelida . Si uires desunt , adiuuandae sunt aqua mulsa . Prosuntque aduersus dolores imposita calida fomenta uel ea , quae simul et reprimunt et emolliunt . Prodest impositus super pectus sal bene contritus cum cerato mixtus , quia leuiter cutem erodit , eoque impetum materiae , quo pulmo uexatur , euocat . Vtile etiam aliquod malagma est ex is , quae materiam trahunt . Neque alienum est , dum premit morbus , clausis fenestris aegrum continere : ubi paullum leuatus est , ter aut quater die fenestris aliquis apertis paruum aerem recipere . Deinde in refectione pluribus diebus a uino abstinere ; gestatione , frictione uti , sorbitionibus ; et prioribus cibis adicere ex holeribus porrum , ex carne ungulas et summa trunculorum , atque pisciculos , sic ut diu nihil nisi molle et lene sumatur .
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14 Passing from the framework of the body to the viscera, we come first to the lung, where a grave and acute disease arises, which the Greeks name peripleumoniacon. The conditions are these: the lung is attacked as a whole; this is followed by a cough which draws up bile or pus; there is a feeling of weight over the praecordia and all the chest; there is difficult breathing, high fever, persistent insomnia, loss of appetite, wasting. This sort of disease has in it more of danger than of pain. Blood should be let if there is strength enough; if not, dry cups should be applied over the praecordia. Then if the patient is strong enough he should be rocked to disperse the disease; if not, he should yet be moved about in the house: his drink should then be a decoction of hyssop with a dried fig, or hydromel in which hyssop or rue has been boiled; he should be rubbed twice daily, longest between the shoulder-blades, then the arms, feet and legs, but lightly over the lung. As regards food too, in this instance it should be neither salted nor acrid nor bitter nor constipating, but of the rather blander kinds. Therefore on the first days pearl barley or spelt or rice gruel in which fresh lard has been boiled are to be given; with this raw eggs, pine kernels in honey, bread or washed groats of spelt in hydromel; then he may drink not only water by itself but also lukewarm hydromel, or even this cold in summer, unless there is some objection. But whilst the disease is on the increase, it is enough to give these every other day. When the increase has come to a stand, he should abstain, so far as is practicable, from everything except lukewarm water. If the strength begins to fail, hydromel is to be added. For the relief of pain it is helpful to apply foments hot, or those which both repress and soothe. The application to the chest of salt, well rubbed up and mixed with wax-salve, is beneficial because it slightly erodes the skin, and thereby draws out that flood of the matter by which the lung is being oppressed. Useful also is any one of the emollients which draw out the matter. During the pressure of the disease it is not wrong to keep the patient with the windows shut: when he is somewhat better, some windows should be opened three or four times a day to let in a little air. Next during recovery he should for several days abstain from wine, use rocking, rubbing and gruels; to the previous foods add: of vegetables, leeks, of meat, trotters and tit-bits, also small fish, so long as for a while nothing but what is soft and bland is consumed. |
| 87 |
Alterius quoque uisceris morbus , iocineris , aeque modo longus , modo acutus esse consueuit : ΗΠΑΤΙΚΟΝ Graeci uocant . Dextra parte sub praecordiis uehemens dolor est , idemque ad latus dextrum et ad iugulum umerumque partis eiusdem peruenit : nonnumquam manus quoque dextra torquetur , horror calidus est . Vbi male est , bilis euomitur ; interdum singultus prope strangulat . Et haec quidem acuti morbi sunt : longioris uero , ubi suppuratio in iocinere est , dolorque modo finitur , modo intenditur , dextra parte praecordia dura sunt et tument ; post cibum maior spiritus difficultas est ; accedit maxillarum quaedam resolutio . Vbi inueterauit malum , uenter et crura pedesque intumescunt , pectus atque umeri circaque iugulum utrumque extenuatur .—Initio sanguinem mittere optimum est : tum uenter soluendus est , si non potest aliter , per nigrum ueratrum . Inponenda extrinsecus cataplasmata , primum quae reprimant , deinde calida quae diducant , quibus recte iris uel apsinthium adicitur ; post haec malagma . Dandae uero sorbitiones sunt , omnesque cibi et calidi et qui non multum alant , ei fere qui pulmonis quoque dolori conueniunt , praeterque eos , qui urinam mouent , potionesque ad id efficaces . Vtilia in hoc morbo sunt thymum , satureia , hysopum , nepeta , amulum , sesamum , lauri bacae , pini flos , herba sanguinalis , menta , ex malo Cotoneo medium , columbae iecur recens et crudum . Ex quibus quaedam per se esse , quaedam adicere uel sorbitioni uel potioni licet , sic tamen , ut parce adsumantur . Neque alienum est absinthium contritum ex melle et pipere , eiusque catapotium cotidie deuorare . Abstinendum utique est ab omnibus frigidis : neque enim res ulla magis iecur laedit . Frictionibus utendum in extremis partibus : uitandus omnis labor , omnis uehementior motus ; ne spiritus quidem diutius continendus est . Ira , trepidatio , pondus , ictus , cursus inimica sunt . Perfusio corporis multa prodest ex aqua , si hiemps est , calida , si aestas , tepida ; item liberalis unctio et in balneo sudor . Si uero iecur uomica laborat , eadem facienda sunt , quae in ceteris interioribus suppurationibus . Quidam etiam contra id scalpello aperiunt et ipsam uomicam adurunt .
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15 Further a disease of another of the viscera, the liver, is also sometimes chronic, sometimes acute: the Greeks call it hepaticon. There is severe pain in the right part under the praecordia, which spreads to the right side, to the clavicle and arm of that side; at times there is also pain in the right hand, there is hot shivering. In a grave case there is vomiting of bile; sometimes the patient is nearly choked by hiccough. Such are the signs when acute; but in a more chronic case, where there is suppuration within the liver, the praecordia on the right side become hard and swollen; after a meal there is greater difficulty in breathing; then supervenes a sort of paralysis of the lower jaws. When the disease has become inveterate, the abdomen and legs and feet swell; there is wasting of the chest and arms and about the clavicle on both sides. It is best to begin by letting blood; then the bowel is to be moved, if nothing else takes effect, by black hellebore. Externally plasters are to be applied, first repressants, then hot ones to disperse; appropriate additions are iris or wormwood unguents; after these emollients. Gruels, moreover are to be given, all food hot and not too nourishing, generally that kind which is also suitable to pleurisy (IV.13, 4), and in addition such food and drink as promote urination. Beneficial in this disease are: thyme, savory, hyssop, catmint, starch, sesamum seeds, laurel berries, young pine-cone tips, knotgrass, mint, quince pulp, the fresh raw liver of a pigeon. Some of the above may be eaten alone, some can be added to the gruel or draughts, so long as they are taken sparingly. There is no objection to wormwood rubbed up in honey and pepper, of which a dose is taken daily. All cold things must be especially avoided; for nothing is more harmful to the liver. Rubbings of the extremities should be employed; all manual work should be avoided, and all more active movement; the patient should never even hold his breath for long together. Anger, hurry, weight-lifting, boxing, running are harmful. A copious affusion of the body with water, hot in winter, tepid in summer, is beneficial, also free anointing and sweating at the bath. But if the liver suffers from an abscess, the same is to be done as in other internal suppurations. Some even with a scalpel make an incision over the liver, and burn through into the actual abscess with the cautery. |
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At lienis , ubi adfectus est , intumescit , simulque cum eo pars sinistra ; eaque dura est et prementi renititur : uenter intentus est ; aliquis etiam cruribus tumor est . Vlcera aut omnino non sanescunt , aut certe cicatricem uix recipiunt : in intenta ambulatione cursuque dolor et quaedam difficultas est .—Hoc uitium quies auget : itaque exercitatione et labore opus est , habita tamen ratione , ne febrem i sta , si nimium processeri nt, excitent . Vnctiones frictionesque et sudores necessarii sunt . Dulcia omnia inimica sunt , item lac et caseus : acida autem maxime conueniunt . Ergo acetum acre per se sorbere , et magis etiam quod scilla conditum est , expedit . Edenda sunt salsamenta uel oleae ex muria dura , tinctae in aceto lactucae , intubique ex eodem , betae ex sinapi , asparagus , armoracia , pastinaca , ungulae , rostra , aues macrae , eiusdem generis uenatio . Potui uero ieiuno dari debet apsinthium incoctum : at post cibum aqua a ferrario fabro , in qua candens ferrum subinde tinctum sit : haec enim uel praecipue lienem coercet . Quod animaduersum est in is animalibus , quae aput hos fabros educata exiguos lienes habent . Potest etiam dari uinum tenue , austerum ; omniaque in cibis et potionibus , quae urina e mouendae sunt . Praecipueque ad id ualet uel trifolii semen uel cuminum uel apium uel serpullum uel cytisus uel portulaca uel nepeta uel thymum uel hysopum uel satureia : haec enim inde commodissime uidentur umorem deducere . Lienis quoque bubulus utiliter esui datur ; praecipueque eruca et nasturcium lienem extenuant . Inponenda quoque extrinsecus sunt quae leuent . [ Fit ex unguento et palmulis , quod myrobalanon Graeci uocant ; fit ex lini et nasturci semine , quo uinum et oleum adicitur ; fit ex cupresso uiridi et arida ficu ; fit ex sinapi , cui sebi hirquini a renibus quarta pars ponderis adicitur , teriturque in s ole et protinus imponitur . ] Multisque modis huic rei cappari aptum est : nam et ipsum cum cibo adsumere et muriam eius cum aceto sorbere commodum est . Quin etiam extrinsecus radicem contritam uel corticem eius cum furfuribus aut ipsum cappari cum melle contritum imponere expedit . Malagmata quoque huic rei aptantur .
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16 Now the spleen when affected swells, and with it simultaneously the left side; and this becomes hard and resists pressure. The abdomen is tense: there is even some swelling of the legs. Ulcerations either do not heal at all, or at any rate form a scar with difficulty: there is also pain and some difficulty in walking fast or running. Rest increases this complaint, and so there is need for exercise and work; nevertheless, care must be taken lest if carried too far fever be excited. Anointings and rubbings and sweatings are necessary. All sweet things are hurtful, also milk and cheese; but sour things are the most suitable. Therefore sharp vinegar may be sipped by itself, vinegar of squills is even better. Such patients should eat salt fish or olives preserved in strong brine, lettuce dipped in vinegar, also endive in the same, beet with mustard, asparagus, horse-radish, parsnip, trotters, chaps, poultry not fatted, and similar game. The drink too, when taken on an empty stomach, should be wormwood decoction; after food, water in which a blacksmith has from time to time dipped his red-hot irons; since this water especially reduces the spleen. For it has been observed that animals reared by our blacksmiths, have small spleens. Dry thin wine can also be given: and everything, whether food or drink, which causes urination. Of particular value in this respect are: trefoil seeds or cummin or celery or creeping thyme or broom tops or purslane or catmint or thyme or hyssop or savory: for these seem best adapted to draw out humour from the spleen. Ox-spleen may be usefully given to eat; rocket and nasturtium in particular render the spleen smaller. Palliatives must also be applied externally: there is one made of ointment and dates which the Greeks call myrobalanon, or that made of linseed and nasturtium seeds, to which wine and oil have been added; or that made of green cypress and a dried fig; or that made with mustard to which is added a fourth part by weight of he-goat's kidney fat, and which is rubbed up in the sun and applied forthwith. Moreover, capers may be employed in several ways; for they may be both taken with the food, and the brine and vinegar in which they have been soaked may be sipped. They may be even applied externally, the root or bark having been rubbed up with bran or the capers themselves with honey. There are also emollients suitable for this affection. |