Part 93

SECT. LI.—ON PROLAPSUS OF THE NAVEL.

The causes and surgical treatment of protrusion of the navel will be treated of in the Surgical part of the work. But, since some restore the parts to their natural state by medicines, we must now mention that method of treatment: Of fissile alum, dr. v; of lees of wine, dr. viij; of rose-oil, dr. x; of unripe gall-nuts, dr. ij; dilute with wine; make to the thickness of honey; and wash with it; and put on externally a sponge soaked in oxycrate, and surround it with a bandage.—Another: Of the outer skin of bruised beans, of galls, of pomegranate flowers, equal parts; boil in water, and when dissolved pound carefully, and wash with it; and apply the sponge, as formerly said.—Another: Of the parings of lead, dr. xvj; of hemlock, of manna, of ceruse, of the juice of hypocistis, of each dr. j; dissolve in wine, and use as above described.

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COMMENTARY. See in particular Oribasius (Morb. Curat. iv, 117.) It is not necessary to multiply authorities, as all entertain similar views upon this head. The following is a simple receipt given by Celsus: “Cicutæ et fuliginis, denar. j; cerussæ elotæ, denar. iv; plumbi eloti, denar. viij; ovis duobus; quibus etiam solani succus adjicitur.”

Haly Abbas properly remarks that the umbilical hernia is a protrusion of the omentum or intestine at the navel. He recommends various astringent plasters, containing cypress, galls, alum, &c. (Theor. ix, 36; Pract. vii, 51.)

SECT. LII.—HOW TO MAKE THE CHIN AND PUBES CONTINUE LONG FREE OF HAIRS; ON THE PRESERVATION OF THE GENITAL ORGANS; AND, AMONG OTHER THINGS, OF DEPILATORIES.

Mix equal parts of Cimolian earth and ceruse with the juice of henbane, so as to have the thickness of the bath-sordes; then add of oil of lentisk, q. s.; pound and use.—Another: Pound together the juices of hemlock, of deadly nightshade, of henbane, and of the most tender leaves of lupine, and an equal portion of fleawort, and use, having first scrubbed the part and washed. But for some days previously the patient must drink water.

A depilatory for removing the hairs. Of the slaters which live about houses and roll themselves into balls, dr. ij; of sandarach, dr. iv; of quicklime, dr. viij; of old vinegar, one cyathus; of the lixivial ashes of figs, one cyathus; boil in a pot, and use in the bath.—Another, simple and devoid of smell: Of quicklime, one sextarius; of sandarach, oz. j; boil as aforesaid, and use. But the subject of depilatories is treated of along with the Diseases of the Eye.

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COMMENTARY. Depilatories have always been made of similar ingredients to those which enter into our author’s prescriptions, that is to say, arsenic and quicklime have generally entered into the composition of them. The following is one from Baptista Porta: “Constat vivæ calcis partibus quatuor, redactis in pulveris modum, auripigmenti singulari, et decoque.” (Mag. Nat. ix, 4.)

It appears from many passages in the Roman Satirists that the practice of applying depilatories to the obscene parts was common in ancient times. Persius says:

“Tu cum maxillis balanatum gausape pectis, Inguinibus quarè detonsus gurgulio extet?”

(Sat. iv, 37.)

See the learned note of Casaubon; also, Juvenal (Sat. viii, 114), and the note of the Dauphin editor. The Fathers inveigh against this immodest practice. See Tertullianus (de Pallio), and Clemens Alexandrinus (Pædagog. ii, 3.) According to Athenæus, the Tuscans were anciently much given to the use of depilatories. (Deipnos. xii, 14.) See also Apuleius (Metamorph.)

As this subject possesses little interest now, we need not enlarge upon it.

SECT. LIII.—ON BUBONOCELE, ENTEROCELE, AND HYDROCELE.

Protrusions of the bowels occasioned by rupture of the peritonæum are of a very difficult nature, but those from relaxation are of easier cure; for happening commonly to children of a humid temperament, they, for the most part, can be cured without a surgical operation, by the application of remedies and suitable bandages. The under-mentioned remedies are to be applied; but I must mention, in the first place, that these diseases differ in situation only; for, when the intestine remains in the groin, it is called Bubonocele, and when it falls down into the scrotum, it is named Enterocele. Wherefore, take of pomegranate-rind, dr. x; of unripe gall-nuts, dr. v; boil in three cyathi of austere wine; pound and apply, having previously reduced the intestine and bathed the part with cold water. Loose it in ten days; the patient remaining on his couch thirty days, and drinking of the decoction of cypress with wine; or of cypress balls, three oboli, in diluted wine. This medicine is applicable to children.—Another agglutinative application: Of the roots of comfrey, of the juice of horehound, of bitter almonds, of gum, equal parts.—Another: Of turpentine, oz. iss; of wax, of frankincense, of myrrh, of isinglass, of snails with their shells, of each oz. j; macerate the ichthyocolla previously in vinegar for three days.—Another: Of cypress-balls, i. e. spherical fruit, oz. j; of galls, oz. j; of pomegranate-rind, oz. ss; of taurocolla, oz. iij; of manna, of frankincense, oz. ss; of comfrey, oz. ss; of snails with their shells, oz. j; boil the balls and rind in astringent wine for a considerable time; triturate; mix the other ingredients, and when they are added, use.—Another: Of aloes, of pomegranate-rind, of frankincense, of the juice of hypocistis, of artificers’ glue, of pitch, of bitumen, oz. iss; of sweet wine, q. s.—Another more complex application, which will answer also with adults, when the disease is not of long standing: Of chrysocolla, of taurocolla, of sarcocolla, of ichthyocolla, of gagate-stone, of blood-stone, of Syrian sumach, of manna, of acacia, of each, oz. iss; of the stone pyrites, of native sulphur, of the breathing magnet, of fissile alum, of manna, of frankincense, of each, oz. j; of Brutian pitch, oz. v; of snails with their shells, oz. j; of the dross of silver, oz. iv; of galls, oz. j; of squamæ stomomatis (scales of steel?), oz. j; of copper, oz. j; of bitumen, oz. vj; of myrtle-oil, q. s.; mix the dry things with astringent wine, until the preparation is of such a thickness as not to stain, and then use. If they cannot lie in a recumbent posture, bind the application firmly with a triangular bandage of thick materials and sufficient to retain the intestine. Let them abstain from flatulent food, much wine, frequent baths, strong motion, such as running, leaping, loud crying, and the like. For hydrocele, so as to evacuate the fluid: Of pepper, c grains; of bay-berries, lxxx; of nitre, dr. xx; of wax, dr. xl; mix with half a hemina of oil, and use.—Another excellent application: Of the flower of Assian stone, dr. vj; of grapes deprived of their stones, dr. ij; of Ethiopian cumin, dr. viij; of red nitre, dr. viij; having triturated, apply, fomenting with it late and early. Some also add of sulphur, dr. viij.—Another: Mixing unslaked lime with bath-sordes, apply with cerate; and mix some nitre with the unslacked lime.—Another: Having burnt the root of a cabbage, add the ashes to old axunge that has been melted, and remove it every third day. To prevent a collection of water, use the following malagma: Of wax, lb. iiss; of pitch, oz. iv; of ammoniac perfume, oz. iv; of liquid alum, oz. iss. The plaster of the white poplars and the other epispastics are also applicable.

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COMMENTARY. As these diseases will be treated of more fully in the Sixth Book, it is unnecessary to say much about them at present.

Our author is most indebted to Aëtius (xiv, 22.) Nonnus recommends astringent applications of a similar nature. (192.) When there is difficulty of reduction, Rhases directs the use of the warm bath perseveringly. Haly Abbas remarks that protrusion of the bowels will sometimes occasion constipation, pain, and death. He says nothing of an operation for relieving the strangulation. Alsaharavius declares that he had found all the applications recommended for the cure of these complaints utterly ineffectual after they are fairly formed. He directs us to return the protruded parts, and secure them by means of a bandage, along with a pad of lead and a plaster of pitch, &c. The Surgical treatment of these complaints is minutely described in the Sixth Book.

SECT. LIV.—ON INFLAMMATION OF THE TESTICLE AND SCROTUM, AND ON THE OTHER DISEASES OF THESE PARTS.

You may recognize inflammation of the scrotum from the pain being felt at the slightest touch of the hand, and from the heat and hardness appearing intense; whereas, when the testicle is inflamed, a slight touch does not give pain, which is only felt when the part is firmly pressed by the fingers, while the redness and hardness appear less at the surface; but, upon grasping it firmly, a deep-seated hardness meets the fingers; and fever is sometimes present. To inflammations of the testicles, in particular, venesection is applicable at the ancle; and to all these, in general, cataplasms and cerates. Cataplasms are to be applied, of the flour of beans boiled in diluted wine, with fat dried grapes deprived of their stones; or, boil the root of cumin or asphodel, and, having pounded, mix with an equal part of the flour of dried barley-meal, and apply as a cataplasm; or, linseed in diluted wine; or, fenugreek in honied water; or, the root in honied water; or, the recent lees of wine, with the flour of barley-meal; or, groundsel and green coriander, with dried grapes deprived of their stones. But if there is much heat, apply a cataplasm of the leaves of henbane with wheat-flour, or that of chick-peas; or, of the leaves of sweet-flag, or of unripe gourd. When the affection is protracted, and attended with hardness, boil the root of wild cucumber in honied water, and, having triturated with the flour of darnel, apply as a cataplasm. And this is an excellent remedy: Of dried grapes deprived of their stones, oz. v; of boiled chick-peas, oz. iss; of cumin, oz. j; of sulphur, oz. ix; of nitre, oz. j; of rosin, oz. iiiss; triturate altogether with honey, and apply as a cataplasm. The following are convenient cerates: Of oil, one cyathus; of Colophonian rosin, oz. vj; of plumbago, of cumin, of dried grapes, of the flour of beans, of each, oz. iv; of wax, oz. ij; boil the plumbago with the oil to a proper consistence, then add the wax and rosin, and, taking it off the fire, pour it half cooled upon the pounded figs and flour.—Another: Of the oil of dill and of roses, of wax, of pine-rosin, of each, oz. v; of cumin, oz. iiss; of asses’ dung, oz. iss; triturate the cumin with the asses’ dung, and when the cerate is cooled mix and levigate; then, placing in a rag, use, applying above it wool out of oil from unripe olives; or, use equal parts of butter and rosin. If from sweats there be ulcers in the scrotum, sprinkle powdered gall or alum upon fat and goats’ gall, and anoint. For testicles affected with aphthæ: Having first anointed with Cimolian earth and water, allow it to dry, and wash with warm water; then, having triturated dried myrtle and a small quantity of alsander, apply as a cataplasm. Excrescences upon the testicles are cured by the application of the lixivial ashes of the vine mixed with wine and water. When there is pruritus of the scrotum, triturate finely nitre, stavesacre, dried figs, and moist alum with vinegar and rose-oil, and anoint with it in the bath; but after the bath, rub in the white of an egg with honey.

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COMMENTARY. On diseases of the obscene parts, consult Hippocrates (Epidem. v, 4, et alibi); Galen (Sec. loc. ix; Loc. Affect. vi, 6); Celsus (iv, 21, viii, 18, vi, 18); Aretæus (Morb. Chron. ii, 5); Oribasius (Loc. Affect. iv, 102); Aëtius (xi, 32, xiv, passim); Actuarius (Meth. Med. i, 15, iv, x); Nonnus (192); Alexander (viii, 9, 10); Cælius Aurelianus (Pass. Tard. v, 5); Marcellus (32); Octavius Horatianus (ii, 11); Moschion (de Morbis Mulierum); Scribonius Largus (233); Avicenna (iii, 20, 1, 2); Avenzoar (ii, 3); Haly Abbas (Theor. ix, 37; Pract. viii); Alsaharavius (Pract. xxii); Rhases (Divis. 79; ad Mansor. ix, 101; Contin. xxiv.)

Hippocrates relates a case of prurigo scroti which was removed by hot baths, but the patient afterwards became dropsical and died.

Many of our author’s remedies are taken from Galen, but he has copied most closely from Oribasius and Aëtius.

The treatment of inflammation of the testicles, as laid down by Celsus, is very judicious, namely, bleeding at the ankle, a cataplasm of the flour of beans boiled in mulse with pounded cumin and boiled honey, and other similar applications. When it becomes indurated, linseed or the seed of fenugreek boiled in mulse, or the like, are to be applied. When the testicles swell from a blow, blood must necessarily be extracted from them, more especially if they are livid.

Avicenna is particularly full upon these and all the other diseases of the obscene parts. For pruritus of the testicles and scrotum he recommends bleeding, cupping in the vicinity of these parts, the application of leeches, hot fomentations with acacia, sal ammoniac, &c., and the other remedies mentioned by Paulus. For apostemes he directs us to bleed in the arm and ankle, and to use applications similar to those of our author. Rhases recommends bleeding in the arm and ankle, and at first cold applications, consisting of vinegar and rose-water, which, if the complaint does not abate, are afterwards to be exchanged for suppurative ones. Haly’s treatment is nearly the same. Alsaharavius, like Avicenna, treats inflammation of the testicles by bleeding in the arm and ankle, and using various local applications of a cooling nature. For pruritus he recommends applications containing ceruse, sulphur, nitre, sal ammoniac, and strong vinegar. Rhases mentions that he had an enlargement of the right testicle for which he took an emetic, whereby a manifest reduction of the swelling was produced, and by a repetition of this process the complaint was entirely removed.