Table Of ContentThe Project Gutenberg eBook of Of Medicine in Eight Books, by Aulus Cornelius
Celsus
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and
with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project
Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United
States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.
Title: Of Medicine in Eight Books
Author: Aulus Cornelius Celsus
Translator: James Greive
Release Date: January 03, 2021 [eBook #64207]
Language: English
Character set encoding: UTF-8
Produced by: Thiers Halliwell, Turgut Dincer and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
(This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OF MEDICINE IN EIGHT BOOKS ***
Transcriber’s notes:
This e-book has an unusual structure, being a compilation of eight smaller books accompanied by eight related
sets of numbered explanatory notes provided by the author. It also contains several hundred footnotes
scattered throughout the text (many being Greek spellings of words in the text). These have been given
alphabetic labels and are now grouped together as endnotes. All notes have been hyperlinked to facilitate
access. Hyperlinks have also been added to index items and to the table of contents.
Numerous asterisks are present in parts of the text; these represent uncertain quantities, not footnotes, as
explained in notes on p. xxxii. The text also contains archaic characters that may not display correctly with all
viewing devices or fonts. For best viewing, the device’s character encoding should be set to Unicode (UTF-8),
and one of the following fonts selected: Arial Unicode MS, DejaVu, Segoe UI Symbol or FreeSerif.
The text has been preserved as in the original, including inconsistent punctuation, capitalisation and hyphen‐
ation. Archaic and inconsistent spellings have been retained except where obviously misspelled in the original. A
list of these and other corrections has been appended at the end.
A. CORN. CELSUS
OF
M E D I C I N E
IN EIGHT BOOKS.
TRANSLATED
WITH NOTES CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY
BY
JAMES GREIVE, M.D.
A NEW EDITION.
EDINBURGH:
Printed at the University Press;
FOR DICKINSON AND COMPANY, INFIRMARY-STREET.
1814.
TO
MR SHARP,
SURGEON TO GUY’S HOSPITAL,
FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY,
AND
MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SURGERY
AT PARIS.
SIR,
The favourable opinion you have been pleased to express of the following translation, and the trouble you have taken to
revise the chirurgical part, are obligations, which I embrace this opportunity of acknowledging with the highest pleasure.
And though I had not received such marks of your friendship, yet there is no person, to whom a translation of Celsus
can be more properly addressed; since no writer in this age appears to have a more just esteem for this excellent
author, or to have imitated his conciseness and elegance, with so much success.
I am,
with great esteem,
Sir,
your most obedient,
humble servant,
James Greive.
London,
January 26th, 1756.
PREFACE.
It has been a question much debated, whether, and how far the writings of the ancient physicians are of service to direct
our practice in the cure of diseases; but without repeating what has been already said on this point, I imagine their
usefulness may be inferred from this single consideration, that the mechanism of the human body being always and every
where the same, a faithful history of diseases must necessarily be one of the surest guides to the application of proper
remedies. Moreover, if the diagnostics and prognostics be of the greatest moment in physic, and are only to be
collected from long and accurate observation, then the records left us by the ancients, who were so assiduous in their
observations, so clear and exact in their descriptions, must be allowed to contain a valuable treasure of medical
knowledge.
We have seen, in the present age, many learned physicians, who, though they readily admit the improvements of the
moderns, nevertheless apply themselves with great industry to the study of the ancients; and indeed, to say nothing of
the superiority of some of the ancients in stile and composition, as a matter of taste, I think it can hardly be denied, that
a man, capable of making proper allowances for the variations in respect of climate and manner of living, may receive
great benefit from the materials left us by these ingenious writers of antiquity, and find many hints, which, pursued with
diligence, and applied with caution, may both correct and enlarge his practice.
Celsus is justly esteemed one of the most valuable amongst the ancients. He is so often quoted, with approbation, by
our best writers in physic, and so much admired by the learned world for propriety, ease, and elegance, that it is a
needless attempt in these days to draw his character. However, he is so little mentioned by the ancients, that our
curiosity cannot be gratified with any particulars of his life; nor can we even determine what was his profession, if it does
not appear from his writings.
Quintilian often mentions a treatise of his upon rhetoric, which though he hardly ever quotes, but where he differs from
him, he allows to be composed with accuracy. But whatever he thought of his oratory, he gives an honourable testimony
to the extent of his learning. For to persuade his student of eloquence to make himself master of all the sciences, after
mentioning the greatest geniuses that ever appeared in Greece or Rome, as Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Cato the censor,
Varro, and Cicero, he adds, “Why should I name any more instances? when even Cornelius Celsus, a man of a
moderate share of genius, has not only composed treatises on all these arts, but has also left precepts of the military art,
agriculture, and medicine. The bare attempt requires us to believe he understood all these subjects: but to give
perfection to so great a work is a difficult task, to which no man was ever found equal
.”
Some have complained of the partiality, or jealousy of the rhetorician, who allows Celsus only a moderate share of
genius. Others esteem it no diminution to be placed in a rank below the writers above named. Without doubt, this
would do him very great honour: but if we even take the character literally, still we are to consider Quintilian as having
every where in view the perfection of oratory. Now this, it should appear, Celsus hardly affected, by his confining the
orator to questions in dispute
; which in great measure excludes the descriptive and moving parts of the art: therefore
Quintilian’s man of middling genius may be a perfect writer in the instructive manner, though he want the qualifications
for the bar or the forum. But to do Celsus some farther honour, may it not be supposed, that had Quintilian been as
competent a judge of his medical, as of his rhetorical writings, he would not have stiled him, Vir mediocri ingenio. I
have made bold to hazard this observation from an opinion, that none but a physician can form a just idea of the
excellence of this work; much less could any but a physician be the author of it. Celsus the physician might very well
write on agriculture, &c. but it by no means follows, that Celsus, not versed in the practice of physic, could have written
accurately on diseases. If then this notion be just, it may reasonably be concluded, that his medical writings were the
most perfect, as being the fruit of his principal and particular studies.
Columella (De re rustica) often quotes him with great deference to his authority; he equals him to the most learned
writers on husbandry; and when he is correcting a vulgar error, expresses his surprise that Cornelius Celsus could be
misled, “who was not only skilled in agriculture, but took in the whole compass of natural knowledge .” I shall not
recite all the passages, where he mentions Celsus, but cannot help transcribing one, it is so expressive of our author’s
manner. It is on the article of bees, “concerning which (says he) it is impossible to surpass the diligence of Hyginus, the
profusion of ornaments in Virgil, and the elegance of Celsus. Hyginus has with great industry collected the precepts,
which lay scattered in the ancients; Virgil has adorned the subject with poetic flowers; and in Celsus we find a judicious
mixture of both these manners
.”
From Columella’s mentioning Celsus as a contemporary, but not as a living writer
, and our author’s speaking of
Themison in the same manner
, Le Clerc infers, with great probability, that Celsus wrote towards the latter end of the
reign of Augustus, or at latest, in the beginning of Tiberius; in which last period he is placed by Fabricius
. And that he
cannot have been later, appears not only from these authorities, but almost undeniably from the purity and elegance of
his style, more nearly allied to the Augustan, than any of the succeeding ages.
Both Columella and Quintilian seem to speak of him as a Roman, and indeed our author himself, when he is giving the
Greek name for any distemper, and is to add the Roman, frequently uses this phrase, nostri vocant, our countrymen
call it, or some other expression of the same nature
.
We have seen by the above quotations, how many treatises were composed by Celsus, which have all perished in the
barbarous ages, except this work on medicine; which from the manner of its beginning, Ut alimenta sanis corporibus
agricultura, sic medicina ægris sanitatem promittit, seems to have immediately followed his book on husbandry: for
vi
vii
[ A ]
[ B ]
viii
[C]
[ D ]
[ E ]
ix
[ F ]
[ G ]
[ H ]
x
this easy transition is very common with our author in connecting different subjects. What confirms this is, that H.
Stephens, upon the authority of an ancient manuscript, has prefixed as the title, Aurelii Cornelii Celsi de re medica
libri octo; operis ab eo scripti de artibus pars sexta. It would be still more evident, if we could depend upon the
manuscript in the library of Alex. Paduan: in which, at the end of the fourth book is written, Artium Cornelii Celsi liber
nonus, idem medicinæ liber quartus explicit feliciter . For his agriculture contained five books , with which the
first four of this work make up the nine.
Every trifling circumstance relating to our author has employed the industry of his learned commentators. The English
reader will therefore forgive me for observing, that in most of the manuscripts, his name is written A. Cornelius Celsus.
And Rubeus informs us, the ancient manuscript in the Vatican library has this title, Auli Cornelii Celsi liber sextus,
idemque medicinæ primus. As Aurelius was the name of a Roman family, it is not probable that this would be his
praenomen; on the contrary, Aulus is found to be a common praenomen in the Cornelian family
. For these reasons, I
read his name A. that is Aulus, &c. instead of Aurelius, as most of the printed copies have it.
From our author’s admirable abstract of the history of physic, it is easy to see he had studied and thoroughly digested
the writings of the preceding physicians, and been attentive to the practice, as well as to the arguments of the several
sects. We have no reason to doubt he made the best use of them; for we see that he confined himself to no one party,
but selected from each what he judged to be most salutary. Though he has quoted many authors, sometimes with a view
to recommend their practice in particular cases, at other times to shew the impropriety of it; yet through the whole,
Hippocrates and Asclepiades seem to have been highest in his esteem; but he does not give up his judgment implicitly to
these for he often leaves both, and advances very good reasons for differing from them. He ingenuously owns
, that
he has borrowed the prognostics from Hippocrates, “because,” says he, “though the moderns have made alterations in
the method of curing, nevertheless they allow, that he has left the best prognostics.” With regard to the critical days, he
entirely condemns his doctrine, and follows Asclepiades in rejecting the notion as idle and chimerical
. But from both
these authors he dissents in his rules about bleeding.
It would be superfluous for me to prefix to this translation a general view of Celsus’s practice in the various diseases; for
besides that this is already done by the learned Le Clerc
, our author’s method is so clear and concise, that the reader
will acquire, with ease, the most perfect idea from the book itself.
Whenever he differs in opinion from writers, whose authority he otherwise reveres, we find his reasoning modest,
concise, close, and admirably well adapted to the subject in dispute; but the delicacy of his expression, when he
condemns others, and the caution with which he avoids speaking of himself, have led some to believe he was not a
practitioner: though the strongest argument against his having practised physic is drawn from the silence of Pliny, who
names Celsus, in several books, among the authors from whom he took his materials, and never ranks him in the list of
physicians, whom he separates from the others. But I am surprised it has escaped the observation of the critics, that
these catalogues of physicians consist only of foreigners, whom Pliny distinguishes from other foreigners, who were not
physicians; whereas Celsus stands always amongst the Romans. Now Pliny, in his list of Roman writers, has not noted
their several professions: for in most of the places, where we read the name of Celsus, we also find that of Antonius
Castor, without any mention of his profession, though Pliny himself in another place tells us
, he was a physician of
great reputation, whom he saw living in retirement, and cultivating a kind of physic-garden, when he was above an
hundred years old. Thus, the name of Antonius Castor would have been lost with his writings, notwithstanding the figure
he made among his contemporaries, had he not happened to be mentioned by Pliny. And hence it appears, that nothing
can be inferred from the silence of Pliny and the other ancients, in regard to the profession of Celsus; though he should
not be Cornelius the physician, mentioned by Galen, as Le Clerc thinks it probable he is.
I might have urged many passages in this book to prove that he was a physician, if I had not reason to think the present
age is already satisfied in that point. There are two, however, so remarkable, that they ought not to be omitted. When
our author is considering the proper time for allowing nourishment, after saying that some gave their patients food in the
evening, he gives reasons against that method, and then adds, “Ob haec ad mediam noctem decurro, i. e. For these
reasons I defer it till midnight.” Thus most of the older copies read, and also Morgagni’s manuscript; so that Linden is
not easily to be forgiven for making alterations in so material a place
. In the other passages there is no variation in the
reading. In that species of the ancyloblepharon, where the eye-lid unites with the white of the eye, our author, after
describing the method of cure, immediately adds, “Ego sic restitutum neminem memini. Meges se quoque multa,
&c. i. e. I do not remember an instance of any person cured in this way. Meges also has told us that he has tried many
methods, and never was successful, because the eye-lid always united again to the eye
.” The form of expression here
used by our author, in a manner peculiar to a practitioner, would come very improperly from a mere compiler. The
connection of these two sentences by quoque seems to put our author’s own observation upon the same footing with
that of Meges, whom he quotes on several occasions as a most accomplished surgeon
.
It may not be amiss, however, to take notice of a distinction Celsus makes between two kinds of professors of physic.
When he is shewing the necessity of circumspection in the physician, he adds, “From these things it may be inferred,
that many people cannot be attended by one physician; and that the man to be trusted is he, who knows his profession,
and is not much absent from the patient. But they, who practice from views of gain, because their profits rise in
proportion to the number of patients, readily fall in with such rules, as do not require a close attendance, as in this very
case. For it is easy for such as seldom see the patient, to count the days and the paroxysms: but it is necessary for him
to sit by his patient, who would form a true judgment of what is alone fit to be done, when he will be too weak, unless
he get food.” As his censure is so severe upon a practice, which he thought too extensive, it is natural to suppose, that
[ I ]
[ J ]
[ K ]
xi
[ L ]
[ M ]
xii
[ N ]
[ O ]
xiii
[ P ]
xiv
[ Q ]
[ R ]
xv
[ S ]
his was confined to his acquaintance, and that his fortune and generosity rendered him superior to the view of living by
the profession.
To all the later copies of Celsus is prefixed an index of the several editions, which makes it needless for me to give an
account of them. All the older ones, printed in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, abound with numberless gross
errors, that in many places utterly destroy the construction. These, Vander Linden undertook to correct, and the
authorities he used for that purpose are contained in a catalogue annexed to his preface, in which he tells us he has
made very few changes from his own conjecture, and none of these, but where the subject evidently required them. In
the dedication he says, “Who would imagine, that after the diligent labours of so many illustrious men, as Egnatius,
Cæsarius, Constantine, Stephens, Pantinus, Ronsseus, and Rubeus, I should have corrections to make in more than two
thousand places?”
As it was proper I should translate from one particular edition, I chose for that purpose Linden’s; or Almeloveen’s, who
has followed him almost in every letter; as these are generally esteemed by far the most correct: though it must be
owned, that Linden has made many alterations without necessity, and sometimes for the worse. Where the sense was
either obscure or inconsistent with the context, I have often been assisted by the more ancient editions. On such
occasions I have given my authority and reasons in the notes. In passages where I found a reading in the old copies
much preferable to Linden’s, but not altogether necessary upon account of the sense, I have marked it in a note, without
adopting it into the next.
There are very few places, where I have ventured to alter the reading on my own conjecture, and these are all noted in
the margin, where I have assigned my reasons, which, I hope, will convince the learned reader. My notes will shew in
how many instances I have been obliged to the excellent epistles of Morgagni. This learned and ingenious author has, in
my opinion, entered more into the spirit and true meaning of Celsus, than any of the preceding commentators
.
Had there been so correct an edition of Celsus, as I think may be made, with proper judgment, from the editions and
manuscripts extant, it would have shortened my labour.
That Celsus divided his books into chapters, appears from several passages: whereas no person, as far as I can find,
pretends, that the marginal contents came from the author himself. The editions differ in these; but as it is of small
importance, I have not troubled the reader with any remarks on that article. Where I found those of Linden evidently
wrong, I have endeavoured to supply the defect.
With regard to the materia medica, the notes are drawn chiefly from Pliny and Dioscorides, whom I esteemed the best
authors on that article. When I have given English names to any of the simples, I follow the most judicious moderns;
though it must be remembered, that many of them cannot be determined with absolute certainty.
Through most of the compositions the text is miserably corrupted; and what is worse, I do not find, that by comparing
the various editions this part can be restored. I had once some thoughts of labouring this point particularly, but as it
would have been expected I should support every alteration with proper reasons, and as I despaired of executing it so,
as to meet with universal approbation, and after all it would have been more a matter of curiosity than of real use, I
omitted that part of my design; besides, this must have considerably increased the number of my notes, which I have
endeavoured should be as few as the nature of the undertaking would admit of. For these reasons I have closely
adhered to the text of Linden, without even departing from it, where the nature of the whole composition will evidently
demonstrate the proportions of several ingredients to be highly incongruous.
It has been my principal care to convey the precise meaning of my author, and also to preserve the genius of his style,
where the English idiom would allow. I have likewise been careful not to wrest any expression of Celsus, in order to
deceive the reader into a greater opinion of his knowledge, than he really deserves. His merit is sufficiently great without
pretending to find in him any discoveries, the honour of which is due to the moderns. Every man of learning, who is
acquainted with the state of physic among the ancients, and knows how far it differs from the modern, must be sensible
of the difficulty of translating an author so elegant and concise, with the strictness necessary in a work of this nature.
Such judges, I hope, will censure the faults, which cannot escape their observation, with the candour inseparable from
true criticism.
It only remains, that I return thanks to my ingenious and learned friends of the faculty, who have favoured me with their
opinions on several passages, particularly to Dr. Maghie of Guy’s hospital.
xvi
xvii
[ T ]
xviii
xix
CONTENTS.
BOOK I.
PREFACE
1
CHAP. I. Rules for the healthy,
16
II. Rules for valetudinary people,
17
III. Observations suited to new incidents, and the different
constitutions, sexes, and ages; and the seasons of the year,
19
IV. Rules for those that have a weakness in the head,
26
V. Directions for those that labour under a lippitude, gravedo,
catarrh, and disorders of the tonsils,
27
VI. The proper regimen for people liable to a purging,
28
VII. Rules for those that are liable to a pain of the colon,
29
VIII. Rules for one that has a weak stomach,
29
IX. Directions for those that are liable to pains of the nerves,
30
X. Directions in a pestilence,
31
BOOK II.
PREFACE,
33
CHAP. I. Of the different seasons, weather, ages, constitutions, and the
diseases peculiar to each,
34
II. Of the signs of an approaching illness,
38
III. Good symptoms in sick people,
39
IV. Bad symptoms in sick people,
40
V. Signs of long sickness,
42
VI. The symptoms of death,
43
VII. Of the signs in particular diseases,
46
VIII. What symptoms are dangerous, or hopeful in particular diseases,
52
IX. Of the cure of diseases,
59
X. Of bleeding,
60
XI. Of cupping,
64
XII. Of purging by internal medicines and clysters,
65
XIII. Of vomiting,
67
XIV. Of friction,
68
XV. Of gestation,
70
XVI. Of abstinence,
71
XVII. Of sweating,
72
XVIII. The different kinds of food and drink,
74
XIX. General properties of different foods,
77
XX. Of things containing good juices,
78
XXI. Of foods containing bad juices,
78
XXII. Of mild and acrid things,
79
XXIII. Of those things which generate a thick and a fluid phlegm,
79
XXIV. Of what agrees with the stomach,
80
XXV. Of things hurtful to the stomach,
80
XXVI. Of those things which occasion flatulencies; and the contrary,
81
XXVII. Of those things which heat and cool,
81
xxi
xxii
XXVIII. Of what is easily corrupted in the stomach,
82
XXIX. Of what opens the belly,
82
XXX. Of what binds the belly,
83
XXXI. Of diuretic meats and drinks,
83
XXXII. Of soporiferous, and exciting substances,
84
XXXIII. Of those things which draw, repel, or cool, or heat, or harden, or
soften,
84
BOOK III.
CHAP. I. General division of distempers,
86
II. General diagnostics of acute and chronic, increasing and
declining diseases; the difference of regimen in each; and
precautions necessary upon the apprehension of an
approaching illness,
87
III. Of the several kinds of fevers,
89
IV. Of the different methods of cure,
91
V. Particular directions for giving food in the different species of
fevers,
95
VI. The proper times for giving drink to persons in fevers; and the
kinds of aliments suited to the several stages of the distempers;
together with some general observations,
99
VII. The cure of pestilential, and ardent fevers,
103
VIII. The cure of a semitertian,
105
IX. The cure of slow fevers,
105
X. Remedies for the concomitant symptoms of fevers,
107
XI. Remedies against a coldness of the extremities, preceding a fever, 108
XII. The cure of a shuddering before fevers,
109
XIII. The cure of a quotidian fever,
110
XIV. The cure of a tertian,
111
XV. The cure of a quartan,
112
XVI. The cure of a double quartan,
113
XVII. The cure of a quotidian arising from a quartan,
114
XVIII. Of the several kinds of madness, and their cure,
115
XIX. Of the cardiac disorder, and its cure,
121
XX. Of the lethargy, and its cure,
123
XXI. Of the several species of the dropsy, and their cure,
124
XXII. Of the several species of consumptions, and their cure,
129
XXIII. Of the epilepsy, and its cure,
133
XXIV. Of the jaundice, and its cure,
135
XXV. Of the elephantiasis, and its cure,
136
XXVI. Of apoplectic patients, and their cure,
137
XXVII. Of a palsy, and its cure,
138
Of a pain of the nerves,
139
Of a tremor of the nerves,
139
Of internal suppurations,
140
BOOK IV.
CHAP. I. Of the Internal parts of the human body,
141
II. Of the disorders of the head, and their cure,
144
Of pains of the head, and a hydrocephalus,
144
xxiii
xxiv
Of the cynicus spasmus,
146
Of a palsy of the tongue,
147
Of a catarrh and gravedo,
147
III. Of diseases of the neck, and their cure,
149
IV. Of diseases of the fauces,
151
Several species of angina,
151
Difficulty of breathing,
152
An ulcer in the fauces,
154
A cough,
154
A spitting of blood,
155
And their cure,
157
V. Of the disorders of the stomach, and their cure,
158
VI. Of pains of the sides and a pleurisy, and their cure,
161
VII. Of a peripneumony, and its cure,
162
VIII. Of the diseases of the liver, and their cure,
164
IX. Of the diseases of the spleen, and their cure,
165
X. Of the diseases of the kidneys, and their cure,
166
XI. Of the cholera, and its cure,
167
XII. Of the coeliack distemper of the stomach, and its cure,
169
XIII. Of the distemper of the small gut, and its cure,
170
XIV. Of the distemper of the large intestine, and its cure,
171
XV. Of a dysentery, and its cure,
172
XVI. Of a lientery, and its cure,
174
XVII. Of worms in the belly, and their cure,
175
XVIII. Of a tenesmus, and its cure,
175
XIX. Of a simple purging, and its cure,
176
XX. Of the diseases of the womb, and their cure,
178
XXI. Of an excessive discharge of semen, and its cure,
180
XXII. Of the diseases of the hips, and their cure,
181
XXIII. Of a pain in the knees, and its cure,
182
XXIV. Of the diseases of the joints of the hands and feet, and their cure,
182
XXV. Of the treatment of patients recovering,
184
BOOK V.
PREFACE,
186
CHAP. I. Medicines for stopping blood,
187
II. Agglutinants and restringents,
187
III. Medicines for promoting a suppuration,
188
IV. Medicines for opening wounds,
188
V. Cleansers,
188
VI. Corroding medicines,
189
VII. Eating medicines,
189
VIII. Caustics,
190
IX. Medicines for forming crusts upon ulcers,
190
X. Resolvents for crusts,
190
XI. Discutients,
191
XII. Evacuating and drawing medicines,
191
XIII. Lenients,
191
XIV. Incarning medicines,
192
XV. Emollients,
192
XVI. Cleansers of the skin,
192
xxv
XVII. Of the mixture of simples, and the proportion of the weights,
193
XVIII. Of malagmas, in all thirty-six recited,
194
XIX. Of plaisters, in all twenty-nine recited,
201
XX. Of troches, in all seven recited,
207
XXI. Of pessaries, in all seven recited,
208
XXII. Medicines, used either in a dry form, or mixed with liquids,
210
XXIII. Of antidotes, and their use,
212
XXIV. Of acopa,
213
XXV. Of catapotia,
214
XXVI. Of five different kinds of disorders incident to the body; and of
the nature, symptoms, and cure of wounds,
217
Bad consequences from wounds,
230
Cure of an old ulcer,
231
Cure of an erysipelas,
232
Cure of a gangrene,
232
XXVII. Of wounds caused by bites, poisons taken internally, and burns,
235
XXVIII. Of external disorders proceeding from internal causes, and their
cure,
240
Of a carbuncle,
241
Of a cancer,
242
Of a therioma,
244
Of the ignis sacer,
245
Of the chironian ulcer,
246
Of ulcers occasioned by cold,
247
Of the scrophula,
247
Of a furuncle,
248
Of phymata,
248
Of a phygethlon,
248
Of abscesses,
248
Of fistulas,
250
Of the cerion ulcer,
253
Of the acrochordon, &c.
254
Of pustules,
256
Of the scabies,
257
Of the impetigo,
258
Of the papula,
258
Of the vitiligo,
259
BOOK VI.
CHAP. I. Of hairs falling off the head,
261
II. Of a porrigo,
261
III. Of the sycosis,
262
IV. Of the areæ,
263
V. Of vari, lenticulæ, and ephelides,
264
VI. Of the disorders of the eyes, carbuncles of the eyes, pustules,
wasting, lice in the eye-lids, dry lippitude, dimness, a cataract,
palsy, mydriasis, a weakness, and external hurts in the eyes,
and the various collyriums adapted to each disorder,
265
VII. Of the diseases of the ears; pain, pus in the ears, worms, dulness
of hearing, a noise, extraneous bodies in the ears,
281
VIII. Of the diseases of the nose,
287
IX. Of the toothach,
288
X. Of the diseases of the tonsils,
290
xxvi
xxvii
XI. Of ulcers of the mouth,
291
XII. Of ulcers of the tongue,
293
XIII. Of parulides and ulcers in the gums,
293
XIV. Of an inflammation of the uvula,
295
XV. Of a gangrene of the mouth,
295
XVI. Of parotid swellings,
297
XVII. Of a prominent navel,
297
XVIII. Of the diseases of the private parts,
298
Diseases of the anus, rhagadia, and condylomata,
303
Of the hæmorrhoides,
304
Of a prolapsus of the anus or womb, &c.
305
XIX. Of ulcers in the fingers,
306
BOOK VII.
PREFACE, The province of surgery, &c.
306
CHAP. I. Of contusions
310
II. Of the operations necessary in suppurated tumours
310
III. Of the good or bad symptoms of suppurations
313
IV. Of fistulas, in the ribs, belly, and anus
314
V. Of extracting weapons out of the body
317
VI. Of a ganglion, meliceris, atheroma, steatoma, and other tubercles
of the head
320
VII. Of the diseases of the eyes cured by manual operations; of
vesicles in the upper eye-lids
321
Of a crithe, chalazium, and unguis
322
Of an encanthis
324
Of the ancyloblepharon, and the ægilops
324
Of hairs in the eye-lashes irritating the eye
326
Of the lagopthalmus
328
Of an ectropium, and the staphyloma
328
Description of the eye
329
Of a cataract
330
Of a flux of gum, and the requisite operations
331
VIII. Of the operations required in the ears
334
IX. The operation necessary in a want of substance in the ears, lips,
and nose
335
X. Of the extirpation of a polypus in the nose
337
XI. The chirurgical cure of an ozæna
337
XII. Of the operations in the mouth; of the teeth
338
Of indurated tonsils, of the uvula
339
Of the tongue, an abscess under it, and chopt lips
340
XIII. Of the bronchocele
341
XIV. Of the operations performed at the navel
342
XV. The method of discharging the water in hydropic people
344
XVI. Of wounds in the belly and intestines
345
XVII. Of a rupture of the peritonæum
346
XVIII. A description of the testicles, and their diseases
347
XIX. General directions for operations in the foregoing diseases about
the testicles
351
XX. Of the cure of a rupture of the intestine into the scrotum
354
XXI. Of the cure of a rupture of the omentum into the scrotum
356
XXII. Of the cure of a ramex of the scrotum
357
xxviii
XXIII. Of the cure of a sarcocele
359
XXIV. Of the cure of a ramex in the groin
359
XXV. The operations requisite in the disorders of the penis
360
XXVI. Of the operation necessary in a suppression of urine; and
lithotomy
362
XXVII. Of a gangrene after cutting for the stone
370
XXVIII. Of the operations required, when a membrane or flesh obstructs
the vagina in women
373
XXIX. The method of extracting a dead fœtus out of the womb
373
XXX. The operations required in diseases of the anus
376
XXXI. Of varices in the legs
378
XXXII. Operations required in cohering and crooked fingers
379
XXXIII. Of the operation required in a gangrene
380
BOOK VIII.
CHAP. I. Of the situation and figure of the bones of the human body
381
II. General division of disorders in the bones. Of a blackness and
caries, and their treatment
388
III. Of the use of the modiolus, and perforator, and other
instruments, especially for the bones of the head
390
IV. Of fractures of the skull
393
V. Of fractures of the nose
399
VI. Of fractures of the ears
400
VII. Of a fractured maxilla, together with some general observations
relating to fractures
401
VIII. Of a fractured clavicle
402
IX. Of fractures of the ribs and spine
404
X. Of fractures of the humerus, fore-arm, thigh, leg, fingers, and
toes
406
XI. Of luxations
414
XII. Of a luxated maxilla
416
XIII. Of a luxation of the head
417
XIV. Of a luxation of the spine
418
XV. Of a luxation of the humerus
419
XVI. Of a luxation of the cubitus
420
XVII. Of a luxated hand
421
XVIII. Of luxations in the palm
422
XIX. Of luxations of the fingers
422
XX. Of a luxation of the femur
423
XXI. Of a luxation of the knee
424
XXII. Of a luxated ancle
425
XXIII. Of luxations in the soles of the feet
425
XXIV. Of luxated toes
426
XXV. Of luxations attended with a wound
426
xxix
xxx
Roman measures of capacity for things liquid, reduced to english wine measure, the
wine pint holding 28 solid inches.
No. I.
Pints Sol. in. dec.
Ligula
0,
0,117
4
Cyathus
0,
0,469
6
1 Acetabulum
0,
0,704
12
3
2
Quartarius
0,
1,409
24
6
4
2
Hemina
0,
2,818
48
12
8
4
2
Sextarius 1
5,636
Possibly No. I. may be better understood in the following form.
No. II.
Eng. wi.
Solid
Ligulæ. Cyathi. Acetab. Quart. Hem. Sext.
pint.
inch.
48
or 12 or
8
or
4
or 2 == 1 == 1. and
5.636
24
or 6 or
4
or
2 == 1 — - == 0.
17.255
12
or 3 or
2
==
1 — - — - == 0.
8.627
6 or
1 == 1
—
-
— - — - == 0.
4.313
4 == 1 — -
—
-
— - — - == 0.
2.875
1 —
-
— -
—
-
— - — - == 0.
0.718
87
481
125
121
32
81
21
41
21
21
43
21
87
12
11
48
47
Roman measures of capacity for things dry, reduced to english corn measure, the
english corn pint holding 33 inches.
No. III.
Pints Sol. in. dec.
Ligula
0,
0,01
4
Cyathus
0,
0,04
6
1 Acetabulum
0,
0,06
24
6
4
Hemina
0,
0,24
48
12
8
2
Sextarius 1
0,48
The same table in another form.
No. IV.
Eng. corn
Solid
Ligulæ. Cyathi. Acetab. Heminæ. Sextarius.
pint.
inches
48
or 12 or
8
or
2
==
1
== 1. and
0.48
24
or 6 or
4
==
1
—
—
== 0.
17.04
6 or 1
== 1
—
—
—
—
== 0.
4.26
4 == 1 — — —
—
—
—
== 0.
2.84
1 —
— — — —
—
—
—
== 0.
0.71
Note, The tables, No. I. and No. III. are exactly copied from Dr Arbuthnot, No. XII. and XIII. I
have here gone no higher than the sextarius, as that is the greatest measure mentioned by Celsus; it
has its name from making the sixth part of the Roman congius.
I would have taken the table of weights from Dr Arbuthnot also, if he had given one accommodated
to Celsus; but as he has not, I have composed the following, No. VI. according to the division of
Celsus himself, who tells us
, that he divides the uncia, or ounce, into seven denarii, and the
denarius into six sextantes.
Besides these, in several compositions our author uses semuncia and sescuncia, that is half an ounce
and ounce and half; and to save the reader the trouble of reduction, I have given them also a place in
the table.
The accurate Mr Greaves
, from repeated experiments, concluded the Roman denarius to contain
62 grains English Troy weight, from which the proportions of the other weights are determined.
No. V.
Grains.
Scruples.
Drachms.
Ounces. Pound Troy.
gr.
℈
Ʒ
℥
℔
5760 or
288 or
96 or
12
==
1
480 or
24 or
8 ==
1
60 or
3 ==
1
20 ==
1
1
Celsus’s weights compared with apothecaries’ weights.
No. VI.
Grains of
Sextan-
Dena-
Semun-
Ses-
Li-
Apothecaries’.
Troy wt.
tes.
rii.
ciæ.
Unciæ.
cun.
bra.
℥
Ʒ
℈
gr.
5208 or 504 or 84 or 24 or 12 or 8 == 1 == 10 : 6 : 2 : 8
651
or
63
or 10
or
3
or
1
==
1 — — == 1 : 2 : 2 : 11
434
or
42
or
7
or
2 ==
1 — — — — == 0 : 7 : 0 : 14
217
or
21
or
3
==
1 —
—
— — — — == 0 : 3 : 1 : 17
62
or
6 ==
1 — — —
—
— — — — == 0 : 1 : 0 : 2
10
==
1 —
—
— — —
—
— — — — == 0 : 0 : 0 : 10
1 —
— —
—
— — —
—
— — — — == 0 : 0 : 0 : 1
Note 1st. The Romans divided all integers, as they did their as, into twelve equal parts called unciæ.
53
xxxi
481
121
21
81
21
21
[ U ]
[ V ]
xxxii
21
21
21
31
21
Thus the sextans was the sixth part of the as, containing two of these unciæ, quadrans one fourth, or
three unciæ, triens the third part, or four unciæ, semis one half, or six unciæ, bes or bessis two-thirds,
or eight unciæ, dodrans three-fourths being nine unciæ. The weight of these then differs, as the
integer is the libra, the uncia, or denarius, which the attentive reader will easily reduce, if he is
disposed to calculate the quantities, observing that they are not to be taken for aliquot parts of the
denarius, but when they follow the mark of the denarius. The integer preceding, and the nature of the
composition will be the best explication.
Note 2. The denarius mark was X or �, as containing originally ten small asses. This by the copiers
has been often confounded with X, denoting the number of ten denarii; so that after all the pains of
critics and commentators, the proportions of the ingredients in several compositions seem to be
irrecoverably lost. For this reason, I suppose the later editors have thought fit to change it for the
common asterisk.
Note 3. The characters for quantities are variously marked in different authors, and the same note has
several values. There is one of this uncertainty in Celsus, that is Z, which we are told expresses the
libra, the sescuncia, the sextans of a pound, the denarius and the sextans of a denarius
. Which of
these different values it bears in any particular place must be determined by the connection. When it
follows the mark of the denarius, it can mean no more than the sextans of a denarius.
Note 4. p. stands for pondo, which is an indeclinable word, and when joined with numbers, signifies
libra or a pound; when with other weights, it stands for no more than pondus or weight in general.
For an example of the reduction of Celsus’s weights to ours, the following may serve.
Lib. v. cap. 19. no. 7. Philotas’s plaister contains,
Of Eretrian earth
℥
Ʒ
℈
gr.
— chalcitis, each p. iv.*.
==
: 0 : 0 :
8
viz. Ʒi. gr. ii.
multiplied by 4
—and so all
the rest.
— myrrh
— calcined copper, each p. x.*.
==
1 : 2 : 1 :
0
— isinglass p. vi. *.
==
0 : 6 : 0 : 12
— rasile verdigrease
— round allum
— crude misy
— birthwort, of each p. viii.*.
==
1 : 0 : 0 : 16
— copper scales p. xx.*
==
2 : 0 : 2 :
0
— male frankincense, p. ii.*.
==
0 : 2 : 0 :
4
— oil of roses
— Bitter oil, of each three cyathi, or 1 quartarius = between and of an English pint.
— vinegar, a sufficient quantity.
ERRATA,
in the text.
Page 110 line
9 for substances, read medicines.
—— 189 —— 26 for flour read flower.
—— 240 —— 22 for warm ingremedies read warming remedies.
—— 249 —— 14 for comes read come.
—— 257 —— 30 for verjuice read omphacium.
—— 271 —— 16 for wines read wine.
—— 323 —— 31 for straight read strait.
—— 350 —— 18 dele also.
[ W ]
xxxiii
2
1
2
1
4
1
3
1
1
