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Of Medicine, in Eight Books

Chapter 143: CHAP. X. OF THE DISEASES OF THE TONSILS.
By Aulus Cornelius Celsus
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Health & MedicineHistory - Ancient

About This Book

It gathers medical knowledge into eight concise books that combine clinical observation, diagnosis, prognosis, and practical treatment. Chapters cover diet and regimen, descriptions of internal diseases and external injuries, medicinal preparations, and operative techniques with instructions for wound care and minor surgery. The text emphasizes careful observation and clear symptom description, pairing theoretical causes with hands-on remedies and measurements. Explanatory notes and technical detail support immediate clinical use, making the collection a practical reference for assessing, managing, and treating a broad range of conditions.

CHAP. X. OF THE DISEASES OF THE TONSILS.

If the tonsils swell from an inflammation without an ulcer, the head must be covered as in the last disorder, and the part fomented externally with the vapour of hot water; the patient must walk much; lie in bed with his head raised; and use gargarisms of the repellent medicines. The liquorice root too bruised, and boiled in passum or mulse, has the same effect. And it is not amiss to touch them gently with some medicines, which are made in this manner: the juice is squeezed from a sweet pomegranate, and a sextarius of this is boiled over a gentle fire to the consistence of honey; then saffron, myrrh, scissile alum, of each p. ii. *. are powdered separately, and to these are added gradually two cyathi of mild wine, of honey one; after that, they are mixed with the first mentioned juice; and again gently boiled; or a sextarius of the same juice is boiled in the same way, and the following things powdered in like manner are added to it; of nard p. *. omphacium p. i. *. cinnamon, myrrh, cassia, each p. i. *. And these same compositions are proper both for purulent ears and nostrils. The food in this disorder also ought to be mild, lest it exasperate the inflammation.

But if the inflammation is so great as to obstruct the breath, the patient must rest in bed, abstain from eating, and take nothing else but warm water: a clyster must also be given, and a gargarism used of figs and mulse; and the part touched with honey and omphacium. Externally the hot vapour must be applied, but for a longer time, till they suppurate and break of themselves. If pus is contained within, and the tumours do not break, they must be cut. Afterwards the patient must gargle with warm mulse.

But if with an inconsiderable swelling there is an ulceration, for a gargarism there must be added to the cream of bran a little honey, and the ulcers are to be anointed with the following medicines: three cyathi of the sweetest passum are boiled into one; then is added of frankincense p. i. *. saffron, myrrh, each p. *. and the whole is set upon the fire again, till it boil. When the ulcers are clean, he must gargle with the same cream of bran, or with milk. And in this case also a mild diet is necessary; to which may be added sweet wine.