Of plaisters there are none more useful, than those, which are immediately applied to bloody wounds; the Greeks call them enaima[ DW ]. For these repel an inflammation, unless it be excited by something very violent, and even then they diminish its force, and agglutinate wounds, which are not inflamed, and cicatrize them. They consist of medicines not fat, and therefore by the Greeks are called alipaina[ DX ].

The best of these plaisters is that, which is called barbarum. It contains of rasile verdigrease(46) p. xii. *. litharge p. xx. *. alum, dry pitch, dry pine resin, each p. i. *. to which is added of oil and vinegar each a hemina.

There is another for the same, which is called choacon; it contains of litharge p. x. *. dry resin as much. But the litharge is first boiled in three heminæ of oil. The colour of both these plaisters is black, which generally results from pitch and resin, as the blackest is from bitumen; from verdigrease, or scales of copper, green; from minium, red; from ceruss, white.

There are a very few compositions, in which the variety of the mixture causes some different appearance; therefore that also is black, which is called basilicon. It contains of opopanax p. i. *. galbanum p. ii. *. pitch and resin, of each p. x. *. half a cyathus of oil.

But that, which is very green, is called smaragdine, in which there are of pine resin. p. iii. *. wax p. i. *. verdigrease  1/2 p. *. flour of frankincense p. ii. *. as much oil and vinegar, with which last the flour and verdigrease are united.

There is also one of a reddish colour, which seems to bring wounds to cicatrize quickly: it consists of frankincense p. i. *. resin p. ii. *. copper scales p. iii. *. litharge p. xx. *. wax p. c. *. of oil a hemina.

Besides, there is another, which from agglutinating is called paracolleticon[ DY ] It contains bitumen, scissile alum, p. iv. *. litharge p. iv. *. and a hemina of old oil.

Besides these there are some of the same kind, which, because they are particularly adapted to fractures of the skull, are by the Greeks called cephalica[ DZ ]. Philotas’s composition contains of Eretrian earth, chalcitis, each p. iv. *. myrrh, calcined copper, each p. x. *. isinglass p. vi. *. rasile verdigrease, round alum, crude misy, birthwort, each p. viii. *. copper scales p. xx. *. male frankincense p. ii. *. wax p. i. *. rose and bitter oil three cyathi, and a sufficient quantity of vinegar for rubbing down all the dry ingredients.

There is another for the same purpose green; which consists of calcined copper, copper scales, myrrh, isinglass, each p. vi. *. crude misy, rasile verdigrease, birthwort, round alum, each p. viii. *. wax p. vi. *. a hemina of oil, and of vinegar a sufficient quantity.

For promoting a suppuration there is nothing better than that, which is very quickly prepared, and by the Greeks is called tetrapharmacum[ EA ]. It contains equal parts of wax, pitch, resin, and beef suet; if the last cannot be had, veal suet.

There is another for the same intention, which is called ennea pharmacum[ EB ], which cleanses more; it consists of nine ingredients, wax, honey, suet, resin, myrrh, rose oil, marrow either of a deer or calf, or beef, or œsypum(47), and butter. These also are mixed in equal quantities.

But there are some plaisters, that answer both these intentions at once; which, unless the case requires distinct applications for each, are preferable; otherwise they are worse, and never to be made use of, but either when both intentions are proposed together, or when, though the plaisters are wanted singly, they are not to be had by themselves. But where there is choice, they are to be rejected, and such only applied as are peculiarly suited to the end to be obtained. For example I will mention two.

There is then the Attalum plaister for wounds: which contains of copper scales p. vii. *. soot of frankincense p. xv. *. ammoniacum as much, liquid turpentine resin p. xxv. *. beef suet the same quantity, three heminæ of vinegar, a sextarius of oil.

But amongst those, which are proper for a fractured skull, some use that, which is said to be invented by Judæus. It consists of the following ingredients: salt p. iv. *. red copper scales, calcined copper, each p. xii. *. ammoniacum thymiama, soot of frankincense, dry resin, each p. vi. *. Colophonian resin, wax, veal suet cured, each p. xx. *. a cyathus and half of vinegar is added, and less than a cyathus of oil. What the Greeks call tetherapeumena[ EC ], we call curata, cured; when for instance from the suet all the little membranes are carefully taken away, and so in any other medicine.

There are also some plaisters greatly celebrated for drawing, which are likewise distinguished by the name of epispastica[ ED ]. Such as is that, which because bay-berries are among the ingredients, is called diadaphnidon[ EE ]. In it there is turpentine resin p. x. *. nitre, wax, dry pitch, bay-berries, each p. xx. *. and a little oil. Now as often as I shall mention a berry or a nut, or any thing of that nature, it will be proper to know, that before it be weighed, the exterior, pellicle is to be taken from it.

There is another of the same name, which is also for promoting a suppuration. Of veal suet, ammoniacum thymiama, pitch, wax, nitre, bay-berries, dry resin, birthwort, pellitory, of each equal parts.

Besides these there is one of Philocrates: which contains sal ammoniac p. vii. *. birthwort p. viii. *. wax, turpentine resin, soot of frankincense, each p. xv. *. litharge p. xxxii. *. To these, that it may serve also for promoting a suppuration, are added iris p. iii. *. galbanum p. vi. *.

However that is best for drawing, which from its resemblance to sordes, the Greeks call rhypodes[ EF ]. It contains myrrh, saffron, iris, propolis, bdellium, the heads of pomegranates, scissile and round alum, misy, chalcitis, boiled copperas(48), opopanax, sal ammoniac, viscum, each p. iv. *. birthwort p. viii. *. copper scales p. xvi. *. turpentine resin p. lxxv. *. wax, and suet, either beef or goat’s, each p. c. *.

Hecatæus also is the author of a plaister of the same kind, which is thus composed: galbanum p. ii. *. soot of frankincense p. iv. *. pitch p. v. *. wax and turpentine resin, each p. viii. *. with these a little iris ointment is mixed.

The green Alexandrian drawing plaister is efficacious for the same purpose. It contains scissile alum p. viii. *. sal ammoniac p. vii. *. copper scales p. xvi. *. myrrh, frankincense, each p. xviii. *. wax p. cl. *. colophonian or pine resin p. cxc. *. a hemina of oil, and a sextarius of vinegar.

Some plaisters are eating, which the Greeks call septica[ EG ], such as is that, which contains turpentine resin, soot of frankincense, of each p. ii. *. copper scales p. i. *. labdanum p. ii. * the same quantity of alum, litharge p. iv. *.

This plaister also eats away flesh vehemently, and even dissolves the bones, and keeps down fungous flesh. It contains litharge, copper scales, of each an ounce; nitre that has not felt the fire, Asian stone, birthwort, of each a sextans, wax, turpentine resin, frankincense, old oil, copperas, sal ammoniac,  1/2 p. rasile verdigrease p. bessis, of squill vinegar a hemina, and a like quantity of Aminæan wine.

There are also some calculated against bites; such as the black one of Diogenes: which contains of bitumen, wax, dry pine resin, each p. xx. *. litharge p. c. *. of oil a sextarius. Or that, which consists of copper scales p. iv. *. ceruss and rasile verdigrease each p. viii. *. ammoniacum p. xii. *. wax, pine resin, each p. xxv. *. litharge p. c. *. of oil a sextarius. Or that, which is composed of copper scales p. xiv. *. galbanum p. vi. *. ceruss and rasile verdigrease, each p. viii. *. ammoniacum p. xii. *. wax, pine resin, of each p. lv. *. with these the litharge is boiled.

There is a red plaister of the same virtues, which is called Ephesian. It contains turpentine resin p. ii. *. galbanum p. iv. *. Sinopian minium p, vi. *. soot of frankincense p. vi. *. wax p. viii. *. litharge, p. lvi. *. old oil a hemina.

Likewise that which consists of the following materials; copper scales, soot of frankincense, of each p. iv *. galbanum p. vi. *. sal ammoniac p. xii. z. *. wax p. xxv. *. with three heminæ of oil. These also are proper applications for other recent wounds.

There are also white lenient plaisters, by the Greeks, from their colour, called leuca[ EH ], generally calculated for slight wounds, and especially those of old men: such as is that, which contains of ceruss p. lii. *. veal suet cured and wax, each p. lviii. *. three heminæ of oil, with which the ceruss is boiled up.

Another, which consists of ceruss p. xx. *. wax p. lv. *. a hemina of oil, and a sextarius of water. Now as often as these are added, to ceruss or litharge, we may take it for granted, that they are to be boiled with them. This last composition is very white, and therefore it is called elephantine.

There are also some lenient plaisters, which the Greeks commonly call lipara[ EI ], as that which contains minium p. iv.*. litharge, p. xxv. *. wax and hog’s lard, each p. xxxv. *. and the yolks of four eggs.

Another composition of the same kind: wax, turpentine resin, of each p. v. *. ceruss p. viii. *. litharge, dross of lead (scoria molybdi the Greeks call it) each p. x. *. cicine(49) and myrtle oil, each the third part of a hemina.

Another, which is said to be invented by Archagathus: burnt misy, calcined copper, each p. iv. *. burnt(50) ceruss p. viii. *. turpentine resin p. x. *. litharge p. vi. *.

For the same purpose: litharge, wax, hog’s lard, of each p. xxvii. *. boiled yolks of eggs, with a hemina of rose oil. Or this composition: cerate made of myrtle oil three parts, hog’s lard a fourth part, a little lead dross. Or the following composition; of litharge half a pound boiled with a hemina of oil, and a like quantity of sea water, till it cease to bubble, with the addition of a little wax. Or this: equal parts of wax, suet, antimony, litharge, and ceruss.