I have treated of those wounds, which are most commonly inflicted by weapons. It follows, that I speak concerning those, which are occasioned by the bite, sometimes of a man, sometimes of an ape, often of a dog, sometimes of wild beasts, or other animals, or serpents. Now almost all bites(70) are in some degree venomous.
Therefore if the wound be severe, a cupping vessel must be applied; if slight, a plaister must be immediately put on, particularly that of Diogenes; if that is not to be had, any of those, which I have prescribed against bites; if these are not to be got, the green Alexandrian; if that is not at hand neither, any of those, which are not greasy, that are calculated for recent wounds. Salt is also a remedy for them, and particularly for the bite of a dog, if it be applied dry, and the part be chaffed with two fingers; for it brings out the sanies. It is also of use to bind salt fish over such a wound.
If the dog was mad, it is more especially necessary to extract the poison by cupping. After that, if the part is neither nervous nor muscular, the wound must be cauterized. If it cannot be cauterized, it is proper for the patient to be bled. Then upon the wound, after burning, must be applied what is proper for other cauterized ulcers. Such as have not been cauterized must be treated with those medicines, that powerfully corrode the flesh. After which the wound must be filled up, and healed by no other than the common method already laid down. Some presently after the bite of a mad dog order such a patient into the bath, and allow him to sweat there as long as he is able, with the wound bare, that the poison may the more readily be discharged; then they refresh him with plenty of strong wine, which is an antidote to all poisons. And when this method has been pursued for three days, the patient is thought out of danger.
But it is usual for such a wound, if not effectually treated, to produce a fear of water. The Greeks call it hydrophobia[ EX ]: a most miserable kind of disease, in which the patient is tormented at once with thirst, and a dread of water. When this happens, there is very little hope left. But yet there is one remedy: to throw the patient unawares suddenly into a pond, and if he cannot swim, to suffer him to sink sometimes, and thus drink, and sometimes to lift up his head; if he can swim, to keep him down at times, that even against his will he may be satiated with water: for thus at once both the thirst and dread of water is removed. But this practice is attended with another danger, which is, that a weak body fatigued in cold water, may be destroyed by a convulsion. To prevent which, from the pond he must immediately be put into warm oil. An antidote (particularly that which I mentioned first, or in its stead another) if the patient is not possessed with the horror of water, may be given to drink in water; if he be offended with its bitterness, honey must be added; but if that disease has already come on, it may be taken in the form of catapotia.
The bites of serpents do not require a very different treatment: although in this the ancients varied greatly; in so much that they prescribed as many distinct methods as there were kinds of snakes; in which too they differed widely from each other. But generally the same remedies have the best success in all of them. Wherefore in the first place the limb must be tied above the wound; but not too tight, lest it become torpid. Then the poison must be extracted. This is best done by cupping. Neither is it improper to cut round the wound first with a knife, that the more of the blood already vitiated may be extracted. If a cupping vessel cannot be had (which can scarcely happen) then any other similar vessel will do, which will serve the same purpose. If none such can be got, a person must be employed to suck the wound.
Nor indeed have those, that are called Psylli(71), any peculiar skill, but a boldness confirmed purely by custom. For the poison of a serpent, as also some of those, which hunters make use of, and especially in Gaul(72), are not hurtful, taken in by the mouth, but injected by a wound: and for that reason even a snake itself is safely eaten: its bite is mortal, and when it is in a state of stupidity (which dealers in legerdemain can produce by the force of some drugs) if one puts his finger into its mouth, and is not bit, he receives no hurt from the saliva. Therefore any person that, like a Psyllus, shall suck the wound, will both be safe himself, and save the patient. In the mean time he ought to attend to this first, that he have no ulcer either in his gums, or palate, or any other part of his mouth. Afterwards the patient must be laid in a warm place, in such a posture, that the part, which is wounded, may be in a depending posture.
If no body can be got to suck the wound, nor a cupping vessel is at hand, the patient ought to sup goose or veal broth, till he vomit. A chicken must also be cut through the middle alive, and immediately applied warm over the wound, with the internal part next the body. The same effect is produced by a kid, or a lamb cut up, and the warm flesh immediately laid upon the wound, and by the plaisters, that have been mentioned before: the most proper of which is the Ephesian, or that, which follows it. To take some antidote too immediately, is a powerful protection against the danger. But if that cannot be had, it is necessary to sup a little pure wine with pepper, or any thing else, which serves to excite heat, and does not suffer the humour to coagulate within. For the greatest part of poisons kills by cold. All diuretics too, because they attenuate the humour, are useful.
The former remedies are general, and good against bites: but experience itself has taught us, that a person, who has been bit by an aspis, ought rather to drink vinegar. Which is said to have been discovered by the case of a certain boy, who, when he had been wounded by one, and partly from the wound itself, and partly from the excessive heat of the weather, was tormented with thirst, and the country being dry, could find no other liquor, drank off vinegar, which he chanced to have by him, and was cured. The reason of the effect in my opinion is, that vinegar, though it refrigerate, yet has a faculty of dissipating at the same time. Whence it happens, that earth sprinkled with it rises in a froth. From the same virtue therefore it is very probable, that the fluids of the human body beginning to be coagulated are dissipated by it, and health thereby restored.
Against the poison of some other serpents also peculiar remedies are well known. For the scorpion is a most excellent remedy against itself. Some drink it bruised with wine. Some apply it in the same form to the wound. Others laying it upon live coals fumigate the wound with it, keeping a cloth all round it, that the smoke may not escape; and then bind it on when burnt to a coal. Now it is proper to drink in wine the seed, or at least the leaves of turnsole (which the Greeks call heliotropium[ EY ].) And over the wound it is fit to apply bran with vinegar, or wild rue, or salt toasted with honey. But I have known physicians, who have done nothing else to people stung by a scorpion, but bled them in the arm.
For the sting of a scorpion also, and a spider, garlick mixed with rue, and rubbed down with oil, is a proper application.
For a wound given by a cerastes(73), or dipsas(74), or hæmorrhois(75), the remedy is dried asphodel, about the bigness of an Egyptian bean, with the addition of a little rue given in drink, and divided into two doses. Trefoil also and horse-mint, and panaces with vinegar are equally good. Also costus, and cassia, and cinnamon are proper to take in drink.
Against the wound of a chersydrus(76), panaces or laser, or each scruples p. ii. *. Or the juice of a leek is to be taken with a hemina of wine, and savory eaten plentifully. And let goat’s dung boiled in vinegar be laid upon the wound; or barley meal in the same manner with vinegar; or rue, or cat-mint, powdered with salt and mixed with honey. And this is equally efficacious against the bite of a cerastes.
When a phalangium(77) has given a wound, beside the chirurgical part of the cure, the patient should be frequently plunged into the warm bath, and an equal quantity of myrrh and stavesacre is to be given in a hemina of passum; or radish-seed, or darnel-root with wine; let there be also applied to the wound bran boiled with vinegar, and he must be ordered to continue quiet.
But the kinds of serpents mentioned hitherto are foreign, and much more dangerous than ours; especially those, which are in very hot countries. Italy and the colder climates, besides that they are more healthful in other respects, have the advantage in this, that they produce snakes less formidable. Their bites are well enough cured by the herb betony, or bindweed, or centory, or agrimony, or germander, or burdock, or pastinaca fish(78), either singly, or any two of them taken together powdered, and thus given to drink in wine, and also applied upon the wound. It is necessary to observe, that the bite of every serpent is more hurtful, when either the animal or the wounded person is fasting, and therefore they are most pernicious when they are hatching; and it is adviseable, when any one is apprehensive of meeting serpents, not to go out, before he has taken some food.
It is not so easy to relieve those, who have swallowed poison, either in their food or drink. In the first place, because they do not perceive it immediately, as those do, who are bit by a snake; and therefore cannot instantly apply the remedy. In the next place, because the hurt does not begin in the skin, but in the internal parts. However it is best, as soon as one discovers it, immediately to drink largely of oil, and to vomit. And then, when he has emptied his praecordia, to take an antidote in his drink; if that is not to be got, pure wine.
Nevertheless there are some peculiar remedies against certain poisons, and chiefly of the milder kind. For if any person has drunk cantharides, he ought to take panaces bruised with milk, or galbanum, with the addition of wine, or milk by itself.
If hemlock, let the patient drink as much hot pure wine with rue as he can; then he must be forced to vomit; after that, laser with wine must be given; and, if he be free of a fever, he must be put into the warm bath; if not, be anointed with warm ingremedies. After these, rest is necessary for him.
If henbane, hot mulse must be drunk, or any kind of milk, but more particularly asses milk.
If ceruss, the juice of mallows, or of a bruised walnut with wine are most serviceable.
If one happens to swallow a leech in drinking, vinegar with salt must be given. If milk has curdled in the stomach, either passum, or laser with vinegar.
If a person has eaten poisonous mushrooms, let him take radish either out of vinegar and water, or salt and vinegar. These may both be distinguished from the good by their form, and also be rendered innocent by the manner of dressing. For they are perfectly freed from all noxious qualities, by boiling them in oil, or with a twig of a pear-tree.
Burns are also to be reckoned amongst the effects of external violence. The plan laid down, therefore, seems to oblige me to speak of them in this place. They are best cured by the leaves either of lilly, or hound’s-tongue, or betes boiled in wine and oil. Any of these presently applied heals them.
But the method of cure may also be divided into those things, which being gently eating and repellent, at first both prevent pustules, and excoriate the part; and those, which being lenient, restore the part to its soundness. Of the former is the meal of lentils with honey, or myrrh with wine; or Cimolian chalk, powdered with the bark of frankincense, and worked up to a paste with water, and when it is to be used, diluted with vinegar. Of the second class any of the lipara. But the most suitable is that, which contains the dross of lead, or yolks of eggs.
Another way also of treating burns is, while the inflammation continues, to apply to them lentils with honey; when that is gone off, meal with rue, or leeks, or horehound, till the crusts fall off, then vetches with honey, or iris, or turpentine resin, till the ulcer be clean; last of all, dry lint.