In the toothach, a disorder, that may justly be ranked even amongst the greatest torments, the use of wine must be entirely forbid; and at first a total abstinence from food must be observed; afterwards it may be taken sparingly, but soft, lest the teeth be irritated by chewing. Then externally, by means of a sponge, the steam of hot water is to be applied, and a cerate made of cyprine, or iris oil spread upon wool, and the head must also be covered. But if the pain be more severe, a clyster is useful, with hot cataplasms applied to the cheek, as also some medicinal hot liquor held in the mouth, and frequently changed. For which purpose is used a decoction of cinquefoil root in diluted wine; and henbane root, either in vinegar and water, or diluted wine, with the addition of a little salt to either of them; and poppy heads not over dry, and mandrake root prepared in the same manner. But in these three, care must be taken not to swallow what is in the mouth. The bark of the root of white poplar, boiled in diluted wine, does very well for this purpose; or hartshorn shavings in vinegar, and catmint with teda(12), and a mellow fig; also a mellow fig, either in mulse or in vinegar and honey, and when the fig is dissolved by boiling, the liquor is strained. A probe also wrapt up in wool is dipped into hot oil; and used to touch the tooth itself. Moreover, something like cataplasms are put into the tooth. For which end the inner part of the shell of an acid and dry pomegranate is powdered, with an equal quantity of galls and pine bark, and with these is mixed minium; which being powdered, are brought to a consistence with rain water; or panaces, poppy tears, hog’s fennel, stavesacre without its seeds, powdered in equal proportions; or three parts of galbanum, and a fourth of poppy tears. Whatever is applied to the teeth, a cerate, such as is directed above, ought, nevertheless, to be kept upon the cheek, and covered with wool. Some also bruise and spread upon linen, myrrh, cardamoms, of each p. i. *. saffron, pellitory, figs, pepper, each p. iv. *. mustard p. viii. *. and apply this to the arm of that side, where the painful tooth is; if it be in the upper jaw, in the part next the scapula; if in the lower, on that next the breast; and this relieves the pain; and when it has given ease, it must be immediately taken away.

Now if the tooth be spoilt, we need not be hasty in extracting it, unless there be a necessity for it; but in such a case, to all the fomentations directed before, must be added some stronger compositions to ease the pain. Such as is that, which contains of poppy tears p. i. *. pepper p. ii. *. sory(13) p. x. *. these are powdered and mixed up with galbanum, and put round the affected tooth; or that of Menemachus principally for double teeth, in which are of saffron p. i. *. cardamoms, soot of frankincense, figs, pepper, pellitory, each p. iv. *. mustard p. viii. *. Some mix of pellitory, pepper, elaterium, each p. i. *. scissile allum, poppy tears, stavesacre, crude sulphur, bitumen, bay-berries, mustard, of each p. ii. *. But if the pain make it necessary to take it out, a pepper corn stript of its bark, and in the same manner an ivy berry put into its opening, splits the tooth, so that it comes away in scales. The prickle of the planus fish also (which we call pastinaca, the Greeks trygon) is toasted, then powdered, and mixed with resin, which being put round the tooth loosens it. Scissile alum likewise put into the opening disposes the tooth to come away. But it is more expedient to wrap this in a little wool, and then put it in: because in that way it both preserves the tooth, and eases the pain. These are the prescriptions of physicians; but the experience of our peasants has discovered, that for the toothach the herb horsemint ought to be pulled up by the roots, and put into a bason, and water infused upon it, and that the patient should sit down close by it, covered all over with clothes; and then red hot flints are to be thrown into the bason, so as to be covered with the water, and the patient with his mouth open must receive the vapour, close wrapt up as before directed. For both a plentiful sweat follows, and a continued stream of rheum runs from the mouth, which secures health for a pretty long time, and frequently for a whole year.