The Medicine of Pliny and Gargilius Martialis

and wings, ground, are placed on a linen cloth and applied to bruised ears. Nitre dissolved in wine heals purulent ears. Ground nitre, sprinkled dry, dispels noise and ringing; it is also inserted into the ears with warm rose oil. For purulent ears, bull’s gall is infused with the juice of leeks. If there is heaviness of the ears, they should be washed out with the same gall mixed with human milk. Ash of horse manure is instilled with rose oil. Calf suet with goose fat and basil juice, or bull or goat gall with warm rose oil, is inserted into the ears. Everything that is instilled must be used warm. Warm boar urine is infused; for these uses, it is kept in a glass vessel. If water has entered the right ear, one should hop on the left foot while tilting the head toward the right shoulder; if it enters the left, do the opposite. If an animal has entered and one spits into the ear, it is believed it will come out.

VII. On Parotid Glands.

Rarely do physicians avoid the scalpel for parotidae swelling of the parotid glands, even when they could be suppressed...