On Medical Matters

...and metallic substances: gypsum, white lead, quicklime, arsenic, two types of sandaracha, litharge, adarce, lead, and the substance called mercury. Of things related by nature: wine drunk in large quantities after a bath, or sweet wine, or cold water in the same way.

Chapter I. [Concerning Cantharides.] To those who have taken cantharides, the most severe signs follow: for almost everything from the mouth to the bladder seems to them to be bitten. And a sensation similar to pitch or cedar oil occurs in the taste; they suffer inflammation in the right hypochondrium and have difficulty urinating; often they pass blood through the urine; there is a discharge through the abdomen similar to those in dysentery; they fall into fainting spells, nausea, and vertigo; and in the end, they lose their sanity. It is necessary, therefore, before such a thing ensues, to force them to vomit, giving them oil or some other of the previously mentioned things, and after having brought up the majority through the vomiting, to inject through an enema a decoction—

55. Thus Marcellus first interprets, then Cornarius, Goupyl, and Saracenus; "grape-stalk" Aldine, Asulan.
56. Marcellus adds: "or a run, or intense exercises."
57. Thus Cornarius; "or sweet or cold water similarly" Aldine, Asulan.
58. Aldine: "to go."

...of cartilage, or rice, or spelt, or barley-water, or a decoction of mallow, or of flaxseed, or of fenugreek, or of the roots of althea, which the Romans call hibiscus. One must also give them nitre with hydromel honeyed water to bring down and wash away those things that are still lying against the stomach and intestines; and if it is not stopped, it is necessary to evacuate them, injecting honeyed water with nitre, and to provide wine or sweet wine, with pine nuts and cucumber seeds crushed in it, or milk, or honeyed water, or goose fat melted in sweet wine. The inflamed parts should be covered with a poultice of barley flour boiled with honeyed water. At the beginning, the poultices applied cause harm, because the given substance is held back by the heat that has arisen, pressing upon the vital parts. When it has become chronic, it benefits the most severe inflammations, soothing and comforting the pains. At this time, it is fitting, after having greased the body with a warming oil, to bathe it by lowering it into—