GALEN ON THE COMPOSITION OF MEDICINES

Ed. Chart. XIII. [524. 525.]

Ed. Bas. II. (255.)

...they wrote of it as being for a roughened and ulcerated artery. It is therefore reasonable that those who use medicines called "arteriacs" original: ἀρτηριακαῖς. These are medicines specifically intended for the windpipe or throat. without specific definitions sometimes succeed. At other times, however, they do not help the sufferers at all, but instead cause the greatest harm. It is clear that in such conditions, they blame the "rough artery" trachea: the windpipe, which has a rigid, uneven surface compared to blood vessels. In the past, people did not use the name "artery" for the vessels that pulse like the heart. They only gave the name "artery" to the vessel that rises from the lungs to the larynx. They generally used the name "veins" for both the non-pulsating vessels and the pulsating ones. Later, the custom was established to use the name "artery" for the pulsating vessels. Because of this shared name, they added the word "rough" to the name of the vessel descending from the larynx to the lung. They also call this vessel the "bronchus" because they name the cartilaginous bodies, which make up most of its substance, "bronchia." A thick membrane lines the inside of this artery. Because of its thickness, some call it a "tunic" tunica: a layer or coat of tissue. When, therefore, some condition [occurs]...

...so they wrote. It is reasonable that those who use medicines called "arteriacs" original: arteriacis without specific definitions sometimes use them successfully. At other times, however, they do not help the sick at all, but instead cause the greatest harm. It is clear that in such conditions, they blame the "rough artery" aspera arteria: the Latin term for the trachea or windpipe. In the past, when they did not yet name the vessels that pulse like the heart "arteries," they applied the name "artery" only to the one vessel that emerges from the lung into the larynx. They called all vessels "veins," even the pulsating ones, just like the other non-pulsating ones. Later, the custom prevailed to use the name "artery" for pulsating vessels. To avoid confusion original: aequivocationem. This refers to the ambiguity caused by one word having two different meanings., they added the name "rough." They called the vessel that descends from the larynx into the lungs the "rough artery." At the same time, they also call it the "bronchus," since they call the small cartilaginous bodies, which are its largest part, "bronchia." A thick film surrounds the inside of the artery itself. Some call this a "tunic" because of its thickness. Therefore, when some condition occurs either around...