Kitap 1
7
This, then, is to be especially avoided, as being a bad course. But if the defluxion of pus be more violent, we must take every means, assisting the stomach by food, and medicines, and regimen, all in a mild way. We must administer the medicines for bursting the abscess; give to drink of the herb hyssop with honeyed-water, and the juice of the hair of horehound, and this with honeyed-water and the juice of the wormwood. These things must be given before food to dilute the fluids, to lubricate the parts, and facilitate the rupture of the abscesses. We are also to give the milk of an ass, which is soft, not bilious, nutritious, does not admit of being made into cheese, which is the perfection of milk. We should gratify the patient in regard to food and drink. And we are even to give things inferior to other more beneficial articles (for we thereby afford a passage to the fluid which occasions nausea and loathing of food, and many are hurt by the transit of the pus), lest they should come to loathe their food. And if they should take anything, they readily vomit. It is necessary, also, in the other defluxions, to have especial care of the stomach, for it is the passage to all sorts of medicine. It is necessary to keep in mind the liver, which is the root of the ulcerations.See the note on the text. The sense would be evidently much improved by reading blood-vessels in place of ulcerations. But if the defluxion be to the bladder, we are to promote it by diuretics, as the root of asarabacca, valerian, maiden-hair, spignel, in drinks; for these things are to be given to drink in honeyed-water. The compound medicine of Vestinus is also very good, and that from alkekengi, and such others as from trial have acquired reputation. But if you determine to draw off the discharge by the bowels, you can do this with milk, especially that of the ass, or otherwise of the goat or sheep. Give, also, juices of a lubricating nature and detergent, as the juice of ptisan; condiments, as pepper, ginger, and lovage. In a word, with regard to every method of diet in any case of abscess tending to rupture, the food should consist of things having wholesome juices, of savoury things, things of easy digestion, either juices, or the gruels with milk, starch, pastry with milk * * * * * * * * * * *
