Book 6
7
7 So much, then, for those classes of eye disease, for which medicaments are most successful; and now we pass to the ears, the use of which comes next to eye-sight as Nature's gift to us. But in the case of the ears still a somewhat greater danger; for whereas lesions of the eyes keep the mischief to themselves, inflammations and pains in the ears sometimes even serve to drive the patient to madness and death. The makes it more desirable to apply treatment at the very beginning, that there may be no opening for the greater discovering. As soon, therefore, as the pain is first felt, the patient should fast and keep quiet; the next day, if the pain is still severe, the head should be shaved, and after it has been anointed with hot iris unguent, covered up. But great pain with fever and sleeplessness require also that blood should be let; if anything prevents this, the bowels are to be moved. Hot poultices also, frequently changed, are of service, whether composed of fenugreek or linseed or other meal boiled in honey wine, and sponges also wrung out of hot water, applied at intervals, are appropriate. Then, when the pain is relieved, iris or cyprus unguent should be spread around the ears; in some cases, however, the rose unguent is more advantageous. If severe inflammation entirely prevents sleep, there should be added to the poultice half its quantity of toasted and pounded poppy-head rind, and this should be boiled down with the rest in diluted raisin wine. It is desirable also to pour some medicament into the ear, and this should always be made lukewarm beforehand; and is best dropped in from a strigil. When the ear is full, soft wool is applied over it to keep in the fluid. And these are the medicaments generally used for this purpose: but also there is rose oil and arundo-root juice and oil in which worms have been boiled, juice expressed from bitter almonds or from peach-kernels. But the compositions for relieving inflammation and pain generally employed are: castoreum and poppy-tears in equal amounts, pounded together; then to these there is added raisin wine. Or poppy-tears, saffron and myrrh in equal quantities pounded, while rose oil and raisin wine are dropped in by turns. Or the bitter part of the Egyptian bean pounded up with rose oil added; with these some mix a little myrrh or poppy-tears, or frankincense in woman's milk, or the juice of bitter almonds with rose oil. Or castoreum, myrrh and poppy-tears, equal parts, with raisin wine. Or saffron 1 gram; myrrh and shredded alum 0.66 gram of each; ;whilst this is being pounded there is slowly added to it 125 cc. of raisin wine, of honey rather less than 40 cc., and this is one of the best remedies. Or poppy-tears in vinegar. Themison's compound may also be used; it contains: castoreum, opopanax and poppy-tears 8 grams each, buckthorn scum 16 grams. These are pounded and made up in raisin wine, until they have the consistency of a wax salve and are so preserved. When required for use, this composition is again stirred with a probe whilst adding raisin wine. The rule is general, that when a composition has become too thick to be dropped into the ear, some of the fluid with which it was made up is added until it become sufficiently liquid.
