Book 6
7
A general remedy for all ear cases, and one approved by experience, was composed by Asclepiades. This contains: cinnamon and casia 4 grams each; flowers of round cyperus, castoreum, white pepper, long pepper, cardamomum and bennut, 8 grams each; male frankincense, Syrian nard, fatty myrrh, saffron, soda-scum, 12 grams each. These are pounded separately, then mixed with vinegar and again pounded, and so preserved; when for use they are diluted with vinegar. In the same way a general remedy for all ear disorders is the tablet of Polyidus, dissolved in sweet wine, the prescription for which is given in the last book. But if there is both a discharge of matter and a swelling, it is not unfitting to ash out the ear with diluted wine through an ear syringe, and then pour in dry wine mixed with rose oil, to which a little oxide of zinc has been added, or boxthorn juice with milk, or polygonum juice with rose oil, or pomegranate juice with a very little myrrh.
