Book 6
18
The anus also is subject to many most tedious maladies, which do not require much variation in their treatment. In the first place, the skin of the anus is often fissured at several places; the Greeks call these ragadia. If this is recent, the patient should keep quiet and sit in hot water. Further, pigeon's eggs are to be boiled until hard, shelled, and then one should be covered completely in very hot water, the other is applied hot to the place, the eggs being used thus turn and turn about. Then the tetrapharmacum or the rhypodes is to be diluted for use with rose oil; or fresh wool-grease is mixed with the liquid cerate made up with rose oil; or washed lead with the same cerate; or a little myrrh to turpentine resin; or old oil to litharge; with any one of which the anus is smeared. If the lesion is external, not hidden inside, lint may be soaked in the same medicament and applied; whatever is put on is to be covered by a cerate. In such a case also neither acrid nor coarse food is to be taken nor such as constipates; dry food is not satisfactory unless in very small amount; liquid, mild, fatty and glutinous nutriment is better. There is nothing to prevent the use of mild wine.
