Book III OF THE PLAGUE 247

bring it out as much as you can.  If it is a carbuncle which in—
flames in a circle and is corrupting the member affected, then
instantly, without delay, either burn the whole with a hot iron
and kill the germs, or use some caustic, for instance Egyptian
ointment, or yeast with juice of squills, and so—called sublimate
which is quickly and easily prepared. Later, when the scab
has fallen away, cleanse the ulcer by spreading butter over it,
but keep it open for a long time. When you have to deal with
a plague bubo that is not yet mature, scarify98 it nevertheless,
and draw away the infected blood by strenuous cupping; then
help it to mature by applying & compound that will bring out
and break up the germs; a suitable one is: Flaxseed meal,
fenugrec,?? althaea,"?* root of narcissus or lily, galbanum, opop—
anax,'9 nitre, sulphur, cedar and liquid styrax; make a plaster
of these. The following are also of service: Diachylon,"??
diachalcitis,'?3 or pounded bubonium,'?4* either alone or in
decoction with onion; add gum—resin, liquid styrax, and use
with axunge.'^5 Bubonium is, I think, what the Greeks call
aster; Virgil'?* ecalled it amellus. It grows in abundance on
my estate on the hills near Benaco.'?7 It has many small sprigs
rising from one root like a sort of forest; these stalks are covered
with rather rough, narrow, gfeen leaves, a finger's length. It
has numerous very pretty flowers at the tops of the stalks,
with yellow centres like camomile, but purple round the edges,
the petals in a circle, like a star. 'This whole herb is wonder—
fully good for buboes, and hence is called bubonium. When
an abscess has begun to mature, do not wait for it to ripen
thoroughly, but open it either with a hot iron or some caustic,
then apply an abstergent, but not of the mild and common
sort, but those that are more drying, for instance, iris or aristo—
lochia, or peucedanum,'?5 or hellebore, or turpentine, or
lupine flour, or the like. For parotids apply very much the
same remedies, which will mature them and bring them out.
When you observe that, by the use of these remedies, the
disease has been somewhat checked and that there is some hope
of recovery, go on with the same treatment and complete the
cure. But if the disease is still obstinate and seems to resist
all remedies, I myself have been able to devise no better remedy
than the following, which I present to the public: /Juice of
luiula 2 oz.; citron juice 1 oz.; diascordium (my prescription)
1 drachm; cordial species made of precious stones 2 seruples;