Book III OF SyVPHILIS 275

stance must be warm, attenuating, and what are called "incis—
ory', because the substance is viscous, foul and sluggish. Ex—
cellent of their kind are oxymel, rose honey, syrup of prasium,,"*5
hyssop, betony,'4* calamint, epithyme, hops, and the like; to
these add waters made with iris, elecampane, epithyme and
agrimony, 5 heads of each; fennel, celery (parsley?), pennyroyal,
marjoram, pimpinella, blessed thistle, dodder, chamaedrys;
or make a decoction of the above with scordium also, and Cretan
dictamon, thyme, betony, squinanth, verbena, syderitis her—
aclea, amomum,'!' agalochus and the like. Nou may at the
säame time bring about the digestion of the substance by apply—
ing the following or some similar salve: Juice of rue and of
elecampane each 1 oz.; theriae 2 oz.; incense 2 drachms; pepper
1 drachm; axunge made of calf's marrow, fresh butter each
1 oz.; oil of camomile and of iris qs. Apply this ointment to
the back, arms and legs; it will concoet (digest) the substance
and alleviate the pains. When the substance has been thus
digested, it must be evacuated. Of the simples that are most
serviceable for this, I recommend ecolocynth, hermodactyl,
hellebore, agaric and aloes. Mix with these some liquefying
and dissolvent drug such as serapinum, galbanum, bdellium, "5
opopanax, gum—ammoniae,'!? myrrh, juice of silphium or the
like. Of the usual compound remedies, I recommend aggrega—
tive pills's? and those made of hermodaectyls, arthritic pills,5'
Indian pills, those made of lapis lazuli,'5^ of Benediet,'53 and
the like; also the Indian electuary, 5 the electuary of Hamech, 55
of Benedict and of Theoderic, the hiera made with colocynth
compound, the hiera described by Scribonius,"s* and many others.

I approve the method of those who, after the first evacuation,
administer again drugs that concoct (digest) the substance,
and purge again. For I have known ceases where, after care—
ful and thorough purgations, the patient was completely cured.
8Some doctors compound 'second syrups' and also at the same
time give also solutives, adding to them senna or agaric or
hermodactyls or powdered hellebore, administered every day
or every other day, and I recommend this also.

Now if this single method of treatment seems to be sufficient,
leave the others alone. But if it does not prove sufficient, as
in fact usually happens when the disease is already inveterate
or the substance is too thick and viscous, then you ought to
try other remedies; I will therefore describe them. Some doc—