Book III OF SyVPHILIS 287

ed within the body and become active, whether because it is
their nature to produce the greatest amount of heat, directly
they are assembled and separated from other particles, or because
all the very small particles of quicksilver are disposed to be—
eome heated from our heat, and, on account of the density of
the substance soon begin to burn out; then the drying and
exustion reaches the germs.  'To this compound are added such
ingredients as will carry the virtues of the caustics within the
body, and at the same time soften the substance so that it
may more readily liquefy, I mean fats. Also one adds ingre—
dients that volatilise, cleanse and liquefy, and lastly those that
in every way oppose contagions. An unguent of this sort
which I have often used is as follows: Pork fat 15 Ib.; fresh
butter 3 oZz.; turpentine and liquid styrax each 2 oz.; incense
myrrh and mastic each 12 oZz.; iris, aristolochia, gentian each
3 drachms; hellebore 2 drachms; sulphur 14 oZ.; nitre 1 drachm;
juice of elecampane and celery each 1 oz.; oil of rose laurel q. s.;
vinegar 1 oz.; quicksilver 1$ of the whole.'*9  Mix, and make
the ointment in an iron mortar.

Less drastic prescriptions can also be used and prepared in
various ways, according to the varying aims of the treatment
and the conditions of each case. Note that in proportion to
the number of gummata present, more fat must be added to
the ointment. When there are fewer gummata, but more pus—
tules and ulcers, more powder should be put in. For more
delicate constitutions you should put in less quicksilver. For
a patient of warm temperament, use more ingredients that will
temper the compound, e. g. more butter and more rose oil, but
less of the drying ingredients.  Before you rub in the ointment
there must be most careful and thorough purgations, and phlebot—
omy too, if expedient. First place the patient who is to be
anointed in a warm room, and rub the ointment on the whole
of the body, except the head, chest and armpits, then wrap
him up thoroughly in a packing of heated tow. Some doctors
put bags of hot barley inside the thighs and under the armpits
and feet, to make the ointment penetrate more and to induce
more sweat. Some apply the ointment twice a day, but this
is too severe; once a day is enough. Some apply it directly after
breakfast, but this practice, though it seems to be effective for
inducing sweat, is nevertheless foolish from the point of view
of the patient's general nourishment; hence it is better to apply