Book III ^ QF ELEPHANTIASIS 299

suppose that these remedies would increase the adustion in
both the substance and the germs. However, I observe that
the ancients also used to give medicaments made of these ingre—
dients, for they also used nitre, aleyon,'9 depilatory salves, both.
kinds of hellebore'?? and the troches of Andron. So I believe
that we shall proceed correctly if we try to destroy this con—
tagion by means of the above—mentioned remedies.  However,
it is most advisable to add to them ingredients that moisten
and are rather cooling. I find it well to add butter, or a mucilage
made of pennyroyal and polygonatum,'93 and the juice of gar—
den solatrum'? and the like, to avoid undue heating of the
blood. But, for this disease, as for French Sickness, the most
effective remedy is quicksilver.

Besides the above—mentioned, good results are obtained from
viper flesh, viper wine, the flesh of land crocodiles,'?5 and the
wood—louse'?* that lives under earthen pots; also trefoil, asphal—
titis,'97 the herb syderitis, aromatic calamus, and scrapings of
ivory. I also advise tepid baths, and if the salves described
above are rubbed in at the time of the bath, after the manner
of the ancients, you will not, of course, overdo them."98

There are yet other diseases that consist in contagion, such
as leprosy, (I mean that so called by the Greeks), scabies, papulae,
area, ophiasis, certain forms of .ophthalmia, and even some
forms of dysentery. But I shall not describe the treatment
of any of these maladies, because I believe that what I have
said in the above pages indicates clearly enough for any prae—
titioner the way to treat them correctly.

I have now said what I had to say on the special theme that
I set out to discuss.