THE NATURE OF SALT

Latine · Mayhoff 1906

Salis natura per se ignea est et inimica ignibus, fugiens eos, omnia erodens, corpora vero adstringens, siccans, adligans, defuncta etiam a putrescendi tabe vindicans, ut durent ea per saecula, in medendo vero mordens, adurens, repurgans, extenuans, dissolvens, sto- -macho tantum inutilis, praeterquam ad excitandam aviditatem. adversus serpentium morsus cum origano, melle, hysopo, contra cerasten cum origano et cedria aut pice aut melle auxiliatur, contra scolopendras ex aceto pots, adversus scorpionum ictus cum quarta parte lini seminis et oleo vel aceto inlitus, adversus crabrones vero et vespas similiaque ex aceto, ad heterocranias capitisque ulcera et pusulas papulasve et incipientes verrucas cum sebo vitulino, item oculorum remediis et ad excrescentes ibi carnes totiusque corporis pterygia, sed in oculis peculiariter, ob id collyriis emplastrisque additus—ad haec maxime probatur Tattaeus aut Caunites—, ex ictu vero suffusis cruore oculis suggillatisque cum murra pari pondere ac melle aut cum hysopo ex aqua calida, utque foveantur salsugine—ad haec Hispaniensis eligitur—, contraque suffusiones oculorum cum lacte in coticulis teritur, privatim suggillationibus in linteolo involutus crebroque ex aqua ferventi inpositus, ulceribus oris manantibus in linteolo concerpto, gingivarum tumori infricatus et contra scabritiem linguae fractus comminutusque. aiunt dentes non erodi nec putrescere, si quis cotidie mane ieiunus salem contineat sub lingua, donee liquescat. lepras idem et furunculos et lichenas et psoras emendat cum passa uva exempto eius ligno et sebo bubulo atque origano ac fermento vel pane; maxime Thebaicus ad haec et pruritus eligitur. tonsillis et uvis cum melle prodest quicumque, ad anginas hoc amplius cum oleo et aceto eodem tempore extra faucibus inlitus cum pice liquida. emollit et alvum vino mixto, innoxie et taeniarum genera pellit in vino potus. aestus balnearum convalescentes ut tolerare possint, linguae subditus praestat. nervorum dolores, maxime circa umeros et renes, in saccis aqua ferventi crebro candefactus levat, column torminaque et coxarum dolores potus et in isdem saccis inpositus candens, podagras cum farina ex melle et oleo tritus, ibi maxime usurpanda observatione, quae totiscorporibus nihil esse utilius sale et sole dixit. utique cornea videmus corpora piscatorum, sed hoc praecipuum iudicatur in podagris. tollit et clavos pedum, item perniones. ambustis ex oleo inponitur aut commanducatus pusulasque reprimit, ignibus vero sacris, ulceribus, quae serpant, ex aceto aut hysopo, carcinomatis cum uva taminia, phagedaenis ulcerum tostus cum farina hordei, superinposito linteolo madente vino. morbo regio laborantes, donee sudent ad ignem, contra puritus, quos sentiunt, ex oleo et aceto infricatus iuvat, fatigatos ex oleo. multi et hydropicos sale curavere fervoresque febrium cum oleo perunxere et tussim veterem linctu eius discussere, clysteribus infudere ischiadicis, ulcerum excrescentibus vel putrescentibus inposuere, crocodilorum morsibus ex aceto in linteolis ita, ut battuerentur ante his ulcera. bibitur et contra opium ex aceto mulso, luxatis inponitur cum farina et melle, item extuberationibus. dentium dolori cum aceto fotus et inlitus cum resina prodest. ad omnia autem spuma salis iucundior utiliorque. sed quicumque sal acopis additur ad excalfactiones, item zmegmatis ad extendendam cutem levandamque. pecorum quoque scabiem et boum inlitus tollit datusque lingendus et oculis iumentorum inspuitur. haec de sale dicta sint.

English · Bostock & Riley 1855–57

Salt, regarded by itself, is naturally igneous, and yet it manifests an antipathy to fire, and flies from it. It consumes everything, and yet upon living bodies it has an astringent, desiccative, and binding effect, while the dead it preserves from putrefaction, and makes them last for ages even. In respect, however, of its medicinal properties, it is of a mordent, burning, detergent, attenuating, and resolvent nature; it is, however, injurious to the stomach, except that it acts as a stimulant to the appetite, For the cure of injuries inflicted by serpents, it is used with origanum, honey, and hyssop; and for the sting of the cerastes, with origanum, cedar-resin, pitch, or honey. Taken internally with vinegar, it is good for injuries caused by the scolopendra; and, applied topically, with an equal proportion of linseed, in oil or vinegar, for stings inflicted by scorpions. For stings of hornets, wasps, and insects of a similar description, it is applied with vinegar; and, for the cure of hemicrania, ulcers on the head, blisters, pimples, and incipient warts, with veal-suet. It is used also among the remedies for the eyes, and for the removal of fleshy excrescences upon those organs, as also of hangnails upon the fingers or toes. For webs that form upon the eyes it is peculiarly useful, and hence it is that it is so commonly employed as an ingredient in eye-salves, as well as plasters. For all these last-mentioned purposes, the salt of Tatta or of Caunus is more particularly in request.

In cases where there is ecchymosis of the eyes, or a bruise from the effects of a blow, salt is applied, with an equal quantity of myrrh and honey, or with hyssop in warm water, the eyes being also fomented with salsugo. For this last-mentioned purpose, the Spanish salt is preferred; and when wanted for the treatment of cataract, it is ground upon small whetstones, with milk. For bruises it is particularly useful, wrapped in a linen pledget and renewed from time to time, being first dipped in boiling water. For the cure of running ulcers of the mouth, it is applied with lint; gum-boils are also rubbed with it; and, broken to pieces and powdered fine, it removes granulations on the tongue. The teeth, it is said, will never become carious or corroded, if a person every morning puts some salt beneath his tongue, fasting, and leaves it there till it has melted. Salt effects the cure also of leprosy, boils, lichens, and itch-scabs; for all which purposes it is applied with raisins—the stones being first removed—beef-suet, origanum, and leaven, or else bread. In such cases it is the salt from Thebaïs that is mostly used; the same salt being considered preferable for the treatment of prurigo, and being highly esteemed for affections of the uvula and tonsillary glands, in combination with honey.

Every kind of salt is useful for the cure of quinzy; but, in addition to this, it is necessary to make external applications simultaneously with oil, vinegar, and tar. Mixed with wine, it is a gentle aperient to the bowels, and, taken in a similar manner, it acts as an expellent of all kinds of intestinal worms. Placed beneath the tongue, it enables convalescents to support the heat of the bath. Burnt more than once upon a plate at a white heat, and then enclosed in a bag, it alleviates pains in the sinews, about the shoulders and kidneys more particularly. Taken internally, and similarly burnt at a white heat and applied in bags, it is curative of colic, griping pains in the bowels, and sciatica. Beaten up in wine and honey, with meal, it is a remedy for gout; a malady for the especial behoof of which the observation should be borne in mind, that there is nothing better for all parts of the body than sun and salt: hence it is that we see the bodies of fishermen as hard as horn—gout, however, is the principal disease for the benefit of which this maxim should be remembered.

Salt is useful for the removal of corns upon the feet, and of chilblains: for the cure of burns also, it is applied with oil, or else chewed. It acts as a check also upon blisters, and, in cases of erysipelas and serpiginous ulcers, it is applied topically with vinegar or with hyssop. For the cure of carcinoma it is employed in combination with Taminian grapes; and for phagedænic ulcers it is used parched with barley-meal, a linen pledget steeped in wine being laid upon it. In cases of jaundice, it is employed as a friction before the fire, with oil and vinegar, till the patient is made to perspire, for the purpose of preventing the itching sensations attendant upon that disease. When persons are exhausted with fatigue, it is usual to rub them with salt and oil. Many have treated dropsy with salt, have used external applications of salt and oil for the burning heats of fever, and have cured chronic coughs by laying salt upon the patient’s tongue. Salt has been used, also, as an injection for sciatica, and has been applied to ulcers of a fungous or putrid nature.

To bites inflicted by the crocodile, salt is applied, the sores being tightly bandaged with linen cloths, first dipped in vinegar. It is taken internally, with hydromel, to neutralize the effects of opium, and is applied topically, with meal and honey, to sprains and fleshy excrescences. In cases of tooth-ache, it is used as a collutory with vinegar, and is very useful, applied externally, with resin. For all these purposes, however, froth of salt is found to be more agreeable and still more efficacious. Still, however, every kind of salt is good as an ingredient in acopa, when warming properties are required: the same, too, in the case of detersive applications, when required for plumping out and giving a smooth surface to the skin. Employed topically, salt is curative of itch-scab in sheep and cattle, for which disease it is given them to lick. It is injected, also, with the spittle, into the eyes of beasts of burden. Thus much with reference to salt.