§44.
4.
Ἔστι δὲ οἰκείη ἐπίδεσις τῆς ἰητρικῆς, ἀφ’ ἧς ὠφελεῖσθαι τὸν θεραπευόμενον [δεῖ]·
Bandaging is appropriate to medicine, from which the patient must benefit.
μέγιστα δὲ ὠφελεῖ δύο ταῦτα, οἷς ἐστι χρηστἔον, πιέσαι ὅκου δεῖ καὶ ἀνειμένως ἐπιδῆσαι·
Two things especially bring the greatest benefit, which one must employ: to press where necessary, and to bandage loosely.
πρὸς δὲ τοὺς χρονοὺς τῆς ὥρης, πότε δεῖ σκεπαστικῶς καὶ μὴ, συνορῇν, ὅκως μηδὲ [τὸν] ἀσθενῆ λελήθῃ, ὡς ποτέρῳ τούτων ἐνιαχοῦ χρηστέον·
One must also observe, in relation to the times of the season, when one should cover or not, so that it may not escape even the patient which of these two should be used in certain situations.
εὐρύθμους δὲ ἐπιδεσίας καὶ θεητρικὰς μηδὲν ὠφελούσας ἀπογινώσκειν· φορτικὸν γὰρ τὸ τοιοῦτον καὶ παντελῶς ἀλαζονικὸν, πολλάκις τε βλάβην οἶσον τῷ θεραπευομένῳ·
One should reject showy and theatrical bandagings that offer no benefit; for such a thing is vulgar and completely boastful, and will often bring harm to the patient.
ζητεῖ δὲ ὁ νοσέων οὐ καλλωπισμὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ συμφέρον.
For the sick person does not seek adornment, but utility.
§55.
5.
Ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν χειρουργιῶν, ὅσαι διὰ τομῆς εἰσιν ἢ καύσιος, τὸ ταχέως ἢ βραδέως ὁμοίως ἐπαινεῖται· χρῆσις γάρ ἐστιν ἀμφοτέρων αὐτῶν.
In surgical operations, as many as are performed by incision or cautery, doing it quickly or slowly is equally praised; for there is a use for both of them.
Ἐν οἷς μὲν γάρ ἐστι διὰ μιῆς τομῆς ἡ χειρουργία, χρὴ ποιέεσθαι ταχεῖαν τὴν διαίρεσιν· ἐπεὶ γὰρ συμβαίνει τοὺς τεμνομένους πονέειν, τὸ λυπέον μὲν ὡς ἐλάχιστον χρόνον δεῖ παρεῖναι τοῦτο δὲ ἔσται ταχείης τῆς τομῆς γενομένης.
For in those cases where the operation is done by a single incision, one must make the cut quickly; since it happens that those who are cut feel pain, the painful element must be present for as short a time as possible, and this will be achieved if the incision is made quickly.
Ὅπου δὲ πολλὰς ἀναγκαῖον γενέσθαι τὰς τομὰς, βραδείῃ χρηστέον τῇ χειρουργίᾳ· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ταχὺ ξυνεχῆ ποιέει τὸν πόνον καὶ πουλύν· τὸ δὲ διαλιπὸν ἀνάπαυσιν ἔχει τινὰ τοῦ πόνου τοῖς θεραπευομένοις.
But where it is necessary to make many incisions, one must employ a slow operation; for the quick method makes the pain continuous and great, whereas pausing offers some rest from pain to those being treated.
§66.
6.
Τὸ δ’ αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τῶν ὀργάνων λέγοιτ’ ἄν· τοῖς δὲ μαχαιρίοις ὀξέσι τε χρῆσθαι καὶ πλατέσιν οὐκ ἐπὶ πάντων ὁμοίως παραγγέλλομεν·
The same might be said of the instruments; we do not recommend using sharp and broad scalpels equally in all cases.
μέρη γάρ τινά ἐστι τοῦ σώματος, ἃ ἐν τάχει μὲν ἔχει τὴν ῥύμην τοῦ αἵματος, καὶ κατασχεῖν ἐστιν οὐ ῥηΐδιον· ταῦτα δέ ἐστιν οἵ τε κίρσοι καί τινες ἄλλαι φλέβες·
For there are some parts of the body which have a rapid rush of blood, and which it is not easy to restrain; these are varicose veins and certain other veins.
τὰς μὲν τομὰς χρὴ εἶναι τῶν τοιουτέων στενάς· οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε τὴν ῥύσιν γενέσθαι κατακορῆ· ξυμφέρει δέ ποτε ἀπὸ τῶν τοιουτέων αἵματος ἀφαίρεσιν ποιέεσθαι.
The incisions of such parts should be narrow; for it is not possible then for an excessive flow to occur; yet it is sometimes beneficial to perform a bloodletting from such parts.
Πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἀκινδύνους τόπους καὶ περὶ οὓς μὴ λεπτόν ἐστι τὸ αἷμα, πλατυτέροις χρῆσθαι τοῖς μαχαιρίοισι· τὸ γὰρ αἷμα πορεύοιτ’ ἂν, ἄλλως δὲ οὐδαμῶς·
But for safe places, and those around which the blood is not thin, one should use broader scalpels; for thus the blood would flow, but otherwise not at all.
πάνυ δ’ ἔστιν αἰσχρὸν μὴ ξυμβαίνειν ἀπὸ τῆς χειρουργίης ὅ τι θέλει.
And it is completely shameful when what is desired does not result from the operation.
§77.
7.
Δύο δὲ τρόπους φαμὲν χρησίμους εἶναι σικυῶν· ὅτε μὲν γὰρ ῥεῦμα ξυνεστηκὸς πόῤῥω τῆς ἐπιφαινομένης σαρκός [ἐστι], τὸν μὲν κύκλον αὐτῆς εἶναι δεῖ βραχὺν, αὐτὴν δὲ γαστρώδη, μὴ προμήκη τὸ πρὸς τὴν χεῖρα μέρος, μὴ βαρεῖαν· τοιαύτην γὰρ οὖσαν ἕλκειν ἐς ἰθὺ ξυμβαίνει, καὶ τοὺς ἀφεστῶτας ἰχῶρας καλῶς ἀνεσπάσθαι πρὸς τὴν σάρκα·
We say that there are two useful types of cupping-vessels: for when a collected flux is far from the surface of the flesh, its rim should be small, and the vessel itself belly-shaped, not elongated in the part near the hand, and not heavy; for being of this sort, it happens to pull straight, and the distant humors are well drawn up to the flesh.
τοῦ δὲ πόνου [διὰ] πλείονος κατεσκεδασμένου τῆς σαρκὸς, τὰ μὲν ἄλλα παραπλησίην, τὸν δὲ κύκλον μέγαν· οὕτω γὰρ ἐκ πλείστων μερῶν εὑρήσεις ἄγουσαν ἐς ὃν δεῖ τὸ λυποῦν τόπον·
But when the pain is scattered over a wider area of the flesh, the cupping-vessel should be similar in other respects, but with a large rim; for in this way you will find it drawing the painful element from the greatest number of parts to the place where it should.
οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε μέγαν εἶναι τὸν κύκλον, μὴ συναγομένης τῆς σαρκὸς ἐκ πλείονος τόπου.
For it is not possible for the rim to be large without the flesh being gathered from a wider area.
Βαρεῖα δ’ οὖσα ῥέπει καὶ ἐς τοὺς ἄνω τόπους· κάτω δὲ μᾶλλον τὴν ἀφαίρεσιν [ποιέειν δεῖ], καὶ πολλάκις ὑπολείπεσθαι τὰς νούσους [ξυμβαίνει].
If it is heavy, it inclines also toward the upper parts; but one should make the extraction more downward, and it often happens that the diseases are left behind.
Τοῖσι μὲν οὖν ἐφεστῶσι ῥεύμασι καὶ μακρὰν ἀπέχουσιν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄνω τόπων οἱ πλατεῖς κύκλοι πολλὰ ξυνεπισπῶνται παρὰ τῆς ἄλλης σαρκός· ἐπιπροσθεῖν οὖν ξυμβαίνει τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἑλκομένην νοτίδα τῷ ξυναγομένῳ κάτωθεν ἰχῶρι, καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐνοχλεῦντα ὑπολείπεσθαι, τὰ δ’ οὐδὲν λυπέοντα ἀφαιρεῖσθαι.
Therefore, for fluxes that are settled and far removed from the upper parts, the broad rims draw in much from the other flesh; thus, it happens that the moisture drawn from there obstructs the humor gathered from below, and those things which annoy are left behind, while those which cause no trouble are removed.
Μέγεθος δὲ σικύης τί χρήσιμον στοχάζεσθαι χρὴ πρὸς τὰ μέρη τοῦ σώματος, οἷς ἂν δέῃ προσβάλλειν.
One must estimate what size of cupping-vessel is useful in relation to the parts of the body to which it must be applied.
Ὅταν δὲ κατακρούῃ, κάτωθεν ἕλκεσθαι· τὸ γὰρ αἷμα φανερὸν εἶναι δεῖ τῶν χειρουργουμένων τόπων·
When making scarifications, one should draw from below; for the blood of the operated parts must be visible.
ἄλλως δὲ οὐδὲ τὸν κύκλον τὸν ἑλκυσθέντα χρὴ κατακρούειν· εὐτονωτέρη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ σὰρξ τοῦ πονήσαντος·
Otherwise, one should not even scarify the drawn-up circle; for the flesh of the suffering part is more tense.
μαχαιρίοις δὲ τοῖς καμπύλοις ἐξ ἄκρου μὴ λίην στενοῖς· ἐνίοτε γὰρ ἰχῶρες ἔρχονται γλίσχροι καὶ παχεῖς, κίνδυνος οὖν ἐστιν ὑποστῆναι τῇσι τομῇσιν, ὅταν στεναὶ τμηθέωσιν.
One should use scalpels that are curved at the tip and not too narrow; for sometimes sticky and thick humors come out, and so there is a danger of them staying behind in the incisions when these are cut narrow.