LEECH BOOK, I. 85 



have some feelinor, and be not altogether dead. Thou ^^^"^ i- 



. . . . . Ch. XXXV 



shalt with frequent scarifying, whilom with miekle, 

 whilom with slight, wean and draw the blood from 

 the deadened place. Cure the scarifyings thus ; take 

 bean or oat or barley meal, or some of such meal as 

 to thee seemeth good, so that it will serve, add vine- 

 gar and honey, seethe together and lay on, and bind 

 upon the sore places. If thou shouldst wish that the 

 salve be stronger, add a little salt, bind on at whiles 

 and wash with vinegar or with wine. If need be, 

 give at whiles a wort drink, and observe always when 

 thou art applying the strong leechdoms, what the 

 power be, and what the nature of the body of the 

 ]jatient ; whether it be strong and hardy, and easily 

 may bear the strong leechdoms, or whether it be nice 

 and tender and thin, and may not bear the leechdoms. 

 Apply the leechdoms according as thou seest the state 

 of the body. For a miekle difference is there, in the 

 bodies of a man, a woman, and a child ; and in the 

 main ov constitution of a daily wright or labourer and 

 of the idle, of the old and of the young, of him who is 

 accustomed to endurances, and him who is unaccustomed 

 to such things. Yea, the white bodies be tenderer and 

 weaker than the black and the red. If thou wilt caive 

 off or cut off a limb from a body, then view thou of 

 v/hat sort the place be, and the strength of the place, 

 since some or one of the places readily rotteth if one 

 carelessly tendeth it : some feel the leechdoms later, 

 some earlier. If thou must carve oflp or cut off an 

 unhealthy limb off from a healthy body, then carve 

 thou not it on the limit of the healthy body ; but 

 much more cut or carve in on the hole and quick body ; 

 so thou shalt better and readier cure it. When thou 

 settest fire on a man, then take thou leaves of tender 

 leek and grated salt, overlay the places, then shall be 

 by that the more readily the heat of the fire drawn 



