LEECH BOOK. I. 147 



, . Book i. 



IXXl. Ch. Ixxi. 



For the dorsal muscle, seethe in oil and in wax, rue 

 so green, smear the dorsal muscle therewith. Again, 

 take goats hair, make it smoke under the breech up 

 against the dorsal muscle. If a heel sinew be broken, 

 take Fornets palm, seethe it in water, foment the limb 

 therewith, and wash the limb therewith ; and work a 

 salve of butter, smear after the fomentation. 



Ixxii. 



On what season bloodletting is to be foregone, on 

 what to be practised. Bloodletting is to be foregone 

 fifteen nights ere Lammas,^ and after it for five and 

 thirty nights, since then aU venomous things fly and 

 much injure men.^ Leeches who were wisest, have 

 taught, that in that month no man should either di^ink 

 a potion drink, nor anywhere weaken his body, except 

 there were a necessity for it ; and that in that case, 

 he during the middle of the day should remain with- 

 in, since the lyft or air is then most mingled and 

 impure. The Romans for this reason, and all south 

 folk, wrought to themselves earth houses, for the boil- 

 ing heat and venomousness of the lyffc.^ Also leeches 

 say that blossomed worts are then best to work, either 

 for drinks, or for salves, or for dust. Here is set forth 

 how a man shall forego bloodletting on each of the 

 six fives in the month, and when it is best. Leeches 

 teach that no man on the five nights old moon, and 

 again on the ten nights old, and fifteen nights old, 

 and twenty, and five and twenty, and on the thirty 



' August 1. 



- This refers to Italy and to its 

 plumbeus auster, Autumnusque 

 gravis, Libitinse qusestus acerbse. 



^ The Italian sirocco, per autum- 

 nos nocentem corporibus. 



K 2 



