CHAP. XXV. Of the Exostosis, bunches or knots growing upon the bones by reason of the Lues Venerea.
* 1.1HArd tumors, Exostoces and knots have their matter from thick and cough phlegm, which cannot be dissolved, unless by hot medicines, which have a mollifying and dissolving fa••ulty; For which purpose, besides those medicines which usually are applied to scirrhous humors, you must also make use of arg. viv. commonly after this manner. ℞. empl. filii Zach.* 1.2 & Ceronei, an. ℥iii. euphorb. ℥ ss. emplast. de vigo, ℥ii. cerat. aesip. descript. Philagr. ℥i. ar∣gent, vivi extinct. ℥vi. fiat emplastrum. Spread it upon leather for your use. In the mean space let the patient observe a sparing diet; for thus he shall be helped, if so be that the substance of the bones be yet unperished; For if it be putrefied and rotten, then described medicines are of no use, but you must of necessity lay bare the bone, either by incision, or else by an actual or po∣tential cautery; but I had rather do it with an actual, for that it extracts the virulency impact in the bones, as also it hastens the abscess, or falling away of the corrupted bone. It shall be of a co••venient figure to cautarize the bone, as round, square, or long. I usually, before the application of such a Caustick, first divide the flesh that lies over it with an incision-knife, that so the pain may be the less, because the flesh cannot burn through but in a long time, by which the fire may come to the bone. But it will not be amiss, before we treat of this art, first to con∣sider the nature of the rottenness of the bones.