CHAPTER XI.

_Of Plaisters._


1. THE Greeks made their plaisters of divers simples, and put metals
into the most of them, if not all; for having reduced their metals into
powder, they mixed them with that fatty substance whereof the rest of
the plaister consisted, whilst it was thus hot, continually stirring
it up and down, lest it should sink to the bottom; so they continually
stirred it till it was stiff; then they made it up in rolls, which when
they needed for use, they could melt by the fire again.

2. The Arabians made up theirs with oil and fat, which needed not so
long boiling.

3. The Greeks emplaisters consisted of these ingredients, metals,
stones, divers sorts of earth, feces, juices, liquors, seeds, roots,
herbs, excrements of creatures, wax, rosin, gums.