Celsus, De Medicina
W. G. Spencer, Ed.

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10 Cough again is generally owing to ulceration of the throat. This is incurred in many ways: and so when the throat has healed the cough is ended. Nevertheless, at times cough is a trouble by itself, and when it has become chronic, is difficult to get rid of. Sometimes the cough is dry, sometimes it excites phlegm. Hyssop should be taken every other day; the patient should run whilst holding the breath, but not where there is dust; he should practise reading loudly, which may at first be impeded by the cough, but later overcomes it; next walking; then manual exercises also, and the chest should[p. 391] be rubbed for a long while. After such exercises he should eat three ounces of very juicy figs, cooked over charcoal. Besides the above, when the cough is moist, smart rubbings with some kind of heating substance are good, provided that the head too is briskly rubbed when dry; in addition, cups are applied to the chest; mustard put on outside over the throat until there is slight excoriation; and a draught taken, composed of mint, almonds, and starch; first of all dry bread should be eaten, then any kind of bland food. But if the cough is dry and very troublesome, it is relieved by taking a cup of dry wine, provided that this is done only three or four times at rather long intervals; further, there is need to swallow a little of the best laser, to take juice of leeks or horehound; to suck a squill, to sip vinegar of squills, or at any rate sharp vinegar; or two cupfuls of wine with a bruised clove of garlic. In every case of cough it is of use to travel, take a long sea voyage, live at the seaside, swim, sometimes to take bland food, such as mallows, or nettle-tops, sometimes acrid; milk cooked with garlic; gruels to which laser has been added, or in which leeks have been boiled to pieces; a raw egg to which sulphur has been added; at first warm water to drink, than, in turn, one day water, the next day wine.