Marcellus {Vergilius} <Virgilius> Dioscoridis interpres, haec verba δίδεται ἐπικράσεως χάριν φαυλοτήτων, [393] sic reddidit in annotationibus: Datur ad emendanda in homine temperamenti sui vitia, quod minime probo, quum et verba Graeca repugnent, et temperamenti vitia etiam contraria esse possint. Idem ostendit se hunc locum de galli iunioris iure[1], in Graecis codicibus Dioscoridis pl{a}erisque omnibus uno excepto non reperisse, in vetere tamen Latina translatione, et apud Serapionem quoque extare. Ad sensum quidem necessarius est perficiendum, et sententiam veram continet.

Marcellus Virgilius, translator of Dioscorides, these words, that is, dídetai epikráseøs chárin phaulotëtøn, translates in his commentary as follows: It is given in a human being for the correction of the alterations of his temperament, but I don't approve him at all, both because Greek words are in contradiction and besides the alterations of the temperament can be in opposition. He himself shows that he didn't find the passage concerning the broth of young rooster in most of all Greek codes of Dioscorides, except for one, and that nevertheless it is present in the old Latin translation and in Serapion too. In reality the passage needs a freely integration and contains a true affirmation.

Ius gallinarum, si aestate in eo grana uvae immaturae decoquantur, bilem extinguit, Nic. Massa. Alvum cit et gallinaceorum decoct<or>um ius, et acria mollit, Plinius[2]. Sed acria mollire, id est mordaces humores temperare, gallinarum iuri magis convenire iudico, earumque iuniorum: gallinaceorum minus, et minime quidem veterum, cui ipsi tamen alvum ciendi facultas maior. Ius gallinae iuvenis et pinguis temperat complexionem, et est optima medicina leprosis, Averrois. Ius e gallinaceo dysentericis medetur, sed veteris gallinacei vehementius{.} salsum ius alvum cit, Plinius[3]. hic quoque ut galli iunioris ius in dysenteria prodesse facile concesserim, ita an veteris quoque gallinacei ius ei conveniat, addubito: et verbum vehementius ita interpretari malim, quasi hoc ius vehementius magisque medicamentosum sit, quam ut dysentericos iuvet: non autem quasi vehementius aut efficacius illis medeatur. Itaque galli iunioris ius dysenterijs utile dixerim, veteris inutile, salsum insuper noxium. Si torminosi vel coeliaci propter frequentes desurrectiones viribus deficientur, dandum erit eis ius gallinae pinguis excoctae cum butyro, Marcellus. In iliaco affectu (inquit Aretaeus, Iunio Paulo Crasso Patav. Interprete) alimenta alvum ducentia exhibeantur, ut iuscula gallinarum. Ad inflammationes tonsillarum et anginas gallinae hoedive iusculo utere, Galenus Euporiston 2.15. Cava iecoris purgat galli veteris ius, Trallianus. Ius e vetere gallinaceo alvum deijcit. abiectis itaque interaneis salem conijci oportet. et consuto ventre decoqui in viginti sextariis[4] aquae, donec ad tre{i}s heminas (Marcellus {Vergilius} <Virgilius> suspicatur sextariorum et heminarum numeros, pro rei necessitate maiores, vitiumque in eorum notis forte esse. Plinius[5] quidem in tribus congiis, id est octodecim heminis coqui iubet) redigantur: totum id refrigeratum sub divo, datur. Aliqui incoquunt brassicam marinam, mercurialem, cnicum[6], aut filiculam. Crudos humores crassosque, atram bilem, et strigmenta elicit. prodest longis febribus, suspiriis, articulariis morbis, et inflationibus stomachi, Dioscor. Ius e gallinaceo alvum solvit. Validius e vetere gallinaceo. Prodest et contra longinquas febres, et torpentibus membris tremulisque, et articulariis morbis, et capitis doloribus, epiphoris, inflationibus, fastidiis, incipienti tenesmo, iocineri, renibus, vesicae: contra cruditates, suspiria. Itaque etiam faciendi eius extant praecepta. Efficacius enim cocti cum olere marino, aut cybio (cnico forte, ut Dioscorides) aut cappari, aut apio, aut herba mercuriali, aut polypodio, aut anetho: utilissime autem in congiis tribus aquae ad tres heminas (id est libras fere) cum supradictis herbis, et refrigeratum sub divo dari tempestivi<u>s antecedente vomitione, Plinius.

The broth of hen, if grapes of sour grape are cooked in it for a long time in summer, makes the anger to fade away, Nicola Massa. Also the broth of chickens cooked for a long time stimulates the bowel, and removes heartburns, Pliny. But I believe that it is more befitting the broth of hen the fact of removing heartburns, that is, of mitigating prickly humors, and of young hen: it is less befitting that of rooster, and not at all that of old rooster, which nevertheless is endowed with a greater laxative power. The broth of young and fat hen acts as moderator of individual constitution, and is a very good medicine for lepers, Averroes. The broth of chicken makes dysentery patients to recover, but a salty broth of old rooster acts as laxative in a more strong way, Pliny. Also in this connection, so as I could easily acknowledge that the broth of young rooster is useful during dysentery, likewise I doubt that the broth of old rooster has an indication in this situation: and I would prefer to interpret the word vehementius as follows, as if this broth were more powerful and curative, and not that it is good for dysentery patients: in fact it is not curing them with greater strength and effectiveness. Therefore I would say that the broth of young rooster is useful in cases of dysentery, that of old rooster is useless, and the salty one is in addition harmful. If those suffering of colics or of intestinal pains are lacking energies because of frequent raising from bed, the broth of fat hen cooked with butter has to be given them, Marcellus Empiricus. In case of intestinal occlusion (Aretaeus of Cappadocia says, translated by Giunio Paolo Grassi of Padua) have to be given foods stimulating the bowel, as the little broths of hen. For inflammations of tonsils and sore throat you will use a little broth of hen or kid, Galen – Oribasius - Euporista 2^nd,15. The broth of old rooster polishes up the abscesses of the liver, Alexander of Tralles. The broth done with an old rooster makes the bowel to discharge. Therefore, after entrails have been removed it is necessary to put inside some salt. And after the belly has been sewn, it must be cooked for a long time in twenty sextarii [10 l] of water, until they dwindled to three heminae [750 ml] (Marcellus Virgilius has some doubts about the numbers of sextarii and heminae, which perforce are too much big, and perhaps an error is existing in their transcription. But also Pliny prescribes to cook in three congii [3.27 liters x 3], that is, 18 heminae): the whole is given after has been cooled in the open air. Some cook together sea cabbage, Mercury herb, safflower or polypody. It makes the bad digested and dense liquids to be expelled, the black bile and the scum. It is helpful in lingering fevers, in lacks of breath, in joints' diseases and in swellings of stomach, Dioscorides. The broth of rooster acts as laxative. More successfully if prepared with an old rooster. It is also helpful against lingering fevers and for stiff and trembling limbs, and joints' diseases, and headache, for excessive lacrimation, swellings of belly, troubles of appetite, incipient intestinal sharp pains, for liver, kidneys, bladder: against indigestions and lacks of breath. Therefore there are also some rules for preparing it. In fact it is more helpful if cooked with sea cabbage or with a slice of salty tuna (perhaps with safflower, as Dioscorides says) or with capers, or with celery, or with Mercury herb, or with polypody or dill: in truth it is very well prepared in three congii of water [3.27 liters x 3] along with the aforesaid herbs until they dwindled to 3 heminae [750 ml] (that is, almost to 3 pounds [327.45 g x 3]) and giving it after has been cooled in open air if a little before a vomiting has been induced, Pliny.

Ius e gallo vetere (inquit Avicenna 2. 296.) ex Galeni praescripto sic fit. Gallus nutritus cursu fatigetur donec cadat, tum decolletur et exenteratus impleatur sale, consuaturque filo, et coquatur in viginti sextariis aquae usque ad tres cotylas, et id omne semel bibatur. quod si polypodium et anethum adijciantur, utile erit adversus articulorum dolorem ac tremorem, etc. ut Dioscorides. Et rursus, Ius galli veteris cum polypodio et anetho in colico affectu saluberrimum est. Febribus aut longis galli nova iura vetusti | Subveniunt, etiam tremulis medicantia membris, Serenus. Decrepitorum gallorum caro (inquit Io. Mesue lib. 2. de purgantibus cap. 23. Iacobo Sylvio paraphraste) nitrosa et salsa, cibo inepta, medicamentosa est, iure suo maxime. potissimum vero gallorum ruforum, qui ad motum sint alacres, ad coitum ardentes, ad dimicandum fortes, obesorum et macrorum medii: quoque vetustiores, eo magis sunt medicamentosi Galeno. Id ius ob nitrosam et salsam substantiam calidum est, lavat, terget, tenuat, flatus dissipat, cum semine anethi vel dauci et polypodio et sale gemmae coctum: et dolorem ventriculi, coli, ilium, renum, a flatibus ortum sedat, obstructa aperit. Purgat pituitam quidem cum turbit et cnico, ob id confert arthriticis doloribus ex hac natis, melancholiam vero cum epithymo et polypodio: et cum iisdem, atque thymo, hyssopo, anetho et sale gemmae, arthriticis confert. Gallus autem furfure a Galeno nutritus, aliis etiam melle et pauco sale, plurimum fatigetur vel a nobis venantibus, vel potius dimicando, decapitatus, et exenteratus cum sale, aut sale gemmae, igne lento, aqua sufficiente coquatur ad duarum aquae partium consumptionem: aliis atque aliis simul incoctis pro variis medicorum scopis. Potatur eius decoctum ad libras duas, Haec ille.

The broth prepared with an old rooster (says Avicenna in 2^nd,296) according to Galen's prescription is made as follows. A well fed rooster must get tired until he doesn't fall dead, then his neck is cut off and after his entrails have been removed he is  filled up with salt and is sewn with thread, and he must cook in twenty sextarii [10 l] of water until they dwindled to three heminae [750 ml], and the whole has to be drunk at once. If dill or polypody are added, it will be useful against joints' pains and tremor, etc., like Dioscorides. And again: The broth of old rooster with polypody and dill is very effective in case of colics. The just prepared broths of old rooster are useful in fevers even if lingering, and they also cure trembling limbs, Serenus Sammonicus. The meat of decrepit roosters (says Mesue the Young - or Pseudo Mesue - in 2^nd book chapter 23 of De medicamentorum purgantium delectu, castigatione, & usu, paraphrased by Jacques Dubois) with saltpeter's and prickly taste, not suitable as food, is healing, above all by its broth. Above all that of reddish roosters, of those tireless in moving, ardent in mating, strong in fighting, in between fat and thin ones: according to Galen as much they are old as more are curative. This broth, because of its nitrous and prickly content, is warm, washes, cleanses, makes to grow thin, makes the meteorism to fade away, if it has been cooked with seeds of dill or carrot and with polypody and rock salt: and it eases stomach-aches, as well as of colon, of small intestine, of kidneys and pain caused by meteorism, it clears up intestinal occlusions. With turbith and safflower makes discharge phlegm, that's why it is helpful to arthritic pains hence derived, and with flower of thyme and polypody works out the melancholy: and with the same ingredients, as well as with thyme, hyssop, dill and rock salt is good for arthritics. A rooster, fed by Galen with bran, by others also with honey and a little salt, has to be worn out, or by us when catching him, or still better making him to fight, and after has been beheaded and disemboweled, he has to simmer with salt or rock salt and in a sufficient amount of water until dwindled to a third: different ingredients are cooked together according to different aims of physicians. His decoction is drunk up in dose of two pounds [327.45 g x 2], these are the words of Mesue.

Hierocles in Hippiatricis[7] curationem equi anhelosi praescribens, inter caetera oleum laurinum, rosaceum, crocum, vinum vetus, etc. simul decoqui iubet una cum gallinaceo, et hoc decoctum una cum hydromelite et ovo per dies sex in equi nares infundi.

Hierocles in Hippiatrica, stating a therapy for a dyspnoic horse, prescribes to cook along with a rooster, among other things, oil of laurel, roses, saffron, some old wine etc., and to infuse in horse's nostrils for six days this decoction along with mead and one egg.

Veteris galli iure usi sunt frequenter prisci pro medicamento alvum molliente, et ad ichores[8] educendos. alvum mire proritat, si satis copiose sumatur, hoc est ad tres vel quatuor communes pateras. (nam una patera nihil efficit. alibi a libra una ad duas bibi iubet.) in qua copia potum etiam capi ius ventrem emollit. gallinacei vero pulli ius etiamsi multo copiosius hauriatur, nihil omnino educet. Sed plura de his iuribus scripsi in Commentariis nostris in librum de ratione victus in morb. acut. Antonius Musa Bras{s}av. Et rursus, Ius e vetere gallo atram bilem educere, ut Serapio scribit, cum experirer verum esse non reperi. Lenit enim et ea solum educit quae in ventriculo et intestinis continentur. Senam quandoque miscui, et atram bilem eduxit: alias turbit, pro pituita detrahenda: alias myrobalanos citrinos [myrobalana citrina] pro bile flava.

Often the ancients used broth of old rooster as medicine for fluidifying the feces and provoking the outlet of the liquids contained in the blood. It stimulates in a marvelous way the bowel if taken in a rather abundant quantity, that is, up to three or four ordinary cups (in fact only a cup doesn't get anything; in another point he prescribes to drink between one and two pounds of it). And also the broth of capon drunk in such a quantity softens the feces. In truth the broth of a young chicken, even if taken in more abundant quantity, doesn't make to evacuate anything at all. But I wrote quite a lot about these broths in ours In libros de ratione victus in morbis acutis Hippocratis et Galeni commentaria et annotationes, Antonio Musa Brasavola. And again: The broth of old rooster makes the black bile to be removed, as Serapion writes, while for experience I have not found this as corresponding to the truth. In fact it has lenitive power and makes to remove only what is contained in stomach and bowel. Sometimes I mixed sena - or senna, and I made the black bile to come out: other times turbith in order to remove the catarrh: other times yellow cherry plums for removing yellow bile.