Singultus is occasioned either by fulness, or emptiness; or by the
presence of acrid and pungent humours in the stomach, and when they are
vomited, it ceases. And many, if they only take the medicine composed
of the three kinds of pepper, and drink wine immediately after, have
hiccough. And it is well known that many people hiccup when the food
spoils on the stomach. Many also hiccup from rigors. We will find an
emetic a proper remedy in cases which are occasioned by fulness or
pungency, and warmth in those from cold; and, when the complaint is
occasioned by a plethora of humours, there is need of strong evacuation.
This may be accomplished by sneezing, but when emptiness is the cause,
sneezing will not cure it; for in such cases, we must give rue with
wine, or nitre in honied water, or hartwort, or carrot, or cumin, or
ginger, or calamint, or Celtic nard. These are the remedies for such
cases as are occasioned by corruption of the food, cold, or plethora.
When a redundance of cold and viscid humours is the cause, give castor to
the amount of three oboli to drink in oxycrate, and the same thing will
be of use when applied externally to the skin, along with old Sicyonian
oil. The vinegar of squills or oxymel may also be drunk with advantage.
Retaining the breath is likewise of great use.
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