ΤΡΑΚΤΩΜΑ ΤΡΑΚΤΩΣΟΝ, With or Without Wax?

Abstract

  The Greek noun τράκτωμα (or sometimes τράκτον) and corresponding verb τράκτωσον appear as far as we know in a very few medical texts, mainly veterinary (horses and falcons), but also human, in unedited recipes of the Parisinus Gr. 2510. Most dictionaries define the term as a plaster made with treated wax (κηρὸς τρακτός), but a careful study of the texts shows that often wax does not even enter into the composition of a τράκτωμα. This confirms Manfred Bambeck’s translation (1959) “Klebepflaster”, more in accordance with the true etymology (as shown by Pascal Luccioni, 2003) from Latin tractum/tracta.