"_De incisione nervi secundum longum aut secundum obliquum._

"_Si vero secundum longum aut obliquum vervi incidantur, et non ex
toto, ita consolidamus. Terrestres vermes, qui sub terra nascuntur,
similes in longitudine et rotunditate lumbricis, qui etaim lumbrici
terre appellantur: hi aliquantulum conterantur et in oleo infusi ad
ignem calefiant, et nullo aliomediante, ter vel quater vel pluries,
si opportunum fuerit, plagelle impone. Si vero ex oblique nervus
incidatur, eodem remedio curatur, et natura cooperante saepe
conglutinatur. Potest quoque cuticula quae supra nervum est sui, et
pulvis ruber superaspergatur. Nervos enim conglutinari et consolidari
hoc modo sepius videmus. Si vero locus tumeat, embroca, praedicta in
vulnere capitis quae prima est ad tumorem removendum, superponatur,
quousque tumor recesserit. Si vena organica non inciditur,
pannus albumine ovi infusus in vulnere ponatur. Embroca vero post
desuperponatur_" (f. 179 c).

The selection and collection of words and phrases in these two
passages leaves little doubt that one was copied from the other.
Indeed, so close is their resemblance that it is quite possible from
the one text to secure the emendation of the other. Numerous similar
passages, with others in which the text of Gilbert is rather a
paraphrase than a copy of the text of Roger, serve to confirm the
conclusion that the surgical writings of the English physician are
borrowed mainly from the "Chirurgia" of the Italian surgeon. Some few
surgical chapters of the Compendium appear to be either original or
borrowed from some other authority, but their number is not sufficient
to disturb the conclusion at which we have already arrived. Now, as
Roger's "Chirurgia" was probably committed to writing in the year