[General observations on the treatise Modus curandi cum balsamo]

Modus curandi cum balsamo is a short text, printed circa 1530 and written by an unknown author in Vulgar Latin from the Iberian peninsula. Its value stems first from the fact that it was one of the first medical texts printed in Portugal. But other aspects definitely reinforce this importance. As the title indicates, the text describes a balm that can cure very deep wounds. The prescription is strange, and even stranger is the propagandizing tone of this brief treatise. The prescription comes with recommendations on how to apply the remedy, especially to the cranium. Reference is made to a wound that goes from the dura mater to the "substance" of the head; according to the treatise, this wound should first be drained before applying the balm.