Medieval Gaelic Sample

The following specimen of the written Gaelic of medical manuscripts, is taken from Dr O’Donovan’s grammar :

“Labhrum anois do leighes na h-eslainti so oir is eigin nethi imda d’fhaghbhail d’a leighes; ocus is é céd leighes is ferr do dhénamh dhi. 1. na lenna truaillighthi do glanad maille caterfusia; óir a deir Avicenna’s an 4 Cän. co n-déin in folmhughadh na leanna loisgi d’inarbad. An 2.ní oilemhain bidh ocus dighi d’ordughadh dóibh; an tres ní, an t-adhbhar do dhileaghadh; an 4.ní a n-innarbadh go h-imlán; an 5.ní, fothraicthi do dhénum dóibh; an 6.ní, is eígin lictuber comhfhurtachta do thobairt dóib. An 7.ní, is eígin neithi noch aentuighius riu do thobhairt dóib muna roib an corp línta do droch-leannaibh.”

“Let me now speak of the cure of this disease (scurvy), for many things must be got for its cure; the first cure which is best to be made is to clean the corrupt humours with caterfusia; for Avicenna says in the fourth Canon that evacuation causes an expulsion of the burnt humours. The second thing, to order the patients a proper regimen of meat and drink the third thing, to digest the matter; the fourth thing, to expel them completely; the fifth thing, to prepare a bath for them; the sixth, it is necessary to give them strengthening lictub. The seventh, it is necessary to give them such things as agree with them, unless the body be full of bad humours.”

Found at: Electric Scotland