Shabbos, Chapter 14, Mishnah 4. Here we continue the discussion of the types of actions forbidden on Shabbos because of healing, that is, actions performed for a medical benefit.
One who suffers from toothache:
"HaChoshesh be'shinav lo yegamei bahen es ha'chometz" - someone suffering from a toothache may not fill his mouth with vinegar and swish it between his teeth in order to relieve the pain, since it is plainly evident that this is not a normal way of eating but an action done entirely for healing.
"Aval metabel hu ke'darko" - he may dip his bread in vinegar and eat it in his usual manner, "ve'im nisrapei nisrapei" - and if healing comes to him from this, there is nothing wrong with it, because this is the food of healthy people: eating in the way that healthy people normally eat.
One who suffers pain in his loins:
"HaChoshesh be'mosnav lo yasuch yayin va'chometz" - someone suffering pain in his loins may not smear or rub wine or vinegar on the spot, since it is evident that this is being done for healing, and it is not the way of healthy people to anoint themselves with these. "Aval sach hu es ha'shemen" - anointing with oil is permitted, because this is something ordinary among people, unlike wine and vinegar.
"Ve'lo shemen vered":
Even though anointing with oil is permitted, one may not anoint with rose oil - a special type of oil in which roses were steeped and soaked. However, "benei melachim sachin shemen vered al makkoseihen" - princes may anoint with this oil on their bruises and wounds, "she'ken darkan lasuch ba'chol" - for even on weekdays they anoint themselves with it, even without any bruise or wound. For that reason it is not recognizable as a medical action, but rather as the anointing oil of healthy people.
Rabbi Shimon's opinion and the practical halachah:
"Rabbi Shimon omer: kol Yisrael benei melachim hem" - in his view all of Israel are considered princes, and therefore whatever was permitted to princes is permitted to every Jew. And the halachah was indeed decided like Rabbi Shimon: something that many people use, such as oil, may be used even on Shabbos, provided that the use is in the ordinary manner and not for medical purposes.
To summarize: our Mishnah has set out a single standard in all three cases - toothache, pain in the loins, and rose oil: an action in which it is evident that it is being done for healing is forbidden, while an action done in the way of healthy people is permitted, and even if healing comes from it there is no prohibition involved.