BOOK XXVI. A CONTINUATION OF THE REMEDIES DERIVED FROM PLANTS, CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO PARTICULAR DISEASES. (continued 2)

CHAP. 84.—STEPHANOMELIS.

For bleeding at the nostrils, seed of hemlock, pounded in water is considered efficacious, as also stephanomelis,1492 applied with water. Powdered betony, taken with goat’s milk, or bruised plantago,1493 arrests discharges of blood from the mamillæ. Juice of plantago is administered to patients when vomiting blood. For local discharges of blood, an application of root of persolata1494 with stale axle-grease is highly spoken of.

CHAP. 85.—REMEDIES FOR RUPTURES AND CONVULSIONS. ERYSITHALES: ONE REMEDY.

For ruptures, convulsions, and falls with violence, the greater centaury1495 is used; root of gentian pounded or boiled; juice of betony—this last being employed also for ruptures produced by straining the vocal organs or sides—panaces;1496 scordium;1497 or aristolochia1498 taken in drink. For contusions and falls, agaric is taken, in doses of two oboli, in three cyathi of honied wine, or if there are symptoms of fever, hydromel; the verbascum,1499 also, with a golden flower; root of acoron;1500 the several varieties of aizoüm,1501 the juice of the larger kind being particularly efficacious; juice of symphytum,1502 or a decoction of the root of that plant; daucus,1503 unboiled; erysithales,1504 a plant with a yellow flower and a leaf like that of acanthus, taken in wine; chamærops;1505 irio,1506 taken in pottage; plantago1507 taken any way, as also * * * *

CHAP. 86.—REMEDIES FOR PHTHIRIASIS.

Phthiriasis is a disease which proved fatal to the Dictator Sylla,1508 and which developes itself by the production of insects in the blood, which ultimately consume the body. It is combated by using the juice of Taminian grapes1509 or of hellebore, the body being rubbed all over with it, in combination with oil. A decoction of Taminian grapes in vinegar, has the effect, also, of ridding the clothes of these vermin.

CHAP. 87. (14.)—REMEDIES FOR ULCERS AND WOUNDS.

Of ulcers there are numerous kinds, which are treated in various ways. The root of all the varieties of panaces1510 is used as an application for running ulcers, in warm wine.

That which we have spoken of as the “chironion”1511 is particularly good as a desiccative: bruised with honey, it opens tumours, and is useful for serpiginous ulcers, the cure of which appears more than doubtful; in which case it is amalgamated with flower1512 of copper tempered with wine, either the seed, flower, or root, being employed for the purpose. Mixed with polenta1513 it is good for old wounds. The following are also good detergents for wounds: heraclion siderion,1514 apollinaris,1515 psyllion,1516 tragacantha,1517 and scordotis1518 mixed with honey. Powdered scordotis, applied by itself, consumes fleshy excrescences on the body. Polemonia1519 is curative of the malignant ulcer known as “cacoëthes.” The greater centaury,1520 sprinkled in powder, or applied in the form of a liniment, or the leaves of the smaller1521 centaury, boiled or pounded, act as a detergent upon inveterate ulcers, and effect a cure. To recent wounds, the follicules of the clymenus1522 are applied. Gentian is applied to serpiginous ulcers, the root being bruised or else boiled down in water to the consistency of honey; the juice also of the plant is employed. For wounds, a kind of lycium1523 is prepared from gentian.

Lysimachia1524 is curative of recent wounds, and plantago1525 of all kinds of liberations, those on females, infants, and aged persons more particularly. This plant, when softened by the action of fire, is better still: in combination with cerate it acts as a detergent upon ulcers with indurated edges, and arrests the progress of corrosive sores: when applied bruised, it should be covered with its own leaves. Chelidonia1526 also acts as a desiccative upon suppurations, abscesses, and fistulous ulcers; indeed, it is so remarkably useful for the cure of wounds, as to be employed as a substitute for spodium1527 even. In cases where the cure is almost hopeless, it is applied with axle-grease. Dittany,1528 taken internally, causes arrows to fall from the flesh; used as a liniment, it has the effect of extracting other kinds of pointed weapons: the leaves are taken in the proportion of one obolus to one cyathus of water. Nearly equal in its efficacy is pseudo-dictamnon:1529 they are both of them useful, also, for dispersing suppurations.

Aristolochia1530 cauterizes putrid sores, and, applied with honey, acts as a detergent upon sordid ulcers. At the same time also, it removes maggots, and extracts hard cores, and all foreign bodies adhering to the flesh, arrows more particularly, and, applied with resin, splintered bones. Used by itself, it fills the cavities made by ulcers with new flesh, and, employed with iris,1531 in vinegar, it closes recent wounds. Vervain, or cinquefoil with salt and honey, is remedial for ulcers of long standing. Roots of persolata1532 are applied to recent wounds inflicted with iron, but for old wounds, it is the leaves that are employed: in both cases, in combination with axle-grease, the sore being then covered with the leaves of the plant. Damasonium1533 is used for wounds the same way as for scrofula,1534 and leaves of verbascum1535 are employed with vinegar or wine.

Vervain is useful for all kinds of callosities or putrid sores; root of nymphæa heraclia1536 is curative of running ulcers; and the same is the case with root of cyclaminos,1537 either used by itself, or in combination with vinegar or honey. This last root is useful also for the cure of steatomatous tumours, and hyssop for that of running ulcers; an effect equally produced by peucedanum,1538 a plant which exercises so powerful an influence upon fresh wounds, as to cause exfoliation even of the bones. The two varieties of anagallis1539 are possessed of similar properties, and act as a check upon the corrosive sores known as “nomæ” and upon defluxions; they are useful also in cases of recent wounds, those of aged people in particular. Fresh leaves of mandragora,1540 applied with cerate, are curative of apostemes and sordid ulcers: the root too is used, with honey or oil, for wounds.

Hemlock, incorporated with flour of winter wheat1541 by the agency of wine—as also the plant aizoüm1542—is curative of herpetic eruptions, and corrosive or putrid sores. Erigeron1543 is employed for ulcers which breed maggots. Root of astragalus1544 is used for the cure of recent wounds or of ulcers of long standing; and upon these last either kind of hypocisthis1545 acts as a detergent. Seed of leontopodium,1546 bruised in water and applied with polenta,1547 extracts pointed weapons from the flesh: a result equally produced by using seed of pycnocomon.1548 The tithyinalos characias1549 supplies its juice for the cure of gangrenes, phagedænic sores, and putrid ulcers; or else a decoction is made of the branches with polenta and oil. Boots of orchis1550 have a similar effect; in addition to which, applied, either dry or fresh gathered, with honey and vinegar, they are curative of the ulcer known as “cacoëthes.” Onothera1551 also, used by itself, is curative of ulcers when rapidly gaining head.

The people of Scythia employ scythice1552 for the treatment of wounds. For carcinoma, argemonia,1553 applied with honey, is extremely efficacious. For sores that have prematurely closed, root of asphodel is boiled, in manner already1554 stated and then beaten up with polenta,1555 and applied. For all kinds of wounds apollinaris1556 is very useful. Root of astragalus,1557 reduced to powder, is good for running ulcers; the same, too, with callithrix,1558 boiled in water. For blisters, more particularly when caused by the shoes, vervain is used, as also pounded lysimachia,1559 or nymphæa1560 dried and powdered; but when they have assumed the form of inveterate ulcers, polythrix1561 will be found more serviceable.

CHAP. 88.—POLYCNEMON: ONE REMEDY.

Polycnemon1562 is a plant which resembles cunila bubula;1563 it has a seed like that of pennyroyal, a ligneous stem with numerous articulations, and odoriferous umbels, with a pleasant though pungent smell. This plant is chewed and applied to wounds inflicted with iron, the application being removed at the end of four days. Symphyton1564 causes sores to cicatrize with the greatest rapidity; the same, too, with sideritis,1565 which is applied in combination with honey. The seed and leaves of verbascum,1566 boiled in wine and pounded, are used for the extraction of all foreign substances adhering to the body; and a similar use is made of leaves of mandragora1567 mixed with polenta,1568 and roots of cyclaminos1569 with honey. Leaves of trixago,1570 bruised in oil, are used for ulcers of a serpiginous nature more particularly, as also sea-weed bruised with honey. Betony, with the addition of salt, is employed for the cure of carcinomatous sores and inveterate blisters on the neck.

CHAP. 89.—REMEDIES FOB WARTS, AND APPLICATIONS FOR THE REMOVAL OF SCARS.

Argemonia1571 with vinegar, or root of batrachion,1572 removes warts; this last having the effect also of bringing off malformed nails. The juice or the leaves, applied topically, of either kind of linozostis,1573 remove warts. All the varieties of tithymalos1574 are efficacious for the removal of every kind of wart, as also of hangnails1575 and wens. Ladanum1576 imparts a fresh colour and seemly appearance to scars.

(15.) The traveller who carries artemisia1577 attached to his person, or elelisphacus,1578 will never be sensible of lassitude, it is said.

CHAP. 90.—REMEDIES FOR FEMALE DISEASES.

One great remedy for all female diseases in common, is the black seed of the herbaceous plant pæonia,1579 taken in hydromel: the root also is an effectual emmenagogue. Seed of panaces,1580 mixed with wormwood, acts as an emmenagogue and as a sudorific: the same, too, with scordotis,1581 taken internally or applied topically. Betony, in doses of one drachma to three cyathi of wine, is taken for various affections of the uterus, as also directly after child-birth. Excessive menstruation is arrested by a pessary of achillea,1582 or else a sitting-bath composed of a decoction of that plant. Seed of henbane in wine is used as a liniment for diseases of the mamillæ, and the root is employed in the form of a plaster for uterine affections; chelidonia,1583 too, is applied to the mamillæ.

Roots of panaces,1584 applied as a pessary, bring away the after-birth and the dead fœtus, and the plant itself, taken in wine, or used as a pessary with honey, acts as a detergent upon the uterus. Polemonia,1585 taken in wine, brings away the after-birth; used as a fumigation, it is good for suffocations of the uterus. Juice of the smaller centaury,1586 taken in drink, or employed as a fomentation, acts as an emmenagogue. The root also of the larger centaury, similarly used, is good for pains in the uterus; scraped and used as a pessary, it expels the dead fœtus. For pains of the uterus, plantago1587 is applied as a pessary, in wool, and for hysterical suffocations, it is taken in drink. But it is dittany that is of the greatest efficacy in cases of this description; it acts as an emmenagogue, and is an expellent of the fœtus when dead or lying transversely in the uterus. In these cases the leaves of it are taken, in doses of one obolus, in water: indeed so active is it in its effects that ordinarily it is forbidden to be introduced into the chamber of a woman lying-in. Not only is it thus efficacious when taken in drink, but even when applied topically or used as a fumigation. Pseudodictamnum1588 possesses pretty nearly the same virtues, but it acts as an emmenagogue also, boiled in doses of one denarius in unmixed wine. Aristolochia,1589 however, is employed for a greater number of purposes: in combination with myrrh and pepper, either taken in drink or used as a pessary, it acts as a powerful emmenagogue, and brings away the dead fœtus and the after-birth. This plant, the smaller kind in particular, used either as a fomentation, fumigation, or pessary, acts as a preventive of procidence of the uterus.

Hysterical suffocations and irregularities of the catamenia are treated with agaric, taken in doses of three oboli, in one cyathus of old wine: vervain is used also in similar cases, as a pessary, with fresh hog’s lard; or else antirrhinum,1590 with rose, oil and honey. Root of Thessalian nymphæa,1591 used as a pessary, is curative of pains in the uterus; taken in red wine, it arrests uterine discharges. Root of cyclaminos,1592 on the other hand, taken in drink and employed as a pessary, acts as an emmenagogue: a decoction of it, used as a sitting-bath, cures affections of the bladder. Cissanthemos,1593 taken in drink, brings away the after-birth, and is curative of diseases of the uterus. The upper part of the root of xiphion,1594 taken in doses of one drachma, in vinegar, promotes menstruation. A fumigation of burnt peucedanum1595 has a soothing effect in cases of hysterical suffocation. Psyllion,1596 taken in the proportion of one drachma to three cyathi of hydromel, is particularly good for promoting the lochial discharge. Seed of mandragora,1597 taken in drink, acts as a detergent upon the uterus; the juice, employed in a pessary, promotes menstruation and expels the dead fœtus. The seed of this plant, used with live sulphur,1598 arrests menstruation when in excess; while batrachion,1599 on the other hand, acts as an emmenagogue. This last plant is either used as an article of food, or is taken in drink: in a raw state, as already stated,1600 it has a burning flavour; but when cooked, the taste of it is greatly improved by the addition of salt, oil, and cummin. Daucus,1601 taken in drink, promotes the catamenia, and is an expellent of the after-birth in a very high degree. Ladanum,1602 used as a fumigation, acts as a corrective upon the uterus, and is employed topically for pains and ulcerations of that organ.

Scammony, taken in drink or used as a pessary, is an expellent of the dead fœtus. Either kind of hypericon,1603 used as a pessary, promotes menstruation: but for this purpose it is crethmos,1604 according to Hippocrates, that is the most efficacious, the seed or root of it being taken in wine.1605 * * * of the outer coat brings away the after-birth. This plant, taken in water, is good for hysterical suffocations; root of geranion1606 also, which is peculiarly useful for the after-birth, and for inflation of the uterus. Hippuris,1607 taken in drink or applied as a pessary, acts as a detergent upon the uterus: polygonos,1608 taken in drink, promotes menstruation; and the same with root of alcima.1609 Leaves of plantago,1610 and agaric in hydromel, have a similar effect. Artemisia,1611 bruised and applied as a pessary, with oil of iris,1612 figs, or myrrh, is curative of diseases of the uterus; the root, too, of this plant, taken in drink, is so strongly purgative as to expel the dead fœtus even. A decoction of the branches, used as a sitting-bath, promotes menstruation and brings away the after-birth; the same too, with the leaves, taken in doses of one drachma in drink. The leaves, if applied to the lower regions of the abdomen with barley-meal, will prove equally efficacious.

Acoron1613 is very useful for internal complaints of females; as also the two varieties of conyza,1614 and crethmos.1615 Either kind of anthyllis,1616 taken in wine, is remarkably good for uterine affections, griping pains in that organ, and retardations of the after-birth. Callithrix,1617 applied as a fomentation, is curative of affections of the vagina: it removes scaly eruptions1618 also of the head, and, beaten up in oil, it stains the hair. Geranion,1619 taken in white wine, or hypocisthis1620 in red, arrests all uterine discharges. Hyssop modifies hysterical suffocations. Root of vervain, taken in water, is a most excellent remedy for all accidents incident to, or consequent upon, delivery. Some persons mix bruised cypress seed with peucedanum1621 in red wine. Seed, too, of psyllion,1622 boiled in water and taken warm, has a soothing effect upon all defluxions of the uterus. Symphyton,1623 bruised in wine, promotes menstruation. Juice of scordotis,1624 in the proportion of one drachma to four cyathi of hydromel, accelerates delivery. Leaves of dittany are given for the same purpose, in water, with remarkable success. It is a well-known fact, too, that these leaves, to the extent of a single obolus even, will bring away the fœtus instantaneously, even when dead, without the slightest inconvenience to the patient. Pseudodictamnum1625 is productive of a somewhat similar effect, but not in so marked a degree: cyclaminos,1626 too, attached as an amulet; cissanthemos,1627 taken in drink; and powdered betony, in hydromel.

CHAP. 91.—ARSENOGONON: ONE MEDICINAL PROPERTY. THELYGONON: ONE MEDICINAL PROPERTY.

Arsenogonon1628 and thelygonon are plants, both of them, with clusters resembling the blossoms of the olive, but paler, and a white seed like that of the poppy. By taking thelygonon in drink, they say, the conception of female issue is ensured. Arsenogonon differs from it in the seed, which resembles that of the olive, but in no other respect. By taking this last plant in drink, male issue may be ensured—that is, if we choose to believe it. Some persons, however, assert that both plants resemble ocimum,1629 but that the seed of arsenogonon is double, and resembles the testes in appearance.

CHAP. 92.—MASTOS: ONE REMEDY.

Aizoüm, which we have spoken of under the name of digitellus,1630 is the great specific for diseases of the mamillæ. The milk is increased by taking erigeron1631 in raisin wine, or else sonchos1632 boiled with spelt. The plant known as “mastos,”1633 applied topically, removes the hairs from the mamillæ,1634 which make their appearance after child-birth: it has the effect also of dispersing scaly crusts1635 upon the face, and other cutaneous affections. Gentian also, nymphæa heraclia1636 employed in a liniment, and root of cyclaminos,1637 remove all blemishes of the skin. Seeds of cacalia,1638 mixed with melted wax, plump out the skin of the face and make wrinkles disappear. Root of acoron,1639 also, removes all spots upon the skin.

CHAP. 93.—APPLICATIONS FOR THE HAIR. LYSIMACHIA. OPHRYS.

Lysimachia1640 imparts a blonde tint1641 to the hair, and the hypericon,1642 otherwise called “corisson,” makes it black. The same too, with ophrys,1643 a plant with indentations, which resembles the cabbage, but has only two leaves. Polemonia,1644 too, boiled in oil, imparts blackness to the hair.

As for depilatories, I reckon them in the number of cosmetics, fit for women only, though men use them now-a-days. For this purpose archezostis1645 is looked upon as highly efficacious, as also juice of tithymalos,1646 applied with oil every now and then in the sun, or after pulling out the hairs. Hyssop, applied with oil, heals itch-scab in beasts, and sideritis1647 is particularly useful for quinzy in swine.

But let us now turn to the remaining plants of which we have to speak.

Summary.—Remedies, narratives, and observations, one thousand and nineteen.

Roman authors quoted.—M. Varro,1648 C. Valgius,1649 Pompeius Lenæus,1650 Sextius Niger1651 who wrote in Greek, Julius Bassus1652 who wrote in Greek, Antonius Castor,1653 Cornelius Celsus.1654

Foreign authors quoted.—Theophrastus,1655 Democritus,1656 Juba,1657 Orpheus,1658 Pythagoras,1659 Mago,1660 Menander1661 who wrote the “Biochresta,” Nicander,1662 Homer, Hesiod,1663 Musæus,1664 Sophocles,1665 Xanthus,1666 Anaxilaüs.1667

Medical authors quoted.—Mnesitheus,1668 Callimachus,1669 Phanias1670 the physician, Timaristus,1671 Simus,1672 Hippocrates,1673 Chrysippus,1674 Diocles,1675 Ophelion,1676 Heraclides,1677 Hicesius,1678 Dionysius,1679 Apollodorus1680 of Citium, Apollodorus1681 of Tarentum, Praxagoras1682 Plistonieus,1683 Medius,1684 Dieuches,1685 Cleophantus,1686 Philistion,1687 Asclepiades,1688 Crateuas,1689 Petronius Diadotus,1690 Iollas,1691 Erasistratus,1692 Diagoras,1693 Andreas,1694 Mnesides,1695 Epicharmus1696 Damion,1697 Tlepolemus,1698 Metrodorus,1699 Solo,1700 Lycus,1701 Olympias1702 of Thebes, Philinus,1703 Petrichus,1704 Micton,1705 Glaucias,1706 Xenocrates.1707