Note 2269 — BOOK XXVIII. REMEDIES DERIVED FROM LIVING CREATURES. (continued 2)

Beckmann says on this passage, “What Pliny says respecting oxygala is attended with difficulties: and I am fully persuaded that his words are corrupted, though I find no variations marked in MSS. by which this conjecture can be supported.”—Hist. Inv. I. 505. He suggests another arrangement of the whole passage, but without improving it, for the difficulty would appear to be totally imaginary; as it is quite clear that by “oxygala,” or “sour milk,” Pliny means the thickest part of the curd, which is first removed and then salted, forming probably a sort of cream cheese. Though his meaning is clear, he may very possibly give an erroneous description of the process.