22 TREATMENT OF THE SUBJECT-MATTER. 
and taste, incidentally touches upon this subject in his publica- 
tion: “‘ Kulturpflanzen and Hausthiere in ihrem Uebergang 
aus Asien nach Europa.” Berlin, 4th edition, 1882. <A very 
remarkable light is thrown upon the intercourse of the Occident 
with the Orient through the Periplus of the Erythrean (Red) 
Sea. This survey of the coast of the East Asiatic-Indian Ocean, 
which was accomplished in the first century after Christ, enu- 
merates a number of the commodities: which were to be met 
with in those ports, and among these many of pharmaceutical 
interest, such as myrrh, Sanguis Draconis, Styrax liquidus, 
sandal-wood, pepper, frankincense, and saffron. 
The continued importation of the Indian spices mentioned 
under division 2, page 19, is proved by a list dating from the 
years 176 to 180 a.p. In this the commodities are enumerated 
which arrived from the Red Sea,” and which were subject to the 
Roman duty at Alexandria. 
It is quite natural that even at that time the art of adultera- 
tion was also applied to drugs. A single sentence from Pliny 
is amply sufficient for the confirmation of this fact; for, when 
treating of saffron, the well-versed Roman encyclopeedist em- 
ploys the expression: “ adulteratur nihil zeque.”” ® 
Even with regard to the relation of prices of some few drugs 
in those early times, Pliny has furnished us some information. 
Thus, for example, a pound of black pepper was estimated at 4, 
white pepper at ?, long pepper at 15, and indigo * (also named as 
_* Enumerated in Meyer's “Geschichte der Botanik,” II. (1855), p. 85. 
Compare also, Flickiger, loc. cit., p-. 1,013. 
2 Tbid., p. 985. 
* Flickiger, loc. cit., p. 740. 
* Pliny, who in such matters was certainly quite inexperienced, must 
have had an attentive observer as a source for his statements here 
(Nat. Hist.,” XXXV., 27; page 470 of the edition" by Littré). After a 
good description of indigo (indicum), heating of the same is recom- 
mended, in order to test the vapor and the peculiar odor: ‘‘ probatur 
carbone; reddit enim, quod sincer est, flammam excellentis purpure et, 
dum fumat, odorem maris.” 
_ When treating of verdigris, Pliny (XXXIV., 26) also resorted to a 
chemical reaction, in order to recognize in it an admixture with iron; 
