20 PLINT's IfATTJEAL HISTOET. [Book XXXII. 



CHAP. 17. — EEMEDIES FOE THE STINGS OF SERPENTS, FOR THE 

 BITES OP DOGS, AND FOR INJURIES INFLICTED BY VENOMOUS 

 ANIMALS. THE SEA-DRAGON : THREE REMEDIES. TWENTY-FIVE 

 REMEDIES DERIVED FROM SALTED FISH. THE SARDA *. ONE 

 REMEDY. ELEVEN REMEDIES DERIVED FROM CYBIUM. 



Stings inflicted by tlie sea-dragon^^ or by the sea-scorpion, 

 are cured by an application"'^ of the flesh of those animals to 

 the wound ; the bites, too, of spiders are healed by the same 

 means. In fine, as an antidote to every kind of poison, whether 

 taken internally or acting through the agency of a sting or 

 bite, there is considered to be nothing in existence more efi'ec- 

 tual than a decoction of the sea-dragon and sea- scorpion. 



There are also certain remedies of this nature derived from 

 preserved fish. Persons, for instance, who have received in- 

 juries from serpents, or have been bitten by other venomous 

 animals, are recommended to eat salt fish, and to drink undi- 

 luted wine every now and then, so as, through its agency, to 

 bring up the whole of the food again by vomit : this method 

 being particularly good in cases where injuries have been 

 received from the lizard called ''chalcis,"^^ the cerastes,^ 

 the reptile known as the " seps,"-^ the elops,^* or the dipsas.^ 

 For the sting of the scorpion, salted fish should be taken in 

 larger quantities, but not brought up again, the patient sub- 

 mitting to any amount of thirst it may create : salt fish, too, 

 should be applied, by way of plaster, to the wound. For the 

 bite of the crocodile there is no more efficient remedy known. 

 For the sting of the serpent called " prester," the sarda^^ is 

 particularly good. Salt fish is employed also as a topical appli- 

 cation for the bite of the mad dog ; and even in cases where 



^9 See Note 16 above. 



20 Eondelet asserts, B. vi. c. 19, that lie himself had cured the sting of 

 the sea-dragon by an application of the liver of that fish. 



21 See B. xxix. c. 32. 



22 See B. viii. c. 35, B. xi. c. 43, and B, xvi. c. 80. 



23 See B. xxiii. c. 29. 



24 Nicander, in his Theriaca, classes the Elops among the innocuous 

 serpents. In B. ix. c. 27, we are informed that one name given to the 

 Acipenser was *' Elops." But see the remark made in c. 54 of this Book. 



25 See B. xxiii. c. 80. 



26 From c. 53 of the present Book, we learn that the Sarda was a 

 kind of Pelamis, or young tunny, which was pickled, like our Anchovy. 



