Chap. 19. 1 THE lilYER-CBAB. 23 



the repute of assuaging quartan and other fevers, and of check- 

 ing amorous propensities. The spleen of these frogs is used as 

 an. antidote to the various poisons that are prepared from them; 

 and for all these purposes the liver is considered still more 

 efficacious. 



CHAP. 19. THE ENHTDEIS: SIX EEMEDIES. THE EIVER-CRAB : 



FOURTEEN REMEDIES. THE SEA-CRAB : SEVEN REMEDIES. THE 

 RIVER-SNAIL : SEVEN REMEDIES. THE CORACINUS : FOUR REME- 

 DIES. THE SEA-PIG : TWO REMEDIES. 



There is also a snake" which lives in the water, the fat and 

 gall of which, carried about them by persons when in pursuit 

 of the crocodile, are said to be marvellously efficacious, the 

 beast not venturing, in such case, to make an attack upon 

 them. As such preservative, they are still more effectual 

 if mixed with the herbaceous plant known as potamogiton.**^ 

 River-crabs,*^ taken fresh and beaten up and drunk in water, 

 or the ashes of them, kept for the purpose, are useful in all 

 eases of poisoning, as a counter-poison : taken with asses' 

 milk they are particularly serviceable as a neutralizer of the 

 venom of the scorpion ; goats' milk or any other kind of milk 

 being substituted where asses' milk cannot be procured. Wine, 

 too, should also be used in all such cases. Kiver-crabs, beaten 

 up with ocimum,** and applied to scorpions, are fatal to them. 

 They are possessed of similar virtues, also, for the bites of all 

 other kinds of venomous animals, the scytale*^ in particular, 

 adders, the sea-hare, and the bramble-frog. The ashes of them, 

 preserved, are good for persons who give symptoms of hydro- 

 phobia after being bitten by a mad dog, some adding gentian 

 as well, and administering the mixture in wine. In cases, 

 too, where hydrophobia has already appeared, it is recom- 

 mended that these ashes should be kneaded up into boluses with 

 wine, and swallowed. If ten of these crabs are tied together 

 with a handful of ocimum,^^ all the scorpions in the neigh- 

 bourhood, the magicians say, will be attracted to the spot. 



*^ The Enhydris, probably. See B. xxx. c. 8. 



42 See B. xxvi. c. 33. 



43 " Caneri fluviatiles." Our crawfish, the Potamobios of Leach. 

 " See B. xix. cc. 31, 36, 44, and B. xx. c. 48. 



45 It is difiicult to say whether he means the shrew-mouse here, the 

 bite of which was supposed to be poisonous, or the serpent called Scytaie, 

 mentioned by Lucan, B. ix. 1. 717. *6 See Note 44 above. 



