Chap. 27.] EEilEDIES FOR LICHENS. 35 



in three sextarii of vinegar, down to one- third, and to use the 

 decoction as a strengthener of loose teeth. By certain autho- 

 rities, too, it has been recommended to boil the hearts of six- 

 and-thirty frogs beneath a copper vessel, in one sextarius of old 

 oil, and then to inject the decoction into the ear on the same 

 side of the jaw as the part affected : while others again have 

 used, as an application for the teeth, a frog's liver, boiled, and 

 beaten up with honey. All the preparations above described 

 will be found still more efficacious if made from the sea- 

 frog.-^ In cases where the teeth are carious and emit an 

 offensive smell, it is recommended to dry some whale's" flesh 

 in an oven for a night, and then to add an equal quantity of 

 salt, and use the mixture as a dentifrice. '' Enhydris" ^^ is the 

 name given by the Greeks to a snake that lives in the water. 

 With the four upper teeth of this reptile, it is the practice, for 

 the cure of aching in the upper teeth, to lance the upper gums, 

 and with the four lower teeth, for aching in the lower. 8ome 

 persons, however, content themselves with using an eyetooth 

 only. Ashes, too, of burnt crabs are used for this purpose ; 

 and the murex, reduced to ashes, makes an excellent den- 

 tifrice. 



CHAP. 27. — EEMEDEES TOE LICHEXS, A^D FOE SPOTS UPON THE 

 FACE. THE DOIPHTN" : XEXE EEilEDIES. COLrTHIA OE COET- 

 PHIA : THREE EEMEDIES. HALCYOXEITit : SEVEN EEMEDIES. 

 THE TUIS'XY : FIVE EEMEDIES. 



Lichens and leprous spots are removed by applying the fat 

 of the sea-calf,"^ ashes of the msena^^ in combination with three 

 oboli of honey, liver of the pastinaca^^ boiled in oil, or ashes 

 of the dolphin or hippocampus^^ mixed with water. After the 

 parts have been duly excoriated, a cicatrizing treatment ought 

 to be pursued. Some persons bake dolphin's liver in an 

 earthen vessel, till a grease flows therefrom like oiP^ in ap- 



26 See B. ix. cc. 40, 67. 27 n Cetum." See B. ix. cc. 40, 74. 



'^ Ajasson is of opinion that here and in c. 19 Pliny has mistaken the 

 oiiei' for a serpent, the mammiferge only having eye or canine teeth. 

 Aristotle, Hist. Anim. B. i. c. i., calls the otter by the name of "Enhy- 

 dris." See B. xxx. c. 8, -where PHny speaks of the "Enhydiis" as a 

 " male white serpent." 29 Qr seal. See B. ix. c. 15. 



30 See B. ix. c. 42. Holland calls the raaena the "cackerel." 



'1 Or sting-ray. -^2 gee B. ix. c. 1. 



33 Much Hke the cod-liver oil, held in such high repute at the present day. 



d2 



