46 plint's NATUEAL HTSTOET. [Book XXXII. 



CHAP. 35. HEMEDIES FOE INCONTINENCE OF TIRINE. THE 



OPHIDION : ONE EEilEDT. 



The flesh of hippocampi,^ grilled and taken frequently as 

 food, is a cure for incontinence of urine ; the ophidion/ too, 

 a little fish similar to the conger in appearance, eaten with a 

 lily root ; or the small fry found in the bellies of larger fish 

 that have swallowed them, reduced to ashes and taken in 

 water. It is recommended, too, to burn^° African snails, both 

 shells and flesh, and to administer the ashes with wine^^ of 

 Signia. 



CHAP. 36. EEMEDIES F0E,_G0IIT, AND FOE PAINS IN THE FEET. 



THE BEAVEE : FOUE EEMEDIES. BETON : ONE EEMEDY. 



For the cure of gout and of diseases of the joints, oil is 

 useful in which the intestines of frogs have been boiled. 

 Ashes, too, of burnt bramble-frogs ^^ are similarly employed, 

 with stale grease ; in addition to which, some persons use cal- 

 cined barley, the three ingredients being mixed in equal pro- 

 portions. It is recommended too, in cases of gout, to rub the 

 parts aff'ected w^ith a sea-hare," fresh caught, and to wear 

 shoes made of beaver's skin. Pontic beaver more particularly, 

 or else of sea-calf s^^ skin, an animal the fat of which is very 

 useful for the purpose : the same being the case also with bryon, 

 a plant of which we have already spoken, ^^ similar to the lettuce 

 in appearance, but with more wrinkled leaves, and destitute 

 of stem. This plant is of a styptic nature, and, applied topi- 

 cally, it tends to modify the paroxysms of gout. The same, 

 too, with sea- weed, of which we have also spoken already ;^^ 

 due precaution being taken not to apply it dry. 



Chilblains are cured by applying the pulmo marinus;^' ashes 



9 See B. ix. c. 1. 



^ Literally, the "little serpent." Some think that it is the Ophidiuni 

 barbatum of Linnaeus. Rondelet identifies it, B. xiv. c. 2, with the small 

 fish called donzella by the people of Montpellier. See c. 31, Note 55. 



10 See B. XXX. c. 22. ^ See B. xiv. c. 8. 



" " Rubetffi." See c. 18 of this Book ; also B. viii. c. 48 ; B. xi. cc. 19, 

 76, 116, and B. xxv. c. 76. 



'3 See B. ix. c. 72 ; B. xxv. c. 77, and Chapter 3 of this Book. 



i* Or seal-skin. See B. viii. c. 49, and B. ix. c. 15, 



15 In B. xxvii. c. 33. ^^ in B. xxvi. c. 66. 



" Or "sea-lungs." See B. ix. c. 71, B. xviii. c. 5, and Chapters 32, 

 46, and 52 of the present Book. Ajasson remarks that this is still the 

 common name of manv kinds of Medusae. 



