290 plint's NATURAL HISTOET. [Book XV. 



from henbane, 95 lupines, 96 and narcissus. Great quantities of 

 oil are made in Egypt, too, of radish 97 seed, or else of a 

 common grass known there as chortinon." Sesamum " also 

 yields an oil, and so does the nettle, 1 its oil being known as 

 " cnidinum." 2 In other countries, too, an oil is extracted 

 from lilies 3 left to steep in the open air, and subjected to the 

 influence of the sun, moon, and frosts. On the borders of 

 Cappadocia and Galatia, they make an oil from the herbs of 

 the country, known as " Selgicum," 4 remarkably useful for 

 strengthening the tendons, similar, in fact, to that of Iguvium 5 

 in Italy. From pitch an oil 6 is extracted, that is known as 

 " pissinum ;" it is made by boiling the pitch, and spreading 

 fleeces over the vessels to catch the steam, and then wring- 

 ing them out : the most approved kind is that which comes 

 from Bruttium, the pitch of that country being remarkably 

 rich and resinous : the colour of this oil is yellow. 



There is an oil that grows spontaneously in the maritime 

 parts of Syria, known to us as " elaeonieli ;" 7 it is an unctuous 

 substance which distils from certain trees, of a thicker consis- 

 tency than honey, but somewhat thinner than resin ; it has a 

 sweet flavour, and is employed for medicinal purposes. Old 

 olive oil 8 is of use for some kinds of maladies ; it is thought to 



95 Hyoscyamns. A medicinal oil is still extracted from it. See B. xxiii. 

 c. 49. 



96 This medicinal oil is no longer used. The Lupiuus albus was formerly 

 held in greater esteem than it is now. 



97 The Raphanus sativus of Linnaeus. See B. xix. c. 26. This is one 

 of the fixed oils ; varieties of it are rape oil, and colza oil, now so exten- 

 sively used. 



98 From the Greek xoproc, " grass." This medicinal oil would be to- 

 tally without power or effect. 



99 A fixed oil is still extracted in Egypt from the grain known as sesa- 

 mum. i See B. xxii. c. 15. 



2 From KviSi], a " nettle." The nettle, or Urtica urens of Linngeus, has 

 no oleaginous principles in its seed. 



3 Lily oil is still used as a medicinal composition : it is made from the 

 petals of the white lily, Lilium candidum of Linnaeus. 



4 From Selga, a town of Pisidia. See B. xxiii. c. 49. 



5 See B. iii. c. 9, and B. xxiii. c. 49. 



6 A volatile oil, mixed with a small proportion of empyreumatic oil and 

 carbon. 



7 " Oil-honey." Probably a terebinthine, or oleo-resin. See B. xxiii. 

 c. 50. 



8 When rancid and oxygenized by age, it has an irritating quality, and 

 may be found useful for herpetic diseases. 



