hap 100.] THE COMPOSITION OF THEBIACA. 299 



)ith of the plant. There are some persons who think that 

 he seed should be administered for epilepsy, from the fourth 

 the seventh day of the moon, in doses of one spoonful. 



Fennel-giant is naturally so inimical to the mursena, that 

 lie very touch of it even will kill that fish. Castor was of 

 pinion that the juice of the root is extremely beneficial to 

 he sight. 



CHAP. 99. THE THISTLE OR SCOLTMOS : SIX EEMEDIES. 



"We have ahready^^ spoken, when treating of the garden 

 lants, of the cultivation of the thistle ; we may as well, 

 herefore, not delay to mention its medicinal properties. Of 

 rild thistles there are two varieties ; one^- of which throws 

 ut numerous stalks immediately it leaves the ground, the 

 ther^^ being thicker, and having but a single stem. They 

 ave, both of them, a few leaves only, and covered with 

 rickles, the head of the plant being protected by thorny 

 oints : the last mentioned, however, puts forth in the middle 

 f these points a purple blossom, which turns white with 

 reat rapidity, and is carried off by the wind ; the Greeks 

 ive it the name of *' scolymos." 



This plant, gathered before it blossoms, and beaten up and 

 tubjected to pressure, produces a juice, which, applied to the 

 ead, makes the hair grow again when it has fallen off through 

 (lopecy. The root of either kind, boiled in water, creates 

 hirst, it is said, in those who drink it. It strengthens the 

 comach also, and if we are to believe what is said, has some 

 ifluence upon the womb in promoting the conception of male 

 ffspring : at all events, Glaucias, who seems to have paid 

 he most attention to the subject, has written to that effect, 

 ('he thin juice, like mastich, which exudes from these plants, 

 uparts sweetness to the breath. 



CHAP. 100. (24.) THE COMPOSITION^ OF THERIACA. 



But as we are now about to leave the garden plants, we will 

 lake this opportunity of describing a very famous preparatitm 

 ' 91 In B. xix. c. 43. 



92 Xhis, Fee considers to be the Cinara carduncellus of Linnaeus, arti- 

 hoke thistle, or Cardonette of Provence. 



^* The Cinara scolymus of Linnajus probably, our artichoke, which the 

 ncients do not appear to have eaten. Both the thistle and the artichoke 

 ,re now no longer employed in medicine. 



