Chap. 80.] THE LAUREL. 517 



they promote the catamenia ; and the more tender of the leaves 

 beaten up with polenta, are used for inflammations of the eyes, 

 with rue for inflammations of the testes, and with rose- oil, or 

 oil of iris,*^- for head-ache. Three leaves, chewed and swal- 

 lowed for three days in succession, are a cure for cough, and 

 beaten up with honey, for asthma. The bark of the root is 

 dangerous to pregnant women ; the root itself disperses cul- 

 culi, and taken in doses of three oboli in aromatic wine, it 

 acts beneficially on the liver. The leaves, taken in drink, act 

 as an emetic f^ and the berries, pounded and applied as a pes- 

 sary, or else taken in drink, promote menstruation. Two of 

 the berries with the skin removed, taken in wine, are a cure 

 for inveterate cough and hardness of breathing ; if, however, 

 this is accompanied wdth fever, they are given in water, or 

 else in an electuary with raisin wine, or boiled in hydromel. 

 Employed in a similar manner, they are good for phthisis, and 

 for all defluxions of the chest, as they have the eff'ect of 

 detaching the phlegm and bringing it off. 



For stings inflicted by scorpions, four laurel-berries are 

 taken in wine. Applied with oil, they are a cure for epi- 

 nyctis, freckles, running sores, ulcers of the mouth, and scaly 

 eruptions. The juice of the berries is curative of porrigo 

 and phthiriasis ; and for pains in the ears, or hardness of hear- 

 ing, it is injected into those organs with old wine and oil of 

 roses. All venomous creatures fly at the approach of persons 

 who have been anointed with this juice : taken in drink, the 

 juice of the small-leaved^^ laurel in particular, it is good for 

 stings inflicted by them. The berries,^^ used with wine, neu- 

 tralize the venom of serpents, scorpions, and spiders ; they 

 are applied also, topically, with oil and vinegar, in diseases of 

 the spleen and liver, and with honey to gangrenous sores. In 

 cases of lassitude and shivering fits, it is a very good plan to 

 rub the body with juice of laurel-berries mixed with nitre. 

 Some persons are of opinion that delivery is accelerated by 

 taking laurel- root to the amount of one acetabulum, in water. 

 and that, used fresh, it is better than dried. It is recommended 



62 "Irino." See B. xiii. c. 2, 



63 This assertion, Fee says, is untrue. 

 6^ See B. XT. c. 39. 



C5 All tliese statements as to the properties of the henries. Fee says, are 

 isypothetical and more than doubtful. 



L L 3 



