38 plint's natural HISTOET. [Book XXIV. 



CHA.P. 54. THE EHUS OK SUMACH-TREE ; TWO VAEIETIES OF IT : 



EIGHT EEMEDIES. STOMATICE. 



]N'or yet has the tree called " rhus "^^ any Latin name, al- 

 though it is employed in numerous ways. Under this name 

 are comprehended a wild plant, ^'' with leaves like those of 

 myrtle, and a short stem, which is good as an expellent of 

 tapeworm ; and the shrub '^ which is known as the " currier's 

 plant," of a reddish colour, a cubit in height, and about the 

 thickness of one's finger, the leaves of which are dried and 

 used, like pomegranate rind, for curing leather. 



Medical men also employ the leaves of these plants for the 

 treatment of contusions, and for the cure of coeliac affections, 

 and of ulcers of the rectum and phagedasnic sores ; for all which 

 purposes they are pounded with honey and applied with 

 vinegar. A decoction of them is injected for suppurations of 

 the ears. With the branches, boiled, a stomatice^® is also made, 

 which is used for the same purposes as that prepared from 

 mulberries f^ it is more efficacious, however, mixed with alum. 

 This preparation is applied also to reduce the swelling in dropsy. 



CHAP. 55. EHTJS ERYTHROS : NINE EEMEDIES. 



"Rhus'^ erythros is the name given to the seed of this shrub. 

 It possesses properties of an astringent and cooling nature, and 

 is used as a seasoning ^^ for provisions, in place of salt. It has 

 a laxative effect, and, used in conjunction with silphium, it 

 gives a finer flavour to meat of all kinds. Mixed with honey, 

 it is curative of running ulcers, pimples on the tongue,^^ con- 

 tusions, bruises, and excoriations. It causes ulcers of the 

 head to cicatrize with the greatest rapidity ; and taken with 

 the food, it arrests excessive menstruation. 



CHAP. 56. THE ERYTRRODANUS : ELEVEN EEMEDIES. 



The erythrodanus,^* by some called " ereuthodanus," and 



-^ See B. xiii. c. 13. The sumach-tree ; the Rhus coriaria of Linnasiis. 



■'^■' Identified by Fee with the Coriaria myrtifolia of Linnaeus, or myrtle- 

 leaved sumach. It is used in the preparation of leather, Fee says, and is 

 intensely poisonous. 28 The sumach-tree. 



-9 Or '• mouth-medicine." See B. xxii. c. 11, and B. xxiii. cc. 58 and 71. 



3" See B. xxiii. c. 71. si Qr " ros." See B. xiii. c. 13, 



^'- Fee says that this is still done in some parts of Turkey. 



*' " Asperitati linguas." 



'•^ ''Hed rose;" our madder. See B. xix. c. 17. Beckmann is of 



