130 pliny's natural HISTOET. [Book XXV. 



we have spoken^^ elsewhere already. The plantago is useful 

 for the bites of all kinds of animals, either taken in drink or 

 applied topically to the part affected. Betony is taken on 

 similar occasions, in old wine, unmixed. 



CHAP. 78. PERISTEBEOS : SIX EEMEDIES. 



The name of peristereos^ is given to a plant with a tall stem, 

 covered with leaves, and throwing out other stems from the top. 

 It is much sought by pigeons, to which circumstance it 

 owes its name. Dogs will never bark, they say, at persons 

 who have this plant about them. 



CHAP. 79. REMEDIES AGAINST CERTAIN POISONS. 



Closely approaching in their nature to these various kinds of 

 poisons, are those which have been devised by man for his own 

 destruction. In the number of antidotes to all these artificial 

 poisons as well as to the spells of sorcery, the very first place 

 must be accorded to the moly- of Homer ; next to which come 

 the mithridatia,^ scordotis,^ and centaury. The seed of betony 

 carries off all kinds of noxious substances by stool ; being taken 

 for the purpose in honied wine or raisin wine, or else pulverized, 

 and taken, in doses of one drachma, in four cyathi of old wine : 

 in this last case, however, the patient must bring it off the 

 stomach by vomit and then repeat the dose. Persons who 

 accustom themselves to take this plant daily, will never ex- 

 perience any injury, they say, from substances of a poisonous 

 nature. 



When a person has taken poison, one most powerful remedy 

 is aristolochia,^ taken in the same proportions as those used for 

 injuries inflicted by serpents.^ The juice, too, of cinquefoil is 

 given for a similar purpose ; and in both cases, after the patient 

 has vomited, agaric is administered, in doses of one denarius, in 

 three cyathi of hydromel. 



99 In c. 6 of this Book. 



1 "Pigeon-plant." The same as Vervain, already described in c. 59 of 

 this Book. '■^ See c. 8 of this Book. 



3 By "Mithridatia " he probably means the antidotes attributed to 

 Mithridatos in c, 3 of this Book, and in B. xxix, c. 8, and not the plant 

 previously mentioned in c. 26. 



i ^ee c. 27 of this Book. 5 gee c. 54 of this Book. 



6 See c. 55. 



