152 



BOOK XXVI. 



A CONTINUATION OF THE REMEDIES DEHIYED FROM 



PLANTS, CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO PARTICULAR 



DISEASES. 



CHAP. 1. (1.) — NEW FORMS OF DISEASE. 



The face of man has recently been sensible of new forms of 

 disease, unknown^ in ancient times, not only to Italy, but to 

 almost the whole of Europe. Still, however, they have not as 

 yet extended to the whole of Italy, nor have they made any 

 very great inroads in Illyricum, Gaul, or Spain, or indeed 

 any other parts, to so great an extent as in Rome and its en- 

 virons. Though unattended with pain, and not dangerous to 

 life, these diseases are of so loathsome a nature, that any form 

 of death would be preferable to them. 



CHAP. 2. THE NATURE OF LICHEN, 



The most insupportable of all these diseases is the one which, 

 after its Greek appellation, is known to us as " lichen."^ In 

 consequence, however, of its generally making its first appear- 

 ance at the chin, the Latins, by way of joke, originallj- — so 

 prone are mankind to make a jest of the misfortunes of others 

 — gave it the name of " mentagra ;"- an appellation which has 

 since become established in general use. In many cases, how- 

 ever, this disease spreads over the interior of the mouth, and 

 takes possession of the whole face, with the sole exception of 

 ihe eyes ; after which, it passes downwards to the neck, breast, 

 and hands, covering them with foul furfuraceous eruptions. 



CHAP. 3. AT WHAT PERIOD LICHEN FIRST MADE ITS APPEARANCE 



IN ITALY. 



This curse was unknown to the ancients,^ and in the times of 

 our fathers even, having first entered Italy in the middle of 



1 Probably as Littre suggests, a peculiar form of elephantiasis, the 

 leprosy of the middle ages. 



- The "chin disease :" from "mentura," the " chin." It is difficult to 

 detect the joke wiiich has here incurred the censure of our author. 



^ "Meaning the people of Italy. 



