Chap. 90.] REMEDIES rOE FEMALE DISEASES. 211 



drink. But it is dittany that is of the greatest efficacy in cases 

 of this description ; it acts as an emmenagogue, and is an ex- 

 pellent of the fcstus when dead or lying transversely in tlic 

 uterus. In these cases the leaves of it are taken, in doses of 

 one obolus, in water : indeed so active is it in its effects that 

 ordinarily it is forbidden to be introduced into the chamber of 

 a woman lying-in. Not only is it thus efficacious when taken 

 in drink, but even when applied topically or used as a fumiga- 

 tion. Pseudodietamnum'^® possesses pretty nearlj^ the same vir- 

 tues, but it acts as an emmenagogue also, boiled in doses of one 

 denarius in unmixed wine. Aristolochia,'' however, is employed 

 for a greater number of purposes : in combination with myrrh 

 and pepper, either taken in drink or used as a pessary, it acts 

 as a powerful emmenagogue, and brings away the dead foetus 

 and the after-birth. This plant, the smaller kind in particular, 

 used either as a fomentation, fumigation, or pessary, acts as a 

 preventive of procidence of the uterus. 



Hysterical suffocations and irregularities of the catamenia 

 are treated with agaric, taken in doses of three oboli, in one 

 cyathus of old wine : vervain is used also in similar cases, as a 

 pessary, with fresh hog's lard ; or else antirrhinum,''^ with rose 

 oil and honey. Root of Thessalian nymphaea,'^ used as a 

 pessarj^, is curative of pains in the uterus ; taken in red wine, 

 it arrests uterine discharges. Eoot of cyclaminos,^^ on the 

 other hand, taken in drink and employed as a pessary, acts as 

 an emmenagogue: a decoction of it, used as a sitting-bath, 

 cures affections of the bladder. Cissanthemos,^^ taken in drink, 

 brings away the after-birth, and is curative of diseases of tlie 

 uterus. The upper part of the root of xiphion,^^ taken in 

 doses of one drachma, in vinegar, promotes menstruation. A 

 fumigation of burnt peucedanum*^ has a soothing effect in 

 cases of hysterical suffocation. Psyllion,^* taken in the pro- 

 portion of one drachma to three cyathi of hydromel, is par- 

 ticularly good for promoting the lochial discharge. Seed of 

 mandragora,*'^ taken in drink, acts as a detergent upon the 



'^ " Bastard dittany." See B. xxv. c, 53. "''' See B. xxv, c. 54. 

 '•" See B. xxv. c. 80. '9 See B. xxv. c. 37. 



so See B. xxv. c. 67. 8i gee B. xxv. c. 68. 



82 See B. xxv. c. 88. ^3 See B. xxv. c 70. 



^ See B. xxv. c. 90. 85 ggg B. xxv. c 94, 



p 2 



