Chap. 91.] THE POLTGONOS. 259 



CHAP. 91. THE POLYGONOS, POLYGON ATOS, TEUTHALTS, CAKCI- 



l^ETHEQjSr, CLEilA, OR MYETOPETALOS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 

 SANGUINAEIA OR ORIOS ; FOUR VARIETIES OP IT : FORTY 

 REMEDIES. 



The Greeks give the name of " polygonos"^^ to the plant 

 known to us as " sanguinaria."^^ It is but little elevated above 

 the ground, has leaves like those of rue, and resembles grass 

 in appearance. The juice of it, injected into the nostrils, 

 arrests haemorrhage : taken with wine, it has a similar effect 

 upon bleeding at any other part of the body, as also spitting 

 of blood. Those who distinguish several kinds of polygonos, 

 make this to be the male^'* plant, and say that it is so called 

 from the large number of seeds, or else from its numerous 

 branches. Some call it *'polygonatos,"^ from the number of 

 its joints, others, again, ** teuthalis," and others, ** carcine- 

 thron," *' clema," or '' myrtopetalos." 



There are some authorities to be found, however, who say that 

 this is the female plant, and that the male is more diminutive, 

 less swarthy, and more jointed, with a seed protruding beneath 

 all the leaves. However this may be, these plants are of an 

 astringent, cooling nature. The seed is laxative, and, taken in 

 large doses, acts as a diuretic, and arrests defluxions; indeed, 

 if there is no defluxion, it is of no use taking it. For burning 

 heats of the stomach, the leaves are applied topicallj' ; and they 

 are used, in the form of a liniment, for pains in the bladder, and 

 for erysipelas. The juice is used as an injection for suppurations 

 of the ears, and by itself, for pains in the eyes. It is admi- 

 nistered, also, in fevers, tertian and quartan fevers more par- 

 ticularly, in doses of two cyathi, just before the paroxysms 

 come on ; as also in cases of cholera, dysentery, and derange- 

 ment of the stomach. 



There is a third kind, which grows on the mountains, and is 

 known as "orios,"^^ similar to a delicate reed in appearance, and 



52 «' Many-seeded." ^3 a Blood plant." 



^* Identified by Fee with the Polygonum aviculare of Linnaeus, the 

 Knot-grass. 



5^ " Many-knotted." Scribonius says that it received its name, "poly- 

 gonos," from its being found everywhere. 



^ Or " mountain " plant. Fee considers it to be the same as the 

 second kind above mentioned, and to correspond with the female Polygonos 

 of Dioscorides. He identifies it with the Hippuris vulgaris of Linnaeus, 



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