336 PLINT's NATUIIAL HISTORY. [Book XXVIII. 



these salves being steeped in water and applied to the ej'es for 

 four days successively. Veal suet, with goose-grease and the 

 extracted juice of ocimum, is remarkably good for diseases of 

 the eye-lids. Veal marrow, with the addition of an equal 

 proportion of wax and oil or oil of roses, an egg being added 

 to the mixture, is used as a liniment for indurations of the eye- 

 lids. Soft goats' milk cheese is used as an application, with 

 warm water, to allay d-efluxions of the eyes ; but when they 

 are attended with swelling, honey is used instead of the water. 

 In both cases, however, the eyes should be fomented with 

 warm whey. In cases of dry ophthalmia, it is found a very 

 useful plan to take the muscles ^^ lyii^g within a loin of pork, 

 and, after reducing them to ashes, to pound and apply them to 

 the part affected. 



She-goats, they say, are never affected with ophthalmia, 

 from the circumstance that they browse upon certain kinds of 

 herbs : the same, too, with the gazelle. Hence it is that we 

 find it recommended, at the time of new moon, to swallow the 

 dung of these animals, coated with wax. As they are able to 

 see, too, by night, it is a general belief that the blood of a he- 

 goat is a cure for those persons affected with dimness of sight 

 to whom the Greeks have given the name of " nyctalopes." ^® 

 A similar virtue is attributed to the liver of a she-goat, boiled 

 in astringent wine. Some are in the habit of rubbing the eyes 

 with the thick gravy*" which exudes from a she-goat* s liver 

 roasted, or with the gall of that animal : they recommend the 

 flesh also as a diet, and say that the patient should expose 

 his eyes to the fumes of it while boiling : it is a general 

 opinion, too, that the animal should be of a reddish colour. 

 Another prescription is, to fumigate the eyes with the steam 

 arising from the liver boiled in an earthen jar, or, according to 

 some authorities, roasted. 



Goats' gall is applied for numerous purposes : with honey, 

 for films upon the eyes ; with one-third part of white hellebore, 

 for cataract ; with wine, for spots upon the eyes, indurations of 

 the cornea, films, webs, and argema; with extracted juice 

 of cabbage, for diseases of the eyelids, the hairs being first 

 pulled out, and the preparation left to dry on the parts affected ; 



3^ This is the translation suggested by Dalecliaraps for "lurabulis." 

 39 " Seers by night." ^^ " Sauie." 



