Chap. 15.J REMEDIES EOE PAIFS IN THE STOMACH. 437 



flows from the testes of lambs when castrated. This blood, 

 too, applied to the arm-pits,'"' the hairs being first pulled out, 

 is a preventive of the rank smell of those parts. 



CHAP. 14. EEMEDIES FOE PAINS IN THE VISCERA. 



"We give the one general name of ''pr^cordia" to the 

 human viscera; for pains in any part of which, a sucking 

 w^help is applied, being pressed close to the part affected.'** The 

 malady, it is said, will in such case pass into the animal ; a 

 fact which may be satisfactorily ascertained ; for on disembowel- 

 ling it, and sprinkling the entrails with wine, that part of the 

 viscera will be found affected in which the patient himself 

 was sensible of pain : to bury the animal in such a case is a 

 point most religiously observed. The dogs,"^ too, which we 

 call " Melitaei," applied to the stomach every now and then, 

 allay pains in that region : the malady, it is supposed, passes 

 into the animal's body, as it gradually loses its health, and 

 it mostly dies. 



(6.) Affections of the lungs are cured by using mice, those of 

 Africa more particularly, the animal being skinned and boiled 

 in salt and oil, and then taken with the food. The same pre- 

 paration is used also, for the cure of purulent or bloody ex- 

 pectorations. 



CHAP. 15. REMEDIES FOR PAINS IN THE STOMACH. 



One of the very best remedies for affections of the stomach, 

 is to use a snail diet.®" They must first be left to simmer in 

 water for some time, without touching the contents of the 

 shell, after which, without any other addition, they must be 

 grilled upon hot coals, and eaten with wine and garum f^ the 

 snails of Africa being the best of all for the purpose. The 

 efficacy of this remedy has been proved in numerous instances 

 of late. Another point, too, to be observed, is to take an un- 

 even number of them. Snails, however, have a juice, it should 

 be remembered, which imparts to the breath an offensive smell. 



'■^ See Horace, Epode xii. 1. 5. 



'^ Hence, perhaps, the practice of mirsing lap-dogs. 



■9 See B. iii. c. 30, and Note 2, p. 267. 



•""^ In France and Italy, snails are considered a delicacy by some. Snail 

 milk is sometimes used medicinally in England for consumptive patients ; 



it is doubtful with what effect. 



«^ Or fish-sauce. See B. xxxi. c. 43. 



