510 Pliny's natueal history. [Book XXXI. 



to the appetite, Tor the cure of injuries inflicted by serpents, it 

 is used with origanum, honey, and hyssop ; and for the sting of 

 the cerastes, with origanum, cedar-resin, pitch, or honey. Taken 

 internally with vinegar, it is good for injuries caused by the 

 scolopendra ; and, applied topically, with an equal proportion 

 of linseed, in oil or vinegar, for stings inflicted by scorpions. For 

 stings of hornets, wasps, and insects of a similar description, 

 it is applied with vinegar ; and, for the cure of hemicrania, 

 ulcers on the head, blisters, pimples, and incipient warts, with 

 veal-suet. It is used also among the remedies for the eyes, 

 and for the removal of fleshy excrescences upon those organs, 

 as also of hangnails^^ upon the fingers or toes. For webs that 

 form upon the eyes it is peculiarly useful, and hence it is that 

 it is so commonly employed as an ingredient in eye-salves, as 

 well as plasters. For all these last-mentioned purposes, the 

 salt of Tatta or of Caunus is more particularly in request. 



In cases where there is ecchymosis of the eyes, or a bruise 

 from the efl'ects of a blow, salt is applied, with an equal quan- 

 tity of myrrh and honey, or with hyssop in warm water, the 

 eyes being also fomented with salsugo. For this last-mentioned 

 purpose, the Spanish salt is preferred ; and when wanted for 

 the treatment of cataract, it is ground upon small whet- 

 stones, with milk. For bruises it is particularly useful, 

 wrapped in a linen pledget and renewed from time to time, 

 being first dipped in boiling water. For the cure of running 

 ulcers of the mouth, it is applied with lint ; gum-boils are also 

 rubbed with it ; and, broken to pieces and powdered fine, it 

 removes granulations on the tongue. The teeth, it is said, 

 will never become carious or corroded, if a person every morn- 

 ing puts some salt beneath his tongue, fasting, and leaves it 

 there till it has melted. Salt effects the cure also of leprosy, 

 boils, lichens, and itch-scabs ; for all which purposes it is ap- 

 plied with raisins — the stones being first removed — beef-suet, 

 origanum, and leaven, or else bread. In such cases it is the 

 salt from Thebais that is mostly used ; the same salt being 

 considered preferable for the treatment of prurigo, and being 

 highly esteemed for aflections of the uvula and tonsillary glands, 

 in combination with honey. 



■^^ He uses the word " pterj'gia " here, as applied to the whole of the 

 body — " totius corporis" — in its two distinct senses, a hangnail or ex- 

 crcsceucc on the fingers, and a web or film on the eyes. 



