Chap. 70.] THE CYPE110S. 363 



fumes, through, the agency of which they daily become stronger 

 and stronger, and more robust He states, also, that the cypi- 

 ros, employed as a liniment with oil, is an undoubted remedy 

 for chafing of the skin, and offensive odours of the arm-pits. 



CHAP. 70. THE CYPEROS I FOURTEEN REMEDIES. THE CYPERIS. 

 THE CYPIRA. 



The cyperos, as we have just stated, is a rush of angular shape, 

 white near the ground, and black and solid at the top. The 

 lower leaves are more slender than those of the leek, and those 

 at the top are small, with the seed of the plant lying between 

 them. The root resembles a black olive, 45 and when it is of 

 an oblong shape, the plant is known as the " cyperis," 46 being 

 employed in medicine to a great extent. The cyperos most 

 highly esteemed is that of the vicinity of the Temple of Jupi- 

 ter Hammon, the next best being that of Rhodes, the next 

 that of Therse, and the worst of all that of Egypt, a circumstance 

 which tends greatly to add to the misunderstanding on the 

 subject, as that country produces the cypiros as well: but the 

 cypiros which grows there is extremely hard, and has hardly 

 any smell at all, while all the other 47 varieties of it have an 

 odour strongly resembling that of nard. 



There is also an Indian plant, called the "cypira," 48 of a 

 totally different character, and similar to ginger in appearance ; 

 when chewed, it has exactly the flavour of saffron. 



The cyperos, employed medicinally, is possessed of certain 

 depilatory properties. It is used in liniments for hang-nails 

 and ulcerous sores of the genitals and of all parts of the body 

 which are of a humid nature, ulcers of the mouth, for instance. 

 The root of it is a very efficacious remedy for the stings of ser- 

 pents and scorpions. Taken in drink, it removes obstructions 

 of the uterus, but if employed in too large doses, it is liable to 

 cause prolapsus of that organ. It acts also as a diuretic, and 

 expels calculi of the bladder ; properties which render it ex- 

 tremely useful in dropsy. It is employed topically, also, for 



45 This applies more particularly, Fee thinks, to the Cyperus rotundus 

 of Linnaeus. 

 48 The Cyperus longus of Linnaeus, Fee thinks. 



47 Sillig finds a difficulty here which does not seem to exist. It is 

 pretty clear that " caeteris" refers to the other varieties of the cypiros, 

 mentioned in the preceding Chapter. 



48 It has not been identified. 



