Chnp. 98.] THE LYCHNIS. 381 



removes coagulated blood in the abdominal regions and the 

 bladder. The leaves of it, beaten up and taken in doses of 

 three oboli, in white wine, arrest the menstrual discharge 

 when in excess. 



The smell of this plant is far from disagreeable, and hence 

 it is kept with clothes, to protect them from the attacks of 

 vermin. 



CHAP. 97. (26.) EIGHT EEMEDIES DERIVED FROM THE HYACINTH. 



The hyacinth 15 grows in Gaul more particularly, where it 

 is employed for the dye called "hysginum." 16 The root of it 

 is bulbous, and is well known among the dealers in slaves : 

 applied to the body, with sweet wine, it retards the signs of 

 puberty, 17 and prevents them from developing themselves. It 

 is curative, also, of gripings of the stomach, and of the bites of 

 spiders, and it acts as a diuretic. The seed is administered, 

 with abrotonum, for the stings of serpents and scorpions, and 

 for jaundice. 



CHAP. 98. SEVEN REMEDIES DERIVED FROM THE LYCHNIS. 



The seed of the lychnis, 18 too, which is just the colour of 

 fire, is beaten up and taken in drink for the stings of serpents, 

 scorpions, hornets, and other insects of similar nature : the 

 wild variety, however, is prejudicial to the stomach. It acts 

 as a laxative to the bowels ; and, taken in doses of two 

 drachmae, is remarkably efficacious for carrying off the bile. 

 So extremely baneful is it to scorpions, that if they so much 

 as see it, they are struck with torpor. The people of Asia 

 call the root of it " bolites," and they say that if it is attached 

 to the body it will effectually disperse albugo. 19 



15 Seec. 38 of this Book; also B. xvi. c. 31. 



16 From the herb " hysge," used for dyeing a deep red. See B. ix. c. 

 65, and B. xxi. c. 36. No such colour, Fee says, can be obtained from 

 the petals of either the Liiium Martagon or the Gladiolus communis, with 

 which it has been identified. 



17 It has no such effect ; and the slave-dealers certainly lost their piins 

 in cosmetizing their slaves with it, their object being to make them look 

 younger than they really were, and not older, as Hardouin seems to think. 



18 See c. 10 of this Book. 



19 White specks in the pupil of the eye, or whiteness of the cornea. 



