404 PLINY'S KATFBAL HISTOBY. [Book XXII. 



also for affections of the spleen. Boiled in wine, and applied 

 with stale axle-grease and salt, the root disperses inflamed tu- 

 mours, and, dried, it is used as a depilatory. 



Phanias, the physician, has enlarged upon the praises of the 

 nettle, and he assures us that, taken with the food, either 

 boiled or preserved, it is extremely beneficial for affections of 

 the trachea, cough, fluxes of the bowels, stomachic complaints, 

 inflamed tumours, imposthumes of the parotid glands, and chil- 

 blains ; that, taken with oil, it acts as a sudorific ; and that, 

 boiled with shell-fish, it relaxes the bowels. He says, too, 

 that taken with a ptisan, 87 it facilitates expectoration and acts 

 as an emmenagogue, and that, applied with salt, it prevents 

 ulcers from spreading. The j uice of the nettle is also used : 

 applied to the forehead, it arrests bleeding at the nose, taken 

 in drink it acts as a diuretic and breaks calculi in the bladder, 

 and, used as a gargle, it braces the uvula when relaxed. 



Nettle- seed should be gathered at harvest- time : that of 

 Alexandria is the most highly esteemed. For all these dif- 

 ferent purposes the milder and more tender plants are the 

 best, the wild nettle 86 in particular : this last, taken in wine, 

 has the additional property of removing leprous spots on the 

 face. When animals refuse to couple, it is recommended to 

 rub the sexual organs with nettles. 89 



CHAP. 16. (14.) THE LAM1TJM : SEVEN REMEDIES. 



The variety of nettle, too, which we have already 90 spoken 

 of under the name of "lamium," 91 the most innoxious of them 

 all, the leaves not having the property of stinging, is used 

 for the cure of bruises and contusions, with a sprinkling 92 of salt, 

 as also for burns and scrofulous sores, tumours, gout, and 

 wounds. The middle of the leaf is white, and is used for 

 the cure of erysipelas. Some of our authors have distin- 

 guished the various species of this plant according to their 

 respective seasons ; thus, for instance, the root of the autumn 

 nettle, they say, carried on the person as an amulet, is a cure 

 for tertian fevers, if due care is taken, when pulling up the 



87 See B. xviii. c. 13. 8S See B. xxi. c. 55. 



83 See Hippocrates, Hippiatr. 9 In B. xxi. c. 55. 



91 The Lamium maculatmn of Linnaeus : dead nettle, or archangel. 

 The same as the Leuce, mentioned in B. xxvii. c. 77. 

 1/2 u Cum mica salis-." 



