424 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY. [Book XXII. 



flower, the name given to which is " concilium." The chief 

 recommendation of this plant, too, is that it acts as an aphro- 

 disiac. Eaten with the food, raw, in vinegar, it promotes the 

 secretion of the milk in nursing women. It is salutary also 

 for patients who are apprehensive of phthisis ; and, applied to 

 the head of infants, it makes the hair grow, and renders the 

 scalp more firm. 



CHAP. 40. THE CATJCALIS: TWELVE EEMEDIES. 



The caucalis, 6 too, is an edible plant. It resemblea fennel in 

 appearance, and has a short stem with a white flower ; 7 it is 

 usually considered a good cordial. 8 The juice, too, of this plant 

 is taken as a potion, being particularly recommended as a sto- 

 machic, a diuretic, an expellent of calculi and gravel, and for the 

 cure of irritations of the bladder. It has the effect, also, of 

 attenuating morbid secretions 9 of the spleen, liver, and kidneys. 

 The seed of it acts as an emmenagogue, and dispels the bilious 

 secretions after child-birth : it is prescribed also, for males, in 

 cases of seminal weakness. Chrysippus is of opinion that this 

 plant promotes conception ; for which purpose it is taken by 

 women in wine, fasting. It is employed in the form of a lini- 

 ment, for wounds inflicted by marine animals of a venomous na- 

 ture, at least we find it so stated by Petrichus in his poem. 10 



CHAP. 41. THE SITJM: ELEVEN EEMEDIES. 



Among these plants there is reckoned also the shim : n it 

 grows in the water, has a leaf broader than that of parsley, 

 thicker, and of a more swarthy colour, bears a considerable 

 quantity of seed, and has the taste of nasturtium. It is an 

 active diuretic, is very good for the kidneys and spleen, and acts 

 as an emmenagogue, either eaten by itself as an aliment, 12 or 



6 See B. xxi. c. 52. 



7 This is the Caucalis grandiflora of Linnaeus, Fee thinks. 



8 " Medicine for the heart." All these statements as to its medicinal 

 properties, are quite erroneous, Fee says. 



9 "Pituitas." 



10 On Antidotes for the stings of serpents. See end of B. xix. 



1 The Sium angustifolium has been named, but Fee prefers identifying 

 it with the Sium latifolium of Linnaeus, water- parsley. 



12 Fee says that at the present day it is held in suspicion as an article 

 of food, and that it is said to produce madness in ruminating animals. 

 He thinks it not improbable that Pliny here attributes to it some of the 

 properties which in reality belong to cresses. 



