440 rr.iNi's NATURAL HISTORY. [Book XXII. 



their assistance, as we can easily prove the greater reason 

 then has luxury to blush at its excesses. 



CHAP. 57. REMEDIES DERIVED FROM GRAIN. SILIGO : ONE RE- 

 MEDY. WHEAT I ONE REMEDY. CHAFF I TWO REMEDIES. SPELT ! 

 ONE REMEDY. BRAN I ONE REMEDY. OLYRA, OR ARINCA I TWO 

 REMEDIES. 



Having now described the remedies derived from flowers, both 

 those which enter into the composition of garlands, and the 

 ordinary gardeli ones, as well as from the vegetable productions, 

 how could we possibly omit those which are derived from the 

 cereals ? 



(25.) It will be only proper then, to make some mention of 

 these as well. In the first place, however, let us remark that 

 it is a fact universally acknowledged, that it is the most intel- 

 ligent of the animated beings that derive their subsistence 

 from grain. The grain of siligo 93 highly roasted and pounded 

 in Aminean 94 wine, applied to the eyes, heals defluxions of 

 those organs ; 95 and the grain of wheat, parched on a plate of 

 iron, is an instantaneous remedy for frost-bite in various parts 

 of the body. Wheat-meal, boiled in vinegar, is good for con- 

 tractions of the sinews, and bran, 96 mixed with rose-oil, dried 

 figs, and myxa 97 plums boiled down together, forms an excel- 

 lent gargle 98 for the tonsillary glands and throat. 



Sextus Pomponius, who had a son praetor, and who was 

 himself the first citizen of Nearer Spain, was on one occasion 

 attacked with gout, while superintending the winnowing in 

 his granaries ; upon which, he immediately thrust his legs, 

 to above the knees, in a heap of wheat. He found himself re- 

 lieved, the swelling in the legs subsided in a most surprising 

 degree, and from that time he always employed this remedy : 

 indeed, the action of grain in masses is so extremely powerful 

 as to cause the entire evaporation of the liquor in a cask. Men of 

 experience in these matters recommend warm chaff of wheat 

 or barley, as an application for hernia, and fomentations with 



M See B. xviii. c. 20. 9i See B. xiv. c. 5. 



95 F&e says that it can have no such effect. 



96 The bran of wheat, Fee says, is of a soothing nature, and that of 

 barley slightly astringent. 



a7 See B. xv. c. 12, and B. xvii. c. 14. 



98 The only truth in this statement, Fee says, is, that wheat bran makes 

 a good gargle. 



