Chap. 55.] APPLES. 497 



for the cure of affections of the stomach. The juice of raw quinces 

 is very good, also, for the spleen, hardness of breathing, dropsy, 

 affections of the raamillae, condylomata, and varicose veins. 

 The blossoms, either fresh or dried, are useful for inflamma- 

 tions of the eyes, spitting of blood, and irregularities of the 

 catamenia. I3y beating them up with sweet wine, a sooth- 

 ing sirop is prepared, which is very beneficial for cceliac 

 affections and diseases of the liver : with a decoction of them 

 a fomentation is made for procidence of the uterus and in- 

 testines. 



From quinces an oil is also extracted, which we have spoken 

 of under the name of " melinum :" 38 in order to make it, the 

 fruit must not have been grown in a damp soil ; hence it is 

 that the quinces which come from Sicily are so highly esteemed 

 for the purpose ; while, on the other hand, the strutheum, 36 

 thougli of a kindred kind, is not so good. 



A circle 37 is traced round the root of this tree, and the root 

 itself is then pulled up with the left hand, care being taken 

 by the person who does so to state at the same moment the 

 object for which it is so pulled up, and for whom. Worn as 

 an amulet, this root is a cure for scrofula. 



CHAP. 55. THE SWEET APPLES CALLED MELIMELA I SIX OBSERVA- 

 TIONS UPON THEM. SOUK APPLES I FOUK OBSERVATIONS UPON 

 THEM. 



The apples known as " melimela," 88 and the other sweet 

 apples, relax the stomach and bowels, but are productive of 

 heat and thirst, 39 though they do not act injuriously upon the 

 nervous system. The orbiculata 40 arrest diarrhoaa and vomit- 

 ing, and act as a diuretic. Wild apples resemble the sour apples 

 of spring, and act astringently upon the bowels : indeed, for 

 this purpose they should always be used before they are ripe. 



35 B. xiii. c. 2. 



36 Or "sparrow-quince." See B. xv. c. 10. 



37 He states this so gravely, that he would almost appear to believe it. 



38 " Honey apples." See B. xv. c. 15, where this apple is also called 

 the " musteum/' 



39 A purgative sirop of apples, causing thirst, was made by the ancients, 

 the receipt for which was attributed to King bapor. 



40 Or u round" apples. See B. xv. c. 15. 



VOL. IV. K 



