516 PLINY'S NATTJBAL HISTORY. [Book XXIII. 



Chesnuts 50 have a powerful effect in arresting fluxes of the 

 stomach and intestines, are relaxing to the bowels, are bene- 

 ficial in cases of spitting of blood, and have a tendency to make 

 flesh. 61 



CHAP. 79. CAROBS ! FIVE OBSERVATIONS UPON THEM. THE 



CORNEL; ONE REMEDY. THE FRUIT OF THE ARBUTUS. 



Fresh carobs 62 are unwholesome to the stomach, and relax- 

 ing to the bowels ; 53 in a dried state, however, they are astrin- 

 gent, and are much more beneficial to the stomach ; they are 

 diuretic also. For pains in the stomach, persons boil three 

 Syrian carobs 54 with one sextarius of water, down to one-half, 

 and drink the decoction. 



The juices which exude from the branches of the cornel 55 

 are received on a plate of red-hot iron 66 without it touching the 

 wood ; the rust of which is applied for the cure of incipient 

 lichens. The arbutus or unedo 57 bears a fruit that is difficult 

 of digestion, and injurious to the stomach. 



CHAP. 80. THE LAUREL ; SIXTY-NINE OBSERVATIONS UPON IT. 



All parts of the laurel, both the leaves, bark, and berries, 

 are of a warming 69 nature; and a decoction of them, the 

 leaves in particular, is very useful for affections of the blad- 

 der and uterus. 69 The leaves, applied topically, neutralize the 

 poison of wasps, bees, and hornets, as also that of serpents, 

 the seps, 60 dipsas, 61 and viper, in particular. Boiled in oil, 



50 See B. xv. c. 25. They are no longer used in medicine, and, as Fee 

 says, it is extremely doubtful if they possess any of the properties here at- 

 tributed to them. 



51 They are still looked upon as very nourishing, as, indeed, is the case 

 with all the feculent fruits. 



52 See B. xv. c. 26. 



53 They are productive of colic and diarrhoea. 



See B. xiii. c. 16. 55 See B. xv. c. 31. 



56 The juice of the sap would, to all appearance, produce an acetate or 

 oxide of iron. 



67 See B. xv. c. 28. 



58 All parts of the laurel, the berries in particular, are impregnated with 

 an essential oil with a powerful odour and of an exciting nature. Upon 

 this volatile principle, and nothing else, the whole of its medicinal pro- 

 perties are based. 



69 This assertion, Fee says, is no better than fabulous, 



6 o See Lucan's Pbarsalia, B. ix. 11. 723, 776. 



ei See the Pharsalia, B, ix. L 719, 



