Chap. 23.] WHITE HELLEBORE. 99 



off the bilious secretions and morbid humours by stool. It is 

 given also in water as a gentle aperient, the proportion being 

 one drachma at the very utmost, and four oboli for a moderate 

 dose. Some authorities have recomended mixing scammony 

 with it, but sa]t is looked upon as more safe. If given in any 

 considerable quantity in combination with a sweet substance, 

 it is highly dangerous : used in the form of a fomentation, it 

 disperses films upon the eyes ; and hence it is that some medical 

 men have pounded it and used it for an eye-salve. It ripens 

 and acts detergently upon scrofulous sores, suppurations, and 

 indurated tumours, as also upon fistulas, but in this latter case 

 it must be removed at the end of a couple of days. In com- 

 bination with copper filings 12 and sandarach, it removes warts ; 

 and it is applied to the abdominal regions, with barley-meal 

 and wine, in cases of dropsy. 



This plant is employed for the cure of pituitous defluxions 

 in cattle and beasts of burden, a slip of it being passed 13 

 through the ear, and removed at the same hour on the fol- 

 lowing day. With frankincense also, wax, and pitch, or else 

 pisselaeon, 14 it is used for the cure of itch in quadrupeds. 



CHAP. 23. TWENTY- THEE E REMEDIES DERIVED FROM WHJTE 



HELLEBORE. 



The best white hellebore is that which acts most speedily as 

 a sternutatory ; but it would seem to be a much more formid- 

 able 16 plant than the black kind ; more particularly if we read 

 in the ancient authors the precautions used by those about 

 to take it, against cold shiverings, suffocation, unnatural 

 drowsiness, continuous hiccup or sneezing, derangements of 

 the stomach, and vomitings, either retarded or prolonged, too 

 sparing or in excess. Indeed, it was generally the practice to 

 administer other substances to promote vomiting, and to carry 

 off the hellebore by the aid of purgatives or clysters, while 

 bleeding even was frequently had recourse to. In addition to 

 all this, however successful the results may prove, the symptoms 

 by which it is attended are really most alarming, by reason of 



2 " Squama aeris." 



13 See a similar statement as to Consiligo, in B. xxvi. c. 21. 



14 See B. xv. c. 7, and B. xxiv. c. 11. 



15 Its properties, Fee says, are not more active than those of black helle- 

 bore. 



H 2 



