Chap. 49.] THE IBEKIS. 113 



" consiligo." 9 ' It is very useful, as we shall have occasion to 

 mention 96 in the appropriate place, in cases of phthisis where 

 recovery is considered more than doubtful. 



CHA.P. 49. THE IBERTS : SEVEN KEMEDIES. 



It is but very lately, too, that Servilius Democrates, one of 

 our most eminent physicians, first called attention to a plant 

 to which he gave the name of iberis, 97 a fanciful appellation 98 

 only, bestowed by him upon this discovery of his in the 

 verses by him devoted 99 to it. This plant is found mostly 

 growing in the vicinity of ancient monuments, old walls, and 

 overgrown footpaths : it is an evergreen, and its leaves are 

 like those of nasturtium, with a stem a cubit in height, and a 

 seed so diminutive as to be hardly perceptible ; the root, too, 

 has just the smell of nasturtium. Its properties are more 

 strongly developed in summer, and it is only used fresh- 

 gathered : there is considerable difficulty in pounding it. 



Mixed with a small proportion of axle- grease, it is extremely 

 useful for sciatica and all diseases of the joints ; the application 

 being kept on some four hours at the utmost, when used by 

 the male sex, and about half that time in the case of females. 

 Immediately after its removal, the patient must take a warm 

 bath, and then anoint the body all over with oil and wine 

 the same operation being repeated every twenty days, so long 

 as there are any symptoms of pain remaining. A similar 

 method is adopted for the cure of all internal defluxions ; it 



95 Sprengel and other commentators identify it with the Pulmonaria 

 officinalis of Linnaeus, Lungwort or Pulmonary. Others, again, consider it 

 to he the Veratrum album of Linnaeus, or "White hellebore. Fee considers 

 that its synonym has not hitherto been discovered. Holland calls it Bear- 

 foot. 96 B. xxvi. c. 21. 



97 Fee identifies it with the Lepidium graminifolium of Linnaeus, Grass- 

 leaved pepperwort ; Desfontaines with the L. Iberis of Linnaeus, Bushy 

 pepperwort Littre gives as its synonym the Iberis amara of Linnaeus, 

 the White candy-tuft. 



98 " Fictum nomen." Salmasius thinks that by these words, Pliny 

 means that Democrates invented the name of a friend of his as being the 

 discoverer of this plant, which in reality was discovered by himself. It 

 would seem to mean, however, that the name " iberis " was only a fanciful 

 title, derived from the country where it was found, and given to it for want 

 of acquaintance with its real name. 



99 Still preserved in Galen, B. x. c. 2. 



VOL. v. I 



