146 PLINY'S NATUBAL HISTOKT. [BookXXY. 



of panacea, 11 chewed, that of the chironion in particular, and 

 juice of panaces, used as a collutory ; root, too, of henbane, 

 chewed with vinegar, and root of polemonia. 12 The root of 

 plantago is chewed for a similar purpose, or the teeth are 

 rinsed with a decoction of the juice mixed with vinegar. The 

 leaves, too, are said to he useful for the gums, when swollen 

 with sanious blood, or if there are discharges of blood there- 

 from. The seed, too, of plantago is a cure for abscesses in the 

 gums, and for gum-boils. Aristolochia has a strengthening 

 effect upon the gums and teeth ; and the same with vervain, 

 either chewed with the root of that plant, or boiled in wine 

 and vinegar, the decoction being employed as a gargle. The 

 same is the case, also, with root of cinquefoil, boiled down to 

 one third, in wine or vinegar ; before it is boiled, however, the 

 root should be washed in sea or salt water : the decoction, too, 

 must be kept a considerable time in the mouth. Some persons 

 prefer cleaning the teeth with ashes of cinquefoil. 



Root of verbascum 13 is also boiled in wine, and the decoction 

 used for rinsing the teeth. The same is done too with hyssop 

 and juice of peucedanum , mixed with opium ; or else the juice 

 of the root of anagallis, 14 the female plant in particular, is 

 injected into the nostril on the opposite side to that in which 

 the pain is felt. 



CHAP. 106. ERIGERON, PAPPUS, ACANTHIS, OR SEKECTO : EIGHT 



HEM EDI ES. 



Erigeron 15 is called by our people " senecio." It is said 

 that if a person, after tracing around this plant with an imple- 

 ment of iron, takes it up and touches the tooth affected with it 

 three times, taking care to spit each time on the ground, and 

 then replaces it in the same spot, so as to take root again, 

 he will never experience any further pain in that tooth. This 

 plant has just' the appearance and softness of trixago, 16 with a 

 number of small reddish-coloured stems: it is found growing 

 upon walls, and the tiled roofs of houses. The Greeks have 



11 See c. 11 of this Book. 12 See c. 28 of this Book. 



13 See c. 73 of this Book. u See c. 92 of this Book. 



15 Identified by Desfontaines with the Senecio Jacobaea of Linnaeus, 

 Common ragwort. Fee identifies it with the Senecio vulgaris of Linnieus, 

 our Groundsel. They are botli destitute of medicinal properties. 



l . 6 See B. xxiv. c. 80. 



