166 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY. [Book XXVI. 



particular, teucria 91 is taken fresh, in doses of four drachmae 

 to one hemina of oxycrate ; or else betony, in ^the proportion 

 of one drachma to three cyathi of warm water. For diseases 

 of the heart, betony is recommended, in doses of one drachma 

 to two cyathi of cold water. Juice of cinquefoil is remedial 

 for diseases of the liver and lungs, and for spitting of blood as 

 well as all internal affections of the blood. The two varieties 

 of anagallis 92 are wonderfully efficacious for liver complaints. 

 Patients who eat the plant called " capnos" 93 discharge the 

 bile by urine. Acoron 94 is also remedial for diseases of the liver, 

 and daueus 95 is useful for the thorax and the pectoral organs. 



CHAP. 20 THE EPHEDEA OR ANABASIS ; THREE REMEDIES. 



The ephedra, 96 by some persons called " anabasis/ ' mostly 

 grows in localities exposed to the wind. It climbs the trunks of 

 trees, and hangs down from the branches, is destitute of leaves, 

 but has numerous suckers, join ted like a bulrush; the root 

 is of a pale colour. This plant is given, pounded, in astringent 

 reel wine, for cough, asthma, and gripings in the bowels. It 

 is administered also in the form of a pottage, to which some 

 wine should be added. For these complaints, gentian is also 

 used, being steeped in water the day before, and then pounded 

 and given in doses of 5ne denarius, in three cyathi of wine. 



CHAP. 21. GEUM : THREE REMEDIES. 



Geum 97 is a plant with thin, diminutive roots, black, and 

 aromatic. 98 It is curative not only of pains in the chest and 

 sides, but is useful also for dispelling crudities, owing to its 

 agreeable flavour. Yervain, too, is good for all affections of 

 the viscera, and for diseases of the sides, lungs, liver, and 



91 See B. xxv. c. 20. 92 See B. xxv. c. 92. 



93 See B. xxv. c. 99. 9i See B. xxv. c. 100. 



95 See B. xxv. c. 64. 



96 Probably the Equisetum silvaticum of Linnaeus, our Wild horse-tail. 

 He is in error in saying that it climbs the trunks of trees ; a mistake also 

 made by Dioscorides, B. iv. c. 46, who calls it " hippuris." It is said by 

 some to be a strong diuretic. Littre, however, gives as its synonym the 

 Ephedra fragilis of Linnaeus. 



97 The Geum urbanum of Linnaeus, the Common avens, or herb bennet. 

 It was probably unknown to the Greeks. 



98 Its root has a smell like that of cloves, for which reason it is some- 

 times known as <c Caryophyllata." 



