Chap. 42.] THE TITHTMALOS HELIOSCOPIOS. 1/9 



once, some, indeed, not till the ensuing year. The name given to 

 this fruit is the "nut," whence the Greek appellation "cary- 

 ites." 88 It is gathered at harvest, and is washed and dried, being 

 given with twice the quantity of black poppy, in doses of one 

 acetabulum in all. 



As an emetic, this kind is not so efficacious as the preceding 

 one, and, indeed, the same may be said of all the others. Some 

 physicians recommend the leaf to be taken in the manner 

 already mentioned, but say that the nut should either be taken 

 in honied wine or raisin wine, or else with sesame. It carries 

 off pituitous humours and bile by stool, and is curative of ul- 

 cerations of the mouth. For corrosive sores of the mouth, 

 the leaf is eaten with honey. 



CHAP. 41. THE TITHYMALOS PARALI08, OB TITHYMALIS : FOUR 

 REMEDIES. 



A third kind of tithymalos is known by the additional name- 

 of " paralios," 89 or else as " ti thy mails." 90 The leaf is round, 

 the stem a palm in height, the branches red, and the seed white. 

 This seed is gathered just as the grape is beginning to form, and 

 is dried and pounded ; being taken as a purgative, in doses of 

 one acetabulum. 



'CHAP. 42. THE TITHYMALOS HELIOSCOPIOS : EIGHTEEN REMEDIES. 



A fourth kind of tithymalos 91 is known by the additional 

 name of " helioscopios." 92 It has leaves like those of purslain, 93 

 and some four or five small branches standing out from the root, 

 of a red colour, half a foot in height, and full of juice. This 

 plant grows in the vicinity of towns : the seed is white, and 

 pigeons 94 are remarkably fond of it. It receives its additional 

 name of " helioscopios " from the fact that the heads of it turn 95 

 with the sun. Taken in doses of half an acetabulum, in 

 oxymel, it carries oif bile by stool : in other respects it has 

 the same properties as the characias, above-mentioned. 



83 From the Greek /cap vo v, a "nut." 

 89 " Sea-shore" tithymalus. See B. xx. c. 80. 

 The Euphorbia paralias of Linnaeus, Sea spurge. 

 91 The Euphorbia helioscopia of Linnaeus, Sun spurge or "Wart-wort. 



93 ' k Sun- watch ing." 93 See B. xx. c. 81. 



94 Fee says that this is more than doubtful. 



95 An assertion, Fee says, not confirmed by modern observation. 



N 2 



