182 PLINY'S NATUKAL HISTORY. [Book XXVI. 



taken in a dry state, or boiled down in the proportion of one 

 handful to three heminae of vinegar. Teucria, too, is applied 

 with vinegar to wounds of the spleen, or, if the patient cannot 

 bear the application of vinegar, with figs or water. Polemo- 

 nia 12 is taken in wine, and betony, in doses of one drachma, 

 in three cyathi of oxymel : aristolochia, too, is used in the 

 same manner as for injuries inflicted by serpents. 13 Arge- 

 monia, 14 it is said, taken with the food for seven consecutive 

 days, diminishes the volume of the spleen ; and a similar effect 

 is attributed to agaric, taken in doses of two oboli, in oxymel. 

 Eoot, too, of nymph sea heraclia, 15 taken in wine, or by itself, 

 diminishes the spleen. 



Cissanthemos, 16 taken twice a day, in doses of one drachma 

 in two cyathi of white wine, for forty consecutive days, 

 gradually carries off the spleen, it is said, by urine. Hyssop, 

 boiled with figs, is very useful for the same purpose : root of 

 lonchitis, 17 also, boiled before it has shed its seed. A decoction 

 of root of peucedanum 18 is good for the spleen and kidneys. 

 Acoron, 19 taken in drink, diminishes the spleen ; and the roots 

 of it are very beneficial for the viscera and iliac regions. Por 

 similar purposes, seed of clymenus 20 is taken, for thirty con- 

 secutive days, in doses of one denarius, in white wine. Powdered 

 betony is also used, taken in a potion with honey and squill 

 vinegar; root too of lonchitis is taken in water. Teucrium 21 

 is used externally for diseases of the spleen ; scordium, 22 also, 

 in combination with wax ; and agaric, mixed with powdered 

 fenugreek. 



CHAP. 49. BEMEDIES EOR CALCULI AND DISEASES OF THE BLADDEK. 



For diseases of the bladder and calculi (affections which, as 

 already observed, 23 produce the most excruciating torments), 

 polemonia 24 is highly efficacious, taken in wine ; agaric also, 

 and leaves or root of plantago, taken in raisin wine. Betony, 



12 See B. xxv. c. 28. 13 See B. xxv. c, 55. 



14 See B. xxv. c. 56. 15 See B. xxv. c. 37. 



16 See B. xxv. c. 68. 



17 See B. xxv. c. 88. Fee says that it is the Aspidium lonchitis of Lin- 

 naeus, that is meant. 18 See B. xxv. c. 70. 



19 See B. xxv. c. 100. 20 See B, xxv. c. 33. 



21 See B. xxv. c. 20. 



22 Or Scordotis. See B. xxv. c. 27, 



23 In B. xxv. c. 7. 24 See B. xxv, c. 28. 



