206 PLINY'S NATUEAL HISTORY. [Book XXVI. 



CHAP. 86. EEMEDIES FOR PHTHIRIASIS. 



Phthiriasis is a disease which proved fatal to the Dictator 

 Sylla, 95 and which developes itself by the production of insects 

 in the blood, which ultimately consume the body. It is combated 

 by using the juice of Taminian grapes 96 or of hellebore, the 

 body being rubbed all over with it, in combination with oil. 

 A decoction of Taminian grapes in vinegar, has the effect, also, 

 of ridding the clothes of these vermin. 



CHAP. 87. (14.) REMEDIES FOR ULCERS AND WOUNDS. 



Of ulcers there are numerous kinds, which are treated in 

 various ways. The root of all the varieties of panaces 97 is 

 used as an application for running ulcers, in warm wine. 



That which we have spoken of as the " chironion" 98 is par- 

 ticularly good as a desiccative : bruised with honey, it opens 

 tumours, and is useful for serpiginoyiis ulcers, the cure of which 

 appears more than doubtful ; in which case it is amalgamated 

 with flower 99 of copper tempered with wine, either the seed, 

 flower, or root, being employed for the purpose. Mixed with 

 polenta 1 it is good for old wounds. The following are also 

 good detergents for wounds : heraclion siderion, 2 apollinaris, 3 

 psyllion, 4 tragacantha, 5 and scordotis 6 mixed with honey. 

 Powdered scordotis, applied by itself, consumes fleshy excres- 

 cences on the body. Polemonia 7 is curative of the malignant 

 ulcer known as " cacoethes." The greater centaury, 8 sprinkled 

 in powder, or applied in the form of a liniment, or the leaves of 

 the smaller 9 centaury, boiled or pounded, act as a detergent 

 upon inveterate ulcers, and effect a cure. To recent wounds, 

 the follicules of the clymenus 10 are applied. Gentian is applied 

 to serpiginous ulcers, the root being bruised or else boiled down 

 in water to the consistency of honey ; the juice also of the 

 plant is employed. For wounds, a kind of lycium 11 is prepared 

 from gentian. 



95 See B. xi. c. 39, and B. xx. c. 32. 96 See B. xxiii. c. 13. 



97 See B. XXT. c. 11, et seq. 98 See B. xxv. c. 15. 



99 For a description of this substance, see B. xxxiv. c. 24. 



1 See B. xviii. c. 14. 2 See B. xxv. c. 15. 



3 See B. xxv. c. 17. 4 See B. xxv. c. 90. 



5 See B. xiii. c. 36. 6 See B. xxv. c. 27. 



7 See B. xxv. c. 28. 8 See B. xxv. c. 30. 



9 See B. xxv. c. 31. 10 See B. xxv. c. 33. 

 11 See B. xxiv. c. 77. 



