228 PLINY'S NATUBAL HISTORY. [Book XXVII. 



The seed is round, hard, concave, and of a sweetish taste. It 

 grows in cornfields, gardens, and meadows, and, by the aid of 

 its prickly points, adheres to the clothes. The seed is em- 

 ployed to neutralize the venom of serpents, being taken in 

 doses of one drachma, in wine : it is useful also for the bite of 

 the phalangium. 59 The leaves, applied topically, arrest hae- 

 morrhage from wounds. The juice is used as an injection for 

 the ears. 



CHAP. 16. THE AUCTION OR ARCTURTJM : FIVE REMEDIES. 



The arction 60 is by some called " arcturum" in preference : 

 the leaves of it are like those of verbascum, 61 except that they 

 are more hairy ; the stem is long and soft, and the seed resem- 

 bles that of cummin. It grows in rocky localities, and has a 

 tender root, white and sweet. A decoction of it is made with 

 wine for tooth-ache, being retained for that purpose in the 

 mouth. The plant is taken in drink for sciatica and strangury, 

 and is applied with wine to burns and chilblains, which are 

 fomented also with the root and seed bruised in wine. 



CHAP. 17. THE ASPLENON OR HEMIONION : TWO REMEDIES. 



Some persons call the asplenon 62 by the name of " hemio- 

 nion." 63 It has numerous leaves, a third of a foot in length, 

 and a slimy root, pierced with holes like that of fern, white, 

 and hairy. It is destitute of stem, flower, and seed, 64 and is 

 found growing upon rocks or sheltered damp walls. The most 

 approved kind is that of Crete. A decoction of the leaves 

 in vinegar, taken in drink for a period of thirty days, will 



50 See JSote 53 above. 



60 Brotero and Linnaeus identify it with the Arctium lappa of Linnaeus, 

 the Burdock or clot-burr : Sibthorp with the Conyza Candida, the White 

 fleabane : others, again, with the Celsia arcturus of Linnaeus, and Sprengel 

 with the Verbascum ferrugineum of Linnaeus, the Ferruginous mullein ; 

 between which two last, Fee is unable to decide. 



61 See B. xxv. c. 73. 



62 So called from its supposed property of consuming the spleen. It is 

 generally identified with the Asplenium ceterach of Linnaeus, Spleenwort, 

 or miltwaste. The Asplenium hemionitis of Linnaeus, Mule's fern, and 

 the Asplenium scolopendrium of Linnaeus, Hart's tongue, have also been 

 suggested ; but Fee prefers the first-named plant. 



53 The " mule's plant." These animals were said to be very fond of it. 

 64 This is incorrect : the Ceterach has a large quantity of seed, but it 

 is concealed beneath a kind of downy substance. 



