254 PLINY'S NATUEAL HTSTOKY. [Book XXVII. 



the mere sight of it, the medicinal purposes for which it was 

 originally intended; the appearance of it, too, is such, that 

 it can be immediately recognized, without the necessity of 

 having recourse to any botanical authority. 



CHAP. 75. LAPIDIS MUSCUS, OR STONE MOSS I ONE REMEDY. 



There grows near running streams, a dry, white moss, 15 upon 

 ordinary stones. One of these stones, with the addition of 

 human saliva, is rubbed against another; after which the 

 first stone is used for touching impetigo, 16 the party so doing 

 uttering these words : 



Osuysrs xa,v6a,pifo$t Xvnog aypiog al/Ma biuxsi. 

 11 Cantharides 17 begone, a wild wolf seeks your blood." 18 



CHAP. 76. THE L1MEUM I ONE REMEDY. 



Limeum 19 is the name given by the Gauls to a plant, in a 

 preparation of which, known to them as "deer's 20 poison," they 

 dip their arrows 21 when hunting. To three modii of salivating 

 mixture 22 they put as much of the plant as is used for poisoning 

 a single arrow ; and a mess of it is passed down the throat, 

 in cases where oxen are suffering from disease, due care being 

 taken to keep them fastened to the manger till they have been 

 purged, as they are generally rendered frantic by the dose. In 

 case perspiration supervenes, they are drenched all over with 

 cold water. 



CHAP. 77. THE LETJCE, MESOLETJCON, OR LETJCA8 I THREE 



REMEDIES. 



Leuce, 23 a plant resembling mercurialis, 24 has received its 



15 Some kind of lichen, probably, but what in particular it is impossible 

 to say. 16 King-worm or tetter. 



17 Hardouin says that this herpetic disease is called "cantharides," be- 

 cause it attacks the body as the cantharis attacks wheat. See B. xviii. c. 44. 



18 It would be superfluous to look for sense in this silly formula. 



19 Anguillara and C. Bauhin identify it with the Ranunculus thora of 

 Linnaeus, and other authorities with the Doronicum pardalianches of Lin- 

 naeus. Pliny is the only writer that mentions it ; and if it really had any 

 existence, it would seem quite impossible, as Fee says, to identify it with 

 correctness. 2 " Venenum cervarium." 21 See B. xxv. c. 25. 



22 " Salivati." Holland renders this, " A mash wherewith they used to 

 drench cattle.'' 23 Identified with the Lamium of B. xxii. c. 16. 



24 See B. xxv. c. 18. The resemblance, Fee says, is by no means a 

 striking one. 



