442 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY. [Book XXX. 



a soothing effect upon cceliac affections ; but it is absolutely 

 necessary that neither fowl nor patient should have eaten 

 corn 96 for some time before. Pigeons' dung, also, is grilled and 

 taken in drink. The flesh of a ring-dove, boiled in vinegar, 

 is curative of dysentery and cooliac affections : and for the cure 

 of the former, a thrush is recommended, roasted with myrtle- 

 berries ; a blackbird, also ; or honey, boiled, in which the bees 

 have died. 



CHAP. 20. EEMEDIES FOR THE ILIAC PASSION, AND FOB OTHER 



MALADIES OF THE BOWELS. 



One of the most dangerous of maladies is that known by the 

 name of " ileos :" 97 it may be combatted, they say, by tearing 

 a bat asunder, and taking the blood, or by rubbing the abdo- 

 men with it. Diarrhoea is arrested more particularly by taking 

 snails, prepared in manner already 98 mentioned for cases of 

 asthma ; the ashes, also, of snails burnt alive, administered in 

 astringent wine ; the liver of poultry grilled ; the dried craw 

 of poultry, a part that is usually thrown away, mixed with 

 poppy-juice in some cases it is used fresh, grilled, and taken 

 in wine partridge broth ; the craw of partridges beaten up by 

 itself in red wine ; a wild ringdove boiled in oxy crate ; a sheep's 

 milt, grilled and beaten up in wine ; or else pigeons' dung, 

 applied with honey. The crop of an ossifrage, dried and taken 

 in drink, is remarkably useful for patients whose digestion is 

 impaired indeed, its good effects may be felt if they only hold . 

 it in the hand while eating. Hence it is that some persons 

 wear it attached to the body as an amulet ; a practice which . 

 must not be too long continued, it being apt to cause a wasting 

 of the flesh. The blood, too, of a drake has an astringent' 

 effect. 



Flatulency is dispelled by eating snails ; and griping pains 

 in the bowels, by taking a sheep's milt grilled, with wine; a 

 wild ringdove boiled in oxy crate ; the fat of an otis" in wine ; or 

 the ashes of an ibis, burnt without the feathers, administered in 

 drink. Another prescription mentioned for griping pains in 

 the bowels is of a very marvellous nature : if a duck, they say, 

 is applied to the abdomen, the malady will pass into the bird, 



96 See B. xxix. c. 36. 97 The iliac passion, or ileus volvulus. 



98 In c. 16 of this Book. 



99 A kind of bustard. See B. x. cc. 29, 50, and c. 45 of this Book. 



