452 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY. [Book XXX. 



a preservative against the malady. A kite's liver, too, eaten 

 by the patient, is highly vaunted ; the slough also of a ser- 

 pent ; a vulture's liver, beaten up with the blood of the bird, 

 and taken thrice seven days in drink ; or the heart of a young 

 vulture, worn attached to the body. 



And not only this, but the vulture itself is recommended as 

 a food for the patient, and that, too, when it has been glutted 

 with human flesh. Some recommend the breast of this bird 

 to be taken in drink from a cup made of cerrus 28 wood, or the 

 testes of a dunghill cock to be taken in milk and water ; the 

 patient abstaining from wine the five preceding days, and the 

 testes being dried for the purpose. There have been authori- 

 ties found to recommend one-and-twenty red flies and those 

 found dead, too ! taken in drink, the number being reduced 

 where the patient is of a feeble habit. 



CHAP. 28. (11.) REMEDIES FOR JAUNDICE. 



Jaundice is combated by administering ear-wax to the patient, 

 or else the filth that adheres to the udders of sheep, in doses 

 of one denarius, with a modicum of myrrh, in two cyathi of 

 wine; the ashes, also, of a dog's head, mixed with honied 

 wine ; a millepede, in one semi-sextarius of wine ; earth- 

 worms, in hydromel with myrrh ; wine in which a hen's 

 feet have been washed, after being first cleansed with water 

 the hen must be one with yellow 29 feet the brains of a partridge 

 or of an eagle, in three cyathi of wine ; the ashes of a ring- 

 dove's feathers or intestines, in honied wine, in doses of three 

 spoonfuls ; or ashes of sparrows burnt upon twigs, in doses of 

 two spoonfuls, in hydromel. 



There is a bird, known as the " icterus," 30 from its peculiar 

 colour: if the patient looks at it, he will be cured of jaun- 

 dice, they say, and the bird will die. In my opinion this 

 is the same bird that is known in Latin by the name of 

 "galgulus." 31 



CHAP. 29. REMEDIES FOR PJIRENITIS. 



In cases of phrenitis a sheep's lights, attached warm round 

 the patient's head, would appear to be advantageous. But as 

 to giving a man suffering from delirium a mouse's brains in 



28 See B. xvi. e. 6. 29 Like our game poultry. 



30 This word being also the Greek name for the jaundice. 



31 See B. x. c. 50. The AVit nail. 



