16 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTORY. [Hook XXXII. 



neutralizing poisons. Those tortoises are found in the greatest 

 numbers in Africa; where the head and feet being iirst cut off, 

 it is said, they are given to persons by way of antidote. 

 Eaten, too, in a broth made from them, they are thou^Ut-to 

 disperse scrofula, diminish the volume of the spleen, and effect 

 the cure of epilepsy. The blood of the land-tortoise improves 

 the eyesight, and removes cataract : it is kept also, made up 

 with meal into pills, which are given with wine when neces- 

 sary, to neutralize the poison of all kinds of serpents, frogs, 

 spiders, and similar venomous iJnimals. It is found a useful 

 plan, too, in cases of glaucoma, to anoint the eyes with gall of 

 tortoises, mixed with Attic honey, and, for the cure of injuries 

 iuilieted by scorpions, to drop the gall into the wound. 



Ashes of tortoise-shell, kneaded up with wine and oil, are 

 used for the cure of chaps upon the feet, and of uleerations. 

 The shavings of the surface of the shell, administered in drink, 

 act as an autaphrodisiae : a thing that is the in or'.: surprising, 

 from the fact that u powder prepared from the whole of the shell 

 has the reputation of being a strong aphrodisiac. As to the urine 

 of the land-tortoise, I do not think that it can be obtained 

 otherwise than by opening it and taking out the bladder; this 

 beintr one of those substances to which the adepts in magic 

 attribute such marvellous properties. For the sting of the 

 u>p. they say, it is wonderfully effectual ; and even more so, 

 if bugs are mixed with it. The eggs of the tortoise, burdened 

 by keeping, are applied to scrofulous sores and ulcers arising 

 from burns or cold : they are taken also for pains in the 

 stomach. 



The flesh of the sea-tortoise, 8 mixed with that of frog?, is 

 an excellent remedy for injuries caused by the salamander; 4 

 indeed there is nothing that is a better neutralizer of the secre- 

 tions of the salamander than the sea-tortoise. The blood of 

 this animal reproduces the hair when lost through alopecy, 

 and is curative of porrigo and till kinds of uleerations of the 

 head ; the proper method of using it being to let it dry, and 

 then gently wash it off. For the cure of ear-ache, this blood 

 is injected with woman's milk, and for epilepsy it is eaten 

 with fine wheaten Hour, three heinina; of the blood being 

 mixed with one hemiua of vinegar. It is prescribed also for 

 the cure of asthma ; but in this fuse in combination with one 

 3 Or turtle. 4 See 13. x. c. SG. 



