38 PLINY'S NATURAL IIISTOUT. [Book XXXII. 



This last preparation is used, also, for the cure of impost- 

 humes of the parotid glands ; a purpose for which the liver 

 of the sea-fish known as the " saurus" 43 is employed. Kay, 

 even more than this, fragments of earthen vessels in 

 salt fish have been kept are pounded with stale axle-grease, 

 and applied to scrofulous sores and imposthumes of the parotid 

 glands ; as also calcined murex, incorporated with oil. Stillness 

 in the neck is allayed by taking what are known as.sca-licc, 4J * 

 in doses of one drachma in drink, taking .custoreuni 41 mixed 

 with pepper in honied wine, or making a decoction of frogs in 

 oil and salt, and taking the liquor. 



Opisthotony, too, and tetanus are treated in a similar manner; 

 and spasms, with the addition of pepper. Ashes of burnt 

 heads of salted mcena? are applied externally, with honey, for the 

 cure of quinsy ; as also a decoction of frogs, boiled in vinegar, 

 a preparation which is equally good for affections of the tonsil- 

 lary glands. Kiver-crabs, pounded, one to each hemina of 

 waUT, are used as a gargle for the cure of quinsy; or elsu 

 they are taken with wine and hot water. Garum, 45 put beneath 

 the uvula with a spoon, effectually cures diseases of that part. 

 The silurus," used as food, either frcsli or salted, improves the 

 voice. 



CUAP. 29. REMEDIES FOR COUGH AND DISEASES OF THE CHEST. 



Surmullets act as an emetic, dried and pounded, and taken 

 in drink. Castoreum, taken fasting, with a small quantity of 

 Lammoniacuni* 7 in oxymel, is extremely good for asthma : 

 spasms, too, in the stomach are assuaged by taking a similar 

 potion with warm oxymel. Frogs stewed in their own liquor 

 in the saucepan, the same way in fact that iish are dressed, 

 are good for a cough, it is said. In some cases, also, frogs are 

 suspended by the legs, and after their juices 4 " have been received 

 in a platter, it is recommended to gut them, and the entrails 

 being first carefully removed, to preserve them for the above 



43 Or sea-lizard, a fish a^ain mentioned in Chapter 53 of this Book. 

 JElian also speaks of it, liist. Nat. B. xii. c. 25 ; hut it has not beta 

 hitherto identified. ** See c. 25 of this Book. 



" See c. 13 of this Book. ** See B. xxxi. c. 43. 



6 See B.ix.cc. 17,25, 75. 



7 It is not clear whither he means the gum ammoniac of B. xii. c. 49, 

 and B. xxiv. c. 14, or the sal ammoniac of 15. xxxi. c. 39. 



** * 4 Suliva." See the recipe of Sallustius Dionvsius in Chapter 26 of 

 this Book. 



