56 ruin's NATURAL HISTORY. [Book XXX 1 1. 



cipc which we find given by the midwife Salpe w for disguising 

 the age of boys on sale for slaves. A similar property belongs 

 to the piilmo marinus," to the blood and gall of the sea-hare, 

 and to the sea-hare itself, stifled in oil. The same, too, 

 ashes of burnt crabs or sea pcolopendra3,' J7 mixed with oil; 

 M'a-nctties,-'* bruised in squill vinegar ; and brains of the tor- 

 pedu w applied with alum on the sixteenth day of the moon. 

 The thick matter emitted by the small frogs, which we have 

 described when treating 1 of eye- diseases, is a most efficient 

 depilatory, if applied fresh: the same, too, with the frog itself, 

 dried and pounded, and then boiled down to one-third in three 

 heruince of water, or else boiled in a copper vessel with oil in a 

 like proportion. Others, again, prepare a depilatory from fifteen 

 frogs, in manner already" stated under the howl of remedies 

 for the eyes. Leeches, also, grilled in an earthen vessel, and 

 applied with vinegar, have the same property as a depilatory; 

 the very odour, too, which attaches to the persons who thus burn 

 them is singularly efficacious for killing bugs. 3 Cases are to be 

 found, too, where persons have used castoreum with honey, 

 formany days together, as a depilatory. In the case, however, 

 of every depilatory, the hairs should always be removed before 

 it is applied. 



CHAP. 48. KEMKDIES FOR THE DISEASES OF INFANTS. 



Dentition in infants is promoted, and the gums greatly re- 

 lieved, by rubbing them with ashes of a dolphin's teeth, 

 mixed with honey, or else by touching the gums with the tooth 

 itself of that fish. One of these teeth, worn as an amulet, is 

 a preventive of sudden frights ;* the tooth of the dog-fish 5 

 being also possessed of a similar property. As to ulcers which 

 make their appearance in the ears, or in any other parts of the 

 body, they may be cured by applying the liquor of river-crabs,* 

 with barley-meal. These crabs, too, bruised in oil and employed 

 as a friction, are very useful for other kinds of maladies. A 



: ' :> See end of B. xxviii. 



Vi Or " sea-lungs." See Chapter 36 of this Book. 



* See B. ix. c. 67 * See B. ix. c. 63. 



** See Note 90 above. In Chapter 24 of this Book. 



1 See the preceding Note. s Sec Chapter 42 of this Book. 



4 In the case of infants, probahly. 6 " Canicula." See B.ix.cc. 11,70. 



6 Or 4 ' era utish." 



