Chap. 2G.] VERDIGRIS. 193 



unacquainted arc they with the preparation of medicaments, 

 a thing that was formerly considered the most essential part 

 of their profession.* 9 At the present day, whenever they 

 happen to iind u book of recipes, if they wish to make any 

 composition from these substances, or, in other words, to make 

 trial of the prescription at the expense of their unhappy 

 patients, they trust entirely to the druggists, 1 who spoil 

 everything by their fraudulent adulterations. For this long 

 time past, they have even purchased their plasters and eye-. 

 salves ready made, and the consequence is, that the spoiled or 

 adulterated wares in the druggists* shops are thus got rid of. 



Both lepis and flower of copper are calcined in shallow 

 earthen or brazen pans; after which they are washed, as 

 described above,* and employed for the same purposes ; in addi- 

 tion to which, they are used for excrescences in the nostrils and 

 in the anus, us also for dullness of the hearing, being forcibly 

 blown into the ears through a tube.^ Incorporated with meal, 

 they are applied to swellings of the uvula, and, with honey, to 

 swellings of the tonsils. The scales prepared from white 

 copper are much less efiicacious tlian those from Cyprian 

 copper. Sometimes they iirst macerate the nails and cakes of 

 copper in a boy's urine ; and in some instances, they pound 

 the scales, when detached, and wash them in rain water. 

 They are then given to dropsical patients, in doses of two 

 drachmas, with one scmisextarius of honied wine : they are also 

 made into a liniment with fine Hour. 



CHAP. 2G. VEUDIGltlS; EIGHTS KX KKMEDIES. 



Verdigris 3 is also applied to many purposes, and is prepared 



w Ik'climann comments at some length on this passage; Vol. I. p. 328. 

 liohn's Edition. 



1 ** Seplasiaj." The druggists dwelling in the Seplasia. See B. xxxiii. 

 c. 58. 



2 In Chapters 22 and 23, as applied to Cadmia and Cyprian copper, re- 

 spectively. H. 



3 ,'Krugo." Tbc researches of modern chemists have ascertained the 

 composition of verdigris to be a diacctetc of copper; the Stt*qttibakic 

 acetate and the triacetate ore also to be considered as varieties of this 



p. 171, ft 



o 



